《The Ethersmith [Runesmithing Progression Fantasy]》


 Chapter 1 - The Last Runesmiths

    ¡°This is Vivi¡¯s work?¡± Jonah asked.


    The mithril longsword was fresh from the forge, still glimmering on the inside. A network of complex veins shone through the sword¡¯s surface. Within flowed a current of ether, strengthening the sword far beyond mithril¡¯s ordinary capabilities. Glyph-like runes on the sword¡¯s hilt identified the weapon as a runesword.


    Vivi kept her head low, heart thumping. Jonah had never taken Vivi¡¯s work seriously. He praised her every time he visited, but that was because he saw her efforts as adorable. Vivi¡¯s swords themselves had never been enough to spark real curiosity within her superiors. This time, however, something was different. Jonah¡¯s carefree mood turned serious as he examined Vivi¡¯s sword.


    Jonah lowered the sword. He grinned. ¡°You crazy imps. Since when could little Viv fit three runes into one sword?¡±


    A rush of satisfaction flowed through Vivi. She let her smile out, forgetting the months of exhaustion and failed projects leading up to the success. Her runeswords were finally respectable products, not merely practice pieces to sink money into.


    Three runes. She¡¯d really done it. Historically, three-runed swords had defended humanity from the worst of ether storms. Legendary fighters had fought catastrophic monsters with nothing but swordsmanship and ether-fueled runeswords. Up until a hundred years ago, runeswords had been the ether hunters¡¯ weapon of choice.


    These days, a three-runed sword was barely worth anything at all. Runeswords were considered out-dated novelties, made obsolete by Yhtar¡¯s spirit blades¡ªweapons that the hunters believed were more potent at killing monsters. Vivi¡¯s new sword probably wouldn¡¯t see any use at all. Still, Vivi felt good to finally succeed. The last time she hit a milestone of two runes was four years ago.


    How long had she been runesmithing for now? Fifteen years?


    Grandpa Thom laughed on the opposite end of the small smithery. He sat on an anvil next to the furnace. Smoldering coals crackled within. Beside him was a bucket receiving water droplets from a leaky ceiling. ¡°She still has a long way to go,¡± Grandpa said with a deep voice beneath his beard. ¡°Three runes is nothing these days. I managed five last year. I¡¯m close to fitting six.¡±


    Jonah rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re on another level, Thom. We know that. The ancient dwarves themselves struggled to fit more than three runes. Vivi is on par with legends. I¡¯d say that deserves a celebration.¡±


    ¡°Vivi¡¯s swords are far better than the dwarves'' outside-carved crap,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°At this pace, she¡¯ll surpass your skills. How¡¯s your smithery doing anyway?¡±


    Jonah¡¯s grin faded. He sat down on Grandpa¡¯s creaky old couch and poured himself a cup of tea. Jonah appeared much more sophisticated than usual. He had arrived in Fellwater by a personal horse carriage, wearing a white woolen sweater and a fine leather coat. He didn¡¯t appear rich by any means, but today¡¯s runesmiths couldn¡¯t afford horses or new clothes. Vivi and Grandpa could barely afford to leave their smithery at all, lest they risk going bankrupt. Jonah had earned ether somehow.


    ¡°Who is your buyer?¡± Grandpa asked. ¡°I knew there was still money in the craft. Runesmithing is far from dead. If your lazy swords can sell well, so can mine.¡±


    Jonah looked away awkwardly. ¡°No, Thom. My swords aren¡¯t selling at all. You¡¯re stealing all of the business.¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°I sell a sword a month for a few hundred ether. Does this shack look like the home of someone who earns a lot of money?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to put this, Thom,¡± Jonah said. ¡°You¡¯re the best runesmith still active on the surface. But you¡¯re also the only runesmith still forging swords for a living. Ellandor is the last customer actively buying swords today, and he won¡¯t work with anyone but you.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°I know you¡¯re just as passionate about runesmithing. How are you riding around with horses and servants if I¡¯m the one stealing business?¡±


    Jonah sat still, clutching onto his teacup. ¡°I quit runesmithing. I¡¯m a merchant these days. Those aren¡¯t servants; they¡¯re my coworkers. We¡¯re selling salts and spices.¡±


    Grandpa blinked. Then he frowned, as if he¡¯d been betrayed. Vivi paused as well. Jonah was one of the best runesmiths she knew next to Grandpa himself. Jonah used to visit often. He had been there from the start, pioneering the newly invented inside-carving technique.


    ¡°I¡¯m still carving runes as a hobby,¡± Jonah said. ¡°But the craft is no longer profitable. I¡¯m sorry if this upsets you, but I have a daughter to support. Runesmithing doesn¡¯t bring in the money. It just doesn¡¯t. We joined the craft too late. Runesmithing died long ago.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Grandpa said far more calmly than what Vivi would have expected from his usual temper. ¡°After we¡¯ve worked so hard? All there is to do is prove the potential of our swords to one rich idiot, and we¡¯re set for life. You¡¯re still running away?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rooting for you,¡± Jonah said. ¡°But I can¡¯t take the risk. Neither of us can live through another year of poverty.¡±


    Jonah glanced at Vivi, and she knew exactly what was on his mind. Vivi and Grandpa needed money too. How exactly did Grandpa expect to earn fifteen thousand ether to pay Vivi out of debt? Her eighteenth birthday was looming ever so closer, while their smithery earned less and less by the year.


    Grandpa took a deep breath. He glanced down, and shadows formed over his eyes. Vivi and Jonah stood in uncomfortable silence.


    Suddenly, Grandpa slammed his fist at the wall behind him. The shack shook.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Grandpa said. ¡°There is no way Runesmithing has become such a joke. The ancient dwarves earned millions of ether selling their garbage swords, and humanity fought the surges with those damn things. My swords are five times more efficient; there is no way today¡¯s hunters couldn¡¯t use them.¡±


    ¡°The spirit blades can apparently¡ª¡± Jonah was about to say.


    ¡°Screw the spirit blades!¡± Grandpa shouted. He stood up and took a step toward Jonah. ¡°I¡¯ve got fifteen thousand ether to make here. I¡¯ll challenge one of those hunters to a duel if that¡¯s what it takes. Maybe then the rich assholes will see the true potential of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Vivi called. She stood between her two idiotic role-models.


    Grandpa bit his lip and sat back down, though he didn¡¯t look any happier.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t slept all day,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Can I rest without thinking about dying for a minute? If you two want to argue about my curse, go ahead, but say it straight. I¡¯m not so young and fragile that reminding me of my fate will suddenly turn me into a crying puddle.¡±


    Both adults went silent. Jonah sipped his drink awkwardly, while Grandpa scowled at the ground. Grandpa wanted to earn ether more than anyone, to pay Vivi out of the debt she¡¯d been born in.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Ether was the currency of life itself, present in all living things from plants and insects to humans. Every human, from ordinary farmers to the legendary fighters of the underground, carried wisps of ether within their souls. For any magical beings, ether was the fuel that powered abilities. Runeswords, too, used ether to offer their wielders superhuman capabilities.


    Non-magical beings, such as the boring humans present in the smithery now, used wisps of ether merely as a currency of money. A single wisp could purchase food for a small family for a day or two. The number of ether written in one¡¯s soul was directly proportional to the worth they provided within their societies.


    To fall anywhere near zero was considered a death sentence. An adolescent soul was allowed into debt to allow for growth, but once a human grew above eighteen years old and their soul developed into a full ether core, a negative number would starve the soul. A full core required ether much like a stomach required food.


    Vivi¡¯s soul hadn¡¯t been in the positives a single time in her life. She was born as a cursed child, indebted well into the thousands.


    ¡°What day is it today?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°The hunters are holding the examinations on the fifteenth, right?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°The hunters are free to shove their spirits up their asses.¡±


    Vivi gave him a look.


    Jonah sighed. ¡°Today¡¯s the sixteenth. Townsfolk wore suits today. A lot of people were gathering in the chapel.¡±


    ¡°The hunters are late, then,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°Fellwater never wears suits. Except when they have a chance to earn spirits.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s heart thumped. She quickly took off her smithing apron and put on her gray raincoat. ¡°I might still have time.¡±


    ¡°You want to watch the event?¡± Grandpa asked. He sounded confused.


    Of course not, Vivi thought. Examination day was one of the most miserable events to exist. The day was like a festival turned into a competition of whose kid could dress and act the most extravagantly. The richest teen had a small chance of earning a spirit, while the poor kids were buried with insults and shame.


    Still, Vivi had something she wished to do. She grabbed a scabbard from Grandpa¡¯s shelf. The scabbard wasn¡¯t a perfect fit for her newly crafted sword, but it held the sword well enough. She put on her boots and opened the door, then said, ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Chill misty air waited outside. Vivi closed the door behind her and faced Fellwater¡¯s endless dark clouds. The worn-down smithery stood atop a small hill half a mile from town. The view down was free of trees and obstacles, though obscured by fog. Lights from windows shone below. The brightest was Ythar¡¯s church, with its reflective spire rising all the way to Vivi¡¯s eye-level.


    Vivi tightened the raincoat¡¯s hood around her head and began the trot. The paths were muddy and covered with puddles, as always. The clouds weren¡¯t currently pouring rain, but drizzles were so common on the surface that townsfolk wore raincoats as their everyday attire. The surface didn¡¯t suffer from deadly ether storms and monsters like the lower levels of the underground, but surface dwellers loved to complain about the rain regardless.


    Jonah¡¯s carriage was parked at the bottom of the hill. A two-legged rain canopy had been hung up, one end connected to the carriage and the other on the ground. Inside, a man in a distinguished coat took a puff of a pipe. He frowned in Vivi¡¯s direction as she passed.


    Her eyes wandered down toward the muddy path. Outside the smithery, Vivi was no longer a hard-working runesmith who spent months upon months holed up to achieve results. Down here, Vivi was a cursed child. Fellwater¡¯s biggest embarrassment. An orphan of a crazed runesmith who lived secluded on his little hill.


    ¡°Oh shit, look who that is,¡± a voice called. ¡°Vivian goddamned Runeblessed?¡±


    Vivi flinched. She lifted her head to see Bero and Jude. The twins looked even more self-serving than usual, wearing their ironed green suits. Jude carried a wide umbrella that spanned almost the entire path. Of course, they stood far to the side, where Vivi couldn¡¯t use their shade. To share one¡¯s umbrella with another was considered a gesture of respect and kindness. Fellwater¡¯s teens had decided Vivi was allergic to receiving those.


    ¡°Yo, Viv,¡± Jude said. ¡°How¡¯s the smithery running?¡±


    ¡°Not fucking well, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Bero said. He peered at her, as if pretending to look into her soul. ¡°Yep, still fifteen thousand in debt. Or has she perhaps become rich? Is that why she¡¯s walking toward the examinations?¡±


    Jude let out a smirk. His left eye was hidden beneath freshly cleaned hair as he stared ahead. Jude had always been someone who left Vivi alone. He studied to become an ether scientist. A profession that runesmiths had always respected a lot. Jude had an insane amount of studies on his shoulders, and he was taking his future seriously. Vivi figured he didn¡¯t have time to bully her along with everyone else.


    But he still laughed whenever someone made a joke at Vivi¡¯s expense.


    ¡°What about you two, then?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Are you planning to get chosen? Do you dress well because you seriously believe you¡¯re going to earn a spirit this year?¡±


    Bero grimaced. ¡°Perhaps we will. Maybe we will not. What does it matter to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you,¡± Vivi said. If you¡¯re chosen, the hunters will take you to the underground. You¡¯ll never come back.


    ¡°Sure you are,¡± Bero said. ¡°You better be.¡±


    ¡°I doubt she meant it for real,¡± Jude said.


    ¡°I very much meant it,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s a respectable dream, dying to some disgusting monster in the name of defending humanity.¡±


    ¡°Ah, really?¡± Bero asked with a frown. He lifted his sleeve, as if intending to grab Vivi.


    Jude held a hand in front of him. ¡°Stop. Remember what we¡¯re wearing.¡±


    Bero clicked his teeth, but kept his frown on Vivi. If he were to run after Vivi, mud would splash all over his suit. He and Jude had to walk slowly to only get their feet dirty. Boots were designed to be cleaned of mud. Suits and fabric less so.


    Luckily, Vivi¡¯s raincoat was immune to mud damage. She sped up the pace, deciding she¡¯d talked enough with the two.


    Nervousness remained in her head. In a world where monsters attacked humanity from underground, ether storms pillaging cities, every human needed to make themselves useful one way or another. The most honorable profession was, of course, to fight monsters directly; guardsmen were always needed, and the ether hunters were worshiped.


    If one couldn¡¯t fight, they were expected to earn ether and assist humanity through their professions. Vivi and Grandpa were runesmiths. This was how Vivi made herself useful¡ªby spending night after night at the smithery, carving runes, forging metal to craft the most powerful weapon she possibly could.


    But what use were runesmiths when the fighters believed her weapons to be jokes?


    The muddy path turned to stone as Vivi entered the town centre. Fellwater¡¯s infrastructure was far richer than Grandpa¡¯s old smithery. Houses had sturdy brick foundations and tiled roofs; at the very least steel plates to protect the insides from rain. Canopies and patios were spread all across for rain cover. Some streets were protected with a roof all-throughout. Fellwater almost had more patios than houses.


    The town¡¯s name came directly from God Emperor Ythar. Fellwater was one of his many blessed towns; so long as the name was kept, Fellwater would retain a decent level of wealth no matter how lazy the citizens became.


    The blessing also ensured frequent visitors from the examiners and ether hunters. Every few years, Ythar¡¯s cities and towns were scouted for potential candidates. Chosen candidates would earn one of Ythar¡¯s spirits, and thus a spirit blade. The chosen one would then descend down to the lower levels of the underground, where they defended humanity from deadly monsters for a living. The underground was where ether was earned directly from the source, by defeating endless hordes of ethereal monsters.


    Most of everyone dreamed of being chosen by the hunters. Boys in Fellwater practiced the sword alongside their real careers in hopes of one day being chosen by the legends. Girls read and memorized spell books as a common hobby.


    Of course, the hunters were rich. Certainly rich enough to buy Vivi out of debt.


    Ythar¡¯s church loomed ahead. Boys in fresh suits and girls in dresses were wiping their boots free of mud on the terrace. The younger children wore nervous expressions. Those near Vivi¡¯s age walked in with smiles, treating the event more as an opportunity to show off their best outfits. After being declined the first few times, most teens accepted that being chosen wasn¡¯t as simple as dreaming really hard.


    Vivi took a deep breath outside the terrace. She wasn¡¯t dressed well like the others; the raincoat was the best outfit she owned. Her hands smelled of metal, and she hadn¡¯t bathed in days. Her ether reserves read well into the negatives. A cursed child such as her had absolutely zero chance of being chosen.


    She wasn¡¯t intending to be chosen. Vivi had other qualities to make herself valuable to the richest hunters in all of the underground.


    She clutched the handle of her runesword hidden beneath her raincoat, then stepped onto the terrace, fully intending to clear her debt once and for all.

 Chapter 2 - The Spirit

    ¡°Stop,¡± a tall man said before the doors. Davenn, Breta¡¯s father. He was one of the town¡¯s priests, wearing a dark blue priestly robe. He regarded Vivi with a scowl. ¡°The church is a sacred ground. Filth is not allowed in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will clean my boots,¡± Vivi said. She grabbed a towel from her pocket and wiped down her boots before dipping them into a bowl of water beside the doors. Then, she wiped the boots dry with another towel.


    Davenn stood there, looking unimpressed. ¡°What are you doing here, Vivian?¡±


    None of your business, Vivi thought. Two kids entered the church beside her. Davenn didn¡¯t ask them a single question, letting them right through. Vivi had the urge to say something very stupid.


    Instead, she said, ¡°I just need to get examined. Examination day is the only opportunity to do that for free. Every teen is supposed to be allowed in.¡±


    ¡°My job is to stop trouble from arriving,¡± Davenn said. ¡°I am only being realistic by doubting you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait in the back, and I won¡¯t talk to anyone,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m here to be examined. The rules say that you¡¯re not allowed to stop anyone from being examined.¡±


    Davenn sighed. Behind her, Bero and Jude were catching up to her. Vivi really didn¡¯t want to continue the argument.


    Luckily, Davenn stepped out of the way. ¡°Don¡¯t cause a scene, Vivi.¡±


    She thanked him and quickly entered the church. God Ythar¡¯s statue smiled down at her from behind the altar. The statue depicted him as a regular man, though unnaturally handsome and gigantic. The statue reached nearly to the roof. Vivi had been forced to kneel and pray underneath the statue many times after she¡¯d done anything even slightly prohibited.


    A group of five girls were gathered in a ring at the entrance. They all wore makeup and dresses. Not noble-rich gowns, but colored clothes nonetheless. The types of clothes that made them feel like they owned the world. Vivi received a quippy remark as she passed. She kept her head low, ignoring the group.


    Examinations were being held away from the praying room, and inside the courtyard to the side. Vivi entered the cloister, finding the canopied courtyard crowded with suits and dresses. Nearly all of Fellwater¡¯s teens were present, as well as a few parents who couldn¡¯t trust their respective idiots to behave.


    The glowing ether hunter stood in the very middle, on top of a platform alongside her ominous urn.


    The woman was the new examiner. Serena Goldbridge. She was a regal woman with a true blessed surname. Her silver hair glowed, and her skin was twice as smooth as her age would normally allow. She wore a swordmaiden¡¯s battle dress and a protective rain cloak. The dress alone likely cost hundreds of ether. A true ether hunter.


    Beside Serena fluttered a blue translucent ether spirit. The spirit glimmered like a speck of light inside the thick fog of the surface air. In this form, the spirit looked like a gust of wind or a wisp of colorful smoke. Spirits, however, could choose their physical forms. The spirit sat on Serena¡¯s shoulder, forming the shape of a winged girly elf.


    The spirit smiled at Helena, the girl currently being examined. ¡°Three hundred and sixty ether.¡±


    ¡°A respectable sum,¡± Serena said. ¡°Thank you for coming.¡±


    The words implied a dismissal. Helena bowed, then joined back with her group. She looked nervous.


    Ollo Han¡¯s Son entered next. He was a burly boy with the thick arms of a trained carpenter. Last Vivi had heard, Ollo was a few hundred ether in the positive. He had a nice future on the surface, though the spirits certainly wouldn¡¯t choose him. Most children in their village were mediocre. Only one of them would be chosen to become an ether hunter. The bare minimum a candidate realistically required was ether in the high three digits and existing skills in combat.


    If Serena truly believed one of them was worthy, the chosen one would form a tie with the loose spirit inside Serena¡¯s special urn, becoming a spirit wielder. The process after that was too complicated for Vivi to care about, but she knew the gist of things. New spirit wielders were always recruited by hunting guilds or companies. In this case, the wielder would gain the ¡°Goldbridge¡± surname, and they would sign a contract with Goldbridge to become a pawn of the most profitable business in the world¡ªdefending humanity from monsters.


    While Ollo was being dismissed, Vivi forced her way past the crowd, pushing people out of the way. She received glares and insults, of course. The boys would give her hell for her stunt after the examinations were done. Vivi didn¡¯t care. She wasn¡¯t about to spend any more time watching than was necessary.


    She walked right past everyone, directly onto the examination platform.


    Serena¡¯s smile dropped. Her spirit tilted its head at Vivi, looking confused. Vivi stood as tall as she could, but her heart was beating. She wouldn¡¯t get chosen, of course she wouldn¡¯t, but she needed to make a good impression. For Grandpa, and their smithery.


    ¡°Go on, examine her,¡± Serena said.


    The spirit complied. Its form changed back to the windy wisps. It fluttered around Vivi, examining every inch of her body. Vivi felt a tickle in her soul, until the spirit sat back on its owner¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Vivian Runeblessed? Runeblessed?¡± The spirit looked even more confused than before. ¡°But¡­ You aren¡¯t blessed? How do you have a name?¡±


    Vivi tried not to wince. She bowed as gracefully as her untrained self could manage. ¡°Forgive my parents¡¯ namesense. I am as embarrassed as you are. People call me Vivi.¡±


    The spirit cocked its head. ¡°Embarrassed? Why?¡±


    ¡°The girl¡¯s name is fake,¡± Serena said with a sigh. ¡°Her lineage isn''t blessed by Ythar. Her name was created through her parents¡¯ imagination. Thus, it is fake. She bears no blessings.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the spirit said, staring at Vivi with curiosity. ¡°What a cursed little being.¡±


    Vivi kept her head low with honest respect. As rude as the examiners were, Serena Goldbridge was an ether hunter. A living legend; a hero who defended the lower levels from monsters.


    ¡°Common names are meaningless either way,¡± Serena said. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to belittle her parents¡¯ mistakes. Tell me, how much ether does her core carry?¡±


    ¡°She has minus fifteen thousand ether,¡± the spirit said nonchalantly.


    Serena blinked. ¡°Minus?¡±


    ¡°What, is that the wrong word?¡± the spirit asked. ¡°She has Fifteen thousand ether less than zero.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen thousand?¡± Serena gushed.


    The spirit frowned and peered into Vivi¡¯s soul again. ¡°Negative fifteen thousand, and on the dot.¡±


    Serena watched Vivi in disbelief. Most likely, the examiner had never met anyone as thoroughly nailed to rock bottom as Vivi. Even the poorest of orphans were typically marked at a few ether in the positive.


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Serena asked. ¡°I have never seen debt beyond a few dozen ether.¡±


    ¡°I was born like this,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Nobody knows how it happened.¡±


    Serena looked doubtful. Any hints of sympathy on her expression were quickly evolving to an appalled scowl. ¡°How old are you, girl?¡±


    ¡°Seventeen years, and one month,¡± Vivi said with a bow.


    Serena gave her a look, then said what they were both thinking. ¡°You have eleven months to live, then.¡±


    Vivi made herself look confident. Serena didn¡¯t appear totally evil. The hunter hadn¡¯t called Vivi a cursed child like the rest. Perhaps she would hear Vivi¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Serena said. ¡°I can offer no help, lest you request me to end your suffering prematurely. The collapse of one¡¯s soul is not a pleasant way to die.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come to the examination unprepared,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I came here to make myself useful.¡±


    Serena furrowed her brows. ¡°You will never become a spirit wielder. No spirit in the world would wish to live inside a core as deprived as yours. I cannot help you. Step aside, girl. The examinations must continue.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on becoming a hero,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Anyone else in our village is more qualified to wield spirits. I wish to offer my skills in another profession. Please take a look at this.¡± From the hidden scabbard beneath her raincoat, Vivi pulled out her three-runed runesword. She lay it horizontally on her hands and showcased it to Serena.


    Serena frowned. ¡°A runesword?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my creation. I am a runesmith of fifteen years,¡± Vivi said. Her heart raced, words heavy. She had planned to do this for a long time. Once she finally crafted a three-runed sword, Vivi knew her skills were good enough to make herself useful to the hunters. ¡°I know runesmithing isn¡¯t as popular as it used to be. The traditional outside-carved runeswords were surpassed by spirit blades long ago. However, my Grandpa and I have made a revelation.¡±


    Serena didn¡¯t look all too happy, but the look indicated Vivi could continue.


    ¡°Inside-carved runeswords,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Our runeswords use a new method that utilizes nearly a hundred percent of a wielder¡¯s ether. The veins of our runeswords are not carved with lines on the surface of the sword. Instead, the veins are inside the sword. The new method ensures that close to a hundred percent of a wielder¡¯s ether goes to strengthening the metal. The method is far more efficient than the ancient dwarves¡¯ technique. I am certain my three-runed sword will rival the power of spirit blades.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Serena¡¯s spirit fluttered around the sword, staring at the circular runes on the surface sword. Serena herself offered a disgruntled scowl. ¡°You seek employment, then?¡± she asked. ¡°A useless hope. Runesmithing is a dead profession. A revelation or two will not bring the profession out from its grave. Nobody will pay a fraction for your work. If you were the best runesmith in the world, perhaps a history freak would keep you around as a novelty. But to earn fifteen thousand ether in eleven months simply is not going to happen. I am sorry, but you have wasted your time.¡±


    ¡°I am looking to survive,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But I don¡¯t ask you for fifteen thousand ether. I have just one request. Try my sword, please. Take a practice swing.¡±


    Serena looked as if she had been insulted. ¡°Get out of here, girl. You are dismissed.¡±


    Vivi stood tall. ¡°Please. I just need five seconds of your time. Try filling the sword with ether. You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±


    Serena stared at her, a dismissive look on her face. ¡°You are dismissed.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s throat felt heavy. What was wrong with this woman? She wouldn¡¯t even try the sword out?


    ¡°I am also an alchemist, and I¡¯m trained in the arts,¡± Vivi blurted out. She had spent a year¡¯s worth of free time doodling and mixing ingredients, hoping she miraculously gained skills in a field that could possibly lead her to a life outside debt. ¡°On top of runesmithing, I can brew tier three potions, and I can show you my sketchbook if¡ª¡±


    ¡°Irrelevant,¡± Serena said. ¡°Tier three potions sell for less than their cost. An alchemist must brew, at minimum, tier four potions in their sleep if they wish to earn enough to live. Art will bring you even less. You are dismissed, child. Get out of my sight before your bad luck spreads.¡±


    Vivi gulped away the awful feeling in her throat. She had expected negotiations to go this way. Yet, this was the last chance she had. If the hunters didn¡¯t want her, who would? The hunters had more than enough ether to save her life; she knew they did. ¡°Please¡­¡± she pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m eager to learn any skill you teach. If you employ me, I will remain loyal for life. I will do anything you ask. All I ask is for you to try my sword. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll never come back.¡±


    Serena sighed. Then, she performed something that made Vivi freeze on the spot. The hunter called her powers. The spirit flew as a wisp into Serena¡¯s chest. Her body lit up with the glow of ether. A bright blue translucent sword formed in her hand. Her spirit materialized into a sharp blade.


    With one effortless swipe, Serena cut Vivi¡¯s runesword in half. The halves fell to the ground with clanks that stopped Vivi¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You practice an outdated craft, dear,¡± Serena said, as if the result was only inevitable. ¡°Spirit blades are far superior to any smithed blade. Snapping your sword was laughably easy.¡±


    Of course it snapped; it wasn¡¯t imbued with ether! Vivi cried in her thoughts, but was too shocked to speak out loud. What had just happened?


    ¡°Nobles spend large sums for the privilege of education,¡± Serena said. ¡°There is no teacher in the world that will pay fifteen thousand ether for an apprentice. I am sorry, but you are useless.¡±


    Vivi stood frozen, dumbfounded. She knew this was her last chance. If she couldn¡¯t convince the hunters of her worth now, how would she ever earn fifteen thousand ether? The hunters wouldn¡¯t come back in another year¡ªnobody but them owned sums large enough to free Vivi from debt. By then, she¡¯d already be dead.


    ¡°You are dismissed, child,¡± Serena repeated. Her words were emphasized with a deathly scowl.


    Vivi sniffled back her tears. She had nothing else to argue with. She picked up the snapped pieces of her sword, then rushed out of Serena¡¯s sight, her eyes facing the ground. The boys of the village snickered, holding back laughter as she passed. They acted like proper men while wearing their fancy jackets and undershirts. Their usual barrage of insults would flow freely once the examiners were out of town.


    Vivi slumped down by a column at the quiet-corner of the cloister. The examinations continued in the central garden underneath a rain-canopy. She buried her face in her knees, failing to keep her tears in. She wanted to run home and crawl in a hole, yet how would she explain this to Grandpa? The sword she had spent weeks crafting was snapped in half. Would Grandpa continue to house her, knowing she would die within a year?


    He would, Vivi knew. Grandpa had always supported her, having raised Vivi after her real mother¡ªwhoever she was¡ªabandoned her baby in a ditch. Vivi had been nameless and indebted when Grandpa found her. Neither red flag seemed to phase Grandpa.


    Ever since then, Grandpa was seen as mad by the rest of the village. He became an outlier of society, just like Vivi. His obsession with runesmithing certainly bordered insanity. Perhaps it was the same madness that made him adopt a baby fifteen thousand ether in debt. The profession barely provided food to the table with a dozen hours of work every day, let alone covering Vivi¡¯s debt.


    Maybe if I ran from home to practice alchemy, Vivi thought, I¡¯d have enough time to learn a profession that earned money. Maybe if I learned to brew tier four potions¡­ But Serena had said her alchemy wasn¡¯t needed. Who would pay fifteen thousand ether for a mediocre alchemist?


    ¡°Vivian Runeblessed, huh?¡± a mocking voice said from ahead. ¡°We almost forgot how ridiculous your real name is.¡±


    Vivi raised her head to find four boys standing over her. The one who spoke was Frien, a tall boy who spent most of his hours drinking stolen booze and causing trouble. Beside him stood Bero, Ollo, and Jude.


    Their Insults weren¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. Vivi looked away. Any other day, she would have had an insult prepared for this bunch. Yet, today she couldn¡¯t bring herself to fight back. She wished to run off and never speak to anyone again.


    Vivi¡¯s lack of reaction seemed to piss off the boys. ¡°Hmph,¡± Bero said. ¡°Wasteful as usual. You¡¯re as fragile as your sword, Viv. You¡¯re lucky Ythar will be reaping you out of here in a year. The village will finally hold a celebration in your name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy that sword off of you for a couple ether,¡± Fren said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯d be glad to help out an unfortunate family business. Orphan business, should I say.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s too much,¡± Bero said. ¡°A fraction is what we¡¯ll offer. One tenth of an ether.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for sale¡­¡± Vivi muttered.


    ¡°Oh, is that how it is?¡± Bero grinned and knelt down and grabbed the hilt side of the snapped sword. ¡°How kind of you; I¡¯ll be taking it for free, then.¡±


    Grandpa will want to melt that for the metals¡­ Vivi thought. She stayed slumped as Bero awaited a reaction. Bero could have the sword for now; she¡¯d only embarrass herself fighting four boys for it. She would simply have to retrieve the sword later from whichever ditch Bero threw it in.


    Behind the boys, utter silence paused whatever insult Bero was about to throw. Serena was examining Tara Fellwater. The woman¡¯s auburn hair was tied in a flower-adorned bun, face covered in make-up, wearing a real swordmaiden¡¯s dress. Tara was the Chief¡¯s daughter. The only girl in the village with a real surname, named after the village itself, and blessed by Ythar.


    The group of boys forgot Vivi, staring as Serena''s spirit fluttered around Tara¡¯s perfect body. Every boy Vivi knew had a crush on Tara, though their chances of courting her were as low as defeating her with the sword. Chief Fellwater intended for his daughter to become an ether hunter. Tara had no backup profession. Her future relied solely on being chosen by a spirit. With the Chief¡¯s subsidies and training, the dream was almost inevitable.


    After the examination, Serena offered a satisfied smile. She spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Tara Fellwater. You are the finest candidate I have seen in two years. 2350 ether. A remarkable sum, with the skills to add. Does anyone in this village carry better prospects?¡±


    The village stayed silent.


    Serena nodded. ¡°In that case, we will skip the rest of the examinations. Tara Fellwater, you are chosen.¡±


    The village cheered and clapped. Some were half-hearted and filled with jealousy, but everyone clapped. Everyone but Vivi, who hid slumped behind the boys. I¡¯m dead¡­ she thought. The curse will eat me alive¡­


    Tara would leave the village within a week. Everyone who had a crush on her would have to find a new idol. Fellwater would hold one last farewell feast, during which Vivi would act as a punching bag for everyone whose moods needed repair. She¡¯d sleep her wounds off in tears before getting back to work the next day, likely to craft yet another runesword that Grandpa knew would make them rich.


    As the cheers calmed down, Serena twisted open the spirit urn. The final step before Tara could be called an ether hunter was to form a tie with the spirit. Vivi had seen the ritual done a dozen times before during the examinations of the previous years. Magical as it was, she almost didn¡¯t want to watch.


    She watched anyway. A red translucent, cat-like figure flew off from the urn. It floated like a feather for a moment before stretching with all pawns. It yawned audibly before its figure materialized into a solid, still translucent, spirit.


    It stared at Tara, who smiled with that beautiful face of hers. The spirit didn¡¯t look impressed.


    ¡°A piglet?¡± It asked. An annoyed boy¡¯s voice. ¡°You want me to form a tie with this runt?¡±


    Serena raised her eyebrows. ¡°She does not please you?¡±


    The cat-spirit frowned, spinning around Tara¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t like her. Sooo don¡¯t like her.¡±


    Serena looked troubled, as if this had never happened before.


    ¡°I¡¯m not forming a tie with her,¡± the spirit said.


    ¡°Please reconsider,¡± Serena said. ¡°Ythar¡¯s law requires spirits to choose the most competent fighter to defend humanity from storms. This human is the best choice by far. You are obliged to work with her.¡±


    ¡°Whaaat? That¡¯s stupid!¡± the spirit said. ¡°I¡¯m not working with her. I think I should be allowed to choose for myself.¡±


    ¡°Ythar¡¯s law¡ª¡± Serena said, scowling, but was broken off when the cat-spirit took flight.


    The cat flew to the closest boy in the audience and examined him. ¡°Ugly,¡± it said, then flew to the next. ¡°Even uglier. And you¡¯re even worse! I hate all of you!¡±


    Serena and her spirit ran after the spirit. The cat fluttered around and laughed, as if this was some game. It continued examining each and every villager, each time with an insult in hand. ¡°Runt, too dog-like, smelly, weak, frail¡­¡±


    The insults continued until the cat flew to Bero and Jude. It stared at the brothers with a frown. ¡°Ew. Just ew. Disgusting. You two are awful.¡±


    The two stood stiff in disbelief, uncertain what they could say. Arguing with a spirit was not a good idea. Everyone knew this. Even Bero and Jude were forced to accept the insults without any hopes of fighting back.


    The spirit hopped over Bero¡¯s shoulder, then floated by Vivi. Its orange eyes gazed into hers. Vivi blinked, heart racing. The cat gazed into her soul. ¡°Now, this is interesting.¡±


    Soon enough Serena caught up. ¡°No!¡± Serena said. ¡°This child is fifteen thousand ether in debt. Both of you will be cursed for eternity. Your powers will be diminished to nothing.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm,¡± the cat said. Its whiskers fanned, as if in excitement.


    The cat spun around Vivi in genuine curiosity. Vivi didn¡¯t move a muscle, afraid to death of what was happening to her. She was prepared for an insult to come; laughter from the spirit before it chose Tara, after all. As Serena had said, a spirit should never choose Vivi. Spirits shared their powers with their wielders, drawing power from the human¡¯s reserves. Vivi didn¡¯t have any ether to compliment a spirit¡¯s powers. She would be useless as an ether hunter.


    The cat flew high, leaving Vivi. She breathed in relief. This was for the best. She did not wish to bear the responsibilities of a spirit wielder.


    The cat, high in the now-rainy air, turned around. It dove head-first towards the ground.


    Then its flight arched directly to Vivi¡¯s chest. The spirit¡¯s body dissolved into her raincoat. Her senses went black for a moment before feeling a new presence inside her head. It was as if something had invaded her brain.


    ¡°Cursed runesmith,¡± the spirit¡¯s amused voice resounded directly inside Vivi¡¯s head. ¡°I choose you.¡±

 Chapter 3 - Ether Hunter

    Everyone had their eyes on Vivi. Sheer bafflement filled faces. Vivi had been chosen? Fellwater¡¯s cursed child, the useless runesmith, chosen by the legends? Out of everyone, Vivi was the one to become an ether hunter? How was that possible? Was it a dream?


    That was what Vivi herself was thinking, at least. Why me? Why would I ever get chosen!


    ¡°Simple,¡± the spirit responded, speaking inside her head. Vivi felt a smirk from its tone. ¡°You¡¯re interesting. I like you. Our adventures will be amusing, I know already.¡±


    Amusing? Vivi thought. The spirit, it seemed, could read her thoughts. My life is not entertainment! You chose me to defend humanity, to fight monsters and defeat storms. I can¡¯t fight!


    ¡°You wish to grow, don¡¯t you?¡± the spirit asked with full seriousness. ¡°To earn ether and get yourself out of debt?¡±


    Vivi paused. Could she really become an ether hunter?


    Bero and Jude were pushed aside by a frowning spirit wielder. Serena Goldbridge faced Vivi with clear disapproval. Gods, if the contract went through, Vivi would earn the same surname. Vivian Goldbridge. A true blessed name? For her?


    The thought of a name change was oddly¡­ scary. Vivi¡¯s name was fake and embarrassing, but it was hers.


    ¡°To think a spirit would break the laws of its own God,¡± Serena said. ¡°I have never witnessed something so treacherous. This spirit had a reputation of troublemaking with its past owner, though I would not have believed it would take things so far. The spirit will have to be brought to Ythar for punishment.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, yes, of course!¡± Vivi said with a bow. Finally some words she could understand. This was all a mistake, after all. She would return the spirit, and she¡¯d get back to runesmithing with Grandpa.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± the spirit cat said out loud. Its figure appeared from Vivi¡¯s chest. It floated upright and crossed its upper paws, as if mimicking a human expression. ¡°Idiots, both of you. That Ythar guy is not going to give me any punishment at all, and you, my wielder, you certainly aren¡¯t going to give me away! Are you stupid?¡±


    ¡°Ythar is your Creator, and the Emperor of all humans!¡± Serena scowled. ¡°Your words can be taken as abandonment of the pact. Ythar will sever your right to live.¡±


    ¡°Bla bla,¡± the spirit said. ¡°You humans make funny noises.¡±


    ¡°She is right!¡± Serena¡¯s fairy spirit pouted. ¡°You can¡¯t abandon the pact. Ythar will be mad!¡±


    The cat licked its paws. ¡°Mrs. Runesmith, can we go now?¡±


    Vivi didn¡¯t know who or what she should follow. Her years of practice in runesmithing never taught her how to deal with problematic spirits or annoyed hunters. She glanced at Serena, hoping the experienced spirit wielder would know what to do.


    Serena took a deep breath, then called her powers. Her spirit turned into a sword. ¡°Vivian, was it? Do you know how spirits are severed from their owners?¡±


    Vivi gulped. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Death,¡± Serena said. ¡°Death is the only known method to undo a tie formed by a spirit. Ythar required our contracts to be strong and betrayal free. Thus, he made the ties irreversible. Perhaps it is a shame he did not offer us a contract to peacefully remove spirits from unwanted bodies, but I am not one to question our God. I am sorry, but there is no other solution than for you to die. In the name of Ythar, I must retrieve this spirit from your core.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s heart dropped, muscles too frozen for decisions. Townsfolk watched from the sidelines, close enough to have heard Serena¡¯s proclamation. Nobody laughed¡ªeven Beru and Jude appeared shocked more than amused¡ªbut nobody rushed to defend Vivi either.


    ¡°You should probably run,¡± the cat-spirit said. It laughed in her thoughts, as if Vivi¡¯s fears were simply hilarious.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, cursed one,¡± was all Serena said before swinging her spirit sword from overhead. Vivi closed her eyes and held out her arms in an useless attempt to block. I¡¯m dead!


    She heard a metallic ding, and her eyes snapped open. The cat-spirit had blocked the swing with its claws. Serena¡¯s eyes were wide open in surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to live?¡± the spirit asked. ¡°They¡¯re going to kill you if you sit still.¡±


    The command finally registered. Vivi stumbled to her feet and ran. But where? The doors? The cloister was guarded by plated men. She couldn¡¯t run through spears!


    The spirit¡¯s cat-like laughter continued to ring in her head. ¡°The windows,¡± it said. ¡°I have a few thousand ether remaining from my previous wielder. I can assist you. The Goldbridge human is only an examiner, not a real hunter. We can escape. Follow me!¡±


    Vivi saw the spirit¡¯s red figure fly towards the cloister¡¯s line of tall arched windows. She ran after it, saving her thoughts for later.


    Behind her, Vivi heard a whoosh from Serena¡¯s sword. The spirit wielder was many steps away. In no world should Serena¡¯s sword have reached. Yet, Vivi¡¯s instincts flared a warning. Something was coming for her.


    ¡°Duck!¡± the cat-spirit yelled in her mind.


    Vivi didn¡¯t need to think twice. She dove to the ground just as a slash-shaped projectile flew past above her head. The slash, glowing blue and made of pure ether, smashed into the window ahead, shattering glass and cutting through the stone frame like nothing.


    Heart racing, Vivi glanced above her shoulder to see Serena frowning. Wisps of white mist-like ether flowed from Serena¡¯s eyes. Her silver hair fanned out and glimmered with gold, as if she had ascended to a higher being. Vivi wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Serena took flight like an angel. Behind Serena, townsfolk and Vivi¡¯s bullies watched in horrified admiration.


    And the cat called her only an examiner?


    Serena swung her sword a second time. Another projectile shot forth with the swing, aimed at Vivi. She was too late to dodge. The projectile glowed in her vision like a death sentence flying her way.


    A red figure blocked the blow. The cat-spirit swung with its claws, cutting Serena¡¯s swing in half. The two halves flew astray, collapsing against the church¡¯s walls. The building rumbled concerningly loud.


    The cat¡¯s claws glowed red with ether, power welling up. Then, the cat released the attack at the dirt below. The blow landed with enough force to blow Vivi¡¯s eardrums. The ground exploded, and a cloud of dirt covered the courtyard. Townsfolk were screaming, panicking toward the doors.


    ¡°Run,¡± the cat said with a little more volume. ¡°Go!¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Stop at once,¡± Serena shouted from behind the dirt dust, ¡°and offer yourself to Ythar!¡±


    Vivi stood and sprinted for the shattered windows. Run now, apologize later, she thought. And run she did. If there was one thing growing up with Fellwater¡¯s bullies had granted her, it was fast feet. She could outrun the angriest of mobs with the right amount of adrenaline.


    Serena¡¯s figure bolted after her with the speed of a wolf, her strength enhanced to superhuman levels by her spirit¡¯s ether. Two more slashes flew from Serena¡¯s sword. Vivi didn¡¯t glance behind, trusting her spirit to deal with attacks. Luckily, the cat-spirit redirected the blows away from Vivi¡¯s skin.


    The cat grunted in her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m running out of ether,¡± it said. ¡°That was the last I could block. My powers are too weak!¡±


    Vivi bolted through the opening in the shattered window just as another slash flew over her head, missing by inches. She was welcomed outside by a raging downpour.


    ¡°Viv!¡± a deep voice called from the side. Vivi¡¯s eyes opened wide, hearing Grandpa¡¯s voice. Grandpa stood by the window with the hood of his raincoat down, letting rain flow down his neck.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Vivi gushed, pausing her run. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I saw everything,¡± Grandpa said, frowning. He turned around and began running. He spoke as they ran. ¡°You¡¯ve done well. You deserved to be chosen. Run, and make a life for yourself. I¡¯ll protect the escape!¡± From his scabbard, he pulled out a glowing green-tinted runesword, very similar to Vivi¡¯s broken one. Vivi knew the sword was Grandpa¡¯s favorite. He always carried it around ¡°in case he needed it.¡±


    ¡°What, no!¡± Vivi said. She grabbed his arm. Serena was already gaining on them. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to fight! We¡¯re runesmiths, not swordsmen. You¡¯ll get yourself killed!¡±


    ¡°So be it,¡± Grandpa said. ¡°I¡¯ve taught you all I could. I¡¯m old and useless. You¡¯re where my legacy lives. Go spread our name in the world below. Long live runesmithing!¡±


    No¡­ Vivi thought. This was insanity. Grandpa wasn¡¯t yet deemed a criminal to be killed. He wouldn¡¯t get punished. If he helped Vivi he would likely get him executed. Assuming Serena didn¡¯t kill him right there and then.


    Grandpa frowned and turned around to point his sword at Vivi. ¡°If you¡¯re not going, I¡¯m cutting you down myself. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t pay your debt. Runismithing was a terrible path. I know you hated it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s mouth hung open in an attempt to tell Grandpa to keep his life, when Serena¡¯s figure flew out of the window behind them. Grandpa stopped the run and faced the divine hunter, not one bit of fear showing in his stance. From his posture, one would think he truly intended to win.


    She hesitated, pausing with him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, my wielder,¡± the cat-spirit said. ¡°He will defend us.¡±


    Grandpa grinned proudly. ¡°Go.¡±


    Vivi grit her teeth. Staying wouldn¡¯t help. Grandpa was the most stubborn person she had ever known. She could only pray Serena was compassionate enough to knock him out without killing him.


    But I don¡¯t hate runesmithing¡­ Vivi had wished to say. She loved the craft, just as she loved her idiotic Grandpa. Tears tried to flow from her eyes again.


    ¡°We need to get out of town,¡± the cat-spirit said. Its red figure glowed in the rain. Vivi rushed after it. ¡°Do you guys have a teleporter?¡±


    The teleporter? Vivi spoke in her thoughts. We can¡¯t use that! It costs ether. And we require permission from the Chief.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± the spirit asked, amused. ¡°We require permission to escape a chase to the death? A teleporter will get us out of here.¡±


    Vivi grit her teeth. It wasn¡¯t that she needed to ask kindly to use the teleporter. Problem was, she had no idea how to operate the machine. She ran to it regardless, in the heart of town, hoping the cat had some sort of plan.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just a ¡®cat spirit,¡¯ by the way,¡± her spirit said. ¡°My name is Lucius! A name from the deepest caverns of the earth! A magnificent name, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m a he, not an it.¡±


    Sorry, Vivi thought between heavy breaths. The cobblestone path was littered by rain puddles. Mud splashed as Vivi ran. From above, rain splashed against her head; a cold stream flowed down her neck. She held the hood of her raincoat up. The rain was rampant enough to have sent townsfolk inside.


    The teleportation ring was a large slab of stone with intricate patterns carved into the surface, protected from rain by a wide marble canopy. Fellwater¡¯s teleporter rarely saw use beyond receiving the hunters¡¯ yearly visits, but the ring was treated as a sacred piece of infrastructure nonetheless. It was always kept clean and never trespassed upon. Adults feared the teleporters for the possible danger of stepping onto one at the wrong time, while children feared the punishment for being caught playing on Ythar¡¯s platform.


    To lead a crazed spirit to such a monument broke every instinct ingrained into Vivi. For most of her life, she had been an obedient child, never getting in trouble where she didn¡¯t already attract it. Disobeying the hunters felt incredibly wrong.


    ¡°How does this thing work?¡± Lucius asked as he flew around the ring. ¡°You humans build the weirdest contraptions.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Vivi took heavy breaths and glanced behind. Serena and her spirit-sword were already by her trail, trotting through the mud-stained paths. Serena¡¯s battle-dress was stained, and her boots clearly weren¡¯t built for the weather. She directed a deathly grimace at Vivi.


    ¡°Nevermind, I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Lucius said. He dove into the glyph at the core of the ring, and his figure disappeared into the teleporter. The patterns on the teleporter lit up in a bright red, similarly to how runeswords lit up when imbued with ether.


    Serena stepped closer, only a few paces off from the canopy. Vivi stood around, heart racing. She couldn¡¯t step out of the ring if she wished to get teleported. Hurry up! she thought. At this pace, Serena would cut her in half.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m doing something,¡± Lucius said. At that moment, the teleporter rumbled, as if an earthquake had hit the ring. The patterns glowed brighter. ¡°We¡¯re going down.¡±


    Serena¡¯s mud-stained figure paused outside the ring, sword up. She could have cut Vivi right there and then, but something made her hesitate. ¡°Step out of the ring, girl,¡± she said. ¡°Your spirit can¡¯t leave without you. It¡¯s trying to escape. If the tie is severed now, the spirit will teleport. Gods know where the spirit will end up. We might never retrieve a stray spirit from the lower levels. You must step out!¡±


    ¡°Uhm, will you still kill me?¡± Vivi asked.


    Serena kept her sword up. ¡°The teleporter will kill you. Your spirit does not know how to operate it. There¡¯s no telling where you will end up. It¡¯s likely you will wake up inside a storm, or perhaps suffocate inside a mountain. Offer yourself to Ythar, and I promise to bless your family. I¡¯ll try out your family¡¯s runeswords.¡±


    ¡°Stupid human,¡± Lucius said. His voice echoed in the air. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us on our adventure? Are you afraid of my skills? I have plenty of experience operating teleporters, mind you.¡±


    Serena ignored him completely, speaking to Vivi. ¡°Escaping is a mistake, even if the teleporter doesn¡¯t kill you. Spirit wielders must defend humanity from storms. We are humanity¡¯s only hope. It is our duty. You, with fifteen thousand ether in debt, are not strong enough to defeat storms. Your spirit must be retrieved, and offered to someone who can fulfill the pact. The hunters will be after you.¡±


    Beside Serena, Grandpa limped into the canopy with a wide grin on his face, dragging his sword behind. Blood ran down his forehead and into his mouth. He¡¯d received a bump in the head, but it was clear Serena had gone easy on him.


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± he said like the proudest man on earth. ¡°Go, Viv! Don¡¯t worry about the business. I¡¯ll keep the smithery alive. Go become the strongest of the strong!¡±


    ¡°Crazy old man!¡± Serena shouted. ¡°The girl will die! Nobody can survive the underground in debt. Step out while you still can!¡±


    Lucius? Vivi asked in her thoughts. Can you really help me out of debt?


    She received no response. At that moment, Serena¡¯s figure blurred out of Vivi¡¯s vision. Red glow filled her vision as her body disappeared from Fellwater. Her senses spun in circles. It felt as if her soul was being ripped apart.


    ¡°Goodbye, Fellwater¡­ Goodbye, Grandpa¡­¡± she muttered out, unsure whether anybody could still hear.


    Lucius¡¯ chuckles resounded in her head as Vivi lost consciousness.

 Chapter 4 - Beneath The Surface

    Vivi woke up in the land where the sky was made of stone.


    Her head pounded with the grogginess of a poorly slept night. The air smelled off. She sniffed again. What was that fetid smell? It was as if someone had died underneath her bed. Had she forgotten to clean the rat traps? She rose up to sit, only to hit her head on a solid, white bone.


    She let out a yelp. The grogginess was gone in an instant. She was trapped inside a large rib cage, as if encased inside a coffin of bones. Solid stone lay underneath her. Beyond the ribs awaited a dark vine forest. Water droplets dripped from cracks in the sparkling stone ceiling high above.


    ¡°Lucius?¡± Vivi asked in a near-panic. She felt the spirit¡¯s presence somewhere. Her mind was connected to his. Though, she couldn¡¯t tell where the spirit actually was.


    She didn¡¯t appear to be at risk of immediate death, but something about waking up trapped between the bones of a dead animal far larger than her made her uncomfortable. She pushed at the bones with her hands and feet. With some strength, the rib cage lifted out of the ground, letting her free.


    Vivi rose to her feet, nervously studying the dark forest. The trees didn¡¯t have leaves, giving the forest a brown and gray appearance. Vegetation grew stubbornly from a solid rock surface, no dirt or soil needed. There was no sun nor moons in the sky. Instead, what little light Vivi had came from star-like gemstones stuck to the stone above. The ceiling was almost high enough¡ªperhaps five hundred feet from the ground¡ªto mimic the atmosphere of the sky.


    This was no simple cave or a crevice on the surface. The truth was unmistakable. Vivi had teleported into the underground. Into the land of ether storms and monsters.


    Below the surface, the earth was divided into multiple levels, as if the world itself was a storied mansion. Each level was said to be huge, spanning the width of the planet. Nobody knew how deep the levels went. Some suspected the earth had dozens upon dozens of levels, while most old folk refused to believe the levels descended beyond the fourth. Last Vivi had heard, the existence of a fifth level was confirmed, though no human had come back up from the fifth level alive.


    Most of the food Vivi and other surface dwellers ate was grown on the first level beneath. The first level was well inhabited by humanity¡ªmostly by farmers. An armed man could live on the first level with relative security. Monsters were sparse, and ether surges weak. The deeper one descended, the more rampant the dangers became. By level two, towns required constant protection from ether hunters. Level three was inhabited by fortified castles only. The best of ether hunters commonly hunted monsters on the third level.


    Level four, Vivi had heard, was a different beast entirely. A majority of the level was too dangerous for even the best ether hunters to raid, and any inhabitable grounds were demon territory. Any humans caught on demon grounds were either killed or captured as slaves.


    Vivi heard a yawn. The sound came from beneath her raincoat. Something tickled at her chest. She paused, then opened her raincoat to find a red spirit cat clinging to her chest and purring.


    Lucius yawned and stretched his paws. His claws came uncomfortably close to Vivi¡¯s neck. After a few more grumpy cat noises, he took flight. His paws drooped limply from his body, annoyed to have been woken up.


    ¡°What is it, five in the morning?¡± Lucius asked with a yawn. ¡°Why are we awake?¡±


    Vivi stared at him. Lucius was cute, she had to admit. But not nearly cute enough to make Vivi forget what happened yesterday. ¡°You chose me¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°I did,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. Few humans get to work with the mighty Lucius.¡±


    ¡°You kidnapped me from my village,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m hunted by ether hunters. Grandpa is in trouble because of you¡­ I was perfectly happy as a runesmith, you know!¡±


    Lucius blinked, confused. ¡°You were at the examinations. That meant you wanted to be chosen, no? That Grandpa guy will keep your smithery alive. So he said. There is no reason for you to worry.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Vivi took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Grandpa had indeed claimed he would keep the business up. More realistically, he would be chained down and imprisoned amongst the worst of criminals for helping Vivi escape. There was no way Serena would let him go free. Their smithery, for the better or worse, was gone. Vivi would never see her old life again.


    There wasn¡¯t much she could do for Grandpa now. She could only hope he wasn¡¯t punished with death.


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s five in the morning?¡± Vivi asked.


    Lucius glanced up. ¡°The gems in the sky. Can you not read them? It¡¯s clearly early morning.¡±


    It seemed he referred to the star-like gems on the stone ceiling. ¡°And where are we?¡± Vivi asked. "Did you teleport us to the first level?¡±


    ¡°We went slightly astray, I admit,¡± Lucius said. Vivi watched nervously as he floated around, studying scenery. ¡°Leafless vines growing directly from stone, no soil necessary¡­ A tall sky with a decent amount of gems. Nature is healthy here. And that¡¯s a surge hazard if I¡¯ve ever seen one.¡±


    Lucius turned to the rib cage next to Vivi. From the shape, Vivi guessed the bones had belonged to some sort of large deer. Its antlered skull lay motionless a few paces from the rib cage along with the rest of its cluttered bones.


    ¡°Looks like a twilight elk to me,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯ll be dead if a surge hits that thing. Trust me, you don¡¯t want to fight anything with twilight in their name.¡±


    ¡°A twilight elk?¡± Vivi asked. She remembered the name vaguely. Like everyone, she had received a rough education on the biology and geographical locations of ether monsters. Most details had quickly escaped her head, replaced with runesmithing lessons and Grandpa¡¯s metallurgy concepts. Her head only had so much room to fit information about ether hunting.


    Still, she knew twilight monsters never made it to level one. They were rare even on level three. Vivi had a really bad feeling about this. The teleportation couldn¡¯t have brought them all the way to level three, right?


    Lucius sighed. ¡°This is disappointing. I had hoped to reach Ingfried¡¯s land at the very least. Doesn¡¯t look like we traveled deep enough. We¡¯re only on level four.¡±


    Vivi paused. ¡°Sorry? Level four? Stop joking.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be anything else,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Vines don¡¯t grow from stone on the first and second levels. Stone vegetation requires more ether than the upper levels provide. The third level is far more cavern-like with a low sky. And by the fifth level we¡¯d start seeing embers beneath our feet. We are on the fourth level, Mrs. Runesmith.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Vivi said in disbelief. ¡°The fourth level is demon territory! The humans have fought wars for those grounds, and all were lost! Just a week ago, Fellwater got news of more ether hunters being enslaved. A mining company set-up a hidden operation to collect rare metals and minerals from the level. Demonic beings wiped out the operation within two weeks! Everyone was sent to a torture prison of Zand!¡±


    ¡°That did happen, yeah,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The Greenwitch mining company. I¡¯d say that was their own fault. They set up a mining rig right under the demons¡¯ noses, thinking they could collect their hands full of Locium and get out. Of course they were caught. And those corrupt idiots certainly deserved it. We don¡¯t have to follow their example. Most humans just don¡¯t know how to walk the fourth level.¡±


    And you do? Vivi wished to ask. Why do you act like you¡¯re better than everyone else?


    ¡°I know a lot more than you think,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I don¡¯t want to work with your usual hunting associations. Most humans are arrogant and stupid, from spirit wielders to city leaders. We¡¯ll never see enough ether if we play by their rules. To truly earn ether and grow, we must hunt real monsters.¡±


    Vivi had no response. This was insanity! The world¡¯s best ether hunters feared the fourth level. How was Vivi, a total beginner fifteen thousand ether in debt, supposed to survive where the experts died?


    ¡°Speaking of ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I sense some approaching from right over there.¡±


    The vines rustled ahead, accompanied by a slight ethereal sizzle. A white light shone from between vines. Vivi watched in horror and considered running, while Lucius flew in circles, laughing. ¡°Breakfast!¡± he called.


    The monster pushed the vines aside. It was a humanoid figure with empty, stretched out eye-holes. A white mist-like aura, formed by wisps of ether, radiated from its body. It limped towards Vivi with one foot, the other dragging behind. Its pitch black mouth was wide open, revealing sharp and serrated teeth. The screwed-up face was the most nightmare-inducing thing Vivi had seen in a long time.


    Lucius, still laughing, flew through Vivi¡¯s chest, into her core. Vivi felt his powers in her limbs. Lucius¡¯s presence¡ªthe connection that Vivi felt within her consciousness¡ªbecame even clearer, as if the spirit was a true part of her.


    ¡°Show me, my wielder,¡± Lucius said. ¡°How do you fight?¡±

 Chapter 5 - Beneath The Surface Part Two

    The ether-zombie-thing limped closer. Vivi matched its pace, stepping backward. She reached for her scabbard, only to find her sword missing. Of course.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ether stick,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The clumsiest and easiest of all monsters. There¡¯s no need to be scared. Ether sticks are literally engineered to be easy. I¡¯ll be pissed if you die to that thing. It doesn¡¯t even have claws!¡±


    ¡°Ether stick? Looks like a zombie to me,¡± Vivi said to calm her nerves. It didn¡¯t work. The monster was slow, thank the Gods, but there was no telling when it might have lunged with its terrifying teeth. ¡°Lucius? You have some powers to help me, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius said. Vivi felt him grinning inside her consciousness. ¡°I¡¯m already enhancing your strength. I¡¯ll show you what my powers can do. Look at your fingers.¡±


    Vivi barely felt stronger at all. She held out her hand, making sure not to take her attention from the monster. Something pulsed inside her veins, making its way to her fingers. When the power reached her fingertips, her nails grew by half an inch, turning to claws.


    The claws were the dullest, most miserable things she had ever seen. They were cracked and already falling apart. The claws wouldn¡¯t cut open an apple, let alone the monster in front of her. Vivi would have done better punching with her fists.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lucius said. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Looks like the teleportation ate more of my powers than I thought. I need more ether. Kill it quickly, Mrs. Runesmith.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s foot caught on something as she stepped backwards. She suffered a mini heart attack before regaining balance. ¡°You¡¯re not helping!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any powers of your own?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Surely, you can kill an ether stick on your own?¡±


    Vivi gritted her teeth. Think! she told herself. It¡¯s clumsy. How can I kill it?


    She spotted her saving grace. The twilight elk¡¯s skull. The antlers were sharp, far sharper than Lucius¡¯s poor claws. Vivi rushed to it and picked up the skull with both hands and pointed its antlers at the zombie.


    Weapon in hand, her legs naturally moved to a basic sword stance. She had no sword, and she didn¡¯t know how to fight, but the posture made her footing secure. Grandpa had made her practice swinging a sword. A runesmith needed to know what a proper sword felt like to swing, he claimed, and that was only possible when one knew how to properly take a swing.


    The zombie kept limping without fear. It held out its arms toward the antler, as if intending to grab Vivi¡¯s weapon. The thought of that creeped her out. ¡°Lucius? Can you distract it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Just kill it? What good will a distraction do?¡±


    ¡°Poke it in the neck,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Lucius said. He retracted from Vivi¡¯s body. Her nails returned to normal, and the meager strength boost disappeared. Lucius looked annoyed as he flew around the zombie.


    ¡°Hey, idiot!¡± Lucius shouted behind the zombie. ¡°My wielder is scared. Could you help me a little bit?¡±


    The zombie turned around to swat at Lucius. The cat let out a yelp and flew back.


    That was when Vivi lunged. She thrust the elk skull into the monster¡¯s body. One antler pierced its neck. The other hit the torso. The monster fell against the ground. It made no sounds besides the sizzling of ether. But it did struggle. It flailed its arms in an attempt to reach Vivi while aimlessly biting at the air.


    Vivi stepped away from it, breathing heavily. ¡°Is it dead?¡±


    ¡°Ether sticks are damn tenacious,¡± Lucius said. ¡°That¡¯s about the only benefit they have. But you pierced its neck. The weak spot. It¡¯ll die.¡±


    Sure enough, the monster fell limp after ten or so seconds of struggling. There was no blood. Instead, the white aura leaked into the air, sizzling like a teapot. It was a strangely calming sound. Vivi let out a sigh of relief. ¡°We did it.¡±


    Lucius skipped the congratulations, heading straight for the prize.


    ¡°Ahh, the song of the abyss!¡± he said. He licked his lips before gracefully flying to the monster¡¯s body. He stretched his paws as he landed. Then, he breathed in. The mist-like wisps of ether flowed from the monster¡¯s body into Lucius¡¯s core.


    Ether transfer. Vivi had seen the process happen thousands of times, though she¡¯d never been a part of it herself. She couldn¡¯t offer her ether to others, being indebted and all, and nobody had offered her ether, as anything she gained would simply disappear into her mountain of debt. Ether and trades were always handled by Grandpa instead.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    With her being connected to Lucius, however, she sensed something. She could feel Lucius¡¯s ether reserves growing. After collecting the monster¡¯s ether, Lucius¡¯s core carried exactly twenty-eight ether. Her own reserves were still fifteen thousand in the negative.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Lucius said with a loud cat-moan. He looked ecstatic. ¡°Ten ether. That poor thing was worth ten! It¡¯s not enough. I need more. More ether!¡±


    Ten ether? So much for one zombie? Vivi thought. Back on the surface, ten ether would have fed her and Grandpa decent meals for an entire month. Surface dwellers rarely traded full ether. Instead, they traded fractions¡ªone tenth of a full ether. Still, Vivi suspected ten ether was a laughable sum for any real ether hunters.


    The monster¡¯s body looked totally different without its ether-aura. Its face had disappeared entirely, having turned into a featureless doll. Its limbs lost their shape, and its torso turned into a blocky slab. Out of curiosity, Vivi poked at its chest with her leg. The material was hard like stone.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ether stick,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Ever seen one?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Ether sticks are man-made puppets, designed to attract ether surges. They¡¯re artificial hosts, essentially.¡± Lucius gave her a look. ¡°You do know what monsters are, and how they are spawned, right?¡±


    ¡°Uhm,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Monsters are mindless reanimations of active ether. Like we just saw. The zombie¡­ um, ether stick, wasn¡¯t alive. Ether was what reanimated it to appear alive. The monster must have been spawned by an ether surge, right?¡±


    ¡°You are almost correct,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Monsters are reanimations of ether. But monsters are not spawned from ether surges. Surges and storms simply bring active ether into the world. Active ether always needs a host to reanimate. That¡¯s why nobody builds graveyards in the underworld. If one gets hit by an ether storm, everyone¡¯s buried grandmas will be filled with ether, reanimated as zombies.¡±


    Lucius tapped his paw on the ether stick. ¡°Not all hosts are equal. A surge hound is a lot more agile and dangerous than a clumsy doll, despite both requiring the same amount of ether to reanimate. That¡¯s why ether sticks are built. Ether sticks are hand-crafted hosts to create the easiest monsters possible.¡±


    Lucius glanced at the elk¡¯s bones. ¡°Twilight elks are amongst the most dangerous hosts to leave around, by the way. That¡¯s why its remains are called a ¡®surge hazard.¡¯ A reanimated twilight elk is way more dangerous than a pack of surge hounds. If a surge reanimates that clump of bones, we¡¯re dead.¡±


    Vivi stared at the collapsed doll-like ether stick. The monster had been reanimated with ten ether. She¡¯d heard stories of large boss monsters being reanimated with hundreds, if not thousands, of ether. The ether stick had already been terrifying enough, and it was literally a practice monster. Vivi couldn¡¯t imagine fighting real monsters.


    ¡°If ether sticks are hand-crafted¡­¡± she asked. ¡°That must mean there are humans around, right?¡±


    ¡°Something sentient, at least,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Someone is laying sticks. Perhaps humans, probably demons.¡±


    Vivi gulped. Gods. She really was on the fourth level.


    ¡°That monster had likely wandered around for a good while,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Monsters gradually lose ether as time passes on. The more ether a host carries, the more active and dangerous they are. And the more ether you gain for killing them. Basic monsters typically carry anywhere from five to a hundred ether on the fourth level.¡±


    ¡°We need to find a way up before something kills us,¡± Vivi said.


    Lucius looked at her. ¡°What? Up? Why would we go up? There¡¯s more ether down here.¡±


    ¡°This is demon territory!¡± Vivi said. ¡°We need to get out. And besides, more ether means more danger. We¡¯re lucky we haven¡¯t been ambushed by your surge-whatevers! Your powers aren¡¯t helpful enough to fight real monsters.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we need to gather more ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°To grow stronger. What does it matter if we hunt on human or demon lands? The ether hunters are after you anyway. They¡¯re looking to kill you. The demons, however, will see just another human. We¡¯ll need to quickly reach at least a thousand ether. Afterward we¡¯ll seek dungeons. From dungeons, we¡¯ll earn skills. Once we find skills, our ether income should rise exponentially.¡±


    ¡°Skills?¡± Vivi gushed. She was alone in unfamiliar territory, thinking of where she would sleep, and Lucius was already planning on gathering skills.


    Vivi didn¡¯t know much about skill wisps. When defeating tougher monsters on level three or below, there was a small chance of earning a special wisp of ether. Skill wisps, they were called. When activated, a skill wisp granted the wielder abilities beyond their regular ether reserves.


    Vivi had never seen a skill in action, nor would she know what one looked like. She just knew that skills were immensely powerful. And rare. Even the most common skills sold for thousands of ether. A hunter could search for decades, fighting the toughest monsters imaginable, and finding a skill still wasn¡¯t guaranteed.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll have to find skills,¡± Lucius said. ¡°How else will we grow strong?¡±


    ¡°No, Lucius, we should head up to fight simple monsters first,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Then we can consider coming back down.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Good luck with that. The fourth level is known for being difficult to get back up from. We might not see an exit for miles.¡± He looked awfully smug, saying that.


    Vivi bit her lip, annoyed. And afraid. How would they ever survive so deep down in the earth? What would she eat? Where would she sleep?


    For now, Vivi picked up the only tool she had. The elk¡¯s skull. Without its antlers, she was defenseless.


    Lucius looked concerned, as if Vivi had picked up a stack of explosives. ¡°You wish to carry that around? Did you not hear what I said? That skull is a hazard.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need it as a weapon until your powers stop being useless,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Survival comes first. We need to find shelter. Someplace that won¡¯t kill us while we sleep.¡±


    I can¡¯t go back anyway, Vivi reminded herself. The hunters are after me. Humanity will only see me as a cursed child. This stupid cat is my last chance.


    Lucius chuckled, his cat-mouth forming a grin. ¡°More ether!¡±

 Chapter 6 - Unconquered Wilderness

    ¡°Go become the strongest of the strong!¡±


    Grandpa¡¯s words rang in Vivi¡¯s head as she trotted aimlessly across the forest, hoping not to die from a monster ambush. She was ¡°hunting,¡± as Lucius called it, though Vivi certainly didn¡¯t feel like a hunter. Hunters were fighters who received training, learning their spirit¡¯s abilities to the maximum before ever stepping into the wild. Most new hunters started on the second level, performing small-time jobs.


    Blessed names, thousands of ether, superhuman powers¡­ Ether hunters lived such simple lives.


    Vivi knew she couldn¡¯t fulfill Grandpa¡¯s hopes. He himself had spent over a decade training her in runesmithing. How could Grandpa expect her to become an expert in hunting as well?


    Find food and water, and a place to set camp, Vivi thought. That¡¯s the first step in survival.


    The gems in the stone sky slowly brightened as the hours passed. Their shine was comparable to daylight on a cloudy day. The gloomy forest was revealed with surprising clarity. The leafless trees appeared depressed, and the monotone stone spanned as far as the eye could see. The mood wasn¡¯t all too different from Fellwater¡¯s thick rain clouds constantly blocking the sun.


    A thump within the vines made Vivi flinch. A gray-furred animal hopped over a fallen tree, then scurried off without once meeting eyes with Vivi. She stood stiff, watching as the animal disappeared into the forest.


    Just a rabbit¡­ she thought. The lower levels had animals as well. Though in a place as hostile as the fourth level, signs of life were rare. Ether monsters hunted animals too, not just humans.


    Vivi took a deep breath to calm herself and asked, ¡°How does this place have oxygen?¡± The air was musty, but only slightly. She could breathe just fine.


    ¡°Oxy-what?¡± Lucius asked. He fluttered around her nonchalantly. His mood was the opposite of Vivi¡¯s. Carefree and excited.


    ¡°Air,¡± Vivi said. ¡°How can I breathe? How do the trees breathe without leaves to take in oxygen?¡±


    Lucius blinked. ¡°How should I know? You¡¯re breathing, and you¡¯re alive. The trees stand tall. That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Vivi said. She remained on guard as she walked, holding onto the twilight elk¡¯s skull.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lucius asked. He flew around her body, smirking. ¡°I can assure you, nobody has set human traps in this forest. Ether monsters don¡¯t hunt through sound or sight. Most wander around aimlessly, feeling the world through its natural ether. They don¡¯t care about someone whose reserves are in the negatives.¡±


    ¡°How did the ether stick find us, then?¡± Vivi asked. She kept her gaze ahead, scanning the area. Lucius''s flying figure was tiring for the eyes to constantly follow.


    ¡°Could have been a coincidence,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Or it could have sensed me. Even if you¡¯re in the negatives, I still hold ether. To me, your reserves are the same as zero. That¡¯s why we¡¯re able to use our powers.¡±


    Vivi kept walking, unsure what to say. In a typical tie between a human and spirit, the human was the one carrying the ether. The hunters claimed this was because humans had more stable ether reserves than spirits, making it safer to carry ether in a human¡¯s reserves. When a human wanted to wield powers from their own reserves, they pushed the ether for their spirits to shape. Essentially, spirits were used as a tool for ether hunters to shape ether¡ªa task that humans couldn¡¯t perform by themselves.


    Vivi, with her reserves in the negatives, couldn¡¯t use her own ether. Lucius would have to carry their ether directly.


    ¡°Either way, we were lucky to come across an ether stick,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We need to search for more. Monsters are simple to make out when it¡¯s dark. Look for the white wisps.¡±


    ¡°And what about our plans?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°What if we really find a surge hound or a twilight monster? How will we defeat anything harder than an ether stick?¡±


    ¡°We fight and we beat them.¡± Lucius chuckled.


    Vivi bit her lip. Lucius was too hard to understand. Was this how spirits usually acted? Was Vivi supposed to embrace Lucius¡¯s behavior and respect his decisions?Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Survival and teamwork were most important, she figured. ¡°How much ether do you need for your powers to become useful?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°My powers are always useful,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s up to you to use them well.¡±


    ¡°It would help if I knew what powers you had. Spirits are all different from each other, are they not? What¡¯s your specialty?¡±


    ¡°The ether hunters called me the ¡®Scarlet Dagger,¡¯¡± Lucius said. He stopped flying around aimlessly and took a proud pose. ¡°Not a bad name, coming from such idiots. I create sharp things. I can cut anything you need. My claws are strong enough to cut dragon scale!¡±


    And how much ether will we need for that¡­ Vivi wished to ask. ¡°What about the ¡®Scarlet¡¯ part?¡± she asked. ¡°Does that mean anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes it does,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But we will need a lot of ether to unlock those abilities. I¡¯m a special spirit. You see, most other spirits stop growing stronger after their reserves reach five to ten thousand ether. That Goldbridge examiner and her spirit had around two or three thousand. I, however, can continue to grow. None of my wielders have reached my true potential yet.¡±


    Lucius laughed, as if he believed himself to be the most powerful being to ever exist in the world.


    Vivi pouted at him. ¡°Your potential doesn¡¯t help, considering your claws are currently duller than the first sword I ever smithed.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m the one who spent most of my ether teleporting us out of certain death. Don¡¯t you start belittling me, Mrs. Runesmith! My claws are already growing. Look!¡± He held out his paws and showed his claws in spirit form. They were sharp; he could have no doubt given Vivi a nice cut. Still, he was by no means scarier than any regular cat.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Vivi said with a smile. She was about to remind Lucius of her name, when she spotted something poking out of the ground. Her eyes opened wide. ¡°Lucius. I think we¡¯ve become rich!¡±


    The corn-like worts grew from gravel underneath trees. Their stems were purple and feeble-looking, supporting a bud at the top. They grew in thick clusters, buds fighting for space. None grew taller than a few inches, though the stalks extended underground.


    ¡°Balm worts, and so many!¡± Vivi gushed. She¡¯d used these same worts for alchemy, once. The sap inside the buds was a miracle ingredient for crafting strength potions. Balm worts were rare, and the ones Vivi had access to on the surface were dry and crumbling. The ones in front of her now were pristine.


    ¡°They¡¯re plants?¡± Lucius said.


    ¡°Each wort might sell for a quarter of an ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Maybe more when they¡¯re this fresh. There¡¯s hundreds all over the place!¡±


    Lucius stared at her as if she was the dumbest person in the whole world. ¡°These plants might be rare on the surface. Down here, they¡¯re everywhere. Rare materials appear on the lower levels. That¡¯s why humans are so adamant in getting down here in the first place. You¡¯re stupid if all you bring to the surface from the fourth level are herbs.¡±


    Vivi opened her mouth to argue back, but Lucius had a point. The worts would have dried out long before she made it back to the surface. Attempting to sell them would be pointless. Still, she picked out a handful and placed them inside her raincoat¡¯s inside pocket. ¡°I heard Balm worts are edible if you roast them,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to make a fire.¡±


    ¡°You already need to eat?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°Humans run on food,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I will need food sooner than later.¡±


    Lucius looked annoyed, but he sighed. ¡°I will help you as best I can, if it means we can get back to hunting quicker.¡±


    ¡°We need firewood,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And a good place to set camp. Sleeping out here will be dangerous. We need a spot where I won¡¯t be eaten alive during rest. Afterward, we¡¯ll need to form a better plan than simply wandering around, hoping to miraculously find monsters that we can defeat.¡±


    Lucius stopped floating around and faced Vivi. ¡°Ideas?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll craft weapons or build traps. We¡¯re too weak to fight monsters directly. If we want to earn ether, we¡¯ll need to get clever.¡±


    Lucius grinned. ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like a hunter already.¡±


    Vivi sighed. ¡°I¡¯m a runesmith, Lucius. Don¡¯t forget that. I¡¯m not good at fighting or hunting, or whatever. Crafting is what I do.¡± For all the good a hammerless smith is worth¡­


    Vivi still couldn''t believe she was down on the fourth level. A poor runesmith, teleported down to hunt for ether. Her skill set was specialized entirely into carving runes for runeswords. Without her tools and metals, Vivi wasn¡¯t special. The one advantage she had, her ability to craft weapons, was taken away from her.


    Somehow, she had to create new advantages for herself. In a situation like this, she had only one path forward.


    Vivi had no choice but to grow strong where she lacked.


    ¡°Anyway, firewood,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Do you have good eyesight? Can you fly up and scan the area?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think searching for firewood will be necessary,¡± Lucius said. He flew up to the air as Vivi had suggested. ¡°Someone has already left a campfire for us. Follow me.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Lucius didn¡¯t respond. He flew ahead toward whatever he¡¯d found.


    Vivi clicked her tongue and rushed after his figure. She weaved between vines and trees, trying not to stomp on balm worts. A short trot later, Lucius paused overneath a small clearing within the forest. Vivi passed the final trees and stared at the sight.


    Within the opening sat a cute little campsite.

 Chapter 7 - Beginner鈥檚 Luck

    The campsite was small and cozy. In the middle was an old campfire, supported with rocks. A log had been placed sideways to act as a seat. A cave-like burrow extended from the stony ground. There were no tents or tools. Whoever had rested here had left, taking their items along with them. Yet, this wasn¡¯t the work of monsters.


    There¡¯s life here, Vivi thought, heart starting to beat. Sentient life. We aren¡¯t alone.


    ¡°We most likely are alone,¡± Lucius said, speaking in her thoughts. He flew forth, examining the camp without worries. ¡°This looks like a simple travelers¡¯ camp. Someone slept here, then they moved on. It¡¯s unlikely they¡¯re still here. We can use their camp.¡±


    ¡°Is it humans?¡± Vivi asked quietly. Talking in her thoughts still felt awkward.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Most likely demons.¡±


    ¡°We should leave, I think,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We¡¯re not strong enough to risk meeting anyone. Humans or demons.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I doubt anyone will come back for this little camp. There¡¯s a lot for us to use here.¡± He floated lower, examining the ground more deeply. A part of the stone ground was covered by dead moss. Lucius sniffed at it, and his cat-face grinned. ¡°There¡¯s a trap here. Whoever stayed here was an experienced hunter. There¡¯s bait below the cover. I sense it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vivi asked, hesitantly stepping deeper into the camp. ¡°Bait? For what?¡±


    ¡°For anything that can sense the world through ether,¡± Lucius said, ¡°There¡¯s a powerful current of ether down below that moss. It¡¯s bound to cause curiosity.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Vivi asked. ¡°There¡¯s bait for monsters?¡±


    Before Lucius could answer, a white light within the forest ahead made Vivi¡¯s heart drop. The aura was far away, but clearly larger than the ether stick¡¯s. Wisps rose into the air, reaching above the trees. The monster, whatever the being was, approached the camp with a steady step.


    Vivi¡¯s body prepared for battle. Should she run? Fight? Already from afar, Vivi could tell the aura ahead of her was nothing like the ether stick. The approaching monster was a real one. She wouldn¡¯t win.


    While Vivi was frozen stiff with the elk¡¯s skull in hand, Lucius flew to the air for a better view. He squinted down below. ¡°It looks like a death rabbit,¡± he said. ¡°A really big one. Its aura carries around four hundred ether. A good catch.¡±


    Four hundred ether! Vivi gushed in her thoughts. That was more than what Bero and Jude carried combined.


    Vivi stepped backward by instinct. The white light was taller than her now. She could hear the sizzle of ether approaching.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fought far worse,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Let¡¯s fight. If we win, we¡¯ll gain a necessary boost to our progress.¡±


    If we lose, we die! Vivi thought.


    Lucius didn¡¯t respond. He waved his arms and said, ¡°Over here! Mr. Rabbit!¡±


    Vivi went into stance and took a deep breath, preparing for the worst.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The worst was far worse than she could have imagined.


    A giant white-furred hand, covered in wisps of ether, grabbed onto a tree outside the camp. The monster was too large to fit between the treeline. The hand twisted, and the tree snapped in half, creating an opening.


    A six-foot tall rabbit stepped in. It stood on two legs. The footsteps were more like thumps. Its upper body was all muscle with arms that could likely lift a building. Its face would have been cute, if not for the red eyes filled with murderous intent, staring at Lucius.


    The rabbit readied its throw, then released the tree-trunk it had just cut at Lucius, who floated in the air above the mossy ground. The tree shot forth with explosive force. Lucius let out a whelp, but managed to fly between branches, dodging the blow.


    The tree trunk landed with a crash in the forest behind Vivi. She slowly stepped back, hoping the rabbit wouldn¡¯t see her.


    The rabbit screeched. Lucius¡¯s presence really pissed it off. It readied its legs for a jump. The rabbit couldn¡¯t hop around like a regular bunny. Its size was far too large, requiring energy to generate momentum.


    The rabbit released its jump. It shot into the air, toward Lucius. It swiped at the cat in the air, claws appearing on its paws.


    Lucius dodged again, easily outmaneuvering the heavy rabbit.


    The rabbit landed on Vivi¡¯s side of the campsite. Its feet crashed against the ground not twenty feet away from her. The rabbit glanced to its side, frowning down at Vivi.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Lucius shouted in her head.


    Vivi bolted to a run, heading for the protection of the forest. Fighting within the campsite was suicide. In the woods, she could run. The rabbit was too big to chase.


    Except, it wasn¡¯t. The rabbit swiped at the tree Vivi had just run past, cutting it in half with one swipe. It dashed for Vivi, destroying each obstacle in its path. It jumped, using its body mass to destroy vines.


    Vivi ran for her life, already out of breath. She tossed the elk¡¯s skull aside and focused all of her energy on the run. Trees snapped behind her, gigantic footsteps thumping against the ground. With the trees blocking the rabbit¡¯s chase, she seemed to be gaining distance.


    ¡°Vivi, this way!¡± Lucius called in her head. His translucent red figure floated in the distance to her right.


    I thought monsters weren¡¯t interested in me! Vivi screamed in her head.


    ¡°Anything that is alive holds a little bit of active ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯d be dead already. Monsters won¡¯t look for you, but they¡¯ll kill you if they find you. Just follow me, Vivi!¡±


    Without thinking, Vivi followed Lucius. He floated, swerving to the right, circling back to the direction they¡¯d just come from.


    ¡°The death rabbit has more stamina than you,¡± Lucius said. More crashes and explosive thumps came from behind. ¡°We¡¯ll need to kill it. I have a plan.¡±


    Vivi had a thousand different questions about this plan, but there wasn¡¯t time to ask one of them. She followed Lucius back to the campsite.


    ¡°Hide behind trees,¡± Lucius ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it. This type of monster is weak against agility.¡±


    Vivi did as asked, rushing to hide behind the tallest and widest tree. She collapsed there, out of breath, listening to the rabbit¡¯s monstrous screeches behind her.


    ¡°Over here!¡± Lucius shouted out loud.


    Lucius stood on two paws above the dead moss. The spot he claimed bore a bait for monsters. Vivi watched in concern. Her spirit didn¡¯t plan on getting himself killed, did he?


    The death rabbit entered the field, still in a state of rage. It glanced around, trying to spot Vivi.


    When it failed to find her, its eyes drew to Lucius. It let out a deep growl of pure anger, then pounced at Lucius. It tackled the ground with its right shoulder, intending to crush the spirit between its weight and the ground.


    The rabbit landed on the moss. A crash came from the ground, as if wood had snapped in half. The ground gave in, revealing a hidden hole beneath the moss.


    The rabbit fell in by the force of its tackle. From the hole, Vivi heard a sharp piercing slash.


    The forest became silent, but for the sizzling of wisps of ether arising from the hole.

 Chapter 8 - Survival

    Vivi¡¯s breathing was rough. She stood half-hidden behind the tree, assessing the situation. Lucius¡¯s presence was still connected to hers, though she hadn¡¯t seen the spirit dodge the rabbit¡¯s attack. Was he alive?


    A few seconds later, Lucius¡¯s disgruntled figure flew up from the hole. Dirt stuck onto his translucent fur. He shook his body. The dirt was stuck to his fur. ¡°Get this off of me,¡± he said, looking disgusted.


    ¡°Is it dead?¡± Vivi asked in awe. ¡°The death rabbit.¡±


    ¡°Come take a look,¡± Lucius said.


    Hesitantly, Vivi stepped out of her hiding spot. The mossy ground had totally collapsed, revealing a hole. Peeking down, Vivi saw the bones of a rabbit cluttered amongst spikes. The bones were regular rabbit bones, far smaller than the death rabbit had been.


    The hole was filled with dozens of spikes. They were shaped like icicles, glowing white. The rabbit had been thoroughly pierced, dying without a struggle.


    White obsidian? Vivi thought, seeing the material. The spikes looked exactly like white obsidian¡ªthe same material Vivi often used for runesmithing back on the surface. The material was ideal for shaping the veins of a runesword, while being fairly affordable. It seemed the same material had been used for crafting spikes.


    More importantly, wisps of ether rose from the rabbit¡¯s bones. The sizzle was cathartic. Vivi had the urge to collect the ether, though she knew that would have been a stupid idea. Any ether that she collected would be wasted on her mountain of debt. Lucius was the only one who could use ether for growth.


    Vivi swiped the cat¡¯s fur free of dirt with her hands. Lucius smiled at her, then flew down into the hole. He sucked in wisps from their kill.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Vivi thought. She lay down on her back beside the hole, staring at the daylight gems. There was enough light to see, but the light sources themselves didn¡¯t appear too bright. Vivi could stare at the sky without an issue. ¡°We defeated it.¡±


    Lucius¡¯s reserves grew and grew as he collected the ether. He rose from twenty to fifty, reaching nearly to the hundreds. His reserves read ninety-seven when the wisps stopped coming.


    ¡°That was worth just over seventy,¡± Lucius said, ascending from the hole. ¡°A good kill.¡±


    Vivi blinked. ¡°I thought you said the monster wielded four hundred ether?¡±


    ¡°It did,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But not everything can be collected. Monsters use weird ether, Vivi. Not all of it is edible. I guess the gods of ether decided that life would be too easy if every bit of ether we defeated would become ours.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Vivi said, recalling her studies. ¡°Monsters wield mostly void ether. We can only collect balanced ether.¡±


    Lucius tilted his head, confused. ¡°Nevermind science. Look at this, Vivi.¡± With a grin, Lucius showed his claws. The claws glowed a little brighter than before, ether flowing within.


    Lucius swiped at a nearby tree with all his might. The claws left a small mark on the tree-bark. Lucius grinned. ¡°We¡¯re growing. At this pace, we can soon fight real monsters.¡±


    ¡°Real monsters?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°The rabbit wasn¡¯t real?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was a real monster of course,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But it was still a basic monster. Death rabbits are common around these areas. Any real fighter can reliably one-shot death rabbits.¡±


    Vivi gave Lucius an awkward smile. One-shot. To kill in one blow. ¡°How can anyone kill a being like that in one blow? Your claws wouldn¡¯t have scratched it.¡±


    ¡°Once a hunter grows strong enough, they¡¯ll realize death rabbits are nothing compared to the actual monsters lurking within the lower levels,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to kill maybe a few hundred rabbits, and we should be strong enough to kill them without problems. For now, this camp is our best friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the trap is perfect,¡± Vivi said. ¡°If we encounter monsters, we¡¯ll run back to this place. But staying here will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Lucius asked.


    ¡°This place attracts monsters,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep here. We¡¯ll build another camp nearby. But first, we need to find water.¡± She stood and stretched, then headed back to the forest to grab her only weapon: the elk¡¯s skull. ¡°Let¡¯s get exploring.¡±


    ***


    Vivi survived for the next few hours. She considered that a success.


    She¡¯d wandered around the area in hopes of finding a river. Or some other moving water. Or just any water at all. As someone who lived on the surface underneath endless dark clouds, Vivi found it insane how finding water could have ever been a problem. In Fellwater, one could simply leave a bucket outside and head to sleep. By morning, they¡¯d have enough water for the next week.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Eventually, one source of water revealed itself. Not a river, but another crack in the ceiling of the fourth level. Water dripped at a steady pace. Problem was, the only item Vivi had that could collect water was her scabbard. And her boots.


    She didn¡¯t want to drink anything from either, but she figured the scabbard would be less disgusting, and she wouldn¡¯t need an empty scabbard for anything else. She balanced the scabbard on the ground with its mouth angled to collect dripping water. Vivi left the scabbard there, and the search continued.


    The next problem was fire and a place to sleep. Vivi wandered around the forest, searching for a spot that she could somehow call secure. No such spots came. The forest was monotone and flat with little changes to her surroundings. She constantly felt like she was walking in no direction at all, trotting past leafless trees and a hard stone ground. The whole place felt like a wasteland of ether and danger.


    The only sense of direction Vivi had was Lucius¡¯s sixth sense, the ability to sense ether. Lucius could sense the trap of the camp from a few miles away. If nothing else, he could point Vivi in the rough direction of the trap for them to eventually return.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to find a good spot,¡± Vivi said with a frown. She had circled back to the field of balm worts. Her stomach growled from all the walking. ¡°We¡¯ll need to settle with what¡¯s available. This looks like a decent enough spot to me.¡±


    A few paces from the worts lay another cave-like burrow. Vivi glanced inside, finding the hole comfortably empty. She could have easily filled the place with hay, or something soft and cuddled up inside. She nodded, intending to do just that.


    Lucius watched as Vivi got to work. Impatience shadowed his face. Vivi ignored him.


    Building a campfire was easy. Any long-lasting forest was bound to have dead wood sitting around. Vivi formed a ring with stones and balanced the best sticks of firewood she could find.


    Soft materials for a bed were harder to find. Vivi considered cutting vines to use as a mattress, but a quick twist on the stalks proved the vines too hard to cut, let alone sleep on. In the end, Vivi¡¯s only choice was the balm worts. Their stalks were like grass, and the buds, though uncomfortably bulky, were a lot softer than stone. The area had more than enough worts to fill the whole burrow. Vivi got to work, crafting some sort of pillow by tying the buds together with stalks.


    Lucius sighed. He had sprawled on the ground to sleep, offering no help. ¡°Humans¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Do we really have to do this? Can¡¯t you sleep under a tree? We need to hunt! Why are we wasting time playing with plants?¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have problems if you had teleported my bed with me,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Bring me more worts if you want to speed this up.¡±


    Lucius rolled his eyes and lay back down. Vivi continued to work, while her cat tapped around impatiently, complaining about the wasted time.


    ***


    Some hours of diligent work later, Vivi stood proudly to examine her camp. The burrow was covered in worts and stalks. The bed was fitting for an oversized fairy from a tale. Outside, Vivi had found a slab-like rock to use as a bench by the campfire. It, too, was covered in a wort-cushion. As for decorations, the elk¡¯s skull lay atop the burrow¡¯s entrance. Beside it stood a long stick of wood that Vivi thought looked like a cute staff.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a canopy next,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Rain might fall inside otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Rain?¡± Lucius gushed. ¡°Are you stupid? We¡¯re underground!¡±


    ¡°The ceiling leaks,¡± Vivi said. Glancing up, sizable cracks were visible within the stone. ¡°The balm worts must get their water from somewhere. What if the bed gets wet?¡±


    Lucius groaned with the voice of someone who regretted choosing Vivi as their pawn. ¡°You surface humans are such freaks! There is no ceiling on the fourth level. What¡¯s above us is a sky. And this sky is not going to rain any time soon!¡±


    ¡°It never hurts to prepare for rain,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We¡¯ll build a canopy later. Let¡¯s have a break first.¡± She pulled out a box of matches from her raincoat¡¯s inner pocket. Grandpa had ordered her to always carry matches around.


    ¡°Later?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°How long do you plan on staying here? We¡¯ll need to focus on hunting and laying more traps.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to live in the area, the least I need is a nice place to sleep, Lucius,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Humans don¡¯t just need ether and food. I¡¯ll fall insane if I set my home in a forest as boring as this.¡±


    ¡°Decorations are dangerous within the fourth level,¡± Lucius said. ¡°For the same reason that the twilight elk¡¯s bones are dangerous. Remember, anything that is dead will reanimate when provided ether. We really should get rid of the skull.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Once your claws grow strong enough to replace it as a weapon.¡±


    Nobody had informed Vivi on whether lighting a fire was safe in the underground, but Lucius gave no warnings as she lit her match. She lit the campfire and made sure the fire spread evenly, then stood to gather more worts. She¡¯d gathered everything from her immediate surroundings. The next patch was a short walk away.


    Lucius flew after her. ¡°We¡¯re hunting right after this. I need food, too. Spirits live on ether. If my reserves drop to zero, I¡¯ll disappear back to that Ythar guy.¡±


    ¡°You still have over ninety ether,¡± Vivi said, picking up a stack of worts. ¡°You¡¯ve lost one.¡±


    Lucius frowned. ¡°But I¡¯m so hungry. Ninety ether is¡­ It¡¯s almost nothing. I feel myself slipping out of reality.¡±


    And why didn¡¯t you choose someone who isn¡¯t in debt? Vivi wished to ask, but kept her mouth shut. She filled her pockets with worts and turned back towards camp.


    Suddenly, the ground rumbled. Lucius paused, his eyes opening wide. Vivi shared the reaction. Was something bad going on? The rumbles steadily grew worse.


    ¡°An earthquake?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lucius said, eyes wide in horror. ¡°An ether surge!¡±


    At that moment, thousands of wisps of ether shot forth from the ground below Vivi¡¯s camp, covering her newly built home in active ether.

 Chapter 9 - Catastrophe of Ether

    Vivi watched, wide eyed, as the camp she just spent hours building was bathed in misty ether, as if a geyser had erupted below. The surge was blinding and deafeningly loud; it sounded like a rampant waterfall mixed with the ethereal sizzle, or perhaps like a hundred blades being sharpened at once.


    Active ether quickly settled within the environment. Wisps flowed into the campfire and Vivi¡¯s burrow. Some flowed into Vivi¡¯s stone seat and into the staff-like branch beside the burrow. Most wisps, however, flowed into the twilight elk¡¯s skull.


    Then the monster formed.


    Fire fluttered in the air, as if having gained consciousness. The worts in Vivi¡¯s burrow crawled out like maggots rising from their nest. The burrow itself deformed into slime-like liquid, preparing to turn into an abomination.


    The twilight elk¡¯s eye holes gained a green glow. Wisps rose from the skull, forming an ether-aura.


    The fire formed the monster¡¯s body, shaping a robe of ethereal flames. The burrow¡¯s ceiling turned into scorched arms with thick fingers. The green-eyed twilight skull rose to the top, acting as a head. The monster stood at over twice Vivi¡¯s height. It stared down at her like a shaman coming to punish her from hell.


    The monster picked up its staff. The same staff Vivi had so conveniently left laying around, having now turned into a real weapon. The shaman pointed the staff at her.


    On command, the army of worts attacked, having turned into hundreds of spiders with claws for limbs, all shining with active ether.


    ¡°Run!¡± Lucius shouted, bringing Vivi out of her trance.


    Vivi bolted in the opposite direction. A spider jumped, claws first, at where she had just stood. Adrenaline filled her every muscle. She ran uncaring of where, forgetting her caution of the unknown. Any part of the world where that thing didn¡¯t exist was preferable.


    ¡°What is that!¡± Vivi screamed. The spiders¡¯ ethereal sizzle stayed by her trail, dangerously close to her head.


    ¡°A boss monster!¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s shooting something! Dodge!¡±


    Vivi glanced over her shoulders to see the monster¡¯s staff glowing with ether. A laser-like projectile shot forth.


    Vivi rolled to the side, barely dodging the beam of ether. The projectile flew past, cutting through trees like nothing before eventually crashing into a mound of stone. The mound exploded, dust flying everywhere.


    The spiders jumped for Vivi. She rolled on the ground, avoiding their claws, and sprung to her feet, continuing the run.


    ¡°I told you not to keep the skull around!¡± Lucius said in her head. ¡°Do you see now why you should listen to me?¡±


    I¡¯ll listen! Vivi thought. How do we live!


    Lucius had no response. Behind them, the shaman monster sprung forth after Vivi. It didn¡¯t run with legs, of course. That would have made Vivi¡¯s life far too simple. The monster floated at will, and at speeds not even Fellwater¡¯s cursed child could dream of outrunning.


    In a flash, the shaman¡¯s terrifying face appeared in front of Vivi. She froze. The monster stared at her in the eye. Vivi swore she could see consideration in its glowing eye-holes.


    Compassion was not one of its considerations. The monster raised its staff, preparing to strike.


    Lucius tackled Vivi with force, sending her flying out of the monster¡¯s attack. She tumbled across the ground, body flaring in pain. The monster¡¯s staff hit the ground where she¡¯d just stood.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The blow landed on stone. The ground cracked as if it were glass. A shockwave erupted from the blow, hitting Vivi like a punch to the face. The mere shockwave of the monster¡¯s blow hurt this much.


    Sprawled on the ground, Vivi¡¯s vision wavered. She saw the blurry claws of an approaching spider. The creature approached cautiously, as if expecting Vivi to somehow defend. She tried to push herself up, only to fall on her arms.


    The shaman turned to face her. It was playing with her. An entire ether surge fueled its powers¡­ Vivi knew the monster hadn¡¯t used a fraction of its full power. It could have easily killed her by now.


    Lucius¡¯s presence wavered. Something had happened to him, though Vivi had no energy to cry out. She lay on the ground, muscles too tired to move.


    Strongest of the strong¡­ Vivi thought. I will become¡­ For Grandpa¡­


    The monster raised its staff, giving Vivi one last goodbye glare.


    The journey was over. Less than a day was all Vivi had in her. She had no way to escape. The fourth level was insane.


    Suddenly, Vivi heard a crackle. The crack in the ground where the monster had slammed its staff grew in size. The monster turned its head, watching the crack cautiously.


    That was when Lucius¡¯s figure dove head-first into the ground, smashing right through the crack in the ground. The ground collapsed.


    Vivi let out a scream, finding herself at a free-fall. The stone under her broke, as if floorboards had snapped in half, sending her down below.


    Directly below was a raging river. Vivi swung her arms in a futile attempt to stop the fall. The plates of stone landed in the water first. Next came Vivi, her body smashing into the current with explosive force. Her eyes went black for a moment, feeling nothing but cold and pain, until her senses returned some seconds later.


    She would have preferred if her senses didn¡¯t return. The current pulled her down the river; it threw her to obstacles she couldn¡¯t see, bouncing her around like she was a rag. She tried to gasp for air, only to draw water to her lungs.


    Grab something!


    For a moment, Vivi managed to rise her head above water, just in time to see a rocky slab poking out of the river¡ªa piece of the ground that had fallen with her. The slab was stuck at a slight angle between a narrow opening. Vivi slammed into the stone.


    The impact nearly knocked her out cold. Water smashed into her from behind, attempting to clear the rock out of its path. The slab wavered, slowly losing its hold.


    Pull! Vivi growled, pulling herself up with all her might. She barely felt her limbs; her torso was freezing cold and bruised, yet somehow hot inside at the same time. Vivi pulled, then pushed herself atop the slab of stone. She managed to crawl atop the stone, above the river. She coughed water, while gasping for air.


    The stone beneath her wavered. It wouldn¡¯t stay still for long. Vivi pushed herself to her feet and jumped to the ground.


    The jump was weak; her legs barely held, but most of her body made it to the ground. From there, she pulled herself to safety, onto the dirt.


    Seconds later, another rock smashed into the slab with enough force to crack right through. The rocks continued down the current.


    Adrenaline kept Vivi¡¯s body upright. Her breathing was rough, utter shock filling her thoughts. Somehow, she was alive.


    Lucius? Vivi asked in her thoughts. Are you there? Where¡¯s the boss? Lucius!


    She received no response. Lucius¡¯s presence wavered. She could barely feel him inside her core. The boss monster didn¡¯t seem to have followed.


    Around her, new colors were added to the leafless forest. Blotches of dirt were scattered across the stone ground. Green fungi and mushrooms grew from tree trunks and from the dirt patches. The fungi had a shiny glass-like texture. The larger mushrooms blinked like green lightning bugs.


    White misty blobs of ether approached from within the forest. Ether auras.


    Vivi¡¯s heart dropped, another round of adrenaline rushing through her veins. She glanced around her for an escape-route. The monsters approached at a concave, blocking her exits. The river was too wide to jump across.


    It was a pack of wolves with saber teeth longer than Vivi¡¯s neck. There were at least seven of them, slowly inching closer. The wolves¡¯ fur was coated in ether. Their eyes were entirely white, wisps rising from the sockets. Their ether-auras weren¡¯t as powerful as the death rabbit¡¯s, but these monsters appeared far more intelligent.


    Wolves can hunt prey down a river, Vivi thought, recalling old teachings. Even if she jumped down the river, the wolves would follow her, killing her when she attempted an escape.


    She was dead. Vivi had nothing.


    She turned around and was about to jump back into the river as a desperation attempt, when a sharp whistle flew past her ears. An arrow shot over the river, toward the wolves.

 Chapter 10 - Demon Territory

    The arrow hit the first wolf in the head, piercing its skull. The wolf collapsed instantly.


    Vivi had no idea who¡¯d shot the arrow. She stood stiff, hoping nothing would kill her. For all she knew, she could have been the hunters¡¯ target as well.


    Her immediate enemy was the wolves. The rest of the pack panicked as a wolf dashed for Vivi¡¯s head.


    She yelled out. For the third time now, Vivi prepared for death to take her.


    A figure landed in front of Vivi. The figure drove a sword into the charging wolf¡¯s mouth. The sword pierced right through, and the wolf fell limp.


    The figure wore a leather uniform, painted blue. He kicked the corpse off of his blade, then slashed at the next wolf, killing it in one blow. Simultaneously, he collected their ether, growing stronger with each kill.


    His blade glowed with ether. It was a thick pitch black greatsword, almost magical by appearance. Vein-like lines were carved into the sword¡¯s black surface. The carvings shone a bright red, giving the sword a needlessly intimidating appearance.


    A runesword! Vivi thought, mouth opening in awe. The sword was primitive, made with well-outdated carving methods, but the circular stone on its hilt was undoubtedly a rune-core with a strength rune carved into the surface. A real runesword.


    Three of the wolves were now dead. The man faced them alone. His stance was tall and confident¡ªthe posture of someone who planned to win. Finally, the remaining wolves took slow steps backward instead of forward.


    The wolves turned around, running off into the woods. The man watched after them, making sure they were gone.


    The battle was won.


    The man turned around to face Vivi.


    He was a middle-aged man, wearing a focused scowl beneath his beard. His skin was tan brown with a pitch black blotch of harsh skin on the left side of his face, as if a part of him was scorched out of the world. His eyes glowed orange. He regarded Vivi with hostile suspicion.


    Knife-like black horns poked out from his forehead before his hairline. A demon! Vivi thought.


    Another demon dropped down from the trees, landing beside the runesword wielder. He was an older man with a shaven face, wielding a bow. His skin was lighter, and his black patches less prominent, though his horns were longer and darker. He wore a grey cloak that hid most of his skin. The cloak and the blue uniform were both marked with some sort of runic symbol.


    ¡°A human?¡± the older man asked. ¡°A little runt? Is she an escapee?¡±


    The runesword wielder sheathed his sword. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her. I would recognize her if she was an inmate.¡±


    Vivi shivered by the cold, shaking, mud and debris sticking to her wet raincoat. The demons watched her curiously, as if she was someone¡¯s abandoned pet.


    Should I stay quiet? Vivi didn¡¯t know. Her heart raced. Lucius had fallen asleep. He wouldn¡¯t be there to help her.


    ¡°She¡¯s small,¡± the older man said. ¡°A girl like her wouldn¡¯t survive one night in Zand.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Zand? Vivi thought. The torture prison?


    ¡°Who the hell is she, then?¡± the runesword wielder asked. ¡°What¡¯s a stray human doing here?¡±


    The older man leaned against a tree, sighing. He lit a match and pulled out a pipe from his pocket. ¡°Does it matter?¡± he asked before lighting his pipe. ¡°She¡¯s a stray human. Those are easy problems. So long as they can¡¯t fight back.¡±


    Vivi flinched.


    ¡°We¡¯ll kill her off, then?¡± the runesword wielder asked.


    ¡°And we¡¯ll bring the body as proof of our work,¡± the older man said.


    ¡°Uhm,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I don¡¯t taste good¡­ Thanks for saving me¡­¡±


    The demons were taken aback in surprise. ¡°You speak Fimian?¡± the runesword wielder asked.


    I do? Vivi thought. She hadn¡¯t practiced any languages.


    Then she remembered something about Ythar¡¯s contract. Translation magic. When forming a tie between a spirit, the wielder gained access to Ythar¡¯s library of languages. Any languages within Ythar¡¯s knowledge would automatically be translated to the wielder¡¯s native language. Vivi¡¯s speech was translated to others. In their heads, she was speaking their native language fluently. Translation magic was said to be almost perfect.


    ¡°Uhm, yes,¡± Vivi lied. ¡°I¡¯ve practiced for a few years. It would be stupid to come down here without knowing the native language.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the older man said, stepping forward. A suspicious expression remained on his face. ¡°This makes questioning a lot easier. Human, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivi said. I¡¯m a lost child, kidnapped by the stupidest spirit to exist. I need a ride home...


    No, she couldn¡¯t say that. Down below, weakness meant death. ¡°I¡¯m here to grow stronger.¡±


    Both demons raised their eyebrows. Then they burst out laughing.


    It was a malicious laugh. The kind of laugh that Fellwater¡¯s bullies used to give when Vivi said something entertaining. Vivi had a bad feeling about these men. She glanced around herself for escape paths. A fight would be useless. The runesword wielder was strong. Vivi had seen his strength first-hand.


    Eventually, the demons calmed down from their fit of laughter. ¡°¡®Grow stronger¡¯ she says,¡± the older man said. ¡°This one is funny. Impressive effort, learning our language just to say something so stupid. It would be a waste to get rid of someone so intriguing.¡±


    The runesword wielder frowned. ¡°What do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°Tie her down. I think she deserves a new home.¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t think you need to do this¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any harm. I¡¯d like to get on my way back to the third level, if that¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t have that,¡± the older man said with a wry smile. ¡°You¡¯ll die, miss. Oh, you¡¯ll die the moment the surgehounds come back for revenge. We can¡¯t let a frail young woman alone into the ether wilds. With us¡­ at least you¡¯ll live for a few days longer.¡±


    Alarm bells rang in Vivi¡¯s head. Lucius? she asked. Are you there?


    ¡°Sorry, Vivi¡­¡± Lucius¡¯s weak voice said. ¡°I need time to rest. Comply with the demons for now. We¡¯ll escape later¡­¡±


    Vivi gulped. Another shiver ran through her spine. She trembled. The cold wasn¡¯t getting any better. She was still wet all across, hair ruffled and dirty. She sniffled her runny nose. Her fingers were senseless. All around, she felt awful.


    The demons didn¡¯t seem to care. The runesword wielder left to retrieve a backpack from the forest, left a short distance from the fight. Within was a coil of rope. He cut a line of rope with a dagger and faced Vivi.


    Vivi offered herself peacefully. The demons tied down her wrists, then her arms to her chest with enough loops of rope to cover most of her upper body. Tying her wrists alone would have been enough, but apparently, her legs needed to be tied together with multiple loops as well. Vivi couldn¡¯t move a muscle.


    A length of rope extended from Vivi¡¯s back beneath the loops. The runesword wielder swung the rope over his shoulders, using it as a pulley. Then, the demons began their trot. They pulled the length of rope, as if Vivi was a snow-sled or a handcart. Her body dragged across stone, skin protected only by her raincoat and the thick loops of rope.


    Vivi¡¯s body twitched from a bump in the path below as she was dragged further into the forest.

 Chapter 11 - Prison of Zand

    The two demons talked about the day¡¯s lunch.


    They dragged Vivi along as if she was prey they¡¯d caught. They didn¡¯t care about her eavesdropping. She felt totally forgotten, irrelevant to the demons¡¯ lives. She was merely a piece of amusement they had decided to bring with them.


    Vivi couldn¡¯t guess what they planned to do with her. Ythar¡¯s priests claimed demons ate humans for breakfast, though the tales were most likely entirely made up. Most humans had never seen even a realistic drawing of a demon.


    Still, Vivi doubted she was about to receive kindness.


    The bumpy ride offered slight warmth, mostly thanks to the tight ropes tied around Vivi¡¯s body, but the ride was far from comfortable. Vivi had to keep her head up to avoid contact with the stone. Her neck hurt, and the rest of her body wasn¡¯t much better. Her boots scraped against the ground and nearly fell off her feet.


    The forest was mostly unpathed, as the flat stone was simple to trot, but the direction was clearly familiar to the demons. Dirt patches had footprints on them, and the blinking mushrooms had been cleared out of the way.


    Above, the daylight gems were starting to dim again. There was no sun to dictate a day and night cycle in the underground. The daylight gems were what brought order to the desolate forests of the underground. Vivi guessed evening was well underway.


    She listened to the demons talk about their lives, mentioning names Vivi didn¡¯t understand. The runesword wielder was apparently called Jeli, and he was a guardsman. Of what? Vivi hadn¡¯t yet deduced that. The older man was called Hoss. He was Jeli¡¯s superior, but Vivi wasn¡¯t sure in what way.


    Occasionally, ether-auras approached from the forest. The sign of stray monsters wandering around. The demons didn¡¯t change route to avoid monsters. They calmly assessed the situation. Most monsters were dealt with using a simple strategy. Hoss ambushed the monsters with his bow. Afterward, Jeli cleaned up the rest with his runesword.


    Hunting. The demons hunted for monsters.


    Interestingly, the demons didn¡¯t seem to wield spirits. Did their powers come directly from their own ether reserves? Both demons must have carried at least over a thousand ether.


    The fungus forest continued for half an hour. Vivi¡¯s muscles ached by the bumps below. The treatment felt awful in every way. Vivi could have walked on a leash, but the demons had decided to pull her instead. Was it to humiliate her?


    Lucius had said they¡¯d escape after he recovered his strength. His reserves were still at over ninety, though all of that ether was exhausted. A wisp of ether recovered similarly to muscles. When a wisp was used to power up Vivi¡¯s strength, the wisp was exhausted, and it required time to recover.


    We¡¯ll live, Vivi thought. It¡¯s not over yet. We¡¯ll live, and we¡¯ll grow.


    Ahead, the sky itself slanted upward, rising by several hundred feet. The landscape became darker with the daylight gems higher up. What little light there was came mostly from the glow of the blinking green mushrooms. Vivi watched curiously.


    ¡°Still awake out there?¡± Hoss, the older man, asked. He spoke over his shoulders toward Vivi. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, your chances of survival are none. You are not someone I would bet my money on. However, I like to root for the smaller animals. If you wish to succeed, I will offer you a piece of advice.¡±


    The uphill turned into a downhill. Up on the hill, Vivi had a good view of what lay below. The end destination of the demons¡¯ trot. It wasn¡¯t a cute little encampment hidden within a forest, nor a quiet city away from monsters.


    The demons were taking Vivi to a colossal glowing wall that reached nearly to the ascended sky.


    Mother of all ether¡­ Vivi thought. She¡¯d never seen something so large and tall. The wall was built of large stone bricks. The glow came from mushrooms growing between bricks like an infestation. Banners were hung from the wall¡¯s battlement, depicting the same symbol as on the guards¡¯ uniforms.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The wall had no moat. Instead, glowing spikes protruded from ground level all around the wall. There were thousands upon thousands of spikes, jutting out like overgrown thorns of a rose bush.


    ¡°Power is everything,¡± Hoss said, dragging Vivi toward the wall¡¯s entrance, where a portcullis grinded open. ¡°This is the only piece of advice you will need, and the only advice that will help you. Power is earned with strength. Strength is gained with ether. Ether is power. You claimed you wished to grow. In Zand, you will grow strong, or you will die.¡±


    Vivi was too shocked to speak. The demons had mentioned the name twice now. Zand. That was the name of the prison Grandpa had mentioned in the news. The same prison that enslaved the Greenwitch hunting company.


    ¡°First time in an ether facility?¡± Jeli asked, looking amused.


    Vivi¡¯s panic must have shown on her face. She stayed quiet, trying to think. Could she escape? How? What about lies? Could she convince the guards to let her free?


    Lucius! she yelled in her thoughts. Wake up! We need to escape now!


    The spirit¡¯s presence flickered on. Lucius watched the world through Vivi¡¯s eyes. The wall loomed overhead, creeping ever closer. Its glow seemed to spark curiosity within Lucius.


    ¡°I sense ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°A lot of it. This castle is rich. There are strong fighters inside.¡±


    None of it is for us! Vivi thought. We¡¯re imprisoned! We need to get out!


    Lucius continued examining the walls. ¡°No, Vivi. This is not a prison. It¡¯s an ether facility.¡±


    Why do you sound so excited? Vivi asked. We¡¯re captured!


    Lucius said nothing, but Vivi could sense his tail wagging within her. Something about this made him excited. ¡°This is good, Vivi. Maybe even better than hunting on the fourth level. The facility has so much ether.¡±


    You¡¯re making no sense, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell them anything, and we should be fine,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them you¡¯re a spirit wielder. Don¡¯t reveal your strengths. We¡¯ll conquer this place easily.¡±


    What are you talking about? Vivi asked. Lucius!


    The spirit fell asleep again, his presence dimming out. Vivi was once again left alone.


    The demons led Vivi to the front gates. More uniformed demons were posted by the portcullis. Two men, one on each side of the entrance. They carried sheathed runeswords just like Jeli. Both of them wielded large amounts of ether. Enough to qualify them as experienced ether hunters on the higher levels.


    ¡°A new catch?¡± one of them asked as Hoss and Jeli passed.


    ¡°Yeah, a human,¡± Hoss said. ¡°We saved her from a pack of surge hounds. It¡¯s her lucky day.¡±


    The guardsman looked amused. ¡°Interesting. You¡¯ve brought her just in time. A new batch arrived from Amtraz. She still has time to join their run.¡±


    ¡°Amtraz,¡± Hoss said. ¡°That was the violent bunch, right?¡±


    The guardsman nodded. The other guard on the right gave Vivi a worried look.


    Hoss let out a laugh, then continued pulling Vivi deeper. ¡°Look at that. You¡¯ll get an introduction and all.¡±


    Vivi was utterly baffled. She didn¡¯t know what to do or say, so she merely watched her surroundings without fighting back. The demons carried her inside the portcullis.


    The inside of the wall was an undecorated, inhuman hallway. The walls were entirely black, constructed of black hardstone. The material was recognizable from its rough texture. Black hardstone was one of the sturdiest building materials ever discovered. The stone withstood attacks from anything short of a runesword with a crush and strength rune combination.


    Once securely inside, Jeli untied the ropes holding Vivi¡¯s legs. ¡°Up,¡± he said.


    The order was emphasized with a pull from the upper ropes. Vivi''s footing was unstable, feet aching from the ride, but she managed to stand. The demons finally let her walk.


    That didn¡¯t mean she was treated any nicer. Jeli pushed her forward. They passed multiple steel bars and locked black hardstone doors. Hoss opened the locks for most doors, but the larger doors were guarded by doorkeepers. The security of the place was on another level. With each step further, Vivi¡¯s dreams of escape lessened. She wasn¡¯t nearly powerful enough to blast through black hardsteel.


    After the umpteenth door, the black hardstone hallway ended. Vivi was led into a large courtyard. She paused, taking a moment to register everything she was faced with.


    A bustling town square was not what Vivi had expected to arrive at.

 Chapter 12 - The Rules

    Vivi wasn¡¯t certain whether the area ahead of her was a courtyard or a town square. There was enough space to fit a small town, but the area was enclosed by tall black hardstone walls on the sides. The back of the fortress was protected by the sky itself. The sky, daylight gems and all, arched down all the way to the ground, enclosing the space like a protective barrier trapping people inside.


    Demons of all kinds bustled about amongst stalls and markets. Shops took up most of the space within the square. The layout of the area reminded Vivi of a carnival rather than a city. Vivi spotted multiple weapon shops and food stalls. Each stall was protected with steel bars¡ªat minimum, steel bars¡ªand the shopkeepers didn¡¯t make direct contact with customers.


    Wisps of ether transferred in the air as a dwarf-like demon wearing plate armor purchased a slab of cooked meat from a nearby vendor. The cook was a one-eyed ten foot humanoid amalgamation with green skin and tentacles for arms. The dwarf bit into the meat with his serrated teeth. He grimaced in Vivi¡¯s direction before walking off.


    Passing demons ranged from rogue-looking fighters to wretches struggling to stand. Within a minute of Vivi¡¯s arrival, a woman had already collapsed, looking like she was dying of thirst. One of her horns was snapped, and her skin seemed to be crumbling apart as she walked.


    Vivi also spotted a human. He was a tall man, sitting on a fresh pool of blood beside a quiet corner of the square. A spear pierced his heart. Vivi gulped.


    ¡°Move,¡± Jeli said. He gave Vivi a push, deciding she¡¯d gazed enough. Hoss and Jeli strolled straight into the crowd.


    Demons spread well out of the way, treating Hoss and Jeli with caution. Vivi¡¯s captors were clearly at a higher rank than anyone else. Uniformed soldiers were sparse within the crowd, but they were visible here and there, standing intensely with their runeswords out. Each one drew caution from non-uniformed passersby. Vivi, utterly baffled by what she was witnessing, was led deeper toward an open space within the chaos of demons.


    A caged slave wagon was parked beside a fountain. The gates were open, the slaves having been let out. The slaves, all demons with red skin and dressed in rags, stood by the wagon like a herd of scared sheep. Most were men, and all were far larger than Vivi with muscles large enough to pick her up and toss her like a toy. Despite their appearance, the demons watched their surroundings submissively, as if anything could attack them if they acted wrong. Everyone¡¯s hands were tied with rope.


    ¡°Domor,¡± Hoss said, speaking to a uniformed runesword wielder, who seemed to be watching over the group of slaves. ¡°I¡¯ve got one more for you. Is there still room?¡±


    Domor frowned at Vivi. ¡°Has she been examined?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Hoss said. ¡°But she¡¯s helpless in a fight. Nearly died to a pack of surge hounds. She can¡¯t have a lot of ether. Ah, and she can speak. Girl, say something.¡±


    ¡°Hello¡­¡± Vivi said.


    Domor examined her suspiciously. ¡°Very well. Toss her in. Their Steward is finishing his break. He¡¯ll be here shortly. I¡¯ll refer your work ahead.¡±


    Hoss grinned. He and Jeli bowed. ¡°My pleasure,¡± Hoss said.


    They turned to Vivi. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching over you,¡± Hoss said. ¡°Assuming you don¡¯t die first day. Good luck. Remember, ether is everything.¡±


    The two didn¡¯t wait for goodbyes. With not one explanation, they turned around. Vivi was left with the group of slaves. She watched her captors disappear into the crowd, back to where they¡¯d come.


    Those two saved me¡­ Vivi thought. As cruel as they were, without Hoss and Jeli, she would have died to surge hounds already. In some screwed up way, she was thankful.


    How much harm could one cause before the good of saving a life was undone?


    Vivi figured the demons didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t know why she was thinking of such problems. Nothing made sense around her.


    ¡°A human?¡± one of the slaves whispered around her. ¡°She¡¯s small.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all small here,¡± another said.


    ¡°First time?¡± a louder, more confident voice asked. The speaker was shorter than the rest, though still large enough to cause alarm had he entered Fellwater. ¡°Facilities are nothing. Far better than prison. There¡¯s a lot more to do. As long as you¡¯re strong enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡± the first demon asked.


    ¡°I come from Denwhill. They transferred me to Zand. Apparently, a lot more ether up here.¡± He smiled. ¡°My old mates called me Lars. I know how things work around here. If anyone wants to succeed, join me.¡±


    The demons glanced at each other, clearly considering the offer.


    ¡°Um,¡± Vivi asked. ¡°What¡¯s a¡­¡±


    ¡°Only the strong are invited,¡± Lars said, cutting Vivi off.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to ask something. Please.¡±


    Lars frowned, but waited for Vivi to speak.


    ¡°What is an ether facility?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are we here?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The question was stupid, Vivi immediately realized from Lars¡¯s expression. So she added, ¡°I¡¯m from the surface. I¡¯ve never heard of ether facilities.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fucked,¡± Lars said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but helping you is a waste of time. I recommend spending your starter ether on booze. At least your last week will be a joy.¡±


    Vivi blinked. Okay¡­


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t he friendly?¡± Lucius¡¯s voice suddenly said.


    Lucius? You¡¯re back?


    ¡°Slowly recovering,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I got hit pretty bad. Things are all jumbled up. But I think I can stay active now.¡±


    What is this place? Vivi asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely certain,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯ve never actually been to a faculty. From what I know, they¡¯re good places to earn ether.¡±


    You claimed the fourth level was a good place to hunt, and we nearly died.


    ¡°Facilities are like slave camps,¡± Lucius explained, ¡°Except instead of being forced to mine and perform boring jobs like labor, ether facilities are about fighting for ether. I¡¯ve heard of multiple legends being born in ether facilities, rising to the top with nothing but their bare hands.¡±


    Some distance behind Vivi, a horned girl got to her knees, pleading for ether. Passersby barely glanced in her direction. The beggar must have been even younger than Vivi.


    Don¡¯t fall asleep again, Vivi thought. I can¡¯t survive alone.


    ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t let you die here alone,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There¡¯s so much ether nearby. Enough to activate all of my powers. We¡¯ll begin hunting the moment this nonsense introduction is over.¡±


    The group of slaves discussed amongst each other. Vivi, of course, was left out. Finding allies in here would be close to impossible. Most of everyone around her was a demon and far stronger than her. Vivi had only spotted one human, and he was dead.


    Suddenly, the whispering stopped. Vivi flinched, seeing a new figure walk up to the scene.


    The new arrival was a truly demonic being. The closest thing Vivi had seen to humanity¡¯s drawn depictions of pure demons. His face was skeletal. He had no eyelids to cover his wide-open eyes. With his horns, his figure must have reached eight feet. He wasn¡¯t particularly muscular, but somehow Vivi felt like he was the most dangerous person currently in the square.


    ¡°Fresh inmates,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s favourite. I¡¯m Uundref, your Steward. Caretaker. Whatever you want to call me. You all are my responsibility, and I need to make sure you don¡¯t fuck up the rules on your first day.¡±


    Domor lowered his head, prompting the other demons to do the same. Vivi offered a hopefully respectful bow.


    ¡°To those coming from prison,¡± Uundref said. ¡°From today onward, your titles have evolved from ¡®inmate¡¯ to ¡®nimrod¡¯. The lowest rank of ether gatherer. Most of those around you are nimrods. Work hard enough, and you¡¯ll be promoted to wolves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the introduction short.¡± Uundref took a slow step with his creepily long legs, circling the group. ¡°As nimrod¡¯s, your job is simple. Gather ether. Ether, ether, ether. The method of which you hunt for ether is up to you. The most successful nimrods are those who quickly learn the best methods to earn ether.


    ¡°Ether facilities offer far more freedom than prisons do. Once this introduction is over, all of you are free to treat Zand as your home. There are no cleaning schedules or sleeping times. Nimrods are free to use the facility however they wish. All of this freedom exists for you to survive and perform your job: to hunt for ether.


    ¡°Your only responsibility is collection day. Every seven days, a collection day is held. During collection day. a nimrod will deliver a hundred ether to their Steward. To me. This deadline is absolute and exact. Failing to show up with a hundred ether will be punished with a slash mark and a whipping. Each nimrod is offered three chances. Gather two slash marks, and the third whipping will last until death.


    ¡°The next collection day is held tomorrow. As fresh nimrods, you will be excused from your first collection day. Your next responsibility is to gather a hundred ether for the collection day eight days from now.¡±


    Uundref continued circling the slaves. The demons listened calmly, though their expressions remained apprehensive. As Uundref passed Vivi, his bony teeth glanced down, smiling at her.


    ¡°The space around you is called the Hub,¡± Uundref continued. ¡°You¡¯ll be free to explore it on your own later. The hub provides weapons, as well as whatever food you can afford to eat. All of Zand¡¯s services will become very clear to you within a week. It is pointless of me to explain what you will discover regardless. The garderobes and accommodations, however, are over there.¡± He pointed to an alcove toward the northmost wall. ¡°An apartment and a bed will cost ether to rent, but the toilets are free.


    ¡°The absolute basics are now clear,¡± Uundref continued. ¡°A nimrod¡¯s job is to ensure, with absolute certainty, that they gather a hundred ether in any way possible. The methods of which I will introduce later. Is everyone following?¡±


    Demons around Vivi nodded. She did, too. She had questions, but she was far too nervous about asking them.


    ¡°Zand doesn¡¯t have many rules,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Common sense will take you far. However, you are obliged to understand your rights.


    ¡°First rule. The dungeon can be entered at any time and all monsters are free to be killed, with the exception of the boss. You are all too weak to crawl deep enough regardless, and the path to the boss room is blocked, but remember: do not attempt to become a hero. Attempts to get near the boss room will be punished with death.


    ¡°Second rule. Harming staff is punished with death.


    ¡°Third rule. Infighting with nimrods is allowed only in the dungeon. Murder is discouraged. Robbery is not an acceptable motive to kill. However, a justified murder will be overlooked.


    ¡°Fourth rule. Rapists will be fucked with a thousand knives.


    ¡°Fifth rule. Nimrods are not allowed to hold more than three hundred ether at a time. This limit is absolute. Your reserves must never reach three hundred ether; any nimrods caught hoarding ether above the threshold will be stripped of ether and placed under trial. If you ever grow near your limit, make sure to spend your ether on orbs or weapons.¡±


    ¡°Three hundred ether?¡± Lucius gushed. ¡°That¡¯s nothing!¡±


    ¡°Sixth and final rule. If you cause more trouble than you¡¯re worth, I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Examination

    ¡°Are the rules clear?¡± Uundref asked. ¡°Fantastic! You¡¯re free to break them. I don¡¯t care. Our torturers might. What matters more is your duty as a nimrod: collect your hundred ether, and don¡¯t go above three hundred. That¡¯s it. Once you grow to the rank of wolf, you¡¯ll be allowed to carry up to five hundred at a time.¡±


    A hundred ether every week. That was a lot. Grandpa¡¯s best swords, the four and five-runed swords he often spent months working on, barely made a hundred ether in profit.


    In Zand, Vivi was supposed to earn a hundred ether every week. And she didn¡¯t even have a smithery to craft runeswords in.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this lame?¡± Lucius said. She felt his presence in her core. He was crossing his paws. ¡°We can only keep three hundred ether at a time. That¡¯s a problem.¡±


    Three hundred ether is more than what Grandpa¡¯s best sword sold for! Vivi thought. How will we even get to a hundred?


    ¡°That should be easy,¡± Lucius said. ¡°A hundred ether a week is nothing. This place has a dungeon. I¡¯m more concerned about how we¡¯ll break the rule to grow further than three hundred. The organizers probably set the limit to keep nimrods under control. If nobody is allowed to truly grow strong, the guards won¡¯t have competition.¡±


    ¡°Ah, and of course, your starting ether,¡± Uundref continued. ¡°Everyone starts with fifty ether on their first day. If you currently wield less, we will provide you up to fifty ether. If your reserves hold more, you¡¯ll have to give some away. Eight days from now, that fifty must turn into a hundred. Preferably more if you wish to survive through the week after as well. Your starter ether is the only handout you will get. Afterward, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    The demons listened silently with focused but worried expressions. Only Lars was smiling smugly, as if he already knew exactly what Uundref would say. ¡°We know how this works,¡± Lars said. ¡°Get these ropes off of me, and show me your dungeon. I hope I wasn¡¯t transferred here for nothing.¡±


    Uundref¡¯s bony teeth smiled. A disgusting, creepy smile. ¡°You dumb rats need to be examined first. Come with me.¡±


    The being turned around, walking deeper toward the descended sky with its creepy steps. The slaves followed first, Vivi trailing closely behind. The other newcomers were currently far too nervous to bully her, but Vivi figured she¡¯d receive rough treatment once everyone¡¯s hands were freed. Zand was not a welcoming place for the weak. If Vivi couldn¡¯t provide value to others, she would be robbed of what little gain her corpse would offer.


    So far, Vivi had no ideas on how she¡¯d suddenly acquire strength. She was always good at acting irrelevant and submissive, keeping her head low to not attract attention. She¡¯d prevented countless beatings in Fellwater by simply not poking her head in where she wasn¡¯t wanted. Her skills would probably work here as well.


    But she wouldn¡¯t earn ether by hiding. She and Lucius would need to grow somehow.


    Uundref led the group into an alcove by the northern hardstone wall. Grey awnings hung overneath a door. A sign above read, ¡°Examinations.¡±


    ¡°Three at a time, and let¡¯s be quick,¡± Uundref said. ¡°This is your last step before I¡¯ll show you the dungeon. Nothing complicated, just tell the staff. If anyone wishes to gain a license to the mines, or to the workshops, now is your time to show off your background.¡±


    Workshops? Vivi thought.


    ¡°That could be useful,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I heard ether facilities require a license, or some sort of right, for nimrods to access just about anything. Most passes are bought with ether. But a few can be accessed so long as you prove you have the skills.¡±


    Could we earn a runesmithing pass? Vivi thought.


    ¡°You can try,¡± Lucius said.


    Three slaves were led in through the door with Uundref, while the rest of the group waited outside, watched over by Domor. A few of the demons had turned talkative, discussing plans with Lars. Lars was somehow even more excited about this than Lucius.


    Vivi stood by the side, alone. She glanced again at Domor¡¯s scabbard. He wielded a runesword. A simple single-runed sword, but a runesword nonetheless. It seemed only the uniformed staff members had access to runeswords. Why?


    Vivi pondered over the question for a while. Everything about Zand was odd to her. The fourth level was foreign; the demons¡¯ demeanor was unpredictable, and their runeswords were primitive, carved with out-dated outside carving methods. Nobody seemed to use spirit swords like the ether hunters.


    Each group spent roughly ten minutes being examined. Demons came out with their hands still tied, and their expressions hadn¡¯t changed much. When nervous, people tended to keep their thoughts to themselves. This was true with humans, and it seemed demons behaved similarly.


    Vivi, as was expected, had her turn last. She was ushered in through the heavy door.


    The examination chamber immediately reminded Vivi of a bankhouse¡¯s waiting room. Only, instead of a pleasant foyer to wait in amongst decorations of flowers, the waiting room of this chamber was entirely devoid of furniture. The floor and walls were entirely of monotone black hardstone.


    At the far wall were three receptionists¡¯ desks, separated from the waiting room with hefty steel bars. A guardsman ushered Vivi to the leftmost desk. Behind the bars, a plump old demon man sat comfortably on a raised chair with his chest on Vivi¡¯s eye level. His station was decorated with at least some color. There were paintings depicting what appeared to be rainfall over a gloomy mountain landscape. A broken child¡¯s toy sat on his cluttered desk.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Name?¡± the receptionist asked.


    ¡°Vivi,¡± she said.


    ¡°Your true name?¡± he asked, now frowning.


    ¡°Uhm, Vivian Runeblessed.¡±


    The receptionist wrote something on a piece of paper. ¡°Your account is blank. Not one mention of you anywhere. Where did you come from?¡±


    ¡°I was captured today,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°I see,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°Fresh blood is acceptable as well. Your home city?¡±


    ¡°Fellwater,¡± Vivi said. She figured she had no reason to lie. It wasn¡¯t like she had anything to go back to. ¡°On the surface.¡±


    The receptionist gave her a look. ¡°You know what we¡¯ll do? I¡¯m writing here that you¡¯re a human. That should explain most questions. Your lineage and relations do not matter.¡±


    Okay? Vivi thought, waiting as the man wrote down on a piece of paper.


    ¡°Any special skills?¡± the receptionist asked. ¡°Occupation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a runesmith,¡± Vivi said.


    The receptionist paused, looking surprised.


    Then he burst out laughing.


    Vivi stood there awkwardly as the old man¡¯s fit of laughter turned into coughing. He took a moment to catch his breath, then faced Vivi again. ¡°Funny. Anything else.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m just a runesmith.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the old man said. The joke wasn¡¯t as hilarious the second time. He wrote on the paper. ¡°Vivian Runeblessed. Human from the surface. No noteworthy skills. Does this sound right to you?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Vivi said.


    The receptionist nodded. ¡°Then, let¡¯s measure your ether.¡±


    He opened a latch within the steel bars with his plump sluggish hands, then pushed an orb-shaped device through the opening, onto Vivi¡¯s side of the room. An Etherprint scanner, used to measure and examine one¡¯s core and skills. The orb was covered in carvings of the rune everything. By touching it, one¡¯s ether was stored inside.


    ¡°Use your forehead,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°And gently. Try to break it, and you¡¯ll be killed.¡±


    Vivi complied. She took a breath, then lowered her forehead, touching the orb. The runes on the orb lit up. Vivi kept her head there, waiting for the etherprint scanner to reveal the mess of her soul to her captors.


    Just as she touched it, Lucius hid deeper within her core, hiding his being.


    The receptionist stared at the device, confused. ¡°Something¡¯s broken,¡± he said. ¡°This number is not correct. Take your head off.¡±


    Vivi lifted her head. The receptionist took out the scanner and fetched another. ¡°Useless technology,¡± he complained as he slid the new device in front of Vivi. ¡°Go again.¡±


    ¡°The device is not broken.¡± Vivi placed her head on the new scanner, waited for the runes to light up, and said, ¡°I¡¯m fifteen thousand ether in debt.¡±


    The receptionist¡¯s eyes were sharp but confused. Then he frowned.


    As expected, Vivi thought. A frown was the typical reaction of people seeing Vivi¡¯s debt. In a world where people were respected purely by the number of ether they carried, Vivi¡¯s number wasn¡¯t exactly a good first impression.


    ¡°Well,¡± the receptionist said. He glanced at the uniformed guardsman behind Vivi. ¡°Go get Uundref. We¡¯ve got a problem.¡±


    ¡°Curious,¡± Uundref said.


    Vivi flinched. The skeletal demon arrived out of nowhere, his glowing eyes peering at Vivi. ¡°A problem indeed,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Vivian Runeblessed. How in the sun¡¯s cursed name are you alive?¡±


    ¡°My soul is in debt,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll die on my eighteenth birthday.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Tough fate. Is it desperation that brought you here?¡±


    Vivi kept eye contact, but her head pointed down. Uundref appeared cooperative. From his earlier explanation, Vivi presumed he benefited somehow from his underlings¡¯ success. As scary and creepy as he was, Uundref wouldn¡¯t kill Vivi unless she seriously screwed up.


    ¡°You said new arrivals start at fifty ether,¡± Vivi said.


    Uundref¡¯s grin widened. ¡°It was a good idea, coming here. Everyone starts at fifty ether. Zand covers costs to those who arrive with less. The rules, however, state that only a maximum of fifty ether can be offered to new arrivals. We won¡¯t be paying you out of debt.¡±


    ¡°Do we kill her off?¡± the receptionist asked. ¡°She can¡¯t possibly earn herself out of debt in a week.¡±


    ¡°That would be far too cruel,¡± Uundref said. ¡°All nimrods deserve their own opportunities. We can¡¯t kill her off.¡±


    The receptionist sighed. ¡°And her clothes? I don¡¯t see a reason to provide anything more than she already has. The cloak is shabby enough.¡±


    ¡°Starting with a raincoat will not give her an advantage,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Offer her fifty ether to help with her debt. With that, she¡¯s clear.¡±


    The receptionist gave them a look, clearly knowing that offering Vivi anything at all would be a waste of ether. Regardless, the old man initiated an ether transfer directly from his own reserves. Wisps flowed from his spread-out hand, and into Vivi¡¯s core.


    Her reserves grew to a staggering minus 14950.


    ¡°She¡¯s all checked,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°Get her out of here.¡±


    Uundref bowed. ¡°Pleasant business, as always. Let¡¯s go, Vivi.¡±


    On their way out, Uundref spoke close to her ear. ¡°It is true that each nimrod must bring in their hundred ether. That hundred ether, however, does not have to be delivered from the nimrod¡¯s reserves. It¡¯s perfectly acceptable to use ether containers, or to ask another nimrod to deliver your share with them. Strength originates not only from muscle, but from one¡¯s allies.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Uundref said. He freed Vivi from his grip and ushered her outside. The rest of the slaves waited there.


    Uundref spread his arms wide, facing his minions. ¡°Aah, that¡¯s all of you. What a lovely bunch. You are now checked, and your hands have been freed. But do not leave yet. As your Steward, I am allowed to offer you one more courtesy. I will lead you to the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°About time,¡± Lars said. ¡°Show me where your monsters lurk.¡±


    Uundref let out a giggle before leading the way back toward the hub square. Their path was leading directly to a weapon shop. Vivi decided to stick along for now. So long as she stayed near Uundref, and so long as their Steward was still holding the introduction, Vivi figured other nimrods¡ªwhoever was watching her¡ªwould be reluctant to ambush her.


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Lucius said. His tone was serious. ¡°I still hold over ninety ether. The etherprint scanner didn¡¯t sense my presence.¡±


    I know, Vivi said.


    ¡°This is important,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They can¡¯t sense my reserves. Do you know what that means?¡±


    Vivi knew exactly what it meant. We can hide ether.


    Lucius grinned. ¡°We can hold more than three hundred ether. They won¡¯t sense it if we pass the threshold.¡±


    Only if we don¡¯t die before we reach that far.

 Chapter 14 - Bullies

    ¡°Weapons,¡± Uundref said. ¡°The greatest invention of all intelligent life. As nimrods, you¡¯re in charge of your own weapons. Break a sword, buy a new one. The blacksmiths are always eager to take your ether.¡±


    The Steward led the slaves to one of the larger shops on the hub. A weapon display rack covered the stall¡¯s back wall entirely¡ªof course protected by hefty steel bars. The weapons ranged anywhere from wooden clubs to blades and maces. Everything had a price tag attached. The wooden club was the cheapest, selling for ten ether. Regular longswords sold for anything between thirty to a hundred ether. The most expensive purchase was a black greatsword¡ªpossibly the heaviest and bulkiest weapon Vivi had ever seen. It sold for two thousand ether.


    Most weapons were gray in color, forged with ordinary steel. More exotic metals lined the upper shelves, ranging from mithril to ensium. The expensive greatsword was forged from black asmite¡ªa ridiculously heavy metal that was arduous to work with.


    The weapons were all ordinary. Nothing was powered by runes. Vivi hadn¡¯t spotted a single shop that had anything to do with runesmithing.


    Why? Runeswords were considered out-dated by humanity, but ordinary steel swords were even more primitive, used only by farmers protecting their turf from thugs. Steel blades were just that: steel. They could not be strengthened with ether for special powers. When fighting tough monsters, the ability to strengthen one¡¯s weapon with ether was almost essential.


    ¡°What you can afford is nothing special,¡± Uundref said. ¡°But then again, none of you are anything special. Everyone must start somewhere. You may start with your fists if you prefer to save ether.


    ¡°The upper level of the dungeon is full of mostly skeletons and ghouls. No ether sticks, unfortunately, but easy monsters nonetheless. A club will deal with skeletons just fine, so long as you¡¯re strong enough, but better equipment is necessary the moment you wish to fight anything that drops more than a single wisp of ether.¡±


    The others examined the weapons, then lined up to make purchases. Most of the demons were reluctant to spend their fifty ether. Lars, however, proudly spent forty of his fifty ether to purchase a longsword. According to him, the amount of ether one stored wasn¡¯t important. In an ether facility, what was important was one¡¯s income: the amount of ether one could earn within the hour fighting in the dungeon.


    After Lars¡¯ advice, most demons spent at least half of their starting ether on different weapons. The horned dwarf behind the counter was eager to get rid of his weapons, though he wasn¡¯t smiling at his customers.


    Vivi, of course, had no ether to purchase weapons with. She wasn¡¯t about to reveal Lucius¡¯s presence to make a simple purchase. Lucius? she asked. How sharp are your claws at ninety ether?


    ¡°Sharper than whatever this idiot sells,¡± Lucius said.


    A serious answer, please, Vivi thought.


    Lucius sighed. ¡°At least as sharp as those clawed katars.¡±


    The weapon he referred to was a steel katar with four talons. One of them sold for twenty ether, a pair for thirty.


    ¡°Spirits aren¡¯t efficient at low ether counts, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Once we reach the thousands, I¡¯ll start to get powerful.¡±


    I see, Vivi thought. Regardless, if we want to hide your powers, we can¡¯t use your claws while others are watching. We¡¯ll have to separate from this group soon.


    The demons were finishing their purchases. Vivi waited near Uundref, but not so near that Uundref could spark a conversation. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lars and his followers looked ready to advance, hands lined with weapons. Just about everyone decided to follow Lars. A little bit of confidence and knowledge was all that Lars needed to appoint himself as leader.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Uundref said. ¡°I am once again blessed with a fine bunch of nimrods.¡± He spread his arms wide, regarding the bunch of fighters. ¡°Your introduction is now finished, and your nimrod¡¯s rights are now granted. You are free to live in Zand as you wish. As promised, however, I will perform one more favor for my dear nimrods. I will assist you with your first dungeon raid.¡±


    Lars lifted his sword to the air, as if performing a salute. The others hesitantly followed, though their gestures weren¡¯t nearly as confident.


    Vivi stood by the side, awkwardly watching. Let¡¯s follow them for now, she decided. With Uundref, we¡¯re safe to examine the dungeon to see what kind of monsters we¡¯re working with.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lucius said. ¡°If you think that¡¯s our best action.¡±


    Vivi had never seen a dungeon in her life. She barely even knew what a dungeon was, other than the fact that they were dangerous and filled with respawning monsters. Dungeons were the most reliable spot to earn skills and defeat boss monsters. Ether hunters performed raids on dungeons, intending to clear the boss monster in one swoop. If they had to back off, that meant monsters would respawn, and the raid was a failure.


    Killing the boss is forbidden here, Vivi thought, recalling the rules. Why is that?


    ¡°If the boss is killed, monsters stop respawning, and the dungeon becomes inactive,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Dungeons take decades to recover from their cleared state. The demons here don¡¯t want to wait that long. They¡¯ll rather farm ether from respawning monsters.¡±


    I see, Vivi thought. Zand is literally an ether mine, then?


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The concept of ether facilities has existed for centuries. The levels are vast, and ether surges hit all over. Any ether that hits desolate wilds goes uncollected. That¡¯s why it¡¯s good to place outposts in woods like these. An ether facility¡¯s purpose is to collect as much ether as possible where it would otherwise go wasted.¡±


    And they use slaves to achieve that, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Seems so,¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi wanted to frown, but kept the expression to herself. The entrance to Zand¡¯s dungeon loomed ahead of her. A hole poked out from the descended sky at the very back of the facility. The hole was tall and enough to fit a house through.


    Inside the cave, the mood switched entirely. Both in the people, and within the surroundings. The dungeon¡¯s first room was a dome-shaped cavern with a low ceiling. The walls were covered in dim daylight gems, offering color to the otherwise gray cave environment. There were no monsters. Rather, demons lounged around, sleeping on hard ground, hugging their weapons. The first room felt like a second hub, just without stalls. Paths downward were spread all around; there were holes in the ground and stairways leading down. Only one of the paths was blocked with large double hardstone doors, guards watching over it.


    Vivi had barely walked ten steps inside when a foot suddenly kicked her in the stomach.


    She was knocked backward, falling on her back with force. She lay there in shock for a moment. Her instincts were slow; it took her multiple seconds to push herself back up.


    Her attacker was Lars. The bulky demon frowned down at her. ¡°You,¡± he said, ¡°are not coming with us.¡±


    Vivi looked up at him carefully, the illusion of safety knocked out of her. She was no longer in the hub. Fighting was allowed in the dungeon.


    ¡°The weak are not invited to hunt with me,¡± Lars said. ¡°I won¡¯t rob you; I¡¯m not looking to make an enemy of anyone, but you are not invited to my hunting grounds. In facilities, there is nothing more important than one¡¯s territory. Monsters respawn in dungeons, but not infinitely. Hunting grounds are sacred. Your help is not needed. I do not wish to share a single kill with you. I hope you understand. Get out of my sight.¡±


    Lars gave her a goodbye scowl and turned around, back to his group. A few of the demons gave sympathetic looks to Vivi. Nobody helped. Lars¡¯ group moved on.


    ¡°Well,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t have problems hiding our powers now.¡±

 Chapter 15 - The Free Dungeon

    Vivi pushed herself up and patted her raincoat free of grime. She was lucky. Lars hadn¡¯t kicked her when she was down. Fellwater¡¯s bullies would have gone far further. One simple kick to the stomach was nothing. She could withstand that any day.


    Uundref suddenly appeared beside Vivi. His bony figure shot up from a circular portal on the ground. The portal was purple, appearing out of nowhere, and disappearing as Uundref had passed.


    ¡°A skill,¡± Lucius said. ¡°A rare teleportation skill at least. Why would he reveal that?¡±


    Uundref giggled, staring at Lars¡¯ group. ¡°One would call those idiots. I came as a guide for a reason. They¡¯re headed directly to established territory. The free hunting grounds are nowhere near. They¡¯ll soon learn the dungeon won¡¯t be as easy.¡±


    ¡°Free hunting grounds?¡± Lucius asked in Vivi¡¯s head. ¡°Ask him. What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Free hunting grounds?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°The area where anyone is free to hunt, and where gangs are not allowed to set territory,¡± Uundref said. ¡°In Zand, there are three different types of raids a nimrod can take. Outside raids, defense duty, and dungeon raids. Outside raids refer to hunts outside Zand¡¯s walls in the wilderness of the fourth level. Defense duty is a station at the walls, defending Zand from monster attacks. These raids are only for the experienced, mostly for wolves and above.


    ¡°The vast majority of nimrods stick merely to dungeon raids. With so many hunters inside one dungeon, it¡¯s inevitable that rules be set up. Unofficially, dungeon raids are separated into public raids within the free hunting grounds, and private raids organized by gangs within their personal hunting grounds.¡± He glanced at the leftmost downward staircase. ¡°You might find success down there, dear.¡±


    Another portal appeared before Uundref, and he prepared to descend. ¡°We will meet in eight days, my dear.¡±


    He disappeared into the portal. No traces of his presence were left behind. Vivi felt a chill.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Some alone time. What a bothersome introduction.¡±


    Bothersome? ¡®Lacking¡¯ would have been a better word. Vivi barely understood a thing. Uundref had left so many things unmentioned.


    She felt like she was being watched already, likely from multiple directions. That was natural, she figured. In any hostile environment, people kept track of their surroundings and the people that entered. But Vivi could also guess malicious eyes were mixed within the cautious ones.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Lucius asked, somehow already excited. ¡°Let¡¯s see the dungeon!¡±


    Right, Vivi thought. She headed for the direction Uundref had referred to. The free dungeon.


    The staircase leading to the lower level was clearly man-built. Or demon-built. Whatever word Vivi was supposed to use. Stepping down, the daylight gems disappeared from the walls. The cavern was instead lit with ether lamps hanging from the ceiling.


    Bones littered the ground. There were a few skulls, but most bones were the boring ones¡ªlegs, arms, broken collarbones. Paths existed where bones were pushed aside. The room was mostly empty, but for one demon sitting on a chair, watching the clumps of bones. A dull knife was strapped to his belt. He yawned.


    Vivi stepped deeper. ¡°Hello?¡± she asked the man on the chair.


    The demon glanced up at her. ¡°Huh?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t look angry. Rather, he appeared confused, as if not understanding why he was being talked to. His beard was dirty, and he hadn¡¯t bathed in a while. His clothes were mostly in one piece with a few rips on the hem of his shirt.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Is this the free dungeon?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a new one,¡± the man said. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help you. I guess.¡±


    ¡°Are you a guard?¡± Vivi asked.


    The man laughed weakly. ¡°A nimrod. If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll still be alive tomorrow.¡±


    Vivi gave him an awkward smile. ¡°I was told there would be monsters here.¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± the man said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. Head deeper. There are monsters. You¡¯ll have to fight for the right to kill them.¡±


    ¡°Are you waiting for a monster to respawn?¡± Vivi asked.


    The man rubbed his cheek. He appeared uncomfortable. ¡°That indeed. Monsters are sparse up here, and the ones that spawn are recycled. They don¡¯t give a lot of ether. Most consider the upper levels not worth their time. But someone has to collect ether from here, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I see. Thanks. I¡¯m Vivi. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name?¡± The man looked away. ¡°Uh. Jorr, I guess?¡±


    You guess? Vivi thought. Something was seriously wrong with this man. But he didn¡¯t appear hostile.


    ¡°You should head down,¡± Jorr said. ¡°As I said, this place is not worth your time. I already have this covered.¡±


    ¡°Um, okay,¡± Vivi said. For some reason, Jorr sounded defensive. He barely looked in Vivi¡¯s direction at all.


    Suddenly, Jorr shot up from his seat. His eyes opened wide, staring into the clump of bones. Movement spurred there, followed by wisps of ether. The aura was weak, but it was a monster. A humanoid figure with purple skin emerged from the bones, like a zombie crawling up from a grave.


    ¡°A ghoul,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s aura is weak. Jorr is right. Fighting monsters here is not worth it.¡±


    ¡°MINE!¡± Jorr shouted. He pushed Vivi aside with force, then rushed for the monster, his eyes wide and primal, dagger lifted. The ghoul was stuck in its grave, struggling to push itself up.


    Jorr charged, thrusting his dagger at the ghoul¡¯s head.


    The ghoul lifted a hand, grabbing Jorr¡¯s blade. The dull weapon pierced the palm. Jorr tried pulling it, but the weapon was stuck.


    Jorr lost his weapon. He, however, didn¡¯t quit. He kicked the ghoul in the head.


    The ghoul grabbed his foot and pulled. Jorr fell. Then the struggle between fists started.


    Oh no, Vivi thought. He needs help!


    She ran past the bones to the struggling fight. By the time she arrived, the ghoul had grabbed Jorr¡¯s throat, squeezing with insane strength.


    Lucius! Vivi thought, spreading her fingers.


    Her spirit understood immediately. Her nails turned to claws. Sharp talons, as Lucius had promised.


    While the ghoul focused on Jorr, Vivi slashed with her left talons, hitting the ghoul¡¯s face. Then, she drove the right talons right into the ghoul¡¯s brain.


    The monster gasped. It lifted a weak hand at Vivi before its limbs fell limp. Its purple skin disintegrated, leaving sizzling wisps of ether behind. The kill was Vivi¡¯s.


    ¡°Jorr!¡± Vivi said.


    The demon was already dead, eyes having lost their light. Bone showed in his throat. His ragged tunic was ripped in half, revealing whip marks all over his body. Two whip marks were particularly deep. The slash marks, Vivi guessed. The ones that nimrods received if they couldn¡¯t deliver their ether.


    Lucius showed himself from Vivi¡¯s consciousness. He collected the ether from their kill. His reserves rose by 0.5 ether. ¡°Not even one wisp?¡± he asked, annoyed.


    ¡°Jorr is dead, Lucius,¡± Vivi whispered. ¡°He killed himself for half an ether.¡±


    Lucius frowned, watching the body. ¡°Unfortunate. We could have saved him. But he pushed us aside. He wanted the kill, Vivi. We can¡¯t blame ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Vivi said. She felt sick, but she wasn¡¯t planning on taking responsibility for the death. Jorr had turned crazy in his last moments. He was driven by utter desperation. With two slash marks in his back, and with the collection day being tomorrow¡­


    Wisps of ether rose from Jorr¡¯s body. With any death, of course, ether was ready to be collected.


    ¡°Robberies weren¡¯t an acceptable reason to kill,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But this one died on his own. Nobody said collecting ether from the dead wasn¡¯t allowed.¡±


    Without further consideration, Lucius collected Jorr¡¯s ether. His reserves rose by six.


    ¡°Six ether?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°He held six ether?¡±


    ¡°Probably a little more,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The Goddess of death takes her share when one dies. Only a small portion of ether can be collected when someone dies. I¡¯m guessing Jorr held closer to seventy ether. His weapons were trash, and he hadn¡¯t eaten enough. That¡¯s why he lost.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Vivi said. She watched the scene for a moment longer before turning around, a new disgusting memory embedded in her head.


    Lucius, get back to hiding, she thought. Let¡¯s head deeper and examine the dungeon.

 Chapter 16 - Competition

    The way down was simple enough that the path didn¡¯t need to be marked. Vivi descended down the next set of stairs, onto another similarly decorated floor of bones. Two more demons were waiting for monsters to respawn in the room.


    This time, Vivi didn¡¯t stop to chat. The demons glared at her as she calmly walked past, deeper into the dungeon.


    By the seventh room, having descended four stairways and tens of demons waiting for monsters to respawn, Vivi finally found action. The cavern was wide and a little more colorful than the ones before it. Greenery attempted to grow from between cracks in the ground. Weeds, mostly. Anything valuable had been picked, and the remaining vegetation was trampled.


    By the back of the cavern, Vivi spotted ether-auras. Not a lot of them, but monsters nonetheless. Half a dozen skeletons were gathered near the back, swinging swords. The skeletons¡¯ ether auras were slightly larger than the first ether stick¡¯s. Each monster dueled a demon.


    The demons here were clearly stronger than Jorr. The demons wielded blades or clubs of their own, and their muscles were larger.


    Vivi stepped closer cautiously. Ten or so more demons were spread across the cavern, some standing around waiting, others sitting atop their backpacks. Were they waiting for more monsters to respawn?


    ¡°Back!¡± a demon suddenly called.


    Vivi froze, realizing the order was for her. A tall demon with sharp horns and orange skin stood between her and the ongoing fight. ¡°Stay back,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not stealing a single wisp of our ether.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m new,¡± Vivi said, hoping her ignorance would be forgiven. ¡°I thought this was the free dungeon?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± orange-skin said. ¡°But this fight has been claimed by us. The monsters respawned next to our group. That marks this as our fight. The closest group to a respawning monster gets the right to fight.¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t written in the rules,¡± Lucius said.


    Fighting is allowed in the dungeon, Vivi thought. This must be an unofficial rule.


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t want any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Then I recommend you stay off,¡± orange-skin said. ¡°This floor is well contested, as you can see. It¡¯s better for everyone if you find a floor with less people. One of the upper levels will work well for a beginner. Where are your weapons?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just looking,¡± Vivi said. ¡°To know what I¡¯m working with.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen what you need to see,¡± orange-skin said. ¡°Get back to the hub before someone tortures what little ether you have out of you. People are desperate. Buy a weapon, and fight on the upper levels.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll never gain ether fighting on the upper levels,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We should head deeper.¡±


    You¡¯re right, Vivi thought. The upper levels aren¡¯t worth it. But I think we¡¯re still too weak to head any deeper. The demons here are already strong. We might need a different approach.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said to the orange-skin. ¡°I¡¯m glad not everyone here is hostile.¡±


    The orange-skin frowned. ¡°Get out.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head, then turned around.


    She had taken no less than twenty steps when something rattled next to her feet. A clump of bones grinded against each other, activity spurring out of nowhere. Vivi took a step back and watched.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Ether reanimated the clump of bones. There was no ether surge; ether merely appeared from the ground. The bones rose, and a skeletal figure formed. A sword of pure misty ether appeared in its hands as the monster faced Vivi.


    It lunged. Vivi dodged.


    ¡°This is our fight!¡± Lucius shouted. ¡°It spawned next to us!¡±


    Vivi¡¯s heart began racing. This was bad. She wasn¡¯t prepared. She had no weapon to fight. Using Lucius¡¯s claws would reveal her powers in front of too many people. The skeleton¡¯s swings were clumsy. Vivi dodged, staying nearby, but didn¡¯t make a run for it.


    Demons around her watched intently. They knew she was in trouble, and were prepared for any opportunity to steal her kill.


    Lucius, empower my muscles! Vivi thought. Give me as much strength as you can without the others seeing.


    ¡°Good plan,¡± Lucius thought.


    Ether flowed through Vivi¡¯s body, strengthening her. Lucius poured the most power into her arms and grip, but saved ether for her supporting muscles as well. The 98 ether wasn¡¯t a lot, but Vivi felt faster, more powerful.


    She maneuvered around the skeleton¡¯s clumsy swings easily. Its skeletal arms gained momentum slowly, and the skeleton wasn¡¯t nimble enough to stop its sword from clanking against the ground. Each time a swing hit the floor, the skeleton took a second to lift its weapon.


    Vivi could use the opportunity. The sword missed again, clanking against the ground. Before it could lift the weapon, Vivi tackled the skeleton with her shoulder, pushing the being to the ground.


    The skeleton clanked against the ground, but its bones held. It was sturdy. The sword stayed in its grip.


    Getting up, however, proved to be the skeleton¡¯s weakness. It pushed up with one arm.


    Its defenses were totally open. Lucius redirected ether to Vivi¡¯s lower body. She kicked the skeleton in the back of the head, knocking it back on the ground. Then, she kicked at the skeleton¡¯s weapon arm, attacking the wrist.


    By the third kick, the skeleton lost its grip on the sword. The weapon fell on the ground.


    Vivi seized the weapon for herself, then drove it through the skeleton¡¯s head. With enhanced strength, the ethereal sword passed straight through.


    She did it. The kill was hers. The skeleton turned back into an immobile clump of bones. The sword disintegrated in Vivi¡¯s hands. Ether sizzled on the corpse, ready to be collected.


    The wisps flew past the air, straight into the core of a nearby demon.


    ¡°Thief!¡± Lucius shouted in her head. ¡°This asshole stole our ether!¡±


    The thief was a bald demon, far bulkier than Vivi. His skin was scorched and horns long. The demon faced Vivi, as if ready to fight. Even with Lucius¡¯s ether, Vivi didn¡¯t think she was any match for him, especially if he had ether of his own.


    ¡°I killed the monster,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Stealing ether is not allowed, no?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not encouraged,¡± the demon said with a wide grin. ¡°Will you fight me for it?¡±


    Vivi stared at him. She kept her composure ostensibly.


    ¡°You fought well,¡± the demon said. ¡°But you¡¯re weak. You should know your place.¡±


    Vivi gave him a frown, then turned around, back toward the hub.


    ¡°No, Vivi, this is wrong,¡± Lucius said. ¡°He stole our ether! We can beat him. Let¡¯s fight!¡±


    Fighting him is suicide, Vivi thought. He¡¯s a bully. People like him are never alone. If you beat up a bully, they bring friends. Suddenly, you¡¯re the one who gets beat up. It¡¯s not worth it. We¡¯ll have to give up a few ether if it means saving ourselves.


    Lucius clearly didn¡¯t want to agree. Vivi sensed him sulking. But he didn¡¯t argue.


    Let¡¯s head back to the hub, Vivi thought. We don¡¯t know enough about how this place operates. Uundref barely told us anything. We need a weapon somehow.


    ¡°Do you claim my claws aren¡¯t enough?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°My powers will continue to grow. A weapon won¡¯t.¡±


    Your claws are good, but we can¡¯t use them while people are watching, Vivi thought. Holding a weapon will make us look more competent. Demons will be more hesitant to fight us if we carry a sword.


    Vivi stepped back upstairs, feeling everything but eager to start her new life.


    I still feel like I¡¯m being watched, Vivi thought. Let¡¯s be careful.

 Chapter 17 - Blue-cloaks

    Vivi dreamed of runesmithing on her way up the stairs.


    A single runesword would turn the hierarchy upside down, at least on the higher levels of the dungeon. Vivi would simply need metals and a few tools, and she could craft herself a sword powerful enough to cut through just about anything.


    But were runeswords even allowed? Only the guards were keeping runeswords. If the Stewards wanted to keep nimrods weak below three hundred ether, banning runeswords made sense.


    Vivi was stepping into the room where Jorr had died, about to exit the free dungeon, when she sensed something. She paused. Her exit was blocked.


    Three demons stood by the stairs. Their figures were almost fully covered in dark blue hoods. Horns poked out through holes in the hoods. The white of their eyes was black. One woman, two men.


    Alarm bells rang off in Vivi¡¯s head. These demons were different from the ones below. The demons¡¯ eyes were filled with intent. They weren¡¯t waiting for monsters to respawn. They were waiting for Vivi.


    Hesitantly, Vivi turned around, knowing this was not a bunch she wanted to mess with.


    Behind her, another demon in a dark blue cloak blocked the way down. The figure stood like an assassin. He carried a dagger in both of his hands. The blades were pitch black, freshly sharpened. Asmite daggers.


    Lucius? Vivi thought. Her instincts flared warnings, but the only action she could take was stand still and hope she wasn¡¯t killed. Plans?


    ¡°Hear them out,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They have no reason to kill us.¡±


    The dagger wielder made a move first, stepping closer to Vivi. She made no attempts at running. ¡°Hello, dear,¡± he said. ¡°I see you¡¯ve introduced yourself to the dungeon.¡±


    She eyed the three demons ahead of her. They didn¡¯t openly show their weapons, but Vivi knew her chances of squeezing past them was zero. Her only option was to talk.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I broke a rule,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m new.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve acted flawlessly,¡± the dagger wielder said, suddenly right beside Vivi. He drew the dagger against the skin of her ear, drawing blood. ¡°You¡¯ve followed the rules perfectly. A little too well. You see, from the moment you entered, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you spend any of your ether.¡±


    Stay composed, Vivi told herself. He¡¯s a bully. That¡¯s no different from Bero. Or Ollo. Or anyone in this mess.


    ¡°You want to take my starting ether,¡± Vivi said.


    The dagger wielder grinned. ¡°A smart one. Hand it over. Fifty ether, and we¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    ¡°But you also can¡¯t kill me,¡± Vivi said. ¡°If you do, my fifty ether will become closer to five.¡±


    ¡°A smart deduction once again,¡± the demon said. ¡°We cannot kill you. But, oh, we can make your life hell.¡± He pulled the blade from her ear to her cheek. Vivi felt a tingle as her skin was cut just deep enough to cause a wound. ¡°We cannot rape or kill you, but we can cut off your tongue, beat you unconscious, steal your clothes, toss your crippled and naked body into a smoldering furnace. I¡¯m prepared to go as far as it takes, and I won¡¯t take things slow. Fifty ether is a lot.¡±


    It took serious effort to stay composed. Lucius¡­ Worst case, offer him fifty ether.


    Lucius nodded silently within her. He was disgusted, wanting nothing more than to kill the demon before them, but even he knew this was not an opponent they could match.


    ¡°Can you not see inside my reserves?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the demon said. ¡°But anyone with common sense will know you wield at least fifty ether, on top of whatever you stole from that crazed man¡¯s corpse. I am not here to argue.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath. ¡°My soul is in debt, sir,¡± she said. ¡°I received fifty ether, but I don¡¯t hold fifty ether. That¡¯s because my soul is in the negatives.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the demon said. ¡°No life will survive at zero ether for more than a day at most. To fall into the negatives means death.¡±


    ¡°God Ythar keeps me alive,¡± Vivi said. ¡°A human soul does not require ether before adolescence. Any human below eighteen years old is allowed into debt.¡±


    The demon frowned. For a moment, he seemed to consider her words.


    Then he slashed at her face, cutting her cheek open.


    Vivi fumbled backward by the shock. Blood dripped from the wound. The slash was deep; she was losing blood rapidly.


    Treatment was the last thing on her mind. She considered running¡ªor rather, her legs almost shot for the escape on their own. She managed to stop herself. Running would only cause more harm.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Fifty ether is a lot,¡± the demon said. ¡°But it¡¯s not enough to fuck around for. Give me the ether. I would prefer not to torture you.¡±


    Holy mother of ether! Vivi cursed. Lucius¡¯s ether ran through her muscles, helping her keep what little confidence she had.


    ¡°Have me tested,¡± Vivi asked. Her voice trembled more than she would have liked. ¡°This is easy to prove, no?¡±


    ¡°Testing costs,¡± the demon said. ¡°Fear is quicker.¡±


    Vivi crawled backward, heart about to escape through her mouth. Lucius! she thought. Give him fifty!


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lucius said. ¡°He¡¯s letting his guard down. We¡¯ll win.¡±


    The demon placed a hand over Vivi¡¯s shoulder, holding her close. He dragged a dagger down from her neck toward her chest, cutting the first string holding her raincoat shut.


    Lucius! Vivi screamed in her thoughts.


    ¡°Asmite leaves the prettiest scars,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not learned in the arts, but Zand has given me plenty of time to practice. Would you like a new tattoo? Or would you prefer to give me fifty ether?¡±


    This vile, disgusting creature; the demon planned to stretch the extent of Zand¡¯s rules to the extremes, torturing Vivi, all for a meager fifty ether. He drew lines just below Vivi¡¯s neck with his dagger.


    He whispered more words into Vivi¡¯s ears. She no longer registered the meanings. His demands were clear. Vivi knew exactly what he wanted. Her mind raced, thinking of ways to stop him.


    Something cold touched Vivi¡¯s stomach. She felt a chill.


    She thrust her nails into the demon¡¯s skin with all her strength.


    Her attack came out by reflex. Before she realized what she¡¯d done, ether flowed through her body, nails growing into claws. She heard a slash. Her claws pierced her target.


    The demon¡¯s eyes opened in shock. His grip loosened, and his daggers clanked on the ground. He coughed blood.


    Vivi pulled out her hand, claws bloody all the way to her fingers. Five bloody holes pierced through the demon¡¯s stomach. He gasped for air and held out his hand weakly. Then he collapsed on the ground.


    He was dead. Vivi killed a demon. With her own hands, she pierced a demon¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Three more, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Don¡¯t freeze up.¡±


    Lucius collected thirty ether from the demon¡¯s body, his reserves rising to 127. His calm tone was unsettling given the situation. But this clearly wasn¡¯t Lucius¡¯s first time in a life-or-death situation.


    The three others clutched onto their weapons. There were two crossbows and a cutlass. Vivi raised her head, facing the three others. They flinched.


    Vivi was trembling. She wasn¡¯t in control in the slightest. But she was angry. Totally furious. She picked up the daggers from the ground, keeping her eyes on the crossbows.


    Fellwater never tried to do that, Vivi thought. The boys spat on me, punched me, threw me into a ditch. But they never did anything like that.


    The three demons stood stiff. Somehow, they were afraid of Vivi. They didn¡¯t know Vivi had killed their boss out of pure luck. If any of them decided to shoot, Vivi would die.


    ¡°They see you as unpredictable,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You revealed one secret power. They don¡¯t know how that power works.¡±


    We bluff, then, Vivi thought.


    She frowned at the three demos, asmite daggers in hand. As calmly and with the most unthreatening movements she could make, she tossed the daggers on the ground near the demons¡¯ feet. The blades clanked against the ground, landing close enough to her target. The demons watched with caution.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to rob you,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Take the daggers to whoever is your boss. Tell your superiors that this idiot¡ª¡± She placed a foot on the demon¡¯s corpse. ¡°¡ªdied in the dungeon. Never come after me again.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± one of the demons asked. ¡°How do you wield a skill?¡±


    ¡°No questions,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Unless you wish to learn what killed your friend. Leave. Now.¡±


    Hesitantly, the demons picked up the daggers. Lucius was right. The demons believed she was powerful. They slowly stepped backward, crossbows pointed at her.


    Then they turned around, making a swift exit. Vivi watched after them cautiously.


    When she was certain they were gone, her legs gave out. She collapsed next to the puddle of blood. Her breathing was rough. Pressure filled her body.


    Vivi hugged her feet. She took steady breaths. Blood dripped from the wound on her cheek, staining the inside of the collar of her raincoat.


    ¡°You did well,¡± Lucius said. ¡°That was really good.¡±


    I was assaulted, Vivi said.


    ¡°And you defended yourself,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m proud. Although, we should have kept those daggers. They looked valuable.¡±


    Why didn¡¯t you give him the ether? Vivi thought.


    ¡°I saw an opportunity for something better,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I took it. And it worked out.¡±


    You let the demon lay his hands on me.


    Lucius was taken aback. ¡°Um¡­ Sorry¡­¡±


    Bullies always come back, Lucius. The one we killed has friends. Those three will spread word. We¡¯re a huge target.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not weak,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯ll survive. And we¡¯ll grow. The next time someone attacks us, we¡¯ll be strong with a lot of ether. We¡¯ll make them pay.¡±


    Vivi let out a weak sigh. She untied the shoelaces from the corpse¡¯s boots. They would work as replacements for the strings on her raincoat. Let¡¯s get back to the hub. We need new plans before we¡¯re eaten alive.

 Chapter 18 - Friendly Faces

    The smell of blood was stuck in Vivi¡¯s nose as she exited the dungeon. Her vision was blurry, likely from all the lost blood. Passersby and idle demons glanced at her wounds and bloody clothes. Nobody asked questions, and nobody offered help. They merely stared, assessing her purely by her threat-level. Vivi walked past, ignoring the looks.


    Entering the hub, a commotion was taking place beside the dungeon entrance. A brawl, by the looks of it. A group of demons threw fists at each other, screaming curses. At least one was lying unconscious on the ground. The guards weren¡¯t anywhere to be seen. Vivi passed discreetly, not wanting to get involved.


    Turning away, the hub was littered with more demons passed out on the ground, beggars, and arguments ongoing in the middle of the streets where others tried to walk. The hub was like a miserable city street that politicians pretended didn¡¯t exist.


    One demon, barely clothed, was attempting to climb up to the roof of a food stall. Atop the stall sat a tiny demon with white hair and small horns. The little girl was munching on a meat-stick with one arm, carrying the man¡¯s clothes on the other arm.


    When guards came rushing to the scene, the little girl tossed the clothes onto the man¡¯s face before hopping off. She ran toward the dungeon, passing Vivi. The girl was barely taller than Vivi¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Catch her!¡± the guards shouted.


    The little girl was already gone. Guards ran past Vivi, after the girl.


    Vivi deemed the coast was clear. She moved past, ignoring the scene. What a place¡­ she thought. The hub is a mess. I¡¯m bleeding from the face, and I don¡¯t even stand out.


    ¡°What are our plans?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°We need to make progress sooner than later.¡±


    Vivi considered her thoughts before answering. She had learned to be more selective with what she thought out loud. I want to talk to someone who is sane, she thought.


    ¡°You want friends?¡± Lucius asked.


    That¡¯s a strong word, Vivi thought. I doubt anyone can become a true friend here. But we need someone friendly enough to tell us what¡¯s going on. There are a ton of unwritten rules we don¡¯t know about Zand. Maybe some humans from the Greenwitch hunting family are still alive?


    ¡°Friends are a waste of ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Searching for those corrupt idiots will be pointless.¡±


    If someone can tell me where I can clean my wounds, that¡¯ll be enough, Vivi thought.


    She began aimlessly walking, pretending to look busy. Even this proved to be difficult. Everywhere she went, distractions took her attention. Beggars, arguments, sometimes just crazy demons shouting at her. Vivi was forced to alter her path multiple times just to keep peace.


    Above, the daylight gems glimmered like dim stars of a clear night sky. The fortress reminded Vivi of snow-globes she admired as a child. The lowered sky was like a magical shroud¡ªa globe to contain the facility inside. The world itself offered shelter from danger.


    Or rather, the world itself contained Vivi in this mess.


    A sound in the distance took Vivi¡¯s attention. A familiar tapping sound. The clinging of a hammer. Vivi lifted her head toward the sound, suddenly curious. Uundref had mentioned workshops in Zand. Crafting existed in this hellhole. Vivi followed the sound like a hound sniffing food.


    The hammers resounded from a hole in the hardstone wall. A large depiction of a hammer had been painted over the doors. The place was clearly a smithery.


    There were no guards, and the door was open. Still, Vivi hesitated. Would she be allowed in? The demons had mentioned the need for a pass.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    She took a deep breath. If craftsmen here aren¡¯t friendly, nobody is. She stepped inside.


    The scent of hot steel was strong in the dark smithery. The scent of home. The smithery was large, reminding Vivi more of a warehouse. There were dozens of furnaces and anvils. Demons were hard at work, smithing blades. Most of the craftsmen were short horned dwarves. The clank of hammers echoed almost deafeningly loud.


    ¡°Your business?¡± a doorkeeper asked. He was a dwarf with a rough beard wearing light leather armor. His dagger-like horns were covered in knitted wool. He didn¡¯t seem to carry the guards¡¯ symbol anywhere, though he looked far more sane than the other nimrods Vivi had seen.


    ¡°I was hoping I could earn a blacksmithing pass,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°This smithery is private. Out with you, bloody witch.¡±


    ¡°No, please,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Give me half a minute. If you¡¯re a blacksmith, you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    The dwarf frowned at her. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to clean my wounds,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And I¡¯d like to work. You have free anvils. I¡¯m a practiced blacksmith.¡± And runesmith. Vivi left that part out. So far, mentioning runesmithing hadn¡¯t brought her any success.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a get-rich-quick job, you¡¯re already dead,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°My smiths barely earn a hundred ether a week. You won¡¯t earn anything by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m safe for tomorrow,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The collection day won¡¯t get me.¡±


    The dwarf opened his mouth, about to tell her off again, but Vivi cut him off. Kind words and pleading wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere.


    ¡°That smith there,¡± Vivi said, pointing at a dwarf a few rows off, who was working on a rainbow-colored metal called Ensium. ¡°His furnace is too cool. Ensium works best at twenty-eight hundred kelvin. His thermometer reads barely twenty-six hundred. His rhythm is also off. It looks to me like he¡¯s working on a hammer that¡¯s too heavy for him. The blade will be uneven and imperfect.¡±


    The doorkeeper squinted to see what Vivi was looking at. He didn¡¯t appear too happy. ¡°He¡¯s been working for seven hours. It makes sense to get tired.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to insult your smiths,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The man has good form. He¡¯s clearly practiced. But so am I. I want to hold a hammer again. Please. I¡¯ll go insane if everyone in this facility is an enemy. I¡¯ll smith swords and work for you in exchange for help and information. I need allies.¡±


    The dwarf looked her in the eye. He studied her for an uncomfortably long time. ¡°Let me see your hands,¡± he said.


    Vivi held out her right hand, the hammer hand. The dwarf grabbed hold of it, touching her calluses. He took a deep breath and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name, girl?¡±


    ¡°Vivi, sir.¡±


    ¡°Call me Master Axback,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance only. Good blacksmiths will survive in Zand. Assuming you are true to your word.¡±


    Vivi bowed. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Axback didn¡¯t look any happier. ¡°I don¡¯t want blood all over my equipment. Follow me.¡±


    Vivi was led toward the back of the smithery. For the first time in Zand, she felt like she wasn¡¯t being glared at. The apprentices and smiths were far too busy with their work to pay mind to Vivi. The few looks she did receive were curious as opposed to hostile.


    Axback led Vivi to a small basin full of water on top of barrels. There was a metal drain on the floor. ¡°This place has pipes?¡± Vivi asked in surprise.


    ¡°Just sewers,¡± Axback said. ¡°Clean yourself, and find me when you¡¯re ready to start working.¡±


    Vivi thanked him once again, then dipped her hands in the basin. She rubbed water on her wounds, trying not to waste water.


    I told you the blacksmiths would be nice, Vivi thought.


    ¡°They seem ordinary to me,¡± Lucius said.


    Ordinary is a blessing, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope they won¡¯t screw us in the back.¡±


    Vivi had the urge to frown, but she struggled to disagree. Nobody in Zand was a true ally. Everyone wanted something.


    However, if Vivi could provide value to a community, making allies would be a whole lot easier. Life had never been about friendliness and flowers. Even back in Fellwater, every citizen¡¯s value was determined by their wealth and profession. How much ether one could earn was directly proportional to how nicely others treated them.


    Vivi treated her wounds swiftly. The dagger marks would likely heal on their own. The slash on her cheek, however, kept bleeding no matter how many times Vivi cleaned it. She frowned.


    ¡°Here,¡± Axback said, appearing beside Vivi with a roll of gauze. He tossed it to Vivi.


    She quickly cut off a piece and taped it to her face.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You¡¯re a blessing.¡±


    ¡°You promised to work in exchange,¡± Axback said.


    Vivi bowed. ¡°I¡¯m at your service.¡±


    ¡°I expect you to smith one sword for me free of charge,¡± Axback said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for materials. I trust you not to ruin them. Depending on the quality of your work, I¡¯ll consider making a deal with you. You said you wanted information?¡±


    Vivi nodded. ¡°I have deals and questions in mind.¡±


    ¡°Better smith a damn good blade, then,¡± Axback said. He led her to one of the empty anvils. ¡°Here¡¯s your station. Here¡¯s your steel. If the sword is good, I¡¯ll feed you a meal. Now, get to work.¡±

 Chapter 19 - The Blacksmith

    ¡°Is this really worth our time?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Smithing weapons for that guys?¡±


    Vivi ignored him. In her opinion, smithing was always worth it, if only for the peace of mind of creating a weapon. The rhythm of her hammer made her forget the cruelty around her. Each swing came with force, shaping the piece of metal ever closer to the shape of a sword.


    Grandpa had always said Vivi¡¯s swings held far more strength than any little girl was supposed to carry. Vivi still wasn¡¯t certain whether that was a compliment or not. The demons around her certainly seemed to be interested in her work. Did they pay attention to her work because she was a girl and a human, or did they truly think her swings were respectable?


    She didn¡¯t know. But she never let others¡¯ opinions hold her back. She swung with practiced effort. Hard, but not too hard to exhaust herself before her weapon was done.


    Axback¡¯s forge was nothing like the one at home. The forge¡¯s temperature was controlled with emberstone¡ªa rare coal found only on the lower levels. Emberstone was said to be the future of blacksmithing. When imbued with ether, it heated to ridiculous levels and with insane precision, all without generating smoke.


    Grandpa had bought a batch of emberstones once after hearing about their durability and reusability. He spent a great deal of ether, expecting to spend the same stones for months. Quickly, however, he found out that emberstones were far more expensive to operate, as heating them up required ether in itself. Ever since then, Grandpa had called the stones a scam, and his smithery returned to their old bloomer furnace.


    When freely available, however, the emberstones sped up the process considerably. Lucius merely had to spend a fraction of an ether to light up a forge: a price which he complained about, but agreed to spend after persuasion.


    I¡¯m rusty, Vivi thought. She was growing out of breath. This is why you shouldn¡¯t take breaks. Take a day off, and you¡¯ll need three to recover.


    ¡°Do you want me to help?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°I can strengthen your muscles.¡±


    No, Vivi thought. A boost in strength will throw off my rhythm.


    She continued smithing despite the weakness within her. She was exhausted. That much was obvious. Blacksmithing was far more tiring than runesmithing. Vivi had practiced both since birth.


    Runesmithing had very little in common with blacksmithing. Most historical runesmiths hadn¡¯t touched a forge at all, letting a blacksmith perform the physical aspects of the job. The same was true today. Grandpa, however, liked to complete his pieces on his own. He claimed that blacksmiths were too incompetent at their jobs to work on runeswords. And thus, he made Vivi practice both.


    Just as Vivi had practiced runesmithing for fifteen years, she had also hit metal with a hammer for the first time at the age of two.


    ***


    Some hours later, Vivi wiped sweat off of her forehead. Her sword was done, grip firmly attached. She¡¯d smithed a basic longsword. Those always sold well. Ordinary steel wasn¡¯t the most impressive of metals, but a good sword was a good sword.


    Vivi took the sword to an empty spot within the smithery, where she couldn¡¯t accidentally hurt anyone. Then, she went into stance, and performed a test swing.


    ¡°And she knows how to swing as well,¡± a voice said. Vivi turned to see Axback approaching. He looked slightly more amused than before, though he wasn¡¯t smiling. ¡°Human, who are you?¡±


    ¡°Just a smith from the surface,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Sure, girl,¡± Axback said. ¡°Let me see the sword.¡±


    Vivi handed it over. The dwarf examined it closely, nodding to himself. ¡°Phenomenal,¡± he said. ¡°Your work is art. It has been a while since I¡¯ve seen someone hit with such passion.¡±


    ¡°Passion is cheap,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What matters is whether the sword will sell or not.¡±


    Axback laughed. ¡°Oh, your sword will please the shops. It will indeed.¡± He handed the sword over to one of his apprentices, who quickly took it out of Vivi¡¯s sight.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The vendors? Vivi thought. Did I just smith a sword for them?


    ¡°Who else,¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Weapons are the number one commerce down here. Did you not see how many weapon shops there were?¡±


    Right¡­ Vivi thought.


    ¡°Then,¡± Axback said. ¡°My side of the promise. Although, I don¡¯t recall promising much. I will allow you to work in my smithery. That I can promise. And I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know. For all the good a blacksmith¡¯s knowledge will lead you. I can¡¯t do much more than that. Ah, and food. Wait a moment.¡±


    Axback disappeared into the back before arriving with a large bowl of soup. The soup had bits of meat, but it mostly consisted of water weight. Vivi sniffed it discreetly. It smelled off, but it wasn¡¯t vile. She began eating.


    ¡°Uhm, first question, are you staff?¡± Vivi asked.


    Axback blinked. ¡°Ah. You¡¯re this clueless.¡±


    ¡°Please just answer honestly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all nimrods here,¡± Axback said. ¡°I¡¯m renting this place for a thousand ether a month. One hell of a price, but it¡¯s better than working in the dungeons. Most nimrods you see are not fighters. They¡¯d rather work on anything else. But they¡¯re forced to fight.¡±


    Vivi looked down, biting her lip.


    ¡°You must have arrived recently,¡± Axback said. ¡°You¡¯re still uncomfortable discussing life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about being here,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Nobody is,¡± Axback said. ¡°But that¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything a newcomer should know?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°There are a lot of rules and tricks I¡¯m missing.¡±


    ¡°There is always more to learn,¡± Axback said. ¡°Information is currency in Zand. However, if you plan on staying in the smithery, you can largely ignore the games outside, as long as you stay neutral and sell to everyone. How knowledgeable are you about gangs here?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Vivi admitted.


    ¡°People are divided into three major factions,¡± Axback said. ¡°You¡¯ve got Bwern¡¯s bunch. His goons are usually hanging out in the dungeons, causing trouble, fighting people for ether. If someone is being an asshole for no reason, they¡¯re probably Bwern¡¯s people. His people are bullies, essentially. You¡¯ll deal with them best by bullying them back. Bwern doesn¡¯t support his people much, from what I hear.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s Aang¡¯s union. This is the group where most regular folk fall into, if regular folk still exist here. The union is not necessarily a gang. More so, it¡¯s an insurance of protection. After paying the fee to join the union, you¡¯re free to trot the streets with his pledge, knowing that if someone messes with you, Aang will avenge those who are wronged. Although, I hear the union has fallen lately. Aang is active, but he has too much on his hands. He doesn¡¯t protect lesser members from beatings like he used to.


    ¡°Lastly, you¡¯ve got the neutrals. People like me, who don¡¯t belong to any gang. This bunch is the most diverse. Most beggars are neutrals, since no gang wants them, but some of us simply don¡¯t want to get involved. Not with the main gangs, not with the lesser gangs.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Do you know anything about a blue-cloaked gang?¡±


    Axback¡¯s expression immediately dropped. ¡°Black eyes?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Axback asked. ¡°Are you involved with them?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivi lied.


    ¡°Good.¡± Axback looked uncomfortable. ¡°That¡¯s Andre¡¯s bunch. That fucking human¡¯s gang. They sent him here not one year ago, when his mining operation was discovered. He¡¯s been causing havoc ever since.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s heart dropped. The blue-cloaks, the demons that tried to abuse her, were led by a human?


    No. That was not possible. How?


    ¡°Calm down, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°No need to get worked up. We¡¯ll discover their secrets on our own time.¡±


    Right¡­ Vivi thought. She pushed her anger out with a breath. She was in a smithery. This wasn¡¯t a place to act up.


    ¡°One more question,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Is runesmithing allowed in Zand?¡±


    Axback raised his eyebrows. ¡°Runesmithing isn¡¯t banned officially. But nobody who knows the craft would be sent to Zand. Runesmiths are far too valuable to waste away in a facility. One time, a nimrod tried to steal a guard¡¯s runesword. He was executed on the spot. Damn powerful, those weapons.¡±


    Vivi blinked in surprise. She took a moment to register what she¡¯d heard. If what Axback said was right, Vivi wasn¡¯t laughed at during examinations because runesmithing was a laughable profession. She was laughed at because the examiner thought she was lying.


    Could runesmithing truly be so special down here?


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I think that¡¯s all I needed to hear for now.¡±


    Axback nodded. ¡°I do hope you¡¯ll stay to work with me. I feed and pay my smiths. Exactly a hundred ether a week. You can stay so long as you make me a profit. Your swords definitely will.¡±


    Vivi considered the offer. She seriously did. A life in a smithery wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Hitting a hammer endlessly would certainly beat meeting any more blue-cloaks.


    But Vivi was in debt. If she stayed here, she would die. ¡°I need a sword,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Can I make a proposal?¡±


    Axback frowned, but waited for her to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ll craft you three swords,¡± she said. ¡°In exchange for labor, I¡¯ll take the fourth with me.¡±


    Axback¡¯s frown only deepened. ¡°Five. Forge me five blades, and I¡¯ll let you take one.¡±

 Chapter 20 - Collection Day

    After a night of blacksmithing, Vivi was awoken by movement around her.


    Unfamiliar lights shone through Vivi¡¯s groggy vision. She squinted, confused, before suddenly flinching awake. She¡¯d fallen asleep by the anvil again, as she often did. Except, she wasn¡¯t in Grandpa¡¯s smithery, and this wasn¡¯t her anvil.


    ¡°Morning, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Congratulations on surviving your first night.¡±


    She stared at her surroundings, reality registering once again. A blanket had been wrapped around her. She still wore her raincoat; nothing seemed to be stolen from her. That was good. She had been right about the blacksmiths. They were far more trustworthy than anyone outside.


    Vivi didn¡¯t know where the blanket had come from, but she didn¡¯t complain. She cuddled tighter, as if trying to hide in the blanket¡¯s warmth. Demons surrounded her, busy with morning activities. None of the apprentices were smithing. They seemed to be preparing for something.


    ¡°Ah, hey,¡± one of the apprentices said. He was a younger dwarf with a short beard and light skin. He wore a tunic and a jacket. ¡°Good work yesterday.¡±


    Vivi recognized him as one of the smiths. She gave him a weak nod. ¡°How many swords did I make?¡±


    ¡°Four total,¡± the short-beard said. ¡°Your tenacity is insane. I could never complete four swords in one day. You barely took breaks.¡±


    I used ether, didn¡¯t I? Vivi asked. To stay awake longer.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You abused my powers quite thoroughly. You¡¯ll need a lot more sleep if we wish to fully recover.¡±


    Not happening, Vivi thought. Maybe a few minutes¡­ I¡¯ll get up then.


    Another dwarf grabbed the short-beard by the shoulder. ¡°Surviving another week, eh, Aruid? Fucking collection day again.¡±


    The short-beard, Aruid, laughed awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll need to be on time this week. I¡¯ve been late too many times.¡±


    ¡°You got your hundred ether?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Aruid said. ¡°Axback wouldn¡¯t leave us without.¡± He glanced at Vivi. ¡°What about you, um¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me Vivi,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. No need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Vivi,¡± the second dwarf said. ¡°I¡¯m Ravig. That¡¯s my blanket, by the way. I don¡¯t lend it to anyone who I don¡¯t respect.¡±


    Ravig was a taller dwarf, though still short. His shoulders were broad and muscular. He seemed to be young, around the same age as Vivi. His tank top was unclean, but not hideously so.


    Vivi stood up and offered the blanket back. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said.


    Faint screams could be heard from outside. The painful kind of screams, accompanied by a whipping sound. The dwarves frowned. ¡°Already, starting, huh? We should go.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Every demon in the smithery was gathering at the door. Axback was talking to his smiths. They seemed to be talking about ether, counting whether everyone was above the threshold of a hundred.


    ¡°You coming with us?¡± Ravig asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go alone. Collection days are the most desperate days in Zand. Each week has been messier than the previous. Beggars tried to rob me in front of guards last week.¡±


    ¡°I hear the higher ups are considering getting rid of the slash system,¡± Aruid said. ¡°They¡¯d skip straight to death if you fail to collect ether. Just to kill the weak off quicker.¡±


    Ravig sighed, then asked again, ¡°You coming?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Vivi said. She wouldn¡¯t need to pay ether today, but knowing how collection day worked would be important for next week.


    Shortly after, the blacksmiths including Axback headed for the hub. They locked their doors, trusting nobody would steal.


    Immediately upon entering, Ravig¡¯s warnings proved true. The hub was packed with demons. Most stood around calmly, waiting for their turn, but of course, the crazies existed within the crowd as well. In under a minute of entering, a demon with broken spectacles and a hunched back approached Vivi.


    ¡°Miss, please, do you have ten ether to spare?¡± the demon pleaded, walking alongside Vivi. ¡°I have ninety. I just need ten to survive. Please.¡±


    Ten? Vivi thought. He just needs ten?


    ¡°No,¡± Ravig said firmly before Vivi could respond.


    ¡°But¡­ I just¡­¡± the beggar began.


    ¡°Get out,¡± Ravig said. ¡°Or I¡¯ll hurt you.¡±


    The beggar stayed for a few seconds more before turning around, back to the crowd.


    Ravig looked annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t ever give beggars a look like that. The sympathetic one. They¡¯ll never leave you alone. That beggar does not hold ninety ether; he¡¯s following a scheme. He claims to just need ten ether. In reality, he needs a lot more. He just hopes to repeat the trick ten times to earn enough ether to not die.¡±


    Vivi glanced behind herself. The little demon barely had any meat in him. ¡°He will die,¡± she said.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Ravig said. ¡°Can¡¯t do much about it. Once you grow weak, it¡¯s almost impossible to recover. Subsidies and help are useless for those who can¡¯t hold their own.¡±


    A sour taste welled up in Vivi¡¯s throat. She ignored it, following the dwarves deeper into the hub.


    Most stalls were closed entirely, enclosed with steel shutters. This was for good reason, Vivi figured. Demons were fighting left and right, and the guards weren¡¯t present. What use were rules when nobody was there to enforce them?


    As the dwarves got closer to the centre of the hub, where the crowds grew thicker, the source of the screams and whippings revealed itself.


    A large platform had been placed in the middle of the hub. Ten figures stood atop the platform. One of them was Uundref. The Stewards, Vivi figured. Each Steward was accompanied by an etherprint scanner, as well as a line of nimrods arriving to get themselves examined, and to deliver their hundred ether.


    The crowd was calmer than the outskirts of the hub. Guards had been spread out all over both on the platform and inside the crowd. The Stewards themselves were all insanely strong. No nimrod could start a fight here.


    The lines moved mostly swiftly. Nimrods got examined with etherprint scanners before wisps flowed into their Steward¡¯s cores. Names were written down, and the nimrods were free to move on with their lives.


    An alarmingly large number of demons failed to deliver their ether. These demons were led to another platform that stood even taller beside the first. The whipping platform.


    The screams resounded in the air. Five demons were being whipped at once with enough force to rip right through skin. Just looking at it made Vivi¡¯s skin crawl. Most demons on the whipping platform were scrawny and already dying. Some had slash marks drawn to their backs already. Those with two marks would be whipped until they died.


    The blacksmiths around her wore harsh expressions, looking away from the torture.


    Next to Vivi, some demon laughed weakly. His eyes were wide, staring at the torture. ¡°It takes days just to walk after the first whipping. It¡¯s that bad. Get there once, and you¡¯re fucking dead. You won¡¯t recover.¡±


    The man took a limp step forward. His tunic was torn, revealing two deep cut marks embedded into his back. He staggered a few steps, the crowd making space for him.


    Then he pulled a knife from his pockets and charged at the nearest guard, screaming. ¡°Justice for nimrods!¡±

 Chapter 21 - To Own a Sword

    The screaming knife-attacker was killed in an instant, cut in half by a guard¡¯s runesword.


    His death was far from the only incident that occurred. Throughout the hour that Vivi spent watching the collection day, at least a dozen crazies died self-caused deaths. The guards subjugated two failed attempts at causing a riot, sending the instigators to be whipped. All the while the rest of the nimrods stood in line, waiting for their turn to pay their share toward keeping Zand operational.


    ¡°They can¡¯t kill us all!¡± one of the rioters had screamed. The same man was now being whipped, punished for his actions.


    Vivi gave thought to his words. Most nimrods didn¡¯t want to riot. Their lives were difficult, but they were surviving. Even the blacksmith dwarves seemed to mostly accept their lives. To them, smithing weapons was easier and simpler than trying to fight back against oppression.


    Even if every nimrod gathered together, fighting all against staff, Vivi doubted the nimrods would stand a chance. The guards and their runeswords were on another level of strength compared to what the nimrods were allowed to wield.


    For a successful mass breakout, the nimrods would somehow have to break the three hundred ether barrier. They¡¯d have to get their hands on truly powerful weapons. And on top of this, they¡¯d likely need at least a few powerful skills.


    It was impossible. The nimrods couldn¡¯t organize all of that within a week.


    But alone, Vivi could grow. Nobody could sense Lucius and his ether reserves. Vivi knew how to craft runeswords.


    Distant dreams, Vivi thought with a sigh. In Zand, we survive one day at a time. One hour at a time.


    A short time later, all of the dwarves gathered up, having delivered their ether. Axback assessed the group, making sure nobody was missing.


    Just as they were leaving, one of the dwarves whispered, ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that Aang?¡±


    The dwarves turned around to see what the commotion was. Not just the dwarves¡ªeveryone¡¯s attention turned to the collection platforms.


    Vivi didn¡¯t need to ask who everyone was looking at. Aang was huge, white tattoos lining his scorched demonic arms. His white shirt was clean but slowly turning yellow, and his posture conveyed absolute confidence.


    Aang quickly got himself examined, passing the check. He delivered his ether to Uundref. The same Steward as Vivi had. Aang didn¡¯t wait around; without saying a word, he stepped off. The crowd made space as he passed.


    Demons followed him, however. A whole crowd of them. Some were looking to join his union, others called him out for being a lazy, useless leader. Aang didn¡¯t respond to anyone, simply walking past with a pissed off expression.


    Ravig sighed. ¡°Collection day has one benefit, at least. Everyone is forced to come. Everyone. If there¡¯s someone hiding from you, you can always wait for them to show their face during collection day. The big names usually show up last second when the lines have cleared.¡±


    I could wait for humans to show up, Vivi thought. See that Andre for myself.


    No. That was too much of a risk. Vivi couldn¡¯t get involved yet. If the blue-cloaks were truly led by a human, the same humans had tried to kill her.


    The dwarves were turning back to their smithery now. None of them had died; the smithery seemed to be doing well enough, but a gloomy cloud hung over everyone nonetheless. The whippings were still ongoing in the distance.


    ¡°The hub will calm down for a few days now,¡± Axback said, walking beside Vivi. ¡°Facilities work in one-week cycles. Collection days kill off those who failed. With the crazies gone and the week fresh, everyone is hopeful and determined to gather ether. Until inevitably, a new bunch of nimrods realize they aren¡¯t going to make enough. Then insanity shows up on the streets again. You just need to make sure you¡¯re not amongst the insane..¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your help, Master,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°My blacksmiths are all useful. Together, we keep each other strong,¡± Axback said.


    He unlocked the doors to the rented smithery. The keys were kept in the inner pockets of his jacket, where pickpocketing was hard.


    The warehouse was not empty, as they had left it.


    ¡°Fiend!¡± Axback shouted.


    A white-haired little girl sat on top of an anvil¡ªVivi¡¯s workstation¡ªmunching on a slab of uncooked meat with her fanged teeth. She was the same girl that Vivi saw running from guards yesterday. She kept sitting on the anvil, eyes sharp.


    ¡°You goddamned thief!¡± Axback shouted. He picked up a broom, then approached the girl.


    The girl hopped off the anvil. She was so tiny, almost as short as the anvil itself. She let out a laugh as she ran past Axback. She jumped over the broom. Meat-stick still in her mouth, she ran toward Vivi.


    Vivi stepped out of the way, letting the girl out of the doors. She ran off, quickly disappearing into the hub.


    ¡°Damned fiend,¡± Axback called. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her!¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°I thought she would bite,¡± Vivi said.


    Axback stared at her, then sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Whose meat did she steal?¡±


    The apprentices looked at each other. ¡°We don¡¯t keep food around,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t our meat, then,¡± Axback said. ¡°I never keep boar meat around. Check your belongings. Make sure nothing is gone. Eat if you have to. Then get back to work.¡±


    Vivi got out of the way as the blacksmiths followed orders, checking their items. She didn¡¯t own anything beside her raincoat, which was still with her.


    ¡°Who was that girl?¡± she asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s a half-fiend half-elf,¡± Axback said. ¡°Nobody knows who she is or what her name is. Rumors say her mother ended her own life after being forced to deliver a fiend. Nobody knows how the child ended up in Zand. She doesn¡¯t speak, doesn¡¯t fight. All she does is run around and cause havoc. She manages to pay her hundred ether every time by stealing. Bwern even placed a bounty of fifty ether on her name just to get rid of her. Just about everyone wants her gone. Nobody has caught her yet.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a nimrod?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Axback said. ¡°She has broken into the smithery four times now. Each time, she sat around, eating food she stole from somewhere else. I don¡¯t think many thoughts run in her head. She just likes the heat of our forges. Bad luck that girl, let me tell you. Don¡¯t go near her.¡±


    She looked harmless to me, Vivi thought. But she didn¡¯t argue. Axback was still her master. She had work remaining.


    She spent the next six hours completing the deal with Axback. She forged one more simple longsword for Axback. There was nothing special about the sword. Vivi simply forged it with enough care that its buyer wouldn¡¯t have any complaints.


    The last sword, her own sword, naturally received a lot more care from Vivi¡¯s hammer. She smithed a smaller sword, specifically designed for her own height. She wanted the sword to be bulky enough to slash through ghouls and skeletons, as well as any other monstrosities she met, while also being light enough to swing with one arm.


    If Vivi had access to runesmithing, she would have loved a swiftness rune and a sharpness rune. The sword would have been perfect for its purpose with the combination of runes. Without runesmithing, the process became a lot more difficult. The sword¡¯s strength depended entirely on Vivi¡¯s blacksmithing skills and her knowledge of metallurgy.


    Nonetheless, the boring steel sword was done before nightfall. Vivi carved a wooden handle for the sword, then tested it.


    With two arms, the sword felt perfect. The weight was proper for Vivi. Her hands fit the handle, and the sword¡¯s blade was firm and sharp. With one arm, however, she struggled. The sword felt heavy, and her form slipped. She had never practiced swings with one arm.


    Still, the sword was good. She considered her time at the smithery a success.


    ¡°I¡¯d really like you to stay, Vivi,¡± Axback said, noticing that Vivi was done. ¡°A blacksmith with your skills is wasted down there.¡±


    ¡°I would love to stay,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll die in the dungeon,¡± Axback said.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°You¡¯d still risk it all? Even if I could pay you all the ether you¡¯ll need? A hundred and fifty a week?¡±


    ¡°Life is complicated, Master.¡±


    Axback studied her expression, as if observing her will for weaknesses. He spotted none. ¡°I can¡¯t force you. You¡¯ll need a scabbard.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Tell him we won¡¯t need a scabbard.¡±


    What? Vivi thought. Why would we not need a scabbard?


    ¡°I have a better solution,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    Okay¡­ Vivi thought. She bowed to Axback. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Thank you for everything. I¡¯ll be leaving now. Am I welcome back if I¡¯m still alive later?¡±


    Axback stared at her. He sighed. ¡°So long as you don¡¯t bring any trouble, my doors are open.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°See you, Vivi,¡± Ravig said from his anvil. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    She gave one last bow. And before she could grow any more attached, she turned around.


    The hub, in all its greatness, embraced Vivi with its hardstone walls. Alone once again.


    Well, then, Vivi thought. Fifteen thousand ether to earn. Eleven months of time. Why did we not need a scabbard?


    ¡°I can keep the sword in my spatial storage,¡± Lucius said. ¡°From there, you can call it at will.¡±


    Spatial storage? Vivi had totally forgotten about that. Spirits could store items in their stomachs. There, the items would bear no weight, and carrying them would take no space.


    Still, there was a problem. We¡¯re supposed to look ordinary. If we use spatial magic, it¡¯ll look like we¡¯re conjuring a sword out of nowhere.


    ¡°Slide the sword inside your raincoat,¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. But she did as asked, sliding the sword into her coat from behind and above her back. The gesture was awkward. If her sword was any longer, her arms wouldn¡¯t have been long enough.


    Hidden inside her coat, the sword disappeared from her grip. Lucius ate it into his spatial storage.


    ¡°Now hold your hand on the same spot,¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi did so, keeping her hand open where she¡¯d just placed her sword. Lucius transferred the sword back to her arms. She retrieved the sword from underneath her raincoat, as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°This is sneaky enough, no?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°In emergency situations, I can call the sword directly to your hands. Although, I believe we will do better fighting with my claws.¡±


    This will work, Vivi agreed. For now, I¡¯ll walk with the sword open. We need to look threatening.


    She turned toward the dungeon, feeling apprehensive. Her preparations were still lacking; she didn¡¯t know how to fight, she didn¡¯t have a runesword, and Lucius¡¯s powers were still mostly unfamiliar to her.


    Still, she was as ready as she would realistically get. We found allies. Now, we need a spot where we can hunt.

 Chapter 22 - To Hunt Alone

    Vivi and her new sword entered the dungeon.


    She felt more important as a person than she did a day ago, back when she was a swordless girl. Her presence felt more powerful. Passersby were more reluctant to openly stare at her. Demons didn¡¯t assess her from the face anymore, deciding whether to rob her or not. They looked at her sword and her step first, wondering if they could beat her in battle.


    Realistically, most demons could defeat her. Vivi was smaller than the majority of nimrods, and she barely knew how to swing a sword.


    But it sure felt good to hold a proper weapon in her hands. And Vivi knew, as a fact, her sword was better than the weapons of those around her. She had crafted it, after all.


    It¡¯s just a steel sword, Vivi thought. I have no right to get overconfident.


    Entering the dungeon, Vivi found the entrance room just as miserable as it had been before examination day. The ground was filled with sleeping demons. Nobody talked. The cavern was eerily quiet.


    Uundref really could have offered a better guide of the dungeon. The whole place was still mostly foreign to Vivi. She would need to learn the ways of the dungeon on her own.


    Lucius? Vivi asked. Do you have any plans on how we¡¯ll hunt monsters without demons killing us?


    ¡°We need to find a spot to hunt alone,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Where others can¡¯t witness my powers.¡±


    Yes, that¡¯s the goal, Vivi thought. But that¡¯s going to be difficult. The free dungeon is filled with demons competing for the same goal. The demons fight amongst themselves for hunting grounds. Other directions are supposedly controlled by gangs.


    ¡°I can sense a lot of ether here,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Not in the free dungeon, but there.¡±


    Lucius referred to the double hardstone doors directly ahead. The one direction Uundref hadn¡¯t explained to nimrods. The doors were blocked by two runesword wielding guards.


    The guards looked bored, as guardsmen always did. Their job was literally to stand around. Perhaps they were in need of action in their lives. Vivi decided to approach them.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Am I allowed to ask where these doors lead to?¡±


    The first guard gave her a side-eye, barely looking in her direction. ¡°You new here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°New and optimistic.¡±


    The guard let out a deep chuckle. ¡°This path leads to the boss. It¡¯s the main branch of the dungeon. Nobody is allowed to enter.¡±


    ¡°We can''t enter even if there could be more monsters to hunt?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°If the dungeon is cleared, the monsters will stop respawning entirely,¡± the guard said. ¡°You can¡¯t hunt behind this door. Every other direction is a confirmed dead end. You¡¯ve got plenty of space to choose from.¡±


    ¡°I see, thank you,¡± Vivi said, pretending to be nice. ¡°Is it okay if I ask you for advice? If you were a nimrod, where would you go to hunt for ether?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not on good terms with other hunters, you¡¯ll have a tough time,¡± the guard said. ¡°I see it time and time again; demons fighting with each other for turf. Lone wanderers struggle. Your only choice is the free dungeon.¡±


    ¡°What about outside raids or defense duty?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Are those viable for hunting ether?¡±


    ¡°Both are fantastic,¡± the guard said. He appeared amused by the conversation. ¡°If you¡¯re let in. Which you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°A Steward or a guard needs to organize and watch over every outside raid,¡± the guard said. ¡°You idiots need to be watched to ensure nobody escapes. That¡¯s rarely worth the hassle, which is why outside raids are held only with the most trustworthy wolves. Defense duty is easier to get involved in. But you¡¯ll still need to become a wolf first. To become a wolf, you need to succeed in the dungeon.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have any secrets to share? On how to succeed here?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter to me if your head was cut off,¡± the guard said.


    It took effort not to say anything petty. ¡°Thanks for the help, sir,¡± Vivi said, then turned around.


    ¡°Bah,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And I thought he was nice for a minute.¡±


    He¡¯s a guardsman, Vivi thought. The grumpiest profession of all. And he works for Zand. A guard will never become an ally. But we¡¯ve confirmed one thing. The dungeon still has unexplored hunting grounds. Or at least, places where monsters roam freely. The main branch is entirely abandoned.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to somehow sneak behind that door, then,¡± Lucius said.


    That will be difficult, Vivi thought. If we get caught, we¡¯re dead. But if we do get there, we can hunt alone without anyone watching.


    Vivi expected Lucius to say something stupid again, but for a change, he seemed to consider plans. ¡°Let¡¯s explore the free dungeon for now. I can scan the area for ether. Maybe we¡¯ll find something interesting. In the meantime, we can hunt whatever is available.¡±


    A decent plan, Vivi thought.


    Demons sat on the stairway leading to the free dungeon. Vivi paused at the top, looking down. Something made Vivi hesitate to enter. Despite owning a sword now, the free dungeon was anything but safe. Down there, a crazy nimrod could assassinate her, stealing her gear. The blue cloaks could come for revenge. Or more realistically, someone stronger than her could simply bully her out of her ambitions. Going into the free dungeon was a large risk without much reward.


    I¡¯m fifteen thousand ether in debt, Vivi reminded herself. I need ether.


    She stepped into the free dungeon, ignoring her worries.


    The first two bone-cluttered floors were empty, but for a lone demon patrolling between the two floors, watching for respawning monsters. The bodies from yesterday had been cleaned, but subtle blood stains were still visible where the dagger-wielder had died. Vivi frowned at the spot, but moved on, keeping her head up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s descend as deep as we reasonably can,¡± Lucius said. ¡°If we see monsters, we kill them. We won¡¯t wait for respawns. That¡¯s far too inefficient and slow. I¡¯ll scan each room¡¯s ether as you wander around.¡±


    What are you looking to find? Vivi asked.


    ¡°I might find concentrations of ether within the walls,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Those could lead to secret passages. Where there is ether, there are monsters.¡±


    I¡¯ll leave it to you, then, Vivi thought. She kept her back straight and head up, walking with her sword casually in one hand.


    Each cavern was slightly more active than the ones before, more demons waiting for respawns. The seventh room was, again, occupied by the same orange-skinned demon that Vivi talked to yesterday. His small gang occupied most of the cavern, while lesser groups fought for space where it was available. Two men were fighting skeletons, while the rest lounged around.


    Vivi walked right past, descending deeper.


    Unfamiliar territory now, she thought. Let¡¯s be careful. Are you sensing anything?


    ¡°There¡¯s ether everywhere,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But not abnormal amounts. I¡¯ll keep searching.¡±


    Vivi felt Lucius¡¯s focus. He was even more concentrated than usual, though he wasn¡¯t looking at the world through Vivi¡¯s senses. His mind focused entirely on the sixth sense¡ªthe ability to feel the world¡¯s natural ether.


    Vivi, as a human, could barely sense ether. She could feel her core and sense her own ether reserves. Sometimes, she could sense wisps transferring in the air, or she could feel wisps rising from monster corpses. Beyond that, her sixth sense was useless.


    She had her own job right now. To make sure she wasn¡¯t killed in some stupid conflict.


    The next level down was far more cramped and tunnel-like, but otherwise not all too different from the previous. So far, the aesthetic of the dungeon was conventionally boring. Each cavern was grey and stale, lit by man-made lamps hanging from the ceiling. Vegetation attempted to grow from cracks, but weeds were stomped on, and anything green had dried to a dying brown.


    After a short walk, the tunnel spread into two. Lucius told Vivi to go right¡ªto the direction with more ether. She passed one sleeping demon, but otherwise the tunnel was empty. The tunnels must not have been common respawn points for monsters.


    Suddenly, Lucius¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°There¡¯s something ahead.¡±


    Vivi raised her sword, fixing her posture. She saw it too. A misty aura of ether, clinging upside down on the ceiling. The monster was small, but judging from its aura, it carried at least a few hundred ether.


    The monster dashed at Vivi, attacking with speeds Vivi couldn¡¯t outrun.

 Chapter 23 - Monsters and Reunions

    Vivi blocked the monster¡¯s ambush with her sword by sheer luck. She stumbled backward by the force of the impact, managing to barely stand.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Nothing like the monsters on the upper levels.¡±


    The monster was an assassin wearing a multi-layered ethereal hood. Its weapon was a white misty dagger. The face beneath its hood was pitch black, and so were its hands and limbs. Its skin appeared unstable, made of black-tinted pure ether.


    ¡°A ghost blade!¡± Lucius shouted. ¡°We fight!¡±


    Ether flowed through her, preparing her for battle. Lucius¡¯s reserves had grown enough for Vivi to feel a considerable boost in strength. Against this monster, she had to go all out. There was no time to ensure nobody was watching.


    She wielded her sword with her right hand, letting Lucius turn her left into claws. She held the sword in front as her main weapon, the claws slightly back. If the monster got too close, Vivi could use the claws for a quick counter-attack.


    That was the plan at least, until the monster charged. In a flash, the dagger was aimed at her face.


    Vivi panicked and swiped with her claws and swung her sword at the same time. Her form was bad; she could barely see her target, and her guard was wide open. Her swing swiped air, hitting nothing.


    The monster¡¯s ethereal figure flashed by the side of her eye. The monster easily dodged Vivi¡¯s attack, preparing a counter-attack.


    Vivi attempted to recover, but she was too slow to defend. The dagger¡¯s sharp tip was thrust at her face.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Lucius said. The cat¡¯s red figure retracted from Vivi¡¯s body. Lucius held out his claws dagger, blocking the dagger. The blow sent Lucius flying, but the dagger was parried away from Vivi¡¯s face.


    She swung with her sword, having had enough time to recover.


    The monster jumped back, reassessing the situation.


    ¡°I can fight too,¡± Lucius said, quickly floating back beside her. ¡°Spirits aren¡¯t merely enhancements. If you fail to defend, I can help.¡±


    Thanks, Vivi thought. She took a moment to catch her breath. Her nails had turned to normal. Without Lucius empowering her core, no new ether would flow through her. Fighting separately had a cost.


    Vivi had to be the main fighter. Otherwise, she would quickly turn into an etherless liability. Lucius knew this. He flew back inside Vivi¡¯s core, turning her nails back to claws.


    ¡°We¡¯ll lose on the defense,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Attack him with no fears. Focus purely on offense. I¡¯ll take care of its attacks. Trust me on this.¡±


    Vivi understood the idea. Executing it was far scarier. She stood still, instincts jumbled, uncertain what to do.


    ¡°Just charge it with your sword,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Imagine you¡¯re hitting a doll. If it runs, you charge after it.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath. Then she did what Lucius asked, charging the monster with her sword.


    Her swing was clumsy and uncertain. The monster blocked easily. Vivi¡¯s heart dropped as a counter-attack was once again thrown at her throat.


    Lucius appeared from her core, blocking the attack. ¡°Keep going! Don¡¯t stop!¡±


    Vivi lifted her sword, clumsily swinging again. The monster jumped back. Lucius flew back to her core.


    Vivi cursed underneath her breath. Her inexperience showed. She was slow and unconfident, lacking in all of the skills a fighter was supposed to have. Just because she had a weapon didn¡¯t mean she was strong.


    But she understood what she had to do. Lucius would defend while she attacked. She needed to win.


    Vivi cried out and charged the monster again, this time swinging with force. She missed; a clash sounded as Lucius blocked another counter-attack. Vivi attacked again, trusting her spirit to defend her life.


    The monster threw more and more attacks at her, while she continued missing. She managed to block a few daggers, but her blind spots were entirely up to Lucius. Without her spirit, she would have died a dozen times over. Lucius was exerting his all to keep her alive. She charged the monster again.


    Focus! Vivi told herself. She was swinging mindlessly, still subconsciously afraid in her head.


    With her next swing, she tried to see. The monster¡¯s movements were fast, but it wasn¡¯t teleporting. It, too, used the same laws of momentum that Vivi did. She had to focus.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Slowly, Vivi began to ignore distractions. She was getting into the fight. She watched the monster¡¯s movements, predicting where it was going to go. Where would it try to attack her next?


    Read its movements¡­ See where it¡¯s going to jump¡­


    There! Vivi thrust her sword forward as if it was a spear aimed at the monster¡¯s chest.


    The monster was taken aback in surprise. It twisted its stomach unnaturally to barely dodge the attack.


    Lucius appeared from Vivi¡¯s core. This time not for defense, but for offense. He swiped with his claws, hitting the monster¡¯s face. Glowing claw-marks appeared underneath the pitch-black hood. The monster¡¯s footing wavered.


    Vivi slammed her sword down.


    The sword landed, cutting the monster in half. The assassin dissolved into a clump of bones, ether sizzling from within.


    It took Vivi a moment to realize she had won. Wisps of ether rose from the monster¡¯s body.


    In the dark, there was something magical about ether. The wisps shone like a campfire in the cold. Lucius quickly collected the ether from the monster. His reserves rose all the way to 140.


    ¡°Your first kill,¡± Lucius said. His voice was exhausted, but he was grinning. ¡°A real kill, fought fairly. How does it feel?¡±


    Our kill, Vivi said. I would have died if I fought alone.


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Although, you will need to learn how to swing properly. It will get tiring if I need to constantly save you.¡±


    Vivi sighed to calm herself down. That was one of the most terrifying things she¡¯d done. But the rewards were massive. Lucius already had more ether than what nimrods had to earn in a week.


    Something moved down in the tunnel below. Vivi glanced down to see a surprised head peeking in from behind a corner. A horned head. It was a demon.


    Vivi¡¯s heart dropped. Had someone seen Lucius out in the open?


    ¡°Hello?¡± she called. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    The demon revealed himself fully. Vivi squinted. Something was familiar about his red-skinned face. The demon seemed to recognize her, too.


    Oh, hell, Vivi thought. It was Lars. The leader of the group of slaves. The same demon who kicked her on her first day.


    ¡°You?¡± Lars asked, face wide open in surprise. ¡°You defeated the ghost-blade?¡±


    Vivi instinctively prepared a step backward. She wasn¡¯t eager to be kicked once again. However, as she looked closer, she noticed something had changed. Lars didn¡¯t appear hostile. Rather, his expression was spooked. The overconfident wits were knocked out of him. He looked as if he¡¯d grown ten years.


    Vivi stood her ground. She took a forward. ¡°I did kill it. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, um, no there is not,¡± Lars said. He stepped out of her way, letting Vivi into the next room down.


    A group of demons were sitting across the room with gloomy expressions. A few of them were tossing rocks into an underground river. Vivi recognized a lot of the demons¡ªit was the same bunch of red-skinned slaves that had followed Lars on the first day. The group had shrunk by half from the first day, and a lot of the men had broken weapons.


    Lucius laughed inside Vivi. ¡°Not so easy, is it? A day in, and they¡¯re already beaten down.¡±


    ¡°Is this your territory?¡± Vivi asked Lars.


    ¡°No,¡± Lars said. ¡°We were trying to climb back to the hub. A ghost blade spawned above, blocking our paths. We were told strong monsters were rare up here. We weren¡¯t supposed to meet anything like that! We¡¯re lucky nobody died to its ambush.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear now,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You¡¯re free to go.¡±


    Lars clicked his tongue, looking uncomfortable. ¡°You really killed it? How?¡±


    He didn¡¯t witness the fight, Vivi thought. Good.


    ¡°I¡¯m not as weak as I look,¡± Vivi said, giving Lars the side eye. She calmly walked past, ignoring Lars¡¯ baffled look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± one of the others said. He stood up and patted himself down. ¡°We gained enough ether. Almost, at least. Our weapons will need repairs.¡±


    The rest of the group stood and headed back to the hub. Nobody said anything as they passed Vivi. At most, they looked apologetic, sorry for themselves.


    Vivi watched them go. The sorry bunch of demons left without goodbyes.


    A sour taste welled in Vivi¡¯s mouth. She didn¡¯t have any reason to feel bad, but for some reason, the sight was sad. Lars and his group were nimrods. They were fighting for survival, just like everyone else. Sure, they were assholes and bullies, probably all criminals in their past lives, but they were all slaves in this cruel prison. And the prison was eating them alive.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± a new voice said from below.


    Vivi turned her head. The new arrival was a horned man, wearing a black jacket. His eyes were black, but he didn¡¯t seem to be one of the blue-cloaks. He leaned against the wall, smirking at Vivi. ¡°You defeated a ghost blade alone?¡±


    Vivi raised her sword cautiously. The man had a lot less muscle than Lars, but somehow, this man felt a lot stronger.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Did you watch the fight?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I eavesdropped,¡± the man said. ¡°That bunch of muscle heads came down to the lower levels asking for help. A ghost blade apparently blocked the path and nobody could kill it. I was about to help them. It seems I was too late.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for taking the kill,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m Ven, one of Aang¡¯s officials. We¡¯re always welcoming of the strong. What¡¯s your name? What group do you belong to?¡±


    ¡°Vivi,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t belong to any group.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Ven said. ¡°There¡¯s probably room for you on the lower levels. Come with me. I¡¯ll show you around.¡±


    Vivi considered the offer for a moment. It was too early to guess what Ven wanted from her. To rob her? Unlikely, but always possible. To recruit her into some contract? Maybe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what he has to say,¡± Lucius said. ¡°If we go with him, he¡¯ll take us to the lower levels. I can keep examining the place meanwhile.¡±


    Vivi agreed. She sheathed her sword, sneakily offering it to Lucius¡¯s spatial storage. ¡°Thank you for the offer.¡±


    She joined Ven¡¯s company. Hopefully this isn¡¯t some beginners¡¯ trap¡­

 Chapter 24 - The Lower Levels

    ¡°Ah, the free dungeon,¡± Ven said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s favourite.¡±


    The cave became livelier as Vivi followed Ven down. The monotone gray was finally broken. Dark blue crystals lit caverns and tunnels in a moody glow. Ceiling lamps were replaced with natural light. Rivers were more common, and nature seemed more respected. Fungi was left in its place to grow instead of being immediately stomped on.


    The general gist of gathering ether was still the same. Demons were stationed across the sprawling caverns, waiting for monsters to respawn. Respawns were still scarce, but the lower monsters were stronger, carrying more ether.


    Colorful weapons became common. Demons wielded stronger metals, mostly low-tier mithrils. Nothing too expensive; Vivi¡¯s steel sword wasn¡¯t totally outclassed yet, but she certainly wouldn¡¯t want to start a fight with anyone. Lucius would struggle to block attacks from heavier weapons.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look very free,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Everywhere is occupied.¡±


    Ven let out a laugh. ¡°The free dungeon is controlled by gangs. What a surprise. The Stewards forbid gangs from blocking traffic¡ªnewcomers are allowed to walk in and scout the area¡ªbut every single respawning monster of the lower levels is still controlled by a gang, even in the free dungeon.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. Isn¡¯t that fantastic¡­


    Moss rumbled near Vivi. Ether oozed out from the ground before a monster emerged from beneath the moss. A goblin-like monster, carrying an ethereal blowdart.


    Vivi was nearest to the spawning monster. Before she could even think of killing it, another demon dashed for the goblin thing, slashing it in half with one clean swipe. He took its ether. Ven walked past, and Vivi followed.


    ¡°How do the respawns work anyway?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°I thought only ether storms could reanimate monsters. The respawns don¡¯t seem to make sense.¡±


    Ven looked amused. ¡°Dungeons are areas where ether dwells and gathers. There¡¯s enough ether in this dungeon to summon a storm. But the area is calm. Instead of ether gushing out all at once out through a storm or a surge, the ether in dungeons is controlled.¡±


    ¡°Controlled?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°By Tyvlan, the Trickster God, of course,¡± Ven said. ¡°Dungeons were all created during the age of typhoons. Tyvlan wanted to see how many legendary fighters he could trap inside his dungeons, so he filled old caves and mausoleums with ether. His dungeons have vastly dropped in difficulty since, but monsters still respawn.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the same theory,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s just a belief. Ask him better questions while you still can.¡±


    Well, I guess the explanation doesn¡¯t matter, Vivi thought.


    ¡°I heard the monsters here are recycled in the free dungeon,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Monsters are killed immediately before they have a chance to rise,¡± Ven said. ¡°That¡¯s how the free dungeon works. But in terms of gathering ether, killing monsters immediately is inefficient. Ether flows faster in the dungeon if caverns are left alone for a few days. The free dungeon is too much of a free for all. Monsters are killed immediately, since gangs aren¡¯t allowed to block others from entering.¡±


    Doesn¡¯t that mean the path to the boss is even more active? Vivi thought. If the area has been left alone?


    ¡°There were a lot of monsters behind the blocked doors,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The hidden path has been brewing for long."


    Ven continued talking, of course unaware of Lucius¡¯s presence. ¡°Some gangs like to leave their hunting grounds alone for a few days to let monsters truly respawn. They call the strategy leaving a room to brew. This way, the monsters that do spawn hold a lot more ether. Fully brewed rooms are a lot harder to clear, but a few breakers will do just fine.¡±


    ¡°Breakers?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°A nimrod who has broken the limit,¡± Ven said. ¡°Someone who carries more than three hundred ether.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. ¡°I thought that was punished with a whipping?¡±


    ¡°Only if you get caught,¡± Ven said. ¡°Most successful nimrods have crossed the threshold at least once. Breakers are those who do it intentionally for their own benefit. So long as you¡¯re not examined, and so long as you don¡¯t grow strong enough to become a threat to the Stewards, you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you a breaker?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Ven said, though he smirked when he said it. ¡°Crossing the limit is too dangerous. I would never do it.¡±


    ¡°He carries at least seven hundred ether,¡± Lucius said.


    Yeah, Vivi thought. That was sarcasm.


    ¡°I¡¯m not above the limit either,¡± Vivi said. And she really wasn¡¯t. Not yet.


    ¡°One day, you might need to be,¡± Ven said. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re new. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re asking questions from me, not from one of Bwern¡¯s goons.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Vivi said.


    Is he pretending to be trustworthy? Vivi thought.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Impossible to tell,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Keep following him. I sense ether growing more concentrated.¡±


    Vivi continued down. She couldn¡¯t suddenly turn back now. Ven appeared like an honest man, but appearances often lied. Vivi had to approach cautiously.


    ¡°Aang¡¯s hunting grounds are a few caverns north,¡± Ven said. ¡°Not his personal ones. I just like to use his name to give importance to my operations. Aang is away right now, and has been for months. My job in the free dungeons is to keep peace, and to make sure nimrods don¡¯t kill each other for useless conflicts.¡±


    ¡°Sorry if this is a prying question, but what do you gain from keeping peace?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Most demons only work if there¡¯s ether available.¡±


    ¡°Keeping the union up offers us a lot of ether,¡± Ven said. ¡°Members pay us large sums for protection. With each member, we gain influence. A large portion of the hunting grounds in and outside the free dungeon are worked by our members.¡±


    ¡°Are you hoping to convert me into a member, then?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to it, so long as you prove yourself trustworthy,¡± Ven said. ¡°Zand is losing more nimrods than staff takes in. A few thousand nimrods showed up for the last collection day. Half of those are competent members that can offer value to communities. New members aren¡¯t infinite. Lives are valuable. Especially lives that aren¡¯t in ruins yet. It¡¯s more than worth the time to scout new members into the union.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t invite Lars¡¯s group,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The other newcomers.¡±


    ¡°They can join through payment if they so wish,¡± Ven said. ¡°But I will not specifically invite them for a tour. A group of demons that require help to defeat a ghost blade is not worth my time. A lone girl, however, who can perform the same feat¡­¡±


    Vivi had the urge to bite her lip. If she were to become a part of his group, she¡¯d need to reveal more secrets than she probably should. She would need to figure out some lies to explain Lucius¡¯s claws.


    Conversely, joining a trustworthy faction had one main benefit. Protection. Vivi had already made enemies. She would be harder to target if she joined a gang.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Ven said as they entered the next cavern. ¡°Hey Lydi!¡±


    The crystal-lit cavern was twice the size of Axback¡¯s warehouse. Tents and backpacks had been spread out by the edge of the room. The rest of the cavern was empty. Nobody sat across the room, competing for respawns. In the lower levels, territories were agreed upon with more sophisticated methods. This area clearly belonged to Ven and his friends.


    Lydi¡ªthe demon Ven waved to¡ªwas a horned woman wearing a brown robe. She had pretty bright blue eyes. The fingers that poked out beneath her long sleeves were ashen grey. She had long black hair and a reserved posture.


    Her frown directed at Vivi wasn¡¯t as welcoming. ¡°A human?¡±


    ¡°A spectacle, isn¡¯t she,¡± Ven said. ¡°I found her, lost and confused, fighting a ghost blade above. And she defeated the thing.¡±


    Lydi studied Vivi. She didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to see her in action. Let her have the next kill.¡±


    ¡°Um, thanks for the offer, but you can keep it,¡± Vivi said.


    Lydi gave Ven a look. Ven let out an awkward laugh and said, ¡°Lydi is a bit of a grumpy one. We¡¯re not struggling with ether; we can gladly offer you a monster or two.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I can¡¯t fight right now. I¡¯m here just to watch today.¡±


    ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± Ven asked.


    I don¡¯t trust you enough, was Vivi¡¯s honest answer. The monsters of the lower level were too difficult to defeat with just a sword. She¡¯d need to reveal Lucius¡¯s presence.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to turn them down,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Our goal is to find a solo hunting ground. Working with a gang will limit us too much.¡±


    Yes¡­ Vivi thought. Ven and Lydi appeared friendly. They were even friendlier than Axback. Somehow, this made Vivi suspicious.


    Movement stirred within the dried foliage ahead. Rocky vines rose from the ground, wisps of ether forming an aura. The vines tangled together, forming a bulky bush-like monster. The monster¡¯s arms were club-like and fingerless, thorns pointing out. Its head was one with its neck, horns poking out where ears usually would.


    ¡°A stone-leaf,¡± Ven said. ¡°That should be simple enough. All yours, Vivi.¡±


    The monster took a heavy step toward the group. At the pace it was moving, it would take at least half a minute to arrive. The vines that made up its body were solid. Lucius¡¯s claws wouldn¡¯t cut through the monster. Neither would Vivi¡¯s sword. Steel couldn¡¯t cut through stone. Vivi would need a pickaxe, and even then she¡¯d need the monster to sit still while she slowly hacked its body to death.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pierce its defenses,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I told you I¡¯m here just to watch.¡±


    Ven sighed. ¡°You¡¯re making it mighty difficult to assess your abilities.¡±


    Ven gave Lydi a look. A signal?


    Suddenly, Ven pressed something against Vivi¡¯s hands.


    It was an etherprint scanner. The runes lit up in red, assessing Vivi¡¯s core. Her heart dropped. Ven was examining her reserves!


    Ven¡¯s and Lydi watched the results. Their expressions froze in confusion for a second before Ven lifted his head.


    ¡°Negatives?¡± Ven gushed. ¡°Your reserves are in the negatives?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go now,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thanks for the tour.¡±


    Ven watched after her with a shocked expression. Vivi didn¡¯t say anything to elaborate. She turned around, fully prepared for something to attack her.


    No attacks came. Vivi exited the room without an issue. Nobody appeared out of the shadows, and Ven didn¡¯t chase her.


    Vivi walked away swiftly but didn¡¯t break into a run. The demons controlling caverns gave her weird looks. Vivi didn¡¯t meet anyone¡¯s eyes, swiftly passing. All it took was one crazy person to ruin her life.


    Have you sensed anything valuable? Vivi asked. She hoped the trip hadn¡¯t been for nothing. Any secret paths?


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re being followed again. A large group.¡±


    Vivi blinked. She felt it now. That cold gaze on her back of someone trailing her. Is it Ven? she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s a different group. Their presence grew hostile when you exited Ven¡¯s lair.¡±


    Vivi upped her pace, almost running now. Encampments and hunting grounds passed by. She didn¡¯t pay attention to what was happening around her; she kept her eyes on her exit.


    Left? she thought, recalling her memory. No, this way. We came from the right.


    Stepping into the next area, Vivi found the cavern entirely empty. A river flowed to her left, crystals lighting the room from the right.


    Something was wrong. This room hadn¡¯t been empty earlier. Vivi recalled a demon sitting atop the rocks by the river, waiting for monsters to spawn. Still, Vivi continued forward.


    Two black-eyed demons in dark blue cloaks appeared by the exit, weapons drawn.

 Chapter 25 - Opportunities

    The rest of the blue-cloaks revealed themselves.


    There were eight of them, covering both exits. Seven were men with crossbows and coloured swords. At the ascending exit stood a slim woman with a rainbow-colored ensium longsword. The sword wasn''t runic, but ensium was strong enough to cut steel in half with a proper swing. Her cloak was embroidered with purple lacing by the edges.


    ¡°Hello, Vivi,¡± the woman said. ¡°My name is Carla. I¡¯ve come to talk.¡±


    Vivi looked around herself. Weapons surrounded her in all directions, ready to kill her at any moment. Lucius? she asked. What are our chances of escaping?


    ¡°If I¡¯m allowed to help, an escape is possible,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It depends on how good their coordination is.¡±


    ¡°Lower your weapons, men,¡± Carla said.


    The men complied, though the hostility was still clear in their stances.


    ¡°You''ve rejected Aang¡¯s union,¡± Carla said. ¡°A wise decision. Aang¡¯s promise of security offers confidence, perhaps, but it is false. Aang¡¯s presence within the big three has dwindled. So has Bwern¡¯s. The old gods are falling. Andre is the new king of Zand¡¯s nimrods.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°I thought I made it clear I don¡¯t want any trouble with your gang. I returned the daggers after your men tried to kill me.¡±


    ¡°And we are very grateful for that,¡± Carla said. ¡°We are not here to kill you. It would be stupid to kill such a cooperative young nimrod. I am here to propose an offer directly from Andre himself.¡±


    Vivi stayed silent, letting Carla continue.


    ¡°Join us,¡± Carla said. ¡°Offer your strength to my boss. Andre wishes to meet you personally.¡±


    A sick feeling welled up in Vivi¡¯s stomach. She wanted to puke. These blue-cloaked monsters had already assaulted her once, trying to steal her ether. Now they forced her into a corner with their weapons out, and they expected her to join them?


    No. Vivi didn¡¯t want to join. She would have rather teamed up with the rats in the sewers. The thought of serving any one of these disgusting thieves made her sick.


    And yet, if she declined, they would kill her. That was why they brought their weapons.


    Can we stall? Vivi thought. We¡¯re blocking traffic. People want to move up and down. Someone will eventually come here.


    ¡°No, passersby will wait,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Nobody wants to become Andre¡¯s enemy. By interfering, they¡¯ll receive the same treatment as you.¡±


    What do we do, then?


    Escaping immediately would have been risky. Her chances of survival would be better by talking with Andre first. She could pretend to work with his gang, making an escape the first chance she could.


    But by arriving in Andre¡¯s lair, she would offer herself fully into the blue-cloaks¡¯ disposal. There was no telling what they may have done to her then.


    ¡°I understand you don¡¯t trust us,¡± Carla said. ¡°You never will trust us. Ether facilities don¡¯t operate on trust. Power is what brings people together. We follow Andre because he makes us follow him. He intends you to bow. Comply, and your life will be easy. Resist, and hell awaits. Our boss will not leave the strong for other gangs to steal.¡±


    ¡°Join or die, is what you¡¯re proposing?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Carla said. ¡°If you join, we gain a powerful member. Refuse, and we get rid of a problem. Either way, we benefit.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath, pretending like she was considering the offer. Lucius. Are there any secret exits?


    ¡°I sense ether beyond the river,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There¡¯s a hidden cave there. I don¡¯t know how to get to it.¡±


    Can your claws withstand ensium? Vivi asked.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°At least a couple blows,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Preferably not head-on.¡±


    Vivi breathed out. Their chances weren¡¯t good. But she had to try.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Can I meet your boss now?¡±


    Carla smiled. ¡°He would be glad to see you. Qwell, tie her up.¡±


    Vivi lifted her eyebrows. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be trusted yet. We will bring you to our boss with your hands tied. Then, we will discuss your future.¡±


    Vivi clicked her tongue. One of the men behind her was grabbing rope. Vivi doubted she would be getting any better opportunities. She made her decision.


    Lucius. Go all out. The blue-cloaks already know of our powers. No need to hide them.


    She dashed forth, toward Carla.


    The demons reacted immediately. Crossbows shot from behind. The aim was good, but Lucius was faster. He cut each arrow in half. Then he quickly dashed back to Vivi to deal with Carla.


    ¡°Your sword?¡± Lucius asked.


    Not yet, Vivi thought. You¡¯ll know.


    Vivi ran directly at Carla without fear. Carla held her blade, taking a defensive stance. Vivi¡¯s insane charge was reckless and stupid. Stupid enough to instill fear in her opponents. Carla was wary of her.


    Vivi dashed straight at Carla¡¯s blade. The woman swung.


    Lucius dashed for the ensium blade, slashing at it with his claws. Their weapons made contact. Lucius grimaced, pushing with all his might.


    He couldn¡¯t stop the blade. But he could push it out of trajectory. Carla¡¯s blade missed Vivi¡¯s shoulder by an inch.


    Vivi held out her palm. Her steel sword materialized in her hand with Lucius¡¯s spatial spell. She thrust the sword at Carla, whose defense was open.


    Carla reacted with miracle instincts. She jumped away with ether-powered legs, dodging Vivi¡¯s attack.


    Carla¡¯s jump left the exit open. Vivi ran straight into the tunnel, dashing as fast as her legs took her. She dropped her sword to run faster. Lucius retrieved it back to his spatial storage.


    Shouts came after her, followed by arrows landing next to her feet. ¡°Grab her!¡± Carla shouted.


    The demons in the next room were taken aback. Nobody had time to follow Carla¡¯s order.


    Vivi ran into the next room, shouts trailing her. The blue-cloaks were anything but slow. Vivi wasn¡¯t gaining any space.


    A cling resounded right by Vivi''s ears as Lucius redirected a thrown dagger. The dagger hit the wall with enough force to pierce into stone. Lucius hissed. ¡°What¡¯s with that throw! How are they so strong? I can¡¯t block much more!¡±


    Breakers, Vivi thought. There was no way the demons behind her were locked at three hundred ether. They ran fast, faster than Vivi with ether-strengthened legs. She considered herself a fast runner.


    She was running out of breath. Her mind was a haze. She struggled to remember the direction she¡¯d come from. The paths all looked the same.


    ¡°Catch her!¡± Carla called again. Her voice was right behind Vivi. ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°Vivi, Above!¡± Lucius shouted.


    She sent a quick peek up. A small figure sat atop a platform sticking out from the wall above the exit. It was a white-haired little girl. The half-fiend! The fiend tossed a rock up and down, frowning at the commotion.


    The fiend tossed the rock in Vivi¡¯s direction. It missed Vivi¡¯s head, hitting Carla in the shoulder. Then the fiend jumped down, landing in front of Vivi. She ran off.


    ¡°Follow her!¡± Lucius said.


    What, why?


    ¡°The fiend always escapes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Maybe we can take her example.¡±


    Vivi had no time to argue. She ran after the fiend.


    The fiend¡¯s little legs were incredibly nimble. She was faster than Vivi with time to spare, glancing backward to see if Vivi was following. Each time, she made a wry face, as if provoking the chase.


    By the first junction, the fiend ran in the opposite direction Vivi had come from. The path descended into the dungeon below. Vivi gritted her teeth, but followed the fiend down.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of ether down here,¡± Lucius said. ¡°A ton of it.¡±


    Vivi could barely breathe. Lucius¡¯s ether and adrenaline had taken her this far, but strength was running out. Footsteps rung in her ears. She couldn¡¯t tell how far the blue-cloaks were; she simply kept running.


    The river flowed beside her. A few idle demons were fishing; Vivi paid them no mind, rushing straight past.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dead end!¡± the fishermen called after Vivi, laughing.


    She barely registered their words. The fiend¡¯s figure disappeared behind a corner. Vivi pushed forward with all the strength she had. She turned the corner and found herself in the room the fishermen had warned about.


    The path ended in a lake.


    Vivi slowed down, dread filling her head. The cavern was wide, and all of it was covered by the lake. A wall circled around the room. There was nowhere to swim.


    The fiend stood by the edge of the lake. She threw another rock at Vivi, showed her tongue, then jumped down into the water.


    Footsteps and shouts trailed Vivi. In a split-second decision, she filled her lungs with air and dove into the water.

 Chapter 26 - Passages

    Vivi sank into the freezing cold water. The lake ate her, water pressing against her skin.


    She forced her eyes to stay open. The fiend was directly below her, descending into the dark waters at a steady pace. Vivi attempted to swim down, but the pressure of the water was too harsh. She grabbed onto the rocky ledge and pulled herself further into the water.


    A piranha¡¯s sharp teeth charged at her from the side of her vision.


    Vivi flinched, nearly letting water into her lungs by surprise. She swatted at the piranha with her nails. Lucius grew them to claws. The piranha¡¯s teeth clanked against Vivi¡¯s claws. Their weapons were stuck together.


    Vivi slashed with her free hand, killing the fish. Lucius gathered two wisps of ether from the kill.


    Down! Vivi screamed in her thoughts. She pushed and pulled herself after the fiend¡¯s small blurry figure below her.


    Suddenly, the fiend disappeared into the ledge.


    Vivi paused, but only for a moment. There was no time to sit around. She pulled herself down toward the spot where the fiend had disappeared.


    A hole! Vivi thought, finding a crawlspace within the ledge.


    The crawlspace was entirely dark, for all but two pink glowing eyes. The fiend was no longer provoking a chase. Instead, she looked panicked. The fiend kicked at Vivi¡¯s face, trying to push her out. The kick was powerless.


    The water was far more dangerous. Vivi¡¯s lungs were about to explode, body freezing cold. Her ears were entirely locked, feeling like they were going to burst. The pressure of the water tried to send her back to the surface.


    The fiend, too, looked like she needed air. She swam ahead. Vivi dragged herself after her.


    Air!


    The tunnel opened up into another larger lake. Vivi saw light above. She dove straight up, swatting at another piranha on the way.


    Finally, her head dipped above water. She gasped for air. Her eyes stung. It took a moment for vision to return.


    Vivi identified the nearest exit. She swam straight out of the piranha-infested waters, pulling herself onto the dirt.


    She secured herself onto the ground and collapsed onto her arms. Vivi coughed violently. Water had gotten into her lungs. Her fingers were pale; she could barely move them.


    But she was alive. She lifted her head.


    The cave was bright, magically gloomy. Flowers and plants grew between glowing crystals. The flowers bloomed with thriving black roses. The crystals themselves were perfectly clean and sharp, far more smooth than the worn-down crystals of the free-dungeon. Icicle-like crystals hung from the ceiling, covering the cave in crystalline light.


    Water splashed behind her as piranhas hopped above water, fighting amongst each other. Vivi watched nervously. Carla and the blue cloaks had seen Vivi jump into the water. Any second now, their figures could pop up, catching Vivi for good.


    The blue-cloaks never came. The cave around Vivi was entirely silent. She sat still, catching her breath.


    A cold shiver brought her back to reality. She was drenched beneath her raincoat. She coughed again.


    ¡°We made it¡­¡± Lucius said in awe. He flew off from Vivi¡¯s core to examine the surroundings. ¡°Ether¡­ There is so much ether everywhere!¡±


    Where¡¯s the fiend? Vivi asked. She didn¡¯t get eaten alive, did she?


    ¡°No, she¡¯s up there, glaring at you,¡± Lucius said.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Vivi lifted her head. On the opposite end of the lake, a small crawl space poked out from the wall. The fiend stood atop it, watching Vivi from above. The fiend grimaced, clearly not all too happy to have visitors.


    ¡°I knew following her was a good idea,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The little ones are always the most nimble.¡±


    I don¡¯t think she wanted us to follow her¡­ Vivi thought.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Vivi said out loud. ¡°We¡¯re not here to hurt you. I¡¯m Vivi. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The fiend showed her tongue. She turned around, disappearing into the crawlspace. Vivi was left alone in the cave¡¯s silence.


    Vivi sighed. ¡°Not a friend, I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Nevermind the fiend,¡± Lucius said. He was brimming with excitement. ¡°Look around you, Vivi.¡±


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve found the jackpot,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There¡¯s so much ether around here. And not a demon in sight.¡±


    Vivi could guess what he meant. The thriving vegetation and smooth crystals were far too beautiful to survive untouched in the chaos of the free dungeon. This part of the dungeon had been abandoned for a longer time.


    Had the fiend brought her to the path behind the double doors? The hidden dungeon?


    Wherever she was, survival was the first priority. Vivi stood up and said, ¡°The blue-cloaks saw me disappear into the lake. I doubt they¡¯ll dive into the piranha-infested waters, but they¡¯ll start looking for me. They know you exist. Our secret is out.¡±


    ¡°None of that will make it to the Stewards,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Issues between gangs stay between gangs. I think.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also freezing,¡± Vivi said. She was shivering. ¡°I need to get dry. Getting sick means we¡¯ll die. There¡¯s no telling how long finding a way back will take.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get sick with ether taking care of your health,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You will live. But you¡¯re right. We have enemies now. The blue-cloaks will try to kill us every chance they get. We¡¯ll need to grow strong enough to defeat them. Once you make enemies, your only option is to defeat them.¡±


    Vivi hugged herself, sighing. She would have given anything to cuddle up in a warm blanket with a cup of Grandpa¡¯s tea. Tea sounded like a total luxury. A thing of the past that Vivi would never taste again.


    Even a cup of hot water would have been nice¡­


    The world, of course, had different plans.


    Lucius¡¯s ears perked up, eyes focused at the tunnel leading to the next room over. Vivi watched for what he was looking at.


    Then she sensed it too. Ether sizzled behind the corner, a subtle misty aura creeping closer. Vivi forced herself into stance.


    The monster revealed itself with slow but heavy steps. It was another stone-leaf, similar to the one that spawned in Ven¡¯s encampment. This one was evolved, carrying far more ether.


    ¡°A tank monster,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Wielding around five hundred ether. It¡¯s alone. Tanks are useless when they fight without support. We can beat it.¡±


    The stone-leaf stepped forward with clumsy steps. Vivi had plenty of time to think and plan. None of her attacks could pierce the monster head-on. What about weak spots? The monster had black eye-holes, ether oozing out of them. The holes were small, protected by solid awning-like eyebrows. One of Lucius¡¯s claws could barely fit through. But would that be enough to kill?


    The monster was getting uncomfortably close. Vivi stepped to the side, intending to walk around the monster. It was slow and clumsy, studying it should have been easy.


    Can I run? Vivi asked herself. No, that was too risky. She could have ran around the monster, but the only path led deeper into the dungeon. The dungeon was undoubtedly filled with even more difficult monsters. Vivi had to defeat the stone-leaf right here, right now.


    She circled around the monster carefully, examining its weaknesses. A strength rune could have easily cut through the stone vines. With steel, however, Vivi would struggle.


    Suddenly, vines shot out from the monster¡¯s body.


    Vivi was caught by surprise, barely managing to dodge the first vine, She blocked the second with both of Lucius¡¯s claws.


    The third vine tangled around her body, holding her tight. The monster lifted her into the air, then retracted the Vine, slowly pulling Vivi closer.


    ¡°No!¡± Vivi shouted. She held out her hand, and her sword materialized. In a panic, she hacked at the vine.


    The vine was tough, and her swings were weak. She struggled to put strength due to the awkward angle of her swings. She continued swinging, not knowing what to do.


    Lucius filled Vivi¡¯s stomach with ether, protecting her from the vines¡¯ pressure. Then, he retreated from Vivi¡¯s core, flying for the monster¡¯s eyes. He thrust his claws deep into the stone-leaf¡¯s eye-holes.


    The monster let out a loud crackling sound. Vines grinded against each other as the stone-leaf panicked. Lucius retracted his claws, then thrust them back in.


    The monster swung its club at its own face, trying to get Lucius off.


    Lucius dodged in time. The stone-leaf hit itself in the head.


    The blow made the monster lose footing. It collapsed on its back.


    Lucius continued hitting the eye holes with his claws. The stone-leaf attempted to lift its clubs, but the arms were too heavy. It had nothing to defend itself against Lucius¡¯s onslaught of attacks.


    The stone-leaf disintegrated into ether.

 Chapter 27 - The Hidden Dungeon

    The stone-leaf¡¯s corpse sizzled with the most ether Vivi had seen in the dungeon so far. There were almost fifty wisps in this one corpse alone.


    The vines holding Vivi disintegrated along with the monster. She fell on the ground, mostly unharmed.


    She¡¯d been absolutely useless in the fight. The vines had caught her off-guard. There wasn¡¯t much she could do after that. Without Lucius¡¯s quick support, Vivi would have died. Again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°About what?¡± Lucius sat in a loaf next to his kill and proudly collected ether. The kill was worth 48 ether. His reserves rose to 197.


    ¡°I nearly died,¡± Vivi said. ¡°How many times have I almost died now?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even gotten close to death yet,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get yourself killed. Not when we have so much ether to gain.¡±


    Vivi sighed. ¡°I need to grow stronger. So that you don¡¯t have to constantly watch over me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already stronger than most nimrods,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You defended against two of the stone-leaf¡¯s vine-attacks. Those were anything but slow. I was caught by surprise too. Next time, you¡¯ll dodge all three.¡±


    Vivi nodded. She couldn¡¯t forget that the monster she just fought was worth almost fifty ether. That was half of what nimrods had to earn in a week. Just a few more monsters, and Lucius would reach over three hundred. They could continue to grow from there.


    The fight with the monster had warmed Vivi¡¯s body. The cave was quiet and comfortable. The air tasted fresh.


    ¡°Remember this, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fight alone. As long as I¡¯m there to save you, any fight is our victory.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t have to rely on you every time,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The more you manage on your own, the more effort we can place into our offense.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath. She still held her sword. There was no need to sheathe it, considering monsters could ambush her at any moment. The steel sword was weak, but it was still a sword. It would serve her until she gathered the tools for runesmithing.


    For now, there was only one path to take. ¡°Let¡¯s explore the dungeon,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Carefully.¡±


    ¡°The word is hunt,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a hunt.¡±


    ***


    The hidden dungeon turned out to be a sprawling cave network, spanning dozens upon dozens of caverns and tunnels.


    Crystals and the black flowers dominated most of the cave¡¯s vegetation. The aesthetic quickly became familiar, though Vivi decided to avoid the batches of flowers after an incident with a snake-monster. The beast hid under vegetation, thrusting its fangs at Vivi¡¯s leg when she stepped close. The fangs luckily hit her boots. Vivi killed the snake for three ether.


    Insects and pests were common where vegetation was active. Vivi avoided anything colorful, hoping to avoid venom. Some rooms were fully covered in plants and crystals with no reliable footholds. In these cases, Vivi chose other directions.


    Crawlspaces and holes existed in almost every cavern and tunnel. A whole network of crawl spaces must have existed above. It was no wonder the fiend, with her small size, was fond of this place.


    Monsters were surprisingly scarce. Scarce enough that Lucius complained about the lack of action. After two hours of exploring, Vivi had wandered into five more monsters.


    One of the monsters was a ghost-blade. Vivi fought it with a similar strategy to the first, but this time with more practice. Lucius blocked the assassin''s attacks, while Vivi pushed the monster into a corner. The battle barely lasted for a minute.


    The next two monsters were lone stone-leafs, both a little less powerful than the first. Fighting one-to-one, the stone-leafs were easy enough. Vivi dodged the ranged leaf-attack now that she knew it was coming. Then, she sent Lucius to stab the eyes. Lucius¡¯s spirit form could take advantage of the stone-leafs¡¯ glaring weakness easily. Vivi had no reason to risk her own life.


    The last two monsters nearly killed Vivi.


    The insect-like monster ambushed her from behind a corner. She was tackled to the ground, crooked claws thrusted at her chest.


    She managed to raise her sword, blocking claws. Another attack came right after. The monster¡¯s fangs pointed at Vivi¡¯s face.


    Lucius didn¡¯t appear to block the attack. Instead, he enhanced Vivi¡¯s left hand. She slashed at the monster¡¯s charging face with her claws. Her hand was at an awkward angle, but she managed to block.


    The monster was light. She grimaced and pushed, throwing the monster off of her. The monster recovered, joining up with its allies.


    She stood up to find two more monsters of the same kind in the room with her.


    ¡°Fanglings,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Annoying critters. They excel at venom and ambushes. We defended the ambush. Let¡¯s slaughter them.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The huge insects walked on four legs with two crooked and clawed arms. Their thin bodies had black exo-skeletons and a hairy tail. The fanglings didn¡¯t have eyes; instead, sharp fangs poked out from where eyes usually would have. Venom dripped out from the fangs that nearly killed Vivi.


    The three fanglings stood with their claws out at a defensive stance. Vivi regarded them carefully, still spooked from nearly dying a second ago. The insects were taller than her when they stood on two legs.


    ¡°It¡¯s an intimidation tactic,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They¡¯re hoping you¡¯ll get scared and run away. Then they¡¯ll assassinate you. A fangling¡¯s real defense is terrible. Your sword will cut right through. Just follow our strategy.¡±


    Right, Vivi thought. She went into stance and dashed for the leftmost fangling. She had to stay on the offense. On the defense, she was useless.


    The fangling attempted to block with its claws. Vivi swung directly at the defense. Her sword crushed the arm; the insect couldn¡¯t bear the weight of her swing. With the arm gone, the monster was defenseless.


    There was no time to finish the kill. The two other fanglings attacked simultaneously.


    Vivi growled, slashing wide with her sword. Her technique was nonexistent, but she swung hard. One of the fanglings met the sword head-on. Its exo-skeleton was slashed open.


    One attacker remained. The fangling prepared a lethal blow, thrusting its venomous fangs at her throat. Vivi¡¯s defenses were wide open.


    But I¡¯m not alone! Vivi thought. Lucius appeared from her core with his claws out. He pushed with all his might, as if trying to stop a charging bull.


    He was too light to stop the fangling. But he had slowed it down. Vivi recovered and drove her sword through the fangling¡¯s chest, killing it.


    Behind her, the armless fangling attempted a similar charge. Vivi growled. With all her strength, she swung her sword around. Her timing was good; the fangling charged directly into her swing.


    The room fell silent.


    Vivi wiped her forehead of sweat while Lucius collected the monsters¡¯ ether. Each fangling was worth nine ether. A low pay-off for such deadly monsters.


    After eating up the fanglings, Lucius¡¯s reserves hit 309 ether.


    He grinned. ¡°Above the limit.¡±


    ¡°That was insane,¡± Vivi said. ¡°One mistake, and I would have died.¡±


    ¡°You made plenty of mistakes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Most of your swings were far from optimal. But the swings were good enough. That¡¯s what matters.¡±


    Vivi took a breath. Somehow, she doubted this would be her only time nearly dying in this dungeon.


    Lucius wasn¡¯t even slightly concerned. He flew to Vivi¡¯s eye-level and spread out his claws. ¡°Watch this,¡± he said.


    In his cat form, the claws hadn¡¯t grown in length, but the concentration of ether within his claws had grown to dangerous levels. Lucius slashed at the stone wall.


    The claws left a mark. A small one, but they could cut into stone. His claws were beginning to do real damage.


    ¡°I need some more ether before my claws evolve,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Right now, they¡¯re still just claws. None of my true powers have been unlocked yet.¡±


    ¡°Evolve?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°To what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you after we gain a few hundred more ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They¡¯ll grow sharper than your sword in a flash.¡±


    ¡°Not if I start runesmithing,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Lucius said, seeming proud of his claws. ¡°I¡¯m starting to sense a lot more ether. I think there¡¯s a fangling lair below us.¡±


    ¡°You mean, we¡¯ll have to fight more of these insects?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Think of fangling lairs as ant colonies. Fanglings usually have multiple queens and broodmothers, as well as bosses to protect those queens. Individual fanglings are weak, but clearing a whole lair will grant us tons of ether.¡±


    ¡°Lucius, we nearly just died to three fanglings,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And you¡¯re calling them weak.¡±


    ¡°We are weak,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And we must grow. I¡¯ll scan the area for ambushes. Let¡¯s descend deeper.¡±


    Vivi wanted to sigh. But she hadn¡¯t come to the dungeon to sit around and fear death. She patted her raincoat free of grime and the descent continued.


    As Lucius had guessed, more fanglings began appearing, one every few minutes. Vivi had to be careful everywhere she walked, watching for ambushes and possible spots where she could be surrounded. The fanglings loved to surprise her from crawl spaces and from camouflaged flower patches.


    If Vivi managed to repel their ambush-attacks, killing off the monsters was simple. Their defenses couldn¡¯t deal with Vivi¡¯s sword. She could push the fanglings fearlessly into a corner before slashing at them, trusting Lucius to cover any attempts at counter-attacks. Only when fighting three or more at a time, the fanglings became a problem.


    Their strategy of Vivi on offense worked impeccably against agility-based monsters with low defense. Vivi simply walked up to her enemies, focusing entirely on offense while Lucius swiped off attacks that tried to kill her. It was terrifying from Vivi¡¯s perspective, trusting her life for a spirit to protect, but so far, Lucius had defended well.


    The deeper Vivi approached, the more fanglings came after her. The area was infested with the little devils. While Vivi was fighting one, a larger fangling appeared from the next room over. An elite fangling. It was taller and thicker, and fin-like hair ran across its back.


    The elite was faster and bore sharper claws, but its defenses were still frail. It couldn¡¯t withstand a direct hit from Vivi¡¯s blade. She slashed as hard as she could, cutting the elite open, while trusting Lucius to deal with any blind spots.


    After clearing the elite, Lucius¡¯s reserves grew to 457. Vivi swiped her sword clean of ether wisps. Monsters didn¡¯t leave blood, but a monster¡¯s ether was surprisingly stubborn. Wisps flew around Vivi¡¯s sword like abandoned souls cursing the object that killed their host.


    Vivi was just catching her breath and wiping her face, when another fangling appeared from behind, from the path Vivi had already cleared. She slashed at the charging monster with her sword, managing to kill it without Lucius¡¯s help. Another 10 ether was added to Lucius¡¯s reserves.


    Vivi, however, was totally spent. ¡°We¡¯re starting to get ambushed from all directions. We¡¯re deep into their territory now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re finally starting to gain serious ether.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t prepared enough,¡± Vivi argued. ¡°We have no plans for surviving monsters that are too tough for our strategy to defeat. We won¡¯t defeat three elites simultaneously. Fighting through exhaustion is stupid.¡±


    Vivi expected Lucius to shrug off her worries, as he always did. For once, however, the cat seemed to take her points seriously. ¡°You¡¯re right. Fighting tougher elites will be difficult if we¡¯re constantly surrounded by little critters. We¡¯ll need an attack that can one-shot fanglings.¡±


    As he was finishing speaking, another fangling sprinted toward the room, charging Lucius with no fear.


    ¡°I think I have just enough ether to try it out,¡± Lucius said calmly. His claws shone with concentrated ether. He was charging an attack.


    He swiped at the fangling from ten feet away, releasing the energy from his claws.

 Chapter 28 - Evolved Claws

    Lucius swiped from range. A discharge of ether released from his claws. A projectile shot out.


    The charging fangling stopped in place. Five claw marks slashed deep into its exoskeleton. The monster fell.


    Vivi blinked. The fangling had been ten feet away from Lucius when the blow landed. The claws hadn¡¯t even been close to hitting. Yet, the fangling had died. Lucius¡¯s claws had gained range.


    ¡°My evolved form,¡± Lucius said, taking a proud pose. ¡°It still takes a lot of ether and effort to charge up, but it¡¯s powerful. I can one-shot fanglings with a clean hit. The claws will evolve again at around a thousand ether.¡±


    A thousand ether. Vivi couldn¡¯t believe they were speaking about such insane numbers. She was already past the three hundred ether limit. The Stewards would punish her if they found out.


    ¡°That¡¯s powerful,¡± Vivi admitted. ¡°I think your claws have outranked my sword.¡±


    Lucius grinned from the compliment. ¡°That¡¯s enough proof that we¡¯ll survive deeper, no? We¡¯re growing strong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we¡¯ll die,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But we¡¯ve been fighting for hours. I kind of want to rest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, human issues,¡± Lucius said. He crossed his paws. ¡°Listen, Vivi. How long do you think dungeon runs usually last for?¡±


    Vivi didn¡¯t respond. She mentally prepared for another lecture.


    ¡°Days. Weeks. Sometimes months. We¡¯ve spent mere hours. You¡¯re still standing with energy to spare. With each kill, our ether reserves grow. How will we ever survive in Zand if we don¡¯t go all out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be cautious,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s better to kill monsters off of the perimeters before rushing straight into the monsters¡¯ lair. We should set up camp where monsters don¡¯t surround us and constantly attack us while we sleep.¡±


    ¡°Monsters don¡¯t know what sleep is,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They aren¡¯t smart enough to gather forces while you sleep. If monsters do attack, they¡¯ll do so in uncoordinated charges, just like they have been doing so far. If an ether hunter must rest, they do so in the heart of danger, sleeping where monsters most commonly attack. Because that way, the defense force can gather the most ether while their comrades sleep.¡±


    ¡°And who will protect us while we sleep?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I will,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯ll slash away the monsters before they can touch you. Just like this.¡±


    He charged another attack, ether welling up in his claws. Then, he released the swipe at the tunnel leading downward.


    A fangling charged in at the exact moment. Its head was immediately crushed by Lucius¡¯s claws.


    ¡°See?¡± Lucius asked. He collected the ten ether from the monster¡¯s corpse.


    Vivi stared at him. ¡°You plan on using me as bait right in the middle of a fangling lair so that you can gather ether from the monsters that try to kill me in my sleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I used to use a similar trick with my old wielder.¡±


    Vivi rolled her eyes. She could already imagine the nightmares she¡¯d see, sleeping in this damned place. And those nightmares would all be real.


    But if Lucius could truly protect her in her sleep, the night would grant them a load of ether. Their current pace was already fast¡ªthey¡¯d gained over fifty ether each hour. Deeper, they could easily double, if not triple that. At the cost of risking their lives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can follow your idea for sleeping,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll need to head deeper. We¡¯re further away from the blue-cloaks deeper in the dungeon.¡±


    Lucius grinned. He flew back into Vivi¡¯s core and said, ¡°You¡¯ll need to learn how to use the ranged claws. For the next fangling, I will leave the job entirely to you.¡±


    You mean, you won¡¯t protect me from attacks?


    ¡°Protecting you will be inconvenient,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯ll need to focus on strengthening our offense.¡±


    A fangling could be heard from down below. Their light footsteps sounded like brushes tapping on dirt.


    Her nails turned to claws. Ether welled up in her fingers in the form of pure power. The sensation was similar to her hand burning. Concentrated ether had pressure, too. The ether in Vivi¡¯s hand wished to be released. The claws glowed red.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The fangling showed itself. ¡°Go!¡± Lucius ordered.


    Vivi swiped at the fangling from range. Ether blasted with force, freeing her hand from the pressure. The ranged claws wielded more weight than a sword swing from a practiced guardsman.


    The fangling¡¯s left arm fell off, slashed in half. Vivi had missed the rest of her target.


    ¡°Block!¡± Lucius shouted.


    The fangling counter-attacked with its remaining arm. Vivi panicked, but managed to meet its claws with her sword.


    Again, ether welled up in her left hand. Loading up an attack took around two seconds.


    Two seconds was a lot in the middle of combat. The fangling attacked Vivi with its venomous fangs.


    Vivi released her attack, the discharge of ether cutting open the fangling before its attack could connect. The monster was ripped into pieces as Lucius¡¯s claws cut through.


    ¡°Jeez,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You scare me, Vivi. Did you really just miss?¡±


    Vivi stared at the corpse. She pushed herself up. That was close. The venomouis fangs had been inches from killing her. Again. Uh, sorry¡­


    Lucius let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re slowly turning into a fighter, but we¡¯ll need a lot more practice. And ether. Practice and ether, Vivi. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    By ¡°practice,¡± Lucius meant descending deeper into the dungeon to fight harder monsters.


    The fangling lair awaited below. Their territory was marked with silk-like web. The web was subtle at first, thin strings lining the ceiling. Deeper down, the infestation of webs grew worse, until entire rooms were covered in web.


    Vivi hadn¡¯t expected the fanglings to be the type of monster to use webs. However, she quickly understood why webs were an optimal fighting ground for the creatures.


    A fangling¡¯s limbs didn¡¯t stick to their own webs, of course, but the real advantages came from the fanglings¡¯ maneuverability and agility. Their nimbleness almost made it look like they could pass through webs. Their turf was like an obstacle course they could pass through with perfect agility, while any invaders would be stuck in sticky web.


    Luckily, Lucius¡¯s evolved claws were a perfect counter to the webs. One swipe could cut through a cluster of webs without an issue. The evolved claws were incredibly powerful, and they were gaining sharpness with each monster Vivi killed. The claws took less and less time to charge.


    Still, each swing exhausted a lot of Lucius¡¯s ether. A fully charged attack exhausted over twenty wisps that wouldn¡¯t be recovered before tomorrow. Killing monsters regained that ether, of course, but Vivi couldn¡¯t use the claws nonchalantly. She fought with her sword first, using the claws only when she absolutely had to, or when she could secure multiple kills with one swipe.


    Monsters were more common, but not impossibly so. At most, Vivi had to fight five or six fanglings at the same time. Killing them wasn¡¯t too difficult with the help of the evolved claws. Lucius''s reserves grew to 500, and quickly to 600 from there. Double the allowed limit.


    Isn¡¯t it a bit quiet here? Vivi thought. We¡¯re deep into their territory, but they¡¯re barely defending?


    ¡°Fanglings are still ether-reanimated monsters,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They¡¯re not coordinated. A queen¡¯s or a boss¡¯s command can taunt them, calling many into a reckless charge. The little critters only sense action happening a few caverns away.¡±


    Makes sense¡­ Vivi thought.


    Despite Lucius¡¯s words, Vivi approached the web-covered caverns carefully. She spent minutes clearing every nook and cranny, making sure they couldn¡¯t get surrounded.


    As the web clusters grew thicker still, Vivi entered a larger chamber. She stepped in cautiously, expecting an ambush to come. The room seemed quiet.


    She squinted, spotting something at the back of the cave. A dark looming figure, standing perfectly still, blocking the path down. Its details were hard to make out, but its shadow covered most of the room. It must have been twice Vivi¡¯s height.


    Lucius? Vivi asked. What¡¯s that?


    ¡°Looks like a fang tanker,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It¡¯s sleeping. That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll have to try a different path.¡±


    You don¡¯t want to charge in and fight it?


    Lucius considered his words for a moment. ¡°If we hit it, it will become active. There¡¯s other prey we should hunt before this one.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. Lucius hadn¡¯t once backed out from a fight yet, with the exception of the shaman boss on the fourth level. If Lucius said something was too difficult, Vivi didn¡¯t need to argue twice. Is that the boss? she asked.


    ¡°A floor boss, perhaps,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Leave this room, Vivi. We¡¯re not ready to mess with that one yet. Let¡¯s not activate it.¡±


    Vivi nodded. She turned around, ready to leave.


    Suddenly, an elite fangling screeched from nowhere, dashing for her from deeper within the room.


    In a panic, Vivi turned around and threw a claw-swipe at the monster. She hit the fangling, cutting it in half.


    The ranged claws passed through the fangling, cutting webs along the way. The claws eventually landed on the tanker¡¯s exo-skeleton.

 Chapter 29 - Fangling Rage

    The fang tanker took no damage from Lucius¡¯s claws. Not even a scratch was left on its thick black exoskeleton. But the blow was enough to wake the beast up.


    With the webs cleaned out of the way, Vivi had a clear view of the most terrifying monster she had yet encountered.


    The tanker opened its eyelids. Sharp globes of red ether stared down at Vivi from double her height. The tanker¡¯s torso was like a wall; a hard impenetrable exoskeleton. The exoskeleton extended to the ground, where it was supported by small centipede-like legs. The rest of its intestines extended backwards, carried along by more little legs. The tanker¡¯s arms were crooked, ending in shield-shaped blocks instead of hands. The shields had a sharp point, perfect for piercing any little critters in its path.


    The monster opened its mouth, revealing thick black teeth. It let out an ear-piercing screech that shook the entire cave.


    ¡°Run!¡± Lucius screamed.


    Vivi dashed away with all the speed her legs could spare. The tanker was large and heavy; Vivi thought it would be slow.


    She was wrong. The tanker¡¯s little legs weren¡¯t special, but its speed came from its arms. It slammed the spiky shields into the stone, then pulled itself forward with force. Each hit made the ground tremble, dust falling from the ceiling.


    Tunnel! Vivi thought, dashing for the exit. The monster would be too big to follow her through the narrow hole. She ran. Each rhythmic tap behind her was louder, closer. The monster was right by her trail. Lucius gathered all of his ether to Vivi¡¯s legs. She was still losing space.


    A few more steps. Vivi jumped into the tunnel just as the tanker¡¯s arms pierced the stone where she¡¯d just stood. She didn¡¯t stop there; she got back up, running.


    The second hand-shield reached into the hole. The tip of the spike was inches from reaching Vivi¡¯s neck. The tanker crashed into the wall above the tunnel, too big to pass through.


    Outside the boss room, more monsters formed a concave around her exit.


    There were elite fanglings, at least ten of them. Behind them stood one thicker variation. It stood on a pair of heavy legs, wielding sharper and longer claws. Its face was just as scary as the regular fanglings¡¯.


    ¡°A fang destroyer!¡± Lucius called. He filled both of Vivi¡¯s hands with ether, claws shining with ether. ¡°Kill them! Kill them all!¡±


    Vivi released one desperate discharge with her left hand, killing two fanglings at once. Seven more fanglings were charging at her. She released her right swipe, killing another. By the time that was done, her left was filled with ether again. She killed another fangling moments before it could thrust its claws into her skin.


    The next fangling came immediately. Vivi had no time to kill it. She held out her claws, blocking the fangs from piercing her with venom.


    She was tackled to the ground as claws hit her chest. A pained scream escaped. Lucius immediately pushed ether into the spot, protecting Vivi¡¯s vitals with ether.


    The next claw swipe was charged. Vivi slashed in a panic at the monster above her, killing the fangling and another behind it.


    Lucius wasn¡¯t playing anymore. Vivi sensed the spirit¡¯s absolute focus. Lucius collected ether from the dead monsters, while simultaneously empowering Vivi¡¯s claws. His reserves grew to 712. The claws grew stronger with each kill. By now, Vivi could one-shot even the elite fanglings.


    Vivi growled, then swiped wide across the whole room. Her attacks slashed through another two fanglings. The attacks pierced through, landing on the fang destroyer.


    The destroyer survived Vivi¡¯s attacks with slight scratches on its exoskeleton. The destroyer stepped forward slowly, intending to push Vivi back to the tanker¡¯s lair.


    A lot of Lucius¡¯s ether was exhausted. They were running out of ammo.


    More fanglings rushed in, filling the room like an infestation. There were dozens, charging at her with no fears.


    Vivi growled louder. Her eyes saw red as she threw endless attacks at the onslaught of fanglings. Her fingers burned, insane amounts of ether surging through her hands.


    Fanglings were slaughtered before they could reach Vivi. Lucius¡¯s reserves grew from each kill, rising to 823, 839, 873.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    When they reached 900, Lucius charged up both claws. Vivi threw the attacks forward with all the strength she had. She dashed forward, slashing at the destroyer from up close. The closer she was, the more damage her claws did.


    The fang destroyer could no longer withstand the damage. Cracks formed on its exoskeleton. It stood, but only barely. Vivi charged another attack, then drove her claws into the destroyer¡¯s abdomen. Finally, it collapsed. Lucius quickly collected its ether, hitting 967.


    ¡°Nearly there,¡± Lucius said. ¡°At a thousand, the claws can be evolved.¡±


    I told you we¡¯d get ambushed! Vivi screamed in her head. We need to get out of here!


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m losing energy. Let¡¯s head back the way we came.¡±


    Vivi entered the next room swiftly. More fanglings rushed in. Vivi swiped through them without stopping. The regular fanglings were mere fodder; so long as she wasn¡¯t surrounded, she could deal with them just fine.


    Another fang destroyer approached her from the right. Vivi ran past it, forward, into a room she had already cleared of webs. She swiped down another rush of fanglings. She killed so many that Lucius struggled to collect all of their ether.


    With each upcoming room, fanglings attacked her from all directions, charging at her wherever they could. Vivi kept running, slashing, growling.


    She couldn¡¯t defend it all. A fangling claw slashed her in the back. She turned around and swiped the insect down, grimacing from the warm pain.


    Their reserves hit 1005. The next evolution.


    Vivi¡¯s hands were constantly charged with ether. The claws glowed red. Their firepower increased; Vivi could slash through an extra fangling with one swipe, and the slash took far less time to charge. She could cast swipes almost immediately after each other.


    Still, almost all of Lucius¡¯s usable ether was exhausted. They had to get out!


    Another screech echoed throughout the cave. The tanker¡¯s scream.


    The tanker¡¯s voice was like a drug for the little ones. More and more fanglings rushed in. Vivi gritted her teeth, running for the exit.


    The way up was blocked by fang destroyers. A lot of them. Strong ones, wielding hundreds upon hundreds of ether each.


    She threw claws at them. The destroyers blocked, standing tall.


    Fanglings rushed from behind. Vivi was forced to deal with the threats. There were so many of them! At this pace, she¡¯d get overwhelmed.


    To the left! Vivi thought. She swiped the web-covered entrance, then rushed into the dark and quiet room.


    The room was filled with eggs and larvae. A red-eyed brood mother screeched at Vivi.


    Vivi screamed, slashing blindly at the room. She killed the brood mother and massacred the larva. Behind her, fanglings attempted to enter the room through the narrow tunnel. Vivi swiped at the choke point repeatedly, killing tens of fanglings. Their ether count quickly grew to over 1200. With each kill, Lucius had more to spend, more ammo to use for their claws.


    Exit? Vivi thought, quickly glancing around herself. The dark room was a small nest with no clear exits. There was no path deeper.


    But there was a small crawl space.


    Vivi decided to take the risk. She jumped into the crawl space in the wall. Lucius! Kill anything that follows me!


    ¡°Got it,¡± Lucius said.


    The crawlspace wasn¡¯t filled with webs, thank the gods. But it was filled with sharp rocks. Vivi pulled herself forward using the rocks, trying her best not to get scratched up, but still prioritizing speed. She barely fit. That was enough. She just hoped the crawlspace would lead her somewhere that wasn¡¯t immediate death.


    The fanglings chased her for a short while. But after a minute, they stopped coming. No more awaited ahead either. Why was that?


    ¡°Vivi, those sharp rocks!¡± Lucius said. ¡°Take a look at them.¡±


    With Lucius¡¯s translucent figure offering light, Vivi saw better. The white rocks were the same ones Axback kept in his forges. Emberstones.


    ¡°Emberstones repel monsters!¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re lucky!¡±


    Vivi kept crawling forward. Why would monsters be repelled by rocks?


    ¡°Emberstones light up when reacting with ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°If a fangling touches a stone, it burns.¡±


    Vivi was barely listening. She saw dim blue light ahead. The exit. Vivi rushed forward.


    The crawlspace led Vivi to the ceiling of another cave. Vivi fell without watching where she was going. She plumped down on solid stone, right next to sharp crystals.


    The chamber was small and devoid of monsters. Like a little alcove within dangers. The only exits were in the form of more crawlspaces. Beside Vivi flowed a river, entering from a crack in the ceiling and exiting into a crevice on the ground.


    Vivi let out a chuckle. Another. Then she burst into a laugh.


    ¡°We¡¯re alive?¡± she gushed. ¡°We escaped?¡±


    ¡°Of course we escaped,¡± Lucius said, taking a proud pose. ¡°A strategic exit.¡±


    After the fangling massacre, Lucius¡¯s ether reserves peaked at 1327 ether.

 Chapter 30 - Recover and Reassess

    Vivi promptly passed out after making it to safety.


    Before collapsing, she checked her wounds. There were bruises all over and slash marks on her back and chest. Vivi cleaned the wounds with river water. Beyond that, she was too tired to care. Her muscles were exhausted beyond failure. Even with ether in her veins, sitting still was difficult.


    She had just enough energy to hack off a piece of an emberstone with her claws. She placed it in the middle of the cavern. Keep it warm, she told Lucius. Good night.


    ***


    Vivi woke up with the worst aches she¡¯d ever had.


    She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She could feel each one of her wounds burning. One night hadn¡¯t been enough to heal her from the fight. It felt as if she¡¯d woken up while her body was in the process of being reshaped from the inside.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Lucius said. ¡°How was your first hunt?¡±


    The cat walked in circles around Vivi¡¯s stomach. His whiskers and tail took turns showing at the very bottom of her vision. She was too tired to lift her head.


    ¡°The first time is always the worst,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Exerting yourself with ether, that is. Human muscles aren¡¯t used to being spent so thoroughly. But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll recover stronger than ever. Even if it takes a few days.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Vivi muttered. ¡°How deep do you think we are?¡±


    ¡°The fang tanker is likely a squadron boss of sorts. There is no way it¡¯s the boss of this dungeon. I¡¯d say we still have at least ten levels to descend.¡±


    ¡°No, I meant the world¡¯s levels,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We entered the dungeon on the fourth level. How deep into the world can we really descend?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re officially still on the fourth level,¡± Lucius said. ¡°This dungeon is inside a descent. A part of the land where the sky turns vertical. We¡¯re currently inside the sky. Descents usually span multiple levels. The dungeon is trapped inside. It¡¯s usually impossible to travel between levels through descents unless you manage to destroy your way through the sky.


    ¡°If we think purely in terms of depth¡­¡± Lucius thought for a bit. ¡°We¡¯re probably somewhere around the sixth or seventh level.¡±


    ¡°The seventh level exists?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°It does,¡± Lucius said. ¡°So does the eighth, ninth, and tenth, and beyond. The world is deep.¡±


    Vivi continued staring at the ceiling. Somehow, she was less surprised than she thought she¡¯d be. ¡°The humans are still arguing about whether the fifth level exists. How do you know so much?¡±


    ¡°Only surface dwellers argue about the fifth level,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Ether hunters are aware of the sixth and seventh levels officially. I know of the deeper levels because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because?¡±


    ¡°Well, me and my old wielder got on a bit of an adventure,¡± Lucius said.


    His tone suggested he didn¡¯t want to speak any more. A bad memory, perhaps? Vivi had heard that spirits weren¡¯t supposed to have long memories. Most spirits forgot old adventures after their wielders died. However, Lucius seemed to remember past adventures just fine. Was he an exception?


    ¡°You need to eat, don¡¯t you?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°We¡¯re lucky there¡¯s a river right beside us.¡±


    Vivi lay still for a moment longer. She knew she¡¯d need to get up sooner than later. She groaned as she pushed herself to sit. She stretched each aching muscle, testing the extent of her wounds. Everything hurt, but Vivi knew she had to manage. Zand didn¡¯t allow time for leisure and rest.


    She¡¯d slept with her raincoat on. The coat was probably ruined. That fact was another reason she didn¡¯t want to wake up. Her roughed-up gray raincoat was the only memoir she still had from home. To see it broken would be almost as bad as losing a finger. Vivi wouldn¡¯t have the equipment to repair a rip in the fabric.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Examining it, however, Vivi found the coat perfectly intact. It was as good as new. Vivi had wounds on her chest and back, but somehow, the coat was untouched?


    ¡°I imbued your coat with ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It holds ether well. Not perfectly, which is why you¡¯re cut beneath the coat. But the coat itself survived. It¡¯s a pretty good armor, I think.¡±


    Vivi grew sparkles in her eyes. She almost wanted to hug Lucius. But she contained herself. ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s convenient.¡±


    Lucius let out a laugh, posing proudly.


    Vivi stood and stretched further. She had a lot to do, starting with food and the boring stuff.


    The next several hours of Vivi¡¯s extended morning were spent building a makeshift camp and attempting to catch fish. The river was relatively slow, but the fishes were small and nimble, and rare enough for Vivi¡¯s attention to dwindle while she waited for a new one to arrive. She sat on top of a rock, watching the current for movement. Each time a fish tried to pass, she thrust one of Lucius¡¯s claws forth, hoping to land a clean hit.


    The ranged claw attack also worked as a spear. The claws didn¡¯t have to dissipate immediately like a projectile. Instead, Lucius could keep the ether active, which kept the extended claws solid for a longer duration. This way, Vivi could use the long claws for fishing.


    That didn¡¯t mean Vivi¡¯s aim was any good. She kept missing. For hours, to the point that it was getting annoying. She asked Lucius to help out since he was a lot better at catching smaller prey than she was. Lucius refused. He claimed fishing was good practice. Vivi needed accuracy and instincts, both of which were trained through fishing.


    Catching the first fish took her two and a half hours. The catch was a small sardine-shaped fellow with dark scales, ether oozing out of its eyes. Vivi hesitated about eating it, but Lucius reassured her that the fish probably wasn¡¯t poisonous.


    So Vivi got to cooking. She laid out a nice rack of emberstones, then perched and gutted the fish carefully with her claws. It had been a while since she cleaned a fish, but Grandpa had taught her how to do it. She placed the fish on top of the emberstones and told Lucius to lightly heat the stones.


    The fish tasted amazing. It was unseasoned, but still far better than Axback¡¯s soup or Grandpa¡¯s nonsense meals. Grandpa usually ate the leftover grains of whatever was available, purchasing the cheapest foods possible. That often meant bread and nuts. The bare minimum to keep muscles growing.


    With a river next to her and a body in need of repair, Vivi wasn¡¯t going to stop at just one fish. She spent another hour at the river, catching as much fish as she could. Her accuracy improved after each catch.


    Finally, she laid out her catches, satisfied with the morning¡¯s work. Ten freshly killed fish. She picked a rock to use as a stool, then sat down to clean the first fish.


    That was when a figure jumped down from a crawl space into Vivi¡¯s safe space.


    Invader! Vivi sprung to her feet in an instant. The fish fell from her hands, fingers turning to claws.


    The invader was the white-haired little fiend! The fiend ran for Vivi¡¯s fishes, quickly grabbing as many as she could before running off. She ran for another crawl space.


    ¡°No!¡± Vivi shouted. She thrust a claw forth, piercing the corner of the fiend¡¯s oversized cloth. She made sure not to pierce skin. Hurting the fiend seemed too cruel.


    The fiend¡¯s jump got stopped by its own clothes stuck in Vivi¡¯s claw. Momentum turned downward, and the fiend plumped face-first onto the ground.


    Vivi ran over and pressed her hand on the fiend¡¯s back, stopping an escape.


    The fiend yelled out. She flailed her arms, kicking, attempting to bite. Her teeth couldn¡¯t quite reach Vivi¡¯s hand, and her kicks were powerless. Vivi sat there, catching her breath as the fiend struggled.


    ¡°Gods, you scared me¡­¡± Vivi said softly. ¡°How did you get in here?¡±


    The fiend continued kicking. She let out weak cries. Not monstrous or devilish hisses, as Vivi would have expected from a fiend. She sounded more like a poor little girl.


    Lucius appeared out of Vivi¡¯s core and walked around the fiend, examining her. ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. I was sure it was a monster attacking us. I didn¡¯t think other nimrods would survive this deep.¡±


    She almost escaped from me, too, Vivi thought.


    The question was, what would she do with the girl? Vivi obviously couldn¡¯t kill her. The fiend was a nimrod. Everyone above hated this little girl. Being caught must have been terrifying. The fiend was still struggling. Vivi feared it would never stop.


    Vivi sighed, then placed one of the fishes next to the fiend¡¯s head.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, I¡¯ll share,¡± Vivi said.


    Finally, the struggle stopped. The fiend attempted to reach the fish with her teeth, then her arms. Vivi kept it just far enough so that the fiend couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°Calm down and I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± Vivi said.


    Her words didn¡¯t work. The fiend continued reaching for the fish. A new struggle began. This time, the focus was not to escape, but to reach the fish.


    Vivi let out a sigh. This won¡¯t work, will it¡­


    Vivi gave in. She offered the fish to the fiend. Immediately, the fiend secured the fish in its mouth, munching on it with two fanged teeth.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s an idiot,¡± Lucius said.


    Hungry if nothing else, Vivi thought.


    Finally, Vivi let go of her hold. She sat calmly between the fiend and the fishes. Hopefully, the fiend wouldn¡¯t immediately run off. Vivi picked up another fish, holding it in the fiend¡¯s vision. ¡°I¡¯m Vivi. What¡¯s your name?¡±

 Chapter 31 - Friend or Foe

    The fiend grabbed the second fish right from Vivi¡¯s hand. Right after, the fiend took a wary step back, treating Vivi with caution. The first fish was still in its mouth, being munched.


    Vivi tried not to sigh. This will be difficult¡­


    Now that the fiend was calm and standing still, Vivi could clearly see the fiend¡¯s features. Her hair was messy white with subtle pink strokes. She had small horns poking out from her forehead, mostly hidden by hair. Her pink eyes were large and sharp, and her ears were pointy and elf-like. The appearance wasn¡¯t scary in the slightest. Even her two fanged teeth were mostly for show.


    ¡°Do you understand words?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Nod for me if you do.¡±


    The fiend kept frowning at Vivi.


    ¡°Nod if you want another fish,¡± Vivi said.


    The fiend flinched. Then she nodded three times in a row.


    This little devil¡­ Vivi thought. She tossed another fish for the fiend. Now the fiend held a fish in both hands, one in its mouth. She still appeared wary of Vivi.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re getting for now,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You¡¯re free to go. Try to steal from me again, and next time I won¡¯t be so kind. I need food as well.¡±


    Vivi picked up the seven remaining fishes and laid them out beside the emberstones. She sat on her stool and asked Lucius to grow her claws back. He flew back to her core and pushed ether into her hands. Vivi started gutting and perching the first fish.


    The fiend wasn¡¯t leaving. She stood by the side, curiously watching.


    Lucius, watch that she doesn¡¯t steal anything, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Are we not going to kick her out?¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m growing annoyed with this one.¡±


    It¡¯s fine, Vivi thought. I don¡¯t see a problem.


    ¡°You can stay,¡± Vivi told the fiend. ¡°But don¡¯t try anything stupid. I won¡¯t forgive you a second time. I¡¯ll be cooking my own meal now.¡±


    Vivi did just as she said, continuing to clean the fishes. She felt the fiend¡¯s gaze from the corner of her eye. The little girl was munching on her own fish, but most of her attention was on Vivi. She didn¡¯t look cunning. More so, she was curious but reluctant to get closer.


    ¡°We really should throw her out,¡± Lucius said. ¡°She could be a spy.¡±


    I seriously doubt it, Vivi thought. And it¡¯s not like we¡¯re doing anything worth spying.


    ¡°She could be waiting for a better opportunity to steal from us. I can tell she likes shiny things from those eyes. She¡¯s going to be a problem.¡±


    Possibly, Vivi said. It¡¯s not like I trust her either. Every nimrod has their own interests in mind. In Zand, the most innocent little girls can betray their best friends.


    ¡°Why keep her, then? Why take a risk?¡±


    Vivi shrugged. She didn¡¯t have a good answer. Maybe she just liked the company. She had just massacred monster after monster, nearly dying in the process. All the while being hunted down, hated by everyone around her. The new secluded lifestyle wasn¡¯t something Vivi wished to grow accustomed to.


    With the fishes cleaned, Vivi spread them to cook on the emberstones. The fiend watched the process in bafflement. She had finished eating her three fishes and had moved a step closer.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Want one?¡± Vivi asked. She picked up one of the cooked fishes and held it out for the fiend.


    The fiend stared at Vivi for a moment. She took one step forward, then another. Finally, she walked up to Vivi and picked up the fish. She treated the cooked fish like it was some magical artifact. She put it in her mouth.


    Immediately, her tongue stuck out. She let out a sound that Vivi interpreted as ¡°Ow.¡±


    Vivi chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s hot, I know. You should wait for it to cool.¡±


    The fiend watched as Vivi ate her own fishes, hot and directly from the emberstones. With Vivi¡¯s example, the fiend tried again, forcing herself to eat the hot fish. It was still clearly too hot, but the fiend ate it in pain.


    ¡°What a child¡­¡± Lucius said.


    Go keep her company, Vivi thought. I think she¡¯ll try to steal my food otherwise. I¡¯d really like to eat the rest of my fishes.


    ¡°You want me to protect you?¡± Lucius asked.


    Play with her, Vivi thought. Keep her distracted. She might like cats.


    Lucius sounded disgusted by the idea.


    Otherwise, we¡¯ll need to stay for a lot longer while I catch another batch of fishes.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll protect you, but I won¡¯t ¡®play¡¯ with her.¡±


    Lucius popped out from Vivi¡¯s core. He sat between Vivi and the fiend. Discomfort was clear from his presence. He hated being faced with the fiend. Nonetheless, he licked his paws, feigning ignorance.


    The calm act was broken in an instant when the fiend poked Lucius in the cheek. He jumped onto all four paws and hopped back.


    Lucius ran, and the fiend chased. ¡°Stay away, fiend!¡± Lucius called. ¡°Hands off!¡±


    The fiend giggled, continuing the chase.


    Make sure not to hurt her, Vivi thought. She sat down to eat while enjoying the chaos.


    ¡°Vivi, help!¡± Lucius shouted in her head, panicking. ¡°How am I supposed to hold her off if I can¡¯t fight back!¡±


    You¡¯re doing great, Vivi thought, biting off a chunk of fish.


    The show continued throughout Vivi¡¯s lunch. Lucius got caught multiple times, escaping with the help of his slimy body, only for the chase to continue. His emotions were all over the place, ranging from betrayed to humiliated.


    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you!¡± Lucius said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were so cruel, Vivi!¡±


    Sorry, Vivi thought, munching on the second fish. I¡¯m almost done.


    The chaos continued. Lucius hopped to the tallest crawl space, believing he had gotten away, until the fiend climbed after him. He screeched in Vivi¡¯s head, as if running for his life.


    Five minutes later, Vivi finished the last fish. She stood up. This immediately made everyone pause. The fiend glanced up at Vivi, the wariness returning to her face.


    Vivi stretched again, then said, ¡°I¡¯m Vivi. That¡¯s Lucius. We accept allies as long as you don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    The fiend seemed to be listening but didn¡¯t respond. She looked focused, hearing out every word, but Vivi wasn¡¯t sure how well the girl really understood language.


    ¡°Eeemm,¡± the fiend said.


    ¡°Eem?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°Eem,¡± the fiend said, nodding.


    ¡°Glad to have you, Eem,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You must know a lot about the dungeon. You know how to get in and out of the hidden dungeon. If you can lead us to the best hunting spots, I¡¯ll offer you a lot more fishes. Just don¡¯t get us in trouble, okay?¡±


    Lucius was utterly appalled by the conversation. But even he seemed to agree with Vivi¡¯s points. The fiend was clever. She had already saved Vivi once, bringing her to the hidden dungeon. Vivi believed keeping Eem around would be beneficial.


    And Eem was cute. Vivi couldn¡¯t get mad at that face. Just because Eem was a half-fiend she was hated for existing? That was nonsense.


    Vivi pointed at the crawl space Eem had come from. ¡°Is this path safe?¡±


    Eem thought for a moment. Then she shook her head.


    ¡°There are monsters around?¡±


    Eem nodded twice.


    ¡°Which path has the most monsters?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°What¡¯s a path you would never take because the monsters ruin your plans?¡±


    Eem frowned. She immediately pointed at one of the crawlspaces directed toward the fanglings¡¯ lair. A different one from the one Vivi had entered, but one that pointed in the same direction.


    ¡°You dislike the fang monsters?¡± Vivi asked.


    Eem nodded.


    ¡°I do too,¡± Vivi said. She stretched again, preparing herself for action. Her muscles weren¡¯t healed, but she figured some light action would bring them back alive. ¡°Lucius. Let¡¯s clear the fangling lair for good.¡±

 Chapter 32 - Fangling Slaughter

    The crawl space led Vivi directly to another fangling brood chamber.


    This one was huge, ten times the size of the previous brood chamber with a tall roof. Crystals and vegetation had been hacked off; the whole room was covered in web and brood. The only light came from blinking pupae and the red eyes of the broodmothers. There were at least five spread across the room.


    The broodmothers had smaller legs than the fanglings, but their stomachs were larger, and their faces were bigger. Their claws were small, and they had four thin additional arms to help tend to brood. All screeched as Vivi entered.


    A larger shadow hung on webs in the middle of the room. It had large claws, sharper than the tanker''s, but not as bulky. It didn¡¯t have legs at all; the being seemed to be immobile, hanging purely from the webs.


    ¡°A brood queen!¡± Lucius shouted. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous. Be careful.¡±


    Vivi swiped the immediate surroundings clear of webs right away. She slashed through eggs and larvae alongside. The eggs offered no ether, but each larva offered up to a single wisp. With the sheer amount of larvae, killing them all offered a lot of ether.


    The nearest broodmother spat something at Vivi. Acid. The projectile was fast; Vivi stepped to the side, barely dodging it. She was amazed by her instincts. Ether didn¡¯t just empower strength; it made her more aware as well. Ordinarily, she wouldn¡¯t have seen the attacks at all.


    More acid came immediately after. She tried slashing at a blob of acid from range as a test. The slash merely spread the blobs into smaller splashes. An acid droplet hit Vivi in the foot. She grimaced; skin burning off. Lucius directed ether into the leg, protecting her. Still, the acid hurt like fire. A single clean hit would kill Vivi.


    Vivi would need to kill the broodmothers before they could kill her. She cleared more webs for space, then slashed at the nearest brood mother, killing it in one shot. The broodmothers weren¡¯t fast, relying on the acid for offense as well as defense.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Lucius called. ¡°From above!¡±


    Vivi dodged to the left just in time. A claw crashed down at Vivi, landing right next to her. The brood queen¡¯s claws thrust forth from above with enough force to pierce into the stone ground.


    Vivi swiped at the monster¡¯s belly as a counter-attack. The brood queen let out an angry screech. Vivi¡¯s claws left a mark on its exoskeleton, but she didn¡¯t pierce through.


    Vivi was forced back to the defensive. She had a lot of acid to dodge, all of which would kill in one blow. A part of her wanted to retreat back into the crawl space to reassess her strategy. She needed a shield.


    No, she didn¡¯t. Her strategy had never relied on defense. Vivi¡¯s best defense was her offense.


    She dashed forth, rolling to the side as another two acid shots blew past her head. Webs stuck to her raincoat from the ground, but she stood, cutting another brood mother in half as she recovered.


    Three more remaining.


    With each kill, Vivi had fewer projectiles to worry about. The remaining broodmothers were far away. Go for the brood queen! she thought.


    Her plans were cut short when a squadron of fanglings and destroyers arrived from the next room over. The fanglings charged at Vivi with their usual suicidal style, while the destroyers took a defensive position to protect the brood queen.


    Damned insects! Vivi shouted in her thoughts as she slashed at the fangling onslaught. Killing them barely required concentration; Vivi¡¯s attention was on the real threats. The three acid-shooting broodmothers, and the queen¡¯s long claws.


    The queen¡¯s claw crashed down at her. Vivi dodged. Then she growled, cutting the claw in half. The queen let out a screech.


    This really pissed off the fang destroyers. They approached Vivi with hateful steps, forgetting their defensive formation.


    Come at it, then! Vivi thought. She put all her might into a heavy swing, hitting the destroyers.


    Two died at once.


    Vivi blinked. Yesterday, she struggled to kill the destroyers, requiring multiple hits. Now she could one-shot two at once?


    ¡°We¡¯re growing,¡± Lucius said. ¡°That¡¯s how it usually goes with hunting. Once you defeat one monster, the next one of the same type will always be easier. Eventually, you¡¯ll grow strong enough that the monsters no longer pose a challenge.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    What, so these monsters are easy? Vivi thought. She swiped again at a fang destroyer. The critter was cut in half. The exoskeleton wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand Lucius¡¯s claws.


    What was Vivi afraid of? Her attacks killed in one blow. She just had to land an attack.


    She rushed for the brood queen, dodging acid while simultaneously killing the last fang destroyer. Long-ranged attacks weren¡¯t powerful enough to kill the brood queen. Close-up, however, the claws did a lot more damage.


    The queen attempted to slash Vivi with its remaining claw. Vivi met the attack head-on with her own claws.


    Vivi¡¯s claws were stronger. The monster¡¯s blade snapped in half.


    Ether filled Vivi¡¯s hand. Immense amounts of power. She drove her claws straight through the brood queen¡¯s exoskeleton, piercing its intestines.


    The queen didn¡¯t die in one blow. Vivi swiped again, then again, each time cutting open a larger part of the screeching queen¡¯s lower body. Ether bled out of the monster¡¯s open abdomen.


    As a final blow, Vivi slashed upward, cutting the monster open from the inside. The brood queen disintegrated into ether.


    The remaining brood mothers stopped shooting acid. Instead, they were running for an exit. Vivi promptly killed them.


    With that, the room was cleared.


    Vivi turned to their prizes. The entire room sizzled with ether. ¡°How much did the queen drop?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°The boss is always collected last,¡± Lucius said. ¡°To savor the prize. The queen wasn¡¯t a boss, but it was the biggest monster we¡¯ve defeated so far.¡±


    He collected the ether from all the slaughtered larvae and fallen fanglings. The fodder kills brought their reserves to 1442. Then, he stood proudly before the queen¡¯s corpse, ether sizzling within.


    The brood queen brought their reserves to 1575 ether. ¡°It was worth 133 ether,¡± Lucius said.


    Insane, Vivi thought. That was more ether than Grandpa gained in a month running his smithy. And how long had this fight taken? Five minutes?


    Lucius saw Vivi¡¯s expression and grinned. ¡°You¡¯re starting to understand. The reason why hunting is so amazing.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath. ¡°We still need to gather fifteen thousand ether. It won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    Pink eyes stared at Vivi from one of the crawl spaces. With the room clear of monsters, Eem carefully slid down. Her face grew wrinkled as she stepped over the fallen webs. Eem walked on bare feet. She had nothing to protect herself from sticky surfaces.


    How much ether does she have? Vivi asked. Can you tell?


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to read,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Probably not enough. She might steal from our kills.¡±


    Vivi ignored Lucius¡¯s complaint. To her, Eem seemed far more hungry for food than ether. If ether and monster corpses were what Eem was after, she would have already dashed for the brood queen¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to clear the rest of the fanglings now,¡± Vivi said, smiling at Eem. ¡°Watch and learn.¡±


    ***


    As Lucius had claimed, the fanglings no longer posed a challenge. Clearing the rest of their lair was merely a question of time and exploration.


    Each fangling wielded around a hundred ether worth of power. Compared to Vivi¡¯s fifteen hundred, the monsters were fifteen times weaker. The gap was simply too large, and it only grew with each kill. Vivi simply had too much ether for the fanglings to deal with.


    This didn¡¯t mean Vivi was invincible. Most of Lucius¡¯s ether was used purely offensively to strengthen his claws. His defensive abilities were almost nonexistent. Vivi was tougher than a regular human, but a fangling claw could have pierced her neck. Still, her perception of her surroundings grew with ether. Sensing ambushes was far easier through both sound and vision.


    Vivi imagined this was how cats perceived the world, hunting in the dark. When Lucius focused ether into her eyes, she could identify the faintest of shapes hidden within webs. She could see insects beneath the thickets of flowers. It almost felt like she could see the world¡¯s natural ether, tiny wisps on every surface of vegetation. Monsters and fanglings were especially easy to make out, ether oozing out of their exoskeletons.


    We will have to look for stronger monsters soon, right? Vivi asked. Cleaning weaklings won¡¯t make us strong.


    ¡°Actually, slaughtering infestations is the best way to earn pure ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There exist plenty of ether hunters who maxed out their ether reserves by slaughtering easy dungeons. Killing a thousand fanglings will grant you the same amount of ether as killing one surge boss. A thousand fanglings one by one is far easier, and the slaughter can often be quicker than fighting bosses.¡±


    So we have no reason to fight strong monsters? Vivi asked.


    ¡°We do, but not for pure ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Ether is only one aspect of strength. If carrying a lot of ether made one strong, rich idiots would be the strongest fighters in the world. That is not the case. Ether is really just a resource. After a spirit is maxed out, at around five thousand ether, gaining more ether will only improve endurance.


    ¡°True strength comes from something else entirely. Skill wisps. Even a single low-ranked skill can decide the fate of a battle between a fighter who doesn¡¯t wield a skill. Low-level hunters who spend all their time in easy dungeons won¡¯t stand a chance against someone who has gathered skills by fighting boss monsters.


    ¡°That is the reason we must descend. To fight bosses, and to steal their skills.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Plans of Growth

    ¡°Skills, huh?¡± Vivi said. ¡°Sure, skills would probably make us strong. But you¡¯re forgetting something.¡±


    ¡°Forgetting what?¡± Lucius asked. His voice echoed from Vivi¡¯s core, as he was still busy imbuing her with ether.


    ¡°Another aspect of strength.¡± She swiped another charging fangling and said, ¡°Runesmithing.¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Lucius said, sounding doubtful. ¡°Runeswords are cool. But there is a reason the ether hunters use spirit blades, and why we use my claws. There is a limit to the power runeswords can provide. Just as your steel sword has grown useless now that my claws are evolved, every runesword will eventually be outshined by a spirit¡¯s powers.¡±


    Vivi grinned, hearing that.


    ¡°What?¡± Lucius asked.


    ¡°Me and Grandpa have heard the same thing for years,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Spirits this, spirits that. But the hunters never allowed themselves to be proven wrong. The ether hunters never gave our runeswords a chance. Our swords were instead bought by collectors and hobbyists.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Lucius said. ¡°What are you trying to argue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m an ether hunter now,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And I¡¯m a runesmith. I¡¯m free to smith a runesword and use it myself. There¡¯s no need to convince the ether hunters to use my runeswords when I can showcase the powers of runesmithing myself.¡±


    Lucius didn¡¯t sound impressed. ¡°Sure, Mrs. Runesmith. Whatever you say.¡±


    Another lone fang destroyer attacked them. Vivi didn¡¯t need to look in its direction to swipe it in half. She¡¯d wandered across web-infested caverns for six or seven hours now, killing anything in sight. The monsters had grown rarer and disjointed within the last few hours, as if a link had been lost in their heads. A few stragglers were still remaining, and fanglings occasionally respawned, but finding monsters was growing difficult.


    Vivi could consider the lair cleared. Lucius¡¯s ether reserves had grown all the way to 2112.


    Lucius must have been thinking the same thing. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we descend.¡±


    Vivi nodded. ¡°Do you remember the path to the tanker?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Down?¡±


    Vivi let out a sigh. ¡°Eem?¡± she asked, speaking to the crawl spaces above. ¡°You¡¯ve been watching us, right? Could you lead us to the fang monsters¡¯ boss?¡±


    Eem¡¯s pink-eyed head appeared. She hopped down from a crawlspace and nodded three times in a row with a determined expression. Then she jumped into a different crawl space, signaling for Vivi to follow.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer the larger paths,¡± Vivi said.


    Eem made a face.


    Vivi lowered down and showed her back to Eem. ¡°You can ride on my back. Just point where to go.¡±


    The little fiend looked suspicious. Vivi waited patiently as Eem gathered the courage to climb on her back. Eventually, the fiend sat atop. From over Vivi¡¯s shoulder, Eem pointed at a tunnel down below.


    Damned kids¡­ Lucius muttered, clearly sulking.


    ***


    With Eem¡¯s help, finding the path back to the fang destroyer took less than five minutes. Eem¡¯s memory was impressive. To Vivi, the crawlways and caverns all looked the same. Eem, however, seemed to know the entire layout without an issue.


    A few fanglings had attempted ambushes during their trip. Eem had closed her eyes when the first monster came, shouting a yelp, but Vivi killed the fangling without an issue. The trip was smooth.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Outside the fang tanker¡¯s arena, Vivi finally recognized her surroundings. The damages of yesterday¡¯s escape were still visible on the walls. A few loose rocks stood at the arena¡¯s entrance, having fallen when the tanker crashed into the wall, chasing Vivi.


    Vivi lowered down, letting Eem off of her back. ¡°Stay safe now,¡± Vivi said. ¡°This one is dangerous.¡±


    Eem nodded again. Vivi smiled before turning around to face the boss.


    The fang tanker had fallen inactive again, retreating to its position. Vivi saw it more clearly with enhanced ether. The tough exoskeleton, the terrifying mouth, and the claws that would crush Vivi in an instant.


    ¡°Will your claws pierce its defence?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Lucius admitted. ¡°Not head-on, at least. However, the abdomen behind its torso is slightly weaker. If we land hits there, we¡¯ll eventually pierce the exoskeleton. We¡¯ll need a few clean hits.¡±


    Vivi thought for a moment. Getting behind the boss would be difficult and risky. If she failed, she¡¯d be trapped in the room with the tanker with no way to get out. The tanker obviously knew of its own weak spot; it wouldn¡¯t let Vivi freely cut the abdomen open.


    ¡°It would be way cooler if we could blast its exoskeleton open,¡± Vivi said. ¡°How much ether will you need for that?¡±


    ¡°At least five thousand ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°My claws aren¡¯t meant for destroying strong defences. I¡¯m much better at exploiting weak spots.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. Ideas and hopes popped up in her head. The types of ideas that got her heart pumped.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the face, Vivi?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Why are you grinning again?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t need five thousand ether to blow that thing up,¡± Vivi said. ¡°All we will need is a few tools and a smithy, and our firepower will quadruple.¡±


    Lucius frowned. ¡°And where exactly will we find tools?¡±


    ¡°Axback¡¯s smithy had most of what we need,¡± Vivi said. She turned around. ¡°Eem? Could you lead us back to the facility? The most sneaky way possible.¡±


    Eem gave a salute, standing straight. The gesture looked cute more than anything. She climbed onto Vivi¡¯s back, and the ascent back to Zand began.


    Vivi¡¯s heart raced on the way up. It felt as if it had been ages since she¡¯d last smithed a runesword. In the last ten years, before teleporting to Zand, the longest time she¡¯d spent away from runesmithing was, at most, twenty hours.


    ***


    Eem¡¯s directions led Vivi into crawl space after crawl space, twisting all throughout the cave. This time, Vivi didn¡¯t argue against Eem¡¯s paths. She trusted Eem knew where they were going. Though Vivi certainly would have enjoyed more space to crawl in.


    Eem didn¡¯t take Vivi to the same lake they¡¯d arrived from. That was good. Diving through piranha-infested waters was uncomfortable at the very least, and the lake could have possibly been watched. Vivi had disappeared there, after all.


    How many exits and entrances could this cave really have? There was the barricaded main entrance. The free dungeon didn¡¯t have crawl spaces to pop in and out from. Surely, the Stewards and organizers had examined the cave more carefully to ensure no hidden paths were available.


    Some minutes later, Eem looked down from one of the crawl spaces. She examined the area, making sure there were no monsters. Then she jumped down. Vivi followed.


    ¡°Mmh,¡± Eem said. She pointed at a wall.


    Vivi stared at the spot, trying to see what Eem was pointing at. The part of the wall was roughed up, and it had a slightly crooked indent, but otherwise, it looked like any ordinary piece of wall. ¡°What is this?¡± Vivi asked.


    Eem grabbed the indent on the wall. It worked vaguely like a handle, though Eem¡¯s hands were too small to grab it. She tried pulling at it. The wall didn¡¯t budge.


    Then Eem pointed at Vivi.


    ¡°You want me to pull it?¡±


    Eem nodded.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Vivi said. She grabbed the indent and pulled, as if opening a door. The wall didn¡¯t budge. Eem, however, looked determined.


    ¡°Lucius, give me some strength,¡± Vivi said. Ether flowed into her body, strengthening her arms and core. She pulled at the stone with all the strength she had.


    The stones made a grinding noise. Vivi blinked. The wall was moving! She kept pulling, until a slab popped open from the wall, revealing another crawl space.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Someone built a secret exit?¡±


    Eem was hopping up and down, celebrating. Then she hopped in, ushering Vivi to follow. Vivi did just that.


    She entered feet first in order to place the cover back into place. The inside of the stone slab had two study handles attached to it. The handles helped Vivi pull the slab back into place, hiding the exit once again.


    The tunnel was too narrow for Vivi to turn around. She was forced to move feet first. The surface of the crawl space was smooth and straight, unlike the rough and rocky crawl spaces spread out in the cave. Vivi guessed this crawl space was man-made. Had old nimrods crafted the hole, perhaps?


    Reaching the end of the crawl space, Eem pushed a trapdoor above them. She peeked up to examine her surroundings. She nodded to Vivi before fully pushing the trapdoor out of the way. Eem hopped up. Vivi followed awkwardly, rising feet first.


    She found herself in a small bedroom.

 Chapter 34 - The Return

    The scent of old hardwood was strong in the windowless bedroom. The room was pitch black until Eem excitedly lit a candle on a nightstand. The light revealed furniture; there was a mostly empty bookshelf, holding a few books. There were chests and containers and a straw bed. A carpet had been placed over the hidden trapdoor.


    ¡°Is this your room?¡± Vivi asked quietly.


    Eem shook her head. ¡°Aann,¡± she said.


    ¡°Aann?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°This is Aann¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°Aann-n,¡± Eem said, nodding.


    Eem looked comfortable as she lit another candle. She treated the room like home. Vivi stood nervously, not touching anything. This Aann wasn¡¯t anywhere to be seen, and they probably weren¡¯t expecting visitors. Vivi glanced at the books. One of them was titled, ¡°The Legend of Ronaleus Reynol: Poems for Children.¡±


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re back on the fourth level,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I think we¡¯re still inside Zand. I can sense the dungeon nearby. I think this is the apartment district Uundref mentioned.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thank you, Eem.¡±


    Vivi patted the fiend on the head, feeling the little horns beneath Eem¡¯s hair. Eem smiled excitedly.


    Do you think we¡¯re strong enough to survive an attack from the blue cloaks now? Vivi asked in her head.


    ¡°We¡¯d need to seriously screw up to die to nimrods,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re far stronger than Carla now. I¡¯d even say we could defeat a guard or two. Our next problem lies within the Stewards. Uundref is stronger than us.¡±


    Yes¡­ Vivi thought. We can¡¯t forget that we¡¯re seriously breaking rules right now. The Stewards can¡¯t find out about our ether count.


    ¡°That means no using ether while we¡¯re in public,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯ll hide my presence as best I can. Only use my powers if you absolutely need me.¡±


    Vivi nodded. We will probably need a way to transfer ether without revealing you. Ether containers, perhaps?


    ¡°I saw containers being sold at the hub,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But we can¡¯t buy them without revealing my powers.¡±


    That¡¯s a problem. Vivi continued patting Eem in the head. The fiend seemed to really like scratches in the right spots.


    Suddenly, Vivi got an idea. ¡°Eem? Could you help us out with a purchase?¡±


    Eem¡¯s ears perked up. She was listening.


    ¡°Lucius will give you some ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I need you to offer that ether to a shop vendor when I tell you to. We¡¯re going to buy some fun stuff. Does that work with you?¡±


    Eem looked excited. She gave three quick nods.


    ¡°What?¡± Lucius gushed. ¡°You want me to give ether to her?¡±


    Give her fifty, Vivi thought. That should be enough to buy a few containers.


    Lucius was about to argue something, when Vivi continued, Eem has proved herself to be trustworthy, has she not?


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucius said. He transferred fifty ether for Eem.


    Vivi stood up. ¡°I will warn you, Eem. People hunt after me. Once we show our faces in the hub, we¡¯ll probably be watched and examined. We¡¯ll need to shake off those who are after us. But I know you¡¯re good at that. Can you help me escape back into the dungeon when we¡¯re ready?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Mm, mm!¡± Eem said.


    ¡°Good. Get on my back. Let¡¯s go craft some swords,¡± Vivi said.


    Before opening the door, Vivi placed her ear on the keyhole and listened. She heard nothing, so she calmly pushed open the creaky door. Light shone in from outside.


    Vivi peeked her head out, finding a long straight hallway lined with numbered doors. The room Vivi was in was marked with the number 5. To her left was a stairway up. To her right, at the end of the hall, were double doors. Vivi guessed they led outside. She walked up to them and opened the doors.


    Zand¡¯s musty air welcomed her back to the facility. A uniformed guardsman stood right outside the double doors. He was a shorter man with a tiny forehead, carrying a sheathed runesword. He gave Vivi a glance.


    Then he blinked, glancing again. He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Uh, since when did you two get in?¡±


    ¡°We were visiting friends,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Eem was frowning. The guardsman met the look. ¡°I see. Three people now have asked me if I¡¯ve seen someone that matches your description.¡±


    Ah, fantastic, Vivi thought. ¡°Blue cloaks?¡± she asked.


    The guardsman shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not getting involved in nimrod business. But I¡¯d be careful if I was you. And get that fiend out of here. What¡¯s she doing on your shoulders?¡±


    Eem showed her tongue to the guard. Vivi sighed, walking off. As usual, the guardsmen were as useful as a pair of wet socks. Luckily, the guards wouldn¡¯t chase her unless she broke rules or seriously pissed them off.


    The apartment section of Zand was a dome-shaped chamber with a tall ceiling, separated from the hub with the hardstone wall. A hole in the wall connected the districts. Three apartment complexes were crammed into the chamber. The complexes reached all the way to the ceiling. There were probably around a few hundred apartments combined. Not nearly enough to house all nimrods. It was no wonder so many demons slept in the dungeon, or in the hub.


    A few dozen nimrods lounged around in the apartment district. Each and everyone sent gazes toward Vivi and Eem. The gazes were hostile. Far worse than the looks Vivi had received on her first few days.


    That was odd. Had something happened? Is examination day getting closer? Vivi asked.


    ¡°It is,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that. Something has happened with our reputation. Not to mention Eem is with us. Everyone hates her.¡±


    Figures, Vivi thought. Less than a week in, and everyone hates us.


    Stepping into the hub, the problem only grew worse. Conversations paused as Vivi and Eem passed. Everyone seemed to be surprised to see Vivi, as if her presence defied some rule or belief. The usual chaotic brawls and fights were ongoing¡ªthe hub was as active as ever¡ªbut squabbles and arguments took a backseat when Vivi passed. Nobody rushed to tackle or talk to her, thank the gods, but the demons were wary of her.


    What is going on? Vivi thought. They react exactly like Fellwater does when the executioners pass by.


    ¡°I think our stunts have made us quite famous¡­¡± Lucius said.


    Not good, Vivi thought. Let¡¯s get this done quickly. Where did you see the shop?


    ¡°By the southern wall,¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi turned south. The hub was crowded, but it wasn¡¯t large. Walking from one end to the other barely took three minutes. The shop Lucius was talking about was near the exit where new nimrods were brought in. It was a sturdy stall, painted gray, with a sign that read, ¡°storage.¡±


    There were three clerks, all working from behind steel bars. One of them was unoccupied¡ªa tall demon with horns that curled downward, growing nearly into her mouth. She wore spectacles and immediately looked annoyed to see a customer walking in.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I can buy ether containers here, correct?¡±


    The clerk¡¯s tone was devoid of emotion. ¡°Would you like to open an account or bring the ether with you?¡±


    ¡°With me, please,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Transfer the ether,¡± the clerk said.


    ¡°Eem, give her the ether Lucius offered, please.¡±


    Eem seemed oddly excited as she sat on Vivi¡¯s shoulders. Vivi guessed Eem had never dealt with shops officially. The fiend stole whatever she needed. It was hard to buy things without the ability to speak.


    The ether transfer worked well. Eem sent the ether to the clerk, though it looked like Eem transferred a bit more than fifty.


    The clerk asked for Vivi¡¯s name and details, writing them down. After it was all done, she sent the ether into some device that looked like an upside-down teapot combined with an etherprint scanner.


    A little orb popped out of the device. The number 53 was written on the orb. The clerk offered the orb to Vivi. ¡°There you go. I received fifty-eight ether, five of which went to fees. As you asked to bring the ether with you, you are responsible for safekeeping that orb. I sincerely hope you get robbed.¡±


    Vivi ignored the insult. There was something wrong with the orb. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any ether inside this?¡±


    ¡°Real containers aren¡¯t available,¡± the clerk said. ¡°Of course they aren¡¯t. If we offered containers, nimrods could hoard as much ether they wished before collecting everything at once to grow strong. These orbs are for transactions only. Every shop will accept them, and you¡¯ll receive change too. Stewards accept orbs during collection day. And don¡¯t think of fabricating orbs. The scanner detects fakes immediately.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. She wanted to frown. Her life just got a lot more difficult. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°If you want to turn the orb back into ether, I can do that,¡± the clerk said. ¡°But it¡¯ll cost a few more fees, on top of the fees to examine your reserves to ensure you won¡¯t grow above three hundred.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks,¡± Vivi said. She placed the orb, the waste of ether, in her pocket and headed toward Axback¡¯s smithy.

 Chapter 35 - Trouble Magnet

    ¡°We¡¯ll need a few tools,¡± Vivi said, speaking quietly while strolling toward the smithy. She would have spoken in her head, but she wanted to include Eem in the conversation. ¡°Axback had most of everything we needed. Crucibles, metals, a tuning fork. But I think he was missing ether roots.¡±


    ¡°Ether roots?¡± Lucius asked. He still spoke inside Vivi¡¯s head. ¡°You mean, those things that grow plants?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the seed-shaped roots,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We need one that hasn¡¯t sprouted yet. Preferably a metal root, but plant roots will work too, believe it or not.¡±


    Eem¡¯s ears were straight, focused on listening.


    ¡°Gardeners use ether roots, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡¯re telling me we need to gather plant equipment to craft a sword to replace my claws?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not replacing anything,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We¡¯re adding weapons to our arsenal. Ether roots are essential to Grandpa¡¯s inside-carving method. The ancient dwarves would have begged their gods to reveal the method we¡¯ve discovered. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Lucius didn¡¯t feel all too happy. Vivi ignored it. Once Lucius tried a proper runesword, Vivi doubted he would have time for complaints.


    Axback¡¯s smithy came into view. Hammers resounded from inside. Vivi breathed in, excited to meet the blacksmiths again. Allies were rare in Zand. Friends even more so. But if anyone in this mess could be called friends, it was the blacksmiths.


    ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± Vivi asked Eem. ¡°I don¡¯t think the blacksmiths like you very much.¡±


    Eem thought for a bit. Then she hopped off of Vivi¡¯s back. Eem saluted.


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    ¡°Mm, mm,¡± Eem said, nodding. Then she turned around, running off into the hub. Vivi watched after her. A few nimrods tried to catch her, but Eem ran past without an issue, disappearing behind a corner.


    Vivi¡¯s shoulders felt emptier without Eem sitting atop. But Vivi knew they¡¯d meet again. For now, she had a job to do. She opened the door to the smithy and stepped in.


    Immediately, hammering paused. The apprentices saw Vivi. Gloomy expressions filled the room.


    ¡°Uhm, hello,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Axback said, stepping in from the back. ¡°You have to leave.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I said I wanted no trouble,¡± Axback said. ¡°No trouble at all. But that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯ve brought. More trouble than I¡¯ve had all year. Get out.¡±


    Axback tried to push Vivi away. She stepped back but didn¡¯t leave. Her heart thumped. ¡°What happened? I¡¯ll leave, but please tell me what¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°Andre¡¯s bastards came knocking,¡± Axback said. ¡°Grabbed me by the collar and asked me why you¡¯ve visited my smithy. Apparently, there¡¯s a bounty on your name. A hundred ether. Someone will get their entire week¡¯s ether just by capturing you dead or alive. Everyone is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°And now that you¡¯re here again,¡± Axback said, face red, ¡°they¡¯ll come back, and they¡¯ll ask me more questions. Get out, Vivi, and bring your trouble elsewhere!¡±


    Vivi looked down, biting her lip. No way. The blue cloaks were bullying Vivi¡¯s allies, too. They hadn¡¯t had enough with just her. They had to thoroughly ruin her life.


    Those dirt-eating bastards. Vivi clenched her fist, suddenly angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Axback said. ¡°I know you¡¯re not anyone bad. But we¡¯re blacksmiths. We can¡¯t protect you. We need to protect ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I need a place to smith a weapon,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Do you know where I could smith alone without being questioned?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of solo blacksmiths around,¡± Axback said. ¡°You can bribe them with enough ether, I guess. But knowing your bounty, even that might be difficult. Junkies will try to kill you in your sleep.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thanks for the information.¡±


    She turned to leave when Axback asked, ¡°What did you do? Receiving a bounty is just about the worst curse a nimrod can receive. You must have really pissed someone off.¡±


    ¡°I defended myself, I guess,¡± Vivi said. She turned to leave.


    Vivi had just closed the door when a blade appeared on her neck.


    She froze. The knife had arrived out of nowhere. The attack was too fast for even Lucius to react. Ether and improved senses wouldn¡¯t have helped; whoever had attacked her was strong enough to assassinate Vivi without her knowing.


    Luckily, the attacker stopped the knife on her neck. She could feel the ominous presence beside her.


    ¡°Hello again, my dear human,¡± Uundref said. He lowered his knife and showed his bony face.


    Vivi¡¯s heart began racing. Did they know? Why was Uundref here?


    ¡°Play it cool,¡± Lucius said. His voice was quiet, just as distraught as Vivi was. ¡°I¡¯m still hidden. I couldn¡¯t even react. He¡¯s here for other business.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Um, hey,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Have I broken a rule?¡±


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m here to investigate,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Rumors say you¡¯ve obtained a skill.¡±


    He watched Vivi for a reaction. Vivi remained frozen.


    ¡°They say you¡¯ve grown into a strong fighter,¡± Uundref continued. ¡°An impressive feat for someone fifteen thousand ether in debt. Less than one week in, and you¡¯ve already made yourself known to everyone in the facility. A skill ether would explain the sudden growth in strength.¡±


    ¡°Demons are eager to start rumors,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°So they are,¡± Uundref said. ¡°But the rumors warrant a search. Thankfully, checking the truth behind these rumors is simple. Etherprint scanners don¡¯t lie.¡± Uundref spun his fingers, and an etherprint scanner appeared on his hands.


    Without waiting around, he placed the device on Vivi¡¯s forehead. The orbs lit up.


    Uundref stared at the results for an uncomfortably long time. Eventually, he let out a chuckle. ¡°No skills, still 14950 ether in debt. You haven¡¯t gained a single wisp of ether.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to gather wisps,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Better give ether to my allies.¡±


    ¡°The half-fiend,¡± Uundref said. ¡°Interesting allies, I must say.¡±


    ¡°Us fiends, we do what we must,¡± Vivi said.


    Uundref grinned. ¡°Amusing. You are free to go. This was a quick check-up, that is all. I will be keeping my eye on you.¡±


    A portal appeared beneath his feet. Uundref disappeared into the hole. ¡°Happy hunting!¡± he said before disappearing.


    Vivi¡¯s muscles remained frozen. She breathed in, assessing the situation. Nimrods had gathered to watch the scene. Uundref hadn¡¯t cared about privacy to pull his stunt; he¡¯d done it right in front of Axback¡¯s smithy.


    ¡°Strong¡­¡± Lucius said. ¡°He¡¯s far stronger than I had assumed.¡±


    Well, Vivi thought. At least we know why everyone wants us dead now. A hundred ether is a blinding price tag for the weaker nimrods.


    ¡°The nimrods are stupid,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Making us an enemy is not worth a hundred ether price tag.¡±


    Everyone still believes I¡¯m weak, Vivi thought. By the looks of things, we still require a lot of time to grow.


    ¡°We need skills,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Without skills, matching the Stewards will be impossible.¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought. And we need weapons.


    Vivi began walking. She walked to the crowd and frowned at the concave of people. The two demons in front of her stepped out of the way, letting her through.


    The blue cloaks are trailing us, Vivi thought. I can feel gazes on my neck.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been trailing us ever since we showed ourselves in the hub,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But their presence is weak. I don¡¯t think we need to worry.¡±


    We still need to shake them off anyway, Vivi thought. I need a smithy. I¡¯d like to work in peace without nimrods trying to assassinate me.


    ¡°What if we bring an anvil down to the dungeon?¡± Lucius asked.


    Building a smithy down there would be perfect, Vivi thought. But sneaking a forge into the secret dungeon will be impossible. I don¡¯t think we can rent our own smithy. Dealing with Zand¡¯s officials will be a hassle. Not to mention, they¡¯ll probably ask questions.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Plans?¡±


    I don¡¯t know, Vivi thought. Before anything, we¡¯ll need an ether root. Without one, runesmithing will be impossible. Maybe there¡¯s a shop that sells them.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me I¡¯ll have to pay for gardening equipment¡­¡± Lucius said, rolling his eyes.


    Gardening equipment that will help us kill the fang tanker, Vivi thought. Let¡¯s see how expensive ether roots are around here.


    For the next half an hour, Vivi looked through every shop available on the hub. Lucius was annoyed, but he helped her out, scouting the shops. The sooner they got done with this, the better.


    None of the shops sold ether roots. Even the metal shops that sold ingots and blacksmithing equipment laughed at Vivi when she asked if they sold ether roots. There were no gardening shops to sell plant roots. Anything to do with ether roots was totally missing.


    After checking the shops, Vivi sat down to think. This was getting difficult. Perhaps it was too early to start runesmithing? Lucius¡¯s claws were still growing with each wisp of ether they gained. Was it worth it to send so much effort into securing a smithy, when they could have simply headed back to the dungeon to grind for ether?


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± a voice called from the crowd.


    Vivi turned to see Eem running toward her. Three nimrods chased Eem with their weapons out. Vivi sprung to her feet.


    Eem jumped into Vivi¡¯s arms. The three attackers paused, assessing the situation.


    The tallest of the men stepped forward. ¡°Hand her over.¡±


    ¡°The hub isn¡¯t a place to fight,¡± Vivi said with a frown. She held Eem tight. With her free hand, she unsheathed her steel sword and pointed it at the men. ¡°Screw off.¡±


    Eem showed her tongue at the attackers.


    The tall man clearly wasn¡¯t happy. He spat at the ground, scowling. But he didn¡¯t continue. The demons walked off.


    ¡°This damned facility¡­¡± Vivi muttered. ¡°Are you okay, Eem?¡±


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± Eem said. She held out her hands, offering Vivi a thick and dark egg-shaped object, the size of Vivi¡¯s fist.


    Vivi¡¯s eyes opened wide. The surface was glossy, as if amplifying reflected light. It was the most beautiful thing she¡¯d seen in a long time. ¡°An adamantite root?¡± Vivi gushed. ¡°You found an ether root?¡±


    Eem grinned. Vivi grabbed the root and admired it closer. Adamantite was one of the strongest and most expensive ether roots. Grandpa had wished to buy adamantite, either a root or pure metal, for a long time. He had worked with it only once, and that was when Ellandor, their richest customer, specifically wanted an adamantite blade. Ellandor had paid for the metals.


    Vivi stared at the root in awe. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±


    Eem chuckled mischievously. Vivi figured she wouldn¡¯t be getting an answer.


    ¡°Thank you, Eem,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for this, I promise.¡±


    She lifted her head. ¡°Now, let¡¯s figure out where we can use a smithy.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue,¡± a new voice said right behind Vivi¡¯s ear.


    Vivi flinched. The presence had appeared from nowhere. She couldn¡¯t feel a gaze on her neck or a footstep approaching. The man¡¯s breath smelled of mint.


    ¡°Vivian Runeblessed,¡± he said. ¡°The Cursed Runesmith, are you?¡±

 Chapter 36 - Gang Leader

    ¡°Vivian Runeblessed?¡± the man asked. ¡°The Cursed Runesmith, are you?¡±


    That wasn¡¯t a question. The man¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t curious. It was threatening. He knew Vivi¡¯s identity without a doubt. Vivi felt a chill. Eem hissed on her shoulders.


    She turned her head to see him smirking. The man wore a clean jacket with a suit underneath, all black. He was a head taller than Vivi, standing with his hands in his pockets. His hair was messy¡ªthe attractive type of messy¡ªand his skin was perfectly smooth. There were no horns poking out of his hair.


    ¡°Andre,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± Andre said. ¡°No need to give me that look.¡±


    How does he know my name? Vivi asked. He has been stuck in Zand. That¡¯s the same nickname I have on the surface!


    ¡°Ether hunters have a way of sharing information,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t read your mind. He¡¯s just a human.¡±


    If he knows my name, he must know I¡¯m being hunted by ether hunters, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But he can¡¯t earn bounties by killing you here. In Zand, he could technically be an ally.¡±


    Andre¡¯s aura wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. His skin didn¡¯t shine like Serena¡¯s. Vivi felt his presence next to her, but he didn¡¯t wield any more ether than other nimrods around her. Andre certainly didn¡¯t feel like a breaker.


    But he had a spirit. He could hide his ether, just like Vivi could.


    ¡°I came for a quick chat, that¡¯s all,¡± Andre said. ¡°We can talk in the hub if you¡¯re afraid. Nobody here understands our speech. Translation magic is unique to Ythar. Tell your spirit to stop translating to passersby.¡±


    ¡°Already done,¡± Lucius said in Vivi¡¯s head. It didn¡¯t seem like Andre could hear him. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joining your gang if that¡¯s why you¡¯re here,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Shame,¡± Andre said. He began walking in a random direction, expecting Vivi to follow. ¡°The demons are a pain to control. They follow me thanks to my spirit, but they¡¯re quick to grow arrogant. Another ether hunter amongst my ranks wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Vivi followed him with Eem on her back, though she was anything but happy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to recruit you,¡± Andre said. ¡°I¡¯m here to discuss weapons. You¡¯re a runesmith. A joke on the surface, perhaps. The demons, however, don¡¯t have access to spirit blades. To them, runeswords are amongst the most valuable weapons that exist. Runeswords are incredibly powerful in the facility. Get caught owning one, and the Stewards will skip whippings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned as much,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky that our spirits can hide just about anything,¡± Andre said. ¡°The Stewards are still completely clueless. They¡¯ve tried to examine me five times now, trying to catch me as a breaker. They¡¯ve failed each time.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said dismissively. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    Andre sighed. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get out of here. To escape. And I can tell you are as well. Greenwitch¡¯s locium stashes are still waiting not far from here. A few more preparations, and I¡¯m ready to snatch everything back to the third level. Life is wasted in Zand. We share a mutual goal. To get out of here. We could both make use of each other to escape.¡±


    Vivi continued walking. The proposal was a sensible one. If an escape appeared, Vivi wasn¡¯t opposed to taking it. Escape was a goal she would gladly work for. But to team up with Andre¡­


    ¡°Your gang has made my life difficult,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t trust you.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you,¡± Andre said. ¡°The demons are unpredictable. I did not send Raghnall after you, and I did not know your identity by the time Carla launched her attack. I don¡¯t have time to manage every little detail of the blue cloaks¡¯ actions. Carla is largely in charge of hunting for new members.¡±


    But you let Carla do what she¡¯s doing, Vivi thought. You¡¯re not opposed to your members assaulting others. You force others to grovel under you.


    ¡°I have not arrived with empty requests, of course,¡± Andre said. ¡°We share far more goals than the hope to escape. Runeswords being one of them. My lair has smitheries. I have metals, and I have equipment. With me, you can carve runeswords in peace.¡±


    Vivi breathed in. ¡°I could consider working together for a mutual goal. But I will not join your gang. I will not kneel under orders. I won¡¯t allow you to walk over me.¡±


    Andre smiled, hearing Vivi¡¯s tone. ¡°I have ordered my followers to stop hunting you. I have no reason to kill you.¡±


    ¡°The ether hunters are after me,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You will kill me the moment we exit Zand.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Andre said. ¡°Or perhaps I will let you escape, feigning ignorance. The bounty on your head is worth far less than the locium we¡¯ve mined.¡±


    Useless metals¡­ Vivi thought. Locium was a soft ore, kind of like gold. It was a sought-after metal by nobles and jewellers for its beautiful colors and rarity. For anything practical, however, it was utterly useless. Locium had no properties other than a profitable price tag. To mine it was merely greedy. Vivi wasn¡¯t surprised the ether hunters were after Locium. Andre wasn¡¯t any different from Serena Goldbridge, or from any of the other rich idiots.


    However, Andre had promised an alliance. He had a smithy for Vivi to use. By playing along and making herself useful, Vivi could get rid of a large chunk of her enemies. Even if she was disgusted by their morals.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit your smithy,¡± Vivi said. ¡°If your tools are good, we can discuss deals. But I¡¯m doing this purely for my own profit as a neutral craftsman.¡±


    ¡°That works for me,¡± Andre said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the lair, then.¡±


    The walk had slowly gotten them closer to the dungeon entrance. Andre took Vivi into the dungeon. She followed hesitantly. ¡°Your smithy is in the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°The whole operation is in the dungeon,¡± Andre said. ¡°It gets annoying to rent warehouses. Easier to just clear a path in the dungeon and protect it. This way, we get passive income through monsters.¡±


    Vivi paused. She lifted Eem off of her back. ¡°Eem, I¡¯m going to see this man¡¯s lair. I will be gone for a day. I will be back, okay?¡±


    Eem looked worried and sad, clearly wanting to join. But Vivi wasn¡¯t about to risk Eem¡¯s life in Andre¡¯s lair. It was best to meet up with Eem later. ¡°I¡¯ll give you loads of fishes,¡± Vivi said, placing Eem down.


    She waved a quick goodbye, then followed Andre. He descended into one of the larger tunnels¡ªa private section of the dungeon. Andre walked a bit faster than Vivi would have liked. She followed hesitantly a few steps behind.


    The layout of the cavern was similar to the free dungeon, but the floor wasn¡¯t cluttered by bones. Instead, spike walls and light fortifications had been built. The back wall had cover for archers, and spiked fences forced new arrivals to enter through a narrow choke. Guardsmen were standing in place. Not blue-cloaked hunters, but regular demons with scorched skin and tunics. One of the bulky men wielded a mithril longsword, and the other one stood tall with an asmite-tipped spear. They didn¡¯t appear too strong, staying within the three hundred ether limit. Behind them, more guardsmen were gathered around a table, playing cards.


    Everyone bowed as Andre passed. They looked at Vivi curiously, but nobody said a thing. Vivi followed Andre down.


    ¡°Bwern tried to raid our lair a few times in our first few months of opening,¡± Andre said. ¡°The downside of living in the dungeon is the lack of safety. Nimrods are allowed to fight us for our turf whenever they wish. Killing for territory wars is discouraged, but it¡¯s not prohibited. Still, most demons value their lives. We haven¡¯t been attacked ever since we got properly established.¡±


    ¡°You must have fought for this turf, too,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°I did,¡± Andre said. ¡°And I¡¯m quite proud of our progress.¡±


    A few rooms deeper, defenses and fortifications became less common. Instead, tents and accommodations had been set up. There was furniture too. Carpets covered cold floors. Barrels provided water, and dining tables were in place. Nothing was placed purely for decoration, but the place still looked a lot prettier than the free dungeon.


    The grounds had been separated into hunting grounds and living areas. The hunting grounds had been closed off to brew. The living areas continued on down. Demons were hanging out, doing everyday chores. The demons wore their regular clothes, though Vivi spotted a few blue cloaks on hangers, waiting to be put on.


    ¡°Do the demons sleep while monsters respawn?¡± Vivi asked out of genuine curiosity.


    ¡°They do,¡± Andre said. ¡°Although, with so much life around, monsters rarely spawn in the living quarters. There¡¯s always a brewing room near every sleeping ground. Additionally, everything valuable has been coated with ivory lacquer. The coating dissuades active ether from reanimating the object. Still, monsters do occasionally spawn.¡±


    To their left, an old demon was fixing a snapped wooden chair. The blue-cloaks¡¯ lair was far more mundane than Vivi would have assumed. She still received glares, of course, but nobody had attacked her yet.


    Andre led Vivi to a door in the wall. The door was grey, camouflage in the wall. Opening it, a wave of heat and the scent of metals hit Vivi¡¯s nose.


    An old horned man with a scraggly beard peeked out. ¡°This is the smith?¡±

 Chapter 37 - The Cursed Runesmith

    ¡°Yes, this is her,¡± Andre said. He spoke in Fimian again. The demon language. ¡°The cursed smith.¡±


    The old man watched Vivi with a doubtful expression, brows furrowed. He stepped out of the way, letting Vivi and Andre into the smithy.


    The smithy was cramped, as all proficient workshops should be. The whole space was filled with tools and equipment; there were two anvils, sharpening stones, an emberstone forge and a foundry furnace¡ªand importantly, a vise. The shelves displayed more tools: tuning forks, tweezers, and a few crucibles. Most of everything Vivi would need was present.


    The metal gallery was lined with ingots ranging from asmite to high-tier mithrils¡ªdark mithril, crystalline mithril. Both were excellent metals that Vivi had rarely worked with. Each metal was nicely formed into a shining ingot.


    The smith himself was a hunchback with ruffed hair and a scraggly beard. His thick hands were covered in calluses. He was clearly a blacksmith¡ªnot a runesmith.


    ¡°This is Einord,¡± Andre said. ¡°My personal smith. He¡¯s passionate, and he knows his craft.¡±


    ¡°And this girl is supposedly a runesmith,¡± Einord said. ¡°Bullshit. I¡¯m not giving her a single one of my swords to ruin.¡±


    ¡°She is a runesmith,¡± Andre said. ¡°That fact is confirmed. Her skills are the question.¡± He turned to Vivi. ¡°Einord will be assessing the quality and price of your work. He is biased, but he knows swords better than I do.¡±


    ¡°I would prefer to work in private,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Einord is trustworthy,¡± Andre said. ¡°The Stewards believe he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t reveal information because you don¡¯t let me out of this fucking dungeon,¡± Einord said. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. This girl is not a runesmith. She might be an apprentice, but she doesn''t know how to carve runeswords. The profession requires more years of practice than she is old.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll compensate for failures,¡± Andre said. ¡°Your job is to assess and watch, Einord. Vivian, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I could work here,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But that depends on the deal. What are you offering me for my work?¡±


    And what are you going to use my swords for? What will you do to me once the deal is done? She left out the last part.


    ¡°Are you after ether?¡± Andre asked.


    ¡°I am not opposed to earning money,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you three thousand ether for a functional runesword,¡± Andre said.


    Three thousand ether? Vivi thought. So much?


    Grandpa had often joked about Vivi¡¯s swords being priced at thousands of ether. In the golden age of runesmithing centuries past, runeswords apparently sometimes sold for tens of thousands of ether. Legendary runeswords were worth millions. Historical runesmiths¡ªskilled ones¡ªnever struggled with ether. Most were rich.


    Surprise must have shown on Vivi¡¯s face, as Andre smiled. ¡°Three thousand ether, as well as a request. You will work for me, and me only. Zand will become a mess if runeswords are spread across nimrods.¡±


    ¡°I told you I work alone as a neutral,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°That is fine,¡± Andre said. ¡°I simply ask you not to craft runeswords for the other gangs. Aang or Bwern.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Good,¡± Andre said. ¡°The smithy is yours, then. How long will a sword take to finish? A week?¡±


    ¡°Are we seriously entertaining ourselves with her?¡± Einord asked. ¡°This little pipsqueak. Three thousand ether, my ass. You¡¯ll be paying five hundred for my base swords, and then you¡¯ll lose that sword to this girl¡¯s mistakes.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Einord,¡± Andre said. He stared directly into the old man¡¯s eyes, as if piercing his soul. ¡°You will assess her abilities.¡±


    Einord clicked his tongue. He turned around and pillaged his shelf of finished swords. ¡°Let¡¯s see, then. A base sword.¡± He pulled out a green mithril longsword, offering it to Vivi. ¡°This should be good. I won¡¯t cry when you inevitably destroy it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t need a base,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll be forging my own sword.¡±


    Einord raised his eyebrows, confused. Traditional runesmiths usually worked on existing swords, upgrading a blacksmith¡¯s work into a runesword. Runesmiths were not blacksmiths, as both professions required vastly different skill sets. Blacksmiths and runesmiths had always worked as a team.


    Grandpa¡¯s runesmithing method, however, had turned the whole process upside down. ¡°I would prefer if I was left alone,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I should be done in eight or so hours.¡±


    ¡°Eight hours?¡± Einord gushed. ¡°Not one runesmith in the world who can carve a sword in eight hours. Perhaps if the blade was made of wood.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to be the first, then,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Can I get to work, or are we going to argue?¡±


    Einord blinked. ¡°This goddamned witch.¡±


    ¡°Let her work,¡± Andre said. ¡°She is an honored visitor. If she proves to be a fake, I will bring her out of your smithy.¡±


    ¡°Well, better get to work then, girl,¡± Einord said. ¡°I¡¯d like my privacy back.¡±


    ¡°Could this guy shut up?¡± Lucius said. ¡°Translating his words is a pain¡­¡±


    Vivi had the urge to smile. She didn¡¯t find Einord all too bad. He was stupid and clueless, but something about an old man¡¯s nagging felt homely.


    It didn¡¯t seem like Vivi would be left alone to work. Andre wanted Einord to watch that Vivi was a real runesmith. Vivi didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. If she worked in front of others, Grandpa¡¯s carving method would be revealed.


    Inside carving isn¡¯t a secret, Vivi thought to herself. Grandpa always wanted to make it public. Nobody wanted his formula. Einord will need years of practice before making use of my secrets anyway.


    Vivi left her raincoat on a hanger and put on one of Einord¡¯s smithing aprons. Most of his aprons were too large for her size, but one particularly rough one covered her nicely. She put on light gloves. Runesmithing was an intricate process. Gloves too thick would ruin her dexterity.


    Einord and Andre watched as Vivi sat down by the vise. She grabbed the adamantite root from her pockets. Then, she squeezed the ether root between the jaws, pointy side upward. She gathered her tools¡ªa tuning fork, cauterizing knives, and an obsidian carving knife: the type that woodworkers used. She put on her safety glasses and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get to work, then. Please don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Einord looked utterly bewildered, not understanding what Vivi was doing. To anyone unfamiliar with Grandpa¡¯s method, Vivi must have looked totally idiotic. But if Einord was even slightly knowledgeable about runesmithing, he would soon understand the secret behind Grandpa¡¯s technique.


    Lucius, I¡¯ll need help on the next part, Vivi thought. Initiate the root for me. Offer it some ether. Permanent ether.


    Vivi felt Lucius protesting at the thought of spending more ether.


    We won¡¯t need more than ten, Vivi thought. Fill it slowly, a quarter of an ether at a time.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucius said. ¡°This better be worth it.¡±


    A wisp of ether flowed into the root. A crack formed on the tip of the root. The crack grew in size before eventually breaking. From the opening rose a stalk-like piece of metal, as if a seed had sprouted.


    The stalk shone white with ether. It grew slowly at the pace of a snail. Its trajectory immediately attempted to turn sideways. Vivi guided it straight up with the tuning fork.


    Slower, she thought. A fraction at a time. We don¡¯t want to rush.


    Lucius was panicking, but he followed the order. The process was taxing not only for the runesmith¡¯s hands but for the ether provider as well. Luckily, Lucius was a spirit. He was already practiced in transferring and controlling ether. He would just need to get used to the correct tempo.


    The ether root continued to grow as more ether flowed in. In the germination state, the root worked similarly to plant seeds. The material that sprouted was ethereal adamantite¡ªan unstable and soft variation of adamantite. Ethereal metals were a perfect conductor of ether. Vivi¡¯s job was to shape the stalk into a specific shape, creating the veins of a runesword.


    As the stalk grew, the intricate part began¡ªseparating the main stalk into branches. Vivi used her knife and tuning fork to force the main stalk to separate into a branch. The vision of the completed product was already forming in her head.


    We¡¯ll craft a sword to defeat a spirit blade, Vivi thought. To finally prove that Grandpa¡¯s life¡¯s work was not a waste.

 Chapter 38 - Inside Carving Method

    The sword needs to be strong enough to cut through the fang tanker¡¯s exoskeleton, Vivi thought. A mass rune would be ideal for this. But the boss isn¡¯t our only enemy. Uundref is too fast for me to hit with a heavy sword. A mass rune would make the sword too clumsy against faster enemies.


    Lucius wasn¡¯t listening to what she was talking about. His focus was spent on keeping the ether root active with the correct flow of ether. So far, he was doing a great job.


    We¡¯ll go with a strength rune, Vivi thought. We only have a single ether root. That means we can add only one rune. I would like to add a swiftness rune as well, but a strength rune will be our best bet. The sword will be powerful enough to cut through most hard objects. A strength rune will not snap in half against a spirit blade.


    The core principle behind runeswords was simple. Grandpa had said it well: ¡°Runeswords are just ether-powered weapons. Metal doesn¡¯t have ether reserves like humans do. Guardsman Doug can¡¯t just push ether into his steel sword, expecting the metal to become magical. With runes, however, even inanimate objects can intake the power of ether.¡±


    Runes were like translators of ether. A mass rune, for example, transformed balanced ether into elements of pressure and weight. These elements granted metal supernatural power and sturdiness. Runesmiths usually carved the runes on the grip of a weapon, where the wielder could easily push ether from their hands into their swords.


    A rune by itself was still useless. Runes merely transformed ether. That transformed ether still had to be distributed to the blade. A runesmith¡¯s job was not only to transform ether with runes, but also to conduct that ether into a sword¡¯s metal.


    Traditional runesmiths conducted ether by carving lines onto the surface of their swords. The lines were coated with conductive paste that would suck ether from the intake runes, distributing the ether into the metal. The guards¡¯ runeswords used the same method. Grandpa called it the ¡°outside carving¡± method.


    Outside carvings always had a fatal flaw, one that the ancient runesmiths had simply accepted as an inevitable fault for centuries. With the lines carved on the surface of the sword, outside-carved veins strengthened the air around the metal just as much as they strengthened the sword itself. Even the best outside carving techniques only utilized about thirty percent of ether¡¯s true power.


    If instead the conductive veins could be placed inside the metal, nearly a hundred percent of a wielder¡¯s ether could theoretically be used to strengthen the metal. The idea had always stayed in the dwarves¡¯ minds, but research never made it anywhere. How could the veins be carved inside a metal? That simply wasn¡¯t possible.


    Grandpa and Jonah had figured out the answer. The inside carving method. The answer lay within gardening equipment.


    Vivi continued shaping the ether root. As the stalk grew, Vivi separated it into branches, guiding the stalk¡¯s growth with the tuning fork and knives. Practice took control of her limbs. At that moment, she was an artist shaping the perfect veins of a runesword. A single mistake could have screwed up the shape, wasting the adamantite root Eem had presented her.


    Slowly, the outside world disappeared from Vivi¡¯s head. She felt as if she was back in Grandpa¡¯s smithy, practicing endlessly, throwing attempt after attempt to craft a three-runed sword. A smithy was a sacred place, where a runesmith¡¯s concentration was tested to its absolute limits. Nothing short of an earthquake would bring Vivi out of the zone.


    Einord and Andre both stayed to watch. Andre looked curious. Einord shook his head, looking no less disapproving than before.


    ***


    An hour later, Vivi cauterized the ether root¡¯s growth with her knife. Vivi took a deep breath, then cut the stalk free from its seed. The job had gone well, exhausting though it was. There was a reason why Vivi had required fifteen years of practice to get to where she was now. Shaping veins was an incredibly intricate and taxing process.


    Still, the first part of runesmithing was completed.


    What Vivi had created were the veins of a runesword. The veins looked kind of like a fallen tree branch¡ªthe type of branch that kids would excitedly swing around, believing they¡¯d found some amazing weapon. Vivi had specifically shaped the stalk to look like the best branch ever fallen. Twelve prickly branches, all calculated and symmetrical, poked out from both sides of the main stalk.


    She turned to Einord. The smith wore a disapproving look. ¡°Welcome back. I am impressed. I have never seen someone so invested in sculpting nonsense.¡±


    Vivi grinned. The expression came out on its own. She couldn¡¯t help it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°What?¡± Einord asked.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m showing you?¡± Vivi asked.


    Einord frowned.


    ¡°Pay close attention, then.¡± Vivi turned to the cluttered metal display shelf. Einord¡¯s selection was good, but also expensive. Vivi would have loved to use crystal mithril for this sword. The metal was light to swing, while remaining surprisingly durable. With a strength rune, the metal would grow incredibly strong, while still being light enough for Vivi to swing. The ingots on Einord¡¯s shelf were beautiful, see-through and blue.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hottest your crucible furnace can go?¡± Vivi asked.


    Einord crossed his arms. ¡°Three thousand kelvin.¡±


    ¡°Heat it to eighteen hundred,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And bring me a crucible. We¡¯re melting crystal mithril.¡±


    ¡°You wish to melt the ingots?¡± Einord raised his eyebrows, as if Vivi had thrown an insult at him. ¡°My ingots are perfect for forging swords. Melting them will ruin the metal.¡±


    ¡°The process will deform the ingot,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But the end result will be far stronger. You will see.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Einord asked.


    ¡°If forging ingots would create the best runesword, I would forge ingots,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But that would result in an average sword at best.¡± She picked up two ingots from the shelf and placed them on a table next to Einord. ¡°Melt them. Eighteen hundred kelvin for two hours will be enough. In the meantime, I will carve the runes.¡±


    Einord studied her expression. To ordinary people, even blacksmiths and runesword wielders themselves, there was something mystical about the process of carving runes. Many believed that runes were a result of some magical work of witchcraft requiring rituals to materialize. People believed that in order to carve a rune, a runesmith needed ancient dwarven genes and an accent so thick that even the monks couldn¡¯t decipher their words.


    What a runesmith really needed was a large memory and hours upon hours of practice. Really, runesmithing was all science.


    Vivi picked up the obsidian carving knife. She sat down and laid the adamantite veins carefully on top of an anvil. Then, she began carving the shape of a strength rune directly into the veins¡¯ handle¡ªthe part where her palm would meet the grip once the sword was finished.


    ¡°Are you going to melt the metals or not?¡± Vivi asked.


    Einord looked doubtful. He stared at her for an awkwardly long time. ¡°Fine.¡± He headed to his foundry furnace. ¡°Eighteen hundred kelvin and on the dot. If I¡¯m going to watch you embarrass yourself, I better at least give you a fair shot.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Now, don¡¯t bother me while I carve the runes.¡±


    Lucius watched her just as curiously as Einord. Ether wasn¡¯t required for this part. Lucius didn¡¯t need to exert himself. ¡°Do you truly know how to carve a rune-core?¡± he asked.


    It¡¯s not so difficult. Strength is one of the easiest patterns to carve. The path is easy to remember.


    Vivi felt Lucius blink. ¡°The path? What does that mean?¡±


    It¡¯s all science, Vivi asked. Want me to teach you?


    ¡°Well¡­ Yes, I think.¡±


    Vivi smiled. It all has to do with ether itself. Ether isn¡¯t merely an omniscient power that does everything. Rather, each wisp of ether is like a collection of powerful elements. Do you know the three main categories of ether¡¯s elements?


    ¡°Aaahm,¡± Lucius pondered. ¡°The food ether, and the not-food ether?¡±


    The live elements, nature¡¯s elements, and the void elements. Vivi thought. Being edible or not is not an element. Humans and spirits can collect what we call balanced ether. Ether that contains an even amount of all elements and their counterparts. Every element has a counterweight. Strength is counteracted by weakness. Sharpness is counteracted by dullness. This is why the ether in our cores doesn¡¯t explode. It¡¯s all balanced and dormant.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to teach me!¡± Lucius said. ¡°Not to make fun of me. I don¡¯t care about ether¡¯s theory. Tell me how runes are carved.¡±


    Ether is runesmithing, Lucius, Vivi thought. Have you ever looked at a wisp of ether with a microscope?


    ¡°Obviously not,¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi smiled. If you study a wisp very closely, you¡¯ll see where runes originate from. Every wisp of ether is formed of branches and patterns. These patterns are what contain the elements of ether. Each ether wisp consists of hundreds of branches. Each branch contains a specific element of ether.


    ¡°Uhh,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Sure?¡±


    By memorizing ether¡¯s structural formation, a runesmith can carve the shapes of these branches. Ether itself is where runes originate from. If I carve the pattern of a strength branch, only the wanted elements will pass through, while useless elements are repelled.


    Lucius frowned. ¡°So because you¡¯re carving these crooked line-things, your sword will be powered up?¡±


    Exactly, Vivi responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid,¡± Lucius said, then went back to sleep.


    Vivi sighed. As always, the science behind runesmithing wasn¡¯t nearly as interesting as the mysticism around it.


    Some minutes later, she finished carving the strength runes. All that remained were the two final steps of inside carving: to forge her preparations into a sword.


    Before that, Vivi figured she would need to annoy Einord a little more.

 Chapter 39 - Runesword

    The room had warmed up from the furnace¡¯s heat while Vivi carved the runes. Andre had taken off his jacket. Vivi, too, was starting to sweat. That was normal. Her muscles worked the best when the smithy was warm.


    ¡°Has the metal melted?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Fully liquid, as was asked,¡± Einord said. ¡°Those ingots cost me a hundred ether.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Open the lid. We¡¯re moving to the next step.¡±


    Einord frowned, but did as asked. The crucible was full of molten crystal mithril. Vivi picked up her work¡ªthe adamantite veins.


    Lucius, Vivi thought. Fill the veins with ether. We need around ten. Permanent ether. Make sure the ether passes cleanly through the runes.


    ¡°Whaaat?¡± Lucius exclaimed. ¡°We need to spend more?¡±


    Do it, Vivi thought. The veins will melt otherwise.


    After a grunt, Lucius complied. The runes glowed white as ether flowed into the veins. Vivi¡¯s work lit up like a lamp. She took a breath and faced the crucible of molten metal.


    The next step was not difficult. Rather, it was terrifying.


    Vivi dipped the veins, upside down, into the molten metal. The hilt of the veins poked out above the surface. All of the branches dipped below the metal. Then, as a makeshift holding rack, Vivi tied ropes around the hilt, connecting the ropes to nearby objects. The veins had to stand perfectly still in the metal.


    With the setup done, Vivi said, ¡°Now we wait for the metal to cool and solidify. Shouldn¡¯t be more than thirty minutes. The veins speed up the process with its ether reacting to the metal. We can speed the cooling further with water.¡±


    Einord stared at the contraption. He still looked confused. A practiced runesmith would have understood Vivi¡¯s technique by now. Einord seemed clueless. At most, he looked slightly concerned. He said nothing.


    Vivi filled herself a mug of water and sat down to wait.


    ***


    A short break later, the metal had cooled. The metal had solidified inside the crucible, veins poking out. The process had gone well. The crucible hadn¡¯t exploded, luckily, and the veins seemed to be solid. Nothing had cracked in half.


    ¡°Good,¡± Vivi said. She stood and stretched. ¡°We can move to the final step.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do next?¡± Einord asked, crossing his arms.


    ¡°We will break the crucible,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s not do that,¡± Einord said. ¡°Crucibles are expensive. Fifty ether for this one.¡±


    ¡°Well, how else will we get the metal out?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the runesmith,¡± Einord said. ¡°Figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Break the crucible, Einord,¡± Andre said.


    The blacksmith sighed, shaking his head. He got his pickaxe and began hacking at the crucible. This obviously wasn¡¯t his first time retrieving metal stuck inside a crucible.


    With the inside carving method, there was no way to retrieve the metal without breaking the crucible. Even if Einord somehow managed to get the metal out, the process had likely ruined the crucible from the inside. It would be too risky to use the same crucible again.


    The crucible shattered, and a rough clump of crystal mithril revealed itself. The metal¡¯s surface was uneven like the peel of an orange. The beautiful blue surface of the ingots was deformed into a rough ore-like texture. The handle of the veins poked out from the clump of metal.


    Einord had been right with his assessment; the shiny ingot had been ruined, and the metal wasn¡¯t pretty to look at. However, this clump of metal before them was far stronger, far more powerful than any regular ingot could ever be. The metal had already been strengthened by ether.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Vivi grinned, seeing it. Only one last step remained.


    Vivi picked up her hammer and moved to the anvil. The emberstone forge was very similar to the one Axback had. Vivi knew how to operate it.


    The last step of the process was something even a blacksmith could understand. Vivi heated the clump of metal in the forge, waiting for it to turn orange. From there, habit took over, and Vivi began hammering the metal into the shape of a sword, the veins still poking out from where the handle of the sword would end up in.


    Einord and Andre watched as the clump slowly took the shape of a sword. Vivi¡¯s heartbeat rose, and pressure welled up inside her body. There was still no guarantee the sword would end up functional. A small imperfection within the runes could have already ruined the metal without Vivi knowing, or the veins could have snapped slightly inside. The only way to know the sword worked was to finish it and test it for real.


    Vivi was confident that the sword was properly crafted. She was smithing a mere single-runed sword. Yet, somehow, she was far more nervous than usual. Lucius¡­ Do you really think this sword is worth three thousand ether?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lucius said. ¡°For the time spent, three thousand ether is insane. I don¡¯t think Andre expected you to be done so fast.¡±


    Vivi could feel pressure in her throat. I can¡¯t sell this sword. I can¡¯t.


    Lucius was quiet. Vivi expected him to argue. Instead, he seemed to understand. Right now, this wasn¡¯t just about ether, or gaining money.


    I would love to earn three thousand ether, Vivi thought. But I can¡¯t sell this sword to Andre. Gods know what crimes his people will commit. I can¡¯t sell a sword to the blue cloaks, no matter what they pay. I just can¡¯t.


    ¡°Not selling it is stupid,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We could nearly reach five thousand ether if we sell it. You¡¯ve barely worked for seven hours now.¡± He paused. ¡°But I understand. I don¡¯t really want to sell it either.¡±


    You don¡¯t? Vivi thought.


    ¡°We¡¯ll earn ether by hunting,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Real strength comes from skills. We can¡¯t buy skills with Andre¡¯s ether. He will get a lot more use out of a runesword than we will out of three thousand ether. I am okay with either decision.¡±


    Vivi kept hammering, hitting harder than she needed to. She remained nervous, uncertain about what to do. Three thousand ether would make her rich, maxing out Lucius¡¯s powers. But selling the sword would mean providing an enemy gang with a powerful weapon.


    She finished the sword in silence. The clump of metal slowly took the shape of a basic longsword. Vivi hadn¡¯t put much thought into the blacksmithing process. The shape simply came out on its own, and Vivi was fairly happy with her work.


    Some tens of minutes later, Vivi placed down her hammer and assessed her work.


    The blade was rough and unsharpened, and the metal was still burning hot, but the sword was done. Vivi quenched the runesword in water, cooling it down. The metal sizzled underwater.


    As the blade cooled down, the crystal mithril regained its beautiful appearance. The adamantite veins glowed inside the see-through crystal mithril. Ether flowed within, enhancing the metal from the inside. Vivi could feel the sword¡¯s presence near her. An ominous object of concealed power waiting to be released. Even without a proper finish and sharpening, the sword appeared like a magical artifact.


    As a final step, Vivi wrapped a small string tightly around the handle of her sword to act as some sort of grip tape. It would serve her for now until she crafted a proper hilt for the weapon.


    Andre and Einord watched patiently. Einord no longer had insults to throw with the sword in front of him. He was supposed to be assessing Vivi¡¯s runesword. Except, he still didn¡¯t seem to know what he was looking at.


    ¡°Is it finished?¡± Andre asked. He¡¯d sat and watched the whole process. Vivi had expected him to be more busy. Perhaps he was curious about Vivi¡¯s work. Or he wished to ensure Vivi didn¡¯t do anything stupid.


    Vivi didn¡¯t respond. She put her raincoat back on and checked that all of her belongings were with her. She was done here. The decision was made.


    Lucius ate the sword into his spatial storage.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sell this sword for three thousand ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thanks for letting me use your smithy. I¡¯ll accept the favor as an apology for attacking me. I would like to leave now.¡±


    Andre stood by the exit, unmoving. ¡°I thought we had an agreement,¡± he said.


    ¡°We have a truce,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I will look past your operations so long as you don¡¯t bother me. If you have more concrete plans to escape Zand, I¡¯ll hear you out. But I won¡¯t become your personal runesmith.¡±


    ¡°Even if the position would make you rich?¡± Andre asked. ¡°Even if following me would help you escape?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not after money,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do to change your mind?¡±


    ¡°We have a truce,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I will not work with you beyond that.¡±


    Andre stood still for a second. He breathed in, drumming his fingers on his legs. Suddenly, a threatening presence filled the room.


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s best for us all if you die,¡± Andre said.


    His eyes lit up in a glowing blue. His skin became bright, wisps of ether coating his body. He held out his arm, and a bright blue spirit blade materialized in his hand.

 Chapter 40 - Clash of Tradition

    Vivi resummoned her runesword. Ether flowed through her, left hand growing claws.


    The smithy lit up in blue by the glow of Andre¡¯s blade. Einord backed into a corner, terrified. Even a regular person could feel the terrifying power of Andre¡¯s weapon.


    A spirit blade. The theoretically perfect weapon, consisting of nothing but pure ether. Ythar¡¯s spirit blades skipped the need for physical matter entirely. A spirit could concentrate all of its power into one solid object, forming a weapon that utilized a hundred percent of the wielder¡¯s ether. A spirit blade was ether.


    Faced with the aura of such a weapon, Vivi understood why spirit blades were praised. The spirit¡¯s presence was overwhelming¡ªcomparable to an ether surge spawning from below. Traditional runeswords could never come close to the sheer power of spirit blades.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Andre said. He swung wide and with force, hitting Vivi¡¯s runesword head-on. The intent of his attack was clear; he wished to crush Vivi and her weapon to the ground.


    The two blades made contact, and a misty aura of ether enveloped Andre¡¯s spirit blade. Vivi¡¯s hair flared out from impact. Her footing barely held. Andre¡¯s spirit was maxed out with ether, and his swings carried a lot more force.


    But Vivi¡¯s runesword held. Andre lifted his eyebrows in surprise.


    The spirit blades were theoretically perfect. Theoretically. In practice, the spirit blades had one fatal flaw.


    They leaked ether. No spirit in the world could shape such an insane current of ether into the shape of a sword for long. Andre¡¯s sword was intimidating and powerful, but it wasn¡¯t omnipotent.


    It was Vivi¡¯s turn for a counter-attack.


    With their swords in a bind, Vivi threw a sneaky attack with Lucius¡¯s claws. Andre grimaced. His spirit blade reformed, turning into the shape of a shield. He blocked the claw attack. Another advantage of spirits¡ªthey could take whatever shape they wished.


    Vivi swung at the shield with her runesword.


    She felt her ether reacting with her sword¡¯s runes. A storm of sheer pressure flowed within the veins. The sword was like an extended limb. Just by holding it, Vivi felt ascended, as if the metal was a part of her. Her sword did not leak ether. With each blow, the metal was strengthened further.


    Her sword hit Andre¡¯s spirit shield with explosive force. Cracks formed on the shield. Andre was blasted backwards, hitting the door. He burst through the door, destroying its hinges. He flew into the next room, where a group of demons paused in shock.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this sword!¡± Lucius gushed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s as if the sword is glaring at me!¡±


    It¡¯s a runesword, Lucius, Vivi thought. Made with fifteen years of practice.


    Andre recovered quickly. His eyes no longer shone with ether, and his spirit blade was nowhere to be seen. He called off his powers, appearing like a normal human again. He stood calmly and patted his clothes of dirt. Passing demons of his gang watched in confusion.


    ¡°Not here,¡± Andre said to Vivi without translation magic. ¡°These demons are not trustworthy. If we fight here, our powers will be revealed to the Stewards. Call off your sword. I will let you go.¡±


    You don¡¯t trust your own men? Vivi thought.


    She, however, called off Lucius¡¯s claws and sheathed her runesword. Andre did have a point. She didn¡¯t want to show off her runesword or Lucius¡¯s abilities any more than necessary.


    ¡°The experiment was a failure,¡± Andre said to his men, speaking Fimian. ¡°An explosion was set off. No need for alarm.¡±


    The demons stood still, confused. Andre¡¯s calm demeanor stopped a panic from happening. He patted himself down and stretched. ¡°We¡¯ll try again later. You¡¯re free to go, Vivian.¡±


    Vivi glared at him. Andre didn¡¯t react, standing tall.


    ¡°A coward,¡± Lucius said. ¡°He¡¯s a total weakling.¡±


    No, he¡¯s dangerous, Vivi thought. He still has tricks. We can¡¯t let our guard down. For now, we need to get out of here.


    ¡°You were right, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Runeswords have a future. My claws wouldn''t have done a thing. Your sword nearly destroyed his shield.¡±


    Vivi didn¡¯t have time to boast. She looked at the biggest demon in the crowd. ¡°You. Lead me out of here.¡±


    The man glanced around himself in concern before eventually nodding. He bowed and said, ¡°This way, please.¡±


    Vivi followed him up toward the path they¡¯d come. Andre didn¡¯t follow, thank the gods. Vivi wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with him. She walked confidently but without a weapon. The blue cloaks wouldn¡¯t have recognized her blade as a runesword. Inside-carved blades looked too different from the guards¡¯ weapons. But holding it out in the open was still risky. She remained on guard as the escort led her up, ready to summon her powers if necessary.


    ¡°Your sword was on even ground with Andre¡¯s, Vivi!¡± Lucius said. ¡°Even though we have less ether!¡±


    If we got into a serious duel, my lack of experience would have lost me the fight, Vivi thought. My weapons are more powerful, but Andre is more skilled. He only lost because he underestimated me.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°But your sword combined with my claws is powerful,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We saw it there. When your swords were in a bind, you had him for a second.¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought. We might have a new strategy on our hands.


    ¡°What about Einord and Andre?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°They saw your runesmithing. They know exactly how you made this weapon.¡±


    Vivi frowned. I am upset about that. Einord now knows the theory behind inside carving. He knows that the method is possible and that it¡¯s powerful. But Einord will not become a problem for us. Do you know how long Grandpa and I had to practice before crafting our first runeswords?


    ¡°A few months?¡± Lucius asked.


    Grandpa took five years, Vivi said. After the idea came to his head, he required five years to craft the first functional runesword. Inside carving is far from easy even if you know how it works. I completed my first sword at nine years old after seven years of practice. Einord knowing theory doesn¡¯t matter in the slightest. It will take him at least a year before he can shape veins, and another five years to carve runes. During the process, he will need to waste hundreds of expensive ether roots on practice attempts.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re ahead by more than a year, then?¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought. It¡¯s annoying that Grandpa¡¯s methods are in their hands, but ultimately, I still have more than enough time to make runesmithing known to the right people.


    Vivi passed the fortifications on the upper levels of Andre¡¯s territory. Her escort lowered his head at the exit.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said. She stepped out alive and in one piece, having smithed herself a runesword. All in all, the trip was a success.


    Vivi¡¯s heart was still racing when she exited Andre¡¯s lair, but the nervous pressure slowly evolved into a less oppressive feeling. Vivi couldn¡¯t quite describe it. All she could think of was the presence of her third limb. The feeling of a runesword on her hands.


    Grandpa had claimed that holding a runesword was euphoric. When he felt bad, he often simply hung out with his favourite runeswords, passing ether through their blades and performing practice swings. Sometimes, he looked like a longing old warrior who wished to head back to battle. He never did; Grandpa was far too soft to kill even a rabbit, but he loved cutting logs, sometimes slashing holes into boulders.


    Vivi understood why he¡¯d felt so attached to his swords now. Her sword felt seriously powerful, as if an intense ether storm had gone off in her consciousness.


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± Eem called. The fiend ran over and hopped onto Vivi¡¯s arms, hugging her.


    Vivi was surprised for a second. Then she let out a laugh. She returned the hug, holding Eem tight.


    Around her, demons scowled at her as if she were some weirdo monster. Vivi and Eem both had bounties. Every nimrod around them wanted them dead.


    Vivi couldn¡¯t have cared less. ¡°Eem, you smell like wet grass,¡± she said. ¡°What have you been doing?¡±


    Eem chuckled. She held out her arms, showcasing another glowing egg-shaped ether root.


    It was a white obsidian ether root. A far more common ether root compared to adamantite, but a great root nonetheless. Grandpa commonly bought them in batches for Vivi to work on. Vivi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You got this for me?¡±


    Eem nodded three times.


    ¡°Thank you, Eem,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Where do you keep getting these?¡±


    Eem laughed excitedly.


    Vivi couldn¡¯t help but smile. This little idiot. She¡¯d have to catch a lot of fish for Eem.


    ¡°You need more ether roots to add more runes into a sword, right?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Let¡¯s gather ten! Upgrade our sword to a ten-runed runesword!¡±


    It doesn¡¯t work like that, Vivi thought. A ten-runed sword would need ten ether roots, yes, but fitting ten runes is impossible. Even Grandpa can only fit five, and efficiency is lost after the fourth. I can only fit three. For now, we¡¯ll make good use of our single-runed sword.


    Lucius appeared disappointed, but only for a second. ¡°The fang tanker,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s destroy it.¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought. She lifted Eem on her shoulders and asked. ¡°Want to lead us back home, Eem?¡±


    Eem thought for a bit. She seemed to understand where Vivi wanted to go. Back to the hidden dungeon. Eem gave her signature three nods, then pointed Vivi out of the dungeon, back to the hub.


    The daylight gems were dim outside. Vivi had no idea what time it was. Spending hours at the forge usually made her lose track. The hub, however, seemed calmer than usual. A quiet evening or an early morning, Vivi presumed. She didn¡¯t feel like sleeping just yet.


    Eem led Vivi into a quiet part of the hub near the southern hardstone wall. They walked past a five-storied, box-shaped storehouse¡ªa shop where nimrods could rent space to store their items. The only time Vivi had seen a customer enter was when a scrawny demon rented a safe to store gemstones and transfer orbs, presumably so he wouldn¡¯t be robbed. Right now, the place seemed to be closed. Almost no demons wandered this area of the hub.


    Eem pointed behind the storehouse. Between the storehouse and the wall was an alley-sized opening, covered entirely in shadows. Vivi entered curiously. The area felt claustrophobic; Vivi barely had space to hold her arms out between the hardstone wall and the storehouse¡¯s undecorated stone.


    Eem hopped off of Vivi¡¯s back. She climbed onto the hardstone wall, somehow gripping the wall. Vivi raised her eyebrows. It took her a moment to see what Eem was grabbing onto. Tiny holes had been carved into the wall. Even when squinting at them, they were hard to see.


    Of course, Eem climbed like it was second nature. She ascended the hardstone wall, until suddenly, she disappeared inside the wall.


    No way, Vivi thought. She grabbed the tiny holes, attempting to climb. It was uncomfortable, and finding the next spot to insert her fingers took a while. Without Lucius¡¯s ether, she wouldn¡¯t have had the strength to climb. Eventually, however, she made it to the spot where Eem had disappeared.


    There was a hole in the hardstone wall. Rough black curtains covered the hole. Vivi pushed through and met Eem¡¯s excited eyes on the other side. She entered the wall itself, finding it hollow.


    The inside of the wall was even more cramped than the opening between the storehouse. Even with ether-enhanced eyesight, Vivi had to squint to see the bottom. Still, there was enough room for a person to fit through.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°Looks like the wall isn¡¯t as secure as we thought it was.¡±


    ¡°This wall just contains the hub,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The facility is still protected by another wall. But this is still a big discovery.¡±


    ¡°Wonder who made it?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Aaannn!¡± Eem said, sounding excited. She descended inside the wall with more tiny holes.


    Vivi figured just dropping down would be easier. She waited for Eem to reach the bottom, then she followed by falling.


    At the bottom, another trap door led to a crawl space that, after twists and turns, led directly to the hidden dungeon.

 Chapter 41 - Cries Of The Beast

    Returning to the fangling lair, insects were slowly respawning and rebuilding. The remaining fanglings sluggishly rearranged their fallen webs. Their ambushes were weak, and dead fanglings dropped a mere two ether. Their previously ruthless attacks had fallen nearly docile.


    Vivi, with her new ether reserves, could have defeated fanglings with her bare fists or her steel sword. She used her runesword regardless. The blade felt good to swing. The sword cut fanglings like a sickle swiped grass. Killing fanglings with the crystal runesword was the most satisfying thing Vivi had done in a long time.


    ¡°Looks like we cleared this place well,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°The lair will be as good as new within a week,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Except if we kill their boss. The boss¡¯s respawn might take longer.¡±


    ¡°I did intend to fight it,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Eem will be happy to have this place cleared for a few weeks, won¡¯t you?¡± She smiled, rubbing Eem¡¯s cheek. The little fiend sat on Vivi¡¯s shoulders.


    Eem gushed out an incoherent noise of excitement, nodding. She pointed down below. By now, Vivi had mostly learned the path as well. The fang tanker¡¯s lair was a short walk away. She recognized the entrance. Ether oozed from within. The boss was as strong as it had been.


    Before entering, Vivi wanted to try something. ¡°Lucius? How close does the sword need to be for you to retrieve it to spatial storage?¡±


    ¡°Uh, preferably close,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The further it is, the more effort and ether retrieving the sword will take. If the area is clouded with ether, I¡¯ll need to focus hard.¡±


    ¡°Is this close enough?¡± Vivi asked. She charged her sword with ether, then lifted it above her shoulder with a reversed grip. She threw the sword at a wall twenty feet away.


    The sword shot forth with force. Vivi blinked in surprise. She¡¯d thrown it seriously, but she hadn¡¯t expected such force. The sword pierced well into the stone wall, cracks forming around the area of impact. She missed the spot she¡¯d aimed at by a few inches, of course, but the damages were immense.


    ¡°Ah, so this is the idea¡­¡± Lucius said.


    ¡°Uh, can you retrieve it from this distance?¡± Vivi asked.


    Lucius sighed but tried. He required focus and a little bit of time, but eventually, the sword turned to wisps of ether, back to Lucius¡¯s spatial storage.


    ¡°That will be hard to do in the middle of combat,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But it could work as a last resort.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else we need to prepare?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I say we¡¯re ready. Let¡¯s hope it drops skills.¡±


    Vivi nodded. She took a deep breath, then turned to the fang tanker¡¯s dark lair. The webs in the chamber had been fully repaired. The arena recovered far faster than the rest of the lair. Vivi let Eem off of her back and approached cautiously but confidently. She cleared webs with her ranged claws. She kept the claws only mildly charged to not hit the boss early.


    The sleeping fang tanker still looked scary. It could kill Vivi in one attack if its shield-like claws managed to land. However, its defenses no longer looked impenetrable. The exoskeleton was tough, easily tougher than stone, but was it tough enough to withstand a strength rune?


    Let¡¯s go, Lucius, Vivi thought.


    Ether flowed within her. Suddenly, the chamber became brighter. Vivi could see the hairs growing from the tanker¡¯s face. Her own skin seemed to glow, forming a slight ethereal aura.


    She held her sword with two hands and ran forward.


    Finally, the tanker¡¯s red eyes opened. It roared; the same taunt that had turned the lair into insanity earlier. This time, all of its underlings were dead. The fight was a clear one-to-one.


    The tanker slammed down its claw, the pointy tip aimed at Vivi. She side-stepped the immediate impact. A slight shockwave followed the blow, making Vivi nearly lose her footing. She managed to stand.


    Seeing her agility, the tanker took a defensive stance. It backed away with its little legs, hiding its vulnerable abdomen behind a tunnel. Vivi had no target except its tough frontal exoskeleton.


    That was exactly what she wanted to hit. Vivi filled her sword with ether, the veins glowing. She swung from overhead, hitting the tanker dead in the torso.


    The impact was hard. Vivi¡¯s arms burned, as if she was trying to force her way through a hardstone wall. More ether flowed through the runes, filling the sword with dangerous amounts of power. Any imperfections within her work would have caused the sword to snap in half.


    A crack formed on the black exoskeleton.


    The tanker¡¯s panicked claw followed. Vivi jumped back, dodging the attack. The tanker let out a pained scream.


    I thought my hands would fall off, Vivi thought. How tough is its defense?


    ¡°Not tough enough,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Hit the same spot again! It¡¯ll fall.¡±


    Vivi agreed. The fang tanker looked utterly panicked, screeching and flailing with its claws. It stayed defensively in its tunnel, too afraid to chase Vivi. Hitting it again would be a problem. Vivi stood back to think.Stolen story; please report.


    Lucius¡­ What if we use an old trick?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lucius asked.


    Fill my sword with ether, then fly into the air and slash with your claws.


    Lucius appeared confused. Do it, Vivi thought. I have a plan. Shoot claws at its head. Try to annoy it as best you can.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucius said. He retracted from Vivi¡¯s core and flew to the cavern¡¯s ceiling. From there, he yelled, ¡°Hey idiot! Take this!¡±


    He shot claw after claw at the monster¡¯s head. A claw swipe crashed cleanly into its head. The fang tanker¡¯s focus moved to Lucius. For the next attack, the boss held its own claw to block. It swiped at Lucius with its other claw.


    Now! Vivi thought. The boss had taken its attention off of her. She threw her sword forth, using the remaining ether still left in her body.


    The sword pierced into the crack in the boss¡¯s exoskeleton.


    The tanker screamed a monstrous roar. Black liquid flowed from the hole Vivi had caused. Wisps of ether surged from the wound at a rapid rate.


    Lucius flew back to Vivi, refilling her with ether. ¡°I can¡¯t retrieve it! There¡¯s too much ether around it!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to run for it, then!¡± Vivi thought. The tanker was too busy screaming in pain. Vivi ran for her sword, pulling it free from the tanker¡¯s chest. A gaping hole was left behind.


    The blow didn¡¯t kill immediately. The tanker had energy for a struggle. It swiped laterally at Vivi with its claw. Those hands were surprisingly twisty. The attack was heavy, but not fast. Vivi had time to prepare.


    She lifted her sword and swung directly at the tanker¡¯s shield-like claw.


    Crack.


    Vivi was pushed back upon impact. She couldn¡¯t stop the pure weight of the tanker¡¯s claw. She grimaced, pushing with all the strength she had.


    Her sword wasn¡¯t what had cracked. The sound came from the tanker¡¯s claw.


    Vivi¡¯s sword cut through. The claw shattered into pieces. The tanker screamed in pain, flailing around in a mad struggle. Its screams were loud enough to hurt Vivi¡¯s ears.


    She slashed again, cutting deeper into the tanker¡¯s open wound. With the exoskeleton already cracked, Vivi had an easy time destroying the rest of the beast. The tanker attempted to flail its remaining claw, but it was quickly losing strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s falling!¡± Lucius shouted.


    Vivi jumped back. The fang tanker crashed against the ground with an explosive thump. Wisps of ether rose from all over its body. The body glowed, illuminating the room.


    Slowly, the tanker¡¯s physical body began disintegrating, starting from its fangs. The pool of black liquid turned to ether. When ethereal monsters died, the mess naturally cleaned itself. A cathartic sizzle of ether filled the room.


    Lucius hopped out of Vivi¡¯s core. He had a wide smile on his face as he sat on top of the corpse. He breathed in and began sucking in the wisps of ether. His reserves had fallen below two thousand after runesmithing and making purchases. That ether was quickly recovered, rising to 2100, 2200, and counting.


    Vivi watched. The fight had felt amazing. Her sword was a mere one-runed strength sword, crafted with imperfect tools and wavering concentration, yet the sword was powerful enough to utterly destroy a boss monster.


    Yet for some reason, watching Lucius collect the rewards felt bittersweet. His reserves grew all the way to 2537.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± he said. ¡°No skills, unfortunately. The tanker was too weak, and it had no special abilities. But it dropped over five hundred ether. That¡¯s a very good price for our time. It was a good idea to not sell the runesword.¡± He floated beside Vivi, grinning. Seeing her expression, however, his excitement dwindled. ¡°Why do you look so gloomy?¡±


    ¡°Just thinking¡­¡± Vivi said.


    Five hundred ether. That was a thirtieth of her debt. They¡¯d need to kill thirty more similar bosses to clear her debt. That wasn¡¯t too bad. Vivi knew they had enough time. There was something else that annoyed her.


    Lucius had over two thousand ether by now. Vivi had been hunting for less than two weeks. She¡¯d started from zero, yet she and Lucius had already grown strong enough to clear a fangling lair on their own.


    Why, then, did the ether hunters hate her so much? The Goldbridge company could have easily offered Lucius a thousand ether, sending Vivi to a dungeon to hunt. She could have paid off her debt in the eleven months she had. Instead, the ether hunters had decided to destroy her life, forcing her to escape to the fourth level.


    Did they believe fifteen thousand ether was too much of an investment? They would rather kill an innocent runesmith instead of giving Vivi the slightest chance to repay herself?


    ¡°Vivi, look at this,¡± Lucius said. He was looking down at the tunnel that the fang tanker had been blocking. ¡°This isn¡¯t natural. Someone built this.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows and walked over to check it out. A stairway descended into the level below. The walls turned to stone bricks. Each brick was cleanly arranged in circular patterns. An ice-blue glow radiated faintly from between each brick. The glow was brightest on ground level, growing weaker as it traveled up the walls.


    ¡°This looks like a true dungeon,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The type that was built during the age of typhoons. Thousands of years ago. I think we found the path to the boss.¡±


    Vivi curiously stared down. She sensed ether from below. Her sixth sense was still often vague, but she could feel a subtle sense of dangers lurking.


    She had the urge to descend deeper, to truly test the extent of her runeswords. The fang tanker had been a tough enemy, but Vivi had specifically crafted a sword to defeat it. The boss hadn¡¯t posed much of a challenge. She doubted the monsters on the upper levels would be any harder.


    But descending too fast was a stupid idea. Killing the boss would mean deactivating the dungeon. Vivi wasn¡¯t yet strong enough to deal with the consequences. The Stewards were her true enemies.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that we found this,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But let¡¯s clear the rest of the hidden dungeon first.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The cave is still huge. We might find more bosses. If we¡¯re lucky, we might earn a skill before clearing the dungeon for real.¡±


    Vivi nodded. ¡°We need to grow strong enough to defeat the Stewards. Last time, I couldn¡¯t see Uundref¡¯s attacks at all. We need to grow faster. There¡¯s a lot to do. Ideally, I would like at least a two-runed runesword as well. For now, let¡¯s rest and form plans.¡±


    Vivi glanced behind herself. ¡°Eem, are you there?¡±


    The fiend entered the room hesitantly. She showed her tongue to the remains of the fang tanker''s disintegrated corpse, then jumped onto Vivi¡¯s back, climbing to her shoulders.


    Vivi let out a laugh. The fiend said nothing, but her smile said everything Vivi needed to know. Vivi poked the little fiend in the cheek. ¡°Eem? Do you know any good fishing spots?¡±

 Chapter 42 - Practice

    Eem led Vivi west, to the opposite direction of the fangling lair. The clusters of web turned back to black flowers and crystals. The scenery was a nice change of pace, and the air tasted fresher away from the fangling lair. Compared to the fangling lair, the flower area was like nature¡¯s calm resting spot.


    The monsters of the flower level, it turned out, no longer posed any threat at all. Vivi cut a stone-leaf¡¯s vine-attack in half with Lucius¡¯s charged claws. Then, she crushed the rocky monster with her runesword. The blade cut through stone cleanly and without issues. Stone-leafs had turned to fodder enemies.


    After the kill, Vivi felt Lucius sulking within her. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering when my claws will overpower your sword again. I believe that will be after reaching seven or eight thousand ether when I unlock my scarlet powers.¡±


    ¡°Your claws aren¡¯t supposed to overpower my swords,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Your light claws are fundamentally less destructive compared to a heavy runesword. The strength of your claws comes from the claws¡¯ speed. I¡¯m clumsy and slow at swinging a sword. But I can attack nearly instantly with your claws. Your claws are essential for the fighting style I¡¯m planning on using.¡±


    ¡°Fighting style?¡± Lucius asked.


    ¡°I have some ideas on how we¡¯ll deal with agility-type fighters,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Uundref and the Stewards are our true enemies. They¡¯re too fast for me to hit with my runeswords. Your claws are the only option.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Lucius said with a nervous laugh. ¡°You might be smarter than I thought. But fighting Uundref is still a long way off. He is insane. He has skills, he has power, and he has speed. He is insane.¡±


    ¡°Is he stronger than Serena Goldbridge?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Easily,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Out of the hunters I¡¯ve clashed with, only Veronica Lifeweaver had a scarier presence than Uundref. He¡¯s on par with elite ether hunters.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°Maybe we should just plan an escape. We already found one hole in the wall. A more powerful runesword could probably cut another hole.¡±


    ¡°That could work,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But escaping is inefficient. We¡¯ll grow far stronger by clearing this dungeon. If we do escape, we should do it after clearing the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°At which point, we¡¯ll make ourselves the biggest criminals on the fourth level,¡± Vivi said.


    Lucius fell silent, considering.


    Eem hopped off of Vivi¡¯s shoulders, running ahead. Vivi called after her, but Eem continued running around the corner.


    Turning the corner, Vivi found herself at the bottom of a small waterfall. The cavern had a tall crystal-covered ceiling. The stone ground was clean and smooth, almost slippery. The waterfall rustled calmly; the water wasn¡¯t violent. Vivi could have stood in the river without much issue.


    Beside the water, something caught Vivi¡¯s attention. Stone vines were clumped on the ground. The exact types of vines she¡¯d seen on a stone-leaf. ¡°Did a stone-leaf die here?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Looks like so,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t disintegrated to ether for some reason.¡±


    Immediately, a question came to Vivi¡¯s head. ¡°Are there people here?¡±


    ¡°It probably died of natural causes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Monsters fight each other occasionally. Or it just otherwise ran out of ether. Monsters aren¡¯t infinite.¡±


    Vivi stared at it in concern. She hadn¡¯t seen signs of life in the hidden dungeon yet. A dead monster could have meant something.


    Eem was waving her hands, jumping up and down near the river. Vivi sighed, turning away from the corpse. She joined Eem.


    Fishes swam down the river, from sardines to small piranhas. None of the fishes were larger than Vivi¡¯s arm, but they were bigger here compared to Vivi¡¯s previous fishing spot.


    The river also moved far faster. Catching fishes would be good practice. Vivi took off her boots and stepped onto a rock poking out from the river. She called Lucius¡¯s claws and took aim.


    She spent another hour there, catching all kinds of fishes and tossing them to the ground. Eem, too, attempted to catch fishes. She jumped into the water, grabbing onto a small sardine. She managed to catch the fish, but got herself caught in the river flow. Vivi had to catch Eem before she fell into the next waterfall ahead.


    From there on, Eem stayed on the ground, munching on Vivi¡¯s catches. The fiend devoured the first five quickly, the next three slowly and stubbornly. She ate half of the ninth before falling asleep, completely full.


    Vivi smiled at the sight but focused back on fishing. She was starting to get hungry and tired as well. She¡¯d been fighting, then runesmithing, then fighting again. Throughout the streak, she hadn¡¯t felt hungry or tired. This was all thanks to ether. Lucius¡¯s powers gave her far more energy than a normal human was supposed to carry.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Still, even his powers were reaching the limit of how long Vivi could be kept awake. She caught a good batch of fishes for herself, quickly cleaned and cooked them with emberstones.


    She watched Eem¡¯s sleeping figure while she ate. I¡¯d like to keep hunting and exploring. If Uundref is as strong as you say he is, we don¡¯t have time to waste. I still have energy to spare. We need to find stronger monsters to try out my fighting style. But I don¡¯t want to leave Eem alone.


    ¡°You should sleep,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I know a good practice spot. We finally have enough ether to enter that place.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. What place?


    ¡°Ever heard of Ythar¡¯s Paradise?¡± Lucius asked.


    Vivi thought for a second, recalling old rumors from Fellwater. The ether hunters¡¯ private island? Fellwater¡¯s boys said it was a place that the best of ether hunters were invited to. Apparently, retired hunters can spend their lives there.


    ¡°Paradise is a private island, but those rumors are entirely wrong,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Paradise has nothing to do with retirement. It¡¯s more like a meeting hub for ether hunters. Me and my old wielder commonly used the place for practice. It¡¯ll cost some to enter, but it¡¯s well worth it. We can enter it right now.¡±


    Right now?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You just need to head to sleep. It¡¯ll be easier to show you.¡±


    Vivi made a weird look, but she didn¡¯t know what else to ask. She ate her remaining fishes and lay down on the ground. She had no pillow or mattress, but with some ether protecting her head, the sleeping position was tolerable enough. The emberstones smoldered weakly, offering warmth.


    This better not kill me, Lucius¡­ She closed her eyes and trusted Lucius with his trick.


    ***


    Vivi woke up on clean grass. Something bright shone through her eyelids. The musty air of the underground was gone, and the temperature was pleasantly hot. Above her was a blue, cloudless sky. A bright sun shone overhead. The grass was green. Truly green. She was on the surface, yet she couldn¡¯t spot one rain cloud.


    ¡°Lucius?¡± she asked out loud. ¡°Where did you teleport us?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t gone anywhere,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡¯re currently asleep in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m dreaming?¡± Vivi asked. She moved her fingers, then touched the grass underneath. Everything felt so real. She¡¯d woken up on a flat field. Vibrant flowers grew all around her. Vivi wondered what alchemical properties such colors could hold. She¡¯d never seen plants so beautiful.


    ¡°Not conventionally,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡¯re currently awake in Ythar¡¯s dream dimension. I am the link allowing you in.¡±


    Vivi continued watching her surroundings in awe. ¡°You mean, Ythar created a whole different dimension?¡±


    ¡°Well, Ythar is a god,¡± Lucius said. He floated beside Vivi with a grin. ¡°This is the truth behind Ythar¡¯s Paradise. None of it truly exists.¡±


    ¡°How does it feel so real, then?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the fun part,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Ythar¡¯s dream realm works exactly like the real world. Our powers work exactly like they do on the fourth level. Anything that happens here won¡¯t make it to the real world. You could get your head cut off, and you¡¯d simply wake up where you fell asleep. Any memories made here will make it to the real world.


    ¡°Ether hunters use Paradise to duel each other to the death for practice, as well as to hold meetings with ether hunters who are on different levels. Everyone can simply go to sleep and speak in Paradise without having to meet for real.¡±


    ¡°So this is how Andre knew my identity,¡± Vivi said. ¡°He spoke to hunters in the dream realm.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°News spread quickly with the hunters. As creepy as this place is, Ythar is a genius for setting it up.¡±


    An island floated in the distant sky, visible above the treetops. A pyramid-like palace stood atop, radiating a beacon of light into the air. Vivi had to squint to see details, but the beacon was hard to miss. ¡°That¡¯s his island?¡± Vivi asked.


    Lucius nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll cost us fifty ether to enter. A lot of hunters will be present. If all goes well, we can challenge someone to a duel and practice fighting. Otherwise, we can take swings in the fields here. That¡¯s free, and nobody will bother us.¡±


    ¡°Are we really allowed to join?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Fifty ether seems cheap.¡±


    ¡°The hunters won¡¯t be happy to see us,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But they also can¡¯t harm us. Dying means we¡¯ll be sent back to the fourth level. Nobody will invite us to meetings, of course, but those are a waste of time anyway. Meetings usually consist of hunting companies arguing about which surges whoever has a right to hunt. The duels are what truly make Paradise worth visiting.¡±


    Vivi stared at the island. The idea of meeting more examiners and ether hunters didn¡¯t excite her. The hunters were likely still looking to kill her to gain Lucius back. She hadn¡¯t expected to meet any ether hunters besides Andre for a long time.


    Yet, this was a chance to gain information from the surface. Vivi needed to know whether Grandpa was alive or not. If he was¡­


    No, perhaps Vivi shouldn¡¯t ask about him. Whether Grandpa was alive or not, knowing his whereabouts would only distract her from her task. Her true goal was to survive from Zand, and to grow stronger.


    Still, some news from the higher levels wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± Vivi decided. ¡°Fifty ether is not too much to pay. Let¡¯s see what the hunters are up to.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Brace yourself. We¡¯re teleporting.¡±

 Chapter 43 - Ythars Paradise

    Vivi¡¯s vision went black for a moment before the scenery swapped. She arrived next to a marble fountain on a wide street. Ythar¡¯s pyramid palace loomed ahead, spires rising from each one of its corners. To Vivi¡¯s left was a dome-shaped arena. Its golden facades reflected sunlight. To her right, colorful locium decorated buildings and bridges. Rich was the only word Vivi could use to describe the area. The paved path beneath her was immaculate and pretty.


    Extravagant outfits filled the street: swordmaidens¡¯ dresses, ironed suits. The men¡¯s hair was trimmed and clean, while women with blessed names glowed, hair done in pretty wavy streaks. Some had their hair tied to buns, outfits more prepared for battle, but everyone was on their best appearances. Hunters strolled proudly, spirits sitting on their shoulders.


    Then there was Vivi. In her grey raincoat, last full bath in a river some days ago, skin still sweaty from the earlier fights. Within five seconds of arrival, she received sideways glances from humanity¡¯s heroes. Some paused to look at her, though most seemed to be minding their own business.


    Passing spirits sat calmly on their wielder¡¯s shoulders, or were hidden in their cores entirely. Lucius, however, fluttered around Vivi like an idiot. He curiously examined everyone around them. Um, Lucius? Vivi thought. She felt her face growing red.


    ¡°Everyone is strong here,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Let¡¯s pick someone to duel. Someone who¡¯s slightly stronger than us.¡±


    Vivi picked a direction and began walking, head pointing toward the ground. I feel like I¡¯m being hunted already!


    ¡°Pursuers don¡¯t matter,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Nobody can hurt us here. We¡¯re free to explore.¡±


    She walked for a bit, passing more ether hunters. The whole place made Vivi nauseous. The elegant people around her were the same men who defended humanity. It was because of them that the surface was free of monsters and not overrun by demons.


    Yet, everyone who passed Vivi was her enemy. The hunters looked at her as if she was an unwelcome piece of trash. Humanity¡¯s heroes believed Vivi was one of the monsters they had to kill.


    A tall muscular ether hunter passed Vivi from up close. Lucius¡¯s eyes lit up. A blue cat spirit sat elegantly on the man¡¯s shoulder. Compared to Lucius, the spirit appeared like royalty. Its posture was reserved yet confident, and the eyes were beautiful.


    ¡°Ooh, is that you, Zuri?¡± Lucius gushed, flying to the blue spirit¡¯s level.


    Zuri¡¯s wielder paused his stroll. He gave Vivi the side-eye.


    ¡°Uhm, hello¡­¡± Vivi said with an awkward smile. The man was scary. His look was hostile in the same way that Andre¡¯s was. Vivi knew she couldn¡¯t be harmed, but the look urged her to step back.


    ¡°Zuri, It¡¯s me, Lucius! We used to be in the same hunting group, remember?¡±


    The spirit gave Lucius a cold look. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± A girly voice. ¡°You¡¯re the one who has a bounty of five thousand ether under your name.¡±


    Lucius appeared shocked. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know? We used to hunt together just a year ago!¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Zuri said. ¡°You two smell. Go take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Did you have business with me?¡± the ether hunter asked, his figure looming over Vivi.


    ¡°Um, none at all,¡± Vivi said, awkwardly holding out her hands.


    The hunter frowned at her for a moment longer before turning around. ¡°Let¡¯s go. This bounty isn¡¯t worth our time. If we meet her in the wild, we¡¯ll fight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± Zuri said.


    Lucius watched after them in bafflement. ¡°Damned spirits and their short memories! Zuri used to be cool in her previous life!¡± He sniffed his armpits. ¡°Do we smell, Vivi?¡±


    I haven¡¯t bathed in days, Lucius, Vivi thought. Of course I smell.


    Vivi was about to turn and walk away, when more trouble arrived from the opposite side of her.


    ¡°Vivian Runeblessed?¡± a shocked but familiar voice said.


    Serena Goldbridge and her spirit paused. The examiner wore a different swordmaiden¡¯s dress than the one she¡¯d worn in Fellwater. This one was a little less exquisite with less glowy patterns, but Serena looked pretty nonetheless. Her shock quickly turned into anger at the sight of Vivi. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Ooh, it¡¯s the Goldbridge piglet!¡± Lucius said. ¡°Hello!¡±


    Serena¡¯s spirit flew down from its wielder¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Piglet?¡±


    Lucius grinned. ¡°Sorry, I meant piggy. You¡¯re the piglet.¡±


    The spirit looked confused, as if not understanding what was going on. ¡°Is he insulting me?¡± it asked.


    Serena took a deep breath. ¡°Examine them, please.¡±


    The spirit pouted for a moment, then said. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The spirit peered into Vivi¡¯s soul, examining her just like she had done on the surface. Lucius crossed his arms beside Vivi.


    ¡°Vivian Runeblessed is 14950 ether in debt,¡± Serena¡¯s spirit said. ¡°Lucius has over two thousand.¡±


    ¡°Two thousand in the positives,¡± Serena said. ¡°An interesting strategy. You¡¯re avoiding your debts by letting your spirit hold ether.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been growing fast,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I can clear my debts by the end of the year. I¡¯m sorry about my spirit¡¯s insults. He, um, has a quick mouth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being wasteful,¡± Serena said. ¡°Ether hunters are supposed to control their spirits. It seems like your spirit is controlling you. You are not a proper ether hunter.¡±


    ¡°And what choice do I have?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°I can either get myself killed, or I can fight. I intend to clear my debt. Then I intend to become an ether hunter for real.¡±


    Serena scowled, hearing that. ¡°You have already betrayed us. Your spirit will be retrieved.¡±


    Why? Vivi thought. How have I betrayed anyone? I just wanted to live!


    Lucius glanced at her. He could feel Vivi¡¯s emotions. He stayed totally calm as he turned to Serena. ¡°Goldbridge Piggy. We challenge you to a duel.¡±


    Vivi flinched. What?


    Wrinkles appeared on Serena¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your whereabouts are known. You are stuck in the prison of Zand. It¡¯s only a matter of time before you die, or the prison is conquered and you¡¯re retrieved. Visiting Paradise is futile. I will not fight you. I have a meeting I need to attend.¡±


    ¡°You are a weakling,¡± Lucius said. ¡°A pawn. You will not defeat my wielder in a duel.¡±


    Lucius, stop, Vivi thought. We don¡¯t need to make ourselves appear rude.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Serena is easily provoked. We can duel her. It¡¯s good practice, fighting someone to the death.¡±


    ¡°In fact,¡± Lucius continued. ¡°We can defeat someone as weak as you in less than two minutes.¡±


    ¡°I said I have a meeting I need to attend,¡± Serena said. ¡°Step out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a shame,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You¡¯re going to miss that meeting after losing to us.¡±


    Serena¡¯s spirit floated in front of Lucius. ¡°Stop! You¡¯re making her mad!¡±


    Serena sighed, growing annoyed. She held out her palm, recalling her spirit. A blade appeared on her arm. The same blade that had nearly killed Vivi on the surface. Serena¡¯s skin became exalted.


    ¡°If two minutes is what they request, two minutes we will give.¡± Serena formed a stance with her sword and faced Vivi. ¡°I will show you exactly why neither of you are cut out to become ether hunters.¡±


    Lucius returned to her core with a grin on his face. Vivi, too, shone with ether, though her being wasn¡¯t angelic like Serena¡¯s. Vivi had no blessed surname, and her clothes came directly from a dungeon crawl.


    In a panicked rush, Vivi called her runesword. She wielded it in her right hand. Her left hand turned to claws. Her stance was awkward and unpracticed¡ªthe opposite of Serena¡¯s practiced confidence¡ªbut Vivi¡¯s senses were empowered by ether. She still felt powerful.


    A crowd of ether hunters gathered to watch the commotion. Serena breathed in and prepared a lunge. ¡°One blow is all I¡¯ll need. The days of runesmithing are over. Your flimsy sword will be cut, just as it did on the surface.¡±


    Serena dashed forth and threw an overhead swing. She was fast! Vivi raised her sword haphazardly to block, managing just in time.


    Serena¡¯s swing was seriously powerful. Years of practice radiated from her form. The spirit blade made contact with Vivi¡¯s runesword.


    Vivi was pushed back, stumbling backwards. She nearly fell before regaining her footing. Serena¡¯s blade had hit her block head-on. Vivi had no chance in a fair fight.


    But her sword held. Serena frowned.


    She¡¯s not taking this seriously, Vivi thought. Serena was far faster and more skilled with the sword. Serena could have pressed the advantage, likely defeating Vivi with the initial charge. However, she appeared curious, as if provoking Vivi to attack.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make her,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Show me your ideas.¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought, preparing her attack. ¡°Lucius, empower my claws, then move all of your ether to my sword. You¡¯ll know when.


    Vivi dashed forth without fear. She swiped with her claws, sending a charged claw attack at Serena.


    Serena read the ranged claw attack easily. She blocked with her sword, taking no damage.


    The claw attack¡¯s purpose wasn¡¯t to cause damage. The purpose was to force Serena onto the defensive. Vivi followed the swipe with her sword. The veins of her runesword glowed brightly as her swing hit Serena¡¯s spirit blade head-on.


    Serena¡¯s hair flared by the impact. Her spirit blade flickered, momentarily losing its color. A misty ether-aura formed as Serena¡¯s spirit leaked ether.


    Serena¡¯s eyes opened wide. She quickly pushed more ether into her sword to regain its color.


    The two blades were caught in a bind. Serena¡¯s footing was strong. The hunter pushed, easily blowing Vivi off. Vivi stumbled backwards.


    Immediately, Serena dashed for a counter-attack.


    Vivi was slow. Her opponent¡¯s movements were far too fast to keep up with. Vivi held her sword, blocking by sheer luck.


    By the time she had defended one attack, Serena had already redirected her sword, hitting Vivi in a different spot.


    Vivi held out her claws, attempting to block. The gesture was awkward. Serena¡¯s sword slipped from the claws, cutting off Vivi¡¯s thumb.


    Vivi held in her screams. Ether helped her concentrate, ignoring the pain. We can¡¯t be hurt here, Vivi reminded herself. Stay on the offense.


    She swung hard with her sword, simultaneously throwing a ranged claw attack. Serena was forced back.


    Now! Vivi thought. She shot forth another claw swipe¡ªhoping to push Serena into the defensive¡ªand immediately lifted her sword. This time, Vivi intended to cut the spirit blade.


    Serena didn¡¯t fall for the trick a second time. Instead of blocking the claw attack, Serena shot her own ranged attack. A slash projectile shot forth from the spirit sword, cutting through Vivi¡¯s charged claws.


    Vivi was forced to defend. She slashed at Serena¡¯s projectile, cutting it in half. The halves flew astray, cutting into Vivi¡¯s left shoulder and right cheek as they passed. She winced.


    Where was Serena? The woman disappeared from where she¡¯d stood. Vivi glanced around herself, checking the audience. Serena was gone.


    ¡°Behind!¡± Lucius said.


    ¡°Too slow,¡± a voice said. An arm wrapped around Vivi¡¯s neck. A powerful current of ether pressed against her throat. Serena had caught her.


    Serena spoke next to her ear. ¡°I can¡¯t guess how you¡¯re still alive, or how you and your spirit gained a few thousand ether. Regardless, you¡¯re far too clumsy. Training you is not worth our time. I hope you know now why it¡¯s best for us to kill you, and to offer your spirit to someone more skillful.¡±


    Vivi lost. She was too slow. Her form worked against her. Fighting humans was entirely different from hunting monsters. Vivi struggled to brute force her way through someone who knew swordsmanship.


    ¡°It was well fought,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Serena has far more ether than us. She¡¯s maxed out. It¡¯s only natural we¡¯ll lose. This was good practice.¡±


    Vivi waited for Serena to cut her throat. The duel was lost. She was ready to wake up back in Zand. The trip had been far from useless; Vivi gained valuable practice.


    Suddenly, the crowd cleared up. The air became thicker, more concentrated with ether. Hunters bowed and made way for someone. Vivi¡¯s senses flared warning, as if a natural catastrophe was approaching.


    The black-haired woman that entered was by far the most powerful being Vivi had come across.

 Chapter 44 - Absolute Power

    A black-haired woman walked through the crowd, escorted by two guards. A crown-like jewel tiara rested on her head. The woman wore a godly black gown. She glimmered with life, the ether-aura so awe-inducing that Vivi couldn¡¯t help but stare. She looked down at Vivi and Serena.


    ¡°Veronica Lifeweaver¡­¡± Lucius gushed. ¡°She has grown. She must be close to reaching her ten million goal.¡±


    Ten million? Vivi asked, shocked.


    ¡°She is the owner of a hunting company,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And the leader of the ¡®Lifeweaver¡¯ surname. She doesn¡¯t pay excess ether as taxes; she¡¯s the one who others pay taxes to. She has been hoarding ether, trading for skills, for over seventy years. Last I heard, she was the only ether hunter with two exalted skills. Each exalted skill sells for millions upon millions of ether.¡±


    She¡¯s over seventy? Vivi asked. But she looks so young?


    Serena retracted her powers, letting go of Vivi. Serena kneeled. ¡°Magistrate Veronica. I apologize for the disturbance. A duel was uncalled for; I should not have accepted the battle.¡±


    Veronica watched the scene with silver eyes. Her look bore the same type of wisdom that elderly healers had when addressing a patient. ¡°The cursed child and the spirit of Ingfried,¡± Veronica said. ¡°How do you do, dear Lucius? Seeking trouble once more?¡±


    ¡°Geh,¡± Lucius said from inside Vivi. ¡°That¡¯s not my nickname anymore.¡±


    Veronica smiled. ¡°None of us have forgotten, Lucius. It¡¯s unfortunate, what happened.¡±


    Lucius scowled inside Vivi¡¯s core. He felt uncomfortable. ¡°Let¡¯s leave,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡±


    No, let¡¯s hear what she has to say, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Your new pawn is even more troublesome than the previous,¡± Veronica said. ¡°Vivian Runeblessed. Savagely fought. With those wits, it¡¯s no surprise you have survived in the prison of Zand.¡±


    Vivi stayed quiet, cautiously watching Veronica from below.


    ¡°The hunters are still gathering intel on the prison and its guards,¡± Veronica said. ¡°Those who call themselves Stewards. It appears, however, you have turned into a threat as well. You have chosen to decline Andre¡¯s offer of alliance. A shame. Two ether hunters have been imprisoned in the same facility, yet they have chosen to fight against each other.¡±


    Vivi lifted her head. ¡°Andre¡¯s men assaulted me. Of course I am not teaming up with him.¡±


    ¡°Andre¡¯s men are dead,¡± Veronica said. ¡°Only a fraction of Greenwitch¡¯s mining team has survived alive. Those who assaulted you were demons. Cursed as you are, the least you could have done is help out a hunter in need. You have proven to be an enemy. You are not welcome here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an enemy!¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m trying my best. I have already collected two thousand ether. I don¡¯t want to harm anyone. I just want to live and see my grandpa again!¡±


    Veronica sighed. A circle of translucent daggers appeared around her. The daggers were ethereal, each one shining with more concentrated ether than Serena¡¯s spirit blade. Veronica stood above Vivi like a Queen of absolute strength.


    The daggers thrust forth, killing Vivi instantly.


    ***


    Vivi sprung up.


    She was awake instantly, as if waking up from a bad dream. Her skin was coated in sweat. The crystal ceiling of Zand¡¯s hidden dungeon loomed overhead, waterfall splashing beside her. Her lungs felt heavy.


    Vivi felt her throat. There were no cuts. As Lucius had said, nothing from Yhtar¡¯s dream realm made it to the real world. Except for memories. The prying gazes she¡¯d received were as real as any. Veronica¡¯s cold eyes¡­


    There was a lump in her throat. She tried to calm her breath, failing.


    ¡°Uhm, sorry, Vivi¡­¡± Lucius said. ¡°I caused this again, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Something clung to Vivi¡¯s leg. Eem hugged her tight, still soundly asleep. Eem¡¯s hold tightened.


    Vivi took a deep breath. Slowly, she began to calm down.


    We lost, Vivi thought. We stood no chance. Serena was too strong.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°She beat us, I will give her that,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But we were close. Your sword was far stronger than Serena¡¯s. Once we have more ether, we¡¯ll win.¡±


    I could barely see her at all¡­ Vivi thought. She wasn¡¯t even that strong. Her powers were nothing compared to Uundref¡¯s. Or Veronica¡¯s. How can I ever defeat that circle of daggers?


    ¡°That was Veronica¡¯s rare skill, ¡®Halo of Blades,¡¯¡± Lucius said. ¡°She showed off, and she didn¡¯t even need to reveal her ethereal skills.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s muscles ached. The pains were from yesterday¡¯s boss fight. Aches from Paradise didn¡¯t make it to the real world. Her body had felt much healthier in the dream realm. The place was beautiful with a clear sky and perfect weather. Fellwater was lucky if they received such a day once in five years.


    The beauty made Paradise far worse. How are we the enemies again? Vivi thought. Because we defended ourselves from assault? Because we refused to become Andre¡¯s pawn?


    Lucius said nothing, appearing gloomy.


    Vivi didn¡¯t have the energy to get angry. She was furious with the ether hunters, of course she was, but what could she do? The hunters didn¡¯t want her. Vivi doubted they¡¯d ever want her even if she cleared her debt. There was nothing she could do. All of the ether hunters were her enemies.


    ¡°If we max out my powers, we can defeat Serena,¡± Lucius said. ¡°She¡¯s better at swordsmanship, but our weapons are stronger. Even your one-runed blade almost cut her spirit blade in half.¡±


    Yes¡­ Vivi thought. After a pause, she asked, What did Veronica mean by ¡®Ingfried¡¯s spirit?¡¯


    Lucius took a while to answer. He clearly didn¡¯t want to speak about this. ¡°Just some business with my old wielder. That¡¯s all.¡±


    I¡¯d like to know what happened, Vivi thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing important,¡± Lucius said. ¡°What happened doesn¡¯t concern us. My old wielder made a deal with the demons. The ether hunters didn¡¯t like that.¡±


    A deal?


    ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We have Zand to worry about. There¡¯s a lot to do. Practice swordsmanship, gain ether, look for skills, craft more runeswords.¡±


    Vivi breathed in. She wanted to press further, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to. Lucius was her biggest ally. Without Lucius, she was as good as useless. If it turned out Lucius was someone bad as well¡­


    You¡¯ll tell me eventually, Vivi thought. When you can trust me more.


    Lucius didn¡¯t respond.


    Vivi was ready to wake up. She poked Eem in the cheek. The fiend squinted. Eem stood up groggily.


    Vivi chuckled. ¡°Your hair is a mess, Eem. Good morning. Did you sleep well?¡± She patted Eem in the head, making her hair even more of a mess.


    ¡°Aaaaa,¡± Eem said, grabbing onto Vivi¡¯s raincoat.


    Vivi grabbed the little fiend and held her up. ¡°Aaa? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Waaa!¡± Eem said with a happy smile.


    Vivi still had no idea what Eem was talking about. But she shared the smile regardless. ¡°You¡¯re looking great today, Eem. Are you ready to explore more of the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡± Eem said.


    Vivi smiled. ¡°Who am I kidding? You already know the dungeon in and out. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s exploring. Are you ready to help me out?¡±


    Eem gave three nods, looking excited.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to find strong monsters to practice with. Something that won¡¯t die from the whoosh attack in one hit.¡± Vivi swiped with her nails, mimicking the claw-attack. ¡°Are there any monsters like that?¡±


    ¡°Mm, mm!¡± Eem said. She knew what to do, immediately climbing to Vivi¡¯s back. Then she pointed at a tunnel heading west.


    Well, then, Vivi thought. Let¡¯s get back to hunting.


    Vivi quickly got rid of the small camp she had built, tossing the emberstones into the river. If this place received guard patrols, which Vivi guessed it did, it was best to get rid of her immediate trail.


    With any evidence of life hidden, Vivi stretched. She summoned her sword and filled her senses with enough ether to better react to potential ambushes. Then, she followed Eem¡¯s directions.


    The first few caverns and tunnels were quiet and uneventful, filled by the familiar black flowers. Vegetation was rich in this part of the cavern, but monsters were scarce. With so much life around, monsters were reluctant to spawn. The ether that nurtured flowers wasn¡¯t balanced nor void ether that reanimated monsters. Instead, flowers thrived off of nature¡¯s elements, which repelled monsters.


    After ten minutes or so of wandering the labyrinth of caverns, the scenery finally changed. Eem led Vivi to a darker section of the dungeon. Vivi paused at the entrance, studying the cave with enhanced eyesight.


    A path of old hardwood planks led the way down. Above, a dimmed out kerosene lamp hung from the ceiling. The planks and lamps appeared well used and long abandoned. Looking closer, however, the planks had a subtle glow to them. The sign of lacquer to protect the path from being reanimated into a monster. This place was somewhat maintained.


    Vivi stepped in cautiously. Her eyesight was enhanced with ether, but the darkness was eerie nonetheless. This part of the dungeon didn¡¯t feel magical like the previous area. Even the fangling lair appeared more welcoming.


    Stay extra sharp for ambushes, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Eem,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Follow me from the crawl spaces. You¡¯ll be safer there. If you spot something, warn me. Okay?¡±


    Eem nodded. She got off of Vivi¡¯s back and climbed into a crawl space poking out from the wall. She gave Vivi a salute.


    Vivi nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s descend.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Knight of Magic

    The hardwood planks continued down, dead kerosene lamps lining the path. Few weeds attempted to grow from the stone ground. None flourished. The creepy tunnel resembled the free dungeon with its subtle yet constant hostility in the air.


    In the free dungeon, the hostile air came from nimrods watching Vivi. The source of hostile looks was obvious. Most demons didn¡¯t care to hide their stares. Here, however, Vivi wasn¡¯t certain where the feeling came from. Her every step was heavy and hesitant despite nothing staring at her neck.


    Lucius? Vivi asked. Is everything normal? I feel like we¡¯re stepping into danger.


    ¡°There¡¯s just more ether here,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Your perceptions have grown. You¡¯re starting to sense ether in your surroundings. New hunters usually identify ether as an uncomfortable presence that they want to go away. The feeling will grow calmer as you get used to it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel this way in the fangling lair, or when I looked down into the brick stairway, Vivi thought. Something is wrong here. It feels like something intelligent is watching us. Waiting for us to arrive.


    ¡°Eh,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll approach with caution, as we always do. I expect tougher monsters. But nothing more than that.¡±


    If you say so¡­ Vivi thought. Lucius was the more experienced hunter. He was more familiar with feeling ether. Still, Vivi couldn¡¯t shrug off the feeling. Something was wrong here.


    The tunnel ended ahead, though no light came in from the opening. Vivi peeked into the dome-shaped cavern. The wooden planks separated into different paths. Columns of thick natural stone were spread randomly across the cavern. Most reached from ground to the ceiling, but a lot of columns had been snapped in half, hanging from the ceiling. Fallen pebbles cluttered the ground.


    Parts of the walls were reflective and shiny. A subtle purple glow. Vivi squinted at the spot. Was that metal?


    Vivi had worked with metal for fifteen years, but she wasn¡¯t a miner or a geologist. Grandpa had always provided the tools and resources for her to practice with. She had never seen ores in the wild. Gathering metals wasn¡¯t what Vivi was good at.


    The purple spot, however, looked like venerium. A rare metal with interesting properties. The metal was venomous. Just touching it would cause skin to grow rashes. Drawing blood with a venerium sword, even without runic properties, could cause a human to lose their strength. In some cases, venerium was known to kill.


    Vivi had never worked with the metal for obvious reasons. Only a special kind of weirdo would want to buy a venomous sword. Working with the metal was supposedly a nightmare, requiring special equipment that Grandpa didn¡¯t have. On top of this, the metal was rare, and as a result, expensive.


    Venerium probably wouldn¡¯t be useful in Zand either. Vivi would have much rather found a rare ether root. The metal was an interesting find nonetheless. More common metals were spread across the walls as well. Some parts of the walls had holes and indents. Had some metals been gathered already?


    ¡°Vivi, watch out!¡± Lucius suddenly called.


    Vivi flinched as she sensed the object flying toward her. It was a pickaxe. It missed her head by an inch.


    The attacker stood by the end of the leftmost wooden path. It was a knight, fully covered in steel plate armor. The visor was down, and the face beneath was entirely black. The helmet was horned. No wisps of ether rose from any part of its body.


    The figure held out its palm, as if pulling on something.


    ¡°Behind!¡± Lucius shouted.


    The pickaxe it had thrown earlier came back. Vivi moved out of the way, dodging. The figure grabbed the pickaxe and faced Vivi. The knight pointed its pickaxe at Vivi. ¡°Let¡¯s fight,¡± the posture conveyed.


    Vivi felt a chill. The knight could manipulate gravity. Vivi raised her weapon, going into stance.


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    The knight bowed for a second. It lifted its weapon.


    Then it attacked, running at Vivi with far more agility than someone in plate armor should ever carry. Vivi readied her sword, body filling with ether.


    ¡°Vivi, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a monster!¡± Lucius said. ¡°Whoever is in there, they¡¯re good! But I don¡¯t think they have much ether. We can win!¡±


    The knight threw its pickaxe while running. This time, Vivi swung at the pickaxe, slashing it cleanly in half. An ordinary pickaxe was nothing against her runesword. The halves fell to the ground.


    The knight paused.


    Then It pulled out a runesword from a back-scabbard.


    Oh no, Vivi thought. The runesword was a single-runed black asmite blade, powered by a swiftness rune. Asmite was an insanely heavy metal to swing, but a swiftness rune made the sword lightweight without sacrificing any of asmite¡¯s power. The veins were outside-carved, but expertly carved in intricate patterns. The sword was far more powerful than the guards¡¯ runeswords. An intimidating aura of misty ether coated the sword.


    Vivi and the knight exchanged blades. The knight was confident in pushing Vivi, fully believing in its sword. Its armor didn''t have an aura of ether, yet the weight of its swings was almost on Serena¡¯s level.


    Vivi¡¯s sword held. The difference between carving methods immediately became clear. The veins of Vivi¡¯s sword glowed upon impact, strengthening the blade. The knight¡¯s sword flickered. With each impact, the outside-carved veins leaked ether. The knight¡¯s small aura became even lesser.


    Once again, Vivi¡¯s sword was stronger. She just had to overpower her opponent.


    She threw forth a claw-attack. Confidently and quickly. Red claw marks cut into the knight¡¯s armor. The knight didn¡¯t move, letting its armor block the claws. Its focus was entirely on Vivi¡¯s sword.


    Vivi continued throwing claw swipes. The plate armor could block her claws, but it wouldn¡¯t withstand infinitely. The claws were slowly cutting into the steel.


    The knight charged forth, defending with offense.


    Vivi swung into the knight¡¯s attack, swords clashing. She pushed ether into her sword, while reinforcing her lower body for a strong footing. This, combined with a growl, was enough to knock off the knight¡¯s form.


    Another claw swipe. Vivi stepped forward, slashing wildly with her left hand. She raised her blade for a heavy attack. The knight was on the defensive now, holding its sword to block. It knew its armor was about to give up.


    Now! Vivi thought. She swung directly at the knight¡¯s block.


    The asmite runesword snapped in half. Vivi¡¯s sword cut right through.


    The tip of her sword sliced the knight¡¯s helmet. She hit skin, though it didn¡¯t seem like she cut deep.


    The knight fell to his knees. The face beneath the mask had the scorched marks of a demon. He was a younger man with dark eyes. He sat there in shock.


    Vivi had won. The knight was weaponless and defenseless. Vivi¡¯s sword could easily cut through his steel plate, killing him. Yet, for some reason, Vivi didn¡¯t feel like finishing the job. The knight looked so docile.


    The creepy feeling in the air remained. The knight wasn''t the cause.


    ¡°You beat me¡­¡± the knight eventually said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. My sword snapped?¡±


    ¡°Uh, sorry,¡± Vivi said.


    The knight looked up at her. He was bleeding from the face. ¡°It pains me to lose to an invader. But that was well fought. I will die to your blade with honor. Finish it.¡±


    He lowered his head, as if expecting Vivi to kill him. Vivi smiled awkwardly. The knight wasn¡¯t a threat anymore. He had surrendered. Vivi couldn¡¯t just kill him. Who was he? A guard? Staff? He didn¡¯t have a symbol anywhere.


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± a voice called. Vivi glanced behind herself to see Eem running in. The fiend waved her arms up and down, panicking.


    The knight lifted its head. His eyes opened wide at the sight of Eem. The fiend continued waving her arms.


    ¡°Oh, crap,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s the guards. We gotta hide.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°You beat me,¡± the knight said. ¡°But trust me on this. Hide your ether. The guards are coming. That¡¯s a signal.¡±


    A signal? Vivi thought. What¡¯s a signal?


    The knight picked up the pieces of his runesword and brushed aside broken bits of his helmet. Then, he rushed behind one of the columns, hiding from the main path.


    Eem hugged Vivi¡¯s leg. The fiend nodded repeatedly.


    Footsteps were approaching from behind. Vivi followed instructions, quickly hiding behind one of the columns. A simple hiding spot, but effective if nobody was searching for her. Lucius, get rid of our ether!


    Lucius recovered any active ether from Vivi¡¯s muscles, sucking it back to his hidden reserves. Her sword was retrieved to spatial storage.


    As the knight had warned, two guardsmen in Zand¡¯s leather uniforms stepped into the cavern. The orange glow of a handheld kerosene lamp lit the path. Vivi stayed silent, listening to her heartbeat.


    ¡°I felt something here,¡± one of the guards said.


    Vivi recognized the voice. It was the same old voice that had mocked her when she was captured outside of Zand¡¯s walls.


    The two guards were Jeli and Hoss.

 Chapter 46 - Invitations

    The guards paused in the middle of the room, surveying their surroundings. ¡°Someone was here,¡± Jeli said. ¡°I sensed their ether.¡±


    Vivi held her breath behind the columns. She kept herself ready in case a fight broke out. With her runesword, she could have stood a chance against the guards. Killing guards, however, was too early. Vivi still needed time to grow alone before staff was alerted.


    ¡°Someone was always somewhere,¡± Hoss said. ¡°We¡¯d never eat lunch if we investigated every little ring and chime.¡±


    ¡°And the dead stone-leafs?¡± Jeli asked.


    ¡°Could be anything,¡± Hoss said. ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary. I¡¯ve witnessed monsters fighting each other down here. No need for alarm.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Jeli said. The footsteps continued downward. Just like that, Hoss and Jeli left. The glow of their kerosene lamp disappeared behind a corner, and their footsteps disappeared.


    Vivi and the knight waited in silence for a minute longer. Eventually, the knight stood up. ¡°Alright, we should be good. You can finish me now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± Vivi said.


    The knight stared at Vivi and Eem. He took off his helmet, revealing a rough but young face. The wound Vivi just caused on the left side of his face was far from the only scar he¡¯d suffered. He had a bald head that fit his face well.


    Eem ran to him and hugged his leg. Her arms barely reached around the plate armor. ¡°Ohan!¡± she said excitedly.


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. ¡°Eem? You know him?¡±


    The knight was just as confused. ¡°Emmy, what are you doing with this human?¡±


    Eem jumped up and down. She ran back to Vivi. As if showing off a friend, she said, ¡°Ivwi!¡±


    ¡°Ivwi?¡± The knight looked at Vivi. ¡°Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Vivi,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re Ohan?¡±


    ¡°Rohan.¡± He smiled awkwardly. ¡°Uh, did I accidentally just challenge Emmy¡¯s ally to a duel?¡±


    Eem couldn¡¯t stand still for a second. She hopped around, taking turns hugging Rohan and Vivi. Rohan lowered to Eem¡¯s level and patted her in the head with his gauntlets.


    ¡°Emmy doesn¡¯t speak often,¡± he said. ¡°If she gives someone a name, that name is worn with honor. And anyone that Eem has named must not be evil. Let me apologize again for challenging you.¡±


    ¡°It was a good duel,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Sorry about your sword.¡±


    Rohan breathed in. His eyes suddenly turned serious. ¡°You defeated me. I have no right to order you around. But you must understand that you¡¯re being reckless. This part of the dungeon is strictly banned. The Hollows, our gang, found the fangling lair destroyed by another nimrod. We¡¯re trying our best to hide the evidence from the guards. Boss is looking for the culprit. And he¡¯s not overjoyed.¡± He gave Vivi a look.


    Oh no, Vivi thought. Have I made more enemies?


    Eem clung tightly to Vivi, listening to Rohan¡¯s words. Eem looked serious. ¡°Ivwi, Ohan, fwen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, friends,¡± Rohan said. ¡°No fighting.¡±


    Eem nodded. ¡°Fwen.¡±


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I break my own codes by asking this, but I need you to visit the lair. I can vouch for your kindness. There are certain rules of the hidden dungeon that you must learn. If you continue the way you have, the guards will find you. You will get killed. In the process, the lower levels will be investigated. Our lair might be found.¡±


    ¡°Your lair?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I won¡¯t disclose information yet,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I have sworn to die before revealing secrets.¡± He bowed. ¡°I can promise your safety. The boss can decide how much he wants to reveal. Once he knows Eem calls you by name, he will cooperate.¡±


    Interesting, Vivi thought. It looks like the hidden dungeon isn¡¯t as hidden as we thought.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lucius said. ¡°This knight¡¯s warnings are serious. A guard patrol just passed. We¡¯re not ready to fight the Stewards yet.¡±


    Vivi agreed. Rohan had challenged her to a duel with force, but he seemed mostly sensible. Following him was a risk¡ªeverything down here was a risk¡ªbut teaming up with him sounded far less risky than making an enemy out of his gang.


    And Rohan was Eem¡¯s friend. Vivi couldn¡¯t just make an enemy out of someone who treated Eem nicely.


    ¡°Take me there,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you.¡±


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    Rohan nodded. His face was still bleeding. The wound didn¡¯t seem to faze him. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to lead invaders to the lair either. But you¡¯re an exception. This way.¡±


    He headed down through a different path from the guards. Vivi followed with Eem on her shoulders. She didn¡¯t know how close Eem and Rohan were, but the fiend had chosen Vivi¡¯s shoulders.


    Rohan entered the next monotone cavern and checked for monsters. The area seemed clear. The scenery stayed the same, though the planks grew rougher.


    ¡°How many nimrods know of this place?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°The secret dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully not many,¡± Rohan said. ¡°The Hollows have around ten members that reside here. Ten more that know this place exists. Outsiders are rare. If someone finds a way in here, we either kill them or recruit them. Depends on their cooperation.¡±


    You decided to attack me immediately, Vivi thought.


    Vivi knew she had an awful reputation. Rohan had a reason to attack her. Vivi had cleared a lot of monsters in the secret dungeon that she definitely wasn¡¯t supposed to. But she still didn¡¯t know how to feel about being attacked out of nowhere.


    ¡°The guards patrol weekly,¡± Rohan continued. ¡°Their job is to ensure that the boss isn¡¯t in any danger of dying. Usually, guards check out the upper levels, ensuring that nothing is totally amiss. They¡¯re usually quite careless. Those two that passed will leave within an hour. We¡¯ve mapped out their most common patrol paths.¡±


    ¡°Will they check out the fangling lair?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Rohan said. ¡°The guards avoid the deeper levels of the gnoll mineshaft and the fangling lair. The fangling lair has a secret path to the boss, but clearing the way there is a huge pain. A guard died there, once. Ever since then, the guards have mostly left it alone, believing that a nimrod can¡¯t possibly clear the lair. Your massacre will most likely go overlooked.


    ¡°Still, our gang avoids hunting here. Even if the guards are unlikely to patrol every corner, hunting for common monsters isn¡¯t worth the risk. We already have enough ether.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here, then?¡± Vivi asked.


    Rohan hesitated before speaking. ¡°Skills. The hidden dungeon is the only place to earn skills.¡±


    ¡°You pulled the pickaxe back to your hand,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Was that a skill?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rohan said. ¡°A gravity manipulation skill. It¡¯s a weak one. Most would call it a garbage skill. But it¡¯s a skill nonetheless. We got it from a lucky drop three years ago. You must understand how difficult gaining skills is. You have one too.¡±


    Three years? Vivi thought. The demons had been hunting here for so long?


    She stayed quiet about Lucius¡¯s presence. The demons still believed his claws were a skill. If Rohan¡¯s gang proved to be trustworthy, she could consider revealing her debt and powers, but it was far too early to speak of his presence.


    An ether-aura shone ahead. Vivi picked up on it from afar. She readied herself for combat.


    Rohan, however, held out his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s not kill it. Let me deal with this.¡±


    Turning the corner, Rohan faced the monster. It was a large humanoid amalgamation with purple skin. Three eyes, uneven bodily proportions. Parts of its skin were cracked, revealing gaping black holes, ether rising out of them. The monster carried at least four hundred ether, most of which seemed to go into enhancing pure strength. Its muscles were large.


    Rohan punched the monster in the head with his gauntlets.


    The monster was knocked down with force. It didn¡¯t die, flailing around aimlessly on the ground. Its clumsiness reminded Vivi of an ether stick. It tried to get up. Rohan kicked it back to the ground.


    ¡°The guards might come here,¡± Rohan said. ¡°If at all possible, leave monsters alive. We¡¯re almost there.¡± He walked past the monster, entering the next room.


    The monster stood and slowly followed. Its presence remained behind Vivi. The feeling was uncomfortable. So far, Vivi had always cleared the monsters behind her before advancing. This ensured she had a safe escape path if the monsters ahead got too dangerous. To leave monsters alive purposefully felt wrong.


    Rohan, however, was confident. He stepped into the next larger cavern. Columns were spread across the space. Five more monsters were wandering around the room. Three were similar purple amalgamations. Two were white-furred surge hounds with saber teeth. Down here, monsters were starting to spawn more rapidly.


    The surge hounds were fast, immediately charging Rohan. He stayed calm and punched the first in the head, causing a concussion. He grabbed its saber tooth, twisting it out and driving it into the hound¡¯s head. The monster died. Rohan collected its ether.


    ¡°The surge hounds can die,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Annoying predators. Just make sure their corpses are hidden.¡±


    Vivi decided to help out. She slashed at the second wolf with a simple claw attack. She expected the wolf to die in one hit. Her claws had grown, after all.


    That didn¡¯t happen. The wolf charged right through the swipe with minor cuts to its fur. The wolf jumped at her neck with its mouth open.


    Surprised, Vivi called her runesword. She drove the sword through the wolf¡¯s mouth. The monster died, granting Lucius 56 ether.


    ¡°Surge hounds aren¡¯t easy monsters,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I nearly died to them once. Even these purple idiots are deadly if they manage to cling to your skin.¡± He punched another approaching purple amalgamation, knocking it down.


    With the surge hounds dead, Rohan picked up their host bones and hid them behind columns. Down in the dungeon, monsters were mostly made out of pure ether. Their hosts were tiny, sometimes only a single bone. But the surge hounds still left a host behind.


    ¡°Its best to leave the host around so the monster respawns,¡± Rohan said. ¡°But the corpse needs to be hidden in case a guard patrol comes.¡±


    The purple amalgamations were slowly approaching. Rohan walked behind one of the larger stone columns by the back of the cavern. ¡°This is the entrance to our lair. The Stewards know this spot exists.¡±


    Vivi didn¡¯t see anything yet. She watched Rohan climb up the column, using the wall as support. He placed one foot on the wall, the other on the column. He climbed ten feet up before pushing at the column. A latch opened, revealing an entrance.


    ¡°This column is hollow,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    The purple amalgamations were approaching. Vivi quickly hopped up and entered the latch on the column.


    A rope ladder was placed inside the hollow column. Little blinking mushrooms grew from between the steps, offering light. A homely smell of old wood resided within. Rohan climbed up.


    ¡°This is just like the crack in the wall,¡± Vivi noted. ¡°Is that also yours?¡±


    Rohan paused. ¡°Uh, you found that?¡±


    ¡°Eem showed it to me,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°We like to build fun contraptions inside solid objects,¡± Rohan said. ¡°We are the Hollow Phantoms, after all. This lair is fully mined into the stone by hand.¡±


    At the top of the ladder, Vivi peeked her head into a richly decorated little encampment.

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    I''ve been cooking up chapters at a rapid pace in hopes of launching a Patreon. Like most authors here, I am competing for the dream of writing my story full time! Or at the very least, I am hoping to prove to my loved ones that locking myself up in the writing cave has not been a total waste of time. If you wish to support your local Finnish runesmith, head over to the link in the author notes below!


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    Thanks all for reading!

 Chapter 47 - The Hollow Phantoms

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    A crystal chandelier hung from the lair¡¯s ceiling. The room wasn¡¯t large, but the ceiling was high enough to fit an indoor balcony: built of wood with silver railings. The balcony circled around the room on all sides. Bookshelves and storage¡ªbarrels, chests, as well as haphazard items¡ªwere stacked on top of each other and visible from between the railings.


    The lower floor had tables, couches, weapon racks. The parlor was cramped, but the arrangements made sense. One half of the room was separated into a hangout space, while the other had papers and maps, as well as weapons and more practical items. Two closed doors stood on both sides of the room.


    The chandelier was clearly expensive. The rest of the furniture was more ordinary but comfortable nonetheless. The lair felt like a home. There was even artwork. Wood paintings had been hung on the walls, depicting monsters and scenery. The artist used a carving knife and black ink to draw on wooden boards.


    Then there were the demons.


    A horned woman, wearing barely any clothing, was passed out on one of the couches. Next to her, an old man was calculating something with a math-board. Neither gave any sort of reaction as Rohan entered.


    A younger man glanced down from the balcony. He saw Vivi, and his eyebrows rose in surprise.


    The man was Ven. The same guy from Aang¡¯s gang that had tried to recruit Vivi.


    ¡°Vivi?¡± Ven exclaimed. ¡°Rohan, what is this human doing here?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the one that¡¯s been killing monsters,¡± Rohan said. ¡°This is Vivi. Everyone, say hello.¡±


    The old man gave Vivi a nod before going back to his work. The woman groggily woke up. ¡°Welcome¡­¡± she said. She rubbed her eyes and turned to Vivi.


    The woman¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Ohh! Emmy¡¯s back! Hey little friend!¡±


    Eem climbed down from Vivi¡¯s shoulder and ran to the woman¡¯s arms. ¡°Awwy!¡± Eem said.


    ¡°That¡¯s Alisa,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Our assassin, shield breaker¡­ she does pretty much everything.¡±


    Alisa had pretty eyes and smooth dark skin. Her horns were tiny, barely poking out beneath her messy long hair. ¡°Welcome,¡± Alisa said, giving Vivi a smile.


    ¡°Next to her is our mathematician, Henry,¡± Rohan said. ¡°And that idiot is Ven.¡±


    ¡°Hello¡­¡± Vivi said quietly.


    Ven sighed. He climbed down a ladder from the balcony. ¡°I should have known it was Vivi. Of course it¡¯s her. The weirdo who everyone has a grudge on, and who¡¯s been causing trouble while fifteen thousand ether in debt.¡±


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± Eem said, hugging Vivi again. Eem seemed to be familiar with this place, treating it like home.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the wound, Rohan?¡± Alisa asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like you to lose to monsters these days.¡±


    Rohan gave an awkward smile. ¡°Uh, there were a few complications. Through an honored battle, Vivi has defeated me and granted me this wound.¡±


    The room fell silent. ¡°You fought?¡± Alisa asked.


    ¡°Rohan challenged me to a duel when I entered your territory,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We fought. Then he kindly offered to bring me here.¡±


    ¡°That does sound like something Rohan would do,¡± Ven said. ¡°Attacking strangers, that is. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°He said there¡¯s something your boss wanted to tell me,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ve broken rules, and I would have gotten caught by the guards without Rohan¡¯s help. I came here to hear what your boss has to say. I don¡¯t know if I can become your ally, but I would like to know how to avoid guard patrols.¡±


    ¡°Aang should be free in a minute,¡± Ven said. ¡°He¡¯s been waiting for his new sword for a while now.¡±


    Aang? Vivi thought. New sword?


    Suddenly, Vivi¡¯s senses flared a warning. Footsteps approached from behind one of the closed doors. The presence was strong. At least as strong as Serena Goldbridge, and the owner wasn¡¯t hiding the aura.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The door opened, and a large six-foot tall demon stepped in. His scorched upper body was lined with patterned white tattoos, depicting blades and flowers. He carried a two-runed greatsword with mass and sharpness runes. A misty aura slowly escaped from the veins.


    Vivi recognized the demon from collection day. Aang. The leader of the union.


    Ether oozed out of Aang¡¯s eyes as he took a step forward, runesword out. His figure seemed to cast a shadow all across the room. His presence was enormous, wielding at least four thousand pure ether. Vivi and Lucius wouldn¡¯t stand a chance fighting him.


    His posture and aura didn¡¯t seem to be hostile. He grinned, proudly standing with his runesword.


    ¡°Holy wisp of Ingfried,¡± Ven gushed. Everyone was staring at the blade in awe. ¡°That sword is insane.¡±


    ¡°Rensfig went all in,¡± Aang said. ¡°We¡¯ll be paying debts for a long time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°The smith himself has named it, ¡®I don¡¯t fucking know, I¡¯m going to sleep,¡¯¡± Aang said. He sheathed the sword. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll receive a proper name tomorrow. Who said Emmy is back?¡±


    ¡°Aann!¡± Eem said, excitedly jumping up and down.


    Aang grinned. ¡°Welcome home, Emmy. I see you¡¯ve made new friends.¡±


    ¡°Ivwi!¡± Eem said.


    Vivi stood stiff throughout the conversation. Aang¡¯s presence filled the entire room. Vivi knew she had no chance in winning a fight.


    ¡°Who might you be?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°Vivi, sir,¡± she said. The respectful tone came out on its own. ¡°I¡¯m the one who killed the fanglings. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Any skills?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You defeated the boss,¡± Aang said. ¡°Did it drop anything?¡±


    ¡°No skills,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Just ether.¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Aang said. ¡°That boss had been brewing for a while.¡±


    Vivi didn¡¯t know what to say. She struggled to read the room. These people appeared nice. Their presences were incredibly powerful. But Rohan had said their boss was annoyed with Vivi. He was looking for the culprit of the fangling massacre.


    Aang poked Eem in the cheek. The fiend seemed to be losing all remaining intelligence. She made incoherent noises while pulling on Aang¡¯s loose pants.


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused us a lot of trouble, Vivi,¡± Aang said. ¡°Your immediate thought upon finding the hidden dungeon was to take advantage of the stronger monsters. To become a breaker and grow rich.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi admitted.


    ¡°That was naive and stupid,¡± Aang said. ¡°All dreamful idiots have a swift falling in Zand. Clearing this part of the dungeon is enticing, but it¡¯s a mistake. You will not grow strong enough to defeat the Stewards even if you clear the main boss. Conversely, the risks are enormous. If the guards as much as sniff signs of nimrod life here, suddenly, the dungeon won¡¯t be as lonely anymore.¡±


    Aang spoke to her as if she was a child. Vivi couldn¡¯t argue back. Now that Aang had said it like that, her actions were reckless. ¡°Yes. I see that now.¡±


    ¡°Are you familiar with my union?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°They call you one of the big three,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You¡¯re a protector of the nimrods.¡±


    ¡°The union is my main occupation,¡± Aang said. ¡°It¡¯s still active, but it¡¯s not nearly as grand as it was ten years ago. My focus has moved to the operation here. This lair is all hand-made. Took five years, but it¡¯s done. All without the Stewards knowing.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s telling you a lot,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he intends to let us go.¡±


    Yes¡­ Vivi thought. We¡¯re in trouble.


    All of Aang¡¯s followers were listening. Their light-hearted jokes came to a pause. Alisa slid into a rogue¡¯s vest, then began cleaning Rohan¡¯s wound.


    Vivi doubted the crew would kill her. Yet, her wariness remained. Everyone in Zand was a possible threat. Vivi couldn¡¯t feel comfortable with Aang¡¯s aura in the air.


    ¡°Truth is,¡± Aang said, ¡°now that you¡¯re in the lair, I¡¯m forced to deal with you one way or another. I hope we can reach a peaceful agreement.¡±


    ¡°Vivi is a huge opportunity,¡± Rohan said. ¡°She defeated me in battle. Snapped my blade with her own. She is a strong fighter, who has spared my life after defeating me. I promised to vouch for her kindness, and that¡¯s what I will do. As your Knight, I am ashamed to have lost a battle defending our home, but as a result, I have invited this wonderful young fighter. I will vouch again for her, and I ask you to consider appointing her as my replacement!¡±


    ¡°Who let Rohan in charge of defense duty?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°Nobody,¡± Ven said. ¡°We told him to stay inside.¡±


    Rohan bowed as an apology.


    Aang sighed. ¡°And which sword was he wielding?¡±


    ¡°Black Rose,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I would have defeated her if I wielded more ether. Three hundred was not enough.¡±


    Aang blinked, surprised. ¡°Black Rose snapped? Rensfig spent six weeks carving that sword. How is that possible?¡±


    Six weeks carving? Vivi thought. Do they have a runesmith?


    ¡°Rohan¡­¡± Ven said. ¡°You challenged someone to a duel while wielding three hundred ether? Have you lost your mind?¡±


    Rohan placed the two halves of his sword on a table. ¡°Black Rose was a work of art. I loved swinging this sword more than anything. Vivi¡¯s sword, however, was stronger.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Aang asked. ¡°That was an asmite blade?¡±


    Rohan kept his head low, not answering.


    Aang sighed. ¡°Rensfig will be mad. He¡¯s passed out. You better prepare a good excuse.¡±


    ¡°This Rensfig,¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Is he a runesmith?¡±


    ¡°A runesmith indeed,¡± Aang said. ¡°The only runesmith in all of Zand. It¡¯s a dangerous profession. Being caught smithing runeswords for nimrods is enough to earn death.¡±


    A real runesmith? Vivi thought. I¡¯m not alone? Aang has his own runesmith?


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Aang said. ¡°My men seem to like you. You are Eem¡¯s friend, and you¡¯re strong enough to defeat a fang tanker. You¡¯re naive and ambitious, but it¡¯s clear you aren¡¯t evil. There¡¯s a lot you need to know about this dungeon, and about the inner operations of Zand. You can¡¯t be allowed into the secret dungeon alone.¡±


    He took a step forward, looming over Vivi. ¡°Until you learn the rules of the dungeon, you will hunt under my gang¡¯s strict supervision. This is not a request or an invitation. It is a command. For the next two weeks, you will become a member of the Hollow Phantoms. By then, you will learn to defy the most powerful beings keeping our freedom. The Stewards.¡±

 Chapter 48 - Swindlers

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    Aang waited for Vivi¡¯s response. He had claimed that his proposal was an order, and that he wouldn¡¯t let Vivi do as she pleased. Yet, despite the forceful offer, Aang¡¯s words weren¡¯t threatening like Carla¡¯s or Andre¡¯s. Aang didn¡¯t plan on killing Vivi even if she chose to step out right now.


    His gang had runeswords, and a runesmith. The members were Eem¡¯s friends. This group was entirely different from the other gangs. Did Vivi have any reason to turn them down?


    ¡°I will work with you,¡± Vivi said. She slightly lowered her head. ¡°Please treat me well.¡±


    Ven and Alisa grinned, while Rohan bowed, as if already believing himself to be Vivi¡¯s inferior. The old mathematician, Henry, gave a quick nod of approval.


    ¡°Really?¡± Lucius asked. He¡¯d been listening in on the conversation in silence. ¡°You¡¯d accept their offer?¡±


    I think it¡¯s a good choice, Vivi thought. These demons aren¡¯t cruel, and they¡¯re willing to teach me how to hunt without being caught. If we continue hunting on our own, everyone will be our enemy.


    ¡°You plan on revealing our powers?¡± Lucius asked.


    Not yet, Vivi thought. Only if we need to.


    ¡°Happy to have you,¡± Aang said. ¡°As of today, you will be treated as a member of the Phantoms. Whether you wish to stay is up to you. I can let you go after I¡¯m certain you won¡¯t cause trouble. The easiest way to teach you will be to take you on missions. Starting right now.¡±


    Aang placed down his runesword, replacing it with an ordinary ensium greatsword. He transferred ether into an ether orb. A real ether container. The ruby-colored orb was see-through and smooth. It glowed bright as wisps of ether filled it up. Each orb held roughly a thousand wisps. Aang required four more orbs to get rid of his ether reserves. He fell back below three hundred.


    Lastly, he wore a brown cloak and put on a black mask. Beneath the hood, his face was entirely hidden. He tossed Vivi another similar mask and a hood.


    ¡°As a new member,¡± Aang said, ¡°you are not allowed to enter and exit the hidden dungeon on your own. Moving between the hub and the hidden dungeon is always a risk. Getting caught a single time could lead to the base¡¯s discovery. Until you learn to properly sneak between the areas, you will need to be accompanied by one of us. Rohan excluded. He cannot be trusted to sneak between the areas.¡±


    Vivi nodded.


    ¡°Second, when moving within the hidden dungeon, wear a disguise. Getting caught with a disguise is still a disaster, but a disguise is better than none.


    ¡°Third, when moving into the hub, don¡¯t get cocky. Keep your ether reserves below three hundred. Avoid fights. None of us here are wolves. You might be tempted to skip this step for quick visits, but keeping my ether low has saved my life countless times.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Etherprint scanners believe that I¡¯m fifteen thousand ether in debt.¡±


    Ven leaned forward. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°I am in debt. However¡­¡± She hesitated before continuing. The demons already entrusted her with a lot of secrets. Vivi could let one of hers go. ¡°I can hide my true ether reserves. I currently wield over two thousand ether.¡±


    ¡°Damned humans,¡± Alisa said. ¡°That confirms Andre is doing the same, doesn¡¯t it? He¡¯s been hiding his real aura this whole time.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Andre uses the same trick. He and I can walk in the hub with our full ether reserves without the Stewards knowing. Please keep this a secret. If Andre gets discovered, I will as well.¡±


    ¡°Andre doesn¡¯t concern us,¡± Aang said. ¡°He¡¯s strong, and he causes trouble when he can, but he hasn¡¯t yet figured out that the hidden dungeon exists. His men are weak and uncoordinated. Only Andre himself is a problem.¡±


    ¡°A problem when we are without our weapons,¡± Rohan added. ¡°I could defeat him in a fair fight.¡±


    ¡°Rohan would lose,¡± Lucius said. ¡°At least if he fights like he did against us. Andre is still strong. A spirit blade defeats these old outside runeswords.¡±


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    Rohan fought us with three hundred ether, Lucius, Vivi thought. And he still almost stood a chance. He¡¯s skilled. Just a bit stupid.


    ¡°Ven, Alisa,¡± Aang said. ¡°Let¡¯s move to today¡¯s operation. Prepare to hit the Ember Golem. Rohan can come as well, but he¡¯s not getting another sword. Ven, bring my blade into the boss room.¡±


    ¡°The usual business, then,¡± Ven said.


    ¡°About time,¡± Alisa said. ¡°I thought we were brewing the boss for the Stewards.¡±


    ¡°It has been three weeks,¡± Aang said. ¡°A large risk. We¡¯ll have to take it.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± Ven asked. ¡°Has Lydi finished the potions?¡±


    ¡°She has,¡± Aang said. ¡°I¡¯m meeting her now. Vivi, put on your mask and come with me. I¡¯ll explain the plan and show you how things work on the way there.¡±


    Vivi did as asked. She put on the brown cloak over her raincoat. Aang climbed down the ladder, expecting her to follow.


    Before leaving, Vivi glanced at Eem. The fiend sat on the arm of a sofa with an observant expression. Everyone treated her nicely. Eem wouldn¡¯t be in trouble if Vivi left her alone.


    Vivi, however, would feel safer with Eem. ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± she asked.


    Eem¡¯s face lit up. She ran over and quickly climbed on Vivi¡¯s shoulder.


    Alisa laughed. She flicked a finger at Vivi¡¯s forehead. ¡°Good luck, newbie. Let¡¯s meet in the boss room.¡±


    ¡°Um, yes,¡± Vivi said. She still didn¡¯t know what was happening, but Aang had promised to explain things. She exited the lair through the hollow column.


    In the cave below, Aang was fighting three surge hounds.


    His movements made Vivi pause. Aang, disguised by his cloak, wielded three hundred ether and a non-runic ensium blade. Aang was totally surrounded, yet he stood his ground. His swings hit like boulders, crushing each wolf he hit. Despite his strength, he wasn¡¯t clumsy or slow. He dealt with three wolves at the same time, defending and then attacking, as if the monsters were nothing.


    Vivi couldn¡¯t even consider helping before Aang had already killed all three wolves. ¡°Take their ether,¡± Aang said. ¡°I¡¯m already at 299 ether. If you have hidden reserves, you should take their ether.¡±


    ¡°Um, yes,¡± Vivi said. The hounds¡¯ ether put Lucius at 2629. She helped Aang hide the host bones.


    ¡°Lydi is waiting for us in the apartment district,¡± Aang said. ¡°The room is our primary connection between the hub and the hidden dungeon. You used the same path yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Eem brought me there,¡± Vivi said.


    Aang nodded. ¡°You didn¡¯t cause a disaster. The guard at the doors, that¡¯s Grenall,¡± Aang said. ¡°He¡¯s not a real guard. We replaced the real apartment keeper a little while ago.¡±


    Vivi blinked. ¡°Seriously? How?¡±


    ¡°It was quite the scheme,¡± Aang said. ¡°Ven organized most of it. Grenall was originally a nimrod. We managed to get him hired into staff. These days he lives in the woods of the fourth level, pretending he has a wife and kids to take care of. He¡¯s in charge of keeping the apartment district in order.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Vivi said. ¡°He could escape!¡±


    Aang knocked over one of the purple amalgamations, swiftly passing. He dealt with the cavern¡¯s monsters similarly to Rohan. The faster monsters were killed, while the slower clumsy monsters were left alive. Aang, too, fought monsters within the confines of a nimrod¡¯s three hundred ether limit. And he still made hunting look easy.


    ¡°Escaping isn¡¯t too difficult once you have enough ether,¡± Aang said. ¡°I¡¯ve been outside the walls many times.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. ¡°Seriously? Why are you still here, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Aang said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you become an official member. There¡¯s a lot we still need to do in Zand.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s mouth hung open for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not even hunting in the hidden dungeon,¡± she said. ¡°What reason is there to keep a hidden base?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t hunting for ether,¡± Aang said. ¡°All of my members are already maxed out with ether to spare. We¡¯re down here to hunt for skills.¡±


    He slashed open another surge hound and said, ¡°Zand is more than just an ether facility. That¡¯s why there are so many strong Stewards. It all has to do with this dungeon. There are a total of five squadron bosses on top of the main boss itself. All of which have a chance of dropping skills. The fang tanker had been brewing for three weeks after the Stewards killed it. Ven and I were planning on clearing the fanglings today, but the Ember Golem will do instead.¡±


    ¡°The Stewards killed the boss before me?¡± Vivi asked, raising her eyebrows.


    ¡°The Stewards¡¯ job is not to safekeep nimrods,¡± Aang said. ¡°The job of keeping order goes to the guards. Most Stewards are not present in the facility for the majority of days with the exception of Uundref and Wheryn. The rest only show up for collection day.


    ¡°The Stewards¡¯ real job is to clear the hidden dungeon. Every four weeks, the Stewards gather up to kill every monster, and to defeat every squadron boss, collecting skills and ether. With everything dead, they shut the doors, leaving the dungeon to brew for another four weeks. This cycle is the true reason so many Stewards are present. On top of the ether that the nimrods provide from each dead end of the dungeon, the Stewards also gain skills from the hidden dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Vivi said. It was good that she was learning this now. ¡°If they clear the dungeon every four weeks, they¡¯ll be back in a week?¡±


    ¡°A week or two, yes,¡± Aang said. ¡°Bosses have a higher chance of dropping skills the longer they brew. The optimal time is roughly four weeks. Lately, however, the Stewards haven¡¯t been receiving as many skills as they would like to. They think the bosses are starting to become too recycled. They¡¯ve begun waiting five or six weeks between each raid.¡±


    Vivi thought for a moment. If bosses respawned after one week, but the Stewards waited for four weeks between each raid¡­ ¡°You¡¯re ruining the Stewards¡¯ brew, aren¡¯t you? Every two weeks, you defeat the bosses to gain skills for yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Aang said. ¡°Bosses respawn weekly. Even at two weeks, they have a decent chance of dropping skills. This is the true reason why the Hollow Phantoms exist. We sneak in at precisely week two or three; we swoop the bosses for ourselves, and we leave the Stewards with the scraps.¡±

 Chapter 49 - The Art of Brewing Monsters

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    ¡°Wow,¡± Lucius said after listening to Aang¡¯s speech. ¡°He steals bosses from the Stewards! That¡¯s so insane!¡±


    Lucius was as excited as Eem was when offered a fish. Aang¡¯s plan made Lucius¡¯s presence spin around inside Vivi¡¯s core. Vivi felt a tickle.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impressive as it sounds,¡± Aang said, ¡°We usually only clear one or two out of the five squadron bosses to minimize risk. The Stewards still need to believe their time is worth it. Otherwise, they¡¯ll start to make changes. So far, they¡¯ve helped us by letting the bosses brew longer. This cycle, two bosses are already dead. The fangling lair, and the Mist Arachne. After the Ember Golem, we¡¯ve cleared three bosses.¡±


    ¡°How often do you earn skills?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°We average one and a half every year,¡± Aang said, frowning. ¡°Bosses that brew for only two weeks drop weaker skills, and the chances are lower. We¡¯ve gathered a total of nine skills. All are common rarity, and only three offer us noteworthy advantages. However, things might soon change. Lydi has finished a prototype for a new potion.¡±


    Vivi vaguely remembered Lydi from a few days ago. She was the grumpy demon with ashen fingers.


    Aang continued deeper. He didn¡¯t need Eem¡¯s directions to pass through the dungeon. Eem sat on Vivi¡¯s shoulders, calmly watching. The scenery turned back to black flowers and vegetation. The monsters here were far more passive, but they encountered a stone-leaf. Aang knocked it over with a forceful tackle.


    After a few more minutes, Aang led Vivi to the exit leading to his apartment. He lifted the stone slab out of the way and told Vivi and Eem to go in first.


    ¡°After this point,¡± Aang said, ¡°no more talking about the hidden dungeon. The gang uses code words if we need to speak about something that other nimrods aren¡¯t supposed to hear. I¡¯ll teach them to you later. For now, play along and try to understand as much as you can.¡±


    Ascending out of the crawlspace, Vivi found the apartment already lit up. Two demons were waiting there, including Lydi. She wore a grey alchemist''s robe, fabric filled with old potion spills.


    Lydi gave Vivi, who was still disguised, a weird look. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize your scent. Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Allies,¡± Aang said, ascending after Vivi. ¡°Vivi, take your mask off for a moment.¡±


    Vivi did so.


    Lydi leaned back, surprised. ¡°Aang? What is she doing here?¡±


    ¡°Vivi is a new member,¡± Aang said. ¡°She¡¯s coming on the raid today.¡±


    Lydi blinked, still shocked.


    The other woman in the room stood calmly beside Lydi. She was a shorter demon with dark skin and short hair. Her alchemical robe was far cleaner than Lydi¡¯s. She didn¡¯t appear to be strong, but she had a reserved and respectful posture. The look of a proficient alchemist.


    Next to them was a handheld potion rack, lined with ten vials of some liquid that resembled strong clear spirit. Wisps of trapped ether were spinning at the bottom of the vials, making the liquid look alive.


    ¡°You got them to work?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°They worked on an ether stick, at least,¡± Lydi said. ¡°On any stronger monsters¡­ They¡¯re probably too dangerous to try out.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, then,¡± Aang said. He opened the trapdoor and descended back to the crawl space.


    Lydi sighed, but didn¡¯t argue, as if she expected the response already. The demons followed, heading back to the hidden dungeon. The two alchemists brought the potions, though Lydi didn¡¯t appear too happy. She spoke louder in the dungeon.


    ¡°What I meant is that the potions are definitely not ready to be used on a boss monster. Feni and I fed one to an ether stick. The monster grew twice its size, nearly killing us. It didn¡¯t drop a single wisp of extra ether.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot regardless,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°What are those potions?¡± Vivi asked.


    Lydi gave Vivi and Eem a side-eye, wondering if she should be talking at all. ¡°How trustworthy is this human?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Vivi seems sane,¡± Aang said.


    Lydi leaned her head forward.


    ¡°The plan will be revealed to her anyway,¡± Aang said. ¡°You can tell her what we¡¯re doing.¡±


    Lydi frowned, but spoke. ¡°We¡¯re trying to speed up the brewing process. These potions are supposed to cause a reaction in a monster¡¯s core that forces the host to intake ether from the nature around it.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re trying to manually brew monsters?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°How do you do that?¡±


    Lydi looked reluctant to answer. She straightened her sleeves, hiding her ashen fingers.


    ¡°The dungeon has plenty of ether stuck in its walls,¡± the other alchemist said. ¡°That ether is calm and dormant. Manipulating natural ether has proven to be possible. We¡¯re currently using emberstones and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t share our formula, Feni,¡± Lydi said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to buff the boss for a higher chance of earning skills. That¡¯s all she needs to know.¡±


    Feni gave Vivi an apologetic look and shrugged.


    ¡°Speaking of ether,¡± Lydi said. ¡°Why are we all dry? How are we going to get to the boss if all of us have less than three hundred ether?¡±


    ¡°Vivi has ether,¡± Aang said. ¡°And she¡¯s strong. I¡¯d like to see how she fights. Vivi, can you clear the way to the boss for us? The guards have completed their patrol through the Ember Golem¡¯s lair. We can kill monsters there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Lucius said before Vivi could consider anything. ¡°I want to fight this boss. If we need to reveal my presence, so be it. I don¡¯t care. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    If the boss drops a skill, we won¡¯t be the ones to wield it, Vivi thought.


    Lucius paused at that. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Aang seems like a good ally. We can always hunt other bosses later.¡±


    ¡°Lead me there,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll fight. As long as I can pick up the ether from the monsters I kill.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Aang said. ¡°Emmy can lead the way. To the fire cave. Do you remember where that is?¡±


    Eem nodded three times and pointed at one of the crawl spaces.


    ¡°Big paths, please,¡± Aang said.


    Eem pouted, then pointed to the rightmost path. Vivi followed the instructions, now walking at the front of the group.


    The first ten minutes of the trip were uneventful. Aand and Lydi discussed plans and strategies, talking about the preparations they¡¯d done. They referred to earlier events a lot, making it hard for Vivi to understand what they were talking about. She tried to ask for elaborations, but Aang merely told her to wait and see.


    Vivi encountered the usual wandering monsters of the black flower area. Ghost blades and stone leafs. By now, she was strong enough to outmaneuver the ghost blades. She didn¡¯t need Lucius¡¯s blocking to keep up with the assassins¡¯ speed. Losing to a ghost blade would have been embarrassing, considering Vivi had five times the ether count compared to even the strongest ghost blades.


    Vivi fought with her steel sword to avoid questions. She planned on revealing her runesword when a good opportunity came, but she was still uncomfortable revealing the extent of her abilities.


    The stone leafs were a struggle with the steel sword, but Vivi managed to smash them down with ether-enhanced strength. Steel could beat stone as long as the attack came with a lot of force.


    After hacking down the stone-leaf, Vivi¡¯s old steel sword was a sorry sight. The edges dulled. The blade almost looked wrinkled, and a part of the sword was falling off. It was a miracle the sword didn¡¯t snap in half. Vivi almost wanted to apologize to her sword.


    Aang smiled. ¡°We know you snapped Rohan¡¯s blade. It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re hiding your powers.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m just practicing,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s good to use weaker equipment to gain more experience from fights.¡±


    ¡°Not incorrect,¡± Aang said. ¡°One day, you might not have maxed out ether reserves, or a proficient weapon. At that point, your instincts and practice are the only hope of defending yourself.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we can trust her?¡± Lydi asked again.


    ¡°If she was here to kill me, she would have done so already,¡± Aang said. ¡°I hold three hundred ether. She can defeat me without a question.¡±


    Vivi glanced at him. His tone had come off as provocative, as if challenging Vivi to try him. Aang is hiding powers as well, Vivi immediately thought.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Fighting him would be stupid.¡±


    He¡¯s our ally, Vivi thought. We don¡¯t consider attacking allies.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m just stating the obvious.¡±


    ¡°Ivwi,¡± Eem said, taking Vivi¡¯s attention. She was pointing at a tunnel leading down at a sharp angle.


    A subtle red glow peeked out from the narrow tunnel. As Vivi approached, the temperature rose. Circular embers were embedded into the walls. Not emberstones¡ªactual smoldering embers. The stone ground was tinted red.


    At the bottom of the tunnel, a black burning skeleton blocked the path. It wielded a pitch black ethereal greatsword. The sword was formed fully out of wisps of ether, making its surface appear unstable, but the sword was solid and clearly strong. The skeleton must have carried at least a thousand ether.


    Vivi still held her poor steel sword. The skeleton was too strong to fight with a steel blade. Maybe it was time to retire her first blade. Lucius retrieved the sword to spatial storage.


    Vivi went into stance and called her runesword.

 Chapter 50 - Embers Underground

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    The burning skeleton appeared far more intelligent than any of the monsters Vivi had encountered prior. Its eyes weren¡¯t merely black gaping holes; the ethereal globes had intent behind them. Its shoulders and upper body were protected by a layer of thick smoldering obsidian. The skeleton¡¯s stance was good, resembling real swordsmanship.


    ¡°A good practice dummy,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you can fight without my claws.¡±


    Vivi held her sword with two hands. Sword-to-sword combat was still her weakest and least confident style of fighting. Someone with any grasp of techniques at all could easily outmaneuver her.


    But the skeleton wasn¡¯t a practiced ether hunter. Vivi was confident in her strength and power. She initiated the battle by swinging at the skeleton¡¯s sword with all her strength.


    The skeleton blocked. It gripped its sword with one hand, using the other to push the blade from the tip. This gave him a lot of leverage; enough to overpower Vivi¡¯s sword out of the way.


    The skeleton thrust its blade forward.


    Vivi panicked for a moment. The skeleton¡¯s ethereal blade was about to pierce her stomach.


    A few days ago, Vivi would have died. Today, however, her body was filled with ether. Her senses were sharp, and her movements were fast. She managed to redirect her sword, pushing off the skeleton¡¯s lunge.


    The exchange of weapons continued. The skeleton wasn¡¯t fast or strong, but its technique was solid. It knew exactly where Vivi would swing. Each time, it calmly dealt with her attacks, throwing forth a solid attack of its own. Vivi struggled to defend despite her faster speed and power.


    Its fiery aura was starting to become a problem. Vivi felt the heat burning her skin. Just standing close to the skeleton hurt. Lucius had to redirect a lot of ether just to keep Vivi¡¯s skin from falling off.


    There was no way Vivi could defeat the skeleton in an even battle. Without proper practice, Vivi would not outmaneuver it with swordsmanship. She could only use the one advantage she had.


    Her runesword. Vivi swung as hard as she could, hitting the skeleton like a savage.


    The skeleton¡¯s ethereal blade withstood attacks, but its powers were running out. The ethereal sword used a stream of constant ether to stay active, drawing power from the skeleton¡¯s core. After each swing, the sword became more disfigured and unstable.


    In comparison, Vivi¡¯s runesword barely lost ether at all. When ether inside the runesword¡¯s veins got close to exhaustion, the wisps cycled back to Vivi¡¯s body, where their remaining powers were spent to enhance her muscles. Throughout the fight, Vivi dimmed out a few dozen ether.


    The skeleton must have lost hundreds. Its swings were becoming weaker, and its blade was losing its color.


    That was Vivi¡¯s sign to attack. She swung overhead, hitting the skeleton¡¯s block head-on.


    The skeleton¡¯s sword disintegrated to ether. Vivi¡¯s swing cut into the skeleton¡¯s shoulder, where the strength rune¡¯s powers slashed right through the smoldering obsidian. The skeleton crumbled, disintegrating into ether. Lucius collected 165 ether from its corpse.


    Behind her, Lydi stood with her arms crossed, having watched the fight. Feni smiled, clapping.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Aang said. ¡°You exhausted the grievous skeleton in under a minute.¡±


    Less than a minute? Vivi thought. That felt like ten minutes!


    ¡°I can see how you cut Rohan¡¯s blade,¡± Aang said. ¡°Is that a spirit blade? I hear the humans have invented a powerful new sword.¡±


    ¡°No, this is a runesword,¡± Vivi said with a slight smile. ¡°We surface dwellers have also invented a new type of runesword.¡±


    Aang raised his eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s powerful. Where did you get such a weapon?¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Vivi said, sheathing the sword back to spatial storage.


    Aang watched her expression for a moment before letting the topic go. ¡°The skeleton knew how strong your sword was. It knew you¡¯d pierce its shoulders. That¡¯s why it raised its blade to block instead of counter-attacking. If the skeleton chose to trade its own life to attack you, you would have died.¡±


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    ¡°Uhm, yes¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m not good at swinging swords yet.¡±


    ¡°How long have you practiced?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I know one swing and a basic stance to test swords. Otherwise, I started fighting less than a week ago.¡±


    Aang raised his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting for less than a week?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Vivi said.


    Aang let out a laugh. ¡°Your inexperience shows. But less than a week? You¡¯re insane. I¡¯ve never seen someone fight as fearlessly as you.¡±


    Vivi smiled awkwardly. Was that a compliment? ¡°Thanks?¡±


    ¡°Rohan and Ven can teach you later,¡± Aang said. ¡°Those two know their swords inside out. Before then, I¡¯ll help you with the grievous skeletons. It¡¯s not worth it to practice with your life on the line. Even if you¡¯re confident in winning, forcefully cutting through monsters will only make you build bad habits.¡±


    Vivi would have liked to argue, but Aang knew what he was talking about. For the rest of the descent, Vivi fought alongside Aang.


    The ember level, whatever this part of the dungeon was called, grew hotter the deeper they went. Nothing grew here, of course, but luckily there was no lava. The level was still cave-like and fairly simple to navigate.


    Lucius empowered Vivi¡¯s boots with a slight amount of ether to protect the soles from sustaining damage. She still had to avoid stepping on the smoldering patches of ground. Eem didn¡¯t like to touch the ground at all. She traveled on Feni¡¯s back, having moved there to let Vivi without worrying about Eem on her shoulders.


    With Aang¡¯s help, the skeletons turned into a mild challenge, if even that. The gang leader protected Vivi¡¯s blind spots, creating an opportunity for her to easily cut through the skeletons'' defenses with her runesword.


    The other monsters of the lava level were joke monsters. The group encountered a giant smoldering slug that moved as slow as a snail. The slug was protected by a thick layer of smoldering obsidian, even thicker than the skeletons¡¯. Vivi believed she could have easily slashed the slug in half, but Aang sternly told her to not even try.


    Apparently, the slugs¡¯ intestines consisted of nasty smile-like substances that would ruin weapons and stain the whole place. Even the Stewards usually left the slugs alive, choosing to walk past. The slugs would only be a problem if their thick bodies blocked an entrance, in which case, Aang said, it was best to grab a thick stone and push the slug out of the way.


    The demons moved swiftly and confidently. The lava level was just as familiar to Aang as the previous levels. He¡¯d cleared this area countless times. To him, clearing the way to the boss was nothing more than routine.


    Fifteen minutes later, Lucius¡¯s reserves having risen to 3157 from the monsters, the group arrived at the gates of what Vivi could only assume was the boss room.


    Ven, Rohan, and Alisa sat on rocks, waiting. All were maxed out with ether and clad in battle equipment. Rohan wore his armor, having found a new helmet. He wielded a regular asmite blade. Ven carried a basic outside-carved strength runesword. Alisa wore a rogue¡¯s vest and light armor, wielding two runic adamantite daggers, one with a strength rune and one with a crush rune.


    Crush was an interesting rune. Out of all power-based runes, crush offered the least amount of pure pressure and weight. The job of a crush rune was not to pierce a tough defense. Rather, a crush rune specialized in causing destruction. If a crush rune managed to pierce an enemy¡¯s defense, the rune ensured that the target would suffer the largest wound possible.


    Aang¡¯s two-runed sword lay beside Ven. The classic mass and sharpness rune combination had the opposite effect. The mass rune made the sword as heavy and powerful as possible, while the sharpness rune ensured that the weight would cut through a monster instead of snapping the wielder¡¯s arms.


    Upon seeing Vivi and Aang, everyone stood. Preparations were ready, and the nearby rooms had been cleared of monsters. Ven tossed a sack full of ether containers to Aang. Vivi felt Lucius drooling at the sight of all the orbs. No, she told him.


    Aang maxed out his ether reserves. Tons of ether were remaining. Enough to clear most of Vivi¡¯s debt. What did the demons need so much ether for?


    Lydi and Feni, it turned out, needed to be maxed out as well. The two divided the rest of the ether between each other. Then, Lydi tossed aside her alchemist¡¯s robe, revealing her black mage¡¯s robe beneath. A staff was strapped to her back.


    Vivi lifted her eyebrows. Lydi¡¯s staff used runes. The staff was made of stone, veins carved into its surface. The staff was lined with dozens of runes. The rune was everything, the same rune as an etherprint scanner used. An everything rune depicted a wisp of ether in its entirety. Everything was a pain to carve, and theoretically, the rune did nothing, but the rune had strange effects when applied to the correct items. Ether scientists and engineers¡ªthe people who built scanners, for example¡ªwere more knowledgeable about everything¡¯s effects.


    Lydi sensed Vivi¡¯s look and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, just curious,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Can that staff cast magic?¡±


    ¡°I can shoot discharges of ether,¡± Lydi said. ¡°That¡¯s about it. They¡¯re powerful if they hit, but without skills, I¡¯m mostly useless. You¡¯ll have to protect me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sounds like a good plan,¡± Aang said. ¡°This is Vivi¡¯s first time meeting the Ember Golem. It¡¯s stupid to rush in and fight. Lydi knows how to avoid attacks, but she might need protection. Vivi will be most useful defending her.¡±


    Lucius perked up. He wasn¡¯t happy to hear that.


    ¡°Everything is ready, then,¡± Ven said. ¡°What about the potions?¡±


    Feni laid out the potion rack. ¡°Everyone take one. We need to get at least one vial into the boss¡¯s mouth.¡±


    ¡°Today, our goal is not to kill the boss quickly,¡± Aang said. ¡°We will immobilize it before shoving as many potions as we can into its throat. If the potions work, we will wait for ether to strengthen the boss. If the potion fails, Feni and Lydi will study the effects while we keep it immobilized. Is everything clear?¡±


    Everyone nodded, looking determined. Vivi joined up with Lydi and Feni. Eem moved from her shoulders onto Feni¡¯s to allow Vivi to swing a sword better.


    Although, it seemed Vivi would be watching the fight today. And that was fine by her. She had yet to see how a team of professionals take down a boss monster.


    If Aang¡¯s team could be called professionals¡­

 Chapter 51 - Plaything

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    The Ember Golem¡¯s arena was dangerous even without the boss.


    The ground had turned from red to a smoldering black. A subtle red mist coated the air. Breathing was heavy and hot. Disfigured columns, covered in black spiky thorns, were spread across the room. Ether flowed within the columns, as if the columns were alive.


    The boss itself sat at the back of the arena with its eyes closed. Thousands of ether oozed out of its body. Immediately, Vivi knew this boss was far stronger than the fang tanker.


    The Ember Golem was a giant horned figure with humanoid proportions. It had the face of a hairy goat. From the neck down, its body was coated in molten rocks, giving it a golem-like appearance. The hands didn¡¯t look heavy; Vivi guessed the monster would be surprisingly nimble.


    Its weapon was a thick quarterstaff, lined with glowing patterns. Vivi didn¡¯t recognize any of the patterns as runic. If the lines were supposed to be veins, the runesmith had spread them with suboptimal distribution. Ether flowed in the patterns nonetheless. The quarterstaff would crush any little humans in its path with a clean hit.


    ¡°The goat variation, huh¡­¡± Ven said. ¡°Not the worst. Your new sword should cut right through.¡± He smirked at Aang.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aang said. ¡°First, we cut off its hands and feet. Alisa, don¡¯t attack the head this time. Blow off its posture when it attacks. A clean hit will get rid of one of the hands.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Rohan, I¡¯d like to have my ¡®gravity pull¡¯ back.¡±


    ¡°What? So soon?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°I gave the skill to you for two days, and you managed to snap your sword,¡± Alisa said with her arms crossed. ¡°It¡¯s useless in your hands. Give it back.¡±


    Rohan sighed but complied. A single colorful wisp, far larger than a regular wisp of ether, transferred from his core to Alisa¡¯s.


    Was that a skill wisp? Vivi asked in her head. Can skills be transferred like that?


    ¡°Yes, skill wisps hold a lot of similarities with ether,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Humans can only hold three skills at a time. Some anomalies can change this number, but three is the typical cap. Spirits don¡¯t have any slots for skills. That¡¯s why humans are essential for spirits. We need someone to hold the skills wisps we gain. Transferability is also why skills are so sought-after. Hunters will pay thousands upon thousands of ether to buy skills. A good skill can decide the entire fighting style of a hunter.¡±


    The demons said they have nine skills, Vivi thought. Are they rich?


    ¡°They¡¯re certainly wealthy,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Lesser hunting companies would be jealous. Although, more powerful families, even the Greenwitch hunting company, usually have dozens of common skills and multiple rarer skills.¡±


    The demons made final preparations. They drank strength potions. Rohan stretched extensively, taking practice swings. The others were calmer. Vivi stood with Lydi and Feni.


    Everyone was ready. Aang filled his runesword with ether and took a calm step toward the boss. His aura consisted of around two hundred wisps of active ether. Not nearly all of his reserves.


    The Ember-goat Golem woke up, as if a trapwire had been activated. It stood on two legs. Vivi flinched by its sheer size. The monster must have been fifteen feet tall. It stood still and assessed its enemies.


    The demons¡¯ formation made no sense to Vivi¡¯s eyes. Aang stood alone at the front, facing the monster. Ven and Rohan stood by the columns on both sides, far from the boss itself. Vivi and the alchemists stood back. Lydi stood calmly with her staff.


    Alisa hid. Her stealth was good. Vivi couldn¡¯t sense her ether aura at all. Interestingly, however, Alisa hid near the back line in a shadowed section of the arena. Wasn¡¯t she planning on getting close with her daggers?


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    The boss attacked first. It tapped the heel of the quarterstaff at Aang, as if intending to crush an insect.


    Aang side-stepped the attack. He barely had to move his feet. He kept a relaxed posture and faced the boss.


    ¡°The goat variation always does this,¡± Feni said. ¡°It believes itself to be some great overlord. Visitors are mere annoyances. As long as you approach without a large aura, the Ember Golem believes it can kill Aang with a quick thump. When it fails, it gets confused.¡±


    As Feni had said, the boss tapped its quarterstaff at Aang again, this time with a little more force. Aang dodged just as easily. This continued for a few more attempts. Each time, the boss¡¯s eyes glowed brighter, growing slightly angrier.


    ¡°And when it fails enough times,¡± Feni said, ¡°it gets mad.¡±


    The boss growled. Its eyes glowed red. It went into stance and lifted its quarterstaff, preparing a heavy blow.


    That was when the demons¡¯ skills came pouring in.


    Alisa¡¯s right arm turned into solid wisps of ether. The dangerous kind, as if a surge had erupted on her palms. She threw her crush-runed dagger forth with explosive force. Vivi¡¯s hair flared out from the shockwave the throw left behind.


    The dagger pierced the Ember Golem¡¯s right hand, including the quarterstaff inside the monster¡¯s fist. The dagger devoured everything in its path, crumbling the monster¡¯s stone skin into bits. A gaping hole was left behind. The quarterstaff snapped in half.


    ¡°A discharge skill!¡± Lucius gushed.


    After the attack was thrown, Alisa¡¯s hand returned to normal. She pulled the dagger with her left hand, using the gravity spell. The dagger returned safely to her hands.


    The boss screamed in rage and pain. Its hand was blown off, wisps of ether flowing like blood from a wound. Its stance was off, and it had no weapon. Vivi knew Aang could have killed the boss there, cutting right through its stone skin. Alisa could have aimed the dagger at the boss¡¯s face, killing it. The demons were playing with the boss.


    The Ember Golem initiated its next move. Its aura grew outward, extending far. Quickly, the whole room was cloaked in the boss¡¯s misty ether.


    ¡°Here they come,¡± Feni said, preparing herself.


    The columns across the room glowed brighter. Large concentrations of ether formed within. Rohan and Ven went into stance, already prepared for what was coming. The columns moved, as if they¡¯d grown mechanical.


    The concentrated ether escaped from cracks in the columns. The ether welled together, forming flying black skulls. Monsters spawned from the columns.


    The skulls were unstable, and their shapes were disfigured. Their auras appeared to be burning as wisps rapidly escaped from their black ethereal bones. Tens of skulls were spawning all around the room.


    Aang¡¯s gang stopped playing around. Rohan and Ven slashed the skulls in half while the monsters were still forming. Lydi¡¯s staff glowed red with ether as power charged within. The power was released as a discharge; a powerful projectile that disintegrated the skulls in one blow.


    There were too many monsters to kill instantly. Surviving skulls flew at the nearest target, mouths wide open. Their teeth were sharp and straight.


    Vivi felt a chill looking into a skull¡¯s gaping mouth. One was charging right at her. She slashed it open with her runesword. The skull merely vaporized, dropping no collectible ether.


    While everyone else dealt with the skeletons, Aang faced the boss. His full ether aura was released. His scorched black skin turned pitch black, and his white tattoos appeared ascended. Cloaked in an aura of ether, Aang appeared like the demons Ythar¡¯s priests prayed for a swift death to. His presence rivaled Andre¡¯s spirit blade.


    The boss threw a desperate punch at Aang with its remaining arm. The attack was futile. Aang dodged, then grabbed onto the massive wrist. He pulled.


    The goat-golem lost its footing. A thump resounded across the arena as the boss landed on its stomach.


    Aang didn¡¯t stop there. He slashed the golem''s arms off with his runesword. Then he moved to the legs, cutting off everything from below the knees. The golem turned into an immobile stack of stone. The boss continued screaming, pushing more ether into its columns.


    ¡°Stop killing skulls!¡± Feni called.


    Vivi lifted her eyebrows but did as asked.


    Feni must have seen her confusion. She continued, ¡°The boss is close to dying. Cutting all limbs is enough to kill most monsters. However, the boss still has enough ether invested in a major attack. The skulls. As long as we keep the columns active, the boss won¡¯t disintegrate. Just don¡¯t die to the skulls.¡±


    ¡°Leave them to me!¡± Rohan called. He ran around the room, collecting as many skulls after him as he could.


    ¡°The potions!¡± Aang said. ¡°Help me lift it!¡±


    The boss¡¯s face was stuck on the ground. The scene looked quite ridiculous¡ªa limbless boss monster laying face-first on the ground, while a Knight in full plate armor ran around as fast as he could, chased by a horde of dozens of flying black skulls.


    Everyone except Rohan ran to the boss. Vivi and Ven lined up to help Aang grab the boss. Lucius pushed ether into Vivi¡¯s hands to protect her from the heat. On a count of three, they lifted the boss on its side. The boss thumped on its back.


    Aang grabbed all of Lydi¡¯s potions, jumped on the boss¡¯s chest, and threw all of the potions into the boss¡¯s throat.

 Chapter 52 - Skill Hunt

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    The potion vials shattered inside the boss¡¯s mouth. The liquids sunk into its stony membranes.


    When the fifth potion cracked, the screams started.


    The glow in the boss¡¯s eyes grew into a blinding purple. Its terrified screams shook the cavern. Vivi held her hands over her ears. The boss¡¯s aura seemed to be growing. The layer of stone around its skin burned, as if about to explode from the inside. The boss¡¯s teeth grew longer and serrated, and its hands slowly regrew. More of the boss¡¯s misty ether filled the room; the skulls chasing Rohan grew rampant. One bit into his plate armor before he punched it off.


    The demons watched calmly as the boss flailed its stub hands in a mad panic. Lydi and Feni were the most observant, while the others held their weapons, ready to defend themselves from any surprises. Vivi watched for any skulls that may have attacked Lydi or Feni.


    Suddenly, a slash sounded from inside the Ember Golem. The screams and the struggle stopped, and the flying skulls dropped to the ground, the string cut from their movements.


    Wisps of calm ether began rising from the boss¡¯s body. The Ember Golem had died.


    Lydi let out a long sigh. ¡°A failure¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ven asked. ¡°It just died? From nothing?¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t handle the sudden growth,¡± Lydi said. ¡°The potion was a failure.¡±


    ¡°One half of it worked,¡± Feni said. ¡°The boss sucked in more ether as it was supposed to. The second part was what failed. On top of enhancing the monster¡¯s ether, the potion is supposed to protect the monster from the inside. This effect was lacking. The Ember Golem died due to its forced growth.¡±


    ¡°Did we weaken it too much?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Lydi said, looking annoyed. ¡°But it would be too dangerous not to weaken it. Our solution still needs research and work.¡±


    Feni smiled. ¡°The results were promising. This test has given us new clues, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Fen,¡± Lydi said. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Rohan groaned a little ways off. He pushed himself off of a few skulls that hadn¡¯t totally disintegrated yet. Multiple teeth marks cut deep into his armor. ¡°I thought you left me for dead there!¡± he shouted.


    Ven chuckled. ¡°Leave you for dead? Do you mean you would have lost to the skulls?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Rohan said. ¡°But this plate isn¡¯t exactly built for running for my life.¡±


    ¡°You did just fine,¡± Ven said. ¡°Good work. How much ether did we gain?¡±


    The boss¡¯s corpse sizzled beside them, wisps of ether rising as a beacon into the cavern''s ceiling. Lucius was drooling within Vivi¡¯s core. Nobody had collected a single wisp of ether yet. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lucius appeared from Vivi¡¯s chest in his cat form for everyone to see. ¡°Aahh! I can¡¯t hide anymore. I will go crazy! Tell me, gang leader, how much ether can I collect?¡±


    Everyone went silent, staring at the spirit.


    ¡°Uh, this is Lucius,¡± Vivi said. ¡°My spirit. He, um¡­ Lucius, say hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Nice to meet you and something like that. Can I collect ether now?¡±


    ¡°A spirit?¡± Ven asked. ¡°You mean, a demigod''s spirit?¡±


    Lucius gave a smug smile. ¡°A spirit indeed. I am a creation of Ythar. And I am hungry. I need ether.¡±


    ¡°A spirit of Ythar.¡± Aang smiled at Vivi. ¡°An interesting companion. Lucius, we are honored to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Look here, gang leader.¡± Lucius crossed his paws. ¡°There¡¯s a dead boss monster right next to us, waiting to be collected. Tell me how much of the ether is mine. Five hundred? A thousand? Tell me now, or I will collect it all!¡±


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    Vivi smiled nervously. Lucius sure knew how to make friends. Luckily, Aang¡¯s gang didn¡¯t take offense at his behaviour.


    ¡°We usually collect ether into our shared collection,¡± Ven said. ¡°In our gang, ether is not one¡¯s to own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Aang said. ¡°We don¡¯t need ether right now. Lucius claims he is hungry. And Vivi can hide his presence. I couldn¡¯t sense the spirit at all before he showed himself. You may take half, Lucius.¡±


    Lucius flew to the boss and sat on top of the flow of ether. He began collecting. ¡°I would have preferred more, but half will do.¡±


    ¡°Half is more than generous!¡± Vivi said. ¡°Thank you, Aang.¡±


    Ven wore an awkward smile, while Rohan and Feni appeared shocked. Lydi was already shaking her head. Aang was the only one smiling. ¡°It seems we have made a very powerful ally.¡±


    ¡°You have indeed,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You seem like a sensible leader. I, as a spirit, respect your strength and courage. My wielder and I will work under your leadership. But only if you prove yourself worthy to lead one as great as I.¡±


    ¡°Lucius!¡± Vivi called. ¡°Stop being rude!¡±


    Her spirit didn¡¯t respond. He sat on top of the boss, collecting ether. His reserves passed 3500.


    When the number hit 3758, Aang snatched the rest of the ether from underneath him, collecting it all instantly. Lucius flinched, as if the floor had been pulled from underneath him.


    ¡°No skills,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°Unlucky once again.¡± Ven sighed.


    ¡°We will try again next cycle,¡± Aang said. ¡°Good work this time. We¡¯re done here now. The Stewards should come back within a few weeks. Collection day is approaching. Let¡¯s head back and see the news.¡±


    Everyone grabbed their items, preparing to leave. The boss arena was left in shambles. One of the columns had collapsed, and the ground had cracked from multiple spots. The destruction was severe. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to clean up?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°It¡¯s clear someone has been here.¡±


    ¡°This room will repair itself along with the boss,¡± Ven said. ¡°Dungeons are interesting places.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What will we do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll lay low for a bit,¡± Aang said. ¡°Live our lives as nimrods. Skills can¡¯t be earned while the bosses are respawning. Our job is to ensure the next cycle happens smoothly. Lydi and Feni will work on the potions. Ven and I will keep order within the Union. Rohan will need to repair his armor and find a new runesword. And you, Vivi, you have a lot to work on. Your swordsmanship, your habits, your position within the gang. I intend to turn you into a full-fledged member by the next cycle.¡±


    ¡°Can we take skills if we defeat bosses for you?¡± Lucius asked.


    ¡°That depends,¡± Aang said. ¡°Right now, we barely use our skills. To be caught carrying one means immediate death. Investigations will be launched. We are currently hoarding skills, and we trust each other not to grow greedy for power.¡±


    Lucius didn¡¯t seem all too happy to hear that. But he had no arguments to throw.


    ¡°What are you gathering skills for?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Are you looking to make a mass escape?¡±


    ¡°Our goals depend on the strength and power of the skills we gain,¡± Aang said.


    Vivi studied Aang¡¯s expression. He looked uncomfortable speaking about the topic.


    ¡°As of now, you¡¯re moving with me, Vivi,¡± Aang said. ¡°Lucius should remain hidden for the most part. He can show himself in private if he wishes, but anywhere else, hiding him is essential.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius said. He returned to Vivi¡¯s core.


    Everyone was ready to leave. Vivi had nothing she needed to grab. Eem hopped back to her shoulders, and Vivi joined the demons, leaving the boss room to brew.


    ***


    The demons returned to the hidden base. The base, Vivi heard, was simply referred to as home. This wasn¡¯t necessarily a code word, and the demons were allowed to use it even in public.


    Inside, everyone immediately moved to their jobs. Feni conveyed the numbers of the boss fight to Henry, the mathematician. Lydi collapsed to sleep. Alisa began helping Rohan with his destroyed armor. Eem ran around aimlessly until Alisa tossed her a big bony slab of meat.


    Ven grabbed the snapped halves of Black Rose, Rohan¡¯s old runesword. He laid them out on a table and faced them with shadows covering his eyes. ¡°This is our immediate problem, then¡­¡±


    Aang¡¯s face was equally gloomy. ¡°Rensfig will be mad.¡±


    The demons thought in silence until Ven sighed. ¡°Did you really snap this, Vivi? How?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± a new voice called from the room next over. ¡°Who snapped what?¡±


    Everyone in the room flinched. Rohan¡¯s face turned pale.


    The man who entered was a dwarf with a dirty beard, thick arms, and curly hair that covered most of his forehead. Short horns were barely visible from beneath his hair. He picked up the snapped blade from the hilt. ¡°Rohan, what the hell is this?¡±


    ¡°I am ashamed,¡± Rohan said.


    ¡°Did you fight a Steward?¡± the dwarf asked. ¡°How did you manage this? Or did you try to break the hardstone walls? I spend months carving these fucking swords, and this is what you idiots do to them?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, Rensfig,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Your sword was strong. I loved it dearly. But Vivi¡¯s sword was stronger. She used no trick; her blade is simply insane.¡±


    The dwarf peered at Vivi. Her heart thumped, body filling with pressure. An excited nervousness.


    Rensfig¡­ This dwarf. The demons had claimed he was a runesmith.


    ¡°And how the hell has a little girl obtained a sword that snapped my work in half?¡± Rensfig asked.


    A subtle smile crept onto Vivi¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t hide it. When was the last time she had seen another runesmith besides Jonah or Grandpa? Runesmiths barely existed on the surface. Vivi could only remember vague memories of meeting old retired runesmiths from her childhood.


    ¡°What?¡± Rensfig asked, seeing Vivi¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Your sword was well carved, Rensfig,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But your techniques are outdated. The outside-carving method was surpassed years ago.¡±


    Rensfig frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Vivi could barely contain her excitement. ¡°Show me your smithy. In return, I¡¯ll show you something interesting.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Runesmith of the Underworld

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    Rensfig looked at Vivi as if she¡¯d claimed herself to be an omnipotent god. He obviously thought she was lying, but her claim was insane enough that he appeared confused regardless.


    Traditional runesmiths are known to be prideful, Vivi thought. But Rensfig is good. He will understand my techniques, unlike Einord.


    ¡°I¡¯m too tired for this,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Aang, who is this girl?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s our newest troublemaker,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°A new member?¡± Rensfig asked.


    ¡°She is about to become official,¡± Aang said. ¡°Vivi, why do you need to see our smithy?¡±


    Vivi glanced at Aang¡¯s new two-runed blade balanced neatly next to the couch. The sword was expertly carved. Renfig had clearly required weeks to finish it. The classic rune combination of a mass and a sharpness rune created a seriously powerful weapon. Rensfig had practiced for at least as long as Grandpa.


    Vivi¡¯s sword, however, was better. ¡°Rensfig, tell me what you think of this sword?¡± she said.


    She called her crystal runesword from spatial storage. She untied the grip strings, revealing the strength runes underneath. Then, she placed it sideways on both of her hands and showcased the sword to Rensfig.


    The dwarf frowned at the sword, studying it closely. Vivi¡¯s sword was still unpolished and in need of sharpening. Without the grip strings, the sword had no hilt beside the ether root''s stalk. Vivi would need to craft a handle soon to ensure the runes wouldn¡¯t be damaged.


    To an experienced craftsman, the sword looked crude. But it was still an operational runesword. Rensfig¡¯s attitude suddenly turned serious.


    ¡°Hand it over,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°I need to see more closely.¡±


    Vivi offered the sword to Rensfig, trusting the dwarf to handle it with care.


    Rensfig watched the veins inside the sword for a moment, as if trying to solve a puzzle. He couldn¡¯t quite understand what Vivi¡¯s work meant. Eventually, he grabbed the sword from the runes and pushed ether inside


    Rensfig¡¯s eyes opened wide. The sword fell from his hands, clanking against the ground.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± he said. ¡°Those things inside the sword¡­ They¡¯re veins?¡±


    Vivi grinned. She picked up the sword and tied the grip strings back on. ¡°This,¡± she said, ¡°is an inside-carved runesword.¡±


    Rensfig¡¯s face was pale. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not possible. They all claimed it was impossible. Every professor, every master I¡¯ve ever talked to. They all believed inside carving was impossible.¡±


    ¡°Inside carving is not impossible at all,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s just really difficult.¡±


    ¡°Who made this sword?¡± Rensfig asked.


    ¡°I did,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Yesterday.¡±


    Rensfig looked up at her. ¡°Girl, who are you?¡±


    ¡°Just a runesmith from the surface,¡± Vivi said. ¡°An apprentice of my Grandpa.¡±


    The room around her was silent. The other demons struggled to follow. They watched, giving the conversation their full attention, but nobody was as shocked as Rensfig.


    Rohan stepped forward. ¡°What¡¯s inside carving?¡±


    ¡°The end of the world,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°That¡¯s what it is. Look at the fucking sword, Rohan. That right there is the most insane weapon you have ever seen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rohan said.


    ¡°The veins,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°They¡¯re inside the metal. Runesmiths and scientists have been trying to figure this out for centuries. Last I heard, the Academy of Fenlor was trying out a solution by combining two pieces of metal, carving the veins inside each half before connecting them.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t work,¡± Vivi said. ¡°With separate pieces of metal, the current of ether will eventually push the two pieces apart no matter what you connect the metals with. And if you forge the two halves together, the carvings will be disfigured, ruining the work. The ancients have already tried the same method. The veins you see inside my sword come from an ether root.¡±


    Rensfig groaned. He sat down on the couch and stretched his back. ¡°I¡¯m too old for these jokes. I spend twenty years imprisoned in this mess, and fucking inside carving has been invented.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still a secret,¡± Vivi said. ¡°My Grandpa is the one who invented it. Nobody below the fourth level knows its existence.¡±


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    Rensfig stared at the ceiling. ¡°This is the most insane day of my life, girl.¡±


    ¡°If Vivi is an inside-carving runesmith, what does that mean to us?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°It means that this little human is the most important person in all of the fourth level,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Every runesmith in the world wants her secret. Tell me, girl, what the hell are you doing in Zand?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The examiners didn¡¯t believe me when I told them I was a runesmith. They imprisoned me regardless.¡±


    Rensfig let out a laugh. ¡°The same happened to me twenty years ago. Runesmiths aren¡¯t let in not only because our work can ruin the balance, but also because runesmiths are valuable elsewhere. If I revealed my work to the Stewards, they would probably send me to work underneath some rich idiot. If you show this sword to the Stewards, proving that you made it, King Ingfried himself will hire you. No questions asked.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still here?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°After twenty years?¡±


    Rensfig breathed in. ¡°I don¡¯t care about escaping. Runesmith or not, I¡¯m still a prisoner. I¡¯d be safer outside, but at the cost of performing slave labor for the rest of my years, carving swords for some ass faces. I¡¯d rather work for Aang. He¡¯s the reason why I have food and a workplace today.¡± He glanced at Aang. ¡°You¡¯ve recruited another crazy little idiot.¡±


    Aang leaned on the wall, crossing his arms. ¡°A world-class runesmith, huh¡­ That¡¯s a problem.¡±


    ¡°A problem?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pay you,¡± Aang said. ¡°I am already underqualified to wield Rensfig¡¯s runeswords. It¡¯s a heavy burden on our shoulders to make use of his work. If your swords are grand enough that Ingfried himself wants to hire you, I have nothing to counter this offer. You should leave Zand.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± Lucius said, popping out of Vivi¡¯s core. He floated with his paws crossed.


    Rensfig blinked. ¡°And who the fuck are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucius, the mighty beast of the Abyss! I¡¯m the co-creator of this runesword. I¡¯m basically a runesmith myself. And I can tell you we are not making any deals with that mud eater Ingfried. I am much more interested in making an offer with Aang.¡±


    Please watch your words, Lucius¡­ Vivi thought. But she agreed with his proposal. Whoever this Ingfried was, Vivi wasn¡¯t too eager to become his pawn. It was best to work with more trustworthy people.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything of value to offer,¡± Aang said. ¡°What reason do you have to stay in Zand?¡±


    ¡°I want ether and skills,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And I want to hunt. My wielder is still weak. She¡¯s good at smithing runeswords, but she¡¯s inexperienced at hunting. With your hunting group, we can defeat much more difficult bosses.¡±


    ¡°Will be difficult,¡± Aang said. ¡°Zand¡¯s opportunities are limited. We can hunt the squadron bosses, but beyond them, tougher monsters are unavailable.¡±


    ¡°There is one seriously powerful monster,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I can sense its ether even now. Deeper than the squadron bosses.¡±


    Aang frowned.


    ¡°My wielder and I will smith runeswords for all of you,¡± Lucius said. ¡°As payment, you will become our hunting partners. I want to clear this dungeon for real. To defeat the main boss. And I want to collect the skills that we obtain along the way. What do you say, Vivi?¡±


    Vivi breathed in. ¡°Killing the boss would make every Steward go after us.¡±


    ¡°Not just the Stewards,¡± Aang said. ¡°Everyone would come after us. If Zand fell, the whole throne room would hunt us. Exalted Knights, the King¡¯s mages. Everything Ingfried could muster.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to defeat it sneakily with an escape prepared,¡± Lucius said. ¡°When the Stewards are asleep. With Vivi¡¯s runeswords and the boss¡¯s skills, we can rival the Stewards. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Ven leaned back, resting his head on his hands. He grinned. ¡°Emmy, you¡¯ve brought us two interesting little fellows.¡±


    ¡°I thought we were already planning on defeating the Stewards,¡± Rohan said, looking confused.


    Aang kept his eyes on Vivi. ¡°You should join Ingfried. The King will take you in. You will live a far more pleasant life outside Zand¡¯s walls.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucius said in her head. ¡°Ingfried is rich. He has influence. But he¡¯s corrupt. I¡¯ve met him. Dealing with him was the worst decision I could have ever made. Aang is strong. We should work with him.¡±


    Vivi breathed in. Yes. Aang is a good leader. He has witnessed the power of our runeswords, and he knows we can craft more. But instead of trying to enslave me, he¡¯s trying to help me.


    The others looked at Vivi, waiting for her answer. Eem, too, paused eating.


    A warm nervousness flowed through Vivi. Aang hadn¡¯t offered her an ultimatum. He offered a true decision, letting Vivi decide what she wanted for herself. She wasn¡¯t good at those types of decisions. Usually, people tossed her around like a plaything, and she reacted. She rarely had the option to choose between two good options.


    This time, however, the decision was obvious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if my runeswords are powerful enough to defeat the Stewards, or to overthrow Zand,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But if you can make use of my work, and if we can earn ether by hunting with you, I will stay. I want to join this gang.¡±


    Eem¡¯s and Rohan¡¯s faces lit up. Ven and Alisa smiled. Henry nodded. All of them eagerly welcomed her in.


    Aang appeared far more serious. ¡°If you join, you will be treated as an equal to everyone else. I cannot offer fair prices for inside-carved runeswords, nor do I intend to treat you like a princess. If you and Lucius wish to earn skills, you must prove yourselves to be worthy. Just like everyone around you has.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be treated like royalty. I just want allies.¡±


    Friends. She wanted friends. Could these people really become her friends?


    ¡°That¡¯s a good mind to be in,¡± Aang said. ¡°But know this. Death is not an unlikely outcome for those who oppose the Stewards. I¡¯ve seen hundreds of good men fall, chasing dreams of freedom. It would be far easier to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not leaving,¡± Vivi said.


    Aang faced Vivi¡¯s determined eyes. He looked at her as if she was a dumb young child.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Aang said. ¡°As of today, Vivi is an official member of the Hollow Phantoms.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Rohan said. He gave Eem a high-five.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± Alisa said.


    ¡°Rohan came up with the name, by the way,¡± Ven said with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so stupid.¡±


    Vivi smiled. ¡°Happy to be here.¡±


    ¡°You will get to work immediately,¡± Aang said. ¡°Rohan, I appoint you as Vivi¡¯s teacher. For three hours every day, you will teach her how to swing a sword. Ven will join in as an assistant whenever Rohan¡¯s instructions get impossible to follow. Alisa, for the first two weeks, you will stay with Vivi while she traverses between dungeons. Make sure she is properly disguised, and that she doesn¡¯t draw guards to our home.


    ¡°As for Rensfig and myself¡­¡± Aang crossed his arms. ¡°We are your assistants. Tell me what resources and equipment you need, and I will make sure you have the means to forge the best runeswords in existence.¡±

 Chapter 54 - The Assassin

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    ¡°This is the runesmithing station,¡± Rensfig said. Entering the room, his eyes looked dissatisfied, as if unconfident to showcase the workstation to Vivi.


    Rensfig¡¯s workstation was crammed into a quiet corner of the home base, in an area even smaller than Einord¡¯s cell-like smithy. Rensfig didn¡¯t work on an anvil, and he didn¡¯t have a forge, let alone hammers. Like most traditional runesmiths, his little corner resembled an artisan¡¯s workstation. He had an L-shaped wooden table and a few drawers. Obsidian carving knives were cluttered on the table, as well as a bottle of conductive paste and a sharpening stone. The most interesting piece of equipment was a sword-vise, specifically designed to hold a sword in place while carving outside-veins.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, but it works,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°I never needed more than this. Here are my projects.¡±


    Two swords were placed neatly on wall-mounts. The first was a base sword without any runic properties. A simple dark mithril longsword. The second sword was an unfinished two-runed adamantite katana. The hilt was lined with swiftness and sharpness runes. A deadly combination for duels and fast fighters. The veins on the blade reached two-thirds to the tip.


    ¡°That sword is ruined, I think,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°The base sword I chose is too thin for the veins I ended up carving. The sword won¡¯t hold against any tough opponents at all. It was supposed to deal with the faster and less defensive Stewards.¡±


    ¡°It looks good to me,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°If inside carving has been invented, that sword is a piece of shit in comparison.¡±


    ¡°You should complete it,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Inside carving requires a lot of practice. Some of your skills might translate, but you will need to relearn a lot. We¡¯re going to need a lot more equipment before I can get to work.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you need,¡± Aang said, ¡°and I will gather everything regardless of cost.¡±


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m going to need a smithy,¡± Vivi said. ¡°A full smithy. An anvil, a forge, hammers, a crucible furnace, crucibles¡ªa lot of crucibles¡ªas well as all the little tools a blacksmith needs. Tongs, vises, tuning forks.¡±


    ¡°A runesmith requires a full smithy?¡± Rensfig asked.


    ¡°Yes, I am also a blacksmith,¡± Vivi said.


    Rensfig rolled his eyes. ¡°Fantastic. Are we working with a demigod?¡±


    Vivi responded with a small laugh. She wasn¡¯t used to compliments.


    ¡°Cramming a smithy here will be difficult,¡± Aang said. ¡°My union has plenty of rented ones, but I will not allow runesmithing into the hub. I will build you a private smithy by the end of the week. What else do you need?¡±


    ¡°The main ingredient of inside carving is ether roots,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Rare roots such as adamantite or high tier mithril roots are the most valuable, but I can make use of all roots. Eem has brought me two roots so far, but I don¡¯t know where she¡¯s getting them.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Aang said. ¡°I will get this sorted.¡±


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Could I see your sword again?¡±


    Vivi recalled her sword, showcasing it to Rensfig. The dwarf stared at it closely. ¡°The veins inside¡­¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s an ether root?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Vivi said.


    Rensfig shook his head, still dumbfounded. ¡°No wonder this method hadn¡¯t been discovered. What the fuck is an ether root doing inside a runesword?¡±


    ¡°Ether roots are incredible conductors of ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Ether engineers started using ether roots to craft cooking equipment ninety years ago. That¡¯s where Grandpa got his idea.¡±


    ¡°You humans are insane,¡± Rensfig said. He handed back the sword. ¡°But how did you get the ether root inside the sword? And so cleanly at that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem that made inside carving difficult to invent,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The ancient runesmiths were stuck on their old methods. They were trying to carve runes into existing swords, upgrading already blacksmithed weapons. In order for inside carving to be possible, the order must be flipped around. A runesmith must carve the veins before the sword.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get it,¡± Rensfig said.


    ¡°Crucible steel,¡± Vivi said. ¡°That¡¯s the answer.¡±


    Rensfig sat down to think. ¡°Crucible steel?¡±


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Vivi smiled. Rensfig would figure out the answer eventually. The theory behind inside carving was quite simple. The method could be explained in a few minutes to an experienced runesmith. What made the method difficult was the sheer intricacy required in shaping veins. Unevenly distributed ether would break a sword instead of strengthening metal.


    Snapped swords were exactly what happened to Fredir Blight seven hundred years ago¡ªthe first scientist to attempt fitting ether roots for inside carving. After trying the method for two years straight, Fredir published a paper with his results, deeming ether roots unusable for runesmithing. He claimed any sword with an ether root inside would merely snap in half.


    The difference between Grandpa and Fredir was their determination. Grandpa knew ether roots were already used for kitchen equipment. He believed in his vision, and he completed the first inside carved runesword.


    ¡°Ether roots and a smithy,¡± Aang said. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Vivi thought for a second. ¡°Metals, of course, since I will be forging blades. Oh, and is there black aspen in Zand?¡±


    ¡°Black aspen?¡± Aang asked. ¡°The tree?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Black aspen is wood, but it has a lot in common with metals. It can be used for forging to create fantastic tools. I can replace the clumsy tuning forks with black aspen crochet hooks.¡±


    ¡°I doubt we have any black aspen,¡± Aang said. ¡°But I¡¯ll see what I can do. A smithy and ether roots will take priority.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯d like to sharpen my sword now. I¡¯ll need an hour at most.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Aang said. ¡°Afterward, Alisa will take you on a tour of your new schedule. Be ready.¡±


    ***


    Vivi gave her sword a quick finish. On top of sharpening, she grabbed a roll of thinly processed white obsidian. Runeswords required special grips that allowed ether to flow through, while also protecting the runes underneath. Sometimes runesmiths simply coated their runes with a layer of iron lacquer to protect the runes from tear. More cautious runesmiths added a protective handle, made out of conductive material. This way, ether could pass through.


    Vivi and Grandpa liked to do both, knowing that their customers probably weren¡¯t taking the best care of their runeswords. Vivi coated the runes with lacquer, then wrapped three layers of thin white obsidian. The material was sticky to hold but surprisingly durable, like impenetrable fabric. With the grip done and after adding a nice cross-guard, the sword looked like a proper runesword.


    ¡°Can you make daggers with the ether root method?¡± a voice asked.


    Vivi jumped. Alisa appeared next to her out of nowhere. The presence had been impossible to detect. There were no footsteps, no feeling of being watched.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Alisa said. ¡°My favourite new member.¡±


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Alisa asked with a grin.


    ¡°Sneak around?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to teach you today,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Aang assigned a lot of work for you. Ready to get started?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. She sheathed her sword into spatial storage. To form a habit, she still hid her sword underneath her raincoat before pulling the trick. She would only summon the sword right on her hands when absolutely necessary.


    Alisa looked curious about Vivi¡¯s trick, but she didn¡¯t ask questions. ¡°I expect your full attention today. Rules will be established later. For now, your only rule is to stay with me. Don¡¯t wander off, and don¡¯t make decisions on your own. You will walk behind me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Vivi said.


    Alisa nodded. She put on her mask, though didn¡¯t wear a cloak. ¡°You will be responsible for keeping your disguise nearby at all times. The cloak and the black mask. Wear it every time we move between areas. Then hide it before showing yourself to nimrods. Nimrods will quickly associate us with the disguise if we openly wear black masks.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. She grabbed the cloak she¡¯d left on a clothes hanger. How much space do you have in your spatial storage, Lucius?


    ¡°A lot,¡± Lucius said. ¡°But if we add more items, I will need to start exhausting ether to keep it active.¡±


    Is it possible to summon the mask straight on my head? Vivi asked.


    ¡°With practice, perhaps,¡± Lucius said.


    Alisa exited the lair through the hollow column. Before leaving, Vivi glanced at Eem. The fiend had fallen asleep on the floor after eating her slab of meat. Vivi listened to the fiend¡¯s quiet snores for a moment before following Alisa.


    As usual, monsters were immediately alerted of Vivi¡¯s presence as she stepped down to ground level. Purple amalgamations began slowly trotting her way. A surge hound jumped for her head.


    Before Vivi could kill it, Alisa grabbed the wolf from the fur between its ears. She twisted the wolf to the left, turning its momentum around and throwing it against the purple amalgamations. The wolf¡¯s teeth bit into the amalgamation.


    ¡°I know the others like to kill the faster monsters,¡± Alisa said. ¡°But there¡¯s always a miniscule risk of being caught when killing a monster. Today, as practice, we¡¯re going to be extra cautious. We won¡¯t kill a single monster. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Alisa dashed silently to the next room. Her figure didn¡¯t move with footsteps; Alisa seemed to dash around like a shadow.


    A skill? Vivi asked. She rushed after Alisa, while the surge hound was recovering.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Lucius said. ¡°She¡¯s just better than us.¡±


    Better? Vivi asked. At what?


    ¡°When control of ether is mastered, clever tricks are possible even without skills,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Alisa is manipulating her aura. And she¡¯s good at it.¡±


    More purple amalgamations crept toward Vivi in the next room. The surge hound had recovered behind her. To Vivi¡¯s left, she saw Alisa¡¯s shadowed figure pass in a flash. Vivi ran after it.


    The wolf was faster. Vivi couldn¡¯t outrun it. She prepared to summon her runesword.


    Something grabbed her from her hood. The ground disappeared from underneath. Vivi flung her arms in surprise. By the time she realized she was moving up, the ascent had already led Vivi into a crawl space above.


    ¡°This crawl space has a shortcut,¡± Alisa said. She had pulled Vivi all the way to the ceiling with her gravity manipulation skill. ¡°Monsters rarely spawn in crawl spaces. Until you learn to conceal your presence, it¡¯s best to crawl from place to place.¡±


    The surge hound looked confused down below. The fall was over thirty feet. When had Alisa gotten up here?


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Our second base,¡± Alisa said. ¡°The less private one. Rohan will be there holding his chivalry speeches. In the meantime, I¡¯m supposed to figure out how we¡¯re going to remove any and all common sense you¡¯ve built traversing this dungeon so far. I¡¯m going to turn you into a full Hollow Phantom.¡±

 Chapter 55 - Concealed Aura

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    Alisa moved swiftly within the crawl spaces. Almost as proficiently as Eem. Vivi crawled after her as fast as she could. She was on the brink of requiring ether to move faster.


    There was something awe-inspiring about Alisa¡¯s movements. The woman moved quickly yet gracefully. Every simple action she made was done with practice and intent. Her way of crawling was silent, almost artistic. If Vivi looked away from her for a second, Alisa could have disappeared from her vision entirely.


    After a short while, the crawl space grew wide enough to fit two people next to each other. Alisa waited, and Vivi joined her side. Alisa lifted off her mask.


    ¡°Are you a fan of redfruits, Vivi?¡± Alisa asked.


    ¡°Um, I find them interesting. But I don¡¯t eat them often.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Alisa said. ¡°What about pastries and sweets? How often do you eat those?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t eat pastries,¡± Vivi said. ¡°They¡¯re too expensive.¡±


    ¡°Never tasted them?¡± Alisa asked.


    ¡°I tried a toffee once,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It was good.¡±


    ¡°Toffee, huh.¡± Alisa grinned. ¡°That¡¯s a good one. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°What kind of questions are these?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Is she sane?¡±


    I don¡¯t think anyone in this gang is sane, Vivi thought. And that referred to Lucius as well.


    ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°A person¡¯s taste palette says a lot about them,¡± Alisa said. ¡°In Zand, pastries and sweets, even redfruits, are considered fortunes. Eating them regularly is associated with gluttony. Some call it betrayal, wasting ether on something so useless. But to dislike the taste of pastries because they¡¯re gluttonous and expensive? That¡¯s just plain weird. By telling me your preference in pastries, you¡¯ve told me more about your character than an interview ever could have.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ll taste your baking if you want me to.¡±


    ¡°And what makes you think I¡¯m a baker?¡± Alisa asked with an amused smile.


    ¡°Only a baker can think about pastries when crammed up in a crawl space.¡±


    Alisa laughed. Her laugh was heavy, almost like a man¡¯s laugh. ¡°I¡¯m awful at baking. I prefer stealing cherries from cakes.¡±


    The crawl spaces ended, and Alisa put her mask back on. The path led them to the upper levels of the hidden dungeon. Vivi didn¡¯t recognize her surroundings. The area was quiet with a musty smell of dirt and stone. Vegetation was dry and dying. The ground and walls were a boring brown, but subtle shiny spots were visible. Metals?


    The ominous feeling was back in the air. As if someone was watching her. Hunting her.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the gnoll mineshaft,¡± Alisa said. ¡°The mineshaft is the safest level to traverse in the hidden dungeon. For most trips up and down, we will traverse through the mineshaft.¡±


    Safe? Vivi thought. The area certainly didn¡¯t feel safe. ¡°Are there monsters?¡±


    ¡°Gnolls,¡± Alisa said. ¡°They¡¯re deadly. Even a maxed out swordsman can die if they step in carelessly.¡±


    ¡°But you said the mineshaft is safe?¡±


    ¡°When a Phantom talks about safety, we are not referring to the safety of an individual, but the safety of our home base. The mineshaft¡¯s danger is precisely why it¡¯s safe. Guards rarely patrol here. Their patrols never reach deep, and they tend to skip entering here when possible. It¡¯s relatively safe to kill monsters here if you have to. Especially when accounting for the gnoll¡¯s common fights with their own kind.¡±


    ¡°The guards wield runeswords,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The mineshaft is still too dangerous?¡±


    Vivi felt something in the distance. Her head perked up. An ether-aura was charging at them from above at the speed of a raging waterfall. Murderous intent filled the whole cavern.


    Lucius summoned Vivi¡¯s runesword, left hand growing to claws without her asking. The monster¡¯s presence was strong enough to spook him into action.


    The gnoll ran on four legs, carrying a hatchet in its mouth. It was a hairy dog-like monster wearing a leather harness. Its devilish red eyes gazed into Vivi¡¯s soul as it launched itself at her with terrifying speed. The gnoll grabbed the hatchet and swung it mid-air, aiming for her throat.


    Vivi blocked the hatchet with her sword.


    While still mid-air, the gnoll grabbed onto Vivi¡¯s blade with its crooked fingers. It lifted its feet, slashing at Vivi with clawed toes.


    Vivi panicked. She slashed wildly with her claws. The gnoll was too fast, and her weapon was at a bind! One of its clawed feet was aimed directly at her stomach.


    An explosion went off next to Vivi. The gnoll¡¯s head was replaced with Alisa¡¯s dagger. The gnoll died instantly, turning to ether.


    Wisps rose from Alisa¡¯s eyes beneath the mask. For a moment, her presence was visible, until the wisps stopped flowing, and Alisa hid her presence.


    ¡°I did warn you,¡± Alisa said. She collected the gnoll¡¯s ether. ¡°The mineshaft is entirely separated from the main pathways. That¡¯s why far more ether concentrates here. Some of that ether dwells in the walls, forming metals, though metals take years upon years to form. Sometimes decades or lifespans.¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Vivi watched the gnoll¡¯s body turn into wisps of ether. The monster had been totally insane. It grabbed Vivi¡¯s weapon from the blade.


    ¡°The gnoll dropped 387 ether. In total, its aura held around fifteen hundred. Without me, it could have defeated you, or at least damaged you. Your weapons give you an advantage, but you¡¯re far too inexperienced to be fighting serious monsters.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°I should have already been attacking before the gnoll jumped on me.¡±


    ¡°A lucky swing could have defeated it,¡± Alisa said. ¡°But your fighting has problems. You don¡¯t know how to defend or how to throw a proficient attack. You swing as hard as you can, hoping your enemy takes the hit. Those swings have serious firepower, but they will not land against real enemies.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not weak,¡± Lucius said from Vivi¡¯s core. ¡°My wielder is just inexperienced.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Some call inexperience a blessing. Not knowing anything means everything is free to be practiced. For someone that has been fighting for a week, your courage is incredible. If you learn swordsmanship, if you hone your control over ether, I can¡¯t imagine the fighter you¡¯ll turn into.¡±


    Alisa continued further. The ascent consisted mostly of a straight slanted tunnel with occasional gnoll-built structures. Wooden platforms, supported by crude pillars. Ether flowed within the wood, marking the structures as self-repairing. The ether inside the wood consisted mostly of nature¡¯s elements, the same ether that grew plants.


    Vivi still struggled to understand how a dungeon was formed. Which anomaly of nature decided what monsters spawned where? How did nature¡¯s ether build the shape of a wooden platform for the gnolls to use as a hangout spot?


    In Zand, nobody cared about that. Monsters spawned, and they were killed, ether collected.


    Alisa dealt with the remaining monsters. She claimed that she liked to avoid gnolls, sneaking past them by hiding her presence, but she made short work of them through fighting as well. Alisa easily outmaneuvered the gnolls, cutting their throats before they could fight back.


    Watching Alisa work, Vivi couldn¡¯t help but feel outclassed. Alisa didn¡¯t need to activate her skills to defeat gnolls. She was maxed out with ether, but her presence was nothing like the intimidating auras of most others. Her control over ether was reserved and calm like a silent drizzle of venomous rain.


    ¡°I said I would be teaching you to sneak around,¡± Alisa said. ¡°That was mostly a lie. I¡¯m the only one of the Phantoms who practices concealing my ether aura. The others tend to do the opposite; they push their auras with enough power to drive fear into their opponents. If you wish to conceal your aura, be prepared to practice endlessly for years.¡±


    ¡°It seems practical,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The monsters don¡¯t sense you coming. It¡¯s harder to feel you moving when you¡¯re not coated with ether.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Four of the Stewards know this technique. Uundref is the most proficient at appearing invisible. For us, the sixth sense is an advantage, but relying on it for information can be a death sentence. That¡¯s why every Phantom follows the rules, no matter how strong we think we are. You can never know who is hiding their presence behind a corner.


    ¡°The guard patrols routes are mostly consistent, but they¡¯re not absolute. The Stewards might not bat an eye seeing a group of dead monsters, but they might become suspicious seeing a little flower cut in half. You never know what might trigger an investigation. When killing monsters in the hidden dungeon, we do it after we are absolutely certain that the room has been left to brew, and that the room has enough time to reform before the Stewards come back.¡±


    ¡°They will come back in two weeks, right?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°One or two,¡± Alisa said. ¡°By then, any damages we¡¯ve done have returned to normal. Guard patrols come weekly, sometimes randomly. You will start memorizing the map and layout of the dungeon later today. If you wish to one day move alone, you must know the entire map in and out. Every crawl space, every point of exit. Every guard patrol area. The next time we return down, I expect you to lead the way, and I expect us to move without damages.¡±


    ¡°I should be good at memorization,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Runesmiths have to memorize the structure of a wisp of ether.¡±


    ¡°The dungeon is almost as complex,¡± Alisa said. She stopped near one of the crawl spaces. ¡°Memorize this entrance. This one is important.¡±


    Vivi looked around herself, trying to place the sight into memory.


    ¡°I lied,¡± Alisa said. ¡°That one isn¡¯t important in the slightest. It leads nowhere. You¡¯ll have to memorize it anyway. This is the important one.¡±


    Alisa jumped fifteen feet up, climbing into a crawl space on the ceiling. The crawl space led directly upward. She pressed her feet on both sides of the crawl space, holding herself in the air.


    ¡°Try jumping here on your own,¡± Alisa said.


    Vivi looked up. Can I make that?


    My previous wielder jumped forty feet with some ether, Lucius said. You should be able to make that.


    Okay¡­ Vivi¡¯s legs filled with ether. She could feel the superhuman strength surging through her body. Her jumps had already been enhanced in the fangling lair to help her escape monsters. But to jump over fifteen feet? She didn¡¯t know if it was possible.


    She loaded her feet and jumped awkwardly. The jump reached high, but not nearly to the crawl space. She took a breath, then tried again a little more confidently. She reached higher, but the ceiling was still far off.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong,¡± Lucius said. ¡°You need to release the ether all at once, just like you do when swiping with my claws. Try to imagine you¡¯re really thrusting yourself at the sky. Take it slow.¡±


    Vivi took a breath. She lowered her legs, feeling the ether building up in her muscles. Then, she blasted the ether at the ground through her feet, shooting herself upward.


    The jump shot her at the sky with force. She flew high. Too high. And too much to the side. Her head was headed directly at the cavern ceiling.


    Suddenly, her flight stopped. ¡°Whoops, there,¡± Alisa said. She pulled Vivi to the hole with her gravity spell.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Vivi said. Jumping was another thing she needed to practice. She climbed into the crawl space after Alisa, as if she hadn¡¯t just nearly crushed her neck with a reckless jump.


    ¡°This crawl space leads to an interesting place,¡± Alisa said. ¡°We¡¯re only allowed to use it on special occasions when preparations have been made. This time, Ven and Rohan have ensured that the landing is safe.¡±


    Safe¡­ Vivi didn¡¯t trust the word anymore. Coming from Alisa¡¯s mouth, it could have meant anything.


    Alisa pushed at a specific spot in the wall. With some ether and strength, the wall twisted out of place, revealing a hidden crawl space within.


    ¡°Another one?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°We are the Hollow Phantoms,¡± Alisa said. ¡°We make places hollow. This one is hidden less optimally than most of our exits. But it¡¯s also inside a crawl space. Realistically, which one of the Stewards will move up here?¡±


    The hidden crawl space was tighter, but the surface was smooth. Vivi followed Alisa for another few minutes, until the crawl space ended.


    ¡°This leads us to the public side of the dungeon,¡± Alisa said. ¡°And as the rules go, we do not carry ether beyond three hundred anywhere near the hub. You and your spirit are an exception, but it¡¯s still good to move with caution.¡±


    Alisa grabbed three black orbs from her pocket. Ether containers. She transferred her ether into the orbs and stashed the orbs inside a small box-shaped steel case. The case slid nicely into a hole in the wall. ¡°That¡¯s a void container,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Rensfig carved nothing runes on the inside. Those supposedly repel ether. Even though there¡¯s thousands of ether inside the orbs, they can¡¯t be sensed inside the container.¡±


    With the ether hidden, Alisa took off her disguise, ordering Vivi to do the same. The disguise was only for the hidden dungeon. In the hub, members of Aang¡¯s union used different, more convoluted disguises.


    With everything done, Alisa opened another hidden trapdoor underneath them. Vivi peeked down to see a cavern packed with monsters¡ªstone leafs, ghost blades, gremlins and all sorts of monsters Vivi didn¡¯t recognize. There must have been over a thousand collectable ether worth of kills in the cavern.


    A maniac in steel plate armor ran around the room, being chased by every monster at once.

 Chapter 56 - Monster Pull

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    ¡°Rohan?¡± Alisa watched the scene sixty feet below in sheer bafflement. The figure in plate armor ran around the room with a trail of monsters after him. He was about to get surrounded.


    A four-armed goblin clung onto Rohan¡¯s armor. He grabbed the goblin from the head and threw it at an approaching ghost-blade. The ghost-blade side-stepped and counterattacked, aiming its daggers at Rohan¡¯s visor.


    Rohan threw an uppercut with his gauntlets, killing the ghost blade. Simultaneously, he slashed with his sword, cutting down two little goblins. He began running again, avoiding all monsters, not killing anything he didn¡¯t need to. He didn¡¯t even collect the ether from his kills.


    ¡°What is that idiot doing?¡± Alisa asked. ¡°He barely has any ether!¡±


    Alisa watched the struggle for a moment longer before sighing. ¡°Vivi, want to head over to help?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lucius said before Vivi could even consider. ¡°Can we kill the monsters?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Get rid of everything. We¡¯re no longer in the hidden dungeon. Use as little ether as possible so that your aura doesn¡¯t flow into the next room over.¡±


    ¡°Can I make the fall?¡± Vivi asked. The cavern was tall. Vivi was at least sixty feet from the ground.


    ¡°You can,¡± Lucius said out loud. ¡°It looks scary, but a proficient hunter can fall from any height without damage.¡±


    Vivi prepared herself. She didn¡¯t consider herself a proficient hunter yet, but she trusted Lucius. She dropped down.


    Her body filled with ether anticipating impact. Most wisps moved to her lower body, but her whole body needed to be protected.


    Directly below, a stone leaf was trotting toward Rohan. Upon Vivi¡¯s fall, its attention shifted. The monsters sensed Vivi¡¯s presence.


    The vine attack shot upward, directly at Vivi.


    Red claws grew on her left hand. She swiped at the vines. The vines were cut into pieces, and the attack fell limp.


    Vivi summoned her runesword, holding it upside down as she fell on the stone-leaf. The sword pierced through, crushing the monster. Vivi braced the impact with her feet. A wave of pressure jolted through her, but she survived the landing.


    Monsters surrounded her in all directions. Vivi¡¯s aura was larger than Rohan¡¯s. Her presence drew the monsters¡¯ attention, as if she was a meal that fell from the heavens. The four-armed goblins ran at her like excited children. Ghost blades used larger monsters as points of cover, dashing toward Vivi steadily but cautiously. Over fifty monsters total faced her.


    A projectile of ether flew at her head. Vivi felt it coming. Her perception of ether was growing. She leaned to the side as a ghost blade¡¯s thrown dagger flew past her head.


    ¡°Let the slaughter begin,¡± Lucius said. He brimmed with gluttonous excitement.


    Vivi swiped with her claws, cutting down goblins, ghost blades¡ªmonsters she hadn¡¯t even identified before they died. The little monsters died in one hit without a chance of dodging.


    She killed multiple monsters each second. Lucius¡¯s claws were perfect for cutting down fodder enemies. The charged attack devoured anything in its path, cutting through anything but the stone-leafs.


    Less ether, Lucius, Vivi thought. We don¡¯t need this much. You¡¯re growing too excited.


    Lucius protested for a moment. He was into this. Cutting down little monsters at maximum power was what he lived for. But he understood the orders. Too much ether oozed out of Vivi¡¯s body. He calmed down, instead focusing on collecting the ether from their kills.


    The remaining monsters fell with relative ease. Even with less ether powering Vivi¡¯s claws, she cut open every charging monster, as if she was an impenetrable defense tower that nothing could approach. From there, Vivi ran to each stone leaf, slashing them open with her runesword.


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    Fighting really was a game of domination. With enough ether and with powerful weapons, lower level monsters didn¡¯t have a chance of survival. Vivi felt like an insect terminator burning down a colony of oversized roaches.


    The last monster fell. Lucius collected all of the ether in the room. His ether reserves grew to 4285.


    That number immediately fell down to 4244. Wisps of ether escaped from his grasp, flowing as mist into the air.


    What happened? Vivi asked. You just lost ether?


    ¡°Uh, I ate it,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Spirits need ether to live as well.¡±


    You¡¯ve been eating ether constantly, Vivi said. At least twenty a day. I¡¯ve seen it. But those wisps were lost to air.


    Lucius hid deeper in Vivi¡¯s core, feeling uncomfortable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Vivi. Everything is going well.¡±


    Vivi wanted to sigh. Lucius was acting weird again. This must have been the reason why ether hunters carried their ether within the human¡¯s reserves. Spirits got unstable on higher counts of ether. Lucius was hungry for more and more ether, but he struggled to control it all. Perhaps the ether they gained from now on should have gone to clearing her debts?


    Vivi didn¡¯t think any of her doubts out loud. Lucius could read her emotions, of course, but after a week speaking in her thoughts, Vivi was starting to get used to thinking without forming words.


    Around her, Rohan and Alisa showed themselves. The two were locked at three hundred ether and had watched from the side while Vivi cleared the monsters.


    ¡°Rohan, what a sparking genius you are,¡± Alisa said. ¡°I thought we told you to clear a safe landing for us.¡±


    Rohan scratched the back of his head. He laughed, then fell into a coughing fit. Sweat dropped from his forehead. He spoke between heavy breaths. ¡°I thought I¡¯d provide a good warm-up for Vivi and myself. I pulled every monster from nearby respawn points and brought them here. Could you help take off my armor? It¡¯ll be easier to practice without.¡±


    Alisa stared at Rohan in silence. She shook her head, rolling her eyes. She started unwrapping the plates.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Vivi asked. She glanced up at the ceiling. The crawl space was hidden well. Even if Vivi squinted with ether-fueled eyes, she couldn¡¯t see where they¡¯d come from.


    The cavern around them was grey and monotone like the upper levels of the public dungeon. The floor was left empty, but for a small section to the edge of the cavern. There were lacquered weapon racks and water barrels, the usual equipment a respawn zone had.


    ¡°This area is known amongst the union as ¡®Aang¡¯s private hunting ground,¡¯¡± Alisa said. ¡°Location wise, we¡¯re in a basic respawn-zone on a branch of the gang-controlled dungeons. The Phantoms use this area as a second base. It¡¯s not as secure as home, as the Stewards or guards are free to barge in at any moment, but we won¡¯t be bothered by nimrods.¡±


    ¡°And as Stewards are free to enter, we do not keep any contraband here,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Our reserves will stay below three hundred.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Finally something sane coming from your mouth.¡±


    ¡°I saw Ven in the free dungeon with more than three hundred ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Was he breaking rules?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s done intentionally,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Every gang needs a few breakers just to defend turf. If we all played by the rules, the union would be attacked and destroyed. Ven has the job of acting as our arrogant breaker. He has a risky job, but a necessary one. Being caught a few hundred ether above the limit will only earn a whipping. Ven still has a slash mark for getting caught a few years ago.¡±


    Behind Alisa, pebbles on the ground rustled, then began bouncing. A monster was forming. It had been a while since Vivi saw one spawn right in front of her. Monsters spawned more commonly on the upper levels for some reason.


    Alisa stabbed the current of ether, breaking it before Vivi could identify what was spawning. The runes on Alisa¡¯s daggers were gone. She¡¯d switched them for regular, non-runic weapons. Vivi hadn¡¯t seen when.


    ¡°The union¡¯s public grounds will become familiar to you soon,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Before that, I think you deserve a small break from exploration. Rohan will take you from here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have been offered an honorable task,¡± Rohan said. He stood proudly. ¡°We will fight, Vivi, and I will turn you into a true Knight. I have seen you fight three times now. I believe I have a grasp of your strengths and weaknesses. You and your spirit are amazing at cutting down weak monsters. Nobody in the gang could have cleared this mob of monsters faster than you. You have wits, and those wits translate into power. You are also easy to underestimate. Your runeswords look like ordinary blades. Yet they carry the power of a god¡¯s boulder. These strengths were enough to overpower me in our duels.


    ¡°Your weaknesses, however, are the reason I almost stood a chance, even though I carried thousands of ether less than you. You lack fundamentals.¡±


    Alisa sighed. ¡°There comes the big word.¡±


    ¡°Fundamentals?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Rohan said. ¡°You have the wits, and you have the power. But those powers are not used with thought. You go all out with the goal of defeating your opponent, but you don¡¯t know how you¡¯re going to defeat your opponent.¡±


    Now without his armor, Rohan put on a leather coat. He walked over to the weapon racks at the edge of the room. He picked up one of the swords. An ordinary steel sword.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to change that,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Choose the blade and scabbard that suits you best. We will start by learning how to unsheath a weapon correctly.¡±

 Chapter 57 - Fundamentals

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    ¡°We will start by learning how to unsheath a weapon correctly,¡± Rohan had said.


    Vivi assumed that sentence had been a joke. Or at least, she didn¡¯t think Rohan was serious. What was there really to practice in unsheathing a sword? Vivi didn¡¯t even carry a scabbard for her weapons. Her swords were summoned right to her hands.


    It turned out, Rohan was serious. More than serious. He was totally obsessed. The first lesson revolved only around the act of taking a sword out of its holster and putting it back in.


    ¡°During practice, you are forbidden from swinging your sword unless I state otherwise,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Taking swings with incorrect technique will train you into nothing more than a wild savage. A knight¡¯s strength begins from their feet. You will need to learn how to control your lower body properly. That¡¯s why we will start from the most basic of tasks. Unsheathing your sword with the correct stance.¡±


    Thus, Vivi spent the next four hours standing and playing around with a steel sword. She was forbidden from using a single wisp of ether to empower her muscles.


    Quickly, however, Vivi realized that Rohan was correct. Her fundamentals were missing. The position of one¡¯s feet and the handwork with the sheath were more difficult than Vivi could have imagined. Up until now, she had simply filled her sword with ether, slashing at her opponents. This, according to Rohan, was a huge blunder that created dozens of weaknesses. Vivi wasn¡¯t thinking about the strength and weaknesses of her weapons, nor about the effectiveness of her own body.


    ¡°Too many hunters these days rely on ether and runeswords to make up for bad technique,¡± Rohan said. ¡°With enough ether, even a sloppy swing will cause real damage. A proficient runesword will withstand great amounts of pressure, making up for poor technique where an ordinary sword would have snapped.¡±


    He sheathed his sword, then unsheathed it with force, killing an approaching ghost-blade. His movements were extremely solid. Next to him, Vivi was still struggling just to stand correctly. Without ether and with only a steel sword, her fighting skills could have very well been comparable to farmers.


    Practice continued. Rohan watched Vivi¡¯s footing and her hands, telling her each and every thing she did wrong. And there was a lot of wrong. Merely the grip at which she held her weapon was apparently a result of bad habits. Everything she did went against the fundamentals of a great fighter.


    How many hours had she unsheathed her sword now? Two? Three? Her muscles ached all over. Without ether fueling her body, even simple training was surprisingly taxing. Vivi needed effort just to keep standing, let alone properly balancing her stance.


    ¡°Are you sure this teacher is good?¡± Lucius asked. He was growing bored within Vivi. ¡°We¡¯d grow more by hunting monsters. What do we gain from this stupid practice? We don¡¯t even use scabbards!¡±


    I think the teachings make sense, Vivi thought. We¡¯re not just training to look fancy. We¡¯re training to use leverage and physics. The goal of this lesson is not just to take the sword out of its sheath, but to work on our lacking fundamentals. I think.


    ¡°You think?¡± Lucius asked.


    I hope, Vivi thought. Because if this is useless, I will be mad.


    Lucius sighed. ¡°We should go hunting, then. We already defeated Rohan once. What use is there to follow his teachings?¡±


    Rohan fought well against us while barely wielding any ether, Vivi thought. We had over two thousand against his three hundred. It¡¯s shameful that the fight was close. Rohan¡¯s techniques are real. I want to learn them.


    Lucius pouted. ¡°Fine. But if we don¡¯t learn anything before the next collection day, I won¡¯t sit idle. We don¡¯t have infinite time.¡±


    The arduous practice continued for another short eternity. By the end of practice, Vivi¡¯s calves were burning. She desperately wished to empower them with ether to keep standing for longer.


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    Rohan kept pushing her through exhaustion, until eventually saying, ¡°That¡¯s enough. We will continue tomorrow. Your footwork is still lacking, but this is a good start. You¡¯re taking learning seriously.¡±


    ¡°I can still keep going,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I want to learn.¡±


    ¡°No, practicing the same thing over and over is useless,¡± Rohan said. ¡°You will rest, and we will get back to scabbard-practice tomorrow.¡±


    More scabbard practice? Vivi thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering what the point of all this is,¡± Rohan said. He stood proudly, facing Vivi. ¡°Most knights don¡¯t practice fundamentals these days. It¡¯s more efficient to simply gather a lot of ether, and to practice channeling that ether. I somewhat agree with this state of mind. The most important fundamental any fighter can learn, even beyond stances and techniques, is ether. With enough ether, even the best technique in the world will be overpowered.¡±


    Wisps rose from Rohan¡¯s eyes. He was still only carrying three hundred wisps. Still, his aura was clearly present in the room. With his muscles empowered with ether, Rohan unsheathed his sword and performed a swing.


    His sword flowed like the wind with the speed of a gnoll. From one swing to the next, his feet moved like a performer¡¯s. Each swing carried the weight of a rolling boulder. A mere three hundred ether powered his muscles. Rohan made it look like three thousand. Watching him, Vivi wondered why Rohan had ever chosen to wear armor. Dancing now, in his leather coat, Rohan appeared like an entirely different person.


    Suddenly, a blade appeared in front of Vivi¡¯s eyes. Rohan had redirected his blade, the tip pausing before Vivi¡¯s forehead. She flinched, falling on her back.


    ¡°A truly powerful fighter makes use of both technique and ether,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I practice my fundamentals every day, and I channel ether at night. To combine the power of ether with technique turns good fighters into storm devourers.¡±


    Vivi watched in awe before pushing herself up. ¡°I will need to practice channeling ether, won¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Humans can¡¯t channel ether on their own. That¡¯s the reason why humans have been forced to the upper levels. They simply can¡¯t compete against demons who have channeled ether for millenia. It seems these spirits create exceptions. You and your spirit can channel ether together. But your auras are incomplete. Your ether reserves are great, nearly maxed out, yet you utilize barely a quarter of the power available to you.¡±


    Lucius frowned within Vivi. ¡°He¡¯s right. But that¡¯s not my fault. The hunter and spirit must work together to shape ether efficiently. I was planning on teaching you after we reached maxed reserves.¡±


    Interesting, Vivi thought. We have a lot to learn.


    ¡°Alisa agreed to help you get started,¡± Rohan said. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to teach channeling, as everyone channels their ether differently. Out of all the best fighters in the world, nobody will explain their techniques of channeling with the same words. Alisa is the best at channeling ether, and her concepts make a lot of sense. She will become your second teacher.¡±


    Vivi bowed. ¡°I am in your debt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Hollow Phantom,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Nobody hers is in anyone¡¯s debt. We help and we trust each other. The best you can do to pay us back is to learn well.¡±


    ¡°I always give my best,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m used to a tight schedule. Although, I might miss a few lessons for runesmithing.¡±


    ¡°Runesmithing will take priority, yes,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Nothing else can be used as an excuse. I will drag you to practice whether you want to or not.¡±


    Vivi saw movement in the western exit. Ven stepped in with his hands in his pockets. ¡°You two finishing up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Vivi needs to eat. Feed her well.¡±


    ¡°I can go on for half a day longer,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°No, you will eat now,¡± Rohan said. ¡°That is an order. Practice is nothing without a good meal and rest after. Ven will show you the Union¡¯s side of the dungeon, and he will take you to our cooks.¡±


    ¡°Um I¡¯d like to eat here,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ve already met enough new people today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to meet a few more, unfortunately,¡± Ven said, ¡°By joining the Hollows, you¡¯re also a part of the union. It¡¯s good to make yourself known to members sooner than later.¡±


    Vivi hesitated. She still had a bounty on her name. Rumors about her had spread within the nimrods faster than she could keep up with. Vivi knew her name was stained with an endless pile of suspicion and badmouthing. That was how rumors always went. Once a person got onto the bad sides of a community, that community saw every little action as a point to criticize. The same rumors had undoubtedly spread to Aang¡¯s union.


    Ven had already turned to leave, expecting Vivi to follow. She took a breath and joined him. Her eyes pointed toward the ground.


    ¡°The union doesn¡¯t like you,¡± Ven said. ¡°Your presence is simply too suspicious, and Andre¡¯s gang has done a great job painting you as a criminal. Admittedly, I believed the rumors when they showed up. However, it¡¯s clear that you¡¯re simply caught in crossfire.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to meet other nimrods. I¡¯m fine being a secret member of the Hollow Phantoms.¡±


    ¡°The Hollows are secret regardless,¡± Ven said. ¡°A lacking presence in the hub and dungeon, however, will make you a point of interest for the Stewards. No nimrod should stay unseen for long periods of time. If the Stewards know you¡¯re a member of Aang¡¯s union, your presence in the lower levels will be far less suspicious. Not to mention, using the union¡¯s facilities will make life a lot more pleasant. We have a few genius craftsmen in our ranks.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s head remained down.


    ¡°You will see,¡± Ven said. ¡°I have an introduction prepared. Today, I plan to clear your name.¡±

 Chapter 58 - The Better Hub

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    Aang¡¯s private hunting grounds were connected to the Union¡¯s dungeon with black curtains. There were no walls, no fences or gates or locks, just a pair of ordinary curtains. Ven pushed through.


    The view on the other side made Vivi pause. Lucius gushed a sound of awe in Vivi¡¯s thoughts.


    In the middle of the open cavern, a silver fountain sprinkled clear water. The cavern was as large as the dungeon¡¯s main entrance hall, but the union¡¯s grounds were far more colorful. Brick paths had been paved into the otherwise stale ground. Establishments almost resembled buildings; there were wooden shacks and stall-like structures used for storage. Ether-powered lamps lit the pathways with clear lighting.


    Ven grinned, seeing Vivi¡¯s reaction. ¡°We might be nimrods, but we aren¡¯t savages. This area has been dubbed the ¡®hub.¡¯ Or ¡®Aang¡¯s hub¡¯ to be more precise. Because generally speaking, this place is far more pleasant than the mess up top.¡±


    There must have been a hundred or so demons present in Aang¡¯s hub. The place was more cramped with people than Vivi would have liked. Some of the demons were working on projects¡ªwoodworking, sharpening swords, cleaning streets¡ªbut a lot of demons stood near the fountain, as if waiting for something. They were looking in Vivi¡¯s direction.


    ¡°I told members to gather up for important news,¡± Ven said. ¡°This is far from everyone, but enough members have gathered for word to spread. Just remember, most demons present are not Hollows. Don¡¯t mention private matters in the hub.¡±


    Ven headed straight toward the fountain. Vivi breathed in. She really didn¡¯t want to meet more demons. She still hadn¡¯t taken a proper bath. Couldn¡¯t she just get back to practice and memorization?


    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± Ven said. ¡°I usually don¡¯t call for a gathering to announce newcomers, but this event calls for an exception. Everyone, please welcome Vivi, the Union¡¯s newest troublemaker.¡±


    The demons looked at her curiously. At the front stood a taller man with large muscles and a confident posture. He had long curly hair and an unusually rough skin texture. ¡°The human?¡± he asked, speaking to Ven. ¡°She¡¯s joining us?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ven said. ¡°Vivi, this is Worhard. The Union¡¯s leading brute fighter and sometimes strategist.¡±


    ¡°What about the rumors?¡± Worhard asked. ¡°This human supposedly killed a dozen nimrods in her first week for her own profit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s nonsense,¡± Ven said. ¡°The rumors are not true. Andre¡¯s men set them up. Afterward, word spread. We¡¯ve been caught up in idiotic lies.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Worhard said. ¡°Well that makes sense. Of course it¡¯s fucking Andre again. If she¡¯s not a murderer, she¡¯s welcome. Why the gathering?¡±


    ¡°There is one rumor that has not been false,¡± Ven said. ¡°The ones regarding Vivi¡¯s strength. She has defeated a ghost blade on her own. She has escaped every hunter trying to murder her for a bounty. Vivi is strong. From today on, she¡¯s going to become a trial member of Aang¡¯s officials.¡±


    The demons behind Worhard appeared surprised. They began whispering amongst each other. Vivi stood nervously, uncertain on what she should be doing or saying.


    ¡°What, so this gathering was a sack of nonsense,¡± Worhard said. ¡°If someone¡¯s strong, they¡¯re in. No need for speeches. Welcome to the union, Vivi.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    A woman in a brown cloak stepped next to Worhard. ¡°If she joins officially, the Union¡¯s reputation will fall further. Bwern and Andre will claim we are working with murderers.¡±


    ¡°So be it,¡± Ven said. ¡°Deny the claims when they come. If nimrods choose to believe those rumors, let them. We have more than enough members regardless.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Worhard said. ¡°Has anyone shown Vivi around yet?¡±


    ¡°I will be holding a tour,¡± Ven said. ¡°Everyone, please wish Vivi a warm welcome.¡±


    Demons hesitantly lowered their heads. ¡°Welcome,¡± the ones close by said. Most of them didn¡¯t look particularly eager, but nobody frowned at her either.


    Worhard grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s hunt together one day. I¡¯d like to see how someone your size fights.¡±


    Vivi gave him an awkward laugh. ¡°One day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it for the meeting,¡± Ven said. ¡°Thanks everyone for coming. Spread the word to others. If anyone in the Union tries to hunt Vivi for her bounty, that member will be kicked out.¡±


    The others nodded.


    ¡°Good,¡± Ven said. ¡°Now, food. I told Gaven to cook something proper today. Let¡¯s see the kitchen.¡±


    Ven walked past the small crowd of demons, deeper into the Union¡¯s territory. Vivi followed. Her thoughts were jumbled. Somehow, she had been prepared for more. The nimrods had never treated her with any sort of manners. What was so different about Aang¡¯s union?


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    Ven cleared my name so easily? Vivi thought. He just had to tell them I¡¯m not a murderer?


    ¡°Life is easy when you¡¯re respected,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The others trust Ven.¡±


    Demons moved out of the way as Ven passed with his head high. Some nodded at him or offered a salute, to which Ven responded with a nod of his own.


    A wide paved path lined with streetside flowers and a door in the wall led Vivi to the canteen chamber. Three long tables were placed next to each other with a total of three dozen spots to eat in. Eight demons were lined up with bowls to grab soup from a cauldron. Most of the demons were dressed reasonably nicely, but there was one scrawnier man with a hunched back standing between two taller demons.


    ¡°How private is Aang¡¯s hub?¡± Vivi asked quietly. ¡°Who are these demons?¡±


    ¡°Everyone here is a member of the union,¡± Ven said. ¡°Aang¡¯s hub doesn¡¯t exclude anyone who knows how to behave. Every member gets one free meal a day. We stop crazies from coming in with our monthly payment requirements, but we try to pay back that ether as much as we can. That short dwarf eating on the right is a secret guard. We have a lot of those.¡±


    Wow¡­ Vivi thought. Why hadn¡¯t she heard of this place right away? She would have joined the union immediately if she knew it was this nice.


    ¡°Still, the Union is not a paradise,¡± Ven said. He walked past the canteen and unlocked a heavy stone door in the corner of the cavern. They entered the kitchen. ¡°Members die every week. We try to protect as many nimrods as we can, but some are simply too troublesome to keep alive. We try to offer jobs and opportunities, but some demons are too unskilled and depressed to earn any ether at all. Those demons get kicked out after failing to pay membership fees. It hurts every time, but this is the only way the Union has any sort of stability.¡±


    The kitchen was separated into two halves. One half had the two cooks and a cramped cooking area. There were two emberstone-powered heating stoves and dozens of drawers and other equipment. A large round demon was stirring a cauldron of soup. Beside him, a smaller boy was cutting vegetables, tossing them into the pot.


    The other half had two smaller dining tables. Paintings of hellish lava landscapes were hung on the wall above the tables.


    ¡°That¡¯s Gaven and his son, Enly,¡± Ven said. ¡°Our cooks. Both of them are Hollows. The kitchen is a safe space so long as we talk quietly.¡±


    ¡°Os,¡± Gaven said. A greeting of sorts.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Vivi said.


    Enly finished cutting a large root potato before filling a bowl of soup and a mug of water. He delivered both to the dining tables and bowed, then got back to work.


    ¡°I told you to cook something nice today,¡± Ven said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give special treatment,¡± Gaven said. ¡°If you eat nicely, so does the rest of the Union. Our ingredients were garbage this week.¡±


    Ven sighed. ¡°Well, I hope root slop will do, then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It smells better than what I ate on the surface.¡±


    ¡°Seasoning is one hell of a hack,¡± Gaven said. ¡°Roots are nasty, but they bring good nutrition. Sit and eat.¡±


    Vivi complied. She hadn¡¯t felt hungry earlier, when she¡¯d still had ether fueling her muscles, but after Rohan prohibited her from using ether, her body suddenly wished for a lot more food.


    She got to eating. The slop tasted anything but good. Whatever seasoning Gaven was using gave the slop a bitter aftertaste. Still, Vivi emptied the bowl without complaints while listening to Ven¡¯s idle small talk. Gaven barely responded. Ven was mostly talking to himself.


    Moments after she finished, a door at the back of the kitchen opened. ¡°Hello, dear Iwi!¡± Alisa said eagerly.


    Vivi gave her a look. ¡°You said it wrong.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I thought Emmy gave you a cute nickname.¡± Alisa smiled for a second, but her expression quickly turned serious. She pulled a folded piece of parchment from her pockets. She unwrapped it, then slammed the map on the table.


    Vivi was faced with the most convoluted and messy map of lines and drawings. ¡°This is the underground,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Every cavern, every crawlspace, every hidden exit with few exceptions. Home isn¡¯t marked, but it¡¯s right there.¡± Alisa pointed at one of the incoherent lines on the map. ¡°Looks good?¡±


    Vivi stared at the map in horror. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to understand this?¡±


    ¡°You will,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Before anything, however, there¡¯s something you must show me. Your spirit can hide items in its, uh, elemental storage place, correct? Can this map fit there?¡±


    ¡°It can,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Lucius, can you show her?¡±


    The map turned to ether, disappearing into spatial storage.


    ¡°Keep it there,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Always. That map is serious contraband. If anyone sees it, the Hollows are as good as gone. You can study it here, but never forget to hide the map. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Good,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you your new sleeping quarters.¡±


    Vivi moved without questions this time. Nearly her whole day had consisted of following the Hollows around. For her first few weeks, Vivi figured she would need to get used to being thrown around for lesser tasks and learning. She was fine with that, though she hoped Aang would provide a smithy soon.


    Alisa led Vivi into a narrow undecorated hallway lined with doors similarly to the apartments in the hub. Alisa led Vivi through one of the heavy stone doors at the back of the hallway.


    ¡°Your room,¡± Alisa said, showcasing the most beautiful little pocket Vivi had seen.


    There was a bed. A real bed with a red blanket and a soft mattress. The nightstand was sturdy, and patterns were carved into the legs. Vivi even had her own chair with a backrest.


    ¡°It¡¯s small and claustrophobic, I know,¡± Alisa said. She had to lower her head to fit in. ¡°But a silent alcove away from the world is exactly the type of room that fits your next task. You¡¯re going to memorize the map. You¡¯re going to practice channeling ether. And that¡¯s on top of your runesmithing duties. A lot of work.¡±


    ¡°I can handle the schedule,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°We will see,¡± Alisa said. ¡°See that red orb above the door? That¡¯s a warning signal. If it ever shines with ether, immediately hide your aura and retrieve any contraband into your spirit storage. The sleeping quarters are confined enough that your aura won¡¯t make it past the kitchens, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time guards barged in, hoping to catch someone holding more ether than allowed.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said.


    Alisa thought for a minute. ¡°I think that¡¯s all. Aang intends to include you as a full member by the next cycle. You will have two weeks to practice while the bosses respawn. Afterward, the hunt for skills begins. Sounds good?¡±


    Vivi breathed in. ¡°Teach me how to conceal my aura.¡±


    Alisa grinned. ¡°Very well. For the next two weeks, your every hour will be spent with us. Say your prayers, and let practice begin.¡±

 Chapter 59 - End Cycle

    For the next two weeks, the Hollow Phantoms locked the hidden dungeon. Members were forbidden from entering. Everyone had their own duties in Aang¡¯s union. Ostensibly, everyone lived their lives as nimrods, while secretly preparing for the next cycle.


    The Hollows called this the end cycle¡ªthe period of time after the squadron bosses were killed and left respawning for the Stewards. Leaving the dungeon alone was important to ensure that every tunnel and cavern respawned properly. Sometimes merely stepping into a room and alerting monsters could intervene with the brewing process. Aang wanted the hidden dungeon to appear as natural as possible when the Stewards eventually hunted the bosses.


    Without the hidden dungeon, Vivi¡¯s life became far less chaotic. Days passed swiftly by the breeze of her schedule. She had something to do during every hour of her day.


    She woke up straight to Rohan¡¯s fundamentals lectures, spending at least four hours every day practicing stances and basic sword swings. Scabbard practice lasted for a day and a half, thankfully stopping there, but Rohan¡¯s lectures continued with the absolute basics.


    After sword practice, Alisa joined Vivi in her sleeping quarters to study the map of the underground, and to channel ether.


    ¡°Channeling ether is a fancy term that wielders use,¡± Alisa had said on the first day of practice. ¡°In practical terms, our goal is to utilize the powers of each wisp of ether to the maximum. Only so many wisps can fit into our muscles at once. The wisps that do fit must be used with care, lest their effects are inefficient.¡±


    Alisa leaned against the wall. ¡°You and your spirit have been strengthening yourselves hastily, letting wisps get exhausted while barely utilizing a tenth of their full power. As a result, not only will your endurance in a fight suffer, the upper limit of your strength is greatly lower compared to someone who channels their ether with care and proficiency.¡±


    Alisa¡¯s teachings made sense¡ªenough so that even Lucius listened without growing bored. Her explanations weren¡¯t long, and the tasks Vivi had to follow were simple. She was offered one simple rudimentary exercise to repeat until she got it right.


    That exercise included a single wisp of ether. Vivi was supposed to channel one wisp into her body, keeping it active for an hour. Not just active; Alisa instructed Vivi to use that wisp to empower every part of her body, starting from her heart and chest, moving into her fingers.


    The task was utterly impossible. During Vivi¡¯s first few attempts, she couldn¡¯t keep the wisp active for more than a few minutes. The wisp strengthened her chest and heart, exhausting itself before Vivi could even think about moving it to her fingers. Up until now, Lucius had simply filled her whole body with fractional wisps of ether, pushing more as wisps exhausted themselves.


    The difficulty made the exercise more enticing. Lucius and Vivi had to work together like a team of construction workers. Lucius was the support holding the ladder: he shaped wisps from his core, sending them to Vivi¡¯s body. Vivi was the painter at the top of the ladder: her job was to control that ether inside her body, wielding it to the best of her ability. Problem was, Vivi could barely understand how wisps flowed within her. Up until now, Lucius had been in charge of both jobs.


    She continued practicing. A large chunk of Vivi¡¯s days were spent sitting around in her bedchambers with her eyes closed, feeling wisps of ether flowing through her body. She had always felt each wisp flowing within her, powering her muscles, but she never knew how to interact with those wisps. Trying to touch the wisps was like trying to twist a river by splashing the moving water with her hands.


    The secret, it turned out, was not to interact with ether directly. Instead, Vivi was supposed to build a path for the wisps to take. She couldn¡¯t grab a wisp with her consciousness, tossing it to a different part of her body. But she could guide the wisp through her body, flowing it across different muscles, as if building a new canal for a river.


    Vivi required two days to get this far. The wisp became exhausted seconds after Vivi tried to flow it anywhere at all, but Alisa claimed she was making good progress.


    During the last few hours of her second day, a distraction appeared. Eem. The fiend snuck into the bedchambers to practice with Vivi. Eem closed her eyes and tried channeling wisps of her own. Focused and serious, Eem looked cute more than anything. The fiend was a long way off from becoming a fighter, but Vivi was happy to see Eem trying her best.


    Channeling ether took another five hours of her schedule. Sword and channeling practice combined, Vivi¡¯s schedule was almost filled already.


    She was left with five to six hours to study the map, as well as to perform mundane daily tasks such as eating. She was mostly free to do as she pleased for her last five hours.


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    Both of her teachers had held a speech about the importance of rest and leisure time. Knights and ether wielders were apparently prone to falling insane if they spent too much time practicing. It was important to not forget the life around which they were practicing.


    This was the one order Vivi struggled to follow¡ªfree time. She had never understood the appeal behind leisure. Doing nothing was not relaxing like others often claimed. Leisure itself was stressful. Even on the surface, most of her hours went into projects. If Vivi didn¡¯t have runesmithing¡ªif Grandpa was out of ether roots, for example¡ªshe practiced drawing or alchemy. How was Vivi ever supposed to clear her debt if she spent her hours doing nothing?


    There was one leisure that Vivi appreciated, however. The Union¡¯s bathhouse. She visited it every day, submerging deep into the dungeon¡¯s hot springs. Alisa and Eem were often there as well, sometimes Lydi and Feni. The alchemists always looked tired, while Eem and Alisa never seemed to run out of energy.


    Vivi watched from the side as Alisa threw a ball for Eem. The fiend dove after it. Eem popped out from underneath, tackling the ball into the air with her head.


    Alisa laughed. ¡°Your horns will pop the ball, Eem. Be careful.¡±


    Eem wasn¡¯t listening. She repeated the same trick three times in a row before the ball eventually made it back to Alisa. The assassin threw the ball again with a smile on her face.


    Vivi submerged deeper, nose barely above water. She wanted to talk to Alisa about channeling, and she wanted to ask for progress regarding the smithy Aang had promised to build. However, she wasn¡¯t allowed to discuss those matters in the bathhouse. Members of the Union had free access. Four women were chatting on the other end of the hot spring.


    Suddenly, water splashed in front of Vivi. Eem¡¯s figure appeared from below water, ball in hand. Eem gushed out in excitement, holding the ball for Vivi to throw.


    Vivi smiled at Eem and threw the ball. Eem splashed water on Vivi¡¯s face as she dove after the ball.


    Vivi sighed, but her mouth quickly dipped back below water. There was a lot she needed to do. She almost wanted to ask Lucius to provide her another wisp of ether to keep practicing.


    ¡°Vivi,¡± Alisa said. ¡°You look stressed out.¡±


    Vivi flinched. She still couldn¡¯t sense Alisa coming. The woman appeared next to her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been practicing well,¡± Alisa said. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you slacking once. Rohan has only good things to say about your progress. But you¡¯re overworking yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t worked enough. I used to spend twenty hours a day smithing regularly. Here, I¡¯ve only practiced for ten hours. I could easily practice more. I don¡¯t understand why you don¡¯t let me.¡±


    Alisa leaned on the wall next to Vivi. They both watched as Eem played with the ball.


    ¡°The feeling of not working enough is a symptom of overworking, Vivi,¡± Alisa said. ¡°The amount of hours you spend practicing is not what decides whether you¡¯ve overworked yourself or not. The hours spent not practicing are more important. Do you feel satisfied after you¡¯ve spent hours training? Or do you feel as if you¡¯ve failed, and that you need to work harder?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen thousand ether in debt,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I need to work hard. I will die if that debt isn¡¯t paid.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen thousand is a small sum in the long run,¡± Alisa said. ¡°You¡¯re already valuable enough for Aang to assist you with your debt. You have no reason to stress yourself over ether.¡±


    Vivi looked down. ¡°And what about everything else?¡± She spoke quietly so that nobody around them could hear. She wasn¡¯t allowed to speak of these matters here, but the bathhouse was busy enough that nobody would overhear. ¡°The Stewards? Next cycle?¡± And what about defeating Serena? I still don¡¯t know how to swing a sword properly¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown more than you think, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Our reserves are higher now. That alone is enough to make us stronger than Serena. Add that with our practice, and we¡¯re powerful. It just feels like you¡¯re failing because there is always more to learn.¡±


    Alisa merely sighed. ¡°We are a team, Vivi.¡±


    Vivi blinked. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The gang takes care of each other. If there is something you struggle at, you won¡¯t be left alone. If there¡¯s a monster you can¡¯t defeat, Aang will slash it in half. You offer more value to the team than you think. Aang has high expectations of your work in a smithy, but even outside smithing, the ability to hide ether makes you incredibly powerful.¡±


    Vivi breathed in. Aang¡¯s union had treated her better than Fellwater ever had. Nobody bullied her here. She wasn¡¯t looked down on when she walked on the streets, and she wasn¡¯t told her occupation was useless and outdated. It was the opposite. Aang had put side his own projects to build a smithy for Vivi. She was excited for the smithy to be done.


    Something about the good treatment made Vivi nervous. As if the demons could see through Vivi any moment, deeming her a cursed child just like everyone else.


    Eem popped up from the water with her ball again. Alisa laughed, patting the fiend in the head.


    ¡°Ivwi,¡± Eem said, holding the ball for Vivi.


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. Eem wanted her to throw the ball? She took the ball and threw it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you practice channeling before heading to sleep if you wish,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Just make sure you do sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already been practicing before bed,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Alisa looked at her. Then she sighed, smiling to herself. ¡°You little imp. I admit, your practice has paid off. You¡¯re learning fast. Aang is finishing up the smithy for the next cycle.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°The Stewards will be clearing the dungeon within the upcoming days,¡± Alisa said. ¡°The moment it happens, your schedule will switch. Next cycle is planned to be the most eventful cycle in years. We¡¯re planning on earning at least one skill.¡±


    Alisa stretched, standing up. ¡°For now, there¡¯s collection day to worry about. Rohan will take you and Eem there tomorrow. We¡¯ll pay with transfer orbs, the stud ones. Then you¡¯ll get back to practice. The end cycle will pass in a flash. Afterward, be prepared for the Hollows to turn your life back to insanity.¡±


    ***


    Alisa was right. The end cycle passed fast. Before Vivi could even notice, the Stewards gathered up in Zand, clearing the hidden dungeon and all its monsters.


    The next cycle began.

 Chapter 60 - Outside News

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    Vivi returned to the hidden dungeon with her two teachers, Eem sitting on her shoulders.


    The Stewards had cleared the dungeon thoroughly, leaving not a single wisp of ether uncollected. Host bones were spread out across chambers and tunnels. Structures were destroyed, and marks of battle were left on walls. Slash marks, and dents from projectiles.


    ¡°One day, the Stewards will accidentally blast one of our exits open,¡± Rohan said, seeing a particularly deep cut in the wall. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle they still haven¡¯t discovered any.¡±


    ¡°The exits are well hidden,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Only the apartment trapdoor is at risk of being found. Grenall safekeeps that one.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rohan said. ¡°You¡¯ve been studying the map?¡±


    ¡°She has memorized the layout,¡± Alisa said. ¡°At an exceptional pace, at that. She will visualize the caverns starting today.¡±


    Vivi walked at the front of the group. She was told to lead the way to the hollow column of home base. Eem had tried to help her with the first few turns, but everyone told her shh. From there, Eem kept her mouth tightly shut, hiding her lips.


    Vivi moved slowly, having to think about every turn she took, but so far, the layout she¡¯d memorized on the map was consistent with the caverns and tunnels she faced. Navigation was easier when every monster was already cleared. None had respawned in their faces yet.


    The quickest path to home base took less than ten minutes to walk from Aang¡¯s apartment entrance. Vivi found the base without issues. She climbed into the column and entered home base.


    Inside, the Hollows¡¯ main members were sitting around a table, including Rensfig and the alchemists. The table was cluttered with blueprints, pieces of parchment, and potions. Everyone looked serious with the exception of Ven, who leaned back on the couch. Rensfig had bags under his eyes. Aang leaned on the wall, waiting.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± Ven said as Vivi entered. ¡°That¡¯s everyone, then.¡±


    ¡°Hellooo,¡± Alisa said, grinning. ¡°The start of a cycle. My favourite.¡±


    ¡°Every day is your favourite day, Alisa,¡± Rohan said.


    Alisa sighed. ¡°Any day where nobody gets brutally murdered is my favourite day.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Vivi?¡± Ven asked. ¡°Causing any trouble? Has she gotten along with the Union?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the silent type,¡± Alisa said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t cause trouble, but she doesn¡¯t talk much either. Her secretive nature has caused rumors again. Some are bad, but it¡¯s mostly just speculation about her supposed strength.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Ven said. ¡°Have you been happy as a member so far?¡±


    Vivi answered with a simple, ¡°Yes.¡± The Hollows had treated her with more care and kindness than Fellwater had in all its years combined. Vivi still had her doubts and worries, but most of that was a result of spending too much time away from a smithy. Her hands urged to get back to carving runes. She hoped Aang would have news regarding her smithy today.


    The Hollows waited to hear if Vivi had more to say. When she didn¡¯t, Alisa shrugged and said, ¡°The quiet type indeed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a busy end cycle,¡± Aang said. He stood straight and took a step forward. Everyone¡¯s attention went to him. ¡°Many ends need to be met for our plans this cycle to come together. As always, we will begin with progress updates. Lydi, Feni, how are the potions?¡±


    ¡°Ready to be tested again,¡± Lydi said. She rested her face on her hands, though her fingers were covered by her long sleeves.


    ¡°Tests with lesser monsters show that the potions offer cores more protection,¡± Feni said. ¡°We fed three vials to an ether stick before it eventually blew up. The ether stick¡¯s core grew tenfold. These are much better results. Although, we can¡¯t tell how the potion will react with a boss monster.¡±


    ¡°If you believe in the potions¡¯ potential, we will test them out,¡± Aang said. He turned to the next person. ¡°Rensfig, how is the adamantite katana?¡±


    ¡°It fucking snapped,¡± Rensfig said.


    Aang lifted his eyebrows. ¡°Elaborate?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to elaborate,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Sometimes, things don¡¯t go as planned. I failed to carve the veins. The sword couldn¡¯t withstand the current of ether.¡±


    Aang bit his lip. ¡°I see. That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused me a lot of stress, Aang,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°As a runesmith, there is nothing more important to me than witnessing Vivi¡¯s methods with my own eyes. I have had to wait two weeks, and I still don¡¯t know when she can showcase her work.¡±


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    ¡°We will get to that,¡± Aang said. ¡°First, I want to make sure everyone¡¯s jobs are fulfilled. Ven. Any clues regarding the Stewards¡¯ previous hauls?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. We suspect the Stewards sent at least one skill to Ingfried, but we don¡¯t know what that was.¡± Suddenly, Ven grinned. ¡°However, Grenall and I found something far more interesting. We found Zand¡¯s transmission chamber."


    Everyone¡¯s heads perked up. ¡°You mean, the intelligence room?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what they call it, or what the room specifically even is,¡± Ven said. ¡°Grenall was let in for a quick visit by pure chance. Wheryn had business in the transmission chamber while discussing reports with Grenall. Instead of waiting, Wheryn chose to let Grenall inside to continue the discussion. They were inside for less than two minutes.


    ¡°The chamber is located behind the examination rooms behind two strictly guarded hardstone doors. Inside, Grenall saw tens of thousands worth of ether locked in orbs. Real containers, stacked to the brim with wisps. We suspect those are the wisps that Zand sends to King Ingfried.


    ¡°More importantly, Grenall spotted what he believes is a long-distance transmission device. He described it as a pyramid-shaped metal thingy filled to the brim with runes, connected with wiring to two writing boards. This can¡¯t be anything but Zand¡¯s intelligence network. Those writing boards are what the Stewards use to send information outside of the facility.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely a transmission device,¡± Feni said. ¡°I used one in the academy.¡±


    Aang listened closely and paused to think. ¡°Interesting. Good work, Ven and Grenall. This will be useful in the future. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Some news, as always,¡± Ven said. ¡°Bwern¡¯s men are supposedly planning a raid on the Union¡¯s operations in the free dungeon again.¡±


    ¡°The usual empty threats,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ven said. ¡°There was one interesting bit of news, however. A guard has died.¡±


    Aang raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°It happened on an outside raid with three wolves and six nimrods,¡± Ven said. ¡°All were found dead. Their bodies were hung on trees with vines. Their clothes were torn, and their bodies were torn apart. Everyone was injected with venom when they died.¡±


    Lucius appeared from Vivi¡¯s core with a curious expression. ¡°What kind of venom?¡± he asked.


    Ven was surprised to see Lucius appear, but he quickly continued. ¡°Paralysis venom. Their eyes were purple when they died. The group was deep in the forest when it happened. Apparently, defense duty hasn¡¯t provided as much ether as the guards would have liked lately. Monsters haven¡¯t been attacking. Outside raids have become more enticing as a result. Now, however, the guards are hesitant.¡±


    Lucius frowned, thinking for a bit. ¡°Vivi, this might be our fault.¡±


    What do you mean?


    ¡°Paralysis venom that leaves purple eyes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°That sounds like knot-claw venom. Remember the spider summons of the boss we spawned on the fourth level?¡±


    Vivi paused. You mean, this could be the Twilight boss¡¯s work?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The boss¡¯s presence would also explain why monsters haven¡¯t been attacking Zand. The Twilight Shaman could be gathering a force of monsters under its command. Shaman-type monsters are prone to raising an army of monsters. They also like to grow stronger if they¡¯re left alone. It¡¯s likely that the boss has grown in power.¡±


    This is serious, Vivi thought. Should we mention it?


    ¡°You can if you want to,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Right now, we are too weak to defeat that boss. With the whole gang combined, we could perhaps stand a chance. What happens outside the walls doesn¡¯t concern us.¡±


    Right, Vivi thought. Let¡¯s focus on Zand. If guards die to the boss, that¡¯s not our problem.


    ¡°Keep your ears open for more news,¡± Aang said. He turned to Rohan and Alisa. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss our new arrival. Is Vivi ready to hunt bosses this cycle?¡±


    ¡°Vivi has shown exceptional progress with the sword,¡± Rohan said. ¡°She is slowly learning how a sword should be gripped. We have moved from practice swings to real-time practice against ghost blades and goblins.¡±


    ¡°Has her fighting shown results?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°She fights like a savage,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I don¡¯t think her fighting style can be taught out of her. However, she is slowly incorporating fundamentals into her fights with monsters. She can defeat a ghost blade with a steel sword and without the use of ether.¡±


    ¡°On my side, Vivi has learned to control her ether at a basic level,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Her skills are on par with nine-year-olds who have practiced their whole lives. It will take some months before channeling practice shows results in combat.¡±


    Vivi disagreed with the last part of Alisa¡¯s assessment. Channeling practice had already honed her instincts by a significant amount. Even without ether in her body, Vivi felt more aware. She was generally more in control of her body¡¯s movements.


    She still struggled to control many wisps at once. In a real all-out fight, Lucius would have to go back to their old strategy of simply pushing as many wisps into Vivi¡¯s body as he could. However, channeling practice had clearly improved Vivi¡¯s senses.


    ¡°Vivi is still inexperienced,¡± Rohan said. ¡°But I believe she can be let into a controlled raid. Fighting tougher monsters at full force will offer valuable experience, now that she knows how swords and ether are supposed to be wielded.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Aang said. ¡°You have answered everything I needed to know. Vivi will join our hunt this cycle. Is there anything notable someone wants to add?¡±


    ¡°We could add to our food budget,¡± Alisa said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Gaven cooked anything half decent.¡±


    Ven rolled his eyes. ¡°I have nothing to add. Let¡¯s hear what you have planned, Aang.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Aang said. He stood proudly and regarded all of his members. ¡°It has been six cycles since we earned our last skill. One skill every six cycles is not nearly enough. This time, I am prepared to kill all five bosses for results to show. We will earn a skill.¡±


    The others listened with serious expressions. Lucius grinned.


    ¡°We will brew three bosses for two weeks,¡± Aang said. ¡°If that is not enough, we will wait another five days with the last two bosses. Lydi¡¯s potions will be tested with each boss.¡±


    Aang turned to Vivi. ¡°The most important job belongs to Vivi. The smithy is done.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s head perked up. Finally. She¡¯d been waiting for this throughout the whole end cycle. She followed Aang through the rightmost door on the opposite side of Rensifg¡¯s workstation.


    Aang grinned as he showcased his newly built smithy. ¡°By the end of this cycle, I intend to have the Hollows to finally rival the Stewards in strength.¡±

 Chapter 61 - Runeswords in Demand

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    The smithy was far smaller than Grandpa¡¯s cramped old shack. Aang had filled the whole room with tools and equipment, making clever use of the lacking space. Hammers and tools were hanging from the ceiling with rope. The anvil had a hole between its feet, and Aang had crammed an ingot of adamantite in between. The smithy was more cramped than Gaven¡¯s kitchen.


    It was beautiful. Vivi studied everything around her in awe. There was a small emberstone forge as well as a portable crucible furnace and three crucibles of different sizes. A vise, as she had asked, and a stool. A shelf on the back wall was lined with ether roots of all kinds. Most were common roots¡ªgreen mithril, white obsidian, iron¡ªbut one particularly shiny root caught Vivi¡¯s breath.


    A locium root. The same metal that Andre¡¯s mining team was fond of hunting. In metal form, locium was useless for runesmithing. As an ether root, however, locium had one property that made it best in its category. Unstable locium conducted ether at an incredibly fast rate, making it the best root for swiftness runes. Locium roots were rare; Grandpa had never worked with one even once even when Ellandor had specifically requested a locium root. Shaping locium veins was as difficult as it was costly. If Grandpa bought a locium root and made an error shaping it, the smithy could have fallen bankrupt from that failure alone.


    Aang stepped beside Vivi. ¡°I hope I gathered everything you requested. I tried to leave enough space to swing a hammer around the anvil. If something is amiss, please tell me.¡±


    Vivi was too busy gawking to thank him. She had her own smithy now. A beautiful one, hidden away from the world in a quiet corner of the hidden dungeon.


    ¡°You even found black aspen!¡± Vivi gushed, seeing a branch of dark wood in the corner of the smithy. She rushed over and smelled the tree. The scent almost made her tear up. The coal-like smell of black aspen was always stuck to her fingers back home. She¡¯d been bullied for it many times. The scent of black aspen was as homely as the scent of Grandpa¡¯s old bloomer furnace.


    ¡°If there is anything my members require, I will get that arranged,¡± Aang said with a smile. ¡°The aspen had to be brought in outside the facility. Arranging it was a hassle, but Grenall got it in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do this for free,¡± Aang said. ¡°In return, I expect to see results.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to work,¡± Vivi said, correcting herself.


    ¡°And I want to see how your damned swords are made,¡± Rensfig said. He stepped past Aang. The three of them barely fit into the smithy. With Rensifg inside, Vivi would have just enough space to use the anvil.


    ¡°Tell me your desired shape, metal, and runes, and I will get to work,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The first swords will be free as thanks for building the smithy.¡±


    ¡°The sword might one day be used to fight Stewards,¡± Aang said. ¡°Uundref and Wheryn are our most likely opponents, as they reside within Zand at all hours. In terms of fighting styles, the two are complete opposites. Uundref is a stealth assassin, while Wheryn is a defensive tank.¡±


    ¡°We will need a runesword to pierce strong defenses, then, and a swiftness sword to deal with Uundref¡¯s speed,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Piercing Wheryn¡¯s defensive barrier will be close to impossible,¡± Aang said. ¡°He wields a rare skill. ¡®Impenetrable Iron.¡¯ The skill turns his skin into ether-powered metal. Our best bet is to outmaneuver him with speed. Wheryn is not fast.¡±


    Wheryn was that bulky demon wearing a tank top, right? Vivi thought. She had caught a glimpse of the Steward during collection day. Wheryn¡¯s proportions were on the more extreme side, but he was otherwise a regular demon. His ether aura had been inactive during collection day, but he didn¡¯t look all too scary among the seven Stewards present. Vivi would need to see him in combat to know how to truly counter his powers.


    ¡°There is also another opponent we need to defeat,¡± Aang said. ¡°The Elder Gnoll.¡±


    ¡°Elder Gnoll?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°The boss of the gnoll mineshaft,¡± Aang said. ¡°Four of the five squadron bosses are easy. The Hollows can defeat them without issues even with our current equipment. The Elder Gnoll, however, is on another level. The only time a member of the Hollows has died in a boss hunt was during a battle against the Elder Gnoll. Ever since then, we¡¯ve chosen other bosses.¡±


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    ¡°Wow,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There¡¯s an Elder Gnoll down here? That¡¯s a high-tier boss.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± Aang said. ¡°The Stewards require every member to take it down. I said we would be taking down all bosses this cycle, but for the Elder Gnoll, your runeswords are the deciding factor. With every member equipped with inside-carved runeswords, we will stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°I will see what I can do,¡± Vivi said. ¡°First, I will carve a replacement runesword for Rohan, and a new adamantite katana to fight Uundref. As for the Elder Gnoll¡­¡±


    ¡°The Elder Gnoll is not a specialized monster,¡± Aang said. ¡°It¡¯s fast, and it¡¯s incredibly strong, usually wielding an aura of at least fifteen thousand ether. I doubt it can be countered with a specific rune combination. I simply need you to carve the best runeswords you can.¡±


    ¡°Every monster can be countered by specific rune combinations,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Rensfig, you can stay as my assistant. I will not need help for most steps, but it¡¯s good to have an assistant for the last few steps.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving even if you tell me to,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°I will learn the secrets of inside carving.¡±


    Vivi nodded. ¡°I will reveal them. Just don¡¯t be disappointed if it takes you a few years to replicate my methods.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Rensfig said. He stood in the corner of the room, where he had a good view of Vivi¡¯s workstation. ¡°Start it, you cocky witch.¡±


    Aang nodded. ¡°I have left water and bread on the shelf. You have three days to work until collection day will call for a break. We will assess your progress then.¡±


    Three days to work? Vivi grinned. Finally, Aang told her what she wanted to hear. She had a beautiful smithy, food and water, tens of ether roots, beautiful metals, as well as access to all of Rensfig¡¯s carving knives and runesmithing equipment. What else could she ask for?


    She bowed and thanked Aang again. The gang leader closed the door, leaving Vivi alone with Rensfig.


    ¡°Well, then,¡± she said. ¡°Two swords. And I¡¯d like a third one for myself. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Rensfig stayed silent, watching. He looked as if he expected to learn a secret of the gods.


    Vivi ignored him and picked up the branch of black aspen. Today, she intended to carve proper veins for her runeswords. Not the simple single-runed branches she¡¯d carved for her first runesword. Three days was plenty of time for some good preparations.


    Lucius, heat the forge to twelve hundred, Vivi thought. That¡¯s the melting point for black aspen. You know how this works.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Lucius said. Vivi sensed slight excitement from him as well. Lucius was curious about what Vivi was going to create next.


    She cut off a suitable stick of black aspen and placed it into the forge. The aspen heated up quickly. Despite black aspen being wood, it withstood heat and a hammer surprisingly well. This was thanks to its crystalline atom structure, similar to most metals. Black aspen would work perfectly for what she intended to craft.


    Vivi placed the heated-up aspen on the anvil and started hammering. She hit softly to keep the circular shape. Slowly, the aspen started to take the shape of a smooth stick.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°What does this have to do with runesmithing?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not runesmithing yet,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m creating a tool.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Rensfig said. He sounded disappointed. ¡°And what tool are you creating?¡±


    ¡°Just a simple crocheting hook,¡± Vivi said. ¡°You¡¯ll see. A tuning fork is far too clumsy to shape anything intricate. Crochet hooks are essential for shaping veins. I plan on creating real products today.¡±


    ¡°I would ask you what shaping veins means, but I¡¯m guessing you will tell me to wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said with a grin. ¡°You will understand once you see the process.¡±


    She spent the next half an hour hammering the aspen stick and another fifteen twisting the tip into the desired shape. By the end, Vivi was quite happy with the results.


    The end of her stick was crooked, exactly like a grandma¡¯s crochet hook. Vivi¡¯s creation was slightly larger and stronger, and the mouth of the hook was far more bowl-like, but the tool was essentially the same thing. Black aspen crochet hooks, combined with a knife, were Vivi¡¯s preferred tools for vein shaping.


    With the crochet hook completed, Vivi stretched, then picked up an ether root. ¡°For the first sword,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Let¡¯s replace Rohan¡¯s sword.¡±


    ¡°Asmite and a swiftness rune?¡± Rensfig asked.


    Vivi thought for a second. ¡°Rohan wields heavy swords, but forging asmite is a pain. I¡¯d require hours upon hours to get the shape right. Blacksmithing alone will leave me tired. I¡¯d like to preserve energy for other projects. It¡¯s going to be easier to forge a lighter metal that¡¯s powered by a mass rune. The feel of the sword will be similar, but the smithing process will be far less intensive.¡±


    ¡°Rohan likes his asmite blades,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Black Rose was a nightmare to carve. I understand where you¡¯re coming from.¡±


    ¡°We will carve a simple green mithril sword,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Green is a low-tier mithril, but it¡¯s still but solid light metal. For the ether root, we will use iron.¡±


    Iron roots sounded and appeared boring. Mentioning iron certainly didn¡¯t spark interest from Lucius. It was true that iron¡¯s conductivity was slow. It could take multiple seconds to fill iron veins with ether. But when iron veins did get filled, they allowed for a seriously powerful current of ether. Iron was one of the better roots in terms of capacity.


    Iron roots were also seriously stubborn to guide into shape. Vivi twisted the root between the jaws of her vise, then prepared herself for the first arduous job of the day.


    ¡°You said you required six weeks to carve Black Rose, correct?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°Six weeks and some spare days here and there. Asmite is stubborn enough that I could carve, at most, an inch into its surface each day.¡±


    A smile crept onto Vivi¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I won¡¯t need as long. Give me five hours. Rohan¡¯s new sword will be ready by the time the first monsters respawn.¡±

 Chapter 62 - Warm-up

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    Vivi was rusty. She immediately noticed sluggishness in her movements. Her hands didn¡¯t flow with the root¡¯s stalk like they used to. Holding a crochet hook felt awkward. The last time she¡¯d worked with one was on the surface back in Grandpa¡¯s smithy.


    Back there, just hours before being sent underground, Vivi had carved her first three-runed sword. It had taken her attempt after attempt, wasting countless ether roots on failed sets of veins. Three-runed swords required impeccable concentration for the whole process, leaving little room for errors. Vivi had been in the zone for many hours straight until eventually completing one lucky attempt.


    Right now, the skill she¡¯d had back then felt like a distant memory. I¡¯m never taking a break for two weeks straight again¡­ Just one day away from the smithy is enough to make my hands slow.


    Lucius sounded concerned. ¡°You mean, you¡¯ve forgotten how to be a runesmith?¡±


    Vivi smiled. Not in the slightest. I¡¯ll just need a good warm-up.


    In this situation, Grandpa would have told Vivi to spend a day or two performing rudimentary exercises, such as shaping artwork and tying knots with inexpensive plant roots. Rudimentary exercises were a great way to gain a feel for how veins were supposed to be handled.


    In Zand, Vivi didn¡¯t have time to practice. She needed results. Rohan¡¯s sword will be my warm-up today, Vivi thought. A single-runed sword is hard to screw up. Lucius, speed up the tempo a bit. Iron roots require faster growth, or they¡¯ll dim out.


    Lucius followed the order, and the vein-shaping process continued. The image of Black Rose was clear in Vivi¡¯s head. She recalled the shape of the veins on the asmite sword¡¯s surface. Vivi tried to replicate a similar pattern with the iron root¡¯s branches. The sword should feel similar to swing. Only, Rohan¡¯s new sword would be inside-carved and far more powerful.


    Rensfig watched from the side silently. He could see Vivi¡¯s concentration and didn¡¯t ask questions. He, too, looked concentrated, watching every movement Vivi made with seriousness. Rensfig was the opposite of Andre¡¯s blacksmith. Einord had merely rolled his eyes and sighed repeatedly.


    ¡°Assistant,¡± Vivi said, making Rensfig flinch. ¡°Could you heat the crucible furnace to sixteen hundred kelvin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a runesmith,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use that thing.¡±


    ¡°Just add in some ether and watch the temperature,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a gauge?¡± Rensfig said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s there,¡± Vivi said.


    Rensfig gave her a look but heated the crucible furnace. The emberstones warmed up the small smithy within five minutes. The temperature wasn¡¯t sweat-inducing yet, but Vivi¡¯s fingers felt slightly warmer.


    ¡°That should be enough,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The heat feels right.¡±


    Droplets of sweat formed on Rensfig¡¯s forehead as he stood next to the furnace. ¡°You mean, you can tell the heat? From that distance?¡±


    ¡°It feels right to me,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Now, for the next step. Place in the crucible. Wait for it to heat up before placing in the metals. We will liquidize the green mithril.¡±


    Rensfig scrambled to follow the instructions. He clearly wasn¡¯t practiced, but placing metals into a crucible didn¡¯t require much skill. He closed the lid and let the furnace do its work.


    By now, Vivi was finishing up the veins. The stalk of the iron root was colored a boring gray. This was another disadvantage of iron roots; the appearance was not exactly awe-inspiring. Grandpa rarely used iron for this specific reason, despite iron being very cost-effective. Most customers wanted beautiful swords. Iron bordered ugliness.


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    The Hollows, however, required strength. Vivi finished up the set of veins, cauterizing growth. She cut off the stalk from the root and assessed the veins she¡¯d created.


    She was quite happy with the result. The branches were a lot more complicated, forming half-squares with sharp angles. The half-squared formed together by connecting with other branches. With a crochet hook, Vivi had a lot more control over the shapes she wanted to form.


    ¡°A Hank¡¯s pattern?¡± Rensfig asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a simpler variation of the pattern Rohan¡¯s old sword had,¡± Vivi said. The square branches were named after their inventor, Hank the Beer Carver. Hank was a legendary runesmith from way before the age of typhoons. He worked while drunk in an age where runesmiths were competing on who could carve the most beautiful patterns into their runeswords. Hank, drunk as he was, struggled to compete. Instead, he carved simple half-squares into his swords.


    Somehow, Hank¡¯s swords kept beating everyone else¡¯s, proving that runesmithing wasn¡¯t all about beautiful patterns. Hank¡¯s half-square pattern was seriously efficient. Today, the pattern translated well into inside carving.


    With the veins done, Vivi quickly got to carving the runes. A mass rune was slightly more complicated than a strength rune, requiring a more specific path within ether¡¯s elements. The iron root¡¯s surface was also tough, making the carving process tedious. Vivi only had time to add four runes to the sword before it was time to move to the last step. She would have liked to add at least eight for a faster intake of ether, but iron roots weren¡¯t supposed to be fast either way. With less intake runes, controlling the flow of ether inside the sword was easier.


    By the time she was done with the runes, Rensifg¡¯s face was red from sweat. He was drinking water at a steady pace. ¡°How can you work here?¡± he asked. ¡°The heat is unbearable.¡±


    ¡°Wait until we get to forging,¡± Vivi said with a smile. ¡°Before we continue, do you understand now how inside carving works?¡±


    ¡°I think I get the idea,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°You¡¯re going to reform the liquidized metal around the veins. But can the ether root withstand the heat? Will your veins not deform?¡±


    ¡°If ether is provided through the runes, the veins will withstand,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Open the lid, if you please.¡±


    Rensfig was nervous as Vivi moved to the final steps. To balance the veins upside down inside the molten metal, Vivi set up her rope configuration again. The ropes were far from optimal, and they limited her movement within the small smithy, as touching the ropes would cause the veins to twitch. Grandpa had a proper holding rack for the crucibles back home. Vivi would have to craft a better setup when she had time.


    ¡°This method is insane,¡± Rensfig said ¡°Not only are the veins inside the sword, you also carved them in barely an hour. You¡¯ve sped up the process by weeks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called vein-shaping,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s far more difficult compared to carving outside-veins, but when done right, vein-shaping is the most satisfying part of runesmithing.¡±


    Rensfig stood still with a thoughtful expression while watching the metal cool down. ¡°Can inside-carved runeswords compete with three-runed swords? I can¡¯t imagine how rune combinations are possible with this method. The veins of an outside-carved blade aren¡¯t allowed to mix. Runes cause bad reactions if they directly mix. That¡¯s why the veins need to be carved separately from each other. The same rule will apply to inside carving. But I don¡¯t see how you can ever connect another separate ether root into this.¡±


    ¡°Rune combinations are intricate, but they''re absolutely possible,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the most runes an outside-carving runesmith has crammed into one sword?¡±


    ¡°Undar Grievous fit four into a greatsword fifty years ago,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°He was awarded a prize for innovation by Ingfried himself. Although, the sword snapped after too much stress was placed into it.¡±


    Vivi grinned. ¡°My grandpa fit five runes into one sword.¡±


    Rensfig blinked. ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re fucking with me.¡±


    Vivi ignored him. She stretched, preparing for the next job. ¡°That was a good warm-up. Let the metal cool down for now. I¡¯ll forge the sword later. Right now, my hands are ready for more intricate work.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re crafting another sword?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯ve crafted two toy swords now. Grandpa would be disappointed if he saw my work so far. It¡¯s about time I crafted something for real.¡±


    Vivi already had a vision for what she wanted to carve. Rensfig¡¯s adamantite katana was clear in her head; the exact same patterns he was trying to use. Was her idea too cruel?


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Let¡¯s show this dwarf how runesmithing is really done.¡±


    Yes, Vivi thought. Two runes. A swiftness and a sharpness rune. We need to defeat Wheryn, Uundref, and an Elder Gnoll. Let¡¯s get to work.

 Chapter 63 - Rune Combinations

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    An hour later, the main set of veins for the two-runed katana was completed. So far, the process was the same as when crafting a single-runed sword. With a two-runed sword, the first set of veins was the easiest part.


    Vivi had chosen a white obsidian root to use as the core ether root. White obsidian was the opposite of iron in terms of its properties. It couldn¡¯t hold much ether at once, but ether flowed within quickly, making it optimal for swiftness-based elements.


    While shaping the core stalk, Vivi had to plan ahead. She made the stalk far thinner and left the branches short. This was done to leave enough room for the next step of the process. The second set of veins.


    Before picking up the next ether root, Vivi had to set up the path that the second root would follow. She carved a hole inside the bottom of the main stalk. The hole extended vertically from the bottom of the hilt up toward the branches, making the lower part of the first stalk hollow.


    Right before the hole reached the first branches, Vivi carved two horizontal holes on each side of the main stalk. This revealed the vertical hole inside. Additionally, Vivi carved four smaller horizontal holes across the hilt of the main stalk. These steps were essential for carving swords with multiple runes.


    Choosing the next ether root was important. Vivi couldn¡¯t use another white obsidian root, since roots of the same material would combine, making all of Vivi¡¯s preparations useless. The two stalks had to be different enough that ether would flow separately, not combining together. The powers of the two different runes were not allowed to mix within the veins, before making it to the metal. The reaction would ruin a sword.


    The locium root would work¡­ Vivi thought. Yet, she was reluctant to pick the root. Locium was known amongst scientists to be insanely erratic and difficult to work with. Grandpa had never tried it. If Vivi used the locium now, she could very well ruin it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s use it!¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯re not here to mess around.¡±


    No, that would be stupid, Vivi thought. We¡¯ll use the locium root for a three-runed blade. Let¡¯s save it for a powerful sword.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucius said. ¡°What will we do, then?¡±


    Let¡¯s use green mithril, Vivi said. Green mithril is conductive, and it holds a lot of power. I used one for my three-runed sword. Green mithril will work phenomenally with a sharpness rune.


    Lucius appeared disappointed, but he played along. Vivi picked up the mithril root and placed it in the vise. ¡°This next step is probably going to look a little silly¡­¡± she said.


    Vivi held the first set of veins above the mithril root so that the tip of the root poked into the hole at the bottom of the veins. The root was secured to the vise, but Vivi balanced the veins with her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to concentrate for this step, so please don¡¯t bother me,¡± Vivi said. Upon saying this, Rensfig stayed extra silent, trying to hide himself in the room.


    ¡°Lucius, initiate the root.¡±


    Ether flowed into the mithril root. The tip cracked open, and the stalk grew. Vivi felt pressure below her hands as the growing mithril root attempted to push the veins out of the way. She held it there firmly. Quickly, the mithril root found its path. The stalk of the second root grew inside the hole she¡¯d created. After a few inches of growth, the mithril root''s growth was firmly guided by Vivi''s hole. She no longer had to balance the veins.


    The mithril root continued growing inside the first stalk. As it reached the first four horizontal holes, the pressure guided branches to grow outward through the holes. Vivi let the branches grow half an inch outward before cauterizing each one. Excess growth would all be cut later to create a smooth surface where runes could be carved.


    When the mithril root reached the last two holes, the mithril root was separated into two stalks extending out from the holes. The mithril stalks joined the branches of the first set of veins. Now the shaping process started.


    Vivi juggled guiding both of the mithril stalks through the pre-planned route. Her preparations with the first root came in handy. Vivi had prepared enough space for the second root to weave through holes near the sides of the sword, neatly intertwining with the first set of veins.


    The two separated stalks of the mithril root¡ªwhich would house a sharpness rune when completed¡ªwove near the edges of the blade. The sharpness rune didn''t need to strengthen the core of the weapon. That job was left to the first root, the swiftness rune. Thus, Vivi shaped spiky branches with the mithril root only at the very edges of her sword, where the branches would strengthen the sharp edge of the weapon.


    Vivi quickly fell into concentration. Shaping two runes was exponentially more difficult compared to just one. If any of the branches she was shaping turned out the wrong shape, all of her work so far would be wasted. She¡¯d need to start from scratch. Very little could be done after the fact to fix screwed-up veins.


    Vivi¡¯s touch wasn¡¯t impeccable. She made minor mistakes, shaping branches ever so slightly off. Not too off to cause the sword to become inoperational, but her work was far from the perfect runesword. Her two-week break still showed. Nevertheless, she let practice guide her movements, shaping the branches like a master artist painted a canvas.


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    Two-runed swords were exponentially more difficult to craft. But they also had double the runes. A swiftness and a sharpness rune combination created an incredibly powerful duelists¡¯ blade that a single-runed variant could never match. The best rune combinations could negate each other¡¯s weaknesses, while strengthening a sword with the benefits of both runes. Swiftness made a sword incredibly smooth to swing, often improving a wielder¡¯s accuracy and instincts, while a sharpness rune ensured that anything hit would be cut down.


    For the next three days, runesmithing was Vivi¡¯s life. She shaped veins, carved runes, forged blades, until each and every sword was done.


    ***


    ¡°She¡¯s been in there for a while¡­¡± Ven said. He sighed as he leaned on the table. ¡°I know we gave her three days, but you¡¯d think she¡¯d at least want to sleep on a bed? Does she not use the bathroom?¡±


    Aang breathed in. Runesmiths were crazy. Rensfig had already proven that. When a job became real, Rensfig often didn¡¯t leave his lair for two days straight. He¡¯d piss in a bucket to continue working, while barely eating anything at all. He rarely stayed for three days straight, however.


    ¡°You think we¡¯ll have a sword done by the end of the cycle?¡± Ven asked with a funny smile.


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Aang said. ¡°Rensfig requires months to finish swords. Inside-carved swords must be even more intricate. I¡¯m ready to wait half a year if that¡¯s how long Vivi requires to complete another sword.¡±


    Ven sighed. ¡°Did you really plan on fighting the Elder Gnoll again? Or did you just say that to get everyone pumped up like you always do?¡±


    ¡°We will see. I am hoping to kill the boss if at all possible. It might just take half a year, depending on how long Vivi¡¯s swords take to be completed.¡±


    The two lounged around in silence for a moment. Collection day was coming soon. As much as Aang would have loved to see just how long Vivi¡¯s runesmithing spree would last, he knew he¡¯d need to nudge her out of the cave soon.


    The door to Vivi¡¯s smithy creaked ajar. Ven jumped from the couch. Aang lifted his head.


    Rensfig stepped out. There were lumps underneath his eyes. The scorch on his face had small cracks, reddish droplets of sweat flowing down his cheek. His body was seriously hot and dehydrated. It was almost as if he¡¯d been sick for a week.


    Aang rushed over and grabbed hold of the old dwarf. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s insane¡­¡± Rensfig said. He let out a weak laugh. ¡°Three days straight¡­ Concentrating like that¡­ Hammering with such force¡­ Barely four hours of sleep in between¡­¡±


    ¡°Rensfig?¡± Aang asked. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°I¡¯m just too old for this. There is no way I can keep up. You should retire me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°The girl, Aang,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°She¡¯s completely insane.¡±


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s more than okay,¡± Rensfig said. ¡°She¡¯s fucking phenomenal. Her work¡¯s done. She asked me to bring you in.¡±


    Aang raised his eyebrows. Done? he thought. What do you mean done?


    With the door open, he could hear hammering from the small smithy. Vivi was forging something.


    ¡°Walk in and see for yourself,¡± Rensfig said.


    Aang did just that. He fully opened the door, letting himself into the smithy. Immediately, the heat of the smithy made him uncomfortable. The room was like a sauna. It was no wonder Rensfig looked dehydrated.


    ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± Vivi said, wearing a smithing apron. She hit the sword on the anvil for one last time, then reached up to hang her hammer back on the ropes.


    ¡°Rensfig claims the sword is complete,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°Yes, everything is done,¡± Vivi said. She grinned wide. Her fingers were black like a coal miner¡¯s, and her smooth human skin was coated in sweat. Aang still found it odd to look at her. Humans looked so frail, with their small size, having no scorched spots in their skin at all. Yet somehow, Vivi was the one happily standing after three days in the smithy.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the first one,¡± Vivi said, picking up a sword from the back of the smithy. A different sword from the one she¡¯d just been hammering. It was a green mithril broadsword of a similar shape as Black Rose.


    ¡°It¡¯s not pretty,¡± Vivi said, ¡°but it should match Rohan¡¯s armor well. Please try it out.¡±


    Aang picked up the blade. It was done already? He couldn¡¯t believe it. Vivi had completed a runesword in three days. At this pace, they¡¯d be fighting the Elder Gnoll by the end of the cycle.


    As Vivi had said, the sword didn¡¯t look particularly impressive. Green mithril was not a metal Aang was afraid of when a sword of its kind passed on the street. The inside-veins shone vaguely within the metal, but green mithril wasn¡¯t see-through like Vivi¡¯s crystal mithril blade. The sword almost looked ordinary.


    Still, Aang trusted that Vivi hadn¡¯t created anything useless. He flowed ether into the runes. Mass runes took in his ether. The buildup was slow. Slower than Black Rose. Aang waited for a few seconds while the inside veins lit up.


    Eventually, the sword became active.


    And a storm blazed into motion inside his core.


    Enhanced ether pillaged the sword¡¯s metal like a hellish wildfire. The mass rune gave the sword more than just weight; the metal ascended into the most terrifying object Aang had held. The sword had a presence within his consciousness. It stared at its wielder with deep blazing eyes.


    A chill ran through Aang¡¯s body, shaking his whole being. The sword fell from his hands, clanking against the ground.


    Impossible, Aang thought. What the hell had he just witnessed? This sword was insane. It felt as if the sword was alive.


    Vivi quickly picked up the sword from the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It hasn¡¯t been sharpened yet, and the polish is awful. I told Rensfig to sharpen it, but he wanted to watch me work. I¡¯ll quickly give it a finish. Do you think Rohan can wield a sword like this?¡±


    Aang stood frozen for a moment. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± he said. ¡°This sword¡­ If I wield it, I could stand a chance against the Elder Gnoll.¡±


    Vivi looked strangely nervous. ¡°You like it?¡±


    Aang bowed. ¡°I¡¯m speechless. This sword is beyond my expectations. I can¡¯t promise to be a worthy wielder, but I promise to give the Stewards a fair fight. With this sword, the dungeon could be cleared.¡±


    Vivi blinked, appearing surprised.


    ¡°What¡¯s the sword¡¯s name?¡± Aang asked.


    The surprise turned to an awkward smile. ¡°Uhm,¡± Vivi said, ¡°that¡¯s just a warm-up sword. Rohan can use that one for now, until I craft something better. The real swords are over here.¡± She turned around to grab something.


    A warm-up sword? Aang thought. What was this girl talking about? The most insane object Aang had ever held was a nameless practice sword?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if a two-runed sword can be enough to defeat Uundref,¡± Vivi said. She came back with another sword. A beautiful adamantite katana, complex veins shining inside. ¡°But I think this one came together nicely.¡±

 Chapter 64 - Dreams and Reality

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    Why do they look so shocked? Vivi thought. Are the swords not good enough, after all?


    ¡°Vivi, you idiot,¡± Lucius said with a laugh. ¡°Do you really think these swords are subpar?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s only a two-runed katana, Vivi thought. I could have carved this when I was thirteen years old.


    Aang held the adamantite katana like it was some fragile piece of art. He looked afraid to even run ether through it. Behind him, Rensfig was shaking his head, while Ven peeked cautiously into the room. Why was it that everyone acted so weird when it came to Vivi¡¯s runeswords?


    After a deep breath, Aang pushed ether into the katana. Only a little bit. He kept his eyes closed, feeling the presence of ether. The first contact, it was called. The moment when a wielder interacted with a runesword for the first time, flowing ether through the veins. The experience was said to be cathartic, almost spiritual. A wielder could tell the strength of a sword through contact of ether.


    This time, Aang didn¡¯t drop the blade. He merely handed it back to Vivi. Her heart raced. It was as if she was showcasing another one of her swords to a customer. On the surface, customers always looked unimpressed, barely giving Vivi¡¯s work a glance.


    ¡°That sword¡­¡± Aang said. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. If I dropped it, the blade would have pierced the ground.¡±


    Vivi laughed awkwardly. ¡°Only if you threw it at the ground. Runeswords aren¡¯t that dangerous. The first sword is Rohan¡¯s, and the katana is yours. Or you can give it to whoever fits it best. These two are free as I promised.¡±


    Aang had never looked so serious. ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡±


    ¡°Name?¡± Vivi asked. She hadn¡¯t thought of one. To her, this was just another average sword.


    ¡°Kingslayer!¡± Lucius called in her head. ¡°That¡¯s its name!¡±


    No, that¡¯s too flashy, Vivi thought.


    Runesmiths often named their swords after the creation process, did they not? ¡°The name is¡­ Solace.¡±


    ¡°Solace?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°What kind of stupid name is that? Did I really spend my ether for a sword named Solace?¡±


    Aang seemed satisfied with the answer. He bowed. ¡°Solace. A fitting name. Though I don¡¯t think my conscience will allow me to accept this sword for free.¡±


    ¡°Give us skills, then,¡± Lucius said. ¡°And ether. My wielder is fifteen thousand ether in debt, remember?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I still have over ten months of time to gather ether. Clearing my debts would mean two of the Hollows won¡¯t be maxed out anymore. It¡¯s useless to pay my debts now. I would prefer if the Hollows made use of every wisp instead. We can discuss clearing my debts after survival in Zand isn¡¯t an issue anymore.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s a skill you wish to wield, I will happily trade it for this sword,¡± Aang said.


    Vivi gave him a laugh. Really, she was just doing her job. She¡¯d never asked for such treatment. ¡°I won¡¯t feel like I earned it if I took a skill from you. I¡¯m still not good at fighting. The Hollows will make better use of skills. If I wield a skill, I want to earn it directly by defeating a boss.¡±


    ¡°Two humble idiots trying to impress each other,¡± Rensfig said with a sigh. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sakes, you two.¡±


    ¡°I just want to do my best,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I promised my Grandpa to fulfill his legacy. These swords are not nearly up to our standards. I¡¯m happy to hear you like them, and I hope they¡¯re useful to defeat bosses, but I can¡¯t accept big payments for two-runed swords. Save your payments for my real masterpieces. I can¡¯t spread Grandpa¡¯s name if these sloppy two-runed swords are all I¡¯m creating.¡±


    Rensfig rolled his eyes, looking like he was about to lose it. He glanced at Aang. ¡°Do you understand now why I said she¡¯s insane? This witch reconstructs my failed masterpiece in a day, she calls it a sloppy two-runed piece of shit, and refuses payment. What has life come to? Are all humans like this?¡±


    Vivi faced him with an awkward smile for a second. Then she tried to form a real expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious about overthrowing Zand,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a home to return to even if I escape. My Grandpa is imprisoned, and our smithy is ruined. Humanity¡¯s ether hunters are trying to kill me. The only life I have is here.¡±


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    Aang tried to open his mouth, but Vivi spoke over him. ¡°I want to clear the dungeon. I want to stop this stupid facility from operating. Without monsters respawning, Zand will lose its purpose. Even if the dungeon is only gone for ten years, and even if the nimrods will simply be sent to other facilities, I want to fight back.


    ¡°You said I should work for Ingfried. You probably still think I should get out of here and work for some respectable noble. But no, I won¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t want to work for rich idiots that gained their wealth through abusing others. I want to craft swords for those that don¡¯t use their powers to oppress those weaker than them.¡±


    The demons stared at her in silence. Vivi¡¯s heart began racing again. Had she said too much?


    Aang leaned against the wall. ¡°The nimrods are all criminals, you know.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not,¡± Vivi said. ¡°All I did was exist where I shouldn¡¯t, and now I¡¯m a nimrod.¡±


    ¡°Most nimrods prefer their lives in Zand,¡± Aang said. ¡°It¡¯s far more pleasant than torture prisons.¡±


    ¡°The facility forces everyone to fight against each other!¡± Vivi said, speaking louder than she perhaps should. ¡°It¡¯s cruel. I hate this place. I can¡¯t just do nothing.¡±


    Aang breathed in. He treated Vivi like some dreamy child.


    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with your ideals,¡± Aang said. ¡°But you should know that the Hollow Phantoms are not freedom fighters. We started hunting skills for selfish reasons. To gain power within the nimrods¡¯ hierarchy. Only recently, we¡¯ve even started considering what we¡¯ll actually do with the powers we¡¯ve earned. Clearing the dungeon is something we¡¯re all thinking about. Especially after Lucius¡¯s proposal. But realistically thinking, the risks are large. It¡¯s far easier to simply live cycle by cycle. However¡­¡± He breathed in. ¡°Your runeswords are powerful. The idea is more plausible than ever.¡±


    ¡°We are clearing the dungeon,¡± Lucius said. ¡°That¡¯s one thing I¡¯m not backing down on. Finding a boss as powerful as the one below might take years. Defeating it will almost guarantee a powerful skill to drop. My wielder and I need it.¡±


    Aang faced Lucius¡¯s eyes, then turned to Vivi. ¡°We will show your runeswords to the rest of the Hollows tomorrow. Then, we will discuss which bosses we will and won¡¯t kill. In the meantime, you can reconsider whether you want payment or not. Does that work with you?¡±


    Vivi¡¯s eyes pointed down. I am the naive dreamy child, aren¡¯t I?


    ¡°You have valid points, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Aang doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid. He¡¯s just stressed out. He knows he needs to keep up with your goals.¡±


    Sorry, Lucius, Vivi thought. I should just take his skills and ether and be happy selling the sword. But something about that doesn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We¡¯ll hunt the boss and clear Zand for good. We¡¯ll defeat a few Stewards if we have to. Or we¡¯ll escape after the boss is dead. I¡¯m happy with either proposal.¡±


    Vivi lifted her head and faced Aang. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s discuss plans tomorrow. But I won¡¯t be asking for a payment.¡±


    Aang looked like he still had more arguments to throw. Before he could, however, a discussion in the room behind them caught his attention.


    He opened the door to see Alisa and Rohan in the central chamber. Both wore serious expressions.


    ¡°Is something happening?¡± Aang asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alisa said. ¡°And it¡¯s happening soon. A surge is spawning inside Zand.¡±


    Aang lifted his eyebrows. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alisa said. ¡°It was announced just now. Apparently, the surge is hitting the hub dead-on. The forecast says it will hit right on the central fountain. The area is fenced off, and the Stewards have all gathered.¡±


    Ven grinned, hearing that. ¡°This means we¡¯ll see the Stewards fighting, no?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aang said. ¡°This is not bad news. It¡¯s not the first time a surge has spawned in Zand. Ven, inform the union. Tell them I¡¯m coming. And clear the landing for us. We will gather to watch the event. Vivi, you¡¯re invited as well, though I¡¯ll allow you to rest if you wish.¡±


    Vivi breathed in and nodded. ¡°I can still stand for a few hours. I¡¯ll come.¡±


    ¡°The Stewards will be crafting a boss monster,¡± Aang said. ¡°That¡¯s what they did last time. For now, Lucius should carry all of your swords in spatial storage. In case of an emergency, hand one to me.¡±


    Vivi turned back to the smithy to gather her gear, putting the two swords into spatial storage. Lucius had space, though wisps were slowly being exhausted passively now that more and more swords were being placed into storage. She had also stored a few other valuables there¡ªa few ether roots, and two hundred worth of ether in Zand¡¯s ether orbs. Just in case she was in a pinch for collection day.


    Her third sword still lay on the anvil. The one she hadn¡¯t yet showcased. It was a two-runed giant slayer greatsword forged with dark mithril.


    Dark mithril was a high-tier mithril with a smooth marble-like surface. The metal was quite passive with seemingly no strong properties. Dark mithril was rarely used by blacksmiths for anything at all.


    The one large benefit dark mithril had was its synergy with runes and ether. Dark mithril had a strong structure, but it wasn¡¯t as dense as other mithrils. This allowed a lot of ether to strengthen the metal at once. Runes were extra efficient when paired up with dark mithril.


    Vivi had created the sword for her own use, but she had still hoped to show it off. She¡¯d paired the sword with strength and crush runes. This made the sword perfect for cutting down larger boss monsters. Any wound that the sword created would leave large gaping wounds. Landing a vital hit could kill a boss in one blow.


    Vivi wasn¡¯t sure if the sword would become useful in Zand. She¡¯d created it on a whim out of excitement. She quickly quenched the blade in water and added it to spatial storage.


    Then, Vivi joined Aang and the others as they made preparations to move to the hub, putting on disguises, stashing their maxed out ether reserves.


    ¡°It has been a while since we¡¯ve seen the Stewards truly fight,¡± Aang said. ¡°We¡¯ll analyze their abilities. Keep your eyes sharp, and let¡¯s enjoy the show.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Gamble Of No Bad Outcomes

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    The group sneaked into Aang¡¯s hub through the ¡°Union exit.¡± The one that connected the gnoll mineshaft to Aang¡¯s private hunting grounds. Eem moved on Vivi¡¯s shoulders, having joined back with the gang after being gone for a day. Vivi was happy to hear Eem¡¯s enthusiastic gushes of excitement again. The fiend¡¯s presence made any situation more fun.


    The Hollows entered the Union¡¯s hub. Aang¡¯s presence in the hub made members nervous. He rarely visited, leaving duties to Ven. When Aang did show up, something important was going on. The members knew this.


    Aang walked straight to the central fountain and called for all members to join the event up top, to watch the surge spawn. After a few minutes of letting people consider their decision, the ascent to Zand¡¯s hub began.


    Around a hundred Union members had decided to join Aang, walking as a crowd after him. The Hollows walked at the front alongside the Union¡¯s other higher ups. Vivi recognized many of the officials by their faces, but only Worhard was familiar by name. He¡¯d talked with Vivi a few times during end cycle when she had free time.


    Ascending to the fourth level, nimrods had already crowded the hub. There were almost as many people as on collection day. This time, there weren¡¯t as many beggars. The crowd was curious and nervous as opposed to desperate, waiting for the Stewards¡¯ show to begin. The daylight gems were bright, clearly illuminating the hub in its entirety.


    The crowd made space as Aang¡¯s convoy of Union members walked straight to the fenced-off surge-zone. Aang pushed through with his intimidating posture, clearing the space for his union. Quickly, the Union had secured a front-row view of the surge-zone. Vivi stood at the very front.


    The surge was going to hit the same fountain at which Uundref had introduced Zand¡¯s rules to Vivi and the newcomers. A square around the fountain was blocked off with a spiky steel fence. Inside stood all ten of Zand¡¯s Stewards and a few construction workers carrying what looked to be skulls. Mostly large demon skulls with intimidating horns, but Vivi spotted a few smaller human skulls as well.


    Other gangs had gathered up on the respective sides of the fence. Namely, Vivi spotted Bwern. He and his gang were positioned directly to the left of Aang¡¯s Union. Bwern¡¯s demons were already frowning at Union members.


    Bwern was a huge demon. Vivi had passed him only once so far, staying far away from him and his gang. His skin was reddish, and his horns were thick. His muscular arms were thicker than two of Vivi¡¯s swords next to each other. Still, from what Ven had said about the man, he was far from stupid. Bwern had a cunning mind and clever fighting strategies behind all of his muscles.


    His gang members were all large, though nobody quite reached the size of their boss. Bwern valued pure strength and loyalty above all else. His members were brutes that followed strength.


    Bwern glanced in Vivi¡¯s direction, and she quickly looked away. She scanned the crowd to see if she recognized anyone else on the front rows. Some of the faces were familiar, though Vivi didn¡¯t know much about individual nimrods.


    Interestingly, she couldn¡¯t see Andre. Was his gang not present? Vivi would have thought Andre would want to study the Stewards fighting. Perhaps he was watching from somewhere hidden.


    ¡°Still going to take another thirty minutes or so,¡± Ven said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll wait and watch.¡±


    The union did just that. Alisa and Rohan argued about something stupid behind Vivi, while the Stewards and the construction workers continued building the surge-zone.


    Vivi quickly spaced out from the conversations around her. She was tired, and she hadn¡¯t taken a bath after runesmithing. The earlier talk with Aang kept repeating in her head.


    Was it stupid to try fighting the Stewards, after all? Around her, the Hollows were all smiling, seemingly satisfied with their lives. Other nimrods didn¡¯t seem too unhappy either. Nervous, sure, and fighting for their lives, but Vivi could understand Aang¡¯s point. Life as nimrod was bad, but everything could have been worse.


    Conversely, fighting the Stewards could very well make lives worse. Prisoners wouldn¡¯t be freed if Zand fell. They¡¯d be sent to other facilities or prisons, where they¡¯d need to readjust to another life. Escaping with all the nimrods would be close to impossible. They¡¯d be too easy to hunt down. A mass escape would prompt a response from higher-ups. Possibly from the King himself.


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    Even if Vivi and the Hollows escaped alone, they¡¯d likely face a tough life outside as escapees. They¡¯d be deemed criminals. Entering cities would be difficult. Building lives even more so.


    What, then, could they do? Vivi wasn¡¯t going to join Ingfried. She despised living as a nimrod. But defeating the Stewards was too dangerous and risky, and the life afterward could very well be worse than life now.


    Inside Zand, Vivi had a smithy. She had friends. She had a life. A life surrounded by cruelty, but a life nonetheless.


    Vivi¡¯s thoughts were broken as the Stewards began stacking skulls atop the fountain and all across its perimeter. Some skulls were tossed into the water. The skulls were tied together with rope. Vivi guessed this was done to connect the hosts together to spawn one boss instead of a horde of lesser skeletons.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re crafting a death-based monster,¡± Ven said. ¡°Without clear host bones, it¡¯s hard to imagine what they¡¯re crafting. With so many skulls, it¡¯s likely going to be a necromancer monster.¡±


    ¡°Necromancer?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°A monster that grows stronger by extracting corpses,¡± Ven said. ¡°Necromancy monsters can¡¯t summon dead like whimsical black-magic necromancers, but they grow exponentially stronger from devouring freshly killed ether.¡±


    ¡°Are shamans necromancers?¡± Vivi asked. Lucius had mentioned that the Twilight Shaman could grow strong too.


    Ven raised his eyebrows, surprised by the question. ¡°No. Shaman bosses tend to gather armies of existing monsters. With each monster they gain control over, their ether reserves grow. Every type of boss usually has a quirky method of growing stronger if left alone. With shamans, their reserves are proportional to the size of their army.¡±


    Interesting, Vivi thought. Ythar¡¯s priests had most likely taught the same thing to teens in Fellwater. Vivi had skipped most lectures. She still had a lot to learn about boss monsters.


    ¡°Dear nimrods!¡± a loud voice suddenly said. The hub fell silent.


    The speaker was Uundref. He used ether to enhance the volume of his voice, making his words almost deafening. ¡°A great blessing has been delivered to Zand! After four years without incident, another surge is spawning directly inside the hub!¡±


    Beside him, two demons pulled forth a cart, on which sat a tall prize wheel. It had two colors. One side was a dark green and the other bloody red. Uundref grinned as it was brought in. ¡°To celebrate this event, your honored Stewards have decided to launch a lovely little game!¡±


    ¡°More gambling?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°The Stewards sometimes do this,¡± Ven said. ¡°They¡¯ll offer a gamble for desperate nimrods.¡± His face was serious, bordering gloomy. ¡°Usually, the offers are far from pleasant.¡±


    ¡°All nimrods are allowed to enter!¡± Uundref said. ¡°Those with a slash mark or two will gain priority in the queue. I encourage anyone with a slash mark to enter without hesitation! Today¡¯s prize wheel has no losing outcomes.¡±


    Uundref spun the wheel as a demonstration. He spoke while it spun. ¡°A green landing will earn the contestant fifty ether straight to their reserves, no questions asked. A simple outcome, and a good way to earn yourself out of debt.¡±


    The wheel stopped on red. Uundref grinned. ¡°The red outcome is far more interesting. Any contestants who earn red will join the Stewards for our upcoming boss fight! Any survivors are free to collect ether up to their maximum limit of three hundred!¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ven said. ¡°I see where this is going. Vivi, you should place Emmy down.¡±


    ¡°What, why?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Is something bad happening?¡±


    Ven frowned. ¡°Well, I guess this isn¡¯t Emmy¡¯s first time seeing death. Just be warned, okay?¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. To her, Uundref¡¯s proposal sounded good. The green landing could very well save someone¡¯s life, pushing a nimrod above the one hundred limit for the upcoming collection day. The red outcome could be dangerous, but its rewards were especially enticing for struggling nimrods. They simply had to survive in the arena while the Stewards fought the boss.


    A lot of nimrods were seemingly thinking the same. A queue quickly formed before the prize wheel. The first scrawny looked like he would have taken the wheel even if red meant torture. He was almost begging beneath the wheel.


    The wheel landed on green, and fifty ether was fairly transferred to his core. Vivi had never seen such relief on a demon¡¯s face.


    The next spin hit red.


    ¡°Ahh, our first winner!¡± Uundref said. ¡°Congratulations, and good luck on the boss fight!¡±


    The demon was tossed inside the fences. She was a small woman with a slash mark showing beneath her torn clothes. She looked nervous as she entered the field, but she quickly picked a spot far away from the fountain.


    The wheel continued spinning, hitting red more than it did green. After ten minutes of spinning, and after Uundref had spent at least five hundred ether on green results, the surge-zone was starting to fill with demons.


    Vivi sensed the ether below the earth. A surge was definitely building. Uundref, too, seemed to sense the surge about to hit. He paused the line before the next contestant. In total, twenty six demons made it inside the fence.


    ¡°Dear contestants!¡± Uundref said. ¡°Thank you all for entering. It will be an honor to fight alongside you.¡± He spread his arms wide and faced the fountain. ¡°Let the battle begin!¡±


    Upon his words, the surge spawned, coating the fountain and the skulls within with active ether.

 Chapter 66 - Showcase Of Power

    Surges were as deafening as Vivi remembered. The geyser-like surge coated almost the entirety of the fenced-off area with ether. A few contestants were caught inside. Small cuts appeared on their skin as wisps of ether aggressively grazed past.


    With Vivi¡¯s sixth sense more present, the surge felt even more terrifying. Thousands upon thousands of wisps of ether shot forth from the ground violently. Each wisp immediately searched for a host to reanimate.


    The wisps quickly found the fountain and the skulls within. The monster formed. The fountain turned into a black slime-like substance, while each skull gained eyes. The monster was unstable for a moment until forming together all at once. The skulls poked out from the slime¡¯s surface. Each skull became deformed and devilish. Some appeared to be crying. The slime formed hands and feet.


    Finally, the slime solidified into a humanoid shape. One larger skull became the head. The rest of the skulls were embedded into its black skin like large scales of a snake. A gaping mouth poked out from the monster¡¯s stomach, large enough to fit Bwern whole in one bite.


    Its ether aura was the most disgusting and disturbing thing Vivi had ever felt. The aura wasn¡¯t threatening. Rather, it was gluttonous. This boss wielded at least ten thousand ether, and it was hungry for more.


    Ven gritted his teeth. ¡°A Life Devourer. A disaster boss. This is bad. It¡¯s weak now, but it¡¯ll grow.¡±


    Vivi watched in concern. Surely, the Stewards could take it down, right? All ten together. The Life Devourer by itself didn¡¯t look too threatening.


    The Stewards stepped back, hopping over the fence. The twenty-six nimrods were left inside.


    All alone. Locked up with the boss monster.


    The Life Devourer swung its arm, grabbing the first nimrod. The poor man, who was likely wielding less than a hundred ether, couldn¡¯t react. The Life Devourer tossed the man into its gaping mouth, devouring him whole.


    Another skull appeared on the Life Devourer¡¯s skin. A crying skull with the horns of the man it just ate.


    A sick feeling welled up in Vivi¡¯s stomach. Screams rang in her ears from inside the arena as the Life Devourer ate the next person. Vivi had the urge to puke. She didn¡¯t blink. She didn¡¯t move. She merely watched as the boss monster grew stronger, eating up nimrods to fuel its growth.


    Suddenly, Vivi felt like a total idiot. The Stewards watched from the sides with smiles on their faces. Of course they did. This was their plan all along. They never intended to fight with the nimrods. All twenty-six nimrods were thrown in as sacrifices.


    Vivi gritted her teeth. Someone had to do something!


    Ven held a hand in front of Vivi. ¡°No, Vivi,¡± he said. ¡°Those nimrods took a risk. It¡¯s not our job to save them.¡±


    Vivi gritted her teeth. She was shaking. Eem, too, was unmoving on her shoulders, watching the scene with her eyes wide.


    The nimrods died in under two minutes. They couldn¡¯t stand a chance. The Life Devourer didn¡¯t specialize in speed, but its movements were lightning-fast compared to the nimrods, who were barely stronger than humans from the surface. It crashed into the fence, once, snapping the steel in half. At that point, the Stewards pushed the boss back into its arena, protecting the outside world.


    After everyone was killed, the Life Devourer¡¯s aura must have reached fifteen thousand ether. Its skin was entirely covered in skulls. Each skull was tough; the monster specialized in its defense.


    The Stewards re-entered the playing field, ready to take down the boss.


    They stopped messing around. Immediately, Wheryn called his skill. Impenetrable Iron. His skin became ether-empowered steel as he faced the boss. The Life Devourer threw a fist at him. Wheryn¡¯s footing dragged backward by five feet, but he stood, defending.


    The rest of the Stewards took their weapons. Six of them wielded two-runed outside-carved runeswords. One Steward wielded a large stone bow. His arrows shone with ether. He must have enhanced them with a skill. The arrow hit the boss in the shoulder, cracking one of the skulls.


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    Vivi barely paid attention to the lesser Stewards. Everyone there was strong, at least strong enough to rival Aang with his reserves maxed out. The boss continued taking hit after hit from the Stewards¡¯ ranged attacks. Every time it tried to attack, the runesword wielders pushed it back.


    Vivi¡¯s focus, however, was on Uundref.


    The skeletal Steward spun his fingers and two runic daggers appeared on his hands. Uundref concealed his aura, totally invisible within the messy fight. The portal appeared beneath his feet.


    His portal is a ghost-type skill, is it not? Vivi thought. She spoke calmly within her thoughts.


    ¡°Um, yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°It looks like a twilight skill.¡±


    Twilight is a variation of the ghost type, Vivi thought. Both mainly use the void elements of ether. Spectral powers.


    ¡°Uh, Vivi?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Why do you sound so scary?¡±


    Uundref¡¯s portal reappeared in the air behind the boss monster¡¯s neck. The boss didn¡¯t sense the Steward coming. There, Uundref activated another skill. His runic daggers grew in length, and a large ethereal aura enveloped them. The weapon turned ethereal, resembling the grievous skeletons¡¯ swords.


    With his dagger, Uundref spun, cutting at the boss¡¯s head.


    The nape was slashed open in one clean blow. Wisps of ether gushed out from the wound. A fatal wound.


    The Life Devourer fell, and its body began disintegrating.


    The Stewards quickly collected its ether before nimrods could do anything stupid. Everyone was watching. They collected at least two thousand ether, making up for what Uundref had lost to the wheel landing on green.


    ¡°No skills, huh?¡± Ven said, watching. ¡°So much effort and nothing to show.¡±


    Effort? Vivi thought. What do you mean effort? They killed twenty-six nimrods! Just for a chance to earn a skill!


    ¡°Show¡¯s up, huh?¡± Alisa said. ¡°Are we going? Do we have a reason to stay?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Aang said. ¡°We saw what we needed to see. The Stewards have grown. Their fighting strategy is clever, as always. We learned a lot from this.¡±


    With gloomy expressions, everyone turned around, back toward the dungeon. Vivi stayed there for a moment longer, watching the Stewards. They simply discussed with each other, as if nothing weird had just happened.


    ¡°Vivi?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°I think I figured out Uundref¡¯s weakness,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°You did?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Wait here. I¡¯m going to do something quickly.¡±


    The fence had a hole not far from Vivi, where the boss had crashed into the opening. Vivi walked toward the hole. Lucius, spawn the ether orbs into my pocket, she said.


    ¡°What?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Why? What are you planning?¡±


    ¡°Vivi?¡± Rohan asked behind her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Vivi stepped into the destroyed surge-zone through the hole in the fence and walked straight to Uundref.


    She stood beneath the bony Steward, frowning up at him.


    Uundref regarded her with confusion. Then he grinned. ¡°Well, hello, dear human. What brings you trespassing onto the Stewards¡¯ private and strictly entry-forbidden surge-zone?¡±


    Vivi pulled one of Zand¡¯s ether orbs from her pocket, worth exactly a hundred ether. ¡°Here¡¯s my payment for collection day. I won¡¯t be visiting in line. I have things I need to do today.¡±


    Uundref tilted his head. ¡°Everyone needs to visit the line, dear. No special treatment. Your ether reserves must be examined.¡±


    ¡°You believe I¡¯ve paid back my debt?¡± Vivi asked. She pulled another orb from her pocket, also worth a hundred. ¡°You can have that too. These orbs are worthless anyway.¡±


    Uundref watched her for a moment. Then he giggled, accepting both orbs. ¡°Very well. You have been marked as present and paid for today¡¯s collection day. Happy hunting!¡± His grin fell. ¡°Now, if you please, step back. This zone is private and your presence is punishable with a whipping.¡±


    Vivi turned around, back toward the hole in the fence. Behind it, Rohan stared at her with a panicked expression. All of the Hollows had turned to wait, as if Vivi had earned someone a death sentence.


    ¡°Vivi?¡± Rohan asked. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±


    ¡°Just some business,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Aang asked with his arms crossed, frowning.


    ¡°I paid him two hundred ether,¡± Vivi said. ¡°To skip collection day today. I¡¯m heading to the smithy.¡±


    ¡°You should have just waited six hours,¡± Aang said.


    Vivi ignored him. She knew what she did was stupid. Of course it was stupid and unnecessarily risky. Vivi didn¡¯t exactly care. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. I¡¯m heading to the smithy now. I know exactly what I need to craft.¡±


    Aang walked beside her. ¡°Vivi, let¡¯s not do anything rash.¡±


    Vivi bit her lip. She spoke quietly so that passersby wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°I was thinking about it, Aang. That maybe life as a nimrod wasn¡¯t too bad. Maybe the Stewards weren¡¯t so cruel that they had to be killed. I really thought about it. And then they do that.¡±


    ¡°The nimrods knew the risk,¡± Aang said.


    ¡°No they did not,¡± Vivi said. ¡°They were forced to make the gamble. Why? Because they¡¯re too weak to earn a hundred ether. The twenty-six nimrods that died were people. They had lives. Now they¡¯re dead, all because the overlords wanted a higher chance of earning skills. Don¡¯t try to tell me that¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve all grown numb to cruelty. This needs to stop.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with you,¡± Aang said. ¡°But we should talk about this first. Let¡¯s not jump to decisions.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time to discuss. I¡¯m just heading to the smithy now.¡± She looked Aang in the eye. ¡°I believe I figured out Uundref¡¯s weakness. And I¡¯m going to craft a sword that will make his powers utterly useless.¡±

 Chapter 67 - The Nothingness Rune

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    ¡°Vivi, you¡¯re scary when you get mad like that¡­¡± Lucius said.


    Vivi frowned. She stepped into her smithy, which was still hot from the work earlier. Tools were left in place, and used ether roots were sprawled wherever they fit. Vivi really should have cleaned before leaving¡­


    ¡°Are we really getting back to work?¡± Lucius asked. He floated beside Vivi, but spoke in her head. ¡°You should sleep first, right? Our assistant has passed out.¡±


    I don¡¯t feel tired, Vivi thought. Why are you scared of my anger? Did we not witness the same scene in the hub? The Stewards killed twenty-six nimrods for their own gain.


    ¡°They did¡­¡± Lucius said. ¡°But is that our fault? None of them were our allies.¡±


    The other nimrods barely batted an eye, Vivi thought. Zand is so cruel that people think this is normal. Everyone is acting like twenty-six people dying for the Stewards¡¯ benefit isn¡¯t a problem.


    Lucius appeared uncomfortable. ¡°I just haven¡¯t seen you get mad before, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Vivi took a deep breath. She couldn¡¯t recall the last time she was mad either. Back home, she didn¡¯t have time to get angry. She resented a lot of people, including the ether hunters, but Vivi didn¡¯t want to get mad at anyone. She just wanted to smith swords and live.


    She didn¡¯t even know what it was about the Stewards¡¯ stunt that made her so outraged. Everyone already knew that Zand was cruel. The nimrods were too focused on their own survival to care. Was that what made her angry? The total lack of reaction from everyone around her.


    I¡¯m no longer so weak that I¡¯m inconsequential, Lucius, Vivi thought. My efforts can make a difference. I could help others.


    Lucius said nothing, sensing that arguing with Vivi would be useless. Vivi guessed he disagreed. He wasn¡¯t the type of spirit that went out of his way to help those who he didn¡¯t need to. Still, a spirit and the wielder didn¡¯t always need to agree on everything. Lucius would help her even if he didn¡¯t fully agree with Vivi¡¯s decisions. So long as Vivi didn¡¯t do something that totally went against his goals.


    Uundref uses twilight abilities, Vivi thought. His most dangerous skill is the portal skill. That, combined with his speed, makes him a deadly fighter.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. ¡°His dagger skill is strong, whatever the skill is, but it looked like a common skill to me. Your runeswords are strong enough to withstand an attack. The portal is the most dangerous skill.¡±


    Twilight and ghost monsters, and skills, have a weakness, Vivi thought. A nix rune.


    ¡°Nix?¡± Lucius thought. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Nix is a void element, Vivi thought. It¡¯s rarely used in runesmithing. As the name suggests, the rune does nothing at all. It offers no sharpness or pressure like typical runes do. Nix just coats a sword in ether that does nothing at all. I¡¯ve only carved it a few times in my life as practice.


    Lucius blinked, confused. ¡°So why are you mentioning this?¡±


    Nix has only one benefit, Vivi thought. It cuts through anything with spectral powers. Twilight and ghost monsters aren¡¯t actually some psychic otherworldly beings. They just use spectral ether full of void elements, which is highly resistant to physical attacks, and ether''s live elements. Nix renders spectral powers useless.


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    Lucius listened curiously, while Vivi picked up an ether root. The sword she was going to create would work best with light metals and highly conductive ether roots. Perhaps a katana would work. Vivi picked up a white obsidian root to use as the base and sat down on the vise.


    Initiate the root, please, Vivi thought.


    ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t rest first?¡± Lucius asked.


    Just do it.


    Lucius hesitated. However, after a glare from Vivi, he initiated the root. The vein-shaping process started.


    As Lucius had warned, Vivi was tired. She¡¯d only slept for four hours in the last three days, having crafted three swords. Her fingers felt slippery, coated in a layer of old black aspen.


    But she was in the smithy, and the process had started. Vivi wouldn¡¯t stop mid-way through. She shaped the veins with willpower alone.


    The vision for the sword was clear in Vivi¡¯s head. She knew exactly what she wanted to craft. This was usually a good sign. Vivi wasn¡¯t like Grandpa, who could improvise the first few steps of the process, deciding later what the end product would be. Vivi required a specific plan. She needed to know what the veins were supposed to look like, as well as where each rune would go, and what the sword would be used for.


    The last part was especially important. Most of Vivi¡¯s swords were created with the goal of simply creating a powerful weapon that would sell well. In Zand, her swords were created to defeat tough monsters, and to fight spirit blades.


    Never before had Vivi crafted a sword with the goal of killing someone.


    Uundref was a skeletal demon, but he was an intelligent being nonetheless. The sword Vivi worked on now was created solely for the purpose of killing a Steward.


    Vivi didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. The vision of the completed sword was clear in her head. More clear than ever. Yet, Vivi was uncomfortable working toward completing the sword.


    She worked anyway, finishing the core set of veins. She carved the holes into the hilt, then picked up another ether root, choosing green mithril. There was no reason to get creative when basic ether roots would serve their purpose well enough.


    The second veins will be for the nix rune, Vivi thought. It¡¯s best if the core is saved for a shockwave rune.


    ¡°Shockwave?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Seriously? A rune like that exists?¡±


    The name isn¡¯t literal, Vivi thought. The shockwave rune makes use of air and wind elements. Those elements push ether outward with force, creating a shockwave-like effect.


    Lucius looked curious. ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m interested. Craft the sword, Vivi.¡±


    Vivi smiled slightly. They initiated the second root.


    The theory behind Vivi¡¯s veins was quite simple. The shockwave veins sat at the core of the weapon. The rune worked like a discharge. Upon loading ether inside, an attack was charged. By swiping, the shockwave would be released.


    The shockwave¡¯s discharge of ether would pass through the nix veins, which slithered across by the edge of the blade. This way, the shockwave¡¯s discharge of ether would be coated with nix-enhanced ether.


    If Uundref¡¯s portal was active and Vivi managed to swipe a shockwave toward the skeleton¡¯s direction, the Steward would be blown off guard. His powers would work against him.


    Some hours later, Vivi cauterized each stalk of the second ether root. She yawned. It was a miracle she hadn¡¯t screwed anything up, tired as she was.


    Still, Vivi immediately moved to carving the runes. She hadn¡¯t skipped collection day just so she could sleep. She intended to finish the sword today, forcing herself to carve the runes.


    For the metal, Vivi picked red hardsteel. As the name suggested, the metal was an alloy of steel. It was made by combining a large amount of ordinary steel with a small amount of adamantite. This gave the steel a reddish color, while strengthening it by a significant amount. Hardsteel was relatively light with a low melting point. A low melting point was necessary when working with a nix rune, as nix didn¡¯t offer the veins much protection when dipped into molten metal. With high heat and no protection from runes, the veins would melt.


    Vivi heated up the crucible furnace, melted the metals, and finished carving the runes. She was barely awake by this point, requiring Lucius¡¯s ether just to stay focused. Lucius expressed his concerns, saying that Vivi could fall ill if she stayed awake. She nodded her head back and forth while waiting for the metal to cool around her veins.


    But the sword needed to be finished. Vivi picked up her hammer and began smithing. She barely remembered what happened during the latter part of the process. But she continued hammering, forging the weapon, until eventually collapsing asleep on the anvil.

 Chapter 68 - Friends

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    Vivi woke up with her forehead resting on her anvil.


    She¡¯d never been as groggy as she was now. Lifting her head, a wave of nausea nearly made her puke. She didn¡¯t see straight. Her mind felt dried of all water, as if it¡¯d been poked empty with a sharp stick.


    ¡°I did warn you¡­¡± Lucius said. Vivi saw something red flying beside her. ¡°Abusing ether for too long has consequences. You¡¯re not supposed to stay awake for so long. Smithing endlessly at that.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Vivi said. She leaned her head on her hand. Every part of her body smelled like metal. ¡°Where¡¯s the sword?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you ask?¡± Lucius said with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡±


    The red hardsteel katana lay neatly atop ingots on the metal gallery. Vivi stood and groggily walked up to it. What was the sword doing there?


    Seeing it up close, Vivi raised her eyebrows. The katana was sharpened, and the grip was done. The sword was fully completed. ¡°I gave it a finish as well?¡±


    ¡°I think you did that half-asleep,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I was afraid to move in case you flinched. Your eyes were barely open. After it was done, you mumbled something incoherent, placed the sword on the shelf, and passed out on the anvil.¡±


    Vivi smiled awkwardly. She was prone to overworking herself. Grandpa often scolded her for staying up too late to finish her swords. But she¡¯d never overworked herself to this extent. Usually, she could at least remember the moments before falling asleep.


    ¡°Well, the sword is done,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And it¡¯s done well. That¡¯s all that matters. Throw it into spatial storage.¡±


    Lucius did so, while Vivi grabbed herself a mug of water. She had to tilt the barrel to make the water easier to grab. With some hydration in her head, the nausea slowly started to fade, though Vivi was still far from any shape to get back to work.


    Exiting the smithy, Vivi found the Hollows sitting on couches and lounging around in the main chamber. Blueprints and papers littered the tables. There were potions and calculations; all of the preparations the Hollows had made so far.


    ¡°Ah, Vivi!¡± Rohan said. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Holy wisp of Ingfried,¡± Ven said calmly. ¡°You look like you¡¯re made of metal, Vivi. What happened to your forehead?¡±


    Vivi rubbed the back of her head and let out a laugh. Her hair was dirty as well, she noticed. ¡°It¡¯s, uh, the sign of hard work?¡±


    Rohan laughed. His laugh was deeper and far more honest than Vivi¡¯s. He patted her on the back. ¡°You¡¯re insane, Vivi. The Stewards really let you skip collection day? I can¡¯t believe it. Nobody has ever pulled a stunt like that.¡±


    ¡°Uundref is the only Steward who¡¯d let that slide,¡± Alisa said. ¡°What have you been doing, Vivi? You skipped collection day for a reason, right?¡±


    ¡°I made a sword,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Let¡¯s just say¡­ If Uundref and I fight in fair conditions, I intend to win.¡±


    The Hollows stayed silent, studying her look.


    ¡°You were serious, then?¡± Aang asked. ¡°You found his weakness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred percent certain,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯d still like to fight him unfairly with your help if I can. But I have a sword that can beat him.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Rensfig groaned in the corner of the room. ¡°Not again. Do I even want to see it?¡±


    Hesitantly, Vivi called out the blade. She placed it on the table for the demons to study. She trusted them enough to not steal it. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid with it,¡± she said. ¡°That sword shoots a shockwave when swung.¡±


    Rohan blinked at her. ¡°A shock-what?¡±


    ¡°A shockwave,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know what a shockwave is,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Your sword can shoot one?¡±


    ¡°Well, it should,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I haven¡¯t tested it yet.¡±


    Rensfig and Aang were examining the blade. Aang discreetly asked Rensfig what the blade did. Rensfig was experienced enough to explain, starting with nix¡¯s powers.


    Ven sighed, leaning back. ¡°Our master con artist, runesmith, fighter, trickster, and mad woman would probably like a bath right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°And some food.¡±


    ¡°We prepared a bath for you in the next room over,¡± Aang said, looking serious again. ¡°There¡¯s also a cold meal and drinks. Take as much time as you need to get prepared. Afterwards, we have a lot to discuss.¡±


    Rohan moved to action, opening the door to Rensfig¡¯s former runesmithing station. He let Vivi inside as if she were some princess.


    Vivi was too tired to get annoyed at him. Inside, a bathtub full of hot water, heated by emberstones, and a platter of colorful foods waited for her. Fish meat, fruits, and some colorful liquid. Was it fruit juice?


    ¡°Ah, and one more thing,¡± Vivi said before Rohan could close the door. She called the green mithril mass sword into her hands. ¡°This is your sword, Rohan. Sorry again for snapping your first one.¡±


    Rohan accepted the sword hesitantly. ¡°You made a sword? For me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°It¡¯s a crude one, but I hope it¡¯s enough to replace Black Rose.¡±


    Rohan looked at her. Then he bowed. ¡°I am eternally grateful!¡±


    Vivi sighed. She pushed the door closed in front of Rohan and quickly hopped into her bath.


    So dramatic¡­ Vivi thought. The hot water almost made her want to fall asleep again.


    ¡°They¡¯re good allies,¡± Lucius said. ¡°My old wielder never had friends like that. Even the ether hunters worked with him only when he was useful.¡±


    Vivi dipped her neck below water. Friends¡­ Lucius had called the Hollows friends. This group of demons on the fourth level¡ªthe same demons that humanity fought wars against¡ªwere far friendlier than anyone on the surface ever had been. Just a few weeks ago, Vivi, too, had feared demons to death.


    The Hollows were all still criminals, or at least outcasts of their own societies. Everyone had their own story of how they were let into Zand. I¡¯ll need to ask for their stories one day¡­ Vivi thought.


    One day. That was if everyone stayed alive to see that one day.


    Before she could fall asleep in the water, Vivi scrubbed her face and any other dirty spots with soap. The scent of metal stubbornly remained, as it always did, but Vivi felt a lot cleaner. She was ready for her next day.


    She ate almost all of the food provided. Cooked but now cold fish, redfruits, and the suspiciously sugary juice. There was also a small pastry that Lucius identified as a muffin. Vivi wasn¡¯t sure if she liked it, but she was delighted to find jam inside.


    Food really is irreplaceable, huh? Vivi thought. She felt a lot better now with a stomach full. Ether could stretch the energy provided by what she ate, but ether couldn¡¯t replace food.


    Vivi put her raincoat back on and joined the Hollows. The demons were busy examining her sword. Rohan admired his sword, looking like he wanted to cry. ¡°Practice¡­¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s such a good name.¡±


    Aang grinned next to Vivi. ¡°Nameless Warm-up Sword,¡± Aang said. ¡°That¡¯s what you called it. I twisted the name a bit and called it Nameless Practice Sword. Practice for short.¡±


    These idiots¡­ Vivi thought, watching the scene with a funny smile. ¡°Rensfig?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you think of the sword?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a clever idea,¡± he said. ¡°The nix and shockwave combo. If you¡¯re fighting spectral monsters, that is. I don¡¯t recall Uundref being a ghost.¡±


    ¡°He uses skills from twilight monsters,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The sword will catch him off guard.¡±


    Rensfig glanced at Aang. ¡°Vivi said she¡¯d win against Uundref. Don¡¯t tell me she also knows how to fight?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s practicing,¡± Aang said. ¡°But she has a lot to learn. As she is now, I wouldn¡¯t let her duel Uundref.¡±


    ¡°We have time to practice,¡± Vivi said. ¡°We still need to wait for the bosses to respawn.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aang said. ¡°The bosses are exactly what I have gathered you all here to discuss. The Hollows have considered your proposals. We¡¯ve studied your runeswords, and we¡¯ve all agreed that clearing the dungeon is possible. We¡¯re going to clear the main boss. We will gather its skills, and we will make an escape. Ideally, I would like to perform this without being caught.¡± He faced everyone at once. ¡°The execution of this plan is what we have gathered for today. Let¡¯s hear your ideas on how we¡¯re going to rob this place for good.¡±

 Chapter 69 - Framework

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    ¡°Finally,¡± Lucius said. He appeared from Vivi¡¯s core with a grin on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s launch the hunt right now! The boss is ours!¡±


    The Hollows looked like they wanted to roll their eyes. Aang let out a laugh. ¡°Defeating the main dungeon is a long term goal. Three major obstacles block us from simply walking in and defeating it.¡±


    ¡°One issue must be the boss¡¯s difficulty,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Even the Elder Gnoll is already difficult enough that all of the Stewards must gather to defeat it. The main boss carries far more ether than the gnoll mineshaft combined.¡±


    ¡°Do we even know what the main boss is?¡± Rohan asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Ven said. ¡°Aang and I visited the main path once. The way down has skeletons, liches, anything that¡¯s made of bones. We¡¯re guessing the main boss is a skeletal monster of sorts.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get deep before the monsters became overwhelming,¡± Aang said. ¡°The main path is on another level compared to the rest of the dungeon. We will struggle just to clear a path to the boss. If we manage to get there, we¡¯ll have to fight the boss blindly without knowing its attacks or weaknesses.¡±


    Ven and Henry were writing on a blueprint and a piece of parchmen. ¡°So the first problem,¡± Ven said. ¡°Growing strong enough to defeat the boss in the first place. Solutions?¡±


    ¡°Runeswords!¡± Lucius said.


    Aang nodded. ¡°Crush-based swords to mimic bludgeoning weapons will turn skeletons into simple foes. Runeswords are our main improvement in strength. Additionally, every fighting member will require at least one powerful skill.¡±


    ¡°What skills do you have?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°Alisa has a discharge skill, combined with a gravity pull.¡±


    ¡°Alisa¡¯s skill is the most powerful skill we currently wield,¡± Aang said. ¡°Our two other useful skills are a summon skeleton, and a common ascension skill. All of our other skills are very situational and considered mostly useless. We can assess them later.¡±


    ¡°An ascension skill?¡± Lucius asked, tail wagging. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°The skill is literally called basic ascension,¡± Ven said. ¡°It raises the wielder¡¯s maximum limit by five hundred wisps. A ten percent increase. It offers an advantage, but not a significant one. Aang and Rohan have been taking turns wielding that one. For the Ember Golem, Aang had it active.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Vivi said. Aang had emitted a powerful presence during the fight. Though, Vivi wouldn¡¯t have guessed that was due to a skill. Aang was powerful, but he didn''t compare to the stronger ether hunters in Paradise. Veronica Lifeweaver would have toyed with Aang, just as she did with Vivi.


    ¡°This cycle, we will defeat the Elder Gnoll,¡± Aang said. ¡°We will brew it with the potions, and we will gain another skill.¡±


    Lydi spoke with her eyes pointing at her potions. ¡°The Elder Gnoll is difficult enough after freshly respawning. Feeding it a potion might cause another disaster.¡±


    ¡°If we can¡¯t defeat a fully brewed Elder Gnoll, the dream of clearing the dungeon is a long way off,¡± Aang said. ¡°Our main goal for this cycle is to get used to Vivi¡¯s new runeswords, and to cleanly defeat the Elder Gnoll. Whether it drops a skill or not, we will gain practice, growing stronger in the process.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Vivi will need time to practice as well. She¡¯s not ready for a serious boss fight.¡±


    ¡°Growing stronger is the easy problem,¡± Ven said. ¡°Aang said we have two more major issues to deal with. What are the real problems we face?¡±


    ¡°The second problem is our escape path,¡± Aang said. ¡°After the main dungeon is cleared, nimrods will notice monsters are no longer respawning. The Stewards will feel that the boss¡¯s ether is missing. It¡¯s possible they sense a fight happening in case the boss''s ether leaks outside the arena. Our escape needs to happen immediately and perfectly cleanly.¡±


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    ¡°We could cover the boss room¡¯s entrance with nothing runes to dissuade ether from escaping,¡± Rensfig said from his comfy corner spot. ¡°A curtain of sorts could work. It wouldn¡¯t stop all ether from oozing out, but it would help.¡±


    ¡°A good idea,¡± Aang said. ¡°I suggest you start building that right now.¡±


    Nothing runes¡­ Vivi thought. Nothing was different from a nix rune, or from any traditional rune. Nothing didn¡¯t empower ether with powers. Rather, a nothing rune worked in reverse, calming down active ether.


    Rensfig sighed. ¡°I¡¯m a retired runesmith anyway. Crafting curtains is the next best thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an important job, Rensfig,¡± Aang said. ¡°And it will fix one part of our problem. Ven, I presume I can leave planning an escape to you.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we have nobody else,¡± Ven said. ¡°With Vivi¡¯s swords, we could simply cut a hole in the wall and get out that way. If we want to be really crazy, we could dig crawl space from the dungeon up to the surface of the fourth level, but that would take multiple cycles, if not years. I doubt it will be plausible.¡±


    ¡°I will leave the details to you,¡± Aang said. ¡°We are still in the ideas phase. It¡¯s hard to execute anything this cycle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Ven said. ¡°That leaves us with your third problem.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aang said. ¡°Clearing the dungeon will make us international criminals. Our third problem relates to that. If we are to clear the dungeon, we need to do it without being caught. We need to frame someone. Living as Zand-escapees is bad enough. But building a life as a wanted criminal for clearing the dungeon will be close to impossible.¡±


    ¡°A distraction event of sorts will need to be organized, then,¡± Ven said.


    ¡°We could fake our deaths maybe?¡± Alisa asked.


    ¡°Even that would leave us as the main suspects,¡± Ven said. ¡°Zand has near perfect records of its nimrods. I suspect less than five nimrods are currently alive without being tracked through collection days. Escapees are practically none. Our deaths would have to be faked absolutely perfectly. That¡¯s far harder to execute than stories make you believe. Causing a mass nimrod escape alongside would be far easier. Even that is impossibly difficult. A mass death event could help, but I would like to avoid killing innocents for our plan.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind framing the blue-cloaks,¡± Alisa said. She leaned back and rested her head on her hands.


    ¡°The blue-cloaks are still people,¡± Aang said. ¡°They have a lot of evil nimrods in their ranks, but so does the Union.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Alisa said. ¡°The blue-cloaks are the only gang who regularly test the extent of Zand¡¯s fourth rule. Andre encourages the behavior. I wouldn¡¯t mind ruining their lives.¡±


    ¡°So my job is to plan an escape,¡± Ven said, ¡°and to frame Andre and the blue-cloaks for clearing the boss. While also somehow removing our names from the watch-list.¡±


    Aang looked troubled. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    Ven sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Grenall about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention the extent of things,¡± Aang said. ¡°If Grenall gets caught, he will be tortured. Information will spread.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to talk around the plan, while I¡¯m supposed to be planning with him,¡± Ven said. ¡°I¡¯ll see what we can do. No promises.¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone was thinking. Vivi waited for someone to speak. The Hollows knew Zand far better than she did. Vivi excelled at crafting runeswords. She was there to craft swords, not form plans.


    She did have one idea, however.


    ¡°What if we frame the Stewards themselves?¡± Vivi said.


    The demons lifted their heads, turning to her.


    ¡°We know where their communication devices are,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What if we sneak in and tell higher ups that there¡¯s an emergency. We¡¯ll say that Uundref and Wheryn killed the boss, taking its loot with them. Then we kidnap the two Stewards, bringing them outside Zand and thus making it look like they committed the crime.¡±


    Everyone thought for a moment. Ven was the first to respond. He grinned. ¡°That¡¯s a crazy idea. But it sounds surprisingly possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly the type of plan I¡¯d expect Vivi to come up with,¡± Rohan said with a sigh.


    ¡°I like the idea,¡± Aang said. ¡°Execution will be difficult. Ven, as always, we will leave the intricate details to you. Figure out whether Vivi¡¯s idea is possible and inform us of your findings.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± Ven said.


    ¡°The rest of us,¡± Aang said. ¡°Our job this cycle is to defeat the Elder Gnoll. Lydi, finalize the potions and make sure everything is working well. Vivi will continue smithing more blades. We would benefit greatly from at least two more crush-based weapons. Alisa¡¯s daggers could be upgraded to inside-carving as well.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head. ¡°I would be honored to upgrade them.¡±


    She was afraid Aang would hold another speech about how she should accept payments for her work, but luckily, her leader seemed more focused on completing their goals. ¡°Additionally, you will continue practicing with Alisa and Rohan. The schedule won¡¯t be as strict, but try to practice as much as you can.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯d like to practice right away so that I don¡¯t grow rusty. It has been a while since I fought monsters.¡±


    Aang nodded. ¡°We will brew the Elder Gnoll for ten more days. Until then, get to work.¡±

 Chapter 70 - Work

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    Rohan¡¯s lectures moved from practice swings to real time combat against respawning monsters. Vivi was instructed to fight only with the techniques and methods taught. Her footwork had to be perfect, and her swings had to be calculated. Each mishap in a fight earned her thirty more minutes of practicing her stances.


    Vivi felt hindered by having to follow techniques so thoroughly. She understood the strengths and benefits of foot placements, and she was starting to understand the physics behind swinging a sword, but defeating the monsters would have been easier if she was allowed to just swing hard and wildly. But she understood what she had to do. Her reckless and savage fighting had to be trained out of her.


    Vivi still utilized Rohan¡¯s techniques to their aggressive limits, pushing monsters into corners before forcefully cutting them down. A defensive fighting style didn¡¯t suit her in the slightest. She never knew when she was allowed to make a counter-attack, or when her opponents had windows of weakness she could punish. It was easier to just stay on the offense, forcing enemies to react to her.


    Her fighting style led to a few close calls. A ghost-blade read her attack and countered in an angle Vivi hadn¡¯t anticipated. She had no way to block. Lucius had to use his old trick, appearing from her core to block the ghost-blade¡¯s attack.


    Rohan had scolded her for that one, sending her straight back to her foundations for the rest of the day. By now, Vivi should have been skilled enough to never lose to ghost-blades even without ether. She did win most of the times, but she often blundered. Inconsistency was her weakness. She sometimes felt like a genius of battle, while other times, little goblins totally outsmarted her.


    Still, Vivi considered practice a success. She was learning. Slowly, but definitely steadily.


    Alisa¡¯s lectures went even better. After some weeks of trying, Vivi finally managed to use a single wisp of ether to strengthen two body parts at once. Her chest, and her stomach¡­


    The results weren¡¯t impressive, but it was progress nonetheless. Alisa said that it would still be too difficult for Vivi to utilize her learnings in real time combat; she¡¯d need at least a month or two of practice more before channeling would improve her fighting, but Vivi was starting to understand the basics.


    Thus, after six more days of practice, Rohan and Alisa combined their lectures. Vivi was now allowed to channel a single wisp of ether while she fought with monsters.


    This made fighting exponentially more difficult. Vivi had to focus on many intensive concepts all at once, while having mastered none of them. One wisp and one monster. Most times, that wisp was exhausted after just a couple of swings, slipping like a jumping fish from the river Vivi tried to shape.


    Throughout the fights, Vivi was allowed to collect the ether of each monster they killed. Some went to Lucius, but his ether reserves kept slipping from his core. He claimed that he was still far from his maximum, and that his scarlet powers would require a lot more ether to activate. But despite his claims, and despite his attempts to keep more ether inside, he couldn''t stabilize his reserves over 4500 ether.


    Each time he lost ether, he was visibly upset. He asked Vivi for more ether to try again, as if rising his limits was merely a question of practice. Vivi wasn''t sure if she believed him, but she wasn''t fond of losing so much ether to nothing.


    After some discussion, Lucius agreed to let Vivi start working on her debt. While Vivi¡¯s skills improved, her debts began moving down alongside. She was now only 14359 ether in debt.


    Practice was frustrating, but it was also satisfying. Channeling ether was especially pleasing for the body and mind. Vivi often continued practice even when she wasn¡¯t supposed to. Feeling a wisp of ether flow within the body was cathartic, like a bath after days of hard work in a smithy.


    As for that work in the smithy, Vivi was forbidden from spending days on end immersed in work for the time being. Aang gave her a maximum of ten hours in the smithy every other day. Vivi spent her time carefully. In her ten days, she crafted four weapons in total.


    The first three were daggers. Vivi shaped tiny veins and asked for the smallest crucible Aang could find. Crafting inside-carved daggers was almost more difficult compared to swords, since the area that Vivi had to work with was smaller with daggers, requiring more intricate movements.


    She showcased the finished dagger to Alisa, who surprisingly, declined it on the spot.


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    ¡°It¡¯s a good dagger,¡± Alisa said, ¡°but it¡¯s not for me. The shape will throw me off. I¡¯ve practiced my throws with these exact daggers for over three years now. If you want to replace my daggers, they better be of the same shape and weight.¡±


    Vivi was surprised to have her work declined, considering that the demons had eagerly eaten up anything she did so far. However, she didn¡¯t get mad at Alisa. A proficient runesmith listened to their customers'' requests, so long as their customers were reasonable. Alisa had a totally understandable reason for wanting something different.


    For the next attempt, Alisa lended her daggers for Vivi to use as a reference. The daggers were slightly curved, and one of them had a hook by the tip. They were both made out of dark mithril, making the blades relatively light. Each hilt was a specific size, made to fit Alisa¡¯s hands.


    With the references, Vivi got to work crafting inside-carved replicas. She chose lightweight ether roots to make sure the weight was similar, and she tried her best to make the shape right during the blacksmithing process. She took two days to finish the daggers.


    Alisa looked far more satisfied with the new daggers and said she¡¯d put them to the test.


    For Vivi¡¯s next sword, she created another crush weapon, this time a two-runed greatsword with crush and sharpness runes, made out of simple green mithril. She didn¡¯t have time to work with more intricate metals. The blade was intended to counter faster skeleton monsters, as she already had a crush and strength greatsword to counter larger boss monsters and slower skeletons.


    Her fifth sword¡­ Vivi started work on another three-runed sword.


    The project quickly became a failure. On the second set of veins, the stalk she was shaping made slight contact with the main branch, which caused the stalk to swerve off path. The mistake was unrecoverable. Vivi had no reason to move to the third set of veins, as the second had already ruined the sword.


    Lucius looked confused as Vivi threw the veins aside. He¡¯d been excited to see a three-runed sword come together. But in reality, shaping a three-runed sword required far more than just the decision to make one. Vivi would require days upon days of attempts and practice in between to get herself to the level of accuracy required to shape three sets of veins together. She wouldn¡¯t get a three-runed sword done on a whim. The failure was upsetting, but Vivi got over it the next day.


    The same schedule took all of Vivi¡¯s days with a quick collection day in between, passing normally and without issues. Practice continued, and the Hollows readied themselves to defeat the boss that killed one of their friends.


    ***


    After ten days passed, the Hollows gathered on the upper levels of the gnoll mineshaft. Most members were present, having gathered underneath the cloak of the Elder Gnoll¡¯s hostile ether.


    The members stood in a circle. Vivi was next to Alisa and Rohan, facing Aang and Ven. Eem, Lydi, and Feni were present as well. Eem sat curiously on Feni¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s time, then,¡± Aang said. ¡°Has everyone grown used to their new weapons?¡±


    Rohan took a proud stance with his one-runed sword. He¡¯d repaired his set of armor with the Union¡¯s blacksmiths, speaking with his visor up. ¡°I have placed Practice into combat, taking swings and fighting various monsters. Through extensive tests and results, and though it pains me to admit the faults of Black Rose, I have concluded that this sword is amazing, and far surpassing Rensfig¡¯s work.¡±


    Alisa sighed. ¡°Give this idiot a sword and plate, and you¡¯ve got yourself five hours worth of knightly rambles and dramatic speeches.¡±


    ¡°Everything I said is true,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Vivi¡¯s swords are the pinnacle of knighthood.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Rohan,¡± Alisa said. ¡°I do agree, however. These daggers are a huge improvement. It took a while to get used to their power, but I am now confident in wielding them to their full potential.¡±


    ¡°What did you name them this time?¡± Ven asked with a funny smile.


    ¡°Pink Bunny,¡± Alisa said as she lifted the strength dagger. Then she showed the crush dagger. ¡°And Jam Muffin.¡±


    Ven shook his head, but laughed. He had his hand on Solace, the two-runed adamantite katana, currently sheathed. Rensfig had crafted a scabbard for each one of Vivi¡¯s weapons, as the others couldn¡¯t access spatial storage. Aang let Ven wield Solace, as Ven had dueled as a serious hobby back in his younger days. He always used a katana.


    Aang wielded the crush and sharpness green mithril greatsword. He¡¯d asked Vivi to name the sword, to which she called it Skeleton Cutter, since the sword was created to counter skeletons. It would also work against gnolls, though a crush rune could spray wisps of ether everywhere when cutting open lesser monsters.


    Vivi¡¯s old crystal mithril sword was offered to Feni. Neither alchemist knew how to swing a sword, but Feni said she would feel safer if she at least had a sword to defend herself from stray gnolls. So the sword went to her.


    Vivi herself held the crush and strength dark mithril sword in spatial storage. She had yet to show the sword to the others, but she¡¯d tested the sword on lesser monsters, deeming it more than operational. Lucius was already wagging his tail within her, eagerly awaiting a rematch against one of the gnolls.


    ¡°Looks like everyone is ready, then,¡± Aang said. He frowned at the tunnel below. ¡°And so are our enemies.¡±


    A threatening aura of a charging gnoll could be felt from below. The same murderous intent that nearly killed Vivi on their first trip had Alisa not saved her.


    This time, Vivi stepped forth. ¡°Let me handle this.¡±


    She called forth her dark mithril runesword and faced the ravenous, disgusting hyena-faced creature. Ether flowed within her body, wisps rising from her eyes. She waited for the right timing as the gnoll charged.


    The gnoll jumped with its claws aimed at her face.


    Vivi went into stance, and her ten days of practice slashed into the gnoll¡¯s skull.

 Chapter 71 - The Gnoll Mineshaft

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    The charging gnoll exploded to bits. Wisps of ether sprayed to the wall, as if caught by a powerful gust of wind. The crush rune ripped through the gnoll with force, utterly destroying the upper body into a mess of ether. The first gnoll died instantly.


    ¡°Vivi, watch out!¡± Lucius yelled.


    I know, Vivi thought. She sensed the second gnoll right after the first. Vivi swiped at it with a claw-attack.


    Control it! Vivi told herself. She wasn¡¯t skilled enough to make full use of Alisa¡¯s teachings, but she had learned enough to concentrate more ether into the claws, thus charging more ether into an attack. She landed a clean hit.


    The gnoll was knocked off of its footing, slash marks appearing across its fur. Vivi finished the job with her sword. The greatsword was heavy, but with ether-enhanced strength, swinging wasn¡¯t a problem. Vivi crushed the gnoll into bits of ether.


    Her allies watched from the side with shocked expressions. ¡°Well, that¡¯s destructive,¡± Ven said.


    Vivi gave an awkward laugh.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky the monsters aren¡¯t bloody,¡± Aang said. ¡°As always, Vivi can collect the ether from her kills to hide them within Lucius¡¯s reserves.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Lucius is mostly maxed out,¡± Vivi said.


    Lucius pouted at that. He claimed he still had room to grow. And it was clear he did¡ªhis powers did grow a lot stronger when he went past the limit of 4500. But every time Vivi gave him ether beyond that, those wisps were quickly lost. Either Lucius couldn¡¯t hold it in, starting to act weird, or he ate the ether like a hungry animal.


    ¡°Any ether that I collect goes to my debt,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m currently at minus 14359.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine as well,¡± Aang said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to pay you out of debt eventually.¡±


    ¡°The Stewards might grow suspicious to see her debt situation suddenly improving,¡± Ven said.


    Aang frowned. ¡°You might be right. Perhaps we should limit Vivi¡¯s debt growth to a thousand ether for each collection day. At most, two thousand. That amount can be explained.¡±


    ¡°The ether we collect could be used to save struggling nimrods,¡± Vivi said.


    The demons glanced at Aang with funny expressions. Vivi felt like she was missing something. The leader sighed and said, ¡°Any ether we give off to nimrods will just make it to the Stewards on collection day. If you save a beggar one cycle, they will die on the next. The best we can do for the nimrods is grow stronger ourselves.¡±


    Life isn¡¯t all about fighting, Vivi thought. Everyone had something they were good at, even the weakest of nimrods. Tailoring, craftsmanship, cooking. So many professions existed in the world. What if someone was good at singing and telling jokes? Surely, a healthy community could pay that person a few hundred ether every month to support them.


    Still, Vivi didn¡¯t say anything. Helping nimrods was a distant dream. Her job today was to defeat the Elder Gnoll.


    Vivi picked up the ether from the fallen gnolls. Each one was worth just under two hundred. The debt ate the ether, never to be given back. But Vivi would have to pay off the debt eventually. The number lessened to 13983.


    ¡°Before we advance, let¡¯s go over our formation once more,¡± Aang said. ¡°Vivi. Did Rohan tell you about the gnoll mineshaft?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Ven and Rohan spoke to me. The Elder Gnoll doesn¡¯t work like normal bosses. It doesn¡¯t have its own arena. It lurks within the lower levels of the mineshaft. It can ambush us from anywhere. The boss is also quite small, and its aura is hard to make out. The creepy feeling in the air comes from the boss¡¯s extended aura, which covers the entire mineshaft.¡±


    Aang nodded. ¡°And for that reason, the Hollows will stay in circular formation for the whole descent. The formation ensures that no blind spots are left for the boss to ambush us from. Clearing the way down will be slow and tedious, but it¡¯s a step we must take. The guards have completed their patrol, and we will be killing every monster on the way down.¡±


    ¡°And the fight itself?¡± Lydi asked.


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    ¡°Ven and I will be our main fighters, while everyone else acts as a support,¡± Aang said. ¡°We will drive the Elder Gnoll into a corner, where Rohan will pin it down. His armor should be strong enough to withstand the Gnoll¡¯s claws. With the boss immobilized, we will pour as many potions into its mouth as we can. If all goes well, the boss will be brewed to its maximum, and we will fight it a second time with the intent of killing it.¡±


    ¡°And our fighting strategy?¡± Lydi asked. ¡°To kill it?¡±


    ¡°Ven and I should be strong enough to fight it,¡± Aang said. ¡°Planning too much will cause us to confuse ourselves. You will all form a circle around the fight, supporting us if the boss tries to escape. Fighting head-on, any more than two fighters, especially inexperienced fighters, will get in the way.¡±


    The last comment referred to Vivi and Lucius, she knew. Lucius was annoyed, hearing that he wouldn¡¯t be dueling a boss yet again, but Vivi didn¡¯t complain. Her swordsmanship and control over ether were improving rapidly with her teachers¡¯ practice. Dueling an Elder Gnoll was a meaningless reason to risk her life.


    Really, Vivi was here to study her runeswords in action. Was everyone satisfied with her work? Did anyone have trouble adapting to the new runeswords? Was there something Vivi could do better to improve her work?


    The descent started. Vivi was positioned near the front of the group beside Ven. The position drew a lot of gnolls her way. She defeated lone gnolls without much of an issue. The boss wasn¡¯t supposed to appear on the upper levels either. Still, the Hollows moved down with the circle formation regardless, everyone staying focused.


    After fifteen minutes, Aang said, ¡°We¡¯re entering the lower levels. Everyone, stay on guard.¡±


    Upon entering the tunnel, the mood switched entirely. The kerosene lamps in the ceiling were lit with creepy black ether. The black light didn¡¯t illuminate surroundings. Rather, the lamps seemed to take light away, making the dark mineshaft even more difficult to see. Vivi could make out her footing, but seeing past fifteen feet was difficult.


    The lamps were ethereal dungeon structures, meaning they would respawn. Lydi shot discharges of ether with her staff, destroying the black lamps. The discharge was bright, revealing every monster that lurked in the dark.


    And lurking they were. The discharge revealed wooden platforms. There were eight gnolls in total. Three jumped down from the platforms, charging the Hollows along with three smaller gnolls on the lower level. Two archer gnolls remained on the platforms.


    Their bows immediately became a problem. A thick arrow shot toward Vivi with force. Vivi knew Lucius¡¯s claws wouldn¡¯t stop its path. The arrow was ethereal. Vivi stepped out of the way. The formation was broken for a moment.


    Two gnolls charged at Vivi. She grimaced, slashing with her sword. Her timing was off. The gnoll blocked her sword with its hatchet.


    Another arrow shot toward her. The gnolls focused their attacks on the weak point in the formation. Vivi held her sword to block the arrow in a panic.


    The two gnolls charged for the killing blow.


    Wisps of ether rose from Ven¡¯s eyes next to Vivi. He slashed wide with the katana, cutting two gnolls, one in front of him, one on Vivi''s side.


    Vivi thanked him silently in her head. One more gnoll was charging at her from the right with two hatchets.


    My weapon is stronger! Vivi reminded herself. The gnoll jumped for her with both hatchets aimed at her face.


    Vivi swung straight into the attack. Her sword connected with the hatchets, cracking both. Her swing crushed the gnoll¡¯s hands, but she didn¡¯t quite reach its stomach. The gnoll lifted its clawed feet at Vivi.


    She swiped from below with her claws. The timing was perfect. The gnoll had nothing to defend itself. The claws cut right through, slashing it open.


    With the gnolls dead, Vivi looked up at the archers. Both were laying on the ground, Pink Bunny and Jam Muffin piercing their heads. Alisa grinned as she used gravity pull to retrieve her daggers.


    ¡°Vivi¡­¡± Rohan said behind her.


    Vivi flinched. Rohan had the same tone of voice as back when Vivi lost to a ghost-blade.


    ¡°Your swordsmanship is solid when you have the advantage in a fight,¡± Rohan said. ¡°If you land your initial timings, forcing opponents to react to your attacks, you¡¯re a strong fighter. The moment you lose that edge, however¡­ You totally crumble.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°I would have lost to the gnolls without Ven.¡±


    Rohan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. We will need to work on this.¡±


    ¡°Should I be placed to the back?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rohan said. ¡°Continue at the front. Fighting gnolls further improves your offense. When things go right, you gain valuable experience. When things go wrong, utilize your claws. The claws are your main weapon to push yourself back to the offense.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head. ¡°Thank you, teacher.¡±


    Rohan nodded. ¡°Focus and improve.¡±


    After collecting the ether, Vivi¡¯s debt hit 13695. The gnolls of the lower levels dropped less ether despite being far stronger. Ven claimed this was because the Elder Gnoll¡¯s presence evolved the lesser gnolls, essentially granting temporary ether to the smaller monsters.


    The descent continued and more similarly packed rooms passed. Vivi didn¡¯t get into a pinch again. She dealt with the gnolls aggressively, even more aggressively than before, cutting down two charging gnolls at once.


    Her strategy was reckless. If she executed a swing poorly, the gnolls would have an easy opportunity to counter-attack, possibly landing a fatal hit right away. When done right, however, aggression was the most powerful way to make use of Vivi¡¯s runeswords. With a good hit, Vivi¡¯s runeswords could break any stance. Any opponent¡¯s defense could be overwhelmed.


    The Hollows grew more focused with each room. The boss monster wasn¡¯t anywhere to be seen, and its aura didn¡¯t seem to be getting closer. The ominous feeling cloaked every cavern. Vivi still felt like she was being watched from every direction. Ven and Aang were eyeing every corner within the gnoll structures carefully, watching out for the ambush.


    ¡°Guys?¡± Feni asked behind the group, her voice uncertain. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Suddenly, an explosive whoosh sounded from behind. Feni screamed.

 Chapter 72 - Overbuffed

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    Feni was blown backward with force. The crystal mithril sword fell from her hands, clanking against the ground. She flew straight into Aang¡¯s arms. He had to brace his feet to catch her without falling over.


    Rohan cried out, prompting the monster to immediately dash for him. It was a black-furred gnoll with long white hair and devilish teeth. Red ether wisps flowed within its black greatsword. The sword wasn¡¯t purely ethereal¡ªthe disgusting black material seemed to be solid, strengthened from the inside by thousands of wisps of concentrated ether. The surface of the blade had cracks; it still leaked wisps, casting a misty aura.


    Chills ran down Vivi¡¯s spine. The ominous feeling in the air finally became clear. The Elder Gnoll was seven feet tall, short compared to most bosses, yet its aura was nausea-inducing, as if the whole world was in its control.


    The black blade clashed with Rohan¡¯s one-runed blade. Rohan¡¯s footing slid backward, the veins inside his sword shining bright. ¡°Aang!¡± he shouted.


    Aang laid Feni safely on the ground. The woman had fainted but seemed to be alive. She¡¯d luckily raised her sword in time to block. Despite that, the Elder Gnoll¡¯s attacks were strong enough to make a maxed out demon faint in one blow.


    The Elder Gnoll hit Rohan¡¯s block a second time, preparing a heavy attack with both hands.


    Rohan countered, thrusting his sword at the Gnoll¡¯s stomach.


    The Elder Gnoll jumped backward, hitting the ceiling with its back feet, before launching itself down at Rohan. It slashed wide as it flew down.


    Three demons stood side-by-side to deal with the attack. Aang and Rohan stood defensively to block, while Ven went into stance, ready to throw an attack, trusting the two others to block.


    The gnoll¡¯s greatsword smashed into Aang¡¯s sword. Vivi¡¯s hair flared by the impact, dust particles flying off the ground. Aang held his ground. His body was coated in wisps, ascension skill enhancing him to the absolute maximum.


    With the Elder Gnoll¡¯s weapon at a bind, Ven swiped from overhead. He had a free angle to cut down the boss.


    A shockwave erupted from the Elder Gnoll¡¯s body.


    All of the Hollows were blown backwards by the force of the shockwave. The attack had appeared from nowhere; the gnoll just activated something, and a shockwave erupted from its body.


    ¡°A skill!¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something like this before. It¡¯s a pushback skill. When in a pinch, it allows the user to blow its opponents away.¡±


    That¡¯s insane! Vivi thought. How could they beat something like that?


    All of the Hollows quickly stood, ready to attack the boss again. The Elder Gnoll took a moment to recover its strength.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lydi said, watching beside Vivi. ¡°We forced out its defensive skill early. It won¡¯t be able to use that again.¡±


    A one-time use skill, then? Vivi thought.


    ¡°We also repelled its ambush,¡± Lydi said. ¡°It¡¯s a fair fight now. Aang knows how to handle it.¡±


    The leader was doing exactly that. He readied his sword and faced the Elder Gnoll.


    The exchange of blades began. Aang and the gnoll flew from place to place, Aang on the offensive. The veins inside Aang¡¯s green mithril sword shone bright, filled with insane amounts of ether. With each blow, the veins blinked, the ether inside working overtime to keep the sword in one piece.


    The gnoll¡¯s weapon leaked red ether with thousands to spare. The wisps didn¡¯t fall apart into mist. Rather, they floated in the air like pieces of sharp string. The loose wisps grazed Aang¡¯s skin, drawing blood.


    Vivi watched, heart racing, as the two evenly matched warriors dueled it out. The gnoll¡¯s weapon was insane, powerful enough to match a two-runed blade. But the gnoll was losing ether. The longer the fight went, the more Aang benefited from inside-carved swords. His weapon didn¡¯t leak.


    Vivi, however, was terrified. She¡¯d seen Grandpa stress-test their runeswords. When imbued with ether, inside carved weapons could withstand thousands upon thousands of pounds of force. But as with any weapon, there was a limit. Her swords could still fail.


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    The fight ahead was a true stress-test for her weapons. And Aang¡¯s life was on the line.


    Ven joined Aang to the side. He didn¡¯t have time to swing; he merely followed the battle wherever the battle went. With his presence, Ven forced the gnoll to be more cautious. If the gnoll tried to attack Aang too hard, Ven could throw a counter-attack.


    The Hollows had one huge disadvantage. They couldn¡¯t kill the boss. They needed to immobilize it without killing it.


    Aang slashed wide, hitting the gnoll¡¯s weapon head-on for the umpteenth time. A crack sounded from inside the black greatsword, and something began sizzling. The greatsword held, but wisps of ether began rapidly escaping from inside the weapon.


    It broke! Vivi called in her head. Aang did it!


    Beside her, Lydi wore a serious expression. She had her hands on the potion bag. Aang had a few in his pocket, but the demons wanted to shove as many as possible. Rohan readied himself.


    Where was Alisa? The assassin had disappeared.


    After a few more blows, Aang pushed the gnoll into the corner. Ven slashed at it with his katana, forcing the gnoll to block.


    Aang cut off the gnoll¡¯s hand. The gnoll¡¯s black greatsword fell on the ground.


    Rohan growled as he charged the gnoll. He tackled the beast, knocking it off of its footing. The gnoll was tackled against the wall, screaming, slashing wildly. Rohan¡¯s armor withstood crack after crack.


    Aang grabbed the gnoll from the hair and its jaw. He forced the monster¡¯s mouth open. ¡°Ven, Lydi!¡± he called.


    Lydi threw the bag of potions to Ven, who immediately uncorked two. He poured the liquids into the boss¡¯s mouth. With the two poured, he grabbed two more.


    The boss screamed. It struggled at first, but soon fell limp as the potion¡¯s effects kicked in. The strings were cut.


    Then the ether started pouring in.


    Wisps flowed from the walls, sucked in from the environment, into the boss¡¯s core. It felt as if a miniature surge was activated as the boss forcefully took in more ether. The screams started again, and the boss¡¯s aura grew far more deafening.


    Rohan let go of his hold and ran, parts of his armor falling off, bloody claw-marks revealed beneath. All of the Hollows stood back and watched with their weapons lifted. Thousands of ether flowed into the boss.


    The gnoll opened its eyes. It picked up its greatsword and faced Aang.


    Then its aura exploded outward. Its white scraggly hair grew and glowed bright with ether, cloaking its back. The rest of its body grew devilish, red ether flowing within its veins. Thorns poked out from the black fur. Ether filled its teeth, and an aura of pure hatred surrounded its being.


    The greatsword regained its strength. The blade grew spikes. The blade was bright with hateful ether, yet it didn¡¯t illuminate its surroundings.


    The enhanced Elder Gnoll dashed forward. In a flash, its sword hit Ven¡¯s with explosive force.


    Ven flew back like Feni had earlier. His back hit the wall. Cracks formed on the stone. He coughed blood.


    Rohan¡¯s eyes opened wide. He yelled out like mad, while ripping off the remaining pieces of his armor. He charged the Elder Gnoll with his blade. ¡°Support me!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing!¡± Lucius shouted. ¡°Rohan ripped off his armor! And now he¡¯s taking the main fighter¡¯s place!¡±


    Vivi watched without blinking. Rohan has no armor, she thought. There¡¯s nothing to hold him back.


    Rohan pushed forward with technique and anger. His one-runed mass sword clashed with the greatsword. The green mithril sword didn¡¯t give him an advantage, but thanks to the mass rune, the sword didn¡¯t break. Rohan was free to exchange blades and swing forcefully. Aang stayed as support, threatening the boss with his presence and looking for opportunities to counter.


    Vivi could barely follow the fight with her eyes. The gnoll¡¯s ether count had grown to levels Lucius struggled to calculate. Its oppressive aura pushed pressure on Vivi¡¯s skin. She was glued to her position with her sword up, defending Lydi and herself.


    The gnoll¡¯s attacks appeared savage as it slashed its sword in all directions, swiping with its claws, yet each move it made was done with intent. It looked to destroy Rohan¡¯s stance, hitting him in awkward angles.


    Simultaneously, the gnoll relocated to positions that were hard for Aang to follow. When Aang eventually reached a good position to the side of the gnoll, the boss relocated again, or pushed forth with such force that Aang and Rohan together couldn¡¯t muster an attack.


    Miraculously, Rohan kept up the pace. His sword was always where it needed to be, and his lower body supported his stance. He defended against the gnoll expertly, but he struggled to create an opportunity for a counter-attack.


    Suddenly, Rohan growled. Vivi had never seen such an expression on his face. His eyes were almost entirely white with ether. ¡°Get off of my friends!¡± he yelled.


    Rohan forced a reckless attack at the gnoll¡¯s left shoulder. He abandoned his right side, leaving it solely for Aang to protect. The gnoll was forced into a decision. Attempt to trade its life with a counter-attack, or block Rohan¡¯s attack.


    It chose to block, parrying Rohan¡¯s attack.


    This left its defense wide open for Aang to counter-attack. Aang¡¯s sword slashed at the gnoll faster than Vivi could see. The attack was certain to land. The gnoll couldn¡¯t redirect its sword in time.


    Another shockwave shot forth from the gnoll¡¯s core.


    Lydi gasped in surprise. ¡°It recharged!¡±


    Rohan and Aang were both blown back. The enhanced gnoll, however, didn¡¯t require time to recover. It dashed for Rohan¡¯s immobile body immediately.


    Alisa¡¯s dagger shot from the shadows, aimed at the gnoll¡¯s head. It dodged by moving its head to the side. The dagger flew past, grazing the gnoll¡¯s cheek. Immediately, the boss switched direction, dashing for Alisa.


    The rogue jumped back, hiding back in the shadows. Her aura disappeared, and the boss was left without a target.


    Its eyes moved to the next closest person. Vivi.

 Chapter 73 - Greatswords

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    The gnoll faced Vivi.


    The others were too far to help. Aang grimaced as he reached for his sword, pushing himself up. Ven was only now opening his eyes, recovering from the first interaction. Rohan growled, desperately trying to push himself up. The demons were hit badly and running out of ether.


    Vivi was alone. The gnoll¡¯s murderous, suffocating aura was directed all at her.


    And she had no choice but to defend. Vivi held her dark mithril greatsword to block.


    No, Vivi thought. Defense would get her killed instantly. She¡¯d be blown back like Ven and Feni. Vivi had only one strength. Her offense.


    She glued her feet on the ground and swung into the gnoll¡¯s attack.


    The gnoll¡¯s bloodthirst made Vivi want to close her eyes. She fully expected to be blown back, to be completely outmatched by the Elder Gnoll¡¯s greatsword. Vivi was multiple heads shorter; her aura was nothing, she was a tiny child compared to a dragon. But she swung. As hard as she could.


    A jolt shot through her arms as the blades made contact. Her feet burned, arms trembling. Yet, her stance held. The black greatswords were evenly matched.


    The boss attacked immediately again. Before Vivi could even realize what was happening, the greatsword was aimed at her face again. Vivi scrambled together to block.


    Lydi shouted beside her. A discharge of ether erupted from her staff.


    The attack caught the gnoll by surprise, hitting it directly in the face. It was knocked back, holding a hand over its face. Its balance wavered.


    Now! Vivi thought. She dashed forth immediately, swinging from above.


    The gnoll raised its sword haphazardly, blocking Vivi¡¯s attack.


    Vivi grimaced. She slashed with her claws, while raising the sword to attack again. The boss was still off-balance. An aura of pure murder and horror surrounded it, telling Vivi¡¯s instincts to stay far back.


    She ignored her fears and gripped her sword with two hands, swinging straight into the gnoll¡¯s block.


    The disgusting greatsword blinked, leaking ether. The gnoll¡¯s wavering balance fell further, one knee on the ground.


    One more! Vivi shouted in her head. She threw a quick claw-swipe, grazing the boss¡¯s fur, and went into stance.


    She threw down the heaviest overhead swing she¡¯d ever performed.


    Crack. Wisps began pouring out of the gnoll¡¯s black greatsword.


    A dagger landed in the gnoll¡¯s head. All of the Hollows¡¯ attacks landed at once. Rohan screamed while slashing at it from behind, repeatedly throwing swing after swing. His eyes saw red. ¡°Get off of her!¡± he shouted.


    The boss collapsed on its face. Wisps of ether began rising from its body. Rohan finally paused his onslaught of attacks.


    The Hollows stared at the corpse in awe. Everyone was out of breath, struggling to stand. Rohan stood there, face wet from sweat. His eyes were wet.


    Eem hopped down from a crawl space above. Laughing, she landed on top of Vivi and grabbed her hair excitedly.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Vivi said, chuckling. ¡°Eem, calm down!¡±


    ¡°You crazy witch,¡± Ven said. ¡°What did we just witness? Vivi smashed the gnoll in the head?¡±


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    ¡°We over brewed the boss,¡± Aang said. ¡°That was far closer than it ever should have been. You did well, Vivi.¡±


    Alisa appeared from hiding and patted Vivi on the back. She grinned ear to ear. ¡°I was certain I¡¯d have to save you. Well done, our student.¡±


    She glanced up at Rohan, who looked pale. ¡°Rohan?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rohan said. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll need a minute.¡±


    He sauntered off into the cavern next over. The Hollows all looked worried, but they watched him go without intervening. Was this normal?


    After a short silence, Lucius appeared from Vivi¡¯s core and took a proud pose. ¡°Hehee,¡± he said. ¡°Seeing as we defeated the boss, I assume that we can collect its ether?¡±


    Aang watched after Rohan for a second before turning to Lucius. ¡°Yes. That was the deal. You craft us runeswords, you earn the rewards. The ether is yours regardless of who killed it. However, I think it¡¯s best to collect your ether into containers.¡±


    Lucius tilted his head. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Your reserves are unstable,¡± Vivi said. ¡°And the Stewards will see progress made to my debt. If we pay it off too fast, it¡¯s suspicious. As we agreed. Aang will collect the ether, and he will save it for us in containers.¡±


    Aang nodded, then began collecting the ether.


    Lucius watched while pouting. ¡°Well, this is not fun in the slightest.¡±


    All of the ether was collected in less than ten seconds. ¡°1892 ether. A good haul.¡± Aang grinned. ¡°And it looks like there is something else for you as well.¡±


    The corpse remained even after the ether was collected. Vivi sensed something within the gnoll¡¯s broken black greatsword. A powerful wisp of ether moving within. Like the soul of a nascent spirit.


    Lucius watched it with sharp eyes. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he said. ¡°The prize we¡¯ve been looking for.¡±


    Vivi blinked, unsure what she was looking at.


    ¡°Take it, Vivi,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The deal says it¡¯s ours.¡±


    Vivi breathed in and reached for the wisp of ether. She saw the wisp fly to her core. Not into her ether reserves, but a different slot within her core. She felt the wisp¡¯s powers flowing inside, filling one of the three slots Vivi now sensed within.


    A skill. The boss had dropped a skill.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Ven said. ¡°Some results. How long has it been since we found a skill? The wisp looked like a weapon skill. Try it out, Vivi.¡±


    All sorts of confusing emotions flowed within Vivi. She wasn¡¯t excited. More so, she was in disbelief. Skills weren¡¯t something a cursed child from Fellwater was supposed to earn. Defeating bosses and earning skills was a job left for the luckiest of ether hunters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not celebrate early,¡± Lucius said. ¡°The skill might be useless. I¡¯ve earned plenty of those with my past wielder. Aang has a pile of trash skills. Test it out, and we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Right, Vivi thought. She picked up her weapon and reached for the skill wisp.


    Activating the skill took some figuring out. Vivi wasn¡¯t used to transferring ether within her core, being indebted and all. She tried to touch the skill wisp with her sixth sense. The wisp merely spun away from her hands.


    Vivi closed her eyes and focused. The practice with Alisa took over. Vivi shaped a path for the wisp to take. Out of her core, and into her body. The wisp took the hint.


    The skill¡¯s powers activated instantly. Without Vivi doing a thing, the powers moved to her hand, and into her weapon. Suddenly, an aura of red ether enveloped the dark mithril blade. Spikes grew on the blade.


    The weapon stayed coated with ether, and the skill wisp exhausted itself, retreating back to Vivi¡¯s core. The skill used regular ether from Vivi¡¯s body as fuel. Wisps were exhausted rapidly. Just to keep the ethereal aura around her sword, Vivi dimmed out half a wisp every second.


    Beneath the skill, the runes still strengthened the metal from the inside. The coating of spikes and red ether was an additional power on top.


    Lucius¡¯s tail moved curiously while he stared at the sword. ¡°It¡¯s a common skill. Looks like a basic sword enhancement skill. I don¡¯t know its name. We¡¯d need to have it examined to know for sure.¡±


    ¡°Fits Vivi well, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ven asked with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s our first weapon enhancement skill. Those are always useful.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, Vivi,¡± Alisa said. ¡°A good drop. You deserve it.¡±


    Alisa smiled for a second before her look grew concerned again. ¡°I¡¯ll check up on Rohan.¡±


    Aang nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s meet back home. This was a messy fight, but a successful hunt. The team will recover and reassess. How is Feni?¡±


    Lydi was assessing Feni¡¯s wounds. ¡°She¡¯s bruised, and she¡¯ll need rest, but she¡¯s alive. If she wasn¡¯t maxed out, she could have died.¡±


    ¡°Anyone will die down here if they¡¯re not maxed out,¡± Aang said. ¡°Good work today. Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    Lucius floated beside Aang and Vivi proudly. ¡°We earned a skill today. A good one. That means we¡¯re strong enough to defeat the main boss now, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Aang said. He wasn¡¯t smiling. ¡°I had hoped to defeat the Elder Gnoll cleanly and without incidents. We were one mistake away from losing someone today.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re barely even hurt,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Feni got hit, but she¡¯s alive. As a non-combatant, she¡¯s not coming to the main boss fight anyway.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush things,¡± Ven said. ¡°Vivi, Lucius, do you need rest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit shaken.¡±


    Ven nodded. ¡°There''s still a lot of time still remaining today. I wanted to take you along for a quick job.¡±


    Lucius paused, turning to him. ¡°A job?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ven said. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hub and meet Grenall.¡±

 Chapter 74 - Knighthood

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    The Hollows climbed to home base and immediately got to work. Lydi placed Feni into bed and gave her a few potions. She said Feni should be waking up by the end of the day. Aang postponed any discussions and meetings until everyone had a clear head. He looked like he had a lot to say about the boss fight, and it clearly wasn¡¯t all positive. The fight had been messy.


    Alisa and Rohan entered later. Rohan had his head down, a gloomy look on his eyes. He claimed that nothing had happened, and that he was alright. He headed to sleep. Watching him go, Alisa and the others looked concerned, but they didn¡¯t say anything.


    Ven and Henry wrote down the boss¡¯s drops. The Elder Gnoll¡¯s ether aura had been enhanced to double its original strength. Despite that, the boss only dropped thirty percent more ether compared to its usual state. The potions didn¡¯t enhance collectible ether as much as Ven and Henry would have liked. The boss¡¯s aura had been enhanced by mostly uncollectible void elements.


    Vivi¡¯s new skill was also examined with an etherprint scanner. Apparently, the skill was called ¡°thorn sword,¡± and it was a common skill as Lucius had said, though the skill was on the more valuable side of common skills. Weapon enhancement skills were sought after by just about anyone that didn¡¯t already have rarer skills at their disposal. Vivi could have sold the skill for a good sum.


    ¡°Etherprint scanners can now detect you,¡± Ven said. ¡°If the Stewards catch you with a skill, you¡¯re dead. They¡¯ll probably torture you to figure out where you got the skill from. From now on, you¡¯ll have to follow the rules more strictly. Skills stay home. You will never bring one to the hub.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep it in a container?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ven said. He headed to the back of the base, where ether containers were being kept. Skill containers were still orbs, but they were larger and hollow inside, filled with some weird liquid. The Hollows had fifteen skill containers, half of which currently stored wisps. ¡°We¡¯re meeting Grenall soon. That means visiting the public side of Zand. Leave the skill here.¡±


    Vivi could feel Lucius frowning within her. As always, he was stingy about his belongings. Vivi, however, didn¡¯t see a problem. She left the skill in the container for now.


    Ven also stored his ether reserves in containers and switched out his sword. He put on his Union official¡¯s jacket and stretched. ¡°Grenall is going to be on his lunch break soon. That¡¯s when we¡¯ll meet him. Are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Vivi said. ¡°What do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t strictly need you,¡± Ven said. ¡°You¡¯ll be useful to have along. I won¡¯t take too much of your time.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows, but followed Ven. She didn¡¯t have practice today, and she didn¡¯t have any ongoing projects in the smithy. All of her immediate jobs were completed for the day. She could spend a few hours with Ven. Vivi put on her disguise, and they exited the lair.


    Ven didn¡¯t start a conversation like he usually did. He walked calmly toward their destination, which Vivi guessed was the apartment district trapdoor exit.


    ¡°Is everything okay with Rohan?¡± Vivi asked.


    Ven continued walking. He took a while to respond. ¡°He usually recovers. You might have to train the sword with me for a few days to give him time.¡±


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    ¡°Why?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t get hurt that badly, did he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a complicated person,¡± Ven said. ¡°Rohan lived with the nobles, once. He was a true knight.¡±


    ¡°With the nobles?¡± Vivi asked. ¡°But he¡¯s in Zand?¡±


    Vivi imagined a frown beneath Ven¡¯s mask. ¡°Rohan is a good person, but he has lived through a lot. He sometimes needs time to himself. As your teacher, I don¡¯t think he would want his secrets out.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to know.¡±


    Ven didn¡¯t respond, continuing the walk. Vivi followed, but her head quickly pointed down. Rohan needed time for himself? To do what? After the fight, Rohan hadn¡¯t celebrated. His expression was that of someone who lost their friend.


    Ven sighed. ¡°Just know that most of the scars on his face aren¡¯t battle wounds. They¡¯re associated with bad memories. Sometimes, close fights bring those memories to life.¡± He paused, then said, ¡°He failed to protect his mistress. Her name was Zelle. He still blames himself. And he can get quite overprotective of his team when threats arrive. That¡¯s all I can say for now.¡±


    Vivi bit her lip, a sour taste in her mouth. ¡°Can I help him somehow?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ven said. ¡°The best you can do is leave him alone. Don¡¯t mention any of this to him. He¡¯s already embarrassed enough to have lost his cool during the fight. He¡¯ll take some days to recover, and he¡¯ll continue teaching you.¡±


    Vivi stayed silent. Rohan was a good teacher. She still had a lot to learn from him, and Vivi knew he had a good heart. She wanted to help somehow.


    Ven slashed a few surgehounds with a regular ensium longsword and hid their host bones. He walked past stone-leafs, as always. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s ahead,¡± Ven said. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering your idea to frame the Stewards. I think it¡¯s good enough to propose to Grenall. We¡¯re hoping to turn ideas into plans today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an idea,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I won¡¯t be of much help beyond that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Ven said. The slab blocking the exit came to sight. Ven pulled it off, and the two entered Aang¡¯s apartment. They took off their disguises.


    ¡°Meeting with Grenall is always easy, as he¡¯s the lone guard in charge of this apartment complex,¡± Ven said. ¡°We should be safe talking to him even here. But just in case, we always move to the scolding room.¡±


    ¡°Aang told me about it,¡± Vivi said.


    Aang had rented every apartment on the first and second floors to use as Guest beds for Union members. It wasn¡¯t unusual for gangs to rent large sections of the apartment district. Zand¡¯s staff allowed it, but guards such as Grenall were set in place to make sure the Gangs didn¡¯t cause trouble in the apartment district.


    To keep the appearance that the apartments were actually being used, Ven and Aang sometimes sent Union members to sleep in the apartments. For the most part, however, the apartments were kept empty. This way, the trapdoor between levels could be commonly used without worrying about being caught, and meetings with Grenall wouldn¡¯t be interrupted by nimrods visiting.


    There was still a chance that Stewards or other guards could walk in during a meeting. For a Steward to see Grenall discussing in Aang¡¯s room could have led to the end of the Hollows. This was why discussions were held in the staff room, where Grenall could use the excuse that he was simply taking payment from tenants, or that he was scolding rulebreakers in private.


    Vivi found the arrangements impressive. Aang and Ven put serious effort to keep the Hollows secret. Every day, Ven took an extra step to make sure nothing was going wrong.


    The staff room¡¯s door was at the very end of the apartment. Ven knocked on the door four times.


    After fifteen seconds, the door opened. A guard stood behind it, looking unimpressed. The same guard that Vivi had met outside the apartment when exiting the hidden dungeon for the first time.


    ¡°Sorry, the lamp switch broke,¡± Ven said. ¡°We¡¯re here to request a replacement, if that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Lamp switch, I see,¡± Grenall said. ¡°Nobody¡¯s here. Step in.¡±


    The staff room was small and cramped, fitting a square table with four chairs and some locked cabinets. There was an ice-box to store foods, and a tiny kitchen stove with minimal equipment.


    Grenall signaled Ven and Vivi to sit. He filled up a mug of some dark tea and leaned on the wall next to the door. ¡°So, you and Aang had some plans?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re finally looking at promoting you out of guard duty,¡± Ven said.


    Grenall frowned. ¡°And what do you want me to risk my life for this time?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to toss you into the call room,¡± Ven said. ¡°And we¡¯re going to need you to send a few messages to Ingfried¡¯s goons.¡±

 Chapter 75 - The Guard

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    Grenall stirred a spoon in his drink, then took a sip. ¡°I tried to figure out how to access the negotiation chambers. It¡¯s nearly impossible. You¡¯ll need one hell of a plan if you want to sneak any messages to Ingfried.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to sneak anything at all,¡± Ven said. ¡°We¡¯re doing the opposite. You¡¯re going to barge in and cause a panic.¡±


    Grenall frowned. ¡°Elaborate.¡±


    ¡°Aang wanted to leave as much of the plan out of your ears to avoid the worst case. However, I see enough potential to involve you fully.¡± Ven grinned. ¡°Simply put, we¡¯re going to frame Uundref and Wheryn as betrayers who cleared the main dungeon.¡±


    Grenall lifted his eyebrows, taking another sip. ¡°Well, that is one hell of a plan. And the girl?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Vivi, our newest member,¡± Ven said. ¡°She came up with the idea, and she has a major part in the plan. She¡¯s here to form ideas.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Grenall said. ¡°I have ten minutes left to discuss before I need to get back to frowning menacingly at beggars. Tell me the plan. What do I need to do, and what will I get in return?¡±


    ¡°The Hollows are going to do two things in the near future,¡± Ven said. ¡°We will kidnap Uundref and Wheryn, and we will defeat the main boss, clearing the dungeon. The Hollows will then cause a mass escape, framing the event on the two kidnapped Stewards.¡±


    Grenall stared at him. ¡°And as it¡¯s happening, you want me to cause an uproar, shouting that Wheryn and Uundref have betrayed the facility?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ven said. ¡°It¡¯s a simple plan, but I can imagine it working.¡±


    ¡°The steps sound simple,¡± Grenall said, ¡°but you can¡¯t just kidnap Wheryn and Uundref. Those two are the most loyal, the absolute strongest Stewards that exist. It¡¯s close to impossible to defeat them in battle, let alone kidnap and frame them.¡±


    ¡°Uundref and Wheryn live in Zand,¡± Ven said. ¡°They¡¯ve been running the place for years. They¡¯re that much stronger than everyone else in Zand. But they¡¯re still ways off from the truly legendary warriors currently alive. A few powerful skills could upgrade them to that level. If there¡¯s anyone amongst the Stewards that we could realistically frame with greedy motives, it¡¯s those two.¡±


    Grenall sipped his drink, thinking for a moment. Vivi and Lucius listened curiously, but stayed silent. She still wasn''t fully certain about what Ven¡¯s plan was, despite her being the one to supposedly come up with it.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to frame someone,¡± Grenall said, ¡°it can¡¯t be Uundref and Wheryn together. Those two hate each other. They keep Zand operational together, but they¡¯re competitive. And not the friendly rivalry type of competition. They¡¯re actively screwing each other. If Wheryn heard that Uundref betrayed Zand, he¡¯d be first in line to report him to Ingfried.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying it would be better to frame Uundref alone?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°Uundref and Beligar, perhaps,¡± Grenall said. ¡°Those two work with each other the most. Ultimately, I still think this is a crazy idea. How exactly are you going to kidnap Uundref?¡±


    ¡°I quite literally plan on snatching him when he¡¯s alone on a break. We¡¯re going to bring him to the dungeon hunt with us. While he¡¯s missing, you¡¯re going to tell people you saw him suspiciously enter the dungeon.¡± Ven grinned. ¡°The idea is crazy, but it¡¯s simple. We¡¯re best at those kinds of plans. Each step just needs to be timed correctly.¡±


    Grenall closed his eyes, thinking.


    ¡°Our next step is to figure out where Uundref takes breaks,¡± Ven said. ¡°We need to kidnap him when he¡¯s alone, in a spot where he could realistically escape from his duties. And we need to do it without leaving a trail of battle.¡±


    ¡°That step alone marks the plan as nearly impossible to execute,¡± Grenall said. ¡°But assuming you somehow pull it off and escape with the dungeon¡¯s loot, what do I gain from this? For the framing to work, I¡¯m going to need to stay in Zand while you escape.¡±


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    ¡°For one, you¡¯re going to earn respect amongst the guards, perhaps a chance to be promoted,¡± Ven said. ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned that life amongst the guards isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not miserable,¡± Grenall said. ¡°But I sure as hell don¡¯t intend to spend any more time here than necessary.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you could resign and escape with us later,¡± Ven said. ¡°We can form a plan to get you out of here.¡±


    ¡°And can I trust you on that?¡± Grenall asked.


    ¡°Zand lets guards resign and leave on their own, no?¡± Ven asked. ¡°If you want to join us for whatever we do after escaping, we¡¯re eager to have you. If you want money to start your own life, we¡¯ll pay you. I can promise at least ten thousand ether.¡±


    Grenall finished his drink and immediately went for a refill. ¡°My break is running out. I think that¡¯s all we can plan today.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ven said. ¡°Vivi, did you have anything to add?¡±


    ¡°I think the plan sounds good,¡± Vivi said. ¡°But honestly, I don¡¯t see why you brought me here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s important is that you heard our ideas,¡± Ven said. ¡°You have a sharp mind, and I know you¡¯re constantly thinking. More ideas will arrive. That¡¯s how plans work.¡± He leaned back and turned to Grenall. ¡°Any other news we should know about?¡±


    ¡°Staff is still looking for whoever killed that guard and slaughtered the outside raid,¡± Grenall said. ¡°The Stewards are involved. They¡¯ve found that the whole forest is pretty much devoid of monsters. They believe there¡¯s some gang, or perhaps even a lone crazy person, hunting outside Zand¡¯s walls.¡±


    Vivi¡¯s head perked up.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ven asked, turning to Vivi.


    ¡°Uhm, I think I know what¡¯s causing trouble¡­¡± she said.


    Ven waited for her to continue.


    ¡°Before being caught by guards, I accidentally crafted a boss monster. I didn¡¯t know just how dangerous surge hazards were. And I got unlucky enough that a surge spawned exactly where I kept the bones¡­¡±


    ¡°What boss did you create?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°Lucius called it a Twilight Shaman,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The boss is a combination of a Twilight Elk¡¯s skull and a fiery lower body. It summoned these spider monsters.¡±


    The two watched Vivi in shock. ¡°Ah fuck,¡± Grenall said.


    ¡°And nobody knows about this?¡± Ven asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The guards didn¡¯t see the boss. The last I saw, the boss was atop a narrow platform on the fourth level, above a river. A thirty-minute walk or so from Zand.¡±


    Grenall wore a funny smile, looking at the ceiling. ¡°Shit just got serious, huh? How long has the shaman been brewing troops?¡±


    ¡°Almost a month,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I should have probably mentioned this a while ago¡­ I just didn¡¯t think it was our problem since the boss was outside Zand¡¯s walls. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°A Twilight Shaman that has been brewing for a month is considered a catastrophe-level monster,¡± Ven said. ¡°A team of experts should be able to take it down. But if the boss is strong enough to conceal its aura from the Stewards while it gathers troops, its presence could be a threat to Zand itself.¡±


    ¡°I doubt things will get that far,¡± Grenall said. ¡°But the Stewards will be in for one hell of a surprise regardless.¡±


    ¡°Should we be concerned?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ven said. ¡°You¡¯re right in that the boss isn¡¯t our problem. As nimrods, there isn¡¯t much we can do. But it¡¯s good that you told us this. I¡¯ll have to think if we can use the boss¡¯s presence to our advantage. Perhaps it could be used as a distraction of sorts to cause more chaos.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you do, my break is ending,¡± Grenall said. He gulped down the rest of his drink, grimacing from the heat and placed down the mug. ¡°You two need to get out. I¡¯ll think about the plan, but as it is now, I can¡¯t imagine it working.¡±


    ¡°Thinking is all we need for now,¡± Ven said. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Grenall frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to follow this plan, Ven.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re necessary if the plan is to be executed,¡± Ven said. ¡°But I admit, putting anything into action is still a long way off. But I do like the ideas.¡± He grinned.


    Grenall shook his head, opening the door. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll fix your broken lamp switches and deal with your crap later. Get the hell out, idiot nimrods.¡±


    Ven and Vivi stepped out. For extra effect, Grenall pushed Ven outside with force, slamming the door shut behind him.


    ¡°Well, then,¡± Ven said. ¡°We¡¯re lucky we¡¯re not in too much trouble with the lamp switch, eh?¡±


    Vivi smiled awkwardly. She followed Ven back into Aang¡¯s room, where they crawled back to the hidden dungeon.


    ¡°Grenall didn¡¯t sound too impressed about the plan,¡± Vivi said.


    ¡°Oh, he was ecstatic,¡± Ven said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so invested in a plan.¡±


    Vivi raised her eyebrows. ¡°Was that sarcasm?¡±


    ¡°Grenall is good at thinking about plans,¡± Ven said. ¡°Once he hears of something going on, he¡¯ll grumble. The moment he sees potential, he grows into the most invested person involved. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°We should have shown him my runeswords then,¡± Vivi said. ¡°To prove to him that we can defeat Uundref.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not placing your runesmithing skills under any more risk than we need to,¡± Ven said. ¡°Letting you fight bosses is already dangerous enough that Aang considered letting you stay home. But you and Lucius are eager to fight. We can¡¯t just lock you in the smithy against your will.¡±


    ¡°Lucius would go insane if he had to spend a week without hunting,¡± Vivi said. The cat pouted within her.


    Ven laughed. ¡°Exactly. We¡¯ll let the plan brew. If you get ideas, tell me everything. In the meantime, we¡¯ve still got more bosses to finish this cycle.¡±

 Chapter 76 - Attempts

    The next day, the Hollows cleared two more bosses. The Ember Golem, and the Fang Tanker.


    Both bosses survived being fed potions. The Ember Golem¡¯s skulls grew rampant, gaining an ability to shoot projectiles out of their mouths. The Fang Tanker gained a summoning skill of sorts. It pulled little fanglings from the ground as additional warriors.


    Even with the enhanced strength, the Hollows defeated both bosses easily. The other squadron bosses were simple compared to the Elder Gnoll. Aang could have defeated them alone. All together, the Hollows had no risk of losing.


    Rohan stayed home for now. Vivi asked again if he was recovering. Ven told her to not worry about it.


    So the fighting continued. Vivi was given the honor of demolishing the Fang Tanker with her new sword enhancement skill. Her dark mithril crush sword cut right through the exo-skeleton, spraying wisps everywhere. The boss died even faster than the first time.


    Neither boss dropped skills, but both dropped over a thousand wisps of ether. The wisps were saved in containers to eventually use to clear Vivi¡¯s debts.


    Despite the good results, Lucius was annoyed that they hadn¡¯t earned another skill. He suggested they head straight for the Mist Arachne, killing the fourth squadron boss as well.


    Aang gave him a firm no. The Hollows typically cleared one or two bosses each cycle. They¡¯d already made an exception by killing three, including the Elder Gnoll. The Stewards would be suspicious enough, finding the Elder Gnoll two weeks weaker than usual.


    ¡°End cycle will move slightly differently this time,¡± Aang said after defeating the Fang Tanker. ¡°Vivi¡¯s smithy is inside home base. We can¡¯t have her away from runesmithing for two more weeks straight. Alisa and Vivi will continue operations within the hidden dungeon.¡± He turned to Alisa. ¡°We will be keeping a close eye on guard patrols. You will not kill a single monster. Move exclusively within the crawl spaces, and only between home base and the exits. During end cycle, the only job in the hidden dungeon is to let Vivi continue runesmithing.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Alisa said. ¡°Any complaints?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Am I allowed to move without Alisa?¡±


    ¡°Only in emergencies,¡± Aang said. ¡°Not because I don¡¯t trust you¡ªyou¡¯ve learned the map well enough¡ªbut it¡¯s always safer to move as two. Ensuring your safety is Alisa¡¯s most important job for the next end cycle.¡±


    ¡°Jeez,¡± Alisa said. ¡°I¡¯ve been promoted to a bodyguard!¡±


    ¡°And it actually is a promotion,¡± Ven said.


    Alisa smiled at Vivi. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll be moving together more, then?¡±


    ¡°Awwy!¡± Eem said, hugging Alisa¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Emmy is allowed to come with us, right?¡± Alisa said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Aang said. ¡°Emmy can keep you company.¡±


    Eem¡¯s face lit up, and Alisa smiled. They gave each other a high five.


    ¡°The rest of us will gather our items from home base before returning to the Union¡¯s hub,¡± Aang said. ¡°Vivi will continue practicing with Ven, Rohan, and Alisa whenever she has free time.¡± He turned to Vivi. ¡°All of us have our main weapons now. I can¡¯t ask you to craft more powerful swords. However, I know craftsmen can get sick if they¡¯re separated from their workstations for too long. From now on, you have free hands to use the smithy as you like.¡±


    ¡°Aang¡­¡± Vivi said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but the swords we wield right now are not great.¡± Trash, she wanted to say. Really, the swords she had crafted so far were nothing special. ¡°We don¡¯t have a single three-runed sword yet. My Grandpa could fit five runes into one sword. I need a lot of sleepless nights to catch up. My work from the smithy is far from completed. I¡¯m going to need thousands more ether roots and crucibles to come.¡±


    Ven rolled his eyes with a funny smile. Aang listened with a serious expression. ¡°Very well. I will leave you to the smithy. Soon, you will have to start accepting payments.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to craft a sword worth asking money for, then,¡± Vivi said. ¡°How long can I spend in the smithy today?¡±


    Aang sighed. ¡°Until the next collection day. Alisa, watch that Vivi doesn¡¯t die from overwork. And Vivi, make sure you don¡¯t forget your swordsmanship practice.¡±


    Vivi lowered her head. ¡°Alisa, take me to the smithy, please.¡±


    ***


    Faced with her anvil, Vivi stretched her fingers, readying for a new runesmithing spree. She still heard the others chatting and moving about in the next room over. Soon, they would leave, and Vivi would have the base all to herself. Locked up in a smithy with Lucius for over twenty four hours. Her water barrel was filled, and pieces of bread and cold fishes were left for her to eat.


    ¡°Are we finally going to craft a three-runed sword?¡± Lucius asked, flying excitedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll try,¡± Vivi said. ¡°The last time, I required months worth of attempts to successfully craft one. The second time will probably take less, but I¡¯m rusty.¡±


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    ¡°Hhmmm,¡± Lucius said curiously. ¡°Three runes are a lot more powerful than two, right? The ancient dwarfs were proud of their three-runed masterpieces.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Properly smithed three-runed swords are far stronger than two-runed variants. Truly powerful rune combinations are unlocked at three runes. Mass and sharpness makes for a great heavyweight monster slayer with just two runes, but adding a swiftness rune also makes the sword easy to swing. Alternatively, you can add a crush rune to pretty much any rune combination to add damage. Three-runed swords are insane.¡±


    ¡°What about four, then?¡± Lucius asked.


    ¡°Improvements after three are less substantial,¡± Vivi said. ¡°There¡¯s only so much ether you can cram into metal at once. But Grandpa did come up with a few ridiculous combinations. He built the classic monster slayer mass, sharpness, swiftness sword, and added a shockwave rune as the second set of veins. Every swing that the sword made came out as a projectile. Grandpa couldn¡¯t wield the sword properly, since non-spirit wielders can¡¯t control their ether, but he managed to cut a boulder from a range with the sword.¡±


    Lucius was brimming with excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s make that!¡±


    Vivi sighed. ¡°It had four runes, Lucius. I¡¯ll struggle just to fit three.¡±


    She squeezed the first ether root between the vise¡¯s jaws and gathered her tools. She had around thirty ether roots in total, four of which Vivi could consider rare. The rest of the roots were average or cheap. For her first attempts, Vivi picked up an iron root to use as the core of her work.


    Spending rare roots for difficult projects that had a high chance of failing was rarely worth it. Even Grandpa only used cheap roots for his five-runed swords and six-runed attempts. The difference in power between ether roots wasn¡¯t that massive. At most, an adamantite root could be ten percent more efficient compared to a more simpler iron root.


    Vivi got to work shaping the veins. The exact vision wasn¡¯t clear in her head yet, but she knew she wanted to craft another, stronger, skeleton cutter greatsword.


    The core root will distribute a strength or a mass rune, Vivi thought while the main stalk of the iron root grew. The first ether root was always the easiest part, but Vivi already had to plan ahead, leaving enough space for the next two roots to accompany the core. Space was often the limiting factor when it came to three-runed swords. Three ether roots worth of veins had to be crammed closely together without interfering with each other.


    A few hours later, Vivi completed the core root. She nodded, satisfied. So far, nothing had gone catastrophically wrong.


    She carved the hole through the bottom of the core root¡¯s hilt, exactly as she¡¯d do with a two-runed blade. In essence, the techniques used for the three-runed veins were the same as with two-runed swords. Three-runed swords just had to fit a third ether root, and as a result, were a lot more difficult to craft.


    As the stalks of the second root joined the core root, Vivi leaned close to her work and focused. She¡¯d chosen a simple green mithril root to use for the crush rune.


    She guided the green mithril stalks to coil around the core stalk. The mithril stalks resembled a coiled spring weaving around the straight core root.


    Branches extended outward from the coils. For the crush rune to be effective, its powers needed to be spread evenly toward the sword¡¯s blade. The branches had to extend as far outward as they could, while also leaving enough space for the third ether root to fit. Leaving the crush branches short meant the rune¡¯s effects would be inefficient. However, if the branches spread too far or wide, fitting the third ether root would be difficult.


    Grandpa made the process possible with a technique he called looping. Vivi had learned the technique during the last two years. The name was quite literal.


    Vivi twisted each mithril branch up and around, leaving a circular loop. Each loop was large enough to fit an ether root¡¯s stalk through. The loops had two purposes: to further spread the branches to use space to the maximum, and to leave a hole for the third root to traverse.


    The loops were also ridiculously difficult to shape properly. If one was made slightly too small or large, ether would be asymmetrically distributed. Asymmetry was death when inside carving. A sword with asymmetrical veins would likely snap in half.


    Vivi had to juggle two mithril stalks at the same time on each side of the sword, often shaping two loops at the same time. She had mere seconds to work on one loop before the one on the opposite side required attention. To fill a full greatsword with branches, Vivi required at least ten branches on both sides. Each branch required a loop.


    That meant Vivi had to prepare over twenty loops in total. Each one required concentration, and there was little to no margin for error. She worked with absolute focus, knowing that the slightest error would mean starting over.


    There were no breaks. After the ether root was initiated, Vivi had no choice but to finish her work or give up. She shaped the loops and branches with perfect focus, while also guiding the mithril stalks up their correct paths.


    She wasn¡¯t practicing in Grandpa¡¯s smithy anymore. Whether she succeeded now could be the difference between winning or losing a fight. Losing a fight could mean losing a friend. Vivi didn¡¯t have time for failures anymore.


    That fact made her nervous. She shaped the branches, guiding the loops with years of practice behind her back. But her hands were shaking. Her body was filled with pressure. The closer she got to success, the more nervous she became. She had to focus. She had to succeed. She had to¡ª


    Her hand slipped. The crochet hook fell from its hold, slipping slightly out of place. She quickly fixed her mistake, but the damages were done.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± Vivi said, staring at her veins. She bit her lip and stepped back.


    Lucius blinked, looking surprised. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°The sword is ruined. You can stop pouring ether,¡± Vivi said.


    The mithril root continued to grow aimlessly at the pace of a snail until Lucius reluctantly stopped the flow of ether. The root cauterized, never to be reignited again. ¡°But why?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Look at that loop,¡± Vivi said, pointing at the seventh branch on the right side of the veins. ¡°It¡¯s not circular, and it¡¯s slightly larger than its opposing loop on the left. I can see the difference with my eyes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°It¡¯s just a loop. Surely, we can continue?¡±


    ¡°No, if we finish this, the sword will break,¡± Vivi said. ¡°Sometimes, the veins snap even if everything looks good. If there¡¯s an error that¡¯s visible to the eye, it¡¯s definitely ruined. The veins are asymmetrical. There¡¯s nothing we can do. This sword failed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°The sword failed just because you made a miniscule error with the loopy loop?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Vivi said. ¡°That¡¯s all it takes. Vein-shaping is insane.¡±


    Lucius floated there in bafflement, staring at her. ¡°What do we do now, then?¡±


    Vivi untied the ether root from the vise and tossed the veins aside. The first root was ruined too, as it had combined with the failed second root. After the process had started, the veins couldn¡¯t be separated.


    She picked up another iron root and twisted it on the vise. ¡°We start from scratch, and we try again.¡±

 Chapter 77 - Nerves

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    The final loop.


    Vivi¡¯s hands were starting to get irritated. She¡¯d been shaping veins for hours now. She''d lost track of how many. This was her third attempt after the second attempt failed even earlier than the first. The progress now was promising.


    The stalks of the second ether root reached the tip of where the blade would be. There, Vivi cauterized each stalk. Their shapes were good, and the twenty five branches Vivi had shaped so far were immaculate.


    One last branch remained to be shaped. Vivi guided its growth with her crochet hook. Her eyes were stinging from staring at growing ether roots for so long. She¡¯d need water and some rest soon.


    Slow the tempo, Vivi thought. Less ether. You¡¯re rushing this.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucius said. He was focused as well, taking the process seriously. The moment Vivi told him to slow the tempo, Lucius fixed his flow.


    Vivi completed the last loop, cauterizing the branch. She let out a long sigh of relief and leaned back.


    Lucius looked concerned. ¡°Did something happen? Did we fail again?¡±


    Vivi assessed her work so far. ¡°No, it looks good to me. We can take a short break.¡±


    Lucius¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Can we finally craft a three-runed sword?¡±


    Vivi let out a laugh. ¡°We can move to the third ether root. The hardest part of the process.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We still have more loopy loops to make?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivi said. She stretched, took off her gloves and quickly ate a fish. ¡°The last part is a lot more difficult than just shaping some loops.¡±


    Lucius looked curious, but he was eager to have a break as well. He¡¯d been controlling the flow of ether while Vivi worked for hours. Vivi could have controlled the flow of ether herself after practicing with Alisa, but it was best to let Lucius stay in charge of the ether root. The job fit him well, and he tended to grow restless if there was nothing to do for extended periods of time.


    Back home, Vivi had used a device called an ether transmitter. The device was designed to steadily transfer ether at a slow pace. Grandpa had to fill it for her before she got to work. Afterward, she could use it to control the tempo as she wished. Lucius was as smooth as the device, if not smoother. Despite his arrogance and often chaotic personality, he was really good at controlling a steady flow of ether into the ether root.


    After eating the fish, Vivi closed her eyes and took steady breaths. The process was far from completed. Vivi had been in the same position more than fifty times in the past. The second set of veins was completed, only the last remaining.


    The last steps were so difficult that only one in fifty of her attempts had turned into a finished product.


    Before getting started, Vivi still had preparations to do. She carved another hole through the bottom of the hilt for the third ether root to take. The last hole was the smallest, traveling only through the inside of the second ether root.


    The bottom of the hilt resembled the inside of a tree. Each ether root was like a tree¡¯s annual ring, though the order of the rings was reversed. The outer ring carried the core root, the mass rune, and the ring after that carried the crush rune. The inner ring would hold the last ether root. Three runes, three rings.


    With all holes carved, Vivi chose a simple white obsidian root to accompany the sharpness rune. She drank a mug of water, stretched again, and placed the root in the vise.


    Lucius, initiate the root, Vivi thought. The hard part begins.


    The root cracked open, and growth started. Vivi held the veins firmly in place, letting the root grow through the holes she¡¯d created. She had her eyes closed, crochet hook in hand, waiting.


    The stalks of the third root joined the branches, and the shaping process began.


    Vivi guided the stalks across the obstacle course of branches left behind by the first and second root. The third root had to accompany all remaining space near the edges, distributing the sharpness rune to the sharp edges of the blade as thoroughly as it could.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Vivi no longer had to plan ahead or form loops. She had to guide the stalks through the existing loops, while also separating the stalk into branches, making use of the remaining space.


    The first loops passed nicely. The stalks grew at a steady pace, and Vivi led the branches to their respective positions without incident. If a branch of the third root made contact with anything it wasn¡¯t supposed to, the branch would cauterize, and the project was immediately a failure.


    The angles at which Vivi could work her crochet hook in were limited. The second ether root and its branches made work difficult. She sometimes had to fit the tool between tight branches. The third root was not only the most precise part of the process, Vivi also had the least freedom to work with her tools.


    Vivi focused. Outside thoughts disappeared from her head. Right now, her mind believed in one goal, clouding everything around her. Conflicts, difficulties, bullies, all were forgotten as Vivi stared at her veins like a predator stalking prey.


    The third ether root typically took around an hour or two to shape. A short time for a craftsman, but an eternity for a runesmith. That hour was filled with near perfect movements, guiding branches through loops with zero margin for error.


    The first fifteen minutes went smoothly. Vivi cleared the first eight loops. The branches turned out perfect, reaching the edges of the blade exactly as they should.


    Her heart began to race. The last ether root was always the most difficult one to shape. But it was also the last difficult part. Afterward, Vivi just had to carve runes and to smith the weapons. Both required work and were far from easy skills to learn, but neither was as stress-inducing as vein-shaping. Grandpa always said that vein-shaping was the heart and soul of inside carving.


    Everything was going well. The loops progressed.


    But her concentration began to slip. Her hands were tired. Her eyes hurt. Her head requested a break.


    Vivi continued working. When the ether root was initiated, the job would be finished. No matter what, Vivi would finish the job.


    The stalks passed the halfway mark, having passed twelve loops. Vivi¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t calm down. Finishing the three-runed sword would give a huge strength boost to the Hollows. Whether Vivi succeeded now could very well have been the difference between clearing the main dungeon or dying to the boss.


    Her hands were starting to shake. She continued working.


    Thirteen loops, fourteen. She eventually passed the twentieth. Just a few more remained.


    Vivi was so close. Just a few more loops to traverse, and¡ª


    Suddenly, the branch under her crochet hook thumped. A slight jolt shot through her hand. The branch twirled to the left, slightly off path.


    Vivi paused, mouth hanging open. Immediately, she knew what had happened.


    ¡°Aaahh!¡± Vivi said. She fell to her knees. Her heart wouldn¡¯t stop beating. Vivi slammed her fist on her anvil.


    ¡°What happened now?¡± Lucius asked, flying beside Vivi. ¡°Is it done?¡±


    Vivi gritted her teeth. It felt like her body wanted to pry itself open. Why was she so nervous?


    ¡°It failed, Lucius,¡± she said. ¡°I used too much force. The crochet hook needs to press firmly against a branch¡¯s growth to guide it properly. But if I press too hard¡­ That can happen. A slight crack formed, and the branch snapped on the inside. It¡¯s ruined.¡±


    Slowly, the pressure escaped from her body through heavy breaths. Vivi was always nervous during the last few steps of finishing a milestone sword. But she¡¯d never been this nervous. Her hands were trembling, for god¡¯s sake!


    ¡°It¡¯s just one branch¡­¡± Lucius said, examining the failure point. ¡°It¡¯s not even an inch off the path. Why strive for perfection? Just a good enough sword will do.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t work like that,¡± Vivi said. ¡°I would complete the sword if I could. Half an inch of asymmetry is enough to cause odd pressure points to be left within the metal. Metals can¡¯t withstand such forces. If the veins are incorrectly carved, the ether inside will not strengthen the metal, but rather, pry the metal apart.¡±


    She sighed at the failed stalk. ¡°Some errors are worse than others. This one is catastrophic. Not only is the branch swerved off path, I also cracked the branch inside by pushing too hard. It¡¯s a ruin.¡±


    Lucius floated in place with a disappointed expression. ¡°What now, then? Try again again?¡±


    Vivi sat still for a moment, staring aimlessly at her work. ¡°No. That was the best attempt we¡¯ll have today. I¡¯m tired. It¡¯s better to restart the day and try again later.¡±


    Failure was the most important step of learning, as Grandpa had always said. Despite that, Vivi couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. In Zand, she didn¡¯t have time for failures, or for practice. The Hollows had to be as strong as possible and quickly. Two-runed swords were good, far stronger than the weapons they faced, but a three-runed sword would totally outclass anything their opponents wielded.


    How long have we spent here? Vivi asked in her head. She was losing track of time. Collection day was coming. She didn¡¯t even know if she had time to start another project.


    Vivi sighed. She switched her smithing apron back to her raincoat. On another day, perhaps she would have started another desperate attempt, forcing herself to work through exhaustion. She did that a lot on the surface.


    In Zand, she had a lot more things to do than just smash her head against the same problem. Rest would give her better chances of finishing a three-runed sword later.


    ¡°Runesmithing doesn¡¯t always go as planned,¡± Vivi said. ¡°In fact, when you¡¯re working on your limits, vein-shaping rarely ever goes as planned.¡±


    ¡°Should we get to hunting, then?¡± Lucius asked.


    Before Vivi could answer, Lucius suddenly perked up. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m getting a signal.¡±


    ¡°A signal?¡± Vivi asked.


    ¡°Someone wants to talk to us in Paradise.¡±