《The Ultimate Outsider [Isekai/Litrpg Power Fantasy]》


 Chapter 1

    "Keep running Joe. Don''t stop. Just keep going.¡±


    Joe echoed these words relentlessly into his mind as he barreled through the city, shrouded in suffocating white smoke. From afar the smoke looked similar to mist but it couldn''t be any more different. It was more akin to standing inside a boiling hot oven.


    Joe could feel his lungs boiling as if they were swimming in lava. Each breath he took threatened to be his last. The smoke wrapped around his heart gripping it tightly. Joe coughed painfully, his lungs desperate for air. Try as he might¡ªJoe couldn''t breathe.


    His legs slowed down and eventually his sprint came to a halt. He doubled over clutching his knees, desperate for any kind of reprieve. His eyes started to blur as ash infiltrated his sight. The sound of crackling flames came from every direction. The earth rumbled every few seconds and the horrific screams that followed were unbearable.


    The sky roared, with a thunderous boom. The heavens themselves threatened to split apart. The sound only came once every few minutes, but everytime it did. It carried with it¡ªthe weight of death.


    What started like a normal day, quickly turned into a battle for survival. Joe knew it. No, everyone in the world knew it.


    The world was coming to an end.


    Even with the heat, pain and exhaustion that weighed him down.. Joe refused to yield. He couldn''t yield. He had to find her, no matter what happened. Chloe was the top priority.


    He straightened once more as he prepared to run. Just as Joe took a step, a weak grip came from behind. It wrapped itself around his ankle, desperate for his attention.


    Joe swung his head around, and there he was. An old man who looked to be in his seventies. He was bald and his skin was charred beyond belief. From head to toe the old man''s skin was slowly withering away. Underneath his stomach, blood seeped through an open wound¡ªdrenching his entire midsection in crimson.


    ¡°Help¡­ me¡­ kid¡­¡± The old man spoke in hoarse whispers, his voice fading with every word.


    Joe was completely frozen.


    His heart raced as his eyes locked with the old man''s. And then, without thinking. Joe yanked his leg free from the old man''s grip, he turned the opposite direction and bolted without betting an eye. Each stride he took carried carried further away from the old man.


    ¡°That old man is going to die. If I help him, we will both suffocate in this smoke. I have to leave him. There''s no other option. I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong.


    Joe repeated the words like a chorus until they stuck with him, and slowly he began to accept them.


    He could feel the wet and splashing surface underneath his boots. The cracking of bones under his weight every now and again. Even then, even through all that. Joe didn''t stop. He kept up his pace for several minutes¡ªuntil finally he burst through the smoke.


    Everything came into view. Skyscrapers toppled like building blocks. Cars contorted and entangled in a messy wreckage. Fires raged¡ªgrowing larger by the minute.


    Joe couldn''t deny it. This was hell on earth.


    People ran frantically in numerous directions toppling and shoving each other like animals. The earth was ripped open, bringing to life gaping chasms that swallowed every thing that moved. The scene was overwhelming, but Joe didn''t have time to stand around. He had to find Chloe.


    Just as he looked to move, he heard something. A voice of a young girl. Joe darted his eyes until they landed on her.


    A child no older than 6 years old gripped the pants of her father tightly. ¡°Daddy stop it! Daddy stop it!¡± The girl pleaded desperately. Her father, who looked to be some businessman with his briefcase and fashionable blue suit, held a gun against his temple. Even with the pleading child, the man seemed unmoved. And then¡­


    Boom!


    The gun went off and the man collapsed to the ground. What remained was a young child submerged in the gore of her own father. She just stood there, rooted to the spot.


    Joe turned his gaze away and continued to run. He thought about comforting the girl for a second, but he quickly dismissed that notion. What was he supposed to do? What could he possibly say to comfort that girl in this situation? The answer was obvious, say nothing at all. He just had to keep going and focus on what he needed to do. Someone else was going to come and comfort the girl. Yes, the girl was going to be fine. Joe convinced himself.


    ¡°Joe!¡±


    A desperate shout cut through his thoughts. Joe froze. That voice¡­


    Joe surged forward towards the source. He shoved and trampled everyone and everything in his path. ¡°Chloe!¡± He screamed at the top of his lungs. His body leaping over the deep cracks on the ground.


    ¡°Joe!¡± The voice called back, weaker this time.


    Joe increased his pace as he scrambled and dragged himself forward. Until finally he spotted her.


    And in that moment, his heart shattered.


    He found Chloe on the ground. Her once golden hair was marred in crimson. Her wheelchair chair was overturned, its wheels spinning aimlessly by themselves on the uneven ground. Chloe''s legs were pinned to the surface by a massive chunk of iron. She reached out her hand, tears streaming down her ocean blue eyes. ¡°Brother..¡¯ she whimpered.


    ¡°Chloe!¡± Tears flooded Joe''s face, his voice rose to a pitch as he threw himself in a mad dash.


    The Sky rumbled again, this time louder.


    Joe reached out his hand, just a few more seconds and he could finally touch her.


    But the heavens had other plans.


    A white light descended from above like a bolt of lightning. It struck the earth in less than a second. Consuming everything In a humongous blast.


    And just like that, Earth was destroyed.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    [Welcome Outsider]


    A voice rang loudly in Joe''s head cutting through his consciousness and pulling him from the void. His body stirred and his eyes fluttered open. He was met with an intense and blinding light, which forced him to squint his eyes and hover his right hand above his face for cover. It took a few seconds, but his eyes finally adjusted.


    When he opened them fully, he was met by an expansive blue sky. The sun''s rays gently pressed against his body, encouraging him to get up. Joe sat upright, he clutched his head which stung painfully like a thousand needles. He waited for several minutes before the pain subsided, slowly he stood up.


    Joe''s eyes darted around him in confusion. He was met by strands of grass which sprawled in every direction. Colorful flowers were dotted throughout, and the sweet aroma they carried rejuvenated his senses. He could see a tall forest looming in the distance. Only one question clouded his mind. Where in the world was he?


    Feeling something tight around him when he tried to move¡ªJoe''s eyes fell to his body. Something was different. From head to toe he wore an outfit made of pure black leather. He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    His boots glinted under the sun. His pants wrapped themselves tightly around his thighs. A belt secured his waist and a black jacket jacket fluttered over his shoulders¡ªmasking a white vest underneath.


    Never in his life had Joe worn something so¡­ Stylish. A grin broke across his face despite not knowing how he even got the clothes. Joe was certain of one thing, these clothes were awesome.


    The gentle breeze pushed around his messy black hair, and his gorgeous blue eyes could not look away from his outfit. But that''s when something struck him. ¡°That voice? Where is it?¡± Joe remembered the voice that woke him up from his slumber. His eyes searched frantically for the individual, but there was nothing. Besides himself, Joe found no one. Was he dreaming?


    [I See You''re Awake Outsider]]


    Just as Joe contemplated¡ªa flashing blue screen materialized before his eyes. He shrieked, before staggering back and falling on his rear. ¡°What the hell?¡± His eyes widened in confusion.


    A flurry of questions flooded Joe''s head at the sight. This couldn''t be real.


    He rubbed his eyes to confirm he wasn''t dreaming. Sure enough, the screen remained, its words written in bold white letters. It resembled a hologram, something Joe had only seen in those boring sci-fi movies. Was he going insane?


    ¡°What in the world is this? Who are you?¡± He demanded, his voice growing louder with each question.


    [My Name Is System-558942379, But You Can Call Me Syr For Short]


    ¡°Syr?¡± Joe was taken aback. He didn''t actually expect the hologram to respond, much less have a name. This was getting into freaky territory. If his eyes and ears were playing tricks on him at once, he was definitely starting to lose it.


    No, he had to remain calm. Everything was fine. He tried to reassure himself despite not fully believing his own motivational thoughts.


    ¡°Why does your name have numbers? Are you some kind of robot?¡± It made sense, robots and holograms usually went hand in hand. The voice coming from Syr was also one of those Ai male voices which further fueled his belief that he might be talking to a robot.


    [No, I Am A Guide. I Was Chosen By God Asura To Ensure You Survive Out Here.]


    ¡°God Asura? Are you saying a real-life god sent you to me?¡±


    [Yes. I Was Given An Assignment By God Asura, One Of The Great Primeval Gods That Govern The Universes. He Tasked Me With A Simple Mission, To Make Sure You Don¡¯t Die, So You Can Reach Your Full Potential As An Outsider.]


    ¡°What? Outsider? Primeval Gods?¡± Joe shook his head, ¡°slow down man, I have no idea what you''re talking about. Why in the world would I die?¡±


    [Grisha Is ADangerous Planet. It Has Remained Unconquered For Thousands Of Years. It¡¯s One Of The Few Free Planets To Survive This Long Without A Primeval God.]


    ¡°I''m sorry¡­ Did you just say Grisha? Don''t you mean Earth?¡±


    [Earth Is Gone. That Planet Was Deleted.]


    Joe''s heart sank. He remembered the blinding flash of light that fell from the sky, but did that truly mark the end for earth? And if it did? Shouldn''t he be dead? No, this couldn''t be true.


    ¡°You''re lying! You''re lying!¡± Joe yelled, as he reclaimed his footing. ¡°This has to be some kind of sick prank? Someone must¡¯ve dropped me here to pull some kind of twisted joke. I have to go back. I have to go back to Chloe.¡±


    [I''m Not Lying To You. Earth Is Gone]


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! Get out of my head!¡¯ Joe clutched his head as he sstormed off.


    His eyes were glued to the forest that loomed in the distance.


    [I Wouldn''t Go In That Direction If I Were You]


    Joe ignored Syr''s warning and marched straight ahead. He would have to be crazy to believe anything said by a floating blue screen with a robotic voice.


    To Joe''s pleasure, Syr did vanish from his sight, leaving him with some much needed silence. It took a while, but eventually he reached the forest.


    Its trees towered him, his eyes glided up their trucks to meet the black leaves that hung from their branches. The wind was gentle, the slightest breeze ruffled the leaves producing a comforting yet slightly creepy sound. As Joe''s eyes peered beyond the trees¡ªhe saw nothing but darkness. Even though it was sunny, the depths of the forest offered nothing but a pitch black void.


    ¡°It''s just a forest, come on Joe. You can do this¡± Joe tried to keep his trembling arms under control. His boots felt stuck to the surface, he wanted to move but his body wouldn''t let him. It took minutes before it finally relented and allowed him to venture deeper into the woods.


    [You Have Entered The Black Forest.]


    Black Forest? As in Germany? Relief began to settle in Joe¡¯s heart. This was still earth.


    [You Have Entered A Sub-Dungeon.]


    Joe froze.


    ¡°What the... Dungeon?¡± he whispered, his head darting around.


    [Main Quest.]


    ? Objective: Slay The Dungeon Boss, ¡®The Great Wolfin¡¯


    ? Reward:15,000 Gold Pieces


    ¡°What is this? Syr, answer me!¡± His voice rippled through the air.


    Syr was silent.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°I don''t need your help. I can do this myself.¡±


    The talk about dungeons and bosses made him uneasy¡ªbut this still looked like your regular forest. Joe didn''t explore the woods that much while he was a kid, but he was confident he could at least handle himself. He wasn''t a child after all.


    He took cautious steps foward, his eyes darted around before every step. He may have looked a little paranoid, but it was better safe to be sorry. Despite not being much of a tourist¡ªJoe did know that the Black Forest was a tourist attraction. If he kept pushing foward, he was bound to run into a few individuals who could offer their assistance. How he even got to this place was beyond him, but he had to take things one step at a time¡ªor else he was really going to lose it.


    Joe seemed to be progressing well, but when he heard something coming from his right side, he misplaced a step.


    Snap!


    A large sound reverberated throughout the forest. Joe flew backward instantly, his heart rate skyrocketing. His chest heaved as he took a closer look¡ªit was just a broken twig. And the sound he heard coming from his right must''ve been his imagination because nothing came for him.


    ¡°Get a grip Joe! You''re nineteen for crying out loud! You can''t chicken out like this.¡±


    His words gave him a little encouragement. He looked to take another step when¡ªhe saw them. From the shadows, large crimson eyes scrutinized his form.


    Heavy footsteps shook the earth as the creature emerged. Its massive paws pressed into the dirt, leaving deep prints. Drool dripped from its jagged red teeth and its grey fur blended nicely with the shadows that embracd it. The creature was massive¡ªeasily two times Joe''s own size.


    His legs trembled as the creature approached methodically, its lengthy black claws shimmering in the cold¡ªoppressive darkness.


    [Mana Beast Attribute Window]


    ? Name: Wolflin


    ? Race: Mana Beast


    ? Clan: Yakura


    ? Evolution Stage:1


    ? Level:5


    Mana Beast? Window? Joe had no time to process the information in front of him. Within seconds another notification flashed before him.


    [Sub - Quest.]


    ? Objective: Slay5 Wolfins


    ?? Time: 24 Hours


    ?? Failure Death.


    ? Progress: 0/5 Wolfins Slain


    Terror rooted Joe in place. His mind was consumed by numerous questions.


    Was this really Germany?


    And more importantly... Was he going to die?

 Chapter 2

    Joe''s eyes were glued to Wolfin''s glowing gaze. His body was numb and he couldn''t move an inch. The only moving thing in his body was his heart, relentlessly pounding against his chest. [Passive Skill: Intimidation]


    [-5 Attribute Points To Your Mental Strength Attribute. Current Mental Strength. (Total: 5]


    [Avert Your Gaze From The (Level 5) Wolflin To Neutralize The Effect Of (Intimidation)]


    Upon hearing Syr''s words, Joe''s eyes acted on command. He diverted his sight, choosing to focus on the Wolflin''s broad furry chest instead.


    Almost immediately he felt the difference, his shoulders lightened, his breathing stabilized. The paralysis that gripped him retreated and he regained control of his body.


    [You Have Neutralized The Effect Of (Intimidation) Your Mental Strength Attribute Has Recovered. (Total: 10)]


    Joe exhaled, ¡°Thank you Syr.¡± He muttered unable to hide his relief. ¡°N¨CNow can you help me¡­,?¡± he stattered, realizing he was still not out in the clear. That Wolfin as Syr called it, was going to kill him.


    Syr''s silence dampened his mood. He could hear the Wolfin''s low growls. His heart started picking up steam once again. Tears tittered at the edge of his eyes, ¡°I know I messed up ok.. I''m sorry for chasing you away¡­¡± His throat became dry and hard. The tears fell over the edge like a waterfall, drenching his cheeks in their salty embrace. ¡°I''m sorry Syr! I''m sorry! Please help me!¡± His voice reverberated the entire space.


    That seemed to be the trigger, following Joe''s sudden outburst, the Wolfin galloped towards him. Each step it took resonated with the earth, forcing the trees to wiggle slightly


    Joe''s heart thumped against his chest. His eyes wide, was he going to die? No¡­ almost instinctively he turned the opposite direction. Putting one foot infront of the other, he committed himself to a mad dash.


    His arms flailed as he urged himself foward. His mouth wide open, his tears were gone. There was no time to cry. He needed to survive. His feet clattered hard against the earth, the occasional glance over his shoulder confirmed his worst nightmare. He wasn''t going to outrun the Wolfin. In just a few seconds. He was going to die. But even then, he refused to resign himself.


    [Attribute Window]


    Personal Information:


    ? Name: Joe White


    ? Age: 19


    ? Class: Outsider (Unique)


    ? Level:4


    Attributes:


    ? MP: 100/200


    ? Skill: 11 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 10


    ? Speed: 10


    ? Defense: 8


    ? Mental Strength: 10


    ? Additional Rank Points: 0


    Skills:


    ??Rapid Leveling (Passive) (Unique)


    ?Outsider¡¯s Enhancement


    ?Outsider¡¯s Perspective (Passive) (Unique)


    ?Predator (Unique)


    Inventory:


    ?? The Black Blade


    Gold Pieces:


    ? Amount: 0


    A half baked smile formed as Joe saw one of Syr''s notifications. The information presented to him was a lot. He had no way to discern what most of it meant¡ªnot in such little time. His eyes blazed through the text¡ªonly landing on the one thing he understood without a second thought. A Weapon. The Blsck Blade.


    "The blade Syr! I''ll take the blade.¡±


    Responding to his words, a bright blue light smothered Joe''s hands. The glow was gentle, not blinding to the eye and soft around the hands. Its existence however was short-lived. It vacated Joe''s sight almost as quickly as it appeared. What lingered in its wake was exactly what Joe was hoping for.


    Whipping around, the nineteen year old turned to face the Wolflin. Had he turned a few seconds later, he would probably be dead. The beast was close, really close. But In Joe''s hand was a weapon, something he could use to halt the creature in its tracks. A thick, lengthy black sword rested firmly around his solid grip. It shimmered faintly in the darkness, its sharp edges a silent threat for anyone who dared to come close. This was it. This was The Black Blade.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The furry behemoth halted almost instantly at the sight. It''s feet slowly pushing back as its low growls persisted.


    Joe took a step foward, the Wolfin took several steps backwards. ¡°That''s right just keep moving.¡± Joe fainted a swing and the beast threw itself back like a cat running from water. It landed a fair distance from Joe, caution and fear exemplified by its change In demeanor.


    Joe''s breaths returned to normality, his eyes never leaving the beast. ¡°What now Syr? Do you want me to charge at that thing? I don''t that will work, I''m no fierce fighter, that thing will kill me.¡± Joe had never held a sword before In his life. Joe was not new to holding weapons, he did hold a knife many times as a kid. But back then, his opponent while horrifying was still human. This time, he was facing something far more menacing than any human he''d face before. Including him.


    [You''re Lucky This Wolfin Is Still Young. At Level 5, He''s Practically A Child. They May Attack A Person When They Can''t Defend Themselves, But They Think Carefully When Their Foe Has A Weapon.]


    Just a child? That collosal beast was still just a child? Joe gulped in response to that. It was outrageous.


    [It''s Not All Doom And Gloom. You Can Still Win. That Weapon In Your Hands Is Different From Your Weak Earth Swords. It''s A Mana Tool.]


    ¡°A Mana what?¡±


    [Mana Tool: The Black Blade]


    Level: 4


    Class: D


    Description


    A thick, sturdy sword forged from common steel, designed for young adventurers. The blade has the ability to absorb and store mana, enhancing its power during combat. However, its durability is limited, and it may break when confronted with superior-Level.


    Skills


    ?? Mana Slash


    Unleash stored mana in the form of sharp, crescent-shaped mana arcs, capable of slicing through opponents at a distance.


    Boost: +10 Skill Attribute Points.


    Cost:-20 Mana Pool Points/ Attack At This Level.


    Seals


    Seals Unlocked: 0/5


    Awakening: Locked


    The numbers, skills descriptions. All of this was exactly like a video game. Joe didn''t play much as a kid but he understood some things. Mana, skills and stats. His comprehension of these terms was basic, but not abysmal. Now the Attribute Window from earlier made a lot more sense. Everything here functioned similar to a video game. When he applied this mindset, not only did his fear diminish but everything became clearer.


    ¡°So I need to access my mana to unlock this bad boy''s Skill. Sweet!¡± Joe''s face lit up. He''d always wondered what it felt like being inside a video game. Now he was living that childhood dream. It felt surreal.


    ¡°In most games, you need skills to access your mana. I''m guessing this is when the skills I saw briefly on my Attribute Window come into play?¡± He questioned, half certain.


    [That''s Correct. But I Must Warn You. This Isn''t A Game. Grisha Is Real.]


    Syr''s words did ruin his mood slightly. If this was real, then things like second lives probably didn''t exist. The fact he didn''t see Hp on his window earlier attested to this. This also made everything painfully obvious. This was not Earth. Not even close.


    Joe didn''t know how to feel about that, just yet. It wasn''t important, for now anyway. He just needed to focus on surviving.


    The Wolfin snarled. It threatened to take a step, only backing away at the last possible second. Joe knew it was getting agitated, it wouldn''t be long before it threw caution to the wind. Just keeping it at bay for this long, was already a miracle.


    ¡°Ok Syr, let''s do this quick. Show me which Skill will help me fight that thing.¡±


    [That Would Be Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [Skill: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement. (Level 1)]


    ? Effect: Allows You To Channel Mana Through Your Body And Mana Tools, Enhancing Their Capabilities.


    ? Boosts: +4 Strength And Speed Attribute Points


    ? +8 Skill Attribute Points.


    ?? ??Mana Cost: -25 Mana Pool Points (Increases By +10 Mana Pool Points Each Level]


    ??You Can Multiply The Boosts Of This Skill Up To (X3) By Multiplying The Mana Cost Based On How Much Of A Boost You Want. (E.g X2 Will Cost 50 Mana Pool Points At This Level. X3 Will Cost 75 Mana Pool Points At This Level. The Multiplication Cost Is Dependent On The Level Of The Skill.


    ¡°I think I get it.¡± Joe didn''t stay on the screen too long. He spent just a few seconds and felt like he got the gist of it.


    He reaffirmed his grip, his eyes flared with excitement. He unleashed a wide smirk. The moment of truth, had arrived.


    ¡°Let''s do this.¡±


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    A burning sensation bubbled around Joe''s heart. His heart pounded, his muscles tightened. And then without warning, it exploded.


    Bursting out of every fiber of his being, was a pitch black aura. It stirred around him like a wild tornado. Joe smirked with excitement. ¡°This is awesome!¡± His voice roared throughout the Black Forest.


    The aura finally settled down, it cloked his form like a second layer of skin. Joe couldn''t describe what had happened to him, but all of a sudden¡ªhe was alive.


    [-25 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 75]


    [Total Speed:10>14]


    [Total Strength: 10>14]


    [Total Skill:13>21]


    The Wolfin seemed to be caught in two minds after Joe''s display of power. It had two options. Retreat while it still had a chance. Or kill Joe before he become something too big for it to handle. The Wolfin had made its choice.


    It galloped in an all or nothing suicide charge. A guttural howl clawed its way out of its throat. Following this was a bright light that emmited from its form. It dimmed and glowed faintly around its body serving a similar purpose to Joe''s own aura. This did the trick because after this, the Wolfin''s speed doubled. Only a trail of dust was left in its wake. [Skill Activation: Mana Beast Charge]


    ¡°I guess I''m not the only one with a skill.¡± Joe''s smile grew larger. Instead of being frightened¡­ Joe found himself exhilarated.


    He crouched low, and with a powerful step¡ªhis body blasted forward. ¡°Let''s do this!¡± His black blade trailed by his side, firmly clutched by his right hand. A black line of mana escaped from the blade, drawing the surface in its inky darkness.


    Joe''s path intertwined with the Wolfin¡ªthe resulting collision was inevitable.


    The distance between the two shortened with each passing second. Taking advantage of this reduced space was the Wolfin. It''s form enlarged as it rose up like a grizzly bear. Its savage claws cloaked in its red aura shone brightly. Without a moment''s notice, the Wolfin swung it''s right hand horizontally. The claws approached Joe''s kneck¡ªready to slice it open.


    Responding accordingly, Joe''s body crouched even lower. His head slipped underneath the claws as they whistled just above his head.


    Taking advantage of this opening, Joe''s right hand went through the motion. He performed a perfect horizontal swing of the blade. A dark crescent arc blasted forth. It tore through the Wolfin cleaving it perfectly in half. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-20 Mana Pool Points]


    [Total Skill: 21>31]


    [Current Mana Pool:55]


    Blood gushed out from the Beast. It''s unrestrained roar reverberated the entire space. It didn''t last long though, its pieces collapsed on the now blood soaked earth.


    Silence blessed the forest once again, the battle reached its conclusion. Joe had won.

 Chapter 3

    [Sub Quest Progress: 1/5 Wolfins Slain]


    The Wolfin''s exposed guts were a sore sight for the eyes. Its insides were caked in dirt, but even with such a disturbing view, Joe did not look away. Instead, he focused on a glowing orb that lay smothered in fur and gore. He crouched low, his left arm extending to reach for the bloody circle. He dug through the creature''s grotesque insides and escaped with what he wanted.


    He stood straight, observing the red circle. His palms brushed against its glassy exterior. Even though he was looking directly at it, the red llight it produced never threatened to blind him. Curious, Joe was just about to question Syr about it.


    When¡­


    [You Have Slain A (Lvl 5) Wolflin]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [+2 Additional Attribute Points]


    [The Skill Rapid Leveling Is In Effect]


    A flurry of of notifications flooded his view. They kept coming one after the other, but Joe concentrated a single one in particular.


    ¡°Rapid Leveling?¡± He rembered glancing at it vaguely, but he had no idea what the skill was capable of. Infact unless Syr explicitly explained the skill to him, he didn''t have any idea what any of them did.


    [Passive And Unique Skill: Rapid Leveling]


    ??Description: Outsiders Have A Fleeting Life. They Must Achieve Their Objective As Quickly As Possible. To Make This A Reality, Outsiders Have A Skill Built Into Their Class By The Gods. The Skill Is Rapid Leveling.


    ??Effect: The Rate At Which You Level Up Is Different. It Is Double The Rate Of Any Inhabitant Of Grisha.


    The fact that level ups were also a thing already made it clear to Joe that most things In this world probably followed video game mechanics. But if that was the case why would there be a Class that has such an unfair and broken skill. Weren''t games supposed to be balanced? Then again, Syr made it clear that this wasn''t a game. It was a real world.


    It just seemed odd, and if Outsider was this rare Class why was he given the class? He had questions, many questions. That entire description of the skill, gods and outsiders. It all just rubbed him the wrong way.


    ¡°So I Level up everytime I kill one of these animals?¡± Joe decided to ask a simpler question instead, he didn''t feel like digging into the rabbit hole of these clases and gods at least not yet. It just seemed overwhelming¡­.


    [Yes, Everytime You Gain Experience In Battle You Level Up And Grow Stronger As A Result. If You Are To Survive In This World, You''ll Need Every Level Up You Can Get.]


    Survive, that word made Joe very uneasy. But it was accurate, considering he just fought for his life a few seconds ago.


    ¡°You say I grow stronger, but how much stronger are we talking here.¡±


    [I''ll Get To That, But First. Let''s Take A Look At Your Achievements.]


    [Achievement Unlocked: First Kill]


    ? Condition: Slay Your First Mana Beast In The New World.


    ? Reward: +2 Additional Attribute Points.


    Achievement Unlocked: First Use]


    ? Condition: Activate Your First Skill As An Outsider


    Reward: + 1 Additional Attribute Point.


    Achievement Unlocked: Punching Above Your Weight]


    ? Condition: Slay A Man Beast Above Your Level


    ? Reward: +2 Additional Rank Points


    [Your Skill Outsider''s Enhancement Has Leveled Up!]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Has Reached (Lvl2]]


    Joe''s eyes scanned the text quickly. All these achievements just for killing a single Wolfin? His skill [Outsiders Enhancement] also seemed to gain a level. But Joe was more interested in those Additional Attribute Points? What did that even mean? Before he got to ask, another notification came rushing in.


    [Attribute Window]


    Personal Information:


    ? Name: Joe White


    ? Age: 19


    ? Class: Outsider (Unique)


    ? Level:6


    Attributes:This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ? MP: 100/200


    ? Skill: 11>15 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 10>14


    ? Speed: 10>14


    ? Defense: 8>10


    ? Mental Strength: 10>12


    ? Additional Rank Points: 7


    Skills:


    ??Rapid Leveling (Passive) (Unique)


    ?Outsider¡¯s Enhancement


    ?Outsider¡¯s Perspective (Passive) (Unique)


    ?Predator (Unique)


    Inventory:


    ?? The Black Blade


    Gold Pieces:


    ? Amount: 0


    Joe could see notable differences in his Attributes. All of them had grown, although not at the same rate. This is must''ve been what Syr meant by getting stronger. Joe saw his strength attribute had increased but he didn''t notice any rise in strength. His physique also looked the same, but that could be a premature assessment considering he hadn''t done anything to test his strenghth. He just went on his immediate feeling.


    When Joe focused on the text, he saw them again. Additional Attribute Points. The total was 7? But how? His achievements only totalled to 5 points.


    ¡°Syr can you explain what these Additional Attributes Points are?¡± he finally got the question out of his mind.


    [Yes, They Are Additional Points You Can Distribute To Any Attributes Of Your Choosing. It''s +1 Attribute Point Every Time You Level Up.]


    ¡°I see.¡± Joe muttered. Now the extra two points made sense.


    Joe took a moment to survey his options. He had 7 points at his disposal. He thought about spreading them across all his attributes, but that would only leave him at the same point he was right now with only a single point increase for each Attribute and an extra one to spare. To Joe, that felt like a waste. He wanted to focus on a specific Attribute first, and he had already made up his mind on which one he was going for.


    ¡°I want you to put 5 of my points to my Mental Strength Attribute.¡± Joe''s reasoning for this was simple, he didn''t want to freeze everytime he accidentally looked at a Woflin''s eye. That paralysis he experienced earlier nearly cost him his life. It was an unpleasant experience he wasn''t keen on experiencing again.


    ¡°The other 2 points you should put to my speed Attribute¡± If he was going to keep fighting monsters like the Wolfin Joe thought speed would probably be his strongest weapon. He could run away if things got too crazy, although that would be his absolute last resort. His main reason was the simple fact that cutting things was a lot more satisfying if he was moving at high speed.


    Joe couldn''t exactly put his finger on why, but suddenly the idea of cutting down monsters didn''t seem scary. Considering he was able to defend himself with his skills, fighting savage beats was exhilarating. He still couldn''t get over that surge of energy and adrenaline he felt back then. His hands were still ttrembling.


    [Your Attributes Have Been Updated]


    ?Speed:14>16


    ?Mental Strength:12>17


    [Your Mana Tool:The Black Blade Has Leveled Up!]


    [Your Mana Tool: The Black Blade. Has Reached (Lvl5]


    Joe titled the bloody black blade in his hand. After seeing Syr''s notification, he expected changes from it. Things like weight and size growth were what he was anticipating but the blade didn''t really change much. All it did was produce a small glinting light, and that was it.


    The fact that his weapons could also Level up alongside him was still insanely cool. Maybe the Black Blade was going to get bigger after more level ups, it was kind of unfair to expect immediate change from his part. Considering it had just grown by only 1 level.


    After noticing Syr wasn''t displaying any more notifications. He finally asked. ¡°This glowing glass thing in my hand, what is it?¡± He held it up like Syr couldn''t see it.


    [It''s a Mana Beast Core. They Are Found In Every Mana Beast And It''s Their Source Of Strength. That Core Contains All The Wolfin''s Current Mana. Humans Usually Use The Cores To Craft Weapons Of Their Own Or Improving Pre Existing Ones. Do You Want It?]


    Joe didn''t hesitate. ¡°Yes.¡±


    [You Can Take It With Your Skill (Predator)]


    [Unique Skill: Predator]


    ? Effect: This Skill Allows Your Mana To Devour Anything It Makes Contact With, Including Its Mana. Can Only Be Used On Objects Or The Deceased, The Skill Can Also Be Channeled Through A Weapon To Increase Its Range.


    ? Range: 10 meters


    ? Boosts: +10 Skill Attribute Points


    ? Mana Cost (MC): 0


    The thing that stood out to Joe about this skill was how it didn''t cost mana at all. His other Unique Skill [Rapid Leveling] also didn''t seem to consume mana. Were all these unique skills like this?


    Joe didn''t even notice how much mana he''d lost. When he glanced at his attribute Window again he noticed just how much he''d lost. For just two skills, it was more than he expected.


    ¡°Let''s do it Syr.¡±


    [Skill Activation: Predator]


    A cloud of smoke emmited from Joe''s left palm. This dark smoke was still his own mana, it just looked different than usual. Joe chalked that down to [Predator] affecting how it looked and acted. His mana wrapped around the crimson glass and easily consumed it in its darkness. The orb vanished from his grasp seconds later, and the smoke followed suit.


    [+250 Mana Points To Your Mana Pool]


    [Current Mana Pool: 305/440]


    Immediately after he devoured the core¡ªhis body felt less strained and he was now more energetic. The fatigue that was slowly sneaking up on him retreated. This must''ve been the effect of refilling his Mana Pool. It was great. Although, consuming the orb did have a slightly bitter after taste.


    [+1 (Level 5) Mana Beast Core To Your Inventory]


    [Normally Mana Beast Cores Need A Swordsmith To Be Used To Upgrade Or Create New Tools, But Since You Have Me. I Can Do That For You, No Problem. Do You Want To Upgrade The Black Blade?]


    ¡°Sure go for it,¡± Joe gave permission without an issue.


    [You Have Used A (Level 5) Mana Beast Core To Upgrade The Black Blade]


    [Your Mana Tool: (Black Blade) Has Leveled Up!]


    [Mana Tool: (Black Blade). Has Reached (Lvl6]


    The Black Blade looked a little taller this time around, but Joe couldn''t know for sure. The difference was so miniscule, it could''ve just been his imagination.


    With Syr not showing any more notifications, he decided to keep moving. He took casual steps deeper into the forest. He was a lot more assured this time around. But he did have one thing, one little thing that clawed at the back of his mind. Slowly, it was eating him from the inside. He had to let it out.


    ¡°This place really isn''t earth is it Syr.¡±


    [No, Earth Was Deleted. It''s Gone.]


    Jos knew the answer to this. That was the reason he was dreading this question. Tears streamed down both sides of his face. He halted and just crumbled to his knees. Without warning he just unleashed it. A horrid scream rippled throughout the forest. Joe just unloaded, he dropped his black blade. Instead he clutched his heart. He wanted to dig into his chest and rip it out. The images of Chloe''s face came flooding into his mind. ¡°I''m so sorry¡­ I''m so sorry¡­ Chloe..¡± he cried for several minutes straight. But deep down he knew it, his crying wouldn''t change the fact.


    His only sibling, Chloe. She really did die that day.


    It took over 10 minutes before Joe could finally stand. He gripped his blade tightly, his face still watery. The look on his eyes was one of pure rage. His mind was mixed with devastation and questions. So many questions. But before Joe could do anything else¡­


    A loud shriek rang out, bouncing off the forest tress. Joe''s eyes turned to the direction of the source. By the sound of it.


    It belonged to a human¡­

 Chapter 4

    The voice sounded like someome in agony, Joe''s mind jumped to the worst possible outcome. Someone was probably being devoured. Joe immediately dashed towards the source, if there was one human. Chance were there could be more.


    His form brisked through the forest, the trees blurred and the breeze blew past his hair. He was definitely faster than before, much faster. When Joe was about to accelerate, a low growl to his right forced him to turn his head.


    It was a Wolfin, already in mid air ready to use its claws. [Skill Activation: Mana Beast Claws]


    Joe immediately turned around fully but he could only use his sword to block. Claws met iron and a metallic clang was produced.


    Even with his block Joe was sent flying and crashing spine first against a tree trunk. The tree¡¯s bark splintered from the force and Joe could''ve sworn his spine was broken.


    The Wolfin did not wait for a second invitation, it charged towards with its teeth glinting in the darkness.


    Joe could see it coming through the haze, he reaffirmed his grip on The Black Blade and mana coursed freely throughout his body. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (lvl 2)]


    [-35 Mana Pool Points]


    [Total Speed: 16>24]


    [Total Strength: 14>22]


    [Total Skilll:17>29]


    Joe threw himself to the right seconds before calamity struck. The Wolfin''s teeth bit into the bark hard. Joe''s form drifted before coming to a stop a few meters away from the Wolfin.


    The Wolfin retrieved its teeth from the wood bu yanking its head back forcefully. It was successful, and the bark was left with punctured holes and wiggling slightly. The beast''s attention now returned to Joe, but when it looked at where Joe once stood. It found nothing but a whistling breeze.


    From above Joe''s form descended, his blade rained down like a hammer. It sliced into the Woflin''s skull before proceeding to cut its entire body in half. No sound were heard, it died instantly.


    Joe exhaled, relief washing his face. Before he could do anything else. 4 Wolfins were already approaching him. Joe could see them coming due to their glowing Mana Beast Cores.


    Joe had seen many glowing lights littered across the forest, he just never put it together that they were Mana Beast Cores. His assumption was that he couldn''t see Cores hidden behind trees. That was obviously false.


    [Lvl 6]


    [Lvl6]


    [Lvlv 5]


    [Lvl 5]


    They were very close together and cautious in their approach. Joe didn''t wait for them to come to him. He took the initiative. He swung The Black Blade horizontally, producing a sharp arc that zipped through the air. It was much quicker and larger than any arc Joe had unleashed so far. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-30 Mana Pool Points]


    [Total Skill: 29>43]


    Blood sprayed as two Wolfins were decapitated before they saw what was coming. Their close proximity was what allowed Joe to kill them both at once. The two remaining Wolfins thought about retreating but a [Mana Slash] tore through their forms killing them before they even moved from their spots. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [Total Skill: 29>43]


    [-30 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana: 210]


    In just two attacks, Joe put an end to the battle.


    Joe smiled widely at his achievement before sheathing back The bloody Black Blade. He barely took a step before another flood of notifications came to his attention.


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Current Level: 8]


    [Sub- Quest Complete!]


    ?? Reward: +5000 Gold Pieces.


    Joe was surprised to find he has been rewarded with gold pieces. Was that Grisha¡¯s currency? He couldn''t be sure. Since he had no immediate use for the Gold he allowed it to chill In his inventory without thinking too much about it.


    [Attribute Points]


    ?? Skill: 15>19 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 14>18


    ? Speed: 16>20


    ? Defense: 10>12


    ? Mental Strength: 17>19


    ? Additional Rank Points: 2


    ¡°Syr, you should allocate my free points to my defense attribute¡± Joe didn''t waste a second to make his decision.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ??Defense: 12>14


    He nodded as he waltzed to his victims. He activated [Predator] and absorbed the Wolfins and their Mana Beast Cores.


    [Your Mana Pool Has Been Replenished]


    [Current Mana Pool: 680/680]


    [+2 (Lvl 6) Mana Beast Cores Have Been Added To Your Inventory]


    [+3 (Lvl 5) Mana Beast Cores Have Been Added To Your Inventory)


    Joe turned around after after devouring the final one, ¡°you can give the cores to the Black Blade¡± Joe had noticed first hand that even though The Black Blade didn''t change much physically, skill wise it had grown leaps and and bounds.


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up!]


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up!]If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up!]


    [The Black Blade Has Reached (Lvl 9)


    With that sorted Joe was back on the move. This time however he seeked to take a different route. He propelled his body to the sky. The wind embraced him as he scored. For a moment in time, he was a bird¡ªa free bird that could spread its wings. The fluttering of his jacket made this feeling even more pronounced. But alas all good things must come to an end. He landed gently on top of a tree branch ending his flight.


    The branch did creak slightly but it endured his weight in the end. Joe decided to take the aerial route to avoid being slowed down by more Wolfins. He leaped from one tree to the next, his balance was almost flawless not showing any signs of imbalance which Jos found curious. It was as if he''d been an acrobatic with years of experience. Jumping from such an altitude didn''t didn''t frighten him in the slightest. From a young age he''d been used to jumping from high places, so he was in his natural element. The balance however was something be lacked while growing up.


    He pressed foward with no signs of stopping. One tree led to the next, but as he progressed¡ªsomething came into view. Bundles of fire lay lit somewhere in the distance. They flickered like far-away candles and radiated a light that Joe saw clearly even from a distance. That wasn''t all¡ªJoe was able to make out several Mama Beast Cores around the same vicinity. They were probably Wolfins.


    ¡°Those glowing lights. What are they Syr?¡± Joe asked, his curiously evident in his tone.


    [They Are Mana Signatures. They Are Similar To A Mans Beast Core But They Belong To Humans. To Put It Simply They Are Displays Of A Person''s Mana. Normally They Can Only Be Sensed And Can''t Be Seen With The Naked Eye.]


    ¡°Really? I can see them just fine.¡±


    [That''s Due To Your Passive Skill Outsider''s Perspective)]


    ¡°So what does it do exactly?¡±


    [Unique And Passive Skill: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    Description: A Truly Powerful Outsider Can Even See The Unseen.


    Level: 1


    Effect; Improves Your Sight Allowing You To See Mana And Its Flow On Other Living Things. The Closer You Are To The Target, The More Vivid Your Eyes Become. You Can See Anything Within A 30m Radius With A 360-degree Angle. Can Peer Through Almost Any Obstacles, Is Limited Only By Distance.


    Range: 30m


    Boost: None.


    After reading the skill now everything clicked for Joe. That explained how he could see Mana Beast Cores behind trees. Joe cursed himself again, if he had known that he could see through obstacles like this. He wouldn''t have allowed the Wolfin from earlier to get the jump on him like it did. Lesson learned. It wasn''t going to happen again.


    [I Said That Mana Beast Cores And Mana Signatures Were Very Similar, While That Is True. They Have Very Different Characteristics. Mana Beast Cores Are Round And Red. Mana Signatures Are Flickering Flames, They Hava A Uniqje Shape And Come In Many Different Colors.]


    ¡°I see..¡±


    [But That''s Not The Biggest Distinguisher Between The Two..]


    ¡°Oh yeah? What Is it?¡±


    [Unlike Mana Beast Cores Which Exist Even After Their Owner Is Dead. Mana Signatures Are Different, To A Human Mana Is Life. If They Die, Their Mana Signatures Dies With Them.]


    Syr''s final words carried the weight of a death sentence. Almost as if he willed it into existence¡ªa flurry of screams succeeded his words. Mana Signatures vanished one after the other like a child''s birthday candles.


    People were dying.


    Mana Surged from Joe''s form. He burst foward almost instantly¡ªhis form blurring from one tree to the next.


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl3]]


    [-45 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:635]


    [Total Speed:20>32]


    It took seconds before Joe arrived to the scene. [Skill: Deactivated]


    Almost immediately, a foul stench assaulted his senses. Joe¡¯s hand darted to cover his nose. The shear toxicity nearly caused him to fall over. He knelt on a single knee, one hand touched a branch while the other protected his nose.


    His eyes fell to what was happening below him. A number of corpses were littered all over the ground like thrown away rags. Joe had found, the source of stench.


    Their insides were exposed, many were missing limbs and some even heads. The blood on the corpses had dried and their flesh was beginning to decay. The sight was identical to what Joe saw that day. The day earth was eradicated.


    His heart pounded like an angry drumroll. His mind felt exposed as countless images flooded his head. The memories from that day came rushing in like a bullet train. Joe had tried so hard to suppress them but now¡ªThey were like a ferocious beast that refused to be tamed.


    Joe nearly let out a scream as he relived every agonizing detail of that incident. The blood, screams, corpses and fire. All of it was clear as day. But the one that stood out was the image of his sister Chloe. It confirmed to Joe what he already knew. Chloe really did die that day


    Joe couldn''t breathe, his vision became hazy. He couldn''t scream and he couldn''t cry. The weight of it all just pressed on him and twisted around every fiber of his being. It was overwhelming.


    ¡°Snap out of it, Shelly!¡±


    A voive boomed¡ªsnapping Joe out of his misery. His watery gaze landed on a group of people just below him. 3 humans were still alive.


    Leading the group was a boy with fiery red hair. His height was average for a boy who looked to be 18 or 19 years of age. His broad shoulders made him feel larger than he was in reality. In his grasp was a thin and silver sword. He held it with both heads, his eyes burning with a scorching intensity.


    Joe''s focus however was on the boy''s midsection. From his stomach to across his ribs, 3 deep clawmarks made their presence felt. From the depths of this scars, blood leaked out of the boy In large volumes. His tattered vest had turned crimson¡ªcomplementing the pool of liquid beneath his boots. He was sweating bullets and breathing loudly. How he continued to live under those conditions was a mystery even to Joe.


    Behind him stood a much taller individual. With black dreadlocks that dangled down his back, the boy stood with a concerned expression. His arms had been burned evident by the burnmarks infesting his skin. He shared one thing in common with the scarred boy infront of him¡ªboth of them had really low mana Signatures.


    Standing further behind Mr dreadlocks and kneeling against a tree was a green haired girl. She had her palms over her eyes and was shivering excessively. Her sobs were audible even from Joe''s high altitude. Unlike the boys ahead of her, the girl was completely unharmed.


    Her black dress was caked in dirt but ignoring that fact she looked healthy. Even her Mana Signature was vibrant. It didn''t take long for Joe to realize that must''ve been the Shelly the Mr Dreadlocks was shouting at.


    ¡°I don''t think Shelly can keep going anymore¡­ Take her and go Ray.¡± The red haired boy sounded gentle, as he glanced at his two companions behind him.


    ¡°No Kite! Are you crazy? You''ll Die! Don''t throw away your life like this.¡± Ray pleaded, his tears bordering his eyes.


    Kite just smiled, ¡°I''m not throwing it away, I''m just looking to make things right. It''s my fault all our party members died after all. As leader, I must take responsibility.¡±


    The corpses now made sense, they were party members of Kite''s party.


    Low growls drew Joe''s attention to his left, where 4 Wolfins stood. Their fur was ravaged with scars and blood mixed with their grey fur turning it crimson. Their tongues hung out as they panted loudly. The situation between the two sides seemed perfectly balanced. Both were on their last legs.


    [Lvl 10]


    [Lvl 10


    [Lvl 11]


    [Lvl 12]


    These Wolfins were of a higher level than the ones Joe slaughred. This was also reflected in their slightly larger builds.


    A sudden burst of Mana erupted from Kite''s figure without warning. The thin yellow veil settled around every section of his body and even going as far as cloaking his sword. It was eerily similar to Joe''s [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] Skill.


    After one last smile at Ray and Shelly¡ªKite charged forward. [Skill Activation: Mana Enhancement]


    ¡°Kite don''t do it!¡± Ray cried out in desperation.


    His words fell to deaf ears. There was no stopping Kite.


    He moved at speeds that even Joe had difficulty tracking. He closed in on the four wolfins instantly.


    One of the Wolfins [lvl 10] lunged forward. It raised its paws ready to strike. But before it could proceed, Kite''s blade ran through its leg effortlessly. Blood spilled out in large volumes¡ªforcing a painful howl from the furry creature.


    It staggered back its balance compromised.


    Kite made use of the opening¡ªhis sword weaved though the Wolfin''s neck like a thread to a needle. [Skill Activation: Needle Thread] Its head hit the earth, followed by its collosal body.


    Kite was ready to jump to the next Wolflin¡ªwhen catastrophe struck. Blood spewed from his mouth in the worst moment possible. His body halted¡ªthe effects of his injuries finally baring their fangs.


    The Wolfins took full advantage of this moment of weakness. With a single swipe of a paw. Kite''s head was removed with no difficulty. Blood poured out from his neck and the Wolfins pounced on his body licking the blood off him like the savaged beasts they were.


    They chose not to devour Kite''s body, they instead opted to use their tongues¡ªdrenching his corpse in their drool. Joe couldn''t understand it? Weren''t they hungry?


    One of the Woflins [lvl 9] turned its attention to Shelly and Ray¡ªwithout thinking twice it rocketed towards them. Now that Kite was out of the way¡ªnothing could stop it.


    They were going to die.


    The beast opened its mouth as it closed in¡ªbut like a missile. Something descended from the sky.


    A sickening crunch bounced off the forest trees, as Joe''s fist connected with the Wolfin''s skull. The skull caved in on impact¡ªdriving the beast deep into the earth.


    A massive crater formed as Joe stood above the carnage.


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl 3)]


    [-45 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:590]


    With wide eyes and disbelief all over his face, Ray could only manage a single question.


    ¡°Who in the world are you?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Joe had his body half turned as he gazed at Ray''s shocked expression. It took a second before he fully turned around to face the 2 remaining beasts. ¡°You guys aren''t looking too good. I think you should sit this one out.¡± Joe''s voice was calm and certain.


    A dark mist smothered the Wolfin he just killed, reducing it to nothing In mere seconds. [Skill Activation: Predator]


    [+1 (lvl 9) Mana Beast Core To Your Inventory]


    [Your Mana Pool Has Been Replenished]


    With that out of the way, Joe''s attention was fully in the two beasts ahead of him. With a single step, his body rocketed foward. A trail of black mana lingered in his wake. As he charged, a twisted idea bloomed into Joe''s mind. ¡°Let''s take things up a notch Sy, Let''s go X2!¡±


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl 3) X2]


    [Total Speed:20>44]


    [Toal Strength:18>42]


    [Total Skill:21>53]


    Joe''s eyes flared to life, his muscles bulged slightly as they were bombarded by a new surge of energy¡ªan adrenaline rush coursing through them like a raging river. His senses were all sharpened to the extreme, in those few seconds. He was completely in the zone.


    He closed on the Wolfins rapidly.


    A Wolfin (lvl 11) looked to act, as it rose to tower Joe''s frame. But by the time it reached its apex, it was already too late. Before the Wolflin could launch one of its massive feet, Joe was already there.


    His right fist connected with its stomach. The fist coated in pure mana, sent ripples throughout the forest on contact. The beast released a painful howl, before its body was sent flying at frightening speed.


    Crunch!


    The Wolfin''s spine slammed into a tree trunk. The sound of breaking bones settled within the dungeon, its body slid down the trunk, smearing it in crimson as it slumped to the surface. Lifeless.


    [You Have Slain A (Lvl 11) Wolfin]


    Joe''s focus shifted to the last Wolfin, he charged towards it without the slightest hesitation.


    The (Lvl 12) Wolflin didn''t back away, it threw itself forward exposing its teeth. With an open mouth, it thrusted its head ready to consume Joe''s entire body in one go. [Skill Activation: Bite]


    The Wolfin''s teeth came together, but Joe''s figure vanished with the wind.


    From above, Joe came crushing down. With his right leg fully stretched, he landed on the Wolfin''s skull with a thunderous heel strike. The impact sent shockwaves that made the wind dance. Blood escaped from the Wolfin''s mouth, as it got burried in the resulting crater.


    [You Have Slain A (Lvl12) Wolfin]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [Current Level:10]


    Joe exhaled as the mana around his figure faded. [Skill Deactivated]


    He looked to take a step¡ªwhen his muscles tightened and his body refused to move an inch. A sharp pain surged through his body unannounced. Joe gritted his teeth as he looked to endure the excruciating discomfort. He felt like his muscles, bones and everything else on his body was being torn piece by piece.


    The pain only lasted 20 seconds before retreating like it never came.


    Joe was panting and drenched in sweat. To him, those few seconds felt like an entire life time. He doubled over clutching his knees. His chest pounded as he tried desperately to get it under control.


    ¡°I guess I may have over done it a bit¡­¡± he forced a chuckle.


    He knew even without Syr saying a word, that using a X2 Multiplier on [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] was probably the cause. Pushing his body like he did, even if it was for a few seconds, was bound to catch up to him.


    Joe straightned after a few minutes. As everything seemed to be back in order. But Joe took what just occurred to heart. It was a warning. If he ever overextended himself again, it could kill him.


    [Your Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Reached (Lvl 4)


    [Updated Attributes]


    MP: 680//920


    ? Skill: 19>23(+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 18>22


    ? Speed: 20>24


    ? Defense: 14>16


    ? Mental Strength: 19>21


    ? Additional Attribute Points: 2


    His attention was grabbed by the notification screen that popped up infront of him. He had just gone up another two levels. That washed away some of the unease he felt while also bringing a slight smile to his face.


    ¡°You can give the free points to my defense Syr.¡± Joe blamed some of the pain he just experienced to his low defense, so it wouldn''t hurt to invest in it a little bit more.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ??Defense: 16>18


    With the upgrade confirmed, Joe turned to the Wolfin he just killed. He activated [Predator] and absorbed it in seconds. Using [Predator] was becoming second nature to him at this point. Even he was surprised with how quickly he was adapting.


    [You Have Replenished Your Mana Pool]


    [Current Mana Pool:920/920]


    [+1 (Lvl 12) Mana Beast Core Has Been Added To Your Inventory]


    With that done, he made his way to the Wolfin slumped against a tree. He repeated the same process and absorbed it without difficulty.


    [+1 (lvl 11) Mana Beast Core Has Been Added To Your Inventory]Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°You can use all the cores I gathered to upgrade the Black Blade¡±


    [Your Mana Too: (The Black Blade) Has Leveled Up!]


    [Your Mana Tool: (The Black Blade) Has Leveled Up!]


    [Your Mana Tool: (The Black Blade) Has Reached (Lvl11]


    After his order Joe finally turned around to face Ray and Shelly.


    ¡°Don''t move!¡± Ray barked.


    Joe surprised by his tone, did as he said.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ray pointed his dagger directly at Joe, his eye contact unflinching.


    Is this how people were treated for trying to help In Grisha? Joe was completely lost. He expected to see at least grateful eyes, but instead he was me with hostility.


    ¡°I mean you no harm!¡± Joe raised his arms, in an effort to reassure Ray.


    Ray didn''t seem to buy it, his dagger was still pointed at Joe. But something diverted his focus.


    He turned around after hearing low sobs behind him. Shelly had her hands over her face, still unable to stop her tears.


    Ray clenched his teeth and sheathed his dagger to his waist. He trudged towards Shelly and bent down slightly. He seized Shelly''s hair with his right hand and hauled her back to her feet. His hand grasped her throat and he smashed her against a tree.


    The tree shook as leaves fell from the branches. Shelly tried to scream but Ray''s hand stiffiled any sound she tried to make. His eyes bored directly into hers. ¡°Why are you crying Shelly? This is all your fault!¡±


    Shelly''s watery eyes remained widened, her entire body trembled at Ray''s words.


    Slap!


    A sharp sound resonated with the forest. Shelly''s body sprawled to the ground and a red hand print manifested on her right cheek. She held it, tears still dripping down her face.


    ¡°I''m sorry¡­ I''m so¡ª¡±


    Crunch!


    Her words failed to complete when Ray''s knee collided with her face. Her head was rocked back and it hit the ground, hard. Blood pooled from her twisted nose and a few of her teeth were visibly cracked.


    Ray loomed over her, ¡°You think apologizing will change anything? You were the healer Shelly! Why didn''t you help them? Everyone died and its all your fault!¡± Ray rained down on her, stomp after stomp, after stomp. ¡°Just die! You useless bitch!¡± Drops of blood splattered against the soft soil everytime Ray brought down his foot.


    He could see that Shelly was moments away from finally giving in to the weight of his assaults. He raised his foot high in the air. Just as Ray brought down his foot, he felt something tap his shoulder.


    Instinctively, Ray swung around. As he did, a fist struck him right in between the eyes. His skin was smushed together and an audible crack reverberated. Blood exploded from Ray''s face as his body was sent flying across the forest.


    He smashed against a tree and another crack was heard. His body slid down the trunk, his face submerged In blood.


    The perpetrator. Of course, was Joe. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl 4)


    [-55 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:865]


    [Total Skill:25>45]


    [Total Strength:22>38]


    [Total Speed:24>40]


    He cracked his knuckles, ¡°didn''t your mother teach you, not to lay a hand on a lady?¡± Joe''s eyes bored into Ray with a quiet intensity.


    When he didn''t see him move, his focus turned back to Shelly. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked, his expression was a lot sweeter and his tone much more gentle. [Skill Deactivated]


    Joe could see she wasn''t ok, but he had no clue what else to say.


    Shelly stired and sat upright slowly. Joe knelt down offering to help. But Shelly raised her hand and shook her head. ¡°I''m ¡­fine.¡± She managed to say.


    A green light enveloped her body and slowly, her injuries began to fade, the blood dried up and her nose slowly fell back into place. [Skill Activation: Regeneration]


    ¡°Thank You.¡± Her voice was soft.


    Joe just smiled. ¡°No problem. My name''s Joe. ¡°


    ¡°It''s Shelly.¡±


    Before he could say another word, a cough made Joe turn his head. He found Ray slowly begin to rise.


    He clawed his way back to his feet. ¡°You bastard¡­¡± he spat out a large volume of bloody saliva. ¡°Do you have any idea who you''re messing with?¡± Ray huffed, one hand clutching his ribs.


    His eyes darted to Shelly. ¡°So now you''re using that healing skill of yours. You selfish bitch! What about our party members? Why didn''t you help them?¡±


    Shelly''s body began to tremble at his voice once again, unable to say a word.


    Ray clenched his fist, ¡°not talking? That''s fine with me!¡±


    [Skill Activation: Stealth]


    Ray''s body vanished right before Joe''s eyes. It blended with the wind and became impossible to track with the naked eye. Ray was invisible.


    His footsteps vanished without a trace.


    Joe sprang into life, he grabbed Shelly and threw her back. She shrieked, but Joe didn''t have time to be gentle.


    Luckily for Joe, his eyes were not normal. Even though Ray was invisible, Joe could see his mana clear as day. He could not only see the flickering flame, but he saw everything. The routes Ray''s mana took as it circulated throughout his body. How much mana he still had in reserves. Joe could see it all. It was like he had some kiind of X-Ray vision. [Passive Skill: Outsider¡¯s Perspective]


    He kept up with Ray just fine. He saw him imbue mana into a dagger he made invisible. Seeing this, Joe braced himself.


    Ray attacked Joe head on¡ªhe zipped instantly to where he stood. He raised his dagger high above his head, he then swung it down in a verticaly, probably certain Joe couldn''t see a thing.


    But Ray was about to find out the hard way. Joe wasn''t your average opponent.


    Joe''s right hand launched forward and he gripped Ray''s armed wrist. Mana flared from his form, before he drove a left jab deep into Ray''s stomach. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-55 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:810/920]


    The impact deactivated Ray''s Skill and he became visible once again. His body doubled over, eyes in disbelief ¡°how¡­?¡±


    Joe didn''t respond¡ªinstead he threw a second jab that sent Ray tumbling and rolling like a barrel. Before coming to a stop a fair distance away.


    Ray refused to fall down, slowly he dragged himself up once again.


    ¡°Go!¡± Joe commanded.


    ¡°What?¡± Ray was visibly confused.


    ¡°I''ll let you go, if you get out of my sight.¡± Joe''s voice was calm, and his eyes were relaxed as he said this.


    ¡°What? You''re joking? Right?¡± Ray erupted into a short burst of laughter. ¡°You want me to get of your sight? You''ll let me go?¡± Ray couldn''t help but release another chuckle. As his voice died down, his expression turned serious. ¡°That''s not going to happen.¡±


    He reaffirmed his grip on his dagger, ¡°this right here. This dagger was given to me by Kite. But you know where he is now? Dead! He''s dead! How am I going to explain to Kate that his younger brother is dead huh? What am I going to tell her? The reason Kite''s dead is because of her! And if you''re hell bent on standing in my way you bastard.¡± Ray''s eyes turned sinister, ¡°I''ll just kill you both!¡±


    Fire ignited from Ray''s dagger. It crackled with intensity as it shrouded the entire blade except for the handle. [Mana Tool Skill: Burn]


    Ray smirked at the sight, and then without warning¡ªhe thrusted his arm foward. Fire erupted from the dagger. It surged towards Joe in a straight line, multiplying the Dagger''s reach.


    Joe swiftly unsheathed his blade. With a single swing, a crescent arc of mana sliced through Ray''s flames looking to bisect his body. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [Total Skill: 45>90]


    [-90 From Your Mana Pool]


    [Current Mana Pool:720]


    Ray leaped to the side, the slash brisked past his body seconds from slicing him in half. It continued untill it collided with a teee in the distance.


    Ray glanced back at the devastation behind him, his relief written on his face. He turned to Joe once again.


    ¡°That was close, just who in the world is this kid? A licensed adventurer? No that can''t be right.. he must be a lone wanderer or something. It doesn''t matter. I have to finish this now. I don''t have much mana left in the tank. I have use stealth, there''s no way this kid managed to see through it. It was a fluke. Yeah.. that''s what It was. A fluke.¡±


    A smile crept on Ray''s face. [Skill Activation: Stealth] Once again, Ray was invisible.


    Unfortunately for Ray, it wasn''t a fluke. Joe kept up with his movements with ease. He saw Ray jump to the sky and his eyes followed him. Sure enough a spark of flames shone just above, and Ray''s form was revealed.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The flames around the dagger danced. They became wild and unruly. Ray couldn''t get them to settle down. The fire charred his hands and arms. But he refused to let go of it. With furry in his eyes. He swung it with all his strength.


    What followed was a wave of fire that fell from the sky. It came crushing down on Joe like a flood, ready to drown him in its burning embrace.


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (lvl 4) X2]


    [-110 From Your Mana Pool]


    [Current Mana Pool:610]


    [Total Skill:45>65]


    [Total Strength:38>54]


    [Total Speed:40>56]


    Black mana cloaked Joe as he sprung backwards in a powerful leap. The flames crashed to the earth, producing a blast that propelled Joe further backwards. His form skidded across the earth¡ªhe avoided the flames but just barley.


    His jacket was torn and burnmarks found their way to his hands and arms. Joe winced as he endured the pain coursing through his body.


    A cloud of smoke manifested and rapidly consumed the field. But even inside the thick haze [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] was working just fine. Joe could see Ray''s form land and dash towards his position. His movements were silent and quick but Joe could see through them.


    When Ray appeared infront of him and swung his dagger horizontally. Joe simply ducked, the dagger whistled above him. Using the opening created, his black blade ran through Ray''s midsection, cutting him perfectly in half.


    Blood soaked Joe''s blade as Ray''s body parts feel to the ground. The smoke vanished and Joe could see the results of his handiwork first hand.


    Right then and there Joe realized, for the first time in his life. He had just killed a human being.

 Chapter 6

    Joe Just stood there¡ªhe watched as the blood continued to flow out of Ray''s corpse. He could see his exposed guts now smothered in in dirt. The smell of the corpse could make anyone else vomit, but Joe seemed not to care about any of that. All he did was repeat a single sentence to himself.


    "It was either me or him. You did good. He was a psychopath. It was self defense. I allowed him to flee and he refused. Yes, you didn''t do anything wrong."


    A minute passed with Joe still immobile. The same thought repeating in his mind. He was in all extents and purposes lost in a trance. What snapped him back into focus, were Syr''s relentless notifications.


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Landed Up!]


    [Current Level:14]


    Joe couldn''t believe his eyes. ¡°4 Level ups? You mean I get to level up even if I kill humans?¡± Joe had naively assumed that he could only Level up by killing Mana Beasts. Which as he found out, was a completely wrong.


    [You Gain Level Ups Everytime You Gain Experience In Battle. Whether it¡¯s A Mana Beast Or Human, It Really Doesn''t Matter. As Long As You Keep Fighting And Winning, You Will Grow. The Strength Of The Enemy Also Plays A Role In How Fast You Grow. The Stronger The Opponent, The More Level Ups You Will Receive. To An Outsider, Growth Is The Number 1 Priority.]


    ¡°That''s seriously messed up!¡±


    Rewards for killing? Doesn''t something like that create chaos? Joe would''ve been fine even if he wasn''t rewarded for killing Ray, he would just kill more Mana Beasts if necessary.


    The fact that Syr actively encouraged murder was something he never expected.


    [This is Grisha Joe, Most Of Your Earth Values Won''t Apply Here. I Suggest You Adapt Quickly.]


    Syr''s creepy suggestion hung in the air. With Joe not providing a response.


    [The Black Blade Has Reached (Lvl 12)]


    [Your Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement].Has Leveled Up]


    [Your Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [Your Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Reached (Lvl 6)


    [Achievement Unlocked: Native Slayer]


    ? Condition: Slay Your First Native.


    ?? Reward: +3 Additional Attribute Points.


    [Updated Attributes]


    MP: 610//1400


    ? Skill: 23>31(+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 22>30


    ? Speed: 24>32


    ? Defense: 18>22


    ? Mental Strength: 21>25


    ? Additional Attribute Points: 7


    Joe shifted his attention to his notification screen. He couldn''t help but smile at his progress. His numbers were several times higher than they were a few minutes ago. He guessed he had to thank [Rapid Leveling] for his insane growth.


    ¡°Give 4 to my Defense and 3 to my Mental Attributes¡± He ordered, after a few seconds scrutinizing the Window.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ??Defense: 22>26


    ??Mental Strength:25>28


    Joe nodded, his eyes falling back to Ray''s corpse. He found his dagger submerged in gore. He went low on one knee to dig the blade out. The minute his right hand touched the handle¡ªa searing heat shot through his fingers¡ªforcing him to relinquish the blade.


    ¡°Ouch! That hurts!¡± Joe grimaced, as he shook his stinging hand vigorously.


    He had to come up with another plan, since he couldn''t touch it. Joe chose another alternative. From his hand a cloud of mana surged forth. [Skill Activation: Predator] His mana was like a hungry beast, not only did it take the dagger, but it also consumed Ray''s body along with it. The thought of consuming a corpse was nasty, but Joe was able to bare it.


    [The Mana Tool:( Scorching Dagger) Has Been Added To Your Inventory. Do You Want Information On The Scorching Dagger?]


    ¡°Sure, go ahead¡±


    [Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger]


    Level: 9


    Class: D


    Description: A prestigious dagger forged using Ember Stone. Its compact size makes it ideal for light warrior-class adventurers who favor weightless weaponry. The Scorching Dagger can absorb mana injected by its user and convert it into fire. However, controlling the fire requires a high mental strength attribute.


    Skills


    1. BurN


    Effect: Ignites the dagger, covering it in flames.


    Boost: +10 Skill Attribute Points


    Mana Cost: 25 Mana Pool Points


    2. Flame Thrust


    Effect: Manipulates the flames surrounding the dagger, allowing it to extend beyond its normal length.


    Boost: +20 Skill Attribute Points


    Range: 8 meters


    Mana Cost: 30 Mana Pool Points


    3. Flame Severing


    Effect: Generates intense fire to cut through other fire-based skills.


    Boost: +25 Skill Attribute Points


    Mana Cost: 35 Mana Pool Points


    4. Ignite


    Effect: Unleashes a wave of flames that devour everything in their path.


    Boost: +30 Skill Attribute Points


    Mana Cost: 50 Mana Pool Points


    Range: 10 meters


    Seals


    Seals Unlocked: 0/5


    Awakening: LockedThis content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Joe was surprised to see the Scorching Dagger possessed so many skills at such a low level. Meanwhile The Black Blade which was higher in Level still only possessed one skill. Maybe Mana Tools came with a predetermined number of skills and The Black Blade just happened to be unlucky. That was Joe''s hypothesis.


    [You Have Absorbed The Soul Of The Native Ray]


    [+1 Soul Has Been Stored Inside Your Body]


    [You Have Unlocked A New Skill: Soul Control (Rare)]


    Joe had unlocked a new skill and this was all due to absorbing Ray''s corpse. Just the thought of having a soul inside his body was more uncomfortable than devouring a corpse. At least with a corpse Joe was certain it was dead. But a soul, what if it just came alive and took over his consciousness? A chill went through his spine just thinking about it.


    Shelly began to stir and this forced Joe out of his disturbing thoughts.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, you know,¡± Shelly''s voice was louder this time. She sniffled, wiping her tear-streaked face. ¡°Everything Ray said was true¡­¡±


    Her words spilled out as she sobbed. ¡°I watched them all die. So many of my party members were devoured by those beasts. I¡¯m the healer. They relied on me, placed their lives in my hands. But no matter how much I healed them, it didn¡¯t matter. They just kept dying. And each time..."


    Shelly clutched her ears, her cries growing louder, as though blocking their echoes in her mind. ¡°I froze, I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t save them. All of those people back there¡­¡± She pointed at their disfigured corpses not far from her. ¡°They died because of me!"


    Her eyes, wet with tears and burning with anguish, locked onto Joe¡¯s. ¡°Ray was right. I don''t deserve to live. Please¡­ just kill me!¡±


    Joe was just about to open his mouth¡ªwhen a guttural howl echoed the Black Forest. The ground trembled and the trees wiggled. Turning his head to face the source, Joe could see a burning crimson light in the distance. It dwarfed everything before it, turning the tree tops bloody. A thunderous roar accompanied the light and Joe knew immediately. Something huge was coming.


    Trees toppled one after the other. A large number of Wolfins came rushing through the fallen trees. They brisked past Joe and Shelly''s forms not sparing them a glance. They were running away.


    A giant breeze blew past Joe, he had to shield his face and make sure his footing was firm and stable otherwise he was going to be blown away. When the breeze died down¡ªit finally came into view.


    It''s crimson fur shone brightly under the now night sky. It stood double the size of any Wolfin Joe had seen. It''s Mana Beast Core radiated a chilling red.


    [Main Quest.]


    ? Objective: Slay The [Lvl 20] Dungeon Boss ¡®The Great Wolfin¡¯


    Reward: 15, 000 Gold Pieces.


    [Evolution Stage 3]


    [Clan: Yakura]


    The Dungeon Boss Had Arrived.


    Joe stood, frozen for a second.


    His eyes feel on a single notification in particular. ¡°Evolution Stage?¡± Joe had seen Syr reference this very thing before but he had absolutely no idea what it was.


    [Mana Beasts Evolve As They Level Up. The Higher The Stage Of Evolution. The Stronger The Beast. The Wolfins You''ve Killed Were Of Lower Stages. Compared To Them, The Difference Is Night And Day.]


    ¡°So if those earlier Wolfins were children, this guy must be the big daddy.¡± Joe had a forced smile on his face.


    [Well, This Forest Is A Dungeon To Humans, But To The Mana Beasts Of The ''Yakura Tribe¡¯ It¡¯s Their Home, Or Territory To Be Exact. In Order To Protect Their Territory And Children, A Guardian Is Appointed. ''The Great Wolfin'' Is That Guardian.]


    The Great Wolfin realesed a powerful roar and mana erupted from Its figure. The mana then discharged and pulsed throughout the entire forest. [Skill Activation: Prideful Roar]


    [-18 Attribute Points To Your Mental Strength.(Current: 10)


    [-10 Attribute Points To Your Speed. (Current:22)


    [-10 Attribute Points To Your Strength. (Current:20)


    Joe''s whole body suddenly weighed him down. His hands vibrated and his grip on The Black Blade became unstable. His legs were rotted, struggling to move an inch. It was as if gravity itself had decided that infront of such a beast. A mere existence like himself, had no right to move.


    ¡°Dammit, so this is it. The power of a Dungeon Boss.¡±


    The Great Wolfin raised its foot, mana shrouded its giant claws, and with a single motion¡ªthree horizontal red slashes of pure mana manifested. They shredded the earth like paper¡ªtheir crimson glow bathed Shelly''s figure as they rapidly approached her form. [Skill Activation: Crimson Claws]


    Shelly didn''t move. She instead closed her eyes. Almost as if resigning herself to die.


    "What is she doing?"


    The Mana Slashes were moments away from ending her life when¡­


    Joe''s figure apoeared infront of her. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl 6) X2]


    [-140 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:470]


    [Total Speed:22>70]


    [Total Strength:20>68]


    [Total Skill: 31>87]


    He swung his blade horizontally. producing his own arc to counter the incoming attack. [Skill Activation: Mana Slash]


    [-100 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:370]


    [Total Skill: 87>137]


    Joe''s arc was much larger than before, it zipped through the air and collided with the incoming slashes. The contact produced a shockwave that buzzed throughout the Dungeon. The tress that remained standing wobbled and Joe himself struggled to maintain his footing.


    Joe''s skill looked to he winning out¡ªit pushed the [Crimson Claws] back but that was only an illusion. [Crimson Claws] ultimately overpowered Joe''s [Mana Slash] It sliced through the attack and proceeded to go of its caster. Its speed was almost untraceable at such a distance, before Joe even thought about defending himself¡ªhis entire midsection was sliced open.


    Blood gushed from his stomach and mouth as he crumbled to his knees. Blood started to leaked profusely and as he touched his midsection, his hand came out completely crimson.


    Joe''s eyes blurred ¡° Dammit, I should''ve definitely invested more into my defense Stats¡±


    More blood exited his mouth as he coughed. His chest cave in as he struggled to breathe. But even through all that, Joe wobbled his way back to his feet. He panted, barely standing on his own two legs.


    Just one attack, that single attack from the Dungeon Boss placed him on death''s door.


    ¡°What the¡­helll is wrong with you?¡± Joe snapped, his head turned to face Shelly. ¡°You think dying will change anything? Those people, Kite and your party members. They died so you could live! Throwing away your life is the same as spitting on their graves!¡±


    Shelly''s eyes widened. Joe''s words seemingly striking the core of her heart.


    ¡°I don''t know about you¡­¡± Joe turned to face the Great Wolfin, his Black Blade firm in his grasp ¡°I''ll fight! I''ll fight until I die!¡± Joe''s voice rang proud and loud. His eyes burned with conviction, even as he stared down the mighty Dungeon Boss.


    ¡°Syr let''s do it. Let''s go X3!¡±


    [Are You Insane? You Saw The Backlash Your Body Received When You Went X2. Not To Mention, Your Body Is In A Much Worse Physical State Than It Was Back Then. A X3 Multiplier Will Kill You.]


    ¡°What choice do i have? I''m already going to die!¡± Joe shot back through gritted teeth.


    ¡°If I''m going to die either way, I wanna give it everything I''ve got!¡±


    [Fine]


    Joe grimaced. Mana exploded out of his body. It flared like a whirlwind that could blow an entire house away. Joe''s muscles tightened and his blood loss stopped momentarily. The weight of his mana pressed on his shoulders.


    [You''ll Only Be Able To Maintain This Boost For 30 Seconds Before Your Body Gives In. Don''t You Dare Die!]


    ¡°30 seconds¡­ that''s more than enough¡±


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Lvl 6) X3]


    [Total Skill:87>143]


    [Total Speed:70>94]


    [Total Strength:68>93]


    [-225 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 145]


    [30 Seconds Remaining]


    With a single step Joe threw himself foward. His speed was boardering untraceable with the naked eye. Staring down the collosal monstrosity¡ªhe targeted its legs. Joe closed in, his blade in motion ready to sever the left leg.


    But the Great Wolfin responded.


    It raised its foot and stomped the ground in an effort to squash Joe''s body like a bug. [Skill Activation: Mana Beast Stomp]


    Acting purely on reflex, Joe launched himself backwards.


    The foot struck the earth and spider web cracks manifested. The shockwave launched Joe further backwards, his form drifted as he looked to counter his momentum. The earth was displaced and large chunk of rocks flew his direction.


    Joe had to dig deep to firmly plant his footing and stop his momentum. His boots sunk into the earth¡ªfinally he stopped.


    He immediately followed this with a giant swing of The Black Blade. The arc it produced was collosal, but somehow it zipped through the air even faster than before. It sliced the incoming rocks like butter¡ªreducing them to nothing but debris. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [Total Skill:143>193]


    [-100 Mana Pool Rank Points]


    [Current Mana 45]


    [15 Secods Remaining]


    Joe gritted his teeth, he didn''t have much time left. With a thumping heart, he went full steam ahead in a lighting quick final dash. His eyes fell on the giant rocks that floated in mid air, held up conveniently by the Wolfin''s mana. Joe smiled at the sight, these boulder sized rocks would surely do the trick.


    He leaped to the sky and landed on one of these rocks, he then propelled himself higher jumping one rock the other. He did this several times in the space of a few seconds. Everytime he jumped, the rock he used for footing crumbled under his weight.


    When Joe reached the final rock, he gave all of his strength to his legs. He crouched and then blasted to the heavens. The wind blew past his form, but he had no intentions of stopping. He rose higher, even eclipsing the imposing giant that was The Great Woflin.


    [10 Seconds Remaining]


    Joe raised his Black Blade high in the air. His mana flowed through it freely. As he descended, he prepared himself to bring it down in one final strike.


    The Great Wolfin however, was not done.


    It''s maw opened and a red light manifested before condensing and taking the shape of an orb. Without waiting a second, the Great Wolfin launched the orb of pure mana at high speed. [Skill Activation: Mana Beast Orb]


    As the orb rapidly approached Joe knew he couldn''t rely on another skill. He had already pushed himself to the limit. The [Mana Beast Orb]¡¯s crimson glow bathed his figure in red. Joe had already accepted it, he was going to die.


    Just as the orb was moments away from consuming him, a green circular barrier shielded Joe''s figure. [Skill Activation: Green Veil]


    ¡°I''ll fight! I''ll fight untill I die.¡± Shelly pointed her staff fowrd as she screamed at the top of her lungs.


    Joe glanced at her before smiling, his eyes were once again hardened.


    The barrier took on the full attack before it shattered into green shards of mana.


    This left Joe''s form to free fall from above. He reaffirmed his grip, before he brought his blade down with every once of stenghth he could master. ¡°Die!¡±


    Joe''s blade curved into the Great Wolfin''s giant skull. It traveled down its face and neck. Blood gushed out, but even then it continued. It sliced open the chest and severed the beast perfectly in half.


    Joe landed as the beast''s two halves fell on either side.


    [1 second Remaining.]


    They had won.

 Chapter 7

    [Your Time Has Run Out]


    Joe''s bones contorted and snapped one after the other. His body crumbled to the ground¡ªthe wound on his stomach unraveling. Blood pooled beneath him and his eyes blurred. He could make out Shelly''s frantic voice coming towards him admist the harsh ringing in his head.


    Joe was certain, he had met his end.


    [13 Years Ago.]


    In a dark cold space, a six year old Joe sat alone. Only his quiet sobs disturbed the peaceful shadows.


    Footsteps bounced off the walls before Joe''s door swung open. A flashing light surged into the room chasing away the shadows. It brought warmth and a sense of life in an otherwise dull environment. Only small grey walls and a messy tiled floor made up Joe''s room.


    His back was against the wall directly facing the door. His knees were raised up to his chest, his arms rested on top of them and his watery eyes were glued on the one who had invaded his space.


    The invader, was his mother.


    She smiled warmly with the back drop of the light emphasizing her appearance. Her black dress was tight and fitted her curved body perfectly. Her hands shone with elegant silver bracelets strapped on her wrists.


    Joe''s eyes however were more focused on her face. Her cheeks were discolored and swollen. Red, gaping scars assaulted every part of her skin. Her once ocean blue left eye was swollen shut.


    Something must''ve have happened. Again.


    Joe could only clench his weak fists after seeing his mother like that. His mother''s warm smile failed to console him, instead it chipped away at his heart slowly.


    His mother strode towards him, her heels producing a sharp clang as they bounced off the fragile tiles. Each step she took was measured and controlled. It carried an air of authority and confidence.


    Joe couldn''t understand it, how could she smile with those wounds? Wasn''t she hurting?


    His mother sat beside him, her hand reached out to ruffle his hair, ¡°Why''s my little champion crying out here by himself?¡± Her smile grew bigger.


    ¡°I''m not crying!¡± Joe shouted, as he scrubbed any sign of tears from his face.


    His mother chuckled, ¡°you''re a bad liar you know that?¡¯ her open eye was lively as she looked at her son.


    ¡°I''m not.¡± by this time, Joe had erased all the evidence.


    Joe''s mother just grabbed his face and placed it against her chest. Her body was warm, comfortable. She stroked his hair like a baby doll, ¡°it''s going to be okay Joe. I promise. ¡°


    After hearing those words, Joe just broke down. His tears came pouring out, and his cries were stifflied by her mother''s embraced. Joe just unleashed it all, the pent up emotions that he was bubbling finally burst.


    Her mother continued to stroke his hair, encouraging him to just release it all.


    It took a good 4 minutes before Joe could make any words, ¡°it''s¡­ father¡­ he did it again. He hurt Chloe!¡± Joe''s voice was breaking, his tears getting in the way of a coherent sentence. ¡°I couldn''t anything! I couldn''t help her!¡± his tears intensified.


    Joe''s mother took a moment before she lifted his head, her hands cupped his cheeks as she looked at him dead in the eye. Her face was still vibrant, despite Joe''s hopeless gaze. ¡°if you''re the one crying, whose going to look after Chloe? You''re the big brother Joe, how will your sister feel if you''re the one crying?¡± her words were soft, yet they cut deep into Joe''s heart.


    She wiped Joe''s tears with her fingers before she looked up at the ceiling. Her eye was distant, lost in thought. Seconds passed before she faced her son again. ¡°I''m a bad parent. I''ve failed both you and your sister. Nothing I say will ever make up for for that.¡±


    She looked at Joe with a saddened expression, ¡°but can you please promise me something Joe? I know it''s a lot to put on your shoulders, but could you protect Chloe for me?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Joe''s eyes immediately hardened, ¡°I''ll do it! I promise I''ll protect her. I won''t let her get hurt again.¡±


    Joe''s mother pulled her son close for another hug before whispering, ¡°thank you.¡±


    [Present Moment]


    Joe''s eyes fluttered to life. Slowly, he dragged himself to sit upright with one hand still clutching his temple.


    The image of his mother was etched into his mind. Tears flowed down his face without delay, ¡°I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry mom¡­ I couldn''t protect Chloe In the end.¡±


    Joe just poured it all out like he did back then. The only difference this time, was that his mother was not there to comfort him. He was alone.


    It took several minutes before he finally regained some sort of composure. He wiped away his tears and the snot that ran down his nose. His eyes darted infront of him, confirming he was still in the Black Forest. That''s when it struck him. There was a fight. A fight with the Dungeon Boss. What happened?


    Joe was met with nothing but silence, no such battle was taking place. His gaze fell to his body and he was specheless. The blood and the gaping hole on his stomach was gone. What was left behind was the tattered remains of his vest and jacket¡ªhis wounds nowhere to be seen.


    His arms and every part if his body seemed in perfect condition. It was as if the battle had never taken place. That''s when Shelly''s sleeping form became apparent to him. She lay just infront him, Joe was so panicked he had missed her completely. She slept like a baby, one hand clutched her staff while her green her fell down her cheeks. Her breathing was soft and effortless.


    Joe could see however that she was nearly out of mana. Her once healthy mana signature was now a dim light that threatened to flicker out. But as she slept, the flame slowly regained its life. With each passing second, her Mana recovered slowly. Was this how humans regained their lost mana? It certainly looked that way.


    Shelly was recovering but Joe''s heart was heavy, the reason Shelly''s mana was so depleted was because of him. She must''ve spent a lot of mana to heal his body like she did.


    A sharp smell invaded Joe''s attention, it had been there since he woke up but only now did he pay full attention to it. It came from behind him. Joe pulled himself up and turned around to face the source of the smell.


    It was the Great Woflin''s body. What remained of it anyway. Its two sliced up halves were the sole reason for the stench. It''s Mana Core still produced a vibrant light despite its pitiful condition.


    Joe slowly approached it, he knelt on one knee and activated [Predator]. Like the reliable skill it was, [Predator] devoured both halves of the Great Wolfin leaving nothing behind. Joe was somewhat surprised, he didn''t expect [Predator] to be able to devour a creature that big. Yet it was successful and without any sign of difficulty, did [Predator] not have size limit? Joe could only wonder as he rose to his feet.


    [+2000 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2090]


    Joe still couldn''t belive how low his mana was. It was In double digits before he absorbed the Great Wolfin''s. Using [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3] had almost completely ran him dry.


    He belived Shelly must''ve also recovered some of his mana while she healed him because he was dangerously close to running out. Based on how Syr spoke, Mana is deeply tied to one''s life. If he had run out¡ªhe''d probably be dead.


    Joe got a huge energy boost after his mana was refilled, further emphasizing its importance to his well-being. He needed to be stronger if he wanted to survive, much stronger.


    He turned around and before he took a step¡­


    [+1 (Lvl 20) Mana Beast Core Has Been Added To Your Inventory]


    Syr dropped another notification. This notification was expected, but it also sparked something in his mind.


    [Would You Like Me To Inform You Of Your Progress?]


    ¡°Sure¡± Joe decided to hold on to this idea in his mind. He was now sole focused on the updates.


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [Current Level:20]


    Joe''s eyes widened at the flood of Level Ups he received. ¡°That''s a lot..¡± he muttered.


    To his surprise, Syr was still not done.


    [You Have Slain The (Lvl 20) Dungeon Boss ¡®The Great Wolfin'']


    [Main Quest Complete!]


    ?? Reward: 15,000 Gold Pieces.


    [Total Gold Pieces: 20,000]


    [Achievement Unlocked: First Boss]


    ?? Condition: Slay Your First Dungeon Boss


    ?? Reward: +5 Additional Attribute Points


    [You Have Cleared The Sub-Dungeon ¡®The Black Forest¡¯]


    ?? Reward: Dungeon Item - The White Fang


    [The Dungeon Item (The White Fang) Has Been Added To Your Inventory]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Has Reached (Lvl 10])


    [The Black Blade Has Reached (Lvl 15])


    [The Black Blade Has Unlocked A New Skill. (Charge)]


    [The Black Blade Has Unlocked 1/ 5 Seals.]


    [Updated Attributes.]


    ?? Mana Pool: 2,090/ 2,120


    ? Skill: 31> 43 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 30>42


    ? Speed: 32>44


    ? Defense: 26>30


    ? Mental Strength: 28>32


    ? Additional Attribute Points: 11


    Joe could barely belive his eyes. So these were the rewards for conquering a Dungeon. His heart fluttered with joy, the smile on his face irreplaceable.


    He was growing stronger.

 Chapter 8

    The information infront of Joe was a lot, he needed a few seconds just to read everything carefully. This had to be by far Syr''s biggest notification dump, and rightly so considering he just killed a Dungeon Boss. If he got these kinds of rewards, did Shelly receive similar rewards for playing such a huge role in killing the Dungeon Boss? Did she also have a Syr in his mind? Joe realized that he never close to nothing about how Inhabitants of this world lived their lives.


    It was to be expected considering this was an entirely different realm when compared to Earth. But it also intensified the feeling, that he didn''t belong here¡ªthis was not his home.


    Realizing he was going to depress himself, Joe decided to shake his head. His attention turned back to the notifications infront of him.


    Joe had received a new reward for killing the Dungeon Boss which gave him 5 Additional Attribute Points these were by far the biggest points he''d received from an achievement. His first focus was on distributing his points as best he could.


    ¡°Ok Syr give 4 to my defense and give 3 to my memtal strength.¡± These were Joe''s default stats whenever he leveled up because this forest showed him just how important they were in his survival. ¡°Give 2 points to my skill¡± two points probably wouldn''t be much in the grand scheme of things, but Joe wanted to reinforce his skil even if it was slightly. The Great Woflin''s [Crimson Claws] skill tore through his [Mana Slash] like it was nothing. He couldn''t let that happen, not ever again.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Skill: 43>45


    ?? Defense: 32>36


    ?? Mental Strength: 34>37


    Joe nodded at the confirmation. His eyes fell back to Shelly''s sleeping form. He moved further away from her, before finding a nice spot under a tree. ¡°Hey syr, would it be possible if we communicate using my inner thoughts. I don''t want to wake Shelly up, she''s exhausted because of me. The least I can do Is let her rest.¡±


    [Sure, I''m Already In Your Head. We Can Communicate Whichever Way You Prefer.]


    ¡°Great¡± Joe was already using his mind to relay that message.


    His eyes fell on one of his notifications. He had recived what was called a Dungeon Item. Since he had no idea what that was, consulting Syr was the only option. ¡°Can you explain what a Dungeon Item is to me Syr?¡±


    [Dungeon Items, Are Items Recived After The Clearing Of A Dungeon. They Come With A Condition, You Can Not Use A Dungeon Item Outside A Dungeon.]


    ¡°Well that''s disappointing.¡± Joe decided to keep the White Fang in his inventory for now. He''d call upon it later if things really got dangerous. Since it wasn''t an item he could use outside of dugeons, Joe''s excitement for acquiring it was tame.


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] and The Black Blade gaining levels did bring a smile to his face but they also brought worry. Everytime his skills got stronger, they also became harder and harder to use, due to their increasing costs to activate them. During his battle with the Great Wolfin he had completely depleted his mana due to this very fact. But Joe chose not to worry about it too much, getting stronger was always a positive. He just had to manage his mana supply to ensure he never got into a situation like that one again.


    He noticed that the Black Blade gained a new skill, which immediately shut down the theory he had about the Black Blade not having other skills. ¡°Charge? What does that skill do Syr?¡±


    [The Black Blade]


    [New Skill: Charge]


    Charge


    ?? Effect: The Skill Allows You To Double The Amount Of Mana Injected Into The Black Blade, Thereby Doubling The Power Of The Black Blade''s Skills.


    Note: You Need A Period of 10 Seconds To Allow The Black Blade To Gather Enough Mana. After [Charge] Has Been Unleashed. You Will Lose Access To The Black Blade''s Skills For A Duration Of 90 Seconds.


    This was it, the skill he desperately needed if he wanted to survive attacks like [Crimson Claws] in the future. This Skill also complemented [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] perfectly. Joe''s heart started pumping with excitement. He couldn''t wait to try these out. Even after a near death experience, the idea of another battle was exhilarating. Was he always like this? This battle hungry maniac? Joe couldn''t find the answer.


    ¡°The Black Blade has unlocked a new seal, what does that mean exactly.¡± Joe had seen these seals when Syr first described The Black Blade to him, he was intrigued by them then, but even more so now. Considering he had unlocked one of them.


    [Mana Tool Seals Are Essentially The Steps You Need To Take Towards Unlocking A Mana Tool''s True Potential. Almost Every Mana Tool In Existence Possess These Seals. They Can Enhance A Blade''s Power Considerably.


    At This Level, This is The Boost You Receive When Releasing One Of The Black Blade''s Seals.


    Seals: 1/ 5


    ?? Boost: +30 Attribute Points To Your Skill.


    ?? Mana Cost: 20 Mana Pool Points.


    Like Everything Else, The Boosts And Costs Will Increase As The Black Blade Levels Up And As You Gain Access To More Seals.]


    The Black Blade was finally starting to give back, after Joe''s heavy investment in aiding it to grow. This also reminded him of the idea that had sparked in his brain earlier.


    ¡°Syr, the core I''ve just absorbed is much larger than any of the cores I''ve devoured up to this point. It also belongs to a (lvl 20) Mana Beast. I was thinking, would it be possible to split this core into four pieces.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    [You Want To Split Into Four?]


    ¡°Yes, there''s something I want to try.¡± Joe had a sly smile on his face.


    [This Mana Beast Core Should Be Able To Handle That. It Belongs To A Dungeon Boss So It''s Stronger Than Your Average (lvl 20) Core. What Do You Plan To Do With It.]


    ¡°Well I was thinking¡­ my current attributes are stronger than before Yes, but I fell like i need something¡­ something to reinforce my body. Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3 nearly killed me when I used it. If it wasn''t for Shelly I''d be dead.


    [So You Want Armour?]


    ¡®Yes!¡± Joe responded emphatically. ¡°I want 4 things. One. I want you to improve my current Outfit. Use a piece of the Mana Beast Core to improve its durability. As it is right now, it doesn''t provide any protection for my body. That Dungeon Boss¡¯s skill tore through it without an issue. I need something stronger.¡±


    [I Can Help You With That. I''m Actually Surprised You Thought Of This Yourself.]


    ¡±I Think you''ll find that I''m pretty crafty if I put my mind into it.¡± Joe couldn''t hide his smug facial expression.


    [The Dividing Of The Mana Besst Core Will Begin Shortly..]


    A few seconds rolled by, before Syr came back with another notification.


    [Division Complete!]


    [The (Lvl 20) Dungeon Boss Mana Beast Core Has Been Split Into Four Pieces.]


    [Remaining Pieces: 4]


    [Since It''s Been Divided Like This, Know That You''ve Splt It''s Power Into 4. The Upgrades It Can Make With 4 Individual Pieces, Will Be Much Weaker Than They Would Be If The Core Was Still A Single Perfect Piece]


    ¡°I expected that to be case.¡± Joe admitted. He stood uo momentarily as he prepared for the Upgrades. ¡°Ok Syr, Let''s do this.¡±


    [You Have Used 1/ 4 Pieces. Your Upgrade Will Begin Shortly..]


    A bright blue light submerged Joe''s figure. For a moment his senses dulled, he felt like he had been lifted up to heaven by an angel. Everything felt easy and weightless. This lasted for a few seconds before his senses snapped him back into reality.


    [Upgrade Complete!]


    Joe''s jacket had been fully transformed. It had morphed into a long black cloak that reached the back of his knees. It had a tight and snug collar around his neck and overall was more comfortable and warmer than before. His pants also got the same treatment. They felt tighter and more solid around his waist and thighs. Joe''s entire body felt more protected¡ªthis was exactly what he had hoped for. The best part about all of this, was how light everything was. He could move his body freely without worrying about being slowed down. It was honestly perfect for him.


    [Light Armour: The Black Sheep]


    Level: 5


    Class: D


    Description: A smooth and light piece of armour made out of a small piece of a (lvl 20) Mana Beast Core. The armour takes the form of a durable cloak and pants. This piece of equipment increases the Defensive Attributes of the wearer considerably.


    Boost: +15 Defense Attribute Points. (Passive)


    ?? Skills


    Elemental Block (Passive)


    The Skill Reduces The Strenghth Elemental Skills That Make Contact With The Black Sheep, While Enhancing Your Defense Attribute.


    Boost; +15 Defense Attribute Points When Up Against An Elemental Skill.


    Metal Skin. (Passive)


    The Skill Provides Moderate Defense Against Sharp Mana Tools.


    Boost: +5 Defense Points When Up Against Sharp Mana Tools


    [Updated Attribute]


    Defense: 36>51 [Black Sheep Passive Boost]


    [Are You Happy With It?]


    ¡°Yes, I have two skills on top of my passive boost, of course I''m happy. You did good Syr.¡± Joe couldn''t stop


    admiring his new fit.


    [So What Do You Want To Do With The Other Pieces]


    ¡°I want you to upgrade my boots and my gloves to protect my fists. Hitting a mana beast with your fist is satisfying, but its not fun. I want something to reduce the stress on my knuckles. As for the boots, I think I could move a lot faster, these ones feel a little bit heavy. If that makes sense.¡±


    [I Get It]


    [You Have Used 3/ 4 Pieces. Your Upgrade Will Begin Shortly..]


    Joe''s fists and boots were both consumed by a blue light. His hands and feet both felt tingly and ticklish. He had a wide smile on his face while the process was taking place. After a few seconds the light dimmed and the process concluded.


    [Upgrade Complete!]


    [Equipment: The Black Gloves.]


    Level 5


    Class: D


    Description: Black Gloves Made Using A Small Piece Of A (lvl 20) Mana Beast Orb. The Gloves Provide Comfort Around The Hands And Enhance The Wearer''s Strength Attribute.


    Boost: +10 Strength Attribute Points (Passive)


    [Equipment: The Black Boots,]]


    Level: 5


    Class: D


    Description: Black Boots Made Using A Small Piece Of A (lvl 20) Mana Beast Orb. The Boots Grant The User A Stable Footing While Enhancing Their Speed Attribute.


    Boost: +10 Speed Attribute Points (Passive)


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Strength: 42>52 [Black Gloves Passive Boost]


    ?? Speed: 44>54 [Black Boots Passive Boost]


    Joe gazed at his new boots and gloves, his already large smile growing bigger by the minute. He clenched his fists and stomped the ground to check his footing.


    ¡°Perfect! You can use the last piece on the Scorching Dagger. If I plan to use it in the future, I can''t neglect it.¡±


    [You Have Used The Last Piece To Upgrade The Scorching Dagger]


    [The Mana Tool (Scorching Dagger) Has Reached (Lvl 10)]


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Joe exhaled, he took a seat against the tree once more and he gazed at the heavens. He was making great progress, but something had been at the back of his mind, even since he arrived here in Grisha. He didn''t have time to share it due to all the things he had to deal with, but now was the chance. His chance to release it all.


    ¡°Tell me Syr, what really is an Outsider? Why in the world was I transported to a world like this.¡±


    [Well¡­ It¡¯s Complicated, But I¡¯ll Try To Simplify It For You. Its A Class Assigned To Individuals Who Have Been Transported From One Planet To Another, After Their World Has Been Deleted. To Put It Simply, They Were Not Born In That World And Do Not Belong There, Hence The Name ''Outsider.'' As For Why You Were Sent Here, I Can¡¯t Answer That.]


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    [God Asura Has Forbidden Me From Doing So]


    ¡°Screw him Syr! Just tell me! You can''t expect me to wonder around this planet without knowing why I''m even here. I need answers, now!¡±


    [You Mustn¡¯t Speak ill Of A God. You¡¯re Lucky God Asura Has Not Been Himself Lately. Otherwise, You Would Be Dead.]


    Joe''s heart raced at Syr''s words. The idea of being killed just for uttering a single insult was unreasonable and horrifying.


    [Just Think Of This As Another Opportunity. A Second Chance At Life That Many Others Were Not Given. You''ve Seen For Yourself How Drastic This World Differs From Your Own. You Can Do So Many Things You Weren''t Able To Before. Can''t You Just Accept That You''ve Been Given Another Life And Enjoy It?]


    ¡°You want think of this as my second life?¡± Joe snapped. ¡°What bullshit! What about the others Syr.¡± His voice grew, as spittle flew from his lips with every word he spat. ¡°What about the billions who lost their lives? Why was I the one chosen to survive! Just¡­ Why did my sister have to die..¡± Joe''s tears flowed down his face, snot was also seen dripping from his nose. He sniffed it back, wiping his tears as best he could.


    [I Can¡¯t Answer All Your Questions But, I Can Tell You This. You''re Not The Only Person From Earth Who Has Been Transported To Grisha.]


    Joe lifted his head, he looked up at Syr¡¯s notification with wide and hopeful eyes. His heart raced, ¡°Are You Serious!¡±


    [Yes, Your Family Could Still Be Alive]

 Chapter 9

    "Where are they?¡± Joe asked with urgency.


    [I Said That They Could Be Alive, Not That They Were. It''s Not A Guarantee That They''re Still Alive.]


    ¡°But there''s a chance right? My sister and mother could still be in Grisha?¡± Joe''s heart fluttered with newfound hope. He cleared the last remains of his tears, as he waited for Syr to respond.


    [They Could Be, But The Chances Are Low. After Earth Was Deleted, The Gods Chose Around A Thousand Souls To Be Transported To Grisha. Excluding You, That Leaves 999 Souls. From A Planet With Over Seven Billion Inhabitants, The Chances Of Your Family Being Among Them Are Slim.]


    ¡°You''re wrong, 999 souls is a lot.¡± Joe argued, ¡°Chloe and mother have to be among them, they just have to.¡± Joe sprung to life, and began pacing up and down frantically. One hand stroked his chin, his mind racing with questions.


    "What criteria do the gods use when choosing a soul to transport? I need to narrow the odds. Is it age? Gender? What is it?"


    [Gods Can Do Whatever They Want Whenever They Want. They Don¡¯t Follow A Criteria¡ªThey Act On Whim. Trying To Understand Their Methods Or Thought Process Is Futile.]


    ¡°That''s not good enough!¡± Joe shouted, breaking his mental communication. Realizing his mistake from his own echo, Joe took a deep breath before engaging in mental communication once again, ¡°I need you need to give me something, anything. Where did the gods transport the other 999 souls.¡±


    [Grisha Is Massive. Figuring Out Where All The Other Souls Were Sent Would Be A Monumental Task. I¡¯m Not God. I Don''t Have That Kind Of Power. If You Want To Find Them, There''s No Shortcut. You Will Have To Search The Entire World.]


    All Joe heard were more excuses. Syr proved less helpful with each question he posed. Not being able to narrow the task down, almost made it impossible impossible. Searching an entire planet was unrealistic. Where would he even start? Not to mention the danger, he barely survived a small dungeon like the Black Forest. How was he going to survive searching the world? The World must definitely possessed creatures way stronger than the Woflin.


    Joe came to a stop and leaned against a tree. ¡°No, I''m making excuses.¡± Joe said to himself in a whisper. ¡°This is my mother and Chloe we''re talking about. I don''t care what I have to do. I''ll find them. I''ll find them both matter what.¡± Joe''s voice rose to above a whisper, but nothing intrusive.


    Clearly though, he was finding mental communication to be a burden. He was the kind of guy who would rather express his emotions verbally. Mental communication was going to take some getting used to.


    Joe decided to sit down after his utterance. Shelly was still sleeping, his pacing was probably going to disturb her sleep. He observed her sleeping form for a few seconds before his gaze turned to the Sky.


    By the look of things, morning was rapidly approaching and it wouldn''t be long before the sun began to rise. Joe had spent almost an entire day In this Dungeon. It was an incredible achievement for him, yes a small forest wasn''t much in the grand scheme of things and he almost died several times. But this reaffirmed to him that he was a surviver. He wasn''t going to roll over and die. He was going to fight.


    Joe clenched his fists as he glared at the sky. The sight of the heavens triggered a question he''d been meaning to ask. ¡°Syr, you said earth was deleted. What did you mean by that. Did someone or something destroy earth on purpose.¡± The flashing light the fell from the sky played on repeat in Joe''s mind.


    [It¡¯s Quite Simple. Most Planets Are Governed By A Primeval God. There Are Exceptions, Like Grisha, Which Do Not Possess A Primeval God. Earth However, Was Not An Exception. A Primeval God Existed There. I Don¡¯t Know Their Identity, But They Are The Ones Who Destroyed Your Planet]


    Joe clenched his teeth. This confirmed something he had already suspected. Of course something like that wasn''t a natural disaster. Something or someone must''ve been responsible, and to think it was a God. It was so absurd that one could laugh out loud. But when Joe was introduced to the idea of gods being a real thing, nothing seemed impossible anymore.


    ¡±Why! Why would they do something like that! Those people, all those lives. Chloe¡­ they didn''t deserve any of that!¡± Joe''s voice had gone out if control.


    [I Don¡¯t Know. There Could Be Many¡ª]


    ¡°You Don''t Know?¡± Joe interrupted sharply. ¡°Then what do you know Syr? You don''t know why my family was killed. You don''t know where their souls are, You don''t know which god destroyed my planet¡± Joe''s voice boomed. ¡°Looks like to me, you don''t know anything! You''re useless! Useless!¡±


    [I Understand Your Frustration But You Must Remain Ca¡ª,]


    ¡°Just go Syr. I don''t want to talk right now. Just leave me alone.¡±


    Joe got his wish. He was left to his own devices. A feeling of helplessness gripped his heart. Everything that happened to him since that day was the result of a God. He felt like he''d lost any sense of control he once had over his life. Things were being done and decided by forces far stronger than him. Joe was weak, useless.


    Tears fell down his face. Joe tightened his fists once more, syr had said something before about how Earth differed from Grisha. Here he could do things in Grisha that he could never have dreamed of back on Earth.  If he continued to level up and grow and gather all the power he could get. Would he be finally be strong? Will he finally have control over his life?


    ¡°Yes,¡± he whispered. ¡°I''ll do it. I''ll be so strong, not even the gods can mess with me or my family. I''ll protect them with my own strength.¡± Joe had made his decision.


    After a few seconds, Joe heard subtle movement infront of him. He raised his head and found it was Shelly. She sat up slowly as she rubbed her eyes.


    ¡°I''m sorry did i wake you?¡± Joe had been pacing around, and he lost his cool more than once during his conversation with Syr. He definitely must''ve woken her up.


    ¡°No I was already awake?¡± Shelly bowed her head instantly, ¡°You''re not the reason, I swear I woke up on my own. It''s not your fault. It''s mine.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Joe didn''t buy it, her eyes were still sleepy. ¡°You don''t have to take the blame for everything. If I woke you up. It''s okay to say so.¡± Joe offered a small smile.


    Shelly raised her head, she looked the opposite direction before nodding so slightly, Joe almost missed it.


    Joe dragged himself up and took casual steps towards her. He stood infront of her and reached out his hand. ¡°You ready to go?¡±


    Shelly nodded, she took Joe''s hand and he helped her reclaim her footing. The staff she held in her left hand dissolved into a shimmering green light. Once she was steady, their hands separated.


    ¡°Before we go, there''s something I need to do.¡± Shelly turned around. She started walking further down the forest. Joe followed silently.


    She came to a stop when they reached the corpses of her party members.


    The smell of the corpses was more intense up close, but Joe wasn''t really bothered by it this time. His mind was deep in thought, ¡°I took too long. if I was quicker, I would''ve been able to save them.¡± He clenched his fists.


    Shelly placed her hands together, her fingers interlocked as if prepared for a prayer. ¡°All of them. They''re all dead because of me. The least I can do is give their bodies the dignity they deserve.¡± Tears fell down her cheeks as she spoke.


    Joe''s eyes fell to her, ¡°I don''t think they''d want you blaming yourself like this.¡± His voice was low, ¡°you did everything you could.¡±


    ¡°You weren''t there!¡± Shelly snapped, her voice strained. ¡°I couldn''t save a single one of them! They have every right to resent me. I failed them, I''m sure their souls harbor deep resentment towards me. I deserve it.¡±


    Joe took a second before he spoke, ¡°from what I saw, Kite didn''t harbor those feelings. He wanted you to survive, he wanted you to live. Blaming yourself won''t change what''s already happened. It won''t bring them back and it won''t make the pain go away. If you truly belive they hated you, then take that resentment. Embrace it. Hold on to it, use it to keep moving foward. Use it to ensure that something like this never happens again.¡±


    Shelly looked at him with sad eyes, she offered him a small smile. ¡°Yes... you''re right¡­ thank.. you..,¡±


    Shelly turned to her friends, she closed her eyes. A warm green glow bloomed around her hands after a few seconds. It then extended outward and encompassed all of Shelly''s fallen comrades In its glow. [Skill Activation: Decomposition]


    The light formed a small veil around their forms and it intensified as the seconds went by. After a full minute, it started to fade. In its wake, the bodies dissolved into green colorful orbs of light. The orbs sunk deep into the earth. And then almost instantly, grass bloomed from where they once laid. The vibrant and lush grass sprawled like a small garden. Colorful flowers also sprouted and assisted in transforming the once crimson soil into an elegant and beautiful green patch.


    ¡°May the Soul King be with you.¡± Shelly whispered, before she opened her eyes.


    As Joe saw the flowers, his heart warmed. Something about them just made him feel at ease. Now, Shelly''s friends would still be a part of this world. They could keep living on, and add beauty to the forest through these flowers. That''s what Joe believed, and he couldn''t help but shed a small tear.


    ¡°We can go now, Shelly¡± Shelly said, In her gentle voice.


    The two began walking north of the forest. Joe''s mind was still lingering on what she said. The Soul King. He''d never heard that word before. Was that some kind of God that people prayed to? Were they one of the Primeval Gods? ¡°The Soul King, is that some kind of God¡± Joe asked, giving in to his curiosity.


    ¡°No,¡± Shelly replied, shaking her head slightly. "There are no gods in Grisha. The closest thing Grisha has to gods are beings called Planetary Guardians. Very few people In Grisha belive in them. I don''t believe them myself." Shelly admitted. "The only being i believe in, is the Soul King.¡±


    Planetary Guardians? Syr had never mentioned them before. Joe suspected Syr knew about them through. He seemed to know a lot about Grisha.


    Shelly continued, ''"The Soul King is something many of us choose to believe in. He¡¯s said to welcome souls to the Soul Realm, protect them, and give them a happy afterlife.¡±


    The Soul realm? Weren''t the Primeval Gods the ones in charge of souls. That''s what Syr said anyway. Joe was going on the limited information provided to him. He really didn''t know enough to disprove or argue anything Shelly was telling him. Maybe things like the Soul King or afterlife did exist. Anything could exist and he''d belive it no matter how unreasonably it sounded.


    ¡°I''m sure your friends will have a happy afterlife.¡± He managed to say, after breaking free from his thoughts.


    There was an awkward silence after those words. Only the sound of footsteps could be heard. Seeing the change in atmosphere, Joe spoke again. ¡°Healing me must¡¯ve used a lot of your mana. I¡¯m sorry," he said, clasping his hands together to apologize.


    Shelly shook her head. "It wasn¡¯t that much, I promise." She sounded sincere, but Joe could tell that even after her rest, her mana pool hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    "You don¡¯t have to thank me," Shelly continued, her voice quieter as she glanced at the ground. "I¡¯m the reason you got hurt, after all."


    Joe smiled. "Let''s call it even, okay? I helped you, you helped me. We''re equal. You don''t have to take the blame for everything. You''re too young for that.¡±


    Shelly let out a giggle after Joe''s words.


    ¡°What? Did I say something funny?¡± Joe asked, not getting the joke.


    "No..¡± she shook her head still giggling. ¡°My grandpa talked a lot like you. I''d swear you were his son or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on! You''re comparing me to some old geezer?¡± Joe wasn¡¯t sure he liked that comparison.


    Did he somehow get wise and boring during his transportation to Grisha. Did he reach enlightenment or something? He had never met his grandparents, but he''d spent enough time around older people during his job back on Earth to recognize how they spoke.


    Shelly''s giggling died down, her voice lowered as she looked at the ground. ¡°My grandfather was the best. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s watching over me right now. I know he is.¡±


    Joe frowned, ¡°I''m sorry¡­ Did he¡­?¡±


    "Yeah, he passed away a long time ago. He¡¯s the reason I became an adventurer in the first place."


    Joe felt the mood shifting, and wanted to focus on something less depressing. "An adventurer, huh? That sounds pretty cool. So¡­ do you like¡­ venture out?"


    Shelly looked at him, with a blank expression.


    Joe winced. "Right, of course she ventures out. She''s an adventurer, for crying out loud. Idiot," he thought to himself, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise to his face.


    "You¡¯re an adventurer too, right? Or are you just a solo explorer?" Shelly asked, her eyes curious.


    "Yeah, that¡¯s me. Totally a solo explorer," he was sweaty but somehow maintained his composure.


    Shelly tilted her head. "Most people don¡¯t do that anymore. I can¡¯t decide if you¡¯re brave or just¡­"


    "Stupid?" Joe finished for her.


    "No," she said, with a small smile. "Excited.¡±


    Joe was convinced she was going to say stupid.


    "Being a solo explorer is dangerous. Most people stick to adventuring parties these days. Traveling alone isn¡¯t just risky because of bandits or harsh conditions. Mana beasts are also a constant threat. Back in the day, there were lots of explorers, but now it¡¯s all about adventuring.¡± She explained.


    ¡°So people choose to become adventures due to the safety it provides while traveling?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s more than that.¡± Shelly smiled. ¡°Wealth, fame, power¡ªeverything you could want is attainable as an adventurer.¡±


    Joe''s face lit up, ¡°That sounds awesome! I want to do it¡ªI want to be an adventurer! Not for wealth or fame, though. I just want to find my family.¡±


    ¡°Your family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ¡° Joe''s head lowered as his expression shifted. ¡° I got separated from my mom and sister a while back."


    "I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±


    Joe raised his head, his face resolved. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll find them. We¡¯ll reunite, no matter what!¡±


    Shellly looked at him for a good minute before asking, ¡°Grisha¡¯s a big place. Do you even know where to start?"


    Joe responded with a hardened expression, ¡°No. But I won¡¯t stop. I¡¯ll search the entire world if I have to!¡±


    Joe and Shelly had reached the edge of the forest. The sky had turned golden as the morning sun came into view.


    Shelly pointed ahead at something visible in the distance. "Well, if you want to register as an adventurer and find party members, that¡¯s the town you want to go to."


    Joe''s heart burned with excitement as he looked at the towering gates In the distance.,¡±Let''s do it. I''m ready for whatever lies ahead.¡±


    With those words, the two of them proceeded foward. Edging closer and closer to the town gates.


    [Black Forest Arc - End]

 Chapter 10

    Joe and Shelly marched across the dry clearing. Between the town straight ahead, and the Black Forest. Sand covered the distance. Clear brownish sand with small rocks littered throughout. It was a stark contrast to the green scenery Joe was met with when he first arrived in Grisha.


    The town gates were deceptively further than they seemed to the naked eye. The breeze was more energetic than it should''ve been so early in the morning. They had to shield their faces from the dusty wind now again. It was like walking through a miniature desert.


    They eventually reached the gates and they were even bigger up close. Made of pure black steel they loomed taller than any giant. Their width complemented their height. One could not peer beyond them, they were in all intents and purposes gates befitting a fortress. Not what Joe was expecting, considering this was just a town. And not a military base.


    ¡°This is the entrance to Perina. It''s one of the many towns that make up the Tania Kingdom¡± Shelly explained, pointing at the gates.


    Joe took a deep breath and just absorbed the scene in front of him. Beyond those gates was the first step towards finding his family. Once he became a registered adventurer, his quest would truly begin. Joe took a few confident strides. Almost as if aware of his arrival, the gates creaked and swung open. Joe glanced at Shelly, when she nodded, they both took the necessary steps forward.


    Almost immediately after they entered, they were met with opposition. A figure clad in black armour loomed over them. The gates shut forcefully behind them, almost as if announcing the figure¡¯s introduction. Their armor shimmered faintly under the sun, from head to toe the figure was covered in iron. Only their brown eyes peered through their helmet. A black spear was held firmly and placed over their right shoulder. Going off their Mana Signature alone. They were definitely strong.


    ¡°Welcome To Perina.¡± The figure¡¯s voice sounded male. Considering he was stationed by the town''s gates, he was probably a guard. Contrast to his appearance, the man didn''t sound threatening. In fact, he was rather respectful. When Joe saw Shelly bow slightly to the guard, he did the same.


    ¡°I don''t want to hold you here longer than necessary. If I can just see your academy licenses, I''ll allow you to be on your way.¡± the msn extended his free hand.


    An academy license? What was he talking about? Joe glanced at Shelly.


    In Shelly''s right hand, a glowing blue light appeared. It glowed for only a few seconds before disappearing into small fragments of light. What lingered in its wake was a shining silver card. Was that an academy license?


    When Shelly handed it over to the guard, that confirmed Joe''s suspicion. Where in the world was he going to get an academy card with his name on it? Joe started sweating profusely. If the guard found out he didn''t have it, was he going to imprison him? Or worse, kill him?


    Joe imagined all the torturous things the guard could do to him clearly. Oddly enough, one of the images in jis mind contained a cat. Joe the furry felines with a passion.


    Before he spiraled deeper and deeper into his thoughts. Syr snapped him out of it.


    [You Have A License In Your Inventory. It Belongs To That Guy, Ray. I Captured It When You Devoured His Corpse. It Has Ray''s Details But I Can Alter It To Match Your Details If You Wish.]


    There it was, a lifeline. ¡°Yes syr, yes. You''re my savior. Alter that card immediately.¡± Joe actually stuck to using mental communication this time. If torture was on the line, he found he could use it without an issue. He praised Syr as a savior, despite having called him useless not too long ago. Fortunately for him, Syr didn''t seem to harbor any bad feelings.


    Joe didn''t remember acquiring Ray''s card, his focus was mainly on the Scorching Dagger on the Scorching Dagger at the time. A few other things also distracted him, which could explain how he missed it.


    [Converting The License To Match Your Details¡­]


    Joe tapped the earth with his foot like an impatient woman waiting for someone to do her nails. Syr was taking forever. When the guard gave Shelly back her license, and turned to face him. Joe thought his heart was going to explode.


    ¡°Your license sir¡±


    [License Has Been Successfully Converted]


    A faint blue light manifested around Joe''s hand. It shimmered briefly before fading. As it vanished, what remained was a solid silver card. An academy license.


    [License Information]


    ? Name and Surname: Joe White


    ? Class: Warrior


    ? Academy: Rainstar Academy


    ? Date Issued: 10 months ago


    ? Passing Grade: B


    Syr came with the save at the last possible second. Joe grinned at the sight. Now he was starting to feel guilty about calling him useless. He surveyed the card, and soomething immediately caught his attention. The class written on the card was wrong. Instead of displaying his class as ¡®Outsider¡¯ it was written as ¡®Warrior¡¯. Did Syr make a mistake? ¡°Syr I think you made a mistake. My class is written as Warrior instead of Outsider.¡± Joe decided to confront him about it.


    [No, There Was No Mistake. Your Class Simply Attracts Too Much Unwanted Attention. It¡¯s Better To Blend In As A Warrior Than Stand Out As An Outsider. Trust Me, Your Life Will Be Much Easier This Way.]Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Joe didn''t know how to feel about that. Why would his class attract unwanted attention? And why did he have to blend in? Syr was keeping more secrets from him again. Joe frowned. After a few more seconds, he handed over the license.


    The guard concentrated on it. His gaze flickering between Joe and the license. Was he being suspicious of the class?


    It didn''t take long before Joe''s worries were put at ease. The guard handed the license back to him a few seconds later. Joe accepted, and immediately stored it in his inventory..


    [+1 Academy License Has Been Added To Your Inventory]


    The guard stepped aside, giving Joe and Shelly room to pass. ¡°I hope you enjoy your stay here.¡± Were the guards final words.


    Joe sighed before communicating with Syr once more, ¡°I''ll trust you Syr. I''ll keep my class a secret.¡±


    [You''re Making The Right Choice.]


    Joe decided to put the matter at rest. He instead focused on the town ahead. Joe and Shelly only took a few steps forward and almost immediately. The town''s chaotic nature became apparent.


    The sound of rolling wheels could be heard from every direction. Carriages strolled freely all around Perina.. The interesting thing about these carriages wasn''t the fact that they were colorful and large. It was the fact that they were being operated by Mana Beasts. Large green and lizardy Beasts. Roamed around the city pulling the carriages woth ease.. Their scales shone brightly and their claws were as menacing as you''d expect from a colossal beast. But they seemed subdued, tamed.


    They carried a number of people, each carriage had about 8 individuals. They were that big. Some carriages carried only goods that weighed god knows how much. The beasts were being whipped around like horses but they never retaliated. They went on their merry way without showing their teeth. It was incredible to Joe. He never once thought that Mana Beasts could be handled like this, yet there they were.


    Some children even had smaller Mana Beasts on a leash, like pets. It was certainly an interesting sight.


    Ignoring the beats, the town was jam packed. People crowded the numerous markets on display. The buildings in Perina were made of solid wood. The road was covered in smooth rocks which made it easier for the carriages. There were a few buildings made of bricks, but they were rare. With Joe only seeing 3.


    Most of the stores did business outside. Which is what made the streets so crowded. Children ran around without a care in the world. And when put into perspective. It was honestly overwhelming


    He glanced at Shelly, ¡°this place Is way more chaotic than I thought It''d be.¡±


    Shelly had a bright smile, ¡°you haven''t seen anything yet. Wait until you see the capital of Tania. It makes towns like this look average by comparison.¡±


    Joe could not imagine a place more chaotic, but he was excited to see it one day. He couldn''t stop smiling as he and Shelly went further down the town.


    Joe noticed how many people seemed to wear identical uniforms. These uniforms usually had an emblem at the back to distinguish each group from the other. They also had names of each party written in bold letters. Is this how adventurers wore?


    Joe had noticed Shelly wearing an emblem on her back as well at the black forest. He didn''t think deeply about it back then, but now it made sense.


    ¡°Hey Shelly, do adventurers always have to wear badges like that on their backs?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shelly responded. ¡°Those uniforms are what separate one party from another. In a world with thousands of adventurer parties. Trying to distinguish your party from the rest can be difficult.¡± Shelly frowned, ¡°I think Kite and others had a pretty distinct logo.¡±


    Joe didn''t know if he had unintentionally opened old wounds by asking that question. Shelly had just lost her party. Maybe asking her about adventurer stuff wss inconsiderate. Her expression seemed to confirm this.


    ,just as Joe was able to talk, Shelly spoke first. ¡°Our party was called the Red Stars. Do you want to see our logo.¡± Shelly smiled faintly.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± Joe had seen it before but briefly. He had forgotten what it looked like.


    Shelly turned around to show her back. The logo was pasted at the center of her spine. It consisted of 5 massive Red Stars. It also had what looked like a blue sky. The party''s name was written underneath it. It was by far the coolest thing Joe had ever seen. He couldn''t stop grinning.


    ¡°You like it?¡± Shelly asked.


    ¡°Of course, it''s awesome!¡±


    Shelly turned around after a few seconds. ¡°The reason we went for that logo was because of Kite. I remember him saying that our party would be the best in the world. And that one day, we would see the stars.¡± She had a half smile on her face as she stared at her feet. ¡°Pretty silly right?¡±


    ¡°No, It''s not."


    Shelly looked up at him, her eyes wide at his response.


    ¡°It''s what you dreamed of isn''t it? I don''t think that''s silly at all.¡±


    Shelly smiled faintly, as she took a few steps forward.


    ¡°Hey Shelly,¡± Joe called out to her. She turned her body halfway, just enough to catch Joe''s lively eyes. ¡°I can do it!¡± Joe exclaimed with absolute certainty. ¡°I can make that dream you all shared a reality! I can make you see the stars.¡±


    Joe walked closer, ¡°What do you say? Once I get registered, how about we form a party? Just you and me.¡±


    ¡°You want us to form a party? Have you forgotten what happened back then? You saw how usele¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don''t care about that!¡± Joe interrupted. ¡°The past doesn¡¯t matter to me. I¡¯m looking forward to the future. The past is full of regrets we can¡¯t ever change. But the future? That¡¯s where all our possibilities lay. Let''s do it Shelly. Let''s form a party.¡±


    Shelly smiled, a few tears dripping from her eyes. ¡°Thanks¡­ for believing in me enough to ask me to join your party¡ª¡±


    ¡°So you''ll join right?¡± Joe''s excitement interrupted her response.


    Shelly shook her head. "I still have a lot to process. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to move on to another party just yet."


    "That¡¯s alright," Joe said with a reassuring smile. "I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re ready.¡±


    There was a nice quiet moment between the two as they went further down town. They halted in the middle of a very busy street. To Joe''s right there was a crowded potion store. Some of the glass bottles could be seen through a really big glass window next to the open door. The potion bottles looked exactly like those colorful elixirs Joe saw in those awful witch cartoons as a kid.


    When he moved his eyes to his left he could see a really sick swordsmith store. It had shiny blades on display. To Joe it was an even more appealing sight than the potions. The idea of wielding two and possibly three blades in battle was way too epic. He already had combos with [Outsider''s Enhancement] brewing his mind.


    The fragrance of meat also grabbed his attention, it was a strange smell. He''d never smelled anything like it. It came from further down Perina. Joe was wondering about the kind of meat it could be, but that''s when he remembered something.


    Thi was Grisha. In a place where normal animals didn''t seem to exist, that was probably mana beast meat. The thought assassinated the appetite building inside of him.


    ¡°Which store do you want to visit first, Shelly.¡±


    Shelly seemed to be considering the question before she responded, ¡°I can go for some meat.¡± The aroma was probably what influenced her decision.


    Joe was thinking about the Swordsmith store when he asked, but when he took a closer look at Chloe. [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] showed him just how little mana she had. ¡°How about we check out the potion store? We can probably get some potions to help refill your mana.¡± Joe was going off the basic knowledge that Mana Potions were probably a thing.


    ¡°I''m fine. My mana will manage.¡± Shelly insisted.


    ¡°You''re not, I can tell your mana''s really low. Come on, it''ll be a quick in and out mission. We can go to the meat store after.¡±


    Shelly was hesitant before she finally relented. She could tell Joe wasn''t going to drop the matter. , ¡°fine, but I''m telling you. It''s not necessary.


    Joe smiled as she led her to the store. ¡°We''ll be fine.¡± Now he could repay Shelly for wasting her mana.


    The two of them stood in front of the open store, before taking careful steps inside. Completely unaware of what was about to occur.

 Chapter 11

    The store was jam packed. It wasn''t the biggest store in the world but it was spacious. Yet, that space had been devoured like it never existed. There was a lot of chatter among the customers when Joe and Shelly entered.


    Everyone inside formed a queue that twisted and turned like a snake. Joe and Shelly got into the line quickly. But the way things were going, it would take them at least an hour before they could leave. This was because the store only had one seller. It was a wrinkled old granny who moved as slowly as you''d expect. She seemed to have back problems and would take ages when retrieving a potion.


    Joe couldn''t hide his disappointment when he saw her. She was just your average elderly. For some reason he expected to see a cool witch considering this was a potion store. This grandma was the opposite, her outfit wasn''t even black, it was just a pink dress with flowers. Pure disappointment.


    The queue moved along at a decent pace. The store had a few potions showcased on shelves, you couldn''t really touch them, they were more for advertisement. Joe looked at the different kinds on display to entertain himself, he did try to strike up a conversation with Shelly every now and again. But they often didn''t last for longer than a minute. Joe wasn''t the kind to carry a conversation, if the other party offered too little. He would eventually move on.


    The line had reduced by more than half. When a man came storming Into the store.


    It was a lengthy man. Who wore a brown shirt, tattered shorts and flip-flops. His bald head shimmered as he brisked past Joe. Two red bracelets were attached to his wrists, and following just behind him were two young boys.


    The man and his children didn''t even bother to get into the line, they went straight for the counter.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± The man shoved a customer who was just about to purchase something. He slammed his fist on the counter, ¡°Give me 5 of your finest healing potions old lady!¡± The man demanded, his voice ringing throughout entire store.


    The customers in line mumbled, but the minute the man shot a glare at them, everyone was quiet.


    He slammed his hand again, ¡°I said give me 5 potions you old hag!


    The store owner refused to budge from her seat, ¡°money first!¡± She demanded, with a stern gaze.


    The man''s expression changed before a burst into laughter. ¡°Money first? Have you gone blind? Don''t you see who you''re talking to? I''m one of Mikey¡¯s Big 3 you senile fool! Give me the potions or do you want me to burn this entire place down?¡±


    The customers whispered among themselves.


    ¡°Did he say Mikey?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think he said he''s one of the Big 3¡±


    ¡°Oh God. It''s really him. It''s Stan!¡±


    The crowd went into a frenzy, many of the customers who were in the queue ran for the exit as soon as they made the connection. They shoved and pushed each other as they all squeezed themselves out of the door. Within seconds, the only people remaining in the store were Shelly, Joe, a handful of customers, the man and his kids and the old lady.


    Joe wanted things to move along quickly, but this was not what he imagined.


    Stan smirked. ¡°Now go you old hag, before I lose my patience.¡±


    The old lady frowned as she went to a shelf a few steps behind her. She was lethargic in her steps, as she reached for the highest shelf were the potions were stored. The shelves weren''t high, she could reach them, but she had to take them one by one and place them in a brown paper bag. The whole process was like watching a slow motion film.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The kids next to Stan didn''t look older than ten. They wore tattered rags similar to Stan himself, they were thin beyond belief. Their bones were crystal clear even under the cover of skin. Their arms and legs were smeared by a black inky substance and they stood on barefoot. Their hair was equally as unkempt. The smell coming from the 3 of them combined could make a skunk jealous. Clearly, they hadn''t met water in days.


    The old lady finally returned to the counter, she placed the bag on the table before uttering, ¡°hand over the money.¡±


    Stan chuckled, ¡°you''re brave I''ll give you that. Even After hearing my name, you still want to test me?¡± His expression hardened. ¡°Hand it over!¡± his tone had turned as cold as ice.


    Footsteps echoed the room, Joe''s boots bounced off the walls as he stepped foward. ¡°You heard the old lady, give her the money or beat it!¡±


    Stan swung his head around, ¡°huh?¡± He glared at Joe. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±


    The remaining customers grew tense, the room was eerily silent for the following seconds. Joe''s hand moved to the Black Blade and then¡­.


    The two kids leaned over the counter, they snatched the old lady''s bag from her frail hands. The top half ripped apart but the boys managed to retrieve the potions. They immediately bolted for the door, they where incredibly quick whisking past Joe before he even knew what happened.


    ¡°Shelly go after them!¡± He shouted, realizing his blunder.


    Shelly responded swiftly and and dashed for the exit instantly.


    The few remaining customers ran the minute Joe gripped the handle of his blade.


    ¡°Do you know who you''re messing with kid?¡± Stan questioned.


    ¡°I don''t give a damn who you are. If you don''t pay that granny. I''m going to kick your ass!¡±


    [Outside The Potion Store]


    Shelly chased the boys through the crowded streets of Perina. The boys moved like seasoned veterans weaving through the crowd with ease. Shelly had to constantly stop due to people blocking her, which slowed her down considerably.


    As the kids dashed past the numerous stores, they came across a bakery store. A chubby shopkeeper had 7 perfectly baked loaves bread, he was displaying them to a crowd of enthusiastic customers.


    ¡°This ladies and gentlemen is my most prized br¡ª¡±


    As the boys blew past the Shopkeeper one of them grabbed a loaf of bread as they went past the table.


    The Shopkeeper''s face was boiling red, ¡°catch them! Catch those thieves.¡±


    When he pointed his finger Shelly was already zipping past him. The road up ahead, was clear. The boys couldn''t rely on the crowd. Shelly was on top of them.


    ¡±We can''t outrun her!¡± The boy with the bread shouted as he glanced behind him. ¡°You have to go Ed! I''ll slow her down!¡±


    Ed, the boy holding the bag, had teary eyes, ¡°No John, if they catch¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''ll be fine!¡± John cut him off, he smiled before he tossed the loaf to Ed.


    Ed, fumbled the loaf but manged to just grab it before it touched the surface.


    ¡°You said your sister is sick right? I know it''s not much. But that loaf should last her at least a day or two.¡±


    John turned to face Shelly, ¡°now go Ed!¡±


    Ed did as John said despite tears flowing down his cheeks, he took a left turn into an alleyway and vanished.


    John emptied one of his pockets, he escaped with a handful of stones and he checked them at Shelly one after the other. He then resolved himself into a charge directly for Shelly.


    Shelly casually dodged all the stones. Her eyes fell on John.


    From his pocket, he escaped with a knife. John''s hand trembled as he gripped the blade with his left. After closing the distance, he swung the blade vertically, looking to cleave Shelly''s face.


    Shelly responded swiftly, her hand intercepted John armed wrist. She clutched it firmly before tackling John to the ground and disarming him.


    When she pinned John to the ground, she found tears flowing down his face. ¡°I''m sorry¡­.he made us do it.. Mikey made us do it..¡±


    Before Shelly could say a word. The Shopkeeper and the townspeople already had her surrounded. ¡°Dammit! One of them escaped!¡± The Shopkeeper spat, his tone bitter. ¡°No matter, we''ll just have to make an example out this one.¡± He shoved Shelly aside, before grabbing John.


    With the help of the towns people, they dragged him away. John kicked and screamed, ¡°I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry..!¡±


    The townspeople could nott he bothered as they carried him away.


    Shelly was left visibly shaken. For some reason he couldn''t shake the feeling that she had just done something awful.


    [Potion Store]


    There were a few screams near the potion store, the entire building was engulfed by flames. Joe was on one knee a few meters away from the carnage, he held the black blade in his hand his eyes glued to the burning store.


    With the snap of a finger the flames divided, they created a path as Stan walked out of the destruction completely unfazed. He had a smug smile on his face as he looked at Joe.


    Joe grimaced as he uttered. ¡°What have you done? You sick bastard.¡±

 Chapter: 12

    Joe slowly rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving Stan''s figure. That was a really close call, if all those customers had not vacated when they did. They would''ve all been reduced to ashes by now. Joe could only hope that the few seconds he brought the store owner where enough for her to escape through the back door. He was too reckless, If he didn''t confront Stan in such a tight space. Maybe the store wouldn''t be up in flames right now.


    Joe clenched his teeth, cursing his inability to think ahead. The flames were spreading, going from one store to the next. Some of the townspeople did their best to put out the spreading fire, while others just retrieved everything they could from their stores before making a run for it.


    Joe was lucky to survive Stan''s attack without sustaining major injuries. The Black Sheep played a huge role in mitigating the damage he would''ve taken. The Skill [Elemental Block] proved its worth. Joe''s body was a little hot, but no major damage had been done fortunately.


    ¡°I''ll make you pay foe what you''ve done, You bastard!!¡± Joe threatened through gritted teeth.


    ¡°You''ll make me pay huh? I''d like to see you try!¡±


    Stan''s words were followed by a glowing red light that appeared around his bracelets. The light came from 2 inscriptions, one on either side. The inscriptions looked like runes, Joe had no idea what they meant.


    [Mana Tool - Mana Bracelets: Unsealed]


    [Number Of Removed Seals: 1]


    [The Mana Tools Flame Bracelets: Have Added +25 Attribute Points To Stan''s Skill Attribute]


    ¡°Seals? Is that what those runes are?¡±


    Flames sparked and manifested as they engulfed Stan''s hands. [Skill Activation: Flame Control] The flames shifted and morphed into balls of fire that Stan held with both his palms. [Skill Activation: Fireball] Stan smirked at his creations, ¡°this is what you get for sticking your nose were it doesn''''t belong!¡± The flames hissed and crackled as Stan hurtled them towards Joe.


    The fireballs blazed across the field In the blink of an eye, but Joe wasn''t running away. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] he reaffirmed his footing, before he launched himself towards the incoming fireballs. Mana emmited from every part of his body, and it also encompassed The Black Blade.


    [-115 Mana Pool Rank Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 1,980]


    [Total Skill:47>91]


    [Total Speed: 54>94]


    [Total Strength: 52>92]


    Joe roared as he swing the black blade twice. He parried both fireballs to the Sky where they went on to explode like fireworks.


    Stan''s eyes widened at Joe''s flawless counter. He looked to launch another attack, when Joe vanished before his eyes. The only thing that lingered were the remains of his mana. Panicked, Stan''s eyes darted around. And that''s when he caught it, a feint trace of a shadow coming from his right.


    Joe had already devoured the distance.


    With a horizontal swing of the blade, Joe aimed to decapitate Stan right then and there.


    Stan however had other ideas.


    He crouched at the last possible second. Joe''s blade whistled past his shimmering head. Looking to take advantage, Stan lunged foward with his left foot to center himself. He clenched his right fist and flames immediately erupted around his hand. With all the force he had, he threw a straight jab that struck Joe square on the stomach. [Skill Activation: Flaming Fist]


    A searing heat immediately shot through Joe¡¯s body on contact. The Black Blade''s [Elemental Block] skill did cushion the blow, but that made little difference. His body forcefully doubled over and saliva flew out of his mouth, when Stan drove the punch deeper. His grip on the black blade was comprimsed and it clattered to the ground.


    Stan wasn''t done. He sprung upward, generating the momentum needed to land a crunching uppercut just underneath Joe''s jaw. [Skill Activation: Flaming Fist]Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Joe''s body flew upwards uncontrollably, the charred skin covering his chin slowly peeled away. Joe''s vision started spinning around In circles and he found himself grappling to stay conscious. When his body reached its peak, gravity took effect and he plummeted towards the earth.


    But as Joe descendend. An orb of fire struck his body. It changed his course and propelled him further up for a brief moment. [Skill Activation: Fireball] Joe was unable to hold it any longer, he screamed in agony as his body fell and collided with earth.


    The surface cracked as it endured his weight. He landed a few meters away from where he was, and dust immediately submerged his form. Joe couldn''t see and his ears rang loader than a church bell. His limbs were limp, refusing to move an inch. How he remained conscious wss probably due to the Black Sheep reducing the damage he would''ve taken as much as it could. His shear mental strength could''ve also been another reason.


    The smoke cloud parted way and Joe laid flat on his stomach, not too far from Stan. His vision returned and he could see Stan¡¯s sadistic smile as he looked down on him like an insect. He was mumbling something, but it took a few seconds before Joe could register his words.


    ¡°And that''s why kids like you should know their place!¡±


    Stan was about to take a step when something caught his attention.


    ¡°Grab all my blades, hurry up, I don''t want my prized possessions burning down!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    The voices of an old man and young man came from the Swordsmith store. Stan smiled after he heard those voices.


    He pointed his index finger directly at the store. His flames morphed and condensed into a small orb.


    Joe''s eyes widened, ¡°No¡­ Don''t do¡ª¡±


    Booom!


    An orb of fire collided with the building setting it ablaze. The screams rippled throughout the entire town. Stan smirked, as he glared at Joe ¡°you see kid, these are the consequences when you mess with Mikey''s Big 3¡±


    Stan''s face couldn''t suppress the Joy he felt, his grin growing larger by the minute.


    Joe was forced to watch as the 3 Mana Signatures were extinguished before his eyes.


    And in that moment, Joe snapped.


    ¡°How could you! How could you! How could you!¡±


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2]


    [-220 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:1, 760]


    [Total Skill: 91>135]


    [Total Speed:94>134]


    [Total Strength:92>132]


    Mana erupted from his figure like a wild cyclone. His eyes consumed by rage. Joe couldn''t care less about his physical state. He rose to his feet, his eyes glued to Stan.


    From his hand a blue light flickered out, in its wake was the Scorching Dagger. Joe firmly gripped it as he strode towards Stan.


    Stan smiled, ¡°looks like the little kid still has some fight in him. But sorry kid, I''m done playing with you.¡± Fireballs engulfed Stan''s hands. They were 4 times the size they were before. [Skill Activation: Great Fireball] Stan threw them both at Joe without a second thought. ¡°Die!¡±


    [The Mana Tools Flame Bracelets Are Enhancing Stan''s Flame Control Skill]


    The fireballs flew towards Joe at ferocious pace. With betting an eye, Joe swung the Scorching Dagger 2 times. Each time he did, the dagger sliced through each fireball like a knife cutting through butter. [Mana Tool Skill: Flame Severing] The flames blew harmless to the side after being cleaved, leaving Joe completely unharmed.


    Stan''s eyes were wide In disbelief. ¡°That''s¡­ impossible!!¡± He could see Joe''s lethargic steps closing in on him. ¡°That''s it it you''re dead!¡±


    Like a man possessed, Stan unleashed [Great Fireball] after [Great Fireball]


    [Skill Activation: Great Fireball]


    [Skill Activation: Great Fireball]


    [Skill Activation: Great Fireball]


    [Skill Activation: Great Fireball]


    [Skill Activation: Great Fireball]


    He kept this up for a total of ten successive throws. But with each throw he did, the flames were more unruly and less controlled. [The Mana Tools: Flame Bracelets Are Struggling To Keep Up With The Overload Of Mana] This resulted in Stan''s arms and hands being scorched by his own skill. But he didn''t care. He wanted Joe dead.


    Unfortunately for Stan, things didn''t go as he hoped. Joe sliced through all 10 of his fireballs with absolute ease. [Skill Activation: Flame Severing]


    [-450 Mana Pool Rank Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:1, 310]


    [Total Skill: 135>165]


    Stan staggered back his mind failing to comprehend what he was seeing.


    In a split second. Joe was already infront of him. Before Stan even knew what happened. Joe drove his right fist deep into his midsection. Blood spewed from Stan''s mouth as he crumbled to his knees. He clutched his stomach as he screamed in agony.


    Joe looked down on him, as he slowly raised the Scorching Dagger above his head. ¡°Apologize, apologize for all those people you''ve killed.¡±


    Stan''s eyes widened, his lips trembled ¡°I''m s¡ªsorry, I''m sorry. I won''t do it again. I promise¡­¡± he went as far as groveling at Joe''s feet.


    ¡°On second thoughts, I want you scream.¡±


    Stan raised his head. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, I want you to scream like all those people you just killed.¡±


    Just as Stan was about to utter something.


    ¡°Ignite!¡± Joe''s voice cut him off.


    A wave of fire surged from the Scorching Dagger and engulfed him in an instant. [Mana Tool Skill: Ignite]


    [-60 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:1, 250]


    [Total Skill:135>170]


    Joe stepped back and watched him roll around in a desperate attempt to put out the flames. ¡°''Arghhhh!!¡± He unleashed a horrid scream, as the flames ravaged his clothing and skin. Joe looked down on him with indifferent eyes.


    In just a few seconds. Stan''s cries were no longer audible. Joe had reduced him, to ashes.

 Chapter 13

    Joe took a single deep breath before he crumbled to his knees. The injuries he sustained came back to bite him now that he could no longer on the effects of [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]. His entire body weighed him down and his breathing was labored. His legs were limp refusing to aid him in his quest to reclaim his footing. Joe''s palms touched the ground as he tried his best to control his breathing. His sweat dripped to the ground in large volumes. The heat that wrapped around his form was almost unbearable. Joe felt like he was swimming in fire.


    He unbuttoned the Black Sheep with a single hand. He lifted up his vest to observe the situation. As expected, his entire abdomen was tainted by gruesome burnmarks that etched themselves to his skin. Joe ran his finger through his stomach, and a sharp pain immediately jolted his senses. He clenched his teeth and endured the intense sensation. It lasted only seconds, but it had him wheezing as his breathing intensified.


    Joe decided to roll over and lay on his back. This did in no way ease his pain, but it made him slightly more comfortable. Even though he just killed Stan, Joe did not justify himself like he did with Ray. After all, there''s no need to justify anything if what you did was the right thing.


    Even though he won, he knew that was way too close for comfort. Joe''s senses were beginning to dull, when Syr popped up unannounced.


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [You Have Leveled Up!]


    [Current Level:24]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Leveled Up]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Leveled Up]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Leveled Up]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Reached (Lvl 13)]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Unlocked A New Seal]


    [1/ 5 Seals Have Been Unlocked]


    [You Have Unlocked A New Skill: (Weaponry)]


    [The Skill Outsider''s Enhancement Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill Outsider''s Enhancement Has Leveled Up]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Has Reached (lvl 12)


    [The Black Sheep Has Leveled Up]


    [The Black Sheep Has Reached (Lvl 6)


    [Updated Attributes.]


    ?? Mana Pool: 1,250/2,600


    ? Skill: 45>53 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 42>50(+10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 44>52(+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 37>41(+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 37>41


    ?? Additional Attribute Points:4


    Joe took a moment to take in all of Syr''s notifications. There were a lot more than he anticipated. Once the flooding ended, he chose to focus on his attribute Window first and foremost. ¡°Ok Syr give my Additional Attributes to my Defense.¡± His current injuries showed him how much he needed to strengthen his defense, because of how low it was. He was now suffering from the consequences.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Defense: 41>45If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Joe was pleased with most of his attrubutes for the most part, but it was clear he needed to be stronger. If he was going to fight guys stronger than Stan in the future, he needed to be a lot stronger than he was right now.


    His eyes drifted to another notification, he had unlocked a new skill. ¡°Can you give me information on my new skill, Syr?"


    [Passive Skill: Weaponry (Lvl 1)]


    ?? Description: A Weapon''s Value Depends On The Skill Of Its Wielder. As You Continue To Grow, So Does Your Skill With Mana Tools.


    ?? Boost: +25 Skill And Strength Attribute Points When Wielding A Mana Tool


    ?? Mana Cost: 0


    Joe''s grin grew despite the intense pain that ridiculed his face. This type of skill was exactly the kind of power he needed. It would go a long way towards aiding him in his quest to get stronger. A +25 attribute boost at lvl 1 was insane, but he wasn''t complaining.


    Joe''s face was not in the best condition, his chin had been severely injured and was dripping blood. The pain from the wound led to intense discomfort for the rest of his face. His throbbing headache just added fuel to the fire.


    Joe was just about to close his eyes in order to recover, when a familiar face hovered over his head.


    Shelly had returned.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shelly''s eyes were wide with panic.


    ¡°I''m fine¡­¡± Joe winced, as he tried to sit upright.


    ¡°No, don''t move¡± Shelly pushed him back down.


    She then lifted his vest and saw the true extent of Joe''s injuries. ¡°Just lay there, I''ll take care of this."


    Shelly rubbed her hands, as one would do to warm themselves up. She then pressed her palm on Joe''s stomach, he flinched slightly but endured the pain.


    ¡°You don''t have to try to heal me, you barely have any mana left.¡± Joe protested.


    ¡°I told you before, my mana''s fine. This will only take a second.¡±


    Joe relented, nothing was changing her mind.


    Shelly pressed her palms a little harder, forcing a scream out of Joe. [Skill Activation: Regeneration] From her hands, a green light manifested. It expanded rapidly before consuming Joe''s entire figure in its embrace.


    It was warm and soothing. It relaxed Joe''s muscles as he felt a foreign energy revitalize his body. All the pain and discomfort was slowly washed away. His wounds disappeared and his skin returned to its previous state. Flawless and smooth. The light vanished after a few seconds, and when it did Joe felt like a new man.


    He was completely healed and his bones were stronger than ever. His fatigue was also no where to be found. He was energized like he had more than 10 hours of sleep.


    He smiled, ¡°thank¡ª¡± he didn''t have time to complete his sentence because almost immediately after the skill deactivated, Shelly collapsed on top of him.


    ¡°Shelly!¡± Joe pulled himself up.


    When he checked on Shelly, she was out cold.


    Joe immediately got up to his feet. He lifted her up and placed her, on his back. Shelly''s mana signature was dangerously low, it looked like it could flicker out at any minute.


    ¡°Dammit, I saw how low her reserves were and I still allowed her to heal me." Joe cursed himself.


    ¡°This is the second time it''s happened. Dammit.¡±


    Joe looked to storm deeper into Perina for help, when he heard someone call out to him.


    ¡°Hey kid.¡±


    Joe swung around to face the source of the voice. It was the old Granny from the potion store. Joe walked towards her, the old lady was standing infront of the potion store. What remained of it anyway, because it was reduced to nothing but ash.


    ¡°Old lady, you''re alive.¡± Joe''s smile was one of surprise and relief.


    ¡°It will take more than a little fire to kill me, how do you think I''ve survived this long.¡± The granny had a triumphant smile on her face.


    She sounded very confident but she was still injured. Her arms and legs had been charred and parts of her pink dress had suffered a similar fate, turning them black. The old lady''s face had been mostly unscathed fortunately, with onlt small burns on her wrinkled cheeks.


    The old lady''s gaze fell to Shelly who rested on Joe''s back. ¡°What''s wrong with your friend? Is she hurt?¡±


    Joe glanced over his shoulder before shaking his head, ,¡±no she''s not hurt. But she has ran out of mana. Do you know where we can get help?¡±


    The old lady reached for two small pockets from her dress. She escaped with two bottles. They were small not bigger than 250ml. The glass bottles contained a blue liquid which splashed around when the old lady shook the bottle. ¡°It''s not much but these are my last two Mana Potions.¡± she handed both bottles to Joe.


    Joe''s eyes were wide as he peered into the bottles. ¡°I thought everything had burnt down.¡±


    ¡°I had a couple of potions with me. It was fortunate because I rarely carry them around with me."


    ¡°What about you, old lady. Don''t you need these."


    The old lady shook her head, ¡°No, since I barely ever use skills any more. My mana pool is always full. Your friend is the one who needs that potion more than me. Take it, it''s the least I can do.¡±


    Joe placed them in his pockets. He then gently placed Shelly on the ground. He retrieved a single bottle and knelt on knee. He lifted her head slightly, before whispering. ¡°Shelly¡­ make sure to drink it slowly ok..¡±


    Shelly''s eyes slightly opened, and her mouth did the same after Joe''s words. She was still somewhat conscious at least. Joe gently pressed the bottle against her lips and slowly fed her the potion.


    Shelly wss responsive, she drank all of it as quickly as she could. After she was finished, Joe placed her head down gently once more. As he stood up, he could see Shelly''s mana slowly reignite to life.


    Joe turned to face the old lady, he bowed. ¡°Thank you so much!"


    The old lady just smiled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. You stood up to Stan, that made me very happy.¡±


    Joe raised his head, his eyes widened. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tears started streaking down his face, ¡°your store was destroyed because of me. You''re only hurt because I did something stupid!"


    The store owner shook her head. ¡°A store can be rebuilt. You fought for my store when no one else would. That means mote to me then anything else in the world. Thank you.¡±


    Joe wiped his tears and bowed again.


    Shelly began to stir. She sat upright and held her temple. ¡°Whst happened?¡±


    Joe simply smiled, he knelt before she pulled Shelly close and embraced her. ¡°I''m so glad you''re ok!¡± New fresh tears fell from his eyes. These were tears of Joy and relief.

 Chapter 14

    Joe rose to his feet and stepped away after a few seconds. He wiped away his tears, removing any traces and clearing his watery eyes which started to blur his vision. He then took a deep breath before exhaling. Shelly was going to be okay.


    Shelly looked at him visibly confused. ¡°Why wouldn''t I be alive?¡±


    ¡°Well, you passed out after your mana was depleted."


    Shelly''s eyes widened exposing her shock. Joe guessed that her memories must''ve been fuzzy after she ran out of mana. Which made sense considering she was only half conscious at the time.


    ¡°It''s my fault. I should''ve never allowed you to heal my injuries. I knew that your mana was low and yet, I allowed you to go through with it anyway. I''m sorry.¡± Joe clasped his hands together and lowered his head slightly as he apologized.


    Shelly shook her head, ¡°no its my fault. I was the one who was stubborn.¡± She managed to say still holding her temple, her expression displaying a hint of discomfort. ¡°What about your injuries did they fully heal?¡± She asked, with concerned eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I''m perfectly healthy thanks to you.¡± Joe reassured her. He even went as far as lifting his vest to show her that his injuries were gone. He had a wide grin on his face, unable to hide his delight.


    Shelly''s eyes softened and she formed a relaxed smile. ¡°I''m glad.¡±


    She slowly clawed her way back to her feet, but her wobbly balance nearly caused her to fall over. Fortunately, Joe was quick to react. He grasped her arm and steadied her to make sure her balance was solid. After he was certain, he stepped away giving her room to breathe.


    As Joe observed her, he could see that although her mana was revitalized it wasn''t quite at its best. It wasn''t low by any means but Joe could see that her mana pool was way larger than what he was seeing.


    Joe blamed the potion. Maybe due to it not being the best quality like the old lady admitted, the amount of mana it could regenerate was limited. Not that it bothered him too much, just the fact that Shelly didn''t die, diminished his anxiety greatly. Because if she did die, it would''ve been all his fault.


    ¡°I see you''re awake child.¡± The store owner had a smile on her face.


    Shelly glanced at Joe.


    ¡°The old lady is the one who helped me bring you back from the dead. He gave me the potions I needed to replenish your mana.¡± Joe explained


    The old lady chuckled. ¡°You really like to make someone feel old don''t you boy. Why not call me Dorothy instead.¡±


    Joe was glad the old lady finally gave them her name. It was weird calling someone old lady when referring to them, but he also wasn''t bold enough to ask for their name or give them a nickname. So old lady was the best he could do.


    Shelly immediately bowed infront of Dorothy. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright child,¡± Dorothy said, ¡°I don''t need you to apologize, I''m deeply grateful to you and that boy for trying to defend my store. So I should be the one thanking you not the other way around.¡±


    Shelly rose her head slowly, when her gaze narrowed on Dorothy she immediately sprung towards her. ¡°Are you alright?¡° the worry in her voice was palpable, she must''ve only realized just now that Dorothy was injured. Shelly''s hands ran through Dorothy''s charred arms in a panic. ¡°Don''t worry I''ll take care of these for you.¡± She promised, her chest heaving.


    She rubbed her hands together like she did with Joe as she prepared to activate her skill.


    Dorothy patted her on the head with a wide smile on her face. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I''ll be fine. I have an old friend who''ll help take care of me. You should preserve your mana. You don''t want to pass out again, do you?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No buts,¡± Dorothy said, cutting Shelly off. ¡°You should focus on yourself first and foremost and stop worrying so much about others. You''re still a growing girl, you should take care of yourself. Do you know what I''d give to regain my youth?" Dorothy''s envious gaze matched her question. ¡°You should enjoy your youth and stop stressing so much.¡± Dorothy wiped small traces of tears from Shelly''s eyes.


    She then stepped back before turning to face south of Perina. ¡°I should get going. But before I do. Can you young ones give me your names?¡±


    ¡°I go by Joe. That girl infront you is Shelly.¡± Joe replied, standing further away from both of them.


    ¡°Joe and Shelly¡­ what beautiful names. I hope we meet again someday.¡± Dorothy had a somber smile as she slowly walked south of Perina before blending in with the crowd.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°That old lady was awesome wasn''t she?¡± Joe asked, creeping up on Shelly from behind.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shelly said with a gentle smile.


    Joe swiftly turned around and started walking across the street. Shelly silently followed him from behind. He came across The Black Blade still shining elegantly, it had been unmoved and was exactly where it was when he dropped it against Stan. Joe crouched low and retrieved it. He gazed at its edges with numerous thoughts clouding his mind. Before violently sheathing it on his rear.


    His steps carried him forward, before he came to a stop infront of the ruins of the swordsmith store. The scent of crisped corpses was still in the air, a silent reminder of the lives that were lost. ¡°This all my fault isn''t it Shelly?¡± Joe questioned, his voice low.


    Shelly glanced at him with a confused look, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I''m the one who confronted Stan in the potion store without thinking. I''m the one who caused him to blow up the entire store destroying all of Dorothy''s hard work.¡± He clenched his teeth. ¡°I''m the one who provoked him to fight and I''m the reason this store was also destroyed and all those people got killed. It''s me. It''s all my fault.¡± Tears streaked his face, as he clenched his fist. His arms trembling.


    ¡°It''s not your fault.¡± Shelly said, gently. ¡°You did what you thought was right and you mustn''t apologize for that. These people died because Stan was a psychopath. None of this is on you Joe.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Shelly cut him off. ¡°You once told me. That blaming yourself doesn''t change anything. It doesn''t change through past and it doesn''t bring back all of those who were lost. The only thing you can do is to focus on the future and to ensure the samething doesn''t happen again.¡±


    Joe was silent, as his own words were relayed to him. He believed in them, he really did. But the heartache he felt when his mind flashed to those screaming individuals as they were burnt to ashes was indescribable.


    After a long minute, Joe spoke again. ¡°That bastsrd wasn''t working alone. That guy he wss talking about. Mikey, that must be the guy who sent him to the potion store. We need to find him and make him pay for what happened. I won''t let anymore innocent people die because of them. ¡°


    Shelly nodded.


    Joe wiped away his tears as he questioned. ¡°These people, is there a way you can send their souls to the afterlife like you did back in the black forest?¡±


    Shelly took a moment before she replied. ¡°No.¡±


    Joe''s hopeful eyes died.


    ¡°My skill needs a soul and a corpse in order to function. But people who have been burned to death most of the time are reduced to nothing but ash. And the thing abou fire is that, it contains a special property which not only destroys the body. But it also destroys the soul as well. Death by fire Is the ultimate form of execution and the worst way to die because you don''t get a chance for an after life. Your entire existence is erased.¡±


    Shelly''s explanation was hard to hear and only fueled Joe''s resentment. ¡°We''ll find that Mikey guy and make him pay!¡±


    ¡°Well first we''ll need to find out where his hodeout is. Who are his underlings, things like that. If we go to the meat store further down Perina we might find out some information. Plus, refilling our stomachs will be necessary if we want to hunt that guy down. ¡°


    Joe wasn''t sure, if Shelly suggested this for information or the meat. But he agreed with it nonetheless.


    They went further south of Perina, Joe decided to ask a question he had been holding. ¡°Those two kids you were chasing, did you manage to catch them?¡±


    Shelly''s head fell to face the ground. Her shoulders slumped. ¡°Yes¡­¡± she managed to say.


    ¡°That''s great, where are they?¡±


    ¡°I only managed to catch one of them. The other one got away.¡± She replied. ¡°The boy I caught was taken by the townspeople.¡±


    ¡°Really? That''s good¡­ right?


    ¡°I''m not sure.. that kid looked horrified. He didn''t want to steal, I could see it in his eyes. He said Mikey was the one who forced them to steal. What kind of person would use kids to steal? It''s wrong!¡± Shelly''s voice grew as her anger surfaced.


    ¡°What worries me more is the way the townspeople reacted?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They were angry, really angry. I''m scared of what they''ll do to that kid. What if they hurt him?¡± Shelly looked up at Joe, tears flowing down her face.


    ¡°Don''t worry. They''ll probably punish the kid by having him do a lot of chores. And it''s a good thing, this way he''ll be out of Mikey''s reach so he doesn''t have to steal. You did good Shelly.¡±


    Shelly didn''t seem convinced, she wiped away her tears. As she focused on the road ahead.


    The town was in a rebuilding phase, most of the individuals who had their stores burned as a result of Stan''s attack were busy hammering away. Many of them seemed to have material on stand by almost as if they knew something like this could happen. At least 8 stores needed rebuilding, the fact they were made of wood is probably what escalated the damage.


    A few whispers caught Joe''s attention as they walked by.


    ¡°You see that kid over there? I hear his the one who killed Stan?¡± A man whispered.


    ¡°What, are you serious? It was so chaotic I didn''t even get a proper look at what was happening.¡± another responded.


    ¡°Oh come on, look at him. There''s no way a kid like that took down one of the Big 3 it''s impossible. ¡° another argued.


    Joe didn''t like being whispered about in secrecy. He wanted to keep a low a profile, and having him be the center of rumors was the opposite of that.


    He was glad that most of the people didn''t seem to know what actually happened during his battle with Stan. At least he could move about a little more easily even if occasional whispers came his way. If everyone knew what he did, he was certain things would be much worse.


    The meat store was actually a further away than Joe initially thought. He head caught a whiff of the smell coming from the store and actually belived it was closer than it was in reality. It was actually a 10 minute walk from the potion store so it wasn''t even close. Considering the distance, Joe was surprised that the aroma even reached him. But this was mana best meat, it probably had a stronger scent than your regular meat.


    Joe didn''t have any plans to order anything once they arrived. He was in this purely for the information, unlike Shelly who was in it for both.


    They eventually reached their destination. The store stood alone, Isolated from the rest. It had an enormous amount of space dedicated to it. It was wide and was one of the rare buildings to actually be made out of solid bricks. A short staircases led to the entrance, and a silver plate was etched above it. The plate displayed the name of the store. It was written. ¡°Meat is Money¡±


    Joe and Shelly glanced at each other before they made their way up the stairs. They reached a flat platform and the entrance was only a few steps away. A red cloth acted as a makeshift door masking the activities inside.


    They both nodded to each other before they pushed the cloth aside and made their way inside.

 Chapter 15

    The store was pleasantly cool. Compared to the slowly rising temperature outside it was a more relaxing atmosphere. The floor was smothered by a red carpet and all the tables and chairs were neatly arranged. A glowing chandelier brought a crimson red that washed over everything In the room. It wasn''t overwhelming and it did add to the atmosphere Inside the building.


    The store was packed, not as much as the potion store but there were quite a few customers. They mostly consisted of elderly man oddly enough. They all sat on these beautifully decorated tables, covered in white cloths. Each table had a vase filled with plants placed at the center. The chairs had the same treatment as the tables, the only the difference being that their cloth was red.


    Joe and Shelly were welcomed by a young girl who looked to be around Joe''s age. She wore a raggered skirt and shirt and had a weird collar around her kneck. It had the number 3 displayed at its center. The girl''s right eye was swollen shut, which immediately rang alarm bells in Joe''s head. Her lips were dry and cracked.


    ¡°Welcome to Meat is Money. Let me take you to your seats.¡± She managed to say. Her teeth a jarring yellow color.


    She led them in between crowded tables. The customers were lively and chatting among themselves. All the waiters wore similar clothing to the girl leading Joe and Shelly. They moved around serving meals and drinks. They all had this collar each with different set of numbers and they all had these bruises. Some of them were on their knees while a few customers rested their legs on their spines. It was honestly starting to become uncomfortable for Joe.


    They reached an open table at the corner of the room and the waiter gestured for them to sit. They did as she said as they both sat down. ¡°I''ll leave these here,¡± she placed two menus on the table. ¡°I''ll come back in a minute to consult you on your order.¡± With that, she left Joe and Shelly by themselves. As she walked to serve other customers she seemed to be limping.


    Joe didn''t spare the menu even a glance. His intention wasn''t even to buy food in this establishment, so he didn''t entertain it. His eyes kept wondering around. ¡°Does this place seem odd fo you Shelly?¡± he leaned closer to Shelly as he whispered.


    Shelly''s eyes also darted around. ¡±Yeah... It''s a little strange but we are here for information right? Let''s just pretend to order something and we''ll look for a person we can talk to.¡±


    Joe nodded, although it took a while for him to do so.


    The girl from earlier returned. ¡°Have you found what you will be ordering today? If you have I''d be happy to take your order.¡± She smiled, but to Joe it was very forced.


    When Joe took a closer look at her. He just froze. She reminded him too much of how his mother used to look. Beaten and broken.


    Shelly was just about to say something in his place, when the sound of shattered glass echoed the entire room. It was swiftly followed by a booming shout.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± A man wearing a white shirt shot up from his seat. His shirt was smeared in red sauce and pieces of meat attached themselves to his clothing. A glass plate was littered over his black boots in broken shards. His face was boiling red contrasting his blue hair. ¡°Do you have any idea what you''ve just done?¡± He shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the room once more.


    A short and thin girl, maybe 16 or 17 seemed to be the one responsible. She groveled before the man instantly, begging for mercy. "Forgive me master! Forgive me me." Her lips trembled as tears fell down her swollen cheeks.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°You clumsy fool! Do you have any idea how much money you''ve just wasted? How are you going to pay for this? Huh!"


    His voice made her shiver as she struggled to form a coherent response.


    "Maybe it''s time we separated you from that brother of yours. How would you like that number 3"


    The girl''s eyes widened as she bowed even lower than she already was. "Anything but that master! I beg of you master!" She had found her voice and it rang loudly to everyone In the room.


    No one dared to say a word, and no one moved from their tables. They were glued to their seats as they watched this take place.


    "If you don''t want that to happen, I suggest you get your act together." The man spat a large volume or saliva on her head.


    The girl nodded vigorously. She raised her head slowly, "I''ll take¡ª" she couldn''t finish her sentence because almost instantly, a fit of cough ovwhelmed her. She coughed painfully, her chest was wheezing and caving in on itself with each cough. She heaved heavily as blood tricked down her mouth.


    She tried to cover it with one of her hands but it seeped in between her fingers.


    "What''s wrong number 3, I thought we found a solution for this problem of yours. Did Claudia not administer the potions we got for her."


    She wiped the blood with her already bloody hand smearing her cheeks and lips with even more blood. Realizing this was counter intuitive she gave up on it all together and instead chose to respond to the question posed to her. "She did... but it doesn''t seem to be working." She said In a shaky tone.


    "What are you trying to say number 3? Are you saying our healer can''t do her job? Are you calling our healer useless?"


    She flinched before cowering once more. "Of course not master. I''m sorry if I offended you. It wasn''t my intention."


    "Well whatever, just clean this mess up before I lose my patience with you."


    ¡°I''ll fix it right away master, forgive me.¡± Tears streaked down her face as she reached for a white cloth. She made sure to hold it with her clean hand, before she started removing the broken pieces of glass over the man''s boots. She then moved in with the cloth, ready to wipe the sauce and meat stains.


    The man mmediately stopped her. ¡°That won''t do number 3, if you''re going to clean it. Make sure you do it properly. I want you to use your tongue.¡± The man''s lips formed a twisted smirk after his words.


    The girl hesitated before she placed the cloth aside and went in with her toungue.


    Crunch!


    The girl''s teeth were immediately shattered. As the man''s boot struck her mouth in full force. Her teeth fell out and even more blood pooled from her mouth.


    The man didn''t seem to care because he kicked her again, this time harder. The girl''s head shot back and it landed forcefully against the floor. She was forced to lay on her back as blood tricked down her forehand.


    ¡°No number 3. I can''t allow mistakes llike yours in my establishment. I need to teach you about the value of the money you just waisted today.¡± the man loomed over her before he drove his boot deep into her gut. Her body doubled over as she shot up momentarily. She let our a painful scream as her head fell to the ground seconds later.


    Joe''s eyes were widened. His face boiling with rage. He shot up from his sit but the girl serving them held his arm. ¡°Please sit down. It''s best you don''t get involved. Master won''t kill her.¡±


    Her hand was trembling and her eyes watery. In that moment Joe got the full idea of what was happening in this establishment.


    ¡°Master is one of the Mikey''s Big 3. They call him Wild Tamer Red. If you care about your life you will sit down. Master doesn''t hesitate to kill customers who cross him."


    Red continued to kick the girl around. Her ribs audibly breaking in the process. He was just about to strike her again when something tapped his shoulder.


    Red swung around in frustration, "Wha¡ª"


    A sickening crack echoed the establishment as Joe''s fist smushed Red''s face. Red was then launched across the room bulldozing his way through tables and chairs before eventually smashing through a brick wall.


    Some customers were visibly injured in the process, but Joe didn''t give a shit about that.


    Murmurs erupted from the room. Those watching visibly stunned. ¡°Shelly, take care of the girl. I think we just found our information source."


    Joe trudged across the room following the trail of blood and wreckage Red left behind. He peered through the broken wall and made his way towards Red. ¡°What the hell, do you think you''re doing you bastard.¡± Joe''s face was consumed by anger. He stood 5m away from Red his Black Blade already unsheathed.


    Red slowly rose to his feet. Coughing blood saliva as he did.


    ¡°Do you know who you''re messing with kid? I''ll make you pay for that!¡±

 Chapter 16

    ¡°What the hell were you doing to that girl you piece of shit!¡± Joe''s voice boomed, his rage evident in his hardened expression.


    ¡°What I do to that girl is none of your business.¡± Red fully straightned, snapping his spine back into place. He did the same with his nose and readjusted it, despite an audible crack occurring in the process. He spat out more saliva as he checked how many teeth he had lost. By the look of things he had only lost 4. The others were cracked and his mouth continued to leak blood.


    Red wiped his bloody lips before giving Joe his full attention. ¡°All the waiters in that store are mine. What i do with them, has nothing to do with you!¡± Red announced, his tone bitter.


    ¡°They''re yours?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°That''s right! All of those girls are mine! Mikey entrusted them to me. Those kids are not yours to worry about. I can discipline my property however I choose.¡±


    ¡°They''re your property?¡± Joe snapped. ¡°What bullshit! Those girls belong to no one! They were born free and they aren''t yours to control¡±


    Red chuckled darkly, ¡°that''s funny that kid, that really is funny. But I''m sorry that''s just not how the world operates. The ones in power will always be the ones in control.¡±


    Red crouched low before he slammed his right palm into the earth. [Skill Activation: Summoning] Immediately a blue light manifested on the rocky surface. The light took the form of a wide circle. Several runes, similar to the ones Joe saw in Stan''s bracelets were drawn inside the glowing circle. Red smirked, before the earth rumbled.


    Joe nearly lost his footing but he stabbed the black blade into the surface, and used its handle to maintain his balance. The magnitude of the earth''s vibration was equivalent to that of an earthquake. And then, without warning a giant beast erupted from.the ground.


    Chunks of rocks were shattered In all directions as it emerged. Joe tilted his head when it was needed and managed to dodge most of the rocks before they struck his head. The rest of them were blocked by the black blade shielding him, with the others going astray.


    Joe''s eyes glided upwards as he observed the creature in front of him. It towered any mana beast he had seen up to this point. It was even larger than the Great Wolfin itself. Joe couldn''t belive it.


    It stood on four legs with feet as big and wide as an elephant. It had large black claws that protruded from its feet. Its limbs were incredibly thick, and it''s body consisted of a massive hump mimicking a camel''s appearance.


    The creature did not have any fur, instead its body was covered by shining silver scales. Its length was mostly exaggerated by its thin and lengthy neck that would make even the tallest of giraffes envious. To top it all off, it had a giant skull and Red was seen standing on top of it with a triumphant smile. The creature also had a weird looking giant collar at the top half of its neck.


    [Red Has Successfully Summoned The (Lvl 31) Gluttanor]


    [Mana Beast Window]


    ?? Name: Gluttanor


    ?? Race: Mana Beast


    ?? Clan: Yakura


    ?? Evolution Stage 3


    ?? Level: 31


    The Mana Beast Joe had seen up to this point were mostly similar to real-life animals with only their exaggerated sizes being the difference. But this one was different. It was quite literally a walking abomination.


    ¡°This is it kid, this is the power of control of control.¡± Red exclaimed, laughing maniacally.


    [The Mana Tool: Suppression Collar (D Class) Has Added +35 Attribute Points To Red''s Skill Attribute.]


    [The Mana Tool: Suppression Collar Has Greatly Enhanced Red''s Passive Skill (Taming)]


    [The Mana Tool: Suppression Collar: Has Reduced The Gluttanor''s Mental Strength Attribute By 45 Attribute Points. Due To Its Weakened Mental Strength, The Gluttanor Is Unable To Break Free Of Red''s (Taming) Skill]The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    When Joe took a closer look at the Gluttanor, via [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] its Mana seemed to have combined with Red''s own mana creating a weird fusion of mana flow throughout both their figures. Essentially, they were totally connected.


    Joe had never seen anything like it, even the ones who moved carriages throughout Perina didn''t seem to share this connection with their drivers. Joe pulled the black blade out of the surface now that the rumbling, had seemingly died down.


    ¡°It''s a good thing I punched that bastard through the wall and forced him to face me out in the open, because if he had summoned that thing inside, the entire place would''ve crumbled and everyone would''ve surely been hurt.¡±


    The outside of the Meat Is money store which Red And Joe now occupied, was quite spacious. The store was isolated from its the other stores in Perina which was a good thing, because many of them would''ve been in danger of being crushed. The Gluttanor was big however. the chances of the Gluttanor not drawing attention was low, the townspeople were bound to notice. Considering how they reacted when Stan went wild, Joe didn''t expect them to get involved In this battle but his already growing infamy was bound to increase.


    Joe''s mind refocused to the battle ahead. He pointed The Black Blade''s tip directly at Red and his beast signifying that he had no intention of backing down. He had slain a giant monster before and he could do it again. A wave of mama erupted from his form cloaking himself and the Black blade. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-125 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 1, 125]


    [Total Skill: 55>108]


    [Total Speed:62>110]


    [Total Strength: 60>108]


    Reacting to the spike in Joe''s mana, Red immediately went on the offensive. ¡°Desyroy him Gluttanor!¡±


    Responding to his words, the gluttonor immediately launched its head towards Joe. Due to its insanely long neck. It''s reach was similar to that of a snake, it''s maw unraveled as it aimed to consume Joe in one go. It''s face smashed into the earth at full force. The ground rumbled and cracks marred its surface. A cloud of white smoke took shape almost immediately after the collision.


    The Gluttanor''s head rose up once again after a few seconds, but it''s mouth was empty. Joe was no where to be found


    Red who nearly lost his footing after that assault was fuming with anger. ¡°You idiot! Don''t just charge In there without thinking. You could''ve crushed me!¡± Red stomped the Gluttanor''s skull repeatedly, although that was unlikely to leave any lasting damage.


    The dust cleared, And Joe was found standing 10 meters away from the his previous position. His chest heaving.


    ¡°That was really close. If I hadn''t launched my self to the side when I did. I would''ve probably been devoured. That thing''s huge but it''s speed is no joke..¡±


    Joe reaffirmed his footing, he crouched low and prepared to launch himself forward.


    But Red had other ideas.


    ¡°I''m done, letting you choose your own moves. Just use drowsy roar!¡±


    The Gluttanor''s mouth opened wise and from the depths of its throat it unleashed a booming roar. [Skill Activation: Drowsy Roar]


    The sound immediately assaulted Joe''s senses. It was loud and unrelenting. Joe''s form staggered back and his vision started spinning In circles. The Black Blade escaped from his grasp and clattered to the ground. Joe immediately followed it, as his form was brought to its knees. He had both hands covering his ears, desperate for the sound to go away. His vision was now starting to blur.


    [-30 Mental Strength Attribute Points (Total: 11)]


    The Gluttanor had long stopped roaring but its sound continued to torment Joe. And Red was keen on taking the advantage. ¡°Now destroy him Gluttanor. Use Rock Smash!"


    The Gluttanor''s neck extended once again. It''s mouth opened as it scooped a mouthful of the ground. It then crunched it into bits and pieces of large rocks with its teeth, before it rose once again. It heaved almost as if taking a huge breath, before its mouth opened wide. Without a second thought, it unleashed a volley of large rocks coated in brown mana towards Joe. The rocks were incredibly quick as they brisked through the air. [Skill Activation: Rock Smash]


    Joe had to think on his feet despite his disorientation. He reached tor The Black Blade next to him, he winced as he drove The Black Blade into his thigh, slicing it open.


    The blade didn''t dig deep, but it was still excruciatingly painful. That pain is what jotted Joe''s senses and forced him to focus. The sound in his head went away when his body was assaulted by a new sensation called pain. He clenched his teth and dragged himself to his feet. Blood oozed from his leg but he didn''t seem to care. His burst of mana doubled as he swung the black blade once. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2]


    [Current Mana Pool: 875]


    The arc it produced was massive, it matched the speed of the incoming rocks and tire through all of them without much trouble. [Skill Activation: Mana Slash]


    [The Passive Skill Weaponry Is In Effect]


    [-140 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:720]


    [Total Skill:108>185]


    [Total Strength: 108>181]


    [Toal Speed:110>158]


    Joe''s blood loss lessened after he activated [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2] It was still there, but it flowed at a much slower rate. ¡°I won''t be able to sustain this for long. I''ll need to kill that thing in a single all and nothing charge, or else I''m screwed.¡± Joe winced at the thought.


    The handle of the black blade started to glow. And what came with the white glow was a single rune. Similar to the ones Joe had seen up to this point. Joe had released one of the black blade''s seals.


    [You Have Released 1 Seal From The Mana Tool - The Black Blade.]


    [-20 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:700]


    [Total Skill:160>180]


    Joe''s all or nothing assault, was about to begin.

 Chapter 17

    Joe took shallow breaths as his eyes fell on the black blade. It felt different under his grasp. It was slightly heavier but also seemed more solid than before. Its bladed edge was slightly more pronounced and Joe could feel the energy of the white rune coursing through it. Add to that [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2] and Joe felt like this was the Black Blade in its peak condition.


    Joe shifted his attention to the Gluttanor before him. His eyes glided up the Gluttanor''s form. Before they eventually came to a halt, choosing to focus on the tight collar around its neck. Joe''s mind raced as he thought of attacking measures he could take. ¡°According to Syr, that collar is the reason that bastard can maintain control over the Gluttanor. If I manage to cut it, the skill should be undone. Their Mana Signatures are intrinsically linked with one another. Breaking that connection, should theoretically undo the skill. Yes, that should work.¡±


    Joe was just about ready to act on this line of thought, but doubt started creeping into his mind unannounced. ¡°Wait, if I cut it down. What if it doesn''t undo the skill? What if instead it breaks the connection between them and that thing ends up going berserk. If it starts going on a rampage because the connection is severed, that could be dangerous. I can''t endanger innocent lives, not again¡­¡±


    The ground trembled as the Gluttanor took a step forward. Joe''s attention was attracted to Red standing atop its skull.


    ¡°You know kid,¡± Red''s spoke loudly. ¡°You may think that you''re helping those girls by messing with me but that couldn''t be further from the truth.To those girls I am their master. Their savior. Those girls don''t have parents, their Mana Signatures are a joke and they don''t even have Academy Licenses. Their lives are worthless, they are nothing but discarded trash! But I decided to help them out. Thanks to me they have jobs and they can earn money. These are things they could''ve never acquired in a million years. I take care of my pets, all they have to do is obey!¡±


    Joe''s fsce boiled with rage. ¡°A savior? What bullshit!¡± his grip tightened. ¡°You''re just an asshole who thinks of human lives as nothing but pets. For what you''ve done to those girls. I''ll make you pay. I''ll make you regeret ever laying your hands on them!¡¯


    Joe blasted forward with only a streak of black mana lingering In his wake. The black sheep fluttered in the breeze and his eyes silent focused on Red and his pet.


    ¡°Don''t let him get close Gluttanor!¡± Red warned at the top of his lungs. ¡°Use Earth Stomp!¡±


    His words reached the Gluttanor''s ears and it responded accordingly. It lifted its massive foot cloaked in mana and slammed the surface with full force. The ground vibrated violently as the Gluttanor''s mana resonated with earth. A few seconds later, a wave of razor sharp spears erupted from the earth. [Skill Activation: Earth Stomp]


    They came surging towards Joe like a tidal wave. They sprouted one after the other as they looked to puncture anything that moved. They were about 3m long and their thickness complemented their length. Brown mana cloaked their tips emphasizing their lethality.


    But Joe had no intentions of slowing down. He clenched his teeth and swung the black blade horizontally with all the strength he could generate. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash] A colossal black arc took shape and it zipped through the air at nearly untraceable speed.


    [-140 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:560]


    One by one, it demolished each and every spike in its path like a wrecking ball, slicing through them with ease. The arc didn''t stop there, it kept its pace and trajectory closing in on the Gluttanor''s right leg.


    Red''s eyes widened at the shear scale, sweat dripping down his forehead. ¡°Y¨CYou have to stop it Gluttanor! Use Hardening!¡±


    Mana erupted from the Gluttanor. More cracks manifested on the earth as it established its footing. It didn''t move an inch, ready to face the incoming arc head on. [Skill Activation: Hardening]


    The collision occurred, and a massive shockwave pulsed throughout the battlefield. Joe himself was forced to stop mid dash as he tried to establish a firm footing. He covered his face with the black blade protecting himself from the raging wind.


    As the winds died down, Joe looked on to see the results of his efforts.


    Unfortunately, The Gluttanor was still standing.


    Its leg dripped this purple and gooey substance. Joe wasn''t sure if it was blood or something else. It manifested where [Mana Slash] had struck so it had to be blood. The cut while evident wasn''t anywhere near as big as it should''ve been. The Gluttanor should''ve lost its leg. But there it was standing tall like a mountain.


    Red''s face was one of relief and surprise combined into one. His chest heaved as he looked down to see that the Gluttanor was still standing. ¡°No way, how could a kid like that release a slash that powerful. I''ve never seen anyone break through hardening before, much less injure Gluttanor. That brat is dangerous.¡±


    Joe couldn''t hide the disappointment in his face, as he saw the extent of his assault resulting In nothing more but a mere flesh wound. ¡°Releasing a seal isn''t enough. I guess I''ll have to take things up a notch. ¡°


    [Mana Tool Skill: Charge]


    All the Mana around the Black Blade was condensed and absorbed into the blade until it disappeared into nothing.


    [The Black Blade Is Gathering Mana]


    Joe smirked, before he dashed forward. His body became the only thing cloaked in mana and The Black Blade was left naked.


    ¡°What the hell? Where did all the mana around his blade go?¡± Red questioned himself. He then shook his head, ¡°no it doesn''t matter. I won''t let that kid release another one of his attacks.¡± Red tapped the Gluttanor''s skull with his boots. ¡°We can''t let that kid attack or get anywhere near us, kill him now! Gluttanor! Use raging tongue.¡±


    The Gluttanor''s maw opened and its pink and lengthy tongue rolled out of its mouth. And it was massive. It reared back its neck before it launched the colossal tongue towards Joe. [Raging Tongue]Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    [6 Seconds Before The Charge Is Complete]


    Joe saw the incoming tongue and immediately launched himself to his right side. The tongue blew past him with its spittle fitting the air. Joe then pressed forward ignoring the stinging pain assaulting his wounded leg.


    The Gluttanor wouldn''t let him dodge that easily though. It swung its tongue to the right like a whip looking to demolish Joe''s body on contact.


    Joe''s eyes were alerted to the danger. He flipped over the incoming tongue and landed on its opposite side. He then swung the black blade and sliced it cleanly.


    Purple liquid gushed out, as a massive part of the Gluttanor''s tongue collapsed to the ground.


    The Gluttanor staggered back in pain. Its loss of balance also affecting Red. It screamed, its roar filling the air with anguish. It took a few seconds before the Gluttanor regained its balance and some sort of composure. But as it looked down where Joe once was. He had vanished without a trace.


    Red''s eyes darted around frantically. ¡°Where is he?¡± When Red felt a cold chill coming from above, his eyes rose to the heavens.


    There he was, Joe had the black blade over his head. [Charge Complete] Joe swung the blade in a swift vertical slash. An arc larger than anything he had unleashed before manifested. It rained down on Red and the Gluttanor devouring them in its piercing darkness. [Skill Activation: Mana Slash]


    [Total Skill:179>334]


    When Joe touched down on the ground. The earth was soaked in purple liquor and he could see the scattered pieces of the Gluttanor. Oddly enough there was no mana beast core. When the Gluttanor was first summoned, Joe recalled its mana flow that was deeply connected to Red. It flowed like that of a human, but now that he started thinking about it, he didn''t rember ever seeing a mana beast core. The Gluttanor didn''t have it.


    That wasn''t even the oddest part, before Joe Took another step. The Gluttanor''s corpse dissolved into pure brown mana. Losing its physical form completely. The light followed a straight trail and Joe traced it with his gaze.


    The light led to Red''s figue. It got absorbed into his body before disappearing.


    Red lay on the ground a few meters away from Joe. His legs had been sliced off but he was still breathing. He must''ve tried to dodge the attack but lost his legs in the process. Blood pooled beneath him in large volumes. His mouth was also spilling blood as he coughed painfully.


    Joe strode towards him lethargically. ¡°Tell me, where is Mikey?¡± Joe''s voice was controlled and measured, his eyes harbored no sympathy for Red.


    Red could still some how drag himself to sit somewhat upright. He looked at Joe with dull eyes, his hand slipping into his pocket. He escaped with a green crystal. He crushed it into a million pieces with the last of his strength. He then dug deep into his lungs, before he responded. ¡°Go¡­ to hell!!¡±


    Joe loomed over him. Without saying another word. He lifted the blade over his head. And in a split second, he brought it down at full force. Decapitating Red, and ending his life right then and there.


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Current Level: 28]


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [The Black Blade Has Reached (Lvl 17)]


    [You Have Unlocked A New Skill: Mental Resistance]


    [Updates Attributes]


    ? Skill: 53>61(+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 50>58(+10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 52>60(+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 45>49(+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 41>45


    ?? Additional Attribute Points:4


    Joe''s eyes were becoming woozy. The blood oozing down his leg was flowing excessively now that he was no longer using [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]. He couldn''t really focus on the notifications before him either. He was just about to turn around but he couldn''t leave Red laying there, scum like him needed to purged from this world.


    His mana coiled around the corpse and the severed head before it devoured them, reducing them to nothing.


    [+1 Native Soul Has Been Stored Inside Your Body]


    [Soul Count: 2]


    With that done, Joe turned around and limped back towards the Meat Is Money store dragging The Black Blade by his side. It didn''t take him long until he arrived. He he came through the broken wall he created, now a bloody mess.


    He breathed heavily, his balance wobbly as he held into a part of the wall with his free hand. The store itself was quiet the moment he entered. The customers from before were still there and just the sight of them made Joe''s blood boil. ¡°Get out all of you!¡± He yelled with all the energy he had left.


    ¡°Did he actually do it? Did that kid kill Red?¡± one of the customers questioned.


    Within seconds, the store exploded into a frenzy as all the customers darted for the exit. They shoved and toppled each other, each person trying to get ahead.


    ¡°That kid''s a monster I''m out of here!¡± Another shouted.


    Within seconds, the store was rid of customers. All that remained were the waiters and Shelly. And by the look of things she managed to heal the girl from earlier. Joe had a faint smile before he fell on his back.


    Shelly immediately rushed towards him, ¡°You¡¯re bleeding¡­ let me help.¡± She said, kneeling next to him.


    Joe wanted to tell her no, that she needed to save her mana but he was honestly going to bleed out at this rate. He allowed Shelly to use her skill, although be it with a heavy heart. He was relying on her again.


    [Skill Activation: Regeneration]


    Shelly placed her gentle palms on Joe''s wound applying pressure before a soothing green light smothered the injured area. Joe''s pain eased and his blood began to dry as the wound slowly closed. After a few seconds, he was completely healed.


    Joe opened his eyes and was welcomed by Shelly''s warm smile. He sat upright slowly, ¡°Sorry Shelly. Looks like I had to rely on you again.¡± Joe clenched his fists in frustration.


    ¡°What''s wrong with that? We''re friends, of course I''ll help. Besides, it''s such a small injury that the Mana Cost is miniscule so it''s all good¡± She smiled, warmly.


    Joe didn''t know how to respond to that. Friend.. although he was nineteen that''s not a word he heard often. He only had 3 friends really to speak of back on earth and one of them was his sister. He just didn¡¯t have time for things like friendship. But for some reason, hearing someone cal him a friend made him shed a small tear which he made sure he hid of course.


    With his injury healed, Joe regained his footing. He picked up the black blade and sheathed it. His attention turned to the waiters at the store who all looked at him with blank expressions.


    One of them, a girl with black short hair, decided to speak up. ¡°Did you really do it? Did you kill master?¡±


    Joe had a wide grin on his face, ¡°that''s right. Now you guys are free.¡±


    ¡°Free?¡± Another one snapped. ¡°Do you have any idea what you''ve just done? We''ve lost our jobs! How am I going to take care of my little brother? He''ll die of hunger if I don''t make money!¡± The girl collapsed to her knees and just released an ocean of tears.


    Numerous other girls did the same thing and just released it all. Others just stood there, frozen.


    This was not what Joe expected to see. He hoped he''d get to see some happy faces but he didn''t see a single one of them. He needed a way to help these girls but before he could wrap his mind around this particular problem. A loud cry resonated throughout Perina.


    Joe and Shelly glanced at each other before they dashed out of the store. Was it an attack? Was it Mikey? There were a lot of possibilities.


    They dashed from the store back to the center of the town. At the speed they were traveling at, it only took them a minute before they reached the center of town.


    And that''s when they saw it. At the town square. A long pole loomed over everything. And at the top of the pole pinned by countless enormous nails to the skull.


    Was the lifeless corpse of the young boy John.


    The boy Shelly captured back then.


    Numerous townspeople had gathered around the pole and were throwing countless rocks at his corpse.


    ¡°Die you Trash Can Freak.¡±


    ¡°This is what happens when you steal!¡±


    Some of them would shout as they threw stones relentlessly. Blood pooled beneath the motionless corpse helplessly.


    At that moment, Joe and Shelly realized something. This wasn''t your average town. It was a town made in hell.

 Chapter 18

    Joe and Shelly stood there eyes widened as they took on the scene. The townspeople kept propelling rock after rock on John''s corpse, pieces of his flesh were peeling off due to the endless battering. They had stripped the boy down leaving him exposed as his inky pale skin was now mixed with crimson.


    The pole he was on was placed an a wooden platform and a large crowd had gathered for this ¡®event¡¯. Others whistled in joy while others clapped their hands like this was some sort of celebration. Numerous thoughts played in Joe''s mind at that very moment but his mind immediately landed on Shelly.


    He glanced at her ¡°She¡ª¡± before he could finish whatever he had in mind. Shelly stormed past him, her eyes widened and fierce. She had clenched fists as she strode forward at rapid pace. Joe had never seen Shelly like this. She was a completely different person.


    She barreled through the crowd and eventually reached the front of the platform.


    The chubby shopkeeper of the bread store was the only figure who stood on the stage, he seemed to be the conductor of this entire event. When Shelly reached the front, he noticed her immediately. He smiled before he raised his hand, and immediately everyone stopped flinging rocks at John''s corpse. He then clapped once and everyone was quiet.


    ¡°It''s you¡­ you''re the girl from earlier right? The one who caught this piece of trash.¡± He gestured at John''s corpse. He then reached for his pocket and escaped with a large piece of rock. He extended his arm towards Shelly. ¡°This wouldn''t be possible without your hard work. It wouldn''t be fair if you weren''t allowed to eat a piece of the pie. Take this,¡± he offered her the rock.


    Shelly got on the platform and strode towards him. Small circular barriers around the size of boxing gloves formed around her fists. [Skill Activation: Green Fists]


    The shopkeeper''s eyes widened. ¡°What are yo¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Shelly''s barrier enhanced fist collided with his face. It smushed his face and the sound of breaking bones was audible for everyone present. The shopkeeper was sent flying and drifting along the wooden platform. He nearly fell off the platform but his body managed to halt centimeters from the edge.


    Before he could think about getting up, Shelly was already looming over him. The Shopkeeper''s face was drenched in blood and one of his eyes was forced shut. His teeth had fallen out, with only a few stubborn ones still clinging on despite being cracked. His nose had been broken and his lips swollen ust a few seconds after getting punched.


    Shelly''s eyes were Ice cold, and she didn''t say a word. The shopkeeper raised his hand over his face, he looked to be uttering something but due to his ravaged teeth and bleeding mouth, everything came out as a mumbled mess.


    His words wouldn''t have matterd to Shelly even if he could somehow form them. She knelt on knee and deactivate her [Green Fists] on one hand. She then used this free hand to wrap her hand around the Shopkeeper''s throat before firmly gripping it.


    The shopkeeper gasped for air to no avail. He tried to wiggle his body free but his body had already reached its limit. Just wiggling was now almost an impossible task. He was forced to look on with widened eyes.


    Crack.


    Shelly unloaded her second strike and it was even louder than the first. She then just kept at it, punch after punch after punch. The shopkeeper''s blood spattered everywhere with no signs of stopping.


    The crowd were stunned to silence, withonly a few whispers breaking through.


    ¡°Who is that girl?¡±


    ¡°Does she have any idea what she''s done.¡±


    ¡°The Frozen Wing Party will surely come for her now.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°She''s as good as dead.¡±


    After just 10 blows the shopkeeper was unresponsive. Whether he was dead or not was uncertain, but he was definitely out cold. His face was flattened like dough and his fashionable black suit was more red than black.


    Shelly grabbed the shopkeeper by his suit and started dragging him as she moved to face the crowd. He pointed at four individuals in the crowd, they seemed be male and around 22 years. Their Mana Signatures were pitiful to say the least. ¡°You four¡­ get that boy''s body down from there!¡±


    They all aggressively nodded as they rushed to bring down John''s body. As for the shopkeeper, Shelly flung his body to the crowd before shouting with a venomous gaze. ¡°Get the hell out of my sight!¡±


    The townspeople people scattered with a few of them teaming up to drag the shopkeeper''s body away.


    When Shelly turned around, the four man had already brought down John''s body. Shelly didn''t have to say a word, her eyes sent the message loud and clear. Immediately after their task, they scurried away like frightened mouses.


    Shelly took cautious steps towards John''s body her skill long since deactivated. When she reached him, she crumbled to her knees. Before tears just surged out her face as she cried. Her stoic expression had been broken and her vulnerability was exposed. She tried to wipe her tears but they just kept coming. ¡°I''m so sorry¡­.. I''m so sorry.¡± She repeated her apology for 3 minutes straight before her eyes finally dried. She stood up, as she wiped the last of her tears.


    She brought her hands together as one would do for a short prayer. Her eyes closed, before a green light shrouded her hands. [Skill Activation: Decomposition] A warm light surged forth and encompassed John''s corpse. It then brightened as John''s corpse was reduced to particles of light. The light formed a small orb which then sunk into the platform and the ground below. A lone flower sprouted where Joe''s body once was, a beautiful yellow flower that shimmered under the son. ¡°May the Soul King be with you.¡±


    Shelly''s eyes gently opened, before she turned around. She jumped off the platform and made her way back to Joe.


    Before Joe could utter a word, Shelly spoke before him. ¡°Let''s do it Joe, let''s find Mikey and make him pay.¡± Her eyes were a stark contrast to how they would be normally. They weren''t gentle or warm. They were cold and vengeful.


    Joe responded with a stoic expression of his own. ¡°We''ll do it, we''ll definitely find him don''t worry.¡±


    ¡°Hi¡± a voice of a young girl called out.


    Joe and Shelly turned their heads and they saw her. It was the same girl from the Meat Is Money store, the one they managed to save from Red''s abuse. Shelly had healed all her injuries and she looked to be doing well. But even though Shelly had managed to heal her completely, the girl way too thin for her age. It seemed like she was suffering from something more than just the injuries she suffered. Her chest heaved and sweat had accumulated on her forehead. She must''ve ran all the way after both of them.


    She bowed slightly, before she rose again. ¡°Thank you so much for helping me¡­ I was so scared¡­ I thought I was going to die! I thought I''d never see my brother again!¡± She whimpered, as she tried to wipe the tears from her face.


    ¡°It''s all good. I''m glad you''re doing okay.¡± Joe said with a warm smile.


    The girl finisjed clearing her face, ¡°its thanks to you both.¡± She said, with a smile.


    ¡°My name''s Joe and this is Shelly. What''s your name kid.¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m number 3.¡± She responded immediately.


    Joe shook his head. ¡°No, not that one, I mean your real name.¡±


    ¡°I''m not allowed to say my real name. I''m number 3¡± she responded in a low voive.


    ¡°Red is gone, you have nothing to worry about.¡± Joe tried reassuring her.


    It took a few seconds before she replied, ¡°it''s Viola.¡±


    Joe grinned widely, ¡°that''s a really cool name. It''s nice to meet you Viola.¡±


    Viola''s cheeks flushed pink momentarily. Her expression turned sour though when her eyes fell to the pole John''s corpse was hung from. ¡°That boy, John. He was a good friend of my brother''s but now his gone..." Tears streamed down her face. ¡°So many of us have died trying to please father. It''s not fair!¡±


    Joe''s eyes widened, ¡°father?¡±


    Viola wiped her tears, ¡°Yeah¡­ his the one who rules the Trash Can and is the most feared man in Perina. We aren''t allowed to call him by his real name¡­ but his real name is Mikey.¡±


    Joe stepped closer, ¡°you know where we can find Mikey.¡±


    Before she could respond, Viola was overwhelmed by another fit of cough. This one lasted 10 seconds, and ortunately there was no blood this time.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Joe asked with a worried expression.


    Viola nodded, ¡°I''m fine.¡± She then exhaled before she spoke, ¡°I can take you guys to Mikey If you want because I''m also going there. I need to see my brother, I fear he may be in trouble. ¡°


    ¡°Plese show us the way.¡± Joe said, with urgency in his tone


    Viola led the way like she promised. The road had many twist and turns and looked to be on the western side of Perina. After 20 minutes they finally arrived.


    Infront of them was a large gate made of wood. ¡°This is it,¡± Viola pointed to the gate. ¡°This is where Mikey is located. This is the Trash Can.¡±


    Joe and Shelly glanced at each other before they nodded. Without wasting another second. They made their way to the entrance, prepared for the battle that was about to follow.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°You guys should stay back I''ll handle this.¡± Joe said, as he came to a stop in front of the wooden gate. He gestured with his arms for Shelly and Viola to get behind him, and they obliged.


    He unsheathed The Black Blade and gripped it firmly. He raised it over his right shoulder, before he brought it down diagonally with a powerful swing.


    Metal struck wood and the gate immediately crumbled. Countless pieces of broken wood feel to the ground as the entrance to the Trash Can was blown wide open. Joe''s lips curled into a smile before he sheathed the blade back.


    He turned around to face his companions. ¡°Preety cool, right?¡±


    Viola looked at him with sparkling eyes, the smile on her face growing wider. It was safe to say. she was impressed.


    Shelly on the other hand, didn''t show the same enthusiasm. She didn''t show anything. Her eyes were dull. As she walked past Joe, she said, ¡°we should keep moving. We have to find that bastard.¡± Her fists clenched as she moved to the entrance.


    Viola followed closely behind her but not before giving Joe a sympathetic glance.


    Joe was slightly deflated by that response. He wanted to do something cool, in hopes of cheering Shelly up even if it was momentarily.


    Joe also wanted Mikey dead, he was just as mad as she was. But he also wanted to ease Shelly''s pain. Because he also played a role In her sadness and rage.


    If he didn''t tell Shelly to catch those boys after they stole from Dorothy. Maybe Shelly wouldn''t have gone after them, maybe she wouldn''t have caught one of them. And maybe John would still be alive. Joe knew that was a lot of maybes, and he couldn''t have predicted how things were going to play out. But even so, he couldn''t help but blame himself for it all.


    He exhaled and shook his head, trying to focus on the task ahead. These what if scenarios were not helping. He trudged to the entrance following closely behind Shelly and Viola.


    As soon as he stepped inside the Trash Can his nose was immediately assaulted. A foul stench invaded his nostrils and he had to cover his nose immediately. How he didn''t puke right then and there was a mystery even to him. His throat turned bitter from the odor and he couldn''t help but wince.


    The source of this discomfort was obvious. As far as the eye could see, the Trash Can was submerged in garbage. Piles of trash that mimicked mountains were everywhere. If it was disgusting and really old, Joe was probably looking at it.


    Children ran up and down these ¡®mountains¡¯ playfully. Some used them for climbing, while others used them as slides. Others were even gathering all the mud they could find to build what looked like a garbage snowman.


    Joe''s eyes fell on a boy no older than 14, he came across a half eaten rotten apple. The boy didn''t waste a second before he bit into it, even though it sounded as hard as rock.


    Before Joe could even fully process the scene before him, a voice came crashing down from above.


    ¡°What are you doing here Viola?¡±


    Joe''s eyes immediately darted to the source, he found a young boy located at the summit of one of these mountains. He slid down with practiced precision before walking towards them. Flanking him on either side were two boys. They all wore tattered shorts and were walking barefoot. Only a few of them were wearing shirts, while the rest exposed their frail upper bodies. The boy who spoke was the only one with a circular ink smearing his right cheek. By the look of things, he was the leader.


    He stood 5m away, and the other boys did the same. His gaze drafted to Viola. ¡°Shouldn''t you be at work Viola? ¡° His eyes then darted suspiciously between Shelly and Joe, ¡°and who are these people you brought with you?¡±


    Viola stepped forward. ¡°I''m here to take my brother back and Joe and Shelly are going to help. They want to bring down father.¡±


    The boy chuckled at Viola''s words. ¡°You can''t seriously believe that to be possible right? We both know father can''t be beaten. Especially not by guys like this¡± he gave both Joe and Shelly an odd look.


    ¡°But they can do it!¡± Viola argued, her voice energetic. ¡°This guy right here defeated Red!¡± She pointed at Joe with a confident expression.


    ¡°That''s impossible! You''re telling me a guy like that defeated one of Mikey¡¯s Big 3?¡±


    ¡°Yes. These guys are strong Levi. They can actually do it. They can bring down father."


    ¡°Why? Why are you suddenly turning on father Viola¡± Levi asked, ¡°father is the one who saved you and Ed. He even gave you a job. Why betray him?¡±


    ¡°We both know that place can barely be called a job. A lot of our friends have been dying almost everyday. Even John died to day!¡±


    Levi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise after he heard that.


    ¡°No more Levi. I''m going to stand by Shelly and Joe. We''ll take down Father and save everyone!¡±


    Levi was quiet for a few seconds almost as if lost in thought. ¡°Look Shelly. I''m willing to look past your betrayal because I''d like to think that you''re still one of us. I won''t report you to father, but these friends of yours need to go. I''m trying to help you. If you fight against father, all of you will get killed.¡±


    ¡°No Levi. We''re not turning back!¡± Viola refused to budge.


    ¡°Well I guess you leave me no choice.¡± Levi turned around to face the rest of the children. ¡°Guys!¡± He shouted, his voice sending a loud echo that shook the garbage mountains. ¡°Viola has betrayed us. She has chosen to go against father! We can''t let her get through!¡± Levi turned to face them, and a crowd of the other kids gathered around him. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Everyone picked a brick, pole, stick and basically anything else they could use as makeshift weapons. Levi retrieved a rusted knife from his pocket, before saying. ¡°Sorry Viola, You''re not getting through.¡±


    Viola was about to say another word, when Joe crept up from behind her. He gave her a pat on the shoulder as he stepped foward.


    ¡°You guys should stand down, don''t make me hurt you!¡± Joe cracked his knuckles looking to spark some fear into the young boys.


    It seemed to work. They gave each other nervous glances and their hands started to tremble.


    "Don''t let him try to get to you! We can do do this?¡± Levi tried to galvanize his troops despite looking worried himself.


    Joe didn''t wait for the boys to come to him, he became the aggressor. He closed in on them faster than they could comprehend. They all felt something strike them at the back of the head before they collapsed to the ground.


    Joe had struck all the boys with precise neck chops and knocked them out cold. He made sure to hold back his strength as much as he could to ensure that none of them were badly injured.


    ¡°I just knocked them out. We can come back for them later, for now we have to keep moving.¡± Joe explained, glancing at Viola behind him.


    She nodded with understanding and continued to lead them through the Trash Can. They took several twist and turns, the route was like a well designed maze. If Viola wasn''t with them, Joe was certain they would''ve gotten lost. During their 10 minute walk Joe also slowly began to adapt to the sickening smell that plagued the Trash Can. It wasn¡¯t easy, but he eventually managed to do it.


    Viola halted as they came face to face with their destination. She pointed at a building straight ahead, ¡°that''s the place. That''s where father is located. ¡°


    The building itself was made of bricks. It was two floors high and looked stable and secured. It was by far the best structure Joe had seen in Perina. He glanced at Shelly and she nodded. All the of them trudged forward before coming face to face with a large wooden door.


    When compared to the gate, it looked far more sturdy and imposing. But Joe didn''t have time to play around. He kicked the door with his right foot and it flew off its hinges. It crashed into a wall and shattered to pieces. Producing a loud and dominant echo.


    The three of them entered seconds later. The room was a long hallway. They found themselves in the middle and two paths were presented to them. Both ends of the hallway had a small window which allowed natural light to seep in. But more importantly, on either side there were a set of stairs that led further up the building.


    The bottom floor, was empty which suggested everyone was likely to be upstairs.


    ¡°I need one of you guys to help me go check on my brother. He''s located upstairs on the right side of the room. But one of you has to go to the left hand side. There are children there who also need help. We need to split up.¡± Viola said.


    ¡°What about Mikey? Where is he?¡± Shelly was the first to ask.


    ¡°He''s upstairs." Viola replied. "It doesn''t matter which side we take. We''ll see Mikey¡¯s room at the center of the second floor. His room is sandwiched In between two rooms, so no matter which side we take, we''ll find him.¡± She explained.


    ¡°Allright then.¡± Joe spoke up, ¡°I''ll take the left. Shelly you go with Viola.¡±


    Shelly nodded and they went their separate directions.


    Shelly and Viola reached the staircase on the right and they scaled up to the second floor. It''s there Shelly saw something unbelievable.


    Both sides of the room were on was stacked with colossal cages. Children no older than 16 occupied by these cages. Many of them were coughing painfully. Others were heavily Bandaged. While some were even missing limbs. The children were all sobbing. The pain clearly too much to bare.


    ¡°Useless!¡±


    At the center of the room a voice boomed. If belonged to a tall women wearing a purple dress. She held a black staff as she battered what looked to be a young boy relentlessly. She brought down the staff like a hammer, and only stopped once the boy was unresponsive. Her black staff became soaked with blood. She heaved, before slowly turning around.


    ¡°What a surprise. I didn''t expect to see you here Viola. Shouldn''t you be working?¡± She asked as she walked towards them. She dragged the boy like a bag, smearing a trail of blood behind her.


    She came to a stop 8m in front of them. ¡°Do you know what this boy did?¡± She lifted him up. ¡°This idiot allowed one of my reliable boys to get captured. John is probably dead and it''s all his fault.¡± She threw the body and sent it tumbling to Viola''s feet.


    When she saw it, Viola immediately fell to her knees. ¡°Ed!¡± She rushed to check his vitals. Fortunately, he was still alive but was hanging on by a thread. ¡°How could you do this Claudia?¡± Viola shouted, with tears flowing down her face.


    ¡°That brother of yours costed me a useful boy. He''s lucky I didn''t just kill him. Although the blame should also go to that good for nothing Stan. He was supposed to make sure something like this didn''t happen. Its a miracle that boy even came back with the potions!¡± Claudia could not hide her irritated expression.


    After a long while,  her eyes finally fell to Shelly, ¡°huh? And who are you supposed to be?¡± She asked, almost as if she only now just noticed her.


    Shelly didn''t bother with her question, her eyes fell to Ed. ¡°That''s the boy from earlier. So he''s Viola''s brother?¡± Shelly immediately clenched her fists. ¡°What the hell did you do to this boy and all these kids!¡± Her rage was evident in her eyes.


    Claudia''s eyes darted around the room. ¡°All these kids you see here are my patients.¡± She said proudly. ¡°It''s my job to ensure they are fully healed so that they can continue to be of service to Mikey.¡±


    Shelly''s voice grew louder. ¡°So you''re only healing them because you want to continue to exploit them and send them to their deaths. ¡°


    ¡°Exactly, ¡° Claudia replied. ¡°Isn''t that a healer¡¯s job. You fix them up so that they can continue to fight. As long as they draw breath, it is a healer¡¯s job to make sure they get back up to fight until their bodies drop¡±


    ¡°No, that''s wrong!¡± Shelly shouted. ¡°A healer is supposed to protect them, so they don''t get hurt in the first place. That''s what it means to be a healer. What you''re doing I''d wrong.¡±


    ¡°Is it now? Well girl, what are you going to do about it?¡± Claudia firmly gripped her staff.


    Shelly stepped foward. Glowing green orbs smothered net hands as she did. [Skill Activation: Green Fists]


    ¡°I''m going to make sure, you never get anywhere near these kids again!¡±


    Claudia smirked. ¡°Well then, It''s see if you can back up your words girl.¡±


    [Left Hand Side Of The Building]


    Joe climbed the stairs and reached the top. He came into a strange room. From either side of the walls he found children In cages.


    Thses cages weren''t closed but the kids stayed put. There were about 10 of these cages and 3 children occupied a single cage. Most of them were unconscious, and the few that did remain looked exhausted. They were barely keeping their eyes open and were all incredibly thin. They looked like skeletons. Joe couldn''t belive what he wss seeing. But he knew the one responsible for this.


    A man stood at the center of the room. He wore a stylish red suit. His boots shimmered as he took casual steps towards Joe. He had a stick with a piece of meat in his right hand. ¡°So it''s you. You must be the boy Red tried to won us about. When I received his signal, I thought his Mana Stone had broken by accident. But now I''m starting to think that''s not the case.¡±


    His footsteps oozed confidence and he came to a stop 7m away from Joe. ¡°You have some nerve showing your face here after what you did boy.¡±


    Joe tightened his grip on the Black Blade. Ignoring the man''s words completely.


    ¡°What did you do? What the hell did you do to these kids!¡± Joe''s voice boomed.


    ¡°That is none of your concern. I should be the one asking why you''ve entered Mikey''s territory.


    Joe pointed his blade at the man. ¡°I''m here to kick the ass out of that Mikey of yours. And I''m going to save these kids. I''ll start by making you pay for what you did to them!"


    The man chuckled. He took a big hard bite out of the meat on his stick. He said while chewing ¡°Well then, I want to see you try.¡±

 Chapter 20

    [Right Side Of Mikey''s Hideout]


    Shelly''s heart slammed against her chest. She had gritted teeth and her fists were clenched so hard, her nails bit the center of her soft palms. The green barrier around her fists was solid as a rock, its light never showing any signs of flickering out. Shelly''s eyes were glued to Claudia''s smug face but something drew her attention.


    A few meters beyond Claudia, Shelly''s eyes fell on a wide brown door. A piece of paper was loosely attached to the center of the door. Yellow in color, the paper was written in a bold and black inky substance. It spelled the words. MIKEY''S ROOM. There couldn''t be a bigger indication than that. Beyond that door, Shelly would find Mikey.


    Her blood boiled at the thought of finally getting his hands on the man behind all this suffering. But first she had to deal with this bitch in front of her. ¡°I won''t let you. I won''t let you keep sending these kids to their deaths!¡± Shelly proclaimed, her expression resolute.


    In a flash, she blasted towards Claudia only leaving a whistling breeze in her wake. She closed the distance instantly, entering Claudia''s close quarters. She threw a straight jab with all the force she had. Ready to split Claudia''s skull open.


    Her wish failed to fulfill. Claudia tilted her head almost casually to her right hand side. The fist blew past the side of her face, only providing a gentle breeze as it passed harmlessly.


    Shelly didn''t let up, she threw a powerful hook looking to catch Claudia as she swayed.


    But once again Claudia was a step ahead. She crouched low instantly, the hook blowing above her head. Her grip tightened before she swung her metallic staff.


    It struck Shelly square on the stomach. Drawing out an agonizing gasp from her mouth. Spittle filled blood also erupted unannounced. Her stomach caved in before she was sent sliding back on Claudia''s follow through.


    She drifted on the concrete floor before she collapsed to one knee, exactly where she was before the battle started. Blood trickled down her lips, she winced as she tried to reclaim her footing.


    But in an instant, Claudia was on top of her. Her right knee collided with Shelly''s face, producing a sickening crunch before sending her body tumbling back a few more steps. Blood was smeared on the floor as she halted a few meters away.


    Claudia couldn''t resist a smile. She swung her staff looking to relive it of the blood staining its appearance. She took casual steps towards Shelly, ¡°You say you''ll stop me from sending these kids to their deaths. Don''t act so righteous bitch!¡±


    Shelly was flat on her stomach and Claudia''s gaze fell on the emblem etched on her back. ¡°You are also an adventurer. I''m certain you''ve sent many people to their deaths. You try to act different, but we are the same.¡±


    Shelly slowly raised her head, her entire face was now drenched in blood. ¡°No¡­¡± she managed to say, her voice strained. ¡°You''re wrong!¡± She said, louder this time. ¡°I''m not like you! Adventurers know the risk¡­ they know what''s at stake .. they are prepared to die i¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh please!¡± Claudia interrupted. ¡°We both know that''s not the case. I can see it in your eyes that you don''t even believe your own words. No one is ever prepared to die. Everyone begs for a second chance to live when they''re at death''s door. Just because they''re adventures doesn''t mean they want to die. The lives of these kids and the lives of adventures. They share the same value, they are both human lives. And neither want to die.¡±


    Claudia drew closer and closer. ¡°We''re the same girl. We both have led people to their deaths.¡±


    Shelly''s eyes widened her heart breaking. ¡°It''s not true! It''s not true!¡± She yelled, tears falling from her bloody face. But as she denied it, the more this strange feeling gripped her heart. A part of her, no matter how small, was starting to let Claudia''s words seep through. That''s when memories Shelly had been trying to suppress emerged. They clouded her mind, plunging her back to a time she wanted to forget.


    [9 Years Ago.]


    A nine year old Shelly stood frozen in the middle of a bloodbath. There were bodies everywhere, corpses flew and slammed into trees one after the other. The painful shrieks of so many were extinguished as they were devoured without mercy.


    Shelly watched as eighty percent of her party members were slaughtered before her eyes. Their gushing blood and painful screams repeating in her mind.


    This was Shelly''s first ever quest and it had gone awfully wrong. Sent to capture the entire forest, they found themselves ambushed by an army of ferocious beasts.


    These Mana Beasts were different from the common ones, these beasts had a humanoid form. If one only caught a glimpse of their flickering shadows, they would swear they were human.


    Their intelligence complemented their human appearance. They were quick and worked intelligently as a team to gang up on adventures they knew they couldn''t beat individually. There was no wasted motion in their movements; everything was planned and executed flawlessly.


    For an under prepared newly formed party like Shelly''s it was their worst nightmare. Out of the six beasts they had only slain two. Even though at one point in time they out numbered them ten to six. They were now on the back foot at three against four. They weren''t going to survive. And Shelly believed it was all her fault.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    As the healer the responsibility to heal and protect the party fell to her but she wasn''t able to rescue a single one of them. During the duration of the entire battle, she didn''t activate a single skill. Everything happened so fast she could barely keep up. And in mere seconds more than half of her party members had died.


    Given the order to stay behind and provide support when needed. She failed at the support part and was now just standing there with tears flowing down her face. Her entire body trembled from head to toe as she found herself completely paralyzed.


    Shelly was protected by the last two of her party members. They fought tooth and nail and ensured Shelly wasn''t harmed. They had succeeded at that goal because Shelly wore a blue dress that had no tares or blood stains to speak off. It was flawless. But they couldn''t keep protecting her for long. Slowly they found themselves getting overwhelmed.


    ¡°Sam! Take the princess and go!¡± One of Shelly''s party members, Randy, shouted at his teammate Sam who was helping him fend off the beasts.


    The two of them were the ones responsible for dwindling the Mana Beast''s numbers. With a katana in hand, Randy was one of the most destructive upcoming adventures of the Hira Family.


    Sam with his green spear was also a highly skilled Warrior of the family. When combined they were a match made in heaven. But against this many beasts, they were barely holding them back. And after Randy got a cut to the stomach things were dire.


    Sam didn''t argue with his best friend, he turned back and rushed for the princess. Shelly who was frozen found herself scooped off her feet. Sam was taller than most around his age so he had no issue placing the princess on his shoulder as he ran.


    Treating a princess like this would result in death ninety-nine percent of the time. But Sam had no time to be gentle; it was a matter of life and death.


    He dashed across the forest in a tactical retreat. His form blurred as he whisked past the trees. He had to get the princess to Damian''s party at the other end of the forest. If he managed that, the princess would be safe.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Shelly snapped back to her senses. She tried to wiggle out of Sam''s grip but Sam did not budge.


    ¡°You have to stay put my princess. You can punish me for treating you this way later. For now we have to escape.¡± He tried to explain, his speed increasing with each passing second.


    Due to being a warrior who only wore a jacket and pants, Sam did not have the disadvantage of wearing heavy armor. This allowed him to earn the tittle ¡®speed demon¡¯ among the young ones of the Hira Family.


    ¡°Stay put?¡± Shelly¡¯s voice reverberated the forest, suddenly she found her voive. ¡°We have to turn back! Randy''s in danger he''ll di¡ª¡±


    A guttural sceam interrupted her words. It echoed for only a few seconds. But Shelly knew, Randy had died. More tears fell from her eyes as the gravity of the situation bared its fangs.


    Sam didn''t say a word and instead focused on the road ahead. Just three minutes, in just three minutes they would exit the forest.


    But when the flickering shadows of mana beasts closed in on them. That hope immediately died.


    Instead of four there were now only three beasts hot on their trail but it wouldn''t be long before they caught up. They had seconds at best. Shelly saw their glowing crimson eyes and their glinting claws. She was certain death had come


    Sam came to a sudden halt. She placed her on the ground granting her wish. He knelt and slammed his hands on her little shoulders so hard, it made her flinch. ¡°Go Princess! If you keep running straight you will meet Damian''s group and you''ll be fine.¡± His tone was no longer gentle, there was simply no time to be considerate. Shelly wasn''t used to people raising their voices like that.


    ¡°But what a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry about me! Just go!¡± He interrupted. Sam got up and turned around. The beasts had split up. Two approached them from the flanks, hopping from one tree to the next. While a single one of them came from the center, running parallel to the ground.


    ¡°Your life is the one that matters the most princess. We only live so that you can thrive. As long as you make it out alive. You would have made us very happy. Tell mother we''re sorry we couldn''t be of any more use to her.¡±


    Shelly did as Sam said. She reluctantly turned around and ran. But she was unable to stop herself from breaking down into tears. The young girl reached the end of the forest but not before hearing another scream that marked Sam''s death.


    Shelly''s first quest had ended on complete failure.


    [A Few Days Later]


    [Hira Family Main Estate]


    [The Great Castle: Evergreen]


    Days had passed since that tragic incident. The memories of that day still plagued Shelly''s mind. After meeting Damian and his party, they managed to transport her back to the castle without too many issues. They did meet a few humanoid mana beasts along the way, but Damian had no trouble dispatching them, considering he was next in line to join the Four Clovers. That didn''t really suprise Shelly. He was incredibly powerful. If he wasn''t stationed on the other end of the forest, many of Shelly''s party members wouldn''t have died and she knew this.


    Shelly had reached the castle the day before and was given the entire day to recover. There wasn''t much to recover from physically considering her mana and physical appearance were basically untouched. But as for her mental state, a day''s rest could never be enough. She could hear all their screams and the imagery was still vivid in her mind. But the Family Head requested her presence today. Whether she felt up to it or not was irrelevant. She had to report the results of her very first quest.


    She exhaled, trying to control her thumping heart. It wasn''t everyday someone entered the Family Head¡¯s personal chambers. Even for a princess. She stood infront of this looming and imposing brown door. It was made of wood but even an awakened mana tool could never hope to damage it. The door was crafted using the pieces of the Devil Tree after all.


    No guards were present at the entrance. The Family Head didn''t need such things. The door opened by itself inviting Shelly to enter. The Family Head already knew she was there.


    Shelly could barely hear the sound of her own footsteps as she trotted inside the room. Her beating heart had drowned everything. The door slamming behind her is what made Shelly flinch, snapping her back into focus.


    The room was bathed in a beautiful green light. The floor was flawlessly smooth. It shimmered faintly under the light. One could even see their own reflection. Shelly took small steps before halting in the middle of the room. She locked up hesitantly, her eyes landing on a luxurious golden bed.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed was a woman adorned in a green silky robe. It smothered her figure and complemented her smooth green hair which cascaded down her spine. Her sparkling eyes landed on Chloe as she dangled a glass of red wine in her right hand.


    There she was. The Family Head of the Hira Family.


    Shelly couldn''t stop trembling. She''d seen her so many times but everytime she did she could never control her emotions.


    The Family Head took a sip from her glass before her lips curled into a smile.


    ¡°Tell me how the quest went. My dear child.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Shelly''s eyes fell to her feet, she paused for a moment her words stuck inside her throat. After thirty full seconds, she finally responded. ¡°The quest was a complete failure. Everyone¡­. was killed. ¡° just hearing those words come out of her own mouth made her heart ache. She willed herself, she wasn''t going to cry.


    ¡°They died? Oh well¡­. That''s too bad. At least you weren''t hurt, that''s the most important thing.¡± The Family Head responded, taking another sip from her glass.


    Shelly raised her head slowly, her eyes matching the Family Head¡¯s emotionless gaze. ¡°That''s it? Too bad? That''s all you have to say?¡± She erupted, her voice disturbing the tranquility of the room. ¡°Sam, Randy and the others. They all died for you! They died for this family! And all you''re going to say is too bad?¡± Shelly heaved as she tried to comtrol her breathing. The tears she promised she wouldn''t spill fell from her face, but they were not tears of sadness.


    The Family Head looked at her blankly before saying, ¡°watch your voice Shelly.¡±


    Shelly flinched at her words. The anger she had was already looking to evaporate, as another emotion crept up on her.


    ¡°I really don''t get why you''re so emotional about this.¡± The Family Head uttered in her casual soft voive. ¡°What is it Shelly? Do you expect me to cry or scream because a few of my children just happened to die?¡± Her voice grew slightly, ¡°I have thousands of children, so what if I lose ten, one hundred or even a thousand. My children die every passing second and I don''t feel anything. I lost those emotions a long time ago. ¡°


    ¡°But¡­ Randy and the others ¡­ they were just trying to help the family¡­¡± Shelly said, her voive more timid this time around.


    ¡°And they did help.¡± The Family Head replied. ¡°I have more information on that forest thanks to your little quest. That bitch Tori has another thing coming if she thinks I''m letting her have that forest. She and her little beasts won''t have a playground on my territory!¡± Realizing she was getting a little too worked up, she took another sip of her glass before her eyes fell to Shelly once more.


    ¡°It''s a shame that Randy and Sam died. They had a lot of potential. But I guess they seved their purpose. Now you know what it''s like to work under pressure, now you know what a real battle feels like.¡±


    Shelly clenched her fists. ¡°But I couldn''t do anything, I couldn''t save any of them. I was right there and they all still died!¡¯


    ¡°That''s fine.¡± She said. ¡°You''re still a child Shelly. You will continue to grow, this was only your first assignment. Sam, Randy and all of them were mealy chess pieces to help you in your progression. I need that Hidden Skill of yours to awaken once again.¡±


    ¡°Chess pieces?¡± Shelly asked, her heart beginning to feel heavy.


    The Family Head rose from her bad. Her robe was long as it smothered her entire body down to her ankles. It''s sleeves were baggy covering most of her arms. She took casual steps towards Shelly with a smile on her face. ¡°You see my child to a healer all lives are nothing but chess pieces. All the lives of your party members are In your hands. Your job is to make sure every piece fulfils its role.¡±


    She stood 4m away from Shelly, ¡°a healer must be decisive. You do what''s best for the survival of yourself and the group. But your own survival always comes first. If some or even all your party members die. Then so what?¡±


    She flicked her wrists and the glass she was holding fell to the stainless floor and shattered. Staining it with broken shards of glass and crimson liquid.


    The Family Head walked up to Shelly, she bent slightly cupping her cheeks. Her eyes locked with hers before she slipped into her ear. ¡°if they happen to die, you can always throw them away.¡±


    Shely felt a cold sweat wash over her after hearing her mother''s word''s. Unable to say anything, she just stood there with her lips sealed.


    The Family Head took a step back and began walking back to her bed. ¡°You know Shelly, I''ve only allowed you to be part of the Main Branch because of that Hidden Skill of yours.¡± She threw a cold glance at her, ¡°just like every life in this world. If you fail to prove your usefulness, I can always throw you away.¡±


    Shelly''s tears flowed freely down her face. She held her chest tightly after hearing the Family Head¡¯s words desperate to make the pain go away.


    The Family Head clapped once, and a surge of servants entered the room instantly. They cleaned up the floor returning it to its flawless state. They waited for the Family Head to take a seat on her bed before they offered her a newly refilled glass. Which she accepted.


    She took a sip before saying, ¡°you''re dismissed Shelly. I''ll give you more chess pieces tomorrow. Make sure you use them properly this time around. Make sure you awaken that power of yours.¡±


    Shelly didn''t wait for another second before she exited the room.


    She forgot to thank the Family Head for giving her the time and attention that she gave her. That was a crime ninety-nine percent of the time. Princesses are no exception.


    Many people in the Hira Family live their entire lives without seeing the Family Head once, so getting her audience was the greatest honor of all. Shelly failing to acknowledge that would''ve been executed under normal circumstances. But because it was her, the Family Head was lenient.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    [Main Estate: 9th House]


    Shelly had reached home and almost immediately threw herself In the arms of her grandfather, Martin. She had not been home for days, because when she was transported back to the Main Estate. She was ordered to spend an entire day inside the Main Castle in preparation of meeting the Family Head the next day.


    As soon as her grandfather embraced her, Shelly released all her tears. All the stress she had been feeling was unloaded in the form of unhinged tears.


    Her grandfather just caressed her head as he embraced her, ¡°its going to be okay pumpkin.¡±


    That''s what Martin called Shelly by when she was sad, he did the same for Serra.


    ¡°Come on grandfather,¡± Serra said in annoyance. ¡°Can''t you see she''s just being over the top for no reason. Most of us would actually kill for a chance to meet the Family Head. She''s acting like a spoiled brat.¡±


    Serra was always foul mouthed when it came to her big sister. Even though they were related by blood and both part of the Main Branch, Serra had never seen the Family Head. Unlike Martin and Shelly she was not invited into the Main Branch.


    Originally, Matin was the only one invited into the Main Branch. This was due to his decades of service to the Family Head and his own skills as a fierce warrior. Shelly was later inducted due to the potential the Family Head saw in her. Shelly had to beg and threaten to not join the Main Branch before the Family Head allowed Serra to join.


    So all three of them were now living together in the Main Estate. Compared to the castle, the houses of the Main Estate were relatively small. But if you were a part of the Main Branch you never had to worry about money or anything else. All the luxuries of the Hira Family were obtainable. But for those not in the Main Branch it was a different story all together.


    ¡°You must watch your tongue when speaking about your sister Serra!¡± Martin warned with a stern expression.


    Serra shrugged as she walked to the door. ¡°Whatever, I''m going to see mother and father I''ll be back before dinner.¡± She slammed the door shut as she left the room.


    Days would turn to months and months to years. Shelly was sent on quest after quest.


    The Family Head did choose llower grade dungeons since her first quest nearly led to her death. But things weren''t too different even in lesser dungeons. Shelly watched her friends day every single day. There were days where she would manage to save some of them and they would return safely. But more often than not people died and when they did they went out in numbers. And even after two years Shelly had only managed to activate her hidden skill once and it was brief and she almost died.


    The Family Head had hope that if she could do it once. She could probably do it again. So she just kept bombarding Shelly with more pary members until they even reached 20. It was a minor investment considering how large the Family was, but considering many didn''t comes back alive. Shelly couldn''t help but blame herself.


    After surviving another quest, Shelly was back crying in Martin''s embrace.¡±I can''t do it grandfather¡­¡± She sobbed. ¡°I can''t throw away the lives of my party members like mother wants me too.. I''ve tried to help¡­. To save them but they all ended up dead! I can''t keep doing this grandfather I just can''t¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Pumpkin. What the Family Head is asking of you is not right. You are far too young to be going on so many quests. I get she wants you to awaken the mark, but the must be other ways to go about it.¡± Martin said, lifting Shelly off his chest. ¡°A healer isn''t a person whose willing to throw away lives so that they can benefit. No, a healer is a person who is willing to give everything to protect the lives of others. It''s a good thing that you''re trying to help them, because that''s who you are Shelly. I know that you will be a great healer some day.¡±


    Shelly''s eyes widened as her Grandfather''s words wrapped around her heart. It''s then an idea came to her. ¡°I don''t want to stay here anymore Grandfather. I don''t want anymore people to keep dying because of me. I want to leave. I want to exit the Hira Family.¡± Shelly said with resolved eyes.


    ¡°That will be difficult pumpkin, exiting the Main Estate Is one of the hardest things a person can do. It''s heavily guarded. Without the Family Head¡¯s approval it will be almost impossible to escape.¡±


    ¡°But you can do it right grandfather? You can help us escape. Please grandfather I don''t want to keep doing this anymore.¡± Shelly pleaded.


    Martin exhaled, ¡°Ok, pumpkin we will do it. We will leave the family tomorrow at midnight. You won''t have to keep going on those endless quests anymore..¡± Martin hugged her once again.


    The next day had arrived and everything was set for the escape. But something was wrong, even though Shelly told Liv about the escape the day before. It was almost midnight and she was still not back from checking on their parents.


    Shelly paced up and down. ¡°What''s taking her so long. She should be here by now.¡±


    ¡°She''s probably running a little late, your parents can tend to be clingy at times. ¡° Martin said.


    Shelly had not seen her parents in 5 years, she doubted she''d even recognize them if she saw them again. The last time she saw them was back on that day¡­


    Bang!


    A hard slam on the door snapped Shelly out of her thoughts.


    ¡°We are here on the orders of the Family Head. We are to apprehend both of you and prevent you from leaving the premises of the Main Estate. You can choose to do this peacefully or we will be forced to break the house down!¡±


    ¡°How did she know about the escape,¡± Shelly couldn''t understand.


    ¡°You have 15 seconds to come out Shells.¡±


    That nickname, that voive¡­ it was Damian. Shelly''s knees trembled¡­ it was all over.


    Martin grabbed his trusted blade before she stood in front of Shelly. ¡°You should go Shelly. Use the underground door and and run straight ahead. At the end or the passage, you''ll meet a dear friend. She''ll help you get away.¡±


    Shelly''s eyes were watery, ¡°But¡­ what about you grandfather¡­¡± She asked, her voice breaking.


    ¡°I''ll be fine. We both know I can handle myself in a fight. I''ll get Liv and we''ll meet up with you later ok¡­¡±


    Shelly knew he was lying.


    The door vibrated again.


    ¡°8 seconds!¡± Damian reminded them.


    ¡°Go!¡± Martin yelled at Shelly for the first time in her life.


    She ran towards a door on the floor at the back of the room. It was camouflaged, if you didn''t know it was there you would never have guessed. Shelly opened it and just as she took one last look at her grandfather¡­


    Martin spoke,¡±Remember Shelly, you don''t have to throw away any lives Shelly. You can be the kind of healer who protects them instead. I love you, my Pumpkin.¡±


    Shelly entered the door and closed it. She could hear the door crack open as she ran along a narrow passage underground. She tried her best not make a sound, and she did just that. Her tears fell but no sound was heard. She kept pressing forward. And the last thing she heard as she exited the passage was her grandfather''s scream as he died.


    Shelly vowed to herself. She would keep his Grandfather''s words close to her heart. And she would honor them.

 Chapter 22

    [Present Moment]


    [Right Side Of Mikey''s Hideout]]


    ¡°I couldn''t keep the promise I made to myself back then. As a healer, I''ve failed countless times to protect or save anyone. All the people who died during my time in the Hira Family are dead because I was weak, I always had to be protected. Randy and Sam wouldn''t have died if I did my job, they wouldn''t have died if I was strong. Kite and everyone died at the black forest because I was too frightened to do anything. John died because I''m the one who captured him. I could see something wasn''t right and I still couldn''t save him. Everything is my fault. Claudia is right I''m no different from her, I''m just a person who leads everyone near me to their deaths"


    Shelly had the will to drag herself to her knees, but she didn''t put anymore effort beyond that. She knelt on her knees against the hardened concrete, her dress now plagued by the blood dripping from her face. Her head hung low, she was immobile. Shelly had reigned herself to die.


    Claudia strolled towards her, each step she made was deliberate and methodical. ¡°Giving up already huh? I guess you finally realize the truth. You''ve been sending people to their deaths as much as i have. But unlike you, I can live with that because Mikey will make it all worth it in the end.¡±


    Claudia was a few steps away when something blocked her path. It was Viola.


    ¡°You''re wrong!¡± Her voice echoed the entire room, prompting Shelly to lift up her head. Viola stood before her and Claudia, her arms spread out in a defensive gesture with tears streaking down her face. ¡°Shelly''s not who you say she is! She''s a good person. If it wasn''t for her I''d be dead, she¡­. saved my life¡­. So don''t¡­. Don''t you dare speak bad about Shelly!¡±


    Viola''s body quivered from head to toe after her words. But even though her eyes were watery, they did not flinch as they stared straight at Claudia''s eyes. Viola stood on her spot, she was not going to move.


    Claudia looked at her with a blank expression, and then¡­


    Slap!


    A piercing sound filled the room as Claudia unleashed a ferocious slap. The force behind her assault launched Viola across the room. Her frail body crashed into an iron cage, her spine rattling as she fell to the concrete. Claudia''s hand print sprouted on her cheek, leaving her skin red and discolored.


    Claudia''s gaze shifted back to Shelly without her not saying a word. But the disgust in her eyes, expressed clearly how she was feeling. She took the steps required as she now loomed over Shelly''s figure. She raised her staff high above her head. ¡°Any last words bitch!¡±


    Shelly''s was silent, instead she just tightened her fists. Her eyes widened after what she just witnessed.


    ¡°Have it your way!¡± Clsudia said, before she brought down her staff with everything she had. It swung downwards slicing the air as it aimed to split Shelly''s skull open.


    A pale green light smothered Shelly''s form and her right hand shot upwards in response.


    Claudia''s staff collided with the solid barrier around Shelly''s fist. The stinging recoil propelled the staff backwards sending her staggering back as she struggled to maintain her balance.


    ¡°It won''t happen again. I won''t let anyone else get hurt in front of me again. I''ve had enough. I''ll protect them all with my own strength. Thank you Viola.¡±


    Shelly reclaimed her footing, the green aura pulsating around her figure growing brighter by the second. The barriers around her fists expanded, doubling in size. Her wounds closed and the blood staining her body was slowly washed away.


    Claudia''s eyes were widened, ¡°what.. the hell¡­¡± her voice cracked as she looked on in disbelief. Shelly took a step foward, and that''s when Claudia acted. As if fueled by her survival instinct, she blasted foward. Swinging the staff with all her strength.


    Shelly raised her right arm to protect the side of her face. Claudia¡¯s staff struck the arm, the impact sending tremors throughout the room.


    But Shelly didn''t flinch, she was immovable as she stood more solid than a statue.


    Claudia''s eyes widened, before Shelly''s left fist slammed into her stomach. Blood erupted from Claudia''s mouth her body bending slightly before she hurtled backwards uncontrollably. Her body smashed into the door behind her, an audible crack resonating with the air as she slumped to her knees.


    She coughed hard, her body caving in as more blood flew from her moth. Her eyes were watery but as Claudia looked at her staff laying before her. She discovered something that should''ve been impossible. The staff had physically bent like rubber. She reached out to hold, to feel it. And as she did, she realized her eyes weren''t deceiving her. The staff''s shape had been altered.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She lifted head to look at the perpetrator and could not belive a human had damaged a weapon harder than iron.


    Shelly extended her arms to either side. The glowing light around her body shot out in both directions. It smothered all the cages blessing them with its embrace. It did the same for both Ed and Viola cloaking their figures.


    All those touched by the light felt its effects immediately. The blood, wounds and injuries plaguing their forms vanished. All their pain and suffering was washed away by the light instantly. The children stopped sobbing and many of the unconscious slowly stirred back to life. [Skill Activation: Advanced Regeneration]


    A mark found its way on Shelly''s face. Black in color it it rained down in a straight line below her right eye mimicking the streak of tears. [Hidden Skill: Blessed Mark (Incomplete)]


    [+100 Attribute Points To All Attrubutes]


    [+300 Mana Pool Points]


    Claudia couldn''t belive her eyes, she clawed her way back to her feet, her eyes still widened in disbelief. ¡°That mark¡­. That''s impossible. You must be a member of the Hira Family.¡±


    Shelly said nothing, instead she took another step foward.


    ¡°Out of all the people I could''ve faced. Why did it have to be a member of the Great Families. If I let that mark of hers fully form, it could be disastrous. I have to stop her now.¡±


    Claudia gritted her teeth as she surged foward. Her mama now concentrated around her bent staff. She went at it again and unleashed all the strength she had in reserves in a full fledged swing.


    Shelly didn''t block, she didn''t dodge. She did nothing.


    The staff connected with bone rattling force. Another shockwave filled the air. And Shelly''s neck tlted awkwardly under the pressure of Claudia''s staff.


    Claudia''s lips curled into a smile. It was a direct hit.


    But that smile quickly faded from her face.


    Shelly''s neck snapped back into place, releasing a crunching sound for all to hear. Even though Claudia''s strike landed cleanly, there was no visible mark on Shelly. It was as If nothing had occurred at all. [Advanced Regeneration]


    Before Claudia could even comprehend what was happening, another punch dug deep into her chest. Her body flew faster than a rocket as she collided with the door. This time it groaned under the pressure, cracks marring its surface


    ¡°I told you didn''t I? You''ll pay for what you''ve done!¡± Shelly''s voice sent an icy chill throughout the entire room.


    Claudia gasped for air, more blood dripping from her mouth. Her eyes blurred, as she struggled to maintain consciousness. ¡°No it can''t end like this, I won''t let it end like this!¡¯


    Claudia found her footing, her glare directed at Shelly. ¡°You think it''s easy living like us! Born with nothing to your name! Having to beg for scraps any chance you can get! You think anyone would want to live like that? You were born with the wealth and power of the Hira Family! Your life has been easy from the moment you were born! You could never understand our suffering. Sure I use kids! But so what! These children¡ª this business! For people like us, this is survival!¡± Her voice boomed drawing everything In the room.


    Claudia reached for a deep pocket in her dress. She retrieved a small glass bottle containing a red liquid. She uncorked the bottle, her mouth opened as she sent the liquid down her throat.


    Claudia drank it dry before tossing it to to the side. She grabbed her staff before, veins bulged from her forehead. The same happened with the rest of her body. Her muscles expanded beyond their normal capacity. Her dress tore slightly as both her thighs and arms enlarged to unnatural proportions. The fingers around her staff grew rapidly. And in just a few seconds. She became a hulking figure that was almost doubled her original size.


    [Physical Status: Unstable]


    ¡°Those kids belong to us! I won''t let you destroy our business!¡±


    The surface cracked under Claudia''s weight. She blasted foward without a second thought. Her figure was barely traceable with the naked eye, with only the distortions in the air marking her approach. She launched herself to the sky in a humongous leap. She dwarfed Shelly''s form before she brought the staff down with a colossal swing.


    Shelly leaped back in a powerful jump. She could feel the sharp gust of the staff graze her face as it missed her by mere inches.


    Claudia''s attack struck the ground and spiderweb cracks marring the surface.


    Shelly slid back by a few meters, when her momentum halted. She dashed forward at full speed.


    Claudia was wobbly as she pulled her staff out of the ground. Her nasty eyes never leaving Shelly. Seeing her approach she swung the staff like a baseball bat.


    But Shelly was too quick, she ducked under the assault with grace. She went low using one hand to brace herself. She twisted, her right leg sliding across the ground in a ferocious sweep.


    Her foot struck Claudia''s ankle, breaking it on contact. The loud crunch reverberated throughout the entire room.


    Claudia screamed at the top of her lungs, her body falling spine first to the ground. The floor trembled from her weight, more cracks drawing the surface.


    Before Claudia knew what happened, Shelly was already on top of her. She had one hand choking her kneck and the other covered by her barrier.


    She then started hammering with consecutive blows. Bones shattered under the weight of her fists.


    Claudia''s face flattened and she could see consciousness slipping away. A single thought came to Claudia at that very moment. ¡°Is she some kind of demon? Dammit, what monster¡­¡± with those thoughts Claudia''s consciousness faded and everything went black.


    Certain Claudia wasn''t breathing, Shelly finally stopped. She heaved, before her hand rummaged through Claudia''s pockets. She escaped with the keys she was looking for and a half smile formed on her face. Her eyes turned to Viola.


    Viola was already sitting upright, her injuries healed completely.


    Shelly regained her footing before tossing her the keys. Viola''s eyes were still in shock, she fumbled the keys but held on to them in the end.


    ¡°Make sure you free all these kids.¡± Shelly said, her eyes turning to Mikey''s room. ¡°I''ll deal with Mikey.¡±


    She only managed a single step before her body collapsed to the ground. The light around her faded and everything was smothered by shadows. She could make out Viola''s worried voice coming towards her before she lost consciousness.

 Chapter 23

    [Left Side Of Mikey''s Hideout]


    The room was eerily silent after Joe''s heated exchange with the man before him. Joe was weary, he didn''t want to charge In without thinking. He maintained a serious expression as he studied his foe.


    The man wore a suit and was eating meat held up by a sharp stick. He didn''t have any weapons to speak off, that made Joe very cautious. If he didn''t have a weapon he was bound to have skills to compensate for that lack of weaponry.


    Joe knew he wouldn''t find out what those skills were by doing nothing. But he also didn''t want to endanger the children unnecessarily, last time he attacked in such a closed space, it ended in disaster.


    While observing the enemy, Joe''s eyes landed on something. A door was located several meters behind the guy in front of him. It had a piece of paper that clearly labeled it as Mikey''s room.


    He gritted his teeth and his heart started to burn. Beyond that door, was the man behind all this suffering. Joe''s fingers entangled the black blade''s handle, his grip strengthening.


    ¡°After all that talk now you''re just standing there?¡± The man chuckled, ¡°are you scared boy? I wouldn''t blame you. It''s not everyday someone picks a fight against me. Out of Mikey''s Big 3, Big Feeder Ben is the worst of them all. I''d understand if you w¡ª¡±


    The Black Blade tore through the air, Joe had closed the distance, The Black Blade inches away from piercing Ben''s skull.


    Acting on instinct, Ben side stepped to the right, the blade blew past his form missing him just barely.


    But Joe wasn''t done. He twisted and swung the Black Blade in a reverse horizontal swing targeting Ben''s neck..


    Ben ducked, more comfortably this time. The blade glinting past his head. He took a bite of his stick before he threw a punch at Joe''s midsection sending him sliding backwards.


    Joe drifted for a few meters before his momentum ended. The blow to his stomach stung, but it wasn''t something he worried about. The Black Sheep had absorbed most of the damage.


    His defensive attribute had gotten much stronger when compared to how it was when he entered Perina. His battles with Stan and Red assisted him considerably. And add to that The Black Sheep, his defense was making steady progress.


    Of course the fact that Ben didn''t use a skill, probably played a role In how well Joe''s defense held up. But Joe also didn''t use a skill when he attacked, so he gave all the credit to his defense.


    ¡°You know, it''s rude interrupting someone while they''re talking.¡± Ben said, as he leisurely took a bite from his stick.


    His whole demeanor was getting to Joe''s nerves, he was way too casual. Was he underestimating him? It didn''t matter, Joe had to bring him down.


    Mana bubbled up inside him before bursting out in the form of a dark aura that shrouded his figure. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] Joe pressed on the surface, his weight forcing cracks to manifest. He blasted foward, leaving a trail of dust In his wake.


    [-125 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana:435]


    [Total Skill: 63>115]


    [Total Speed: 70>118]


    [Total Strength: 68>116]


    His body went low as he targeted Ben''s legs, he swing The Black Blade in a sweeping arc targeting to hack off his ankles.


    Unfortunately, The Black Blade sliced clean air. Ben had moved.


    His body flipped mid air after a well executed leap. A blue light shrouded his body before a beastly howl echoed from above.


    Ben''s jacket and shirt were ripped to shreds as his upper body grew almost double in size. Fur covered his skin and pointy white fangs jutted out his mouth. He had morphed into a beast. [Skill Activation: Transformation (Partial)]


    Joe''s eyes popped as he tried to comprehend what on the world he was looking at. But he didn''t have time for that.


    Ben clasped his hands together and raised them above his head, his body descended with gravity as he brought his enlarged hands down like a hammer.


    Joe propelled himself backwards just in time.


    Ben''s hands collided with the floor and almost immediately the entire building wiggled. The floor cracked under the pressure as spiderweb lines drew themselves on the surface.


    Joe had gotten out of range, he skidded and halted a fair distance away. A cloud of dust shrouded Ben''s form after his assault, but as it began to fade his full appearance came into view.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    His upper body was smothered in fur and was bulkier than before. His fingers had thick black claws protruding from their the tips and his mouth was larger with his razor sharp teeth poking out. He looked like a cursed human gorilla hybrid. His lower body was unaffected with him still wearing the black pants from his suit.


    Ben glared at him with sharp eyes that resembled a mana beast. The mana flowing from his body also mimicked a mana beast. He had a mana signature but it was red, a color belonging to a Mana Beast Core. Joe had no idea what to make of this. He instead, adjusted his grip and fighting stance.


    Ben smiled before he shouted, ¡°boys! Which one of you would like some food?¡±


    The kids from within the cages stired to life.


    ¡°All of you come I have a reward for you.¡± Ben said, with a cursed smile on his face.


    All the children even the ones who were unconscious suddenly became active. They crawled out of their cages, before slowly dragging themselves to Ben.


    The cages had been opened the entire time but none of them dared to move before Ben said a word. They gathered around him, their frail bodies barely keeping them standing.


    ¡°You guys have been very bad lately, but I''m willing to look past that." Ben pointed his sharp finger at Joe, ¡°if any of you manage to kill that guy over there. I''ll get you all the food you want!¡±


    The boys looked at Ben in awe, their stomachs grumbled and drool fell down their lips. Their gazes turned to Joe, without a second thought they charged.


    They threw themselves at him like mindless zombies, when one of them tripped and fell the rest trampled over his body on their quest to get to Joe.


    Joe quickly sheathed back his blade, not looking to harm the kids by accident.


    He thought he had more time but before he knew it the boys were all over him. They lunged from all directions, and clung on to his body for dear life. Others grabbed his legs, others his arms and body. They wrapped themselves around him and dug deep with their, teeth looking to bring him down by any means necessary.


    Joe tried to get them off him as gently as he could despite them biting and clinging on to him.


    But before Joe could make any progress in that endeavor, the air whistled as something came flying towards him like a missile. It wss a human body.


    It collided against Joe and the boys like a boulder. It sent Joe flying on impact, his body tumbling and rolling uncontrollably.


    He fiinally stopped a fair distance away, as he lay face first against the hard concrete. A high pitch sound pierced his ears and an intense pain coursed through his body. Joe felt like he had been hit by a truck.


    He groaned as he lifted his throbbing head, what he saw shook him to his core.


    Bodies of the children who clung to him seconds ago, lay decimated all over the floor. Their bodies had been crushed and contorted. Blood leaked out of their bodies drenching the floor In crimson. All of them were dead.


    ¡°Still alive huh? I hoped that would do the trick.¡± Ben looked down on him with a twisted smirk, ¡°Mikey will kill me if he finds out I killed all his children. I should probably go gather replacements before he wakes up. That means it''s time I killed you."


    Joe''s eyes were enraged, he gritted his teeth before mana erupted from him like a geyser. He climbed back to his feet and unsheathed The Black Blade. ¡°You bastard! I''ll kill you!¡± [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2]


    [-250 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 185]


    [Total Skill:115>167]


    [Total Speed:118>166]


    [Total Strength:116>164]


    Joe blasted foward his movement blurring from view. He appeared in front of Ben and unleashed a full fledged swing of the blade.


    Ben met it head on, his claws collided with mana tool producing a sharp clang that filled the air.


    But Joe didn''t stop, he unleashed swing after swing. His movement fueled entirely by emotion.


    Ben responded In kind, he parried each and every swing Joe threw at him. His claws acting no different than a blade. He parried one of Joe''s attacks to the sky leaving his body exposed and defenseless. Looking to take advantage, Ben swung his claws targeting to shred his face.


    Joe had the presence of mind to leap back just before catastrophe struck, but Ben''s claws still dug deep into his right cheek tearing it open. Blood seeped out the side of his face as he drifted backwards.


    Not one to slow down because of a cut. Joe lunged foward once more. Thrusting his blade into Ben''s chest.


    Ben blocked, using his own right arm as a shield. He gritted his teeth as the Black Blade stabbed his arm and brown blood leaked out of his open wound. Due to his thick skin or perhaps just luck, the Black Blade did not go through his arm. Looking to take advantage, Ben used his free hand to retaliate, throwing his left hand at Joe with a ferocious swipe.


    Joe drew out the blade and immediately leaped backwards, he watched as the claws blew past his face. Missing him by mere inches. His body skidded across the ground and halted a few meters back. He heaved, his sweat dripping down his forehead.


    Ben''s arm had more blood ggushing out after Joe retrieved the blade. His limb became limp and useless, he could now only rely on his left arm.


    He crouched low, his fingers digging into the concrete floor. He uprooted a large piece of the floor, lifting it above his head.


    Through the open hole, shadows could be seen rushing past in numbers. Ben paid no attention to that, his focus was on Joe.


    ¡°Die!¡± he roared, before throwing the collosal piece of concrete at Joe.


    It smothered him as it approached, if it made contact. Joe was confident it would crush him.


    Joe raised his weapon above his head, mana flowed through it freely and he brought it down in a powerful vertical slash. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-150 Man Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 35]


    [Total Skill:167>242]


    A large crescent arc blasted forth, it sliced through the concrete like an apple. Cutting it perfectly in half.


    Dust immediately emerged after it was destroyed, shrouding a large section of the room.


    ¡°Perfect¡± Joe whispered.


    Using the thick dust as cover, Joe blasted foward. His form blurred as he circled around Ben like a raging tornado. His footsteps came from all directions, trapping Ben in the eye of the storm.


    Unlike Ben who couldn''t rely on his sight. Joe could see him clearly. [Passive Skill: Outsider¡¯s Perspective]


    A metalic clang echoed the room, and almost immediately Ben dashed to the source of the sound. When he arrived he saw nothing but a small dagger laying harmlessly on the floor. He had been tricked.


    A looming shadow appeared behind Ben, by the time he thought about turning around. It was too late.


    Joe''s blade ran through his neck horizontally. His head flew to the heavens. Blood erupted from his headless form. Covering Joe in brown liquid. Ben''s corpse collapsed to the ground a few seconds later.


    The battle was over.

 Chapter 24

    Joe breathed heavily, each deep breath he took was like injecting a thousand needles into his lungs. His chest caved in and his shoulders went up and down each time. He eventually fell to his knees, his exhaustion winning out. Sweat drenched his body, mixing with Ben''s brown blood already soaking his face. It made his skin oily but also shiny oddly enough.


    It took a few seconds before he was able to control his breathing. But the fatigue he experienced was still there. Joe doubted he could get up without monumental effort, and moving around seemed out of the question. Overusing [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2] and allowing his mana pool to drop to 35 had to be the reasons.


    [Current Mana Pool: 35/3,080]


    Joe wasn''t too worried about his mana though. He knew he had something to fall back on, he just wanted to save it for Mikey. Since he defeated both Stan and Ben without using it. He had accomplished his mission.


    His eyes fell to Ben''s corpse, but before he did anything else. A flurry of notifications flooded his eyes.


    [You Have Slain A Human Native]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Current Level: 33]


    [Updated Attributes.]


    ?? Mana Pool: 35/3,560


    [Updates Attributes]


    ? Skill: 61>71(+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 58>68(+10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 60>70(+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 49>54(+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 45>50


    ?? Additional Attribute Points:8


    [The Mana Tool: The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [The Black Blade Has Reached (Lvl 18)]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Reached (Lvl 15)]


    [The Skill (Outsider¡¯s Perspective) Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Perspective) Has Leveled Up]


    [The Skill Outsider''s Perspective Has Reached (Lvl 3)]


    The notifications were overwhelming as always, but Joe was getting a little used to the flood at this point. Syr did it practically every time he leveled up. He had no choice but to accept it.


    His gaze fell to his attributes first, like it always did. He formed a half smile at his progress. Things were progressing nicely. All his attributes had reached 50, it wouldn''t be long before they eclipsed 100. Step by step, he was getting there.


    His eyes shifted to his additional attribute points, Joe was surprised to find 8 unused points. He expected to see 4 but they were double that amount. What did this mean? He thought back to his previous level up and everything became clear instantly. During his battle with Red he didn''t distribute his additional points after he leveled up.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Considering the state he was in at that point, it didn''t surprise him that he failed to distribute them. He was far too fatigued to do anything, in fact if Shelly didn''t intervene. Things could''ve been much worse for him.


    Joe shook his head, his eyes landing on his skill level ups for a second. He was surprised to find that [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] had leveled up. It took so long he thought it couldn''t level up. Did it have something to do with [Outsider''s Perspective] being a unique or a passive skill? He wasn''t sure. He decided to place that thought in the back burner. Choosing to focus on distributing his additional attribute points.


    ¡°Ok Syr, give 3 to my defense. 3 to my mental stenghth and 2 to my strenghth.¡±


    Joe''s mental stenghth and defense were always his go to attributes to upgrade. Every single fight he had taken part in, showed him just how vital these two attributes were to getting stronger. Joe went as far as considering them his most important attributes. So it made sense for him to upgrade them first.


    The other one he chose was stenghth, this felt like a necessary upgrade to him. During his fight with Ben he lost out in a battle of strength and if it went for his quick feet, he could''ve died.


    It might''ve just been 2 attribute points, but adding to the multipliers Joe had at his disposal, that 2 points felt huge.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Strength: 68>70


    ?? Defense: 54>57


    ?? Mental Strength: 50>53


    Joe dug through his thoughts trying to figure out if there was any other notification he missed after his battle with Red, considering he missed his additional attribute points. He wouldn''t be shocked to find he missed something else. His memories clicked after a few seconds reminding him that he did in fact miss something. A skill, he remembered seeing something about a skill.


    ¡°Syr did I unlock a skill after my fight with Red?¡±


    [Yes, You Unlocked The Passive Skill (Mental Resistance) I''ll Provide The Description Shortly]


    Joe nodded at his floating screen as he waited for the description to be displayed. It only took 3 seconds before it appeared.


    [Passive Skill; Mental Resistance (Lvl 1)]


    ?? Description: In Battle, A Strong Mind Could Prove More Valuable Than A Powerful Body. Those With The Will To Overcome Everything In Their Path Can One Day Earn The Tille Of The Strongest.


    ?? Effect: Increases Your Resistance When Up Against Psychological Skills, Allowing You To Combat Skills That Target Your Mind.


    ?? Note: The Skill Only Increases Your Resistance, It Doesn''t Block The Skill. If A Skill Is Strong Enough It Can Still Affect You.


    ?? Boost: +30 To Your Mental Strength Attribute When Up Against A Psychological Skill.


    ?? MC: 0


    Joe couldn''t stop grinning upon seeing that notification. He couldn''t ask for a better skill. A skill to protect his mind was exactly what he needed after nearly succumbing to the Gluttanor''s psychological skill not too long ago. If he remembered this skill before making his upgrades, he would''ve given the 3 additional points to another attribute. But there was no use crying over spilt milk.


    ¡°What''s done is done."


    Joe''s eyes fell to Ben''s form. He looked at him without a hint of remorse, the only thing fueling him was disgust and fury. Decapitating guys like him was too merciful, they needed to suffer before they die.


    Joe shook his head, driving away his dark thoughts. He had a job to do. He placed his right hand on Ben''s chest, his palm sticking to him like gum thanks to the brown blood smeared on his clothing.


    A cloud of mana emerged from his hand, it attached itself to Ben''s corpse before devouring it completely..


    [Soul Count: 3]


    After the deed was done, Joe turned to Syr. ¡°Hey Syr, can you give me that potion I received from grandma Dorothy.¡±


    [You Have Retrieved 1 Mana Pool Potion From Your Inventory]


    A blue light gathered around Joe''s palm for a brief moment. When it faded, what was left behind was a small glass bottle containing the potion. Joe didn''t waste any time, he removed the lid and chugged the potion down his throat. He absorbed every last drop before tossing it to the side. To his surprise it tasted like water. Just a refreshing drink that slid down his tongue.


    Joe was slightly disappointed having wanted to taste something unique, but it wasn''t to be.


    [+2,500 Mana Pool Points]


    His muscles surged with energy as the potion coursed through his veins. Joe''s heart raced as all the exhaustion that weighed him down was swiftly washed away. He felt like a new man.


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,535]


    Joe picked up the Scorching Dagger he dropped to trick Ben. He stored it to his inventory. He gripped the black blade by the handle before rising to his feet.


    He felt revitalized, but he also noticed that not all of his mana pool had been recovered. He first saw this with Shelly when she drank the potion. Only a portion of her mana was recovered. This was what Dorothy meant when she said it wasn''t quite the best quality. But Joe was fine with that, 2500 was more than enough.


    His eyes darted around the room, he saw all the bodies of the children who had died. He gritted his teeth, his hand clutching the handle of his blade tightly. Once again, he couldn''t save anyone.


    Whst was the point of getting stronger if you couldn''t protect anything In the end?


    A loud roar snapped Joe out of his thoughts. He could feel the entirely room vibrate. His eyes landed on the door of Mikey''s room.


    Before he could take a step, the door blasted past his form at insane speeds. It left a sharp breeze before smashing into a wall behind Joe. It shattered instantly, the sharp echo piercing Joe''s ears.


    He glanced at the door briefly before shifting his focus to the room in front of him.


    A man stepped out of the shadows. Wearing nothing but black shorts, he towered everything in the room. With his impressive physique. From his biceps to his abs and hardened thighs. He looked like a complete athlete. His black smooth hair went down his neck elegantly. His piercing eyes landing on Joe.


    He only uttered four words. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    Even without him announcing himself Jos knew exactly who he was looking at. This was the guy behind it all. This was Mikey.

 Chapter 25

    Joe didn''t give himself a moment to think. Mana erupted like a geyser, it swirled around him before cloaking his form. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-165 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:2,370]


    [Passive Skill Weaponry Is In Effect]


    [Total Skill: 73>162]


    [Total Strength: 70>155]


    [Total Speed: 70>130]


    He blasted forward a second later, his figure nothing but a blur. He devoured the little distance between him and Mikey, swinging his blade in a sharp horizontal arc targeting the neck.


    Mikey acted swiftly, mana shrouded his right arm as it shot upwards to block the attack. [Skill Activation: Thick Skin]


    Joe''s blade struck the arm and a massive shockwave pulsed throughout the room. The cages on the walls rattled, their sharp metalic clang echoing the space.


    Joe clenched his teeth, as he focused all his strength on his arms. He pushed the blade forcefully, looking to dig deep into Mikey''s arm.


    Unfortunately, Mikey''s arm was unmoved.


    Even with Joe driving the blade into his skin, he failed to penetrate. He couldn''t believe it, but Mikey''s skin proved harder than iron.


    As If chasing away a fly, Mikey swung his arm with force.


    That simple act sent Joe flying backwards, thanks to his balance. He maneuvered his body to touch down on the floor as swiftly as he could. His boots drifted on the concrete as the distance between him and Mikey grew.


    Noticing his momentum wasn''t stopping anytime soon, Joe stabbed the black blade deep into the floor. He pirced it, creating a wide crack. His blade ran through the ground before coming to a sudden halt. Joe heaved, sweat streaking down his forehead.


    He looked at Mikey, his eyes still widened in disbelief.


    Mikey locked eyes with him, his face twisted into a frown. ¡°I''m guessing you''re the one behind all this.¡± he said, his eyes bouncing around the room. All the dead children came to view, their bodies scattered all over the floor. Mikey gritted his teeth. ¡°What the hell did you do to my kids!¡± His voice boomed, shaking the entire building.


    Joe retrieved his blade from the floor, his own expression bitter. ¡°Your children?¡± He snapped. ¡°Don''t you dare call them your children you monster. You and your friends did this to them! These kids are dead because of you! Don''t you dare pretend to care about them!¡± Joe''s own voice bounced on the walls, sending ripples throughout the room.


    Mikey pauses letting Joe''s voice die out. ¡°Pretend? I don''t know what you''re talking about. I loved every last one of these kids. They were my children and my treasures.¡± Tears fell down Mikey''s cheeks making for an ugly expression.


    That just sermed to piss Joe off even more. ¡°Treasures? Don''t give me that bullshit! You used them. You used all these kids to do your dirty work you monster!¡± Joe lifted his blade pointing the tip directly at Mikey.


    ¡°These kids were nothing before I came.¡± Mikey said, ¡°I gathered all of them and gave them all I had. I gave my shelter and food to them. I became a father and treated them all like my own. These kids were rejected by society for their mana signatures and not having academy licenses but I accepted them. I built a family where they could have a purpose and thrive. I became their father. I showed them even the rejected had a place to call home. As long as they listened, everything would be fine.¡±


    ¡°You''re just a false parent who used these kids for your own gain! Don''t try to justify yourself!¡± Joe shouted, his grip tightened.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Isn''t that what it means to be a parent. You nurture them and grow them into useful children, so that you can benefit in the future. That doesn''t mean you love them any less, you''re just showing them their true potential.¡±


    ¡°Enough of your bullshit!¡± Joe shouted, ¡°these kids went through hell because of you! And for that I''ll make you pay!¡±


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2]


    Joe''s mana went wild doubling on size from his previous outburst. It cloaked him like a second layer of skin, his enraged eyes piercing through its darkness.


    [-330 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool;2,040]


    [Total Skill:162>226]


    [Total Strength:155>215]


    [Total Speed:130>190]


    As Mikey witnessed this display of power, a single thought came to his mind. ¡°That mana¡­¡±


    Joe blasted foward not giving him a chance to complete his thoughts. He swung the black blade producing a vertical arc that zipped through the air. It tore a pice of the floor as it approached. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-160 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana: 1,880]


    [Total Skill:226>306]


    Mikey raised both his arms, crossing them in an X formation over his chest. [Skill Activation: Thick Skin]


    The attack made contact with his skin, Mikey gritted his teeth as he established a firm footing on the concrete floor. He groaned as he found himself being pushed back slightly. ¡°What''s this?¡± He drifted a few spaces and the arc grew more intense as it chipped a piece of his skin. Blood trickling from his right forearm.


    Mikey roared before more mana coursed through his body. He flung both arms to the side and diverted the slash off course.


    As his arms opened, Mikey''s eyes met Joe who was already in front of him.


    Joe was crouching low, he thrusted his blade looking to pirce Mikey''s stomach.


    But Mikey responded, his right leg shot up and he used his pointed knee to shield himself from a catastrophic blow. The wind danced once more as they clashed.


    Joe pushed his blade with all his strength and this time he was rewarded. The tip of his mana tool pierced the tough exterior of Mikey''s leg and it drew out some blood.


    Mikey roared as he clasped his hands together and brought them down like a hammer, looking to deliver a blow to Joe''s head.


    Joe instinctive jumped back, Mikey''s counter offensive not finding its mark. He drifted, his eyes still glued to Mikey''s figure.


    He noticed something interesting, on top of seeing Mikey''s mana flow, he could now also see little dots littered throughout his mana pathway system. They marked points where his mana converged, as it coursed through his body. They were so many Joe could never count them in such little time. This was something [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] never showed previously.


    Joe lunged forward once again. He went for Mikey''s abdomen, this time targeting one of these ¡®points¡¯.


    Mikey acted instinctively, he moved his right arm to form a shield for his stomach.


    Joe could see these points on Mikey''s arm as well. When he thrusted the blade, he pierced through one of these points located at the center of Mikey''s arm.


    Almost as if he had struck a sensitive spot, blood gushed out of Mikey''s arm as soon as the blade made contact.


    Mikey screamed in agony, he looked to counter as he launched his free hand and gripped Joe by his right shoulder. His fingers tore through bone and an audible crack echoed the room. But he didn''t stop there, with his fingers stil digging into Joe, he lifted him up with a single hand. Before he tossed him across the room sending him tumbling forcefully. [Skill Activation: Tiger Grip]


    As Joe rolled, he lost his grip on the blade before coming to a stop a few meters away. Even without touching it, Joe knew his shoulder was broken. His ribs had sustained major damage during his roll, Joe wouldn''t be surprised if all of them were cracked. His head throbbed as blood tricked down his forehead. Joe groaned as he lifted his head to look at Mikey.


    Mikey wasn''t doing too good himself, blood pooled down his right arm as he took several steps forward. ¡°You fail to understand kid. I''m the man who''ll show the entire world. I''ll show those rotten townspeople. I''ll show even the Great Families. I''ll show every last one of them that even trash and the rejected can fight and win. When it''s all said done the rejected all over Grisha will fight against those who oppress them. I''ll usher in a new Era. Where even trash will be respected.¡±


    Joe didn''t respond to that, mainly because talking was difficult in his current predicament. And also because Mikey sounded like a psychopath.


    ¡°If it wasn''t for the Frozen Wing Party Perina would be mine. Those bastards have been on my ass for years. Are they the ones who sent you here kid? Or was it that bastard Darui?¡±


    Joe had no idea what he was taking about, he just concentrated on dragging himself back to his feet.


    ¡°No it can''t be Darui, if it was he would''ve sent those guys instead.¡± Mikey thought to himself. ¡°But that kid''s mana why is it so familiar. I swear I''ve felt it before but where¡­¡±


    With Mikey seemingly lost in his own mind Joe was able to push himself to his feet. He nearly lost his footing but he made his way to his fallen blade and gripped it tightly.


    Joe lifted his blade with on arm and pointed it at Mikey even with wobbly legs. His eyes were firce, and resolved. He wasn''t going to roll over and die, not without a fight. Joe reached out to Syr.


    ¡°Let''s do it Syr, let''s go X3¡±

 Chapter 26

    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3]


    It took only a few seconds before Syr granted Joe his request. He didn''t even offer push back like he usually did.


    Joe couldn''t help but wonder if Syr¡¯s permission was even necessary? The body and mana belonged him. If Syr said no, could he have outright blocked Joe from using his skill. Joe wasn''t sure, but he doubted that was the case. The way he saw it, Syr was an adviser, someone with no real power to influence him. He had just gotten used to asking for his permission, he never really thought about it untill now. Not that it mattered, he got what he wanted.


    Mana swirled around him like a whirlwind, it wrapped around his muscles sending an abundance of energy coursing through them freely. Joe''s senses where sharpened and he felt like new life had just been injected into his veins.


    [-495 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 1, 385]


    [Total Skill:162>226]


    [Total Strength: 155>215]


    [Total Speed: 130>190]


    But it wasn''t entirely smooth sailing, the mana carried a heavy load with it. Joe could feel it empowering him but also twisted tightly around his bones threatening to snap them at any moment. It confirmed something Joe already knew, he didn''t have much time left.


    Joe had experienced this same thing against the Great Wolfin so it wasn''t exactly a new feeling. The last time he used this skill things didn''t end well for him. Shelly wasn''t here, if things went wrong, he was completely on his own. Joe knew this, that''s why he vowed to finish this quickly.


    He moved his fractured shoulder, although [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3] did lessen the pain it was still agonizing. He could feel and hear the cracks of his bones widen as he moved to clutch his mana tool with both hands. He made sure the blade was straight and his grip was solid, he gritted his teeth through the pain determined to see the battle through to the end.


    He crouched, his legs pressing down on the surface. Deep cracks manifested instantly. From Joe''s grip the black blade''s handle glowed. It radiated a white light that blended with the darkness. A single rune etched itself on the handle. Joe could feel the black blade''s weight grow but he maintained a solid stance.


    [You Have Released 1 Seal From The Mana Tool - The Black Blade.]


    [-20 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana: 1,365]


    [Total Skill: 226>246]


    In a flash, his body bolted towards Mikey leaving nothing behind but a trail of dust. Joe reaffirmed his grip, before he swung the black blade ferociously. That produced a black arc that curved through the air as it made its way towards Mikey.


    As the arc approached, mana exploded from Mikey''s form. He then charged straight for the slash. Using his injured arm, he waved the slash aside, deflecting it to the right side of the room. It tore through an iron cage before slicing a part of the wall cleanly in half. [Skill Activation: Mana Reinforcement]


    A large gust if wind seeped through the opening and the entire building rumbled. Debris fell from the ceiling and the was threatening to cave in on itself.


    Mikey seemed to pay no intention to the damage, he continued his charge and closed the distance in a split second. Upon entering Joe''s close quarters, he unleashed a flurry of jabs. [Skill Activation: Strong Fists Barage]


    Joe used his mana tool to block the strikes. Each time Mikey''s fist struck the blade, Joe could feel his bones vibrate. It was like striking hard iron. The left hand packed the most punch but they were both fierce. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mikey threw an unconventional uppercut that deflected Joe''s blade up. This left Joe''s midsection wide open, Mikey delivered a palm strike that plunged deep into Joe''s midsection. [Skill Activation: Strong Palm]


    Joe spewed a large amount of blood and was sent tumbling back. He mainted has grip on the black blade, he rolled over some spiky rocks on the surface that pirced his hands. When his momentum stopped Joe shot up to one knee, still a little dazed his gaze darted to Mikey''s form. But he was gone.


    That''s when Joe saw a mana signature free falling from the sky. He glanced up and saw Mikey''s knees descending upon him. Acting on instinct, Joe dragged himself up and jumped back just in time.


    Mikey struck the floor with both his knee, it shook once again threatening to break apart. [Skill Activation: Falling Knee Drop]


    Joe drifted and came to a halt a fair distance away.


    The dust around Mikey cleared and he was back on his feet. The floor was marred with cracks and the marks of Mikey''s knees were still implanted to the surface. ¡°Not bad, It''s not everyday someone avoids my falling knee drop.¡± Mikey said, his voice oozing confidence.


    When Joe looked at Mikey''s knees, they were impervious to the damage. Even though he fell from such a high altitude, there was no scar in sight. It was like that knee drop did nothing to him at all. He was truly a monster.


    Joe studied Mikey''s hands, his knuckles were covered in crimson. Sure he was durable, but punching the black blade with his hands still did s number on his fists.


    His lnjured arm was still leaking blood and after Joe destroyed his mana point, the mana flowing through his limb was limited. It still flowed but not nearly as freely as the left arm. It was like by destroying his mana point Joe had placed a giant boulder in front of a flowing stream. Yes, some of the water would slip throughout but it wouldn''t be as large as it would''ve been if the blockade was removed.


    Mikey was definitely hurting, Joe could definitely kill him. But he needed to do it quick. He could feel the strain on his muscles intensify with each passing second. He took measured breaths trying to keep his body standing. Despite his knees begging to crumble.


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3]had gotten Joe close but it still wasn''t enough. He needed something, something more. Only one thing came to his mind. An all or nothing attack.


    He exhaled, as he adjusted the grip on his mana tool. [Mana Tool Skill: Charge] Like some kind of black hole, all the mana around the black blade was immediately sucked into the mana tool.


    [The Black Blade Is Gathering Mana]


    [10 Seconds Before The Charge Is Complete]


    Joe smirked, he threw a gaze at Mikey. Just 10 seconds. If he could just hold on for 10 seconds, he could kill that monster once and for all.


    Before Joe even moved an inch, Mikey was already on top of him. He swiped his fingers like an animal looking to ravaged its prey with claws. [Skill Activation: Wild Fingers]


    Joe could only use his sword to deflect all of Mikey''s swings. Each finger was as hard as steel as it made contact with the blade, but Joe stood firm.


    Mikey resorted to using his fingers, in an attempt to poke holes into Joe''s form. But in his case they went just fingers they felt like flying bullets. [Skill Activation: Finger Drills]


    Ome finger grazed Joe''s cheek drawing out some blood. He began to lose ground, as he found himself being slowly pushed back. He drifted on the concrete giving up more ground than he would''ve liked. His blade started to feel the strain Joe could see pieces of it being chipped away every time Mikey attacked.


    It made sense, without the mana to protect it the black blade was exposed. Luckily for Joe he didn''t have to wait long before his blade was back in full strength. Because just like that 10 seconds had passed.


    [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [Total Skill:246>492]


    Joe leaped back creating distance between him and Mikey. He swung his blade with full force digging deep into the floor. He uprooted a large chunk of the rocks and dust with was immediately propelled Mikey''s direction.


    The dust and debris created a smoke cloud with the purpose blind and suffocate him. Joe didn''t wait for the smoke to die down or for Mikey to burst out.


    He used the opening to swing his blade vertically, unleashing large arc that went directly for Mikey. It cleaved through the smoke before making direct contact with his figure.


    A large gust of wind erupted and blew everything in the room away. Joe was flung backwards and was sent tumbling. He halted a fair distance away, an intense pain surging through his body. But that wasn''t the worst part, when he tried to drag himself up, his limb contorted and snapped. He was pinned forcefully to the ground as audible cracks ravaged his body from all over. He scrammed, his voice filling the air with agony. Blood seeped down his lips as he struggled to breathe.


    Joe''s eyes blurred but he wouldn''t allow himself to pass out He had to see it for himself, he had to be be the first to see Mike''s corpse.


    The smoke around Mikey cleared. And his figure was revealed standing. Both his arms were leaking blood profusely and his skin had turned red. His muscles enlarged as he looked to have grown almost double his original size. His veins popped out from all over his body and a faint steam could be also seen leaking from his figure. He was still heaving, breathing. Mikey was still alive.


    Joe''s heart shattered.


    ¡°That is it Syr. That was everything I had and I still couldn''t do it. I hate to admit but we''re dead. It''s all over.¡±


    [You Haven''t Tried Everything. It''s Risky. But There''s Still Something You''ve Yet To Use.]

 Chapter 27

    [Outside Of Mikey''s Hideout]


    Shelly''s eyes fluttered open after what felt like ages. immediately after opening them, she was met by the bright light of the expensive blue sky above. She squinted, desperate to adjust to the stinging light. Her wish was granted after 15 seconds, when her eyes adjusted and she could fully open them.


    The sun scorched her body, and her skin received a nasty irritation from the heat. Using both hands to balance herself on the squishy soil, she tried to drag herself up to sit upright. But as she did, a sudden and sharp pain ravaged her from head go toe. Her face grimaced, as she forced back a scream. Like thousands of sharp needles, the sensation was unrelenting. It forced her to lay back, her spine sinking into the sand once more.


    Following her attempt sit up, a high pitched sound tormented her ears. She could feel her temple throb as the sound intensified. Her legs would not move and her arms were sapped off all their energy.


    A familiar face hovered over Shelly''s face. Her eyes sparkled and a wide smile was drawn on her face. Of course it was Viola.


    She was kneeling right next to Shelly and looked to be uttering something, but Shelly only got a snippet of what she said when her ears started working again. But by then the sentence was reaching its conclusion.


    ¡°.... you Shelly.¡±


    Shelly smiled in response, she didn''t get most of it but based on her tone, Viola sounded positive and was sharing either a complement or some good news. A smile seemed appropriate. But even that simple act made her face ache.


    Clearly something had gone wrong.


    Shelly remembered vaguely unlocking the power of the mark, something she promised herself that she would never use again. It wasn''t a full mark unlike the two previous occasions she had unlocked it.


    She knew she was lucky, because if the mark was complete everyone in that building would be dead. It would be the same kind of catastrophe as the one that happened back then.


    Shelly bit her lip, ¡°how could I endanger so many people. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. I know how dangerous it is and I still allowed it to come out. Dammit, why am I so weak. Why can''t I just protect those I want to protect without risking their lives.¡± Tears fell down her cheeks.


    She sobbed, her voice breaking as she tried to articulate a sentence. ¡°I''m so sorry... Viola.¡±


    Viola looked at her with confused eyes, ¡°what are you talking about Shelly? We''re the ones who should be sorry. You''re only injured because of us¡­¡± her voice rose to a pitch, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°We couldn''t have done this without you Shelly! Everyone is okay thanks to you.¡± Viola smiled, her tears trickling down her cheeks.


    Shelly titled her head to look at her right, that''s when she saw them. All the children Claudia abused were all lively and chatting with other. Their smiles had returned, with their scars a thing of the past. Shelly could feel a tingly sensation tug her heart strings and a warm smile manifested on her face.


    A boy trotted through the crowd of children, he made his way directly to Shelly. He came to a stop 3m away from her, he frowned as he looked down on Shelly. From his hair to his face, he looked just like Viola. This was undoubtedly her brother, Ed.


    He clenched his fist, ¡°Is it true? Is John really dead?¡± his voice was just above a whisper but Shelly could hear it clearly.


    Her smile faded and her expression turned bitter, as she tried to contain the words in her throat. But alas, she had to let them out. ¡°I''m sor¡ª¡±


    ¡°You''re sorry?¡± Ed''s voice suddenly erupted. ¡°My friend is dead because of you and you''re sorry! This wouldn''t have happened if you hadn''t chased us! This is all your fault!" Ed''s words left a thundering echo as everyone outside the hideout was immediately silenced.


    Shelly took a moment before she responded, her eyes watery as she spoke. ¡°I know I can''t turn back the clock, I can''t bring your friend back. All I can do is offer you my apology. I had no idea what the townspeople planned to do with that boy. I truly am sorry.¡± She finally broke down, her tears streaking down her face.


    Ed was about open his lips but Viola interrupted. ¡°Stop it Ed!¡± Her voice boomed. ¡°Shelly is the one who saved all of us! She healed me when I was at death''s door today. Twice! And she helped all of us escape from Claudia. She''s hurting from John''s death as much as we do. Why can''t you just thank her for what she did for us, for what she did for me. Please brother¡­¡± She looked at him with pleading eyes.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Ed seemed taken aback by his younger sister''s words. Her face morphed, shifting into a more sour expression. Tears fell down his cheeks as he went down on both knees. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± He said, finally releasing all his pent¡ªup emotions.


    Shelly smiled, before she titled her head to look at the sky.


    After a moment of silence, Viola who was still looking at the hideout, directed a whisper to Shelly''s direction. ¡°Do you think he''ll do it? Do you think Joe will be able to win?"


    Shelly''s eyes were resolved as she stated, ¡°don''t worry. He''ll definitely win.¡±


    [Inside Mikey''s Hideout]


    ¡°Something I''ve yet to use?¡± Joe questioned, his eyes still locked on the red hulking figure that was Mikey.


    [Remember When You Devoured Ray''s Soul. You Unlocked A Skill. It''s Name Was (Soul Control)]


    Joe''s memory was sparked, he rembered something like that. But he was so distracted at the time, the notification must''ve flew right past him.


    [Rare Skill: Soul Control (Lvl 1)]


    ?? Description: The Power Of The Soul Can Be The Greatest Power To Exist But It Can Also Be The Power That Destroys You.


    ?? Effect: Grants You The Ability To Gather And Absorb The Souls Of The Dead. Allowing You To Harness Their ¡®Spiritual Energy¡¯ For Your Own.


    ?? Boost: +3 Attribute Points To All Attrubutes Except Mental Strength For Every Soul You Consumed.


    ?? Mana Cost: -30 Mana Pool Ponts For Every Soul You Consumed.


    Note: Mana Is Used To Strengthen Your Body, So That You Are Able To Absorb As Many Souls As Possible. Which Is Why Mana Cost Is Applied, Despite Souls Being Fueled By ''Spiritual Energy''


    ¡°That''s awesome.¡± Joe grinned.


    [No, Its Dangerous. ''Spiritual Energy'' Is Unlike Mana. It Is Corrupted. This Kind Of Skill Could Destroy Your Mind.]


    ¡°I''ve got nothing to lose. I''m already dead at this rate. Let''s do it Syr."


    [Skill Activation: Soul Control]


    [-90 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 1, 295]


    A bright flash of light consumed Joe''s figure. It expanded and rapidly encompassed the entire room. Mikey was forced to shut his eyes, in an effort to salvage his sight.


    He staggered back, creating a wide gap between him and Joe.


    As the light dimmed, Joe was found back on his feet. The light settled around his form, pulsating in a gentle aura. Joe''s eyes had turned completely white. A shining white circle could be seen glowing on his stomach.


    [Soul Count: 3]


    [+9 Attrubute Points To All Attrubutes Exceptions Mental Strength]


    Joe stretched out his bones and they seemed to have been repaired. They were back to being solid and sturdy, showing no signs of any fractures.


    [Souls Have The ¡®Essence Of Life¡¯ They Can Offer Regenerative Abilites To One''s Physical Condition.]


    Joe clutched his head with his right hand. He could hear the sound of individuals echoing loudly in his skull. The voices were screaming. ¡°Please stop, we beg of you.¡± The spoke in unison and were hard to make out.


    Joe bashed his hand into his skull, in an effort to make them quiet down. They were starting to give him a really bad migraine.


    [Those Are The Voices, Of The Three People You Devoured. By Taking Their Soul You''ve Also Preserved A Part Of Their ¡®Will¡¯. That''s Why This Skill Is Dangerous. If You''re Not Careful They Will Overwhelm You.]


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Joe said out loud, his expression one of mild annoyance.


    His voice hand changed, it still sounded like Joe but traces of the three souls he absorbed lingered with every word he said.


    The room was suddenly bathed in light once again. All the bodies of the dead children suddenly lit up. Glowing white orbs exited from each of their bodies for a total 30.


    They formed a trail of light as they soared through the air. They orbited around Joe''s body, their haunting voices assaulting Joe''s ears.


    ¡°Please help us! help us get back at father! Help us get our revenge! Please help us! help us¡­¡± Their voices repeated like a voice recorder.


    [Think Carefully About This Joe, This Many Souls Will Be Dangerous If You Absorb Them At Once.]


    ¡°But you''ve heard them Syr. They want to get back at that bastard. Why would I deny them such an opportunity after what that monster has done to them? They should get their revenge.¡±


    All the orbs slammed into Joe''s stomach one after the other. The light around Joe flared and he crumbled to his knees. Joe relases a guttural scream as he clutched his head. He could feel his mind being invaded and the piercing sound of all the children at once was similar to a thousand knives stabbing his brain.


    [-45 To Your Mental Strength Attribute]


    Joe gritted his teeth as he tried to endure the agony.


    [You fool! I told you this would happen! They will overwhelm you. ]


    Joe reached out his hand as he grasped thin air.


    [Skill Activation: Mental Resistance]


    [+30 To Your Mental Strength Attribute]


    [Total Psychological Attributes: 35]


    [Soul Count: 33]


    [-900 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 395]


    [+90 Attrubute Points To All Attrubutes Except Mental Strength]


    Joe heaved, as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet. ¡°Who do you think you''re talking to Syr? Do I really look like someone who would lose my head because of something like that?¡± Joe smirked, his voice was still tainted but his tone was the dominant one in the mixture of voices that escaped his lips.


    [You Have To Keep Them At Bay Until The Fighting Is Over.]


    ¡°No Syr. These kids are a part of this fight as much as I am. We''ll all see this through to the end.¡±


    Joe picked up his mana tool. He pointed it at Mikey, the white light smothered it completely.


    ¡°I think it''s time we finish this fight. "

 Chapter 28

    Mikey''s eyes were widened as he observed the white light radiating from Joe''s figure. ¡°Did he just absorb all the souls of my children into his body? That should be impossible. Based on what he has displayed so far, this guy is undoubtedly a warrior class adventure. So how? How could he manipulate the souls of others?¡±


    Mikey was dumbfounded, but one thought seeped into his mind. Suddenly everything clicked into place. ¡°Of course that boy''s mana¡­. That''s why it''s so familiar, it''s almost Identical to the mana she had. But if that''s the case, then this boy must really be¡­ An Outsider. If he''s an Outsider then him being able to manipulate souls wouldn''t be so hard to believe. ¡°


    Mikey burst out in laughter when all the pieces came together in his head. ¡°To think I would see it! The day I came across an Outsider once again! Incredible! It really is incredible!¡±


    Mikey clenched both fists. More blood spurt out from his arms, but he didn''t seem to care. His muscles bulged and tightened, his veins becoming more pronounced. He crouched low and the ground cracked. His grin spread from ear to ear, revealing a trail of blood that trickled in-between his teeth. More mana embraced his form, its ferocity creating a small gust around the room. [Skill Activation: Overheat]


    ¡°It won''t happen again, I won''t to lose to an Outsider again!¡± Mikey blasted foward.


    Registering his approach, Joe smirked. He dropped his black blade and placed his left hand on his back. He then gestured with his right for Mikey to come straight for him.


    Mikey met the challenge head on, he entered Joe''s close quarters in seconds. ¡°Are you making fun of me brat!¡± The veins on his forehead twitched, as he grinded his teeth together.


    Joe''s smile only grew wider In response.


    ¡°That''s it you''re dead!¡±


    Mikey unloaded a flurry of punches with the aim of completely annihilating Joe''s body.


    Joe responded in kind, with just an open palm of his right hand. Joe deflected all the punches Mikey threw at him. They scorched his skin similar to burning charcoal, but he dealt with them without an issue. Each block he did sent powerful shockwaves throughout the building.


    Mikey heaved as his barrage ended, ¡°No ways! That''s.. impossible!¡± He clutched his knees, as he tried to catch his breath.


    ¡°Impossible? No you bastard, It''s definitely possible. This is the power of all those kids you treated like trash!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ that''s impossible!¡± Mikey threw his fist in denial.


    Joe caught it. He held it firmly. And then, he squashed it.


    The sound of breaking fingers bounced of the walls. Mikey crumbled to his knees screeching in pain.


    Joe looked down on him with unforgiving eyes. He yanked him back to his feet with just one hand. ¡°This is for all the things you did to those kids. This is their fury!¡±


    Joe moved his left hand from his back, he clenched it into a fist. Many of the souls he gathered coalesced around his hand causing it to glow even brighter. He then unleashed a full fledged fist that dug deep into Mikey''s stomach. He released his grip on his hand, before sending him rolling across the field on his follow through.


    [-10 Stored Souls]


    [Current Soul Count: 23]


    [-30 Attrubute Points To All Attrubutes Except Mental Strength]


    Joe clenched his fist and he could feel the ¡®Spiritual Energy¡¯ slowly escape his body. The light around him also glowed dimmer after his attack. ¡°I see, the more Spiritual Energy I use. The number of my stored souls dwindles and I grow weaker as a result.¡± He mumbled to himself. ¡°It doesn''t matter, all those 10 souls just now got their revenge on that bastard. Hopefully, they can now pass on with one less regret. ¡° Joe said to himself.


    His eyes shifted to Mikey who was on the floor. Mikey knelt on his his knees, his arms folded over his stomach. He continued to scram, struggling to endure the agony. His sweat mixed with his blood, and after a full minute he pulled himself back to his feet. ¡°Dammit!¡± He panted. ¡°To think there''s a brat like you walking around in Perina.¡± He clenched his fists, ¡°I can''t let you destroy my hard work. I''ve come to far to let it all be destroyed by some kid!I am Mikey! The strongest in all of Perina!¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Joe picked up his blade, he channeled his Spiritual Energy through it once more. Turning it White. He took a solid stance as he waited for Mikey to come to him.¡±


    Mikey didn''t disappoint, he charged at Joe instantly. This time however he divided himself into four copies. All four Mikeys were in this almost transparent state that made them seem like illusions. Mikey conjured them through shear speed alone. [Skill Activation: After Image]]


    Joe responded in kind, he swung his blade 4 times sending out four horizontal arcs towards each of Mikey''s figure. His white arcs zipped through the air and bisected three of the four Mikeys. One of them disappeared before he was stuck.


    [-8 Stored Souls]


    [Soul Count: 15]


    [-24 Attribute Points To All Attrubutes Except Mental Strength]


    It took a split second before Joe registered his presence. He saw his mana signature fall from above him which prompted him to lift his head.


    Mikey descended quickly, and his right arm clenched into another fist.


    Joe didn''t even wait for him to unleash his skill this time, because when Mikey extended his arm, it was perfectly sliced in half by a sharp flashing arc. Blood erupted from where his arm once was and blood rained down on Joe like rain.


    Mikey crashed to the ground as he screamed at the top of his lungs.


    [-2 Stored Soul]


    [Soul Count: 13]


    [-6 Attrubute Points To All Attrubutes Except Mental Strength]


    Joe used his left had to grab Mikey with his hair, he then flung him to the roof like a piece of laundry. He extended his blade and pointed its tip at his body.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    A white orbs gathered at the tip of his blade. It contained all the souls Joe had left and hummed with energy. Joe unleashed it and sent it smashing into Mikey''s body.


    It collided with him and sent him flying through the ceiling. His body continued to fly higher as the orb pushed him to the heavens. It dug into his skin and was seconds away from annihilating his body. In that moment only one thing clouded Mikey''s mind. ¡°That boy¡­ why? Why does he remind me of you Rebecca¡­¡±


    As if life was flashing before his eyes, a distant memory surfaced in Mikey''s mind.


    He rembered that day vividly.


    Long green hair and with a black leather coat, pants and boots. A girl with beautiful purple eyes stared daggers into Mikey''s soul.


    Mikey was on the ground trembling under her gaze.


    ¡°I''ll let you live this time Mikey. I don''t know what you''re going to do now that you''ve lost your chance of ever getting an academy license, but listen to me and listen well. If you and I ever cross paths again. I will kill you!¡±


    Those were the last words Mikey remembered before the orb obliterated his form into dust.


    Mikey was finally, defeated.


    All the children outside the hideout were in awe as they watched their father being reduced to nothing before their eyes.


    Others stood frozen, while others cried tears of Joy. There were even some of them who expressed feelings of genuine sadness.


    Viola looked at Shelly with a wide smile. ¡°He did it! He really did it!.¡±


    Shelly smiled back,¡±I told you he could do it.¡±


    [Inside Mikey''s Hideout]


    Joe was on his knees struggling for air, every muscle on his body screamed in agony. The white glow surrounding his body had vanished. Tears streaked down his cheeks, ¡°We did it¡­ we killed that bastard!¡±


    Joe''s eyes blurred before everything went black.


    His body stired and his consciousness returned. He was back outside again, made evident by the bright blue sky. He pulled himself up slowly and found all the children from Mikey''s hideout standing infront of him.


    When he saw them, Joe''s heart shattered. ¡°I''m sorry you guys. I couldn''t save them! I couldn''t save any of them!¡± Joe''s tears fell down without his control.


    The kids were quiet for a long moment, none of them were surprised by Joe''s words. They must''ve seen the bodies for themselves. With tears in their eyes and in unison all of them bowed in front of Joe. ¡°Thank you for everything you''ve done for us Mr Joe!¡±


    That''s what sent Joe over the edge. He just unleashed it all and ugly cried in front of all the kids.


    All the children embraced him before they released tears of their own.


    After several minutes they separated.


    Joe found Shelly standing next to him with a smile on her face. ¡°Its time to go.¡± She said, extending her hand.


    Joe took it with a firm grip and rose to his feet. He did see Shelly wince in the process, Joe chalked it down to the injuries she must''ve sustained during the battle. He did apologize for causing her discomfort but she blew it off like Joe expected, saying she was fine.


    Knowing just how stubborn she was, Joe let the matter rest. Taking the kids with them, Joe and Shelly made their way out of the Trash Can. They managed to pick up the boys Joe knocked out when they first entered the Trash Can. But as they exited through the nonexistent gate. They were met by a familiar face.


    ¡°There!¡±


    The bread chubby shopkeeper pointed a trembling finger at Shelly. He was covered in bandages and was barely recognizable. Standing by his side, were four individuals. The wore flapping blue cloaks that covered their faces. The blue coats had three words written in bold. Both at the front and rear.


    They were written. ¡°Frozen Wing Party¡±


    The shopkeeper had swollen lips but was still somehow able to form a nasty smirk.


    ¡°That''s the girl I want you to kill!¡±

 Chapter 29

    There was a long stretch of silence after the shopkeeper''s words. The only audible sound was the one produced by the billowing cloaks. Joe studied the hooded figures standing next to the shopkeeper cautiously. They all had enormous mana signatures, although they weren''t as large as Mikey''s individually. Joe thought if he could combine all four of their signatures, he could see them dwarfing Mikey''s easily.


    Joe knew he wasn''t in the best shape physically, his muscles were still strained and recovering. Mana wise, he was even worse. His current mana pool couldn''t even fill a quarter of Dorothy''s bottle. If a fight broke out, Joe doubted he could even kill one of them. These guys were probably experienced adventures. Taking them head on would be a losing battle.


    But using words wouldn''t work either, the shopkeeper was livid, trying to reason with him was out of the question. He wanted Shelly dead.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± The shopkeeper yelled, glancing at his hooded friends who stood in groups of two on either side of him. ¡°I said kill that bitch! In fact kill all of them! Those kids are nothing but stinking thieves! Give me all their heads!¡± The shopkeeper shouted. For an injured man he was really lively.


    The kids gathered behind Shelly and Joe, some of them trembling at the Shopkeeper''s words. In that moment, Joe''s mind was made up. He glanced at Shelly, they nodded to each other and they both stepped forward. A shining light smothered both their hands, in Shelly''s grip a black metalic staff manifested. And in Joe''s clutches, a thick and sturdy black blade appeared. They both stood in front of the kids and uttered simultaneously.


    ¡°If you want to lay a finger on these kids, you''ll have to go through us!¡±


    A physical altercation might not have been their best option, but there was no way in hell they would let anyone touch these kids.


    The shopkeeper took a step back, he glanced at his companions a second time. He opened his mouth to speak, ¡°I sa¡ª¡±


    Crunch!


    Before he could finish, a punch to the skull sent the shopkeeper plummeting to the ground. The surface cracked open, creating a deep crater. The shopkeeper''s blood pooled beneath him as he spasmed violently. A few seconds passed and he stopped moving altogether. His already small signature flickered out, marking his death.


    The perpetrator was one of the hooded figures standing next to him. They removed their hood, revealing a young man with glistening golden hair that fell on either side of his shoulders. His eyes sparkled like a dark blue marble, his figure towering his other companions.


    ¡°Man I thought that guy would never stop talking.¡± the man clicked his tongue, before brushing his guilty fist against his cloak. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Liam, the leader of the Frozen Wing Party.¡± he bowed respectfully, before raising his head. ¡°These guys are my party members.¡±


    All 3 of the hooded figures removed their hoods and exposed their identities. Standing on Liam¡¯s right side was a man with messy blue hair. He was slightly shorter than Liam only reaching his shoulder. But he was more muscular when compared to Liam¡¯s slender appearance.


    To Liam''s left there were two girls. The nearest to him was a girl with fiery red hair, she had 3 red dots on her forehead. Her eyes wondered around, avoiding to make contact with everyone else.


    Next to her was a girl with black braids, she had what looked like black lipstick on her lips, and her eyes dark eyes were intense as they bored onto Joe''s.


    Liam introduced them as Clive, Bianca and Peach. In the exact order Joe studied them.


    Joe shifted his eyes back to Liam. He couldn''t help but be suspicious of how casually they revealed themselves. He tightened his guard, ensuring his grip on his mana tool was solid.


    And then suddenly, acting simultaneously. All of them bowed their heads. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± They said, in unison.


    Joe and Shelly exchanged confused glances.


    Liam and his party straightened and Liam was the first to speak. ¡°We wanted to thank you personally for what you''ve done. I never thought anyone would actually bring down Mikey. You''ve done this town a huge favor, no words could express our gratitude.¡±


    ¡°We didn''t do this for the town, ¡° Joe said. dismissively. ¡°We were just looking to save these kids. We don''t need your gratitude, we just need you out of the way.¡± His eyes stared daggers into Liam.


    ¡°We get it¡± Liam responded, ¡°We''ve wanted to help these kids for a long time but we couldn''t do anything while Mikey was around. Our focus was on stopping his influence from spreading and taking over the town. We managed to do that, but the kids suffered as a result.¡± Liam clenched his fists. ¡°Allow us to make things right. Let us take care of the kids.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°You wanted to stop him from spreading his influence?¡± Joe yelled. ¡°What about these kids! They were suffering and you guys didn''t do anything! You were the only ones strong enough to have a chance against Mikey yet you did nothing!¡± Joe''s saliva flew from his mouth as he shouted. ¡°You''re cowards!¡±


    Joe''s words hung in the air as Liam failed to respond. He was just left with widened eyes, his words stuck in his throat.


    Seeing his leader¡¯s inaction, one of Liam''s party members, Clive stepped foward. ¡°You have to understand kid. If we agitated Mikey and went to war with him, a lot of innocent people would die. That includes the townspeople and many of these kids. We were trying to maintain a balance by keeping Mikey at bay. If he took over Perina who knows what could''ve happened. ¡°


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Joe snapped. ¡°Children were dying! Those townspeople of yours just slaughtered a young boy in broad daylight and you''re telling me about balance?¡±


    Liam gave Clive a pat on the shoulder, as he regained his composure. ¡°We are by far the strongest party in this town. Most other parties are either too weak or just don''t want to get involved with Mikey. It became our responsibility to protect the townspeople but also the children. We covered the entirety of Perina by ourselves. This led to us being unable to stop certain actions by the townspeople before they got out of hand. As a result many of the children have died. We have tried to save as many children as we could. We just didn''t do enough. And for that once again, we apologize.¡±


    Shelly cleared her throat. ¡°So what? We¡¯re just suppose to move on forgive you? You want us to hand over these kids just like that?¡±


    ¡°You guys have showed that it''s possible.¡± said Clive. ¡°Instead of being passive and waiting for things to get better, it''s always better to fight for change. We know thet now. That''s why we want to help you. These kids have been through so much, but things can be better. We have a hideout that can accommodate all these kids. Allow us to do what we should¡¯ve done all along. Please let us help. ¡°


    Joe was starting to warm up to them. They were incompetent but they sounded sincere. Them possessing a hideout also made things easier. Realistically, there was no way they could move around with so many children. He hated to admit it, but he needed their help. ¡°What hideout?¡± He decided to ask.


    Clive''s face softened, ¡°we have a space that we can use to take care of all these kids. We can provide them with everything they need. Our party will see to it. It''s hidden so the kids won''t be in danger.¡± He reached for a pocket inside her cloak and escaped with a glowing green crystal. It was tall but also thin, like a small crystal tower. ¡°This is a pathfinder.¡± He explained. ¡°it has the signature of one of our members, Tony. He''s the one who looks after the hideout. As long as you have this, it will lead you directly to the base. You aren''t throwing these kids away, you can always come and visit them if you wish.¡±


    Clive threw the pathfinder at Joe, he caught it with one hand and examined it. The pathfinder seemed to cast a light that showcased directions. It didn''t look like he was lying. Joe glanced at Shelly and they lowered their weapons. Joe was convinced. ¡°Fine, we''ll trust you. We''ll leave the kids with you.¡± As soon as Joe spoke some of the kids cried.


    Shelly was the first to turn to them and try to console them. Joe stored the pathfinder and marched straight for Liam. ¡°Syr, give me all the gold pieces I earned in the Black Forest.¡±


    [You Have Retrieved 20 000 Gold Pieces.]


    [Total Gold Pieces Remaining: 0]


    A brown bag of gold pieces landed on Joe''s left palm. He gripped it tightly, when he reached Liam, Joe slammed it into his chest. ¡°Look, use this to take care of the kids, you guys don''t have to dig out of your pockets. I''ll provide for them.¡± Joe took a step back leaving Liam with wide eyes and the bag pressed against his chest.


    ¡°You didn''t h¡ª¡±


    ¡°It''s fine! I want to be the one to do this.¡± Joe cut him off. ¡°And one more thing...¡± he stepped forward, ¡°if those kids get hurt. I will hunt down and kill every last one of you!¡± He threatened.


    Liam nodded.


    He strode back to Shelly and the kids. Seing all their faces almost made him shed another tear. ¡°You guys be good ok? These guys will take care of you.¡± Joe said with a smile.


    Even after his words, there were still kids who harbored uncertain faces, and that''s when Viola stepped foward. ¡°Come on you guys! Shelly and Joe trust them. We should trust them too.¡±


    The children started to come around to the idea.


    After several minutes of hugging and saying goodbye. Joe and Shelly waved one last time to the kids before turning away.


    As they walked out of ear shot, Shelly whispered something. ¡°What did you say to those back there?¡±


    Joe smirked, ¡°nothing much, just making sure they''ll keep their promise.¡±


    Shelly gave him a confused expression.


    ¡°I''m just glad those kids have a place to stay. I hate to admit it, but I''m thankful to those guys.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.. me too..¡± Shelly smiled.


    After a minute Joe opened his mouth. ¡°The adventure''s guild. We still have to get me registered. ¡° Joe said, reminded of the reason they came to this town in the first place.


    ¡°It''s at the edge of town I think. If we keep going north we''re bound to find it.¡± Shelly responded.


    When Shelly took a step her knees buckled. She managed to save herself from the fall, one hand darting to her head.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I''m fine.¡± Shelly said shaking her head.


    Joe stored the black blade in his inventory before stepping in front of her. ¡°Your body must still be recovering. Climb on my back. I''ll carry you to the guild. It''s a straight forward route from this point right?¡± Joe lowered his body offering a piggyback ride.


    ¡°I told you, I''m fine." Shelly insisted.


    ¡°Stop being stubborn. You''re no good to anyone if you haven''t recovered. Gather your stenghth. I''ll let you know when we reach the guild ok?¡±


    Shelly sighed. ¡°Fine, but wake me up immediately after we arrive, not a second later okay?¡±


    ¡°You got it!¡±


    Shelly finally relented and climbed on to Joe''s back. Joe straightened and ensured she was secured. Shelly wrapped her arm around his neck before she rested her head. She seemed to mumble something before her eyes drifted to sleep.


    Joe could feel his muscles burn, but he endured it. He exhaled. ¡°Alright then. Next stop. The Adventure''s Guild.¡±


    Joe marched forward with the excitement of finally getting registered.


    [Mikey Arc - End]


    [Next Arc - The Adventure''s Guild]

 Chapter 30

    Joe took steady footsteps with Shelly on his back, as he made his way to the guild. The sun was setting and it wouldn''t be long before nightfall descended. It was crazy to think that almost two days had passed, Joe himself couldn''t believe it.


    Time flew when the only thing you did was fight for your life every passing second.


    Joe was ecstatic to find he had survived almost two days on this planet. He had come to death''s door many times, but he was still breathing. That alone brought a smile to his face.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how his family was doing. Where they as fortunate as him? Did they survive the two days?


    Joe shook his head, chasing away the thought. Of course they survived. They were fighters, if he could survive then his family also survived. Yes, they were still alive.


    This was one of the many reasons Joe didn''t like having time to himself. His mind wondered and always returned with negative thoughts. The past two days brisked by because he didn''t have to think about his current situation too much.


    He exhaled, and that''s when a flashing blue screen materialized before him.


    [I See You''re Still Alive.]


    ¡°Of course I am. I told you didn''t I? That bastard could never kill someone like me. I''m still going to reunite with my family no matter what.¡± Joe''s mood lmproved when he said those words, that reassurance was something he didn''t know he needed.


    [Well I Knew You Could Do It.]


    ¡°Yeah¡­ right¡­¡± Joe said, rolling his eyes.


    [You Did Good. Defeating Mikey Has Had A Huge Impact On Your Progress. Do You Want Me To Show You Where You Stand?]


    ¡°Sure go for it.¡±


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: Level 33 ¡ú Level 40]


    Joe''s eyes widened at the sight, he didn''t expect such a huge jump. But it was also understandable, considering just how powerful Mikey was. He clung on to his life by the skin of his teeth. [Rapid Leveling] Also influenced his rise, the more he thought about it, the more the spike made sense.


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [Black Blade Level Increase: 18 ¡ú 21]


    [The Black Blade Has Reached A New Stage]


    [The Black Blade Has Reached A New Sub - Tier]


    [Low Common Mana Tool ¡ú Middle Common Mana Tool]


    [+4 Skill Attribute Points To All Of The Black Blade''s Skills]


    [Achievement Unlocked: First Mana Tool Sub - Tier Upgrade]


    ?? Condition: Unlock You First Mana Tool Sub - Tier]


    ?? Reward: +1 Level Up To The Black Blade


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [The Black Blade Level Increase: 21 ¡ú 22]


    [The Black Blade Has Unlocked A New Skill (Black Orb)]


    Now this was new. ¡°A sub tier upgrade? What is that?¡± Joe didn''t hesitate to question.


    [Equipment, Mana Tools. In Grisha Both These Things Are Divided Into 7 Tiers. Inferior, Common, Uncommon, Superior, Elite, Special And Epic]


    These 7 Tiers Each Have Their Own Sub Tiers. These Tiers Are. Low, Middle And High.


    To Reach The Next Tier You Must Go Through All 3 Sub - Tiers. Only By Passing All Three Do You Reach The Next Tier.


    Meaning In Order To Reach The Next Tier Which Is Uncommon, The Black Blade Has To First Reach The High Common Sub - Tier And Surpass It.]


    Syr said a mouthful but Joe got the idea. He nodded in understanding, but Syr was still not done.


    [The Type Of Mana Tool You Have Can Also Determine How High You Climb. There Are Many Cases Of Mana Tools Reaching Their Limit At Elie. The Are Exceptions That Have Gone Beyond That But They''re Rare.]The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Joe wasn''t disheartened too much by hearing that. He just had to be one of the rare ones. He was going to get all his tools to the highest possible tier no matter the cost. Considering he was still at the second tier, that was far from coming true.


    [Your Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Level Increase: Level 15 ¡ú Level 20]


    [The Skill Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Has Unlocked A New Stage]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Beginner) ¡ú (Intermediate)]


    [Skill Updated; Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Intermediate)]


    ? Effect: By Enhancing Your Physical Capabilities And Mana Usage. Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Can Now Allow You To Push Your Mana Outwardly For A Limited Distance. This Can Allow You To Launch Destructive Pulses Of Mana During Battle.


    ?? Distance: 6 Meters


    ¡°I see, so it will be similar to those mana punches that bastard threw at me. I think I get it. But what are these stages Syr.¡±


    [Skills Have A Total Of 7 Stages. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Great, Mastery, Legendary, Mythic.


    As You Continue To Grow Your Skills Will Also Advance In Stages. Some Skills Have A Pre-determined Stage Where They Will Stop Evolving. Other Skills Don''t Have Any Stages Or Even Levels. Examples Include Your [Predator] And [Rapid Leveling] Skills Like Thes Are Rare However And Are Usually Not Useful In Battle.


    Joe sighed, so now not only did he have to grow his mana tool by up to Tier 7 but he also had to increase his skill by the same amount. He had made great strides but this showed him he was far from reaching the top. He had to work harder, much harder.


    [Achievement Unlocked: Skill Upgrade]


    ?? Condition: Upgrade Your First Skill By Reaching The Next Stage.


    ?? Reward: +2 Skill Attribute Points


    [Your Rare Skill (Soul Control) Has Leveled Up]


    [Soul Control Level 1¡ú Level 3]


    [Your Unique Skill (Outsider''s Perspective) Has Leveled Up]


    [Outsider¡¯s Perspective Level Increase Level 3 ¡ú Level 5 ]


    [Your Skill (Weaponry) Has Leveled Up]


    [Weaponry Level Increase: 1 ¡ú 4]


    [Your Skill (Mental Resistance) Has Leveled Up]


    [Mental Reistance Level Increase: 1 ¡ú 3]


    [Attribute Window]


    Personal Information:


    ? Name: Joe White


    ? Age: 19


    ? Class: Outsider (Unique)


    ? Level: 40


    Attributes:


    Mana Pool: 395 / 4,400


    ? Skill: 73 ¡ú 87 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 70 ¡ú 84( +10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 70 ¡ú 84 (+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 57 ¡ú 64 (+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 53 ¡ú 60


    ?? Additional Attribute Points:7


    Passive Skills:


    ?? Rapid Leveling [Unique]


    ?? Outsider¡¯s Perspective[Unique] (Beginner)


    ?? Weaponry (Beginner)


    Active Skills


    ?? Outsider¡¯s Enhancement (Intermediate.)


    ?? Soul Control [Rare] (Beginner)


    ?? Predator [Unique]


    Inventory:


    ?? Mana Tool: The Black Blade


    ?? Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger


    ?? Equipment: Black Sheep


    ?? Equipment: Black Gloves


    ?? Equipment: Black Boots


    ? Item: Pathfinder


    ?? Item: Academy License


    ?? Dungeon Item: White Fang


    Gold Pieces:


    ? Amount: 0


    Joe was a little taken aback to see his full Attribute Window on display. He was still wrapping his mind around all the different tiers but he now had to shift focus. He hadn''t seen his full Window in a while, so that was another reason he was so surprised to see it.


    Joe was dangerously close to reaching triple digits with his top 3 Attributes, he could smell it. ¡°Ok Syr, give 3 of my attributes to my mental stenghth. Then split the 4 remaining points between defense and skill, by giving each of them 2 points.


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Skill: 87 ¡ú 89


    ?? Defense: 64 ¡ú 66


    ?? Mental Strength: 60 ¡ú 62


    Joe nodded. It didn''t take long before he remembered something.


    ¡°You mentioned something about the black blade unlocking one more skills. Would you mind showing them to me?¡±


    [Mana Tool Skill: Black Orb]


    Effect: The Black Blade Can Concentrate The Mana Infected Into It To The Tip Of Of The Blade. This Will Create A Black Orb Of Mana You Can Launch At Your Opponent From A Distance. The Resulting Blast Can Be Devastating.


    Boost: +45 To Your Skill Attribute


    Mana Cost: -100 Mana Pool Points


    Joe grinned from side to side, a skill like that was bound to come in handy at some point.


    ¡°I''m guessing that''s everything¡±


    [Yes, Are You Still Expecting More? Don''t Be Greedy Joe. This Is A Huge Step For Someone Like You.]


    ¡°Relax, I was just checking. No need to get triggered like that Syr. I''m happy with my current progress. There''s still a long way to go before I can truly be strong. But we''ll take it one step at a time.¡±


    Joe made significant advancements on his way to the to the Adventure''s Guild. In the distance he could see a building that stood by itself. It was enormous. Even without getting near it, he knew that was the place.


    He trudged towards the building placing one foot in front of the other. It was further than Joe expected, and having Shelly on his back was starting to take its toll. A little sweat tricked down his face, but he committed himself to reaching his destination. After what felt like 8 minutes, he arrived. The sun had set and it was nightime.


    Joe stood in front of a large building. It was built of solid bricks and even dwarfed Mikey''s hideout which was already large. Even without entering Joe could see the mana signatures lurking inside. There were a lot of them.


    A short staircase led to this looming and narrow wooden door. The name of the guild ¡°Silver Phoenix¡± was displayed proudly above the door.


    Shelly started moving by herself as she slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Did we arrive?¡± She asked with a sleepy voive.


    Joe placed her to the ground after a few seconds . She was able to stand by herself and looked significantly better than before. She rubbed her eyes, before stretching her limbs.


    Joe''s eyes turned to the building in front of him. ¡°Yes, I think this is the place, an Adventure''s Guild.¡±

 Chapter 31

    ¡°Are you sure you''re alright? I don''t mind carrying you untill we enter the building. I wouldn''t want you collapsing due to exhaustion. ¡° Shelly seemed better, but Joe was still a little worried about his friend.


    ¡°I''m fine.¡± She said, brushing Joe''s concern to the side.


    Her eyes were fully awake and she had finished stretching her limbs. She looked to have recovered and Joe could see her mana signature was bright and lively.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± He said, turning his eyes back to the Silver Phoenix Guild. ¡°Let''s go,¡±


    They both took steady steps up the stairs and they reached the summit In seconds. The flat surface they stood on was crafted using cement and bricks making for a solid platform. Joe''s eyes landed on the large door before him, he took a step closer as his eyes glided up its length.


    He serched for the handle but failed to locate it. The only thing on the door was a piece of paper attached to the center. It was cut In the shape of a rectangle and had intricate black lines running through it. Joe could not make out what was written or drawn, but he could see symbols that were eerily similar to the rune Joe had seen on the Black Blade. So he guessed it must''ve been some kind of seal.


    Not sure what he was supposed to do exactly, he placed his left palm on the smooth piece of wood. And instantly, his body was catapulted backwards. He flew off the platform and rolled down the stairs. He landed hard on the earth below and a cloud of dust smothered his figure.


    Joe wasn''t badly hurt, his shoulders and palms stung a little but it wasn''t too bad. He coughed as the dust infiltrated his nose. He shot up to his feet and the dust around him cleared with Joe dusting himself off.


    He cleared his throat before looking at Shelly. Although she didn''t say anything at first, Joe could tell from her eyes that she wasn''t impressed. ¡°What are you doing? Are you crazy?¡±


    Joe gave her a forced smile as he scratched the back of his head. He raced up the stairs and stood next to Shelly with an awkward look on his face.


    ¡°That''s not how you open sealed a sealed door. Seriously Joe do you not know how to open them? Are you from the Lost Kingdoms or something?¡±


    Sealed door? Joe glanced at that piece of paper again. His intuition was correct. That piece of paper was a seal . He knew something wss up when he saw it, but he didn''t really know why it was there. He should''ve probably consulted Shelly about it before touching a door he didn''t understand.


    Joe felt things would be so much easier if he could just tell Shelly he''s an Outsider. She would probably be more understanding about his lack of knowledge on how everything worked in Grisha. Plus, friends were supposed to trust each other, right? It''s not like she would treat him differently just because he had a strange class. Keeping secrets from someone you wanted to join your party didn''t feel right.


    But Joe remembered Syr''s warning about blending in and keeping that information to himself. Still, Joe felt he could trust Shelly with this information. But utimately he decided not to tell her, Syr must''ve had a reason for telling him to stay quiet. And he didn''t want to mess up his friendship with Shelly, if revealing his class would jeopardize their relationship, he''d rather keep his lips seated.


    Shelly sighed at his silence, she pointed to the seal on the door. ¡°You see that piece of paper over there? You have to touch it with one of your fingers and the door will open on its own.¡±


    Joe turned his attention to the seal, he took a step and reached out his hand. He touched the paper with his right index finger and almost instantly he could feel something. His mana flowed out of his body and gathered around his finger tip. It then poured into the seal and was immediately sucked into the paper. Joe could feel his mana trickle out slowly before a sharp pain stung his finger.


    He yanked it back shouting, ¡°Ouch!¡± He could see a black ink smeared on his fingerprint.


    [-100 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 295]


    The paper started to sizzle, and burn. Joe''s mana ate away at the seal rapidly untill it was nothing more than dust. It didn''t stop there. It smothered the entire door and painted it in black charcoal. The door cracked as fractures tainted its surface. Seconds later it came crumbling down, and was reduced to nothing but a pile of ash.


    Shelly looked at Joe with widened eyes, ¡°what did you do?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Joe tried to explain, ¡°I don''t know!¡± he said, hastily. ¡°I placed my finger on the seal like you said, it started absorbing my mana and then that happened.¡±


    Shelly slowly tilted her head to face the open entrance and Joe followed her gaze.


    Inside the building all the eyes were on them. More than 50 adventures were looking at them with different expressions. With the dominant one being shock.


    Joe gulped and he knew immediately, he had just done something horrible.


    He put up an awkward smile as he and Shelly entered the establishment. The intense gazes on them were suffocating and Joe tried his best to avoid eye contact. He instead focused on the different sections of the room.


    The guild was even larger on the inside than it was on the outside. It was littered with tables and chairs and many of the adventures who were lounging on the chairs seemed to have been eating and drinking before Joe destroyed the entrance.


    There were two sets of stairs further down the room, the one on the left led downwards to what looked like some kind of basement. The one on the right led to the upper floor of the building.


    The ceiling was littered with shining purple stones that resembled crystals. They illuminated the room bathing it in a purple glow.


    The walls had 2 glowing blue screens on either side. These screens where identical to how Syr''s screen, with the only difference being the weird charts they displayed. Joe was too far away to make out what was really written.


    He bumped into something and immediately stumbled back. When he looked up, he found a man that towered him effortlessly. Clad in a blue jacket and pants, the man had bushy eyebrows and a black chevron mustache. On his cloak there was a badge, it had what looked like a kind of fish but Joe wasn''t one hundred percent sure what he was looking at.


    ¡°Are you guys here to pick a fight?¡± The man cracked his knuckles and tilted his neck from side to side. The stern look on his face enough to make a kid shit themselves.


    His mana signature wasn''t too bad but it wasn''t that great either. Joe was confident that even in his current state he could take him on in a fight no problem. So his intimidating act wasn''t really that effective. But that was not the reason they were here, picking a fight in a room full of adventures could be messy.


    Instead Joe shook his head and bowed before the man. ¡°Please forgive me, it was an accident, I didn''t mean to destroy the door.¡± He straightned but the man''s facial expression was still bitter.


    ¡°You destroyed the Guild''s door and you expect me to belive you don''t want a fight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really didn''t mean to do it?¡±


    ¡°Give the kid a break Adam.¡± The voice came from behind Adam.


    ¡°But Sophia, he just destroyed a piece of the Guild. He needs to be taught a lesson.¡± Adam said, his body turned to meet Sophia.


    Joe and Shelly moved to the side to get a clear look at who was taking.


    ¡°It''s my fault. That seal has been there for a while, I¡¯ve been meaning to replace it but I must''ve forgotten. It''s a common seal so it was bound to give in at some point. I don''t think the kid did anything wrong.,¡±


    Adam turned and glared at both of them, he clenched his fists before walking away.


    Joe and Shelly exchanged glances before waking towards Sophia. She was located behind a wooden counter, with a large shelf behind her.


    Shelly leaned in to whisper something in his ear, ¡°seriously Joe what happened? How much mana did you put on that seal?¡±


    ¡°It''s 100?¡±


    ¡°Just a hundred? That''s impossible. A seal couldn''t have broke from mana that small. That lady must be right. The seal must''ve been already worn down.¡±.


    Joe breathed a sigh of relief knowing it wasn''t his fault. But thst didn''t stop murmurs and whispers from breaking out.


    ¡°Who is that kid?¡±


    ¡°Just how much mana did he place in there to destroy a guild entrance?¡±


    ¡°I know right, I don''t buy the old seal story Sophia''s telling us. That seal has been up for months and hasn''t had a problem. That kid must''ve destroyed it with his mana.¡±


    ¡°I don''t sense much mana coming from him, destroying that door must''ve drained him.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care if it drained him, being able to destroy a guild entrance is still very impressive. I want that boy to join my party, I know potential when I see it.


    ¡°No, I had my eyes on him first!"


    The whispers were growing louder as many of the adventures bickered with each other


    ¡°Guys, could that brat be a member of the Great Families? It could explain the large mana pool to destroy a guild entrance¡± Another spoke.


    ¡°No look at him, he doesn''t have the sigil of any of the Great Families. I don''t think he''s even has a party judging by his outfit."


    ¡°Yeah you''re right. We have to get that kid to join us¡±


    Joe and Shelly reached the counter. They took their seats with all the whispers still continuing in the background.


    Sophia was wiping a glass with a pice of cloth as she stared at them. She wore a black dress and a white apron over it.


    Her ears were animalistic and covered with brown fur. Sophia''s eyes resembled a wild mana beast. Her mana signature was mixed similar to Ben, mimicking both mana beat and human. Bur unlike Ben, she had no mana coming out of her and didn''t look like she was using some kind of skill. Joe came to one conclusion, she was not human.


    Not that Joe cared for that because she wasn''t bad looking, the only thing affecting her beauty were the scars on her forehead. They looked like initials with the letters. ¡°M.Y¡±


    Sophia was deep In thought. ¡°That seal wasn''t old. It should''ve had enough to last for a few months at least. I can tell this boy hasn''t even reached lvl 50. Even if he poured all his mana into it, there''s no way he should''ve destroyed it. He''s not even a member of the Great Families¡­¡±


    ¡°So what can i do for you?¡± Sophia finally asked.


    It took a moment before Joe could form his words. ¡°I''m here to get registered. As an adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Impossible, this boy isn''t even registered? I can only think of one explanation. A boy with mana that can destroy a seal like that. He must be an Outsider. It wouldn''t matter how small it is, an Outsider''s mana can destroy seals like that with ease. But then why? Why would an Outsider waltz into an Adventure''s Guild like this? Does he have w death wish? Just who is this kid?"


    With Sophia''s silence and the expression on her face. Joe could tell something was wrong.

 Chapter 32

    ¡°Well then, I guess we should get you registered.¡± Sophia said, her expression and demeanor changing to something more lively and warmer than the one from a few seconds ago.


    Joe wasn''t sure about the reason behind this but he was just glad to finally get registered. He glanced at Shelly giving her a wide grin. Shelly smiled back before turning to Sophia.


    Joe glanced around the room and most of the adventures had gone back to drinking and stuffing themselves with meat and some freshly baked bread. Joe wasn''t that envious of the meat but the bread and drinks made his stomach grumble.


    Shelly gave him a weird look after she heard the sound.


    ¡°What? I''m a little hungry ok.¡± Joe said, defending himself.


    Shelly sighed, ¡°I guess we haven''t really eaten anything since we arrived here. We could grab something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ there''s one problem with that¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I''m out of money.¡±


    ¡°How?¡¯ Shelly asked, ¡°We cleared the Black Forest just recently and you haven''t spent any money here in Perina. You should have a lot of gold pieces with you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don''t. But I''m sure you wouldn''t mind paying for a friend right? I''ll return the favor once I earn more money. ¡°


    Shelly sighed, ¡°Fine. But we''re only getting the cheap stuff. I don''t have money for anything fancy.¡±


    ¡°That''s fine, I didn''t want anything fancy either. Just some bread and a drink would be nice.¡± Joe said, already savoring the taste of wine and bread. Not the tastiest thing in the world, but enough to excite his deprived stomach.


    Sophia finished clearing the glasses that were on the counter. She placed them on the shelf behind her.


    The shelf was split in half. One half had the empty glasses and bottles. The other had bottles that were full.


    Sophia clasped her hands together before asking, ¡°can you show me your academy license?¡±


    Joe didn''t hesitate, he retrieved it from his inventory and slid it across the counter to Sophia.


    Sophia used her left index finger to stop the card before it fell over the edge, she then picked it up and examined its contents. ¡°Warrior class¡­ you''re not fooling me kid.¡± She thought to herself.


    She swiped her right hand horizontally through the air. Before a blue screen materialized before her. It was huge, easily three times the size of Joe''s Attribute Window. A pen was conjured in her hand along with the screen, she started writing something on the screen with the pen in her grasp.


    From where he was seated, Joe couldn''t see what was on the screen. The only thing he was preview to was the back of the screen which was as clear as a blue sky. He anxiously tapped his foot on the floor waiting for the process to conclude.


    He was somewhat interested in the logistics of the screen, was it another Syr or something else. He wasn''t really sure and he didn''t feel like asking. Joe had already attracted a lot of attention to himself, asking another obvious question would probably not be the best move right now. So he just kept to himself and waited.


    ¡°Tell me kid, why do you want to become an adventurer?¡± Sophia threw a question his direction.


    ¡°Simple, I want to find my family. Becoming an adventurer is just a step I need to take towards that objective.¡±


    ¡°Family huh? I''ve heard many say fame, power, revenge, wealth and everything else in between. But I''ve never heard anyone say family. ¡° Sophia handed back the license.


    Joe retrieved it and made sure it was safely stored in his inventory.


    ¡°You know being an adventurer is not for the faint hearted.¡± Sophia said. ¡°Don''t be fooled by these guys lazing around. When you''re out there it''s real, every moment could be your last. I would know, that''s how I got this scar.¡± She pointed at it, her attention still on the screen. ¡°I''m only alive because my enemy was merciful. I decided that day that adventuring was not meant for me and put down my weapons. If I had continued I wouldn''t be here right now.¡±


    Joe leaned forward and rested his arms on the counter, ¡°so you gave up? Isn''t that being a coward?¡± Sophia stoped for a moment, her gaze shifting to Joe. ¡°I mean if you want something you''ll fight for it. There must''ve been a reason you became an adventurer, why would you give up on it? I don''t care how dangerous it is, I won''t give up on my dream. I''ll find my family even if it kills me!¡±


    Sophia smiled faintly before returning to her screen. ¡°You''re an interesting one boy.¡± She said, making the final touches on what she was doing.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°And that''s it. You''ve officially been registered.¡± Sophia said, with a smile. Finally pulling her hands away from the screen.


    ¡°Wait that''s it?¡± Joe couldn''t belive it.


    Sophia nodded, before her screen vanished.


    [Registeration Confirmed. You Have Registered With The Silver Phoenix Guild.]


    [You Have Officially Received A Rank]


    [Adventurer Rank: D]


    [Current Confirmed Level 40. Calculating Guild Ranking¡­]


    [Current Guild Ranking: #15,000]


    [Guild Template]


    Name: Joe White


    Age: 19


    Level 40


    Official Rank: D


    Completed Quest: 0


    Recorded Cleared Dungeons: 0


    Guild Ranking: #15,000


    Joe was glad to have an official ranking but wasn''t sure about a D ranking. Was that small or big? He also noticed that his achievements In the Black Forest were not taken into account. It must''ve been because he hadn''t registered by then which made sense.


    [Achievement Unlocked: Registration]


    ?? Condition: Become A Registered Adventurer


    ?? Reward: +2 Additional Attribute Points


    Joe grinned at his achievement, but he diverted his attention away from his screen and turned to Sophia. ¡°Hey Sophia is D Rank a good ranking?¡± He asked, feeling a little insecure.


    Sophia took a second before responding ¡°Yes. For most people who get registered their starter rank is usually D- so you''re a rank higher than them. But when we consider the entire ranking system, you''re second from the bottom. There are several ranks from here with the peak of most adventurers being A+ and only a handful reaching S Rank. So considering you''ve just been registered, I''d say you''re on the righ track.¡±


    Joe was a little relived to hear that. He glanced at Shelly before turning to Sophia again. ¡°There''s one more thing. I want to create my own party with my friend Shelly over here.¡±


    Shelly turned her head sharply. ¡°I don''t remberer agreeing to this. I told you I wasn''t ready yet.¡±


    ¡°Come on Shelly. Plese do this with me.¡± Joe pleaded. ¡°You know just because you join my party doesn''t mean you''re throwing your previous party away. I told you, I''ll carry that dream you all had and make sure it becomes a reality. Just trust me.¡±


    Shelly was quiet, she looked at the counter. ¡°Why?¡± Her voice was low. ¡°Why would you want someone like me in your party?¡±


    ¡°Well for starters it''s because we''re friends. If I want to travel Grisha as an Adbenture''s I''d rather have my friend with me. And also, you''re the best healer I''ve ever met. I don''t want any other healer in this world, it has to be you.¡±


    Shelly tited her head to meet Joe once again. Her eyes widened by his words. What she saw was Joe''s wide smile. Her face softened. ¡°Alright. I''ll join you Joe.¡±


    Joe''s grin grew even wider ¡°awesome!¡±


    ¡°Waut a minute you brat.¡± Joe felt a cold grip on his right shoulder. He turned his head and found a tall and muscular bald man looming over him. ¡°Forget about this girl. Join my party instead.¡±


    Before Joe could respond, three more came flocking towards him. ¡°No kid, Join me.¡± Another guy said, and then another. All four men surrounding Joe started arguing with each other on who had the right to take this promising kid.


    ¡°Guys calm down.¡± Joe said with a smirk. ¡°Why do you guys have to fight over me? Tell you what¡­¡± Joe got up from his chair and made his way to the center of the room. The tables and chairs had been conveniently set aside creating an open space. ¡°If one of you guys manages to take me down, I''ll join your party. But, if you guys lose to me I''m taking all your money and belongings.¡±


    A thin and lengthy man with an afro stepped forward. ¡°I like your style kid.¡± he grinned. ¡°I''ll take you on first.¡±


    Another much shorter man who wasn''t wearing a shirt interjected. ¡°Who gave you the right to go first? That kid is mine!¡±


    ¡°No he''s mine!¡± Another adventure with orange hair argued.


    ¡°Guys!¡± Jos cut through the squabbling. ¡°There''s no need to fight over me. I''ll take you all 4 at once.¡±


    The guild went crazy.


    ¡°Is he insane? Taking 4 party leaders all by himself.¡±


    ¡°He must have a death wish.¡±


    The ruckus brought a smile to Joe''s face.


    The four party leaders glanced at each other. ¡°This kid is underestimating us in front of our party members. We can''t let this disrespect go unpunished.¡± One of them said.


    ¡°Yeah let''s break his bones and teach that brat a lesson. No one makes an idiot out of me!¡± Another said.


    All four simultaneously turned to Joe. They clenched their fists before all of them came charging at once.


    Joe exhaled, before clenching his own fists. He then charged to intercept all four.


    [Total Speed: 94]


    [Total Strength: 94]


    When one of the party leaders threw a punch, Joe swayed or ducked before retaliating with a punch to the stomach. He did this four times and in ust 8 seconds, he brought all four party leaders to their knees.


    The party leaders all screeched in agony as they clutched their stomachs. They then fell on their backs, succumbing to the pain.


    The crowd went wild.


    ¡°No ways! He just defeated 4 party leaders by himself. And all of them with a single blow!¡±


    ¡°What is this kid?¡±


    ¡°He''s a monster, that''s what he is!¡±


    ¡°Meh, those guys were weak. They like to act intimidating but they''re nothing special.¡±


    ¡°Well why don''t you go and fight him then?¡±


    ¡°I don''t fight little kids.¡±.


    ¡°You''re just scared aren''t you?¡±.


    ¡°Just shut up and eat or I''m taking back my food!¡±


    Joe rummaged through all their packets and was a little disappointed with his findings.


    [+5 Health Potions Have Been Stored To Your Inventory]


    [+4 Mana Potions Have Been Stored To Your Inventory]


    [+5,000 Gold Pieces Have Been Stored To Your Inventory]


    [Total Gold Pieces: 5,000]


    That was all he received. Not only were these guys weak but they were broke as well. He sighed in disappointment before going back to the counter to take his seat.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡± Shelly asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Joe responded. ¡°Those guys wouldn''t have stopped bothering me. I hope that little display also keeps all the others who were planning to approach me away.¡±


    He retrieved two mana potions and gave them to Shelly. ¡°I also found these.¡±


    Shelly shook his head. ¡°You should keep them. I''m doing well mama wise. You''ll need them more than me.,¡±


    ¡°I already kept 2 for myself. Just take them, please.¡±


    Shelly accepted them after a few more seconds. Joe smiled before turning to Sophia. ¡°You can go ahead Sophia. Help us register our very own party.¡±


    Joe couldn''t hide his excitement In just a few minutes, he would establish his very own party.

 Chapter 33

    Sophia studied Joe for a moment, her mind deep in thought after what she just witnessed. ¡°This boy sure is something. Taking down 4 party leaders all by himself, sure they''re are on the weaker side of the Guild but it''s still impressive. If an Outsider like him continues to grow who knows what may happen in the future. And those eyes of his, I swear I''ve seen them before¡­¡±


    ¡°Sophia?¡± Joe asked, trying to make sure Sophia was still with them. Her mind seemed to have wondered for a moment.


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Sophia apologized, her mind finally snapped back to reality. ¡°What were you asking me again?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wasn''t asking. I was just saying I''m ready to form my party.¡±


    ¡°Let''s get your party registered then.¡± Sophia said with a smile. She weaved her hand through the air once again, and the same screen from before hovered in front of her. With the pen in hand, she started jotting things down on the screen. After a few seconds her gaze shifted to Shelly. ¡°Would you mind if I see your license as well? I need it to ensure that I register you as part of the Silver Phoenix Guild.¡±


    The shimmering silver card manifested in between Shelly''s fingers. ¡°Oh? I''ve already registered, but it was with another guild.¡± She explained, handing over the card.


    Sophia reached out with her free hand, and got her fingers on Shelly''s license. ¡°For your party to be registered with this Guild. At least two members must be registered with the Silver Phoenix Guild. The party could still be formed even if you''re from different Guilds, it''s just more troublesome that way.¡± Sophia explained.


    When she looked at Shelly''s license she noticed something peculiar, it was unlike the other licenses she was used to. From afar it could pass as a regular license but when you examine it carefully, you notice a few differences. Everything clicked when she read the personal information detailed on the card.


    She glanced at Shelly again before asking, ¡°You feel comfortable with me doing this right? You don''t have any personal attachments to your previous Guild? Your achievements or quests completed will still be recorded. You''ll just be operating under a different Guild.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine go ahead.¡± Shelly said without hesitation, giving her consent.


    Sophia continued with her work and after around 30 seconds, she gave Shelly back her license. ¡±Have you thought about the name of the party yet.¡± She asked in passing, still absorbed in whatever she was writing on the screen.


    ¡°That''s right! We need a name!¡± Joe''s face lit up. He turned to Shelly with a wide grin on his face.


    Before Shelly could say anything, Joe blurted out his idea for a name. ¡°I think we should go with Mad Dogs!¡±


    ¡°Mad Dogs?¡± Shelly titled her head, confusion written all over her face.


    ¡°Yeah! We can put some heads of savage beasts as our logo. Our party name alone should strike fear into the hearts of the other parties.¡±


    Shelly didn''t look convinced.


    ¡°Ok let''s go with, Death Chain!¡± He said with conviction. ¡°it''s simple, it''s catchy and best of all. It''s horrifying.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking of something different.¡± Shelly said, her eyes falling to the counter.


    ¡°Oh yeah? Joe leaned closer, unable to hide his enthusiasm. The fact that Shelly was participating in this and even thought of a name made him very excited for some reason.


    Shelly pressed her index fingers together, ¡°I was thinking of naming the party Rising Stars. You know how my previous party with Kite and the others was called Red Stars? I wanted something to honor them. So I came up with the name Rising Stars. ¡°


    ¡°That sounds awesome!¡± Joe said out loud.


    Shelly looked at him with widened eyes.


    ¡°I think it''s a great name. Sure it''s not the coolest or the scariest but I think it fits our Party the most. We are the Rising Stars aiming for number 1. Let''s do it, Shelly.¡± Joe extended a clenched fist looking to receive a fist pump.


    Shelly reciprocated with a smile on her face.


    Joe turned to Sophia. ¡°That''s the name Sophia. We''re going with Rising Stars.¡±


    Sophia smiled, as she continued writing something down.


    Joe and Shelly waited for over two minutes before Sophia was finally done. ¡°There! Your party has been officially registered. Welcome to the Silver Phoenix Guild, Rising Stars.¡±


    Joe and Shelly turned to each other, smiles all over their faces.


    A blue light submerged them both without warning. Joe shrieked in surprise, but the light didn''t seem to be anything harmful. It only lasted a few seconds before it retreated. That''s when Joe noticed something had changed.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    His cloak had a new badge attached to it. The badge consisted of 5 red stars shooting upwards, to what looked like a blue sky. Joe couldn''t stop smiling and touching his cloak.


    From his rear, the badge was much more pronounced. Taking king over his entire spine, it had the name Rising Stars written in bold crimson letters.


    The same outfit change happened for Shelly. Her previous badge was replaced and the new Rising Stars logo and name were displayed proudly on her dress.


    Joe still couldn''t believe he did it, he established his very own party.


    [Registeration Confirmed. The Rising Stars Party Has Been Successfully Registered.]


    [Party Information]


    ?? Name: Rising Stars


    ?? Guild Of Establishment : Silver Phoenix


    ?? Affiliations: None


    ?? Party Members: 2


    ?? Party Ranking: D


    [Achievement Unlocked: Party Leader]


    ?? Condition: Establish Your Own Party.


    ?? Reward: +2 Additional Attribute Points.


    Syr sent a few notifications Joe''s way and his eyes drifted down the screen as he read the information presented. What caught his attention first was the party ranking. ¡°Hey Sophia? Is it low to have a party ranked at D?¡± He asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°It''s low, but it''s normal considering your party has just been established. Quite a few things go into calculating a party''s ranking. Duration, Quests Completed, The Levels Of Each Member. These Things and many other factors are considered. I wouldn''t worry about the ranking too much. As long as you guys are active and continue to grow stronger, your party will also rise up the rankings.¡±


    Sophia had just told him not to worry about the rankings but Joe still couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Say Sophia. What''s the highest rank do we have to achieve for our party to be acknowledged as the number 1 in the whole world?¡±


    ¡°The highest rank would be S Rank. But not many parties even come close to that rank. Most average around B rank with a few rare ones reaching A rank.¡±


    ¡°Then it''s decided. The Rising Stars will reach S Rank and be the best in the world!¡±


    Joe''s stomach rumbled again after his declaration forcing him back to his chair. His face was red and he heard Shelly trying to hide a giggle.


    ¡°I guess you can''t be number one with an empty stomach.¡¯ Shelly said, still giggling to herself.


    ¡°Can we please have something to eat Sophia. ¡° Joe said, in a low voice. He cursed his body for betraying him in such a crucial moment.


    ¡°Sure, what would you like to eat?¡± Sophia asked, with the blue glowing screen still in front of her.


    ¡°I''ll have a loaf of bread and something to drink.¡± Joe didn''t take long to make his decision.


    ¡°I''ll just have goblin meat, and something to drink.¡± Shelly said in response.


    Joe was surprised to hear goblin meat was a thing. But considering what had seen in just the past 2 days, he really shouldn''t have been that surprised.


    ¡°Great, that will be 10,000 gold pieces for you kid and for the girl that will be 20,000 gold pieces. ¡°


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Joe''s voice echoed the room, going as far as disturbing some adventures who were blissfully enjoying their meals. ¡°10,000 just for some bread and a drink?¡¯¡± Joe couldn''t belive what he just heard.


    ¡°This isn''t some poor restaurant kid.¡± Sophia responded. ¡°This Is an Adbenture''s Guild, it''s a place for adventures. You guys earn hundreds of thousands on a good week, 10,000 is nothing. Pay up and stop being baby about it.¡± Sophia''s tone shifted when money became the topic of discussion. She stared daggers into Joe, refusing to flinch.


    ¡°Come on Sophia, have a heart. I''m broke right now, can''t you give me at half the price?¡±


    ¡°I can take it down to by 3,000 for you both but that''s it. I''m only doing this as a favor because I find you kids interesting.¡±


    Joe turned to Shelly.


    She sighed, ¡°It''s fine I''ll pay for it, but you owe me for this.¡±


    ¡°And that''s why you''re my favorite healer in the world.¡±


    ¡°I expect my money to be returned at double the price I borrowed you. That''s not too much to ask right?¡± Shelly gave him a twisted smirk.


    ¡°I take it back, you''re a demon.¡±


    Joe''s counter glowed as a blue light lit up its surface. It lasted a few seconds, when the light vanished, 2 plates of food manifested before them.


    Joe pulled his plate close to him and Shelly did the same. The plates were made of colorful glass, for Joe it was green glass and for Shelly it was red. But Joe was more interested in the bread, when he tore it open with his fingers it was still soft and fresh.


    He noticed that Sophia conjured the food using that blue screen of hers and was a little surprise that it could store food and keep it fresh. But considering Syr could store weapons, storing food didn''t seem that much of a stretch. Joe couldn''t help but wonder what other things Sophia''s screen was capable of, but that would have to wait.


    When Sophia placed a bottle in front of him, Joe immediately devoured the bread. He poured the red wine down his throat to make sure he didn''t choke and the taste was actually not bad. When combined they were actually pleasant to eat. It took him only 2 minutes before he placed down his bottle. He released an unhinged burp, his plate clean without a piece of bread on sight.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ that hit the spot.¡± He was tempted to rub his belly but that felt like going too far.


    He glanced at Shelly who was still taking it easy with her plate.


    ¡°Hey kid, you''re said you''re looking for family. Who are you looking for exactly? Maybe I can ask around for you. I know a few people.¡± Sophia offered, as he took Joe''s plate and bottle.


    ¡°It''s my sister. I want to find my sister Chloe and my mother Grace.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry i don''t think I''ve heard of a Grace before, but Chloe¡­¡± Sophia looked to be thinking as the plate and bottle vanished into fragments of light. ¡°Do you mean Chloena?¡±


    Joe jumped from his chair, ¡°you know my sister Chloe?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know anyone called Chloe but I do know someone called Chloena. She''s one of the most powerful adventures in all Grisha there''s not a single person who does not know that name.¡±


    ¡°Chloena? It''s her! It has to be.¡±


    Joe asked with urgency. ¡°Does she have golden hair and blue eyes?¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, yeah. That describes her perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Where? Where can I find her?¡±


    ¡°You''re in luck, because there''s a good chance she''ll participate in The Hunt this year.¡±


    ¡°The Hunt?¡±


    ¡°It''s an event that takes place annually in the capital of Tania. It''s a competition where adventures all over the world compete for the King¡¯s treasures. Chloena actually participated a few years back. Considering the prizes up for grabs this year, there''s a good chance she''ll return. If you want to find her, that''s where she''ll be.¡±


    Joe''s heart pounded with excitement, finally he got a lead. Something that will take him to his sister.

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Wait,¡± Joe''s eyes were widened when he allowed Sophia''s words to sink in. ¡°Did you just say Chloena participated a few years ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think it was 3 years back if I remember correctly.¡± Sophia said, with one hand touching her chin as she looked to rekindle her memory. ¡±Chloena participated but she didn''t win anything that year, she was still an unknown to the rest of the world at that point but she has grown to be a world wide name.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t make any sense.¡± Joe took a step back from the counter, trying to organize the whirlpool of thoughts and questions swirling in his mind. ¡°It''s impossible. There''s no way Chloe could''ve been in Grisha 3 years ago. It hasn''t even been 2 days since Earth was destroyed.¡±


    Joe''s heart thumped against his chest, ¡°Maybe it''s not Chloe.¡± Joe thought to himself, but he quickly shook his head and dismissed the thought. ¡°No, It''s her. if she looks just like Chloe and their names are almost Identical it has to be her.¡±


    This was his only lead, he had to belive it was Chloe. He just had to, at least untill he saw Chloena with his own eyes.


    ¡°Syr, help me out here. Is it possible for an Outsider to have arrived in Grisha 3 years before I did? Does that even make sense? Chloe and I were both transported on the same day Earth was destroyed. It shouldn''t be possible.¡±


    [Remember We''re Dealing With Primeval Gods. When It Comes To Them, Anything Is Possible.]


    Joe had mixed feelings after hearing Syr''s words. On one hand he was relived to find something like this was possible. It meant that Cloena could still be Chloe. But it also brought another host of questions, if Chloe had been in Grisha for at least 3 years, what did that mean for the other Outsiders? What did it mean for his mother Grace? How long had she been in Grisha? 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? The possibilities were endless. Was she even still alive?


    And what about him? Why was he transported 3 years after his sister? Did the Gods do this on purpose? If so, why?


    Joe didn''t know the answers. Once again he was left helpless, beings way more powerful than him were making decisions, decisions Joe could not control. He was weak, helpless.


    He gritted his teeth, his nails digging into his palms despite him wearing his protective gloves. His fingers made crackng sounds, Joe wanted to break them, he wanted to break them so badly.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡¯ Shelly asked, looking at him with worried eyes.


    When Joe met her eyes, his shoulders fell down. He exhaled and his hands unraveled. ¡°I''m fine.¡± He said, with a strained smile. He took his seat, his mind still bubbling with questions.


    ¡°Sophia, you said The Hunt is an event where adventures compete for the King¡¯s treasures, what do you mean by treasures exactly?¡±


    ¡°It depends on what you consider to be a treasure. Is it a powerful mana tool? A dangerous potion? A large supply of gold pieces and jewels? Or the fame to be recognized all over the world. Chances are you''ll find it, if you participate in The Hunt.¡±


    Joe couldn''t help but find the idea exciting. Could you really get all that just by participating in some tournament? With prizes like that, adventures all over the world would probably flock to the capital of Tania. Chloe was bound to be one of them.


    Shelly was done with her meal and she gave her plate to Sophia who cleared the counter without a problem. She turned to Joe, unsure of what to say exactly.


    Joe turned to her with resolved eyes, ¡°Let''s do it Shelly! Let''s go to The Hunt!¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Shelly smiled, ¡°If that''s what my leader wants, then i guess we''re going to The Hunt.¡±


    The two did another fist pump, confirming their next objective.


    ¡°If you guys are thinking of going right now I''d advise against it, you should recover and rest before you make your way to the capital. Trust me you''ll need to be in top condition for the journey ahead.¡± Sophia advised.


    Joe couldn''t argue with her, he had been fighting for nearly two days straight. He needed to rest and recover some of his mana.


    ¡°We have rooms upstairs,¡± Sophia said. ¡°They have comfortable beds and pillows, it will help you both relax and recover peacefully. And here''s the best part, you can get both rooms at 40,000 gold pieces. A bargain, considering I normally charge 80,000 each.¡±


    ¡°You aren''t worried about us, you just want to strip us of every gold piece we have!¡± Joe said, not impressed by Sophia''s greed.


    ¡°Those are some wild accusations boy, I''m just looking to make sure you''re both rested and ready for the journey ahead. Am I wrong for being such a caring individual?¡±


    Joe''s forehead twitched, he could feel his veins popping out in frustration.


    ¡°It''s fine I''ll pay for it.¡± Shelly said.


    ¡°What?¡± Joe turned to her. ¡°Don''t listen to her! She''s trying to squeeze us of every gold piece we have.¡±


    ¡°We need to recover Joe, from here to the Capital it''s going to be a long journey. I''ll take care of the expenses, we just need to take it easy for tonight. We''ll leave first thing in the morning.¡±


    Joe relented, Shelly''s mind was made up. ¡°Fine, we''ll do things your way.¡± He glared at Sophia and her smug face was infuriating.


    ¡°The Hunt is a week from now, you have enough time to make it to the Capital.¡± Sophia said, trying to reassure them.


    Joe didn''t say much after that. Both he and Shelly went to the rooms upstairs. Each took their own room and slept easy throughout the night. For the first time in what felt like a while, they both just relaxed and allowed their dreams to sweep them away.


    ¡­.


    Morning came, Joe and Shelly got ready before heading down stairs. Joe was fully rested and his body showed, he was more energetic and his muscle pain went away. His senses were sharpened to the extreme, this was the best he felt since arriving in Grisha.


    He checked his mana pool and was pleased to find he regained [+3500 Mana Pool Points] during his 10 hours of sleep. He wasn''t sure If this was the normal rate for mana recovery, but he guessed he would be able to recover mana quicker if he continued to leveled up. He also wondered If a person''s class determined how quickly their mana recovered. He tried not to think about it too hard, [3500 Mana Pool Points] was still a substantial increase.


    They both reached downstairs and Joe was surprised to find Sophia still working behind the counter. Did she even sleep?


    A lot of adventures who were drinking last night passed out in their chairs and tables.


    Shelly and Joe both stood in front of the counter ready to say their goodbyes to Sophia.


    Sophia had to stop what she was writing on her screen, ¡°I see you guys have slept well.¡± She said cheerfully. ¡°Are you already heading out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the sun is already out¡± Joe said glancing at one of the windows inside the Guild. ¡°If you ask me, we''ve already slept too long.¡±


    ¡°There''s no need to be in such a hurry, why not take a seat and have some food before you go.¡± Sophia offered.


    ¡°We don''t have any gold left, you took all of it.¡± Joe said, a little bitter.


    Sophia smiled faintly, ¡°tell you what. Why not take these for the road.¡± She said, writing something down on her glowing screen


    [+5 Loaves Of Bread Have Been Added To Your Inventory]


    [+4 Bottles Of Wine Have Been Added To Your Inventory]


    ¡°Think of this as my gift to you.¡° Sophia said with a smile.


    Joe was surprised, he didn''t think Sophia had the ability to give anything. Yet she was generous enough to offer them food that would them the duration of the trip. He was lost for words.


    ¡°Thank you very much¡± Shelly said, bowing slightly.


    Joe did the same, showing his gratitude.


    Joe and Shelly turned around preparing to walk to the exit, but Sophia stopped them. ¡°You guys never gave me your names. I saw them on your licenses but I want to hear them from you directly. ¡°


    ¡°It''s Joe.¡± He said, waking away.


    Shelly turned and introduced herself politely.


    Before Joe walked out the guild, he took one last glance at Sophia, ¡°I hope you become an adventurer once again someday. If you don''t, you''ll lose my respect for giving up on your dream.¡±


    Sophia smiled, ¡°you still owe me for that door you know?¡±


    Joe turned to the open entrance. Without saying anything else he exited the guild. ¡°Man I have way too many debts.¡±


    ¡°Hey wait up!¡± Shelly quickly trailed behind him.


    Sophia was left with a somber smile. ¡°That boy¡­ I''ve met many Outsiders during my time but something about him is different. Maybe he''s the one who will finally shake this stagnant world of ours¡­ but I guess only time will tell. Goodluck to both of you, I hope we can see each other again.¡±


    ....


    Joe and Shelly marched forward, they left the town of Perina behind as their journey to the capital began.


    [Adventure''s Guild Arc - End]

 Chapter 35

    Joe was surprised by how easy they made it past the exit gate of Perina. Unlike the entrance gate, the guards there were a lot more lax and casual and allowed them to pass without checking for anything. They went as far as wishing them well on their journey. It was strange, but maybe it was due to them having faith that the guard at the entrance gate did his job diligently.


    The two pressed forward without an issue, the sun''s intensity was still there but Joe was starting to adapt to it. That didn''t stop sweat from accumulating on his forehead, but at least he wasn''t taking breaks or panting for air.


    Joe and Shelly didn''t talk much on the way. Despite having spent a lot of time together during the past few days, there were still a lot of awkward silences between them. Joe decided to break the ice and throw a question at Shelly. ¡°So how long do you think it will take us to reach the capital?¡± Joe wanted to get the conversation going, but he was also genuinely curious.


    ¡°If we keep going at this pace, maybe 8 or 9 days it''s hard to say?¡±


    ¡°9 days?¡± Joe asked in surprise, he didn''t expect the capital to be that far away. ¡°Won''t the tournament be over by then?¡± Sophia said the competition would start in one week so they were most likely going to miss it.


    ¡°Well yes, but I have a plan.¡± Shelly said, in a relaxed tone. ¡°There are 3 ways to get to the capital. We could do it on foot and go thorough 2 towns before we arrive, but if we take this option we won''t make it in time.¡±


    ¡°Then what are the other 2 options.¡± Joe asked, his eyes shifting to a forest in the distance.


    ¡°Well one of the other options is unavailable to us. If we had enough money we could have hired a carriage that would take us directly to the Capital. But those things are expensive, I don''t have enough even for myself, and I don''t need to explain your current financial situation. That leaves us with one viable option. We go through the Infernal Cave Dungeon.¡±


    Joe let the comment addressing his financial status slide, he instead focused on what Shelly said after that. ¡°The Infernal Cave Dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s a Main Dungeon that we should reach in a day if everything goes according to plan. The Dungeon is a shortcut of some kind, if we take the Dungeon and clear it we will arrive at the capital with a few days to spare.¡±


    Joe''s face lit up. ¡±That''s awesome. Then where''s the problem? We''ll just clear the Dungeon and make it to the capital In record time. You had me worried there for a second.¡±


    ¡°There''s a reason people avoid the Infernal Dungeon. Even adventurer''s would rather take the long way around. It''s a dangerous dungeon. If we were not under this time constraint I would''ve advised us to avoid it entirely.¡±


    ¡°You worry too much.¡± Joe said, casually. ¡°This is an opportunity for us to get stronger before The Hunt. If we clear it, we''ll be several times stronger than we are right now.¡±


    Shellt sighed, she wasn''t surprised in the slightest by Joe''s response. ¡°Well before we reach the Infernal Cave, we''ll have to go past the Forest of Nightmares.¡± Shelly gestured to the forest ahead


    Joe wasn''t quite fond of the name. ¡°Why would they call it the Forest of Nightmares?¡± He asked, with a hint of cautiousness in his tone.


    ¡°Trust me you don''t want to know.¡± Shelly said. ¡°If we''re lucky the forest may not be active today and we could pass through it peacefully. But I wouldn''t count on it, just make sure to stay alert at all times.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡± Staying alert was his specialty [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] made sure of it.


    As the two got closer and closer to the forest, the conversation died once again. Not only that, Shelly''s demeanor changed. Something seemed to be bothering her, but she chose to stay quiet. Joe didn''t want to pry so he kept his lips closed with occasional worried glances. If something was wrong, Shelly was going to tell him about it when she was ready to open up. For all he knew, she could still be sorting out her emotions after she lost her entire party.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    It didn''t take much longer however before Shelly spoke. ¡°Hey, Joe. What happened exactly during your battle with Mikey?¡±


    Joe was surprised to see her bring up something about Mikey, ¡°what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Back when you fought Mikey. What did he do to those kids? I know they all ended up dying during the fight. But something more was done to them, what did he do?¡±


    Joe was getting concerned, ¡°Something more?¡±


    ¡°After your battle, I took some of the older kids and we went to check on you, since you weren''t coming out after several minutes. We found you unconscious and we saw the bodies of all the children who died that day.¡± Shelly''s arms trembled slightly. ¡°I went up to the kids to perform my skill, to at least ensure that they would find peace in the Soul Realm. But something was wrong, not a single one of them had a soul. All of them were left to be nothing but hollow corpses¡­. what happened Joe? What did that monster do to them!¡± Tears fell down Shelly''s face as she looked Joe straight in the eyes.


    Joe was taken aback, his heart pounded. What was she going to tell her? Was it better to come clean and just tell her what happened? But then¡­.


    Joe bit his bottom lip before saying. ¡°I don''t know. He must''ve used some kind of weird skill. I have no idea what he did to those kids.¡± Joe cursed himself inside. He wanted to rip his own heart to shreds for lying to Shelly''s face.


    But if she knew he used the souls of those kids to fuel himself would she understand? If she skew he destroyed their souls and that they would most likely not make it to the afterlife, would she understand? And if she told her the truth, she''d find out he was an Outsider. If she knew that, would their relationship stay the same? Would he lose his only friend in the world? There was too much uncertainty to risk it. He hated himself for it, but if it meant keeping his only friend¡­ then he would say anything.


    He knew he couldn''t lie forever, they were party members. It would be foolish to think Shelly would not find out eventually. But Joe wanted to keep everything to himself, at least untill he was ready to tell her the truth.


    ¡°What a monster! They were just kids.¡± More tears streaked down Shelly''s face. Her hands were clenched forming two tight fists. ¡°They didn''t live long in our world but now they won''t even get a chance in the after life! Only a demon would destroy the souls of children!¡±


    Joe felt a needle stab straight through his heart. He didn''t say anything, but look at Shelly with shattered eyes.


    The heavy mood between them persisted long after their conversation ended. Shelly had stopped crying but remained quite. Joe didn''t say anything until they reached the Forest of Nightmares.


    The trees of the forest casted long shadows and their scale reminded Joe of the Black Forest. When they stepped inside the forest, they were immediately met with darkness. The chilly breeze was a starc contrast to the heat outside. It was like stepping into a different realm all together. The leaves were grey which was strange to Joe, and everytime they rustled he couldn''t help but be on edge. Despite how much stronger he had gotten since the Black Forest, Joe exercised caution. And almost immediately the reason for that caution was justified.


    ¡°Shelly, stay sharp. We''re not alone.¡±


    Shelly was immediately on high alert and Joe retrieved the Black Blade from his inventory. His eyes located the signature instantly, it was feint almost as if trying to hide its presence but Joe saw it. A flickering humanoid light jumping from tree to tree. It came from the left and Joe waisted no time. His figure blasted towards the source, a single leap took him to the top of the tree and he caught a glimpse of the individual.


    [Speed: 94]


    They wore a black hooded cloak but Joe could not get a clear view. An orange light emmited from above forcing Joe to look up.


    He found another hooded figure with their cloak flapping wildly as they descended on Joe. They wore black gloves and they were immediately put to good use. The cloaked figure clenched their right hand into a fist, flames erupted and crackled. They surrounded their fist and they threw fiery jab targeting Joe''s figure. [Skill Activation: Fire Fist]


    Joe responded quickly to shield himself, the foe''s hot fist struck the solid and sturdy black blade. But even with a block, a wave of fire that burst on contact and sent Joe plummeting to the earth. His figure drifted along the ground before he crashed into a tree trunk next to Shelly.


    ¡°Joe!¡± Shelly shouted, with a staff in hand.


    A hooded figure jumped off the tree Joe was laying against. They had their fingers pointed at Joe and Shelly. Their finger tips glowed as they looked to activated their skill. But something was wrong, Shelly had moved.


    The figure¡¯s head made a sharp turn and they found Shelly already next to them. Her staff soared through the air as she looked to sandwich the figure''s skull with the tree.


    The hooded figure twisted in mid air. Their feet touched the tree and used it as platform. They then catapulted themselves out of harm''s way by flipping over Shelly and her staff.


    The bark splintered when Shelly struck the tree with thunderous force, but the figure had dodged.


    Shelly touched down on the ground, frustrated. Joe was back on his feet and dusted himself almost as if nothing had happened. They both faced the two hooded figures who stood a few meters away from them.


    Joe could see one of their mana signatures grow now that they revealed himself. With his grip on the black blade. He confronted them head on. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

 Chapter 36

    The forest was filled with silence after Joe''s words. Neither of the two assailants responded to his question. Instead one of them, the shorter of the two, stepped forward. It was the same individual who sent Joe plummeting from the sky. They cracked their knuckles menacingly, showing no intentions of backing down.


    Joe''s grip on his blade tightened, if words couldn''t resolve the issue, Joe was also ready to escalate matters.


    Shelly who stood next to him whispered something in his ear. ¡°You see that?¡± She asked, studying the cloaks the enemies wore carefully. ¡°That badge on their uniform. They must be members of the Amber Family.¡±


    Tracing Shelly¡¯s gaze, Joe landed on the badge she was referring to. It was a silver and metalic insignia crafted in the shape of a hexagon. Both foes had the emblem pasted on the left side of their chests. It had the drawing of a fire wisp, very similar to the shape of a mana signature. Joe didn''t know the significance of the badge or the Amber Family. But based on how Shelly spoke, it was something important.


    He was about to question Shelly for more information but was interrupted.


    ¡°These guys aren''t the Flame Troopers Frank.¡± The enemy in front was first to speak. ¡°What do you suggest we do with them.¡± Their voice sounded male, his tone was casual and relaxed despite the circumstances.


    ¡°We can''t leave any traces behind. The fact that they know we''re here means that they must be eliminated. Make it quick Tom. We don''t want to keep the princess waiting.¡± The figure standing a few paces back had a scratchy voice, his tone was less casual and more direct. Joe guessed he was the older of the two and possibly the boss.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    As soon as the order was given, Tom surged forward in a rapid dash. He reared back his right arm before flames engulfed his fist yet again. He punched the air itself before a wave of fire erupted from his hand. It blasted towards Joe and Shelly like a tidal wave, ready to devour them whole. [Skill Activation: Fire Fist]


    A shining green light manifested around Joe and Shelly before the flames crashed into them. Following the collision, a wave of dark smoke filled the air, shrouding Shelly and Joe in a dark void.


    ¡°I guess that does it.¡± Tom said, ready to walk away.


    But something happened.


    The smoke parted ways seconds after its formation. Joe cut through it like a razor sharp knife. His movements so quick, it produced a fierce breeze that blew away the smoke cloud. He closed the distance between him and Tom instantly. He crouched low, his hand forming a tight fist. Mana coalesced around his knuckles and he launched a thunderous jab, targeting Tom''s stomach. [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-215 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3, 580]


    [Total Skill: 91 ¡ú 175]


    [Total Strength: 94 ¡ú 174]


    [Total Speed: 94 ¡ú 174]


    Tom couldn''t even react, Joe''s fist dug deep into his stomach, he gasped, before a wave of mana assaulted him immediately after the fist made contact. It was like getting hit by two attacks in one. His body flew across the field, and he collided with a tree trunk. Cracks tainted the tree''s solid exterior as it groaned from the force of the impact. Tom''s body slumped to the floor, immobile and unconscious.


    His hood fell off in the process, revealing a man with red eyebrows and spiky red hair. He looked to be older than Joe and Shelly but not by much. Blood trickled down his head and lips as he lay with no sign of movement.


    Frank turned his head to see Tom''s battered body before he swung it around seconds later, shifting his attention to the perpetrator, Joe. Frank''s wrists were each wrapped with crimson bracelets, very similar to the one Stan wore. The bracelets glowed faintly before flames erupted around Frank''s hands. The flames shifted and morphed into two 3m long katanas made entirely of crackling fire. [Skill Activation: Burning Twin Blades]The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Frank dashed directly for Joe, his speed was something to be marveled. He eliminated the distance between him and Joe in a seconds. He swung both blades with the aim of incinerating Joe''s figure.


    Unfortunately for Frank. That didn''t happen..


    A green barrier materialized around Joe''s form. Frank''s swords struck the barrier with force but failed to scar its surface. The sharp recoil sent Frank staggering back, almost losing his footing.


    He turned his head and found Shelly already closing in on him.


    Shelly swung her staff like a baseball bat targeting Frank''s chest.


    Frank could only put up a flimsy block with both swords forming an X formation over his chest.


    The contact was tremendous, even with Frank shielding himself. His form was hurtled across the field and he smashed into a tree, The tree creaked on impact and was left trembling. Frank slid down the trunk and slumped to the floor. His hood was removed in the process, and he was left exposed.


    The hood revealed a wrinkly and bald old man. He had a red mustache but it was losing its color. Blood streaked down his forehead. The flames around his hands fizzled out and he was left motionless. Despite this, Frank''s crimson eyes were wide open, he was still alive.


    Joe and Shelly strolled towards him, as they did, Joe couldn''t help but notice just how small Frank''s mana signature was. He thought he was concealing it at first, but that no longer seemed to be the case.


    ¡°What do you want from us old man!¡± Joe asked, as he sheathed back his blade.


    Frank groaned as he attempted to lift himself up, but his body wouldn''t allow it. He slumped back to the floor, his chest wheezing from the effort. Sweat mixed with blood as Frank moved a hand to assess what looked like damaged ribs. When he touched them, he winced confirming his suspicion. Even as he took labored breaths, he still glared at Joe and Shelly''s approaching figures.


    ¡°You guys aren''t your average adventures..¡± Frank said, his voice low. ¡°Are you bounty hunters?¡±


    Joe and Shelly exchanged confused glances.


    ¡°Don''t act dumb, You guys are after the Princess aren''t you? Well too bad she''s already far away by now.¡± Franklin said, with a triumphant smile on his face. His body was subjected to painful coughs, but he didn''t seem to mind.


    Joe and Shelly were a few steps from Franklin when something popped into Joe''s view. A mana signature. ¡°Shelly watch out!¡± He shouted.


    A blue light lit up the shadows, before a crackling and sizzling ball of fire whisked past Franklin''s tree. It closed in on Shelly and Joe ready to embrace them in its searing embrace .


    Shelly was first to move, she threw herself in front of Joe and pointed her staff towards the incoming threat. With gritted teeth, she casted a protective barrier over them both. [Skill Activation,: Green Orb]


    The fireball struck the barrier and a wild shockwave pulsed throughout the forest. The trees wiggled and the branches were rattled. Leaves fell to the ground as the intensity of the wave increased with each passing second.


    The force behind the firball increased and Shelly squinted her eyes under the pressure. Her arms trembled and the barrier started to feel the strain. Deep fractures marred its surface and Shelly collapsed to one knee seconds later. ¡°It''s too strong¡­.¡±


    The barrier finally gave in and shattered into fragments of light.


    Joe acted swiftly however, he became Shelly''s shield and with mana shrouding his body. He swung his blade vertically, producing a sharp arc that sliced through the fireball splitting it into two halves.  [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-190 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3, 390]


    [Total Skill: 175 ¡ú 270]


    This sent the flames sideways, creating an open divide that left Joe and Shelly unscathed from the attack.


    Coming out from the shadows was the perpetrator. Dressed in a crimson dress that danced around her ankles. She took slow and deliberate steps with her high crimson heels. The weight of each step reverberated the entire forest. She came to a stop next to Franklin''s slumped form. Her hand darted to her shoulder and she flicked her smooth and flowing hair, allowing it to cascade down her spine.


    Shimmering golden bracelets covered her wrists and two round earrings dangled from her ears. She had a red mark resembling a diamond on her forehead, and her piercing eyes looked down on Joe with disgust.


    She looked to be a girl around 20 or 19 years old, but her tall stature also gave the appearance of a much older individual.


    She turned her attention to Frank who was still lay on the ground. ¡°What is the meaning of this Franklin?¡± She asked, coldly. ¡°How could you allow yourselves to be beaten like this?¡± Her eyes looked down on Franklin, unflinching and fierce.


    ¡°My princess, we told told you to wait untill we assessed the situation.¡± Franklin said, as he slowly pulled himself up. He used the tree to balance himself, gritting his teeth through the discomfort.


    ¡°if I hadn''t come you''d both be dead. And to think you''d loose to a mere party of 2 adventures?¡¯


    Franklin panted, his right hand pressing against the tree. ¡°My princess, I don''t believe those are just adventures. They must also be bounty hunters.¡± He said, with a degree of certainty.


    The princess turned her eyes to both Joe and Shelly with a curious look on his face. ¡°No, they''re not bounty hunters. At least I know she''s not.¡± The princess said, glaring at Shelly who slowly reclaimed her footing.


    As soon as their eyes met. Shelly knew exactly who she was looking at. Sweat dripped down her forehead and her eyes were widened in astonishment. ¡°It''s her¡­ one of Diana''s Princesses. The Cursed Princess of the Amber Family. Princess Bella!¡±

 Chapter 37

    Joe didn''t expect to meet a princesses, especially not in a place like this. A dark, creepy and depressing forest with no signs of life. But there she was, he was looking at a princess.


    Joe was also interested in the other name Shelly mentioned. Diana. Who was that? A queen maybe? And why was this princess called the cursed princess?


    He shook his head vigorously, chasing away his thoughts. The questions he had weren''t important right now, he needed to focus on what was in front of him.


    Joe squared his shoulders, solidifying his stance and grip on the black blade. Bella may have been a princess, but to Joe that didn''t change anything. She tried to murder them, she was still an enemy and he was going to treat her as such.


    The princess casually strolled towards them. Joe adjusted his stance slightly, preparing himself in case she attacked. But oddly, the princess didn''t even spare Joe a glance. Her eyes zeroed in on Shelly, ignoring Joe completely.


    She halted a few meters before them, her gaze still focused on Shelly. ¡°I''m surprised to see you here Shelly.¡± She said, with what looked to be a smile on her face. But it was more accurate to label it a smug. ¡°What are you doing here? And with a filfthy commoner no less.¡± She glanced at Joe ever so briefly, but the disgust in her eyes was palpable.


    Joe didn''t care for the princess''s affection, but something about being looked down on like a rotten animal rubbed him the wrong way.


    ¡°I should say the same thing about you Bella. I''m surprised you''re still alive after that incident. I was sure you''d be dead by now.¡± Shelly didn''t mix her words.


    Bella¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°You should watch yourself Shelly.¡± She warned. ¡°Don''t go speaking on things you don''t understand.¡± Bella raised her hand, traces of blue sparks dancing around her fingers. ¡°I could kill you where you stand, you know that? Just because you''re a Hira Family princess doesn''t mean you get to run your mouth in front of me.¡±


    Joe was taken aback. A princess? Shelly was a princess? He threw a surprised glance at her but Shelly had her full attention on Bella.


    ¡°I''m not afraid of you Bella.¡± She strengthened the grip on her staff, although her eyes didn''t seem to match her words.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± The flashes of blue light around Bella¡¯s hand became more apparent. She looked ready to activate a skill, but something stopped her.


    Franklin gripped Bella¡¯s shoulder from behind, ¡°I don''t think killing her would be wise princess. If she''s really a princess from the Hira Family, it would be dangerous to do so. We both know the consequences that come with killing a princess from the Great Families.¡±


    Bella shrugged her shoulder violently, pulling away from Franklin''s grasp. ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± She turned her head sharply, her eyes seething with rage.


    ¡°Forgive me princess,¡± Franklin clasped his hands, and bowed slightly. ¡°But please let''s not lose track of our goal. We''re not looking to start a war with the Hira Family.¡±


    ¡°You can''t tell me what to do Frankin.¡± Bella responded sharply. ¡°I can do whatever I feel like, know your place!¡±


    Franklin was slicenced and so was the entire forest. After Bella¡¯s words everything went quite. But that didn''t last for long.


    ¡°Help me!¡± A guttural cry for help, cut through the building silence. Everyone turned their heads.


    It was Tom.


    Tom clawed and dragged himself towards Bella and Franklin. His fingers leaving gaping lines on the ground.


    But he couldn''t escape, something had caught him.


    Slithering vines wrapped themselves around Tom. They started with his legs before proceeding to his upper body. The more he pulled himself forward, the more the vines resisted. They yanked him back, hauling him along the earth. Their sharp thorns dug deep into Tom''s body forcing a gut wrenching scream that made Joe shudder.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    They entangled his arms and neck, before infiltrating Tom''s open mouth. They went down his throat invading his insides. Tom choked, his body convulsing violently. The vines squeezed, crunching his bones one by one. Blood gushed out as the thorns punctured every part of his body. Tom''s head hung low, his body stopped moving and his signature disappeared.


    The vines tossed his body skyward, and the culprit behind the assault came into view. An enormous green plant made entirely out of slithering vines came out of the shadows. The plant towered them all at 10m tall, it had an enormous flycatcher like head that was held up by its vines.


    It looked up at Tom''s descending body and positoned itself appropriately. Its gigantic mouth opened and massive jagged teeth jutted out. Tom fell deep into the creature''s maw and was hastily chewed up before being swallowed without an issue.


    Green mana exploded out of the plant after its meal, its vines thrashed with excitement before it swung its head around to face its next victims.


    Joe could not belive what he just witnessed, his jaw hung low, dazed for a moment before he quickly snapped himself back into focus.


    The plant revealed its teeth in what looked like a sadistic grin. Its vines carried it foward as it charged at the four of them without fear. Its first target was Bella. The plant launched several vines from multiple angles, they whipped through the air making it difficult to discern their trajectory. [Skill Activation: Vine Whip]


    Despite the vines coming towards her, Bella was not moving. Her eyes dilated, as she stood frozen.


    ¡°Princess!¡± Franklin shouted, but Bella was unresponsive.


    Taking matters into his own hands, Franklin threw himself between Bella and the vines. Flames sparked around his hands and two swords of fire molded in his grasp. [Skill Activation: Burning Twin Blades] Franklin exhaled, before his body vanished without a trace.


    What happened next was a blur, even to Joe. Flashes of orange manifested here and there. Then suddenly, all the incoming vines were shredded to pieces. Engulfed in flames, every single one of them fell to the ground as nothing but a puddle of dust.


    In a flash, Franklin materialized before the plant. A straight orange line was carved into the plant''s head. It went downwards even reaching the lower vines. And just like that, the plant was set ablaze.


    Franklin leaped back and watched the pitiful creature thrash, twist and turn to no avail. The flames intensified, their crackling and snapping drowning the plant''s horrific screech. In less than five seconds, the plant was incinerated.


    The orange around Franklin dimmed and he slowly turned around. Joe was left flabbergasted, he couldn''t belive what he just witnessed. Out of all of Franklin''s assaults, Joe couldn''t register a single one of them. He only saw snippets of the final results and that was it. Chills went down his spine as he realized something. This old man, was on an entirely different level.


    ¡°What the hell was that? Was the old man holding back during our fight. He must''ve because, even though it was only for a moment. That old man''s mana signature, was several times greater than even Mikey''s.¡± Joe''s heart pounded, he couldn''t stop shaking. ¡°Awesome, awesome.¡± Even after Franklin''s display, a single thought was glued into Joe''s mind. ¡°I want to fight him. I want to fight him so badly.¡±


    Franklin strolled towards them, still touching his ribs periodically. He stopped in front of Bella. ¡°Are you alright my princess.¡± He reached out his hand looking to touch her.


    ¡°I''m fine!¡± Bella waved her arm, pushing away Franklin''s advances. ¡°I didn''t need your help!¡± She yelled. ¡°I had it covered!¡±


    Franklin kept his hands to himself, he lowered his head. ¡°Forgive me, my princess.¡±


    Joe scowled, he grabbed Bella by the shoulder and forcefully swung her around to face him. He planted one hand on her shoulder, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!¡± He shouted. ¡°That old man just saved your life! The least you can do is apologize!¡±


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± Bella shoved Joe back, sending him sliding across the earth.


    Joe picked himself up quickly, he held up his black blade ready to initiate combat. But something happened.


    The earth trembled vigorously, stones jumped up and down as the rumbling intensified.


    Joe had to balance himself. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    The ground cracked open as an enormous plant sprouted from the earth. It was identical to the one Franklin just killed.


    But it didn''t stop there, another plant sprouted, then another. In rapid succession more than 50 Plants shot up from the ground.


    [55 Mana Plants Have Appeared.]


    [The Sub-Dungeon: Forest Of Nightmares Is Active]


    [Sub-Dungeon Grade: D]


    [Sub-Quest]


    ?? Objective: Slay 15 Mana Plants


    ?? Reward: +15, 000 Gold Pieces


    ?? Progress: 0/15 Mana Plants Slain


    Joe had no time to focus on his screen because the earth vibrated again, this time harder. Out of nowhere, an enormous treee erupted from the earth. It loomed behind the army of plants, standing at a height that made the mana plants look like insects. The tree had no visible leaves, but it had countless branches. In one of these branches hung a white ball, that also resembled some kind of plant or fruit.


    [The (Level 48) Big Oak Has Appeared]


    [Main¨CQuest]


    ?? Objective: Slay The Big Oak


    ?? Reward: +35,000 Gold Pieces


    Joe and the rest of them just froze.


    The Forest of Nightmares was awake.

 Chapter 38

    As they stared down an army of vicious man-eating plants, Bella was the first one to break the silence. She turned sharply to glare at Franklin. ¡°This is your fault Franklin!¡± She yelled. ¡°If you just did your job and dealt with Shelly and this commoner, we would''ve left long before this Dungeon became active. But because of your incompetence we¡¯re in this situation! Are you even serious about this mission?¡±


    ¡°of course I am princess!¡± Frankin hastily responded.


    ¡°Well start acting like it!¡±


    Joe glanced at them, unable to hide the scowl on his face. Even though Bella wasn''t speaking to him directly, her self entitled attitude made Joe''s blood boil. He took measured breaths trying to calm himself down, annoying as she was. Bella wasn''t important right now. He had to focus on those plants.


    On first glance an army of 50 giant carnivorous plants was horrifying, but Joe had been in Grisha long enough to expect these things. Plus when studying their mana, Joe could tell these mana plants weren''t above his level. They had numbers, but that was it. He was more concerned about the big guy behind them, that massive tree was bound to be a problem.


    Joe pointed his mana tool forward and a surge of mana washed over him. It cloaked his body and and blade, coursing through them like a raging river. Joe''s muscles tightened and bulged, he crouched low as his mana shrouded him. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-215 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:3,165]


    He exhaled, before he sprung forward without a second thought. His body brisked through the field at nearly untraceable speed.


    [Total Speed: 94 ¡ú 174]


    As he progressed, three plants blocked his path. They lashed out with their vines, twisting and turning they zipped through the air as they came at Joe from multiple angles.


    They were quick, but Joe could definitely keep up. Even the ones coming from his blind spot were registered by [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] Swinging his blade with effortless precision, Joe sliced through all the incoming vines with ease. Even for its size, the black blade weaved swiftly through the air. Its weight not hindering Joe in the slightest.


    As Joe bisected the vines, a green sticky liquid shot out. It splattered against his face and cloak, tainting them with green spots. It didn''t seem to be anything dangerous. But it did make Joe feel slightly grossed out.


    The vines that were severed were left jumping up and down on the ground like a fish out of water. But the main damage dealt was to the mana plants themselves, they were left screeching and staggering back after Joe shredded their vines. A pool of green liquid, was left forming beneath them.


    Joe was keen to take the advantage, he swung the black blade horizontally. A sharp arc of black mana shot out from the mana tool. It whisked through the air and bisected the heads of all three plants. They collapsed to the floor, headless. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-200 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,965]


    [Total Skill Attribute: 175 ¡ú 280]


    [You Have Slain +3 Mana Plants]


    [Sub-Quest Progress: 3/15 Plants Slain]


    Joe couldn''t belive how larger his [Mana Slash] had gotten, it was also quicker through the air and its destructive power was amplified. The fact that the black blade went up a tier must''ve been the reason for the increase. And Joe wasn''t complaining.


    Along with more green liquid, the fallen plants realesed a purple smoke cloud after they were decapitated, it wasn''t thick but was definitely noticeable.


    Joe looked to press on, but the ground vibrated. As he glanced down, [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] could make out something moving deep within the earth.


    Immediately, Joe loosened his footing and took to the skies.


    That proved to be the correct course of action, because moments later the earth collapsed on itself as an enormous plant head shot up from the ground. Its mouth opened and snapped closed, barely missing Joe''s legs.


    Joe looked down on the plant. He pointed the tip of his mana tool downward, and as he descended. Joe plunged the black blade into its squishy head. Green juices spurted out as the blade dug deeper, Joe gritted his teeth as he sliced across the plant''s face¡ªwidening the gap.


    More liquid gushed out and the creature''s painful shriek grew louder. But all this was short lived ss the mana plant soon stopped moving. Its voice disappeared and all that was left was the green substance running along its disfigured head.


    [You Have Slain +1 Mana Plant]


    [Sub-Quest Progress: 4/15 Mana Plants Slain]


    Joe didn''t stop there, having confirmed his kill. He activated [Predator] A cloud of darkness seeped out of the black blade. It attached itself to the mana plant and ate away at its existence. In just a handful of seconds, only the memory of the mana plant lingered in Joe''s mind, with the plant itself nowhere to be seen.


    [Your Mana Pool Has Been Fully Replenished]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,795]


    [+1 Mana Plant Seed Has Been Stored To Your Inventory]


    Joe absorbed the plant purely for the mana and was surprised to find a mana plant seed was stored in his inventory. What a mana plant seed even did was a mystery to him and it wasn''t really important, so he didn''t dwell on it for long. His attention was on the rest of the plants.


    He dashed forward before taking a giant leap to the heavens.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    More plants launched their vines looking to entangle Joe''s lega and drag him down from the sky.


    But Joe wouldn''t let them, he swung the black blade 3 times producing three [Mana Slashes] That severed any vines that tried to get close.


    [-600 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,195]


    Once he reached the apex of his ascent, Joe got a bird''s eye view of the entire field. Swinging his blade once, Joe sent a crescent arc falling from the sky. It carved through the air as it made its descent, the mana plants scattered as they slithered out of the way. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-200 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana: 2,995]


    But unfortunately for them, quite a handful of mana plants were caught by the arc before they could escape.


    [You Have Slain +4 Mana Plants]


    [Quest Progress: 8/15 Mana Plants Slain]


    Joe landed on a wet and sticky surface made by the blood of his enemies. He channeled [Predator] through the black blade and sent forth a dark mist that absorbed the mana plants he killed.


    [Your Mana Pool Has Been Replenished]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3, 795]


    [+4 Mana Plant Seeds Have Been Added To Your Inventory]


    [Mana Plant Seed Total: 5]


    With that done, Joe now had another issue. He was completely surrounded. The plants all realized this and they rushed towards him in numbers, closing in from all sides.


    Joe improvised, with a firm grip on his blade, he rotated while swinging his mana tool. This produced an omnidirectional arc that sliced through all the incoming plants.[Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash] They went tumbling like trees, causing the earth to shudder on impact.


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 40 ¡ú 42]


    [You Have Slain +16 Mana Plants]


    [Quest Progress: 15/15 Mana Plants Slain]


    [Sub-Quest Complete]


    [You Have Earned +15,000 Gold Pieces]


    [Total Gold Pieces: 15,000 Gold Pieces]


    [Achievement Unlocked: Gardner]


    ?? Condition: Slay More Than 10 Mana Plants


    ?? Reward: +4 Additional Attribute Points


    Joe clutched his head after his attack, a little dazed from the rapid spinning. Syr''s endless notifications ringing in his head just made matters worse. It took more than half a minute before Joe finally regained some sort composure. He decided to brush Syr''s notifications to the side, he had bigger things to worry about.


    The remains of the mana plants Joe slaughtered, all released the same purple gas as the previous mana plants. He was slow on using [Predator] this time around and it allowed the purple cloud to quickly fill the air. Joe didn''t know what that smoke was, but he wanted to avoided letting it spread. He sent out [Predator] using the black blade and devoured all the plants he killed.


    [You Have Replenished Your Mana Pool]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,795]


    [+16 Mana Plant Seeds Have Been Added To Your Inventory]


    [Mana Plant Seed Total: 21]


    This failed to stop the preexisting smoke from spreading and Joe experienced its effects first hand. His lungs burned and his breathing suddenly became labored. His legs wobbled and his eyes became watery and blurry very quickly.


    [You Have Been Poisoned]


    [The Mana Plant''s Poison Has Infiltrated Your System]


    ¡°Dammit, I messed up¡±


    Not knowing how much time he had left before his body shut down, Joe resolved himself to one thing. Going back to Shelly. More mana erupted from Joe''s figure as sprinted to make his way back to Shelly. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X2]


    [-430 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:3,365]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement Is Assisting Your Body To Fight Back The Spread Of Poison]


    [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] Cleared his vision slightly, and his legs were able to carry him forward. His breathing somewhat stabilized. But Joe knew these were temporary solutions¡ªhe needed help and fast.


    But as Joe looked to accelerate, more plants intercepted him, blocking his path.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Joe swung his black blade twice creating devastating arcs that not only sliced through the mana plants in front of him, but they also decimated the plants that were lurking behind them. This created an open path, which Joe made use of. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-400 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool:2,965]


    He dragged himself forward, and caught sight of Shelly. She was surrounded by this yellow glow and she had not moved from her spot. The old man and the princess were still standing by her side.


    His sights and threatened to dim but Joe pushed himself forward. Through gritted teeth and shear determination he reached Shelly, then his body plummeted face first to the ground. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement: Deactivated]


    ¡°What were you thinking you commoner!¡± Bella yelled. ¡°Do you have any idea what you''ve done? You''ve allowed those plants to spread their toxic gas because of your recklessness!¡¯


    Joe could make out Bella¡¯s voice, but it sounded distant. As he took what could be his final breaths, he was disappointed to think that Bella¡¯s voice was the last thing he would hear be he died. Everything was dark, and Joe could feel his consciousness drifting away.


    [The Skill (Cleansing) Is Taking Effect]


    [The Mana Plant''s Poison Is Being Cleansed From Your System.]


    Syr''s notification pierced Joe''s darkness. He could feel something warm wrap-around his body. All the pain and discomfort he experienced was slowly washed away. Joe''s eyes regained their sight, and the heat around his lungs was extinguished. Joe slowly pushed himself off the ground and reclaimed his footing. His legs had stabilized and his energy was slowly returning. When he looked up, he found Shelly''s bitter face.


    He was about to say something when Shelly grabbed his right ear and twisted it awkwardly.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Joe cried out.


    ¡°Idiot! You could''ve gotten yourself killed!¡± Shelly shouted, still twisting it.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I won''t do it again.¡± Joe apologized.


    Shelly let him go, but not before leaving his ear discolored and throbbing in pain. Joe rubbed it, trying to lessen the stinging sensation.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shelly asked, only now showing her concern.


    ¡°Yeah I''m fine. I think all the poison is gone.¡±


    ¡°You''re lucky to reach me when you did." Shelly said. ¡°Cleansing is a skill that will heal anyone who is poisoned as long as they stay within its radius.¡± She explained.


    When Joe darted his eyes around, he noticed the yellow light surrounding them. That must''ve been the skill Shelly was talking about. It purified the air around them, making it easier to breathe.


    ¡°What were you thinking commoner?¡± Bella jumped in. ¡°You¡¯re the reason the poison has spread this much. That''s not how you combat mana plants. Unless you burn them to a crisp, they will release their gas after you kill them. How could you not know that?¡±


    Joe really didn''t need a lecture, he knew he messed up and didn''t need Bella rubbing in his face.


    He turned back and picked up his blade. There were still plants coming toward them, Joe had decreased their number but they were still active.


    Joe turned to Shelly. ¡°Hey Shelly? Would it possible to expand your range of your skill?¡±


    Shelly looked at him curiously, ¡°yes but at its current level it''s limited by my sight and requires a lot of mana to extend.¡±


    Joe nodded before turning to Franklin. ¡°I need your help old man, I need you to open a path for me by killing those plants. I''ll go directly for the Dungeon Boss my self.¡± Joe said, gesturing to the Big Oak that had yet to make its move.


    Franklin was about to speak but was interrupted, ¡°I''ll do it!¡± Bella said.


    Joe was surprised to hear the princess nominate herself.


    ¡°But my princess, your fla¡ª¡± Franklin tried to argue but Bella cut him off.


    ¡°I''ll be fine. You''re still injured, you can''t fight them all at once. You''ll get yourself killed.¡±


    Frankin went quiet.


    ¡°Alright it''s decided then,¡± Joe said. ¡°The princess will open a path for me to the Dungeon Boss. The old man can protect Shelly unless eome plants manged to slip past the princess.¡± Bella glared at Joe, not appreciating the comment but Joe continued. ¡°Shelly will focus on extending her skill and protecting us from the poison.¡±


    Franklin and Shelly nodded in understanding. Joe and the princess turned to face the plants. ¡°Just so you know, I don''t need your little skill Shelly. I can kill them by myself.¡± Bellla declared. She then turned to glared at Joe. ¡°You better not slow me down commoner.¡±


    ¡°Right back at you princess.¡±

 Chapter 39

    [Before You Go Charging Ahead, You Should Distribute Your Attribute Points. You''ll Need All The Strength You Can Get If You''re Going After The Dungeon Bosss]


    Joe was prepared to move but stopped when Syr dropped another notification. "Oh right, I leveled up didn''t I?¡± Joe didn''t have time to focus on his notifications when they first appeared, so it was a good thing Syr reminded him because he had forgotten about them. ¡°Ok let''s make this quick, show me my updated attributes."


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Mana Pool:2,965 /4,640


    ? Skill: 89 ¡ú 93 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 84 ¡ú 88( +10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 84 ¡ú 88 (+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 66 ¡ú 68 (+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 62 ¡ú 64


    ?? Additional Attribute Points: 6


    Joe blazed through the text, as he did. Bella said, ¡°what''s the hold up? Let''s get this over with?¡± Her voice sounded agitated.


    ¡°Just give me a moment?¡± Joe said, having finished analyzing the window. ¡°Alright Syr, give all of my additional attribute points to my defense attribute.¡±


    Joe made this drastic choice purely because of the situation he was in. If for any reason Shelly could no longer maintain her skill, Joe would be poisoned. He needed to make sure his defense was the strongest it could be for when the unforeseen happened. He was confident in the rest of his attributes and based on the skill sets the mana plants posseessd, Joe didn''t foresee being attacked with any psychological skills, so not upgrading his mental strength for the moment was probably a solid gamble.


    [Updated Attribute]


    ?? Defense: 68 ¡ú 74


    Joe nodded. Now he was ready.


    A surge of mana enveloped Joe and his mana tool. It coursed through them both, revitalizing them with its energy. Joe''s muscles tensed up as they absorbed the power. [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] ¡°Alright let''s go princess.¡±


    [-215 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,750]


    [Total Speed: 98 ¡ú 178]


    They both jolted forward simultaneously, Joe measured his steps slightly, allowing the princess to overtake him as he sprinted from her right side. As he studied the princess closely, he was surprised by her mana signature. It was small, really small. That was probably the reason it took him a while to register her signature when she first attacked them. Her mana was even lower than Franklin. Joe couldn''t belive his eyes, the princess had to be suppressing it somehow. That''s the only thing that made sense, because the power of her skill was way too powerful for a mana signature that low.


    Sure enough, Joe was correct.


    The princess''s mana signature flared to life. It shone brightly, its azure glow was reflected in Joe''s eyes. In just a few seconds, the princess''s signature grew to match Joe''s own.


    The source of this revitalization seemed to be the princess''s golden bracelets. They glinted sharply, moments before her mana signature skyrocketed. They must''ve been mana suppressors of some kind. And even with the mana the princess was displaying, Joe wasn''t convinced. He believed that the princess had more mana in the tank than what she was showing. He had no way to confirm this due to the bracelets regulating her mana, but his gut instinct told him this was the case


    From the princess''s palms a bright blue light gathered. It started as flashing sparks before igniting into something fierce. Crackling with intensity, two rotating plates of fire lay suspended on top of the princess''s palms. [Skill Activation: Flame Wheel]


    As the speed of gyration increased, so did their size. When an army of plants came charging towards them, the princess hurled both her spinning plates.


    They sizzled as they zipped through the air. The plates spun in unpredictable trajectories, they severed anything they came into contact with engulfing it in flames. More than 15 Mana Plants had their heads bisected as the plates soared through the air. But the princess wasn''t done. She snapped her fingers and conjured a whip made of fire. [Skill Activation: Flame Whip] The whip was 5m long at first, but when the princess swung it, it grew to double the length. It hissed as it crashed into multiple plants, incinerating all of them on contact. With a smile on her face, the princess annihilated every plant in sight.


    Joe was left to watch in awe.


    He hated to admit it, but it was a sight to be hold. In just 30 seconds, Bella had slain all the mana plants.


    But something went wrong.


    Bella released an unhinged screech, the whip in her grasp suddenly whipped back and wrapped itself around her arm. It scorched her skin, causing her to cry out in agony as she collapsed to her knees.


    But that wasn''t the end of it.


    The twin plates Bella threw made a sharp U¨CTurn. They swung back around to face their master. They were quicker through the air, and their size seemed to only increase as they got closer.


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    ¡°What the hell?¡± Joe was lost for words, they were both going to die.


    Gritting his teeth, Joe threw himself in front Bella. He raised his blade and swung it twice diagonally. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash] This produced two black arcs which collided with each other to form a massive X formation. With this, they zoomed through the air and they slammed into the incoming plates of fire.


    [-400 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2, 350]


    [Total Skill: 95 ¡ú 283]


    There was a struggle as both skills pushed each other back and forth. Sparks flew and scattered, but eventually both skills ended up canceling each other out. Creating a momentary cloud of white smoke.


    Joe whipped around to check on Bella. She winced as she clutched her arm, her sweat drenched her body. The grimace on her face said it all. She was in a world of pain.


    Joe reached out his hand, then quickly pulled it back. He then did this again, as he was caught in two minds. He didn''t want to see her burn like that, but he also didn''t forget what she said and did to them. But ultimately his good side won out. He stepped closer and reached out trying to offer her his help.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± Bella shot back, before his hand even got close.


    She closed her eyes as she tightened the grip on her arm. Her scream intensified, and a blue glow shot out from her golden bracelets. The glow concentrated around her arm, and seconds after it touched it, the flames dwindled and the flame whip lost its shape as the fire flickered out.


    Bella opened her eyes, her chest was wheezing and caving in as she took deep breaths. Her body trembled as tears streaked down her face. Her head hung low, as she sat there¡ªparalyzed.


    ¡°What are¡ª¡± Joe''s words were cut shot as [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] jolted his senses. He quickly swung around and found giant roots crawling along the surface. There were more than 5 of them.


    The Dungeon Bosss was finally attacking. [Skill Activation: Root Barrage]


    The roots shot up and looked to bash into Joe''s body from multiple angles. Joe used his mana tool to cut and deflect every root that came his way. His shoulders shuddered everytime he made contact with them. Everytime Joe countered, an even larger swarm of roots came his direction. Wave after wave, they had no intention of stopping.


    Joe''s black blade glowed as an inscription etched itself to the handle. The power of the rune coursed through the blade amplifying Joe''s cutting power.


    [You Have Released 1 Seal From The Mana Tool - The Black Blade.]


    [-20 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,330]


    [Total Skil: 179 ¡ú 199]


    This allowed him to cut and shred the roots much more easily. He kept this up untill all the roots were severed. Finally it was over.


    At least that''s what Joe thought,


    But when Joe glanced down he could see lines of mana as roots traveled underground. ¡°Shit!¡±


    He immediately turned around, ¡°Get up!¡± He shouted, but the princess didn''t respond. A part of him wanted to just leave her out to die but ultimately, he chose another alternative. He grabbed her by her dress and flung her back as far as possible, she shrieked before she rolled and tumbled for a great distance. Joe couldn''t be sure if bones weren''t broke but someone Ike her didn''t deserve gentle treatment. He then swung around to track the roots again, sure enough they had arrived.


    Joe sheathed his blade before he performed a series of calculated back flips. The earth caved in as multiple roots shot out from the ground. They had pointy tips, acting no differently to blades. [Skill Activation: Piercing Roots]


    Joe avoided all 8 of them before skidding across the earth.


    All 8 roots contorted and wrapped around each other. They then spun around at rapid speed, cloaked in green mana the tip of the root glinted. They had formed what looked to be a giant wooden drill. [Skill Activation: Root Drill]


    A gust of wind was formed as the roots spun. They then propelled themselves towards Joe looking to pierce right through his figure.


    Joe did not turn back, he unsheathed his blade still coursing with the power of the rune. He channeled his mana through it and dashed forward, raising the blade he swung it with his all might. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]


    [-200 Mana Pool Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,130]


    A dark crescent arc raced through the air, it crashed into the incoming root drill. A massive shockwave rippled through the air on contact, the two skills pushed each other back and forth as they fought for supremacy. Ultimately Joe''s skill won out, it carved into the drill, splitting the wood into two halves. The ground vibrated as the roots fell to the surface. Joe was left taking measured breaths, but even he knew there was no time to stop. He had to go all the way.


    Joe blasted forward, his form a blur to the untrained eye. His eyes were solely focused on the Dungeon Boss.


    [Skill Activation: Charge] All the mana covering he black blade was sucked into the mana tool. Joe''s pace quickened as the 10 second charge began.


    [10 Seconds Before The Charge Is Complete]


    The Big Oak''s trunk widened, the gaping hole gathered mana. After a few seconds a flurry of thorns were unleashed. The white thorns soared through the air, glinting sharply as they made their way to Joe.


    Despite the thorns being bullet sized, Joe could see them all. He maneuvered his mana tool accordingly as he deflected the thorns that came his way.


    But just because he could see them, didn''t mean he could react to all of them. A few thorns found their mark, piercing Joe''s thighs and arms. Each thorn drew out blood but Joe soldiered on through gritted teeth. He survived the Big Oak¡¯s onslaught and kept going.


    [5 Seconda Before The Charge Is Complete]


    [You Have Been Poisoned.]


    [The Big Oak''s Poison Has Infiltrated Your System]


    [The Skill (Cleansing) Is Assisting You To Flush Out The Posion From Your System]


    [Your Body Is Developing A Tolerance For Poison]


    Shelly''s skill still flickered around Joe''s form. It allowed Joe to keep pressing forward despite being poisoned by the Big Oak''s thorns.


    But that didn''t last for long.


    With Joe only 5m away. The Big Oak unleashed its signature skill. [Skill Activation: Cloud Of Death]


    A purple smoke cloud surged towards Joe, it blew past his body, devouring him completely.


    [The Skill (Cleansing) Has Been Disabled]


    ¡°Dammit¡±


    With the smoke blocking Shelly''s view, her skill became obsolete. The yellow glow around Joe flickered out. And he was left to fend by himself.


    [The Black Oak''s Poison Is Rapidity Spreading.]


    A purple color slowly plagued Joe''s cheeks. He came to a stop and his legs wobbled. His breathing was labored and his arms trembled. Even so, Joe pointed his blade forward. His eyes were blurry but he could make out the Dungeon Bosss''s position via [Outsider¡¯s Perspective]


    All the mana from the black blade surged forth at double the quantity. [Charge Complete] It coalesced and concentrated at the tip of the blade. It formed a dark orb that only seemed go grow as the seconds went by. ¡°Eat this you asshole!¡±


    [Mana Tool Skill: Black Orb]


    [Total Skill: 199 ¡ú 289]


    The orb blasted forward, it blew through the smoke cloud dispersing it instantly. It whisked through the air as it approached the Big Oak.


    But once again, the Dungeon Boss countered.


    From its gaping trunk, green mana concentrated, the Big Oak then fired its own ball of mana and the two skills clashed. [Skill Activation: Nature Ball] They pushed each other back, and Joe watched on with one open eye. If his skill was overpowered. Then his fate was sealed.


    The shockwave intensified but fortunately Joe''s skill won out. It destroyed the Big Oak''s skill before going on to collide against the Dungeon Boss


    A huge blast occurred, and as the dust settled. The Dungeon Boss was reduced to nothing but dust.


    Joe had won.

 Chapter 40

    Joe took one deep breath before he collapsed. A loud thud resonated with the Forest of Nightmares as his pointy knee collided with the hard surface of the Dungeon. The aura surrounding him faded, and the black blade slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor. The sharp clang it produced was agony for Joe''s ears. But that was the least of his problems.


    His legs had gone limp and useless. His arms and fingers were numb as they hung by his sides. Joe''s eyes weren''t doing much better either, he had lost his vision on his left eye and the remaining one was a fuzzy mess that couldn''t make out anything more than 3m away. Joe''s chest heaved, each breath shorter and more agonizing than the previous. He had defeated the Big Oak but at what cost? It would be all for nothing if he died without seeing his family.


    Joe''s consciousness slowly slipped away. Everything turned black as his mind was sucked into a dark abyss. Death by poison, what a shitty way to go out.


    Just as Joe thought he was done for, he felt something wrap around his body. It was warm, soothing and comforting. It only seemed to grow stronger as the seconds went by. It pulled, dragging Joe back to his senses.


    Joe''s fingers twitched, he could feel this foreign energy running along his arm. His legs followed, the paralysis that suffocated them was slowly washed away. Joe''s breathing stabilized, his congested chest was cleared and his burning lungs finally got the reprieve they desperately needed. His heart beat settled to a healthy rhythm and he was able to take effortless inhales and exhale.


    Both of Joe''s eyes fluttered open not long after that. His vision was hazy and unclear for the first few seconds, but with time it cleared, allowing him to fully regain his sight. Joe''s eyes fell to his body, he noticed a yellow aura pulsating around every part of his figure. In that moment everything clicked for Joe, this had to be Shelly''s doing. This was confirmed a second later.


    [The Skill (Cleansing) Has Removed All The Poison From Your System]


    The notification didn''t linger for long because others followed.


    [Your Tolerance For Poison Has Increased]


    [You Have Unlocked A New Skill]


    [Passive Skill: Posion Resistance (Lvl 1) (Beginner)]


    ?? Description: An Outsider Overcomes All To Achieve Their Objective Even The Most Potent Of Toxins.


    ?? Effect: Increases Your Resistance To Poison, Allowing Your Body To Flush It Out Quicker Should It Invade Your System.


    ?? Boost: +30 To Your Defense Attributes When Combating The Effects Of Poison.


    ?? Mana Cost: 0


    Joe focused on the latest notification. It was a skill notification, and upon reading the contents, a smile formed on his face. A skill like this was going to be vital if he went up against other poison based skills in the future.


    Joe''s eyes drifted to his side, he found the black blade laying beside him. He reached out and firmly clutched the handle. He lifted the blade and stabbed it to the surface, the plan was to use it as a makeshift cane to help him reclaim his footing. But before Joe could execute his strategy, he was rudely interrupted.


    [You Have Defeated The Dungeon Bosss: The Big Oak]


    [Main Quest Complete]


    [You Have Earned: +35,000 Gold Pieces]


    [Total Gold Pieces Earned: 50,000 Gold Pieces]


    [+1% Of The Gold Earned Has Already Been Deducted And Paid To The Guild As Tax]


    [You Have Cleared The Dungeon ¨C Forest Of Nightmares]


    [Total Official Cleared Dungeons: 1]


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    [Updated Guild Ranking: #12,000]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 42 ¡ú 47]


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 22 ¡ú 25]


    [The Black Blade Has Unlocked +1 Additional Seal]


    [Total Black Blade Seals: 2 / 5]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 20 ¡ú 23]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Perspective) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 5 ¡ú 7]


    [The Passive Skill: (Weaponry) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 4 ¡ú 6]


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Mana Pool: 2,130/5,240


    ? Skill: 93 ¡ú 103 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 88 ¡ú 98 ( +10 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 88 ¡ú 98 (+10 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 74 ¡ú 79 (+18 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 64 ¡ú 69


    ?? Additional Attribute Points: 5


    Another barrage of messages befell Joe, and this was even bigger than the previous one. He skimmed through them first, not reading anything too deeply, he just wanted to get the general feeling of what the notifications were about. After doing so, he chose to settle on his Attribute Window.


    Joe found out that one of his attributes had reached triple figures. His heart warmed at his accomplishment, this was proof that he was on the right track. If he kept going at this pace, it wouldn''t be long before he achieved the strength he so desperately desired.


    Joe had two other attributes that were close to achieving the same mile stone. After he saw that, Joe knew exactly how to distribute his additional attribute points. ¡°Syr give two points each to my speed and defense. Then give the remaining point to my mental stenghth.¡±


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Spped: 98 ¡ú 100


    ?? Strength: 98 ¡ú 100


    ?? Mental Strength: 69 ¡ú 70


    Now Joe had three attributes on triple digits, all that was left was to ensure that the other remaining attributes all reached triple digits. Not a simple task considering their growth rate was abysmally slow, but Joe was determined to make it happen.


    With his attributes sorted, he went through his other messages carefully. His signature skill [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] leveled up again, Joe wondered how long it would take before it reached another stage. He knew he was rushing things considering [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] reached a new stage just recently. But Joe couldn''t help but be curious.


    The Black Blade gaining a new seal was a plus, an additional boost was always a welcomed sight. Joe was also pleased by his overall level, it wouldn''t be long till he reached lvl 50.


    Besides his Attribute Window, the notification that piqued Joe''s curiosity the most was his Guild Ranking. He had jumped 3,000 spots after completing the Dungeon. It wasn''t a major jump in the grand scheme of things considering he didn''t crack the top ten thousand. Still, Joe was satisfied with his progress.


    His financial situation was also looking up, he had over eighty thousand gold pieces. But in his heart, Joe knew that number was going to plummet¡ªfast. Most of if not all the gold he earned, would soon go to Shelly''s pocket. That was one of the major downsides of being man drowning in debt.


    To add to his misery, Joe found out the Guild already snatched one percent of his earnings as tax. A low blow, but Joe got over it quickly. He already owed the Guild money for destroying the entrance. So that one percent was his payment to them. At least that''s how Joe chose to view it.


    But was this going to be a reoccurring thing? Was he going to lose one percent of his earnings everytime he conquered a Dungeon? One percent was a small amount but Joe didn''t like having leaking pockets. But if this was how adventuring worked, he was willing to accept it. Even if it was with a heavy heart.


    Joe sighed after going through all the notifications. He had made progress but there was still a lot to be done. He pulled himself up, steadying himself with the black blade.


    Joe''s eyes zoomed in on something interesting. There was a faint white glow in the distance, the exact spot the Dungeon Boss occupied. Joe trudged towards the source. He sheathed his blade before reaching his destination. As he glanced down through the ashes of the Dungeon Boss, he found something buried underneath.


    Joe crouched and dug through the ash with his right hand. The ash still contained some of its heat and it stung Joe''s fingers. But with his gloves, he withstood it just fine. He grabbed what he was looking for and pulled it out as he straightned.


    Holding it with his palm, Joe blew and wiped away the ash around it. And when he took a closer look, Joe recognized it immediately. This was the exact fruit or flower that he found hanging from one of the Big Oak''s branches. It was bigger up close, about the size of a small Wolfin''s mana beast core.


    [You Have Obtained A Dungeon Item]


    A Dungeon Item? This was the second one he had received. Joe was about to ask Syr what it could do when something thudded to the ground a few meters behind him. Joe swung around and immediately his heart sank.


    Shelly was on the floor.


    Joe rushed towards her instantly, he found Franklin and Bella standing over her. They seemed to be just as shocked, evident by their widened eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Joe shouted, as he knelt on knee next to her.


    ¡°I''m not sure, she was doing fine a moment ago, then she just collapsed.¡± Frankin replied.


    When Joe examined her closer, purple marks were spreading from her skin. They were scattered, some started from her arms, others from her face. Shelly was drenched in sweat and her breathing was labored. It didn''t take long for all of them to put the pieces together. Shelly was poisoned.

 Chapter 41

    Joe''s heart thundered as a cold sweat washed over him. His eyes remained dilated, with his mind lost and confused. The Dungeon Item in his grasp disappeared into fragments of light, retreating to his inventory without his notice. As the poison expanded and continued to taint Shelly''s skin, a few questions plagued Joe''s mind ¡°How could she have gotten poisoned?¡± Joe asked, his voice a little shaky and still in disbelief. He glanced at Bella and Franklin who towered and flanked his kneeling form. ¡°She was using her skill, so what the hell happened?¡± Joe''s voice suddenly erupted after not receiving an answer to his previous question.


    When he looked up at Bella, he found someone who didn''t look like she even heard his question. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Shelly''s shuddering form. She had twitching lips but no words come out. She just stood there, rooted to the spot.


    Joe was forced to turn to Franklin. The old man looked just as perplexed but when he cleared his throat to speak, Joe did not look away.


    ¡°I can''t be sure since I''m not a healer but I think I know what could''ve happened.¡± Franklin said, in his raspy voice.


    Joe was quiet, waiting on him to elaborate.


    ¡°The girl must''ve been missing a Blank Herb.¡± Frankin said, loking down on Joe with a stoic expression.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± Joe asked, calmer this time around.


    Franklin turned to face Shelly before speaking. ¡°Its a poison container. After a healer cleanses poison from others, they transfer that poison to the Blank Herb. The plant absorbs it and ensures that everyone is safe. If the healer does not have a Blank Herb, the poison has nowhere to go, so they must absorb it themselves.¡±


    Joe wanted to comment but Franklin continued.


    ¡°Potion stores price Blank Herbs at unreasonably high prices due to their usefulness. This leaves adventures to settle for antidotes. With antidotes healers can flush out any poison they intake. Due to their class, for a healer antidotes are 3x more potent. So as long as they have an antidote, healers can wash away any poison they are forced to absorb. Of course this applies to weaker adventures, the stronger ones have a high tolerance and can deal with poison much more easily.¡± Franklin''s eyes narrowed as he paused. After a few seconds, he continued. ¡°The girl must''ve posssed neither of these two items, surprising considering she''s a princess of the Hira Family.¡±


    Joe thought back to the Black Forest where he met Shelly for the first time. He also looked back at their time in Perina. Joe came to one conclusion, Shelly must''ve ran out of supplies before they reached Perina. And with Dorothy''s potion store being destroyed by that bastard Stan, she essentially had no way to restock. Even in death, that asshole was proving to be a pain in the ass.


    ¡°Its her fault.¡± Bella spoke, her voice.interrupting Joe''s thoughts. Joe turned to her and found the princess with balled fists and trembling arms. ¡°She knew this would happen. Its her fault for being so stupid.¡±


    Joe''s eyes widened, as a scowl quickly formed on his face. He shot up to his feet and forcefully yanked the princess around to face him, he firmly gripped her dress with both hands, stretching the fabric to its limit. His eyes seething with rage bored into the princess''s. ¡°She saved your life!¡± Joe shouted, spittle flying from his lips. ¡°If it wasn''t for Shelly we''d be dead! All of us! Apologize for what you''ve just said! Apologize right now!¡±


    The princess didn''t push back despite Joe''s rough handling, her eyes were cold as they stared at Joe. ¡°I told her not to use her skill on me, yet she did it anyway. She''s an idiot. An idiot.¡±


    Joe''s grip tightned, he wanted nothing more but to pummel her to oblivion. But she wasn''t worth it, Shelly was more important right now. So he just shoved the princess to the ground. She landed hard, as Joe glared at her with an unapologetic expression before turning around.


    [You''re In Luck Joe, Your Friend Can Still Be Saved]


    Joe suddenly froze when he heard Syr''s voice. ¡°How? How can I save her.¡±


    [Dungeon Item: The Fruit Of Life]


    ? Description: A Precious Fruit Harbored By A Dangerous Creature.


    ? Effect: The Fruit Can Cure Poison From One¡¯s Body. But It May Be Ineffective If The Poison''s Potency Surpasses Its Own Healing Capabilities.


    ? Boost: +50 To Your Defense Attribute When Combating The Effects Of Poison.


    Joe''s eyes grew. ¡°What the hell man! Why didn''t you show me this sooner?¡±


    [Your Posion Resistance Skill Is Stilll Only Lvl 1. It''s Not Strong Enough To Ward Off Strong Toxins Just Yet. To Help It Grow And Increase Your Tolerance, You Need To Have An Antidote On Standby. This Dungeon Item iIs That Antidote. I Figured It''d Be Better If You Saved It For Later]


    ¡°Fuck you Syr!¡± Joe cursed internally. ¡°I don''t need you taking decisions on my behalf. Shelly was going to die! I''m the one who decides when and how to use my items. In fact I don''t need you hiding item descriptions from me, the minute I come across an Item I need you to tell me what it is, right then and there. You got that?¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    [I Was Thinking About Your Future. I Was Only Trying To Help, Forgive Me If I Did Something Wrong.]


    ¡°Just give me the item.¡± Joe had no interest in conversing with Syr any further.


    To his credit Syr followed the order as a blue glow settled around Joe''s hands. Its presence was brief as it disappeared only seconds later. What remained was the large round orb that Joe only now just learned was a fruit. Joe took a step closer to Shelly and went down on his knees, he grabbed Shelly by the back of the head as he slowly lifted her up. Her wet eyes seemed to just barely open, and when she tried to speak, Joe shook his head.


    ¡°Just take a bite out of this okay?¡± He moved the pulsating white fruit closer to her lips.


    Shelly had enough strength to open her mouth and take a bite. The piece she bit off wasn''t much and barely left a dent on the orb. But she didn''t need to take another one. After Shelly nipped fruit, the remaining 90% crumbled and withered away.


    Joe''s heart almost stopped as he thought his only hope of saving Shelly just vanished before his eyes. But that wasn''t the case. As it turned out, one bite was all that Shelly needed.


    Joe placed down Shelly''s head gently, he got to his feet and took a few steps back. A white light smothered Shelly''s form, it was bright, forcing Joe to squint before covering his eyes after he found out squinting wasn''t going to be enough.


    Fortunately for Joe''s vision the light only lasted a few seconds. It dimmed before vanishing like it never came. Joe''s guard relaxed as he brought down his hand from his face. He took a closer look at Shelly and saw her mana signature burst into life. The purple color that marred her skin vanished without a trace, and she slowly stirred back to life.


    Joe knelt next her as her eyes slowly opened, she pulled herself to sit upright as one hand gripped her skull. It took a second before she turned her head to look at Joe.


    When their eyes met, Joe''s face was brimming with joy, he had a wide grin pasted on his face. ¡°Welcome back.¡± He finally said, after a second.


    Shelly was about to say something when Joe flicked her on the head with his right index finger. ¡°What were you thinking you idiot? You could''ve died?¡± Joe''s face turned serious, the grin from a moment ago no longer visible.


    Shelly rubbed her discolored forehead, ¡°if I didn¡¯t do what I did, we¡¯d all have died. It¡¯s better me than everyone else. I¡¯m the healer¡ªit¡¯s my job to keep everyone alive.¡±


    Joe was slightly taken aback by that response. ¡°Don''t be crazy. Our party just got registered, I need you alive.¡±


    Shelly just gave him a half smile, ¡°I''m ok now, so everything is fine.¡±


    Joe wanted to argue with her but settled for a sigh. He realized that none of his words were getting through to her. He got up and extended his hand before helping Shelly to her feet. Shelly had to use his shoulder for balance as her body was still recovering. After she was steady, Joe allowed her to stand on her own.


    ¡°Let''s go Franklin! We don''t need to stay around Shelly and this commoner longer than we need to.¡± Bella said, already storming ahead.


    Joe would be lying if he said he wasn''t triggered. The princess didn''t even thank them after he and Shelly both saved her sorry ass. ¡°Man what a bitch.¡± Joe muttered under his breath.


    Joe and Sbelly followed twelve meters behind her. Franklin was walking with them when he decided to say something. ¡°You guys will have to excuse the princess''s behavior, she''s going through a lot right now.¡±


    Joe glanced at the old man as he continued to speak.


    ¡°The princess has a powerful skill, a skill no one in the Amber Family possess. That''s why her flames are different from everybody else, but with that power also comes a great burden. The princess is unable to fully her control her own flames, this makes them dangerous not only to her but those around her.¡±


    Joe had witnessed this lack of control first hand, If he wasn''t there, the princess would be a charred corpse by now.


    ¡°If things keep going this way I fear the princess''s flames will one day consume her.¡± Franklin released a heavy sigh. ¡°The princess''s Golden Bracelets are high common mana tools which makes them incredibly powerful, those bracelets have been holding her skills at bay up to this point, but it won''t be long before they give in and her flames are unleashed.¡±


    Joe was quiet as Franklin spoke, he wasn''t really touched by any of old man''s words. But he felt like he understood the princess just a little bit.


    ¡°The princess needs a new item that can help her control her power. Which is why we have decided to participate in The Hunt this year.¡±


    Joe''s eyes widened, ¡°you''re going to the hunt?¡±


    ¡°Yes. One of the treasures that will be up for grabs this year are the Void Bracelets. I''ve heard rumors that these bracelets are at least high uncommon mana tools. If we get them, the princess may still have a chance.¡±


    ¡°We''re also going to The Hunt, let''s stick together until we get there. If the Infernal Cave Dungeon is as dangerous as Shelly says, you''ll need our help if you want to make it out in one piece.¡±


    Franklin seemed to ponder Joe''s words for a moment.


    ¡°If it wasn''t for Shelly and I, you guys would be dead.¡± Joe added, pushing the old man towards the obvious decision.


    ¡°You make a good point, I guess we can stick together untill we reach the capital.¡±


    Joe smiled, happy that the old man was reasonable. He was mainly doing this for him, more than the princess. The old man even though was an enemy, didn''t strike him as that bad of a guy


    Bella turned back, ¡°What are you doing Franklin? Let''s go!¡± She shouted, after finding the old man 15m away.


    She decided to wait after hearing the old man trying to shout something from a distance. She couldn''t hear him clearly and would rather he got closer. But she wasn''t happy to find the two individuals tagging alongside him.


    Once Franklin reached her, he explained Joe''s idea of all four of them conquering the Infernal Cave Dungeon together. The princess scowled at the news, clearly not pleased. But when Franklin persuaded her, she eventually gave in.


    ¡°You guys better not get in my way.¡± The princess said, addressing Joe and Shelly.


    Joe could not belive her audacious statement considering she''d be dead without them, but he just sighed, letting jet words slide.


    ¡­.


    It didn''t take long before they exited the Forest of Nightmares. They were met with 3 routes, left, right and straight. The decision was obvious because a cave was located just straight ahead. When Joe glanced to the heavens it seemed like another day had passed. The sun that was out while still hot, was clearly still the morning sun.


    Bella and Franklin led the way with Joe and Shelly not too far behind. They reached the entrance to the cave. From the outside it looked just like your average cave, surrounded with a healthy amount of greenery. The entrance was slightly bigger than what Joe was used to seeing but that was it. Franklin and Bella entered without hesitation. Shelly and Joe nodded to each other before doing the same.


    Almost immediately after they entered, the cave proved it wss anything but ordinary. A flashing red light washed over all four of them. Joe covered his eyes before a strange feeling overwhelmed him. He felt like his body was plummeting from a very high altitude, he removed his blindfold but before he couldn''t do anything else, his body smashed into something. Joe''s senses dulled, before everything went black.

 Chapter 42

    After several minutes or maybe hours, Joe regained his consciousness. He couldn''t tell how much time had passed, but it felt like a while. His body was a little groggy when he dragged himself to sit upright. He lifted his head and found Shelly standing next to him, eyes focused on what was in front of her.


    When Shelly noticed he had woken up, she threw a quick glance at him. ¡°Good you''re awake. Now get up, it''s about to begin.¡±


    Joe had no idea what she was talking about but he did reclaim his footing just like she ordered. Upon doing so, he stretched all his muscles. There were some satisfying pops here and there that brought a smile to the young man''s face.


    But Joe was surprised, his body felt fine. Rested even. He expected to find broken bones after his fall but that wasn''t the case. Did he imagine falling back then? Joe wondered as his eyes darted around.


    It was weird, the entire space they were on was boarded by insurmountable stone walls. The walls had no visible limits, they climbed untill they reached the heavens. Just looking at their shear scale, made Joe dizzy.


    These walls covered the east, west and south side of the room. It felt like being stuck inside a box. Not only that, they were all coated in raging flames. These flames made it impossible to even get close to the walls, they hissed and snapped and launched sparks regularly. Joe knew if he touched them, he would die.


    That wasn''t the oddest part of this whole thing however, because when Joe looked up, he was met by a sky. The sky was mostly blue with a few clouds scattered throughout. The sun was out, shining down in all its glory.


    It took a second for Joe to realize this didn''t make sense. How could there be a sun inside a cave? Infact how could these walls even exist inside a cave?


    Joe came to one conclusion, this wasn''t the cave anymore.


    When they entered the Infernal Cave, they were welcomed by a nearly blinding light. Joe was certain that must''ve been some kind of transportation mechanism, it would explain that fall he experienced after he made contact with the light. And it would also explain everything he was seeing right now.


    The inside of the Infernal Cave Dungeon must''ve been a different space altogether.


    The flames around the room made the temperatures rise to unnatural levels. It had been only a few minutes since he woke up, but Joe was already soaking in sweat. He was breathing fine for the time being and the [Black Sheep] did somewhat protect him from the elements. But Joe knew if they stayed here for an excessive amount of time, they would be in trouble.


    [The Main Dungeon: Infernal Cave Is Active]


    [Confirming The Number Of Participants...]


    [Participant Number Confirmed.]


    [Total Number Of Participants: 4]


    [Adjusting The Sub-Quest To Accommodate The Number Of Participants¡­]


    Joe was surprised to see that they were the only participants. He expected at least a couple other parties. But if this place was truly a dangerous Dungeon maybe everyone really did not want to take this route. Even with that in mind though, Joe still found it difficult to belive that every adventure subscribed to that idea.


    [The First Layer Sub-Quest Will Now Begin]


    [First Layer Sub-Quest]


    ?? Objective: Slay 80 Infernal Humans.


    ?? Condition: Each Participant Must Slay A Minimum Of 7 Infernal Humans Individually.


    ?? Reward: Access To The Dungeon Bosss''s Domain.


    ?? Time: 30 Minutes


    ?? Progress: 0/80 Infernal Humans Slain.


    ?? Failure: Death


    The notification screen vanished and almost immediately, the earth trembled. Straight ahead Joe found a wide tunnel, from that tunnel a horde of individuals leaked out. They marched in numbers filling the entire space seconds.


    These individuals didn''t look like living humans, from head to toe they were engulfed in flames. Their skin melted, revealing the burning skeletons underneath. They mumbled something in unison, like beings lost in a trance.


    When Joe looked at them, the first word that jumped in his mind was. Zombies. These guys looked like burning marching zombies.


    Franklin and Bella wasted no time, even with Franklin''s injuries and Bella¡¯s lack of control. They were the first to intercept the zombies. Franklin seemed to be advising Bella on something but the young princess showed no sign of listening to his words.


    ¡°I guess we should go as well.¡± Shelly said, as she clenched her fists. A green glow covered her hands as round barriers took shape around her nuckles. [Skill Activation: Green Fists] She dashed forward without a second thought as she joined the chaos.


    Joe was left wide-eyed as he stood rotted to his spot. ¡°What the hell are those things Syr?¡±


    [Main Dungeon Creature: Infernal Humans]


    ?? Description: Infernal Humans Are The Corpses Of Those Who Have Died Inside The Infernal Cave Dungeon. The Dungeon Has Taken Hostage Of Their Souls Preventing Them From Passing On. They Will Forever Serve This Dungeon Untill The Fire That Fuels Their Souls Is Extinguished.


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


    Joe was stunned. So not only were they zombies but they were all once adventures. Joe watched as Shelly punched one of the zombies. With just a single blow to the skull she sent the creature flying and smashing into another group of Infernal Humans, essentially slaughtering 6 of them with just a single attack.


    Bella¡¯s flames flared as they reduced every Infernal Human they came in contact with to ashes. Franklin did the same, cutting down anything he came across with his [Burning Twin Blades]


    [66 Infernal Humans Remaining]


    Joe was surprised by how easy it was for all of them, they showed no remorse in slaughtering these poor creatures. But it made sense, they were already dead after all.


    Joe armed himself with the [Scorching Dagger] but before he could move, an Infernal Human was already in front of him. It carried a long burning sword like all the rest, half of its face was gone and as it lifted its blade, Joe heard a whisper escape the creature''s lips.


    ¡°Please help me¡­¡±


    Those words struck Joe''s core. Without his consent he found himself sucked into a memory he wanted to forget. He once again relived the day earth was destroyed.


    ¡°Help me¡­¡±


    He rembered the old man that grasped his leg. The old man was near death at the time and was no different to an Infernal Human. Joe rembered when he yanked his leg away and ran off without a second thought, leaving the old man to his death.


    His mind flashed back to the present as the Infernal human brought down its sword in a downward Slash. Joe leaped back. The blade of the Infernal Human traveled in between his eyes, only missing him by a whisker.


    He slid back as the creature''s sword collided with the rocky surface.


    ¡°I couldn''t save that old man back then, sure he was going to die but I didn''t do anything for him. He was in pain and I left him out to die. I had to find my sister, I had to survive. Those were my thoughts back then but the man begged and I couldn''t do anything for him. I was weak, useless. I couldn''t be relied upon when the moment came.¡±


    Joe''s momentum came to a halt, ¡°But I''m not that person anymore. I''m stronger, much stronger. As long as I continue to live, I won''t let tragedies like that old man happen again. I''ll make things right, I won''t let the innocent suffer in front of me again.¡±


    Joe blasted forward, [Mana Tool Skill: Burn] flames surged forth and covered Joe''s blade.


    [-65 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 2,065]


    [Total Skill: 103 ¡ú 160]


    By the time the Infernal Human lifted its blade off the surface, Joe had already devoured the distance. He shoved the [Scorching Dagger] into the creature''s throat, his arm shot upwards to compete the slash and carve the creature''s skull in half.


    The Infernal Human immediately collapsed and the flames coating its figure flickered out. It''s voice and flesh withered away only leaving behind its skeleton. Joe looked down on the creature with pity in his eyes. ¡°May their soul finally be freed¡±


    [58 Infernal Humans Remaining]


    With that, Joe continued his charge. He didn''t get far before another Infernal Human appeared before him. The zombie swung its blade horizontally, looking to hack off Joe''s head.


    Joe parried its sword to the side, he then sent a low kick to the creature''s left leg. It bent on contact and bones cracked as the Infernal Human collapsed to one knee, Joe did not let its cries go on for much longer as he decapitated the zombie a second later.


    Joe''s instincts clawed at him as he sidestepped to the right. A frightening thrust barely missed him as another Infernal Human attacked.


    Joe lunged at the creature after his dodge, he bashed the zombie''s skull, removing its head with a fluid straight jab.


    [52 Infernal Humans Remaining]


    Having done the deed, Joe set his eyes on another group of Infernal Humans. He brisked through the Dungeon and slaughtered every Infernal Human he came across. Joe was efficient, he had no intentions of subjecting the poor souls to any more suffering.


    Bella was the only one who kept pace with him, slaughtering just as many Infernal Humans.


    Shelly and Franklin were much slower after they killed their required 7, choosing to preserve their mana and only attacking when needed.


    In just a handful of minutes all the Infernal Humans were killed.


    [Quest. Complete]


    [80/80 Infernal Humans Have Been Slain]


    Bella was left panting after the exercise, she glanced at Joe and smirked triumphantly as she clutched her knees. She was hell-bent on not being outdone by a commoner so she gave everything she had against these relatively weak creatures. Her flames had gone haywire on more than one occasion, but she handled it a little better this time around. Her right arm had gruesome burnmarks but the princess seemed more concerned about ¡®winning¡¯ more than anything.


    Joe didn''t understand it. He didn''t kill these Infernal Humans because of a game but explaining that to the princess would''ve been useless.


    Unlike the Bella, Joe didn''t use any other skills besides [Burn] so he preserved most of his mana and stamina.


    [Sub-Quest Performance Board]


    ?? Joe ¨C 27 Infernal Humans Slain


    ?? Bella ¨C 25 Infernal Humans Slain


    ?? Shelly ¨C 15 Infernal Humans Slain


    ?? Frankin ¨C 13 Infernal Humans Slain


    [All Four Participants Have Met The Minimum Requirement]


    [All Four Participants Will Now Be Granted Access To The Dungeon Boss''s Domain]


    [Bonus Rewards Have Been Allocated To The Top 2 Participants]


    Joe saw Bella¡¯s scowl after coming 2nd on the list. Joe would be lying if he said he didn''t enjoy the look on her face, he wasn''t trying to compete but seeing the princess not get what she wanted made him happy for some reason.


    [Infernal Cave Dungeon: Bonus Rewards]


    ?? Your Mana Pool Has Been Fully Replenished


    ?? +3 Additional Attribute Points To All Attrubutes


    ?? 30,000 Gold Pieces


    ?? +3 Health Potion


    Joe was surprised to find so many rewards. They were all really good so Joe wasn''t complaining. The top 2 especially were the pick of the bunch.


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 47 ¡ú 49 ]


    [The Black Boots Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 5 ¡ú 8 ]


    [The Black Gloves Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 5 ¡ú 8 ]


    [The Black Sheep Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 6 ¡ú 9]


    [Updated Attributes]


    [Mana Pool: 5,480 / 5,480


    ? Skill: 103 ¡ú 110 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 100 ¡ú 107 ( +13 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 100 ¡ú 107 (+13 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 79 ¡ú 84 (+24 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 70 ¡ú 75


    ?? Additional Attribute Points: 2


    [The (Scorching Dagger) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 13 ¡ú 17]


    [The Skill ( Weaponry) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 6 ¡ú 8]


    [Total Gold Pieces Earned: 80,000


    Joe didn''t expect to find the Black Sheep, Boots And Gloves all gain new levels. Their pace of growth was egregiously slow. Especially when compared to Joe''s Mana Tools. Maybe only Mana Beast Cores accelerated their growth, but Joe could only guess.


    Overall though Joe was happy with his progress, but what made him even happier was how those Infernal Humans didn''t have to suffer anymore. Finally they were free.


    Joe walked away from Bella as she drank what looked to be some sort of red potion. The potion seemed to heal her burn marks. Joe was certain it must''ve been one of the rewards she received for coming 2nd.


    Joe made his way to Shelly, but before he could reach her another notification made itself known.


    [Transportation To The Dungeon Bosss''s Domain Has Started]


    A red glow shrouded all of 4 of them. Their figures vanished with the light, leaving nothing behind but a sea of skeletons.

 Chapter 43

    Everything was calm and effortless. Joe drifted with the crimson light similar to a weightless bird. Unlike the previous occasion were he had to fight for his balance to prevent a catastrophic fall, this time it was easy and much more controlled. He was flowing with the current instead of moving against it. His muscles were relaxed and his heart rate was stable. He knew that the light could do nothing to harm him, he was going to be fine.


    Everything felt like it was going along at a leisurely pace but that couldn''t be further from the truth. In just a split second Joe''s feet touched down on the stone surface and the light that cloaked him dimmed before retreating, never to be seen again.


    [Transportation Complete]


    [You Have Entered The Dungeon Bosss''s Domain]


    Joe crouched slightly as his form materialized, he straightned a second later having been transported successfully. Beams of light fell beside him, announcing the arrival of Shelly, Franklin and the other girl. Shelly was right next to Joe so he didn''t need to go far.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± The young man asked, just checking on his friend.


    Shelly nodded reassuringly. With her staff in hand, she looked ready for another battle.


    Joe only glanced at the old man and the princess, not bothering to say much else.


    Before he could do anything else, Joe was immediately assaulted by the blistering heat. His breathing was already strained, like he had ran a great distance. Sweat streaked down his forehead even reaching the embrace of his lips before trickling down to the floor. When compared it to the other room, the difference was staggering. If the last room was a boiling hot oven, this place was close to a sea of lava and it showed.


    [The Domain Skill (Heat Zone) Is Taking Effect]


    [-15 Attribute Points To Your Strength, Speed And Defense Attributes]


    [The Effects Of Heat Zone May Worsen With Every Passing Minute.]


    Joe did not forsee his attributes being affected by the heat, but that''s what happened. The young man was certain his defense would''ve taken an even greater hit if it wasn''t for the [Black Sheep].


    Shelly cloaked her figure in mana, with the princess and the old man doing the same, Joe could guess that this was an attempt to mitigate the heat. All three of them were drenched in sweat, Joe was actually doing better in comparison.


    His eyes looked to wonder around the space but something interrupted him. A looming shadow whisked above Joe''s form at tremendous speed. He threw his eyes to the sky but only saw a flash of orange before something collided with the earth.


    The impact was enormous, Joe had to consolidate his footing to avoid being blown away. The burning wind buzzed as a white steamy cloud manifested in the distance. Joe''s eyes had no trouble seeing beyond the obstruction. It was 15m away but [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] had developed enough for him to clear that distance easily.


    A gut wrenching scream startled Joe as he peered beyond the smoke cloud. Bones cracked and shattered, their sharp echo bouncing off all four walls of the room. The screech only lasted a good three seconds before it met its end.


    ¡°Look out!¡±


    Joe yelled as he threw himself to the side, his other companions (besides Bella) heeding his warning. A human body whistled past Joe''s form, Its charred scent invading his nostrils. The young man avoided a nasty collision, and even though he had foresight. He only evaded just barely.


    He tracked the corpse and watched it smash into a stone wall a fair distance behind him. It lost its shape instantly as it crumbled to ashes.


    Joe''s heart thumped, his eyes dilated at the scene before him. He then threw his eyes forward as the white smoke faded with the wind. And there he saw it. With its bright bloody core, Joe did not need a notification to tell him what he was looking at.


    Orange in colour, its wings spanned the distance. It flapped with grace, preventing its gleaming talons from making contact with the ground. The creature shed a few of its glorious feathers which created a beautiful glow of orange under its form. With a massive pointy beak that matched its appearance it had the eyes of a fierce predator. It squeaked at all those present, the sound alone carrying the message of death.


    [The Lvl (60) Dungeon Boss ¡®Red Phoenix¡¯ Has Appeared]


    [Mana Beasts Window]


    ?? Name: Red Phoenix


    ?? Clan: Tori


    ?? Evolution Stage: 3


    ?? Level: 60


    [Main Dungeon Quest]


    ?? Objective: Slay The Dungeon Bosss ¡®Red Phoenix¡¯


    ?? Reward: 85,000 Gold Pieces.


    Joe gulped at the creature before him, not in all his years of existence did he think he''d ever meet one. But there it was. A Phoenix.


    The folklore and legends Joe had read didn''t do the creature justice. When he saw it face to face it made all those tales describing the Phoenix look mediocre in comparison. This was a being you could never put to words unless you saw it with own eyes.


    Joe''s eyes strayed away from the Dungeon Boss for just a moment. They landed on another interesting thing in the room. They were not as majestic or cool as the Phoenix but they still attracted Joe''s attention.


    Clad in black cloaks that smothered their frames. They stood as a group of three individuals. With their four skull logo and the name ¡®Ghost Chain¡¯ written in bold. Anyone could''ve figured out what Joe was looking at, those three were undoubtedly a party of adventures.


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    ¡°I knew it, a Dungeon like this no matter how dangerous was bound to have other adventures running around.¡±


    Joe didn''t know whether to be happy or worried about that fact. But what he knew was that ¡®Ghost Chain¡¯ was a really sick name for a party. The four skulls were the cherry on top. Even without saying a word, the three adventures had earned Joe''s respect.


    The Ghost Chain party was currently in the middle of confronting the Dungeon Boss. Joe guessed the flying corpse that nearly slammed into him belonged to their party.


    Joe''s eyes were distracted once again as something shiny came from the corner of his eye.


    It was only foe a brief few seconds but everytime the Phoenix flapped its wings, Joe could see something sparkle behind it. When he squinted his eyes, he was able to see what he was looking at.


    Etched to a tall wall behind the Dungeon Boss lay 4 Golden Keys. The keys were the same kind you''d use to open a door to your house but Joe knew these keys weren''t ordinary.


    [Main Dungeon Item: Dungeon Key]


    ?? Description: A Golden Key That Can Open A Pathway Between Layers. Grants The Ability To Avoid The Dungeon Boss And Go Directly To The Next Layer.


    ?? Condition: You Need To Be In Contact With The Key For 3 Seconds Before The Item Can Activate.


    ?? Note: Should You Use The Dungeon Key, All The Rewards You Would''ve Received For Killing The Dungeon Boss Are Forfeited.


    ?? Time: 10 Minutes Before The Dungeon Consumes The Next Dungeon Key.


    ?? Dungeon Keys Remaining: 4


    After reading the description of the Dungeon Keys Joe wasn''t sure if he liked their usage. It seemed cowardly in a way. Based on how they were described, Dungeon Keys were essentially a get out of jail free card for anyone who activated them. The timer indicated that a key would disappear in the next 10 minutes.


    ¡°I don''t believe it¡± Shelly said, forcing Joe to turn to her. ¡°There are still Dungeon Keys in this Layer. We have to get them before they disappear.¡±


    ¡°Only cowards like you Shelly would even entertain the idea of using those toys.¡± Bella scoffed. ¡°Unlike you I''m not some weakling who would depend on a Dungeon Key. My flames can cook that mana beast in seconds. I''ll get out of here with my own strength.¡±


    Joe and the princess didn''t always see eye to eye. No, they never saw eye to eye. But this time around Joe sided with the princess. If they were going to exit this layer of the Dungeon, Joe would much rather achieve that using his own strength than some cheap gimmick. It was unreasonable, he knew it was. When facing a beast at lvl 60 there was every chance that he would end up dead. But Joe didn''t care, he''d rather die fighting than choose the easy way out. Besides, the idea of fighting a Phoenix was weirdly exhilarating.


    ¡°I agree with the Hira girl my princess.¡± Franklin said, disturbing Joe from his fantasies. ¡°We need to exit this Dungeon as quickly as possible. The sooner we reach the Capital the better. Remember my princess we''re up against the clock, it''s only a matter if tine before the Flame Tr¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Bella shouted, cutting Franklin off. She clenched her fists tightly. ¡°I don''t need you reminding me about that. I thought I told you never to say their name in my presence.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me my princess,¡± Franklin made a slight bow with his head.


    A thunderous boom broke through the developing tension. The Dungeon Boss was on the move.


    Flames engulfed the Phoenix as it repeatedly rammed its beak into the green barrier before it. [Skill Activation: Beak Smash]


    The three adventures were trying their best to hold the creature off. They had erected a green dome around their forms to protect themselves from the Mana Beast''s assault. But it became clear even to them, that their defense was not going to hold.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± The adventure holding the barrier together cursed. He had his staff pointed forward as he tried to maintain the shape of the barrier. He winced and his body physically vibrated everytime the Phoenix attacked. The man had black smooth hair and purple pupils and wore the same cloak as the rest of them. ¡°I can''t¡­. hold¡­ it for much longer?¡± He said, his voice breaking.


    ¡°Let me do it Noah¡± An adventurer standing a few meters behind the healer spoke. He held a long katana in his grasp and had a stoic face. Even underneath the cloak the man''s impressive physique was apparent. Without a doubt, the bald adventurer was the warrior of the group.


    ¡°No Bron! You can''t take that creature by yourself!¡± The only female in the group spoke up. She had vibrant pink hair and carried a staff of her own. Although it was different from Noah''s, her staff had a curved tip resembling a hook, while Noah just had a straight staff.


    ¡°No Sheyla. We''ve already lost a party member, I won''t let the entire party go down like this. I''m the Warrior. I''ll keep everyone safe.¡± Bron responded, unflinching in his stance. ¡°Let me do this, Noah!¡±


    Noah glanced over his shoulder. ¡°You got it big man. I''ll leave it to you.¡± The healer had a bitter smile on his face.


    ¡°Noah, I thought you were going to talk some sense into him. You''re the leader, you can''t let him go through with this.¡± Sheyla said, tears already bordering her eyes.


    The barrier cracked as the Phoenix''s beak peeked through, finally breaching the stubborn barrier.  But the mana beast found its beak stuck in the trenches of the barrier, it wiggled its head, looking to retrieve its beak before launching another attack.


    Noah brought down his staff as the Phoenix lifted its head. The barrier crumbled and the healer was forced to seek refugee behind the cover of his comrade Bron.


    ¡°You guys should give me some space, this could get messy.¡± Bron warned as he squared his shoulders, his party members obliged with Sheyla having a reluctant look on her face.


    ¡°Its just me and you big guy!¡± Bron smirked.


    The Phoenix must''ve taken that as an insult because it charged immediately at the Warrior. Trusting its beak the mana beast looked to pierce the warrior''s skull.


    Using his sword Bron deflected all the relentless beak assaults that came his way. His friends used the opening to their advantage as they dashed for the wall targeting the Dungeon Keys.


    ¡°What about Bron!¡± Sheyla looked at Noah with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°He''ll be alright. Bron is a warrior! He''ll follow us after he distracts that thing.¡± Noah said, eyes laser focused on the four shiny items ahead.


    Sheyla didn''t say anything but her facial expression showcased her uncertainty.


    Bron was holding his own for a good 20 seconds. He even retaliated with a slash that sent the mana beast staggering backwards. He carved a vertical line into the Phoenix''s chest and the creature screeched in pain.


    This was his chance to finish the job.


    Bron lunged forward with mana shrouding his figure, he thrusted the blade with everything he had.


    The blade shattered.


    With the snap if its beak the mana beast dismantled the mana tool effortlessly.


    And as he watched his trusted weapon crumble to a million shards. Bron''s stomach churned and in that moment he came to a painful realization.


    He wasn''t the protagonist of this story.


    With the swipe of a wing Bron''s body was sent spiraling high in the air. The Phoenix took flight and with an open beak gobbled up the poor adventurer without any resistance.


    The creature let out a loud war cry after its victory. It turned its eyes to the two little creatures targeting the keys. It flapped once and its figure blazed through the air.


    Noah looked over his shoulder and then the wall. Just 10 seconds. In just 10 seconds he would make it. ¡°Hey, Sheyla?¡±


    The shaky adventurer turned to face her leader. But immediately after doing so, a hard metal staff struck her unguarded stomach. Blood spewed from her mouth as she fell to her knees. She looked up at his leader with blood trickling down her lips, but a blow to the skull ended her life right then and there.


    ¡°Sorry Sheyla. I won''t die in a place like this.¡± The healer flung the body of his comrade towards the incoming beast before committing to a mad dash.


    Unable to resist a free meal the Poehix took the bait. It devoured its second victim before zeroing in on Noah.


    But as the mana beast closed in, Noah touched the Dungeon Key. In just 3 quick seconds the adventurer disappeared without a trace.


    The bird arriving only a second later threw a tantrum with another one of its squeaks. After calming itself down seconds later, the mana beast found fresh targets. It turned to face Joe and his group.


    And as the creature faced them Joe stepped forward with the [Scorching Dagger] in hand. ¡°You guys can use the Dungeon Keys if you want. I''ll kill that big guy by myself.¡± He declared, with a growing grin on his face.

 Chapter 44

    [5 Minutes Before The Dungeon Consumes The Next Dungeon Key]


    [Remaining Dungeon Keys: 3]


    Joe could only spare a glance at Syr''s notification. It wasn''t anything new or surprising which is why he didn''t bother concentrating on it. Although he did find it weird that the countdown continued uninterrupted. Joe thought that the time limit would increase or freeze momentarily since a Dungeon Key had just been activated. He had no reason to believe this, it was just a gut feeling. It proved to be incorrect and another Dungeon Key was soon going to bite the dust.


    Joe was at ease despite this fact, his full attention was on the Dungeon Boss. The majestic bird flapped its wings as flames lit up around its form. Joe could see its mana pathways connecting as they traveled and concentrated around the Beast''s Core. The Phoenix''s mana began to build up at a rapid pace, the temperature of the room followed suit as it climbed to even greater heights.


    Joe''s throat dried as more sweat dripped down from his forehead.


    [-5 Attribute Points To Your Strength, Speed And Defense Attributes]


    Most would cower after seeing a Dungeon Boss power up but for Joe it couldn''t be more different. His lips curled as a smirk manifested on his face. Joe''s heart raced as the anticipation sent a wave of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He reaffirmed his grip on the [Scorching Dagger] before setting the mana tool ablaze. [Mana Tool Skill: Burn]


    [-105 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 5,355]


    [Total Skill: 92 ¡ú 172]


    ¡°Princess you should go.¡± Franklin said, his voice breaking Joe''s immersion. Franklin stood in front of Bella with a stern look on his face. ¡°There are 3 Dungeon Keys left. You have to take one of them and get out of here.¡±


    Bella scowled, ¡°No!¡± She shouted. ¡°I can do it! I can defeat that¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, a sharp slap whipped her head to the side. The force behind the assault sending ripples throughout the Dungeon. Bella held on to her wounded cheek as she turned to see Frankin''s stoic expression. Before she could say a word. Franklin slammed his hands on her shoulders, Bella flinched not used to Franklin''s rough handling.


    ¡°Don''t you get it?¡± Franklin yelled at her face. ¡°If you die it will be all for nothing! We can''t risk you fighting the Dungeon Boss, not in your current state. You have to take the Key and escape!¡±


    Franklin''s roaring voice was a first for the princess. In all the time they spent together he was calm, composed and even timid at times. But this time his gaze was fierce, and his voice carried weight. Bella didn''t know how to respond to that. She stared in silence, her lips failing to form a response.


    Franklin''s grip loosened, ¡°if you die it will be all for nothing. Remember your promise princess, we can''t let Diana be the one who wins. That''s the whole reason we''ve come this far.¡±


    Franklin retracted his hands before turning around. ¡°I''ll hold back the Dungeon Boss. Make sure you make it to the other side princess.¡± The old man took a solitary stride before something tugged his cloak from behind.


    ¡°Don''t you dare die.¡± Bella said, her voice low. ¡°As your princess I order you to live. If anyone''s going to kill you, its me.¡± Her grip tightned. ¡°You got that?¡±


    Franklin relaxed for a moment, his shoulders dropping. "I got it!¡± The old man responded with a widening smile.


    A harrowing screech reminded everyone of the Dungeon Boss''s presence. Its form radiated a bright orange as flames engulfed its figure. The beast flapped its wings once before it blazed towards them. It left a streak of fire in its path. Its speed nearly untraceable with the naked eye. [Skill Activation: Flame Charge]


    ¡°Shelly you go with the princess.¡± Joe said, with urgency in his voice.


    ¡°Are you insane what abou¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''ll be fine.¡± Joe interrupted. ¡°Just trust me.¡± He said, with a reassuring smile.


    Shelly nodded albeit hesitantly.


    Joe swiftly turned to face the Dungeon Boss. His black mana flared as he blasted forward to intercept the beast.


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    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement]


    [-245 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 5, 110]


    [Total Skill: 172 ¡ú 268]


    [Total Speed: 100 ¡ú 192]


    Light met darkness as their paths collided. The wind buzzed as an enormous shockwave pulsed throughout the Dungeon. Cracks manifested underneath the two combatants and they only widened as the two exchanged blows. Joe unleashed successive slashes with the [Scorching Dagger] the skill [Burn] adding fuel to each and every swing.


    The Phoenix maneuvered its massive talons with ease, each swing Joe performed was met by a swift and and efficient counter. Sparks flew and scattered in every direction. Growing in numbers each time the two fighters clashed.


    Joe''s smile only grew as the two went at it. Battling a Phoenix was unlike anything he imagined. It was pure ecstasy.


    The battle grew intense as the bird started exerting more pressure on Joe. Each time they collided Joe''s body shuddered from the shear strength and weight the creature imposed on him. As fun as it was, Joe knew he couldn''t keep this up for long. And he was proven correct.


    The bird''s talons latched on to Joe''s dagger. The Phoenix propelled itself back with its wings, looking to yank Joe''s mana tool away from his grasp.


    Joe gritted his teeth as he resisted the pull. The Phoenix increased its efforts looking to drag Joe to the sky along with his blade. Not looking to lose his footing, Joe was forced to relinquish the dagger. He leaped back and skidded backwards as the Dungeon Boss took hold of his weapon.


    The Phoenix had no intention of keeping the blade, it tossed the mana tool skyward as it raised its head to watch the dagger soar, the creature took delight in disarming its foe. Three seconds passed before it brought down its eyes but by then the distance between the Dungeon Boss and its enemy was no more.


    [Outsider''s Enhancement X2]


    [-490 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 4,620]


    [Total Skill: 268 ¡ú 364]


    [Total Strength: 192 ¡ú 284]


    With gritted teeth, Joe unleashed a fierce punch. Striking the mana beast exactly at the center of its chest. The impact ruffled its feathers, its flames flared in retaliation as a wave of fire assaulted Joe''s hand. Sending a searing heat coursing though his body. But he didn''t stop, he completed his follow through blasting the creature backwards as it squealed in pain.


    Joe glanced at his gloves, they were comprised. His knuckles were left exposed and he could see the grisly burnmarks already tainting his skin. Joe tightned his injured fist, wincing at the intense discomfort. But he endured it, he had to. This battle wasn''t over yet.


    The Mana Beast tried to catch itself midair as it flapped its wings vigorously. The creature''s head hung low, clearly dazed and disoriented.


    Taking advantage of the opening, Bella and Shelly rushed to the wall.


    Joe caught his mana tool swiftly as it fell from above. He adjusted his grip, his eyes glaring at the Dungeon Boss before him.¡°You''ll have to do way more than strip me of my weapon big guy.¡±


    The Dungeon Boss shook its head and recovered its wits in just a handful of seconds. It surged towards Joe much quicker than its previous attempt, Joe could only manage a block before the Dungeon Boss''s left wing rammed into his body.


    His figure was launched backwards with force, he tumbled and rolled on the hard stone surface. Joe lost his grip on the [Scorching Dagger] as he failed to halt his momentum. Joe could feel the scorching heat from the mana beast''s attack ravaging his body. After a distance of 12m Joe''s body finally stopped. Everything was black, his head was ringing louder than a church bell as he tried to endure the excruciating pain he was subjected to.


    Instead of going after him, the Dungeon Boss changed its target to the two girls who were dangerously close to reaching the wall. The bird catapulted towards them at blinding speed.


    Shelly checked over her shoulder, she thought about stopping but committed to her dash with Bella doing the same.


    The Winged Beast closed in on them quickly. Its beak opened as it looked to scoop both of them in one fell swoop. But just as it was centimeters away from claiming its targets. A spear made of flames lanced its body. The force behind the throw sent the bird plummeting to the floor, stealing its flight.


    ¡°Keep going!¡± Franklin yelled with another spear in his grasp. [Skill Activation: Flame Spear]


    The two girls didn''t waste their opportunity. They made contact with the wall and each took hold of a Golden Key. 3 seconds elapsed and their forms vanished with the light.


    The escape was a success.


    Joe reclaimed his footing after a minute. He had regained his senses but his discomfort lingered. Looking down at his stomach Joe found his cloak was burnt to a crisp. His vest underneath was unsalvageable. He found a few threads trying to reconnect as the [Black Sheep] repaired itself. The process seemed to be working but at this rate it would take 30 minutes before it was complete. 30 minutes Joe did not have.


    His gloves and his forearms seemed to repair themselves quicker. Joe hoped at least his gloves would be back to shape soon, but seeing how strong the Phoenix''s flames were. Joe had no hope they would stay intact for long. He sighed, before dragging himself back to his dagger. Joe picked it up before making his way back to the old man.


    [The Time Limit Has Elapsed.]


    [+1 Dungeon Key Has Been Consumed By The Dungeon.]


    [Remaining Dungeon Keys: 0]


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Franklin asked, loking at Joe who was clutching his ribs. ¡°You just lost your chance to exit this layer.¡±


    Joe stood next to the old man a smile brewing on his face. ¡°I''ll be alright. Besides¡­ we both know you can''t kill that thing on your own¡±


    The Dungeon Boss regained its composure as it squeaked in rage.


    Franklin smiled and stepped forward. ¡°I wouldn''t be so sure about that kid. There''s a reason we''re a considered one of the Four Great Families.¡±


    Joe''s eyes dilated as he saw an insane build up of mana coming from the old man''s form. ¡°It''s the same as back then¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me show you the true power of the Amber Family.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Franklin gestured for Joe to stay back. The young man thought about opposing that idea, but ended up going along with it after a few seconds of consideration.


    Joe''s body was a wreck, as much as he tried to bare with it, he knew he was in no condition to fight. The Dungeon Boss had done a number on him and the fact that he was still standing was a testament to his resilience more than anything.


    But the main reason Joe decided to take a step back had nothing to do with his own injuries. It had everything to do with Franklin''s power.


    Through [Outsider¡¯s Perspective] Joe got a hidden view of the old man''s insides. He could see his mana course through multiple intricate tunnels all leading to Franklin''s heart where his mana signature was found. Franklin kept pumping mana through these channels at an incredible rate, when Joe thought the old man was satisfied, he kept on pumping. His mana signature only grew and grew untill it exploded in a bright flash of orange.


    After a few seconds the light dimmed as the old man finally stopped gathering mana. He was now satisfied.


    Flickering like a raging flame Franklin''s mana signature was huge. Joe had no doubt it was by far the largest signature he had ever seen. Even when combining Mikey''s signature with the Frozen Wing Party the gap was night and day.


    This was the second time Joe had seen Franklin in this state. He saw him for a brief moment in the Forest of Nightmares when he annihilated a mana plant in less than a second. But back then Franklin was impossible for Joe to track. He only caught a glimpse of him and even then he was still impressed. Seeing Franklin up close though, was an entirely different experience.


    Franklin''s entire figure was coated in fire. His cloak had turned orange due to the bright glow coming from his form.


    Three white runes from Franklin''s bracelets glowed on either side of his wrists. Their presence not only doubled the size of Franklin''s spear which was now close to the length of his body, but they also made his flames much more controlled and stable. They still flared occasionally but Franklin was clearly the one in control.


    The Dungeon Boss had also began building up mana of its own preparing for its inevitable clash with the old man.


    Joe felt like the odd one out, like he didn''t belong in this battle despite his heart yearning to get involved.


    Joe retrieved a potion from his inventory. He had no way of assisting Franklin as he was right now so he was keen on at least recovering from his injures. If the opening to jump in presented itself he had to be ready.


    [Item: Health Potion]


    Description: A basic healing potion.


    Grade: Common


    Effect: The potion can heal minor injuries like scars, burnmarks and fractured bones.


    Joe peered into the glass vial and saw the glistening crimson liquid sloshing inside. He uncorked the bottle and downed the potion. The liquid slid down his throat as he tossed the container to the side.


    The Health Potion carried a hint of sweetness. It was far more enjoyable than a Mana Potion which was just bland and uninspired.


    A soothing sensation washed over Joe as the potion got to work. The soreness he experienced was washed away as a surge of energy bloomed from within him. Joe could feel his bones slowly piece themselves together and he watched as the burnmarks on his stomach and hands were slowly erased.


    The whole process reminded Joe of Shelly''s [Regeneration] skill but the potion had a much fainter presence in comparison. It was working but not quite at the same level as Shelly''s skill.


    Joe didn''t expect an instant fix but the process was talking far too long. To speed things up, Joe consumed another bottle.


    Strangely everything felt the same even after doubling the dosage. The second potion didn''t seem to help much it just fizzled out while the first one continued to do Its job.


    It was a complete waste.


    Joe didn''t know what he did wrong, was he supposed to wait for the first one to run its course before taking another one? That seemed to be the case. ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Joe exhaled, as he resigned himself to his fate. He allowed the potion to do its just job and just hoped it could pick up the pace. There was nothing more he could do but wait.


    With Joe nursing his injuries, the battle between Franklin and the Dungeon Boss got underway.


    A surge of orange gushed out from both fighters as they bolted towards each other.


    Franklin took aim with his spear before letting it loose. It sizzled through the air as it pierced the wind in search of the Dungeon Boss''s chest.


    The Red Phoenix swerved to its right barely avoiding a catastrophic collision as the spear crackled past its figure. The mana beast looked to compose itself after that narrow escape but before if could blink....


    Franklin had already closed the distance.


    With a katana in hand Franklin performed a diagonal slash aiming to carve into the Phoenix''s chest.


    Flapping its wings the mana beast distanced itself, but it didn''t do so fast enough.


    Franklin''s blade grazed its chest as it ripped through the beast''s feathers.


    The Phoenix screeched in pain as it staggered back. Activating its skill, a surge of fire erupted from the Winged Beast. The flames covered the open wound, sealing it shut after just a few seconds of exposure. [Skill Activation: Flames Of Life]


    Flre flared as the mana beast queaked in rage. The creature blasted towards Franklin, thrusting its beak in relentless assaults.


    Franklin had to call upon a second sword. With dual katanas, the old man held his own. He blocked and deflected each thrust that came his way. Sparks scattered as the Dungeon rumbled at their fierce clash.


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    The Mana Beast reared its head before thrusting again.


    Franklin shielded himself with both swords forming an X formation. He lunged with his dominant foot as he pushed the Dungeon Boss back by swinging his arms.


    The Phoenix lost ground as it shook its head to regain its composure. The bird got off the worse from the exchange, its head was rattled after the countless beak attacks and Franklin had managed to chip off a piece of its beak.


    Despite this, it only took a few seconds for the bird regain its wits.


    The Phoenix looked to keep its eyes on the target but to its surprise Franklin had vanished.


    Darting its eyes, the creature found Franklin closing in from its right.


    The old man was already in mid air, he brought down both his swords looking to deliver a decisive strike.


    The bird called its right wing into action as it defended against the slash. [Skill Activation: Flame Wing]


    A large shockwave pulsed as the two of them clashed.


    Franklin gritted his teeth as he drove both his weapons into the beast''s wing. He made progress in that department as he sliced through a good section of the bird''s appendage.


    The mana beast cried out in pain.


    Swinging its wing wildly, the creature was able to shake Franklin off and send him flying a few meters back.


    Franklin landed hard as his body rolled across the rocky terrain. The sound of breaking bones rippled through the air as one of Franklin''s flaming swords flickered out.


    Frankin halted 10m from where he was launched, he coughed before blood spewed from his mouth. The old man groaned as he tried to reclaim his footing, despite his other sword also threatening to disappear.


    Franklin got on his knees and as he watched the bird trying to heal its wing, he powered through his discomfort and reclaimed his footing.


    His eyes blurred as he stumbled back a few steps. Fortunately, the old man managed to catch himself before he fall. But his legs were wavering threatening to give in at any minute. ¡°I can''t stop, not now. I made a promise that I''d see the princess again. I won''t let it end like this!"


    [8 Years Ago...]


    Franklin approached Bella who was sitting against a tree He was heaving with sweat streaming down his face. ¡°We¡­ can''t¡­. stay¡­ her¡­ for¡­ long princess.¡± The old man said, with deep breaths in between.


    ¡°I''m tired and I''m hungry! I can''t keep going anymore!¡± The young Bella shouted, with tears streaking down her face.


    Franklin smiled faintly before saying, ¡°you''re in luck princess I got you something.¡±


    Bella¡¯s eyes perked up after his words.


    Franklin dug deep into the confines of his cloak before escaping with something wrapped around a brown piece of paper. He took a step forward before giving it to Bella.


    The Princess reached out hesitantly before grabbing it. She unwrapped the paper and found a piece of bread. Bella looked up at Franklin with a hint of disappointment in her eyes. ¡°This is just bread. Where''s the meat? The drink? I can''t eat something like this.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry princess this is all I could get right now. We have to escape the Family''s Territory first, its too risky to use any of the places here right now. Eat up quickly I promise I''ll buy more once we leave the Family''s Territory.¡±


    ¡°And when will that be?¡±


    ¡°Just a few more days princess. You''ll have to hold on untill then.¡±


    Bella frowned before returning to the piece of bread. It was small. She doubted it could last her half a day, let alone a few days. Her stomach grumbled urging her to take a bite. Alas, the princess gave in. She devoured the bread without mercy. It was harder than stone but that didn''t stop her. In just a handful of seconds she had wiped the paper clean, not even letting a few breadcrumbs get away.


    Franklin smiled, before turning around. The princess also got up before whispering something to Franklin who was already walking away.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    The old man caught wind of those words and all he did was smile.


    ¡°Let''s keep going. my princess,¡­¡±


    [Present Day]


    "Just wait for me, Princess."


    Franklin''s flames exploded out of his from. Their intensity and brightness reaching new heights. The old man''s skin started to sizzle as his own flames gradually ate away at his skin. Franklin tightned his grip as both his flaming swords ignited to life. He crouched low with both weapons by his sides before he blazed forward without a second thought.


    The Phoenix was still nursing its wing but had to change focus and turn to the incoming threat that was Franklin. As the distance dwindled, the bird expected another close quarters battle but that wasn''t the case.


    Franklin threw one of his swords directing it to the bird''s small skull. The Phoenix was prepared to jerk its head out of harm''s way when the unexpected happened. The sword lost its shape before exploding in a bright flash of light.


    The Mana beast squealed and staggered back as the light blinded its eyes.


    Franklin invaded the bird''s close quarters in its moment of weakness. He delivered two devastating cuts removing the Phoenix''s right wing.


    The creature squealed as it opened its maw. Franklin charged its chest to deliver the finishing blow.


    But the Dungeon Boss wouldn''t let him, from its mouth the Phoenix unleashed a stream of fire. [Skill Activation: Flame Thrower]


    The skill hit Franklin at point blank range triggering a wide explosion.


    Franklin''s body was catapulted out of the pitch black smoke. His figure hit the surface before rolling back a few meters.


    The old man''s flames flickered out, his skin was left charred beyond belief. His mana signature held on, but it did so by a thread. Frankin''s eyes grew fuzzy as he saw the wounded mana beast escape the dark smoke cloud. The Phoenix opened its beak once again as it prepared the final attack.


    [6 Years ago.]


    Bella leaned against a fractured wall when Franklin came into view.


    ¡°What were you doing? Shouldn''t we keep moving?¡± Bella asked.


    ¡°Well yes, but I got you something.¡± Franklin held out his arms revealing two golden bracelets. ¡°These are high common mana tools. They''re called the Golden Bracelets. They will help you better control your power. And since it''s your birthday today you can think of these as your present.¡± Franklin said with a warm smile.


    The princess was currently strapped with silver bracelets. They were cracked and on the verge of shattering to pieces. Franklin had gotten her these the year before also as a present after her original bracelets showed signs of fatigue.


    Bella looked at the golden bracelets curiously. ¡°Why do you bother giving me these?¡± Bella asked. ¡°It''s not like they''ll do anything. They''ll shatter like all the rest.¡±


    ¡°No these are¡ª¡¯¡±


    ¡°They''re all the same!¡± Bella shouted, cutting him off. ¡°These bracelets will break. They will also not be able to contain my fire. I''ll lose control¡­.. and everyone will end up dead!¡± Bella¡¯s eyes were watery as she fought back her tears. ¡°Just stop it! I don''t want your gifts anymore! Why do you keep wasting everything on me? You''re not my father Franklin!¡± Bella covered her face as her tears finally spilled over.


    Franklin took a step towards Bella, he reached out his hands and took hold of her wrist. ¡°Do I need to be your father to want to make you feel better?¡±


    Bella¡¯s watery eyes widened.


    Franklin removed the cracked silver bracelet and replaced it with the Golden Bracelet. ¡°I know it''s hard princess¡­¡± He took hold of the other wrist and did the same. ¡°But let me help. Let me make things a little easier for you.¡±


    Bella didn''t say a word. Franklin used his thumb to gently wipe the tears from her eyes before turning around.


    ¡°Let''s go, my princess¡­¡±


    [Present Moment.]


    The Mana Beast unleashed its skill and a stream of fire surged towards Franklin''s defenseless figure. ¡°So this is how it ends¡­¡± Franklin''s eyes welled up as his tears threatened to spill out. ¡°Its impossible, I know it is. You''re a princess of one of the Great Families I have no place to desire something like this. But a part of me, a really big part of me, wishes I could''ve been a father to you. I wish I could''ve stripped away your pain, I wish I could''ve wiped away your tears. I wish I could''ve seen your smile... but I guess that''s all they are... just wishes from a really tired old man... I''m sorry, looks like I won''t be able to keep my promise. Forgive me.... Bella."


    ¡°Don''t you dare give up!¡±


    Franklin''s eyes jolted to life.


    Joe''s figure stood in front of him.


    With a swing a vertical swing of his dagger, Joe cut the incoming flames in half causing them to disperse to the sides. [Mana Tool Skill: Flame Severing]


    ¡°You want to see her again don''t you old man? If you want to see your princess again don''t you dare allow yourself to die!¡± Joe reaffirmed his grip on the [Scorching Dagger] his eyes glued to the Dungeon Boss before him.


    ¡°Just hold on old man. I''ll get you to your princess.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Joe threw a glance over his shoulder and found Franklin''s eyes shut. Luckily his mana signature was still visible but barely.


    Franklin''s body was beyond burnt, it was basically humanoid charcoal at this point. How he was still alive was a miracle, most people would be nothing but ashes by now.


    Joe sighed with a heavy heart. ¡°That old man won''t be able to hold on for too long. I have to finish this quickly. The least I can do is get him to see his princess.¡±


    Franklin''s determination and resilience had earned him extra points in Joe''s book. No matter what happened, they were both escaping this Dungeon alive.


    A sharp screech escaped the Dungeon Boss''s beak. The bird was clearly not happy to find Joe dismiss its attack so easily. The Winged had lost a lot of mana during its battle with Franklin and it was still leaking mana as it tried to heal its severed wing. Unfortunately for the Phoenix, things didn''t seem to go its way. Even its healing flames were struggling to reconstruct its missing wing.


    This was an opportunity, and Joe had every intention of making it count.


    He exhaled, as mana bubbled up inside his chest.


    Joe was still not completely healed. His arms and stomach still had recognizable burnmarks but the pain associated with them was no longer there. The same could be said for his ribs, they weren''t one hundred percent fixed but they close.


    [Skill Activation: Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3]


    [-735 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,770]


    [Passive Skill: Weaponry]


    [Total Skill: 92 ¡ú 429]


    [Total Strength: 100 ¡ú 425]


    [Total Speed: 100 ¡ú 376]


    A rush of mana gushed out Joe''s frame. His muscles tensed as they absorbed and took in as much mana as possible. Joe''s aura pressed hard on the surface, marring it with spiderweb cracks. He crouched low expanding the fractures through the shear might of his legs. A smirk drew itself on the young man''s face as he engulfed the [Scorching Dagger] in flames. [Skill Activation: Burn]


    [-105 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,665]


    [Total Skill: 429 ¡ú 509]


    With the crackling fire of his blade and the raging whirlpool of his mana, Joe sprung forward without a second thought. His movement neared untraceable as he devoured the space between him and the Dungeon Boss in moments.


    With a firm grip, Joe brought down his dagger in a swift vertical arc.


    The Dungeon Boss used its left wing to cover itself in a last ditch effort to form a block.


    Unfortunately for the beast, it didn''t work.


    Joe''s dagger bisected the wing in half, dividing it into two separate pieces.


    The mana beast shrilled in pain. Enraged, the beast opened its maw as mana coalesced inside its mouth and as the beast was about to launch its attack.


    A surge of fire pieced through its open beak appearing on the other side of its head. Its built mana destabilized, triggering an abrupt blast inside its own head, aiding to its destruction.


    [Mana Tool Skill: Flame Thrust]


    [-100 Mana Points]


    [Current Mana Pool: 3,565


    [Total Skill: 509 ¡ú 609]


    As the colossal bird fell on its back finally there was blood at last. Joe''s body embraced the liquid as it drenched his figure. The bird thundered to the ground, shaking the entire Dungeon.


    The dust settled and Joe was revealed looming over his defeated foe. And with blood running down his face, the young man was beside himself with joy.


    Finally, it was over.


    [You Have Slain The (Lvl 60) Dungeon Boss ¡®Red Phoenix¡¯]


    [You Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 49 ¡ú 55]


    [+80, 000 Gold Pieces]


    [You Have Cleared The First Layer Of The Scorching Cave Dungeon]


    ? Your Mana Pool Has Been Replenished


    ?? +4 Additional Attribute Points To All Attrubutes


    ?? +1 Dungeon Item


    ?? +4 Potions.


    ?? + 50,000 Additional Gold Pieces.


    [Total Gold Pieces Earned: 210,000]


    As notifications flooded Joe''s mind, his knees buckled under his weight and he slumped to the floor. Nothing was broken but exhaustion was finally rearing its ugly head. He kept his eyes glued to his notification screen as Syr kept the wave of messages coming.


    [The Mana Tool (Scorching Dagger) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase 17 ¡ú 22]


    [The Mana Tool (Scorching Dagger) Has Reached A New Sub Tier]


    [Low Common Mana Tool ¡ú Middle Common Mana Tool]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Unlocked A New Seal]


    [Scorching Dagger Unlocked Seals: 2/ 5]


    [Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger]


    ?? Tier: Middle Common


    ?? Level: 22


    ?? Effect: The Scorching Dagger''s flames are enhanced, adding extra fuel to each and every every attack.


    ?? Boost: +10 Skill Points To All Of The Scorching Dagger''s Skills


    The Scorching Dagger glowed briefly in Joe''s grip after it reached a new Tier. When the light dimmed, the [Scorching Dagger] was spotless. All the blood it harbored was cleansed and replaced by glistening stainless steel. Joe could even see his reflection.


    But that wasn''t all. The [Scorching Dagger] had grown by 5 or 6 cm. It wasn''t a major boost in length but it was noticeable. This was something Joe did not expect since [The Black Blade] was pretty much unchanged after its upgrade. Still, the young man was pleased to see his dagger increase in size, the extended reach could prove vital on the future.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    After a few seconds of tilting the dagger around, Joe stored it in his inventory.


    He then darted his eyes to Syr''s other messages when suddenly a blue glow shrouded his body. The light only lasted for a few seconds before it vanished. What it left behind was a completely restored [Black Sheep] and [Black Gloves] Joe''s damaged equipment was stitched together like nothing happened.


    The tears on the [Black Gloves] were sealed. Joe could feel the increased elasticity when he played with his fingers. The gloves were tighter and tougher than before. Joe even punched the floor for testing and they came out unscathed. Still, Joe wasn''t completely sure they could come out unharmed if he fought something stronger than the ¡®Red Phoenix. Improvement was still Improvement though, so In that regard he was pleased.


    The [Black Sheep] also felt tighter around his body, when Joe stretched the fabric it was more elastic and durable.


    Now the light made sense, his equipment had been upgraded!


    [The Black Sheep Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 9 ¡ú 11]


    [The Black Sheep Has Reached A New Tier]


    [Lower Common ¡ú Middle Common]


    [Equipment Upgrade: Black Sheep]


    ?? Effect: Enhances the fabric of the black blade increasing its durability. The Black Sheep''s ¡®Self Repair¡¯ is enhanced allowing the black blade to stich itself together more efficiently should it be damaged.


    ?? Boost: +10 Defense Points To All Of The Black Sheep''s Skills.


    It was all standard stuff but Joe was happy with it nonetheless.


    [The Black Gloves And Black Boots Have Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase; 8 ¡ú 10]


    [The Black Boots And Gloves Have Reached A New Sub-Tier]


    [Lower Common ¡ú Middle Common]


    [Black Gloves]


    ?? Effect: Enhances the fabric of the black gloves making them much more durable while also giving them an extra boost when attacking. The Black Gloves gain enhanced ¡®Self Repair¡¯ allowing them to stich themselves together quicker should they be damaged.


    ? Boost: +10 Strength Points To The Black Glove''s Skills.


    The effects of the [Black Gloves] and [Black Boots] were pretty much the same with both of them not differing much from the [Black Sheep] but what intrigued Joe was the part about the skill boosts. He expected the [Black Sheep] to have it since it had multiple skills, so he wasn''t surprised. But when he saw it on the [Black Gloves] Joe guessed what had happened, the [Black Gloves] had gained a skill.


    [The Black Gloves Have Unlocked A New Skill]


    [Black Glove Skill: Puncture]


    ?? Effect: Allows the Black Gloves to erect multiple 10cm long spikes from anywhere on the gloves.


    ?? Boost: +30 Strength Points


    Joe got his confirmation and he couldn''t be happier. He looked at his gloves with sparkling eyes and he immediately put [Puncture] to the test. Joe erected as many spikes as he could with both gloves and he got the answers he was searching for.


    As it turned out there was a limit to how many spikes he could create. Based on his testing the limit was 10 for each glove. The spikes came out in every section of the glove and he could move them around pretty easily. Their pointy tips were sharper than needles, giving the skill a deadly edge. Joe could already think of many ingenious ways to put them to good use.


    Joe was disappointed to find the [Black Boots] didn''t gain a skill, but he was able to get over it since [Puncture] was such a cool skill.


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 23 ¡ú 25]


    [The Skill (Outsider''s Perspective) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 7 ¡ú 8]]


    [The Skill (Weaponry) Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 8 ¡ú 10]


    [You Have Unlocked A New Passive Skill (Mana Recovery)


    ?? Effect: Allows you to recover your mana quicker by absorbing the mana around You


    ?? Note: The rate at which you recover mana will double if you remain stationery.


    ?? Boost: +10 Mana Points/ 30 Seconds


    Joe received the usual skill level ups but that''s not where his attention was focused. All his concentration was on his new skill, and upon reading Its contents, his heart fluttered with joy.


    Joe knew almost immediately how valuable this skill was. The ability to recover mana during battle was exactly the kind of thing he needed. If he got the skill to a high enough level, Joe would no longer have to rely on mana potions when things got rough.


    [Updated Attributes]


    [Mana Pool: 6,200 / 6,200


    ? Skill: 110 ¡ú 126 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)


    ? Strength: 107 ¡ú 123 ( +15 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)


    ? Speed: 107 ¡ú 123 (+15 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)


    ? Defense: 84 ¡ú 90 (+30 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)


    ? Mental Strength: 75 ¡ú 81


    Additional Attributes: 8 Additional Attribute Points


    Joe had been waiting for his Attribute Window and it did not disappoint. Seeing his two weakest attributes move closer to triple digits is what brought a satisfied smile to his face. The increase in passive boosts for his equipment was also nice to see.


    ¡°Give 4 points to my defense and mental strength attributes.¡± Joe ordered Syr as he pushed himself back to his feet


    [Updated Attributes]


    ?? Defense: 90 ¡ú 94


    ?? Mental Strength: 81 ¡ú 85


    Joe''s body was doing better than he expected, he had used [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3] for 8 seconds and did not worsen any of his injuries. He expected to break a few bones but instead was only met with mild exhaustion. It was weird, he had been so used to breaking his limbs at this point it felt strange when they didn''t twist and turn after he activated [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement X3] Joe chalked it down to him gaining better control of his skill and it made sense, considering [Outsider¡¯s Enhancement] was no longer a beginner level skill. If he kept X3 to under ten seconds per burst, Joe was confident he could avoid getting himself injured.


    Joe''s eyes fell to the Dungeon Boss''s corpse. He activated [Predator] absorbed the giant Phoenix without much trouble.


    [A (Lvl 60) Mana Beast Core Has Been Added To Your Inventory]


    ¡°Split the core in half and use the pieces to upgrade the Scorching Dagger and Black Blade.¡±


    Syr did just that.


    [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]


    [Level Increase: 25 ¡ú 27]


    [The Scorching Dagger Has Leveled Up


    [Level Increase: 22 ¡ú 25]


    Joe turned around and made his way to Franklin''s sleeping form. On the way, he went through his messages again and that''s when he saw the rewards he received for clearing the first layer. Most of the rewards were pretty average; they were good but nothing to write home about. The reward that piqued Joe''s interest the most was the Dungeon Item and before he could question Syr about it, he was pleasantly surprised.


    [Dungeon Item: Blazing Feather]


    ?? Effect: Boosts the user''s mana and allows them to rapidly heal from injuries related fire. The feathers'' healing capabilities are dependent on the severity of the injury.


    ?? Boost: +100 To Your Defense Attribute


    Syr had learned, he gave Joe the information without him needing to ask.


    Joe read the text Syr provided and he couldn''t believe his eyes. This was exactly the item he needed right now. Joe was starting to develop a theory about how Dungeon Items worked, but he decided to let it rest for the moment.


    He retrieved the Dungeon Item from his inventory when he reached Franklin. The feather was smothered in fire but it didn''t burn Joe''s hands, Joe had no idea if it due to his gloves or that the fire simply wasn''t harmful. Based on the Item''s effect his gut was leaning to the latter.


    Joe knelt on one knee and placed the feather on Franklin''s chest.


    The old man didn''t react, he showed no sign of discomfort and his eyes remained shut.


    Joe stepped back and gave Franklin some space and that seemed to do the trick.


    A bright flash of orange covered the old man''s form. It only lasted 10 seconds before it dimmed and disappeared. In its wake Franklin''s mana signature spiked, but unfortunately the old man''s injuries remained. He was still in the exact same state he was in 10 seconds ago with only the minor jump in his mana signature being the difference.


    Franklin slowly opened his eyes, ¡°don''t bother boy. I''m a lost course.¡± He said, with a hoarse voice. ¡°Most of my injuries aren''t from the Dungeon Boss''s attack. They''re from my own skill.¡±


    ¡°Your own skill?¡±


    ¡°Yes. the skill I used Everblaze is a Forbidden Skill among the members of the Amber Family. It increases the strength of the user''s fire but it also does a number on their body. The flames enhanced by Everblaze are so powerful it is said very few healing skills in the world can reverse Its effects. That''s why It''s a forbidden skill. The minute I overused it, my fate was sealed. Sorry kid¡­. looks like I''m gonna to die here¡­.¡± Franklin closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.


    Joe thought about feeding him a healing potion but based on how Franklin described Everblaze, Joe doubted it would work.


    Joe strode forward. He picked Franklin up despite his protest. He placed the old man on his back and tried to secure him as best as he could.


    The old man''s body scorched Joe''s spine. The heat it exuded was something else. But with [Elemental Block] Joe was able to endure it. That wasn''t the only problem though, Franklin''s body was weak and fragile. It felt like his body could wither away at any moment. Joe did his best to be careful and ensured the old man wasn''t damaged any more than he already was.


    ¡°I may not be able to help this old man but I know who can. Forbidden skill or not, Shelly can help him.¡±


    Joe had absolutely no doubt Shelly could do it, and with them moving on to the next layer to meet up with Shelly and the princess, Franklin just had to hold for a few more seconds.


    [You Have Unlocked The Hidden Layer (The Dead Zone) Transportation To The Hidden Layer Will Now Begin]


    ¡°Wait what? Hidden¡ª¡±


    Before Joe could finish his question a bright light shrouded both him and Franklin and their frames disappeared without a trace.