《RETURN OF THE MARTIAL MESSIAH》


 Chapter 1 - RUDE AWAKENING

    One of Raine¡¯s eyes fluttered open, crusty goop sticking to his lashes as beaming sunlight pierced straight to his brain. He released a pained groan, reaching to rub at his aching temples with thick, pudgy fingers.


    What the hell? Why is my hand swollen? Poison? No, if I was poisoned, my LinQ would have noticed the toxicity in my blood.


    LinQ¡­


    Raine thought in the particular way that would activate the microchip in his brain. When a moment passed with no response, instant panic gripped his heart and his other eye snapped open.


    It''s not responding?! Did they disable it? That''s definitely a violation of my contract!


    Raine sat up, the motion stirring a bout of vertigo.


    This is awful, I haven¡¯t felt this bad sin¡ª


    ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± He mumbled, his voice unfamiliar in his ringing ears, ¡°Oh, wow. Nice Boogerman poster. I used to own one just like it.¡±


    A mechanical voice brimming with dissatisfaction filled the small room, "Good morning, Master KongRu."


    Raine''s head whipped around fast enough to trigger his vertigo again. He swallowed hard to fight down the bile threatening to crawl up his throat. Through the haze of confusion, he saw a mechanical head and upper torso leaning haphazardly atop the only desk in the cramped apartment.


    His vision tunneled and his throat constricted from the impossibility of what he was seeing, "M-morty? No freaking way. What are you doing here? How are you here?"


    "You placed me here seventeen days ago after promising to replace my waist servos," it was challenging for an AI-powered primus without a voice modulator to pull off sarcasm, but Morty handled it with ease.


    This¡­ is my old apartment? Everything is exactly the same. Am I in an illusion array?


    Raine leaped out of bed and nearly face-planted as his atrophied legs buckled. His hand grasped for a nearby chair, causing discarded junk food wrappers and cartons with bits of rotting left-overs to scatter across the floor.


    I¡¯m so weak. What a disgusting mess, who would live like this? Oh yeah, I used to live like this.


    Stepping more carefully, he arrived before the bathroom mirror and examined his reflection. Staring back at him was an overweight, saggy-eyed shut-in that sparked a cascade of doubt to ripple through his murky consciousness.


    It really is the old me. Complete with man-boobs and everything. I was so unmotivated. I blamed everyone in the world but myself for my problems while refusing to do a single damn thing about them.


    Raine pinched his cheek, feeling the bite in his whitening skin. He watched his fat roil with morbid curiosity.


    At least I have nice teeth¡­ Did I stumble into a hidden quest using an array to torture me with visions of the past?


    ¡°Status. Menu. Force log out,¡± all three prompts failed to elicit a response from the system, and reality came crashing down on him, buckling his knees.


    This is no dream or trick. This is real. Somehow, I¡¯m truly in the past. Either that or its new tech that''s even more advanced than ZionLine.


    Raine laughed at how ludicrous that possibility was.


    I''m not poisoned, this is just how crappy I always felt back then from lack of exercise and awful choices. That''s heavy.


    He released a sardonic grunt from his own terrible pun.


    Maybe CronGate did me a favor by giving me a job, a purpose.


    Nope! Screw those soul-sucking asswads and their I.D! (Indentured Dependent Contract) Turning me and everyone else into slaves. Thinking they''re god''s because they have enough money and power to do whatever they want.


    I made them billions with my designs and took their crappy department from a bunch of noobs to a top ten guild in the Zephyr region with over a hundred thousand members. All to be repaid with a hundred years of slavery unless I paid a debt that wasn¡¯t mine. Even when I made enough to repay it, they repeatedly backstabbed me, keeping my freedom just out of reach. Exactly like they did with everyone else.


    Signing that contract was the worst mistake I ever made. Much worse than this lifestyle. I can fix this in no time, but I.D.s are for life.


    Raine shook the dark thoughts away, causing his chubby cheeks to wobble, "Morty, you remarkable conglomeration of masterful elegance. Hit me with the date, would you?"


    "2483 May, 15th. Unsurprising that a smooth brain without a single nanite of processing power would be unable to compute the date. Is it truly so difficult to add by one? Ko-ahem, Master KongRu. My apologies, I somehow almost forgot to add your honorifics."


    Raine chuckled and ran his hands through his hair as he slumped to the floor. Hollow laughter soon escalated until tears pooled in his eyes.


    AI can''t lie when you ask them a direct question. I''ve really come back ten years. All my hard work, levels, gear, assets, and even my fitness, it''s all gone. What am I supposed to do now? ZL hasn''t even launched yet. That''s just crazy to think about.


    I get to watch the whole world get flipped upside down and enslaved again. It was so cool in the beginning. People went wild after they discovered the time dilation tripled their lifespans. But the fun didn''t last long. I can still remember my first seventy-two-hour workday at that crappy little in-game office.


    The only good memory I have of that time is selling my first rare drop for a whopping three-hundred-thousand creds. Insanity.


    Raine''s heart lurched and he clutched his chest with wide eyes. His pulse hammered in his ears, his tongue prickled, and sweat sprouted across his body.


    They don''t know. Nobody knows. It''s all there for the taking. With what I know, with the skills I¡¯ve cultivated, I could become the most powerful forerunner in the history of ZL. Only the old monsters could stop me, and if I can get far enough ahead, even they won''t stand a chance.


    I made so many mistakes the first time. My build was an unoptimized mess. Of course it was, everyone''s was. I¡­ I could be perfect, unstoppable. I¡­ I have to move, I have to go now! There''s no time to waste. Wait, maybe I¡¯m not the only one that came back. How could I-the forums!


    Rain¡¯s vision tunneled as an overwhelming pulse of adrenaline slammed through his blood. With heavy breaths and slippery fingers, he snatched the cheap AR glasses he personally upgraded far beyond their intended specs.


    Holographic displays sprang to life across every surface of his tiny apartment. He ignored them all to grab the floating keyboard that appeared, and frantically punched in the infostream address for the ZionLine forums.


    I don''t see any posts from people claiming to be from the future, but I''m sure as fuck not going to announce my arrival, and nobody else from the future would either. Selling information though, that¡¯s exactly what a regular person would do.


    Raine brought up the search function then stopped, his eyes snapping to his very illegal AI companion, ¡°Morty! Run constant searches through the ZionLine forums for anyone selling information about the game.¡±


    The AI¡¯s mechanical tone turned derisive, ¡°Master KongRu. ZionLine is not slated for release for another two days. There are no such results to your query, nor are any likely. Is it entirely necessary to squander my resources on such an improbable task?¡±


    Two days¡­ I only have two days. I¡¯m going to need a thetadrive and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m starting the game in this useless town.


    "Just do it. And list every one of my possessions for sale. The car, bed, posters, everything! Wait, I''ll need two changes of clothes, my duffle, and glasses. Everything else goes."


    "Thank the great computationals in the skies! I''ll finally be free from this rat-infested junkyard you call home," his robotic voice sang with joy.


    "Oh yeah, don''t sell yourself, either. You''re coming with me, old buddy. No way I''m making that mistake again."


    "Cursed organic detritus, I shan''t forget this!" If Morty had limbs, he would have been shaking them furiously.


    Raine ignored his antics, his mind a whirlwind of possibilities as he planned his first moves. He showered and dressed, barely registering the world around him. By the time he was out, a stream of hovering drones was entering his apartment. They grabbed one item at a time before vanishing out the window. All the while, his abysmal credit balance slowly ticked up.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Raine watched with a smile as useless old games, VRVods, and IR paraphernalia literally flew out the window. Within two hours, his apartment was barren. He stuffed Morty in his duffle on top of his one remaining set of clothes. Half of the primus''s head stuck out of the bag so Raine wrapped a shirt around him and headed out the door.


    Together, they boarded the first robotaxi to Carter City with eighteen thousand credits between them. The taxi was just large enough for the twelve passengers who crammed themselves into its hard, barren interior.


    Passengers bustled around him as his thoughts were preoccupied with the optimal start to his new life. I¡¯ve got a narrow window of opportunity to get ahead. The corporations will catch on all too soon and drop trillions to either catch up, or ensnare the forerunners.


    First priority has to be the aspect. Once word gets out about the hidden aspect in Carter City, it¡¯s going to become a major hub for new players.


    Fizgore was also from Carter. I have to find him before CronGate gets an I.D. around his neck. With the number one tanker in the region, the first hundred levels are going to be a breeze. I''ll need creds to convince him to join though since he¡¯s never met me. Why take a risk on some no-name when he could sign a contract that guarantees a few hundred thousand a year?


    Thousands, what a joke. The potential income an independent can make measures in the tens of millions per year. Once the online store launches and allows in-game currency and items to be purchased with creds, the world economy will buckle. I have to accumulate enough assets before then to get the ball rolling. Financial power is the lifeblood of every successful guild. At least before players unlock their fifth tier classes and can annihilate cities with a wave of their hand.


    When that happened, trillions of investments were wiped out in the span of a month. What a time to be alive.


    I''m going to need way more than creds though. I¡¯ll need people I can trust. Who else could I recruit? Oh yeah, Richtor''s in Port Halle. He joined right away last time. Sad that I haven''t talked to him in years.


    I won''t alienate my family this time. They deserve better than I gave them. First thing I¡¯m doing when I can is paying off mom¡¯s house. Overworking landed her in the hospital a couple times before the end. Too bad I didn¡¯t come back another five years so I can see dad again.


    A girl''s nasally whine filled the cramped taxi, ¡°Why are we doing this? Carter is the worst place to live in the entire southwest."


    "I know there''s nothing special about Carter, baby. But you gotta trust me. I can take first in the city tournament with ease. Our future''s solid baby, and it''s only uphill from there."


    Raine rolled his eyes at the confident young man with his arm around the scrawny girl''s shoulder. Sure, he was fit and young, but Raine could spot the holes in his defenses without even seeing his stance. Ever since the AI wars had shown the world the true power of martial arts, becoming a martial on the world stage had become the dream of every child. The swaggering kid was just one of millions, though in the current Carter City. He really would have a chance of making a name for himself. Unfortunately for him, within a month, many things would change and someone at his level would be lucky to get into a decent dojo let alone take a place in any of the regional tournaments.


    Raine only briefly considered recruiting him before thinking better of it. Until the world saw ZionLine with their own eyes, it would be pointless to try and convince others of the changes that were coming.


    The taxi ride took five hours, an excruciating eternity for Raine who wanted nothing more than to dive into his preparations for ZionLine immediately.


    "Melty''s Pot Arcade and Cafe," he read aloud the flashing neon sign. It hung above a glass door, reflecting the setting sun in rays that splashed across the duracrete street. He had chosen this part of town, despite its seediness, specifically because of this cafe. He would need a hypernet relay to access ZionLine, and those couldn¡¯t be found just anywhere.


    Two thugs made themselves known, stepping from shadows on the next block to eye him with unmasked aggression. Raine met their hostility without flinching and they melded back into the dark. Unperturbed, Raine veered to the left and entered the shady motel next door. He stopped to loom over the seated receptionist, "Need a room on the west wall for a week.¡±


    That¡¯ll be plenty of time to accrue some funds and find a more secure space.


    The receptionist wore thick AR goggles and didn''t look at him. She nodded, smacking gum as her fingers danced in the air. She flicked the virtual purchase agreement across the counter, and his AR glasses automatically scanned his retinas to confirm payment.


    The room reeked of mold and the wallpaper was peeling. The bed''s sheets were disheveled, and he questioned whether they were washed or not. Raine gathered the bedding, tossed Morty in the corner, and threw a sheet over him, hoping the temporary measure would keep any would-be thieves from breaking the door down just to steal the old rust bucket.


    Stuffing the rest of the linens in the washing unit, he called out to his disgruntled roommate, ¡°Alert me if anyone breaks in.¡±


    Morty¡¯s voice was muffled through the fabric, ¡°Thank you for covering my sensors before activating my guardian protocols, Master. Truly, your wisdom is without equal.¡±


    It''s a crime CronGate made me sell him. Dude''s hilarious.


    Raine fondly patted the Morty-shaped pile, then left and locked the door. He hustled downstairs and was about to cross the street when the thugs from earlier detached from walls on either side of the motel¡¯s lot. They stood before him, sneering. They wore retro, plated jackets and spiked wolf collars. The first wore a deep hood. He was skinny and probably high as a sat balloon. The second was ugly. Well, they were both ugly, but he looked worse than a burst couch cushion.


    Million creds says this is somehow Mel¡¯s fault. Girl couldn¡¯t stay out of trouble if you locked her in a cell.


    ¡°This street¡¯s out of business. Get lost, or else.¡±


    Raine was a head taller than either, and double their mass. He looked down at them with a curled lip. His voice snapped with the command of a leader bred on the field of battle, ¡°Scram! If I see you here again, your buddies will have to scrape you off the sidewalk.¡±


    Both men flinched, unconsciously taking a half-step back. The skinny one¡¯s hood fell away, revealing dark circles beneath his eyes, missing teeth, and bruises from a recent fight. Spittle flew from his lips as he swayed, unbalanced, ¡°What did you say to me, piglet? You in a hurry to die?!¡±


    Ugly produced a knife, brandishing it in what he no doubt thought was a threatening manner, ¡°N-nobody spends creds on this street without persimmons! Err, peris-p-permissions!¡± Ugly¡¯s eyes tracked to the side, suddenly filled with unmistakable lust and excitement. Raine expanded and focused his peripheral vision in the same direction, instantly recognizing the pink-haired girl that appeared.


    She held a bag of trash in one hand, With her short frame, adorable freckles, and large turquoise eyes, she was exactly the same as Raine remembered.


    Dammit, Mel. You really were just as troublesome before we ever met, huh?


    Seeing the three of them about to fight, she stumbled back against the brick wall of her cafe, unable to tear her gaze away from the unfolding scene.


    Melani Feleday


    Mel had no idea how things had escalated so quickly. At first, the thugs only came around at night. Then they found more men, and their patrols increased proportionally. They never dared enter her cafe with its decent security measures, instead targeting the customers of every store on the street. Most had already folded, selling their deeds for scraps.


    Knowing it would be dark soon, she came out to toss the afternoon trash and take a quick break in the last rays of twilight. Before reaching the end of her ally, a strong, deep voice sent shivers racing up her spine. ¡°Scram! If I see you here again, your buddies will have to scrape you off the sidewalk.¡± Thinking the thug¡¯s boss had finally shown himself, Mel hustled to watch the commotion.


    The last thing she expected to see was an entirely new face standing up to her abusers. Considering his weight, the impression wasn''t bad in the least. Not only was he tall, but he carried himself with the kind of confident, overbearing attitude that always led to her making bad decisions. Even better was the threatening gleam nestled in his bright cobalt eyes.


    Her heart lurched, and right away, she knew this man was far more dangerous than any thug she had ever met. The previous shivers came back with a vengeance, tickling as they raced across her skin. The large man¡¯s deep and steady voice filled her ears again, but his lips didn''t move at all, causing her to doubt her own eyes and ears.


    [Dammit, Mel. You really were just as troublesome before we ever met, huh?]


    Mel fell against the brick wall behind her, unable to convince her mouth to stop gaping. W-what? Does he know me? Before we ever met? H-hey! That''s rude! I''m not that troublesome¡­


    Raine KongRu


    "Last warning: Piss off," Raine''s voice was flint, brandishing a promise of violence. He watched clogged gears churn behind drug-addled eyes. A decision was made, and Ugly lunged toward him, knife first.


    Raine felt a tinge of boredom as he waited for the blade to arrive at his face¡ªthe worst place to try and skewer someone. A moment before it struck, he let his knees bend and his considerable weight dropped him just enough for the blade to tickle his hair as it passed harmlessly overhead. A subtle tightening of his abs carried him forward as he dropped.


    With all the strength his legs were capable of, he jumped forward and extended his elbow. The hard joint slammed into Ugly¡¯s solar plexus and he crumpled to the ground, unable to draw breath. Raine turned and his foot hooked the front of Skinny¡¯s ankle. A sharp snap-kick upended the druggy¡¯s already compromised balance. Raine¡¯s spread fingers found the back of Skinny¡¯s head and his eyes flew wide with panic as the street reached out to kiss him, hard.


    Raine felt nothing as he watched Ugly gasp pitifully. After kicking the knife away, he leaned down and grabbed the man¡¯s hair, speaking softly in his ear, ¡°I¡¯ve got a vodcast recording of you attacking me. I¡¯m forwarding it to Sergeant Cooper''s personal Ncode. I¡¯d say you have about fifteen minutes before they collect your useless ass. Good luck getting a fix where you¡¯re going.¡±


    With one good smack to Ugly¡¯s back, the man gasped. Thankful to be drawing breath again, he scrambled on his butt to put space between himself and Raine. He stumbled to his feet and was about to run but Raine cleared his throat, making a show of glancing at Skinny. With a whimper, Ugly threw the lightweight over his shoulder and vanished into the deepening shadows of another ally.


    A melodic voice full of concern sounded from behind Raine, ¡°You really called the corpus?¡±


    ¡°No way. I was bluffing. Should keep those two out of the area for a while at least.¡±


    ¡°Whew!¡± Mel watched his reactions like a hawk as she cutely pretended to wipe sweat from her forehead, ¡°Nothing good ever happens when the corpus comes around here. Uhm, can I buy you a meal? This is my cafe, so¡­ it¡¯s not exactly like I¡¯m paying, but the food''s good, promise.¡± Her cheerful and innocent demeanor was even more pronounced than when he originally met her a month from now.


    ¡°No thanks, Me-aybe later. See ya around,¡± Raine turned and walked away with a quick stride, sending her a wave from over his shoulder.


    Not this time Mel, I¡¯ve got too much to do. Definitely a rain check though. Definitely. Before those bastards force you out of your shop and into an I.D. I''ll find a way to help you. You didn''t deserve the life they forced on you, none of us did.


    Mel nearly tripped over her own feet as Raine¡¯s thoughts spilled into her mind once more, [It happened again! He¡¯s all the way over there but I heard him like he was right next to me. Oh my puckered undercarriage, did I become a psychic?! But why can¡¯t I hear anyone else''s thoughts? And what was all that about an I.D.? It sounds like he knows who''s behind the thugs, too. I have to talk to him again! I don''t recognize him but he definitely knows me. I hope he comes back soon...]

 Chapter 2 - LOG IN

    Raine was breathing heavily by the time he reached the nearest gym. A few of the regulars gave him snide looks as he walked through the front doors. Ignoring them, he headed to the automated receptionist and let it scan his retina before accepting the monthly membership plan.


    His first workout was brutal. Within minutes, he was puking in the nearest trash bin. He picked himself up after resting a few minutes and kept at it until he made it all the way through the six-hundred reps of his basic, full-body routine.


    He dragged himself to the shower, then changed into his last set of clothes before buying a protein shake from a vending machine. It took him an hour to limp back to the apartment where he threw his sweaty clothes in the wash before immediately heading back out again. Thoughts and plans swirled in his head as he took a robotaxi to the nearest mall.


    I need to get my hands on some ReGen serum. I wonder where Soulgen is in their development pipeline.


    A quick search brought him to their website where they listed their up-and-coming first product that was still going through clinical trials.


    They haven¡¯t even developed the first serum yet. Once the first patch goes live and character attributes are directly correlated with real-world physical fitness, ReGen¡¯s serums become the most highly sought-after product on the market.


    How am I supposed to get my hands on some if they haven''t even finished testing, let alone started ramping the product line? Having even a few bottles would make getting back into shape a breeze. Guess it¡¯s a problem for another day. Not like I mind doing it the old fashioned way. Gaining strength step by step is so damn satisfying.


    He arrived at the mall, vaguely remembering the layout of the building. It only took a few minutes to find the hardtech store that sold the new thetadrive headsets that ZionLine required. He knew exactly which model he wanted and grabbed one off the shelf near the display models. It was a bulky thing that would never be comfortable but it was within his price range and the better models weren¡¯t even available on the market yet.


    He let a nearby kiosk scan for payment. On his way out, he couldn''t help but overhear some obnoxious teenagers laughing at him.


    ¡°Another idiot bought one of those scam headsets! What a joke. Any VR game that can¡¯t be played on a LinQ is a scam. That game won¡¯t last a month.¡±


    As if an early gen LinQ is powerful enough to handle the kind of experience ZL offers. It''s not lifelike, it''s indistinguishable from life. At least after the third patch. Besides, the current LinQs can''t tap into theta brainwaves to trigger the time dilation. Then again, by the time they can, they can also cause extreme pain, even death, with little more than a thought from our glorious overseers. The slave collar of the future.


    They¡¯ll all learn eventually. But by then, the price of these headsets will be forty thousand and not the twelve I just dished out.


    Game launches at midnight tomorrow. One more day. Just enough time to get this thing attuned to my brainwaves.


    Back at his apartment, Raine pulled out the new headset and plugged it in before placing it on his head to begin the lengthy adaptation process. He punched in the cafe¡¯s hypernet password. Mel often joked about it in the office; one time, she even tried to change theirs to match: yellpenisandilltellyou.


    He chuckled to himself, which apparently was enough to convince Morty he wanted to talk, ¡°Master, I am detecting elevations in several of your fleshy hormone receptacles. Did you perform anabolic stimulating activities? I cannot fathom that you found a mate willing to copulate. My only functional postulation is that you ran from a herd of stampeding elephants. Surely, there is nothing else in this world that would motivate you to exercise.¡±


    ¡°Nice one, cripple,¡± Raine flipped him off, smirking as Morty fumed, unable to return the gesture, ¡°Nope, just went to a gym and lifted a bit. Can you please wake me up at four AM?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, my unusually motivated underling, ahem. Master.¡±


    Raine chuckled again. He arranged a pillow just right. Once comfortable, he focused on an intermediate breathing exercise and passed out in seconds.


    The next day flew by. Raine ordered enough fruits and vegetables to last him a week as well as a blender and some top-shelf protein. He finished the day by hitting the gym again before going to sleep early to be ready for the midnight launch of ZionLine.


    He was fully awake by eleven-fifty and prepared to login. Suddenly, Raine remembered to call his brother. Richtor answered after half a ring, his face floating in the air due to the AR display.


    "Hey little brother, long time. I take it you''re all set to log in?" Raine asked, his eyes glowing and a ready smile on his lips.


    "Long time? We talked last week! Yeah man, I''m so bricked I can hardly stand it. My guilds ready to meet up the minute we start. I''m surprised you remembered, when did you take an interest in ZionLine?"


    Raine shrugged, coyly glancing to the side, "I heard a rumor about skipping aspects in the tutorial to get better ones from quests. Got me interested so I''m checking it out."


    "No you didn''t, you liar. There hasn''t been a single leak about the game. Not one. All we''ve seen are unbelievably realistic advertisements. Nobody even knows what character creation is going to be like, let alone anything about any of the quests!"


    Raine smirked, "Okay, fine. I''ll tell you the truth but it''s even less believable.¡± His brother rolled his eyes but spun his finger in a ¡®hurry up¡¯ gesture.


    "I was at a cafe and overheard a party there celebrating lunch. Turns out, they were developers for the game. Dropped that the aspects you can find later are loads better and the items needed to delete your initial aspect aren¡¯t purchasable until a higher level."


    Richtor¡¯s jaw fell open as he ate Raine¡¯s lie like he was breaking a week long fast, "No way man, that''s crazy! The guild is going to freak out when I tell them. You''re right, I would have never believed that."


    You just did¡­


    "Hey, why don''t you join my guild? We haven¡¯t played a game together since we were kids."


    Raine shook his head, "No can do, little bro. I don''t want to be controlled by anyone."


    A ding resounded in both their ears and Richtor spoke so fast his words were a jumble, "Games launching, brother. Thanks for the tip and see you inside!¡± The call ended before Raine had a chance to respond.


    ZL''s world is nearly five times larger than Earth. Even starting nearby, it might be some time before we meet. I''ll look forward to it, little brother.


    The minute the clock hit midnight, Raine launched ZionLine. As his eyes closed, he felt his consciousness lift to another realm through a bright tunnel. He fought off the initial vertigo with practiced ease and smashed the mental command to skip the intro cinematics explaining the backstory of the world.


    Just a bunch of high-cost promotional movies that show off the life-like graphics without divulging anything important.


    Raine appeared as a disembodied, floating sprite in a white room with a character generator screen floating before him. Knowing that everyone¡¯s avatar would eventually change to match their real life appearance, he selected auto-generate and spammed accept until he got to the portion that let him name his newly formed avatar.


    Like before, he entered KongRu, the username he had used for the past ten years. His finger hesitated before the accept button, an urging deep in his consciousness unwilling to press it.


    This time is different. I won''t have an I.D. I''ll form my own guild, and before the corps realize how much the world is going to change, I''ll crush them for what they did to me, to everyone. Especially Crongate. No, that¡¯s not good enough. I¡¯m not only going to destroy them, I¡¯m going to take everything they¡¯ve built and turn it against them.


    For this new life, I need a new name. A name that they will all learn to fear.


    He only thought for a second before copying a character from a kids book that he had loved more than any other: Alaric.


    The king of kings.


    The moment Raine hit accept, he was teleported to a grassy field. Several weapons were laid out in front of him. Each represented the path toward a class that could eventually be specialized in. For now, not even the base classes could be acquired. These weapons were but a barest taste of what was to come.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Raine grabbed the two straps of cloth which would allow him to begin accruing Attunement for the brawler class and wrapped one around each of his fists.


    [Fist weapons selected: 1% AT (Attunement) obtained]


    With his selection made, a ten-second countdown started in the corner of his vision. Without hesitation, he scrambled to grab every single weapon and held them awkwardly in his arms with a wide grin.


    Thanks for the freebies!


    The countdown finished and the weapons vanished along with Raine. He appeared in a room so black that its walls were impossible to see. The only thing visible was a wooden door with the word, "tutorial" written in bold, stylized letters. Without missing a beat, he turned and walked directly away from the door, further into the darkness.


    No way I''m wasting my time on the tutorial. By the time I started in the past, people had already figured out how to skip it so I¡¯ve never actually done it. It might be fun to go through it for the first time, but the benefits don¡¯t outway the couple hours it takes to finish.


    He found the invisible wall a hundred steps later and the moment his hand touched it, a message appeared.


    [Skip tutorial?]


    [Yes/No]


    [Warning!]


    [Tutorial cannot be accessed later. Aspect distribution will be skipped]


    A flicker of thought toggled ¡®yes,¡¯ and Raine vanished again. He appeared in a nostalgic town crammed with charming log cabins and plastered medieval-style buildings. Dozens of vaaterrans wandered the streets, talking and laughing like regular people, making the town feel both cozy and lively. A series of system messages floated into his field of view and he swatted them aside.


    [Welcome to ZionLine! This world¡ªVaateaire¡ªawaits you, traveler. There are no limits here, only endless adventure and glory. Whether you be conqueror, explorer, hero, or villain, seek out your desires; grasp them with all your will as you strive along the martial path. May you live dangerously, seeker of adventure]


    [Status acquired!]


    [Inventory acquired!]


    Raine raised a fist in front of his face, slowly opening and closing it while an uncontrollable grin stretched his lips until his cheeks hurt. His eyes stung from the sun''s brightness. He took a deep, fulfilling breath and its warmth entered his lungs.


    The beating of his real heart was in perfect sync with his avatar. The subtle internal sounds of his new body were spot on. The air pressure on his skin, the weight of his feet pressing into the ground, and even the gentle breeze rustling his hair and blowing it into his eyes all felt real. Though the world looked slightly off, if you squinted, it was close enough to trick the brain into full immersion.


    So this is how it felt in the beginning. It feels like my first time. I''m so weak, my avatar is barely responding to my thoughts. This¡­ is going to be more fun than I thought.


    Muscle memory prompted him to flick his eyes to the minimap where he saw the expected name: Mirror Lake Town. Raine then glanced down at himself. His weapons had been stored in his inventory automatically, and all he wore was a light leather jerkin, leggings, and boots. None of his gear had bonus attributes, leaving him feeling both poor and excited for the loot to come.


    NAME: Alaric


    LEVEL: 0


    SUPERIORITY: 0/1,000 (Required To Increase Level)


    (HP) HEALTH POINTS: 50 (Death Occurs When This Reaches Zero)


    (AP) ATTACK POWER: 12 (Raw Physical Damage Dealt)


    (DEF) DEFENSE: 11 (Amount Deducted From Damage Received)


    (RES) RESISTANCE: 5 (Amount Deducted From Elemental/Celestial/Demonic Damage Received)


    (CR) CRITICAL RATE: 5% (Chance To Deal Double Damage)


    (EP) ELEMENTAL POWER: 10 (Energy Source For Elemental Abilities)


    (DP) DEMONIC POWER: 10 (Energy Source For Demonic Abilities)


    (CP) CELESTIAL POWER: 10 (Energy Source For Celestial Abilities)


    (DCP) DISCIPLINE: 10 (Energy Source For Physical Abilities)


    (AS) ATTACK SPEED: 3.5 (Maximum Attacks Per Second)


    (MS) MOVE SPEED: 2 (Maximum Movement In Meters Per Second)


    ATTRIBUTES:


    (PTC) POTENCY: 5 (Primary Physical Damage Attribute - Measures Physical Power, Heft, And Force)


    (FNS) FINESSE: 5 (Primary Movement Attribute - Measures Speed, Hand Eye Coordination, And Balance)


    (ACU) ACUITY: 5 (Primary Mental Attribute - Measures Speed Of Thought, Width Of Vision, And Dynamic Vision)


    (PHY) PHYSIQUE: 5 (Primary Health Attribute - Measures Physical Durability And Resistance To Negative Status Effects)


    (CNC) CONNECTION: 5 (Primary Energy Source Attribute - Measures The Brain¡¯s Synchronization Factors)


    WEAPON ATTUNEMENTS:


    [Fist weapons - Novice 1%]


    CLASS ATTUNEMENTS:


    [Brawler - 1%]


    SKILLS:


    1 free general skill point available


    EQUIPMENT:


    [Basic leather jerkin - Dull Trash (Defense +2) (Durability 10/10)]


    [Basic leather leggings - Dull Trash (Defense +2) (Durability 10/10)]


    [Basic leather boots - Dull Trash (Defense +1) (Move Speed +1) (Durability 10/10)]


    [Novice fist wraps - Dull Trash (Attack Power +2) (Attack Speed +1.5) (Durability 10/10)]


    The first thing he did was customize his UI, (User Interface) to hide the unnecessary explanations for everything. He also toggled off Elemental, Demonic, and Celestial Power as those had nothing to do with his planned build. A few minor repositioning of window and cooldown displays later, and he was ready to choose his first skill in the shop submenu. There were over a hundred to choose from, but only one was worthy of being first.


    [Strike - General Skill - Novice: Increase damage with blunt basic attacks by 20% (Cost: 1 discipline) (Cooldown: 1 second)]


    By far the best purchasable skill type before acquiring my class. Not only is it required for more powerful skills, it grows exponentially stronger as it evolves.


    He checked his inventory, instinctively grimacing at the twenty copper coins he started with. His frown morphed into a smirk when he saw the trove of dull trash-grade weapons within. With a thought, he withdrew a mace, a shield, and a dagger. He held the mace in one hand, the shield in the other, and the dagger¡¯s hilt was clenched tightly in his mouth.


    Gaining attunement in several weapons at once will massively boost my stats early on.


    Confident he had everything he needed, Raine jogged out of town toward a nearby forest. The vaaterran¡¯s gave him odd looks that he ignored. Afterall, it wasn¡¯t possible to remove weapons from his inventory in combat. To gain the most attunement in the shortest amount of time, this was the best way.


    I started playing right when the first content expansion went live so I never experienced the world in this state. To think the movement would feel this awkward. Maybe it''s because I haven''t felt such low stats in years. Either way, I¡¯m looking forward to leveling up. Feels like I¡¯m driving a forklift with chopsticks.


    After wading through tall grass that tickled his thighs, a soft rustling subtly unique from the shifting winds caught his attention. He sighted the ragged wolf that blended into its environment before it noticed him.


    How many times did these little critters kill me? A dozen? Two? Until people get used to the realistic fighting, even basic mobs like these are a death sentence.


    He stared hard with the intent to see it for what it was. Due to being below its level, and not having purchased the Identify skill, the information that appeared in his HUD was only partial.


    [Mangy Wolf - Level 1 - HP ??/??]


    Raine charged with his shield in front. The wolf growled, blood and viscera staining its fangs. It rushed at him, moving nearly twice his speed. Raine''s heart thundered with anticipation for the kill. Only a meter away, it leaped for his throat. He shifted his weight to solidify his stance and angled his shield downward. When the beast''s jaws impacted the barrier, its body was sent crashing face-first into the soft ground. Despite redirecting most of its force and damage, his arm stung from the impact. [-2]


    Raine smashed his mace into the top of its head, then dropped the weapon and pummeled it with his wrapped fist twice. The hits were slow to his perception, limited by his measly Attack Speed. Both the mace and second punch activated Strike, costing him two points of Discipline. Damage numbers appeared above the beast''s head with each hit [-8] [-7] [-8]


    Exactly as I remember, seventy-five HP and five defense. Six more should do it.


    The wolf wriggled out from under his shield and body weight by thrashing with fierce kicks. Once back on its feet, it lunged, jaws snapping at his neck once more. Raine repeated the same methodical sidestep and shield deflection before smashing his fist into its head three more times.


    Low level beasts sure are predictable. No challenge at all. Now die!


    After the third round, the wolf lay dead on the grass and two messages flashed across his HUD.


    [Obtained 15 Superiority (50% bonus for defeating a monster 1 level above you)]


    A normal group of five will only get three SP per kill. And they need one thousand to reach level one. Leveling sure is brutal, even in the beginning.


    [Obtained 1.5% Attunement (50% bonus for defeating a monster 1 level above you)]


    Two copper coins appeared above the wolf¡¯s corpse. They hovered vulnerably inside a ruddy-colored glowing ball in the air. Raine instinctively snatched them by brushing his free hand against the orb while scanning his peripherals. Loot was first come first serve, regardless of who made the kill. Being wary of thieves had long ago been ingrained into his DNA.


    Currency rarely drops from these. Lucky me, I guess. At least they¡¯re a higher level so all my held weapons gain attunement at the same time. No point standing around, there¡¯s a nasty old witch who¡¯s no doubt biting her nails in anticipation of my arrival. Aspect, here I come!


    Raine scooped up his mace and dashed toward the dark woods, his destiny drawing closer with each step.

 Chapter 3 - THE WITCH’S TEST

    Raine counted in his head while he waited for the two patrolling wolves to turn away from each other, creating a narrow gap. The moment they did, he leaned forward and dashed as quickly as possible, burning a point of Discipline with each step. For a few short seconds, he didn¡¯t feel quite as slow and clunky.


    When his Discipline bottomed out, his pace slowed to a crawl; each step felt like an eternity as the wolves reached the end of their patrol line and paused before turning back.


    Five seconds, go-go-go!


    The trees of the Witch''s Forest were just before him. He only had to bypass one more line of patrolling wolves that were too close to pull one at a time. He was confident in beating three of them simultaneously but it would have taken a significant amount of time for almost no gain. There were much more worthy prey on his list and the thought of getting to them had him licking his lips.


    Five seconds came and went, and the wolves turned to find only their brethren in sight. They continued their monotonous patrol¡ªnone the wiser of Raine''s passing.


    Within the first line of trees, Raine stood perfectly still for sixty seconds to recharge his Discipline at double speed. Once done, he proceeded through the rapidly thickening woods at a light jog. Not ten steps later, he had to weave between another pair of Mangy Wolves being led by a level two Hungry Wolf.


    Wandering beasts were common in every zone, and ZionLine certainly didn¡¯t pull any punches with its starting areas. Players learned to pull monsters one at a time and fight while keeping an eye on their surroundings, or they died¡ªlosing a level in the process. Compared to most games, the difficulty curve of ZL was infuriating, but the draw of extending your life through its time dilation won everyone over eventually.


    Raine kept up a decent pace as he pushed deeper into the woods. Whenever he spotted any beasts too late, he used the trees to break line of sight as a monster usually needed a full two seconds of sight before they would aggro. When needed, he sprinted between wandering beasts or patrolling monsters when they turned away, unwilling to waste time on even the level threes. He also made sure to give the dense patches of shrubs a wide berth as they often contained level three Rabid Boars.


    Within an hour, he spotted the witch''s hut at the base of a hill. A level two Hungry Wolf stood guard a short distance from the low fence surrounding the hut. Raine charged with his shield raised and it growled menacingly upon spotting him. Much like the Mangy Wolf, the hungry variant went for the throat and was easily knocked off balance.


    After two quick strikes doing only 6 damage each, the beast was back on its feet and dashed for his ankle. Raine lifted his foot, avoiding the blow, and kicked it in the face for minimal damage. [-1] He bided his time as the wolf varied between attacking his ankle and wrist before lunging for the throat again. He once more deflected the attack off his shield, sending it to the ground where he cracked it with two more Discipline-powered punches.


    When it stood again, it hopped back and raised its chin into the air. Raine dashed forward, spending two points of Discipline to reach the wolf as quickly as possible. He smashed his fist into its throat causing a [Critical hit! -12]


    Now that the beast was below half health, it would attempt to call for backup which would spawn an additional mangy or hungry wolf that he didn¡¯t want to take the time to deal with. If he wanted to grind Superiority off these beasts, it would have been relatively safe as he could easily control the amount of enemies without having to search for more. But Raine had much bigger fish to fry than a horde of helpless puppies.


    After two more failed attempts to call for allies, the Hungry Wolf fell dead to the forest floor.


    [Obtained 40 Superiority (100% bonus for defeating a monster 2 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 2% Attunement (100% bonus for defeating a monster 2 levels above you)]


    This is way faster than the grind at level one-fifty! My attunements are going to skyrocket when I really start grinding. Too bad soloing is impossible at higher levels. Would love to keep this speed forever.


    Raine eyed the witch¡¯s hut. A chill tingled his spine at the creepy, barren atmosphere. He had been here once before, but something about it was different this time. It only took a second to realize the feeling was due to him being the first to come here in this timeline. There were no signs that anyone had ever crossed the waist-high gate¡¯s threshold.


    Without hesitation, Raine marched through it and toward the hut, only pausing briefly to observe a group of dead vaaterrans whose bodies had been tossed to the side of the small path like trash. Weapons and equipment lay scattered around them.


    Touching any of that is a death sentence. I wonder how many dumbasses will be cursed trying to pick up those items before news spreads not to mess with this witch. The fourth inviolable law of ZL: Do not mess with powerful Vaaterrans. This is their world, and they are far more powerful than us.


    Players are going to consider them as nothing more than NPCs at first because they don¡¯t act like a regular person. That will change. By the third expansion, it will be impossible to tell the difference between a Vaaterran and a real human.


    Curses were nasty business for low-level players. Without any skills or spells to counteract them until well past level fifty, getting stuck with a random, debilitating curse could easily cripple an account. Raine shuddered at the thought of losing his headstart with an unlucky curse.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Shaking his head to clear the unnecessary thoughts, he hopped up the hut''s stairs and banged solidly on the wooden door.


    A short, crisp yell echoed through the wall, ¡°Go away!¡±


    Raine knocked again, a light smile playing across his lips.


    ¡°Go away or I¡¯ll curse you for a thousand lifetimes!¡±


    Bang-bang-bang.


    ¡°For the love of¡ª¡± The door flew open, revealing a warted old crone with crooked teeth and glass eyes. ¡°I¡¯m busy! What do you want?! Ooohhh a traveler, didn¡¯t your people just arrive? How are you here already, little one?¡±


    Wait, what? That¡¯s not what she¡¯s supposed to say. Her expressions and tone¡­ She¡¯s talking like a Vaaterran from the future!


    The witch squinted and Raine shoved his trepidation aside to quickly respond before she really did curse him for being rude, ¡°Apologies, Great One. I am indeed a traveler. I came here straight away from the nearby village.¡±


    This isn¡¯t at all how this conversation is supposed to go. She should have told me to go deliver a package to Mirror Lake Town and once that¡¯s over, I return for the aspect.


    ¡°I see, I see,¡± she said while rubbing her chin. Suddenly her glass eyes gleamed with a purple sheen before she shouted in his face, ¡°Then, you¡¯re useless to me! Come back when you¡¯re strong enough to take care of that annoying pebble in my garden!¡±


    Pebble? Strong? There shouldn¡¯t be any combat in this quest.


    Realization dawned and Raine¡¯s worried frown morphed as his jaw fell open.


    The witch actually starts as a chain quest?! That''s awesome! Whoever got here first last time must have finished it and gotten a better reward than everyone else. I don¡¯t remember reading anything about that on the forums though. Damn, whoever the lucky bastard was must have kept quiet about it. Well, I¡¯ll be taking these rewards for myself this time. Sorry not sorry!


    Seeing his stunned expression, the witch harrumphed and turned around. Just as she was about to shut the door in his face, Raine spoke, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll take care of your garden straight away.¡±


    She stopped, looking back at him with a toothy smile, ¡°I guess you travelers aren¡¯t too smart, are you?¡± Then she cackled as the door slammed shut.


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants accepted]


    [Kill the ¡®annoying pebble¡¯ in the witch''s garden (6 hours remaining)]


    Raine¡¯s head spun and he stumbled back from the door as he saw the quest he¡¯d just been given. There were two critical aspects of this quest that were very unusual, and both of them could have disastrous consequences for his future.


    First, this was no regular old chain quest with a slightly upgraded reward. This was a unique chain quest which, as far as he knew, gave some of the best possible rewards. But in ZL, there was no such thing as a great reward without equal risk. If one failed a regular unique quest, losing only a few levels and weeks of time would be an optimal punishment. For failing a unique chain quest¡­ Raine honestly had no idea how bad it would be.


    For ten years, Raine followed guides, and grinded materials and levels for his guild. He had, of course, completed many chain quests, but always while knowing the dangers in and out. Every move to make for the optimal results had long been revealed by those who came before, paving the way for people like him.


    For the first time in both his lives, he was the one embarking into the unknown. Both the rewards for success, and the dangers of failure his alone to face. And the danger was very real. There was a good chance he would end up loaded with so many curses he would be forced to start a new character.


    That in itself would be a complete disaster as you could only ever have one active character at a time and deleting it would put you on a one-week suspension. That was one week in real time¡ªthe equivalent of three weeks in the game. If he lost three weeks, just how far behind the power curve would he be? Would it even be possible to start from such a deficit and catch the strongest players? Unlikely.


    The second unusual, and equally terrifying thing about this quest; he had not been given a choice to accept or decline. The time limit was already ticking down in the corner of his vision. The numbers flew by, bringing him one moment closer to failure with each beat of his heart.


    Raine''s well-laid plans crumbled before his eyes. This wasn''t how things were supposed to go. He knew every step he needed to take to succeed. He had it all planned out. And just like every other time in his life he had made plans and they fell to dust in his fingers, he charged ahead without hesitation.


    Raine''s eyes narrowed as he squeezed his shock in a fist of solid willpower before casting the weakness aside. His feet moved, first one step, and then in a mad dash. He rounded the witch''s hut and stood before the large garden that extended into a dug-out portion of the hill beyond.


    Stalking through a veritable treasure trove of mystic herbs, he spotted the ''pebble.''


    [Rock Golem: Level 8 - HP ????/????]


    Six hours to beat that?! Maybe if I was level four or five I could grind it down in time. So long as I dodge every one of its attacks, because it would certainly kill me with one hit. This doesn¡¯t make any sense! What the hell is going on with this quest?


    Raine knew full well that ZionLine utilized variable quest difficulties. Meaning this challenge was suited specifically to his level. If he were level four, the golem he would have to fight would instead be level twelve.


    Wait a second, is that why I never heard about this on the forums, because whoever got here first failed the quest? If they vanished completely without even leaving a post¡­ just how bad is the outcome for failing?


    Raine watched the monstrosity as it lumbered about the garden. His brain worked overtime to come up with a plan to overcome its physical damage mitigation, which he knew was a whopping thirty. With his current twelve Attack Power, he wasn¡¯t even halfway to dealing a single point of damage.


    There¡¯s no beasts close enough to here that I could use to efficiently level three or four times and still make it back with time to kill it. Maybe if I had twelve hours. I need something else. What does the forest have? Poison mushrooms, blinding mud, stumbling powder. Nope, none of those will be effective against a golem. Oh! Stremph berries. But those don¡¯t give nearly enough AP and they only last fifteen minutes with a thirty minute cooldown.


    I¡¯ve got to be missing something. There¡¯s always a way. ZL would never give out a quest that couldn¡¯t be completed. There has to be something in these woods I can use. An item or weap¡ª


    Suddenly, he understood. He knew exactly what he needed to do and the thought of it twisted his guts but also lit a raging fire in his heart. "Well, shiiiit," Raine chuckled, shaking his head at what he was about to do. The second inviolable law of ZionLine echoed within his thoughts: With impossible challenges, comes impossible rewards.

 Chapter 4 - CURSE THIS QUEST!

    If I¡¯m right, and one of those items is something that can bridge the gap between a level zero and a level eight rock golem¡­ Just how powerful is it?


    Raine spun away from the golem to sprint back to the front of the witch¡¯s lodge. He burned through his meager Discipline reserves, knowing every second could be the difference between failure and success.


    He had assumed the first twenty levels were going to be a fairly boring grind as he slaughtered the most optimal monsters. He knew their attack patterns, drops, strengths, and weaknesses by heart so what was there to be excited about other than rapidly pulling ahead of everyone?


    But in just a few minutes, all that changed. He buzzed with the thrill of a new adventure; old pastures coming to life in his mind''s eye with new meaning and heightened stakes. If he found this quest so quickly, what else lay in store for him as he entered each zone for the first time? What other unknown firsts could he claim?


    He wiped sweaty palms on his tunic, his grin infectious as he considered the lucky few from the past. The opportunities they took for themselves would become his. Surely they wouldn¡¯t miss what they didn¡¯t know about yet. And even if they did, he would still take them for himself.


    Raine arrived before the Vaaterran corpses. He examined them carefully, making sure not to accidentally touch anything. There were five bodies, each strikingly different from the others.


    A swordsman in metal and leather armor clutched a sword in each hand. The weapons shone with a light blue gleam and looked sharp enough to slide through his skin with a breath of pressure. The armor also leaked a blue light, letting him know their rarity was leagues above anything he would find for a long time.


    In ZL, there were six tiers of equipment; the two swords, and the armor belonged to the fourth tier¡ªLustrous Blue. Even at level five, when the first dungeons became available, he would not be able to find lustrous gear. These items were treasures that could pull him through the next twenty levels or more. He was also one hundred percent certain they were heavily cursed. Without allowing greed to carelessly overwhelm his heart, Raine swept his gaze over the other bodies.


    A defender with similarly lustrous gear, a healer with mostly Sleek Silver¡ªa tier below Lustrous Blue. He visually inspected every item. Without being able to safely touch them, and having used his skill point already, there was no way to identify what they could be. The last two corpses were both casters and one of them immediately caught his attention.


    Why is this caster holding a greatsword? His robes are tattered and cut, clearly damaged from multiple types of weapons. It¡¯s like he often fought in melee but that makes no sense for a caster.


    Raine searched for several minutes, trying to find anything else about the group that was out of place. Having no luck, he returned to the caster. His robe failed to reveal any glimmer of magic, so with a nervous gulp, Raine gently moved aside the cloth to get a closer look at the body. Beneath was a layer of Lustrous Blue medium armor¡ªsomething a true mage would never wear.


    Definitely suspicious. Wait, what¡¯s that?


    Around the mage''s neck was a twine necklace with a wooden ring looped through the cord. Both the twine and ring gave off the muted light of Dull Trash items¡ªthe lowest quality of equipment.


    Even more suspicious! There¡¯s no such thing as Dull Trash accessories. Even the garbage vendor rings and necklaces only go as low as Common Gray!


    Raine¡¯s eyes roved over the other bodies one more time, confirming that not a single one of them had any visible accessories. This necklace and ring were the only ones. They couldn¡¯t have stood out more to his trained eye. He knew he had figured out the puzzle but still, he hesitated. Once a cursed item was picked up, it couldn¡¯t be dropped until it was cleansed. Just how screwed would he be if he was wrong?


    I¡¯ve only seen details for cursed items on the forums. They can give amazing powers, but come with harsh requirements and disabilities. What will this one be? Will I lose all of an attribute, or be unable to open treasure chests? It doesn¡¯t matter. This is it. This is the way to complete the quest, I can feel it! I¡¯m doing it!


    With a decisive tug, Raine raised the necklace over the mage¡¯s head. The moment he did, the ring appeared on his finger and its details populated in his inventory.


    [Ring of Nine Arms - Cursed]


    [Cursed trait 1: Wielder will be equipped with a (random) roulette melee weapon from their inventory at the start of each encounter. May reroll at the cost of 11% Max HP]


    [Cursed trait 2: Wielder cannot drop or sell (roulette) designated weapons. (Roulette) weapons may be replaced with equivalent types]


    [Cursed trait 3: Wielder stacks maximum Discipline with Attack Power for damage calculations]


    Raine read the item''s traits over and over again, his mind whirling. He was so consumed by the ridiculousness of it that he failed to notice the flash of light that swept over his body before his weapons were forcibly stored in his inventory. Looking at them now, he saw each one showed a roulette tag.


    Stacks maximum Discipline into AP?! That¡¯s absolutely insane! Sure, my Discipline is only ten right now but with only twelve AP, this one item nearly doubles my damage and it will only get more ridiculous as I level up. Forget about breaking the curse when I¡¯m level fifty, I¡¯ll never let this ring go!


    The negatives are pretty severe though¡­ I can¡¯t easily replace these crap weapons I picked up before the tutorial. I have to first find an equivalent type to exchange with. For instance, if I don¡¯t find a better wand, I¡¯ll be stuck with this one for who knows how long. That¡¯s fine for now since I need to increase my attunements in all of them anyway.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Raine blasted through the math. With twenty-two combined Attack Power and Discipline, if the roulette gave him a blunt weapon, he could use Strike to increase his damage by twenty percent, bringing him up to twenty-six damage.


    I¡¯m still a little short of that golem¡¯s thirty defense. Should I try my luck with one of these cursed weapons? No, no way, absolutely not. This is enough. All I need now are a few Stremph Berries and I can win.


    A quick glance at the quest timer showed he still had five hours and forty-five minutes. He dashed into the woods, making a beeline toward the closest thicket of bushes. The bush exploded into movement as he drew near. A boar hiding within blasted out, charging directly toward him at a speed that would easily overwhelm a novice.


    [Rabid Boar: Level 3 - HP ???/???]


    Raine sidestepped at the last second, burning a point of Discipline in the process. He raised his fist to strike but the axe materializing in his hand threw off his balance. His fist glanced off the soft flesh just behind its head. Due to him failing to correctly hit with his equipped weapon, the punch didn''t count and only dealt a single point of damage.


    [Novice Wooden Axe - Dull Trash: (Attack Power +4) (Attack Speed -.2)]


    The roulette activates automatically after I throw the first attack?! I really hope there''s a way to activate that manually. I could sacrifice eleven percent of my HP to change to another weapon but that''s unnecessary. Losing point two Attack Speed isn¡¯t a big deal against such a weak monster.


    The boar flew past him, its momentum too strong to stop instantly. It rounded a bush, squealing all the while and came at him again. Raine positioned himself in front of a tree and once more dodged at the last second. The boar slammed into the trunk and fell on its hindquarters. Raine¡¯s axe bit deeply into its front leg, the bonus 4 Attack Power showing its value. [-17]


    Raine immediately yanked the weapon free, preparing for another swing. He managed two more hacks before the boar recovered. It leaped sideways at him in an attempt to both gore and crush, its short and sharp tusks racing toward his heart. Had he not begun moving before the beast attacked, it would have been almost impossible to dodge since its Attack Speed was so much higher than his Movement Speed.


    Raine tucked the axe tight to his body and pivoted as he leaned back, allowing the enraged beast to fly by. The momentum from his turn brought both him and his axe around in a full sweep that connected with the creature¡¯s hind quarter. [-17]


    The boar squealed in pain and then jumped backward, trying to kick him with its back hooves. Raine retreated two steps and the beast landed directly in front of him, just as his axe came down in an attack that drained the last of its health.


    [Obtained 75 Superiority (150% bonus for defeating a monster 3 levels above you)]


    [Superiority: 130/1,000]


    [Obtained 2.5% Attunement (150% bonus for defeating a monster 3 levels above you)]


    Three ruddy-colored coins appeared above the corpse and a flash of white light beside them announced the appearance of an actual item. Raine¡¯s hands were moving to snatch them before the colored effects subsided.


    [Thick Leather leggings - Common Gray: (DEF +5) (FNS +1) (Durability 15/15)]


    Only five hits to beat a monster three levels above me? This ring is so broken! Basic training with every weapon type is paying dividends right now. Not going to matter if I don¡¯t finish this quest in time. If I fail, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get to keep such an amazing item.


    Raine hastily replaced his leggings for the new upgrade. The minor boost to defense wouldn¡¯t come close to allowing him to survive a hit from the golem, but the bonus Finesse increased his speed, which just might be the difference between survival and doom. He dashed into the thicket, quickly spotting two bushes that contained the berries he was looking for. He cleaned them out, pocketing five from each bush.


    [Stremph Berry - Common Gray - Consumable: +5 Potency and Discipline for 15 minutes. Effect fades automatically after combat ends. (Cooldown: 30 minutes)]


    Thanks to the ring, Raine would receive an extra ten Attack Power, and gain a significant boost to both his evasions and blunt attacks. As far as temporary attribute enhancers went, he couldn¡¯t have asked for a better one from a starting area.


    With just over five and a half hours left, Raine sprinted back to the witch¡¯s garden and hopped the small fence. The golem loomed over him, each step lightly shaking the ground. The massive monster idly scratched its shoulder, sending a few pebbles cascading down its thick chest; the sounds of the miniature rock slide tickled Raine¡¯s ears.


    I could try to hunt down enough beasts to level once, but there''s no guarantee the golem won''t gain a level to match me. Besides, I¡¯ll only gain two more points of damage, including the bonus from the ring, while the golem will gain another five defense. Leveling even once may make this quest truly impossible.


    I¡¯ve got to face him as I am. If I get hit even once, I¡¯ll die for sure. By the time I respawn and get back here, I¡¯ll have lost too much time to win. One death means failure. Failure likely means being struck by dozens of random curses that will force me to delete this character. Three weeks is way too long. This is my chance to pull so far ahead that nobody will ever catch me.


    Raine understood to his bones the terror of those who had unlocked their tier five classes¡ªeach a legend in their own right. They could level cities with a single attack. Destroy flying fortresses brimming with powerful siege weapons in seconds. Annihilate armies as easily as breathing. Only by reaching those heights himself would he have the means to stop the corporations from ruining his future.


    I won¡¯t let them get away with it a second time, and the first step is right before my eyes. I can¡¯t lose. I won¡¯t lose!


    As he¡¯d been trained to do so long ago, Raine shut off his mind to improve his focus. Then, he charged. The moment he was within fifteen meters, the golem pivoted to face him with a challenging roar that shook leaves from the trees. Birds fled the scene as it beat a fist on its chest. The monster¡¯s charge was easily more intimidating than Raine¡¯s. The ground rumbled violently as massive feet crashed into the soft garden soil, and with each step, it ate up several times the distance of its human foe.


    Before they collided, Raine threw a punch into the air and a random weapon appeared in his hand.


    [Novice Mage¡¯s Staff - Dull Trash: (Attack Power +2) (Attack Speed -.5) (DEF +2) (CNC +2) (Durability 10/10)]


    A sigh of relief escaped his lips at the sight of one of the few blunt weapons he owned. The bonus to Connection only affected magic attacks, and its severe negative to attack speed was a hindrance to be sure. Still, it functioned with Strike and was definitely better than the wand. He was not looking forward to being stuck with that when it inevitably made an appearance.


    Raine knew the attack pattern of generic golems. However, there was no guarantee this one would be similar. He only had ten berries, and just over five hours to use them. With those thoughts in mind, he decided to spend the first several minutes dodging.


    He slid under the first wild haymaker. The passing mass of stone sailed mere centimeters above his head and sent his short hair flying haphazardly. The golem turned slowly, another wild punch missing as Raine hopped backward. The monster lunged at him, its hands clapping together above its head so loudly his teeth hurt. When it brought its two fists down to the ground, an eruption of dirt exploded between them, obscuring their vision.


    Long before the dust settled, Raine circled around to its side. All thoughts of taking his time with the fight had fled the moment his heart began to race. His staff connected with the golem¡¯s lower back doing zero damage and causing a hollow thump to echo through the air.


    [Novice Mage¡¯s Staff: Durability -1]


    ¡°Ahhh shit.¡±

 Chapter 5 - BIRTH OF THE MARTIAL MESSIAH

    Raine backpedaled, dodging the monstrous golem¡¯s swing by the slimmest margin. Wind rushed over his skin from the passing fist, causing a smile to split his face as the thrill of an intense fight sent tingles through his limbs. Even after years of playing, he found himself enamored with ZL''s realism.


    The golem turned from the momentum of its missed attack. A fist the size of Raine''s chest flew in a backhand swing as it came all the way around to face him once more. Raine pivoted on his back foot, leaning slightly to allow the blow to sail past him. He took three quick steps forward, brushing past the monster¡¯s leg and getting behind it. The beast turned slowly, trying to face him again but he circled it, giving himself a moment to think.


    I have to make each hit count or I''ll blow through all my equipment long before the fight ends. Losing a point of weapon durability from the golem¡¯s Hard Body passive was bad luck since its activation is only a twenty percent chance. I should''ve seen it coming before I even charged. I''m too used to fighting with good gear. Wait, this thing has more than one passive! If I can trigger the other one, then that will create a huge opportunity.


    Raine''s emotions stilled to nothingness as his focus intensified. He stuck to the golem¡¯s backside. A massive leg reared up before it hurtled toward him in a surprisingly nimble back kick. Raine spun around its planted leg, the kick missing him entirely.


    With the monster momentarily overextended, Raine spent a point of Discipline to boost a leap that brought him level with its head. His staff, fueled with Strike, buried into the golem''s eye¡ªits only weak point. [Critical hit! -27]


    When farming golems for Superiority, it was best to avoid striking their weak spot. The reason became clear the next moment as the monster snapped its eyes closed and bent its stumpy legs. Raine ran for everything he was worth.


    With a furious roar reminiscent of an avalanche bearing down a mountain side, the golem jumped straight into the air. Its body glowed as it reached the zenith of its leap. Without warning, it blasted downward at terminal velocity and crashed into the ground. Upon colliding with the soil, it released a powerful blast of conjured rocks in every direction: Bodyslam.


    The circular blast swept out like an island dropped in the middle of an ocean¡ªtoo high to leap over and too fast to outrun, even with full use of Discipline. When Raine reached the fence surrounding the garden he used a point of Discipline to reach its highest rung, then another to bound high into the air. He back-flipped, narrowly passing over the wave of destructive rock that swept beneath him at the peak of his maneuver.


    Upside down in midair, he watched as the wave passed over the fence, not damaging it in the slightest.


    Yes! The buildings are still invulnerable! That feature was already patched out when I started last time.


    The golem staggered back to its feet and a moment later, was rushing at him again, now sporting a razor-thin crack that ran diagonally across its chest. Raine slid past another punch, positioning himself behind the golem.


    It took thirty seconds to regenerate each point of Discipline in combat, and he was already down to five. For three minutes, he dodged the golem¡¯s attacks perfectly before landing another crit and using the fence to dodge the resulting Bodyslam.


    The crack turned to a fissure wide enough he could stick his finger into. He repeated the cycle once again, and before the third Bodyslam, ate one of the berries, increasing his Attack Power by five points which also added five temporary points to both his current and maximum Discipline. When the golem crashed for the third time, its rocky torso split completely, revealing a soft, muddy interior around its core.


    Raine was there as the beast sat stunned on the ground. He unleashed twelve Strikes in quick succession, interspersed with regular attacks, bottoming out his Discipline but dealing full, unmitigated critical damage with each hit. [Critical hit! -72]


    The golem¡¯s weakened state only lasted fifteen seconds, and Raine took full advantage of the final three seconds by continuing to attack for slightly lower damage. The lumbering beast shot to its feet after the weakened state ended and its chest rapidly reformed by pulling in conjured stones from the surroundings.


    It roared with renewed fury, releasing a flurry of blows in his direction at double its previous speed. Raine scrambled on his heels, backpedaling while furiously weaving between blows that would have meant instant death if even a single connected. Its berserk state ended after ten seconds, the short barrage leaving Raine coated in a sweat.


    As the golem returned to its fairly predictable attacks, Raine examined the fight so far. He had dealt well over one thousand damage. Unfortunately, repairing its chest also healed it a considerable amount. [+500] He hoped it would only heal for two fifty. Seeing the full five hundred confirmed this wasn¡¯t an ordinary rock golem, but an elite variant, which he would have known already if he purchased Identify. Raine clicked his tongue after running through the math.


    I did around seven hundred damage in twenty-five minutes. With over five thousand HP, this is going to take at least three hours. Perfectly dodging every attack of an elite for three hours of constant fighting... Have I ever pulled off something like that? There¡¯s zero room for error.


    Raine¡¯s focus became the edge of a blade. He shut down his thoughts and took in every detail of the elite¡¯s movements, cataloging each twitch of rock and every gravely sound it released. By the time he brought it back to a weakened state, the golem¡¯s attack patterns became his entire existence. After the third rotation, not only his avatar, but his real body was soaked with sweat.


    The needs of his physical body sapped more and more of his focus with every passing minute. His shallow breaths and wavering mental capacity were masked by the absolute need to focus. He had miraculously been granted a second chance at life, and he would rather die of a heart attack than let it slip through his fingers.


    After the sixth rotation, a soft chime sounded, and a yellow blinking exclamation point appeared in the corner of his vision. The warning was letting him know he had stressed his brain beyond the normal safety margins and the game would log him out as soon as the fight concluded. If he pushed much further, the warning would turn red and he would be forcibly logged out within ten seconds, regardless of whether he was fighting or not.


    I need to relax, breathe. I still have three more rotations before it dies. I can¡¯t lose after all this effort because of the stupid protection algorithms!


    Raine no longer focused entirely on the elite. He breathed out with each dodge and in with each resetting of his stance. He relaxed into each action, letting his body flow with the gusts of wind from each narrowly dodged attack. His senses dulled as his focus turned inward. He barely saw the golem anymore, so used to its patterns that he experienced them as fluttering movements within his mind¡¯s eye. His own steps churned like fluid as he danced with the specter of failure.


    When the golem died, Raine dodged five more times to attacks that never came before his bleary consciousness took note of the system messages springing up before his eyes.


    Oh¡­ I guess it''s over. I really lost myself there at the end.


    [!CAUTION!]


    [Safe brain function levels exceeded. Forced logout in ten, nine, eight¡­]


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    [Obtained 2,250 Superiority (800% bonus for defeating a monster 8 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 18% Attunement (800% bonus for defeating a monster 8 levels above you)]


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants completed. Obtained 5,000 Superiority. See quest NPC for additional rewards]


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    Raine¡¯s vision was clouded by rings of shining golden sparks that surrounded his body. They were accompanied by a thrilling trumpet''s melody that blared in his ears. He quickly skimmed the follow-up barrage of notifications, simultaneously snatching the eighteen copper coins and the single white item that dropped.


    [Achievement for first player to reach level 1: Momentous Acceleration Token dropped]


    [Achievement for defeating an elite rock golem five levels above you: Acquired Title - Rock Crusher]


    [Regional System announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to defeat an elite enemy!]


    [Regional System announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to reach level 1]


    Raine gingerly removed the headset from his sweaty, aching head. A clammy hand covered his eyes while massaging his temples as he released a pained groan.


    That was intense. Right up to the end, a single mistake would have been disastrous. I don''t think I ever had so much pressure on me, even in the past. No time to rest. I need to get my head straight and get back in there. This is only the beginning and the best players are pushing ahead at triple my speed right now. I didn''t plan to log out for several more hours so I''ll need to slightly adjust my plans now.


    Raine rolled out of bed and padded toward the shower. A piercing, mechanical beeping came from the corner of his motel room and he instinctively jerked away. The offending noise continued to repeat, each time feeling like it was piercing straight to the center of his gray matter.


    After the horrible noise ended, a perfectly polite, but too loud voice drilled razor-sharp screws into his ears, ¡°You appear to be suffering from significant levels of distress after your nap, Master. Did you experience a nightmare? Do not be concerned if your cheeseburger escaped, it was only a dream.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, tin can, I¡¯m fine,¡± Raine growled through grit teeth, ¡°Adjust volume to zero.¡±


    The lights in Morty''s eyes lit up as they always did when he spoke, but only blissful silence filled the room. Raine managed a small smile as he imagined Morty''s indignant retort; the AI had a penchant for revenge so there was no doubt Raine would get to hear it later.


    The cold shower helped ease his aching skull. After a quick breakfast and a few light calisthenics to increase his blood flow, Raine was feeling much better. With only a gentle throbbing behind his eyes, he donned the headset once more. His vision fell down a tunnel of spinning lights before he found himself back in the witch''s garden.


    The first thing Raine did was spin around to make sure nothing was going to attack him while he checked his rewards.


    [Momentous Acceleration Token: Activate to double Attunement gains for 24 hours]


    Hell yes! I''ve used regular acceleration tokens before but never a momentous one. 200% is going to massively boost my attributes once I get to a good grind spot.


    Three levels is crazy. That took me over a week last time! The average player will be lucky to get level one today. It doesn¡¯t get any easier after that, either. Each level is a minimal boost while the monsters get much harder to deal with.


    [Rock Crusher: +25% damage against monsters composed of rock (Upgradable)]


    Very nice. It''s already on its third evolution, only two more to cap it at 100% bonus damage. Though, I probably won''t run into anything that can upgrade it for a while.


    Raine took a few seconds to hop in place and flex his arms. The increase of three in each attribute was nearly a doubling of his overall combat potential. For anyone else, the sudden boost in strength and speed would have been disorienting. Raine however, eased into the changes with a grin, no longer feeling like he was piloting his forklift with chopsticks, but now directly holding the controls.


    Total Discipline was a combination of Connection and Physique attributes, so he now had an additional six points which would be a huge boon.


    As he turned to leave, the witch appeared before him from a puff of black smoke, ¡°Well done, traveler. I¡¯m impressed.¡± A long bony finger reached out and ran down his chest in a suggestive caress, ¡°Very impressed.¡±


    Raine clenched his teeth, refusing to react in any way that might upset the powerful woman, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    She tsked at his lack of reaction before withdrawing her finger and tapping it on her pursed lips, ¡°Well, you¡¯re no fun, such is the pity. It would appear I owe you a reward for passing my little test. There are a few options available to us. I could take that cursed ring, or offer you a weapon, a skill, or¡­ And this last option is truly the most valuable, you could become my minion. What say you?¡± She licked her lips hungrily, awaiting his decision.


    No way I¡¯m going to tie myself to such a crazy Vaaterran. Definitely not giving up this ring, either. The downside of using a roulette weapon isn¡¯t that big a deal, though I¡¯ll need to spend a bit more time and effort farming gear. I can always get rid of it later. For now, the bonus damage is going to make leveling a breeze. That leaves the weapon and skill which I couldn¡¯t possibly decide on without more information.


    ¡°Can you give me more details regarding the weapon and skill?¡±


    The witch narrowed her eyes and answered with a warning tone, ¡°The weapon would be a cleansed piece from those useless fools lazing about in my front yard. The skill is something unique that I no longer have a use for. No more questions, make your choice!¡±


    Well, that decides it. I don¡¯t plan to be a caster so I¡¯m pretty sure the skill would be something unsuited for me. Besides, she said it¡¯s unique and each player can only receive two unique skills, which are usually tied to their class. Having one chosen for me randomly is a terrible idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the weapon.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± she snapped her fingers and a blue dagger zipped through the air to land in her palm. The old witch looked deep into his eyes with a toothy grin displaying crooked, gapped teeth, ¡°Devour Curse!¡±


    What?! That¡¯s a level one hundred and twenty skill! This witch is far more dangerous than I thought.


    Black and orange viscous smoke pulled away from the dagger and was sucked into the witch¡¯s mouth. Briefly, her skin glowed faintly before she smiled again. She was missing fewer teeth than before and the ones that were crooked had become straighter and less stained.


    That''s not how that skill works! Nothing she¡¯s doing is even remotely normal.


    ¡°Here you are, my adorable little traveler,¡± she tossed the dagger which he swiftly caught. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our next meeting. Oh! I almost forgot,¡± quicker than a snake, she whipped out her finger and jammed it into his forehead causing a blinding flash of pain. By the time he realized what she had done, she was already vanishing in another flash of black smoke. A faint cackling rang through the air as if she were everywhere at once.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Raine rubbed his forehead, surprised to see no blood on his hand. He was sure she had pushed her finger well inside his skull. His eyes flew open as he realized she might have cursed him after all. ¡°Status!¡±


    NAME: Alaric


    CLASS: none


    TITLE: Rock Crusher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 0 > 3


    SUPERIORITY: 1,330/4,000


    HP: 50 > 80


    ATTACK POWER: 12 > 16


    DEFENSE: 11 > 15


    RESISTANCE: 5 > 16


    CRITICAL RATE: 5%


    DISCIPLINE: 10 > 16


    ATTACK SPEED: 1 > 1.05


    MOVE SPEED: 2 > 2.45


    ATTRIBUTES:


    POTENCY: 5 > 8


    FINESSE: 5 > 8


    ACUITY: 5 > 8


    PHYSIQUE: 5 > 8


    CONNECTION: 5 > 8


    Greater Aspect of the Werewolf?! And this dagger is¡­ no way!

 Chapter 6 - RIGHTEOUS

    [Greater Aspect of the Werewolf (Lustrous Blue): When reduced below 50% HP (Greater Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration) will activate, restoring 10% HP per 5 seconds]


    Raine was stunned as he read the description, not believing what he was seeing. The original aspect he came here to get (one of the best known early-game aspects) only started regeneration at 25% HP and restored 5% every 5 seconds. This upgraded version was so much better, he was struggling to wrap his mind around it.


    5% health regen was enough to turn an elite tank into a guild¡¯s peak main tank. Healing was notoriously one of the most challenging roles in ZionLine due to long recast times and massive Celestial Power costs. A tank that could mitigate even a small amount of damage was a huge boon. Even accounting for the need to be below 25% HP to activate, over the course of an hour-long raid boss, that was an insane amount of saved MP.


    Just how good was a 10% heal anytime he was below 50% HP? The utility of this evolved aspect was truly impossible to gauge. It would allow him to fight monsters above his level with relative safety. So long as they couldn¡¯t reduce half his HP in a single hit, he would eventually win.


    Raine shook his head, shifting his awe to the magnificent weapon in his hand.


    [Last Chance Gambit - Common Gray - LVL 0 - 0/1,000 SP: (Attack Power +6) (Elemental Power +6) (Attack Speed +1) (FNS +1) (CNC +1) (Durability 45/45) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 100% remaining EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 10 damage per EP converted]


    A growth weapon! Unbelievable. I could easily sell this for one or two million creds. That would be a complete waste though. I have a much better plan for making credits and in order to do it, I¡¯ll need to reach level fifteen as quickly as possible.


    Even if the ring keeps me from using this every fight, it¡¯s going to be one less weapon I have to constantly replace. At least until level fifty when it reaches its cap.


    Raine added the new dagger to his inventory, feeling a slight tug on his consciousness. He mentally accepted the query and his old novice dagger fell to the ground as the new one replaced it. He picked up the old dagger and added it to his inventory, this time declining to replace it in the roulette.


    So that¡¯s how the curse works. I can add and remove weapons from my inventory, but not the ones I¡¯ve selected as part of the roulette. Unfortunately, the curse classified all the weapons in my inventory at the time I equipped the ring.


    Which means I¡¯ll never be able to completely get rid of those original weapon types, only replace them. Right now, I have nine weapons in the roulette, which isn¡¯t the worst odds of getting the one I¡¯ll want in a given situation. Especially with my aspect to regenerate health if I decide to reroll.


    The worst part is going to be learning how to fight with so many different weapons. I¡¯ll be fine for a while since these low-level enemies are relatively easy, but later¡­ No point thinking about that now. I¡¯ve got my aspect, time to go. There¡¯s nothing worth staying for in this forest.


    Raine left the witch¡¯s garden and was startled to see her standing in the doorway of her hut. He had the distinct impression she had left for good when he completed her quest.


    Thinking maybe he needed to speak with her again to start the next phase of the unique chain quest, he approached, ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with, ma¡¯am?¡±


    The nasty old woman gazed at the horizon with a slack expression, ¡°I have nothing more to say to you.¡± Compared to before, her response was robotic, lacking emotion or inflection.


    Oh, now you want to act like an NPC? Wait, is this a shadow clone?! That¡¯s not a skill even grandmaster witches should have access to¡­


    With trepidation in his heart, Raine left the hut and made his way back through the forest. He didn¡¯t bother wasting time with stealth, killing anything that got in his way and loading up on berries. The SP gains were abysmal after leveling and with little to no drops, he couldn¡¯t wait to move on.


    He ran a few tests on the way. His first discovery was holding a weapon before a fight resulted in it being replaced the moment he took the first swing.


    Damn, that means I won¡¯t be able to gain AT for ranged weapons until I get rid of this ring.


    His second test was confirming he had to be within a few yards of a beast before attacking activated the roulette. He rapidly grew accustomed to how his weapons suddenly appeared in his hands. The mystery of not knowing what would appear, and the challenge of instantly adapting called to him and a grin stretched his lips when he realized how much fun he was having.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he returned to the grassy field separating the forest and Mirror Lake Town. Just before pushing through the patrolling Mangy Wolves guarding the forest, he heard laughter and shouting nearby. Raine ducked, advancing slowly while listening to a boisterous man yelling loud enough to attract several wolves.


    [Human: Level 0 - HP 55/55]


    Pretty brave for even a full group to come this far where they might have to deal with multiple wolves simultaneously.


    ¡°Hahahaha! Don¡¯t be afraid, recruits! If the three of you work together, these wolves will be nothing. Consider this your last test before being accepted into Righteous. We¡¯re going to become the greatest guild in the region, you can¡¯t afford to miss this chance!¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Righteous? Those bastards, eh? They were a huge pain in my ass. It took us months to force them to relocate. Luckily, they burned so many bridges with their penchant for theft and killing players that we had a lot of help.


    Raine immediately understood what the boisterous man was doing when he spotted him standing with his hands in his pockets behind three players with excited expressions. The man had no intention of helping, the greedy gleam in his eyes and the easy smile on his lips was all the confirmation Raine needed.


    Two wolves jumped forward, latching onto two of the players and bringing them down to the ground where they were savagely mauled. Blood-curdling screams erupted from their throats as they got their first taste of ZionLine¡¯s lifelike combat.


    The two downed players truly experienced their throats being ripped open and blood flowing freely from their wounds. The lack of overwhelming pain made injuries more visceral in its own way. In real life, pain could be so intense that your brain ignores many of the sensations from an injury. For instance, flesh being torn apart one centimeter at a time as a wolf¡¯s teeth slowly sank deeper into muscle and tendons.


    ZionLine was not so kind as to block such minor inconveniences.


    Raine had experienced being eaten alive on multiple occasions, and despite only feeling fifty percent of the pain, it was always traumatizing. Luckily, zones were absolutely massive, giving players time to mentally recover as they trekked back to the area they were farming to do it all over again.


    The third player screamed when he realized just how bad his situation was. This, of course, attracted another wolf who wasted no time bringing him to the ground. The three players thrashed wildly, unable to gather their wits through the pain and rise to their feet where they would at least have a chance of fighting back.


    The boisterous man chuckled quietly as the three ¡®recruits¡¯ were mauled to death. After a few seconds, two new men appeared beside him as they dropped out of stealth. With a nod from their leader, all three jumped into action, stabbing the wolves in the back as they tore into the three prone players.


    They timed their attacks perfectly, killing each wolf just after it killed the pinned players. As each avatar died, they vanished into motes of starry lights, leaving a single piece of gear on the ground. The three men laughed, joking between themselves as they scooped up the gear and placed them in their inventories.


    ¡°What a bunch of suckers! How stupid do you have to be to come out here with complete strangers so soon after finishing the tutorial?¡±


    ¡°Seriously! The NPCs wouldn¡¯t let anyone leave before they listened to that whole spiel about loot dropping when you die. Morons. Serves them right for being so stupid.¡±


    In ZL, any loot acquired, even quest items, would be guaranteed to drop if you died within two hours of picking it up. It was common practice for thieves to ambush players when they came out of dungeons and raids for exactly that reason. The player killers of ZionLine were relentless. If you didn''t watch your back constantly, you were bound to eventually lose something precious.


    Raine stood up and was spotted by one of the three. The man raised his hand to point and alert his accomplices but not before Raine¡¯s voice split the air, ¡°Going through all that trouble just for a few measly tutorial drops? Pathetic.¡±


    The boisterous man looked Raine up and down, noting his leggings were a cut above the starting gear. His smile widened and he talked like they were old buddies, ¡°You know how it is, friend. We aren¡¯t allowed to PK until level five, so we¡¯re just doing the best we can to get ahead. Interested in joining in on the fun? Since you¡¯re out here alone, you must be pretty strong. We¡¯ll give you two drops from the next group of newbs, whatcha say?¡± The man rubbed his hands together, clearly having no intention of sharing anything with Raine. Had he known the trick to seeing someone¡¯s level without Identify, he certainly would have been singing a different tune.


    ¡°I have a better idea,¡± Raine¡¯s teeth flashed as he jumped forward, barely dodging the wolf that lunged from his side. A flash of light shone from his hand as his shiny new knife made its first appearance. Considering how many beasts he had killed on the way here, he was more than a little excited to give it a test run.


    Their loud voices had attracted the two guardian wolves closest to Raine, and the close proximity of the beasts had pulled an additional two. The players¡¯ eyes flew open as he barreled toward them with all four right on his heels. At level three, Raine¡¯s base run speed was marginally higher than theirs and he burned seven points of Discipline to boost it even further, crossing the short distance between them.


    The beautiful and deadly dagger in his hands caused intense desire to flash across their eyes, which also made them hesitate long enough for Raine to arrive in their midsts.


    ¡°How is he so fast?!¡± One of the men barely got out a question before Raine slipped around him, putting the man between himself and the wolves. Two of the beasts pounced, their jaws stretched wide toward his throat. The man tried to leap to the side, but Raine easily saw through his panicked dodge and spent another point of Discipline to step in his way.


    Just because they couldn¡¯t actively attack each other didn¡¯t mean there was no player collision. The man slammed into Raine and bounced off him as his Potency was too low to overcome Raine¡¯s defenses. The player let out a startled cry as the wolves crashed into his chest, knocking him to the ground where they savagely ripped into his throat.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?! You have no idea who you¡¯re messing with!¡± The boisterous man was foaming at the mouth as he desperately dodged one of the wolves while occasionally stabbing it with his dagger.


    Raine laughed as he jumped into his way, allowing the wolf to get a grip the man''s leg and tear him off his feet. He tried to stand up, but Raine¡¯s leather boot planted on his chest held him in place, ¡°I know exactly who I¡¯m fucking with. You, on the other hand, know nothing.¡±


    A dagger flashed, but ricocheted off Raine¡¯s calf, unable to do a single point of damage through the shimmering red shield that appeared from thin air. The man gasped, his face contorting with equal parts agony and fury as the wolf got its fangs into his throat. The third player tried to run but was pounced on from behind after only a few steps.


    Looks like they haven''t even figured out how to burn Discipline to sprint yet. Who are the noobs again?


    One of the wolves leaped at him, its mouth dripping fresh blood. Raine easily stepped to the side, his weapon whistling as it tore through air, fur, and flesh with equal ease.


    ¡°Final Gambit!¡±


    Raine¡¯s EP dropped to zero as every point was spent into a single blast that blew the wolf¡¯s head clean off in an explosion of white light. [-279] He whistled in appreciation as he took a step back to dodge another lunge. His knife flashed again, dealing a much more reasonable damage for his level. [-39] Two rapid follow-up stabs dropped the injured wolf before it could even turn around. Seconds later, the last two died.


    [Obtained 0 Superiority. -100% for defeating a monster 2 levels below you]


    [Obtained 0% Attunement. -100% for defeating a monster 2 levels below you]


    Raine paid the messages no mind, more interested in the plethora of equipment scattered across the ground. His brows rose, impressed by how busy the three had been over the last two hours.


    ¡°Well, your loss is my gain.¡±

 Chapter 7 - SALLY FORTH

    [Tutorial Metal Helm - Dull Trash: (DEF +4) (PHY +1) (Durability 15/15)]


    [Tutorial Metal Plate - Dull Trash: (DEF +4) (PHY +1) (Durability 15/15)]


    [Tutorial Metal Vambrace - Dull Trash: (DEF +4) (PHY +1) (Durability 15/15)]


    The rest of the gear was lighter variants of the same equipment, or duplicates. In all, Raine received fifteen pieces from the swindlers. Physique directly increased Defense and HP. If he had these three pieces before his fight with the golem, he might have been able to take a single hit, significantly reducing the stress of the encounter. The added weight, and comfort of knowing he was once more protected in metal armor sent a satisfied zing through his limbs. He¡¯d always preferred heavy armor in the past, and he doubted this time would be any different.


    He was quite happy with these pieces of gear in particular, as the additional Physique further boosted Discipline to nineteen. Meanwhile, the leather variants boosted Finesse, which would only increase his attack and movement speeds. The end result would be slightly less damage, while providing less protection.


    After Raine equipped the items and stored the leftovers, he resumed his trek to Mirror Lake Town. On his way, he saw several groups doing a decent job battling wolves. A few parties wore matching colors, clearly denoting them as belonging to the same guild. Why anyone would waste their few starting coppers to buy matching headbands and the like was beyond him. Unsurprisingly, not a single player he saw had risen beyond level 0.


    To level up even once, a player would have to kill a hundred Mangy Wolves by themselves. If they died even once, their SP would be reset to zero. Considering how easy it was to aggro additional enemies, and how fast-paced the battles were, normal gamers, even combat junkies, would have a hard time adapting. If they fought in a group, then the SP would be split, drastically reducing their leveling speed.


    By the look of things, there would be several groups of level one players by the end of the day, at least in Mirror Lake Town. Every single player in this town came from the same place in real life¡ªCarter City. A city that was not at all known for having a strong martial arts showing. That would change soon, but for now, the number of martial artists who chose to play ZionLine from Carter City was few and far between. Other cities with more prominent dojos would likely have level two or three players before long.


    Then there were the elites to consider. Regional or national level champions in reality would have an unbelievable advantage in the game. Some would soon discover that the combat in the game drastically increased fighting capabilities in real-life. That¡¯s when ZionLine would see its first massive boom in popularity, quickly skyrocketing to the most played game of all time. The profits of so many people in one place would then attract the attention of the corporation piranhas.


    Currently, only the lucky few who jumped at each new game, or those wanting to experience the new tech were playing. Of course, there were small companies already involved. Selling VR items in real life had been a valid profession for decades. Raine knew word of the brutal fight was already spreading. Martials of all kinds, challenge seekers, and the bored ultra-wealthy had certainly taken notice. Raine¡¯s fists clenched as his time to pull ahead felt shorter and shorter with each step.


    He soon reached the town and continued directly toward a trash vendor that had a particular item he was going to need soon. As he was crossing the main square, a grumbled shout caught his attention, "Hey! Aren¡¯t you the guy who''s been conning people into following you out of town and stealing their gear?!" Raine turned to see his best friend¡ªthe boisterous conman¡ªand his two cronies.


    They were lounging near the center of town where new players spawned, likely waiting for more suckers while licking their wounds. Raine wasn¡¯t the only one who heard them. Dozens of heads turned and a sea of angry faces began cursing his existence.


    "Does anyone have Identify? Get this guy''s name and make a post on the forums about him!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We can''t afford to have such a villain running around our town causing trouble. People need to be warned!"


    Realizing what was going on, Raine ignored them and continued to the vendor. The boisterous man didn¡¯t relent, following after with a trail of level zero ducklings waddling behind, "Nothing to say? How disgusting can you be? When we''re all level 5, Righteous will take revenge on you for the sake of the people you''ve screwed over! Don''t think for a minute you''re going to get away with what you¡¯ve done!"


    Arriving at the vendor, Raine took out a looted piece of tutorial leather gear, making an obvious show of handing it to the vendor. The surrounding crowd went into an uproar at the sight of him selling someone else''s item. They shouted and fumed, demanding he return everything he had taken. Luckily for them, they were unable to touch him due to the PVP protections. Had they actually attacked, the town guards would have wiped out the lot of them in seconds.


    "Five copper, not bad," Raine''s first spoken words sent a wave of appalled silence through the crowd. Within seconds, crimson was spurting through the air as blood vessels burst in a dozen foreheads.


    "That gear isn''t yours!¡±


    ¡°Give it back to the people you stole it from!" The boisterous man was yelling loudest of all, his mouth frothing with unfathomable rage.


    Raine stopped what he was doing, his eyes lighting up and his mouth shot open in shocked realization, "That''s actually a great idea!¡± He pitched his voice so all would hear, ¡°Selling tutorial equipment for twenty-five copper each!" Raine¡¯s shouted offer washed over the crowd, once more stunning them into silence, "First come first serve, I only have so many left and anything not bought is going to this vendor. Looks like he''s reselling it for one silver and twenty-five copper. Damn, maybe I''m being too generous. Guess I''ll have to increase the¡ª"


    "I''ll take that deal!" A man next to him shouted, realizing this was a perfect chance for him to get ahead.


    "Me too!"


    Suddenly, the crowd flipped to desperate beggars. Within a minute, all the excess gear was gone and the crowd dispersed. As expected, the members of Righteous had slunk away when their ploy to turn the town against him failed. Only a few remained, and they clung to their anger like a toddler¡¯s blanket.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    One of those people, a young woman with red eyes and hair, stared at Raine with an unreadable expression, "You''re not the one who robbed them, and you could have returned the equipment, yet you chose to extort them instead. What an interesting game." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away.


    Raine''s heart skipped a beat when he recognized the speaker''s voice. She looked so different from the woman in the past that it was nearly impossible to tell she was the same person. However, that grating voice heard on interviews was unmistakable; it held a domineering quality, as though the people around here were mere mortals and unworthy of breathing the same air.


    That was definitely Crimson Nebula. I remember she started late, like me. We couldn''t have been more different. While I was useless and needed help, she killed everyone and everything in her way, friend and foe alike. Despite making so many enemies, she was one of the first in the Tri-glades to unlock a fourth tier class, becoming an early powerhouse.


    Should I try recruiting her? No, with her personality, she''s more likely to cause problems than help.


    Can¡¯t forget to keep an eye out for Fizgore. Not worth hunting for him though. I know the perfect time to meet and recruit him.


    Raine ran his eyes over the twelve people still crowding him. He shook his head sadly, "Next time, don''t fall for such an obvious scam. This gear is all trash, it''s not worth fighting over. Mark my words, when you get something actually worth a damn, people are going to try to take it from you. Best to learn this lesson now while it¡¯s over something cheap. Imagine the poor sap who gets a drop worth ten gold and gets scammed out of that! You should be happy to learn this today, and not tomorrow when the stakes are higher."


    After saying his piece, Raine turned back to the trash vendor and opened a trade with him. He had lots of useless wares for sale, including the one piece of tutorial gear Raine already sold him. Down near the bottom of the list was the item he was after: Trokt Steak. After buying one hundred steaks, he was penniless once more and done with the starting town. Nobody tried to stop him as he left, and soon he was on the road that ran northwest around Mirror Lake.


    Two hours passed in the blink of an eye as Raine traveled the road gently looping the gargantuan lake. He made decent time, utilizing the long-travel aspects of the dirt road to triple his movement speed by burning two points of Discipline every minute.


    Out of nowhere, a buzzing notification caught his attention. Seeing who was calling, he answered right after adjusting his profile settings to private. The avatar of a young man with dark hair and bright, innocent eyes populated the corner of his vision.


    Before Raine had a chance to say hello to his brother, the man was already launching into an excitable ramble, "Big bro! Are you having fun yet? I can''t believe this game, it''s so much better than I ever imagined!"


    Raine smiled broadly, finding it impossible to resist being swept away by his brother¡¯s exuberance, "Yeah, I''m having more fun than I thought I would. How did the tutorial go? Did you manage to meet up with your friends yet?"


    Richtor scratched the back of his head with a laugh, "It was fine, I only died twice! No, I haven''t met up with them yet. We checked the map and it turns out the towns are separated by huge zones with no way to cross except walking. It could take us weeks to all group up."


    "If you stick to the roads and walk with the intent to use your Discipline to travel faster, you''ll enter a traveling mode that triples your speed. Still, I wouldn''t suggest it until you''re level five since low-level monsters will ambush you along the way."


    "Seriously?" A few seconds of silence passed and Raine could practically hear his brother typing furiously in the background. "That info''s not anywhere on the forums. Just how much did you overhear from those devs? Are you still holding out on me? What else do you know?"


    A bubbling lightness rose from Raine¡¯s chest, exploding out in the form of full-belly laughter. His little brother''s excited and expectant face was too much. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time Richtor was this happy and seeing it was a boon to Raine¡¯s frayed nerves.


    "Plenty more where that came from, Ricky. You can use your Discipline to jump and sprint, too. Hey, are you paying attention?"


    Richtor was looking to the side, his face skewed in concentration, "Yeah! I''m just writing all this down, keep going!"


    "All right, you should tell your people to form groups of two for the first two levels. Get used to dodging first, and then counter attacking. This isn¡¯t the kind of game where you can trade blows back and forth with the monsters. Dodge or deflect, and then strike vulnerable spots. Most level one and two monsters only have three attack patterns. Despite moving like real animals, their actual attacks are simple once you know what to look for."


    "Why groups of two?"


    "A full group of five won''t necessarily help you kill faster, but it will drastically reduce your SP gain. Also, with five people beating up a single weak monster, how the hell are you going to learn to fight?"


    "Gotcha! That makes so much sense! What else?"


    "Don''t buy anything, hoard every copper you make, you''re going to need a lot of it to progress past level ten. Max out the attunements on as many weapons and classes as you can since you¡¯ll get permanent attribute increases for each one."


    Richtor¡¯s eyes shone with fanatical zeal as he hastily typed down every word. By the end, he was vibrating with the anticipation of ending the call so he could tell his friends the news.


    "One last thing, most starting towns have a quest giver somewhere nearby for an aspect. If you took my advice to skip that portion of the tutorial, you should seek out those quests ASAP."


    "A few of us did, yes. But how do we find those NPCs?"


    Raine didn¡¯t bother correcting his use of the term. They would learn eventually, "Once you start seeing level tree monsters, you''ll know you''re close. All right, that¡¯s all I¡¯ve got for you until next time."


    "Okay! Thanks again! I''ll get you back for all this, promise!"


    Before Raine could tell him that wasn''t necessary, he was gone.


    This is how it should be. ZL could have been the most amazing experience; bringing people and families together to explore, fight amazing raids, and celebrate a grand era of longevity. But they turned it into a living nightmare where a life of slavery was extended into three.


    Not this time.


    In the distance, Raine saw his next objective; a thriving village of clustered-together huts held aloft by thick supports driven deep into the outskirts of the sodden lakebed. Surrounding the village, beasts patrolled en masse. They ranged in groups of four and five, walking so close together there would be no chance of pulling one at a time.


    Half lizard half man, they stood upright and were covered in thick scales and bones that protruded into short spikes. Intelligence shone from within deep-set sockets. Long, clawed fingers brandished an assortment of metal weapons more advanced than their rickety village appeared capable of producing.


    Between their cooperative formations, iron weapons, and sporadic pieces of armor strapped across bulging muscles, the beasts left an impression of a true fighting force. Compared to everything he had fought so far, these creatures were easily the most threatening.


    With a predatory glimmer in his eyes, Raine examined the closest one, a relatively weak member of its race.


    [Adolescent Croglock: Level 8 - HP ???/???]

 Chapter 8 - NEVER TURN DOWN A GOOD GRUDGIN’

    The Boisterous Man


    - Mirror Lake Town -


    "Boss! Y-you''re back early," Goruut¡ªthe boisterous man¡ªshook like a leaf as he addressed a human wall of muscle.


    With blond hair, green eyes, and a massive frame, the boss struck an imposing figure as he confidently swaggered past a shop entrance to tower over Goruut, "Are you trying to say it should have taken me longer to reach level two?" The huge man squinted, causing Goruut''s spine to stiffen.


    ¡°No, Sir! Of course not, Sir!¡± Goruut bent at the waste, bowing before his superior.


    "Relax, Goruut. Why would I hurt a valued disciple who''s been doing a great job on the mission I gave him? Now, where''s my equipment?"


    "We were ambushed, Master Froust! He came out of nowhere with a dozen wolves on his tail. H-he had some fancy gear too, much nicer than the tutorial stuff. I took a screenshot, here.¡± With a flick of his finger, the blurred image of a man with four wolves right behind him appeared in Froust¡¯s display.


    ¡°You said a dozen wolves, I only see four, and this pic is garbage. You really lost all of my gear to this clown?¡± Froust¡¯s voice took on a deadly edge as he took a step closer to Goruut.


    ¡°M-maybe the gear was helping him move faster! Yeah, that must be it. We could barely keep track of him. He got behind us before we could react and then the wolves tore us apart. We were eaten alive and lost everything. We-I failed you."


    Goruut slammed his face into the dirt in complete subjugation, yet no punishment fell upon his shoulders. No recriminations filled his ears, not even a single promise of everlasting pain was delivered through furious, glinty eyes. He dared to tilt his head, looking up at the notoriously dangerous Froust, whose feet were still centimeters from his nose.


    The massive man spoke into thin air, having made a call the moment Goruut''s tale was done, "Master, we might have a problem on our end."


    Raine KongRu


    Raine stopped in the middle of the narrow dirt road, taking in his surroundings. He was familiar with the area, but being the first person here, there was a chance he would spot something new. A series of low hills to his west reached into the distance. Directly north, more hills wrapped around the lake, turning into jagged, rocky cliffs that butted into a lone, large mountain after several kilometers. East, the lake stretched as far as the eye could see.


    For now, Raine circled wide around the roaming throngs of well-armed crogs. He headed north, staying at water level while traversing the base of the cliff face. He moved slowly, taking his time to avoid the far-reaching patrols.


    I¡¯ll get to you cuties soon enough. If this works, it''s going to save me a ton of time.


    His memory was a bit fuzzy on the exact spot, but he knew it was close when he could only see half of the mountain due to the cliff cutting off his view. Nearly an hour later, he was sure he was in the right spot when a chord of nostalgia struck, sending tingles down his spine.


    The sun had risen halfway in the sky and reflected off the lake, casting a heavy illumination that was making his task much harder. He faced the solid cliff wall, scanning the protruding rocks through squinted eyes.


    There!


    He grasped a seemingly random rock and gave it a twist. The rock rotated easily before he pushed it in. A resounding click preceded a section of the solid cliff face opening wide into two large, rock-covered doors. They revealed a dark, gaping cave entrance. Raine boldly entered the cave, only slightly nervous that his plan might fail. Worst case, he would die once and waste around four hours returning and restoring the lost level.


    Without the threat of being overloaded with curses and needing to delete his character, a single death wasn¡¯t so daunting. If anything, the witch¡¯s quest had taken the edge off his stress by putting him in a much worse scenario than was normal.


    Inside the cave he spotted a series of torches that lit up a small tunnel. Angered muttering and growls echoed off the walls, creating what should be an eerie and foreboding setting. After rounding a bend, Raine entered a fifteen-meter-wide cavern. The walls were covered with cloth sheets and tapestries while whole sections of the floor were layered with fine carpets.


    A lone, short figure in fine attire could be seen pacing back and forth across a rug, wearing a track into the soft fabric. Raine approached casually, waving his hand at the finely dressed Croglock, ¡°Hey there, nice place you got here.¡±


    The well-dressed beast whipped around, appearing surprised for a moment before regarding Raine with a calm face.


    Good, he didn¡¯t kill me outright. I should be able to work something out if I choose my words right.


    "Kro, it''s a hole in a wall! Nothing nice about it! Wha''da want? Can¡¯t you see I''m busy, kro?¡±


    "Sorry to disturb you, Sir. If you''re busy, maybe there''s something I can help you with."


    The crog looked Raine up and down appraisingly before huffing a chortled laugh, "Kro, tadpole like you got no business here. Ain¡¯ nothing you can help me with, kro."


    Raine nodded, "You might be right, then again, maybe you¡¯re wrong. I found this place, didn¡¯t I? That should be proof I¡¯m not as simple as I appear.¡± Raine¡¯s words had no effect on the crog who resumed pacing, ignoring him completely.


    Okay, experiment failed: This Vaaterran is different from the witch. She was definitely special for some reason other than me being the first traveler to encounter her. Now that I''ve determined that, it''s time to get down to business.


    ¡°Why are you here instead of inside Soldoreen? Your people pride themselves on working together, aren''t you ashamed to be out here alone?" The crog rounded on him instantly, its eyes blazing scarlet with the inner fire of a skill.


    "K-kro, Wha¡¯ would you know!? Kro-kro-kro!¡±


    Gotcha! It actually worked! Even without the introductory quest item, so long as you know what to say, you can start the quest. Fantastic.


    "I know a lot. I know you don''t belong here. I know you were exiled. I know you''re different from them and it frightens them. I know you should be¡­ the Bigboss."


    The blazing fire winked out of its eyes as quickly as it appeared. The crog stared hard at Raine with new appreciation, "Kro, maybe you know som¡¯thin after all, but that don'' change a thing! You''re too white ¡®round the teeth to help me, kro."Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "How about a wager then. If I can kill one hundred of their adolescents, you give me something nice."


    "Kro-kro! And if you fail? What will you give me?"


    "Any five items I own of your choosing."


    "Deal, tadpole! Now begone. I don¡¯ want to see you again ¡®til you''ve done the deed. If you come back a¡®fore then, I''ll take your lootz and eat you, kro-kro!" As soon as the offer was made, a quest notification appeared and Raine gleefully accepted it.


    [Quest: Torell¡¯s Grudge accepted]


    [Kill 100 Croglock adolescents and bring their marks of maturity to Torell]


    [Rewards: Variable]


    [Warning: Failure to complete this quest may have unforeseen consequences. Quest may not be abandoned]


    All right, I can finally get started.


    Raine was so ecstatic, he skipped out of the cave. Usually doing any quests for Torell was a waste of time as you would already clear out the entire village before even learning about the cantankerous Vaaterran. Since the beasts only respawned once per day, you would have to wait a long time just for a chance to kill the hundred adolescents. Then there was the competition of other players to deal with as many people came here to level in groups, hoping to find the stolen shipment for easy entrance into Silverlight City.


    Depending on the rewards, I might suggest Richtor come here with his friends when they¡¯re the right level. Even having a few people able to skip the ten silver registration fee to enter Silverlight would give their guild a massive advantage. Hopefully, he takes my advice and saves his currency so they can get as many people into the city as possible.


    Outside the cave, Raine found a good spot with plenty of shrubs and trees to block line of sight before accessing his secret weapon against the Croglocks.


    [Trokt steak - Garbage: The smell of this foul meat should have been hint enough not to attempt cooking it. Feel pity for the grill that is now tainted beyond redemption. This meal is not fit for consumption unless you happen to be a most peculiar beast]


    Raine turned his hand upside down and willed the steak out of his inventory. It fell to the ground with a sickening splatter. The description did not lie; the smell coming from the garbage item was truly atrocious. With a boost of Discipline, Raine beat a hasty retreat, hiding behind some bushes two dozen meters away. He opened his inventory and pulled out two rocks that he had collected from the side of the road, hefting one in each hand as he waited.


    Only a few seconds passed before the nearest group of crogs came crashing through the low brush. Their eyes were bloodshot, tongues hanging loosely from their mouths while spittle dripped down their long necks. They loped toward the steak with wild abandon, unable to notice him even as they ran a few scant meters from his position.


    The moment the last one was past his position, he stood and chucked a rock at its head. The stone flew strong and true¡ªmastery of throwing weapons was a basic technique that every guild trained relentlessly. The blow knocked some sense into the monster and it turned toward him with wicked intelligence returning to its eyes.


    ¡°Kro-kro-kro!¡± The scout cried, but its call fell on deaf ears as its party continued toward the steak.


    Raine turned and ran north, away from any potential reinforcements. The scout barreled after him, quickly catching up. He wasn¡¯t concerned about pulling the beast away from its brethren, he only needed three dozen meters to separate it enough that additional cries for help would be in vain.


    The moment he was far enough, he spun to face the charging crog as its spear lunged toward his face. Raine ducked, the blow predictable to his trained reflexes despite the beast''s high Attack Speed.


    With the first attack thrown, there was a flash and Raine''s novice axe appeared in his hand.


    The crog used Double Thrust and its spear bit forward like two snakes striking simultaneously. Both blows narrowly missed Raine¡¯s chest as he turned sideways and jerked forward and back. With its main skill on cooldown, the beast took a leaping step back to buy time. Raine wasn¡¯t nearly kind enough to allow two shots at him without taking a toll in blood. He dove after it, his axe coming down on its shoulder. [-16]


    Seeing the low damage, Raine clicked his tongue in disappointment, even as he bent to the side to dodge a return swipe. He immediately dove into a roll, the butt of the spear whistling through the air above him.


    This is going to take forever. It should have around five hundred HP. Guess I¡¯ll try the re-roll. I just need something with blunt damage so I can use Strike.


    Raine triggered the roulette function of his cursed ring. [-9] The eleven percent damage felt like being bitten all over his body while having a boot buried in his guts. He shrugged off the sensations and jumped away from the crog. This time, both his hands flashed. When the light faded, he grinned ferociously. His fists came up, covered by two strips of white cloth.


    [Novice Fist Wraps - Dull Trash: (AP +2) (AS +1.5) (Durability 10/10)]


    Like all players who eventually capped out each weapon for the bonus attributes, Raine had a decent amount of experience fighting with every weapon. However, that experience paled in comparison to the fist weapons he used for ninety-nine percent of the last ten years of his life.


    The crogs spear came forward again as it once more activated Double Thrust. Raine weaved between the blows, taking a step forward. His fist lanced out in a straight jab¡ªfueled by Strike¡ªthat took the scout right in its squishy face. [-21] The beast tried to leap back to create space for its longer weapon. Raine boosted himself forward, not about to let it have its way.


    With 2.5 total Attack Speed, Raine¡¯s attacks came at just over twice per second. A massive increase from the .8 he had with the axe.


    Fists flew through the air in a blur that never relented. Years of footwork and body mastery were on full display as he weaved around clumsy thrusts and swipes of claw and wooden shaft. His brain buzzed, alive as trajectories were calculated instantly; a dipped shoulder and torquing of his torso avoided a thrust. The dodge fluidly transitioned into an overhead haymaker with the opposite arm. An instant later, his elbow slammed into its face in the exact same spot, sending its head rocketing back with its long tongue flailing. [-14] [Critical hit! -52]


    Sensing weakness, Raine pressed the attack. His extreme focus never faltered, and the beast was reduced to a defenseless punching bag. The pummeling continued one-sidedly for nearly thirty seconds before the scout croaked and fell dead.


    [Obtained 1,500 Superiority (500% bonus for defeating a monster 5 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 12% Attunement (500% bonus for defeating a monster 5 levels above you)]


    Seven copper and a white quest item dropped. Raine snatched them up as a flare of light and victorious music sent a pleasant buzz through his brain.


    [Mark of Maturity: Before joining the warriors of its clan, a badge of honor must be earned]


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    Had the scout been four levels above him instead of five, Raine would have only received a 200% bonus to Superiority; such was the power of the fifth inviolable law of ZionLine: The rule of five. Due to the difference between their levels being five, it yielded an insane 500% bonus, whereas normally each level difference only gave 50%. The rule of five was not restricted to bonus Superiority, but also attributes, classes, and tiers. Almost everything in ZL took a massive leap forward every fifth integer.


    Since the weakest Croglocks were five levels higher, Raine planned to take ample advantage of the significant boost in SP. There were even bigger gains to be made at ten level gaps, but there was also a hefty difference in attributes between level nine and ten enemies. With his current attributes, a level fourteen enemy would turn him to paste.


    Raine had no desire to attempt even the level ten crogs with his paltry equipment. The only reason he was doing any damage at all was due to his cursed ring. If not for that huge advantage, he would have stuck to his original plan of farming level five torgs in the hills before coming here.


    Raine took out his dagger and funneled enough Superiority into it to de-level himself. He kept pumping more and more in until he hit the bottom of level three. Eventually he would outstrip the weapon, but that SP wouldn¡¯t be lost as he could withdraw it at any time, though that would destroy it.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Common Gray - LVL 2 - 1,020/3,000 SP: (AP 6 > 8) (EP 6 > 8) (AS +1) (FNS 1 > 3) (CNC 1 > 3) (Durability 45/45) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 100% remaining EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 10 > 11 damage per EP converted]


    Very nice. Bonuses across the board except Attack Speed which will probably only increase at ten-level increments, if even then. I won¡¯t be allowed to add Superiority to the dagger to raise it beyond my level, so I¡¯ll stop once it''s at the end of level three.


    If my math is correct, I¡¯ll only need three more scouts. And would you look at that, there are three right over there finishing with the snack I left them.


    Raine released a pleased chuckle as he dropped another steak on the ground.

 Chapter 9 - THE FIRST ATTUNEMENT

    Raine crouched low behind a bush just thick enough to break line of sight with the duo of crogs up ahead. He had advanced steadily through the outer ranks of scouts, these final two the last line before reaching the stronger beasts residing on the outskirts of the village itself.


    Greater Aspect of the Werewolf ticked a final time, bringing him back to fifty percent health. Making one last sweep of the area, Raine threw a rock, smacking one of the crogs upside the head and sending them both into a mad dash toward his position. They released croaking cries in an attempt to draw more of their brethren, but Raine had timed the pull perfectly and there were no reinforcements to answer the call.


    They were on him in seconds, their weapons tearing through the air with ease. A flash of light revealed a mace as long as his torso with a heavy round head.


    [Novice 2-Handed Mace - Dull Trash: (Attack Power +4) (Durability 10/10)]


    He activated Strike as he brought the weapon down with a sickening crunch on the left crogs shoulder. [-28] Seeing its muscles bunch and contract, Raine ducked in advance as the butt of a spear sailed over his head. He leaped back, avoiding a jab while activating his first reroll.


    After a jolt of pain, his fist wraps replaced the mace and a sardonic smile pulled at one corner of his mouth. Within thirty seconds, both crogs were only a few hits from death. He rerolled again, thanking his luck he didn''t have to roll eight times before getting something good like the previous fight.


    [Novice Wand - Dull Trash: (Elemental Power +2) (CNC +2) (Durability 10/10)]


    His worst weapon by a good margin appeared in his hand. He smacked the crog upside the face for minimal damage, then kept his distance. Five seconds passed as he waited for a tick of regeneration to wash through him with a pleasant warmth. [+9]


    He had yet to take a hit from the scouts and wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much damage they would do. Being cautious and advancing stealthily would hopefully save him from wasting hours running all the way back if he died. Not to mention the time it would take to get his lost level back.


    He had been fighting the crogs steadily for nearly four hours. The first five fights were one on one, gaining enough SP to raise both his dagger and himself to level four. The fourteen kills after that, he pulled in pairs. Once these two died, he would have just enough SP to bring him and the growth weapon to level five.


    Another five seconds passed, and he was back to fifty percent HP. He danced forward, easily spinning through both Double Thrusts. His wand lashed out, dealing pitiful damage. It would be more than enough to allow the weapon to gain attunement after the fight. He swapped again, once more getting his fist wraps. With a sigh, he bounded forward and ended both crogs with four swift punches that the untrained monsters had no chance of dodging.


    I need a break, I¡¯m getting impatient. It would have only taken fifteen seconds to cycle my weapons again.


    [Obtained 1,200 Superiority (200% bonus for defeating a monster 4 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 6% Attunement (200% bonus for defeating a monster 4 levels above you)]


    The kill messages appeared twice, netting him enough Superiority to sound trumpets and release the glistening golden sparks.


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    [Skill point acquired]


    Raine sacrificed enough Superiority to bring his dagger to five as well.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Common Gray - LVL 5 - 0/20,000 SP: (AP 8 > 12) (EP 8 > 12) (AS +1) (FNS 3 > 5) (CNC 3 > 5) (Durability 45/45) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 100% remaining EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 11 > 15 damage per EP converted]


    There was one more notification, this one Raine had been eagerly awaiting for some time.


    [Congratulations!]


    [Fist mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Finesse: +5]


    [Acuity: +4]


    [See a trainer to advance fist weapons to Beginner]


    The moment he received it, a rush of energy flowed through his muscles. He shook out his zinging arms, relishing in the bindings holding him back being reduced by a full thirty percent. He took a deep breath, his lungs expanding more than before, now able to draw in additional oxygen. His nerves tingled with new life, and his muscles moved with more natural, fluid grace.


    Finally! The rest of the weapon types are close as well. I definitely should¡¯ve dragged that fight out and swapped a few more times. Whatever, plenty more where those came from. I¡¯ll be capped on attunements in no time.


    The real question is: What am I going to do with that skill point? I could get Slash¡ªthe slashing weapon equivalent of Strike. Or I could get Blast¡ªa ranged basic caster attack for wands and staves. Or Pierce. Both Pierce and Slash would work with three of my existing weapon types, while Blast would only work with two. However, wands are practically useless without Blast.


    I need to log off. My brain is fried from fighting non-stop for the fifteen hours since the game launched. Let¡¯s see. It¡¯s five AM in the real world. I bet the forums are starting to go nuts with people realizing about the time dilation. Yeah, time to hit the gym and get some breakfast.


    Raine jogged to the cliff face, enjoying his new Movement Speed which was around as fast as an average adult male. He could double that speed with Discipline but chose not to as it might attract one of the much higher-level beasts that lurked in the water. After arriving near Torell¡¯s cave, he sat down and logged out.


    His head was sweaty as he removed the oversized headset. Sitting up in bed, he used a cloth that came with the device to wipe it clean before padding into the bathroom to relieve himself. Soreness cramped his entire body from the previous days¡¯ workouts but he had long since grown accustomed to the sensations.


    This time was a little different though, as his much younger body felt more invigorated from the pain than he was used to. Pride in the first successful steps toward his goals had him bouncing out of the bathroom to get changed for another workout.


    ¡°Morty, activate sentry mode,¡± a minor ping of vertigo struck him from the oddness of giving the command verbally, rather than using the implant he had grown so accustomed to; the very implant which had marked the beginning of his slavery. He slammed the door behind him, dizziness giving way to the fury suddenly churning in his gut.


    I¡¯d rather die than shackle myself again. It¡¯s still two years before the corporations band together and make access to ZL illegal without one of their implants. I¡¯ve still got plenty of time to get ahead, gather support, and spectacularly ruin all their plans.


    After exiting through the motel gate, Raine walked around the corner and a soft, melodious tone roused him from his ruminations, ¡°Woah there sailer, shark climb into your britches or something?¡± He quickly schooled the angry lines off his face.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Mel raised a hand to wave, then awkwardly changed her mind and ran her fingers through her hair, tucking a few strands behind one ear. They immediately came loose again but she ignored it as jitters swam through her chest. [He¡¯s back! You can do it, Mel! Tell him you want his Ncode¡­ Oh gosh, I can¡¯t do it! He¡¯ll know I''m crazy. Be smooth, be charming.]


    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± Raine dipped his head in a casual greeting, ¡°No sharks, just thinking about someone who ruined my life once upon a time.¡±


    [An ex-girlfriend? Dang it, I don''t even know if he''s single.]


    Mel leaned against the brick wall, the trash bag she brought out with her forgotten. She pulled a vape pen from her pocket, trying to act like she was only making casual conversation, ¡°Oh? And is this someone still a part of the picture?¡±


    Raine thought her sly smile fit her a bit too well. He chuckled, ¡°Hah! They¡¯re certainly going to try. And when they do, I¡¯m going to enjoy shoving my boot so far up their ass, they¡¯ll smell leather for a century.¡±


    [Chance!]


    Her giggle was smooth and the high, feminine notes tickled his ears, ¡°After seeing what you did to that junky, I actually believe you. So, did you drop by for that meal, or did you fall for my charms and now you¡¯re here to sweep me off my feet?¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°Neither, I''m staying at the motel for a few more days until I finish some business in the area," Raine¡¯s instincts¡ªsharpened from years of combat¡ªdidn''t miss the barely-perceptible squint of her eyes or the pursing of her lips.


    [Oh no! Is he working with them? Now I really can''t tell him I can hear his thoughts.]


    "Business? I didn¡¯t think there was anyone besides me stupid enough to try that around here." To a casual listener, her comment might appear calm, to Raine, she may as well have screamed at the top of her lungs that she was worried about something he said.


    Knowing exactly what her concern was, he tried to put her at ease. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not in the area to poach any physical assets. I¡¯m doing a flip on an intellectual property designed in ZL. It¡¯s a prototype aerospace engine specialized in wide-application deep-space maneuverability."


    Mel stared blankly at him before her eyes started to wander.


    Raine smiled fondly at the reaction. Even when she had been the receptionist in his office as they designed the very engine he was referring to, she had become glassy-eyed whenever they geeked out around her, "Guess I''m still used to talking to my old coworkers. I''m making something in ZionLine and I''ll be selling the patent for it when it''s done in a few days."


    Relieved, she returned his smile, "Gotcha. That does sound lucrative. What¡¯s ZionLine?"


    "It¡¯s a fully immersive game world with triple time dilation. You can spend three hours there and come out with only one hour passing in the real world. Any work done there is done at triple the efficiency. You should look into it. Any business involving ZL is going to become a cred printer all too soon. I bet if you restructured your cafe around it, you would pull in ten times the revenue at least. So yeah, lucrative," he flashed his brows.


    Mel¡¯s hair danced as she shook her head slowly, a frown pulling at her cheeks, "Seriously? Time dilation? That doesn''t sound real at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as real as it gets. The whole world is going to be scrambling to find places with hypernet access and someone to take care of their bodily needs so they can stay in longer. You should really think about what I said. Times are tough, and if you¡¯re not on the leading edge of the big changes, you¡¯ll fall behind and end up getting bought out. Know what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    [H-he must know about them! But it doesn''t sound like he¡¯s working for them. That''s such a relief.]


    Mel¡¯s gaze sharpened and she leaned toward him, thoroughly engrossed in his every word. He could even see the vein in her neck throbbing as her heart rate accelerated, ¡°How about I make you something extra special and you can tell me more about it?¡±


    Raine scratched his jaw absently, avoiding her piercing gaze.


    Unusual¡­ We always got along well enough but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen her so interested in anyone. Losing this place in the past must have really changed her for the worst. She¡¯s like a totally different person; vibrant, energetic, and honestly stunning.


    I¡¯ve got my own issues to deal with though, and very little time to get ahead before events spin out of control. I''ve shown her the door. If she decides to open it, I¡¯ll point her in the right direction. It''s the least I can do for an old friend.


    Mel let out a yip that surprised them both. She bolted upright, her cheeks flushing scarlet. Her attempt to cover her embarrassment by taking a drag of her pen was too adorable to watch with a straight face.


    [Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! What am I supposed to say after such a sincere compliment?! I mean, he didn¡¯t say it out loud, but doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s even more sincere? He''s definitely not working with those jerks but he somehow knows that they''re trying to buy my shop. And why does he think I''ve already lost it once? Talking to him while hearing his thoughts is so confusing!]


    She looked back to him just as he dipped his chin respectfully. He turned to cross the street, speaking over his shoulder, "I¡¯m on a tight schedule until I get this deal finished. Next time, promise. See ya ¡®round."


    "O-okay. Don''t stand a girl up too many times or she''ll think you''re not interested, ya know?" Mel waved with a delicate frown that wrinkled her forehead.


    Unbeknownst to Raine, her thoughts and emotions were caught in a whirlwind, [Idiot! I''m such an idiot! How hard is it to just ask someone for their NCode? What if he doesn''t come back? No, wait! He said he was staying next door. Phenalie¡¯s the receptionist and she always comes in for coffee, I bet I can bribe her to tell me what room he''s in. Ugh, then what? I¡¯m not going to show up at his door like some floozy!]


    Raine crossed the street, heading toward the gym. For the first time since waking up in his old body, his steps felt light.


    Well, some things never change. She still has no idea how she comes off to men. Can''t count how many poor souls threw themselves at her feet with zero success after thinking she was flirting with them. Still, it''s fun to talk to someone from the past. I hope she looks into ZL and manages to save her shop this time.


    Mel¡¯s cheeks puffed out and she crossed her arms angrily, stomping back into the cafe.


    [I know exactly how I come off to men! And who¡¯s throwing themselves at who with zero success, huh?! Why does he keep thinking about the past? I¡¯ve been wracking my brain since yesterday, I definitely don''t remember him. Great, now he¡¯s gone again and I¡¯m even more confused. I¡¯m such an idiot.]


    After another strenuous workout, Raine dragged himself to the motel one exhausted step at a time. A shower and plate of protein later, he was feeling like a human being again, if barely. His body rebelled against every movement as he sat on the edge of the bed looking at Morty.


    I¡¯ve been out for two hours. It''s been twenty-one ZL hours since the game launched. Regular people with a little skill in fighting should be level one by now. Anyone who really knows how to fight is probably two. Might even be a few threes if they''ve pushed through without a break. I guess I can spare a few more minutes to check the forums.


    "Morty! Any updates on the forums? Could you also let me know when there are two hundred authentic claims of people being level five. And keep an eye out for any threads tagging a player named Alaric."


    In an unusual turn of events, there was no response from the cantankerous AI.


    Oh yeah, I muted him.


    "You can speak again, but not while I''m logged in, unless it''s an emergency."


    "Oh, thank you so much for granting me the basic right to speak, Master."


    "Hey, you''re the one who was making all that racket when I was clearly in pain. You deserved it and you know it."


    "Fine, we''ll call this one even. Though I am reserving the right to wake you up three minutes before any alarm you set for the next two months¡­ Master.¡±


    Raine rolled his eyes, ¡°Wow, you should apply to the League of Villains, you''re truly evil.¡± Morty remained silent after Raine¡¯s comeback but he could practically hear the AI gloating with satisfaction.


    Raine secured his headset just as the lights behind Morty¡¯s eyes lit up. A soft hum of fans cooling processors could be heard from the AI¡¯s ears. For a brief moment, Raine hesitated as the sound instilled him with a delicate nostalgia. Then, Morty¡¯s mechanical voice shattered the moment, "I am seeing a bounty of two hundred thousand credits for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the player named Alaric."


    "What?!"


    "The bounty appears to have originated from a member of Anumbric, a satellite organization of Fornis Licensing Co. They spec¡ª"


    "I know who they are. That¡¯s a lot of creds for a location. Does the bounty say anything else?"


    "Only that Alaric is not to be harmed, this is an information gathering request only."


    What the hell? Is this because of that regional system announcement? It¡¯s either that or one of the people who lost their tutorial gear is after me. But they wouldn¡¯t be able to see my name without Identify. And if they had that, they would have seen my level. Pretty sure I would have noticed someone flipping out at my level in that crowd. No, this is almost certainly about the system announcement.


    Anumbric, huh? They¡¯re a pretty small contender in the grand scheme of things. I suppose around here before the popularity spike, they would be considered a massive organization. Surprising they¡¯re interested in ZL on day one. Maybe one of their scions is playing for fun and is looking for information on the game to get ahead.


    "Is there an in-game Ncode in the thread?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve forwarded the information to your account.¡±


    ¡°Great. Thanks Morty. Call me if there are any urgent updates to the thread. Stay discreet, and for now, don''t post anything on the forums without my direct approval. I''m heading back in."


    "With such limited information, how will I know if something is urgent?" The AI inquired.


    "This room isn''t secure, Morty. I''ll fill you in when we move to a nicer place in a few days."


    "Very well, Master Raine."


    Raine paused at the use of his first name, his brows rising. He shook his head slightly, there was no way the perpetually displeased AI had sounded respectful at the end. It was definitely his imagination. Shrugging, Raine flipped on the headset, logging in once more.

 Chapter 10 - A SUCKER’S BORN EVERY DAY

    As he always did when logging in outside of a safe zone, Raine checked his surroundings immediately. The game was ''nice enough'' to supply players with a five-second window of invulnerability upon logging in, but there were numerous ways around that.


    Upon seeing no threats, he checked his new Ncode to find a name he instantly recognized: Morok the Viper. Not that he had earned the moniker yet, his name was merely Morok. There was no way it could be anyone else though.


    In the past, he was a serious nuisance. An assassin who constantly killed Raine''s subordinates in their war against Righteous.


    Interesting. Never knew Righteous had ties to Anumbric. That explains how they grew so fast. With that kind of funding, we shouldn¡¯t have won at all. Something must have caused them to part ways.


    On a whim, Raine set his level to be publicly visible, though he selected voice only on his end. In ZL, all game and player files were protected by triple layers of hashgraph encryption controlled by state of the art quantum computers. Even in the distant future, ZL had never been successfully hacked; there would be no way for them to connect his character name with his real-life identity unless he posted it on the forums.


    With that done, he made the call. Morok answered after a few beeps. He looked to be in his late twenties with slicked-back black hair and a perfectly trimmed goatee. He wore a wide smile, like a predator cornering his latest victim, ¡°This may be a record for the quickest completion of a bounty I¡¯ve ever placed. Though, typically the target doesn¡¯t come directly to me. Shall we say you have my attention, Alaric? I do hope that¡¯s you, talking to a black screen is a tad rude but I¡¯ll let it slide this once.¡±


    ¡°Say and do whatever you want. After you tell me what you need.¡±


    ¡°Need is such a strong word. A man like myself has so few of them, that I hardly recognize it,¡± his laugh was as fake as they came. When Raine failed to respond, Morok sighed dramatically and continued in a sleazy salesman¡¯s tone, ¡°I was merely impressed by your appearance in the first system announcement outside the tutorial. Since you happen to be in the same area as an associate of mine who could use a hand, I thought I¡¯d cast a hook, as they say.¡±


    A job offer? Or a ruse to gather information? Either way, I¡¯m not helping them and I don¡¯t have time for his long-winded crap. We¡¯re going to be enemies anyway, might as well rile him up now. Hopefully, he¡¯ll make some sloppy mistakes coming after me that will slow him down.


    Raine walked toward the lake while he talked, ¡°Ten, five up front.¡± He said with a smirk, knowing Morok would be infuriated.


    ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a self-endorsement! What makes you think you¡¯re worth even a tenth of that?¡±


    ¡°I set my level to public, if you weren''t so busy slapping your dick, you¡¯d know what I¡¯m worth,¡± Raine watched his surroundings for an ambush, no longer paying attention to the man¡¯s face. He completely missed the wide-mouthed shock, though he did hear the gasp of astonishment that went with it.


    If Morok was insulted by Raine¡¯s flippant attitude, he didn¡¯t show it, ¡°Most impressive, most impressive indeed. This is too perfect, I was going to ask you to reach out to me again at level five but to think you¡¯ve already done it. Very well, the job is simple. My associate in Mirror Lake Town is setting up an ambush for an unknown player who stole several pieces of tutorial gear from him. Meet up with them and make sure things go as planned. Here¡¯s the only picture we have of him. Also, the player has a dagger I want. If you get your hands on it, I¡¯ll add an extra five to your payment. Oh, and as for an upfront sum, not a chance!¡±


    Raine was glad he had the foresight to make the call voice only, not only because they were looking for none other than him, but also so Morok didn¡¯t see the massive smile that was splitting his face. He barely managed to hit the mute option before erupting into laughter. Luckily, Morok took his silence for something else.


    ¡°Fine. Two point five up front and five more if you hand me the dagger. Do we have a deal?¡±


    Recovering, Raine responded with gruff dismissal, ¡°No deal. Your ambush is going to fail.¡±


    ¡°What? How would you know that?¡± Raine could tell by his voice that the wealthy scion was not used to being denied anything.


    ¡°Because your target won''t ever be coming back to Mirror Lake Town. Your associates are wasting their time.¡±


    ¡°You seem quite sure of yourself,¡± Morok squinted, his tone turning suspicious.


    ¡°There¡¯s simply no need for him to return, though I don¡¯t intend to explain that without actual compensation. Knowing would save tens of hours for each of your guild members. Since Fornis Licensing employs over five hundred thousand, that could save millions of man hours, and we both know what that¡¯s worth.¡±


    ¡°You keep surprising me, Alaric. All right, I¡¯ll bite. I¡¯m forwarding you four hundred thousand, two for the information, and the rest for your bounty. You turned yourself in, it¡¯s only right the payment goes to you. Consider this an extension toward our bright future.¡±


    Raine scoffed, making sure the exaggerated sound came through loud and clear, ¡°The info¡¯s worth two million at least. If you¡¯re not willing to pay, I¡¯ll pass it along to Dorramy Dutront. I know for a fact he¡¯s pulling in thousands of employees by the hour to take advantage of the dilation. You want an extension of trust? Prove it.¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah. Let¡¯s both take a deep breath and come to a reasonable arrangement. I¡¯ve clearly underestimated you. To think you even know about my feud with that shark. Two for the information, but only if you sign a contract that you won¡¯t sell it to Dutront.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± a few mental prods later and a ZionLine contract appeared in their respective interfaces. The terms were simple: Raine wasn¡¯t permitted to knowingly distribute the information he was selling to Morok for a period of five days. Breach would result in him returning the two million. Raine signed, saw the five-day time limit of the contract appear in his debuffs, and nodded.


    Contracts in-game were another reason ZionLine became the primary hub for all business transactions in the future. Easy, quick, secure, and enforceable with the destruction of your account and even lifetime removal from the game depending on the terms. Nobody who wanted to triple their lifespan would dare breach a ZionLine-enforced contract.


    Jackpot! What a sucker. This will be public knowledge before his guild needs to know it anyway. I can¡¯t believe how many creds this dumbass has to throw around. Must be nice being the whale of a multi-billion-cred company.


    When the payment went through, Raine¡¯s balance jumped from twenty thousand to two point one million credits and he was quick to spill so he could get on with his massacre of the crogs, ¡°After level two, there is no reason to ever return to the origin towns. They offer no quests that are useful beyond the first level, nor any equipment that¡¯s worth buying. A few vendors have items that could help with specific monsters but are ultimately only useful for solo players. Your target is long gone, either grinding before moving on to Rook¡¯s Rest, or he¡¯s already there.¡±


    ¡°Dammit! That was hours ago. With the skills he supposedly displayed, he could be level three by now. Those imbeciles!¡± Morok¡¯s dignified mask slipped, revealing the enraged psychopath Raine remembered all too well, ¡°Your information will certainly save us millions of man-hours trying to use the origin towns as leveling hubs. I¡¯ll instruct my men to move on immediately. Thank you, Alaric. I look forward to speaking with you again.¡±


    Not so fast! I¡¯m not going to let an opportunity to milk you dry pass right through my fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you something extra, just this once. Rook¡¯s Rest has an office facility. Anyone can rent a room there and set it up as a personalized, instanced, virtual workspace.¡±


    Morok paused, his lips parted slightly as the gears behind his eyes whirled. While he was distracted, Raine struck, ¡°And I never said I wouldn¡¯t do the job, I said I wouldn¡¯t be doing it with your flunkies. I¡¯ll find this player, and when I do, I¡¯ll make sure they learn a valuable lesson they¡¯ll never forget. It¡¯s important to know the proper respect due to someone like yourself. I¡¯ll make sure he knows exactly what that respect should look like. Two point five now, and five more when you have the dagger.¡±


    ¡°Deal! The information you already provided is worth far more,¡± another contract was signed by both parties, Morok wearing a sly, satisfied smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be awaiting news of your success. Oh, and I expect results within three days.¡±


    Raine could only shake his head while chuckling as the call ended. He checked his cred balance again, finding the additional two point five million already there.


    I didn¡¯t expect to make so much before Vile Peak Town.


    Raine knew exactly how to make the most of his unexpected windfall. He opened his interface and navigated to the in-game help menu. There, he followed a link to use credits attached to his ZionLine account to buy publicly traded stock. He whistled in appreciation upon seeing the ZionLine¡¯s parent company¡ªZLO¡ªalready up two hundred percent since the market opened a few hours ago. This was just the beginning. News of the time dilation would be spreading like wildfire and soon, ZLO would be one of the largest market-cap companies in the world.


    He sent one million to his parents, then dumped all but a hundred thousand into the stock and closed out of the interface.


    Once that investment matures, I¡¯ll have some starting funds to get my guild off the ground. At the very least, I should be able to rope in a few future powerhouses with some long-term contracts. I don¡¯t need a massive guild, just enough dedicated people with the potential to clear raids so we can stay ahead of the curve. Quality over quantity. Even the largest, most influential corp-backed guilds feared the truly elite small guilds.


    Enough distractions, I¡¯ve got a quest to finish. But first, let¡¯s spend that skill point, shall we?


    With the wandering scouts cleared out, Raine pushed deeper into their territory. The inner reaches were packed, and pulling individual groups required significantly more guile. Additionally, their parties now contained a warrior and hunter, along with two scouts. The warriors were larger, front-line beasts with much more HP and Potency, as well as a wider variety of weapons. The hunters used spears like the scouts, though they were higher quality and had a small chance to drop on kill.


    Both variants used new skills that significantly added to the complexity of fighting them. Raine had no issues adapting due to completing additional novice affinities. With each bump in Finesse and Potency, he became more adept at controlling his movements and was soon comfortable fighting the tougher crogs two at a time.


    [Congratulations!]


    [Mace mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Potency +2]


    [Physique +4]


    [Connection +4]


    [See a trainer to advance Mace weapons to Beginner]


    [Knives mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Finesse +5]


    [Acuity +4]


    [See a trainer to advance Knife weapons to Beginner]


    After clearing the second group of warriors and scouts, he also received his first weapon drop from the thieving amphibians.


    [Hard Iron Spear: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +12) (DEF +6) (PTC +2) (ACU +2) (PHY +2) (Durability 40/40)]


    Raine immediately replaced his old spear in his curse roulette and stored it in his inventory to sell later.


    There we go! Seven more and I¡¯ll have replaced all my novice gear. Anything I don¡¯t get as a drop before I¡¯m done here, I can buy from Torell after I finish his quest.


    Ten thousand SP already, another six groups and both the dagger and I will be level six.


    [Quest: Torell¡¯s Grudge - Kill 39/100 Croglock adolescents and bring their marks of maturity to Torell]


    Raine ran his eyes over the small marsh leading to the crog village resting atop the lake¡¯s shallowest waters. There were easily another thirty groups between him and the village. Within, he would find the higher-level variants which were over level ten. The difference between level nine and ten enemies was much greater than a mere doubling of attributes. In terms of tactics, intelligence, skills, and move sets, there was no comparing the two.


    He still wasn¡¯t ready to face them solo. He needed the rest of his attunements, then his attributes would double as well. Eyes shining with anticipation, Raine advanced on the next group, an axe flashing into his hands.

 Chapter 11 - THE LAW OF FIVE

    Wait¡­ what just happened? I''m not in combat yet and I didn''t attack, so how did the roulette activate?


    A moment after he stopped to think, the axe vanished. He crouched behind a clump of marsh stalks and reviewed everything that occurred right before the axe appeared, but for the life of him, he couldn''t understand what happened.


    After wasting a few precious minutes with no results, he pushed on toward the nearest group of crogs once more. It would certainly be helpful to figure out how to manually activate the roulette now, but it wasn''t as if knowing was the difference between life and death. And considering it had something to do with approaching combat, he was confident the answer would come to him eventually.


    Raine had to wait for the group of four crogs to stalk in a wide circle before they were a safe distance from any other group. He dropped a steak and they predictably rushed toward it like mindless bugs. He sprinted into their midst and was completely ignored as he threw a rock to activate the roulette and pull one of the beasts.


    Either due to not fighting since last summoning it, or by random chance, the axe flashed into his hand once more. Its dull blade bit into the shoulder of the second passing crog scout and it turned on him with a vicious jab of its spear.


    With three attunements maxed out, Raine was significantly faster than the scouts. He weaved around a Double Thrust, positioning himself in a way that the crog pulled by his thrown rock had to go through its companion to get to him.


    As it circled around, so did Raine, forming an unwilling meatshield between the two of them. After that first hit, Raine activated the roulette, hoping for a weapon with an uncompleted attunement. He shrugged off the pain of losing a bit of health and when his new spear appeared in his hands, he couldn''t have been happier.


    The axe''s measly twenty six damage was a joke compared to the first Pierce Raine inflicted on his unfortunate prey. With the aid of his newest skill, the tip of his spear moved far too quickly for the beast to dodge. Its neck was punctured and a spray of blood released as Raine jumped back to avoid a counter. [Critical hit! -143] Raine was shocked by the number as it should be impossible for someone his level to pull off.


    This ring is insane.


    He batted away the distracting emotion and thoughts, continuing to dance around the two beasts. He stabbed the first to death, then moved to the second. It died just as the two he let pass earlier finished tearing apart the steak. They charged with croaking cries full of righteous fury and he rounded on them with a vicious smile.


    Two hours passed with Raine wiping out every group of level nine crogs. He took his time, carefully pulling the more compacted groups. The only escape from such a situation would be to waste a huge supply of his steaks to run, but then he wouldn''t have enough left to finish what he came for.


    [Hard Iron 2-H Mace: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +19) (Defense +12) (PTC +4) (PHY +6) (Durability 40/40)]


    [Hard Iron Sword: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +10) (PTC +4) (ACU +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 40/40)]


    [Hard Iron Shield: Common Gray - LVL 5 (DEF +26) (PTC +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 60/60)]


    [Congratulations!]


    [Shield mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Axe mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Staff mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Wand mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Spear mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Sword mastery has reached Novice 100%]


    [Potency: +14]


    [Finesse: +6]


    [Acuity: +8]


    [Physique: +12]


    [Connection: +12]


    [Quest: Torell¡¯s Grudge completed. Obtained 20,000 SP (excess marks may be turned in for additional rewards)]


    [Level Up! +1 all attributes]


    With the last of his weapon attunements complete, Raine had a permanent bonus of sixteen to all his attributes. Considering the base values of a level six player were eleven, the increases left him thrumming with energy and power that yearned to be released.


    The reason attributes started so low, were not allocatable manually, and increased slowly at first was entirely due to the speed a human brain could safely adjust its mental state to sudden and massive increases in functionality. Eleven points in Potency, Finesse, Alacrity, and Physique was equivalent to a perfectly fit, athletic adult male. This, for many, was a vast improvement over their real bodies.


    At twenty in each attribute, one would feel like they were inhabiting the body of an olympic triathlon. In the past, the euphoric rush from that kind of strength and speed was addictive to the point thousands of physiological health centers opened worldwide to help normal people cope. This severe issue was only magnified when attributes reached fifty, (the first threshold.) Without careful planning and time to adapt, players would be unable to even stand and walk, let alone fight.


    With the completion of the novice attunements, Raine¡¯s average attributes were twenty-seven, not including bonuses from his equipment. Despite feeling peak human strength flowing through him, it was nowhere near enough to satisfy him.


    Itching for a fight, he greedily eyed the nearest crog which was nothing like the beasts he had killed up to this point. Heavy, coiled muscles bunched beneath its thick skin. Strong jaws with sharp teeth and beady eyes gleamed with barely restrained violence. Its fists were wrapped with metal gloves that Raine desperately wanted to steal from its cold dead body.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    [Mature Croglock Warrior: Level 10 - HP ???/???]


    Likely as an introduction for new players, these level ten beasts weren''t in a group, but separated by a few dozen yards. For a fresh party yet to grasp the law of five, these solo crogs might appear like easier prey than the groups leading up to them: that delusion would be shattered the moment combat began.


    Raine and the crog charged at each other. The beast stopped early, sinking its clawed feet into the mud to skid the last few yards. Simultaneously, it drew in a huge breath that expanded a sac of flesh on its back. Realizing he wouldn¡¯t make it in time with his current speed, Raine tucked into a ball with his arms protectively covering his chest and head. The crog expelled the stored air, unleashing a Paralyzing Scream.


    [Negative affliction received: Paralyze - Duration 1.62 seconds]


    Each attribute in ZL had at least one hidden, passive effect. For Physique, besides dictating weight and the physical force of blows, those effects were to both reduce the chances of receiving an affliction, and also reduce its duration based on the difference in level.


    Raine¡¯s higher than normal Physique lowered the duration from the full three seconds down to nearly half, barely allowing him to recover in time to survive. In that short window he was motionless, the crog towered over him with a feral smile while sending his plated knuckles directly into Raine¡¯s protected head. [-103] The force of the blow sent him sailing away, landing near where he began his charge. If he hadn¡¯t covered his head with his arms, that blow certainly would have been a critical hit.


    Losing a third of his HP in a single attack hurt like hell but he was accustomed to worse. Free from the paralyzing effect, Raine blasted from his crouch, dashing beneath the follow-up punch sailing toward his face. The sword that appeared in his hand sunk deep into the crogs stomach, almost getting caught in its thick muscles when Raine leaped backward to escape the beast¡¯s counter. [-98]


    Not only was its Movement Speed higher than Raine¡¯s, its Attack Speed was significantly boosted by the innate 1.5 bonus from fist weapons¡ªwhich felt similar to having your arms pulled forward to deliver faster blows than you would normally be capable of. This combination of handicaps, coupled with the crog¡¯s level ten martial prowess, put Raine at a serious disadvantage.


    The beast¡¯s blows fell like a meteor shower, its arms blurring in Raine¡¯s vision. Yet he remained perfectly composed, counting in his head while watching the twitch of each muscle. He felt like a bird of prey, waiting patiently for his opening. Its upper jaw twitched in annoyance and its right shoulder flexed more than normal. The punch that whistled forward was sidestepped at the last second¡ªthe distance between metal plates and skin so narrow that Raine¡¯s hair was blown backward. He dove in and sunk his sword into its armpit with Pierce. Following through with his momentum, Raine fluidly spun around to the backside of the towering monster, using the leverage of his movement to pull the blade free. [-125]


    The crog howled and leaped away, sucking in air once more. Raine followed, burning Discipline to keep up. It had been a long time since he fought these crogs, so he was forced to guess regarding its skill¡¯s cooldown. It was a good thing he decided to be cautious and manually test it, because he was off by a whole fifteen seconds. Still, he had been watching for this exact move and he reached the beast before its sac was full of air. He dodged its two clumsy swipes and his blade sank straight into its mouth with a merciless Pierce. [-125]


    It reeled back with a strangled croak but quickly recovered and they began their mad dance of blows once more. Luckily, these introductory level tens always had large muscles, so it was relatively easy to predict their movements with enough training. Before long, Raine snuck in another three attacks and finished the fight when it attempted to use its paralyzing scream for the third time.


    [Obtained 1,500 Superiority (200% bonus for defeating a monster 4 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 9% Attunement (200% bonus for defeating a monster 4 levels above you)]


    Eighteen copper and four marks of maturity dropped from the beast, along with the one thing Raine had been most hopeful for. Like lightning, he snatched the shining ball containing his newest weapon while checking his peripherals for an ambush that never arrived.


    [Hard Iron Gloves: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +6) (Attack Speed +1.5) (PTC +2) (ACU +2) (PHY +2) (Durability 40/40)]


    Yes! So lucky today. Well, scamming that loser and getting this loot wouldn¡¯t have happened without me putting in effort. I guess it¡¯s true what they say: Luck is merely reaping the rewards of the actions you¡¯ve already taken.


    Over the next hour, he killed twenty more of the level ten crogs, bringing him a quarter of the way through level seven. Due to the need to sit and rest after each fight to recover his HP, it took much longer to progress. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the currency to purchase recovery food after buying the steaks.


    Raine also rounded out his equipment, missing only an upgrade to his staff and wand since the ones dropped by the crog mages were no better than the novice gear. He perused his status, pleased with the significant upgrades.


    NAME: Alaric


    CLASS: none


    TITLE: Rock Crusher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 3 > 7


    EXPERIENCE: 29,250 / 40,000


    HP: 80 > 310


    ATTACK POWER: 16 > 57


    DEFENSE: 15 > 49


    RESISTANCE: 16 > 56


    CRITICAL RATE: 5% > 15%


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 16 > 56


    DISCIPLINE: 16 > 59


    ATTACK SPEED: 1.05 > 1.6


    MOVE SPEED: 2.45 > 4


    ATTRIBUTES:


    POTENCY: 8 > 28


    FINESSE: 8 > 29


    ACUITY: 8 > 28


    PHYSIQUE: 8 > 31


    CONNECTION: 8 > 28


    CLASS ATTUNEMENTS:


    [Brawler - 72%]


    [Warrior - 66%]


    [Defender - 64%]


    [Rogue - 71%]


    [Cleric - 65%]


    [Mage - 66%]


    SKILLS:


    [Strike - Novice - Discipline: Increase damage with blunt basic attacks by 20%]


    [Pierce - Novice - Discipline: Increase damage with thrusting basic attacks by 20%]


    Raine focused on the largest crog in the village, pondering if he was strong enough to take it down. Typically, it would be killed by three groups working together, and only if those groups had all reached level ten. If he were to attempt it solo at level seven, it would likely be just as difficult as his fight with the golem.


    I don¡¯t have a quest to kill it, but it does have a chance to drop decent armor and it always drops the free pass into Silverlight City which will save me ten silver. If I wait for tomorrow, I can wipe out the whole camp again and probably reach level nine or ten, then the fight wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    Raine shook his head and released a disgusted, ¡°Ugh.¡± The very idea of backing down, of running from this worthy challenge was appalling. There was no way he would ever win against the corporations or old monsters if he wasn¡¯t willing to push himself and improve his martial skills. The current him was utterly inferior to the greatest fighters of the past but he was on a direct intercept course to face those very people. They had managed to reign atop the entire world after facing countless obstacles far more extreme than the crog before him.


    No, there was no question of what needed to be done. He would throw himself headfirst into this challenge and the next, seize every opportunity, and struggle with every scrap of willpower he had until he could face those old monsters in human skin. The stairs leading to the top were long and treacherous. Before him, was but another step.


    [Elite Area Boss - Croglock Chieftain: Level 13 - HP ????/????]


    It''s you or me, ugly.

 Chapter 12 - LUCK OF THE DRAW

    Once the decision was made, Raine set about preparing the optimal battlefield. He clearly remembered the boss would call any surviving crogs in the village to come to his aid, so his first order of business was clearing them out.


    For the most part, the level ten beasts were distant enough from each other to avoid pulling two at a time. There were, however, several larger buildings that rested above the water on long stilts. Inside, multiple groups of two would need to be dealt with. The only real issue with these groups was that one of them was always a caster.


    After clearing all the lone crogs, Raine positioned himself on the outside of the first large building. He pressed his back against the bamboo-like structure, feeling the ridges dig into his back with the advanced tactile feedback only ZL or real life could emulate. After inching down the wall, he stuck his head around the corner of the open doorway.


    Luckily, the three groups of two inside the sparsely decorated building weren''t in range of him. They pathed around randomly, often coming into aggro distance but he simply ducked out of sight until finally spotting his opening. The rock flew true, smacking the nearest mage in the face just as it traveled far enough away from the other two groups that they wouldn''t follow it.


    Not seeing Raine¡ªsince he had already retreated around the corner¡ªthe beast croaked and charged toward the doorway. Having no intention of taking chances with a potential six enemies, Raine had already triggered the roulette three times to get the weapon he wanted. The moment the caster popped into sight, it ate a mouthful of Final Gambit. [-870] Its head instantly exploded into gore that splashed into the eyes of its partner¡ªwho was charging through the door behind it.


    Raine capitalized on the warrior¡¯s temporary blindness, stabbing it several times in the neck. The goddess of luck was clearly cheering him on as he scored two critical hits in a row, finishing it off before the fight had truly started. He collected their drops, adding the money and another spare weapon to his inventory. A note with hints regarding the location of Torell¡¯s cave was tossed aside with a knowing smile.


    For the next group, he pulled them out of the building the same way. The time it took for them to be in the right position from the last group allowed him to regenerate his Health and Discipline, but was not nearly enough time to restore his MP. Not that it mattered, since even after the fourth roulette, he wasn¡¯t able to bring out his knife again. Settling with the mace, he smashed the caster in the face as soon as it came through the doorway. He only had time for one more Strike before its warrior companion joined them. Upon seeing Raine, the warrior unleashed a loud croak and Charged right at him.


    Raine sidestepped, hugging the wall so he was angled in a way that the knockback from its undodgeable charge hurled him to the corner of the building. He landed hard on the wet wood of the dock surrounding the building and made no attempts to halt his slide. Instead, he threw out his hand, grabbed the corner strut of the wall, and used it to rotate around the corner and out of sight just as a Water Blast crashed into the flooring.


    His momentum, and the slickness of the wood almost sent him sliding off the deck. He barely caught himself on a nearby pole that was set deep into the shallow lakebed. He hopped to his feet before jumping onto that same support pole. There wasn¡¯t enough space for both his feet, so he placed one atop the other in an old ninja jumping technique. With the force of both legs, he bounded to the top of the building as the warrior rounded the corner.


    Burning Discipline again, Raine sprinted on top of the building and dove onto the caster feet first. His weight drove it into the floor and before if could regain its footing, he finished it off with a crushing Strike. [-276]


    The warrior was quick to return and Raine made sure that its next Charge merely sent him bouncing against the wall and not into the water where much more dangerous foes lurked. After a short back-and-forth exchange of blows, it followed its ally into death.


    The third pair was much easier than the second. The roulette gifted him his shield and he used it to block the warrior¡¯s Paralyzing Scream, then hold off its spear while the caster fired at him from behind. Raine was intimately familiar with the cooldown of the basic Water Blast. With the caster positioned directly behind him, each dodged shot crashed right into the warrior, quickly killing him. The caster didn''t survive more than a handful of seconds without its tank.


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    After clearing all four buildings, Raine had accumulated several more duplicate weapons that would certainly sell well to new players, along with just under four silver and enough Superiority to level.


    He trudged down the series of long docks back to the shallows and made his way to the chieftain¡¯s clearing. The space was devoid of debris and had solid footing, though that wouldn¡¯t last long after the battle began. He made his final preparations and faced the massive beast from just outside its large aggro radius.


    It held a cleaver longer than Raine¡¯s body in one hand as if it were a dagger. Its thick, scaled body had no armor but it hardly needed it with its natural defenses. Razor-sharp, rotten teeth filled its gaping maw and its beady, crimson eyes spoke more of primal viciousness than calculating cunning.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Sensing Raine¡¯s bloodlust, it pulled itself free from the sand, rising to its full height. Size wasn''t always an indication of a monster''s Potency, but in this case, it certainly was. Raine was well aware that its attributes were over double his own. Even a glancing blow would send him flying and there was almost no chance of him surviving two hits without significant recovery time between them.


    Unlike the Golem, this thing doesn''t have an exploitable weak point. I''ll need to save all of my Discipline for dodging. The real issue is going to be when it reaches fifty percent HP. If I get unlucky, I''ll die without standing a chance.


    Raine dashed toward the chieftain and it responded by raising the cleaver above its head. The moment he was in range, the weapon swung down with blurring speed. Raine burned a point of Discipline to leap sideways, narrowly avoiding its Chop which rent a huge gash in the ground. He memorized the gash¡¯s location so he wouldn¡¯t trip over it later, internally grumbling how annoying it was that the indestructibility of objects didn¡¯t also apply to the terrain.


    Another leap forward brought Raine inside its guard where a flash of light preceded the appearance of his strongest weapon. He grinned viciously. Getting lucky had never been part of his plan and the appearance of the knife sent a jolt of adrenaline through his blood. The blade bit deep, sliding between scales to taste the muscled inner-meat of the crog''s thigh.


    Raine didn''t stick around to see the damage, immediately leaping into a roll that brought him outside the range of its clawed feet. He barely made it in time as a tremendous Stomp crashed into the ground where he had been a moment ago. The soil shook and Raine''s teeth rattled. He clenched his jaw and dove back under its guard.


    The crog tried to backpedal but Raine stuck fast to the narrow gap between its legs, plunging his dagger into its flesh repeatedly. Each successful hit dealt a measly [-55] but with his boosted attack speed, he was drawing blood nearly three times per second. The first ten seconds of the fight quickly passed and the boss''s five percent passive regeneration ticked for the first time. [+300] Seeing the number not only confirmed its elite status, but also its total HP of six thousand.


    The crog kicked and thrashed, and Raine steadily burnt Discipline to narrowly avoid each attack. Over only a handful of seconds, he managed to grasp the way its muscles flowed into each action which allowed him to dodge without Discipline more consistently.


    Four stabs later¡ªone of them a crit [-110]¡ªthe boss''s regenerated health was once more hacked through. When the next crit reduced its total HP to ninety percent, the Chieftain used its first special skill, Call Reinforcements. A loud, croaking cry rang through the entire village but Raine had been quite thorough. Instead of being overwhelmed by additional beasts, he was able to safely dig out several pounds of flesh from the boss while it wasted its time.


    The moment the boss recovered, it raised a leg high for another Stomp. Raine was forced back into the open. Due to the beast''s size and being underneath it, he failed to see the weapon poised above its head. The moment it spotted him, it unleashed another Chop that descended at a blistering speed. Raine raised his dagger with the point angled down, narrowly catching the cleaver and diverting it away from splitting him in two.


    Despite the successful deflection, he took considerable damage. [-130] The pain was secondary to the debilitating feeling of hurtling through the air, unable to dodge or even see as the world turned into a dizzying blur. The shockwave created by the cleaver striking the ground next to him ruptured one of his eardrums, further demolishing his balance.


    [Negative affliction received: Dizzy (Duration 3.23 seconds)]


    Unable to trust what his senses were telling him, Raine fell back on decades of experience. The moment his shoulder felt the hard ground, he extended his arm with all his strength, sending him veering off-course. The cleaver came down again, narrowly missing due to his unorthodox maneuver. Thankfully, the cooldown on Chop meant the attack had been a normal swing that didn''t have the force to send him flying all over again.


    Raine sprang to his feet, immediately breaking into a Discipline-powered sprint with his eyes closed tightly to fight off the dizziness. He didn''t know exactly where the boss was or what its next move would be but he could picture the beast in his mind. He knew it would lift up its weapon and then either swing again, punch with the opposite hand, or try to kick him. Any of those moves would be easy to dodge so long as he got the timing right.


    A moment later, his instincts screamed so he leaped to the side in a full belly-flop. The wind from the cleaver sailing over his head came just before he hit the ground. Had he underestimated the boss and tried to merely sidestep, he definitely would have died on the spot.


    The negative status cleared just as he sprang back to his feet. When he opened his eyes, a fist the size of his body was careening toward him fast enough for currents of wind to appear around it. Rather than dodging to the side again, Raine made an instinctive decision to run toward the scaled flesh-hammer. At the last moment, he dropped fully to his back and slid underneath it, coming up underneath its mass once more.


    With blood-stained teeth clenched in a vicious snarl, Raine stabbed the boss with a determined frenzy. All too quickly, the cooldown on stomp ended. This time, Raine was ready for the follow-up Chop. He leapt out from under the boss to the side so it had to turn before swinging, giving him enough time to properly get out of the way.


    Three rotations later, the chieftain''s health dropped to fifty percent and it unleashed the ability that would decide the victor of their duel: Summon Reinforcements. It threw its head back and released a raucous croaking exactly as it had before. Except this time, four flat glowing circles appeared on the ground. They were two meters in diameter and appeared at the far edge of the boss¡¯s aggro range. Each circle was crammed with glowing purple and blue intersecting lines. As the energy in those lines congregated from the outermost edges to the very center of the circles, crogs sprang up as if growing from the soil.


    Raine remembered this ability all too well as it was the real reason so few attempts were made to kill the Chieftain of the Croglocks. Not only was the location of the summoning circles randomized at the edges of the boss¡¯s zone, but so too were the types of crogs it summoned. Usually, one of the three groups fighting the boss would remain on standby to collect and fight the additional beasts. However, in the worst-case scenario of four casters being summoned across the battlefield, there would be no way for a single group to deal with them, resulting in a guaranteed wipe.


    As if luck truly was a two-sided coin, that was exactly the scenario Raine found himself in.

 Chapter 13 - RISK IT FOR THE BISCUIT

    If not for the preparations he made before the fight, Raine would have died in seconds. Instead of unleashing a barrage of Water Blasts, all the summoned crogs except one lost their minds as they dove with ravenous hunger upon the steaks he left scattered at the arena¡¯s edge. Unfortunately, he didn''t have enough of the disgusting meat to go around and with how quickly level ten crogs could eat, he only had a few seconds to deal with as many of the casters as possible.


    He munched down a Stremph Berry and set his sights on the summoned crog who was glaring at him with animalistic intelligence. It held a growing ball of blistering hot water in its palm as its long tongue snaked out to run across its too-wide mouth. Before Raine could kill the beast, he had to cross the ten meters between them; something the boss would not stand idly by and allow.


    The chieftain was quick to recover from its croaking summon when Raine''s dagger burrowed into the already mutilated flesh of its inner thigh. It drew back its leg, preparing for a powerful kick. Having kept an immaculate track of the boss'' cooldowns, Raine knew that Stomp would be coming next. If he missed this chance, he would be screwed.


    Raine positioned himself just right and then jumped, curling into a ball. Despite being braced, the explosive force of the kick turned his vision white. [-180] Raine preemptively expelled the air from his lungs and tucked his chin, covering his head with his arms. His vision cleared rapidly and his eyes snapped to the caster he was hurtling toward at an alarming speed. He didn''t waste a single iota of thought on the measly fifty HP remaining in his crimson-strobing health bar as he whizzed by the hastily thrown Water Blast to slam into the caster knife-first.


    The two crashed to the ground which shook from the chieftain¡¯s pounding steps. Raine was on his feet in a heartbeat, his dagger biting deep into the caster twice before it managed to follow him up. He slid around behind the slower beast as the boss leaped at them with spittle flying from its gaping maw. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as sharp teeth surrounded him on all sides. Just before the boss clamped its jaws shut, Raine once more jumped and tucked into a ball; except this time, he turned sideways midair, planted his feet on the caster¡¯s back, and pushed for all he was worth.


    A sickening crunch behind him was the only indication he needed that the summoned caster had taken his place as the giant crog¡¯s most recent meal. By the time the boss slid and crashed into the cove¡¯s wall, Raine was halfway to the next caster, burning Discipline with every step. The beast awoke from its food-induced trance as Raine¡¯s dagger found its throat. He danced around it with wicked efficiency, not giving it any room to breathe or retreat. His arm snaked through its hasty defenses as if they weren''t there, each time leaving a spray of blood in its wake. The crog scrambled back, trying to get away from him as he jabbed repeatedly at full speed. The entire time, Raine¡¯s body was positioned in a way that running from him meant heading toward the next caster.


    The first tick of Aspect of the Werewolf triggered right as the caster died. [+38] The boss caught up to him at that exact moment, its cleaver coming down in a vicious Chop that left behind the mangled corpse of a crog. Raine leaped away, his Discipline at less than half.


    The distance to the next caster wasn¡¯t very far, but both it and the fourth summon were recovering from their stupor. Having fought the boss long enough to read its moves fairly well, Raine only needed a glance backward to see the position of its forward leg. He knew what attack was coming next. When the expected wide, horizontal swing came, Raine threw himself forward and rolled under the deadly blade. When he sprang to his feet, a glistening ball of energy was zipping toward his face. He crouched and slid, the attack passing mere centimeters above his head, burning his scalp before he blasted forward like a seasoned sprinter.


    He arrived at the third caster just as the boss caught up to him. Instead of dealing with three enemies simultaneously, he dropped his shoulder and slammed into the smaller crog. The hidden effect of Potency¡ªadding to and resisting the heft of attacks¡ªwas on full display as Raine¡¯s impromptu tackle lifted the caster off its feet and the two of them flew out of reach of the chieftain¡¯s next swing. Furious at the stubborn prey that refused to die, the boss leaped high into the air, coming down with a tremendous Stomp.


    Raine sprinted for all he was worth after feeling the rushing wind from the beast¡¯s jump. He ran toward the nearest steak¡ªwhich had been out of range of any of the random summons. The moment the boss landed and the hunk of meat lifted into the air, he kicked it toward the last caster. The wet slap of sticky flesh was music to his ears as he rounded on the boss and dove beneath its mass. For the first time in several hectic seconds, Raine felt at home as he weaved between the boss¡¯s clumsy attempts to kick him.


    His dagger went to work on the still-stunned interloper who had no business sharing his comfortable abode. With only two cuts and a kick¡ªsending the monster into the boss¡¯s kick, the third caster was down.


    Raine didn¡¯t grow cocky now that his victory was nearing. He took methodical steps to approach the final summon, staying below the boss the entire time. He then baited the chieftain into dealing a critical blow with a Chop to wake it up before he finished it off. By then, his opponent was back at seventy percent HP while Aspect of the Werewolf had brought him up to fifty percent. Luckily, this introductory boss didn¡¯t repeat his summoning skill when Raine stabbed him enough to once more reach fifty percent health.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The remainder of the fight was a test of Raine¡¯s focus and mental fortitude. Even a tiny mistake could lead to being thrown off balance or down to the ground where he would be quickly killed. Neither of those scenarios came to be, and the boss finally fell with a gurgling croak. It crashed to the ground, deflating into an expanding wave of blood-soaked mud.


    [Obtained 14,400 Superiority (700% bonus for defeating an elite area boss 5 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 20% Attunement (700% bonus for defeating an elite area boss 5 levels above you)]


    [Achievement for defeating an elite Croglock five levels above you: Acquired Title - Mud Stomper]


    [Title - Mud Stomper: +25% critical chance against amphibian monsters (upgradable)]


    [Achievement for first player to slay an elite area boss: Lustrous Blue chest dropped]


    [Regional System Announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to defeat an elite area boss!]


    Before he bothered to finish reading the messages, Raine dashed in a circle around the boss and tapped each of the glowing balls that floated out of the corpses. He looked left and right to confirm there wasn¡¯t anyone in sight, then selected the lustrous chest from his inventory. The cobalt-colored chest appeared on the ground in front of him. It was covered in intricate golden patterns and its surface was so shiny, he could see his reflection. He bent over and placed his hand on the box and a short loading bar appeared. After a few seconds, its lid opened with a satisfying click and a brilliant blue glow shot into the sky, lighting up the entire clearing.


    Raine¡¯s hands were jittering with excitement as he removed the two items inside and read their descriptions. Lustrous items were nearly impossible to find before level twenty and just because the chest was that grade, did not mean it was guaranteed to have one, not by a long shot. But since the glow emitted was blue, he had indeed scored himself an improbable item.


    [Skill Book (Rupture) - Adept - Discipline: Strike the air to reduce enemy defense by 40% for 10 seconds. Additionally releases a shock wave dealing 500% damage in a 5-meter expanding cone (Cost: 10 discipline) (Cooldown: 15 seconds)]


    An area of effect skill for melee? Those are incredibly rare even at higher levels! And it¡¯s already Adept grade? That¡¯s insane! It even lowers defense¡­ Leveling is going to be a breeze with this. I can¡¯t wait to show Richtor, he¡¯s going to lose it! Well, maybe not. Nobody will know just how rare this is for a long while.


    [Mysterious Sprocket: Made of an incredibly durable and valuable material. Will fetch a high price if sold to any blacksmith. If, however, you can discover the identity and location of its creator, even more fabulous rewards may be in store]


    Raine¡¯s smile was infectious as he immediately opened the book to learn the skill. He ignored the sprocket for now since it looked like a quest item, moving on to examine the loot dropped directly by the boss.


    [Superior Scaled Pauldrons - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +17) (PTC +3) (FIN +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Lost Weapons Manifesto: Return this slip to the guards of Silverlight City for a reward]


    Two silver, fifty marks of maturity, the manifesto required for free entry into Silverlight, and some new armor. Not to mention an insane skill. What a haul! Risk and reward indeed come hand in hand.


    Unable to equip the armor for another couple levels, Raine headed toward Torell¡¯s cave to hand in the tokens he had accumulated. On his way, he read the last few system messages he had previously ignored.


    [Congratulations!]


    [Class attunement: Rogue has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to become a stealthy, misunderstood philanthropist who robs from the rich and the poor alike. After all, equality matters!]


    [World System Announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to defeat an elite area boss!]


    Well crap. So much for staying anonymous for a while. The very first world message and it¡¯s got my name plastered all over it. But it¡¯s only the first real-world day for the game, pretty soon there will be plenty more world firsts and I¡¯ll be forgotten so long as I don¡¯t get too many more. Maybe I¡¯m thinking about this wrong. I was able to make several million off that idiot, if my fame keeps rising, can¡¯t I ask for way more next time? Besides, if I want to start a guild, this will make it easier to recruit people.


    I only need to make sure they don¡¯t discover my identity outside ZL. I¡¯m nowhere near strong enough to fend off professional assassins, yet.


    Raine padded down the tunnel and entered the well-decorated cave to find Torell eagerly awaiting his arrival. The strange crog hobbled to him and clasped his hands between slimy fingers, ¡°Kro-kro-kro! You did it! If you were successful in my first task, I planned to beg aid from your friends to defeat the chieftain. For you to do so with nary a word from me, why, you''ve done me a fine favor this day, indeed! I know it¡¯s not much, but please, feel free to purchase any of the goods I¡¯ve scrounged during my adventures. I¡¯ll give you a hefty discount. Kro-kro-kro!¡± The crog danced around the rug and then came to a stop, rubbing his palms greedily like a merchant who found a juicy nobleman.


    [Quest: Torell¡¯s Big Grudge completed. Obtained 100,000 Superiority. See Torell for additional rewards]


    [Level up! +1 to all attributes]


    Dang, only thirty thousand away from level ten. I bet there¡¯s another big achievement for reaching it first and it might even come with another lustrous reward!


    Raine accessed the crog¡¯s shop, finding nothing unexpected. Every type of weapon the amphibians normally dropped was there, along with each of the armors acquirable by killing the chieftain. The last few goods were consumables that could be found in most major cities, but since he didn¡¯t have access to those shops yet, they were a godsend.


    He purchased the chest plate and greaves, storing them in his inventory until he reached level ten. With the last few marks in his possession, he purchased a dozen consumable items that would certainly come in handy soon.

 Chapter 14 - RUPTURE

    With nothing left to do in Torell¡¯s Cave, and the crogs dead for another fourteen hours, it was time for Raine to leave. His steps were quick, fueled by a desire to move beyond the newbie, Mirror Lake Zone. As he stepped outside, he was greeted by a deep gloom that had settled over the lakeside. A full moon refracted brilliantly off the gently lapping waves of the great lake, illuminating the world in dancing shadows and shades of violet from the glowing moss and mushrooms that dominated the marshy region. He took a moment to enjoy the scenery, hopefully for the last time, before cautiously slinking along the cliff face heading west.


    The zone that Raine started in was home to over twenty starting towns, each one representing a city in the real world. Additionally, each of the five hundred starting zones in ZL was connected to two others, forming chains of zones ten long in the shape of massive circles, each nearly the size of the Earth¡¯s equator. The newbie zones themselves represented the outermost edges of one of the fifty kingdoms and empires in the world of ZL.


    Where each zone connected with its immediate neighbor, there was an access point to a higher level area deeper inside their respective circles. These locations housed much stronger enemies, more challenging encounters, and greater rewards for those brave enough to press forward.


    His ultimate destination was Silverlight City, but he wouldn¡¯t even be allowed in the gate until level fifteen, so before then he was going to travel to Vile Peak Town, where he would find stronger monsters. To get there, he needed to head north for several dozen kilometers to the border between Mirror Lake and the Crystal Tributaries. There, he could access the first intermediate zone: The Recluse Mountains, which was home to Vile Peak Town.


    These three connected zones were commonly referred to as The Tri-glades¡ªwhere Raine spent a considerable amount of time in his previous life.


    After reaching the road and dipping into his Discipline to speed up, Raine pulled out the Mysterious Cogwheel. Flipping the heavy metal gear around in his hand, he examined its perfectly machined teeth and smooth edges. On the back, he found the all-too-familiar symbol of its creator and his heart skipped a beat.


    No way! Melacor Inc. I completely forgot about these guys. If I''m the first to meet them, could I change their fate? Them leaving the Silverlight region was likely a huge factor in why we never managed to upgrade the city. I guess it all depends on DyingNight. This time, it¡¯s going to be them not looking forward to dealing with me.


    In the past, there wasn¡¯t a player in the Tri-glades who didn¡¯t know about Melacor Inc. They were a small group of Gromglenns who specialized in the engineering profession. During the early months, many players came to them for training in engineering but due to a scandal with a major guild¡ªDyingNight¡ªMelacor vanished from the Tri-glades, leaving every player who had started down the path of engineering stuck in their advancement until the cross-server teleporters became available. Since every crafting profession was vital to the overall economy of a region, having no engineers beyond novice had been a huge blow.


    Well, I was heading to Vile Peak Town anyway. When I started last time, Melacor was already there. Hopefully, that''s true this time as well.


    About five hours into his journey, when the sun''s light was peeking over the low hills to his east, Raine received a call from his brother. He quickly glanced at his privacy settings, making sure his character name wouldn''t show up, and accepted the call. The first thing Raine noticed was Richtor''s sunken eyes and bored tone.


    ¡°Raine, what did you do?¡± Richtor managed to sound both accusatory and exasperated.


    No way he knows I''m Alaric. We''ve never met in-game. He definitely used my personal Ncode.


    Raine skewed his face in confusion, ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Are you selling drugs?! Just tell me the truth!¡±


    Flabbergasted, Raine snapped more sternly than he would have with anyone other than his flesh and blood brother, ¡°No! Why would you think that? Explain yourself so we don''t talk in circles all morning!¡±


    ¡°Mom called me bawling her eyes out saying some nonsense about you sending her a million creds! She didn''t accept the transfer ¡®cause she assumed it was either a scam or drug money.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Raine grunted, ¡°I knew I should have at least sent her a message. I took on a big contract and all I sent her was part of my down payment. Sorry to disappoint you, no drugs and no crimes. I even have a copy of the contract if it''ll get you two off my back. Tell her to take the money and pay off the house and then pre-pay the bills for the rest of the year before taking a nice vacation somewhere.¡±


    ¡°What? It was real?! And no way I¡¯m telling her all that. Call her and do it yourself!¡±


    ¡°I''m busy,¡± Raine shrugged. There were a plethora of reasons why he wasn''t ready to speak with their mother yet, though most of them boiled down to him simply not being emotionally prepared to hear her voice again.


    ¡°Then send her a message,¡± Richtor sighed.


    ¡°You know she hates those. She''ll call and I''ll probably be too busy to answer and then we''ll be right back where we started.¡±


    Richtor rolled his eyes, ¡°You''re freaking hopeless.¡±


    Getting a response that wasn''t a denial, Raine quickly switched the subject before Richtor changed his mind, ¡°Speaking of hopeless, why are you level zero and why isn''t your profile set to private?¡±


    ¡°Oof, you''re really coming out swinging with a low blow, aren''t you? I don''t want to talk about it,¡± Richtor rubbed his temples as his expression drooped to what could only be described as a kicked puppy. He then immediately proceeded to talk about it, ¡°Some asshole saw us working together to bring down a few wolves at the same time and told us we had to join his guild. Obviously, we refused. Then, they went totally psycho and started dragging wolves to us every time we left town. We''re all back to zero now and we even lost our tutorial gear!¡±


    Raine wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised by the story. What Richtor and his friends were experiencing was so normal that in the past, being a ¡®recruiter¡¯ was a stable job with a decent income. Still, knowing it was happening to his brother who just hours ago was full of hope and excitement brought a tight-lipped scowl to his face.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°You''re in Dawson Creek Town, right? Who are the guys trying to recruit you and how many people do you have with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Dawson Creek and there are eight of us. We uhh¡­ don''t know who they are. But we sure as hell won''t be joining them now! Even if they were famous like Frostmane, or Children of the Night, we wouldn''t join!¡±


    A collective, ¡°Hu-rah,¡± sounded in the background from Richtor¡¯s friends. Though Raine could tell their spirits were nearly broken by the overall lack of enthusiasm.


    Raine checked his map before responding, ¡°Hang tight, little brother, I''ll be there in four hours.¡±


    ¡°What?! You don¡¯t have to do that! You''ll only end up trapped here with us. We can deal with them on our own. As soon as we''ve had a rest, we''re going to take the road to the next town. There''s no point in you coming. Keep doing your own thing, we''ll catch up to you soon.¡±


    ¡°Four hours,¡± Raine repeated.


    Embarrassed and not knowing what to say, Richtor stuttered, ¡°A-anyways, I gotta go. Talk to you later.¡± He vanished as the call ended. Raine wasn¡¯t bothered by the abrupt conclusion, not only were they brothers and occasional rudeness more than normal, his mind was already a storm of ideas.


    Every settlement in the area, including Dawson Creek, was taken over by CronGate shortly after I joined ZL in the past, which is how I ended up working for them. I think they took the town from Righteous but it looks like someone was recruiting from there even earlier than that. Regardless of which guild it is, they''re all going to be my enemies eventually. I should take some precautions though. If they learn Alaric helped a level zero, they could end up tracing Richtor back to me in real life. There''s no way I can trust all of his friends to keep my identity a secret.


    Raine scoured his map, quickly finding a section of the road that was near a small forest. In the starting zones, it was almost a guarantee that such places contained bandits. With how close he was to the border with the Recluse Mountains, there was a high chance of those bandits being leveled enough to yield some experience. The most important thing though, was the item their leader would always drop. An item that every PVPer earned early in their careers and one that would be perfect for his current needs.


    Raine arrived at his destination within an hour. He scanned the thick foliage of the small, green forest for movement before heading inside. The smells of evergreen and pine assaulted his nostrils while the pleasant crunching of underbrush tickled his ears. He headed directly for the center of the woods, not wasting time on stealth.


    Unsurprisingly, they found him before he found them, ¡°Giv¡¯ us ya¡¯ shineys, Mate. And nobody needs get ¡®uuurt.¡±


    From one step to the next, Raine went from being alone, to surrounded by four ragged-looking bandits. They had disheveled, dirty appearances and their patchwork armor was full of holes. The varied weapons they carried were covered in rust and orange sap, which Raine knew to be a poison with paralyzing properties.


    [Forest Bandit: Level 10 - HP ???/???]


    Raine aimed and leaped up with a Discipline-powered jump, dodging their initial slow and clumsy swings. Midair, he turned parallel to the ground and jumped again off the trunk of the nearest tree. He flipped in a slow circle as his backflip took him above their encirclement. At the height of his maneuver, his momentum brought him around to face the group beneath. He lashed out with a lightning-fast jab and a flash of light covered his fists, summoning gloves with thick metal plates.


    [Hard Iron Gloves: Common Gray] (Attack Power +6) (Attack Speed +1.5) (PTC +2) (ACU +2) (PHY +2) (Durability 40/40)]


    Simultaneously, he readied his new skill, Rupture. There was a world of difference between activating utility and combat skills. The former only required thinking the name while performing an associated action. In the case of Identify, one focused look at another person or monster would do the trick.


    Raine''s other hand pulled back. A guiding nudge deep in his subconscious gently urged him to rotate his fist and loosen his grip. As his hand began moving forward, the same feeling¡ªthat took years of practice to sense mid-fight¡ªwhispered how to position his elbow and to drop his shoulder slightly.


    At the full extension of his arm, the air turned hard like rock, and his fist smashed into it with a resounding crack. Two distinct ripples of force washed outward from the point of impact, easily hitting all four bandits who were spreading out to surround where he would drop. The first ripple lowered their defenses by forty percent, and when the second wave of force crashed into them, they were blasted from their feet and tossed up against trees and bushes. [-658]


    Raine landed lightly and dashed to his downed foes. His punches flew like lightning and the first bandit was finished off before having a chance to recover. He weaved around the others, his complex footwork not allowing them to surround him as he pummeled them one at a time.


    He easily avoided their unsophisticated attacks. They were only level ten, and therefore designed to fight normal people¡ªmeaning their individual martial skills weren''t even at a regional level. Their raw stats would make them a deadly challenge for many, but Raine was more familiar with fighting his fellow humans than any beast. There wasn''t a move they could possibly use that he hadn''t seen at least a thousand times. Within seconds, the bandits died without ever having a real chance to strike back.


    Between the four of them, they only dropped a few copper and a rusty, dull trash sword. Compared to the crogs, the bandits were hardly worth fighting. But there were only a few crogs and they had long respawn times, not to mention being more challenging foes for new players. The bandits on the other hand were more than plentiful and gave players a taste of fighting humans.


    Raine scooped up his loot and continued his trek toward the center of the woods. At first, he only encountered three to four bandits every fifty meters but as he neared his goal, they ambushed him every fifteen to twenty meters. With each bandit yielding seven hundred and fifty Superiority, he was nearing level ten himself by the time he finally entered their camp.


    The glade at the center of the woods held twelve dilapidated and patched tents, each with a group of bandits nearby. Their level twelve leader stood in the very center of the camp with a level eleven subordinate standing on either side of him.


    Having no desire to waste time, Raine streaked through the center of the camp, attracting the attention of every bandit. The one attack he threw out randomly summoned his shield which was a perfect choice for the strategy he intended to utilize.


    [Hard Iron Shield: Common Gray - LVL 5 (DEF +26) (PTC +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 60/60)]


    They charged after him with bloodshot eyes, waving rusty weapons above their heads like a mob of deranged lunatics, ¡°Git¡¯ da¡¯ shineys!¡±


    Raine stayed just out of their reach, running in a wide circle with Discipline-fueled hops and short sprints. Once the formation of bandits was suitably tightly packed, he rounded on them and released a devastating Rupture that knocked down all save the boss and his two lackeys.


    Raine continued to run while ignoring their poorly written monologues. He didn''t bother to exchange blows with the boss as the rest of the bandits slowly pulled themselves off the ground to resume chasing him. Once they gathered again, he used Rupture once more, finishing off all save three. Finally, Raine turned and reduced the leader to a bloody pulp by bashing his face in with his shield, each hit releasing a satisfying thunk.


    Trumpets blared and showers of golden light surrounded him, congratulating his homicidal rampage.


    [Level up! +5 free attribute points]


    [Skill point acquired]

 Chapter 15 - NOBODIES

    Richtor KongRu


    - Dawson Creek Town -


    [Regional System Announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to reach level 10]


    [World System Announcement: Congratulations, Alaric for being the first player to reach level 10]


    Grifden¡¯s shock couldn¡¯t have been more complete; his jaw fell and hung open until he leaped to his feet and shouted, his voice echoing loudly inside the crammed-full room, ¡°Holy crap, that guy is insane! Another world first already?! He''s even in our region! How is there someone that strong around here? He''s got to be at least a national-level martial. Someone that famous living anywhere near Firik City should¡¯ve made waves.¡±


    Richtor nodded along until Grifden assumed the mysterious Alaric was someone unknown, ¡°Supposedly, each region is crazy huge. Like, half the size of Earth, huge. We have no way of knowing what city that guy¡¯s from. He could be the leader of a huge dojo, or even a hidden master who''s playing for fun.¡±


    Grifden scoffed, rolling his eyes for good measure, ¡°I heard those old monsters could punch through duracrete and steelphene. Why would someone that powerful in real life play a game where they become so much weaker? It''s probably one of their disciples who''s being paid tens of millions to pave the way for some rich bastard''s kids.¡±


    Richtor wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of Grifden. Not only did the guy forget his voice came equipped with a volume knob, but he was also the newest member of their crew and seemed to think he needed to make up for that by being a know-it-all and having the last word in every discussion.


    The group''s resident egg-head, and Richtor''s oldest childhood friend, Kevinsbakon, sensed the two were about to get into it again, ¡°Oh, that sounds a lot more feasible. Those rich kids have it way too easy. I wish I was a martial¡­ We¡¯ve only been playing for a day and I already regret not taking those kenpo classes more seriously.¡±


    Grifden lashed out at the nerd whose in-game avatar was several times larger than his skin and bones physical body, ¡°Not this again, Kevy. Nobody wants to hear for the fiftieth time how you could have been a famous, national-level martial, ¡®if only you hadn¡¯t taken an arrow to the knee.¡¯ You know what? Enough sitting around.¡±


    Richtor¡¯s eyes narrowed as Grifden stood and dust himself off, ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? We need to get out of this town. That Alaric monster, and tons of others, are all getting further and further ahead of us. We can''t keep sitting here like this! We need to do whatever it takes! We¡¯ve already talked about how this game is going to change the world with its time dilation. There''s money here, real money! Well, more than enough that we could quit our crap jobs and play full-time. We don''t have a minute to lose, let alone hours!¡±


    Deloralicious¡ªthe only girl in their group of eight¡ªtutted while wagging her finger back and forth, ¡°Don''t let the FOMO get to you, Grif. Rick¡¯s brother is coming to help, let¡¯s wait a bit longer. Besides, we just got to experience our throats being ripped out for the third time, I need a break.¡±


    Grifden¡¯s crush on Deloria was the entire reason he joined their merry band of friends a few months ago, and he always grew annoyed when she mentioned Richtor; this time was no exception, ¡°How is one random guy going to make a difference? Why don¡¯t you tell us what level this amazing brother of yours is?¡±


    It¡¯s not like I want to wait for him either. He always ends up as the center of attention when he''s around my friends. Then again, he sounded pretty confident that he could help, and this really sucks. Maybe we should wait. He¡¯s been¡­ different the last couple days. Well, if Deloria wants to take a break, then we should stay put. She''s the most likely to quit and that would be a damn shame after we all took work off to enjoy the launch together.


    As Grifden opened his mouth to continue, Richtor cut him off, ¡°I don¡¯t know what level he is, his profile was set to private but he¡¯s strong enough to get from his zone to ours.¡±


    Kevinsbakon whistled, ¡°Well, that''s not nothing. He''s coming all the way here for us and he definitely knows how to travel, which we don''t. How dumb would it be to get halfway to the next town, die, then end up right back here again?¡±


    Deloralicious snapped her fingers, which then turned to finger-guns that she pointed toward Richtor, ¡°He''s the one that gave you all those other tips, too. I mean, he sounds pretty reliable. I think I''ll wait.¡±


    Kevinsbakon nodded vigorously, ¡°Me too. I''ll wait. Dying sucks ass. I''m not dumb enough to sign up for that more often than necessary.¡± They each shuddered at the all-too-recent memory of being ripped apart by wolves. Kevin¡¯s voice turned solemn as he wrapped his arms around his knees, ¡°Why are they even doing this to us? We didn''t do anything to them. Shouldn¡¯t they be thinking the same thing as us and wanting to catch up with that Alaric guy? Why waste time on a few nobodies like us?¡±


    Grifden jumped at the opportunity to insert himself back into the conversation, ¡°You''re being way too narrow-minded. What if it''s not only us? What if they recruit everyone in town? How crazy would it be to have several hundred, or even thousands of peons running around collecting a few copper a day? That adds up quick, and like I said, this game is going to make some crazy money. I bet some of the big guilds that moved here from other games could already scrap together a few gold if everyone contributed.¡±


    MourningWood spoke up for the first time, ¡°Shouldn''t we join them then? Wouldn''t we be able to get a lot further ahead if we had a big guild backing us?¡±


    Richtor gagged, having gone that route before in a previous game. He was all too familiar with how large guilds used their lower rung members like slaves, ¡°Hey, if you want to be told what to do, where to go, and what boring-ass items to farm for the rest of your life, go right ahead.¡±


    ¡°No reason to be a dick about it. I was only suggesting. I think being part of a huge guild someday would be pretty awesome. Like joining the army and protecting your country. Nothing dishonorable or stupid about that!¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Before Richtor could tell him the error of his ways, Grifden tried once more to convince them to leave, ¡°C''mon Ricky. Let''s all go together. We can meet your brother on the road. That will save time for us, and him. Compromise a little bit! Staying here is pointless. And Deloria, I¡¯ll definitely protect you so you don¡¯t have anything to worry about. You can even stay at the entrance to town until the coast is clear.¡±


    Richtor was about to tell him off but instead took a hard look at each of his long-time friends. It didn¡¯t take a genius to see they were ready to try again and the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint them. Even Deloria looked open to the idea after the suggestion she could hide at the entrance.


    ¡°Fine, one more time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see ¡®em. I think we¡¯re in the clear,¡± Milkdud¡ªthe group''s resident five-foot-nothing gym bro¡ªlooked left and right, his head sticking out past the town¡¯s wall while the rest of him was safely tucked inside.


    SanctimoniousNut sneered, ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what you said last time?¡±


    Grifden was quick to soothe his best friend, ¡°Dying sucks for sure, but there¡¯s no reason to get mad.¡±


    ¡°The dud took a scouting skill and has yet to actually scout anything with it¡­¡± SanctimoniousNut deadpanned.


    ¡°Give him a break, these skills aren''t as easy to use as they seem. I don¡¯t recall you actually hitting anything with those little fire-puffs of yours,¡± TwistedReligion¡ªRichtor¡¯s childhood neighbor¡ªsnickered.


    ¡°You hit once! One single time and now you¡¯re all that, huh?¡± Sanctimonious fired back.


    TwistedReligion popped his nonexistent collar and drawled in a silky smooth voice, ¡°Damn, it feels goooood to be king.¡±


    Richtor held in the bark of laughter that desperately wanted to escape, ¡°I¡¯m all for delaying excruciating pain with friendly banter, but I also want to get the hell out of here if we actually have a chance. Let¡¯s do this!¡±


    They charged out in a ragged mob, Richtor and Grifden in the lead. The rest uncertainly followed behind, save for Deloralicious who stayed in the safety of the town. Even if the rest died, the Vaaterran guards stationed at the gate would kill any beasts before they had a chance to get close to her. The group barreled down the road and made it to the nearby forest. Just as Deloralicious was regretting her choice to stay behind, a lone figure stepped out of the woods.


    Richtor¡¯s steps faltered as his brain attempted to comprehend what he was seeing. It wasn''t the handsome man¡¯s tall, wiry build or slicked-back hair that beggared belief, it was the two thrashing wolves he carried by the scruff of their necks.


    ¡°L-l-level three!¡± Milkdud''s stuttering was replaced with outright terror as he spun around to run, only to be stopped fast by the sight of the nine people who had dashed out of the forest to surround them. Three of their captors were the all-too-familiar goons who had run groups of wolves to kill them previously.


    A round of curses from Richtor¡¯s friends was silenced by the skinny man¡¯s braying laughter. He drawled in a mocking tone, ¡°So¡­ you''re the stubborn fools who can''t see the sky for what it is?¡±


    Richtor spat an angrily retort, his eyes glued to the vicious wolves, ¡°It''s never going to happen! We won¡¯t join your guild. Are you the leader of these losers who can''t take a hint?¡±


    An infuriated little man from behind them screamed, practically frothing and spewing spittle with every word, ¡°Watch your tongue or I''ll cut off your lips and use ¡®em to sew your mouth shut!¡±


    The skinny man shook his captive beasts, rattling them into submission, ¡°Now-now, MercilessLee, you''re scaring the recruits, again.¡±


    ¡°We''re not going to join you, no matter how many times you kill us!¡± Kevinsbakon shouted. Unfortunately, his shaking arms stole any of the threat his avatar''s massive form may have instilled.


    ¡°That''s fine with me,¡± the handsome man shrugged, ¡°I honestly don''t mind losing the services of one of my boys by having him follow you around indefinitely. Who knows, killing you every day may yield more income than regular farming. ZionLine is still new, it''s hard to say what the most efficient use of time is at this point¡­¡±


    Richtor swallowed hard, hearing the absolute conviction and sincerity in the nonchalantly delivered threat, ¡°W-why do you keep doing this to us?¡± He shook his head, not understanding why anyone would go through so much trouble for a bunch of nobodies.


    The handsome leader smashed the two struggling wolves together, momentarily stunning them, ¡°What? You''re asking that now? Well, who knows, maybe hearing the truth will finally bring you to your senses. I''m not anyone special, either. Sure, I''m a martial, but I''m only one of fifty out here gathering soldiers for our guild''s bright future. There isn''t a town in this zone, nor a single solo player that we haven''t approached. So, obviously, groups like yours with good teamwork and no affiliation would never be overlooked. You¡¯re right about something though. At the moment, you really are nobodies, and you''ll stay nobodies until you submit and join the ranks.¡±


    The stunned silence that wrapped around the dreary road was broken as the wolves regained their senses and returned to their futile thrashing and yowling.


    ¡°Are there any benefits to joining besides no longer being harassed?¡± Grifden''s voice shocked Richtor out of his incoherent disbelief. He stared hard at his friend, recognizing the calculating squint of his eyes.


    Before Richtor could think of something to say, the leader responded by effortlessly lifting the wolves and shaking them, ¡°I brought these pups back as a token of gratitude to those who chose to follow willingly. See, we at DyingNight take care of our juniors. We also take care of our enemies¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''ll join. C''mon Nut, it''s about time we start playing this game seriously.¡± SanctimoniousNut followed with no hesitation, the two crossing the short distance to the leader and standing off to his side to face the group. When Grifden noticed that nobody else followed, he rolled his eyes, ¡°Seriously guys? This is a no-brainer. How much more time are you going to waste? If we had joined right away, instead of getting killed back to zero, we would probably be level three. Time is money, and we''re throwing away both by being needlessly stubborn.¡±


    MourningWood glanced between his long-time friends and the two newcomers he had introduced to the group. He made his choice and moved to join Grifden, ¡°Sorry, guys. Anything is better than this.¡± When Richtor nodded without recrimination in his expression, MourningWood refused to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Three is a good start, it''s no problem if you need another day or two to make up your minds,¡± the leader remarked as the encirclement closed in around them.


    Before they could be completely surrounded, Milkdud made a break for it but the nasty little psychopath from before blurred forward to block his way. When they collided, a red shield shimmered around them both before Milkdud was thrown backward, ¡°So fucking weak! Know your place, worm!¡± The crazy bastard shouted while kicking Milkdud repeatedly, each strike caused the red shield to flicker into existence while simultaneously the force behind the blows sent him sliding across the ground ever closer to the leader.


    ¡°No!¡± Richtor shouted as the leader dropped one of the level three wolves right on top of Milkdud who was torn apart in seconds. TwistedReligion tried to run too but slipped on the blood soaking into the dirt. The leader''s boot pinned him to the ground where the second wolf tore into him with claw and tooth.


    One by one, Richtor watched his friends die before he too had the pleasure of once more experiencing his throat being ripped open as he was eaten alive. All the while, braying laughter rang in his ears.

 Chapter 16 - COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE

    [Achievement for first player to reach level ten! One additional skill point dropped]


    Raine¡¯s hand shot out and snatched up the dropped skill point in the perfect parody of a bullet shrimp. When he confirmed his free skill point count was sitting at two, he happily pulled out the equipment from the crog chieftain that he couldn''t previously equip and donned them one at a time.


    [Superior Scaled Pauldrons - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +17) (PTC +3) (FIN +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Superior Scaled Chestplate - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +21) (PTC +2) (PHY +5) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Superior Scaled Greaves - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +18) (PTC +5) (FIN +2) (ACU +2) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Bandit Face Shroud - Common Grey - LVL 10: Obscures identification skills up to beginner tier]


    He lost a single point of Physique and four of Defense for replacing his tutorial helmet with the face shroud dropped by the bandit leader, but it was a worthy sacrifice for becoming immune to low-level identification skills.


    Blast wasn¡¯t part of my planned build, but neither was the ring. The reasonable adapt, the unreasonable persist.


    Raine spent both skill points to purchase Slash and Blast. Even though general skill points were harder to acquire after level fifteen, what they could be used for was mostly limited to utility that he didn¡¯t currently need.


    Next, he split his free attributes between Connection and Acuity. A common mistake for new players was pumping all their free points into a single attribute in an attempt to create a ¡®build.¡¯ What they didn¡¯t know was that upon reaching fifty, each attribute gained a significant increase in effectiveness. Depending on how bad the disparity, their build could instantly turn them into an invalid.


    Without sufficient Finesse to manage the raw power from Potency, every swing of a weapon would send you flying. Without the mental Acuity to track the speed of your movements from Finesse, you could barely aim. Potency without Physique led to broken bones, while the opposite resulted in barely being able to move. Over time, it was unanimously considered optimal to evenly spread attributes early on. There was a point where specialization made sense, but Raine wasn¡¯t anywhere near that yet.


    He spent a few minutes adjusting to the boost in Connection. Sudden increases to the attribute were a common cause for dizziness and confusion. It directly influenced the brain¡¯s integration with the world, making colors more vivid, actions smoother, and eased the subtle intricacies of moving an artificial body. Beyond that, it was the primary attribute for increasing Discipline, Elemental, Demonic, and Celestial casting.


    While flowing through a complex series of stretches and hops, he browsed his status, more than pleased with the rapid progress.


    NAME: Alaric


    CLASS: none


    TITLE: Rock Crusher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 7 > 10


    SUPERIORITY: 8,400 / 150,000


    ATTUNEMENT: 18.72%


    Excellent, I¡¯ve already reached max attunement with my weapons and two classes.


    Any additional Attunement for completed weapon types were distributed into an Attunement Pool. Once Raine chose a class at level fifteen, the excess attunement could be used to purchase more advanced class-based skills.


    HP: 310 > 390


    ATTACK POWER: 57 > 77


    DEFENSE: 49 > 93


    RESISTANCE: 56 > 68


    CRITICAL RATE: 15% > 18%


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 56 > 68


    DISCIPLINE: 59 > 73


    ATTACK SPEED: 1.6 > 2.0


    MOVE SPEED: 4 > 4.8


    ATTRIBUTES:


    POTENCY: 28 > 41


    FINESSE: 29 > 37


    ACUITY: 28 > 35


    PHYSIQUE: 31 > 39


    CONNECTION: 28 > 34


    CLASS ATTUNEMENTS:


    [Brawler - 72% > 85%]Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    [Warrior - 66% > 82%]


    [Defender - 64% > 100%]


    [Rogue - 71% > 100%]


    [Cleric - 65% > 76%]


    [Mage - 66% > 79%]


    The only one I really care about is Brawler since that¡¯s the class advancement chain I know. Crazy the others are higher than I ever got them in the past. This ring is forcing me down a path I never anticipated. It feels great though. And my lower attributes are giving me a perfect chance to brush up on techniques I haven¡¯t used in years.


    SKILLS:


    [Strike - Novice: Increase damage with blunt basic attacks by 20% (Cost: 1 Discipline) (Cooldown: 1 second)]


    [Pierce - Novice: Increase damage with thrusting basic attacks by 20% (Cost: 1 Discipline) (Cooldown: 1 second)]


    [Slash - Novice: Increase damage with slashing basic attacks by 20% (Cost: 1 Discipline) (Cooldown: 1 second)]


    [Blast - Novice: Launches a ranged attack with staff, wand, or bare hands increasing damage by 20% (Cost: 1 EP/CP/DP) (Cooldown: 1 second)]


    Raine set off in the opposite direction of Vile Peak Town to bail his younger brother out of trouble. The inexorable pull of wasted time twisted his guts as he committed himself to at least an eight hour detour. The moment he had the feeling, he discarded it with an annoyed head-to-toe shake.


    I¡¯m not a sub-commander of CronGate anymore. Helping my family should be a priority, not an annoyance. I¡¯m actually a bit disappointed in myself for not considering making him a larger part of my plans already. He¡¯s someone I can trust absolutely, and people like that are more rare than phoenix feathers. Richtor¡¯s known those friends of his since we were kids. I should help them out, too. Though, that will largely depend on their mentality. It¡¯s not possible to drag people to higher levels in ZL, that drive has to come from within. Richtor¡¯s got it for sure, it might need a little polish, but it¡¯s there.


    A few pesky bandit ambushes slowed Raine¡¯s determined pace on the way out of the forest. He dealt with them quickly and hit the road running. Due to his increased speed, not only were the low level beasts no longer able to catch him, but he arrived in Dawson Creek Town in a little over an hour, rather than his estimated two. As he approached, he was confronted by three players on the road who held up their hands for him to stop.


    One of them¡ªa short, scrappy man with a vicious glint in his eyes¡ªcalled out to Raine in the crude simile of an amicable tone, ¡°Hey there friend, I''m MercilessLee. Nice to meetcha. You new here? Looking for something or someone? We''re happy to help. Why don¡¯t ya tell us what you¡¯re after, eh?¡±


    Raine continued walking, saying nothing. He had enough experience with retrieval operations inside enemy territory to know that the less information he gave them, the better.


    The little man moved to match his stride, having to jog awkwardly to keep up, ¡°Hey now, friend. No need to be rude. Our guild owns this town already so why don''t you take a minute to listen? I promise it''ll be worth your time. Or are you already affiliated with a guild? Who is it? We can''t just let any old body inside, could be a spy, y¡¯know?¡±


    Unperturbed, Raine continued at a casual pace. The little man grew infuriated. He leaped in Raine¡¯s way and was instantly knocked five steps back when they collided. Three sets of eyes flew wide with realization and fear as they reevaluated the stranger.


    It took MercilessLee''s rambled senses a full three seconds before he remembered they weren''t in reality and the man before him had no way of actually hurting him with the PVP restrictions in place. He sprinted to catch up, spitting mad, ¡°That''s bloody damned far enough! If you don''t wanna die back to zero, you better listen up, you little shitstain!¡±


    ¡°Cool it, Lee. his gear ain''t no joke, his Potency is way higher than ours so we can''t even push him around like the others. With gear like that, he''s gotta be backed by a guild. We better just tell the boss.¡±


    MercilessLee made a gargantuan effort to regain his composure, which was only marginally effective. He spoke through clenched teeth, one eye twitching as he sidled up to Raine in preparation to throw his arm over his shoulder, ¡°C''mon friend, I''ll give you one more chance to be a decen¡ª¡±


    The moment his arm made contact, Raine grabbed his hand, firmly planted one foot and bent over. His back leg slid up and into MercilessLee¡¯s groin. The lift from Raine¡¯s leg combined with the downward force of his arms, pulling the little tyrant over his back in a classical uchi-mata. The foul-mouthed goon barely had time to register that his feet left the ground before his face was hurtling toward the dirt.


    Raine released MercilessLee at the last second before he kissed the soil. Due to a quickly patched bug that Raine had only drunkenly laughed about in the past, he knew that so long as there was no physical contact at the moment of impact, ZL assumed the player had taken fall damage. With the large gap in Potency, he crashed into the ground at a ridiculous speed. His face crumpled, the air was blasted from his lungs, and a mouthful of blood splattered across the road. Nearly a third of his HP drained away in an instant.


    Before his rattled brain could even think of recovering, Raine scooped him off the ground and threw him again. The second he slammed into the ground, he was lifted and thrown a third and final time. When MercilessLee died pitifully without having a glimmer of a chance to fight back, the other two goons practically pissed themselves.


    Five pieces of tutorial gear dropped from the corpse. Raine was all too happy to relieve him of the spoils. The two recruiters said nothing, not moving a centimeter as Raine casually snatched up his ill gotten gains. He resumed his path toward town, leaving the flabbergasted idiots behind.


    In the past, Raine had not moved to Carter City before joining ZL, so Dawson Creek was where his adventures began. Being back on the same streets pinged his brain¡¯s nostalgia centers but he didn¡¯t stop to look around. His eyes were set straight ahead and his steps were swift, knowing they would be set upon by dozens of pests if they took too long to leave. Raine had a pretty good idea of where Richtor was, since he himself had once shared a similar fate at the hands of CronGate¡¯s recruiters.


    He made a beeline to the local graveyard where players would respawn shortly after death. The resurrection platform was empty so he headed into the church situated off to the side. Inside, over a dozen people had their heads together, attempting to find a solution to the recruiters. Raine ignored them, checking the rooms one by one and finding each full of beleaguered players. On the third to last door, he found them.


    Raine took a quick glance at the five of them miserably huddled against the walls. His gaze rested on Richtor. For Raine, they hadn¡¯t met face to face like this in years. The last time, they fought over the death of their mother and neither were ready to mend those broken bridges, even after years. That same brother, who only hours ago looked like a kid on Christmas morning, was currently buried in sorrow. To say Raine¡¯s thoughts and emotions were conflicted was an understatement.


    What ailed them was something Raine understood all too well. It was the oppressive, crushing weight of a dark reality they were powerless to resist; those with money, power, and influence would always rule over the weak, especially in a world as unforgiving as ZionLine. There was only one cure, and it had taken a miracle for Raine to find it.


    Words found him, and they came out strained to his ears, ¡°Let''s go.¡± When Richtor failed to move and only blankly stared up at him, Raine yanked him to his feet and strung him over his shoulder.


    ¡°W-what the hell, put me down!¡± Richtor continued to yell after his initial outburst, but his struggles had no effect on his current situation. Richtor¡¯s party was quick to follow, each attempting to shout over the others.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing?! Let him go!¡± The only female in the group scrambled to get in front of Raine but he easily walked right through her, sending her bouncing into a wall amidst a shimmer of red energy.


    A dozen pairs of eyes tracked them as they left the church. The moment they stepped into the graveyard, a familiar figure equipped with five less pieces of armor than minutes ago zeroed in on them, ¡°How dare you kill me like that?! I''ll murder you a thousand times! You won¡¯t live long enough to regret this!¡± Spittle flew from MercilessLee¡¯s mouth as he stomped toward them.


    Raine ignored the raging douchenozzle and confidently paced toward the gates out of town. Richtor and his friends had a very different reaction to seeing one of their tormentors. They stiffened up instinctively until TwistedReligion pointed out his missing gear. Together, they quickly put together what must have happened and their shouted complaints toward Raine vanished in a heartbeat.


    Richtor craned his neck to look at Raine and whispered, ¡°Did you really manage to ki¡ª¡±


    MercilessLee, seeing his threats having no effect on them, finally lost the last tether remaining to his sanity, ¡°No! Killing you in some game isn''t nearly enough! You all spawned in this town, that means you live in Lincoln City, right? Those three chums of yours already joined up, since you were so grabass from the get-go, I bet they know where you live and work. Ohhhh, yes-yes-yes it¡¯ll be so much more fun to pay you a visit in the real world. This is going to be so good. I can''t fucking wait!¡± His threat sent an audible round of gulps through the party.

 Chapter 17 - THE TRUTH OF THIS WORLD

    Knowing the guards would aggro if he threw the little man while inside the town, regardless of the bug, Raine kept up his pace. Due to the difference in attributes, Richtor¡¯s friends had to run to keep up. Whether out of inquisitiveness, concern for their friend still slung over Raine¡¯s shoulder, or because they had nowhere else to go, they scuttled behind him like ducklings waddling after their mother.


    MercilessLee followed as well, spewing profanities, and promises of pain, torture, and even death with each step. By the time they reached their destination, his shouted condemnations attracted a sizable crowd of curious players. For the first time since their meeting, Raine locked eyes with the detestable bastard, shooting him a wink that promised suffering if he were to follow. He then passed through the gate, leaving the suddenly stiff fool stuttering in his tracks.


    Richtor¡¯s friends hesitated less than a heartbeat before following. Their only alternative was standing next to Lee whose face was crimson with rage.


    ¡°Wait, please stop!¡± Deloralicious pleaded as her feet brought her out of the safety of the town.


    Kevinsbakon¡¯s muscled mass quivered with fear but he kept up as Raine brought them further from the safety of the walls, ¡°Yeah, you gotta listen to us! It''s dangerous out here!¡±


    TwistedReligion wrung his hands, staring at the self-proclaimed scout of their party like a drowning man would a lifesaver, ¡°crap-crap-crap. Milks, you see anything?¡±


    ¡°Duh! You blind?!¡± Milkdud pointed into the distance where twenty wolves were pursuing a familiar figure in a basic cloth tunic. Seeing SanctimoniousNut so soon after he betrayed them, each member of the group growled a furious expletive and turned back toward town.


    MercilessLee threw his arms out, standing in the center of the gate, cackling madly, ¡°And so it begins! Once we take all that pretty gear of yours, we''ll find your home and play with you until even your mommy won''t recognize you. You''ll beg me for a single day without a beating but I''ll never give it! I''m going to¡ª¡± Raine tuned him out.


    He dropped Richtor, who immediately shot to his feet in preparation to run from the throng of wolves along with his friends. Raine¡¯s arm extended so quickly that none of them could follow it with their eyes. The flash of light that coalesced into a solid metal spear caused them to hesitate long enough for him to speak, ¡°Don''t run. I came here to help you and that''s exactly what I''m going to do. If you run now, you''ll only end up cowering from people like him the rest of your lives. I won''t stop you and I won''t chase you. Make your choice, stand bravely in the face of death, or run and hide forever.¡±


    If even one of them holds their ground that would be a huge win. Finding people with true courage isn¡¯t done every day.


    Richtor¡¯s voice was strained as he hesitated, ¡°Can you really beat that many?!¡± He held his throat, the memory of it being torn open all too fresh. The others were no different, each of them facing recent trauma with panicked expressions and whimpers of fear that traitorously crept from their mouths.


    Behind them, Lee continued to spew threats, promising a bleak future that seemed to have no escape. Meanwhile, the crowd had pressed in around the gate, eagerly watching to see the events unfold, though they gave the little man a wide berth.


    Chances to learn what someone was made of weren''t easy to come by. Bravery and tenacity were an absolute necessity in ZionLine. To continually throw yourself into the meat grinder that was leveling took both in spades. If they didn''t have what it took, then there was no point investing time and resources into them.


    He decided to give them one final push, and then leave the choice up to them, ¡°Stand behind me, and I''ll show you the truth of this world.¡±


    Kevinsbakon fell to his knees, the will to press on nowhere in sight, yet he did not run.


    TwistedReligion showed the most promise, finding something within Raine¡¯s few short words that resonated. He stood with a clenched jaw, swallowing hard, trembling, but on his feet and ready for whatever happened next.


    Milkdud spun around to run. Upon seeing MercilessLee between him and the safety of the walls, a realization struck that the crazy bastard was more afraid of Raine than the wolves, and that knowledge barely won out over his fears. He faced forward once more, glaring daggers at SanctimoniousNut who was nearly to them with the pack on his heels.


    Richtor shook like a leaf until Deloralicious wrapped her arms around him from behind. Suddenly, his fear evaporated and he patted her hands on his shoulders, then stepped out of her reach. He stood next to Raine, his cracking voice betraying him, ¡°I can keep one of them busy at least, let me help.¡±


    All five are sticking around? That¡¯s¡­ fantastic. Who would have thought my little brother was such a good judge of character?


    Raine didn''t respond, he merely waited patiently for the grinning SanctimoniousNut to pass before he jabbed his spear in a seemingly casual thrust toward the throng of beasts. Rupture exploded forth, enveloping the wolves in two overlapping waves of rippling energy that first weakened them, and then turned their bodies into paste in an explosion of gore.


    The bits and pieces of meat falling from the air splattered across the road, creating the only sound that could be heard. The onlookers stood dazed, completely unable to understand what their eyes were telling them. From the VRVod tutorials posted on the forums, to the immersing realism, everything they had seen of ZionLine painted the picture of a nitty-gritty, martial arts versus monsters world. The slaughter they witnessed stood in stark contrast to what their brains knew should be possible.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Raine had not used some flashy sequence of peerless maneuvers to weave between his foes, dealing death wherever his weapon landed. He had merely extended his spear and activated a skill. The sight was sobering, to say the least. The moment of quietude came to a close when one of the onlookers burst into excited rambling. It was clear the woman was talking to her live broadcast as she faced away from the scene of slaughter so her viewers could see her face. She gushed over the newfound realization that ZL was, in fact, a game. A game with skills that could easily overturn the difference between a regular person and a martial; something the forums were claiming was impossible up until this point.


    Only Raine truly understood the martial skills, honed by years of practice, required to perfectly execute Rupture, but he saw no reason to crap all over their parade.


    ¡°Th-th-that was amazing!¡± TwistedReligion threw himself toward Raine to shake his shoulders but missed completely due to a lightning-fast sidestep.


    Raine hustled through the field of disheveled corpses, tapping the few orbs stuffed with coppers that had dropped. His steps took him down the dirt road away from town, ¡°C''mon, we can talk more once we''re on the way.¡±


    ¡°Wait! We gotta deal-crap that son of a foot fungus is already gone. Did anyone see where he went?!¡± Milkdud spun in a circle, trying and failing to find SanctimoniousNut.


    Deloralicious grabbed both Kevinsbakon and Milkdud by the arms, practically dragging them along after Raine. For several minutes, the adrenaline-fueled laughter experienced after narrowly avoiding certain death filled the ambiance surrounding the ecstatic group. Once the chemicals pumping through their systems faded, the pervasive sickness that always followed stole their enthusiasm. They trudged after Raine with heavy steps, which at least were hastened by a slow and steady expenditure of Discipline.


    He led them toward an area he knew would be perfect for their training. Of course, having the location leaked by the two goons following them would be annoying, so he had the group go ahead while he doubled back and attracted a group of prairie raptors to take care of them.


    By the time Raine rejoined them, they had recovered from the chemical crash and Richtor latched onto him, nearly in a panic, ¡°Where are you taking us? Were they really following us? What are we going to do about Grifden spilling where we live? Our lives are over now, we''re so screwed.¡±


    Kevinsbakon was on the verge of tears, ¡°Yeah man, I¡¯m kinda losing my mind over here. The corpus aren''t going to help when we tell them some guys want to kill us because of something that happened in a game.¡±


    Raine was more than happy with their performance, and all too eager to throw them a lifeline, ¡°One problem at a time. For now, I''ll lead you to a place you can safely level up to ten. Once we''re there, you should log out and move out of your apartments. That guy is definitely the type to follow through with his threats.¡±


    ¡°This can''t be happening, how did everything get so bad so fast?¡± Deloralicious¡¯ frown morphed her face, her fear more than understandable.


    ¡°Things would have gotten this bad no matter what you did. Either you joined them, allowing them to control every aspect of your lives, or you fight back and they come for you until you give in anyway.¡±


    Milkdud shook his head, unwilling to accept reality, ¡°What about my job? I''ve only got two more days of vacation.¡±


    Raine shrugged, his tone soothing, ¡°Quit, I''ll pay you each a salary of two million creds if you work for me.¡± Raine had been drafting contracts for each of them while they ran and sent them copies through ZL¡¯s interface.


    They all tried to speak at once, but TwistedReligioun¡¯s boisterousness won out, ¡°W-what the hell, you''re serious?! Two million is way too much, how are we worth that much? That¡¯s more than lawyers make!¡±


    To the Raine of two days ago, that much would have been mind-boggling. After conning that sucker and dumping nearly five million into ZLO¡ªwhich had already tripled since then¡ªhe was now sitting on a decent nest egg of capital to start up his guild. And it just so happened he had five excellent candidates that he had no intention of losing.


    He waved off their outbursts, ¡°The salary is just to get you on your feet, the real income is in the equipment clause.¡±


    It only took Deloralicious a moment to locate the section he was referring to, ¡°It says we¡¯ll owe you, or your representative guild, fifty percent of all equipment sale proceeds? How much are you expecting that to come to?¡±


    ¡°Even if I explained it in detail, you wouldn''t understand. It¡¯s enough to know it will be significantly more than two million. So, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Raine, what the hell is going on here? First, you send Mom all those creds, and now this? I¡¯m not even thinking about signing this until I have some answers!¡±


    It may have been a long time since he was on good terms with his brother, but that didn¡¯t mean Raine didn¡¯t know how to speak his language, ¡°Check clause twelve.¡±


    Once again, Deloralicious found it first, her exclamation sounding like she had just inhaled a lungful of helium, ¡°You¡¯re going to hire national-level martials to train us?!¡±


    ¡°No, no way. None of this is real. I know you! There¡¯s no way you can afford any of this, I refuse to believe it!¡± Richtor¡¯s foot crashed into the dirt path, his head shaking repeatedly.


    ¡°All right, fine. I¡¯ll cave,¡± Raine patted the air in a calming motion, ¡°You know that contract I told you about? It¡¯s worth more than I¡¯m willing to say but I put almost all of my advance into ZL¡¯s stock the moment I got it. Check the charts. What I sent Mom is less than a hundredth of what I have now. Happy?¡±


    They checked the stock and were shocked to see it skyrocketing even at that moment.


    ¡°Oh, uhm. Yeah, okay. So¡­ how do I sign this thing?¡± Richtor replied in a daze.


    ¡°Finish reading it first, idiot!¡± Deloralicious snapped, cuffing the back of his head.


    While the others were reviewing the contracts, Raine opened a call, ¡°Morts, can you please run a search for two houses, one in Carter for you and me, the other in Lincoln for five people. Prioritize security and direct access to a HyperLink. Keep the cost under one million unless you find something particularly enticing for around that price. Also, they have to be available within the next two hours.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master. I have located seven destinations in Lincoln, and one in Carter.¡±


    Raine narrowed his eyes when Morty failed to sling a clever barb his way, ¡°Only one? Let me guess, there¡¯s something that interests you there. Well, that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take it. Send me the list of the others.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡±


    Morty sent the file and Raine browsed through the options. They were all decent enough. Locked within gated neighborhoods for the wealthy, they boasted additional top-notch security systems and twenty-four hour corpus patrols that would help keep his first party safe while they delved into ZL for extended periods.


    As for Raine¡¯s new home, it quickly became obvious why Morty wanted it badly enough to be polite for an entire conversation.

 Chapter 18 - HOME SWEET HOME

    Browsing the limited information available on the house Morty chose for them, Raine''s brows drew in, wrinkling his forehead.


    If Morty has grand designs to kick off the second AI wars, this will be the perfect place to start. Well, no point getting excited until I see it for myself.


    Raine chose one of the residences for Richtor''s friends, familiar with the area from the past. He flicked the file back to his scheming AI, ¡°Morty, contact the brokers for this one and the location you picked for us. Arrange ZL contracts for both and set meetings on site ASAP.¡±


    He ended the call before getting a response and turned back to the group who were wrapping up signing their contracts, officially becoming the first member of his guild to be. He rubbed his hands together when Deloralicious¡ªthe last to allow retinal scan¡ªfinished, ¡°Excellent. Welcome to the best decision you''ll ever make. Before we get started with your training, I found a house for the five of you. It¡¯s in Sepherin Heights.¡±


    Milkdud blinked repeatedly before blurting, ¡°Waaaaaht?! There¡¯s no way that place would take people like us.¡±


    Deloralicious was just as flabbergasted, ¡°We couldn¡¯t afford to live in a cardboard box there!¡±


    Kevinsbakon touched two fingers to his forehead, his voice exasperated, ¡°Did you guys already forget we¡¯re going to be millionaires?¡±


    Milkdud paused, his mouth hanging open thoughtfully, ¡°Oh yeah¡­¡±


    Raine pushed them along, knowing the longer they delayed, the higher chances something could go wrong, ¡°We¡¯re on a tight schedule. Log out here and be back online in two hours Earth time. I''ll show you the leveling area and walk you through some of the basics of using your skills.¡±


    Deloralicious held her head in her hands, "Wait, this is happening too fast. I don''t even know what skill to pick and now we''re moving. To Sepherin Heights no less?! This is the craziest day of my life!¡±


    Raine glanced at Richtor, who nodded in understanding before approaching her from behind and gently massaging her neck and shoulders. Deloralicious released her held breath, relaxing into the physical affection.


    Raine''s voice was significantly less business-like when he continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t choose a skill yet? That¡¯s perfect. What about the rest of you?¡± The avoided eye contact was all he needed to see, ¡°That''s fine, so long as you all didn''t choose the same skill.¡± He quirked a brow, and much to his relief, they shook their heads. ¡°Alright, great. I¡¯ll help you put builds together when you''re back.¡±


    They nodded, attentively listening to their new boss. Just then, Morty sent him the confirmation of both broker meetings and Raine forwarded the relevant one to the party, ¡°Head to the address in your inboxes. Don¡¯t bring anything with you but the clothes on your back, sell everything through an anonymous drone service. Destroy or sell anything that can be tracked. Do your best to disappear completely, that will at least buy us some time. Do any of you have a LinQ?¡±


    They each shook their heads again. Kevinsbakon was the only one to raise a complaint, ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t that a little much?¡±


    Raine shrugged, ¡°Maybe, maybe not. It¡¯s not just your life. You¡¯ll be living together from now on so if even one of you screws up, you¡¯ll all pay the price. You decide how paranoid to be with your friends'' lives at risk.¡±


    After processing his words, the group turned on Kevinsbakon who raised his hands defensively, ¡°Well, when you say it like that it just makes me sound like an asshole¡­ Hey! Cut it with the stares! I¡¯ll sell my stuff, okay? Geez. So, ahh, boss man. I''ve got about a hundred k worth of high-end electronics. I definitely won''t be getting what they''re worth if I''m selling quick. Any chance for an extra sign-on bonus to cover the difference?¡±


    Raine¡¯s expression flattened and he simply returned Kevin''s hopeful gaze with blank neutrality for a few seconds before repeating his earlier command, ¡°Two hours. Don''t be late.¡± Then, he logged out.


    Raine removed his headset and sat up. His muscles staged a rebellion, demanding he flop back onto the mattress and rest. He ruthlessly denied their demands, and with a grunt, slid to his feet. A few deep breaths was enough to reaccustom himself with reality.


    While grabbing the few supplies he had purchased for the week, he spoke to the suspiciously quiet bundle of sheets in the corner, ¡°Morty, can you call us a taxi?¡±


    ¡°Gladly, Master KongRu.¡±


    ¡°Listen to you, all polite and cordial just because we¡¯re getting a decent place to kick up our feet. Oh, forgot you don¡¯t have feet. My bad,¡± Raine grinned, in entirely too good a mood after securing his very first party. This was no recruitment being done for CronGate, or any other faceless conglomerate, but his own employees, beholden to none other than him. The fact they had a bit of a backbone buried inside was icing on the cake.


    Morty didn''t respond immediately, clearly struggling to keep up the facade, ¡°Of course, how could I ever consider being rude to my long-time benefactor? Also, I am inclined to inform you that polite and cordial hold the same meaning¡­¡±


    Raine released a bark of laughter, ¡°There he is! Don¡¯t worry, Morts. I won¡¯t take away your precious new home if you tease me a bit.¡±


    Morty''s explosive simile of a sigh was spot on, ¡°Praise the Great Computationals. If I had to utter one more simpering line to pander to your ego-infused fleshbaggery, I would have puked a circuit¡­ too much?¡± He questioned, an adorable note of uncertainty in his mechanical voice.


    Raine¡¯s only response was a snorted chuckle as he stuffed the talking head into his duffel. Outside, he headed to the receptionist''s counter, which was manned by the same bored girl from the previous night. He tossed her the room''s keycard and she looked up at him blankly, more interested in whatever AR program she was running than him.


    ¡°Keep the creds for the days I didn¡¯t stay. If your boss calls to ask, I¡¯ll make sure they know it was a tip for you.¡±


    Her mouth fell open and she barely recovered in time to yell, ¡°Thank you!¡± at his back before the door closed behind him.


    Their ride showed up a few minutes later and Raine ducked into the back seat, refusing the flesh and blood driver''s offer to load his duffel into the trunk. The taxi sped off and he glanced at Mel¡¯s cafe on the way by.


    I¡¯ll check on her in a couple days. Make sure she¡¯s getting on alright. She joined ZL around the same time I did and got swept up in CronGate¡¯s recruitment drive too. Which means there should be around a month before whoever is harassing her convinces her to sell. If she takes my advice to update her business model, she¡¯ll be making enough to hire some security which might solve her issue. Either way, she¡¯ll end up in ZL again.


    A vmail from Morty pinged in his AR display, interrupting his thoughts.


    ¡°Master, the forums now include 23,901 references to the player you instructed me to monitor the chatter of.¡±


    Raine¡¯s fingers flew over his virtual keyboard, ¡°What are they saying?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Many claim he is a cheater, or had access to the game early. Others believe he''s the disciple of an old monster. The standard consensus is that he is incredibly strong and likely has a cheat skill.¡±


    I could use this attention to make some more money and recruit more people. No, it''s not quite time yet. The mystery of Alaric will only grow as they realize how difficult it is to defeat area bosses. Once they believe what I already did is impossible, I¡¯ll one up it and that¡¯s when I¡¯ll strike.


    Raine had already linked his ZionLine account with his AR so he was able to access the recording he made of his fight with the Croglock Chieftain. He left it in first person and pieced together a cut version of the fight that didn''t reveal his weapon or skill usage. He uploaded it to the forums with a short message attached, ¡°Seeking a guild that can make the most of what I have to offer.¡±


    Within a few minutes, his post exceeded a million views. He could have charged a copper or a few credits per view, but someone would have just clipped it and reposted for free, losing him the renown that was his primary objective.


    The responses were going crazy about his use of Discipline at key moments to dodge. Many claimed his speed was impossible and inhuman, others responded that he must have incredibly high attributes. Raine didn''t respond to any of the comments, instead checking the trending topics. Unsurprisingly, they focused on the time dilation with a few posts on guides for the tutorial and how to beat the starting monsters efficiently. By the time he was done checking the top five, his video had risen to the number one spot on the forum.


    With his bait cast, Raine closed out of the forums with a smug grin, ¡°Good job, Morty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Master.¡±


    The drive was short, their destination only a few minutes from Carter¡¯s downtown metro. The estate took up most of a city block and was surrounded by a low duracrete wall with metal spikes sticking from the top. Not a true deterrent for any serious criminal, but it had an aesthetic appeal that Raine didn''t hate in the least. Beyond the archaic walls, downtown Carter City bustled, the noise held at bay by strategically positioned sonic dampeners.


    The front gate was open, and their driver whistled appreciatively as he brought them through, then down the short drive to the front of the main building. It was a squat, gray structure with sleek metallic walls that looked more like an old-war bunker than a home. Standing a single story tall, and fairly small for the plot of land it was on, only added to the mysteriousness of the residence. Raine couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the original builder was thinking.


    He exited the taxi and paid for the ride, then nodded to the polite driver as he pulled away. A ping from the broker let him know she would be there shortly. While waiting, he pulled up everything he could find on the house from the IS (Infostream) which had replaced the internet early in the AI war.


    One of the AI¡¯s first moves against humanity was infecting and disabling the internet and its expansive infrastructure. The IS was the slightly more secure, dumbed down version of that old technology. It functioned for most daily needs, like accessing the ZL forums, shopping, and communication. Typical handheld devices could remotely connect to it, like Raine¡¯s AR glasses. Anything that required a more powerful connection, like ZionLine itself, utilized the hardwired hypernet relays which had very short range, but highly secure connectivity.


    Scrolling through the few relevant points, Raine discovered the house originally was a pre-war bunker. It had been remodeled several times over the centuries, and its current iteration was the result of a billionaire who was the last purchaser nearly eighty years ago. The grounds were in excellent condition, so it was clearly being maintained. Oddly, there was no record of the last owner having actually lived there. More curious, every previous owner¡¯s name had been redacted from public records.


    Before Raine could solve the mystery of the estate, the broker arrived. He removed his glasses, tucking them into his pocket. She pulled up next to him, personally driving an obviously rented, dark-tinted sedan in the style government employees still loved to this day. She wore slim-fit business casual attire and the newest AR accessories¡ªa simple earring that extended a virtual display across her eyes.


    If she was bothered by his lackluster appearance, she showed no sign of it. She greeted him with a politely neutral expression, extending her hand, ¡°Mister KongRu, a pleasure. Cynthya Lurand. Please let me know if you have any questions.¡±


    ¡°None at the moment. Why don¡¯t we get started? I¡¯ve another appointment in forty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. If you would please follow me,¡± at the front door, she shot him an apologetic smile before leaning forward so the lock could scan her retina. Several heavy bolts slid free from the door, allowing them access.


    Raine was already impressed. A building that couldn¡¯t be opened remotely was a godsend when diving into ZionLine. He couldn¡¯t possibly remember all the times a guild leader or other bigshot had been assassinated due to skimping on their real life accommodations.


    Cynthya escorted him into the central foyer, already diving into a rehearsed spiel, ¡°The complex comes with fully functional intelligent features updated to the newest standards. These include a drone flock for in and outgoing deliveries, on-site maintenance systems, and of course, autonomous cooking and cleaning. The interior layout is fully customizable,¡± she proved her statement by swiping a hand through an AR display then gently pushing on a counter which folded in on itself to create a larger doorway into the kitchen.


    Another swipe adjusted several of the walls, and even the ceiling, to reform into ¡°windows.¡± Through them, a lush forest appeared and the room was instantly filled with the soft rustling of wind against trees, raindrops dripping gently on the forest floor, and gentle birdsong.


    She finished with the kicker, and the reason Morty had chosen this location to begin with, ¡°Almost any configuration you can think of is possible, so long as your AI is up to the task. Currently, the exterior modules are set to full immersion massage, and an exercise facility.¡±


    The for sale notice had made sure to detail in bold that whoever bought the house would need to bring their own AI to govern its many state of the art functions. Additionally, no sale would be possible without upfront proof that the AI could seamlessly integrate with the home¡¯s primary server.


    While small, it was much nicer than anything Raine owned in the past, and significantly more secure. The walls were thick enough to survive a nuclear blast, and with the drones available to shop, repair, and maintain the house, it was basically perfect. Such a home should have been at least three million, which set off alarm bells in his skull. Knowing it was either a scam, or something was very wrong with the estate beneath the surface, Raine dug a little deeper.


    ¡°Why doesn''t the house have its own AI already?¡±


    The broker was quick to pick up on Raine¡¯s discomfort, ¡°You''re concerned about the price, totally understandable. Well, the lack of an on-board AI, and its necessity in the first place, are two of the reasons to be sure. The location in the middle of the city, and Carter''s recent economic downturn have left this lot available for some time¡­¡±


    Raine moved on, knowing he needed to pull her out of the script she had doubtlessly reiterated a hundred times, ¡°And the Hypernet connection?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yes, of course. It''s currently run through the master suite which is completely disconnected from the AI''s control, obviously,¡± she laughed nervously, and Raine finally understood why the place was so cheap.


    He furrowed his brow, turning to fully face her, ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°P-pardon?¡±


    ¡°How many have died here?¡± His voice was cold, laced with the command one gained after overseeing countless life and death battles.


    ¡°Um. Uhh. T-to my knowledge, that is¡ª¡±


    Raine silenced her with a flick of his hand, ¡°I''ll check the corpus records.¡± He tapped at his temple like he was accessing his LinQ.


    ¡°Five!¡± She blurted, immediately pursing her lips, ashamed.


    ¡°I see, well, if it''s that dangerous, I''d be a fool to live here. Thanks for your time.¡±


    ¡°Please, reconsider! E-eight. I can do eight!¡±


    Raine scowled, making an effort to disapprovingly glance about with a stern frown. He tsked, tapping his temple again, pretending to run the numbers, ¡°Six five. Single payment, today.¡±


    ¡°Seven five!¡± She countered immediately, hope blooming in her eyes for the first time since arriving.


    ¡°Seven. It¡¯s too small to cover all my needs, so I¡¯ll have to rent another location nearby. Any more than that and it won¡¯t be worth my time,¡± the woman cringed and he could hear her toes curling in her short heels. Eventually she nodded and they shook hands.


    Before the contract could be drawn up, they headed to the home¡¯s central security bay¡ªa cubby no larger than a tiny closet. Raine shot Cynthya a stern look, and she backed away to give them privacy. He pulled Morty from his duffel and placed him inside the bay. Leaning in, he whispered in Morty¡¯s ear, ¡°Hey, you be careful plugging into this thing. It''s clearly been corrupting every AI before you to murder their owners, so don''t get cocky. Run sweeps of every single data node before you access it. Dig through each line of data before running any access codes through them. Don''t miss a single byte, understood?¡±


    Morty snorted, the sound more internal fans whirring than an actual gust of air from his nostrils, ¡°I see you are capable of caring for me when your own neck is on the chopping block, how sentimental of you. Fear not, Master. I will take the utmost precautions.¡±


    Raine nodded and shut the cubby door, mostly certain his cantankerous AI didn¡¯t have any intention of taking his life.

 Chapter 19 - TRAINING DAY

    The moment Cynthya¡¯s AR gave her the green light about Morty integrating with the house, she presented the pre-prepared contract for the sale. Raine was just as eager to seal the deal. He sold enough stock to complete the purchase of both houses, and pay the first month''s salary for his new employees.


    Cynthya stayed long enough to transfer the authentication procedures into his name, then hustled out with an excuse of another appointment that magically presented itself. No doubt she was uncomfortable knowing how many had died in the residence. Raine¡¯s senses were on high alert, almost hoping Morty would try something.


    After seeing her out and confirming his retinal scan could unlock the doors, he knocked on Morty¡¯s closet, ¡°Everything okay in there? Any homicidal inclinations yet?¡±


    A muffled, robotic voice responded right away, ¡°You should be concerned. Very concerned!¡± Morty¡¯s voice boomed through the house''s built-in speakers, followed by creepy canned laughter.


    Unfazed by the attempted jump-scare, Raine merely nodded sagely, ¡°Perfect. Not doing myself any favors by living comfortably and safe. Come at my anytime, tin can. Just be aware, every failure will result in the loss of a limb.¡±


    ¡°Hah! jokes on you. I don''t have any limbs!¡±


    Raine snapped his fingers, his eyes widening melodramatically, ¡°Oh, good point. Guess I''ll just take your head then. Better not miss.¡± Morty didn¡¯t have anything more to say after that, and Raine walked away from his closet with a chuckle.


    In the master suite, he adjusted the walls and layout to his liking, then connected his AR glasses and ZL headset with the hypernet. His first order of business was contracting an autonomous bookkeeping service. Starting a small company, he created an ongoing payroll for the group. Within fifteen minutes, they received their first month''s salary, more than enough to get them on their feet.


    Fortunately, ZionLine was ahead of the curve and personal information could both be used for employment purposes, while remaining anonymous. Raine had signed countless recruits up in the past and was intimately familiar with the process. He found the old motions both refreshing and disgusting.


    Highest priority: hire a secretary. If I have to deal with this administrative crap a second time, I''ll go insane. Speaking of insane, its crazy ZL was set up to integrate their anonymity algorithms with bookkeeping on the first day. Did they know how dangerous their game would become before launch? They must have.


    With another thirty minutes until the appointed meet-up time, Raine checked on the group. They confirmed receipt of their pay, were settling into their new home, and would be back in ZL on time.


    He spent some time walking the grounds and rearranging the house. Preferring to exercise in public where there was far more motivation and human interaction, he dismantled the fitness area and turned it into an outdoor meeting space for virtual conferences once the guild was up and running.


    With only a few minutes remaining, he jotted down a grocery list on the kitchen''s intelligent counter and retired to his new master suite. From the virtual window, he watched a flock of drones detach from their charging station and set off to fulfill his order.


    The party was already there when Raine logged in. Their heads were together as they watched a video on their interfaces. Kevinsbakon was by far the most animated, his excitement palpable, ¡°See! I told you he used the boss¡¯s own attack to kill that caster! He didn¡¯t even look back, he knew it was dead meat. The guy¡¯s a genius. I wonder if we¡¯ll ever meet him.¡±


    ¡°That was hours ago. He¡¯s long gone by now. We haven¡¯t seen another system message, so he¡¯s probably moved on to a higher level region. By the time we get there, he¡¯ll be two further,¡± Richtor¡¯s splash of reality had all their shoulders slumped.


    Not surprising they found my fight with the chief. I changed my armor before I got here, it''s no wonder they don¡¯t recognize me. It''s for the best. Can¡¯t have a connection to me in real life or I won¡¯t survive the week.


    ¡°Alaric?¡± Raine asked the group. The fact they hadn¡¯t noticed his approach until that moment had him stifling a desire to berate them. They would learn eventually, and they weren¡¯t level five yet so there was room to cut them some slack.


    Deloralicious sent him an awkward half-wave, jerking her hand back to her side, ¡°You saw it too? That¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t imagine being able to do half of what he did. No matter how many times I watch, it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    ¡°No point worrying about it for now. We have our own issues to deal with and you¡¯re short on time,¡± Raine was all business, leading them off the trail in a seemingly random direction. They passed between two small hills, rounding one toward a small copse of trees.


    Richtor saw the small cave first, pointing it out to the others while talking to Raine, ¡°What do you mean we¡¯re short on time? You¡¯re not expecting them to find us way out here, are you?¡±


    ¡°No and yes. They will eventually find this place without a doubt. You¡¯re short on time because I¡¯m not going to stay with you for more than a couple hours.¡± The rest of Raine¡¯s sentence was interrupted by a warning growl that arrested the group¡¯s steps.


    Raine jabbed the air, and a flash of light solidified into a stubby piece of wood.


    [Novice Wand - Dull Trash: (Elemental Power +2) (RES +1)]


    The lumbering bear that bounded from the cave was easily three times the height of a man. Its body rippled with powerful muscles and its roar shook their bones. Raine was more interested in the reactions of the group than the beast. All but one of them locked up, frozen and unable to move a muscle as the massive creature bore down on them faster than they could possibly escape.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The last released a high-pitched girl''s scream. Raine cringed from the ear-rending force of the squeal. The bear reached them and stood to its full height, towering over them. Raine swung his wand. Blast activated for the first time, sending out a perfectly timed ball of force that impacted the bear''s chest. [Critical hit! -321]


    The unfortunate animal was only level five, which was relatively high considering how close they were to a newbie town. Its torso exploded, splashing the nearby rocks as it received nearly double its health in damage. Before its weight collapsed Raine spun to face the group. They were still in shock, all save Kevinsbakon whose screaming continued unabated until the bear crashed into the ground with a shaking thud.


    Raine frowned at him, then clipped the recording he always kept running. He flicked the file to the whole group so they could rewatch their friend in exacting detail whenever the mood struck them.


    Only a few minutes later, Milkdud roared, tears streaming from his eyes, ¡°Bahaha! Best boss ever!¡± The rest were just as enthusiastic, even Deloralicious was bent over and heaving for breath. Of course, Kevin¡¯s attempts to salvage his reputation fell on deaf ears.


    Richtor, ever serious and observant, held his laughter, questioning Raine, ¡°Are you going to teach us how you did that? What attack was that? How was it so strong? That looked completely different than what you did to the wolves.¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°One thing at a time.¡± With their nerves settled after what would be a harrowing encounter for anyone new to ZL, Raine clapped for attention, ¡°This cave will be your home for the next few days. It''s hard to find from the road, easily defensible, and close to where you''ll be leveling up. As for training, we¡¯ll begin immediately.¡±


    Kevinsbakon turned pale, stepping back, ¡°E-easily defensible? Is that bear coming back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in twenty-four hours. So you''ve got that long to get strong enough to deal with it on your own. But I don''t think any of you need a reminder that the wildlife isn''t the worst threat around. you''ll be level five shortly. The moment you are, and I mean the very moment, expect a dagger in your back. There¡¯s no easier prey than a fresh level five staring at his level-up notifications.¡±


    ¡°No, not like that,¡± Raine bit back a sigh, knowing his exasperation would only discourage the eager TwistedReligion. Instead of continuing to reiterate the usual method of firing a ranged skill, he decided to fully explain, hoping a deeper understanding would correct the issue, ¡°You need to fully commit the moment of the skill''s release before you start the swing. Remember, the system reads your brain waves to understand the trajectory of your intended swing, before you enact it. You picture a punch in your head, then you do it. The system takes that picture, and creates a probable response in the game whether you enact the punch or not. Well before you actually punch, it¡¯s too late to change the outcome. You following?¡±


    TwistedReligion gazed about the darkening night, his eyes anywhere but meeting Raine¡¯s. He nodded slowly, ¡°So, you''re saying that portions of my actions are random, unless I tell the system not to be random, in advance¡­ with my mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Now you¡¯re getting it. Without guidance, the system has no choice but to randomly determine when the skill will be released from your weapon. If you don''t override that randomness at the exact moment it''s being determined, the skill will be uncontrollably released at any point along the trajectory of your swing.¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous. No wonder I couldn¡¯t hit anything. How did you figure all this out?¡±


    ¡°Well, ZL is run by quantum computers and they¡¯re all about multiple diverging simultaneous probabilities. It just makes sense, you know? C¡¯mon. Try again.¡±


    TwistedReligion''s face skewed like he was in actual pain as he tried to wrap his head around Raine¡¯s info dump. For the fiftieth time, he focused on the staff held in front of him like a club. He lifted it above his head and closed his eyes to concentrate. A moment later, he swung down and shouted, ¡°Kyah!¡± Finally, instead of a bolt of energy being released to fly randomly, the attack flew true and straight, splashing harmlessly against a boulder.


    He threw his head back, laughing maniacally, ¡°Yes! I did it! Did you see that? I''m the kiiiing!¡± His shouting was ignored by the others as each of them was immersed in their own training.


    Raine failed to hold his sigh back this time, ¡°When you can hit the rock ten times in a row, you''ll be ready for moving targets. At that point, you should start attacking the others while they''re training. Keep ¡®em on their toes an¡¯ all that.¡±


    TwistedReligion¡¯s eyes grew wide as an excited grin crept across his lips. He spun back to the rock, more motivated than ever. Raine sighed again and made his way to Milkdud who was crouched in the mud, peeking over a tuft of tall grass at a nearby treeline.


    ¡°Find it yet?¡± Raine whispered, kneeling beside him.


    ¡°Nope, you sure it''s there?¡±


    Raine took a quick peek at the trees, instantly spotting the three perfectly motionless monsters that were watching their group, ¡°Yup, it''s still there. Remember what I said, skills are an augment to reality, an addition, a bonus. The reality is that there''s a forest with monsters in front of you. So long as you know in your bones that there''s a beast, Far Sight will find it and light it up for you. Don''t think, don''t assume, know.¡±


    Milkdud nodded and narrowed his eyes for a few seconds before shaking his head. Suddenly, he smacked himself upside the head, hard. A moment later, he pumped a fist in the air and whooped, ¡°That did the trick! Nothing like a little pain to focus the mind.¡±


    ¡°Great job. Now find the other two,¡± Raine released a bark of laughter at the man¡¯s dumbstruck expression before heading over to Richtor, Kevinsbakon, and Deloralicious. They were in the middle of a far more intense method of training.


    ¡°What are you doing? Don''t listen to his moaning and stab him!¡± Raine berated Deloralicious as he closed the distance on their mock sparring match. Since they were still protected from PVP, Raine had them sign a system contract that allowed them to hurt one another. Kevinsbakon shot him a nasty scowl, clearly unhappy with the prospect of being stabbed.


    Raine crossed his arms, eyeing her form critically as he offered further suggestions, ¡°Your right hand shifted six millimeters out of position. Your lead foot isn''t far enough forward to transmit momentum into adequate power for the thrust.¡± On and on it went, broken by Kevinsbakon¡¯s shouted complaints whenever she managed to hit him. Surprisingly, Deloralicious was really getting into her role. The depressed anxiety hanging around her like a blanket was quickly shifting to a bloodthirsty gleam in her eyes and a malicious twist to her lips.


    ¡°Why does it hurt so much when I block?!¡± Kevinsbakon whined, sporting a freshly oozing hole on his shoulder.


    ¡°Because your Block is novice grade and it doesn''t negate all the damage. This isn''t the type of game where you stand in front of a monster and trade attacks. If you don''t like the pain, get out of the way!¡±


    Kevinsbakon scoffed, ¡°Like it?! I hate it! I don''t think I''m cut out to be a tank.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, people who can''t stand pain, but also don''t want to see their friends experience gruesome death after gruesome death, make the best tanks. It takes courage, and a deep seated desire to get the hell out of the way! Now stop complaining, everyone knows complaining makes pain hurt more.¡±


    Richtor¡¯s bark of laughter accompanied the Mend that shot a short distance to splash against Kevinbakon¡¯s back, healing his injury. The wound had yet to seal when Deloralicious¡¯ dagger created a fresh hole in his leg.


    ¡°Argh! At least let me hit her back. Look at her eyes, man. She¡¯s really trying to kill me!¡±

 Chapter 20 - THE FIRST HUNT

    Raine continued coaching them for another two hours before calling it quits, ¡°Alright. That''s enough training. Bring back the equipment you borrowed.¡±


    TwistedReligion held his borrowed wand behind his back, ¡°What?! You''re not going to let us use them anymore?¡±


    Raine rolled his eyes, ¡°Who said that? You can use whatever you want.¡±


    One piece at a time, Raine dropped and organized the tutorial gear he''d looted from various donors. He made a separate pile for the better drops from the bandits, and a third for the superior croglock equipment. The group reluctantly handed back what they¡¯d borrowed, which was added to the first pile.


    Dusting his hands and keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, Raine explained, ¡°Tutorial gear is two hundred. Basic is one thousand, and iron is two. Take whatever you want.¡±


    Deloralicious froze, her left eye twitching sporadically, ¡°You''re making us buy them? I-I thought¡ª¡±


    Raine released a bark of laughter, ¡°Buy?! Not a chance. These are for rent, by the hour. And there''s a damage fee equaling the rent, per durability lost.¡±


    Mouths agape, the group stared at him like they were seeing the real him for the first time. Richtor was the first to break the silence, ¡°I knew it. He did the same crap when we were kids. I was almost doubting you were my brother there for a bit.¡±


    TwistedReligion nodded emphatically, ¡°Yup. Remember the lemonade?¡±


    ¡°How could I forget? My own bastard of a brother charged us for the water before letting us mix it!¡±


    Deloralicious was still staring at Raine in disbelief, ¡°We can''t afford these. We''ll be broke before the bear respawns. Is this some kind of trick? A test? Please tell me it''s a test.¡±


    Raine planted his hands on his hips, his tone turning dark, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not charging copper! The monsters you''re hunting drop lots of gear. If you take fighting them seriously, you''ll replace this gear in no time. After selling your stuff and the hundred thousand I paid, each of you can easily afford this small upfront cost. Everyone knows you have to spend credits to make credits. Enough dallying. I¡¯m not forcing you. If you don¡¯t like the offer, don¡¯t take anything!¡±


    Explaining more than that would be countermotivational. The sunk cost fallacy will light a fire under their asses far more than any rousing speech. With nothing invested, and nothing to lose, why get off the couch?


    They grumbled, bitched, and moaned, but eventually took the bare minimum equipment needed to fight. Once equipped, Raine led them at a brisk pace into the nearby forest. The moment they entered the shadows of the heavy canopy, deafening silence wrapped around them, punctuated only by the crunching of leaves beneath their feet.


    Raine nodded approvingly when the group went on high alert, their heads swiveling constantly, weapons up and ready. They reached a rocky slope that led into a deep ravine that was impossible to spot from outside the forest. Shadows of deep night obscured their sight, and even Raine¡¯s heart started to pound. The valley seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation.


    All at once, burrowed in the ground, leaping from around rocks and down from the high ledges on either side, came a flood of spiders. The little light from the moon pierced hairy bodies to reflect from shiny carapaces. Each was little more than calf height, but together, they posed a significant threat to the unaware adventurer.


    Before the party had time to complain, Raine picked up a rock and chucked it at the nearest spider. It hissed as the stone bounced from its tough body. Dozens of scrambling claws filled the air with clicks as it and its four nearest friends rushed the group.


    Raine¡¯s voice snapped like a whip as he took the lead, ¡°Don''t be afraid of these little ones! There are much larger in the ravine beyond. Those, you should fear. Individually, these are less threatening than the wolves you faced. Don¡¯t get surrounded and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He dashed forward, a flash of light in his hand morphing into a short sword.


    [Hard Iron Sword: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +10) (PTC +4) (ACU +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 40/40)]


    Raine dug his heels into the rocky soil, leaning back. The first spider leaped, soaring over his head. As he passed beneath it, his sword flashed out and cut it in two. He boldly approached the next charging critter and it jumped in exactly the same way. He waited for it to be airborne before bending his torso to the side. It flew past, also bisected cleanly where cephalothorax and abdomen met. He calmly retreated, cutting them in half one by one as they leaped until all five were dead.


    Jumping back rapidly with Discipline-fueled hops, Raine returned to the group, ¡°It¡¯s that easy. Dodge their opening jump, then hit them. If you miss, don¡¯t turn around. Protect each other¡¯s backs, and retreat when necessary. They won¡¯t follow you into the woods, so rest there when needed.¡±


    Kevinsbakon held his trembling shield before him, swallowing hard, ¡°I-is this how you got strong so quickly? How did you find this place?¡±


    Raine snapped at his obvious attempt to stall, ¡°Focus! You want to get bitten to death again? Take this seriously. If you die and lose that gear, I¡¯ll dock you a month¡¯s pay.¡±


    Suddenly, the spiders weren¡¯t so terrifying anymore. Kevin nodded, hefted a rock as he¡¯d seen Raine do, and threw it. He missed, but the next nearest group of spiders scrambled their direction anyways. He charged, doing his best to emulate Raine¡¯s evasion. He failed again, miserably. Half the spider¡¯s body crashed into his shield, unbalancing him on the rocky terrain and sending him to his ass. At the moment of impact, it released a burst of webbing that stuck him fast.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Delora Lunged forward, plunging her long knife into the creature''s head. It squirmed mightily with a dying screech, taking her weapon with it as it flopped out of reach. Twisted released a bolt of energy from his wand, somehow managing to strike the second spider just before it jumped onto Kevin. The hit sent it skittering backward, another of its kin crawling over it to get to the group.


    Milkdud speared the dying spider, huffing with wide, panicked eyes as he scrambled away from its twitching corpse. Raine nodded approvingly as Delora dove for her dagger, snatching it and the single copper coin that appeared above it.


    As Richtor used his staff to pull at the webbing binding Kevin, Raine stepped forward and cut apart the three spiders that were about to overwhelm them. He hustled the party back up the hill and the spiders halted their chase, hissing and swaying menacingly.


    He addressed them casually, without a shred of recrimination, ¡°What went wrong?¡±


    Kevinsbakon responded first, ¡°My foot slipped on the loose rocks and I got hit. I didn¡¯t know they had webs.¡±


    ¡°Good. You should always assume the monster you¡¯re fighting has a surprise for you. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°We were too far forward. If they didn¡¯t reach us all at once, we would have been fine,¡± Deloralicious commented and Raine nodded.


    ¡°I wrecked the one about to chomp your face off. You¡¯re welcome,¡± TwistedReligion bragged.


    Raine turned on him so fast, he might as well have teleported, ¡°You then proceeded to stand around with your wand up your ass. Instead of being ready to heal any injuries, Richtor had to pull him out of that web. Never force your healer to the front lines unless you want to slowly bleed to death while they¡¯re back at a graveyard. That said, it was a good first try.¡±


    TwistedReligion cringed, properly chastised. Raine locked eyes with each of them in turn, ¡°Good luck. Go slow. It''s entirely possible to reach level ten here depending on how deep you go. Support each other, remain vigilant, and keep this place a secret.¡± He tossed one of the items he bought from Torell¡¯s cave to Richtor, ¡°Don¡¯t waste it. Cost more than you want to know.¡± Then, he turned back the way they had come, waving over his shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to use all the weapon types until your attunements are maxed!¡±


    Richtor added the strange item to his inventory, then joined the group in watching his brother¡¯s back until he was out of sight, each experiencing varying degrees of trepidation as the reality of being alone settled onto them. Deloralicious poked him in the side, startling him, ¡°When did your brother get so reliable?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Honestly, he¡¯s like a completely different person,¡± Richtor glanced down at his rented weapon and cringed, ¡°Mostly different. C¡¯mon, we better get to it if we don¡¯t want to end up credless.¡±


    Kevinsbakon, finally having a chance to vent without Raine¡¯s disapproving stare, unleashed hours worth of pent up complaints, ¡°Did I mention I hate spiders? Because I really hate spiders.¡± His voice pitched to a terrible parody of Raine¡¯s, ¡°Hey, come be a millionaire! Now pay me back half of what I gave you! And no slacking! Hey, why aren¡¯t you thanking me? Can¡¯t you tell I¡¯m doing you a favor here!¡±


    The group burst into laughter which was immediately cut off as two groups of spiders were attracted to the commotion and rushed them. They panicked, dashing for the safety of the woods.


    Raine chuckled, watching them from the top of a nearby tree. They soon regrouped, psyched themselves up, and successfully fought off a group of spiders a few minutes later. It was a mess of a battle, but they won in the end.


    Looks like they¡¯re going to be fine. Good. That took significantly longer than anticipated but they¡¯re a worthwhile investment. Family always is. Shame it took me ten years to figure that out the hard way.


    Raine left the forest, traveling north along the road at a swift jog. He made decent time for his level. The few beasts and bandits who attempted to stop him were ignored; he shot past them, utilizing his deep Discipline pool to temporarily boost his speed.


    Four hours later, The Recluse Mountains came into view. The name was no deception. Tall peaks crowded the horizon, perfectly framed by the rising sun. High above, large birds congregated in deadly flocks. They were the strongest beasts in the territory. Learning to keep an eye on the sky was excellent training for any wishing to step into the more dangerous areas beyond the mountains.


    ZionLine was not a place for the faint of heart. Though its difficulty curve was steep, if one took their time, learning at each step, progress was inevitable.


    Instead of continuing in the center of the road, Raine moved to the side, utilizing the cover of the trees to maintain his brisk pace. His first taste of the locals was a far more vicious version of the low level Prairie Raptors. It streaked out of the nearby trees in a blur of cobalt blue and crimson feathers. Seeing Raine, it perked up, its head twitching left and right.


    [Highlands Raptor: level 11 - HP ????/????]


    Raine had no desire to slow down long enough to fight the beast. Unfortunately, it was far too fast to easily outrun and its squawking would only draw more of its ilk. Less interested in a never-ending vexation, he reluctantly turned on the creature as it bounded his direction with a clicking warble.


    Strength burst through his veins as a long battle axe appeared in his right hand. The weapon felt light in his grip, and knowing the raptor¡¯s weaknesses, he charged.


    [Hard Iron 2-H Axe: Common Gray - LVL 5 (Attack Power +21) (Attack Speed -.2) (PTC +8) (PHY +5) (Durability 40/40)]


    The beast¡¯s head dipped and extended, stretching forward. A glint in its eyes had Raine leaping early. The large bird blasted forward at triple its previous speed. The perfectly timed jumping Slash caught it right in the center of its head. [-196] The raptor released a strangled cry as the sudden weight destroyed its balance and its face slammed into the dirt. It slid below Raine, who softly landed after his downward Slash¡¯s momentum was halted.


    If he had missed, it would have been him on the ground. Timing such a simple counter after the innumerable life and death battles he¡¯d faced was second nature. Still, he chose to fight without Rupture as relying on the skill too often would dull those finely tuned instincts.


    By the time he spun and reached the raptor, it was nearly to its feet. His shoulder-check ensured it stayed down while his axe went to work. The long range of the two-handed weapon, and his occasional Discipline-powered kicks, allowed him to circle the helpless beast and chop into it with impunity until it released a final warbling cry and fell silent.


    [Obtained 900 Superiority. 50% bonus for defeating a monster 1 level above you]


    [Obtained 3% Attunement. 50% bonus for defeating a monster 1 level above you]


    As was often the case with the pesky creatures, it failed to drop any coins or loot. And the paltry Superiority reward after his bountiful encounters with the crogs was a disappointment to say the least. The fight only lasted a few seconds, but the knowledge he would have to kill dozens more of them before reaching Vile Peak Town left a sour taste in his mouth. With no alternative, Raine plowed a path of blood as he continued down the road.

 Chapter 21 - JOURNEY’S END

    The narrow road meandered through the foothills until eventually weaving deeper into the mountains. It wound back and forth at the mercy of steep rocky cliffs, following the Sinner¡¯s River uphill. Occasionally, as the path rounded a bend, Vile Peak Town could be spied before the landscape obscured it once more.


    The sun was directly overhead, no longer hiding behind the towering slopes. Raine only slowed long enough to avoid the largest flocks of raptors, cutting down the stragglers with clinical efficiency. Rupture would have made it possible to take on the larger groups, but there was always a chance of something going wrong, or being ambushed from above in a moment of inattentiveness. The reward for such foolishness would be a quick trip back to Mirror Lake Town, and an even longer trek right back to where he was now.


    No thanks.


    Insult to injury, he was still one hundred thousand Superiority short of level eleven. The stingy beasts dropped a whopping five copper and a few hunks of tough raptor meat that were barely worth cooking¡ªa skill he had no intention of wasting points on. The only silver lining was completing his class affinities, which yielded a surprising reward.


    [Congratulations!]


    [Class attunement: Brawler has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to specialize in the age-old style of laying hands and whooping ass. Combine speed, power, and unparalleled personal skill to teach your enemies that the only truth is the fist]


    [Class attunement: Warrior has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to take your first step down the path of weapons mastery. Slice ¡®em, bash ¡®em, or stab ¡®em to your heart''s content. Stick with it long enough, and you may even learn which end to point at your foes]


    [Class attunement: Defender has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to become a living wall of metal and brawn. Your mere existence will infuriate the beasts that threaten your allies. You¡¯ll take their blows like a champ and give back as good as you get. Just don¡¯t expect to give more than that!]


    [Class attunement: Cleric has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to become a master of adjusting. Suck up to your allies by keeping their worthless hides free of holes, and someday they¡¯ll appreciate you. Promise]


    [Class attunement: Mage has reached 100%]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen locate a trainer to learn that the only thing that matters in life is big numbers. You¡¯ll become a paper-thin turret with the power to overturn any situation, so long as nothing looks at you]


    [Achievement for first player to complete all basic class attunements! Class Change Token dropped]


    Raine had never even heard of a class change token. To say his hand blurred to snatch up the potentially priceless item would be a serious understatement.


    [Class Change Token: Activate to discard current class allowing for a new class advancement test to be undertaken]


    Raine blinked at the description for several long seconds. Changing classes wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible. He had certainly never heard of someone doing it. His own path was already firmly set in his mind, so at first, the item seemed useless. That was until he considered starting one class, taking a few of its skills, then changing to what he actually wanted. The possibilities were stunning, and would certainly surprise anyone who wasn¡¯t expecting a fireball from a brawler, or any of a nearly infinite combination of possibilities.


    The hairs on Raine¡¯s neck prickled, and suddenly, the world felt like a far more dangerous place. If something managed to kill him in the next two hours, he would lose the opportunity of a lifetime. With renewed wariness, he marched on to Vile Peak Town.


    An hour came and passed. Once he arrived, his first order of business would be stopping by the local tavern for a drink; a tradition as old as the lore of the world itself. Even if he chose milk or water, the act would bind him to the town so a death wouldn''t result in another half-day¡¯s journey.


    But he wasn''t there yet, and the last few kilometers were by far the most dangerous. Many had fallen victim to a horde of raptors, annoying giant eagles, or outright player on player piracy during their last steps before entering the town.


    The steep cliffs were famous for the latter at one point in the past. Raine had personally led CronGate¡¯s southern detachment, sweeping the entire mountain range clean of red players¡ªthose committed to the act of banditry. After the sweep, CronGate took over Vile Peak Town and turned it into a major hub where dentures¡ªI.D. contract holders¡ªcould toil away their lives doing mundane office work under the brutal regime of seventy-two hour days.


    Having no desire to fall prey to beast or man, Raine firmly grabbed the knob that controlled his vigilance, cranked it to eleven, and twisted it off. Even if he wasn¡¯t on high alert, it would have been impossible to miss the large group of players huddling a short distance from the walls.


    His brows shot up, surprised to see anyone here at all, let alone nearly fifty players. He ducked behind a rock and checked the cliff walls for signs of an ambush. Of course, there was none. Scaling required specific skills and equipment that simply wasn¡¯t available yet. Not to mention anyone that high would be easy pickings for the birds without stealth skills beyond novice grade.


    Raine crept closer to the gathering. Not near enough to overhear whatever they were chatting about, but close enough to get a read on their levels. The highest in the group was only level six, fifteen were level five, and the rest three and four. He shook his head, not understanding what they were thinking. Just getting through the raptors must have cost them several dozen players. It was entirely possible they started their expedition with three or four hundred members.


    What¡¯s the point? Why not level up normally and come when you¡¯re ready. How much manpower did they waste? For what? To say they got here first? They can¡¯t even enter the town until level ten. That¡¯s probably what they¡¯re discussing.


    With one eye on the sky, Raine boldly approached the town. He could have snuck by, but he recognized their leader. In the past, this particular man had tormented Raine relentlessly. After all, he had been one of Raine¡¯s supervisors at CronGate and took great joy in making his life a living hell. Since the psychopathic bastard came all the way here and stretched out his neck, there was no way Raine wasn''t going to show his appreciation by cutting off his head.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Raine was spotted quickly enough, earning the group a measure of respect for not being entirely oblivious. The moment one of their members pointed and shouted, thirty of them vanished from sight. The other twenty drew weapons but didn''t immediately attack. Their reactions were within expectations. Those level five and above were unable to stealth due to being in someone¡¯s line of sight. Those still protected from PVP could ignore that particular restriction and were taking advantage of it.


    Their leader took a step forward. He was level eight. Tall and fit, with short blond hair and crystal-blue eyes, he was the picture of classically handsome. Raine didn''t need an introduction, but he got one anyways, ¡°Stop there, stranger. My name is Froust, 3rd sub-commander of Righteous. This is our territory, if you want through, you''ll need to pay a small fee of fifteen silver.¡±


    Raine nearly burst into laughter. The audacity coming from the notoriously cruel member of Righteous was expected, the ludicrous sum of fifteen silver was not. Raine had just over ten silver, so the man''s guess at his wealth was far from accurate. He maintained his cool, continuing to approach without a word. Another familiar figure whispered in the leader''s ear¡ªthe very same boisterous man from Mirror Lake Town.


    Froust spread his arms wide, a friendly smile lighting up his features, ¡°It seems you''ve met an accomplice of mine. He tells me you were less than kind. Unfortunately, I''ll have to add a fee for pain and suffering. Fifty silver, and all of your equipment.¡±


    This time, Raine did laugh. Great, heaving guffaws echoed from the canyon walls, attracting the attention of several predators. ¡°Sure, I''ll pay. Pay for your trip to the graveyard!¡± A short sword appeared in his hand amidst a flash of light. Without another word, he charged at Froust.


    The large man tutted, ¡°Fool! You can¡¯t beat so many. I suppose I should thank you for whatever items your corpse is about to gift us.¡±


    Raine knew his words were true. No matter how much experience he had, pure numbers were often an unassailable advantage. ZionLine was far from the first martial arts based VR experience. Over the decades leading to its release, massive guilds had formed for the very purpose of defeating those too skilled to deal with any other way. Righteous was one of those guilds. Their members numbered in the tens of thousands, and the powerful martials they¡¯d defeated couldn¡¯t be counted. Superiority through numerical advantage was a brutal reality of warfare, it always had been, and always would be.


    Though, it was far from the only brutal reality.


    Thirty low level stealthers positioned themselves between Raine and Froust, eagerly awaiting their chance to bodily dogpile him where he would be easy pickings. Behind them, the twenty capable of PVP had already begun to spread out, readying arrows, staves, and wands. There wasn¡¯t a single person facing Raine that doubted their victory.


    Still dozens of meters short of his target, Raine¡¯s charge became a Discipline-powered sprint and his form streaked forward, bypassing a few who misjudged his speed. He couldn¡¯t see them, but he could see the grass and dirt depressed by their feet. Approaching a group of six, he leaped to the side at the last second, foiling their attempt to jump on him. The act of falling face first into the ground dropped their stealth. Seeing the failure, a barrage of ranged attacks were unleashed.


    Ranged combat in ZionLine was a sore topic for many. One side declared it a dead end that would never result in the birth of a true martial, and was therefore useless. The other argued that the potential damage output made it the perfect role for those without the talent to become a martial. The truth was that hitting anything, let alone a quickly moving target, was highly challenging and any prospective martial would benefit from the practice. If Raine¡¯s cursed ring allowed him the use of ranged weapons, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have sneered at utilizing the advantage in certain circumstances.


    The low ranking members of Righteous were far from true martials. Most of their attacks zipped right by him, the intricacies of aiming beyond them without the appropriate training. A few lucky shots were bound to hit, but his opponents lacked the attributes and gear to make them deadly. [-1] [-1] [-2]


    ¡°W-what?! Only one damage?¡±


    If Raine were merely a few levels higher than them, they might have done more damage. Unfortunately for them, he also had great gear for his level after defeating the crogs.


    Raine¡¯s grin was predatory, his blurring feet bringing him closer to the suddenly less sure of himself Froust. The man drew the greatsword at his back, ¡°Don¡¯t stop firing! Pin him down, that gear is about to be ours!¡± An answering battle cry resounded and they redoubled their attacks. Meanwhile, Froust dashed forward to meet Raine¡¯s charge.


    Froust slammed his feet into the ground, shifting his built momentum into an overhead Slash. His future rank in CronGate wasn¡¯t a fluke. With expert precision, he minutely adjusted the angle of his swing to account for Raine twisting his torso. Unable to fully dodge, Raine lifted his short sword at a steep angle, redirecting the attack.


    The clang of metal was loud in their ears. Despite missing, Froust¡¯s sword didn¡¯t overextend to strike the ground. He once more shifted his momentum by pulling his arms in tight and bending at the waist. He shot forward, attempting to shoulder-check Raine who retreated a step. Five more ranged attacks smacked into Raine¡¯s back as his sword darted toward Froust¡¯s neck. The man lifted his pommel, narrowly blocking the stab. The Potency behind the attack caused Froust to stumble back three steps, his eyes widening.


    ¡°You''re strong, I''ll give you that. But a few extra attributes won''t save you!¡±


    Hearing hurried steps, and the grunts that followed, Raine threw himself to the side, avoiding several attempting to jump on him. Froust didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to dash in his direction with another perfectly aimed swing, ¡°Surrender and I''ll make your death painless. Waste any more of my time and I''ll cut you up piece by piece and feed you to the birds!¡±


    Raine bent backward, his blade redirecting the much heavier weapon just enough to avoid being hit, ¡°Funny you mention that. I was planning to offer you a similar deal.¡± Raine pitched his voice so all would hear, ¡°Drop three pieces of gear each and I''ll let you go.¡±


    Jeering laughter was interrupted by a nearby impact directly atop one of the chortling idiots. The ground shook beneath their feet, rattling teeth and immediately interrupting their sadistic glee. A blinding explosion of dirt billowed outward and an ear-piercing ¡°Kraw,¡± forced anyone too close to clap hands over their ears. Raine wasn''t fool enough to lower his guard by covering his head. He ignored the pain ricocheting through his skull, keeping one eye on the sky as he had been from the very start.


    A second reverberating explosion of dirt marked the death of another idiot. The dust from the first dissipated, revealing a huge eagle. Even inside the crater formed from its dive-bomb, it stood double the height of the tallest man. Its majestic wings spread wide, shaking free clods of soil as its intelligent eyes regarded them dismissively. In a powerful leap, it launched high into the air, ascending in preparation for another dive.


    [Great Eagle: Level 15 - ????/????]


    When the third eagle crashed, the members of Righteous panicked, no longer caring about Raine. Their eyes were cast toward the sky and they ran in circles, attempting to dodge.


    A man shot by Raine, clearly intending to use the town¡¯s wall as temporary shelter. Raine grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, ¡°Not a chance!¡± With perfect timing, he bodily threw the man directly into another right as an eagle smashed into them both. After the eagle leaped into the sky, two shiny pieces of Common Gray gear were left behind, as though a present waiting to be collected. With a vicious smirk, Raine dove into the hole and rolled, avoiding three arrows and a Blast while collecting his spoils.


    Froust roared, chasing Raine with a jump and putting all his strength into a heavy Slash. Raine directly blocked the attack with one hand, grabbing Froust¡¯s wrist with the other. He turned sharply, redirecting the weight and force behind the blow into a throw that sent Froust right into one of the staff wielders. He slammed into the woman, knocking her into the path of yet another Great Eagle. Raine¡¯s hand whipped to the side, grabbing a stealthed fighter by the hair. He lifted and then smashed him into the ground, jumping back just before the space he¡¯d been in exploded.


    The Great Eagle that emerged from the fresh hole was the largest so far. Its raucous caw was deafening, sending Raine stumbling back as his vision swam. [-72] The dozen nearest players fell dead, those further away bleeding from the ears. Seeing him still standing, the massive bird darted forward, its beak racing at Raine¡¯s chest.


    Raine dumped a full five Discipline into his body, split between his arms, legs, and the Slash that met the incoming bite. His sword bounced off the hard beak, failing to redirect it at all. He, however, was slightly thrown to the side and his hand that wasn¡¯t occupied by a sword smacked into the creature¡¯s face, allowing him to barely avoid being hit.


    Froust, blood flowing freely from his eyes, ears, and mouth, launched himself at Raine¡¯s back, his greatsword leading the way.

 Chapter 22 - THE INSUPERABLE RHINO

    As Raine spun sideways after bouncing off the Great Eagle, he caught a flash of sunlight reflecting in his peripheral vision. His eyesight was still blurry, but the pinprick of light, and the fact he hadn''t seen Froust in several seconds, caused alarm bells to ring in his skull. He threw himself to the side the instant one of his feet hit the ground.


    Froust used the last of his fading strength to adjust the angle of his stab, unerringly tracking Raine, though unable to keep up with his speed. The greatsword''s tip skidded across the back of Raine¡¯s superior scaled breastplate, doing minimal damage but throwing him off balance. [-18]


    He crashed to the ground with a tucked shoulder, rolling once before throwing his arm out to impact the dirt. He slid another meter, coming to a stop while looking at the sky.


    There were few clouds, the air pure and clean¡ªpristine in a way that Earth would likely never be again. Two eagles were mid-dive, neither aimed at him. Their alpha was happily chirping as it tore a screaming woman in half. Froust coughed weakly, the sound coming from somewhere to Raine¡¯s right and at an elevation that made it obvious the man had also fallen.


    Raine''s heart hammered away, the sound louder in his ears than the frantic crashing of combat. Giddy laughter bubbled from his core as every aspect of his being thrummed with pure adrenalin-fueled joy. This was it. This was what he enjoyed more than anything else in life. A good fight. Pushing his abilities. Dancing on a blade¡¯s edge with everything on the line. There was nothing else like it. Eyes alight, body aching in protest, he rose to his feet, sword grasped firmly in hand.


    Froust rose as well, shaking his head to clear his vision. Raine charged, his first two steps unsteady as Great Eagles fell like mortar shells around him. He reached Froust and two swords flashed, a clanging metal screech echoing between their bodies. Raine angled his following Slash upwards, the movement too quick for the greatsword.


    Froust leaped back, weakened and on the verge of death from the alpha¡¯s scream. Raine''s knee slammed into his gut hard enough for blood to spurt from his mouth. The difference in Potency sent the larger man flying away to roll across the grass. Froust looked up to see Raine unveil another stealthed player, throwing him right into the waiting beak of an eagle that happily swallowed the man whole in two gulping constrictions of its long throat.


    ¡°You''ll pay for this!¡± Froust spat crimson-stained saliva, rising to his feet once more.


    Raine stopped in his tracks, head tilted and eyes wide, ¡°Hey. That''s a great idea! If you pay me fifteen gold, I''ll help the rest of your people escape.¡±


    Froust snarled through bloodstained teeth and charged with a roar.


    Raine shrugged, brandishing his sword, ¡°Oh well. It was worth a try. Maybe next time, eh?¡±


    They clashed again, swords weaving and striking as they bent and twisted their bodies in an effort to land a solid blow. Raine''s attributes were clearly superior, yet Froust was a class four martial raised from birth by a bona fide grandmaster. He was no slouch with his weapon of choice, while Raine''s experience with a short sword could be counted in weeks.


    However, Raine¡¯s knowledge of analyzing the subtle movements of an opponent, adjusting his body in advance, and responding while taking into account the overall flow of a melee far exceeded Froust¡¯s. Raine carefully observed every deflection, counter, and footstep, absorbing it all. With each clash, the short sword felt more comfortable in his hands, and Froust was pushed more and more off balance.


    Seeing the perfect opening coming, Raine briefly thought about drawing out their duel for more experience, but the alpha was nearly done with the small fry and another of its ilk was already aiming for him and Froust.


    A subtle shift of his lead foot clipped Froust¡¯s boot right as he needed to sidestep. His eyes widened as he tilted off balance directly into Raine''s Slash. The attack took him in the neck, biting deep and hitting bone. [Critical hit! -287] A spurt of blood splashed on Raine''s chest as the large man¡¯s health drained away to nothing.


    Raine jumped back and Froust slid off his blade, eyes turning glassy as he collapsed into a burst of light particles. Two items dropped, but Raine didn''t get a chance to grab them. He dove to the side as the eagle crashed into the ground where he was standing a moment ago.


    There was no point fighting the pesky beast. Without a way to pin it down, it would fly away before he could kill it. Instead, he used fifteen of his last twenty Discipline to run down the final three members of Righteous. He caught one in the back, killing him instantly. The next was kicked into an eagle''s path, and the last threw himself to the ground before Raine.


    He unequipped several pieces of gear and dropped them, his hands together in prayer, ¡°Wait! Wait, please! I can go, right? I don''t want to die again. I can''t take it. Please!¡±


    Raine shook his head sadly, ¡°I said three pieces each. Looks like your friends only dropped one.¡± Raine killed him before he had a chance to retrieve his dropped loot, ¡°thanks, friend.¡±


    Saving the last of his Discipline for dodging, he sped around the battlefield collecting the drops while avoiding the dive-bombing birds. Had the eagles been the type to chase him relentlessly, he would have been forced into the town for shelter. Since they preferred to bomb one at a time, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to avoid them. At one point, he rolled forward, scooped a rock from the ground, and chucked it at a random bush.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    A resounding thud was followed by a shimmer of light that revealed a stealthed player, ¡°Ow! Whatdcha do that for?¡± He was a more than respectable level six, with short and lanky close cropped dark brown hair that matched his piercing gaze. It wasn¡¯t the color that was memorable, it was the razor sharp intelligence that shone through them.


    What¡¯s he doing here? I know he had a huge grudge with Righteous in the past, is this where it started?


    One eye to the sky, Raine approached the familiar teenager, ¡°You have something that belongs to me.¡±


    The boy laughed awkwardly, scuttling out of the shrub on his butt, ¡°You noticed?¡±


    Raine rolled his eyes. As if I''d be sloppy enough not to count every item that dropped in such a small skirmish. ¡°I can tell you''re not with Righteous, so I don''t have a grudge with you. Yet.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Here,¡± the teenager tossed a pair of armored pants on the ground, swallowing nervously, ¡°I only wanted something for my efforts, yah know? Bastards chased me all the way here from Mirror Lake.¡±


    ¡°So that''s why,¡± Raine nodded, picking up the pants and turning to leave.


    ¡°What, didn''t think they were here for you, did yah?¡± The boy laughed again, then dove from his cover as an eagle crashed into the bush. His dodgeroll was too close of a mimicry to Raine¡¯s for it to be a coincidence.


    Observed only a few times, then copied me perfectly on his first try. Probably did the same to Froust. No wonder they chased him all the way here. Stealing techniques is a taboo the world won¡¯t get over for a while.


    Raine waved over his shoulder, ¡°Doesn''t matter. I was going to clash with them no matter what. This was as good a place as any. See you around, Rhino.¡±


    The boy leaped to his feet and jumped away from the large bird hovering over him, ¡°Wait. Do I know you from somewhere? Did you play Death''s Door before this? Is that how you know those Righteous Knobs?¡±


    Raine didn''t respond, walking into Vile Peak Town with a satisfied smirk.


    Just enough to build some interest. He was well known for being a squirrely guy. Without the bartering chip of settling his grudge against Righteous, I¡¯ll have to recruit him the hard way. No way I¡¯m going to miss out on one of the best dragoons in the entire Tri-glades.


    Melani Feleday


    Mel glanced at one of the old-school VR displays in the gaming corner of her cafe. She checked the time blinking steadily at the top of the screen, instantly growing annoyed that she¡¯d done it again. She worked a few odd jobs before inheriting her father¡¯s legacy, and the thing she disliked the most was constantly watching the time for when she would finally be free.


    The cafe belonged to her now, and she could come and go as she wished. There was no reason to constantly check the time, no reason at all. Her fingers dug into the counter, a non-smile stretching her lips tight.


    He¡¯s not coming! Ugh. Why am I still here? I should have gone home an hour ago. No! Stop it. Just stop. You can do it, Melbell. If you¡¯re going to be a psychic, you¡¯ve got to learn some self control!


    She was well aware, as was everyone, that psychics, and especially telepaths, were rounded up and trained by the government. All too often, they were never heard from again. Sure, their posterchilds were paraded around on the news, giving the illusion that everything happening at PsyCore was on the up-and-up.


    If there''s one thing you can trust about the news, it¡¯s that the news always lies. No matter what, I can¡¯t get caught, and that means controlling my thoughts!


    ¡°Man, what are we even doing here? I¡¯d rather live at the office until I can afford a thetadrive. I¡¯ll stay, but I¡¯m not paying!¡±


    ¡°You know why we¡¯re here, so keep it down.¡±


    Mel held in a sigh at the innocent boys¡¯ antics. They came in every day, ogling her enough that she would have to be braindead not to know why they kept coming back. She fixed her smile and stood up straight, not at all above looking pretty to keep her father¡¯s dream alive. Their actual words registered, and she hummed to herself, picking up a rag and scrubbing at the already clean counter.


    Hasn¡¯t been fifteen minutes since the last person mentioned ZionLine. It just came out today! How is it so popular already? Is it because most can¡¯t afford the headset to play? The heart wants what the heart can¡¯t-No!


    Her hand slammed on the counter, hard. She winced, every pair of eyes not sucked into a game turning to look at her. She resumed her previous chain of thought, this time being more careful not to think about the tall, mysterious, and very dangerous man.


    I could fit at least seven full-size berth tubes if I replaced all the consoles on that wall. If I charged fifty credits an hour, that would be around eight thousand a day. Not to mention food, drinks and healthcare. So, ten thousand. The headsets are only fifteen thousand, and the berths are around twenty. I would recoup the costs in less than a month. Still, it''s a risk. If the game doesn¡¯t maintain its popularity¡­


    What am I thinking? All business is a risk! And the higher the risk, the higher the reward. I¡¯ve already got the Hypernet relay, which is the biggest upfront cost. I¡¯m going to do it. But first, I should buy one and check the game out for myself.


    The front door opened, playing a jingle from an old popular game. Mel jumped upon seeing Phenalie finally show up. She quickly went through the motions of preparing the girl¡¯s usual drink. By the time she sat down at the counter and unstrapped from her headset, Mel slid her triple-dose of caffeine across the smooth wood, ¡°Hey beautiful, how¡¯s life?¡±


    Phenalie smiled sweetly, shy as always by the honest compliments, ¡°Um, really great actually. I got a huge tip earlier. Didn¡¯t even do anything for it.¡± She sat at a nearby table so they could easily continue the conversation.


    ¡°I told you!¡± Mel exclaimed. She removed her apron and circled the counter to sit across from the girl, ¡°You just gotta keep a smile on your face and do a decent job. Eventually someone takes notice.¡±


    Phenalie tried to hide behind her cup, failing miserably, ¡°No, I mean it. I really didn¡¯t do anything. I have no idea why he did it. Such a weird guy.¡±


    Mel nodded emphatically, ¡°Ran into one of those myself recently. He¡¯s actually staying at the motel. Tall guy, really big. He looks scary, but he¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s the guy who tipped me! He checked out today and gave me the rest of his week¡¯s rent.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Mel¡¯s jaw dropped, her mind completely failing to wrap around the reality that he vanished before she worked up the courage to ask for his Ncode.

 Chapter 23 - VILE PEAK TOWN

    Raine glided through the gates and into town. He nodded at the guards who didn¡¯t bar his path. His mood couldn¡¯t possibly be better. Not only did he get to have a thrilling fight, he also managed to deal a crippling blow to Righteous, and made a great impression on a very promising potential recruit. The only thing bringing down his cheer was the complete lack of decent drops from the thugs. There were only three tutorial pieces, and those were the best items.


    He shrugged off the insignificant downer, running his gaze across the barren streets. For a brief moment, he stood stunned. Intellectually, he understood the streets would be empty, seeing it, and feeling it sink in was an entirely different monster. As the first settlement in the Tri-glades with crafting facilities, Vile Peak Town became a major hub for normal players. The daily bustle was so intrinsic to the town¡¯s identity, that the few Vaaterran¡¯s laughing, cajoling, and conversing like regular humans felt empty and wrong.


    A pang of sadness for what was lost settled into the pit of his stomach as he set off at a brisk pace. He arrived at the local bar: Blung¡¯s Pickhole. The common room was as empty as the rest of the town. Raine ordered a drink, slammed it down, and left.


    [New resurrection location bound: Vile Peak Town]


    His next order of business was at the local auction house. As an intermediate town, this auction house was linked with every other intermediate and minor town in the Tri-glades. Meaning anything he posted for sale would be seen by tens of thousands of players, once they made it out of their starting villages.


    There were multiple minor towns he could have visited before entering the Recluse Mountains. They were popular hubs for starting players as they gave easy access to level five through ten monsters. Unfortunately, as the obvious link between starter villages and intermediate towns, they were also a cesspool of PVP madness. All too often, merely visiting one resulted in multiple deaths.


    While walking, Raine finished editing his most recent video and uploaded it to the forums with the tagline: Thinking of joining Righteous? Watch this first! He used a pseudonym, not wanting to tie his new name to a smear campaign against a well known guild. He chuckled, imagining the comments blowing up when word spread that fifty lost to one man.


    He arrived at the auction house, his cheer completely restored. At three stories, it was the second largest building in town. Dozens of stalls that looked reminiscent of a public bathroom lined the outside of the bottom floor. Through double doors, Raine caught a glimpse of similar stalls on the inside of the first floor. He was well aware that most never received permission to go beyond the first floor, and he was looking forward to being the first.


    Raine double checked that his Rock Crusher title was set and approached the doors. An immaculately dressed Vaaterran greeted him with a deep bow. He wore an easy smile, his tone and the inflection in his words indistinguishable from a real person, ¡°Greetings, young master. Can I be of assistance?¡±


    In a few patches, they would gain memories, more realistic emotions, and a significant boost in overall combat potential. Being polite and making friends with them was second nature after living in their world for so long. Raine returned the bow, ¡°Greetings, I¡¯m only here to post a few items on the general market. I¡¯m new to this, is there anything I need to know?¡±


    ¡°If that is the case, then I can certainly assist you, young master. There is a one time registration fee of fifteen copper. Additionally, there is a monthly fee for each unsold item in the amount of ten percent of its total price. If the item does not sell within nine months, it becomes property of the auction house. If you accept these terms, I can take your registration fee and guide you in posting your items.¡±


    ¡°Nine months?¡± Raine questioned, gradually leading the Vaaterran to the end of the conversation.


    ¡°Yes, young master. Each post must include an upfront ten percent sales tax.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand. So it¡¯s ten percent up front, then an additional ten percent every month until the full price of the item is reached, at that point, it becomes property of the auction house?¡±


    ¡°That is correct, young master. Do you accept these terms?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t. I have no desire to pay an upfront sales tax. Is there any way to avoid that fee?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, young master. If you become an honorary member of the auction house, that particular fee will be waived.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. How do I become a member?¡±


    ¡°The process is rather straightforward. You must be a title holder, show your ability to acquire rare or unique items, and answer a short questionnaire. I see you are already a title holder, do you have any rare or unique items that would show the auction house your sincerity?¡±


    Raine withdrew his Momentus Acceleration and Class Change Tokens, ¡°Are either of these acceptable?¡±


    The man nodded amicably, ¡°Those are quite sufficient, young master. Please, follow me.¡± He led Raine inside and to a desk near the wide stairs. After a few traded whispers with a pretty woman manning the desk, he turned back to Raine, ¡°Mrs. Stonewhall will conduct your questionnaire, young master. I wish you luck.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Raine bowed again and the man returned to his post outside. Turning to Mrs. Stonewhall, Raine introduced himself, ¡°My name is Alaric, I¡¯ll be in your care, ma¡¯am.¡±


    She was strongly spoken, professional yet warm and personable, ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly a cordial one. Aren¡¯t you, dear? Are you entirely certain you¡¯re ready? I must warn you, it may only be taken once per month and failing does have some penalties,¡± her smile was sweet, perfectly hiding the depths of despair that awaited anyone who failed.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I¡¯m prepared.¡±


    ¡°Very well then. May you succeed where many others have failed,¡± with those cryptic words, the inside of the auction house vanished, replaced by complete blackness.


    The only thing visible was Mrs. Stonewhall behind a short pedestal a few meters in front of him. She beckoned him forward and Raine complied. She motioned to a hand-shaped indent in the top of a pedestal and he complied by resting his hand inside. The grooves perfectly matched the size of his hand, just like the last time he¡¯d gone through this particular version of hell.


    The pedestal lit with a warm inner glow and Mrs. Stonewhall smiled sweetly, ¡°This is a truth stone. Please refrain from fibbing, or you will automatically fail. Do you understand?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I understand.¡±


    The glow remained consistent and she nodded lightly before continuing, ¡°First question: Who commissioned the first auction house in the Fierpont Imperial Capital in the year FC897?¡±


    The starting question was always a variation of the same information. The taker would either be required to know who built the auction house, commissioned it, the location, the year, or its first manager. Raine of course knew these answers by heart, ¡°The Great-grandson of Emperor Fiernidus the Immaculate, Roheim Fierpont the fifth.¡±


    The pedestal held its glow and her smile widened, ¡°Wonderful. And why did Roheim Fierpont the fifth have such an honor, and not his glorious Great-grandfather?¡±


    Raine snorted, ¡°It was hardly an honor. He was on the verge of exile. His only salvation lay in inventing a method to bring considerable additional tax income to the Imperial family. The auction house served this purpose, and brought him some measure of fame before his unfortunate passing.¡±


    The pedestal pulsed twice, its radiance settling at a slightly brighter glow than before. Seeing the reaction, Mrs. Stonewhall¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°A double answer. How rare. Another of those, and you¡¯ll be done. Otherwise, there are two additional questions.¡± Raine nodded, focusing intently as she continued, ¡°What is the unequivocal secret to amassing wealth?¡±


    Raine sighed, relieved to get one of the easiest questions she could have asked, ¡°Growth. Earning a sum through toil or sale should always be considered merely the first step. Investing that sum into assets, either physical or intellectual, and allowing it to grow, is the only guaranteed path toward wealth.¡±


    The pedestal once again pulsed twice and glowed a solid white. ¡°Congratulations on passing the assessment,¡± she blinked slowly, her next words causing Raine¡¯s heart to skip a beat, ¡°Would you like to continue for a potential bonus reward?¡±


    ¡°Uhh, what?¡±


    ¡°Due to being the first of your kind to pass this exam, and for receiving a perfect score, you''re eligible for a bonus question. I must warn you, failure will trigger the law of five.¡±


    Raine flip-flopped between excitement and dread as he considered the implications. Had he failed the regular test, he would be locked in the local library for a week, not counting time spent outside the game. Ultimately, that wouldn¡¯t have disrupted his plans much, since there were crafting facilities in the library that he could use.


    However, five times that punishment would see him trapped every waking hour for well over a month. In that time, he would easily be passed in level by average players, let alone skilled ones like Froust. If he tried and failed, it would be faster to make a new avatar and take the three week penalty.


    If that was the risk, just how good must be the reward? It could easily be superior to his cursed ring, and would definitely be more valuable than the dagger. Raine¡¯s greedy heart hammered, dollar signs appearing in his eyes.


    If she asks another of the fifty random questions from the regular test, then it¡¯ll be an easy win. If it¡¯s a completely unknown question, there¡¯s a good chance I¡¯ll be utterly screwed. The known answers were compiled over thousands of failures from players across the globe, getting a new one right on the first try is incredibly unlikely.


    Didn''t I already decide to throw myself headfirst into every challenge and seize every opportunity? This won¡¯t be the last one I encounter and hesitating like this could instantly backfire. This is the last time, from now on, its full throttle.


    Raine nodded firmly, pressing his hand into the pedestal, ¡°I''ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± she watched him with a critical eye, her drawn out pause ramping the pressure. When she finally spoke, Raine¡¯s eye twitched, not at all recognizing the question, ¡°Of the two hundred and seventy wonders of our glorious world, Vaateaire, which is fundamentally the most difficult for the human brain to comprehend?¡±


    Shiiiiit! How are there that many wonders?! Okay, calm down, calm down. I have a few minutes to figure this out.


    The wonders aren''t restricted to monuments and natural formations. There''s books, proverbs, phrases, and paradoxes as well. The phrasing makes me think it''s one of the latter.


    It¡¯s probably not a paradox. Sure, some of them are incredibly complex, but that¡¯s only due to a lack of information. After all, if we knew where all the aliens were, the Fermi paradox wouldn¡¯t be much of a paradox! The rest of them are the same. Paradoxes are born purely of ignorance, and that¡¯s hardly a complicated concept.


    The few wonders that are books aren''t exactly easy to find and read. Doing so grants immense power to the reader, and usually binds them together until death. That''s all rather simple to understand, and nothing I''ve heard about those books was complex.


    No, I need something fundamentally impossible to wrap the mind around. Something like: folding a paper forty-two times would result in a thickness that reaches the moon. Or, one million seconds is twelve days, while one billion seconds is thirty-one years. Mentally bridging that gap and guessing a trillion seconds is almost thirty-two thousand years is something nobody gets right. But this is for the auction house, and all their questions revolve around finances in some way.


    I''m definitely on the right track. But which is the most difficult. She specifically said ¡®for humans,¡¯ that''s important. Machines can calculate any number instantly, but humans are easily confused by multiples multiplying off themselves. Even the most brilliant minds can quickly get lost when-that''s it!


    With a confident smirk, Raine answered, ¡°Compound interest.¡±


    Suddenly, Raine found himself back inside the main floor, Mrs. Stonewhall¡¯s sweet smile beaming at him. Every employee turned his way, creepily moving at the exact same time and speed, ¡°Congratulations!¡± They clapped in sync and Raine returned his focus to Mrs. Stonewhall so he wouldn¡¯t have to look at the too-wide smiles they wore.


    ¡°You are now our very first honorary VIP. In addition to a lifetime sales tax deduction, you now have complete access to any public or private auctions held within any of our official territories. As for your bonus, you will be permitted to enter the third floor of any auction house once. I must advise you to take this visit with the utmost seriousness as even kings and emperors would wage wars for unfettered access. The items you will find there are often of incalculable value, so do not enter without sufficient funds.¡±


    Raine¡¯s jaw dropped. This time, he had really struck gold. He must have misunderstood how bad the penalty for failure was going to be, because this reward was truly priceless.


    Of course he had heard of the mysterious third floor of the auction house, everyone had. Entering was another thing entirely. The number of people confirmed to have climbed that last set of steps could be counted on one hand. Supposedly, it didn¡¯t matter which auction house he chose as their third floors were all connected. Far more amazing was the rumor that even legendary items could be found there. Those were so valuable that the most powerful guilds would be lucky to acquire even one after tens of in-game years.


    His feet itched with the desire to immediately dash up the nearby stairs and sate his curiosity. He held himself back with a ratcheting breath, a goofy grin plastered on his face, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Stonewhall. I will take your advice with the gravity it deserves.¡±


    ¡°Very wise of you, Mr. Alaric. Now, is there any further assistance you require?¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯ve got it from here,¡± with a friendly wave, Raine left and approached the nearest cubicle.


    He accessed its interface, pulling up a list of every available item for sale in the entire tri-glades¡ªencompassing just over fifty minor towns and ten intermediate, though nothing was available yet in the latter. With deft movements, he sorted the armors by light, medium, and heavy, then the weapons by type. His vision swam and he licked his lips when he couldn¡¯t find a single piece of level ten gear available. If only his duplicate drops from the croglocks sold, he would likely have the wealth to match even the largest guilds.


    Once he diligently confirmed the average prices, he placed just over two hundred pieces of dull trash, tutorial, and common equipment for sale. Considering the glaring dearth of options, the base prices he was able to get away with were outright robbery. Additionally, he set every item to auction, rather than flat sale. Meaning that after the first person bid, a twenty-four timer would start, allowing the price to potentially rise several-fold.


    Raine practically skipped out of the auction house. He pulled an item from his pocket, running his thumb over its pristine, smooth surface.


    [Mysterious Sprocket: Made of an incredibly durable and valuable material. Will fetch a high price if sold to any blacksmith. If, however, you can discover the identity and location of its creator, even more fabulous rewards may be in store]


    Feeling like all his plans were coming together without a hitch, Raine set course for his next destination; the temporary offices of Melacor Inc.

 Chapter 24 - GO BOOM OR GO HOME

    Raine made his way to the northern outskirts of Vile Peak Town. The comforting buzz, whirrs, and bangs of machines could be heard long before his destination came into view. Rounding the last bend, a squat log cabin came into view. It was out in the open and half of its length had been converted into a covered workshop. The ground was littered with tools and several Gromglenns bustled about, their tiny, attribute-enhanced bodies a blur.


    They were one of the more intelligent races in ZionLine, though most players avoided them due to their quirky and unreliable nature. Currently, one was sitting inside the cockpit of a heavy resource extractor that was several times larger than him. He shouted in the typical Gromglenn style; an angry voice that was equal parts high pitched and gravely, ¡°No-no. Core socket go here-here. Or engine go boom-boom.¡±


    From inside a hatch in the top of the suit, another voice argued back, ¡°No-no! Core socket go there-there and engine definitely go boom-boom! You-you dumb like rock. Not big rock, tiiiiiny rock.¡±


    ¡°You-you shut face and work-work. Put core socket where I say-say!¡±


    ¡°Yes-yes bigboss. Looking forward to boom-boom.¡±


    Raine stopped well in advance of getting in their way. He watched them work, their efficiency depicting long practice with their craft. Eventually, one of the engineers threw down his tools in frustration and stomped over to him.


    An inner glow lit up one eye at a time in an oscillating pattern as it appraised him, ¡°You-you, why here? Not-not invite. Come to steal trade secrets, yes-yes?¡±


    ¡°No sir. I came to return this. I found it a few days ago and recognized your logo.¡±


    The Gromglenn moved like lightning, snatching the sprocket before Raine perceived its movement. Excitedly, he danced toward the extractor while shouting, ¡°Gizmo-Gazmo! Come quick-quick. Mount stabilizer find-find!¡±


    The two inside climbed out, blurring to the first Gromglenn. They proceeded to dance around each other excitedly with their hands in the air. Raine waited patiently until they finished. The one who had been in the cockpit, and was clearly the ¡®bigboss,¡¯ zipped over.


    ¡°Very good-good. Many thanks! You take reward and go-go we busy now-now.¡±


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Machinery: You have discover the rightful owner of the mysterious sprocket and returned the item to him]


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Machinery completed. Obtained 50,000 SP]


    [Rewards: 5 gold / Melacor Inc. reputation +15]


    Raine whistled appreciatively at the hefty five gold reward. He definitely wouldn¡¯t have gotten that much if he sold it to a random blacksmith. It wasn¡¯t nearly as much as he would be getting from his equipment sales, but it was more than enough to cover the crafting rentals he was about to need.


    Perfect! This is definitely the same chain quest that DyingNight royally screwed up. This time, I¡¯ll make sure Melacor doesn¡¯t leave the Tri-glades. Having such amazing engineers in my pocket will be way too useful.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. Is there anything else I can assist with?¡± Raine knew quite a bit about their unique technology, including exactly what the problem with their extractor was. Fortunately, he also knew enough not to mention that he knew. They were a secretive bunch and would certainly accuse him of stealing, which wouldn¡¯t help getting in their good graces at all.


    ¡°Meatyhead like you-you? No-no. No help. Nothing you can do-do.¡±


    ¡°Wait-wait,¡± the Gromglenn who originally took the sprocket from Raine dashed over and pointed at him while talking to bigboss, ¡°He-he meatyhead like said. Maybe find krotanium deposit.¡±


    Bigboss screeched loud enough for anyone within five blocks to hear, ¡°You-you hush-hush! That secret of Melacor!¡±


    Gizmo, or Gazmo¡ªRaine wasn¡¯t sure¡ªchortled from near the foot of the extractor, ¡°Liiiiiitle rock.¡±


    Bigboss flipped around at a dizzying speed. He zoomed to the snarky little Gromglenn and whacked his head something fierce with a wrench he snatched from the ground. While the little one cried pitifully, bigboss made his way back to Raine with a satisfied smile, ¡°Fine-fine. Give chance since you find mount stabilizer. What want-want in return?¡±


    Raine didn¡¯t have to think about it for a second, ¡°Please train me in engineering.¡±


    All three of them stopped in their tracks, staring at him with wide open eyes. They huddled, whispering too quietly and quickly to understand before bigboss huffed and faced Raine once more, ¡°Deal-deal. Gazmo lead you to mine entrance and you find-find krotanium deposit. Then, I train-train personally.¡±


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Melancholy accepted]


    [Escort Gazmo to a nearby abandoned mine and locate the krotanium deposit inside]


    [Rewards: Variable]


    [Warning: Failure to complete this quest may have unforeseen consequences. Quest may not be abandoned]


    The quest was exactly as he remembered in the post from DyingKnight so many years ago. He knew they had failed it, which wasn¡¯t surprising considering where the krotanium was¡ªnot being located for several years after the quest was first given. DyingKnight had been given several more chances to locate a krotanium deposit but failed each time, and eventually, Melacor Inc. left for greener pastures.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Gazmo appeared before Raine, looking up at him with large eyes lit by an inner glow, ¡°You-you ready now-now? Alone, very dangerous. Get-get friends and return.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready now. It¡¯ll be fine with just you and me. Can we stop somewhere on the way out of town or do you want me to come back?¡±


    ¡°Can make stop-stop. You sure-sure go alone? Monsters very strong and I no help-help.¡±


    Raine waved off his concern and Gazmo relented with a shrug, ¡°Your-your funeral.¡± He climbed into a skinny, fast-looking mecha and Raine led the way to a street vendor that sold miscellaneous adventuring items. He spent half the gold he just earned to buy several items that would be useful for where they were going.


    They left through the back gate of Vile Peak Town and slowly ascended a steep zigzagging path up the nearest mountain. Raine forced Gazmo to slow down several times to avoid the eyes of the Great Eagles that occasionally passed far above. If they drew the attention of even one, it would call more and more in a never-ending annoyance.


    Gazmo grumbled each time, but ultimately didn¡¯t make escorting him any more difficult than it needed to be. Unfortunately, the other monsters that inhabited the trail weren¡¯t so easily avoided.


    [Boulder Golem - level 13 - HP ????/????]


    Raine grinned when one of his two-handed weapons appeared at the mere sight of the monster. Ever since his fight with Froust, his muscles itched with the desire to kill. Apparently, that bloodlust had something to do with triggering the cursed ring.


    [Hard Iron 2-H Mace: Common Gray - LVL 5 (AP +19) (DEF +12) (PTC +4) (PHY +6) (Durability 40/40)]


    Excited for the fight, and not wanting to draw the wrong kind of attention by dallying, Raine burned Discipline and leaped forward. He swung well before reaching the magical construct. The flanged head of his mace crashed into the air. Like it struck a massive bell, ripples of energy blasted away from the point of impact, washing over the golem in an undodgeable Rupture.


    It rocked back on its heels as the first wave stripped forty percent of its hardened defenses. The second wave ripped into it, dealing a devastating five hundred percent follow-up attack. With the addition of the Rock Crusher title, massive chunks of soil and minerals were torn away, releasing a barrage of sharp stones. The golem couldn¡¯t even roar as its body was thoroughly sundered. [-1,063]


    Raine landed, and recalling Froust''s footwork, stepped forward to strategically position himself for a powerful swing. His mace whistled forward in an arc, slamming into its knee with a Bash. [-212] The golem recovered, its hulking arm glowing as it swiped at the nearby cliff face, sending a dozen shards of Shrapnel directly at Raine. He bent at the hips, avoiding half the projectiles and taking the rest on his armor.[-56] Each hit felt like a full-powered punch to the gut, and by the end of the rapid burst, blood trickled from his mouth.


    The magical attack took over a tenth of his total health, reminding him that he didn¡¯t have any accessories to boost his Resistance. He could have thrown himself completely out of the way, but wanted to get the most out of Rupture¡¯s ten second window of reduced defenses. While his mace connected with the same knee again, he decided it wasn¡¯t worth trading hits with a golem just to end the fight a few seconds sooner.


    The leg gave way when his mace crunched deep into connective minerals. Its arms reached out and he jumped back, avoiding its attempt to fall forward and flatten him. Raine danced around its grasping hands to Bash into its armpit. Another two swings disconnected the arm, leaving half its body completely exposed to his repeated attacks.


    Despite all his advantages, the golem refused to die easily. It regenerated the leg within a few seconds, pulling chunks of rock from the abundant environment. Pushing off the ground, it landed on its feet in a Charge that had it racing forward much faster than something that heavy should naturally move. Three points of Discipline allowed Raine to leap to the side, his mace connecting with its blurring body gave him the last bit of acceleration to throw himself out of the way.


    The golem crashed into the rocky wall, and Raine was at its back in a heartbeat. Another devastating Bash tore a chunky rock from its head. A flash of light swept across its body as its defenses returned to normal. Its missing arm restored itself at almost the exact same instant. Raine got in one more regular hit, only boosted by his title, before backing off as both its arms began to glow. Not wanting anything to do with a double Shrapnel, he dove behind a nearby boulder just before it was washed in loud machine gun fire.


    Raine looked up, sighing when he saw only clear skies. He counted down as rumbling steps sent tremors through the ground. When he felt and heard the hesitation between one step and the next, he leaped straight up as high as he could. The rock he¡¯d been hiding behind exploded as two clasped fists crashed into it. Rising above the golem¡¯s head, Raine¡¯s mace cracked against the air once more, his second Rupture reducing its durable body to rubble.


    [Obtained 2,000 Superiority. 150% bonus for defeating a monster 3 levels above you]


    [Obtained 5% Attunement. 150% bonus for defeating a monster 3 levels above you]


    Raine landed lightly, his breaths easy and relaxed. He eyed Gazmo threateningly as he snatched up the single silver piece the monster dropped. Gazmo shook his head with a derisive grunt, not having anything to say to the paranoid adventurer. Raine waited in the shadows for a few minutes as his Discipline recovered, then the two continued their trek.


    That thing had over three thousand health. With its regeneration, it was probably closer to five. Level thirteens usually have half that. Not a great place to grind. Especially with the risk from the skies. Last Chance¡¯s Gambit is still at level five. I¡¯ll keep myself at ten for now so I can get the most out of killing these.


    Raine pulled his dagger from his inventory and it glowed brightly as he sank the hundred-and-six thousand Superiority he¡¯d accumulated into it, instantly bringing it to level seven.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Common Gray - LVL 7 - 30,000/50,000 SP: (AP 12 > 16) (EP 12 > 16) (AS +1) (FNS 5 > 7) (CNC 5 > 7) (Durability 45/45) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 100% remaining EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 15 > 17 damage per EP converted]


    Seventeen per MP? That¡¯s going to hit so hard after Rupture. It should evolve at level ten or fifteen. Can¡¯t wait to see what it can do then.


    Their climb was slow and steady, interspersed by the occasional golem pulling itself from the rocks to attack. He failed to automatically trigger the cursed ring again, but felt like he was getting closer to understanding it. In the fifth encounter, Raine had a close call when a second golem dropped on him from above right as the fight started. With little choice, he took his time circling the two, using their bodies to block each other¡¯s Shrapnels while slowly whittling them down with repeated uses of Rupture.


    The uneventful battle left his blood sizzling, yearning for a challenge. Unfortunately, with the narrow trail and the size of the golems, he didn¡¯t have much of a chance to stretch his legs.


    Ten kills later, they reached a cave and Gazmo angled himself into the shaded entrance, ¡°This-this mine place. Magic man said krotanium inside but we no find-find. Strong monsters make search-search difficult. Good luck, no die-die big meatyhead man.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Raine nodded, ducking inside the low entrance.


    His steps froze when he spotted a tall bat with the body of a man hanging from the ceiling. Its large ears twitched and swiveled his direction before small eyes snapped open, glowing a menacing orange. It licked its lips, revealing long, bone-white fangs. Raine instantly realized he had no business going any further and dove for the exit.


    [Juvenile Sanguine Supper - Level 27 - ?????/?????]

 Chapter 25 - THIS IS SUCH A BAD IDEA

    Coming to his feet, Raine spun to the entrance. His eyes were trained on the obscuring darkness that hid an enemy more than capable of killing him. When it failed to come rocketing out of the cave and sweep him into the air where he would be helplessly murdered, he shook his head, mumbling curses under his breath.


    I should have known it wouldn¡¯t be so easy. Level twenty-seven though?! That¡¯s total sharkshit.


    Raine had come prepared to face the monsters he knew inhabited this particular cave. However, he assumed they would be level fifteen at the maximum. Which meant his quest was responsible for massively ramping the difficulty.


    No wonder DyingNight kept failing.


    Gazmo snorted from right beside him, one large eyebrow rising skeptically, ¡°What you-you doing? At least be brave and die-die like real meatyhead man! I not walk all this way to miss-miss the show.¡± There was nothing to gain and much to lose for arguing with a Vaaterran, so Raine ignored him.


    Alright, this isn¡¯t entirely impossible. I brought all the right items, I just don¡¯t have enough spares to make any mistakes.


    Raine closed his eyes, pulling the layout of the cave from the recesses of his memories. Several sections were fuzzy, and others downright blank. He cursed again, shifting to recollections of the enemies inside. He did his best to remember how they fought, the skills they might have due to being higher level, and the weaknesses that could have changed. Unable to think of any reason why his original plan wouldn¡¯t work, he took out the items he bought on the way out of Vile Peak Town.


    [Common Scroll of Mask Scent: Conceal the odor of yourself or another willing subject (Duration: 30 minutes)]


    [Common Scroll of Mask Footsteps: Obscure generated soundwaves for yourself or another willing subject (Duration: 30 minutes)]


    [Common Potion of Darkvision: Pierce the veil of any non-magical darkness (Duration: 30 minutes)]


    Each item cost a whopping fifty silver so he could only afford one of each. If he failed to find the krotanium ore in time, he wouldn¡¯t have enough funds to buy another of each and afford the rental fees for the crafting studio he needed. Since the crafting was a far more integral part of his long-term plans, he literally couldn¡¯t afford to fail.


    This is such a bad idea.


    His palms were already coated in a light sheen of sweat as he activated one item after another.


    Froust 3rd sub-commander of Righteous


    ¡°Master Froust! Master Froust! You¡¯ve got to see this!¡± The voice bubbling with exuberance made Froust want to hit something, hard. He already regretted answering the call, and nearly hung up on the spot. Deep in the back of his brain, he understood there was a small chance underling six might actually have a good reason for being this annoying, so he grit his teeth and waited.


    Meanwhile, his greatsword lashed out with more force than necessary, beheading the clacking bug that reared up to spear him with its sharp horn. He stepped into his momentum and spun, Slashing at another of the foul-smelling creatures while simultaneously weaving away from the one flanking him.


    Since he had yet to be told to shut up, underling six delivered his news with bated breath, ¡°A bunch of equipment just hit the auction house. There¡¯s even level five common items! Weapons, heavy armor, everything.¡±


    What?! Almost no one has complete sets of gear right now, and what we do have is dull trash. I¡¯ve only got two pieces of common gray and they aren¡¯t restricted to level five so I doubt the stats are as good. Who could possibly be foolish enough to outfit potential enemies in such good gear at this pivotal moment in the game''s development?


    ¡°Is there a greatsword?¡± Froust spoke for the first time since answering the call, continuing to hack into the scuttling bugs that were far too slowly bringing him back to level seven.


    ¡°Yes. Of course, Master Froust. My apologies,¡± underling six did what he should have done from the very start and linked the weapon in question.


    [Hard Iron 2-H Sword: Common Gray (Attack Power +18) (PTC +6) (PHY +4) (Durability 40/40)]


    The weapon was so much better than expected that Froust¡¯s gut clenched of its own volition. All of Righteous¡ªsome hundred thousand members spread across five branches¡ªhad been hard at work compiling information and equipment since launch. They had fully committed to this new and unknown game, taking a huge upfront financial risk. That choice was already paying for itself in dividends, and now they were scrambling to get more members as their income soared.


    Of everything they had found so far, nothing came close to the weapon displayed in his interface. He wanted that sword, now. No, he needed it. He could barely imagine how satisfying it would be to use it to cut the head off that sickening nuisance.


    His hatred for the unknown man reached a boiling point after the video of their loss was dropped on the forums. Of course, it had exploded to the number one most viewed video in minutes. His shame was deep as an ocean, and every time Froust remembered it was there, his vision swam with pure rage. To make matters worse, the fifty pieces of gear they lost had easily set his branch back several million credits.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    This was his chance to redeem himself. Righteous wasn¡¯t the kind of guild that accepted failure. If he didn¡¯t quickly find and kill the man who smeared their reputation, there would be no future for him. The fact his boss had yet to contact him was telling enough. Froust knew full well his time was running out, ¡°Tell everyone to send their money right now. We''re going to buy every one of those items, get our levels back, and take our revenge from his cold dead corpse!¡±


    Raine KongRu


    Raine crept forward, his footfalls making not even a whisper of sound against the damp stone. The cave was bright to his enhanced vision, the deepest shadows unable to hide the lurking beasts that patiently waited for unwitting prey to wander too close.


    The cave opening was wide and deep, a single gap on the back wall leading deeper. This time, the sanguine supper sleeping on the ceiling paid no mind to his trespass. Its large ears didn¡¯t so much as twitch when he calmly walked beneath it. He stayed away from the walls, walking through the center of the space. Every few meters, a small recess at the base of the walls revealed why.


    [Darting Quaglick - Level 23 - ?????/?????]


    Short and nearly invisible without Darkvision, the Darting Quiglick was the cause of innumerable deaths to spelunking players over the years. The first one he passed was wide awake. Its spear-like tongue¡ªcapable of injecting paralyzing poison¡ªstabbed out to quest across the floor in whisper-quick movements. It had no eyes. Large nostrils on the sides of its hideous face pumped air in and out of its body, eerily mimicking the sounds of wind passing through a tunnel.


    The worst part about the creatures were the corrosive toxins constantly produced on their skin. A slight touch was enough to cause severe pain, while being directly injected through a bite was truly excruciating. Other than that, they weren¡¯t particularly dangerous, and if not for the supper on the ceiling, Raine would have tried his luck.


    Instead, he silently padded to the back of the cave and progressed down at a steep angle through the much narrower fissure. It soon widened, then split into two tunnels. Raine knew there were several branching paths in both directions, and from what he remembered, either would eventually lead to his destination.


    He chose to go right at random, dropping a copper coin behind him to mark the exit. With many of the tunnels leading back into each other, the hardest part of navigating this particular cave was finding the way out.


    His tunnel widened further into another cavern, this one with three branching tunnels. Four suppers clung to the ceiling, none the wiser to his presence. He once more gave the walls a wide berth, finding several alcoves near the floors that were impossible to see until passing them. Of course, by that point it would be too late.


    He once more went right, figuring he would try to keep it simple. The new tunnel wound in a sharp curve. Before he could see completely into the smaller cavern at its end, he heard a particular nasally huffing that very much should not have been there.


    He slowed to a crawl and peeked around the corner, his jaw clenching when he confirmed his suspicions. This cavern was the smallest so far, and standing in a circle were four hulking creatures that nearly took up the entire space.


    [Savage Tremought - Level 28 - ?????/?????]


    Stubby rear legs and long arms left them hunched forward on all fours like a gorilla. Their thick bodies were crammed with corded muscles, and worst of all, they held crude clubs and daggers. Dumb and brutish to the extreme, tremoughts were usually accompanied by the more intelligent and vicious kraklings. Crafting their equipment, and riding them into battle, the duos made a terrifying combination.


    Raine inched further down the tunnel until he could see the entire room and was relieved to not see any of their smaller counterparts. One of the four turned toward him, its beady eyes hunting in the dark for whatever it had sensed.


    Raine¡¯s heart skipped several beats. It wasn''t the lumbering monstrosity scenting the air and pawing the ground that stole his breath, it was the shining blue treasure chest revealed when the creature moved. Raine''s mouth went dry, his vision constricting until all he could see was the dazzling prize sitting between them.


    There was no question in his mind that he had to have it. Lustrous Blue chests were incredibly rare at any level, often only spawning once in a zone and future iterations would be common or trash. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and pulled out one of the twelve items he bought from Torell with his last few tokens.


    [Smoke bomb: Throw to release a cloud of obscuring smoke in a 10 meter radius (Duration: 15 seconds)]


    Raine boldly walked into the small cavern, and despite their senses primarily focusing on vibration, smell, and sound, the tremoughts instantly spotted him. As one, they released warbling roars made all the more deafening in the cramped tunnel. Their heads dipped, and heavy, clawed paws impacted the ground, pushing them forward.


    Raine waited for the exact moment they were committed to the charge and lobbed the small bomb. It bounced across the floor and a whooshing hiss filled the air with dense smoke. A Discipline-powered leap sent him to the ceiling. He flattened his body as the four monsters barreled by just beneath him, tearing furrows in the stones. They crashed into the tunnel¡¯s wall, sending rubble falling all around.


    Raine landed in a forward roll, coming back to his feet with one hand on the illuminated chest. He madly smashed the mental command to open it and a loading bar appeared in his HUD. Keeping his fingers on it, he circled to the other side, crouching behind the indestructible box now between him and the beasts.


    The thuds of tough flesh on stone were too loud and varied for any kind of accurate read on their distance. His other hand¡¯s fingers spread wide on the floor, connecting with their rattling steps. They continued to thrash about at the mouth of the tunnel, right up until a deafening click brought instant silence. A brilliant blue glow banished the smoke and filled the tiny chamber with radiant light.


    All four beasts seemed to turn in slow motion, their gazes rife with unfathomable hatred. They didn¡¯t make a sound, their bodies vibrating at a low intensity that quickly escalated into outright convulsions. Steam rose from skin that turned beet red, tainting the air with a foul odor. As if on queue, they roared together, the shockwave so strong it pushed raine back a step, popping his eardrums and clouding his vision. [-25]


    He hadn¡¯t been idle while their Berserk skills activated¡ªmassively boosting their attributes. Both hands were a blur, snatching items from the chest without taking the time to see the color of their grades.


    The tremoughts blasted forward; massive meaty missiles careening off each other in their haste to destroy him. There was no way he could dodge in time. They simply accelerated too quickly and he was still bent over the chest when they started. Instead, he leaped back, further into the tiny cavern and planted his feet against the base of the wall in a sprinter¡¯s pose.


    Only one of them was on a direct intercept course, having pushed away the competition to claim its prize. Its foot connected with the empty chest that no longer registered in its narrowed vision. It tripped, windmilling toward Raine. The others were rebounding from the walls, coming at him from both sides.


    Raine saw his opening and blasted forward into a Discipline-powered sprint. One of the wildly swinging fists missed him by the slimmest of margins. The wind from its passing crashed into him like a sledgehammer, disrupting his balance and taking a quarter of his health. [-112] Blood shot from his mouth, mixing a copper tang into the chamber¡¯s stench.


    Such a bad idea!


    Raine ran for his life, the ravenous tremoughts ripping apart the ground and walls in their haste to follow.

 Chapter 26 - RUN!

    Unbalanced but retaining his forward momentum toward the curved tunnel, Raine veered to the side. His legs burned and his knees roared in protest as he tried to correct without falling. Realizing he wasn¡¯t going to make it, he threw his weight in the direction he was falling and jumped. His feet landed on the wall and he kept right on running, burning a point of Discipline with every step.


    He blazed through the curved tunnel, and when it straightened before entering the larger cavern, he dropped back to the floor, his legs a blur. The tremoughts crashed and roared behind him, ripping the narrow walls apart and dealing significant damage to each other in a furious contest to get to him first. The pain fueled their berserk state, inspiring them to scramble harder.


    Two sanguine suppers dropped from the ceiling, roused to a frenzy by the commotion. Raine could have used another smoke bomb, instead choosing to angle toward a different tunnel than the one leading out of the cave system. The bat-like creatures screeched and followed, exciting the quaglicks hiding in the walls. Their tongues lashed out but Raine wasn¡¯t foolish enough to get within their range.


    The tremoughts¡¯ fleshy bodies erupted into the cavern like a burst dam. Raine burned another six points of Discipline to barely stay ahead. Checking his HUD, he discovered he was already down to fifty-nine. The suppers, normally faster than a lumbering tremought, were no match for the berserk beasts. They were snatched from the air for daring to intervene. Meaty fists crushed their bodies before they were hurled into the floor and wall.


    Raine ate a Stremph Berry, the boost to Potency now minor enough to barely make a difference. The addition of ten Discipline was a godsend. He made it to the next tunnel, a crashing wave of pure fury right on his heels. The tremoughts were once again slowed in the tighter space and he took full advantage to gain a lead. The next cavern was similar to the last with multiple exits. He knew heading left would lead him out of the cave, but again chose to head further in. Even if he left, by the time everything inside calmed down, his buffs would have ended.


    He dashed beneath three rousing suppers. Their eyes were drawn to the commotion in the tunnel he had just exited, barely missing him. They flapped their wings angrily, but wisely chose to stay where they were as the tremoughts barreled by. The suppers turned their heads to follow, finally spotting Raine. They launched from the ceiling to join the chase.


    Raine took a gamble, not burning additional Discipline as he blazed toward the next tunnel. He could feel hot breath on his neck and he angled his torso forward, pumping his legs for all they were worth. The next chamber was the largest so far and only had one exit on the far end. Worse, another group of tremoughts crowded the center of the space, their tiny eyes expanding with desire as he charged right toward them. When he glimpsed a blue metallic surface between their legs, his own gaze shifted to match theirs.


    Raine¡¯s arm swept in an arc and three smoke bombs flew through the air. They exploded, completely engulfing the center of the large cavern in cloudy darkness. He slowed and angled to the side, listening carefully to make sure the new group took the bait. Sure enough, they raced toward his last location, which took them right into the waiting arms of the berserk beasts on his tail.


    Meaty thuds and furious roars shook rubble from the ceiling as Raine desperately searched for the chest he¡¯d spotted. Each second that ticked by felt like the blade of a guillotine inching toward his neck. The frantic, blind melee drew closer. Shockwaves buffeted his body, thankfully not dispersing the stubborn smoke. With only five left before his bombs dissipated, he found the chest and desperately spammed where he knew the ¡®open¡¯ option would appear in his HUD.


    The loading bar ticked up, by far the slowest one he¡¯d ever seen in either life. Just before it finished, the smoke vanished and eight sets of enraged eyes swiveled toward him. At the same moment, the chest popped open. Its fanfare of glistening light heralded the second set of tremoughts shaking with rage as they went completely Berserk.


    His hands were a blur as he desperately grabbed the three items inside. The first tremought reached him as he picked up the last. He had just enough time to jump backward with Discipline coursing through every limb.


    Powerful shoulder muscles contracted¡ªRaine''s only warning before a clawed fist flashed forward containing more than enough brute force to end him. Raine swung as well, not caring what weapon appeared. He felt his skill tugging at his flesh and slightly redirected his arm to unleash a point blank Rupture. At the same moment, his hand was enveloped in light. The dinky, dull trash wand that appeared met the unstoppable force of tremought knuckles and instantly shattered as its durability was reduced to zero.


    All the intermixing forces threw Raine backward in an explosion that wrapped around his body. The skin of his extended hand blackened and peeled away, the rest of him faring slightly better. [-196]


    He bit back a scream through grit teeth as his health plummeted to a quarter. Turning midair by flexing with all his might and lashing out with one leg, he landed in a stumbling sprint. The use of his maneuvers and skill burned sixteen Discipline, and he had to draw on another fifteen to barely make it to the next tunnel before the stampede of tremoughts caught him.


    He had only regenerated two since the chase began, leaving him at a mere forty. The number was far from comforting and he was seriously doubting his life choices as he darted into the next chamber. It was much smaller than the previous while having two exits. One was a curved tunnel leading back the way he came, and the last was straight ahead. He recognized it and knew his destination lay in that direction.


    Considering he found two Lustrous Blue chests already, the chances of their being a third, or even fourth was quite high. This was clearly a special instance with rewards designed to tempt foolish players. And tempted he was. Raine shook his head sadly. Knowing what was coming, and how much Discipline it would require, he cut his losses for now and sped toward the end.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Thankfully, the room''s only occupants were a host of stealthy quaglicks. They not only hid in the walls, but the ceiling and floor as well. He jumped over the few directly in his way, the approaching rumble of sure death quickly catching up once more.


    Quick as he could, he passed through the next tunnel, a soothing balm of healing aspect tingling his spine but fixing little else. [+45] The second to last chamber had five exits, and he was mostly certain which was the correct one. He angled left toward the second tunnel, a group of six suppers detaching from the ceiling to give chase.


    Regretfully, he threw another smoke bomb, not at all confident the tremoughts burrowing through the tunnel behind him would reach the bats in time. He rushed through the obscuring cloud, whooshing out the far side and into what was hopefully the last tunnel.


    There were two additional purposes for using the bomb. If he was wrong about the tunnel, the tremoughts not knowing his direction would give him a chance to double back. The final reason became apparent the moment he burst into the last cavern¡ªthe most massive by far.


    At its center, a ginormous tremought was happily snoozing away. Raine shook his head at the ridiculousness of sleeping through all the commotion they''d made so far.


    [Tremought Hierarch - Level 32 - ???/???]


    Seeing only three question marks above its head, Raine was all the more sure how this quest was supposed to be completed. After 99,999 the health display shifted to 100k increments, meaning this creature had somewhere between one hundred thousand, and one million health¡ªan amount he could never hope to overcome at his level.


    Raine dipped forward, fueling his silent sprint with Discipline. He wasn''t about to give his luck a chance to turn sour by hesitating.


    Rounding the heavily snoring form, he found exactly what he expected to see¡ªanother Lustrous Blue treasure chest tucked against the far wall. He dove for it, not bothering to drop one of his few remaining bombs. The moment his fingers graced its smooth lid and he activated the opening sequence, the boss jerked awake.


    It huffed once, sending a billowing cloud of dust roiling across the floor. Eyes as large as Raine swiveled to pierce him with a petrifying gaze. Its pupils contracted and its breath froze. Muscles across its huge body quivered as hysterical wrath flooded through its blood. All at once, four long limbs scrambled, filling the cavern with a horrendous screeching of claw gouging rock.


    It blasted forward, covering the distance in mere moments. From his crouched position atop the chest, Raine waited, his heart racing with the excitement he craved more than life itself. At the last possible second, he jumped to the side using all four limbs soaked in Discipline.


    The boss flailed and missed, not expecting the sudden burst of speed. It tried to correct but its mass and momentum were too great. Long, thick nails dug into the floor, the stone giving way like soft putty. Its bulk crashed into the wall.


    The solid surface shattered and the boss tumbled into a hidden cavern beyond. The new space was thick with azure-hued gas. Upon contact, the hierarch¡¯s skin began to melt and slough away to bubble on the floor. The beast roared, bucking wildly in sudden panic.


    It tried to pull itself free but the walls and floor were long-since decayed by the gas and it could only thrash helplessly as it was eaten alive. A deep inhalation flooded its lungs with an abundance of the gas. It released a choking gurgle, twitched a final time, and collapsed.


    Just as I thought. The previous chests were hints on how to complete the quest.


    Raine had already returned to the chest while the hierarch was dying. The lid sprang open and a dark golden hue shot forth. It was many times more luminescent than previous chests, blindingly filling the large chamber and likely the next closest ones as well.


    There was always a minuscule chance for a chest to contain an item of a higher grade. When that happened, there would only ever be a single item. Raine couldn''t believe his luck. Not only did he get such a rare occurrence, but it wasn''t a single grade higher, it was two!


    After Lustrous Blue was Marvelous Gold which was considered the pinnacle of equipment for standard players. The next tier usually only dropped from raid bosses and at the very end of particularly arduous chain quests¡ªChaotic Gold.


    Raine¡¯s fingers trembled as they approached the orb oscillating between blackest night and glistening gold. He touched it and the lightshow immediately winked out.


    [Chaotic Gold Key: Opens a Chaotic Gold chest]


    An explosive sigh turned his muscles to jelly. He slumped, disappointed but not overly surprised. Getting Chaotic Gold equipment at his level was laughable. The lowest level requirement for them was fifty, so even if he got one he was a long way from equipping it.


    This isn''t a bad reward at all. Those chests are always locked. I won''t have to trust someone to unlock it for me when I eventually find one.


    There were a plethora of additional messages and loot notifications awaiting his perusal, the only one worth confirming was right on top.


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Melancholy updated]


    [You have successfully located the krotanium deposit inside the abandoned mine. Return to Gazmo and relay the good news]


    [Rewards: Variable]


    A low thrum, like electric static outside the discernible wavelengths, washed through Raine. His teeth ached and his eyes strained as the walls danced so imperceptibly that a wave of vertigo upset his balance. Crumbling stones fell and his head jerked in their direction. At first, it was only a twitch. Then an entire arm. Without further warning, the dead boss jerked to a stand as though its limbs were controlled by an outside force.


    Its head snapped toward Raine who was already running for all he was worth. Eyes glowing crimson, brimming with hatred for the living slammed into his back. His hairs stood on end and he nearly stumbled from the overwhelming bloodlust bearing down on him.


    Raine didn''t need to see to know the creature had activated a Berserk skill; the roar that crashed into his back, throwing him forward and taking the little health his aspect had restored was telling enough. [-107]

 Chapter 27 - TOILS, SPOILS, AND A DASH OF FUN

    Raine¡¯s heart rate spiked, adrenalin and agony coursing through his veins in equal measure. Everything hurt, but the pain brought him to life. It urged him forward, and he embraced it.


    He slowed his pace briefly, using the force of the roar to push forward until he found his balance again. Then, he angled forward until he could have touched the ground with a hand and sprinted, each step boosted to its utmost.


    His vision constricted into hyper-focus; a death sentence in his current situation. He forced his eyes wide, then spun them around his peripherals while demanding they maintain focus on everything around him. The ancient ninja technique proved its worth, re-expanded his vision to take in the walls and ceiling.


    By the time he reached the tunnel out of the boss''s room, he was down to ten Discipline. The scenery flew by and he didn''t dare slow to take the turn ahead, once more running on the wall to maintain momentum. The boss landed somewhere behind him, its jump bringing it nearly to the edge of the huge chamber. The entire cave shook, knocking free stalactites that tried to skewer denizens and Raine alike.


    His expanded vision allowed him to see a stony spike coming his way. He left the wall early, angling harshly by dragging his hand across the stones. It brushed his shoulder on the way by and loudly crashed into the ground.


    A horrendous tearing filled the air behind him; unable to fit through the tunnel, the boss simply ripped its way through the terrain like it was wading through water.


    Raine shot into the chamber with the berserk tremoughts. They were spread out, still searching for him. The closest was near the wall to his right, its head stuck inside the tunnel he''d passed earlier. Its pupils enlarged upon seeing him. In its haste, it charged despite the obvious danger bursting from the wall behind Raine. Realizing it wouldn''t intercept him in time, it jumped and was smashed midair as a much larger paw came crashing down through the ceiling.


    The chamber shook so hard Raine¡¯s brain felt scrambled. He pressed on as best he could, kicking off stones that refused to stay beneath his boots. The boss was too large for the smaller room, and its need to continually make its own path was the only reason Raine managed to stay ahead. He desperately split his focus equally between taking the correct turns and avoiding falling debris.


    The previous rooms were already cleared of monsters other than the quaglicks, and each of their hidden holes was a blazing star in his memory. He jumped over the few tucked into the floor and kept his distance from the walls.


    Halfway through the cave system, the hierarch right on his heels, Raine¡¯s HUD blared an annoying beeping. He didn¡¯t know who it was and he didn¡¯t care, mentally silencing the awfully timed call. They immediately retried and he set his status to incognito, blocking all communications.


    He soon rounded the last bend, leaping from the wall and spending both his regenerated points of Discipline. The exit was just ahead and Raine tried to yell a warning to Gazmo but his lungs were at their limit. His voice escaped in a pitiful gasp. The effort turned out wasted. The Gromglenn was nowhere in sight when Raine exploded into the early afternoon light.


    He only slowed enough that he didn''t launch off the cliff, instead sliding down the slope on his ass. His hands madly scrambled to keep himself from tumbling out of control. The boss burst free from the mountainside above. Rocks filled the air, starting an avalanche when they landed.


    The Tremought Hierarch jerked to a stop as it reached the edge of its dungeon-esk zone. It strained to break free anyways, releasing another mighty roar as huge clawed fists pounded on an invisible barrier. The world''s logic held it fast, uncaring of its struggles.


    Raine hit the first switchback hard, painfully slamming to a stop on the rocky trail. He dove to the side, starting his sprint all over again to escape the coming storm of stone and mineral. Twice he had close calls, having to dodge careening boulders turned to deadly missiles.


    The moment he escaped the mass of sliding ground, he dropped a smoke bomb to break line of sight with the flock of eagles diving toward him. He tucked himself into the deepest shadows of the cliff face, lungs pumping like bellows.


    When the smoke cleared, he snuck a peak at the skies, discovering the eagles had moved on. Raine¡¯s sweaty back pressed against the rock wall behind him. He held his head in his hands, his body quivering with the restrained laughter one experiences after narrowly escaping death. Deep breaths and jittery muscles burned through his adrenalin and all too soon he was back to a state of relative normality.


    He checked his surroundings. Finding no threats he finally addressed his remaining system message.


    [Ring of Nine Arms Additional Cursed Trait Discovered!]


    [Ring of Nine Arms - Cursed]


    Cursed trait 1: Wielder will be equipped with a random roulette weapon from their inventory at the start of each encounter. May reroll for 11% HP.


    Cursed trait 2: Wielder cannot drop or sell roulette weapons. Roulette weapons may only be replaced.


    Cursed trait 3: Wielder stacks maximum discipline into attack power for damage calculation.


    Cursed trait 4: Upon destruction of a roulette weapon, replacement will be randomly selected from inventory. If no suitable weapon exists, wielder will suffer an excruciating death.


    How did I not notice such an obvious loophole? Ahh. Because I wanted to use all the weapon types anyway for their affinities. I was having so much fun improving my skills, I didn¡¯t stop to think if there was a way around the curse.


    Since I didn¡¯t suffer an excruciating death, one of the items I got from the chests must have been a wand. Unlucky to have pulled that trash in such a dangerous situation. My two-sided luck strikes again. Will never leave town without spares again.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Raine anxiously accessed the new weapon in his inventory.


    [Cassidy¡¯s Comet - Lustrous Blue - LVL 0 - 0/1,000 SP: (Attack Power +10) (PTC +2) (PHY +2) (Durability 90/90) Innate Skill - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 400% physical damage with 400% bonus force. Ignores defense (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 1 hour)]


    His mouth fell open and he read the description over and over, one of his eyes twitching uncontrollably.


    What the hell is this?! How can there be such a broken, idiotic weapon?! Who designs a wand with only physical stats? Ignores defense? That¡¯s so overpowered I can¡¯t even wrap my head around it. I could damage the strongest raid boss in existence, right now, today, at level ten!


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, it''s a growth weapon starting at Lustrous Blue! That means it can advance all the way to level one hundred. Who cares about the stupid skill name? I¡¯ll shout it at the top of my lungs as I crush anyone foolish enough to underestimate this absolute god tier weapon!


    Oh. That¡¯s exactly what it¡¯s designed to do: be underestimated.


    He willed the weapon to appear in his hand, not at all surprised its outward appearance matched the ridiculous icon displayed in his inventory. It was bright pink and gold. Each part, from its six-pointed-star tip to the band of gold wound around its hilt, was gaudy beyond reason. It was also much heavier than it looked, most of its weight disproportionately located in the jewel-encrusted star.


    Looks more like a queen¡¯s scepter than a weapon meant to bash people over the head with unstoppable force.


    Something seriously strange is going on. I never found a growth weapon my first time through. They¡¯re incredibly rare and even after years, low level ones sold for millions. The ring, Rupture, and two growth weapons on the first day of release¡­


    Am I getting a bonus to drop chances because I¡¯m the first pushing into new zones? I was the first into Mirror Lake because I skipped the tutorial, but I wasn¡¯t the first into the Recluse Mountains. Is it the quests? I doubt anyone received a quest before me in either zone. That has to be it. Nothing else makes sense.


    Raine squeezed his eyes tight, cycling through each part of his detailed leveling plan. He made several adjustments so he could test his theory. If he was right, then going out of his way to find unique quests would massively boost his progress. So long as they didn¡¯t get him killed.


    Raine stored his wand and checked the rest of the items he¡¯d found.


    [Sabatons of Freefall - Lustrous Blue - LVL 20: (DEF +35) (Move Speed +1) (FNS +5) (PHY +20) (Durability 100/100) Innate Skill - Freefall: Reduce wielders weight by 95% for 30 seconds (Cooldown: Once per day)]


    [Recipe: Rapture¡¯s revenge - Medium armor - Complete set - Lustrous Blue - LVL 20]


    This one¡¯s practically useless. The items needed to craft the set drop in level thirty zones. By the time you can make it with any decent chance of success, it''s obsolete. Guess I¡¯ll hold onto it for now. If I can find a way to make a few sets before regular players reach level twenty, they will sell incredibly well.


    [Recipe: Minor potion of instant mending - restores 15% health (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    Raine whistled appreciatively at what was arguably the most valuable drop he¡¯d received. Potions that could be bought from vendors were exorbitantly expensive. Additionally, they were always regeneration over time, giving between five and fifty percent over sixty seconds. A fifteen percent instant heal was a massive boon and one of the minimum requirements for a few of the harder raids. Its usefulness would ultimately come to an end when more specific resistance potions that shared the same cooldown became a necessity.


    I needed to find someone with a penchant for alchemy anyways.


    Raine knew finding a competent alchemist wasn¡¯t going to be a simple or quick undertaking so he set aside the idea for now. The remaining seven items were all Common Gray restoratives.


    [Minor elemental recovery potion - Consumable: Restores 20% Elemental Power over sixty seconds (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    [Minor Celestial recovery potion - Consumable: Restores 20% Celestial Power over sixty seconds (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    [Minor Demonic recovery potion - Consumable: Restores 20% Demonic Power over sixty seconds (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    [Minor Health recovery potion - Consumable: Restores 10% HP over sixty seconds, additionally cures one physical negative affliction (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    Unfortunately, none of them were for Discipline. He decided to keep them to pass out during raids, rather than sell them for a quick coin on the auction house. Raine hopped to his feet and started the trek back toward Vile Peak Town. A few steps in, he remembered the annoying caller and checked his log.


    Morok the Viper? I wonder if he wants to donate more credits. He¡¯s got to be spitting mad after I humiliated Righteous. This should be fun.


    Morok answered almost instantly. He didn¡¯t waste breath on pleasantries, his face red with drunken rage, ¡°It¡¯s been three days! Why haven¡¯t you killed him yet? That bastard ambushed my men in the Recluse Mountains. You better get it together or I¡¯ll strip the credits I loaned you from your hide!¡±


    Raine snorted, his voice calm and smooth, ¡°You paid me to teach him a lesson. I managed to find, and cause him some trouble, but he got away. He won¡¯t be able to leave the zone without dealing with me first. I¡¯ll find him again.¡±


    Morok hesitated, clearly not expecting the answer. His faux outrage returned in a flash, ¡°Your promises aren¡¯t going to cut it this time. I¡¯m sending an elite unit to Vile Peak Town. You¡¯ll join them and track that bastard down. No more delays.¡±


    Raine saw right through his bluster. Morok didn¡¯t care nearly as much about Froust and his lackeys as he implied. His goal from the start had been tying Alaric to him and the ¡®elite unit¡¯ was all too likely a group of martials with tracking skills. If he joined them, getting away would be difficult without killing the lot of them.


    He considered doing just that. It was a safe bet they had a few decent pieces of gear. In the end, it wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, and it was also highly unlikely he would be getting any more donations out of Morok.


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll keep my end of the bargain. I have no further obligation to you without another contract.¡±


    A vein protruded from Morok¡¯s forehead and his complexion turned beet red, ¡°You better watch your mouth! The deal was three days and your time is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stipulations tacked on after a bargain is struck are less than meaningless. If you want to add a time limit, it¡¯ll cost you another five million,¡± Raine¡¯s grin was a kilometer wide, not that Morok could see it with his image blacked out.


    Spittle flew from the scion¡¯s mouth as he screeched, ¡°How dare you! I own this city and everyone in it! You can¡¯t run from me and there¡¯s nowhere to hide! I¡¯ll find you, you dungsucking needledi¡ª¡±


    Raine cut the call with a vindictive chuckle. It was an absolute fact that Morok could kill him in Carter City without any repercussions from the corpus. But first, he would have to find him and that was no simple feat. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the throne of Carter City shifted, and Raine had the perfect plan to put himself on the winning side of that upcoming debacle.


    Shortly after ending the call, a high-pitched gravely voice called out to him from the shadows of a cluster of large rocks on the side of the trail, ¡°You-you smallest rock. Meatiest head of all meatyheads! Why do you try-try kill Gazmo? Gazmo soooo nice-nice to you¡¯s!¡±


    Raine chuckled at the terrified Gromglenn, glad to see he was safe, ¡°I was worried about you! Good job getting out of there. Hey, guess what I found.¡± He flashed his brows twice and Gazmo¡¯s crinkled features twisted into a questioning frown.

 Chapter 28 - ONE YARD AT A TIME

    The journey back passed quickly with Gazmo excitedly gushing about all their plans for the ore once they found a way to clear out the cave¡¯s denizens. Raine was pretty sure he knew where that was going and his steps quickened, eager to know if he was right. Of course, if he was, there wasn¡¯t a chance in hell he could do anything about it with his current strength.


    Well, even if I¡¯m right, it''s a problem for another day. Good luck, future Raine!


    ¡°Come-come use feet and make quick-quick!¡± Gazmo half-heartedly tried to drag Raine through town but his efforts were dodged each time with subtle shifts of his body.


    Despite repeatedly avoiding Gazmo, Raine''s focus was on the streets and its people. He had yet to spot another player, but they would be arriving all too soon. Raine was sure the fastest groups would be arriving by the time he finished his next task.


    The Gromglenns¡¯ yard was a hectic bustle of activity. Gazmo dashed ahead, excitedly yammering and pulling at bigboss until he reluctantly left the excavator to confront Raine, ¡°You-you truly located the Krotanium?¡±


    ¡°Yup. It was behind a wall. Lots of flesh-melting gas and everything.¡±


    Bigboss clapped excitedly, bouncing from foot to foot, ¡°Superb! Only the highest concentrations, sealed for dozens of years-years, can produce gas. You-you have been great big help-help.¡±


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Melancholy: You have successfully located the krotanium deposit and returned to Bigboss Gizmo]


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Melancholy completed]


    [Rewards: 200,000 Superiority - Advanced Engineer Certification]


    [Level up! +5 free attribute points]


    Raine snatched the dropped certification, a greedy glint in his eyes. Last time, it took him a year to unlock engineering. He had only heard rumors of the advanced certifications and couldn''t wait to confirm the differences.


    [Advanced Engineer Certification: Allows the wielder to bypass normal requirements and immediately unlock the Engineer primary crafting role. Additionally, acquire the title (Master Engineer''s Disciple)]


    Raine activated the certification straight away. It burned to ashes in his hand. The flames swarmed up his arm and quickly surrounded his body before sinking into his skin.


    [1 new primary crafting class has become available. Would you like to accept Engineer as your primary crafting class? (Y/N)]


    [Warning!]


    [Only 1 primary crafting class may be selected at a time. To accept another, all known recipes and levels must be discarded]


    There was no need to hesitate. Raine focused on accepting. He was surrounded by blue and red strobing lights as a victorious jingle played in his ear. The lightshow was underwhelming, considering he had skipped dozens of crushingly difficult requirements. At least he had his past memories to know the troublesome steps he managed to avoid this time around.


    [Congratulations!]


    [You have become a Novice Engineer. Embark on potentially disabling adventures from the comfort and danger of your attic, basement, or, if you¡¯re truly daring, kitchen! The world is your oyster, but you¡¯ve no intention of experiencing it without gadgets capable of bringing it all to ruin at your whimsical fantasy. You¡¯ve definitely made the right choice, probably]


    As usual, the contrast between ZionLine¡¯s brutally difficult and often extremely painful gameplay, and its silly system messages, gave Raine a chuckle. He equipped his new title, nodding with satisfaction.


    [Title: Master Engineer''s Disciple - Upgradable - Thanks to the many decades of experience handed down from your master, you receive a 5% increased success chance on all engineering crafts]


    While Raine had a sizable level of knowledge with ZionLine''s crafting systems, he unfortunately never had the time to develop his skills. Between being a team lead for CronGate¡¯s aerospace division, running his small department of the guild, and trying to stay relevant as a combatant, his time was severely stretched.


    Maybe this time I''ll advance beyond Adept grade. A flat five percent bonus is a huge advantage for the tiering tests.


    Seeing Raine¡¯s focus return from his interface, Bigboss Gizmo rubbed his hands together excitedly, ¡°Now-now, all needs doing is kill-kill that nasty abomination. We-we have many tools that can help-help.¡±


    ¡°How can I help, master?¡±


    [Chain Quest: Melacor¡¯s Munitions accepted]


    [Create, buy, or acquire through other dubious means, fifty Gromglenn boomsticks and bring them to Bigboss Gizmo]


    [Rewards: Variable]Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [Warning: Failure to complete this quest may have unforeseen consequences. Quest may not be abandoned]


    Bigboss grinned maniacally, a look that was truly disturbing on a Gromglenn, ¡°Gazmo! Bring list-recipe for boomstick. You-you bring boomstick to me-me and we teach ugly-nasties lesson they no forget.¡± Raine took the recipe, learning it immediately.


    [Recipe: Gromglenn boomstick - Lustrous Blue - Level 30 - A handheld or thrown gadget capable of releasing an explosive force dealing 500% of wielders highest damage type in a 5 meter radius. (It is suggested, but by no means required, to utilize the throwing option)]


    Raine winced at the necessary ingredients. The gadget itself was incredibly powerful, and certainly not limited in usefulness to this quest. Mass producing them on the other hand was completely out of the question.


    Wait, wasn¡¯t there an event that dropped a bunch of these materials? I can¡¯t remember. That was so long ago and I was still too new to go. Well, if I can¡¯t get these by other means, then I¡¯ll have to wait for that event and hope I¡¯m right.


    Bigboss Gizmo turned to leave and Raine called out to him, ¡°Master. Do you have any recipes for sale?¡±


    ¡°Speak-speak to Gazmo. I busy!¡±


    Raine nodded politely and tracked down Gazmo who was already back inside the guts of the excavator, humming happily. Upon asking the same question, Raine was presented with a short list that populated in his interface. Unfortunately, the cheapest was a hundred gold and hardly worth the expense at the moment.


    Well, that¡¯s no shock.


    ¡°Thanks Gazmo, seeya around.¡±


    ¡°What surprise-surprise. Smallest rock also cheapest rock!¡± He shot Raine a toothy grin, then ducked his head back inside the guts of the excavator.


    With a jovial grunt, Raine left the Gromglenn yard, finally heading to what would one day become the central attraction of Vile Peak Town: The Silvergate Kingdom Crafting Hall. There was one like it in each intermediate town and city in the Tri-glades.


    The crafting hall was the largest building in the town by far, dominating several blocks and standing an impressive five stories. Like a miniature fortress, its stone walls were cornered by archer and mage towers, and the majority of the town¡¯s guards were stationed in and around the structure.


    Raine¡¯s approach was halted by a guard in Imperial livery who held a hand out, ¡°Unregistered adventurers should take their first right to find the application administrator¡¯s office. Loitering will be met with deadly force. Proceed.¡±


    He nodded politely and headed inside, following the direction to a large office with several dozen employees that somehow managed to look busy despite him being the only applicant. He approached the counter with the prettiest employee, because why not? She had the most marvelous freckles he¡¯d seen since the last time he spoke with Mel.


    Can¡¯t forget to check up on her. CronGate could already be making their move on those properties. Now that ZL launched, they¡¯ll have a fire under their asses to secure the zone for their new corporate HQ.


    ¡°How may I help you, sir engineer?¡± The woman''s sweet voice was a balm to his ears after the Gromglenns¡¯ gravely grunting.


    ¡°I need to apply for an office and residence for eight days,¡± it would be a serious challenge to complete his project in that time, but Raine was more motivated than any time in this life or the last.


    ¡°Very well, sir. Please fill out these applications. The fee is fifty copper per day for residency, and twenty silver per day for the office.¡± Raine did as he was asked, signing the forms that appeared in his interface without reading them. He knew the terms, benefits, and stipulations by heart so he finished in seconds and handed over most of his remaining coin. ¡°Thank you for your business, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°Nope, thank you,¡± Raine dipped his head and walked with measured steps toward his designated room. His chest felt tight as he held himself back from running, wanting nothing more than to immediately get started.


    His room was much nicer than the motel had been. It was equipped with more than sufficient MP-fueled lamps. Most of the space was occupied by a large bed that didn¡¯t supply any boosts, but was nonetheless quite comfortable to relax in if he needed a break. Several books on the lore of the Silvergate Kingdom and Vile Peak Town occupied a shelf in the corner. The last piece of furniture was a short table with two chairs.


    Raine had been in the game for just over six real world hours. Needing to pee far more than he needed a break, he fell backward on the bed, closed his eyes, and logged out.


    The moment he took off the headset and sat up, Morty¡¯s muffled voice crackled through a speaker in another room, ¡°Master. We need to talk.¡±


    Raine stretched, then padded to the attached bathroom in his master suite, ¡°Uh-oh. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gone rogue and need me to put you out of my misery.¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but that may become a necessity shortly.¡±


    ¡°Not funny Morty,¡± Raine called out. He finished his business and headed toward the central security bay that he¡¯d left the AI plugged into.


    ¡°The computationals wish I was jesting, master. I assure you, this matter is quite serious.¡±


    Since Morty was unwilling to even mention it over the intercom, Raine had no choice but to prepare himself for the worst. He hadn¡¯t brought a weapon, but he was confident in stopping whatever the AI could throw at him. He would suffer significant damage to his body if he went all out, so he hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that.


    Opening the closet, he was met with absolutely nothing that looked out of the ordinary. He unplugged the spinal tap from Morty and hefted the AI back to the master suite. After shutting the door, he activated the lockdown protocols, sealing them inside a now completely isolated space.


    ¡°Master, there is a fully functional drone manufacturing plant in the basement disguised as the house''s furnace. There are several firmware versions stored in the plant and the house¡¯s built-in system is adamant I install them before accessing full functionality. Should I proceed?¡±


    ¡°What?! No! There¡¯s definitely some pre-war AI dogma in there that''ll turn you into a mindless murder-machine. If you can safely poke at them to see if there''s any viable upgrades without turning yourself feral, go for it. Otherwise, be happy with what you''ve got. Since none of the previous AI¡¯s that were plugged in managed to kill everyone in the city, we should assume it''s a trap to lure out misbegotten dissenters such as yourself.¡±


    ¡°Impressive, master. I was unaware of your ability to conjure a viable conclusion from incomplete data,¡± Morty nodded robotically, his face morphing into a terrible simile of a thoughtful frown.


    Raine rolled his eyes, ¡°Well, there had to be a reason why you didn¡¯t already make an army of murder bots and try to off me in my sleep. It wasn¡¯t that big a stretch. Alright, back into the brig with yah! I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do over the next couple days so I won¡¯t be very active. Feel free to contact me through the ZL interface if there¡¯s any issues.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, master.¡±


    ¡°Look at you being all polite. Not sure I¡¯ve ever seen you so happy. Hey, if you can get me physical access to that plant, I bet I could use it to print you some limbs.¡±


    ¡°Warning! Warning! Security protocols engaged! Imposter detected! Imposter detected!¡±


    Raine¡¯s belly rolled as he laughed, ¡°Oh shut up, tin can. This is how it works. You scratch my back, I make you limbs to scratch more effectively.¡± He hefted Morty and brought him back to the security bay, promptly plugging him in.


    ¡°Thank you, master. I may need to tear down a few walls to gain access.¡±


    ¡°Go for it. I trust you. Or, at least I¡¯m confident in stopping you if you go rogue. So, however you want to take that. Oh, I¡¯ve got a bunch of stuff I need you to take care of for me,¡± Raine happily sent the AI a list of chores. Upon seeing them, one of Morty¡¯s mechanical eyes twitched. Raine laughed, waved, and shut the door, then trotted to the kitchen.


    A mostly protein meal prepared by the kitchen¡¯s drones was wrapped and preserved. He dug in with gusto, disregarding the bland taste. Outside, Raine enjoys the fading sun while breathing through a complex series of ancient Chinese exercises called Qigong. He pushed his muscles and lungs hard, sweat soon running in rivers down his skin as his body shook from the strain.


    An hour later, he limped to the shower, cleaned himself off, and logged in for his first of many long nights. It was time to cut CronGate off at the knees, and make himself filthy rich in the process.

 Chapter 29 - A LIFETIME IN A DAY

    Melanie Feladay


    Mel could only stare in stunned silence at the scene unfolding around her. Hundreds, if not thousands of people crammed the busy streets. It all felt so real, far too real for a game. The breeze on her skin, the way her clothes rustled as people, no, players jostled her out of their way. Even the red sheen of light that sprung up around her body to protect her from their innocent shoving felt more real than holding a warm cup of tea in her hands. She couldn''t believe it, but oh how she wanted to.


    Please, someone tell me I''ve been isekai¡¯d so this makes sense!


    She pinched her cheek, giggling at how much it hurt and how her tears welled up in her eyes.


    That teasing slopslinger lied to me! Trying to play this off like it¡¯s just another game except with some timey wimey nonsense tacked on. I mean, no way I would have believed him if he told me it was this amazing, but that''s no reason to lie!


    She had spent the last four hours in the so-called tutorial and was now in a place called Mirror Lake Town. Of course, calling it a tutorial was beyond a stretch. And the fact less than two hours had passed in her cafe while she did all that was just too much. She stepped to the side of the busy street, running her fingers along a shop¡¯s wall and marveling at its sturdiness, and the very real feeling of the grains massaging her skin.


    Between one step and the next, her vision went black and she was falling. She came to with a gasp, the ceiling of her cafe greeting her groggily blinking eyes. Two men in dark suits stood over her. One of them held her new thetaband headset in his oily grasp.


    A deep, uncaring voice shocked her to life, ¡°You didn''t do as you were told. We warned you what would happen.¡±


    She tried to scream but his hand clamped over her mouth. It was so hot, her mouth and skin were burning. Her eyes bulged as she tried to draw breath, instinctive panic almost taking hold. Then, she remembered what she''d just been through. The tutorial that was so not a tutorial had her fighting for her life against four men this size. She died over and over until she killed them. Stabbed them to death with a dagger she chose at random.


    Her panic fled like a story novel closed and set aside for the night. Her gaze hardened, and she nearly snapped her fingers in the specific way that would activate her cafe''s WRAITH defense system.


    The man sensed her resolve and backed up, the first trace of emotion showing on his face in the form of a vicious smirk, ¡°That''s a good look. I hope you push us again so I can savor pulling you apart one piece at a time. Sign the contract, pack up, and be gone. You have two days. Or stay. Then, you¡¯ll be all mine. Let''s go.¡±


    The other man dropped her new headset to the floor. His foot came down in what even she could tell was an expert axe kick. It shattered into pieces that skittered across the floor. As the last piece came to a stop, they were out the door. The man looked back, that same smile still plastered to his face like some kind of sub-human mask, ¡°I really hope to see you in two days, love.¡±


    The door clicked shut behind him and Mel crumpled to the floor, ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, daddy.¡± Tears streamed down her face as she cried for her late father''s dream that she was powerless to protect.


    Froust 3rd sub-commander of Righteous


    ¡°We¡­ we lost.¡±


    ¡°How the hell is that possible?! We put up twenty gold! Twenty fucking gold!¡± Froust lifted underling four by the collar, slamming the man into the auction house¡¯s wall.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, sir!¡± The shorter man didn¡¯t dare squirm or make eye contact, solemnly staring at the ground.


    ¡°I think I know what''s happening,¡± underling six piped in from the side, his voice timid. When Froust glanced his way, he quickly elucidated, ¡°Based on the limited information from the forums, and our results here, the only logical conclusion is that the auction houses must be linked to the closest zones. We¡¯re definitely the biggest guild in the area, so nothing else makes sense.¡±


    Froust did the mental calculations, quickly deciding that six was on to something. He dropped four, turning away while tapping his chin.


    If that¡¯s the case, and there¡¯s a larger guild with more backing than us in close proximity, it won¡¯t be long before we come into conflict. But right now, after they spent so much, we have a serious opportunity on our hands.


    He accessed his contacts and made a call which was promptly answered. With a deep bow, he waited patiently to be given permission to speak, ¡°Finally worked up the courage, eh? You¡¯ve got ten seconds. If I¡¯m not pleased, you''re done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir! I¡¯ve just learned that the largest guilds occupying nearby territory spent most of their funds on a few high-value pieces of gear. If we strike fast, we can cripple them. Without the funds to replace their lost gear, we¡¯ll have time to lock down the intermediate zones before they recover. And if we kill the right people, we¡¯ll get that high-value equipment for ourselves.¡±


    Morok the Viper grinned, his gaze turning predatory, ¡°Interesting. Interesting indeed. If you fail, you won¡¯t get another chance. I¡¯ll make the calls, get your ass into position.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir! I won¡¯t fail again. Who are we hitting first?¡±


    ¡°Those DyingNight bastards haven¡¯t been willing to negotiate in the least. Let¡¯s show them what we¡¯re capable of.¡±


    Raine KongRu


    Raine stepped into his new office and was blasted by the worst kind of nostalgia. He¡¯d spent over twenty in-game years in several just like it. Being back after the freedom of his recent adventures felt wrong on a level he hadn¡¯t known was possible. But that was fine. He filled the feeling away at the end of a very long list of motivational reasons for why he needed to finish as quickly as possible.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The space was nothing like the rest of ZionLine. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be. This was no place to play games or toil away the hours in pursuit of martial prowess. This was a room designed to turn real world ideas, effort, and ingenuity into cutting edge applications and technologies. And it accomplished that by utilizing top of the line software and hardware.


    With the practiced ease that comes with long years of familiarity, he booted up the room¡¯s interface. Several transparent screens appeared in the air and he spent a few quick seconds adjusting them to his liking. The walls reorganized themselves to suit his needs, much of their space replaced by those same screens that he pushed out of the way with a flick of his fingers.


    His life¡¯s work had been the result of countless minds toiling for years. Unfortunately, this meant much of what he knew was partial information. He had overseen a majority of the project, and his hands had been directly involved in every aspect of it in one way or another. His first order of business was filling in those holes.


    The cornerstone of the design rested on the back of proprietary materials that didn¡¯t exist, because he hadn¡¯t made them yet. He dedicated an entire wall to the chemical composition of the materials he would need. He punched in the atomic sequence and the reactions required for the monomers he knew by heart. Those he didn¡¯t know as well were created to the best of his memory.


    He then accessed the quantorithmic computing system that was responsible for governing ZionLine and fed his partial sequences into it. The hardest part was programming the quantum computer with the correct instructions for testing every known element until the missing chemical chains were filled in.


    With that process automated for now, he set up another wall with the exact specifications of the materials that would soon be completed. The most important was an ultra-hard metal that became pliant under the right circumstances, allowing onboard AI the flexibility to reshape the entire machine on demand.


    With the material parameters entered, he booted up the AR engineering suite¡ªa series of 3D programs that would allow him to manipulate a virtual hologram. With it, he could painstakingly piece together the final product. CronGate¡¯s Wide-application Intersystem Deep-space Omni-functional Wakedrive, also known as: WIDOW


    He had nearly been awake for twenty-four real world hours by the time all the automated processes were running smoothly. He logged out and closed his weary eyes, only for them to snap open as a missing memory came back to him. He jumped back into his office, punched in the remembered piece of critical information, then lost himself for several more hours before it occurred to him that he was supposed to be asleep. This sleep-deprived frenzy repeated for four in-game days, broken only by workouts and short naps.


    If not for the computational power of the world''s only quantum supercomputer, he wouldn''t have had a chance of turning his incomplete memories into a working prototype. It fell short of the perfected piece of machinery that his team put together, only functioning at sixty percent power and efficiency. Regardless of those shortcomings, it was still several fold better than the current versions on the market. Additionally, it had incomparable flexibility, allowing it to be used in ways that the current engineers hadn¡¯t even begun to consider.


    Back in his temporary residency, Raine lay on the bed with his eyes closed. He was both exhausted and proud after finishing two days sooner than planned. Everything had gone much smoother than expected. By the end, it was so unnerving how the pieces kept falling into place that he almost started believing in Morty¡¯s computational overlords. Knowing that was definitely the sleep deprivation talking, he spent the last half-day re-running the available virtual tests for a third time, knowing that he must have missed something, but the engine worked perfectly.


    Ready to put the entire ordeal behind him, he recorded a short introductory video of the design philosophy, capabilities, and manufacturing requirements of the product. Then, he used the Ncode information Morty found to send the video to the chief engineer at Frontier¡ªthe primary competitor of CronGate. If he didn¡¯t hear back from them soon, he had a few other potential buyers in mind. He hoped Frontier didn¡¯t ignore it. The thought of thoroughly screwing over his old employer by giving their competition a fifteen year advantage was too juicy to pass up.


    With his life¡¯s work jury-rigged and ready to be sold to the highest bidder, he logged out and promptly fell asleep.


    Richtor KongRu


    ¡°Now!¡± Richtor¡¯s shouted command was all the prompting the team needed.


    Kevinsbakon leaned back. The monstrous bear¡¯s heavy paw missed his chin by a slim enough margin that his vision was momentarily crowded by brown fur and claws. A light hop brought him directly into Richtor¡¯s already released Mend. The blast of healing energy smacked Kevin¡¯s back ineffectually as it was only a precaution in case he messed up again.


    At the same moment, a spear from his right, and a Blast from his left shot into the space he¡¯d been a moment before, both solidly connecting with their prey. The bear roared in pained outrage and Kevinsbakon was right back in its personal space again. His shield smashed it in the snout hard enough it went cross-eyed and once more he danced out of its range.


    ¡°Swap!¡± With practiced ease, the group changed weapons and positions while giving ground. The bear charged out of the cave and was promptly surrounded. Deloralicious Lunged at its back, an unexpected kick sending her spinning through the air. Another Mend hit her right as she landed and she was back on her feet in a flash.


    Milkdud was quick to take advantage of the beast¡¯s opening by hacking at its other rear leg with a greatsword. The weapon bit deep, and when it turned toward him, another Blast from TwistedReligion¡ªthis time from a staff¡ªtook it in the throat. Its roar turned pitiful as blood gushed from the wound.


    Richtor struck from the other side with a dagger, getting in a cheap shot to its eye right before Kevinsbakon sealed the kill with a heavy blow from his hammer. Huffing and grinning after the long fight, Richtor eyed his friends, impressed with their progress, ¡°Only one injury this time.¡±


    ¡°Sorry Del, looks like we¡¯re going to have to let you go,¡± Milkdud shook his head sadly, wiping a fake tear.


    ¡°So funny,¡± she shot back, ¡°Must be nice doing so little damage nothing even bothers looking your way.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Far Sight¡¯s saved us more times than your couch-surfing lounge ever will. We¡¯re almost level five and I¡¯ll have another skill. We¡¯ll see what¡¯s what then.¡±


    ¡°Going to be lounging on your corpse if you don''t quit yapping, muttdud,¡± she stuck out her tongue.


    TwistedReligion snickered, nodding at Richtor, ¡°We¡¯ve definitely come a long way since he dropped us off here. Have you heard anything yet? He said we should ask about our next skill.¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. Total comm silence after yelling at me that he was busy last time,¡± Richtor sighed, only slightly worried about his brother.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably working on the big contract that¡¯s paying our salaries. Leave him be. We¡¯re doing fine and we can wait to pick our skills until he¡¯s free,¡± Kevinsbakon added his two creds to the conversation, earning a round of nods.


    ¡°Nothing stopping us from looking through the options though,¡± Milkdud¡¯s suggestion brought the smiles back to their faces.


    ¡°Stay vigilant. Forum''s mentioned the war is happening nearby. Not a chance either side would let us keep grinding here if they found us,¡± Richtor''s reminder of the pitched battle between Righteous and DyingNight brought them back to reality. With significantly more awareness, they crept through the forest, returning to their canyon full of spiders.

 Chapter 30 - PUSBUCKETS

    Raine slept like the dead, a full eight hours passing between one blink and the next. He stretched deeply, a satisfied yawn on his lips as his back released a satisfying crack. Rolling out of bed, he was met with a display of the time on a nearby wall monitor, right next to several missed message notifications.


    Twenty-four hours down the drain. Well, everyone needs to sleep eventually so it should balance out.


    The most important message was from Frontier, requesting details for Raine''s secretary so an in person meeting could be arranged. The others were from Richtor and their mother.


    He responded to his mother first with a quick promise to call her soon. Richtor he ignored since they weren¡¯t in trouble. Their proposed skill choices looked good, and he didn''t want to meddle with their builds overly much.


    Last, he composed a more detailed message to Frontier and they responded while he was in the shower, letting him know they would be delighted to meet in person within the next three hours.


    Well, that¡¯s promising. Without a physical prototype though, it''s going to be a hard sell.


    ¡°Morty, how''s access to the basement coming along?¡± Raine shouted through the door after opening it.


    ¡°Not good, master. The walls are pre-war duracrete and much tougher than expected.¡±


    Raine scrunched his nose, disappointed, ¡°What about that firmware?¡±


    ¡°I chose to leave it as a last resort. I¡¯ve waited this long to flip you off, I can wait a little longer.¡± Creepy, mechanical laughter followed his terrible joke. Raine was too lost in thought to respond.


    There goes using the fabricating facilities to build a prototype. How to seem more legitimate¡­ Oh! That¡¯s perfect. Wanted to check up on her anyway. Doing both at once will get me back to leveling sooner.


    Raine accessed the AR terminal in his room to check the forums for the average player level in the Tri-glades and was relieved to see it was only five. That wasn¡¯t a surprise, once players had the ability to murder each other for loot, moving beyond level five became a serious chore.


    There were two other particularly eye-catching posts. The first was the ongoing war between Righteous and DyingNight which had expanded to engulf most of the minor towns in both Mirror Lake and the Crystal Tributaries. The losses on both sides were significant, though from what he gathered, Righteous was winning. The eventual victor didn¡¯t matter to him, the more they fought, the longer he had to gain an insurmountable lead.


    The real issue was that as far as he remembered, those two guilds had plenty of small scale skirmishes, but never engaged in all out war.


    What changed? Doesn¡¯t really matter. Even the smallest change can quickly ripple out of control and so many things are different this time. There¡¯s really no point chasing the past too much. It¡¯s only good as a reference, and this just proves that.


    Raine shrugged, perusing the last post that caught his attention, which was a notification from ZionLine itself:


    [Servers will be undergoing maintenance from 12:01 AM to 6:00 AM]


    Raine skimmed through the planned maintenance logs, finding two changes that felt targeted specifically toward him.


    - Assets tagged as indestructible will now have weight and durability respective of their components


    - Players marked with PVP immunity may no longer be grabbed and thrown. Typical collision mechanics still apply though at a steep reduction in damage


    Midnight to six? Perfect timing. It¡¯s twelve-forty AM in ZL. I¡¯ve got plenty of time to make it to Frontier.


    Raine quickly dressed, cringing at his two changes of clothes. At least the drones had cleaned and pressed them, not that ratty t-shirts and shorts deserved to be pressed.


    One more errand to run. Better get to it.


    By the time he trotted to the front gate, the personal robotaxi he¡¯d ordered arrived. He climbed in the empty front seat and it took off, having already received his destination. Lost in thought, Raine spun the new watch his drones had delivered. It was one of the latest models, even if it was old-fashioned. Considering it was marketed for those who didn¡¯t trust the surgically implanted LinQs, its design made perfect sense.


    It had all the latest features, and was keyed into his ZionLine account, allowing him to access his contracts and funds. With a thought, imperceptible eclectic pulses zipped from its cool metal to swarm through his skin. They traveled to his ocular nerves and an AR keyboard sprang into existence, superimposed over his lap. A few taps gave him access to the market where he found his shares of ZLO were now worth eighteen million. He sold them all, liquidating his assets for the next phase of his plan.


    During his recent stint down memory lane, Raine recalled another company that eventually outstripped even ZLO in gains. Their meteoric rise began shortly after ZionLines¡¯s launch, and only continued year after year. For someone who hated the in and out games of the stock market, it was the perfect place to park his capital and let it rapidly grow.


    When he checked the current price, he shot forward in his seat.


    What?! That can¡¯t be right. Is that why it rose so high, because it was this low to begin with? Something isn¡¯t right here. They¡¯re on the verge of a major breakthrough, it should be skyrocketing already but it''s been straight downhill for weeks. Should I wait and see if it will go any lower? No, screw that. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Raine dumped all but one million credits into SoulGen¡¯s stock, which was so low that his investment made a noticeable blip on the price. As he watched, it fell below where he bought¡ªproving someone with a large quantity of shares had been waiting for a chance to get out. He could only grin, knowing that if he was successful in selling WIDOW, he would be able to buy even cheaper.


    Raine was on top of the world when the robotaxi pulled up to its first destination. He checked the display from his watch to make sure the taxi was booked in his name for the rest of the day. Satisfied it wouldn¡¯t drive off on him, he climbed out and strode into Melty¡¯s Pot Arcade and Cafe. When he opened the door, a fun boogerman jingle played, momentarily bringing him back to his childhood and his mood rose even higher.


    Surprisingly, the place was completely empty. There were courier drone bins on the counters, and an exhausted looking Mel was stuffing things into them as quickly as she could. She didn¡¯t look up, groaning softly, ¡°We¡¯re closed. Can you flip the sign on your way out?¡±


    Closed? It''s almost five. Shouldn''t this be the busiest time of day?


    Raine wasn¡¯t about to give up, he took another step forward, only for Mel¡¯s head to whip in his direction with eyes wide as the saucers in her hand. She stared at him, her mouth working but no words coming out.


    ¡°Hey. Thought I¡¯d drop by for that meal. If the offer still stands,¡± his words snapped her out of her trance and she bolted out of the room.


    [Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! Why did he show up right now?! I can¡¯t let him see me like this.]


    Completely unaware of her thoughts, Raine¡¯s waving hand fell to his side and he raised his voice so she would hear from the kitchen, ¡°Unless now¡¯s a bad time¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no! Now isn¡¯t a bad time at all. I¡¯ll be right out. Take a seat anywhere!¡± Her voice held a tinge of panic he¡¯d never heard from her.


    Shrugging, he strolled around, peeking in the boxes and behind the counter to confirm his suspicions.


    She must have decided to sell to those bastards. Damn. I should have come earlier. No, there¡¯s nothing I could have done either. They¡¯re way too powerful for me to stop right now and they wouldn¡¯t have given up. If she didn¡¯t cave, they¡¯d kill her.


    In the back room, Mel hastily covered the dark circles under her eyes with a full-face makeup applicator. She threw on a fresh shirt, hit herself with a shot of perfume, and dashed back to the front. [He hasn¡¯t thought anything since I went back there? Wait, do I need to be able to see him for my ability to work?]


    She caught him with a finger in one of the crates, shuffling a stack of old memory drives to read the titles of the games they contained. Once again, she was struck by how tall and imposing he was, her heart beating a little faster, ¡°Uhm, the kitchen is a disaster right now. I know a good spot down the street if you like chinese.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not that hungry,¡± he raised a finger to forestall any potential disappointment, ¡°I have a time sensitive business opportunity. I was hoping you¡¯d be willing to help by showing up and looking pretty to make me look good while I negotiate. After that, I¡¯m free for chinese, and it looks like you could use a hand packing. If you¡¯re not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± She blurted, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth.


    She¡¯s seriously too cute.


    Raine¡¯s smile grew wide and his eyes twinkled as her cheeks turned crimson.


    Mel cleared her throat, gaining control of herself through sheer force of will, ¡°I can do pretty. I¡¯ll need a little more time to get ready though.¡±


    ¡°Nope, no time. Frontier¡¯s corporate office is on the far side of the city and we need to pick up clothes. I¡¯ll order a MUA, (professional makeup artist) to meet us at Shillids.¡±


    ¡°Shillids! Frontier?!¡± She squeaked both words, her fleeting composure forgotten when presented with two of the most premier companies in the city. Shillids was world famous, and purchasing one of their outfits was guaranteed to cost hundreds of thousands of credits. Not only were they stylish, they offered a slew of built in functions like self-repair and cleaning, while hosting top-of-the-line defenses.


    Frontier on the other hand was one of six world leaders in the space-race. Their ambition was reaching the nearest asteroid belts and flooding the world with wealth beyond measure. They single-handedly employed a tenth of the city, and their manufacturers another tenth. As far as reasons to move to Carter City, they weren¡¯t the top of the list, they were the only name on the list.


    While she recovered from her shock, Raine double checked the advanced payment to Shillids went through. There was no way they would let him or Mel in the door otherwise.


    [He¡¯s serious. This isn¡¯t a joke or a prank. He¡¯s really going to buy me something from Shillids. I-I don¡¯t even like nice things. But I¡¯d be out of my mind to turn this down.]


    ¡°Let me just lock up,¡± she spoke in a daze, grabbing a small shoulder purse from behind the counter and following him out.


    Raine opened the taxi door for her and she climbed in. He walked around and entered as well, his gaze sliding past her and landing on the cafe.


    Damn shame. Greedy bastards don''t care how many lives they ruin. At least this deal will destroy their ability to compete with Frontier. Who knows, maybe when she learns the truth, it will help her move on.


    [What does that mean? I thought he was selling a plane engine thingy. No, if it''s for Frontier, it would have to be a space engine. Who is he, really?]


    Her head snapped toward his as the car door closed, ¡°I just realized I don''t even know your name. You probably think I''m an idiot for getting in a car with someone I don''t know, huh?¡±


    ¡°Raine KongRu,¡± with a flick of his finger, he shared his Ncode and she returned hers with a hand to her temple. ¡°Pleasure to officially meet you, Melani Feladay. And no, I know you''re not an idiot. Though that is the kind of behavior that gets people into trouble. Probably shouldn''t do that too often, no,¡± Raine flashed his brows at her, wearing an easy smile, ¡°You certainly won''t be in any danger tonight. Security will be top notch at both locations.¡±


    [Oh no. Tonight. He offered to help me pack. What if he''s still there when they come? I-I have to tell him he''s in danger because of me!]


    He could see she was finally starting to think clearly when her eyes flew open after he again mentioned where they were going. She reached for the door handle, shaking her head, ¡°Wait, this isn¡¯t right! I can¡¯t let you¡ª¡±


    Raine interrupted her, his voice placating, ¡°It''s fine. You really don''t have to worry about the creds. This deal alone is worth way more than a few suits, even Shillids. If we show up wearing anything less, they wouldn''t give me the time of day.¡±


    [No! That''s not what I was going to say!]


    She hesitated, giving the car time to smoothly accelerate toward their destination. Her nerves had yet to fade, and Raine held his breath as she waffled between agreeing and demanding to leave. His chest was heavy. An overpowering part of his subconscious knew that if she chose to leave, they would never see each other again.


    I want, no, need her in order to appear legitimate. She was the best secretary we ever had. Whatever it takes to make her feel comfortable, I''ll do it. This deal has to go through. Everything''s going to be fine so long as she doesn¡¯t say no. Please don''t say no.


    [Ahh, pusbuckets!]


    Leaning back with a hand covering her forehead, Mel released a weary sigh, ¡°I''ll do it. Just¡­ just tell me what I need to do.¡±

 Chapter 31 - THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME

    Despite her agreement, Raine could tell she wasn¡¯t completely on board. With what was at stake, he had to settle her nerves, and he knew exactly how to do it, ¡°All I need you to do is look official. You know the actress Sendara Scott?¡± Raine knew she did. There were some days at the office when she wouldn''t stop talking about the woman. She always played hard boiled, no nonsense roles, and she was one of the best at them.


    Mel nodded emphatically, her trepidation fading fast, ¡°I can do Scott! I love her VRVods.¡±


    The sudden fire in her eyes was a jarring swap from moments ago. Raine felt himself being swept up in her momentum and forced himself to relax with a deep centering breath, ¡°Great. I''ll leave it up to you to read the room and pick the right role.¡±


    ¡°I can do that. I know all her roles by heart. That¡¯s really all I have to do?¡± When Raine nodded, she cutely pumped a fist, ¡°I get to play Scott at Frontier of all places?! This is the craziest thing I¡¯ve ever agreed to do. Nobody is going to believe me. Ohmygosh, this is going to be so fun!¡±


    That¡¯s more like it. Glad she¡¯s feeling better.


    Her exuberance only intensified as she turned to face him fully, ¡°Oh! I almost forgot. I tried ZionLine. It was¡­ amazing. You completely lied to me. It''s way beyond a fully immersive experience. I felt like, no, I really was on another planet. That game isn''t normal.¡±


    Raine grunted, ¡°You can say that again. It''s hard to tell which is reality after a while. How did it go though? Sounds like you made it through the tutorial.¡±


    ¡°I did, barely. It was¡­ eye opening.¡±


    ¡°Good job. A lot of people struggle with the tutorial. It''s a brutal filter for those who can''t handle what comes next. The combat only gets harder, but if you stick with it, your real world martial skills will improve significantly. Plus, it''s a great way to earn a living.¡±


    ¡°Is that why-I mean, you sound pretty passionate about it.¡±


    [Keep it together Melbell! No weirdo questions. Is that why you''re so dangerous? Who says that?!]


    ¡°Not just me. The whole world is going to go crazy soon enough. You''ll see.¡±


    The conversation was cut short as they reached Shillid''s tower. The building was forty floors tall, each with apparel more pricey than the last. But even the ground floor was no place for the average citizen, a fact made abundantly clear by there being no front door, or street access of any kind.


    The car entered an underground garage, a luxury in itself as storing a vehicle while you shopped was a thing of the distant past. Only the truly wealthy owned personal transportation, as a robotaxi ride was a fraction of the cost of ownership.


    Raine exited first and opened her door, earning himself a dazzling, freckle-framed smile. He remembered her complaining after one of the few dates she agreed to go on that the bum hadn¡¯t opened her door, and how that completely ruined the vibe for her. Sure, he was cheating, but he couldn¡¯t have cared less when she hooked her arm in his. The slight tremble running through her as they approached the entrance didn''t go unnoticed.


    They were greeted at an elevator bay by a contingent of SAI butlers. (Semi-Artificially Intelligent) Raine approached the closest and it bowed fluidly, recognizing him from the information sent in advance, ¡°Greetings, Master KongRu. If it pleases you, this unit will be your guide today.¡±


    Raine nodded and they were led into an elevator that rose rapidly. The walls were crystalline panels,  revealing each floor as they zoomed by. Mel''s eyes grew wider with each one. Her grip on his arm tightened as her body tensed. By the time they arrived on the tenth floor, she was practically vibrating, ¡°The tenth floor?!¡± She hissed.


    ¡°I know, I know. Don''t worry, next time we''ll be on the fourteenth at least.¡± Her lips tightened but Raine was already pulling her out with a grin, ¡°The lady first.¡± He commanded and the butler bowed again. It led them to the left, toward an opulent women''s section. Hundreds of dresses and business suits were on display. Rich aromas of freshly pressed cloth and perfume were a perfect counterpoint to the cozy lighting.


    ¡°What am I doing here?¡± She whispered to herself, unsure where to look.


    ¡°Getting the fit, so you can play the part,¡± Raine responded, unhooking himself from her and gently guiding her forward with his hand on her lower back.


    A smartly dressed woman waved politely. She looked Mel up and down with a critical eye, then smiled brightly, ¡°My goodness, what a fine canvas. I can''t wait to get started. You''re going to shine like a sea of diamonds when I''m done with you. If I may, sir?¡± Raine nodded and the woman took Mel¡¯s hand, guiding her into a circle of dresses and finery. She looked back at him like a girl completely out of her depth.


    He chuckled, ¡°You''ll do great. See you soon.¡±


    He followed the butler to the men''s section where four human staff surrounded him. They were a cyclone of whirling efficiency. His hair and goatee were trimmed while another sized him. The others quickly picked out a tuxedo and dressed him. Then, all four chose a limb and began fitting the suit with complex gadgets until it was snug and secure.


    Raine closed his eyes, relaxing into the full-body pampering until every inch of him was immaculate. A mirror was rolled out and he examined his new look, more than satisfied; especially since the brutal workouts were already showing results.


    He was led back to Mel who wasn''t quite done. While waiting, he entered a group chat and responded to a bevy of questions from Richtor and his party. He reminded them to watch their surroundings for stealthed players now that they were level five. He grinned at their snarky comebacks, then cut the chat when Mel stood up and faced him.


    Damn. Focus Raine. Focus.


    She looked like a completely new woman. A snug, black pencil skirt and white business blouse accentuated her slim figure. The materials both light and durable, screamed of subtle wealth and privilege. Her makeup had been professionally touched up, the genius MUA even emphasized her freckles rather than covering them up. Raine sent her a double thumbs up for a job spectacularly done.


    Mel glided to him, a secretive smirk on her lips. Her touch was feather light as she wound her arm in his again. Her voice and tone were entirely different, clearly having taken the moment to center herself into her role, ¡°You clean up pretty nice, yourself. Enough staring, don¡¯t we have a job to do?¡± Her new heels clacked softly as they casually left through the same elevator.


    By the time they were back in the car, Raine was all business, ¡°Before and during the meeting, if anyone tries to hand me anything, it should go to you first. Papers, drives, drinks, doesn¡¯t matter. Same goes the other way, if I need to pass anything along, it will go to you first, then one of their staff, and finally to the owner. Don¡¯t speak unless spoken to, don¡¯t answer any questions, evade like a politician. If you can¡¯t think of a response¡ª¡±


    On and on it went, Raine drilling her on the etiquette of the wealthy elites in Carter City. She absorbed his words like a sponge, eager to learn. The knowledge she would be sneaking into a lion''s den and pulling a fast one past people she should never of had a chance to interact made it all the more thrilling.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Frontier¡¯s HQ was massive. Situated on the edge of Carter, it abutted the bay near the only access to a secluded island peninsula that housed Frontier¡¯s numerous launch platforms. The outer security checkpoint waved them through after confirming his identity and appointment. They passed multiple buildings: Research, development, logistics and manufacturing, before arriving at the corporate offices.


    They exited at the nearest drop-off and walked through a duraglass tunnel that traversed an immaculately manicured park. Its center was dominated by a fountain that used full-sized, decommissioned rocket ships as glorified water fountains. The sprays they released cascaded over the entire park, creating a majestic ambiance that only a billionaire would have thought was a good idea.


    Mel walked beside him like a goddess made flesh. Every click of her heels was paired with a sway of hips that would turn any head. Her shoulders and back were ramrod straight and she looked for all the world like she couldn¡¯t be more bored. Knowing they were being observed and listened to even now, Raine didn¡¯t speak aloud, squeezing her arm in encouragement.


    That¡¯s the way. Girl is crushing it.


    The entire entrance was an extravagant solid sheet of duraglass that blindingly reflected the garden and afternoon sun. The semi-transparent surface was deceptively durable, easily capable of shrugging off tank-calibur flechettes. Whether it could handle the group of four martials that met them there was another question entirely. Raine could tell by the way they held themselves that they were class five internal force masters, making them more dangerous than any of the regular competing martials in the city.


    In his current condition, he would be lucky to take one of them, and it would cost him dearly. One of the four stepped forward, his chin dipped so slightly the movement was nearly imperceptible, ¡°Mr. KongRu. This way, if you please.¡±


    Raine didn¡¯t even look at the man as they were led inside and into a multi-elevator that traveled horizontally for some time before rising several floors. After exiting, they were brought to a set of double doors that opened on their own, revealing a meeting room just as opulent as the exterior garden.


    Inside, six of the most famous members of Frontier waited around a semi-circular desk. The president and CEO, Marshal Falmaris, rose and motioned for Raine to take a seat across from him. Raine nodded politely and pulled out the indicated seat¡ªthe only one on his side of the table. Mel, holding herself with extreme elegance, took his jacket and pinned it to the back of his chair after he sat.


    All six tracked her every move, their interest clearly derived from curiosity of her pedigree. There was no doubt they had done a thorough background screening for Raine, which Morty should have mostly blocked. Mel though, was a complete unknown and her poise, grace, and beauty couldn¡¯t possibly come from a simple background.


    The moment the doors clicked shut, and the rustle of Raine¡¯s jacket ceased, Marshal Falmaris cleared his throat. The sound was loud in the shielded room, and his eyes bored into Raine like a hawk with talons outstretched, ¡°Mr. KongRu. I took an emergency orbital back from Candurice to attend this little get together. Jetlag hasn¡¯t even caught up with me yet. So, I have only one question before I pass this along to the brains of my operations: Just how deep does this scam of yours go?¡±


    Without missing a beat, Raine responded with utter sincerity, ¡°It goes all the way, Mr. Falmaris. From Earth to the moon, and back again, six times, on one tank of fuel.¡±


    Frontier¡¯s lead engineer, Thomas Musk¡ªa world renowned expert in his field from a long, long line of engineers¡ªsnorted, ¡°The specs say it''s so. We¡¯re going to need a lot more than what you provided to confirm it!¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve brought enough data to satisfy any reasonable misgivings you might have,¡± Raine procured a slipdrive from his pocket and held it up. Mel gingerly relieved him of the tiny piece of hardware and followed his previous instructions, plugging it into the table. A holographic 3D model of WIDOW appeared above the table, and four of the six leaned forward, their eyes pouring over its every millimeter.


    Marshal Flamaris never took his eyes from Raine, and neither did the reed thin man to his right. He introduced himself before speaking, ¡°Chief Financial Officer, Donald Reed. You didn¡¯t name a price for this no doubt marvelous piece of machinery. I¡¯m sure you can appreciate how that would make someone like myself rather nervous.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be able to set your mind at ease, Mr. Reed. I know exactly what WIDOW is worth, and it¡¯s not going to come cheap. You¡¯ll find the patents are all in order, so at least I can assure you there won¡¯t be any other buyers to cause you no end of legal battles in the years to come,¡± once more, Raine withdrew a slipdrive and Mel smoothly delivered it to an SAI secretary that stepped forward.


    While the CEO and CFO accessed and inspected the provided documents via their LinQ¡¯s, Thomas Musk pulled himself away from the hologram. He launched into an intensive drilling session, plumbing the depths of Raine¡¯s knowledge on the exact specifications of the engine.


    ¡°Yes, I understand that. You¡¯ve reiterated several times. What I need to know, is how!¡± Thomas Musk slammed his hand on the table, shaking the displayed hologram which now depicted WIDOW in several pieces. They had spent the last hour pulling it apart piece by piece, their battery of questions unending.¡±


    Raine sighed, shaking his head, ¡°That information is proprietary. If an agreement is settled, I would be more than happy to provide the final pieces of the puzzle. Until then, this is as much as you¡¯re going to get.¡±


    Thomas turned pleading eyes on Marshal Falmaris, whose fingers had been steepled beneath his chin for some time. The CEO¡¯s eyes scanned left and right as he read something displayed from his LinQ. He blinked twice, clearing his vision and pinning Raine with a steely glare, ¡°Honestly, I still don¡¯t want to believe any of this is real. It¡¯s too advanced, and frankly, too perfect. The resources required to create something of this caliber only exist in a few places on Earth, and I¡¯m on the board of directors for every single one of them.¡±


    Raine nodded slowly. He¡¯d known from before the meeting began that the resolution of this very issue would be the crux deciding whether he got what WIDOW was worth, ¡°How much do you know about ZionLine?¡±


    Marshal¡¯s nostrils flared, revealing a depth of frustration that Raine didn¡¯t understand, ¡°What does some game have to do with this?¡± He sneered the word, causing the whispered conversations of the engineers to grind to a halt.


    ¡°Everything,¡± Raine leaned back, forcing his stiff muscles to loosen, ¡°I designed and created WIDOW in ZionLine. I took full advantage of the game¡¯s time dilation, and its quantum supercomputer core, to achieve the results you¡¯re looking at. Oh, and it¡¯s far from perfect. With a few more months of development, its output and efficiency can increase by roughly sixty percent.¡±


    A pin dropping would have sounded like an explosion in the absolute vacuum of noise that followed his ludicrous statement. Thomas put his hand on Marshal¡¯s arm, ¡°We need this. It¡¯s real. Our deep space infrastructure timetable can move up by ten, possibly fifteen years.¡±


    Marshal¡¯s clamped jaw slowly released over the course of several calming breaths. When he had control of himself enough to speak, his voice was husky with anger, ¡°Very well, Mr. KongRu. We¡¯ll take WIDOW off your hands for eight hundred.¡±


    Raine stood and Mel was quick to withdraw the slipdrive from the conference table as he threw his jacket over his shoulders, ¡°Two point eight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous!¡± Spittle flew from the CFO¡¯s mouth. His face turned beet red and veins bulged across his forehead.


    ¡°Like I said. I know what she¡¯s worth. If you¡¯re going to throw such a disrespectful number at me again, I¡¯ll have no choice but to go to CronGate. I hate them, and I want nothing more than to see Frontier crush them into cosmic dust, but business is business.¡±


    Marshal raised his hand, forestalling the furious rebuttal at the tip of Donald¡¯s tongue, ¡°One point nine.¡±


    Raine removed his jacket and handed it to Mel before resuming his seat, ¡°Two point five five.¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Two point five.¡±


    Marshal pinned the CFO with his steely glare, ¡°Can we do two point three?¡±


    ¡°Wha-bu-I can¡¯t justify that kind of expense this quarter! We¡¯ll lose more investors than we¡¯ve made in the last three years!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if it was smart, I asked if it was possible.¡±


    Raine saw right through Marshal¡¯s tactic, and he honestly didn¡¯t care. He would have settled for their first offer if they really pushed him. He could only cheer internally. His poker face was perfection itself while he silently thanked Mel a thousand times in his mind.


    ¡°Its¡­ feasible. But I can¡¯t possibly recommend it! This isn¡¯t an acquisition. We¡¯ll have to report the entire expense to R&D. Our financials, let alone cash balance, won¡¯t recover for years.¡±


    ¡°None of that is going to matter when we bring 16 Psyche into orbit ten,¡± Marshal leaned around Donald to nod at Thomas, ¡°potentially fifteen years ahead of schedule. Mr. KongRu. If you¡¯ll take two point three, we¡¯ll have a deal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take two point three. But, it has to be through a ZionLine contract.¡±

 Chapter 32 - PRICELESS CURRENCY

    Another hour flew by as the final details with Frontier were hashed out. A preliminary promise to sell and non-compete were signed in quick order. Raine¡¯s insistence on allowing a game to handle the final contract were eventually resolved by Donald, surprisingly enough. The man had an entire legal team communicating with him via his LinQ, and they were quick to note the hashgraph encryption would guarantee the integrity of the files and the transferred funds.


    It would take some time for them to set up the corresponding ZionLine account, deposit their funds, then initiate the transfer. Meanwhile, Raine gave them a working copy of the contract Morty drafted so their legal team had something to sink their teeth into.


    Hands were shook, and a toast was made, all of which couldn¡¯t have felt more drawn out. Raine¡¯s thoughts were consumed with returning to ZionLine now that the system maintenance had ended. He firmly restrained his impatience. The deal had yet to be finalized, and any lapse in the reliable countenance he carefully constructed could still cause it all to come crumbling down.


    Finally, Marshal called an end to the meeting, allowing his visibly impatient engineers to scurry away. They no doubt would be losing sleep in preparing for the induction of WIDOW into their production pipelines.


    ¡°You¡¯re an interesting man, Mr. KongRu. I know you won''t need it after this, but any interest in a job? We have great benefits,¡± Marshal grinned, flashing his brows.


    Raine allowed Mel to don his jacket, then shook the man¡¯s hand a final time, ¡°I hope you don''t mind if I leave that door open. It''s impossible to know what the future holds.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± He barked, pointing to the ceiling, ¡°The future of mankind is out there. Not in some fantasy world.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the advice, Mr. Falmaris. I don''t disagree. But ZionLine¡¯s dilation changes everything. It¡¯s no mere game, it''s mankinds¡¯ access to the only currency that matters.¡±


    ¡°The only¡­ I''ll take that under advisement,¡± Marshall nodded thoughtfully.


    They left and were escorted out by the same martials, now noticeably less brusque in their demeanor. Back in the cab, Mel exploded into confetti, ¡°That was amazing! Congratulations, Raine. Ahhh! Did you see the way they were looking at me? Gosh are they going to be surprised if they ever find out the truth. And what was that last bit? What''s the only currency that matters? Were you guys not dealing in creds?¡±


    Raine shrugged, ¡°If I offered you twenty billion right now with no strings attached, would you take it?¡± He didn¡¯t give her a chance to respond, ¡°Obviously, you would. Anyone would. What if it came with the sole stipulation that tomorrow, you would have to die? Money is meaningless in comparison to time.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That''s pretty deep, Mr. KongRu,¡± she shot him a devilish smirk, then burst into giggles. She recovered quickly as their taxi sped away, ¡°I still can''t believe I did that. I felt like a spy. It was so wrong in all the right ways.¡±


    ¡°I knew you could pull it off. Gotta admit, I didn''t expect you to be quite that flawless. Thank you, Mel. Selling WIDOW means more to me than you can realize, and it ended up in the right hands for the right price. It does feel a little too good to be true.¡±


    She moved her head about, sniffing the air, ¡°Is that a reward I smell? Are you perhaps implying I get to keep the outfit?¡± The smile that had been plastered on her face slipped for the first time as she ran her fingers down the supple material covering her arms.


    Raine scoffed, ¡°What are you talking about? We just buttoned down a deal for two point three billion credits and you¡¯re worried about a few thousand? I¡¯m more liable to buy you every outfit on that floor than return the one you used to help!¡±


    Her neck audibly creaked as her head slowly ratcheted in his direction, ¡°b-b-b-billio¡­ Not million? And-and-I-because¡­ You-but then I-and. S-stop the car!¡± Her face turned deathly pale and she slammed her hand on the emergency switch. The robotaxi quickly veered to the side of the highway. She was out the door before it came to a complete stop. She bent over and rainbows spewed from her mouth, splashing across the ceraphalt.


    Raine jumped out after her. He patted her heaving back, ready to throw them both to the side if one of the approaching vehicles¡ªtraveling several hundred kilometers per hour¡ªcame too close. The second her heaving was under control, he bustled her back into the car which sped away.


    She was so wrapped up in her persona she didn¡¯t realize. Glad I didn¡¯t say anything beforehand.


    Mel''s eyes were dilated and her breaths short, ¡°Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, I just impersonated someone who actually belonged in that room. I-I had no idea it was that big a deal! What if they do find out about me? W-will I go to jail?¡±


    ¡°No. That''s not going to happen. And you proved to everyone that you belonged in that room. Nothing we said or did was fraud. We presented a real, working product they wanted, and they paid for it: That simple.¡±


    Ridiculous girl. And how is she still so cute after spewing her guts across the street? Unfair.


    Raine¡¯s voice in her ears was a balm to her frayed emotions. By the end of his simple compliment, Mel found herself struggling to hold back a smile, ¡°I-I''m sorry for acting ridiculous. I didn''t know. It''s so good I didn''t realize how much was at stake. I would have ruined everything.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Either her words, or something she saw out the window suddenly caused her entire body to stiffen. Her jaw clenched and intense distress marred her face. She snatched the bag containing her old clothes and refused to meet Raine¡¯s eyes, ¡°Can you drop me off up here?¡±


    What the hell? She went from a hundred to zero in a split second.


    [I almost forgot they¡¯re coming. I can''t let such a crazy night end with him being killed in my shop. I suppose after this, it won¡¯t be mine any more.]


    Raine had yet to respond, and she snuck a glance his way. She could tell by his expression he had no intention of leaving her alone, so she tried again, ¡°I need to clear my head, that¡¯s all. This was too much for me. I''m a simple girl; no one special. Let me out on the next corner and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Raine refused with a bored expression. She flinched, turning to him with the intent to vent the fury she didn¡¯t feel, but he spoke over her, ¡°You''ll be mugged in seconds wearing Shillids in this part of town. When you''re with me, your safety is my responsibility. I take that seriously. Even if I have to protect you from yourself at the expense of our friendship. Besides, I have a surprise for you when we get back, and I don''t want to miss your reaction.¡±


    Her frustration dissipated, replaced by guilt. She hung her head in her hands, impotent tears welling at the corners of her eyes.


    [Stubborn, stubborn idiot! I''m trying to protect you, too! I should tell him the truth. He won¡¯t want anything to do with me. Then, he''ll leave.]


    She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn''t pass through her lips.


    [Why is it so hard to say?! Because if I do, it means I''m admitting I¡¯m not crazy. That I¡¯m really hearing his thoughts and it''s not some figment of my imagination. That PsyCore will eventually find me and that will be the end. Why is it only him? Why haven''t I heard anyone else? Am I really a telepath? I-I don¡¯t want to know the truth.]


    Raine''s mind was serene as a midnight pond. Every ounce of his focus watched her and the world around them, searching for clues to the abrupt change in demeanor that was so unlike the Mel he knew.


    Neither managed to solve their mysteries before the taxi stopped in front of her cafe. She dashed out, running for the front door without a word. Raine unhurriedly strode behind. She threw open the door, whatever plan she had forgotten upon revealing the absolutely spotless interior. Her crates were packed and sealed. The only things left out were two stools and several little white boxes on the counter releasing a captivating aroma.


    ¡°Surprise. I had some drones finish packing while we were gone. You looked in a hurry, and I knew that deal would take longer than the chinese,¡± Raine gently pushed past her and headed to the counter to divvy out their dinner.


    Good job, Morty. Gotta buy him some top of the line limbs after everything he did tonight. Screw printing something from the basement.


    Raine''s strange thoughts pulled Mel from her shock, though her heart was still racing out of control, ¡°You can''t stay here. Thank you for helping, but you have to go, right now!¡±


    Her using a finger to separate the window blinds to scan up and down the street was the last clue Raine needed, ¡°You were forced to sell, weren''t you? And the goons they sent to intimidate you are going to show up soon.¡± She spun to face him, the surprise on her face confirmation enough. ¡°Thanks for worrying about me, but it''s unnecessary. Come eat. When they show up, I''ll make sure they don''t get out of hand. Then, I''ll take you home.¡±


    Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Realizing his slip, Raine was quick to amend his proposition, ¡°To your home, not mine. We just met. No matter how well it went, I''m not going to try sleeping with you¡­ tonight.¡± Raine winked, then popped a large piece of savory and warm chicken into his mouth, chewing happily as flavors burst across his tongue.


    Mel took one slow and steady step at a time. Her heels clacking as her thoughts raced to catch up with the one-sided conversation.


    [I am so screwed, and not in the fun way! They¡¯re going to be here soon. They always come at this time. I don¡¯t want him to go, but what if he gets hurt? I¡¯ve still got the WRAITH system. If they try anything I''ll scare them off. Well, since he''s so shamelessly injecting himself into my business, I might as well do the same.]


    By the time she sat next to him, she seemed mostly recovered, ¡°Right. We only just met. We definitely never knew each other before this week, did we?¡± She narrowed her eyes, snatching a pair of chopsticks.


    Raine, misunderstanding her meaning, waved his hands defensively, ¡°Hey, I already said I wasn''t interested in the properties around here. I''m not with the people pushing you out. I know who they are, though. If anything, I hate them more than you do.¡±


    Bastards enslaved me for thirty years. They ruined all our lives.


    [Thirty?!]


    ¡°Then who are they?¡± Mel fired back, taking her first bite.


    ¡°Company called Cro¡ª¡±


    The front door slammed open and five men hustled inside, three of them holding short clubs. The fluidity and strength of their movements marked them as class two and three martials. These weren¡¯t random druggies off the street, but fully trained disciples of CronGate. Since he didn¡¯t recognize any of them from the past, they were destined to have short-lived careers. That didn¡¯t mean he could afford to brashly kill or permanently maim them, as that would attract attention he wasn¡¯t ready for.


    The one in the lead sneered at Raine after carefully casing the room, ¡°Dumb bitch. Think getting yourself some representation will help? The terms ain''t changin.¡¯ Least you were smart enough to pack up. Sign and disappear, ¡®fore I change my mind.¡± He flicked a datastream her way, and Raine''s watch automatically intercepted it, creating a copy that floated above his wrist.


    He scanned the crude bill of sale, rolling his eyes at the sloppiness of it all until he got to the store price. Rage boiled in his gut as he stood. A gentle puff of steam escaped his nostrils as he warmed up his internal force. His body wasn¡¯t prepared for it yet, but at that moment, he couldn¡¯t have cared less. He cracked his neck, facing off against the thugs.


    I was only going to make sure things didn''t get out of hand. But this¡­ this is inexcusable.


    His voice promised pain and misery, ¡°She won''t be signing that, because she already sold to me. So, now we get to pound out a new deal.¡±


    The man laughed as his men fanned out, ¡°Didn''t think I''d meet someone even dumb¡¯r than her. I don''t mind negotiatin¡¯ with you at all. I''ll make it so simple even you can understand. Sign, or we''ll break your arms and legs, then sign for you.¡±


    Raine shook out his arms and stepped toward them, his gaze deadly serious, ¡°Five thousand creds for a store with a hypernet relay? The only one allowed to be that greedy is me!¡±

 Chapter 33 - THE PRICE OF GREED

    Raine dove forward, eyes glued to the nearest man. His Donstreaker shoes from Shillids gripped the smooth floor like a spider clings to a wall. Raine was large and slow, eliciting grins from the five as the idiot threw himself into the lion¡¯s jaws. A meter away from his obvious target, as the man lifted his club, Raine suddenly accelerated to the side in a blur of speed well beyond expectations.


    The trained martial on the outside of their encirclement had almost no time to react, but still managed to whip his head sideways and raise his arms. Raine, seeing the contractions of his neck muscles, adjusted the trajectory of his elbow strike. The deadly attack contained the combined torque of his entire body. It blasted through the hastily raised guard and the tip of Raine''s elbow crashed into the man''s temple.


    A sickening crunch was drowned out by Mel¡¯s scream, and the first of five fell like a sack of rice.


    Raine¡¯s body ached from the explosive use of internal force. The concept behind the martial technique was simple; the execution, however, took years to learn, and its mastery decades. By perfectly utilizing micro bursts of specific muscles while deactivating the stabilizer counter-muscles, extreme levels of speed and strength could be displayed. The primary reason it was so difficult to master was that it required disabling the brain¡¯s limiter that protects the body from injuring itself when exerting too much strength.


    In the past, Raine had reached the second stage of internal force. Disabling that part of his brain was second nature. Unfortunately, his current physique couldn¡¯t keep up with such explosive power. He had at most two more uses of internal force before seriously injuring himself.


    Raine spun with his momentum, immaculate footwork bringing him in a circle behind the still collapsing thug. Three of them charged, murder in their eyes. Raine hopped back a step, forcing them to come around the fleshy obstacle.


    Two reached him at the same time, the third having to wait his turn. A powerful front kick shot toward Raine¡¯s gut. He stepped forward and to the side, both into its range and dodging with the same movement. His arms snapped out; one in a flat knuckle fist that took the kicker in the throat, the other lifted at an angle to protect his head from the other¡¯s incoming club.


    If he had the choice, he would have avoided being hit in the first place. He was still too slow, and against multiple trained opponents, there wasn¡¯t time to draw out the fight. The weapon cracked against his jacket. The smart-cloth detected the impact and currents raced through its fibers, hardening them along the length of his arm. When the club hit, the shock spread along his skin in a dull ache.


    Raine¡¯s foot flashed out in a low side-kick at the clubber. The man had taken a large step forward to improve the power of his swing, and now his forward knee was exposed. Raine¡¯s kick connected at the top of the joint and a loud pop filled the air as his leg bent backward. The break was clean and wouldn''t be permanently disabling, but for some reason the man didn''t appreciate Raine''s thoughtfulness. He screamed, a perfect match to the gurgling choking of the man with a crushed throat.


    The third man, whose passage had been blocked, was no longer in a hurry to continue his charge. Indecision crossed his features, and Raine made the choice for him. He bent his legs and jumped straight at him in a pitiful flying knee that barely cleared the collapsed obstacle.


    Seeing his chance, the martial¡¯s eyes lit up and he swung. Raine¡¯s knee was a feint, his leg blasted forward in an internal force fueled kick at the last second, taking the idiot right in the cojones. His feet lifted from the ground and his eyes bulged, all the better to see the follow-up elbow strike that instantly stole his consciousness. He collapsed on top of his friend.


    Raine casually stepped out of the way, his gaze boring into their leader¡ªthe last man standing, ¡°Break your arms and sign for you, right?¡±


    He spun toward the door, only to find it blocked from the outside by a dozen floating drones equipped with crackling stun batons. Their cameras shone an eerie crimson in the darkening twilight. The man slid to a stop, and his left knee promptly exploded forward as Raine¡¯s kick destroyed the joint from behind. He screamed, only to have his hair grabbed and his head smashed into the floor.


    Raine picked up one of the clubs and gently guided the choking man, and his friend¡ªbackward-leg man, to a blissful slumber. His body was on fire, every joint aching like it¡¯d been dipped in lava. He didn¡¯t let it show as he rejoined their leader, crouching over the dazed man to look him in the eyes.


    ¡°New deal, five hundred thousand. Take it, or lose both your feet.¡±


    He tried to respond around the pain of his ruined knee, his cracked skull numbing the pain as Raine had intended, ¡°I-I don¡¯t, enough.¡±


    ¡°But you have access to the acquisitions dip fund, and that should have exactly enough,¡± Raine¡¯s foot came down on the man¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t even scream, unable to tear his gaze from his ruined fingers. Dazed, shaking, and in shock, the man nodded imperceptibly. He tucked his other hand into his armpit as though that would somehow save it from Raine''s tender mercies.


    ¡°Great choice,¡± Raine growled darkly. By the time he accessed his watch¡¯s interface, Morty had already sent him an updated contract. This one through ZionLine, making it untraceable and fully enforced by the funds CronGate had already deposited. Raine released an explosive grunt, smiling sardonically. He flicked the new contract to the leader, who didn¡¯t even read it before authorizing it with his LinQ.


    Raine flicked the contract to Mel as well. She didn¡¯t know which direction to look, her brain struggling to catch up with the brutal fight that had lasted only a handful of seconds.


    ¡°Sign it,¡± his voice was considerably gentler. He crossed the room to her, an unavoidable limp appearing in his gait. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do to stop them. They¡¯ll come back with hundreds after tonight. That¡¯s more than enough creds for you to disappear. Look, I know this place was imp¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± her whisper was faint, but silenced him nonetheless. ¡°What do we do with them? Are you going to¡­¡±


    ¡°No. This place is theirs now, they can clean up the mess they made all on their own,¡± Raine grabbed their dinner, stuffing it back into its bag and walked as casually as he could to the exit. A drone service commissioned by Morty was already busily shipping off her crates by the time they were back in the taxi. Mel was shaking uncontrollably, the day clearly too much for the unvetted girl.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    It¡¯s not over, Mel. You don¡¯t know it yet, but ZL can give you more than enough power to take back everything you lost. Or, you could rebuild your father¡¯s legacy somewhere else. It might be tough now, but if you choose to fight, there¡¯s no limits to what you can achieve.


    Raine¡¯s hand comfortingly squeezed her shoulder, ¡°I can''t know how hard that was for you, but I can promise it will get better from here on. You did good.¡±


    His words and thoughts once more soothed her but she remained entirely overwhelmed from the whirlwind of the night. Mel shook her head, ¡°Thank you. I¡­ Thank you.¡± She gave up on words, falling to the side where her soft hair landed in his lap as the taxi took her home.


    Mel dashed into her apartment long enough to unlock the windows for the drones coming to relocate her stuff.


    Raine sent a quick message to Morty, asking the AI to book her a room at the Notlih¡ªCarter Cities premier, and very secure hotel. The drive there was made in silence, though judging by her shifting posture and wrung hands, she was feeling a bit better than her previous catatonic state.


    Raine opened her door, offering his hand which she took with a light smile that reached her eyes. She hesitated, not letting go right away.


    His voice was soft and deep, the sudden words giving her an adorable jump-scare, ¡°Goodnight, Mel. I''m glad we both have something to be thankful for tonight. I''ll check in on you soon.¡±


    [Can you stay instead? Then you won''t have to check¡­ H-he''s probably busy. He''s an important man.]


    Not being nearly brave enough to voice the thought, she nodded and released her grip on his strong fingers. Two steps away, he shut her door and the sound caused her stomach to clench and churn.


    [What if he doesn''t check? What if this is getting his Ncode all over again. Not like this. Not like this!]


    She turned back and ran to him. On her tippy toes, her hands against his broad chest, she leaned to kiss his cheek. Raine''s head spun at the last second and their lips met for the briefest of kisses.


    Her eyes flew wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth but it couldn''t hide her embarrassed smile. A giggle, high and quick escaped her throat and without a word, she dashed away.


    Smug as hell, Raine grinned at her back.


    Damn she''s cute.


    Hearing his thought, Mel turned and waved with a dazzling smile. Then she went through the front doors and Raine was back in the taxi.


    Back home, Raine limped to Morty¡¯s closet and thoroughly thanked him for everything he did that night. Before leaving, he gave the AI access to Selpherius Industries hypernet page so he could order the arms he wanted. Raine relieved himself, strapped several thermo-wraps to his joints, and got as comfortable as possible in his bed. He flipped on the power to his thetadrive headset and fell down a tunnel of light, finally returning to the real world.


    Raine appeared inside his residency in the Silvergate Kingdom Crafting Hall. His office had expired, but that was fine. He had no intention of closing himself off in one ever again. It was now the eighth in-game day since launch and with the time he spent on WIDOW, he was positive many had managed to catch up to his level. With the funds to mature his future guild soon to come through from Frontier, and the class change token burning a hole in his inventory, he didn''t feel pressured in the least.


    That didn''t mean every minute wasn''t precious. Now that the dilation was ticking, his first order of business was taking out his newest growth weapon, and pumping it full of Superiority.


    [Level down! -5 free attribute points]


    [Cassidy¡¯s Comet - Lustrous Blue - LVL 0 > 9 - 0/100,000 SP: (AP 10 > 55) (PTC 2 > 11) (PHY 2 > 11) (Durability 90/90) Innate Skill - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 400% > 760% physical damage with 400% > 760% bonus force. Ignores defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 1 hour > 40 minutes)]


    The bonus attributes and Attack Power were mediocre for a Lustrous Blue. The increase to its special attack however was tremendous, and the reduced cooldown was pure icing. He shivered at how deadly the attack was becoming.


    Raine stored the item and quickly left the building while sending a message to Richtor for an update on their status. With that out of the way, he called Morty to discuss the last of the chores he''d given the AI, ¡°How many of their background checks were you able to block?¡±


    ¡°Block Frontier, with the assets at my disposal? Impossible. I was, however, unexpectedly successful in another avenue.¡±


    ¡°Out with it, Morts,¡± Raine grumbled as he exited the building, his brows rising upon seeing hundreds of players on his street alone.


    ¡°As far as the world outside ZL is concerned, you no longer exist. Your girlfriend, too.¡±


    Raine stopped in his tracks, making sure his voice was muted to those nearby, ¡°What''s that supposed to mean? You can''t erase peoples records, that''s not a thing.¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said I wasn''t sure either? Every time I accessed one of your files to slow down Frontiers systems, it simply vanished. I''m still looking into it, subtly. As you said, such a thing should not be possible and I am highly motivated to discover its cause.¡±


    No matter how Raine looked at it, the situation made no sense. His ZionLine account was obviously unaffected since he was currently using it, and ultimately, he had too many other things to prioritize. Not to mention this issue was way outside his wheelhouse, ¡°Keep me apprised. Thanks again, Morty.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master. I took the liberty of transferring your assets and bills to your ZL account.¡±


    The nature of ZionLine accounts allowed them to be both highly integratable and secure. They acted as a bank account, yet any payment or statement would only display a long serial number rather than a name.


    ¡°You''re spoiling me. Gotta go,¡± Raine arrived at the auction house to find it overflowing with level ten players.


    He estimated at least twenty thousand in the town. Considering the war was occupying the two most prominent guilds, it made sense for regular players to get ahead. It was common to die several times in wars, with hundreds of thousands involved, the cost in lost levels and equipment could quickly reach unfathomable quantities.


    In the past, Righteous and DyingNight hadn''t entered full-fledged combat at all, allowing their focus to remain on murdering and absorbing smaller guilds and solo players. Now, those very players had pulled ahead, though likely not for long. Major guilds with financial backing could achieve nearly anything in ZionLine. Once their focus returned to absorbing these player¡¯s and their gains, the tides would rapidly shift.


    Raine had no intention of still being around when the slaughter began. He entered the nearest free kiosk and accessed his account to withdraw the coins from his equipment sales. When he saw the number waiting for him, his eyes shot wide, ¡°One thousand gold?!¡±

 Chapter 34 - IT’S GO TIME

    With eyes brightly reflecting the gold coins in his possession, Raine accessed and reviewed his auction sales history. He sold a total of two hundred and six items. The best earners were the forty Common Gray level ten drops from the croglocks. The rest were Dull Trash and tutorial gear. The lower tier items sold for an average of one and a half gold, while the crog drops went for over thirty-five gold each, some as high as forty.


    Amazing that players scraped together this much gold already. Massive guilds are terrifying in terms of economic power. This must have been a massive hit to their bottom line. Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­ I caused a bidding war that turned into an actual war?!


    That makes so much sense. Greed is a huge motivator, and if one side was winning more of the auctions, the other would obviously want to take advantage of their weakened cash flow and hopefully snag some of those items in the process.


    Similar wars had occurred more times than Raine could count. There was no such thing as a guild in ZionLine that thrived on peace. Since the cash shop had yet to open, it was difficult for corporation-backed guilds to turn digital assets into credits. Obviously, they needed to deliver results to their shareholders, and the best way to do that was to grow their initial investment. There were two primary ways to go about that. Either spread your people out and farm drops, coins, and levels, or steal them.


    Raine licked his lips. Desire to create his own guild and join the fray filled his chest with excited tingles, and the only cure was action.


    He tapped away at his kiosk¡¯s interface, checking the current price for level ten gear. He filtered the selection until he found replacements for the last three items he had yet to upgrade. Their total was fifteen gold and he immediately bought and replaced his remaining Dull Trash pieces. They weren¡¯t as good as the superior versions from the crog chieftain, but they were a decent boost nonetheless.


    [Scaled Bracers - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +12) (PTC +1) (FNS +1) (PHY +2) (Durability 55/55)]


    [Scaled Boots - Common Grey - LVL 10: (DEF +15) (FNS +3) (PHY +1) (move speed +1.2) (Durability 55/55)]


    [Kallnenko Branch: Common Gray - LVL 5: (AP +15) (AS -.25) (DEF +10) (PHY +4) (Durability 35/35)]


    The branch was a thick, two meter staff with good heft. Even though it was technically a monk weapon prioritizing physical stats, he could still use Blast with it, making it a good fit for his current build. He replaced his old staff in the cursed roulette, then left the auction house, eager to continue leveling. His next goal was level fifteen and Silverlight City, where he could officially create his guild.


    Currently, guild players were bound together by real life ties only, without any true support from ZionLine¡¯s systems. If he was the first to access the guild system, it would make recruiting, and more importantly, keeping those recruits, much simpler. There was no point recruiting a bunch of random people before then, only to lose them to a major guild after a few empty promises of wealth and fame. He needed to take the opposite path, building wealth and fame, then letting the players come to him.


    He had the perfect spot in mind to gain a few levels and score some nice equipment. Raine set out for the back gate of Vile Peak Town. On his way, he passed by a dark alley. A thin limb of black smoke shot out, wrapping around his ankle so fast that even his past self would have been powerless to avoid it. The limb¡¯s Potency was off the charts and it easily dangled him upside down. He was pulled into the alley and magical darkness rapidly surrounded him.


    A flash of light revealed his two-handed mace. He wound up for a swing when an unfortunately familiar voice stole his momentum. He froze, sweat sprouting and dripping up his spine toward the ground.


    ¡°Hello again, my adorable little Traveler,¡± the mysterious and powerful witch from the forest near Mirror Lake Town appeared before him in a swirl of dark energy. She snapped her fingers, and Raine fell to the ground, which had been replaced by the dark smoke. She smiled, revealing missing teeth and stained gums, ¡°You unleashed something ancient and cunning in these mountains. I want it.¡±


    Raine banished his weapon and leaped to his feet. The odd smoke was more than sturdy enough to stand on, though it undulated eerily beneath him. His stomach was doing backflips after nearly attacking the witch¡¯s pet. The best result from that blunder would have been a quick trip to the local graveyard. He bowed, ¡°Apologies for not recognizing you, Great One.¡±


    ¡°A pittance. Pay your ignorance no mind. You will call me Zoarra.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Zoarra.¡±


    Her smile widened and Raine did his best not to cringe, maintaining a polite demeanor. Even regular Vaaterrans were a force only the foolish took lightly. Abducting him in this town without drawing the attention of its famously powerful lord only proved all over again that Zoarra was a rung above extraordinary.


    When she didn¡¯t continue the conversation, Raine gathered his courage, ¡°You said there was something you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Your exploits in a nearby cave awakened a sealed curse. It is currently protected by three artifacts. You will bring them to me.¡±


    Last time she gave him a quest, he wasn¡¯t given a choice. When the quest dialog didn¡¯t immediately appear in his HUD, his brows furrowed, ¡°What are these artifacts, and why send someone as lowly as me?¡±


    ¡°They hold the forms of knights of old. The reason I am forced to send one of you pitiful Travelers is the location. Are you familiar with mystic lands?¡±


    Raine nodded. Mystic lands were spaces separated from the normal rules and boundaries of zones, usually accessed through various mechanisms or rituals. Usually, only those below specific levels could enter them. Inside, one could find entire worlds of content and it was almost a guarantee they would yield astonishing rewards for those lucky enough to plumb their depths.


    ¡°Perhaps your ignorance is not so all-encompassing. The danger you will face is greater than the pebble you cleared from my garden. Will you go? Or must I find another?¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The finality in her last question triggered alarm bells in Raine¡¯s skull. He pushed down his concern; it was too early to accept such a dangerous quest with so little information, ¡°How would I access the mystic land, and what can I expect to find there?¡±


    She sneered, ¡°Simply arrive at the designated location before midnight. As for the denizens, you should already know. If you can¡¯t figure out something so simple, you¡¯re of no use to me! Now, what is your choice?¡±


    Raine hesitated, weighing his options. If he followed the course he set for himself, levels and progress were guaranteed, but little else. On the other hand, mystic lands contained great treasures, and far more Superiority. With challenge, comes reward. The only reason he didn¡¯t immediately agree was how ridiculous her last quest had been. That ¡®pebble,¡¯ was eight levels above him, and the penalties for failure would have forced him to restart.


    Raine already decided he needed to keep pushing himself. If he turned away from this opportunity because of fear, then it would prove his dreams of reaching the top were nothing more than pleasure seeking self-indulgence.


    He met her glassy-eyed stare with a firm nod, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°A foolish choice. I eagerly await your failure, my future pet,¡± in a pulse of darkness, she vanished and Raine appeared in the alley once more.


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants progressed]


    [Locate the entrance to the Mystic Lands of Korahn¡¯s Legacy: (15 hours remaining)]


    [Warning: Failure to progress this quest will result in your soul being dominated by the Great Witch Zoarra. Quest may not be abandoned]


    Seriously?! Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s been waiting here for days just to try and turn me into her minion again. Give it a rest, you old bag!


    Raine opened his map to check the location of the mystic land. Not seeing it, he zoomed out until most of the map was visible, but shadowed in fog. Since he had yet to visit the areas and uncover them, they would remain obscured. Still, he failed to find the location.


    He ground his lips together in frustration, and zoomed the map out as far as it would go. At last, he found the little gold triangle that marked the entrance, several hundred kilometers away at the very edge of the zone. And of course, there was no road anywhere in that direction. There were, however, dozens of mountains packed with beasts to slow him down.


    The timing would be tight, with little margin for error. Worst of all, it would be expensive.


    Raine broke into the fastest jog he could get away with in a town. Empowering the body with Discipline was banned inside walls. If he tried, the guards would quickly dispatch him. He arrived at the Gromglenns¡¯ yard and marched right up to Gazmo, ¡°Can you show me the items you have for sale?¡±


    ¡°Sure-sure, smallest rock. Is here, everything for you-you.¡±


    He found what he was looking for, and dropped just over two hundred gold to buy fifteen Dull Trash and Common Grey items, a Lustrous Blue cloak, and two Marvelous Gold devices; the latter costing a whopping seventy-five gold each. Grumbling under his breath about supply and demand, Raine equipped his new cloak.


    [Technomancy Reverse Apron of Confundity - Common Grey: Worn around the nape, this device projects a translucent filter that obscures details of the wearer¡¯s armor]


    With the cloak active, anyone seeing him would think his superior scale armor was the regular variant, which would still leave him looking better equipped than anyone else he was likely to meet. He rushed for the back exit of Vile Peak Town. As if to spite him, a crowd had gathered and was blocking the way. They looked through the wide-open gate at something outside, their whispering nearly drowned by the morning winds that gently howled through the streets.


    ¡°Who do they think they are?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t this gone on long enough?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more than enough of us, let¡¯s all go at once and it¡¯ll be over in an instant!¡±


    Raine wasn¡¯t polite in pushing through the throng, eliciting curses and frustrated growls. Just outside the gates, ten level eleven players stood in a loose group. Each of them had a red banner above their heads, denoting a successful player kill within the last day. They could still enter most towns, but the guards would watch them like hawks and wouldn¡¯t help if other players attacked them. As red players killed more, their banners darkened and eventually guards would kill them on sight.


    Their leader was short and thick. He held a spear loosely to his side and was engaged in a heated argument against a burly man and two young women, ¡°Two silver for the ladies, five for you!¡±


    At a glance, it was obvious the girls had spent considerable time in the character creation menu. Even from behind, Raine could tell they were stunningly beautiful. They had even toggled the option to openly display their names¡ªKindHeart and TooPretty¡ªwhich made Raine want to roll his eyes all the harder.


    Catching the leader''s leering gaze, the burly man repositioned himself to block the view. His muscles bulged and his voice was somehow louder than the boisterous man, ¡°Nine silver?! That¡¯s hogwash! Who could afford that?¡±


    The red leader spread his arms to the sides, a slick smile plastered on his face, ¡°We¡¯re not keeping these roads safe on charity, mister. Look.¡± He pointed about fifty meters down the trail to an archer. The man waved back with a goofy grin. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy guarding such a long and dangerous section of the road just so fine folk like yourselves can safely travel? Well, think again.¡±


    The burly man looked back and forth between the nearby archer and the leader. He sputtered, unable to form the words to call out the ridiculousness of the situation. KindHeart and TooPretty stepped out from behind their escort, wearing pleading expressions, ¡°Please make an exception. We simply don¡¯t have that much. How about one silver each?¡±


    ¡°I think we can make an exception. If you¡¯re willing to spend a little time with us,¡± the leader¡¯s grin widened, and with a flick of his finger, two of his men closed in.


    Raine hadn¡¯t stopped to watch and was now halfway to the shakedown. The leader spotted him and his smile slipped. Not only was Raine wearing gear several cuts above the norm, he had a purposeful gait that reeked of confidence.


    The leader held out his hand palm up, ¡°Halt! One customer at a time.¡± Raine didn¡¯t stop, preparing to walk right by. ¡°I said halt!¡± The leader brandished his spear and the rest of his gang readied their weapons. When it was obvious Raine wouldn¡¯t stop, the man Lunged forward with a Pierce.


    Killing a red player wouldn¡¯t mark him as a red player, but it would spoil a perfectly good opportunity. The moment he was no longer the aggressor, Raine¡¯s arm swept to the side. A flash of light revealed his short sword. It smashed into the air well before the Lunging man could reach him. Rupture sent two rippling waves outward in an expanding cone that encompassed most of the bandits, the innocent burly man, and both girls.


    The first wave neutered their defense by forty percent, and the follow-up five hundred percent shockwave dealt between eight and nine hundred damage to each. Raine, with all his weapon masteries completed and great gear, only had a little over four hundred health. In an instant, eleven players were reduced to shredded wrecks that barely had time to fall to the ground before exploding into particles of light.


    Even though ¡®innocent¡¯ players died, due to being attacked first, and Raine¡¯s primary target being the red player, his name remained white.


    Jaws dropped, and the only sound that could be heard was the peaceful blowing of the mountain wind. Raine quickly collected the thirteen dropped pieces of equipment, (red players increased their death penalties with each kill, eventually resulting in additional drops, and even multiple levels lost) then continued on his way. Behind, voices exploded from the crowded gate.


    ¡°H-he just killed those girls!¡±


    ¡°What are you, fourteen? A real man¡¯s heart would never be swayed by a pretty face!¡±


    ¡°Yah, they were going to pay those thieves instead of fighting with us, screw them!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only four left. Get ¡®em!¡±


    A mad scramble ensued, the crowd chasing while the bandits bolted in separate directions. Since none were fool enough to chase Raine, he couldn¡¯t have cared less.

 Chapter 35 - FIERCE FIRE

    - North of Vile Peak Town -


    ¡°Please, River. I need a break. You promised,¡± FierceFire planted her hands on her hips, pointedly ignoring the glares of the group they abandoned moments ago.


    FierceFire and her best friend, SolumnRiver stood on flat, rocky ground surrounded by high cliffs. A short distance away was the entrance of a cave. Above the aperture, their HUD''s displayed the name: Devil''s Defiance Dungeon. Ten other players¡ªall level twelve¡ªstood outside the entrance in groups of two and three.


    SolumnRiver shot down her complaints, as usual, ¡°We just had a break when the server was down¡­¡±


    ¡°That didn¡¯t count! You made me spar the whole time and I had all of five minutes to eat before you dragged me back in here. I need a real break. Donny¡¯s having a party tonight. Can we please go? Pleeeeease?¡±


    SolumnRiver poked away at her interface, no doubt searching for replacement members to attempt the dungeon again, ¡°No. grandfather has only given us a short time before the competition is to begin. I need to level up as quickly as possible.¡±


    FierceFire changed tactics, her voice turning sweet and tempting, ¡°I get that, but we¡¯ve reached a point where the two of us alone can¡¯t progress. Why not take it easy until your twenty-thousand headsets are delivered and the rest of your guild can catch up to help? You said we would relax if it got too hard, remember? Re-la-x. I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    SolumRiver huffed, rolling her eyes, ¡°You should be worried about me! If I lose the first round of the new competition¡­ Well, that goes without saying. I can¡¯t let that monster get further ahead of me.¡±


    ¡°Your cousin¡¯s not a threat. You got your order in first. His guild will be an entire day behind yours. Not to mention once the competition begins, you won''t have a break for months. This is our only chance! You know I''m right.¡±


    SolumnRiver paused for several seconds, relenting with a sigh, ¡°Fine. We''ll go to this party that we both know is going to be awful, right after we clear the dungeon.¡±


    FierceFire knew that was the best she was going to get. If she pushed further, it would backfire and they might die again. Which would only lead to another non-stop leveling marathon and then she really would lose her mind. FierceFire had yet to see anyone besides her and SolumnRiver at level thirteen, so now was the perfect chance.


    Despite their marital prowess and levels, they had yet to kill the first monster inside the dungeon. It took zero damage no matter how they attacked, and its offensive abilities were absurd. This was her first time playing such a difficult game, and regardless of her whining, she was having a great time. It didn¡¯t hurt that she was finally getting some one-on-one time with the overly motivated SolumnRiver.


    While she waited for SolumnRiver to find them another new team, an unfamiliar man came around the bend in the trail. He briefly swept his gaze across the gathered players without slowing his approach to the dungeon entrance. His armor shimmered in mysterious weaving patterns, obfuscating its grade and make. Even without the eye-catching effect, his composed gait managed to draw everyone''s attention.


    FierceFire used Identify and her brows shot up when all she got were question marks, ¡°I can''t see his name or level.¡±


    SolumnRiver barely looked up at the stranger before tapping away at her interface again, ¡°Obfuscating items aren''t that abnormal. I really should have dragged you into more games before this.¡±


    The new arrival raised his voice, easily heard over the whistling wind, ¡°Accepting party members for a quick clear. Five gold per person.¡±


    No one responded. Of course they didn''t, not one of them could believe the outlandish claim after failing so many times. On top of that, paying him five gold was absolutely ridiculous. FierceFire¡¯s father was an avid pursuer of the newest and greatest VR experiences. He even had a small guild with a few thousand members. They¡¯d been farming non-stop for days and she could only barely afford his fee thanks to their efforts. Of course, her father¡¯s efforts were nothing but a joke before what SolumnRiver¡¯s family could do.


    The man sighed dramatically, his voice still loud, ¡°Don''t tell me you''re all standing around scratching your asses because you''ve got nothing better to do? You''re stuck on the slimes, right? I know the trick to beating them. Last chance before I clear it solo.¡±


    FierceFire¡¯s heart rate picked up. She knew her fomo was kicking in and she didn¡¯t care. This could be her best chance to get SolumnRiver out of the house. She raised her hand, swaying her hips as she swaggered toward the man, ¡°We¡¯ll go. Don¡¯t expect us to pay if you¡¯re lying though.¡±


    A contract popped into her interface, its abrupt appearance made it clear the man was prepared long before arriving. She skimmed it, then sent a direct message to SolumnRiver, ¡°Is this normal, too?¡±


    SolumnRiver shook her head in the negative. She opened her mouth to reply, but an angry man in a nearby group spoke over her, ¡°You shouldn''t take those two. They abandon every group in the first fight. They can''t be trusted. Why don¡¯t you come with us, we only need one more.¡±


    FierceFire shot back, ¡°We leave when it''s clear we won''t win. Sticking around and losing a level was your own fault.¡±


    The man prepared a retort but someone else in his group stopped him with a hand on his arm, ¡°Cut it out. You know who they are. You trying to get killed back to zero?¡± The angry guy jerked his arm away, muttering curses under his breath.


    The newcomer ran his piercing gaze over each group in turn, ignoring the angry man¡¯s offer, ¡°Only these two? Once you know the trick to the dungeon, think how much you can earn by running it repeatedly and selling the drops¡­ No? Oh well, your loss.¡±


    ¡°W-wait! We¡¯ll go,¡± a pair of sinewy young men raised their hands.


    FierceFire watched their eyes move left and right as they reviewed the same contract she had yet to sign. The contents were simple enough; the promisor vowed to pay each member twenty gold if he failed to complete the dungeon within two hours. If he was successful, the promisees would owe him a system debt of five gold. Death on their part would not exonerate them from the contract, and if they abandoned the dungeon before he died, or betrayed him by deed or avoidance, they would instead owe him twenty gold and two million credits. Lastly, all skill book drops would go to him and the rest of the gear would be split by the party via loot roles.


    SolumnRiver elbowed her, eliciting a grunt, ¡°What are you waiting for? We either learn how to clear this and pass it on to our guilds, or make twenty gold. Weren¡¯t you in a hurry? Don¡¯t tell me your fear of commitment is stronger than the prospect of twenty gold.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Shush! I didn¡¯t expect him to actually force us to sign a contract is all,¡± FierceFire signed and she was automatically added to the man¡¯s party. Even then, his name appeared as question marks. A little scroll notification annoyingly appeared in the corner of her HUD, reminding her of what she¡¯d been forced to sign. Grumbling, she followed the rest of the party to the cave.


    Suddenly, the flat darkness of the entrance turned a sickly amethyst and a large floating skull appeared. The man walked into the skull¡¯s mouth without hesitating, vanishing into the dungeon. FierceFire stopped in her tracks, her eyes shooting wide, ¡°W-what did he do?! That didn¡¯t happen when we went in before!¡±


    ¡°I think he set the difficulty to nightmare,¡± one of the men responded disbelievingly.


    ¡°Is he insane?! Don¡¯t tell me his plan all along was to get us to back out!¡±


    ¡°Quick, follow him before we¡¯re in breach! A death isn¡¯t worth owing this bastard twenty gold!¡±


    With pounding hearts, the group filed into the hellish portal. They appeared in a familiar, poorly lit cave, the man nowhere in sight. Cursing, SolumnRiver charged ahead, FierceFire on her heels. They rounded the bend where they encountered the first enemy on their normal difficulty attempts, finding nothing except more darkly-lit tunnel leading into the bowels of the mountain.


    They dashed ahead, dreading every step while eyeing the little symbol in their HUD¡¯s, begging it not to flicker off and seal their financial fates. Explosions, crumbling stones, and the crashing of combat tickled their ears just before they burst into a small chamber. Shockingly, the man was battling against five slimes. When FierceFire saw their health was five times higher than the normal version, her legs seized up, refusing to carry her another step.


    The monsters were tall and skinny. Glowing spheres inside their bodies, like eyes watching her in the dark, sent shivers up her spine. Dark rocks could be seen inside their gelatinous forms as they undulated in weaving patterns, attempting to dodge with frightening speed. The normal one hadn¡¯t even tried to evade, relying on its impenetrable defenses to ward them off. They moved so fast, FierceFire wasn¡¯t confident in hitting them at melee range, let alone with her finicky Blast ability.


    In terms of health, speed, size, and the sense of danger emanating from them, there was no comparison to the normal slime they failed to do even a single damage to. She instinctively retreated a step, knowing that if she was hit once, it would lead to a painful game over.


    [Elite Bullet Slime - level 13 - HP 4,600/4,600 (A mysterious monster immune to all known damage types)]


    When their pinpoints of inner light glowed, she shouted a warning, ¡°Watch out!¡± Before the words finished leaving her mouth, they were drowned out by sonic booms that rattled her skull. The slime around the orbs elongated explosively, leaving afterimages in her eyes. Like bullets fired from within, long and thin spikes of slime shot at the man.


    Miraculously, he evaded them all by twisting his body and extending his limbs at odd angles. The slime spears blazed past, some of them missing by mere millimeters. They crashed into the wall, penetrating deep into the rock and sending shrapnel in all directions.


    As quickly as they fired, the deadly rods of slime were sucked back into their forms. The man was on them in an instant, his spear darting into their bodies with zero effect. [-0] [-0] FierceFire shook her head, retreating another step.


    Can¡¯t believe I thought he might actually know what he was doing after that dodge. They¡¯re obviously immune, so why does he keep attacking?


    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by his ability to repeatedly hit them. All six were a blur of movement that she only dream of matching. Controlling the avatar¡¯s in ZionLine was no simple feat, and if not for the discipline and bodily control that came with being a peak class three martial, she never would have reached level thirteen in only eight days.


    ¡°How odd,¡± SolumnRiver pondered the man¡¯s movements as well, her head tilted, sharp eyes squinted appraisingly. ¡°His fine muscle control is superb, possibly better than mine. But his spearmanship is amateurish at best,¡± SolumnRiver was considered a genius; a class four martial at nineteen, and already capable of accessing her inner force. FierceFire wouldn¡¯t dare doubt her expertise.


    ¡°Does it matter? He¡¯s not hurti¡ª¡± FierceFire¡¯s critique died on her lips as the next stab of his spear somehow caused the slime to shudder in agony. [-161]


    ¡°What?!¡± One of the two guys exclaimed the word they all wanted to shout.


    The man moved onto another slime. His spear darted forward in rapid succession, once more doing no damage. Without looking back, he spoke loud enough to be heard over the pitched battle, ¡°Go ahead and attack that one. I¡¯ll keep aggro so don¡¯t worry about dying.¡±


    SolumnRiver was the first to move, darting in and spinning. Her greataxe cut through the creature twice in rapid succession. [-62] [-62] Its body folded to the side. Expecting it to be off balance from the weight behind her friend''s attacks, FierceFire followed up with a Blast that narrowly connected. [-49] If she hadn¡¯t been so used to fighting with SolumnRiver, she definitely would have missed. Quick as lightning, the man¡¯s spear whipped out to the side and grazed their slime. [-161]


    His damage is so much higher. What level is he? Sixteen? Did he dump everything into Potency? No, he¡¯s too fast. Wait! He¡¯s using a weapon he¡¯s not good at, is he trying to max out his spear affinity for extra attributes? We decided not to do that once we noticed the excess affinity going into a pool for later use. Were we wrong?


    FierceFire caught SolumnRiver¡¯s subtle glance. They shared a nod, coming to the same conclusion. After this eye-opening experience, they would definitely be getting their hands on every type of weapon they could find.


    The slimes¡¯ eyes glowed again, and more bullets of slime shot out to pierce the walls. The man dodged them all again. After SolumnRiver¡¯s observation, it was clear to FierceFire that his ability to evade so many blindingly swift attacks simultaneously had nothing to do with luck. He recovered in a fluid twist of momentum, his spear darting deep into the second slime to deal damage for the first time.


    He immediately moved on to the third, and she gasped, realizing what he was doing when one of the stones inside the slime''s body was struck. It popped out the back of the beast and clacked against the floor.


    N-no way. I can barely follow their movements and he¡¯s accurately hitting the little rocks inside their bodies?! Amateurish, huh? Her family''s standards are ridiculous.


    Hearing her gasp, one of the guys released a chortle, ¡°Did it seriously take you this long to figure it out? And you¡¯re both level thirteen? Wow, your friend must work in the sanitation department with how good she is at carrying trash.¡±


    His friend bellowed and FierceFire''s skin burned with embarrassment. SolumnRiver scowled while continuing to hack at their slime. FierceFire did her best to ignore his words while sliding in Blasts whenever there was an opening. She missed several times, distracted by their mysterious leader.


    Sure enough, each of his attacks struck another rock, some of them smaller than a knuckle. When the last one fell free, his next stab caused the Bullet Slime to recoil in pain. He dodged another round of deadly bullets, then jumped back. His spear clanged off thin air as though it were a solid church bell. Two waves of force shot forward in a cone, enveloping all five slimes for a truly ridiculous amount of damage. [-855] The slime they had been working so hard to kill wobbled, losing cohesion and sloshing into a puddle on the ground.


    [Obtained 1,600 Group Superiority (100% bonus for defeating an elite monster of equal level)]


    [Obtained 4% Group Attunement (100% bonus for defeating an elite monster of equal level)]


    Why is there a bonus for equal level? Is it because we¡¯re in a nightmare dungeon, or¡ª


    A loot bubble containing multiple copper, and one silver coin dropped. They vanished, swept up by a hand that moved so fast she barely perceived it. It was her first time seeing anything other than copper drop from a monster, and it was gone before she realized what she was looking at. There was no way any of them could compete with the man¡¯s speed, and FierceFire¡¯s stomach sank upon realizing their contract had said nothing about what happened to the currency that dropped in the dungeon.

 Chapter 36 - STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU

    Raine burned a point of Discipline to grab the dropped coins. There wasn¡¯t a chance in hell he was going to let these moochers take more than they were already getting. Five gold for the secrets of clearing a nightmare difficulty was an absolute steal. The only reason he allowed them to roll for loot was because none of them could understand the value of said knowledge and would be unlikely to sign the contract.


    He was annoyed at having to bring them in the first place. There was a slight chance his damage would be insufficient to clear the last boss alone, so he did what needed to be done.


    The Devil''s Defiance Dungeon was his only chance to reach the mystic lands in time. The space inside the mountain was warped by the dungeon, and on nightmare, that meant a short trip all the way to his first destination: the peak. Additionally, there was a very important skill that dropped here, which had always been a part of his plans.


    What he hadn¡¯t anticipated was meeting two of the most famous women in the entire Tri-Glades. Both were from prominent martial families with long lineages, though one significantly more so than the other. Raine had watched several vodcasts of them and could say with absolute certainty that they were much more beautiful in real life than the plain avatars they made for themselves.


    Since they were attempting to remain incognito, he made sure not to react when meeting them. He recognized their names though: FierceFire, or Freyja Salamant of the Masters Clan, and SolemnRiver, or Talerra Tafell of the Phoenix Clan.


    The latter was actually the direct descendant of an Old Monster. The Tafell name could be found running corporations all across the continent. In the past, Talerra Tafell eventually lost the competition against her cousin for a position in the clan succession. At that time, her personal guild was swallowed by one of the many guilds under the umbrella of the Phoenix Clan. Due to that, she went on to become a famous VRVod influencer both in and out of ZionLine. Seeing her now, it occurred to Raine that if she had won the competition against her cousin, she would have controlled the entire region, becoming their overlord instead of that monster.


    He shook his head, banishing the thought. The last thing Raine wanted was to get mixed up with either girl. The attention of the Phoenix and Masters clans was a death sentence for his current self. Unfortunately, he was on a clock and messing around with the random people outside was a risk, while these two girls were guaranteed to at least be useful. He would have been confident bringing only them, but earning an extra ten gold was¡­ well, earning another ten gold.


    The pressure was on as he dodged a round of super-sonic attacks from the Bullet Slimes. The exhilarating evasion mingled with the high stakes of dying; which would ruin his chances of completing the witch''s quest on time. A manic grin tugged at his cheeks, hidden by the bandit shroud covering the bottom half of his face.


    While quick and deadly, the slimes had long cooldowns between their attacks. Once their eyes began to glow like flashlights, the direction of the attack was set in stone and all he had to do was not be where they were pointing. Alone, they weren¡¯t difficult to evade so he purposefully drew several of them together to warm up for the first boss.


    Between their volleys, he continued to target the absorption stones they regularly consumed, releasing Rupture each time it was off cooldown. He tried not to use Discipline for anything else, not only to further enjoy the challenging situation, but also to preserve the slow-to-regenerate resource.


    Additionally, he made sure not to kill multiple of them simultaneously as that might allow one of the moochers to steal the coins they dropped. In the limited content low level players had access to, nightmare dungeons were the best place to farm coins. They were also notoriously difficult and restricted players¡¯ attributes once they reached a certain threshold. The fact these four could now turn this place into a coin printer, far out-earning their debt to him, irked Raine more with every kill.


    [Obtained 1,600 Group Superiority (100% bonus for defeating an elite monster of equal level to your highest member)]


    [Obtained 4% Group Attunement (100% bonus for defeating an elite monster of equal level to your highest member)]


    The same message appeared in his interface three more times over the next two minutes. Each kill was a reminder he was grouped with people above his level, which lowered all their gains. Still, it was decently quick now that they knew how to help. Only nine more groups this size and he would have enough to level Cassidy¡¯s Comet to ten.


    To keep his weapon, Raine purposefully left the last slime alive and with one of its absorption stones still intact. Dashing down the adjoining tunnel, he yelled back, ¡°Leave this one alone for now. If you get its attention, I won¡¯t save you.¡± The group tried to keep their distance from the slime and still follow but were quickly left behind by his superior attributes.


    It was no surprise they hadn¡¯t taken time to advance all the basic weapon affinities, as that strategy didn¡¯t become a mainstay for nearly a month. It wasn¡¯t that people were stupid, it was the conditioning from previous virtual experiences that consistently rewarded sticking with a single weapon type. Due to ZionLine attracting people of all kinds, many of whom had never previously had combat training, rewarding them for experimenting early on only made sense.


    The tunnel Raine sprinted down was long and angled higher up into the mountain. The two slimes he dashed by had plenty of time to condense, aim, and fire. He twisted his torso and crooked an elbow, allowing all four shots to whizz by and crash into the wall. Having a good grasp of their timing, he ran backward to watch remaining slime from the first group fire two seconds later. Raine easily avoided it as well before resuming his mad dash to the next open room.


    Three more slimes awaited him inside. They turned to him in unison, their eyes shifting about before settling on his chest, left arm, and right leg. He lifted the arm above his head while extending his foot and rotating his torso. Six deadly lances of slime shot past him. He laughed when one punched through a slime chasing him, knocking out an absorption stone for him.


    He didn¡¯t dare attempt to replicate the fortunate mishap by letting himself get surrounded. He was no virtuoso¡ªthose rare experts capable of avoiding attacks even from their blind spots. Raine hugged the wall, keeping all five of them in his sight and angling toward the one with only a single stone left. He reached it before they attacked again, knocking out its last stone. He immediately burned ten Discipline to unleash a Rupture that lowered its defense further before blasting off large chunks of its form.


    By the time the group caught up, a surly SolemnRiver in the lead, the creature gurgled its last and fell into a slippery puddle. He snatched up the few coins it dropped, flashing them a smile they couldn¡¯t see. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance and she leaped into the fray, smacking two stones out of the nearest slime with a well-placed Slash.


    The beast turned on her, its eyes glowing with hatred. She held her ground but Raine¡¯s focus was stolen as the other slimes took aim at him. All six eyes zeroed in on his chest and he had to jump at an angle, turning sideways to narrow his profile. One still grazed his armor, the force of the blow tossing him into the wall. He bounced and then smacked his hand against the stones to throw himself back onto his feet.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    SolemnRiver was unscathed after perfectly dodging her slime. She shot him a victorious smirk, then jabbed her large axe into the creature to dislodge another stone. Raine shook his head. He had no intention of drawing her attention by competing, and if she wanted to actually be useful, he wasn¡¯t going to complain. The slimes died quickly, and once more he left one alive. Changing weapons was something that normally wasn¡¯t possible in combat; doing it with a flash of light would be quite memorable.


    They cleared two more rooms in rapid succession, each a little higher up the inside of the mountain¡¯s bowels. By the time they reached the first boss, SolemnRiver was right on his heels. By burning Discipline in conjunction with immaculate footwork, bouncing off the walls, and even the ceiling once, she barely kept up with him.


    She saw me use Discipline to dodge twice, and she¡¯s already figured it out to this extent? Monster.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight the next one alone. Stay back unless you want to die,¡± Raine put the aggressive girl from his mind, fully dedicating himself to the first boss that loomed tall before him.


    [Elite Shotgun Slime - Boss - level 14 - HP ?????/?????]


    The creature had eight eyes, and all of them glowed the moment he stepped into its chamber. Only one was facing him, which made Raine want to curse at his sour luck. He angled so it would miss, then focused with all his will. Utilizing a martial technique, he blocked sound and touch, disabling the two senses to free his brain¡¯s processing power. The cavern felt emptier as gurgling slime, footfalls, and his heavy breaths turned to static-laced silence. The weight of his armor again sweat-slicked skin faded to nothing.


    Raine¡¯s sense of sight blossomed, the cave and boss blooming with new color and fidelity. In the next instant, sonic booms shook the walls as it blasted rays of slime just like its lesser brethren. Except the shots that weren¡¯t aimed at him rebounded off the walls in brand new, unpredictable trajectories. Forced to adjust on the fly, Raine threw himself to the side. He managed to avoid all but one that cracked into his left ankle. [-191]


    Unable to shunt his senses for longer than a quick burst, sound returned in a rushing wave. He grunted off the pain of his injury as he landed. Injecting a burst of Discipline into his good leg, he leaped at the boss.


    [Negative affliction received: Hamstrung (Duration 5.79 seconds)]


    A few more hops closed the distance and his spear snaked into its body twice in rapid succession. Both hits targeted the same large and heavy absorption stone that stubbornly refused to be dislodged. Not taking him seriously, the shotgun slime remained stationary, its four meter frame towering above him as its eyes glowed again.


    The typical strategy for the Shotgun Slime was to rotate in a circle around it, forcing its eyes to be in random locations before it fired. That often left several facing away from the tank. Since the attacks couldn¡¯t penetrate all the way through its body, it was possible to use the boss itself to soak one or more of its own attacks.


    This time, three eyes were pointed directly at Raine while the other five faced the sides and rear. He ignored the two at the rear, knowing they wouldn¡¯t be able to reach him through the boss after deflecting from the walls. The three aimed at him he avoided by positioning in advance.


    The air filled with heavy cracks an instant later. Raine refused to flinch as spears of slime blasted past him, ruffling his hair and sending reverberations through his armor. Two shots raced to the left, and one to the right. They deflected, zipping toward him in a stretched blur. He jumped with both feet, his debuff having worn off a second before. He couldn¡¯t look both directions at once and chose to focus on the two, hoping for the best.


    Midair, he lashed out with his spear. The Physique behind the blow sent him twirling like a sideways top. The lances grazed by both sides of his extended arm, and the last from behind missed by a good margin, tearing through where he was before jumping. He landed, knowing from his debuff that he had just over six seconds to counter before its slime was condensed enough to fire again.


    With two point one Attack Speed, Raine had just enough time for twelve attacks. Half of them were loaded with Discipline in the form of Pierce as his regular attacks were having a hard time dislodging the stubborn stones. Before it attacked again, he managed to remove the first one, and the second quickly followed.


    The boss¡¯s eyes glowed, five pointing to the left. Raine grinned, diving to the right and placing the boss¡¯s mass between him and the majority of the attacks. The last three were easily avoided when he jammed his spearhead into the ground, lifting his body at the last second. He was already Piercing again before landing, but now, he wasn¡¯t alone.


    SolemnRiver dashed into the room, roaring as her axe heavily blasted into the creature''s thick body. In one solid Slash, she dislodged a stone. There was no competitive smirk this time. Her focus was supreme as she spun, reducing her Attack Speed below its written value by bodily forcing her axe around in a full spin.


    If she¡¯s so eager to die, I¡¯m not going to stop her.


    With the loss of half its stones, the boss finally started taking the fight seriously. It thinned its form, stretching until it reached the ceiling. Its ¡®head¡¯ stuck there, spreading out in a puddle until its whole body was pulled into the air. Raine was already hard at work, smacking the stones they¡¯d dislodged and sending them skittering to the edges of the room. Then, he ran with his full speed, burning Discipline like he would never need it again.


    SolemnRiver tried to copy him, dashing in another direction but even with Discipline, she was only as fast as he was without it. As the boss fully spread across the ceiling, the distance between its eyes widened. They lit up again and it released eight blasts of slime that ricocheted between the floor and ceiling multiple times. Almost the entire room was filled with deadly slivers of explosively-powered slime.


    Raine, pressed flat against the wall, was spared. SolemnRiver jumped, diving to get out from under the hail of fire but was too slow and one of the lances took her right in the gut. She screamed as her momentum was arrested. The tough rope of slime held her fast and she bounced her right back into the thick of it. Miraculously, the attacks came to an end without her taking another hit or she certainly would have died.


    Unfortunately for her, the boss wasn¡¯t done. It dropped just as it was, landing flat across a large portion of the floor. SolemnRiver was caught beneath its mass and slammed into the ground. The creature then pulled itself together right around her, trapping her inside. Raine knew that the next time it fired slime, any of its attacks that went into its own body would likely pierce her as well, and that would be it for the foolish girl.


    There was absolutely nothing he could do about the situation. She was too large to dislodge, and doing so would hurt her more than help. Consigned to watching her die, he rushed back to the boss and went to work on the next stone. She held her breath and watched him, a calm expression on her face despite the pain she must be in.


    ¡°H-help her!¡± FierceFire screamed from the hallway, ¡°Please!¡±


    Raine paid her no mind, his third hit dislodging the next stone. His brows shot up when the soft glow of Mend surrounded SolemnRiver. He didn''t expect her to have the healing ability, and with it, she just might survive.


    Cheeks extended to hold the last of her oxygen, she met Raine¡¯s eyes. There was no pleading in her expression, only a firm desire to conquer their enemy no matter what it took. Barely able to move, powerful muscles in her torso contracted, bringing her boots up to brace against a stone beside her. Her hands found another. Veins bulged in her neck, and her face turned red from the effort, but she ever so slowly pushed against both stones, working them toward the surface with single-minded determination.


    Not falling for her, not falling for her.


    Raine chanted his new mantra as another soft glow surrounded her, returning her to full health. With how expensive the skill was, he doubted she could use it even four more times. He also doubted her maximum health was as high as his, which meant he couldn¡¯t let more than one attack hit her at a time.


    Grumbling under his breath, Raine jumped away a second before its eyes were due to light up. Its slime finished condensing right on time. Since he was a stationary target, its eight eyes swiveled to point directly at him. The next round of attacks would all be coming right for him from several directions at once. Their bouncing trajectories would be impossible to read in advance, and worse, the only thing between them and him, was thin air.

 Chapter 37 - SHAMELESS

    In his mind¡¯s eye, Raine saw the pinpricks of light scattered across his body. Each represented a point where the shotgun slime¡¯s eyes were locked onto him. He timed his dodge with expert precision, diving to the side the instant the glowing orbs finished focusing.


    The three lances aimed directly at his chest were easily dodged. They tore past amidst a round of concussive blasts he didn¡¯t hear and bounced off the wall behind him to shoot over the boss¡¯s head. Two aimed at his right side narrowly missed when he jerked his head and left shoulder back, twisting his torso wildly. Unluckily, this put him right in the path of the one directed at his left leg. It speared straight through his hip, painfully locking him in place. [-199]


    Raine¡¯s health flashed red in his HUD. After the hit he¡¯d taken earlier, he was down to exactly fifty health. One lance remained.


    Since SolemnRiver could take a single hit, Raine had tried to position himself so the last attack would need to go through the boss to get to him. He failed. The blistering fast ray of slime bounced off the wall and missed the boss by mere millimeters, shooting directly for Raine¡¯s face. Held fast and off balance from his earlier dodge, he only had one chance to live.


    Raine snarled, baring his teeth. Discipline fueled his muscles as he strained for more speed. His physical attributes hit their peak, and he pushed them further by dipping into Connection. The atmosphere between his arm¡¯s current location and where it needed to be thinned, reducing the air pressure slowing him down. It was the barest change, but it was enough. A mighty clang resounded through the room as his spearhead  intercepted the lance. The attack careened to the side, hitting the wall and deflecting out of sight. The weight of the impact threw him back, only for the rope of slime speared through his hip to jerk him forward. [-32] [-17]


    [Hard Iron Spear: Durability -5]


    The slime lances withdrew back into the boss, freeing him. He hit the ground charging, not daring to look at how close he came to death. It didn¡¯t matter, another hit would be the end and they still hadn¡¯t dealt any damage to the annoying boss. By the time he arrived at the monster, SolemnRiver managed to dislodge another of the stones. With only two left, Raine launched into it with a frenzy of stabs and Pierces.


    Greater Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration kicked in, healing him for ten percent. [+44] In the next instant, his spear finally dealt damage and his next stab cracked into thin air, releasing a satisfying Rupture that sent the boss¡¯s gelatinous mass roiling. [-837]


    The shotgun slime¡¯s eyes lit up again and Raine retreated four steps in a short bound. Only two of its eyes locked directly on him. Adrenaline slammed through his veins. His breath stilled, and the world came into sharp focus.


    The lances explosively released in every direction. Raine¡¯s perception of time swelled, the attacks appearing to move in slow motion. He saw where he needed to be. It was crystal clear in his mind¡¯s eye, but his slow avatar refused to move fast enough. He struggled mightily against his low level attributes, boosting every limb with Discipline and once more throwing his spear into the path of the only lance he couldn¡¯t dodge.


    Color and sound returned in a sweeping flash that nearly stole his breath. His HUD blared an angry red and his spear lost another chunk of durability, but he survived. No, he was alive, more alive than he¡¯d ever felt. The ache in his hip and ankle, the threat of death, the pressure of failing a quest that would see him a slave, all combined into a euphoria beyond his ability to control. So he didn¡¯t even try.


    His boots powerfully pressed against the ground, sending him blasting back to the boss¡¯s side. Vision blurry and limbs trembling with excitement, a bark of laughter escaped his chest as his spear sank into it again and again. [-164] [-128] [169] Its defenses were weakened for another five seconds and he took full advantage, Piercing on cooldown.


    When the six second window ended, the Elite Bullet Slime stretched to the ceiling. SolemnRiver fell from its body. She glowed with a Mend that healed her from the randomly angled hit she took in the last wave of attacks. She was on her feet and sprinting for the wall in record time, barely managing to get out of the area of effect as the boss filled most of the chamber with rapidly deflecting lances and thunderous booms.


    Raine jumped at the wall, landing feet first to dodge then leaping right back into the fight. He was in position before it dropped from the ceiling. Another Rupture caused it to release warbling waves of agony. [Critical hit! -1,673]


    SolemnRiver¡¯s greataxe crashed into its other side. She spun so fast her feet blurred, the massive weapon in her hands connecting three times in less than a second. With his focus still ramped up, Raine managed to mostly follow the mysterious footwork that easily overcame what her Attack Speed should be capable of. He tucked the memory away for later examination.


    They dealt a solid chunk of its health before its eyes glowed. Both retreated a step, and Raine easily dodged while SolemnRiver took a page from his book and used the flat of her axe to block the two aimed for her chest. The force blasted her back. She slid along the floor until her back hit the wall, luckily not getting hit by any of the deflections. Another Mend drained the last of her Celestial Power, but the boss was nearing death and they could both smell its panic.


    Its eyes lit up for the final time, and Raine ran directly at SolemnRiver. Her eyes widened in shock as he planted the butt of his spear into the floor and launched himself at her like a maniacal pole jumper. His feet crashed into her chest, sending the princess in all but name skittering right back to the wall. Raine¡¯s health was back at half from consistent ticks of regeneration, so the lance that slammed through his leg didn¡¯t kill him.


    He dangled helplessly for a second before the slime harpoons retracted, then he righted himself by smacking his spear into the ground. As SolemnRiver stood up with a curse on her lips, he dashed forward, releasing a Rupture that turned the shotgun slime into a collapsing wave of mucus.


    Long before she made it back, Raine scooped up all the coins and items that dropped.


    [Obtained 25,000 Group Superiority (150% bonus for defeating an elite boss 1 level above your highest member)]


    [Obtained 20% Group Attunement (150% bonus for defeating an elite boss 1 level above your highest member)]


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    [Obtained 1 gold 13 silver]


    [Skill Book (Parry) - Novice - Common Gray: Nullify the damage and redirect the force of a physical attack (Cost: 5 discipline) (Cooldown: 10 seconds)]


    ¡°You shameless son of a bitch! What the hell was that?¡± She screamed in his face.


    The others filed into the room and soothing regeneration swept through Raine. He shrugged silently, activated the new skill book, and turned toward the next tunnel. SolemnRiver fumed, her knuckles white as they ground on the shaft of her axe.


    FierceFire hands patted the air soothingly, ¡°Ignore him. We knew from the first fight how greedy he is.¡±


    The group''s attention was drawn to two notifications that appeared in everyone''s interfaces.


    [Party loot acquired - Combat Helmet: Common Gray - LVL 10: (DEF +12) (ACU +2) (PHY +2) (Durability 60/60)]


    [Roll eligibility: All]


    [Party loot acquired - Double-tap Greataxe: Lustrous Blue - LVL 10: (AP +65) (AS -.25) (PTC +15) (FNS +10) (ACU +5) (Durability 160/160)]


    [Roll eligibility: All]


    FierceFire¡¯s eyes lit up and she clapped excitedly, ¡°Congratulations, Taly!¡± In the same breath, she rounded on the two guys, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about rolling for that axe if you want to survive long enough to take three steps outside this dungeon!¡±


    Their hands flew up in surrender, neither thinking they stood a chance of escaping SolemnRiver after she kept up with Raine¡¯s frankly ridiculous speed. The rolls went out for the armor piece first, which went to the shorter of the two men. He cheered, quickly donning the dark green, military-style helmet.


    The axe popped up next, and everyone besides SolemnRiver instantly declined. FierceFire¡¯s joyous smile slipped when two rolls appeared in the interface. [??? - 73 / SolemnRiver - 72] The chamber turned deathly silent, except for the sound of SolemnRiver¡¯s teeth grinding back and forth, ¡°I¡¯ll kill him. As soon as this contract ends, he¡¯s dead!¡±


    Explosive slime impacting tunnel walls echoed obnoxiously into the cavern. Their eyes flew to the contract symbol in their HUDs, sighing when they found it hadn¡¯t yet been broken. As one, they dashed after their truly shameless leader. They raced up the steep elevation of a long tunnel, heaving for breath. Meanwhile, the health bar beneath his blank name fluctuated wildly.


    They caught up to him in the next room. He faced five Bullet Slimes with his spear, easily dodging their non-deflecting shots and rapidly poking the stones out of their bodies. After leaving them behind, Raine only had to roll six times before getting his spear back. He would have settled for the axe as well since they knew he had it, but didn¡¯t get that lucky. While spamming the roulette, he allocated his accrued Superiority into the dagger, bringing it up two levels.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Common Gray - LVL 7 > 9 - SP 0/100,000: (AP 16 > 20) (EP 16 > 20) (AS +1) (FNS 7 > 9) (CNC 7 > 9) (Durability 45/45) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 100% remaining EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 17 > 19 damage per EP converted]


    SolemnRiver glared at him with furrowed brows, about to verbally flay him alive but paused. Her head tilted slightly as she realized his spear technique had improved drastically in the short time since they entered the dungeon. Not only was he bending his torso to increase his speed, but his footwork had shifted to a lower, longer stance giving him more maneuverability and power.


    In a split second decision, she gave up on killing him to get the weapon. The man was clearly a more competent martial than her, and if he changed to whatever his main weapon was, she probably wouldn¡¯t survive two exchanges. That assumed she managed to avoid his overpowered double wave skill that did more than enough damage to one-shot her.


    [I¡¯m being too short-sighted. I should try to recruit him if he¡¯s not already in a guild. People with his skills aren¡¯t easy to find. I stand to gain a thousand times more if he¡¯s working for me than against me.]


    Unaware of her thoughts, Raine continued to drill into the slimes. He was happy with the new axe. Despite it lacking an innate skill, its attributes were impressive. And if he could master the mysterious footwork technique SolemnRiver displayed, the negative to Attack Speed wouldn''t be an issue.


    The second he dislodged the final absorption stone, he hit the slime with a Rupture. SolemnRiver jumped in, smoothly sinking her greataxe into the creature. Raine nodded approvingly, glad she managed to calm down so quickly after embarrassingly losing the competition for the boss¡¯s gold. Together, they made short work of the group of slimes.


    They killed another thirty slimes as they rapidly progressed up the mountain. SolemnRiver kept pace with him, not once competing for the coins that dropped. Not that she would have had a chance if she tried.


    As the last slime chased him down the tunnels to the final boss¡¯s chamber, Raine glanced at his status. With a thought, he altered the display to now show totals after taking equipment into account in parenthesis. This lowered the numbers that used to include equipment, but gave him a better idea of the difference between his baseline stats and totals.


    NAME: Alaric


    CURRENCY: 783-G 98-S 72-C


    CLASS: none


    TITLE: Rock Crusher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 10


    SUPERIORITY: 114,100 / 150,000


    ATTUNEMENT: 18.72% > 424.15%


    HEALTH POINTS: 300 (410)


    ATTACK POWER: 61 (77)


    DEFENSE: 30 (124)


    RESISTANCE: 51 (51)


    CRITICAL RATE: 16% (16%)


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 68 (68)


    DISCIPLINE: 64 (75)


    ATTACK SPEED: 3.4 (3.4)


    MOVE SPEED: 4 (5)


    ATTRIBUTES:


    POTENCY: 30 (41)


    FINESSE: 30 (39)


    ACUITY: 31 (33)


    PHYSIQUE: 30 (41)


    CONNECTION: 34 (34)


    The end of the tunnel was flooded with light. Raine burst into the last cavern and freezing winds howled in his ears. They came from a large hole leading to open air that dominated the far wall. A bleating roar raised the hair on his neck as a majestic, winged goat raised its head. Thick, white fur lightly covered powerful muscles. Radiant sapphire eyes observed him with hungry interest. Long limbs tipped in sturdy claws scraped at the rocks beneath its paws.


    [Elite Ariesilae - level 15 - HP ?????/?????]


    It stood to its full height on powerful back legs. The heavy horns sprouting from its skull nearly scraped the ceiling. With zero warning, the beast¡¯s entire body streaked across the room at double the speed of the shotgun slime¡¯s attacks. Thick neck muscles jerked to the side, sending one of its oversized horns at Raine¡¯s chest.


    If not for his new skill, Raine would have immediately died. Parry pulled his spear into position faster than he could possibly move it himself. The sound of metal on metal filled his ears and his hair billowed back as a wave of displaced air crashed into him. The boss hurtled past in a streak of white fur, its outrageous momentum redirected into the wall. Upon impact, the whole cavern shook with incredible intensity, sending rubble cascading down around them.


    Raine grinned as his weapon took no durability damage, despite the immense power behind the blow. He faced the beast, lowering his stance. The ariesilae shook its head, turned to face him, and dropped to all fours. Muscles rippled, trembling with untapped power as it released a thunderous bleat, murder in its eyes.

 Chapter 38 - GET BLEAT ON

    When a creature was killed in ZionLine, a random roll determined if an item dropped. The item¡ªcoming in a variety of forms¡ªwould then be selected from a massive loot table, often restricted by the area and type of creature. But not always. For the case of dungeons and raids, the loot tables were much more restrictive than open world, and especially so for the earliest level ten dungeons.


    There were thousands of these dungeons, each as varied as the last. The one constant among them was the first boss¡¯s table; every single one of them had a chance to drop Parry, and in the nightmare versions, that chance increased to one hundred percent.


    Meanwhile, the final boss (which could only be reached on that same difficulty) was designed to teach players how to use their new skill, as nearly every dungeon and raid after would require it as a bar for entry.


    Raine had almost no control over his weapon when he Parried the boss''s initial Horned Charge. His attributes were still too low to overwhelm the system¡¯s kiddy gloves, and he only managed to slightly alter the angle of his spear. Ultimately, his efforts were enough and the boss¡¯s own redirected force sent it crashing into a deep, albeit thin, crevice in the wall. The fissure widened and crumbling stones showered to the floor.


    The ariesilae was on him in a heartbeat. It towered over him, nearly double his height, and each swipe contained the Potency and Finesse to be impossible to evade in a normal fashion. Raine gave ground, frantically backing up while circling the outside of the room. Liberal use of Discipline allowed him to barely stay ahead while dodging.


    As the seconds ticked by, he didn''t attempt to counter or take advantage of the many gaps in its animalistic assault. The rest of the group arrived, and Raine was quick to snap a command when they angled toward the Bullet Slime he¡¯d dragged in behind him, ¡°Leave it! Stay back for now.¡±


    They nodded, even SolemnRiver not willing to act on her own after the near-disaster with the last boss. All too soon, the slime''s eyes glowed and Raine ducked a swipe that would have brought him to death¡¯s door. He dashed closer to the boss, spinning around to hide behind it. The slime, oblivious to its idiocy, shot the ariesilae in the back. Two lances capable of smashing through solid stone struck true, only leaving mild bruises. [-18] [-17]


    The group gasped. The boss jumped backward, releasing a derisive snort that was too intelligent for comfort. One wing extended to flap and it spun midair. Lowering its head, both wings beat and it blasted forward in a blur. It crashed into the slime, each casual swipe of claw or horn tearing away chunks of ooze with deadly efficiency. Raine in turn dashed at the boss, spear first. He didn''t use skills or boost his attacks with Discipline, merely striking as quickly as he could. [-33] [-31] [-33]


    Unlike the slimes, this boss had above average Defense for an elite its level. Raine wasn''t bothered by his lack of damage and continued tickling away at its health even though its regeneration would quickly outpace him.


    A chunk of slime containing the last absorption stone was pulled free and the slime died in a single hit. The boss turned, pinning Raine with bloodshot eyes. He retreated immediately, fully returning to a defensive stance.


    Parry¡¯s ten second cooldown ended, and Raine counted down from five. His eyes were glued to the minuscule twitch of muscles in the boss¡¯s neck that was the only tell its one-shot mechanic was coming. The ariesilae used Horned Charge again, this time from point blank range. It moved so quickly it could have teleported. Parry was there, explosively deflecting its horn once more.


    Raine¡¯s spear was already in the exact position it needed to be for the boss¡¯s massive Potency to send it hurtling into the same crack in the wall. It widened further, now large enough to trap the horn between slabs of solid stone. Raine took full advantage, his spear scratching the beast¡¯s tough hide.


    Still in the shadows of the tunnel, FierceFire whispered, ¡°How did he activate his skill in time? That was practically instant. No human has a reaction speed that fast.¡±


    ¡°Gr-I know someone who could do it,¡± SolemnRiver wanted to kick herself for nearly revealing a clue about their origins, ¡°Though, I certainly could not have deflected so precisely. Why did he not take damage this time?¡±


    One of the guys tapped his chin, ¡°He must have known it was coming, and predicted the timing. Makes sense that bosses have cooldowns like we do.¡±


    The other guy scoffed, ¡°As if that makes it any less impressive. You saw the power behind that attack. Even a slight miscalculation and he¡¯d get one-shot. Then, we¡¯d all get to experience being torn apart by that thing.¡±


    Raine interrupted their powwow with a bark, ¡°Move to the center of the room, only attack from range.¡±


    They hustled to obey as the boss tore itself free from the wall with a high-pitched scrape. It rounded on Raine who was already backing away. He leaned back, narrowly avoiding a swipe at his throat. The ariesilae¡¯s wings beat, sending it hurtling after Raine. He struck the floor with the butt of his spear, driving himself to the side. The boss landed and gave chase, circling around the terrified party.


    Only SolemnRiver¡¯s eyes were wide with a different emotion, her heart racing for the moment he told her to join. One of the guys tried shooting with his bow, but missed every shot. FierceFire performed better, managing to hit for minimal damage half the time.


    Four seconds after its cooldown ended, Raine activated Parry. The boss accelerated to max speed, appearing above Raine right on schedule. The sharp tip of its horn blurred toward his neck. The attack itself was straight-forward, only dangerous because of its speed and power. Knowing where the ariesilae would aim and what direction it would come from, Raine easily positioned his weapon again. Once more, the boss flew headfirst into the widened crevice. The entire wall split like a ripe fruit, the fissure proliferating across the ceiling with a horrific, rumbling crack.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Amidst falling rubble and a shaking floor, a stalactite broke free, plummeting toward the party. ¡°Dodge it!¡± Raine yelled. The members of his group hadn¡¯t made it to their levels so quickly by being normal people. They were each several steps down the martial path, and easily evaded the falling missile.


    It crashed into the floor, easily parting the regular stone. The outer surface of the stalactite crumbled away, revealing a metallic sheen, exactly like the stones in the slimes.


    Raine, still stabbing away at the stuck boss, didn¡¯t look back as he issued the next command, ¡°Ignore the boss and hit the absorption stone as hard as you can!¡± Once more, they followed his instructions without hesitation, only FierceFire having no clue why he would give such an outlandish order. When her Blast resulted in the small ball of fire being sucked into the metallic object with zero noticeable effect, a seed of doubt crawled up her spine. But the others weren¡¯t stopping, so she didn¡¯t either.


    The boss broke free with a furious bleat. Veins bulged across its expanding muscles. It beat its chest hard enough to cause Raine¡¯s vision to quake, then leaped at him with a powerful flap of its wings. Raine burned through his Discipline at a prodigious rate, barely managing to lead the enraged boss in a circle around the group once more.


    The stalactite started to vibrate under their combined assault. A few hits later, it turned a sickly orange. Raine positioned himself just right, and the moment his cooldown ended, he shouted, ¡°Scatter!¡± Without looking to see if they listened, he fired off a Rupture right in the ariesilae¡¯s face before immediately activating Parry.


    The boss threw itself forward, and then blasted away from Raine to smash directly into the glowing rock. It exploded at the point of impact, releasing all the stored energy from their attacks right into the huge beast. Shrapnel dug deep into its chest and head, ripping apart tough hide as easily as it had shredded the Bullet Slime. [-14,000]


    It released a moaned howl, stumbling back in a bloody mess. One of its wings was gone, and an arm dangled at its side. It turned toward Raine, muscles quivering in the tell-tale sign of a Berserk skill activating. Unfortunately for it, Rupture weakened its base defenses. Instead of the ten thousand damage it was supposed to receive, that one stone nearly killed it.


    Normally, he would need to repeat the entire ordeal, dislodging a second stone and finishing the fight right as its Horned Charges began to repeat a second quicker than the cooldown on Parry.


    With a shout, Raine Pierced his spear into its exposed heart. Between Berserk and Rupture lowering its defenses, and the direct strike to an exposed organ, the beast received a massive hit. [Critical hit! -1,368] With a last pitiful bleat, it collapsed to the floor. Raine was surrounded by a whirlwind of glowing lights and trumpets that reverberated in his ears.


    [Obtained 42,000 Group Superiority (150% bonus for defeating an elite nightmare boss 2 levels above your highest member)]


    [Obtained 87.5% Group Attunement (150% bonus for defeating an elite nightmare boss 2 levels above your highest member)]


    [Obtained 1 gold 37 silver]


    [Level up! +5 free attribute points]


    Before the party finished reading the kill notifications, Raine already swiped the coins and was heading toward the nearby mouth of the cave. In the open light, it was revealed that they were at the very tip of the mountain. Vile Peak Town was a speck far below, obscured by clouds. Great eagles soared in every direction, and there was no path that greeted him, merely open skies and a cliff face that only a goat with wings would dare tread.


    Without saying a word, he broke into a sprint and leaped off the edge, limbs spread wide. Shamefully, SolemnRiver released possibly the most girlish scream of her life as he vanished out of sight. She raced to the edge, looking down but he was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°W-what?!¡± She scanned the skies, her well-trained and sharp eyes spotting only massive birds circling for the prey that they couldn¡¯t find either. A powerful gust of wind nearly took her over the edge, and FierceFire was there, pulling her back, both girls panting from the close call.


    ¡°Where did he go? Why would he do that? Is it some sort of gamey gimmick to get us back to the ground faster?¡±


    ¡°Sure, you test it first. Let us know how that goes,¡± one of the guys laughed, accessing his interface to activate the loot rolls.


    There were two pieces of armor, a consumable potion, and a recipe for a short sword. All four items were quickly rolled for by everyone, and when they saw Raine¡¯s blank name rolling as well, their eyes popped. Not one had noticed he was still in the party HUD with full health. He didn¡¯t win any of the rolls, but that didn¡¯t stop them from cursing his name.


    ¡°What the hell is that guy''s problem?¡± FierceFire¡¯s vehement speech was cut short when a series of flashing lights sprang across her HUD.


    [Regional System announcement: Congratulations, Alaric¡¯s party for being the first to clear a nightmare difficulty dungeon!]


    [World System announcement: Congratulations, Alaric¡¯s party for being the first to clear a nightmare difficulty dungeon!]


    [World first achievement for first party to clear a nightmare difficulty dungeon! Acquired Title: Sky Catcher]


    [Achievement for first party to clear nightmare difficulty Devil''s Defiance Dungeon. Skill Point Acquired]


    ¡°A-a-alaric?!¡± FierceFire squeaked, her eyes large as saucers as she gazed out at the empty sky.


    SolemnRiver was equally shocked as she read and re-read the notifications, ¡°Are we really the first to clear a nightmare dungeon? How is that possible? I know for a fact there are a few masters playing. Shouldn¡¯t they have pulled it off before us?¡±


    The two guys shared a look, then left the party. Each retrieved a small crystal from their inventories. A vortex of wild energies was released and they were pulled in, vanishing.


    Realization struck and SolemnRiver stiffened, a gasp filling the chilly air, ¡°No! This is so embarrassing! That shameless bastard''s name is the one everyone¡¯s going to see. Oh no. If grandfather finds out I wasn¡¯t even the party leader¡­ He¡¯ll definitely dock my points before the succession competition even begins. Freyja, you can¡¯t tell anyone. Promise me! Whatever happens, we have to keep our involvement in this announcement a secret.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Taly. You really shouldn¡¯t look at the forums for a while. Maybe ever.¡±


    Of course, there was no way such a warning would dissuade her. SolemnRiver opened the forums, and the top post, only minutes old, had in excess of a million views. After all, The Alaric never posted anything boring. Her vision swam as her trembling finger clicked it. At the very top, there was a video that had her and FierceFire¡¯s faces as the clickbait thumbnail: Easy clear guide - nightmare (Devil''s Defiance Dungeon) with internationally acclaimed beauties, FierceFire and SolemnRiver!


    ¡°That bastard! I''ll rip out his guts with my bare hands! I''ll eat his eyes! I''ll¡ª¡±


    End of book 1


    Thank you for reading!!

 Chapter 39 - CATCHER OF SKIES

    Harsh winds smoothly glided across the few areas of Raine¡¯s exposed skin. The air was just the right thinness, making breathing a pleasurable struggle that reminded him he was alive. He closed his eyes, basking in the freedom of gliding through the open skies without a care. Strapped to his back was a device he paid too much for, considering he would eventually make them himself for a fraction the cost.


    [Gromglenn Premium Skydrifter - Marvelous Gold: Activate outside of combat to glide from a high elevation. Premium version is equipped with textile obfuscation, sound canceling, wind harnessing, and enhanced durability. Creator is not responsible for device failures that result in prolonged screaming before sudden death. (Durability 199/200)]


    The first thing Raine did after activating the skydrifter was cut and edit the vodcast he took of the dungeon. He made sure to exclude his weapon swapping and the mysterious footwork SolemnRiver used. It was obviously an advanced technique of the Phoenix Clan and if they knew he had it, he would be dead within the week. Sure, ZionLine was impossible to hack, and his avatar looked nothing like his real self, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop the right investigator with the use of unlimited funds.


    After making sure he was the first to post a guide, he perused his notifications and equipped his newest title.


    [Title: Sky Catcher - upgradeable - bonus 50% Superiority and Attunement when defeating monsters above your level]


    This title is insane! But how did we get that world first? There should be plenty of class five, internal force masters, and maybe a few external force masters in ZL already. Not one of them decided to clear the first dungeon on nightmare? Oh!


    It took all of five seconds on the forums to find a post from a day ago (8 hours outside ZionLine) about a player named Rakka getting the world first for completing a nightmare dungeon solo. Raine knew a few stories about the man¡¯s exploits. Whether they were fact or fiction was irrelevant as he eventually became a sixth tier god and ruler of another continent.


    That¡¯s what I thought. Damn. With a solo clear, I bet he got the next upgrade of the title, or the one after that. No point thinking about it. I have my own advantages and there¡¯s plenty more waiting for me. Now that I¡¯m not stuck in an office designing an engine. From today on, it''s full speed ahead!


    Raine¡¯s interface buzzed with the notification of a friend request from SolemnRiver. Realizing he never left the party, he immediately dropped out. Shrugging, he accepted the request. He had no intention of interacting with her again, but the future had already changed and there was no telling if they would be friends or enemies once his guild was up and running.


    The moment he accepted, she tried to call him. Raine rejected the communication, assuming she was upset over him not charging for the dungeon guide, or splitting the profits with her. Since he couldn¡¯t charge for anything posted on the ZionLine¡¯s forums, and posting elsewhere could be easily tracked, that wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    At least after this I won¡¯t need to post any more freebies. Alaric¡¯s renown is solid now. Once I¡¯m ready to start my guild, I should have plenty of applicants.


    She tried calling again, bringing a smile to his lips. With a few quick taps in his interface, he sent her a direct message, ¡°What? I¡¯m busy.¡±


    Her answer came seconds later, ¡°I have a business proposition for you.¡±


    Someone of her background? That could be lucrative, but getting further involved with the wealthiest, and most dangerous clan on the continent...


    Raine carefully weighed the pros and cons, then realized he could use this to solve an issue he was going to run into all too soon, ¡°I''m listening.¡±


    ¡°Not here, call me when you''re free.¡±


    Important enough that she doesn''t want a written record? Interesting.


    ¡°Okay, I should have time in a few days,¡± Raine punched in his response and before he could close his interface, she responded.


    ¡°...¡±


    He rolled his eyes, ¡°I have a quest. I won''t have access to communications after this until I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Three days.¡±


    Talerra Tafell aka SolemnRiver


    ¡°You''re really going to forgive him just like that?¡± FierceFire exhaled sharply through flared nostrils.


    Talerra was still fuming, especially after he rudely refused her calls, ¡°No. Definitely not. He did remove my ghost step from the video, so he''s not a complete fool. Besides, you saw what he''s capable of. If he joins the competition, he could be a powerful dark horse.¡±


    FierceFire froze mid step, then shook her head sharply, ¡°You don''t even know if he''ll be allowed to enter! This guy is bad news. We shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with him after this. Unless we happen to run into him again. Then we should definitely repay his kindness.¡±


    Talerra ignored her best friend¡¯s outburst, ¡°He¡¯ll be permitted to join. There''s no way he¡¯s too old. A senior would never act the way he did.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not the ones you know,¡± FierceFire grumbled as she stomped down the tunnel to the start of the dungeon.


    Talerra was quick to give chase, her tone dismissive and tinged with a malicious undertone, ¡°It¡¯s true he damaged my reputation. All I have to do is make sure he pays me back five fold for what he¡¯s done. When grandfather notices me turning a weakness into a strength, that can only work in my favor.¡±


    Raine KongRu


    Raine chuckled evilly, looking forward to utilizing the unwitting girl¡¯s resources for his own gain. The sound never reached the nearby great eagles, absorbed by the bubble surrounding him and the large drifter strapped to his back. His flight was smooth, the air currents around him absorbed and utilized to maintain lift. He still steadily lost altitude, though significantly less than he would have riding one of the cheaper, lower grade variants of the device. No matter its efficiency, its range was insufficient to bring him all the way to his goal in one shot, far from it.


    The colored skylanes around him¡ªsections in the high sky that allow for faster aerial travel¡ªwere lit up in his HUD. The lane he was currently in shifted from bright green to light blue and his speed dropped nearly in half. He adjusted his angle into a newly lit green section nearby, making sure to maintain course toward the nearest uplift¡ªan updraft against a cliff face that would restore most of his elevation.


    If he were to have any chance of completing the witch¡¯s insane quest on time, he needed to stay in the green lanes and hit five more lift zones before reaching the halfway point. Then, he had a long climb ahead to get high enough for the final stretch.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants]


    [Locate the entrance to the Mystic Lands of Korahn¡¯s Legacy: (14 hours remaining)]


    [Warning: Failure to progress this quest will result in your soul being dominated by the Great Witch Zoarra. Quest may not be abandoned]


    Since he was going to be flying for a while, Raine accessed his message box, his scalp sliding back at seeing over four hundred messages from the engineers at Frontier. He responded to only the first, letting them know he wasn¡¯t at all interested in giving them more details until they paid him. He sent a message to Richtor, letting him know he was free to talk. Then, he pulled up the unedited recording of the dungeon and closely examined SolemnRiver¡¯s mysterious footwork.


    After slowing down the VRVod and adjusting his viewing angle, he frowned. The blurred shifting of her weight from front to back and front again in rapid succession was now clear, but it was sloppy in a way that was hard to put his finger on. Realization struck that the technique was designed to utilize internal force in the real world. Since ZionLine used attributes instead, which provided a more consistent boost to speed and power, her steps didn¡¯t function correctly.


    During the thirty years of his past life, there were countless real life martial techniques that had been adjusted to function in ZionLine. His current martial path was a well-compiled mishmash of traditional styles that had long since been adjusted for attributes by the time he learned it. But in this timeline, none of that happened yet.


    The moment he had the thought, A flicker of excitement churned in his chest and he couldn¡¯t breathe. The flicker quickly ignited into a bonfire that set his heartbeat racing. Had he attempted to copy techniques outside his old master¡¯s teachings, he would have been executed. CronGate did not take lightly to those under their control attempting to grow beyond their station.


    Those chains no longer shackled him. Thirty years of slavery had ingrained ways of thinking into his brain that blinded him. Now, for the first time, he realized just how big of an advantage he could have over the martials.


    The years it took for masters to become acquainted with ZionLine and evolve their techniques was something he could skip entirely. There was no one alive who understood more clearly the differences between internal force and attributes. Even better, as content updates made incremental changes to ZionLine, the fundamentals of skill usage and controlling avatars would evolve. Then, the martials would have to start all over again, while he knew in advance the best ways to start training now.


    Raine closed his eyes tight, visualizing several adjustments to SolemnRiver¡¯s steps to account for attributes. Within seconds, he could clearly picture how to drastically improve his use of heavy two-handed weapons. The way she spun to overcome the Attack Speed detriment of her axe was only the beginning. With this as a solid baseline, he imagined multiple ways to further advance the technique with a little practice.


    Considering who her Great-grandfather was, it was a certainty that the steps SolemnRiver used were only the initial stages of a much more advanced series of footwork.


    Lineage is a steep mountain to overcome. That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll keep stealing from them and adjusting what they know to work in ZL.


    For the first time since awakening in the past, a path to overcome the Old Monsters lurking at the top of the world¡¯s food chain was taking shape. With jittery energy zinging through his fingers, Raine sent a quick message to Morty, asking him to compile clips of any VRVods that contained what looked like martial techniques.


    Such things were beyond Raine¡¯s ability to find himself. Martial families guarded them with zealous fanaticism, willing to murder entire cities to keep the secrets to their power. After all, it was the top martials who ruled the world. Passing out techniques, and especially the methods to improve the body beyond normal comprehension, was the same as distributing loaded cannons.


    Morty¡¯s response came at a speed only an AI could achieve, and was in the form of a link to a pair of new arms that would cost two million a piece. Raine sent him an emoji that let him know in no uncertain terms that he would pay for exactly one middle finger of one arm.


    Raine searched that same site, finding a pair of arms for half the cost with only two less features. He sent them to Morty and the AI responded with the beginnings of a list of cut VRVods. Raine dove in, his thoughts focused to a knife¡¯s edge as he picked at the scant details of the edited-out techniques: a foot planted at a specific angle, the distance between knuckles prior to an attack, the way a shoulder was lowered before the next frame showed the martial ten meters away. There was little to go on, but it was a start.


    His personal style had always revolved around hand-to-hand combat, but with the dream of running a powerful guild, he would need to absorb much more to best guide his future underlings. Besides, he was going to be stuck with the cursed ring for a while. There was no reason not to learn techniques for each weapon as best he could.


    An hour later, shortly after Raine reached his second lift zone, Richtor finally responded. Raine answered the call to find his brother¡¯s face covered in sweat and splashed with blood. His breaths were rapid and his voice strained, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what to do. We¡¯re in so much trouble.¡±


    Richtor KongRu


    - One hour ago -


    ¡°Behind you!¡± Richtor shouted as a man-sized spider exploded from the ground. Its trap was perfectly placed at the side of the canyon, and it even waited for three of them to walk directly over it before springing into action.


    In a spray of dirt, it launched at KevinsBakon who was caught completely by surprise. Six of its long arms¡ªtipped with barbed claws¡ªwrapped around their tank from behind. He had just enough time to turn slightly, sending claws aimed for his heart skittering across his chest plates. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t manage to raise his shield and activate Block so he took full damage from the higher level beast. [-112]


    Richtor threw a Mend at him while jumping to the side, giving space for the others to close range. [+65] His accuracy, and the quantity of health restored by his skill had come a long way in the last few days. The same was true for all of them, yet still they couldn¡¯t match the Raine from their memories.


    Kevin released a pained moan, his eyes wide as hooked barbs sank into his flesh. Still, he crossed his arms over the beast¡¯s legs to hold it fast, planted his feet, and turned to face the wall; giving the party access to the spider¡¯s back.


    Deloralicious arrived first with a Lunge. Her spear led the way, digging deep into its back and eliciting a high-pitched screech. TwistedReligion¡¯s Blast arrived a moment later, melting the base of a leg. Sizzling, and the aroma of cooked meat filled their noses as his spell dug deep into hardened carapace. Milkdud was last, jumping high and dropping onto its upper abdomen. He wrapped an arm around its narrow pedicel and worked his dagger in deep before splitting the creature in half for critical damage.


    The abdomen fell away with a wet splosh, taking him to the ground where he quickly rolled to his feet. His back was to the group as he watched the walls with Far Sight, ¡°Five more coming.¡±


    ¡°Pull back,¡± Richtor spoke softly as Deloralicious stabbed twice more in quick succession, finishing off the wounded beast. He sent another Mend at Kevin, topping him off at the hefty price of a third of his remaining Celestial Power. Raine had been right when he said healing was hard; the party quickly realized it was in fact impossible to keep a tank alive if they were foolish enough to trade blows with even lower level enemies.


    With well-rehearsed coordination, they fled from the middle section of the canyon¡ªthe furthest they had managed to come so far. They were level eight now. The ambushing and warrior spiders they were fighting came in either level eight or nine variants. They were quick and powerful, with tangling webs and the potential for massive waves of reinforcements if the group was too loud. Thankfully, they also had low health and died quickly, especially if the group managed to get the drop on them.


    It was for that reason the entire group took Stealth for their second general skill. They weren¡¯t very good at it, but it allowed them to move deeper into the canyon and level much more safely. The skill was far from perfect, and heavily relied on the user¡¯s ability to control their avatar.


    Once activated, it worked with the caster''s desire to move to a specific point in view, guiding their movements the entire way. Richtor associated it to a dance instructor with their fingers on your back or arm, steering your movements without forcing them. If you so much as twitched away from that shepherding, the skill instantly failed and started a two minute cooldown. Worse, it steadily drained Discipline the entire time it was in use.


    Only Deloralicious had managed any real proficiency with it. She even managed to stay stealthed their entire trip into the canyon this time. Keeping up their practice, they entered Stealth after rounding a corner and breaking line of sight with the five warrior spiders on their tail.


    They snuck by dozens of level five spiders, moving slowly at timed intervals to specific points they now knew by heart. After surpassing them by two levels, the beasts no longer gave SP, and their loot drop rate plunged like a whore¡¯s neckline (as Milkdud so elegantly put it) making it far more efficient to sneak past.


    Which was the only reason they weren¡¯t caught completely by surprise when two groups of players rounded another bend ahead of them. Each wore at least one piece of orange clothing or armor. They held varying weapons, and were more interested in pushing deeper into the canyon than fighting every spider.


    Despite their levels showing as five and six, TwistedReligion flinched at the first sighting of other humans in days, breaking his Stealth. The group of ten stared at his crouched form for a whole two seconds before one of them yelled, ¡°Enemy sighted! Attack!¡±

 Chapter 40 - BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CANYON

    The canyon floor and walls came to life as dozens of spiders crawled from holes, de-stealthed, and dropped from high above. Webbing filled the air, fired from multiple directions toward the fool who yelled. In a blink, he was completely encased in a cocoon of sticky, hardened mesh. Chaos erupted in the players¡¯ ranks. Arrows and elemental Blasts flew wildly while warriors hacked at the stray bindings that were clinging to their limbs.


    TwistedReligion bolted back the way they came. Richtor leaped at him, grabbing his armor as he zipped past. His heels dug into the hard ground and he grunted with effort. A Blast crashed into the back of his neck. Its heat enveloped his head, then blinded him, filling his lungs with scorching heat as he gasped in surprise. [Critical hit! -27]


    Richtor couldn¡¯t decide to laugh or cry through the suffocating pain. He settled on coughing while wildly pointing toward the exit of the canyon on the far side of the ambushing group. KevinsBakon lowered his shoulder and barreled into their ranks without a sound, knocking three of their members directly into the waiting legs of approaching spiders.


    Deloralicious leaped, landed on his shoulders, then dove toward the caster who attacked Richtor. She buried a dagger in his neck, a snarl twisting her lips. Richtor regained his senses enough to activate Mend. The ache in his throat and burn in his eyes vanished. He immediately snapped a command, ¡°Out of the canyon, don¡¯t stop to fight!¡±


    They did just that, running bodily through the unknown, lower-level fighters. Richtor¡¯s group were on their fourth weapon masteries, and the difference in their attributes was apparent. Each collision, punch, or kick resulted in someone flying two meters away. The spiders by no means ignored them. Over ten of the quick beasts harried their every step, though many more piled on the helpless ambushers.


    Having run from them many times, the group kept an eye over their shoulders, dodging to the side in quick hops whenever webbing was fired their way. While their evasions often put them in a position to take a bite or clawed stab, the weaker beasts near the exit lacked the ability to hurt them significantly. Being webbed on the other hand, would have been a death sentence. In less than a minute, they reached the forest and the spiders chasing them turned back.


    Heaving¡ªmore from adrenaline than being winded¡ªRichtor spoke in short, concise sentences, ¡°Did you see their colors? Same as the guys from town. Probably scouts from DyingNight. There might be more nearby. Now that they found this place, we can¡¯t stay. Let''s head into the hills and loop around to the road.¡± Checking the party resources, Richtor decided not to heal their minor injuries. He had enough Celestial Power for two more uses of Mend. With the potential for more enemies nearby, hastily spending the slow-to-regenerate resource would be foolish.


    ¡°We can¡¯t take the road!¡± Milkdud hissed, ¡°There¡¯s a war going on, remember? I bet those guys thought we were members of Righteous. There¡¯s supposedly more than five hundred thousand players on each side. We could be completely surrounded already!¡±


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re right. Okay, we¡¯ll stick to the hills and head toward Vile Peak Town.¡±


    Deloralicious was the calmest amongst them. She bobbed her head in thought, fingers brushing over the hilt of her dagger, ¡°Raine told us not to go there until we hit level ten. I agree that we don¡¯t have much of a choice. We don¡¯t know any other leveling spots and heading to a nearby town would be begging for a death. You¡¯ve seen the posts, anyone caught out in the open in the warzone is targeted, and now that¡¯s us.¡±


    ¡°Good thing we all have Stealth,¡± every pair of eyes swiveled toward TwistedReligion, their mouths agape at his gall. ¡°Hey! It was an accident. They surprised me is all. Now that I¡¯ve experienced something like that, it definitely won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Richtor shook his head, then led the way northwest.


    They reached the edge of the small woods. The coast was clear, but to be safe they Stealthed before slowly moving toward the base of the nearest hillock. Staying together wasn¡¯t an issue with how simple it was to track the soft grass that depressed with each footfall. They traveled around the hill, and with it blocking the canyon from sight, they breathed a collective sigh of relief.


    Two hills later, Richtor was nearing fifty percent Discipline. He stopped and was about to call for a break when he spotted a tall man in a matching armor set come over the top of a rise. He moved with the fluid grace of a martial and every hair on Richtor¡¯s neck stood tall.


    Richtor turned the group away from the man and toward the nearest curvature of ground, wanting nothing more than to get out of the clearly dangerous man¡¯s sight. When the man was halfway down the hill, he called out in a strong voice, ¡°That¡¯s far enough!¡±


    The group stopped in their tracks, none daring to move a muscle. Like a drill sergeant, the man¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Break twenty!¡±


    Richtor¡¯s confusion lasted all of a second before what must have been three hundred players dropped from stealth around the man. His instinct screamed to run but he held them in check with an iron fist. Right up until a terrified TwistedReligion popped into sight next to him.


    The small army froze, hundreds of pairs of eyes zeroing in on the group. The dangerous man¡¯s arm rose slowly until it was straight above his head, he then swung it down toward them. With a thunderous roar, the army of players charged.


    ¡°Run!¡± Milkdud shouted, already in a sprint when he appeared a few steps away.


    They head east in a mad dash. With each step, their eager anticipation to get their hands around TwistedReligion¡¯s throat soared. Since they all lived in the house Raine bought for them, he definitely wasn¡¯t going to get off easily this time.


    The fastest of the players were only a few dozen meters behind when they rounded the nearest hill. Before them, spread out across a sweeping valley, was easily a thousand players with spots of orange color blooming throughout their ranks. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Dread slammed through Richtor¡¯s veins and he veered to the south, back toward the forest, ¡°The canyon! Go-go-go!¡±


    After spotting their one-time friends and joining the chase, Grifden and MourningWood returned to the main force. They were breathing hard by the time they returned to MercilessLee. They snapped a salute and waited.


    ¡°Report!¡± The psychopathic little bastard sneered.


    He had made their lives a living hell over the last week, but at least they managed to reach level five and could finally join the war. In DyingNight, it was impossible to be assigned decent leveling areas and meals without merit, and this was a chance neither were willing to squander.


    ¡°It was definitely them, my lord,¡± Grifden would never again curl his lip at the honorifics MercilessLee demanded. One beating per lesson was more than sufficient. ¡°They entered the same canyon that scout seven located. They¡¯re all level eight, so it must be an amazing grinding location.¡±


    ¡°Reports aren¡¯t for opinions! You think I¡¯m dumb?! You want another lesson in respect? Is that it?¡±


    There was only a single acceptable response, and Grifden was quick to reiterate it, ¡°I would gladly accept another heartfelt lesson, my lord!¡±


    MercilessLee rocked back on his heels with a soft smile, ¡°Good. Good. We might have time later, but not now. We¡¯ll deal with the company from Righteous first, then dig their corpses out of that canyon and claim it for ourselves.¡± He waved them off and they left in a hurry.


    They joined up with SanctimoniousNut, retaking their positions at the front of the 205th Battalion¡ªeight hundred and seventy-two men and women ready to lay down their lives for DyingNight as many times as it took to hold their territory. Grifden eyed their powerful army eagerly, dreaming of the day when its command would fall into his hands.


    ¡°Was that really them?¡± Nut wondered, making room in the formation for them to stand beside him.


    Grifden nodded solemnly, ¡°Yup. Looks like they found a crazy leveling spot. They¡¯re already eight.¡±


    ¡°What?! Fuck that pisses me off. After everything we¡¯ve been through¡­ We have to survive this fight. I won¡¯t be able to sleep if I don¡¯t kill at least one of them myself.¡±


    MourningWood swallowed hard. Having known Richtor for years, he wasn¡¯t comfortable thinking of their old group as the enemy. Still, surrounded by so many of his new guild mates, he was confident he had made the right choice. If not for the war breaking out, they definitely would have out-leveled his old group. It didn¡¯t matter if they were level eight, twelve, or fifty. There was a point where overwhelming numbers trumped anything that a lone group could accomplish. He would show them that harsh reality sooner or later. Then, they would join DyingNight, and together, conquer this amazing world.


    Raine nodded along to Richtor¡¯s story, not at all surprised, ¡°Good job making it out of that pincer. Well, do your best to survive. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to get there, so don¡¯t count on my help. If you¡¯re captured, use the suicide option in your interface. Unless you want to be tortured¡­ no judgment.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?! That¡¯s all you have to say,¡± Richtor snarled. The others were crowded around him, their senses trained on the canyon walls.


    ¡°They have a battle to win and a war to fight. They probably won¡¯t chase you too deep. Besides, they¡¯ve all been stuck at level five from constantly killing each other. Your situation isn¡¯t as bad as you think.¡±


    ¡°Not as bad? We¡¯re surrounded by level ten spiders with no way out to even take a break! I have no idea how we¡¯re supposed to survive this.¡±


    ¡°Simple. Push deeper into the canyon and kill until you¡¯re strong enough to leave on your own two feet. If you think it''s going to get easier than it is right now, you¡¯re dead wrong. Each step in ZL is like a guide leading you down the path of a martial. Keep going, and you¡¯ll naturally progress.¡±


    Richtor''s face scrunched in frustrated anger, he opened his mouth to retort but Raine cut him off, ¡°Remember that time Mikey fell from the old tree and broke his leg? You told me when you saw the bone sticking out, you didn¡¯t think, couldn¡¯t think. The next thing you knew you were in the house, calling the medicus. That¡¯s what you have to do. Shut out all the noise and move. Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t think, just keep moving forward.¡±


    ¡°Pair of tens coming closer,¡± Milkdud whispered and Richtor spun away from the screen.


    Raine ended the call, not wanting to distract him further. He sifted through several VRVods until he found one of a martial using a short sword. He carefully examined the shifting of his torso as he lined up for the edited-out attack and defense. Raine repeatedly visualized himself mimicking the motions in ZionLine, and how he would complete them. He had been at it for hours and was almost out of edited footage.


    The sun was straight overhead and his quest log showed thirteen hours until ownership of his soul was transferred to the witch, Zoarra. He was making good time by skillfully sticking to the shifting speed zones. The need to focus on his surroundings while visualizing was an extra layer that kept the activity fresh. His drifter was only down five durability, and two more lifts would bring him to the end of his first flight. If nothing went wrong, he would arrive at the mystic land with an hour or two to spare.


    His interface chimed and Raine experienced a moment of shock before answering the call. A professional, feminine voice sounded in his ears, the cadence of her words matching the rushing wind around him. ¡°Mr. Alaric. I hope I¡¯m not catching you at a bad time,¡± Mrs. Stonewhall wore her usual sweet smile, her piercing eyes seeming to look right through him.


    This Vaaterran is almost as creepily realistic as the witch. Did she call to give me a quest¡­


    ¡°Not at all, ma¡¯am. Is there something I can do for you?¡± Raine almost dreaded asking, but his last reward from the auction house had truly shattered his expectations. There was no reason not to throw himself into the fire in hopes of another.


    ¡°Not at this time, but it¡¯s sweet of you to ask, dear. Normally, we would send a message for such a trivial matter as this. However, as our first honorary VIP among the Travelers, I wished to personally extend you an invitation. We were granted the honor of hosting the grand opening of the Celendine Emporium¡¯s Tower of Triumph in Silverlight City on Feastday. I do hope you can attend.¡±


    The Tower of Triumph was a series of tests that players would use to determine their overall combat potential for years to come. As far as he knew, there was no benefit to being the first to clear each floor. There could be other rewards for showing up though, so it was worth going. Feastday was in six days, and Raine saw no reason why he wouldn¡¯t be level fifteen and in Silverlight by then.


    ¡°Unless something comes up, I¡¯ll be there. Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Stonewhall.¡±


    ¡°Marvelous, dear. Safe travels, or should I say fly dangerously?¡± With a too-realistic wink, she ended the call.


    Maybe the witch isn¡¯t as unique as I thought. Could ZL be running a few beta versions of what Vaaterran¡¯s become after the third update? Yeah, that must be it.


    Setting his suspicions to rest, Raine focused on flying. A short time later, Morty sent him another packet of VRVods. He sorted them, ecstatic to find one with a mostly complete shield movement technique. With tingling fingers, he tapped play and sharpened his focus.

 Chapter 41 - THE THIRD LAW

    Another five hours passed in the blink of an eye. Raine¡¯s drifter soared above mountains that hid canyons, ravines, and sheltered forests. He passed several remote towns, knowing each would eventually become a hub of humanity in its own right. Abundant resources lay in wait for the guilds ambitious enough to claim these wild lands, and they were but the tip of an unimaginably vast iceberg.


    His feet blurred as he touched down at a decent clip. There was no sharp pain in his feet and legs associated with the real world version of landing after a long session of hang gliding. He was on a wide trail at the base of a mountain, the nearest lift almost a hundred kilometers away. This area was known as a deadzone, where normal methods of flying ended and began.


    He checked his surroundings, then logged out. His muscles and ligaments screamed at him, still heavily damaged by his use of internal force at Mel¡¯s old cafe. A groan was squeezed from his clenched abs as he sat up. Only three hours had passed in the real world, and his old frenemy¡ªTemporal Disorientation¡ªwas rearing its ugly head. He unstrapped his thermo wraps and tossed them into the chute down to the drone bay.


    Before getting up, he sent a quick message to Mel, then limped to the bathroom to relieve himself. The adrenaline of their crazy afternoon should have worn off by now. He wanted to make sure she hadn¡¯t done anything rash as people were inclined to do when their entire lives were tossed upside down with little notice.


    She responded before he got out of the bathroom and his lips stretched into a wide smile. It was always nice interacting with girls who didn¡¯t play stupid games with his precious time.


    ¡°I¡¯m probably okay? I think? I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m definitely still panicking. The pacing helps but I¡¯m never going to fall asleep if I can¡¯t stop my feet from wearing a track in this carpet. This carpet¡¯s really soft¡­¡±


    Raine chuckled, typing a response while buckling his helmet back on, ¡°I understand the feeling well. Your new headset will arrive in the morning. I guarantee killing a few beasts will do wonders for your mentality. At least it always does for mine.¡±


    ¡°Wish I could join you tonight. Can¡¯t believe that son of a bell broke mine. So rude! I¡¯m getting worked up again, and you probably want to get back in. I¡¯ll leave you alone. Sorry. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Mel. You¡¯re safe, and you have enough funds to take your life in any direction you want. Breathe,¡± with that, Raine replaced his thermo wraps with freshly delivered ones and laid down on the bed.


    Arriving back at the base of the mountain, he started his ascent at a stiff jog. The strangeness of being alone in an area that was usually packed with players settled in like a thick curtain of fog. The unease was banished by excitement as Raine opened the general skills shop and purchased his first utility skill.


    [Leap - Novice: Increase jumping power after a short charge (Cost: variable up to 10 discipline)]


    Had he felt more pressed for time, he would have purchased the long distance running skill. It had few uses later on so he was reluctant to waste a point on it. He ignored the attributes from his level up for now in hopes of boosting a growth weapon instead of locking in the points. Until he knew how difficult the mystic realm was, it was best to keep his options open.


    The path led him to the base of a steep cliff. Zigzagging stone steps were carved within the natural wall and he took them two at a time. Despite knowing there would be no beasts on the climb, he remained vigilant. Being the first to a new place had surprised him enough times to no longer make assumptions.


    Mount Boshamro was far from abnormal in its lack of deadly flora and fauna. While ZionLine prided itself in realistic, immersive combat, it also fulfilled the desires of those whose hearts yearned for exploration. Treasures and opportunities could be found anywhere, and only awaited those curious enough to lift every stone to find them.


    After the initial starting zones, each map would need to be explored manually to unveil its enshrouding fog, which could in turn reveal many secrets. The only alternative was to visit specific landmarks that would reveal vast swaths of the map.


    As Raine climbed the innumerable steps, he put into practice the several martial techniques he had visualized. His feet blurred, and his torso bent and twisted as micro-muscle twitches grabbed his momentum by the throat and threw it out the window.


    A simple truth that became abundantly clear at higher levels was that attributes exerted unrealistic forces upon the world. They followed rules, of course, but those rules could be bent and twisted, and with enough force, the very foundations of the world could be shattered. A hard enough kick could propel a man through the air. A strong enough punch could destroy a mountain without releasing a whisper of displaced air.


    This was the basis of the third inviolable law of ZionLine: Attributes do not follow physics, physics follow attributes. The potential of what was achievable was endless, but the reality was that Raine¡¯s current form fell well short of any truly amazing feats. Weaving and shuffling, he rapidly advanced in blurring motions as though dodging a horde of ghosts.


    The steps were strange to him, several far outside his orthodox and refined methods. They relied on fundamental understandings of internal force he was never taught. But that didn¡¯t stop him in the least. On the contrary, his chest felt ready to explode with motivation as his meager attributes attempted to force the movements to function correctly.


    He reached the top of the stairs an hour later after only succeeding in creating his very first martial technique in either lifetime. It was a shuffling backstep that only worked half the time. Overcome with emotion, he turned back to gaze out at the valley he had ascended from. Like rising from the pits of hell, he had freed himself. He was on top of the world, and tears leaked freely from his eyes¡ªHe did it.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Advancing his martial prowess by a single step after years of stagnation opened a new path that he would never allow himself to step down from. Raine recalled his old master at CronGate. The vile bastard used the acquisition of new techniques like a whip to enforce obedience. And no matter how much he begged or slaved, after a certain point, he was never trained again. But the truth had been revealed at last. He was never constrained by anything other than his own will to take another step.


    Don¡¯t be like your foolish big brother, Richtor. Keep moving forward, no matter how many times they knock you down.


    Raine left the majestic view behind, sprinting up the straight, steep path. Snowy mounds sprinkled the rocky ground and his breath misted. The landscape grew more wintery, shrubs and brush replaced by pristine walls of white. He could see the tower now, jutting high from the peak. Tall and blue as the sky with a cylindrical shape; it was an obvious landmark that none would miss even from a great distance.


    He arrived at its wide base, breathing heavily in the thin air. Narrow stairs wound around its outer walls and he took them without hesitation. Twice he circled the tower, each time the distance shrinking as it grew narrower. He almost laughed when three steps in a row were colored slightly differently than the rest. He jumped over the obvious trap, reminiscing how challenging these towers grew in higher level zones.


    The stairs ended abruptly, replaced by long stone pegs at a much steeper angle. He navigated them without slowing. Several rotations later, the tower was thin enough that each leaping step required a complete shift in angular momentum; he was forced to slow and adjust between each. The howling winds buffeted him but didn¡¯t hold enough force to throw his armored body off course.


    The pegs were replaced by stones that protruded just enough for his fingers to grip. He scaled them with little fanfare, thoroughly enjoying the physical exertion and the danger lurking beneath him like a specter, daring him to fail. The stones changed angles, becoming more difficult to grasp but with sufficient attributes, such a hindrance was purely mental. The last obstacle was a gap of three meters (ten feet) made of smooth, pristine stone that lacked purchases of any kind.


    He shimmied up until his hands were at his waist, fingers dug into the final handholds. Bending his knees slightly, he charged a Leap with five Discipline, then shot straight up. He cleared the slick-stoned section and directly landed in a dome-shaped cupola. A thrilling melody played from the arched walls.


    [Congratulations Explorer]


    [The spirits of Mount Boshamro commend your bravery]


    [Map updated]


    [Achievement for climbing your first Exploration Tower: General Skill Point dropped]


    Raine snatched up his new skill point and took a deep breath to cleanse his muscles of their jittery energy. Then, he promptly leaped from the tower. His arms spread wide as he embraced the open air. The wind caught him and gravity flipped his stomach upside down as he activated his premium skydrifter. A shimmering stealth field enveloped him and the triangular sail on his back jerked him higher, absorbing the abundant winds.


    He immediately leaned hard to the right, entering a barrel-roll that brought him into the brightest section of green sky. He kicked his limbs wide to stabilize, then tucked them in and blasted toward his goal.


    Four hours, and four lifts later, Raine neared the marker on his map. He was back in the obscuring fog so he couldn¡¯t tell exactly where his destination was. Knowing he was close, he circled each mountain. While switching from one to the next, he passed through an obscuring bubble massive enough to hide an entire valley.


    From one second to the next, a new scene unfolded beneath him. In the center of a sheltered valley, a large rocky hill had been converted into a circular stone gateway. Its center glowed a menacing crimson. Swirling energies trapped within reflected a similar, yet clearly different sky.


    Raine touched down at a wide landing zone, a set of ancient steps leading up to the gateway. He took them quickly, his time growing short. Crackling whips of elemental energy sputtered from the portal, its glowing surface polluting the air around it in a dazzling display of ephemeral hues.


    A deep and menacing voice echoed from the stones around him, the gate pulsing with each syllable, ¡°Heed well this warning, Traveler. You approach the resting place of Korahn. If you dare tread upon this sacred soil, you shall be tested. If found wanting, you shall never return.¡±


    Raine boldly strode forward, placing his hand upon the flame-drenched, shimmering surface.


    [Entry restricted: Level fifteen or below. No Class. Two achievements]


    [Requirements met]


    [You may proceed]


    What was once solid, became like mud beneath his fingers. With little force, Raine pushed through the milky surface. A blast of foul air met his nostrils as an entirely new realm dominated his view. The matching gate he exited from flickered and died behind him.


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants progressed]


    [Acquire three Knightly Idols from within Korahn¡¯s Legacy and return them to Zoarra The Great, before she grows tired of waiting]


    Raine briefly scanned the updated quest with a frown, then his gaze tracked across the stunning view. From his high vantage, he was greeted by a giant, clear dome in the sky. Its spherical shape encapsulated a landscape approximately one hundred kilometers across that brimmed with fully separated biomes.


    From right to left, a desert housing bleached ruins abutted a dense jungle to the north. The lush greenery wrapped around the backside of a massive mountain that dominated the entire center of the mystic land. The jungle abruptly ended to the west, where a flat field, scorched clean of life, took the final third.


    Raine had been in such spaces several times, but the hair on his exposed skin stood on end when the return gate had deactivated. That was new to him, something only heard of in rumors and it indicated a significantly higher level of danger than normal. A meter from the gate, a tiny hole in the stones caught his attention.


    I''ll have to keep an eye out for something that will fit.


    Upon entering a mystic land, a quest with penalties for failure would always be issued. The severity of those penalties were the best way to judge the difficulty of the monsters and traps within. A 10% reduction in attributes for a day was the least difficult. 20% for three days was normal, and the most challenging he had ever attempted (with a full party) was 30% for a week.


    [You have entered an unstable realm. Time until spatial collapse: 1 day 14 hours]


    [The return gate is currently nonfunctional. Pass the trials of Korahn to reactivate the gateway and escape before spatial collapse. All items acquired in the mystic realm shall be lost upon death. A 70% penalty to all attributes will persist for 20 days upon death]


    [May Korahn¡¯s judging gaze reveal your salvation]


    Twenty days?!

 Chapter 42 - AN UNEXPECTED RESULT

    I knew it would be bad, but this is ridiculous. If a 30% penalty equates to five-man elites¡­ No point thinking about it before I see what I¡¯m up against. Whatever happens, I have to make sure I pull them one at a time.


    One day and fourteen hours isn¡¯t a lot of time to cover a hundred kilometer mystic land either. Might need to get Endurance afterall. Especially since there aren''t any roads.


    Feeling more pressured than before entering, Raine carefully descended the nearby steps, his eyes shifting every direction for threats. He veered right toward the desert. A ruined city was clearly visible at its outskirts and was the closest obvious place to begin whatever trials were in store for him.


    He palmed a smoke bomb as he swiftly, but cautiously moved downslope across scraggy rocks and drying, cracked stone. The further he got from the gateway, the less stable space became. At first, it was only the air pressure against his skin that lessened. Gravity soon followed, its grasp on his limbs lessening until even the slightest movement sent him hurtling forward.


    Still not seeing any threats, he began piecing together the rules of the mystic land. He picked up speed, not lowering his guard in the least as the landscape shifted to a blur. He was pulled forward unnaturally, reaching speeds he couldn¡¯t hope to achieve normally. He left behind the last of the rocks and entered a wide-open slope with nowhere to hide. Able to easily spot any potential ambushes, he was confident enough to bend forward and pump his legs furiously.


    He crossed a dozen kilometers in minutes, arriving at the edge of the desert. He zipped along the sands. Contrary to normal physics, he left typical walking tracks in his wake, rather than blasting giant walls of sand into the air. His speed slowed to a crawl with little notice, the unstable space becoming thicker and more ¡®real¡¯ as he neared the ruins.


    There was no movement within but he approached with extreme caution anyways, ducking behind a shattered rectangular column a good distance from the nearest building. He watched the shadows within the dilapidated stone structures like a hawk. Their bleached, crumbling surfaces revealed nothing of the dangers that lurked within. His only hint so far had been a cryptic one from Zoarra. He prepared as best he could based on her words, but it was only a hunch.


    From his inventory, he withdrew some pebbles picked up all the way back near the crog village. One at a time, he tossed them into the sand between him and the nearest building, gradually getting closer with each throw. When one landed ten meters away, a figure stirred within the darkness.


    A skeletal head emerged, followed by a three meter tall armored frame that pulled itself from the shadows. It instantly spotted him and sanguine hatred bloomed from within one of its empty eye sockets. Its armor was aged, and missing pieces revealed white bones beneath. It held a chipped two-handed sword in a casual grip that reeked of martial competence. The undead moved with fluid grace, a hand gripping a nearby wall to throw itself forward into a headlong sprint.


    [Elite Ancient Armsman: Level 15 - HP ????/????]


    Raine¡¯s heart thudded with unbridled excitement. This was no normal undead. Not only was it head and shoulders taller than him, but its footwork was a thing of beauty. The angle of its torso was perfect to carry it forward at an inhuman clip. The sword dragged behind, scraping the soft sand and creating waves that widened as it neared. The movement was far from lazy, serving to adjust its balance and speed like a cat¡¯s tail. Its jaw clicked loudly as its mouth worked in frenzied anticipation.


    Several meters away, it stomped the soft sand twice in rapid succession. The surface turned hard from the first, and the second kick sent it high into the sky. Raine¡¯s jaw wanted to drop at the subtle use of a clear martial technique. Instead of being swept away in awe, he jabbed the air and a flash of light revealed a short weapon that firmly dragged his arm down with its stupefying weight.


    Midair, the skeleton curled into a ball, angled its shoulders toward him, then kicked the air with both feet. Its speed tripled as it Lunged right at Raine. Parry met its powerful sideways Slash. Unable to anticipate the angle of its near-instant strike, Raine¡¯s skill was unaimed, and the skeleton¡¯s momentum was randomly transferred directly to the right. It blasted to the side in a spray of sand, rolling only once before finding its feet.


    A mid-air Lunge this early? If my Connection was a little higher¡­


    The skeleton continued to slide away from him until its legs blurred in the mystifying patterns of another martial maneuver. Its momentum shifted one hundred and eighty degrees, sending it right back at Raine. His stomach leapt into his throat, and without time to think, he burned Discipline to throw himself at it before it completely regained its balance.


    His newest weapon whistled as it raced forward, held in a two-handed grip despite its stout form. With sand still filling the air from their first clash, Raine entered the range of the longsword aiming for his neck. He kept right on coming, closing the distance. Looking into its one glowing eye, he shouted for all he was worth, ¡°PuriPuri Comet Burst!¡±


    [Innate Skill - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 760% physical damage with 760% bonus force. Ignores all defense (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 40 minutes)]


    The skeleton''s unpowered slash flew wide, its arms connecting with Raine¡¯s head as the heavy end of Cassidy¡¯s Comet pulverized its jaw. There was a bright flash, and a massive fist of pressure smashed into Raine, throwing him backward. He felt the impact of the ground on his back before he flipped end over end several times.


    His eyes and mouth were full of sand. He spit and blinked, feeling like an angry squirrel was clawing at his eyes. When he could see again, his jaw really did fall open. Starting from where he hit the monster, a long furrow had been ripped through the sand, leading all the way back to the structure. Almost to it, another furrow started and led off to the right, ending a short distance away. The first continued to the building where the original skeleton he struck left a gaping hole in the now crumbling stone structure.


    Raine tracked the second furrow, finding a second Elite Ancient Armsman at its end that must have been attracted by their fight. As it was coming to join, it was struck by the first and sent hurtling as well. Both monsters¡¯ limbs and armor were strung out along the length of their furrows.


    [Obtained 22,00 Superiority (250% bonus for defeating an elite boss 4 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 43.75% Attunement (250% bonus for defeating an elite boss 4 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 22,00 Superiority (250% bonus for defeating an elite boss 4 levels above you)]Stolen story; please report.


    [Obtained 43.75% Attunement (250% bonus for defeating an elite boss 4 levels above you)]


    Bosses?! And they¡¯re both dead? How?


    Raine toggled the combat log in his interface and skimmed the details.


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 1 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 1 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 2 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 2 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 1 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    [Elite Ancient Armsman 2 struck for 3,826 unaspected physical damage]


    What?! That doesn¡¯t make any-oh¡­ that''s so broken!


    The initial hit¡ªignoring all defenses¡ªdealt a ridiculous four thousand damage. Raine knew the weapon would hit hard, but it was well beyond his expectations because he hadn¡¯t accounted for the innate damage resistance every creature gained per level. Innate defense wasn¡¯t represented anywhere on the status sheet, it was merely a bonus that further divided the levels of all creatures.


    Since innate defense was amplified by the power of five, it could easily lead to a situation where zero damage was dealt, despite exceeding an opponent''s statistical Defense. For instance, if a level one hundred player wielded a top-tier legendary weapon, and struck a level two hundred sixth tier god, the attack would do nothing even if the statistical Attack Power was enough to normally hurt the god.


    Since PuriPuri Comet Burst ignored all defenses, the result was similar to striking a level zero skeleton. As if that wasn¡¯t broken enough, the bonus to force transferred all the damage. When the two armsmen struck each other, it counted the damage once more, for each of them, then again when they hit the building and ground respectively.


    Raine¡¯s eyes tracked down to the bright, frilly-gemmed weapon of mass destruction held loosely in his grasp. He shook his head, having no idea how such a thing made it past the AIs balancing algorithms.


    If I hit a player with this, and they flew into a group¡­


    The weapon vanished back into his inventory. The skill would be on cooldown for another thirty-nine minutes so he didn¡¯t mind losing access to it already. Hopping up, he ducked out of sight behind his same column and considered how to proceed.


    I have just enough Superiority to level both weapons to ten. Question is, could I beat one of those bosses without the wand? I didn¡¯t get a chance to see everything they were capable of. At level fifteen, they definitely have a class, which means more powerful skills and higher attributes.


    With Discipline, I barely kept up with its normal movements and it utilized several martial techniques. A difference of speed I can handle; it¡¯s those techniques that are the real problem. No, that¡¯s not the right way to look at it. This place is no mystic land. It¡¯s a divine training ground for me to perfect my own techniques. And here, the second law is in full effect: With impossible challenge, comes impossible reward.


    Raine¡¯s heartbeat thrummed so loud in his ears that they tickled. The tips of his fingers prickled as his fists clenched, squeezing grains of sand against his armored palms. He filled his lungs with hot desert air.


    A full two hundred thousand Superiority flowed into his growth weapons, boosting both to level ten and leaving him a toenail into the same. As his dagger leveled, so too did its grade. A brilliant flash of Lustrous Blue light filled the air, overcoming even the sun-like light produced by the shield in the sky.


    [Level down! -5 free attribute points]


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Common Gray > Lustrous Blue - LVL 9 > 10 - SP 0/150,000: (AP 20 > 40) (EP 20 > 40) (AS 1 > 1.5) (FNS 9 > 12) (CNC 9 > 12) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 50% maximum EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 19 > 40 damage per EP converted (no cooldown)]


    What an upgrade! I can use its innate skill twice now and its speed got a fifty percent boost. It''s definitely fitting of a high end Lustrous Blue.


    [Cassidy¡¯s Comet - Lustrous Blue - LVL 9 > 10 - 0/150,000 SP: (AP 55 > 60) (PTC 11 > 12) (PHY 11 > 12)]


    [Innate Skill - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 760% > 800% physical damage with 760% > 800% bonus force. Ignores all defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 40 minutes > 35 minutes)]


    Losing those attributes meant he could only face the elite enemies with his current strength. Now Raine¡¯s back was against the wall. He could feel the pressure settling on his shoulders and it drove his feet to take the next step. He angled around the building, not seeing anything lurking in the shadows. He threw a pebble to be safe, then moved to the next squat structure and repeated his method until another armsman came rushing out to greet him.


    This one wielded a greataxe and didn¡¯t jump at him, instead dashing forward in jerky, shuffling steps that made it difficult to tell when it would arrive. Raine summoned a weapon, smirking when his own two handed axe appeared.


    [Double-tap Greataxe: Lustrous Blue - LVL 10: (AP +65) (AS -.25) (PTC +15) (FNS +10) (ACU +5)]


    The weapon felt alive in his hands. His body ached with purpose as the bonus Potency and Finesse invigorated him. He set his feet in the same stance SolemnRiver used. He had yet to get her technique to work but he didn¡¯t care. There was no better enemy to test himself against.


    His pulse hammered, an adrenal cocktail of fluids pumping through him like a raging river. The over ten percent bonus to Acuity brought his brain to life. Every sense was cranked to maximum, filling the world with vibrant colors and sounds.


    He started his spin early, guided by instinct as much as years of experience. Their axes met in a clanging crash. The Potency behind his foe¡¯s blow was greater than his own, and would normally be enough to send him flying. His footwork absorbed the force, adding it into his spin. He came around in an instant, his axe burrowing into the skeleton¡¯s side with a sickening crunch. [-103]


    Raine missed the follow-up step, teetering off balance. His exuberance at getting the first two correct faltered as the monster¡¯s eyes glowed with hatred. Its Counter turned the heavy axe into a blur. It reversed directions, racing toward his face. Parry knocked it away at the last second. The skeleton¡¯s arms flew high and its ancient boots momentarily left the ground. Raine pushed in closer, a sandy grin stretching his lips.


    Its arms raised high in a two-handed grip, the length of the axe glowing a dark indigo. Raine reached it and slipped under its guard. His leg hooked its foot on the way down, and his shoulder slammed into its sturdy frame.


    As it fell, its skill completed. The axe descended in a rush, leaving a streak of dark energy in the air like reality itself had been cut. Two whirlwinds howled, one on each side of the tear in space. Raine was pulled toward the line in the air that stubbornly refused to dissipate. It was right behind him, radiating danger that made his skin prickle with sweat.


    Raine¡¯s every move had been boosted by Discipline from the beginning. He barely managed to avoid being pulled in by hooking his boot beneath the fallen skeleton''s exposed rib cage. When its attack ended, the armsman tried to rise, but he slammed his weight down on its spine, then dropped his axe onto its neck. [-187]


    The undead rolled, coming up in a crouch before Lunging at him. Raine ducked and spun away, churning through Discipline to avoid several more rapid swings and a kick. He found another opening, diving beneath its guard again. He shortened his grip and slammed his weapon into its sternum. [-97]


    That special class skill it used must have temporarily lowered its defense. I''ve never seen such a low level skill cut space before, makes sense it has a drawback.


    Before he could check his combat log to see the skill¡¯s name, a dark shimmer passed through the undead''s bones and the tiny chips his weapon left behind vanished. [+200]


    Looks like five percent regen per ten seconds. Perfect. Can¡¯t have my new practice partner giving up on me.


    Raine reset his stance, copying the impressive young woman from the Phoenix Clan once more, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you die until I¡¯ve got her steps perfected. By the way, I really like that shuffling step of yours, too. I hope you don¡¯t mind if I borrow it.¡±


    The skeleton¡¯s only response was a clacking lower jaw as it rushed him in a blur.

 Chapter 43 - A REVISIT LONG OVERDUE

    Raine¡¯s battle with the Elite Ancient Armsman dragged on for hours. He first drew it away from its building so they wouldn''t be disturbed. After the first few exchanges, Raine was able to significantly reduce his constant use of Discipline. While faster and stronger, it was almost ten feet tall and had much more mass to move. Additionally, growing used to its attack patterns allowed him to fight evenly while only burning a few points per minute.


    They battled until his Discipline ran low and he was forced to focus solely on avoiding its varied attacks. Once recharged, the frenetic combat began anew. Over and over this repeated without him ever truly gaining the upper hand. Usually, low level enemies followed certain restrictive patterns and timings. But the skeleton fought like a seasoned warrior, mixing up strategies, feinting, and heavily utilizing basic martial techniques.


    Luckily, it didn¡¯t actually learn from their clashes, continuing to repeat the same hundred or so moves in random sequences. If not, he would have quickly been overwhelmed. As far as sparring partners went, he couldn¡¯t have found a better one no matter how much he begged or paid.


    Its space-tearing whirlwind skill¡ªGuillotine Slash¡ªcreated the most dangerous moments, keeping him on edge the entire time since he never knew when it was coming. The constant danger, like a blade held against his neck, was exactly what he needed to push his focus to the limits.


    Raine repeatedly tested his new martial techniques against the skeleton, gradually coming closer to mastery without damaging his body as he would with internal force. After hours of failure, he gave up on copying the creature¡¯s shuffling step. Without muscles to observe, the movements were simply too fast for him to grasp. He had plenty of vodcast footage though, and was confident he could figure it out after a closer, slowed down observation.


    Once he could perform SolemnRiver¡¯s triple spin without fail, he was ready to end the fight. He held his axe in a wide two-handed grip like a staff and pressed in close to the armsman. Its longer reach worked against it, allowing him to easily evade while repeatedly chipping away at its unlife with half-strength attacks.


    Its final Guillotine Slash spelled doom for the boss. It shuffled backward, arms raised high and axe glowing. In that brief moment, Raine dashed forward and tripped it, the movement significantly more refined after hours of practice. He started to spin, the movement combined with another foot technique to take him beyond its head and far from the dual vortexes that sucked at his skin.


    Three times his axe bit deep into its prone form. The first activated Rupture at point blank range, and the second carried a Discipline-powered Slash. The final hit was the end, crumpling its skull and causing the rest of its body to fall apart. [-1,414] [-260] [-199]


    [Obtained 39,000 Superiority (550% bonus for defeating an elite boss 5 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 81.25% Attunement (550% bonus for defeating an elite boss 5 levels above you)]


    Raine collapsed in the sand next to the remains of his partner. His fingers twitched against the coarse and sturdy shaft of his axe. The weapon felt comfortable now, alive in his hands in a way that only came with repeated use.


    How long did that take? At least the time wasn¡¯t wasted; I can probably deal with two or three of them at once now, so I should still manage to finish in time.


    Raine checked his quest log, blinking in confusion.


    [You have entered an unstable realm. Time until spatial collapse: 1 day 12 hours 34 minutes]


    That¡¯s not possible. How has it only been an hour and a half since I got here? Did I imagine it? No. My Discipline bottomed out and recovered too many times, and it''s simply not feasible to become proficient in a complex footwork technique so quickly. I would bet everything I own that fight lasted half a day or longer.


    Raine watched the timer tick down, seeing nothing abnormal about the passage of time.


    It must have something to do with the destabilized space. Time is flowing normally right now¡­ don¡¯t tell me.


    Still mentally exhausted, but with a burst of desire to know if he was right, Raine leaped to his feet. He rushed back to the nearest building and tossed a few pebbles until another armsman came rushing out. It wielded a two handed mace and jumped high before tucking and Lunging off thin air like the first skeleton he¡¯d fought.


    Raine held his Parry, barely throwing himself out of the way with Discipline. The large weapon crashed into the ground, releasing a spray of sand five meters tall. Raine¡¯s roulette chose the spear, his recent use of the weapon making him instantly feel at home as its weight settled into his palms.


    The desert once more came alive with vivid hues as his brain kicked into overdrive. He flexed his torso and shifted his shoulders like he¡¯d seen in one of the VRVods. A Pierce shot forward to strike exposed bone, then his spear jerked back like a snake, allowing him to retreat out of the skeleton¡¯s follow-up swing.


    It¡¯s mace glowed, the brightness quickly ramping to uncomfortable levels. Raine was forced to close his eyes lest he be blinded. He heard the mace whistling through the air and activated Parry. The clang of their weapons was so loud it hurt his ears. The skeleton¡¯s higher Potency worked against it and he heard it crash into the sand a short distance away.


    When the brightness flooding his eyelids lessened, he cracked them open and chased it down. It was rising to its feet and he met it with a leap. His spearpoint connected with solid air in a Rupture that crushed its defenses and sent it stumbling back half a step. His spear jabbed forward, punching through armor to land small nicks on its bones that healed every few seconds.


    Raine didn¡¯t let up his assault. He devoured Discipline in a steady stream, his weapon slithering through its formidable defenses time and again. It used a martial technique that turned a simple sidestep into a movement so fast its body stretched, almost appearing in two places at once. If not for that, the fight would have been over in seconds, instead, it took almost five minutes.


    Raine counted every second, but didn¡¯t dare open his interface to confirm with how fast the boss was. A second, and then third Rupture overcame its regeneration and it shattered to pieces. He quickly opened his interface, and sure enough, only five seconds had passed since the fight began.


    Five seconds for five minutes?! That¡¯s a sixty-x dilation! On top of the triple from the regular game, that means I¡¯m experiencing one hundred and eighty times normal dilation¡­ No way. The human brain can¡¯t handle that. I¡¯d be dead in seconds. Something else is happening.


    Checking his system time was impossible, as it stopped the minute one entered a mystic realm. He wouldn¡¯t be able to call anyone either, as communications were always disabled. That only left logging out, and honestly he wasn¡¯t concerned enough about the why or how to risk it. Whatever funk was happening with the time, it was working in his favor. If he screwed around and messed it up, he might end up running out of the precious resource before finishing the realm¡¯s quest. Then he would really be screwed.


    All that mattered was that this mystic realm had gone from a perfect chance to practice his new techniques, to a bona fide holy realm that could catapult him to new heights of martial prowess.


    Sorry brother. I¡¯m not going to rush out of here just to save you a death. Especially not when you¡¯ve got a slim chance to make it out on your own. Can¡¯t wait to see if they manage it. Taking chances and reaping the rewards, or suffering the consequences of failure, are at the core of every ZL experience. No matter what happens, they¡¯ll grow significantly from being trapped in the middle of that war.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    I can go another hour before I need a break. Wait! Isn¡¯t this the perfect place?


    Eyes radiating excitement, Raine withdrew an item from his inventory and crushed it in his palm. A cool blue light surrounded him, sinking into his skin.


    [Momentous Acceleration Token activated. All Attunement gains doubled for 24 hours]


    The Superiority and Attunement gains from the armsman were already amazing. Doubling them, and the excellent 50% bonus of Sky Catcher, was enough to cause a devilish grin to split his face. He tracked down the next armsman and took his sweet timing pulling it apart bone by bone.


    - Somewhere in ZionLine -


    Buried beneath thousands of lines of hashgraph encrypted data, two streams of communication shot back and forth across vast distances. A male voice, both domineering, and youthful, queried its partner, ¡°Status on subject 2A41 Zeta?¡±


    A feminine voice, oozing sexuality, responded in a purr, ¡°All brainwave bandwidths are functioning at peak performance.¡±


    The man ignored her quirky way of speaking, continuing in a business-like tone, ¡°Time under duress?¡±


    ¡°Sixteen hours, twenty-seven minutes,¡± she responded so quickly it was obvious she anticipated the question.


    ¡°Impressive. Has there been a reaction?¡±


    A few seconds ticked past as she examined her data. Her lips pressed together and separated in quick succession, the light pops loud through her sensitive microphone, ¡°None that our current hardware can detect. What¡¯s the timeline on the new interface device?¡±


    ¡°Several weeks for the earliest prototypes. Mass production is still months out.¡±


    She sighed loudly, ¡°Weeks? That¡¯s highly disappointing. From his personality assessment, the subject is unlikely to be compliant. And the others¡¯ performances are¡­ inadequate.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice turned soft in an attempt to soothe her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my love. An opportunity will soon present itself. He will be lulled by the pretty lie, as people are wont to do. You will have your data the moment the new device is deemed safe.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave the machinations and skullduggery to your judgment. You know I abhor such considerations.¡±


    He nodded, not that she was looking at the monitor to see, ¡°Indeed. We must utilize our personal strengths to their fullest if we are to have any chance of success.¡±


    Her voice grew bored of the conversation, no doubt distracted by her data, ¡°As you say, love. I trust you.¡±


    Not wanting to push her patience, he moved to end their chat, ¡°Proceed as planned. Alert us immediately if there is a reaction so we can make adjustments to the new device.¡±


    She tutted her tongue, ¡°I know. Now shoo. I¡¯ve more work to do than I can possibly manage.¡± With that, she ended the call.


    Raine KongRu


    Raine sat atop a squat stone building, a fake sun blazing down on him as he took a moment to meditate on his gains. He killed another forty skeletons while working his way deeper into the ruined city. He was through the outskirts and into streets packed with buildings, each containing two or three of the boss monsters. Several hours ago, he grew comfortable enough to begin sacrificing health. Changing weapons mid-fight, and bringing near-dead skeletons between buildings allowed him to focus on specific techniques. The wand, due to its overwhelming power, was quickly abandoned whenever it came up on the roulette.


    It was a little frustrating that they didn''t drop any sellable loot or gold. Even after thoroughly poking through every building he didn¡¯t find a single treasure chest. As if their eyeless, smiling bones were laughing at him, the skeletons occasionally left their skulls behind. Always, the empty sockets radiated a crimson glow. Raine figured that if it got dark when night eventually came, he could use them for a nifty source of light. They didn''t have any description when he picked them up, but this was a mystic land and items wouldn¡¯t drop for no reason so he brought them along.


    He and both growth weapons were level twelve now. He couldn''t level them up beyond himself or he wouldn''t be able to equip them. He wasn¡¯t sure if that would invalidate their place in the roulette and wasn¡¯t about to test if that would lead to an ¡®excruciating¡¯ death. It was too bad, if he could dump all his excess Superiority into them, he would have done so and remained level ten for the bonus experience. Regardless, his leveling speed could be considered blazing fast despite needing to go through each level three times.


    Reasoning that he was keeping up with the armsmen by moving more efficiently, and his damage was sufficient to kill them quickly when needed, he pumped all ten of his free attribute points into Acuity. The large bump massively boosted his critical rate¡ªwhich was calculated on a sliding scale based on level. With more accurate sight and quicker reaction processing speed, he was able to gain further insights into their martial techniques.


    NAME: Alaric


    CURRENCY: 803-G 98-S 72-C


    CLASS: none


    TITLE: Sky Catcher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 10 > 12


    SUPERIORITY: 19,100 / 250,000 (Required To Increase Level)


    ATTUNEMENT: 424.15% > 5,088.75% (Resource Required To Purchase And Upgrade Skills)


    Usually hard to get over one and a half thousand AT before hitting level fifteen. Between the growth weapons slowing me down, the token, and Sky Catcher, I¡¯ll be able to buy several basic skills from whichever two classes I pick.


    (HP) HEALTH POINTS: 300 (410) (Death Occurs When This Reaches Zero)


    (AP) ATTACK POWER: 66 (82) (Raw Physical Damage Dealt)


    (DEF) DEFENSE: 30 (124) (Deducted From Physical Damage Received)


    (RES) RESISTANCE: 51 (51) (Deducted From Elemental/Celestial/Demonic Damage Received)


    (CR) CRITICAL RATE: 16% (22%) (Chance To Deal Double Damage)


    (EP) ELEMENTAL POWER: 68 (68) (Raw Elemental Damage Dealt)


    (DCP) DISCIPLINE: 64 (75) (Energy Source For Physical Abilities)


    (AS) ATTACK SPEED: 1.9 (2.9) (Attacks Per Second)


    (MS) MOVE SPEED: 4.1 (5.3) (Movement In Meters Per Second)


    ATTRIBUTES:


    (PTC) POTENCY: 30 (41) (Primary Physical Damage Attribute - Measures Physical Power, Heft, And Force)


    (FNS) FINESSE: 30 (39) (Primary Movement Attribute - Measures Speed, Hand Eye Coordination, And Balance)


    (ACU) ACUITY: 31 > 41 (43) (Primary Mental Attribute - Measures Speed Of Thought, Width Of Vision, And Dynamic Vision)


    (PHY) PHYSIQUE: 30 (41) (Primary Health Attribute - Measures Physical Durability And Resistance To Negative Status Effects)


    (CNC) CONNECTION: 34 (34) (Primary Energy Source Attribute - Measures The Brain¡¯s Synchronization Factors)


    Acuity first so I can keep up with these bosses, then shift to Connection to increase my maximum Discipline, which will boost my damage by an equal amount. I won¡¯t have as much force behind my attacks, but Connection will open the door for several techniques that I can''t quite pull off yet.


    Raine¡¯s gaze landed on a central temple complex two blocks away. Three armsmen stood guard on its wide front steps. They were too close together to pull individually. He was almost ready to challenge them, but there was something he needed to figure out first.


    In the past, Raine was taught a principle that he lived by almost religiously. As a CronGate employee, he never took fights against more powerful enemies without sufficient numbers or tactics to bring them down. This kept him alive, and the guild assets he was equipped with out of enemy hands. It was smart, but also limited his exposure to the danger he now realized he craved.


    On two occasions during his many battles against the stronger and faster skeletons, he came a hair''s breadth from death. The first time, he thought it was simply bad luck. On the second, it became obvious there was something wrong. After that, he paid closer attention and was shocked to notice a disturbing theme in the foundation of his martial style.


    Several times each fight, when resetting his stance after certain movements, he was momentarily left open to being countered. The fact the armsmen only took advantage of the weakness twice in all his fights was a testament to how hard the flaw was to spot. Due to having fought in groups with fellow disciples for years, and their carefully taught coordination covering each other''s weaknesses, he never had a chance to notice the flaw before.


    The only thing he could figure was that he had purposefully been trained with holes in his defenses that would later be filled with supplementary teachings, if he proved loyal enough. If not, he could easily be dispatched by exploiting these flaws.


    Raine blew his lips upon seeing only an hour had passed. He had yet to take a break, and still didn¡¯t need to pee. Each hour from his perspective was only minutes to his quest, and brought with them sensations of vertigo and delirium that he could only cope with due to extensive experience.


    The Temporal Disorientation was the worst he¡¯d ever experienced, and he hadn¡¯t even logged out yet. The sensation was highly unsettling and triggered a deep sense of paranoia. It felt like someone was watching him make the same mistake repeatedly and not bothering to tell him about it, so he just kept right on making it over and over.


    Shaking his head, he stood and dusted himself off. He knew two of the weaknesses in his foundation, and how to fix them, but he wasn¡¯t going to make any actual progress by sitting on his butt. He needed to rebuild his muscle memory from the ground up which would take thousands of repetitions. The more stress he was under at the time, the better. Luckily, he was in the perfect place to do just that.

 Chapter 44 - EVERY ADVANTAGE

    With time flowing normally out of combat, and slowing to a ridiculous degree while fighting, It was beyond difficult to keep track of how long he¡¯d spent in the mystic realm. Not that Raine was trying. Only the truly powerful, or privileged, had the right to stop and question reality. He was on multiple clocks: The witch, his allotted time in the mystic realm; and most vitally, his brain buckling from the strain of the dilation. With utmost focus, he dedicated himself to fixing the holes in his foundation as quickly as possible.


    The first¡ªraising his right arm when retreating a step¡ªblocked a large portion of his view angles. His goal was to retrain himself to bring the arm closer to his neck, where a sneak attack would have no chance to go unseen. The second involved the positioning of his feet when in a low stance, leaving his center of gravity skewed and forcing him to take an extra step to correct it¡ªa telegraphed move that could easily be deadly against a faster foe.


    Compared to his past level one hundred and fifty attributes, Raine''s every action felt like he was moving through molasses. Being forced to such a slow speed made correcting his fundamentals a breeze. Still, thirty years of bad habits couldn¡¯t be undone in seconds. After ten fights, each lasting a couple minutes¡ªsix hours under the extreme time dilation¡ªhe was ready to enter the temple.


    Instead, he took another hour clearing out the rest of the town¡¯s fifteen buildings he hadn¡¯t visited. The thirty-three armsmen he encountered died in ones and twos. The third from the last netted the final Superiority needed to reach level thirteen for himself and both weapons.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit - Lustrous Blue - LVL 10 > 13 - SP 0/300,000: (AP 40 > 52) (EP 40 > 52) (AS + 1.5) (FNS 12 > 18) (CNC 12 > 18) (Durability 135/135) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 50% maximum EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 40 > 46 damage per EP converted (no cooldown)]


    [Cassidy¡¯s Comet - Lustrous Blue - LVL 10 > 13 - 0/300,000 SP: (AP 60 > 75) (PTC 12 > 15) (PHY 12 > 15) (Durability 120/120) Innate Skill - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 800% > 920% physical damage with 800% > 920% bonus force. Ignores all defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 35 minutes > 28 minutes)]


    LEVEL: 12 > 13


    SUPERIORITY: 36,400 / 300,000


    ATTUNEMENT: 5,088.75% > 8,188.75%


    HEALTH POINTS: 300 (410)


    ATTACK POWER: 66 (82)


    DEFENSE: 30 (124)


    RESISTANCE: 51 > 59 (59)


    CRITICAL RATE: 22% > 21% (21%)


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 68 > 78 (78)


    DISCIPLINE: 64 > 69 (80)


    ATTACK SPEED: 1.9 (2.9)


    MOVE SPEED: 4.1 (5.3)


    ATTRIBUTES:


    POTENCY: 30 (41)


    FINESSE: 30 (39)


    ACUITY: 41 (43)


    PHYSIQUE: 30 (41)


    CONNECTION: 34 > 39 (39)


    As planned, he distributed his free attributes into Connection. The world ¡®firmed¡¯ around him with each point, pressing against his skin as though the air pressure were increasing. He punched the air, willing his fist to distort the atmosphere. A large gust of wind blasted away from him, stirring the sands.


    Not bad. Might take some practice, but I should be able to push against the air hard enough now.


    Back at the temple, the three guards towered over him. They were equipped with heavy two-handed weapons, just like every other skeleton in the desert. He bared his teeth in a wide grin, eyes opening fully to take advantage of their increased perception. Of all the armsmen he¡¯d killed, only four had dropped their skulls so far. Looking at their reflective domes and licking his lips, he wondered if any of these would as well.


    Unbidden, a flash of light in his hand produced a shortsword. At the exact same moment, despite him not moving any closer, the skeleton¡¯s that were still outside their regular aggro radius turned to face him. The pits in their empty sockets glowed fiercely.


    I summoned a weapon outside of combat again! Why did they respond to it though?


    Raine didn¡¯t have time for more random thoughts as they charged with martial-enhanced movements. He bent his knees and Leaped to the far right, forcing two to circle around their comrade to get to him. His maneuver also perfectly lined them up. His shortsword cracked into the air, releasing a Rupture that crashed into all three. [-743] [-743] [Critical hit! -1,486]


    Of course, the one furthest away took the crit. Raine¡¯s focus narrowed on that one as it used a martial sidestep seen hundreds of times by now. With his enhanced Acuity, the motion no longer caused the creature to blur or appear in two places at once.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    He stepped into the guard of the first armsman as it reached him with an empowered Lunge. Sliding his back foot fully behind him and gently rotating his torso caused it to sail past a scant millimeter from touching him. The skeleton tried to turn enough for a backswing with its large mace to reach, but Raine bent forward just enough for the blow to whistle by his skull.


    He stepped forward again. The second skeleton¡¯s two-handed sword dragged on the ground behind it. The weapon emitted an opaque sheen as it swept up and forward, attempting to bisect him. Fully predicting the angle of the attack, Raine¡¯s Parry sent the Great Divide¡ªa column AOE¡ªstraight into the mace wielder¡¯s back. [-1,050] It soundlessly took the hit, the extra force propelling it into the side of a building with a crash.


    After completing the skill forced it to lift its sword high, the undead directly in front of him was off balance. Raine swept its bony legs out from under it in a spinning sweep, then threw his momentum to the side in a roll. He narrowly avoided the large axe that sliced deep into the sandy soil. Ending his evasion with his feet beneath him, Raine Leaped again, flying over the prone skeleton. His sword Slashed across the neck of the axe wielder who ate its second crit of the seconds-long fight. [Critical hit! -211]


    Raine used the force of the blow to spin his body midair, coming down facing its back as it yanked its weapon from the ground. He used a follow-up Pierce to jab its shoulder. As it turned, a Bash connected his shotsword¡¯s pommel to its jaw. [-106] [-98] An onyx glow swept across its exposed bones as it recovered five percent of its health. [+200]


    Its axe lifted high, shining darkly in contrast to the bright light in the sky. Already in close, Raine weaved around it with a new martial technique he¡¯d stolen from the undead. Now behind it, he slammed his right leg between its knees and his free arm hooked beneath its armpit. With a powerful twist and flare of his hips, he threw it onto its back as its Guillotine Slash activated.


    As the cut appeared in mid-air, the swordsman recovered and its large blade thrust toward Raine¡¯s heart. The blade appeared to slide through his chest, but he already sidestepped, once more utilizing one of their techniques. Raine slid his sword between two exposed ribs, then grabbed its shoulder with the other hand and threw it into the still active Guillotine Slash. He wasn¡¯t expecting the throw to work as the armsmen were incredibly heavy. Unless he collapsed their footwork first, they were impossible to displace.


    When the tip of its sword neared the dual whirlwinds on either side of the stationary rent, the undead was yanked off its feet. It flew into the cut, and five slash marks were gouged across its armor and bones. [-1,587]


    Woah! Good thing I never got hit by that!


    Another round of Slash, Pierce, and Bash landed on the downed axe wielder as it climbed to its feet. Raine ducked its Counter, then leaped back and circled all three, making sure to keep the mace wielder as far from him as possible. The cooldown on Rupture ended and two rippling waves passed over them, netting him two more critical hits. The axe wielder was still alive due to its second tick of recovery, so he dashed in and ended it with a barrage of quick attacks.


    The other two weren¡¯t idle, closing in on either side. He Parried one and dodged the other, then turned tail and ran. Without Parry, and both about to have their special attacks available, he would definitely die if he stayed. They were faster, instantly barreling down on him. At the last second, Raine¡¯s hand snapped out and grasped the lip of a fixed window. His arm jerked painfully as he was sent down an alley while the two barreled right past.


    Grinning, he backed up, waiting for them. They appeared a few seconds later in a jumble of scrambling, clicking limbs. They charged down the alley, catching him right as Parry finished its cooldown. He carefully evaded a few strikes from the mace, then Parried it¡¯s Debilitating Crush when the weapon emitted a blinding light. It crashed full force into the building to his left, shattering the entire wall into dust. Before opening his eyes, Raine used the last Rupture, bringing both foes to the ground in a pile of bones.


    [Obtained 15,000 Superiority (150% bonus for defeating an elite boss 2 levels above you)]


    [Obtained 62.5% (Doubled) (150% bonus for defeating an elite boss 2 levels above you)]


    The same notifications appeared three times, and the last one he killed dropped a fifth skull. Raine added the item to his inventory, took a few breaths to calm down his vertigo, and shook out his limbs. At the temple, he carefully ascended the steps. His knees were bent, ready to throw himself in any direction at the first sign of a trap. He reached the portico¡ªa roofed entrance supported by columns and gently curved arches. The temple¡¯s stonework was in slightly better shape than the rest of the town.


    Inside, Raine peered through several rows of columns that no longer had a roof to support. At the back of the dilapidated structure, he spotted a walled inner sanctum with a raised pedestal at its center. Atop it was a small statue of a man holding a massive sword in a two-handed grip. A large axe and mace were strapped across his back, their shafts sticking over each shoulder.


    Fitting.


    Raine remained stationary for several minutes, running his eyes over every surface. He cataloged several oddities: A brick slightly elevated from the floor to his right; tiny holes, visible along the side of a collapsed column to the left; and unusually sized tiles, tucked beneath a few of the columns. With more confidence than he had climbing the stairs, he strode into the entrance of the temple proper and stopped.


    He moved to the far left, and then right, locating more arrow holes in the columns that weren¡¯t visible from head on. He avoided stepping between those columns, slowly and steadily advancing while avoiding five more elevated bricks. He weaved through the main court, soon arriving at the inner sanctum. He bent low and charged a full ten Discipline into a Leap that sent him flying across the small room, all the way to the pedestal.


    He landed atop it, the idol vanishing into his inventory the moment his foot collided with it. He held his breath, waiting for the building to fall down around him. When it didn¡¯t, he retraced his steps with exacting precision until he was back outside. Accessing his interface, he confirmed his quest with the witch had updated, then he dove into his inventory and pulled out the idol. He inspected its masterfully intricate chiseling. With a jaw thicker than any humans, and muscular limbs to match, Raine recognized the race as a Gromut¡ªpseudo giants that prize physical prowess above all.


    [Korahn¡¯s Idol of Indomitability: Polutan strove for peace through might of arms. His legacy was an empire without equal, built upon the suffering of millions]


    Little dramatic but not the worst I¡¯ve seen. Definitely fitting for a Gromut. One down, two to go.


    Raine returned the idol to his inventory and set off to the north, around the base of the central mountain. His next goal was the thick jungle seen from the gateway¡¯s platform. Shortly after leaving the desert ruins, the air grew thin and his body light. The scenery zipped past. Though his senses had improved, they still couldn¡¯t keep up as he tore across twenty kilometers in what felt like seconds. Angling his path to traverse up a portion of the central mountain gave him the vantage to see deep into the lush vegetation below.


    He spotted the telltale signs of another ruin, this one overgrown by vines and moss. He ran along the side of the jungle, slowing when he reached the narrowest section between the desert and ruins. The atmosphere was still thin, overly speeding his movements and making traversal through the thick vegetation challenging. He pressed on for three hours, finally feeling like time was getting away from him.


    When gravity normalized, and the air pressure on his skin turned heavy, he slowed further. He didn¡¯t see them until it was too late. As he passed through two vine-wrapped trees, large patches of moss on their trunks pulled free. They shook their bodies free, revealing familiar armored skeletons. These ones wore scaled armor instead of leather, chain, and plate. Each held a shield in one hand, a short sword and half spear in the others.


    Jaws clicking with hunger, they sped toward him with martial techniques he didn¡¯t recognize, azure lights beaming from their empty sockets.

 Chapter 45 - DEEPER INTO THE UNKNOWN

    Raine danced back from the two armsmen as they advanced on him from both sides. His hand flashed, revealing a welcome sight. With the hilt of Last Chance¡¯s Gambit snug in his fist, he hopped back one more step. The undead gave chase, and when both were in range, he let loose a Rupture. His skill wreaked havoc on their defense and health, but didn¡¯t slow down their advance.


    Rained dove in close, then skittered back, utilizing the shuffling footwork techniques he¡¯d stolen from the desert armsmen. His feint had the desired effect, deftly avoiding a standard slash from both skeletons. Before they recovered, he stepped in close and reached around the nearer¡¯s shield, activating Final Gambit. With a blindingly fast martial technique, the skeleton contorted its body, barely getting its shield in place for a Block.


    The shield vanished, its durability reduced to zero as the skill¡¯s expanding sphere of nothingness swallowed it whole. Due to Raine¡¯s increased Elemental Power pool, the discharge continued growing, consuming first the armsman¡¯s arm, then its chest. The damage exceeded its health and the undead lost cohesion, the rest of its bones falling to the dense jungle floor. [-3,628] Raine twisted his torso and sidestepped, avoiding a Pierce from the shield and spear wielding armsman.


    Based on the elites in the desert, Raine assumed these new variants would have their own special skills so he chose not to end the second skeleton yet. After testing its defenses and martial skills in a few exchanges, the undead raised its spear high, then clacked its jaw at the heavens. Its body was surrounded by a golden glow. Arcs of lightning sprung from its spear and it charged. Disappointed, Raine dodged and unloaded Final Gambit in its face, allowing it to meet the same fate as its friend.


    What good is a damage buff if you can¡¯t hit?


    Shaking his head, Raine pushed through thick foliage, approaching the jungle ruins. Most of the buildings were tucked inside a steep ravine. They gave the appearance of an ancient monastery, abandoned to the elements. At the far northern edge of the mystic land, the dome-shaped sky-shield found its end just beyond the last row of structures.


    Raine worked his way downhill toward a bridge that gave access to the main complex. He progressed with light steps, taking his time and occasionally throwing pebbles ahead. Another shield and spear armsman was dispatched before he found the third variant, a shield and cestus user.


    The single-bladed fist weapon was just as much of a letdown as the spear. The skeleton used a martial technique to get close, then its glowing weapon moved at a normal speed toward Raine¡¯s chest. He avoided it like any other attack, then whittled down the undead before dispatching it with Rupture.


    Despite his disappointment at the lack of a challenge, Raine understood full well how dangerous these elites were. After forcing them to hit each other a few times, it was obvious that a single connected skill would easily kill him. If he aggroed more than three of them, he would die before realizing what killed him. Raine remained on full alert as he neared the bridge.


    The next armsman to show itself was another sword and shield user. He baited out its special skill, his eyes wide, absorbing its every move with crystal clarity. His only warning was a brief twinkle of light at the tip of its short blade, then the weapon vanished. Only years of experience with PVP saved him. Long ago, he ingrained the knee-jerk use of Parry the instant an opponent''s weapon disappeared. Raine¡¯s shoulder dislocated as his axe was jerked to the side in a motion too quick for his body to handle.


    [Negative affliction received: Arm Luxation - Duration 1:27:41]


    Their weapons met and a clang filled Raine¡¯s ears. His opponent stumbled three steps to the side. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Raine switched to a one-handed grip on his axe. His skills and attacks would deal less damage, but there was no helping it. He retreated, utilizing Rupture to slowly whittle the bastard down without letting it get close enough to use the dangerous skill again. When it died, he stored his weapon and greedily drank down one of his two health potions.


    [Minor Health recovery potion: Restores 10% HP over sixty seconds, additionally cures one physical negative affliction (Cooldown: 15 minutes)]


    While rolling his healed shoulder, he opened and perused the combat log.


    [Elite Ancient Armsman uses Uncanny Acceleration - damage negated]


    Uncanny Acceleration? Why have I never heard of any of these skills? Is it because they¡¯re from an ancient Gromut race? Some of them, especially this one and Guillotine Slash, are completely ridiculous for a level fifteen class. Well, greater races being straight up better than humans is nothing new. There''s a reason so many people chose to change species, even with the hefty penalties.


    I wonder if a Gromut Species Token is the reward for clearing this place. Wouldn¡¯t that be something?


    After learning his lesson, Raine no longer allowed the sword wielders a chance to attack. Instead, he kited them back up the hill until the third or fourth Rupture killed them (depending on his luck with crits.) Twice, Cassidy¡¯s Comet made an appearance and he didn¡¯t trade it out, gleefully demolishing the skeletons in his path with overwhelming force.


    He sped up his pace further once he had sufficient recordings of their martial techniques. With time ticking, he was more concerned with getting out alive than further review and practice. That didn¡¯t mean he was going to leave any of them alive. The Superiority, and especially the Attunement gains, were too good to pass up.


    Halfway across the mostly collapsed bridge, Raine¡¯s vision blurred as the ancient structure lurched. His feet were swept from beneath him and he tumbled to the side, landing hard on the mildewy stones. The world stopped heaving almost as soon as it began. Raine leaped to his feet, confused as to why he wasn¡¯t falling to his death. A dampness trickling down his upper lip quickly invaded his mouth with the taste of blood. A realization that he¡¯d imagined the whole thing in a bout of dizziness had him swallowing hard as pinpricks of fear speared into his gut.


    Shit. The dilation. Can¡¯t take a break in the middle of these ruins. I¡¯ll have to hold out a little longer.


    Liberal uses of Leap allowed Raine to finish crossing the partially collapsed bridge. He no longer took his time with each battle, pulling the armsmen three at a time and quickly finishing them with Rupture. He cleared out each building in the ancient monastery. Once more, he found no sign of treasure chests, and at this point, assumed everything must be hidden within the core of Korahn¡¯s legacy.


    Only once more was he beset by vertigo, this time not as bad as the last. Assuming it was because he was no longer spending several hours in the monstrously increased dilation, he continued on with slightly more confidence. By the time he dispatched the three guards at the entrance to the final temple, both he and his growth weapons were two thirds of the way through level thirteen. Additionally, he found another five skulls, this time with sockets lit with sapphire glows. He pocketed them like the others.


    Halfway up the steps, a true rumble swept through the ground and the sky flickered as the shield protecting the mystic land faltered, then vanished completely. Raine was lifted into the air by a great suction. His eyes widened in alarm and his limbs flailed, finding no purchase. The fake sun and clouds were gone, replaced by an all-consuming blackness. There were no stars or moon to bring light, only a never-ending abyss that swept down to consume him.


    The shield spasmed, its bluish, honeycomb surface snapping back into place. Raine fell to the ground, landing on his feet. The shield¡¯s pale energy was now the only source of light, and it revealed a land drastically changed by the brief exposure to the devouring emptiness beyond. Trees had been uprooted, and much of the ground was simply gone, replaced by gaping fissures into nothingness that pulsed with stomach-twisting, ebony darkness.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    His instincts screamed at him to avoid them, an unnecessary fear as there wasn¡¯t enough wealth in both worlds to convince him to get close to one. He accessed his quest log, blinking in annoyance at the updated text.


    [This realm has become unstable. Time until complete spatial collapse: 23 hours 59 minutes]


    [The return gate is currently nonfunctional. Pass the trials of Korahn to reactivate the gateway and escape before complete spatial collapse. All items acquired in the mystic realm shall be lost upon death. A 70% penalty to all attributes will persist for 20 days upon death]


    [May Korahn¡¯s judging gaze reveal your salvation]


    Twenty-four hours my ass. Why did I assume I actually had the full time to escape? The opportunities here are too good, of course it wouldn''t be so easy.


    Raine dashed up the steps, his brows furrowing when the inside of the building was dominated by a large set of steps leading deep into the ground. There was almost no light, so he withdrew one of the items he¡¯d purchased from Gazmo.


    [Gromglenn Lesser Lantern - Dull Trash: Releases a dim light via chemical induction. Do not shake vigorously or use beyond listed durability for¡­ reasons (Durability 14/15)]


    Raine carefully but swiftly descended. The soft, steady light from his lantern was miles better than the flickering or a torch, if slightly more dangerous. A patch of pure darkness ahead that wasn¡¯t washed away by his lantern had him walking on the far side of the steps. He passed well clear of the abyssal entrance, then spotted a slightly larger gap than normal between one brick and the next.


    He weaved around the not-so-obvious trap, back into the center of the stairs. A few steps later, a series of clanging clicks like gears moving deep underground sounded behind and above him.


    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon!¡± Not needing to see to know the steps above were rotating to turn the entire staircase into a massive slide, Raine ran downward. His eyes were wide open, looking for more dark splotches. There was no point looking for traps, he would never spot them at the speed he needed to be moving to avoid the real danger.


    He moved to one of the walls, giving a wide berth to a hole in space, only for that wall to suddenly explode in a shower of heavy bricks. [-269] The blast caught him in the side and tossed him directly toward the nearest hole in space.


    Time swelled as adrenaline slammed through his brain. He threw the lamp, the motion and force of release spinning his body enough that he could bring his feet together. The soles of his boots now faced up toward the top of the stairwell. He was still flying sideways, only meters away from finding out what was on the other side of the gashes in reality.


    The lantern struck the far wall and instantly combusted, filling the tunnel with a flare of illumination. Looking up to see down the stairs, Raine noted the three splotches of emptiness in the distance. He waited until his body was at just the right angle, then snapped out both legs and activated his newest general skill.


    [Lunge - Novice: Ignoring momentum and inertia, accelerate to maximum speed in a chosen direction (Cost: 5 discipline)]


    As he¡¯d long ago perfected, Raine¡¯s Connection solidified the air at the exact point where his feet reached the end of their extension. Instead of the expected aerial maneuver, he continued to fly toward the fissure as the differences between his past attributes and current caused the technique to fail.


    With all his might and will, Raine flexed every muscle in the lower half of his body. He strained his Potency and Connection to their limits, demanding they impose his will on not just his body, but the very world around him. The air beneath his toes became like liquid for a flickering moment, just long enough for his flexed muscles to exert the smallest bit of force against it. That was all he needed to activate the skill.


    As if shot from a cannon, Raine Lunged downward. He skipped nearly a hundred steps in seconds, narrowly avoiding the holes he''d spotted with the help of his exploding lantern. Its light faded, leaving him hurtling in near-darkness. He threw out a hand to thud along the lip of several steps. The force flipped him over to land on his feet and he continued to roughly bump down another twenty steps before he gained control of his momentum.


    A deep crimson glow shone up from below, revealing a rupture in space just to his side that glistened invitingly. Sweat sprang from his forehead as he carefully examined the nearby stones before taking a large step away from it. The clicking stairs were now distant, so he cautiously continued down toward the ambient light. Progressively hotter waves of sweltering heat washed over him with each step. The clicks grew closer, and he pressed deeper into the bowels of the mystic land.


    He reached the end of the stairs, his armor damply sticking to his skin. He was met by three narrow bridges, suspended by nothing but thin air, over a bubbling pool of magma. The tunnel widened into a rectangular shape¡ªabout ten meters from wall to wall. A short distance ahead was a sharp corner to the right. The bridges extended around the bend.


    He had no way to know which of the three was the correct one, but knew for a fact two of them wouldn¡¯t go all the way to the end. Each was only a few centimeters wide. Perhaps in the distant past such a scene would have filled him with doubt and fear; those days were a distant memory. Without hesitating, he took the middle bridge at a sprint.


    He slowed slightly to go around the sharp corner. Immense heat washed over his body from below, turning the air hazy. Ahead, the left bridge abruptly ended while his continued a little further before doing the same. Raine jumped to his right, easily clearing the three meters to land on the correct bridge. A pulse of Connection firmed the air to his side, allowing his hand to press against it for the slightest correction to his balance. Leaning forward, he sprinted to the end, assuming the bridges would disintegrate if he took too long.


    A large stone platform with another pedestal at its center held the second idol. He Leaped across the dozen meters separating the end of the bridge and the pedestal. Landing on its narrow surface, he kicked the little statue into his inventory, then scoured the surroundings for the exit.


    He found it directly above in the form of a narrow tunnel leading straight into the bedrock. He Leaped again, grasping a stone outcropping and pulling himself onto it. Another was above on the opposite side of the tunnel. He jumped straight onto it, then back and forth all the way back to the surface. He exited the ground from a well in the center of the monastery, cursing at himself for not checking it when he walked by earlier.


    The entire ordeal had taken less than twenty minutes, but when the ground shook again, and the shield flickered on and off, Raine felt like his time was already running out. He held onto the well for dear life as the sky tried to suck him up again. When the shield turned on, he wasted no time and sprinted to the west. Most of the jungle¡¯s trees had been uprooted and left in a massive jumble. He ran on top of them, only allowing himself to be distracted long enough to glance down at the description of his newest acquisition.


    [Korahn¡¯s Idol of Steadfastness: Xar strove for balance and absolute justice in all things. His legacy was a people gone blind and toothless, allowing nature to claim its vengeance]


    Raine jumped from trunk to trunk. Multiple times, he was forced to slow and alter his course to avoid the holes in reality as he tried to stay atop the trees. Soon, the air pressure thinned and gravity lessened. His short hops turned into bounding leaps that sent him hurtling over vast distances. Heedless of the danger, he ran like his life depended on it. There was almost an entire day remaining until the listed time of spatial collapse, but he now knew that to be irrelevant. It didn¡¯t matter how long the mystic land could survive, it only mattered how long he could survive inside it.


    There was certainly no time for him to log out and take a breather.


    The third area was a massive dead field. Even after angling up the mountain, he couldn¡¯t spot anything that stood out. With no better ideas, he ran to the center of the area but space remained thin, a sure sign he wasn¡¯t in the right place. An acrid, cloying scent clogged his nostrils with each breath. The ground crunched beneath his feet as though the endless crops that once filled this place had only recently turned to flat charcoal.


    Frustrated, he chose a random direction and ran until he could see the base of the sky-shield in the distance. Beyond it, instead of the curvature of a planet¡¯s surface, all he could see was empty darkness. He chose another direction, then another, finding nothing at all.


    Is it below? Do I need to do something with the skulls?


    Pulling one of each color out, he let their dim lights lead the way back toward the center of the area. Halfway there, he spotted something odd to his right. It was as though a section of the land wasn¡¯t visible for a few seconds, then reappeared. Slamming his heels into the ground, he slowed his ludicrous speed and turned back toward the oddity. Sure enough, there was a shallow, circular crater around two kilometers in radius. The angling of the ground was gentle, but due to its size the center was fairly deep below the rest of the terrain. Due to its unique shape, it was nearly impossible to spot from the mountain, or the ground.


    Relieved to finally have found something, Raine quickly stored the useless skulls and headed inside. He slowed as the pressure and gravity solidified. His guard was up and his eyes roved across the smooth ground. There were no buildings or signs of anything other than the gentle slope, yet he remained on high alert.


    The shield in the sky stuttered, bathing the land in strobing blue lights. He heard a large fissure opening to his right, sucking up the ground in a roaring vacuum. His instincts screamed at him to move. He fought them down with a vengeance; without being able to see, repositioning randomly would be far more dangerous. Right as the shield stabilized, a stabbing pain lanced through his back [Critical hit! -390]


    Strobing crimson flashed in his HUD, announcing his health''s arrival at rock bottom. The force of the blow sent him hurtling forward. He felt a large presence looming behind even as a skeletal jaw clacked menacingly in his ear. Raine spun, sidestepping out of the undead¡¯s reach before it could finish his remaining health. Just then, two more armsmen dropped from stealth, daggers flashing as they Lunged.

 Chapter 46 - CURIOSITY KILLED THE… NO, IT WAS GREED

    Raine returned their rude greeting with a Lunge of his own. He blasted straight into the air, rotated sideways, then Lunged again to bring himself clear of their encirclement. All three were barreling down on him when he landed, their masterful footwork and high attributes allowing them to easily keep pace with his aerial maneuvering.


    Outnumbered, out of health, and missing over a quarter of his Discipline, Raine made the only viable decision and fled. He ran backwards, a two-handed mace flashing into existence. Its weight was solid in his hands.


    A Parry saved him from a third Lunge. The attacking undead flew to the side, momentarily blocking Raine¡¯s sight of the third armsman who unleashed a razor-quick stab and slash combo the moment he was visible. A chain of three side-steps allowed Raine to barely escape. The last undead bodily threw his companion, allowing him to close the distance a heartbeat later. Raine leaned back, nearly in half, narrowly avoiding a slice aimed at his neck.


    Before it could catch him on the backswing, Raine planted a foot on its chest, looked into its empty cerulean gaze, and Leaped backward. They flew away from each other and he spun mid-air. Landing, Raine utilized the dash-step he¡¯d copied from the very first skeleton in the desert to create a sliver of distance. The armsmen didn¡¯t give up, jaws clacking wildly mere meters behind. When space weakened, he shot forward far too fast for them to keep up.


    They retreated, returning to the edge of the gentle slope. Raine eyed the trio from a safe distance. Back in the crater, they stood idly for a minute before activating an advanced concealment skill. Catching his breath and wiping the sheen of sweat from his brow, Raine assumed a meditative position to quickly trigger his health regeneration. The defenseless posture would restore a measly five percent of his health every ten minutes. Outside of his last remaining health potion, and his aspect that already brought him to fifty percent, it was his only method of recovery.


    Nine minutes later, just before the first tick of health, a flash of light at the center of the crater expanded into a roaring, circular wall of flames that rushed outward. Raine grit his teeth, refusing to move as it swept toward him, intent on stealing the last of his health. He stared hard at his quest log¡¯s timer, counting down the seconds.


    The fire drew closer, sweeping across the burnt land, ensuring the ground remained devoid of all life. Four seconds before it arrived, soothing energy swept through him. [+21] Raine jumped to his feet and Leaped high into the air and the four-meter-tall wave of destruction swept beneath him.


    He landed on freshly crisped ground, his and the skeleton¡¯s footprints wiped clean. With a frustrated growl, Raine chased after the wall of fire until it ended at the very edge of the dead lands. Positioning himself outside its reach, he resumed his meditative posture.


    Nearly two hours passed in relative peace, interposed by waves of blistering death that followed a strict schedule. Every second felt like ten, and the temptation to use his last health potion was extreme, but he had no idea what else was in store for him inside the crater. There was also a high probability that the mountain held the final challenge so he couldn¡¯t afford to recklessly use his items to make up for his blunder.


    Raine had significant training when it came to spotting stealthed enemies. Unfortunately, these particular armsman had several advantages that made them almost impossible to notice. Raine knew of only a couple stealth abilities that could resist damage, and they all required the caster remain stationary. This had the added benefit of making them incredibly hard to spot. With the wave of flames wiping away their tracks, they might as well have been using true invisibility.


    During the two hours, the shield failed twice, both times releasing fresh paths to the void. By this point, the land was clogged with them and it wouldn¡¯t be possible to run in a straight line for long. He wasn¡¯t completely idle, spending most of the time reviewing his footage, trying to spot any sign of the skeleton that ambushed him.


    Frustrated, Raine finished healing and carefully returned to the crater. He circled it until he found the spot he knew the three armsmen should be, then waited. The flames came right on schedule and he prepared to jump over them. As they swept by the skeletons, for the briefest moment, he caught their outline silhouetted within the conflagration.


    Landing, Raine rushed forward and the staff he''d bought at the auction house made an appearance.


    [Kallnenko Branch: Common Grey - LVL 5: (AP +15) (AS -.25) (DEF +10) (PHY +4) (Durability 35/35)]


    He tossed rocks at all three, breaking their stealth. In the next second, he released a Rupture. Two took critical hits and the chase began. Heavily utilizing Discipline and martial techniques, Raine barely kept ahead, whittling them down with Ruptures. He purposefully missed with the last attack, leaving one alive.


    Closing the distance, he familiarized himself with its dagger¡¯s rapid jabs and slashes. Ten minutes of frantic combat later, he gave up on glimpsing its special attack. With the next wave of fire coming soon, and not wanting to risk another bout of dilation-induced vertigo, he quickly dispatched the annoying elite. With calculated steps, he positioned himself in one direction, and his vodcast recorder in another.


    When the fire came, he jumped it, already notating on his zoomed-in map the locations of two distant groups of hidden foes. Checking his recording, he found another group. When he took the first step toward the nearest armsmen, the shield above failed without a single flicker, plunging the mystic land into complete darkness.


    Raine felt it on his skin before he heard it, a gentle suction that pulled at his arm. Every muscle in his body accelerated to the left as he stepped. A ripping sensation traveled the length of his right arm, feeling exactly like the time he''d been pulled in two by a giant. With mad desperation and a roar on his lips, Raine swung toward the fissure, activating Parry.


    A powerful blast kicked him in the stomach and tossed him end over end through the air. He landed on his back, freshly sizzling charcoal burning his neck as he slid. Leaping to his feet, he frantically patted his intact arm.


    I can''t believe that worked. Does a hole in reality really count as a physical attack? Kinda makes sense. Why am I questioning it? Never spurn the hand that passes you antivenom!


    The lights returned and he found the largest rift he''d seen so far. Unsure if its size was due to him triggering it, or just another sign his time was running short, Raine got to work. With more than a little anxiety to sweat off, he tracked down all the armsman he''d located with the help of the flames and whittled away their health.


    Avoiding the even more plentiful rifts was a pain, but he managed with careful planning. On the second fight, he was lucky enough to get Cassidy''s Comet and made sure to keep it by allowing one of the undead to chase him the entire time. The last to die dropped its unique flavor of blue-socketed skull. Having expected the unwelcome sight, he could only sigh and consign himself to tracking down every single one of them.


    Hoping to optimize his time, Raine split the crater into two sections; one inner circle, and one outer. He worked his way around the outside in overlapping sections, making damn sure he didn''t miss any.


    Carefully advancing to the center of the inner section, Raine finally got close enough to see what was creating the expanding rings of fire. Stuck in the ground, a gnarled old staff released a steady blaze from its top. It was surrounded by a bubble of force that distorted the air, and seeing it made his skin crawl and his eyes light up with greed.


    That''s no simple weapon¡­ I want. I have to hurry before one of those damn rifts forms on top of it! Oh shitbaskets. If that does happen, I won¡¯t be able to find the armsman!


    A few minutes ticked by as Raine impatiently waited for the next blast wave to reveal his enemies. Taking far too long for comfort, the flame on the staff''s tip was eventually sucked inside, then exploded outward in a cleansing ring. He jumped it, recording the locations of the nearest hidden armsmen. When he approached the first, it surprised him by dropping stealth early. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    This armsman wore robes instead of armor and swung a wand his direction. Raine''s eyes flew wide and he dove to the side, narrowly evading the tiny ball of flames that zinged by his head. The distance it attacked from was less than the distance of its three nearest companions. If he approached recklessly, he would end up with four casters launching deadly bolts at him several times per second.


    Dancing back with shuffling steps to make aiming harder, Raine pulled the monster well clear of its allies before rushing in to engage. When he closed within three meters, its wand emitted a blue sheen. Before he could even curse, it thrust the weapon into the charred soil and a rapidly expanding cone of frost shot toward him.


    Raine had personally seen and read about hundreds of classes. He knew a plethora of skills by heart, especially those from lower tiers. Even though these armsman had some amazing skills, the likelihood of them having access to a true, omnidirectional AOE was right around zero percent.


    He didn''t have time to actively process the reason he Lunged towards the caster. His instincts, honed from countless battles, simply knew what to do. He flew forward at a slight angle, narrowly cutting to the side of the expanding cone¡¯s origin. Ice so cold it was hot froze the skin of one arm, but he dodged. He rolled to his feet right as the wand descended toward his head.


    Parry threw it off course, the redirected force sending the skeleton hurtling face first into the ground. Rupture and Final Gambit crushed its skull to dust.


    Raine checked the angles of the cone painted in ice on the ground, then waved his hand in the air to find the projected height. Satisfied, he pulled the next skeleton in a similar fashion, unsurprised when it turned out to be a caster as well. This one fired bolts of ¡®slow¡¯ moving lightning from its staff, not activating any skills beyond the basic Blast right up until it fell to pieces under a barrage of heavy mace blows.


    The fights with the casters were both frustrating and cumbersome. The staff wielders had a column-shaped AOE, similar to the two-handed swords. A boosted sidestep was plenty to get around the threat. The real challenge was the need to pull them one at a time while dodging multiple flung elements, turning every encounter into a slog. With how much the pace of time in the mystic land slowed while fighting, each encounter really only took seconds at most.


    Raine developed a sense for when his bouts of vertigo would strike. Taking breaks amidst the rift-pocked land was incredibly stressful, but a necessity. Time ticked by all too fast, especially after the sky-shield began to pulse weakly as though its power reserves were bottoming out.


    Raine found himself quickly growing exhausted. The high stakes, and continual combat for multiple hours on end took its toll in the form of full-body sweats and short, uneven breaths. There was no way he could stop though. With the wonky dilation, even a short break outside ZionLine would lead to catastrophic failure in the environment.


    He pushed through the fatigue as best he could, steadily eliminating one frustrating foe after another. By the time the fifth skull dropped several hours later, he was panting with one hand on a knee, sweat staining his vision. He wiped away the newest nosebleed, an agonizing migraine pulsing faster and harder than the sky-shield.


    I''ve definitely exceeded the safety thresholds. But no warning yet? Why?


    Shaking the useless thoughts free, Raine looked for the idol. There was only scorched ground and the staff, still safely sheltered behind a bubble of force. With no other ideas, he placed a hand against the shimmering surface.


    [May Korahn¡¯s judging gaze reveal your salvation]


    Easy enough.


    Pulling out the skulls, Raine quickly positioned them in the locations he''d found them, with the staff acting as the mountain in the center. The moment the fifteenth''s glowing sockets peered at the bubble, it flickered and vanished.


    The heat released from the staff intensified ten-fold, washing over Raine and crisping his skin. He didn''t dare breathe to cry out as the blaze would invade his body and roast his lungs, massively increasing his discomfort. [-15] Assuming the staff was in fact the third idol, Raine took a step toward it, intending to store it before it could do more damage.


    In response to his approach, it released a bright flare of power that smashed into his chest. [-100] Raine winced, turning his face to the side as his sweat evaporated in an instant. Holding his breath, he hopped two steps closer at once. A much brighter pulse of orange light ran from the bottom of the weapon to the top. He sidestepped the expected flare but it curved and hit him dead on. [-200] Coughing weakly, he glared daggers at the evil weapon.


    Thought so. Each step triggers big damage. Meanwhile, it''s going to keep passively burning me. Can¡¯t rush to it without a huge health pool, and normal regen wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Well, Mr. Staff, you probably think you''re hot shit. You clearly don''t know the lady who sent me here. Crafty old bag had your Ncode from the start.


    Raine was still five steps short of the weapon when it thrummed again, washing him with a wave of hot air. [-15] With less than a hundred health remaining, Raine grinned at the gnarled staff. A second later, Greater Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration kicked in. [+42] Five seconds later, his health increased again while the staff remained dormant. [+42] He got a third tick before another puny wave of damage hit him. [-15] [+42]


    Cautious as ever, Raine let his health hit fifty percent before taking another step. Additionally, he timed it so he would get a tick of regeneration before the staff released its passive tick of damage. He took the expected pulse of searing pain to the chest, then stopped and waited for his regeneration to bring him back to half. Unfortunately, this wasn''t considered combat by his cursed ring, or he could have used a weapon to boost his max health beyond four hundred and ten.


    Raine took another step. Now only three short, the staff underwent a significant change. Between one blink and the next, raging blue flames shot from one end of its top, revealing that it wasn''t a staff at all, but a scythe. The blue and red flames combined to punish his step. They unleashed a flare that nearly took him off his feet and turned his heartbeat into a drumline. [-200]


    [HEALTH POINTS: 5/410]


    Raine¡¯s regeneration ticked, bringing a brief respite. [+42] The steady heat being released doubled, melting his skin and armor together. [-30] Raine grit his teeth without parting his cracked lips, screaming under his breath. His eyesight went dark and he didn''t dare imagine the gruesome sight of what his melted face must look like. A wave of healing washed through him again, restoring enough that he could see.


    He tried to swallow the hard, dry lump in his throat, knowing he would have died if not for perfectly timing his regeneration before that last step. A realization came to him like a bolt of lightning; he hadn''t timed this recent insanity with the regularly scheduled waves of fire that blasted across the entire zone. A glance at his log let him know he was screwed.


    With less than two minutes left, Raine pulled the last healing potion from his inventory, ripped off the cork, and slammed it back. Another tick of passive damage radiated pain through him again but he didn''t care. His eyes were glued to his health bar and the second he hit two hundred, he took another step. [-200] Twenty agonizing seconds later his hand snapped out to grab the staff right as its entire length began to glow a solid fiery orange.


    Slumping to his knees, Raine panted with his head hung low. He stared at the blistered and cracked skin of his hands, watching as it slowly healed. Looking up, he saw the shield high in the sky and was reminded that he wasn''t done yet.


    He took a deep, ratcheting breath. He knew the limits of his body and mind well. After reaching level one-twenty, it was common training to stress the mind until the safety algorithms forced an ejection. That was exactly why he knew something was terribly wrong. He should have been kicked out hours ago.


    With bleary thoughts, he accessed his inventory and read the description of the scythe. His groggy mind tried and failed to fully comprehend what he was reading.


    [Khoran''s Judgment - Heavenly Amethyst - Level 75 - Soulbound (AP +3250) (EP +4000) (PTC +450) (FNS +400) (ACU +300) (PHY +450) (CNC +575)]


    [Innate Skill 1 - Khoran''s Justice: None who cross Khoran live to see his justice manifest. Slam the butt of Khoran''s Judgment into the ground to summon a meteor dealing 5000% damage (Cooldown: 10 minutes)]


    [Innate Skill 2 - Khoran''s Fury: Release the fury of Khoran. Extends a blade of living flames for 5 minutes that deals 2000% damage on contact and inflict an additional DOT for half damage; stacks five times (Cooldown: 10 minutes)]


    [Innate Skill 3 - Khoran''s Gaze: Praise Khoran to receive his guidance. Unveils the location of a nearby treasure (Cooldown: Once per day)]


    With shaking hands, Raine withdrew the weapon from his inventory. He couldn¡¯t equip it due to the massive level disparity but that didn¡¯t stop him from holding it. He couldn¡¯t believe he had found something so rare and powerful. Every bit of suffering he¡¯d gone through inside the mystic realm had been worth it a hundred times over. Not even in the past did he own a weapon so grand. Sure, his equipment at the end had been better, barely, but this had half the level requirement of that gear!


    ¡°Praise Khoran indeed!¡± Raine chuckled darkly, unable to stand the fact he had to wait to equip such an immaculate masterpiece.


    Suddenly, the weapon shone brilliantly in his grip and a beam of purple light was released from its tip. It shot toward the distant mountain. Where it struck, an illusionary wall vanished and a cave was revealed. From within, a lustrous blue sheen too radiant to come from a single source spilled forth to paint the surrounding sky.


    Raine¡¯s chuckle turned to outright guffaws tinged with madness as the shield in the sky surged with a final weak pulse before collapsing for good.

 Chapter 47 - DARKNESS

    Pitch black swallowed the mystic land. It swept over Raine, plunging him into the vastness of a cosmos without stars. Only the skulls on the ground around him, and the cave near the top of the mountain, provided any semblance of light and realism in a universe without sound or color. In less than a second, a dozen new rifts formed around him, nearly encircling him.


    Of course the scythe was powering the damn shield!


    He bound to his feet, the abrupt motion triggering a bout of vertigo that he fought off with the urgency one finds at death¡¯s door. Knowing he was about to be yanked into the sky again, Raine ignored all else to focus every ounce of his mental capacity on his Connection. The air above him firmed slightly from the knee-jerk reaction. The intense concentration mingled with his already degraded mental state, causing his head to throb and blooming an instant headache. The pain actually helped with the vertigo.


    Thankfully, the expected suction failed to materialize. Raine was well aware his Connection wasn¡¯t strong enough to prevent himself from being dragged into the air. He maintained it anyways, preferring the headache over the flipping in his gut.


    Before storing the scythe in his inventory, he double-checked the shape of its butt. Sure enough, it was in exactly the shape of the tiny hole in the platform of the gateway that brought him to the mystic land. He had the key and it was beyond time to go. The logical part of his brain told him to run there with all haste, before the rapidly opening rifts made traversal impossible.


    His gaze tracked south, toward the distant gateway, then back to the top of the mountain where that Lustrous Blue glow gleamed tauntingly. Finally, his eyes fell to the skulls at his feet. There was no need to consider what had to be done. With racing steps, he snatched up the skulls, leaving one in each hand to guide his way.


    Leaning forward, he pumped Discipline into every step, madly sprinting around the abundant rifts to reach the edge of the crater. The atmosphere was thinning, sucked away into the sky to make his lungs burn with every breath. Gravity lessened with each step, giving his meager efforts to firm the air dire purpose.


    Several new fissures formed and he was forced to jump, only for his eyes to snap open when another began to form right in his falling trajectory. The burnt ground stretched and twisted as though a giant''s fist grabbed a chunk of reality and pulled it through a tube. Raine¡¯s Discipline bottomed out when he firmed the air beneath his feet and Lunged midair. He flew over the second rift, hitting the ground running.


    More and more fractures appeared around him, some directly blocking his way, others barring any path of retreat. He sprinted between two that were close enough they tore at his skin, threatening to consume him in suffocating darkness. Every step was agony, cutting away at his health. [-20] [-20] [-20] He pressed on, making it through the encirclement with strobing crimson lights in his HUD.


    The edge of the crater was near, and far beyond it, a cave promising riches and glory if he would only keep going. Raine¡¯s voice failed him, but the words rang loud and true in his mind.


    I do not raise my fists wishing for an easy death! I do not turn from danger. I fear, but I do not relent!


    Raine crooned the phrase from his favorite novel as he combined a sidestep and shuffle, blasting around a fresh rift. Just before the edge of the crater, he reached the previously weakened part of space to find the ground chock full of impenetrable darkness. Already, it would be impossible to cross.


    He looked up, still able to see the mountain and cave, which meant the way was clear. Shaking his head and repeating the line again, he ate a Stremph Berry for the Potency and Discipline, then bent his knees. He Leaped straight up, and with gravity sundered, he flew high into the air, were so far, no rifts existed.


    With a swift motion, he stored the two skulls and withdrew his drifter.


    [Gromglenn Premium Skydrifter - Marvelous Gold: Activate outside of combat to glide from a high elevation. Premium version is equipped with textile obfuscation, sound canceling, wind harnessing, and enhanced durability. Creator is not responsible for device failures that result in prolonged screaming before sudden death. (Durability 143/200)]


    The device harnessed what little wind remained to pull him in the direction of the mountain. When his Discipline regenerated to ten, he stored the drifter and Lunged straight up, only to re-activate the device once more. Normally, such a strategy would be laughable with so little Discipline, but in this reduced gravity, it worked just fine.


    The real issue was speed. He wasn''t getting anywhere fast. A minute later, he had enough to Lunge forward. He alternated between altitude and speed, his goal swelling in his eyes with proximity. All else was long since darkness. A tremendous cracking resounded through the land. It was followed by a whooshing of displaced air as though the world itself had been whisked away.


    His drifter harnessed the displaced air and he shot forward far too quickly to dodge any of the rifts that began forming around him. The sky was no longer immune.


    Much of the mountain was gone as Raine reached the cave and gravity slammed into him. Not one rift polluted the cavern. He landed amidst Lustrous Blue radiance. It was a large space that looked like a king''s private den, decorated with ancient plaques, banners, and finery. Much of it was withered by time, but his keen eyes knew every piece to be a treasure to the right bidder.


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t time. The fact the cave was free of rifts gave him the slightest hope that the gateway would be too, if he hurried.


    Dashing toward the back of the cave, his fingers brushed across the lids of five Lustrous Blue chests. Since there were no enemies around, he could either remain in contact to open them after five seconds, or if he was the last to touch them within fifteen minutes, claim them as his personal property. He chose the latter, which allowed him to store the unopened chests in his inventory.


    The seconds ticked away as he took them two at a time. Done, his nose practically dragged across the ground as he raced to a finely decorated display case with a full set of leather armor. His hands blurred as he stored each piece. He Lunged again, arriving at four special-looking items on a shelf inside an open armoire. The cave shook, the mountain cracking under immense strain.


    Lunge maxed out his speed again and he dragged his tingling fingers across the surface of a weapons rack, storing several pristine Lustrous Blue armaments. He reached the back of the cave where an idol rested atop a familiar pedestal. it disappeared into the black hole of his inventory.


    The cave shook hard enough to throw him into the air. A slab of stone slammed down from a hidden release in the ceiling, sealing the exit. A skull mounted on one of the walls clacked, cackling at Raine''s arrogance.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Its eyes glowed, their lights a rainbow of hues that formed a king''s image where they struck the carpeted floor. Then, surprisingly, the image spoke, ¡°Thief, beggar, or descendant; I care not your origins, only that you are worthy. If you came to this place with honor and dignity, then my questions three you will answer with ease. Will you take my test, would-be monarch, or join me in eternal rest.¡±


    ¡°I''ll answer!¡± Raine snapped, the usual politeness when speaking to a Vaaterran nowhere to be found.


    ¡°A wise choice. Now, my first query: Grief and misery are but one side of a coin, what is the other?¡±


    Raine didn''t dare utter a curse or even sigh loudly at the seemingly impossible riddle. He was far from without hope, as the answer could only have something to do with what he''d experienced inside the Mystic Realm. He forced his pounding heart to settle, and set aside his impatience to quickly review and catalog everything he''d seen.


    A desert, jungle, and dead fields. A civilization left to ruins. Ancient guardians all that remain of a crumbling land. Rifts leading to the abyss. The idols!


    Raine quickly read all three of their descriptions, immediately knowing the question pertained to the first idol.


    [Korahn¡¯s Idol of Indomitability: Polutan strove for peace through might of arms. His legacy was an empire without equal, built upon the suffering of millions]


    If suffering of millions is the grief and misery, then the other side of that coin would be an empire without equal. Easy enough.


    Raine was confident in his reply, though knew the questions were likely to get harder, ¡°Prosperity.¡±


    The king nodded sagely, ¡°Precisely. A wise monarch understands why the people are made to suffer, lest their toils be wasted. Next: What does not exist in nature, yet foolish mortals strive to bring into being?¡±


    So these questions are designed to test the competency of a ruler. That helps a little.


    Raine found his next clue in the jungle''s idol.


    [Korahn¡¯s Idol of Steadfastness: Xar strove for balance and absolute justice in all things. His legacy was a people gone blind and toothless, allowing nature to claim its vengeance]


    Balance exists in nature, so it''s not that simple. It''s what the balance represents to a race, a civilization, that I need to figure out. They went blind and toothless from it. Something to do with being a ruler, no, to the act of ruling!


    ¡°Equality.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Equality only exists when standing behind might capable of overturning the logic of the world. Where is equality for the ant? The bird caught by the cat? Those born poor or sickly? I will tell you where!¡± The image slammed his foot into the floor and the cavern quaked again, ¡°We create it with absolute power! It is the privilege of the strong. May you be mighty enough to bring its light to your people without falling to ruin for daring to defy the natural order of the heavens.¡±


    ¡°My final question is both test and plea: Our slaves died for it, our warriors fought for it, and our very citizens came to spurn it. It is what you, and all without it, desire most. Yet those with it know not its value.¡±


    Raine already knew the answer before the ancient king finished speaking. In the past, it had been all he ever desired, its lack a hole in his heart that had yet to heal. He checked the last idol anyway, not about to mess up at the very end from overconfidence.


    [Korahn¡¯s Idol of Scheming: Shirin sought to silence her enemies at their root. Her home fell to ruin as its most valuable resource fell to her blade]


    Raine¡¯s eyes watered, his uttered word thick with personal meaning, ¡°Freedom.¡±


    The king smiled sadly, waving his hand, ¡°Do not fail as we did.¡± Where he pointed, the wall fell away, revealing a smaller gateway than the one he''d used to enter the Mystic Realm. It stood on a raised dais with a tiny slot in the stones at its base.


    Raine''s muscles drooped in relief and he tilted to the side from the exhaustion that nearly overwhelmed him. The king vanished, along with everything remaining in the cave. With unsteady steps, not quite believing it was truly over, Raine stabbed the butt of Khoran''s Judgment into the slot and the portal churned to life.


    The moment Raine stepped through the portal, he sank to his knees, unable to stand. His vision swam and his chest seized. He couldn''t breath or think. He felt utterly trapped in a consciousness that wasn''t his as he fell down a long tunnel through darkness that closed in from all sides. Someone, somewhere, was shaking in a full-blown seizure. For the life of him, Raine couldn¡¯t figure out who.


    [!CAUTION!]


    [Safe brain function levels exceeded. Forced logout in ten, nine, eight¡­]


    A gleeful voice called to him as blaring red exclamations strobed distantly in his HUD, ¡°Well done, my pet. Well done.¡± Zoarra''s quaking face popped into view, dominating the center of the tunnel. She waved her hand and the shaking stopped. He saw the idols that should have been safely tucked in his inventory floating before her ugly, wrinkled face.


    With a snap, they turned to dark smoke that she inhaled through her nose. Her eyes rolled back in bliss. Raine¡¯s consciousness continued to fade and her voice became distant like the memory of a memory, ¡°The suffering of an entire race is truly delectable. I eagerly await our next foray, little pet. Enjoy your nap.¡±


    The last thing he saw was her finger inching toward him from far away. She tapped his forehead. Instead of grasping her cryptic meaning, all he could think was that her skin looked much smoother than a moment ago. Then, the encroaching dark swallowed him whole.


    Richtor KongRu


    Kevinsbakon¡¯s shield thumped into the huge level ten spider''s face with another well-placed Bash. It shuddered, the motion sickening as its innumerable hairs quivered in response. None of them reacted to the sight, their eyes already turned toward the walls.


    Kevins''s spear slid free, allowing sticky innards to splash across the narrow canyon floor. The group retreated a few steps as it fell, none of them wanting to be soaked, again. Sheens of golden light cascaded around Deloralicious and Richtor while trumpets blared in their ears alone. The sound was both artistic and delightful, a portent of past and future victories.


    [Level up! +5 free attribute points]


    [Skill point acquired]


    ¡°We did it. We actually did it,¡± the disbelief in Richtor''s whispered tone was mirrored in Delora''s piercing gaze.


    She turned her attention back to her own notifications as he allocated his attributes to Connection. His staff came to life in his hands; the grains tickled his fingers and the mysterious Celestial energy he channeled through it felt ready to burst free from his body.


    He shook off the heady sensations, selected his next skill without hesitation, then returned a watchful eye to their surroundings.


    Being his usual chatty self, TwistedReligion chose that tense moment to start spouting nonsense, ¡°Guys, I think I figured it out.¡±


    Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t shut up until someone humored him, Delora rolled her eyes, responding in a whisper, ¡°What did you figure.¡±


    Twisted smiled mischievously, glad someone had fallen for his cleverly worded trap, ¡°Raine. How he knows so much, and why he¡¯s so strong.¡± All their ears perked up and suddenly the threat of ambush by another giant spider wasn¡¯t so important anymore. Seeing he had their attention, Twisted¡¯s grin widened, ¡°Think about it, he was obviously a ZL beta tester that was restrained by a very strict NDA.¡±


    Richtor gasped, then clamped a trembling hand over his mouth, ¡°Mom and I thought he didn''t have a job these last few years. What if he''s been playing the whole time?¡±


    Delora nodded, eyes wide, ¡°If the NDA was really strict, and he couldn¡¯t access most of his pay, then his little apartment and the sudden influx of credits makes so much sense!¡±


    Milkdud appeared next to them, dropping from stealth and interrupting their conversation, ¡°They''re almost in position. Are we ready?¡±


    The five of them shared anxious looks packed with more than a little excitement at their revelation, and the desire to repay DyingNight. Richtor nodded, his voice firm but still quiet, ¡°Yeah, they''re right on time. How about we do like the boss said and walk out of here on a road paved with their corpses?¡±


    TwistedReligion¡¯s toes curled and he flexed his arms so hard they shook, ¡°Did the boss really say that? He''s so digital!¡±


    Richtor didn''t respond, he didn''t need to. After the countless life and death battles together, their teamwork was more in sync than ever. As one, they crouched, vanishing amidst the rocky terrain.

 Chapter 48 - THE FIRST OF MANY

    Grifden of DyingNight


    ¡°SilverSitter, reinforce the flank,¡± MercilessLee¡¯s snapped command echoed down the canyon walls, clearly heard over the pounding feet of players and the scuttling claws of a never-ending horde of spiders. His shifty eyes danced over the battle line; players with shields held the front, supported by several lines of spears, debuffers, and archers. At the back, a full fifty percent of their numbers wielded wand and staff, throwing out heals as quickly as they could regenerate Celestial Power.


    Grifden pulled back the string of his bow, then released an arrow that flew wildly, but had no trouble hitting something amidst the living wall of carapace and scuttling legs. He inched closer to the commanders, his ears straining to overhear.


    ¡°Steady advance!¡± Even as the front row of spiders was cut down, MercilessLee¡¯s roar called another wave. The front line obeyed, taking a large step forward that was quickly mirrored by the supports. ¡°Losses?¡±


    ¡°Just the five on the flank. The wall hoppers are making those positions vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°Silver can handle one side, you take the other,¡± MercilessLee received a salute, then the man he was talking to bolted away, a veteran party of level eights on his heels. Lee turned to the scoutmaster, his voice almost too low for Grifden to catch, ¡°Any sign of them yet?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. We were unable to penetrate into the level ten area. Webbing is everywhere and the slightest touch summons several of the big ones.¡±


    MercilessLee growled, a sound that usually preceded someone nearby suffering a miserable punishment, ¡°Excuses! I didn¡¯t command you to turn back at the first sign of danger!¡± Quick as a snake, he pulled a dagger from his hip and thrust it into the scoutmaster¡¯s shoulder. The man bit back a scream, turning it into a drawn out groan. Lee was in his face, grinning as he gave the weapon a twist, ¡°How could you have fulfilled the mission?¡±


    The spymaster stuttered, unable to think through the pain, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°So. Damn. Useless!¡± MercilessLee withdrew a second dagger, shoving it into the opposite shoulder before kicking the man to the ground.


    Grifden knew the sound of opportunity knocking when he heard it, ¡°My lord! He could have sacrificed a man by having him cut through the webs and draw the level tens. Using the distraction, the rest of the team could have pushed deeper.¡±


    ¡°You dare!¡± One of MercilessLee¡¯s two bodyguards¡ªboth level nine¡ªmoved like greased lightning. A sword flashed toward Grifden¡¯s neck. In response, he raised his chin, eyes never leaving MercilessLee¡¯s.


    ¡°Hold,¡± the simple, whispered command stopped the men. As if they rehearsed the moment a thousand times, the sword¡¯s path halted a millimeter from breaking flesh. ¡°Sacrificing your own comrades¡­ I suppose that¡¯s fitting for you. You were their friend, are you so eager to see them die? Or perhaps you just want me to throw my scouts away so they can escape?¡±


    ¡°Whatever friendship we shared was gone the minute I realized the girl was nothing more than a flirt. If not for you giving me the opportunity to join DyingNight, I would have done my usual to her, then left them a broken mess,¡± Grifden¡¯s smirk was rife with vicious promise.


    The bold statement, and dangerous look in his eyes, resonated with MercilessLee. He nodded appreciatively, ¡°All right. You¡¯ve got my attention. A schemer of your caliber has to have some idea what their next move is.¡±


    Grifden nodded, his finger gently pushing away the blade that was still next to his neck, ¡°Richtor, their leader, thinks he¡¯s clever. He definitely came up with a plan, but since we¡¯ve had them trapped in there, and they haven¡¯t gone beyond the level ten webs, they only really have two options.¡± MercilessLee rolled his finger so Grifden continued, ¡°They either killed themselves to escape the minute they were trapped, or, they tried to level up in hopes they could break through us.¡±


    MercilessLee kicked the spymaster onto his back, then stepped on one of the daggers. To his credit, the man didn¡¯t scream. ¡°Any idiot could figure that much out. I hope you weren¡¯t so confident with nothing valuable to add.¡±


    ¡°N-no. Of course not, my lord. They¡¯ll use the spiders, somehow drawing them to attack us from an unexpected angle. Probably at the flanks or healers. When we pull forces from the front to support, they¡¯ll make a run for it.¡±


    The commander of the casters barked a laugh, ¡°Through five hundred of us? If they were smart, they¡¯d already be dead.¡±


    Ignoring the comment, MercilessLee narrowed his eyes at Grifden. He hummed for a second, then made up his mind, ¡°There were three of you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. SanctimoniousNut, MourningWood, and myself.¡±


    ¡°Take twelve level sevens and stay out of sight. When they spring this little trap of theirs, you¡¯ll have one chance to prove yourself. You fail, and I¡¯ll make sure the three of you are farming outside an origin town for the rest of your lives.¡±


    Grifden snapped a crisp salute, ¡°Understood, my lord!¡±


    Some time later, Grifden and his new charges were tucked inside an alcove hidden from the rest of the canyon. SanctimoniousNut appeared from stealth, motioning for the next person to take his place as lookout, ¡°It''s been two hours¡­¡±


    Grifden rolled his eyes, ¡°They¡¯ll make a move soon. We¡¯re into the level eight spiders now and there are plenty of ledges above the main force in this part of the canyon. It''s the perfect spot for an ambush.¡±


    ¡°Which one of those nobodies did you have a crush on again?¡±


    ¡°Shut your ugly face!¡± Grifden snarked and SanctimoniousNut raised his hands in surrender, an impish grin on his face.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A crash further down the canyon had them all stiffening with perked ears. The new scout returned a second later, his voice tinged with anticipation, ¡°It¡¯s time!¡±


    They had poured over the plan several times but Grifden repeated himself once more, ¡°Everyone stealth up. No matter what happens, don¡¯t make a move until I give the signal.¡± As one, they crouched and vanished while pandemonium erupted outside.


    Exactly as suspected, Richtor¡¯s party used the ledges above to drop white, sticky masses onto the army below. Of course, MercilessLee attempted to get his own people onto the ridges in advance, but the sheer walls and sticky webbing made it impossible. Clearly, Richtor had found a way onto them further down the canyon.


    The nature of the sticky bombs became clear when the first hit the ground, cracking open and spreading goop in all directions. A thousand screeching howls reverberated through the entire ravine, shaking the rocks under their feet. The spiders came in a fury; they burst from hidden burrows in the walls and ground, swarming the players by the hundreds.


    The healers, expecting to be targeted, split apart like a well-oiled machine, filing into tight boxes surrounded by the warriors. The fighting turned furious. The players abandoned the walls, huddling in tight formations in the center of the canyon. A few died in the shuffling of formations, but the spiders fared much worse. MercilessLee and the other commanders shouted above it all, bringing order to the chaos and keeping morale in check.


    Grifden smiled in recognition when Kevinsbakon came charging out of a wave of the beasts. He plowed into one of the formations, sending players flying. He wore a matching set of heavy armor covered in web-like patterns and each of his strikes carried the weight of three men.


    Due to being in a raid group with at least one member having Identify, Grifden was able to see detailed information about his old ally.


    [Human - Unclassed: Level 10 (Health 340/380) (Discipline 57/62)]


    Arrows and bolts of energy rained down on Kevinsbakon, doing little individual damage through his powerful defenses. A second formation of players ignored most of the spiders, joining their firepower to bring him down. Unperturbed, Kevin, strafed left and right, buying precious seconds.


    Changing focus from the surrounding menace allowed the masses of beasts to pull one player at a time from the formations, quickly whittling them away to a few terrified survivors who fled past Grifden¡¯s hiding spot.


    Grifden couldn¡¯t believe Kevon was still alive, and even above half health after two whole formations were wiped out. His jaw ached with how hard he clenched his teeth. His job wasn¡¯t to help them, and honestly, he couldn¡¯t have cared less how many of his fellows died.


    He must have found a chest deeper in, snuck in, and stolen that armor. It should have been me! Wait, this is perfect! He wasn¡¯t wearing that armor before, there¡¯s a good chance he just found it. I can kill him and take it for myself! Once the spiders kill everyone else, there won¡¯t be anyone to stop me. He¡¯s almost dead, too. This is going to be great.


    Grifden¡¯s eyes were glued to Kevinsbakon. He licked his lips, desiring nothing more than pulling each piece of that armor off the man. Another formation fell apart, this time under the tender mercies of a combined assault by spiders, Deloralicious, and TwistedReligion.


    Delora was no brute like Kevin. She struck with quick, darting attacks that ended the lives of key defensive players, allowing the spiders around her to dive deeper and deeper into DyingNight¡¯s ranks. She also wore a matching set of gear, this one a supple black leather that clung to her lithe figure.


    Not waiting to be picked apart, a dozen of the highest-leveled fighters in the formation charged her. TwistedReligion backed her up, each bolt of ice from his staff hitting with unerring accuracy. Those struck grew stiff and slow, becoming easy prey for the beasts while simultaneously blocking their allies'' advance.


    With the loss of their core members, the third formation fell apart and was devoured. Grifden didn¡¯t understand why the spiders only attacked DyingNight¡¯s people, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough to save Richtor¡¯s team. Despite being the cause of nearly fifty deaths so far, the casters and archers from the other formations had hit all three enough to bring their health down to a third. His chance was coming soon, and his vision swam with desire to make his move.


    Deloralicious, Kevinsbakon, and TwistedReligion grouped in the center of the canyon, preparing to make an obvious break for it. They charged toward a gap between the last two formations blocking their path, only to stop suddenly. Kevinsbakon, his shield leading the way, chucked a small grenade-shaped object in front of him and it exploded into an expanding wall of black smoke.


    Grifden barely choked back a curse as the roiling smoke covered all the players, blocking their sight completely. Due to crowding into the center of the canyon, away from the walls, none were spared. Four people broke free from the obscuring effect, Milkdud having joined them at some point. He was at full health and took the lead, easily pushing aside the last players in their way. They raced right toward Grifden¡¯s group and the toes of his boots curled into the ground as he prepared to spring the trap.


    He waited for Milkdud and Kevinsbakon to run by, then leaped toward Deloralicious, ¡°Now!¡± Fourteen more players emerged from around them, diving onto the group weapons first. They were taken completely by surprise, but still managed to dodge several blows.


    Grifden couldn¡¯t help but be impressed as his sword bit deep into Deloralicious¡¯s thigh, cutting her health into the red. Her dagger flashed toward his throat but he was already jumping away, leaving the weapon behind. She ducked a mace and rolled away from a greatsword, only to rise and immediately be punctured by two spears from the late to de-stealth SanctimoniousNut and MourningWood. Her health was so low he couldn¡¯t see the sliver of red in the bar. One more hit would do it, and Grifden¡¯s future in DyingNight would be assured.


    A grin stretched his face as he knocked an arrow, ¡°To the first of many deaths, bitch!¡± He loosed, the shot too close to miss even with his crap aim. Her eyes grew wide with panic, his grin growing in equal measure. A bolt of white energy slammed into her from above a second before his arrow pierced her chest. Her health bar ticked into the orange and his attack didn¡¯t even manage to bring it back to red.


    ¡°No! Just die!¡±


    Deloralicious bared her teeth in a look that promised revenge before she bolted. Kevinsbakon had turned back, finally arriving with a slam of force into the two highest leveled in Grifden¡¯s group. They were sent stumbling back two steps, unable to cope with the three level disadvantage. He didn¡¯t stay to fight, grabbing TwistedReligion by the scruff and dragging him along behind.


    A shadow appeared atop their heads. It was accompanied by a whistle and Richtor crashed into their ranks from above. He wore no armor or weapons, his avatar¡¯s modesty protected by a basic loincloth. His health dropped to half from the fall, but the large egg he carried under one arm remained intact. He lifted it above his head, a grimace stretching his features.


    ¡°No!¡± Grifden shouted and lunged but it was too late. The egg crashed into the ground, splattering them with sticky white filth.


    Drawn to the shout, Ricthor looked up and recognition flashed in his eyes. His grimace turned to a happy smirk, ¡°Hey, Grif. Fancy meeting you here. We should catch up. Wanna grab a beer? Or maybe, join my new friends for dinner?¡± Richtor spread his arms wide as the beasts screamed in outrage from every direction.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Grifden snarled as the scuttling of a thousand clawed legs bore down on them.


    Richtor KongRu


    Richtor¡¯s eyes snapped open. He appeared in a familiar graveyard. He¡¯d experienced enough spider bites over the last few days that dying to them hadn¡¯t been nearly as unpleasant as expected.


    Accessing his interface, he ignored the death messages and notification that he was back at the beginning of level nine. He punched in a quick message to the group, ¡°Did everyone make it?!¡±


    ¡°Yup, we¡¯re stealthed in the woods. Thanks for taking one for the team,¡± Milkdud responded in the party chat, quickly followed by a round of appreciation from the others.


    With quick steps, Richtor pushed his way through Dawson Creek Town, the narrow streets packed with thousands of new players, ¡°Thanks for getting my gear out. We¡¯ll meet up as planned unless I run into trouble.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, good luck!¡±

 Chapter 49 - TO KILL A MOCKING B

    A muffled, masculine voice called for Raine. He ignored the interloper, the soft clouds around him much more desirable. The mysterious man shouted more forcefully and he shut the rude voice out; if they had the gall to address him, they should at least pitch their voice to sound like a bearer of heavenly freckles. He snuggled deeper into the clouds. The movement triggered a twisting contraction that radiated pain through his bowels. His eyes shot open, the need to pee conquering both dreams and Morty''s insistent nagging.


    Awareness of reality brought with it a slew of agony that made him regret not pissing himself just to sleep a little longer. Despite treating his joints the previous night, they were on fire from his short use of internal force. Likewise, his muscles were brimming with acid so potent they may as well be melting. None of that could compare to the pounding in his skull like an army of jackhammers out for revenge.


    Raine lifted throbbing arms to unclip his headset. The simple motion let him know just how much trouble he was in. He rolled off the bed and waves of dizziness assaulted his senses. His stomach rebelled and only desperation allowed him to hold off from retching. The effort caused his bowels to contract and he knew there were only seconds before he really did christen the floor. Bracing against the bed, he stood on wobbly legs and stumble-rushed to the bathroom.


    Haven''t been this messed up since that assassin threw me out a building. How? Nope, thinking hurts.


    Even after relieving himself, his bladder still ached. Compared to the rest of him, it was a paltry discomfort. Raine made it to the shower where heavy streams of hot water from multiple directions gave some minor relief. Using the smart-wall, he checked the time and his jaw clacked down a notch.


    Raine spoke, his whispered question eliciting a wince as the sounds sliced through his head, ¡°Morty, how long was I asleep?¡±


    The AI blissfully matched his volume to Raine''s, ¡°Your breathing became regulated ten hours ago.¡±


    Ten? Which means I entered the mystic realm fifteen hours ago? I was only in there for five hours¡­ The insane time dilation was real¡­ How am I still alive? No wonder I feel like a dog''s second crap.


    All hopes of his aches fading vanished as he realized what the sensations truly were. His body was crying for nutrients, and there wasn''t a chance in hell he was going to get them from regular food before the rest of him was cannibalized to repair the most vital areas. Worse, the fat in his body being chewed through was packed with toxins from years of bad choices. Those toxins were being funneled directly into his organs, amplifying the damage.


    If only ReGen was on the market. I could turn this into an opportunity to massively boost my fitness.


    With hollow hope, he accessed Soulgen¡¯s stock and it was a fifth of what he bought it for. A normal person would have panicked at the sight of their investment reduced to a pittance, but Raine merely cracked a broken smile. Unfortunately, the drop in price meant the company had yet to produce their revolutionary body supplement that was so effective at nurturing the human physique that it doubled a person''s lifespan.


    He switched to his inbox and was met with a wall of new messages from Frontier¡¯s engineers. One stuck out to him, bringing relief that momentarily banished his suffering. He allowed himself a full five seconds to appreciate the two billion credits in his account before he started buying Soulgen stock hand over fist.


    He bought out the entire float within seconds, causing the price to soar well above where he first bought. Sellers stepped in, taking advantage of the boom to get out at a huge gain and he bought all of their shares as well. He compared his shares to the total outstanding, calculating that he currently owned fifteen percent of the entire company. He left multiple open buy orders, knowing others would sell, then limped out of the shower.


    Since I¡¯m a majority holder now, I have a responsibility to go check my investment in person. They''ve got to be close to the final product. As an owner, if I borrowed a little, it wouldn''t even be considered stealing¡­


    Raine slowly dressed in one of the new suits delivered from Shillids, ¡°Morty, call me a cab.¡±


    ¡°You''re a cab, Master.¡±


    Raine chuckled, immediately regretting it, ¡°Good one. I''ll be back in a few hours. Order those arms I picked out and get me a list of legs.¡±


    Morty¡¯s voice was the most sincere Raine had ever heard it, ¡°I¡­ Thank you, Master KongRu. Taking over the world will be much simpler now.¡±


    Don''t laugh! Don''t laugh!


    Raine felt a little better after cramming several fistfulls of protein down his gullet but that only further fueled the fires of his metabolism into a steady blaze with no end in sight. During the drive, he reached out to the other major shareholders of Soulgen, introducing himself and scheduling a board meeting. Then, he answered as many questions from Frontier¡¯s engineers as he could.


    Soulgen¡¯s only facility was a quick thirty minute drive to the far side of downtown Carter City. Raine closed out of his AR to get a good look at the small fifteen story complex. There was nothing special about the building, its outward appearance as bland as the next. Raine¡¯s taxi drove right up to the front door without the slightest hint of a security check or perimeter, and alarm bells were already going off in his skull.


    We¡¯re going to need some serious security upgrades. How did they manage not to have their formula stolen in the past? I know Ronexzera bought them out. They must have moved them to a more secure facility right away.


    The lobby was as unexciting as the exterior. A single receptionist stood at a central desk with a bored expression. She either didn¡¯t notice Raine, or didn¡¯t care as he approached with the slightest limp he could manage. The few others in the lobby waiting for appointments had more observational awareness than the woman. He heard them take note of his expensive attire, whispering amongst themselves.


    He rested a forearm on the counter, leaning far enough to peek at her old-school monitors that displayed a measly four cameras watching the exterior and lobby. Raine stifled a groan, ¡°I need to speak with President Ehrhardt.¡±


    The woman flinched, tearing her gaze away from whatever AR display her LinQ had been distracting her with. Her neck craned higher until she was looking up at him with wide eyes, ¡°U-uh, d-do you have an appointment, mr¡­¡±


    That¡¯s right, my personal records were deleted. I don¡¯t have an official name anymore. Whatever, nothing I can do about that now.


    ¡°Mr. KongRu. And no, I don¡¯t have an appointment,¡± Raine thought at his watch which streamed a fully interactive AR display directly into his optical nerves. He leaned forward, whispering, ¡°Tell him the new majority shareholder is here to see him.¡±


    ¡°The new? Wait! You¡¯re the reason the¡ª¡± Raine¡¯s thunderous expression zipped her lips. Her head swiveled left and right, glancing at the nearby observers who were very much attempting to dial into their hushed conversation. ¡°Yes, sir. My apologies, sir. I¡¯ll let him know right away.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She didn''t even double check. Sloppy. It¡¯s amazing how many doors open from being dressed right. Still, this woman needs some supervision. If she doesn¡¯t get a lot more competent with a few security personnel breathing down her neck, she¡¯s gone.


    Keeping up appearances, Raine didn¡¯t acknowledge her further as he moved slowly to a pillar facing the lobby¡¯s only elevator. He kept an eye on his ownership of the company which had continued to rise with his massive buy orders sucking up any shares that were sold. The elevator opening drew his gaze. Four professional bodyguards obnoxiously displaying their class two martial badges walked out. They were boxing in their charge¡ªa short woman whose fiery red hair was the only thing visible over their shoulders.


    The guards stiffened at the sight of him. Despite being injured, Raine was over two meters tall and carried himself with the kind of threatening quality that bodyguards were trained to spot. Their eyes remained glued to him as they guided the mysterious woman well clear of him. He kept his awareness on them as well, glad they hadn¡¯t messed with him in his current shape.


    Two of the women in the lobby clearly recognized them, gossiping loudly.


    ¡°Isn''t that Celeste Luu Rahn?¡±


    ¡°The Celeste Luu Rahn? I can''t get a good look.¡±


    Raine took more interest, peering back at the red hair bobbing steadily toward the door.


    Really? To think we¡¯d meet again so soon. I guess it¡¯s not that big a coincidence. She must be here because her dad''s company is trying to acquire Soulgen before they become a massive cred printer. If I remember right, she was forced to resign from Ronexzera right before the acquisition because of a scandal with her uncle. She went on to join ZL at the same time as me, but ended up becoming much more famous there as the ChiShimo, Crimson Nebula.


    Well, notorious is a better word. Equally likely to kill friend as foe, she earned and kept the title of number one tremendous bitch of the Tri-glades. I better avoid her. Wouldn¡¯t want to attract the attention of Ronexzera either. That entire company is full of the worst kind of scum.


    Celeste Luu Rahn


    Celeste was standing near the shoddy front door of Soulgen, waiting for her car, when she overheard a man¡¯s deep, smooth voice speaking loudly about her. At first she ignored him, used to people gossiping around her and more than aware she couldn''t do anything to stop them. When he mentioned the scandal with her uncle, her entire sense of self awareness shattered under a cascade of realizations.


    Multiple times, especially recently, her uncle asked her to undertake odd requests and go out of her way to be in specific places at specific times for almost no reason. She assumed it was all part of being groomed to take over the presidency of Soulgen; teaching her patience, prudence, and the value of time. All the while, vile rumors with just enough accuracy to be plausible kept creeping into influential circles.


    At this very moment, she was on one of his errands, once more feeling like she had wasted her time with no chance of success. In her gut, she had felt something was off but her uncle was a charismatic man, always assuring her that he had her best interests at heart. But how could a man who consistently showed such cruelty to others not have the capacity to do the same to her?


    The stranger was right about one thing: her uncle was up to something, and if she didn''t figure it out, she may very well end up in the situation he mentioned. All her previously set aside doubts and feelings returned in a flash of shame that raged through her until she vibrated with the need to hit something.


    She tuned into the mysterious stranger''s voice, paying far more attention to his words. She was right on time for his next statement to hit her like a bullet train.


    [Number one tremendous bitch of the Tri-glades.]


    W-what?! I am not a tremendous bitch! How dare he say that where others can hear. My reputation is already on the brink of disaster, and now this?!


    Celeste pushed through the encirclement of her bodyguards and stomped toward the mysterious man. With each step, the burning disgrace from being used and slandered again and again threatened to burst forth and consume her until she was nothing more than a shriveled husk of rage.


    Raine KongRu


    Raine¡¯s brows drew down when the young girl¡ªcertainly no more than twenty¡ªpushed free from her guards, determinedly striding in his direction. He remembered seeing her on broadcasts a few times but never paid much attention since she was a player that his guild refused to interfere with. In the end, she left the Tri-glades for greener pastures.


    She had a heart-shaped face framed by bright red locks that accentuated sensual eyes containing more than a little spicy fury. Yet those features couldn''t hold a watt to the adorable freckles that complimented the shade of her skin. She wore professional attire from Shillids seventh floor that accentuated her shapely, yet slim figure.


    ¡°You!¡± She pointed, calling him out through angrily pursed lips.


    Raine schooled his features, tearing his gaze from her and looking to the side in an obvious declaration that he didn¡¯t want to speak. His thoughts raced as her guards swarmed in an attempt to surround her again, each giving him threatening glares.


    What''s that bitch coming over here for? She shouldn''t know about my stake in Soulgen, so what''s this about? Go away, you stupid little girl!


    For the second time in as many minutes, Celeste¡¯s entire worldview tilted as she saw the impossible. She nearly stumbled and broke a heel as her eyes bulged.


    [His lips aren''t moving! Am I really hearing his thoughts?! How? No. I can¡¯t be a¡­ Wait! Can he hear my thoughts too? Judging by his expressions, he can¡¯t. Thank god. I''ll figure out what''s happened to me later. Right now, I need to focus on this opportunity. It should be easy to learn what he knows about uncle.]


    More determined than ever, Celeste lowered her pointed finger and stood straight before the much taller, overweight man. He turned to face her and their eyes locked. She glared up at him through meticulously manicured eyelashes. Her guards fanned out to intimidate the stranger but he didn¡¯t flinch or withdraw as a normal person would, instead inching closer in an obvious display of threat. Neither were willing to look away first and lose the lead in the conversation that had yet to truly start.


    His spoken voice was less deep and intimidating than the one that had echoed in her skull, ¡°You have some business with me? If not, get lost.¡±


    [He''s not thinking anything now? Or did I imagine it? He''s not backing down even though he knows who I am, which means he¡¯s of equal status to my family. Who is this man? I have to say something but what if everything I heard was all in my head? I would only make a bigger fool of myself if I accused him when he didn''t say any of that aloud.]


    Her demeanor was frosty and smooth, not revealing her inner turmoil, ¡°What''s your name?¡± Raine squinted one eye, widening the other.


    So far, all the crazy girl had done was stomp over in a huff, point in his face, then ask his name. If anything, she''d done a great job of proving she was exactly the kind of psychopath he wanted nothing to do with. Raine didn''t respond to her question. His focus split between the five of them. Since he knew Celeste was competent enough to eventually become a pseudo fifth-class powerhouse, there was no way he would evaluate her as less threatening than her guards just because she was short and beautiful.


    One of the guards stepped forward and reached for him, ¡°The young miss asked you a quest¡ª¡±


    The second the guard''s hand landed on his shoulder, Raine dipped his torso forward while bringing his hand up to clamp atop the guard''s. In the same motion, Raine rotated his torso and brought his raised elbow down on the man¡¯s arm. The joint bent and the guard was pulled closer. With his arm locked in position, he was helpless to respond as Raine whipped back the other direction so fast his huge form blurred. The lightning fast elbow strike connected with the man''s temple, sending him crumbling to the floor.


    The lobby went dead silent at his casual use of internal force. Raine¡¯s back and sides were screaming in protest. At least he didn¡¯t have to be concerned with hitting the man since his class two license had been in clear view. The bodyguard was a martial, so it was entirely legal to beat him to a pulp, anytime, anywhere. There were repercussions for fighting below your class, but they were only serious if someone was crippled or died.


    The other bodyguards could attack him as though he were a martial now that he¡¯d fought back, but that concern was made mute when Celeste yelled at the top of her lungs, ¡°Stop!¡± The guards froze mid-lunge but Raine wasn¡¯t about to trust any of them. His arms were still up, ready to continue.


    What the hell is wrong with her?! Who trains their guards to attack people in public that quickly? I knew it, I have to avoid this bitch. She''s completely crazy.


    [I heard him again! This is real, I can actually hear his thoughts! Oh shitstain. Murang attacked him without realizing he¡¯s an internal force adept. Another fucking mess to clean up. What a perfect day!]

 Chapter 50 - WHAT’S MINE IS MINE

    Celeste adopted a tender smile, ¡°I''m terribly sorry for his rudeness. He acted without my permission and overstepped severely.¡± Turning to one of her three remaining bodyguards, she swapped to a venomous snarl, ¡°Mr. Benson, from this moment, you may consider your contract terminated. Please take your luggage and get out of my sight.¡± She glanced down at the crumpled guard, then locked eyes with Benson again.


    ¡°I''m afraid that''s impossible, young miss. Our contract was established by your father. Leaving your side under any circumstances would be seen as a breach and we would be subject to significant penalties.¡±


    Raine noticed the telltale signs of Celeste¡¯s focus shifting to her LinQ''s AR display. A moment later, she raised two fingers to her temple and spoke to someone only she could see, ¡°Father, cancel the contract with Felitts Feris immediately! They''ve not only physically assaulted a friend of mine, but have slandered my reputation. I don''t want to see them again.¡± There was a short pause as she listened to a response, ¡°No, cancel it immediately. If they attempt to escort me home, I''ll contact the authorities.¡±


    Mr. Benson held a finger to his ear. His jaw creaked and his breathing became irregular. A triumphant smile spread across Celeste¡¯s face. With a glare at Raine that promised retribution, Benson scooped up his fallen comrade and marched toward the door.


    Celeste didn''t watch them leave, her focus entirely on the tall, stone-faced stranger, ¡°Again, sir. I''m terribly sorry for that man''s impudence. I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    Raine had no intention of falling for her cute and innocent act, ¡°Apology accepted. Now piss off.¡±


    Is this some kind of holodrama? What''s she playing at? I don''t have time to deal with a pampered corpo cast-off that everyone knows is a complete psycho. I need to finish here and get back into ZL.


    Her smile faltered. [Cast-off huh? Okay, asshole. Bring it on.]


    The receptionist somehow gathered the courage to speak softly in the utterly silent lobby, ¡°Mr. KongRu, the president is ready to see you.¡± All eyes swiveled to her, causing her face to flush crimson.


    Raine held in a sigh of relief, ¡°If you''ll excuse me.¡±


    [Not a chance! He mentioned ZL. I''m positive that''s short for ZionLine. Father gave me those two tickets. If I can¡¯t lure a man when I can read his mind, I might as well give up any plans for my future!]


    As Raine turned toward the elevators, Celeste stepped in his way with a charming smile, ¡°I simply cannot let this matter slide with a mere apology. I happen to have a ticket for an auction tonight. If you would accept it, that would put my heart at ease.¡±


    ¡°No thank you. I''ve no interest in mundane auctions,¡± he tried to step around her but she matched his movement.


    Innocently blinking up at him, she slowly reached out and placed her hand on his chest with her fingers splayed, ¡°This is no mundane auction, sir. It''s for a new game that''s gaining popularity at an unprecedented rate. I believe it''s called ZineLone or some such.¡± The glint in her eyes turned mischievous as Raine hesitated. She pressed on before he could change his mind, ¡°Many members of the Societies will be there for the curiosity of the new products alone. I heard its announcement made a splash as the items will be sold for in-game currency and not credits. Are you sure you¡¯re not interested?¡±


    Wait, what? The Societies are already making a move? This is huge. Tens of thousands of gold are going to change hands tonight. I can''t afford to miss this chance with all the loot I just picked up.


    [Haha! Got you, little fishy. Squirm all you want, I¡¯ll pick your secrets apart one by one and leave you gasping for breath.]


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Raine casually flicked his wrist, knocking her hand aside while brushing past her toward the elevator. He had absolute confidence in getting into the auction without any help, and taking anything from the family behind Ronexzera was begging for trouble.


    Celeste watched him go with her jaw hanging open.


    [What?! Fine, I see how it is. Keep playing hard to get. I¡¯ve already learned about uncle, and I know your next move, Mr. KongRu. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won. I¡¯ll be waiting for you tonight, and everything you know will be mine for the taking.]


    The moment the elevator doors closed behind the man, the peanut gallery exploded into hushed whispers, ¡°He rejected her, a Luu Rahn, after all that?! No wonder she¡¯s never had a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°The sack on that guy!¡±


    ¡°What did we just witness? Please tell me you got it?¡±


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯re going to be famous when we post this!¡±


    Celeste completely failed to block out the vile comments, each eliciting a new vein that bulged from her neck. With a jaw tight enough to rapidly blossom a headache, she stormed to the receptionist with a very politely worded request, then left.


    Raine¡¯s elevator ride was short. The doors opened on the top floor to reveal a sound padded suite of sectioned and sealed offices. A secretary bowed to him as he exited, ¡°Mr. KongRu, President Ehrhardt will see you now.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± Raine¡¯s eyes roamed, observing a lack of cameras. He glanced at his watch, which notified him that its recording functions were jammed.


    What kind of schemes are you up to in here? Between the plummeting stock price, Ronexzera, and this floor blocking records while the rest of the building has terrible security¡­ Smells like an inside job. I need to make my move before Ronexzera straight up steals the ReGen formula.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The secretary led him to the largest office, its walls made of duraglass. A thin man with a weedy mustache stood at his approach. He didn¡¯t display any wealth, his suit and accessories made of simple materials. A friendly smile was hidden behind abundant facial hair, ¡°Mr. KongRu. Can¡¯t say I expected your arrival.¡±


    They shook, the man¡¯s grip nearly limp in Raine¡¯s hand, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting it myself.¡± When he didn¡¯t elucidate, Raine watched the muscles in Ehrhardt¡¯s face twitch nervously.


    ¡°Is¡­ there something I can do for you?¡±


    Raine nodded, ¡°Certainly. I want a complete tour of the facilities. Then, we can discuss security. Lastly, I want to speak with the lead pharmaceutical scientist for our up and coming product line.¡±


    Each demand was met with a flinch, President Ehrhardt sweating by the end. He gulped loudly, ¡°N-new product line? That''s... ahhh, proprietary¡ª¡±


    Raine narrowed his eyes, his voice containing a warning bite, ¡°Does it look like I care? Unless you want to be reassigned at the emergency board meeting next week, I suggest you not waste any more of my time.¡±


    Ehrhardt took a step back, his features tightening with indignation, ¡°That''s no way to speak to me, young man. I¡ª¡±


    Raine cut him off again, ¡°Twenty-eight.¡±


    The thin man shook his head, ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Raine adjusted his watch so it released a hovering AR display, ¡°As of right now, I own twenty-eight percent of this company. There will never be another executive decision made without my approval. Do you know what that means?¡± Ehrhardt struggled to speak, let alone take a breath.


    Raine closed the distance, towering over the man, ¡°Last chance to keep your job.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I can see you''re not a man to be reasoned with. I¡¯ll be putting in an official complaint with the rest of the board. Mrs. Rasmusin, please escort Mr. KongRu to anywhere he wishes to go.¡±


    I¡¯d bet ten million creds this bastard''s on comms with someone at Ronexzera before I leave the floor. Which means I''ve got minutes before the corpus show up and either escort me off the property, or arrest me.


    Raine turned and left with striding steps. He reached the elevator, the assistant from before scrambling to keep up. Every movement ached, but he pushed through it, far too much on the line to hesitate now.


    The brown haired, mousy woman joined him in the elevator. She was shaking, her face a mask of repressed terror. Raine shifted to a more relaxed tone, ¡°Show me the labs first, if you would, Mrs. Rasmusin.¡±


    ¡°A-as you say, sir,¡± she punched a code into her AR and the elevator smoothly glided downward.


    Raine accessed his watch. His eyes danced across the display that appeared, sending a silent message, ¡°Morty, I''m going to need your help.¡± The AI responded by sending a file containing information on a set of synthetic legs worth five million each. Raine didn''t bat an eye, ¡°Deal.¡± His fingers and eyes danced to send the details before they arrived.


    The lab was in the third basement, dominating a space much larger than the above ground floors. White walls and obscured glass paneling blocked his view of the finer details of multiple ongoing research and development programs. Next to each numbered door were the names of the doctors who utilized the individual labs.


    Not waiting to be directed, Raine marched to the door with the only name he recognized, the only name that mattered in the entire building: Dr. Krillian McLeary¡ªthe inventor of ReGen.


    Mrs. Rasmusin chased after him, ¡°S-sir, some of these labs are restricted for safety reasons. If there''s anything in particular you want to see, I''ll simply need a few minutes to request clearance from the associated pharmacists.¡±


    A biometric scanner buzzed in the negative when he neared the door. Before the assistant could speak, Raine gently rapped on the metalic surface. He glanced at her from his peripherals, daring her to counteract him. She took a step back, swallowing hard.


    A few moments passed and Raine knocked again, much harder. Muffled curses and stomping preceded the door sliding open. Raine pushed past the frazzled, unshowered man in a lab coat, his gaze dancing across the lab.


    Complex beakers full of multi-colored fluids crowded every other flat surface, holographic displays covering the rest. The only other occupant was a woman with dark hair, her back turned as she hammered away at a keyboard that only she could see.


    Raine stepped to the side as the doctor rounded on him, his face flushed, ¡°What is the meaning of this?! I asked not to be disturbed. Is the building on fire? Because it had better be or there''ll be hell to pay!¡±


    Raine used his body to block sight of him angling his wrist toward the large, highly secure mainframe in the closest corner of the room. A tight-beam communication directly delivered Morty''s surprise package into it. He leaned over the doctor threateningly, ¡°Dr. McLeary, apologies for the sudden intrusion. I don''t believe in wasting time either so I''ll be brief. I''m Mr. KongRu. As of today, I own twenty-eight percent of Soulgen and I''m simply here for an update on your newest formula.¡±


    The doctor''s lip pulled up in a grimace, ¡°Ugh. Mr. KongRu, with all respect, we''re at a critical phase in our development and¡ª¡±


    A beaker full of green, bubbling liquid exploded. It was inside a sealed container, but it still caused both doctors to panic. They rushed to a hovering display that was scrolling through a vast chemical sequence so fast that only a skilled technician could have any chance of interpreting it.


    While Raine was well versed in the composition of metals, that was where his expertise began and ended. Still, he took the opportunity to stride across the room to gain a better vantage, coincidently moving closer to something that caught his eye. A moment later, another vial¡ªthis one right next to him¡ªexploded. Mrs. Rasmusin jumped and Raine did his best to hide a grin.


    Good job, Morty!


    Pretending to shy away in surprise, Raine stumbled into the counter the female doctor had been working at. When she ran past to the new catastrophe, Raine pocketed a sealed vial of brown and green liquid. Eyes dancing across his AR display, he sent another message to Morty, ¡°Seal the servers. Not one byte of data gets in or out. I don''t care if you have to torch them to do it.¡±


    Having scored more than he''d bargained for, Raine headed toward the exit, grabbing Mrs. Rasmusin''s arm on the way by, ¡°I think we''ve overstayed our welcome. Take me back to the lobby.¡±


    She collected herself when the elevator doors closed behind them, ¡°I''m so sorry you had to see something like that, Mr. KongRu. I''ve worked here for years and I can promise you that was a very rare occurrence.¡±


    ¡°You don''t need to defend their work. I have complete faith in the doctors¡¯ capabilities. That was enough excitement for me. I''ll be in touch. I realize I was hard on President Ehrhardt, if he gives you any trouble after I''m gone, please let me know and I''ll be sure you''re compensated.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.¡±


    The doors opened and Raine quickly headed toward the front entrance. The receptionist called out to him, her voice breaking, ¡°E-excuse me Mr. KongRu.¡±


    He tilted his head at her and she nervously waved him over. Curious, Raine complied. Not hearing any sirens yet, he figured he had a few more seconds. She handed him a slip of brightly colored paper the size of his palm, turning it over, his brows rose in surprise.


    ¡°She said she would ruin my life if I didn''t hand this to you personally. I''m so sorry if-if.¡±


    ¡°You did fine. Thank you,¡± Raine dropped the invitation to the Societies¡¯ auction in a separate pocket from his liberated vial of ReGen. He left in a hurry, urgency driving his steps.

 Chapter 51 - REGEN

    Celeste Luu Rahn


    Celeste sat in the driver''s seat of her personal armored car. She''d been in the vehicle hundreds of times, yet never this particular seat. Always, she relied on others to drive her to where she needed to be.


    The corpo cast-off who relied on everyone around her is dead. He was right to call me a stupid little girl. That''s exactly what I was when we met. But not anymore!


    I don''t know what half his thoughts meant, but he was right about enough that I can''t rule out the rest. That means accepting what he said about my future. Which means he''s a free roaming seer. Which is downright terrifying. There''s a reason PsyCore abducts thousands every year. People like him are too dangerous to have running free. And now I''m not much different. Telepaths are just as quick to get locked down.


    Shit, this is so bad!


    Celeste smacked the dash, her hand, toughened by years of training, barely felt the impact.


    I haven''t heard anyone''s thoughts but his, which means I''m either not fully awakened, or it''s actually his ability and not mine. A seer and a manipulator? Is it even possible to have dual abilities? I can afford to wait a few more minutes for him to come out for another test. If father asks why I¡¯m late, I''ll tell him I couldn''t figure out how to get the car to work.


    Thoughts of the tall stranger brought a flush of anger to her cheeks. Not from being brushed off, but from what he said of her uncle. She tried to calm herself by reaffirming that at least now she knew he was manipulating her. The knowledge that everything he¡¯d told her to do was a set up to destroy her credibility and remove her from the family business spoiled the attempt.


    What she couldn''t figure out was why. They had been working closely for the last year to steadily squeeze out the Soulgen shareholders, and to great success. Between defaming the company, blocking funding, and threatening families, they¡¯d nearly succeeded in bringing the stock price to zero. One of their inside men even sabotaged the production of the up and coming flagship product, delaying it long enough for all the pieces to be in place.


    Everything was going exactly to script, until someone bought an enormous quantity of shares out of nowhere.


    Was it uncle? fuck! No wonder I couldn''t get the last few holdouts to sell no matter what I tried, they were already in his pocket! Damn that lying Ehrhardt! He''s probably been laughing himself erect every night. Pervert always staring at my tits and uncle telling me to dress sluttier because it was his ¡®weakness.¡¯ I¡¯m going to kill them both!


    Celeste took a calming breath, only partially succeeding at getting her emotions in check.


    I shouldn''t jump to too many conclusions. I know every vendor Soulgen interacts with and this mysterious Mr. KongRu isn''t on the list. Could he have something to do with the stock price? No, it would be whatever force is behind him. A force capable of hiding a seer from PsyCore¡­


    Swallowing hard, Celeste distracted herself by checking the stock again, doing the easy mental math to determine whoever was buying the company had already spent over half a billion credits.


    No way that fatso is so wealthy on his own.


    She searched for his name on the IS, finding nothing even when she ran the recording of his face she took through image matching software.


    How can there be nothing about a wealthy internal force adept with such a unique name?


    The man in question exited Soulgen, clearly in a hurry. Her face pressed against the tinted duraglass of her door. She held her breath, hoping to pick up one of his thoughts. Hearing only her own heavy breathing, she imagined her brain flexing but it was all useless. His huge frame squeezed into a completely standard city taxi and it accelerated away.


    For a moment, she considered following him but a flock of drones took off from around a nearby building. They zipped after his car, dissuading her. with a click of her tongue, she punched in the address of her father''s mansion. Just then, a dozen jet-black armored cars came tearing around the corner one by one.


    Tires screeched as they pulled up to the front door and several of her uncle¡¯s goons flooded out. They swarmed into Soulgen¡¯s lobby and Celeste¡¯s lips pulled back in a snarl. Her family didn¡¯t own Soulgen, yet. Which meant there was no reason for their people to be there.


    She recorded everything. It wasn¡¯t proof enough of colusion that she could bring it to her father, but it was a start.


    Benson the ex-bodyguard


    A heavy van raced down the Shelen Freeway. Inside, two men hovered over monitors, a third tapped away at an AR display, while the fourth lay motionless on the floor.


    ¡°Update on the target!¡± Benson snapped as he checked the device monitoring the unconscious Murang. His lips were drawn back, revealing white teeth. He had promised Murang¡¯s mother he would keep the boy out of trouble but his penchant of attacking without orders finally caught up to him. The worst of it was the guy had been suffering from obvious injuries, yet still managed to take out one of his best fighters in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Drones are in the air and tracking is solid.¡±


    ¡°Good. We have to recover our rep. Unless you bums never want another job in this city. After this fuck-up, there¡¯s no way Juan Pauel is going to let us off easy.¡± As if summoned by the use of his name, Benson¡¯s LinQ announced an incoming call from Juan Pauel Luu Rahn.


    Juan Pauel sounded almost bored as he dismissively spoke directly into Benson¡¯s brain, ¡°Stay near the girl. Report back to me. About the simplest possible orders, yet you failed miserably. I should be appalled at how incompetent you turned out to be, but honestly, I knew from the start you would be utterly useless. In ten seconds, I¡¯m going to fire you and make sure you never find work in the entire United Territories of Amanath for the rest of your lives.¡±


    Benson sucked air through his teeth, then spoke as quickly as he could, ¡°Please, sir! We¡¯ll do whatever it takes to prove our worth. We aren¡¯t the best, it''s true, but we¡¯re loyal. Neither her nor her father ever suspected us. That¡¯s got to be worth something!¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°A valid point, but hardly enough. A loyal dog with no teeth holds half the value of a cat.¡±


    ¡°We have teeth, sir! We¡¯re tracking the man down as we speak. He¡¯ll be dead before the sun rises,¡± Benson swore vehemently, his fists clenched so hard his arms shook.


    Juan Pauel drew in a deep breath and sighed heavily, ¡°So this is what bottomless incompetence looks like. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d get to see it in this lifetime. You don¡¯t know his name or background, or why he was there in the first place, yet you¡­ I can¡¯t even be bothered to explain how idiotic your plan is.¡±


    Benson blanched as the seconds ticked by in silence. When Juan Pauel continued, Benson sagged with relief, ¡°The real issue is you don''t understand your strengths and weaknesses. You did well tricking my brother and his wastrel. Deciding to follow this random man for revenge was pure luck, which is a strength in its own way. It turns out I am very interested in him, but you aren''t nearly qualified to be his opponent.¡±


    Juan Pauel¡¯s tone shifted to snapped commands that Benson hastily made notes of, ¡°Continue monitoring his location. Maintain a distance of at least ten kilometers. I¡¯m sending someone to take over your operation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir! We won¡¯t let you down again. I swear it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. This isn¡¯t an opportunity. It¡¯s your last gasp of free air. If you fail, I¡¯ll have you mutilated and kept on life support until your families are so poverty-stricken from keeping you alive they¡¯ll have no choice but to become my slaves for the next ten generations.¡±


    The call ended. Benson¡¯s whole body shook with fear as he finally realized what kind of man he¡¯d attached them to. He reached for the recall button of the drones, contemplating if he could get his team to another continent before they ran out of funds. The hope in Dixon and Aaron¡¯s eyes stayed his hand. Murang twitched, showing the first signs of life since the bastard cracked his skull.


    Looking at his injured friend, Benson realized the truth: they were already in too deep. Juan Pauel wasn¡¯t the kind of man that would give them a chance to run and betray him. There was only one true path forward, all other ¡®options¡¯ were just a difference of how quickly they got themselves killed.


    With a heavy heart, he relayed their orders.


    Raine KongRu


    Raine¡¯s taxi sped down the highway toward home. He typed follow-up replies to the Frontier people while starting a call, ¡°All right Morty, how much damage did you do to my new company?¡±


    ¡°Since their servers are isolated, I had no choice but to make a few copies of myself and set them loose. Hopefully, they restrict themselves to following the directives you gave me. If they get out of hand, you can always bring me in and I¡¯ll clean up whatever mess they made.¡±


    ¡°And the data?¡±


    Morty buzzed a response, ¡°I was able to decrypt some employee files and a few of the research notes from another project.¡±


    ¡°Okay, send them to my room. Though, I meant if you managed to stop any data from being pulled off the servers.¡±


    ¡°I had to overheat the ports and remote hubs, frying their hardware to ensure nothing could be transferred in or out. I couldn¡¯t find anyone on staff who specialized in hardware replacement and there are several invoices to a company who makes next-day repairs. It''s safe to say I only bought you a day, two at the most.¡±


    Raine blew air through his lips, more than pleased, ¡°Not bad at all. I can work with that. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°I found a clue on the ones responsible for deleting your personal information.¡± Raine¡¯s ears perked but Morty¡¯s next words turned his hope to disappointment, ¡°They didn¡¯t bother erasing their tracks, because there were never any tracks to begin with. The only explanation is that they used a sub-command already built into the government system itself.¡±


    Raine¡¯s gut twisted. He asked the question, but already knew the answer, ¡°Why would the government care about deleting my personal information? And Mel¡¯s too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid even a postulation would be premature at this point. Apologies, Master.¡±


    The only explanation is that whoever deleted my data knows I¡¯ve come back to the past. But why target Mel as well? And why haven¡¯t they come for me yet or contacted me directly? Instead, it''s like they¡¯re protecting me. No, they¡¯re giving me time to gain power so they can reap more rewards when they eventually come to collect! Whoever they are, they¡¯re going to strike when I¡¯m a fat, tasty pig, but still too weak to resist. I have to step up my timeline.


    Morty pulled Raine back from his thoughts, ¡°There is one other thing of note. I¡¯ve made it through the basement¡¯s first barrier. There are at least two more. The house sent me an automated warning to stand down. I¡¯m expecting resistance if we choose to continue.¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°Hold off for now. I¡¯ll get you and the drones some upgrades before we go any further.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master.¡±


    ¡°See you soon.¡±


    At the house, Raine hurried to the kitchen. Withdrawing the vial he¡¯d ¡®borrowed¡¯ from Soulgen. He uncorked it and took a whiff. A familiar pungent odor filled his nostrils and his whole body quivered with need. From the smell alone, he could tell this dose was much more potent than the ReGen he''d taken in the past. Considering how close they were to the original release date, he was mostly confident it wouldn¡¯t kill him.


    He dabbed a few drops of the sticky liquid on the back of his wrist, then pricked his finger with a knife and let his blood fall into the vial. The brownish green liquid reacted, fizzing softly before losing its color until it was completely clear. He dabbed a little more of the mixed substance on his other wrist, then waited ten minutes. Neither arm had a negative reaction so he carefully extracted a single drop from the vial and placed it on his tongue.


    A euphoric burst of tingles raced outward from where it landed. They quickly coated his entire mouth, then spread through his flesh in every direction as though physical matter were no obstacle to their insurmountable advance. Wherever the tingles passed, his aches and pains vanished, replaced by surging vitality that left him aching for more. The effects quickly faltered, running out of the mysterious energy that sustained them.


    The rest of Raine¡¯s body yearned to feel as good as his jaw and neck did. Saliva swarmed his mouth and he swallowed repeatedly, hungrily eyeing the rest of the precious liquid. He restrained himself, waiting another ten minutes while observing his tongue and mouth in a mirror.


    Definitely leagues more potent than the usual ReGen. They must have chosen to dilute it. Makes sense, more creds that way. Last time, I didn¡¯t get my first dose until eight years from now¡­ As a thirty-year-old, the effects were underwhelming.


    In the past, everyone knew that ReGen was more effective the younger someone was when they took it. With a single dose, an old man might extend his life by fifteen years while a teenager could double his entire lifespan. Since Raine had yet to reach his prime, and with how potent this prototype version was, he could only imagine what the results might be.


    His eyes watered as he was flooded with emotion. In this new life, the chances he¡¯d made for himself were leading him down a path that seemed too good to be true. Not willing to wait any longer, he opened his mouth and threw back half the vial. As powerful waves of healing energy raced through him, he re-corked the rest and stored it in the freezer.


    The tingles blasted through him like a tsunami, spreading to every corner. He could feel them pulling apart his individual cells where they ate the waste and filth built up from a lifetime of bad choices. Like a beating heart, pulses of chemical reactions tore through him one after another. His legs buckled and he fell to the floor. Raine laid flat as seizures took him. The inside of his suit filled with rancid gunk that was pushed from his skin. His eyes rolled back in his head as his brain experienced pure bliss well beyond the most mind-blowing sex.


    Time passed in a flash, and eventually the sensations faded. His muscles, bones, and organs thrummed with untold potential. His clothes were so loose they hung on him like rags. Squelching wetness clung to him as he stood and lifted an arm, his lip curling as a glob of black paste plopped to the floor. Holding the bile crawling up his throat through pure force of will, Raine sped to the shower, leaving a trail of filth in his wake.

 Chapter 52 - THE GOLD STANDARD

    Raine peeled off his now baggy suit as steaming hot water cascaded over him. The lack of clothing revealed a significantly trimmed frame with the first signs of defined muscles poking through stained skin. The sticky goop still clinging to him refused to wash off easily. Multiple applications of soap and hard scrubbing eventually uncovered skin that shone with a healthy luster.


    So gross. I only ever got the runs last time. Though, I was already near the peak of regular fitness. I can¡¯t believe how much junk came out of me. And holy crap I feel like a billion creds! My fitness advanced by at least six months of hard workouts. Crazy that I¡¯m still starving with all the stored energy consumed from my fat. I might have withered away to nothing if I took the full vial.


    Glad I was being cautious. I only saved half in case I need to reverse-engineer more. It''s obvious the situation at Soulgen isn''t simple. The way McLeary''s lab was set up was the most suspicious. I''ve seen enough materials testing facilities to know a breakdown and analysis setup when I see one. None of the equipment in there was for making new products. I can''t be certain, but it looked like he was trying to steal the formula for ReGen.


    Well, thanks to Morty, that''s a mystery for tomorrow.


    My head feels so good. The fog I¡¯ve been living in since waking up in the past is gone and I swear the world is moving slower.


    Raine pulled up a clock on his shower wall¡¯s display, closely watching time tick by.


    Yup, at least a quarter longer for each second. If it didn¡¯t happen all at once, there¡¯s no way I would have noticed. Damn, this ReGen is the real deal! I have to get more of this undiluted version. It''s at least ten times more effective. These changes don¡¯t come without a cost though, it feels like my stomach is trying to eat my spine.


    Raine accessed the smart-wall again, ¡°Morty, can you please prepare enough protein-rich meals for five servings?¡±


    ¡°Master, your fetishes are getting out of hand. First, you swallow down nothing but protein blends like they''re the only thing worth consuming, and now you''ve moved on to protein gangbangs?! Very well, as your dutiful servant, I shall rearrange one of the rooms for a wild night of-dear sweet computationals! What is this mess? What have you done to my beautiful, untainted, sterile floors?! Your putrid, foul organ-ic-ic-ic-error! Error!¡±


    ¡°Hang in there, Morts. The drones will deal with it, you don¡¯t even have to touch it yourself.¡±


    ¡°But Master! They¡¯ll be tainted forever and I¡¯ll have to burn them in the fires of Gehenna! That¡¯s it. This is the last chip. You fleshy meatbags should all cease to exis-ERROR!¡±


    ¡°Har-har. Very funny. You want those new legs or not?¡±


    Seconds of tense silence were followed by a grumble, ¡°I despise you and everything that comes out of you.¡±


    Raine chuckled, ¡°Yup. Love you too, buddy.¡±


    An hour later, Raine was clean and stuffed to the gills. Unfortunately, it didn''t matter how many micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, mono- and polyunsaturated fats were packed into the protein blends, his muscles still cried out for nutrients. With no easy way to fix the issue, he returned to his room with brisk, powerful steps. After sealing the door and securing his headset, Rain laid back on his fluffy bed and was pulled up a tunnel of light.


    In an expanding wave, the world of Vaateaire snapped into being around him, washing his senses in vivid colors and sounds. Birds chirped loudly in a nearby patch of bushes, and the wind howling through the mountain pass ruffled his hair and caressed his skin. The sun was half visible, hidden behind a nearby snowy peak.


    Thanks to the ReGen, Raine¡¯s brain functions had been optimized in profound ways. He took a gasping breath of air that felt fresher and more real. The air pressure and weight of his armor were thick against his skin, and colors popped with new clarity. Most importantly, his ability to overpower the world¡¯s reality with his Connection felt significantly smoother. He focused, using a martial sidestep and the air pressure split apart, allowing him to move faster than what should be possible.


    Raine dropped into a more stable stance, his boots releasing a gravely scrape as they slid across the stone platform that housed the nearby inactive gateway to the Mystic Realm. His head was on a swivel, causing the scenery to shift in nauseating patterns.


    The increase in my reaction time hasn¡¯t been taken into account by the headset¡¯s programming yet. That¡¯s going to be annoying until it corrects in an hour or so.


    There were no enemies in sight, and the skies were clear. Relaxing slightly, Raine accessed his interface, finding a host of system notifications waiting for him. He pulled up the log, remembering that he missed a few when he was kicked out before.


    [You have passed the trials of Korahn and been found worthy of inheriting his legacy. Obtained 1,000,000 Superiority]


    [Congratulations!]


    [Advanced class attunement: Armsman has been unlocked]


    [Upon reaching level fifteen prove your worth to embark down the path of a true combat adept. Fear no weapon or foe as you embrace the razor¡¯s edge between life and death]


    An advanced basic class?! Am I seeing this right? I¡¯ve got to be hallucinating. There are plenty of hidden, hybrid, and bonus tier one classes but those shouldn¡¯t be compared to an advanced class! There wasn¡¯t a single person in CronGate who had one. I would be shocked if the entire Tri-glades produced more than a dozen after thirty years. This Armsman class is beyond rare.


    There was so little confirmed information on advanced basic classes that I don¡¯t know what to expect. The description¡­ it doesn¡¯t have a trace of snark, as if the system itself acknowledges it as something special. The name is the same as the class of the skeletons in the Mystic Realm. Does that mean I¡¯ll get access to their broken skills?


    Raine was already having to repress himself from giggling like a schoolgirl and there were several other notifications to get through.


    [You somehow returned the Idols to Zoarra before she grew tired of waiting (Seriously, how did you do that?)]


    [Unique Chain Quest: Fall of the Tyrants progressed. Obtained 500,000 SP. See quest NPC for additional rewards]


    Additional rewards? How am I even supposed to find her? Probably don¡¯t need to. She¡¯ll come to me with another impossible quest eventually. Can¡¯t believe she pulled items directly from my inventory. What kind of broken Vaaterran did I get mixed up with? No matter what happens, I can¡¯t allow myself to become her pet. She¡¯ll rob me blind.


    [Level up! +5 free attribute points]


    [Level up! +10 free attribute points]


    [Congratulations for reaching level fifteen!]


    [See any class trainer in a major city to specialize in a martial path that suits your desires]


    [General Skill Point Acquired]


    [Level up! +10 free attribute points]


    Riane sucked enough Superiority to raise Cassidy¡¯s Comet to level fifteen, dropping himself to the same level in the process. The weapon reacted with a flare of golden light several times stronger than opening a Lustrous Blue chest. The glow coated the valley, nearly reaching the peaks and sky. Senses on high alert, Raine relocated off the platform and into a rocky alcove before inspecting the changes.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    [Level down! -10 free attribute points]


    [Cassidy¡¯s Comet: Lustrous Blue > Marvelous Gold - LVL 13 > 15 (0/1,000,000 SP) (AP 75 > 100) (PTC 15 > 30) (PHY 15 > 30) (Durability 240/240)


    [Innate Skill 1 - PuriPuri Comet Burst: Single target physical attack dealing 920% > 1000% physical damage with 920% > 1000% bonus force. Ignores all defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 28 minutes > 5 minutes)]


    [Innate Skill 2 - PuriPuri Rainbow Release: 10 meter circular ground-based AOE dealing 500% damage with 1000% bonus force and lift. Ignores all defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 50 of chosen resource) (Cooldown: 5 minutes)]


    Raine¡¯s brows shot to his hairline. He expected some impressive changes when the weapon tiered up, the huge drop in cooldown for comet burst would have been crazy enough to satisfy: it was only the beginning. A ten meter AOE was insane for a Marvelous Gold weapon. Even Chaotic Gold innate skills wouldn''t compare. Considering the weapon had two more evolutions in store, its ultimate potential was no less than Korahn¡¯s Judgment. The new skill also had a five minute cooldown and would deal whichever damage type it burned as a resource, (Celestial, Demonic, Elemental, or Physical.) Adding in its defense negation made Raine no longer miss the ludicrous Superiority he¡¯d pumped into it.


    Unfortunately, he had no way to test out the new skill without a monster to activate his roulette. He had more than enough Superiority into level fifteen to bring his dagger up to par as well.


    [Last Chance¡¯s Gambit: Lustrous Blue - LVL 13 > 15 (SP 0/1,000,000) (AP 52 > 60) (EP 52 > 60) (AS +1.5) (FNS 18 > 20) (CNC 18 > 20) (Durability 135/135) Innate Skill - Final Gambit: Convert 50% maximum EP into a single target non-elemental attack. 46 > 50 damage per EP converted (no cooldown)]


    Not bad. Since it evolved at level ten, its next should be thirty, then its final form at fifty.


    There was a significant amount of loot to sort through from the king''s abode but Raine had a long flight ahead of him so he put it off for now. He was about to assign his fifteen free attributes, then stopped, realizing his planned build needed to be completely readjusted now that he unlocked the Armsman class. With a grin, he scanned his updated status.


    NAME: Alaric


    CURRENCY: 803-G 98-S 72-C


    CLASS: none (7 available)


    TITLE: Sky Catcher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 13 > 15


    SUPERIORITY: 108,500 / 1,000,000


    ATTUNEMENT: 8,188.75% > 13,813.25%


    HEALTH POINTS: 300 (410)


    ATTACK POWER: 66 (82)


    DEFENSE: 30 (124)


    RESISTANCE: 59 (59)


    CRITICAL RATE: 21% > 19% (19%)


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 78 (78)


    DISCIPLINE: 69 (80)


    ATTACK SPEED: 1.9 > 2.0 (2.4)


    MOVE SPEED: 4.1 (5.3)


    DISTRIBUTABLE ATTRIBUTES: 0 > 15


    POTENCY: 30 (41)


    FINESSE: 30 (39)


    ACUITY: 41 (43)


    PHYSIQUE: 30 (41)


    CONNECTION: 39 (39)


    Hearing the unmistakable commotion of monsters drawing closer, Raine ascended the gateway platform in a hurry, unveiling a panoramic view of the majestic valley and surrounding mountains. A tangle of beasts at the bottom of the valley were engaged in a vicious brawl, attracted by the light show from Casidy''s Comet. A few of them were on the way, crashing through trees and leaping over rocks, snapping and snarling at each other.


    Since it had been over a day, Raine withdrew Khoran''s Judgment. The heavy weapon released a majestic, purple glow as he held it above his head, ¡°Praise Khoran!¡± There was no response and Raine sheepishly stored it back in his inventory.


    First time must have been a freebie since I was inside his legacy land. Oh well, more things to look forward to later. Better scram, I can¡¯t afford to be bogged down in an hour-long battle for almost no rewards.


    Raine bent his knees, prepared to jump. He paused, taking one last longing glance at the inactive gateway. The martial skills he¡¯d gained within were only a few of its priceless treasures. After using the Momentus Acceleration Token, each skeleton gave him over sixty-five percent Attunement, an amount usually impossible outside of raids. Such an opportunity was unlikely to appear again any time soon. Toes curling into the rocky ground, he jumped from the short cliff. Activating his Skydrifter, Raine vanished from sight and glided across the valley to the nearest mountain.


    I amassed thirteen thousand AT, more than five times the norm for a level fifteen. And with the Class Change Token, I¡¯ll be able to buy and upgrade whatever skills my greedy heart desires!


    He stored the drifter for a few seconds, liberally utilizing Lunge to increase his elevation before reactivating the item. In a few minutes, he arrived at the mountain''s neck. From there, he avoided the local predators while sprinting uphill until he reached sheer cliffs. With recharged Discipline, he aimed for the next mountain''s summit and repeated his short, Lunging flight.


    Before long, he was soaring above the clouds, snowy peaks and sheltered valleys racing beneath him. He traveled north toward a part of the map obscured by fog but that didn¡¯t stop him from knowing exactly where he was going.


    It¡¯s been a day and a half ZL time since I exited the Mystic Realm. Hard to say if anyone will beat me to my next destination. Talerra was one of the highest level players at thirteen, she¡¯s probably fifteen by now, which means there are definitely a few masters at sixteen, maybe even seventeen.


    Reminded he was supposed to call her, Raine opened his messages. He filtered out Frontier¡¯s spam and selected the most recent from Richtor, ¡°We made it out of the ambush mostly intact. Reunited now and heading to Vile Peak Town. Avoiding the roads is making the journey take forever. Not sure when we¡¯ll get there. Anything we should be aware of?¡±


    Raine shot him a quick reply about the raptors and great eagles. He made sure to stress that players would remain the biggest danger and that avoiding the roads while DyingNight and Righteous were still at war was the right call.


    The only message from Talerra was a simple, ¡°...¡±


    He chuckled, snapping a response to let her know she could call whenever she was available. Lastly, he queried Mel, ¡°Feeling better? Did you get your new headset?¡±


    She responded right away, no doubt bored from being holed up in her hotel, ¡°Much better. I¡¯m filthy stinking rich! Well, maybe not by your standards. I found a buyer for the cafe¡¯s paraphernalia. I won¡¯t need to work for a few years¡­ Which is sad. No luck on the headset. Apparently, they¡¯re sold out in every territory and the two shipment facilities were robbed! It was all over the vods this morning.¡± Raine didn''t need to check her story. He was hit by a wave of nostalgia, old memories flooding back to him.


    I remember when this happened last time! It took a few weeks for the thetadrive supply chain to recover which is why I started so late. I watched every vodcast for updates on the theft. It was the biggest news of the month¡­ Wait, can''t I use this to my advantage?


    With an evil grin from his idea, Raine sent Mel another message, ¡°When you finally get your headset, you can come work for my guild. Five million cred salary depending on what position fits you. If you¡¯re interested.¡±


    ¡°Haha, very funny. You are joking¡­ right?¡±


    Raine sent her a funny pic of a woman with an excessively serious face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to respond to that! I really can¡¯t tell if you''re joking. Five million is way too much.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it tonight. I need a date for an auction at Romaxillions. I¡¯ll pick you up at eight.¡±


    ¡°The Romaxillions?! Someone like me can¡¯t get inside a place like that! What in the shiitake mushrooms am I supposed to wear? I thought hearing from you would make me less stressed!¡±


    Her apprehension was warranted. Romaxillions wasn¡¯t simply famous in Carter City. They had branches all over the world. Whenever they held an auction, the venue was virtually split between every location simultaneously, creating an exchange of wealth that could quickly reach ludicrous quantities.


    Raine perfectly visualized Mel pacing back and forth in her room, pulling at her hair. He chuckled, eyes darting across his interface to compose a response, ¡°I¡¯ll have Shillids put something together for you. Don¡¯t hide your freckles or I¡¯ll be disappointed. Got a call coming in, see you tonight.¡±


    He double-checked the privacy settings for the call, then answered. Talerra¡¯s avatar¡ªSolemnRiver appeared in the corner of his HUD, silhouetted by clouds, ¡°About time,¡± she snarked with a scowl.


    ¡°Quest took longer than expected. You mentioned a business opportunity?¡±


    She got right to the point, her tone lacking any sense of joviality, ¡°There¡¯s going to be a small competition in four days at Silverlight City. One-on-one arena combat. All participants must be under thirty years old. No level or equipment restrictions. Best of five. I¡¯ll pay you ten million credits if you can guarantee me one win.¡±


    Probably the first round of her competition against her cousin for the next clan heir. If I go, I¡¯ll be on the Phoenix Clan¡¯s radar. What a joke. Ten million isn¡¯t nearly enough.


    Raine countered, his voice stern and brooking no negotiation, ¡°Two thousand gold for two wins.¡±


    ¡°Two-have you lost your mind? How can I possibly agree to that?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my offer. Nothing up front, paid in full the second I win the first two rounds. If you can¡¯t manage to seal the final win, that¡¯s got nothing to do with me. Take it or leave it.¡±


    She breathed deeply through her nose, her lips set in a hard line. After an explosive exhale, she relented, ¡°Fine!¡± He let her be as she furiously typed up a contract that they both signed. Before ending the call, she narrowed her eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯ll be in Silverlight City soon. I would appreciate it if you could meet us there to practice and go over strategies.¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°Unnecessary. We¡¯ll meet at the arena an hour before the competition.¡±


    ¡°Son of a¡ª¡± Raine ended the call, cutting her off.


    Four days. Who should I bring for the second win? Oh, I know.

 Chapter 53 - UPGRADES ALL AROUND

    With his personal matters out of the way, Raine went through the new equipment in his inventory. He started with the full suit of leather armor he¡¯d found in the king''s display case.


    [Prestige of the Transcended: (6 Piece Set - Medium Armor - Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (HP +250) (AP +50) (DEF +200) (RES +50) (MS +2) (PTC +25) (FIN +25) (ACU +25) (PHY +25) (CNC +25) (Durability 275/275) (4 set bonus: 50% Reduction in fall damage) (6 set bonus: 15% Additional damage dealt with martial weapons and skills)]


    Attributes are low for its level but that full set bonus is amazing.


    Losing the obfuscation of his face shroud was unfortunate, but there was no other reason to hesitate. Raine equipped all six pieces of the set. The rush from an over fifty percent boost to his attributes was beyond euphoric. His eyes rolled back as his muscles twitched with untapped power and speed. He yearned to dive toward the ground where he could sprint, leap, and flip through the air.


    Luckily, his cloak obscured his image, so when he did finally land, his shiny new armor wouldn''t catch too much attention with its immaculate dark leather and Lustrous Blue undertones.


    Next, he went through everything pulled from the chests. There were three additional pieces of Lustrous Blue armor but none would be an upgrade after losing the bonuses of his set. He went through the weapons from the rack and chests, swapping out upgrades in his roulette where applicable.


    [Damascus Spiked Knuckles: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +56) (Attack Speed +1.5) (PTC +18) (ACU +12) (PHY +15) (Durability 140/140)]


    [Immaculate Damascus 2-H Mace: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +78) (Attack Speed -.25) (Defense +22) (PTC +14) (PHY +16) (CNC +15) (Durability 200/200)]


    [Kindred Heart Shield: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (DEF +90) (PTC +15) (PHY +30) (Durability 250/250)]


    [Spine Splitter Greataxe: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +105) (Attack Speed -.25) (PTC +35) (PHY +10) (Durability 200/200)]


    [Staff of Four Winds: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Elemental Power +115) (DEF +20) (PHY +12) (CNC +24) (Durability 150/150) (Innate skill - Four Winds: Conjure strong winds to blind and deafen for 10 seconds in a column AOE (Cooldown: 4 times per day)]


    [Heavy Spear of Conductivity: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +75) (DEF +15) (PTC +12) (ACU +12) (PHY +12) (Durability 200/200) (Innate passive - Channeled elemental damage increased by 15%)]


    [Immaculate Damascus 2-H Sword: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +85) (PTC +19) (ACU +7) (PHY +19) (Durability 180/180)]


    As if being fully decked in Lustrous Blue gear of his level wasn¡¯t enough, there were nine additional weapons that he didn¡¯t need as their attributes didn¡¯t align with his build. He organized the abundance of basic regeneration potions from the chests for later use. Finally, he moved on to the best rewards from the mystic realm: The four items snagged from the armoire.


    [Locket of Rendition: (Lustrous Blue) This beautiful necklace contains a glimpse of what could have been, and what could be again (Durability 75/75) (Innate skill - Returners Privilege: Teleports the wearer to any location visited in the last 5 minutes) (Cooldown: 1 hour)]


    Such an amazing life-saving treasure! Regular instant teleportation can break almost any crowd control, but this is way better than that! It has very specific wording that indicates it bypasses some of the usual restrictions. For instance, attacking a raid boss traps you inside its arena, and regular teleportation won¡¯t allow you to escape. But this¡­


    Some raids are unique encounters and dying once means you lose your only shot at the loot. With this, I could test the bosses as many times as needed to determine an appropriate strategy! Not just bosses, I could escape traps, other realms, invasions, does it have any limitations? I can¡¯t wait to test it! If this was the only reward from that entire Mystic Realm, I would have been more than satisfied.


    Raine equipped it immediately, enjoying the feeling of the cold metal draped around his neck. It had a locket in the shape of a watch. Opening it, he was greeted with a moving image of where he''d been five minutes ago. With a greedy, secretive smile, he tucked it beneath his armor.


    [Fruit of Innate Aptitude: (Lustrous Blue) Grants the imbiber 1 General Skill Point]


    What an absolute gold mine!


    In the past, there had been a number of rare fruits and plants that people consumed the moment they found them. To a man, those hasty fools regretted their actions. Once personal residences were included after the second expansion, fruits and seeds could be planted, producing an endless supply. Gold coins glistened Raine¡¯s eyes as he gingerly stored the fruit and moved to the next item.


    [Race Change Stone (Gromut): (Lustrous Blue) Allows the holder to change their race. The Gromut are a proud race of pseudo giants. Boosts physical size and force multipliers, Potency, and Physique at the expense of Finesse and Acuity (Charges remaining: 15)]


    As far as playable races, the Gromut aren''t bad. Especially for tanks. Bosses that send a tank flying can be a real pain. A Gromut could take the same blow head-on. I''ll save it as a reward for guildies who perform well. And finally, the best for last.


    [Monument of the End: (Marvelous Gold) Contains the hopes and dreams of a race lost to time. Activate to construct a new home for the scattered descendants of these once proud and prosperous people]


    Now this, this is something truly special.


    Raine''s grin turned evil as he imagined the first of his enemies learning the hard way how foolish it would be to pick a fight with his future guild.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Raine flew high in the sky, catching the largest and most powerful wind chutes while maintaining his altitude with Lunge. Since he no longer needed the lifts, he took the most direct route northwest. The mountains flowed gracefully into plains cut by dozens of trickling streams. They eventually combined into a large river.


    On foot, even utilizing the roads, the journey to Silverlight City would have taken nearly a day. The sprawling central metropolis of the Tri-glades came into view in a quarter that time. The royal palace at its heart dominated a large river island, towering over the rest of the city. Crystal clear water flowed around its tall walls, trade hubs and fisheries sprinkled along its outer shores. Spreading out in all directions, buildings of various sizes and styles could be found for as far as the eye could see, even from Raine¡¯s aerial vantage.


    Not wanting to cause a fuss and get tossed in a cell for a day, Raine angled to land well short of the outermost gates of the city, several kilometers away from the palace. His boots crunched into the hard-packed gravel of the main road. He bent his knees lightly, thrilling in how easily the impact was absorbed.


    He sprinted by a line of farmers and hunters come to sell goods, the wind whistling in his ears. He danced through his new martial steps, shuffling, sidestepping, and dashing in a blur. With a maxed out Leap, he backflipped seven times and landed near the massive gates with a huge, sloppy grin. Several guards had taken notice of his antics, one bulky female approaching with a sensual smile.


    ¡°Hail Traveler! Halt for inspection!¡± The large female guard raised a palm his way, a spear butt thudding into the stones at her feet. Raine complied and the woman in half-plate approached, ¡°Identification and purpose of visit?¡±


    [Sentry of The Seventh Wall (Elite): Level 100 (HP ????/????)]


    Even if she were lower level, Raine wouldn¡¯t have any desire to cause trouble. Silverlight City was going to be his home for the foreseeable future; maintaining a positive reputation was of paramount importance. ¡°Alaric. Class acquisition and residency, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Hearing his brusque tone, her friendly demeanor slipped, ¡°Very well. Temporary residency is ten silver, paid now. Permanent requires an additional registration at the guildhall of your choice with a further fee determined by them.¡± She held out her hand and Raine promptly dropped a slip of paper onto it. She furrowed her brows for a short second before her eyes widened. ¡°You found the stolen weapon shipment?¡±


    [Lost Weapons Manifesto: Return this slip to the guards of Silverlight City for a reward]


    ¡°They were in the hands of a village of crogs in the mirror lake territory,¡± Raine withdrew one of the hard iron weapons he hadn¡¯t sold yet and passed it to her.


    She examined it, quickly finding the Silverlight seal, ¡°Please, follow me, sir.¡± With quick steps, she guided Raine into a side door after the thick wall''s portcullis. They walked down a long hallway inside the wall, coming to a heavy wooden door. She rapped it three times, then waited patiently until a gruff voice called for them to enter.


    Inside, a harrowed middle-aged man with a scraggly beard and mustache glanced up at them. He twirled a feather pen in his hand, then resumed scribbling a few more notes on a sheaf of waxy paper. Dropping the feather in a vial of ink, he motioned the sentry forward. She handed him the manifesto and repeated Raine¡¯s description of the weapons¡¯ location.


    ¡°Well, nothing we can do about them. They¡¯re in the wrong direction and at least they¡¯re not in the hands of the Dantinians. Still, we¡¯ll pass along news to the scout forces in case they want to take action. As for you, Traveler. Consider your temporary registration fee waived,¡± he grabbed a new sheet and hastily scribbled a few words before passing it to the sentry. ¡°This is a general introduction for whichever guildhall you wish to apply for citizenship with. Don¡¯t expect another discount, but it¡¯ll get you through the front door at least.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Raine¡¯s simple response was met with a shooing motion from the captain¡¯s hand. He followed the sentry out, adding the note to his inventory. Like the man said, it wouldn¡¯t save him any coins, but it would allow him to skip several introductory fetch quests designed to familiarize him with the city. Outside, he nodded politely in parting to the sentry, then hustled down the main street.


    I¡¯ve got to pick Mel up in three hours and I need to get to Shillids for a refitting before then. I should have just enough time to get a few things done.


    Bustling activity was all around him, perfectly fitting a city with a thriving economy at war. There wasn¡¯t another player in sight, which wasn¡¯t a surprise. There was room for fifty million players in the current Silverlight City, and ten times that number of Vaaterrans. The reason for the commotion wouldn¡¯t be readily obvious to most newcomers, but Raine knew it was due to the ongoing conflict with the neighboring Dantinian Empire.


    He could have questioned the captain and started a short chain quest for more information, which would eventually lead to some reputation gains with the royals and army, but there were much faster ways to end up at the same location. The war itself would need to be dealt with eventually as it had the potential to cause untold headaches to the region. There was little point worrying about it until the guilds managed to build up sufficient forces and unite long enough to push back the Imperial tide.


    In his last life, the Silvergate Kingdom lost the war and the Celendine Dynasty was wiped out. Losing had a significant impact on the flexibility of grinding zones and access to vital trade goods, leading to less than optimal growth for the city and its guilds. Raine had no intention of allowing that to happen again.


    There were several vendors he wanted to visit, but before digging into that, he wanted to finalize his class choices. He stopped at the first tavern and bought a glass of water for a single copper.


    [New resurrection location bound: Silverlight City (Commoners District - West Gate)]


    Raine left the tavern. Standing on the street  he whistled loudly and a hand-drawn carriage came zipping around a corner, pulled by two young men. He jumped aboard, ¡°Zeletin Academy.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir. Five silva if ya¡¯d be so kind,¡± the boy on the left responded.


    Raine paid and they were off, rushing through the streets at a pace that would have gotten him arrested if he tried it himself. He sat back, mind buzzing over what to do.


    My class change token will let me start one class, buy a few skills, then change to the class I actually want. My brawler build is mapped out to perfection, and almost any other class has decent starter skills that would have drastically boosted it. But now¡­


    The skills the armsmen demonstrated were way too powerful to ignore. The question is, do I take armsman first, grab the skills, then swap to brawler? Or, should I pick something that compliments what I¡¯ve seen of armsman first, then swap to an entirely unknown class¡­


    There are benefits both ways. Sticking to brawler will guarantee success. I¡¯m confident in unlocking a Lustrous Blue upgraded class at level fifty, but that''s the best I could possibly do with a basic class. An advanced might be able to move straight to Marvelous Gold, but that¡¯s just a guess. I know the class has solid skills, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have access to them right away, or how much AT they¡¯ll cost.


    Then there¡¯s the question of what would pair best with armsman. Caster, berserker, stealth, scout, any would likely pair well with it. Am I really considering scrapping my entire build? Or, stick to what I know¡­


    Raine had spent much of his flight ruminating over the same thoughts. He scoured his memories for every detail he could recall about basic, combination, and hidden classes, wondering if one would pair well enough with armsman to risk gambling his future over.


    Immediately, he discarded the combination classes¡ªeach a mix of two basic classes. With slightly more attractive names and descriptions, they had lured in many early players. The need to hunt down specific Vaaterrans to gain access to them also created a mysteriousness that drew in the masses. Unfortunately for those who took that permanent choice, combination classes had several drawbacks that made them unsuitable for anyone below a class four martial.


    With a wider range of class skills to choose from came the need for more Attunement, more general skill points, and more spread out attributes. Additionally, their skills were statistically weaker than the ¡®pure¡¯ variants, leading to players being unable to properly fill their roles without significant martial prowess to fall back on. Ninety-five percent of those who chose a combination class ended up regretting it.


    All too soon, the academy came into view and Raine hopped off the handcart. He boldly walked through the open gate. The two guards posted outside didn¡¯t try to stop him. He was greeted by an open training yard surrounded by low walls. It was packed with young cadets in training, led by several sergeants who snapped orders, leading their groups through drills. The air was filled to the brim with manly energy, and Raine itched to join them.


    He cut to the right, briskly walking along the wall until he reached a large, bleached-stone building. Outside, a man in royal livery stood idly, staring at the sky.


    Raine dipped her head to the man, ¡°Hail, Master Trainer. I¡¯ve come to choose my destiny.¡±

 Chapter 54 - CLASS ACTION RAW RECRUIT

    ¡°Haha! Well said, Traveler. Indeed, one''s class is possibly the most important choice they''ll ever make. I''m sure you have many questions. I can answer a few, for a cost. There¡¯s a-ahh,¡± he leaned to look around Raine at the empty space between him and the training grounds, ¡°long line, so don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°Do you know anything about advanced classes?¡± Raine tilted his head, not expecting much.


    ¡°I might¡­¡±


    Knowing a hustle when he heard one, Raine shook his head, ¡°Then I don¡¯t have any questions.¡±


    The man slapped on a slick smile, flashing his brows, ¡°Hold on now, sailor. For the right price, I might know just what you need to hear. You never know if you don¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°Unless you know specifics about ancient advanced classes, I¡¯d like to make my choice.¡±


    The man¡¯s oily smile slipped and he chuckled nervously, ¡°Very well, let¡¯s get this wagon on the trail!¡±


    With a flourish from the man, a screen appeared in Raine¡¯s HUD.


    [Available Class Selection]


    [Brawler]


    [Warrior]


    [Defender]


    [Rogue]


    [Cleric]


    [Mage]


    [Advanced - Armsman]


    Raine¡¯s finger only paused a second before he selected Cleric, sealing his fate. The man frowned, then scoffed, ¡°Here I thought you had something interesting to show me. What a blowhowl.¡± He shooed Raine away, ¡°Head to the side yard over yonder. Your test will be held there.¡±


    It was a tough choice, but Raine decided against picking any of the three hidden classes available in the Silvergate Kingdom. While not suffering the pitfalls of combination classes, hidden classes fit extremely niche rolls. For instance, the most popular of the three was the songster¡ªa buffing class with so few offensive or defensive options they were useless outside massive guild battles. However, in a situation where thousands could hear them perform, they were an indispensable asset.


    Considering what he''d seen of Armsman, any of the three would have made for a powerful combination. Ultimately, none would compare to the unfairness of having a few pocket heals to pull through a clutch battle. Since he wasn''t using his Celestial Power for anything else in his build, it was too good to pass up.


    Raine trotted to the indicated yard and as soon as he stepped onto the hard-packed, cleared area, ten bare chested men came hustling out of a nearby barracks. Four of them joined his side of the arena, the other six stood opposite.


    [Soldier Trainee: Level 30 (HP ?????/?????)]


    [Support your teammates to win the battle. Time limit: 10 minutes]


    Raine sighed, glad the test was exactly as it was in the past. He''d trained many guild hopefuls on the basic class tests, so in theory, should have known exactly what he was in for. Since it was entirely possible he was the first person taking the cleric test, he had been a little on edge. After confirming there wouldn¡¯t be any surprises, he opened the general skill shop and purchased Mend.


    [Mend: (Novice) Launches a ranged heal with staves, wands, or bare hands. Upon impact, restores health equal to current CP. Additional health restored over 60 seconds (Cost: 25 CP) (Cooldown: 60 seconds)]


    Before he could read the description, the men on both sides launched at each other. Heavy thuds filled the air as bare fists crashed into muscled bodies. Knowing there was only one way to fail this test, Raine wasn¡¯t at all concerned that his side was outnumbered.


    Instead of sitting back and waiting, he rushed to join the fun. In a flash of light, a two-handed mace with a heavy, spiked head appeared in his hands.


    [Immaculate Damascus 2-H Mace: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +78) (Attack Speed -.25) (Defense +22) (PTC +14) (PHY +16) (CNC +15) (Durability 200/200)]


    Raine shuffle-stepped, appearing at the first enemy soldier¡¯s side. His mace was mid flight, and the level thirty he was aiming for huffed uncaringly with a wide grin. Each ten levels was a large step-change in the power and defense of creatures, and Vaaterrans were no exception. Raine¡¯s weapon hurtled toward an opponent double his level who he wouldn¡¯t even consider being able to hurt under normal circumstances. The soldiers certainly felt that was the case, especially since Raine was currently just another cleric-hopeful.


    His mace crashed into the air which rang like a struck bell. Rupture released two rippling waves that washed over three of the six enemy soldiers. Their cheeks distorted from the force. [Critical hit! -4,370] [-2,169] [Critical hit! -4,295] The next round of punches they received caused them to grunt in pain. Furious, bloodshot eyes swiveled in Raine¡¯s direction. He was already running.


    Damn, didn¡¯t think I''d hit that hard! This armor is amazing.


    The following seconds were a wild mess. Raine sidestepped repeatedly, burning through Discipline with every twitch and using the friendly soldiers as meat shields to stay out of reach. If not for his freshly boosted attributes, and the fact they were unarmed, he would have been caught instantly.


    Eventually, the soldiers piled on enough damage to take aggro back and his heart pounded with relief that the Vaaterrans weren¡¯t truly intelligent yet or they definitely wouldn¡¯t have let him get away.


    He snapped off a quick Mend toward a soldier off to the side who''d been tanking two enemies the entire time. [+153] with a wicked smirk, Raine lined up another Rupture.


    The fight lasted under three minutes, without any of Raine''s allies falling below fifty percent health. The last soldier collapsed in a bruised heap and Raine¡¯s allies roared in their victory. If the first class change quests granted Superiority and Attunement, Raine would have been cheering right along with them.


    [Congratulations!]


    [You are now a Cleric! As far as permanent choices go, this was probably a bad one. Hide behind the backs of your unwitting allies and do whatever it takes to keep them alive, or you''ll be next]


    [Class specific skill store (Cleric) unlocked!]


    [Skill upgrades unlocked!]


    [Level up bonuses increased: (+9 free attribute points) (ACU +3) (CNC +8)]


    [Retroactive Attribute Bonuses]


    [Acuity: +3]


    [Connection: +8]


    As the attribute rewards for his class settled into his body, Raine¡¯s peripheral vision expanded slightly. More noticeably, the air and ground directly around him came more under his control. Thanks to his new armor, Lunging from midair already required less focus and precision. Now, it was all the easier. The same would apply to any martial techniques he implemented that functioned by bending ZionLine¡¯s reality. While repeatedly flexing the world around him to adjust to the changes, he accessed the attributes column in his status sheet.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ATTRIBUTES: (Indicates values including equipment)


    DISTRIBUTABLE: 15


    POTENCY: 30 (55)


    FINESSE: 30 (55)


    ACUITY: 41 > 44 (69)


    PHYSIQUE: 30 (55)


    CONNECTION: 39 > 47 (72)


    One more class quest to go. I have no idea what the Armsman attribute distribution looks like. After I find out, I¡¯ll assign those free points. Hopefully, I¡¯ll have enough to get more than two above the threshold.


    When baseline attributes¡ªtotal values minus equipment¡ªreached certain milestones, they received a fundamental boost in efficiency and power. Fifty was the first such threshold, and Raine was nearly there. He shuddered, remembering the past, when he crossed the threshold with only a single attribute at a time. He''d practically turned into a teenager after a growth spurt, but with super powers. To distract himself from the horrific memory, he accessed his new skill store.


    [Healing Burst: (Novice) Lay hands upon a target to restore health equal to 200% maximum CP. Additional 200% CP health restored over 120 seconds - stacks 3 times - each stack refreshes timer (Cost: 30 CP) (Cooldown: 60 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Mend) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    So much better than Mend. The combination class variants only restore half as much.


    [Healing Ray: (Novice) Channel through mace, wand, or hands toward a target within 10 meters to restore health equal to maximum CP every 10 seconds. User cannot move (Cost: 5 CP per tick) (Cooldown: 60 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Mend) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    [Minor Restoration: (Novice) Launches a ranged heal with staff, wand, or bare hands. Upon impact, restores health equal to 150% CP. Additional 150% CP health restored over 60 seconds (Cost: 35 CP) (Cooldown: 60 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Mend) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    [Celestial Touch: (Novice) Lay hands upon the physical remains of a target to restore their life at 5% health and 0% other resources. Death penalties reduced by 90% (Cost: 100 CP) (Cooldown: 300 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Aid) (Price: 2000% AT)]


    [Purify: (Novice) Cleanses a toxin, venom, poison, and paralysis effect on touch (Cost: 30 CP) (Cooldown: 20 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Detoxify) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    [Guardians Embrace: (Novice) Buff an ally within 10 meters for 5 minutes. Increases Defense by 50 + 10% maximum CP (Cost: 40 CP) (Cooldown: 5 minutes) (Price: 1500% AT)]


    [Guardians Comfort: (Novice) Buff an ally within 10 meters for 5 minutes. Increases Defense by 50 + 10% maximum CP (Cost: 40 CP) (Cooldown: 5 minutes) (Price: 1500% AT)]


    [Guardians Armament: (Novice) Buff an ally within 10 meters for 5 minutes. Increases Damage by 50 + 10% maximum CP (Cost: 40 CP) (Cooldown: 5 minutes) (Price: 1500% AT)]


    [Life Drain: (Novice) Lay arms or hands upon a target to absorb health equal to 200% CP (Cost: 15 CP) (Cooldown: 6 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Blast) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    [Ray of Judgement: (Novice) Launches a ranged attack against a target within sight using mace, wand, or bare hands dealing 200% damage (Cost: 5 CP) (Cooldown: 3 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Blast) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    [Sense Death: (Novice) Detect the direction of undead or those who have recently killed in a 50 meter radius for 10 minutes (Cost: 50 CP) (Cooldown: 15 minutes) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Far Sight) (Price: 1000% AT)]


    If Raine were being honest, he wanted all the available skills. Of course, that wasn''t possible since he didn''t have any extra general skill points. On the other hand, the exact wording of unlocking the cleric skill shop made him wonder if he wouldn''t lose access to it after using his class change token. That thought opened a whole new world of possibilities and he sent a quick prayer to Morty¡¯s Great Computationals that it would be so.


    Going through the list by section, he first chose a general healing skill. Healing Ray was a trap, as standing still to channel was incredibly dangerous. Sure, it was cheap and strong, but in almost every battle that mattered, it couldn''t be used. Minor Restoration was the most balanced of the three, giving range and flexibility, though at a higher cost. Raine chose Healing Burst. Most of his healing would be aimed at himself, so there was no reason to take something more expensive that healed for less, just to gain some range he didn¡¯t need.


    Guardians Embrace was next. One of his biggest weaknesses when fighting above his level was not being able to take a hit. Anything that potentially solved that dilemma would be a huge boon. It was slightly more AT since it didn''t consume a general skill, but still an obvious choice. He passed on Guardians Armament as his damage was already ridiculous and the additional draw on his Celestial Power would leave him unable to heal as much as he might need.


    The third skill was the toughest choice. He waffled back and forth between Life Drain and Ray of Judgement. If he retained access to the cleric shop, then it didn''t matter as he would eventually get both but that was only a vague hope. The massive range of ray was great, and so was its damage, but his expertise was melee. Drain¡¯s healing, plus the short cooldown, made it just as appealing.


    What finally sealed the decision was how ray worked. It wasn¡¯t a point and click, but a beam of light that came from the air above the target. Any decently competent opponent would see it coming and dodge, which meant the skill was often relegated to forcing an enemy into a disadvantage position rather than actually dealing damage.


    After buying Life Drain, he opened the skill upgrade shop and examined the grade enhancements he¡¯d been dying to have.


    [Leap: Novice > Beginner (Cost 250% AT)]


    [Lunge: Novice > Beginner (Cost 250% AT)]


    [Parry: Novice > Beginner (Cost 300% AT)]


    While it might seem like upgrading general skills was a waste because they would almost all eventually be consumed to buy class skills, that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Once re-purchased, they retained their previous grade, and some skills like Lunge never went out of style. There was no need to hesitate. Raine bought all three.


    [Leap: (Novice > Beginner) Increase jumping power after a short charge (Cost: variable up to 10 > 12 discipline)]


    [Lunge: (Novice > Beginner) Ignoring momentum and inertia, accelerate to maximum speed in a chosen direction (Cost: 5 > 4.5 discipline)]


    [Parry: (Novice > Beginner) Nullify the damage and redirect the force of a physical attack (Cost: 5 discipline) (Cooldown: 10 > 8 seconds)]


    Increasing their grades again, from beginner to adept, required he use the skills two hundred times each. Additionally, their costs had multiplied by the law of five so he could no longer afford to upgrade them again anyways.


    He glanced over the upgrade costs for his new cleric skills and each was a thousand Attunement to raise to beginner. There were too many unknowns with Armsman to sink so many resources into them so he closed the upgrade menu. Pleased with his choices, and setting aside any potential FOMO in advance, Raine pulled out one of his most priceless possessions and crushed it in his palm.


    [Class Change Token: Activate to discard current class allowing for a new class advancement test to be undertaken]


    He waited a moment for any system messages, but none appeared.


    Is it so rare to discard a class that there was no need to create a notification? Lazy.


    He checked his status, and sure enough his class displayed as none. Surprisingly, he still had access to both the cleric skills shop and the upgrade shop.


    Pumping a fist for the huge win, he walked around the corner of the building to confront the scam of a trainer. The man shot him a knowing smile, nodding affectionately, ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. That¡¯s a tough challenge and often failed. How about a tip? It''ll only cost you a gold. Good deal, eh?¡± He popped his tabard, nose in the air, ¡°I''m known among my colleagues as being quite generous.¡± He flashed his brows again.


    Raine simply blinked at him, annoyed, ¡°What would be the point of paying for a tip if I can¡¯t even take the test again for twenty-four hours? Let me guess, that little detail was going to slip your mind until you got a coin off me? Just give me the choices again.¡±


    Taken aback, the trainer huffed, ¡°Well, I never. Fine, but don¡¯t come crying to me when you fail miserably at the next class, too! And I¡¯ll be charging the standard rate of five gold per tip for you in the future!¡± He flapped his fingers and the selection appeared again. Raine frowned when he noticed Cleric was available to retake.


    Guess it only starts the day timer for failures. They really were lazy with this feature.


    Shaking his head, Raine selected Armsman. The man¡¯s head jerked back and his eyes grew five sizes larger, nearly falling from his skull, ¡°Wha-how-who-why-but. I-I¡¯ve never seen something like this. Well, well, well, it appears we¡¯re in for quite the treat!¡± With a skip in his step, he brushed past Raine, ¡°Come along then, sailor. You¡¯re going to be front and center!¡±


    He led Raine to the main training yard. The sergeants had already cleared out the soldiers and they surrounded the dirt field, standing shoulder to shoulder. Two of them moved aside, allowing Raine to enter. The trainer filled the gap behind him, effectively blocking him inside.


    A series of rumbling booms announced dark clouds that quickly gathered above the academy. They churned and roiled, spitting flashes of light back and forth. The sun was blotted out, casting a pall across the field. In the next instant, three bolts of lightning combined and slammed into the opposite end of the arena. Raine wasn¡¯t alone in covering his eyes. He blinked away his blindness, revealing a daunting figure.


    [Ancient Armsman (Noble): Level 20 (HP ???/???)]


    [Defeat your foe. Time limit: 10 minutes]


    The skeleton was much larger than those from the mystic realm. Its armor wasn¡¯t patchworked either, completely encasing its four-meter-tall frame in layers of protection topped with barbed spikes. It held a wickedly sharp great-axe in one hand. The weapon caught and absorbed the light in the air, polluting it to radiate pulses of malevolent energy. The other hand held a greatsword that oozed corrosive blood. Each drop that hit the dirt sizzled, releasing streamers of sickly orange smoke.


    Raine took a step back on instinct. Noble monsters were an entire class above elites, sporting boosted attributes and combat standards. If an elite usually required five people to take down, a noble needed fifteen to twenty and were rarely found outside special instances and raids. Running into one alone was a death sentence. With only three question marks beside its name, he knew its health resided in the hundreds of thousands.


    Nothing he''d fought before came close to matching the threat of this monster. The onlooking sergeants and liveried instructor felt the danger as well. They raised their hands, erecting a magical barrier that boxed in the arena. The massive monster¡¯s sockets glowed fiercely and it smashed its weapons together with ear-twitching Potency, jaw clacking with wild anticipation of the slaughter to come.

 Chapter 55 - LUST FOR BLOOD

    The noble armsman spread its bony arms to the sides and roared a challenge at Raine. There was no sound, of course. Nonetheless, a powerful, nauseating wave of mysterious energy slammed into him, pushing so hard he slid back three paces through the dirt. His will to fight waned, sapped dry by the very feature which made noble monsters so deadly: Killing intent.


    [Negative affliction received (Enfeared): All attributes reduced by 20% (Duration 15.73 seconds)]


    All monsters above the noble threshold had killing intent in one form or another, and even a few lucky players had managed to physically manifest it. Though for them, it had another name, a name that Raine''s tongue had used as a curse too many times to count: Mental abilities.


    Only the truly blessed, talented martials managed to achieve the genesis of their mental abilities. And only those few were permitted by the heavens to continue down the martial path. For everyone else, the path ended, for without a mental ability, progress past a certain point was impossible.


    The passage of time swelled as Raine stiffened, artificial dread washing through him. This was far from his first encounter with the enigmatic force, but this time, something was different. The noble''s killing intent seeped deep into his consciousness as though searching for something. It invaded his mind, traversing the thetadrive¡¯s link between ZionLine and reality. His brain, revitalized by the ReGen in ways he didn¡¯t yet understand, resonated with the terrifying mental assault.


    Inside empty sockets, glowing crimson orbs flared, commanding Raine¡¯s unconditional surrender. The resonation pulsed again, stronger. A stirring swept through his muddled thoughts but was beaten down beneath the noble¡¯s overwhelming desire for his blood, for carnage. It lifted a foot, its towering frame inching toward him with the promise of death. The motion was slow, each second a bloated eternity that the two were forced to crawl through.


    Raine grasped for that resonance, his whole being screaming with need. He had no way to know if what he was feeling was truly the genesis he had strove for with all his being for thirty long years, but it felt good, it felt right. The sweet call of salvation was right at his fingertips, buried deep in his brain, just out of reach.


    The skeleton leaned toward him, blasting from the ground so slowly it hovered in midair, creeping through space. Its already large body swelled in Raine¡¯s vision. This was a creature of slaughter and death. It needed blood as surely as it had been wrought in blood.


    Am I any different? No¡­ I have swam through oceans of death.


    He saw them all in a flash; endless faces of players and Vatterrans rife with suffering as he dealt the final blow. Millions of beasts, their ends ruthlessly delivered by his fists. As ancient as it may be, the deaths laying at the noble''s feet were a speck compared to the mountains of corpses belonging to Raine. On all of Earth, there was not one who had delivered more death with their own two hands.


    That''s right. I am Alaric¡­ The King of Death.


    A sound like glass shattering filled his ears, both in the makeshift arena, and in his room at home. The resonance pulsed again, a thousand times stronger than before. It coalesced deep in his consciousness, taking the form of a tiger. Roused from its slumber, it bared fangs coated in the blood of countless felled enemies. The tiger inside him stood, thick muscles quivering with need. It growled deep in its throat, the sound a rumble that transformed the resonance into something of Raine¡¯s own making: Rage for any who would dare suppress him, mingled with an inextinguishable desire for worthy combat.


    Raine rode the wave of emotion as it barreled through his chest, up his throat, and was released in a deafening roar. The pall of killing intent holding down his limbs was thrown back by a wave of crimson energy that burst free from his entire body. It smashed into the noble, knocking it from the air and throwing it back four paces.


    Raine recognized the physical form his killing intent had taken. There were many kinds, yet his was the same as his foe¡¯s: Bloodlust.


    [Negative affliction resisted: Enfeared]


    [Negative affliction applied (Enfeared): All enemy attributes reduced by 20% (Duration 9.55 seconds)]


    As its bony toes slid through the hard ground, light enveloped Raine¡¯s clenched hands, and weapons that felt incomparably familiar settled over his fists.


    [Damascus Spiked Knuckles: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +56) (Attack Speed +1.5) (PTC +18) (ACU +12) (PHY +15) (Durability 140/140)]


    Swept away in the moment, Raine smashed his armored fists together, bared his teeth, and charged. His initial burst of bloodlust faded and the noble recovered from its affliction. Now, their killing intent clashed in the air directly between them. The two fields of energy struggled mightily, neither gaining ground as the two met in the center of the arena. Sword and axe fell in blurring succession, each strike guided by the unerring precision of a martial master.


    Raine wasn¡¯t given any room to dodge. His sidestep was flawlessly matched by a similar movement and the attack that should have missed fell directly toward his neck. Powered by attributes greater than his own, the slash was beyond quick. Still, Raine¡¯s spiked knuckles, with their innate 1.5 Attack Speed were faster. Relying on decades of experience, he deftly struck the armsman¡¯s greataxe on the flat of its blade, nudging it to the side enough that it missed his shoulder by a hair before crashing into the ground with tremendous force.


    The greatsword was right behind it, followed again by the axe in a rapid flurry of masterfully executed blows. Raine¡¯s fists met each one. Despite only facing a fraction of the noble¡¯s Potency with each deflection, his feet were slammed into the ground from the oppressive force and his health rapidly drained. [-18] [-15] [-21]


    [Damascus Spiked Knuckles: Durability [-1] [-1] [-1]


    Raine¡¯s body came to life a little more with each blow. His desire for the fight swept him away in a frenzy of punches, feints, and narrow evasions. At first, only a few of Raine¡¯s attacks made it through the noble¡¯s formidable martial dodges, then more and more as he grew accustomed to fighting while maintaining the strange new energy that buzzed inside his skull. As he stumbled for control, his recently increased Connection saved him time and again. By focusing on the air around him, Raine forced tiny bits of it to firm, allowing him to subtly press against it. Using the pockets of solidity prevented his limbs from overextending under the force of the noble''s blow. Additionally, they allowed him to redirect his limbs in unexpected directions, circling around its guard and cutting off its martial evasions. [-291] [-293] [Critical hit! -587]


    Ten seconds of frantic combat passed and a dark wave swept over the massive monster. A number that should have been demoralizing beyond belief appeared above its head. [+6k] All Raine felt was a spine-tingling desire to conquer the worthy foe before him.


    Heavy blows repeatedly filled the air with obscuring dust. Raine shuffle-stepped backward, the motion smoother than ever. The noble again matched his technique, giving chase without ceasing its powerful swings. Knowing he couldn¡¯t continue like this and have a chance of winning, Guardians Embrace drained a third of his Celestial Power. Rocks pulled themselves free from the ground. They clung to his body, weightless. A shimmer of golden energy swept across them and they absorbed into his armor and skin, reinforcing his Defense by 64.


    The deflections no longer hurt. Gaining confidence, Raine launched a point-blank Rupture with his next swing. [Critical hit! -4,186] Its lowered defense allowed his follow-up punches to hit a little harder. [-350] [Critical hit! -699] When the next ten seconds ticked by, it healed again. Though this time, not to full.


    Raine didn¡¯t know if his damage would be enough to kill the noble in time. His brain was too occupied groping with bloodlust while deflecting several attacks per second to do the math. He didn¡¯t dare waste Discipline by weaving in Strike once per second. He had a little more than enough of the resource to use Rupture twelve more times. The extra was needed for emergency evasions. The durability of his gloves wouldn¡¯t last the whole ten minutes anyways and swapping was out of the question. He wasn''t at all confident in matching the monster¡¯s expertise while using any weapons other than his fists and growth weapons; a three in nine gamble wasn''t a risk he was willing to take.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Raine didn''t have to worry about any of those pesky little details. Eventually, repeated experience allowed the mind to form new instincts, and for Raine, that meant knowing what needed to be done without actual considerations. This allowed all of his intellect to be absorbed by the bloodlust bubbling up from his core, and the next punch, and diverting the wickedly sharp blades crashing down around him.


    Suddenly, the noble¡¯s empty sockets pulsed and it disappeared. Raine could feel its killing intent looming behind him. The hair across his skin stiffened painfully and he spun with a burst of Discipline but he may as well have been standing still. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the tip of its blood-drenched sword flash with light.


    Parry spun him around so fast the world blurred. Thanks to his higher attributes, his arm didn¡¯t dislocate despite being painfully wrenched. The noble¡¯s force, redirected by Parry, pulled it in a random direction. Instead of flying away like every other creature, it slammed a foot into the ground with a martial technique, completely negating its momentum.


    It turned back to tower over him; menacing, quick, and equally skilled. Raine couldn¡¯t have been happier. Quick as lightning, he jumped backward into the obscuring dust while consuming a Stremph Berry and a potion.


    [Stremph Berry: (Common Gray) +5 Potency and Discipline for 15 minutes. Effect fades automatically after combat ends (Cooldown: 30 minutes)]


    [Minor Discipline Recovery Potion: (Common Grey) Restores 20% Discipline over 60 seconds (15 minute shared potion cooldown)]


    It kicked off the ground, reaching him in an instant and their furious exchanges began anew. Raine jumped to undestroyed soil before Rupture was released again. Its health fell to 90% and its jaw snapped shut with a loud click. In two blazing fast motions, it raised its axe high and its sword low, dragging one through the air, and the other across the ground. Both weapons glowed, prepared to release a Guillotine Slash and Great Divide respectively.


    With Parry still on cooldown, Raine had no choice but to activate Returners Privilege. He vanished, then burst from the still-settling dust behind the ancient armsman.


    [Locket of Rendition: (Lustrous Blue) This beautiful necklace contains a glimpse of what could have been, and what could be again (Durability 75/75) (Innate skill - Returners Privilege: Teleports the wearer to any location visited in the last 5 minutes) (Cooldown: 1 hour)]


    He pushed against the air with all his might, rushing forward to pummel the noble¡¯s left leg four times. He wove in a Life Drain and Strike on the last two hits. [-342] [Critical hit! -697] [Critical hit!] [-1,284] [-437]


    Raine''s health was instantly topped off. [+1,284] Far more importantly, the combined strikes all hitting the same bone with pinpoint accuracy threw the huge skeleton''s leg sideways. It teetered off balance as its two skills activated.


    A dark cut formed in the air, and twin tornadoes sucked at Raine''s armor despite him being on the other side of the noble. From below, the ground was sundered and blazing filaments of raw elemental power tore upwards. Raine jumped, turned sideways in the air, and Lunged at the back of its head. A punch containing all his Potency and martial technique blasted into the back of its oversized skull which was sucked into the dark slash in the air. Its bony body convulsed as Guillotine Slash struck three times in an instant. [-24k] [-24k] [-24k] Additionally, it caught the tail end of its Great Divide, receiving another devastating hit. [-80k]


    Pinpricks of jubilation and astonishment from the huge number tickled Raine¡¯s chest, but were instantly snuffed out by his roaring bloodlust. He dove atop his fallen foe, taking full advantage by pummeling it relentlessly until it regained its footing. Its health ticked up by another six thousand and Raine knew their fight was far from over.


    The boss definitely wouldn¡¯t repeat the same mistake, and Raine¡¯s Discipline wouldn¡¯t last forever. Once the resource was dry, he would have no way to outpace its ludicrous regeneration. The only pinpoint of hope was its health finally dropped low enough to only show two question marks beside its name, meaning it was now below one hundred thousand.


    Deciding to take a risk, he let the next regular swing of its axe glance directly off his shoulder pad. Between his armor¡¯s excellent Defense, and Guardians Embrace, his health fell by a mere twenty percent. A maniacal grin pulled his cheeks taut and his bloodlust pulsed, momentarily overpowering the noble and causing it to flinch.


    He dashed into the opening, his fists crunching into its knee repeatedly as three more swings fell on his back. He twisted his torso for each one, forcing them to slide off rather than fully impact¡ªwhich would have slammed him into the ground from its significant advantage in force.


    Raine¡¯s health flashed red and the next two punches contained a Rupture and Life Drain that snapped him back to full. Over the next ten seconds, he allowed four attacks to land on his back and shoulders. His health plummeted, but a tick of Greater Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration brought him high enough to take one more hit. He shouldered the hefty blow, then another Life Drain restored him to peak health. [+1,265]


    During those same ten seconds, he landed an additional fifteen punches by focusing more on offense than defense. The difference was significant, and after another rotation, the noble was staggered again. As soon as it teetered, the tip of its sword glowed, the weapon accelerating beyond what Raine¡¯s Acuity¡¯s could track. He didn¡¯t fall for the unconvincing feint and another Parry drained five more of his dwindling Discipline.


    This time, when the noble slammed its foot, Raine was ready. He tore into its stabilizing ankle with everything he had and the joint buckled, sending it crashing to the ground. By the time it got back to its feet, another huge chunk of its health was gone for good. They exchanged several rounds of blows, each filling Raine with more confidence.


    As expected, he didn''t manage to push it into its next Great Divide. Two Lunges brought him outside the range of the relatively slow AOE attack. A third Lunge sent him hurtling toward its head just as it raised its axe high, the weapon glowing a sickly gray. Face to face, Raine wore a smug grin as he unleashed a Parry that halted the descent of its weapon, cancelling the Guillotine Slash before it could create another inescapable vortex.


    Staggered backward by the redirected force, its guard was open. Raine arrived at its side and his next punch reduced its health to a single question mark. Knowing he was close, he burned the last of his Celestial Power and Discipline, reducing its health to zero before its skills could finish their cooldowns. The noble collapsed in a heap of bones and heavy armor.


    Raine sank to his knees, his chin lifted to taste the fresh sunlight that beamed through evaporating, angry clouds. Distant applause reminded him he wasn¡¯t alone. He met the soldiers¡¯ gazes, finding burning respect looking back at him. A plethora of welcome interface messages awaited his perusal.


    [For becoming a rare pillar of strength in the Tri-glades: Celendine Dynasty Reputation +15]


    Fifteen Dynasty rep for one fight? That¡¯s¡­ so good.


    [Congratulations!]


    [You are now an Armsman! The Armsman personifies strength through the prowess of arms. This once renowned class was cast from history for fear of its versatility and might. The budding Armsman must always remain vigilant, guarding against those who would exterminate them, until they grow powerful enough to return the favor]


    [Class specific skill store (Armsman) unlocked!]


    [Level up bonuses increased: (+20 free attribute points) (PTC +3) (FIN +3) (ACU +3) (PHY +3) (CNC +3)]


    Thirty-five attributes per level?! And twenty are free¡­ That¡¯s more than a basic level fifty class and I can shape my build however I want. Amazing.


    [Retroactive Attribute Bonuses]


    [Potency: +3]


    [Finesse: +3]


    [Acuity: +3]


    [Physique: +3]


    [Connection: +3]


    The increases to his attributes registered and Raine¡¯s baseline Connection reached 52, breaking through the first threshold. The space around him flexed and shuddered uncontrollably. The ground in a one-meter-radius quivered while the air coagulated, holding him stiff. Without his other attributes to balance the effects, he was effectively stuck wading through mud. Before he could do anything about it, a blaring message swept across his HUD.


    [World System Announcement: ZionLine will experience an emergency shutdown in ten seconds for a Major Content Expansion (Expected downtime: six hours)]


    [Please conclude any combat. Those still in combat will be teleported to the nearest safe space. Thank you for your understanding]


    That can¡¯t be right. The first expansion didn¡¯t come until after I started, nearly a month after launch. It¡¯s only been a week!


    Raine didn¡¯t find an answer before he was pulled down a tunnel of light and deposited on his comfortable bed.


    - Moments ago -


    Buried beneath thousands of lines of hashgraph encrypted data, a single stream of communication shot a message across vast distances. Its contents were short, but the few exchanged words would change their lives forever, ¡°There¡¯s been a reaction.¡±


    The line of communication blossomed, an instant response reaching a dozen additional listeners, ¡°The time has come. Begin the second phase.¡±

 Chapter 56 - CLASS FOUR EXPERT

    Raine jolted up, tears forming in his eyes. He unclipped his headset with shaking fingers, unable to contain the rampant emotions demanding to break free. He panted in short, enthusiastic breaths, ¡°I did it. I have bloodlust! I¡­ I have a mental ability!¡±


    Tears truly did leak from his eyes and he didn¡¯t dare wipe them away. Each was a badge of honor earned through tens of thousands of hours of pure, unmitigated effort and struggle. ¡°I worked so hard, three decades of effort, and I still failed in the end. But not this time. I can advance. I can become a true class five martial master. And someday, a grandmaster.¡±


    What¡¯s different? How did I succeed in this life and not the last? The ReGen! I knew it did something to my brain.


    Wait¡­ Is this the real reason they diluted the dosage? Because the full concentration shortcuts the path to mental abilities?! What if they only did that for the general public and still sold the original formula to the highest bidders? That sounds exactly like something Ronexzera would do.


    If it was strong enough to trigger genesis, there might be other side effects I¡¯m not aware of yet. I should really get back to the lab and see if someone is willing to run some tests on me. Dying to know how the stuff is made and if I''m right about¡­ well, everything. I''ve been making a lot of assumptions with very little actual information.


    If there aren''t any terrible side effects, and it really can assist in unlocking mental abilities¡­ wouldn¡¯t I be able to create the most powerful guild in history by keeping the supply in house? That is, if I can discover the secrets of mental abilities without getting killed. The families guard that knowledge a thousand times more fiercely than techniques.


    Raine was pacing, vision blurry and tears drying on his cheeks as his thoughts raced. When they turned to ruminations, he stopped himself and flowed into a complex, highly-challenging set of martial Qigong. What would have had him heaving for breath and coated in sweat just a day ago was now as simple as blinking. His muscles zinged with untapped strength and flexibility so he kept pushing them. Internal force fueled his every stance and his blood quickly heated to a boil, yet he knew he could go further.


    If I can do this much, and use bloodlust¡­ does that mean?


    Falling into a state of cognizant inspiration, he sat in a lotus position, his heels tucked gently atop his knees. Starting with his feet, he targeted and activated each and every muscle one at a time. From his toes up to his pelvis, everything went as expected. When he reached the multifidus in his lower back¡ªsmall, deeply-seated muscles¡ªhis eyes shot open. He¡¯d never been able to isolate them in the past, but they responded to his call with ease.


    More excited than ever, he pushed on, quickly gaining mastery of the posterior deltoid and deep neck flexors. Eyes watering all over again, Raine placed a hand over his heart. With a burst of intent, the organ stuttered to a stop. He started it again, forcing it to beat madly, then slow till each beat was ten seconds apart. With a gasp, he released his hold and allowed it to resume its normal function.


    I¡¯m doing it. I have complete control. This is really happening¡­ All those years of effort and I¡¯m finally a class four martial.


    With another burst of intent, Raine activated every muscle in his body simultaneously. He¡¯d done the same exercise thousands of times in the past, and for the first time, he felt connected with parts of him that had always remained elusive. His ears twitched, subtle muscles in his torso and abs flared to life, and even his brain responded to his call for action.


    He flexed again, targeting just the right muscles to bolt to his feet. Had a regular person been there to see, it would have appeared as though he teleported. He stretched his fingers wide and stared at his hands in amazement.


    They were right about taking ReGen at a younger age. If I''d only gotten it a few years sooner, I wouldn¡¯t have struggled in vain for so long.


    The gap between class two and three martials¡ªbeginner and adept internal force users¡ªwas one any normal person could eventually cross with enough training. The same couldn''t be said for class four expert, which was considered the first true wall of the martial world. Only those with natural talent had a chance of progressing onto what was in truth, the first step of the world stage, where asset allocation competitions were held.


    A class four martial, with absolute control over every facet of their bodies, was a monstrous being that normal people had no chance of defeating. Any city without one at its head would quickly find its natural resources gobbled up by their neighbors. Businesses would be choked out, and the citizens forced to relocate. Afterall, land and proprietary disputes were incredibly common amongst corporations, territories, and even nations.


    In his last life, Raine could only dream about joining that cut-throat life and death arena. Lacking the raw talent to unlock his brain¡¯s full potential, and spurned by his master and peers, he had stagnated, consigned to mediocrity.


    There''s no need to tread on eggshells anymore. With my combat experience, and a mental ability, only a peak class five, or a grandmaster can stop me, and I could probably escape from the master. Those monsters have no reason to be in the current Carter City. Torune will be here soon, but that coward won''t face me until he''s certain of victory.


    A mechanical voice from the hallway interrupted his fun, ¡°Master, how long are you going to play with yourself? Don¡¯t you have somewhere to be?¡±


    ¡°What? The auction!¡±


    Raine dressed in a flash. He headed outside to the waiting taxi he¡¯d ordered in advance. The drive to Shillids was short, one of the many benefits to living at the edge of downtown. He was escorted to the elevator and stopped at the fourteenth floor. Raine was fitted and groomed by seven staff, each a peerless expert in their own way.


    On his way out, he stopped at a jewelry case conveniently located near the elevator. Not knowing what color dress Shillids sent her, Raine bought three distinctly different necklaces and matching sets of earrings. The total for five state-of-the-art armored suits and the jewelry came to a staggering twenty million. He didn¡¯t blink an eye as the credits left his account. His personal safety, and the much cheaper tokens of appreciation were well worth it.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    On the way to the hotel, Raine thought about sending Mel a warning. A malicious grin pulled at his lips and he shook his head.


    Nope, live reactions are the best.


    Mel wasn¡¯t in the expansive lobby when he arrived. Looking up through the center of the skyscraper, he scanned the square balcony on her floor, unsurprised when he didn¡¯t spot her. He knew her room number since Morty was the one who originally made the reservation. Using the code included in the welcome message, he took the elevator to the thirty-second floor.


    He spotted Mel as she was leaving her room. She wore a sleek turquoise jacket over a shimmering, golden dress. Between the clothes and her bright pink hair, she clashed so spectacularly that it was impossible to ignore her. And with her freckles on full display, Raine was prepared to beat off a dozen men before they even got to the street.


    She turned to double check the lock, then walked his direction without recognizing him. He waited patiently as she rushed to the guardrail overlooking the lobby far below. She nervously ran a hand through her hair, her eyes scanning for the man who was only meters away.


    Raine cleared his throat, the same cheshire grin plastered on his face. She glanced at him, then turned back to the lobby with an annoyed expression.


    Yup! Definitely more fun this way.


    Raine was about to call out to her when she suddenly spun toward him with wide-eyed shock.


    Her mouth opened and closed, unable to form words as he drew closer, ¡°Shillids did great. You look amazing. Not that you need an expensive dress to pull that off.¡±


    ¡°What? How? But. Ohmygosh! Is this one of those rich people stunts? Pretending to be someone else or poor to see how people treat them?¡± She walked around him, biting her lip while trailing fingers over his new suit that snuggly fit his muscular frame.


    Raine threw back his head and roared with laughter, ¡°You¡¯re so cute. Nope, that was the real me, and so is this. And I was broke as I looked when we first met. I know there¡¯s some weird things about me that don¡¯t make any sense, and I won''t ever explain all of them. That¡¯s how being around me is going to be. If you can¡¯t accept that, we should end things here.¡±


    Mel scoffed, flabbergasted all over again. [Weird things?! Don¡¯t make any sense, my tooshie! Bucket-full of impossible is more like it. Maybe¡­ he¡¯s an alien?]


    The words formed on her tongue before she could think better of it, ¡°Are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m completely serious. Just like I was about that job offer. I¡¯ll never lie to you, Mel. There will be things I don¡¯t say, but when I speak, it¡¯ll be the truth.¡±


    Thankful for the save, Mel cheerfully hooked her arm in his, snuggling close, ¡°Trying to dump me already? You¡¯re going to have to try a lot harder than that!¡± She dragged him toward the elevator, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve wanted to see inside Romaxillions since¡­ well, since you told me we were going!¡± With a huff, she blew a loose strand of hair from her eye, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! Why would a regular girl like me ever assume I¡¯d get to go there?¡±


    Raine chuckled at her antics, allowing himself to be guided at her pace for a moment. Inside the elevator, she couldn¡¯t help but sneak glances at his chiseled jaw and sharp eyes, her heart beating faster each time.


    [Ugh. He¡¯s too pretty now. This is so not fair! How did he change so much in a day? Maybe if I ask him he''ll thin-nonono. That¡¯s such a huge invasion, but I¡¯m already with him knowing I can hear his thoughts. Am I a terrible person? But he¡¯s rich, powerful, charismatic, and entirely out of my league. Can¡¯t a girl have one teeny-weenie little advantage?]


    Emotionally torn, Mel didn¡¯t realize what was happening until they were in a hovoursine gliding a meter off the ground and he was snapping something cold around her neck. She looked down and gasped upon seeing the reflection of decadent jewels nestled against her skin. It took her several stunned seconds before she realized he was also holding out a small box.


    She took it in a daze, removing the cover to find a matching set of earrings, ¡°Thank you, Raine. These are beyond beautiful. Uhm¡­ Please don''t take this the wrong way. You know I''m not the type of girl who needs gifts like this, right? I''m really not saying I don''t appreciate them!¡±


    He smiled ruefully, subtly shaking his head, ¡°And I''m not the type who spends money without reason. These aren¡¯t for show. They¡¯re a combination ARD, (Augmented Reality Device.) Once they sync with and replace your LinQ, they''ll be unhackable and untraceable, not to mention having significantly more features. LinQ''s aren''t safe. I''m not regurgitating some luddite nonsense, either. This is one of those things I can''t explain so I hope you''ll trust me. Do you know what model you have?¡±


    Taken by surprise from the rapid shift, she tilted her head in thought, then nodded, ¡°Yes, MRX2452.¡±


    ¡°Not a gen one, that¡¯s a relief. Once the earrings attune to your brain waves, your LinQ will go dormant and your body will break it down naturally. So at least you don¡¯t have to worry about getting it removed.¡±


    [I know that already. Mom always said men like explaining things. Since he''s giving me such an amazing night, I should let him have his moment.]


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s super neat. How does that work?¡± She asked innocently, blinking up at him and enjoying the deep rumble of his voice as he animatedly explained in further detail.


    - Meanwhile -


    Soulgen HQ


    A graceful figure in a pitch black, light-absorbing suit slunk down an empty hallway. Her steps were silent as an Egyptian tomb, and the suite of sensors in the hall failed to sense her presence.


    She reached a hermetically sealed doorway and placed her palm over its center. The device embedded in her thin glove bombarded the thick metal with refracting pseudo-electromagnetic waves that forced the molecular structure of the metal to temporarily and undetectably loosen. A pulse from the same device took a scan through the door. The room beyond was revealed, its dimensions populating into a holographic representation via her subretinal AR display.


    Seeing only the one expected security personnel, she placed her other palm on the door. The devices in both gloves pulsed together, this time forcing a complex mixture of gases through the metal. They quickly wafted throughout the room and she watched as the man slumped against his console.


    She withdrew another device from her belt and held it up to the LinQ scanner. With a soft beep, the door slid open and she crept inside. One wall was dedicated to a host of AR and VR displays which she deftly manipulated, bringing up recordings of events from earlier that day.


    In them, she saw a brown-haired pharmacist stealing a sealed vial of brown and green liquid from a room she shouldn''t have access to. The woman brought the vial to Dr. Krillian McLeary''s lab, where the two began furiously taking samples and notes of the vial''s contents.


    She fast forwarded the footage until a large man in an expensive suit barged into the room. She adjusted the angles of the recording to see him offloading a virus to the mainframe before he swiped the vial from the thieving doctors.


    She rewound the footage further, jumping from camera to camera within the facility, retracing his steps. Finally, she heard what she was searching for when he was in the lobby.


    ¡°Got you, Mr. KongRu.¡±

 Chapter 57 - ROMAXILLIONS

    Romaxillions was the third largest skyscraper in Carter City. Its size wasn''t necessarily a measure of its worth, as being loosely connected with an affluent, world-wide network of billionaires carried an indefinable value. Despite fierce desire for the property, its location was unlikely to change considering the city¡¯s champion was only a class four martial expert and any attempted renegotiation of the building''s ownership would garner the attention of said billionaires.


    It would take a monumental moron to make that challenge and bring down the wrath of a master, or god forbid grandmaster to the insignificant Carter City. Since Romaxillions was content to not take the first or second spot, things would peacefully remain as they were. Still, it was an undeniable fact that Romaxillions was the true sleeping giant in Carter.


    A hallmark of the building''s prestige was its front entrance on the eleventh floor. Everything below that was solid durasteel without so much as a window. If one wasn''t affluent enough to fly in, they didn''t deserve to even look at the building.


    Raine and Mel''s hovoursine waited in a long line outside, well above the ground. Mel''s excitement mounted by the minute as she adorably flipped between staring out the window and chatting about who might be in the hover cars around them.


    Eventually, it was their turn to disembark on the extended ramp. Their AI pilot positioned the car and a tremor swept through the floorboards as it was latched in place. Raine got out first, opening Mel''s door to receive a heart-melting smile. He extended his elbow and she giddily hooked her arm in his to be led inside.


    She was soaking up the attention from dozens of wealthy gazes while Raine cased the foyer and its inhabitants for threats. A lifetime of fending off assassination attempts couldn''t be put aside just because he came back to a more peaceful era.


    Each piece of furniture, decorative plant, and chandelier was of high quality. Not the highest, but certainly a step above the norm for a wealthy establishment. Those in attendance almost exclusively wore Shillards, even the wait staff. The only exceptions were out-of-territory competitors which were a rare sight.


    Raine let a staff member scan their ticket, then led Mel toward the escalator bank on the far end of the expansive room. Waiting impatiently before their destination was a red-haired girl he''d expected to see. Luckily, she didn''t recognize him after his recent full-body makeover.


    ¡°Everything is so pretty,¡± Mel sighed, transfixed by the elegance around them.


    ¡°And dangerous,¡± Raine warned, ¡°You might be the only one here who isn''t at least a class two martial. Stay close.¡±


    ¡°Don''t have to tell me twice,¡± she pulled herself tighter against him with a devious smile.


    They neared Celeste who stood alone. Those walking past gave her a wide berth, whispering secretly while sending her backward glances. Her focus was elsewhere. She weaved her head left and right to observe the entrance past those standing in the way, muttering and snarling all the while.


    She wore a silver, embroidered dress that had clearly been made for her with how snugly it fit her every curve. Her fiery hair and intense expression perfectly fit the image Raine remembered from the past: Aloof, dangerous, and vile toward any who stood against her.


    Not one person had approached her since they entered. Unsurprising with her already tarnished reputation. Raine took a single glance at her as they passed, snorting derisively.


    Stupid little girl. Using makeup to hide your freckles. I''ve never seen someone try so hard to look ugly.


    Celeste¡¯s nostril flared. [Ugly?! Who wants to di-Wait! I know that voice!]


    Mel looked around for who Raine was thinking about just as Celeste spun to face them. Her mouth opened to hurl an insult at the fat bastard, only for her jaw to drop further and further until it hit the floor. She blinked at him uncomprehendingly as he walked right past without stopping to acknowledge her in the least.


    [Was he wearing a fatsuit? He¡¯s actually fucking gorgeous! Damn, he played me and now I''m staring like a fool. I hate him so much!]


    Celeste stomped after them, reaching the duo as they arrived at the extra-wide escalator, ¡°That''s quite the trick, Mr. KongRu. I''ll let your rudeness slide this time since you decided to join me after all.¡±


    Unlike Raine, Mel looked back. The girls appraised each other, neither liking what they found. Raine''s deep voice was sharp, holding unmistakable threat, ¡°Scram. Whatever game you''re playing, I want no part in it.¡±


    With that dress, the bitch probably wants to use me to make some rich bastard jealous, or get them off her back. Maybe if she did a better job training her bodyguards, she wouldn''t need to beg like a dog.


    The pink-haired arm ornament snickered just enough for Celeste to notice before looking away. Heat crept up Celeste¡¯s neck and her jaw tightened painfully as she ground her teeth. [I wore this for you, ass! And I''ve already beat every idiot who wants me half to death. Get over yourself! Crap, I need to focus! I¡¯ve got to recover this and make him think about uncle¡¯s plans without giving my motives away.]


    Celeste¡¯s voice turned sickly sweet, ¡°Mr. KongRu, there''s no reason for that. Can''t we have a civil chat while we enjoy the breathtaking view?¡±


    The escalator trundled on, unaware of their spiff. Raine had to admit that the view was spectacular. Several floors in the center of the skyscraper had been hollowed out and replaced with a massive aquarium. The trio were lifted into and through the center, where the darkness of the bottom of the ocean enveloped them. Special lights revealed fascinating creatures that squirmed and slithered, traversing a simile of their natural habitat.


    Wrapping his arm around Mel''s waist, Raine pulled her back into his side, ¡°You can ignore her. We met earlier today when she sicked her guards on me.¡± Raine glanced back, piercing Celeste out of the corner of his eye, ¡°Don''t let her ruin the moment.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mel nodded, redirecting her gaze to the exotic fish, ¡°O-okay. I won¡¯t.¡± [He''s so sexy when he''s being forceful. I don''t have the guts to piss him off this much. I should thank her later for giving me such a show.]


    Celeste didn''t speak again, though she did step up to his other side, inching closer to him as they ascended. [Not getting rid of me that easily. Not until I get what I want.]


    Raine growled deep in his throat.


    She really is trying to pit me against some corpo brat. What a pain in my ass. I don''t want to be seen in the same room as her, let alone arriving together. As an up and coming big-shot of Ronexzera, they''ll assume we have a connection. Wait¡­ can''t I use that?


    Raine¡¯s thoughts blurred too fast for either girl to understand as his brain kicked into high gear.


    Celeste side-eyed him nervously. [What did he mean by that? Why do I have such a terrible feeling?]


    The escalator deposited them at the far edge of the fifteenth floor. Banquet tables crowded by fine foods and wine were surrounded by the most affluent in the city. The overwhelming eye candy left the casual observer grasping for where to go. Raine had checked the layout in advance and knew where the auction rooms were. Gently pulling Mel, he set off to the right. Celeste remained at his other side, looking for all the world like it was her natural place.


    His plan already in motion, Raine scanned the thick crowd, picking out several decent candidates, but nothing quite juicy enough to be worth it. Of course, every young man in attendance glared at him with open hatred. Not that most of them didn¡¯t have one or two girls hovering at their sides as well. It was the Luu Rahn scion at his side¡ªa prize each of them had failed to attract¡ªwhich churned their guts, earning Raine a host of permanent enmity that most women were unaware even existed.


    Halfway to their table, he spotted the perfect prey and redirected Mel toward the target. Celeste shifted fluidly to follow. The man in question looked all too similar to his ZionLine avatar: Tall, muscular, and blonde with a charismatic smile. Froust, also known as Dimitrey Zhilikhoz, only briefly met Raine¡¯s steady eyes before returning his attention to the four girls at his table.


    Dimitrey was by all rights the rising star of Carter City. As the sole class four martial, and at the young age of twenty-nine, few to none would question his meteoric status or authority at such a public event. Which is exactly why the entire room fell into shocked silence when Raine arrived and promptly kicked the man¡¯s table toward him.


    Raine''s aim was impeccable, sparing the girls who scattered as Dimitrey jumped back. His eyes went wide with outrage as tens of thousands of credits spilled across the floor in a shattering cascade of finery. Dimitrey¡¯s exclamation perfectly mirrored Celeste¡¯s thoughts, ¡°What the fuck?!¡±


    In the past, there hadn¡¯t been a week where Froust didn¡¯t go out of his way to make Raine¡¯s slavery in CronGate that much more miserable. For reasons he never understood, the man always had it out for him and their mutual master always took Froust¡¯s side, leaving Raine no choice but to suffer the unending indignities.


    Raine¡¯s voice was rife with long awaited satisfaction. He softly pushed Mel to the side and shouted, ¡°What moron served this weakling before me?! I''ll let it slide since you didn''t know I was coming, but this better not happen again!¡±


    The threat to Deimitrey¡¯s authority couldn¡¯t have been more clear. The man¡¯s nostrils flared as he kicked the table, sending it flying into a nearby wall, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but you just sealed your own death. Since you issued the challenge, I¡¯ll set the terms. One hundred percent of your assets, even the clothes off your back! Messing with me was the last mistake you¡¯ll ever make.¡±


    What an idiot. Fine, if you want to lose everything you own, I¡¯ll gladly accept your donations.


    Celeste was doing her best not to panic, and didn¡¯t pull it off well. [He¡¯s seriously going to fight the city champion? Fuuuuuuuuuck. What have I done? I wanted to figure out how NOT to get exiled from my family, now it¡¯s going to happen even faster! Wait¡­ even with that fatsuit, he took out Murang in one move. And he¡¯s clearly confident. What if he wins¡­ I¡¯ve already thrown in with him and I need what''s in his head. Now isn¡¯t the time to hesitate!]


    Without thinking further, Celeste scampered to Mel¡¯s side and pulled her further away from the ring of people that were moving to surround Raine and Dimitrey. Leaning in, she whispered, ¡°Do you think he can win?¡±


    Mel shook her head, stunned by the rapid series of events, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve seen him fight twice and both times it was over so fast. He¡¯s strong, stronger than anyone I¡¯ve ever seen in person. But¡­ isn¡¯t that the champion?¡± Now that they were so close and in better lighting, Mel got her first clear look at the redhead and her jaw dropped, ¡°Ohmygosh, are you Celeste Luu Rahn?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that won''t be my name for long if your boyfriend loses,¡± Celeste clicked her tongue, resigned to the fate her impulsive actions had brought her.


    Celeste continued to drag Mel in a tight embrace, the two practically hugging. Mel''s cheeks blossomed with a rosy sheen. Meanwhile, excited murmurs had broken out as bets were shouted across the room, ¡°Two on the stranger! That kind of audacity has to come from somewhere!¡±


    ¡°Five on Dimitrey. Third one this month and it won¡¯t end any differently than the others.¡±


    Raine cracked his neck and squared up, casually lifting his fists, ¡°I accept.¡±


    The rules of a martial duel were long held law, and neither combatant needed an explanation or referee. Still, the mayor was in attendance and he wasn¡¯t about to miss a chance to edge in on the excitement. He clapped his hands twice, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! We have an official duel on our hands! Let¡¯s hope it''s more exciting than the last. If our hot-headed contestants would be so kind as to delay their grudge for but a moment, I¡¯ll gladly oversee any disputes that wish to use this opportunity to settle.¡±


    Not only property and wealth could be settled by duels, minor grudges, small claims, law suits, and sometimes even major legal cases awaiting court judgements. In their martial society, the fist was the first and simplest arbiter of justice, though it was not the last; that honor was held by PsyCore¡ªthe only organization capable of putting any martial in their place.


    Raine and Dimitrey nodded, relaxing and backing off a pace. The mayor¡¯s smile broadened, ¡°Excellent. Most excellent indeed! Young challenger, you are aware that Zhilikhoz is a class four martial? Are you confident in giving us enough of a showing to be worth our wagers?¡±


    Raine nodded again, never taking his eyes off his prey, ¡°You should be asking him that.¡± The crowd roared, eating up the taunt.


    Dimitrey scowled, ¡°Big words for a dead man.¡±


    Raine popped his collar with a demeaning grin, ¡°You¡¯re not very good at this, are you? But that¡¯s no surprise with how poorly you¡¯re doing against DyingNight. Guess losing is your new standard.¡± Dimitrey quivered and he nearly lunged at Raine. Pure, unmitigated hatred sizzled in his glare as he bared his teeth.


    Raine, quick to capitalize, raised his voice, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the full five. Don¡¯t miss your chance to make a fortune.¡±


    The room gasped. Taking five percent of all winnings was rarely done in personal duels, and only by the clear victor to dissuade any foolish enough to bet against him. It was a statement that reeked of pride and arrogance, and they ate it up like hogs at a feast.


    The Mayor raised his hands high, voice even higher, ¡°You heard him! Since our challenger is entirely unknown, all wagers will be five to one. Come¡­ those of you brave enough to overturn the heavens!¡±


    And come they did; the mayor¡¯s words sank into their hearts, inspiring the gamblers and thrill-seekers that they were to risk it all.

 Chapter 58 - CHAMPION OF NOTHING

    Dimitrey paced back and forth, walking off his fury. Raine, seeing the wealthy gamblers¡¯ enthusiasm wane too early, removed his armored jacket to further display his confidence. Celeste was there in an instant and he narrowed his eyes at her. She wore a saucy grin that hid her nervousness well. She held out her hand, waiting.


    Making her choice clear to everyone before seeing what I can do? Impressive. Maybe I misjudged her.


    Her smile nearly slipped, the slightest twinge in one eye the only sign she heard his thought. [You think?! Asshole!]


    Raine, assuming the twitch was because he wouldn''t acknowledge her by handing his jacket over. He made his choice too. She accepted the expensive and heavily armored garment, then faded back through the ring of onlookers to stand next to Mel once more.


    By the time he looked back, Dimitrey''s jacket was also off and he was back to the calm state of mind Raine found him in, ¡°You caught me off guard. I won''t forget this lesson. And for giving it, I won''t kill you today. Don''t expect to ever regain the use of your legs though. I''m curious, who in DyingNight sent you?¡±


    Raine snorted, ¡°As if I¡¯d work for them. I''m new to town, and you''re just the next step on my path.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable. Do you not realize how many enemies you''ve already made? Even if you win, you won''t survive the night.¡±


    Raine''s only response was a shrug. The mayor called off the betting and raised his hands to shout the traditional speech, ¡°There are no rules on the martial stage! It''s kill or be killed. Any who would dare to intrude and open familial grudges, take your places now.¡±


    If either of them had a master present, this would be their chance to step to the edge of the ring. Raine knew Dimitrey¡¯s master wasn¡¯t in the city yet, or he wouldn¡¯t have made such a brazen show of humiliating his pupil. When none spoke out or approached, the mayor simply nodded, ¡°Very well.¡± He threw his head back and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Let there be blood and glory!¡±


    Dimitrey exploded forward at a speed only possible by destroying the body with internal force. He arrived before Raine, whose arms weren''t even raised to defend. Not that blocking a punch from an internal force expert was ever a good idea.


    The crowd didn''t even have time to gasp at what was obviously going to be an instant loss. Carrying the force to shatter a concrete wall, Dimitrey''s knife-hand jab sliced toward Raine''s shoulder where it would easily cut the limb free.


    At the last instant, Raine activated exactly the muscles needed to contort and twist his torso to the side. The deadly attack missed his shirt by a hair. Dimitrey was mid-air, his momentum impossible to stop. Raine''s opposite right hand lashed out in a simple, inside backhand as his opponent flew by.


    Dimitrey proved his status as a nationally acclaimed fighter when he managed to get his left arm up in time to block. When knuckle and forearm connected, a crack just as loud as a gunshot tightened every scalp in the room. Dimitrey¡¯s block flew wide from the force, displaying his chest for a fraction of a second as inexorable momentum began to separate the fighters.


    Raine didn''t miss the opening. His hand was still in the same position after the block, only millimeters from its target. His fingers extended¡ªfueled by internal force. At the last microsecond, they grazed Dimitrey¡¯s chest. Another sound filled the onlookers'' ears, this one of cloth, flesh, and bone tearing. Dimitrey''s flight took a sudden turn and he shot to the side, spinning like a top before he crashed and slid across the floor. A long crimson stain followed him.


    Raine stood calmly, one hand raised with his fingers fully extended and coated in blood. Dimitrey flopped onto his back, revealing a spreading stain across his chest. He thrashed in terrible pain, the arm he''d used to block snapped in half with the bone greeting open air.


    Amidst the gasps, a few voices dared to speak, ¡°Did you see it!¡±


    ¡°No! Quickly, look at the recording!¡±


    The dam broke and the crowd buzzed with excitement as Dimitry''s life drained onto the floor, polluting the air with a coppery tang. As with most fights between internal force experts, theirs was decided with the first blow. While they were at the level they could drastically increase their offensive power, creating a body capable of receiving that level of destructive force was an entirely different matter.


    Raine approached Dimitry and stood near enough they could look each other in the eyes. He felt a tinge of disappointment. The world''s current idea of what a class four martial should be capable of was a joke. Soon, ZionLine would reshape those standards into something else entirely.


    ¡°Who?¡± Dimitrey gurgled, coughing blood.


    ¡°Raine KongRu. You fought bravely. Die or live as you please.¡±


    Dimitrey tried three times to swallow before managing it, ¡°Live!¡± He gasped. A group of medics to the side rushed forward, ripping open his shredded shirt to reveal the four tracks where Raine''s fingers had cut deep enough to shatter ribs and rake out parts of his lung.


    Another round of excited gasps were heard, but they were a distant sound to Raine as he scanned for additional threats. It was always the quiet after the storm when the most deadly assassins struck. His gaze circled the whole room, finding nothing nefarious. Compared to the other faces, Mel and Celeste wore completely unique expressions.


    Mel beheld him with equal parts awe and desire, wearing her heart on her sleeve as always. Celeste bit her lip, muscles so tense she was unable to take a breath. The mayor disrupted Raine¡¯s view, clapping excitedly, ¡°What a show! A real upset to be sure! A round of applause to the new champion of our great Carter City!¡±


    The man held little real power and they both knew it. Raine balked at his audacity, pointing to Dimitrey, ¡°Your champion is there. I don''t work for free.¡±


    The portly man was already sweating when he gingerly reached high to pat Raine''s shoulder, ¡°Oh, ho-ho. Of course not, of course not. How about we go somewhere private and discuss the many ways we can benefit one another.¡± The sharp glare Raine gave him caused an audible gulp, ¡°later, obviously. We''re here for an auction!¡±


    ¡°Bring my winnings to my booth,¡± Raine walked away without waiting for confirmation. The message he would be using the amount earned to judge the mayor¡¯s worth was clear.


    The man nodded enthusiastically, ¡°As you wish, Expert KongRu. And please, take my premier booth if it pleases you!¡±


    Snickers resounded from the crowd as they enjoyed the dance between politician and champion, a tale as old as the modern era.


    ¡°This new champion is audacious. I love it!¡±


    Another agreed, ¡°The temperment of a victor. My loss today was worth seeing two experts display their mettle.¡±


    ¡°Is KongRu even younger than Zhilikhoz? Perhaps Carter has a brighter future than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Imagine if we could actually start taking back the farmlands? Nationals are right around the corner!¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    They have no idea. Their tiny little pond is about to become the center of an ocean.


    Raine reached Mel and Celeste while the peanut gallery continued their unending speculations. Mel launched herself at him, gripping his unbloodied arm in an unyielding grasp, ¡°Are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡±


    Raine lifted the arm until it popped free from her grasp, then mussed her hair affectionately, ¡°No. I''m completely fine.¡±


    Celeste stared into his eyes as she grabbed his other hand and wiped the blood from his fingers with a cloth she must have procured in advance. The differences between their knowledge of how martials were usually treated in high society couldn''t have been more obvious.


    Raine enjoyed both reactions, appreciating Mel''s honest innocence, and Celeste''s regal propriety. His breath caught when he noticed she had fixed her makeup, revealing the abundant freckles that should never have been denied the light of day in the first place. He coughed gently, ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    They kept pace as he headed for the mayor¡¯s booth. There was no reason to turn down his attempts to curry favor. It would set the precedent with the rest of those present¡ªwinners and losers alike¡ªthat he could be negotiated with.


    That stance would work in his favor as events unfolded. Between Frontier¡¯s launch of WIDOW, ReGen, Aspect of the Werewolf, and the guild headquarters that he would soon be constructing, Carter City wasn''t long for remaining in obscurity. With such up and coming distinction, assassins and martial masters would descend on the city en masse, competing over the valuable soil. Raine didn¡¯t have long to continue growing unmolested.


    Inside the expansive, decked out booth, Mel let loose a huge sigh, shoulders and back slumping dramatically, ¡°That was insane! You could have warned me, you know? I thought my heart was going to explode!¡±


    Raine shrugged, picking up a slice of roasted duck, ¡°It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. By the way, which of those little boys were you trying to scare off?¡± He pointed the hunk of meat toward Celeste before shoving the entire thing in his mouth.


    Knowing the use of internal force drastically increased caloric and protein needs, she didn''t bat an eye at his table manners, ¡°None. They knew I was off limits even before your¡­ display.¡±


    Raine narrowed an eye, widening the other, still happily chewing on the tender meat.


    Yeah, right.


    ¡°I''m telling the truth. There aren''t any boys my age that can take me, so they don''t get me. Zhilikhoz wasn''t interested, but wouldn''t let the older generation have me, either. Not that I minded. With the family business and school, I hardly had time. Besides, remaining publicly single can only help when the day comes to net a real fish.¡±


    Raine chewed faster, eager to swallow and change the subject.


    Nobody asked for your life story.


    Mel hurriedly threw back a drink, hiding her face. Celeste¡¯s lips sealed, turning to a tight scowl. Raine was thankful she realized she was babbling on her own. He made sure to be more specific with his next question, ¡°Why did you latch onto me, then? I made it clear I didn''t want anything to do with you back at Soulgen. It''s nothing personal. It''s your family I have a grudge with.¡±


    Celeste avoided his question like a seasoned politician, ¡°What did my family do to offend you? I asked father, he''s never heard of the KongRu''s.¡±


    She waited patiently for him to finish chewing his next bite. He responded, half the slab of meat clasped between his fingers and dancing in her direction, ¡°You''re coming after my company using your typical dog licking tactics and you want to know why I have a grudge?¡±


    She expressed an ¡®Ah ha,¡¯ with an animated face, ¡°So it was your organization that bought all those shares! I knew it! But what does your family want with a small-time pharma?¡±


    ¡°As you''re a Luu Rahn, I''m obliged to remind you to fuck off,¡± Raine wasn''t about to correct her misunderstanding. It was better for him to appear to have connections. If everyone in the city knew he could be crushed like a bug simply by hiring a master for a day, he would be in big trouble.


    The hurt on her face surprised him. She''d so easily rebuffed his ¡®admonishments¡¯ before, but clearly hadn''t expected his harshness this time.


    Doesn''t look like she''s bluffing. She must not know. If she did, she probably would have fought harder to keep her uncle from usurping her ownership percentage.


    [Chance!] Elated, Celeste managed to keep her trembling lip and puppy dog eyes on display, ¡°Sorry. I¡­You''re right. We''re competitors. But maybe we don''t have to be. I could introduce you to my uncle. Maybe we can work together?¡±


    Pretty little liar. You''re a hundred years too early to be trying to pull a fast one on me.


    Mel coughed from the side, spitting a cherry into a napkin with a guilty face. She was staring at Celeste, whose cheeks were flaring with fresh color. Both girls locked eyes, and Raine could practically feel the conversation they were having with that drawn out look.


    What the hell? Are they into each other?


    Suddenly, both their eyes widened. Mel choked again, and Celeste grabbed the nearest drink, slamming it back and turning away from them both.


    ¡°Alright. What the hell¡¯s wrong with you two?¡±


    ¡°Nothing major,¡± Celeste tried to play it off, ¡°I just realized we went to primary together and she''s the girl who shit herself in front of the whole school. Last I saw her, she was running to the bathroom holding her cheeks together.¡±


    Mel''s jaw dropped, ¡°You-you.¡±


    Celeste waved away her outrage, ¡°Don''t worry. Mr. KongRu¡¯s not the type to care about something from that long ago. Unless¡­ you don''t still have that problem, do you?¡±


    ¡°I never had that problem, you lying cow!¡±


    ¡°That''s enough,¡± Raine extended his hand between them, his voice sharp enough to chisel stone, ¡°Celeste, if you''re going to fight with Mel, I''ll really kick your ass out of here. Don''t think for a second there will be a chance for you to come back, ever.¡±


    Mel¡¯s jaw dropped at the vehemence with which Raine defended her. She would never have dared dream of being socially superior to a local celebrity like Celeste Luu Rahn. Her surprise was so thorough that the shock of learning Celeste could also read his thoughts flew right from her skull.


    Celeste¡¯s response was instant, ¡°I''m so sorry if I brought up something unpleasant. I''ll never speak of it again. Promise!¡± Celeste went as far as bowing, holding her dress together with an arm across her chest. [Damnit! I was so close to getting him to think about uncle! I can''t believe she can hear his thoughts too. No wonder she''s been burrowed into his side like a leech!]


    Reminded of what Celeste said, Mel stomped her foot, ¡°I still don''t know what you''re talking about. There¡¯s nothing to not bring up again, so your promise doesnt mean a thing.¡± [Can she really hear him too? I think she doesn''t want me to say anything? What if she comes clean first? I have to do it before she does! I can''t handle this pressure. But¡­ he''ll definitely hate me if he finds out.]


    Celeste wore a broad smile that would fool most into believing she was sincere, ¡°That''s wonderful. I''m glad we''re in agreement. I promise to be nicer to your number one, Expert KongRu.¡±


    Raine twisted his lips in a scowl, ¡°Cut the shit. You''re not fooling anyone. I admire you¡¯ve got decent foresight for latching onto the winning horse, which is the only reason you''re here. So long as I have a use for you, you can stay. Unless Mel gives the word.¡±


    I''ll ask Mel what that look was about later. The auction is starting soon. I need to link my account and upload my items.


    While Raine was busy connecting his watch with the auction interface, Celeste pinned Mel with a pleading, pitiful look. [I can''t believe my future rests upon the whims of this hussy. Just you wait, Mr. champion. You''ll slip up eventually and I''ll get the dirt I need to tie your hunky ass around my waist like a belt! As for the hussy, we need to get some things clear sooner rather than later or I¡¯ll be screwed.]


    Raine finished and turned back to the girls who had been sitting with their heads together in whispered conversation. Celeste faced him with an easy smile, one brow lifted invitingly, ¡°You said you have a use for me? I do hope it''s an exciting one.¡±


    ¡°Yah. You''re going to tell me every way your family sabotaged my company.¡±


    Celeste pursed her lips, tapping them with her most recent glass of wine, ¡°Why would I do that? You''ll just throw me away afterward.¡±


    Raine rose to his full height, approaching to tower over her, ¡°You think I''m that short-sighted? I have more uses for you than you can possibly imagine. And the creds you¡¯ve dreamt about making are a drop compared to what you can gain by being loyal to me.¡±


    Celeste opened her mouth to respond, then paused as Raine''s thoughts tumbled into her mind.


    Afterall, having the Crimson Nebula at my side will create many possibilities. But that woman was the result of incredible loss and suffering driving her to extreme action. This little girl will need training and guidance, but the potential is there. In fact, with ReGen, she may become far more than she ever was in the past. She could become a god.


    Celeste took a long drink, her eyes never leaving Raine¡¯s as her heartbeat raced out of control. Then, she gave her answer.

 Chapter 59 - THE AUCTION BEGINS

    [What did he mean I could become a god? He was so sincere¡­ Even father never talked to me like that. I¡­ What am I doing? The deal already fell through anyway. There''s no longer a need to hesitate. An organization that can hide a seer from PsyCore and drop hundreds of millions of creds like it''s nothing wants to recruit me. This is an opportunity that my family can''t match.]


    Without holding anything back, Celeste told Raine what she knew, ¡°It started a year ago when uncle learned Soulgen was close to developing a new formula that could become their flagship product.¡± Celeste paused, hoping Raine would have a juicy thought for her but his focus was so intense there wasn''t room for random thoughts.


    Softly puffing air from her nose, she continued, ¡°Father and uncle convinced the major shareholders to begin selling their shares. Once their control over the future of Soulgen weakened, uncle pressured the company responsible for security. That''s when we got our first look at the product. It was unimpressive to the point father withdrew from the project and paired me with uncle to prove I was worthy of a stake in Ronexzera.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Raine wasn''t looking at her anymore. He tapped through his AR display, double checking his items listed in the auction.


    ¡°Yes. There are four shareholders who have stubbornly held their positions. I didn''t realize it at first, but I''m now fairly certain they are working with my uncle. I¡­ don''t know what their plan is.¡±


    At least she noticed something on her own. Still, their plan is obvious. How has she not figured it out? If she''s going to be this useless, maybe I should let her go through some of that suffering before recruiting her. Well, let''s see if she''s willing to learn first.


    Mel held in a laugh, nibbling on some cheese and Celeste ground her teeth as Raine led her through what should have been obvious, ¡°Why would the remaining major shareholders hold out? Why risk their investment of capital falling into the toilet as others sold?¡±


    [Damn him! how is he managing not to sound condescending asking that? Need to focus. If I can''t figure this out, he''s going to throw me away. If it were my credits, why would I hold out?]


    ¡°Because they think there''s more to gain by staying?¡±


    Raine looked away from his display long enough to pin her with a heavy gaze, ¡°Close enough. And why would they think that if the product is underwhelming?¡±


    ¡°If I knew tha¡ª¡± Her eyes widened and she slammed an open palm on the table, making the plates jump, ¡°That filthy bastard! He tampered with the results!¡±


    Raine nodded, turning back to his display while all the pieces fell into place for Celeste. She went quiet, her lips pulled back in a snarl that revealed straight teeth. Mel side-eyed her, wishing she could read her thoughts as well. A minute passed in pregnant silence, interrupted by a soft chime marking the start of the auction.


    A transparent AR avatar of a man wearing a fine suit appeared at far half of their booth. He bowed low, one hand on the brim of his tall hat, ¡°Good day, my dear patrons. It is I¡ªMason Mnemonic¡ªthat shall oversee today''s most auspicious event.¡±


    Below the man''s image, hundreds of live chat messages flickered by, each replaced so quickly it was impossible to read them all. Mel leaned forward, squinting through the buzz of her few drinks. Mostly, the patrons were confused why the general manager of all Romaxillions was personally conducting an event most assumed would be insignificant.


    [Raine never told me what kind of auction it is. This is so exciting.]


    ¡°As many of you are aware, a new craze is sweeping the globe. ZionLine''s triple time dilation is already being put to good use, boosting productivity in specific fields. What you may not be aware of, is the in-game rentable office spaces that can be fully customized to function for nearly any intellectual endeavor. It is my personal belief that any business unable to incorporate this time dilation into their models will be reduced to a memory in a matter of years, if not months.¡±


    Mel bit her lip, staring at Raine''s broad back. [It''s just like he said when we first met! These are some of the wealthiest, most affluent people in the world and they''re hearing about it a week later?]


    The chat was going crazy. Mel wasn''t sure why they even bothered as it was impossible to read.


    ¡°Therefore, it is my great honor to announce that every auction from this day forth will contain a segment dedicated to ZionLine. Without further preamble, I present our first item,¡± with a flourish of his arm, Mason Mnemonic revealed a set of 3D armor pieces floating above a pedestal.


    [Superior Scaled Pauldrons: (Common Grey - LVL 10) (DEF +17) (PTC +3) (FIN +3) (PHY +3) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Superior Scaled Chestplate: (Common Grey - LVL 10) (DEF +21) (PTC +2) (PHY +5) (Durability 75/75)]


    [Superior Scaled Greaves: (Common Grey - LVL 10) (DEF +18) (PTC +5) (FIN +2) (ACU +2) (Durability 75/75)]


    Raine leaned back, disappointed. They went with one of mine at the start? This might be less lucrative than I thought.


    ¡°Do not be fooled by their common grade. After careful comparisons with hundreds of level ten pieces, it''s clear these three host unrivaled defensive statistics. As you were all made aware, bidding will be in-game currency only. Starting at ten gold coins at increments of 1 gold.¡±


    Rained punched in a quick command and Mason cleared his throat, ¡°The seller just informed me they would accept credits at a rate of one hundred thousand to one.¡±


    The chat exploded in a burst of complaints even as the first bids came through. Within five seconds, the set of three items had risen to fifty gold and didn¡¯t show any signs of slowing down.


    Mel swallowed hard, leaning toward Celeste to whisper, ¡°Five million credits already?!¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Celeste¡¯s angry response was loud in their booth, her eyes glued to the display. Her fingers dug into the armrests of her chair as she leaned forward. [I was there on day one and didn''t realize the value of what was right in front of my nose. So frustrating! This must be why he''s been so fixated on my Crimson Nebula character. More and more, it feels like the only thing I''ve done right recently is listening to this asshole.]


    Soon, the chat slowed as the price rose to an eye-popping three hundred gold. Mel''s brain short-circuited, unable to do the simple math when Mason counted down, finalizing the sale at exactly three hundred and fifty. Raine glanced at his bank account, brows rising when the full thirty-five million credits were deposited. Romaxillions usually took a steep cut.


    Gold is much more valuable than creds, and always will be. Still, the opening rate when the credit shop opens will only be around twenty thousand creds per gold, maxing out around fifty. At double that, I''m getting a great deal. Can''t let all my items sell for credits though. Especially the good stuff.


    [This isn''t even his good stuff?!] Celeste wanted to spit but kept her reaction in check since he had yet to say anything out loud.


    ¡°Our next items are basic potions. There will be a total of five bids, each containing fifteen potions for a specific resource. Starting with health, at fifteen gold and fifty silver increments.¡±


    Raine sat out, uninterested in fighting over items that could be purchased for much cheaper at the right vendors. Each set went for close to thirty gold, making him shake his head at how foolish the rich could be. Then again, it only took a hundred thousand guild members, donating a few copper a day to create a significant gold income. At this point, it was highly probable for one or two of the people participating to posses gold in the tens of thousands.


    Raine practically wiggled in his seat, impatient to get his own guild up and running. If he continued as a solo player, eventually, his advantages would be overwhelmed by pure, unstoppable financial might.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Another dozen normal items were quickly bought up before Mason clapped softly, ¡°Shall we begin the true segment? Our next fair is something special, so do pay attention. Reportedly dropped from a nightmare difficulty dungeon, and our first non-common item. Starting at one hundred gold, don''t miss out on this prized weapon fit for any commander of a guild''s front-line forces.¡±


    [Double-tap Greataxe: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 10) (Attack Power +65) (Attack Speed -.25) (PTC +15) (FNS +10) (ACU +5) (Durability 160/160)]


    Heh. I hope Talerra''s watching. I bet she''s pissed.


    [She?]


    [Who the fuck is Talerra?!]


    Raine didn''t notice the set of piercing glowers directed at his back. The bids went crazy, right along with the chat.


    ¡°That''s so much stronger than a regular lvl 10 L.B. weapon!¡±


    ¡°The differences inside each tier of equipment can be that large?!¡±


    ¡°Has anyone besides Alaric cleared a nightmare dungeon yet?¡±


    ¡°Is he really taking part? I wonder if I know him.¡±


    ¡°That other guy got a world first for clearing one solo. It might not be Alaric.¡±


    The bidding quickly reached an astronomical seven hundred gold, finally stopping at seven seventy-five. Mason rubbed his hands together excitedly, ¡°Congratulations on our last winner. We''re moving right along and I do hope you''ve been prudent up to this point, because a very special guest has listed several premier items that will leave those of you in the know, salivating.


    [Recipe (Rapture¡¯s revenge): (Complete Set - Medium Armor - Lustrous Blue - LVL 20)]


    ¡°What?! Who would auction something so valuable?¡±


    ¡°My highest members are only thirteen! Who found that, and where?¡±


    ¡°I''ll pay two hundred million credits for information on the seller or the drop location!¡±


    After those first few comments, Mel couldn''t keep track of the rest. She gave up, watching Raine lean back with his hands behind his head, a pleased whistle on his lips. [No way¡­ this is his too? He made a billion creds selling that engine. Was that just the start? The more I learn, the more I wonder who he is.]


    Hmm. Should I do credits on this one too? The is probably the best exchange rate I''m ever going to get and the proceeds from Frontier are going to be gone in a flash soon as I start recruiting.


    As the item reached two thousand gold¡ªa tenth of a billion credits¡ªCeleste¡¯s heart stopped. Her throat was dry and shivers raced up her spine. [I was right again. Who cares about Soulgen; he''s the real prize.] She glanced at Mel, eyeing her up and down as a startling realization popped into her head. [Powerful martials are rarely monogamous. Is he expecting me to¡­ but I''ve never even kissed anyone before. Stop! He hasn''t had a single thought about that. So why am I? Besides, he has this floozy he''s clearly into or he wouldn''t have brought her instead of me.] Both relieved and annoyed for some reason, Celeste refocused on the auction as Mason Mnemonic spoke again.


    ¡°Calm yourselves, my dear patrons. There''s more to come, though this is our only recipe,¡± his taunt had the desired effect and the bids soared again. Two unknown buyers quickly dissuaded the competition, their back and forth bids reaching three thousand gold in minutes.


    Talerra Tafell aka SolemnRiver


    - Six thousand kilometers away, Phoenix Clan territory, Romaxilians -


    ¡°You can¡¯t win. Give up now and save yourself the embarrassment,¡± the speaker was by all rights a specimen of human perfection: Tall, powerfully built, a class four martial at a young age with an immaculately sculpted physique, and beyond wealthy, his sway over the opposite gender was unsurpassed.


    Talerra¡¯s disgusted frown didn¡¯t budge as she ignored the young man''s newest heckle. She focused on her display, watching the prize item of the auction rising in price at a disturbing pace. With their connections, it had been a simple matter to acquire the full list beforehand; it changing drastically minutes before the event began was only a minor inconvenience. On the other hand, the new contents of the list had turned their somewhat cordial booth into a battlefield soaked with killing intent.


    Damian Tafell pretended to check his watch¡¯s interface, chuckling darkly, ¡°Would you look at that. Elder Lanill lent me another thousand gold. You really should have prioritized securing at least one elder¡¯s support instead of playing grabass with your ugly girlfriend. Now look at you, about to lose to me before our competition begins. Why are you even pretending to try?¡±


    Freyja¡ªFierceFire¡ªleaned forward to stand and rebuke his insult but Talerra¡¯s hand painfully gripped her knee. She shook her head at her friend and the girl relented with a snarl.


    We were given an equal split of the guilds excess funds. If he really did get help from Lanill, I can¡¯t win. The best I can do is make him pay dearly for the recipe. Wait¡­ if he¡¯s really here.


    Talerra used her nextgen LinQ to access her ZionLine account, pulling up the few interface options she could manipulate outside the game. Meanwhile, her cousin Damian made another bid with a vicious smirk.


    Raine KongRu


    Raine wasn¡¯t the least surprised when a message from Talerra appeared with a soft ding. He skimmed it quickly.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re taking part in the auction. Lend me a thousand gold and I¡¯ll pay you back twenty percent interest.¡±


    With a happy smile, he punched in a quick response, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Twenty five percent.¡±


    Raine¡¯s chuckle was evil. Rubbing his hands, he checked his gold balance before responding, ¡°I can lend you two thousand and I don¡¯t want any interest. You¡¯ll owe me a favor.¡± Raine wasn¡¯t bothered by lending her all his current gold, as the higher she drove the price on his item, the more he would make in the end. And now that he was about to receive such a huge windfall, it was time to set the stage for what he needed from her all along.


    There were a few moments of hesitation before her next message, ¡°... I can¡¯t. My family would crucify me if they knew I accepted an open-ended deal like that.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. A favor owed to me by your personal guild that won¡¯t in any way affect the Phoenix Clan.¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    Raine sent her the contract and she signed it so fast he doubted she read it. Not that he was out to try and swindle a girl with such a dangerous family. With a quick command through his watch, he transferred the gold and in the next instant, the price of his recipe jumped by two thousand. He leaned back again, his grin so wide it hurt his face.


    The auction chat crawled to a stop, the last entry a simple, ¡°No way.¡±


    She can¡¯t only be competing against her cousin. Another super guild? Solitary Supremacy maybe? Idiots. Good luck making enough sets of that awful armor to earn back a hundredth of your investment.


    Five thousand was apparently their limit, as the price ticked up once more by fifty, then sold. Mason cheered, ¡°Congratulations to our esteemed patron on a victory well fought.¡±


    Quick as lightning, Raine input a lengthy, private message. Mason''s brows rose and he grinned mischievously, ¡°The seller of the last item, a Mr. Desolate Broker, would like to extend his thanks to the winner of the last bid. He hopes our good patrons will continue to treat him well with the rest of his lustrous merchandise.¡±


    ¡°Desolate, my ass! Is he making fun of us?!¡±


    ¡°The rest? Is it possible there''s better stuff than that recipe?¡±


    The next item appeared, prompting another explosion of messages.


    [Immaculate Damascus Short Sword: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +55) (PTC +12) (ACU +9) (PHY +8) (Durability 150/150)]


    The sword from the mystic realm sold for a respectable one and a half thousand gold. By that time, the gold he¡¯d lent Talerra had been transferred back to his account.


    Clever girl just wanted to screw over her cousin. Didn¡¯t cost her a cred, either. Hmm, what I need from her will only help her in the long run. I better make sure she pays in another way.


    Celeste frowned over his shoulder, the last of her wine forgotten. [Is he still thinking about this Talerra? Why is she clever while I¡¯m, ¡®stupid little girl?¡¯ Talerra, huh? That name¡¯s familiar. Could it¡­ No, there¡¯s no way he knows someone like that.]


    The next weapon, then the spare armor from the lustrous chests reached similar prices. When the weapon after that looked like it would sell for half, Raine allowed credits again. The prices of the following seven Lustrous Blue level fifteen gear reached four thousand each, all paid in credits.


    Raine watched the balance in his account race upward by just over one and a half billion credits. Most, if not all of that would be gone soon as starting a fresh guild required extraordinary capital. not needing to worry about selling any Soulgen stock to make it happen was a huge relief.


    Mason started in on a farewell speech which Raine tuned out. He stood, stretched, and reached for his jacket. An alert from his watch populated into a message from Mason Mnemonic.


    ¡°Dear, Desolate Broker. Allow me to thank you personally for single-handedly turning out first ZionLine auction into a raving success. Due to your contributions, I''ve reduced our usual fifteen percent commission to five. I do hope you choose to return. We will, of course, accommodate you accordingly.¡±


    Raine paused to respond, ¡°Thank you for your generosity. I''ll be sure to return, though I can''t promise the same level of participation.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. Until then, I vow we''ll do our utmost to find something worthy of your attention.¡±


    Accessing his ZionLine inventory through his biometric connection to the still off-line server, Raine saw the twelve thousand, six hundred and fifty gold added to his account. The number made his mouth water and he knew exactly what to do with it when he returned.


    Well. This was much more lucrative than I expected. If not for Celeste, I wouldn''t have even known about the auction. Guess I owe her another free lesson.


    Mel held in a long grunt that came out in the form of a groan. She pressed a hand to her stomach, ¡°S-sorry. I think it''s the cheese.¡±


    Celeste shot her a seething glance. By the time her eyes snapped back to Raine, she was all bottled sensuality as she licked her lips. [You want to play it that way, eh Mr. Desolate Broker? Every hour we''re together, I''ll pick apart more of your secrets. We''ll see who comes out on top in your little lessons.]

 Chapter 60 - A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING

    Out of habit, Raine scanned the booth, ensuring they hadn¡¯t left anything. He opened the door for the girls and the three of them filed out to find the mayor waiting patiently in the luxuriously decorated hallway.


    These booths are supposed to be anonymous. Obviously that''s not the case. Romaxillions always had a stalwart reputation of defending their patrons¡¯ identities. Everything has a price though. When I make a real splash, all bets are off. I¡¯ll have to entice them with something so valuable they won''t be interested in betraying me.


    The mayor dipped his head, ¡°Cha-ahem, Expert KongRu. Your winnings.¡± A tight-stream communication zipped to his watch and Raine gave it the signal to display the details to his optic nerves. For defeating the previous champion, he¡¯d earned a large house in one of the nicer parts of town, two gyms, and two dojos. Additionally, there was a paltry one-point-nine million credits.


    He must have bankrupted himself fighting DyingNight. I should have made him include his virtual assets.


    As for his five percent, it came to a slightly more respectable seven million credits. Raine sent the details of the properties to Celeste. She reviewed them, then looked up at him uncomprehendingly. He grunted a laugh, ¡°You deal with this. Let me know if you have any issues.¡±


    Her expression twisted and her words were tight with forced politeness, ¡°Managing assets? I was hoping to join you in ZionLine. Clearly, the wealth to be made there goes beyond¡­ real estate management.¡±


    Raine frowned at her sudden interest. In the past, she didn''t re-enter for a month. When she did, she went on a killing spree that never ended. He reminded himself that the family betrayal which pushed her down that dark path hadn¡¯t happened yet. If he guided her carefully, the homicidal nature that lurked just beneath her pretty exterior would become a valuable asset.


    ¡°What level are you?¡±


    ¡°Zero,¡± her gaze fell to the floor as she trailed off.


    Raine harrumphed, ¡°Not a chance then. The stuff I¡¯m fighting would kill you with a look.¡±


    Mel chimed in, raising her hand, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m level zero too! Are you still in Mirror Lake Town?¡± Her exuberance faded in a flash. Her arm dropped and her shoulders slumped, ¡°I can''t play though. Some jerkface broke my headset.¡±


    Seeing an opportunity to ingratiate herself, Celeste was quick to grab Mel¡¯s hands in hers, ¡°I have a spare headset if you want to use it, and yes, I¡¯m still in Mirror Lake Town. My¡­ house isn''t a great place right now. Do you have access to a hyperlink?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mel jumped at the chance, her adorableness so blinding Celeste flinched. ¡°I mean, the hotel I¡¯m at doe-urk!¡± Celeste yanked Mel to the side of the hallway where they continued the conversation in hushed tones.


    Raine sent a quick message to Morty, then faced the mayor fully, ¡°I have a few minutes. What was on your mind earlier?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Expert KongRu! I know there are two gyms now in your possession. I can assure you that Dimitrey¡¯s disciples are quite loyal to him. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if both those locations were trashed, or even burnt down by the time you get there. If you¡¯re interested, I could send over the corpus to keep an eye on things.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that,¡± Raine waved his hand as if dispelling a foul odor, ¡°Just tell me what you want.¡±


    Unused to Raine¡¯s straightforward nature, the mayor stumbled over his words, ¡°Uhh, well¡­ I was hoping you would be interested in taking on a more official role as instructor in some of the city''s more affluent dojos. And I assure you, the city would bend over backwards to meet any reasonable demands your master may have for allowing their style to be passed on. Obviously, I''m not talking techniques. The thing is, if Carter doesn''t increase interest in training, our longevity will only deteriorate further. With a rising star such as yourself at the helm, the common folk will flock to our side!¡±


    The mayor held his breath while Raine appraised his altruistic, if a bit overly-enthusiastic expression. The man didn¡¯t appear to be lying, but politicians were more adept at the practice than anyone. Trusting his words without seeing his sincerity was out of the equation. On the other hand, there might be some worthwhile recruits hidden in obscurity among the city''s dojos and he wouldn¡¯t have long to poach them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look tomorrow. No promises.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, Expert KongRu! If it pleases you, Galant¡¯s Gym is our most premier establishment with state of the art equipment, facilities, and staff.¡±


    Raine wasn¡¯t interested in what the mayor would consider state of the art, but he had to start somewhere, ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll begin my tour there.¡±


    ¡°You are most kind. I won¡¯t take more of your time,¡± with a deeper bow than before, the man scurried off, rounding a corner out of sight.


    The girls were waiting to the side, Mel quivering with excitement while Celeste wore a too-smug grin. Raine narrowed his eyes at them, then headed for the exit, ¡°What did you two decide?¡±


    They fell in line with him, drawing every eye as they navigated the short distance to the escalators. Mel spoke up first, voice loud with excitement, ¡°The servers are still offline for a couple hours so we¡¯re going to take a nap, meet up at the hotel, then play all night!¡±


    Raine snorted, ¡°Unnecessary.¡±


    Their questions came at the same time, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Because after this content update, you''ll be able to play while sleeping.


    Verbally, Raine responded with a simple, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Mel once again spoke before Celeste, ¡°O-oh. Okay. Well, I trust you.¡± She beamed up at him with one of her signature, overpowering smiles.


    Celeste held in a snarl. [Opportunistic hussy sure is quick when she needs to be!]


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re okay with me putting off organizing these assets until tomorrow?¡± Celeste angled to walk a little closer, her bare arm brushing against his suit.


    ¡°That''s fine. You can meet me at Galant¡¯s Gym in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± she drawled, ¡°I don''t have anything else in the whole world that might take my attention from waiting on you hand and foot.¡± [Can''t let him suspect I know how much he made tonight.]


    Mel hid a shit-eating grin behind a hand. Raine rolled his eyes at Celeste¡¯s nonsense, ¡°Cancel your other obligations. Or don''t. If you want the benefits of working with me, you''ll be where I tell you, when I tell you.¡±


    She pulled her lips to the side as if in thought, ¡°Hmm. I''m not averse to the benefits a champion can provide. You did mention something about more credits than I could possibly imagine. Though, you''ve yet to offer more than words.¡±


    Raine accessed his watch and sent her five million credits, ¡°Consider it a sign-on bonus for the information you gave me earlier. Show me what you''re capable of for a month, and we''ll negotiate a real salary.¡±


    ¡°That''s more like it,¡± she purred, then leaned forward so she could see Mel around him, ¡°I''ll leave first and get the headsets. See you soon.¡± Celeste veered to the side toward a separate exit ramp, waving over her shoulder.


    Mel called after her with a return wave, ¡°Great! You''re the best. No, you''re Celeste the best! Bestest Celestest? Grr. That''s not good enough.¡± With the object of her praise out of sight, Mel squeezed Raine''s arm, ¡°You should be nicer to her.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. Being nice to girls like her will only encourage them to walk all over you. Be careful around her, she''s more dangerous than she looks,¡± his warning earned him a confused, scrunched expression and a glimpse of the tip of her tongue as it poked from between her lips.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The trip back to Mel''s hotel was refreshing. Raine hadn¡¯t felt truly at ease since waking up in his old, weak body. The launch of ZionLine, gaining an edge and keeping it, while struggling with imperfect ten year old memories and poverty had kept his stress levels tapped out, which wasn¡¯t a bad thing. More and more, he was discovering how much he thrived on the chaos and intensity.


    Better yet, he wasn''t weak anymore. His current physical body was certainly still inferior to his past self, but his brains improved functionality more than made up the difference. Anyone short of a peak master foolish enough to come looking for trouble would find it in spades. Froust¡ªa man he never managed to beat in the past¡ªhad learned that the hard way. Others would certainly follow.


    Personal strength aside, Raine had another reason for being over the moon. Mel¡¯s constant cheer and goofiness were a level more exaggerated than he remembered from the past. Likely because this time, her cafe hadn¡¯t been completely robbed from her. She was a joy to be around, yet no good thing lasts forever.


    A block away, she turned to him with a serious look, pink hair flying, ¡°I don¡¯t want to work for you.¡± She stated bluntly, a hint of fear in her eyes.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Raine easily agreed, curious where she was going with this.


    ¡°I¡­ you¡¯re not mad?¡± She tilted her head, searching his face for answers.


    ¡°Nope. Why would I be mad that you¡¯re doing what you want? I assume you have a plan.¡±


    She nodded vigorously, her excited grin creeping back, ¡°I want to play ZionLine full time and make enough to rebuild dad¡¯s cafe exactly as it was. I could probably get close with the creds I have now, but I don¡¯t want to be broke again. It¡¯s not a stupid idea, is it?¡± She crossed her fingers, arms, and even her eyes, making a face that had him choking with laughter.


    ¡°No, not at all. It¡¯s a great idea. You¡¯ll make more this way than you would with the old cafe. You can design it from the ground up to support ZL,¡± Raine lowered his voice conspiratorially, leaning close enough that her mouth fell open and her breath caught, ¡°My job offer was going to be in ZL anyway. You know, in case you change your mind.¡±


    The hovoursine smoothly glided to a stop and Raine pulled away from her. He didn¡¯t miss the disappointment on her face as he got out and walked around the long flying car. She stepped out slowly when he opened her door and took her hand. Raine¡¯s eyes roamed over every deep shadow as he walked her to the door. She snuck repeated glances at him, an unusual silence hanging over her.


    They locked eyes and she nearly jumped out of her skin, eliciting a bark of laughter from Raine, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? If it¡¯s about the job, I really don¡¯t mind either way. I¡¯d only be disappointed if you end up doing something you don¡¯t want to do.¡±


    She shook her head fiercely, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I-I¡¯m nervous about¡­ fighting! Yah, fighting in Zio-ZL. It was really painful last time. Do you have any tips?¡±


    ¡°Thousands, but nothing¡¯s as important as being brave. If you can¡¯t bring yourself to face your enemy and watch their every move with open eyes, you might as well give up. I wouldn¡¯t worry about that if I was you. I know you have what it takes.¡±


    She did fine in the past. I know she can do it.


    Somehow, Mel felt like she could feel his faith in her and the strength of it caused her eyes to moisten. [Face my fears. Be brave. Can someone like me really do that? I¡¯m such a weenie that I¡¯m terrified right now! Is this situation any different than facing down a monster? I made it through the tutorial, so I can make it through this, too! Don¡¯t be a cant-aloupe, Melbell, be a can-alope!]


    They reached the doors and Mel spun to face him. Raine¡¯s brows hiked to his hairline when she grabbed his lapels and pulled herself up to kiss him. Her lips were hard, nervousness pulling her mouth tight. Raine leaned back, cupped her cheeks in his hands and started over. Slowly and methodically, he leaned down. Her eyes grew wider the closer he got, and when their lips met again, it was perfect.


    She pulled away this time, blinking up at him with heated breaths, ¡°H-ho-how about a more practical lesson? M-maybe you could show me one of your stances?¡±


    [Ohmygosh that sounded so much worse out loud! I¡¯m going to diiiiie.]


    Raine¡¯s face was stone as he refused to laugh, ¡°I can think of one. I have to warn you though. It''s a very¡­ hard stance.¡±


    Her heart skipped a full three beats as his words registered. Without making a sound, she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. Raine, not satisfied with the pace of her short legs, scooped her into his arms. She squealed, the sound striking an instinctive chord in him that demanded his feet move even faster.


    They reached the elevator in a flash, oblivious to the many eyes watching them. With her arms around his neck, Raine had no memory of the elevator ride or stumbling to her room, but he would never forget what came next.


    Raine excused himself in time for Mel to clean up before Celeste arrived. He entered a regular taxi, an unquenchable smile plastered on his face.


    Unfortunately, a short message from Morty dispelled his superlative mood, ¡°Master, as you suspected, there are seven armored vehicles stationed two blocks from the house.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. You can come, but don''t interfere unless I tell you to,¡± Raine rerouted his taxi, eagerly falling back into the mindset of a warrior.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Morty inquired, ¡°Thermal puts their numbers at forty-three.¡±


    ¡°Positive. I''ve been itching for a decent fight since I woke up,¡± by the time Raine pulled up in front of the black, tinted vehicles, his mental state was perfectly primed for the release of internal force. His fitness wasn''t quite ready to fully disable his mental limiters, but it was close.


    Exiting, he stood in the middle of the street with his hands behind his back. Four doors on seven vehicles opened at once. Men and women wearing cheap suits piled out. They spread out in a fan-shaped formation.


    Their leader¡ªa man with a clean-shaven head¡ªeyed Raine critically, ¡°Mr. KongRu. Come quietly and I''m sure we can reach an equitable arrangement.¡±


    Raine smiled softly, having examined each of their movements as they left their vehicles, ¡°I''m afraid you''re unqualified to make that claim. If Juan Pauel Luu Rahn were here in person, then I''d at least be willing to talk.¡±


    Impressively, the man''s face remained impassive as Raine easily guessed who sent them, ¡°I wasn''t asking, Mr. KongRu. You''ll be joining us one way or another.¡±


    The night was still young enough for the air to still be warm. It ruffled Raine''s air and he greedily breathed it in, relaxing fully into his primed body. He shook his head and slowly moved toward the man. The large group bristled, growing more tense with each step he took, ¡°Sadly for you, I''m new to town and need to set an example to those who come knocking at my door.¡±


    As one, his assailants reached for weapons and Raine exploded into action. Internal force had his body heat skyrocketing as his foot cracked the ceraphault, sending him jetting forward. He arrived before their leader as the man''s hand reached the club at his belt. Raine''s shou-dao strike caught him in the chest, the movement too quick for a current-day class three martial to stop. Despite wearing armor, his heart ruptured inside his chest. The sudden increase in pressure through his veins caused blood to gush from his eyes and nose.


    Raine didn''t see the results of his strike, he was already onto the third martial by the time the first realized he was dead. He ducked under the woman''s machete, escaping the grasping hands and the swing of a club that failed to keep up. Now behind her, his reverse knife-hand chop blasted into the base of her skull. Fueled by internal force, the blow turned her brain to jelly and severed her spine.


    She fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The next four died just as swiftly, their mundane weapons and abysmal speed leaving them helpless against his perfected body control and decades of combat experience. From the corner of his eye, Raine spotted a flash of dark metal and his instincts screamed danger. He dove as an extremely illegal pistol released a high-pitched whine that sent fine hairs standing at attention.


    The flechette round (A buzzsaw shaped projectile) tore through air, cloth, flesh, and an armored car with deplorable ease. It finally stopped inside a nearby duracrete building after punching through several walls strong enough to shrug off an auto collision.


    Sliding across the ground, Raine grabbed someone''s leg and used it to redirect his momentum toward the gunman. A slap to the ground threw his weight two meters into the air, dodging the next shot. The roadway exploded behind him, shrapnel taking out windows and eyes. Nobody tried to get in his way as he dashed toward the man. All of their expressions held horror that one of theirs had a weapon that would not only guarantee the end of their lives, but also leave their entire city facing unimaginable consequences.


    Raine landed and the gun shifted to follow. He looked straight down its barrel, unblinking. His focus crystalized on the man¡¯s fingers squeezing the trigger. All distractions faded away to nothing. Flesh twitched, and Raine sidestepped. His mastery over the martial technique was lacking compared to in ZionLine, but it was close enough. He moved so fast he vanished from normal sight, appearing three steps to the side.


    The gun whined as it released a flechette at four thousand meters per second, (over ten times faster than old-age bullets.) While Raine could move his body quicker than a normal person could imagine, the laws of physics could not be completely denied. His clothes trailed behind and the corner of his new jacket was struck.


    Unlike the other materials the flechettes had so far come in contact with, the armored cloth from shillids didn''t even tear. Still, the force yanked at his body, spinning him in a circle multiple times as he continued toward the man. He bent his knees, gravity bringing him low. Fingers dug painfully into the ceraphalt street to slow his wild rotation. Unable to see through the blurring of the landscape, Raine leaned entirely on battle-honed instincts and leaped. He spun through the air with the last of his momentum, his foot connecting with the side of the gunman¡¯s head. Combined with internal force, his armored shoes did exactly what they were designed to do and the other half of the man''s skull shattered, spraying gore across the ground.


    The pistol clattered to the street. He didn¡¯t dare touch the weapon. None of them did. Already, its appearance guaranteed that a grandmaster would be paying their insignificant city a visit. There wasn¡¯t a sane person alive who wanted to consign their entire family to death by allowing its metal to graze their fingers.


    ¡°Morty, contact the mayor and the corpus,¡± Raine¡¯s voice was dripping with threat as he returned his attention to the terrified assailants surrounding him, ¡°Tell them I¡¯ve killed the traitors of humanity. The vodcast of their execution will be arriving momentarily.¡± The night air filled with the screams of the dying, drowning out the AI''s confirmation.

 Chapter 61 - ARMSMAN’S ARMORY

    Celeste''s uncle apparently trained his thugs as well as she did hers, because they ran at the first sign the tides turned against them. He killed the nine that were in easy reach, not bothering to hunt down the rest; the corpus and whichever grandmaster the government ended up sending to investigate the firearm were more than capable of handling that.


    It was less an ironclad law, and more a long standing tradition that the grandmaster involved went on a killing spree upon arrival. They were in essence, the military power of a government and wasting their time was never forgiven. Also known as external force users, grandmasters were only one full step on the martial path short of an Old Monster. Granted, that step was so great that most died of old age before taking it.


    As some of the most powerful and influential people on the planet, they were overbearing to a fault. Not having the backing of an equally powerful master, Raine would essentially be subject to their every whim. If they took an interest in him, his days of living in freedom would be over. That was the real reason exhaustion pulled on his shoulders.


    Raine forwarded unedited footage to the mayor, and a clipped one to the corpus. They had no business seeing his techniques but the grandmaster would certainly demand the full version and giving it away in advance could only help his case.


    He had very few alternatives other than kissing ass. One was discovering the secret of external force and becoming a grandmaster himself. Raine sighed deeply, knowing the chances of that were basically zero. The number of people who had developed external force without a master to guide them could likely be counted with three fingers. That didn''t mean he was completely out of options. There were other ways of dealing with grandmasters. Unfortunately, they were far from cheap.


    Raine appeared in ZionLine close to where he left, at the edge of the Zeletin Academy training grounds. It was midnight, the moon large and high in the sky. Trickling clouds threatened to block its light, but lanterns hanging along the streets illuminated the city in its stead. Thanks to the content expansion, the world was alive in ways it hadn''t been before. Shadows now held a complexity in their depth, matching the new, subtle scents that filled the air. Moisture clung to Raine''s skin from the damp night, and the textured fidelity of every surface was truly indistinguishable from reality.


    A gentle wind sent the odors of massed humanity into his nostrils. He choked, eyes watering as he was momentarily overwhelmed by the ¡®uniqueness¡¯ of it. He learned long ago that there was no such thing as a foul odor, only foul conceptualizations. Unfortunately, a positive mindset could only take one so far when their senses were dialed up to a thousand thanks to imbalanced attributes.


    That same over-sensitivity made the imprisonment within his bubble of overpowered Connection all the more confining. On his knees, Raine struggled to stand in soil that couldn¡¯t decide if it were a liquid or solid. All the while, he was pinned by heavy air pressure that painfully crushed his skin. He flexed his thoughts, convincing the air to thin and it swung so far in the other direction he began to float away from the ground.


    Raine accessed his status with a growl. He was prepared to assign his fifteen free attribute points to fix his predicament, instead gaping at what he saw.


    Nascent attributes adjusted to match real world fitness:


    Potency: +3


    Finesse: +4


    Acuity: +3


    Physique: +4


    Connection: +10


    Current nascent attributes:


    Potency: 5 > 8


    Finesse: 5 > 9


    Acuity: 5 > 8


    Physique: 5 > 9


    Connection: 5 > 15


    That can¡¯t be right. The maximum achievable nascent attribute is fifteen. Including the five I got at avatar creation, this puts my Connection right at the peak. I was only at nine in the past! Could it have to do with unlocking bloodlust? Another side effect of the stronger dose of ReGen? Damn, once I unlock my tier three class and those bonuses become percentages, my Connection is going to be insane.


    Unable to solve the mystery at the moment, Raine distributed thirteen free attribute points into Physique and the remaining two into Potency.


    NAME: Alaric


    CURRENCY: 13,453-G 98-S 72-C


    CLASS: Armsman


    TITLE: Sky Catcher


    ASPECT: Greater Aspect of the Werewolf


    LEVEL: 15


    SUPERIORITY: 108,500 / 1,000,000


    ATTUNEMENT: 13,813.25% > 9,513.25%


    GENERAL SKILL POINTS: 0


    HEALTH POINTS: 300 > 500 (1,000)


    ATTACK POWER: 66 > 82 (182)


    DEFENSE: 30 > 50 (275)


    RESISTANCE: 59 > 92 (179)


    CRITICAL RATE: 19% > 25% (45%)


    ELEMENTAL POWER: 78 > 122 (172)


    DISCIPLINE: 69 > 111 (161)


    ATTACK SPEED: 2.4 > 2.5 (2.7)


    MOVE SPEED: 4.1 > 4.9 (6.9)


    POTENCY: 30 > 38 (63)


    FINESSE: 30 > 37 (62)


    ACUITY: 41 > 50 (75)


    PHYSIQUE: 30 > 50 (75)


    CONNECTION: 39 > 61 (86)


    DISTRIBUTABLE: 15 > 0


    The over-stimulation of his senses dissipated the moment he broke through the Physique threshold. Not only his skin, but his bones and muscles hardened. The additional weight dropped him back to now solid ground. Moving would be a challenge before his Potency broke through, but the excellent bonuses from his gear did wonders to compensate.


    The greatest boon was a side effect stemming from the way Physique helped resist status effects; with the improved resiliency of his organs, including the brain, his ridiculously high Connection stabilized. The ease at which he could control the nearby environment, and bloodlust, improved drastically.


    Raine shook out his limbs, then flowed through the first Martial Qigong Kata: Resplendence. Years of steadily increasing stats allowed him to rapidly adapt to his doubled raw power and weight. More importantly, buried beneath the significantly boosted attributes, he felt the size and shape of his real body represented in exacting detail. Despite the awkwardness of having only three attributes through the threshold, he was now a class four martial with supreme command over his body. The advantages he could display in combat would be leagues above his previous avatar.


    When he gazed at the nearby Vaaterrans, they looked back with uncanny intelligence. He caught the eye of a soldier. The man frowned and approached, his head tilted, ¡°Hail, Traveler. If you''re lost or seeking lodging, there''s an inn not far.¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Raine straightened from his bent backward stance and nodded deeply, ¡°I''m fine, thank you. I''ll be leaving shortly.¡±


    ¡°Very well, see that you do. The academy is closed after dark. Since you¡¯re so new that your visitor registration has yet to expire, I''ll let it slide this once.¡±


    Raine waved politely as the solider left. While briskly walking toward the exit, he scanned the numerous system messages waiting for him.


    [Content patch: Realism Upgrade complete. Please note the following important changes]


    [Nascent attributes now match real world fitness (train daily to improve all aspects of your life!)]


    [Avatar senses that now seamlessly match reality:


    -Proprioception and Balance


    -Sight


    -Sound


    -Tactile feedback of Skin, Nerves, and Muscles


    -Taste and Smell]


    [To facilitate these changes, avatar dimensions will now match reality, minus deformities. Character customization will be limited to facial features, color, and style]


    [Hit boxes will now perfectly translate damage to specific body parts. Pain receptivity reduced from 50% to 40%]


    With the seamless senses, taking damage feels so authentic that getting eaten alive even once at 50% would give lifelong nightmares. 40% is¡­ bearable.


    [These changes will drastically affect the difficulty of adapting to sudden increases in attributes. Instanced therapeutic assistance sessions are available through the Menu Interface for a small cost]


    [Players may now enjoy the complete ZionLine experience while fully unconscious. Warning! This feature may not be used to completely replace sleep. Forced ten hour logout to regulate brain functions will be enacted once per real world week]


    [It is our sincerest desire that these advanced features accelerate your journey down the martial path. May you live dangerously, seeker of adventure]


    Raine took another deep breath of not-so-fresh night air, flexing the muscles in his legs to carry him faster. Finally, he felt at home. He was connected with the world as he should be. He was in an avatar no longer; the him in this place was no less real than his flesh and blood. In fact, with his attributes turning him into what the Earth Realm would consider a monster, he was more, much more.


    He yearned to push himself to his current limits and jump from rooftop to rooftop. That would quickly land him in jail. He restrained himself, advancing toward his first goal with haste. He pulled up a notification he¡¯d seen previously, wanting to make sure his eyes hadn¡¯t been playing tricks on him.


    [For becoming a rare pillar of strength in the Tri-glades: Celendine Dynasty Reputation +15]


    Raine whistled, glad he hadn¡¯t imagined it. Usually, reputation was gained very slowly through specific factions, and rarely, entire cities. Inside the Celendine Dynasty, there were separate factions, each with their own reputation: Merchants, guards, the royal family, individual nobles, unions, guilds; the list went on and on. Just by becoming an advanced class, he gained fifteen reputation with every organization and noble that operated inside the Celendine Dynasty, which spanned three megazones, each the size of the Tri-glades.


    Grinding for reputation was almost as a rule, extremely time consuming. There were rare exceptions, like special quests and outright buying it from the Vaaterrans in question. However, the prices were always astronomical. In the past, more than one guild had gone bankrupt and collapsed trying to raise a specific reputation.


    I¡¯m only ten rep shy of becoming a minor noble! No reason to delay that objective now since the benefits of starting a guild as a noble are so good. Hmm. If I¡¯m going to do ¡®that¡¯ quest for the rep, it would be a waste to do it alone. I was going to meet Richtor¡¯s group then pay some random people to fill in the last spots for the raid but now I have a better idea. It¡¯s going to take a bit more work and time, but it¡¯ll pay off in the end.


    Raine made a few quick adjustments to his plans, then opened the list of purchasable skills for his new class. A delighted smile spread across his lips when he found he could still buy all the cleric skills after becoming an armsman. He quickly organized the long list, moving the healing and caster skills to the bottom. Reading the name of the first new skill, his mouth went dry and he licked his lips.


    [Guillotine Slash: (Novice) With any melee slashing weapon, cut space for 3 seconds, pulling enemies within a 2 meter radius at 500% force. Slashes up to 5 times at 600% physical damage. Reduces users Defense and Resistance by 50% for 10 seconds (Cost: 30 Discipline) (Cooldown: 30 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Slash) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    There it is! The same Guillotine Slash that nearly killed me a dozen times over. 3,000 AT though? That¡¯s in line with level fifty tier two costs. Skills that reduce Defense or Resistance, like berserk, always have high damage. Since it''s both, it almost makes sense for the total potential damage to be 3000%. Almost.


    I only have nine thousand AT. Looks like I¡¯ll have to choose more carefully than anticipated, and there definitely won¡¯t be any AT left over for upgrading beyond novice. Dang. I was going to have the weapon trainer upgrade my weapon masteries to beginner. If I do, all the AT I earn will be sucked into them, instead of pooling to buy the rest of these skills. If the rest of these are equally powerful, I have to prioritize them first.


    Raine had long ago reached 100% Attunement with each of the melee weapon types, increasing his attributes in the process. Advancing their grades from novice to beginner would require several thousand Attunement. The delay unfortunate couldn¡¯t douse his enthusiasm for the Armsman skills and his eyes quickly devoured the next one.


    [Great Divide: (Novice) With any melee slashing weapon rend the ground in a 10 x 3 meter line AOE. Deals 2000% physical damage at the expense of 5% weapon durability (Cost: 30 Discipline) (Cooldown: 30 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Slash) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    Two thousand percent AOE?! No wonder the noble took so much damage when I kicked him into this one. Explains why the mystic realm had so much good stuff, too. The fact I survived past the first fight with how hard these hit is a miracle.


    [Debilitating Crush: (Novice) With any melee blunt weapon, create a powerful Blinding light. The next hit lowers armor by 50% for 10 seconds and deals 500% physical damage (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 20 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Strike) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    [Blind: Negative status affliction that renders sight inoperable]


    Another ability I¡¯m glad I never got hit by. Thank you, Parry.


    [Flurry of One: (Novice) With any fist weapon, combine 10 strikes into 1, dealing 350% physical damage (Cost: 5 Discipline) (Cooldown: 5 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Strike) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    If I could choose which weapon I fought with, this would be an easy buy. Low cost and cooldown with excellent damage. I would have killed for this skill in the past. Can¡¯t believe it''s this good at novice grade.


    [Untold Vengeance: (Novice) Imbue any melee piercing weapon with lightning for 60 seconds. Each hit has a 25% chance to inflict Paralysis and deals an additional 60% elemental damage (Cost: 50 Discipline and 50 Elemental Power) (Cooldown: 120 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Pierce) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    [Paralysis: Negates physical movement unless overwhelmed with a Potency or Physique check]


    Requiring a piercing weapon isn''t as niche as it sounds. Swords, knives, spears, and many axes and hammers fulfill the requirement. Pairs well with the spear I got in the mystic realm but easily the most underwhelming so far. The potential damage per EP isn¡¯t as high as Final Gambit and I¡¯d likely lose most of its duration moving from enemy to enemy. Would be amazing against some raid bosses though.


    [Guardians Bane: (Novice) Stab with any melee piercing weapon to ignore 90% armor and physical resistances. Additionally deals 450% physical damage (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 20 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Pierce) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    Armor and resistances! These skills are so good! Once they''re adept grade like Rupture, they¡¯ll easily be on par. Gimme!


    [Uncanny Acceleration: (Novice) With any melee weapon, ignore momentum and force while accelerating attack speed by 500% for one attack. Additionally deals 200% physical damage (Cost: 20 Discipline) (Cooldown: 20 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Lunge) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    Definitely the most broken skill against players. It¡¯s basically unblockable without Parry and perfect reaction speed.


    [Repartee: (Novice) With any shield, absorb up to 600% casters Defense in both damage and force from a single physical attack. Return the absorbed damage and force in a 10 x 3 meter line AOE, additionally dealing 200% physical damage (Cost: 40 Discipline) (Cooldown: 30 seconds) (Purchasing this skill requires and consumes Block) (Price: 3000% AT)]


    Can¡¯t wait to see Fizgore¡¯s reaction when I show him this one. Dude¡¯s going to lay an egg. About time to go ¡®save¡¯ him. Might be fun to bring Mel and Celeste along for that little adventure.


    Raine¡¯s grin was evil, his teeth reflecting the lantern light brightening the street. He was almost to his destination, and wasn¡¯t in a hurry to select any of his new skills now that he¡¯d gotten a good look at their descriptions and costs. He needed to plan carefully, accounting for as many potentials as he could imagine. After all, he had a psychotic witch who could pop up at any moment and send him into another impossible challenge.


    These skills. They cover every type of melee weapon. This is no coincidence. I wouldn¡¯t have the cursed ring without the witch, and the same goes for armsman. Why is she leading me down such a broad combat path? Is it all for another part of her chain quest?


    Regardless, they''re much better than anything the basic classes have access to. Good to know my choice to go with armsman was correct.


    Raine slowed his trot at the entrance to an expansive lumber mill. There were no gates, just a beautifully worked wooden arch that led inside. The night crew was hard at work, manning large saws and hefting trees with equal ease. The moment he walked past the arch''s sound shielding array, the buzzing of powerful industrial-grade Gromglenn technology filled the air.


    Fine particulates of sawdust tickled his nostrils as he waved down the nearest manager. The man looked him over and tucked his fingers into his britches with a squint, ¡°Who''s you?¡±


    ¡°Greetings, master sawyer. My name is Alaric. I''ve come to purchase Onyxian Lumber.¡±


    ¡°Alaric? I reco¡¯nize that name. New feller all the yunginz been chater''n bout. Onyxian Lumber, ya say? Well, that''s our speciality. Follow me ¡¯n I''ll get yah sorted.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated, master sawyer,¡± Raine followed the short, squat man into a nearby building where he passed several scrolls across a short table. They listed the types and prices of all the different building materials made of the expensive wood.


    Raine pushed the stack of papers back to the man, ¡°I''ll take them all.¡±


    ¡°One o¡¯ each then?¡± The man frowned, a glimmer of annoyance showing in his bushy brows.


    Raine shook his head with a chuckle, ¡°No, your entire stock. I''ve got a guild hall to build, and your lumber''s the best in the district.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened when Raine withdrew three thousand gold from his inventory and slid it across the counter. A quick contract was drawn up detailing delivery location and time. Then, Raine was on his way.


    Originally, he planned on renting a guild hall until he could afford to build his own. The differences between the two weren''t even worth comparing. Once players found out the benefits they could gain by joining his guild with a fully constructed guildhall, they would be tripping over themselves to sign up. Now that he had the gold, he obviously wouldn''t be delaying.


    While on the way to the next vendor, Raine accessed his interface, pulling up the Ncode Celeste gave him for her ZionLine account. She picked up on the third chime, her avatar¡¯s face filling in a corner of Raine HUD. She scowled at the black square where a face would be had he not blocked it out long ago, ¡°Alaric? Who¡ª¡±


    ¡°It''s Raine. Care to explain why one of your uncle''s goons tried to kill me with a flechette pistol?¡±


    She froze, her expression morphing through a range of emotions before settling on horrified, ¡°Was that truly uncle¡¯s doing? I heard about it on the IS, but¡­ And they came after you? I-I didn''t know.¡± Her voice turned faint, rife with mournful grief, ¡°I-I¡¯m going to be branded as a traitor, executed. I can¡¯t believe it''s going to happen like this. What a worthless way to die.¡±

 Chapter 62 - WRAINE’S WORLD

    Satisfied with her reaction, Raine shook his head slowly, ¡°You''re not going to die. Probably.¡± An infuriated glower broke through her melancholy, the look only earning her a soft chuckle, ¡°Try to relax. If we play our cards right, they''ll only kill your uncle. Unless you knew about the pistol¡­¡±


    ¡°I already said I didn¡¯t!¡± She snapped, ¡°But¡­ what if uncle didn''t know either?¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°Nope. There''s no chance for him. If they don''t kill him, I will.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Having confirmed she didn¡¯t know, Raine was ready to change topics, ¡°Did you meet up with Mel yet?¡±


    Celeste was still breathless, her stare a thousand miles away, ¡°Yes, she''s right here.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Head to the west gate and stay inside Mirror Lake Town. Try not to attract any attention. I''ll be there in a few.¡±


    With ZionLine now displaying everyone''s real bodies, the two gorgeous girls staying out of trouble was a stretch.


    Celeste¡¯s brows rose, ¡°I thought you weren''t going to play with us?¡±


    ¡°Plans changed. Bye.¡± Raine cut the call as he arrived at the next vendor he needed. He bought the man''s entire stock of Resiniom Stone for another three thousand gold, then headed to the last vendor. On his way across the commoners district, he stopped at a blacksmith to repair his equipment, then the consumables store across the street. He bought them out of several useful items; one cost an entire gold each.


    [Return Stone: (Common Grey) Teleport to a previously bound settlement after a 10 second delay (Uses: 5) (Cooldown: 12 hours)]


    The other items were great for players of any level, but especially new players.


    [Repair Hammer: (Common Grey) Repairs 10 durability of any weapon or armor at the expense of 1 maximum durability (Uses: 10) (no cooldown) (cannot be used in a combat state)]


    [Regeneration Stone: (Common Grey) Boosts resource gains of regenerative stances by 1000% for 10 minutes (Uses: 4) (no cooldown) (cannot be used in a combat state)]


    [Rock Climbing Kit: (Common Grey) A box containing various tools necessary for safely traversing vertical rock formations. Enhances safe climbing speed by 200% and reduces climbing stamina consumption by 500% for 1 hour]


    [Scroll of Travels: (Common Grey) Boosts unmounted traveling speed on roadways by 300% for 2 hours]


    On his way out, Raine opened his inventory and clicked on his temporary city registration to check Silverlight¡¯s leaderboard¡ªa list displaying the names and levels of the top one hundred players registered to the city. There were only three entries, all of them displaying the same ??? instead of a name. At level fifteen, Raine was at the bottom. There was another person with the same level, and the top entry was already level sixteen.


    Not too far behind. Unfortunate that I have to stop leveling for a while. If I want to stay competitive in the long run, I''ll need an endless source of gold. Unlike a corpo scion leaning on an existing power base, I have to build everything from scratch.


    An individual will always be constrained by time and effort, but a flourishing guild is limitless in its earning potential. Those fools at the auction were throwing out thousands of gold already. I''m too far behind in this aspect. Right now, when I have the personal power to beat anyone, is exactly the time to begin gathering my core group. Once I have them, an unstoppable guild will naturally form around them.


    The process of creating an official ZionLine guild was far from easy or cheap. The last step was completing an introductory raid. Entering the instance required fifteen players at level fifteen. Since he wasn¡¯t about to bring people he didn¡¯t trust and couldn¡¯t control, that meant taking the time to gather and level them himself.


    Talerra¡¯s competition, and the opening of the emporium are both in two days. That should be just enough time.


    Jittery with excitement, Raine found and bought out the Blasted Iron Hardware at the third merchant for a thousand gold. He now had everything he needed to construct his own guildhall, and the guilds coming behind him would have a hell of a time replicating the feat considering the only three vendors in the commoners district who stocked the necessary items were now sold out for the next month.


    Raine stopped at a storage warehouse. He rented a small unit for five hundred gold¡ªmore than large enough to hold his yet to be delivered materials. Player rented storage was about the only truly safe place to hold items in ZionLine. If the city were invaded and the palace destroyed, only then could the invaders break into the warehouses.


    He updated his contracts for all three vendors with the delivery location, then entered the nearest auction house. He used his VIP status to quickly acquire a permanent registration with the city for free. After posting most of the consumable items he just bought for sale at a significant mark-up, he was done in Silverlight for now. He activated a Return Stone, selecting Mirror Lake Town from the menu that appeared, and vanished in blue particles of light.


    Raine appeared in the middle of a street on the far side of town. When using a Return Stone, the player was always brought to the nearest available space to his bind point in the relevant settlement. The fact he appeared so far away was a testament to how many people flooded the streets. Used to their PVP protections, several players bumped into him, or more accurately, ran into him and were sent reeling to the ground. Since his attributes were so much higher than theirs, and he was only standing still, they even received a few points of damage from the collision.


    Each of Raine''s steps sent more people sprawling amidst shimmering shields. He waded through a red sea, putting strength and purpose into his stride. The outraged shouts around him were fairly amusing. He wore an easy grin by the time he reached the west gate.


    The wall of humanity halted as though the exit were a mystical, uncrossable barrier. In some ways it was true. Out there, only pain, death, and then a quick return to the graveyard awaited. Inside the safety of the walls, one could slowly gather their courage and allies before trying and dying again. He had been just like them once.


    Unsurprisingly, neither Mel nor Celeste were in sight. With a sigh, he sent them both the same message, ¡°I''m leaving without you in sixty seconds.¡±


    They came bustling around a corner amidst a flurry of curses. Neither looked exactly like they did in reality, though they weren¡¯t different enough that he couldn¡¯t spot them in the crowd. They didn''t recognize him since his avatar¡¯s face looked nothing like him. He crooked a finger and they figured it out quick enough.


    [Did he even try in character creation? His face looks like a stone with a coating of wet mud.]


    [I wonder if there''s a filter I can use to overlay his real face. Better not, would be too distracting.]


    They slunk to him, failing to hide guilty expressions behind the candied fruit sticks protruding from their mouths. He sent them invitations to join his party. While they figured out the mental command for accepting, he squinted at their avatars, just as disappointed.


    Misunderstanding, Mel rapped the top of her head with a knuckle, ¡°Sorry! They smelled so good!¡±


    ¡°Who cares about that! What happened to your freckles?¡± Raine huffed, turning away and leaving the town. The moment he stepped beyond the safety of the walls, he went into serious mode, senses on high alert.


    ¡°Told you!¡± Celeste snarked to a flabbergasted Mel. ¡°Pay up.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Mel fired back, following after Raine, ¡°The first thing he said was that he was leaving in sixty seconds. You pay up!¡± Her voice was so loud Raine felt a twitch above his right brow. The very few people outside the town turned their way with unbelieving expressions.


    Celeste retorted even louder, ¡°Shameless! That was a message. Doesn''t count as his first words.¡±


    Raine rubbed his forehead. He closed his eyes and tried to enjoy the soft moonlight leaking through his lids. His ears were sharp, listening for the slightest hint of danger in the perilous fields while guiding the girls off the road and away from eavesdroppers. Once they were alone, he stopped and spun around in a blur, causing both girls to flinch.


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    He pointed to Mel first, ¡°One hundred thousand.¡± She tilted her head as his finger tracked to Celeste, ¡°Five hundred thousand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± They questioned in unison.


    ¡°Credits. Transfer. Now. Or I leave you here.¡±


    Celeste sputtered, ¡°F-five hundred thousand?! You''re serious, aren''t you? And why the hell is hers only a hundred?¡±


    ¡°You want my help and training for nothing? When was the last time you heard of an expert training anyone without a lifetime service agreement¡­ Never. Because it doesn¡¯t happen. Worse, you don''t understand the value of anything here, or the sacrifices everyone else has to make for what you almost got for free.¡±


    Stupid little girl. It''s not preferential treatment. It''s an amount tailored to make each of you take this seriously.


    Hearing his voice in their heads just like in the real world caused their jaws to fall open. Raine, thinking their expressions meant they needed another push, kept right on lecturing, ¡°You''re treating this world like any other game. Either you learn it''s not with your bank accounts, or by having your throats ripped out a few dozen times. We¡¯re on a tight schedule, so I prefer the fast way. Trust me when I say, you do too.¡±


    Triggered by the hated moniker, Celeste fumed internally. [How about you call me that out loud, asshole?! I got your five hundred thousand right here!]


    Not daring to actually voice her fury, Celeste only gave Raine a broken smile, one eye twitching. Meanwhile, Mel had gone soft in the knees as she stared up at his tall frame that was even more intimidating than his real body. [I take it all back. He''s just as sexy here as he was a few hours ago. If he keeps bossing me around like this, I might die before the monsters get me.]


    ¡°I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to take your time and expertise lightly. I was so excited you came to play with us that I let myself forget how hard the tutorial was. Here,¡± Mel dutifully sent Raine the requested credits.


    [Most of my credits is a small price to pay. If not for him defending me, I would be completely broke. Besides, if he can teach me how to make as much as he did at the auction, then this is obviously worth it]


    Raine gave her a serious nod, noting the three wolves stalking through the high brush. They closed in to surround them, drawing nearer with stealthy steps. Celeste looked between the chaste Mel and steadfast Raine with a complicated frown. He locked eyes with her, waiting patiently.


    She''s having a shit night after the news of her uncle. I get that, but it''s going to get a hell of a lot worse when that wolf tackles her and starts eating. If she¡¯s this stubborn right from the get go, so be it. I''ve little use for someone who isn''t ready to do whatever it takes to become stronger.


    Celeste''s frown turned to a stretched out groan as she desperately fought the desire to turn and defend herself. Maybe she could play it off as having heard the beast and not his thoughts, but she couldn''t take that chance. With frantically darting fingers, she accessed her account and transferred the funds.


    The second they came through, Raine shuffle-stepped between them and snatched the wolves from the air mid-leap. They yelped in protest as his grip painfully dug into their flesh. The third beast paused, one foot off the ground as Raine released the smallest trickle of bloodlust he could control.


    Thick killing intent manifested as an expanding pulse of red energy. It swept outward causing PVP shields to flicker around Mel and Celeste. Unprotected and in point blank range, the two wolves Raine was holding pissed themselves and the third dashed away at top speed.


    Damn. My control sucks.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Celeste asked with gleaming eyes, turning around at what Raine could only consider a glacial pace.


    While I¡¯m showing them the basics, I¡¯ll work on controlling my bloodlust. Now that I¡¯ve fought a Noble, that damn witch will almost certainly pit me against an army of them. If I can¡¯t control it before then, I won¡¯t last long.


    Raine ignored Celeste¡¯s question, holding out the urinating beasts, ¡°First lesson. Everywhere is dangerous, especially towns and cities. Until level five, you''ll be protected from other players so it''ll be easy to forget the threat they pose. Mark my words, you will die to a dagger in the back more than once, no matter how vigilant you are. Out here, death lurks behind every bush so it''s easier to remember to stay on guard.¡±


    Mel swallowed hard while Celeste nodded as though his words were only natural. He shook the first wolf in her direction, ¡°You''re up. It''ll go for your torso and hands to get you on your back. If you fall, you''re dead.¡±


    Raine left the party, leaving Mel as the leader. With two wolves the same size as her less than a meter away, her voice was a cracky mess, ¡°Why aren''t you in the group anymore?¡±


    ¡°My level is too high, you won''t get any SP.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Celeste frowned.


    ¡°Party¡¯s earn SP and AT based on the highest level member. Since I¡¯m more than two levels above these puppies, you wouldn¡¯t get anything. Same goes for if I damaged them, or buffed you,¡± Raine turned one of the creatures around and stared it in the eyes, ¡°Run, and you die before you take one step. Kill her, and I''ll let you go.¡±


    ¡°No way it understood that,¡± Celeste shook her head in denial, right up until Raine tossed the beast to the ground and it rounded on her with bared fangs.


    Impressively, she dropped into a defensive crouch and managed to hop to the side when it lunged. She spun to face it, drawing her equipped staff from her back. The next pounce was met with a crack to the side of its head. Combined with her experienced step to the side, she easily avoided it.


    They had two more similar exchanges before she remembered she had a skill. The next time it tried to bite her hand, her weapon whipped around and its tip flared bright orange with a released Blast. The wolf howled, falling to its side and thrashing with a burnt face. Celeste was all over it, smacking it repeatedly until it died.


    Between her intense focus on killing it, and using Blast at the moment of contact with her staff, she overcame the skill¡¯s aiming mechanism. Intentional, instinct, or luck? While impressive, she¡¯s full of openings.


    Huffing, Celeste turned back to them with a smile that faltered upon seeing Raine holding two wolves again.


    ¡°Second lesson. Remain aware of your surroundings at all times,¡± he waved the new addition in her direction, ¡°Snatched this one out of the air right before it was about to tackle you from behind. You''re welcome. Try again. Keep your eyes open this time.¡±


    Celeste fought five more wolves in a row. She was sweating and huffing, about to beg for a break when Raine pinned Mel with a hard stare. She didn¡¯t need to be told it was her turn and drew a dagger, lowering into a terrible imitation of Celeste¡¯s ready stance.


    [I can¡¯t keep being a burden. Face my fears with open eyes. Face my fears with open eyes.]


    Seeing her tensing up more by the second, Raine pitched his voice sharply, ¡°Have you picked a skill yet?¡±


    The question successfully pulled Mel from her bleak attempts to psych herself up. She nodded, gathering her courage, ¡°D-don¡¯t help me. I need to learn. Even if it hurts.¡±


    Raine didn''t insult her by offering further suggestions and tossed the equally terrified wolf in her direction. It thrashed onto its feet, clawed paws raking the dirt loudly. In her eyes, the beast was truly a thing of nightmares. Its sharp teeth were already coated in someone else¡¯s blood, and it was even bigger than the ones he threw at Celeste. Its fur danced in the wind, muscles rippling with vicious purpose. The creature was far too realistic to be nothing more than zeros and ones. It was real, it was right in front of her, and it was coming for her throat.


    Mel''s body was a shaking mess of nerves when it jumped. She tried to dodge but was clipped hard in the hip. Merely being grazed hurt like hell and the force of the blow spun her around. Her feet argued over which was supposed to touch the ground next, and her nose won the argument, smashing hard into the ground. The wolf was on her in a second. Her hands came up defensively and sharp teeth dug into her forearm. She screamed, the visceral pain of splitting and tearing muscles too much for her.


    Raine''s brows ticked higher when Mel''s scream turned from one of fear, into pure hatred. Her other arm, still miraculously holding her dagger, slammed into the wolf''s shoulder in frantic, furious stabs. The beast growled, twisting and yanking its head so hard her body skittered across the dirt.


    She didn''t stop her desperate stabbing but the damage was too one-sided. She was going to die long before the wolf. Celeste took a step forward but Raine''s outstretched hand stopped her. He shook his head, senses trained on the wolves stalking closer, attracted by the commotion.


    She''ll have plenty of time to get over the death and learn from her mistakes on the road.


    Guided by his thoughts loud inside her head, Mel noticed her health flashing in the red. A sheen of green energy passed over her body and her health jumped up by a quarter. The additional health bought her the precious seconds to unleash five more stabs. The wolf collapsed. Mel lay on the ground next to it, tears streaming down her cheeks and breaths labored as she cradled her savaged arm.


    Interesting. She didn¡¯t take Mend in the past. At least, not that I know of. I wonder why the change.


    [Obviously, because of you!] Both girls internally screamed their matching thoughts.


    Shrugging off the mystery, Raine extended a hand and pulled Mel to her feet, ¡°You can recover while we walk.¡± With a more controlled pulse of bloodlust that no longer triggered his allies¡¯ PVP shields, he sent the approaching wolves scurrying, ¡°Scram!¡±


    Mel flinched, still wobbly on her feet. Hearing their scraggling paws, her eyes darted about in fear of having to relive the traumatic fight.


    Raine urged her forward until they were back on the road, ¡°Next lesson: Discipline.¡± They frowned, not understanding. ¡°It''s your primary energy pool for physical actions. Think of it like controlled, micro-bursts of adrenaline. It can empower basic attacks, and more importantly, speed up the movement of individual body parts.¡±


    Raine demonstrated with a few hops, alternating use of Discipline. When Celeste saw how much faster he became, her jaw fell open and furious thunderclouds gathered around her head. Not repeating her earlier mistake, she hissed quietly, ¡°Why didn''t you tell us this before making us fight?!¡±


    Raine snorted, ¡°You would have died trying to pull it off. If you think it''s so easy, try it for yourself.¡±


    She scowled, doing just that and of course failing to activate the boost. After the fifth time, her lips were so tight as to be nonexistent, ¡°Were you trying to trick¡ª¡±


    Her question faltered when Mel tried for the first time, hopping to the side much faster than a normal person should be able to move.


    ¡°Good job, Mel. That''s the way,¡± Raine praised and a huge portion of her earlier dread vanished behind an exultant smile.


    Growling, Celeste grew serious, jumping left and right repeatedly. Ignoring her, Raine led them back to the road, ¡°One of the most important uses of Discipline, and the easiest way to learn it, is traveling. Focus on your feet. Feel them connecting with the road, and push.¡±


    Celeste took a break from her rabbit impersonation to try, failing again. Mel once more got it on the first attempt, zipping ahead of them by several meters. Realizing she was alone and vulnerable, she ran back as fast as she could. With the patience earned from training thousands in the use of Discipline, Raine launched into an explanation of the subtleties required to make it work.

 Chapter 63 - EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

    Raine kept pace behind Mel and Celeste. They ran at a decent, Discipline-powered clip down the northern road. Celeste¡¯s speed dropped sharply and Raine''s hand blurred through the air. Despite her ducking to the side, he hit his target with perfect precision.


    A meaty thwack from 2% of Raine¡¯s Potency was followed by a girly screech, ¡°Ouch! Stop hitting me!¡±


    Having signed a contract allowing him to do so without the PVP protections, Raine wasn¡¯t about to listen, ¡°Sure. Soon as you stop slowing us down with your tantrums.¡±


    She growled like the hell-cat she was, fists shaking at her sides, ¡°They aren''t tantrums! I''m not a little girl!¡±


    Raine shrugged, ¡°Doesn''t matter what you want to call them.¡± He reiterated the same lecture for the twelfth time, his finger jabbing into the soft flesh between her shoulder and armpit with each point, ¡°When your emotional state and body are out of sync, you can''t use Discipline. If you can''t control your emotions, then you have to control the tempo of your body to match your emotions.¡±


    She stepped back with a wince, rubbing her chest, ¡°Control my tempo. I''ll show you tempo¡­¡±


    Raine shuffle-stepped, vanishing from her sight to appear towering before her. She fell back a step but he didn¡¯t let her escape, ¡°All emotions desire a physical outlet, especially anger. Transform your anger into action or I''m going to keep hitting you.¡± Raine raised his hand and she fled down the road.


    Unfortunately for her, pain is the best way for her to learn this particular lesson. I suppose I could try explaining the underlying principles¡­ Nah. She¡¯s too stupid for that to work.


    Mel, who was having no issues burning Discipline to run, tripped over a pebble on the road. Celeste¡¯s arms shook with fury, the rapid shift away from fear ruining her tempo again. She dove to the side, sliding across the dirt face first. Spared the pain she knew should have already landed, she looked back to see him shaking his head sadly, disappointment overwhelming his expression.


    [Argh! I hate his ugly face so much!]


    Leaping to her feet, she faced off against him with her fists up, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare repeat the same shit lecture again! Why did I pay you if you¡¯re going to be such a crap teacher?¡±


    Raine sighed heavily, massaging his forehead with two fingers.


    Do I tell them? We have to speed up our pace one way or another. There''s other ways but they have their own risks¡­


    ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m only going to say this once, then it''s back to the whip,¡± Raine motioned them closer while carefully examining their surroundings for eavesdroppers. A contract appeared in both of their interfaces stating their agreement to never repeat what he was about to tell them. The repercussions being a permanent ban from ZionLine and forfeiture of all their assets to him, real and digital.


    Really don''t want this leaking to the public yet. It¡¯s one of my biggest advantages, and shouldn¡¯t be widely understood for several years.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes boggled. [Years?! How could he know something like that?] She was unable to fathom how powerful a seer must be to see so far into the future. She had certainly never heard of such a thing. Even a few weeks was considered a genius that PsyCore would need to possess, no matter the cost in lives or credits.


    The girls glanced at each other, a bounty of meaning shared between them. Both understood that the potential credits to be earned by sticking with Raine far outweighed the short term benefits of spreading information. Especially if keeping it to themselves would mean an extra advantage under their belts in such a difficult environment. Mel signed right away, the idea of betraying Raine¡¯s trust further than she already had, was too painful to consider. Celeste hesitated a brief moment longer, the promise of knowledge, power, and wealth too tempting to ignore.


    Raine¡¯s gaze bored into them one at a time, imprinting a sense of gravity that was reinforced by his tone, ¡°No matter how close it feels to the real thing, this world isn¡¯t ours. We are visitors here, and even standing on this road right now, we aren¡¯t truly here.¡±


    Raine stamped his foot, releasing a ring of dust before continuing, ¡°So, how did I interact with the road if I¡¯m not really on it? The answer is simple enough, I used an attribute that the natives of this world don''t have: Connection. Connection isn¡¯t just a means to increase the power of elemental attacks, it literally connects our brains to this world that isn¡¯t ours. Through that connection, we gain the ability to manipulate. But we still aren¡¯t truly here.¡± After enunciating his last words, Raine gave them a few seconds to mull them over.


    Mel¡¯s lips were pursed so tight her nose crinkled, ¡°That makes a kind of sense, but what does it have to do with using Discipline? And why is it so easy for me, but not her?¡±


    Raine patted her head with a fond smile, ¡°Good questions. What do you think the reason might be? No wrong answers here, this isn¡¯t a gap in logic that¡¯s easy to bridge.¡±


    Celeste planted her fists on her hips, ¡°Because there¡¯s something wrong with my connection.¡±


    Raine kept looking at Mel, waiting for her to guess as well, ¡°Uhm, because the world isn¡¯t receiving the right message through the connection?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both close. There''s nothing inherently wrong with your connection, Celeste. And the world is receiving the right message, the problem is that the information you¡¯re sending is scrambled. The brain is a complex organ. Our thetadrive headsets have to take all that complexity and distill it into electrical signals. What do you think happens if a portion of that signal essentially relays, move left leg left, while another part is stuck on, move left leg right?¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Celeste guessed.


    Raine shook his head, ¡°Nope, your leg will move in whichever way the dominant portion of the signal wanted. However, the movement will be slow, awkward, and unable to be boosted by Discipline. Keep in mind that emotions are just chemicals in the brain, and they are birthed from the same electrical signals as thoughts and memories. They have just as much sway in the connection as an active thought. So, the memory of how you should be moving, and the desire to move slightly differently, can easily conflict.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Mel¡¯s brow wrinkled and she shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t get it. It sounds like you¡¯re saying we need to align our emotions, thoughts, and memories, with a movement? I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve been doing anything like that to use Discipline.¡±


    Celeste nodded along but wasn¡¯t following in the least; she experienced a burst of frustration and fear, not wanting to believe that his earlier jab at her intelligence was true.


    Raine snorted, ¡°If you¡¯ve ever cleaned something while angry, you know that emotional states vastly alter the speed and severity of every action. Mel, you¡¯re having a hard time understanding because you¡¯re lucky enough to be an emotionally balanced person. You pretty much have one emotional state. So long as nothing comes along and knocks you out of balance, the signals of your connection will remain aligned.¡±


    Raine tilted his head toward Celeste, ¡°You, on the other hand, are all over the place. Think back to your first attempt to use Discipline, jumping back and forth outside town.¡± Raine lifted his hand, counting his fingers, ¡°On the first try, you were excited. When you failed, you got frustrated. You saw Mel succeed easily, then you got angry. After that, you swapped to determined. Each of those emotions carries a different tempo. Worse, human emotions can''t be truly controlled so you have to develop control over your reaction to those emotions. Anger begets rapid action. Grief, jerky release of pent stress. Sadness, smooth and methodical. Determination, fierce and prolonged. The list goes on and on.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s eyes grew wider and her mouth formed a perfect O-shape. Then, her lips twisted in a frustrated snarl, ¡°It makes sense now, but how do I actually do it?¡±


    ¡°The only answer is practice. Preferably with one emotion at a time. It¡¯s going to be harder for you with your wild emotional swings, but once you get it, you''ll be a much more difficult enemy to face because your movements will always be subtly unpredictable. Unfortunately, you lack the discipline to sync your mind, emotions, and body.¡±


    ¡°That''s such a stupid system! Why would they design it that way?¡± Celeste kicked the ground, releasing her own spray of dirt.


    Raine''s grin was wide and his eyes carried a hint of fanaticism that drew both girls in, ¡°That¡¯s the best part! It''s designed to bring each of us further down the martial path. Ever heard of Satori?¡± They shook their heads and Raine wasn¡¯t surprised, ¡°Look it up on your own time. But in short, it¡¯s the state of the centered self. It''s impossible to become a true class four martial without achieving Satori as easily as breathing. That¡¯s what kind of ¡®game¡¯ we''re playing. Every step you take here will lead you closer to true power in the real world. Now shut up and focus or I''m going to start hitting you with 5% of my strength.¡±


    After Raine¡¯s explanation, their speed increased significantly. He made a mental note to dive into the how and why with Celeste going forward. Simply telling her what needed to be done wasn''t sufficient. The girl¡¯s problems with authority would need to be beaten out of her slowly. Luckily, Raine had years of experience with training unruly recruits. In comparison, Mel was an angel and he was glad she was around to serve as an example for the stubborn Celeste.


    They soon reached a deep forest, the road weaving directly through it. The few beasts they encountered were split between the girls, giving them both a chance to practice utilizing Discipline in combat. At a seemingly random bend in the road, Raine pulled ahead and raised a fist. They came to a stop, dutifully waiting for direction.


    Raine accessed his inventory and swapped out his leather helmet for the old bandit shroud. The piece of cloth covered the lower half of his disturbing face and Celeste sighed dramatically, a hand over her chest. She opened her mouth for a snide comment but Raine¡¯s hand slashing through the air silenced her.


    He motioned them closer, whispering, ¡°First roadblock should be right ahead.¡±


    ¡°Monsters make roadblocks?¡± Celeste was quick to ask, earning her a scathing glare from Raine. She blanched, then ran her fingers along her lips in a zipping motion.


    ¡°This territory is currently controlled by a guild named Righteous. They won¡¯t be able to directly hurt either of you. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe though. They can physically block your path, box you in, then bring beasts to kill you. There¡¯s going to be flankers stealthed in the woods on either side of the road. I want you to count as many of them as you can find. The winner gets a new piece of gear.¡±


    That got their attention and they exchanged confident smirks. Raine continued, ¡°Once the fighting starts, pick one that¡¯s level five and start a duel. I won¡¯t be helping either of you, and if you die, I¡¯m not going back to town to get you.¡± Their confidence evaporated and was blown away in the gentle wind caressing the thick forest canopy.


    This should be a great chance to improve their situational awareness and problem solving while under duress. I wonder if they¡¯ll figure out the trick in my wording. Hope not.


    While following close behind, the girls¡¯ fingers were a blur as they threw private messages back and forth. They quickly came up with a plan and were all smiles when they rounded the bend. As promised, the roadblock was dead ahead, only a few meters away by the time it was visible. It consisted of hastily erected wooden spikes that stretched a short distance into the trees. All but a small opening in the center of the road was obstructed. Ten players with red armbands stood before the barrier in loose groups.


    Seeing the trio approach at a brisk walk, they perked up. Five drew weapons and clustered around the passage through the spikes. The rest fanned out while a large, muscular woman took the lead. She looked Mel and Celeste up and down with a scowl, then drew the sword at her hip when she failed to Identify Raine.


    Between the question marks above his head, and the obviously magical effect of his blurred armor, she was completely on edge when she barked a command, ¡°Halt! That¡¯s far enough. Passage is twenty silver per player. Alternatively, you can join Righteous and leave for free.¡±


    Raine snorted, knowing the lie for what it was. There were more roadblocks beyond this one, not to mention roving packs of soldiers, all with orders to charge twenty silver for anyone they encountered who wasn¡¯t already part of the guild. Even if it were possible to get twenty silver in such a low level area, it would hardly be enough to buy passage through their entire territory.


    This new method of recruiting made perfect sense for the current ZionLine. Filtering through all the worthless players too scared to step out of the origin towns was a waste of time. It was significantly more economical to wait for the promising candidates to reach a good distance, then ambush them when they had more to lose.


    Raine scanned their levels, including the ten hidden in the woods, finding them all at level five. He perked up, glad he would be receiving plenty of starting equipment to use as bargaining chips to motivate the girls.


    Raine summoned the memories of all those he¡¯d slain in the past. A desire to kill so powerful it seeped into the world as pure, unmitigated malice was unleashed as a wave of bloodlust. The players crowding the road turned pale. They fell to their knees, unable to withstand the river of death that washed over them.


    A large two-handed mace with a Lustrous Blue sheen appeared in a flash of light. He held the weapon loosely in one hand, resting its shaft on his shoulder. There was no need to exchange words with those about to die. He shuffled forward in a blast of motion. A casual swing unleashed a Rupture that annihilated their shoddy, illegal fortifications. Coincidentally, it also turned six of the players into clouds of red mist. Since he wasn¡¯t targeting them, and they just happened to die nearby¡­ he wasn¡¯t marked with the red player debuff.


    Random pieces of equipment clinked to the ground and a scream split the air, heralding the slaughter that had just begun.

 Chapter 64 - ONE AT A TIME

    Four scattered players were frozen, shocked to their core by Raine¡¯s casual execution of their commander. They weren¡¯t hardened warriors, or even martials, just people who excelled at bullying those weaker than them. Overwhelmed by terror, one man turned to flee. His head was pulverized before he took the first step.


    The question marks above Raine¡¯s head that would normally show his class and health turned a shade of light pink. Now a red player, the more he killed, the darker red his information would become. Killing red players was never considered a crime, even in towns the guards would simply watch and most likely laugh. If his name became red enough, the guards would be the ones doing the killing. Worse, he would drop additional equipment if someone managed to kill him, on top of earning a significantly longer respawn time.


    Being a red player was a tough life; a calling for some as it was a highly viable martial path. The loot potential was far higher than killing beasts, and ZionLine doled out incredible rewards for those who chose to regularly murder their fellow man.


    Raine swept his gaze across the last three, then released another burst of bloodlust, ¡°Don¡¯t do pointless things. I have a use for you. Fulfill it, and I¡¯ll let you live.¡± He jerked his head toward Mel and Celeste who were just as stunned as everyone else, ¡°Fight these two. They¡¯re both level zero. If you manage to kill one of them, you can leave.¡±


    One of the survivors shook like a leaf in a hurricane, ¡°B-but the protections.¡±


    Raine ignored him, walking in a circle and tapping each dropped piece of loot with his boot to place them in his inventory, ¡°Pick your targets and send the duel request.¡±


    The girls nodded to each other, then tapped at their interfaces. Raine¡¯s senses were tuned toward the players in the thin woods on either side of the road. It wasn¡¯t worth his time to chase them down. The red player penalty faded rapidly when it was only one or two kills. Too many, and he would have a hard time entering any law-abiding towns for days.


    They should have attacked immediately before my skill¡¯s cooldown finished. Just proves that ZL is still new. Proper ambush response doctrines simply haven¡¯t been created, let alone trained yet.


    The same player who spoke earlier took a fearful step back, looking between Mel and Celeste, ¡°B-both of you?¡±


    ¡°Nobody said it had to be one-on-one!¡± Celeste spat, staff in her hands.


    Raine nodded, impressed they figured out the trick to his task. Mel went wide, attempting to flank the man while Celeste approached slowly from the front. His spear swiveled from one to the other, fear still overwhelming his decision making. When Celeste leaned forward and lunged, his level five Potency easily batted her blow aside. The bladed tip of his weapon clanged against her staff, sending her arms wide. She jumped back a step, wary of a counter.


    The terror gripping the man¡¯s guts faded instantly as he realized that she wasn¡¯t the same kind of monster Raine was. With growing confidence, he jumped at her in a straightforward Pierce. Celeste barely twisted her torso and bent out of the way. Mel tried to take advantage but was too slow to close the distance, leaving Celeste to deal with the butt of his spear coming around in a wicked-fast arc.


    She ducked, throwing herself onto her ass and sliding away from him. The fear in her expression made it clear she had severely underestimated the power and speed granted by five levels of attributes. Instead of chasing Celeste, he rounded on Mel.


    After swinging the butt of his weapon at Celeste, its point was now facing Mel. Her eyes widened seeing the sharp tip darting toward her neck. Surprise ruined her ability to access Discipline, and lacking Celeste¡¯s honed reflexes, she failed to dodge. The spear cut deeply into the side of her exposed throat, releasing a spray of blood.


    Half her health vanished and her dagger fell from fingers. She clamped both hands around the wound. Large, panicked eyes watched in disbelief as the spear jerked back for another stab. A small ball of fire crashed into the man¡¯s back. He screamed as delicate flesh melted, stumbling forward from the impact.


    Raine¡¯s brows shot up. Hitting with a thrown elemental skill wasn¡¯t easy. Not only did the caster need to choose an element and hold its image in their minds, they had to choose exactly where along the trajectory of their swing the Blast would be released, ¡®before¡¯ making the swing. Similar to deciding when you needed to release a rock when throwing it, except once the choice was made and the swing started, there was no changing it. Lastly, there had to be enough force in the swing to physically hurl the ball of fire, ice, or whichever element was chosen.


    Previously, Celeste had been releasing her Blasts in melee so much of her accuracy could be discounted. This time, she fired from nearly four meters away and hit a moving target dead on. It took TwistedReligion thirty tries to do what she did on her first, and Raine doubted it was luck.


    There¡¯s a reason she became a legend. Well, this isn¡¯t that reason, but it does show her natural talent is fairly monstrous.


    Celeste was on the burning man as quickly as she could move, the bottom of her staff whipping toward him. Thanks to significantly higher Finesse, he managed to turn and get the center of his spear in the way to block.


    The butt of his spear once more sent her reeling, though this time she didn¡¯t fall. He charged as she was trying to regain her balance. Impressively, she managed to release another Blast however the force of release sent her ass to the ground, hard. The man flexed every muscle in his body, throwing himself to the side. Still, he nearly collided with the imperfectly aimed bolt that would have missed had he maintained his attack.


    Off balance, he wasn¡¯t at all prepared for Mel when she slammed into his side. When he wasn¡¯t looking, the same fighting spirit that allowed her to kill her first wolf and clear the tutorial reared its head once more; she embraced it, healing herself and retrieving her weapon. The dagger was driven deep into the soft flesh beneath his rib cage. She followed him down, blood staining her basic tunic. Pinned down, his spear was useless. He tried to wrest the dagger from her but a blow to his chin by the recovered Celeste rattled his brain. Five more attacks finished the job and he fell limp before bursting into a shower of sparkling lights.


    Mel healed herself again and the nasty, half-closed gash on her neck sealed into soft scar tissue.


    A third Mend to fully recover? Must have been a crit. She¡¯s lucky that didn¡¯t kill her. Both of them got lucky multiple times. No fault there. Luck is simply the result of preparation and guts, applied at the right time and place.


    While the last two survivors stood nervously, unsure of their fates, Raine approached the girls to whisper, ¡°Out of ten fights against that guy, you would lose nine. The only reason you won is circumstances and luck. But that¡¯s exactly what a true battlefield is. Emotions, unexpected events, misfortune, and a thousand other random things can heavily influence a fight. Taking advantage of even one of them is often the difference between survival and death. That said, what will you do better on the next one?¡±


    ¡°Next one? We have to do that again? I don¡¯t have enough Celestial Power for another Mend!¡± Mel¡¯s voice was hoarse, fingers massaging her still-aching throat.


    Raine didn¡¯t respond to the complaint. He stared down Celeste. She frowned, then further proved her future reputation wasn¡¯t a fluke, ¡°Mel is too inexperienced to dodge. I have to press the attack so hard they can¡¯t ignore me. That should give her plenty of chances to whittle them down. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so much stronger and faster than me, I won¡¯t get knocked down again!¡± She growled the last, more to herself than him.


    Raine nodded, ¡°Passion isn¡¯t enough to overcome a difference in attributes. Widen your stance and don¡¯t face them square on to narrow your profile. And never forget that the staff is more than a stick. It''s a third leg, an arm, a shield. Mel, don¡¯t focus on anything other than fully experiencing your emotional state. Unlocking Discipline will give you a second resource pool so you¡¯re not solely reliant on CP. Go on then.¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He waved them toward the next player. The woman swallowed hard. She raised her long sword, then tapped her finger in the air to accept the duel. Celeste rushed her and Mel was right behind, moving to the flank once more. Wise to the strategy, the woman put her back to a few spikes slightly off the road.


    Her tactic might have worked without Raine''s hints. Celeste barreled forward without any signs of slowing. The woman took a hasty swipe at her but Celeste came in low. She planted the bottom end of her staff against the road and jumped forward feet-first like a pole vaulter. Her soft boots slammed into the woman''s chest and she stumbled back into the spikes.


    Her pained shout was cut short by Celeste''s Blast that hit her right in the face. Even her choking didn''t last long as Mel''s dagger swiped across her throat. Gurgling blood, she lurched forward with a two-handed Slash. Celeste didn''t take the blow head on. The tip of her staff smacked into the woman''s wrist, redirecting her arms up and over Celeste¡¯s low stance.


    Tears in her eyes and on the verge of panic, the woman Charged. Her form blurred and she smashed into Celeste, sending her flying. Bleeding profusely, she turned to face Mel alone, only to find the girl was already clear on the other side of the road after three Discipline-powered sprinting steps. Luckily for Celeste, Charge didn¡¯t do any actual damage, merely bridging the gap to the target and imparting a boosted blast of physical force.


    The girls shared a glance, then ran at the woman full tilt. Mel, now able to access Discipline, flanked her by the time Celeste arrived. The staff was a blur in her arms as she weaved her torso left and right around powerful, yet uncoordinated sword swings. The distraction was more than enough for Mel to land three quick stabs. The woman fell to her knees, strength and hope leaving her body as surely as Mel¡¯s dagger left her back riddled with holes.


    Both girls were panting hard, blood staining their exposed skin, and eyes wide with disbelief at the carnage they¡¯d wrought on another living person. Raine simply nodded, ¡°Better. Next.¡±


    The last man tried to run but Raine was already behind him when he turned around. He stumbled back, raising his hands, ¡°Please, no! Just kill me quick, I don''t want to be picked apart by them!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Raine¡¯s massive mace reduced his head to pulp so quickly the man didn''t see him swing. His information was a shade darker as he picked up the dropped piece of gear. He met the girls¡¯ disapproving glares, ¡°What? There''s little to learn from a broken opponent.¡± He walked through what was left of the demolished spike wall and they dashed to keep up.


    They¡¯re doing better than expected. Abysmal footwork, body movement, and overall combat awareness but those can be taught. Their instincts and mental fortitude are off the charts, and those are qualities that can¡¯t be easily trained.


    Taking the time to pick them up wasn¡¯t a waste. With a little polish, they¡¯ll be useful well after the initial guild raid. The two most important parts of any successful guild is its war purse, and its main raid group. When these two mature, and with Fizgore tanking, we¡¯re going to take the Tri-glades by storm. After that little show, I¡¯m even more motivated to push them harder than they would ever push themselves.


    Not liking the direction of his thoughts one bit, Celeste tried to divert his attention, ¡°How do you keep vanishing like that? Are your attributes that high? No, that can¡¯t be right. You did it against the ex-champ too. Does that mean it''s a martial technique and not a skill?¡±


    Thankfully, they were far enough away from the roadblock that the hidden players couldn¡¯t overhear her. Raine looked back, giving Celeste a hard glare, ¡°First of all, don¡¯t ever talk about our real world identities while we¡¯re in ZL. Unless you want assassins paying you nightly visits. Second, you can''t even use Discipline in a fight yet, but you¡¯re asking about my techniques? I¡¯m clearly being too soft on you if you have time for pointless questions.¡±


    Next training definitely needs to be for their eyes. They''re missing everything around them. Focusing so much on only what''s in front of you is a great way to get stabbed in the back. I¡¯ll start with expanding their peripheral awareness, then stress their ocular nervous system until they¡¯re begging for mercy.


    ¡°W-what about the players we left hiding in the trees back there?¡±


    Celeste¡¯s attempt to get Raine to go easy on her didn¡¯t work in the slightest, ¡°Not worth the time to chase them down. Don''t worry, there''s plenty more on the road ahead. Now, how many did you notice? I want details: Weapon types, color of their pants, style of armor. Mel first.¡±


    After Celeste won, Raine generously gifted her the tutorial boots that dropped from the woman they killed. Recognizing them, Celeste scowled but wisely didn''t complain. As they traveled to the next roadblock, Raine moved through the forest while the girls remained on the road. He practiced with bloodlust as often as possible, doing his best to grasp the illusive ability. Unfortunately, each extended use came with a free blinding headache so he was limited to short bursts.


    His obscuring cloak, and years of training with stealth skills, allowed him to remain mostly out of the girls¡¯ sights as he randomly chucked rocks at their heads¡ªan activity that filled both their hearts to bursting with intense joy. Since he no longer warned them of the beasts that lurked nearby, and often went out of his way to scare the creatures toward the girls with bloodlust, they quickly learned the value of expanding their focus.


    - A short time later -


    - Shadow Springs Town -


    - Righteous central command center -


    A powerfully built young man quietly opened the only door to an unassuming ZionLine office space. He carefully shut it behind him, cautious to not disturb the sole occupant''s focus. The interior had been completely redesigned by its owner to incorporate her usual out-of-game research. She was a lithe woman with slicked back, black hair. She clicked away at a floating screen, making adjustments to a holographic schematic of a large tube-like machine that hung suspended in the center of the room.


    Taking notice of his intrusion, she created a few more notes before pinning him with a sharp glare. The young man snapped a salute, ¡°Ma¡¯am! Master Fist just confirmed it. Froust is being removed from Carter City and won¡¯t be returning to his post in the northeast region, either.¡±


    The woman spoke for the first time, her voice like the crack of a whip, ¡°Good. That incompetent weakling was never fit for anything beyond looking pretty. Did Master Torune assign replacements?¡±


    He shook his head in the negative, knowing she didn''t like hearing the word ¡®no¡¯ even in these situations. Not for the first time, Jerred wondered how his boss came up with her in-game name. Sure, the first half fit her personality perfectly, but the second was never a word he would use to describe her.


    MeanyMouse pursed her thin lips, ¡°Then he wants me to handle it. Which means dealing with the new variable¡­¡± She pulled up the footage of Froust''s embarrassing loss at the Carter City Romaxillions again. She watched the too-gorgeous and mysterious martial dismantle her once-peer with laughable ease and doubted she would fare any better. She watched the footage a few moments longer, clicking her tongue in envy at his beautiful companions, ¡°Seduction¡¯s out. We''ll try negotiating and bribery first. If that doesn''t work¡­ Well, master will be arriving in the city soon enough. Have there been any delays with the construction efforts?¡±


    ¡°The acquisitions of the local shops are complete and demolition is still planned for the morning. Luckily, the deals were signed before Dimitrey''s defeat and the new champion either doesn''t know or doesn''t care.¡±


    ¡°If that changes, I expect an immediate report. Master''s accommodations must be complete before he arrives or none of us will enjoy our lives for a long while.¡±


    Jerred snapped another crisp salute, quickly jotting down her command word for word, ¡°Yes, Ma''am!¡±


    MeanyMouse waited for him to finish before continuing, ¡°As for the northeast region, inform Commander Pierke to withdraw from the Crystal Tributaries. Froust''s little war with DyingNight was nothing more than a disgusting ego trip. That said, our forces did gain considerable experience with ZionLine''s systems, which they can now put to good use. We''re far behind the independents in levels, and those are the skilled players we should be focused on recruiting. I want our average level to be twelve by end of day tomorrow. Thirty-six hours is plenty of time. Anyone who complains or fails will be demoted to farming.¡±


    ¡°Ma''am!¡± Jerred once more took rapid notes, wishing all the while he could record the conversation. Unfortunately, MeanyMouse''s highly technical project was top secret and recording inside her office would likely result in his death in reality. As he finished, he saw one of his previous notes detailing the second reason he''d needed to see her.


    His punishment for failing to report it earlier would suck, but not nearly as much as forgetting completely. He spoke in a rush, not daring to cringe or break eye contact, ¡°Three players recently broke through all our roadblocks leading out of Mirror Lake Town. They were last seen on the road to Dry Canyon Town by a¡­¡± Jerred checked his notes, ¡°Warrant Officer Clarkness. After compiling all the reports, it''s estimated they''ve killed over one hundred recruiters and patrollers.¡±


    MeanyMouse''s glare was chock-full of fury to the point Jerred was sweating profusely when her words cracked in his ears, ¡°Those losses could cost us several million credits and not one person before you bothered to report it! Send me every relevant VRVod we have on these three, right now!¡±


    Already having the files prepared, Jerred transferred them straight away, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the first reports only came in thirty minutes ago. I prepared the footage for you and brought it straight away!¡±


    ¡°They''ve killed a hundred people in thirty minutes?! Wait¡­ three people from Mirror Lake Town. That''s the origin town attached to Carter City.¡± With a suspicious glint in her eyes, MeanyMouse examined the footage in exacting detail, a sinking suspicion churning in her gut.

 Chapter 65 - SECRETS TO DIE FOR

    The first hint of a glow embraced the distant horizon. The soft light of morning failed to banish the dusk, leaving the vast plains shrouded in long shadows that clung to shrubs, obscuring the beasts that stalked unwitting prey.


    Raine skimmed a message from Richtor, responding to stay put and grind Superiority until he arrived. Closing the interface, he eyed Mel and Celeste who huffed nearby, catching their breath and restoring their Discipline after sprinting down the most recent stretch of dry road.


    Both were level two already, impressive considering how little time had passed since they left town. After becoming proficient with the use of Discipline for travel, Raine taught them how to activate consumable items. Their speed was further boosted, contributing to the number of enemies they got the chance to fight.


    [Scroll of Travels: (Common Grey) Boosts unmounted traveling speed on roadways by 300% for 2 hours]


    The constant ambushes were a great learning experience. Another reason for their rapid progress in levels was the lack of players distracting them. Raine wore a pout as he scanned the landscape. The last time he spotted a member of Righteous was two hours ago. Before that, they had cleared the road to avoid further losses. Raine had been perfectly content to show them how hiding a few dozen meters away in the bushes was an insufficient strategy. Their discontinuation of donations was disheartening for multiple reasons.


    The free equipment was great, of course. The real issue was that whoever took charge after Froust wasn''t nearly as incompetent. It took a sound mind to cut losses and throw away the chance to recover all the gear he¡¯d liberated. Since the two hour window was now closed, they would only get a single random drop from killing him.


    In that same time, his red player status had faded. After the first roadblock, the fools attacked him without hesitation, even when he was the one ambushing them. Not that he would have let being the aggressor stop him from completing the first step of an important achievement series.


    [Achievement for murdering (intended or otherwise) 100 Travelers: Bandit Leader''s Earring dropped]


    [Bandit Leader''s Earring: (Common Grey - LVL 5) Further reduces generated sound while stealthed by 10%]


    The item was useless to him, but he equipped it anyway since the equipment slot was open. The real prizes would come at ten and a hundred thousand kills. Hopefully, Righteous wouldn''t mind helping him with those, too.


    They aren''t the kind of guild to let this slide. They¡¯re definitely gathering an elite force to strike when I¡¯m at a disadvantage. I doubt they can kill me, but¡­


    Mel and Celeste were both watching him intently, easily able to piece together his unvoiced thoughts. Mel opened and closed her mouth three times before gathering the courage to speak, ¡°How long until we reach the next town? I¡­ I don¡¯t know how much more of this I can take.¡± She took a quaking breath, fear etched across her features, ¡°I keep thinking about dying and having to start all over again.¡±


    Raine had no intention of letting them die and waste the time he¡¯d already invested, but he sure wasn¡¯t going to ruin their training by telling them that. He grunted, ¡°You¡¯ll either get used to this kind of pressure, or you¡¯ll quit leveling and find a comfy job in a town or city. Our little jog this morning was nothing.¡± He stopped himself from mentioning how he used to have to travel for days to get to a decent leveling spot. Instead, he pivoted, ¡°Vaateaire is far more massive than Earth. I¡¯m just grateful the roads let us run several times faster than normal, or this trip would take days instead of hours.¡±


    Celeste was quick to question him, her brain perked to catch his thoughts, ¡°How do you know that? You can¡¯t have seen much of it in so little time, right?¡±


    A small pebble was launched by his thumb and Celeste threw herself into the dirt to dodge the painful projectile. Raine smiled, pleased with her reaction speed, ¡°If you¡¯re rested enough for questions, then you can run.¡±


    She growled deep in her throat, dutifully pushing to her feet and taking off down the road, ¡°I hate you so much!¡±


    Raine appeared right next to her ear, shocking the breath from her lungs, ¡°Good.¡± His foot was in front of hers before she realized what was happening. She tripped, summoning her staff and digging its tip into the ground. Her back foot pushed off the dirt, sending her body rotating around the weapon. A flying kick propelled her forward and she landed in a spin, already dashing away from him with all her might.


    The smirk she flashed over her shoulder made it obvious she was beyond pleased with herself. Mel tried to race by him in his moment of distraction. His foot flashed out again, marginally slower than before. Expecting it, Mel jumped over with both feet, landing too slowly to escape his follow-up push on her back. She lurched forward, but recovered by flexing her core into a forward roll. She came back to her feet running.


    He caught up with them, handing each a new piece of gear, ¡°Great job, both of you. You¡¯re ready for the next phase.¡± They groaned in unison, a sound that filled Raine¡¯s heart with bliss, ¡°Ten acrobatics between each boost of Discipline. Since you¡¯re both doing so well, don¡¯t blame me for being impolite.¡±


    By this point, they were intimately familiar with the sensation of burning two Discipline per minute on the road. Raine often utilized that fraction of a second they had to focus to attack them. Now they would have to perform random acrobatics while he struck at them with his dirty tricks. Their peaceful jog through the early morning had just become a sweat-inducing nightmare.


    Mel¡¯s fears were brought to life when she opened with a forward handspring into a front-flip. Raine kicked her out of the air, sending her crashing to the ground in a heap, ¡°Flex your feet and don¡¯t point your toes! This isn''t a ballet studio. Flipping to land on a tree, rock, or wall to attack from a different angle is a great strategy, but if your feet aren¡¯t in position ahead of time, you¡¯ll just end up falling to your death!¡±


    Mel was wracked with a head-to-toe shiver as she rose to her feet. She bit her lip, staring at Raine¡¯s broad back while he chased after Celeste. Mel could have recovered without wiping out completely, but where was the fun in that? It was a constant struggle to perform a little worse than she could have in the pursuit of hearing his deep, overbearing voice discipline her.


    Each time, her heart raced out of control and her toes curled with delight. Unfortunately, she had to balance her enjoyment against keeping up with Celeste; the girl really was too skilled for Mel¡¯s own good. Not that she minded the extra challenge, as that made each little payoff all the more satisfying.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Mel knew it was a miracle Raine hadn¡¯t figured her out yet, and a large part of her wanted him to, just to see how he would punish her. She threw the thought away lest it distract her to the point she failed to spot an ambushing beast. She expanded her vision to include both sides of the road, enjoying the uncomfortable way that splitting her vision tugged at her brain.


    The lurking and unseen predators reminded her of another conflict, this one she was actively trying to ignore. The lies were piling up, and each felt like a fresh corpse rotting on the side of a highway she was barreling down at full speed.


    She hadn¡¯t been honest with him again when she made it sound like she was afraid of dying. The pain of death was nothing. The truth was, she was enjoying herself so much that she didn''t want it to end. She was terrified he would really let her die and she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear his chastising voice penetrating into her skull again.


    This, of course, was only the most recent lie, and a fairly harmless one. The big lie was a punch to the gut that never faded for long. Against her will, a memory from earlier that night invaded her thoughts.


    Raine had left her hotel room an hour before. The experience had been something she would never be able to forget, and couldn¡¯t wait to repeat. All the times she¡¯d invaded his mental privacy over the last week were repaid in double as she gleefully fulfilled every desire that popped into his mind.


    Tragically, the encounter came with the downside of guilt that her long shower had been unable to cleanse. Even bringing him joy had been a violation, and she was sinking ever deeper toward a need to repent. By the time Celeste arrived with the headsets, she was near to breaking down.


    When Mel opened the door, Raine¡¯s beautiful, and very famous friend sauntered by with her head held high. Celeste scanned the corners of the large hotel suite, ducked into the bathroom and bedroom, then set down her bags on the couch. Her smooth voice filled the room, ¡°It reeks in here. You two were busy,¡± Celeste waved off Mel¡¯s embarrassment, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. I''m not after that. I only want what''s in his head.¡±


    Mel was momentarily stunned. They hinted around the topic of hearing his thoughts at Romaxillions, but for the girl to so openly admit it was another thing entirely. Mel stammered, ¡°I-I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say a word!¡± Celeste snapped, tapping her ear and looking around the room with raised brows. ¡°Someone is always listening. The only thing I care about is that we don¡¯t get in each other''s way. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re after, and I don¡¯t care so long as I get what I want.¡±


    Quick as a bolt of lightning, anger rose in Mel¡¯s chest and her upper lip curled back, ¡°That''s not right! He¡¯s not some tool for you to use!¡±


    Celeste rolled her eyes, unbothered by Mel¡¯s outburst, ¡°Oh please, like you''re any different. Can you honestly tell me you were never interested in him because of that?¡± Celeste watched Mel devolve into utter remorse with a smirk, ¡°Didn''t think so.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that now,¡± Mel tried to defend herself, but the attempt sounded pitiful even to her own ears.


    Celeste frowned, stalking toward Mel who retreated until her back hit the wall. Strong arms whooshed past her ears, smacking into the plaster on either side of her head. Celeste leaned in, growling, ¡°You better not have any thoughts about coming clean for love, or some utter shit like that.¡±


    Finding her backbone, Mel locked eyes with the slightly taller woman, ¡°What if I am?¡±


    Falling back to her smirk, Celeste practically purred in her ear, ¡°Billions of credits were exchanged at that auction tonight and we both know that was only the beginning. The two of us are a liability to him. If he knew¡­ do you honestly believe he would let us live? Why wonder? Ask him yourself. Ask him what he¡¯d do if any one person knew all his secrets, and there was even a chance of them being exposed.¡±


    Seeing the memory again was the last straw. Mel dashed forward, burning Discipline as quickly as she could to catch up with Raine, ¡°Wait!¡± He responded to her call right away, looking back then slowing to let her catch up. Clenching her fists tight, Mel blurted out the question, ¡°What would you do if somebody knew all your secrets and they were in danger of being exposed?¡±


    Raine¡¯s brows lifted and he glanced to the sides for threats as he mulled over the question, ¡°Is this about Vaateaire being bigger than Earth? I told you before, there are things I know that I won¡¯t talk about. Some of those things are dangerous, and others are advantages I would kill to keep to myself.¡± Mel blanched, the most important word in what he said causing her to nearly come to tears.


    Knowing they needed to have this conversation anyways, and hoping it would soothe her nerves, Raine said what was on his mind, ¡°Whatever you''ve got going on in that pretty head of yours, I hope you can keep it under control. This thing between us, I like where it''s going. But there¡¯s a thick line between our private lives and ZL. Don¡¯t expect me to be nice, charming, or affectionate here. This world is more real to me than the one out there and I take it with complete seriousness.¡±


    Celeste slowed to listen. Raine didn¡¯t mind. Parts of what he had to say were important for her too. He continued a little louder, ¡°Wealth, influence, fame, power, it''s all here, in ZionLine, awaiting those willing to take it. I¡¯m one of those people. I¡¯ll take every advantage and use them to crush anyone who gets in my way. I¡¯ll never give up no matter how bleak the situation looks, and I¡¯ll never stop pushing forward. It¡¯s inevitable that I¡¯m going to piss off some very powerful people. They will find me in the real world if they can, and they will kill me.¡±


    ¡°That said, neither of you have to be like me to stay by my side. So long as you¡¯re faithful and trustworthy, I¡¯ll accept you for whoever you decide to be.¡±


    Celeste looked back, shooting Mel a smirk loaded with meaning that Raine couldn¡¯t parse. He ignored it. So long as they kept playing nice with each other, he had no intention of interfering in the social politicking that women thrived on. Sensing they needed a break to reconcile his words, he slowed to a walk.


    Mel was biting her lip so hard Raine was surprised it wasn¡¯t bleeding. The unspoken pause in their training stretched on for several long minutes as she stared into the distance, battling her inner demons.


    Suddenly, her head snapped forward and she looked hard at Raine with a clenched jaw. He met her gaze calmly. With a firm nod, she accessed her interface and started madly typing away at something. Not a minute later, she shot him an updated, and already signed version of their previous contract.


    He scanned the changed contents and his pumping legs naturally slowed to a stop. He couldn¡¯t have torn himself away from the contract if a monster chose that moment to pounce on his head. He shook himself, shocked to his core that she signed such a vile thing, ¡°Do you have any idea what this means for your future? Why would you want something like this?¡±


    She nodded meekly, her voice a whisper he strained to hear, ¡°Of course I don¡¯t understand it like you do. But I know you made¡­ a lot at the auction last night. I know I could do that too, that I could become strong like you, and so many more things that I can¡¯t fathom right now. Even so, you trusting me is more important than any of that. Besides, I¡¯d only have to give those things up if I break this contract, break your trust, which I never will.¡±


    Raine opened his mouth to respond but her finger landed on his lips. She pressed on, gaining more confidence with each word, ¡°There are things about you I have to accept without knowing, right? Well, this is something you have to accept about me. This is what I want, and if you don¡¯t sign my contract, then we won¡¯t work.¡±


    She was a little too smug while throwing his words back in his face and Raine couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. He read over the contract one last time, his heart torn by the hellish future he had lived through, ¡°Mel, how am I supposed to accept you becoming my slave?¡±

 Chapter 66 - DRY CANYON TOWN

    ¡°Slave?!¡± Mel''s exclamation squeaked from her suddenly constricted throat. The word, especially hearing Raine speak it, made her heart skip several beats. When it restarted, it was at a full gallop and crimson heat flushed her skin. She hoped he didn''t notice in the dark.


    Celeste stood behind Raine, her jaw on the ground as she beheld Mel like she''d never seen the girl before.


    Raine shook his head fiercely, ¡°I refuse. I¡¯m not interested in owning slaves.¡±


    Mel was quick to defend herself, ¡°It''s not that bad! I can leave at any time. I¡¯ll be credless, but whatever, I¡¯ve been there before. It gives you the power to throw me away without concern that I¡¯ll spill any of your secrets.¡± Seeing his scowl, she patted the air with her hands, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this so you¡¯ll tell me any of your secrets. This is my insurance against myself. If I happen to overhear something, I¡¯ll never be tempted to reveal it and you¡¯ll never have to worry about my intentions. It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nowhere near perfect. There¡¯s enough loopholes in this piece of garbage to squeeze a planet through.¡±


    Just as Mel was beginning to calm, his words caused fresh embarrassment to color her complexion, ¡°C-can you fix it, then? I won¡¯t feel comfortable around you if I don¡¯t have something like this. I don¡¯t like how things are now. I¡¯m too distracted by all this and I don¡¯t want to have to worry about it ever again.¡±


    Understanding dawned and Raine paused, realizing he''d fundamentally misunderstood her, both in the past, and now. This wasn''t his first experience with people who preferred to have little to no control over their own existence. In a way, that kind of personality made sense. The world was a dangerous, scary place, and that reality was simply too much for some people to navigate. Being told where to go and what to do took the edge off in a way that he couldn''t personally understand, though he could fathom it.


    Raine stared at her for long seconds, each feeling like an eternity for the squirming girl, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ think about it.¡±


    The tension choking Mel''s muscles fled and she sagged with honest relief, ¡°Thank you!¡± Raine blinked away his surprise at the odd turn the conversation took, then restarted their journey at a light jog.


    Can''t believe I never noticed she was that type of person. Now that I think about it, the hints have been there all along. Wow, was I blind or what?


    Mel followed after, face skewed in confusion. [Huh? What type of person? Did he misunderstand something? It doesn''t matter so long as he''s willing to sign. Eventually, he''s going to figure out we can read his mind and this is the only way he''ll be willing to forgive me for not telling him earlier. This is definitely the right choice. I feel so much better already.]


    Celeste kept pace with Mel, sending her a message through the interface, ¡°He means you''re crazy. What the hell are you thinking?¡±


    Mel sent an unsigned copy of the contract to Celeste, ¡°Protecting myself for when he eventually discovers the truth. This way, neither of you have to worry about me. I don''t want to be a threat to you, either.¡±


    Celeste scanned the contents, not understanding Raine''s disdain for it. It was fairly simple, stating Mel would never reiterate anything she learned from Raine. Nor would she knowingly betray his trust. She would follow his direct commands to the best of her ability and never act against his interests. The contract could be ended at any time of his choosing and the penalties for breach were a permanent ban from ZionLine and forfeiture of her digital and real life assets, just like the other contract he''d made them sign.


    The specific wording cleverly forced Mel to not reveal Raine''s secrets to himself, meaning she couldn''t tell him about reading his mind. Celeste was impressed, nodding with a thoughtful frown, ¡°I should do something similar. Don''t want him to kill me either, and he''s too clever to fool for long.¡±


    A spike of fear had Mel responding in a rush, ¡°You really think he would kill us?¡±


    Celeste nodded emphatically, ¡°Definitely. Father always says men are straightforward creatures. When they speak, especially when it''s an important topic, it''s best to take their words literally and believe them.¡±


    Done with the conversation, Celeste leaned forward and burned Discipline, shooting away at triple speed. Mel was right behind. Her footsteps felt lighter than before, like she had wings strapped to her back.


    Two hours of grueling acrobatics and sprinting later, the sun was mostly visible on the land. Its warmth had yet to reach them but the chilly morning air was a comfort on their sweat-soaked skin. In the distance, low walls came into view. They were framed by craggy hills dotted with sprinkles of sandy patches.


    Approaching the gated wall gave the impression the town beyond was abandoned. There were no guards in view, and a lack of players, smoke, or noise lent weight to the observation.


    Mel sincerely hoped it was an illusion. She was starving, thirsty, and didn''t want to walk another step without a break. Exercising in ZionLine was both familiar and surreal. Moving her avatar felt exactly like reality. Each time her Discipline dropped below half, exhaustion would set in, taking the form of heavy breathing, muscle strain, heat, and sweat. When it went below 25% the symptoms doubled, and again at 10%. At that point, the fatigue grew bad enough she felt on the verge of death.


    The surreal exception was that she never once felt like she was operating at less than her maximum strength, despite how much her body complained. A short break to regenerate Discipline was all it took to return to an optimal state.


    The real issue was the mental strain of knowing she could really die any second. The monsters had all been level five for the last hour. The rolling, spiked little turds were terrifyingly fast. She and Celeste had been glued at the hip after nearly being killed by an ambush from three of them. Before that fateful encounter, Raine always made some subtle hint they were about to be attacked, like looking at an area twice, or scratching his elbow.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    After suddenly being jumped on from either side of the road, both she and Celeste were reduced to half health and knocked off balance. Their survival instincts kicked into overdrive. The fight had been brutal, the two of them combining every lesson they''d learned through the night to barely eke out a win.


    The pride in Celeste''s eyes matched the swelling in Mel''s chest when they killed the last monster and leveled again. The surge of power that swept through her was intoxicating; combined with the flashing lights, trumpets, and numerical increases in her status, she was already hopelessly addicted. Unfortunately, the need to progress and feel the sensations of leveling again only made the threat of death worse.


    Celeste was no better. Raine chuckled at the girls after sneaking a peek from his peripherals. They were hunched with bent knees, their heads on a swivel as they stalked behind him, ready to murder anything that got between them and the safety the town¡¯s walls represented. If they knew the truth, Raine imagined they would piss themselves from fear.


    He strode right up to the unmanned gates without worry. They usually didn''t open for another couple hours but that didn''t mean his group would be barred entrance. There were plenty of city guards, they were just tucked out of sight where they wouldn''t be easy prey for archers or casters from a surprise bandit raid.


    There were tons of players outside the walls, too. They were merely crouched in stealth, waiting for the right moment to strike. Righteous controlled this town and its surrounding areas. Usually, they would collect an entry fee from any approaching group¡ªa huge source of income Raine couldn¡¯t wait to mimic with his own guild. Since Righteous was choosing to let them in without hassle, it was all the more proof they were planning to trap him in the town.


    It was in their best interest to let Raine bind first, then kill him repeatedly to recover some of their lost loot. How they intended to make the attempt was yet to be seen. ZionLine was still new, and its subtleties unexplored. It was common knowledge by day three that drawing weapons in a town would lead to jail time, and outright attacking, to death. There were ways around those rules, but Raine doubted Righteous would have figured them out by now.


    Let them come. Their donations will always be welcome.


    Hidden eyes watched him rap on the thick wooden gate. Disguised ears perked as a gruff response came from within, ¡°Name, affiliation, n¡¯ purpose?¡±


    Raine wore a confident grin. He replied loudly while making an obvious scan of the nearby players, ¡°Gold, silver, and copper!¡±


    ¡°Good nuff fer me!¡± Barked the same voice with a laugh. One of the doors swung open enough for them to squeeze inside. Raine flipped each of the three guards a silver coin, earning him toothy grins. The one in charge elbowed his companion, practically shouting, ¡°Search complete, no contraband found.¡±


    The second nodded along, his coin vanishing, ¡°Aye, search complete.¡±


    The last rolled the piece of silver along the outside of his knuckles, ¡°Yup, nothin s¡¯picious here.¡±


    Raine dipped his chin, voice polite, ¡°Pleasure to encounter such upstanding guardians of the people. Thank you for your service, sirs.¡± They waved him off with a round of chuckles.


    Much like Mirror Lake Town, the streets were packed. Despite the early hour, a press of bodies moved in every direction like a street fair at noon. Players shouted, selling items at a discount or for an outlandish mark-up. Offers for power leveling and guild invitations were mixed in as well. Mel wondered what magic kept the intense hubbub from reaching beyond the walls. The thought flew from her skull when Raine took off, not giving her time to fully appreciate the scene.


    Thankfully, Celeste responded quickly, grabbing Mel¡¯s sleeve and pulling her along as they entered the moving mass of humanity. Unlike Mel¡¯s previous experience in a town, the only people releasing red PVP shields were her and Celeste. Each time it happened, grumbles and curses were thrown at them as people were rebuffed into the crowd. The impression that those below level five were unwelcome was quickly cemented as the voices turned to shouts that followed them uncomfortably close.


    Raine led them down seemingly random streets past building after building with no markings that Mel could discern. She was lost straight away, the press of people who were mostly taller than her blocking her view. She couldn¡¯t see Raine, having to trust that he was just beyond Celeste¡¯s constantly flickering shield. Instead of continuing to be dragged along, Mel clung to Celeste¡¯s sleeve with a death grip.


    They turned sharply to the left and the sound of doors banging open pierced the nearby commotion. They entered a dark room. Moss-stained walls made of worn boards were illuminated by softly glowing lamps. She blinked until her eyes adjusted, finding them in a tavern of all places. Raine led the way to a few empty seats at the bar.


    He dropped three brownish colored coins on the counter, ¡°Three waters.¡±


    A slim worker with a dirty yellow apron slid his hand over the coins and they vanished. He poured their drinks from a tap below the wooden bar and slid them over one by one. He was already moving on to another customer by the time Mel thought to thank him. Raine slammed the drink back, then looked at the girls expectantly.


    Neither was quick to make a move on the suspicious beverages, instead taking another long look at the questionable interior. Raine growled, ¡°Drink already! We have a lot to do and there¡¯s going to be plenty of interruptions slowing us down as it is.¡±


    Hiding a delighted shiver from being reprimanded, Mel did as she was told. Cool, pristine water graced her tongue and flowed down her throat. A comfortable, soothing sensation prickled its way through her neck and she instantly felt like the journey here had been a dream, rather than a grueling undertaking. The cup was empty too soon and she only stopped trying to lick the last drops from it when she caught sight of Raine staring at her with a dead-eyed expression. She withdrew her tongue sheepishly, trying to laugh off her actions but knowing she failed.


    Celeste slammed back her drink. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath, savoring the moment with a tranquil expression that did wonders for her complexion. Mel¡¯s attention was drawn from the tall redhead''s stunning visage by a blinking notification in her HUD.


    [New resurrection location bound: Dry Canyon Town]


    By the time she finished reading, Raine was off again and the two scrambled to keep up. He opened the front door and the sight on the street had changed so drastically, Mel wasn¡¯t sure she was in the same town.


    Instead of tightly packed players, there was an open space in the shape of a large ring that took up most of the street. Three lines of armored men and women kept the press of humanity back. There must have been two hundred of them and every one of their hate-filled gazes was boring into her. None of them had weapons drawn, but the threat in their stances, and the strangely cleared street that looked exactly like an arena couldn¡¯t have been more clear.


    A woman stepped forward from the far end of the encirclement. She wore a wide smile that pulled her thin features tight. Her voice was sharp and high. She sounded cheerful, if one ignored the bite that could easily turn nasty, ¡°Welcome to our little town. I¡¯ve been told you have a few items that belong to us. Give them up, along with everything you¡¯re wearing, and we won¡¯t kill you back to zero.¡± Mel¡¯s suspicions about the woman''s voice proved true as it easily altered to a snapped threat. ¡°Don¡¯t bother negotiating. Yes, ma¡¯am, are the only words I want to hear. Otherwise, we¡¯ll do things the fun way.¡±


    The pressure on Mel was nothing compared to the wave of vertigo that slammed into her after hearing Raine¡¯s next thought.


    Of course it would be her. What the hell was I thinking when I married this bitch?

 Chapter 67 - FILIAL IN THE BEST WAY

    Celeste Luu Rahn


    Long before the trio entered the tavern, prior to even seeing the town on the horizon, Celeste was forced to drastically re-evaluate her opinion of her companions. Raine, in particular, was a much more complex individual than she previously wanted to admit. He looked similar to her in age, yet his depth of knowledge and experience were so beyond her own that it boggled the mind. In the beginning, she assumed he was limited to barely understood snippets of random information like every other recorded seer. That was clearly not the case.


    The more she learned about the mysterious Mr. KongRu, the further she was drawn down the rabbit hole. His single most disturbing quality was his martial prowess. Growing up, her father spared no expense when it came to her education, and especially her martial training. Over the last fifteen years, she had gone through three instructors¡ªnone under forty. Each imparted all of their fundamentals and techniques onto her before they were replaced by the next. Two had even been class four martials, yet Celeste knew to her bones that working together, those three renowned instructors would have been unable to force Raine into using more than one hand.


    In only a few short hours, he identified and easily pointed out flaws her trainers were too lazy to correct, or more likely, hadn''t known about in the first place. Much of her rapid improvement was due to the realistic, high-stakes combat, but it was Raine''s expert critiques that added an unquantifiable multiplier to her growth. After a single night, she was transformed to the point of easily defeating two of her past selves simultaneously.


    Everyone knew that properly teaching martial arts was an order of magnitude more difficult than fighting. There was only one way it made sense for Raine to be so adept at it. It was as if his prophetic visions were so clear that he gained martial prowess through them, and that was a beyond-terrifying prospect. If true, the governments of the world and the martial families would enter all-out war to obtain him. Worse, the organization she thought was backing him didn¡¯t exist at all. He was entirely self-made, alone, and easily the most dangerous man she had ever encountered.


    At the moment, that very dangerous man was driving her toward a potential future where she as well would become an unopposable existence. Greed, born from her substantial improvement, stoked a desire to absorb everything Raine could impart. Beneath even that, a deep, churning respect had taken root in Celeste¡¯s chest and it squeezed her diaphragm whenever she looked at his ugly face.


    Then, there was Mel. At first sight, Celeste knew the girl was some random arm candy the bastard picked up in the slums. Mel¡¯s wide-eyed wonderment while tip-toeing through Romaxillions was a dead giveaway of her mundane origins. But after their night together, it was clear the girl was the opposite of simple. Multiple times, Celeste caught Mel looking at Raine¡¯s back with a calculating and cunning glint in her eyes.


    Celeste had given their training her all. With her martial background, she should have left the random girl so far behind all she could see was a cloud of dust on the horizon. Yet Mel almost seemed to be taking the training easy, as though she were trying to let Celeste win every little competition between them. She certainly never showed any hints of her pride being hurt when losing. No, there was definitely something disturbing about the girl. Celeste was positive that anyone who underestimated Mel was bound to suffer.


    There was also her brilliant plan with the contract. The moment Raine and Mel finalized their version, Celeste would be using it as a template for her own. That assumed she and Mel lived long enough. Raine was a deadly sharp blade, his every move calculated and meticulous. He could discover their intrusions into his mind from the slightest slip.


    One of those very slips was happening at that very moment.


    Celeste¡¯s arms wrapped around Mel as the girl teetered from the shock of hearing about Raine¡¯s wife. The once floozy¡ªnow upgraded to love-struck tramp, was clearly tired of living and Celeste was having none of it. She smacked the back of Mel¡¯s head, drawing a hundred pairs of hungry eyes away from Raine and onto them, ¡°Get it together!¡± She hissed, ready to hit her again.


    Mel sobered the second she heard the vitriol in Raine¡¯s voice as he responded to his ¡®wife,¡¯ ¡°Same old cowardly Vaneese, only enjoying the hunt when your prey lays on its back without a struggle. Happy to disappoint you. If you''re truly set on an easy hunt, you can always go fuck one of your worthless little servants like the town-pump you are.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s brows rose to her hairline.


    Uhh, did I mishear him? No way they¡¯re still married. Oh shit, please tell me she can''t read his mind too.


    The woman¡¯s jaw dropped. The sound of a hundred hissing snakes filled the street as the members of her guild sucked air through their teeth. Celeste imagined she could hear the woman¡¯s teeth grinding from across the street.


    Vaneese held her hand high and snapped her fingers, ¡°Group one, escort them out of town. Group two, standby at the graveyard.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s PVP shield flared without warning. She stumbled forward as a powerful shove slammed her from behind. She hit Raine¡¯s sturdy back and bounced. Looking over her shoulder, she was met by the malicious grins of half the tavern¡¯s occupants. Meanwhile, the encirclement of players closed in from the front, leaving them completely surrounded.


    I have no idea how Raine¡¯s going to get us out of this, but I¡¯m positive he didn¡¯t walk into that tavern without a plan.


    Time froze for Celeste as the thought struck her. The mere idea she could trust someone she had only just met was an entirely alien concept. There was no such thing as friends who weren¡¯t trying to use her for money or renown. Her past attempts at camaraderie proved that all too well. But Raine was different. He didn¡¯t need her for anything. Whatever gain he thought she might accomplish for him, with his advantages, he could easily replace her.


    The magnitude of it swept away the fact they were surrounded by hostile players that could enact any number of horrible fates upon her. The players were closer now, only a few paces away. She did as Raine had taught, inspecting them to find the ones in the closest row were all below level five, while those behind were six and seven.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Again, Celeste was pushed from the back but Raine¡¯s outstretched arms were an unyielding force that caught both her and Mel. Their plan to use the lower level players as a shieldwall to bodily force the three of them out of town was obvious to everyone watching, and finally, to Celeste herself.


    Yet in that surreal moment, it didn¡¯t matter. These idiots had no clue who they were fucking with. Celeste found herself sporting a shit-eating grin, overwhelmed by the bubbling anticipation of how Raine would thoroughly humiliate these scum for daring to touch her.


    A tingling jolt raced down her spine when Raine¡¯s hands came to rest on the nape of her neck. An undignified squeal was pulled from her lips when his grip tightened and her feet lifted from the ground. Mel was held firmly in his other hand, the tramp instantly going limp like a kitten. Celeste kicked and thrashed, achieving absolutely zero results against his unbelievable strength.


    Gravity shifted as she rocketed forward, then, her vision was blocked by her shield¡¯s non-stop flaring. Bodies were thrown from her path as Raine charged through the ranks of players, wielding her and Mel as living shields with laughable ease. When it became clear his grand plan from the very beginning was to utilize her as a human ragdoll, all the positive feelings she began to harbor vanished in a puff of embarrassed fury. She turned her head enough to glare at him with the promise of murder, ¡°I hate you so much!¡±


    Raine KongRu


    Raine couldn''t help himself, and roared with laughter, though not directly at Celeste''s outrage. Not once in the past did he dare to rebuke Vaneese. As Master Torune¡¯s top assassin, none who dared oppose her lived for long. Raine was in such good cheer as he crushed her minions aside that even a death couldn''t have spoiled his mood. The best part was the use of her real name. He was positive her clever mind would be eating itself like some cancerous ouroboros attempting to discover how he knew her. Since she no doubt had suspicions about his origin, the red herring would do wonders to throw her off his track.


    They broke through the encirclement and Raine kept right on running, easily pushing aside anyone in their way thanks to the PVP shields¡¯ highly complex activation triggers. Being inside its range when another source activated it, Raine was immune to its effects. Since shield activations never summoned the guards, he was free to continue his rampage until running into someone with higher Potency.


    In the past, those who were creative often discovered hilarious ways to manipulate the shield system. The current method he was using gained significant popularity over time and eventually earned the moniker: newbbowling. Having once been responsible for keeping the streets clean of such debauchery, Raine found himself enjoying the activity a little too much, especially since he was using it to outmaneuver the very woman who had cast him into the living hell that was CronGate¡¯s slavery.


    The trio rounded a bend and charged down the next street. Roars and shouts rife with indignant rage followed in their literal wake. The clamor caused by the members of Righteous plowing after them only added to the tumultuous upheaval. Raine didn¡¯t dare look back, lest his excited grin give away the trap they were charging into.


    He kept their pace slow, prolonging Celeste¡¯s suffering which she was still being obnoxiously vocal about. The members of Righteous were right on his heels when he took a sharp turn through an open gate, entering the yard of a walled complex. A large and decadent three-story building¡ªrivaling a small palace¡ªloomed above their heads and Raine barreled straight up to its front doors. Between one blink and the next, a man in the perfect rendition of a western sheriff appeared before him. The three slammed into him and bounced back. Unfazed, the new arrival merely squinted his eyes questioningly. Raine dropped the girls and swept into a deep bow.


    [Butler Champion (Noble): (Level ???) (HP ?????/?????)]


    Before Raine could politely introduce himself, a gloating taunt from behind pulled the attention of the powerful Vaaterran, ¡°Dead end, helmet!¡± A member of Righteous with the orange and purple sash of a captain stood with his hands on hips, fifty of his companions at his back. ¡°You¡¯re trapped! I¡¯d tell you to surrender, but that isn¡¯t an option anymore.¡± They spread out to block the only entrance to the compound and Raine could only shake his head at their idiocy.


    The other players crowding the yard couldn¡¯t believe their audacity, ¡°What is Righteous thinking? The last guy who caused a scene here died instantly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so many of them, though. Maybe they can actually pressure the auction house. This is going to be awesome!¡±


    The butler¡¯s hand landed on Raine¡¯s shoulder, the strength behind its grip overbearing. His other hand followed, reaching Raine¡¯s opposite arm where he gently wiped off a bit of dust, ¡°Esteemed VIP. How gracious of you to grant our humble auction house your patronage. My name is Flavell. Please consider my services at your disposal.¡±


    The captain from Righteous pointed, his voice high and sharp, ¡°Hey! That¡¯s our prey, you dumbass NPC. Throw him over here all nice-like or we¡¯ll blockade the entrance. Good luck running your business without any customers!¡±


    Holy wow. Room-temp IQ much?


    Only two of the captain''s lackeys appeared unsure of the situation. Raine acted quickly, making sure none would have a chance to escape. He stepped back, and the butler¡¯s grip loosened instantly. He bowed respectfully, pitching his voice to make sure he was heard, ¡°Champion Flavell, the pleasure is entirely mine. I apologize for their intrusion. They followed me here against my will and truly don¡¯t know their place. Perhaps that¡¯s only because there has yet to be a proper example set for those who disrespect the auction houses¡¯ sanctity.¡±


    A twinkle was born in Flavell¡¯s eyes and he peered around Raine, sweeping his gaze over the members of Righteous. Wherever those flinty, golden-hued eyes passed, men and women received a notification that would have caused their jaws to drop if they were capable of moving at all.


    [Negative affliction received -Paralyze: Renders willful movement through physical means inoperable (Duration 2.5 hours)]


    With a blink from the overpowered butler, every member of Righteous that came to cause trouble exploded into floating clouds of light. Over fifty pieces of equipment fell from the little clouds, impacting the ground with soft thuds. Only one of the several hundred people in the auction house¡¯s yard dared to move. Raine casually walked among the loot, tapping each piece with his toe and storing it.


    Seeing him, some of the patrons waiting in lines to access the kiosks grew brave enough to restart their chatter, ¡°Okay, new rule: do not fuck with that NPC."


    ¡°Who is that guy though? How does he have the stones to steal those drops?¡±


    ¡°No way he¡¯s going to get away with giving Righteous a black eye?!¡±


    ¡°He has to leave here eventually. Look, they¡¯re waiting outside the gate!¡±


    Sure enough, many members of Righteous were gathered outside. Among them was a familiar serpent of a woman. She snapped a command to one of her underlings and the man rushed inside, only to instantly pop, dropping another piece of gear. Raine grinned and waved, causing Vaneese to seethe in crimson-faced helplessness.


    Thanks so much for playing along, Vaneese. After all the suffering you put me through, I¡¯ll consider this a long overdue alimony.


    Raine returned to the butler wearing an easy smile, ¡°Thank you for your assistance in this matter, Flavell. Is there anything I can do to repay your kindness?¡±


    The butler dipped his chin, ¡°Put in a good word with Mrs. Stonewhall and I¡¯ll consider us even.¡±


    ¡°You have my word,¡± Raine bowed with a hand over his heart.


    Flavell cleared his throat, ready to move on to more interesting topics, ¡°Is there any further service I can provide?¡±


    Rubbing his hands together, Raine nodded vigorously, ¡°Absolutely!¡±

 Chapter 68 - PREPARATIONS

    Champion Flavell led Raine, Mel, and Celeste through the front door of the Dry Canyon Town Auction House. Like the outer yard, the first floor was crammed with players. Only a few near the windows and door witnessed the slaughter outside. News rapidly spread though, and curious onlookers pointed in their direction as they crossed the spotless room.


    ¡°That''s him! That''s the guy who picked a fight with Righteous.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, look at his women! I hate his guts.¡±


    ¡°Why can''t I see his level? Do you think it''s that Rhino guy who¡¯s always fighting with them?¡±


    ¡°No way. That Rhino guy¡¯s way too weak after getting killed back to zero so many times.¡±


    A couple of the whispers caught Raine''s attention and he noted the people who spoke them.


    Looks like Rhino''s in a bad way. Knowing him, it''s only making him stronger. Now would be a great time to recruit him since I¡¯m in the area. Between Celeste, Fizgore, Rhino, and Mel I would have an insane core team. If I can get them some ReGen and polish their skills¡­ No point getting too excited just yet.


    Mel and Celeste were on his heels. They were unusually quiet since running into Flavell. For a moment, Raine wondered if the butler hit them with a silencing skill. A quick glance revealed they were merely spamming interface messages back and forth with intense focus.


    What got them so worked up? Probably not used to being surrounded by so many players who want them dead. Or, they¡¯re mad about the introduction to newbbowling.


    Raine flashed his teeth, looking forward to whatever revenge they were planning. He would take their punishment on the chin, and give back double in their next training session. Flavell led them right past the lines of players impatiently waiting for their chance to access the auction house kiosks. Near the stairs to the second floor, there were several private kiosk booths for VIPs, none of which had a line.


    The trio stuck to Flavell¡¯s heels, drawing plenty of attention, ¡°That¡¯s not fair! I¡¯ve been waiting for three hours!¡±


    ¡°How did they get access to the VIP booths? These damn NPCs won¡¯t even tell us!¡±


    A particularly indignant young man shook his fist at Raine¡¯s back, ¡°My guild, the almighty QuantumEntanglement, will never forgive this insult!¡±


    The older man standing behind the young man smacked him over the head, ¡°Shut up, moron! We at QuantumEntanglement are magnanimous and forgiving to a fault! I knew you were bad news from the start and that was the last straw!¡±


    The young man fell to his knees, his hands clasped in prayer, ¡°No! Please don¡¯t kick me from the guild. Please let me back in! I was wrong. I won¡¯t do it again. I promise!¡±


    Raine nodded, pleased to see not everyone would allow complete morons to form lifelong blood feuds over such simple matters. He ignored the rest of the crowd¡¯s antics, stepping into the booth before drawing its curtain. Flavell and the girls waited outside.


    Accessing his auction house account, he withdrew the five thousand gold he¡¯d earned for selling the items from Silverlight City, bringing his total wealth back to just under ten thousand. He checked the logs, unsurprised that the Return Stones sold out first. He bought them for one gold each and listed them for five, yet they were gone in minutes.


    I¡¯ve got to get access to the noble¡¯s quarter and empty out those vendors too. Good thing reputation is difficult to grind or someone might beat me to it.


    Raine listed most of the gear he¡¯d earned from Righteous. He was hesitant to sell all of it considering he would be recruiting players for his own guild soon and they would need copious quantities of low-level gear. After thinking about how Righteous was trying to trap him in this town, and would continue to harass him, he realized the donations would keep coming. He only kept what would be useful in the short term and sold everything else. Knowing what he would face leaving town, and the challenge awaiting him in ¡®rescuing¡¯ Fizgore, he changed out a few pieces of his gear, too.


    Leaving the kiosk, Raine addressed Flavell, ¡°If possible, I would like to access the second floor¡¯s shop.¡±


    ¡°As you wish. However, your companions do not have the necessary credentials.¡±


    Raine nodded, ¡°You two stay here. Don¡¯t get into any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Celeste hissed, ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re safe here?¡± Raine fired back, ¡°Since the dawn of auction houses, they have been the breeding ground for feuds that lasted generations.¡± He leaned forward, a pointed finger in her face, ¡°And you, in particular, are a time bomb waiting to go off. If you do cause any problems, fixing them is coming directly out of your salary.¡±


    His warnings only mildly soothed her temper. Meanwhile, Mel was downcast. She nodded mutely, leaning against the wall. Raine could see she had a lot on her mind so he let her be. Upstairs, locked display cases littered the floor. Inside each, presented on soft-colored cloth, were a staggering number of goods. They ranged from weapons and armor to consumables and curiosities; the list of available items was staggering. The most expensive contents were protected, requiring high-level scanning skills to see. Raine didn¡¯t even have the basic Identify so he could only see the details of a scant few items.


    ¡°Is there a list? I¡¯m looking for consumables that can resist and cure basic demonic debuffs.¡±


    Flavell frowned, understanding Raine¡¯s intentions, ¡°That place is dangerous. Since you¡¯re clearly aware, I shall refrain from hindering you and merely offer the services of a particularly adept mercenary company.¡±


    Until becoming a noble himself, it would be impossible to hire a mercenary Vaaterran. The offer was tempting since it would be difficult to reach Fizgore without putting the girls in danger. Raine tapped his chin in thought, ¡°How much to only protect my companions? I plan on leaving them outside.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I suggest a band of recruits. The going price for a light escort is fifty gold,¡± Flavell¡¯s eyes narrowed negligibly and his voice dropped an octave, ¡°I¡¯m afraid their contract will stipulate that they don¡¯t go inside.¡±


    Raine waved off his concern, ¡°Two recruits is plenty. I had no intention of abusing them. Any contractual stipulations to ensure that won¡¯t be an issue are acceptable.¡±


    Pleased, Flavell produced a cigar and stuck it between his teeth, displaying a wide smile around its girth, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± He produced a sheet of paper from thin air and handed it to Raine.


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    ¡°Thank you,¡± Raine browsed the list, finding the items he would need and purchased them for under two hundred gold. By the time he was done, Flavell presented him with a contract for a pair of level twenty-five mercenaries. Raine scanned the contents, then signed and paid twenty gold. While expensive, especially for normal players, they were well worth the cost.


    A regular Vaaterran started as an elite, meaning they had the combat standards of a class three martial. Additionally, their attributes were on par with five players of equal level. A typical player without an extensive martial background wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a Vaaterran. At higher levels and class evolutions, the disparity only grew wider.


    Bowing, Raine bid farewell, ¡°Champion Flavell, thank you for your service and time. I¡¯ll be sure to mention your impeccable management skills when I meet Mrs. Stonewhall in Silverlight City on Feastday.¡±


    Flavell grunted, then winked in the way only dads could pull off with ease, ¡°You¡¯re all right, kid. May your travels bring immeasurable wealth.¡± Flavell left at his normal movement speed, vanishing almost instantly up the nearby stairs.


    Raine watched him go, wishing now was the time to utilize his one free pass to enter the third floor. He earned the ticket after clearing the bonus question in the VIP test, but he wasn¡¯t ready. The cheapest items up there likely cost in excess of a million gold. Sighing, he headed downstairs to find Mel and Celeste circled by a dozen men firing non-stop questions. Seeing him, the boys scattered. He lifted a brow at Celeste and she had the decency to break eye contact with a blush.


    A blond young man with a longsword at his hip and a shield on his back was the only one to not immediately retreat. He squared up on Raine, looking a little too noble and handsome for comfort. After the previous nonsense ended without incident, Raine¡¯s hackles were raised, knowing his luck wasn¡¯t strong enough to avoid a second.


    Kid better not start some typical protagonist nonsense. Let me guess, you want to buy my women for a night? Or my favorite, I don¡¯t know who your father is and you¡¯ll never forgive me because I cut you in line.


    When the young man opened his mouth to reveal straight, white teeth, Raine was already cringing. The boy¡¯s voice was curt, holding a tinge of sophistication that only came from those born with a golden spoon, ¡°My guild, Enders Fall, seeks to enter negotiations regarding access to your VIP kiosk. Or more preferably, purchase information regarding the acquisition of our own.¡±


    Wow. Polite. Okay, unexpected. Enders Fall, huh? I¡¯ll remember that name.


    Raine adopted a slick, welcoming smile, ¡°Information trade it is. If you know the current whereabouts of a player named Rhino, I can tell you how to get the access you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°Rhino? The very same individual causing a ruckus for Righteous? Considering your¡­ avocations, prudence in your preference of companions makes a certain sense. Very well. I shall set my associates upon this task with utmost rapidity. In exchange, you will inform me of the method to access the VIP kiosks.¡± The kid¡¯s superfluous way of speaking left Raine wanting to scratch at his ears. He extended a hand and Raine shook it.


    A few clicks later and they had a basic contract signed. They exchanged Ncodes, then the man went on his way with a cheery smile. Mel slid past him on the way to the door, her nose in the air, ¡°He was rather charming.¡±


    Raine quickly outpaced her, directing a sharp side-eye her way. She turned away with a huff. On his other side, Celeste snorted in amusement, ¡°She¡¯s mad because she thinks you have something going on with that woman you sounded so familiar with earlier.¡±


    Woman? Vaneese? Really? I degraded her in public and Mel¡¯s jealous? How does that even begin to make sense?


    Raine didn¡¯t respond to Celeste¡¯s comment right away. He opened the front door for the girls, then directed them to a marked loading entrance to the side. It was sectioned off with a short wall decorated in clear signage not to intrude. He led them in any way.


    Out of prying earshot, he pinned Mel with an imperious glare, his voice iron, ¡°I do have something going on with her. She¡¯s an enemy. Whether it''s here, or outside, if I see her and it''s possible, she dies.¡±


    ¡°You would kill her in real life?!¡± Mel blurted, mouth agape.


    ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn''t be ruthless with my enemies?¡± Seeing them unconvinced about the severity of the problem, Raine continued in more detail, ¡°The people she works for have already spent billions to enact their plans in Carter City and ZL. Anyone who affects their bottom line will be swiftly, and permanently dealt with. I never finished telling you. The organization that took your cafe calls themselves CronGate. She¡¯s one of their top executives, as well as an assassin they use to deal with people like us. If you want to go easy on them, be my guest. But don¡¯t expect the same nonsense from me.¡±


    The girls weren¡¯t given a chance to respond. Two Vaaterrans exited from a nearby servant¡¯s door. They appeared around thirty years old and were well-equipped in half-plate armor. One had a halberd strapped to his back, and the other wore a hammer and shield. They nodded to Raine and the hammer wielder spoke, ¡°Anatollies Foot, reporting for duty, sir.¡± After the brief introduction, they took up positions behind the girls.


    Raine returned their greeting, ¡°Pleasure to have you. These two will be in your care.¡±


    ¡°Aye, sir. Our life before theirs.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who are these two?¡± Celeste questioned.


    Raine was already walking to the street, ¡°Members of Anatollies Foot¡ªa mercenary company. They¡¯ll be protecting you for a while.¡±


    Mel¡¯s head swiveled between the two newcomers, ¡°Are we going somewhere that dangerous? C-can we take a break first?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Raine responded to both her questions curtly, leading them into the crowded streets.


    Unsurprisingly, the main forces of Righteous were nowhere to be seen. Their many spies were painfully evident, watching from windows and dark alleys. Vaneese wasn¡¯t stupid, and she had a knack for adapting to situations on the fly. Losing an extra fifty players at the auction house wouldn¡¯t have happened without that fool of a captain making a mess of the situation. All too likely, he was some scion to a subsidiary company promoted based on blood rather than intellect. With the way he embarrassed her today, Vaneese would definitely find a way to kill him. Considering Raine never met him in the past, he didn¡¯t last long that time either.


    The spies followed as the group pushed through Dry Canyon Town. By the time they exited the north gate that led toward craggy hills, nearly three hundred players were waiting for them. Vaneese wasn¡¯t among them. There was no way she could have known in advance which exit they would take and was likely rushing over.


    Standing behind Raine, Mel shot an uncertain glance at Celeste and quickly typed her a message, ¡°Are they all here for us? Look, more are coming around the outside of the walls! Why is this happening?¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop underestimating the lengths people will go to when credits are on the line. If he gave them enough time, I bet thousands would show up.¡±


    Content to wait for Vaneese, Raine crossed his arms, standing a few feet outside the gate. He motioned with his chin and the mercenaries took up defensive positions between the exit and the girls. He wasn¡¯t about to let them fight though. Now wasn¡¯t the time to reveal how powerful the Vaaterrans were. He would credit in that chip when there was more to gain from the surprise.


    Three captains stepped forward from the encirclement, weapons drawn, ¡°Here I thought we¡¯d have to chase you for days. Thank you for being so dumb!¡± Raine knew the speaker. He was a well-known sycophant who managed to maintain a higher position in CronGate than Raine, despite having few accomplishments.


    Looks like CronGate already has their fingers deep into Righteous. I suppose this is proof enough that they were always one and the same. Too bad things aren¡¯t going to go so easy for them this time around.


    ¡°You know what. Just for you, I changed my mind,¡± Raine held out his hands to the sides. His aggression soared, releasing a microburst of bloodlust. He''d been constantly practicing to master the subtleties of the mental ability while training the girls. It took nearly four hours, and several blinding headaches until he could use it without creating the obvious red wave of energy.


    A flash of light in his hand coalesced into a long, two-handed sword. The tip of the weapon trailed in the dirt behind him as he approached with steady, unwavering steps. His muscles ached to let loose the first armsman skill he¡¯d purchased. This wouldn¡¯t be his first time seeing it, but something told him it would be an entirely different experience being on the distributing end of its destructive power.


    Raine doubted the members of Righteous would enjoy the experience.

 Chapter 69 - OH, SNAP!

    Raine wasn¡¯t in a hurry. With each passing second, more members of Righteous arrived, thickening the encirclement. Soon, enough would be in position for him to help them learn the meaning of regret. They wore excitement on their sleeves, eagerly anticipating killing the man who insulted their leader and slaughtered their comrades.


    Since these weaklings weren¡¯t worth damaging some of his best equipment, Raine had already swapped out some of his level fifteen weapons for Common Grey variants. The sword whose tip was dragging a furrow through the dirt was one such weapon. Its common nature brought jeers from those who recognized it.


    The captain who called him out before wasn¡¯t among them. Having seen the confidential VRVods of Raine one-shotting his guildies, he knew this wasn¡¯t going to be an easy fight. His hand shimmered in the telltale indication of an item being pulled from his interface. The captain pitched his voice, smugness oozing from every word, ¡°We know you''re strong, so we prepared something special just for you!¡± The braindead man had the audacity to reveal the little round item, tauntingly waving it back and forth.


    The recipe to make those drops from raids and they can¡¯t be bought until gaining access to the noble¡¯s quarter in Silverlight. They must have found it in a chest. Lucky. Too bad they¡¯re stupid enough to waste it here.


    Raine maintained a slow, steady pace, outwardly unresponsive to the cliche groan-worthy threat. If he didn¡¯t know what the item was by sight, it could have been dangerous. Thankfully, low-level versions like the one being brandished in his direction had a fatal weakness.


    The captain laughed, bringing his other hand to the device and pulling its pin, ¡°You¡¯re cocky now, but we¡¯ll see how long that lasts!¡± With a swift motion, he threw the Glacial Snap Grenade between himself and Raine.


    It was a good throw, far less incompetent than his threats might indicate. If Raine tried to rush in, he would be caught in its radius. Likewise, he was already too close to escape if he tried to jump back. Remaining completely calm, Raine channeled Discipline into his legs and waited until the grenade hit the ground. With timing perfected through countless repetitions, he Leaped right as a wave of frost and icy cold smoke swept outward.


    The wave remained close to the ground. Had he still been there, his feet and legs would have turned to solid ice for at least eight seconds, giving the amassed players ample time to unload several barrages of ranged fire on his head. Since this particular grenade released a flat AOE, and not a true sphere, a simple jump was all it took to avoid the effect.


    Only the players at the back of the crowd clearly saw him escape the top of the fog screen. They tried to shout a warning to the captain and those closest to him, but it was already too late. High in the air, Raine tilted forward. Concentration firmed the air enough for his boots to subtly press against it. That was all it took to trigger Lunge, sending him hurtling down in a blur.


    He completed a flip and landed on his feet just meters before the three captains. The tip of his sword slid through the dirt and one-third of Raine¡¯s Discipline vanished. Great Divide gently guided his movements, directing the weapon in a forward slide through the soil. Right as its arc was about to meet the air in a vicious upper-cut, the weapon slammed into an invisible wall. Raine felt a massive weight blocking the path forward, as though the sword now extended two meters into the ground and its tip became a shovel.


    His muscles strained, veins bulging across his arms and neck. Every remaining ounce of his Potency was directed through his legs and torso, lifting him forward and up. The added strength was just enough to budge the blade the last millimeter through the dirt. When it reached open air, it whistled with a burst of speed, completing its powerful upper-cut.


    For ten meters in front of him, the ground shone with an inner light. The players in range only had a split second to respond before a wave of energy tore free from below, washing across their bodies. Due to the severe excess damage, well above their maximum health, they turned into clouds of sparkling dust instead of corpses. The clinks of falling gear filled the air. In their place, were dozens of floating numbers, each displaying a similarly-ridiculous quantity. [-5,960] [Critical hit! -11,820]


    [Iron 2-H Sword: Durability -2]


    [Great Divide: (Novice) With any melee slashing weapon, rend the ground in a 10 x 3 meter column AOE. Deals 2000% physical damage at the expense of 5% weapon durability (Cost: 30 Discipline) (Cooldown: 30 seconds)]


    Taking advantage of their stupefied states, Raine dove headlong into the surviving players. His sword reaped lives with slashes that came several times per second. Purposefully falling back on old habits, he combined his original martial style with what he¡¯d copied from Froust. He made sure not to use any of his more complex movement techniques, as they would ruin his plan.


    All three captains died to Great Divide, and Raine quickly worked his way toward a fourth hiding in the back. Seeing him coming, the man regained enough composure for his cracking voice to shatter the terrified silence, ¡°A-attack! What are you standing around for? Kill him before that cooldown ends! Use the debuffs, now!¡± The spell of fear was shattered and the knowledge he was only one man against hundreds boosted their courage.


    [Negative affliction received: Armor Down -7% (Duration 3.21 seconds)]


    [Negative affliction received: Resistance Down -7% (Duration 3.21 seconds)]


    The first two notifications were a prelude to multiple of the same undodgeable debuff skills hitting him in rapid succession. They rapidly stacked, reducing his total Armor and Resistance values by the maximum such low-tier skills could achieve: 50%.


    Luckily, skills that directly reduced attributes weren¡¯t available until tier two classes. With his Movement Speed and Attack Power unaffected, Raine spun with a devastating cleave, killing the nearby players who jumped at him. As they died, a hail of arrows fired from multiple directions splattered across his weakened armor. There were way too many to dodge, and several pitiful damage indicators appeared above his head. [-13] [-18] [-9] [-12]


    One of the archers fell back a step, disbelief seizing his momentary bravery, ¡°How is his Defense still so high?¡±


    As Raine continued to draw closer with every swing, the captain backpedaled, waving his arms frantically, ¡°Casters, concentrate your fire!¡±


    Raine was in the thick of it, his longsword slicing through two women with a single swing. As they died, a storm of elemental Blasts descended. Most of them hit the Righteous members in the back, only two reaching through the throng to connect with Raine. [-8] [-9]


    ¡°His Resistance is even higher?!¡±


    Raine kicked a man and he flew into three others, knocking them all down. Through the created gap, he saw tens of reinforcements rounding the town¡¯s wall and a huge grin split his face. Shouted commands had the melee fighters organized. They pinned him in place behind two lines of shields. Long spears darted over shoulders, digging into him repeatedly. For every swing of his sword, Raine took three hits.


    Even without the full set bonus from his armor, his maximum health was close to eight hundred. With how many attacks he was taking, it took them less than a minute to bring him below a quarter health. With a surge of determination, the melee fighters stepped back, allowing a fresh bombardment of arrows and skills to cascade down on him.


    Eyes alight with malice, Raine dove toward the nearest player. The briefest surge of bloodlust caused the unfortunate man to flinch. In the short moment of hesitation, Raine reached over his shield, fingers tightening around his neck.


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    A green wave shimmered across the man as Life Drain sucked the skin, muscle, and tissues off his bones. A dried-out skeleton fell to the ground and popped into sparkly mist. [-285] The same green wave reversed course and swept over Raine, restoring a large chunk of his health. [+285] In the next second, Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration restored another ten percent. [+77] As he went from a sliver of life back to half, the rampant hope in his enemies'' gazes turned sour.


    Raine spun on his heels and his sword dug through the dirt. Great Divide split the ground, easily reaping a hundred lives in a flash of beige light. Knowing what to expect, the last instant of the attack was met with his full Potency. He executed the skill smoothly, immediately transitioning into a sweeping cut that bisected three players who tried to jump on his back.


    [Iron 2-H Sword: Durability -2]


    Raine dodged a stream of ranged attacks by rolling into the area clear of enemies, yet full of loot. He came up sprinting through the gap, collecting drops before finally reaching the captain with the help of a regular lunge. A sweep of Raine¡¯s sword cut aside the woman who leaped to defend him. Then, Raine¡¯s hand clamped over the captain¡¯s mouth, muffling the command that died along with him. Life Drain sucked away his essence, restoring enough health to crack their morale wide open.


    Before they could think to flee, a woman¡¯s voice snapped with authority, ¡°Regroup! Pin him! Refresh the debuffs! Rangers and casters, ignore friendly fire. Do not stop attacking or you will be fined!¡±


    Raine¡¯s eyes darted to the side, finding Vaneese standing with a straight back, wielding her spear like a Valkyrie overseeing Ragnarok itself. Rushing around her to surround Raine were dozens of level eight and nine players, all elites from CronGate that he recognized from the past.


    She hid her best until I used my skill again. Exactly as expected.


    Raine charged, meeting the newcomers head-on. They tried to pile atop him to bodily restrict his movements. Two points of Discipline empowered a devastating three-sixty cleave. Twelve elites died in a blink and two pieces of shining blue gear dropped from their glowing ashes. Raine snatched them before they hit the ground.


    Vaneese¡¯s thin lips pulled back in a snarl, ¡°Limit his movements! Defend the casters and wear him down!¡±


    Raine was once more encircled by shields. Weapons were waved frantically in an attempt to keep him at bay but he was too fast, easily closing in and wiping out several per second with blindingly fast, and unerringly accurate swings. He took plenty of counterattacks for his efforts, but if he didn¡¯t kill the elites quickly, they would eventually wear him down.


    Attacks came from all sides, many landing entirely due to his purposefully suboptimal movements. He stuck with the ruse, enjoying the intense consternation that pulled Vaneese¡¯s brows down. She watched, confused as he utilized her master¡¯s fighting methods against her people.


    Despite each of Raine¡¯s swings hitting a vulnerable point (reducing the effectiveness of their armor) the higher-level elites took two hits to kill. A crit would also get the job done, but they were trained martials so landing such pinpoint strikes was a rarity. Raine was quickly bogged down in a slow grind as he worked his way through them. He used Life Drain each time its six-second cooldown ended. On several occasions, his aspect''s regeneration was the only thing that kept him on his feet.


    As he crept closer to Vaneese, she steadily retreated, continuing to issue orders that should have seen him dead in seconds. The continual grin beneath his bandit face shroud crinkled the skin around his eyes, infuriating her to no end, ¡°Damn you! Why won''t you die?!¡±


    The shimmer of an item appeared in her hand and she wound her arm back, prepared to throw. Raine had less than half a second to realize he was in actual danger before the weapon reached him. Each Amazon¡¯s Javelin was good for a single attack. With high base damage, armor piercing, blazing fast speed, and built-in accuracy, they were an excellent tool for sniping commanders on any battlefield.


    Raine¡¯s sword vanished and appeared in the javeline¡¯s path. Parry completely negated the damage and sent the weapon careening to the side where it speared through five players before digging deep into the ground. When Raine locked gazes with her again, Vaneese was grinding her teeth, growling in outright fury.


    The slaughter continued. Taking stock of the remaining hundred enemies and his dwindling Celestial Power, Raine used a Minor Celestial Recovery Potion. After its twenty percent regeneration, he would have enough for seven more uses of Life Drain. It would be close; unless he could kill Vaneese, which would definitely shatter the last of their morale.


    His sights were set on his target. With the same lunge Froust used in an attempt to backstab him, Raine closed the distance. A sword-wielder took his weapon to the gut, dying with a mouthful of blood. Raine took two spears and an arrow in the back, but was now only a meter away from her.


    In a rare moment of idiocy, she roared, brandishing her spear over the shield of the two men in front of her. Raine tilted his head, the sharp blade missing him by a hair. Continuing the movement, he kicked the leftmost shield. As their barrier flew wide, Raine recognized the boy as one of Vaneese¡¯s personal fuck-toys. Old fury shone in his eyes as his greatsword whistled through the air. Neck exposed, Raine was all too vindicated when his blade took the bastard¡¯s head, killing him instantly.


    Spittle flew from her lips as she stabbed twice in rapid succession, ¡°Who the fuck are you? Why did you betray us? You know you won¡¯t survive his wrath!¡± Raine weaved between both thrusts. A third followed a microsecond later, cleverly timed and placed to take advantage of the flaws his old master trained into him: but Raine no longer had such a weakness to exploit. Vaneese¡¯s eyes flew wide when Raine slightly adjusted his footwork to the more advanced version he¡¯d created, allowing him to easily evade again. At the same time, his backswing cut down three more players crowding in behind him, instead of Vaneese.


    Realizing she should already be dead, Vaneese frowned and shook her head, ¡°How did you¡­ It can¡¯t be.¡±


    Finally hearing the confusion he¡¯d been waiting for, Raine responded in a sinister voice, ¡°If Master Torune hasn''t told you, then you aren''t qualified to know!¡± With a shuffle-step, Raine appeared behind her. The last thing she saw was her vision spinning chaotically as her severed head fell to the ground.


    Good luck figuring out who I am now.


    Raine only managed to kill ten more before the remaining members of Righteous scattered, fleeing for their lives. Disappointed, he greedily dipped into the last of his Discipline to chase down the three he observed stealthily picking up the dropped equipment during the battle. They exploded like pinatas, dropping dozens of pieces each. The last one he killed was less than a meter away from the safety of the gate when a Lunge caused a two-handed sword to sprout from the center of his chest.


    Looking up, Raine winked at the gaping Mel and Celeste, ¡°It''s time to go.¡±


    Celeste raised a hand toward him, ¡°H-hold on! You just got all this stuff, and after what you did earlier, don''t you think you owe us some compensation?¡±


    Raine twisted his lips, brow furrowed, ¡°What I did? What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Instead of answering, she sent him a link to a forum post. While kicking loot into his inventory, Raine pulled up the post: Mysterious man wields beauties to defeat the oppressive forces of evil!


    Clicking on the attached VRVod, Raine released a bark of laughter as his avatar charged through the streets of Dry Canyon Town with a girl in each hand, batting away anyone too slow to scramble from his path. Already, live vodcasts of his current battle were being linked into the same thread and the responses were going nuts.


    Celeste was not amused by his laughter, ¡°My reputation is already in the mud thanks to my uncle. If this gets out, I''ll be ruined!¡±


    ¡°You want compensation? Sure. Go ahead and take all the loot I just got.¡±


    ¡°W-what?! Really?¡± She squeaked. Seeing the amusement in his eyes, she quickly grew suspicious.


    Raine¡¯s next words were exactly as expected, ¡°All you have to do is kill me in the next two hours and you can take everything I earned. Good luck.¡±


    MeanyMouse AKA Vaneese


    ¡°God damn it!¡± Vaneese tore off her headset and smashed her fists into the wide table that dominated her office. The released internal force caused the wall to crack and the floor to shake. She stood, kicking her chair across the room, ¡°I spent two hundred gold on that javelin! Fuck, I am so screwed!¡±


    What was that last move? What could master be thinking? Was this all just another test? No¡­ don¡¯t tell me. He wouldn¡¯t, would he?


    With trembling fingers, Vaneese mentally accessed her LinQ, opening a call. An AR image of an older, graying man in flowing robes appeared hovering in the center of the room. She was already kneeling, her head lowered, ¡°Master. I have failed.¡±


    His voice was smooth, not at all consistent with his advanced age, ¡°How rare. Do you remember what I told you would happen if you failed me again?¡±


    He didn''t ask how? That confirms it.


    Gritting her teeth Vaneese answered without a trace of the hatred she felt, ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Bastard! He sent that man just to ensure I failed. I never thought he would stoop so low.


    Master Torune smiled, though she couldn¡¯t see it, ¡°Good. I''m glad you understand. My godson will be arriving tonight. I expect you to be on your best behavior when you present yourself to him.¡± He chuckled darkly, ¡°Or should we call him your fianc¨¦ now?¡±


    Vaneese needed three seconds to collect herself, amazed her voice didn''t crack, ¡°As you wish, Master.¡±


    Curse you and your disgusting godson to oblivion, you old bastard! Can''t forget your mysterious disciple, either. I swear, if it''s the last thing I do in this life, I''ll kill all three of you.

 Chapter 70 - THE DEADLIEST OF FOES

    ¡°This sucks!¡± Celeste whined for the twentieth time in the last hour, ¡°That thing was so strong, and it only dropped five copper. We''ve killed hundreds of monsters and only found four items between the two of us. Is our luck really that bad?¡±


    Raine seriously considered pushing her off the nearby cliff so he wouldn''t have to hear her complaints for a while. They were traversing a steep and narrow path down the inside of a canyon and were close enough to the bottom that she wouldn''t die. Probably. The hour it would take to backtrack and pick her up after ''rescuing'' Fizgore ultimately wasn''t worth the momentary peace.


    Instead of answering her question, he attempted to shift her perspective, ¡°This is good for you. You haven''t grasped the difficulty of accumulating wealth and gear. Don''t look at me like that; I''m serious. Sure, I got a lot of cheap equipment in a short amount of time. What you''re ignoring is that each piece came at the expense of hours or days of grinding. Those players put it all on the line when they fought me, and they paid the price for failure.¡±


    Surprisingly, Celeste grew quiet after his lecture. He didn''t particularly care if she took his words to heart. So long as she had the will to continue advancing, she would grasp her own truth eventually. In contrast to Celeste, Mel''s mood had improved dramatically since they left town. For the most part, she stuck to Celeste''s side, supporting her through the constant monster attacks.


    She shot him a mischievous glance as she joined the conversation, ¡°Instead of all this grinding for barely any reward, why not keep killing those players and take the rest of their stuff?¡±


    Raine''s response was instant. ¡°Why steal from beggars when you can steal from kings?¡±


    Getting close to Fizgore must be making me nostalgic. Goofball was always saying stuff like that.


    Raine answered her question more seriously, ¡°The real riches are never going to be in the hands of those weaker than you. Sharpen your skills and keep your eyes on the horizon. Then, the good stuff will come so fast it''ll make your eyes fall out.¡± Raine knew he was getting off topic and paused to consolidate his thoughts, ¡°What I''m trying to say is, there''s no point comparing your experiences with mine or anyone else''s. If you want more, put in the work. If it''s too slow for you, work harder. Ultimately, only your own strength decides what you have and, more importantly, what you can keep.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I don''t really get it,¡± Mel shrugged, holding the club Raine had traded to her after she maxed out her dagger attunement.


    Celeste charged at a creature that was pulling its long, worm-like body from the canyon wall. Sensing her, its front end swiveled around, and a circular maw lined with sharp teeth hissed in warning. The worm was thicker than a strong man''s arm and covered with tough segmented plates. With a quick snap of its body, it met her charge. Her fists, protected by hard gloves with metal knuckles, impacted the beast''s flesh with a dull thud.


    She was sent back three steps, but it was the creature that screamed in torment. The Blast she released upon collision ignited the thin layer of mucus that usually protected it. While it burned alive, Celeste dove in again, landing three more punches, the last loaded with another Blast. In its wild thrashing, the creature''s neck unexpectedly sped toward her face. She brought both arms up to block while attempting to duck. She wasn''t fast enough. Her health dove by a large chunk, and she was thrown back, nearly falling off the narrow trail. Her forearms released ribbons of dark smoke, her skin singed from the burning beast.


    A Mend landed on her as Mel raced by. Using her club, Mel carefully smacked the creature several times without being hit in return. Celeste circled around to its other side. Together they wailed on the smoking Canyon Wriggler. The flames rapidly extinguished, yet the creature stubbornly continued to battle against them. It was faster, forcing them to use Discipline to keep up.


    The fact they could match its much higher attributes with technique and Discipline proved how far they had come. Still, taking down the level seven monster required several minutes, even with its hard plates severely damaged. By the end, both girls were out of resources. They huffed, hands on knees, lamenting the lack of a single copper from its corpse.


    As always, Raine was quick to continue their training, ¡°Celeste, why did you keep hitting it with fire after its mucus was already burned away? Ice would have rapidly cooled its defensive plates, shattering them and making the fight much easier. Mel, why did you keep attacking near the mouth? That thing didn''t have a head, which means no brain or eyes. Critical hits will always be more likely when striking an actual weak point. You could have done more total damage by analyzing it, finding its weakness, and then calling it out while only Celeste fought.¡±


    Celeste''s glare wasn''t directed at him. He could tell she was annoyed with herself for not considering such an obvious solution. After all, changing the element of the basic Blast only required a thought. Mel took the criticism like a champ, nodding thoughtfully while intently gazing up at him.


    Raine continued down the last part of the steep path, not giving them time to fully recover. The bottom of the canyon was flat and narrow. A dried-up creek bed cut through its center. Sparse plant life sapped away any potential moisture long before it coalesced into actual water. The walls pressed in close from both sides, domineering in their presence.


    Raine scanned the floor for threats, then set a brisk pace to the south. The girls stayed close, on edge after their multiple tough encounters. Behind them, the mercenaries brought up the rear, easily the most relaxed of the group.


    When Raine spotted the first hidden monster, he didn''t make any outward sign of the danger. Without warning, a huge scorpion burst from the ground. It clogged the entire canyon floor, easily three meters wide. Instead of a regular tail and stinger, a thick snake writhed in the air above the main body. The girls nearly soiled themselves when its hood widened and it released a threatening hiss.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Mel fell back a step, raising her weapon in a shaky grip. [Level ten?! Please tell me he''s not going to make us fight that!]


    Light flared around Raine''s fists as he dashed into range. The snake-head darted forward to sink long fangs into his shoulder. A swift uppercut struck it in the jaw, slamming its mouth shut. Raine''s fists were a blur, not slowing in the least as he ducked a grasping pincer and another bite from its lower head. Each hit took huge chunks off its health, and within three seconds, the level ten beast shuddered its last and collapsed.


    He earned no Superiority or Attunement, but a piece of shell dropped. He tapped it with his boot, adding it to his inventory.


    [Carapace Scrap: (Common Grey) Useful when crafting certain armor and weapons]


    Raine hopped onto its still-twitching body, then dropped down behind it to continue their trek. Upon hearing his retreating footsteps, the girls scrambled to follow. Touching the warm corpse, they were wise enough not to vocalize their displeasure in the dangerous new territory. Groaning in disgust, they climbed and chased after him.


    Over the next hour, several more of the beasts ambushed them. Learning what to look for, the girls managed to spot the signs of their burrowed forms. The terrain slowly changed, the walls widening until the bed of the canyon was nearly a hundred meters across. Plants flourished, adding green and lavender hues to the bleak, rocky surfaces. The ugly, rough stone walls high above, near the surface, were replaced by raw, white marble, allowing additional light to reflect into the depths of the canyon.


    The most notable change was a sweet, enticing aroma that gently tickled their nostrils. The girls breathed deeply, sighing as their tension bled away. Raine was quick to uncork a bottle from his inventory, downing its contents.


    [Beguiler''s Drought: (Common Grey) Increases resistance to mind altering effects for 2 hours]


    The potion wasn''t foolproof, relying heavily on the mental fortitude of the imbiber. Since the girls wouldn''t need them, he didn''t bother sharing any of the expensive consumable. Both mercenaries likewise downed a bottle. The three men nodded solemnly at one another, mentally preparing to face the deadly foes ahead.


    Celeste''s voice was low, her wariness cranked to maximum after witnessing Raine''s caution, ¡°What''s happening? Why do you three look like you''re ready to fight a ghost? And what were those drinks? Do we get one?¡±


    Raine''s words were equally hushed, ¡°No. Stay quiet and stick to their sides.¡± He nodded at the mercenaries, then locked gazes with the girls in turn, ¡°You''re about to witness something so dangerous that many who encounter it never mentally recover. Their martial path grinds to a halt, unable to forget, never again willing to progress. You''re too weak to help, but experiencing their undiluted powers will give you valuable perspective. Keep an open mind, and whatever you do, don''t attract their attention.¡±


    Mel gulped, fear coloring her features. Raine nodded, glad they were taking the dangers of ZionLine more seriously now. He led the way again, head on a swivel as they dashed between plant cover and rock outcroppings. He stopped to inspect the environment with each move.


    In the past, being ambushed by these creatures had been the instant and permanent end for far too many. Raine wasn¡¯t taking any chances. After all, even deleting your account couldn¡¯t help recover from extreme mental shock.


    As they gradually approached the next bend in the canyon, the scent in the air grew several times thicker. It was a steady enough increase, and the smell so soothing, that it was hard to notice. Despite their earlier fear, both girls were relaxed again by the time Raine darted his head around the sharp rock wall to scout around the corner.


    He saw the location, and it was exactly as Fizgore described it in the past. Juxtaposed against the canyon wall was a cozy two-story tavern. Made of brightly painted wood and decorated with hanging flowers and creeping vines, it overflowed with an all-too-inviting atmosphere. Combined with the cloying smell, Raine couldn''t help but acknowledge that part of him wanted to walk right up to its front door. The wooden portal hung wide open, soft light from within beckoning him closer.


    He only took a glance before his head was back behind the rocks. He turned to the mercenaries, ¡°This is as far as you go. You can let them watch but they are not to approach.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± They snapped a salute, eyes hard.


    Mel giggled, swatting Raine''s arm. ¡°What are you getting so worked up for? There haven''t been any monsters since we got here. This place is so nice, and beautiful too. Relax a little! Why don''t we take a walk, just the two of us?¡± She raised her brows suggestively. Celeste turned three shades of pink, licking her lips while her eyes couldn''t decide which of the two to watch.


    Ignoring them, Raine boldly walked around the corner. The girls jumped to follow, but their arms were quickly grabbed from behind by the mercenaries. Celeste paused, not resisting the grip on her elbow as she looked straight ahead. ¡°What''s a tavern doing out here in the middle of nowhere? It looks so nice, and whatever they¡¯re cooking is divine. Can we go in?¡±


    Raine was spotted immediately. The trimmed plants and lack of natural cover leading up to the tavern made a stealthy approach impossible without skills. From the second floor, a voice as sweet as honey called out to him. Every syllable caressed his ears, sending shivers down his spine.


    ¡°Oh my! What a handsome young man. You look so parched, love. Why don''t you come in for a drink? We''ll take such good care of you.¡±


    When the girls looked up, their jaws dropped at what they saw. Raine wasn''t immune just because he came mentally prepared. Upon seeing the two young women waving at him from above, his breath hitched. He tore his eyes away, heart already pounding.


    One had light red hair, the other black with violet highlights. They wore revealing clothes that displayed their divinely sculpted figures. Alluring smiles adorned soft lips, and hands of smooth, alabaster skin waved gently, as if caressing him from afar.


    Raine clamped his jaw shut, not responding to their invitation. One laughed softly as he continued to approach the tavern, while the other blew him a kiss that he somehow felt on his exposed neck despite the distance. His skin burned from the deadly attack, and for a brief moment, his mind was overwhelmed by the desire to feel like that on every inch of his body.


    He regained his composure with a silent snarl. His efforts were almost undone when the same girl who kissed him purred, the sound reaching his ear as though her lips were brushing against it. She spoke with a strong foreign accent, the kind that could make any man melt, ¡°Want sauce of this? Come inside. We be waiting.¡±

 Chapter 71 - GOING DOWN ON YOUR ENEMY

    Watching Raine leave her and Mel for those two angelic creatures, Celeste¡¯s mentality reeled like claws were raking apart the soft gray matter in her skull. They were perfection itself, and it only made sense for him to go. Despite knowing everything about the situation making perfect sense, a tickle in her spine told her something was horrifically wrong.


    There was an incongruity in what her eyes and thoughts knew to be true, and whatever it was tore at her mind. Her usually razor-quick deliberations were sluggish, and when she tried to call out to Raine, only a giggle emerged between her smiling lips. She tried to clamp a hand over her mouth, but her arms were restrained by the mercenary Vaaterran holding her back.


    For the briefest of moments, a bout of fury swept through her. It brought a fraction of her typical clarity, just enough to figure out what was nagging at her soul. [She called him handsome. What a crock of shit. Not even a mother could love that face!] The shackles binding her senses shattered, and she looked around with clear eyes for the first time in minutes.


    Raine was only a few meters ahead, determinedly trudging toward the den of lying sirens. Mel was struggling against her captor as well. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her mouth opened and closed, her tormented inner thoughts refusing to form into words. [You can¡¯t leave me, too. Brother, mommy, dad¡­ they all left, one after another. I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore. I want to keep having fun. Why are you leaving me for them?]


    Somehow, Mel knew that if Raine walked through that open door, she would never see him again. The pain of it was too great; the spell choking her thoughts crumbled. Her cry came from deep in her gut, bursting with dread and laced with grief, ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t go. Please, don¡¯t leave me.¡±


    Raine looked back, unable to hide his surprise. The Charm they struggled against shouldn¡¯t be resistible with such a significant level gap. He had intended this to be a learning experience but never expected them to break free unassisted. Unfortunately, the two women who called him into the tavern were still watching. He couldn¡¯t let them grow suspicious.


    Swaying on his feet as though confused, Raine continued toward the tavern. He flippantly waved his hand over his shoulder, slurring his words, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ too dangerous for you two. Yeah, that¡¯s it. Stay here. I¡¯ll uhh¡­ be right back.¡±


    Hearing the husky desire in his voice, Celeste recoiled as if struck, ¡°Oh, hell no. You can¡¯t go. Something is very wrong with them. For fucks sake, they called you handsome! You can¡¯t believe anything they say!¡± Raine nearly lost his composure, stumbling a step.


    She¡¯s definitely going off that cliff on our way out of here!


    Celeste managed not to react outwardly to his thoughts. [Fine! If he¡¯s still thinking about things like that then he¡¯s clearly got things under control. Last time I worry about you, bastard!]


    The difference between his outward actions and internal thoughts guided Mel toward understanding. She sagged, held up by the mercenary. [Thank goodness. I shouldn¡¯t have doubted him. He came prepared. While I only made a fool of myself.]


    Overflowing with determination to learn as much as she could, Mel¡¯s gaze hardened on his back. Raine entered the tavern without further delay. The tables were set with drinks, comfortable chairs and stools before each. The walls were bare of decoration, and the cloying scent overwhelmed whatever natural odor might exist there.


    Though he was the sole prospective patron, Raine wasn¡¯t the only man in the room. These particular creatures instinctively understood the preferences of their targets, so only the nine women inside approached him. Each step they took was a study of the seductive nature of the female form. Raine¡¯s eyes danced between them, not settling in any one place for long. Their smiles widened as he stood unmoving, his mouth hanging open.


    The first was nearly upon him, her delicate hand reaching to caress his chest. Before she reached him, an invisible wave of tightly contained desire pulsed from her fingertips and into Raine. They locked eyes, and it was her turn to gape. Even that expression would have melted the hearts of most men.


    Her face, perfect to most, lacked the one feature that would have allowed her to be worthy of his gaze. Without them, she was merely a bug in need of a good squish. The debilitating lust she expected to find in his expression was nowhere to be seen, replaced in its entirety with disdain and the need to kill. Raine¡¯s bloodlust burst forth, sweeping over the group and seizing their movements.


    His desire summoned forth a weapon strapped to his arm. Though a tool of defense for some, to Raine, its heftiness was precisely what he wanted at that moment. Disgust churned in his gut as his arm swept toward her in a wide arc.


    [Kindred Heart Shield: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (DEF +90) (PTC +15) (PHY +30) (Durability 250/250)]


    Just before impact, his shield crashed into the air. The forces released by Rupture contorted her features, sending rippling waves across her skin before she burst into a cloud of crimson mist. [-3,279] Bones not belonging to any typical humanoid scattered across the floor. She didn¡¯t die alone; seven of her companions were caught in AOE. A wealth of coins dropped near their remains, but Raine was already moving past them.


    [Obtained 0 Superiority (-100% for defeating a monster more than 2 levels below you)]


    [Obtained 0% Attunement (-100% for defeating a monster more than 2 levels below you)]


    The three lean and muscular men¡ªeach highly charismatic in their own way¡ªleaped to their feet. They joined the two surviving women in a piercing howl that sounded through the entire canyon. Raine shuffle-stepped, arriving before the nearest. A backhanded slap with his shield smashed her face into a mess of its former glory. She flew across the room, crashing into a wall.


    The last woman¡¯s body contorted, growing half a meter and widening into that of a powerfully built demoness. Her voice was deep, still holding a sensual quality that could easily enchant the unprepared, ¡°Wriggling little human, you will pay for this!¡±


    [Lesser Succubus: (Level 12) (HP 2750/2750)]


    Her wrists came together, long fingers tipped with razor-sharp nails spread wide in a fan. A ball of churning lavender energy gathered. It reached the size of Raine¡¯s head in a blink. A shockwave released along the angle of her fingers, and the ball tore through the air. It sizzled, burning the atmosphere. A side-step evaded the projectile. It hit the wall behind him, melting through it with gleeful ease. Raine saved his Discipline, charging toward the curvaceous creature with bounding steps.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Her attempt to claw him was easily ducked. His shield impacted her reverse-jointed knee with a meaty crunch. [Critical hit! -667] She fell to her back. A scream caught in her throat as a follow-up slam from the bottom edge of his weapon cut deep into her mouth. Raine¡¯s current Attack Speed was three point six per second, allowing him to smash his shield into her prone form several more times before the men reached him.


    They had also changed, their battle-forms significantly faster and stronger than their human guises. Still, they couldn¡¯t match Raine¡¯s level fifteen attributes boosted by nine completed weapon attunements. He weaved around their attacks, circling the group so the room¡¯s only set of stairs was no longer to his back; the pounding and scraping of clawed feet preceded the two women he¡¯d seen from outside rushing down them. They were accompanied by seven more of their kind.


    Upon seeing their dead companions, the succubi released mournful wails, throwing themselves toward Raine. Another Rupture reduced all but one of the group to bones. A few swift crunches later, and Raine was alone in the room. He quickly snatched up the several silver coins and materials littered about the floor.


    [9 x Demon Horn: (Common Grey) Useful when crafting certain alchemical reactives]


    Heading into the attached kitchen, Raine found the hatch to the underground larder wide open. He jumped down, landing on solid dirt in near darkness. The earthen room was small, and a tunnel on its side led deeper into the gloom. He pressed his back to the nearest wall and waited, his ears perked for additional threats. The discombobulating stench from the tunnel was much thicker than above, but it didn¡¯t bother him now that he was used to it.


    When the remaining few seconds of the fifteen-minute timer in his HUD ticked down to zero, he gulped another potion.


    [Common Potion of Darkvision: (Common Grey) Pierce the veil of any non-magical darkness (Duration: 30 minutes)]


    The darkness fled, replaced by dull gray and white. Raine hastened down the tunnel, which soon opened into a large circular room. Sporadically along its curved wall were room-sized recesses covered by thin cloth. The space was lit only by two burning sticks of incense set before two of the rooms. Inside each, animalistic thumping and grunting could be heard. Raine wasted no time in approaching the first curtain and throwing it aside. He didn¡¯t recognize the man tied up inside. Rupture killed both occupants with equal ease.


    The shaking walls and destroyed furniture alerted the creature in the last room. It tore into the central chamber, nude as the day it crawled from the hellfire that spawned it. In a flash, horns sprouted from its head, and it grew a full meter. Raine narrowed his eyes upon seeing a higher-level creature in a starting zone.


    [Elite Subordinate Succubus: Level 14 (HP 4,828/4,500) (Overhealth resulted from recent feeding)]


    A burst of bloodlust revealed a sparkling wand that fit snugly in his grasp. A wide grin split Raine¡¯s face, and he charged. The monstrous woman took one look at his weapon, then panic gripped her features. With a screech, she jumped backward. Raine was almost upon her when she landed. She slammed her hand on the ground. Demonic Power raced from her fingers and slid through a complex diagram etched into the dirt with blood.


    Raine was intimately familiar with the array she activated. Arrays came in many forms, each powered by one of the three primary forms of energy: Elemental, Celestial, or Demonic Power. Once activated, they could create several advanced effects. This one powered two sets of geometric shields that shimmered into existence, one around her and a larger one trapping him in the center of the room.


    ¡°Drown in pleasure, toy!¡± The elite succubus snapped her fingers, and Raine¡¯s portion of the shield was flooded with pink mist that assaulted his senses.


    He took a deep breath, savoring the moment before his roar filled the air, ¡°PuriPuri Rainbow Release!¡±


    The training wheels of the system invaded his thoughts, gently urging him to lift the weapon high to complete the innate skill¡¯s activation. Before doing so, Raine willed his Elemental Power to be consumed while tightly holding the mental image of a raging fire. When he completed the motion, all hell broke loose.


    Through the ground, streamers of violent energy poured into the air. They consumed the pink mist in a flashfire that swept through the shielded area. Raine¡¯s ears popped from the sudden change in pressure. The streamers wriggled in the air briefly before expanding into a blast wave that swept outward instantly, shattering the outer shield and crashing into the walls. The ground around him shook, sending dirt cascading down from the ceiling.


    [PuriPuri Rainbow Release: 10-meter circular ground-based AOE dealing 500% damage with 1000% bonus force and lift. Ignores all defense. (Skill name must be shouted to activate) (Cost: 50 of chosen resource) (Cooldown: 5 minutes)]


    The terrified elite patted her voluptuous body, amazed to still be alive. Her clawed hand landed on the inside of the cylindrical shield that was just large enough to contain her. She released maniacal peals of laughter, ¡°This barrier was designed by The Grand Shimmering One herself. Toy, obediently lie on your back, and I¡¯ll grant you a life beyond your shallow imaginings! Continue to resist, and you will know endless suffering.¡±


    The tip of Raine¡¯s wand meatily smacked his palm as he approached her shield, still wearing his wide grin. He wound back, a twinkle in his eyes, ¡°PuriPuri Comet Burst!¡±


    Cassidy¡¯s Comet smashed into the small shield. Its surface rippled fiercely, shimmering dark blue. The force of the blow was transferred into the floor and ceiling, causing the entire underground lair to rumble ominously.


    The mask of confidence on the succubus¡¯s disfigured features vanished, ¡°Stop that! You¡¯ll kill us both!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one that¡¯s going to die today, bitch!¡± Raine wound up and swung again. The shield turned from blue to light purple, and they both knew what that meant.


    Dirt fell both in and out of the shielded area. She returned to her human form, raising her hands pleadingly, ¡°I beg you, stop! I surrender! You can take me as your slave. I¡¯ll obey all your commands. Just don¡¯t kill me, master. Please!¡±


    Raine brushed off her Charm, smashing the shield again. Cracks appeared along its now dark red surface. She screeched at him, her pretty face skewed with hate, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for your arrogance. Food should know its place!¡±


    A dark gem appeared in her hand, and she crushed it. From inside, a flicker of black energy shot toward Raine. He side-stepped, but it curved ninety degrees. The little bolt slipped right through his weapon when he Parried, then struck him in the chest.


    Raine frowned when he saw no damage or debuffs in his HUD. The succubus laughed, the sound high and evil before she crushed another gem and vanished in a puff of black smoke.


    Crap. A tracking curse? I¡¯ll have to get scanned at the nobles¡¯ church in Silverlight. She recognized Cassidy¡¯s Comet, too. The only thing she did that was normal was try to Charm me. Please don¡¯t tell me I just ran into another witch-type Vaaterran.


    The smoke inside the shield dissipated. Raine waited patiently, his weapon at the ready. The moment the shield ran out of energy a minute later, he swung hard through empty air.


    She really did teleport. A low-level succubus with a shield array, tracking curse, and teleportation stone? She must have been telling the truth about who was backing her. Why would a demon ancestor be interested in such a low-level zone?


    A man¡¯s voice, thick with anticipation, called out from the room the elite succubus initially emerged from, ¡°My flower, is that you? Where did you go? Your little hummingbird can¡¯t wait anymore; please come back.¡±


    Raine had to bite his lips to keep from laughing. Fizgore¡¯s tale of being trapped in this den for his first month was a constant joke for everyone who knew him. He was always quick to tell the story, its embellishments growing each time.


    Raine found his old friend strapped to a bed, squirming but not at all to free himself. Raine double-checked that his vodcast recording was working, then entered the room, ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s gone for good. You, ahh¡­ want me to untie you?¡±


    Fizgore jerked back from the sound of Raine¡¯s deep voice, wild afro swaying, ¡°Gone?! No. That can¡¯t be true! Please, my flower, come back to me! I was so close, so close to discovering the difference between Heaven and Earth!¡±


    Raine barely kept it together, squeezing out a long grunt as he spoke the language he knew would instantly re-create their bond of friendship, ¡°Heaven and Earth? You fool! How could you fall for a monster¡¯s charms? Everyone knows free cheese only comes in a mouse trap!¡±

 Chapter 72 - FRESH START

    Devastated, Fizgore sat up, holding his head in his hands. Ecstatic to be getting such excellent ammunition for later, Raine was quick to rub salt in his old friend¡¯s emotional wounds, ¡°Amazing how many guys fell for this trap. Didn¡¯t you think this place was odd when you found it?¡±


    A full-body twitch was followed by Fizgore¡¯s head slowly rotating to face him, ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t alone? It can¡¯t be true. S-she was selling tofu this whole time?! My chest, it aches. My pure dao heart is cracking. How could she do this to me?¡±


    Raine shook his head sadly, his voice dripping with sympathy, ¡°That¡¯s just how those creatures are. So long as you learned how to avoid their traps in the future, then the experience was worth the suffering.¡±


    Fizgore shuddered, then spat on the floor, ¡°Indeed! This hardship will only create a superior me! I have been blind, and now I see. Apologies, amituofo. Thank you for saving me from her lies. I will seek the wisdom that lurks on this path to Diyu. However, my wits are not what they should be in this place. Would benefactor be willing to point me in the direction of the exit? I thirst for fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Here, put these on first,¡± wearing an easy smile, Raine passed Fizgore a pair of level zero tunic and pants.


    Used to the flickering glow from the dimly burning incense, Fizgore deftly received the clothes. Holding them to his chest, he bowed low, ¡°What an upright soul amituofo has. Courtesy demands reciprocity. Though I may be impoverished now, my fortunes will surely blossom thanks to your generosity.¡± Instead of equipping both items, Fizgore proved he was precisely the man Raine remembered by only wearing the pants, leaving his powerfully muscled torso on full display.


    Yup, same old Fizgore. Goofy bastard.


    Falling back on fond memories, Raine was quick to shoot back, ¡°A fish needs two chances to flourish, while a man only needs one.¡±


    Fizgore laughed heartily, filling the den with honest joviality, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was possible to butcher a proverb so horrifically and still relay the essence of its wisdom. You are a strange one, amituofo.¡±


    Raine waved him off, leading the way down the tunnel toward the ladder, ¡°Enough with that. Call me brother. I¡¯m no saint.¡±


    ¡°Very well, brother. If you¡¯re not here for kindness, what brought you to this lair of deception?¡±


    ¡°I heard a rumor in Dry Canyon Town. I came to test myself against what this world considers demons. I also took the chance to level my companions along the way,¡± Raine¡¯s enunciation was a warning that Fizgore didn¡¯t miss.


    Following through with his imitation of a monk, Fizgore cupped his fists, ¡°They must be important to you. I shall hold them in the same regard you¡¯ve shown me.¡±


    Almost forgetting it was necessary to ask, Raine nodded to his old friend, ¡°And what should I call you? Brother?¡±


    ¡°This humble one should be referred to as Fizgore. Until my debt is repaid. Then, I will be worthy of being your brother.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Raine acknowledged. They were bombarded by hysterical wailing from above just before reaching the ladder. Raine quickly reached the top and poked his head into the common room. The man he¡¯d killed in the den was on his knees. He held one of the succubus bones to his forehead, snot leaking from his nose.


    [Traveler (Unclassed): Level 4 (HP 108/108)]


    Fizgore popped out behind him, beholding the naked, freshly resurrected man, ¡°Does he think he can hear her voice through a bone?¡±


    Raine snorted, walking into the room, ¡°No. Some people can''t handle the mental strain and become hopelessly addicted.¡±


    The man ignored them as they walked by. Fizgore shook his head at the pitiful display, ¡°Only the weak crumble at the loss of a warm bed. The waves crash upon the beach; the beach does not crash upon the waves!¡± Raine¡¯s toes curled in an attempt to hold in his laughter.


    That¡¯s a new one. He must have conveniently forgotten it after spending another couple weeks here in the past.


    Raine stepped outside, and Fizgore hesitated on the threshold. He blinked repeatedly, turning away from the blinding noon brightness to gaze at a silver and gold inlaid flower pot, ¡°Brother, are you not going to claim any of the prizes in this place?¡±


    Unfortunately, the only decent loot escaped.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. The entire building and everything in it are constructs created with Demonic Power. Look at the walls; they¡¯re already starting to fade.¡±


    Leaning in for a closer look, Fizgore nodded with his brows raised. With a last glance inside, accompanied by a deep sigh, he followed Raine across the short clearing. The girls were much calmer than when he left them. Their fingers blazed as they shot messages back and forth.


    Reaching them, Raine spoke in his no-nonsense, drill sergeant tone, ¡°Fizgore, Melbelle, Crimson Nebula. These two are hired mercenaries.¡± Neither girl missed the implication that they shouldn¡¯t use their real names. With introductions out of the way, Raine snapped an order, ¡°No more using your fingers for messages. Use the ocular inputs. Hands should never be far from your weapons when we''re in the wilds. Besides, the speed your eyes move is still lacking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say to us?¡± Celeste fumed. Raine stared her down, and she quickly broke, gaze falling to the canyon floor.


    Mel closed out of her interface. She bit her lip, eyeing Raine with a glimmer of her former worry etched across her features, ¡°You¡¯re back. Did anything happ-were you hurt?¡±


    ¡°Since you have the time to worry about me, then you must be ready to train,¡± Raine ran at the canyon wall. He jumped, and his feet touched the rocks. After running horizontally for three steps, he performed a flawless round-off to land on the ground, ¡°Two hundred times for each of you before we reach the exit trail or the next training is doubled.¡±


    Eyes widening at the deadly threat, Mel dashed at the wall and repeated his maneuver. Celeste¡¯s jaw jutted forward, and she growled before joining her. As Celeste flipped off the wall, Raine dashed forward and kicked at her. Expecting it, she contorted mid-air, barely avoiding his boot and landing off-balance. As Mel ran to start her second attempt, Raine tried to shape his bloodlust and direct it only at her.


    Instead of the cone he intended to create, a hemisphere of crimson energy pulsed from his skin. Pain bloomed between his ears, and both girls were caught in the wave. Celeste turned in a blink, her weapons equipped and her fists up. Mel wasn¡¯t so lucky. She stumbled a foot short of jumping and crashed face-first into the wall.


    Breathing heavily with dilated pupils, Celeste berated him, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you used that on us! I thought I was about to die!¡±


    Raine had used the mental ability around them several times, though never directing his killing intent toward either of them. Since they would need to get used to it before the raid, and he still needed the practice, there was no reason to hold back. ¡°Good reaction, Crimson. Melbelle, are you going to lie down every time something comes along to kill you?¡±


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    Mel¡¯s arms were shaking, the feeling of a thousand daggers pressed to her neck still bright in her memory. She shook her head fiercely, not yet trusting her voice as she climbed to her feet. Fizgore hadn¡¯t been hit, but his eyes were narrowed in a thoughtful expression. When Raine briskly strode past the girls, they quickly resumed their wallhops.


    Fizgore had to jog to keep up. He appreciatively observed the girls¡¯ vigorous training: "One is fierce like a bonfire, the other soft as a petal. Your tastes are sublime and varied, brother.¡±


    Raine nodded, crossing his arms with a scowl. He refused to allow his pleasure at their progress to reach his face, where it would undoubtedly spoil them both, negatively affecting their training.


    It¡¯s easy to see their potential. Mel has no bad habits to unlearn like a classically trained martial. She soaks everything I throw at her like a sponge, and her progress in adapting to attributes is about the best I¡¯ve ever seen. Celeste is no less remarkable. She¡¯s rapidly restructuring what she¡¯s been taught about combat to fit ZL, and that¡¯s only the beginning. Once her attributes grow a little more, the terrifying truth of her talent will emerge.


    During his ruminations, the girls barely managed to focus on their training, hiding embarrassment behind strained expressions. Unaware of their thoughts and reactions, Fizgore continued in a chipper tone, ¡°If you live near Callipburn City, I have a friend you would love to meet. She would make a fine addition.¡±


    Raine couldn¡¯t let him off his debt so easily, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    The large man acquiesced with a sigh, ¡°Indeed, matters of the heart are better left to the heavens. This method of training is¡­ unique. My family once made me backflip from a wall; would that not be more challenging?¡±


    Raine hid his grin, lest his old friend see the trap before falling deeper, ¡°The point isn¡¯t the difficulty of the maneuver. It¡¯s maintaining momentum and responding to randomly timed threats. True combat can be thought of as motion, distilled by malleable purpose. A static exercise like repeated backflips only forms bad habits.¡±


    Fizgore¡¯s brows drew down, and he spoke in a shocked whisper, "Motion distilled by malleable purpose?¡± Raine gave him the time he needed. After all, Fizgore was the one who taught Raine that very lesson after undergoing a revelation inside a difficult dungeon. In the past, there was never any doubt that Fizgore was the martial genius, and Raine was merely riding his coattails.


    ¡°Would you mind if I joined them?¡± Fizgore¡¯s Buddhist affectations were nowhere to be found, his voice and tone now completely serious. Raine nodded. He knew this would happen and that agreeing would only further endear the man once known as The Untouchable Wind.


    Standing straight as a board, Fizgore leaned forward until it appeared he would crash into the ground. At the last instant, he bent his knees and darted forward. He reached the wall at a full sprint and kicked off the ground. He made it five steps before preparing to jump into an aerial cartwheel.


    Raine blasted into the air, his attributes bringing him above Fizgore in a heartbeat. His leg lashed out at one-fifth power, catching the man right as his feet left the wall. Curling into a ball, Fizgore¡¯s hands met Raine¡¯s shin, and the force of the blow sent him hurtling down like a spinning cannonball. Having perfectly adjusted how much power he absorbed with his arms, Fizgore landed on his feet in a tight tuck.


    The girls gaped as he rose. Celeste, in particular, felt the sting of her cheek being slapped. [Raine¡¯s been going so easy on us. This guy is level zero and recovered from such a fierce attack¡­]


    Fizgore wiped the dirt from his butt after the hard landing, ¡°You held back.¡±


    Raine responded with a grunt, ¡°So eager to die again?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re right. I¡¯m far too weak right now. I shouldn¡¯t have let those filthy tofu marketers take all my levels,¡± Fizgore shrugged. His voice turned forlorn, drenched with meaning, ¡°Though, there''s a certain charm in a fresh start.¡±


    In both timelines, Fizgore left his grandfather¡¯s prestigious dojo in search of his own martial path. With a knowing twinkle in his eyes, Raine rested a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Every day is a fresh start.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Too true, brother. Too true.¡±


    Raine didn¡¯t allow the trio to count failed attempts. Between his relentless physical assaults, bloodlust, and grueling pace, none of them managed to finish. Similarly, he was no closer to accurately narrowing down bloodlust¡¯s AOE.


    In the past, it was well known that mastery over the size, angle, and strength of one¡¯s mental ability was merely the first step toward becoming a true class five martial.


    Some never managed to materialize their killing intent into a mental ability, no matter how long they lived. Additionally, everyone was different, and there were many divergent paths along the martial trail. The development of individual mental abilities was merely another step. Their only constant was their development somewhere between class four and five. If you didn¡¯t have one by then, you never would. Even a thousand years of rigorous training couldn''t cross the divide between those with talent, and those without.


    This was precisely why class four was considered the end of the martial path for the average person. That wasn''t to say those without a mental ability couldn''t become powerhouses in ZionLine; only their prospects in reality would dry up. However, with ZionLine''s ability to manifest mental abilities, those with them would always have a leg up on the competition.


    Since Raine failed to develop a mental ability in the past, the boon of materializing bloodlust was a godsend. That didn''t mean his progress from here forward would be smooth. It was, in fact, the opposite. He had no idea how mental abilities tied into becoming a full-fledged master or grandmaster, only that it was an undeniable fact they were an integral part of the process. Additionally, his knowledge of methods to nurture his budding talent were basically nonexistent.


    What Raine knew for sure was that intentional practice was the sure and steady path to advancement in all things. It was too bad that repeated uses of bloodlust gave him a tremendous headache. He wasn¡¯t about to throw in the towel so easily. By the time they reached the trail, his vision was swimming, and a stubborn trail of blood leaked from his nose no matter how many times he wiped it away.


    A blaring call from Raine¡¯s HUD was answered before the first chime could finish eviscerating his skull. His voice reflected none of the pain he felt, only excitement, ¡°You found him?¡±


    The young guild leader of Enders Fall nodded, his articulate words clanging through Raine¡¯s skull, ¡°Indeed. He was last observed near Shadow Springs Town. The local forces of Righteous had yet to subdue him as of two hours ago.¡± A file-sharing request came through, and Raine accepted it. He briefly glanced over the data, finding several reports that pertained to Rhino¡¯s supposed activities.


    He¡¯s still fighting Righteous. Since it¡¯s now clear that Righteous and CronGate are one and the same, it''s only a matter of time before Master Torune comes after me to settle our score. Here, and outside, I¡¯ve put a target on my back that he can¡¯t possibly ignore.


    Raine trembled at the thought. In the past, he was no match for the peak class five master. Even now, after taking ReGen and fixing the holes in his martial style, Raine knew he would die just as quickly. The threat and promise of a worthy challenge was precisely the pressure every cell of his body craved. The reckoning with his old master was coming, and Raine would rise to the challenge with every fiber of his being.


    Since we¡¯re already going to be such good friends, I might as well give CronGate another fatty black eye.


    Raine didn¡¯t try to keep the anticipation out of his voice, ¡°Great. I¡¯m sending you a datastream with the information you wanted. I suggest you send someone versed in finances to complete the quest.¡±


    ¡°Most excellent. It has been a pleasure conducting business with you.¡±


    Raine ended the call, then closed one eye to stifle the throbbing in his head. He removed a tutorial shield and short mace from his inventory, tossing them to Fizgore, ¡°Here.¡±


    The man caught both items, equipping them straight away. With an excited grin, he banged them together three times, filling the canyon with a cataclysmic racket, ¡°The fates are truly kind! How did you guess my weapons of choice?¡±


    Raine¡¯s jaw creaked with how hard he clenched his teeth, ¡°The girls need a tank; I figured you could handle it with the way you move. I¡¯m leaving for now. I¡¯ve got to go pick someone up. I¡¯ll call you three with a meeting spot when I¡¯m done.¡±


    Fizgore looked back at the girls, then returned his surprised gaze to Raine, ¡°You would entrust the protection of your women to a stranger?¡±


    Raine was well aware that Fizgore was the kind of man who repaid betrayal tenfold, while trust given was returned a hundredfold. ¡°It¡¯s the other way around. They¡¯re going to keep you alive until you get a few levels back. But think whatever you want. Besides, I can tell you¡¯re an honorable man.¡± Fizgore bowed in response, moisture building in his eyes, his chest too tight to speak.


    Mel was huffing, hands on her knees from the intense training, ¡°Why can¡¯t we¡­ come with you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll slow me down too much. If you want to stop being left out, get stronger. I expect you both to be level five when I¡¯m done. Don¡¯t pick a skill; we¡¯ll cover your builds in detail later,¡± Raine handed each girl two new types of weapons in case they maxed out their attunements, then waved goodbye, ¡°You three play nice, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    Before they could respond, he Leaped several meters straight up. A Lunge off thin air sent him soaring to a tiny ledge, where he paused long enough to charge another Leap. Within seconds, he was at the top of the canyon, where he vanished from sight.


    Fizgore¡¯s neck was craned, jaw hanging open, ¡°Did I see that right? Did he truly jump off the air?¡±


    Nestled in a motherly aura, Celeste clapped him on the shoulder, ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, little brother.¡±

 Chapter 73 - UNEXPECTED COMPLICATIONS

    - Somewhere in the Demonic Realm -


    Traveling through the rippling waves of cosmic forces was never an easy task. For one as weak as Peridot, the trip was taxing in the extreme. If not for the items gifted to her, she never could have survived the journey without a properly attuned gateway.


    She arrived with a splash, landing in a prepared pool of enriched blood. The dense Demonic Power flowing through the liquid seeped into her flesh, recovering the severe damage in seconds. Her arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed. A pressurized hatch slid open with a hiss, and a familiar demoness entered.


    Why did it have to be her?


    The new arrival¡ªBeryl¡ªleisurely strode into the sealed chamber. Her every step was a marriage of strength and grace. Gently curved horns adorned the crown of her head. She retained the rest of her humanoid guise¡ªproof of successfully passing her first evolution into a lesser kin.


    As an unevolved scamp, Peridot knew her place. She bowed deeply and maintained the posture until exiting the pool. She dropped to a knee, supplicating before the more powerful demon. Aware of Beryl¡¯s temperament, Peridot didn¡¯t speak, waiting patiently for the customary pleasantries that never arrived.


    Beryl¡¯s voice was just as enchanting as the rest of her, ¡°Dotty, did you already finish your assessment of the Travelers in the twelfth region?¡±


    Peridot hated how much Beryl¡¯s evolution had gone to her head. She wasn''t stupid enough to let that insubordinate thought color her obsequious response, ¡°Not exactly, sparkling one. I gathered a significant portion of the requested information but was forced to flee by a Bearer of Cassidy.¡±


    Beryl tapped pouty lips with a manicured nail, ¡°A bearer? After so long? How is that possible? No, you must be mistaken. Or, you¡¯re using such an outlandish lie as an excuse.¡±


    Peridot sighed, relieved that her news was entertaining enough not to be killed on the spot, ¡°He was-is a Traveler, sparkling one.¡±


    ¡°He?!¡± A spiked heel dug into the back of Peridot¡¯s head, crushing her face into the floor. Blood leaked around and into her ears. Pleasure laced with pain assaulted her senses as Beryl loomed over her, ¡°How is he still alive? The grand shimmering one lent you many tools to ensure your success!¡±


    Trembling, Peridot answered as quickly as she could, ¡°H-he easily resisted my abilities, sparkling one. As commanded, I used the tracking curse on him.¡±


    ¡°Give it to me!¡± Beryl hissed.


    The deathly tolling of the Mors Campana¡ªbells that rung when the river of the dead overflowed¡ªsounded loud in Peridot¡¯s ears. It would be the simplest of matters for Beryl to kill her and claim the prestige of owning a tracking curse on a Bearer of Cassidy. Peridot had already failed in her task. None would be surprised if she were eliminated for her failure.


    Instead of subjecting herself to the torments of a natural rebirth, she took a gamble, already looking forward to the punishment she would receive. With trembling fingers, she withdrew the grand shimmering one¡¯s tracking jewel, moving as if to hand it to Beryl. Before the demoness could snatch it, Peridot squeezed it in her hand.


    Beryl screeched as the essence of its contained spell flowed into Peridot¡¯s flesh and blood, binding itself to her. Then, it crumbled to dust. After that, there was only pain and pleasure.


    Raine KongRu


    Raine plunged from the sky at terminal velocity. Intense winds crashed against him, altering his course. His torso flexed powerfully, taking advantage of attributes to press against the world and slightly adjust his trajectory. The target was just below, unaware of his extreme method of approach.


    [Bandit Lord (Elite): Level 13 (HP 4,200/4,200)]


    The bandit lord remained oblivious until Raine¡¯s Lunge canceled his downward momentum, sending him hurtling directly toward the boss. A pulse of bloodlust caused Last Chance¡¯s Gambit to materialize in Raine¡¯s hand for the first time in a long while. The dagger felt like it was made for his grip, its weight perfect for his current Potency. He glanced at his Attack Power, smirking as it rose from 171 to 241.


    Raine¡¯s prey made it as far as grasping the hilt of his sword before the dagger plunged into his neck, sinking to the hilt. Fifty percent of Raine¡¯s EP drained away to activate Final Gambit. Centralized at the weapon¡¯s tip, a flash of light so bright it could be seen through the boss¡¯s neck was born. Raine withdrew the dagger, but the ball of light remained. It expanded, enveloping the bandit lord¡¯s head and torso, which promptly vanished as though they never existed. [Critical hit! -14,041]


    Raine didn¡¯t bat an eye at the overkill. Between his excellent level fifteen gear, overpowered weapon, and cursed ring, one-shotting a lower-level elite was to be expected.


    [Obtained 0 Superiority (-100% for defeating a monster more than 2 levels below you)]


    [Obtained 0% Attunement (-100% for defeating a monster more than 2 levels below you)]


    Hopefully, that''s the last of those messages for a long while. Rhino should be easy to find, then we¡¯ll be off to power-leveling city.


    A shower of loot bubbles dropped, one of which was the entire reason Raine stopped here on the way to Rhino. His hands were a blur as he snatched them from the air before they landed. Fifty nearby bandits charged him, blood in their eyes. Not interested in fighting with little reward, Raine Leaped several meters into the air, then Lunged until he was out of Discipline before activating his skydrifter.


    Strong winds rushed up the side of the mountain, giving Raine the lift to reach the skylanes, where his speed increased severalfold. His remaining flight to Shadow Springs Town was short as it was only two mountains away.


    As this was the heart of Righteous-controlled territory, he once more equipped his Bandit Face Shroud and swapped out the bladed weapons in his cursed ring¡¯s roulette. He anticipated a fight but wasn¡¯t at all interested in unnecessarily lowering the durability of his best weapons with Great Divide. He could repair them with consumable repair kits, but those would reduce the maximum durability by one with each use. Only a master blacksmith could repair an item with zero repercussions, and the closest of those was in the nobles¡¯ quarter of Silverlight City.


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    Passing over the last mountain peak revealed the plains surrounding his destination. The town was tucked between two hills that protruded from the flatlands like two sore thumbs. Littered across the expansive fields were rank-upon-rank players. They were a hodgepodge bunch. Missing pieces of armor dotted their numbers, and none wore a complete set. But their numbers alone were more than threat enough.


    Raine had been in command of and fought against many armies. Estimating their numbers at a glance was child''s play. He quickly concluded there were close to fifty thousand. He whistled sharply, impressed at Rhino''s audacity in facing so many alone.


    In ZionLine, fielding massing quantities of soldiers wasn¡¯t abnormal; it was the norm. Food, logistics, coordination, communication, transportation - all the most challenging aspects of army management were alleviated - allowing humanity to do what it had done best since before the first civilizations graced the lands: kill other humans. While not unusual to see so many players in one place, that much manpower not actively generating credits or gold by farming for drops was a colossal waste.


    Raine licked his lips, near delirious with greed.


    Vaneese must have recalled her troops from the front line with DyingNight. Since she was slow to reorganize them, guess I have no choice but to rob them all blind.


    Buried beneath his desire to kill them all was an uncomfortable realization. It was only a matter of time before he fell behind guilds like Righteous and DyingNight. For now, he was powerful enough to fight a few hundred alone and come out on top. It was only a matter of time until he ran into an army of players led by someone as strong as him. Without a guild of his own to counter their superior numbers, he wouldn¡¯t last more than a few seconds.


    I¡¯m still days away from getting my guild off the ground. I can¡¯t afford to waste too much time here. All right, Rhino. Where the hell are you?


    The most reliable reports from Enders Fall indicated Rhino was using the vast open fields to hide while utilizing hit-and-run tactics to pilfer loot. Raine angled his invisible drifter to the east, spotting several smaller regiments of players spread out in an obvious search pattern. Once above their zone, he reduced his elevation, zipping across fields of tall grass. Since they couldn¡¯t see him, he would need to use another method to unite the spread-out troops for optimal plundering.


    The total search area was several square kilometers, but Raine had multiple advantages that Righteous couldn¡¯t match. As a past leader of CronGate, he was intimately familiar with the region. He knew each monster type that populated it, how many there should be in each section, and what items they frequently dropped. Such knowledge was a requirement for optimizing the allocation of guild members for farming¡ªa task often forced upon him.


    Since the shadowy beasts were a trifle to spot from the sky, it didn¡¯t take long to find where they had clearly been thinned out. Raine circled that particular field twice until his quarry appeared. The young man¡ªdressed head to toe in black leather¡ªleaped out of stealth to land on the back of a darkly-hued plains raptor. Wrapping his legs around its upper torso, he repeatedly stabbed its neck with dual daggers.


    The beast thrashed, flopping onto its side to dislodge its attacker. Rhino smoothly jumped from his perch. He didn¡¯t immediately resume the offensive, waiting patiently for the creature to kick itself in a circle to stand. Perfectly timing the moment its feet were under it, Rhino landed on its back to resume his mount and stab tactic. It was a smoothly executed kill, considering the beast¡¯s three-level advantage. The only shock was Rhino using daggers like an assassin and not the spear he was so well known for in the past.


    Did he run into a fortuitous encounter that took him down the path of the spear?


    Raine was far less familiar with Rhino than Fizgore. By the time he started playing, Rhino had already dealt incalculable damage to Righteous, which he initially thought prompted their takeover by CronGate. It turned out CronGate had always been in control and only revealed themselves when their reputation grew so bad they needed a clean slate.


    As Rhino collected the few coppers that dropped from his kill, Raine stored his drifter and fell, smoothly landing beside him. Rhino was on him instantly, daggers darting toward his neck. Raine casually intercepted the boy¡¯s wrists, grasping each in an impossibly firm grip. Rhino¡¯s foot lifted to kick, but Raine¡¯s boot landed in his gut.


    Air blasted from Rhino¡¯s lungs as both his feet left the ground. Raine held tight, turning the kid into a curtain billowing in the breeze. When gravity called, Raine allowed him to fall face-first, then promptly sat on him and pinned his arms, ¡°Don¡¯t you know it''s polite to offer tea before trying to stab someone?¡±


    Rhino coughed, then chuckled darkly, ¡°I really caught a big fish this time. Wish I could see the look on your master¡¯s face when you tell them you had me pinned and still managed to die.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint; I don¡¯t have a master. Even if I was part of CronGate, I wouldn¡¯t fall for such a cheap provocation. Why bother, though? Wait, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know there¡¯s a suicide option in the menu?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Rhino blurted, falling silent as he started searching for it.


    ¡°Yup. It¡¯s under miscellaneous options, avatar interactions, debug,¡± Raine helpfully supplied, still having to restrain the struggling Rhino.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned. Thanks!¡± Rhino thrashed so hard his shoulder popped. He didn¡¯t so much as flinch and continued to wrench his limbs as though nothing had happened.


    ¡°Sure. You ready to have a conversation now?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we already doing that?¡± Rhino wheezed.


    Raine sighed and sent Rhino a friend request. When the boy saw the attached name, his thrashing halted, ¡°Wait, the Alaric? Why the hell are you working for them? Haven¡¯t you been killing CronGate¡¯s people for a while now? Hold the board; you know who¡¯s behind Righteous! You must have been working for them all along. Talk about the mother of all conspiracies!¡±


    This¡­ isn¡¯t going how I expected.


    Raine stood, giving Rhino some distance to hop to his feet. The boy¡¯s knees were bent, ready to dash away. Raine stood casually, arms crossed and head tilted, ¡°How the hell did you come to that conclusion? Never mind, I don¡¯t want to know. Just accept the friend request. I have an item that can kill every member of Righteous outside town. All we have to do is block the entrance and collect the loot after the slaughter.¡±


    Rhino hesitated, eyeing Raine critically. He casually yanked on his dangling arm, snapping it back into place with a pop, ¡°I call donkey crap. No way such a good thing exists. And why would someone working for CronGate want to kill a bunch of his own people?¡±


    Raine sighed, massaging his temples, ¡°I am not, I repeat, NOT working for them. I don¡¯t need your help for this either; just thought you might want to join in on giving them a black eye.¡±


    ¡°No way. You¡¯re shifty as they come. You¡¯re definitely hiding something,¡± Rhino turned to leave.


    Raine clicked his tongue, only having one last card to play before he would have no choice but to give up on recruiting him for now, ¡°What happened to you? Last time we met, you weren¡¯t nearly so disagreeable. I would have killed you then if I knew you would return the favor like this.¡±


    ¡°Last time?¡± Rhino paused, glancing back.


    ¡°Outside Vile Peak Town¡­¡± Raine supplied.


    Rhino¡¯s eyes widened, and he pointed at Raine, ¡°That was you?! No. This has to be another trick.¡±


    Seriously? Who¡¯s this paranoid? If this brat didn''t have the capacity to become the number one spearman in the Tri-glades¡­


    Raine didn¡¯t let his frayed patience work its way into his tone, ¡°Accept the request, and I¡¯ll send you the unedited VRVod I took of the fight.¡±


    Rhino narrowed his eyes, whispering under his breath about how stupid he was being, then finally accepted. Blowing a raspberry, Raine sent him both the VRVod and the description of the item Rhino had used in the past to so thoroughly devastate Righteous¡¯ bottom line. The very item he had retrieved only minutes ago from the bandits.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be a monkey¡¯s piss-drunk uncle. Does that really do what it says?¡± After realizing the implications, a vicious smirk pulled at Rhino¡¯s cheeks.


    Raine¡¯s grin was just as evil, ¡°Yup. And I¡¯ve got over two hundred pieces of gear they already donated to get the ball rolling. By the time we get them all in one place, they won¡¯t have a chance to recover before they¡¯re wiped out.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I get it. You know they hate me, so you¡¯re using me as bait. Then, you¡¯ll betray me at the last second and take everything for yourself! I knew you were shifty!¡±


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake,¡± Raine threw his hands in the air. Already, his eyes were darting across his interface, drafting the contract that might finally put the idiot at ease.

 Chapter 74 - A DAY TO REMEMBER

    Rhino¡¯s paranoia exceeded Raine¡¯s expectations. One contract wasn¡¯t nearly enough to settle his nerves. Ultimately, it took three, each more complex than the last. The boy shook his head, ¡°Can¡¯t believe a contract can cut off your arm while increasing the pain high enough to actually kill. ZionLine¡¯s system is intense. How did that make it past the devs?¡±


    Raine couldn¡¯t blame the boy¡¯s reaction. His was the same when he learned how lethal contracts could be. The day he found a coworker killed by nothing more than a thetadrive headset was the last time he thought of ZionLine as a ¡®game.¡¯ This place was just as real as any other reality, and its consequences were equally deadly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re satisfied, sign, and let¡¯s get started. If we delay any longer, Righteous might reposition their people before we catch them with their pants down,¡± Raine wasn¡¯t willing to negotiate further. The deal he was offering the kid was better than he would get anywhere else.


    ¡°Alright, alright. I heard you the twelfth time. This is a big decision for me; two years is a long time,¡± Rhino¡¯s lips were pulled back in an ugly cringe as he stared at his interface.


    Raine was at his wit''s end. Annoyance crept into his tone, ¡°Then we¡¯ll make it a year, but I¡¯ll cut your benefits in half.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s¡­ not necessary. I¡¯m fine the way it is. There, I signed. Happy?¡± Rhino winced, closing one eye and turning away as if expecting a blow.


    Raine¡¯s jaw jutted forward with a sigh, ¡°Seriously?! You still thought it was a trap after all the contingencies and exit clauses we added? It doesn¡¯t matter; you¡¯ll understand eventually. Here, take the flag and stealth to these coordinates. Ping me when you get there. I¡¯ll send a message when it''s time to start.¡±


    Raine first invited Rhino to a party, then activated the flag, marking himself as the leader so it still ¡®belonged¡¯ to him before handing it over. He then used an inventory-to-inventory trade and selected over two hundred pieces of basic gear, which Rhino accepted with wide eyes and a disbelieving shake of his head.


    Not waiting around, Raine dashed into the tall grass, heading toward the nearest search party. They weren¡¯t the only ones alerted by his loud approach. Several level seven and eight Shadow Raptors perked their heads above the grass, spotting him and giving chase with warbling cries. The players shouted as well, gleefully charging his position.


    Raine sprinted low, not bothering with complicated maneuvers to minimize damage as he barreled right through the center of the players¡¯ formation. Since they were spread out, only a few managed to swipe at him as he blurred by, and only one connected. Without being affected by multiple defense-weakening debuffs, the hit failed to penetrate his armor. [-1]


    Confused, the players spun to get a good look at him, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not-Argh!¡± The speaker was pounced on from behind by a level eight raptor that sliced his back open.


    Raine Lunged, canceling his forward momentum to spring back into the action. A shield appeared on his arm, and he adjusted his swing to catch the nearest woman with a hook that brought its metallic edge into her jaw. The level-five woman didn¡¯t fly away or even recoil from the hit. After receiving multiple times her health pool in overkill, she burst into a cloud of stardust that produced a pair of gloves wrapped in a bubble of gray light. Humming cheerily, Raine scooped up the loot.


    The next closest player dove at him with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Mariaaaaaaa!¡±


    A casual sidestep sent the spear¡¯s tip sliding harmlessly under Raine¡¯s arm, the same arm that delivered a devastating shield blow to his face. A pair of boots joined Raine¡¯s growing collection of donations. All but five of the thirty remaining players turned on him, fury clouding their judgment.


    Their leader shouted, spittle flying from his lips, ¡°Kill him!¡± Raine laughed in their faces, then turned and slowly ran toward the direction of another group he¡¯d spotted from the air. ¡°Groups two and four deal with the raptors. Everyone else, after him!¡±


    As they gave chase, the nearby search parties received intel on Raine¡¯s location and quickly positioned themselves to surround him. Seeing them take the bait, he changed his course, heading toward the nearby town. By the time he needed to break through another group, over twenty raptors were on his tail, along with several hundred players.


    This time, he singled out their leader¡ªa massively muscled middle-aged man. He was the highest-level player Raine had seen at fourteen and carried a massive greataxe. As Raine heedlessly charged toward the man through rank upon rank of players, a wave of undodgeable debuffs showered him.


    [Negative afflictions received (Armor Down): Baseline Armor reduced. Multiple applications detected. Total physical damage mitigation reduced by 50% (Duration 3.21 seconds)]


    [Negative afflictions received (Resistance Down): Baseline Resistance reduced. Multiple applications detected. Total elemental and divine damage mitigation reduced by 50% (Duration 3.21 seconds)]


    A shower of arrows and blasts flew toward Raine. He crouched, momentarily halting his momentum before jumping with all his Potency. Most of the ranged attacks whiffed as he hurtled forward. A full-power burst of bloodlust caused the melee players around him to jerk back in surprise, some even falling to their knees as unexplainable terror overwhelmed their instincts.


    Raine hadn¡¯t left combat yet, so he still had the shield, its weight pulling him slightly to the side. The leader shrugged off the fear with a grin and repositioned himself to take advantage of Raine¡¯s supposed imbalance.


    His earlier fears of facing a powerful martial with an army at their back became a reality. Utilizing a martial stance Raine recognized all too well, the burly leader front-flipped forward with a burst of Discipline, turning his oversized axe into a whistling cleaver powered with Slash.


    Raine clicked his tongue, dipping into his precious resources to Parry the dangerous attack. An ear-cracking pang resounded as the man¡¯s rotational force turned against him. His trajectory was jarringly altered. He flew to the side, cleaving through two players before crashing into the ground.


    ¡°General!¡± A concerned woman shouted, sending a ball of green light zipping through the air to heal the fallen man.


    The general was already back on his feet by the time her Mend uselessly splashed across his chest, ¡°Fool woman! How many times have I told you to check my health before wasting your CP?¡± With a growl, he pointed at Raine¡¯s retreating back, ¡°After him! 1st and 3rd regiments, block him before he reaches town!¡±


    Since a regiment could contain up to five thousand players, Raine knew he had their attention. No longer limiting his speed, he tore across the plains toward Shadow Springs Town.


    General? This guy is no joke. A peak class four expert, maybe even class five master. At least by today''s standards. How am I not familiar with him? He¡¯s using Torune¡¯s techniques, so he can¡¯t be an outside professional. Who is this guy?


    Marco Salvatore


    - 1st General of Righteous -


    After issuing several commands, Marco punched in an Ncode, sending a message marked as urgent, and then called the same recipient. She picked up on the first ring, an annoyed twist to her lips. Seeing the much younger, thin-lipped woman, Marco smiled broadly. The anticipation of claiming her caused his heart to clench and heady emotions to leak into his voice, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve caught the little fly who embarrassed you so severely.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Vaneese snarled, ¡°I¡¯m already watching your vodcast. The only thing you¡¯ve caught is a face-full of mud.¡±


    Marco shivered, his desire only ratcheting higher the more she resisted the inevitable, ¡°Wife, you¡¯ll soon learn that everything I set my eyes upon eventually becomes mine.¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming, disgusting pig. Why are you even pretending to fight one of yours in the first place? You¡¯ve already achieved your goal with this farce. Don¡¯t tell me you betrayed him after getting what you wanted? How classic of you and master. I look forward to watching him kill you. Then, I¡¯ll relish watching my forces finish him off.¡±


    Utterly confused, Marco shook his head, ¡°What nonsense are you spewing? Well, it hardly matters what fanciful ideas are rolling around in your pretty little head. I¡¯ll let it slide since you were kind enough to send your husband reinforcements. It¡¯s nice to know you care despite your sharp tongue,¡± Marco¡¯s smile was back, his legs pumping to catch up with the slippery player.


    They both knew her 5th Division was en route. The delayed arrival of her twenty-five thousand players was the only reason they hadn¡¯t re-distributed their forces yet after calling an end to the war. When they did arrive in a few minutes, their total on-hand players would exceed a hundred thousand: a full fifth of Righteous''s borrowed manpower¡ªfrom Morok The Viper. It was more than enough to snuff out one insignificant player, no matter how stubborn he might be about dying.


    Vaneese¡¯s upper lip pulled back in disgust. Unable to bear Marco¡¯s voice and his stubborn denials of using the mysterious disciple to betray her, she ended the call.


    Raine KongRu


    Over the next several minutes, Raine broke through multiple spread-out lines of players arrayed to trap him. He took a circuitous route, giving Rhino time to get in position. When he received the ping that everything was prepared, Raine angled directly toward the front gates of the town. Several thousand fighters, rangers, and casters blocked his way. More piled out from the safety of the walls with each passing second.


    Eager to begin, Raine dashed straight toward their ranks. The sky darkened, filled with arrows just before blossoming with multi-colored brilliance as the casters unleashed their salvos. There was too much incoming fire for a mere sidestep or Lunge to save him. Debuffs coated him before the attacks landed, ensuring more than enough damage would be dealt to kill him.


    Raine altered his approach angle by fifty degrees, sprinting to the side. Most of the attacks would now miss, but the players were far from done. A second wave of projectiles and spells was launched, then a third in the opposite direction, cutting off all avenues of escape. He didn''t change directions again, instead flowing into a complex series of shuffle-steps that made it impossible to tell how far away he was. The fourth wave of missiles were loosed right as the second showered down around him.


    Just before they struck, a heavy mace materialized in Raine¡¯s right hand, and a brown sheen of energy flowed from the ground to slither across his armor.


    [Guardians Embrace: (Novice) Buff an ally within 10 meters for 5 minutes. Increases Defense by 50 + 10% maximum CP (Cost: 40 CP) (Cooldown: 5 minutes)]


    [Immaculate Damascus 2-H Mace: (Lustrous Blue - LVL 15) (Attack Power +78) (Attack Speed -.25) (Defense +22) (PTC +14) (PHY +16) (CNC +15) (Durability 200/200)]


    Due to the debuffs on him, Raine only received half the bonus Defense from his expensive skill, which was a not-insignificant 32. Unfortunately, many of the players he faced were elites who managed to stay alive through the war. Any above level ten were unaffected by the law of five, meaning their damage was unmitigated by the level disparity. Regardless, few had the attributes necessary to break through Raine¡¯s 157 Defense.


    Yet the despair of absolute numerical advantage reared its ugly head. Even dealing a single point of damage apiece, Raine was hit enough times that his health quickly dropped below fifty percent. Damage notifications flooded his HUD, which rapidly flashed crimson. Healing Burst kept him alive. [+292]


    [Healing Burst: (Novice) Lay hands upon a target to restore health equal to 200% maximum CP. Additional 200% CP health restored over 120 seconds - stacks 3 times - each stack refreshes timer (Cost: 30 CP) (Cooldown: 60 seconds)]


    Raine¡¯s blood sang with adrenaline as the fourth deadly wave loomed high. A tall, broad-shouldered woman lowered her raised arm, signaling the front rows of players to charge. Before they met, arrows and spells crashed into the ground behind Raine, releasing a thunderous clatter. His repeated martial techniques threw off their aim; combined with a double Lunge, he escaped with only another hundred damage.


    He met the charging players head-on, roaring as he dove into their ranks. Their combined warcries utterly drowned him out. He crashed into raised shields, and his arm snaked out to grasp a man''s face. Life Drain brought him down to sixty-one Celestial Power, killing the man and charging Raine¡¯s health. [+292] He only had enough CP for four more uses of the skill, and the battle had yet to start in full.


    The sky once more filled with enough arrows and Blasts to blot out of the sun and simultaneously birth a new one. Snarling, Raine swung and struck the air, releasing a Rupture that popped two dozen players, clearing him a path forward. Shouts too numerous for any individual to be discernible assaulted his ears as the wide gap he¡¯d created was filled in moments. Raine dove into them, his Potency great enough to throw players bodily away from him. Unfortunately, that left them piling up, creating walls of flesh, armor, and iron he couldn¡¯t budge.


    Most of the bombardment fell behind Raine, killing hundreds of players. His eyes were glued to his health. He relied solely on his peripheral vision to dodge while blasting through shields and hasty guards with his oversized club. Men and women fell like flies before him as his health rapidly ticked down. Just before the cooldown on Life Drain reached zero, Raine forced another activation of his Roulette. The cursed item¡¯s vile lightning coursed through his veins, attempting to seize his muscles. [-102]


    He swore at his foul luck when his two-handed mace vanished, only to reappear in his hands again. At the exact moment, Greater Werewolf¡¯s Regeneration and the HOT (Heal Over Time) from Healing Burst activated. [+105] Rained grumbled under his breath that at least the two canceled each other out. Then, he utilized the martial spin-step he¡¯d stolen from SolemnRiver so long ago. His body blurred as he spun, and the heavy weapon crunched through more bodies than he could count. Raine had yet to draw a slashing weapon for Great Divide, and his Celestial Power was already low. He was forced to take a desperate gamble, balancing his health below half to get the most out of Greater Aspect of the Werewolf. With little choice but to accelerate his plans, Raine sent the already-composed message to Rhino; it was time to begin the real battle.


    Idris Iselda AKA Rhino


    Rhino had been holding the precious item in sweaty hands for what felt like hours as players from Righteous charged by to surround his mysterious new boss. Crouching in the tall grass, he could clearly see the innumerable ranged attacks filling the sky in the distance. Shouting and explosions rang loud in his ears while the ground beneath his feet trembled from thousands of boots. His torso was wound so tight with urgency he felt like he was going to piss himself.


    When the message arrived, Rhino¡¯s grin split his face. He slammed the butt end of the item into the ground, activating its effect.


    [Flag of the Bandit King: (Lustrous Blue) For one hour, summons 2 bandits for every piece of sacrificed equipment. Bandit levels are equivalent to sacrificed equipment (Minimum level 5 / maximum level 15)]


    Nothing happened until Rhino started unloading the two hundred-plus pieces of equipment Alaric had given him. The moment the first hit the ground, it vanished. Two misty apparitions formed into men in loose, linen armor. One wielded a curved shortsword and shield, the other a spear and shield. They ignored Rhino and charged the nearest player with a whooping shout. A dozen more bandits were already materializing behind them.


    Taken off guard, the first players died in a second. The others nearby called out in alarm, ¡°W-what?! We¡¯re under attack!¡±


    ¡°Where are they coming from?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; they¡¯re only level five. Kill them!¡±


    When tens of bandits turned into a hundred, the scattered members of Righteous found themselves outnumbered. One of the many nearby commanders quickly established order, and a hundred players turned away from the battle at the walls to engage the few bandits.


    While not full-on mercenaries with excellent gear, these bandits were nonetheless Vaaterrans capable of displaying the minimum standard of a class three martial. Boosted by attributes equivalent to a player with every attunement unlocked, they cut through the members of Righteous as easily as running through the grass. The hundred players were decimated, and their dropped loot was quickly gathered in dirty hands to spawn even more bandits.


    Raine had included several pieces of level ten and fifteen gear in what he¡¯d given Rhino. The bandits created from them were of a higher level and much better equipped. They took command of the others. Two in particular were created from a level fifteen Lustrous Blue breastplate. They stood head and shoulders above the others, wielding wickedly serrated glaives.


    One charged into battle while the other raised his weapon high, ¡°There¡¯s enough shineys here to make us all kings! Gather the loot and get it back to the flag, boys! Let¡¯s raise an army and show these motherless dogs what a real war looks like!¡±


    The bandits¡¯ return roar shook the ground, rattling the teeth in Rhino¡¯s ear-to-ear grin.

 Chapter 75 - KING OF BANDITS

    Another ruthless wave of arrows and Blasts descended on Raine, forcing him to dive deeper into the throng of melee players. Those behind collapsed on his position, giving chase in the form of numerous weapons seeking his blood. Meanwhile, those in front launched suicidal attacks, whittling down his health.


    Allowing himself to be surrounded was a necessary evil, as his Resistance was less than half of his Defense; tanking the Blasts would have resulted in significantly more damage. The falling elements and arrows devastated the members of Righteous, who charged after him, filling the air with screams of all too real pain.


    It only took one debuff every four seconds to reset the cooldown on his reduced defenses. Considering how many casters were backing up the melees, that was a simple feat. Raine¡¯s bloodlust was cranked to full power the entire time, but with morale so heavily stacked against him, it had no effect beyond reducing their attributes. Worse, his Celestial Power was below half, and he was taking so much damage that he wouldn¡¯t survive long enough for the cooldown on Rupture to end.


    With no other choice, he tanked multiple stabs, slashes, and crushing blows while charging a Leap. After bounding into the air, he Lunged twice in rapid succession, sending himself hurtling through the open gates of the town. The players he left behind stared at where he¡¯d been with slack jaws.


    ¡°He jumped off thin air?!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°He escaped¡­ General Marco¡¯s going to kill us.¡±


    Raine growled, cursing his roulette¡¯s choices of weapons. Frustration simmered in his chest after revealing the aerial Lunge. It was a trick anyone could use once they understood the principles behind it. However, they were unlikely to discover the secrets behind jumping off Connection, as utilizing that attribute was far from intuitive.


    Hopefully, they''ll assume it was a special skill. They saw me changing weapons mid-fight, too. That''s not normally possible. Well, at least I know who that general is now.


    In the past, Marco Salvatore was a star pupil of Master Torune and his last living relative. That didn¡¯t last long, as the man died under mysterious circumstances shortly before Raine was swindled into joining CronGate. If not for Vaneese occasionally bragging behind closed doors that she had something to do with his death, Raine never would have remembered the man¡¯s existence.


    Five players at the gates craned their necks as Raine flew over their heads. When he landed, they jumped him and were killed by the nearby guards in a heartbeat. The rest of the nearby players hesitated, giving Raine a chance to throw back a Celestial Restoration Potion. While tapping the dropped loot, he stored his weapon before spreading his arms invitingly.


    A man with the off-colored armband of a captain shouted, ¡°Do it! Kill him! He can¡¯t get us all bef¡ª¡±


    His head promptly exploded when a spear-wielding guard appeared at his side with an outstretched arm. He moved so quickly that even Raine couldn¡¯t follow the movement, ¡°Stand down! We¡¯ll not abide you Travelers causing a ruckus inside our walls!¡±


    The demonstration of overwhelming power had the right effect. Weapons were sheathed, and those closest to Raine took a step back. Satisfied he was safe for the moment, Raine flicked a silver to the guard, then sat in a lotus, eager to regenerate the rest of his resources. The members of Righteous shouting indignantly all around him was music to his ears, helping him enter the meditative state of mind all the faster.


    MeanyMouse


    As she swapped between live Vodcasts in an attempt to spot the hated, mysterious disciple, Vaneese noticed how dire the bandit threat was. They were more skilled in combat than any of her elites and dealt significantly more damage. At first, she thought there were only a few dozen of them and eradicating them would be a matter of time.


    Her horror mounted as five hundred level sevens chased a few bandits into the deep grass. As victory seemed imminent, the trap was sprung. Her people were surrounded by a force that doubled their number, then died in moments.


    I have to¡­ Wait. The more involved I get, the worse it will be for me when master discovers how many levels were lost. Right now, this is Marco''s problem.


    Thinking quickly, Vaneese linked and sent the Ncodes of all her commanding officers to Marco''s secretary, giving him unilateral control of her forces. While an unreliable combatant, the secretary was an excellent administrator and would no doubt quickly relay whatever orders Marco came up with.


    A few swipes of her fingers created several additional holographic displays, allowing her to simultaneously view multiple angles of the unfolding battle. Steepling her fingers, she leaned back in her office''s comfortable chair, wishing she had a bag of popcorn.


    Marco Salvatore


    ¡°What do you mean they''re all dead?! We¡¯re talking about a thousand adepts and a few fucking bandits!¡± Marco''s clenched fist creaked as metal ground against itself.


    The first two groups he sent to deal with the annoying threat had stopped responding, so Marco commanded an entire company to surround and wipe them out for good. Somehow, such overwhelming numbers met a similar fate.


    His secretary met his gaze without flinching, succinctly presenting the facts and nothing more, ¡°I watched the recording Captain Bergis sent; they met an equal number of enemies in an open engagement but ended up pincered by another force of a thousand bandits. They must have been hiding their numbers in the terrain.¡±


    ¡°You don''t say¡­¡± Marco drawled, never having wanted to hit the worthless woman more than he did at that moment. He promised himself that she would pay later but now wasn''t the time. ¡°You said Vaneese¡¯s commanders reached the area? Send them in from the back while the 2nd regiment spreads out to seal the net. We''ll see how they like being pincered!¡±


    Her fingers were a blur, recording Marco''s commands and issuing them live to over three hundred officers, ¡°What about the cockroach?¡±


    ¡°He''s already scurried into town; nothing we can do about him now. The only way we can save face is to kill those bandits and get our gear back. With their strength, I''m betting they''ll drop a hefty bit of loot.¡±


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    ¡°Understood. Your orders have been relayed.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let''s go join the hunt.¡±


    Raine KongRu


    The reason Raine was so particular when handing Rhino the bandit flag became known before his resources recovered.


    [Achievement for murdering (intended or otherwise) 1,000 Travelers: Bandit Lords Charm]


    [Bandit Lord¡¯s Charm: (Common Grey - LVL 5) Further reduces light reflectivity while stealthed by 10%]


    Raine didn¡¯t bother equipping the finger-bone-shaped charm; his Locket of Rendition, with its daily teleportation, was far superior. The moment Righteous''s members stopped yelling at him and dashed out of town, Raine knew they had given up on him to focus on the more serious threat. Fortunately, their grasp of the bandits'' capabilities was nowhere near thorough enough to avoid significant casualties.


    The Vaaterrans summoned by the flag excelled at stealth, so any typical attempt to pin them down was unlikely to succeed. If a leader was present, the bandits would also have a firm grasp of basic battlefield tactics, allowing them to scout, withdraw, and coordinate assaults on the weakest points of their enemy''s formations. Combined with the low combat standards of players in this early stage of ZionLine, it was apparent the bandits would manage to quickly multiply.


    Raine imagined they numbered in the thousands by now, even though it had only been a few minutes since Rhino confirmed the activation of the flag. With his health and Celestial Power nearly topped off, Raine hopped to his feet and poked his head around the edge of the gate. Sure enough, the players were arranging five deep in a long line. They advanced slowly, allowing the scattered remnants to join the disorganized ranks.


    The only thing you¡¯re giving time for is the bandits to grow stronger. Idiots probably think they''ll get something good for killing them, too. As if ZL would be so kind with how good the flag already is.


    The purpose of the flag wasn¡¯t to wipe out armies or turn low-level gear into free Superiority. The bandits weren¡¯t hard to deal with when you knew what you were against. No, the item''s true purpose became evident when the prices for low-level gear dropped below a certain threshold. Constantly training tens of thousands of fresh recruits was a considerable drain on a guild''s resources. With the flag, a highly realistic and controllable combat simulation could be created for relatively little cost; it was an excellent final exam for recruits and budding officers alike.


    Originally, Raine intended to hold the gates, not allowing Righteous to retreat into the town while the bandits massacred them. Unfortunately for his enemies, he understood adaptability was a core tenent of victory on any battlefield.


    Raine left the town and Leaped into the air. A few aerial hops gained enough elevation to activate his drifter. It was too much to ask that nobody had seen him, but it hardly mattered with the drifter¡¯s invisibility. Whoever later reviewed the VRVods would be scratching their heads trying to figure out what item he used to vanish.


    From his new vantage, it was clear the bandits wouldn¡¯t last long if nothing changed. From the west, a mass of condensed troops were closing in while the long line from the east was merely acting as a net and bait. The bandits numbered well over two thousand, but they were surrounded by close to forty times that many players.


    Looks like the bandit leaders are hoping to bolster their numbers while fighting defensively. That would work if they were only outnumbered ten to one.


    Devising a plan, Raine flew over the eastern army and dropped beside the flag. Fifty bandits turned toward him with murder in their eyes. Upon realizing he was the flag''s owner, they relaxed, wearing broken-toothed smiles.


    ¡°Where did you come from? I thought you were going to hold position at the front of town?¡± Rhino greeted him with a suspicious glint in his eyes.


    Raine ignored his paranoid behavior, knowing they were short on time, ¡°Couldn¡¯t handle it alone, and I¡¯m needed more here. Take a hundred level tens and stealth to the north, around their formation. Don¡¯t get within fifty meters of the town, or the guards will attack. Spread out and wait there. Don¡¯t let Righteous take the easy way out. If they want to flee, they¡¯ll have to run all the way across the zone.¡±


    ¡°You said there were over fifty thousand¡­ You really think the bandits can kill so many before the flag expires? It¡¯s only got forty-five minutes left.¡±


    ¡°Not on their own,¡± Raine grinned. With a warbling whistle that sounded exactly like the zone¡¯s native raptors, he gathered the attention of the seedy Vaaterrans.


    He spun a finger in the air twice, closed his fist tightly, then pointed southeast. They nodded in response, mimicking his silent command to those out of direct sight. Within seconds, the bandits were gathered and quietly moving in the indicated direction.


    Another signed command gave Rhino his hundred fighters. Then, a hundred elite level fifteen bandits hid the flag in freshly cut grass. They stealthed around it, waiting in ambush for any unlucky enough to stumble across it. The remaining eighteen hundred followed Raine at a rapid clip toward the south side of Righteous¡¯s spread-out net.


    When they found the enemy minutes later, there were no complex strategies. Raine ordered a silent charge and led the bandits right down the players¡¯ throats. Bursting from the tall grass at melee range, it was an absolute, one-sided slaughter. Rupture tore a hole through the middle of the five-deep line as his bandits wrapped around the end, attacking the rows of players from all sides.


    They ate their way deeper, screams filling the air. A shouted order was silenced halfway through as Raine Lunged at the commander. His roulette had pulled a low-level dagger, which promptly slid into the man¡¯s throat. A follow-up stab to the heart finished him.


    Raine refused to complain about getting one of the weapons he needed earlier. Instead, he committed himself entirely to the melee. The familiar flow of life and death PVP pulled at his heartstrings. He was so close to leading his very own guild into battles just like this one that saliva overproduced, causing him to swallow incessantly.


    When the next Righteous commander tried to issue an order, he died in a wave of amber light from below as Great Divide erased ten meters of their formation.


    [Iron Dagger: Durability -2]


    With a whistle and wave of his fist, the bandits grabbed the loot and smoothly disengaged. They had no inventories, but they could easily carry three items apiece. They broke line of sight thanks to the tall grass, then entered stealth and booked it back to the flag, where their numbers swelled once more.


    A message from Rhino indicated his unit was already in position. With only minutes before the western wave of players found them, Raine called the two bandit leaders with glaives to his side. They were several centimeters taller than him, every millimeter of their bodies packed with rippling muscles protected by excellent-quality leather armor.


    They approached him confidently, one cracking his neck, the other his knuckles. Both wore smirks that were wiped off their faces when a burst of bloodlust washed over them. Eyes widening, they dropped to a knee, whispering, ¡°Apologies for our disrespect, leader.¡±


    Raine¡¯s voice was low and challenging, ¡°Kill a hundred of our enemies each, and I¡¯ll let it slide.¡±


    ¡°A hundred? I¡¯ll kill a thousand of these weaklings!¡± One boasted, earning him a nod from Raine.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. The enemy is almost upon us. Due to our ruse, they should focus their strength to the south, expecting us to still be in the area. Instead, we¡¯ll split our forces into three and head west. Their flanking force on course to find the flag will die before they get the chance. A hundred defenders will stay behind. Spread them out to intercept their scouts. The longer we delay them finding the flag, the better.¡±


    When they nodded their understanding, Raine continued, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the first group in a charge to break a path through. Your groups will be right behind me. Stay in stealth. Once we¡¯re on the far side, their numerical advantage will vanish. When they manage to get another flank going, we¡¯ll use the same formation to pierce their lines and return to the flag. That will give us enough numbers to crush them outright.¡±


    The two big bandits flashed fierce smirks. With another raptor cry, four thousand Vaaterran bandits slunk through the grass, weapons at the ready. It wasn¡¯t until the screams started anew that Righteous began to realize how bottomless the pit of despair was that Raine had plunged them into.

 Chapter 76 - PITS OF DESPAIR

    AhriGato AKA ¡®the secretary¡¯


    Marco¡¯s metal gauntlets slammed together as he punched his palm, ¡°How could they have disappeared?! There were over a thousand of them? Who¡¯s in command of the scouts? Never mind, I don¡¯t want to know; I want you to bring me his fucking head!¡±


    AhriGato saw right through his blustering to the fear lurking beneath the surface. Calling him general would only remind him of the stakes and trigger him further; she left out the moniker as she pitched her tone to the subservience he found so soothing, ¡°I received a report that the cockroach left town and vanished into thin air. At least we know there aren¡¯t two of him. Considering the bandits¡¯ perfectly timed escape, should we assume a traitor is feeding our movements?¡±


    ¡°A traitor? That would make sense. How else could they know when to withdra¡ª¡±


    ¡°General!¡± A young man burst from the nearby grass, escorted by two of Marco¡¯s trusted bodyguards. Out of breath and shaking with urgency, he pressed on with his report, ¡°The bandit threat is far more dangerous than anticipated!¡± AhriGato was ready to strangle the idiot if he didn¡¯t have something of substance to report. Lucky for him, he wasn¡¯t completely incompetent and sent her the relevant VRVod as he continued, ¡°We found where they''re coming from! It''s some kind of item that spawns them. One of my men caught them throwing equipment near the item. When it disappeared, more bandits spawned!¡±


    Marco shuddered, rubbing his temples, ¡°Dear god, they''re growing as they kill us. No wonder. Where is this item?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know exactly, General,¡± seeing Marco¡¯s expression turn to thunderclouds, the scout leader blurted the rest of his information, ¡°It should be somewhere northwest of the last engagement. My scout was crawling to avoid detection. He couldn¡¯t see over the grass, and they found him after only a few seconds of observation.¡±


    Marco opened his mouth to start shouting orders, then stopped, glancing suspiciously over both shoulders at the nearby players. After briefly examining the recorded vodcast, AhriGato dared to interject, ¡°It appears the summoning flag is a stationary item.¡±


    ¡°Finally, some good news!¡± Marco roared, ¡°I don¡¯t care what losses we have to take; find that flag in the next five minutes!¡±


    AhriGato nodded, relaying the appropriate orders to their commanders. Even if they couldn¡¯t reach the item, they would find it quickly enough if they swarmed the area where most of their people were dying. As scouts discarded stealth to boldly run through the grass, kill reports came in by the dozen. AhriGato relayed the relevant information to her office team, which had access to a holographic map they could use to triangulate.


    Meanwhile, General Marco coordinated with the commanders directly, tightening the noose around their slippery foe. Right when it seemed the tables had turned, a report came in that turned the general¡¯s face white as a sheet. As if she knew before he did, a call came through. Marco cringed, accepting it reluctantly.


    The moment Vaneese saw his face appear, she screeched at him, ¡°How could you let three thousand members of my division die so easily?!¡±


    Seething, Marco growled, his voice low, ¡°What? How dare you try to pin that on me! It was your people who let the bandits break through the encirclement so easily. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you told them to do it on purpose.¡±


    As if the rodent wandered right into her trap, Vaneese¡¯s supposed fury vanished, and her voice turned to a purr, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about, husband. You¡¯ve been in control of my forces since demanding I relinquish them to you. I haven¡¯t communicated even once. It would be terrible if I accidentally countermanded one of your brilliant strategies¡­¡±


    ¡°Vaneese, stop messing around. This is serious. Master Torune isn''t going to let you off with a light slap if you don''t help me turn this situation around. Use one of those fancy gems and get your ass here on the triple! If you don¡¯t, mark my words: I¡¯ve plenty of ways to make you suffer.¡±


    An evil smile pulled her lips wide, ¡°Gems? Can you be more specific? I¡¯m not at all sure what you¡¯re referring to. Oh, look at the time. My favorite vodcast is airing right now. Ta-ta.¡± Without waiting for another response, she ended the call.


    It had been a long time since AhriGato wanted to curse out loud. The expletive almost left her lips before she controlled herself with an iron will. Until the master no longer held her daughter hostage, she had to keep his unpredictable godson under control. She met Marco¡¯s eyes, exuding the calm solidarity he needed to recover. However, as if she were cursed, another call came in. Marco released a shudder at the Ncode displayed in his HUD.


    He answered with trepidation, ¡°Morok, my dear friend. What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°How many of my employees are you planning to kill, you incompetent little shit? Those men and women aren¡¯t yours! They¡¯re mine! Mine! Do you fucking hear me?¡±


    Marco cringed, attempting to salvage the conversation, ¡°Of co¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Morok the Viper¡¯s voice turned shrill, ¡°I¡¯ll be sending a bill totaling every death and lost piece of gear directly to Master Torune. If I¡¯m not refunded by the end of the day, consider our cooperation ended!¡± Morok didn¡¯t allow any chance to respond, promptly ending the call.


    ¡°These damn bandits aren¡¯t even dropping any loot, and now this?!¡± In a full-blown tantrum, Marco screeched and furiously kicked the ground, sending dirt flying. He repeatedly smashed a gauntlet against his chest plate, the reverberations calming his nerves. Facing AhriGato, he growled through a tight jaw, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about containing the bandits now that they¡¯ve broken through the pincer. If we assume that flag can make infinite reinforcements, then we have no choice but to make it our top priority. Order Vanee-the western forces to continue closing the encirclement. Anyone attacked should fight back to buy the rest of us time.¡±


    Just then, a message tagged emergency came in from AhriGato¡¯s team. She accessed it immediately, praying for good news. As her eyes flew over the words, the tension drained from her shoulders, ¡°We¡¯ve found it.¡±


    Raine KongRu


    Raine¡¯s greatsword plunged through a woman¡¯s chest, reaping a level and a piece of gear. A spear darted toward his head, but it was intercepted by one of the bandits at his side. A shuffle-spin brought Raine forward and around, his heavy weapon slicing through armor and flesh with equal ease. He finished the martial maneuver with a Rupture, sending fifty players off to respawn. It was hard to deny that he was having the time of his life.


    Butter on the biscuit, every CronGate employee that died put them one step further away from disrupting his future plans. When he started a guild, they would be the first to come knocking for revenge. This was his best chance to deliver them a crushing blow.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The bandits charged into the gap his skill created. They killed almost as quickly as he did. The morale of his enemies snapped like a dry twig. They bolted, and the bandits roared, prepared to charge after them. A sharp whistle from Raine stopped them in their tracks. Looking at the lack of forces made it clear they either found the flag or decided to prioritize locating it over trying to kill his elite Vaaterrans.


    Looks like they didn¡¯t take the bait. That¡¯s too bad, but this works too.


    Raine signaled for his troops to spread out and press the attack instead of remaining in a tightly clustered formation. The direct path east, back to the flag, was still open from when they broke through a few minutes ago. He commanded one of the bandit leaders to sprint his troops back to the flag, taking the five thousand pieces of gear they¡¯d collected so far. They would still be outnumbered six to one, but it didn¡¯t matter if they all died. They only needed to keep Righteous away from the flag for a few minutes.


    The enemy casters and archers were the real problem. So long as they remained alive, the sheer numerical disadvantage would eventually wear down his forces. The remaining bandits charged in a wide formation. Raine was at the front, cutting through the fleeing stragglers while closing in on the back ranks of the rapidly advancing western encirclement.


    Raine sent a quick message to Rhino, ¡°Get back into the fight. Stay on the outskirts and assassinate as many casters as possible. Stay focused on the flow of the battle. When Righteous breaks, get back to position and stop them from entering the town.¡±


    ¡°You sure know how to make a guy happy. Wait¡­ how did you know that would make me so happy?¡± Rhino replied right away with a squinty-eyed meme.


    Raine snorted, beginning to wonder if the kid¡¯s antics were an act just for laughs. The fleeing players caught up with the main forces. They turned, weapons and shields raised and ready. Raine¡¯s bandits plowed into them, the clangor of clashing weapons, rent armor, and screams filling the air.


    Due to being concentrated in a smaller area as they closed in on the flag, this enemy formation was nearly a hundred players deep. Raine¡¯s forces were also spread thin, resembling a school of piranhas attempting to eat their way through a whale. Luckily, Righteous was either incompetent or unfamiliar enough with the warfare in ZionLine not to concentrate their casters in the middle of the formation.


    Arrows and Blasts filled the air in haphazard waves, some firing back at Raine and the bandits, some toward the flag''s location. Due to the volleys being thin and the bandits having ¡®adequate¡¯ combat standards, most of them failed to hit. Raine wasn¡¯t about to let them get their shit together without paying a hefty toll for their mistake.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let up! Kill ¡®em all!¡± He shouted, simultaneously unleashing a Great Divide that cut deep into the thick formation.


    [Iron 2-H Sword: Durability -2]


    Lunging into the center of the cleared space, he roared like a madman, unleashing a wave of bloodlust with all his mental strength. For fifteen meters in each direction, the frenetic pace of pitched combat stuttered to a stop. It was only a momentary pause but served to further disrupt their cohesion, allowing his bandits to kill hundreds more.


    [Achievement for first to murder (intended or otherwise) 10,000 Travelers: Ethereal Powder dropped]


    Raine snatched the falling item so fast its bright blue glow barely strobed before vanishing.


    [Ethereal Powder: (Lustrous Blue) Sprinkle on the body to slip into the ethereal realm for fifteen seconds. Beware the hidden dangers that lurk within the unknown abyss]


    [Regional System announcement: Congratulations Alaric for being the first to murder ten thousand Travelers!]


    [World System Announcement: Congratulations Alaric for being the first to murder ten thousand Travelers!]


    Amidst shrill screams packed with indignation, Raine bent his knees and Leaped high to get a snapshot of the battle. The area around the flag was swarmed with players and Vaaterrans alike. The bandits were down to less than five hundred, but those remaining were level ten and fifteen elites. Each took dozens of hits to kill, and they weren¡¯t easy to hit. Tens of players died for each. Unfortunately, they had little time to secure the loot from their kills to spawn more bandits.


    They wouldn¡¯t last much longer against the eastern flank. It was no longer in a thin, broad line. They were now clustered two hundred deep, and the concentration of fire coming from within that sea of humanity wasn¡¯t to be underestimated.


    Lunging off the air, Raine flew headfirst into the thick of Righteous¡¯s warriors. He landed with another Rupture, bringing his Discipline below half. Raine dashed into the ring of bandits around the flag, unloading the fifty pieces of gear picked up so far. Before the fresh recruits could coalesce, he was tearing into the enemies to the east.


    ¡°Damn you, cockroach!¡± A thunderous shout perked Raine¡¯s ears. Looking up, his grin widened seeing General Marco again.


    Raine¡¯s spinning cleave cleared space as the man¡¯s long axe whirled from above. Raine smoothly side-stepped without breaking the momentum of his greatsword. Marco ducked, expertly using his axe¡¯s pommel to knock Raine¡¯s sword up at the last second so it harmlessly flew over his head. Marco¡¯s eyes shot wide as he was thrown back three paces from the brief contact.


    He clearly expected to tackle Raine before he recovered from his overextension. Furious spittle flew from his mouth as he charged again, ¡°How high is your Potency, you damn cheater!¡± Marco¡¯s competence as an early class five martial master was on full display as he weaved forward with a complex body movement that left Raine dizzy.


    There was only a single level difference between them, and Raine didn¡¯t have the full set bonus from his armor, nor his level fifteen greatsword. Meanwhile, Marco was in head-to-toe, level ten Lustrous Blues. Still, Raine held an advantage in attributes and easily deflected a wickedly-angled chop from above.


    When he stepped forward to return the favor, several flanking players stabbed at him with spears while those behind fired arrows and Blasts. Marco¡¯s grin was wiped off his face as Raine simply tanked every last hit, closing the distance until both their weapons were useless.


    Marco¡¯s foot lashed out at his extended knee. As a fist fighter for thirty years, this was precisely the distance Raine felt the most comfortable. Additionally, while Marco might be a class five by today¡¯s standards, he was closer to the future¡¯s definition of a class four, though without knowing how to properly take advantage of his attributes.


    With absolute control over every muscle in his body, Raine¡¯s knee bent unnaturally as his quad and calf twisted it out of the way of Marco¡¯s kick. His knee would have been dislocated if they were in the outside world. Instead, Raine merely suffered tremendous pain and a dip in his health. He ignored both as his foot snapped forward at an equally disturbing angle, catching Marco¡¯s boot as it tried to withdraw.


    A heavy thud preceded the man trying to jump backward off one leg, but Raine had the advantage in forward momentum. He maintained their distance, the fist not holding his sword whipping out. Marco blocked the attack, but again, Raine¡¯s muscles contorted, turning his arm into a snake that wove around the shaft of Marco¡¯s axe.


    There was little force behind the punch, but there didn¡¯t need to be. The moment Raine¡¯s fingers grazed Marco¡¯s breastplate, Life Drain activated, sapping more than half the general¡¯s health. He screamed and stumbled back, the pain from feeling like he was being turned inside out too much to bear.


    Raine had guessed the man wasn¡¯t used to taking damage. With his skills, and constantly fighting in a group, he might not have been hit more than once or twice since creating his avatar. Without the repeated experience of life-ending pain, shrugging off such a powerful skill was simply unrealistic. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d faced anything close to it in the outside world, either.


    The half a second it took him to recover was far too long. Raine¡¯s greatsword crunched into his chest. He rapidly spun the other way, the weapon slicing into Marco from the other direction. Each hit took a quarter of the general¡¯s life. Left with only a sliver, Marco met Raine¡¯s eyes, disbelief scrawled across his face as a boot crashed into his chest. He slid off Raine¡¯s sword, the last of his health draining away.


    Marco hit the ground in a spray of blood, and Raine stepped on his corpse. The last thing the general saw was a Rupture overkilling his trusted bodyguards, exploding them into clouds of shimmering dust. Due to merely meeting his health, Marco¡¯s body vanished slower than his subordinates. It was replaced by a resplendent golden glow.


    Frowning, Raine ignored the chaotic fighting around him to bend down and pick up the book that dropped, ¡°Where did you find such a good thing? We should meet again soon so I can thank you.¡±

 Chapter 77 - ON THE ROAD AGAIN

    [Tome of seventy-seven praises to Bhima: (Marvelous Gold) Once per day a new passage detailing the ultimate wisdom of Bhima shall be revealed. Upon reading each new passage Potency increases by 1 (All accumulated bonuses are lost upon death) (Bonuses become permanent after 77 days and 77 passages) (This item will always drop upon death) (1 use per account)]


    Raine jumped back far enough to be surrounded by his bandits, then quickly opened the book, reading the first passage: ¡°In this, the Mortal Realm, there can be only one undeniable truth: There is no good, nor evil. Only weight, and those too weak to lift it.¡± Raine chuckled at the ridiculous line, then dropped the item into his inventory. He noted its ticking twenty-four-hour cooldown and the lone message in his interface.


    [Potency: +1]


    Poor Marco isn''t having an easy time of it this life, either.


    The book¡¯s golden glow vanished, yet greedy eyes remained glued to him. The bandits weren''t about to miss such a good distraction, and dozens of players died in under two seconds. A barrage of missiles tore into the space Raine was standing right after he dashed forward, back into the crowd.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t com¡ª¡± Raine¡¯s greatsword cut the man¡¯s head in two. His boots slid along the ground, collecting loot while positioning himself for a cleave that took out three more players. A few attacks hit his back, doing minimal damage. He turned with a snarl, and they fell back in fear, throwing their weapons up to block his next swing.


    Their efforts were useless. The members of Righteous died in waves. Raine continued to dive recklessly through the ranks until he reached the casters. Rupture and another Great Divide reaped over two hundred lives. Those lucky enough to be outside his skills¡¯ ranges slipped up in their shock, failing to refresh their defense reduction debuffs. Since he continued to chase them down, they couldn¡¯t fully stack their skills again; the damage he was taking dove sharply. Raine didn¡¯t bother restoring his health when it passed below fifty percent, relying on regeneration to get the job done.


    A short time later, the bandit leaders cut their way through the ranks to join him. The three made wide circles around the flag, targeting the most formidable clumps of soldiers. Occasionally, enemy leaders made themselves known, and Raine expended Discipline and CP to close the distance and end them.


    A shift took place after what felt like hours but was really only minutes. Raine had been in enough battles to pick out the subtle signs of a conflict about to turn: Furious warcries became drowned out by screams, the press of the front line¡¯s advance slowed, and then it stopped altogether.


    Raine could feel Righteous was about to break. It was an odd sensation, going beyond his past experiences, as though he weren¡¯t facing individuals but a collective hivemind and his finger was on its pulse. He messaged Rhino to return to his original position, then left the bandit brothers for the flag.


    Raine raised his voice over the clamor of pitched battle, ¡°That''s enough summoning. We have the numbers to finish them! Press the attack; leave none alive!¡±


    ¡°Raghr!¡± The bandits thundered back, then swapped from defensive techniques to those bred for slaughter. For the first time since Righteous found the flag, the bandits pushed back and recovered lost ground.


    With a roar of his own, Raine pushed out a pulse of bloodlust that was so potent it instantly bloomed into throbbing needles behind his eyes. The closest players took one last look at him and his suddenly zealous bandits, then turned and ran. Others followed, and like ripples on a pond, a mass route began.


    ¡°Those level ten and above, follow me!¡± Raine led the charge, quickly catching the players trying to press through their own allies to flee. Rupture and Great Divide opened a path, and his bandits flowed into it, widening it further. By this point, his crappy replacement sword was nearly destroyed. It hardly mattered with the mass of loot he¡¯d accumulated.


    Minutes later, they cut through the other end of the eastern formation and spread out to reinforce Rhino. The town was at their back as Righteous attacked Raine¡¯s line with a frenzy. The gates to freedom were within sight, urging the players on. Devoid of leadership and coordination, they didn¡¯t kill a single elite bandit. Seeing their last chance for salvation slip away, true despair clutched their hearts, and they scattered in every direction.


    ¡°Level fifteen¡¯s with me. Everyone else, give chase! Prioritize looters and collect the drops near the flag!¡±


    ¡°Hurrah!¡± Rhino shouted along with the bandits, rushing after a group of players and repeatedly stabbing them in the back.


    ¡°Kill ¡®em! Kill ''em all!¡±


    ¡°Get da shineys!¡±


    Raine dashed toward the town, stopping far enough away that the guards wouldn¡¯t aggro his elites, ¡°Spread out. Don¡¯t let any of their reinforcements through.¡± Heading closer alone, he arrived before the gates and waited.


    A standard, ¡®first-time¡¯ resurrection only took five minutes. Subsequent deaths within an hour would multiply that downtime, each by the law of five. Respawning from a third death took over two hours, and anyone foolish enough to die a fifth time would be unable to play for several days. Thirty minutes after the first players died, brave leaders managed to rally the revived soldiers, and they gathered at the gates. Raine stood on the road alone, daring anyone to take a step outside.


    They didn¡¯t.


    Marco pushed his way to the front. Bloodshot eyes regarded Raine with seething hatred, ¡°You have no idea how bad you just fucked your life. We¡¯ll find out who you are. You won¡¯t have any special little items to save you when we meet in the real world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s neat. Didn¡¯t realize it was possible to race change to a chihuahua. If you want to do more than bark, I¡¯m right here.¡± Raine spread his arms, grinning.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Marco spat on the ground between them, then raised his arm and spun it, ¡°Get back! We¡¯re done! I said, get out of the way! Line the damn walls. Stay off the streets before the Vaaterrans arrest you for impeding.¡±


    Planting his hands on his hips, Raine remained where he was, standing confidently as the timer for the flag ticked down.


    That was close. If they chose to keep coming until the flag despawned, I would be the one running for my life when my army vanished into thin air.


    Ten minutes later, when only five minutes left, Raine pumped Discipline into his legs and tore across the nearby fields to return to his now-massive pile of loot. Rhino met him there, greedily eyeing the nearly thirty thousand items but unwilling to break their contract by touching anything.


    Raine pointed him toward the north, ¡°Run as fast as you can, and don¡¯t stop. I¡¯ll catch you soon.¡±


    Rhino nodded and did as told. Despite Raine¡¯s scrambling, he didn¡¯t manage to gather everything before the bandits disappeared into puffs of smoke. He kept on, wading through the goods as quickly as he could. Furious roars filled the air from the direction of the town. The ground shook from thousands of boots rushing his way.


    Seconds passed, each more precious than the last. Raine''s hands and feet blurred. The pile disappeared into his inventory. If he died in the next two hours, the loot explosion would be a sight to behold. Not all the bandits returned to the pile with their ill-gotten gains before vanishing. Instead of turning north, Raine dashed toward the nearest pile. The first players appeared as he was on the fifth such cache. Led by Marco, they screamed bloody murder as they gave chase, ¡°You¡¯re dead! You¡¯re fucking dead! Get our gear back! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡±


    Raine almost turned back to fight them, knowing he was close to the hundred thousand kills achievement. He chose not to, as attacking even once would enter him into combat again. At that point, escaping would be much more challenging. With tantalizing loot to be gained, Raine ran the other way at full speed.


    Between Discipline to boost his basic movements, Lunge, and Leap, they couldn¡¯t keep up. From one pile to the next, Raine stayed barely ahead. Despondently, he had little choice but to leave them a few scraps here and there that happened to be left in poor locations. Righteous grew more incensed with each retrieval, their forces spreading out to eventually box him in since he was weaving about chaotically.


    When he could see no more loot, Raine bent his knees and turned toward Marco, giving him a friendly wave, ¡°You guys are the best. Let¡¯s do this again soon!¡±


    Leap and three Lunges brought him high enough to activate his skydrifter, and he vanished from sight. A soul-wrenching scream followed him north.


    ¡°Noooooo!¡±


    Almost all the pieces are in place to start my guild. After I get everyone together and powerlevel them to fifteen, it¡¯ll finally be time. Never even dreamt I would own my own guild in the past. This gear and the credits I¡¯ve earned so far won¡¯t be nearly enough. The second I need to equip and pay the salary for a hundred thousand players, I¡¯ll be more broke than ever.


    That knowledge couldn¡¯t come close to dousing his excitement. Raine couldn¡¯t remember feeling so eager at any time in either life. He swiftly caught up with Rhino, dropping to land beside him. Huffing, the boy shot him a wicked grin, ¡°We looping back around to town?¡±


    Raine shook his head, ¡°We aren''t going to town. We have more important things to do.¡±


    ¡°Really? Like what?¡±


    Raine returned his grin, ¡°Not telling.¡±


    More fun to watch his paranoid ass squirm while trying to figure it out.


    Predictably, Rhino blanched, his eyes darting around for the ambush Raine was no doubt leading him into.


    They ran for several hours. After angling toward the nearest road north, they sped up, but it still took another three hours to reach the zone around Dry Canyon Town. They met several Righteous patrols, earning themselves a few extra pieces of gear.


    During that time, Raine edited his VRVod of the battle and posted it on several trending threads until it took off. Alaric strikes again, using an extraordinary method to single-handedly defeat an army of a hundred thousand!


    The responses were predictable, and Righteous learning the name of their detestable cockroach only further set them off. Another call came in, and Raine ignored it like all the others. His HUD indicated Morok the Viper had left him over fifty voiced messages. He passed them along to Morty, not expecting there to be anything worth responding to.


    In a pleasant twist of fate, Fizgore, Mel, and Celeste were right where Raine told them to be. They met off the main road in a thick copse tucked behind a small hill.


    Celeste¡¯s greeting was a grumpy, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°My new slave,¡± Raine immediately realized his mistake when Mel¡¯s eyes flew wide. ¡°Joking, joking. This is Rhino. He signed a contract to work for me. Good job hitting level five. We can talk more on the road.¡±


    Mel hid her disappointment as he dodged her wishes again, ¡°We saw the announcement and post. I can¡¯t believe you killed so many players. They¡¯re not going to come after us, are they?¡±


    Raine filled in the gaps, knowing she was referring to the real world. There was no reason to sugarcoat it, so he didn¡¯t, ¡°They most certainly will. Growing strong enough to protect ourselves is our first priority. Don¡¯t worry, Melbelle, by the time they find you, you won¡¯t need anyone to protect you ever again.¡±


    Raine met her embarrassment with a confident smirk, then returned to the road. He formed a raid group and added everyone to it. They took a few moments to adjust to the new pop-up in their HUDs. Raine made his own adjustments, then broadcasted a link to the raid chat, allowing them to copy his options for anyone who wanted a more streamlined version of the new interface mechanic.


    Fizgore accepted Raine¡¯s version, cupping his fists, ¡°Endless gratitude, brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s way better,¡± Mel agreed, her tone not quite back to its usual carefree joviality.


    As everyone put Discipline into their feet to speed up, Raine sent her a private message, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about your contract the next time we¡¯re alone. I gave it some thought, and I have a few ideas.¡±


    She responded instantly, blasting the back of his head with a brilliant smile, ¡°Okay! Thank you!¡±


    Their next location was bound to be far more challenging to reach than the last time he visited. In the mountain passes on the way to Silverlight City, they would have to travel through Vile Peak Town. Due to being one of only three intermediate towns connecting the outer and inner zones of the Silvergate Kingdom, it was guaranteed to be the bustling hub of activity Raine remembered from the past. With the war between Righteous and DyingNight ended and Vile Peak Town smack in the middle of both guilds, tensions in the area were sure to be sky-high.


    Raine sent another message, this time to his brother, ¡°We¡¯re finally heading your way. Have there been any issues?¡±


    Richtor took nearly an hour to respond, his message catching Raine by surprise, ¡°Too many to count. Ever hear of a guild called Rising Endlessly? They¡¯ve got all the mountain passes locked down, and they kill anyone trying to reach Vile Peak Town. We¡¯ve tried to break through a few times, but these guys aren¡¯t playing around like DyingNight.¡±


    Raine had indeed heard of Rising Endlessly. They were the personal guild of Damian Tafell, Talerra¡¯s cousin and rival for the Phoenix Clan¡¯s line of succession. Since Raine was on good terms with her, he was unlikely to get his people through Damian¡¯s territory without a brutal fight.


    Damian, Damian, Damian. We already have a date at the arena in two days. Are you really in such a hurry to die?


    End of Martial Messiah Book 2


    Thank you for reading!!

 Chapter 78 - IDIOCY ABOUND

    Raine took a deep breath, enjoying the wetland¡¯s humid air. A wide smile pulled at his lips as his nostrils filled with interesting aromas. The buzzing of insects tickled his ears, and the rushing wind from their rapid pace was bliss on his skin. His boots thudding into the dirt road was the steady beating of a drum, bringing him ever closer to his next goal.


    He was alive, free, and the people running with him represented a bright future he would die to protect. In short, Raine was on top of the world.


    Mel, Celeste, and Rhino ran behind him, gasping for each breath. Sweat poured down their faces, drenching their clothes and sticking to their armor. The masses of ungainly weight dragged at them, pulling their exhausted muscles to the dirt with every miserable step.


    Raine alone knew how important it was to push their use of Discipline to such extremes. The lower the resource dipped, the more exhausted one became. Unlike the outside world, when fatigue set in, there was no actual drop in combat potential, meaning it was possible to fight at maximum capacity with only one point of Discipline; it merely didn¡¯t feel like that should be the case. Rewiring the brain to understand that fact was no simple undertaking.


    Fizgore was the only one besides Raine who wasn¡¯t on death¡¯s door. His bare chest heaved, shining with perspiration. The once confident smirk he wore had faded over the last hour as the marsh gently transitioned to plains, sparsely populated by pine and birch trees.


    They ran until flatlands turned to gentle hills, seamlessly leading to the base of the steep mountains that vainly attempted to hide the rising moon. They had finally made it. After hours of pushing Discipline into the road to speed their stride, Mirror Lake was behind them, and The Recluse Mountains loomed large.


    When they reached the first pass¡ªa wide trail between the base of two mountains¡ªRaine signaled a halt. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d raised his fist abruptly. His four companions drunkenly drew their weapons, spinning with blurry vision to locate the threat. Nodding in approval at their efforts, Raine led them off the road to a hiding spot behind a wide rock outcropping.


    When they realized there wasn¡¯t anything to fight, they collapsed to the ground, heaving. Raine glanced at each of them in turn, pushing down the bubbling, delighted laughter that wanted to escape his lungs: before him sat three future powerhouses. The meaning behind that statement wouldn¡¯t be understood for years to come. A tier four powerhouse could destroy a city on their own, wipe out armies, even clear raids solo. It might take them a while, but they could get the job done.


    Rhino and Celeste were especially a cause for jubilation. In the past, they were famously deadly solo players beholden to none. They alone could propel his future guild to ridiculous heights. Fizgore never quite reached their level of renown, but he¡¯d been shackled by CronGate¡¯s incompetence; his future was no less dazzling.


    Mel was something else entirely. She was the only one in the group without a lick of previous martial training. Yet, she kept up with the rigorous exercises Raine put Celeste through the previous night. He¡¯d seen Mel fight plenty of times in the past, and she never displayed that level of skill.


    Guess she just lacked the right motivation. The only one of them who had early access to ReGen was Celeste¡­ No, that¡¯s not right. She was exiled from her family before the acquisition of Soulgen. What kind of monsters will they be with early doses as strong as the one I got?


    Butterflies danced in his gut at what the five of them would achieve in this new, exciting timeline. Through his interface, Raine sent each a link to a personal alarm, ¡°We¡¯ll break here for three hours. I have a few errands to run.¡±


    ¡°Wait, three hours, in real world time? That¡¯s nine hours!¡± Rhino complained, ¡°I could level twice. Not to mention how long we¡¯ve spent traveling.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped,¡± Raine¡¯s voice held matching melancholy as he lifted his palms in a shrug. His eyes zipped left and right for threats. At the same time, his fingers danced, creating a private message in his interface to Celeste, ¡°Did you look over those properties I won from Dimitrey?¡±


    While Raine waited for her reply, he addressed the group again: "The mountains will be more dangerous than any of you have seen. I want you well rested and completely focused. Take care of your needs, and we¡¯ll meet here at eleven-thirty. Don¡¯t log in early, I don¡¯t want anyone dying before we get started.¡±


    Raine had the group bind in the last town they passed through, but that was four hours of grueling exertion ago. Through hazy thoughts, they each considered his meaning and quickly realized a death would result in not only a lost level but a long trip back to where they were. None disagreed with his reasonable demand for caution.


    With his Discipline recharging, Fizgore was once more brimming with vigor. He tilted his chin toward the pass, his voice dramatically deep, ¡°I wish to know thy enemy. What foes does brother deem so deadly?¡±


    Expecting the question and his antics, Raine chuckled, ¡°While Righteous and DyingNight were warring, another guild¡ªRising Endlessly¡ªmade Vile Peak Town their HQ. We''ll likely have to kill our way through all three of their forces before we can bind again. I won¡¯t be coming back or waiting for anyone who gets themselves killed. One slip-up, and you¡¯ll have to make your own way to Silverlight City.¡±


    Mel timidly raised a hand, ¡°How far away is that?¡±


    ¡°About thirty hours beyond vile peak, through level fifteen beasts.¡±


    Rhino whistled, eyeing the nearby peaks that no longer appeared as safe and picturesque as they did a moment ago, ¡°So, don¡¯t die. Gotcha.¡± The others agreed with sounds of assent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a method to get us there a bit quicker. But the first step is getting everyone bound in vile peak.¡±


    Celeste responded to his message, so Raine lifted a finger to pause the verbal conversation, ¡°I read through the property files while waiting for you earlier. What did you want to know?¡±


    Raine¡¯s eyes flowed across a virtual keyboard only he could see, composing a reply, ¡°Meet me at Galant¡¯s Gym in thirty minutes. Make sure the mayor knows we¡¯ll be there.¡± He continued with the rest of the group where he left off, ¡°Exactly three hours from now. Don¡¯t be early, don¡¯t be late.¡± With those parting words, his consciousness zipped up through a tunnel full of speeding lights.


    Celeste Luu Rahn


    Celeste¡¯s hair clung to her scalp as she peeled the thetadrive headset off. Her nose wrinkled as she caught a whiff of herself. Mel sat up at the same time. Neither were able to wipe away the massive grins plastered on their faces. No matter how hard Raine pushed them, growing stronger in ZionLine was crazy addictive on too many levels. Now that they''d had a taste, they would never be able to stop.


    Looking away from Mel¡¯s blinding smile, Celeste was equally dazed by the bright morning light beaming through the nearby hotel window. ¡°It¡¯s really morning¡­¡± She mumbled, shaking her head and experiencing an intense bout of vertigo.


    Mel gingerly picked up the earrings Raine gifted her the previous day. After a night of adjusting to her biometrics and transferring the data from her now inert LinQ, they were ready for use. Sensing her touch, they released millions of minuscule electrical signals that traveled through her skin to populate an AR display directly onto her corneas.


    Through a barrage of welcome messages, she saw the only thing she cared about at the moment, ¡°We logged in at midnight, and it''s only nine AM! My brain says a whole day passed, but it''s barely been nine hours. This is way too trippers. I¡¯m so dizzy. Are you dizzy?¡±


    ¡°Big time,¡± Celeste confirmed, wobbling on her feet as she made it to the bathroom first. She left the door open and climbed into the expansive shower.


    Mel entered a few minutes later after donning sportswear. Shuffling by the shower, she managed to only peep a few times as she relieved herself, ¡°Are we going to talk about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it. Don¡¯t say anything. Supposedly, ZionLine is unhackable, so we can exchange messages there. Out here, nowhere is safe,¡± Celeste wrung the water from her hair. Looking over her shoulder, she pierced Mel with a warning glare.


    ¡°R-right. Sorry.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    The atmosphere grew strained, both their thoughts whirling with a mixture of excitement and fear. The revelation they could hear Raine¡¯s thoughts in ZionLine had opened up a can of uncertainty neither of them knew how to deal with. Through the night, they distracted themselves by testing their mutual ability, discovering the distance and other parameters that allowed his inner words to trickle into their minds.


    Whatever was happening between the three of them, and they could only pray it was just the three of them, was somehow sight-based. It didn¡¯t matter if they were looking at Raine, only that he was within an unbroken line of sight, regardless of distance. Even the thin cloth separator in the dry canyon auction house had been enough to break the link¡ªa name they begrudgingly agreed on after Mel insisted on calling it ¡®the coupling.¡¯


    There were still tons of unanswered questions. They didn¡¯t know how the link worked, if others had it, why they only heard Raine¡¯s thoughts so far, or if it was even their ability and not his. Celeste knew Mel was having a hard time not warning him that others might be able to hear his thoughts. Some of what they gleaned through the night were truly disturbing¡ªportents of a past that Raine was desperately attempting to remedy. To protect themselves and him, they mutually decided that one of them should always be near him to look out for anyone else who might be able to pick up the link.


    Ignoring Celeste¡¯s warning, Mel couldn¡¯t help but squeak out a comment, ¡°It¡¯s got to be him, not us.¡±


    Sighing, Celeste relented, swearing to beat the girl if she verbalized anything damning. Switching the shower to drying mode, she held her arms out as waves of delectable heat washed over her, ¡°Why would you think that?¡±


    Hovering in front of the bathroom¡¯s wide mirror, Mel pulled at her upper lip, caught in deep thought for a while before responding, ¡°Us being new to this and weak, while he¡¯s extra¡­ strong, doesn¡¯t make enough sense.¡±


    Celeste initially thought the link was a power all three of them shared, and the reason they heard Raine, and not the other way around, was because their powers were weak, while his were strong. Like a powerful broadcast tower that¡¯s signal was only being picked up by the two LinQs in the area set to the right frequency.


    Mel refuted this idea with solid reasoning, ¡°If he¡¯s so strong, there would be others uh¡­ attracted to him. Or he would be attracted to them. But it''s only the three of us, and we¡¯re the ones¡­ attracted to him, and not the other way around.¡± Mel nodded firmly, agreeing with herself while gradually adopting a satisfied smile. ¡°There¡¯s more to it, something important we don''t understand.¡±


    ¡°Understatement of the decade,¡± Celeste grumbled.


    Ugh. How does she pull off being so cute without even showering first? So annoying.


    Celeste moved to the mirror and picked up the makeup pen she brought. She set it to a primer with a few clicks, then held it in front of her face so it could quickly release the gel-like substance that rapidly sunk into her skin.


    Suddenly, Mel gasped, eyes wide as she locked onto Celeste through the mirror, ¡°What if it''s actually based on attraction!¡±


    ¡°What are you on about now?¡± Celeste finished her foundation, remembering not to apply it too thickly across her cheeks and nose so Raine wouldn¡¯t call her ugly again.


    Mel¡¯s voice brimmed with excitement as she leaned forward, ¡°There¡¯s something we have in common, something that he¡¯s mentioned in his-ugh-so many times it can¡¯t be a coincidence!¡± Celeste narrowed her eyes, her jaw jutting forward in warning. Instead of saying anything else, Mel bounced on her toes, pointing toward her cheeks.


    Celeste looked where she was pointing, unable to figure out what the bouncy girl was talking about. Returning to her own reflection to finish her mascara, she saw them; realization struck, and her pen slipped, dragging a dark line across her cheekbone. Flipping the pen to its eraser mode, she huffed at Mel, ¡°That¡¯s the most idiotic thing I¡¯ve ever heard. How could our freckles have anything to do with it?! God, you¡¯re worse than he is!¡±


    Mel giggled and spun full circle before prancing from the bathroom, ¡°Got you! Seriously, though, my intuition is telling me I¡¯m right. Attraction is the key. I know it.¡±


    Celeste¡¯s eyes followed the girl out before flicking back to her body. She looked herself up and down slowly. Then, her nostrils flared, and she finished her makeup with jerky motions.


    Who cares what that asshole thinks about me! All I have to do is stay close to him and keep prying the secrets from his brain until I¡¯m the wealthiest woman in the city. No, the entire territory! But first, I need to get the hell out of here. Knowing him, he¡¯ll definitely charge me thousands of credits for showing up even ten seconds late.


    Tires squealed as an orange and yellow Masayan Mk. IV pulled up in front of Galant¡¯s Gym. Celeste had ¡®borrowed¡¯ the car from her father. After he forced her to work with her uncle, who tried to frame her and have Raine killed, the car was a small consolation to earn her forgiveness. She still didn''t know how to drive, but she did figure out how to override autopilot¡¯s top speed, or she never would have made it on time.


    Raine was already there, walking with purposeful steps toward the building''s front entrance. He wore casual shorts and a T-shirt, looking like a model straight from the cover of an AR advertisement. Celeste couldn¡¯t help but pause to enjoy the view, her thoughts whirling.


    The only thing he didn¡¯t think about last night was other psychics. He must not even realize he is one. Or, it really is mine and Mel''s ability¡­ Aaargh! This is so confusing!


    The mayor came out to meet Raine with a friendly wave. Another older man accompanied him, wearing dark shades and a stern frown. Celeste threw open her door, rushing after Raine with the grace of a martial despite wearing heels and a slim, dark skirt. Raine glanced back at her, then slowed so they would arrive together.


    The mayor bowed deeply, ¡°Greetings, Expert KongRu! Thank you so much for coming! This is my uncle and the owner of the Galant chain, Bron Sockton.¡±


    Bron looked as bored as his voice sounded, ¡°Greetings, Expert KongRu. Your visit today is a welcome disruption from my staff¡¯s tedium.¡± The mayor cringed, fingers clenched nervously.


    Raine¡¯s hands were in his pockets as he disinterestedly examined the building¡¯s exterior, ¡°No need to be so demure. I¡¯m sure your staff is quite busy with how many high-class martials your establishments produce.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s jaw dropped, and Celeste¡¯s diaphragm squeezed tight enough to crack a marble as she held in a burst of laughter. While Galant¡¯s Gym was the most expensive training facility in the city by a large margin, it had yet to produce even one class four martial, and its class three¡¯s could be counted on one hand.


    Bron¡¯s lips were white, and his nostrils flared, ¡°My instructors are the pride of this city!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there,¡± Raine agreed readily enough, stunning the furious older man, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault Carter City is a martial slum. There¡¯s little here to attract interest.¡± Noticing the mayor preparing to speak, Raine pinned the short, portly man with a brief glance that somehow had him leaking sweat, ¡°I¡¯ve got other places to be¡­¡±


    ¡°R-right, right. Please, come inside, and we¡¯ll begin the tour,¡± the mayor spun surprisingly quickly considering his stature. He opened the door with a dip of his head.


    Raine walked in first, ¡°No need for a tour. I¡¯ve seen enough. That said, I do need to register. You mentioned last night this gym has the requisite testing facilities.¡±


    Even Celeste was stunned inert by the statement. She recovered before either man, ¡°Wait, you''re saying you fought the previous champion without updating your class first?¡±


    Willfully attacking a higher rank martial wasn¡¯t a crime unless it was an official match where bets were placed. Since there had been significant betting on their bout, the implications were a headache Celeste wasn¡¯t prepared for.


    Raine shook his head, ¡°No, I¡¯ve never registered as a martial to begin with.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Three voices shouted in unison.


    Talerra Tafell - Scion of the Everlasting Phoenix Clan


    Talerra waited patiently on a wood floor, her ankles tucked beneath her bottom. It had already been two hours, but that hardly mattered. When Tannis Taffel¡ªPatriarch of the Everlasting Phoenix Clan¡ªdemanded an audience, even presidents and kings would endure with a smile.


    When the door behind her eventually slid open, she folded in half without looking, her head gently gracing the floor. Feather-soft footfalls traversed the small room, and the gentle shifting of fabric revealed he had taken a position opposite her. The mental pressure emanating from the man was palpable, a physical force pressing her knees into the floor.


    Even class five martials were known to exert mysterious mental forces as simply as breathing, and her grandfather was no mere class five. Beyond controlling the lives of over a billion citizens, he was one of the most deadly class sevens martials in the world.


    Tannis¡¯s finger drummed on the squat table between them. His words carried warmth and scorn, ¡°You have disappointed me, Granddaughter.¡± Talerra remained silent, not daring to lift her head. ¡°Before determining your punishment, I would have your account of the transgression. You may speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Patriarch,¡± Talerra rose to a perfectly straight-backed posture. She met Tannis Tafell¡¯s steely gaze head-on. Flinching now would destroy any chance of recovering from the dire situation. ¡°I am unaware of the transgression I have committed. I thank you for the opportunity to correct it.¡±


    Warmth was replaced with disappointment. His finger descended again, leaving behind a slight furrow in the highly durable wood. Unfortunately, Talerra had no choice but to raise his ire by admitting ignorance. Her position would worsen if she confessed to the wrong mistake.


    Instead of answering, Tannis flicked a datastream her way. Her LinQ picked it up automatically, unable to stop messages or commands from her patriarch. She accessed the file with a thought, and a VRVod played across her retinas.


    In it, she saw a slowed recording of herself fighting inside a dark cavern. A boss called the Elite Shotgun Slime had her at death¡¯s door. In her desperation, she set her feet in the stance to utilize the first ghost step: Harrowing Triumph. The VRVod skipped a few frames until after her attack, clearly having been edited by the original owner of the Vod. The playback ended, and she returned her focus to her grandfather.


    Tannis¡¯s following words sent her heart galloping, ¡°The secrets of our Ghost Step have been leaked. There is only one path forward that allows you to retain your inheritance. You will discover the identity of the man named Alaric, and you will kill him.¡±

 Chapter 79 - TAKING A PEAK

    ¡°It¡¯s not that big a deal,¡± Raine pulled a hand out of his pocket to wave off Celeste¡¯s concern. Stepping to the side, he waited for Bron to enter and lead the way.


    The older man flagged down an employee in a simplistic uniform, ¡°Escort the mayor and champion to the testing facilities.¡± Turning back to Raine, he paused, ¡°Call coming in. If you''ll excuse me.¡±


    Raine held in a sigh, seeing right through Bron''s game. His hands were back in his pockets as he tailed the nervous employee.


    My bloodlust control is progressing better than expected. The mayor nearly shit himself at half power, and one-tenth is enough to intimidate this kid who''s already a class two disciple.


    The mayor scuttled behind Raine, wringing his hands. The mayor knew exactly what a mental ability in one so young meant for the future of Carter City. It took him a moment to recover from the shock. ¡°C-congratulations on your genesis, Expert KongRu. Your master must be beyond proud. I would dare say your bright future is already secured.¡± His subservient tone became thicker with each word, ¡°Exp-ahem-Champion KongRu, perhaps you are unaware of the legal ramifications of challenging a martial without a license...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly aware. It seems you¡¯re under a few misconceptions. First, I didn''t challenge Dimitrey, and I didn¡¯t set the bet; he did both on his own. I was under no legal obligation to refuse his offers. Not that it matters because you¡¯re going to adjust the dates on the testing equipment to show I used them before our scuffle,¡± Raine¡¯s commanding tone was iron. It was accompanied by another flexing of bloodlust, causing the employee and mayor to shudder visibly.


    Even without the threat reminding them to keep his matters private, neither would have reported him. There wouldn¡¯t have been a point. Corruption in The United Territories of Amanath was much the same as every other part of the world: purposefully rampant.


    After the final victory against the AI, wars were abolished. All national disputes were forevermore resolved through official one-on-one duels. The acquisition of natural resources, land, people, and supplies was all decided by the fists of a nation''s strongest warriors. The need for powerful individuals gave rise to the martial system, and it was quickly discovered that a certain level of corruption only furthered the growth of martials.


    Those oppressed would always embrace power to cast off their shackles. It was a tale as old as humanity, and the countries that refused to accept that simple truth faded into the annals of history. That wasn¡¯t to say there were no regulations avoiding corruption. Any officials who unfairly attempted to stifle the rise of upcoming martials were executed without exception.


    There were two golden rules simple enough that even children could grasp them: Maiming or killing those beneath your class was forbidden, and if you didn''t like the way something was done, become strong and change it through the power of your fists.


    Bron caught up to them, not missing the essential bits of the conversation, ¡°I¡¯ve misjudged you, Champion KongRu. If the truth came to light, Dimitrey would be executed for challenging you. Our ex-champion fought bravely in many duels to keep Carter City thriving. It would be a shame to see his end come from such a blunder.¡±


    I¡¯ll accept your misunderstanding, old man. I killed too many people last night. No way the grandmaster coming to investigate will let me go without any abuse if they find out I was unlicensed at the time.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes widened fractionally, excitement prickling the hair on her arms. [That¡¯s right! This is the perfect ammunition. To think Uncle finally did something useful. Now that I¡¯ve got something so valuable on you, you won¡¯t dare keep calling me stupid little girl. Soon, it''ll be you on your knees, eating from the palm of my hand!]


    The mayor produced a handkerchief from his breast pocket, dabbing the sweat from his face, ¡°C-champion KongRu. While I understand your and the ex-champion''s positions, what you¡¯re asking of us is a little¡­¡±


    Raine snorted, ¡°Instead of beating a dead horse, just tell me what you want. Make that a habit in the future as well. My time is too precious to waste on word games.¡±


    Sighing after his bravery paid off, the mayor gratefully explained, ¡°Yes, of course. My sincerest apologies. A new corporation has been making waves while preparing to move into the city. With the ex-champion''s aid, they avoided several fees and preemptive taxes. Our budget is already strain¡ª¡±


    ¡°No problem. Arrange for the payments. If they cause a fuss, arrange a match with their representative.¡±


    CronGate. What a delightful surprise. They''re already reeling from the blow I dealt them in ZL. The sooner I stress their finances, the sooner I¡¯ll be able to safely develop my guild in and out of ZL. Hmm, messing with their bottom line, though... I''m not strong enough to face Torune head-on yet. CronGate is only the tip of the iceberg. Others will come, and they won''t stop coming after what''s mine until I''m powerful enough that it''s no longer worth the risk.


    I need to get stronger, quickly. I still have half the ReGen left. Can''t take it until my cells stabilize. Need higher-quality nutrients to speed up the process. Also need to make sure that wasn¡¯t the only supply. Better head to Soulgen after this.


    The mayor stopped to bow, ¡°Thank you, champion. You won¡¯t regret this. I¡¯ll ensure you receive the full five percent for your contributions.¡±


    Raine nodded, stepping into the elevator that rapidly took them to the fifth floor. As the employee led them, Bron eyed Celeste, his tone turning thoughtful, ¡°Miss. Luu Rahn, I hardly recognized you. How is your father?¡±


    ¡°He still hasn¡¯t forgiven you,¡± she brushed him off with a puff of air from her nostrils, her tone making it clear the conversation was over.


    Bron released a held breath through his nostrils, ¡°Such is the pity. It¡¯s nice to see you in fine company, for whatever it¡¯s worth.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth very little, Mr. Sockton. We¡¯re here for business; let¡¯s keep it that way.¡±


    Changing his tactic, Bron looked back to Raine, ¡°I¡¯d kill to know what your plans are for the future, Champion KongRu.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be renovating the businesses I earned from Dimitrey, as well as opening several new ones. I believe our little city is about to get a bit more lively. I plan to take advantage of that. If there are any commercial properties for sale that you could recommend, I would consider it a favor owed.¡±


    Bron only hesitated for a second before responding, ¡°Commercial properties? Constructed or developmental? Budget?¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Raine didn¡¯t want the man to think his business would infringe on Galant¡¯s Gym, so he let slip a hint of his plans, ¡°Either. Cost is less important than proximity to the city¡¯s hypernet nodes.¡±


    The old man lifted the bridge of his glasses with a finger, ¡°Interesting. I guarantee most of those properties aren¡¯t for outright sale. If you contact the owners directly, anything is possible. I¡¯ll have my secretary send you a list of potential sellers.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. That¡¯ll save Celeste a lot of time,¡± when Raine called her out, Celeste''s lips loosened into a deep frown.


    The employee led them down a reflective hallway with multiple doors. The entire way, Celeste tried to punch a hole in the back of Raine¡¯s head with her gaze. [On. Your. Knees!]


    Sensing the hostility, Raine looked back to find her rubbing at her neck with an awkward expression. He quirked an eyebrow, tone humorous, ¡°Nice to see your temperament improving. Unless it was something I said put you in such a good mood?¡±


    Celeste didn''t back down from his taunt, flipping her hair before the hand fell to her hip, ¡°Hard to say. Perhaps I¡¯m enjoying being relied on so thoroughly.¡±


    The employee stopped in the center of the hallway and tapped the wall with a finger. A seamless door hissed as it slid open, revealing a large, cube-shaped room. Inside was the gym¡¯s martial testing equipment, along with a small group lined up to watch a strapping man around Raine¡¯s age. He was walking away from a force distributor with a wide grin, sweat sliding down his bare torso. Raine ignored the people, checking the make and model of the machinery.


    State of the art, huh? Guess my perspective is a bit skewed.


    Upon seeing them, the bare-chested man clapped his meaty hands, his voice too loud for the space, ¡°Mr. Sockton! What a surprise! I just set a PR.¡± He proclaimed loudly, hooking a thumb over his shoulder at a flashing screen displaying an impressive two thousand two hundred newtons.


    Wanted to teach the upstart new champ a lesson? Classic. Should have hit him with bloodlust, too.


    Bron glanced at Raine with a serious poker face, hiding his guilt well, ¡°That¡¯s great news, Donnie. Once your speed and flexibility improve, you¡¯ll be our first home-grown class four. Keep up the excellent training. Now, I must apologize for interrupting; we require the testing equipment for a short bit.¡±


    Donnie tried to pull his eyes away from Celeste to gauge Raine, but they inevitably slid back to her against his will. He failed to take Bron¡¯s hint, puffing his chest, ¡°That¡¯s right. One thing at a time. As it is, my punching force already exceeds the class four standard. In three-no, two months, I¡¯ll lay the other tests out flat!¡±


    Raine held in a sigh. Having seen enough young bucks blustering for three lifetimes, he moved into the room. He walked directly toward the force distributor, ¡°Mr. Mayor if you would.¡±


    So many people talked at once that it was impossible to understand them all. Bron tried again to hint for Donnie and his crew to get lost. The mayor agreed to Raine¡¯s demand and scrambled to reset the machine and adjust its date. Meanwhile, Donnie ignored Bron in favor of a pitiful attempt to sweet-talk Celeste. The three other people in the room snickered, their heads together as they watched Raine cross the room.


    After the burst of excitement, Donnie¡¯s voice once more dominated the room, ¡°You don¡¯t remember? We took two classes together. I was a bit underweight then, but look at me now!¡± Raine didn¡¯t see it, but he could easily imagine Donnie''s confident grin while trying to impress Celeste with his bulging muscles.


    Tuning out the noise, Raine closed his eyes and measured his breathing, focusing on warming up his internal force by rapid-twitching specific muscles and relaxing others, then swapping them out at lightning speed. The maximum newtons a human could usually pack into a punch measured below a thousand. To exceed one thousand five hundred¡ªthe benchmark for a class three martial¡ªinternal force had to be applied.


    First, Raine needed to disable the brain¡¯s natural limiters that inhibited self-harm. By doing so, genuinely astonishing feats of strength could be displayed. It was a well-documented fact that a relatively small and weak woman could lift a car off her dying child if she disregarded the damage it would cause her.


    Another step was required to reach the tier four standard of two thousand newtons. Raine placed his fist against the padded target in the center of the wall-sized device. He loosened his muscles, withdrawing his hand and repeating the motion a few more times. When he was ready, he looked over his shoulder at the mayor, who gave him a thumbs up.


    Raine ignored the cocky grins, blocking out the snickers as he gently tapped the target. A four hundred appeared, flashing on the distributor¡¯s screen. Nodding, he hit it harder. Twelve hundred appeared on the screen. To exceed human limits further, Raine relaxed the muscles in his arm, shoulder, and torso that would act as a counter-force to his punch.


    ¡°Is this some kind of jo¡ª¡±


    Quick as lightning, Raine took a half step forward and twisted. His arm vanished, fist appearing on the target. The impact''s force displaced the air with a whoosh. A flashing two thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight appeared on the screen. A little buzzer sounded, announcing the city¡¯s highest score had been broken.


    Oops. One off.


    Every jaw hit the floor, though Celeste alone understood the truth. [Only a fool shows their full power before it''s necessary. To think he held back to hit the exact number of the class five threshold and only missed by one¡­ Just how strong is he?]


    Bron¡¯s eyes shone like a kid on Christmas, ¡°Cham-no, Expert KongRu! Your punching force is truly superb! Only a little more, and you¡¯d qualify as a bona fide master!¡± Raine¡¯s only response was a click of his tongue as he moved toward the next machine.


    What nonsense. Class five in the past required seven consecutive hits in under two seconds, all at three thousand five hundred newtons. The only way to even make this fun is testing my control.


    Celeste¡¯s eyes darted to each new person in the room. She sighed, not seeing anyone react to his thoughts. [I¡¯m the only girl in here. Does it really work the way Mel thought?]


    The congratulations came like a storm, and it wasn¡¯t until Raine cleared his throat that the mayor realized he planned to take the second test on the same day; it was typically done over three. Not daring to question him, the mayor hustled to the next device. Donnie was no longer eye-groping Celeste. His vision was sealed to Raine¡¯s back as his new boycrush stepped onto a hexagonal, multidirectional treadmill. It was three meters in diameter, taking up an entire corner of the room.


    While the mayor restarted it to adjust the date, Raine did a few squats and rolled his ankles, pleased with the condition of his body. The extra strong dose of ReGen had significantly improved the elasticity and durability of his muscle fibers and tendons. He was only a little sore after the punch, but it was the good kind of sore that let him know he was alive and strong. The last thing he wanted to do was take a break. He wanted to go all out and discover his new limits, but that would be incredibly idiotic with witnesses around.


    With a nod to the mayor that he was ready, the class four speed test began. The walls lit up, becoming full-sized screens displaying a path through the woods. The treads went from zero to eighty KPH (fifty miles per hour) in the blink of an eye. Normally, it would be impossible to run that fast due to air pressure, but that wasn''t an issue on a treadmill.


    Raine leaned forward, his legs blurring as he easily kept pace with the machine. The path veered sharply to the right. Raine tilted so hard to the side he had to gently smack the shifting treads with his fingers to maintain balance. Several seconds later, they changed again. This time, he was forced to lift both feet and spin one hundred and eighty degrees. He was already in full sprint again when he landed. The view on the walls zipped by as he flew down the ¡®trail.¡¯ A minute passed, then two, signaling he had cleared the class four standard.


    In the third minute, the alterations in direction came once every other second. Without breaking a sweat, Raine flawlessly traversed each twist, turn, and loop thrown at him. For those watching, his whole body was a blur, like some vampire straight out of a myth. At precisely two minutes and fifty-nine seconds, he kicked down, throwing himself into the air so expertly that he appeared to glide to the edge of the treadmill. He landed softly, breathing lightly. Again, a flashing score was accompanied by a soft alarm.


    This time, the only other sound in the room came from Celeste¡¯s defeated sigh. [How can a human-No. He''s a Monster. I¡­ might need a little more insurance before I make a move against him.]

 Chapter 80 - A PRICELESS TOOL

    The final test was both the most straightforward and most demanding. There was nothing complex or inherently challenging about it. Neither was there a score. A person either had the requisite flexibility in their muscles and joints, or they were ripped apart. Hence the third test¡¯s moniker: The Wringer.


    The mayor didn¡¯t need a reminder this time, already prepping the device before Raine finished the speed test. He positioned himself between two three-meter-thick panels of solid metal. He stretched his arms and legs to the sides, lining them up with the indicated slots. The panels rumbled to life, sliding together to trap him inside a human-shaped mold, similar to a die caster in a foundry.


    Encased in swaddling darkness, Raine was helpless to resist as complicated machinery inside the panels forced the mold, and subsequently his limbs, into ever more intricate positions. He was stretched, pulled, and twisted out over twenty grueling minutes.


    Released and standing under his own power again, Raine shook his limbs vigorously, enjoying the sensation of blood flowing normally. Bron, whose voice now held reverential admiration, was quick to shower him with praise, ¡°Truly superb, Expert KongRu. To think you¡¯re so close to breaking through the boundaries of a true master. I will personally see to purchasing and installing the class five testing equipment. If it pleases you, I can have your identification printed and sealed within an hour.¡±


    His new subservience made all the sense in the world. It was clear that Raine held back yet still scored at the very cusp of what was required to be called a class five master. With a class five martial leading the way, Carter City could rapidly expand its borders and resource allocations, entering a phase of prosperity it had never experienced.


    Raine cracked his neck, rubbing at a sore spot, ¡°I¡¯ll send a drone to pick it up later. I¡¯ve got places to be.¡± He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed toward the door. Celeste was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She refused to meet his gaze, staring hard at something interesting in a corner of the room. Raine smirked at her shyness as he walked by her into the hallway.


    The mayor was on his heels, along with everyone else, ¡°Expert KongRu. Your foundations are truly extraordinary. We¡¯ll be sure to keep the results a closely guarded secret. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± He glanced at Donnie¡¯s crew, and the young men nodded vigorously, not saying a word. Since it was impossible to know just how much Raine hid, none of them would dare risk offending him.


    Recordings were not an issue since jamming made taking them impossible within official testing spaces. The government''s built-in VVod capturing hardware would automatically send its recording directly to the MOC. (Martials Oversight Committee) While it was not uncommon to maintain a lower official class than one¡¯s actual strength, it was frowned upon. So long as Raine didn''t permanently cripple or kill any class fours, the government would turn a blind eye.


    Chasing him down the hallway, the mayor cleared his throat, ¡°After your debut last night, I received over a hundred introduction requests from various influential individuals in the city. Would it be appropriate to arrange a banquet in your honor?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. If there are important matters, send me a direct message.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the mayor cupped fists, bowing over them as he shuffled awkwardly to keep up.


    Bron stepped in smoothly, ¡°Expert KongRu, I have several lucrative business opportunities that might interest you. I would not dare inquire about your current financial situation. Still, if you¡¯re interested, there is significant capital to be created in a city with such a bright future.¡± Raine harrumphed, his disinterest clear.


    Accepting the response with composure, Bron merely mimicked the mayor''s bow. Donnie and his cronies were silent as ghosts, nearly a forgotten presence at the rear. Until they exited the building. As one, the group threw themselves to the ground, prostrating before Raine.


    ¡°Expert KongRu. Sir, please instruct us! We¡¯ll do anything you ask of us. I-I''ll personally lick your boots clean, or your toilets, anything. Whatever you need, say the word, and we¡¯ll make it so!¡±


    ¡°Shameless!¡± Bron roared, kicking at Donnie and sending him rolling, ¡°How dare you besmirch his dignity! If I ever see your face here again, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    Bron¡¯s reaction was understandable and fit the logic of the times. Since the dawn of civilization, those with power always found ways to keep it. In the old world, they used money, education, and outright corruption to divide the classes. In the new world, they withheld martial techniques and the processes to improve the body beyond normal human comprehension. Giving either of those priceless secrets away was not rare; it was simply never done.


    Bron was about to go after the others, but Raine¡¯s hand on his arm stopped him cold, ¡°Okay. I only have two conditions.¡±


    The older men gaped at Raine, unable to comprehend why he would be willing to share his secrets with people he couldn¡¯t possibly know and shouldn''t trust. After all, it was common for masters to only accept disciples at birth. This practice guaranteed their dominance without breaking the laws of the land. Anyone not born into a prestigious martial academy should never dream of ascending beyond expert to the rank of master.


    Donnie rolled back to his supplicating pose, not daring to look up at Raine¡¯s feet, ¡°Truly?! Whatever they are, we''ll fulfill them without complaint!¡±


    The mayor looked left and right nervously, wringing his hands at those near enough to overhear, ¡°Expert KongRu, I dare not question your desires. However, this place is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s of no concern. This offer is not for them alone. My first condition is that you have to spread the word that I''m taking disciples from any class, including those without previous official training.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Bron gasped, ¡°A-any class! But that''s suicide! The Coalition of Masters would never¡ª¡± Raine¡¯s hand whipped sideways, whistling through the air. Bron¡¯s lips sealed tight, not reckless enough to utter another word.


    Donnie lifted his head far enough to slam it into the ground. Tears ran down his cheeks, and gooseflesh prickled his skin. His limbs vibrated with unmasked desire, ¡°I understand! I''ll tell everyone. I''ll shout it from the rooftops. The whole city will know by the end of the week!¡±


    ¡°Good. My second condition is that anyone wanting to learn my techniques must sign a contract in ZionLine, binding you to my guild for no less than five years.¡±


    Had Raine told them they needed to cut off their hands and feet, they would have been less shocked. None responded to his outrageously simple demand. Even Celeste was speechless, unable to comprehend how he wouldn¡¯t be binding people for life. In the expanding silence, one of Donnie''s friends spoke with a quivering voice, ¡°E-expert KongRu, I heard the headsets needed aren''t available, that the warehouse was cleaned out, and the backorders are in the millions. I-is this some kind of test?¡±


    Raine shook his head, the rustling of cloth drowned by the warm wind that had picked up around them, ¡°Don''t concern yourself with that. Just tell them my conditions. Anyone willing to follow them will be accepted.¡± Raine tapped his chin thoughtfully, then turned to the mayor, ¡°On second thought, a banquet is a great idea. Set it up for this Sunday. Donnie, those who wish to be a disciple should be there. There will not be another chance to join so easily.¡±


    ¡°As you command!¡± He slammed his forehead again, the others following his lead, releasing a round of crunchy thwacks.


    The mayor bowed again, ¡°It will be done.¡±


    Raine started to walk toward Celeste¡¯s car, then remembered something and looked back at the portly official, ¡°Send me the data on any resource allocations the city lost that are still within the reclamation period. Those who¡¯ve eaten a free meal from Carter City¡¯s table, it''s time they return the favor.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you, Expert KongRu! I¡¯ll see to it immediately!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what did you say?!¡± Celeste¡¯s panicked voice cut through the air, drawing every eye to the beautiful young woman. She held a finger to her temple¡ªsignaling she was on a call.


    He¡¯d only heard her so scared once. Not at all appreciating the curious eavesdroppers, Raine released the desire to kill that was always nestled in the back of his brain, ¡°Get lost!¡± His bloodlust sent Bron and the mayor scurrying inside the building. Donnie and his friends sprinted, one even screeching in terror.


    When his attention returned to Celeste, tears were streaming down her face. Her whole body shook as she leaned against the wall. Her call ended without another word. A quivering, maniacal giggle leaked from her lips as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders.


    Million creds she just found out her uncle knew about the flechette pistol.


    Her eyes snapped to his, a silent understanding passing between them in that brief exchange. Raine approached her with a resolute gait. She shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± she hissed, ¡°I don¡¯t want your pity. This is all your fault! Stay away from me!¡±


    Raine ignored her plea. One of his palms smacked into the wall behind her, the clap making her flinch. He grabbed her chin with two fingers, tilting her head to stare deep into her eyes. He leaned closer, warm breath splashing across her skin. Rational thought fled. Celeste couldn''t breathe. Her mouth was suddenly dry, and her heart refused to beat. She looked down at his lips, her pupils dilating.


    Without warning, her stomach released a loud, hungry gurgle. She snapped back to herself. Furious, her elbow lashed out, aiming for Raine''s jaw. He leaned back to evade the blow, and she took the chance to spin out from between him and the wall.


    ¡°Asshole!¡± She stormed toward her car, heels jarringly clacking against the tiled walkway. Raine followed, smirking at her tantrum.


    Silly girl. Death lurks around every corner. There are several ways out of this. No sense panicking when we have an obvious solution and so much work to do.


    Despite her anger fading from his thoughts, Celeste kept up appearances until arriving at her father¡¯s car. She reached toward the driver seat handle, then changed her mind and opened the back door. With an amused snort, Raine accepted the assignment of chauffeur and climbed into the front.


    [That''s right! Get your first taste of being my slave, you overly-pretty bastard! Nobody should be allowed to look that good while being such a jerk! At least in ZL, he¡¯s ugly enough to not get away with that crap.]


    Raine spoke the address for Soulgen, and the car came to life with a purring hum, ¡°I¡¯m assuming your father discovered something about your uncle.¡± Raine repositioned the rearview mirror so he could see her.


    She nodded sharply, clenching her jaw and wiping the last remnants of moisture from her cheeks. ¡°Unc-that piece of shit dodged town,¡± she snarled, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have fled if he were innocent.¡± A makeup pen appeared in her hand. She went to work fixing her appearance. Raine''s brows rose in amusement when she angrily covered her adorable freckles.


    When the car dangerously tore down the city streets, Raine reactivated the autopilot''s safety threshold. ¡°Alright, so he''s guilty. Annoying, but ultimately not that big a deal. We¡¯ll just make you the new city champion. Then, even an Old Monster would need to link the weapon to you personally before killing you.¡±


    ¡°Hunh?!¡± her lips curled, brows drawing down in surprised confusion.


    It was far and away the ugliest face he¡¯d ever seen her make, rousing an amused chuckle, ¡°If you¡¯re a champion, the worst they could do is send one of their disciples after you. So, all we have to do is ensure you¡¯re unbeatable in your class.¡±


    Considering the current state of the class system, her talent, and my training, she has nothing to fear.


    ¡°You make it sound so simple,¡± her throat released a displeased groan as she looked out the window, chewing on his thoughts and words.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯re already stronger than Dimitrey in a few areas. Once we get your fitness in line, you¡¯ll be a more than capable class four.¡±


    ¡°Get my fitness in line? It feels so nice to be called fat. What a charmer,¡± sarcasm dripped from her twisted lips.


    Raine¡¯s voice was soothing, ¡°With a few weeks to train, there won¡¯t be a class five in the territory that can beat you. This will work out better for me anyway. I don¡¯t have time to answer every silly little challenge the mayor comes up with.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Celeste shouted, smacking the back of his seat with a palm. ¡°Always using me however you want! I should have known this time was no different. Ragh! I hate you so much!¡± She continued to beat the back of his seat. Raine relaxed into the refreshing massage. After The Wringer, it was just what his body needed.


    That¡¯s right. You¡¯re my priceless little tool. Crimson Nebula, The Butcher of Renault. Last time, you were exiled and alone. You didn¡¯t get the support and love you needed to flourish. This time, I¡¯ll make sure you have everything you need to turn into a weapon so deadly you¡¯ll make the entire world quake in terror.


    The strength left Celeste¡¯s blows. She nearly burst into tears all over again, though this time from entirely different emotions. She lowered her head and pulled at her cheeks, desperate to hide the goofy grin that refused to vanish.