《Phoenix Healer》 Chapter 1 *Ding* (Unique) Title - [Avatar of the Twin Phoenix] detected. You have regained access to your Akashic Record. ATTENTION: Your Akashic Record has been altered. A blue screen insistently buzzed in the darkness of her closed eyes, jerking her awake. She tried to move, but nothing happened. Then, she heard a hum. Voices, faint at first and then louder and louder, chanted throaty sounds while a single one intonated a hymn. ¡°Goddess of Light, Goddess of Fire, To You we surrender our deepest desire.¡± ¡°Goddess of Light, Goddess of Fire, To You we surrender our deepest desire.¡± ¡°Goddess of Light, Goddess of Fire, ¡­ Where am I¡­ Suddenly, one by one, all the humming voices joined the hymn, the words now booming across the chamber, louder and louder. The rhythmic chant built to a crescendo until it suddenly stopped, flooding the place with the quiet of a graveyard. She hadn¡¯t been able to move a finger nor open her eyes, but now she felt a burning sensation rising through her chest, shooting blazing tendrils of energy all across her veins. And so, she came to life with a wheezed breath followed by an intense fit of cough, and she propped herself up. She felt a wetness all over as she rubbed her eyes multiple times to bring the scene around her into focus. Coughing to high heaven, she finally managed to get the sticky liquid off her eyes enough to make out her surroundings. The next moment, she wished she hadn¡¯t. She was lying on top of several fresh corpses drenched in blood¡ªin a large room with walls covered in pulsating and shining red runes while several hooded figures stared at her, gathered in a circle. She stood propped on her hands, not understanding, not... remembering anything. W¡ªwhere... ¡°Hey!¡± One of the men shouted. ¡°Damn it! One¡¯s still alive!¡± She was too dazed to understand they were talking about her. ¡°Snuffed embers! I can¡¯t believe this! Who forgot to kill her?! That¡¯s why the summoning ritual hasn¡¯t worked, you dimwits!¡± W¡ªwhat¡­ Another hooded figure sighed and stepped forward, drawing a curved blade from his belt. ¡°Whatever! I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± ¡°Come on, hurry up!¡± Who... who am I? The hooded figure walked up to her and, as soon as he was in range, swiped the blade at her throat. Her body reacted before she could even realize it. She leaned back, easily dodging the blade, and kicked the groin of the man who had climbed the low pile of bodies. The man hunched forward, moaning in pain. She grabbed his wrist and, applying pressure on it with both hands, disarmed him. She caught the dagger before it could get lost in the pile of bodies and stabbed the bent man through an eye. Her movements, however, were not those of someone who just awoke without memories¡ªbut of someone with superior battle instincts. She stood up, looking around the room and trying to orient herself, but two more figures had run up to her with daggers in their hands. One of them swiped at her, but she simply ducked, used her armpit to lock the man¡¯s elbow in it, and broke his arm in one swift move. Then, as the second tried to attack her, she used the first as a shield. The hooded man ended up stabbing the human protection she had gotten herself. She was about to slit the throat of the man she had locked down, but she felt something going through her back. She looked down, seeing a spear lodged in her side. She heard something cut the air, and she tried dodging the second spear directed her way, but this one lodged right into her neck. She fell to the ground. As she choked to death on her blood, she heard the guy walk back toward the other hooded figures¡ª Hooded figures? ¡ªAnd realized that those were probably¡­ Cultists? Fanatics? ¡°Who forgot to kill that freak?!¡± The man with a broken arm shouted, furious. ¡°And who brought a virgin with a Class! Idiots! The ritual called for classless sacrifices!¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t have a Class,¡± another protested. ¡°We double-checked everyone!¡± ¡°Have you seen what she¡¯s just done?! How could she not have a Class?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe we killed thirty-three virgins from Valoria, and it still didn¡¯t work,¡± another male voice sighed. ¡°You must not lose faith,¡± an elderly voice responded. ¡°We have committed our souls to the Endless War. Her Flame is indestructible. Bear some faith, and Her Warmth shall touch you. Our Goddess has not left us alone.¡± ¡°Her Avatar should have come here already,¡± the other man sighed. ¡°Maybe we translated it poorly? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time. We followed the ancient ritual word for word¡ªwe lost so many men to unearth it. Why... why isn¡¯t the Goddess of Fire¡¯s Avatar with us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the elderly voice said. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll need to find more virgins for the next ritual.¡± ¡°What will we do with the bodies, Elder Sandoval?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just burn them.¡± Burn? Before she could formulate any other thought, blazing magical flames enveloped her. She was incinerated before even the smallest sound could come out of her mouth. * * * *Ding!* You have fulfilled the requirements for the Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare) *Ding!* You have acquired the Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare) *Ding!* {Unique} Title Boost Detected - The Specifications have been Revised. +2 WIS, +2 SPI, +2 INT, +2 CHA and 2 Free Attributes per Level +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes per level You are blessed with the Embers of the Golden Flame of the Phoenix. A Phoenix Healer helps fighters with their extremely powerful healing capabilities by drawing on their connection with the Golden Flame¡¯s Embers. However, Phoenix Healers suffer from a small Mana Pool and weak Mana Regeneration. You are the carrier of the Twin Flame of the Phoenix. You''re blessed with the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame, making you a self-regenerative, immortal fighter. However, it¡¯s of utmost importance to maintain a steady balance among the two aspects of the Phoenix. The consequences of an imbalance would be dire. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x1.3 Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x20 This time, she came to life wheezing and then choking as she liberated herself from a gigantic mound of ash, her naked limbs flailing wildly and taking a few seconds to fully excavate herself out. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°W¡ªwhat,¡± she coughed loudly, whipping her head around. The ashy chamber was empty, save for the many footprints all around. She looked at the ¡®Class¡¯ she had received. ¡°Phoenix Healer?¡± She looked at the crossed-out text and the redacted one below. Because of her ¡®Title,¡¯ it appeared she had just gotten a boost to whatever a ¡®Class¡¯ was. I don¡¯t know what the numbers mean, but they look ok? She focused on the last line for a second. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x1.3 Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x20 This variation is stronger, it seems, but¡­ it requires twenty times more experience to advance it. Whatever that means. She looked around and coughed again, not being able to get rid of the aftertaste of funerary ash in her mouth. Yet, for some reason, she wasn¡¯t freaked out at all. Maybe I used to work with corpses? She wondered, looking down at her hands, slim and young. Who knows. One thing was certain: she had experience with fighting. A lot of it. The stones under her feet were warm; the mound of ash must have helped keep the heat there. She looked down at herself and realized she was completely naked. Then, as curiosity took over, she grabbed one lock of her hair, brushing away the dirt to reveal a vibrant color. Red? She stared blankly at it. I guess I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m supposed to have red hair or not. Whoever she was¡ªor used to be¡ªshe had no memory. *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Memories of the Flame I/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: ??? *Ding* Quest Received - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land I/III¡¯ Explore the ¡®abandoned¡¯ Temple of the Twin Phoenix. Reward: ??? ¡°Why is ¡®abandoned¡¯ between air commas?¡± She frowned. *Ding* Your Akashic Record has been updated. ¡°My Akashic Record?¡± She looked at the blue screen with a frown. Another screen appeared in front of her, much larger than the others. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 1 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes ¡­ *Ding!* Your Tutorial Ability activates. Attributes have been granted a brief explanation. You can still ask for more in-depth information if you¡¯d like to. You can also deactivate the Tutorial at any time! Vitality - 5 (Life Energy Total) Endurance - 5 (Life Energy Density) Strength - 5 (Maximum Output of Life Energy) Dexterity - 5 (Granularity of Life Energy Control) Wisdom - 5 (Mana Energy Total) Spirit - 5 (Mana Energy Density) Intelligence - 5 (Maximum Output of Mana Energy) Charisma - 5 (Granularity of Mana Energy Control) Free Attributes: 6 Racial Abilities (Earther) My name is¡­ ¡°Monica...¡± Monroe? Monica was under the impression that she was supposed to remember more after hearing her name, especially after seeing her last name. I need to know more, a part of her told her. I¡¯m in danger. I need power. The thoughts came without her even realizing it. ¡°Can I get a Tutorial about this screen?¡± *Ding!* Your Tutorial Ability activates. [Tutorial Message] What would you like to know? ¡°Explain what ¡®Race,¡¯ ¡®Title,¡¯ and ¡®Classes¡¯ are.¡± [Tutorial Message] Your Race is how the System categorizes you comparatively to all other Races in the universe. Usually, newly absorbed planets do not have more than one Race. Therefore, it might become clearer once you meet other races through the System! [Tutorial Message] A Title is something you conquer by completing challenges. Different Titles provide different bonuses. You can swap most Titles by thinking of ¡®Titles¡¯ and replacing your Title with the one you prefer. [Tutorial Message] Classes are a reflection of your skills, abilities, and the path you choose to walk in this world. As you gain experience and grow, you can acquire and upgrade Classes that offer unique Skills and Perks. Monica read the messages and scrolled them back and forth, trying to glean as much information as possible. Earther? Is that where I come from, then? Ear¡ªth? ¡°Titles,¡± she said next, curious to see which titles she had. *Ding* Your Title is Locked. You cannot change your Title. ¡°Can I see my current Title?¡± [Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix {Unique}] Effects: Resurrect? Monica thought. I can¡¯t die? She had already died once. But did this mean she could die as many times as she could? She would need more time to investigate, but for now, she needed to move on and find a way out of this place. ¡°Ok,¡± she thought, clearing her throat. ¡°Do I already have Skills? Because I might need them soon.¡± *Ding!* Your Tutorial Ability activates. [Tutorial Message] Think of ¡®Skills¡¯ to go through the list of your current Skills. [Tutorial Message] You have yet to check the Class Skills you gained by choosing your Class. Monica did as she was told and suddenly saw three large notification screens appear before her. *Ding* You learn the Class Skill ¨C Golden Flame Golden Flames (Class Skill, Healing Skill ¨C Phoenix Healer) Harness the power of the Golden Flame to heal wounds and restore your health. This flame can be used to mend injuries, both minor and severe, in yourself and others. It also enhances your regenerative abilities, speeding up the healing process. Usage: Concentrate on the Golden Flame within your heart and channel its energy to the target area. The intensity of the flame determines the speed and effectiveness of the healing. Limitations: Overuse can deplete your vitality and weaken your overall strength temporarily. Maintaining balance with the Obsidian Flame is crucial to avoid burnout. *Ding* You learn the Class Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Obsidian Flames (Class Skill, Offensive Skill ¨C Phoenix Healer) Wield the power of the Obsidian Flame for offensive capabilities capable of unmasking any lie and destroying your enemies. This flame can be used to incinerate threats, forge barriers of fire, and empower your sight. It embodies destructive force and can be directed outward to combat enemies. Usage: Channel the Obsidian Flame¡¯s energy through your hands or eyes, directing it towards your target. The flame¡¯s intensity correlates with your anger and determination. Limitations: Overuse can lead to losing control, potentially harming allies or yourself. Balancing with the Golden Flame is essential to maintain stability. *Ding* You learn the Class Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Phoenix Feathers (Class Skill, Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Healer) Channel the essence of the mythical phoenix through Her Feathers. Usage: Primary Effects: Active: This skill doubles the resilience, strength, and speed of your body; an additional 10% increase is added for each level. Upon activation, Phoenix Feathers now also provides an immediate, temporary +1 boost to all attributes; an additional +1 increase is added for each level. These bonuses last while the skill is active or until the rage-triggered secondary effect is activated. Passive: Your skin becomes as durable as the mythical phoenix¡¯s feathers, offering unparalleled resistance to physical damage and complete invulnerability to lesser flames. Secondary Effect: ¡°Fury of the Phoenix¡±: Activation Condition: This effect is triggered when you enter a state of pure rage. Effect: In this state, you can burn your Phoenix Feathers. Doing so massively enhances the skill¡¯s power, granting a significant boost to all physical and magical attacks. For a limited duration, you gain a +30 bonus to all attributes aside from Vitality (an additional +3 per each skill¡¯s level), and your skills manifest with double the potency and scale. This includes an enhanced ability to manipulate both the Golden and Obsidian Flames. Limitations: Each Phoenix Feather burnt drains a portion of your life energy, temporarily reducing your Vitality by 30 points (+3 per each skill level) for a duration after the effect wears off. If your Vitality is negative after Fury of the Phoenix runs off, you will die. Resurrecting after dying because of or during Fury of the Phoenix will result in all your Attributes and Skill potency being cut by 80% for the next 24 hours. Cooldown: Once Per Day Suddenly, Monica saw a flicker at the corner of her eye, and two flames coalesced on her forearms in the shape of long, wide feathers. She felt immediately stronger and punched the air a couple of times, her fists so fast she feared for a moment she¡¯d injure herself. Then, she looked at the feathers she had conjured. Each was a bright red even though her skills had mentioned ¡®Obsidian¡¯ and ¡®Golden¡¯ Flames. She stared at the fire on her skin, amazed that her flesh wasn¡¯t singed by it. She might not have known anything about herself other than her name, but she could feel a large smile naturally stretching over her face. This isn¡¯t too bad, she told herself as she was about to check on her Attributes. ¡°Snuffed Embers, who are you?!¡± She spun to find one of the hooded men unsheathing a dagger from his belt. As she focused on him, Monica saw a title above his head. [Apprentice Cultist - Level 8] Monica looked at the feathers on her forearms and cracked her knuckles. Chapter 2 ¡°Who are you?!¡± The Cultist screeched. He¡¯s going to alert the rest of the Cultists, Monica thought in a split second, finding her body moving on its own, running toward the man. She had no idea what was happening. It was as if reflexes were embedded in her muscles, memories that she had lost but that her body had not. And so, when the Cultist slashed the dagger at her, she surprised both him and herself with a swift, back-breaking dodge before transitioning into a kick right to the temple of the man from that awkward position as if fighting was all she had ever done in her life. Right about when the kick was about to connect, something else overcame her; her leg was now suddenly coated in a black fire that consumed the man¡¯s skin and flesh as soon as it touched him. The Cultist fell to the ground, air sucked out of his lung, unable even to scream, his world now a fiery hot mess of terrible pain. She grabbed his neck as she pirouetted right to her knees. Before realizing what she was doing, more black flames erupted, cutting off the man¡¯s air supply in an instant, destroying his windpipe and soldering his arteries off. Moments later, the man died. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 8] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. Monica felt her world spin, finally taken out of this impetuous daze by the notification, falling to her butt right by the dead man. I just killed him, she reasoned. I just killed him like it was nothing. She waited for guilt to start swarming her, holding her breath. She had no memories, but she obviously knew that taking a life was no light matter. However, as she looked at the corpse, she didn¡¯t feel horrified or scared. She didn¡¯t feel any guilt, either. Who am I? I clearly know how to fight, but... how? Where do I come from? But her thoughts were interrupted by more notifications. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Apprentice Cultist Robe x1 Apprentice Cultist Boots x1 Book of Fireball x1 Silver Coins x4 *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 2 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 2 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 2 The Obsidian Flame was what she had just instinctively used against the Cultist. She got her face closer to the man, ignoring the stench of burned flesh, and examined the damage. Unlike a regular flame, her Skill consumed the flesh rather than just burning it, leaving little in its wake¡ªnot even ashes. Part of his face was missing, showing off the skull. And the same went for his neck, with at least an inch of excavated flesh where she had laid her hands. *Ding* Looting process completed. Without any other warning, the body dissolved into a cloud of blueish fumes that smelled of decomposition and that made her gag. Despite her hardcore disposition, Monica had to take a few steps back to avoid retching. Unfortunately for her, even though she had tried killing the man as fast as possible, it was clear that he had made enough of a ruckus to alert others. Now, two more men came through the door, one of them saying in an elderly voice, ¡°Rookie, why are you shouting¡ª¡± But then, he saw Monica¡¯s naked form and blood on the ground. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Focusing on the two, Monica summoned into existence two separate tags. [Apprentice Cultist - Level 11] [Cultist - Level 25] Before she could do anything, the Level eleven man threw a spear blazingly fast, probably thanks to a Skill, piercing her left abdomen. ¡°You,¡± Monica growled angrily. She grunted in pain and immediately pulled the spear away, her body once again moving on its own. As the man who had thrown the spear moved closer, without his weapon, she instinctively activated the Golden Flame. Licks of gold fire erupted around her wound, and she felt a sudden relief that didn¡¯t go unnoticed. ¡°Cauterizing a wound? What a weird Healer. Well, it¡¯s time you tell us how you killed my rookie,¡± the Level 25 Cultist said. But by the time the man had gotten close enough to her, she had already healed most of the damage. So, when the Level 11 Apprentice Cultist went to grab her throat, Monica, smiling widely, grabbed his arm in return. Obsidian Flames erupted over the man¡¯s arm, making him scream like a madman. Immediately, he tried throwing her off, but that only helped Monica get up and put a hand over the man¡¯s neck, releasing another burst of black fire. And just like that, she got her revenge on the man who had killed her the first time. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 11] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. But before she could hear the rest of the notifications, the second Cultist had already approached, a sword in his hand. Even with Phoenix Feathers active, he was too fast for Monica. She dodged a couple of swings before the man¡¯s blade shone in a flash of bright fire, and she found her perception shifting, with her suddenly staring at the ceiling. I¡¯ve been decapitated, she realized before everything went dark. * * * *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 3 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 3 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 2 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 3 When she came back to life, she first heard a series of notifications, followed by voices. She stayed still, trying to see how many Cultists were in the room. ¡°Where did this chick come from anyway?¡± She heard a perplexed man ask. ¡°And didn¡¯t Sandoval say that he took her head off? I see her head perfectly back on her shoulders.¡± ¡°Elder Sandoval always boasts about stuff and then leaves the cleanup to us. Don¡¯t mention it to anyone over dinner. He will come for you, otherwise. He¡¯s a touchy man. If you want to start any mess with him, wait until they officially introduce you to the ranks. Novices are fodder here, and you might get killed just for looking at someone the wrong way.¡± ¡°Dude, I swear, when you said it would be cool to join a cult, I thought we were going to get drunk and dance naked at night with some blonde chicks, not this creepy stuff. Are you sure I can¡¯t leave?¡± ¡°Once of the Flame, always in the Flame,¡± the older voice recited tiredly. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone hear you say that. I thought you clearly knew what we would do since I dropped so many hints about killing.¡± ¡°I thought you said ¡®killing it,¡¯ as in, we¡¯d successfully find a good woman or two. Instead, look, the only naked chick I¡¯ve seen so far is a dead body that we¡¯re about to butcher for meat. I¡¯m not going to eat her, dude. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Shut up, Ted, we have work to do. Get the knives and the blood bags ready, and I¡¯ll put her on the table now.¡± Monica waited while holding her breath as a man took her up and frowned, ¡°she¡¯s still warm after half a day. Weird. Wait, why can I see her tag¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t let the man finish the sentence. He had slung her across his shoulder, and so she immediately twisted her hips into his back and went for a chokehold, putting her arm across his neck, covering his entire head in black flames. Seconds after, the man collapsed to the ground, dead. Monica rose swiftly, ready to tackle the second Cultist, but she only found a whimpering guy crouched on the ground, looking at her like a wounded puppy. ¡°Can you not kill me, please?¡± He pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m still a virgin. I can¡¯t die a virgin. Please. My older brother Samuel will come every day to my empty grave to remind me that I still didn¡¯t get laid after joining this stupid cult.¡± Monica¡¯s arm, already coated in Obsidian Flame, stopped mid-air as she was about to strike the young man. She looked at him with a frown. ¡°Please, I need to find a blonde woman,¡± he pleaded. ¡°What are you even saying?¡± She asked, stunned. * * * It turned out that the young man had yet to become a Cultist and had not yet qualified for the Class. ¡°You need to do Cultist stuff to get the Class. Sacrifice, reading ancient texts, the works,¡± Ted shrugged, sitting on the butchering table. ¡°That guy used to be around the village I was staying at, you know? He was this crazy, mysterious dude who always got into fights.¡± ¡°Why did you follow him, then?¡± Monica asked as she stood by the side of the door. Her instincts told her not to get caught by surprise this time. If someone were going to enter, she would kill them on the spot. ¡°Why? Because he always got the prettiest girls. This one time, a Merchant came with three daughters, and you¡¯re not going to believe it, but¡ª¡± ¡°Ted,¡± Monica found herself laughing for the first time since she had awakened, ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear the rest. I need to know who these people are, where we are, and how to get out.¡± ¡°Oh, they are Cultists of the Goddess of Fire or something? It¡¯s a bunch of Fire Mages, a few Pyromancers, and Cultists who use different weapons.¡± Flame users, her brain told her. You¡¯re immune to lesser flames. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what they worship?¡± Monica asked, trying to acclimate herself to the information her body and instincts provided her. ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t want to be here anymore. I thought there would be pretty girls, but these freaks are just eating people and killing women. Who does that?!¡± Monica briefly regarded the information before asking, ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°Three days,¡± he sighed. ¡°How many people have you killed?¡± She asked the question this way to see if the young man in front of her had already killed someone, in which case she would take his life right then and there. ¡°No one,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not much into this whole killing thing.¡± He isn¡¯t lying, her guts told her. However, she didn¡¯t really know her guts. It might be wrong. I need to get out of here before figuring out who I am. ¡°Alright, I heard you want to get out of here,¡± Monica said, returning her attention to the man. ¡°So, let¡¯s get out.¡± ¡°Dude, there are guards at the entrance,¡± Ted grimaced. ¡°You can¡¯t just leave.¡± Monica prodded one of the Racial Abilities she had gotten, Inventory. She had yet to use them, finally summoning the robe and boots she had gotten from her kills. She donned them and put the hood up, completely covering her face. ¡°Just get me to the entrance,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest. I have yet to test all my Skills.¡± Chapter 3 Ted was a weird guy¡ªthat was Monica¡¯s impression. ¡°Yeah, dude, that¡¯s probably how you unlocked the Class,¡± Ted nodded wisely. ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of a Phoenix Healer, honestly.¡± The young man shrugged as they stood in a large empty storeroom that Ted had described as his ¡®Nap Room.¡¯ It was a place where no one came, and Monica needed to think of their next moves and gather more information about where she was, who she was, and how things worked, both around here and in terms of Classes. Apparently, despite his naive looks, Ted knew a lot about Classes. He had explained to her that the reason she might have unlocked the Class after being burned alive was that her death had somehow triggered the acquisition of the Phoenix Healer class by fulfilling its requirements. That had honestly left Monica curious about how classes worked. Fortunately, Ted had provided several explanations. ¡°See,¡± Ted had said, ¡°you get a class after fulfilling its acquisition requirements. There are very basic classes: something like Brawler, for example, has a requirement of, well, getting into a brawl. And that¡¯s it. ¡°Brawler is a Common Class, by the way. That¡¯s why everyone knows about its requirements. However, the rarer a Class is, the fewer people know its requirements. It¡¯s not uncommon that Classes kept a secret within a family go lost for entire generations because the family might be wiped out by their enemies or monsters.¡± Ted had then explained that the knowledge of the requirements of Uncommon Classes was valued in gold. ¡°And Rare Classes¡¯ requirements are impossible to buy on the market. They¡¯re family secrets that get passed down from father to son. Blood feuds have spawned by sons whose fathers refused to pass their Class upon them, believing them unfit.¡± ¡°So, me telling you about how I got Phoenix Healer is very valuable?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know that many people can survive being burned alive,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°So, it might be a hard sell for some noble to roast their children alive, but you never know with those guys.¡± Monica had explained to Ted that she had come from death twice already, and Ted had confirmed that she was the only person he knew who was capable of that. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take offense,¡± Ted said with a grimace, taking a step back from her, ¡°but usually, Healer Classes are very weak if the Healer Herself does not get ordained.¡± ¡°Weak?¡± Monica raised an eyebrow. She didn¡¯t feel weak at all, and she wasn¡¯t ¡®ordained,¡¯ whatever that meant. ¡°Healers who are not ordained can¡¯t heal more than scraps and small bruises,¡± Ted said. ¡°That¡¯s why Healer Classes are not sought after unless you want to join the Church of the Healer.¡± Monica looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Explain to me what ¡®ordained¡¯ means.¡± ¡°Affiliated with the Healer God. The Healer God allows Healers to heal thanks to his superior knowledge of healing magic. But they have to pay offers, some tributes, a part of their experience, and other stuff like that.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Monica frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need that to heal someone.¡± A Skill-empowered spear had pierced her, and her Golden Flame had managed to heal it without her breaking a sweat. Maybe it¡¯s me, she thought, stepping up to Ted. ¡°Take out the dagger,¡± she told him. ¡°Huh,¡± Ted looked at the intense look in the redhead¡¯s eyes and cringed. ¡°Are you going to kill me? Please, I really don¡¯t want to die a virgin.¡± ¡°No,¡± Monica sighed, grabbing Ted¡¯s belt and pulling him closer. ¡°Oh my, am I not going to die a virgin?¡± Ted said, stunned. Monica ignored him and simply unsheathed the dagger at its side, taking his left hand next and gently slashing the blade on his skin. A moderately deep cut appeared on its palm, making him wince. ¡°Hey, if this is foreplay, I¡¯m not that into it,¡± he whimpered. ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll burn you,¡± Monica said, drawing from her Golden Flame. A few licks of bright, golden flames appeared over Ted¡¯s palm and, a second later, disappeared. Ted closed his eyes, ready to feel the excruciating pain of his flesh sizzling under the blazing heat of the fire. However, by the time he opened his eyes, Monica had left his hand and stepped away from him. He looked at the palm and found that there was no sign of the wound she had just inflicted on him. ¡°How?¡± He frowned. ¡°I told you,¡± she said, ¡°I have no memories. But we just proved that I can heal injuries. Now, give me a moment to distribute my Attributes.¡± * * * Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 3 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes ¡­ *Ding!* Your Tutorial Ability activates. Attributes have been granted a brief explanation. You can still ask for more in-depth information if you¡¯d like to. You can also deactivate the Tutorial at any time! Vitality - 15 (Life Energy Total) Endurance - 15 (Life Energy Density) Strength - 15 (Maximum Output of Life Energy) Dexterity - 15 (Granularity of Life Energy Control) Wisdom - 15 (Mana Energy Total) Spirit - 15 (Mana Energy Density) Intelligence - 15 (Maximum Output of Mana Energy) Charisma - 15 (Granularity of Mana Energy Control) Free Attributes: 18 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 2 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 3 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 2 Racial Abilities (Earther) Tutorial Quest System Inventory Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Map Myriad Tongues Monica¡¯s biggest concern was the Level 25 Cultist with the sword¡ªElder Sandoval, Ted had said his name was. When she had faced him, his attack had been so fast that she had barely had any time to react. Ted had said it wasn¡¯t uncommon for Cultists to put all their Attributes into Dexterity since they primarily wielded short blades. Elder Sandoval wasn¡¯t an exception since he wielded a short sword and was very fast. Ted had also said that Cultists also received buffs to their Skills and Attributes whenever they consumed the meat of someone with a Class. Disgusting, Monica thought to herself. However, this all made her choice extremely simple. While she would have loved to pour her Attributes into either Spirit or Intelligence to make her Obsidian Flame burn even more powerfully, her current problem wasn¡¯t how much damage she could deliver but speed. Healing herself was nothing if she couldn¡¯t kill the man before he took her head like he had already done. So, she was about to dump all eighteen Free Attributes into Dexterity. Then, however, she turned to Ted, sitting on the ground munching on some stale biscuits he had taken out of his robe. ¡°If I want to become faster, do I just dump Attributes into Dexterity?¡± Ted looked up with his mouth full and shook his head. ¡°Now, who wheed twoo¡ª¡± ¡°Swallow first,¡± Monica sighed. Ted finished chewing and drank some water from a small canteen. ¡°Your Dynamic Attributes are only as effective as their Reserve Attribute,¡± he said. ¡°The Dynamic Attributes are Endurance, Strength, and Dexterity for the physical ones. Spirit, Intelligence, and Charisma for the magical ones. ¡°Dexterity¡¯s gains are exponentially less effective after you cross their equivalent number in Vitality. That means that if you have 10 Dexterity and 10 Vitality, you¡¯ve got the maximum Dexterity you can get out of your Life Energy. My pa¡¯ explained that every point of Dexterity is taking control of one point of Vitality, making sure they do their job, which makes every additional point of Dexterity above the Vitality total sort of useless. It¡¯s like splitting a wagon¡¯s load into two wagons. There are still some gains, but¡­ they¡¯re not great.¡± ¡°So,¡± Monica frowned, ¡°I would need as much Dexterity as I have Vitality to be faster?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ted grimaced. ¡°Maximum Speed is actually controlled by Strength. But for each Strength point, you need three Dexterity to be faster. It¡¯s a bit convoluted.¡± ¡°Ted,¡± Monica sighed. ¡°I have eighteen Free Attributes, and all my Attributes are currently at fifteen points. Just how do I divide them if I want to kill Sandoval?¡± * * * Vitality - 22 (Life Energy Total) Endurance - 15 (Life Energy Density) Strength - 15 (Maximum Output of Life Energy) Dexterity - 26 (Granularity of Life Energy Control) Monica looked at the distributed Attributes. Ted had said that having slightly more Dexterity would still be useful because her Strength was currently quite high, meaning that even like this, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fully utilize all her Strength for speed. But she couldn¡¯t let Vitality be too far off. In his opinion, twenty-two, four points above her Dexterity, which rested at twenty-six, was a good place. Soon after she had distributed her Attributes, they arrived at the temple entrance without strangely meeting anyone, and Monica saw three people slouching there. They had their hoods down and were chatting with each other, unconcerned with actually guarding their post. Amateurs, she found herself thinking as she scanned their faces. [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 13] [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 11] [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 12] She studied the three Apprentice Cultists before her, analyzing their stance, their unguarded postures, and the casual way they held their weapons. It was clear they were not prepared for a fight. Ted followed shortly after her, trembling in his boots. Monica didn¡¯t know why she herself wasn¡¯t afraid of death. It wasn¡¯t just because she could seemingly come back every time from it. There was something more to it. It seemed to be engraved in her very core how to fight fearlessly. ¡°Stay back,¡± Monica whispered to Ted. Without another thought, she sprinted forward. The Cultists noticed her too late, their relaxed chatter cut short by the sudden realization of danger. Her first target, the Level 13 Apprentice Cultist, the strongest among them, barely had time to raise his weapon before Monica, powered by her newly enhanced speed, closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Her first strike was all Obsidian Flames, covering her right hand, which clawed at the Cultist¡¯s throat. The black fire spread quickly, immediately consuming flesh and bone. The Cultist screamed a horrifying, guttural sound that was cut abruptly short as he collapsed. He had died in instants. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 13] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature ten levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. The other two Cultists were still in shock, and that sealed their fate. The second Cultist, a Level 11, swung a dagger at Monica. But, considering how little that could be to her, she let the blade bite deep into her abdomen. However, she used the momentum of the man to pull it forward and wrap both her Obsidian-Flame-covered hands over his head. The Cultist died almost immediately, his scream muffled by the flames. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 11] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. The last Cultist, Level 12, attempted to flee. Monica sidestepped, spinning on herself and plunging her elbow into the man¡¯s temple, temporarily knocking him out. She swiftly bent down, reaching for his throat. This time, however, she waited for the man to come back to his senses. ¡°Try to scream, and you die,¡± she said. They had made quite the commotion, but it had been quiet enough that they might not have been heard by the rest of the Cultists. The Level 12 Cultist nodded frantically, hoping to have his life spared. ¡°Ted,¡± Monica cleared her voice. ¡°Come out.¡± Ted timidly stepped forward, with the Cultist barely recognizing him. ¡°So, question number one,¡± Monica said, ¡°where¡¯s the nearest city?¡± Ted had been blindfolded when he had been carried here, meaning that Monica would need directions to get to the closest town. ¡°There¡¯s a road two hours South of here,¡± the man said with a thin voice. ¡°If you follow it South, there¡¯s a small village two days from here. That¡¯s where he comes from.¡± The man¡¯s eyes trailed to Ted. ¡°Good,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°Question number two, then. ¡°Why¡¯s no one around?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Novices¡¯ initiation,¡± the man said, tears streaming down his cheeks. ¡°We just got a bunch of kids, and they need to kill them and eat them to get the Class.¡± Monica felt a sudden pang of fury that she had not felt until now. So far, she had kept her cool. However, hearing about the kids made her tremble. ¡°Please, spare my life! I told you everything!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she smiled. The Cultist sighed in relief, but the next moment, Monica enveloped his throat in Obsidian Flame. The dark fire devoured his flesh, cutting the supply of blood and oxygen to his brain. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 12] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 4 *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 4 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Apprentice Cultist Robe x3 Apprentice Cultist Boots x3 Silver Coins x34 *Ding* A Fortunate Encounter! You receive a Loot Chest (Uncommon)! Monica saw the three bodies turn into smoke, and a wooden chest appeared in place of the last one she had just killed. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Ted frowned, green in his face because of the grisly spectacle he had assisted. ¡°Why are they disappearing?¡± But before he could say anything else, he gasped. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! You got a Loot Chest! Do you know how rare they are?!¡± Monica looked over at Ted and the Loot Chest. ¡°Ted, I¡¯m going back in.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ted said, tearing his eyes away from the chest. ¡°They have kids in there,¡± Monica said. ¡°I¡¯m going in to save them.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ted frowned, seemingly conflicted. ¡°If you want to go,¡± Monica cocked her head, ¡°go.¡± Ted looked at the freedom that the killing of the three Apprentice Cultists had opened for him, but then he sighed, bending down to reach for another dagger, which he fastened to his belt, and then reaching for a spear they kept there. ¡°Whatever,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll come. Hopefully, this will impress some of the ladies back home, and you know¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Monica shook her head. ¡°Now, about the Loot Chest.¡± ¡°Open it!¡± Ted said excitedly. ¡°They can contain just about anything! The System usually only awards them in very rare cases! This could be worth thousands of Gold Coins!¡± Monica went up to the chest and touched it. *Ding* Would you like to open Loot Chest (Uncommon)? Yes | No Chapter 4 Monica slowly raised the top half of the Loot Chest, eliciting another notification. *Ding* You have opened Loot Chest (Uncommon)! *Ding* You obtained Steel Talons (Uncommon) Monica pulled out two gloves made of steel chainmail encased by laminated plates and looked at them with a wide grin. ¡°What is it?¡± Ted asked, looking over Monica¡¯s shoulder. She slipped both chainmail gloves on. Above the chainmail, starting from her wrist, plates of metal covered the back of her hand and attached to individual steel digits that mirrored the joints of her fingers and ended in highly sharp, reinforced ends. ¡°That looks scary,¡± Ted said, recoiling. Monica flexed the Steel Talons, feeling it move rather naturally over her fingers. She extended her right hand in front of her as if she were looking at a new manicure and nodded, satisfied. ¡°I like Loot Boxes,¡± she smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go get ourselves a few more on our way to rescue those kids?¡± * * * Ted hadn¡¯t told Monica he knew many Adventurers because of his father. Not only did he know them, but he had seen them spar¡ªeven a few people above Level 300. Ted had seen Master of Arms, Swordsmen, and all kinds of martial arts¡¯ Classes above Level 100 fighting with each other, displaying skills that the young man thought were almost impossible to match. But the person in front of him was quickly shattering that notion. While Ted stood back, not knowing what to do with himself. Monica had jumped in among three Cultists, putting the steel weapon covering her hands to work. [Apprentice Cultist - Level 9] [Apprentice Cultist - Level 11] [Apprentice Cultist - Level 9] Monica had just pirouetted in place, taking the spear of the first Level 11 Cultist who had attacked her under her arm, pinning it there, and slashing at its face, blinding the man. She just flicked a globe of Obsidian Flame at it as it fell on the ground, not bothering finishing him with her Steel Talons since she had to take care of the two Level 9 Cultists. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 11] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. Monica didn¡¯t give the two a chance to coordinate. She leaped toward the closest, letting him slash at her and inflict a deep wound across her collarbone. But, as the Golden Flame took care of the damage, she brought her talons to his throat, ripping it apart in one swift motion. ¡°This is much more efficient,¡± Monica said out loud to Ted. ¡°The flames took longer, took Mana, and required more of my focus.¡± She didn¡¯t know where her battle instincts came from or what could have justified this knowledge of fighting, but the exhilaration that she felt both during the battle and when dissecting it and analyzing what was going on clearly told her she was a warrior of some kind. ¡°Monica!¡± Ted shouted, seeing the last Level 9 Apprentice Cultist taking out a throwing knife that now glowed and was clearly aimed at her head almost point blank. However, with her increased Dexterity, Monica was upon the man in a second. She sunk her steel-covered fingers in his raised elbow, bringing it above his head and stopping him from throwing the knife at her. The Level 9 Apprentice Cultist, however, had clearly anticipated that and used the dagger to stab her in the abdomen multiple times with a manic smile on his face. ¡°Die, you bitch!¡± He screamed, thinking that he had just tricked her. Monica took the stabbing in stride and looked at the man with a raised eyebrow. After a minute and with Monica¡¯s blood drenching the ground around them, the Apprentice Cultist felt his arm cramp. ¡°H¡ªHow are you¡ª¡± Monica now clamped harder on his raised elbow, tearing through the joint¡¯s ligaments and then finally moving to clamp on his other arm. She had used small bursts of the Golden Flame to keep the damage at bay. The pain wasn¡¯t much to her, and she needed the intimidation factor for what was coming next. ¡°Where¡¯s the initiation?¡± She asked coldly. Ted hadn¡¯t known, apparently. As a novice, he hadn¡¯t had access to most places in the temple. ¡°Fuck you!¡± The man shouted, trying to kick her and get free from her grasp. Sadly for him, Monica had more Strength than him. ¡°Let me ask again,¡± she said, putting her talons deeper into his flesh. ¡°Where¡¯s the initiation?¡± The man screamed in pain so hard that Ted had to look away as blood dripped from his arms onto his face. She¡¯s crazy, Ted thought. But she also fought like no one else he had seen before, with such wild abandon and cold disregard for pain that Ted knew he would probably have nightmares about Monica the next time he fell asleep. ¡°It¡¯s in the basement,¡± the man started crying in pain, ¡°you just take the stairs at the end of this corridor! Please, it hurts!¡± ¡°You kill virgins and kids,¡± Monica said with a frown. ¡°This hurts?¡± She squeezed as hard as she could until she felt the bone starting to crack. ¡°PLEASE!¡± ¡°Monica¡ª¡± Ted said, wincing and wishing the man¡¯s suffering would end. The redhead, dressed in a now-tattered cultist¡¯s robe, nodded back at Ted and took a step back, letting the man¡¯s arms fall limply at his sides. Then, without warning, she put a hand to his chest and let the Obsidian Flame consume him. *Ding* You have slain [Apprentice Cultist ¨C Level 9] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. No new level, Monica thought. That Experience Modifier will make things tricky in the future. But these Skills are much better than anything the Cultists have thrown at me so far. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 5 Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 3 Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 4 *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Apprentice Cultist Robe x3 Apprentice Cultist Boots x3 Silver Coins x30 Minor Healing Potion x1 A potion? Monica summoned it from her Inventory. ¡°Huh?¡± Ted frowned. ¡°How are you doing that?¡± Monica turned toward Ted as the three bodies dissipated in clouds of smoke. ¡°How am I doing what?¡± ¡°You did that with the robe, too. You just¡­ pull things out of thin air?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my Inventory,¡± Monica frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°An Inventory?¡± Ted looked confused. ¡°I have this space I can take things out of with a thought.¡± ¡°No, dude, I don¡¯t have that,¡± Ted looked at her weirdly. ¡°How did you get it?¡± Monica tapped her head twice. ¡°Right, memory loss,¡± Ted said. * * * Monica looked at the stairs leading down to the basement, and she could hear many voices coming from there. ¡°I¡¯ll need to take down this Sandoval first,¡± she told Ted. ¡°If anyone tries getting in the way, you need to fight. As long as you don¡¯t die on the spot, I¡¯m confident I can heal your injuries.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Ted said while clutching a spear with trembling hands, ¡°that¡¯s going to be hard.¡± ¡°Avoid being attacked in the head and pierced through the heart,¡± Monica¡¯s words came out of her mouth, as usual, without her even thinking about it. Ted looked up at the high ceilings of the ruined temple and sighed. ¡°Ok, just¡­ if I die, could you tell my father.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Monica said. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the Headmaster of the Royal Academy in Valoria. His name is August Deadbane.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Ted Deadbane?¡± Monica looked at him incredulous. ¡°Theodore,¡± he corrected her. ¡°I prefer Ted, though.¡± ¡°Theodore Deadbane, son of the Royal Academy¡¯s Headmaster,¡± Monica frowned. ¡°How could you not know that you were being inducted into a cult? Your father sounds important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since I last spoke to my father and¡­ dude, believe it or not, I thought the guy was actually talking about¡­ you know¡­¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Monica said, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What, Theodore?¡± ¡°I thought it was just a bunch of girls doing freaky stuff, okay?! That¡¯s what I thought it was. I didn¡¯t know there were real Cultists here!¡± Monica actually believed him. However, before she could say anything else, her ears picked up on something. ¡°Wait, did you hear that?¡± Both stayed silent and turned to the door right before the basement¡¯s stairs. It sounded like muffled moaning. Monica touched the door and tried to open it, but it didn¡¯t budge. So, she used the Obsidian Flame and soon burrowed a hole where the lock had been. The door opened to a single cell where a blonde woman with icy blue eyes was currently tied up on the ground and gagged. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of stuff I thought they were doing,¡± Ted said from behind her. ¡°Just¡­ consensual.¡± * * * [Healer - Level 9] ¡°Might his Healing Light bless you,¡± the girl panted. ¡°Where are they? Have Adventurers come to our rescue? Are you with them? With such a low level? Wait, are you in the Church? I¡¯ve never seen you around. And why are you wearing the robe of those Cultists?¡± Monica looked at the blonde she had just freed from the cage and its restrictions and, for a second, thought of throwing her into another cage. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss¡­¡± Ted asked. ¡°Heidi,¡± she said, clearing her voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have a Class?¡± She asked an instant later, frowning. ¡°Why? Wait, are you two from another cult? Oh no, I¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Monica said, irritated. ¡°The Cultists are about to sacrifice children. Do you have Skills?¡± ¡°I do, actually¡ª¡± ¡°Good,¡± Monica interrupted her. ¡°Ted, give her a dagger.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t use common weapons. I am an ordained Priestess of the Healer, and I¡ª¡± Monica snatched the dagger from Ted¡¯s hand and threw it at the girl¡¯s feet. ¡°We¡¯re going. Follow us or stay here. It¡¯s up to you. If you follow, stay quiet.¡± Heidi remained speechless, but when she saw that Monica had started dragging Ted out, she followed them and actually stayed quiet. * * * Dotty hugged her much younger brother Ronny close to her chest, swallowing heavily as she saw a bunch of Cultists muttering among themselves and their Elder, Sandoval, as they called him, waiting impatiently for something. She caught a few whispers that explained what was going on. ¡°Where¡¯s that idiot Novice?¡± ¡°Does he know the Elder will probably take his head off for this delay? I wonder if he¡¯ll have the other Novice, Amalric, duel him.¡± ¡°Amalric against Ted? Amalric will eat that idiot alive. Have you met Ted? He doesn¡¯t even know how to fight. Ted should only beg Elder Sandoval to be killed swiftly. What happened in Cynebald¡¯s head when he brought him here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but isn¡¯t it weird that more than half of us are late, too? Maybe Ted has caused some problems? Maybe we should go check on him and Cynebald.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Elder Sandoval finally lost his patience, making Ronny shiver in fear in her sister¡¯s arms. ¡°I want mommy,¡± Ronny sobbed to Dotty¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, Ronny, don¡¯t worry,¡± Dotty told him. They had been abducted after Ronny had gone outside the village walls to play and had not come back. Dotty, who had just come back from a rabbit hunt, had thought that the boy had simply lost the sense of time, so she had gone to search for him. What she had discovered, however, was that Ronny hadn¡¯t been lost. He had been abducted. So, Dotty had managed to get herself abducted by some Cultist freaks while trying to rescue Ronny. She supposed that among all the nasty ways there were to die, getting killed by these idiots wasn¡¯t even among the worst ones. Her entire village was starving, and each villager was either suffering from a disease or an infected wound had already claimed one of their limbs. No one among them was rich enough to gain official citizenship in Valoria, the closest city-state metropolis and the wealthiest place within a thousand miles. Dotty had been sustaining her family through her hunting skills, which had netted her four levels. However, she was still too weak to go and try one of the nasty Dungeons that she had dreamed of diving into to get their riches. And all those dreams Dotty had dreamt, from becoming a legendary Adventurer, the first in a lifetime to claim a Dungeon, to making enough money for her and Ronny to live in the city, were all ending today. In fact, when Elder Sandoval rose from his throne, a carved piece of golden stone that resembled a thousand bright feathers melded together, Dotty knew that their end was near. ¡°Prepare the children, Luther,¡± Sandoval said to a subordinate Cultist who wore metal gauntlets¡ªDotty had been smacked before by the man when she had tried to run, and she bore the signs, a giant black eye and possibly a fracture of her eye socket. ¡°Amalric,¡± Elder Sandoval called, and a man with a crazed look in his pale eyes rose from the throngs of Cultists. ¡°Please come to the altar. Luther, bring us the little boy. We need to move this along. We¡¯ll decide what to do with the girl at a later date. She¡¯s probably a virgin, so we might use her for a ritual.¡± Luther, the big bald man with metal gauntlets, probably six feet six inches tall, with shoulders that made getting through a door hard, got close to Dotty, ready to take Ronny. ¡°No!¡± Dotty screamed, shielding Ronny away from the man. ¡°You can¡¯t have him! Take me! Please, take me!¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± the giant man growled, raising a gauntlet hand. ¡°Do you want more of this, you little bitch?¡± Dotty held steadfast, keeping Ronny hugged to her chest, knowing that soon she would be struck by the hand, possibly extending the fracture around her eye to the entire head and killing her. The one thing she knew was that she wouldn¡¯t go with her eyes closed like a coward. And so, she stared defiantly at the man, even as the tears pooled in her deep blue eyes, like her mother¡¯s. Luther raised his gauntlet hand, posed to strike. Then, something happened. It was as if Dotty could see the giant fist getting closer and closer in a weird, slowed-down motion. Time felt denser and moving to crawl. A few things flashed in front of her eyes, mostly memories of her playing with Ronny, seeing him being born, saying his first word, crawling his way out of the house they had lived in, and so many other things. She remembered being abandoned by their father, their mother becoming sick and bedridden, not being able to contribute to the family anymore, and falling behind on the payments she owed to the chief of the village, which had almost got them evicted. But then, her mother¡¯s red hair flashed in front of them. But it wasn¡¯t a memory. No. Their mother was there. Wait, that¡¯s not Mom, Dotty thought. A woman whose clothes were on fire and upon whose arms two large black feathers burned angrily had landed right in front of her and her brother. Then, to Dotty¡¯s consternation, the woman swung a fist against Luther, the giant man, who raised his heavy gauntlet in response. If Dotty had had a way of screaming at the woman for being stupid, she would have. But it happened all too fast. And what followed was even faster. Luther¡¯s arm and gauntlet folded like paper under the weight of a sledgehammer. Then, the woman with black feathers over her arms spun toward the Elder as black flames spread over Luther and took his life. Elder Sandoval had unsheathed his sword and looked maliciously at her, taking a fighting stance. ¡°You again,¡± the Elder said as the two circled each other. ¡°That was a lot of power,¡± Dotty heard a close Cultist murmur. ¡°Indeed,¡± another commented, ¡°but Elder Sandoval is a sword master while Luther is just a brute.¡± The other nodded wisely. ¡°It¡¯s true. Below Level 50, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s anyone as good at fighting as Elder Sandoval. It¡¯s a pity that the old man never managed to level up beyond his current level.¡± ¡°Look. That¡¯s a level 4 healer,¡± another snorted, seeing the Elder and the woman square off. ¡°Facing elder Sandoval, who¡¯s Level 25, ¡°she will be crushed. Oh, yeah. Even if they were at the same Level. The others snorted. Elder Sandoval¡¯s skills in fighting are unparalleled. Even with that much power, she has no chance. It would take a fighter of immense talent to even stand a chance against Elder Sandoval.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the other laughed, ¡°what¡¯s a Healer going to do?¡± Chapter 5 Two Minutes Prior Monica had been studying the scene from the semi-open door with Ted in tow. She had counted at the very least fifteen Cultists and the Elder there. Even with the level she had gained since her last engagement with Sandoval, there was no way that, in these conditions, she would be able to take care of many people at once. She was going to die not long after setting foot into the room. But, while she tried to strategize a solution, Elder Sandoval had gotten up, his patience clearly having run out, and had declared that they sacrifice the children now. That had made Monica¡¯s heart, previously calm and steady, jump in her throat. Still, she decided to wait to see if an opportunity would present itself to her: she wouldn¡¯t bull-rush this and get everyone there killed. However, when she saw the tall, burly man raise a gauntlet to strike the teenage girl, something took over. It wasn¡¯t just the fighting instincts that her body seemed to be possessed with. No, it was something else entirely. A reminiscence of a different kind lit a powder keg in her veins. She swung the door open before she even realized what she was doing. In doing so, she heard a notification go off in her head. *Ding!* Secondary Effect Activated! You fulfill the requirements for Fury of the Phoenix! You gain +39 to all Attributes but Vitality. Vitality -39 * * * The Present [Cultist - Level 22] Monica felt the need to retch and fall to the ground dead. But she knew that if she did, both kids wouldn¡¯t live to see another day. Even if she returned later to haunt Sandoval, there would be no coming back for the two children. So, she fought even as her vision blackened from exhaustion. This was the byproduct of her Vitality currently standing at a negative value, with her stamina draining at a staggering rate. Monica swung for Elder Sandoval with her Steel Talons, but the man skillfully kept her at bay by using his sword to deflect her attacks. The cunning old man also didn¡¯t engage in a frontal fight, feeling the increased Attributes behind her swings, but controlled the space between them, using the sword to keep Monica at bay. If she had gone for the kill the moment Fury of the Phoenix had activated, then Monica might have been able to cleanly dispose of Elder Sandoval. The Skill granted all her Attributes aside Vitality thirty-nine points, making her ridiculously more powerful than before. But what the description of the Skill hadn¡¯t mentioned was that there was how terrible it would be to fight with a negative Vitality. I made a mistake, Monica thought with clenched teeth. I should have put all my points in Vitality. * * * Ted had gone from one of the worst days of his life to arguably being on the other end of a miracle when a super hot naked woman had saved him from having to kill a kid and being forced to live as a Cultist. However, he had now reverted to arguably the most dangerous day of his entire life as the other Novice who had been supposed to become an Apprentice alongside him, Amalric, wielded a mace and was trying to bash his skull in. ¡°You foolish peon!¡± Amalric cackled evilly, slamming away Ted¡¯s spear as he charged with his mace. ¡°You chose to take the sides of a heretic!¡± Ted dodged to the side multiple times, falling to the ground and rolling away from Amalric as the Novice kept trying to kill him. To Amalric¡¯s surprise, Ted could wield a spear quite well, deflecting the mace and keeping the distance. ¡°Dude, I¡¯m not a heretic,¡± Ted complained, narrowly dodging another fatal attack. ¡°It was either a bunch of weird cannibal dudes or a hot naked chick. How is that even a choice?¡± ¡°Silence, heretic! Prepare for retribution! Your sins shall be punished!¡± Amalric, having grown confident since Ted had yet to attack even once, raised the mace with both hands above his head, ready to go for an attack that would break Ted¡¯s guard and splatter his brain on the ground. What Amalric had failed to consider, however, was that Ted not only seemed weirdly proficient with a spear, but he had a lot of experience with getting into fights at the taverns because he had tried hitting on someone else¡¯s girlfriend: and that someone else usually was much bigger and stronger than him. Which is why he had engineered a sure-fire attack to give him time to run away. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. So, instead of stabbing with the spear, something that Amalric would have definitely expected, Ted reversed the grab, taking the pointed end first, and swung it like a broom, making the hard wood collide with the softer parts of his enemy. Soon, the mighty Novice collapsed on the ground, wheezing and putting both his hands on his nether region, his eyes filled with painful tears. ¡°You¡ª¡± Amalric tried cursing him, but before Ted could even realize what was happening, the teen girl that they had just saved jumped over the man and stabbed him right in his eye. The Novice screamed bloody murder, but the girl simply twisted the blade and put a second hand on the pommel of the dagger, putting all her weight on top of it until Amalric was dead. Ted looked terrified as the girl rose and cleaned the blade on a piece of dirty cloth she got out of her pocket as if she hadn¡¯t just killed a man just like that. ¡°That was¡ªwow, damn,¡± Ted said, looking at Dotty, noticing that she had taken the dagger from an Apprentice Cultist and then slit his throat while he must not have been paying attention to her. But the girl didn¡¯t even flinch at her kill, turning to look at the main event, the woman, Monica, fighting against Elder Sandoval. * * * Monica used the Steel Talons to parry one of the man¡¯s stabs, trying to release a burst of Obsidian Flame on his arm. But the cunning old man had seen through her attempts and kept a dutiful distance from her. I¡¯m almost tapped out, Monica realized, instinctively feeling how much Mana was left in her veins. There¡¯s no way I can keep this up. ¡°How did you survive?¡± Sandoval asked, taking a step back as Monica swung and stumbled forward, her body starting to become unresponsive. Fury of the Phoenix had almost drained her completely, and she could feel the claws of death slowly puncturing their way through to her heart. ¡°You must have bad aim,¡± Monica panted, briefly looking over her shoulder and exhaling in relief when she saw that the girl had killed Amalric. She had been waiting for the Novice Cultist to die before she could implement her plan. Then, remembering a funny detail, she asked one last question before attacking for the sole purpose of catching the old man by surprise, ¡°did you know, Elder Sandoval that the ritual worked? You wanted the Avatar of the Goddess of Flames, but guess what? You got the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix.¡± ¡°What in the snuffed embers¡ª¡± Monica saw the tiniest hesitation as her eyes caught Sandoval¡¯s forearms relaxing for a split-second. He can¡¯t decapitate me from that stance, she thought as she sprinted forward. Sandoval, caught on his backfoot, still aimed the sword right at her chest so that if she kept her assault, she would impale herself over it. What the Cultist had failed to consider, however, was that death wasn¡¯t among the things Monica feared. No, she had carefully calculated this move, knowing that his opponent hadn¡¯t fully realized she couldn¡¯t die. Not permanently, at least. And so, with the blade entering her chest and getting out of her back, tearing diagonally through her diaphragm, a lung, and destroying several ribs, Monica finally managed to grab Sandoval¡¯s face, looking at the terror in his wizened eyes with a bloody smile. She tried uttering a cool line as she channeled the Obsidian Flame, but all that came out was a blubbering mess of blood she spat on Sandoval¡¯s face. ¡°Let go of me! Why would you kill us both?!¡± Only you, Monica thought with a grin as the Obsidian Flame erupted one last time from her hands and burned Sandoval¡¯s neck, destroying skin, flesh, and cartilage. Then, after hearing the notification of Sandoval¡¯s death, Monica finally released her grip and let the charred body fall to the ground, her vision slowly fading. However, her body, moving like a puppet with cut strings, barrelled drunkenly toward the rest of the Cultists. She briefly used the Golden Flame to keep herself alive long enough to finish the job. Since Fury of the Phoenix was still running, albeit on fumes, her control over the Obsidian Flames was greatly enhanced. She used the Obsidian Flame like a flamethrower, torching every Apprentice Cultist to death before finally crumbling down. The last thing she saw was the very young boy running to her side and grabbing her hand, screaming words she could no longer hear. Before dying again, she felt a sharp stab in her chest. And no, it wasn¡¯t the sword she still had in there. It was something deeper, something primal that bothered her very soul. She looked for a moment into the boy¡¯s eyes, and something in the back of her mind took over, pushing through the mess of her collapsed lung, the lacerated diaphragm, and the sea of pain to give her the strength to utter two more words before darkness embraced her. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± she whispered to the crying boy, without even knowing what that meant. The last thing she heard was a bunch of notifications ringing in her ears. *Ding* You have slain [Cultist ¨C Level 25] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature ten levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 6 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame reaches Level 7 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 4 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 5 *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 5 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 6 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Apprentice Cultist Robe x15 Apprentice Cultist Boots x15 Cultist Robe x1 Cultist Boots x1 Gold Coins x5 Minor Healing Potion x10 Minor Mana potion x5 Restorative Potion x1 *Ding* A Fortunate Encounter! You receive a Loot Chest (Common)! *Ding* Thanks to your good deeds, the Loot Chest is upgraded. *Ding* Loot Chest (Common) upgraded to Loot Chest (Uncommon) Chapter 6 ¡°How can she be okay?¡± Monica heard a woman shout. ¡°Why did you take the sword out?! I could have done something!¡± ¡°Dude, chill,¡± she then heard Ted¡¯s voice. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She told me before that if she gets weapons stuck in her, take them out because it will speed up the process.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± a younger girl¡¯s voice joined the two. ??¡°Beats me,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°She said she can¡¯t be killed.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that?¡± The older girl said. ¡°Beats me,¡± Ted replied again, ¡°but look at that.¡± Monica suddenly sat up, spitting a globe of semi-coagulated blood out of her throat and retching several times. ¡°AHHH!¡± Monica twisted her head sideways to see that the Healer they had rescued, Heidi, was screaming out of her mind. ¡°How is she alive?! She was dead!¡± ¡°Dude, she can¡¯t die. Were you even listening?¡± Ted said matter-of-factly. Cracking her neck and feeling as if she was still half-dead, Monica slowly rose to her feet. When she wobbled, the young girl that they had rescued stepped in and helped her. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, groaning. She had underestimated what it meant to fight with negative Vitality, and most importantly, she had underestimated the side effects. But when she had seen the brute about to hit this young girl, something in her head had just snapped. Yet another mysterious reaction of my body, she thought. Monica felt like she could barely stand straight at the moment. The young girl, probably not older than fifteen, stepped away from her and bowed her head. ¡°Thank you for rescuing us. My name is Dorothy, but everyone calls me Dotty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Dotty,¡± Monica grunted and nodded, holding her hurting ribs. ¡°I can heal you if you still have any damage,¡± Heidi said, having finally calmed down. ¡°I¡¯m healed up,¡± Monica replied. ¡°This is the aftermath of the Skill I used. I¡¯ll be near-useless for the next twenty-four hours.¡± Monica looked at the little kid that was hiding behind Dotty, peeking from her back to sneak glances at her. ¡°Hey there,¡± she said, deciding that standing was too much for now and resorting to sit on the ground. The little kid immediately hid behind Dotty. ¡°That¡¯s Ronnie,¡± the girl said. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Ronnie,¡± Monica smiled warmly, feeling very well-disposed toward the two kids for some reason. Maybe I used to have kids? She wondered. ¡°Ted,¡± Monica said, ¡°I can¡¯t fight until tomorrow. Are there any more Cultists around?¡± Ted thought about it and shook his head. ¡°I think there might be a few novices locked in their rooms. You don¡¯t get to move freely around the temple without an Apprentice with you until you¡¯re initiated yourself.¡± ¡°We have to kill those disgusting heathens!¡± Heidi immediately said, her azure eyes turning icy. Monica frowned. ¡°Have they killed someone, Ted?¡± Monica asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, no.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have a chat with them as soon as I can move freely again.¡± ¡°What?! You are not going to kill them?!¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Monica turned toward Heidi with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Could you stop shouting?¡± The redhead said coldly. Heidi, who had seen Monica tear through a bunch of higher leveled Cultists like nothing, gritted her teeth and decided to lower her voice. ¡°Why would you let them live?¡± The blonde asked angrily at a normal volume. ¡°If they haven¡¯t killed anyone, they just made a poor choice.¡± ¡°What if they decide to join another cult?¡± Heidi could barely contain herself. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them then. I don¡¯t operate in hypotheticals. Ted, too, joined the Cultists here. I don¡¯t care about the motive. If he had killed an innocent, I¡¯d have burned him to death. So, would you want me to kill Ted, too?¡± Heidi looked at Ted for a moment before steeling herself. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Dude,¡± Ted said, affronted. ¡°I mean, kind of hot, not going to lie, but¡­ dude!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Heidi said, straightening her spine, ¡°Cultists are a plague for the Gods to eradicate. You had your say in joining these monsters. You should pay for that.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to pay by having to listen to you on our way back to their village,¡± Monica said, pointing at the kids. ¡°That¡¯s payment enough. Now, Ted, leave the killer-Healer be. I¡¯ve got something to show you.¡± ¡°Do not disrespect my faith!¡± Heidi thundered, actually scaring Ronnie, who let out a whimper. Monica caught that with the corner of her eye and decided she needed to clarify a few things for the Healer. By now, she had stopped questioning her instincts, understanding it was her, not another person. This was her¡ªthe fighting, the hunches, the way she moved and talked. She had dissasociated from it, initially, because she didn¡¯t have any memories of her past, but she needed to stop acting as if it was another person controlling her actions. ¡°In my books,¡± Monica said, getting up and towering over the short Healer, ¡°Ted helped me rescue the children and fought a Cultist while you hid behind the basement¡¯s door. That means you not only owe him your life but that you are a coward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fighter!¡± Heidi protested. ¡°Neither is Ted. He doesn¡¯t have Class, does he? That¡¯s the first thing you said when he rescued your life, too.¡± Heidi seemed about to protest some more, but Monica raised a finger and brought it to the blonde¡¯s plump lips. ¡°Cowards don¡¯t get a say. You could have come out and helped heal Ted in case he got injured as he fought. You might disagree with me and Ted, and you might even want Ted dead. But hear me, and hear me well. As long as you are with us, I will tolerate no disrespect for that man and myself. Nor I will tolerate you not following my orders when I speak.¡± Monica made an emphatic pause and removed her finger from Heidi¡¯s lips to see if the girl had the guts to rebuke. Luckily for the Healer, she didn¡¯t. ¡°Novice Cultists who killed no one are not a threat. Coward Healers who run their mouth and are not ready to follow orders instead are. So, if you want to go, go now. Grab a weapon and run home. However, if I find that on your way home, you thought of swinging by those novices¡ªif I find one hair out of place, I will personally hunt you down. I slay my enemies without any remorse, to the last of them. ¡°If you want to stay and come with us for protection,¡± Monica continued, ¡°take a broom and start sweeping. We¡¯re sleeping here tonight. We¡¯re not moving until I¡¯ve recovered my strength.¡± Monica pointed at a broom at the corner of the basement and then at the ground, dirty and bloody. Heidi was red in her face, but Monica could clearly see she had instilled real fear in the girl, which was good. She wasn¡¯t kidding. If on the way to the children¡¯s village there were any threats, Monica knew she would need full compliance from all the group members in order to ensure their survival. It took one idiot who refused to follow a simple order to take the kids behind a tree for shelter to have them both killed by a few bandits. ¡°Ted,¡± Monica said while Heidi started sweeping. ¡°Milady?¡± Ted said, standing straighter to attention, clearly even more scared by Monica¡¯s threats than their target. ¡°Stop it,¡± Monica sighed. ¡°Come here.¡± Ted immediately got close to her, and Monica summoned the Loot Chest she had gotten from killing Sandoval in front of them. ¡°Oh my!¡± Ted said, making everyone in the room turn toward them. ¡°Is that a Loot Chest?¡± Heidi said, her eyes wide. ¡°More sweeping, less talking,¡± Monica said, pointing at the ground. ¡°How¡ª¡± Ted stumbled on his words. ¡°How did you get another one?¡± ¡°A reward for killing Sandoval. Good deeds pay off, it seems,¡± Monica laughed, patting Ted on his shoulder. ¡°It was supposed to be a Common one, but the System upgraded it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even rarer than just getting an Uncommon one!¡± The young man seemed beside himself. The redhead looked at Ted, observing the chest and almost salivating, and had an idea. ¡°Ted, how about you open this one?¡± ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± Ted frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s yours. The one who opens the Loot Chest influences its contents.¡± ¡°Ted, open the Loot Chest,¡± Monica ordered. She could have used another weapon or perhaps a piece of armor, but she had this hunch in the back of her head that told her the young man here wasn¡¯t nearly as useless as he looked. Therefore, she would arm him before they moved out. If not for her sake, for Dotty and Ronnie. Not that Dotty needs someone to protect her, Monica thought. She had seen the teenage girl wildly stabbing Amalric, the Novice, without as much as a hint of hesitation. However, Ted was much bigger than the scrawny girl and could clearly wield a weapon. ¡°Open the Loot Chest?¡± Ted repeated, incredulous. ¡°Did I stutter?¡± Monica said, summoning a wisp of Obsidian Flame for show, which made her entire arm hurt like a bastard. Scared straight, Ted finally lifted the top of the chest and reached inside. Chapter 7 *Ding* Would you like to open Loot Chest (Uncommon)? Yes | No Ted looked at the notification and felt a pit open in his stomach. His father had never even given him a full set of equipment when he was still home, saying that he had never earned it, that he had been too lazy to deserve even wielding his own sword until he got a Class for himself. Augustus Deadbane, his father, had him train in all manner of weapons since the age of five, expecting his son to become the greatest warrior of the Royal Academy. Ted, however, had left home when he was fourteen, deciding he would rather be a homeless man on the streets of a random village than have to look his father in the face one more time. And since then, he had received the kindness of many, including people who fed him, gave him a few coins for entertaining them in a tavern, and kind old women who had washed his clothes when he stunk like a latrine. Now, though, he was on the other end of the greatest care he had ever received, perhaps much more than he had ever deserved. If the redhead, Monica, truly understood the value and rarity of a Loot Chest, something so magical and sought after in the System, she would have probably never given him to him. Loot Chests were considered by many, including his very knowledgeable father, to be Wishes. Not even in the Capital¡¯s Auction Houses, which he had frequented with his father until he left, one could find many Loot Chests. Looking at the one in front of him, an Uncommon one, no less, he felt squeamish. A Common Loot Chest would be valued at around fifty gold coins, around what a peasant could hope to earn in a lifetime. An Uncommon Loot Chest, instead, was valued anywhere between two to five hundred gold coins, based on how desperately a noble needed to outfit their prole. August Deadbane had promised his son that he would have gotten him an Uncommon Loot Chest the day he accepted his Class¡ªwhich would have also been the day his father would have shipped him into a Dungeon. Since he had left home several years ago, Ted had probably not made more than two gold coins altogether by singing in taverns, begging, and doing odd jobs here and there. That had been about eight years ago since he was now twenty-two. Does she even know how much a gold coin is worth? Ted wondered as he reached for the chest. A gold coin was worth ten silver coins. One silver coin was worth ten bronze coins. Most commoners dealt with iron coins, and it took ten of those to make a bronze. The common saying was that beggars dealt in iron, farmers, and workers in bronze, merchants in silver and gold, and adventurers in platinum, which went for about a hundred gold coins per platinum, given how rare and valuable for magic platinum was. Twenty platinum coins for a Rare Loot Chest, Ted thought. Only career adventurers purchase those, hoping to find equipment that will save their lives in their next dive. And so, Ted wondered what he would get. Was he about to receive a powerful sword, or maybe a shining armor, or even a wand? He had put off choosing a Class forever since the death of his mother. He had never found the courage to even summon the System most days, sometimes even completely forgetting about it. To his shame, Ted had drunk himself to sleep on cheap ale more times than he cared to remember. He suspected that if he hadn¡¯t been so lucky, he would have died a hundred times over, considering how stupid he had been on a daily basis. And a few days ago, when he had joined the cultists, drunk off his mind, he had truly believed his time had come. He would have never killed an innocent just to survive among these monsters. He would have just let them kill him, honestly. He had almost looked forward to it. That was until he had found Monica. Now, he remembered how he felt as a young teen, when his mother was still alive when she promised him he would have gotten the best Class, one even better than the one she had been obsessing over for so long. When Ted opened the Loot Chest and took out its contents, however, he almost had a seizure. *Ding* You have opened Loot Chest (Uncommon)! *Ding* You obtained ¡®Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon)¡¯ Ted read the name of the instrument and almost immediately tossed it to the ground. Two things kept him from doing so. First, courtesy. He was extremely grateful that Monica had given him such a gift and didn¡¯t want to spit on her kindness. Second, he looked at the second part of the instrument¡¯s name. Dwarven? This isn¡¯t possible. No one gets any Dwarven tools in Uncommon Loot Chests. They¡¯re barely found in Rare ones. It usually takes an Epic Loot Chest, and those are so rare that adventurers abandon their dives to rush the auction houses if they hear one is about to be on sale. He used one of his Skills on it, the one his father had him train relentlessly before he could even learn to fully form sentences, [Inspect - Lv. 87]. *Ding* You have successfully inspected Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon)! Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon) Durability: 13/100 Enhancement Slots Available: 2/7 The Defected Dwarven Mandolin Enchantments are not active due to the state of disrepair of your instrument. Forged inside Viscera, the great Dwarven Capital, this mandolin belonged to a famous Bard. The mandolin was damaged during an ill-fated performance for the Elven King¡¯s court and fell further apart due to the passage of time. Ever since it was damaged, it hasn¡¯t sounded the same. Tip: Bring it to a high-level Blacksmith in order to repair it. Ted got not only the general description and the number of enchantments that would have been active if the mandolin wasn¡¯t damaged, but also an overview of its lore thanks to his Inspect Skill. He looked at the old, weathered instrument. The steel body had a rich, dark finish, marred by scratches and dents. The strings, made from what looked like silver, were slightly tarnished, and one was even frayed. He looked closely at them and inhaled sharply. This can¡¯t be Mithril, can it? It didn¡¯t actually look like silver, but it could certainly not be the legendary material that no one was presently able to craft, much less mine. ¡°Is that a mandolin?¡± Monica asked from the side. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ted cleared his voice. ¡°Huh, yeah. Thanks, by the way.¡± ¡°Interesting that you would get one. Can you play it?¡± Monica asked excitedly. ¡°I¡¯d love some music. It¡¯ll help pass the time.¡± ¡°I¡ªI have not played in a long time,¡± Ted said, looking away. He could feel that Monica immediately understood something was wrong with him and stopped prying. ¡°Well, you do you,¡± the redhead said, ambling toward the children. ¡°Do you guys want to play a game while we wait for the floor to be clean?¡± Ted heard an excited shout from the boy and stared at the mandolin again. The body was large, far larger than a common mandolin. About the size of a guitar, give or take. I can¡¯t believe this, Ted shook his head. Why an instrument? Why? He gently laid it down and tried to ignore it as best as he could. * * * Monica had sent Ted and Heidi to fetch food while she stayed with the children. Even in her weakened state, she was confident that if a lone Cultist returned, she¡¯d be able to handle it. She felt extremely protective toward the two for some reason, some deeper instinct that lingered right below her skin. After they slept on the mattresses that had been dragged to the basement and bolted the access to it, they woke up, and, finally, the countdown wore off. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. *Ding!* Fury of the Phoenix has been reset. Monica flexed her muscles and cracked her neck. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± They rounded up three novice Cultists who hadn¡¯t yet received the Class, tied their wrists up, and Monica gave them a brief speech that had Heidi barely contain herself. ¡°You haven¡¯t killed anyone yet, so you¡¯ll be allowed to live,¡± the redhead told the three. ¡°If I see as much as one weird glance toward me, the children, or Ted, I will burn you alive.¡± ¡°Are you really letting us live?¡± The pudgier of the three asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How will you know we won¡¯t go back to them?¡± He also asked. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do once you¡¯re free again. That¡¯s on you. You¡¯ve been given one more life before turning into scum. If you want to go back to Cultists, go ahead.¡± The three looked at each other incredulously and then just fell silent, deciding to follow Monica. ¡°Dotty, if they try anything, please stab them,¡± Monica said to the child who had been given, again to Heidi¡¯s displeasure, Sandoval¡¯s sword. ¡°You can¡¯t give a child a Rare Sword!¡± The Healer had complained. Dotty nodded seriously as she rested her hand on the hilt of the sword in her scabbard. ¡°Now,¡± Monica said, ¡°is there any place in the temple we haven¡¯t visited?¡± Ted tapped his chin a few times and then nodded. ¡°This way.¡± He led them down a few corridors and then inside a large, majestic hall. Monica saw a giant sigil of stone carved into the wall¡ªit was a phoenix with four wings. ¡°I wonder why the Cultists thought they were summoning the Avatar of the Goddess of Fire,¡± Monica frowned. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Ted smacked his head and ruffled through a backpack he had gotten from a storage room alongside other supplies. ¡°I forgot to give you this. I can¡¯t read a word, but I think that¡¯s where they got the ritual.¡± Monica looked over the cover, and the letters readjusted right in front of their eyes from weird, runic scribbles to plain, normal language. ¡°The Book of the Twin Flame,¡± Monica frowned, turning a few pages. It mostly talked about the Obsidian Flame usage in its first chapter. She stored it away in her Inventory. This will probably help me out understand my powers. ¡°The ¡®Twin Flame¡¯ probably confused whoever was trying to translate it and thought it was about the Goddess of Fire, which the Cultists seemed to worship.¡± ¡°An Old God,¡± Ted nodded. ¡°What¡¯s an Old God?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Monsters,¡± Heidi spat the word out with abject hate. ¡°Huh,¡± Ted tapped his chin, not really knowing how to differentiate between Old and New Gods. ¡°Old Gods are being of absolute power that used to live outside the System,¡± the chubby guy said. Monica turned to him and narrowed her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Lucas.¡± ¡°What do you know about Old Gods, Lucas? Also, Heidi shut your mouth.¡± Lucas was the tallest and biggest of the three novices and clearly the most knowledgeable. ¡°New Gods are common people who rose to Godhood through the System,¡± the young man stated matter-of-factly. ¡°They are patrons of a certain Class and usually represent the most common Class there is. There are exceptions, of course: the Thief God and the Rogue God both exist even though Thief is a specialization of the Rogue Class.¡± ¡°And Old Gods?¡± ¡°Old Gods pre-date the System and wield powers outside of it. The System follows the rules¡ªthe Old Gods don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Heretic,¡± Heidi snarled, crossing her arms. ¡°Give me an example,¡± Monica frowned, ignoring the blonde. ¡°The followers of the Goddess of Fire,¡± Lucas started explaining, ¡°were trying to summon her Avatar¡ªwhich was stupid, of course, since the Old Gods don¡¯t have Avatars. However, in principle, rituals like that one can only function outside of the System. Even though they require sacrifice, the interesting thing about them is that they summon powers much greater than their offerings. That pretty much sums up the difference between Old and New Gods. ¡°New Gods,¡± he continued, ¡°can only give as much as they take. While there are cases where rituals have catalysts, they have to be tangible. Old Gods work without rules. Sacrifice three virgins under a blood moon and bestow someone with a never-heard-before Class or summon a tsunami that will wipe out an entire city on the right day of the year. They work in alignment with greater powers that make little to no sense to mortals.¡± Even the other two novices listened to Lucas with their mouth hanging open. ¡°And their followers eat people,¡± Heidi spat. ¡°Which is totally unnecessary to the worship of Old Gods,¡± Lucas said, wrinkling his nose. ¡°Sacrifices are customary offers to the Old Gods. Eating people is just¡­ foolish.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Cultists get stronger by eating people?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°A Knight has probably more buffs to their Attributes by simply donning a chestpiece. The Cultist Class is aligned with ancient practices, therefore you can elicit certain effects by, yes, eating people. But believing that the Old Gods¡¯ ways are just eating people is because chapters of the Old Gods like the one that inhabited this temple are led by idiots.¡± Monica looked at Lucas up and down and pondered a very important matter. He knows a lot. He¡¯s clearly very serious about this. I probably need to kill him, or he¡¯ll become a problem. ¡°You said that Old Gods don¡¯t have Avatars,¡± Monica said, ready to unleash the Obsidian Flame and tear him apart after his answer. ¡°Where are Avatars from, then?¡± Lucas seemed to perk up. ¡°Avatars are the manifestations of Titans. Titans are the customary enemies of old for the Old Gods. New Gods keep up their battle with the Old Gods¡¯ remnants on behalf of the System, but their true nemeses are Titans. While Old Gods accrue their power by having followers, not unlike the New Gods, a Titan is the personification of a Divine Beast. If legends are to be believed - and sadly, we don¡¯t have really any credible source about this - Titans were the real scheme of checks and balances against the Old Gods. A Divine Beast¡¯s power can only be passed down to one person, one divinely infused person whose powers can rival an Old God¡¯s entire following.¡± Monica had summoned a wisp of Obsidian Flame in her palm but now dispersed it. ¡°Theoretically speaking,¡± Monica frowned, ¡°could the Cultists have summoned an Avatar by killing thirty-three virgins?¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s thing?¡± Lucas asked, clearly disgusted by the idea. ¡°I told those idiots it wouldn¡¯t work, but they said I¡¯m a Novice, and I know nothing about Old Gods... Idiots.¡± ¡°Would it work, though?¡± Monica reiterated the question. ¡°Theoretically, yes. You can become a stronger Cultist and access greater rituals, but, strictly in theory, the Old Gods¡¯ ways are not precluded behind Classes. Those are the New Gods, like the Healer, who only passes superior healing knowledge intrinsic to her powers to her followers. An Old God doesn¡¯t pick. They only receive and can, at times, bestow something back.¡± ¡°Why, exactly, did you join the Cultists, then?¡± Monica asked, weighing the life of the man. ¡°I am a Scholar,¡± Lucas said, straightening his spine. ¡°I don¡¯t care for petty idiots killing someone. The New Gods have been behind wars, like their followers alongside them. People die every day. I just wanted to have closer access to the materials and resources accumulated by Cultists.¡± Only now, it occurred to Monica to check Lucas¡¯s tag. [Scholar - Lv. 21] He was pretty high-level, but it was likely that the Scholar Class gave him virtually no fighting ability. ¡°I¡¯ll cut you a deal, Lucas,¡± Monica said, knowing that if this man was left alone, he would surely go on to create trouble in his quest for knowledge. ¡°I would like to know more about myself, about my powers, and about these Old Gods. I will help you seek knowledge and information. You saw the book that Ted just gave me, right?¡± Monica took it out of her Inventory and tossed it to Lucas, who looked at it with wide eyes. ¡°The Book of the Twin Flame?¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°How did they get this? Wait.¡± He turned to the sigil in the room and smacked his head. ¡°This is the Temple of the Twin Phoenix! The Divine Beast!¡± ¡°Right,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°And you have her Avatar in front of you.¡± She summoned the Obsidian Flame in one hand and the Golden Flame in the other. ¡°Fuck,¡± Lucas, for the first time, slipped into his demeanor and crudely swore out loud. ¡°Oh my. I have so many, so many questions!¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll answer them gladly,¡± Monica smiled, knowing that the knowledge-obsessed guy in front of her would be relatively easy to keep in check if she had him on her side. Most importantly, he could become a very useful resource instead of a burned corpse. ¡°So, the idiots actually did it!¡± Lucas said. ¡°They summoned you with their ritual! They thought this was the Temple of the Goddess of Fire because of all the damn murals depicting flames. But it wasn¡¯t! Right, it¡¯s customary for the Twin Phoenix temples not to have representations of Her Flames! It makes so much sense why they would be mistaken! They probably had no idea what an Ancient Beast even was! This chapter of the Goddess of Fire¡¯s Cult is too small to know anything like that!¡± ¡°I was summoned, but I have no memories of my past life, Lucas. I would love to have your collaboration in finding out more about myself.¡± Lucas, with his hands still bound, fell on his knees. ¡°Yes, milady. Please, I will do anything to find out more about you.¡± ¡°Dude, weird,¡± Ted said, looking at Lucas. In the meanwhile, unlike Ted, Heidi and two the novices were stunned by what Monica had just revealed. ¡°You¡¯re an Old God?!¡± Heidi screeched. ¡°Ignorant swine,¡± Lucas said, still on his knees, clearly emboldened by Monica¡¯s proposition. ¡°She¡¯s a Titan¡¯s manifestation. Did you even listen to what I just said?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Monica said, taking the book back from him, ¡°we need to go. But we¡¯ll have a chat on the way over and at the village. Behave, don¡¯t cause problems, and I promise you will get to know an Avatar personally. Including my Skills.¡± Lucas started tearing up. ¡°They all thought I had gone crazy at the Institute,¡± he said, almost sobbing. ¡°The Institute?¡± Ted¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You¡¯re from the Institute?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Institute,¡± Monica asked. ¡°A bunch of heretics who don¡¯t follow any God and try to gather heretical knowledge,¡± Heidi said with disdain. ¡°Scholars who have gathered under no God¡¯s banner and have founded the largest school where like-minded people can research famous or obscure topics. This guy is probably on the far end of crazy, but trust me, he¡¯s not the craziest. They have tinkered with things that have almost destroyed entire cities for the sake of knowledge.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Monica said. ¡°I am barely a one-star Scholar,¡± Lucas said, recomposing himself. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find much about the Old Gods other than what I told you. That is my area of expertise, and I was trying to gather enough knowledge to push myself to the second star, hoping to access more texts at the Institute. But I needed to make a decent contribution to get it. That¡¯s really why I chose to come here and join these lunatics.¡± ¡°You would have killed an innocent for the sake of knowledge?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°I¡­ yes,¡± Lucas admitted guiltily. ¡°See?!¡± Heidi said. ¡°He admitted it! Kill him! He said he would have killed someone!¡± Monica raised her chin and studied the large Scholar. ¡°We can work together, Lucas,¡± Monica said. ¡°But if you ever kill someone or hurt them because of knowledge, you¡¯ll lose access to me, and, well, you will also lose your life after I hunt you down. Do you think that¡¯s enough to convince you to not become a monster for the sake of a little star?¡± Lucas nodded stiffly. ¡°Milady, you clearly might not know this about yourself, but among the Titans, you¡¯re rumored to be the greatest fighter bar none. In the legends, not even Machina, your greatest enemy, could extinguish your life forever. If I were a lesser Scholar, I would be tempted to take an oblique course, but since I¡¯m not, I would be a fool if I were to turn down someone who¡¯s clearly going to explore parts of the world that no one else could survive other than an immortal fighter. I expect you will come into knowledge and adventures that not even the New Gods could boast of from their System-crafted golden cage. Why, then, would I ruin such an opportunity when I¡¯m about to be the one recording the largest body of discoveries any Scholar had in their hands?¡± After that, Monicah heard a notification ringing in her mind. *Ding* Quest Completed - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land I/III¡¯ Explore the ¡®abandoned¡¯ Temple of the Twin Phoenix. *Ding* Your reward is on the way. Chapter 8 *Ding* Quest Completed - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land I/III¡¯ Explore the ¡®abandoned¡¯ Temple of the Twin Phoenix. *Ding* You receive Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Monica looked down at her wrists as two ornate bracers materialized, seemingly forming out of wisps of golden and black flames. The bracers were a deep golden color with intricate orange designs etched across their surface. As they settled onto her forearms, she looked at the spikes that protruded from it with an appreciative grunt. ¡°What are those?¡± Ted asked in awe, staring at the bracers. ¡°Rewards for a Quest,¡± Monica replied, still looking at her arms. ¡°Quest?¡± Lucas, the Scholar, frowned and then looked at her eagerly. ¡°What¡¯s a Quest?¡± ¡°I have System Quests? It told me to explore the temple. I did. This is the reward. Don¡¯t you guys have Quests as well?¡± Everyone shook their head, including Heidi, who looked a little jealous. Then, another notification rang in her head. *Ding* Quest Received - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land II/III¡¯ Investigate Rock¡¯s Heel sickness. Reward: ??? ¡°It¡¯s time to go. Pack up,¡± Monica said, keeping an eye on the quest and wondering whether completing this one would give her another piece of golden armor. * * * Monica walked with Ronny in her arms. The boy had pleaded to be carried, and even though she could kill a multitude of men without feeling the slightest regret, she felt her heart melt when the little fella looked at her with his big brown eyes. Dotty, instead, was walking one step behind and looking suspiciously at her. ¡°You said it¡¯s a two-day walk?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Give or take,¡± Dotty sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make a camp soon. It¡¯s not safe to go out at night. Sometimes Level 7 Wolves come out at night.¡± ¡°Wolves?!¡± Ted paled, looking like he wanted to jump into Monica¡¯s arms. ¡°Monica will take care of them!¡± Ronny said, punching the air. ¡°Like this, fiium, fiium!¡± It turned out that the children lived in Rock¡¯s Heel. It was a dilapidated village that used to house many Stonemasons. Eventually, it got abandoned because the business around it had died down. In the past few years, people there had also started falling sick and feeling more tired than usual. Few could afford to leave, though, so, Dotty had explained, most people just stood there until death took them. That, apparently, included their mother, who was exceptionally sick at this time. The novices walked in a line behind them, prodded by Heidi, who had taken a spear for herself and threatened to stab the three if they slacked off. Ted had slung the steel mandolin across his shoulder with a rope and reluctantly carried it around. Monica could tell that he seemed to have a complex relationship with the instrument¡ªperhaps, with music at large. She had felt like asking multiple times but eventually decided to leave the man to his own demons. If he wanted to talk about it, she would lend an ear. Otherwise, there was enough to worry about for the moment without adding Ted¡¯s troubles. As the sun set, Monica called for the group to stop and make camp. ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for the night,¡± she announced. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Ted, Lucas, help me gather some firewood. Heidi, watch the two.¡± Monica gathered wood for the fire while the others worked on their tasks. Once it was blazing, they settled around it, roasting some of the meat they had taken from the temple. Ted sat on a log with the mandolin on his knees and examined it again. Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon) This is a Bard¡¯s instrument, Ted thought. He had seen many of them, but this one in particular stirred something in his chest. After years of burying that memory in ale, he thought of his mother. Bard was a Lost Class, among many others of its kind. His father was at the forefront of recuperating as many Lost Classes as possible and, unlike nobles, making them public at the Academy for those who were worthy of them. As weird as it may have sounded, Bard was one of the most coveted, most mysterious Classes they had any record of. From ancient history, they knew that Bards were always present in the strongest adventuring groups, including during the war against the Old Gods. In fact, a legendary Bard had been instrumental in bringing down the corrupted being who had sought to destroy the System and all its users. However, the Bard had died right after ascending to Godhood, and with him, the knowledge of how to get the Class. As the New Gods still had to quench the corruption that arose from the Old Gods¡¯ lingering powers and presence, many had tried to figure out how it worked. Not even the New Gods knew. His mother, one of the greatest warriors of Valoria, had gone mad in the attempt to uncover its requirements. Many instruments owned by Bard had been spawned by Loot Chests and unearthed in Dungeons. However, no one had ever managed to unlock the Class, even those who could play them like no other person in the world. His mother had probably been the person who had gotten the closest to it, which was why Ted had also been trained in musical instruments by his parents. Ted¡¯s mother, Ravenna, had dived into one Dungeon after the other, encouraged by the madman of his father, despite the risks, carrying a mandolin and other instruments allegedly played by Bards in the past, hoping to unlock the Class. That craze, however, had led to her death and, ultimately, to Ted refusing to talk to his father anymore since the man ultimately refused to take responsibility for what had happened to his wife. It was true that Ravenna Deadbane, his mother, had gone crazy herself, but she hadn¡¯t been alone. Augustus, her husband, had never pulled the brakes and had instead stoked the fire until she had been entirely consumed by it. Now, finding a mandolin in a Loot Chest gave Ted heartache. It reminded him of his mother playing for him as a child when he would look at her with wide, innocent eyes as she strummed a mandolin and sang sweet songs to him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to play that?¡± Heidi, who had inched closer, asked softly into the night. Ted¡¯s eyes were lost in the crackling fire. ¡°Chicks dig music, so I tried singing here and there,¡± Ted said, gently wielding the mandolin properly and almost fearfully playing a few notes, using them to tune the thing. The sound that came off was so sharp that he couldn¡¯t understand what was broken about the instrument other than by looking at its state. ¡°You don¡¯t need to play for girls,¡± Heidi said, wrinkling her nose. ¡°You can just play.¡± ¡°Nah, dude,¡± Ted replied, shrugging. ¡°You can only play for girls. It¡¯s stupid otherwise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re stupid,¡± Heidi said, getting away from him. As if inspired by his own words, Ted¡¯s eyes fell on Monica, who was currently guarding the two children, Dotty and Ronnie, who had fallen asleep, exhausted after the day¡¯s trek through the woods. She¡¯s strangely good with kids, Ted thought. Then, without even noticing, he started playing a few notes when his eyes caught onto the golden glimmer of her new bracers. As he looked at the beautiful redhead, something came over him. Something that made him forget all the words he knew, all the songs, and instead inspired him to sing something completely new. Ted¡¯s hands moved with finesse over the instrument as he slowly closed his eyes. This time, Monica, the kids, and Heidi all turned toward him, noticing that he had begun to play in earnest. But the real surprise was what came out of Ted¡¯s mouth when he started singing a melody with a honeyed voice no one had expected of him. ¡°In a tavern¡¯s warm embrace, beneath the glow of a candle¡¯s grace, Lived a girl with hopeful eyes beneath the endless, starry skies. Her hands were rough, her clothes worn thin, her heart beat strong with dreams within. Of castles high and crowns of gold, of daring tales and knights so bold. She poured the ale, she swept the floor, but in her heart, she yearned for more. For she was more than just her role, a fiery spirit, a princess soul. Her parents gone, the loss was deep, into the night, she¡¯d often weep. But dreams, they say, can heal the heart, and in her dreams, she¡¯d play her part. ¡°Though life is tough,¡± she¡¯d softly sing, ¡°I know someday I¡¯ll wear a ring. Not one of gold, or rich in price, but one that speaks of sacrifice. For love, I know, will find its way, to warm my heart, to light my day. And in that love, I¡¯ll find my crown, not lost, but never truly found.¡± (Check the post-chapter author note for a link to the song) Chapter 9 The next day, everyone kept sneaking glances at Ted. His performance had left everyone stunned. Monica retracted the Golden Flame that she had been using to form little wisps for Ronnie to play with¡ªand also to heal any potential injuries that lingered on the two children¡ªand then, during a break, went up to Ted. ¡°Yesterday night, you played really well,¡± she told him. She had understood Ted clearly had some bad history with music and that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t pressed him to play something, but now that he had, she couldn¡¯t keep herself from at the very least complimenting him. ¡°I just played the first thing that came to my mind, dude,¡± he deflected shyly. ¡°It¡¯s this thing,¡± he pointed at the mandolin. ¡°I think it¡¯s got some powers and allowed me to play like this.¡± But Monica, who was very sensitive to Mana, hadn¡¯t felt the slightest power vibration from the tool. ¡°Mh,¡± Monica said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Whatever it was, that was great. You should consider playing more often, Ted.¡± ¡°Huh, thanks,¡± Ted replied, scratching his head. ¡°For the kids, of course,¡± Monica cleared her voice. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ted smiled, patting the body of the mandolin. Soon, they resumed their trek and, finally, around noon, managed to make it to Rock¡¯s Heel. With Monica carrying Ronnie all the way and setting a relentless pace, they had managed to get there earlier than expected. Everyone else had been winded, but they had not dared tell Monica what to do and not do. Not even Ted. * * * Monica had ordered the kids to stand down and had taken Ted aside, hoping to get just a little more information before entering the place. She had asked Dotty about it at length, but the girl didn¡¯t seem to like her that much. ¡°Why¡¯s Rock¡¯s Heel in such a state?¡± Dotty was currently running behind Ronny who had an infinite supply of energy as he ran back and forth between trees. The night had gone undisturbed by any monster, which Monica was extremely thankful for. She had stood guard most of the night, not fully trusting the young man nor her Dotty with the watch. Honestly, she didn¡¯t feel much need for sleep, and her protective motherly instincts had done their fair share to make it so that she wouldn¡¯t close an eye to the thought that wolves could sneak up on them while she slept. ¡°It¡¯s a slum. Also, it¡¯s far enough from Valoria that if monsters spilled from a Dungeon, they wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the city¡­ not in less than a month,¡± Ted explained. ¡°It¡¯s not a safe place for children, you know?¡± He¡¯s quite thoughtful once you get past his quirks, Monica smiled to herself. ¡°And the girls there? U-gly.¡± I spoke too soon, Monica sighed. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s poor. There¡¯s not much to do there. You should probably go straight to Valoria as soon as you¡¯re done doing whatever you need to do. I think it¡¯s time to visit the capital again.¡± ¡°You can just go once we reach the village, Ted,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have any obligation toward us.¡± ¡°Yeah... about that,¡± Ted cleared his voice. ¡°The Cultist dude was the guy who protected me from threats on our way there. I¡¯m not comfortable walking there by myself.¡± ¡°Then, you can stay with us,¡± Monica said. ¡°I need someone to explain things since I¡¯ve lost all my memory. Are you good with people?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ted replied earnestly. ¡°I usually know when to run from the taverns. Does that count?¡± Before they could continue their conversation, a wooden palisade came into view. It was barely holding together, with wood rotting in several places where it wouldn¡¯t take more than a kick to make it topple. She saw an old woman look up from a patch of reeds she was pulling out of a small river nearby. ¡°Dotty!¡± The old woman slowly got up and put her reeds on her knees on the ground. ¡°Where were you?!¡± ¡°Gertrude,¡± Dotty grimaced and said the woman¡¯s name back. Then, Gertrude saw Monica behind the two kids, and her frown deepened. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°We got the kids out of the Cultist place,¡± Ted said with a straight face. Gertrude looked at the three men who had been changed out of their Cultist outfits on Monica¡¯s orders and frowned. ¡°Dotty,¡± she said, turning to the girl, ¡° You¡¯ll have to build yourself a new place. Ivor is evicting you.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Dotty shouted. ¡°I told him I would pay the taxes!¡± ¡°He said your last chance was yesterday, and you all disappeared. So, he¡¯s moving in. He likes your house, Dotty, you know that,¡± Gertrude sighed. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Monica looked at Gertrude and then at Dotty. ¡°Who¡¯s this Ivor?¡± She asked Dotty. ¡°The village chief. He¡¯s a level 12 Fire Mage, pretty strong for his level. He collects the taxes from the villagers and is supposed to fight the criminals.¡± ¡°Supposed to?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°Often village chiefs are crooks themselves,¡± Ted interjected from the side, drawing a frown from Gertrude. ¡°Alright,¡± Monica said, cracking her neck. ¡°Heidi, keep the three out here and tie them to something. I¡¯ll go visit this Ivor.¡± ¡°Huh, Monica,¡± Ted cringed. ¡°You know that Fire Mages are quite dangerous?¡± ¡°A Fire Mage, huh?¡± Monica cackled. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± * * * Dotty had briefly tried telling Monica, their savior, not to meddle. Ivor was a dangerous individual. Whoever Monica was, she didn¡¯t want to mess with him unless she had more levels over her head. In fact, it was a known fact that Fire Mages were a nasty business even for people with higher levels. Because their magic was so destructive, they were natural level-hoppers, which meant they could easily kill people ten levels higher than them. Dotty barely remembered her mother getting into a conflict with the other villagers: she had been terrified of losing their place in the village. That¡¯s why Ivor had always pressed them so hard for taxes: he knew that their mother would break. And break she did, falling to apathy after a while, resigning to a pitiful fate. ¡°How much do you owe to this Ivor?¡± Monica suddenly asked her, taking Dotty out of her reverie. ¡°Two silvers,¡± the girl sighed at the paltry sum. She knew that for people in Valoria, that wasn¡¯t much. But here at Rock¡¯s Heel, she had seen people fight over copper. ¡°Alright, that sounds like it won¡¯t be a problem,¡± the woman said. Dotty didn¡¯t know how to react at that. She had seen Monica die and come back to life, something that the woman had not addressed beyond saying, ¡®I can¡¯t die, it seems.¡¯ And so, they walked through the dirty roads of the village, with Ronny jumping all around his new favorite person. Dotty somehow envied how her brother could just go along with whomever this woman was¡ªshe claimed she didn¡¯t have any memories, but if that was the case, why did she even act interested in them? I don¡¯t understand, Dotty sighed inwardly. What is she doing? But it appeared like she would soon get a response since she spotted their house in the distance. Their house was the only construction in the entire village made of solid stone, a remnant of the Stonemasons who had taken shelter here for their work in the nearby caves. Their father had done it. He had been a Rock Mage, and her mother used to flaunt such a thing to everyone, saying that they could have moved into Valoria whenever they had wanted. However, her father had ties in the village, or so that¡¯s what he used to say, and had refused to move into the city. One day, the man had just disappeared and left them all behind. Her mother had been beyond devastated. ¡°Home!¡± Ronny shouted, stopping in his tracks as Monica looked toward a rather thin man with a stained tunic walking around a house, helped by two burly men tossing things out of it. The house itself wasn¡¯t much different from the rest of the place, but it had stone walls, which weren¡¯t common, if they were a thing at all, in there. ¡°Well,¡± Monica smiled to the kids, ¡°let¡¯s see what we can do.¡± As she walked toward the thin man, she scanned his tag. [Fire Mage ¨C Level 12]. ¡°Monica,¡± Dotty whispered from the side, ¡°Ivor is a powerful fire-[Mage]. Please, be careful.¡± ¡°Dotty,¡± Monica said, crouching a little to get their heads on the same level, ¡°never worry about me, ok? I¡¯ll take care of this for you. I don¡¯t like bullies, anyway.¡± Despite being much more skeptical than her young brother, who was completely smitten by this woman, Dotty felt a knot in her throat. The tension left her shoulders, and it felt like the massive weight she had been carrying up to this point was finally relieved of her heart. She hadn¡¯t even known how wound-up she had been to this point. But hearing Monica say that, Dotty felt every muscle in her body relax. * * * Monica saw a crying woman lying down over the steps of the stone house, pale and disheveled. Monica eyed a thin man with a stained robe appraising the house from the outside with a large smile on his face. Then, she looked at two thugs alongside the man throwing some clothes and furniture out of the house. She saw a doll fly out of the door and heard Dotty take a sharp breath at that sight. Suddenly, Monica felt a burst of fury coming through her veins. She had to actively try to calm herself down before Fury of the Phoenix could activate again. This guy¡¯s not worth the skill, she reasoned, stepping forward toward the trio. The two movers weren¡¯t anything much in her eyes. [Thug ¨C Level 6] [Warrior ¨C Level 7] ¡°Hey there,¡± Monica waved at the man who had just turned to stare at them, Ivor. The village chief looked surprised at Monica and then at the two children with a displeased frown. ¡°You two are alive? Whatever, it doesn¡¯t matter. You didn¡¯t pay. We¡¯re seizing your house.¡± ¡°Ivor, I¡¯m one day late!¡± Dotty tried justifying herself before Monica could say anything. ¡°I can get you some pelts that will be worth a few bronzes, and then¡ª¡± ¡°I am not a [Merchant]. Keep your pelts and scram. You can build yourself a hut. I¡¯m taking this for myself.¡± ¡°Ivor,¡± Monica smiled, ¡°How much do they owe you?¡± ¡°Five silvers because of the interest,¡± Ivor said, looking at Monica up and down, now focusing on the little bits of skin she was showing. ¡°Who are you, anyway?¡± ¡°A friend,¡± Monica smiled sweetly. ¡°How about I pay you and extinguish this little debt?¡± she said, taking out a gold from her Inventory and tossing it to the man. The man scrambled to pick it up from the ground, looked at it with a frown, and decided to bite to check if it was real. ¡°What are we doing, boss?¡± the two Warriors asked the man as he was throwing some old clothes out of the house. ¡°Well,¡± Ivor said, weighing his words, ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be enough. They forfeited their house, which is now mine. A construction made of stone this big, with reinforced walls and all these amenities, would go for at least ten golds.¡± Even though the slimy man had just said that, he pocketed the gold Monica had thrown at him. The two Warriors shrugged and were about to resume the forceful eviction when the Healer said something that made everyone stop. See, Monica wasn¡¯t gifted with a glib tongue. Maybe, if she had thought about this long and hard, she could have devised an even better plan. She might have had Ivor sign a contract for the ten gold coins, gone back to hunt a few days, and returned with the sum for the two kids. There was an array of options outside the one that she immediately went with, but Monica was just like that, a bit... impetuous. ¡°Well,¡± Monica imitated his tone. ¡°How about I punch your teeth out and take the house back? How does that sound?¡± Chapter 10 [Healer - Lv. 6] Ivor looked at the woman¡¯s tag and tried to reconcile her Level and Class with her bravado. How could a Healer speak to him like that? Was she having a stroke? Did she hit her head and forget to heal herself? Surely, she must have checked his tag, right? Who in their right mind spoke like that to a Fire Mage? ¡°Woman, don¡¯t meddle in my business,¡± Ivor said, his face reddening and his neck swelling with two pulsating veins, ¡°I am in charge of this village.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Monica nodded wisely. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re not. I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯m about to take your teeth out. Are you hard of hearing?¡± ¡°Take care of her,¡± Ivor said to the two Warriors. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin her face. I might take her on a date later.¡± ¡°I mean, are you two sure about this?¡± Monica said with an apologetic smile. ¡°Teeth are very important. You need to chew your food, right? You can¡¯t just sip broth for the rest of your life, Ivor. Well, I wonder if a Healer can regrow teeth, too.¡± As she was trash-talking, the level 6 Warrior walked just before her and tried grabbing her. Monica sidestepped with grace and hit him right in his liver. Her punch, powered by all the Attributes she had gained through levels and Phoenix Feathers, made him black out instantly. She didn¡¯t know how she knew where and how to hit, and she just knew that these were all things that came to her naturally. So, she fully leaned into her battle instincts, especially since Lucas had said again, while they walked to the village, that the Twin Phoenix was supposed to be the ultimate fighter. Then, she crouched down and swung up, punching the man¡¯s mouth with all her strength before he could fall. Being a Warrior, the man did have some resistance, but not in his teeth. With gravity pulling the man down and Monica punching up right into his mouth, after a few hits, her hand came back bloody from the swollen lips of the man. She stared at the level 7 Warrior who had just removed the sword from his scabbard. ¡°Come on, your teeth, too?¡± Monica smiled viciously. Meanwhile, Dotty held Ronny close to her, and Ted slowly backed away from the scene: Ted, who was still clutching the mandolin Monica had given him, didn¡¯t want anything to do with the vicious woman who had just broken all the teeth of an unconscious man. When the burly man with a sword swung for her, she went for a dodge instead of using her golden forearm guards. Monica was more than happy to just dance around the guy as he swung the sword wildly and without any technique behind it. What caught her off-guard was when the sword suddenly gleamed and went much faster than before, leaving her no time to jump out of the way. So, she could only cross her forearm guards in front of her to avoid being bisected. What happened next surprised both. The sword hit the golden bracers so hard that it snapped in two, the top half flying away and almost hitting Dotty behind her. The man looked at the sword with a stunned expression for a moment too long, and Monica, who had been barely fazed by the hit, jumped up and hit him in the temple with a spinning elbow. Soon after, as the man collapsed on the ground, she crouched herself and punched right into his teeth, making sure that he would drink from a straw for the rest of his life. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°So,¡± Monica said, dusting her hands and looking in the general direction of the piece of garbage that had evicted two kids just to snatch the nicest house in the lot, ¡°how do you want to do this? The easy way or the hard way?¡± Ivor looked frowning at her but then raised one of his palms in the air, and a globe of fire suddenly appeared. ¡°You are going to die, impudent Healer,¡± the man snarled. ¡°How,¡± Monica said, looking at the small globe of fire in the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Like this,¡± Ivor replied, summoning another Fireball in his other hand and joining them together. Suddenly, they combined and swelled to the size of a man¡¯s torso, singing the ground around the village chief. ¡°This would kill a level 20 Black Wolf, Healer. Let¡¯s see how you survive.¡± Without saying anything else, the man launched the fiery magic against Monica. * * * Dotty saw the scene as if the world had slowed down to a crawl. She knew that Monica was strong, but after a good night of sleep she had somehow convinced herself that perhaps she had used some weird skill to weaken Sandoval. Dotty had basically convinced herself that the woman wasn¡¯t all that strong, that it was almost a fluke what she had done back at the temple. However, when Monica had brained the two Warriors, both stronger than her, just like that, she had swallowed hard. That had been proof that the woman could do serious damage. Still, now that Ivor had summoned a gigantic Fireball, the same that Dotty had seen the man use to destroy any monster that had ever neared the village and rowdy criminals, she shivered. Ivor might not have been the most courageous man around, but he had one skill that allowed him to combine two Fireballs into a Greater Fireball, something that was capable of dealing incredible amounts of damage. And now, the Greater Fireball had already reached the Healer. ¡°Monica!¡± Dotty found herself screaming. Ronny, behind her, had started crying. The bolt felt the impact even a dozen yards away from the woman. Dotty felt her eyebrows and hair slightly singed, and she turned to hug Ronny. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have insulted me like that. What a waste of a good face,¡± Ivor said as he sighed and went about to kick one of his henchmen awake to resume the eviction. However, as the smoke from the attack started receding, they all heard one cocky, crystalline voice say. ¡°So, about your teeth. I guess it will be the hard way.¡± * * * Monica felt the crunch under her fist and used the time it took to break Ivor¡¯s teeth to reflect. Things had gotten a bit ridiculous because of the reaction of the chief and his henchmen. Sure, she could have been more accommodating herself, but even if she didn¡¯t know who she was, she thought it was unnecessary to come to terms with idiots like these. Now, she wasn¡¯t going to kill them unless they did something worse than this. Some assoholery and forced eviction of two kids warranted getting your teeth broken, but it wasn¡¯t enough to justify snapping necks. For now, Monica thought. I don¡¯t know if this man has done anything worse than this. ¡°Monica, enough! He¡¯s out!¡± She felt Dotty grab her arm. ¡°Sure,¡± Monica coughed, having effectively forgotten to stop punching the man. His face was a complete mess, so much so that Monica felt the slightest pang of guilt. When she got up to stare at the two kids, a jolt of electricity went through her spine. As she studied Dotty for a second, looking at a nice pair of blue eyes and a small, cute nose on her face, Monica felt a small headache forming at the back of her head. And the more she stared, the more she felt the pressure in her head balloon, to the point where the girl said something to her, but her ears were whistling so loudly that she couldn¡¯t hear her. Then, she heard a terrible sound akin to glass shattering, and everything went dark. Only a notification resounded in her head. Quest Completed - ¡®Memories of the Flame I/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: Memory Shard Chapter 11 *Ding* Memory Shard Unlocked. Beginning Memory Sequence. *Ding* Special System Message. Beware, what you are about to see has been gone for a long time, Monica Monroe. These memories are a special allowance for your past deeds. Do not covet what you are about to see. Treasure it, but know that it¡¯s gone. ¡°Peggy, you¡¯re late for school!¡± Monica shouted from the living room, one hand on the entrance door¡¯s knob, the other holding her son¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m not! Stop badgering me!¡± Peggy¡¯s voice came from the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m not going to speed up just so you won¡¯t be late this time! Come on!¡± ¡°But you always speed for your stupid meetings! That¡¯s how you get all those tickets!¡± The teen replied from the other room. Monica sighed, knowing there wasn¡¯t much to argue with a teenage daughter. It was true, and she had gathered quite a few tickets while driving herself from client to client. Most of the partners at her firm booked Uber or taxis, but she just didn¡¯t like being driven by someone else. ¡°Mommy, can we go to the store after school?¡± Bobby asked, pulling her hand, pulling her back into reality. ¡°Sure,¡± she smiled with a small sigh. ¡°You want a new Transformer?¡± ¡°Those stupid toys cost as much as that lip gloss I asked you to buy, and you said it¡¯s crazy expensive,¡± the teenage girl who had just materialized in front of Monica said. Like her mother, she had green eyes and red hair, a spitting image of hers. ¡°Lip gloss is stupid,¡± Bobby declared proudly. ¡°It quite is,¡± Monica smiled slyly. ¡°But we can discuss your sister¡¯s make-up obsession later. Let¡¯s just get in the car, please.¡± Monica made a point of driving her children back to school. Given her income, she could have easily had the babysitter or hired a driver to do that, but coming from a humble background and wanting to spend time with them, she preferred not to. Bobby started running out on the porch toward the car parked outside the driveway. Peggy stopped in front of her, her makeup perfect and immaculate, perfectly coordinated with her attire. ¡°Don¡¯t promise to bring him to buy a new toy if you¡¯re just going to be working late and having Kate pick him up,¡± Peggy said with a serious voice. Kate was their babysitter. And honestly, Kate spent more time with them than Monica, which Peggy never stopped reminding her. Monica was a single mother who had tried making both parenthood and her career work. As it turned out, she had not been very successful at balancing the two. But still, she tried. She tried hard, sometimes barely sleeping to drive back and forth from home and work to spend some time with their kids before she had to drive back and catch some sleep on a couch while working some big cases. ¡°Listen, Peggy, I promise that I¡¯ll have more time soon since¡ª¡± Before Monica could finish, the entire living room started trembling, and her eyes went wide, ¡°an earthquake! Get out now!¡± Mother and daughter rushed outside the house. Monica sighed in relief as she saw several people in the peaceful suburb do the same. Soon after the earthquake calmed down, something appeared in the minds of everyone there and the rest of the world. [Integration Complete.] [Welcome to the Multiverse, Earthers.] * * * Monica woke up in cold sweats, her vision temporarily hazy. ¡°Are you ok?¡± A feminine voice asked. ¡°Peggy?¡± Monica muttered. ¡°What? I¡¯m Dotty.¡± Slowly, Monica sat up, looking around. She looked at an unfamiliar room. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°They brought you inside,¡± she heard a woman¡¯s voice and turned to find the woman she had seen crying on the steps, sitting on a chair with a blanket over her legs. ¡°You passed out after beating Ivor and his thugs.¡± Right after that, the woman erupted in a fit of coughing, and Dotty looked at her with a worried look. ¡°Can we get the Healer to look at her?¡± The teenage girl asked Monica. ¡°Heidi?¡± Monica said, trying to re-orient herself. ¡°Yes. Mom¡¯s sick. Well, the whole village is.¡± But Monica was still in another place in her mind. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. What did I just see? Why was I somewhere else? Who are Peggy and Bobby? She had seen herself in another foreign world that looked nothing like this one. There, she had seen herself with two children, unlike Dotty and Ronnie. What is happening? She asked herself, and perhaps, the System, but no response came back. Then, she heard a notification. *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Memories of the Flame II/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: ??? How had she uncovered a fragment of her past? She was so confused, but it was clear that answers wouldn¡¯t come anytime soon. So, she stared for a long moment at Dotty, who looked expectantly at her. ¡°Heidi, can we get her? Maybe she can heal Mom. No Healer ever comes here, so everyone just has to get by. Everyone puts their Attributes in Endurance when they can, but it¡¯s been a year, and everyone¡¯s falling sick. Please, can I get her to help Mom?¡± ¡°Dotty,¡± the woman coughed, ¡°this young woman already helped us. Please, do not burden her with¡ª¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence before another fit of cough took over. Monica slowly got up from the couch where she had been lying and looked at Ted, who was standing at attention, clearly nervous and unsure of what to do with his hands. ¡°Ted, go fetch Heidi and the rest of them.¡± Ted scratched his head shyly. ¡°All of them?¡± He asked, referring to the ones about to become Cultists. ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Dotty sighed in relief, her whole body seemingly relaxing after having been a knitted ball of tension. Ted went out, and Monica approached the kids¡¯ mother. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your name?¡± She asked. ¡°Madeline,¡± the weak woman replied. Monica took a long look at Madeline, noting that she was in her thirties and, if it weren¡¯t for her sickness, she would have been a beautiful woman. Sadly, it was clear that whatever she was suffering from had excavated her cheeks, thinned her hair, and made her skin almost translucid. Monica was tempted to try to heal the woman herself, but she didn¡¯t know much about healing other than to pour Mana into the Golden Flame, so she decided to wait for Heidi. Despite being an uppity girl, the blonde was still a professional Healer, meaning that she might know more than her about whatever was going on. ¡°This is a beautiful house,¡± the redhead said, trying to make small talk. ¡°Thanks. My husband built it for us¡­ before he ran away,¡± Madeline replied, sighing. Well, let¡¯s avoid small talk, then, Monica thought to herself. ¡°What about Ivor and his goons? Are they still lying outside? Do you think Ivor will want to create more trouble? If he does, I can always kill him.¡± ¡°Ivor is a bully but he¡¯s not stupid,¡± it was Dotty replying. ¡°You survived his strongest attack, so he¡¯ll probably not do anything while you are around. As soon as you leave, he might get ideas, though.¡± Even Madeline looked worried, knowing that Monica was certainly not going to stay in Rock¡¯s Heel forever. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a problem,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take Ivor with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dotty frowned. ¡°I will reform him with a little hunting trip, and if he doesn¡¯t change, I¡¯ll dump his corpse in the woods,¡± the redhead stated matter-of-factly. ¡°I know how bullies behave.¡± For some reason, she did. She had been aware from the very first moment she met the guy that this situation wouldn¡¯t be easily resolved. Sure, punching his teeth out was extremely satisfying, but, as Dotty had noted, Monica couldn¡¯t always stay on Rock¡¯s Heel to ensure he¡¯d behave. However, what she could do was to take him, and perhaps the two goons, on a little expedition. Ivor was the one protecting the village, from what Monica understood. Her body told her with supreme confidence that she could unmask Ivor¡¯s true character in one simple hunting trip, and if she found him to be a problem, she would kill him. However, if she could teach him some manners and give him the right incentives to be a decent person, it would do Rock¡¯s Heel good to have someone with a modicum of talent to take care of their monster problems. She didn¡¯t know how she could be so sure of herself, but so far, she had not been disappointed by her instincts. ¡°The council will probably want to talk to you,¡± Dotty said. ¡°The council?¡± Monica raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah,¡± Dotty shrugged before realizing that Monica had no idea what that meant. ¡°The older and stronger people in the village. The Blacksmith, a Hunter, and old Gertrude.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Monica shrugged. Right then and there, Heidi entered the house with her usual haughtiness, followed by the three young men with their wrists still bound and Ted. When Heidi looked at her, Monica pointed at Madeline. The blonde pursed her lips, approached the woman, and gave her a long look. ¡°Miss, would you mind lying on a bed and undressing for me?¡± Madeline agreed and was helped out by Heidi, who took her to a room. Monica followed them, curious, and told Dotty and Ronnie to wait outside. She wasn¡¯t sure Heidi would be capable of healing Madeline. Heidi''s brow furrowed as she examined Madeline¡¯s naked body, her hands hovering over the woman''s frail body. A soft green glow emanated from her palms, illuminating the dimly lit room. Monica watched from the doorway, her arms crossed, waiting for the verdict. The redhead noticed tiny black tendrils across the woman¡¯s chest. After several tense minutes, Heidi stepped back, a troubled look on her face. She motioned for Monica to follow her out of the room, closing the door softly behind them and letting Madeline rest. "It''s not good," Heidi said in a low voice, her usual haughty demeanor replaced by genuine concern. "She¡¯s showing signs of Corruption." Monica raised an eyebrow. "Corruption?" ¡°The emergence of an Old God¡¯s Dungeon inundates the surrounding areas with raw Mana that can¡¯t be fully metabolized by System users, meaning their bodies will start breaking down.¡± They both turned toward Lucas, who had been listening and spoke out loud in the living room. ¡°You can¡¯t heal that?¡± Monica frowned at the Healer. Heidi shook her head, frustration evident in her features. "No, I can''t. No one can heal Corruption. It¡¯s beyond the System.¡± ¡°The only thing one can do when signs of Corruption appear,¡± Lucas explained, ¡°is to evacuate everyone immediately. Small amounts of Corruption will slowly fade away, but if you¡¯re exposed for long enough, you¡¯ll just die. Painfully.¡± Lucas saw Monica walk toward him, thinking that she wanted further explanations. When her slap threw him on the ground, he held a hand to his stinging cheek with wide eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± He asked, genuinely confused. However, when he heard a sob and turned to see Dotty hugging Ronnie, he realized he had just told the two children their mother would die a painful death. ¡°Alright,¡± Monica said, ignoring Lucas. ¡°Dotty, Ronnie, why don¡¯t you come with me? I¡¯m going to try something.¡± Monica took the two children with her in Madeline¡¯s room, not letting anyone else in. Lucas said that I am an Avatar. Avatars¡¯ powers live outside the System. That means my healing should work. Monica prayed that her hunch was right and slowly lowered the blankets over Madeline¡¯s body, showing her chest and the black marks on it. Please, Monica pleaded inside. Please, work. Without explaining what she was doing, she laid her hands on Madeline¡¯s chest and started pumping Mana through the Golden Flame. Chapter 12 The Golden Flame spread slowly over Madeline''s body. Monica summoned it a few inches above her abdomen, from where it cascaded into golden droplets akin to falling stars. As soon as they touched the frail woman¡¯s skin, Monica felt a ripple in the Mana inside the room. Right after, the black tendrils started evaporating. But in an ominous twist, a screeching sound came from the black veins consumed by the Golden Flame. "It''s working," Monica told Dotty and Ronny, reassuring them that, despite the horrific sound effects, the healing process seemed to proceed unimpeded. Several minutes later, with about half of Monica''s Mana reserves gone¡ªthe most Mana she had consumed since awakening in this new world¡ªMadeline''s skin became rosy again. As if nourished by her flames, the woman''s cheeks filled up a little, and her hair thickened. Now, with some slight redness returning to her face, she looked like a beautiful woman in her twenties despite probably being a decade older, as if she was just taking a beauty nap. Dotty and Ronny stared at their mother with open mouths. However, Monica, who had felt the malicious power that had corrupted Madeline''s body, summoned two more Golden Flames, one each over the children''s heads. There was no screeching this time, but Monica could feel her Mana being drained. Now that she was looking for Corruption, unlike the first time she had healed the children inside the Twin Phoenix Temple, she could also sense traces of it in their bodies. ¡°I feel lighter!¡± Ronnie said, amazed. ¡°Is Mom okay?¡± Dotty asked with a hint of fear in her voice. She had, of course, seen Monica heal Madeline, but she didn¡¯t know if everything had gone well. ¡°She¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve eliminated all the Corruption,¡± Monica said. ¡°What was that sound?¡± Dotty asked, shivering at the sole thought of it. ¡°Good question,¡± Monica replied. * * * ¡°What we know of the Twin Phoenix, as an Ancient Beast, is that its Avatar is the greatest fighter,¡± Lucas shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t know much about the properties. Of course, Phoenixes are creatures known among Scholars for their regeneration, with some legends even alleging they can return from death by their ashes. However, I don¡¯t really know anything about the power of the Twin Phoenix¡¯s Avatar.¡± Monica had sought an explanation from the Level 21 Scholar, but not even he could explain beyond what was already evident: her powers were a match for Old Gods¡¯ Corruption. Moreover, she had gotten a pleasant surprise from the healing. *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 5 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 6 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 7 Monica checked her Akashic Record. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 6 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 37 Endurance - 30 Strength - 30 Dexterity - 59 Wisdom - 30 Spirit - 30 Intelligence - 30 Charisma - 30 Free Attributes: 0 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 7 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 7 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 5 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Monica unceremoniously dumped all her eighteen Free Attributes into Dexterity, bringing it from forty-one to fifty-nine. Faster lives longer was her reasoning. Plus, Ted had said that for every Strength Attribute, she needed about three Dexterity ones to have her speed maxed out. With Madeline healed and still sleeping, Monica had decided to let the kids enjoy the company of their mother and let them sleep off the tiredness of the trip in her same bed. That¡¯s why she had rounded up the three aspiring Cultists and had them stand before her, not too close to the house. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Monica said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m about to free all of you. If you want to rejoin the Cultists, go ahead and leave the village. If I find any of you messing with the people here, I will kill you¡ªbrutally.¡± The three lowered their gaze for a moment, and Monica smirked. ¡°Look at me, please,¡± she said. ¡°This is not a game. I don¡¯t need fake contrition. I¡¯m serious. Ted, cut their bindings.¡± Ted stepped over and cut the ropes binding their wrists with his knife. Let¡¯s give them some sense of security. Monica had lied, of course. She had been telling them from day one that they could rejoin the Cultists if they wanted to because it was the only way to weed out the wretched ones. She couldn¡¯t trust them, but she knew that if she gave a good enough impression that she wasn¡¯t going to kill them just to try and rejoin a cult, they might show their true hand. ¡°Please, go now.¡± If they go and try and leave now or tonight, I¡¯ll kill them. I can¡¯t risk it. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It wasn¡¯t a foolproof plan, but there wasn¡¯t a way that wouldn¡¯t take days, if not weeks, to weed out the real threats among them. Her idea was pretty simple. Someone trying to join a Cult must have not much going on in their life. ¡°Oh, by the way, if you want to take up a job in the village, let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to join you, milady,¡± Lucas said with his head bowed. I know you do, Monica thought. ¡°I still have to make plans, Lucas. Meanwhile, I¡¯d like you to help me gather the rest of the villagers so that I can heal them. Assess which ones are the most sick and bring them in mixed groups. Healing Madeline took half of my Mana, so it¡¯d be better to take more moderate cases for now and get a feeling of how much healing they need. Dotty and Ronnie, for some reason, required much less Mana than their mother.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Lucas''s eyes sparkled and, now with his hands free, fetched a booklet from his inner pockets and started scribbling on it. As soon as Lucas scampered away, Monica turned toward the other two. ¡°So,¡± she smiled. ¡°What about you guys?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going my way,¡± one of them said. ¡°Joining the Cultists?¡± She smiled innocently. ¡°None of your business.¡± Monica ignored the manners of the guy, who was an idiot as far as one could throw him. Instead, she focused on the other man, who was observing her reactions to his companion¡¯s idiocy. He might be interested in going as well. ¡°Go your merry way,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°But remember, if I catch you again, you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± the guy brooded and left. Then, she turned toward the cautious guy, who clearly, out of the three, represented the biggest threat. He¡¯s a smart one. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Tertius,¡± the guy said, holding her gaze. ¡°Tertius, what would you like to do?¡± Monica asked. The man took a long look at Monica before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill that guy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know his name?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t bother learning it. He¡¯s an idiot.¡± ¡°How do you know I¡¯ll kill him?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Tertius sighed and rubbed his face, ¡°you killed Sandoval. Sandoval had troubles with his Class and couldn¡¯t level, but that¡¯s because the old man was a fool. If he had chosen swordsman as his first Class, he would have been way past level 100. That¡¯s how skilled he was. To kill Sandoval, it takes someone beyond skilled. He twenty levels on you. And you¡¯re still Level 6.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand how that means I will kill your little friend,¡± Monica said, tilting her head. ¡°Some think that here and there you can find incredible warriors who are absolute idiots, Monica,¡± Tertius addressed her by name. ¡°It¡¯s this myth between nobility that the right breed of idiot will make for a peerless talent in battle. The reality is that you only go as far as your intellect and your luck. Sandoval made one wrong Class choice and got stuck his whole life. I¡¯ve asked Theodore how you killed the old man and managed to burn down the rest of the Cultists with one last breath.¡± The redhead started smiling without realizing it as she finally started picking up on what the young man was saying. ¡°You know how dangerous it is to let someone like him go,¡± Tertius said, ¡°pointing at the guy in the distance. You just don¡¯t want to kill innocents. But you¡¯re not letting us go back to being Cultists. You¡¯re most definitely not stupid.¡± ¡°And how do you know I won¡¯t kill you just for revealing my intentions? You know, you could have tried fooling me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a Goddess, but you¡¯re an Avatar. As far as I know, you might own a Skill able to spot lies. Gods are masters at that. If I tried to lie to you, you would have killed me on the spot.¡± ¡°Tertius sounds like a fancy name,¡± Monica reasoned out loud. ¡°And you called Ted Theodore. Are you a noble?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tertius sighed. ¡°Frustrated, intelligent, and a little bitter. Perhaps, not a firstborn, and therefore not someone who will inherit the family¡¯s fortune.¡± ¡°My older brother was trained to be the next head of the family,¡± Tertius confirmed Monica¡¯s guess. ¡°I¡¯ve known enough about Cultists and magic to know I would have thrived and been able to go back, perhaps with a Necromancer Class, and brought an army of the dead onto my brother¡¯s head.¡± Monica first crossed her arms and then brought a finger to her lips. ¡°You look like a practical man, Tertius. Would you like to listen to what I offer for you to keep your life?¡± Tertius raised his hands and gestured for her to go ahead. He¡¯s a fun kid, Monica mused, entertained by his manners. And I¡¯m pretty sure I can use him for good. ¡°I will take you with me, hunting. I¡¯ll help you become stronger. In exchange, you avoid joining an organization of idiots. You protect this village for three years, organize it, make sure that Ivor doesn¡¯t act out¡ªtrain Ivor to improve. And I will go with you to your brother¡¯s estate. If your brother is a fool, I will lend you a hand in getting rid of him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Tertius¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Pa-pa-pa,¡± Monica shut him up. ¡°I will only help as long you¡¯re good and just. I imagine I will be roaming the place to get more information on who I was and what happened to me and help out these people. Let¡¯s say you survive the training, the three years in the village, and somehow your brother has to cede his place to you. If I ever caught wind of you being a wretched piece of shit, I will come there, Tertius.¡± ¡°And you will kill me,¡± Tertius nodded. ¡°Lady Monica, this is an offer beyond fair. I¡¯ve always dreamed of dealing in such rational terms.¡± ¡°You will not like your duties,¡± she said. ¡°May I point out,¡± Tertius cleared his voice, temporarily ignoring her, ¡°that you do speak like someone with several hundred levels below her belt? Meanwhile, you¡¯re still quite weak, comparatively.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°Do you believe that will be the case for long?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Tertius shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s why I would like to accept the offer. I understand I will be tested. But that¡¯s all I really wanted out of my life. A fair chance. If my brother governs our lands properly, I will forfeit my claim.¡± ¡°This should make things easier,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Now, take this.¡± She took out a spear from her inventory. ¡°And go take care of the other guy. That¡¯s your first job.¡± ¡°Would like his whole body or just his head as proof?¡± ¡°Make it the whole body. And leave it somewhere outside the gates. I don¡¯t want the entire village to freak out.¡± Monica saw the guy take the spear, give it a long look, and nod. I hope he doesn¡¯t try to run, she thought. This could have been an incredible ruse. * * * Thankfully, it had been not. Tertius had returned after a few hours, giving Monica a curt nod and informing her, between healing breaks, that he had taken care of business and brought back proof. The reason she had given Tertius such a deal instead of just killing him was a burning feeling that the boy, like Lucas before, would be useful. She didn''t know why, but she could feel deep inside herself when someone had a chance at redemption. She imagined it was part of her powers as an Avatar. And, partially, the fact that she seemed to have a very strong sense of justice¡ªsometimes cruel justice with compassion only for those who worked for it. She had briefly wondered whether this was the right approach while still feeling alienated from her own feelings. She quickly concluded that it was hard to say. For the moment, she was at peace, knowing that it was the most practical approach. Perhaps it had been arrogant of her to make promises, first to Lucas and then to this guy. But Monica also didn''t want to sell herself short. It wasn''t arrogance when you had these powers. It was more akin to responsibilities. In fact, after a brief splitting headache, a peculiar phrase had emerged in her mind: "With great power comes great responsibility." She couldn''t agree more. That''s why she was currently setting up shop in the center of the little village where Lucas had brought her around six people, mostly with bad coughs, except for one burly man who presented on his half-naked chest the same tendrils that she had seen on Madeline''s skin. [Blacksmith - Level 15], read the tag above the man''s head. "Nice bracers," the blacksmith said, sitting on the stool that Monica had placed in front of herself. She didn''t want to stay standing the whole day. "Thanks," she said. "So, I hear you are capable of healing Corruption." "Yes," Monica said. "Do you mind?" She pointed at his chest. "How is it that you can heal Corruption when I know for a fact that Healers can''t do that? And how are you even able to know that this is Corruption? Who says you''re not a scammer trying to pull some weird con on all of us?" Understandably, after she''d healed a few people before this guy, she had finally gotten a skeptical person. With this being such a small village, she had been quite surprised no one had actually questioned her and just allowed her to work her magic on them like that. "Well, for one, I don''t take any money," Monica said. "Scammers are known not to take money upfront. Build trust if you want to pull a long con." "Well," Monica smiled, "I punched your village chief''s teeth out and dealt with his goons. If I wanted to take anything from any of you, it seems like I could just do that. Don''t you think?" The blacksmith scrunched his brow, bit his upper lip, and gave her a long look. He laughed heartily. "I guess you''re right." He pulled open his half-burned leather vest, exposing an incredibly muscular chest and a striking set of abs. He was a big guy, a middle-aged man, and if Monica remembered correctly, one council member. She stared at his body with an approving nod. Pretty nice, she thought to herself. She didn''t need to touch people to heal them, but she thought that going the extra mile wouldn''t hurt. So she placed her hands on his chest and summoned the Golden Flame. It''s not such a bad job after all, Monica smirked to herself. "Hey, that''s ticklish," the man complained. "Oh, shut up, you big baby." Monica slapped the man''s chest, making him slightly wince with the power behind her lithe fingers. *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 8 As soon as she was done, she felt she was about to run out of Mana. So she turned toward Lucas and said, "I''m done for now. I''ll take more tomorrow." Then she turned toward the blacksmith. "You''re on the council, right?" "You bet I am," the man said, putting his leather vest back on. "I guess I have to talk to you guys," she said with a smile. "Why don''t you gather the rest? I''d like to have a word." The blacksmith agreed and went to gather the rest of the council. As Monica watched the man''s large, muscular back move away, staring perhaps a bit too long, she suddenly heard a notification ring in her head. *Ding* Quest Completed - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land II/III¡¯ Investigate Rock''s Heel sickness. Reward: Loot Chest (Uncommon) *Ding* Because of your kind deeds and kindness in helping fight off the Corruption, your Reward has been upgraded. Reward: Loot Chest (Uncommon) Reward: Loot Chest (Rare) Chapter 13 With a raised eyebrow, Monica looked at the rare Loot Chest she had just gotten. ¡°Is that a Rare Loot Chest?¡± Tertius asked from the side. ¡°Dude, I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Ted exclaimed. Both young men kept her company while Lucas organized the rest of the sick people. Monica had briefly wondered whether she should have left Ted protecting Madeline and her children, but the village was so small that she could just glance toward their house and see if everything was okay. ¡°Rare?¡± Ted proceeded with his hand tics. ¡°Do you know how valuable that is? I¡¯m not even sure you should open it. You could sell that for a fortune!¡± ¡°You could sell that for a fortune,¡± Tertius commented, still frowning, with a hint of jealousy in his eyes. Clearly, the noble child still had a long way to go in terms of character. Which, to be honest, could also be said for Ted. Monica could recognize talent when she saw it, and she could feel that among all of them, Ted was definitely the most promising of the bunch but perhaps also the hardest to develop into a man. Both Lucas and Tertius had something they looked forward to. Ted clearly had no idea what his place in life was¡ªor, at the very least, there was no place he had yet to accept as his. Without further ado, Monica opened the Rare Loot Chest. Somewhat surprisingly, unlike the other ones she had opened before, the chest creaked open almost by itself. And inside, there wasn¡¯t an object. Just a ball of darkness. ¡°This is the first time I see a Rare Chest open in front of me,¡± Ted muttered. The ball of darkness slowly levitated in front of Monica, then she extended a hand and touched it. Immediately, the dark shadows coagulated in the ball, attached to her skin like sticky ink, and crawled all over her. The two young men were alarmed, but Monica, not feeling any hostility from the item, just stood there calmly, letting her arm fall to her side. The shadows extended all over her body except for her head, arriving right at the top of her neck, just below her jaw. As soon as they had covered every inch of her body except for her head, they started shaping themselves. ¡°Oh, I think it¡¯s armor,¡± Ted said, excited. Monica looked as the shadows took shape, molding themselves below the golden Twin Phoenix Bracers. I won¡¯t have to take them off, at least, Monica thought to herself. Even though this was a Rare item, she wouldn¡¯t have traded it for literally divine armor. After a few more minutes, the shadows slowly receded, consuming the robe and regular clothes Monica had been wearing. In their place, Monica now had sharp metal armor. It started with boots with mechanical articulations on her ankles and rose slightly above her knees, allowing her to flex her joints without any problem. Then the armor went from her waist to her chest, extending into shoulder guards. It looked like a leotard that also encompassed her shoulders. Thankfully, before the shadows fully disappeared, the tops of her thighs also got metal protection, extending from the previous leotard-looking armor. At least I won¡¯t be putting on a show wherever I go, Monica grinned to herself. Not that she felt any shame about it, really. Shame wasn¡¯t in her vocabulary at all, it appeared. As the darkness receded, it coagulated around her neck, leaving another piece of metal that joined above her chest into a dark gem. As all the darkness got sucked into the dark gem, she had to admit there was quite a bit of skin exposed going from her thighs to her arms, to a small section in her midriff, and most importantly, above her rather generous feminine attributes on her chest. When she found the two young men staring at her, she teased them. ¡°That¡¯s not where my eyes are, boys.¡± Both cleared their voices and looked away. She looked at the armor and the gem right below her chin. She tapped it curiously, and as soon as she did that, the shadows came forth again, filling all the spaces in her armor that had been left open. A viscous substance covered her skin, leaving a black film over it. So shallow she could still make out all the bumps and ridges of her flesh. But when she touched the film, she couldn¡¯t really feel her hands on her skin. ¡°Ted, give me your knife,¡± Monica told the young man. He turned, seeing the bodysuit made of shadows behind her armor and finding it almost even more attractive than the naked skin. He fumbled with his belt and gave Monica his blade. Monica looked at her elbow pits where the Bracers ended and plunged the knife into them with as much strength as she could. The film of dark shadows hardened in an instant, blocking the knife. She tried driving it with as much strength as she could, and only after ten seconds or so did she feel like she was reaching her skin. ¡°This is pretty good,¡± Monica said. Finally, she heard a notification ring in her head. *Ding* You obtained ¡®Nightshade Battleware (Rare)¡¯ * * * "Can you tell its ability?" Ted asked excitedly as they walked back toward Madeline''s house. "No. If you want, I can inspect it for you and show you its description. I''ve trained my Inspect Skill since I was a child. I skipped, well, a few years of training, but as long as you give me the right to it, I should be able to, at the very least, tell you what the armor can do." Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Monica gestured for Ted to go ahead, but the young man said, "I need your actual permission. Like, you have to say it." "You have my permission, Ted. Check out the armor," Monica nodded. On the side, Tertius looked skeptical. "What level do you have Inspect? 10? Because I have Inspect Level 23." "87," Ted said with a smirk. As soon as he activated the Skill, he heard the level up. "Actually, make that 88." *Ding* Auxiliary Skill ¨C Inspect reaches Level 88 Tertius'' eyes went wide, and Ted ignored them. "Nightshade Battle Wear. Rare. Actually, sorry. Scratch that." *Ding* You have successfully inspected Nightshade Battle Wear! Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Durability: 20/20 Enhancement Slots Available: 2/2 Shadows were woven into Dark Side Steel to craft this armor. Ted raised an eyebrow at the short description. It was much shorter than the description of his Defected Dwarven Mandolin, which was Uncommon. And to be fair, his Defected Dwarven Mandolin, despite having only thirteen Durability left, had a hundred when pristine. It also had five enchantments and two more slots for more. But the Nightshade Battle Wear¡¯s ability, unlike the Defected Dwarven Mandolin, was fully functional. Special Ability: Shadow Pact The shadows aid your natural speed. The wearer''s natural speed increases by 15%. Limitations: Shadow Pact can only increase speed up to 400 Dexterity. Ted immediately shared the window with Monica, who looked a bit nonplussed. "15% speed? That''s all?" Monica frowned. "Then you say the Rare equipment was supposed to be extremely strong?" "Flat percentages are the rarest bonuses one can find," Tertius suddenly explained. "My family only owns two items that have flat bonuses like this one. And they have stricter limitations. The fact that this armor allows you to reach 400 Dexterity before exhausting its effects is much stronger than you realize." "He''s right," Ted said. "15% means you''re 15% faster at everything. You can attack faster. You can run faster. You can flee faster. It''s massive." Monica shrugged. "Still doesn''t sound like that much to me." "Milady," Tertius said, trying to take a more respectful tone, "you are the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. I suppose that is why it doesn''t sound that amazing to you. If I ever had an item like yours, my brother would have considered taking it from my cold, dead hands to get it." "Alright," Monica said, raising her hands defensively. "I don''t mean to offend either of you. It just... 15% doesn''t sound like much. I understand it''s strong." She paused, then fished some money out of her Inventory. "Anyway, Tertius, Ted, why don''t you guys go see if you can buy some food for dinner?" The two looked at each other, and Tertius voiced a small complaint. "Milady, one of us is sufficient. You don''t need to send us both." Monica took out four silver and gave two each. "Let''s make this a competition. You get bad food, you sleep on the ground." She smiled wickedly. "I''m very hungry. I haven''t had a proper meal since I literally had memories." Monica''s voice trailed off. All the food that wasn''t human food¡ªas in made of humans¡ªhad been extremely plain and either smoked or pickled so it would not spoil. Monica craved a real dinner tonight. And if she had to put two young men against each other for her amusement to ensure she had said great dinner, she would. Tertius nodded curtly and turned on his heels, immediately going for the plaza where they had been staying up until a moment ago. Ted looked at Monica with a confused expression. "I don''t mind sleeping on the ground, and he''s too intense. Can I just let him do it?" She narrowed her eyes at Ted, wondering what could have motivated him better. Tertius clearly cared very much about not disappointing Monica, also because his life was quite literally in her hands. Ted instead was... well, he was Ted. "I''m sure Heidi will really appreciate a nice meal, and she would be very grateful to whoever fetched it for her," Monica said with a straight face. Ted scratched his chin and wagged his finger in the air. "Good point." Without another word, he turned on his heels and went for the village as well with an extremely determined gait. That''s all about the right incentives, Monica thought to herself and entered Madeline''s house. * * * Motivated by the lofty goal of conquering the icy Healer, Ted had gone all out. Even though Tertius had returned with some pork and a few vegetables an hour and a half earlier than Ted, the other young man had returned with bread, cheese, more pork, beef, milk, and many more vegetables than Tertius. "How did you get all that?" Tertius asked, confused. He had asked where to buy food and went to barter with a few locals, but he had no idea where Ted had gotten all this food. He had considered his own results quite bountiful, but Ted had returned with enough to make a feast for all of them. "Well, I was talking to Gertrude," Ted said with a shrug. "She told me she had some extra milk because they have a cow, and she also has a Skill to keep beef. So I asked her if I could have some." Tertius looked confused. He had also talked to Gertrude, but she had just sold him some vegetables. "I spoke to Gertrude," Tertius said to Ted. "Oh, yeah. She wasn''t going to sell me anything actually because you had gone there first. So I just asked what she was doing and what she does every day. And she talked a lot. She also invited over a few people, and we had a little tea. And when they heard that I was trying to make a feast for Madeline after she was cured, they all wanted to sell me something. Actually, at first, they didn''t even want to take money, really. Apparently, they all felt very bad about Madeline being so sick and bullied by Ivor, which, by the way, apparently, the Blacksmith has taken Ivor in his house and is letting him sleep this one over. They also think that Monica should probably help Ivor with his teeth because he''s very depressed right now since he cannot chew." Tertius looked at Ted as if he was talking to a boss monster out of a dungeon. How has this foolish idiot gotten so much from the villagers? he thought. Ted gave the food to Monica who, not knowing how to cook in the least, limited herself to teaching Ronnie the best ways to punch someone''s teeth out, which the kid absolutely loved, while Dotty helped their mother prepare food. The only comment to Monica hearing about Ivor being very sad about his teeth was, "I think I can heal them back, but I still haven''t gotten an apology first. And most importantly, I have yet to figure out where I''m bringing him and his thugs." However, a couple of hours later, when Madeline was done cooking all the food and laid it down on the beautiful marble table in her living room, Monica heard a notification go off in her head. *Ding* Quest Received - ¡®No Man¡¯s Land III/III¡¯ Locate the nascent Crystal Wolves Lair following the Quest directions and quench it. Rewards: Loot Chest (Rare) Chain Quest - Corrupted Gods Chapter 14 Monica stared at the new quest notification floating in her vision as everyone crowded around Madeline¡¯s marble table. The timing was perfect - she had been wondering what to do with Tertius, Ivor, and his thugs, and now a quest had conveniently dropped into her lap about Crystal Wolves. ¡°Lucas,¡± Monica said between bites of the surprisingly tender pork, ¡°enlighten me about Crystal Wolves.¡± The Scholar practically bounced in his seat, nearly knocking over his cup. ¡°Oh! They¡¯re fascinating specimens of Corruption¡¯s influence on¡ª¡± ¡°The short version,¡± Monica cut in, raising an eyebrow. Lucas deflated slightly. ¡°Right. They¡¯re like normal wolves but bigger, meaner, and covered in crystals. They feed off Corruption and spread it.¡± ¡°Are all Dungeons the result of Corruption?¡± Monica asked with a frown. ¡°No,¡± Lucas promptly replied. ¡°Most Dungeons are made by the System for people to conquer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between them?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°For starters, you cannot take a Corruption-infested Dungeon if you are not under the protection of a God,¡± Heidi grumbled by the side. The fact that Monica had so swiftly tackled a terminal case of Corruption had left her discouraged. ¡°She is right, milady,¡± Lucas said, clearing his voice. ¡°In normal circumstances, whenever Corruption starts spreading, the New Gods¡ª¡± ¡°The Gods,¡± Heidi snarled. ¡°There¡¯s only one set of Gods!¡± Lucas rolled his eyes. ¡°The present Gods,¡± Lucas said, acquiescing, ¡°take an active interest and start distributing Quests, which are otherwise very hard to pry from their hands. Every Quest costs a New¡ªwell, a present God a piece of their Divinity.¡± ¡°A piece of their Divinity?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°Milady, you wanted the short version,¡± Lucas said with a little mischief painted across his face. Monica looked at the man and let a Steel Talon appear on her right hand. ¡°Please, Lucas, why don¡¯t you continue with that attitude?¡± She said with a threatening tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure nothing bad will happen to you tonight if you do.¡± Lucas almost choked on a fried artichoke and raised his hands. ¡°I beg your pardon, milady. I forget my manners.¡± ¡°Dude, come on, don¡¯t be mean. You let them live, no?¡± Ted said, spearing a piece of meat with his fork. ¡°Under the condition that they prove themselves to be useful,¡± she said and turned to the Scholar. ¡°Lucas?¡± ¡°Yes, as I was saying, there¡¯s usually a set of minor Dungeons that start appearing as a result of Corruption spreading. Crystal Wolves are the most common, but also an undeniable sign we¡¯re dealing with the Old Gods¡¯ powers. It would be enough to report this for the New Gods to be alerted.¡± He slipped but Heidi just bristled in silence, noting that Monica still had to put away the armed steel glove from her hand and that was now glancing in her direction. ¡°So we do know this is definitely the work of Old Gods, alright.¡± Then, the redhead turned toward the Healer. ¡°Can you send a message to your God?¡± Monica asked. Heidi was taken aback by the request. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t know you liked the Gods,¡± Heidi frowned. ¡°Lady Monica is quite literally the Old Gods¡¯ worst nemesis. Neutral, however, when it comes to your Gods.¡± Neutral for now, Monica thought. ¡°Right,¡± Heidi nodded. ¡°I¡­ started building an Altar. It¡¯s almost completed. I just need some coin to power it.¡± Monica turned toward Lucas. ¡°The New Gods can be alerted from anywhere in the world,¡± he explained, ¡°no matter where they currently are. However, they require a tribute to draw upon their energies to send a message.¡± ¡°Coin?¡± Monica snorted. ¡°For some reason, that sounds really funny.¡± She turned toward Heidi. ¡°Finish your Altar, Heidi. I want to talk to a God. After that, I¡¯ll decide what¡¯ll happen to you.¡± ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± The Healer stammered. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t give you my permission to alert your patron to my presence, did I?¡± Monica smiled like a cat and tossed some Silver Coins at her. ¡°Now, though, go. You can skip this dinner since you were so eager to get in touch with your God.¡± Everyone looked at Heidi getting up without basically having touched anything of the feast that Madeline had cooked and stomping away. ¡°Miss,¡± Madeline said shyly, ¡°are you sure about this? I bet you¡¯re all famished after coming back from the Cultists.¡± Dotty had caught her up on what had happened. ¡°Heidi did nothing but whine since I rescued her,¡± Monica said, using the Steel Talons to shave the meat off a rib, dextrously dropping it in her mouth without having to splatter grease everywhere like the others. ¡°I don¡¯t know that what she did could have endangered not just me but all of you. She¡¯s lucky I let her live.¡± That shut Madeline up, with the woman protectively putting a hand on the shoulder of Ronnie, who was currently sitting in her lap. ¡°Mood-killer, dude,¡± Ted shrugged, biting into a pork chop. Monica sighed. ¡°Tertius,¡± she said, ¡°since we¡¯re in a mood for bad news. You¡¯ll go to the Blacksmith and make sure that Ivor and his goons are tied up. Sleep there, and put your spear through them if they try anything. We leave tomorrow at noon after buying some more food, packs, water, and whatever we might need.¡± Ted was eating in tranquillity, his brain shut off, when he found Monica staring at him. ¡°What?¡± He asked in between spoonfuls of a bean soup. ¡°Are you coming, Ted?¡± She asked. ¡°Coming where?¡± He frowned. ¡°The Crystal Wolves Lair.¡± Ted¡¯s spoon stopped mid-air, with the beans still fuming on top. ¡°Huh,¡± he replied. ¡°Huh, what?¡± Monica said, pressing him. ¡°Dude, I can¡¯t fight,¡± he said. ¡°What do you want me for?¡± ¡°Miss,¡± Dotty interjected from the side. ¡°Can I come?¡± Monica turned with a raised eyebrow toward the teen. ¡°Dorothy!¡± Madeline said, visibly paling. ¡°I need Levels!¡± Dotty immediately said. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. [Hunter - Lv. 4] That was the tag above Dotty¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m tired of us getting bullied since Dad left! I want to level up!¡± ¡°Dotty, you¡¯re just a child!¡± [Herbalist - Lv. 19] Monica read Madeline¡¯s tag and looked at the pork chop in front of her, sighing and putting the Steel Talon away, just biting deep into it like a savage. She was too hungry to worry about manners. She tuned out the argument between mother and daughter, knowing that if Dotty wanted to come, she¡¯d come regardless of what her mother said. Instead, she focused on Ted, knowing he would be distraught. In fact, Ted was gloomily looking at a corner of the room. Monica followed his eyes and found the mandolin he had gotten from the Loot Chest. Ted had said that Loot Chests gave something useful to whoever opened them. That meant that he was somehow connected to the musical instrument. A Class to do with music? Monica wondered, resisting the urge to ask Lucas out loud. ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯m going!¡± Dotty said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me in the house anymore, I¡¯ll just live in the woods after leveling up! I don¡¯t want to grow up as a coward like you!¡± Madeline scrunched her face angrily but pursed her lips, deposited Ronnie on the stone stool, and rose. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said, with tears in her eyes. ¡°Mommy!¡± Ronnie said, immediately following his mother in her room. ¡°You can come,¡± Monica said. ¡°But next time, I want you to have a decent conversation with your mother and me. You might bully her into coming, but you still need my permission.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Dotty said through her teeth. ¡°Take your food, your mother and Ronnie. Go eat in her room and talk this out with her. You don¡¯t need explicit permission, but you owe her to tell her how you feel without calling her a coward. Since neither of you has had an easy life, how about you show each other compassion?¡± Monica¡¯s words cut deep and Dotty started crying midway through taking her and her mother¡¯s plate. Once she left the room, Monica had been left with the three young man, one of which was staring at the mandolin in the corner and the other two who hurried to finish as much food as possible before Monica commanded them to leave. And they had been very smart about that. ¡°Lucas, I want Mana Potions.¡± The man had told her about Mana Potions. Lucas had said that Ivor might have stored quite a few since Mages had the tendency to run through their Mana in less than a minute at lower levels. ¡°For the trip, milady?¡± The Scholar asked. ¡°No. I need Mana Potions to heal everyone tomorrow before leaving. Tell them we¡¯re starting at dawn. I want all the Mana Potions in this village¡ªas much as I can ingest. I don¡¯t want to stop here too long.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lucas said, taking a few more fried artichokes with him as he left the table. ¡°Tertius.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going,¡± Tertius said, literally taking pork chops with him as he got up. ¡°Can I have that ale?¡± Monica looked at a small pitcher of ale and sighed, passing it to the noble. As soon as they were left alone, she switched stools to sit beside Ted and physically turned him to look at her. ¡°Ted.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He said, embarrassed. ¡°I need you to come.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Ted replied automatically. ¡°Who said?¡± Monica suddenly frowned. ¡°Huh, oh, nothing. It¡¯s a tavern thing. Why do you need me? You¡¯re immortal, an Avatar, or whatever. You¡¯re basically a Goddess. I¡¯m literally talking to a Goddess.¡± ¡°Not a Goddess¡ªjust immortal.¡± ¡°Whatever, dude. Why do you need me?¡± Monica grabbed Ted¡¯s cheek with her left hand and brought her Steel Talon close to his face. He tried pulling away, but Monica¡¯s strong grip held him in place. ¡°W¡ª¡± Monica took a splattered bean from the side of his nose and threw it back on the table. She didn¡¯t let go, though. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Ted. I really don¡¯t like lies,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Did you get it?¡± ¡°Get what?¡± Ted frowned. Monica pointed with the Steel Talons at the musical instrument. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he spoke through his squeezed cheeks. ¡°I saw you act weird after you played. You were drifting all of today, staring into the air. When I asked you to come, you didn¡¯t say you would be useless. You said I¡¯m the Avatar, and you kept staring at the instrument.¡± Monica got dangerously close to him until their eyes were no more than a few inches apart and she was staring into the light green irises of his. ¡°Did you get the Class?¡± Ted felt his heart pick up as Monica¡¯s breath grazed his skin. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Yes or no, Ted.¡± Ted swallowed and nodded through Monica¡¯s grip. ¡°Good. If you¡¯re coming, be out in the plaza at noon. Otherwise, this is where we part.¡± ¡°I have summoned the Healer,¡± Heidi¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side. Monica gave Ted¡¯s eyes one last glance and then released her grip, getting up. ¡°Make your choice, Ted.¡± * * * When Monica entered the room where Heidi had set up her bed, she almost did a double-take. Heidi constructed a small altar with a piece of wood and a rune drawn with her blood. Not that different from Cultists, Monica thought with irony. However, the translucent image of a blonde man in white robes sitting in the air with his legs crossed was impressive. Monica could feel a strong pressure in the room and on her very soul. So this is a God. She looked at the being with a straight face as she went to stand in front of him. The Healer God frowned as he got up and looked at Monica. He examined her from head to toe with a growing furrow in his brow, so deep his entire forehead had become wrinkled. Then he settled his deep blue eyes onto her purple ones. Finally, he looked at Heidi. ¡°Heidi, you have rendered a great service. Now please step out of the room,¡± the God commanded. ¡°Yes, Your Holiness,¡± Heidi said, bowing her head. ¡°I would like to keep the girl in the room, actually,¡± Monica said with a smile. The God frowned at Monica¡¯s request. ¡°Why is that?¡± he asked. ¡°She is a brat,¡± Monica said with a smile. ¡°She needs to be taught manners. I would like her to listen to this and¡ªactually, scratch that. I would like for her to be more responsible, and responsibility starts by not being treated like a child. So, Heidi, why don¡¯t you stay?¡± The Healer God gestured for Heidi to do whatever she wanted and settled his attention on Monica. ¡°You are indeed a creature of old. I can feel it. We have never seen Avatars in this universe.¡± Monica wasn¡¯t out to antagonize a God directly, but she also didn¡¯t want to appear excessively weak. For now, she settled on using some manners. ¡°I woke up without memories. And I don¡¯t know if you have thought about it, but I have no interest in meddling with whatever business you have.¡± ¡°You say that,¡± the Healer God mused. ¡°But you offer to go to a Dungeon full of Corruption after you¡¯ve taken on the responsibility of completely healing this village. Now, as you pointed out, you challenge my command for the sake of educating a low-level Healer. I could send Level 400 Paladins. And you take an interest in a girl barely off her mother¡¯s teat. You are, if anything, a meddler.¡± Monica understood that the mention of Level 400 Paladins was a show of strength from the God, but she kept quiet. If he was a God, he should rightfully have a little arrogance, and she didn¡¯t want to step on his toes. ¡°Okay. I meddled,¡± Monica admitted. ¡°So far, I killed Cultists and healed villagers. I also stopped a village chief from abusing a woman and throwing her out of her house with her two children. A sick woman. Well, she was sick, at least.¡± The Healer narrowed his eyes. ¡°Gods do not meddle in all conflicts. Otherwise, wars would erupt left and right. Avatar of the Twin Phoenix.¡± ¡°I just said to my friend,¡± Monica smiled, ¡°I am not a God. I might be immortal, perhaps, but I am human. Well, Earther, whatever that means.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that word,¡± the Healer said. ¡°Me neither. Before reading it in my Akashic Record.¡± ¡°Peculiar,¡± the Healer God crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I will alert the other Gods to your presence, and we will send a contingent of adventurers here. All ordained and all with divine protection. The Crystal Wolf Lair is nothing but the beginning. There must be a much deeper source of Corruption. The Old Gods usually take residence in remote places where danger abounds for mortals.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t like people getting sick because of some gods. Neither do you. I will go and clear out the Crystal Wolf Lair.¡± The Healer God wasn¡¯t a man of many words, but he looked at Monica and said, ¡°You have no memory, Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, and I have never met an Avatar, nor do I have knowledge of Avatars ever walking this universe. Tell me now. What moves you?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± Monica asked. ¡°You killed Cultists because you awoke in their midst. You healed the woman because she was sick and found you. You punched a man because he was unjust. Gods pursue the ultimate meaning of their Class. My followers heal injuries and protect. The War God¡¯s followers fight monsters to honor their patron. The Thief God, albeit a less palatable profession, still has a very clear mansion for his followers. You are not bound to a goal, though, are you?¡± Monica had secretly been thinking about the same thing. ¡°No,¡± she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have a purpose in this world. I don¡¯t have an identity. I don¡¯t have nor need followers. And even though my Class is called Phoenix Healer, you and I couldn¡¯t be more different.¡± The Healer God nodded, not offended by the comparison. ¡°What do you seek from this life? As long as you¡¯re fighting Corruption and the Old Gods, I doubt any of us would make trouble for you, but your existence will have to be an important point of discussion. I bet you understand how upsetting your presence will be for some of us.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Monica said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a tagline to sell you on, Healer God. I plan on doing whatever I deem just. I will fight, level up, and seek challenges. I guess justice will be leading me wherever it is needed. For now, it appears to be a Corrupted Dungeon. Next? Who knows.¡± ¡°Those are dangerous words,¡± the Healer God said. ¡°They are,¡± Monica acknowledged with a neutral expression. ¡°Because even a God could one day find himself on the wrong side of justice.¡± Chapter 15 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 8 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 9 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 10 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 11 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 12 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 13 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 14 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 15 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 16 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 17 *Ding* The Golden Flame is currently ten levels higher than the Obsidian Flame, creating an imbalance in your body. Your mind is calmer and more peaceful. Current Unbalance: Mild. *Ding!* Your Tutorial Ability activates. [Tutorial Message] Level Up the Obsidian Flame to restore the balance. Monica had just spent two hours healing everyone in the village. No one had been nearly as bad as the blacksmith and Madeline. With the Mana Potions that Lucas had scavenged in Ivor¡¯s house and their house, Monica had managed to heal all the residents and restore half of her Mana reserves. Lucas told her that with all the Mana Potions she had consumed, she probably should avoid drinking more unless she wanted to have her Mana regeneration crippled for the next three days. Monica didn¡¯t have a problem with that. It was about two and a half hours after dawn, and she went to wake up Tertius inside the blacksmith¡¯s house, where he was guarding the three idiots whose teeth she¡¯d punched out the day before. Monica found Tertius on a stool, hugging a spear, half asleep, half awake. She gave him a pat on the shoulder when the blacksmith, whose name was Hank, let her into the room where the four had been sleeping. Tertius almost fell forward but quickly regained his balance, and Monica gestured for him in silence to leave the room. He followed the order sleepily and went to lay on the blacksmith¡¯s couch, immediately passing out. Monica went up to Ivor, finding the Fire Mage sleeping soundly, even on the rocky pavement of the unadorned room. She grabbed his face, squeezing tightly. His eyes shot open, alarmed. She stopped him from screaming and summoned a Golden Flame over her hand. She felt a good chunk of Mana leave her body and looked at the man with an annoyed expression. ¡°You cost me Mana that I could definitely put to better use, Ivor,¡± she said. ¡°So, think very well before replying to what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± She felt her mind unusually calm and peaceful, and so she had to push very hard through it to get the mean bones of her going. ¡°You and these two idiots will come with me to the Crystal Wolves¡¯ Lair that spawned nearby,¡± Monica said. ¡°You will fight, you will level up, and you will become useful to this village. I will now ask a few questions. And if you lie to me or if I don¡¯t like your answers, I am killing you. Do you understand?¡± Nod for yes. Ivor nodded hastily. ¡°Very well.¡± Monica removed her palm slowly from his mouth, looking at him with a poignant look. Ivor didn¡¯t dare to speak first. Monica smiled and said, ¡°First question. Why did you want the house?¡± As a reminder, if you lie or I don¡¯t like your answer, you¡¯re dead.¡± Ivor quickly scuttled back to the wall, sitting with his back against it, and looked around, trying to think of an answer. ¡°Do not think, Ivor. Just give me an answer. If I think you¡¯re lying to me, you¡¯re dying anyway. Be sincere.¡± She saw Ivor actually blush as he started explaining himself. ¡°I just was jealous that she had the best house even though she¡¯s useless. I¡¯m the village chief. I should have the best house.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Monica decided that really worried Ivor. But the man didn¡¯t know that she liked the answer. It was a straightforward idiotic answer¡ªidiots could be worked with. It wasn¡¯t real evil malice that hid behind the man. It was just pettiness. ¡°Second question,¡± Monica said. ¡°Describe your duties around here to me.¡± Ivor seemed to think for a second before saying, ¡°Sometimes a wolf will come by, and I have to stay up and kill it. Wolves getting into the village are very dangerous to everyone, me included. Other than that, we have a council every now and then if there¡¯s a widespread issue, but that¡¯s it. That¡¯s what I do.¡± And then something crossed his mind. ¡°Well, also, if a merchant comes by, I will be the one alongside the council telling him what to bring next time or things like that. But this is a small village. It doesn¡¯t really matter what people do. They can pretty much do whatever they want. If they want to build a house, let them build a house. We don¡¯t have rules.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re in charge¡ªwell, you were,¡± Monica emphasized the ¡®were¡¯, ¡°in charge of the village safety. But you took the most vulnerable woman out of her house, the most frail being in this village who had two children, because you wanted that house.¡± Ivor immediately sputtered, trying to find justification. ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t pay the taxes. We do levy a little tax because we need to buy materials like the tools for the lumber we use for the palisade. And¡ª¡± Monica raised a finger, and Ivor immediately shut up. ¡°The palisade is in shambles. It¡¯s actually a surprise that monsters haven¡¯t just folded it over. And that¡¯s not my question. My question is whether you use this justification or the other. You just went to the weakest woman with two children and threw her out of her place.¡± Ivor opened and closed his mouth, but he was clearly ashamed of himself. Shame is not enough, Monica thought. Lots of bastards can talk themselves out of shame, but at least he is not without a conscience. I might be able to work with him. But I¡¯m still not fully sure. I have to wait and see how he behaves when real danger shows. That¡¯ll tell me everything I need to know about him. ¡°Very well,¡± Monica said, exhaling and walking toward the two goons who had woken up and looked at her fearfully. She placed a hand on each of their mouths and healed their teeth, feeling now less than one-fourth of her Mana remaining. ¡°We leave at noon. You will train with me and then return here to actually do your job. If I find you didn¡¯t, at some point, I will come back, and I will remember your name, Ivor. I¡¯m sure that they will fill you in on who I am. So when they do, and you find out that I can keep coming for you till the day you die because I cannot indeed die, you will find that a convincing argument to stop being a piece of shit. Do you understand?¡± Ivor nodded, scared out of his wits. ¡°Tremendous.¡± Monica clapped her hands. ¡°Now I have other business to attend.¡± She entered the forge of the blacksmith, which was just a few feet away from the house made of stone, unlike the wood of the man¡¯s house. It was much cruder than Madeline¡¯s own house, but it was definitely something that wouldn¡¯t catch on fire easily. ¡°Hank.¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Gather up the council.¡± * * * Monica only had a brief discussion with the council, telling them to watch over Madeline and Ronnie and that she would be training Ivor. Initially, they had expressed reservations about having Ivor be stronger, but Monica had assured them that, by the time she was done with the Dungeon, she would have a system of checks and balances for them. Then, by noon, she found Tertius, Ivor, and the two goons by the center of the village. Beside them stood Dotty, with Madeline watching worriedly over her. ¡°Lucas,¡± Monica said, handing the man the Book of the Twin Flame. ¡°Watch over her and the kid. By the time I return, I would like the highlights from the book.¡± The tome was thick enough that Monica had quickly lost patience while riding all the history about the Twin Phoenix. Since Lucas was a Scholar, it was a task better suited for him¡ªnot to mention it would keep him away from giving another shot at Cultist life. ¡°Of course, milady,¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes shone like stars as he cradled the book in his arms like a newborn baby. Unexpectedly, she saw the blonde Healer walk up to her. ¡°I want to come,¡± Heidi said. ¡°Why?¡± Monica asked. ¡°My Lord would want me to. This is a Corrupted Dungeon we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Heh, wrong answer,¡± Monica brushed her off, turning away and about to inspect Dotty¡¯s pack. ¡°Hey! I said¡ª¡± Monica turned with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Yes?¡± The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix asked. ¡°I¡ªI¡­¡± ¡°To please your God is not a good reason. Without good reasons, people act like idiots. These guys?¡± Monica pointed at Tertius, Ivor, and the two goons whose names she realized she¡¯d have to learn sooner or later. ¡°They are here to save their lives. That¡¯s a decent reason.¡± Then, she turned to Dotty. ¡°She understands that power is a currency and that she needs it to protect her family.¡± ¡°I want to become stronger, too!¡± Heidi protested. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Monica agreed. ¡°But you¡¯re behaving childishly. If I bring you, who knows how many you¡¯re going to get killed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Healer!¡± Heidi said through her teeth. ¡°My job is to heal people!¡± ¡°I have quite literally a divine flame that does the same job but better,¡± Monica said with a shrug. ¡°You serve no real purpose in terms of usefulness. While I could see some use for your services, you would be a liability. And, if decided to bring you, it would only be because of my large heart, Healer. Not because you¡¯re of any use as of this moment.¡± Heidi was flabbergasted by Monica¡¯s reaction. No one had ever spoken to her so candidly. Not even her teachers, who had inculcated in her brain that Healers were a superior Class among them all, able to render unique services that only they, and their patron God, could dispense. ¡°So?¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± She felt a terrible need to prove herself after being foolishly captured by the Cultists. She had been on a small expedition of low-level Adventurers sent by her Church to preside over what should have been an easy hunt. Instead, they had gotten ambushed and killed by Cultists. Part of the blame was on her for not requesting a stronger escort for the Adventurers. She had known they had been too weak to go on their own, but she had foolishly thought that her healing abilities would have made up for that. ¡°Please?¡± Heidi asked, desperate. ¡°Alright,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Asking nicely and a little groveling are good. Now, stay away from Dotty unless I give you explicit orders. Those four are all yours, though. Do you understand?¡± Heidi nodded, slinging a pack over her shoulder and standing in line with the others. Good. I¡¯ll take care of Dotty, Monica thought. Plus, this will help save me some Mana and let the Obsidian Flame catch up. I don¡¯t want the Golden Flame to level even more and influence my mind more than it¡¯s already doing. I don¡¯t like being softer. So far, being her real, mean self had been a struggle. Despite the ¡®Mild¡¯ description of the Status Condition, the Golden Flame had a rather strong effect. ¡°Are we going?¡± Tertius asked. ¡°When I say so,¡± Monica replied, craning her neck to look at Madeline¡¯s house in the distance. ¡°Madeline, is Ted home?¡± ¡°No, he packed and left in the middle of the night,¡± she said. Chapter 16 Several Hours Before, Middle of the Night *Ding* You obtained a Title. *Ding* You obtained (Epic) Title - [Witness of Legends] *Ding* You fulfilled the requirements for the Class ¨C Bard (Rare) Would you like to accept this Class? YES|NO Those had been the notifications Ted had been staring at at least a hundred times in the past day. Of course, the only reasonable course of action for him was to accept the Class that his mother had quite literally died trying to obtain. Not only that, but it appeared that perhaps just by being around Monica, he had obtained the ¡°Witness of Legends¡± Title. He had been curious enough to ask the others, Tertius and Lucas, if they, too, had gotten the Witness of Legends Title. But he felt somehow alienated enough at the moment that he had just stared in a semi-catatonic state at the wall of his room in Madeline¡¯s house until late at night. He looked at his pack. He had packed some food and a little water in his leather skin he had gotten from the villagers. He slung it across his shoulder and went out. As he left the room, he saw Madeline still in the kitchen, rubbing the dirt off the pots, probably before bringing them to the river. ¡°Hey,¡± Madeline said. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Ted looked at his pack and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I need to get some air.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She was a beautiful woman, but Ted was so distraught that he almost didn¡¯t notice the very thin garment she was wearing before leaving. He walked outside of the rotten gate for several minutes along the path that went from the village into the woods. He knew that the woods were dangerous at this hour of the night, but he was close enough to the edge that with his spear, he was confident. It was safe. It would be safe. He found a rock big enough to sit on and looked at the mandolin that he had been carrying. ¡°You stupid thing,¡± Ted said under his breath. He didn¡¯t know exactly what bothered him so much about all of this. His father, Augustus Deadbane, had wanted to train him to be a great swordsman, and his mother, Ravenna Deadbane, had taught him music so that if she had ever managed to get the Bard Class, he would pick it up as well. Both parents had regarded him as a rare talent and had imagined a bright future for their child. After his mother¡¯s death, Ted¡¯s relationship with his father had deteriorated faster than a comet crossing the sky. It had taken Ted less than a month to decide. He had stunned the man even when he had been on the verge of getting the Class his father had made him work so hard for. But he didn¡¯t care. He cared nothing for the Class that Augustus Deadbane had worked so hard to get him. He had just wanted his father to damn well acknowledge his role in his mother¡¯s death. He just wanted him to say, ¡°Son, I am sorry.¡± Ted had told his mother several times that she had been pushing herself too hard. He, a child, had been able to see that. And the fact that Augustus, even when Ted had shouted in his face, had refused to say, ¡°Yes, I pushed your mother too hard,¡± had maddened him beyond belief. He wasn¡¯t honestly afraid that his father would have pushed him the same way. But something so dishonest about his father¡¯s behavior had just driven Ted out of his mind. And now when Ted looked at the Title and the Class, he felt dishonest. He felt like he had abandoned the path his parents had drawn for him. Like a coward. But somehow, he had gotten a second chance, the greatest one could ever get. He had gotten a Rare Class by knowing Monica and playing a little stupid song. He hated that. He really hated that. Deep in his soul, he could feel it was wrong. His mother had died for this. She had lost her life because of this Class, looking for it, trying to find clues and complete as many dungeons as possible while playing this stupid instrument. She had tried everything. And yet, he had just gotten it like this. Ted felt tears pooling in his eyes. Had his mother died for nothing? And he, a fool, would run away from home, away from opportunities that most people dreamt of, and get this Class just like this? Because of what? He stayed like that for a while, crying, not really wanting to find a good reason to accept the Bard Class. He knew that he could have made a thousand reasons, a thousand justifications for why he should just move on, take the Class, and forge a new life for himself. He was growing older and couldn¡¯t keep living like this. He couldn¡¯t forever be the tavern idiot. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He knew it. It was such a simple, rational conclusion that he had come to it two minutes after receiving the notification for the Class. But at the same time, such a large part of him had inscribed an utter refusal in his flesh for the Bard Class, any Class, or any role in life. No matter how pathetic it might have sounded, Ted wished that perhaps a God, perhaps Monica herself, could have smitten him out of existence so that he wouldn¡¯t have to choose and wouldn¡¯t have to confront reality. He didn¡¯t deserve the Class. He didn¡¯t deserve the opportunity that Monica was offering him. And for some reason, Monica was treating Tertius, who had done nothing different than him, who had joined the same damn people-eating cult much more harshly than him. Instead, she had asked Ted whether he wanted to stay or not, whether he wanted to take the Class or not, and whether he wanted to go on an adventure with her. And for some reason, that made Ted cry even harder. He didn¡¯t feel like he deserved any of this. He berated himself for acting like this, for being such a wimpy child. He didn¡¯t even understand at some point why he was crying anymore. What mix of his mother¡¯s loss, love of Monica¡¯s trust, or this opportunity from the System was putting the screws on him? He just knew that by the time the sun would come up, he would have to make a choice. A Bard is born where a great story might be about to unfold. Wielding the power of music to inspire, heal, and defend, they accompany or incarnate the greatest tale-makers. Your melodies can bolster allies, demoralize foes, and even shape the fabric of reality itself. +3 END, +3 DEX, +3 INT, +3 SPI, +6 CHA and 3 Free Attributes per Level +6 END, +8 DEX, +6 WIS, +10 SPI, +6 INT, +18 CHA and 6 Free Attributes per level Needed Experience Modifier: x10 Would you like to accept the Class ¡®Bard?¡¯ YES|NO Reading the description of the Class made it even worse for Ted. His mother¡¯s dream had been to unearth the fabled Nine Wonders and complete the Great Dungeons that were associated with them. In the era of the Old Gods, extinct races like the Dwarves created marvelous structures and places whose names are still written in the history books. Each great place was associated with a hidden, extremely hard-to-find Great Dungeon. His mother had dreamed that, once she unlocked the Bard Class, she would have started hunting for them. She had essentially paused everything in her life, not just the pursuit of this dream, because of the stupid Class. And now, it just hovered in front of him. Just like that. ¡°I should just go,¡± Ted said, looking into the dark forest. ¡°I should just disappear.¡± * * * Monica was royally pissed. She didn''t know why she cared so much about someone wasting their talent, but she could feel it deep in her core that this simple idea of Ted not capitalizing on whatever he held in his heart made her furious. And she wasn''t subtle about it. She was stomping the ground, muttering curses, and leading the column of people bound for the Crystal Wolf''s Lair. A suffused, tense silence followed. Everyone looked at each other and then at Monica''s back. Dotty had even considered interrupting the woman''s trail of thought and curses, but even she, probably the boldest of the group, had decided that wouldn''t have been a great idea. About half an hour into their trek through the woods, with Monica so mad that sparks of dark flames erupted above her head every now and then, the column made up of Monica, Tertius, Ivor, Dotty, and the two goons suddenly stopped. Monica squared her shoulders, and everyone looked forward to see what was happening. "Ted," Monica said, half angry, half curious. They found Ted standing his ground in the middle of the road. "Monica," Ted said. Monica could see that Ted''s eyes were puffy and red. From his pale complexion, it looked like the young man had been up all night. "What are you doing here?" Monica asked, deciding she wasn''t going to make it easy for the young man who had not presented himself where she had told him to be if he wanted to come along. "I''ve made my decision," Ted said. "Your decision?" Monica said. "I told you to be ready at the village in case you wanted to come. You missed your opportunity, Ted. This is not a game. We''re going to destroy a Dungeon that''s spreading corruption so that the monsters there won''t come looking for the villagers. You might choose to be weak in the privacy of your life. But when it comes to protecting others, when it comes to justice, there''s no such luxury." A fiery aura surrounded Monica as she spoke with the full might of her Title Class bearing down on Ted. It was unconscious, but Monica was suddenly exerting aura pressure over the young man. But Ted didn''t break. The silly man just looked at her. And then got on his knees, put his hands on the muddy ground, and placed his forehead between them. Monica''s aura suddenly retreated. "What are you doing, Ted?" Monica asked. "Apologizing," she heard the man''s voice coming across as crystalline and warm. Despite the fact that he was kneeling on the ground, there wasn''t shame in his voice nor contrition. And Monica found a lot of determination in his words. "Do you think apologizing is enough? Do you think this little move of yours will move me?" Monica said. "Give me a reason, Ted, for you to come with me. A good one. A very good one. I don''t do second chances." Ted slowly rose, standing again, and looked Monica straight in her deep blue eyes. "I promised my mother that I wouldn''t let her down. This was eight years ago. I promised her and meant it with all my heart that I would do even better than her. She was everything to me. And she died, never even getting started on her dream. She dreamed of reaching the Nine Wonders and facing the Great Dungeons beyond them. I''ve accepted the Class, Monica, and I''ve decided I am going to carry on my mother''s dream. I will visit all the Nine Wonders. I will find where they are, and I will complete all the Great Dungeons so that my mother''s dream can keep living on." Monica crossed her arms and stared at Ted. The two sustained each other''s gaze for about a minute before the redhead spoke again. "And you think this is enough?" she asked. "Yes," Ted replied without hesitation. At that, Monica walked up to him. Once they were in front of each other, she moved so fast Ted couldn''t even see her figure, couldn''t even react. And before realizing it, the young man was in a strong, tight hug from the woman. "I''m happy," Monica sighed with a hand on the back of his neck. "I have a feeling, Ted, that we''re going to do great things together." "Me too," Ted said, feeling a few tears coming out of his eyes. "Me too." Chapter 17 *Ding* You have slain [Brown Wolf ¨C Level 6] Monica looked at the beast that had come lunging for her from the soft underbrush of the forest. Thanks to the Quest, they had followed the arrow that had appeared in a window in front of Monica, but soon, the direction had started pointing away from the dirt road and straight into the thick of the forest. That had not only slowed them down but also meant that everyone had to stay on guard. Thankfully, when the Brown Wolf had attacked Monica, she had simply raised one of her Twin Phoenix Bracers and let the animal bite on the hard gold of it. The wolf¡¯s teeth had not even scraped the material when Monica grabbed the throat of the monster and set it on fire. Sadly, the monster had been weak and had granted Monica no Skill Level, no Class Level, nor any interesting reward. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Wolf¡¯s Meat x1 Wolf¡¯s Fur x1 Wolf¡¯s Tendons x2 Silver Coins x2 She let the animal go, falling to the ground with a thud, and sighed at the tree on the side, looking up. "Ted, come on. Come down." Ted sat on the tree''s branch and looked down at Monica, standing with the dead Wolf at her feet. "Dude, how do you know there''s not more around?" he cried. "Don''t make me burn down the tree and waste Mana," Monica sighed. "Come on, come down. And where did you throw the spear? Come down, pick it up, and I''ll hold the next Wolf down so you can kill it. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to get stronger?" ¡°I play music!¡± Ted complained. ¡°I don¡¯t kill wolves!¡± Monica rubbed her face and turned toward the others. ¡°Dotty, you¡¯re up next, then,¡± she sighed. ¡°Tertius, you close the file. Ivor, don¡¯t use fire while we¡¯re in the forest. Lucca, Rochus, you two make sure Heidi doesn¡¯t die to a wolf.¡± Heidi had not enjoyed the trek into the deep foliage and Monica¡¯s lackadaisical attitude about their safety. However, she was too afraid to voice her concerns, and, to be fair, the woman had charged the two men to be by her side at all times to make sure she wouldn¡¯t die from a wolf¡¯s sneak attack. Monica crouched beside the dead wolf before it could disappear between noxious fumes, examining its fur with one of her Steel Talons. The Beast had been weak, yes, but something about the way it moved had caught her attention. She could feel traces of corruption lingering in its flesh, even after death. ¡°Ted..." She glanced at the nervous bard-to-be. "Try not to scream if you see another wolf. You''ll bring the whole pack down on us." "I don''t scream," Ted protested weakly, climbing down the tree. "I just... express surprise. Vocally. And with great enthusiasm." They soon resumed their walk, with Dotty now walking beside Monica. Ted had Inspected the sword that Dotty had gotten from Sandoval, a Rare sword. Heidi, with her usual grace, had said that giving such a precious artifact to a child was a waste of money. Twilight''s Edge (Rare) Durability: 35/40 Enhancement Slots Available: 2/3 A blade forged in the remnants of a dying star. Enchantment #1: Antimagic Edge - Twilight¡¯s Edge can destroy spells by cutting at their core. Special Ability: Twilight Blade - Twilight¡¯s Edge massively increases the efficacy of Antimagic Enchantments. Apparently, if what Ted said was to be believed¡ªwhich Monica did believe¡ªit was an extremely rare enchantment to possess. The young man had also reluctantly said that the Class he himself was supposed to gain had been one to do with Antimagic. Thinking about it, Monica stopped the group and turned toward Ted. ¡°Ted, you said your father had set up a Class for you but that you never got around to fulfill its requirements, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°It was an Uncommon Class that would evolve to Rare once I got to Level 100. It¡¯s a pretty big deal, dude. My dad worked hard for it.¡± ¡°Do you still know its requirements?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Yeah, dude,¡± Ted frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You said the Class had to do with Antimagic, and Dotty here has a sword that is full-on Antimagic. Just tell me the requirements so we can teach her the Class.¡± At that request, everyone went silent. Ted just stared back at Monica with wide eyes. Tertius suddenly cleared his voice, trying to clear the awkwardness. ¡°Milady, Class requirements are extremely secretive. If what Ted said is true, the Class would be worth several thousand in Gold, if not more. Antimagic Classes, no matter how weak initially, can become the greatest nightmare of a caster or any Class relying on magic. They¡¯re hard to level up and find, but once they get going, they¡¯re quite terrifying.¡± ¡°Ted,¡± Monica said, looking away from Tertius. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ted suddenly said. ¡°You saved my life, you gave me the Loot Chest, and I got my mother¡¯s dream Class by doing nothing. This is the least I can do. Plus, I¡¯ve always believed it¡¯s better to share this kind of knowledge. It doesn¡¯t make sense to hoard it. So, listen up.¡± Everyone now perked their ears. ¡°There are four requirements: you need to have a fighting Class already. My father planned for me to accept the best Class at my disposal before fulfilling the requirements. This will give specific variations of the Class. Second, you need an Antimagic weapon with an Antimagic Enchantment, which Dotty already has. Third, you must fight a Caster with a Class rarer than your current Class. Fourth, you need to kill the Caster with a blow that destroys a spell of theirs and takes their life.¡± All of the present deflated except for Monica. For that to be an Uncommon Class, it surely had some very hard-to-fulfill requirements. Only someone born with great resources in their family could hope to, first of all, get the right weapon, get an enchantment on it, and then find a Caster they could kill like that. However, the redhead just looked at Dotty with a wide smile. ¡°Well,¡± Monica said, summoning a wisp of Obsidian Flames into her hand, ¡°we have everything, don¡¯t we?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. * * * Dotty looked very nervously at Monica. They had been arguing whether killing her, an Avatar who couldn¡¯t die, would actually count toward acquiring the Class. But Monica, after the first few minutes, had them spotted in a small clearing and told Dotty to simply try it out. There was no real downside to death for Monica¡ªnot one she had found out about yet, at least. Therefore, the redhead now stood a few feet from Dotty and held a ball of Golden Flames a few inches from her neck that she had gotten out of the Nightshade Battle Wear, exposing her milky white skin for her to strike it down. Before today, Dotty had never noticed how delicate Monica¡¯s skin looked. Even though she was older than her, the Phoenix Healer¡¯s skin looked like porcelain compared to Dotty¡¯s, which resembled flawed copper. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have all day,¡± Monica said. "I don''t know about this," Dotty said, gripping Twilight''s Edge with both hands. The sword felt heavy despite its slender build. "What if something goes wrong?" "Nothing will go wrong," Monica assured her. "I''m immortal, remember? Just aim for my neck while I maintain this flame. The sword''s Antimagic properties should disrupt the Golden Flame and fulfill the Class requirement." Tertius shifted uncomfortably behind them. "Milady, perhaps we should¡ª" "Tertius," Monica cut him off without looking away from Dotty, "I appreciate the concern, but this is a perfect opportunity. Come on, Dotty.¡± "Just... swing it?" Dotty asked, raising the blade uncertainly. "Like you mean it," Monica nodded. "Imagine I''m a real enemy. You won''t hurt me permanently, but you need to strike with all you¡¯ve got if you don¡¯t want me to survive it.¡± Dotty took a deep breath and adjusted her stance the way her father had taught her. The sword gleamed with an otherworldly sheen in the forest''s dim light. "Here goes nothing," she muttered, then lunged forward with all her strength. The extremely powerful Rare blade passed through Monica''s neck in a clean arc, disrupting the Golden Flame as it went. For a moment, everything went still. Dotty''s eyes widened as a notification appeared before her. *Ding* [Class Requirements Met: Spellbreaker (Uncommon)] Would you like to accept this Class? YES|NO Dotty accepted it without further hesitation. *Ding* Spellbreaker has absorbed your previous Class. *Ding* You have acquired the Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) A hunter who specializes in neutralizing magical threats. Your attacks and your traps can disrupt spells and magical effects, making you the natural enemy of spellcasters. +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes per Level "It worked!" Dotty exclaimed, then turned to where Monica''s body had fallen. "Oh gods¡ª" * * * Ted had placed Monica¡¯s head back to the neck after it had rolled away so grisly that Tertius had emptied the contents of his stomach on the ground several times. After half an hour, the woman came back to life after her wounds melded together, thanks to sparks of the Golden Flame. Dotty had gotten 3 Skills. The first was Track Mana, which helped her sense magical trails and residues of mana. If she had not had a Hunter Class, she would have probably gotten a more warrior-like variation of Spellbreaker. Track Mana was a Skill that a hunter of casters would get, and the Skill would probably become quite terrifying as it leveled up. It would literally be the nightmare of casters to be tracked down by someone with Antimagic. The second Skill was Antimagic Aura. It was a passive that increased both Dotty''s defense against spells and the power of her Antimagic enchantments. The third and last Skill Dotty had gotten was the most interesting. It was an active Skill called Magic Rend. *Ding* You learned the Class Skill - Magic Rend Magic Rend (Class Skill, Offensive Skill, Hunter of Magic) Harness your mana to pierce through magic, material, and immaterial. This Skill can be used to rend apart any construct, flesh, spirit, and spell that has been powered or empowered by mana. The Skill''s effectiveness increases with how much mana is stored within or used upon the target. Usage: Concentrate on your weapon and channel mana onto it. The more mana you expend, the easier the blade will slash through magical matter. "That is very, very lucky," Ted said after Dotty had shared the description with him. Everyone looked at Ted, even Tertius, confused. "What is that good about the Skill?" Tertius asked. "This is not a strictly Antimagic Skill," Ted said. "If she had gotten Spellbreaker, the Skill would have most likely been Antimagic Blow. But Antimagic Blow works on spells. Dotty''s Skill''s description talks about ¡®matter.¡¯ That means that if she met a warrior who used mana to empower himself, she''d be able to cut them much more easily than anyone else. More importantly, do you know what constructs use mana to be empowered or, better wording, enchanted?" Ted stressed the last word. Tertius'' eyes went wide. "Not to mention," Tertius added, "that a lot of Classes later on use mana, virtually all of them." "This was a lucky draw," Ted said with a smile. "This is one of the strongest Skills I''ve heard of. It''s probably not that good right now, and it probably will consume a lot of mana. But this is extremely powerful. I think that''s why your Class gives you Wisdom. You need the mana reserves to activate Magic Rend. You have gotten a very interesting variation of the Class. In fact, you can probably sell the details of this Class for more than the original Spellbreaker would have sold for." "Well, well, well," Monica smiled. "It turned out I was right. While you guys were talking and chitchatting, us girls here produced the results." She smirked, content with herself. However, before they could continue their talk, Monica swirled back, hearing a loud growling coming from the forest. She looked at a massive wolf that made the previous Brown Wolf she had killed look like a little kid. The wolf was covered from head to toe in crystals that looked like quartz, with white fur beneath. Not even the eyes of the monster were spared from the crystal. That multiplied the images of the wolf''s red irises in dozens of reflections, making one wonder how the wolf could even see like that. But the monster could see. Oh, it could clearly see because it looked right at Monica. And Monica felt malice behind the creature''s stance, behind every coiled muscle of it. She looked at the tag above the wolf. [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 14] It wasn''t that high leveled, but it was clearly cut from a different cloth than the Cultists and every other foe she had faced until now. Monica shouted, "Everybody, stay back!" and stepped forward, rolling her shoulders back and willing the Nightshade Battle Wear to cover her neck once again and to fully cover the exposed parts of her skin with the shadowy veil. This was the first creature she faced infused with Corruption. The first creature which had been warped into existence by none other than the Old Gods. Monica saw the wolf about to pounce, and her body moved without her even thinking. She covered her entire arm in Obsidian Flame, and the wolf, caught by surprise, could only stand on its back legs as it tried swiping at her. Monica, having geared almost all her attributes toward Dexterity and having a Rare Class, which granted more attributes than the common person, bopped below the crystalline claws of the monster, sharper than her own Steel Talons. She swung Obsidian Flame and Steel Talons, impacting the crystal underbelly of the wolf. But neither her blow nor her weapon, not even her divine ability, punctured through the wolf''s crystalline defenses. Monica snarled sharply, rolling to the side of the wolf as the creature went back on all fours. She tilted her head, looking at where she''d struck. There was not even a mark from her Steel Talons. And not even her Obsidian Flame had left anything more than a small series of scratches on the monster. She looked at the Steel Talons on her hand and willed them back into her inventory, preferring the mobility of her fingers to the weapon, which clearly couldn''t put a hole in the monster. She flexed her knees and started undulating from one leg to the other as the monster lunged for her. She activated Phoenix Feathers, feeling the boost in strength, speed, and Attributes deep into her core. Two blazing, immaterial red feathers appeared on her golden bracers. Meanwhile, the bystanders looked at Monica, scared to death. They didn''t have her same composure. Ivor and his goons almost ran away, scared to death of the Crystal Wolf, which had resisted a direct blow from the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix as if it had been nothing. "Should we go?" Ivor asked, panicked. "She didn''t even scratch it. What can we do? We should really go. We''re going to die. We''re all gonna die." Tertius found it hard to disagree with such a cowardly statement. But even he didn''t want to surrender his life without a good reason. Dotty didn''t even know what she was looking at, her only experiences with battle being hunting rabbits in the forest. Two people, however, were still looking pretty relaxed during this ordeal. The first was Lucca, one of the two goons that had been under Ivor. Lucca''s family had been in the military. He had not made the cut to stay in Valoria. That''s why he had tried striking his luck elsewhere, looking for a remote place where he could matter in some way. He had been stuck with Ivor, which hadn''t been an ideal result, but it also hadn''t been bad for him. It was better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a dragon. Lucca, unlike most of those present, knew a lot about fighting, having sparred for a long time with his older brothers and sisters before gaining his Class. So even though it looked like the wolf could kill Monica at any point during their exchange, he felt the same sensation he had when seeing a master of arms spar with a novice who thought the world was at their feet. But it was Ted who explained it to the others. "She can''t hurt the wolf for now, but the wolf has no chance." "What do you mean?" Ivor said, pulling at his hair. "Do you have eyes? Look at that beast!" "Dude, you should take a better look," Ted said, pointing at the battle. Ivor turned to look at Monica. Monica didn''t even flinch as she used her left bracer to calmly let the massive wolf, almost as tall as her, bite into it. And as soon as the monster did, she started raining uppercuts with her right hand despite the wolf thrashing around. It was as if she could hop at the same place at the same speed the wolf would thrash left and right. And finally, even from that distance, they heard a resounding loud crack. The wolf whimpered and released its toothy hold on Monica. The Phoenix Healer looked at the crystals that had started crumbling below the monster''s chin and smiled like a maniac. "Okay. The crystals can break," she said, her teeth looking even sharper now than the beast''s, and raised a hand covered in Obsidian Flame. "Let''s see if they can burn." Chapter 18 Wolves were scary, especially when coated in such a resilient crystal layer. However, wolves weren''t as dextrous as humans. They couldn''t twist and move their bodies with as much agility as Monica could. Sure, they could lunge faster than her, but they didn''t have the same ability to twist and bend as the woman. And so the Crystal Wolf tried to snap its jaws around Monica''s neck. It couldn''t. It just couldn''t. Monica had stopped trying to deliver blows and instead just slathered the Obsidian Flame across the crystal, watching as it burned away the protections. The process was excruciatingly slow. The Obsidian Flame acted lethargic for some reason on the crystal wolf. It had burned the flesh of the Cultists like a spark takes to dry kindling, but it lagged on the crystalline body. She could feel the Obsidian Flames slowly eating away at the crystal, but the progress was almost imperceptible. Still, she managed to evade easily all the blows of the wolf because she didn''t have to swing wildly. She just had to tap the monster. It looked like the most dangerous, deadly game of catch. *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 8 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 9 After five minutes of this exhausting dance, the Obsidian Flame had leveled up twice. And Monica saw it, ever so slowly and deliberately, eating into the crystal layer more. But even though the monster itself was tired, Monica could feel her stamina starting to be impacted by this fight. And if there were any other Crystal Wolves anywhere close, she would risk not having enough energy to deal with them. While she couldn''t die, the rest of the group most certainly could. She decided to pick up the slack and raise her arms. As soon as the wolf twisted next, trying to snap at her with its jaws, she drove her elbow into the side of its face, using the monster''s momentum against itself. The crack resonated so loudly that the wolf''s head spun back, and she felt her bone crack. She paid no attention to it, just flashing the Golden Flame over her arm as the monster, shaking its snout, raised its paw and swiped at her. Once again, Monica dodged just as much as she needed to avoid being severely hurt, letting the wolf''s claw rake against her Nightshade Battle Wear, screeching against its armor and leaving white marks on the shadowy cloth. Once again, Monica spun her elbow upward and caught the jaw of the monster as the paw''s descending momentum brought it to meet her bone once again. She had already cracked the crystal there, and now it shattered. Monica slapped Obsidian Flame with her other hand, where she had seen fur. And finally, she heard the wolf whimper in pain as the flame reached an unprotected patch of fur. You''re mine now, Monica thought. Even though the Obsidian Flame was creeping around the monster''s mouth, Monica didn''t relent. Even though the wolf stepped back, she followed, raining blows on its head with such savagery that between the two, she now looked like the beast. Gone was the almost drowsy rhythm, the apathetic taps she had delivered onto the Crystal Wolf, replaced by a reckless wildfire of knuckles and elbows striking the creature from every angle. The crystal cracked and loosened. Shards and fragments flew around the small forest clearing as the sun bore down, almost intruding onto a spectacle that should have more aptly belonged to a dark nightmare. The wolf collapsed on the ground with a thud, sick from all the blows it had received to the head, its brain already bleeding, with more blood dripping from its mouth than it had ever consumed. Then, the last thing it saw was a palm covering its skull and eyes and an ocean of black flames enveloping its head. *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 10 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 11 *Ding* The Golden Flame is no longer ten levels higher than the Obsidian Flame. The balance has been restored. *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 6 You have slain [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 14] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Minor Corruption. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 7 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Crystal Wolf¡¯s Meat (Corrupted) x1 Crystal Wolf¡¯s Shard (Corrupted) x3 Crystal Wolf¡¯s Tendons (Corrupted) x2 Silver Coins x8 *Ding* Special System Message. Beware, materials obtained from corrupted creatures shouldn¡¯t be used by mortals unless purified. Your Golden Flame can purify corrupted materials. Monica unceremoniously dumped her Free Attributes into Dexterity and Vitality, four into Vitality, and two into Dexterity. At level 6, Phoenix Feathers made her 160% stronger, faster, and more resilient, which meant that she didn¡¯t have to worry too much about how she distributed her Attributes. That allowed her to fully focus on speed, which, because she would probably always fight monsters with higher levels than her own, would allow her to survive and thrive. The main reason the battle against the Crystal Wolf had been so anticlimactic was that she outmatched the monster in terms of speed. And the monster couldn¡¯t kill something that it couldn¡¯t catch. Monica quickly checked her Akashic Record.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 7 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 46 Endurance - 35 Strength - 35 Dexterity - 67 Wisdom - 35 Spirit - 35 Intelligence - 35 Charisma - 35 Free Attributes: 0 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 17 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 11 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 6 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battleware (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Then Monica took out the materials she had gotten from the wolf, starting with the crystal shards. They were an opalescent white, and she immediately summoned a ball of golden flame over them, holding them in front of her. As the divine flame touched them, the shards transitioned from a murky white to pristine transparency. She repeated the process with the tendons and the meat, which both looked purple and sickly. But as the golden flame sizzled away the corruption, which evaporated into a thin black mist, both materials became a rich, healthy red, and the tendons regained flexibility. "Those will fetch quite the price," Tertius said, "especially the shards. A skilled crafter could make them into shields or armor. You would have to bring dozens of them, though." The shards were the size of Monica''s palm, and she looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Aren''t they too small?" Tertius shook his head. "Crafters can meld even crystal together. It wouldn''t be a problem. Trust me." "True, true, dude," Ted said from the side. "They''re probably worth something like two or three silver per shard," the young man said, scratching the stubble of a beard sprouting from his otherwise smooth skin. "If anything, they would sell at this price just for the novelty. No one has really seen corrupted monsters'' materials. And given their resistance to blows, a crafter could probably strengthen them and make them even more resistant and flexible. Plus, scale armor made of crystals? That would be very cool." Monica tucked the materials into her inventory. "Good to know." Ivor had been unusually quiet since the fight. He cleared his throat. "How many more of those things are there? An entire dungeon?" Monica raised an eyebrow. "If they''re getting out¡ª" "There''s probably a lot," Ted chimed in. "I mean, there''s probably more roaming the forest around here, too. They''re dangerously close to the village. If we didn''t come now, I imagine they would have been on the villagers in less than a week." "And given how resilient these creatures are," Monica said, "I would imagine no one in the village would have been able to hurt them. Not even you, Ivor." She added, "And by the way, I heard you whimper like a coward. Didn''t you take pride in being a Fire Mage? Aren''t you supposed to have incredible spells? Or are you a one-trick pony?" Ivor was livid, but remembering how Monica had quite literally punched his teeth out the last time, he just stayed silent. "What are the requirements for your Class?" Monica inquired. "What?" Ivor stuttered. "You heard me," Monica said. "Fire Mage. Is that Common or Uncommon?" "Uncommon," Ted replied from the side. "So," Monica pointed at Ivor, "I asked you a question." "I can''t just give you the requirements for my Class!" Ivor said. "What do you take me for?" Monica smiled at Ivor and stepped forward. "I don''t think you quite understand what''s happening here, Ivor. I am giving you a chance to reform yourself, to see if you''re anything less than a useless ball of shit. And so far, you''re not proving me wrong. Do I have to remind you that you will not return to the village alive if you fail this assessment?" But there was clearly enough anger in Ivor that the man couldn''t take what Monica was saying from a rational standpoint. What idiot could have ignored this immortal Avatar just because of their anger? "Well, I have, apparently. You can''t just go around killing people like this. Who do you think you are? Do you think that Valoria will just let you do what you want? Do you think that the nobles will do nothing to you?" Monica crossed her arms in front of her chest, with the Nightshade Battle Wear''s shadows receding and exposing her skin where the armor didn''t join together. She looked around and focused on Heidi. "You," she said to the blonde. "Care to explain what he''s saying?" Ivor was about to make another retort, but without even turning to him, Monica backhanded him so strongly that the man fell to the ground. "Rock''s Heel and this place are, in theory, under the jurisdiction of a duke," Heidi explained. "All the territory around Valoria is divided into feuds by the king, and those feuds are managed by nobles, with different ranks based on their obligations toward the king." "And?" Monica asked, confused. "By meting out justice, you''re effectively infringing on the duke''s law. He is the one who wields the king''s power in this place. He would be the one responsible for giving this man here a trial for his poor deeds." "Yes!" Ivor said, snickering. "You can''t just take someone''s life and expect to get away with it. That''s the duke''s job. And I''m being appointed by the duke''s son." Monica looked at Ivor and wondered how a man could be so clueless to think that the duke''s powers could not only reach here but that they would care to antagonize her over this idiot. She crouched, took Ivor by his shirt, and said again very slowly, "I would like to know the requirements of your Class, Ivor." She then raised another hand and summoned the Obsidian Flame very close to his face. "But if you want to die right here, please feel free to pray for the Duke''s justice to magically reach me and stop this flame from burning you alive." Ivor couldn''t believe Monica''s disregard for the duke''s law. This rash, mindless woman was clearly about to burn him alive. And so, cowed, he decided to comply. "Let me go," he said, "then I''ll tell you." He tried getting free, but the only result was that his shirt was getting ripped, and a button popped. Monica let him go with a sigh. "Okay. So?" she asked. "To get the Fire Mage Class, like with most Mana Classes, you first must gain the Mana Sense Skill, and then you must study flames. You must be..." Ivor stipulated, trying to find the correct words and string them together. "You just have to stare at the fire and follow the Mana movements in it. You must then burn yourself in the fire with a Healer by your side to heal the damage until your Fire Resistance Skill reaches level 10. By then, if you have both Skills and studied the fire long enough to see how the Mana gathers in flames, you will have fulfilled the requirements of the Class." Monica turned toward Ted and asked, "Is this plausible, or do you think he''s lying?" "I don''t think he''s lying," Ted said. "Alright." Monica turned to Ivor. "At least you served your purpose." "What?" Without letting him realize what was happening, Monica summoned the Steel Talons and punctured Ivor''s neck. The man bled out in a matter of seconds, his eyes wide as he stared at Monica, uncomprehending. Monica stood up straight and turned toward the others, who looked at her wide-eyed. Ted looked a bit pale from the killing. And she simply stated, "You might have killed one of you during the next engagement. This is something I don''t like to risk. Plus, it was pretty clear he was not gonna play ball. He feels entitled because he knows this duke''s son, whoever he is. Even though we''re going into a dungeon far from wherever these nobles are, he was clearly an idiot. But at least we got some knowledge from him before he finally left us in peace." They looked at Ivor disappearing in a cloud of bluish smoke behind Monica and then again at the Phoenix Healer. Lucca, the Level 7 Warrior, bowed his head and said, "Milady, I believe that to be the right call. I would like to beg your clemency, however, for me and Rochus." Monica smiled. "I wasn''t gonna kill you two just because you''re associated with Ivor. But I hope you understand that idiocy is not something I reward. Not when I believe someone will need to look after the village once I''m gone together with Tertius and Dotty. The stronger the people in there, the better and safer it will be. Are you two interested in staying in the village?" Lucca and Rochus looked at each other, uncertain. "I''ll cut you the same deal I gave Tertius: three years of service. You do that, take care of the village, make sure it thrives, and ensure that it''s safe and maintained, which means you will not just act as guards. But in your free time, whenever the palisade needs repairs or there are any problems, you will be there to help. If you do this, your crimes - including your association with Ivor - will be forgiven, regardless of what you may have done, which I don''t want to know about before I change my mind. Do you accept?" Both men, the Level 7 Warrior and the Level 6 Thug, nodded rapidly. "Great," she smiled. "Now, on to the next order of business." But she heard the kill notifications ringing in her head, bringing a surprise. *Ding* You have slain [Fire Mage ¨C Level 12] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature with higher sentience. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Book of Fireball x1 Book of Mana Sense x1 And it didn¡¯t end there. *Ding* A Fortunate Encounter! You receive three Loot Chests (Common)! Chapter 19 Monica looked at the three Loot Chests with a raised eyebrow and then looked at the rest of the group, still shaken from Ivor¡¯s sudden death. ¡°Dotty,¡± Monica said, making a quick decision. ¡°Open these.¡± Monica threw the three Loot Chests from her Inventory to the ground in front of the teenage girl. ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± Dotty stuttered. ¡°For you,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t need Common equipment if not even my Uncommon Steel Talons can¡¯t pierce the Crystal Wolves. Ted has a mandolin and still hasn¡¯t used it. Those three,¡± the woman pointed to Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus, ¡°are still on their probationary period. You might be able to cut down the Crystal Wolves thanks to Magic Rend, so I need you to be somewhat protected while you do that. Come on, they¡¯re just Normal Loot Chests. I want to start clearing the Dungeon before making the camp since it¡¯s so close.¡± ¡°Just Normal,¡± Lucca said, sighing. He would have gladly opened the ¡®just Normal¡¯ Loot Chests himself. Monica watched as Dotty approached the three Loot Chests hesitantly. The girl knelt down, touched the first chest, then frowned and turned to Monica. ¡°It¡¯s asking me whether I want to open all of them at once.¡± ¡°It increases the chances of finding linked items,¡± Ted explained. ¡°Sets of armor, for example.¡± ¡°Good then,¡± Monica smiled at Dotty. ¡°Very good, dude,¡± Ted agreed. ¡°Even Normal Loot Chests, if opened together, kinda become more valuable than normal.¡± ¡°Maybe I should hoard a few Rare Loot Chests,¡± Monica thought out loud. ¡°I mean, dude, you¡¯re one of the few people I¡¯ve ever heard say that,¡± the young Bard commented. ¡°Shush,¡± Monica said. ¡°Dotty, come on.¡± The girl took a deep breath and nodded her head. Suddenly, all three Loot Chests opened together and soon after disappeared into motes of light. Dotty immediately shared the notification she had gotten with Monica. *Ding* You obtain: Hardened Leather Armor Set (Common) The armor materialized in front of Dotty - a complete set of dark brown leather pieces, including a breastplate, greaves, gauntlets, and boots. Despite its Common rarity, the craftsmanship looked solid. Ted Inspected it for her and relayed the info to the others. Hardened Leather Armor Set (Common) Durability: 25/25 Enhancement Slots Available: 0/1 A complete set of leather armor treated with a basic hardening enchantment. Enchantment #1: Leather Hardening - Increases the armor''s normal resistance to physical damage by 125% ¡°Solid,¡± Tertius commented. ¡°Nothing fancy, but the wolves shouldn¡¯t be able to tear you apart if you get caught in their maws. Dotty discarded her old boots and put on the new ones, then helped Monica to don the rest. Soon, she looked much more like a true warrior than a disheveled teenager. * * * Monica was two steps behind Dotty as the girl swung wildly at the Crystal Wolf they had found on their way to the Dungeon, guided by Monica¡¯s Quest. ¡°Right,¡± Monica said, and Dotty rolled right, avoiding the monster''s swiping paw. However, the girl had rolled a little too hard and stumbled as she tried to get up.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Monica stepped forward and jabbed at the monster''s snout as it was caught on its backfoot. The blow wasn¡¯t enough to crack the crystal, but it gave enough pause to the monster that Dotty managed to get up. The girl had been sorely struggling to land even one hit. It was clear that she had no training whatsoever, and even though she had spent time as a Hunter, she hadn¡¯t yet learned not to flinch in battle. ¡°Just take a wild swipe to make sure your sword can deliver damage,¡± Monica said as she ducked under a lunge and used her back to push the mid-air monster off-kilter, sending it sprawling to the ground. ¡°You probably need to get some damage. You¡¯re flinching too much. As long as you manage not to fully close your eyes on this one swing, it¡¯s going to be good enough. Squeeze them so that they¡¯re almost closed, but not all the way. That should help.¡± Dotty followed Monica¡¯s advice and did as told. This time, as the Wolf swiped at her, she gritted her teeth, narrowed her eyes, and swung. The wolf¡¯s paw landed on her chest, leaving white gashes over the hardened leather. However, impressively enough, Dotty, who had activated Magic Rend, sliced through the crystal as if it had been wet paper and cut through meat and tendons, stopping at the bone of the monster¡¯s foreleg. The girl''s eyes suddenly widened, but the wolf, whimpering but furious, snapped its jaws at her. Dotty, distracted, couldn¡¯t do anything. But a red blur interposed between her and the beast, putting both golden bracers into the beast''s mouth, which found it impossible to crunch down. Not only that, but Monica sounded way more upset than when she had been fighting the other wolf by herself. ¡°You think you can hurt her while I¡¯m here?¡± The Phoenix Healer asked with a growl and then, surprising everyone, headbutted the beast on the snout. Not once, not twice, but a dozen times. Monica covered her own forehead in Obsidian Flame, which softened the crystal on impact and healed the damage she received on every blow with the Golden Flame. When the Crystal Wolf finally understood that the woman in front of her was clearly going to either kill herself or him, it backstepped, releasing its old since the crystal on its snout had cracked already. But Monica didn¡¯t let go, shouting. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± She grabbed the head of the creature who swiped its paws ineffectively at her and, holding it in place, headbutted it again and again. The wolf whimpered and whined, trying to get free, swiping at the crazed woman. But any wound it landed on her body was either shielded by the Nightshade Battle Wear or healed by the Golden Flame. A minute later, the wolf¡¯s skull had been mangled and burned by the bloody redhead, who left the corpse only a good ten seconds after it had died and turned toward scared spectators. ¡°What?¡± She asked, blood percolating from her forehead to her chees and lips. ¡°Dude,¡± Ted said, flinching. ¡°You look crazy.¡± Monica brought a hand to the blood on her face and then looked at Dotty, who stared back with terror in her eyes. The redhead licked her lips, tasting the metallic pang of blood and finally realizing what had happened. It¡¯s the kids I saw¡­ my kids. Monica had avoided focusing on the shard of memory she had received from the System since the System seemed convinced that they were gone, part of a past that was not hers anymore. Focusing on an unattainable past with no consequences in this life made sense to her. But now that she saw how she had reacted when the Crystal Wolf had been about to hurt Dotty, she felt like it was, perhaps, more significant than she had given it credit for. She had chalked her outburst in the Phoenix Temple, the activation of the Fury of the Phoenix, and the Secondary Effect of Phoenix Feathers up to the fact that children had been involved. But there was no way of denying it anymore. She was so involved with Dotty and Ronnie because they reminded her of her own children. It didn¡¯t matter how much she tried not to think about this very simple fact. It was beyond undeniable. ¡°Fuck,¡± Monica swore under her breath. ¡°Dude, are you ok?¡± Ted asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Monica cleared her throat and turned toward the teenager. ¡°Sorry, Dotty. I used to have a daughter. You remind me of her. Seeing you about to be hurt made it¡­ hard to stay calm.¡± Everyone was struck by how forward and honest Monica had just been. ¡°Where¡¯s your daughter now?¡± Dotty asked innocently but suddenly regretted it when she heard Ted hiss. Monica didn¡¯t take the question personally but looked sad. ¡°She¡¯s not here with us. The System showed me my children but said they are gone. It¡¯s not hard to imagine they¡¯re probably gone gone.¡± Monica felt a tear coming down her cheek, but when she brushed it away, she saw it was made of blood. She wiped her face, thinking it was the blood from the Crystal Wolves, but even when she had burned it away with the Obsidian Flame, the next tears came bloody again. ¡°They say you cry blood when your pain is unbearable,¡± Ted said, stepping beside Monica and awkwardly touching her shoulder. She looked at Ted with a half-smile, still crying, and found it comical how awkward the young man was being. Dotty, despite clearly being a girl who is not good at expressing her emotions, acted on impulse and hugged Monica. Startled, Monica looked at the shorter girl and slowly, tentatively returned the hug. She stayed like that momentarily, closing her eyes, and then heard Ted say something from the side. ¡°Hey, your tears are clear now.¡± Chapter 20 Monica stared at the entrance of the Dungeon. It was an unassuming cave that shimmered faintly at the entrance. ¡°Dungeons are different planes of existence,¡± Ted had explained to her. ¡°Once you enter, it¡¯s a completely different place. The lower-level Dungeons resemble natural places more. The higher-level ones, instead, can take on the characteristics of more advanced things. They say that the Great Dungeons associated with the Nine Wonders are great because they incarnate the essence of their place.¡± ¡°Everyone, listen up,¡± Monica said. ¡°We have swept the area. As far as we know, it should be free of Crystal Wolves. Now, I¡¯ll enter the Dungeon alone at first. I want to check it out and make sure I can guarantee your survival.¡± Monica also wanted to fight without having to worry about the others. Her power to come back to life was not that useful when many people were around. It meant she couldn¡¯t be reckless, something that she would be otherwise allowed to be by virtue of the powers granted by her Title. ¡°You two,¡± Monica pointed at the goons. ¡°Start chopping wood and roast these.¡± She took out the fresh chunks of wolf meat and put them in their hands. ¡°I¡¯ll be in at least a few hours. Do not follow me. I won¡¯t tolerate stupidity.¡± Everyone nodded quickly. They were still shaken by Ivor¡¯s death. ¡°Now,¡± Monica continued, ¡°Ted, you need to figure out your Skills before we enter. I want you to pull your weight. The rest of you, Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus, will support Dotty. That¡¯s how you will approach a fight in case a Crystal Wolf appears. Can I get an ¡®aye¡¯ if you understand?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± the trio said. ¡°Great,¡± Monica turned to the Dungeon and gestured to Ted to get closer. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ted asked. Monica showed him the Fireball and the Mana Sense books she had gotten from Ivor. ¡°Are these any good for me? I use flames. Should I learn them?¡± Ted Inspected them. Book of Fireball (Uncommon) A Book that teaches you the Skill ¡®Fireball.¡¯ Remaining Uses: 2 Book of Mana Sense (Common) A Book that teaches you the Skill ¡®Mana Sense.¡¯ Remaining Uses: 2 Ted scrunched his nose. ¡°Mana Sense can be used in battle as well. Classes like Spellsword use it like that. Fireball? I mean. There¡¯s really no downside to learning a Skill. Fireball is pretty much the most common fire-type spell there is.¡± Monica nodded and gave a mental nudge to the two books. *Ding* Would you like to use Book of Fireball? YES|NO *Ding* Would you like to use Book of Mana Sense? YES|NO Fireball (Offensive Skill) Harness your Mana to create and launch a sphere of magical flames at your target. Usage: Focus your mana into a condensed sphere of fire in your palm and direct it toward your target. Mana Sense (Utility Skill) Develop the ability to perceive Mana in your surroundings. Usage: Focus your mind on sensing the presence and movement of Mana around you. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Both descriptions and instructions for the two Skills were somewhat underwhelming. In fact, Monica wasn¡¯t even sure what made it different from simply chucking a handful of Obsidian Flames at a monster. I¡¯m going to test them out in the Dungeon. * * * *Ding* Offensive Skill - Fireball reaches Level 2 Monica looked with a wide mouth at the cracked side of the Crystal Wolf she had met barely a few steps inside the Dungeon. When she entered the Dungeon, she found broad stone steps. They were terraced and curled into a spiral. For some reason, she expected the cave to go downward because that''s what caves usually did, or maybe just straight. Instead, it was sort of a sweeping staircase, the kind one could have found on a mountain, to make it easier to climb to the top. Right before the corner, a Crystal Wolf had been laying down, resting. It didn''t even notice Monica entering the Dungeon, and the redhead had decided to take the occasion to test at least one of her new Skills. So she had thought of Fireball, generated a rather small fist-sized ball of flames, and imagined the Fireball moving toward the wolf. She had no idea what happened next. As soon as she had given the command to the Fireball to go, it had moved insanely fast and had impacted the side of the wolf with such strength that even before exploding, Monica had heard a loud crack from the crystals. Then the explosion had literally thrown the Crystal Wolf against the wall, breaking its spine and killing it on the spot. "What the¡ª" Monica stuttered and then decided to check out her Skills. Ted had briefly mentioned at some point that she could see a summary of the Skills descriptions if she wanted, but she never really had the time to do that. And since she only had three Skills that she knew quite well, she had never felt the need to. And so she summoned the description of the various Skills. Incredibly enough, the most underwhelming descriptions belonged to her two strongest Skills. Skill List Golden Flame, Lv. 17 - The Golden Flame of the Twin Phoenix Obsidian Flame, Lv. 11 - The Obsidian Flame of the Twin Phonix The other three Skills, instead, presented way more interesting information. Skill List Phoenix Feathers Lv. 7 The bonuses last while the Skill is active or until the rage-triggered secondary effect is activated. #1 Base Effect: Increases your resilience, physical strength, and physical speed by 100%. The effect increases by 10% for each Level. Current Bonus: 170% #2 Base Effect: Increases all of your Attributes by 1. The effect increases by 1 for each Level. Current Bonus: +7 to All Attributes #1 Special Effect - Fury of the Phoenix: You gain +30 to All Attributes for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The effect increases by 3 for each Level. Your Vitality is reduced by 30 for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The effect increases by 3 for each Level. If your Vitality is negative after Fury of the Phoenix runs off, you will die. Resurrecting after dying because of or during Fury of the Phoenix will result in all your Attributes and Skill potency being cut by 80% for the next 24 hours. Current Bonus: +51 to All Attributes for each burnt Phoenix Feather Current Number of Available Feathers: 2 Fireball Lv. 3 Offensive spell based on fire. *Ding* A superior Flame has been detected. *Ding* Hidden Effect Uncovered! *Ding* Fireball¡¯s description has been updated. Fireball Lv. 3 Offensive spell based on fire. #1 Hidden Effect - A Stronger Flame: Your Obsidian Flame increases the damage of Fireball by 400%. The damage increases by 10% for each Level. Current Bonus: 510% That meant that this Fireball was six times stronger than a normal Fireball, which explained why it had killed the Crystal Wolf with one hit. Skill List Mana Sense Lv. 1 Develop the ability to perceive Mana in your surroundings. Mana Sense still didn¡¯t show anything interesting, though. So, Monica focused again on the Fireball, pondering what this meant for her combat style. ¡°I¡¯m not about to become a caster,¡± Monica reasoned out loud. Even if this was her strongest attack, her superior battle instincts were clearly about hand-to-hand combat, not chucking Fireballs from afar. In the long run, she was absolutely sure that focusing on hand-to-hand combat was the answer. Still, this is a pretty nice bonus, she thought, summoning another Fireball. It consumes much more Mana than just coating my body with it, but it delivers much more damage. Monica looked at her other hand and had an interesting idea. I wonder if I can make my hands explode with the Obsidian Flames, as if it was a Fireball. Exploding hands¡­ that sounds right up my alley. She could also use the Fireball in case there were multiple Crystal Wolves around at once, which would allow to better control the battlefield. A big drawback she could imagine was that she suspected that using Fireball instead of the Obsidian Flame directly would mean leveling up Fireball and not the underlying Skill¡ªwell, not as much, at least. That, to Monica, was a dealbreaker, a bigger one than the fact she wasn¡¯t a caster. After those considerations, she decided to try out the other Skill she had gotten, Mana Sense. She followed the terraced steps, which led her to a long corridor with blue gems acting as torches on each side of the wall, shining and illuminating the way. She saw another solitary Crystal Wolf and activated the Skill. Nothing great happened. Suddenly, she could see a suffused light coming from the monster and a weaker one from the gems in the walls. ¡°Pretty lame,¡± Monica sighed. However, she realized that her vision had gotten ever so sharper, allowing her to zoom in on the monster. Additionally, it appeared that her field of vision had somewhat enlarged. Is this another hidden effect? She kept Mana Sense on since it didn¡¯t consume much in terms of Mana and prepared to approach the next monster. Time for a few experiments, she thought, with a shiver of excitement running through her body. Skills clearly had mysteries, and she felt giddy at the thought of experimenting, leveling them up, and beating the living crystal out of these monsters. Chapter 21 [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 11] [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 13] [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 12] Monica ducked under a snapping jaw and backhanded another set of teeth as she turned. She listened to the sound of the air moving, whistling ever so quietly, but now more noticeable thanks to Mana Sense. It made no sense to her that a Skill called Mana Sense could somehow affect physical perception, but here she was, testing her physical limits and the secret, unspoken effect of the new Skill she had gotten. She felt a satisfying crunch over her knuckles, but the third Crystal Wolf, the Level 13 one, managed to pounce on her leg, temporarily immobilizing her. A lesser fighter would have panicked and died on the spot, but Monica, instead of dodging the swipes and bites of the other two beasts, simply traded hits, focusing on not getting caught in the others¡¯ attacks. She tried dousing the one over her leg in Obsidian Flame, but it didn¡¯t do anything to the crystalline layer protecting the creature. This is getting overwhelming, even for me, Monica thought. She sighed and resorted to ending the fight. Monica was an unfairly strong fighter. Not even she could gauge the actual breadth of her fighting knowledge. Her body reacted instinctively, telling her where attacks would come, moving her muscles, twitching so fast she sometimes felt like her mind was completely blank during a fight. However, she was low-leveled, and even with her unfairly strong Skills, these unordinary monsters would have been a problem had she not just gained a new Skill on top of Mana Sense. She pointed one hand at the monster by her leg and one at the closest Crystal Wolf in front of her. She shot two Fireballs powered by Obsidian Flame, one snapping the neck of the monster by her leg and the other breaking the crystal and ribs of the other. The third Crystal Wolf was surprised by one more Fireball, which broke his foreleg with a sickening crunch. Monica, however, notices that she hasn¡¯t leveled the Obsidian Flame and, since she¡¯s a close-combat fighter, only starts using the Fireball as a last measure. In fact, she starts wondering how she could implement it in a close-combat fighting style. You have slain [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 13] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Minor Corruption. You have slain [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 12] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature five levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Minor Corruption. You have slain [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 11] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Minor Corruption. No level up, Monica thought pensively. She then looked down at her leg. The Fireball hadn¡¯t damaged her in the least. She had already tested her before meeting the group of Crystal Wolves and found out that, probably by virtue of her being the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, not even the explosion from the attack did anything to her. It barely felt like a breeze licking at her naked skin. ¡°Three¡¯s my limit,¡± she reasoned out loud. Monica had met a few more Crystal Wolves after getting in a series of very large corridors arranged in a series of grids around large chambers. In each chamber, she had seen a group of three Crystal Wolves. She had managed to avoid most of them since they were all asleep. However, one could also find stragglers alone in corridors, which probably explained how some had gotten out of the Dungeon. I don¡¯t have any idea how this Dungeon unfolds. Every room can lead to dead ends. It¡¯s basically a maze. However, the corridors are long enough that the Crystal Wolves won¡¯t come running from one to the other. I should be able to bring everyone here without putting them at risk. She reasoned that if worse came to worst, I could probably shoot down a dozen Crystal Wolves together. If that¡¯s all there¡¯s so far, I think it¡¯s time to put them to the test. Dotty will need to grow the most¡ªI can¡¯t trust Ivor¡¯s goons, nor can I fully trust Tertius. If they all fail me, Dotty will be alone to protect Ronnie and Madeline. * * * ¡°So,¡± Monica said, clapping her hands, ¡°before anyone takes one more step, can you repeat to me what I¡¯ve just said?¡± ¡°We¡¯re support fighters, and we need to help Dotty since she¡¯s the only one who can deliver real damage to the creatures,¡± Lucca said, not missing a beat. Monica inquired about their backgrounds, revealing that Lucca hailed from a military family. While Rochus was a thug¡¯s thug, born as a lowlife who was taken under Ivor¡¯s wing from the Duke¡¯s city, Lucca was a rather smart man despite having served an idiot up to this point. ¡°Heidi,¡± Monica turned to the Level 9 Healer, ¡°the rest?¡± ¡°It is expected that the melee fighters will take damage. I should be ready at all times to heal them.¡± ¡°What should you do if one of them receives a grievous wound?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Stabilize the wound but focus on the others still engaged in battle.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Monica smiled. She had given a very hard time to the Healer for a reason, but she didn¡¯t want to outright abuse her and insult her just because. ¡°Ted?¡± Ted looked weakly at the mandolin in his hands and then at the spear over his shoulder. ¡°Dude, I haven¡¯t figured it out yet. The Class gave me no Skills. I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Try playing something while they fight, then,¡± Monica sighed. Monica had no idea why Ted''s abilities weren''t working as intended¡ªor to be more precise, why Ted didn''t have any abilities at all. It seemed like getting the Bard Class was just the first hurdle for the young man. She thought it was pretty clear that it represented a somewhat more flexible, unorthodox Class compared to the others, which meant Ted would have to compose songs, most likely, in order to receive Skills. At least, that was her best guess, the same guess she had shared with the young man. But Ted, who had tried playing something¡ªany song¡ªtold her that it hadn''t worked, that it hadn''t had the effect he was hoping for. That had stumped even Monica, who had her own suspicions but didn''t want to give them away so easily to the young man. She had an idea of what would make the Class work as intended, but she thought that telling Ted would defeat the point. She watched as Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus took to the front line. She had instructed them to do so. And what she hadn''t told them was that if anything was to happen to Dotty, she would burn all three. Dotty stood a few steps behind. Monica told her that since she didn''t have any real fighting experience and she had just gained some by playing with monsters that could kill her in one go, she should just look for opportunistic strikes. Her Skill made her swing strong enough that she didn''t need to worry about finesse. She wouldn''t need to dance around the Crystal Wolves and risk getting mangled. Monica instructed Dotty, also by virtue of the girl''s Class, to just jump in whenever she saw an opening, and she told the girl that if she thought she couldn''t make a swing, she should not take it. To be conservative, extremely opportunistic. After all, Dotty''s Class was the offspring of Hunter, and hunters didn''t confront their prey directly. They set up traps, stalked their prey, and took their best shot. So, Monica repeated herself once again. "Dotty, do not take risks. You''re a Hunter. If you''re getting involved in person, either the prey is already dead, or you have to make sure it is with your next hit. Do not jump to prove something to me, to yourself, or to your mother. When it comes to fighting, your ego will kill you." She paused. "Never mind¡ªyour ego will kill you in most situations if you act like an idiot. You have nothing to prove to me. You have nothing to prove to yourself and nothing to prove to these three idiots there." The three men looked a little uncomfortable with being called idiots, but given that one had been around Cultists and the other two under Ivor, they didn''t say anything. "Just care about the results. Do not act like a fool. No matter what, Dotty. Do not act like a fool." Monica repeated the sentence twice, trying to make sure that the point got across. ¡°You know, I can get away with it because I can just come back to life¡ªbut you can¡¯t.¡± Dotty, who knew how strong and good at fighting Monica was, nodded. The young girl still seemed like she was biting down a remark, but Monica brushed that off as the rebellious streak of a teenager. "Alright." She went into the first corridor and entered the main chamber. Without waiting for the wolves to wake up, she threw two fireballs at the closest two wolves. She had aimed as well as she could, and both Fireballs managed to kill the Crystal Wolves on the spot. Of course, the loud explosion woke up the third, and the creature immediately started chasing her. Monica retreated to where she had told the others to wait, just at the top of the ramp that brought them to this floor. And as they were no more than a few yards from her, she turned toward the wolf who was lunging at her in mid-air. Rolling on her back and pushing with both her feet, she sent the Crystal Wolf sprawling toward the group. "Now!" Monica shouted. Tertius immediately swung his spear at the wolf''s leg when it landed unsteadily on the ground. The wolf, rattled by Monica''s push, couldn''t react in time, and Tertius managed to sweep its legs. Monica felt a twinge of worry when she saw Dotty hesitating. She immediately saw that the girl had lost a moment to dive in and knew that if she dove right now, she might get hurt. She had sworn to herself not to baby Dotty too much, to give her the chance to get hurt and to grow. Heidi, the Healer, would take care of the wounds and level up from there. But even though Monica had promised that to herself, she couldn''t help but ball her fist so tightly that she felt her nails dig into her skin. Thankfully, Dotty didn''t act like a fool and just slumped her shoulders, knowing she hadn''t caught the optimal moment. From there on, the three men engaged with the Crystal Wolf. They could only be very defensive, however, and had to try to avoid the creature''s attacks as best as they could. Unlike Monica, they couldn''t fight a creature that was several levels above theirs and hoped to win. So they contained the wolf while taking several wounds, some deeper than others. Heidi kept the healing going, shining a cone of light over whomever she was healing at the moment. It seemed she had two Skills: one that rapidly accelerated the healing of wounds¡ªthe cone of light¡ªand another, a brighter flash that focused on a single body part that would heal as much of the damage as Heidi expended in Mana. That was at least Monica''s impression. In her haste to get to the Dungeon, she had made a mistake¡ªshe hadn''t asked Heidi which Skills she had.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. That¡¯s not good, Monica thought to herself. She knew what the others were capable of to a much better extent. Tertius had never leveled up his Class above Level 5 because he believed he deserved a better Class. And so, as a lowly Spearman, he could barely do anything. Not even his Skills could damage the beast. Lucca was more methodical and calm than Tertius. He knew his limits very well and confined himself to parrying and trying to catch the wolf by surprise when it attacked others and threw it off balance. Monica saw at least two more clear occasions that Dotty missed. One of them was perhaps too much for the young girl, but the other, when Rochus had used one of his Thug Skills to tackle the beast''s side with his shoulder and throw it on the ground, was a clear killing opportunity. Monica cringed. It was almost physically painful for her to see someone miss it like that. In the back, Ted tried playing the mandolin, which was a bit disjointed and not convincing. Nothing happened, however, as a result of his playing other than having the fighters curse when he suddenly changed the melody and distracted them from the rhythm of the fight. Finally, after ten exhausting minutes, with the warriors now covered in sweat, Lucca managed to kick the tired wolf to the ground. Dotty finally jumped, taking a small risk that Monica assessed as necessary, and planted the sword through the creature''s neck with a primal shout as she double-handed the deadly strike. Blood spurted through the crystals as the sword that had belonged to Sandoval, empowered by Magic Rend, made its way through the wolf''s defenses unimpeded, going through one side and coming out of the other. ¡°Twist it!¡± Monica shouted, seeing the Wolf still struggling. Dotty did as told and wrenched the sword down, severing the main arteries in the beast¡¯s neck. Monica hadn¡¯t noticed, but she had been holding her breath and tensing her shoulders. Only when the wolf finally stopped struggling did she relax. She looked at the sweaty group and cupped her chin thoughtfully. They¡¯re tired already, she thought. Fighting for this long without pauses is not good. Either they get much better at this, or I will be forced to do everything on my own. ¡°Heidi, how much Mana do you have left?¡± Monica asked, walking up to the Healer. ¡°Two-thirds,¡± the girl responded. ¡°Alright,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°We can continue, then. But before that. A few tips. We need to make you guys more efficient or you¡¯ll drag me down.¡± Monica went up to Dotty and gestured for Lucca to walk closer. ¡°Dotty, I¡¯m going to show you how to decide when to jump in and how to wait,¡± the redhead said and turned toward the man. ¡°Punch me.¡± Lucca hesitated. ¡°Punch,¡± Monica ordered. The man sighed, put his sword away, and threw a weak punch. Monica, peeved, dodged easily and punched the sternum of the man, making him cough for a good half minute, before saying. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself again,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Punch me.¡± This time, Lucca started swinging at her, with Monica gently leaning back and tapping his fist away. ¡°Again.¡± As Lucca swung again and Monica dodged, she spoke to Dotty. ¡°Muscles have two states. They can contract, and they can relax. Melee fighters have to also gauge the distance, speed, and trajectories of blows to master fighting. However, what you need is this.¡± Monica let Lucca pull a fist back before tapping his forehead with a lightning-fast movement. ¡°Stop in that position,¡± she said to the Warrior and turned toward the girl. ¡°You want to catch your enemy mid-contraction. If I had let him had fully pulled the punch back, he might have been able to counter. However, I attacked an instant before his motion finished. When these muscles are contracting,¡± Monica grabbed Lucca¡¯s bicep, ¡°these others must be relaxed.¡± She tapped the man¡¯s tricep. ¡°It takes several instants for a muscle to relax and let the other do their job.¡± Monica walked to Dotty and put a hand on her shoulders. ¡°If you¡¯re super tense when the Crystal Wolf shows an opening, you¡¯ll lose it because your muscles won¡¯t have time to react. Take a deep breath and try feeling your muscles all relaxed.¡± The teenage girl relaxed, and Monica slowly felt her muscles become more pliable. ¡°Good,¡± the redhead said. ¡°Now, try to stay relaxed and don¡¯t flinch.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Monica turned Dotty and raised her fist, swinging at the girl and only stopping it half an inch from her nose while keeping her in place with her other hand. She felt Dotty¡¯s muscles seize. ¡°Nope,¡± Monica said. ¡°Relax.¡± She had the girl repeat the process, faking punches for a good five minutes, until Dotty stopped flinching. ¡°Ok,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°Now, try guessing when you should attack me. Use the sword, too.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dotty stammered. ¡°We need to make this real enough. You need to see blood,¡± Monica stated. ¡°Stabbing doesn¡¯t hurt as much as you think. Just try to stab me when you see my muscles tense. I¡¯ll be moving slowly.¡± Monica made a point to pull back slowly and make slow-motion swings toward Dotty. ¡°Look at my muscles, not in my eyes,¡± Monica ordered. ¡°Ok,¡± Dotty frowned and focused. The girl focused on keeping her muscles as relaxed as possible despite feeling her heart beating in her chest like a running rabbit pounding the ground. Monica knew, however, that the only way to make this stick would be with real violence. Is it worth hurting her now if she¡¯ll be able to properly fight later on? It should be, right? She didn¡¯t like the idea of hurting Dotty at all. However, what else could she do? ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to make this real and hit you if you miss your chance,¡± Monica said, summoning the steel gloves from the Inventory and raising her hand menacingly. ¡°Do not flinch. Lean back, and try to keep your muscles relaxed. At every attack you miss I will¡ª¡± *Ding* Memory Shard Unlocked. Beginning Memory Sequence. * * * Monica had been working non-stop in the past year, adventuring with one of the best teams in the entire country, slaying Dungeon after Dungeon. The reason why the US was doing so well, in fact, was not in small part because her team traveled all over to quench strong Dungeons that might get out of control. They had gotten several commendations from the military and special allowances as civilians, including clearance to fly to and from military bases to reach Dungeons in critical conditions before they spilled and caused the death of tens of thousands of low-leveled people who had not taken well to the System Integration. However, transitioning from being a high-end Criminal Lawyer to being one of the best Healers in the country had not done any good to her family. ¡°Peggy, are you alright?¡± Monica had brought her daughter in a Dungeon as soon as she had come home, trying to make sure she would get stronger in case anything happened while she was away. Bobby was too weak and even though Monica hired help to watch them over and protect them with all the money she was raking in¡ªwhich had made her even richer than she had already been¡ªshe couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she had to ensure that Peggy would be able to take over in case a nearby Dungeon that hadn¡¯t yet been tracked spilled. Monica had kept her children in a rather low-level zone where their chances of coming across strong monsters were as close to zero as they could get. However, she had spent several nights messaging her daughter back and forth in order to make sure her children¡¯s guardians were doing their job properly. ¡°I¡¯m doing ok,¡± Peggy said as Monica poured over her a Stamina-refilling Skill. Her daughter was wearing strong plate armor that was almost too good for her level. Monica had to be careful not to make Peggy too strong or she wouldn¡¯t be able to level up her Skills¡ªit was something humanity had found out the hard way, with China trying to focus their resources on a few people and finding out that such a strategy had impaired their growth much later, which had then costed them hundreds of thousands¡ªor millions¡ªof lives. Numbers weren¡¯t confirmed since the Chinese government tried to keep it hush-hush. "Peggy, focus on your breathing," Monica said, watching her daughter swing the training sword again. They were in a relatively safe area of a Goblin Dungeon where monsters were only about Level 30. Even with Monica Level 184, she still felt a lot of trepidation every time her daughter engaged the green monsters. Peggy was only Level 26. Teenagers, unless they lived in rural areas, did not have the same freedom that adults had in exploring Dungeons, whether due to parents or local government. After a bunch of brash teenagers had died in the initial wave of Dungeons, things had become streamlined. Adults were free to do whatever they wanted, but minors could only go in with active supervision. And most known Dungeons were now patrolled by Adventurers or police. Peggy, being Monica¡¯s daughter, had a few privileges that other kids didn¡¯t have. But that still meant that she couldn¡¯t just go adventuring whenever she wanted. And Monica didn¡¯t actually want her to, not without making sure that her daughter wouldn¡¯t die senselessly. At the same time, while Monica followed Peggy in the Dungeon, she couldn¡¯t help her too much. She would summon barriers that blocked monsters whenever too many appeared and heal Peggy¡¯s wounds after the fight. But if Monica, being so high level, interfered during the fight, she would get too much experience. And Peggy would get none because of the great disparity in levels. So Monica had to watch her daughter get hurt. Just now, she saw a Goblin managing to punch her daughter¡¯s nose and make her bleed. The little green creatures packed a surprising punch in their small bodies. Monica knew it very well because Goblin Dungeons were the ones she had gained most of her early levels in. And so Peggy would fight. Peggy would get hurt. And Monica, one of the best Healers in the country, would do what she did best¡ªpatch up her daughter afterward, hating herself for not knowing how to prevent the injuries in the first place. ¡°Peggy, are you sure you don¡¯t want to stop and rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, Mom. I¡¯m good,¡± Peggy said, frustrated. ¡°Okay,¡± Monica replied nervously. Another Goblin charged as they went through the cave. And Peggy¡¯s sword swung too late. Another cut. Another wound. Another moment where Monica¡¯s healing magic would erase the physical damage, but not the pain. Peggy managed to kill the Goblin after a minute. She wanted her daughter to get stronger, to protect herself, to protect her younger brother. But she could only do so by watching Peggy fight and get hurt. Sure, there was no way of shielding her children from hurt and pain. Whether Monica brought Adventurers or other tutors, she knew her children had to experience pain in this world. It couldn¡¯t be helped. It was just part of the normal development of a child. But she also knew that out of all the ways to make Peggy stronger, she could have picked something better than having her experience so many wounds and just patching them afterward. If only she could have taught Peggy without having to hurt her this much. * * * Monica looked at her own raised hand and Dotty slightly fearful expression and slowly lowered her Steel-Talons-covered digits. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± Dotty asked. Monica had been away for several minutes, whisked away into memories of another life, but in the present it had only been one single moment. ¡°I¡ª¡± Monica opened her mouth and didn¡¯t know how to finish the sentence. Monica rubbed her nose and looked at sharp steel covering her fingers, putting it away in her Inventory. ¡°Aren¡¯t we doing this?¡± Dotty frowned, seeing that Monica now seemed reluctant. ¡°We are,¡± the redhead said. ¡°I just thought of a better way that doesn¡¯t include me temporarily disfiguring you to do so.¡± She had already hurt a daughter in her past life because she couldn¡¯t do otherwise, because she didn¡¯t really have a good option to make her grow strong fast. But now that she had all this fighting knowledge, it was ridiculous for her to require injuring Dotty in order for the girl to learn not to flinch. ¡°How do I learn not to flinch if you don¡¯t hit me? Isn¡¯t that when I flinch?¡± Monica shook her head and sighed. ¡°No.¡± The redhead slowly extended her fist until it was touching Dotty¡¯s nose, noticing that the girl¡¯s eyes were trembling ever so slightly. ¡°Sudden movements, anticipating pain, and the unexpected makes you flinch. If anyone¡ªTed even¡ªjumped out of a corner, you¡¯d flinch or react poorly because your body would seize or react on instinct. These instincts can be trained. You don¡¯t have the time to make a choice, which means you shouldn¡¯t. If someone jumps out of a corner, jump back, put distance between you and them. If you were well-trained, you could react defensively, but that¡¯s gambling with your life in order to counter-strike. And, in the same way, you don¡¯t want to kill Ted on the spot because he stumbled over a corner.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Ted said from behind. ¡°Psh,¡± Monica pointed at Ted and brought a finger to her lips, turning to Dotty. ¡°Sudden movements are the easiest to train. Anticipating pain, too. The unexpected takes more experience. So, about the first two.¡± Monica¡¯s fist shot out and Dotty reflexively tensed and closed her eyes. "See? You tensed and closed your eyes," Monica said gently. "Now, I''m going to extend my fist again, slowly, and touch your nose. I want you to stay as relaxed as possible and keep your eyes open. When I pull back, I want you to hit my forearm with your sword. Not my fist. I can block your sword easily with my bracer." Dotty nodded, and Monica''s fist extended slowly until it touched her nose again. The girl managed to keep her muscles relatively relaxed despite the contact. "Good," Monica said. "Now, the sword." As Monica pulled her fist back, Dotty''s sword swung and hit the golden bracer. "Again," Monica ordered. They repeated the exercise several times until Dotty could keep her muscles relaxed even when Monica''s fist was touching her nose. "Now, same thing, but I''ll pull back faster." Monica''s fist shot back, and Dotty''s sword missed completely. "That''s fine," Monica said. "Your muscles were relaxed. You just need to get faster. The important part is that you didn''t tense up. If you''re tense, you''ll always be slower than if you''re relaxed." They continued the exercise for another ten minutes, with Monica gradually increasing the speed of her movements. By the end, Dotty was managing to hit Monica''s bracer more often than not. "Good," Monica nodded. "Now for anticipating pain. The Crystal Wolves will hurt you if they catch you. That''s just a fact. But tensing up won''t help you avoid the pain. It''ll just make you slower and more likely to get hit. So remember: stay relaxed, wait for your opening, and strike fast. Don''t think about getting hurt. Think about what you would do if your arm got caught in their maw. Don¡¯t tense your body, ok? Now, I¡¯ll grab your arm tightly while you close your eyes and picture a Crystal Wolf doing that. When I do, grip the sword with your free hand and swing at my neck. I¡¯ll parry with the bracer." Monica had initially thought of spilling blood for the sake of the demonstration, but she had then decided to make it less gory. "One more thing," Monica added. "When you see an opening, don''t hesitate. If you hesitate, the opening will be gone. Trust your instincts. If your body tells you to strike, strike. If it tells you to wait, wait. But once you decide to move, commit fully." They practiced for another fifteen minutes, with Monica gradually increasing the pressure and speed of her grip. She noticed that Dotty was getting better at staying relaxed even when anticipating the grip, and her strikes were becoming more fluid and decisive. "Much better," Monica said finally. "Now, let''s put this into practice.¡± Chapter postponed to Sunday A small notice, guys. I said that I was working on editing a few chapters where the results of the first draft weren''t really satisfying. Chapter 21 took a lot out of me since it went from 3.5 to 4.7k words, especially considering a good 1k of the previous version was completely scratched. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Chapters 22 and 23 are less problematic from an editing perspective, but I would like to make sure they''re not messed up before releasing. So, as customary for our weekday releases, I''ll release chapter 22 on Sunday instead of today. See you on Sunday! Chapter 22 Monica was extremely nervous. She knew it was necessary for her to impart as much knowledge as she could about fighting Dotty before she left the village for good. However, she winced at the fact that Dotty would have to put herself in real danger to fully internalize the lessons she had just imparted to her. Even a ruthless fighter like her had found it hard and heartbreaking to try and train the girl this fast. But Monica knew that she didn''t really have time to go through the proper motions, and that meant she needed to teach Dotty in the swiftest way possible. The most important thing, Monica thought to herself, is that she finds the courage to do the right thing and gains enough confidence to take the chances she gets. But Monica had exhausted Dotty enough that the girl wouldn¡¯t be in top shape, which meant that Monica needed to even the playing field just a little. And so, as she sneaked up upon the wolf, moving like a shadow, she suddenly stomped with all her strength on the joint of the wolf''s foreleg, hearing a light crack and waking the beast with a whimper. Before the wolf could move again, Monica stomped twice more. The wolf got up, but she saw that the foreleg couldn''t now fully support the Crystal Wolf''s weight. "Good," Monica said out loud. "Let''s go." She quickly brought the wolf back and let the three men try to get an opening for Dotty, who was clutching Twilight''s Edge as if her life depended on it, slowly leaning from one foot to the other unsteadily. But as Monica watched Tertius trying to sweep the creature''s legs, she also noticed that Dotty''s muscles were indeed relaxed. The girl kept her eyes trained on the wolf. Monica suddenly saw an opening as the wolf winced and tensed as it rested on its injured foreleg when Lucca forced it off-balance. That might be too small of an opening, she thought. But in the next instant, she saw Dotty jumping on the beast, slashing at its maw. The blade caught the wolf''s face, severing several jaw muscles, but the momentum of Dotty''s attack carried her too close. The wolf, despite its injured leg, twisted with desperate fury and caught Dotty with its shoulder, sending her sprawling to the ground. The beast lunged after her, its mangled jaw hanging at an unnatural angle. Dotty rolled, but not fast enough to fully escape. The wolf''s weight came down on her legs as its remaining teeth sought her throat. "Dammit!" Lucca shouted, moving to intervene. Monica''s arm shot out, blocking his path. "Wait," she said tensely. Her fingers dug into her palm so hard they drew blood, but she held firm. This was Dotty''s fight. The girl had managed to get her sword between herself and the wolf, but she was pinned beneath its bulk. Crystal shards from its hide cut into her arms as she struggled to keep its snapping jaws at bay. Blood - both hers and the beast''s - spattered her face. "Monica, please," Heidi pleaded from behind, "She needs help!" Monica didn''t move. Her eyes were fixed on Dotty''s face, searching for any sign that the girl was giving in to panic. But despite the blood and the pain, Dotty''s muscles remained loose, and her movements were fluid even under the crushing weight. The wolf''s injured leg buckled slightly, and Dotty seized her chance. She didn''t try to push the beast off - instead, she let her sword arm relax for just an instant. The wolf''s own weight drove it down onto the blade as Dotty twisted beneath it, guiding Twilight''s Edge up through its throat. The crystal-covered hide split like paper before Magic Rend. Blood gushed over Dotty as the blade tore through major vessels. The wolf thrashed once, twice, then went still, its massive form collapsing entirely onto the girl. For several heartbeats, no one moved. The only sound was the dripping of blood onto the stone. "Dotty?" Monica called softly, taking a half step forward. There was a grunt, and then the wolf''s corpse shifted. Slowly, painfully, Dotty pushed the dead weight off herself and rolled free. She lay on her back, chest heaving, covered in gore and crystal fragments, but still gripping Twilight''s Edge. She gestured to Heidi to stand down when the blonde woman was about to run and heal Dotty''s injuries. Monica went up to Dotty and put her hands gently on her frazzled hair. She summoned the Golden Flame, and soon, in a matter of seconds, all the bruises and cuts went away, restoring the normal appearance of the teenage girl. Monica also washed the rest of the girl''s body in Golden Flame, making sure there was not one scratch on her. She looked into the girl''s clear eyes and saw a determination that had once been drained from her by a miserable life now finally reignited. * * * The next three days passed in a whirlwind of fights and Monica, despite her initial doubts, had become increasingly relieved by the bloody ordeal she had put Dotty through to teach her what to do. By now, the girl had surpassed every other fighter in Level, gaining herself two new Skills at Level 10 and 15, having reached Level 17 by the third night. Tertius and Lucca had been the one with the most levels under their belt after Dotty, respectively at 15 and 13. The difference between Tertius¡¯s training as a nobleman and Lucca had slowly gotten Tertius the lead. Heidi had only gained three Levels, going from Level 9 to Level 12. However, what had pleased Monica to no end was the fact that the blonde had stopped whining. During every fight, Heidi had been extremely attentive to her role and provided as much support as she could. She was razor sharp and, quite honestly, vicious. Rochus was now a Level 11 Thug, which was decent in Monica¡¯s books. The man wasn¡¯t particularly bright nor smart, but being a much more simple-minded creature than Lucca and Tertius, Monica was much more relaxed around him and had even given the Thug a few fighting tips. Now, for the sore point of the Dungeon dive¡­ Ted strummed on the mandolin, his heart clearly not in it at all. They were gathered outside the Dungeon, roasting meat that Monica had purified with the Golden Flame, and resting for the night. Ted had been the only one person unable to gain even one Level. He was still a Level 1 Bard. Monica had been watching him and pondering to what extent she should have interfered with his own growth. Ted had made a promise to fight and go for the dream his mother had had, but Monica still had reserves about him. She quite liked the young man for some reason, but she was trying to see if he would crack under this little pressure. He was safe and in no physical danger while in the Dungeon with them. However, she knew that frustration could get the best of him. This was a good time to see whether he had what he needed to make it or not. Was it cruel that Monica was withholding suggestions from him when she had been so thorough with Dotty? Perhaps. However, Monica wanted to train Dotty to have her be a protector for the village and a new hope for her family. When it came to Ted, instead, Monica had much bigger plans. But for him to be there with her for them, she needed to make sure beyond reasonable doubt that he was ready for it. And right now, Ted wasn¡¯t. Monica took a brief look at her own status, trying to figure out her own future. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 9 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 64 Endurance - 45 Strength - 45 Dexterity - 80 Wisdom - 45 Spirit - 45 Intelligence - 45 Charisma - 45 Free Attributes: 0 Skills:Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 19 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 17 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 9 Fireball (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 7 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 20 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battleware (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues She had been using Mana Sense nonstop and it had now become a very interesting experience. She hadn¡¯t unlocked a Hidden Effect like she had with Fireball, thanks to her Obsidian Flame, but she knew there was something more to the Skill. And she knew she was close. The more Monica used Mana Sense in battle, the more she got an almost preternatural battle sense that allowed to perceive the Crystal Wolves even when they were out of sight. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was most certainly not something she would have expected from a skill called ¡®Mana Sense.¡¯ For tonight, however, she had other plans. ¡°Heidi,¡± Monica said, turning to the woman. ¡°I have a proposal for you.¡± The blonde frowned but had learned not to let her mouth run wild by now. ¡°What would it be?¡± The Healer asked. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t take this the wrong way,¡± Monica said, ¡°but you, as a Healer, suck.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Heidi said, affronted. ¡°You¡¯re too focused on the monsters, not enough on the people you have to heal. You do a good job, mind you. But you¡¯re not a natural Healer. You¡¯re not a nice person.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Heidi asked, gritting her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not a nice person, either,¡± Monica winked, ¡°which is why I punch things. Healing is a nice bonus. So, my point would be that you shouldn¡¯t be a Healer. You¡¯re made to be something else.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting I renounce my fate and change my Class?¡± Heidi was stunned. ¡°I suggest you consider it,¡± Monica nodded and took out the two Skill Books from her Inventory. ¡°I could help you out get a more¡­ suited Class. You¡¯re fiery¡ªyou should work with fire. I can take over the healing with no problem whatsoever, and, more importantly, you will be useless as a Healer during real fights as long as you¡¯re with me since I, not anyone else here, would be the main melee fighter. And, well, I can take care of my own healing.¡± Ted, who was watching the scene unfold before his eyes, winced, knowing just how insane the Healer was about to go. However, completely surprising him, but not Monica, Heidi didn¡¯t say anything. The redhead gave her the Skill Books and said, ¡°sleep on it. You can tell me what you want to do tomorrow morning.¡± * * * Monica was responsible for the first guard shift, needing less sleep than the others thanks to her Attributes. While true that she had gained less levels than anyone but Ted, her Class still granted her a whooping +5 to All Attributes, which meant she was effectively much stronger than her Level let on. More importantly, she was curious to observe Heidi. Monica could tell that Heidi had been going through something. Though Monica didn''t remember much about her past life, she knew she''d had children and worked as a lawyer. She concluded that she must have had a good ability to read people, and it had turned out that in these past three days, she had gotten quite a read on everyone present except Ted. Heidi had been the most interesting of them all. The fact that she wasn''t a nurturing woman didn''t faze Monica in the least. She herself felt that, despite her instincts with children, she didn''t exactly have nurturing instincts, especially when it came to normal people. Monica saw the girl tossing and turning in her cot, looked into the flames, and wondered what she was thinking about. * * * Heidi had her eyes open as she stared away from Monica, into the woods. She felt tears brimming and threatening to spill from her eyelids. She tried as hard as she could not to tear up, not to be a whiny child¡ªthat¡¯s what she had been taught back at the Church of the Healer. Heidi had been taken in when she was fourteen after her village had been razed to the ground and, in its aftermath, a plague had taken most of the lives of the people there. By the time the Church of the Healer had come, it had been too late for almost everyone. One could have counted on two hands the number of survivors. And among those, there weren¡¯t Heidi¡¯s parents. No, after their village had been raided for supplies, they had used all the food they could on Heidi, giving her the little they had stashed away for one reason or the other. However, when the disease started spreading among them, her mother, who had gotten the Healer Class without being Anointed, hadn¡¯t been able to do anything. No, the disease took almost everyone. Without food, they were too weak to fight. One after another, they had fallen like flies. Her parents had been among the last to go, worried about Heidi until their last moment. She had been a sickly child back then, always pale and getting sick. Her parents had been worried sick of getting her to become stronger, of getting her to survive the disease. Not for one moment¡ªnot one¡ªthey had thought of anything or anyone other than their sicklish daughter. In their village, whenever her mother wasn¡¯t gathering herbs and her father was dying leather, they spent all their time with her as she was often bedridden. They would tell stories, act little jokes for her, and find all the ways they could to make her happy. She hadn¡¯t been able to appreciate it back then. Being bedridden so often had always made her very resentful, angry with the children who could go out, play swords with long twigs, and roll in the mud. Not her. If Heidi ever rolled in the mud when she was younger, she would have fallen ill for days on end, sometimes weeks. And that had made her bitter. She knew for a fact that it wasn¡¯t uncommon for useless children to be abandoned. She had been trained as a Healer in Valoria where more than once she had seen children thrown on the streets by cruel parents. Only then she had truly been able to appreciate what her own parents had done, how they had given her life for a sickly child who had been almost guaranteed to die. Their love, and their love only saved her life. When the Church of the Healer had arrived, as she would have found out later, an entire escort of them had been waiting on a Lord with a nasty cold that was bothering him before a great ball. When they had finally arrived to the raided village, they had decided to take in Heidi, probably because they had felt really guilty about it. However, it had always nagged at Heidi, who had never vocalized such thoughts with herself, much less with the Church, that they had always said it was a great honor for her to be a part of the Church of the Healer. Not once they had recognized that the only reason Heidi had been taken in was because she had no one. And she had no one because, instead of going to the raided village they had been notified about, they had waited around an idiot Lord to curry favor with him. I¡¯m such an idiot, Heidi realized. She had always had this thought nagging at her in the back of her mind but, for whatever reason, she had never took the chance to make it explicit. To say what had happened, to say what the Church had done. If she had to guess, she had been too afraid of being thrown out, of being a lonely orphan out on the streets where no one would have taken a chance on her. And why would they have? She had a terrible character, so untenable that, if she had to be honest, it explained why she had been sent so far away from everything with a group of nobodies. She had talent for magic, but she had virtually zero talent for personal relationships, for being soft and amicable. She had no friends in the church, and the few that had approached her over the years had soon taken distance from her. She had been so harsh, so unforgiving with everyone. And now, it was all so stupidly clear. The Church always said they took a chance on me and offered me a new life. But they were just offering themselves a way out. As she mulled over these thoughts, she started sobbing and kept at it even in her sleep. * * * Heidi had puffy, red eyes when she rose to her cot and, still sleepy, went over to Monica, who, somehow, despite having taken the first shift, was already up. ¡°I want the Class,¡± Heidi said, sniffing. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± Monica said innocently. ¡°I want the damn Class.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Monica smiled and put her hands over Heidi¡¯s thin shoulders. ¡°Now, I want to give you a little gift. But it¡¯s going to hurt. A lot.¡± ¡°I heard Ivor,¡± Heidi said, gritting her teeth. ¡°I know getting the Fire Mage Class hurts.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Monica replied vaguely. ¡°What I have in my mind is actually a little different. It will hurt, Heidi, more than what you imagine. But it will be worth it.¡± ¡°I said I want it,¡± Heidi snapped. Now, the others started to stir and Lucca, who was posted on guard, looked over at them. ¡°Great,¡± Monica smiled cheekily. ¡°You¡¯ll need a change of clothes after we¡¯re done.¡± Heidi looked down at her white robes and nodded, ¡°I¡¯m done with this, anyway.¡± ¡°Yes. Now, step into the fire pit.¡± Heidi raised an eyebrow but decided not to protest. ¡°It¡¯s barely hot anymore,¡± Heidi said, looking at the warm ashes in the fireplace. ¡°Am I supposed to get my feet burned, or what were you thinking exactly? Are we starting a new fire?¡± ¡°We¡¯re starting a new fire, alright,¡± Monica smiled cattily as she circled Heidi with a smile. Heidi thought Monica would have had her put a hand over the fire and kept healing her while she screamed like a madman. Why, then, was Monica asking her to stay there? ¡°Now,¡± Monica explained, finally stopping in front of her. ¡°Are you willing to bear immense pain for a Class that fits you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Heidi said, resolute. ¡°Sit down if you want. In fact, it¡¯s going to be easier that way.¡± ¡°I want to stand,¡± Heidi said. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t fall when we start.¡± ¡°Ok, so, do I look for a piece of ember and hold it or¡ª¡± Monica summoned a huge globe of Obsidian Flames in her hands at smiled at the blonde. ¡°This is going to hurt a lot, Heidi. I thought about it, and my ¡®Avatar Instincts¡¯ told me that this should work. See, we¡¯re not giving you the Fire Mage, Class.¡± ¡°What?¡± Heidi suddenly said. ¡°What Class, then? Pyromancer, already? And why did you summon those flames? Don¡¯t we need normal flames? How would you¡ª¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Monica winked, ignoring the question about the Obsidian Flame. ¡°You would be useless as a normal Fire Mage or whatever with some useless, mortal flame. No, we¡¯re giving you the strongest Class I know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Heidi frowned. ¡°Heidi,¡± Monica said slowly, ¡°do you trust me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Healer replied without skipping a beat. ¡°Are you ready to go through unspeakable pain, then? Once you say yes¡ª¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Heidi shouted. ¡°You might die¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, Monica, yes!¡± ¡°Well, then. Get ready for a Twin Phoenix Class,¡± Monica said, pouring all the black flames atop the Healer, who suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs as the Obsidian Flame and the magic started consuming her alive. Chapter 23 Heidi burned and writhed in agony, bending on her knees, screaming like a woman possessed. Monica didn''t smile, smirk, or have any particular expression. She just watched as the Obsidian Flame started ripping off the skin of the woman and consuming her flesh. Everyone had been startled by Heidi''s banshee-like scream. And now they all watched as the blonde¡ªwell, the girl that was blonde since all her hair was being eaten up by the Obsidian Flame. The former blonde, now rapidly becoming bald, squirmed and twitched. A few seconds after Monica had started dousing her with Obsidian Flame, she summoned the Golden Flame as well. Now, the layers of flesh and skin began knitting themselves together, trying to resist the onslaught of the Obsidian Flame. It was a horrific scene. Ted turned to the side and bent over, puking everything that was left in his stomach from the night before. Heidi was agonizing, but right when she was about to perhaps lose her senses and fall, Monica stepped forward, holding her by her arm so that she would not fall on the ground. The woman was still in blinding, torturous misery, but Monica made sure that she could hear words, relenting with the Obsidian Flames from her face and scalp for a moment. "You''re halfway through it, Heidi," Monica said. "Don''t fall. Don''t give up. And you''ll get a Class so strong you won''t even believe it. A Class beyond any of your dreams." Heidi barely understood Monica''s words and looked at the woman while the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame rotated over her body in a cycle of destruction and creation, taking her flesh, mangling it, and soon after recreating it. Monica knew that since her Golden Flame was currently still slightly stronger than the Obsidian Flame, and since Monica was taking very much care of outputting more Golden Flame than Obsidian Flame, the Healer had no way of dying in the process. But the pain she was going through¡ªburning oneself with a flame in order to get a Fire Mage Class would have hurt a lot. Being burned alive from head to toe was excruciating. Heidi, determined and understanding what was at stake, placed both flaming arms on Monica''s shoulders, who couldn¡¯t be hurt by her own flame. By now, all her clothes had been burned away, and the naked, bald woman hung for dear life onto Monica as the cycle of Obsidian and Golden Flame ravaged her body. About thirty seconds later, Monica dispelled both flames, instinctively feeling that it should have been enough. Heidi collapsed the moment she retracted both flames. Her nervous system overwhelmed, her entire body shutting down. Monica swooped the girl''s legs and took her in a princess hold before she could hit the ground, looking back at the men. "Don''t look. I need to go help her change." The flames had given Heidi some propriety during her ordeal, hiding her most intimate bits. But now she needed to clothe herself again and make sure that she would come to her senses, not naked among a bunch of men. "Dotty," Monica called out. "Come. I need help." * * * ¡°Is she going to be okay?¡± Dotty asked as she slipped a pair of pants over Heidi¡¯s cleanly fire-shaven legs. She looked at the woman''s bald, eyebrowless face and cringed. She wasn¡¯t big on makeup or even brushing her hair. But she had to admit she would have been quite upset if Monica had given her a complete shave from head to toe as she had done to Heidi. ¡°She should have already gotten the Class notification,¡± Monica told Dotty. ¡°She will be fine¡ªat least physically. When it comes to her mind, I don¡¯t know. Being burned alive is not good. It might have traumatized her a bit.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell her you were giving her a Twin Phoenix Class immediately?¡± Dotty said. ¡°I would have liked to be told why you were about to burn me alive. She would have probably accepted days ago if you made such an offer. You just gave her a Twin Phoenix Class.¡± Dotty sounded still perplexed. ¡°I did,¡± Monica smiled, ¡°and I know she would have agreed to that. She¡¯s tough.¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you?¡± Dotty asked, confused. Monica tapped her chin after they rested Heidi against a tree trunk. ¡°I wanted to see how she would react to this being sprung on her. It helps me see what people are really made of if they don¡¯t expect something.¡± ¡°Is that why you had me fight a wolf while I was tired and without you intervening?¡± Monica nodded with a serious expression. ¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t nice¡ª¡± ¡°But nice gets you killed,¡± Dotty finished the sentence. Monica sighed, looking at Heidi¡¯s bald head. ¡°If I had had another choice, I would have taken it, but some risks are worth the pain. Will Heidi hate me for this? Maybe. In fact, do you hate me?¡± Monica asked, looking at Dotty. Dotty hesitated and then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m just a bit afraid of you. Sometimes, you act like a monster.¡± Monica nodded. ¡°I have been cruel to you, to Heidi, to Ted, and a little less to the other three idiots. The more I care about someone, the more I need to make sure they¡¯re ready. I like to think there is a price to everything. When I¡¯m cruel, Dotty¡ªI want you to understand this¡ªI am paying a price myself. There¡¯s no being cruel to someone without being cruel to yourself. We all want to be loved. We all want to be revered and treated like gods. So when we get the choice, we prefer pleasing people, or at the very least giving them the impression that we¡¯re pleasing them, even though we might be hurting them beyond what they can understand. ¡°The real monsters,¡± Monica continued, ¡°are those who trick people and are cruel to them while they let them believe nothing wrong is going on. Was I cruel to you? Somewhat, yes.¡± ¡°But you own up to it,¡± Dotty realized with a frown. Monica shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t know that inflicting pain and feeling guilty about it exculpates you. I actually don¡¯t think it does at all. But you can now kill wolves that would have torn apart your entire village. You got to the point where you can face one alone, maybe two while taking just the slightest bit of damage. I have to believe that without me putting you through a hard situation, without making sure you were ready to die, it wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°But Heidi would have gone into the Class all the same,¡± Dotty said, not fully getting the point of what Monica had done yet. ¡°Yes,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°She would have. That¡¯s why I warned her three times before dousing her in Obsidian Flame. Now, I know that she understands the difference between cruelty and sacrifice. She knew I wasn¡¯t asking her to suffer in my place, and she knew I wasn¡¯t dishing out suffering without a reason. Otherwise, she would have stepped away. She would have gone out of the fireplace or fallen and given up. But she put her hands on me because she trusted me. That¡¯s why she stayed. She looked me in the eyes while her flesh was being burned and consumed. That told me what she¡¯s really made of. It might not sound logical or nice, but it touches on a layer of trust that cannot be built in any other way. She trusted me and said that I was doing what was best for her. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have stayed with us. Now I trust her, and I¡¯m sure she will trust me.¡± Dotty found the entire reasoning a little convoluted but it actually, perhaps too weirdly, made sense. Maybe she was getting too attached to Monica¡¯s violent ways of teaching lessons and helping people. But she had to admit that so far the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix had definitely tilted the scale toward helping others more than hurting them. Dotty smiled with a half-crooked lip. To be fair, she had also hurt her and Heidi a lot, but only time would tell whether she had been truly right about her actions. Hopefully, in time, Monica wouldn¡¯t have to burn people alive to do so. ¡°Go now,¡± Monica told Dotty. ¡°I need to talk to Heidi when she comes back to her senses.¡± * * * ¡°Why would you give me such powers?¡± Heidi asked, stunned. That was the first thing she had asked as soon as she had regained consciousness. She hadn¡¯t complained about the hair and the eyebrows even though she had touched them with a strong hint of displeasure on her face. She had stared right in front of her, probably checking out the notifications she had gotten, and had left her mouth hanging wide open. ¡°This is too much,¡± Heidi muttered. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Life is not a transaction, Heidi. Life is about giving a chance to those who have nothing. I am arrogant enough to say I saw something in you. Now, I¡¯ll just wait to be proved right or wrong, but there¡¯s no being proved right ever unless you take the chance of being proved wrong a few times.¡± Monica hadn¡¯t told either Dotty or Heidi that if Heidi had been loudly complaining and blaming Monica after coming back to her senses or during the test, she might have considered leaving her to burn alive. Considered, though not guaranteed. She would have just made a decision on the spot based on her instincts. It would have been extremely cruel toward the woman. But Monica didn¡¯t want to risk giving an evil person these powers. Heidi had complained a lot before, but she had also shown changes in the few days they¡¯d been out. So Monica decided to take a big chance, a bet that, if it paid off, would make the world a better, more just place. And yes, it was arrogant on Monica¡¯s behalf. But she was indeed the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. She considered arrogance a side effect of the job. Heidi slowly got up, looking at her hands, flexing them, and then summoning fully black flame in her palm. She looked at it and then at a tree. Then at Monica. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t burn like a normal flame. The Obsidian Flame consumes instead of burning. It won¡¯t set the forest on fire.¡± Heidi placed the hand on a tree trunk and saw her fingers starting to sink into it. Monica was right. It wasn¡¯t burning. It consumed the wood as if it was just devouring it, grinding it to dust. She removed the palm, seeing the print of her hand going several inches deep into the thick tree. ¡°I don¡¯t have the Golden Flame, though,¡± Heidi said, looking at Monica. ¡°When I got the Phoenix Healer Class before my Title kicked in, I didn¡¯t get the Obsidian Flame offered to me. Only the Golden Flame. I don¡¯t think you can get both unless, well, you¡¯re the Avatar. This is pure speculation, but if I had to guess, we get the flame we¡¯re most in tune with.¡± Heidi raised an eyebrow toward Monica. ¡°And you got the healing flame as if you were¡­ nurturing?¡± ¡°I did just nurture you to a Class tied to an Ancient Beast,¡± Monica pointed out with a smile. ¡°Monica, you just burned me alive.¡± ¡°Alive is the keyword. You¡¯re not dead.¡± Heidi raised her hands, giving up, and raised her missing eyebrows. ¡°Ok. Just¡­ thank you. I will repay this debt for the rest of my life¡ª¡± ¡°What debt? Yuck.¡± Monica made a shooing motion. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m not your God. Lucas said Avatars don¡¯t have followers. You can be part of the team if you want, but not a follower.¡± Heidi, who had assisted at the discussion between Monica and the Healer God, couldn¡¯t help but ask the same question her former God had asked. ¡°Why do you do this? I mean, why do you help? What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a justice scale,¡± Monica said, raising her palms pointing upward like plates. ¡°I don¡¯t have people I care about here¡ªI don¡¯t have family. So, I don¡¯t have ties. Otherwise, I would have worried about them, about those I love. Therefore, I have to use a scale that¡¯s usually on the back burner. On the one plate,¡± she said, wiggling the fingers of her right hand, ¡°there¡¯s what¡¯s good and just. I know that the long-term outcomes, regardless of how they make me or others feel, will most likely be positive. You getting a Class that will help kill Crystal Wolves infused with Corruption is a net positive.¡± Monica then stopped wiggling the fingers of her right hand and extended the left one. ¡°On this one, instead, there¡¯s danger and pain. For every good action, you might have to inflict pain upon someone or suffer yourself,¡± Monica looked emphatically at Heidi since she was the perfect example of this. ¡°Some of this pain I might feel as a result of what I have to do. Since I¡¯m not a mindless drone, I would weigh the pain of having to lose a child against a thousand, a hundred thousand, or perhaps even millions of lives of strangers. But I don¡¯t have children here. So¡­¡± ¡°So you can make very rational decisions without being burdened by the ties with your loved ones because you don¡¯t have any,¡± Heidi realized. ¡°So, you do this¡­ for yourself?¡± Monica winked. ¡°Sort of. It might look easy and, at times, a bit aimless. But I¡¯m making judgment calls to stay in the right game¡ªjustice. Then, if I ever find a nice lover and have children, I might change. For now, I like two things: killing Corrupted monsters and making things around me better. I apparently also get Quests, which makes it easier to decide what¡¯s next. If it hadn¡¯t been for the system, I wouldn¡¯t have known about the Crystal Wolves, and I would have had a very hard time finding them. I would have been aimless without it.¡± Heidi had had a very different opinion of Monica up to this point. She had seen her as this sort of inhuman being who reveled in inflicting pain upon some and randomly testing others. She had seen her as an herald of chaos, if she had to be completely honest. But now that she heard those words, she understood that Monica was just trying to make the best out of a terrible situation where she ended up in a place where she knew no one, had barely any memory, and everything was unfamiliar. On top of that, an Old God was trying to corrupt the very zone she had appeared in. Heidi actually laughed out loud, shaking her head. ¡°What?¡± Monica asked, amused. ¡°You¡¯re just¡­ enjoying yourself. I thought you were chaos. Or maybe you had esoteric plans. No, you¡¯re just trying to have a nice time while staying on the right side of things.¡± ¡°Glad you understand,¡± Monica smiled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go, we need to get your Class up to speed.¡± Chapter 24 ¡°Do you know how I¡¯ve said that Vitality complements Dexterity?¡± Ted explained. ¡°Well, the same is true for Charisma. For every point of Wisdom, you should get a point of Charisma if you¡¯re going for the best balance in terms of casting speed and efficiency. However, for each point of Charisma, you need at least one-third of that in Intelligence. So, if you have 30 Wisdom and 30 Charisma, Intelligence should be at least 10.¡± Ted continued, ¡°If you wanted to go for a more damage-based build, you would need to focus more on Intelligence than Charisma. But if you¡¯re focusing on Intelligence, then you need Spirit. For each point of Intelligence, you need at least half a Spirit. It¡¯s basically the same relationship between Endurance and Strength. If you have 10 Strength, you should have at least 5 Endurance. Otherwise, you just cannot use all your Strength without tearing yourself apart.¡± ¡°Plus, there is still a two-way connection between Intelligence and Charisma,¡± Ted added. ¡°Intelligence needs at the very least one-third of Charisma to exert its maximum power because otherwise, your control over your spells becomes sluggish. But that also means you want some Wisdom to increase your reserves of Mana.¡± Unlike Dotty, who had experienced a completely different Class transformation¡ªClass evolution of sorts¡ªnot losing her levels, Heidi had to lose all her points and levels in Healer to get her new Class. To be completely fair, she had never fully asked for the details about Attributes from her superiors. They had just told her how to distribute her points and to pray a lot for the Healer¡¯s favor. But they had never given her a systematic description of how Attributes worked. Thankfully, Ted seemed to know pretty much everything, even about how casting worked when it came to Attributes. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard,¡± Ted said, raising his hands. ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty simple. The relationships should be taught more widely. It¡¯s just that some people don¡¯t fully trust the academies because there are still some marginal benefits to having an imbalanced build. But the reality is that while having a lot of Intelligence without any Spirit to sustain it might allow you to unleash kill spells against humans, there¡¯s no way you would be able to sustain a battle against any monster, which, on average, is much more resistant than a human, without tearing yourself apart. And the same is true for physical warriors.¡± Heidi noticed Ted giving her a long look when she returned, now dressed in Monica''s borrowed pants and linen shirt, her body completely hairless. Though her boyish appearance was striking, Ted didn''t comment on it. In fact, he had been quite kind to her - something Heidi especially appreciated given that during their first meeting, she had suggested he deserved execution for being a Cultist. She now regretted making that harsh judgment. She spent a few minutes by herself trying to decide how to distribute the Attributes before settling and deciding that, for the moment, she would just operate on the same distribution that her Class had, which was 2 points in Wisdom, 4 points in Spirit, 6 points in Intelligence, and 2 points in Charisma. Her Class clearly favored a very offensive, damage-oriented distribution. Therefore, she decided to drop the 3 Attributes she had gotten into Intelligence, slightly skewing the build toward power. Ted had said that unless the difference was very big, it didn¡¯t really make much impact at low levels, whether she had a few points more in one stat or another. Heidi looked at the young man as he went back to sit on a fallen tree trunk, strumming helplessly on the mandolin, which, from what she understood, still wasn¡¯t giving him any cue on how to use his Class and activate his own abilities. She looked at Monica, who clearly had a wonderful intuition when it came to people but also about the System, and wondered why she had not said anything to Ted, why she had not tried to experiment alongside him to make it easier for him to get Skills. Did she really have no idea what to do? Or was this one of her plans? One of her twisted plans? If Heidi had to guess, she would say it was the latter. But given that so far Monica had been on the spot with everything, including the ruthless murder of Ivor, she chose to say nothing and trust the woman. She took a look at the old notifications she had gotten with the Class and her Akashic Record. *Ding!* You have fulfilled the requirements for the Class ¨C Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) *Ding!* You have acquired the Class ¨C Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) +2 WIS, +4 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 3 Free Attributes per Level You are blessed with the Embers of the Obsidian Flame of the Phoenix. A Phoenix Pyromancer fights with extremely powerful offensive capabilities thanks to their connection with the Obsidian Flame¡¯s Embers. However, Phoenix Pyromancers suffer from a smaller Mana Pool and weak Mana Regeneration. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x1.5 Class Malus: -20% to Total Mana -30% to Mana Regeneration The fact that her Class was ¡®Pyromancer¡¯ had been enough to excite Heidi. A Pyromancer was a step up from a Fire Mage. It was someone who was more in tune with fire magic and could, therefore, wield much more powerful spells than your average Fire Mage. The fact that she had a connection to an Ancient Beast''s power through the Obsidian Flame was already mind-blowing. The Class penalties worried her slightly, but she figured they were there to balance out what was likely to be immense offensive capabilities. Skills: Obsidian Ember (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 1 Name: Heidi Race: Human Title: None 1st Class: Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) - Lv. 1 Attributes: Vitality - 0 Endurance - 0 Strength - 0 Dexterity - 0 Wisdom - 2 Spirit - 4 Intelligence - 9 Charisma - 2 Free Attributes: 0 She had lost all her healing abilities, but somehow, she felt lighter. More genuine. The white robes of the Healer had always felt like a costume she was forced to wear. Now, dressed in simple clothes with her head completely bald, she felt more like herself than she had in years. "Hey," Monica called out, interrupting her thoughts. ¡°You should get these two, too.¡± Monica passed her two Skill Books. Heidi took it with a raised eyebrow and innerly thanked the fact that Monica had decided to give them to her. The Phoenix Pyromancer Class offered very good Attributes for an Uncommon Class, but it also only offered Obsidian Ember, which meant she had no direct attacking Skill. Within seconds, two notifications appeared to her. *Ding* Would you like to use Book of Fireball? YES|NO *Ding* Would you like to use Book of Mana Sense? YES|NO Fireball (Offensive Skill) Harness your Mana to create and launch a sphere of magical flames at your target. Usage: Focus your mana into a condensed sphere of fire in your palm and direct it toward your target. Mana Sense (Perception Skill) Develop the ability to perceive Mana in your surroundings. Usage: Focus your mind to sense the presence and movement of Mana around you. *Ding* Hidden Effect Uncovered! *Ding * Fireball''s description has been updated. Fireball Lv. 1 Offensive spell based on fire. #1 Hidden Effect - A Stronger Flame: Your Obsidian Ember increases the damage of Fireball by 200%. The damage increases by 5% for each Level. Current Bonus: 205% * * * They had entered the Dungeon once again to allow Heidi to test her new Class. Heidi had seen Monica shooting Fireballs at the Crystal Wolves, but she hadn¡¯t truly understood how powerful the spell was until it left her own hand. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Even though her spell wasn¡¯t powered by the Obsidian Flame but by Obsidian Ember, it still shattered the superficial layer of the first Crystal Wolf they met as if it were fragile glass. Two more Fireballs killed the creature without any trouble. *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Ember reaches Level 2 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Fireball reaches Level 2 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Fireball reaches Level 3 You have slain [Crystal Wolf ¨C Level 14] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature ten levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Minor Corruption. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) reaches Level 2 +2 WIS, +4 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 3 Free Attributes per Level *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) reaches Level 3 +2 WIS, +4 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 3 Free Attributes per Level *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Pyromancer (Uncommon) reaches Level 4 +2 WIS, +4 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 3 Free Attributes per Level Heidi could feel in real time how killing one Crystal Wolf had already made her much stronger. The increase in Attributes made her feel like she could have done this the whole day. ¡°I think we can speed things along now,¡± Monica said. Heidi''s new Class made things much easier for the group during their next dive. Now that Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus have earned enough levels to be useful but not enough to be a threat to the teenage girl, Monica has decided to bench them. And it wasn¡¯t just a long-term strategic decision. None of them had Skills strong enough to deal significant damage to the Crystal Wolves, which meant they all had to wait for Dotty to act. But that made exploring the Dungeon terribly slow. Therefore, Monica decided to put Dotty and Heidi to the test. Instead of fetching the monsters like she had been doing up until now, making sure not too many Crystal Wolves came at them at once, she let the Hunter of Magic and the Phoenix Pyromancer deal with whatever the Dungeon threw at them. Monica still killed the occasional monster that escaped Dotty and tried lunging for Heidi, but other than that, she pretty much kept to herself, not bothering the duo. The only thing she resented was the fact that Heidi gained a new Skill only hours after getting her new Class. Skill List Emberheart¡¯s Fury - Lv. 1 The Obsidian Embers within your soul ignite with unmatched fury, empowering your magical fire-based attacks with scorching intensity and accelerating your spellcasting capabilities. While active, all fire-based spells are amplified, and the cooldown of your spells is reduced. #1 Base Effect: Increases the power of all fire-based spells by 30%. The effect increases by 5% for every Level. Current Bonus: 35% #2 Base Effect: Reduces the cooldown of all fire-based spells by 20%. The effect increases by 3% for every Level. Current Bonus: 23% #1 Cost - Activating Emberheart¡¯s Fury consumes 10% of your total Mana every minute. The cost decreases by 0.1% for each Level. The Skill remains active until you choose to deactivate it or run out of Mana. Current Cost: 9.9% of your Total Mana Special Effect - Unleashed Inferno: If your Mana falls below 20%, Emberheart¡¯s Fury triggers an automatic powerful explosion of Obsidian Embers around you, damaging and knocking back nearby enemies. This effect can only occur once per activation of the Skill. Even though it wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as Phoenix Fury, Monica still felt a little pang of jealousy. The newly minted Phoenix Pyromancer was not only making great progress, but she had been lucky enough to get a Skill at Level 5. Ted had explained that one usually gained one new Skill - or an evolution of a Skill - every ten levels. However, there was a small chance, every five levels, that one could get yet another new Skill. And Heidi had been lucky enough to get one at Level 5 before she got the Level 10 one, which had been perhaps even more amazing. Skill List Emberstorm Convergence - Lv. 1 Your mastery over the Obsidian Embers allows you to fuse the raw power of multiple Fireballs into a single, massive Emberstorm, which devastates a targeted area and leaves behind an ember field that continues to burn enemies. #1 Base Effect: Combines up to three Fireballs into an Emberstorm, increasing the damage of the Fireball by 50% for each Fireball used. The damage increases by 5% per Fireball for every Level. Current Damage Bonus: up to 165% Number of Fireballs you can merge: 3 #2 Base Effect: Each additional Fireball increases the radius of the attack by 20%. The effect increases by 2% per Fireball for each Level. Current Radius Increase: up to 66% per additional Fireball #3 Base Effect: The Emberstorm leaves behind an Obsidian Ember Field, dealing fire damage over time for 60 seconds. The damage increases by 10% for each Fireball fused. The effect increases by 1% per Fireball for every Level. Current Ember Field Damage: 33% per Fireball Special Effect: Ember Vortex - When three Fireballs are fused, the Emberstorm generates an Ember Vortex, pulling enemies toward the storm¡¯s center and disrupting their movements for 3 seconds. #1 Cost: Emberstorm Convergence consumes 250% the amount of Mana required to cast a Fireball for each Fireball used. The Mana cost is reduced by 2% per Level. Current Cost: 248% #1 Cooldown: After Emberstorm Convergence is unleashed, Emberstorm Convergence has a 30-minute cooldown. #2 Cooldown: After Emberstorm Convergence is unleashed, Fireball has a 1-minute cooldown. * * * Heidi gripped the corner of the wall, peering around it at the pack of Crystal Wolves prowling through the dungeon corridor. She counted ten of them, their crystalline bodies refracting the blue light from the gems embedded in the walls. Her hand tensed as she prepared her first spell, remembering Monica''s lessons about staying relaxed until the moment to strike. [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] [Crystal Wolf - Level 18] [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] [Crystal Wolf - Level 16] [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] [Crystal Wolf - Level 18] [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] [Crystal Wolf - Level 16] [Crystal Wolf - Level 17] Monica, who had scouted the rest of the Dungeon by herself, told them that this was going to be the last battle before they reached the Dungeon Boss. She had left Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus outside, only bringing Dotty, Heidi, and Ted with her. Heidi had fully grown into her role as a one-shot caster who essentially tried unloading all her Mana as quickly as possible, generating an immense amount of destruction at once. She briefly glanced at her three Skills before opening the dances. Skill List Fireball Lv. 22 Offensive spell based on fire. #1 Hidden Effect - A Stronger Flame: Your Obsidian Ember increases the damage of Fireball by 200%. The damage increases by 5% for each Level. Current Bonus: 310% Mana Sense Lv. 7 Develop the ability to perceive Mana in your surroundings. Emberheart¡¯s Fury - Lv. 13 The Obsidian Embers within your soul ignite with unmatched fury, empowering your magical fire-based attacks with scorching intensity and accelerating your spellcasting capabilities. While active, all fire-based spells are amplified, and the cooldown of your spells is reduced. #1 Base Effect: Increases the power of all fire-based spells by 30%. The effect increases by 5% for every Level. Current Bonus: 95% #2 Base Effect: Reduces the cooldown of all fire-based spells by 20%. The effect increases by 3% for every Level. Current Bonus: 59% #1 Cost - Activating Emberheart¡¯s Fury consumes 10% of your total Mana every minute. The cost decreases by 0.1% for each Level. The Skill remains active until you choose to deactivate it or run out of Mana. Current Cost: 8.7% of your Total Mana Special Effect - Unleashed Inferno: If your Mana falls below 20%, Emberheart¡¯s Fury triggers an automatic powerful explosion of Obsidian Embers around you, damaging and knocking back nearby enemies. This effect can only occur once per activation of the Skill. Emberstorm Convergence - Lv. 8 Your mastery over the Obsidian Embers allows you to fuse the raw power of multiple Fireballs into a single, massive Emberstorm, which devastates a targeted area and leaves behind an ember field that continues to burn enemies. #1 Base Effect: Combines up to three Fireballs into an Emberstorm, increasing the damage of the Fireball by 90% for each Fireball used. The damage increases by 5% per Fireball for every Level. Current Damage Bonus: up to 270% Number of Fireballs you can merge: 3 #2 Base Effect: Each additional Fireball increases the radius of the attack by 36%. The effect increases by 2% per Fireball for each Level. Current Radius Increase: up to 108% per additional Fireball #3 Base Effect: The Emberstorm leaves behind an Obsidian Ember Field, dealing fire damage over time for 60 seconds. The damage increases by 18% for each Fireball fused. The effect increases by 1% per Fireball for every Level. Current Ember Field Damage: 54% per Fireball Special Effect: Ember Vortex - When three Fireballs are fused, the Emberstorm generates an Ember Vortex, pulling enemies toward the storm¡¯s center and disrupting their movements for 3 seconds. #1 Cost: Emberstorm Convergence consumes 234% the amount of Mana required to cast a Fireball for each Fireball used. The Mana cost is reduced by 2% per Level. Current Cost: 234% #1 Cooldown: After Emberstorm Convergence is unleashed, Emberstorm Convergence has a 30-minute cooldown. #2 Cooldown: After Emberstorm Convergence is unleashed, Fireball has a 1-minute cooldown. By now, Heidi¡¯s Emberstorm Convergence had become a much more powerful spell than Ivor¡¯s evolved Fireball. Furthermore, it had also become the lynchpin of Heidi¡¯s and Dotty¡¯s fighting strategy. ¡°Ready?¡± Heidi whispered to Dotty, who crouched just behind her. The teenage girl nodded back at the Phoenix Pyromancer, who was finally growing a little over eyebrows back despite still sporting an almost fully bald head. After three days of constant fighting, they had developed efficient teamwork. More importantly, they had developed confidence, with Monica¡¯s interventions becoming less and less frequent. Heidi activated Emberheart¡¯s Fury, feeling the familiar surge of power as she ignited the Obsidian Embers in her soul. The magic of the Twin Phoenix coursed through her veins, empowering her next spell. There was a large hall before them that housed all the Crystal Wolves, banded together and alert, ready for a fight. Unlike most Crystal Wolves, who would find themselves sleeping throughout the Dungeon, these ones clearly defended the massive double doors that stood behind them. As soon as Heidi caught their attention, she didn¡¯t give them time to react. She activated Emberstorm Convergence, quickly fusing three Fireballs together. The process took a few seconds, but before the monsters could start lunging for her, she unleashed a massive firestorm in their midst. Smaller fireballs sped through the curtain of fire, peppering the monsters, destroying the crystal covering their bodies, incapacitating some, and killing others. It didn¡¯t stop there. At the center of the room, a vortex appeared, and the wolves started pulling toward its center while boiling them from the inside out because of the scorching temperatures generated by her spell. Heidi felt the cooldowns kick in and stepped back, leaving space for Dotty. The teenage girl had gotten an upgrade to Antimagic Aura, which had turned into Antimagic Field at Level 10 and allowed her to negate most of the after-effects of Emberstorm Convergence. So, immune to the terrifying attack that Heidi had unleashed, Dotty started cutting away at the disoriented creatures. Twilight¡¯s Edge decapitated the closest Crystal Wolf. Then she tucked under the maw of the second and impaled it from its throat up to its skull. The remaining Crystal Wolves, though disoriented, were far from helpless. Three of them managed to break free from the vortex''s pull. ¡°You counted poorly,¡± Monica said, appearing from behind Heidi, shooting down the three monsters who had escaped from Dotty with her own Fireballs in quick succession. She turned to the Phoenix Pyromancer. ¡°You should know your cooldowns by now. Without me here, you would have died.¡± Dotty quickly finished the last of the monsters and went back to Monica and Heidi. Several steps behind them, in the middle of the corridor, was Ted. ¡°Can I come now?!¡± Ted shouted. ¡°You can come!¡± Monica replied. ¡°That¡¯s what she said!¡± Ted shouted back, now getting closer. Ted had still not been able to unlock a single Skill from his Bard Class. Despite having craved the Class for so long and putting genuine effort into trying and figuring out its secret, the young man had yet to make any progress. Meanwhile, the women around him seemed to slowly leave him in the dust, which most certainly didn¡¯t help his confidence. They all looked at the double-doors that led to the Boss when Monica, who saw the corpses of the Crystal Wolves she had killed dissolve into blue clouds, suddenly heard a notification. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 10 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* You have acquired a new Skill. Chapter 25 *Ding* You learned the Class Skill - Phoenix Step Phoenix Step (Class Skill, Movement Skill, Phoenix Healer) Channel the essence of the Twin Phoenix to move with supernatural grace and speed, leaving traces of flame in your wake. Each step can be enhanced with either the Golden or Obsidian Flame. #1 Base Effect: Instantly move up at 500% your top speed up to 10 yards in any direction, leaving a trail of your chosen flame. The speed increases by 10% for each Level. The distance increases by 1 yard for each Level. Current Range: 11 yards Current Max Speed: 510% #2 Base Effect: Can be used up to 3 times in quick succession before requiring a brief pause. Maximum uses increase by 1 every 5 Levels. Current Uses: 3 #1 Special Conditional Effect - Golden Trail: Use the Golden Flame to change direction up to one time while using the Skill. #2 Special Conditional Effect - Obsidian Trail: When using the Obsidian Flame, increase the damage of your next blow by 200%. The damage increases by 10% for each Level. Limitations: You can only apply one flame per usage. Cooldown: After using maximum successive steps, you must wait 100 seconds before using Phoenix Step again. Monica read the description a few times over before nodding, impressed. She looked ahead and activated Phoenix Step. Her body shimmered with both flames as she sprinted at incredible speed toward one end of the room, being able to supernaturally stop dead in her tracks without losing balance. This is great, she thought, jumping up and down to see if the increase in speed had put any strain on her legs, but it didn¡¯t look like it. The Skill clearly operated beyond the physical realm. She activated it once again, this time using the Golden Flame, and managed to execute a sharp turn as if she had not even twisted her body. The best way she could describe it was that it felt like the world had turned¡ªnot her¡ªwhen she applied the Golden Flame effect. Dotty, Heidi, and Ted looked at her in surprise. ¡°The new Skill?¡± Heidi asked, rubbing the buzzy hair on her head. ¡°Yeah,¡± Monica nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a movement Skill.¡± ¡°That was fast,¡± Ted commented, taken aback. ¡°Now, Ted, explain to me again how this works,¡± Monica changed topic, pointing her thumb toward the Boss¡¯s double doors. ¡°Dungeons are regulated by the System. This one, despite being Corrupted, works pretty much the same. Bosses cannot exit their room. However, once you enter, you either defeat the Boss or die.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Well, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Monica said. Monica stared at the massive double doors, their black stone surface threaded with crystal veins similar to those covering the Crystal Wolves. She flexed her fingers, feeling both the Golden and Obsidian Flames ready to spring forth at her command. "I''m going in alone," she said. "We can help¡ª" Dotty started. "No." Monica''s tone left no room for argument. "A Boss is different from these wolves. And I can''t die." Ted shifted uncomfortably beside them. The young Bard might not have unlocked any Skills yet, but he had knowledge none of them possessed. "Dude, she''s right. Boss rooms are no joke. It''s not just that they''re stronger¡ªthey have different rules. Once someone enters, they either win or die. There''s no running away." Heidi tightened her finsts. The Phoenix Pyromancer had grown tremendously over the past few days, but even she recognized the tension in the air. "The crystals in the walls," she said, using her Mana Sense. "They''re pulsing stronger here." Monica noticed it too. The blue gems that had lit their way through the Dungeon were different near the Boss room. Their light seemed to beat like a heart, creating shifting shadows that danced across the walls. She placed her hands on the doors and pushed. They swung open with surprising ease, as if they weighed nothing at all. Beyond the threshold lay only darkness¡ªnot the dim light of the Dungeon, but complete and utter blackness that seemed to swallow even the glow of the crystal veins. "That''s normal," Ted said quickly, seeing Monica''s hesitation. "The Boss doesn''t wake up until someone enters. The room''s basically sleeping until then." "Something feels wrong," Heidi muttered. The bald woman''s knuckles were white. Monica took a step closer to the threshold, studying the darkness. Even her Mana Sense couldn''t penetrate it. The void seemed absolute, almost alive in how it consumed all light and sensation. "Stay back," she ordered the others. "If anything happens¡ª" "We know," Dotty said, gripping the hilt of Twilight''s Edge. "We''ll guard the exit." Monica smiled despite herself. The girl had grown so much in just a few days. From a scared teenager to someone who could face down Crystal Wolves without flinching. She''d make a fine protector for the village. "Good," Monica said. "Then let''s see what kind of Boss¡ª" She was about to step forward when metallic tendrils shot out of the darkness, gleaming like liquid mercury. They moved faster than even Monica could react, bypassing her completely and wrapping around Dotty''s waist and arms. "Help!" Dotty screamed, managing to draw Twilight''s Edge. The sword''s antimagic properties, however, did nothing against the tendrils. The blade bounced away, incapable of slicing the metal wrapping around her legs and torso. Monica''s body moved without thinking. She coated her hands in Obsidian Flame and grabbed the nearest tendril. The metal screamed¡ªan actual shriek of pain that made everyone cover their ears¡ªas the black flames ate into it. The tendril''s surface bubbled and warped, heavy corruption boiling out of it like black steam. But there were too many. For each tendril Monica burned away, two more replaced it. They yanked Dotty off her feet, dragging her toward the darkness. "Monica!" the girl cried out, still fighting. Monica, enraged, summoned a large quantity of Obsidian Flame, but Heidi shoved her aside. "No! You''ll hit Dotty!" Dotty¡¯s nails scraped on the pavement, but even as Monica lunged for her, the tendrils of metal sucked her into the room. Then, a voice echoed from the chamber, deep and metallic, like grinding gears given speech. Each word sent vibrations through the crystal veins in the walls. "Avatar, we meet again." The voice triggered something in Monica. Though she had no memory of hearing it before, a name blazed through her mind: Machina. "If you want the girl, come," the voice continued. Chapter 26 "It''s been so long, Avatar. The last time I saw you, it was a whole other era." The voice screeched metallically as Monica lunged inside the room. The moment she''d stepped through, the darkness disappeared both for her and for Ted and Heidi, who were standing still before the threshold. On the other side, Monica saw three figures. There was a giant Crystal Wolf, probably ten feet tall, covered with crystal three inches thick, all silver with claws the size of Monica''s head. The crystal over the monster''s body caught the light of giant lantern-like gems in the walls, which shone light in the Boss''s room. The room was circular and unadorned, but even if it had contained all the treasure in the world, Monica would have still been focused on the tall woman, as tall as the Boss, who gripped Dotty by her throat. Machina. Monica felt the hatred for this creature coming deep from within her. "Avatar?" Machina said in her metallic voice. She was a beautiful woman made of gleaming metal that looked like liquid mercury. "Let her go," Monica thundered, already feeling her body swelling with fury. She activated Phoenix Feathers and was ready to make a run for Dotty. However, she knew that the woman she was facing was none other than an Old God. And if Dotty was still alive, there had to be a reason. "Let her go?" asked Machina. "Avatar, you must have forgotten all of my ways. You forget how my kind operates." The voice came deranged from the woman. "I am sad. My full power is so far from this place, and I cannot have a real fight with you. I have only enough for a small projection of this." She showed Monica her body. "What do you want?" Monica asked through gritted teeth. "Magic, of course," Machina said with a large smile. "I have a very simple proposition, Avatar. It must be simple since you''re such a feeble-minded, uncomplicated creature." "That''s rude," Ted commented from behind Monica. Monica shot him a withering stare before looking at Machina once again. "State your terms." "Defeat the Boss, Avatar," Machina said with a sick smile on her face, craning her beautiful face to the side so unnaturally that her ear reached all the way to her shoulder. "Defeat the Boss, and she survives. Lose, and she dies." Monica frowned. "What would you have to gain from that? Why wouldn''t you just kill her anyway?" "Your crude magic took all your memories, didn''t it?" Machina sounded like screeching metal but also like a surprised, overjoyed child. "It took everything you had, Avatar. It took you. How unschooled, but how fortunate. We must get acquainted once again." There was something sick, something twisted about the sweetness that dripped from the goddess''s words. "Explain yourself," Monica said, trying not to listen to the insults and to what the goddess was implying, but she couldn''t help but wonder if the goddess knew more about her past, about her children. "Real magic is not a number, Avatar," the goddess said, licking her metallic teeth with her silvery tongue. "If I killed her like this, it wouldn''t give me anything. Of course, it would be weak. Barely anything. But if you sacrifice her life, if you lost her life," the goddess emphasized the word ''lost,'' "you would be making such a gift for me. It would create so much magic because her life, which is already tied to yours, would burn because of you, and that would create so much power for me." Monica now understood. Lucas had mentioned that the Old Gods'' magic worked in very mysterious and esoteric ways. Now that Machina had explained why she wasn''t killing Dotty on the spot, Monica believed her every word. The incentives were aligned. Monica briefly looked at the Boss and cracked her neck. "Since you''re so sophisticated, I wouldn''t want you to trick me, so let me state this very clearly: the Boss dies, and I win?" "Yes!" Machina said excitedly. "If the Boss dies before you do, this girl survives. If you die before the Boss, even if this simple creature cannot kill you forever and restart the crude cycle of your existence, the girl dies. And her very existence, all her magic, all the threads that connect her to you, they will belong to me." ¡°What are we waiting for, then?¡± Monica said, looking at the giant Crystal Wolf. ¡°You are so eager, Avatar. Always so eager. So, yes, please, let¡¯s start this fight.¡± Machina held Dotty¡¯s body under her arm, releasing the teenage girl¡¯s throat. Monica saw the red prints on the girl¡¯s skin and felt furious. However, she had more immediate concerns since the giant Crystal Wolf now looked at her as if she was its next snack. Her fury got colder until it was just a throbbing in the back of her head. She needed her focus to kill the creature without dying even once. When the Boss jumped at her, she looked at the explosive movement and rolled between its legs, shooting two Fireballs point-blank at the joints. The same explosive power that would have torn the legs off a normal Crystal Wolf left not even a scratch on the Boss. Monica kept crawling away and looked at the tag above the creature¡¯s head. [Crystal Wolf Boss ¨C Level 30] ¡°How familiar,¡± Machina said in her sick voice. ¡°You have dived in a Dungeon without thinking over the consequences. As always, you¡¯re a little selfish thing. And now this girl will die because of you, Avatar.¡± Monica ignored the taunt and ducked under a giant claw, trying to grab the foreleg of the creature and throw it off balance. However, the Crystal Wolf Boss was so powerful that as it shook Monica off its leg, she flew all the way to the wall that lined the room, feeling the metal of the Nightshade Battle Wear groan under the hit. This thing is too strong, Monica thought. She had six Free Attributes to spend, but even if she put them all into Strength or Dexterity, it would have made barely any difference. She looked at the Phoenix Feathers on her forearms and gritted her teeth. Not even the heaps of Attributes that her Skill gave her made a real difference against this monster. Could I keep dodging until it¡¯s exhausted? Monica thought, whirling around a terrifying blow, passing below the creature¡¯s belly and to its side. She didn¡¯t even try to cover it in Obsidian Flame. She knew they would do nothing. If not even her Fireball had scratched the crystal coating, then she had no chance of actually delivering any damage like this. No. This thing clearly has too many Attributes, Monica thought as she dodged its attacks. It was strong, but she was fast. And most importantly, her fighting instincts were much superior to the beast. She used the Twin Phoenix Bracers to parry a claw attack and jump backward to dampen the impact. She still felt her shoulder sockets crack and had to activate the Golden Flame to heal the damage. She dumped the Free Attributes into Vitality, knowing she might have to use Phoenix Feathers to kill it. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I cannot exchange hits with this creature, she thought. There is no way I would survive. One small error and it would tear me apart. She had thought of testing how much damage her Nightshade Battle Wear could take from the Boss, hoping perhaps to get closer and to douse the creature in Obsidian Flame for a prolonged amount of time. But given how dangerous the Boss was, she decided not to take the risk. She briefly looked at Ted and Heidi, who were before the threshold of the Boss¡¯s room. Perhaps if Ted had figured out his Class, he could have helped, but Monica didn¡¯t have time to test her theories. If Ted crossed the threshold, he would die instantly to the creature. And the Boss was too strong for her to be worried about protecting someone else. No. I¡¯ll have to do this alone. Monica activated Mana Sense, sharpening her perception. Now, instead of rolling or jumping around, she sidestepped the hits, the terrifying jaw that threatened to tear her body into pieces. She summoned a Fireball in her fist and clenched it with her fingers. As soon as she saw an opening because the Boss had overextended itself, she punched the side of the Boss, compressing the Fireball in her palm. For a second, the Obsidian Flame from the Fireball enveloped her fist. But it exploded half a second too early, and her fist bounced uselessly against the creature¡¯s side. But Monica was as cold as ice and repeated the same maneuver half a dozen times before getting a feeling for it. Monica felt the Fireball dissolving in her palm too early yet again, but this time, she noticed something. The crystal wasn''t completely impervious - it vibrated ever so slightly. She was close¡ªvery close. "Still playing with your crude magic?" Machina''s metallic voice grated across the chamber. "How disappointing. The Avatar I knew would have¡ª" She suddenly activated Phoenix Step, coating her steps in Obsidian Flame as she blurred across the room, closing the distance between herself and the giant Crystal Wolf. The Boss''s massive jaws snapped shut a few inches from her face as she reached right by his side. This time, as she reached the Crystal Wolf''s side, Monica compressed the Fireball in her fist and felt the exact moment when it was about to explode. Instead of letting it dissipate too early, she channeled all her strength into the punch, focusing the explosion right as her knuckles made contact with the crystal. The impact was devastating. The combination of her momentum from Phoenix Step''s Obsidian Trail effect, multiplying her strike''s power, and the perfectly timed Fireball explosion sent shockwaves through the crystal armor. A spiderweb of cracks appeared where she struck. *Ding* Would you like to convert Fireball into Obsidian Impact? YES|NO Monica accepted without hesitation. *Ding* You learned the Class Skill - Obsidian Impact Obsidian Impact (Class Skill, Offensive Skill, Phoenix Healer) Channel the destructive power of the Obsidian Flame into explosive strikes. #1 Base Effect: Compress your Obsidian Flame into your strikes, causing them to explode on impact, dealing 500% damage. Damage increases by 20% for each Level. Current Damage: 520% #2 Base Effect: Every third successful strike in an unbroken chain of hits has a 5% chance to create an amplified explosion that would double the damage from Obsidian Impact. Special Effect - Shatterpoint: If you strike the same spot three times within 5 seconds, the third hit deals 300% additional damage. Cost: Equivalent to Fireball Without wasting a moment, Monica first backed off and then activated Phoenix Step again, leaving another trail of Obsidian Flame as she barreled toward the Boss at supernatural speed. She struck the same spot, her fist detonating with dark flames. The cracks in the crystal deepened, spreading further across the Boss''s side. The Crystal Wolf roared in pain and fury, but Monica was already moving for her third strike. One more Phoenix Step, one more trail of Obsidian Flame empowering her blow, and her fist crashed into the weakened crystal with devastating force. The Shatterpoint effect triggered, and a significant portion of the Boss''s crystal armor exploded inward, revealing vulnerable flesh beneath. By then, however, the Boss had regained its footing, and Monica wasn¡¯t able to deliver another strike. She panted and felt the Cooldown of Phoenix Step kicking in. She wouldn¡¯t be able to use the Skill for a hundred seconds. That meant she had to keep her distance¡ªwhich wouldn¡¯t be too hard since she had been doing it all along. Machina''s laughter echoed through the chamber. "Now, this is more like the Avatar! But do you really think this would have been so easy, Monica Monroe?¡± For the first time, Machina called her by name, sending a shiver down Monica¡¯s spine. Then, particles of liquid metal detached from the projection of the Old Goddess and reached the wounded Crystal Wolf. ¡°It is such a pity I cannot have one of my beautiful children fight you, but this will have to do it.¡± Monica watched coldly as liquid metal flowed across the Crystal Wolf''s body, filling in the shattered crystal and flowing into the wound she had created. The silvery substance didn''t just patch the damage¡ªit began to transform the entire creature. The metal spread like a living thing, consuming and replacing the crystalline armor piece by piece. But also entering its bloodstream and shining as it filled its vein. The Boss howled in pain as the corrupted essence of Machina entered him, but it could do nothing other than accept the cursed gift. The metal flowed like quicksilver across the wolf''s body, creating overlapping plates that shifted and realigned with each movement. The beast''s muscles bulged and reformed beneath the metallic skin, taking on a gray shade, growing denser and more powerful. Its legs lengthened and reshaped themselves. Its tail split into three separate appendages, each one tipped with a blade-like protrusion that whipped ominously through the air. With each step, the creature''s claws extended and reformed into twice-as-long talons that left gouges on the stone floor. Corruption seeped from every joint and seam in its armor, creating a dark mist that writhed around its form like a living shadow. The wolf''s head underwent the most dramatic transformation. The crystal muzzle melted away as liquid metal flowed upward, forming a more elongated skull with additional rows of serrated teeth. Multiple pairs of blank eyes emerged atop the muzzle, and bull-like horns of metal sprouted from its head, curving upward. Monica watched as something fundamental changed in the wolf''s multiple eyes. The black pupils suddenly froze before shattering into fragmented patterns. The beast''s original consciousness¡ªwhatever primitive will had driven it before¡ªvisibly crumbled as each eye transformed. The fragments turned gray and suddenly matched the color of the rest of its eyes, disappearing into it. When all the eyeballs became metallic and fully gray, it held none of the bestial nature that had been there before. Instead, they reflected Machina''s own gaze¡ªancient. Each eye now moved independently. The last traces of the Crystal Wolf''s original nature disappeared as Machina''s will settled fully into her new vessel, and Monica could have sworn she saw the goddess smile through every single one of those mercurial eyes. The transformation culminated in a shockwave of power that made the very air vibrate. The boss had become something entirely new¡ªa nightmarish fusion of crystal, metal, and corruption that stood even taller than before. Its new form radiated an aura of ancient malevolence that made Monica''s skin crawl despite her divine nature. [Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss ¨C Level 60] Before Monica could react, the creature moved. Even with her enhanced reflexes and Mana Sense active, she barely registered the attack coming. One moment, the boss was across the room, the next it was on her. The only thing that allowed her not to die on the spot were her battle senses which allowed her to move the Twin Phoenix Bracers in the way of the claws that were now as long as her torso. The impact, however, broke bones on impact, and more as she struck the chamber wall so hard that her armor bent out of shape and the stone behind cracked in the form of a spiderweb. She felt ribs shatter, her left arm breaks in two places, and her shoulder dislocated from the force of the blow. She immediately doused herself in Golden Flame, but she had to dive while in excruciating pain because of the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss. The Golden Flame immediately began working to repair the damage, but the boss was already charging again. Monica rolled desperately to the side, feeling the rush of air as those metallic claws missed her by inches. She tried to regain her footing, but the pain slowed her down. The wolf''s new form moved too fast for her. She barely managed to avoid another strike, but the beast''s tail caught her leg, tearing apart the shadow substance generated by the Nightshade Battle Wear and opening a deep gash on her thigh. The wolf circled her as its body smoked with clouds of corruption coming from all its joints. "Now," Machina''s voice rang out with metallic glee, "the real fight begins." Chapter 27 Monica barely managed to roll under the next strike from the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss, her movements sluggish compared to its enhanced speed. The beast''s claws left deep gouges in the stone floor where she had been a split second before. She tried to counter with a burst of Obsidian Impact, but the corrupted metal coating simply absorbed it with barely a shimmer. Dammit, its defense went up too much! How am I breaking through the metal? "Futile resistance," Machina spoke, still holding the unconscious Dotty. "My blessing has made this vessel too strong for you, Avatar. Just die and let me take the girl." ¡°Never!¡± Monica shouted back, backflipping and avoiding the elongated metallic claw, jumping in the air to dodge a sweep of the three-bladed tail. Now that the Golden Flame had healed most of the damage she had received and her eyes laser-focused on the creature, empowered by Mana Sense, she could at the very least, have a chance to dodge. However, it required her full concentration not to die in an instant, which meant she didn¡¯t have time to formulate a plan. When she tried again to create distance, one of its blade-tipped tails whipped around impossibly fast, catching her in the side. The Nightshade Battle Wear prevented the worst of the damage, but she felt ribs crack from the impact. The Golden Flame immediately began mending her injuries, but Monica knew she was fighting a losing battle. I am burning too much Mana. I can¡¯t keep doing this. As Monica pulled herself away from the snapping maw of the monster, she finally faced the harsh truth - she needed more power. The Phoenix Feathers on her bracers pulsed with potential energy, tempting her with the boost she desperately needed. But her current Vitality wouldn''t be enough to sustain burning both. If only I had invested all my points in Vitality instead of spreading them out, she thought bitterly. The realization hit her hard - she had made a critical error in her attribute distribution that might now cost Dotty her life. She looked at the two feathers, knowing that burning both would grant her immense power but also guarantee her death afterward. With her current Vitality, she might not even survive long enough to kill the boss before succumbing to the drain. She had been too focused on speed and combat ability and hadn¡¯t considered how she might have needed forgetting that sometimes raw survivability was more important. The wolf kept up its relentless attacks, its mercury eyes reflecting Machina''s ancient malice. Monica knew she had to make a choice - and fast. * * * "Ted, we need to do something," Heidi said, gripping Ted''s sleeve. It had been bad enough when Monica had to face the Boss without dying. Heidi had thought that the chances of her pulling it off were already slim enough. But now the Boss was coated in metal plates and emanated so much Corruption. Not to mention that it was currently fifty levels above Monica. It was true that Monica was the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, but this was a monster empowered by no less than an Old God. Before meeting Monica, Heidi had never even thought of meeting one of these terrifying ancient beings. Even the Healer God would have been nervous standing in front of a projection of Machina. But Monica just fought. She had taken wounds that would have killed anyone else, but her Golden Flame had managed to keep her alive as she fought with all she had against the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss. "What... what do we do?" Ted stammered, not even knowing what to say. "I don''t know," Heidi replied softly. Heidi knew that her Skills would do nothing against the monster if Monica''s exploding blows, which she wasn''t even clear how the redhead had developed, could do nothing against the armor of the creature. Ted looked with his eyes fixed upon Monica, his inner thoughts hidden away from Heidi. Ted had been following along for the past few days, feeling like he had contributed nothing, not even moral support, to the group. Monica had taken charge and had led them not only to explore and level up, but she had also made a warrior out of Dotty and a new woman out of Heidi.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Meanwhile, Ted had uselessly strummed on the Dwarven mandolin. He knew that the Dwarven mandolin belonged to a legendary Bard. And not only that, but it had belonged to a Dwarf. Dwarves were creatures of legend, long extinct, whose tools and weapons were coveted by Blacksmiths and warriors alike. A Dwarven recipe was worth a hundred platinum coins. Yet even with a mandolin forged inside Viscera, the great Dwarven capital, he could do nothing. His Class provided him with heaps of Attributes, but he had not figured out how to use them. He tried making new songs, playing the ones he knew, but the more he looked onward the more he watched, the greater the despair he felt at not being able to catch up. At this moment in time, Ted looked at Monica''s struggle. And the only thing he wished was that he could help. As Heidi worried about Monica and Dotty, Ted felt as if the metallic claws of the wolf were tearing his heart apart. There was nothing he could do. He knew that stepping inside the room would mean certain death, that Monica could be resuscitated as many times as she wanted. Even if they lost Dotty, it would be one life. If he and Heidi¡ªor even he alone¡ªstepped into the Boss¡¯s chamber, the death toll would only grow. He felt useless¡ªhe could do nothing to change the outcome of this fight. However, as he focused completely on Monica, he felt something warm spread from his chest to his shoulders, to his elbows, wrists, and reach up to his fingertips. He felt the same sensation rise to his throat starting from the collarbone to his Adam''s apple, up to the tip of his tongue. * * * I don¡¯t have any other choice, she thought. She burned one of the two feathers, immediately feeling a big chunk of Vitality leaving her body. The surge of power was immediate and intoxicating. Her attributes skyrocketed as the feather caught on fire, granting her the strength and speed she sorely needed. She immediately put it to use, ducking under the wolf''s strike, now fast enough to easily dodge and landing a devastating combo of punches enhanced by Obsidian Impact. The corrupted metal actually dented under her enhanced strength, and for the first time, the beast seemed to feel pain. But even with one Phoenix Feather burned, Monica knew she was running out of time. Each passing second drained more of her Vitality, and she could feel her life force draining away. The wolf roared so loudly that the entire chamber trembled. Then, its three-bladed tail lashed out simultaneously in different patterns, forcing Monica to go on the defensive to avoid them. Even with her dramatically increased speed and strength, the fight was still lopsided. The Boss was too strong and by the time she managed to inflict any real damage, she would have been left without Vitality. She waited until her Phoenix Step cooldown finished, then made her move. She activated the skill three times in rapid succession, each step empowered by the Obsidian Flame. The first step took her directly at the wolf''s head. As it snapped at her with its metallic jaws, she used Obsidian Impact, empowered by Phoenix Step, and punched it right on its snout, snapping its head back. The second step she used was to jump and land a devastating kick on the same spot, feeling the metal groan and split. The wolf howled in pain and tried to shake her away, but Monica was already executing her third step. She grabbed the left horn of the creature, using Phoenix Step as soon as she slung herself on its neck, this time using the momentum to somersault and land an axe kick in the same exact spot for the third time in a row. Shatterpoint, the Special Effect Obsidian Impact, activated, and she felt the added strength behind her kick crumpling metal, flesh, and bone. However, the creature, empowered by Machina¡¯s Corruption, ignored all the blinding pain coursing through her body with ruthless efficiency and whipped the three-bladed tail at her. Monica was in midair and only managed to dodge two, with the third catching her straight in the abdomen, easily piercing through the Nightshade Battle Wear¡¯s shadowy veil and impaling her from side to side. Blood sprayed from Monica''s mouth as the tail lifted her into the air. The Golden Flame immediately began working to heal the grievous wound, but she could feel her Vitality draining faster now - both from the Phoenix Feather''s effect and her devastating injury. And as the wolf''s mercury eyes gleamed triumphantly, Monica realized with growing dread that she might have to burn her second feather after all - even if it meant certain death. Then, a deep, resonant note cut through the chamber. Monica, still impaled on the metallic tail, slowly and laboriously turned her head toward the threshold. Ted stood there inside the chambers, his fingers dancing across the Dwarven mandolin''s strings. Each note made the chamber vibrate. This wasn¡¯t the Ted that had been strumming his instrument without purpose¡ªno. This was a Ted who had clearly discovered a new fire in his heart. His eyes were closed, but his face showed none of the uncertainty that had plagued him these past days. Instead, his expression was serene and focused, channeling something ancient through his instrument. The first chord struck like thunder, making even Machina''s projection turn to look. The sound reverberated off the walls, but instead of fading, it grew stronger, layering upon itself. "A puny Bard?" Machina''s metallic voice held a note of genuine surprise. The young man''s eyes snapped open, blazing with an inner light. An aura of pure sound manifested around him in visible waves of golden energy. When he finally began to sing, his voice carried power she had never heard before. And so, Ted sang at the top of his lungs. Chapter 28 Link to the song. Silver-tongued god with your ancient lies Pulling strings as your puppets rise Corrupting life with your metal reign But everything you touch turns to ash again Set it ablaze, let it soar Break these chains, settle the score Twin flames rising, black and gold Watch your empire lose its hold Through flesh and steel, the fire calls Until your twisted kingdom falls Think you''ve won with your silver tongue But my fire burns brighter than the sun There''s a flame in my eyes and someone''s gonna pay And if you want this girl, you''ll have to go through me Let the metal melt away As twin flames light up the day Watch your corruption burn Feel the tides of battle turn You can never break my will Phoenix flames are rising still Trust betrayed by mercury eyes Behind a mask of metal lies I''ll burn right through your disguise I''ll burn right through your disguise When your pawns all fade away, nothing left to say See the flames arise Watch them running from the fire Everyone had been transfixed by the song, but as soon as Ted finished singing, Monica felt a surge of energy course through her body. The wounds from the metallic tail began to heal faster than ever before, the Golden Flame burning brighter. *Ding* You have been blessed by the Song of the Phoenix! A golden energy coalesced around Monica, and she felt a rush of vitality of power through her body. ¡°AHHHH!¡± Monica shouted at the top of her lungs, burning the second Phoenix Feather, using the Obsidian Flame to tear apart the blade that had impaled her. Empowered by Ted¡¯s song, her magic came rushing to her like an erupting volcano. Unlike before, when the Obsidian Flame had barely been able to do anything, this time, Monica grabbed the blade, and it melted away, burning into nothingness as her magic consumed it. She fell to her feet and caught Heidi rushing inside the room as well. The same golden aura that had enveloped her surrounded Heidi as well. The bald Phoenix Pyromancer extended both hands forward and shouted, ¡°Emberstorm Convergence!¡± A gigantic tempest of Obsidian Flames showered the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss, the black flames intensified by Ted''s song. The creature howled as Heidi''s magic, now enhanced beyond its normal limits, began eating away at its metallic armor. "Impossible!" Machina screeched, her projection flickering as the Mana distorted in the chamber because of the Obsidian Flame. "Who¡ª" But Ted didn''t stop playing. His fingers flew across the mandolin''s strings. The chamber itself seemed to pulse with the rhythm of his song. Even the crystal veins in the walls vibrated and flickered at the same beat. Whatever Skill Ted had activated, it influenced not just Monica and Heidi¡¯s Classes but the space¡ªthe very reality around him. Monica felt the burning sensation of having both Phoenix Feathers activated, but Ted''s song somehow made the pain bearable. More than that, she felt stronger than ever before. She saw the Special Effect of Emberstorm kick in as the Ember Vortex sucked the Boss to the center of the room, restricting its movements. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Monica channeled both flames through her body, feeling Ted''s song amplifying her power beyond anything she''d experienced before. The Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss struggled against Heidi''s Ember Vortex, its mercury eyes reflecting panic as its metallic armor began to melt and crack under the intense onslaught of the Phoenix Pyromancer¡¯s enhanced flames. This is insane, Monica thought as she readied herself for the final exchange. This is too strong. What kind of Class did Ted even unlock? "Now, Monica!" Heidi shouted through the storm of black flames. She activated Phoenix Step, leaving a trail of Obsidian Flame in her wake as she blurred across the chamber. The wolf tried to snap at her with its jaws, but she was moving too fast now. Her fist, covered in dark flames, crashed into the side of its head with devastating force. The Obsidian Impact detonated on contact, and this time, enhanced by Ted''s song and the burning Phoenix Feathers, the explosion tore through the corrupted metal like it was paper. The beast howled in agony as plates of liquid mercury went flying, revealing the twisted flesh beneath. Monica didn''t let up. She coiled her legs and launched herself upward, flames trailing behind her like the wings of the Twin Phoenix itself. Her uppercut connected with the same spot over the wolf''s jaw, and another Obsidian Impact explosion ripped through what remained of its metallic protection. The force of the blow sent the massive creature reeling backward, its head snapping up as plates of corrupted metal went flying in all directions. Some of its mercury eyes shattered, leaking silvery fluid that evaporated into toxic mist before it could hit the ground. The wolf''s howl of pain echoed through the chamber, making the crystal veins in the walls pulse erratically, no more in tune with Ted¡¯s song. Monica''s momentum carried her all the way to the ceiling. She twisted in mid-air, her body moving with supernatural grace as Ted''s song reached a crescendo. The golden energy surrounding her expanded in time with the music, and she could feel the power of her Class responding to whatever power Ted had tapped into. She planted her feet against the ceiling, feeling the stone crack beneath them. The wolf was still reeling from her previous attacks, trapped in Heidi''s Ember Vortex as black flames continued to eat away at its armor. Monica locked eyes with the remaining mercury orbs that hadn''t been shattered, seeing Machina''s ancient malice turning to surprise. "This ends now," Monica shouted, activating Phoenix Step for the third and final time. She pushed off from the ceiling with all her might, the stone crumbling behind her. The Obsidian Flame trail from Phoenix Step combined with the momentum of her descent, turning her into a literal meteor of black fire. She pulled back her fist, channeling every ounce of power she had left into this final strike. The wolf tried to defend itself, raising its three-bladed tail in desperate defense. But Heidi''s Emberstorm intensified, the Obsidian Embers burning away what little protection the creature had left. Monica''s fist crashed through the weakened metal like it wasn''t even there, striking the exact same spot she''d hit twice before. Not only did Shatterpoint increase the damage by 300%, but she could also feel the second Base Effect of Obsidian Impact kick in, magnifying the explosion. She didn¡¯t know whether it was raw luck or Ted¡¯s song, but she pushed through with the blow, tearing through the head of the beast. The explosion that followed was catastrophic. The combination of Shatterpoint''s effect, Obsidian Impact''s detonation, Phoenix Step''s momentum, and the amplification from Ted''s song created a blast that shook the entire chamber. A sphere of pure darkness expanded outward from the point of impact, consuming everything it touched. The corrupted metal that made up the wolf''s armor didn''t just break or melt ¨C it disintegrated. The beast''s body couldn''t withstand the force. Its skull caved in where Monica struck, and cracks spread across its entire form like lightning bolts. The corruption that Machina had infused it with began to burn away, consumed by the Obsidian Flame. The wolf''s mercury eyes exploded one after another, releasing clouds of silvery vapor that were immediately incinerated by the black flames. Monica landed in a crouch as the explosion''s shockwave rippled outward. The Obsidian Flame continued to burn, creating a swirling vortex of black fire that consumed what remained of the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss. Through the flames and smoke, she could see its massive form collapsing, the metal sloughing off its body like mercury rain. When the flames finally dissipated, Monica rose slowly to her feet. The golden energy from Ted''s song still surrounded her, though she could feel the terrible drain on her Vitality from burning both Phoenix Feathers. But she stayed standing, her eyes fixed on Machina''s projection. The chamber was eerily silent save for the dying notes of Ted''s song. Where the Boss had stood was nothing but a crater of melted stone and wisps of black flame. Not even ash remained of the creature ¨C the Obsidian Flame had consumed it completely. Monica''s voice, when she spoke, carried all the authority of the Twin Phoenix itself. "You lost, Machina. Now release the girl." The Old God''s projection flickered, her mercury form rippling with barely contained rage. "This isn''t possible. A mere Bard shouldn''t have this power¡ª" "I said," Monica cut her off, flames dancing around her clenched fists, "Release. The. Girl." The golden energy from Ted''s song pulsed one final time, and Monica saw real fear flash across Machina''s metallic features. The Old God''s projection looked at Ted, then at Heidi, and finally back at Monica. The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix stood tall despite her exhaustion. ¡°You,¡± Machina said in sudden understanding as she looked at Ted. ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± The body of the Old Goddess bubbled and started evaporating as she gently let the girl on the ground. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ted had stopped playing a few instants before, completely drained. ¡°Me? Do what? Do I know you, dude?¡± Machina eerily licked her lips as she a mercury cloud formed around her. ¡°Avatar, your children are not beyond your reach.¡± Monica suddenly felt her heart in her throat at the mention of her children. However, the System had told Monica that they were gone, that they were just a tale for her to perhaps learn something from. ¡°My children are gone,¡± Monica spat, with sparks of Obsidian Flame gathering around her form despite the exhuastion. Her hands trembled as memories of her children''s laughter, their warm embraces, their small faces pressed against her neck, swarmed her heart. ¡°They are. For now,¡± Machina emphasized the last two words. ¡°See, Avatar. They¡¯re beyond your reach and beyond the system.¡± Machina¡¯s lips parted to show rows of silvery teeth that made everyone but Monica shudder. ¡°What do you mean ¡®for now¡¯?¡± Monica said. She had no recollection of Machina other than the visceral instinct that the Old Goddess was nothing but a monster, and now with Tar cannot summon the magic needed for them to come back. Machina laughed. ¡°Nor can the pitiful new gods, or much less the System. They¡¯re bound by rules that do not apply to me.¡± Monica felt a heavy weight set in her stomach. It would only make sense if the Old Goddess tried to trick her, but this felt like the silvery monster was saying the truth and nothing but the truth. And if she was indeed saying the truth, that meant that there was a way for Monica to see her children again. And perhaps the hole that she had been feeling ever so subtly in her heart since the first vision of her past life could be filled. But she was no fool. She knew that a being that should have been relegated to nightmares wasn¡¯t looking out for Monica or Nemesis. ¡°Only the Old Gods have the power to give you what you want. Their divine power¡ªmy divine power¡ªcould reunite you if you¡¯re willing to pay the price.¡± ¡°What price?¡± Monica clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, shedding blood. Machina¡¯s eyes gleamed in the darkness. ¡°Come to me. Grow stronger and face me. State your life against mine. And if you were to win, you could get the power to get them back. Are your children worth dying for, Avatar, or will you let them fade into memory knowing you were too afraid to put your life at stake for them?¡± ¡°If I refuse?¡± "Then live with your cowardice," Machina''s voice suddenly dripped with contempt. "Let them cry out for their mother in the spaceless, silent void. Let them fade into nothing more than ghosts haunting your dreams." Monica didn¡¯t agree to anything, but she still asked the most important question. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see each other in Viscera, Avatar.¡± Then, Machina turned to Ted. ¡°And you¡ªI knew you would follow her.¡± The Old God''s form began to dissolve, breaking apart into droplets of liquid metal that evaporated into nothingness. Her voice echoed one last time through the chamber. "Our new history has only just begun." Chapter 29 Monica rushed to Dotty''s side, her heart pounding with a fear she hadn''t felt since awakening in this world. The teenage girl lay unconscious where Machina had dropped her, and Monica immediately enveloped her in Golden Flame. "Dotty!" she called out, cradling the girl''s head. The healing magic washed over Dotty''s body, erasing bruises and mending any internal damage from Machina''s rough handling. Monica''s hands trembled slightly as she worked - a reaction that surprised even her. When had she become so attached to this girl? The memory shard that had shown her own daughter flashed through her mind. Perhaps that explained the fierce protectiveness she felt, the way her heart had nearly stopped when Machina had grabbed Dotty. The girl''s eyes fluttered open, focusing slowly on Monica''s face. "What happened?" Dotty whispered hoarsely. "Don¡¯t worry," Monica replied, trying to keep her voice steady despite the mounting pain in her body. The borrowed strength from burning both Phoenix Feathers was fading fast, and she could feel her Vitality draining away at an alarming rate. "Everything¡¯s okay, I promise." As Monica watched Dotty recover, her mind kept returning to Machina''s words about her children. The Old Goddess had claimed they weren''t truly gone - that they were beyond the System''s reach but not beyond hers. The thought made Monica''s chest tighten with both hope and suspicion. Then, she suddenly turned toward the others. "Get Dotty out of here," she ordered Ted, who scooped up the girl in his arms. ¡°Go. I¡¯ll come back outside. I don¡¯t Crystal Wolves to appear again and attack you." "But-" Ted started to protest. "NOW!" Monica''s voice cracked like a whip, and they hurried to comply. Heidi preceded Ted as they made their way to the entrance. Monica watched them go, making sure they were safely beyond the threshold before letting herself collapse. The pain was excruciating. Every cell in her body felt like it was being torn apart as her Vitality plummeted into negative numbers without Ted¡¯s song to support her. As darkness crept into the edges of her vision, Monica thought of what Machina had said while looking at Ted. She knew Ted would follow me? Why Ted? Why was she saying that? And¡­ is it true? Can I see my children ever again? Before she could give any more thought to it, her body shut down. * * * Monica stumbled her way outside of the Crystal Wolf¡¯s Dungeon. "Monica!" Dotty broke away from the others and ran to her, dropping to her knees beside her. "Are you okay? What happened in there?" "I''m fine," Monica assured her, though ''fine'' was a relative term when every muscle felt like wet paper. "Just the aftereffects of burning both Phoenix Feathers. I''ll be back to normal in a day." ¡°Ted told me it was an Old God.¡± ¡°Old Goddess,¡± Monica groaned, letting the girl help her reach their camp. ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything?¡± ¡°No, after I was dragged into the room, I lost my senses. I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°Machina must have done something,¡± Monica coughed, feeling as if her ribs were about to crack. As Ted and Heidi moved to assist her, Monica caught a glimpse of something in Ted''s expression. "How are you feeling?" Heidi asked. "Like I died," Monica grimaced. "But that''s not important right now." She turned to Ted, who was still looking pale from the battle. "We need to talk about what Machina said." Ted shifted uncomfortably. "I don''t know what she meant, dude. I swear." "Your song, then," Monica said. ¡°It just came to me while I was watching you fight. I got a Skill from it, by the way. But¡­ I don¡¯t know what I did. I saw you, and it came to me. It got me Song of the Twin Phoenix. Maybe I can show you¡ª¡± ¡°Later,¡± Monica said. ¡°You¡¯re sure, Ted, completely sure that you have no idea what Machina meant when she spoke to you? When she said that you followed me?¡± ¡°I swear, Monica. I have no idea,¡± Ted replied seriously. ¡°Ok, I believe you. Now, though, she also said we¡¯ll meet again in Viscera. What¡¯s that?¡± "The Dwarven capital," Heidi replied. "But it''s been lost for so long. It capitulated when the Old Gods were defeated by the New Gods." ¡°There¡¯s a Wonder that leads to Viscera,¡± Ted added. Monica shook her head slowly. "I have no idea what she meant, but I have a feeling we''re going to find out." Monica finally looked at the long line of notifications she had ignored so far. *Ding* Quest Completed - ''No Man''s Land III/III'' You have successfully quenched the Crystal Wolves Lair. Reward: Loot Chest (Epic) Reward: Chain Quest - Corrupted Gods has been added *Ding* You receive an Extra Reward for a Good Deed! *Ding* You receive Item - Blood of Thraldrirlum *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss - Level 60] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature empowered by Divine Corruption. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a Boss monster. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss¡¯s Meat (Corrupted) x30 Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss¡¯s Shard (Corrupted) x40 Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss¡¯s Tendons (Corrupted) x10 Platinum Coins x50 *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 11 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 12 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 13 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 14 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 15 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 16 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 21 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 22 Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 23 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 24 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 22 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 23 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 24 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 25 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 26 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 27 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 28 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 6 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 10 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 11 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 12 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 13 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 14 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 21 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 22 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 23 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 24 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 25 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 26 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 27 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 2 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 3 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 4 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 5 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 6 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 2 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 3 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 4 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 5 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 6 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 7 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 8 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 9 Weirdly enough, Monica got also the completion for a Quest that she had supposedly completed the moment she had seen her memory of Peggy while training Dotty. *Ding* Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Memories of the Flame II/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: Vitality +50 *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Memories of the Flame III/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: ??? As usual, she received the third part of Memories of the Flame, with the reward still hidden away. However, the reward for getting her previous memory¡ªand whatever had triggered the completion¡ªwas tremendous. Without Ted, Monica wouldn¡¯t have been able to activate Phoenix Feathers. Plus, she suspected that at some point, she would gain more feathers to burn, which meant she would need even more Vitality. She checked out the Skill to see how much Vitality it currently consumed. Skill List Phoenix Feathers Lv. 14 The bonuses last while the Skill is active or until the rage-triggered secondary effect is activated. #1 Base Effect: Increases your resilience, physical strength, and physical speed by 100%. The effect increases by 10% for each Level. Current Bonus: 240% #2 Base Effect: Increases all of your Attributes by 1. The effect increases by 1 for each Level. Current Bonus: +15 to All Attributes #1 Special Effect - Fury of the Phoenix: You gain +30 to All Attributes for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The effect increases by 3 for each Level. Your Vitality is reduced by 30 for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The Vitality cost increases by 3 for each Level. If your Vitality is negative after Fury of the Phoenix runs off, you will die. Resurrecting after dying because of or during Fury of the Phoenix will result in all your Attributes and Skill potency being cut by 80% for the next 24 hours. Current Bonus: +72 to All Attributes, excluding Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Cost: 72 Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Current Number of Available Feathers: 2 Then, she checked her Akashic Record. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 16 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 149 Endurance - 80 Strength - 80 Dexterity - 115 Wisdom - 80 Spirit - 80 Intelligence - 80 Charisma - 80 Free Attributes: 42 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 24 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 28 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 14 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 27 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 6 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 9 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues The massive Vitality boost meant that Monica could finally use Fury of the Phoenix as more than a suicide move. As long as she didn¡¯t die, she would be able to use it in multiple fights¡ªwell, as long as she didn¡¯t get hit by an enemy. Fury of the Phoenix still tanked her Vitality, meaning she¡¯d be much easier to kill. I am a Vitality hog, she realized. If I have even more Vitality, would it make me stronger while using Fury of the Phoenix? I get the feeling that during that state, my Attributes ignore the reduced Vitality and behave as if it was unchanged. But what if I had more Vitality to expend? Actually, I better consult Ted. Just thinking about this makes my head spin. And so, she finally looked at the Quest she had received. *Ding* Chain Quest Received - Corrupted Gods, Machina I/IX *Ding* Special System Message The Old Gods have made a push to gain footing on this world. They must be eradicated once and for all while they¡¯re still weak. But only an Ancient Beast can destroy an Old God for good. As the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, you are their Nemesis, Monica Monroe. But the choice to pursue this extremely dangerous mission is yours and yours only. Would you like to¡­ "I accept," Monica said out loud without the slightest hesitation, startling everyone. The memory of Machina''s words about her children burned in her mind - about them crying out for their mother in some void beyond space. Whether the Old Goddess was telling the truth or not, Monica needed answers. ¡°I accept,¡± Monica said out loud without the slightest hesitation, startling everyone. ¡°Point them to me, System,¡± Monica said with a barely contained fury in her voice. ¡°Tell me where they are. I will tear them apart.¡± *Ding* Special System Message Very well. May Your Flames burn ever brighter, Monica Monroe. "System," Monica quipped before the System could liquidate her. It didn''t happen often to have a direct line to whatever entity governed this world and, perhaps, the universe. "Machina spoke about my children - said they''re beyond your reach but not beyond hers. That they''re in some void, crying out for me. Is she telling the truth? Are they really out there somewhere?" *Ding* Special System Message They exist in a place where neither gods nor systems hold dominion. The Old Ones walk paths we cannot tread. But beware, Avatar - their truth is poison wrapped in honey. Some prices are too steep even for a mother''s love. Monica felt her heart tighten. The System had confirmed it. The Old Gods had a way for her to get her children back. I can¡¯t let Machina get in my head. I will just squeeze the truth out of her before I kill her once and for all. A notification interrupted her plans for murder. *Ding* Chain Quest Received - Corrupted Gods, Machina I/IX Machina has penetrated into Viscera after finding the Bridge of Thraldrirlum. Enter the Lost Capital of the Dwarves and put an end to her reincarnation. Reward: ¡°Were you talking about me to the System?¡± Ted asked from the side. Monica nodded. ¡°Did it say anything good?¡± The Bard inquired carefully. ¡°That you need a shower, Ted,¡± Monica laughed, seeing the man''s disgruntled expression. ¡°Hey, we spent so much time fighting. I sweated, ok?¡± ¡°Sure, buddy,¡± Monica winked. ¡°Do you want to do something cool, now?¡± Ted perked up. ¡°What?¡± Monica took out of her Inventory the Epic Loot Chest. ¡°This,¡± she said with a large smile as she placed a hand on the delicate wood of the chest lined with gold all over. Everyone¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°I guess you guys never saw an Epic Loot Chest,¡± she knocked the smooth wood of the thing. "Well?" Heidi prompted, her regrowing eyebrows raised expectantly. "Are you going to open it?" Monica placed her hand on the crystalline lock, feeling a slight warmth emanate from it. The chest recognized her as its rightful owner, earned through combat rather than mere chance. Ding Would you like to open Epic Loot Chest? YES|NO "Here goes nothing," Monica said, accepting the prompt. The chest''s lid swung open smoothly, releasing a soft golden light. Inside, nestled in the velvet of the deepest black, she found something that left her speechless. Chapter 30 High Warrior Calix knelt before the marble altar, his aged but still muscular frame barely contained by his ceremonial armor. After nearly ten centuries of service, he had seen his God appear countless times and served under him during the war against the Old Gods, yet the divine presence still filled him with awe. The massive chamber, lined with weapons taken from legendary warriors, seemed to grow darker as the Warrior God''s manifestation began. The God appeared first as a column of golden light that slowly took a human shape. Unlike the serene appearance of the Healer God or the ethereal presence of the Hunter Goddess, the Warrior God was a giant of a man, standing nearly twelve feet tall, with bronze skin marked by glowing sigils of battle. His armor was forged from what appeared to be condensed sunlight, and a crown of flames wreathed his head. A massive sword hung at his hip, its edge forever sharp with divine power. "My Lord," Calix whispered, bowing his head lower. Even at Level 973, being the strongest fighter among the mortals, only a few steps below a God, even after centuries of faithful service, he felt like a child before his deity''s presence. "Rise, old friend," the Warrior God''s voice boomed through the chamber. "You¡¯re closer than ever to joining our ranks. You should get acquainted with treating me as an equal, not as your master." ¡°I could never, my Lord.¡± Calix stood. "The Old Gods stir again, my Lord. We''ve felt their corruption spreading." "I know." The Warrior God''s expression darkened. "The others await for you in the Chamber of Confluence.¡± A shimmering figure appeared at the entrance to the back chambers - a figure of pure magic¡ªa follower of the Mage God. "They await, Great Warrior. The matter is urgent." The Warrior God''s flames flickered with annoyance. "When is it not?" He turned to Calix. "Continue preparations. We may need every warrior ready soon." Calix bowed again as his God strode toward the messenger, the deity''s footsteps leaving briefly glowing impressions on the marble floor. The High Warrior waited until both figures had disappeared before rising. * * * In the Chamber of Confluence, deep within Valoria''s High Temple of the Warrior, the remaining New Gods gathered. The chamber was very sober despite it being the place where all the New Gods met whenever emergencies had to be discussed. It was because the Warrior God considered it ridiculous and obnoxious to have what he considered their War Room adorned with frills and precious stones. Another more practical reason for the temple not to be too opulent was to avoid tempting the Thief God from taking a souvenir at every visit. The Healer God sat upon a throne of crystalline light, his appearance the most human-like of the four. He wore robes of flowing white that seemed to move with an unseen wind. The Hunter Goddess perched on a bow made of starlight, her wild green hair moving like leaves in a forest breeze. The Thief God lounged in shadows that shouldn''t exist in such a bright place, his form constantly shifting between light and darkness. He wore a cloak that seemed to be made from pieces of the night sky, stars occasionally twinkling in its depths. A circlet of black diamond rested on his brow, its facets somehow absorbing light rather than reflecting it. The Mage God was perhaps the most alien-looking of the New Gods, their form a constantly shifting amalgamation of pure magical energy held together by will alone. When the Warrior God entered, his massive form made the chamber feel suddenly smaller. The four remaining New Gods regarded each other in silence for a moment, each remembering when their number had been greater. "She''s dangerous," the Healer God said, breaking the tense silence. "The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix - she''s unlike anything we''ve encountered since the war." The Warrior God''s laugh boomed through the chamber, making the moonstone walls vibrate. "Everything''s dangerous to you, Healer. You''ve notified us, and we are here to discuss. I appreciate jumping to practical matters, but shouldn¡¯t we start from our true enemies?" ¡°You''ve grown too cautious in your old age," the Mage God added, finally condensing into a human form. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. He was an old man with a long white beard and a pointed wizard hat. "And you''ve grown too reckless," the Thief God''s voice whispered from the shadows. His form solidified briefly, revealing a face of striking beauty marked by a scar. "Or have you forgotten what happened to our fallen brothers and sisters?" A heavy silence fell at those words. The empty thrones around them seemed to grow more noticeable - spaces where their fallen siblings had once sat. The Bard God''s seat, crafted from crystallized music, remained forever silent. The Blacksmith God''s throne of living metal had grown cold and still. The Hunter Goddess nocked an arrow of light though there was nothing to shoot at. The action seemed more habit than intent. "We should be discussing Machina''s appearance, not this Avatar. The metal-walker''s corruption spreads faster than we anticipated." "The two are connected," the Healer God insisted, rising from his throne. His robes swirled around him as he began pacing. "I spoke with her. She has no memory of who she is, yet she bears the power of an Ancient Beast. And now Machina appears in the same backwater village?" "A dangerous coincidence," the Thief God agreed, his form solidifying further. "The odds of both appearing in the same place..." The Warrior God stepped forward, his armor blazing with divine light. The runes etched into the chamber walls flared in response. "I destroyed more Old Gods than any of you. The Blacksmith forged the weapons, and the Bard sang the songs of power, but it was my blade that struck the killing blows. I know their tricks, their patterns. If they''re incubating in the Great Dungeons, waiting to regain their strength-" "Then we must act," the Hunter Goddess finished. She lowered her bow, the arrow of light dissolving. "But we cannot simply tell our followers where to look. The Dungeons have shifted since the war changed their nature. We cannot even be certain where they all are. And the System forbids us from giving them knowledge like this, too. We would have to craft Quests¡ªmany, too many." "And we cannot expend too much of our power directing our followers," the Thief God added, moving through shadows to appear beside the Warrior God. "Each Quest costs us a piece of our divinity. The Old Gods knew this would happen - they''re counting on us weakening ourselves trying to find them." The Healer God raised his hand for silence. Light pulsed from his palm, momentarily illuminating the chamber''s highest reaches. "A dangerous weapon one knows how to wield is the most effective tool we have. No one let me finish talking about the Ancient Beast. What I wanted to say was that the Avatar may be unpredictable, but she''s already proven herself by cleansing a Corrupted Dungeon." "A low-level one," the Warrior God scoffed, his crown of flames flickering higher. "Yet Machina appeared there," the Hunter Goddess pointed out, her living armor shifting restlessly. "That alone makes it significant. The metal-walker doesn''t show herself without purpose." The Warrior God paced, his footsteps leaving trails of fire that slowly faded. "Then we organize expeditions. More than we''ve ever attempted. Yes, it will diminish our power temporarily, but we cannot allow the Old Gods to be reborn. We cannot fail as we failed before." "Machina isn''t even the strongest of them," the Thief God mused, his cloak of night rippling. "But she''s among the most dangerous. Her corruption spreads quickly, turning the world against us. If she''s active again, and she unearthed Viscera¡¯s ruins of all places..." ¡°If Machina was given enough time to tamper inside Viscera, her alone would lay Valoria to waste. We must organize an expedition to find the Bridge of Thraldrirlum immediately.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just send the High Warrior?¡± The Healer God suggested. ¡°Fool,¡± the Mage God scoffed. ¡°Machina is strong. But if we empty our cities to find her, what happens when she comes out.¡± The Mage God refused to say her name, but everyone understood whom she was talking about. "Anyway, the Avatar must be monitored," the Hunter Goddess declared, standing on her bow of starlight. "But not interfered with. Let her hunt. She may lead us to the others." The Healer God nodded slowly, his robes settling around him. "I agree. She seems driven by a sense of justice, crude as it may be. And she has no love for the Old Gods, though she remembers nothing of her own struggles with them." "What of the Bard?" the Thief God asked suddenly, his scar pulsing with absorbed light. "The one who was with her? I felt... something familiar when he played." A troubled look passed between the Gods. They had all felt it - an echo of something old¡ªolder than them. "Another mystery," the Warrior God growled, his hand resting on his sword''s hilt. "Too many mysteries. We should strike now while we still can. Send our strongest followers to unearth the Nine Wonders once again. The High Warrior shall watch over Valoria. However, if we found her, he would have to go himself. The System doesn¡¯t allow us to move against the Old Gods unless they reform." ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to check on the Avatar,¡± the Thief God suddenly said, changing the topic. ¡°Only to watch,¡± the Warrior God warned. "We watch," the Healer God agreed. "We wait. We let her hunt. And we prepare our followers for what''s coming, even if we cannot tell them everything." One by one, the others nodded. The Hunter Goddess dissolved into motes of starlight, her bow fading last. The Warrior God''s form blazed once more before vanishing, leaving scorch marks on the chamber floor. The Thief God simply ceased to be, leaving no trace he was ever there. The Healer God remained alone in the Chamber of Confluence, thinking of the strange Avatar who had appeared in their world. The Ancient Beasts had ceased to exist a long ago, at least in this universe. But somehow, one had survived. It didn¡¯t surprise the Healer God that it had been the Twin Phoenix of them all. She had also convinced his followers to give up on the path of the Healer, which he didn¡¯t resent. He saw the point in her action whom she watched through the young girl up until she had given up her Class, burned away by the Avatar¡¯s flame. "Hunt well, Monica Monroe," he whispered to the void. "Hunt well, and may your flames burn brighter than ours did." Then he too was gone, leaving only silence and the empty thrones of their fallen behind. Outside the chamber, High Warrior Calix felt the Gods'' departure through the ancient stones of the temple. He closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer to his Lord, knowing that soon, very soon, the world would need every warrior it could muster. The war was beginning again. Chapter 31 *Ding* You obtain Thraldrirlum¡¯s Dream (Epic) Monica looked inside the chest, not sending the content right to her Inventory, and slowly pulled out a large, thick¡­ pickaxe? She looked at the thing with a stunned expression. Monica''s fingers barely brushed the weathered handle of the pickaxe when the world around her blurred. The intricate symbols carved into its surface began to glow with a faint blue light, and suddenly, she wasn''t in the forest with the others anymore. * * * She found herself watching three dwarven brothers in what must have been the Viscera. A large hall materialized around Monica with walls of polished granite inlaid with veins of precious metals. Around a thick, round metal table, three dwarves stood in front of each other. ¡°What¡¯s this, Nuralumi?¡± The shortest of the three asked. "Look here, brothers!" Nuralumi swept his hand over the architectural plans that covered the table. His copper beard jumped as he jabbed his finger at the drawings. "The supports will be anchored in these mountain ranges. The span will-" ¡°Anchored?¡± A dwarf with giant, muscled arms boomed with laughter. "While you play with your surface bridges, I''ll show you true ambition!" He shoved his brother''s plans aside, unfurling his scrolls. The heat radiated from his presence as he traced the descent his bridge would take. "Down, brothers! To the very heart of the world!" ¡°Groufatin,¡± the short one interrupted, ¡°you didn¡¯t let Nuralumi finish. ¡°Shut up, Thraldrirlum,¡± Groufatin replied. ¡°The King wants one between me and Nuralumi to create the greatest bridge in the world. And I, Groufatin, the best Smith of Viscera, shall give it to him. Forged and smelted in my shop¡ªmy men will assemble a bridge that goes down to the center of the world where fire fills the air and metals are molten by the heat of the world!¡± "A bridge to the center of the earth?" Nuralumi scoffed, tugging at his copper beard. "While you chase fairy tales beneath us, I will connect our great city to Valoria itself! Think of it - hundreds of miles of perfect dwarven engineering!¡± Thraldrirlum reached for his pickaxe, running his fingers over the worn handle. "Going somewhere, little brother?" Grourfatin sneered. "Another tunnel calling you?" "Let him be," Nuralumi waved dismissively. "Our simple brother wouldn''t understand. His dreams end at the next vein of iron he¡¯ll get excited about.¡± The vision shifted, years passing in moments. Monica saw Nuralumi''s great bridge rise from its foundations only to collapse when it couldn''t support its own weight. She watched Grourfatin''s downward-reaching bridge melt in the intense heat of the depths, his workers fleeing from explosive gases and molten rock. And through it all, she saw Thraldrirlum mining. Day after day, year after year, his pickaxe sang against the stone that seemed to whisper secrets to him. His level climbed higher than any dwarf before him as he followed veins of ore that only he could sense. Then, one day, deep beneath Viscera, his pickaxe struck something different. The stone rang like a bell, humming with raw magical power. While his brothers had sought to build bridges of steel and stone, Thraldrirlum had found something far more precious: rock that sang with the power to bend space itself. The vision showed him working alone, following the song of the magical stone. Each strike of his pickaxe was precisely placed, turning the very rock into a vast enchantment. When the work was finally complete, Thraldrirlum had created something impossible - a bridge that existed in multiple places at once, that could connect Viscera to any location in the world for those who knew how to listen for its resonance. * * * The vision faded, leaving Monica holding the ancient pickaxe. *Ding* Memory-Infused Pickaxe of Thraldrirlum has shown you a fragment of its past. Only those who understand how to listen to the stone''s song can unlock its true power. ¡°Dude, is that a pickaxe?¡± Ted asked, stunned. ¡°Can I Inspect it?¡± Monica, still reeling from the vision, handed the tool to Ted. ¡°Oh¡ªthis is too powerful for me. We would need someone in Valoria to assess it.¡± Monica took it back and studied its surface. ¡°I think The System pushed this to us,¡± she said. ¡°To get to Viscera and kill Machina.¡± Everyone turned to Monica when she said that. ¡°Oh, right,¡± she smiled, ¡°I haven¡¯t told you guys.¡± * * * Monica had to explain the Chain Quest she had gotten and what it told her. "You want to hunt down an Old God?" Heidi''s voice cracked in disbelief. Her eyebrows, still growing back, rose dramatically on her forehead. "Not just hunt - destroy," Monica corrected, running her fingers over the patterns carved into Thraldrirlum''s pickaxe. "The System was very clear about that." "But..." Ted started, then trailed off, looking troubled. "Dude, the Old Gods aren''t like normal monsters. They''re the reason the Dwarves are gone. They''re the reason half the New Gods died in the war. And you want to just... what? Walk into their stronghold and fight them?" Monica''s lips curled into a fierce smile. "That''s exactly what I plan to do. But first," she lifted the heavy pickaxe, "we need to figure out how this thing works. The vision showed me that it''s connected to some kind of bridge - one that can take us straight to Viscera." "The Bridge of Thraldrirlum," Ted whispered, then blushed when everyone turned to look at her. "My mother used to tell stories about it¡ªit¡¯s one of the Nine Wonders. A magical bridge that could appear anywhere, built by the greatest Dwarven mason who ever lived. But it was lost when Viscera fell." ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the village and then figure out how to get there, then,¡± Monica smiled. * * * ¡°You must have been roughed up pretty well,¡± the Blacksmith said while hammering the Nightshade Battle Wear¡¯s metal. ¡°It takes something very strong to beat up a piece of Rare armor. Usually, something above Level 80.¡± Monica stood a few steps from him, watching curiously as the man repaired her armor. ¡°The Boss was Level 60, but it was also empowered by Machina,¡± Monica said casually. Hank, the Blacksmith, almost hit his hand and had to stop mid-swing to look at the redhead. Monica was only wearing a band over her chest and a loose linen skirt over her long legs, distracting the man from his work. ¡°It ain¡¯t every day that someone squares up with an Old God,¡± the Blacksmith said, clearing his throat and resuming his work. ¡°But the damage is not deep. If the armor had cracked, you would have needed a better Blacksmith than me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford to be picky,¡± Monica said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving for Viscera soon.¡± The Blacksmith had heard a brief version of what had gone down in the Dungeon and how Monica was now headed to the legendary Dwarven Capital. ¡°They say Dwarves are so good,¡± Hank said, while putting the armor back in the forge to temper it after removing the dents, ¡°that they could strike your equipment twice and raise its rarity. Hah! I wish I could do that!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come visit after we¡¯ve cleared up there, then?¡± Monica said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure a Blacksmith would have the time of their life there.¡± Hank took out Monica¡¯s armor and placed it in a metal basin full of water, letting the steam hiss all over his forge. He activated a Skill to make sure that the process wouldn¡¯t damage the armor and then one that made sure the metal would set properly. ¡°If you clear Viscera up,¡± Hank said, ¡°damn¡ªif you even find it, I would give an arm to visit.¡± ¡°No need to give me an arm,¡± Monica said, stepping beside him and slapping his giant bicep, ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea for what you could give me as payback when I bring you over to Viscera.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± the Blacksmith said, embarrassed. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t touch it, it¡¯s still hot!¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Monica went over the armor and fished it out of the water. It was still piping hot, but she briefly turned around and donned it in a few elegant twists and turns. Hank had barely any time to realize the woman had disrobed herself while putting the armor on and turned to face the wall of the forge. ¡°Normal flames can¡¯t hurt me, Hank,¡± Monica said, tapping his shoulder and having him turn to face her. ¡°Right,¡± the man said, averting the woman¡¯s intense gaze. ¡°About the pickaxe,¡± she said. ¡°Do you have any idea how to use it?¡± Hank was grateful for the opportunity to get away from Monica and side-stepped to fish the giant pickaxe from the side room. The redhead had left it to him in order for him to try and see if he could figure out how to activate it so that Monica and the others could reach Viscera. ¡°I couldn¡¯t figure it out,¡± Hank shook his head. Monica took it again and looked at the top of the blade. On it, there were runes that apparently only she could read, thanks to her Myriad Tongue Racial Ability. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Monica frowned, ¡°It says stuff like ¡®rock and stone,¡¯ and then, ¡®hammers¡¯s tone?¡¯¡± Hank shrugged. ¡°You know what? Can you give me a piece of paper? I¡¯m going to write this down and ask Ted.¡± * * * Monica looked nothing like her usual smiling self, looking instead at Lucas with eyes of ice. ¡°So, is it true?¡± ¡°Milady,¡± Lucas said, wringing his fingers together, ¡°I cannot give you a definitive answer. I would need to access more records in the Institute, and even then, I doubt I could find a satisfying answer. We¡¯re talking about a deal between ancient beings.¡± ¡°So, is it true?¡± Monica looked nothing like her usual smiling self, instead staring at Lucas with eyes of ice. ¡°Milady,¡± Lucas said, wringing his fingers together, ¡°I cannot give you a definitive answer. I would need to access more records in the Institute, and even then, I doubt I could find a satisfying answer. We¡¯re talking about a deal between ancient beings.¡± ¡°Lucas,¡± Monica snapped. ¡°My question is fairly simple. How likely is it that Machina has figured out that she has a way to give me back my children?¡± Lucas swallowed heavily. They had already talked about her abilities and some of his research. But now that Monica was speaking to him in private, it really made him sweat. ¡°Milady, I¡ª¡± ¡°Lucas, I need the cut-and-dry answer. Do you believe she could actually do that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucas cleared his throat. ¡°Old Gods are known for having resurrected people before. Well, one of them in particular¡ªnot Machina¡ªbut I believe that with enough magic on their side, they could easily do that. They have brought heroes from other eras to fight on their side after corrupting their souls. We¡¯re talking legends who had died a millennia or longer ago.¡± ¡°What about killing Machina, then? She mentioned that I would to stake my life. Can my flames kill her?¡± Lucas shook his head. ¡°No, milady. Not historically, at least. That I know¡ªwell, that everyone knows of¡ªonly weapons forged from divinity can kill an Old God. Not many died, even during the conflict. Their powers were drained, and their followers scattered. But just a handful died.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I smother Machina with these,¡± Monica raised her forearms, showcasing her Twin Phoenix Bracers. ¡°No, Milady. I¡¯m not talkinabout g Divine equipment. I am talking weapons. Weapons are made to consume an Old God or something; we don¡¯t really have many details on the topic . Avatars usually do have a weapon, but¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have mine with me,¡± Monica frowned. ¡°And I suppose I¡¯ll need to kill Machina to harvest her magic to get my children back.¡± ¡°Yes, milady,¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°If she can give you your children back, you¡¯ll need to destroy her so that she can act as a sacrifice.¡± ¡°How do I find my weapon? Do you even know what that is?¡± Lucas shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Lucas cleared his voice and gestured to the table where a crude map had been drawn. ¡°Theodore has an incredible knowledge of the Great Dungeons. The Dwarves, who fell against none other than Machina, held their most prized possession, the Spear of Dhoznil, in their temple. If you manage to get to Viscera, you should be able to get to the Spear of Dhoznil since Old Gods can¡¯t touch what can destroy them. Not even their minions can.¡± Monica nodded pensively. * * * Heidi and Ted had been charged with getting as many supplies as they could from the village without drying them up. Monica had also ordered to pay three times the price of anything they had. However, most villagers wanted to give everything for free to them since they had freed them from Ivor and destroyed a Corrupted Dungeon. Ted was in charge of doing most of the talking and had to toss coins inside the villagers¡¯ houses for them to accept the payment. "I don''t think we need any more dried meat," Heidi said, watching Ted try to stuff another package into his already bulging backpack. ¡°Monica said we can stuff everything inside her Inventory,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°She said to also pile up some wood to cook the meat she got from the wolves, but she also wants something to eat when we can¡¯t just start a fire.¡± They started walking back toward Madeline¡¯s house. Ted adjusted the mandolin on his back, right over the backpack. "You know, I still don''t understand what happened in there. The song came out of nowhere when I saw Monica fighting.¡± ¡°It was impressive,¡± Heidi commented. "Least I could do. Monica''s taking us to fight an Old God - we''ll need more than one miracle song before this is over." Her blonde hair was finally showing again, and her eyebrows looked almost normal. Ted was reluctant to admit that if Heidi had been pretty before, now she had a weird quality to her looks that really intrigued him. He had to try really hard not to sneak looks at her all the time. He stopped to gift some more money around, even to the families that had nothing to offer, which made the Phoenix Pyromancer perplexed. ¡°Is Monica going to be happy with you gifting her money around?¡± She asked. ¡°Dude, a hundred percent,¡± Ted said confidently before clearing his voice and looking around surreptitiously. ¡°Just in case, though, don¡¯t tell her. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t even count the coin.¡± * * * Once they reached Madeline''s house with their supplies, they found the woman waiting outside on the stone steps, wringing her hands anxiously. When she spotted them approaching, she hurried over. "Ted, Heidi," Madeline called out softly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I''ve been waiting for you both. Monica told me everything." "Is everything okay?" Ted asked. Madeline shook her head, reaching out to grasp one of their hands in each of hers. "I needed to thank you properly. Both of you. For what you did in that dungeon." Her voice cracked. "For my Dotty." Heidi tried to pull away, uncomfortable with the gratitude. "Monica was the one who¡ª" "No," Madeline interrupted firmly. "Monica told me everything. How you," she squeezed Ted''s hand, "played that song that gave them the strength they needed. And you," she turned to Heidi, "rushed in without hesitation to help fight that monster." She swallowed hard. "Either of you could have died in there. But you risked everything to save my daughter." Ted rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "It wasn''t really like that. I just played what came to me, and Heidi''s the one who actually fought¡ª" "What he means," Heidi cut in, surprising herself by coming to Ted''s defense, "is that we did what anyone would have done." She met Madeline''s eyes. "Dotty is important to us." Madeline released their hands only to pull them both into a fierce embrace. "Thank you," she whispered. "Wherever you go next, know that you''ll always have a bed here. Both of you." When she pulled back, wiping her eyes, Ted cleared his throat roughly and shuffled awkwardly. "Speaking of which, we should probably get these supplies inside. And maybe check on Dotty?" "She''s resting," Madeline smiled. "But I''m sure she''d love to see you both before you go. Ronny''s with her¡ªpoor thing hasn''t left her side since you brought her back." Dotty had been exhausted by being manhandled by Machina, perhaps an after-effect of the Corruption that entered her body through the Old Goddess¡¯s touch. Or perhaps, just a result of fighting for so many days on end without rest. * * * "One more thing, Lucas," Monica said, turning back before leaving his room. "What kind of levels should we expect in Viscera?" Lucas shuffled nervously. "Well, from the historical records of Great Dungons I''ve studied in the past while looking for clues about the Old Gods, Viscera should be the easiest one. The weakest creatures should be around Level 100. Those would be the corrupted constructs Machina used to replace whatever was living there before." Monica''s expression remained neutral, but her fingers tightened slightly on Thraldrirlum''s pickaxe. "And the strongest?" "The deeper you go..." Lucas swallowed. "Level 150 would be common for elite guards. And whatever final defense Machina has prepared - some kind of champion or corrupted ancient being - could easily reach Level 200. Maybe up to the mid 200s." "I see." Monica''s voice was calm, but her mind was racing. Their current levels - her at 16, Ted at 10, Heidi at 27 - suddenly felt painfully inadequate. Even with her unusual abilities, facing monsters that powerful would be suicide without help. "Milady," Lucas added hesitantly, "even someone sent by the New Gods would be at least Level 200, spanning up to 400, in an attempt to breach Viscera." I need someone to help us level up and bridge the gap, Monica thought. She needed someone stronger than them, much stronger, who would act like a shield of sorts, like a stopgap until they gained enough levels to be able to fight on their own. Her lips curved into a slight smile. ¡°Thank you, Lucas.¡± ¡°About the book, my lady, I found that your Skills can¡ª¡± But Monica had already left his room. * * * Heidi watched as Ted handed the little boy Ronny half of the fresh stuffed bread roll that Gertrude had given him, even though she knew he must have been very hungry after running around all morning. The gesture made something twist uncomfortably in her chest as she remembered her harsh words to him when they had first met. "Here you go, buddy," Ted said encouragingly. Ronny took the bread shyly but gave Ted a small smile in return. Heidi found herself studying Ted more closely as he chatted easily with the child, making him laugh with silly jokes despite the recent ordeal. There was a genuine warmth to him that she had completely missed in her righteous anger about his brief association with the cult. "Would you like some too?" Ted''s voice broke into her thoughts. He was holding out a piece of his remaining bread to her. "I... what?" Heidi blinked in surprise. "You''ve barely eaten anything," he said. She stared at the offered food, feeling shame heat her cheeks. "Thank you,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°Everything good?¡± Ted frowned, seeing Heidi hold the bread roll in her hands without eating it. ¡°I treated you very poorly when we first met, even though you saved me.¡± ¡°Monica saved you,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°I was just tagging along.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you allowed Monica to save Dotty, Ted.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Ted pointed out. ¡°You stepped into the Boss Room without anyone asking you to.¡± ¡°I owe Monica my new Class,¡± Heidi said. ¡°But I also owe you an apology. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good, dude,¡± Ted raised a fist, and Heidi stared at it, confused. ¡°Bump it,¡± Ted said, bumping his own fist and then extending toward Heidi again. The blonde awkwardly punched Ted¡¯s fist, which made him theatrically hiss. ¡°Damn, so strong! Ronny, she almost broke my hand!¡± The kid laughed heartily, and Heidi did the same without even realizing it. They heard someone shout from outside before they could continue with their lunch. ¡°You wretched lot! Get out of the house and prepare to face the Duke¡¯s justice!¡± Chapter 32 The rhythmic thud of hooves against packed earth drew every eye in Rock''s Heel. A massive brown warhorse carried its rider into the village square, each step deliberate and heavy with authority. Children who had been playing in the dusty street scattered like leaves in the wind, diving behind their parents'' legs. Even before Sir Tristan''s features became clear to the gathered villagers, his presence commanded an immediate hush. Conversations died mid-sentence, replaced by anxious whispers that themselves faded to nothing as he surveyed them from horseback. "That''s the Duke''s Knight," someone whispered. Knights were hard to raise and harder to put down. They constituted the bulk of the elite forces of nobles. Sir Tristan had come to Rock¡¯s Heel before, and it was clear that everyone remembered him. He had brought Ivor the first time¡ªa wretched Fire Mage with little talent for anything that wasn¡¯t creating chaos. However, being a friend of the Duke¡¯s son, the Duke of Valtieri had decided to send the wretch away to take care of this little village. Tristan dismounted with practiced efficiency, though a keen observer might have noticed the slight stiffness in his movements ¨C the weariness his stern expression tried to mask. Another backwater village, another petty dispute to settle, the man thought. But the Duke''s law had to be maintained, even in places that seemed barely worth the effort. As his gaze swept over the villagers, he noted something unusual in their bearing. There was fear, yes ¨C that was expected. But underneath it ran a current of something else. Not submission, not the usual cowed deference he encountered in such places. "I come in the name of the Duke of Valtieri," Tristan announced, his steady voice carrying across the square. "Word reached us of an attack on your appointed village chief. Such actions cannot go unanswered." He paused, letting his words sink in. "Ivor has been taken, and I demand to know who was responsible. The Duke''s law does not bend for vengeance or convenience." The villagers exchanged furtive glances, but no one stepped forward. Tristan''s irritation grew. He loathed when villagers didn¡¯t fear the Duke¡ªit made everything so much harder to settle. And it wasn¡¯t that uncommon. Being away from the Duke meant they were not often enough reminded of the power of their lord. ¡°Let me ask again,¡± Tristan said, putting a hand on the large pommel of his sword, straightening his back atop his giant stallion and towering over all of them. ¡°Where is the wretch?¡± * * * The threats hadn¡¯t been enough to make them talk, but he had noticed a few of them looking surreptitiously at the only stone house in the village. He unsheathed his greatsword and shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°You wretched lot! Get out of the house and prepare to face the Duke¡¯s justice!¡± Sir Tristan saw a woman go out, barely able to keep out what he thought was her son. The kid kept trying to sneak out of the door, especially after looking at him on the giant horse. ¡°It¡¯s a knight! It¡¯s a knight!¡± The kid shouted excitedly. That almost brought a smile to Sir Tristan¡¯s lips¡ªif only he wasn¡¯t here for the grim business of delivering justice. "Sir, I¡¯m Madeline," the woman began, "I suspect you must be here for Ivor. I must speak the truth, even if it brings your wrath upon me. Ivor''s rule brought nothing but suffering to this village. He was no protector, only a tyrant who prey¡ª" "The Duke''s law," Tristan cut her off, his voice sharp, "cannot be undone by personal grievances, even if they are justified." His gaze hardened as he continued, "Chaos follows when people decide to enforce their own justice. Would you have us return to the days when might alone made right? When every person with a grudge could take the law into their own hands?¡± There was a moment of silence that Sir Tristan used to check the tags on the two who had followed Madeline. [Phoenix Pyromancer - Level 27] [Bard - Level 10] Bard? Sir Tristan raised an eyebrow but kept his stoic demeanor on his features. It wouldn¡¯t suit his station him to act all surprised at the legendary Class appearing again in this backwater part of the country at the moment. He would investigate where the man got the Class only after delivering the Duke¡¯s justice. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Today, he came here to harvest the life of a criminal, not to research. And that meant he was marginally more worried about the Phoenix Pyromancer than the Bard. Neither posed a real threat to a Level 129 Knight like him, but the ¡®Phoenix¡¯ part of her title made him suspicious. Where have these people come from? Madeline''s courage seemed to falter under his harsh stare, but she didn''t back down completely. "Sir, please. You don''t understand what we''ve endured. The sickness that spread through our village, the way he used it to¡ª" "I understand perfectly," Tristan interrupted again, dismounting his horse in a fluid motion that belied his heavy armor. "I understand that someone decided they knew better than the Duke''s appointed authority. Someone took matters into their own hands." His voice grew harder. "So I ask again ¨C where is the one responsible for attacking Ivor? And what is of Ivor? Is he alive?" No one responded. The silence stood heavy between Sir Tristan and the woman until he took one more step forward and the young man, the Level 10 Bard put himself between Madeline and the knight. ¡°Sir,¡± the young man said carefully, ¡°you speak of the Duke''s law, and you''re right ¨C it''s important. But Ivor was no protector. He used his position to hurt these people. To steal from them. To threaten them when they were at their weakest." Tristan''s face darkened with sudden fury. Here was someone he could focus his growing irritation on. "And who are you to decide who lives or dies?" His voice rose, echoing off the stone house behind them. "Without order, without law, there''s only bloodshed. Only death. If every fool with a grudge decided to become an enforcer, this village would be ash." In two quick strides, Tristan crossed to Ted and seized him by his shirt front, lifting him until his feet dangled above the ground. The crowd gasped, but Ted didn''t struggle, meeting the knight''s gaze steadily despite his predicament. "You dare lecture me about justice?" Tristan growled, "A mere Level 10 Bard? I''ve served the Duke longer than you''ve been alive. I''ve seen what happens when order breaks down. So, let me ask again, where is the perpetrator?" Sir Tristan suddenly felt his Dangersense Skill go off. As a Knight focused on defense, he was very keen on knowing where the next attack would be coming from and he felt a tremendous amount of power gather a few feet from him. Tristan turned his head slightly, keeping Ted suspended with one arm as he observed the Phoenix Pyromancer. Her blonde hair seemed to crackle with energy as a massive orb of fire materialized above her palm. The Knight wasn''t particularly worried about a Level 27, even if she was a Pyromancer. However, the ''Phoenix'' part of her Class made him hesitate. New Classes weren''t to be underestimated, especially ones that carried the names of Ancient Beasts. ¡°Let Ted go,¡± the Phoenix Pyromancer with a buzz cut said. "You would defy the Duke''s law with fire and rage?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. His free hand drifted to the massive shield strapped to his back. "I would defy anyone who threatens my companions," the young woman replied, the fire in her palm growing larger. "Enough." The single word cut through the crowd like a blade. The villagers had followed Sir Tristan, worried, but not saying anything about who had taken over the Duke¡¯s Law. Now, though, everyone parted to reveal a fiery redhead in a gleaming set of dark armor sashaying toward him. Sir Tristan dropped the Bard to the ground and read the tag above the woman¡¯s head. [Phoenix Healer - Level 16] One couldn¡¯t usually see the full Class unless he was at many levels beyond his opponents. It was only the disparity between Sir Tristan and the presents that allowed him to read their full Class. A Healer in armor? She, too, has ¡®Phoenix¡¯ in her Class, the man thought. Tristan almost laughed at the tag above her head, but something in his combat instincts screamed a warning. The way she moved, the confidence in her stride, the way the shadows danced across her armor¡ªnone of it matched her supposed Level. "You''re here for answers, Sir Tristan," the redhead said. "And I''ll give them to you. But first, you''re going to step away from my friends." "You dare command a Knight of the Duke?" Sir Tristan said. "I dare to stop injustice," the woman replied simply. "Whether it comes from a village chief or a Duke''s Knight makes no difference to me." A murmur ran through the crowd at her words. Even Heidi''s eyes widened at Monica''s boldness. "You admit to attacking Ivor, then?" Tristan asked, moving toward her with his sword raised. "I broke his teeth," Monica said matter-of-factly. "He was trying to throw a sick woman and her children out of their home. He attacked me with fire magic. I responded appropriately." "Appropriately?" Tristan''s voice dripped with skepticism. "You crippled a man appointed by the Duke''s authority." "I could have killed him," Monica pointed out. "Instead, I chose mercy. Something Ivor never showed to these people." Finally, Tristan lowered his sword to the ground. ¡°So Ivor lives?¡± ¡°Oh no, I then burned him to death when it became clear to me that he was a useless waste of space.¡± Sir Tristan sighed when he heard that. ¡°You just condemned yourself to death, Healer.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Is one death enough to expunge my record?¡± ¡°It will be,¡± Sir Tristan replied, now grabbing his shield and saying, ¡°Enemy Magnet.¡± Before she could even realize it, the woman was flying at breakneck speed toward his shield. Sir Tristan saw her try to twist her body and avoid his sword, but he simply stabbed her in the heart, looking heavily into her eyes as life died in her. ¡°Just wait for me. I would like a word,¡± the woman said, spitting blood on him. ¡°Don¡¯t go just yet¡­¡± Then, she died. Chapter 33 Monica came back with a sudden gasp, coughing violently as her body regenerated and she expelled the blood that had gotten stuck in her lungs. "By the Gods..." she heard Sir Tristan whisper from nearby. Monica pushed herself up onto her elbows, spitting out a glob of half-coagulated blood. Her ribs creaked as they finished knitting themselves back together. The Golden Flame danced across her skin, erasing the last traces of her fatal wounds while the Nightshade Battle Wear reformed around her body. ¡°What are you?¡± Sir Tristan asked beside himself, raising his shield again. ¡°Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, Monica Monroe, at your service. Please put down that sword. Dying once is enough. At least I came back before you left. Now, you killed me and delivered justice. Can we talk like civilized people?¡± Sir Tristan''s grip tightened on his shield as he watched the woman he had just killed stand up and casually dust off her armor as if death was merely an inconvenience. "You claim to be an Avatar?" His voice carried heavy skepticism. "Of an Ancient Beast?" "Yes," Monica replied, stretching her neck until it cracked. "And while I respect the Duke''s law, Sir Tristan, I have a higher calling. The Old Gods stir again. Machina herself appeared in a Dungeon barely two days from here." She gestured toward the forest. "Your Duke''s authority means little compared to that threat." The crowd watched in stunned silence as Monica walked closer to the Knight, her movements graceful despite having just resurrected. The Golden Flame had finished its work, leaving her looking as if she had never been impaled through the heart just seconds before. "The Old Gods?" Tristan''s stern demeanor cracked slightly. ¡°Yes,¡± Monica smiled, stopping at one step, barely a foot, from the towering knight. ¡°And you¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t you? Very strong. Full of justice and maybe a bit cruel, too. Just how I like them.¡± Monica extended a hand to touch his chest piece, but Sir Tristan took an instinctive step back, his combat instincts warring with his training as a Knight. "What are you suggesting?" "I''m suggesting," Monica said, casually summoning wisps of both Golden and Obsidian Flame around her hands, "that you could do more good hunting Old Gods than enforcing petty laws in backwater villages. These people need protection from threats far greater than corrupt officials, and I¡¯m just about to go pay a visit to Machina in Viscera. I could use someone like you,¡± her voice became very languid when saying the last few words. Monica had just met the knight, but her people instincts had immediately told her that this man was not only strong and very talented but that he had the right moral fiber she was looking for. Sure, she had just killed her because she had infringed on the Duke¡¯s Law, but that was probably because he was still a bit green, still in need of being taught. And he¡¯s also freakishly handsome, Monica thought to herself. I could use a big, strong man on the team. ¡°How old are you, Sir Tristan?¡± ¡°Why do you ask, Avatar? I¡¯m thirty-one.¡± Not too old, not too young. He still yearns for justice. ¡°Alright, Sir. What is more just, to look after a mortal man who has you kill women for his justice or a crusade against evil? I don¡¯t know about the other Old Gods, but Machina is pretty much as bad as it gets. So, would you say you¡¯d be delivering justice by returning to your Lord after today or by coming with me in the kind of adventure Knights can only dream of?¡± Sir Tristan, clearly caught unprepared, opened and closed his mouth several times, not knowing what to say. Monica watched with satisfaction as uncertainty crept across Sir Tristan''s chiseled features. She thought his rigid worldview was starting to crack, that he began to question everything he¡¯d built their life around. It was extremely satisfying. The slight tremor in his sword hand, the way his jaw clenched and unclenched, the flicker of doubt in his eyes¡ªall of it told her she''d struck exactly the right chord. She could practically see the thoughts warring behind his eyes. The fact that she''d come back from death had shaken him, yes, but it was her words about justice that had truly struck home. She took another step forward, almost chest-to-chest with him, the Golden Flame still dancing around her fingers for added dramatic effect. "You know I''m right," she said. "Deep down, you''ve always known there was something more than just following orders. Something greater than¡ª" "Enemy Magnet." She felt a moment of weightlessness, a strange sensation of disconnect, and then her perspective shifted violently. The world spun and tilted until all she could see was the endless blue sky above, scattered with soft white clouds. I guess I miscalculated. She didn''t even feel her head hit the ground. * * * Sir Tristan watched with morbid fascination as Monica''s head slowly rolled toward her body, connected by a thin tendril of golden flame. The flame grew brighter, wrapping around her neck like molten metal and releasing a sea of sparks. Within moments, her head had reattached itself, the golden fire knitting flesh and bone together. That definitely confirmed she could come back to life, which meant she might actually be an Avatar of an Ancient Beast. He gripped his sword tighter as an unsettling feeling rooted itself in his gut. He''d never encountered anything like this in all his years of service. The woman before him was clearly no mortal¡ªthat much was certain. But what troubled him more were her words, still echoing in his mind. A crusade against the Old Gods. The very thought made him tremble. The Duke''s law was meant to protect people to maintain order. But what good was order if the Old Gods returned? What use would petty laws be if Corruption spread across the land like in the tales of old? Her words had struck deeper than any blade could. And now, watching her body knit itself back together through some divine power he couldn''t comprehend, his certainty in the natural order of things¡ªin the very laws he''d sworn to uphold¡ªbegan to waver. None of his training had prepared him for someone who could laugh off death itself, who spoke of fighting beings that had once brought the world to its knees. "My Lord Knight?" Madeline''s tentative voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to face her and noticed how she stood straighter now. Something was different in these villagers'' eyes now. There was not the usual fear he was accustomed to seeing but something closer to hope. "The Corrupted Dungeon," he said, his voice rougher than he intended. "This Avatar claims she destroyed it. Is this true?" "Yes," Madeline answered without hesitation. "But that''s not all. She healed us¡ªall of us. The Corruption spreading through our village was burned away with her golden fire. She cured me. And before she brought back my children... she..." Madeline''s voice crumbled from the emotion. Sir Tristan''s frown deepened. That¡¯s not possible. "Corruption cannot be healed. Once it takes root¡ª" "But it can," a man''s voice interrupted. A man stepped forward from the crowd, looking more scholarly than the others. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He adjusted a pair of spectacles on his nose as he approached, showing none of the usual deference commoners displayed toward Knights. "Hello. I''m Lucas, a Scholar from the Institute.¡± Oh no, Sir Tristan sighed. Not one of them. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Lucas explained, ¡°the Avatar''s flames purified the corruption. It is, in fact, not something that should surprise us because of its logic¡ªjust because it¡¯s a magnificent feat. The Twin Phoenix¡¯s Golden Flame is renowned for being the ultimate panacea to all evil." [Scholar - Level 31] The tag above Lucas''s head lent some weight to his words. Scholars, especially those from the Institute, were sometimes known for flights of fancy or exaggeration. But they also dealt with the kind of research and knowledge the man was spouting. And this one had clearly spent some time along the redhead. "I''ve studied this village¡¯s Corruption extensively," Lucas continued, pulling out a notebook from his vest. "I''ve documented every case and how quickly Lady Monica, the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, healed it. What I witnessed here wouldn¡¯t have been possible for anyone but this woman to accomplish. And I saw it happen. People who were clearly condemned to death by their rotting flesh¡ªshe healed them all. Not a trace of Corruption remained." Sir Tristan couldn¡¯t believe it. But his intuition told him it all made sense. "You see, Sir Tristan, the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix isn''t just another powerful being. She represents the quintessential adversary to the Old Gods¡ªparticularly Machina." Lucas spoke like a lecturer. "The Twin Phoenix was the most formidable of all Ancient Beasts, possessing virtual immortality and unmatched combat prowess. And Lady Monica literally incarnates those traits. She is those traits." Sir Tristan''s gaze flickered to Monica''s still-regenerating form, then back to Lucas. "But what truly sets her apart in terms of Corrupting fighting," Lucas continued, reaching into his vest, "is the Golden Flame''s purifying properties. It doesn''t just heal people from the symptoms¡ªit completely eliminates Corruption from anything it touches." His hand emerged, holding something that caught the sunlight with pristine clarity. "Allow me to demonstrate." ¡°What is that,¡± the Knight asked. Lucas handed it to him so that he could examine it, but it just looked like a normal crystal. Sure, it looked sturdy and valuable, but there were surely mines brimming with stuff like this somewhere in the mountains. It was very cold at the touch, though, and made Tristan curious. "This," Lucas said carefully, "came from a Crystal Wolf." The reaction was immediate. Sir Tristan leaped backward and let the Crystal Shard fall to the ground, immediately taking out his sword. His face contorted with fury as he leveled the blade at Lucas''s throat. "You dare bring corrupted items into my presence?" he snarled. "Are you trying to poison me, Scholar?" Lucas raised his hands slowly, maintaining a calm demeanor despite the steel at his throat. Without breaking eye contact with the enraged Knight, he slowly bent down and retrieved the Crystal Shard. "Look closer, Sir," Lucas said, holding the shard up to the light. "Do you see any trace of Corruption? Any hint of the twisted essence that normally pervades such crystals? Is it murky like any Corrupted item would be, or is it not crystal clear?" The Scholar smirked at his own pun. Sir Tristan''s sword didn''t waver, but his eyes narrowed as he studied the crystal. Slowly, reluctantly, he had to admit that the Scholar was right. The crystal was utterly, impossibly pure. Sir Tristan used Inspect. *Ding* You have successfully inspected Crystal Wolf¡¯s Shard (Uncommon)! Crystal Wolf¡¯s Shard (Uncommon) A pure shard of crystal that used to be corrupted. An exceptionally resilient material for crafting. "Lady Monica did this," Lucas explained. "The Golden Flame burned away every trace of Corruption, leaving only pure crystal behind. I''ve documented the entire process in my¡ª" "Oh good, you''re showing off my work." Both men turned to see Monica pushing herself up from the ground once again, casually brushing dirt from her armor. Her neck showed no sign of ever having been severed, though there was a hint of annoyance in her expression. "You know, Sir Tristan," she said, stretching lazily, "most men would buy a lady dinner before killing her off. Twice." "We need to talk," he said firmly, though his sword had lowered slightly. "Finally," Monica grinned. "I thought you''d never ask." * * * Monica lounged in her chair at Madeline''s dining table, popping grapes into her mouth one by one as she studied the mountain of a man across from her. Sir Tristan seemed to take up half the room with his massive frame, yet he barely touched the food before him. His plate remained basically untouched. Monica had insisted on speaking with Sir Tristan alone because she knew this particular fish needed space to swim into her net on his own. Her earlier approach had been too direct, too forceful. She''d pushed too hard and gotten her head lopped off for her trouble. But Monica was nothing if not adaptable. Now, she simply sat, eating her fruit with deliberate casualness, letting the silence do the work for her. She needed this man ¨C or rather, she needed what he represented. His Level 129 would be invaluable in Viscera, where she expected to face monsters well into the hundreds. Without someone of his caliber to help manage those threats while she power-leveled Ted and Heidi and herself, their chances of survival would plummet dramatically. The Crystal Wolf Boss had been Level 60, and even with Ted¡¯s help, it had nearly killed her and, most importantly, everyone else. Viscera would be different. The fallen Dwarven capital would be crawling with Machina¡¯s creations. Furthermore, Monica would have to eradicate Machina herself after finding the Spear of Dhoznil, and the Old Goddess most likely had either possessed the strongest creation of hers or the strongest monster she could find in the Lost Dwarven Capital. Monica couldn''t afford to rush in unprepared. She needed Ted and Heidi to gain as many levels as possible before facing the Old Goddess, and that meant controlled encounters with high-level monsters. One at a time, carefully managed, with someone strong enough to intervene if things went wrong. Someone like the Knight sitting across from her, whose defensive Skills could buy precious seconds if they bit off more than they could chew. Without someone of his caliber, they''d be gambling with their lives every time they engaged an enemy. One miscalculation, one unexpected patrol of corrupted monstrosities, and her companions would be dead before she could resurrect. She could come back from death ¨C they couldn''t. "You know," he finally said, breaking the lengthy silence, "I''ve seen many people claim to fight for justice. Most of them were lying. Or they only cared about justice when it suited them." His gauntleted hands clenched slightly on the table. "But you..." He paused, searching for words. "You speak of fighting Old Gods and Corruption as if it''s the only thing that matters. Do you believe it? Or is it just a convenient excuse to defy the Duke?" Monica watched the internal struggle play across his features. She could practically hear his thoughts. When I joined the Duke''s service, I swore to protect the weak and punish the wicked. Yet here I am, defending a man like Ivor because he had the Duke''s blessing. Does that make me a hypocrite or just a soldier following orders? She set down her half-eaten tangerine and met his troubled gaze. "Tell me, Sir Tristan¡ªwhat is justice, to you?" Sir Tristan¡¯s brow furrowed, and he seemed almost offended by the simplicity of the question. ¡°Justice is... order. Law. It¡¯s the only thing that keeps our world from descending into chaos.¡± He spoke automatically as if repeating a lesson he¡¯d learned by heart, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice. His eyes lowered, and he rubbed the back of his neck, the gesture looking almost comical coming from such an imposing figure in full plate armor. ¡°Without law, without structure, we¡¯d be no better than beasts.¡± ¡°Laws indeed bring order, and order protects the weak,¡± Monica said, leaning forward. ¡°But what happens when those who create the laws stop caring about the people they¡¯re meant to protect? Isn¡¯t justice more than just following rules? Isn¡¯t it about doing what¡¯s right, even when it¡¯s difficult? Even when you have to hurt people?¡± Sir Tristan shifted uncomfortably in his chair, which creaked under his weight. ¡°I don¡¯t resent you for carrying out my execution,¡± Monica said, absently rolling a grape between her fingers. ¡°But I resent your naive outlook, Sir Tristan. If Ivor is nothing more than a bully, a criminal put in charge, then why are you not considering who infringed upon the justice of this world?¡± ¡°You are not saying¡ª¡± ¡°I am, Sir Tristan. Who put Ivor there?¡± The knight¡¯s face darkened, and his massive hands clenched into fists on the table. The idea that someone could question the very foundation of his loyalty¡ªthat someone could imply the Duke himself might be responsible for injustice¡ªseemed to physically pain him. Monica watched the internal struggle play across his features with keen interest. ¡°Careful, Avatar,¡± he growled. ¡°You speak of the Duke as if he¡¯s some kind of villain. But he rules Valtieri with strength and stability. The peace we enjoy¡ª¡± ¡°Peace for whom?¡± Monica interrupted, her voice sharp. ¡°You must¡¯ve certainly seen the law twisted by the powerful. How many times justice was only served to those who could afford it, or when order was kept at the expense of the innocent? How many Ivors have you encountered in your service, Sir Tristan?¡± The knight¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly, though his voice remained defiant. ¡°You think I haven¡¯t seen the flaws in the system? That I haven¡¯t wanted to challenge the very orders I¡¯ve been given? But what choice do I have? If every knight decided to act on his sense of justice, there would be no law left to uphold.¡± Monica set down her fruit and stood. ¡°Let me be clear about something, Sir Tristan. I don¡¯t care about stability. I don¡¯t care about maintaining order for order¡¯s sake.¡± Her eyes blazed. ¡°Justice for people is more important than anything ¨C including safety. If I have to kill all the Old and New Gods to make sure that justice is upheld, I will. And I won¡¯t be stopped by a mere Duke, nor by you. These plans might sound foolish if spoken by a weakling¡ªbut I can afford as many deaths as I need to do the right thing. And if the right thing is to kill you and your Duke, how many times do you think you can keep killing me, trying to restrain me, before my levels equal and overcome yours? Before I can level up your Duke¡¯s city, your little scheme of contained tyranny?¡± The silence that followed her declaration was heavy. Sir Tristan stared at her with a harsh gaze. Before he could respond, the door burst open with a bang. Ted stumbled in, clutching Thraldrirlum¡¯s pickaxe and wearing an expression of wild excitement. ¡°Monica! I figured it out!¡± He was practically bouncing with enthusiasm. ¡°I know how to reach Viscera!¡± Chapter 34 A Few Minutes Before Ted watched as Lucas squinted at the paper for what felt like the hundredth time, adjusting his spectacles and muttering to himself. The Scholar had been studying Monica''s transcription of the runes from Thraldrirlum''s pickaxe for nearly an hour but seemed no closer to deciphering their meaning. "''Rock and stone''... ''hammer''s tone''..." Lucas read aloud, shaking his head. "The syntax is peculiar, even for ancient dwarven. And these markings here..." He traced a finger along the paper. "They don''t match anything I¡¯ve studied." Ted shifted his weight from foot to foot, fighting the urge to snatch the paper away. He''d been watching Lucas struggle with the translation while Monica was inside the house, talking to Sir Tristan. "Maybe I could take a look?" Ted finally offered. "Sometimes fresh eyes help." Lucas handed over the paper with a defeated sigh. "Be my guest. Though I warn you, ancient dwarven linguistics is a complex and nuanced field that requires years of¡ª" Ted barely heard him. As soon as he held the paper, the words seemed to shift and dance before his eyes. He muttered them under his breath, letting the rhythm of the phrases roll over his tongue. "Rock and stone... hammer''s tone..." Something immediately clicked in his mind. These words weren''t meant to be read! They were meant to be sung! The apparent nonsense was actually a series of musical phrases written in a way that only someone attuned to music would recognize. "It''s not a riddle," Ted breathed, excitement building in his chest. "It''s a song! This is a dwarven song! Dude, I think I know how to reach Viscera!" Lucas stared at him blankly. "What?" "Look!" Ted took the pickaxe that Monica had left Lucas and pointed at the markings. "These aren''t just runes ¨C they''re musical notation! The way they''re arranged, the spacing between them... Thraldrirlum wasn''t writing instructions. He was composing a song!¡± The Scholar stared in disbelief at the fact that Ted had figured it out. "I need to tell Monica!" Ted exclaimed, already running toward Madeline''s house. * * * The present Monica stared at Ted''s excited face, momentarily forgetting her tense conversation with Sir Tristan. "What did you figure out?" "Just¡ªjust come outside! And bring the pickaxe!" Ted was practically vibrating with enthusiasm. Monica shrugged and followed him out, aware of Sir Tristan''s heavy footsteps behind her. The villagers had gathered in a loose circle, with Lucas standing to one side. "Okay, Monica," Ted said, "when I clap my hands, strike the ground with the pickaxe. Trust me on this." Monica raised an eyebrow but nodded, gripping Thraldrirlum''s pickaxe. Sir Tristan crossed his arms over his armored chest. "Ted, are you sure about this?" Lucas called from the side. "Never been so sure in my entire life," Ted replied, taking a deep breath. Then he began to sing. Rock and stone! (BOOM) Hammer''s tone! (BOOM) Strike the vein! (boom-BOOM) Feel the strain! (boom-BOOM) As soon as Ted sang the first verse, the air became charged, and a ghostly voice joined him, startling everyone. Monica almost faltered but then kept striking at the ground. DIG DEEP! (BOOM) STAND TALL! (BOOM) FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM) WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM) Darkness calls! (BOOM) Echoed halls! (BOOM)A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Swing and sweat! (boom-BOOM) No regrets! (boom-BOOM) DIG DEEP! (BOOM) STAND TALL! (BOOM) FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM) WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM) Gold and ore! (BOOM) We want more! (BOOM) Brothers near! (boom-BOOM) Conquer fear! (boom-BOOM) DIG DEEP! (BOOM) STAND TALL! (BOOM) FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM) WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM) Hearts beat strong! (BOOM) All day long! (BOOM) Join the song! (boom-BOOM) March along! (boom-BOOM) DIG DEEP! (BOOM) STAND TALL! (BOOM) FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM) WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM) With each rhythmic clap of Ted''s hands, Monica brought the pickaxe down. At first, nothing happened except for the regular thud of metal against the earth. But as Ted''s song continued, each strike of the metal tool began to resonate differently, the ground vibrating with an otherworldly hum. Suddenly, the earth before them started to crack and shift, folding in on itself and then detaching from the ground, levitating around them. As the song continued, the floating pieces of earth and stone began to weave together like threads in an invisible loom. They formed two towering pillars that grew from the ground up, their surfaces etched with glowing dwarven runes. Between the pillars, smaller fragments of stone and soil continued to gather, creating an archway of perfectly fitted stones that seemed to assemble themselves out of thin air. Finally, as Ted''s voice reached the song''s crescendo, the space within the arch began to shimmer and twist. The air within it folded inward, creating a swirling vortex of blue light. "It worked!" Ted finished the song and exclaimed. "I knew it, dude!" "How did you figure this out?" Monica asked, staring at the portal in amazement. "The runes weren''t just writing ¨C they were musical notation," Ted explained. "Everyone knows about Dwarves being great Architects, Blacksmiths, and Miners, but they were also incredible Bards and Brewers. My mother''s research into the Bard Class taught me that. Allegedly, they used music for everything, even their magic. Thraldrirlum must have connected the bridge to his pickaxe ¡ª maybe others too ¡ª and used the song as the key." Monica studied the shimmering portal with renewed interest. "Well then," she said, "I guess we''ll be leaving for Viscera sooner than expected." She glanced meaningfully at Sir Tristan, wondering if their interrupted conversation had swayed him. Monica turned to Lucas. "Can I have your notes from the book?" Lucas fished in his pockets and handed her several loose sheets of parchment, his eyes bright with academic excitement. "My research suggests there might be ways to evolve both your Mana Sense and Phoenix Step abilities. The patterns are fascinating, really¡ª" "Thank you," Monica interrupted gently. She then took out a heavy pouch into his hands. "Use this to help rebuild the village. There''s enough gold and platinum there to construct proper walls and better houses. And Lucas? Keep these people safe. I''ll bring you more information about the Old Gods once Machina''s dead." Next, she approached Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus. "Remember our deal," she said firmly. "Three years of service to this village. Start with the manual labor¡ªthese people need strong backs as much as they need protection." Lucca snapped to attention, offering a crisp military salute and a genuine smile. Tertius followed suit with equal precision while Rochus attempted an awkward approximation of the gesture. Monica couldn''t help but smile as she turned away. Her heart grew heavy as she approached Madeline and Ronnie. The boy''s eyes were already welling with tears. "Don''t go," Ronnie pleaded as Monica knelt before him, ruffling his hair affectionately. "I have to, little warrior," she said softly. "But I''ll be back before you know it. And when I return, I''ll teach you how to fight properly. How does that sound?" Ronnie sniffled and nodded while Madeline stepped forward, tears in her own eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything." Finally, Monica stood before the shimmering portal with Ted and Heidi at her sides. "Ready?" she asked them. "Ready," they replied in unison, their faces set with determination. Monica took a step toward the portal, then paused. Without turning around, she addressed Sir Tristan one final time. "Big boy, are you coming?" Not waiting for his answer, she stepped into the swirling blue light. Ted and Heidi followed close behind, leaving the knight to make his choice alone. Sir Tristan stood frozen before the portal. Following this woman would mean betraying everything he''d sworn to uphold. The Duke''s law was absolute¡ªleaving his post without permission would be treason. And yet... A commotion from Madeline''s house drew his attention. The door burst open, and a disheveled girl stumbled out, her eyes wide with urgency. "Wait, are they going?!" she called out breathlessly. "Dotty, yes, they just went," Madeline replied softly. Dotty immediately disappeared back into the house, emerging moments later, clutching a sword in its scabbard. Her face was set with the same determination Sir Tristan had seen in Monica''s companions. "I have to go, Mom," she declared. "I have to become even stronger. Tertius and Lucca will take care of you." Sir Tristan watched in amazement as Madeline simply nodded, knowing opposing the choice wouldn¡¯t work, tears streaming down her face but offering no protest. She just went up to her daughter and kissed her forehead. ¡°Be careful, Dotty. And, please, listen to Monica.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The girl sprinted toward the portal and vanished into its swirling light. ¡°Stay safe!¡± Madeline shouted, seeing Dotty disappear and the light of the portal starting to dim. The knight looked at Madeline''s face, seeing the worry etched in every line. His gauntleted hands clenched and unclenched as he wrestled with his decision. Could he really let a young girl venture into such peril without protection? What kind of knight would he be if he stood idle while children rushed headlong into danger? "Damn it all," he muttered, straightening his back. The Duke''s law was important, yes, but some things were more important than that. A true knight''s duty was to protect the innocent, regardless of what authority commanded. With a final look at the village, Sir Tristan stepped through the portal and disappeared into its depths. Chapter 35 Monica''s breath caught as she took in the structure before them. The Bridge of Thraldrirlum wasn''t built or assembled - it was a single, unbroken expanse of blue crystal that seemed to have grown from the side of the mountain itself. It hung suspended in the thin mountain air without any visible support, its surface smooth aside for a few very basic carvings. Thraldrirlum had clearly wanted to maintain the surface as simple as possible and there were very basic decorations on the sapphire-like crystal that made up the bridge. "Shit," Heidi swore, her new eyebrows rising toward her buzzed hairline. Ted stumbled forward as if in a daze, falling to his knees and running his hands over the warm crystal surface. His fingers trembled as they caressed it. The young Bard''s shoulders began to shake, and his voice was thick with emotion when he spoke. "This is it," he choked. "Mom died trying to become a Bard and find this place." He pressed his forehead against the cool crystal surface. "She always said the Bridge was one of the greatest marvels in the world, and she¡¯d see it before dying. But she never got to. She¡¯ll never know how right she was." Monica placed a hand on his shoulder, understanding all too well the weight of lost family and inherited dreams. "Your mother would be proud, Ted. You were the one who figured out how to open it." Monica looked from side to side of the giant bridge, shaking her head. "Thraldrirlum must have been a genius if he did this with a pickaxe. He made a bridge that can connect to any anchor point in the world, all because of whatever this material is. There are no joints, no seams, nothing. It¡¯s just one big piece of magical crystal. It is a Wonder, no doubt." Heavy footsteps behind them made Monica turn. Sir Tristan emerged from the portal first, his massive frame casting a long shadow across the bridge''s surface. But it was the figure that slightly preceded him that made Monica''s blood run cold. "Dotty," she growled, "what the hell do you think you''re doing? Go back immediately!" Before the girl could even answer, the portal flickered and vanished with a soft pop, leaving nothing but empty air where it had been. "Well," Dotty said with a weak smile, "I guess we can''t really argue about it now." Monica''s hands clenched into fists as the Obsidian Flame sparked between her fingers. "Do you have any idea what you''ve just done? Machina will use you against me the first chance she gets!" The redhead turned curiously toward the giant portal that stood on the end of the bridge, right where they had just come from. She wondered if Sir Tristan would cross the threshold and come. Without him, Monica wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d make it. However, when a figure appeared from the portal, it wasn¡¯t Sir Tristan. "Dotty," Monica growled, "what the hell do you think you''re doing?" Sir Tristan''s massive frame appeared right after, casting a long shadow across the bridge''s surface. Before the girl could answer, the portal flickered and vanished with a soft pop, leaving nothing but empty air where it had been.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "Well," Dotty said happily, "I guess we can''t argue about it now." Monica''s hands clenched into fists as black and golden flames sparked between her fingers. "Do you have any idea what you''ve just done? Machina will use you against me at the first chance she gets!" Dotty''s smile faltered slightly, but her chin remained high. "I won''t be a burden. I¡¯m here to fight." "Fighting Crystal Wolves is one thing," Monica snapped. "Machina almost killed you once already. We¡¯re in her damn lair!" "Then we better make sure I get stronger before she gets the chance," Dotty replied, her hand tightening on Twilight''s Edge''s hilt. Monica opened her mouth to argue further but stopped when she felt Sir Tristan''s heavy hand on her shoulder. "The girl has spirit," the knight said. "And she''s right - we can''t send her back now. Better to protect her than waste time arguing." Monica turned to face him, genuinely surprised. "So you decided to come after all?" The knight''s face remained stoic, but there was a hint of something like amusement in his eyes. "Someone needs to watch over the girl. Besides," he added more seriously, "if what you say about Machina is true, this is where a knight''s duty truly lies." "How touching," Heidi sighed. ¡°Can we go already?¡± It was clear to Monica that the blonde didn¡¯t like the Knight. Monica suspected it was because of how Sir Tristan had treated Ted. In fact, she was almost certain of it. Perhaps the blonde had taken an interest in the young man. "I don¡¯t need to protect the village," Dotty told Monica. "Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus are more than capable of that. I don''t want to end up like my mother, stuck in Rock''s Heel forever. I want to be more like you, Monica." Monica''s eyes flashed dangerously, and both Ted and Heidi took an instinctive step back. "Your mother," Monica said in a low, controlled voice, "would do anything to keep you and Ronnie alive. She endured Ivor''s threats, clearly worked herself to exhaustion, and never once I heard her complain about what happened. Don''t you dare speak of her like that." Dotty''s face flushed with shame. "I didn''t mean-" "I know what you meant," Monica cut her off. "But strength isn''t just about fighting monsters, Dotty. It''s about doing what needs to be done, even when it''s hard. Even when it means staying behind." She sighed heavily. "But we''re here now, so we''ll make the best of it. However," her voice hardened again, "if you don''t follow orders and stay safe, I will personally tie you up and leave you in a room until we''ve cleared this place. Understood?" Dotty nodded quickly, properly chastised. Sir Tristan moved to the front of the group as they began walking along the crystal bridge. "I should take point," he said. "I''m built to absorb damage - it''s what Knights do best. I still can''t believe we''re walking into an Old Goddess''s lair, a Great Dungeon no less, with such low levels." He shook his head. "This is suicide." "That''s exactly why we need you," Monica replied, going up to him and patting one of his giant shoulders. "Your Skills will be the difference between life and death for them." She glanced at the others. "And if anyone starts feeling sick from the Corruption, tell me immediately." They walked in tense silence until they reached the end of the bridge. Before them stood two massive gates, their metal surface etched with intricate patterns of golden flowers. The gates opened slightly, moving slowly on their hinges, leaving just enough space for them to pass through in a single file. One by one, they slipped through the gap between the gates, entering Viscera, the Lost Dwarven Capital. "Well," Ted whispered, his hand tight around his mandolin, "I guess Machina''s expecting us." Monica summoned both flames to her hands, the black and gold light casting strange shadows across the flowered gates. "Then let''s not keep her waiting." Sir Tristan''s shield led the way, followed by Monica, then Ted and Heidi close together, and finally Dotty, her hand never leaving Twilight''s Edge''s hilt. The gates creaked closed ominously behind them as they ventured deeper into the fallen Dwarven capital. Chapter 36 They walked through the fortified entrance,, ready for a fight, but what they got instead was a normal-looking neighborhood. Well, normal wasn''t exactly the right word for what spread out in front of them. "Wow," Ted whispered. Monica had to agree. The city of Viscera opened up beneath them like some crazy architect''s fever dream. The whole thing was carved inside a cave so massive she couldn''t even see where it ended. Buildings stuck out of every surface - not just the ground, but the walls and even the ceiling. Giant stone bridges connected everything, creating this insane spiderweb of paths going in every direction. "Viscera," Ted said, still staring. "The city inside Mount Titan." ¡°That¡¯s the name of the mountain?¡± Monica raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ted nodded, still not taking his eyes away from the constructions of stone. There was a weird, natural luminescence that allowed them to see without the need for natural light. When Monica raised her eyes to the ceiling, she saw a massive globe made of crystal irradiating everything below, acting like a miniature sun. Monica turned to the others and saw Dotty''s jaw dropped when she spotted some buildings that looked like they were growing upside down from the cave ceiling. The whole setup shouldn''t have worked, but somehow it did. "That''s the work of very high-level Stonemasons and Stonemancers," Sir Tristan said, sounding impressed. The weird thing was how clean everything looked. No dust, no decay - just pristine streets and buildings that looked like someone had been maintaining them this whole time. Then they saw the first "statue." It was a dwarf, frozen mid-step with this surprised look on his face. The detail was insane - you could count the hairs in his beard if you wanted to. Then they found another one. And another. The first square they had gone through after crossing the gate was filled with them - dwarves just going about their day, turned to stone. "These aren''t actually statues, are they?" Monica asked, already knowing the answer. Ted shook his head. "During the war with the Old Gods, the dwarves were... changed. All nine of the original races disappeared after that. All except humans." "How''d that happen?" Monica asked, looking at a stone kid who''d been frozen laughing at something funny. Nobody said anything. They just looked at each other. "What''s with the weird looks?" Monica frowned. Ted cleared his throat. "It''s, uh, it''s the work of the strongest Old God. The scariest thing that ever existed." "Who?" "We don''t say her name," Sir Tristan said. "It''s bad luck. They say every time someone speaks it, she gets stronger." Monica looked around at all the stone dwarves. What kind of power does it take to do this to an entire race? They moved on, looking warily around, expecting to be attacked at any time. However, Machina¡¯s creations were nowhere to be seen at the moment. No, there were only the stone dwarves all around them. It was a depressing sight like few others. There was something more than melancholic about seeing dwarves caught in such mundane activities. What would have been meaningless at any other point in the history of dwarves¡ªwho had been the greatest Blacksmiths, the greatest Architects, but also great Bards and people who knew how to enjoy themselves¡ªfelt consequential, to say the least. There was something profound in seeing so many small acts: a dwarf raising a hand to salute a friend, a mother wagging her finger in her child¡¯s face, or a man lending his arm to his older father who was using a cane to make his way down the paved road. All these things felt sad and austere. They subdued the group, who could just look around and, with much reverence, avoid touching those statues.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The dwarves were a little shorter than common humans and stockier, with long beards that in many cases reached up to their bellies. Their women were more plump but also beautiful. All in all, the smiles of the people of Viscera transmitted warmth and love. Monica stopped in front of a small building where, through a window, she could see a baker standing over the counter, caught mid-knead with nothing under his hands. The dough had probably rotted away and turned to dust by now. ¡°Where are the Blacksmiths?¡± Monica broke the silence. ¡°I think they would be below the residential district,¡± Ted said. ¡°Why?¡± Monica was confused. ¡°For the same reason, she¡¯s probably at the lowest level. Mana,¡± Ted said. ¡°Smithing in the presence of denser mana would have led to better results for magical weapons.¡± Monica nodded pensively. ¡°If I had to guess,¡± Ted added, ¡°I would say that Machina is most likely around the throne room. If the legends are true, it was carved from pure Mana Stones.¡± ¡°Mana Stones are usually used to power enchantments, and they can be infused with magic. To make an entire palace of Mana Stones¡ªwell, that sounds like dwarves, and it would be priceless.¡± "Do you think all these dwarves are still... alive in there?" Dotty asked quietly, her hand brushing against the stone surface of a young dwarf who had been frozen mid-laugh. "Don''t touch them," Monica said sharply, pulling Dotty''s hand away. "We don''t know what kind of magic did this. For all we know, they still are." Ted nodded. "The legends say they are,¡± he explained. ¡°Condemned to live in stone.¡± A heavy silence fell over the group as they contemplated the horror of such an existence. "We need to find a way down," Monica said firmly, pushing aside the dark thoughts. "Ted, you seem to know the most about this place. Any ideas?" Ted adjusted his mandolin, scanning the architecture around them. "Well, dwarves are usually built in circles. Everything would spiral down toward the center. We should look for the main thoroughfare ¨C it would lead to the lower levels." "There," Heidi pointed toward a wide avenue that seemed to curve gently downward. Unlike the smaller streets they''d been walking, this one was lined with large pillars of crystal that shone light upon it. "Were Dwarves good at enchanting gems too?" Monica asked, examining one of the crystal pillars. Ted shook his head. "Actually, that was the Elves'' domain. They were the best enchanters in history, despite not getting along with Dwarves at all." "Really? Why not?" "Ancient rivalry," Ted explained. "Elves believed in working with nature, letting magic flow naturally through materials. Dwarves believed in conquering nature, bending it to their will through forges and tools. Stuff like that.." "All the other races did," Ted said quietly. "The Elves, with their immense knowledge of magic and enchantments. The Merfolk and their vessels capable of controlling the tides. The Dragons, who¡ª¡± "Dragons?" Monica interrupted. She might not have memories of her past life, but even she knew about Dragons. "One of the nine," Ted confirmed. "They weren''t just giant lizards - they were people, in their own way. Scholars say they could take human form when they wanted." ¡°Why didn¡¯t Humans disappear?¡± Monica asked. ¡°All the remaining New Gods are Humans,¡± Heidi explained this time. ¡°That¡¯s why. There were Nine Human New Gods, four of which died. Each race had their own deities, but they all died in the conflict against the Old Gods. That¡¯s how the Church of the Healer explained it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I know,¡± Sir Tristan chimed in. ¡°Humans had more Gods than any other race. Dragons had six. Dwarves had one. Merfolk, none. Elves had five, but only one of them was a combatant. Humans, the most populous race, were the ones with the stronger and more numerous Gods.¡± ¡°Good for us, I guess,¡± Monica said, finding the others looking at her. ¡°What?¡± She asked, confused. ¡°Dude, you¡¯re not exactly¡­¡± Ted let his words drag. ¡°I¡¯m not a what?¡± Monica still didn¡¯t follow. ¡°A human,¡± Dotty chimed in. ¡°You¡¯re, like, sort of a God.¡± ¡°An Ancient Beast,¡± Heidi corrected Dotty. ¡°So, not technically a Human.¡± ¡°Heh, whatever. We look the same. I¡¯m just prettier than you,¡± Monica told Heidi, then turning toward the main road. ¡°So, are we safe for now?¡± Monica asked Ted, who seemed to have an answer for everything. "The deeper we go," Ted shrugged, "the more likely we are to run into trouble. Machina''s probably got her strongest creations guarding the lower levels, especially around the throne room. For now, though, it should be chill." He''d barely finished speaking when a sharp metallic skittering sound echoed off the stone buildings around them. Monica''s hand immediately blazed with the Obsidian Flame as three giant mechanical spiders burst through the windows of a nearby building, their metal legs clicking against the stone street as they landed. Each one was roughly the size of a big dog. [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 80] [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 83] [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 87] ¡°Dammit, Ted,¡± Monica swore. But then, she heard a notification ringing in her head. Chapter 37 *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Destroy all the Corrupted Constructs plaguing the first floor of Viscera. Progress: 0/80 Reward: Rare Loot Chest x3 That¡¯s a juicy reward, Monica thought to herself, studying the monsters. She activated Mana Sense immediately, looking at the mechanical spiders as they skittered toward them. Unlike the Crystal Wolf Boss, which had been saturated with Corruption and brimming with Mana, these monsters seemed much tamer in that regard. That''s interesting, Monica thought. These feel like they were made by Machina herself, but the Corruption in them is just a thin coating compared to the full injection of malice the Boss had. Monica had been worrying about facing monsters of the caliber of the Crystal Wolf Boss from the very start. Thankfully, it seemed that, at least in that regard, they¡¯d have some respite. Furthermore, if she understood anything about Machina, she believed that the Old Goddess wouldn¡¯t swarm them with monsters. Machina would be interested in kills that led her to become stronger. Old Gods dealt in esoteric murder, not normal carnage. The metallic spiders skittered toward them with a rhythmic clicking of their metal legs onto the floor. Those legs are lethal, Monica immediately thought. They don¡¯t even need to bite. They can just impale us. Monica took another look at the Progress of the Quest and the two most important numbers in it. Quest Received ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ This is apparently the only first major floor of three. So, there are going to be three Quests, and this one already has three Rare Loot Chests. Well, we¡¯ll need them. Three is perfect. One for Ted, one for Heidi, one for Dotty. Nothing for Sir Tristan for now. I don¡¯t even think he needs it. Progress: 0/80 Eighty of these spiders? That¡¯s almost as many Crystal Wolves I think we killed in the Dungeon. "Sir Tristan, I need you to¡ª"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Monica cut herself off because the Knight had already stepped forward. * * * Sir Tristan stepped forward without hesitation, his massive shield raised. "Enemy Magnet!" he called out, the Skill pulling the Level 87 spider toward him. "Taunt!" The other two spiders'' heads snapped toward him as well, their mechanical legs clicking rapidly against the stone. "Let me deal with this!" the Knight shouted back to the others. "They''re too strong for you!" But then he heard Ted''s mandolin ringing out, its notes weaving through the air. Before he could ask what the hell the young man was doing, he saw Monica whizzing past him with a golden aura surrounding her. And before Sir Tristan could protest further, she had already launched herself at the strongest spider with terrifying speed. Two long feathers appeared on her forearms, and Sir Tristan saw her speed increase further because of them. The Knight watched in amazement as Monica crashed into the construct like a wild horse, her fists wrapped in Obsidian Flame. Moments before getting to it, her feet suddenly got covered in dark flames, and she flashed forward. Monica dodged two legs and got struck by a fourth in her abdomen but just hit a double-fist that exploded forward and made the creature fly away from her. The spider limb tore away from her abdomen, leaving a massive hole that the woman showered with Golden Flame. The spider''s metal legs stabbed at her repeatedly, drawing blood every time, but Golden Flame flashed across her wounds almost instantly. She fought with complete disregard for her own safety as if pain meant nothing to her. ¡°What is she doing,¡± Sir Tristan was comfortable taking the two monsters'' attacks with his shield but couldn¡¯t understand how the Level 16 Phoenix Healer was doing this. Maybe she is all she said she was. Her fighting style was unlike anything he''d ever seen - raw, primal, yet somehow ruthlessly elegant. The spider''s legs pierced her shoulder, her side, her thigh, but she didn''t even seem to notice. While true that levels weren''t a perfect reflection of power - Sir Tristan had seen Level 50 fighters take down Level 100 monsters through skill and strategy - this was different. Monica fought like someone possessed, like a force of nature given human form. The spider''s legs could barely track her movements as she danced between them, each of her strikes leaving molten metal in its wake. ¡°Ted, can you turn it up?!¡± Monica shouted. ¡°Sure!¡± The Bard responded. A blast of heat made Sir Tristan turn. Heidi had taken up position behind him, her hands wreathed in black flame as she unleashed a barrage of Fireballs at the two remaining spiders. The explosions rocked the constructs back on their legs, their metal shells consumed under the assault. "Emberstorm Convergence!" Heidi shouted, and the air itself seemed to ignite. A swirling vortex of black flame engulfed both spiders, lifting them slightly off the ground as it spun them in place. While the attack didn''t seem to be doing massive damage, it had them completely immobilized. Sir Tristan didn''t waste the opportunity. He charged forward, his shield leading the way as he slammed into the first spider. The construct''s legs scraped uselessly against his armor as he drove it into the ground. One powerful thrust of his sword through its central body was enough to still its movements permanently. The second spider tried to skitter away, but Heidi''s vortex held it in place long enough for Sir Tristan to dispatch it with similar efficiency. As its legs stopped twitching, he turned to check on Monica. The redhead had the strongest spider pinned beneath her, one of its legs torn away and scattered across the street. As he watched, she plunged both hands into its head, Obsidian Flame burning so explosively it rained all around her. The construct''s struggles grew weaker until finally, with a sound like tearing silk, Monica shouted like a madman and ripped its head completely off. She stumbled away from the wreckage, covered in blood from dozens of wounds that were barely healing. Her hair was matted with gore, and her armor punctured in multiple places, but she wore a wild grin on her face. "That was fun," she said, then promptly collapsed. Dead. But with a lot of notifications coming her way. Chapter 38 Monica came back to life after half an hour, wheezing and coughing. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 17 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 18 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 25 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 26 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 27 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 29 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 15 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 28 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 7 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 8 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 10 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 11 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 12 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 13 The Obsidian Flame had gained only one level versus the three that Golden Flame had gotten. It was most likely because she wasn¡¯t using the Obsidian Flame directly anymore, but she channeled it through Obsidian Impact, which had reaped way more levels than any other Skill so far¡ªprobably also because it was one of her lowest-level Skills. As she sat up, Monica looked at the loot notification. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Corrupted Spider Construct Leg (Corrupted) x2 Corrupted Spider Construct Core (Corrupted) x1 Mithril Thread (Corrupted) x1 Gold Coins x10 First of all, that was a lot of money. Monica had already gotten plenty Platinum Coins from the Corrupted Metallic Wolf Boss, which she had mostly left to Lucas in order to rebuild the village and make it prosper. Twenty Platinum Coins equated to two-thousand Gold Coins. But if Monica was going to get 10 Gold Coins for each kill on the first floor of Viscera, would she be getting Platinum for the kills at the lowest level? Maybe I should invest in Madeline¡¯s city. I could use it as a pickup point, especially if I managed to find more anchors for Thraldrirlum¡¯s Bridge. We could hop in and out¡ªit¡¯s distant enough from the rest of civilization that it would keep us away from politics, too. At the thought of politics, Monica briefly glanced at Sir Tristan. I might need to kill his Duke first. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to send more Knight to check on Rock¡¯s Heel for now, but I need to make sure he doesn¡¯t mess with them. Monica wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take advantage of Madeline and Ronnie. She then opened her Akashic Record to check on her progress. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 18 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 159 Endurance - 90 Strength - 90 Dexterity - 125 Wisdom - 90 Spirit - 90 Intelligence - 90 Charisma - 90 Free Attributes: 54 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 27The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 29 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 15 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 28 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 8 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 13 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Obsidian Impact was quickly becoming her favorite Skill. When empowered by Ted¡¯s Song of the Phoenix, Monica could apparently tear through one Corrupted Spider Construct on her own. But that¡¯s not good. I can¡¯t die at any engagement. I need Tristan to stand back and let us kill these creatures. I need to at least get a few blows in to get the Loot, too. But she wasn¡¯t strong enough. I still have Phoenix Fury and my Free Attributes. ¡°Ted, come here,¡± Monica said to the Bard. * * * Monica squinted at the piece of paper Ted was scribbling on after they entered one of the empty dwarven houses. They had checked out a few before, but the statues inside had made all of them squeamish. It felt extremely disrespectful to stay around the statues and act as if they didn¡¯t exist. ¡°So, dude,¡± Ted cleared his throat, ¡°let¡¯s assume you get one more Phoenix Feather by the time we fight, or maybe two. Right now, for every level you have in Phoenix Feathers, it burns three Vitality per Level because you gain five Vitality per Level, and the Skill, with two feathers, burns six per Level; therefore, you should be putting one Free Point into Vitality per each Skill Level. You currently have one hundred fifty-nine points in it, and Phoenix Feathers is at Level 15. That means you have nine safe points. By the time the Skill gets to Level 24, you will die by the time you activate it.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Monica nodded hesitantly. ¡°Ok?¡± ¡°So,¡± Ted pointed at the piece of paper, ¡°at the moment, burning two feathers gives you a malus of one hundred and fifty Vitality. You have nine ¡®extra¡¯ points. If you wanted to be safe for one more feather in advance, which I think is the most reasonable option, you would have to put¡­¡± Ted checked the notes. ¡°Seventy-five points into Vitality minus the nine you have. I guess, plus one so that your Vitality doesn¡¯t hit zero. That makes it sixty-seven Vitality, that would put your current Vitality at two-hundred twenty-six. That would leave one Vitality point that would spare your life.¡± Monica ignored the math for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re assuming that I would be fighting with Fury of the Phoenix all the time, Ted. I don¡¯t think I could sustain that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ted looked up from the piece of paper. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The Skill takes a mental toll. I don¡¯t know exactly how many times I could use it at once, but definitely, no more than three a day without my combat capabilities being impacted by it.¡± Even though Fury of the Phoneix had no written Cooldown or specific side effects as long as Monica had enough Vitality for it, she doubted she could keep using it recklessly. "That changes things," Ted said, scratching out some calculations. "If you''re only using it three times max per day¡­ Actually, you know what? I still think you should bank on the extra Vitality anyway. You¡¯re getting bonuses to the other Attributes from the normal effect of Phoenix Feathers anyway. Once you reach the amount of Vitality needed for three Feathers, you would need to keep putting four out of six Free Attributes into Vitality at each Level. And that¡¯s while burning three feathers. Unless the Skill malus gets reduced, I don¡¯t think you can use four feathers without dying. You should probably try to level up the skill to Level 100 so that it evolves. At that point, it should get better. In fact, if I had to guess, you should get one more feather at Level 25 and then one at Level 50. If Skills have any steps, that¡¯s usually how it goes. It¡¯s like rewards for killing strong monsters. You get them for five, ten, twenty-five, fifty, and a hundred levels. No in-between. The System likes those numbers.¡± "So what you''re saying is, I should focus on having enough Vitality to safely use three feathers while working on getting Phoenix Feathers to a higher level?" "Exactly," Ted replied, tapping his pencil against the paper. "The higher level the Skill gets, the more likely it is to either reduce the Vitality cost or give you some other kind of bonus. Plus, you never know when you might need that third feather for an emergency." "Alright," Monica said, rubbing her temples. "How many points would you recommend?" ¡°How many Free Attributes do you have right now?" "Fifty-four," Monica replied, watching as Ted''s eyes widened. "Dude, that''s a lot. Okay, here''s what I think: Put all of them into Vitality until you reach Level¡­¡± Ted looked at the paper. ¡°Level 21, yes. That''ll give you enough buffer to safely use three feathers when you need to. Then, keep putting four Free Attributes into Vitality at each Level. The remaining two should be split between Dexterity and Strength. You need three Dexterity for each Strength point. But!" Ted smacked his lips. ¡°What, now?¡± Monica lamented. She had thought they had finally reached a conclusion. ¡°Well, do we know if Phoenix Feather Attributes work like normal ones or whether you need more Vitality?¡± ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Monica sighed in relief. ¡°Huh?¡± Ted said. ¡°I know the answer to this one. The Attributes don¡¯t work like real Attributes. They boost my power, but they are not counted toward Attribute limits and combinations. It¡¯s good, but¡­ it¡¯s also bad. I would have needed fewer points in Vitality if they counted for real.¡± ¡°That¡¯s disappointing,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°But the Skill is already insanely strong enough. Well. I guess we can move on. Monica considered this, remembering how the spider''s legs had pierced through her defenses. "What about Endurance, though?" "Your Golden Flame handles most physical damage," Ted pointed out. "And Sir Tristan can tank the big hits now. I think you need to hit harder and faster rather than tank more damage. Just heal yourself when it happens." Easy to say when you¡¯re not the one with holes in your belly, Monica thought. "Speaking of Sir Tristan," Monica glanced toward the door where the knight stood guard, "I need him to let us fight more.¡± us from everything."Ted nodded. "Yeah, but did you see how fast he moved with that shield? Level 129 is no joke." "Which is exactly why we need him to hang back unless things get really bad." Monica stood, brushing dust from her armor, which had already gotten dented again despite the recent repairs. "I''m going to distribute these points, then we need to talk strategy with everyone. Eighty spiders is a lot, but this quest mentioned it''s only the first floor. Things are going to get much worse before we reach Machina." She opened her Akashic Record and allocated her Free Attributes. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 18 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 213 Endurance - 90 Strength - 90 Dexterity - 125 Wisdom - 90 Spirit - 90 Intelligence - 90 Charisma - 90 Free Attributes: 0 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 27 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 29 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 15 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 28 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 8 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 13 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Even with her malus on experience gain, Monica realized she would level quite fast in Viscera. These monsters were far beyond what she was meant to fight at her current level, which meant she would get far more experience than normal. She''d gained two levels from a single fight despite the experience penalty from her Class. "Oh right, the loot," Monica said, fishing in her Inventory. She pulled out the strand of Mithril Thread that had dropped from one of the spiders. Despite being marked as Corrupted, it still gleamed with an otherworldly silvery sheen. She cleaned it up with her Golden Flame, and its murkiness disappeared, becoming so pure that it was almost white. "Ted, can you Inspect this for me?" ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ted took the thread carefully, holding it up to the artificial light that filtered through the dwarven house''s windows. His eyes widened suddenly, and he nearly dropped it. "Dude!" he exclaimed, hands trembling. "This is... this is actual Mithril Thread! Like, the real deal!" "I''m guessing that''s special?" Monica raised an eyebrow at his reaction. "Special? It''s not just special, it¡¯s. It¡¯sght-up impossible!" Ted was practically bouncing with excitement. "Mithril Thread was one of the dwarves'' greatest secrets. They used it in their most powerful magical items. It''s stronger than steel but flexible as silk, and it can channel mana like nothing else. The method of making it was lost when Viscera fell." He ran the thread through his fingers reverently. "Even Corrupted, this is probably worth more than Rock''s Heel''s entire village! This is so hard to price. You can usually only barter for it!" "And we might get more from the other spiders," Monica mused. "Think we could use it for anything?" "If we find someone who knows how to work with it, maybe. But that''s the thing ¨C no one knows how anymore. The dwarves were the only ones who could manipulate Mithril like this." Ted suddenly straightened. "Unless..." "Unless what?" "The Blacksmith District has to be down there somewhere," Ted gestured vaguely at the lower levels. "If any of their forges still work, if any of their tools survived... Monica, we might be able to find their secrets. Their techniques. This could be huge! One notebook would be worth more than any amount of money you could imagine!" *Ding* Quest Reward Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Destroy all the Corrupted Constructs plaguing the first floor of Viscera. Progress: 3/80 Reward: Chapter 39 "What''s the Second Class Slot?" Monica asked. "The System almost never gives Quests directly," Ted explained. "It''s the New Gods that have to sacrifice a part of their divinity to give Quests to their followers. They accrue divinity through deeds of their followers and materials, and honestly, I don''t really know from what else. But there is one case where the System is known to give a Quest to pretty much everyone." "And that is?" Monica frowned. "For a Second Class," Ted smiled. "Usually, if you''re an adventurer and you''re going somewhere dangerous, there''s a chance the System will generate a Quest for you, in which case, you get a Second Class." "Really?" Monica was surprised. "Yes. But you should temper your expectations a little. Second Classes are not meant to be picked carelessly. See, the problem is that when it comes to a Second Class, if you pick something too close to your current Class, you''re not really gonna get better abilities, and you might have trouble leveling up one Skill or the other. You know how your Obsidian Flame now levels up less because you''re using Obsidian Impact?" "Yes," Monica said. "Well, if you were to accept a similar Class, maybe a Pyromancer Class or something on those lines, you would suffer even further in terms of leveling up your main Skills. At which point, the question would be why would you get a Class that doesn''t let your Skills level up properly when Skills make the bulk of what you stand to earn from a Class." Monica raised an eyebrow. "What should people do?" "What my father taught as one of the first lessons at the Academy," Ted said, "is to look for a Class that first complements your First Class Attributes. So, for example, you are sorely in need of Vitality. So whatever Class you pick, you stand to gain a lot by choosing a Class that gives you a ton of Vitality because Phoenix Feathers and Phoenix Fury are possibly the strongest weapons you have so far, and the upside as you level up of that Skill is almost endless. Hell, it might even give a flat percentage bonus at its first or second evolution." Monica scratched her chin. "So, basically, a Class that has Skills that are not similar but complementary to mine." "Exactly," Ted nodded. Monica looked down at the Nightshade Battle Wear, which already had several tears in different places, then at Ted. "Hypothetically, Ted, do you think I could get the Blacksmith Class? It would be nice to fix up my equipment and perhaps even enchant the bracers." Monica raised her forearms to reinforce her point. "A Blacksmith Class?" Ted cringed. "I don''t know. Blacksmiths are secretive with their techniques, and people usually pick it as a First Class because it''s a very hard Class to level. Even with someone who might be interested in teaching you." But when he saw Monica''s face drop, he added, "You do have two magical divine flames, which might make it possible to help in the smelting process. Maybe. And Blacksmith''s main Attributes are Strength and Vitality, which would complement your own Class really well." "Also," Monica said, "I think it would be nice if I could repair this." She pointed at her armor. "And it would also be nice to enchant the bracers." "Well..." Ted made a face. "Enchanting the bracers might be a little harder because you would first need an Enchanter to work out gems well before trying to fuse them with your equipment. Plus, those bracers, Monica, are Divine grade." "So?" Monica frowned. "So," Ted cringed, "you would need a very high-grade gem. We''re talking the kind of gem that doesn''t really have a price, the kind of gem you barter for." Ted raised his hands, not knowing how else to communicate the point. "Ted," Monica frowned, "do you realize we are inside of a Great Dungeon on our way to go kill an Old God?" Ted opened and closed his mouth a few times before saying, "Actually, you know what? I think you have a point. Sometimes I forget you''re an immortal being made to slay the Old Gods." "Hey, that doesn''t sound too nice," Monica said. "I''m also a pretty woman who can be very girly." Everyone, from Sir Tristan to Heidi to Dotty, turned toward Monica and gave her a look. "What?" Monica said. "I can be!" she protested. Sir Tristan approached them and said, "We should stop wasting time. What''s our goal here?" "Alright," Monica nodded. "We need the Spear of Dhoznil to kill Machina. Lucas said that my flames wouldn''t be enough. Therefore, we need to get a divine weapon to tear that monster apart, once and for all." "The Spear of Dhoznil should be in a temple," Ted said. "In the Temple of Dhoznil." "Yes," Monica nodded. "Now we just have to find it." "We don''t," Ted said, and everyone turned to him as he pointed straight at a gigantic elevated structure. It was right in the middle of the first floor of Viscera, surrounded by four giant staircases carved from the stone. Huge double doors of crystal opened on each side, but they were shut. "Well, let''s get going," Monica said, looking at the temple. * * * While they walked, Monica took a second to peer at the notes that Lucas had left her. She had asked the man to research the Book of the Twin Phoenix and give her the highlights of what he thought would be important for her Class. She didn''t have the time to go through the book page by page and then try to study it to see what she could gain from it. That''s why she had given it to Lucas, who had been nothing but enthusiastic at the thought of doing that. Monica preferred punching things to reading things. Lucas''s notes were two sheets of paper with cleanly written conclusions. "Even though the Book of the Twin Phoenix does not contain instructions on how to unlock Class-specific Skills or the description of said Skills," Lucas wrote, "it''s stated in no uncertain terms that all the Skills of the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix are used through her flames. It is not unlikely that this means that every Skill you have can be infused either with the Obsidian Flame or the Golden Flame."A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Monica stopped reading for a moment, thinking about Obsidian Impact, the Skill that she had gotten by transforming the Fireball Skill into a melee Skill. She fully believed Lucas''s words, even the fact that Fireball had become much more powerful precisely because of her Obsidian Flame. However, Fireball, as the name suggested, was a Skill that relied on flame. Therefore, it wasn''t hard to use the Obsidian Flame with it. But when it came to other Skills, like Mana Sense, Monica didn''t really know how she would infuse her flame into it, and more importantly, which flame she would infuse in it. Meanwhile, Skills like Phoenix Step already had the usage of her flames included in it. So she wondered, would Phoenix Step change if she focused only on one of the two Skills? For example, she was not very interested in the Golden Flame effect on Phoenix Step, which allowed her to change direction while using the Skill. Honestly, Monica was proficient enough in fighting that she was much more interested in using the Obsidian Slam effect, which allowed her to increase the damage of her blows. She put Lucas''s notes away, feeling a headache forming in the back of her head. Between this and the conversation she just had with Ted, she was feeling worn down by all the thinking. Thankfully, a distraction arrived immediately. Three Corrupted Spider Constructs exploded out of the windows of a building by their side. Monica looked worriedly at Dotty, about to activate Phoenix Step to intercept any of the monsters who tried to hurt the teenage girl. [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 81] [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 82] [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 81] Sir Tristan was a step ahead. "Enemy Magnet!" he shouted. This time, unlike the first time he had activated the Skill, not one but all three spiders flew at breakneck speed toward his shield. The impact didn''t bend the shield in the slightest, but all three monsters instead took a lot of damage from that. Monica, seeing how strong the Knight was, felt relieved that he was helping them. At the same time, she felt a rising spike of trepidation. "Sir Tristan," she shouted, "don''t kill them! We need to level up! Do not kill them!" Sir Tristan thankfully didn¡¯t bring his large sword down on the monsters and simply kept them at bay with his shield. The three Corrupted Spider Constructs were still reeling from Sir Tristan''s Enemy Magnet, their metallic legs scraping against the stone as they tried to regain their balance. "Heidi, Ted - let''s go!" Monica called out, her eyes never leaving the mechanical monstrosities. "Dotty, stay back and watch how we handle this. I mean it - do not engage." Ted''s fingers found their place on his mandolin strings, and the first notes of Song of the Phoenix filled the air. Monica felt the familiar surge of power as the music wrapped around her. Heidi took up position behind Sir Tristan while black flames wreathed around her hands. Monica decided to try something new as she rushed the closest Corrupter Spider Construct. She focused on her Mana Sense, trying to infuse it with the Obsidian Flame. She imagined the dark fire flowing into her perception, seeking to sharpen her awareness of the constructs'' weak points. Nothing happened. The Obsidian Flame refused to merge with the Skill, remaining stubbornly separate no matter how she tried to combine them. It was like trying to mix oil and water. "Emberheart''s Fury!" Heidi called out, and Monica felt the surge of power emanating from the Phoenix Pyromancer. Monica charged forward, aiming for the leftmost spider while Heidi began her assault on the rightmost one. The blonde''s hands moved in rapid succession, launching empowered Fireballs that struck with devastating force. Each impact left spreading pools of black flame that had trouble eating into the construct''s metal legs. We are too low leveled, Monica thought, barely dodging one of the sharp legs of the monster she was engaging. Even with Sir Tristan acting like a human shield and giving them all the time to strike at the monsters, and even with Ted''s song playing in the background, the damage Monica could deliver was severely limited, and the same went for Heidi. The spiders weren''t particularly resistant to attacks. Their limbs were rather thin, and their body weight was nothing to be impressed with. But still, the constructs, which Monica could make fly with a well-placed punch, barely took any damage from her Obsidian Flame and Obsidian Impact. She had died to kill one of these constructs during the previous engagement. But she didn''t rely on that as a long-term strategy. She needed to deliver damage to all three spiders, and the same went for Heidi. They needed to level up. Otherwise, they would never be able to venture into the lower levels of Viscera. As Monica backflipped to dodge a swiping leg of the Corrupted Spider Construct, she tried injecting the Golden Flame into her eyes. The description of the Skill mentioned that the Golden Flame was channeled through her heart, but she also had the impression that Mana Sense sort of functioned through her eyes, even though she could sense mana that she couldn''t see. Then Monica finally saw it. Something flickered in her vision. The world seemed to slow down ever so slightly as she sidestepped an attack that would have normally delivered a grievous cut on her arm. Whatever she was doing with Mana Sense and the Golden Flame felt like grasping water with open hands. It just streamed past her fingers. The next attack pinned Monica through her thigh. The Corrupted Spider Construct pierced her quad from side to side, making her scream in pain. One of its other legs went up and flew right at her head, ready to pierce her. Monica grabbed it with both hands and stopped it barely an inch from her eyes. She tried pushing it back, but the spider was, despite its thin frame, stronger than her. She didn''t have enough Attributes to compete with it in a contest of strength. The force ripped its other legs from her thigh. And even though she made the Golden Flame appear there, there was so much missing flesh that not even her divine flame could heal it fast enough. Stumbling back on one leg as she let go of the spider leg, she was forced to take blow after blow, trying to minimize the damage while her leg healed, but with so many wounds sprouting all over her body, her mana was being consumed at an alarming rate. "Emberstorm Convergence!" Heidi suddenly shouted, and Monica saw Tristan jumping back as a larger fireball, a massive orb of obscene flames, hit the two spiders and then turned into a swirling vortex of black flames that lifted the light constructs off their legs. With all the strength she had left, Monica activated Phoenix Step, using only one leg to propel herself forward, and squarely punched the monster in its body, making it fly toward the tornado of black flames. Monica waited, focusing all of her attention on her leg, slowly reforming the flesh, knitting the muscle back more and more with each passing second. As the vortex started dying down and the spiders touched the floor once again, Monica saw that even Heidi''s Level 90 Skill hadn''t been able to melt the creatures'' bodies any more than their most superficial layer. And now the screeching Corrupted Spider Constructs seemed even angrier. Sir Tristan used his Enemy Magnet Skill again, attracting them to his shield, battering them down. Monica focused on Mana Sense, trying to merge it with the Golden Flame, stealing wisps of enhanced perception that allowed her to enlarge her field of vision and perceive reality at a much faster rate, effectively slowing down the events unfolding in front of her. But even with her superior battle instincts, the control of the Skill was slipping away again. It was slightly easier doing this outside of a direct fight. But when Monica saw Dotty jump on a spider that Sir Tristan had knocked off its feet, trying to cut through it with Twilight''s Edge, Monica''s concentration broke. In the next moment, the spider struck the girl with its nimble and deadly leg. The impact sent Dotty squarely on the stone floor, knocking the wind out of her. Blood sprayed from a deep gash on her leg as she crumpled to the ground. Twilight''s Edge clattered across the stone floor, out of the girl''s hand. Monica could almost see the spider smile as it raised its leg, a little too far from Sir Tristan to do anything on the spot. Chapter 40 Monica felt a primal fury surge through her veins, hot and overwhelming. The Fury of the Phoenix took over with no hesitation. Her Vitality plummeted as the two Phoenix Feathers on her forearms started blazing, burning like embers in a forge, incinerated by the greatest bellows. The world blurred around her as she activated Phoenix Step. With Ted''s song reaching a crescendo that matched the rage, she punched through the body of the Corrupted Spider Construct that had been on the verge of killing Dotty and grabbed its jaws, ignoring the legs piercing her body, and pulled its head apart. The first spider died in an ocean of Obsidian Flame that finally, empowered by Fury of the Phoenix, consumed its body. She turned toward the other two. The second spider lost three legs to her in quick succession as she punched at the joints connecting them to its body. While using Fury of the Phoenix and while under the effect of the Song of the Phoenix, Monica''s regeneration was such that even the blows she was receiving couldn''t stop her. But Fury meant that she could kill, but the damage that she was taking would soon kill her as her blood spattered on the ground. The second Corrupted Spider Construct died as she punched its head off its body after a combo of uppercuts and hooks at its short neck. By the time she was facing the third, her body felt like a stringless puppet, ready to crumble down. She heard the others scream at her, maybe to stop or something else, but she could only hear blood pulsating in her ears, the fury taking her body so wildly that she didn''t even know how she killed the third spider. She just blacked out. Only the notification of the kills told her what she had done. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Spider Construct ¨C Level 81] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Spider Construct ¨C Level 82] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Spider Construct ¨C Level 81] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 19 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 20 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 21 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 22 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 23 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 28 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 29 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 30 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 31 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 30 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 15 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 16 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 17 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 18 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 19 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 20 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 29 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 9 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 10 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 11 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 14 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 15 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 16 *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Corrupted Spider Construct Leg (Corrupted) x6 Corrupted Spider Construct Core (Corrupted) x3 Mithril Thread (Corrupted) x2 Gold Coins x35 *Ding* Quest Reward Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Progress: 6/80 The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. When Monica woke up, she realized she had been carried into a building. She slowly sat up from the bed and groaned in pain. Damn it, she thought. I died while Fury of the Phoenix was active. Now, the malus is on for the next 24 hours. She looked at the ever-broken Nightshade Battle Wear inside. Then, rising unsteadily on her legs, she opened the wooden door to this room made of huge blocks of gray stone and entered a common room with a long table where Ted, Heidi, and Dotty were sitting. "Monica," Ted said, "dude, how are you feeling?" Monica ignored Ted and unsteadily walked up to Dotty. She grabbed the girl''s arm and squeezed. "Ow," Dotty said. "Why did you jump in?" Monica growled. "No, Monica. You''re hurting me." "Why did you jump in?" Monica said, not releasing the arm of the teenager. "When I told you to stay back! These monsters are too strong for you. You are a melee fighter. You cannot fight monsters this much stronger than you. Even if Tristan pinned them down, it would be too dangerous. Do you understand?" Dotty, finally let go by the redhead woman, cradled her forearm. ¡°I just wanted to level up, just like you." "You are not me," Monica spat those words with venomous rage. "I can''t die. You, you can die so damn easily." Monica looked at the gash on Dotty''s thigh and pushed through the pain caused by the after-effects of dying while having Fury of the Phoenix activated and used the Golden Flame to repair the damage. "If you had gotten any more damage, any serious wound, you would have died on the spot because I couldn''t have healed you." "Wrong," came the booming voice of Sir Tristan, who entered from a side door. "You shouldn''t have dived in like that. The girl could have taken one more hit. I could have dispatched the monsters, and you could have healed her without a problem. You actually put her life in danger. Because if she had bled any more than that, considering we don''t have any other healer or strong potions with us, the girl would have died because of you." Both Heidi and Ted froze when the large man reprimanded Monica like that. Monica was quite literally the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, the ultimate warrior. And the Knight was just criticizing her as if she was a spoiled child. Monica''s fists clenched, and she looked at Sir Tristan. However, surprising everyone, she didn''t say anything back. That was because she knew that Sir Tristan was... well, he was actually right. Dotty would have probably dodged, and Monica could have either chosen to let Dotty take one hit more and healed her or just attacked one of the spiders, not all of them. She didn''t need to give in to the Fury and kill all three. She could have simply killed the one that was a threat to Dotty and let Sir Tristan, Heidi, and Ted help dispatch the other two. There was no reason for Monica to freak out like she had just done. "Now we have to wait 24 hours for you," Sir Tristan said. "Is that true?" "Yes," Monica replied through gritted teeth. "Well, very mature of you, wasting us 24 hours, Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. The boy says you''re supposed to be the ultimate fighter. Is this how the ultimate fighter operates? Because I know hotheads in the military with more common sense and discipline than you." "He''s not a boy," Heidi said, looking with a displeased expression at Sir Tristan. Sir Tristan looked at Ted, who, to be fair, could barely grow stubble and had a very boyish look and lightly regarded the Knight. "Sorry about that," Sir Tristan apologized without missing a beat. "What now?" Heidi asked. "We can''t go out without Monica." "We can," Sir Tristan said, "but we shouldn''t. You all leveled up from the fight. And this place is safe. I just checked the entire perimeter. The spiders didn''t get close to the dwarven fortifications near the entrance for some reason." "These are the barracks that we saw?" Monica asked, looking around. "Yes," the large man replied. ¡°Alright, we can rest,¡± Monica agreed. ¡°Then, we make a beeline for the Spear of Dhoznil. That¡¯s our target.¡± ¡°We would have been there if it wasn¡¯t for you,¡± Sir Tristan pointed out. "Yes, we would have," Monica admitted reluctantly. "I lost control. It won''t happen again." Sir Tristan studied her for a moment, then nodded curtly. "Good. Use this time to rest and plan. We need a better strategy than just rushing in." Monica sank into a chair at the long stone table, her body still aching from the aftermath of using Fury of the Phoenix. She pulled out the Mithril Threads they''d collected and laid them on the table. "Ted, you said these were valuable," she said, changing the subject. "What else do you know about them?" Ted leaned forward excitedly, grateful for the break in tension. "Well, according to the stories, Mithril Thread was what made dwarven armor so special. They would weave it into the metal somehow, creating these incredible patterns that could channel mana. That''s partly why their artifacts were so powerful - the Mithril acted like a conductor for enchantments." "Could we use it to repair my armor?" Monica gestured at her battered Nightshade Battle Wear. "Not without knowing the proper techniques," Ted shook his head. "But maybe if we find the Blacksmith District..." "Which is deeper in Viscera," Heidi pointed out. "Where the monsters are probably even stronger." Monica glanced at Dotty, who had been unusually quiet since the scolding. The girl was examining Twilight''s Edge with intense focus, likely trying to avoid everyone''s attention. "Dotty," Monica said more gently this time. The girl looked up warily. "I''m sorry I grabbed you like that. But you need to understand - it takes one mistake to get you killed." "I know," Dotty said quietly. "I just... I don''t want to be useless. Everyone else can fight except me." "You''re not useless," Sir Tristan spoke up unexpectedly. "But you need proper training before engaging enemies like these. There will be plenty of opportunities to prove yourself, but rushing in recklessly isn''t the way." Monica raised an eyebrow at the knight. For someone who had seemed so rigid earlier, he could be surprisingly nice. ¡°Monica trained me already,¡± Dotty said. ¡°Did she?¡± Sir Tristan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I taught her the basics of how not to flinch and how to exploit the right opportunities. If that spider had been one of the monsters we had been fighting previously, Dotty would have killed it,¡± Monica explained, rubbing her forehead. ¡°The problem is that every monster is different. She¡¯s got the rhythm down for the Crystal Wolves. But these constructs are a different beast. Quite literally.¡± I guess I should have told Dotty about this, Monica thought to herself. I could have warned her. Monica wrestled with wanting to keep Dotty safe and wanting the girl to flourish. She wished the girl could have done the flourishing somewhere else, though¡ªnot in the lair of an Old God. ¡°There¡¯s a courtyard down there. I have already memorized the movements of the Corrupted Spider Constructs, and I can teach you them,¡± Sir Tristan said. ¡°Yours is a rogue Class, right¡±? Dotty nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± the large man said. However, when he walked up to the door, he turned to look over his shoulder at Monica. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the immortal Avatar of ultimate fighting? Do you want this girl to survive? Come.¡± * * * Monica sat at the edge of the courtyard of the barracks. It was a small training ground for an entire city but more than enough for Dotty and Tristan. Tristan was simply showing Dotty the correct way to hold the sword so that it wouldn''t escape her hand once again and how fast Corrupted Spider Constructs could react. Sir Tristan briefly explained that being a Knight and being the tank of the group meant he was the one tasked to know how the monsters moved so that he could anticipate where they would go and how they would attack. He wasn''t fast, and that meant he had to know how the monsters would move so that he could protect his teammates. Monica was honestly surprised. The man was so thorough in his understanding despite his level being quite high for their current predicament. In the large scope of things, it was nothing. The Healer God had mentioned having several paladins at Level 400. So, Monica suspected the strongest followers of the New Gods to be even higher leveled than that. "Spiders can jump from the ground easily. They have too many legs to be caught unaware. So instead of going for their bodies like you did, look at their legs. They can only catch you if you enter their range." Sir Tristan took out his large sword and told Dotty to take a few steps back. He extended the sword until his shoulder was about three feet from the body. He kept the tip of the sword aimed at the girl''s chest. "This is their furthest reach. This is how far they can get you even while you''re on the ground. I can take those hits easily because I have Skills that empower my armor, my defenses, and my attributes. If you take one hit at your level, you might die. So when you see a spider on the ground, and you want to deliver damage, the best thing you can do is to feint an attack. Let the spider try and pierce you, and lean back immediately. Spiders'' joints, at least these spiders, are best suited for piercing movements. They won''t slash. It wouldn''t be efficient for them. They could only muster so much power. So you know that they will come in a straight line." Dotty frowned. "Okay," she said. "So what do I do?" "Take up your sword," Sir Tristan said. "What''s the best angle to slice their leg off?" They all looked at Twilight''s Edge and then at Sir Tristan''s sword. She tried awkwardly hacking the sword from below, but Sir Tristan''s sword barely moved. "Not a good idea. Even if you had the sharpest sword in the world, this wouldn''t be a good strike. Try again." Dotty frowned and, this time went for a diagonal slash from overhead. Sir Tristan let the sword move away from her and smiled. "As easy as that. Let''s practice a few times for your reflexes, then you can practice on your own. Imagine the fight in your head and keep slicing the air." Monica had briefly explained to Sir Tristan what kind of Skills Dotty possessed. And the Knight had remained speechless at how powerful Magic Rend was. In fact, Monica thought that Sir Tristan had offered to train Dotty almost out of pity. But now that he knew how powerful the girl''s Class was, it had become a matter of practicality. If Dotty could catch up in strength to the rest of them, she would become a great asset in the fight. As dangerous in terms of offensive capabilities as Monica. "Do you have anything to add?" Sir Tristan turned to Monica, who was sitting on a row of bleachers standing by the side of the courtyard. "You''re good," Monica replied. "Nothing to add here." Sir Tristan nodded curtly at her and refocused on Dotty. Meanwhile, the redhead, after making sure that Sir Tristan''s teachings were indeed effective, turned her attention elsewhere. There was only one stone dwarf on the bleachers. It was dressed in simple clothes, but something about the way it carried itself, about its straight back, its large shoulders, and thoughtful, pensive expression, made Monica wonder who that was. "He has the air of someone very strong and very important," she muttered to herself. * * * The next 24 hours passed slowly. Sir Tristan kept training Dotty in the courtyard. She practiced her moves over and over. The knight made her repeat the same motion hundreds of times until she could do it without thinking. Monica watched most of their training from the bleachers. Heidi and Ted spent their time studying the barracks. They found old maps on the walls, but most were too faded to read. The buildings had small rooms for the guards. Everything was made of stone. The furniture was simple but well-made. Monica used the time to distribute her Free Attributes. She put most points into Vitality as Ted suggested. The rest went into Dexterity and Strength, three Dexterity to each point of Strength. She could have started dumping more into Dexterity, honestly, to maximize the speed gains until Dexterity got three times higher than Strength, but Monica also enjoyed punching hard. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 23 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 256 Endurance - 115 Strength - 118 Dexterity - 159 Wisdom - 115 Spirit - 115 Intelligence - 115 Charisma - 115 Free Attributes: 0 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 27 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 29 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 15 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 28 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 8 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 13 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues She also tried to practice merging her Golden Flame with Mana Sense. The Skill was hard to control, but she made some progress. Sir Tristan checked the perimeter regularly. No spiders came near the barracks. The group discussed why this might be but couldn''t figure it out. They took turns sleeping in the stone beds. The beds were uncomfortable, but they all needed the rest. When the 24 hours were up, Monica felt the effects of Fury of the Phoenix fade away. Her body stopped aching. Her mind became clearer. She gathered everyone to plan their next move. They decided to head straight for the Temple of Dhoznil. The temple stood in the center of the first floor. Four massive staircases led up to it from different directions. They chose the closest staircase and started climbing. The climb was long, but nothing attacked them. The spiders seemed to avoid the temple area completely. This made everyone nervous. They kept expecting an ambush, but none came. The stairs were wide enough for ten people to walk side by side. Each step was carved from a single piece of stone. The craftsmanship was impressive even after all these years. They reached the top after twenty minutes of climbing. A large platform stretched out in front of massive crystal doors. The doors were ten times taller than Sir Tristan''s. Strange symbols covered their surface. "We should rest before going in," Monica said. Everyone agreed. They sat down near the doors to catch their breath. Sir Tristan kept watch while the others drank water from their supplies. The artificial sun in the cave ceiling cast weird shadows around them. "The spiders avoiding this place isn''t normal," Heidi said. She was checking her equipment. "No, it''s not," Ted agreed. He was tuning his mandolin. "But the temple might have some kind of protection." "Or something worse inside," Sir Tristan said. "How are we going to open these doors?" Dotty asked. Monica stood up and walked to the crystal doors. She put her hand on the surface. It felt warm. Monica pushed, and suddenly, a notification rang in her head. Chapter 41 Monica placed both hands on the crystal doors and pushed. Nothing happened. Not even a groan or a scrape. The surface remained smooth and unyielding under her palms. She tried channeling the Obsidian Flame into her hands. The black fire spread across the crystal but didn''t leave a mark. She increased the intensity until the flames roared against the surface, but the doors didn''t even warm up. The crystal seemed to absorb the heat without effect. The doors remained unchanged. "Well," Monica said, letting her flames die out. "That''s not working." She stepped back and studied the doors again. That''s when the notification rang in her head. *Ding* Quest Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Destroy all the Corrupted Constructs plaguing the first floor of Viscera in order to retrieve the Key to the Temple of Dhoznil. Progress: 6/80 Reward: "We need to kill more spiders," she said. "The Quest updated. We need to clear all eighty of them to get a key. The key didn¡¯t appear in the Rewards, which meant it must have physically been somewhere." Sir Tristan scrutinized the doors, craning his neck up, and putting his armored hand on them. Then sighed. "Couldn''t have been that easy," he shook his head. "So we need to kill all the spiders first?" "Seems so," Monica replied. "That''s quite a few of spiders." "Not if we do it right," Sir Tristan crossed his arms. "As long as none of us lose their minds again, we should be able to go through them faster. I have to admit, your Classes might not be leveled up, but they can deal a lot of damage. Let''s make sure you''re all prepared for what''s going to wait for us in the lower levels." "They like to hide in buildings," Ted said. "Maybe we should sweep through the residential district?" Everyone looked at each other and then started descending the stairs. ¡°Ted,¡± Monica suddenly asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I supposed to get a Skill at Level 20?¡± Ted shook his head, but it was Sir Tristan who intercepted the question. ¡°It¡¯s not guaranteed,¡± the large man replied, looking at the steep slope of stairs with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Every ten levels, you¡¯re likely to get a Skill, but many Classes happen not to get one for tens of Levels. The stronger the Class, the rarer the Skills.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t get any Skill,¡± Heidi said to Ted with a smile. ¡°Your Class is extremely strong.¡± ¡°May I ask,¡± Sir Tristan said, ¡°how does your Class work?¡± ¡°He has a name,¡± Heidi said. ¡°Ted,¡± Sir Tristan corrected himself. ¡°May I ask?¡± ¡°You may, but you may not get an answer,¡± Heidi replied. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°I got the Bard Class, but I only have one Skill, Song of the Phoenix.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "You only have one Skill?" Sir Tristan sounded surprised. "Yeah. I don''t know. I just can''t get many levels," Ted shrugged. Sir Tristan looked at Ted''s level. He was currently Level 25. Then he looked at Heidi, who through the past two engagements had already reached Level 36. Considering the impact that the young man''s Skill had on battle by empowering both Heidi and Monica, it wouldn''t have been surprising if he actually got slightly more experience than both. But he seemed to only be growing in level slightly faster than Monica herself. Sir Tristan suspected that the woman had a terrifying experience multiplier to satisfy in order to level up such a strong Class as hers. But could it be that the young man had something similar? He himself only had that pitiful 1.2 for his Steel Knight Class. They were currently fighting monsters more than fifty levels above their own, and yet they were only leveling up this much. And this young man wasn''t getting any kind of freakish growth. "So you have one Skill, this Song of the Phoenix, and it empowers them because they have Classes with ''Phoenix'' in their name?" Sir Tristan asked, trying to get a better picture. "Basically," Ted shrugged. That made somewhat sense to Sir Tristan, but it was Ted himself who cleared up his thoughts. "If I had to guess," Ted said, "the Bard Class is basically this manifestation of a reflection of someone else''s powers. As a Bard, I think I''m still here to assist Monica. I''m not really sure, to be fair, what my Class is really up to, but I think that the power of the Skill, the reason Song of the Phoenix is so powerful, is because it''s so specific. It doesn''t empower anyone else but those who were blessed by the Twin Phoenix. I''m not even sure that ''blessed'' is the right term - just those affiliated with the Twin Phoenix. So maybe that''s why it''s hard to gain new Skills, because there''s only Monica and Heidi, and I''m already playing the one song I know." Sir Tristan fell silent, thinking to himself that even like this, Ted''s Class sounded insanely strong. Despite the high degree of specialization, it was clearly Ted''s help that allowed Monica, none other than the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, a being that supposedly was on par with Old Gods, to punch far above her weight. "So there''s no way to level faster?" Sir Tristan asked. "Not that I know of," Ted replied. Monica studied him thoughtfully. "What about new songs?" Ted looked up from his mandolin. "You mean like creating them?" "Yeah. Could you make songs that do different things?" "Maybe," Ted said. "The Song of the Phoenix just came to me when I saw you fighting. I didn''t plan it." They reached the bottom of the stairs. Monica looked at the buildings around them. They walked together through the residential district. The stone dwarves lined the streets, frozen in their daily routines. Monica made sure to keep her distance from them. Something about disturbing their eternal stillness felt wrong. "No spiders," Heidi said after they checked another street. "They must be somewhere," Monica said. "We need that key to get the Spear of Dhoznil. And we need the Spear to kill Machina." They passed a market square. Stone vendors stood behind empty stalls of goods that must have decomposed a long time ago. A mother held her child''s hand, both turned to stone mid-step. "Still no spiders," Dotty said. Sir Tristan led their formation, shield ready. "This isn''t right. We''ve seen them attack before. Why are they hiding now?" Monica nodded. "The Spear is our only chance against Machina. Lucas was clear about that. My flames won''t be enough to kill her. We need to find these spiders and get that key." They walked another hour through empty streets. The artificial sun in the cave ceiling cast long shadows. More stone dwarves watched their passage. But no spiders appeared. Then they saw them. A group of three Corrupted Spider Constructs stood at the end of the street, their metal legs clicking against the stone. Monica tensed, ready to fight. Sir Tristan raised his shield. Heidi''s hands burst into black flame while Ted readied his mandolin. But the spiders just watched them. Their mechanical bodies gleamed in the artificial light. Then, as one, they turned and skittered away into a side street. "That''s... strange," Monica said. "They''re avoiding us," Sir Tristan lowered his shield. "But why?" They saw it happen two more times. Groups of spiders would appear, observe them from a distance,and then retreat before the group could engage. "This is getting annoying," Heidi said after the third group fled. "How are we supposed to get the key if they won''t fight us?" "We need to figure out why they''re running," Monica said. "These are Machina''s creations. They shouldn''t feel fear." "Unless they were ordered to avoid us," Ted suggested. ¡°Why would they¡ª¡± Suddenly, a notification rang in Monica¡¯s head. *Ding* Quest Progress Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Progress: 6/80 -> 6/84 ¡°The spiders are multiplying,¡± Monica said. Chapter 42 "Four more spiders appeared somewhere," Monica said. "The total number increased." That was not good news. "They must be coming from somewhere," Sir Tristan replied. "A nest or a spawning point." ¡°Maybe they just reproduce,¡± Ted said. "Can constructs even reproduce?" Heidi asked. Monica stared at the quest marker for a few moments and looked around. The spiders were avoiding them and doing a damn good job of it. If those creatures were waiting to gather in numbers large enough to swarm and kill them, they were now racing against time on this first floor of Viscera. They needed a way to hunt these monsters down. While the others seemed lost on what to do next, Monica knew exactly what the solution was - or rather, who. She had barely spoken to Dotty after yesterday''s outburst, but she could see in the teenage girl''s eyes that they''d reached the same conclusion. Monica walked beside Dotty and put a hand on her shoulder. "This is not the worst thing," she told the group, gently squeezing Dotty''s leather armor. "What do you mean?" Sir Tristan asked. "Dotty, you want to tell them?" Dotty looked surprised at Monica''s gentler behavior but took the chance to be a more active part of the group. "One of the first three Skills I got was Track Mana." Before she could say anything else, Sir Tristan''s eyes widened, immediately understanding what that meant. "You can track down the creatures, can''t you?" the large man said. Dotty nodded. "I think so." Dotty crouched down and pressed her hand to the stone floor. Her eyes closed as Track Mana activated. She felt traces of corrupted mana on the ground. The residue left a clear trail. "This way," she whispered. "The Mana leaves marks like footprints." She moved slowly through the streets. The others followed behind her at a distance. Her hand touched the ground every few steps to check the trail. The traces grew stronger. "The trail''s fresh," Dotty said. "They passed through here recently." She stopped at a corner and peered around it. Her tracking had led them to a small courtyard. Three Corrupted Spider Constructs lay on the ground. Their metal legs were folded underneath them. Their mechanical bodies barely moved. "Are they... sleeping?" Ted whispered. "I didn''t think constructs needed rest," Sir Tristan said. Monica studied the resting spiders. "Maybe maintaining the corruption takes energy.¡± They saw something curious¡ªthe spiders had a small pile of undefined ore by them, which clearly bore bite marks. Dotty pulled out Twilight''s Edge slowly. The sword didn''t make a sound. She remembered Sir Tristan''s training about targeting the legs. Her muscles tensed as she prepared to strike. "Wait," Monica grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Stay back for now.¡± Dotty lowered her sword with a defeated expression. ¡°Can you sense any others nearby?" Dotty checked with Track Mana again. "No. Just these three. The rest of their mana trails lead deeper into the city." Sir Tristan moved forward with his shield. Sir Tristan activated Enemy Magnet, immediately making one of the unconscious Corrupted Spider Constructs fly toward him. He battered it to the ground using the shield almost like a mace, dealing a not-insignificant amount of damage. Monica wasn¡¯t happy about that because it would diminish the experience that she, Heidi, and Ted would get for the kill. But Sir Tristan didn¡¯t care. He was just trying to make sure that everyone would be safe. That was his job, his main job. Monica didn¡¯t waste any time covering her fists in Obsidian Flame. She punched the head of the Corrupted Spider Construct three times in rapid succession. The spider flailed its limbs, but between being stunned by Sir Tristan¡¯s sudden blow while it was asleep and Monica peppering its head with blows, it couldn¡¯t get up. Upon Monica¡¯s third blow, delivered exactly at the same point as the previous two at the top of the spider¡¯s head between its many metallic eyes, Shatterpoint activated. The Skill allowed Monica to deal 300% additional damage if she struck the same spot three times within five seconds. A web of cracks filled with Obsidian Flames spread upon the creature¡¯s head as it caved in and killed the Corrupted Spider Construct on the spot. Meanwhile, as the two other monsters rose from their slumber, Heidi used Emberstorm Convergence and fused three giant fireballs to generate a storm that trapped them both. Sir Tristan took a second to turn to Monica and say, ¡°It¡¯s time for the girl to get a kill.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Monica said. But Sir Tristan, instead of arguing back with the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, quite simply kicked the construct¡¯s body and sent it flying toward the tempest of black flames while he activated Enemy Magnet again and attracted one of the two trapped creatures to his spot. He pinned it down with his shield and, ignoring its attacks which couldn¡¯t penetrate his extremely high defense, spoke first to Monica. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s safe. You do your job,¡± he shouted, emphasizing the ¡®your.¡¯ Then he turned to Dotty. ¡°Girl, it¡¯s time for you to show me what you¡¯ve learned.¡± Monica, now in the middle of the dying storm with the remaining Corrupted Spider Construct finally getting free, had no choice but to focus on the enemy in front of her. She saw Heidi hesitate when Monica got in her line of fire, but Monica simply shouted, ¡°Heidi, your fireballs can¡¯t hurt me. Just throw them. I¡¯ll dodge around them so they can strike the spider.¡± And so a new kind of combo and fighting style was born. Monica decided to let Heidi do the bulk of the work, simply keeping the spider rooted in its position by parrying all its strikes with her golden bracers. Now that her Attributes had increased, Monica could finally deflect the attacks without her bones breaking. They were still taking quite a bit of damage, and she had to occasionally flash the Golden Flame around her body to heal it, but this was more than manageable. Now, their speed was catching up despite the huge difference in levels. Monica kept parrying the blows without the need to activate Fury of the Phoenix. And as Heidi kept throwing fireballs, which were finally eating into the Corrupted Spider Construct¡¯s metal, Monica tried something. She activated Mana Sense and once again focused the Golden Flame through her eyes. Even though she couldn¡¯t see Heidi¡¯s fireballs, she got a rough sense of where they were coming from, even without looking. And so she kept dodging, managing to make space for most of the fireballs to pass through, with only the occasional one striking her back instead. Thankfully, her resistance to inferior flames and the fact that these flames were not just inferior to the real Obsidian Flame but that they came from herself, meant she wasn¡¯t even thrown off balance by them. No, they felt just like a refreshing splash of water on her back, almost making her giggle. Soon, between the fireballs and the aftereffects of Emberstorm Convergence, which left a flaming field of black flames on the ground - an Obsidian Ember Field as the Skill mentioned it - the monster was both taking continuous damage and being peppered with fireballs, and Monica was making sure they would hit their target. It didn¡¯t take more than a few minutes for the monster to capitulate. * * * Meanwhile, Dotty faced the spider that Sir Tristan had pinned down. The knight kept the construct''s legs trapped with his shield. Only two legs could move freely. "Remember what we practiced," Sir Tristan said. "Target the joints." Dotty gripped Twilight''s Edge. She moved to the side of the spider. She watched the legs struggle against Sir Tristan''s shield. "Now," Sir Tristan commanded. Dotty stepped forward. She swung her sword in a diagonal slash like they had practiced. The blade cut through the joint of one leg. The metal limb fell to the ground. The spider thrashed harder. Its remaining free leg stabbed at Dotty. She jumped back as Sir Tristan had taught her. The leg missed. "Good," Sir Tristan said. "Again." Dotty circled to the other side. She timed her approach. The spider''s remaining leg struck. She dodged and brought her sword down. Another leg dropped. Sir Tristan shifted his shield. He exposed more of the spider''s body while keeping it pinned. "Finish it." Dotty saw her chance. She activated Magic Rend. The sword glowed with power. She drove it into the gap between the spider''s head and body. The construct shuddered and went still. "Well done," Sir Tristan said. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Spider Construct - Level 82] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 23 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 24 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 25 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* You learn a new Skill - Dangersense *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 26 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 27 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 28 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Hunter of Magic (Uncommon) reaches Level 29 +4 STR, +2 END, +4 DEX, +2 WIS and 2 Free Attributes Dotty¡¯s eyes went wide. She had just learned another Skill! And at a -5 level, which was exceedingly rare! Dangersense (Perception Skill) Develop the ability to perceive danger in your surroundings. Usage: Automatic. *Ding* Hidden Effect Uncovered! Dotty immediately went to check her Skill List. Skill List Dangersense - Lv. 1 Your attunement to magical energies grants you an instinctive awareness of incoming threats, allowing you to perceive danger before it strikes. #1 Base Effect: Provides a 0.5-second warning before any hostile action targeted at you. The warning time increases by 0.05 seconds every Level. Current Warning Time: 0.55 seconds #1 Hidden Effect - Magical Threat Assessment: When Dangersense activates, you gain a brief insight into the nature and power of the enemy. "I got a new Skill!" Dotty exclaimed. "What did you get?" Monica asked. She walked over after finishing her fight. "Dangersense. It warns me before attacks and tells me about magical threats." Sir Tristan nodded. "That''s a good Skill for your Class. It will help you dodge attacks." * * * For some reason, Monica¡¯s auto-looting worked on all the spiders this time, despite the last one having been fully Dotty¡¯s and Sir Tristan¡¯s kill. They gathered around the ore, examining it. ¡°It¡¯s silver,¡± Heidi said, surprising everyone. ¡°The Healer¡¯s collects a lot of it because it can be used to enhance healing magic.¡± They looked at the half-munched ore, wondering why the Corrupted Spider Constructs had been munching on it. They certainly didn¡¯t need sustenance¡ªright? They didn¡¯t even have stomachs, as far as they knew. Monica used her Golden Flame to purify the Corrupted items she got. Ted inspected the pieces while Heidi watched. "More Mithril Thread," Ted said. He held up three silvery strands. Monica put the threads back in her Inventory. She checked the Quest progress. Quest ¨C ''Eradication I/IV'' Progress: 9/84 "Nine down, seventy-five to go," Monica said. * * * For the next three days, all they did was track down lethargic spiders and execute them. During that time, the levels of all members of the group, excluding Sir Tristan, skyrocketed. Monica, despite her insane multiplier on the needed experience to level up, had broken through level 35. The leveling up had slowed down to a crawl for her the instant she had stopped getting the bonus for killing a monster fifty levels above her. Ted reached Level 42. His leveling was slower than everyone else, except Monica, despite fighting the same monsters. The Song of the Phoenix gained small improvements. The duration increased by a few seconds. The power boost grew slightly stronger. Heidi hit Level 50 on the second day, which had been a big moment for her. Level 50 was one of the big thresholds for one¡¯s Class and Heidi had received a new Skill that, together with three new Skills she had learned along the way, now made her a damage-dealing, Mana-hungry powerhouse. Skill List Fire Lance - Lv. 7 A piercing spear of fire forged from your mastery of the Obsidian Embers, the Fire Lance impales a single target with extreme precision, dealing devastating damage and leaving behind a burning trail. #1 Hidden Effect - Piercing Flame: Your Obsidian Ember increases the damage of Fire Lance by 250%. The damage increases by 5% for each Level. Current Bonus: 250% Cost: Fire Lance consumes 350% of the Mana required to cast a Fireball. The Mana cost penalty decreases by 5% per Level. Current Mana Cost Increase: 315% Cooldown: 10-second cooldown. Fire Lance had been the first Skill Heidi had gotten, and it provided an interesting alternative to Fireball, despite the greater cost and the cooldown. But the real heavy hitters had come after that. Skill List Infernal Overload - Lv. 12 Your mastery of fire magic allows you to overload a single spell with catastrophic intensity, turning it into a devastating force at great cost to your Mana reserves. #1 Base Effect: Overloads a single fire spell to deal critical damage, increasing the spell¡¯s damage by 300%. The damage increase grows by 10% per Level. Current Damage Bonus: 420% #2 Base Effect: The overloaded spell has a 50% chance to apply a Burn effect to the target, dealing additional fire damage over 5 seconds. Burn damage increases by 5% per Level. Current Burn Damage Bonus: 60% Cost: Increases the Mana cost of the overloaded spell by 1200%. The Mana cost penalty decreases by 10% per Level. Current Mana Cost Increase: 1080% #1 Cooldown: 30-minute cooldown. #2 Cooldown: 10-minute cooldown for the Skill used while Infernal Overload was active. Infernal Overload, much like Heidi¡¯s old Skill, Emberheart Fury, massively increased the Mana cost of casting in exchange for much more damage. While Emberheart Fury provided an increase in power and reduced cooldown for all the spells in exchange for a flat percentage consumption of Mana per minute, Infernal Overload was a one-shot type of Skill. Obsidian Nova - Lv. 9 Unleash the destructive power of your black flames, concentrating them into a volatile sphere that detonates with overwhelming force, crippling enemies caught in its blast. #1 Base Effect: Creates a powerful explosion that, after dealing damage to the target, also deals 250% AoE damage. The damage increases by 10% per Level. Current Damage Bonus: 340% #2 Base Effect: Applies Charred Weakness, a unique debuff that reduces enemy Obsidian Flame resistance by 20% for 10 seconds. Resistance reduction increases by 2% per Level. Current Resistance Reduction: 38% Cost: Obsidian Nova consumes 600% of the Mana required to cast a Fireball. The Mana cost penalty decreases by 5% per Level. Current Mana Cost Increase: 555% Cooldown: 5-minute cooldown. Obsidian Nova had given Heidi a new powerful offensive Spell that she had already used multiple times to destroy the spiders. She could now one-shot a spider by herself and, if the spider had other monsters around it, cripple the rest. But the cherry on top had come when she crossed Level 50, getting what Ted had called a Cornerstone Skill. Dark Phoenix Furnace - Lv. 4 Channel the essence of your fire magic to transform into a living embodiment of the Obsidian, drastically empowering your abilities but straining your Mana reserves. #1 Base Effect: Increases spellcasting speed by 100% and spell damage by 200%. Each effect increases by 5% per Level. Current Spellcasting Speed Bonus: 120% Current Spell Damage Bonus: 220% #2 Base Effect: All Burn and Charred effects applied during Phoenix Furnace deal 50% more damage. Burn damage amplification increases by 5% per Level. Current Burn Damage Amplification: 70% Special Effect: Dark Phoenix Renewal: While Phoenix Furnace is active, defeating an enemy has a 25% chance to restore 10% of your maximum Mana. #1 Cost: Spells consume an additional 200% Mana while Phoenix Furnace is active. The Mana consumption penalty decreases by 5% per Level. Current Mana Consumption Penalty: 200% #1 Cooldown: Phoenix Furnace lasts for 30 seconds and has a 15-minute cooldown. Phoenix Furnace, thanks to its Dark Phoenix Renewal effect, meant that, as long as Heidi could kill monsters without expending all her Mana at once, she could graduate from being a one-shot one-monster trick to a veritable slaughterhouse. However, even with the current stat distribution of her Class, which was two Attributes per level to Wisdom, four to Spirit, and six to Intelligence, because of the Class¡¯s twenty percent malus to her total Mana and thirty percent malus to Mana regeneration, she was still far from being a real threat after the first minute of fighting. Right now, Heidi could basically run through eighty percent of her Mana in about two minutes normally and thirty seconds if she went all out. While she could output enough damage to scare even Sir Tristan, she wasn¡¯t even close to being an all-rounded fighter or capable of venturing out on her own. Dotty, just like Heidi, had made quite a bit of progress, and she stood on the verge of Level 50 herself. She was shy of one level and currently at Level 49. Ted, as expected, was still the one struggling the most, with still only one Skill under his belt. More importantly, the group, at large, hadn¡¯t made that much progress because the total spider count kept rising. For every three they killed, one new spider appeared somewhere in the city. * * * The quest counter went up to one-hundred-fifty spiders. *Ding* Quest Progress Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Progress: 46/144 -> 46/150 "They''re multiplying faster than we can kill them," Monica said, checking the quest counter again. They had tracked down another group, but the process of tracking down the Corrupted Spider Constructs was not only slower than one might imagine, but it also led them down goose chases at times. There were Mana tracks all over the place, and only a few led them to stationary groups. Sometimes, they¡¯d be chasing down the same non-stationary group for hours. Even if Dotty was getting slightly better at identifying which group might be closer and which might be resting, it was still too slow for them. Dotty looked up from one of the maps they had found around Viscera. "Here," she pointed at a rectangle on the map. "I think this is a storage room meant for ore. A lot of tracks point in that general direction. Why don''t we try going there? Maybe we can ambush them or something." Everyone looked at her and nodded. Monica felt instinctively that Dotty had made a great call. Soon, they were standing in front of a large storage building. It was pitch dark inside. It had no windows, and the redhead felt an ominous feeling crawling up her back. "Wait," she said as Sir Tristan was about to enter. "Step back." "Why?" the man said. "Step back," Monica said. Then she looked at him for a second, and he started stepping back from the place. She activated Mana Sense and empowered it with the Golden Flame. Her vision became much sharper. She now felt a much stronger presence than the ones they had faced before right inside the building. It was one, just one, a solitary monster, and Monica felt it slowly crawling out. "Get ready. It''s coming," she said. What came out of the building wasn''t a normal Corrupted Spider Construct. No. When the first barbed leg was hit by the artificial sunlight, everyone felt their muscles tense. Unlike the polished, smooth surface of the legs of the previous monsters, this one was veiny. The flow of nodes around its joints resembled tendons and muscle fiber. The barbed edges meant that if anyone got caught on them, they wouldn''t simply get pierced. They would get shredded apart. As it came fully out, the most striking thing about this creature wasn''t just its twisted form but also its color. The Corrupted Spider Constructs had been a dull gray, whereas this new thing was almost milk-white. It had the sheen of silver, and Monica immediately understood what had happened. The monsters had been consuming the ore to evolve. As she looked at the tag, her theory was instantly confirmed. [Corrupted Tarantula - Level 105] The monster looked at them with its eight steel eyes. But instead of charging immediately, it twisted, and its abdomen suddenly shot out a thin, deadly steel wire easily capable of slicing them apart. Monica activated Fury of the Phoenix without hesitation. She knew that this fight was going to be different. Chapter 43 Dotty felt proud when the others agreed to check the storage room. She had studied the maps carefully over the past three days. The spiders kept appearing faster than they could kill them, but this time, she had a real plan. Monica gave her a small nod of approval. It made Dotty stand straighter. For once, she wasn''t just the kid they had to protect. She was helping the team track down these monsters. Sir Tristan took point as they approached the building. Dotty stayed in the middle of the group with Ted while Heidi and Monica covered the rear. This was their usual formation now. They had practiced it while hunting spiders. The storage building was larger than the houses around it. Its stone walls rose three stories high. Dotty could see where ore carts used to enter through the wide front entrance. Now, the doorway was just a black hole in the wall. Her new Dangersense Skill activated as they got closer. Something felt wrong. The warning wasn''t specific, but her skin prickled with unease. She was about to say something when Monica spoke up. "Wait," Monica said to Sir Tristan. "Step back." Dotty watched Monica use her Mana Sense. The redhead''s eyes glowed with a slight golden hue as she peered into the darkness. Her expression changed from focused to worried. "Get ready. It''s coming," Monica warned. A leg emerged from the doorway. Dotty''s hand went to Twilight''s Edge. This wasn''t like the other spider legs they''d seen. Sharp barbs covered its surface. The metal looked different, too - not dull gray but bright like polished silver. The rest of the creature followed. Dotty''s stomach turned at the sight. This spider was wrong in every way it could¡¯ve been. Before anyone could move, the spider''s abdomen twisted. A thin metal wire shot out toward them. Dotty''s Dangersense screamed. Sir Tristan moved his shield up and managed to intercept the slashing thread. The monster¡¯s legs scraped against the stone like knives on metal, a sound that made Dotty¡¯s teeth hurt. None of her training prepared her for this. Fear froze her in place. She couldn''t even grip Twilight''s Edge properly. Her hands shook too much. Then she saw Ted. He had already started playing Song of the Phoenix, completely focused on his mandolin. He didn''t see the second wire shooting from the spider''s body. Dotty moved without thinking. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. She slammed into Ted''s side, tackling him to the ground. They hit the stone floor hard. Something whistled overhead. The wire cut through the air where Ted''s neck had been. It sliced into the stone wall behind them, leaving a deep groove in the rock. Ted''s mandolin clattered beside them. Dotty felt his chest rising and falling under her. He was alive. If she''d hesitated for even a second, that wire would have taken his head off. Dotty helped Ted up, her hands still shaking. The spider''s wire had cut deep into the stone wall - a clean slice that would have gone right through Ted''s neck.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Thanks," Ted said, grabbing his mandolin. He immediately started playing Song of the Phoenix again, but his fingers trembled slightly on the strings. Dotty wanted to help fight, but what she saw made her freeze. Monica and Heidi were delivering a terrifying display of power. Heidi opened with Emberstorm Convergence, trying to trap the evolved spider in her signature black flame vortex. But unlike the normal spiders, this one barely moved. Its silver-enhanced body was too heavy to be pulled in. Even the burning ground the spell left behind didn''t seem to bother it. Monica shot forward, Phoenix Step carrying her in a blur of gold. She aimed for the spider''s left side, where its legs looked thinner. But before she could strike, three wires whipped out from its body. She twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the first two, but the third forced her to drop and roll. She came up, ready to dash again, but more wires were already flying. The spider didn''t even need to move its legs to attack - the wires shot out from its body like arrows, filling the space around it with deadly silver threads. Monica tried getting close, using Phoenix Step to dart around the spider''s attacks. But every time she found an opening, the monster would shoot out more wires, without even needing to retaliate physically, creating a deadly web she couldn''t pass through. Even Monica, who could come back from death, had to back off. Monica wasn¡¯t just immortal; she was also the best fighter at her level. Even with her fighting experience, with her instincts, the "Dark Phoenix Furnace!" Heidi shouted. Black sparks erupted around her as she unleashed Fire Lance after Fire Lance. Each burning spear left trails of fire across the battlefield, trying to pin it down. But its enhanced armor deflected most of the damage. Monica''s eyes glowed as she used Mana Sense, looking for weak points while trading blows with the monster. But every clash with those silver-reinforced legs made her entire body shake. "Hit it with all you¡¯ve got!" Monica shouted to Heidi. They tried to coordinate like they had done with the Corrupted Spider Constructs before. This time, Heidi pulled all the stops. Dotty saw black flames around her arms as she recognized the signs of Infernal Overload. If Dotty was guessing right, Heidi was trying to use Obsidina Nova while Monica distracted the creature. But the Corrupted Tarantula wasn¡¯t bothered in the least by Monica¡¯s attacks and simply shot a wire in Heidi¡¯s direction, forcing the blonde to throw herself away and interrupt the casting. Dotty gripped Twilight''s Edge tighter, wanting to help. But what could she do? Her sword felt so small now. She remembered how she''d gotten Monica killed by jumping in too soon last time. The voice in her head kept saying: You''ll just get in the way. Sir Tristan stepped forward, his shield catching another wire attack. He''d been watching, studying the monster''s movements. Now, he planted his feet firmly. "Moonpiercing," he said quietly. Dotty had never seen anything like it. Sir Tristan''s sword began to glow with a pale light. The spider shot multiple wires at him, but they seemed to bend around his blade like water. Then he thrust forward - one simple, perfect motion. The sword pierced straight through the spider''s enhanced armor like it was paper. The monster didn''t even have time to react. Its legs collapsed, and the light faded from its eyes. Dotty stared at Sir Tristan in awe. That one strike had done what Monica and Heidi''s strongest attacks couldn''t. She''d thought she was getting stronger, learning to fight. But she clearly still had a long way to go. "Girl," Sir Tristan called, making her jump. "You saved your friend''s life today. That''s worth more than any killing blow." Dotty nodded, but her eyes were drawn to the fallen spider. She walked over and crouched beside it, activating Track Mana. "The mana feels different," she said. "It''s... concentrated.¡± ¡°I can take care of one,¡± Sir Tristan said, looking at the others. ¡°But if a group of these comes our way, I can¡¯t guarantee anyone¡¯s safety if I also need to attack.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Dotty suddenly said, looking at Mana''s trails around the storage building. ¡°There are a bunch of trails coming in and out. But¡­ There¡¯s a clear pattern. Most of them come from one place. I think they might lead us to their nest.¡± Chapter 44 When Dotty had said that a lot of tracks, not just the one from the storage room, were converging toward the same place, Monica told Sir Tristan, Heidi, and Ted to wait behind. They had no stealth, and if Dotty was right, they were about to walk very close to the spiders'' nest. If worse came to worst, Monica was fairly confident that she could get Dotty on her shoulders and use the urban landscape to get away from the spiders. They might have been nimble, but in a guerrilla-like fight, there was no way they would be able to hunt down Monica. The two stopped before a large plaza in a part of the city they had not yet explored. Monica put a finger to her lips, gesturing to Dotty to be silent, and then gently pushed on her chest, leaving her behind. She peered from a wall, and what welcomed her was a hellish landscape. There was a gigantic hole in the ground, probably seventy to eighty feet deep. Inside, Corrupted Spider Constructs crawled everywhere. In their ranks, there were also a few of the evolved ones. There was metal everywhere, and piles of silver ore that smaller, low-level Corrupted Spider Constructs were feasting on. Monica checked their tags. [Corrupted Hatchling - Level 36] Though they''re not all super strong, Monica reasoned, it takes them time to level up. They must consume silver. She craned her neck a little more, and she saw a gigantic spider in their midst, slowly weaving a hatchling out of metal. With Monica activating Mana Sense and empowering her eyes with the Golden Flame, she still couldn''t fully grasp whatever she was doing, but she felt closer and closer to understanding. Now that her eyes were enhanced, she saw Mithril Thread being woven into the hatchling. So that''s how they''re reproducing, Monica thought. Monica checked the tag above the gigantic spider. [Metallic Arachnid Matriarch - Level 135] Monica tightened her fist. She did a quick count of the spiders and then swiftly led Dotty back up to where they''d come from. Once they met again with the group, she started unloading her thoughts. "If we don''t have a plan, we need to get away from here," she suddenly said, surprising everyone. Ted and Heidi, the two who had witnessed Monica''s exchange with Machina, who knew the promise Machina had made about Monica''s children, looked at each other warily. "Monica, dude," Ted said. "What about your children?" He cringed when he asked, but Monica nodded. "First, I don''t know that Machina wasn''t lying. Lucas said she probably wasn''t, but we''re not suited to fight these many monsters together, and they''re not going to come out of the nest in single pairings for us to slaughter as we level up. So the only thing we can do here is to either find a great plan or get the hell out. There were seven evolved spiders in there. The matriarch is Level 135. There is no way for us to face all those evolved monsters, the matriarch, and the normal Corrupted Spider Constructs. So I give us twenty-four hours to find something. If we don''t, we''re out. I don''t care about Machina. I don''t care about leveling up immediately. You would all die. I might get trapped here. The New Gods are on the move as well, from what we know. If we can''t do this, we''ll just let them take care of it." "This is probably the most reasonable thing you have said since I''ve met you," Sir Tristan commented, trying to keep his voice steady but not able to hide some relief from his tone. "I''m not a fool," Monica replied. "Or at least I try not to be. This is an impossible fight. We''ve gotten some levels, and if I can''t keep you all safe, including you, Sir Tristan, we will retreat." Everyone nodded, in different states of relief. The moment Monica told them about the evolved spiders that were crawling all over the nest, they had wondered what kind of crazy plan would allow them to kill so many at once. It appeared that Monica wasn''t crazy, and all of them, including Dotty, knew that Monica''s rational choice was partly because she didn''t want Dotty herself to die. Heidi suspected that Monica also cared about Ted, but she wasn''t nearly as protective with Ted as she was with Dotty. The group retreated. * * * Ted sat alone in one of the stone houses they''d claimed for rest. His mandolin lay in his lap. He kept replaying the fight with the Corrupted Tarantula in his mind. He had almost died. If Dotty hadn''t pushed him out of the way, that wire would have taken his head clean off. And what had he done during the fight? Just played his song, hiding behind everyone else. Ted looked at his fingers on the mandolin strings. One song. That''s all he had. Sir Tristan had killed the monster with a single strike. The knight hadn''t hesitated or fumbled around. He''d just stepped up and ended the fight. "I''m useless," Ted muttered. Without Sir Tristan, they might all be dead now. The knight''s shield had protected them from those deadly wires. His sword had pierced through armor that even Monica''s flames couldn''t melt. Ted strummed a few quiet notes. The Song of the Phoenix was powerful, but it wasn''t enough. Monica and Heidi were getting stronger every day. They had new skills, new ways to fight. Dotty, a teenage girl who could probably beat him blue, not only had more Skills than him, she had saved his life. And what was he doing? He was still stuck with one song. He couldn''t defend himself. He couldn''t attack. He just stood back and played while others risked their lives. He thought about the spider nest Monica and Dotty had found. What could he do against that many monsters? His song might help the others fight better, but that wouldn''t matter against seven evolved spiders and a matriarch. Ted set his mandolin aside and buried his face in his hands. They needed real power to survive this place. Power like Sir Tristan''s Moonpiercing skill. Power like Monica''s flames or Heidi''s spells.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He picked up his mandolin again. Maybe if he practiced more. Maybe if he tried harder to create new songs. But deep down, Ted knew it probably wouldn''t matter. One song or ten songs - he''d still be the weakest member of the group. He looked out the window at the eternal twilight of Viscera. The artificial sun cast long shadows across the street. Somewhere out there, those spiders were getting stronger. And Ted was still just a boy with a mandolin, trying not to get in everyone''s way. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He quickly wiped his eyes, not wanting anyone to see how upset he was. "Yeah?" he called out. ¡°Dinner¡¯s in a few minutes,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, ok.¡± Monica went out and, soon, as he was lost in thought, Ted heard footsteps again. "Ted?" It was Heidi¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Ted stood up and grabbed his mandolin. When he opened the door, Heidi was waiting. She looked at his face and frowned. "You okay?" she asked. "Yeah," Ted lied. "Just thinking about songs." * * * Ted dragged himself to the mess hall where the others had gathered for dinner. The stone tables felt cold and unwelcoming, matching his mood perfectly. A line of petrified dwarven soldiers sat frozen at one of the far tables, forever caught in the middle of what must have been their last meal. Monica and Sir Tristan were deep in discussion about fighting formations. The knight was moving pieces of dried meat around his plate like troops on a battlefield while Monica nodded along, occasionally suggesting adjustments. Dotty sat next to them, practicing the grip changes Sir Tristan had taught her even as she ate. At the other end of the table, Heidi had laid out a piece of parchment beside her plate. She was scribbling furiously, working out optimal Skill combinations and Mana expenditure calculations. Ted caught fragments of her muttering: "If I open with Emberstorm Convergence, then chain into Fire Lance while Dark Phoenix Furnace is active..." "Ted! Are you ok?" Dotty brightened when she saw him. "I was just telling everyone about that dangerous wire.¡± "Yeah," Ted managed a weak smile, settling onto the stone bench. "Thanks again for that." "The girl has good instincts," Sir Tristan commented without looking up from his meat-piece battle plan. "Those wires are deadly. Even my shield barely deflected them." Ted picked at his dried meat in silence while the others continued their discussions. Monica and Sir Tristan moved on to debating shield wall tactics. Heidi crossed out an entire section of calculations with an irritated grunt. Dotty kept practicing her sword grip changes between bites. "Maybe if we coordinate properly," Dotty was saying, "we might be able to-" "It won''t matter," Ted interrupted, surprising himself with the bitterness in his voice. "Seven evolved spiders plus a matriarch? We''d need an army." An awkward silence fell over the table. Ted felt their eyes on him but couldn''t bring himself to look up from his plate. Heidi gathered up her parchments covered in calculations. She had taken extremely well to her new Class, unlike Ted. "I need to work this out properly," she said, standing up. "I think I can get more damage output if I adjust the timing." She strode out of the mess hall, already muttering numbers under her breath. Ted nodded numbly and stood up as well, his food barely touched. "I should go practice," he muttered. He walked out of the mess hall quickly, wanting to escape the suffocating feeling of uselessness. * * * Ted walked through the barracks after dinner. The artificial light from above made everything look dim but not dark¡ªit dimmed at night but it still felt very disorienting to have it on all day. It messed up with you, making sleeping harder. But he hadn¡¯t had the courage to really voice his complaints after all the gory fights they had gone through the past few days. His footsteps echoed lonely in the barracks. He reached the courtyard where Sir Tristan had trained Dotty. His feet carried him down random paths. He wished someone would give him an answer, a way to help the group. The barracks halls felt endless, each turn leading to another empty room, another silent corridor. A broken shield hung on one wall. A cracked sword lay forgotten in a corner. Signs of the dwarves'' last moments before they turned to stone. Ted wondered if they''d been listening to music when it happened. If some bard had been playing while their world ended. He stared at the two Skills populating his rather sad Skill List. Skill List Inspect Lv. 91 Develop the ability to Inspect items. Phoenix Song Lv. 23 A powerful song about the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. That was it. That was the extent of the description. Sure, it kept leveling up, but Ted had no real idea about the Skill specifics. He just¡­ played. Yeah. That was it. Not knowing what else to do wit his hands, Ted reached for his own half-broken instrument and Inspected it for the upmteenth time, perhaps hoping some answers would lay there. *Ding* You have successfully inspected Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon)! Defected Dwarven Mandolin (Uncommon) Durability: 13/100 Enhancement Slots Available: 2/7 The Defected Dwarven Mandolin Enchantments are not active due to the state of disrepair of your instrument. Forged inside Viscera, the great Dwarven Capital, this mandolin belonged to a famous Bard. The mandolin was damaged during an ill-fated performance for the Elven King¡¯s court and fell further apart due to the passage of time. Ever since it was damaged, it hasn¡¯t sounded the same. Tip: Bring it to a high-level Blacksmith in order to repair it. "We don''t have high-level Blacksmiths here," Ted muttered, then looked at one of the petrified dwarves in the barracks. "Not anymore." He turned a few more corridors, almost losing himself in the large complex. Dwarves really liked building complex things. Then, as he turned one last corner, he suddenly found himself inside a dining hall they had not explored before. As with the rest of the building, it was well lit by crystals. When he entered, he raised his eyes above the main table. And stopped dead in his tracks. A massive mural covered the entire wall before him. The scene showed a Bard in the center. Ted could tell because the bearded dwarf had a mandolin, very much like his own. Around him, warriors fought shadowy figures. But what caught Ted''s eye was the blood. It flowed from the Bard''s hands as if he was cutting himself on the strings, and it spread on the ground to touch the feet of every fighter. Where it reached them, their feet seemed portrayed more vividly in the mural. Ted stepped closer, squinting at the details. The blood was weird. It really felt like it was still flowing. He gently placed one finger upon the larger pool of blood. When he pulled back and looked at it, he found a red stain. He smelled it. "This is actual blood," he muttered. He had seen high-level artworks before, so he wasn''t totally freaked out. Ted knew this was probably a work of magic, nothing else. But something about how the blood seemed to make the dwarves around the Bard more alive put him in a trance. Things started clicking in his head as he remembered one crucial detail that everyone else had seemingly forgotten. His heart started beating faster and his eyes widened. "I KNOW WHAT TO DO!" The words burst from him before he could stop them, his voice bouncing off stone walls that had been silent for centuries. He turned and ran back to the group. He knew what to do. He had just found a way to kill off the entire nest. Chapter 45 The group gathered on the bleachers, and everyone looked at Ted, not knowing if he had just conceived the best idea of his life or the most foolish one. Ted was sweating profusely and had to wipe his hands on his shirt several times before taking the vial from Monica''s hands with shaky fingers. Monica had gotten a reward after killing the Crystal Wolf Boss that everyone had forgotten about. But when Ted had seen the mural with the Bard''s blood flowing all around, he had realized something. "Ted, are you sure?" Monica said. "We don''t know what¡ª" Ted nodded, interrupting her. "It must be it," he said. Ted felt a hunch, similar to the one he had felt when he had realized that the markings on Thraldrirlum''s pickaxe were a song, not a message. And now, seeing the thick scarlet blood in the small vial, he had the same hunch. He didn''t know if it was the Bard Class making him more attuned to these hunches or maybe just the realization that the System wouldn''t have given Monica something useless like vials of blood. Lucas had postulated that perhaps they could have been used in enchanting, in blacksmithing, or a host of other professions. Blood was not that uncommon of a material for craftsmen. However, knowing the significance of Thraldrirlum''s heritage, Ted just knew that this could be it. They all gathered around the stone general as Ted uncorked the vial and, holding his breath, poured its contents on the head of the general. Everyone watched as the thick liquid descended and trickled over the man''s head. They had taken to calling him the general because of his demeanor and because he looked like the most important person in the barracks. Most important statue, at least. Ted¡¯s idea had been pretty simple: they weren¡¯t strong enough to face the nest full of monsters and the Matriarch. Even though they might have been able to face the monsters individually, there was no way for them to kill them all together. To be honest, it would have already been close to impossible to kill the Matriarch on its own. That¡¯s why they needed someone even stronger than Sir Tristan, someone who could lead them to victory against unfathomable odds. And Ted had realized that Thraldrirlum¡¯s blood might be just what they needed to bring back statues to life. It was too convenient that the System had given them three vials¡ªone for each floor of Viscera. If they could really manage to bring three Dwarves back, considering how strong their people were, they would make the fight against Machina a hundred times easier. Sure, the group wasn¡¯t guaranteed to level up that much anymore if their ally was so strong, but it was still preferable to just having to retreat. And so, the young man prayed he was right. The blood trickled down the general''s face. Nothing happened at first. Everyone held their breath and waited. Ten seconds passed. Then twenty. The blood just kept dripping down, making small red pools at the statue''s feet. Heidi let out a long breath. "Well, that was a waste." "Give it time," Monica said, but her voice didn''t sound confident. A full minute passed. Sir Tristan shifted his weight, making his armor creak. Dotty''s shoulders slumped. The statue remained stone, now just stained with red streaks.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "I really thought..." Ted''s voice cracked. He stared at the ground, his face burning with shame. "All that build-up for nothing." "It was worth trying," Monica said gently. "Maybe I was wrong," Ted said. He looked down at his feet. "I thought¡ª" A crack appeared on the statue''s surface. Everyone jumped back. The crack spread across the general''s face like a spiderweb. Small pieces of stone started falling off. "It''s working!" Dotty whispered. More cracks appeared. They ran down the general''s neck and chest. His stone armor began breaking apart. Chunks fell to the ground. Under the stone, they could see skin. The stone kept falling off the general in chunks. His skin was gray at first but slowly turned normal colored. His beard was long and white. His armor looked old but well made. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times. Everyone held their breath. This was their chance to get a powerful ally. Then he let out a huge laugh that echoed through the barracks. "Ha! I can move again!" He stretched his arms wide and cracked his neck. "Gods, being a statue is boring! Do you know how long I''ve been stuck looking at that wall? Too damn long!" He jumped down from the bleachers into the courtyard and almost fell over. "Whoa! Legs are a bit wobbly. Give me a second here." They looked at the tag above his head. [??? - ???] ¡°You see anything?¡± Monica asked Sir Tristan. The Knight shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s too high-level. I can¡¯t see anything. He¡¯s above Level 250.¡± Monica and Sir Tristan shared a confused look. This wasn''t quite what they expected from a dignified dwarven general. "I''m Gromorlig!" He slapped his chest with both hands. "And you lot just saved me from the most boring experience of my life. Seriously, do you know how many times I counted the stones in that wall? Seven thousand four hundred and twenty-three! I counted them again just to be sure!" Ted stepped forward nervously. "Sir, we were hoping you could help us..." "Help you? Of course I''ll help you!" Gromorlig grabbed Ted in a bear hug that lifted him off the ground. "You freed me! I''d kiss you if you weren''t so tall!" He dropped Ted and turned to the others. "So what''s the problem? Need someone killed? Something built? A party started? I''m good at all three!" He winked at Monica. "Though I must say, starting parties is my specialty. I was organizing the annual festival when that damn thing struck us down!" "Actually," Monica said slowly, "we need help clearing out a nest of corrupted spider constructs. There''s a matriarch and..." "Spiders!" Gromorlig bellowed. "Perfect! I hate spiders! Always crawling around, making webs in my beard while I was stuck as a statue. Disrespectful little bastards!" He patted the warhammer hanging at his belt. "This beauty hasn''t squashed anything in ages. She''s thirsty!" Sir Tristan cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should discuss strategy first..." "Strategy?" Gromorlig laughed again. "Here''s my strategy¡ªI run in screaming and hit things until they stop moving! Hasn''t failed me yet!" He looked around at their worried faces and grinned. "Oh, come on, lighten up! You look like you''re at a funeral!" Gromorlig was already marching toward the door, singing loudly in dwarven. He stopped and turned back. "Well? Are you coming or not? These spiders won''t squash themselves!" Ted looked at the others helplessly. This definitely wasn''t the dignified general they''d hoped for. But then, Gromorlig stopped dead in his tracks and hissed. "Uh, this might be a problem," the dwarf said, cracking his neck. "What?" Monica had found the Dwarf absolutely ridiculous, but if he was high-level enough to kill all the spiders, what did she have to complain about? "Well, it appears I can¡¯t access Skills, Status, nor do I feel any of my Attributes," Gromorlig huffed. Chapter 46 Apparently, Gromorlig couldn''t access his Skills, as he had explained. Despite the fact that Ted managed to bring him back to life, something was wrong with the process. The dwarf could barely lift his hammer now, and his movements were stiff and awkward. "I can feel my body," Gromorlig said, "but it''s like all my strength is gone¡ªmy Skills, too. Even my Status window is blank." Monica frowned at this development. The blood had worked to free him from being a statue, but he wasn''t at full power. This complicated matters. They needed someone strong enough to help them clear out the spider nest. "Maybe it takes time?" Ted suggested. He looked disappointed that his plan hadn''t worked out perfectly. "No, lad." Gromorlig shook his head. "Something''s missing. I can feel it. Like there''s a wall between me and my power." Sir Tristan walked over to test the dwarf''s strength. He had Gromorlig try to lift various weapons from the barracks, but the dwarf could only manage the lightest ones. "He''s weaker than a normal person," Sir Tristan said. "The stone transformation must have done something to him." "Well, this is embarrassing," Gromorlig said. "Here I am, talking big about squashing spiders, and I can barely lift my own hammer." Monica paced back and forth. They had already used one of their three vials of blood. If they couldn''t figure out how to fully restore Gromorlig''s power, the other two vials might be useless as well. "What exactly do you feel?" she asked him. "It''s like...being wrapped in thick blankets," Gromorlig said. "I know my strength is there, but I can''t reach it." Ted cleared his throat, and everyone turned to look at him. "Well..." he started, then trailed off. "What?" Monica asked. "The System gave us the vials of blood. We can assume it did it on purpose, right? Same for the pickaxe. Loot chests are only random until the System needs them to be. Or maybe rewards and loot chests aren¡¯t directly influenced by the System, but they do always give something vaguely useful. The average item changes based on who opens them, right?" "I mean, so what?" Heidi asked. "How does this help? Are we going to find something in a loot chest that brings Gromorlig''s powers back?" "Here¡¯s the thing," Ted said, raising his hands. "If I were the System¡ªwhether I could control, directly or indirectly, what goes in a loot chest for a reward¡ªI wouldn¡¯t want to give us the solution to everything on a silver platter." Gromorlig, who had been quite boisterous moments ago, looked at Ted with sharp eyes and smiled, his pearly teeth showing through the opening in his beard. "Yeah, now you''re getting it, lad, aren¡¯t you?" "You think he¡¯s right?" Monica asked. "Gromorlig?" "Do I think so? Yeah, I do," Gromorlig said. Monica cringed. "So we got you back and it was for nothing?" Gromorlig didn¡¯t actually answer. Instead, he turned to Ted, waiting for him to speak. But under everyone''s gaze, Ted felt too much pressure building, and his mind went blank. "Tell you what," Gromorlig finally said, "why don¡¯t you get some food in me, and maybe you can think of something?" * * * They brought Gromorlig to the mess hall. The dwarf ate enough for three people, devouring dried meat and stale bread like he hadn''t eaten in centuries¡ªwhich, Monica realized, he probably hadn''t. "So," Gromorlig said between bites, "the lad here thinks the System wouldn''t give you everything at once." Ted nodded slowly. "Yeah. Like with Thraldrirlum''s Dream¡ªthe pickaxe. It showed Monica a vision of how the Bridge of Thraldrirlum came to be, but we still had to figure out the song ourselves. It wasn''t just ¡®here¡¯s a magic portal.¡¯" "Wait, wait." Gromorlig nearly choked on his food. "You have Thraldrirlum''s Dream? The actual pickaxe?" His eyes went wide. "By my father''s beard, where is it?" Monica pulled it from her Inventory. The dwarf¡¯s hands trembled as he reached for it. "May I?" he asked with uncharacteristic reverence. When Monica handed it over, Gromorlig cradled the pickaxe like it was made of glass. His fingers traced the runes, and he mumbled something under his breath. "I never thought I''d see this again," he whispered. "You know this pickaxe?" Ted asked. "Know it? I helped build those bridges!" Gromorlig laughed. "I was there when he carved out the last pieces. Thraldrirlum knew what he was doing. But let me tell ya, everyone thought he was crazy at first." Monica leaned forward. "You were there?" "Of course! I was the head of defenses for the city before..." Gromorlig''s smile faded. "Before this." He pointed at the stone Dwarves in the mess hall. "Let me ask just once," Monica said. "Who did this? They refuse to tell me." "And they did well," Gromorlig replied. "Who are you to hear the most dangerous name that can be uttered?" Monica raised an eyebrow and replied with a question. "Do you know blacksmithing?" "Are you joking me, lassie? My blacksmithing? Where do you think I was born¡ª" Monica removed a bracer and tossed it to Gromorlig across the table. "This is...this is Divine grade," he said, taking a monocle from his pocket and examining the bracer. "Not just Divine grade. This is a Titan¡¯s set." "Yeah," Monica said. "I''m the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix." "That explains it, then," Gromorlig said. "You want to know who turned us all to stone? The same one who cursed the Nine Races. The one who made sure no one would have the courage to speak her true name." "Machina?" Monica asked, confused. "No, lass. Not Machina. Though she did help." Gromorlig set the bracer down carefully. "The Queen of Stone¡ªthat''s what we called her afterward. She turned nine races to stone that day." "Why?" Monica asked. "Power," Gromorlig said. "She wanted to be the strongest. But she needed more power to fight our Gods. Esoteric magic and all. You know how these creatures work, right?" "You haven¡¯t answered my question," Monica said. "You haven¡¯t earned it," Gromorlig replied. "Everyone learns her name at some point, lass." Suddenly, Sir Tristan¡¯s voice came from behind. "Nexa." The word resonated ominously, and the temperature dropped in the room. "Aye," Gromorlig said, displeased. "It means death. That¡¯s who did it. If you could avoid cursing us all with her name again, that would be much appreciated." "So, what happened?" Monica asked. "No one here seems to know the whole story." Gromorlig set down the pickaxe. "The war with those creatures was drawing to an end. We had lost our Gods long before that day, but we knew something was coming. Our scouts reported strange things in our mountains¡ªno one knows where Viscera is, but she found us. We didn''t realize what it was until it was too late. A worldwide ritual turned us into¡­well, whatever this stone is."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Everyone went silent for a moment, then Gromorlig asked another question. "You said Machina¡¯s here? You¡¯re lucky¡ªthat¡¯s the easier one." "Easy?" Heidi repeated. "Trust me," Gromorlig said without much humor in his voice. "If you¡¯re the actual Avatar of the Twin Phoenix and intend to pick up the good ol¡¯ battle, Machina is just a warmup." "Huh, we already risked our lives a few times, dude," Ted commented. "Aye, I didn¡¯t say it was going to be easy," Gromorlig countered. "I said easier. I¡¯d consider it good if only a few of you died here." That made the entire group recoil. "What? You expect to face a monster of this caliber and not have losses? I mean, fair¡ªwe didn¡¯t have Avatars back then. Maybe you can do better." "Okay," Monica acquiesced. "What now?" "Now?" Gromorlig rose to his feet and slapped Ted on the back. "Now, I¡¯m going to take a nap." * * * "Well, at least now we know more about what happened here," Monica said after Gromorlig left to find a bed. Sir Tristan turned to Ted, his mouth set in a hard line. "We wasted one of our three chances." His voice was cold. "That blood was priceless, and now we''ve used it on someone who can barely lift his own hammer." "I thought¡ª" Ted started. "You thought wrong," Sir Tristan cut him off. "Look at him. He''s not even a fighter anymore. We freed a fool." "That''s not fair," Heidi interjected, stepping between them. "Ted made the best choice he could with what we knew." Sir Tristan shook his head. "Did he? Or did he just get excited about finding a fancy mural and rush into a decision without even telling us what he thought would happen? We''re facing an Old God. We need fighters, not retired festival planners." Ted stared at the floor, his shoulders hunched. The knight''s words hit hard because part of him worried they were true. He really had gotten caught up in the moment. "I really thought it would work," Ted said quietly. "He looked important, standing there in the barracks. His posture, his armor..." "Looks can be deceiving," Sir Tristan replied. "Even if he was important back then, what good does that do us now? We need someone who can fight, not someone who can tell us stories about the good old days." Monica stepped forward. "That''s enough." "No, it''s not enough," Sir Tristan insisted. "We''re running out of time. Those spiders are multiplying faster than we can kill them. We had three chances to get help, and we just threw one away. What happens when we use the second vial and that person can¡¯t fight either? Or the third?" "We couldn''t have known," Dotty protested. "We could have been more careful," Sir Tristan countered. "We could have looked for someone with obvious warrior markings, someone wearing battle armor instead of normal clothes.¡± "And what about the mural?" he continued. "A bleeding bard? That should have been our first warning. Bards aren''t warriors. They''re storytellers, musicians. We needed a warrior''s blood, not more songs." "Stop it," Heidi snapped. "You''re not helping." "I''m trying to make sure we don''t make the same mistake twice," Sir Tristan said. "We have two vials left. Two more chances to get this right. We can''t afford another error in judgment." * * * As it turned out, Ted had made another mistake. He sat dejectedly on his bed, not knowing where else to go. He didn¡¯t have the heart to face the others right now. "Oops. I see that this room is taken." Ted raised his eyes and saw Gromorlig standing on the threshold. "Hey, lad. How¡¯s it going? Were you taking a nap?" "I tried," Ted said, "but I couldn¡¯t really sleep." "My body feels weird all over." "Oh," Ted replied. "I¡¯m sorry." "Don¡¯t be sorry," Gromorlig said, smiling and patting his belly. "There¡¯s nothing to feel sorry for in Viscera." "Oh¡­okay," Ted said awkwardly. "You¡¯re a bard, aren¡¯t you?" Ted nodded. "Do you mind if I see that?" Gromorlig pointed at Ted¡¯s mandolin. Ted offered it to him. "This beauty was made in Viscera," Gromorlig said after inspecting it. "Fancy stuff. A bit worn down, though." "Yeah. I was kinda hoping to find a blacksmith here who could fix it." "A blacksmith here?" Gromorlig let out a belching laugh. "Statues aren¡¯t exactly working metal, lad. Why don¡¯t you play something for me?" Ted was surprised when Gromorlig thrust the mandolin back into his hands. "What?" "Play it. That¡¯s what it¡¯s for. Come on. Let me hear something." "Okay." Ted played a few notes, but he choked¡ªhe was too nervous to play in front of Gromorlig. "You¡¯re still young," Gromorlig said in a more serious tone. Ted stopped playing and looked up. "What do you mean?" "Do you know what bards do, lad?" "No, dude. I have no idea. Like, they play songs to help in battle?" "Is that so?" Gromorlig smirked. He patted Ted¡¯s shoulder so hard that Ted almost fell off the bed. "Come here. Follow me." Gromorlig led Ted to the dining hall where the young man had found the mural depicting a bleeding bard. "What do you see?" Gromorlig asked. "A bleeding bard helping other warriors." "Lad, do me a favor, alright?" Gromorlig said. Ted frowned. "Use your damn eyes. What do you see?" the dwarf insisted, pushing Ted closer to the mural. "I see¡ª" Ted was about to say something ordinary when Gromorlig started humming a song. He wasn¡¯t singing, just humming. Turning back to the mural, Ted blinked a few times. "A battle," he finally said. "They¡¯re fighting, and¡ª" He stopped. Then he noticed something. The entire mural showed dwarves coordinating in an unusual formation. The blood didn¡¯t just spatter them randomly; it seemed to form a pattern, anchoring each dwarf in precisely the right position. "The bard is guiding the fight." Gromorlig stopped humming and laughed. "There you go." "I still don¡¯t really understand," Ted admitted. "The blood," Gromorlig said. "It was your idea, right?" Ted nodded. "You also mentioned Thraldrirlum¡¯s pickaxe. Whose idea was it to sing that song for the bridge?" Ted opened his mouth, but Gromorlig raised a hand. "Yes, lad. That¡¯s what I¡¯m hinting at. You¡¯re good. You have a quick brain in that little noggin of yours. But we still can¡¯t do anything if you don¡¯t have your Skills." The dwarf locked eyes with Ted. "Dwarves believe in things being earned," Gromorlig said. "Elves believe in fate and all that crap. But when your people dig tunnels for a living, you start believing in sturdy pillars and doing your job properly¡ªotherwise you¡¯ll die under tons of dirt." He went silent for a moment, and Ted¡¯s eyes went wide. "You can actually help," Ted realized. "If you deserve it," Gromorlig smirked. "Gather the others. I wanna see you all fight." * * * Gromorlig sat on a broken pillar to watch, humming the same tune as before. "This is ridiculous," Sir Tristan muttered. "We''re wasting time putting on a show." "Just trust me on this," Ted said. "I think he knows something." They got into position. Sir Tristan went first with his shield raised, and they quickly dispatched a group of four Corrupted Spider Constructs that Dotty had tracked down. The spiders were weaker than the evolved ones. Monica killed two, Heidi burned one to death, and Dotty finished off the last one. "Not bad," Gromorlig said when it was over, still humming. "I leveled up!" Dotty said, startling everyone. "And I got to pick a new Skill! It¡¯s two Level 50 Skills!" Dotty shared the Skill choices with the others, including Gromorlig. * * * *Ding* You have earned a Level 50 Cornerstone Skill! *Ding* Two Skills have become available for your choice! *Ding* Skill Available ¨C Shadow Step *Ding* Skill Available ¨C Void Slash Clearly, one could guess the functions from their names. Shadow Step was a Movement Skill, and Void Slash was an Offensive Skill. It was Monica who first gave an opinion. "You should probably pick Shadow Step. You need mobility. You¡¯ve already got Magic Rend for offense." "Void Slash sounds great, though, dude," Ted chimed in. Shadow Step seemed bland compared to Void Slash. Dotty looked between Monica and Ted, torn between the two options. "Both sound amazing," she said. "But..." "But nothing," Monica interrupted. "Think about the spider nest. Which will help you survive better¡ªmore damage or a way to escape when those wires come at you?" Gromorlig''s humming grew louder. Ted noticed the dwarf watching them intently, as though the discussion mattered more than the Skills themselves. "The mobility would help you stay alive," Sir Tristan added, unexpectedly. "And survival should be your priority." Dotty¡¯s fingers tightened around Twilight''s Edge. "But if I can''t deal enough damage..." "The choice can wait," Gromorlig said. "The lass can take her time. Your teamwork isn¡¯t too bad, and if you¡¯re really after Machina, I suppose I could tell you a little secret about Viscera." Everyone perked up. "I told you I was organizing our festival, but I also mentioned I was responsible for Viscera¡¯s defenses. Now, one of you has the perfect Class, actually, to do the nasty deed to all those spiders." "Who?" Monica asked. Gromorlig pointed right to the center of their group. Chapter 47 "The lass!" Gromorlig bellowed, making everyone jump. His finger shot out to Dotty. "By my father''s beard, she''s perfect." "Me?" Dotty squeaked. "You''re a hunter, aren''t you?" Gromorlig bounded over and clapped her on the shoulder hard enough to make her stumble. "Just what we need. And here I was thinking I''d have to watch you lot fumble around for days." Everyone was dumbfounded. Dotty was the solution to their problems? How would Dotty, the youngest member of their group, be able to clear a nest where a Level 135 boss was producing more corrupted constructs every day? Gromorlig walked toward a wall of the barracks, jostling from foot to foot and humming to himself as he did. As soon as he reached the wall, he placed his palm on the cold surface. Then he leaned in and started tapping. "Not here." He moved a few feet to the left and did the same. He repeated the process a few times until a large grin split his face. "Just what we need," he said. "What is that?" Sir Tristan asked. "And what''s so special about her Class?" The knight followed the dwarf''s movements with growing irritation. "Listen," Gromorlig kept tapping. "Hear that? No, of course you don''t," he mocked Sir Tristan. "That''s because you''re not a Hunter." He spun back to face Dotty. "But she can, can''t she, lass?" Dotty frowned. "No?" "Come here." Gromorlig advised with a beckoning finger and then gestured to the wall as if it was some grand creation. "I don''t understand," she said. "Of course you don''t. For now," Gromorlig said. "Put your hand on it." Dotty did so and then looked at Gromorlig. "Infuse some of your Mana in it." Dotty looked blankly at him. "Lass, just imagine your Mana was moving toward the damn wall." Dotty could only try and do as instructed by the weird Dwarf and imagined her Mana going through the wall. She was no Mage, but she could try and do as much. The moment her Mana moved through the wall, something happened, something clicked in her mind. There was a mechanism hidden inside the wall, something that she felt resonating with her own Class. But, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t access it. ¡°There¡¯s something inside the wall.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something inside the wall, indeed,¡± Gromorlig echoed her words. "Ha!" Gromorlig slapped his knee. "See? She''s got it! Let me tell you about Viscera''s little secrets!" He wrapped an arm around Dotty''s shoulders and moved his palm to showcase their seemingly ordinary surroundings. "See, when we built this city, we didn''t just make pretty buildings and fancy bridges. No, no! We filled every street, every corner, every nook and cranny with the nastiest, cleverest traps you''ve ever seen!" "That sounds... dangerous," Ted said, unconsciously taking a step back from the wall. "Dangerous?" Gromorlig roared with laughter. "Of course it''s dangerous! That''s the point! But here''s the clever bit - they only work for certain Classes!¡± ¡°How?¡± Sir Tristan frowned. ¡°Dwarven engineering, you nonce! How else would they work?¡± Gromorlig let Dotty go and kept tapping the wall while looking up. ¡°I can¡¯t access the normal mechanisms because my Class doesn¡¯t work anymore. We had to keep the civilians from blowing themselves up, didn''t we? That''s dwarven engineering for you!¡± Everyone looked a bit confused until Monica spoke up. ¡°They managed to only give certain Classes access to the traps. So, if you¡¯re a Cook, you can¡¯t just blow up the neighbor who stole your pie.¡± ¡°Ha! Spot on!¡± Gromorlig said, taking a few steps away from the wall and then kicking it. The wall didn¡¯t move, but a compartment appeared a few feet from where he kicked. Gromorlig stuck his hand in the hole and pulled it back with a silver disc in his hand. ¡°This is a control disc,¡± he smiled to Dotty. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to use those traps you can attune to yourself and those that you have enough Mana for. It won¡¯t be perfect, but that¡¯s your best bet of taking down those pesky spiders. "Oh, you should have seen it! We had pit traps that only Warriors could trigger, flame vents that only responded to Mages - though those probably won''t work anymore, been too long." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. ¡°But the real line of defense was all about Hunters, Engineers, and Trappers. Those are the trap-oriented Classes. We always knew some foes would try and invade our turf and we were ready to give them a good lesson in Dwarven crafting¡­¡± Toward the end, Gromorlig looked at one of the stone statues with longing in his eyes and it took him a few seconds to shake the melancholy away. "So Dotty can activate these traps?" Monica asked. "Some of them!" Gromorlig''s eyes sparkled with mischief. "Not all - that would be too easy. But enough to give those eight-legged pests a nasty surprise!" He demonstrated by making squishing motions with his hands. "Snap! Crunch! Squish! No more spiders!" His face suddenly turned serious, the shift so abrupt it made Ted jump. "But there''s a problem." "What now?" Heidi sighed. "Your Skills!" Gromorlig threw his hands up. "They''re terrible! Absolutely terrible! You''re all flailing around like drunk miners at a wedding feast!"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He pointed at Heidi. "You! All that fire, but where''s the control? And you!" He turned to Ted. "One song? ONE? In the old days, Bards had a tune for everything! And you!" He jabbed a finger at Sir Tristan. "Shield work''s decent, but your footwork? Sloppy! Sloppy!" "What''s wrong with our Skills?" Monica crossed her arms. "Everything!" Gromorlig slapped his thigh. "No efficiency! None! Back in the Age of Heroes - now there was a time! Before all this Old Gods and New Gods nonsense. Skills meant something then!" He got a faraway look in his eyes, his voice dropping to an almost reverent tone. "Heroes could do more with one Skill than you lot manage with ten! They didn''t just use Skills - they mastered them!¡± "The Age of Heroes?" Ted leaned forward, his earlier embarrassment forgotten. "I''ve never heard of it." "Ancient times!" Gromorlig''s voice dropped to a theatrical whisper. "Even in my day, it was mostly stories. Skill Efficiency - that was the real magic! Warriors who could split mountains with a single sword stroke, Mages who could call rain with a snap of their fingers, Hunters who could track prey across oceans!" ¡°That sounds unlikely even at Level 500,¡± Sir Tristan commented. ¡°Of course it does,¡± Gromorlig snorted, ¡°because Skill Efficiency is not a thing anymore! It wasn¡¯t the focus even during the Age of Gods. Mortals were obsessed with leveling to reach Godhood. That¡¯s all they did. And once they did, goodbye to focusing on your Skills now that you¡¯ve got Divinity. No, Skill Efficiency is a thing of old, so old that very few even know what it is about.¡± ¡°Come here, lads,¡± Gromorlig beckoned them and put a hand in his pouch, taking out his monocle. Why don¡¯t you look at your Skills with this? I¡¯ll see if I can fetch a few more later.¡± Monica was the first who did so. *Ding* You¡¯ve equipped Equisite Dwarven Lens Skill List Golden Flame - Lv. 42 SKILL EFFICIENCY: N/A Obsidian Flame - Lv. 39 SKILL EFFICIENCY: N/A Phoenix Feathers Lv. 23 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 3% The bonuses last while the Skill is active or until the rage-triggered secondary effect is activated. #1 Base Effect: Increases your resilience, physical strength, and physical speed by 100%. The effect increases by 10% for each Level. Current Bonus: 330% #2 Base Effect: Increases all of your Attributes by 1. The effect increases by 1 for each Level. Current Bonus: +23 to All Attributes #1 Special Effect - Fury of the Phoenix: You gain +30 to All Attributes for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The effect increases by 3 for each Level. Your Vitality is reduced by 30 for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The Vitality cost increases by 3 for each Level. If your Vitality is negative after Fury of the Phoenix runs off, you will die. Resurrecting after dying because of or during Fury of the Phoenix will result in all your Attributes and Skill potency being cut by 80% for the next 24 hours. Current Bonus: +99 to All Attributes, excluding Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Cost: 99 Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Current Number of Available Feathers: 2 Mana Sense Lv. 45 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 6% Develop the ability to perceive Mana in your surroundings. Phoenix Step Lv. 22 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 4% Channel the essence of the Twin Phoenix to move with supernatural grace and speed, leaving traces of flame in your wake. Each step can be enhanced with either the Golden or Obsidian Flame. #1 Base Effect: Instantly move up at 500% your top speed up to 10 yards in any direction, leaving a trail of your chosen flame. The speed increases by 10% for each Level. The distance increases by 1 yard for each Level. Current Range: 32 yards Current Max Speed: 720% #2 Base Effect: Can be used up to 3 times in quick succession before requiring a brief pause. Maximum uses increase by 1 every 5 Levels. Current Uses: 7 #1 Special Conditional Effect - Golden Trail: Use the Golden Flame to change direction up to one time while using the Skill. #2 Special Conditional Effect - Obsidian Trail: When using the Obsidian Flame, increase the damage of your next blow by 200%. The damage increases by 10% for each Level. Limitations: You can only apply one flame per usage. Cooldown: After using maximum successive steps, you must wait 100 seconds before using Phoenix Step again. Obsidian Impact Lv. 32 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 2% Channel the destructive power of the Obsidian Flame into explosive strikes. #1 Base Effect: Compress your Obsidian Flame into your strikes, causing them to explode on impact, dealing 500% damage. Damage increases by 20% for each Level. Current Damage: 1140% #2 Base Effect: Every third successful strike in an unbroken chain of hits has a 5% chance to create an amplified explosion that would double the damage from Obsidian Impact. Special Effect - Shatterpoint: If you strike the same spot three times within 5 seconds, the third hit deals 300% additional damage. Cost: Equivalent to Fireball Monica passed it to the others after briefly recording the numbers down. Golden Flame (Level 42): Skill Efficiency: N/A Obsidian Flame (Level 39): Skill Efficiency: N/A Phoenix Feathers (Level 23): Skill Efficiency: 3% Mana Sense (Level 45): Skill Efficiency: 6% Phoenix Step (Level 22): Skill Efficiency: 4% Obsidian Impact (Level 32): Skill Efficiency: 2% How could her Skills have such a low efficiency? Obsidian Impact was so strong she could now blow away the damn Corrupted Spider Constructs and tear them apart like nothing. What did it mean that it only had two-percent Skill Efficiency? As the others made the round looking at their Skills through the monocle Gromorlig had given them, the results were pretty much the same. No one had one Skill with more than 9% Skill Efficiency. ¡°You thought you were hot crap, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gromorlig asked the group, putting the monocle back in his pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone does.¡± ¡°So, why are you telling us this?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°Can we even do anything about it?¡± "Apparently, there used to be ways to train this, but it''s all lost now. These days?" He snorted. "People just pile on levels like rocks in a cart and hope it''s enough. More power, more levels, more Skills - but no understanding! No mastery!" He suddenly pointed at Monica, making her start. "Except you!" "Me?" "The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix!" He did a little dance on the spot. "The rules don''t apply to you! Well, they shouldn''t anyway." He squinted at her. "Though you''re doing a pretty poor job of it so far!" "Excuse me?" Monica was confused. ¡°I was a fan of your stories as a kid,¡± Gromorlig said. ¡°They all said you had the greatest mastery over your Skills. You¡¯re the legendary warrior who can reach one-hundred percent Skill Efficiency.¡± Everyone looked at Monica, who just returned a confused stare. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°If you did, maybe you wouldn¡¯t need the Spear of Dhoznil, lass,¡± Gromorlig said cryptically. They had explained the Dwarf that they needed to get inside the Temple of Dhoznil but even Gromorlig couldn¡¯t open the temple for them. Plus, he had seemed very nonplussed by their mission so far, taking a larger interest in their Skills than in them trying to kill Machina with a Divine Weapon. ¡°The tales I liked so much were just tales, weren¡¯t they?¡± Gromorlig said, looking at Monica with a serious stare. ¡°Anyway, I have a way for all of you to raise your Skill Efficiency to 10%. That¡¯s the first threshold. Unlike the System numbaoeuaoeuers, twenty-five, fifty, and one hundred, Skill Efficiency has a major impact every 10% increase. You¡¯ll need it before we go rattle that nest.¡± Chapter 48 "First things first," Gromorlig said, sitting cross-legged on the stone floor. "Everyone, sit down. Yes, you too, Sir Knight. Take off that clunky armor." Sir Tristan looked like he wanted to object, but after a moment he began removing his plate armor, piece by piece. "Now," Gromorlig continued once they were all seated in a circle, "close your eyes. We''re going to learn something that used to be fundamental to any warrior worth their salt - Meditation." "Meditation?" Heidi frowned."How is that going to help us fight spiders?" Meditation was a rather common Skill that briefly increased Mana Regeneration. Some Mages tried to master it, but it was common knowledge that the little bonus it offered, even after evolving at Level 100, was basically useless. "Patience, lass!" Gromorlig chuckled. ¡°Meditation is one of those Skills you can bring to 10% without meeting the usual bottleneck.¡± "What bottleneck?" Monica asked. "Skills have bottlenecks that make reaching a new stage much harder because a Skill with one hundred percent Skill Efficiency will not lose any Skill Efficiency once it evolves," Gromorlig explained. "Most can''t even go beyond the 10%-bottleneck; they get stuck an nine percent unless they know what to do.¡± ¡°And you know what to do?¡± Sir Tristan asked, still a bit skeptical. ¡°Do I?¡± Gromorlig replied, teasing the Knight. ¡°Look, Meditation is different. It''s simple. Basic. That''s why we''ll start with it." "I don''t even have that Skill," Heidi said. "None of us do," Ted added. "That''s because you never practiced it! How many idiots do you think are out there not focusing on these precious Skills just because they¡¯re seemingly useless until their Skill Efficiency goes up?" Gromorlig laughed. "Come on, close your eyes. Focus on your breathing." They did as instructed. Monica felt a bit silly sitting there with her eyes closed. "Now, feel your Mana," Gromorlig said. "Don''t try to use it. Just feel it moving through you." Monica concentrated. She could sense her Mana, especially with Mana Sense active. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, after a few minutes, she was the first one getting the Skill. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. *Ding* You have learned a new Skill - Meditation "I got it," Monica said, opening her eyes. Gromorlig handed her the monocle again. Skill List Meditation - Lv. 1 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 1% Basic meditation technique that allows you to regulate your Mana flow. #1 Base Effect: Increases Mana Regeneration by 5% while meditating. Current Bonus: 5% ¡°Alright, finally a sign you¡¯re actually an Avatar,¡± Gromorlig slapped Monica¡¯s shoulder and despite the fact that he was supposedly Attribute-less, she almost faceplanted. "Now comes the hard part," Gromorlig said, letting the others do their own practice. "You need to guide the Mana. Don''t force it. Just... nudge it. Like steering a boat down a river. Feel where it¡¯s supposed to go while it circulates. The better the feeling you get, the smoother it¡¯s going to go while you practice." Monica tried to direct her Mana. It was harder than it sounded. Every time she tried to push it, the flow got choppy. This time, Monica infused Mana Sense with the Golden Flame and Gromorlig weirdly rested a finger over her forehead as she practiced. Monica felt something change when she used the Golden Flame with Mana Sense. She could almost see her Mana now. The Golden Flame helped her track its movement. "That''s it!" Gromorlig said. "You''re getting it!" She stopped for after a few minutes, checking her notifications and borrowing the monocle again. *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Meditation reaches Level 2 Skill List Meditation - Lv. 1 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 2% The others were still struggling to get the basic Meditation Skill. Ted looked frustrated. His face was scrunched up in concentration. Heidi kept fidgeting. Sir Tristan sat perfectly still but his jaw was clenched tight. Monica went back to her own practice. The Mana felt different now. Instead of fighting her, it seemed to respond to gentle nudges. Time seemed to flow differently as Monica focused on guiding her Mana. The gentle nudges became more natural, like steering a boat with subtle shifts of the rudder. But as the hours passed, weariness began to creep in. Her shoulders ached from sitting still, and maintaining focus became harder. She pushed through the fatigue, determined to master this fundamental skill. The Mana still responded, but her mind started to drift to her children and Machina, giving her sharp spikes of anxiety. Still, she persisted. Even as her legs went numb and her back protested, she kept guiding the Mana flow. The Golden Flame''s enhancement of her Mana Sense flickered as exhaustion took its toll, but she fought to maintain it. When Gromorlig cleared his throat, Monica opened her eyes with effort. The sudden return to awareness made her head spin slightly. "You need to rest, lass." Monica looked around, surprised to find the courtyard empty except for Gromorlig. "You''ve been like this for ten hours," the Dwarf said with respect in his voice. *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Meditation¡¯s Efficiency has reached a threshold! *Ding* You¡¯ve uncovered Meditation¡¯s Hidden Effect - Flow! Chapter 49 "Where did everyone go?" she asked Gromorlig. "They got tired after a few hours. The knight stuck around longest but even he gave up eventually." Gromorlig scratched his beard. "You''re the only one who even got the Skill." Monica checked her Skill with the monocle again. Skill List Meditation - Lv. 12 Rank: Iron -> Bronze SKILL EFFICIENCY: 10% Basic meditation technique that allows you to regulate your Mana flow. #1 Base Effect: Increases Mana Regeneration by 5% while meditating. The bonus increases by 1% per Level. Current Bonus: 17% #1 Hidden Effect - Flow: You can now use Meditation while using your other Skills. The description had a new entry, ¡®Rank.¡¯ ¡°Bronze Rank?¡± She asked Gromorlig. ¡°So you reached 10%,¡± the Dwarf shook his head. ¡°Once you do, that¡¯s what you get. You can¡¯t see the Skill Efficiency without an artifact, but you can see the Skill¡¯s Rank if it¡¯s above ten percent.¡± "So this helps all my other Skills with their Skill Efficiency?" Monica asked. "Yep. Not much, but it''s a start." Gromorlig stood up. "Most people give up before they get this far. They think meditation is boring or useless." Monica stretched her stiff muscles. Her stomach growled loudly. "I need food," she said. "Yeah, you do. But first, try using your Phoenix Step while you have Meditation on." Monica stood up shakily and tried to use Phoenix Step while keeping her Meditation active. Right away, she felt both Skills slip away from her. "Try again," Gromorlig said. "Focus on keeping the Mana flow steady first." Monica took a deep breath and started over. She got Meditation going, feeling the smooth flow of Mana. Then she tried to use Phoenix Step. The moment she did, her Meditation broke. "This is harder than I thought," Monica said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Keep trying. You need to learn how your Skills work their Mana around your body. The System imparts Skills, but no one spends time making sure they work correctly. Relying only on the System is like sanding a sword with a hammer." After a few more attempts, Monica managed to hold Meditation for a split second while activating Phoenix Step. What she felt shocked her. The Mana flow for Phoenix Step was completely messy - spraying everywhere instead of flowing in a steady stream. "I see you noticed," Gromorlig said. "Below 10%, your Skills are wasting most of their Mana. That''s why the Skill Efficiency is so low." "So, they consume more Mana than they should?¡± ¡°And they are not nearly as strong as they were intended to be,¡± Gromorlig added. ¡°How do I fix it?" Monica asked. "Now that you have Meditation at Bronze Rank, lass, you can start working on your other Skills," Gromorlig explained. "Do the same thing - feel how the Mana moves and guide it better. It''ll take time, but you can get them to 10% too." "And after that?" Monica asked. "How do we get past 10%?" Gromorlig shrugged. "Don''t know, lass. This is all I learned about the Age of Heroes. The rest of the techniques are probably lost or hidden away somewhere." "So that''s it? We''re stuck at 10%?" "Hey, 10% is better than what most people have these days," Gromorlig said. "Plus, you''re the Avatar. Maybe you''ll figure out how to go further. Most people don''t have the patience. But yeah, they need it if we''re going to take on that spider nest." "Speaking of the nest," Monica said, "how long do we have?" "Those spiders won''t wait forever," Gromorlig replied. "But a few days of training will help more than rushing in unprepared." Monica nodded. DottyShe was hungry and exhausted as she stumbled toward the entrance of the barracks. * * * Dotty stared at her Skill selection screen. She had a choice to make but she wasn¡¯t sure what to go for. Maybe Monica was right, maybe she did have to pick Shadow Step. Gromorlig had told Dotty that he wasn¡¯t able to help¡ªthat she had to figure it out on her own since the choice was evident enough.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. But then, why was Dotty so conflicted about it? Shadow Step sounded like it would increase her chances of surviving their excursion in Viscera, but it also sounded nothing like Void Slash, which positively sounded like the strongest Skill Dotty had ever heard of. She suspected it would be a complementary Skill to Magic Rend, something to one-shot a monster, even if higher leveled. Dotty heard knocking at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Monica opened the door, startling Dotty. She had thought it would have been someone else. Monica sat down on the dusty bed with Dotty. ¡°Can we talk?¡± The redhead asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Dotty shrugged, not looking up grom the scabbard of her sword laying on her knees. Monica took a few beats before she felt comfortable enough to speak her mind. ¡°I lost my children,¡± Monica started. Dotty knew that. ¡°I lost my children and now I¡¯m terrified of losing you. I¡¯m not your mother, Dotty. I¡¯m not Madeline. I know you¡¯re not my daughter. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of chance that I was summoned in the temple and saved you and your brother there. I had two children exactly your age, one daughter and one little boy. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure out the System¡ªor maybe someone else¡ªis sending a message.¡± Only now Dotty realized that, indeed, it felt like too much of a coincidence. ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to think about this. The more I do, the more I have this rat made of fear that burrows in my chest every time I think about the possibility of you dying in here. Sometimes, at night, I wake up in a panic, wondering if someone is going after your mother and Ronnie.¡± ¡°Why would they?¡± Dotty frowned. ¡°No reason. I just worry.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Dotty frowned. ¡°Because,¡± Monica laughed. ¡°I worry because I don¡¯t have children anymore. I don¡¯t even know what happened to them. I just know that¡­ they¡¯re not with me. That¡¯s why I look at you, or I think of your brother, and I¡¯m terrified of what might happen.¡± ¡°Terrified?¡± Dotty asked, surprised that the Monica, the fearless Avatar of the Twin Phoenix could experience such feelings. ¡°Absolutely terrified. I can die a thousand times over and come back without a problem, without feeling one single ounce of fear. I could be tortured for a hundred years, Dotty, and I would prefer it to the dreams I have, to what I wake up at night thinking of. There are monsters in my head that would make Machina¡¯s creations blush in embarrassment. And I can¡¯t kill them. I can¡¯t burn them, I can¡¯t do nothing. I¡¯m powerless.¡± Dotty¡¯s own heart started racing at what Monica was telling her. She suddenly felt at least a part of the terrifying fear that the redhead had apparently lived with since Dotty had come to Viscera. ¡°Monica, I¡ª¡° Dotty didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I am sorry I came.¡± ¡°No,¡± Monica shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s the wrong conclusion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be sorry you came here, Dotty. WHen I saw my daughter in my most recent vision, I realized something¡ªI protected her too much. Let me ask, how would you deal with this terrifying sense that everything could come crashing down once again, that your children could be taken from you again at any point?¡± ¡°I would try my best to protect them, to shield them from¡ª¡° ¡°That¡¯s what I did the last time,¡± Monica said. ¡°I sheltered them and their growth was impaired. I couldn¡¯t let them take too many risks, especially when they weren¡¯t under my supervision. So, if I did that again, I would just suffocate them.¡± ¡°But then, what about the fear?¡± ¡°The only choice I have is to live with it. It¡¯s there. I can¡¯t fight it. I fought with it in one life and we can see the results. Now, I can either embrace it or condemn you to make suboptimal choices for your life because I¡¯m scared out of my mind for your safety.¡± ¡°Wait, so¡ª¡° ¡°Take Void Slash,¡± Monica said. ¡°Don¡¯t take Shadow Step.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Hunter, not a Thief,¡± Monica shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious. If you need to run, you¡¯re already dead. If it was a hiding Skill, I could have had my doubts between that and Void Slash. But a movement Skill? You don¡¯t need that right now. We¡¯re in a group and, again, if you needed to run, it means we¡¯re all dead and you¡¯re about to die shortly after. If you were trying to become fully independent, I could see choosing the suboptimal option in order to try and survive longer¡ªsay, in a forest alone where you might actually need to outrun your enemies. But the spiders are already slower than you and any speed-focused monster would catch up with you anyway, Skill or not.¡± Hearing Monica¡¯s explanation, Dotty¡¯s eyes lit up. "The daughter I had before all this." Monica stared at her hands, remembering. "I tried so hard to protect her that I think I made her weak. I was so focused on keeping her safe that I never let her learn to be strong. I can¡¯t do the same for you." "So, that why you''ve been so protective." Monica nodded. "I see myself making the same mistakes and only after hearing Gromorlig tell me off, I finally put it together.¡± "But everyone said mobility would keep me alive-" "Shadow Step is for sneaking around. For hiding, as I¡¯ve already said." Monica looked Dotty in the eyes. "That''s not you. You''re a Hunter - you''re meant to strike hard when it matters. By the time they see you coming, it should be too late." "You really think so?" "I do. You don''t need to hide. You need to be unstoppable." Monica smiled. "The traps Gromorlig mentioned? They''re tools, not crutches. You''ll use them to control the battlefield, not to run away from it." Dotty sat quietly for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. I trust you." She accepted the Skill. Void Slash Lv. 1 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 1% Channel Antimagic into Void Energy to deliver devastating slashes that pierce through any defense. #1 Base Effect: Strike with concentrated void energy, dealing 2900% weapon damage. Damage increases by 25% per Level. Current Damage: 2925% #2 Base Effect: Attacks ignore 50% of target''s physical and magical defenses. #1 Special Effect - Void Resonance: If used within 3 seconds after activating Magic Rend, Void Slash adds 500% further damage to the Base Effect. Limitations: Can only be used with slashing weapons. Cooldown: 2 hours Immediately after, unbeknown to Dotty, two notifications popped up in Monica''s head. *Ding* Memory Fragment Unlocked *Ding* Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Memories of the Flame III/???¡¯ Uncover a fragment of your past. Reward: ??? *Ding* Memory Fragment has been momentarily paused by The Twin Phoenix *Ding* You have been summoned by the Twin Phoenix The world started spinning. Monica felt herself falling sideways, Dotty''s worried voice fading into the distance. The last thing Monica heard before losing consciousness was Dotty calling for help, and footsteps rushing toward them on the stone steps. But she was already gone. Everything went dark, and she found herself floating in a vast void. In the darkness ahead, two massive birds made of fire - one gold, one black - waited for her. The phoenixes towered before her, their wings spanning what seemed like miles. ¡°You¡¯ve earned an audience, Monica Monroe,¡± they spoke in unison. ¡°You are finally showing yourself worthy of our blessing.¡± Chapter 50 Monica had no idea how she had ended up here, in this space. She only remembered passing out and then, after a moment, meeting the Titan behind her powers, the Twin Phoenix. She floated in the endless dark space. The two massive birds towered over her, their flames lighting up the void. Each was bigger than anything she had ever seen. Asking who these two phoenixes were felt redundant. Therefore, Monica chose to ask another question to start the conversation. ¡°Why am I here?¡± Finally the two birds stirred and craned their necks to look at her. ¡°You have received our powers to fight the parasites,¡± the two voices said, speaking in synch with an unsettling echo following their words. ¡°We were disappointed in your behavior, Monica Monroe, but you finally showed us a sign that things are not as they once were.¡± First of all, Monica felt it was somehow strange to hear a divine creature call her by name. Second, she had a hunch of what they were talking about. ¡°You¡¯re talking about my daughter and Dotty.¡± "Yes." The golden head nodded. "Is that why you appeared now?" Monica asked. The black head moved closer. "We took your memories, Monica Monroe, because of what you did.¡± "You took my memories?" Monica''s voice trembled with anger and disbelief. The flames of both phoenixes flickered in response to her emotion. "We did," the obsidian phoenix spoke alone this time, its voice deeper and more resonant than when they spoke in unison. The two massive birds exchanged a look that seemed to carry centuries of meaning. ¡°Wait, what did I do? Did I hurt my children?¡± ¡°No,¡± the two Phoenixes spoke in unison once again. ¡°You had nothing to do with your children¡¯s demise. You did everything you could in order to protect them.¡± Monica sighed in relief. For a moment, she had feared she might have had a hand in the death of her children. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°What did I do, then?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know,¡± the Twin Phoenix spoke. ¡°That life, that very universe is gone.¡± ¡°But Machina said she can bring my children back.¡± ¡°She very well might,¡± the Twin Phoenix responded. ¡°But you are living a second chance and we¡¯re not here to discuss your past. And now, after seeing to your improvement, we¡¯re here to offer you the real power of the Twin Phoenix.¡± Monica was eager to ask more about her past life but it seemed like the Twin Phoenix was moving on. ¡°Ok,¡± Monica said. ¡°But, what¡¯s the power? I am already immortal and I have the Obsidian and the Golden Flames. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°How laughable,¡± the two Phoenixes roared in laughter. ¡°That you might believe that that would have sufficed to make you the most dangerous warrior and our Champion.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Then, what?¡± ¡°You have just now come in contact with the higher plane of fighting¡ªwhat they call Skill Efficiency on this world. A better definition, however, is Skill Mastery.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Skill Mastery is hard to achieve because to expose the flaws in a Skill, one has to be looking for them under the right circumstances. Normal people struggle an entire lifetime to reach the complete mastery of their strongest Skills. They can barely reach the ten percent mark, like that Dwarf just showed you. Even in your time, only a small select few reached above eighty. And those who managed to reach one-hundred¡­¡± After a short beat, the two Phoenixes dropped a bombshell. ¡°Those were called Old Gods and Titans.¡± Monica¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait, so Old Gods were mortals?¡± ¡°We all were at some point. Old Gods, the parasites, earned their Skill Mastery through absorbing souls and their Skills, through depredating and stealing, through murder and lies. There are wicked practices they used to reach the peak of the Skill Mastery that made them what they are. Titans, instead, are those who practiced a Skill to its peak without taking shortcuts.¡± ¡°Wait, but why do Old Gods have followers and Titans only have an Avatar?¡± Monica frowned. ¡°When an Old God gathers followers, they take more than they give. They need power to sustain their imperfect form. They cannot live otherwise. Henceforth, why we call them parasites. They get their strength from others, from external factors. They¡¯re thieves whose only directive is to keep stealing.¡± ¡°And Titans?¡± ¡°Titans cannot split their power once they ascend beyond their physical form. They can only bestow it onto one Avatar, who represents their reincarnation. However, unlike the Old Gods, Titans are eternal crystallizations of the Skill they mastered.¡± The Twin Phoenix smirked. ¡°In our case,¡± the two Phoenixes said, ¡°two Skills.¡± ¡°The Obsidian and the Golden Flame,¡± Monica muttered. ¡°Indeed,¡± the Twin Phoenix replied. ¡°We are the only Titan to ever master Two Skills. And that is only thanks to mastering the Golden Flame first.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve said that the majority of people to ever live, regardless of their race, will never even scratch the surface of Skill Mastery, Monica Monroe. That is because they need the right circumstances to unveil the problems with a Skill and then what is commonly called an Inspiration to unlock the next Rank. Do you know what the right circumstances are?¡± Monica shook her head. ¡°The right circumstances are only fights to the death, Monica Monroe.¡± The redhead¡¯s jaw went slack and immediately understood what the Twin Phoenix was getting at. ¡°When you reached the maximum Skill Efficiency for the Golden Flame, you became immortal.¡± ¡°All Titans are immortal¡ªwell, permanent is a better description. But, like the parasites, we live in a liminal space where we can only bestow our powers onto one Avatar who receives our strongest Skill, or Skills in our case, and acts as our ambassador and champion. But once we reached the peak of the Golden Flame, we delayed our ascendance, defying the System. After, we used its incredible power to cheat death and we mastered the Obsidian Flame just moments before the System forced us to ascend¡ªthose who master Skills cannot be allowed to stay among mortals anymore; it would be too dangerous to them.¡± ¡°Do you understand what that means, Monica Monroe?¡± ¡°That I, your Avatar, can employ the same strategy,¡± Monica said. ¡°But how are life and death fights going to make me improve?¡± ¡°First of all,¡± the Twin Phoenix said, ¡°they¡¯d improve just about anyone. When someone fights with their life on the line, their soul changes and gets projected outward. Because of that, they can now get closer access to their Skills and are able to perceive the problems in Skill Efficiency, or Mastery, whatever you want to call it, much more closely. Everything suddenly starts making much more sense. But the battles have to be truly life-threatening for your Soul to emerge. The closer to death, the more your Soul will try and give you as much power and knowledge as it can to avoid dying. Your Soul, despite you being able to come back from death, is no different.¡± Saying that this was a massive discovery and a terrifying advantage would have been an understatement. ¡°You are supposed to be the greatest warrior, Monica Monroe. You wield the power of the only Titan who ever mastered not one, but two Skills. Now, you know the true extent of your power. Do not let us down.¡± Monica felt the space starting to recede and her consciousness blanking again. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said gravely. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°You better not.¡± Chapter 51 Monica had left the others almost immediately, telling them she needed time to herself. She hadn¡¯t even listened to Gromorlig saying she shouldn¡¯t go alone since she couldn¡¯t track down the monsters. However, she had a much better plan than just tracking them down. Just the kind of plan that someone who could afford endless deaths could pull off. She stationed herself on a roof rather close to the nest and started using Mana Sense and Meditation together, looking for any movement of a Corrupted Tarantula. She knew normal spiders would not help her improve. She needed a stronger foe. She needed the Corrupted Tarantula. It had nearly killed them all in their previous engagement, and might have if it had not been for Sir Tristan, but now she wanted to face it alone. She wanted to push herself to the limit. She wanted to evolve her Skills faster by forcing her soul to fight at its peak. Viscera was quiet for now, with barely any sound getting to her ears. She breathed slowly and cleared her mind. She focused on Meditation. She tried to guide her Mana so that it flowed more smoothly. First, though, she checked the streets below. Nothing. She had to draw the Corrupted Tarantula out. She picked up a loose rock from the roof and threw it with all her Strength toward an old stone statue near the nest. The sound of the impact was loud. She crouched down and waited. Soon, she heard movement. A spider emerged from a collapsed archway. It was large and silvery. Nice, Monica thought to herself. It scanned the area, searching for prey. Monica prepared herself and smiled grimly. This was what she needed. She jumped down from the roof while she kept Meditation active. She felt her Mana in her chest and arms, but it slipped away the moment she tried to move. The Tarantula hissed at her, its legs scraping the stone ground. She stepped forward, trying to keep her focus on Mana Sense and Meditation. It charged at her with surprising speed. She dodged the first strike, but felt her Meditation break. She cursed. She had to balance fighting and keeping her Mana flow steady. She tried again. The Tarantula spat a thin wire that cut through the air. Monica tried Phoenix Step to dodge. She felt the Mana surge, but now that her attention was inward, focused on the Skill, she noticed how rough and wasteful the movement had been. I am the damn Avatar, she thought, angry. She would pry her children away from the Old God¡¯s magic, no matter what. She would burn through them, extinguish their parasitic life once and for all. Monica might not have been confident about many things, but fighting? This was what she was made for. She might have not have been a great mother, a great friend, and perhaps not even a great woman at all, but she could fight. She dodged the wire with a minimal movement and let it slice the stone behind her. She clenched her teeth. She felt pain in her shoulder. She looked down. A small scratch and another dent in her Nightshade Battle Wear, nothing serious, but enough to make her even more mad. She needed to let the Corrupted Tarantula wound her more, though. She needed true danger to push her mind. She lowered her guard slightly, allowing one of its metal-enhanced legs to slash at her thigh. Pain shot up her leg. Blood dripped on the stone. She bit her lip. She felt anger rising, but forced it down. She had to remain calm. She tried Meditation once more. She tried to hold that state even as she prepared Obsidian Impact.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The Tarantula lunged again. She raised her bracer. Her elbow under the impact of the metal leg on the golden bracer, which had made her entire arm ring like a bell. She tried to channel Obsidian Impact. The Mana flow was messy. She struck the Tarantula''s body with a flaming fist. The blow landed, but not cleanly. The Tarantula stumbled back, but then shot another wire. This one caught her side and pierced through the shadowy substance of the Nightshade Battle Wear as if it had been paper. She screamed as it tore through flesh. She staggered, nearly falling. Good. She needed to push closer to death. Before her vision could blur from the loss of blood, she flashed the Golden Flame around her body to heal the worst of the damage, then, she activated Meditation again. This time, she felt a slight improvement. She sensed a small part of her Mana moving as she intended. She tried Phoenix Step while holding that feeling, but she failed. Right when it had felt like the flow of Mana from her abdomen to her legs was making her move smoothly across the paved stone, the Mana had slipped away. She coughed and felt warm blood on her lips, especially after tanking another hit from the Corrupted Tarantula. She was badly hurt now. Perfect. She would just resurrect if she died. The Tarantula charged at her, trying to finish her off. She dodged to the side and tried Obsidian Impact again. She guided the Mana more carefully this time. She visualized the flow as she had during Meditation. She caught a small detail¡ªjust before releasing the Impact, the Mana spun out of control. She tried to adjust, but it was too late. The blow landed weakly. The Tarantula retaliated by stabbing a leg into her shoulder. Monica screamed and dropped to one knee, near death. She tried one final time to hold Meditation. For a brief moment, she caught a glimpse of how her Mana should flow through her arms for Obsidian Impact. She saw a possible solution. She would need several more tries to apply this lesson, though. She tried Phoenix Step, but she was too weak. The Tarantula''s next attack struck her chest. She gasped. Her strength faded and she could not stand anymore. The Tarantula loomed over her. She let out a shaky breath. She had learned something today. She had noticed one small improvement in how she managed her Mana. Next time, she would try again. She would die as many times as needed until she reached the next threshold of Skill Mastery in all of her Skills. All of them. Then, darkness enveloped her mind. * * * Ted sat against a wall in the barracks, bored out of his mind. Monica had left and the others were either sleeping already after using Meditation for so long or eating something or, in Monica¡¯s case, they had just left to hunt alone. Ted felt neither hungry nor tired, which was why he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees. If he focused a lot, he could feel his Mana moving through his body. It was something his father had taught him. It wasn¡¯t exactly Mana Sense, but it was enough as a grounding exercise in case Ted had ever needed to deal with Mana. The flow was very much uneven even as he tried to guide it like Gromorlig had taught them. The Mana responded in a lethargic mannery to his attempts. Hours passed like this, with Ted bored and just meditating to pass the time. He didn¡¯t really feel tired from Meditating, if he had to be honest. He didn¡¯t understand why the others had complained so much. In fact, Ted barely moved despite his back hurting and his numb legs. He was engrossed in the feeling of Mana circulating through his veins, in the slight pricklish sensation it created when he managed to ever so slightly steer it toward where he wanted it. He just kept focusing on the Mana as if it was the only thing that mattered in the entire world. He noticed small changes in how it flowed hour from hour. Sometimes it would move smoothly for a few seconds before becoming choppy again. In other places, it rapidly accelerated for a brief time and then resumed its normal speed. Ted felt almost drunk while he kept watching and watching it, getting a small reward from his brain every time one of his attempts was successful. He lost track of time. His mind drifted to his mandolin but he pushed the thought away. He had to focus only on the Mana. Gradually, the flow became steadier. He could maintain it for longer periods. More time passed. Ted''s concentration deepened. The Mana began following his guidance more naturally. He felt something shift inside him. The flow suddenly became crystal clear. A notification appeared. *Ding* Utility Skill - Meditation has reached Level 10 Ted checked on his Skill List. Skill List Meditation - Lv. 10 Rank: Iron -> Bronze ¡°Huh,¡± he told himself. ¡°That was actually easier than I thought.¡± Only when a few seconds later Heidi knocked on his door, he changed his mind. ¡°Ted? Are you awake? It¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± Chapter 52 Ted stood up. He brushed the dust off his clothes. He had not realized he had been sitting for so long. He opened the door and looked at Heidi. She stood in the hallway, looking tired and hungry. After a moment, he followed her to the dining area. They entered the dining hall. Sir Tristan and Dotty were already seated. Ted saw Gromorlig sitting on a low stool. The dwarf tapped his foot on the ground. Dotty looked at the table. There were some dried meats and old bread. Heidi took a seat next to Dotty. Ted sat across from Sir Tristan. He picked up a piece of bread. "Is Monica still out?" Heidi asked. "I think so," Sir Tristan said. "She said she needed time alone." "Did she say where she was going?" Ted asked. Sir Tristan shook his head. "No. I thought she would return by now." "She might be still training," Dotty said. "She had that look in her eyes." Gromorlig grunted. "Training alone is a dangerous thing, lass. The spiders are strong. She can do it because she can¡¯t die. Please, none of you should follow in her steps." Ted ate in silence. He remembered what Gromorlig had said about Skill Efficiency. Even though he didn¡¯t know exactly what happened, he was sure that Monica wanted to improve. Maybe she was trying to push her Skills further. For some reason, despite the redhead¡¯s immortality, he did not like the idea of her taking such risks alone. Heidi broke the silence. "We all tried that Meditation. Ted, did you manage to learn the Skill?" Ted nodded, feeling a bit shy. "Yes, I did. I also reached Bronze Rank." Heidi looked at him with surprise. "Really?¡± ¡°You got the Skill and you also brought it to Bronze Rank?¡± Sir Tristan asked, surprised. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ted shrugged. ¡°I stayed up all night¡ªI couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± "I think so," Ted said. "I also don¡¯t feel that tired even though I didn¡¯t sleep. Is that normal?."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Gromorlig seemed pleased. "Lad, you surprise me. That is some real progress. Meditation at Bronze Rank is a hell of a good start. Not like these slackers." The Dwarf turned toward Sir Tristan and grinned at him. ¡°You hear me, Sir Knight? The little Bard is progressing faster than you. Maybe it¡¯s time you pick up the slack.¡± Sir Tristan narrowed his eyes at the Dwarf but simply got up and left for the courtyard, intent on practicing Meditation. Heidi soon followed suit and only Ted, Dotty, and Gromorlig remained at the table. ¡°Lad, I have a some advice for you. Why don¡¯t we go and practice some before I explain to the lassie here what traps she¡¯ll need to activate.¡± ¡°Is that good?¡± Ted asked Dotty. ¡°Yeah,¡± Dotty nodded. ¡°Gromorlig said I need to get Meditation up to speed before that anyway. Apparently it helps with the Mana connection to the traps.¡± So, Ted and Gromorlig left, leaving Dotty alone at the table. ¡°I wonder what Monica¡¯s doing,¡± she suddenly said to herself. * * * Monica faced the Corrupted Tarantula again. She had died seven times already. Her body felt heavy from the resurrections. Each death taught her something new about her Skills. The spider shot a wire at her head. She tried Phoenix Step while maintaining Meditation. The Mana flowed much smoother than before. She moved to the side by infusing the Golden Flame into Phoenix Step. The wire missed by a whole foot this time. She kept Meditation active and channeled Mana Sense¡ªnow, she could see the Corrupted Taruntula chitin much clearly, even from afar. Most importantly, she could also perceive a faint sense of where the metal was weaker. She noticed weak points in its metal shell because the Mana felt thinner there. The Tarantula charged. Monica attempted Obsidian Impact. The Mana surged through her arm. She guided it carefully like she had learned through her deaths. Her fist connected with the spider''s leg, making her whole body ring, but also finally shattering the silvery metal plating and delivering the first real damage to the monster. She was making progress. Her previous deaths had shown her how to better control the Mana flow. The spider recovered and spun more wires. Monica dodged two but the third caught her shoulder. She gritted her teeth through the pain as her arm was fully severed from her body. She needed to push harder. She let the spider wound her again. Blood spurted all over. Her vision blurred, but her Soul emerged stronger as she neared death. She saw the Mana paths more clearly now. Right as the Corrupted Tarantula got closer to deliver a killing blow, Monica used Mana Sense and Obsidian Impact in quick succession, first to dodge and then to punch at the arachnid¡¯s body. Her fist punched and created an explosion that went straight through the spider''s metal hide. The monster screamed and staggered back. Monica had felt the Skill move through her body, through her whole positioning, almost perfectly. She could feel it so tantalizing it close to where she wanted it to be. One more hit and I¡¯ll go up in rank, she thought, despite having only one arm left. She dashed forward. She chained Phoenix Step into another Obsidian Impact. The Mana flowed from one Skill to the next. The spider couldn''t track her increased speed. She almost landed a solid hit before a wire pierced her chest. She coughed blood but stayed focused on her Mana control. She had almost mastered the proper flow for Obsidian Impact. Just a bit more¡­ The spider''s leg crushed her ribcage. As darkness took her, she glimpsed the final adjustment needed for Obsidian Impact. One more and I¡¯ll destroy this monster. Chapter 53 Monica crouched behind a piece of rubble, watching the Corrupted Tarantula resting. Its legs were warped in several points and one of them was outright missing. It was heavily injured by their previous fights but it knew Monica was about to come back like it had already and was waiting for her. Clearly, the intelligence of the construct wasn¡¯t that high or it would have either fled back to the nest or made sure Monica couldn¡¯t get back up again by drowning her in rubble or trying to bind her up with its metal wires. Instead, it stupidly chose to face her once again in an unending deathmatch. Monica closed her eyes and activated Meditation and Mana Sense together, finally feeling a subtle harmony between them. Her Mana now flowed much more smoothly than it had before and she could feel each slight change in movement from the Corrupted Tarantula in the vibrations of the cobblestone that traveled from the monster up to her. Monica opened her eyes and picked up a small rock from the ground near her feet. She weighed it for a moment, then tossed it gently toward a nearby chunk of debris. The rock struck true, producing a sharp, clean sound. The Tarantula stirred, drawn out of its half-sleep by the unexpected noise. This was enough to pull the spider back into action. As soon as the Tarantula awakened, it aimed its abdomen at Monica and fired its razor-sharp wire. She noticed the flash of metal and easily sidestepped the deadly attack. The spider¡¯s sudden burst revealed that it still held plenty of fight. Or enough to make this interesting, Monica thought. She was so tantalizingly close to ranking up her Skills that she honestly wished the Corrupted Tarantula had regained some of its health before the fight. As the Twin Phoenix had said, it was only in life-and-death fights that her Soul would uncover the problems in her Skills. The Soul was the real receptacle of the System¡¯s power and it needed near-death danger to emerge. Without it, Monica had no way of leveling up her Skills. Which was why she dashed closer to the Corrupted Tarantula. Monica charged in close to the Corrupted Tarantula, deliberately entering the range of its deadly legs. She could have fought from afar, but that would not have pushed her to the brink where she needed to be. The spider responded with a desperate flurry of strikes from its remaining legs, forcing Monica to time her dodges perfectly while keeping Meditation active. The Tarantula shot more wires. Monica channeled Mana through Phoenix Step. The flow was almost perfect now. She moved like water between the deadly strands. She felt her Soul emerging as the danger increased. A wire caught her leg. She didn''t try to pull free. Instead, she let the spider draw her closer as blood ran down her calf. "Come on," she muttered. The spider pulled her within range of its legs. Monica activated Obsidian Impact. The spider stabbed at her with three legs at once. She blocked one with her bracer. She let another pierce her shoulder. She dodged the third. As usual, her vision started to blur from blood loss. She saw the flaws in her Skills with perfect clarity. She understood what she needed to do. She gathered her Mana for one final strike. The spider raised its legs for a killing blow. Monica channeled Obsidian Impact one more time. She controlled the Mana flow exactly as she had learned through her deaths. Her fist shot forward. The impact shattered the spider''s metal hide. The explosion tore through its body. The monster stumbled backward and crumpled to the ground, dead. A notification appeared in her mind. A grin appeared on Monica¡¯s face before turning into a frown. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Tarantula - Level 110] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 32 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 33 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) reaches Level 34 +5 VIT, +5 END, +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 WIS, +5 SPI, +5 INT, +5 CHA and 6 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 43 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 44 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 45 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 46If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 47 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame reaches Level 48 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame reaches Level 40 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 24 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers reaches Level 25 *Ding* Phoenix Feathers¡¯s Skill Description has been updated! Phoenix Feathers Lv. 25 The bonuses last while the Skill is active or until the rage-triggered secondary effect is activated. #1 Base Effect: Increases your resilience, physical strength, and physical speed by 100%. The effect increases by 10% for each Level. Current Bonus: 350% #2 Base Effect: Increases all of your Attributes by 1. The effect increases by 1 for each Level. Current Bonus: +25 to All Attributes #1 Special Effect - Fury of the Phoenix: You gain +30 to All Attributes for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The effect increases by 3 for each Level. Your Vitality is reduced by 30 for each Phoenix Feather you burn. The Vitality cost increases by 3 for each Level. If your Vitality is negative after Fury of the Phoenix runs off, you will die. Resurrecting after dying because of or during Fury of the Phoenix will result in all your Attributes and Skill potency being cut by 80% for the next 24 hours. Current Bonus: +105 to All Attributes, excluding Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Cost: 105 Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather Current Number of Available Feathers: 3 Monica had just gotten access to the third Phoenix Feather. *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 46 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 47 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 48 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 49 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense reaches Level 50 *Ding* Mana Sense¡¯s Skill Description has been updated! Mana Sense Lv. 50 Develop the ability to perceive Mana and its echoes in your surroundings. Monica had to squint and stare at the updated description for nearly a minute before realizing the only thing that had changed was that now the Skill didn¡¯t say ¡®to perceive Mana¡¯ alone, but ¡®to perceive Mana and its echoes,¡¯ which of course Monica had no idea what it stood for. *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 23 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step reaches Level 24 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 23 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 24 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact reaches Level 25 *Ding* Utility Skill - Meditation¡­ Utility Skill - Meditation¡­ reaches Level 25 Meditation had gained thirteen levels¡ªso many Monica skipped all the notification before she checked and double-checked to make sure she wasn¡¯t seeing things. How was it possible that she couldn¡¯t the Rank up in Obsidian Impact? She had distinctly felt the Skill become way more polished. But then, where was the notification? Where was it? She briefly checked her Skill List but there was nothing on there. Then, a sudden realization hit her: she hadn¡¯t done enough. This last fight with the Corrupted Tarantula had been too easy compared to the previous ones. The monster had already been injured and she hadn¡¯t fully felt the same sensations she had during the previous engagements. ¡°But I am sure I could feel it, I saw it before,¡± Monica muttered to herself. The last time she had died she had clearly seen what she had needed to do to reach the ten percent mark in the Skill, but then why hadn¡¯t the application of that been enough? Not knowing what else to do, she briefly checked her Akashic Record. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 23 -> 34 2nd Class: None Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 301 Endurance - 170 Strength - 173 Dexterity - 214 Wisdom - 170 Spirit - 170 Intelligence - 170 Charisma - 170 Free Attributes: 66 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 48 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 40 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 25 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 50 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 24 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 25 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 25 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Monica looked at her Vitality and then looked at the cost of Phoenix Feathers again. Cost: 105 Vitality for each burnt Phoenix Feather ¡°That¡¯s three-hudred fifteen Vitality,¡± she sighed, looking back at her current Vitality. Vitality - 301 Free Attributes: 66 She dumped fifteen points into it, bringing it to three hundred sixteen. The problem, as Ted had anticipated, was that now for every level of Phoenix Feathers, Monica would need to put four Free Attributes on top of the five she was already getting from her Class level ups in order to keep up with the cost of Phoenix Feathers. And that was only if she kept leveling at the same speed the Skill did, which wasn¡¯t necessarily a wrong assumption, but it made it dangerous not to keep some extra Vitality on hand just in case. Free Attributes: 41 Monica used fourteen Free Attributes, leaving twenty-seven to Vitality, which would allow her to bridge the gap in case she leveled up Phoenix Feathers more than her Class. Of the fourteen, twelve went to Dexterity and two to Strength. Attributes: Vitality - 328 Endurance - 170 Strength - 175 Dexterity - 226 Wisdom - 170 Spirit - 170 Intelligence - 170 Charisma - 170 Monica turned toward the direction of the barracks, then toward the nest. I still have time, she told herself and cracked her neck, walking once again toward the nest. * * * Ted sat cross-legged in the courtyard. Dotty stood nearby with her sword drawn. Gromorlig paced between them. "The song needs to match the fight," Gromorlig said. "Your Phoenix Song is good but you need more than one Skill." Ted held his mandolin. He didn''t understand what Gromorlig meant. The Phoenix Song had helped them in many fights before. "Lass, show him your basic forms," Gromorlig told Dotty. Dotty began slashing the air and stepping forward in rather simple movements. Ted played the Phoenix Song as she practiced. "No, no, lad," Gromorlig shook his head and exhaled. "You''re not watching her. You''re just playing the same notes." Ted stopped playing. "I don''t get it." "Don¡¯t play what she''s doing, feel the rhythm of what you think should happen." Gromorlig tapped his foot. ¡°Come on, lad, you can do better than this.¡± Ted tried again. He watched Dotty''s movements. He changed the tempo to match her pace. It still felt wrong. "Better," Gromorlig said. "But you''re forcing it. Let the music come from her movements. Play in front of them." Ted adjusted his playing. The notes clashed with her rhythm. "I can''t get it right," Ted said. He lowered his mandolin. "You''re thinking too much." Gromorlig walked over to Ted. "Close your eyes. Listen to her footsteps." Ted closed his eyes. He heard Dotty''s feet on the stone. He heard her breathing. He heard the whisper of her sword. "Now play," Gromorlig said softly. Ted''s fingers found the strings. He played without thinking about the notes. The music followed Dotty''s movement¡­ until it didn¡¯t. ¡°Lad, you need to empty that head of yours. You must focus on the battle, not on whatever you¡¯re thinking about.¡± Ted tried again and again, but it still kept being elusive. Whatever Skill Gromorlig wanted him to get, he wasn¡¯t there yet. ¡°Lad, that¡¯s enough,¡± the Dwarf sighed. ¡°I need to show the lassie what she needs to do. We need to rehearse the path she needs to take.¡± Ted nodded and looked at the beat-up Mandolin in his lap. He prayed that whatever plan Gromorlig had concocted wouldn¡¯t require much of his assistance. Chapter 54 Monica found Gromorlig sitting on a broken pillar in the courtyard. Ted sat cross-legged on the ground nearby. They both looked up when she entered. "You look terrible," Gromorlig said. Monica touched her face. She was covered in dried blood. Her clothes were torn in several places. "I''ve been training," Monica said. She sat down on a piece of rubble. "Training? Is that what you call dying over and over?" Gromorlig shook his head. "How did you know?" Monica asked. "I can smell death on you," Gromorlig said. "And your clothes look like you''ve been through a meat grinder." Ted moved closer to them. "Did you level up your Skills?" "Yes and no," Monica said. "I got close to ranking up Obsidian Impact but couldn''t quite get there. The spiders were too weak by the end of the day." "The Corrupted Spider Constructs?" Ted asked. Monica shook her head. ¡°The Corrupted Tarantulas.¡± Ted¡¯s eyebrow raised. "I needed to push myself to the edge," Monica said. "The Twin Phoenix told me that''s the only way to master Skills." Ted and Gromorlig looked at her with surprise. "You spoke to the Twin Phoenix?" Ted asked. "Yes. They summoned me when I was talking to Dotty. They explained how Skill Mastery works." "And?" Gromorlig leaned forward. "You need to be close to death. That''s when your Soul emerges and you can see the flaws in your Skills." "That explains a lot," Gromorlig muttered. "Where''s Dotty?" Monica asked. "Resting," Ted said. "Gromorlig showed her the trap locations. She has memorized them all." ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, we can move out in an hour, lass. Are you ready for some spider extermination?¡± * * * Monica trembled. Her entire body felt tense as Gromorlig, alone with Dotty and Heidi, moved toward another street entirely. The Dwarf had suggested quite a simple plan. He would run alongside Dotty as she activated traps and Heidi would provide covers by running through a series of connected roofs. The spiders would follow them and die miserably. Sir Tristan, Ted, and Monica would instead stay behind, kill any straggler, and then kill the Boss. Gromorlig had told them that, based on the Boss¡¯s behavior, it was extremely unlikely to follow them through the traps and die from them. That meant that the trio would have to face the creature alone once the rest of the spiders would be far enough. Once they killed it, Monica would finally get the key to open the Temple of Dhoznil and finally get the Spear of Dhoznil, which would then allow her to kill Machina once and for all. Monica, Sir Tristan, and Ted waited behind a broken wall. They were twenty yards from the spider nest. The rest of the group was already in position. "Gromorlig said to wait for his signal," Sir Tristan said. He held his shield close. Ted gripped his mandolin. His hands were sweaty. "What''s the signal again?" "A lot of noise," Monica replied. ¡°How does he even plan it to lure them all¡ª¡± Sir Tristan was interrupted by an explosion so loud all three had to grab the wall to avoid falling. The explosion made the ground shake. Pieces of stone fell from nearby buildings. A second explosion followed right after. Then they heard Gromorlig shouting. His voice echoed through the streets. "Come and get me, you eight-legged freaks!"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°He must have had Dotty activate some explosive traps,¡± Monica said, using the Golden Flame on all three of them to heal their ringing eardrums. "They''re taking the bait," Sir Tristan whispered. A small horde of Corrupted Spider Constructs rushed down the street after Gromorlig''s voice. More explosions sounded in the distance. *Ding* Quest Progress Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Progress: 46/164 -> 67/164 *Ding* Quest Progress Updated ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Progress: 67/164 -> 97/164 ¡°They¡¯ve already killed more than fifty,¡± Monica said, stunned. She was worried sick about Dotty, but as she saw the Corrupted Tarantulas finally emerging en masse to chase Dotty and Gromorlig, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°we¡¯re almost there.¡± Ted, Monica, and Sir Tristan watched as the remaining Corrupted Spider Constructs and Tarantulas poured out of the nest. Their metal limbs scraped against stone as they scuttled after their prey. The trio waited until the last stragglers disappeared around a corner. More explosions sounded in the distance, followed by metallic screeching. Occasionally, a notification would pop up in Monica''s vision, updating their progress as more spiders fell to the traps. "Ready?" Monica whispered, activating Meditation. She could feel her Mana flowing more smoothly now after her intense training. Sir Tristan nodded and raised his shield while Ted gripped the mandolin tighter until his knuckles went white. They crept toward the massive hole that served as the spiders'' nest. The nest was mostly empty now. Only the Matriarch and two Corrupted Tarantulas remained inside. The massive spider sat in the center of the hole. It was weaving metal strands into a new hatchling. [Corrupted Tarantula - Level 120] [Corrupted Tarantula - Level 125] [Metallic Arachnid Matriarch - Level 135] ¡°The strongest stayed behind,¡± Monica said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. They¡¯re not leaving anytime soon.¡± The Matriarch suddenly stopped its weaving and turned toward the group at the edge of the nest. Its eight eyes glowed with an unnatural blue light. The half-formed hatchling dropped from its legs. Sir Tristan moved in front of Monica as fast as he could. His shield caught the first blast of metallic webbing. The impact made him slide back several feet. ¡°Sir Tristan, can you take the two Corrupted Tarantulas?¡± Monica said, emerging from his back, staring back at the Matriarch. ¡°Yes, but you can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Worry about those two then,¡± Monica said, jumping into the nest, letting herself fall to the ground. Before she could even reach the ground, the Matriarch shot more webs. Monica twisted in mid-air as the metallic webs shot toward her. She channeled her Mana through Phoenix Step, keeping Meditation active as she''d practiced during her training deaths. The movement felt smoother than ever before as she materialized on a chunk of debris, the deadly strands of metal webbing embedding themselves into the stone where she would have landed. ¡°Enemy Magnet!¡± Sir Tristan shouted twice and Monica saw the two Corrupted Tarantulas flying toward him. The Matriarch was impossibly large up close. Its body gleamed with a silver sheen, and those eight glowing blue eyes tracked Monica''s every movement. The half-formed hatchling lay forgotten at its feet, metal components scattered across the ground. The Matriarch towered over Monica. Monica simply stared back for a moment, engaged in a duel of stares. She heard Sir Tristan starting to fight the two Corrupted Tarantulas, and then Ted''s music played and enveloped her body like a golden cloak. Monica remained still, mimicking the same stillness of the Boss. This was just the first challenge on their way to fight Machina. This was just the beginning. "If you can hear me," Monica said out loud. "Just remember who I am." Three Phoenix Feathers appeared on Monica''s body - two on her forearms and one behind her neck, pointing downward. "I am the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, and you''re just my first stepping stone." The three Phoenix Feathers started burning, blazing like a barely contained inferno. Finally, the Matriarch''s humongous body moved with deceptive grace. It shot several lines of metal webbing at Monica, who activated Meditation and Mana Sense and barely moved as she sidestepped and jumped through the attacks. The Matriarch kept firing, and Monica simply kept dodging, using her golden bracers every once in a while to deflect the hits. As she neared the Boss, Monica noticed that the Matriarch''s body was different from the other spiders. Its metal plating seemed to shift like liquid mercury. It made it harder to spot any weaknesses even with her Mana Sense. Volley after volley of metallic webbing, the Matriarch finally managed to land a few hits on Monica, who barely even flinched. The power-up given by a third Phoenix Feather while using Fury of the Phoenix was nothing to scoff at. Several wounds bled, but she didn''t activate the Golden Flame, feeling the immense power of her Skill and Ted''s song coursing through her veins. "You''re nothing to me," Monica said to the Matriarch, and as soon as she was close enough, she mixed Meditation and Phoenix Step, empowering it with the Obsidian Flame. She suddenly appeared in a blind spot of the giant Boss and punched three times in quick succession at the same exact spot on the body of the Boss, activating Shatterpoint, the special effect of Obsidian Impact, delivering 300% additional damage with the third attack and cracking the metal of the creature. Her Obsidian Flames ate into the Boss, making it scream in pain. The giant legs of the Matriarch shot at Monica, but she weaved around them as if they didn''t exist. Monica''s meeting with the Twin Phoenix had reminded her of her responsibility, of her role, but more importantly, of her power. Machina might be a tough opponent, but Monica was the ultimate fighter. Monica couldn''t complain about her powers. She couldn''t complain about the companions that she had gathered along the way. No. She only had one job, and no matter what, she would do it. She would finish it step by step, monstrosity after monstrosity. Monica easily parried one of the giant legs, breaking her arm but using the momentum of the blow and Phoenix Step to hit the same point she had struck before. Three times more this time. Liquid silver started pouring from the wound, and the Matriarch hugged the ground, trying to minimize the surface Monica could hit with her fists. But it was all for naught. The Matriarch had met a different Monica from the one that had killed the Crystal Wolf Boss. This Monica was even fiercer, angrier, and would stop for nothing. Attack after attack, Monica peeled the armor of the Matriarch, exposing its metallic flesh, making it bleed silver, and finally steering it to its capitulation. Chapter 55 Dotty''s spleen ached as she sprinted at full speed, pumping her legs through Viscera¡¯s streets. A metallic wire sliced through the air where her head had been a moment before, embedding itself in the stone wall with a sharp crack. She didn''t dare look back, but the clicking metal legs behind them told her everything she needed to know - the spiders were gaining. "Left here!" Gromorlig shouted from beside her. Despite his claims of being powerless, the dwarf kept pace surprisingly well, his short legs pumping furiously. Dotty veered left, her boots skidding on the ancient cobblestones. Above them, she caught glimpses of Heidi moving across the rooftops, providing cover where needed. The sound of metallic legs intensified - the two Corrupted Tarantulas had taken the lead in the pursuit, their larger forms visible in her peripheral vision as they scuttled along the walls. "Ready yourself, lass!" Gromorlig called out. They were approaching another trap point. Dotty''s hand went to the silver disc he''d given her. The street ahead narrowed between two towering buildings. Perfect bottleneck. Just like they''d planned. "Now!" Gromorlig bellowed. Dotty pushed her Mana into the disc while running. She felt the ancient dwarven mechanisms respond, connecting to her Hunter''s instincts. The cobblestones beneath their feet trembled slightly. The moment Dotty''s Mana connected with the trap, massive metal spikes erupted from the walls on both sides, shooting across the narrow passage in a deadly crosshatch pattern. She heard the satisfying crunch of metal being pierced behind her, followed by inhuman shrieks as several Corrupted Spider Constructs were caught in the ancient mechanism. But the Corrupted Tarantulas were smarter. They leaped over their impaled brethren, using the walls to bypass the trap entirely. "Don''t slow down!" Gromorlig shouted. "Next one''s bigger!" Dotty''s thighs burned from the endless running. She''d never sprinted this far in her life. Her hand still clutched the silver disc. Something whistled in her ear¡ªa Corrupted Tarantula had gotten within range. She heard Heidi shout something from above, followed by a blast of fire that briefly illuminated the street. Heidi wasn¡¯t supposed to act unless the monsters got too close. Ahead, Dotty saw what remained of an ancient dwarven fountain - a massive stone basin with elaborate carvings, now dry and crumbling. She banked hard around it, her boots nearly sliding out from under her on the smooth stone. The Tarantulas'' legs scraped and sparked against the ground as they followed, their momentum carrying them wider around the turn. That''s when Dotty saw it - thin Mana threads that were visible to her thanks to the silver disc. "Ready!" Gromorlig shouted in excitement. "This one''s my favorite!" Dotty gripped the second disc tighter. Dotty pushed her Mana into the silver disc. The ancient mechanisms responded instantly. The stone fountain cracked open. Liquid metal burst out in a pressurized spray, catching the closest Corrupted Tarantula mid-leap. The metal hardened instantly, freezing the monster in place. "Keep moving!" Gromorlig called. The second Corrupted Tarantula shot a wire at his face. Gromorlig tilted his head slightly. The wire missed by an inch. He moved with strange precision despite having no Class or Attributes. Another wire flew at Dotty''s neck. Gromorlig''s hand shot up and deflected it bare-handed. "Experience beats power any day, lass!" he shouted, winking at her. Above them, Heidi jumped between rooftops. A Corrupted Spider Construct started climbing the wall toward her. She pointed her hands. A Fire Lance pierced its head. The construct fell and shattered on the ground. Two more constructs tried climbing up. Heidi''s flames consumed their legs with two more blasts of Obsidian Ember before they reached the top. Their metal bodies crashed down behind Dotty. "Left!" Gromorlig grabbed Dotty''s arm and pulled her down a side street. The remaining Corrupted Tarantula followed. Its legs scraped against stone as it gained on them. Behind it, at least twenty Corrupted Spider Constructs skittered after them in a wave of metal limbs.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Next trap point!" Gromorlig pointed ahead. Dotty saw more Mana threads connecting to a metal plate in the ground. She channeled Mana into the disc. The street split open. Giant metal teeth rose up like a trap door. The Corrupted Tarantula tried to jump over them. The teeth snapped shut. The monster''s body exploded into fragments. The Corrupted Spider Constructs behind it ran straight into the trap. Metal crunched and tore as the trapping mechanism chewed through them. Heidi landed next to them from above. "More coming from the side streets." ¡°Lass,¡± Gromorlig looked meangifully at Dotty who injected more Mana into the silver disc. Suddenly, the entire side street went up in a ball of flames that consumed everything. The heat blast reached them at the same time as the terrifying screeches of the melting creatures caught in the attack. They peeked into the side street when the flames subsided after their initial roar, seeing only orange-hot shells of the creatures, including one Corrupted Tarantula that had come out of nowhere, which was now in its death throes as all of its legs were melted down. Through the waves of distorted air, Dotty could barely make out the rest of the silhouettes of the constructs collapsing into molten puddles. ¡°You like some Dwarven flames, don¡¯t you?¡± Gromorlig teased the spiders. Then, they all heard more clicking sounds and the Dwarf pushed Dotty. ¡°Come on, lass, we¡¯re not done.¡± * * * Monica landed another combination of hits on the Matriarch. Her fists crackled with Obsidian Flames as she struck the same spot repeatedly. Silver liquid poured from the wounds she had made in the creature''s metal hide. The Matriarch''s legs trembled. It seemed to be weakening under Monica''s relentless assault. Ted''s song filled the air behind her while Sir Tristan fought the two Corrupted Tarantulas. Monica jumped back and studied her opponent. Something felt wrong. The silver liquid wasn''t spraying outward like normal blood would. Instead, it moved and pooled beneath the Matriarch''s massive form. "Die already," Monica growled, channeling Obsidian Impact into another three-hit combination. The Matriarch''s body shuddered under the assault, more silver streaming from its injuries. Yet the creature had stopped fighting back entirely, its giant form unnaturally still. Monica''s battle instincts screamed a warning. She hesitated for a split second, Meditation allowing her to sense something shifting in the Mana patterns around them. The Matriarch''s eight glowing eyes dimmed, and its massive silver form began to collapse inward like mercury being drawn into a vortex. She jumped back as the silver liquid suddenly surged upward, forming into razor-sharp spikes that forced her to take a few wounds to avoid dying impaled on the spot. The Matriarch''s body continued to melt and flow, but now Monica could see it wasn''t dying ¨C it was transforming. The liquid metal rippled and reformed into a smaller and smaller cocoon. The silver liquid began to levitate upward in defiance of gravity. The Matriarch''s crushed body disappeared completely into the rising cocoon of metal. Then, the cocoon started changing color, going from a pure white silver to a darker and darker grey, until it became fully black. "What''s happening?" Ted shouted from afar. ¡°It¡¯s transforming!¡± Monica shouted back, keeping her arms raised. The last time this had happened with the Crystal Wolf Boss, the evolution had been much, much stronger. The cocoon cracked. Blue light leaked through the cracks. Monica kept her guard up as more fractures spread across the surface. The dark liquid of the cocoon peeled back like curtains. A sleek body emerged, dripping silvery residue. Unlike the bulky matriarch, this was a much smaller spider, much sleeker. Its carapace was pure obsidian black The shell broke apart. A new form dropped to the ground. It was smaller than the Matriarch but denser. Its body was pure black except for a red hourglass mark on its abdomen. [Black Widow - Level 165] Eight eyes burned with cold blue fire. Its legs were thinner than the Matriarch''s but the metal looked denser, each limb tapering to a razor point. Its body was compact, perhaps a tenth of the Matriarch''s size, but it looked ten times as dangerous. Monica could feel through Mana Sense that all the Mana contained in the body of the Metallic Arachnid Matriarch had been compressed into this new, much more deadly form. "Ted, don''t stop playing!" Monica shouted. She needed the song''s boost more than ever now. The Black Widow moved. Saying that it was faster than the Matriarch would have been an understatement. Monica barely dodged its first strike. Its leg left a deep gouge in the rocky floor. Behind her, Sir Tristan was still fighting the two Corrupted Tarantulas. "I can''t help!" he called. "These ones won''t die!" Monica activated Phoenix Step. The Black Widow matched her speed. Its legs were a blur as they struck. She blocked with her bracers but the impacts made her bones shake. She tried to hit it with Obsidian Impact. The Black Widow''s hide was harder than the Matriarch''s. Her flames barely scratched it. Monica panted heavily, feeling the sharp pain of broken bones. Her right arm hung useless, shattered in three places from blocking the Black Widow''s strikes. Her ribs were cracked and breathing hurt. She activated the Golden Flame, letting its healing power wash over her. Bones knitted back together. Pain faded. But her Mana reserves were dropping fast. The Black Widow watched her with its eight glowing eyes. It seemed to be studying her. "Ted, don''t let that song stop!" she called out. Ted''s fingers moved across his mandolin strings, but his voice was barely a whisper as he watched the Black Widow advance. "This is bad." Chapter 56 The Black Widow jumped at Monica. She dodged the bite attack by a hair''s width. The monster was much faster than its previous form. Monica tried to hit back like she had against the Matriarch. The Black Widow dodged each attack with precise movements. This wasn''t the overwhelming force of before. This was pure speed and accuracy. A metal wire shot at Monica. It cut through her Nightshade Battle Wear and grazed her arm. The cut went deep. More wires came at her. The Black Widow fired them in complex patterns. Monica couldn''t track them all. Three wires crossed in front of her. Two more came from above. Another from the side. She used Phoenix Step to escape. The Black Widow was already waiting at her landing spot. Its leg struck her golden bracer. The impact sent Monica flying into the wall. She rolled away just as another leg smashed the stone where she had been. Chunks of rock flew everywhere. Monica couldn''t find a chance to attack back. The wires grew thinner. Monica could barely see them now. She had to sense their movement through the air. A wire came at her face. She blocked with her bracer. The Divine item stopped the wire, but Monica saw a thin crack appear in the golden metal. Her eyes went wide. No monster before had dealt her this much damage. But she was forced to use the bracers again¡ªthey were the only thing that was keeping her alive at the moment. The Black Widow moved again. Its legs blurred with speed. Once again, Monica raised her bracers to block. The impact made her arms shake. She tried to counter with Obsidian Impact. The Black Widow was gone before her fist connected. It reappeared behind her. Pain shot through Monica''s back. A leg had caught her. The force threw her across the nest. She crashed into debris. She stood up slowly. Blood ran down her arms. Her ribs were broken again. The Golden Flame couldn''t heal her fast enough. The Black Widow watched her with all its eighty nasty eyes and clicked its mandibles at her. "I can''t hit it," Monica said through gritted teeth. Monica activated Meditation. She tried to steady her Mana flow. She needed perfect control to have any chance. The Black Widow moved again. Monica saw eight wires coming at her. She couldn''t dodge them all. She raised her bracers and prepared for pain. The wires sliced through the air. Monica blocked most of them with her bracers, but two got through. They cut deep into her leg and shoulder. She tried to ignore the pain and launched Obsidian Impact at the Black Widow. The monster flowed around her punch like water. Its leg swept toward her head. Monica barely ducked in time. The attack would have taken her head clean off. Nothing she tried worked. Her usual aggressive style left her open to counter-attacks. Even with three Phoenix Feathers burning and Fury of the Phoenix active, she couldn''t match the Black Widow''s speed. The monster moved between her attacks as if she was standing still. Each time she threw a punch, it was already gone. Each time she tried to create distance, it was there waiting. The Golden Flame kept healing her cuts and breaks, but she was losing ground. More and more wounds appeared faster than she could heal them. The Black Widow fought like liquid metal given form. Monica could only defend now. She had no chance to attack. The few times she tried, the counter-attacks nearly killed her. She couldn''t hold Meditation through the endless assault. The Black Widow gave her no time to focus. Without Meditation, she couldn''t improve her Skills. That would have been her only path to victory. The environment worked against her too. The Black Widow''s webs cut off her escape routes. The metal strands crisscrossed the nest, limiting her movement options. Each second the fight continued brought another close call. A wire missed her throat by an inch. A leg almost crushed her skull. A bite attack barely missed her arm. For the first time since arriving in Viscera, Monica felt truly overwhelmed. Nothing in her previous fights had prepared her for this. The Crystal Wolf Boss had been strong but predictable. The Corrupted Tarantulas had been dangerous but manageable. This was different. The Black Widow moved with perfect precision. It anticipated her attacks. It countered her strategies. It pushed her further back with each exchange. As Monica''s back hit a wall, more wires shot at her. She raised her bracers one more time, hearing the cracks in the Divine metal spread further. * * * Ted watched helplessly as all he could do was to keep playing and praying Monica could somehow turn this around. He felt utterly useless. His song wasn''t helping enough. Monica kept getting pushed back toward the wall. The Black Widow moved so fast he could barely keep track of the Boss. The only thing he couldn¡¯t help but notice were the sounds of the fight. The clanks, the thuds, the hits, and the slicing of the wind when the metal wires flew against Monica. Then Ted noticed something. Each time Monica stepped, her feet hit the stone in a pattern. Left foot, right foot, dodge, block. The rhythm caught his attention. His fingers adjusted on the strings without him thinking. The tempo changed slightly to match Monica''s footwork. The Black Widow''s legs tapped against the stone too. Click-click-click. Strike, retreat, advance. Ted started breaking down the timing in his head like he would for a song. Monica step back, spider strike. Monica block, spider advance. It was like a complicated beat. Attack and counter-attack created a rhythm. Ted''s foot started tapping along. His musician''s brain picked up the pattern. The fight wasn''t random - it followed a beat. He matched the rhythm perfectly now. His fingers moved in time with their steps. The Phoenix Song flowed with their movements.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The Black Widow struck again. Eight legs hit stone in sequence. Ted counted the beats. One-two-three-four, then pause. Attack pattern. He could predict it. Monica dodged but got caught by wires. Blood dripped onto stone. The sound of impact matched Ted''s tempo exactly. This was a dance. A deadly one, but still a dance. Ted understood dances. He played in inns all the time and he coludn¡¯t count the times he had to adjust the tempo to match the crowd that couldn¡¯t keep the rhythm. But Ted saw the pattern now. His music flowed with their fight. Each note matched a step or strike. He needed to help somehow. Understanding the rhythm wasn''t enough. Monica was still losing ground. The Black Widow had Monica against the wall now. Wires crisscrossed the air around her. Her arms shook as she raised her bracers again. Ted kept playing, desperately trying to think of how to use this knowledge. There had to be a way to help. His fingers moved faster. The song''s tempo increased with the fight. But it wasn''t enough. Monica needed more than just musical accompaniment. The Black Widow raised its front legs for another strike. Monica braced herself, golden bracers held high. Blood ran down her arms. Suddenly, instead of just following the rhythm, Ted abruptly changed the tempo, imagining what it would have been like if Monica had dodged. It was a split-second decision, an impulse not he fully understood. Monica, on her end, felt something shift, as if her body was suddenly pulled forward by invisible threads. It wasn¡¯t strong, though¡ªit was more like an invite. She dodged a set of wires. The Black Widow¡¯s leg slashed at her. She twisted her body. Somehow, the music made it clear when to move. She raised her arm and guided her fist forward. For the first time since the monster¡¯s transformation, her attack landed. She felt her fist connect with the Black Widow¡¯s body. It was not a powerful hit, but it was clean. The spider skittered back a step. Ted¡¯s eyes went wide. He saw Monica strike the Black Widow without missing. His heart pounded. He felt a surge of energy and clarity, as if he had done something important. In that moment, he heard a sound in his mind. *Ding* You have learned a new Skill - Battle Conductor Ted froze. He had never learned a new Skill this way. His fingers slowed. He realized he was playing something new, a Skill that affected the fight. Could he control it? Did he know what to do next? Fear rose in him. He did not want to mess this up. He did not want Monica to get hurt because he made a mistake. As soon as his confidence wavered, his music lost its stable pattern. The rhythm broke. Monica, who had started to sync with the music, stumbled mid-step. Her flow broke. She could not dodge the next attack. The Black Widow took advantage of this moment. A thin metal leg lashed out and caught Monica as she tried to twist away. The leg tore through her shoulder. Blood sprayed everywhere and Monica cried out in pain. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Monica yelled. She had to shout between desperate dodges. She was pinned against a web of wires. Her wounded arm barely moved. The Black Widow advanced again. Monica had no chance to recover if Ted did not do something. ¡°I-I got a new Skill but I can¡¯t control it!¡± Ted shouted back. His voice broke as he spoke. He felt panic in his chest. He had no idea how to handle a Skill like this. He was not a fighter. He was just a Bard. He played songs. He never had to direct a battle with music before. Monica had no time to argue. She dodged another strike at the last second. The Black Widow almost tore her apart. She tried to strike back, but her timing was off. Another leg slammed into her ribs, cracking them. Monica gasped and glared at Ted. She was furious and scared. She was outmatched. The only moment she had gained ground was when Ted played that strange tune. She needed that tune again. Without it, she would die here. She had no patience left. ¡°Try again!¡± Monica shouted. Ted trembled. He lowered his head. He looked at his mandolin and then at Monica. She was in pain. She was bleeding. She could come back from death as many times as she needed, but if they lost now, who knew what would happen to everyone else, to all the others who couldn¡¯t come back from death? Monica needed his help but he was afraid. What if he caused her death and therefore killed everyone else in the process? ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt!¡± Ted said. His voice cracked again. He did not want to lead her into a trap. He did not want to be responsible if she failed. Monica gritted her teeth. The Black Widow struck again. She blocked with her bracers. The force drove her back into the wall. She coughed blood. She was in agony. She had no time for Ted¡¯s doubts. They would both die if Ted did not help. She was angry, but more than angry, she was desperate. ¡°I TRUST YOU ¨C NOW PLAY!¡± Monica screamed. She knew how weak trust could be, but right now it was all they had. Her trust in Ted was genuine. She saw what he had done before: his music had given her one clean hit. That was something. If he could do it again, they had a chance. Ted¡¯s heart pounded. Monica¡¯s words hit him harder than any strike. She trusted him. That was more frightening than anything else. He had no choice now. He had to try. If she trusted him, he had to live up to that trust. He forced his trembling fingers back to the strings. He had to calm down. He had to focus on the sounds of the fight. Monica took two more bad hits as Ted tried to find the right rhythm again. She was almost knocked to the ground. One leg tore into her thigh. Another scraped against her hip. She cried out, but refused to die. She pushed off the wall, kept moving, kept dodging. She gave Ted the time he needed. Ted blocked out his fear. He let the sounds of metal on stone guide him. He let the beat of the spider¡¯s legs and Monica¡¯s breaths form a pattern. He started playing again. This time, he did not think about the Skill or the fear. He just matched the pace of the fight. He listened and played. The notes became steady. They matched the Black Widow¡¯s steps and Monica¡¯s movements. Monica felt the shift again. The pattern returned. The notes guided her. She tried to align her steps with the music. Soon, she noticed the spider¡¯s attacks had a pattern too. The Black Widow repeated certain movements. The notes helped her see this. She could predict where the legs would strike. She started to move a split second before the spider attacked. She dodged more easily now. Ted kept playing. He found that if he changed the tempo slightly, Monica moved faster. If he slowed down, she had time to catch her breath. If he sped up, her movements became sharper. He did not know how he knew this. His new Skill must have given him this sense. He could tell that his music influenced Monica¡¯s combat flow. The Black Widow hissed. Its attacks struck empty air more often now. Monica followed the invisible path painted by Ted¡¯s music. She still took hits from time to time, but fewer. Each near-miss taught her something. Each wound pushed her closer to a strange state. She recalled what the Twin Phoenix had told her: near-death fights were needed to master her Skills. Monica let her mind go blank. She surrendered to the music and the fight. She tried to keep Meditation active. It was easier now with Ted¡¯s help. The music stabilized her breathing. It gave her focus. She felt her Mana flow more clearly than before. The Black Widow grew frustrated. It increased its speed. The wires came closer to taking her head. One wire passed so close that Monica could smell blood in the air. Another near-miss made her heart pound. In that moment, time seemed to slow. She saw the Mana in her body. She felt it move with each step. She used Phoenix Step again and it felt different as she infused it with the Golden Flame for flexibility and easily manouvered around the creature. *Ding* Phoenix Step has reached Bronze Rank The Black Widow lashed out again, but Monica found an opening. She had been waiting for the right moment. Ted¡¯s music built up to a peak. She felt the notes rise. She guided her Mana into her arm. Obsidian Impact flared in her muscles. The Mana flowed like liquid fire as she gazed at it through Meditation. She struck the Black Widow at the exact instant the music peaked. *Ding* Obsidian Impact has reached Bronze Rank This hit was different. It cracked the Black Widow¡¯s shell. It staggered back. Monica had landed a hit that mattered. The spider screeched, trying to recover. Monica smiled through the pain. This was progress. Ted kept playing. He noticed Monica¡¯s strikes had more force now. He saw that the Skill messages were showing up for Monica as well, though he could not see her interface. He guessed she was improving her Skills. He played on, trusting that this would help them win. Monica closed her eyes for a moment. She did not need to watch the spider now. She solely relied on Ted¡¯s music and her Mana Sense. She tried to use Meditation more deeply. If she gave up her normal sense and used Mana Sense, maybe she could see something new. The pain no longer mattered. As she focused, the Golden Flame and Mana Sense merged. She felt something strange. Before, Mana Sense only let her see Mana around her. Now, she saw echoes. Each movement of the Black Widow left a faint trail of energy. The same for her own attacks. The world had another layer now. *Ding* Mana Sense has reached Bronze Rank Even with her eyes closed, the echoes showed everything around her on a 360-degree map. The Black Widow''s legs and wires became fully visible from all directions. And even though she wasn¡¯t as fast as the monster, she now started dodging effortlessly around them. With her eyes blazing like golden flames, Monica finally opened them, narrowly avoiding another attack by tilting her neck slightly, which halted the Black Widow in its tracks. The evolved Boss clearly felt the change in the battle and now looked warily at Monica. Chapter 57 The two rows of sharp metal teeth clashed with a thunderous clang. Dotty felt her skull vibrate from the metallic snap, causing her teeth to tremble for a moment. Half a dozen Corrupted Spider Constructs caught mid-lunge, shrieked and scraped as they were sliced cleanly in two. Their shredded bodies collapsed in a shower of silver fragments, leaving the street littered with twitching metal limbs. She hunched forward on her knees, her chest heaving as she panted. Finally, Dotty felt as though she had encountered every monster on the floor. She wished she could review Monica¡¯s Quest to ensure that their work was complete here. She glanced ahead, where more scattered remains of spider constructs lay piled, still steaming from dwarven flames. Are we done? She glanced at Gromorlig beside her, who continued to look around gingerly. Right at that moment, a high-pitched chittering carried over through the air, making Dotty¡¯s head snap to the side. A monstrous shape emerged from a side alley: a Corrupted Tarantula, its dented silvery armor still gleaming beneath a thick coat of ash. Its half-broken mandibles clicked ominously several times, thirsty for their blood. Dotty took out Twilight¡¯s Edge from the scabbard and readied herself. ¡°Hold on, lass,¡± Gromorlig said, gesturing upward. Dotty looked where he pointed, and just then, a woman screamed like a lunatic before a fierce shower of black flames descended upon the monster. Dotty knew Heidi¡¯s Skills well by now and she recognized the Fire Lance striking the monster and making it stumble. However, the attack was not nearly strong enough. "This is the final one, lass!¡± Gromorlig yelled to Heidi. ¡°You can turn it up!¡± Heidi went all out. Using Infernal Overload before the Corrupted Tarantula could regain its footing, Heidi summoned an Obsidian Nova. Heidi summoned the black flames around her hands, and they swelled into a dense orb of seething darkness. She stood immobile for a heartbeat on the edge of the roof. Then, with a violent gesture, she hurled the sphere of obsidian fire toward the Corrupted Tarantula below. The moment the orb connected with the monster¡¯s dented armor, the darkness shuddered and imploded. There was a fleeting hush¡ªas if the entire street held its breath¡ªthen the sphere detonated. A pulse of black flame erupted outward in a thunderous roar, sending jagged shards of searing darkness arcing in every direction. Annihilating power rushed across Dotty¡¯s face, and she flinched, feeling the hairs on her arms prickle and taking several steps back to avoid being impacted by the corrosive energy. Within that pulsing wave of shadowy force, the Corrupted Tarantula screeched, its metallic limbs thrashing as the black fire devoured its plating. The silver flesh beneath glowed for a split second before bursting into disappearing fragments. The concussion of the blast slammed it backward like a broken toy, legs curling involuntarily. Even from several yards away, the windows of the buildings around the creatures all exploded in the aftermath of the shockwave. When the flames subsided, nothing remained but a half-consumed husk of twitching metal. For a moment, silence hung over the ruined street. Dotty lowered Twilight¡¯s Edge, breathing heavily. Gromorlig just whistled, impressed. ¡°That¡¯s my girl!¡± Gromorlig called, stomping his way toward the tarantula corpse. He patted a dented metal plate protruding from the cobblestone. ¡°Perfect timing on every trigger, lass.¡± Dotty barely heard his praise. She crouched to confirm none of the spiders were still twitching. Her attention kept wandering down the long boulevard leading back to the nest. Distant rumblings and explosions reverberated through Viscera¡¯s deserted streets. Gromorlig¡¯s gaze drifted to her tense shoulders. ¡°They can handle themselves,¡± he said, resting a reassuring hand on her arm. ¡°The plan was for Tristan, Monica, and Ted to take the Matriarch¡ªwell, whatever¡¯s left of it¡ªonce we lured the rest away.¡± Dotty couldn¡¯t shake the anxiety settling in her gut. ¡°I still hear fighting,¡± she said. ¡°A lot of it.¡± Another faint boom echoed from the direction of the nest. Her heart pounded. She remembered Monica¡¯s orders¡ªstay with Gromorlig, lead the spiders away, don¡¯t return to the nest until it¡¯s safe. But she could practically feel the clash of mana from here. ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± Gromorlig repeated, but this time his voice sounded uncertain. ¡°I have to go back,¡± she said shakily. Gromorlig arched an eyebrow. ¡°We set a plan, lass.¡± Dots of sweat beaded on Dotty¡¯s brow. She wasn¡¯t sure how much of her conviction came from reason and how much from fear. But she knew with absolute clarity that Monica would do anything to protect her¡ªand Dotty refused to abandon her in return. Before Gromorlig could protest, Dotty dashed off toward the nest. Heidi descended from the roof and stood beside Gromorlig, confusion turning to resigned acceptance on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t have any more Mana. I don¡¯t think I could do anything against the Boss anyway.¡± Gromorlig let out a long sigh, then waved Heidi forward. They followed, though Dotty was already a blur disappearing around the corner.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. * * * Monica moved in perfect sync with the frantic beat of Ted¡¯s mandolin. Monica didn¡¯t know how Ted was doing it, but he had somehow been able to adjust to her getting Mana Sense to Bronze Rank and helping her despite the fact that he wasn¡¯t able to see what she was seeing right now. Through Mana Sense, she saw faint golden echoes left by every twitch of the Black Widow¡¯s limbs. Its entire body shimmered in her expanded perception, especially the weak points spiderwebbing across its obsidian-black carapace. She locked her gaze on a crack in the plating near its right flank as the Black Widow tried taking her head off with its unnaturally sharp legs. Her fists still blazed with Obsidian Impact, and she slammed a three-hit combination precisely there. Her strikes all landed, triggering Shatterpoint. Special Effect - Shatterpoint: If you strike the same spot three times within 5 seconds, the third hit deals 300% additional damage. A series of spiderweb fissures snaked outward from the impact zone after the empowered hit, and black blood spattered on the ground. She felt the monster reel from the blow¡ªsaw it physically stagger, as though it hadn¡¯t expected her combo to land. But Monica, the strongest Avatar in battle, had timed her attacks perfectly thanks to the Bronze Rank Mana Sense and the monster¡¯s decreased defense. The Black Widow was much stronger and faster than in her Matriarch form, but it was also more vulnerable. Monica¡¯s Mana Sense blazed, showing her every minute tremor in the Boss¡¯s posture, every shifting plate in its carapace. Then, with each new strike she delivered, theBlack Widow¡¯s armor lit in bright gold lines in her enhanced vision, creating more vulnerabilities around it. Jagged cracks splintered deeper, and the Black Widow¡¯s movements became desperate. A wisp of fear flickered in its eight cold blue eyes, a first sign that even this monstrous transformation could taste panic. One more punishing combination, fueled by Ted¡¯s accelerating melody, drove the spider backward until its lean obsidian body trembled. A chunk of black carapace finally broke free under Monica¡¯s onslaught. Black blood dripped across the stone floor, making Monica smile like a maniac, like a predator about to bite off the neck of its prey. She crouched, readying a final Obsidian Impact. Just as she prepared to leap in for the death blow, the Black Widow suddenly went eerily still. The abrupt shift sent a tremor of warning through Monica¡¯s enhanced senses. Multiple wires burst outward from the spider¡¯s abdomen, but not toward her. Instead, they latched onto huge piles of half-eaten silver ore heaped around the edges of the nest. It yanked colossal lumps of ore toward itself in a single savage pull. In a disturbingly swift motion, the Black Widow began devouring the raw silver, stuffing its maw with shattered chunks. Streams of liquefied metal slid across its jaws, and the effect was instantaneous¡ªdeep gashes along its exoskeleton closed shut. Newly repaired plates sealed over the wounds, leaving the black carapace shiny and smooth. Monica¡¯s eyes widened. She watched in horror as the monster¡¯s entire body seemed to have healed up in a manner of seconds. It felt like the Black Widow had just ingested half a ton of silver without even swallowing it. Feeling Fury of the Phoenix starting to run out, Monica clenched her jaw. ¡°Ted! We need to end it! Now!¡± But the slight pause had messed up with Ted¡¯s Skill, interrupting the rhythm of the battle, changing its tempo. And before the Bard could re-adjust, the spider vanished¡ªMonica sensed only a whip of displaced air. Then something slammed into her ribs from behind. She barely had time to register another incoming attack and raise her bracers to shield her head before the impact sent her tumbling headlong across the nest. Her golden bracers fractured further under the terrifying force. Pain battered her skull, her chest, her arms¡ªshe felt bone grinding beneath the Golden Flame¡¯s frantic healing attempts. The next assault came before she could reorient: a leg stabbing at her core. She twisted away on reflex, but it still grazed her side, opening a ribbon of red across her torso through the now useless Nightshade Battle Wear. The wires encircled her so quickly she missed dodges by hair¡¯s breadths. Ted¡¯s music sped up trying to match the new tempo. Yet the healed Black Widow had redoubled its efforts and, just like Monica had planned, tried killing her opponent as swiftly as possible. Monica¡¯s arms trembled from each blow that cracked her bracers further¡ªonly the Divine graded item stood between her and death right now. She forced out a snarl of defiance, calling on the Golden Flame to knit her flesh. But already, she felt her Mana resources burning away and the strength from Fury of the Phoenix ebb away. Worse, the spider was now more methodical. It baited her Phoenix Step attempts, flicking wires to corner her in cramped angles. Each time she tried to vanish in a burst of flame, it predicted her path. Not even Mana Sense was enough anymore. Finally, one vicious sweep took her legs out from under her, flipping her painfully onto her back. Before she could roll away, silver wires whipped around her wrists, pinning her arms to the ground. The spider slammed another leg onto her sternum. Monica gasped¡ªher ribs felt like splinters piercing her lungs. She summoned the Obsidian Flame in a frenzied attempt to burn the wires restraining her, but the reinforced metal refused to buckle. Despite Fury of the Phoenix raging in her veins, she couldn¡¯t break free. This is it, Monica realized. I can¡¯t do anything. Not even with her supernatural battle instincts she could see a way out of this. There was only one outcome ahead. Death. She would come back, but not the others. Ted would die first. Then, Monica imagined that the creature would go after Sir Tristan who, too, would fall almost instantly against this terrifying monster. She only hoped that Gromorlig had the sense to bring Dotty away and that the girl had obeyed her¡ªthat she had stayed away. Monica looked into the blue cold eyes of the Black Widow, ready for her impendind death when, suddenly, a shadow fell from above. The spider¡¯s eyes flicked upward, but not fast enough. Dotty dropped down in a silent arc, jaw set in fierce concentration, Twilight¡¯s Edge raised high. Mid-fall, darkness crackled around Dotty¡¯s blade¡ªMagic Rend flaring to life, followed instantly by Void Slash. The sword emanated sparks of purple energy. The Black Widow spasmed as the intangible wave of antimagic cut through its defenses. Its armor, strengthened by silver, faltered under the combined aura of Magic Rend. Terror flared in its eyes. It tried to shift its legs off Monica and pivot, but Monica¡¯s opened her mouth and, with her head and neck being the only mobile part of her body, bit down the monster¡¯s leg, making it stumble. Right after, Dotty¡¯s blade tore forward in a savage diagonal. In a single, fluid motion, Twilight¡¯s Edge parted the Black Widow¡¯s reinforced carapace as though it were made of paper. The obsidian shell screeched a final time, snapping in two. With unstoppable momentum, Dotty¡¯s swing severed the spider¡¯s head clean off, slicing through metal, flesh, and black veins. The monstrous body collapsed, limbs buckling like a toppling statue. Dotty landed in an awkward sprawl, thrown off-balance by the full-force swing. She crashed onto her side, and Monica heard several cracks that might¡¯ve been the shattering of stone or Dotty¡¯s own bones. Monica stared at the Black Widow¡¯s head landing right beside her with its eight eyes dulling, flickering, and finally extinguished. Its body twitched once, then the entire form slumped, collapsing inward on itself. Threads of black and silver dissolved into the open air, leaving only a puddle of black ooze and what Monica recognized as several threads of mithril. Then, a bright notification flared across Monica¡¯s vision. Chapter 58 Dust swirled in thick eddies around the corpse of the Black Widow, slowly dissolving into black ichor that seeped into the cracked stone. If one perked their ears, they could have heard the distant crackling of fire, but here, in this collapsed nest, the only sounds were ragged breathing and the soft chime of System notifications. Dotty lay sprawled against a chunk of rubble, Twilight¡¯s Edge still clutched in her trembling hand. Her breath came in desperate gulps, each exhalation punctuated by a gasp of pain. When she¡¯d crashed to the ground after delivering that final slash, her momentum and force of impact had brought her down hard. She tried to move, but the agony rolling across her ribs forced a choked whimper from her lips. The sword slid from her grip, clattering onto the stone. A deeper bolt of pain shot through her ankle and wrist¡ªlikely fractured or sprained. Monica, freed by the spider¡¯s legs loosening in death, crawled across the gore-spattered floor to Dotty¡¯s side. Her own wounds were savage: slashes and punctures riddled her form, with her Nightshade Battle Wear hanging in tatters. Blood slicked down her arms and torso, and her golden bracers¡ªwith cracks spreading thorought their entire surface¡ªwere covered in ichor and dirt. ¡°Dotty,¡± Monica rasped, voice rough from exertion. She pressed one hand, flickering with Golden Flame, to Dotty¡¯s side. ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ve got you.¡± Dotty¡¯s entire body shook as the adrenaline leaked away, leaving behind cold, crippling aches. She looked up at Monica with wide, fearful eyes¡ªand then her expression flickered in relief. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Dotty managed to say, though it was hardly more than a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not dead.¡± A surge of fierce protectiveness and sheer relief welled up in Monica¡¯s chest. She was trembling, too¡ªshaking from the fury of battle and the lingering terror of how close she¡¯d come to potentially losing Dotty. Golden Flame pulsed weakly around her hands as she funneled what little mana remained to heal the girl¡¯s most life-threatening injuries. Ted stumbled over next, clinging to his mandolin in one white-knuckled hand. His eyes danced between Dotty¡¯s battered form and Monica¡¯s shredded armor, face pale. ¡°D¡ªDude, I saw her jump from the roof,¡± he stammered. ¡°That final strike¡­ oh, man¡­¡± In the background, the screech of metal signaled another death. Sir Tristan, panting heavily, had finally dispatched the last Corrupted Tarantula that had dogged him during the fight. He jogged over, sword and shield ready, gaze darting around to ensure nothing else was lurking. A collective shudder swept through the chamber as a Ding resonated in their minds. Monica, already half in a daze, let out a soft laugh that sounded almost hysterical. *Ding* You have cleared the First Floor of Viscera. *Ding* Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Monica exhaled shakily. ¡°We did it¡­ we actually did it.¡± A flood of post-battle exhaustion tugged at them, but also a rush of triumph. Sir Tristan¡¯s posture loosened at last, letting his shield drop a fraction. Ted looked like he wanted to collapse. Dotty closed her eyes, relief etched on her black-blood-smudged face. From the disintegrating remnants of the Black Widow, a dark puddle of metal and silver fragments formed. Slowly, the swirling substances coalesced into two distinct shapes. Monica recognized the glimmer of System-assigned loot. Despite the pain throbbing in her body, she forced herself upright, letting the Golden Flame autopilot the healing on her arms and Dotty¡¯s broken ribs as the body of the Boss dissolved in smoke. *Ding* Looting process completed. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Corrupted Black Widow Thread (Corrupted) Key to the Temple of Dhoznil Monica looked at the two items that had emerged from the puddle, a large spool of pitch-black, razor-fine spider silk that pulsed faintly with leftover mana. The threads almost looked alive, slithering in their spool. Then, an ornately carved metal key, etched with dwarven runes and swirling patterns. When Monica picked it up, it felt warm to the touch, as though fresh from a forge. Finally, Monica sighed. With that key, they could get to the Spear of Dhoznil and kill Machina. Monica glanced down at her Nightshade Battle Wear¡ªits inky plating was sliced to ribbons and half-melted in places. A grim thought crossed her mind: Maybe that spider thread could help me repair or upgrade it¡­ Before she could dwell longer on that idea, another Ding chimed. *Ding* Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Reward: Loot Chest x3 (Rare) *Ding* Thanks to your good deeds, the Loot Chest is upgraded. *Ding* Loot Chest x3 (Rare) upgraded to Loot Chest x1 (Epic) For a breath, nothing seemed to happen. Then the air nearby shimmered, dust swirling in a small vortex, and an ornate chest materialized. It stood about waist-high with black iron corners and intricate dwarven filigree snaking along its surface. A faint golden glow suffused the runes engraved on the lid. It appeared ancient, as if it had been sealed away centuries ago only to be summoned now by the System¡¯s decree. ¡°What in the¡ª?¡± Ted breathed, stepping back. Monica let out a raspy laugh. ¡°We were supposed to get three Rare Loot Chests, not¡­ this.¡± Sir Tristan eyed the chest with a stunned expression, sword still in hand. ¡°An¡­ Epic Loot Chest?¡± ¡°Another,¡± Ted precised. ¡°This is not the first. The first she got had the Thraldrirlum¡¯s Dream¡ªthe pickaxe¡ªin it.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. *Ding* Would you like to open Loot Chest (Uncommon)? Yes | No Sucking in a pained breath, Monica leaned forward to pry open the lid. *Ding* You have opened Loot Chest (Uncommon)! It felt heavier than any chest she¡¯d opened before¡ªlike prying apart layers of centuries-old stone. When she finally lifted it, a wave of scorching air blasted outward. *Ding* You obtained Heart of Fire (Epic) Dotty, who had been healed from her injuries, felt her Dangersense go off and jumped up and at Ted, who had gotten too close to the chest. She shouted, ¡°Get down!¡± and flung herself sideways onto Ted to shield him from a sudden pulse of intense heat that flooded the nest. Both screamed in pain as a terrifying wave of heat washed over them, singing their skin. Monica immediately kicked the chest away, making it fly and seeing a red glowing orb coming out of it. Even Sir Tristan¡¯s plate armor smoked at the edges. Monica¡¯s eyebrows shot upward; she could feel the power in that orb. She¡¯d never seen such a ferocious artifact. When she walked up to it and picked it up the dirt floor beneath the orb began turning molten. The brilliant flames licked at her arms, yet did not instantly scorch her¡ªthough she felt a fierce pressure, more intense than normal fire could produce. I shouldn¡¯t be bothered by it, Monica thought. I¡¯m invulnerable to mortal flames. This meant that whatever flame was contained in the orb was almost divine in grade. She looked at everyone else, now climbing out of the nest, helped by Sir Tristan, to escape the heat of the Heart of Fire. * * * In the midst of this chaos, Gromorlig arrived¡ªdusty and half out of breath, presumably having followed Dotty¡¯s mad dash. He skidded to a halt the moment he laid eyes on the Heart of Fire, or more accurately, the blazing crater it was starting to form in the nest. ¡°By my father¡¯s beard, lass¡­¡± Gromorlig whispered, eyes nearly bugging out. ¡°How in the depths of the molten core did you¡­?¡± Even he had to stay a fair distance away; by now the heat was enough to blacken stone and turning patches of ground around monica into molten lava. Sir Tristan had to yank off a portion of his armor that was glowing dangerously hot. Gromorlig let out a disbelieving chuckle, though he kept his distance. ¡°That¡­ that there is the Heart of Fire!¡± His voice trembled with reverence. ¡°Our lore said it was lost to time¡ªan artifact rumored to open Dworsul¡¯s private forge, the Inferno, on the second floor of Viscera. Dworsul the Unyielding, the blacksmith who refused ascension after hitting Level 500¡­¡± He trailed off, eyes wide with excitement. ¡°And now you have it?¡± Monica¡¯s brow furrowed at the mention of the second floor. She and the others had planned only to get the Spear of Dhoznil from the temple and then ascend to Machina¡¯s lair above or below. However, the thought of a second floor of Viscera, complete with a legendary dwarf forge, got her attention. Gromorlig¡¯s tone suggested this place wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary workshop. He turned his gaze to Monica, immediately understanding what she was thinking. ¡°Lass, not just anyone can set foot in Dworsul¡¯s domain. Rumor states the antechamber is hotter than a dragon¡¯s stomach. Only Dworsul himself could stand it. But you¡­¡± Gromorlig regarded her with awe, ¡°Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, you are immune to flames¡ªperhaps even Dworsul¡¯s. The System must have given you this for a reason.¡± Monica looked down at the orb, flames dancing across her hands. It was so hot that it almost challenged even her divine resistance. ¡°But first, we still have to open the Temple of Dhoznil and get the Spear,¡± she stated matter-of-factly. Gromorlig only gave a crooked grin. ¡°Aye, one step at a time.¡± Sir Tristan, sweat pouring down his face, blurted. ¡°Then why not just take the Spear to Machina? If that¡¯s the only thing that kills an Old God¡­ why waste time in a dwarven furnace?¡± Monica, battered and exhausted, but still unwavering in her purpose, clenched the Heart of Fire. ¡°I¡­ I still want that Spear. But Gromorlig¡¯s right¡ªmaybe the System wants us to arm ourselves better¡­ just look at this.¡± Monica pointed at her armor. ¡°If I had better equipment, I¡¯m pretty sure I could have fought back more easily. And look, I also need to get my bracers repaired,¡± the redhead raised the two cracked golden bracers. Ted slumped against a chunk of rubble, panting, ¡°So¡­ Spear of Dhoznil first, then this forge?¡± Gromorlig shrugged, half-laughing. ¡°Or whichever order you choose, but the second floor¡¯s not good for any of you other than the Avatar lass unless you can endure molten levels of heat.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Monica asked with a frown. ¡°The second level is the level of craftsmen,¡± Gromorlig explained. ¡°To enhance the quality of our creations, we funnelled all the schorching hot Mana throughout it. If a normal person entered the place, they¡¯d die on the spot. Their lungs would fry in a matter of seconds.¡± ¡°Oh, great,¡± Ted said, exasperated. ¡°That¡¯s great, dude. Just¡­ great.¡± ¡° You can still go down, perhaps, if you find a dwarven fire-breathing technique. Ha! Right, just awaken one of the grumpy craftsmen with Thraldrirlum¡¯s blood¡ªexplain I sent you and they¡¯ll teach you. Plus, it¡¯s a similar technique to Meditation. A few of the lads down there managed to get one of their Skills to Silver Rank with it. I never could figure out how, though.¡± Monica could only nod. I¡¯ll need every advantage I can get to rescue my children from Machina, she thought. Suddenly, Gromorlig gasped and staggered. Dotty, exhausted and barely standing, noticed it first. ¡°Gromorlig? Are you hurt?¡± His arms¡ªstill outstretched with excitement¡ªhad started to harden, cracks spiderwebbing along his forearms. Gray stone replaced living flesh with alarming speed. He dropped to one knee, wearing a resigned smile. ¡°Aye, lass,¡± he murmured. ¡°My time¡¯s up, it seems. I told you, I only borrowed a bit of life from that dwarven blood you poured on me.¡± He patted Dotty¡¯s wrist. ¡°You used the traps right¡ªthat¡¯s what matters.¡± Sir Tristan sprang forward, rummaging for a healing vial from his belt¡ªhe hadn¡¯t needed them so far thanks to Monica¡¯s healing¡ªbut Gromorlig simply shook his head, lifting his stone-crusted hand in a gesture of refusal. Monica attempted a pulse of Golden Flame, but it only skittered across the stone surface without effect. ¡°No point,¡± Gromorlig said gently. ¡°I was stonebefore, after all. This was just a¡­ small vacation. A chance to share my knowledge one last time.¡± He shuddered as the petrification crept up toward his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m glad we fought side by side again, even for a little while.¡± He crooked a finger at Ted, who approached, a mixture of guilt and awe on his face. ¡°Lad, that new Skill of yers¡ª¡®Battle Conductor,¡¯ was it? We dwarves know how essential a proper anvil is to forging steel. Don¡¯t you doubt what you contribute. You saved the Avatar¡¯s hide today. Keep those strings going¡ª¡®tis rarer than mithril, and just as strong.¡± Ted swallowed hard, tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t forget.¡± Gromorlig nodded, giving Heidi a quick wink and a teasing comment about ¡°fine fireworks.¡± He locked eyes with Sir Tristan for a moment, granting the knight a dignified nod of approval. Then his attention slid to Dotty, who was forcing herself upright, one arm hugging her ribs. Cracks spread across Gromorlig¡¯s chest and face. His features stiffened. Yet his gaze held warmth for the battered group. ¡°Dwarves might¡¯ve turned to stone, but we don¡¯t break easily. And you, Dotty¡­ you¡¯d make a fine dwarf with that spirit of yours. Don¡¯t lose it.¡± She tried to speak but only managed a shaky nod, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. Finally, the stone creeped across Gromorlig¡¯s jaw, silencing his voice. The last glimpse of life in his eyes flickered and went still. He was once again a statue¡ªthough this time, his expression was peaceful, even content. A hush fell over the group, broken only by Dotty¡¯s ragged breathing. Dotty tried reaching out to the dwarf¡¯s statue, as if to confirm he was truly gone. Her fingers felt the cold, unyielding stone. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°For teaching me.¡± Monica forced her unsteady legs to carry her to Dotty¡¯s side after putting the Heart of Fire in her Inventory. The adrenaline had long since crashed, leaving her limbs trembling with fatigue. Blood trickled from reopened wounds. She ignored the pain. ¡°Gromorlig is right. You did something incredible, but you could¡¯ve died saving me,¡± Monica said quietly, voice raw in the aftermath of Gromorlig returning to stone. She knelt next to Dotty, placing a hand lightly on the girl¡¯s cheek. Dotty¡¯s lips twitched in a half-smile, half-grimace. ¡°Right. Because you never jump in headfirst?¡± Monica let out a tearful, breathy laugh. The two stayed like that for a moment, gazes locked. Sir Tristan, Ted, and Heidi hovered nearby, exchanging weary glances and letting the two have their moment. Monica¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper as she let the last bit of Golden Flame seal Dotty¡¯s worst injuries. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive. Thank you, Dotty.¡± Dotty leaned tiredly against Monica¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Monica¡­ for letting me fight at your side.¡± A fresh wave of exhaustion crashed over them both. They sat together in silence, next to the peaceful stone form of Gromorlig, the remains of the spider nest all around, and the swirling heat of the Heart of Fire shining a harsh glow against the cavern walls. Despite the heartbreak and the loss, relief lay thick in the air. They had cleared the first floor of Viscera, snatched an impossible victory, and¡ªone step at a time¡ªmoved closer to the day they would face Machina. But Monica had forgotten something¡ªsomething that had taken a while to get to her: the second part of her reward. *Ding* Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Reward: Second Class Slot Chapter 59 Monica saw the Reward notification, but was also swarmed by the notification of the Black Widow kill and the levelups that came with it. *Ding* You have slain [Black Widow ¨C Level 165] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature a hundred levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature empowered by Divine Corruption. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a Boss monster. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Level 34 -> 50 +80 VIT, +80 END, +80 STR, +80 DEX, +80 WIS, +80 SPI, +80 INT, +80 CHA and 96 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Level 48 -> 55 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame Level 40 -> 48 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Level 25 -> 31 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense Level 50 -> 68 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step Level 24 -> 34 *Ding* Phoenix Step Description has been updated. Monica checked out the new description immediately. *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact Level 25 -> 37 *Ding* Utility Skill - Meditation Level 25 -> 33 Phoenix Step Lv. 34 Rank: Iron -> Bronze Channel the essence of the Twin Phoenix to move with supernatural grace and speed, leaving traces of flame in your wake. Each step can be enhanced with either the Golden or Obsidian Flame. #1 Base Effect: Instantly move up at 500% your top speed up to 10 yards in any direction, leaving a trail of your chosen flame. The speed increases by 10% for each Level. The distance increases by 1 yard for each Level. Current Range: 44 yards Current Max Speed: 840% #2 Base Effect: Can be used up to 3 times in quick succession before requiring a brief pause. Maximum uses increase by 1 every 5 Levels. Current Uses: 9 #1 Special Conditional Effect - Golden Trail: Use the Golden Flame to change direction up to one time while using the Skill. #2 Special Conditional Effect - Obsidian Trail: When using the Obsidian Flame, increase the damage of your next blow by 200%. The damage increases by 10% for each Level. #3 Special Conditional Effect - Obsidian Burst: When using the Obsidian Flame, you can choose to activate Obsidian Burst to increase your speed by a further 300%. However, you take damage from activating this effect. #1 Hidden Effect: You can now use both flames at once. Cooldown: After using maximum successive steps, you must wait 80 seconds before using Phoenix Step again. Monica had not gotten the opportunity to use the Hidden Effect during the fight with the Black Widow since it had abruptly ended and she almost died, but she could now, thanks to the Skill reaching Bronze Rank, use both Special Conditional Effects, meaning she could now both sprint in a straight line and suddenly change direction, removing the previous limitation on the Skill. Not only a third Special Conditional Effect had been added, but the Cooldown had gone from 100 seconds to 80. Considering she could now use it nine times in a row before triggering the cooldown, Monica felt elated. She briefly stopped looking at the notifications to look at her status. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 34 -> 50 2nd Class: Avalaible Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 408 Endurance - 250 Strength - 255 Dexterity - 306 Wisdom - 250 Spirit - 250 Intelligence - 250 Charisma - 250 Free Attributes: 96 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 55 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 48 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 31 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 68 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 34 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 37 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Then, she found another surprising notification. *Ding* A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. You have unlocked a new Class Skill! Monica sucked in a sharp breath, forcing herself upright despite the shreds of Nightshade Battle Wear that barely clung to her battered frame. Her ears still rang from the final explosive moments of the fight with the Black Widow, and she could taste blood on her lips. Even so, her pulse hammered with the sweet triumph of having cleared the first floor of Viscera. She decided to gloss over the new Class Skill for now to focus on the most important notification she had gotten. Ding Quest Completed ¨C ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ Reward: Second Class Slot Her eyes widened, and she swayed on her feet, ignoring the bright lines of pain in her legs. Another swirl of text from the System sparkled before her mind¡¯s eye, swirling with the flicker of new possibilities¡ªmore messages referencing a newly unlocked option: *Ding* You have unlocked the Second Class Slot. For an instant, time in the ruined nest seemed to still. Sir Tristan, Ted, Heidi, and Dotty stood around the remnants of the monstrous spider battles, no one speaking. Monica alone felt the interface bloom inside her consciousness. She murmured hoarsely, half speaking to herself. *Ding* Your Tutorial Ability activates [Tutorial Message] A Second Class is a rare boon only bestowed after completing an important Quest. And, unlike first Classes, they do not provide Free Attributes. Other than that, they behave like a normal Class. ¡°A second Class¡­¡± Monica muttered, scanning the Tutorial Message. ¡°Apparently, no Free Attributes.¡± She said out loud. ¡°Are they all just¡­ flat stat boosts, Skills, or something else?¡± Ted limped closer, leaning on his mandolin like a cane¡ªhe had sort of injured himself by climbing down the nest. Sticky black gore matted his boots making a splattering sound as he approached. ¡°Dude,¡± he said, voice raspy, ¡°uh, second Classes don¡¯t grant Free Attributes, right? Their main draw is, like¡­ synergy, or neat passives, or big fixed stat bonuses. They¡¯re meant to be, like, real strong if you have good synergy with your First Class.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Monica raised an eyebro. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I¡¯ve got here then.¡± Monica let the System¡¯s recommended picks appear in front of her. Four classes rose to the surface in radiant letters. Phoenix Blaster (Rare) +6 WIS, +6 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 0 Free Attributes per Level You harness both the Obsidian and Golden Flames to devastating effect, channeling their duality into raw destructive power. A Phoenix Blaster excels at ranged spellcasting and high burst damage, at the cost of defense and stamina. Beware of overextending, as maintaining these potent flames can be draining for both body and mind. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x5 Class Malus: -10% Physical Defense -10% Endurance Regeneration Magma Guardian (Rare) +12 END, +6 VIT and 0 Free Attributes per Level A stalwart shield against the most brutal assaults, the Magma Guardian channels molten power to bolster physical and fire-based defenses. You become a towering bulwark on the battlefield, shrugging off damage with ease. However, this unwavering resilience comes at a cost of reduced mobility and agility. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x5 Class Malus: -15% Movement Speed -15% Attack Speed Spirit of War (Epic) +8 STR, +8 DEX, +4 END and 0 Free Attributes per Level A martial path steeped in combative fury. By channeling the Phoenix¡¯s emboldening power into your body, you gain fearsome offensive prowess and faster Attack Speed. The Spirit of War thrives in close-quarters combat and relentless assaults, but sacrifices magical affinities in the process. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x10 Class Malus: -20% Spell Efficiency -20% to Mana Pool Phoenix Forge (Epic) +30 VIT and 0 Free Attributes per Level The Phoenix Forge focuses on creating and enhancing equipment via unique flame-infused techniques by combining their life and death with their creation. The Phoenix Forge offers insights on the flame. What was most interesting so far was that Phoenix Forge, despite being an Epic Class, had only a very brief description, but a massive boost to Vitality. As her interface highlighted each option, Monica grimaced. Phoenix Blaster had its own little charm¡ªit was enticing to think of unstoppable flame-lances and dousing every monster in a sea of fire. But, at the end of the day, she was a melee combatant and therefore Phoenix Blaster was utterly useless, synergy-wise. On the other hand, despite Magma Guardian sounding tanky, she wished that, since she kept fighting monsters while severely underleveled, she could tank more hits instead of being this squishy and easy to kill. Plus, it had a nice boost in Vitality that would go very well with Fury of the Phoenix. But again, it would be a very poor, non-synergistic choice for her to pick. She wasn¡¯t a tank and despite wishing to be more resilient, it wasn¡¯t what she needed at all. Now, the next option made her eyebrows jump up. Spirit of War sounded exactly like her. If Monica had to describe herself, at least based purely on feeling alone, that¡¯s what she was¡ªan actual Spirit of War. It would pretty much supplement her first Class, making her just¡­ better at everything she wanted to do. Her flames were already strong enough that she didn¡¯t really need a boost there¡ªno, what she wanted was to hit harder and faster. She was already resourceful and her combat instincts were unmatched, if she could get a second Class that would allow her to face stronger monsters while avoiding a unending cycle of death and rebirth, it would have been much appreciated. Plus, of all the Clasess she had seen so far, the one that felt she could use the best to raise the Skill Efficiency of her Skills was exactly Spirit of War. One might have thought that Magma Guardian sounded interesting because by being able to tank more damage, she could stay in a life-and-death situation for longer. But that wasn¡¯t exactly her case: Monica teetered on the edge by engaging with the fight actively instead of passively. She was the type of fighter who loved dodging, countering, and generally moving around. That¡¯s how she brought so many Skills to Bronze Rank already. Now, despite the fact that Spirit of War was so enticing to Monica, the last option, Phoenix Forge, made her stop dead in her tracks. The previewed stats alone gave extremely high Vitality scaling and forging Skills that might fix her battered gear. She thought of her precious but now-ragged Nightshade Battle Wear and the cracked golden bracers strapped to her arms. ¡°If I could repair my equipment¡­ maybe even reinforce it with dwarven secrets, that would be as good as getting the Magma Guardian Class. Plus, with all that Vitality, it would free the Free Attributes I get from my Phoenix Healer Class,¡± she mused inwardly, pondering the synergy with her flame-based talents. If it had been any other Class, Monica wouldn¡¯t have hesitated half a second to pick Spirit of War. However, a Blacksmith Class sounded very intriguing to her. And it wasn¡¯t just the added Vitality and the ability to make and repair her own equipment, but the fact that Phoenix Forge talked about flame-infused techniques. Monica suspected that, despite the Class being meant for crafting, she might actually get some non-trivial advantage in fighting as well by picking it. But choosing a non-combat Class in the middle of a war zone? A flitter of uncertainty ghosted across her thoughts. It¡¯s a gamble. She grimaced, blinking away the interface. ¡°I can¡¯t decide here. Let¡¯s see what the next level has in store¡ªmaybe I should at least wait until we check that temple. I need to see the Spear of Dhoznil first.¡± A brief lull followed. Across the broken nest, Dotty gingerly tested her legs. Though Monica had knitted her wounds with the Golden Flame, the girl remained shaky, woozy from adrenaline and pain. Heidi was similarly exhausted¡ªher Mana reserves nearly bottomed out¡ªand she walked by Ted¡¯s side for moral support. The Bard himself still panted and had trouble breathing after singing for so long. As they crossed path with Monica, who was still thinking about which Class would suit her the best, the Phoenix Healer heard them bicker. What had happened was that at the sight of Monica¡¯s shredded armor¡ªexposing swathes of pale, bloodied skin¡ªTed¡¯s cheeks had darkened abruptly. His eyes kept flickering toward her, then darting away, as though uncertain whether to be concerned about her injuries or just a bit interested in her exposed skin. Heidi had noticed this at once. The eyes of the blonde narrowed, and she elbowed Ted¡¯s ribs. ¡°Stop it,¡± she muttered pointedly, ¡°her armor¡¯s in tatters. Keep your pervy glances to yourself, or I¡¯ll burn off your eyebrows off.¡± Monica snorted softly, catching the exchange. Despite the blood, gore, and general chaos around them, an odd flicker of humor warmed her chest. Then she hissed, stepping forward¡ªher chest wounds stung fiercely with each breath. ¡°I need my damn Mana back,¡± she said and sat down to Meditate. Heidi, scowling, stalked off a few steps and rummaged through the debris of a nearby dwarven house. From within the half-collapsed doorway, she emerged dragging a worn, moth-eaten cloak that had somehow escaped the petrification process. She tossed it on top of Monica. ¡°Here. Wear this. I¡¯m tired of a certain Bard drooling over your lack of coverage.¡± Monica raised an eyebrow, letting the dingy cloak drape over her shoulders, half-laughing, half-groaning with pain. ¡°Thanks. And, uh, calm down, Heidi. Ted¡¯s probably just¡­ worried.¡± A telling smirk touched her lips as she shot Ted a quick, knowing glance. ¡°But I appreciate the cloak anyway.¡± Soon the battered group moved out of the nest and toward their objective. The Temple of Dhoznil. * * * They approached the Temple of Dhoznil and climbed the massive stairs that brought up to the entrance. By now, Monica had fully healed herself and had been rid of the wounds inflicted to her by the Black Widow. Nonetheless, she was bothered by the fact that she had to wear the nasty cloak Heidi had found or otherwise Ted would be sneaking up glances at her the whole time. She supposed that one of the things that bothered her about the cloak was that she had caught Sir Tristan, Mr. Honor himself, sneaking a few glances at her¡ªwhich had been quite flattering. Not the time for these thoughts, Monica reminded herself. A chill breeze drifted across the group, stirring dust around the group. Monica cradled the dwarven Key obtained from the Black Widow¡¯s remains. As soon as they reached the top, Sir Tristan stepped forward, placing a cautious hand on the massive doors, trying to push. Nothing happened yet. He withdrew, and Monica took his place. She looked for a keyhole, but there was nothing. She stared at the door for half a minute and then circled the temple before coming back to it. Then, slowly, she touched the door with the key and a hole appeared right then and there¡ªa perfectly shaped depression that lit up with runes. The group stood tense, as a deep hum reverberated through the temple fa?ade. Stone columns glowed with molten lines of runes, and the doors rumbled open with a sonorous groan. They stepped through into a vaulted hall. Massive murals covered the walls, but the most impressive thing was a set of statues¡ªreal ones, not the ones made from real, living Dwarves. ¡°Those are two New Gods,¡± Ted muttered. ¡°The statues, I mean. The Blacksmith God and the Architect God.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t look very friendly,¡± Dotty murmured. ¡°They were never meant to be,¡± Heidi said, looking at them with reverence. Monica noticed Heidi¡¯s behavior and smiled. The blonde had left behind her church, but it still looked at the statues in reverence. Certain things are hard to forget, Monica thought. Reverence is one of the hardest things to forget. At the far end, a flight of wide steps led up to a grand dais. An altar or pedestal lay at its center, in front of a monumental carved relief of a stern-faced dwarf, presumably Dhoznil himself. In the gloom stood a metal cradle, large enough to hold a spear. Its sides were etched with more runes. Monica squinted and felt her Myriad Tongue Racial Ability kick in. ¡°This is where Dhoznil¡¯s heritage lays,¡± she read the runes out loud for everyone before stepping onto the stairs and looking inside the cradle. However, the cradle lay empty, dust-choked and lifeless. Chapter 60 The cradle was empty. A chill seeped into her heart despite the warmth of the temple¡¯s runes. ¡°Where¡¯s the Spear of Dhoznil¡­?¡± she murmured, stepping closer. Dust coated its surface, yet the runes etched into the metal cradle flared faintly when her fingertips made contact. All at once, an electric jolt surged from her hand into her arm. Her vision blurred; the temple¡¯s hall vanished around her. She heard her own breath catch in her throat and then¡ª * * * Monica felt exactly the same as when she had seen the vision of Thraldrirlum¡¯s life. Monica found herself in a grand cavernous space, the sort that could only exist in ancient dwarven cities¡ªexcept it was not petrified or ruined. It thrummed with life. Dozens of dwarves in thick leather aprons and soot-stained beards hurried about like an army of ants. The heat was incredible¡ªrivers of molten metal channeled along stone troughs, while runic pipes pumped bright orange mana-flame overhead. She inhaled deeply and smelled hot iron, smoldering coals, and sweat. This feels so real, Monica thought, even though she knew this was another vision, probably something to do with her being the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. Clang. Clang. Clang. The rhythm of hammers on anvils reverberated in Monica¡¯s very bones. She drifted through this scene like a phantom, unsure if anyone could see her. She watched as dwarven smiths shaped heated ingots into armor plates, sparks dancing each time metal met metal. A row of younger apprentices turned large wheels that powered massive bellows, fueling the monstrous furnace at the center of the hall. At the heart of all this activity stood a single, raised forge. The dwarven runes on it thrummed with an otherworldly glow. Its coals burned a brilliant blue-white, far brighter than the ordinary forges around it. Positioned on an anvil there lay the unmistakable outline of a spear¡ªbut fractured into three large segments and countless smaller shards. The fragments pulsed faintly, as though they held a heartbeat of power. Monica¡¯s gaze drifted to a figure stooped over these gleaming remnants: a broad-shouldered dwarf wearing a smith¡¯s apron singed at the edges, his beard braided and decorated with iron beads. His eyes¡ªdark as coal¡ªflickered with a resolute fire. She had seen a statue of that man. Dhoznil, she realized. ¡°You can¡¯t let it remain in one piece,¡± came a voice. Monica turned to see another dwarf¡ªtaller by dwarven standards, his beard neatly combed. His face was lined with the heartbreak of a war that had raged far too long. Dhoznil did not look up from the spear¡¯s fragments. ¡°We¡¯re so close to perfecting it¡ªto finishing its Enchantments with the help of the Elves. This was meant to be the final blow against¡­ her.¡± His voice rumbled like distant thunder, thick with frustration. The other dwarf¡¯s eyes darted about, as if worried spies lurked in the corners. ¡°The Queen of Stone.¡± A trio of dwarven rune-carvers approached the forge, each holding a small, softly glowing chisel. They exchanged uneasy glances. One, an older dwarf woman with silver braids, gently stroked her tool as she asked, ¡°Dhoznil, are you certain? Splintering it further¡­there¡¯s no telling how or if it can be reforged. Dworsul¡¯s nowhere to be found. He¡¯s the only one who could do it¡ªas he was the one who created this in the first place.¡± Dhoznil¡¯s gaze lifted at last. Monica felt the full weight of his conviction in those coal-dark eyes. ¡°Better scattered than turned into a weapon for the Old Gods,¡± he rumbled, and stood straighter. ¡°We¡¯ll hide each segment behind wards they can¡¯t break without dwarven skill. If Nexa or her minions come¡­ let them rummage for shards they¡¯ll never be able to use.¡± The woman¡¯s face betrayed her sorrow. ¡°This was our greatest creation.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Dhoznil nodded. ¡°And it still can be¡ªone day. Perhaps not in our lifetimes. Perhaps not as soon as we hoped. But if we bury it deep, behind the might of the forges in this city, the Spear will live on.¡± ¡°We do this now,¡± he commanded, voice echoing. ¡°No more delays.¡± In unison, the rune-carvers set their chisels to the fragments, singing words that immediately became distant, inaudible to Monica. Monica¡¯s heart pounded as the final strokes severed each fragment from the others, sealing the Spear of Dhoznil¡¯s soul into separate pieces. A radiant surge of fiery energy blasted outward, rattling the entire forge hall. Many dwarves shielded their eyes, some stumbling. When the light receded, three primary shards¡ªeach the length of a dwarven arm¡ªgleamed with raw, half-contained might. Scattered around them were smaller slivers, still important to the whole. Runes ringed each chunk like chains, preventing them from resonating together. ¡°Take them,¡± Dhoznil ordered, beckoning to different dwarves who stepped forward. ¡°Lock them away. Forge-lords, hide them behind the wards in the Blacksmith District. You¡ª¡± he pointed to a younger blacksmith, ¡°¡ªtake the largest chunk to the Deep Furnace. Store it in the molten vault. It¡¯ll be safe from meddling hands.¡± ¡°What about the last one?¡± A Dwarf asked. ¡°I will lock it in Dworsul¡¯s forge,¡± Dhoznil said with a sigh. ¡°Hopefully, one day he¡¯ll return and see to its reconstruction.¡± Soot-faced dwarves lifted the shards as though carrying newborn babes. Some turned away with tears streaking through the grime on their cheeks. Around them, the frantic activity resumed¡ªothers scrambled for weapons, preparing for some fight.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Probably against Nexa, Monica realized. She felt a fiery hot rage coursing through her body at the thought of what this Old God, this monster, had done to the Three Races, Dwarves, Elves, and Dragons alike. But before she could see anything else, she felt darkness envelope her once again. * * * Then, the darkness lifted, and she snapped back into the temple hall. Her hand jerked away from the cradle. Chest heaving, she steadied herself. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ destroyed,¡± she gasped. ¡°The spear¡­ the Dwarves broke it up and scattered it in the second floor, hidden in the dwarven forges. They broke it to keep it away from Ne¡ªthe Queen of Stone.¡± She swallowed, turning to the others, who eyed her with alarm. ¡°And only a very powerful Blacksmith can put it back together.¡± Monica then gave a more detailed explanation. "Wait¡ªso,¡± Ted said, ¡°the spear''s actually broken to bits? And they''re scattered all over that crazy hot floor? Dude, I''m all for the power of music and whatnot, but Gromorlig said my poor lungs would fry if I stepped foot down there.¡± Dotty leaned against a column in the temple and shook her head, ¡°But¡­ Monica can¡¯t go alone, right? She just fought that massive spider-thing almost to the death. If the second floor is that dangerous, how can we be sure she will be able to handle it? I mean¡ªTed¡¯s music helps a lot.¡± Dotty seemed almost ashamed to admit she considered her own contribution to battle important, despite being the one who had delivered the killing blow to the Black Widow. "I¡¯m not thrilled about going by myself, but it¡¯s the only way. The spear is useless in pieces. If we want to kill Machina¡­ or fend off anyone else who tries to abuse that power, it has to be reforged. I¡¯ll just do as Gromorlig said and find a Blacksmith who can teach us the Fire Breathing Skill and bring him back.¡± ¡°Can we try and check for ourselves how hot it is?¡± Sir Tristan asked. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, we¡¯ll immediately retreat.¡± Monica shrugged. ¡°Sure.¡± * * * They gathered outside the temple, swallowing disappointment at finding nothing but an empty cradle for Dhoznil¡¯s spear. Though Dotty¡¯s injuries had been partially healed, everyone in the group was still feeling a different type of exhaustion¡ªa mental one. All of them¡ªMonica, Dotty, Sir Tristan, Ted, and Heidi¡ªpaused on the massive stone steps outside the temple¡¯s towering pillars. For a moment, they just breathed, letting the cold, cavern-y dwarven air wash over them. The relief was short-lived. Monica¡¯s eyes drifted to the flickering System interface lingering in her peripheral vision. *Ding* Your Quest has Been Updated with a Tracker *Ding* Chain Quest: Corrupted Gods, Machina (I/III) Directions: follow the pulsating arrow to the second floor of Viscera. She instantly saw the orange arrow that also led her to the Crystal Wolves Dungeon appear and tug at her attention, pulling her eyes toward a remoted part of the city. almost feel that arrow tugging at her attention, pulling her deeper into the dwarven city¡¯s second floor. Sir Tristan noticed Monica¡¯s distant stare. ¡°The quest arrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointing there. Must be where the second floor is accessed.¡± Ted rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°You sure that arrow means we have to go now, dude? We¡¯re all running on fumes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just check it out and then you guys can get a rest.¡± After the vision of Dhoznil and the other Dwarves, Monica had no intention of resting. Not ever again until all the Old Gods were dead once and for all. They followed the arrow¡¯s trajectory through Viscera¡¯s main roads. ¡°This is big enough for carts and horses,¡± Sir Tristan noted. ¡°It makes sense that it would lead to an entire other floor.¡± She looked back at the large man raised an eyebrow. Sir Tristan¡¯s visor, battered and smeared with black ichor, gave him a grim, haggard look. He looks hot, though, Monica smirked and cracked her neck. At last, they glimpsed a wide corridor¡ªthe sort that dwarves might have used to shift entire caravans of ore. It sloped gently downward until it hit an intersection. A sharp right led to a flight of broad, shallow steps descending further underground. Monica checked her chain quest arrow again¡ªit pointed straight down those wide steps, deeper and deeper into Viscera. Barely half a minute in and they found themselves in front of a giant crevice in the ground. Enormous elevators made of stone stood in front of them, lining up one beside the other, large enough to be carrying hundreds of people at once. ¡°Dwarven craftsmanship,¡± Sir Tristan said in awe. They all got closer to the elevators and a pulse of heat rolled across them as if the depths of Viscera were exhaling. A sheen of sweat shimmered across Heidi¡¯s brow. Ted fanned himself with his hand, gulping in hot, dusty air. Even Dotty¡¯s cheeks looked flushed. Yet Monica, standing at the forefront, didn¡¯t seem bothered by the rising temperature at all. Heidi took the lead, stepping onto one of the wide elevator platforms and toward a console on its side. ¡°Let¡¯s at least see if we can get this thing moving,¡± she murmured. She reached out hesitantly, but the metal nearly scalded her fingertips. ¡°Ow!¡± she gasped, yanking her hand back. ¡°It¡¯s burning up.¡± Ted wiped his sweaty brow. ¡°I¡¯m not touching that,¡± he muttered. ¡°Dude, I feel like a roasted chicken already.¡± Sir Tristan peered over Heidi¡¯s shoulder at the runes. Even he flinched at the wave of heat radiating from the console. ¡°Must be connected to some Fire Mana or a molten power source¡­ This is intense.¡± ¡°Let me try,¡± Monica said, turning the biggest lever down. The platform slowly started descending, but they were not even ten seconds in that the hot currents started swarming them. The entire platform shook, and the heat intensified so violently that Dotty staggered back. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here!¡± Dotty coughed, eyes watering. ¡°It¡¯s like an oven.¡± Monica exhaled a frustrated breath. Her lips thinned as she surveyed the console and the gargantuan chains, then glanced at her exhausted friends¡ªespecially Ted, who was now flushed pink and struggling to breathe. Without Ted, I lose a lot of my attacking power. Monica had grown extremely reliant on the Song of the Phoenix in battle. Not having Ted on her side made her nervous. ¡°All right,¡± she relented, voice taut. ¡°We¡¯ll pull back for now.¡± Relief washed over their faces. They retreated from the elevator platform, back along the corridor where the air was merely stale and cool¡ªrather than singeing hot. Ted all but slumped against a wall, and Heidi gulped down water from a dented flask. Sir Tristan, panting, lifted his visor to let the cooler air reach his face. Dotty¡¯s chest still rose and fell raggedly, but some color returned to her cheeks. At a short distance away, Monica paused. She cast one last glare toward the dwarven platform. ¡°Dude, Gromorlig was right,¡± Ted told Monica. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± Monica said, sighing. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Chapter 61 That evening, the party reconvened in the military barracks. Over a small meal of dried wolf meat, Monica cleared her throat. ¡°So¡­ about my second Class,¡± she began, passing a quick glance around. Ted looked up from nibbling a strip of wolf jerky. Monica continued, ¡°I have four options, but one stands out: Phoenix Forge. The dwarven forging knowledge could be crucial. Even if we did wake some dwarven blacksmith with the dwarven blood from the next two vials, they will probably remain powerless¡ªlike Gromorlig was¡ªand be unable to forge anyway. So if I have this forging Class, we could gather the Spear shards ourselves, reforge them¡­ plus, I''d get the Vitality boost. It¡¯s the only synergy that helps me keep using multiple Phoenix Feathers without dying.¡± She paused, twisting a piece of cloth in her fingers. ¡°I know it¡¯s risky. A non-combat Class might limit me in direct fights. But we need that Spear to kill Machina, and we need better gear too. As you saw from the fight with the Black Widow that my gear isn¡¯t enough anymore,¡± Monica flashed her broken up armor to them before closing her cloak. ¡°Not even my bracers in good shape.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Ted cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯d be too low leveled in theory to handle the bracers, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Divine Items are usually repaired with Mithril if legends are true. And we found a lot of Mithril, Monica.¡± Ted¡¯s eyes shone with curiosity. ¡°Plus, dude¡­ that could be so epic if you could make up equipment,¡± he said, though a note of concern threaded his voice. ¡°But reforging the Spear of Dhoznil?¡± Heidi fiddled with a piece of jerky, brow pinched. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not positive either. Are we sure forging the spear from scratch is even feasible? Class or not, you can¡¯t just replicate centuries of craft, right?¡± Monica exhaled, still weighed by doubt. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the Class listing mentioned synergy with my flames, possibly unlocking forging techniques. I know that at low levels, I might not be enough to reforge a Divine weapon, but my Phoenix abilities might fill in the gaps.¡± Heidi shrugged, lips pressed thin. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything else if the spear¡¯s broken. And no forging means no Machina kill. As insane as it sounds, I guess it¡¯s your best shot.¡± The conversation continued, but ultimately, Monica deferred the final decision. ¡°Let me think on it a bit more.¡± A hush enveloped the hall as they finished their humble meal. Monica shifted, self-consciously checking the open Quest tab in her interface. ¡®Eradication I/III¡¯ ¨C Completed. But the second stage hasn¡¯t appeared, she noted. Maybe it will once I descend¡­ * * * Dawn¡ªor its dwarven equivalent¡ªcame with an artificial glow from Viscera¡¯s crystalline ¡°sun¡± overhead. The group awoke to more dryness, meager breakfast scraps, and stiff limbs. Despite the universal bad mood after finding out that the Spear of Dhoznil wasn¡¯t here, Monica was resolute. She walked to the stone elevator they¡¯d tested yesterday, the one leading deeper into the scorching depths. Ted, Dotty, Heidi, and Sir Tristan lined up behind her, exchanging uncertain glances. The plan was simple: Monica would go alone to find a Blacksmith to teach them the necessary Skill to resist the crazy temperatures of Viscera¡¯s Second Floor. If she managed well, it proved her Phoenix resistances were enough for a deeper exploration. If not, she¡¯d ascend again quickly. ¡°Dude, you good?¡± Ted asked as he saw Monica a little zoomed out. Monica offered him a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Dotty bit her lip, worried. ¡°I¡¯m the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix,¡± she smiled at them as she approached the elevator console and pulled the lever down. ¡°Worry about yourselves, and don¡¯t worry about when I¡¯ll be back. I might be away for a few days or more.¡± Soon, the elevator descended. In moments, Monica dropped below the city level, the floor above receding into gloom. Her environment changed drastically: the corridor walls glistened as if doused in molten rock. Small rivulets of red-orange magma ran through cracks in the stone, illuminating the descending platform. Monica felt the air get much drier than above, but she could barely feel the heat that had made it impossible for the others to come down. After several minutes, the elevator clunked to a halt at a wide outcropping, a large platform of naturally formed stone that acted as a descending set of stairs. Monica saw rail tracks in it that she supposed Dwarves might have used to ferry carts of ores either down or up. Did they mine ore on the second floor, or was it in the lower parts? After the lengthy descent of the elevator, she envisioned being several hundred, if not thousands, feet beneath the first level. The air in this tunnel trembled with heat haze, and the temperature was borderline insane. She stepped aside and looked at a heavy stone gateway that acted as the threshold to the second floor. The pillars seemed half-melted, likely from centuries of exposure to extreme heat. Or maybe, without the Dwarves regulating this place, it might be even hotter than it¡¯s supposed to be. The Mana down there was so thick that the pulsating magma that Monica saw around the cave shimmered full of it through her Mana-Sense-enhanced sight. She got closer to the threshold and saw that, on its side, there was some weird kind of coating. As she turned the corner to step into a massive tunnel, she saw that a paper-like, waxy substance covered half of the pillar and culminated at the top in two hexagonal cells. ¡°What the¡ª¡± Before she could say anything else, she heard a low droning hum from the cells. Monica cracked her neck and took a deep breath, activating Phoenix Feathers and feeling the increased Attributes coursing through her body. She picked up a faint insectile clicking and finally, a triangular-shaped head emerged from the one of the cells. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Scout - Level 115] Monica instinctively stepped back as the triangular head pried the hexagonal cell wider, spewing molten resin in a slow, viscous dribble onto the scorching ground. With a snap, one of its mandibles broke free of the waxy casing that clung to its torso. The heat wreathed the creature like a living aura, distorting the air around it. A second wasp broke out simultaneously. This one, slightly larger, flexed its barbed forelegs and snapped its mandibles. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Scout - Level 120] This one fanned its wings experimentally, sending shimmering waves of heat downward. ¡°Fire-based,¡± Monica mused, looking at the two monsters. ¡°Better for me.¡± Monica¡¯s lips pressed together. Level 120. She¡¯d faced worse the Black Widow at Level 160, but this was still a steep increase in levels. These monsters were bound to only get stronger. Not only that, but wasps were airborne¡ªwhich would have been a problem under normal conditions. Fighting creatures that could fly wouldn¡¯t have been easy since they could maneuver in a tridimensional space and she could only go left and right¡ªmaybe jump a little. But, it just so happened, thankfully, that she had gotten the perfect Skill to deal with this situation. A black cloud started forming in front of Monica as a small chunk of her Mana drained away, and she jumped on it, suddenly feeling her body being precipitously pulled upward. Movement Skill - Phoenix Cloud Call upon the airy essence of the Twin Phoenix to form a hovering platform of flame beneath your feet. This skill¡¯s effect varies depending on whether you channel Golden Flame or Obsidian Flame at the moment of activation. #1 Base Effect: Conjure a small, fiery cloud beneath your feet, allowing an immediate vertical or angled lift of up to 5 feet. The distance increases by 1 foot for each Level. Current Lift: 6 feet #2 Base Effect: Can be used up to 2 times in quick succession before requiring a brief pause. Maximum uses increase by 1 every 5 Levels. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Current Uses: 2 #1 Special Conditional Effect - Golden Updraft: Use the Golden Updraft to hover up to 10 seconds before slowly drifting back toward the ground. During this time, you can adjust your horizontal position slightly without falling. One additional second of hovering is added for each Skill Level. Current Duration: 11 seconds #2 Special Conditional Effect - Obsidian Surge: When using the Obsidian Surge, you receive a 200% speed multiplier. The speed increases by 10% for each Level. Current Speed: 210% Cooldown: After using Phoenix Cloud, there is a 20-second cooldown before Phoenix Cloud can be activated again. Monica barely had time to note the rising heat radiating from the molten tunnels before a hail of smoldering resin splattered toward her feet and forced her to cancel the Skill. The Level 115 Corrupted Molten Wasp screeched after releasing the resin from its mouth. With a sharp inhale, Monica activated Mana Sense, her vision filling with delicate golden echoes. She saw the large drops¡¯ trajectory as if time had slowed. A quick sidestep onto another Phoenix Cloud combined with a Phoenix Step¡ªthis time mixing both Golden Flame and Obsidian Flame in a split second¡ªcarried her out of the resin¡¯s path and back to the ground. Cooldown, Monica started counting in her head the twenty seconds of Phoenix Cloud¡¯s cooldown. However, she was still rattled by this exchange in a way that she hadn¡¯t felt in a while, not even when she had soloed a Corrupted Tarantula. She was sluggish. Ted¡¯s Phoenix Song wasn¡¯t there to amplify her speed and strength as he had done against the Black Widow. Not to talk about his ne Skill, Battle Conductor. Maybe I¡¯m growing too reliant on Ted, Monica realized. If anything were to happen to him before we reach Machina¡ªor while we fight her¡­ By the time the cooldown was almost over, a second shape had blurred in her peripheral vision: the Level 120 Corrupted Molten Wasp dive-bombed from above, aiming its stinger at her back. Thanks to Mana Sense, she pivoted and raised her Twin Phoenix Bracers, trying to gauge the creature''s strength. The stinger struck the golden surface with a deafening crack, sending numbing vibrations through her bones and causing her to skid backward. She gritted her teeth and jumped to the side to avoid the monster''s follow-through. The blow was heavier than she expected They¡¯re not normal monsters¡ªMachina made these things, she reminded herself. Wasps are not normally made of stupid damn blazing metal. Monica exhaled sharply. Normally, she would¡¯ve unleashed a flurry of Obsidian Impact combos. But the first Wasp spat another stream of molten resin before she could even pivot, and once again, she had to abort her attack entirely. ¡°Dammit,¡± she muttered, yanking her torso aside. Her foot slipped on a patch of half-solidified resin. She only avoided being trapped by launching herself onto a Phoenix Cloud¡ªan airy swirl of black flames formed beneath her feet, letting her hop into a brief hover. The shift to a Golden Updraft slowed her descent, preventing a nasty fall. Even as she touched the ground again, Monica felt her limbs lag. Ok, fighting with Ted all this time is throwing me off now that he¡¯s not here. ¡°Focus.¡± She forced a breath, flicking a residue of melted resin from her boots. She dodged both monsters¡¯ attacks, waiting for Phoenix Cloud¡¯s cooldown to be over again. She looked warily at the molten resin¡ªthe splash pattern was wide, aiming to lock her feet in place as soon it solidified or, worse, make her lose her footing. Instinct flared. She kept relying on Mana Sense, letting the golden echoes highlight the resin¡¯s trajectory and keeping an eye out for the strong Level 120 Molten Wasp. Without waiting another beat, Monica pushed both the Golden and the Obsidian Flame into Phoenix Step and zigzagged away, jerking her body two yards to the side. She landed awkwardly on a chunk of broken cobble, but the resin splattered harmlessly onto the spot she¡¯d just vacated, hissing and fuming as it hardened in an instant. That wasp hissed and spread its wings, bracing for another volley. But Monica¡¯s attention shifted instantly to the second waspfray. The label [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Level 120] flashed in her eyes. She barely pivoted in time to raise her Twin Phoenix Bracers in a perfect copy of the previous engagement. The Wasp¡¯s stinger collided against the golden metal with a jarring impact, reverberations blasting up her forearms. She ground her teeth, forcibly banishing the shock in her limbs. The wasps screeched in tandem, their fiery grey coloration running with molten streaks of liquid metal along their thoraxes. As soon as the Phoenix Cloud skill came off cooldown, she tried to link it with Phoenix Step, hoping the combination would allow her to maneuver in three dimensions. In theory, she could jump up without Phoenix Cloud, then go even higher with bursts of Phoenix Step, and keep launching herself on one more platform or off the walls. In practice, the wasps had the natural advantage of flight, and they used it well since Monica could only create two Phoenix Clouds. For every smart midair pivot Monica performed, the insects scattered, flew away, and regrouped. She was used to enemies on the ground. Fighting fliers tested a whole new set of reflexes and instincts. Her Mana Sense helped track them, golden trails painting arcs of where they¡¯d move, but physically matching that with her own leaps was a whole other challenge. She glimpsed the Level 115 Molten Wasp flying higher, resin glistening in its mandibles. Meanwhile, the Level 120 one circled low behind her. They were dividing her attention. She tried to pivot away from the upper wasp¡¯s resin hail. She half-succeeded, skidding on half-dried lava and calling upon Phoenix Step to reposition, but her foot sank into a sticky patch of old resin on the floor. She felt it cling to her boot, halting her momentum for a critical heartbeat. That was all the opening the Level 120 needed. A flash of gray swarmed her vision and a needle-sharp stinger rammed into her abdomen. She heard herself scream more in surprise than pain, though the burning venom that erupted into her body made her vision swim. Monica tried to summon the Golden Flame, but her muscles seized¡ªsomething about this venom short-circuited her normal speed at channeling magic. Her arms sagged. She saw the Level 115 swoop in from her left, stinger extended. The next moment, it plunged into her chest, and the world went black. Monica¡¯s eyes snapped open to the feeling of grit under her cheek. The stench of roasting flesh made her stomach lurch, and she twisted her head to the side only to see one of the wasps gnawing on¡­ a detached human leg. Her detached leg. The realization lit a fuse of anger in her mind, eclipsing the residual terror of death. They maimed my body for a damn snack. Her thoughts felt stark and bristling with fury. She pulled herself upright, her legs¡ªboth of them¡ªintact once more thanks to her ability to come back to life. The wasp, the Level 120 one, noticed her, dropped the half-chewed limb, and buzzed its wings menacingly. Its mandibles were slick with her blood. Monica¡¯s breath hissed through her teeth. Every fiber of her being burned with the desire to tear that thing apart. She forced activated Fury of the Phoenix¡ªthe three Phoenix Feathers on her forearms flared, supercharging her Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance well beyond their normal range. Then, she let out a low, feral growl. Before the wasps could regroup, Monica locked her eyes on the bigger threat. The Level 120 immediately took flight and hovered a few yards above. Rather than letting it corner her again, Monica launched forward by pumping the Obsidian Flame in Phoenix Cloud and Phoenix Step. She blasted straight up, only switching to Golden Updraft at the very last second to stall mid-ascent as the monster tried impaling her. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me?!¡± Monica shouted like a crazed woman. The Wasp¡¯s stinger whooshed by, missing her by a hair¡¯s breadth. She felt the heat of the venom-laced tip brush past her waist. The creature clicked its mandibles, frustrated. Monica¡¯s eyes, though, were on that same blood-slick mouth that had devoured her severed limb. ¡°No more freebies,¡± she hissed. Capitalizing on momentum, she twisted in the air, slinging herself onto the Wasp¡¯s back. Her left arm locked around the base of its thorax while her right fist crackled with Obsidian Flame. She targeted the base of the wing¡ªtime to ground this monster permanently. Her first strike crashed into the joint, exoskeleton splintering with a sickening crunch. She felt the creature buck violently, almost dislodging her. But she clung on, driving a second strike along the exact same point, using the hidden effect of Obsidian Impact. The cracks deepened into a visible fracture. The Wasp frantically twisted in the air, but Monica refused to let go. She roared, channeling a third strike with pinpoint accuracy. Shatterpoint triggered. Its effect ruptured the wing¡¯s anchor. The entire left wing tore free in a bloom of burning fluids, molten metal, and gore. Unlike the spiders in the first floor of Viscera, it seemed like there was something fleshy to these Wasps. The Level 120 Corrupted Molten Wasp screeched so loud it hurt her ears. Monica felt gouts of flaming ichor splash her arms and torso. If not for her natural fire immunity, that molten liquid could have melted her skin to the bone. The Wasp wobbled, spinning out of control. Monica felt gravity sink its claws back into them both. There was no time for a graceful landing¡ªher Phoenix Cloud was on cooldown, and her last Phoenix Step had already been spent. Fine. They¡¯d fall together. She seized the Wasp¡¯s bulky head and pushed it toward the ground, bracing for the inevitable impact. The insect flailed its spiked forelegs, raking across Monica¡¯s side. Blood sprayed from deep gashes in her flank. But it still couldn¡¯t angle its stinger into her, not in this position. The ground rushed up in a blurred smear of red and black. Then everything hit at once. The collision knocked the wind out of her. Her vision sparked with brightness as if she¡¯d been hammered by a giant¡¯s fist. Debris and dust enveloped them in a choking cloud. But she refused to let go. The Wasp was pinned under her, body convulsing in its death throes. Another wave of black fire burst from Monica¡¯s fists, fueling Obsidian Impact. She slammed them repeatedly into the monster¡¯s skull. Crack. The Wasp¡¯s head caved in, and the insect let out a final, wet hiss before falling limp. Monica spat blood, ignoring the gritty taste on her tongue. Her entire torso throbbed, bruised, and battered from that slam. She forced a breath, about to breathe in relief, when her Mana Sense caught the attack coming her way from her blind spot. ¡°You wish,¡± Monica grunted. She flung herself to the side, bones creaking in protest. Her battered body almost gave out mid-roll, but Fury of the Phoenix sustained her form as the Golden Flame started easily healing the damage. The resin splashed where she¡¯d been lying a half-second earlier, solidifying and trapping the corpse of the other Molten Wasp. A shimmering warmth wrapped her core, knitting fractures in her ribs, sealing the deeper lacerations around her abdomen. Her breath no longer rasped so painfully, though a deep ache still lingered. Overhead, the Level 115 Wasp circled lower, apparently sensing weakness. Its movements exuded confidence as if it believed she was nearly out of fight. Monica let her shoulders slump, faking a deeper injury, encouraging the wasp to sink further. It spat again, only half as forcefully, trying to pin her half-healed body in place. She jerked aside, leaving a smear of her blood on the ground, and let it close in for the kill. A sardonic grin curling her lips. You think you¡¯ve already won. The wasp swooped mere feet above her head, stinger aimed for her throat. She sprang up in a final, savage burst of Phoenix Step, bridging the short distance in a blink. In a flash, she hooked both arms around the insect¡¯s thorax. Obsidian Flames covered her fists as she hammered them into a vulnerable seam. One, two, three times¡ªagain, focusing on the same exact point to trigger Shatterpoint. Even mid-panic, the wasp squirmed, trying to toss her off. But her mind was locked on delivering that critical blow. The carapace gave, splitting in a fountain of molten gore that spattered across the floor. The Wasp pitched sideways, slamming into a half-crumbled dwarven wall. It attempted a final spit of resin, but its body was already shutting down, spasming from the internal damage. Monica finished it with a brutal punch directly through the weakened plating, feeling the shell shatter under her knuckles as she eviscerated the creature midair. At last, the Level 115 collapsed in a dying screech and they fell to the ground, the monter¡¯s legs twitched in frantic desperation before going still. A wave of hot air ruffled Monica¡¯s hair. She sank onto one knee, letting her arms drop heavily to her sides as she covered her entire body in Golden Flame. Just as the chamber fell silent, a familiar chime resonated inside her head, the System Notification. Chapter 62 *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Scout ¨C Level 120] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Scout ¨C Level 115] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. Ding! Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Lv.?51 ¡ú Lv.?58 +40 VIT, +40 END, +40 STR, +40 DEX, +40 WIS, +40 SPI, +40 INT, +40 CHA and +48 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv.?55 ¡ú Lv.?58 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame Lv. 48 ¡ú Lv. 51 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Lv.?31 ¡ú Lv.?33 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense Lv.?68 ¡ú Lv.?73 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step Lv.?34 ¡ú Lv.?38 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact Lv. 42 ¡ú Lv. 45 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Cloud Lv.?1 ¡ú Lv.?5 In the midst of the battle, Monica completely forgot to keep Meditation active and boost her Skills Efficiency. Only now, seeing that Meditation hadn¡¯t leveled up, she realized it. I was too caught up in the battle, the redhead thought, rubbing her face. At least Phoenix Cloud reached Level 5. Now I can use it three times before it goes on Cooldown. And considering how nasty these two Corrupted Molten Wasps had been, she would definitely need it. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 51 -> 58 2nd Class: Avalaible Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 448 Endurance - 290 Strength - 295 Dexterity - 346 Wisdom - 290 Spirit - 290 Intelligence - 290 Charisma - 290 Free Attributes: 144 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 58 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 51 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 33 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 73 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 38 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 45 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 5 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues ¡°I¡¯ve got a bunch of Free Attributes,¡± Monica sighed, talking to herself. ¡°But I should probably decide which second Class to pick, first.¡± Monica found it oddly quiet after the two Corrupted Molten Wasps finally lay dead. Her breath echoed against the molten walls, and only the faint crackle of residual fire disturbed the hush. Splashes of her blood steamed upon the sweltering rock floor. The redhead wiped her mouth, spitting flecks of blood onto the rubble. She¡¯d killed the wasps¡ªa meager pair of scouts, according to their tags¡ªand emerged victorious, though it had cost her a death. ¡°Scouts,¡± Monica bit her lower lip. ¡°The rest must be even stronger.¡± What was at stake was the future of her children. Machina said she had a way to bring them back¡ªto bring back the one thing Monica had actual memory of. But if the difficulty kept ramping up like this, she wasn¡¯t sure they could pull it off. As if the System was reading her thoughts, she heard a notification. *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Eradication II/III¡¯ Progress: 2/483 Reward: ??? Monica took a deep breath. ¡°The spiders weren¡¯t the only ones reproducing,¡± she thought. But it was to be expected, to an extent. Machina was an Old God, a being of unfathomable power. The only reason Monica and the others hadn¡¯t found a veritable army waiting for them was that they had received Thraldrirlum¡¯s Dream from the System as a reward for completing the Crystal Wolves Dungeon. In any other scenario, they could have never made it this early to Viscera. She glanced around, checking that no further wasps lurked. Then, with a shaky inhale, she sank to the floor, crossing her legs upon a relatively flat stretch of stone. The heat coming off the basalt made her battered thighs sting, but she forced herself to sit. Time to meditate. * * * She closed her eyes, ignoring the heat waves and the metallic smell of molten ore. Slowly, she guided her Mana in the patterns Gromorlig had instructed them to practice. Soon, she felt her Mana regenerate faster than it would have usually done. She¡¯d soared to Level 58 in her Phoenix Healer Class¡ªan impressive jump considering her Exp multiplier. Yet, the signature Skills of her Class, the Golden and Obsidian Flame, had not seen any increase in efficiency. Everything else but Phoenix Cloud and Phoenix Feathers is at Bronze Rank. When I checked the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame, they were at 0% Skill Efficiency. So, the problem, as Monica saw it, was that both were Skills that someone else, the Twin Phoenix, had mastered before ascending to godhood. First of all, Monica wasn¡¯t even sure she herself could ascend to Godhood, considering she was an Avatar blessed with such Skills. But then, she wondered, could she still increase the Skill Efficiency of the two? And if she could, considering how strong they already were, would that give her the edge necessary to face the monsters here? The only thing left to do is to try, I guess. She started with the Obsidian Flame, channeling it while using Meditation. Over and over, she tried getting a feel of the Obsidian Flame. The black fire would spark across her knuckles, but the intangible sense of friction rose each time she attempted to truly study it. She couldn¡¯t even make out how exactly her Mana moved around her body while using the Skill. This is a whole other level than the rest of the Skills. It made sense, though. Supposedly, this Skill had already reached her maximum Skill Efficiency. But Monica kept getting a hunch about it¡ªshe was weirdly convinced there was more of the Skill to explore. As she sat cross-legged with a film of sweat coating her arms, she felt an intangible wall whenever she attempted to glean any understanding of the Obsidian Flame.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The Twin Phoenix had said that Monica, more than anyone else, was capable of increasing the Skill Efficiency of her Skills since she could easily walk the line between life and death with no serious consequences. But then, why couldn¡¯t she get any understanding of the Obsidian Flame? Alone in this heat-scorched tunnel, she focused all her will into her Meditation and the Obsidian Flame for what felt like multiple hours. But to no avail. She huffed in frustration, feeling the System¡¯s silent refusal. I¡¯m hitting a wall. She opened her eyes, letting the black fire flicker harmlessly along her arm. No revelations came. If the Twin Phoenix had left her with any hidden instruction, it wasn¡¯t surfacing now. ¡°Hey, Twin Phoenix, you there?¡± Monica tried when at the end of her wits. ¡°Hello? I have questions!¡± No response. ¡°All right,¡± she murmured to herself, rising from the scorching floor. ¡°I have to find a Blacksmith anyway.¡± * * * She had two vials of dwarven blood left. If Gromorlig was any indication, reviving a petrified blacksmith wouldn¡¯t truly restore their old power. It might grant some knowledge, but not the skill to handle the forging of a Divine weapon. That was presumably the domain of a Master Smith. If I can¡¯t find a suitable dwarf¡­ then it falls on me. Thus, the Phoenix Forge Class seemed the better option to choose. But Monica was truly enamored with Spirit of War. Monica navigated deeper into the main tunnel. The environment only grew hotter¡ªlakes and pools of magma churned below craggy platforms of black stone. She soon discovered the corridor split into multiple sub-passages. This place is all messed up, she assessed. Is it just the Fire Mana accumulating and turning rock into magma or was part of this hellhole by design? Faded dwarven signs, half-melted, indicated something akin to a ¡°Smith District¡± in old runes. Suddenly, however, she heard buzzing coming right from that direction. Her caution soared. She¡¯d barely survived two wasp scouts. If entire patrols roamed these passages, she¡¯d be in constant danger. She softened her steps, creeping forward with her newly heightened Dexterity, gleaning what stealth she could from her battered cloak. Sure enough, the first large intersection she peered into revealed a group of wasps¡ªsix in total, each sporting a ¡°Soldier¡± tag. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 150] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 145] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 144] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 141] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 139] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 140] They droned around in a tight formation, apparently on patrol. Monica¡¯s gut twisted. I can¡¯t fight them. One or two, maybe she¡¯d manage by using her best combos, but six? Not a chance. Her mind turned to flight or stealth, except flight was impossible¡ªPhoenix Cloud would be limited in these tight spaces, and the wasps could easily chase her. That left stealth. She pressed her back to the stone, waiting until the squad went into another tunnel. Then, as quietly as possible, she advanced. Careful¡­ She crept past the ribbon of lava, clinging to the wall so the wasps wouldn¡¯t catch a glimpse of her silhouette. One wrong sound, one sudden shift in the gloom, and an entire squad of those creatures could converge on her in seconds. Sure enough, she died for the first time not long after. She¡¯d just cleared one of the labyrinth¡¯s curved intersections, descending deeper, when the drone rose to a frantic pitch. Monica halted, mind screaming a warning: Too close! They¡¯re too close. But there was nowhere to hide. The corridor behind her was blocked by a collapsed dwarven pillar; the side route was sealed behind a molten outflow that sizzled down the walls. She heard the click of armored legs on stone, then the ominous gurgle of resin building in the wasps¡¯ gullets. They saw her. She tried to leap, but it was already too late. A spurt of molten resin splashed across her calves, pinning her feet to the floor. She grit her teeth and flooded her body with Golden Flame, but before she could melt or break free, a stinger lanced her side. The paralyzing venom locked her limbs. A second stinger found its target¡ªthis time at her shoulder. Then, a final blow found her throat, and her vision faded to black. Resurrection came quietly. The wasps were gone¡ªonly a smear of gore where they had been¡­ and the twisted remains of her previous corpse. They keep damn dismembering me, she thought angrily. If they didn¡¯t reproduce this fast, I could have just come here on my own. I would have loved to see Machina¡¯s stupid creations to fight someone who can just keep coming back from the dead. This time, she diverted before that ill-fated intersection, carefully picking a different route. She advanced maybe a hundred yards, crouching behind a fallen dwarven arch. The thick block of stone gave her a vantage point to observe three Soldier Wasps. She watched their movements, waiting for the perfect moment to slip by¡ªexcept her foot shifted, a chunk of rubble dislodged, and the faint scrape was enough to make one wasp wheel around midair. After a brief battle, she was dead again. Over time, a grim pattern emerged. She learned how to keep track of the patrol schedules¡ªhow some wasp formations circled the same route like clockwork. She had to move slowly, anticipating each group¡¯s path. Yet the labyrinth was enormous. Runnels of molten rock veined across the corridors, sometimes leaving only a precarious, one-foot-wide ledge to edge along. She¡¯d be forced to wait, pressed to the walls, while squads buzzed past. Each time the hot air vibrated with insectile droning, she¡¯d tense¡ªif even one wasp recognized her silhouette, she¡¯d have to fight or flee. Both options too often ended the same way: pinned by resin, battered by stingers, forced to resurrect again. During her third attempt to cross a collapsed dwarven courtyard, she did manage a moment of real triumph. Two Soldier Wasps cornered her, blocking the only exit. She decided to stand her ground. She killed them both, though a stray stinger lacerated her side and slowed down her self-healing. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 135] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp ¨C Level 134] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. Ding! Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Lv.?58 ¡ú Lv.?60 +10 VIT, +10 END, +10 STR, +10 DEX, +10 WIS, +10 SPI, +10 INT, +10 CHA and +12 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv.?58 ¡ú Lv.?60 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame Lv. 51 ¡ú Lv. 53 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Lv.33 ¡ú Lv.35 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense Lv.73 ¡ú Lv.?74 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step Lv.38 ¡ú Lv.40 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact Lv. 45 ¡ú Lv. 47 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Cloud Lv.?5 ¡ú Lv. 9 *Ding* Utility Skill - Meditation Lv.?33 ¡ú Lv. 35 This was the first group of Wasp Soldiers she had managed to dispatch on her own. They weren¡¯t too different from Wasp Scouts in the way they fought, but they were all around faster, stronger, and more lethal. Even the venom Monica had been injected with felt more potent than their Scout counterpart. At least, Phoenix Cloud was leveling up¡ªshe would need the Skill like water in a desert to fight the airborne monsters. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 58 -> 60 2nd Class: Avalaible Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 458 Endurance - 300 Strength - 305 Dexterity - 356 Wisdom - 300 Spirit - 300 Intelligence - 300 Charisma - 300 Free Attributes: 156 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 60 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 53 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 35 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 40 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 47 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 5 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/12) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues * * * She timed patrol routes more precisely, pressing a hand to the stone to feel the vibrations of the wasps¡¯ wings. She leveraged Phoenix Step in short bursts, jumping from one vantage to the next while squads were furthest away. Once or twice, she used a chunk of stone to clatter in a distant tunnel, drawing off a small group so she could slip past. Eventually¡ªhours later, or maybe half a day¡ªshe found herself at a vast intersection reminiscent of a dwarven marketplace. Through the heat-shimmering air, Monica¡¯s Mana Sense alerted her to an entire swarm of wasps. Damn it! I need to get through here! She looked around frantically. They weren¡¯t just a small patrol. She sensed at least twelve, possibly more, coming around. She weighed her options. The columns might provide partial cover, but with that many wasps, they¡¯d flush her out within moments. Another possibility was to circle around. That was when she noticed the giant lake of magma coasting all around the giant marketplace¡ªor whatever it was. She had seen the wasps occasionally flying near magma, but never too close¡ªlikely the intense heat posed some hazard even to them. The notion felt insane, but an idea sparked in her mind. Her Phoenix Healer gifts granted her full-blown fire immunity. And that should have encompassed magma as well. However, Magma was denser than water, thick and choking, and once she dove in, movement would be nearly impossible. But that also meant that the wasps would never expect a living being to simply vanish beneath molten rock. She swallowed. The wasps¡¯ droning grew louder; at least a few were drifting in her direction. She eyed a battered dwarven statue that lay shattered near the chamber¡¯s perimeter. Its base extended close to the edge of the lava, offering a vantage from which she might dive in. Well, even if I suffocated there, I could still keep resurrecting. Not a pretty option, but I¡¯m pretty sure I can make my way through the magma. A pair of wasps flew overhead, scanning the area and Monica waited in silence. Only when their hum receded to the far side did she scramble forward again, hugging the broken dwarven statue. From behind this statue¡¯s massive brow, she peered around. Across the chamber, at least eight wasps hovered, some forming a wide perimeter. They seemed agitated, likely searching for her. They know I¡¯m in here somewhere. She clenched her fists. No more waiting. With a sharp exhale, she launched into a sprint along the narrow stone that bordered the lake. Residual droplets of magma splashed around her ankles, but she barely noticed. The wasps, at the chamber¡¯s far corner, twitched at the sight of motion, wings abruptly buzzing louder. A couple of them soared upward, turning in her direction. Monica had no time to overthink. She planted her foot at the final chunk of solid stone, leapt off in a graceful arc, and dove straight into the molten lake. The impact was immediate sensory overload. Lava enveloped her in sizzling pressure, so dense it felt like colliding with molten tar. Even with her fire immunity, an agonizing pressure seemed to crush against her limbs. She forced herself deeper, ignoring the primal instinct to recoil from the molten mass. In fact, she immediately had an idea. Monica covered herself from head to toe in Obsidian Flame, which consumed the rock around her and allowed her to move more swiftly, almost as if she was in water, and then used an Obsidian-Flame-powered Phoenix Cloud to push herself much deeper into the magma lake. It was only after she submerged herself several feet deep that she turned on Mana Sense. She could see golden hues hovering where she had disappeared. Molten Wasps, huh? Monica smirked, also seeing the terrifying Fire Mana that was contained in the magma. Not Molten enough for a little swim. Without waiting for her breath to run out, she started using a combination of Phoenix Cloud and Phoenix Step to barrel through the magma lake, keeping herself oriented thanks to Mana Sense. She also managed to take a few breaths when she saw that the monsters had completely lost track of her. The magma is confusing them. She had reemerged for a few seconds and seen them hover over the lake, lost. They hadn¡¯t even noticed her head popping up from the magma and then diving back in. In an ironic turn of event, as Monica torpedoed through the magma, she finally had some time to think. I¡¯ve barely seen any Dwarf statues here. Have the wasps destroyed them? When she had crossed almost the entire lake and Mana Sense told her that the Wasps were gone, she finally reemerged. Soaking wet with molten stone, panting from near-drowning, she looked at herself. ¡°Huh,¡± she looked at her clothes¡ªor the lack of thereof. The Nightshade Battle Wear had somehow survived, despite even the metal on it melting partially. The rest of her clothes, instead, were simply gone. And with the inky substance of her armor mostly destroyed, her graces were full-on display. ¡°Whatever,¡± she shrugged. There was no Ted or, regrettably, Sir Tristan to watch. She slowly walked to the side of this small market and finally saw many Dwarven statues. A few of them looked like Blacksmiths. Chapter 63 She stepped carefully over a platforms above and pulled herself above a stone house to take a better look. She activated Mana Sense, scanning for any hint of more Corrupted Molten Wasps. What immediately got her attention was a series of pillars made of black metal all around the place. They had fine engravings that made her raise an eyebrow. It¡¯s so hot that stone is literally melting¡ªthen why are those things looking cool? She neared one of the large black pillars and put a hand on its dark metal. Indeed, it was cold. ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re for,¡± she muttered, squinting at one, the closest to the entrance, and then reading out loud. ¡°Forging.¡± It was a single word. Then, she moved toward the next. ¡°Temperature Control.¡± Then another one. ¡°Smelting.¡± And another one. ¡°Hammering.¡± Monica looked at the four pillars thoroughout the place with a raised eyebrow and then scanned the market again. There was ore everywhere, smithing tools, and the likes. She wished she had asked Gromorlig more about crafters, but she had a hunch about this. But the fact that they didn¡¯t react to her touch or her Mana meant that they were either inactive or that she couldn¡¯t activate them for now for whatever reason. She looked at a Dwarf standing in front of one of the stalls and got closer to him. It was a broad-shouldered dwarf wearing a smith¡¯s apron singed at the edges, his beard braided and decorated with iron beads. She looked at her Inventory and then gritted her teeth. ¡°I could just wake up this guy, but¡­ if this only the marketplace, I should probably find someone better. I don¡¯t have that many vials and we still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to be on the third level.¡± Monica decided to leave the place and move forward, deeper into the main tunnel. The forges shouldn¡¯t be too far. Indeed, they weren¡¯t. Barely half a mile away from where she had left the marketplace, she found a gigantic copper-red metallic statue of a Dwarf holding a hammer. Monica had already seen the guy Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°One of the two New Gods that belonged to the Dwarves,¡± she said. ¡°The Blacksmith God.¡± But the problem was that just a few minutes of walking from the statue deeper into the tunnel, she discovered a massive brood complex¡ªan entire hive-like structure built from hardened molten resin. She looked at it and walked its length, realizing it completely obstructed the passage to the Blacksmith quarters. ¡°Maybe my flames can cut the resin open?¡± she whispered under her breath. The brood structure seemed to coil around the dwarven stone in multiple layers. She quietly invoked her Obsidian Flame, letting the black fire roll across her palms. She touched a chunk of resin near the edge, watching as her destructive flame tried to eat through the material. After two minutes, she had barely done any damage. Nothing. Her Obsidian Flame might have eventually corroded it if she could stand there for hours, but that wouldn¡¯t have been enough to get to the other side. Monica swallowed hard. ¡°So this is it,¡± she said in a low voice, stepping back from the brood barrier. ¡°If I can¡¯t open that sealed gate or burn this brood, I can¡¯t move deeper into the blacksmith district. I can¡¯t find or reforge the Spear. The second floor is worthless if I can¡¯t get past this wall of shit.¡± Now, she really wished she could have raised the Obsidian Flame¡¯s Skill Efficiency. Then, all at once, something hit her and she opened the description of the Classes she had been offered. Phoenix Blaster (Rare) +6 WIS, +6 SPI, +6 INT, +2 CHA and 0 Free Attributes per Level You harness both the Obsidian and Golden Flames to devastating effect, channeling their duality into raw destructive power. A Phoenix Blaster excels at ranged spellcasting and high burst damage, at the cost of defense and stamina. Beware of overextending, as maintaining these potent flames can be draining for both body and mind. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x5 Class Malus: -10% Physical Defense -10% Endurance Regeneration Magma Guardian (Rare) +12 END, +6 VIT and 0 Free Attributes per Level A stalwart shield against the most brutal assaults, the Magma Guardian channels molten power to bolster physical and fire-based defenses. You become a towering bulwark on the battlefield, shrugging off damage with ease. However, this unwavering resilience comes at a cost of reduced mobility and agility. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x5 Class Malus: -15% Movement Speed -15% Attack Speed Spirit of War (Epic) +8 STR, +8 DEX, +4 END and 0 Free Attributes per Level A martial path steeped in combative fury. By channeling the Phoenix¡¯s emboldening power into your body, you gain fearsome offensive prowess and faster Attack Speed. The Spirit of War thrives in close-quarters combat and relentless assaults, but sacrifices magical affinities in the process. Necessary Experience to Advance the Class (Modifier): x10 Class Malus: -20% Spell Efficiency -20% to Mana Pool Phoenix Forge (Epic) +30 VIT and 0 Free Attributes per Level The Phoenix Forge focuses on creating and enhancing equipment via unique flame-infused techniques by combining their life and death with their creation. The Phoenix Forge offers insights on the flame. She focused on the last line of Phoenix Forge. The Phoenix Forge offers insights on the flame. Monica smiled crookedly. *Ding* Would you like to select Phoenix Forge (Epic) as your second Class? Chapter 64 *Ding* Congratulations! You have selected Phoenix Forge (Epic) as your Second Class. *Ding* Phoenix Forge focuses on forging and enhancing equipment through insights on the Twin Phoenix¡¯s flames. *Ding* +30 VIT per Class Level. 0 Free Attributes granted per Level. Class Malus: -50% to all non-Utility Skills until reaching Level 25 in Phoenix Forge. *Ding* You learn the Class Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation (Class Skill, Utility Skill ¨C Phoenix Forge) Harness the transmuting power of the Golden Flame and the Obsidian Flame to smelt and bind materials by burning Vitality. Usage: Concentrate on the which flame you want to use and apply it on the ore or material at your disposal. Meld the two to create heat. ¡°Huh?¡± Monica was surprised to only get one Skill, but she was even more surprised by the brief and slightly confusing description of it. The worst thing, however, was the Malus that had just popped up the moment she had gotten her Class. If she had struggled against the Wasps before, now she wouldn¡¯t even be able to face a Scout without facing certain death. But, she had to say, the Skill sounded very interesting. ¡°It burns Vitality,¡± Monica muttered. ¡°That¡¯s why the Class gives only Vitality¡ªheaps of it, really.¡± Her only option was to level up the Phoenix Forge Class as fast as she could. * * * Monica lingered by the ominous black resin wall that barred her entry to the Blacksmith quarters, her gaze flickering across its glossy surface. If I can just break through this, she thought, I¡¯ll finally have a chance to find a skilled Dwarf who can teach Ted, Heidi, Dotty, and Sir Tristan the Fire Breathing Skill they need to survive on this floor. Gromorlig had shared little on how Fire Breathing actually worked¡ªor how dwarves endured the searing temperatures in these depths. Nor had he bothered to explain if a resurrected dwarf, stripped of its native Skills, would simply die upon awakening. Still, Monica clung to hope. At the very least, she reasoned, dwarves wouldn¡¯t keel over the moment they drew breath, Fire Breathing or not. And if they didn¡¯t die on the spot, her Golden Flame could sustain them until she reached the others. She turned away from the resin barrier and retraced her steps toward a derelict market, a chipped sword salvaged from a nearby stall clutched in her hand. Scattered around a small, ramshackle forge, she found a veritable mountain of half-sundered gear¡ªbroken axes, bent shields, and other weapons. Perhaps this corner of the district had once been a place where hurried repairs were sought rather than any fancy Dwarven forging. Stooping to inspect a dented breastplate, Monica wondered if there might still be some faint glimmer of dwarven skill left amid these battered remnants¡ªa clue, or maybe just a half-decent weapon, to help her press on toward the Blacksmiths¡¯ domain. Class Malus: -50% to all non-Utility Skills until reaching Class Level 25. She grimaced. Spirit of War wouldn¡¯t have crippled her fighting ability like this. A quick glance around reassured her that no wasps lurked nearby. Monica fetched an anvil and a hammer and then looked at the sword, not really knowing what to do. "Let''s just toss this in," she sighed. The damage was not so severe that she needed to graft some ore over it. However, an idea sparked in her mind. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She hurried to one of the black pillars and pressed her hand against its cold surface, trying to move Mana from her digits to the artifact with ''Forging'' written on it. She half-expected that the pillar would immediately grant her a Skill that would help her level up the Phoenix Forge Class. Much to her dismay, that wasn''t the case. What the black pillar did was... nothing. It was utterly unresponsive to Monica''s touch, Mana, and silent pleas. Monica scowled at the black pillar, palm pressed flat against its surface. Nothing. No hum of Mana, no flicker of runes¡ªjust cold metal that seemed disinclined to help her. She drew her hand back with a tight grimace. She spun the chipped sword in her grip, chewing the inside of her cheek. If the pillars couldn''t help her, the only thing left to do was to actually try and fire up the forge. She would try to heat up the metal and then hammer the crack away. It wasn''t fancy, and, as far as she knew, a proper Blacksmith might have torn his hair away at such simplistic thinking. But what else could she do? She needed to practice and push both her Phoenix Forge Class and her Fire Transmutation Skill up. Monica re-entered the modest stall, rubbing her face and sighing as she gazed at the worn anvil and the tongs alongside it. It was nothing like the grand dwarven workshops pictured in her mind¡ªbut it was something. She cleared the debris from around the anvil and then propped the sword across the entrance of the forge. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± she murmured, bracing her feet apart. Her eyes flicked to the skill window. Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) Harness the transmuting power of the Golden Flame and the Obsidian Flame to smelt and bind materials by burning Vitality. Usage: Concentrate on the which flame you want to use and apply it on the ore or material at your disposal. Meld the two to create heat. No further explanation. "I guess I need heat first," she thought, summoning both the Golden and Obsidian Flame. Then, she focused on her new Skill. ¡°Burn my Vitality¡­¡± she echoed. As soon as she started focusing on Fire Transmutation, something happened to the flames. Usually, both the Golden and Obsidian Flame were very much ethereal forces. They didn''t really crackle or emit any sound that a normal flame would have. They didn''t even displace air when they were summoned. Now, however, Monica saw the two licks of Golden and Obsidian Flame spiral one around the other and slowly meld. Meanwhile, inside her, she felt a very similar sensation to when she activated Fury of the Phoenix. There was a draw on her Vitality that made her raise an eyebrow. She willed the two flames to float toward the inside of the forge and started pumping more and more Mana and Vitality in them, until they started finally touching and they blossomed into a fiery red shower. The blaze reflected in Monica''s pupils and only one adjective came to her mind to describe the spectacle. Alive. This felt like the first time she had seen the flames turn alive. It felt like the first time ever that they had acquired a soul. They crackled, they vomited sparks, they coiled and uncoiled angrily and excitedly. "It''s the Vitality," she realized out loud. It must have been. She felt the Vitality leave her body and channel through Fire Transmutation into the two flames. Now, before she could even realize it, a terrifying heat had been unleashed in the forge and she felt beads of sweat form on her brow despite her fire immunity. The sword''s metal began to glow a dull orange, then brightened to yellow-white as the transmuted flames licked at its surface. "This is different," Monica breathed, watching the metal soften. The heat was so intense that even the stone around the forge began to weep droplets of molten rock. She grabbed the tongs and lifted the sword, noting how the metal had become malleable. Without really knowing what she was doing, she placed it on the anvil and brought the hammer down, getting briefly distracted by a notification going off in her mind. *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv.?1 ¡ú Lv.?2 When she finally quenched the blade in a nearby water barrel, steam exploding upward in a violent hiss, she examined her work. The chip was gone, though the edge was notably cruder than before. "Not exactly master craftsmanship," she muttered, turning the sword over in her hands after she had somehow smoothed the crack. "But it''s something." *Ding* You have learned Utility Skill ¨C Forging *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Forging Lv.?1 *Ding* You have learned Utility Skill ¨C Hammering *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Hammering Lv.?1 *Ding* Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 1 ¡ú 2 +30 VIT Monica breathed in relief. At least there was progress. But her satisfaction was short-lived as a familiar droning sound echoed from somewhere in the marketplace. Monica''s head snapped up, Mana Sense immediately activating. The golden trails in her vision revealed three Corrupted Molten Wasps approaching her position. With her Skills at half efficiency due to the Class Malus, she couldn''t risk a fight. She quickly doused the forge''s flames and slipped into the shadows of a nearby alley. The wasps buzzed past her hiding spot and hovered around for a while. Another dive through the magma lake was starting to look very appealing. Chapter 65 One too many times, Wasp patrols had nearly discovered her forging attempts. Her breath came quietly. In the distance, the Corrupted Molten Wasps¡¯ droning receded to a dull drone. ¡°Time to push forward,¡± she whispered to herself. Trying to reforge something complicated¡ªlike the Spear of Dhoznil¡ªwould demand a mastery she didn¡¯t have yet and that she wasn''t sure she could accomplish in a reasonable timeframe. She went through a few crooked weapons before settling on a crate where she found a lump of iron ore. She took a piece in her hand and cocked an eyebrow. It was heavier than she expected¡ªand something about the Mana swirling in it caught her attention since she still had Mana Sense on. She waited for the buzzing of Wasps to be completely gone before walking toward the forge with the lump of iron ore in her hand. "I guess smelting is next," Monica spoke to herself, thinking of the four black pillars. She had already learned two out of the four Skills, currently missing Smelting and Temperature Control. She placed the ore in the forge and summoned both flames again. She placed the ore in the forge and summoned both flames again, but this time something in her Skill whispered a different approach. Instead of immediately fusing them, she first laid the Golden Flame, charged with her Vitality, over the ore. Nothing happened - no reaction, no change in the metal''s structure. Then, she did the same with the Obsidian Flame. This time, she got some feedback. Through Mana Sense, she watched as black fire began to lick at the ore''s impurities, slowly consuming them like a predator stripping meat from bone. Encouraged, Monica tried increasing the potency by channeling more Vitality into the flame. The reaction accelerated - but too much. The flame started consuming not just impurities but the actual ore itself. She quickly dialed back the power, finding a careful balance. She watched through the forge''s opening, fascinated, as the Obsidian Flame methodically stripped away all impurities from the iron, leaving behind a latticework of pure metal with deep crevices where contamination had been burned away. But something wasn''t right. As she squinted and shifted her focus through Mana Sense, she noticed the iron itself beginning to lose cohesion. The Mana that bound the iron''s structure together was being undone along with the impurities. Out on a hunch, she activated the Golden Flame, which immediately started bringing it back together, knitting the pure iron back into a solid whole. Interestingly enough, by cycling the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame in this process for about five minutes, she got a circular sphere of iron about the size of her fist. When the ore had stopped reacting to her flames, she had them disappear and retrieved the sphere from the forge. Monica turned the sphere in her hands, studying its perfect smoothness. Through Mana Sense, she could see that the iron''s Mana was now much denser than before. *Ding* You have learned Utility Skill - Smelting *Ding* Utility Skill - Smelting Lv. 1 *Ding* Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 2 ¡ú 3 +30 VIT She felt a slight tremor in her legs - the constant drain on her Vitality was taking its toll. Ok, so I have Smelting, now I''m just missing Temperature Control. She placed the iron sphere back in the forge, this time melding the Golden and Obsidian Flame together. She started with just a trickle of Vitality, which slowly started making the lump of iron hotter and hotter, but nowhere near it needed to be to be forged into anything. She slowly started ramping up her Vitality consumption, feeling more and more energy leave her body as the fiery red flame cracked louder and louder. Through Mana Sense, Monica watched the iron''s internal structure begin to shift and the Mana of the iron itself became looser. The sphere''s color shifted from a dull grey to a deep cherry red, starting from its core and spreading outward. The iron''s surface began to take on a subtle glow, barely visible at first. Monica carefully fed more Vitality into the flames, watching as the color intensified from cherry to a bright crimson, then to orange. The Mana patterns within the metal became more and more fluid. Heat waves distorted the air around the forge as she pushed even more Vitality into the process. The sphere''s glow brightened to a brilliant yellow-white and she curiously saw the Mana inside of it now thoroughly spread across the entire globe of heated iron. "Oh," she said to herself, immediately retrieving the sphere with the tongs and placing it on the anvil. Something came over her as she hammered the first blow onto it. She saw the natural patterns of the Mana shift more to one side than the other. Therefore, Monica used Mana Sense to keep hammering and hammering until she saw the Mana roughly equally distributed along its now flat, dagger-like surface. She quenched the dagger and then placed it back into the forge, heating it once again and, surprisingly, seeing the Mana now getting perfectly distributed along its mass. But she could feel that the temperature of the flame was influencing the process and when she felt the Mana stopping halfway through the process, she tried nudging the flame by spending more Vitality. ¡°This has got to be where Temperature Control comes in,¡± she muttered under her breath. Thanks to the properties of the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame, Monica could clearly smelt ores in a way no one else in the entire world could have. But when it came to forging the resulting metal into anything, she had to follow the same rules that applied to everybody else. Her Vitality remained the fuel, but she didn¡¯t unleash it in one rush. Instead, she trickled it forward in a slow, steady flow. The combined Golden-Obsidian Flame crackled around the metal, bathing it in an orange glow.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Little by little, the metal¡¯s glow settled into a uniform color. "Damn it!" Monica saw through Mana Sense that the last increase in temperature had shifted the Mana too much toward what would be the handle of the dagger. Now, as she tried adjusting her flame again, she saw that the Mana had settle and wasn''t moving anymore. *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv. 2 ¡ú Lv. 3 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv. 60 ¡ú Lv. 61 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Flame Lv. 53 ¡ú Lv. 54 *Ding* You have learned Utility Skill - Temperature Control *Ding* Utility Skill - Temperature Control Lv. 1 *Ding* Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 3 ¡ú 4 +30 VIT She exhaled heavily as she took the dagger out again and quenched it in water. Now that Mana had settled, it was very unevenly distributed despite her having gotten so close to getting an almost perfect attempt on the first try. The most important thing, however, was that she had gotten three Levels in Phoenix Forge in a very short time span. She checked her updated Status. Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 60 2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 1 ¡ú 4 Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 578 Endurance - 300 Strength - 305 Dexterity - 356 Wisdom - 300 Spirit - 300 Intelligence - 300 Charisma - 300 Free Attributes: 156 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 61 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 54 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 35 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 40 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 47 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 9 Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 3 Forging (Utility Skill) - Lv. 1 Hammering (Utility Skill) - Lv. 1 Smelting (Utility Skill) - Lv. 1 Temperature Control (Utility Skill) - Lv. 1 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/6) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues With all the Vitality that Phoenix Forge had granted Monica, she didn''t need to worry about putting her Attributes into it for a while: in fact, she would be able to burn up to six Phoenix Feathers while using Fury of the Phoenix without any trouble. And with all the Vitality she had already allocated, maybe even more. the -50% penalty to her combat Skills until reaching Level 25 remained a serious concern. A distant buzz made her freeze. Through Mana Sense, she detected three Corrupted Molten Wasps passing nearby. She pressed herself against the forge''s stone wall, barely breathing until they moved on. "I need to get better at this fast," she muttered, retrieving another piece of iron ore. "Can''t hide forever." She placed the ore in the forge and ignited her flames again. * * * "This is not working," Monica muttered, looking at her Class and new Skills. 2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 4 ¡ú 12 Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv. 3 ¡ú Lv. 13 Utility Skill ¨C Forging Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 9 Utility Skill ¨C Hammering Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 7 Utility Skill ¨C Smelting Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 15 Utility Skill ¨C Temperature Control Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 6 Her half-naked body, covered only by the ragged scraps of her Nightshade Battle Wear, glistened with sweat. A fresh wave of exhaustion nagged at her mind. Much of it stemmed from the new Phoenix Forge Class''s drain on her Vitality whenever she used Fire Transmutation. Monica had been at it for almost forty-eight hours straight. She had barely even rested in order to maximize her leveling up. However, despite having tried as hard as she could to at least bring the basic Skills to level 25, she had not even gotten halfway there. The only good news was that she had been leveling up a few other Skills as well. Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv. 61 ¡ú Lv. 67 Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 54 ¡ú Lv. 63 Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense Lv. 74 ¡ú Lv. 79 Utility Skill ¨C Meditation Lv. 33 ¡ú Lv. 39 She had started using Meditation while forging, which had honestly helped a lot improve the process. The proof of that was the small mound of daggers she had made from the Mana rich iron ore. But, as Monica cracked her neck, she realized that this wasn''t going anywhere. "I would need months to even get close to significant improvements. And I have no idea whether this is doing anything for the Golden and Obsidian Flame." She had started using Meditation while forging, which had honestly helped a lot to improve the process. The proof of that was the small mound of daggers she had made from the Mana-rich iron ore. But, as Monica cracked her neck, she realized that this wasn''t going anywhere. "I would need months to even get close to significant improvements. And I have no idea whether this is doing anything for the Golden and Obsidian Flame." ¡°Damn it!¡± she hissed, slamming the last crude blade she¡¯d just finished onto the worktable. She kicked aside a warped shield, half-sending it spinning across the floor. Another furious kick launched a twisted metal rod straight into a stack of disused tongs and hammered lumps of ore. The clangor echoed off the cavern walls, and she immediately winced¡ªif a wasp patrol was near, they¡¯d surely hear. ¡°Ugh!¡± Monica gritted her teeth, cursing herself for losing composure. She lashed out with one more kick at the junk pile¡ªand a small wooden chest rattled loose, skidding across the stones. Its lid popped open, spilling a few random dwarven trinkets onto the floor. Among them was something that caught her attention. A monocle, almost identical to the one she¡¯d borrowed from Gromorlig back on the first floor. The lens caught her eye immediately, a faint runic script was etched around its rim. It looked battered, but the tiny inscriptions still gleamed with trapped Mana. Monica''s held her breath as she shakily donned the monocle. *Ding* You¡¯ve equipped Well-Crafted Dwarven Lens Without any further ado, she opened her Skill List. Skill List Golden Flame - Lv. 67 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 3% Obsidian Flame - Lv. 63 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 4% Monica''s heart jumped in her chest. Chapter 66 *Ding* New Quest Received ¨C The Four Pillars *Ding* Quest - The Four Pillars Raise Phoenix Forge to Level 25 and the following Utility Skills to Level 50: Hammering Smelting Temperature Control Forging Reward: Resin Melter Monica almost tore up her hair reading that. ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± she groaned, voice echoing against the stone walls. ¡°I need them at fifty and I''ll get a resin melter to get through that damn wall.¡± That would allow her to get a Blacksmith to the others and finally be able to fight the Wasps properly. Not to mention, it would also remove her malus. "It''s time to work." * * * Despite her tireless efforts, she¡¯d slowed down dramatically. After leveling her Phoenix Forge Class to 15 and pushing her four forging-related skills past 25, the progression had become painfully slow. A full day of hammering and smelting had barely nudged them up even a single level. Frustration pricked at her. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed a thin strand of mithril she had gotten out of her inventory. If she could smelt or forge something from Mithril, maybe she¡¯d earn bigger jumps in Skill and Class Levels, right? The Mithril thread she retrieved from her Inventory gleamed with a silvery radiance that, in the right light, appeared entirely white. She had rarely seen a material so beautiful before. She rested a few threads on the forge and melded her flames again. With enough Vitality to completely melt a globe of iron, the flames didn''t even seem capable of heating it up. Even channeling more Vitality until her limbs trembled did nothing. The mithril remained inert. Monica gritted her teeth and inhaled deeply. "Ok, let''s try this." She started pouring all her Vitality into the forge while activating Meditation and Mana Sense until the heat in the stall became unbearable and even Monica''s armor, who was right in front of the forge, couldn''t help but start glowing orange. But, as life left her body, she saw that the mithril thread was still inert, barely bothered by the scorching heat. When she resuscitated, Monica stepped away from the forge. If these Skills wouldn¡¯t grow by aimless repetition, maybe there was knowledge out there to help. Books, maybe? * * * She threaded through narrow side passages in the tunnel network on the second floor of Viscera. The magma and artificial ceiling lights like the one on the first floor kept things illuminated. Monica had encountered numerous Wasp patrols that impaled and instantly killed her. Whenever possible, she would leap into pits of magma to take cover, but otherwise, she wouldn''t even attempt to fight back. Given the significant penalty to her Skills, she stood no chance against these creatures. The disparity in levels was daunting under normal circumstances, and now it represented an insurmountable chasm. When she fell into a random magma pit to avoid several Wasp Soldiers, awaiting in silence for them to fly away, Mana Sense picked up on something. Monica wreathed in Obsidian Flame, turned toward the side of the pit, and felt a bifurcation as if she was at the bottom of a well with two openings. Monica¡¯s lungs tightened. Even with her Fire Immunity, she couldn¡¯t breathe actual lava. Normally, she rose to the surface the moment she felt the pressure in her chest become unbearable. Yet now her instincts warred with curiosity: if there truly were passages down here, they might lead somewhere¡ªmaybe even to one of the Spear of Dhoznil fragments! Mixing Phoenix Cloud and Phoenix Step, she slowly made her way through the hidden opening after making her way downward to reach the bifurcation. The denser pockets of molten rock threatened to lock her limbs in place, but she funneled more Obsidian Flame to part the thickest flows. Her chest burned for air. At last, the left passage revealed itself. She found a narrow gap hidden behind a folded sheet of magma. Her flaming aura devoured part of the stone, leaving a path. Monica squeezed through. Suddenly, the floor vanished beneath her feet, and she dropped into a hollow void. With a splash, she tumbled out of the magma and landed in a dark subterranean chamber. Hot black stone replaced the molten flows, though rivulets of lava still dripped in from the ceiling above, forming a bright curtain behind her. Steam hissed all around. Monica lay there momentarily, gulping down big, grateful breaths of sulfur-tinged air. Her entire body felt shaky from near-suffocation, the typical adrenaline spike of I nearly died again pounding in her veins. She looked at the chamber that stretched in front of her with an open mouth, stunned. A large Dwarven inscription that she could only read thanks to her Myriad Tongue racial Skill read: Ashen Archives Unlike the rest of Viscera, the Ashen Archives were completely dark and only through Mana Sense Monica could read the stone inscription and get a look inside. Massive stone shelves filled the space¡ªmost sealed tight behind thick metal shutters, which presumably had once protected fragile documents from the sweltering heat. Now, the shutters were warped and bent. Many had partially melted, creating lumps of corroded iron fused into the black rock. Still, some sections looked intact. More importantly, the entire area seemed empty of wasps. Monica¡¯s heart swelled with relief. Monica looked at the sprawling chamber, which looked very similar to the rest of Viscera, despite its lack of light. She slowly walked forward, looking at the huge columns that reached a ceiling beyond her Mana Senses. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Then, she almost got a heart attack. Light went off all over the chamber, illuminating it as if it was the middle of the day. Every shelf got bathed in life in a sequence. A fresh wave of determination coursed through her. A dwarven archive¡­ If she was lucky, it might hold forging manuals¡ªor anything that could push her forging Skills faster. She had told the others that she would have been away for a while, but she had been gone for days and she wasn''t sure how much longer she would have to be here. Furthermore, she couldn''t just go back above. She had barely made it this far when all her Skills worked properly. With the Malus given by the Phoenix Forge Class, it would take her too long to make the trip back and forth again. She needed to get to Level 25 in Phoenix Forge and push those four Skills to Level 50 to earn the System¡¯s ¡°Resin Melter.¡± That was the only way to break through the brood wall and eventually bring dwarven blacksmiths back to her party. She advanced deeper into the vault-like space. Finally, she came upon a corner where the shutters between the shelves were partially pried open, revealing a crack. She approached carefully, ears straining for any sign of scuttling insects. None came. Using her bracers to pry the warped metal wide enough to slip through, Monica stepped inside. It was lined with thick shelves, each supporting rows of carefully placed, rectangular stone slabs¡ªnot paper books, but dwarven ¡°tablets." She picked one and blew a layer of soot away. [Forging with Rune-Fire] Skimming the first lines, she saw references to ¡°heat runes¡± and ¡°mana conduction.¡± The writing was had actual dwarven forging secrets. This is exactly what I need, Monica thought, heart hammering. I can¡¯t just brute force forging forever; there¡¯s knowledge here I can use to train faster. She gently set the first tablet aside and eyed the rest. Titles like... [Temper of the Molten Soul] [Runic Hammering Techniques] [Alloys of Mana-Infused Metals] I¡¯ll just store them. Monica quickly opened her Inventory window and began placing tablets inside. She continued prying open shutters and rummaging for anything resembling forging or blacksmithing instructions. The dwarves had used a wide array of mediums¡ªmore stone tablets, hammered metal scrolls, and even a few books with pages made from heat-resistant materials. Occasionally, she glimpsed more specialized texts: [Art of Defensive Runes], [Heat-Channeling Formations for Workstations], or an extremely thick slab labeled [Theory of Phase-Shift Alloys]. She grabbed those, too. At last, she retreated from the small reading alcove to the main corridor. Her arms were covered in dust from the shoulder socket to the tip of her fingers. Monica wedged herself behind a large toppled shelf, forming a small nook that gave partial protection on three sides. Satisfied it was secure, she lit a Golden Flame in the air overhead¡ªlike a floating lantern. Then she retrieved the first forging tablet from her Inventory and let her Myriad Tongues ability wash over the script. * * * [Advanced Treatise on Forging with Rune-Fire] ¡°The dwarven hammer is not guided by brute force alone. It is guided by the measured synergy of heat, mana, and the craftsman¡¯s breath. The forging of high-tier metals demands¡ª¡± Monica slowed. Breath? That probably had something to do with Fire Breathing. Perhaps dwarven crafters used that technique while forging, too. She read on. ¡°¡ªthe craftsman¡¯s breath harnesses the internal furnace of the soul, channeling Fire Mana outward through specialized dwarven runes. In particular, one must calibrate the forging heat by exhaling sustained pulses of this internal Fire Mana. Such synergy helps the metal remain stable under intense transformation.¡± Her brow furrowed. This was different from Fire Transmutation, which burned Vitality to furnish heat. The Dwarven method seemed to revolve around breathing out Fire Mana in carefully measured bursts. "Maybe that''s why I had trouble keeping the Mana even," she frowned. Eyes flicking faster across the lines, she found instructions for layering a forging station with Runes that anchored the Fire Mana, ensuring an even, controlled temperature. She realized that maybe her Temperature Control skill was too broad. This dwarven approach was more akin to an entire forging environment regulated by runic arrays, rather than just an internal skill used on the metal. From her brief conversations with the others and Lucas, it was Monica''s understanding that Runes acted like conduits for Mana and Enchantments. And while the Elves were the masters of Enchantments, the art of powering the conduits, the Dwarves were those who created them. Runes were much closer to metallurgy than Enchantment, which was more esoteric and closer to the job of a jeweler. The next tablet, [Alloys of Mana-Infused Metals], made her widen her eyes. ¡°¡­Mithril is highly resistant to external Mana and does not easily conduct foreign energies. To smelt mithril effectively, the crafter must saturate it from within. This demands advanced runic infusion and, if possible, synergy with a superior flame¡ªwhere the flame¡¯s essence merges with the metal on a deeper level.¡± "Superior Flame?" Monica muttered. "Do the Golden and Obsidian Flames count?" Essence merges with the metal on a deeper level¡­ Her Obsidian Flame had devoured the iron¡¯s impurities, and the Golden Flame had knitted them back together. But mithril¡¯s structure repelled foreign Mana. "Does this mean I need some Runes to make it work? I''m confused." But then, she realized something. With a dwarven forging station and its runes, I might be able to refine mithril or even repair my bracers and gear. Maybe. I don''t really know how Mithril works. But... it might work. "So... stuff about runes, I guess?" Monica told herself, looking for more knowledge. She tried prying open a few of the closed off shelves but her Obsidian Flame didn''t even scratch the metal. The brood''s resin felt like soft butter compared to this. As she kept walking through the main corridor, something caught her eye. There was a reading table¡ªa small one, and a single Dwarf statue sitting at it. Unlike the petrified dwarves she¡¯d seen elsewhere¡ªdozens crammed together in city squares¡ªthis dwarf was completely alone. Monica frowned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unusual,¡± she whispered, pressing closer. Though worn by time, the statue looked oddly regal despite its simple attire: a rough-spun tunic and sturdy belt. One hand rested on a hammer at his hip, the other grasped a plain satchel. He wasn¡¯t bedecked in fine armor or gem-studded braces¡ªhe appeared almost like a common tradesman. And yet something in his posture, in the set of his shoulders and the quiet dignity of his expression, suggested more about him than the eye could meet. She glanced around, double-checking there were no other Dwarves. Only this one¡­ alone. Cautiously, Monica activated Mana Sense, skimming for any trick or corruption. Nothing. Her mind flickered back to the forging station in the dwarven marketplace above¡ªthe Four Pillars. If she awakened a Dwarf who knew about runes, maybe he could help her fire up a forge inscribed with Runes, find one, or even just teach more about it. But is this even the right dwarf? It does have a hammer on his belt, Monica noted, looking at the elaborate hammer by his side. Plus, the Ashen Archives seemed like a rather secretive place, even for Viscera. That meant this Dwarf had to be important. She bit her lip, rummaging in her Inventory for the Dwarven blood. There were only two vials left. She recalled Gromorlig¡¯s confusion and weakness when resurrected. This might be another gamble. But she was running out of time. Her forging Skills had plateaued under these ad-hoc conditions, and the brood wall blocked the true Blacksmith District. "He looks like a Blacksmith to me," Monica bit her lower lip, sloshing the content of the small vial in her hand. "Should I?" ¡°All right,¡± she whispered, popping the vial¡¯s cork. ¡°Here goes.¡± Chapter 67 The dwarf¡¯s stone eyelids cracked open¡ªliteral shards of rock chipping away. He lurched forward and almost fell out of the chair. Monica lunged forward, steadying him before he toppled. ¡°Easy,¡± she murmured, softening her tone. ¡°You¡¯re in Viscera. I used something to bring you back. Just¡­ breathe.¡± Despite the initial clumsiness the Dwarf soon straightned up and looked at Monica with a deep frown. "Are you okay¡ª" "What are you doing here?" The Dwarf asked with a gruff tone, before eyeing some stone tablets that Monica had placed on the table before him since she had yet to read them all. "What are you doing?!" The Dwarf slammed his hand on the stone tablets. Monica took a step back and frowned. "I''m confused. What''s the problem here?" "Do you have any idea what kind of knowledge this is?!" The Dwarf looked beside himself as he started checking the stone tablets and then suddenly shot to his feet. "Broken steel! That monster ravaged the place!" The man shouted with such genuine pain while looking at the bent metal between some of the shelves that Monica felt guilty about having tried to pry more of those open. The man immediately ran up to a section that had apparently been ransacked completely and then fell to his knees. "No..." He gurgled, shaking his head. "NO!" Monica just watched silently, not feeling like it was her place to intrude on the man''s suffering. Clearly, whoever had been here before her had taken something of great value. "Our secrets," the man said, growling. "I knew I shouldn''t have recorded them down. That fool thought he could fight. He told me that if I forged his new weapon..." The Dwarf started crying out loud, and Monica felt more and more embarrassed. Monica swallowed hard, shifting her stance as the dwarf sobbed into his trembling hands. She glanced uneasily at the scattered tablets on the table. Gently, she knelt a short distance away, one hand hovering near his shoulder in a gesture of concern. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± she began, unsure if any words could soften the dwarf¡¯s anguish. ¡°But can you tell me¡ªwhat exactly did they take? And who is ¡®that fool¡¯ you mentioned?¡± ¡°We dwarves,¡± he rasped, ¡°we hold forging secrets deeper than the roots of mountains. I spent years¡­ decades¡­ perfecting them. We recorded them here so our legacy wouldn¡¯t die with m... us¡ªbut it was a mistake.¡± His gaze drifted to a split seam of metal near the shelves, dark black shards peeled away like a scab. ¡°Someone tore these archives apart, rummaging for knowledge they had no right to wield. My friend¡­ he insisted we had to fight back. He wanted a new weapon, something that could stand against¡ªagainst that which devoured our city.¡± His breath hitched, voice cracking with grief. Holy, Monica thought to herself. This guy is a big shot. Have I just gotten some crazy strong Blacksmith on my side? ¡°He thought my craft would protect him. And I¡ª¡± he broke off, jaw clenched. ¡°I caved. I forged it.¡± ¡°A weapon? What¡­ was it?¡± Suddenly, the Dwarf recoiled, realizing he had spoken out of turn and turned to Monica with a disgusted expression painted over his face. Monica opened her mouth to speak, but the dwarf pulled back like a cornered animal. His eyes flicked over her from head to toe¡ªher ragged armor and the dirt all over her body. He snorted, obviously unimpressed. ¡°Who are you, wench?¡± he demanded, voice rough. ¡°You¡¯re no Dwarf. Some blasted human who prances about forging? Or worse¡ª¡± his lips curled and something seemed to flash behind his eyes, ¡°an Avatar?¡± Monica drew herself up straighter, having no idea how the Dwarf could have guessed who she was. ¡°I am the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix,¡± she said, careful to keep her tone steady. ¡°I came here for forging knowledge. All of you were turned to stone¡ªthere was no one left to learn from. So I¡¯ve been teaching myself.¡± The Dwarf''s scowl deepened. ¡°Avatar of¡­ is that so?¡± He shook his head, crossing his arms. ¡°Bah. You outsiders come stomping into dwarven lands, messing with forces you know nothing about. Viscera is lost and whatever magic you used to bring me back is not going to last forever. Just¡ªgo and let me mourn my people.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "The reason I''m here is to take it back," Monica said, narrowing her eyes at the Dwarf. "Listen, I don''t know who you are or what your problem is. Yes, your people got turned to stone by Nexa, but that doesn''t mean everything''s lost." The Dwarf raised an eyebrow at her mentioning the Goddess of Death, the Queen of Stone, but otherwise seemed much less scared of her than Monica''s allies. "The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix," the Dwarf chewed on the words, looking her from head to toe. "The only good piece of gear on your is about to lose all its durability. You are bare-handed, half-naked, and you clearly have no idea what you''re doing." "I came to this world without memories, yes. And yes, I have no idea what I''m doing. I know, however, what my powers can do." The Dwarf''s eyebrows jumped for a moment, and he nodded to himself. "Let''s say, Avatar, that there was a way for my people to be back from this curse. Let''s assume, for a moment, that they could turn back into flesh from their prison of stone. What, then? Do you see what''s around us? I can feel the monsters crawling everywhere in Viscera, even inside the Great Forge. And in the lower levels, in the Royal Chambers? Do you know what''s awaiting for you there?" Monica had no idea how this Dwarf could sense anything since he wasn''t supposed to have access to his magic or Skills. "I know there''s Machina at the end of this. And I''ve already cleared the first floor of Viscera. There are just two more in front of me." "That doesn''t answer my question. How many of my kin are gone up there because of your battle¡ª" "None. The monsters don''t touch the statues. It has something to do with the Old Gods'' rules or whatever. And we battled away from them. They''re all intact." That seemed to stump the man who looked at the ground, confused. There was pain in his face, but a flicker of something different, much closer to hope, finally went through his eyes. "They''re all intact?" He asked in a low growl. "Yes. All those we saw were intact. Even here, in the second floor, all the statues I met were all good. None of them were destroyed." The Dwarf took a sharp intake of breath. "Now," Monica continued, "I''m here because I need someone to help me learn forging and teach my friends the Fire Breathing Skill. They can''t stand the temperatures down here." "You, forging?" The Dwarf didn''t seem immediately disgusted by that proposition. Actually, he seemed intrigue that Monica had mentioned forging. But that lasted only a moment before his features went dark again. "And what do you think makes you worth of forging? Avatar, even if my people came back, there''d be not much for them. All the knowledge we accumulated throughout the years, all the tools, the equipment¡ªDwarven forging is our pride and our way to survive." Monica felt a pinprick at the back of her neck. This guy hadn''t refused to teach her and her friends the Fire Breathing Skill, but he clearly was about to make some request of her. "Ok, tell me what you want," Monica said. "If it''s in my power, we can trade." "I want the Great Forge to be preserved." "The Great Forge?" "Yes, the pride of my people. These monsters haven''t yet managed to break it down to absorb it, but they will if let to their own devices. I can feel them trying to nibble down at our greatest creations." "Alright, I''ll help you with this forge. I was going to exterminate the Wasps anyway." "No, Avatar," the Dwarf shook his head, "you don''t seem to understand. "I''m not asking you to just kill the monsters that plague Viscera, I''m asking you to protect our legacy. Whatever happens, the Great Forge has to be preserved. It''s the only way my people could ever thrive again and not be forgotten by history if they managed to come back." "I need the Great Forge intact, myself," Monica sighed. "It''s fine. I forgot to mention it, but we opened the Temple of Dhoznil and I had a vision. I know that your people had the Spear of Dhoznil broken down. I imagine that to put it together, we would have to use this Great Forge of yours." Monica had half-expected the Dwarf to laugh her off or get angry at the mention of the Spear of Dhoznil, but he seemed to take the mention of the Divine Weapon in stride. "Of course. You don''t have your armament. You need something to eliminate the scourge that invaded Viscera." "And you would give the spear to me just like that?" Monica asked skeptically. "Save the Great Forge, Avatar, and you shall have the Spear of Dhoznil. Save our heritage and you''ll receive our greatest creation, yes." "Alright," she sighed. "That sounds like a good deal. Now, do we start learning¡ª" "No," the Dwarf cut her off. "First, I need to see the Great Forge." "Wait, what? How?" "I know passages that the monsters cannot reach. You will bring me with you. Once I see that our heritage is still standing. We can go back and see whether your lithe hands can handle real forging." "Listen, I currently have a malus that halves my fighting capabilities because my Secondary Class, my Blacksmith Class, is not Level 25. Can''t we just level it up and then we go?" "You''re too weak anyway," the Dwarf shook his head. "You couldn''t face the monsters with your full power. You need gear and levels. Gear, first. But I need to know that my people''s heritage still stands. Do not make me repeat myself, Avatar." "Alright, alright. And my name''s Monica, by the way. Also, how are you not burning up? When I brought Gromorlig back, he didn''t have any power. You say you feel things around Viscera? You shouldn''t have any access to magic, including the Fire Breathing. Now, I know Dwarves are probably sturdier than Humans, but how do you just survive considering the heat here?" "You''re not wrong," the Dwarf gave her a smug smile. "If I was any other Dwarf, I would be dead, by now. You... were extremely lucky. None of my people had seen me for a long time. I was secluded, recording our history, our techniques, and waiting for my time to finally expire." The Dwarf walked up to Monica and with a smirk, extended his hand. "It''s your pleasure, Monica, Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, to meet me, Dworsul, son of Dworznel the Blacksmith God, forger of the Divine Spear of Dhoznil¡ªthe greatest Blacksmith to ever live and spite the Divine temptations that killed my father." Chapter 68 Monica couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the one who forged the Spear of Dhoznil?¡± she said, eyes wide. ¡°The one and only,¡± Dworsul replied. Despite the older dwarf¡¯s refined appearance¡ªslightly hunched shoulders, a soot-stained tunic, a beard braided in careful loops¡ªMonica caught a razor edge of arrogance in his gaze. Pride radiated from him like a palpable force, momentarily leaving her speechless. ¡°Dworsul,¡± she repeated, as though tasting the word. ¡°The dwarf who refused to become a God. The same who¡­ who forged the Spear of Dhoznil. Level 500, right?¡± Dworsul¡¯s lip quirked. ¡°Level 500, yes. Not that such a number means anything now¡ªpetrification robs one of many gifts. But I do still remember all I learned.¡± ¡°Wait, why did you refuse Divinity?¡± Monica asked, curiosity flickering across her face. Dworsul let out a short, haughty laugh. ¡°Because I don¡¯t like prisons, Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. So-called immortality often comes wrapped in a neat bow of enslavement¡ªlocked in the System¡¯s patterns, forced to dole out Quests to lazy bastards who deserve nothing. I would sooner bury myself in the heart of Viscera than become a puppet.¡± Monica¡¯s eyebrows rose. Oh wow, this guy has some strong opinions, she thought. Monica, however, reasoned that something like that had to be expected. If this Dwarf was really Dworsul, then she was talking with one of the greatest Blacksmiths to ever live. Finding out that the guy had an ego wasn''t out of place, really. "How do you resist the temperature, then, Dworsul?" She asked. "The curse of the Queen of Stone is powerful, but it''s not all-powerful. I have not access to my Skills and Levels. But magic still flows in my veins. Refusing Divinity didn''t make me lesser than those who accepted it, Avatar." He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°The System awards so-called Godhood. It is not, in my view, a significant advantage¡ªmerely a chain that tethers you to an eternal existence of monotony.¡± "Being immortal sounds like a big deal to me," Monica frowned. ¡°Hah. Even without that, I would have lived centuries. And I do not cling to life for life¡¯s sake. A legacy through craft is worth more than an endless timeline of drudgery.¡± Dworsul¡¯s gaze flicked toward a row of ash-laden shelves behind him, as though recalling a memory. His voice dipped in quiet bitterness. ¡°My creations carry my spirit far better than some everlasting prison.¡± Monica remembered what he¡¯d said before about his knowledge being ransacked. She ventured, ¡°The same knowledge you said got taken?¡± That question made Dworsul¡¯s jaw snap shut. She saw him tense from head to toe, as if her words had touched a raw wound. His breath hitched. A muscle ticked in his cheek. ¡°Yes, Avatar,¡± he replied at last, voice low and tight. He inhaled through flared nostrils, clearly fighting the anger coiled inside him. When he continued, his words were measured, his tone betrayed grief and outrage. ¡°Someone¡ªsomething¡ªlooted the most sacred forging secrets of my people from these Archives¡ªthe Queen of Stone, I suspect. Whether they understood them or not, they stole them.¡± Monica held his gaze, letting a silence stretch. He made it sound like the dwarves¡¯ entire heritage might have been uprooted. ¡°All right,¡± she said gently, ¡°so¡­ what now?¡± Dworsul heaved a sigh that ruffled the braids of his beard. From within his tunic, he retrieved an amulet shaped like a tiny anvil, etched with faintly glowing runes. He gestured for Monica to follow him¡ªbut paused when his eyes flicked to the corner, eyeing a few of the shelves that Monica had plundered. "Put everything back. Whatever you will need to learn, you will learn from me. You shall not touch my people''s knowledge without my permission." Monica obeyed begrudgingly. She gathered the scattered tablets from her Inventory. One by one, she lifted them from the ground, carefully wiping each slab of stone with her hand, trying to brush off the worst of the soot before returning it to the shelf. Even as she worked, she could feel Dworsul¡¯s gaze drilling into her spine. Some part of Monica bristled¡ªshe didn¡¯t like being scolded as if she were a child caught stealing cookies. Still, she recognized that these Archives clearly meant everything to him. Finally, she straightened, stepping away from the shelves. The dust smudged her hands, and her forearms ached from lifting so many bulky tablets. She did her best to keep from sighing aloud. Dworsul gave a short, sharp nod, seeming marginally appeased. * * * Once Monica had returned the tablets and books to his satisfaction, Dworsul turned on his heel. Without a further word, he led her out of the Ashen Archives, back the way she had originally come¡ªMonica glanced at the large pool of magma she¡¯d used to enter the Archives. She expected they might have to dive into it again, but Dworsul stepped toward a different pool. There were many such pools scattered around the antechamber, each one glowing with molten rock that bubbled and shimmered in the gloom. Dworsul¡¯s amulet glowed faintly as he waved it over the surface of one such pool. The magma suddenly receded, showing several stone-carved steps. "Come," the Dwarf ordered. They descended carefully, the dwarf walking with surprising sure-footedness for someone robbed of his full power¡ªGromorlig had been much more unsteady than this Dwarf. At each landing, Dworsul lifted the amulet again, and the magma parted to form another corridor or a set of stairs. Each time the molten flow threatened to block their path, Dworsul made a curt gesture with his hand, and the amulet answered by pushing the lava aside, letting them pass as though it were nothing more than hot water. Monica, remembering how she¡¯d nearly suffocated swimming blindly through lava, felt envious. "Could you have dived into magma with your Skills and Attributes?" "What a foolish question," Dworsul snapped. "Of course, I could have. But why would I soil my own clothes and get covered in gunk like a dog rolling in mud?" Monica looked at the gunk covering her and the ragged Nightshade Battle Wear. Monica looked down at herself, the sooty filth caked on her skin and the ragged remains of her Nightshade Battle Wear. She grimaced. ¡°You have a point,¡± she said dryly. Finally, they came to a crossroads of half-submerged corridors, each blocked by a curtain of molten rock. Dworsul raised a hand, motioning for silence. Monica nodded, and they slowly advanced until a dull buzzing reached her ears. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Dworsul took a single step forward, pressing his ear to the stone. His brow furrowed with mounting anger. He crouched at a small horizontal slit in the tunnel¡¯s wall¡ªa vantage point about shoulder-height for him¡ªand carefully peered through. Monica saw the old dwarf¡¯s knuckles tighten on his amulet, the cords in his neck standing out. After a few minutes of that, he gestured for Monica to look, stepping aside. She pressed her face to the slit and squinted into the gloom. When Monica laid eyes on what Dworsul had been watching, her blood went cold. There were hundreds of Molten Wasps of all sizes and types swarming around the same place that she had seen in the vision of the Spear of Dhoznil. They were looking down upon a massive cavern¡ªone she recognized from her earlier dwarven visions. Even in partial ruin, the architecture was unmistakably grand: soaring arches, intricate pillars, and a central dais ringed by huge stone anvils. The Great Forge. But it was infested. Hundreds of Corrupted Molten Wasps swarmed across the Forge¡¯s platforms, pillars, and overhead walkways. Waxlike resin had been layered onto once-majestic dwarven statues, forming a grotesque hive that stretched from floor to ceiling. The red glow of molten rock poured into channels around the cavern, fueling the wasps¡¯ molten honeycombs that pulsed with lines of fiery mana. In the center of this hellish hive, an immense wasp the size of a carriage sprawled on a twisted dais. It had a bloated abdomen striped with glowing rivulets of liquefied metal. Its barbed mandibles clicked menacingly, and spines jutted from its thorax. Around it, smaller¡ªthough still massive¡ªwasps flitted with single-minded devotion, feeding the queen molten resin and kneading the newly secreted wax to enlarge her brood chambers. Those are not soldiers. Monica squinted and saw their tags appear in her vision. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Royal Guard ¨C Level ???] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Royal Guard ¨C Level ???] And when she saw the Queen''s tag, her heart grew cold. [??? - Level ???] If she couldn''t see a monster''s level, it meant it was more than one hundred levels above her own. The exact numbers of levels that made it impossible to see their Level wasn''t always the same. Monica suspected that those monsters were roughly Level 170. As for the Queen, if she couldn''t see her Level, it meant that it had to be around Level 200. But if that was the case, how would she fight such a monster when she was still Level 60. Dworsul tapped Monica''s shoulder, and both walked back to where they had come in silence. Once they reached the Ashen Archives again, Dworsul played with one of the braids from his beard. "That was a Level 205 Boss. You can safely assume it will evolve into a Level 235 or 240 monster in battle. These things breed fast and keep mutating under that Corruption.¡± "That''s insane. I can''t face that." Dworsul nodded gravely. ¡°Machina probably possesses a vessel well above that threshold¡ªlikely in the 300 range, if not stronger. You¡¯ll need to kill a lot of monsters to reach a comparable point.¡± He raised his eyes up to the ceiling and then asked, "What classes do your friends have?" "There''s four of them. Knight, Bard, Phoenix Pyromancer, and Hunter of Magic." "Bard? Well, there you go. The others shouldn''t even try to fight the Queen. But, with the right gear, you could all easily take down the rest of those monsters. None of them are true Elite. Even the Boss is much weaker than I would have imagined. If I had my Levels, even I, a Blacksmith, could have squished those puny things with a few swings of my hammer." "Since you don''t have your Levels and we have to fight them, how about we go fetch them, and you teach them the Fire Breathing technique so we can start hunting these damn Wasps." "It is always those graced by Divinity that believe that everything revolves around them," Dworsul said, wrinkling his nose. "What''s the problem, now? I''ll help you with the Great Forge, and you help me out with the Fire Breathing Skill and forging, no?" "First of all, if your friends are still on the first floor, there''s no way you can assure my safe passage to them. You said you are suffering Maluses from your Blacksmith Class, whatever it''s called. How do you expect to bring me to the elevators?" Monica opened and closed her mouth. "Second, I do not plan on giving away my people''s knowledge without knowing whether you''re worth it or not. You might have been enough to get the Divine Beast, but you''ll soon discover that my standards are much higher than whatever entity rained down powers on you." Dworsul was starting to get on Monica''s nerves. "Ok, we do whatever. So, where do we start?" Dworsul shook his head. "Sit down." Monica looked at the ground before the Ashen Archives and frowned. "Can''t we get to a table?" "And incur the risk that your powers might damage my work? How many times did you hit your head in-between deaths?" Monica felt like slapping the man, but she said nothing and just raised her hands in defeat before sitting onto the ground. "What now?" She said. "Activate Meditation. Let me see how good you are." She closed her eyes and did as told, letting her breath settle into the practiced rhythm Gromorlig had taught. Mana moved through her body as she had been doing so far. Dworsul circled her like a suspicious vulture. ¡°So Gromorlig taught you, eh?¡± Monica opened her eyes and nodded. "I could tell you had the Skill. It appears you do have some natural talent, thankfully. This will make things slightly easier." "I can''t wait to get the Maluses out," Monica sighed, happy that Dworsul seemed less of a pain in the ass for a moment. "Oh, that''s not for a while. First, you need to learn the Skill, then we''ll see about your forging." Dworsul walked around Monica, squinting his eyes at her. "Meditation is the pre-requisite to learn the Fire Breathing Skill. The Fire Breathing Skill is the pre-requisite to learn Dwarven forging. It used to be that outside of the Blacksmith District, people could still come down to the second layer of Viscera and stop to practice at the marketplace, trying to grasp the Fire Breathing Skill." "So, thing are hotter than they''re supposed to be." "Wasps do that, whether in nature or when they are created by a twisted parasite made of metal." Dworsul stopped in front of Monica and flexed on his short legs, taking a finger close to her mouth. "The Fire Breathing Skill has killed before. In our case, it''s not much of a problem. In fact, I''d be entertained if anything." Monica was very close to punching the Dwarf''s teeth out. "We do have a problem, however," Dworsul said, straightening up. "Let''s hear it." "Breathing fire is a metaphor for absorbing Fire Mana into your veins. Mana can be freely manipulated, especially once you get the right Affinity. Every single Dwarf who''s attempted to become a Blacksmith has at least a Level 25 Fire Magic Skill. Not because they want to become Pyromancers or throw Fireballs around, though. There''s simply a need to learn to deal with fire. You, however, don''t have that Skill." "I have a Golden Flame and an Obsidian Flame Skill," Monica frowned. "Do those not count as Affinities? I can also meld them together to make a normal flame." "You''re invulnerable to normal flames, aren''t you?" Dworsul asked, disregarding her question. "Yes?" Monica replied, confused. "Yes or no?" "Yes," she said resolutely. "Therefore, you cannot, by definition, learn a Fire Magic Skill. Learning the Fire Magic Skill means getting accustomed to dealing with fire. You can''t even interact with it." "Well¡ª" Monica didn''t really know what to say. "You do, however, have your own Flames. But even then, how can you get accustomed to fire if they''re already part of you?" Dworsul stroked his grey beard with a complacent expression. "I don''t like you, Avatar of the Twin Phoenix, Monica, but this does pose an interesting Blacksmithing challenge." "Ok?" Monica frowned. "Can you die to your own flames?" Dworsul asked. "I can fully coat myself in Obsidian Flame and nothing happens," Monica frowned. "What about the hot flame you talked about? The one you can generate by fusing your flames. Are you invulnerable to that one as well?" Monica frowned. By using Fire Transmutation to mix the Golden and the Obsidian Flame, she could generate a more traditional flame. And, she supposed, it didn''t count as a mortal or inferior flame since it came from two Divine Skills. "I mean, I can try." "Let''s see, then," Dworsul smiled deviously. "Summon the flame and try to circulate it through your body with Meditation. Slowly inhale the flame and let your body become accustomed to it." Chapter 69 Monica used Fire Transmutation to fuse together the Golden and the Obsidian Flame in front of her. Knowing that Dworsul would only be happy to see her set on fire, she just created a palm-sized globe of scorching hot flames. "You have Mana Sense," Dworsul said gruffly. It wasn''t question. Monica, keeping her eyes trained on the roiling sphere, gave a curt nod. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Use it to feel the Mana in that flame. You¡¯ve generated Fire Mana with whatever Skill you just used. And I can tell,¡± he said, narrowing his eyes, ¡°this isn¡¯t just some ordinary elemental Fire. It should be enough to kill you if you mishandle it.¡± Monica was surprised by the heads-up. Was he trying to be nice? "So, how much should I inhale at once?" Dworsul looked at her like she was a madman but then smiled thinly. "Try just half." Monica activated Mana Sense and Meditation, slowly visualizing the currents of Fire Mana in front of her and focusing on controlling it and getting it closer and closer to her face. She felt the scorching heat, but she didn''t feel any pain. She wasn''t burning up. Could he be wrong? Monica wondered. My usual immunity¡­ As soon as she tried inhaling just a little wisp of the Fire Mana, everything went black. * * * She came back to life with a choked gasp, sprawled out on the ashen floor. Her body felt both numb and aching, as though she¡¯d been violently crushed. A faint whimper escaped her lips before she forced herself upright. She had no idea what had just happened. "Ten minutes to heal all that damage, interesting," Dworsul said, tapping a finger on the hammer at his side. "What happened?!" Monica snapped, clenching her fists and looking angiryl at the Dwarf. "I don''t like overexplaining and intellectualizing things, miss Avatar. You asked such a stupid question that the best way to show you was with a little practical experiment. By doing this, I''ve also confirmed that you are, indeed, the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. You would have stayed dead otherwise." "Dworsul," Monica rose to her feet, looking dangerous now. "I respect your position¡ªI respect your people. But do this again, and I will¡ª" "Kill me?" Dworsul laughed her threats off. "The Queen of Stone didn''t scare me, Monica. Who are you to¡ª" Monica''s Obsidian Flame flared all around her, and Dworsul took a step back. "Tread carefully, Dworsul," Monica said, feeling the Obsidian Flame adding to the fuel of her rage. She had almost activated Fury of the Phoenix by how angry she was. "I can take harsh teachings, but I will not tolerate this idiocy. And if you were to risk any of my friends'' lives¡ªyou would wish Nexa had killed you. You know who I am. You know what I''m capable of. Tread carefully." Dworsul raised an eyebrow at her and then raised his hands. "I might have taken things too far," the Dwarf begrudgingly admitted. "Now, let me explain why you died like a dog." Monica felt another sharp pang of anger but let the man continue. "The moment you let uncontrolled Fire Mana in you, it wrecked your body. The one you summoned is no ordinary fire, Avatar. You should have taken the smallest strand you possibly could and tried slowly circulating it through your body. Even then, it would have caused massive damage throughout your entire system¡ªbones, organs, muscles, and veins. But you do have the means to heal yourself, and that''s how you should have approached the problem." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Is this how everyone else does it?" Monica frowned. "With a Healer by their side?" Dworsul shook his head. "Healers are handy when stupid youngsters are trying to learn the Fire Breathing Skill, but they''re usually not needed other than for those who are practicing for the very first time and might overdo it." "Then why do I need to heal myself? Why''s the damage so bad?" "My fellow Dwarves would have absorbed rivulets of Fire Mana that could have done nothing more than warm up their chest. You''re trying to put a flame made of Divinity through you. No matter how little of it you take, it''s too powerful. It might burn with the same heat of a normal flame, but its Mana will devastate your body whether you like it or not." "You''re saying that I''m too powerful?" Monica frowned, almost flattered. "Dangerously incapable of controlling the output of your flames is how I''d put it, but sure, let''s go with yours," Dworsul shrugged. "Will I get the Fire Magic Skill this way?" Monica asked. "Probably not," Dworsul reasoned, rolling his eyes upward as he was apparently used to do when thinking. Monica noticed that while the man thought about it, he looked genuinely interested in the problem. He is some kind of weird Scholar when it comes to Blacksmithing, I guess. "The Fire Magic Skill should be entirely barred from you because of your patron''s blessing¡ªflames, resistance, and all that. What you should be able to get, however, could be even better. Fire Magic usually evolves into Fire Communion when it reaches Level 100. I would go out on a guess and say that, probably, that''s what you''d get." "Oh, is that good?" "Good?" Dworsul smirked. "It would mean you have more talent for forging than any other Dwarves I''ve even met, Avatar. Good is a laughable understatement. " "So, I could be good at forging." "We''ll see. One Skill means nothing in the broad profession of a Blacksmith. I''ve met many talents who picked up and leveled Fire Breathing fast but had no idea what they were doing. You''ll just have to try your best, Avatar." Monica took a long, calming breath and summoned another miniature orb of Fire Transmutation, this time so minuscule it barely covered her fingertips. Fusing Golden and Obsidian Flames into a single point, she peered through Mana Sense. Within that droplet of living fire, she saw countless swirling threads of Fire Mana. She braced herself. ¡°All right,¡± she whispered, closing her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s do this slowly.¡± With Meditation guiding her breathing, she reached out with her Mana and coaxed the slightest wisp from the orb¡ªso fine it looked like a single molten thread. It drifted toward her lips. The instant it crossed the threshold of her mouth, her body convulsed in protest. She felt an unholy surge of heat drill straight into her lungs, as though she¡¯d swallowed acid. Every fiber of her being shrieked that this was death. But she held firm, mentally grappling the lethal spark and pushing it downward. She visualized the tiny lick of Fire Mana traveling into her ribcage. She tried to direct it along the path of her right arm, but it felt like guiding a living blade made of flame. A wave of sheer agony ignited inside her chest. Through Mana Sense, she watched in horror as the Flame-Mana started to burn everything in its path. The edges of her ribs turned black, like wood caught in a flash fire. Muscles shriveled instantly, becoming brittle, and the reek of charred flesh filled her nostrils. Even her Golden Flame, which normally knitted wounds almost instantly, struggled to keep pace. Bits of newly healed tissue scorched away faster than they could regenerate. Monica¡¯s eyes flew open in a silent scream. Through a haze of tears, she saw that her right arm was trembling violently, the skin where the Fire Mana traveled went dark and cracked, the same consistence of charcoal. Blood sizzled as it tried to flow through blackened veins. She fought to remain conscious, continuing to guide that minuscule thread of Fire Mana from her shoulder to her elbow and then toward her fingertips. The further it moved, the worse the pain grew¡ªyet a savage, desperate determination burned in Monica¡¯s mind. She wouldn¡¯t let this damned flame break her. She forced each breath, feeling the Golden Flame do its best to stem the tide of destruction. At last, the Fire Mana neared the end of her fingertips. She could barely keep her arm raised; it felt half-dead. With a shaky exhale, Monica pushed the Mana outward, letting it slip free into the open air. The sizzling current flickered once, then vanished. The pain lingered only a moment longer, but the damage was catastrophic. The skin of her right arm had blackened patches that flaked away, revealing raw, bloody tissue beneath. Her chest burned with each gasp of air. Even the simplest breath tore at her wounded lungs. Monica collapsed to the ground. She summoned the Golden Flame in full force, letting it course over her chest and through her arm. Slowly, excruciatingly, she felt some relief as the healing fire began rebuilding the charred remnants of muscle and bone. Then, she heard a notification ringing in her head. Chapter 70 Monica collapsed to the ground, body half-charred from the inside out by the Divine Fire Mana she had just inhaled. She summoned her Golden Flame in full force, letting its healing warmth flow through her chest and arm. Slowly¡ªexcruciatingly¡ªshe felt some relief as the fire began rebuilding the blackened tissue in her ribs and restoring the seared muscle fibers in her arm. Yet, the ache of that terrifying process still radiated throughout her body when she heard a notification chime inside her head. *Ding* You have learned a new Skill! Utility Skill - Charred Masochist ¨C Level 1 *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist ¨C Lv. 1 You have discovered a bizarre harmony with destructive Fire Mana through equal measures of pain, perseverance, and healing. Whenever you suffer damage through Fire Skills, your ability to withstand damage will be amplified. #1 Base Effect: 5% reduction against damage from your own Fire Skills. This effect goes up by 1% per level. Current Effect: 6% Warning: Overuse of this Skill may cause severe strain to the body and mind. Monica blinked away the last of the pain. She read the new Skill¡¯s description twice, her lips curving into an incredulous frown. ¡°Charred¡­ Masochist?¡± she muttered. She shot a questioning look at Dworsul, who stood nearby, arms folded over his chest. The dwarf¡¯s thick eyebrows rose. ¡°That¡¯s the strangest Skill name I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± he said drily, ¡°but¡ªperhaps it fits. You did just roast yourself from the inside out and then started healing with unbroken focus. You must enjoy the punishment.¡± Monica managed to stand, wincing as her newly healed muscle protested. ¡°Is it even remotely useful?¡± she asked, flexing her half-mended fingers. ¡°I was hoping for something more¡­ I don¡¯t know, grand. Like Fire Communion. Instead, I get this stupid-sounding Skill?¡± Dworsul grunted. ¡°No telling yet. You''ll have to level it through practice if it¡¯s anything like our Fire Communion. Keep it up, and maybe it¡¯ll evolve into something more refined. Or¡­¡± He shrugged, lips twitching into a half-smirk. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll stay as weird as it sounds.¡± Monica huffed, torn between frustration and a hint of amusement at the ridiculous name. But she had no other choice. If Charred Masochist was her path to controlling destructive Fire Mana¡ªand eventually unlocking the dwarven forging arts¡ªthen so be it. Despite the harrowing agony that had just killed her once and nearly destroyed her body multiple times, Monica resolved to keep at it. She formed another tiny sphere through Fire Transmutation¡ªmerging Golden Flame and Obsidian Flame into a single spark. This time, she used Meditation more deliberately, slow-breathing her way through the process. Every fiber of her being hated it, but an insidious thrill coursed through her veins whenever she guided that micro-thread of superheated Fire Mana into her body. It was like peeling a scab off a fresh wound¡ªhorrible in concept, appallingly painful in practice, yet carrying a strange release that left her wanting to push further. She inhaled a fraction of the flame. It singed her throat, and she gagged, tears stinging her eyes. Internal sizzling made her heart pound in terror: the blood in her veins actually boiled for a second, sending a scorching jolt of adrenaline through her. Yet even as her cells screamed, some deeper corner of her mind rejoiced. A primal part of her liked defying the threshold of death and then knitting herself back together with Golden Flame. *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.1 ¡ú Lv.2 A faint tremor of power nudged her. The burning in her chest receded a fraction more quickly than before. As she kept going, letting the Mana travel through her left arm, something new stirred within her¡ªan acute sort of hyperfocus that pressed her to keep pushing. ¡°This is insane,¡± she rasped, but it only goaded her to continue. Not half an hour later, she found herself systematically circulating Fire Mana from her left arm to her right, then from her torso down one leg, slowly rotating the path through her entire body. Each route left behind fresh destruction, but each route also triggered the Charred Masochist Skill. She also kept using the Golden Flame to rebuild her scorched tissues. She died two more times in the process¡ªpainful, abrupt collapses. But each time, she rose from the ashes, stronger and more attuned to the lethal current of fire blazing through her veins. *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.2 ¡ú Lv.3 The moment she saw that notification, Monica gritted her teeth and redoubled her efforts. The more she practiced, the more she realized the Skill¡¯s name was apt¡ªCharred Masochist truly rewarded her for enduring the agony of Divine Fire Mana. A twisted cycle of destruction and healing battered her body, yet gave her an addictive jolt of power each time she succeeded. Soon, the notifications came at a steadier pace. Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.3 ¡ú Lv.5 Stolen story; please report. Her body smoldered in half a dozen places. Red welts studded her limbs, but a tendrils of Golden Flame wove itself across the injuries, sealing them just enough for her to continue. Dworsul occasionally stepping in to observe, correct, or simply watch with undisguised bafflement. In the process, Charred Masochist keeps leveling. By the time Monica paused to rest, she had died more times than she could count and angry black burns clung to her shoulders like jagged tattoos. *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.5 ¡ú Lv.10 Her entire body radiated a faint warmth as if the Fire Mana now clung to her cells more permanently. She breathed carefully, feeling less raw pain and more a humming tension that coiled under her skin. She checked her Golden Flame. It had leveled as well, responding to the repeated cycles of healing each meltdown. *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Level 67 ¡ú 70 Her progress soared in leaps¡ªa direct result of repeated destruction and reconstitution. And to her astonishment, that manic craving to push her limits only grew stronger every time Charred Masochist leveled up. ¡°Enough,¡± Dworsul¡¯s voice broke in, sharp and firm. * * * Dworsul stood a short distance away from the redhead, arms folded, expression torn between horror and fascination. He had trained countless dwarves¡ªyoung apprentices bright-eyed with ambition, older veterans forging their life¡¯s masterpiece¡ªbut never had he witnessed anyone embrace pain like Monica did. Golden Flame pulsed along her arms, weaving itself into half-melted flesh and muscle over and over. Each time that wave of self-immolation coursed through her, she looked ready to collapse¡ªonly to hiss, arch her back, and thrust her Mana deeper, almost as though chasing the next wave of exquisite torment. He expected revulsion. Or pity. Or a stiff, formal reaction that dwarves often had when confronted with such extremes But Dworsul felt something else entirely. It was envy. Dworsul''s saw the absolute pain on the Avatar''s face and wished he could have inflicted it upon himself without dying, just like the redhead in front of him. He turned away from her, staring straight at one of the magma wells that connected the Ashen Archive to the rest of Viscera. I have hidden myself when I should have been out there, fighting with my brothers and sisters. Dworsul had not lied when he had said that the reason his father died was because he had ascended to Godhood. And now, the son of Dworznel was the only Dwarf made of flesh and blood in Viscera. He remembered when life had been had been different, before the war with the Old Gods. He remembered having fun¡ªhe remembered forging beside his kin, pouring sweat and blood onto his creations. And now, look at me. Dworsul shook his head. A bitter, old bastard who has nothing¡ªno one. He had retired in seclusion after mastering the Blacksmith Class. He had managed to create a Divine Weapon, a feat not even his father, Dworznel, had been able to accomplish. Once he had touched the apex of Blacksmithing, he had decided to hide himself. Those who become too strong become targets and the only way for him to ensure that his kind would prosper was to record all the knowledge he had. And instead, the Queen of Stone plundered my sanctuary while none of my people knew it even existed. Dworsul had sculpted the Ashen Archives in the depths of Viscera, between the second and third level. He had placed countless wards to make sure no one but him could have access to it. Dwarves didn''t tamper with the magma flows, considering it terrible luck, which meant he had not had to worry about someone casually jumping in puddles of magma until they found the Ashen Archives. He had thought he would have done the greatest service to Viscera, that he would have been remembered as the greatest Blacksmith, as the one to truly cement their legacy. He hadn''t wanted to turn into a God, like his father had, because Gods couldn''t just give knowledge out for free. Gods had to trade and stake their Divinity on each trade, more worried about maintaining the balance of Divinity than truly contributing to their own people. That was why Dworsul had refused to become a God. He had wanted to give everything he had to his people. In the end, however, while his father had lost his life while fighting the Queen of Stone, Dworsul had been hiding away, scared that the great Blacksmithing knowledge of Dwarves would have been lost. How pathetic, Dworsul scoffed. As he was commiserating himself, he felt a disturbance in the Mana of the chamber. Dworsul knew that to learn Fire Breathing, the Avatar would have probably have to take about one month of this terrifying practice. There were no shortcuts. You couldn''t just cheat your way to the Skill. It was too powerful and unruly, too unstable, for you to just learn it on the spot. But when the legendary Blacksmith turned toward Monica, he felt a chill down his spine. There''s Fire Mana in one-fifth of her body at once. That might have not sounded incredible to an amateur, but Dworsul was currently speechless. A Dwarf starting the process from scratch might have been able to fill perhaps a pinky with Fire Mana by the end of the first day of training. And that was if the Dwarf in question had a boundless talent. The fact that Monica had already so much Fire Mana across her body¡ªnot to speak of the fact that she was using a much more devastating form of Fire Mana... Dworsul saw Monica''s mouth suddenly shoot open together with her eyes. A scream died on her lips before it could come out and her irises became glossy. She just died. Dworsul was stunned. She just killed herself during the practice. Does she have no self-preservation instinct? Before she could come back, Dworsul took her wrist and put two fingers on it, closing his eyes and focusing. His magic didn''t come easy in this state, and he had to fully focus to see exactly how much progress Monica had made. He almost recoiled on the spot, seeing the terrifying extent of the damage that Monica had inflicted upon her own body. Monica wasn''t focusing on having Fire Mana in one part of her body at the time and making it acclimatize to it. No, she was taking the destructive Mana only she could generate by fusing her two Divine Flames and she was circulating it through her body. "This is actually very smart," Dworsul said. "And crazy." Dwarves would usually keep the Fire Mana in only one spot of their body in order for it to get more and more acclimatized to the ravaging force. Circulating it all at once would mean inflicting too much damage onto the body. Dworsul, however, understood what Monica was doing. The Avatar of the Twin Phoenix had access to one of the strongest healing Skills in existence. Instead of reducing the potency of the Fire Mana she was inhaling, she had decided to move it as fast as possible throughout her own body so that the damage to one specific part of it wouldn''t be too great. By following in the tracks of the Fire Mana with her Golden Flame, she was effectively putting her body through a fast cycle of healing and destruction. But not even she can heal all of this. Not even Monica could heal all the damage in time, meaning that at each cycle, she would move closer to death. Dworsul felt the powers of the Twin Phoenix kick in and saw, inside Monica''s veins, wisps and crackles of Golden Flame starting to repair the damage and starting to extend to the superficial layers of her Skin, slowly enveloping the entirety of her body. The Dwarf sighed and took a step back, now eyeing the bracers that the Avatar had on. Divine Equipment, he mused. He squinted and raised an eyebrow. "It''s tied to her powers," he smirked. "Smart. But that''s why they cracked. She''s underleveled and she keeps fighting monsters too strong for her." But that also meant the repairs of the bracers wouldn''t be so hard. Maybe she''s good enough. Maybe... She will free my people. Chapter 71 Two days had passed. During this time, Monica had thrown herself into an unrelenting cycle of training, using Mana Sense, Meditation, and the agonizing yet invaluable Charred Masochist Skill to circulate increasingly larger amounts of Fire Mana through her body. Bit by bit, she pushed her limits, wrestling with volatile flames that threatened to devour her from the inside. By now, Charred Masochist had soared to Level 45, and for the first time since beginning this harrowing practice, Monica¡¯s entire body brimmed with Fire Mana without immediately breaking down. Her skin glowed a deep, feverish red¡ªlike a tomato about to burst¡ªyet it no longer charred and flaked off. As Monica concentrated on holding this teetering balance, her eyes shut and sweat trickling down her temples, she suddenly felt the press of strong hands on her shoulders¡ªDworsul¡¯s hands. Despite his curmudgeonly demeanor, he hadn¡¯t once left her side since her training began, silently watching, occasionally wincing when she died and resurrected. This, however, was the first time he physically intervened. "Steady the flow through your arms. Slow it down. Move it faster through your chest and throat." Monica immediately followed the instructions and felt the chaotic Fire Mana becoming more tamed. It was as though Dworsul¡¯s presence¡ªand her rapidly evolving sense of self-inflicted pain¡ªhad unlocked a hidden channel of concentration. A faint shimmer of heat pressed against her ribs, but it never reached the point of agony. She and Dworsul had barely spoken during the last three days. Any moment that she wasn''t sleeping or chewing on food, she had been practicing. This was also the first time Dworsul actually gave her any advice. "Do not get distracted, Avatar! You''re close!" Monica took a deep breath and kept circulating the Fire Mana, healing the residual damage with the Golden Flame. Occasionally, Dworsul would give her pointers on how to move the Fire Mana throughout her body. Without even realizing it, she was circulating the Fire Mana throughout her entire body while facing no more resistance. *Ding* You have learned Utility Skill - Fire Breathing *Ding* Fire Breathing (Utility Skill) By harmonizing with destructive Fire Mana, you can inhale and exhale it in carefully measured bursts. This Skill enables precise temperature control and safe internal circulation of Fire Mana, crucial for advanced forging and survival in extreme heat. *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.?45 ¡ú Lv.?50 *Ding* Utility Skill - Fire Transmutation Lv.13 ¡ú Lv.18 *Ding* Charred Masochist''s description has been updated. *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist ¨C Lv. 50 You have discovered a bizarre harmony with destructive Fire Mana through equal measures of pain, perseverance, and healing. Whenever you suffer damage through Fire Skills, your ability to withstand damage will be amplified. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. #1 Base Effect: 5% reduction against damage from your own Fire Skills. This effect goes up by 1% per level. Current Effect: 51% #2 Base Effect (NEW): Your ability to control any Fire Skill circulating through your body increases by 5%. This effect goes up by 1% per level. Current Effect: 51% Warning: Overuse of this Skill may cause severe strain to the body and mind. Dworsul sighed. "You did it, Avatar." Monica slowly opened her eyes as she kept circulating the Fire Breathing Skill, feeling the powerful Mana coursing through her body without fully ravaging it. It was still uncomfortable and it still left a modicum of damage but nothing a little Golden Flame couldn''t heal. She could immediately understand why this Skill was so fundamental for forging. Now that she had all this Fire Mana in her, she breathed out some into the flame she had been absorbing. Immediately, she was able to increase its potency, but with such a fine granular control that she could have never achieved by simply injecting more Mana into it. "If you had Mana Sense on during your forging process," Dworsul said, "you''ll know that distributing the Mana equally through your creation is not easy. Fire Breathing allows you to add and subtract small quantities of Fire Mana to the process. Now, you''re finally able to start forging." Monica had no idea that the Skill would have been this good. She had known it was going to help the others survive the Fire Mana in the second floor of Viscera¡ªand she now also understood how. "Dworsul," Monica asked with a hint of worry in her voice. "How long do you think my friends would take to learn this Skill?" Dworsul cracked a smile. "You finally understood the problem here, didn''t you?" Monica grimaced. "Gromorlig was a great warrior," Dworsul said. "But, even among Dwarves, those who are not Blacksmiths do not understand the plight of our Class. Your friends will need, at the very least, two months of guided practice." "That''s... there are going to be too many Wasps around by then!" Monica cried. "Let''s worry about one thing at the time," Dworsul smirked. "Now, you''re finally worthy of learning the very basics of smithing. Come, we''re going to the Blacksmith District." "What?" Monica said. "But it''s blocked off!" "If you take normal paths, yes." * * * Monica and Dworsul walked side by side in a larger tunnel while magma receded all around them. "Dworsul," Monica said, clearing her voice. "Before we go, there''s something I need to show you." The old Dwarf turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Then, Monica took out the Heart of Fire from her Inventory, immediately making the entire tunnel bristle with heat. The stone started fuming immediately. She knew that this belonged to the Dwarf in front of her and she expected a very strong reaction to it. "That''s where it went, then," Dworsul shrugged and resumed walking, not deigning the Epic Item of one more glance. "Hey, where are you going?! Isn''t this yours?!" Monica was flabbergasted by the reaction. "Yes, you could say so. I gave it away when I went into seclusion. I hoped someone would take over my forge while I recorded all our knowledge down." "And you''re not surprised to see it in my hands? You''re not... mad?" "The System must have scooped it for you. If the Queen of Stone robbed the Dwarves, the System had enough authority to try and re-establish the balance to take items from us. With all the Dwarves turned to stone, it wouldn''t violate the System''s rules. I imagine it''s not the first grand Item that fell on your lap." "I also have Thraldrirlum''s Dream, his¡ª" "Pickaxe," Dworsul said, stopping in his tracks but not turning. "That is a relic rarer than the Heart of Fire. Please, do not lose it. My people will need it if they ever manage to escape this curse." "Won''t they also need the Heart of the Forge?" Monica asked, confused. "Isn''t your forge, like, very powerful?" "My forge is unusable by anyone," the old man stated, matter-of-factly. "Why?" Monica frowned. "You''re not the only one who had access to a Divine Flame, Avatar," Dworsul said, looking over his shoulder. "To forge the Spear of Dhoznil, a Divine-graded weapon, I needed access to a Divine Flame. My forge would instantly kill anyone trying to enter it¡ªincluding you." Dworsul stopped and sighed, shaking his head while still giving her his back. "Now, Avatar. Let''s go. We''ve got some forging to do." Chapter 72 Monica and Dworsul both wore grim expressions as they reached a dead end: a massive cave-in blocked the tunnel they had hoped to use. ¡°So¡­¡± Monica murmured, trailing off as her gaze traveled across the collapsed passage. Rubble choked the corridor from floor to ceiling, forming a jagged wall of broken stone. Dworsul said nothing at first. Instead, he stepped forward and crouched, running his callused fingers across the debris. He picked up a palm-sized chunk of rock, turning it in his hand with a pensive frown. Slowly, he squeezed the chunk between his fingers, letting powdery dust drizzle down from the edges. It was almost as if he could read the tale of the cave-in¡ªhow the stone had fractured, at what angle, and under what force¡ªsimply by feeling it. "This whole tunnel was collapsed by something¡ªor someone," he said calmly. "The tunnel that leads to the Blacksmith District?" Monica asked. Dworsul responded by tossing her the piece of stone he¡¯d been inspecting. She caught it on reflex, only to look at the dull, gray fragment in confusion. "Am I supposed to understand what this means?" She asked. ¡°No,¡± Dworsul said, shrugging with a resigned huff. ¡°But this confirms there¡¯s no chance we can clear the path in any reasonable amount of time. It¡¯s more than just a few fallen rocks¡ªentire sections of the corridor have caved in. We¡¯re back to your earlier plan, Avatar.¡± Monica¡¯s shoulders tensed. ¡°Meaning?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve no choice but to use the forges in the marketplace,¡± Dworsul replied. ¡°Though it¡¯s far from ideal. The Blacksmith District has the real runic forges. The largest ore vaults. All the specialized tools. Everything you truly need is sealed behind this collapse."¡± "I know¡ªthat''s why I didn''t go there." "Not ideal," Dworsul sighed. "The marketplace doesn''t have proper runic forges, and the large ore storages are all in the Blacksmith District." "Do we have any other choice?" Monica asked. "No." * * * Monica and Dworsul made their way back to the Ashen Archive where the Dwarf had them enter another magma channel that led them straight through the same lake of magma that Monica had dived into to evade the Wasps, emerging right beside the marketplace. "These passages are very handy," Monica commented as she looked toward the ceiling, scanning for Wasps. "There''s not going to be monsters here for two hours," Dworsul said, taking a confident stride forward through the marketplace and right toward the same forge that Monica had used until now. ¡°How do you know?¡± she asked, arching a brow. "I''m the strongest Blacksmith to ever live, Avatar. Stop asking silly questions." He''s unbearable, Monica sighed. Dworsul examined the forge with a raised eyebrow and then looked at the mountain of discarded daggers on the ground. He picked up one as if it was poisonous, glaring at it and then at Monica. "I thought you had brought me your worst attempt," Dworsul sighed. "The ore, however, is very pure. Is there a stash of smelted ingots somewhere?" Now, it was Monica''s turn to be smug. "Well," she said with a smirk, "I guess I do have some talent. There''s no ingots. I took one of these." She bent over to take one of the lumps of iron and dirt that she had used to smelt the iron for the daggers. "My Fire Trasmutation Skill isn''t just made to create fire. I can use the Golden and Obsidian Flame to refine ore." "Explain yourself," Dworsul said, incapable of hiding his curiosity. She decided to show him, instead. So, she summoned a mixture of her Golden and Obsidian Flame, alternating them as she held the lump of ore in front of the Dwarf. The chunk sizzled and cracked, thick impurities blackening and crumbling away. Monica carefully modulated her Vitality expenditure, ensuring the flames didn¡¯t devour the entire piece of iron. The end result was a perfect sphere of pure, glowing metal, free from slag. Then, only after, she provided an explanation of how her Phoenix Forge Class worked. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "I should have expected something special," Dworsul said to himself, almost angrily. "Avatar, this is a blessing on a scale you cannot even fathom. Smelting is one of the hardest processes a Blacksmith has to learn. Your Divine Skills are perfect for it. Do they work on superior ores as well?" "I tried them on Mithril but¡ª" "Foolish," Dworsul sighed. "You are too low-leveled to handle Mithril. Don''t give me that face. I would have hammered the head of any Dwarf who wanted to deal in Mithril before reaching Level 200." "I don''t think I have time to level up my Phoenix Forge Class up to Level 200, Dworsul." "I know," the Dwarf nodded pensively, eyeing her bracers. "But, as we''ve ascertained, you are a special case. If you used those two flames of yours and a runic forge, you might be able to work with Mithril. Might being the keyword here." "How?" "Runic Forging can channel your flames in the right patterns. We can activate the Runes in the Blacksmith District and your Flames, being ascended Skills, should be able to influence Mithril, no matter how low your Attributes." "Really?!" Monica smiled widely. "Don''t get your hopes up. And let''s also not get ahead of ourselves, Avatar. Now, show me this refining process again. But this time, you¡¯ll shape the metal under my supervision¡ªstep by step.¡± Under Dworsul¡¯s watchful gaze, she hovered her free palm over the ore, letting slivers of Golden and Obsidian Flame spiral together. * * * She guided her Vitality into the forging flame, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t run amok. Her Mana Sense painted the metal¡¯s changing structure in her mind. But then, Dworsul laughed. "Fire Breathing for the forging, Avatar. Don''t just use your Skill." Gritting her teeth, Monica poured more Fire Mana into the forge¡¯s coals. Instead of letting it run rampant, she used her new Skill to modulate the temperature, exhaling just enough heat to raise the iron to a workable glow. The sphere turned a bright orange, then yellow. Quickly, she lifted it from the forge with a pair of tongs and placed it on the anvil. ¡°Not too shabby,¡± Dworsul muttered, arms crossed. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t overcook it this time.¡± Dworsul moved in closer, stoic but keenly focused. ¡°Hammer it. Slowly,¡± he instructed. She hammered again and again, each blow forging the iron into a narrower, sharper outline. But after just a few strokes, she sensed a clumping of Mana gathering near the iron¡¯s midpoint. She hesitated, uncertain how to redistribute it with her next strike¡ªand that moment¡¯s hesitation was enough to ruin the forging flow. Dworsul spotted the error immediately. With startling swiftness, he snatched the half-formed blade from the anvil, glowered at the lumps in the metal, and flung it aside with a clatter. ¡°Again,¡± he growled, ¡°and this time, don¡¯t hesitate. The metal¡¯s Mana flow won¡¯t wait for you.¡± Monica blew an exasperated breath through her nose but set her jaw. She heated another lump of iron, hammered, tried to sense the rhythms. Again, she fumbled the subtle timing, letting the Mana spike in one section. A single misaligned blow made the entire piece worthless in Dworsul¡¯s eyes. He lobbed it aside, glaring. ¡°Stop daydreaming,¡± he snapped. Annoyance prickled under Monica¡¯s skin. She forced herself to focus, forging another piece with the same care¡ªsmoothing out each step, scanning the metal¡¯s Mana signature with Mana Sense. When the swirl of energies threatened to pool, she used a slight exhalation from Fire Breathing to chase them into an even distribution. Then she brought the hammer down in a precisely timed strike, driving the forging heat deeper. Slowly but surely, she felt the dagger¡¯s shape merge with the flow of Mana in a near-seamless way. * * * They repeated the process multiple times. Whenever Dworsul felt something was missing, he would throw the blades aside. He would often tell her wait for the Mana to almost settle after her strikes and to hit it before it starts clotting in one part or the other. But just moments before the right time, Monica would start feeling a rhythm to it, but also often miss a beat and Dworsul would then take the blades, toss them aside and tell Monica to start from scratch.They repeated the process multiple times, Dworsul intervening with gruff corrections. Monica ignored the constant stream of System notifications chiming at the edge of her awareness¡ªher entire focus was on refining her hammer strokes and her Fire Breathing. Finally, as she was about to strike another blow, Dworsul suddenly grabbed her wrist mid-swing. His expression snapped from intensity to alarm. ¡°Hide,¡± he ordered in a hushed tone. Monica¡¯s heart jolted. ¡°Hide? Why¡ª?¡± Without waiting for an explanation, the dwarf ducked behind a nearby stall. Alarmed, Monica scrambled behind the forge, pressing herself flat against its warm outer wall. Then she heard it: the droning buzz of wasp wings. She peered up to see three Corrupted Molten Wasps sweep low across the marketplace, scanning the area. Only when the buzzing faded did Dworsul emerge. Monica crept out behind him, breath still unsteady. ¡°They¡¯ll be back in six hours,¡± he said quietly, brushing off his tunic. The certainty in his voice left no room for doubt. "You really don''t want to tell me how you know this?" Monica asks. "This is my city, Avatar," Dworsul replies. "I know what''s going on here at any moment." "Dammit, I wish you hadn''t stopped me. I was so close¡ª" Monica saw Dworsul bend to retrieve a perfectly shaped dagger from the anvil and waving it in her face. "You should learn to make handles, too, but this, Avatar, this is your first good work. Temper it." Monica blinked, then nodded. She quickly quenched the blade in a basin of water. Steam boiled upward, curling around her arms, but it cooled evenly. When she lifted the dagger, its edge shone with a smooth brilliance that made her smile with cautious pride. Then, Monica heard the sound of an onslaught of notifications going off in her head. Chapter 73 Four more days passed. Monica wheezed as she came back to life, sprawled near a veritable mountain of half-finished bracers she had forged. Dworsul examined a pair with a scrutinizing eye and nodded to himself. Moments before, Monica had collapsed after pouring the last drop of her Vitality into Fire Transmutation, smelting yet another batch of iron for the bracers. Still shaky, she pushed herself upright, brushing away the caked dust and sweat. ¡°You¡¯ve finally mastered iron, Avatar,¡± Dworsul said, his tone surprisingly impressed. He set the bracers aside on a low wooden table already crowded with similar pieces of equipment. He was right: she¡¯d lost count of how many sets of bracers, shields, and other items she¡¯d forged in the last four days. She barely slept¡ªDworsul hardly allowed it. The moment she managed to craft a decent dagger, he had shifted her to forging shields, then swords, then chest pieces. Finally, he proclaimed that a true blacksmith had to know how to forge bracers and gauntlets. That had tested Monica''s patience in a way she had not expected. She found that making gauntlets was a far cry from hammering out a simple sword or shaping a breastplate. Gauntlets were made by interlocking individually forged pieces, and Dworsul had thrown out entire gauntlets that hadn''t been up to his standards. Not only did Monica have to forge each piece individually, but when tempering them, Dworsul required Monica to perfectly control her Fire Breathing in order for the Mana in the equipment to be perfectly distributed. At first, his unrelenting critique grated on her nerves, but the more she worked, the more she understood his insistence on perfection. She learned to watch how Mana distributed itself through each segment and link. If one plate soaked up more Mana than its neighbors, that spot would weaken or stiffen unpredictably in battle. Again and again, Dworsul made her undo hours of forging and start from scratch¡ªbut each time, her sense for shaping the metal¡¯s inner flow grew sharper. By the time she finally got a passable pair completed, her arms trembled from repeated forging. Yet the next day, he demanded more. "Mana is just a telltale sign of good craftmanship," Dworsul had lectured her time and again. "It''s how someone like you will be able to tell whether a piece of armor is less resistant in one place or the other. You don''t want a shield or a protection piece with weak points, now, do you?" Of course, Monica agreed. But going through the repetitive motions of the Blacksmithing process had truly made her go crazy. She had learned how to bend, twist, and form all the shapes she wanted. The theory and the application, with all the Attributes she had in Dexterity, were nothing complicated. What truly made her lose her mind, however, was how maddening it was to try and evenly distribute Mana throughout a piece of armor. "If I were you," Dworsul said, "I''d check your levels." Dworsul had forbidden Monica from being distracted by notifications. So, for the last four days, she had been denied looking at her status. The Dwarven master said that it would only take her mind off what truly mattered at the moment: forging. She was pretty sure she had passed Level 25, but when she opened her status dashboard, it would be an understatement to say that she was stunned. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Forge (Epic) Lv. 12 ¡ú Lv. 25 (Malus Removed) *Ding* This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Class ¨C Phoenix Forge (Epic) Lv. 25 ¡ú Lv. 68 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Forging Lv. 9 ¡ú Lv. 89 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Hammering Lv. 7 ¡ú Lv. 86 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Smelting Lv. 15 ¡ú Lv. 93 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Temperature Control Lv. 6 ¡ú Lv. 88 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv. 18 ¡ú Lv. 81 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Breathing Lv. 4 ¡ú Lv. 41 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Charred Masochist Lv. 50 ¡ú Lv. 54 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Meditation Lv. 39 ¡ú Lv. 56 *Ding* Perception Skill ¨C Mana Sense Lv. 79 ¡ú Lv. 95 *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv. 70 ¡ú Lv. 72 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 63 ¡ú Lv. 65 "How is this possible?" Monica asks, stunned. Her Phoenix Forge Class, which had started at Level 4, now towered at Level 68¡ªovertaking even her primary Class, Phoenix Healer, which sat at Level 60. Scores of forging-related Skills had skyrocketed too. Hammering, Smelting, Temperature Control, and Forging all hovered between Level 85 and Level 93. Even Fire Transmutation stood at Level 81. It was a staggering surge in so short a time. She scrolled further and saw that Meditation had soared as well¡ªfrom somewhere in the thirties to Level 56¡ªand Mana Sense had climbed to an eye-watering Level 95. Monica¡¯s mouth went dry at that number. She was no stranger to leveling quickly, but this¡­ ¡°How is this even real?¡± she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. Dworsul tapped a finger on one of the bracers. "Blacksmithing levels are tied to the material used. Iron is perfect to level up in the first fifty levels, Avatar. Most get bogged down trying to complicate their lives with other metals. Steel is only useful if you can forge it properly. With the foundation we just built for you, you will be able to combine steel and other materials without trouble, especially considering how your Fire Transmutation works." "Why didn''t we stop before, though? We could have gone over the Blacksmith District¡ª" "You would have still needed to practice the basics. And, as I said, I didn''t want you distracted. With you using Meditation and Mana Sense the whole time, you were completely absorbed in the crafting process. That is how you managed to level up this much. I wouldn''t be surprised if your forging Skills were on the cusps of 10% Skill Efficiency as well. You will also have gained a few levels in Mana Sense and Meditation." Monica immediately checked the Skill Efficiency of her Skills with the monocle and felt her heart caught in her throat. Skill List Golden Flame - Lv. 67 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 8% Obsidian Flame - Lv. 63 SKILL EFFICIENCY: 8% ¡°So forging can push my Flames¡¯ efficiency too,¡± she said under her breath, still marveling at the synergy. "Levels are not as important as Skill Efficiency," Dworsul said. "I know," Monica said. "Gromrolig said the same and I''ve also met the Twin Phoenix who gave me an entire lecture on the subject." "You''ve met your patron?" Dworsul asked curiously. "Yeah. It was an interesting meeting. I was told how to use my Skills to develop Skill Efficiency. I''ve also recently learned that I can apparently raise the Skill Efficiency of the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame as well despite the fact that they were the Skills the Twin Phoenix ascended with." "Fascinating," Dworsul said. "I didn''t know that was possible." "They''ve yet to reach 10% anyway," Monica shrugged. "But yeah. I imagine that when they reach Bronze Rank, something interesting will happen." "Well, Avatar, it''s time for you to receive your hammer now. Before we move on to the Blacksmith District, as it''s customary. We''re about to see what your fate as a Blacksmith will be. Now, go and step between the four pillars." Chapter 74 Monica stood between the Four Pillars and looked at the smirking Dworsul with a raised eyebrow. Dworsul, standing a few strides away, merely smirked and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "I still don''t understand." "Good," the old Dwarf replied cheekily. "Now¡ªraise your hand." Monica looked at the four pillars, all four quite distant from each other, and the small stone platform the legendary Blacksmith had her step onto. Monica sighed and did as he asked, lifting her right arm toward the cavern¡¯s roof. "What now? I don''t feel¡ª" Before Monica could finish that sentence, she felt a strong current of Mana in the air. She activated Mana sense and saw golden echoes gather around the four pillars, swelling around their top part, and entering the black columns. Swirling arcs of Mana flickered into being and started resonating with the metal, making it vibrate ever so slightly. Small black particles of the weird metal detached from the four pillars, carrying toward Monica''s hand. Suddenly, black flecks peeled off the pillars and drifted through the air. They glimmered like tiny obsidian shards, spinning and gathering into her open hand. Monica¡¯s breath caught as more and more of those particles streamed in, merging into a single shape: a hammer¡¯s head, forging itself from midair. Slowly, a handle formed under it. The hammer solidified with a quiet finality, resting in Monica¡¯s grip as if it had always been there. She swallowed hard, marveling at its weight¡ªneither too heavy nor too light. It radiated a subtle warmth, the polished black metal reflecting a faint sheen of mana. Dworsul stepped closer, his face unreadable. "Every Dwarven Blacksmith receive a hammer made of Duranium and Spatium," he said softly, letting his rough fingertips trace the brand-new hammer¡¯s surface. "Each pillar is an alloy of the two metals. The pillars, unlike what you thought, weren''t meant to teach Skills, Avatar. They recognize the Skills of a Dwarf and provide them a suitable tool. Duranium is a rare metal, but among the more common ones you can find. Spatium, instead..." Dworsul smiled at her. His gaze slid from the hammer to Monica¡¯s face. "Thraldrirlum''s Bridge is made of Spatium. The madman carved the biggest vein ever found into a bridge. When it''s part of a hammer, it allows Mana to distribute itself along the surface of a metal much better. You''ve dealt with iron, a pure element. But iron is soft and tender compared to steel. And steel is nothing compared to Duranium. Duranium, too, is a plaything for children compared to weaving Mithril into an alloy or, on the pain of shaving your beard, making a weapon or armor of only Mithril." Dworsul shuddered at the thought and then looked up at Monica''s hand, where the hammer had almost fully formed. "My father, Dworznel, is the one who devised the pillars, the one who carved them and powered them with his own Divinity. This is part of the great Dwarven heritage of Viscera, Avatar. You''re the first non-Dwarf to ever receive Dworznel''s hammer." Despite not being the greatest fan of Dworsul because of his manners, she still felt very fortunate to be receiving his teachings and this gift. In the last week, she had come to fully appreciate just how hard forging was. Whenever it came to fighting, Monica felt invincible. There was not one enemy that, at her level, could give her trouble. Any trouble. But with forging it was different. While fighting, she had always been bitter because she kept challenging monsters stronger than her, which meant that, despite her capabilities, she always started at a disadvantage. Ironically, when it came to forging she felt like she was on an even playing field: sure, she didn''t have the Divine talent her Avatar Title gave her in fighting, but she could face forging without having to worry about a difference in levels. Plus, to be completely honest, Monica did feel she had a knack for the thing¡ªnot that she would ever admit in front of Dworsul. Dworsul pulled away, letting her examine her new possession. The metal¡¯s surface felt smooth, but she could sense power coursing inside it. "How good? How much Spatium?" Monica asked. "Enough," Dworsul replied cryptically. "Now, get the Quest Reward and let''s open up that wall." * * * *Ding* Quest Completed - The Four Pillars Raise Phoenix Forge to Level 25 and the following Utility Skills to Level 50: Hammering Smelting Temperature Control Forging Reward: Resin Melter Monica retrieved the Reward from her inventory. It was a large, sealed barrel. She heaved it up from the Inventory and then placed it on the ground beside Dworsul. "We''ll need a pump," the Dwarf said, scratching his beard. * * * They had retrieved a small pumping apparatus that was probably used for water from one of the stalls in the marketplace and went up to the giant brood wall. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Dworsul had assured her that there were currently no Wasps in the Blacksmith District and that none would come along for a while. Therefore, the Dwarf took the initiative, dipped one end of the pump in the open barrel and, using his foot to operate it, started spraying the wall. The same wall that the Obsidian Flame hadn''t been able to even scratch started melting like snow in front of a forge. Immediately, the resin hissed and sizzled, tendrils of foul-smelling steam rising from its surface. Where the melter fluid touched, the glossy shell turned milky white and began sagging inward like ice cream left in the sun. Thick rivulets of molten resin sloughed off, dissolving in a slow, ugly cascade. In a matter of seconds, the seemingly invincible barrier started to crumble. It only took one-fourth of the barrel for them to carve a sizeable passage through the brood wall. Monica ducked under a dangling loop of half-melted resin, stepping warily into the new corridor beyond. Almost immediately, she realized they had crossed into a different world. Gone were the rough stone tunnels and half-rubble dwarven passages. Here, everything was metal. The walls glinted with polished panels, the floor hummed with faint mana lines, and overhead, a vaulted ceiling was ribbed with iron supports. "This is the Silver Road." Her eyes darted to the ground: a gleaming walkway sprawled ahead. Its surface resembled cobblestone, but each ¡°stone¡± was a carefully smelted piece of silver-tinted metal in the shape of petals, leaves, and vines, all interwoven to form a winding floral mosaic. Within every leaf or blooming flower, different metals¡ªsome coppery, some golden, others of a rare bluish hue¡ªadded color and depth. It was so lifelike that Monica hesitated before putting her foot down. ¡°This is¡­ incredible,¡± she breathed, turning in a slow circle. "Architects are very focused on form," Dworsul started explaining as they made their way through the Silver Road. "That is why there''s not much art in the first floor of Viscera and, in general, outside the Blacksmith District. The deeper we go, the more wondrous the artistry you¡¯ll see. That¡¯s the core of our heritage.¡±" As they walked, Monica started seeing the first forges, carved as caverns out of the stone walls, but also covered in layers of metal that depicted almost anything from a starry sky to a scene of war. "Forging is more of an art than planning a building or a war machine," Dworsul said. "Any Blacksmith worth their salt understands it." He gestured toward the forge with metal covering it and forming a starry sky on the wall all around it. "It''s customary in Viscera for every Blacksmith to decorate the outside of their forge the best way they can. The more elaborate and difficult the techniques they used, the more respect they would gather." Monica soon noticed that as they kept moving forward, the forges'' decorations became more and more intricate and beautiful. Some of them exuded thick Mana. A few, however, were empty. Many forges looked sealed¡ªheavy gates of wrought iron or dwarven runic wards locked them up tight. A few stood open but eerily empty, their interior caked in dust. Ornamental suits of armor were half-finished on racks, all frozen in time. Monica felt a weight in her chest. She could almost envision dwarven masters bustling here, carrying molten ingots to and fro, hammering out new wonders. Now it was empty, haunted by silence and faint echoes of a glorious past. As if reading her mind, Dworsul explained why. "The more skilled you are, the deeper into the Blacksmith District you move because the Silver Road doesn''t just act as decoration. Use your Mana Sense and look at it." Monica turned her gaze between her feet while activating Mana Sense. She saw that the Silver Road''s metal carvings weren''t just for decoration. They were gathering Mana and... shifting it forward? "The deeper it goes," Monica realized, "the more Mana it''s gathered onto it. Fire Mana." Dworsul nodded. "And," he added, "the denser the Fire Mana becomes. A novice Blacksmith, even one with Dworznel''s Hammer, would die if they tried to breathe in the Fire Mana in the deepest parts of the Blacksmith District. Many forges were empty because most of our people died in the war." That makes sense, Monica thought with a tinge of regret for not having met the living Dwarves at the peak of their civilization. Dworsul had said that the Fire Mana''s quality helped smelter stronger metals. If one lived in the deeper parts of the Blacksmith District, it would make smelting the rarer, stronger metals much easier. It was also a natural way of ranking the Dwarves from the amateurs to the true grandmasters of the craft. "I take that your forge used to be at the very end of the Blacksmith District," Monica said. "Here?" Dworsul snorted. "No, Avatar. My forge is hidden away. If anyone came even in the remote vicinity of it while it was powered up, they would have burst in a cloud of ashes." Dworsul¡¯s footsteps slowed before a particularly impressive forge. Its facade showed a sky churning with thunderclouds, each of the swirling shapes molded from a brilliant steel so polished it reflected Monica¡¯s face. Jagged bolts of lightning etched in a vibrant, bluish metal zigzagged across the design, capturing a storm in mid-strike. "I knew the Dwarf who lived here. He died during the war," Dworsul said, sighing to himself. "No one ever had the time to take apart his forge before the Queen of Stone cast her curse." "Why not use another forge?" Monica asked, sensing that Dworsul was not feeling comfortable. "Many of these forges are still manned by their owners. It is a great disrespect to enter them while they''re still there or even while they''re still alive, Avatar. I will not break the traditions of my people when there''s no need to." He stepped in front of the forge and, closing his eyes and reclining his head forward, muttered a few words that Monica wasn''t able to hear. "This is Thizmug''s forge, the master of the tempest. He has smelted great vessels in here that were used by the Dragons themselves¡ªeven the sovereigns of the Sky found a use for Thizmug''s creations. That''s how talented the man was. In my opinion, he could have reached, one day, Level 500." Even though Monica had heard Dworsul praise his people before, this was the first time she heard him mention an actual Dwarf. "It''s an honor to enter your forge, Thizmug," Monica said, stepping forward and bowing her head and cupping her hands. Dworsul seemed surprised by her gesture, but he nodedd in silence and they both stared at the ground for several moments. "Avatar," Dworsul said, breaking the silence, "your level is pathetic." Monica, accustomed to the man''s antics, just let him talk. "You will not be able to take these monsters in any efficient way, not even with a Bard as your support. Mind you, no sane person would have come to Viscera this underleveled and underequipped. Only a moron could have made this choice." Even though it was getting harder, Monica still let him talk without interrupting him. "I will teach you one of the most secretive techniques we have," Dworsul declared. "You have shown promise. We will now switch to steel and combine it with these things'' bodies in such a way that the Wasps will be naturally weaker towards you. Machina''s creations, at large, will be weaker. But the Wasps, especially so." "How?" She asked. "Forging equipment from parts of monsters is nothing new. Most Blacksmiths know how to fashion a leather armor or to mix hard chitin into an alloy. My father discovered a way to mix the essence of the monsters into equipment. This can repel their attacks or make their own defenses much weaker against gear forged like this." Monica''s eyes widened. "By mixing the materials you have collected so far with steel, using the right Runes to make sure everything goes well¡ªRunes that I shall activate on your behalf¡ªyou''ll be able to forge gear for you and your party that will make your collective chances of survival much, much higher." Chapter 75 Monica still couldn¡¯t believe the possibilities Dworsul had just unveiled. By incorporating the materials she¡¯d collected from the Corrupted Molten Wasps, she could craft weapons and armor that naturally countered them¡ªand, potentially, any other monstrosities spawned by Machina. It sounded almost too good to be true. They had entered Thizmug''s forge and Monica had been left in awe of how large and majestic it was. The blue motive that could be found everywhere in the magic metal outside was still present here, although it subsided in a more spartan way. The inside of the forge, in fact, was more practical, more sterile. Dworsul went over to check Thizmug''s instruments and nodded to himself. "Everything is in order." He walked up to the forge, which was covered in an endless array of Runes. "The forge is still perfectly working," Dworsul assessed. "Thizmug has the array we need on it as well." The famous Blacksmith drew a series of Runes that Monica couldn''t comprehend¡ªthey didn''t seem to be saying anything in particular. Otherwise, her Myriad Tongue Skill would have picked up on it. Monica walked around the large dome-like forge and even popped her head inside of it, seeing a giant chamber inscribed with even more Runes than it had outside. "Will I learn to use Runes?" Monica asked Dworsul. The Blacksmith pondered the question for a moment. "Perhaps, Avatar," he replied sincerely, without the usual snark. "Runes are a complicated business. I will impart the basics of it to you and, perhaps, leave you some knowledge on how to progress on your own if you manage to save the Great Forge." "Fair," Monica said. "So, what now?" Dworsul went to an adjacent room and gestured for Monica to follow. They emerged into a storage room that dwarfed any she had seen before. Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, loaded with crates, barrels, and huge burlap sacks. Much of the supply was high-quality iron ore¡ªMonica could tell at once that its Mana signature was denser and more vibrant than anything she had worked with in the marketplace. Even lumps of simple-looking iron thrummed with Mana. She tracked Dworsul¡¯s movements with Mana Sense, noticing how he deliberately avoided certain crates and rummaged among others, occasionally glancing at the arrangement of supplies. "Every Blacksmith orders ore from Miners. The marketplace is meant as a lower-end service for the novices. All real orders go through the Blacksmith and their clients. Back then, you had to wait for the Blacksmith to come out to the first floor, where they''d have their official residence. But see, that was a bit of a problem because most Blacksmiths prefer sleeping in the forge if they''re working on some big project." Monica lingered in the doorway, studying the dwarf¡¯s spartan sleeping area. Despite its modest size, there was a kind of rugged dignity in the room¡¯s simplicity. She could easily imagine Thizmug dozing there in stolen moments between forging sessions, half-collapsed from exhaustion but still determined to master his craft. A single lamp¡ªnow cold and dark¡ªsat on the desk¡¯s corner, next to a small cup ringed with soot. "That''s why we also used intermediaries. One or two Blacksmiths would do run on the first floor, trying to get all requests that weren''t strictly from the military, and relay them to the second floor. I''ve done many of those myself before reaching Level 500." "I can''t imagine you as a delivery boy," Monica smirked. Dworsul cleared his throat, drawing Monica¡¯s attention back. "We all had to start somewhere, Avatar. I imagine you, too, didn''t start as the immortal personification of a Divine Beast." "I''ve lost most of my memories," Monica said. "I''m not from this place. I don''t know who I was before¡ªwell, not much at least. I have had visions." Dworsul turned with a raised eyebrow toward her and, for a moment, he seemed like he wanted to say something. "Let''s get started," Dworsul said, pointing at a crate of iron ore and one of coal. "I''m curious to see how your Fire Transmutation Skill will deal with steel." Monica stopped midway after taking the iron crate. "Dworsul, tell me." "What?" The Dwarf smiled innocently. Monica let the crate fall to her feet and stared daggers at him. "Don''t make me waste time. My friends are waiting for us and there''s plenty of damn Wasps reproducing in this second floor. If you want me to save the Great Forge and maybe your people, tell me what I''m about to do wrong." Monica knew that Dworsul already had an idea of what she would do wrong while forging steel. She had developed a connection to his foul manners and had immediately seen through the latest test. She briefly looked at her Quest. *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Eradication II/III¡¯ Progress: 14/623 Reward: ??? "There''s six hundred Wasps around now. It was less than five-hundred a week ago," she spat the numbers out with venom lacing her tongue. "Fine," Dworsul said, caving to the seriousness of the situation. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The man took one lump of iron and one lump of coal. "I suspect, Avatar, that your refining capabilities might hinder you with this," Dworsul brought the two lumps together. "You need a small amount of coal inside the iron to get steel. Your flame is strong enough to melt them perfectly together¡ªbut what about purifying the ore and getting the right ratio? You want about 2 parts of purified coal to 100 parts of ore. Blacksmiths usually learn to deal with this through practice, but you didn''t need to practice that because your Obsidian Flame can clean out impurities. But what happens when the impurity in the iron makes the alloy we''re looking for?" Monica frowned and immediately saw the problem. If she blasted together coal and iron, trying to reduce all the impurities, the Obsidian Flame might recognize coal as a problematic metal and not let it be incorporated with the iron. "So, how are we going to solve this problem?" Monica frowned. "There''s a special tool for this," Dworsul smirked. * * * Monica looked at Dworsul with a deadpan. "You''re messing with me." Dworsul pointed at the scale and smiled. "No, Avatar. Not all solutions are fancy and involve magic. You need to just measure the amounts of coal and iron," he said, moving the plates on the scale. "First, purify the iron crate. Then, you do the same with the coal. Your flames shouldn''t consume one whole element. I suspect the problem would present itself only if you mixed them." "And that''s it?" Monica couldn''t believe it. "What did I just say?" Dworsul smiled. "Not all solutions are fancy and involve magic," Monica growled. "Alright then." Monica proceeds to smelt the iron and coal individually. Obsidian Flame could strip away mineral debris from the iron with uncanny speed, and it could also remove undesirable contaminants from the coal without burning the coal itself to ash. "You are lucky, Avatar, because no one can truly purify coal like this. Coal can have many impurities but cannot be smelted as it would simply burn. There are chemical processes," Dworsul specified, "involving solvents or runes, that can help, but most blacksmiths just learn to deal with the impurities during the steel-making phase, ironing them out with their hammer or their Fire Breathing." Once both piles were purified, she combined them inside the forge. Right away, she felt the elemental Mana in the iron and coal clashing in the heat. She carefully modulated her Fire Breathing, adjusting the temperature and the aura until the two began to merge. Her first attempt was pitiful: the carbon threaded into the iron unevenly, creating uneven lumps in the ingot. Dworsul plucked it from the flames, sighed in disgust, and promptly tossed it aside. ¡°Shoddy,¡± he pronounced. ¡°Again.¡± She grimaced but obliged, mentally preparing herself for a long night. She repeated the process of melding purified iron and coal. Each time, she sensed the iron¡¯s Mana rejecting or over-absorbing the carbon at different points. She struggled to keep up, turning the Fire Breathing skill up or down, removing stray bits of coal with a delicate flick of the Obsidian Flame, then smoothing out potential voids with the Golden Flame. Dworsul stressed that in a normal forging session, she could possibly try to hammer out those lumps¡ªbut they had no time for half-measures. If an ingot was subpar, it was best to discard it and start fresh, especially with Thizmug¡¯s ample supplies of ore on hand. Hours later, Monica¡¯s body screamed for rest. Her Vitality reserve felt almost drained dry, but she forced down her exhaustion. She refused to retreat until she successfully forged at least one perfect steel ingot. Taking a steadying breath, she ignited her Fire Transmutation again and guided both flames to gently coax the purified iron and coal together. This time, she could sense the Mana flow more keenly, probably thanks to all the repeated attempts¡ªand the synergy of her high-level Meditation. She noticed a subtle swirl of Mana forming near the ingot¡¯s center and recognized it as a sign that her ratio of carbon to iron was almost perfect. An instant later, however, she felt a tiny snag in that swirl¡ªan errant, stubborn residue. Dworsul had warned about random impurities manifesting during forging, but she¡¯d never caught them in time before. Gritting her teeth, she summoned a precise flicker of Obsidian Flame, drilling right at that blemish. Guided by Mana Sense, she burned the impurity away, then immediately followed up with Golden Flame to mend the hole left behind. But something went wrong and the ingot turned out poorly this time too. That was close, though, she thought. Monica took a break, sensing her Vitality dwindling very low, and turned to Dworsul, who had been inspecting the process and giving her pointers. "Can I ask how you knew Thizmug?" "No," Dworsul replied curtly. "Why?" She pressed the Dwarf, finally sensing that there was something he was uncomfortable with. "Thizmug was young and impressionable. He followed in the steps of my father. He didn''t want to hear it from me. By the time I disappeared, he had already convinced himself that he would have become a God one day. He was looking forward to that. He wanted to sacrifice everything, believing it would have helped our people. I taught him much of what he knew, but instead of seeing how becoming a God would stop him from teaching it to others, he just wanted to¡ª" Dworsul cut himself off. "It''s not important." And after that, he refused to even look at Monica when she asked anything about Thizmug. * * * Monica was completely absorbed in the smelting process, and this time, she felt herself being drawn to the flame, so in tune with the metal itself that she knew she was about to make it. She could sense the Mana finally starting to subside in the right parts of the ingot she was making. Dworsul had told her to avoid making it into a shape since they''d have to add Wasp material parts later. So, Monica slowly focused on the creation of the perfect steel ingot. This time, unlike the others, she felt something was about to go wrong when she felt a whiff of Mana not settling in the right part of the ingot. However, she knew it wouldn''t have worked properly, even changing the flame''s temperature. There was just something wrong with where the Mana was pooling. Then I just need to remove it, Monica thought with gritted teeth, knowing she was on the verge of failing again. And it was then that she realized what she had to do. Her closest attempt had been through using the Obsidian and Golden Flame during the smerting process. So, she immediately summoned a whiff of Obsidian Flame through the Fire Transmutation Skill and drilled into the ingot with it, closing her eyes and letting Mana Sense be her only guide. She saw the Mana being obliterated away by the Obsidian Flame. There was some weird impurity! Monica cheered internally and followed with the Golden Flame. She heard Dworsul shout her name, but she ignored him. She was close. So close! Monica repeated the process twice more, destroying the parts of the ingot that had somehow developed impurities through the process and smoothing them out in the aftermath with the Golden Flame. The use of the Obsidian Flame she had just made had been surgical, so precise and perfect, that she had felt, through Meditation, like the Obsidian Flame had become an extension of herself. When she was, done, she felt someone grabbing her shoulder and screaming in her face. "W¡ªwhat?" Monica said, with a cheer dying in her throat. "You idiot!" Dworsul shouted. "The Wasps!" Monica finally heard the buzzing sound of several Wasps and saw, through Mana Sense, that three large Wasps were right outside the forge and about to enter. At the same time, she heard a notification go off in her head. Chapter 76 *Ding* Obsidian Flame has reached Bronze Rank Monica acted on impulse, following all her instincts and immediately shoving Dworsul aside, running out of the forge. "Stay here, old man!" She shouted, taking a deep breath and getting on the outside before a big Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier could enter the forge. She didn''t care about having the Wasp in a closed off space for herself. What she was worried about¡ªor rather whom¡ªwas Dworsul. Somehow, the Obsidian Flame had reached the Bronze Rank, but given the immediate crisis, she didn''t have time to read what that meant. No, the moment she was out in the open, she immediately had to dive left by using Phoenix Step in order to dodge a veritable waterfall of molten resin. And as soon as that happened, she saw the levels of her enemies. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 150] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 145] [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier - Level 144] Thankfully, there weren''t too many. Even though they''re still Soldiers, Monica reasoned, keeping all three in her Mana Sense vision, waiting for a move. She sensed another large splurt of resin coming her way and she dodged. This time, however, a second Wasp did the same, trying to catch her right where she had rolled over. Dammit! A hail of searing resin arced toward her. Monica dove aside, triggered Phoenix Step, and streaked across the chamber. She narrowly avoided a second spurt of molten resin that sizzled on the floor and hardened into a jagged crust. The wasps coordinated their attacks with disconcerting intelligence: two spat resin while the third dashed in with a lethal stinger-thrust aimed at her back. Gritting her teeth, Monica activated Phoenix Step again, blending Golden and Obsidian flames in a hasty zigzag that took her out of range, but only barely. One miscalculation, and she could be pinned in place, easy prey for the stingers. They¡¯re so much faster than the Scouts¡­ When she infused Phoenix Step with the Obsidian Flame, however, she had felt something weird. It was like the same vacuum she felt when she used Fire Transmutation. What in the¡ª Again, she didn''t have time to think. She activated Phoenix Feathers and immediately turned them into blazing red, burning appendages with Fury of the Phoenix. She instantly felt the extent of her full powers, even though Phoenix Feathers gave her the same sensation that Phoenix Step had given her. What is happening? She had no time to dwell on it. One of the wasps spat resin in a wide fan, forcing her to roll aside. Another soared behind her, its stinger angled downward in a dive-bomb. Finally, after dodging two resins attacks, instead of dodging again, she activated Phoenix Cloud, creating an angry-looking black cloud and stepping on it right as the Wasp Soldier dive-bombed at her. Monica dodged the stinger and the bite of the Wasp, landing a devastating punch but noting that the damage she had inflicted upon the monster was barely enough to scratch its metal chitin. I''m screwed, Monica realized. She dropped to the ground, swiftly activating Golden Flame to heal the recoil damage vibrating up her arm. The stinger lunged again, and she just barely deflected it with the Twin Phoenix Bracers. Yet the force rattled her teeth, throwing her off-balance. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it A second wasp, seeing her stumble, spat a thick glob of resin. She twisted at the last second, letting the resin splash harmlessly next to her boots. That precarious dodge gave the third wasp an opening to stab down with its stinger. Monica deflected again, but the jarring impact sent her skidding across the metal floor. The dive-bomber soon was upon her. Monica¡¯s fists burned with the Obsidian Flame as she attacked with everything she had. In one swift move, she unleashed a full Obsidian Impact¡ªthree heavy strikes against the dive-bomber¡¯s armored shell. Yet the stubborn Soldier barely flinched. She focused her power and aimed a precise strike at the joint where the wing met the body¡ªthe same tactic she had used for the scouts. For a moment, her hand gripped the hard surface. Then, the Soldier twisted suddenly, countering with a quick move. Its stinger cut into her arm, and a searing pain exploded through her body, forcing her back. ¡°Argh!¡± she cried. The attack had caught her off guard, and the burning pain made her stagger. Without a second thought, Monica activated the Golden Flame. A warm, healing light spread from her hand, mending her wounds¡ªbut the relief was brief. The dive-bomber lunged at her again. Forced to use the Golden Flame again and again, she could feel her strength slipping away with every burst of healing. ¡°I can¡¯t let this thing win,¡± she growled as she gritted her teeth. The dive-bomber circled back. Once again, in a desperate effort, Monica feinted to the left and lunged forward, reaching for the wing¡¯s joint to tear it away. But the Soldier moved just in time. Its intact wing struck back with a force that sent her crashing onto the metal floor. Slumped on one knee, chest heaving, Monica glanced around. Her normal speed and strength weren¡¯t cutting it. Even Obsidian Impact hits, fueled by her Bronze-Rank Skills, barely dented their carapaces. In a straight slugfest, she¡¯d lose. She needed something more. Another wave of resin hissed overhead, forcing her to scramble sideways. An idea flickered at the edges of her mind, recalling that strange pull in her Skills: the one she had felt upon using Phoenix Step and Phoenix Feathers just moments ago. With no time to be cautious, she let instinct take over. She conjured another Phoenix Cloud using her Obsidian Flame. Ordinarily, the swirling black platform formed below her feet with minimal Mana cost. This time, she fed it¡ªintentionally letting that ravenous vacuum sink into her Vitality. The moment she did, the Skill¡¯s speed soared beyond anything she had experienced before. In an explosive burst, she launched forward at breakneck velocity, leaving afterimages of black flame swirling behind her. ¡°What the¡ª?!¡± The wasp never saw it coming. Monica¡¯s fist, shrouded in Obsidian Impact, collided with its thorax in a thunderous crunch. The chitin fractured, sending molten-black gore spewing out in a sticky arc. Stray droplets sizzled on her forearm, but she was too high on adrenaline to care. The recoil, however, shattered her own arm bones from elbow to wrist. She howled in pain, staggering back. Instantly, Golden Flame threaded into the damaged limb, mending the trauma in seconds. Blood pounded in her ears as her newly repaired arm flexed experimentally. Meanwhile, the wasp reeled, wings beating unevenly, dark orange fluid dripping from the dent in its armor. It worked¡­ Awed and exhilarated, Monica realized that this new Vitality burn synergy wasn¡¯t just for forging. Now that the Obsidian Flame had ascended to Bronze Rank, it must have unlocked some hidden trait¡ªone that let her push her Skills to terrifying extremes at the cost of draining her own Vitality. I have a chance. Without hesitation, she stepped again onto a Phoenix Cloud of black flame, pushing that strange vacuum to devour another chunk of Vitality. Her body blurred forward so fast the next Wasp soldier barely had time to turn. She drove a savage punch into its abdomen, fracturing chitin around the joints of its legs. Then she kicked off a wall¡ªsimilarly igniting Phoenix Step with the Obsidian flame¡ªand ricocheted at twice the speed, smashing into the Wasp¡¯s head with Obsidian Impact. Chitin cracked. Molten gore¡ªdark with blazing orange rivulets¡ªspewed everywhere as a third of the creature¡¯s skull caved in. The wasp lurched, wings fluttering in a broken drone, and crashed to the ground. It might still be alive, but it could no longer fly straight. Monica landed heavily, panting. Her ankles trembled from the harsh impact, and threads of black smoke curled off her body. Just as she steadied herself, she sensed more shapes through Mana Sense. Three additional Corrupted Molten Wasps soared toward her from the corridor. She wasn¡¯t afraid this time. Thrilled, even. That new synergy with her Bronze-Rank Obsidian Flame was intoxicating¡ªenough that she had to be careful not to lose herself to that lust for raw power. Still, she chose to inject the Obsidian Flame''s new power into her greatest asset¡ªPhoenix Feathers. Her original three Phoenix Feathers glimmered, instantly shifting from bright red-orange to a glossy obsidian black, each feather¡¯s edge crackling with chaotic energy. Veins of black flame spread under her skin, winding up her neck and lacing across her cheeks, forming a striking pattern. Even her eyes felt different¡ªthe scleras darkened, leaving her iris a stark, vivid color. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do,¡± she growled to herself, voice shaking with adrenaline. As the next wave of wasps converged, an immense pressure poured out from her body, forming a tangible shockwave that rippled across the corridor. Dust and debris kicked up in a swirl around her feet. The nearest wasps reeled midair, disoriented by her sudden aura. Monica crouched low, black flames coiling around her calves. When she kicked off the ground, she left a small crater in the reinforced metal floor beneath her boots. It sent her streaking upward, fists cocked, to meet the charging wasps head-on. Chapter 77 Monica''s flames wreathed her body as she barreled at full-speed against the first Wasp Soldier. She smashed into it, not caring about anything else than killing it. She was a ball of anger, fury, and frustration. Burning her Vitality to power the Obsidian Flame had also somehow activated the Charred Masochist Skill. It had all become exhilarating, but that was right before everything went dark. * * * Monica wheezed herself back to life and looked around, alarmed. "W¡ªwhat happened?" She said, looking at the disintegrated body of the one Wasp Soldier she had killed and then at Thizmug''s forge. "Oh no, oh, no, no, no." She ran inside the forge only to find it empty. A jolt of panic shot through her when she met the silence. "Dworsul!" Monica shouted, feeling her heart thumping in her ears. "Dworsu¡ªfuck!" She swore out loud, and she was about to run outside the forge when she heard a heavy sigh. "I''m alive, idiot. You took an entire day to come, though." Monica saw Dworsul coming out from a side room she hadn''t even seen before. "How are you alive?" Monica frowned. "You think I don''t know how to hide myself?" Dworsul snickered. "Instead, why don''t you try and explain what happened? You lost the little reason you had when your feathers turned black." "I¡ª" Monica suddenly realized that she didn''t have any of the fatigue she would usually experience when dying while Fury of the Phoenix was active. I have been gone for more than twenty-four hours. It was a sobering realization. "My Obsidian Flame reached Bronze Rank and I think it allowed me to burn Vitality to empower my Skills. It was working very well for my fighting Skills and I tried to use it for my Phoenix Feathers Skill, which boosts my Attributes and power." "And you went rogue." "I did," Monica said, looking at herself, still not fully understanding what had happened. "I thought I had the burn of Vitality under control. I don''t know why I died on the spot. I felt invincible." "That''s how young warriors get themselves killed on their first battle: they feel invincible, Avatar. It''s also why I don''t recommend getting drunk before a fight. You were drunk on your power and something went awry along the way." Monica''s pride was hurt by that, but she couldn''t refute the Dwarf''s words. "I need a moment to check my notifications," Monica said. "How far are the Wasps?" "We''re good for three hours," Dworsul sighed, looking away from her and disappearing into the storage room. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 150] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 145] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* Looting process completed. *Ding* Auto-loot is on. You obtain: Molten Wasp Chitin, Superior (Corrupted) x2 Mithril Thread (Corrupted) x2 Gold Coins x30 *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Lv.60 ¡ú Lv.?62 +10 VIT, +10 END, +10 STR, +10 DEX, +10 WIS, +10 SPI, +10 INT, +10 CHA and +12 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv. 72 ¡ú Lv. 73 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 67 ¡ú Lv. 79 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Lv.35 ¡ú Lv.41 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Step Lv. 40 ¡ú Lv.42 *Ding* Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact Lv. 47 ¡ú Lv. 49 *Ding* Movement Skill - Phoenix Cloud Lv.?9 ¡ú Lv.?15 *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.54 ¡ú Lv.59 Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 62 This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. 2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 68 Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 2508 Endurance - 310 Strength - 315 Dexterity - 366 Wisdom - 310 Spirit - 310 Intelligence - 310 Charisma - 310 Free Attributes: 166 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 73 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 79 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 41 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 42 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 49 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 15 Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 81 Forging (Utility Skill) - Lv. 89 Hammering (Utility Skill) - Lv. 86 Smelting (Utility Skill) - Lv. 93 Temperature Control (Utility Skill) - Lv. 88 Charred Masochist (Utility Skill) - Lv. 59 Fire Breathing (Utility Skill) - Lv. 42 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/6) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Hammer of Dworznel (Epic) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues Her forging Skills, unsurprisingly, hadn¡¯t changed since the day prior. But she saw that Obsidian Flame itself had soared by twelve full levels¡ªnow outstripping her Golden Flame by six. Warning: Flame Imbalance Your Obsidian Flame is growing faster than your Golden Flame. Once the level difference grows higher than ten, side effects will ensue. She clenched her fists¡ªshe did feel more on-edge. Beneath the flush of near-euphoria, a simmering anger clung to her, hungry to be unleashed. Her knuckles turned white, and she forcibly exhaled. Still, her new power had let her dispatch a Level 150 Wasp Soldier in seconds¡ªsomething unthinkable just days ago. Monica recognized the danger¡­ but also the potential. At last, she dismissed her notifications with a grim set of her jaw. A few new items had dropped from that kill¡ªsome superior chitin soaked in Corruption. They would be forging materials later. She turned to Dworsul, meeting the dwarf¡¯s gaze. A silent tension lingered between them. He¡¯d clearly seen her rampage¡ªand her meltdown. Still, he didn¡¯t hurl any further insults or jabs. His eyes, however, flashed with concern when they flicked over her battered figure. Monica broke the silence by pulling the newly acquired chunk of Wasp chitin from her Inventory, setting it on a table in the corner. ¡°We said we¡¯d use these to craft gear that counters Machina¡¯s brood, right?¡± Dworsul arched an eyebrow and grunted. ¡°That was the plan. Your forging is at least passable for now¡ªpassable enough to incorporate monster parts. But be careful with that chitin: it¡¯s corrupted." "Right," Monica smirked, turning on her Golden Flame and flushing out the Corruption from the material. "Yet another surprisingly useful ability," Dworsul nodded to himself. "How much do I use?" Monica asked. "And do I refine it with my flames?" Dworsul shook his head. He paced around the table, hands clasped behind his back. "You don''t want to do that. Loot from monsters is finicky, Avatar. You must use the entire piece, no matter how big what you''re trying to smelt. There will always be some waste, but the System enforces these rules. Otherwise, one could make a dozen daggers with that much material," the legendary Blacksmith said, pointing at the chitin. Monica nodded. ¡°Got it. Steel plus the chitin, then." She went and put the steel ingot she had made before and the chitin inside the forge. "You will now craft an ingot that you will use for your gauntlets. Do not hesitate when you mix the steel and the chitin, Avatar." Monica swallowed hard and nodded. "Wait, do I refine the chitin before?" She asked. "My Obsidian Flame can¡ª" "No. That comes after." She was still reeling from the previous encounter with the Wasp Soldiers and on edge because of the higher-leveled Obsidian Flame, but she couldn''t afford the distraction. Over the next hour, she worked the newly purified steel together with the chunk of chitin, carefully melding them in Thizmug¡¯s runic forge. As always, Dworsul insisted on absolute precision, demanding that she watch for lumps of unabsorbed chitin or pockets of ill-formed steel. At last, an ingot formed¡ªa dark steel shot through with black and orange flecks. A faint sulfuric tang clung to it, making her wrinkle her nose. Dworsul handed her a pair of thick-lensed dwarven glasses. "Inspect glasses," he explained. Monica donned them and read a simple description. *Ding* You have successfully Inspected Item - Corrupted Molten Wasp Steel *Ding* Item - Molten Wasp Steel Description: A special kind of steel forged through mediocre technique. If an item is forged with this, it makes the wearer more resilient or more dangerous toward Molten Wasps and their kin. * * * Monica chained together the last piece of her gauntlet and sighed when she saw the Mana align throughout the entire thing. By the time she fitted the final segment of the gauntlet, sweat matted her red hair to her cheeks. She slipped it onto her left forearm, flexing her fingers. The faint warmth coursing through the gauntlet told her the forging had worked. ¡°It¡¯s not your best,¡± Dworsul muttered, eyeing the final product with a practiced frown. ¡°But it¡¯ll do. Now you¡¯re outfitted to kill them with at least half the risk.¡± Monica nodded, exhaling. Indeed, the Mana distribution felt far from perfect¡ªthere were pockets of turbulence she just couldn¡¯t smooth out. But it was definitely better than bare fists and battered bracers. *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Forging Lv. 89 ¡ú Lv. 90 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Hammering Lv. 86 ¡ú Lv. 88 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Smelting Lv. 93 ¡ú Lv. 94 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Temperature Control Lv. 88 ¡ú Lv. 89 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv. 81 ¡ú Lv. 84 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Breathing Lv. 42 ¡ú Lv. 45 *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv. 59 ¡ú Lv. 62 Name: Monica Monroe Race: Earther Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique) 1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 62 2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 68 Talent Class: None Attributes: Vitality - 2508 Endurance - 310 Strength - 315 Dexterity - 366 Wisdom - 310 Spirit - 310 Intelligence - 310 Charisma - 310 Free Attributes: 166 Skills: Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 73 Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 79 Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 41 Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74 Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 42 Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 49 Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33 Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 15 Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 84 Forging (Utility Skill) - Lv. 90 Hammering (Utility Skill) - Lv. 88 Smelting (Utility Skill) - Lv. 94 Temperature Control (Utility Skill) - Lv. 89 Charred Masochist (Utility Skill) - Lv. 62 Fire Breathing (Utility Skill) - Lv. 45 Equipment: Steel Talons (Uncommon) Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/6) Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare) Hammer of Dworznel (Epic) Racial Abilities (Earther): Tutorial Quest System Inventory Map Myriad Tongues This wasn''t her best work. The Mana distribution was far from perfect, and the gauntlet itself, despite looking sturdy, wouldn''t last forever. "Well, it''s time for you to hunt, Avatar," Dworsul said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Why don''t we just go straight for the elevators, now? I can keep forging when I kill more Wasps and you can teach my friends in the meanwhile." "I can only sense Wasps moving if I''m putting all my attention to it," Dworsul explained. "If we moved, there would be too many variables, too many Wasp groups that could elude my senses. We can only make the journey if you can protect me from the largest threat we could find in these corridors." Monica clenched her jaw and nodded. "Can you point the closest group out to me?" "They''re coming toward the wall. Three of them." She nodded and turned her back to him. "Another thing," Dworsul said as Monica was already heading for the exit of the forge. "Do not be foolish, Avatar. I''ve seen people get eaten alive by powers lesser than yours. Do not succumb to it." Chapter 78 Monica exited Thizmug¡¯s forge with a sense of uneasy tension coiling in her chest. She¡¯d barely stepped onto the Silver Road when she heard the distinct, low-pitched drone of approaching wasps. Her muscles tightened, and she paused by a carved metal pillar¡ªone shaped like a dwarven warrior halfway fused into the design of swirling leaves and vines. At once, a simmering fury rippled across her mind. She recognized it as the influence of her Obsidian Flame. Ever since it had overtaken her Golden Flame in Rank, she¡¯d felt its presence coloring her thoughts with sharper edges and a fierce impatience. When her Golden Flame had been stronger than the Obsidian, she¡¯d known a gentle, steady calm. This was the opposite: abrupt, brash, and hungry. She inhaled a trembling breath, forcing her thoughts into focus. This must be how the Obsidian Flame skews my emotions, she thought, grimacing. I need to stay in control¡ªespecially now. A quick glance at her newly crafted gauntlets offered a grounding distraction. She slipped on the dwarven glasses Dworsul had provided and used Inspect: Molten Wasp Gauntlets (Uncommon) Forged from Steel and Corrupted Molten Wasp chitin under divine flames. Provides modest defense, reduces the resilience of Corrupted Molten Wasps against unarmed strikes. Excellent Mana conduction due to forging method. Durability is moderately high but degrades under prolonged use of Obsidian or Golden Flame. The gauntlets were only Uncommon in quality, but Dworsul had insisted they were a step up from the old Steel Talons Monica had once used. They also offered excellent Mana conduction¡ªimportant for her flame-based fighting style. She flexed her fingers, feeling the gentle hum of synergy with her Obsidian Flame. Even now, the metal felt perfectly tailored to her. Dworsul had explained that the fact that Monica forged them with her Divine Flames meant that they shouldn''t wear as much while she uses those flames. A ragged smile tugged at her lips. Time to see if these truly make a difference. Sure enough, three Corrupted Molten Wasp Soldiers rounded the corner: two large ones hovered close to the ground, stingers poised for a dive-bomb, while the third perched on a slanted chunk of metal above them, its mandibles dripping molten resin. Monica loosened her shoulders and channeled Fury of the Phoenix, feeling the usual rush of raw vitality flood her limbs. Only now, it felt enhanced by the deep, savage undertone of the Obsidian Flame¡¯s lurking power. Her heart pounded louder than ever¡ªan insistent, almost maddening rhythm. She refused to dwell on the odd sense of euphoria creeping in. No time for that now. One of the diving soldiers shot forward with a quick flick of its wings, stinger extended. At the same time, the spitter hurled a glob of searing resin, forcing Monica into instant evasive action. She activated Phoenix Cloud with her Obsidian Flame¡ªinjecting a chunk of Vitality into the black flames of the Skill. A surge of near-inhuman speed hurled her upward, and the resin splashed uselessly below. Hanging midair on her flame-wreathed platform, Monica trained her sights on the spitter. It hadn¡¯t expected her to move so fast. She twisted around and launched herself off the Phoenix Cloud straight at it. In the blink of an eye, she was upon the monster, driving her right fist into its abdomen. The moment of impact felt different. The Wasp¡¯s chitin gave way with startling ease, as though her punch had found a weakened spot. Bright gore erupted from the wound, and the spitter shrieked. It tried to jerk away, spitting resin in a frantic spray. Monica twisted her torso, hooking an arm around its leg joint to pivot aside. Some resin spattered her calf, but not enough to immobilize her. She leapt free, used Phoenix Step for a sharp midair turn, and forced the wasp to collide with the corridor¡¯s rock-metal wall. Before it could regain control, she conjured another Obsidian Phoenix Cloud under her feet, soared straight up, and delivered an upward smash beneath its mandibles. The blow crushed the wasp¡¯s head from below, splintering its exoskeleton with a sickening crack. Its severed head clattered against the wall and splashed molten fluids across the floor. A savage thrill rippled through her¡ªthe Obsidian Flame''s influence¡ªbut she held it in check. She glanced at her gauntlets. The metal was scuffed, small cracks forming where her fists struck hardest. They won¡¯t last forever, she reminded herself, forcing a deep exhale. From the corner of her eye, she saw the other two soldiers aiming for a joint dive-bomb. Without the spitter¡¯s interference, she found it simpler to handle them. She lured one wide, then shot into its flank with a black-flamed Phoenix Cloud leap, cracking its thorax. A finishing elbow to the back of its head ended the first. The second soldier, rattled by the abruptness of the kill, tried spitting a meager line of resin¡ªbut Monica darted beneath its stinger and drove a gauntleted fist up through its abdomen. Molten gore poured over her arm, steaming away against the Obsidian flames. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In barely a breath¡¯s time, all three soldiers collapsed around her in a gruesome ring. Monica drew in air, let her flames dissipate, and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. * * * Monica entered a cycle of killing and forging. All the time she wasn''t spending Meditating to recuperate Mana or waiting for her Vitality to regenerate, she was spending fighting and hammering better, stronger gauntlets for herself. She soon lost the notion of time once again. The normal Soldier Wasps gave her trouble, but only the groups of six and more were an actual threat to her life. She noticed that whenever she died after consuming some of her own Vitality, it would take longer for her to resurrect. Still, she soon had mastered the forging of the gauntlets and she finally, after one Inspect on the latest pair, found a very nice surprise. Molten Wasp Gauntlets (Rare) Forged from refined Steel, Corrupted Wasp Chitin, and tempered in Divine Obsidian & Golden Flames. Increases unarmed damage against Molten or Corrupted creatures. Enhances the conduction of internal flame-based Skills. Durability is significantly higher and partially regenerates over time using the wearer¡¯s Fire Breathing. "Now, the next step," Dworsul said, happy with her results so far. "An armor, Avatar. You have become strong enough and these gauntlets should allow you take on larger groups on our way back to the elevators. But, you need protection. One wrong move and we''re both dead." Monica nodded and looked at what remained of the Nightshade Battle Wear. "Take that off," Dworsul said. "Excuse me?" The only reply that Monica received was a robe thrown to her face. "Go change, Avatar. We''re about to fix your armor." "Fix it? But it''s barely hanging on¡ª" "Go change." "Alright, alright," Monica growled. When she came back, she handed the remaining pieces of the Nightshade Battle Wear to Dworsul, who put them on the forge and started tapping on some runes. "Items below Legendary can be recreated with blueprints," he said. "Inject some Fire Mana into the forge." Monica used Fire Breathing and did as told. The Nightshade Battle Wear, to her dismay, started melting off the forge. "Don''t stop!" Dworsul ordered when she saw hesitating. "B¡ªbut!" "Avatar, who''s the Blacksmith who got offered Godhood, here?! Keep going!" Monica clearly didn''t have any other choice but to keep going. Finally, the Nightshade Battle Wear was completely destroyed to Monica''s chagrin. "Perfect," Dworsul nodded, going up to the forge and tapping another set of runes. Before Monica''s eyes, the impossible happened. Well, to be fair, it was before her Mana-Sense-empowered eyes. The forge started lighting up and, as if by magic, the outline of the Nightshade Battle Wear appeared in front of them once again. "I can see why you''re partial to such design and why the System would give you this," Dworsul commented. "I never said who¡ª" "This is a System-made, item, Avatar. Good, but, as with all things related to the System, not sophisticated. Now, we can forge the metallic parts with the same process we applied to the gauntlet. We might add some Duranium, the same metal that went into your hammer, in order to get a better resistance to damage. Now, though, you will also be able to fix the armor. The problem is the material connecting the various pieces." Dworsul stroked his grey beard. "If it had been me doing the work, I would have used Mithril, of course. It would have given this dark armor quite a pleasurable aesthetic, among other things. But, not only you would need an amount of Mithril we don''t have on our hands, but also, you can''t smelt Mithril in these complex patterns." Dworsul looked at the blueprint and squinted. "We could make it out of Black Steel, an alloy of steel and Devilish Oricalcum, but..." The legendary Blacksmith squinted and sighed, pondering what was better. "Huh, I have this," Monica said, taking out the thread she had gotten from killing the Black Widow Boss. Dworsul''s eyebrows jumped and he immediately snagged the thread from her. "This... this an inferior Mithril alloy." "Oh," Monica said, disappointed. "No, Avatar, it''s not a bad thing! Inferior Mithril alloys combine Mithril with a weaker metal in order to make it easier to work by less skilled Blacksmiths. It''s a perfectly valid option to both save on Mithril and get a superior result compared to using normal ores. Did this come from a monster?" Monica nodded. "Good," Dworsul said. "We''ll not feel guilty about using it all, then. Being part-Mithril also means this can regenerate with your own Mana. You''ll need to keep fixing and replacing the metal parts of the armor, but this? This means we''re about to forge an Epic Item." Chapter 79 Monica was brash and cocky when it came to fighting. She knew how good she was and she had never felt inadequate in terms of experience. When it came to forging, however, she was just starting to get a feel of how hard superior forging was. In fact, she still had no idea how they''d manage to put the Spear of Dhoznil back together. And good luck trying to kill Machina without it. "I''ll guide you," Dworsul said, seeing the insecurity in Monica''s eyes. "This is hard, Avatar. I don''t expect you to succeed without help. But, this alloy is too good to pass up on. I wouldn''t allow the armor to be forged with anything else now that it is in our hands." "Dworsul," Monica said, looking at the Dwarf intently. "I trust you." "You don''t sound very sincere," Dworsul smirked. "Because you''re an asshole," Monica smiled. "But you know your stuff. If you say we can do it, I''m sure we can." That seemed to warm the old Dwarf''s heart. Now that there was a true Blacksmithing challenge in front of them, he seemed reinvigorated. Monica had noticed that Dworsul was often down in his moods. He felt like he always hid away his despair, his sadness. Only when Monica saw the upswing while she practiced Blacksmithing, she understood that he was actually a rather cheerful guy. He was just terribly sad most of the time. "We''ll now smelt steel, Duranium, and a bit of gold. The armor will require gold to channel the Mana between the Mithril and the rest of the metals." "Oh, how come?" Monica asked curiously. She half-expected a snarky reply but instead Dworsul spoke like a teacher. "Gold is one of the best Mana conductors. Sadly, it is too soft on its own, too weak. You can only add so much to anything before it would break apart. Steel, instead, is the opposite. It''s on the lower end of Mana conductivity, but it''s among the hardest metals. Duranium, instead, is softer and more malleable than steel, but has a much higher Mana conductivity. If you mix steel and Duranium, you get one of the most resistant materials you can employ without having to recur to Mithril. Understand that in Blacksmithing we mostly work with alloys, not pure metals. Pure Mithril, for example, is not only extremely expensive, but so hard to work, that, practically speaking, it''s much more convenient to make alloys out of it." "Can I ask a stupid question?" Monica said. "Like always," Dworsul nodded. "What''s the Spear of Dhoznil made of?" The Dwarf smirked. "At higher levels, all equipment is part monster, part metal. You saw that making an alloy out of the Wasps'' bodies made you stronger against them. Now, if a Divine Weapon is meant to kill a God, Avatar, take a wild guess of what it''s made out off." Monica''s mouth hang open in stupor. * * * Monica carefully eliminated impurities from the steel, the Duranium, and the gold, but her head was somewhere else. Dworsul had not really given her details about the Spear of Dhoznil''s making. But, he had confirmed her suspicion: a God''s body had been used for it. When she had asked how it was possible that she would then get a Divine set of the Twin Phoenix, Dworsul laughed and shook his head. "What do Titans do, Avatar?" Apparently, to make a Titan''s set, one had to engage in the rather cumbersome task of killing Gods. "Six Divine items means that that''s how many Gods you have slain, at the very minimum. Three remain on this land. Three stubborn ones, but... only three. There weren''t many to start with, you should know." I wonder if I killed all those Gods or if there was a Twin Phoenix Avatar before me. "Once bestowed, a Divine Beast''s power cannot be taken back," Dworsul said. "And if an Avatar is killed off for good, their patron suffers great damage. Therefore, why Avatars are usually so unfairly powerful. Old Gods take time to root themselves back into a world once they''re expelled. But drop an Avatar in the midst of a Dungeon, and in a matter of months, you might be facing a powerhouse with unfairly powerful Skills." Sounds like me, Monica smiled confidently. As soon as the metals were ready, Dworsul had Monica start the forging of the armor pieces. The design was much more complicated than what Monica had gotten used at. That''s why Dworsul oversaw every single blow of Monica''s hammer. The beautiful design of the Nightshade Battle Wear, however, wasn''t just for show. Monica saw that by shaping the metal exactly as the Nightshade Battle Wear was supposed to look like, the Mana flowed much more strongly along the metal. Compared to the gauntlet she had made for herself? This was a whole different level. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Put the chitin in it," Dworsul said. "It would be nice to have a piece of whatever Machina has in store for you, but the fact that it''s still one of her creations means that you''ll have an advantage over her." So, Monica had to mix steel, gold, Duranium, and Wasps'' pieces to mold the metal parts of her armor. It took two days for her to be done with it after countless failed attempts. And then, it was time for the truly hard part. For the first time since Monica had awakened the Dwarf, Dworsul took his hammer off his belt and stepped beside Monica, taking the coil of Black Widow Thread. "There''s a lot of magic involved in what I''m about to do. Runes from the forge have to be used in order for the thread to be woven as it should. We''ll first do the cloth with our hammers. Then, you''ll attach it to the armor with your flame, soldering it, and then q the entire thing and redistributing the Mana equally throughout the armor. Do you understand?" Monica nodded seriously. "Good," Dworsul said. "I don''t have much power I can call upon without consequences. Therefore, I will only strike to show you and to correct your mistakes. You can''t stop. Once the process starts, stopping means we would have to throw out all the thread we''ve used so far." "I got it," Monica replied. "Let''s get to work, then," Dworsul said and raised his hammer. In that moment, Monica felt the air go still, and a terrifying pressure like she had never felt before, not even when facing Machina in the Crystal Wolves Dungeon. When Dworsul''s hammer struck the anvil and the thread, she had expected a thunderclap, but instead a sound akin to crystal being tapped with a silver fork came out. "Keep Mana Sense active," Dworsul reminded her. And so that''s what Monica did. She held her unblinking gaze through Mana Sense to follow the legendary Blacksmith''s strikes. The hammer struck until about a foot of thread had been uncoiled and hammered along its length. Monica saw the Mana in it being perfectly distributed by Dworsul''s strikes before he used the side of the hammer to separate the thread and lay another line over it. This time, he bent the second thread over it, then took another line, hammered it, and did the same. He was weaving the steely coil together. "Get ready to take my place. Do you see how this works?" Dworsul said, not removing his eyes from the thread and keeping a steady hammering rhythm. "I do," Monica said, taking a deep breath and taking out her own hammer, tightening her grip around it. "Good, switch," Dworsul said, suddenly moving and leaving a void. Monica instantly saw the Mana in the threads starting to coagulate and went to strike the thread again. It seemed like as long as one of the threads was being hammered during the process, the other threads'' Mana would keep moving around, redistributing itself. The process filled Monica with a sense of wonder. She was almost ashamed to think that, in certain ways, forging seemed even more esoteric than fighting, more interesting almost. She twisted foot after foot of Black Widow Thread until it became a large square. "Move," Dworsul said, pushing her away with his hips. She had gotten distracted for a second and, without noticing, some of the Mana had started coagulating. Dworsul struck the clot and then again the wire, adding several hits in quick succession that Monica couldn''t explain but that still did their job in smoothing out the Mana. "Switch." Monica took his place again. This process went back and forth for the better part of two hours, until Monica was starting to grow so tired she didn''t know whether she could go for much longer. Thankfully enough, the thread had almost been fully used up, and they had a chainmail-like net of threads that Dworsul, with expert hits, had woven closer and closer. As soon as they finished the thread, Dworsul took over again and adjusted them until they were so thick together that Monica could barely understand how they hadn''t gotten melded one with the other. Dworsul kept hammering and shouted to Monica, "take the armor pieces! We''re almost done!" Monica did as Dworsul said and took the armor pieces and put them together. She takes the armor pieces and puts them on the stone table where they had been working. Each piece glinted in faint, multi-hued light under her Mana Sense. Despite her fatigue, she couldn¡¯t help the sense of pride edging into her voice. Monica inhaled the scorching air of Thizmug¡¯s forge, turning to Dworsul for confirmation. He gave her the slightest nod, still hammering the last few strands of spider silk. "Now, use your Fire Breathing to tie everything together. I''ll point out where," the man said, his hammer not stopping even for a moment. Monica started welding the thread into the armor pieces, carefully reassembling her Nightshade Battle Wear in a new, enhanced form. Following Dworsul¡¯s sharp instructions, she fed slow pulses of Fire Mana into the hammered mesh and lined it up to fit each metal portion. It felt like puzzle work¡ªtrickier than forging any single plate. She had to ensure the hammered silk bonded cleanly to the Duranium-steel-gold alloy A ripple of tension ran through her arms as she sealed the spider mesh to the curved edges of the armor, but Dworsul¡¯s firm voice kept her grounded. Monica struggled several times as she saw lumps of Mana forming beneath a piece of plating. Dworsul barked out an order, then deftly knocked the lumps loose with perfectly timed hammer blows. He hurried Monica along to the next seam, guiding her to maintain a seamless weave where the metal met the spider silk. "It''s done, temper it now!" Monica threw the entire armor and attached thread into the forge and exhaled a large amount of Fire Mana into it. She was barely conscious about what happened next. She was so tired that any other function in her mind that wasn''t fully dedicated to smithing had shut off. She just stared at the armor and used the same technique she had used for forging steel in order to make sure everything was good. She would cycle the Obsidian Flame and the Golden Flame to remove imperfections while the heat allowed the Mana to spread in the right patterns. Only now that Monica was tempering the armor she saw just how strong the thread they had used was. She could see the thread''s Mana patterns shifting with the kind of fluidity she would have only expected from a living being. Mithril, she reasoned. By the time that she was done, she had sucked the last Vitality out of her body and she felt Dworsul''s hands cushion her fall as life left her. At the same time, she heard a deluge of notifications ringing in her head. Chapter 80 Monica stood at the forge¡¯s edge, breath still catching in her throat as she admired her new armor. A polished fusion of nearly-white steel plates, interwoven with black metal filaments, gleamed beneath the torchlight. Thin veins of cobalt-blue Duranium traced across the plated sections like stylized vines, while threads of hammered gold glinted where the pieces linked together. The sleek, waist-length coat of dark cloth beneath appeared to ripple each time she moved¡ªstitched with black Widow Thread that combined lesser mithril alloy and spider silk. She flexed an arm experimentally, feeling the surprising lightness of it all. Her old Nightshade Battle Wear had been battered and torn beyond recovery, yet Dworsul had insisted they use its blueprint to build something far superior. Hours of painstaking forging later, aided by the runic magic inside Thizmug¡¯s personal workshop, had culminated in this final masterpiece. Drawing a sharp breath, Monica activated the dwarven glasses perched on her nose. A transparent interface flared to life before her eyes. *Ding* You have successfully inspected Midnight Widow Armor (Epic)! Midnight Widow Armor (Epic) Durability: 80/80 Enhancement Slots: 4/4 Special Ability ¨C Midnight Pact The wearer¡¯s natural speed increases by 45%, capped at 1000 Dexterity. Monica saw the bonus and was flabbergasted. It not only looked terrific since the almost-white-looking steel and black created a beautiful contrast. The bonuses were on a whole different magnitude than those of the Nightshade Battle Wear, which had had this description. Special Ability: Shadow Pact The shadows aid your natural speed. The wearer''s natural speed increases by 15%. Limitations: Shadow Pact can only increase speed up to 400 Dexterity. Now, the Midnight Widow Armor increased had a speed bonus three times higher than the Nightshade Battle Wear and, more importantly, its effect wouldn''t wear off until Monica''s Dexterity reached 1000. That meant Monica would get much more mileage out of this armor. "Can we also add Enhancements?" Monica asked curiously, spinning to look at Dworsul. "All the gems that had been in Viscera were used on the gear for the battle against the Gods," Dworsul grimaced. "You''d have to visit Nemore, the Elven Capital, to find Enhancements that are good enough for this. I doubt Humans have salvaged much of the knowledge the Elves had. The gems they raised in their grooves had powers that no one else could rival, Avatar." "That''s a pity," Monica said, but still taking in the gorgeous armor she was wearing. With a thought the black cloth receded and left all the flesh not covered by the special steel out in the open. "You do like being half-naked," Dworsul noted with a raised eyebrow. "It just feels more comfortable," Monica shrugged. "If you say so," the legendary Blacksmith seemed skeptical. "Now, why don''t you test your new creation?" * * * Monica didn¡¯t have to wander far from Thizmug¡¯s forge to find her test. Six Corrupted Molten Wasp Soldiers¡ªeach ranging from Level 140 to 150¡ªroamed the Silver Road in a close-knit formation. Any one of them would have been trouble on its own, let alone six at once. Yet, as soon as she caught their droning echo, Monica felt the midnight armor almost sing around her. The subtle synergy between the black Widow Thread, the metallic plates, and the runic forging made every step feel lighter than air. She inhaled, letting the Midnight Pact ability mesh with her own Phoenix Feathers. A hushed shock of speed rippled through her. Her Dexterity soared, steps so swift the air itself felt sluggish. The Soldiers attacked in tandem. Globs of molten resin streaked toward her from both sides, lines crossing in a wide net. Monitored through Mana Sense, she saw each trajectory in perfect clarity. Now. Monica shot forward in a blur, the lines of resin splattering harmlessly behind her. In two bounding steps, she was inside the left trio¡¯s formation. The first Wasp tried to pivot, but she was already punching. Her new Molten Wasp Gauntlets, tempered specifically against these foes, cracked its chitin in a single brutal strike as Obsidian Impact exploded their shell. She spun, harnessing that momentum, and slammed another Obsidian-Impact-empowerd elbow into the next Soldier¡¯s abdomen. Chitin shattered, molten gore dripped. The third raised its stinger, desperate to retaliate¡ªbut she vanished again, skipping sideways with a short Phoenix Step that launched her behind the creature. A savage uppercut caved its thorax. One, two, three¡­ done. Simultaneously, the remaining three wasps spat resin in quick, overlapping arcs, determined not to let her slip away. She used Phoenix Cloud to vault overhead, mixing in a small burst of Vitality for that extra jolt. Soaring above them, she twisted her body, aiming a downward strike at the lead wasp. Obsidian Impact enveloped her fist in black flames, and the blow crumpled the soldier¡¯s head like paper. It died instantly. The other two reared away, spooked, but she was already on them. She hammered the first to the ground, ignoring the slick of sizzling gore as it spattered her new chest-plate. Hopping over its twitching corpse, she drove a final blow straight through the second wasp¡¯s abdomen. It shrieked once, then collapsed. All six were dead in moments. She stood, smoke drifting around her from the molten fluids clinging to the plates. Remarkably, the metal shone through the mess, unscathed. Monica¡¯s chest rose and fell, adrenaline hammering in her veins. Then she let out a content, relieved breath. The difference is night and day. A soft chime rung in her ears. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 144] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 142] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 146] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 147] Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 149] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier ¨C Level 150] You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature eighty levels above you. You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Lv. 62 ¡ú 65 +15 VIT, +15 END, +15 STR, +15 DEX, +15 WIS, +15 SPI, +15 INT, +15 CHA, and +18 Free Attributes *Ding* Healing Skill ¨C Golden Flame Lv. 73 ¡ú 74 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 79 ¡ú 83 *Ding* Constitution Skill ¨C Phoenix Feathers Lv. 41 ¡ú 45 *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Impact Lv. 49 ¡ú 51 *Ding* Movement Skill ¨C Phoenix Cloud Lv. 15 ¡ú 19 *Ding* Movement Skill ¨C Phoenix Step Lv. 42 ¡ú 46 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Charred Masochist Lv. 62 ¡ú 67 *Ding* Obsidian Impact has evolved after reaching Level 50 and has gained an additional Base Effect. *Ding* Obsidian Impact has gained an additional Hidden Effect thanks to its Bronze Rank. Monica widened her eyes: Obsidian Impact had been the only Skill among those she had raised to Bronze Rank that hadn''t yet gotten a significantly different effect from its base form. It had become stronger, but it hadn''t gained anything particular. Obsidian Impact Lv. 51 Rank: Bronze Channel the destructive power of the Obsidian Flame into explosive strikes. #1 Base Effect: Compress your Obsidian Flame into your strikes, causing them to explode on impact, dealing 500% damage. Damage increases by 20% for each Level. Current Damage: 1520% #2 Base Effect: Every third successful strike in an unbroken chain of hits has a 5% chance to create an amplified explosion that would double the damage from Obsidian Impact. #3 Base Effect - Shockwave Impact: On every hit, Obsidian Impact now creates a minor shockwave that bypasses part of the enemy''s defenses. Special Effect - Shatterpoint: If you strike the same spot three times within 5 seconds, the third hit deals 300% additional damage. #1 Hidden Effect - Ruptured Armor: Whenever Shatterpoint triggers, there¡¯s a 50% chance to inflict Ruptured Armor on the target for 3 seconds, plus +0.1s per Skill Level above 50. While Ruptured Armor is active, all subsequent damage against that target is increased by 15%. Ruptured Armor''s duration can be restarted once the condition is inflicted again. Current Ruptured Armor Duration: 8.1 seconds Cost: Equivalent to Fireball Monica looked at Shockwave Impact and Ruptured Armor with a large grin on her face. This, paired with her new Midnight Widow Armor and gauntlets meant she had just gained an impressive increase in power. From now on, normal Wasps wouldn''t trouble anymore. Plus, this means I don''t have to risk using the Obsidian Flame with Phoenix Feathers for extra power. More importantly, Monica also had several notifications from her forging of the Midnight Widow Armor that she had yet to check. *Ding* Class ¨C Phoenix Forge (Epic) Lv. 68 ¡ú 76 +240 VIT *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Forging Lv. 90 ¡ú Lv. 100 *Ding* Congratulation, Forging has reached the Master Grade! *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Forging (Master) Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 3 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Hammering Lv. 86 ¡ú Lv. 100 *Ding* Congratulation, Hammering has reached the Master Grade! *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Hammering (Master) Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 2 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Smelting Lv. 93 ¡ú Lv. 100 *Ding* Congratulation, Smelting has reached the Master Grade! *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Smelting (Master) Lv. 1 ¡ú Lv. 5 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Temperature Control Lv. 88 ¡ú Lv. 100 *Ding* Congratulation, Temperature Control has reached the Master Grade! *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Temperature Control (Master) Lv. 1 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Transmutation Lv. 84 ¡ú Lv. 93 *Ding* Utility Skill ¨C Fire Breathing Lv. 45 ¡ú Lv. 57 *Ding* Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv. 62 ¡ú Lv. 66 Dworsul had said this would happen soon. With all the guided practice she had done under his tutelage, the legendary Blacksmith had said it would have been only a matter of time before her Skills reached the Master Grade. From here onward, he also specified, she''d meet the real challenge of becoming a true Blacksmith. The Dwarf had said that while all Classes, especially combat ones, have a steeper curve of leveling when it comes to the Master Grade, Craftsmen have it even harder. Fighters can just keep finding stronger and stronger foes, but a craftsman works in solitude, toiling away for months, sometimes without one single level up. ¡°So that¡¯s why forging feels¡­ easier, but also deeper,¡± she murmured, glancing down at her newly minted armor. Even in the final hours forging the Midnight Widow set, I sensed a new kind of intuitive knowledge. Like I could sense the shape the metal wanted to take. After the fight with the six Soldiers, Monica felt a surge of urgency. She looked about the deserted forge, recalling her friends up on Viscera¡¯s first floor. It had been so long since she left them. Despite the progress she¡¯d made, or maybe because of it, she knew she couldn¡¯t do this alone. She found Dworsul hunched over a broad metal worktable in Thizmug¡¯s workshop, scrawling on sheets of paper. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± Monica asked, stepping closer. ¡°Schematics,¡± Dworsul replied without looking up. ¡°Possibilities for forging new contraptions to clear some remaining brood resin or to anchor runes in places the wasps nest. If the Great Forge is to survive, we might need them.¡± Monica pursed her lips. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely need them¡ªlater. But right now, we have a bigger priority. I have to bring you upstairs so you can teach Fire Breathing to my friends." Dworsul tapped the charcoal on the paper, leaving a bold black smudge. ¡°Hm. I see.¡± She folded her arms, voice sharpening. ¡°I¡¯ve spent weeks, or maybe longer, forging and powering up. The wasps keep multiplying. Sooner or later, if we wait too long, we¡¯ll be overrun. Ted, Heidi, Sir Tristan, Dotty¡ªthey need that Fire Breathing skill to help me clear the floors. And, frankly, I need them.¡± An unreadable flicker crossed Dworsul¡¯s expression. Finally, he gave a begrudging nod. ¡°I can sense the wasp patrol patterns well enough to guide us back, but we¡¯ll face heavy opposition. You¡¯ll have to protect me, Avatar.¡± Her new armor felt like a second skin as she straightened her spine, eyes fierce. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± Dworsul drew a final line across his rough sketch, then pushed the paper aside. ¡°Then, before we go, there''s one last bit of forging to do. Now that your are a becoming a Master, it shouldn''t take too long." * * * A distant hum of music lilted through the wide corridor as Heidi slowed her steps. She found Ted sitting cross-legged on a pile of old rubble, his mandolin balanced on his lap. His eyes were closed in concentration. Though no overt Skills glimmered in the air, Heidi could sense the thrum of Mana around him. He¡¯s come so far, Heidi thought, hugging the book tighter. They¡¯d all grown while Monica was gone¡ªHeidi, Sir Tristan, Dotty, and Ted. With so much free time in the first floor¡¯s relative safety, they had poured themselves into Meditation, improving the efficiency of their Skills bit by bit. Meanwhile, Ted was making some sort of leaps and bounds with Battle Conductor. As Heidi watched him, she felt a pang in her chest. He¡¯s become this determined because he admires Monica¡¯s drive. She knew the Bard was pushing himself for his own reasons, but a part of her quietly resented the red-haired Avatar, who always seemed to be at the center of attention¡ªand possibly Ted¡¯s heart. Still, she had to admit Monica¡¯s absence had forced them to work harder. A single, final chord echoed from Ted¡¯s mandolin. His eyes snapped open. A faint sheen of sweat dampened his brow, and yet a satisfied half-smile graced his lips. Catching her gaze, he said softly, ¡°Done training for now, dude?¡± She shook her head, forcing a small smile. ¡°Just taking a break." She hated being called ''dude,'' but she knew Ted didn''t mean it like that. Everyone had raised their Meditation to 10% Skill Efficiency, and... well, not just that. Now, they waited for the return of Monica, more ready than ever. Chapter 81 Monica heard some chatter and smiled as she walked into the courtyard of the military barracks of the first floor. Dotty was dodging with impressive speed around Sir Tristan blows, with the Knight not even sparing the girl from his Skills. "Enemy Magnet!" Sir Tristan shouted, and an invisible force suddenly pulled on the young girl. However, Dotty remained calm and, when Sir Tristan tried to batter her with his shield, she somersaulted in mid-air, dodging the giant shield, but still getting hit by the flat of the man''s sword. "That was good," Monica commented, looking at Dotty on the ground, dusting herself off. Both Sir Tristan and Dotty widened their eyes as they turned toward Monica who, with Dworsul in tow, announced: "Guess who''s back." * * * Monica had gathered everyone but Ted, who was nowhere to be found. "So," she said, taking out every single piece of equipment that Dworsul had her forge before they left the second floor to get the others. "You guys will need to learn Fire Breathing to resist the temperature down there, but in the meanwhile, I got you some gifts." A short while later, Monica gathered everyone in the courtyard¡ªeveryone, that was, except Ted, who seemed mysteriously absent. Despite that, she laid out her newly forged gifts on a broad wooden table for Dotty, Heidi, and Sir Tristan. She pointed at the small mountain of gear with a flourish. ¡°You guys are going to need Fire Breathing if you want to survive Viscera¡¯s second floor,¡± she began. ¡°But until then, I¡¯ve got presents. Dworsul helped me with some special forging techniques.¡± Sir Tristan carefully braced the new shield against his forearm, comparing it to his old one. This new piece was larger and crafted with a midnight-steel sheen. Lines of gold filigree traced dwarven geometric patterns along the rim, each line meticulously hammered to catch the light in brilliant arcs. As he lifted it, the weight felt perfectly balanced¡ªfar more stable than any standard-issue shield he had ever used. A quick test with Enemy Magnet¡ªhis crowd-control Skill¡ªrevealed that the runes flared in response, amplifying the aura that drew opponents toward him. Even the chestplate, forged from the same dwarven alloy, gleamed under the courtyard¡¯s dusty sunlight. Sir Tristan ran a gauntleted hand over the front plate and felt a gentle pulse of Mana sync with his heartbeat. He turned toward Monica, his voice hushed with admiration. ¡°Where did you find this? It feels¡­ unbelievably solid. Not even the Duke¡¯s Blacksmiths can do work like this. Is it all Dwarven craftsmanship?¡± "Dwarven?" Monica smirked. "It''s all Monica-crafted." "You did it?" Heidi said, stunned. Monica pointed at a staff that, without a doubt, had been the hardest piece of equipment to make since she had to work with metals she had never used before. "That''s for a caster like you," Monica said. "It''s a Rare staff that will increase the potency of your spells further. It''s made of an alloy that has extreme Mana conductivity. Since your Class is about discharging as much firepower as you can at once, this was the best option I¡ªwell, we could come up with." Heidi lifted the staff gingerly, as though she feared snapping it in half¡ªeven though it was sturdy enough to withstand a troll¡¯s club. The moment her fingertips brushed the orb, a warm pulse of power coursed through her arms. Her Mana flared of its own accord, then settled into a steady rhythm inside the staff. Her eyes grew huge. ¡°Oh¡­ oh, wow. I¡¯ve never felt anything like this,¡± she murmured. ¡°It¡¯s like my Mana¡¯s being cradled and stretched at the same time. "I can feel my Mana being pulled in it," Heidi said, stunned. "The blueprint of this staff was originally a Legendary Item. This is a reduced, simplified version so that Monica could craft it," Dworsul took over the explanation, making every head in the room turn toward him. "The staff has a natural Mana vacuum that leads into amplification." Everyone had some piece of equipment tailored to their style. Sir Tristan''s shield, for example, was now not just much more resilient because of the Duranium in it, but it also had a very small amount of Spatium. Monica had almost gone insane trying to master smelt that metal; together with Duranium, it was the same metal that had gone into her hammer. It facilitated the transmission of Mana and, more specifically, the way Dworsul had arranged the blueprint for the shield, it would increase the potency of Enemy Magnet and taunting Skills. "Young lady," Dworsul cleared his throat and spoke to Dotty. "May I examine your sword?" Dotty nodded and handed over Twilight''s Edge. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Antimagic," Dworsul nodded, balancing the blade on two fingers. "This is too thin." "She''s a hunter," Monica said. "That''s a Class," Dworsul sighed. "Classes evolve and change. You have two people in your group who are meant to deliver devastating damage: a caster and a melee fighter. You, Avatar, are a rounded madwoman. You also have a Knight and a Bard. The girl is not a real rogue. She''s an opportunistic fighter. Rogues use shorter blades and empower them with poison. This girl?" Dworsul gave Twilight''s Edge back to Dotty and shook his head. "You need a longer blade to channel more of your Skills'' power, slightly curved, about half an inch wider in its blade to truly get all the power out at once. Right now, this is a subpar sword for you. This belongs in the hands of a swordsman fighting with a small shield." Monica frowned. Twilight''s Edge had belonged to the head Cultist back in the temple where she had appeared and met Ted and Heidi. "So, what kind of sword should Dotty use?" The redhead asked. "A katana." "Oh, and¡ª" "We''ll take care of the forging once we''re back in the second floor," Dworsul dismissed everyone''s thoughts at once, interrupting Monica. "Now, if you excuse me, I think I know where your friend is." * * * Dworsul could not only sense the presence of the Bard thanks to his connection to Viscera, but he could also feel something else in the young man. His quarry was sitting, meditating. "Young man," Dworsul said, making him jump. Dworsul found the young man named Ted meditating in front of one of the masterpieces of Viscera, the Bleeding Bard. "Dude," Ted said, clutching his chest. "Oh my¡ªwait, you''re a Dwarf. Monica''s back?!" "Stay put," Dworsul said, narrowing his eyes and walking closer to Ted, still feeling the same sense of unease creeping in his back. This boy... "Oh, dude, I''m so happy she''s back! I was losing my mind, I swear. I couldn''t wait another moment. I felt so useless all this time. Like, sure, I can meditate and stuff, but that''s not really super-productive, right? I mean, yeah, maybe? But¡ª" Dworsul stepped in front of the young man and placed two fingers on his forehead. "Huh... dude?" Ted asked quizzically. How is this possible? Dworsul removed his fingers a few seconds later. How can he have it? "Dude, you''re freaking me out." "Bard," Dworsul exhaled, turning toward the live painting where blood was pouring out of the Bleeding Bard and empowering the warriors around him. "So, are you, like, a Blacksmith?" Dworsul looked wistfully at the painting and then turned with a smile. "You could say so," the legendary Blacksmith replied. "I am known for my Blacksmithing, young man. Can I ask if you have already gleaned the Skill?" Ted suddenly went stiff. "Not just anyone would know what the Bleeding Bard is," Dworsul smiled. "And I''ve asked the Avatar¡ªGromorlig himself didn''t know. Bardic traditions are mysterious and full of puzzles like this one. I was lucky enough to know some of the strongest Bards of my people, though. That''s how I know what this painting is." "I¡ªI didn''t mean to steal anything. I swear. I''m very sorry. I just liked using Meditation here and then¡ª" What kind of absolutely insane talent does one need to accomplish this? Not even some Bards who knew what this painting was could have learned the Skill. Dworsul laid his eyes on the mandolin by Ted''s side and raised his eyebrows. "May I?" He asked, pointing toward the musical instrument. "Sure," Ted said, puzzled. Dworsul squinted and saw the strong protective spell over the instrument, having to strain his magic reserves to bypass the Draconic glamour that covered its true properties. *Ding* You have successfully inspected Dragon''s Thunder (???)! Dragon''s Thunder (???) Durability: 13/500 Enhancement Slots Available: 2/7 Dragon''s Thunder Enchantments are not active due to the state of disrepair of your instrument. Forged by the Blacksmith God, Dworznel, this instrument was damaged during an ill-fated battle of the four races against the Old Gods in the Elven King''s court. I knew I had recognized this, Dworsul breathed out. This is my father''s work. He also knew who this Mandolin belonged to, even though the description didn''t state it outright. This was meant for the Bard God. "You think it can be fixed?" Ted asked hesitantly. "It says it needs a high-level Blacksmith." A high-level Blacksmith? Dworsul thought inwardly, almost laughing out loud. His father had always had a sense of humor and must have asked the Dragons to lay down one of their spells, having fun with it. I would have needed to be at full power to work on this¡ª Monica had no chance whatsoever of fully repairing Dragon''s Thunder. More importantly, how did this end in this boy''s hands? Dworsul couldn''t believe it. How did the System give this to him? A¡ª "We might be able to patch it up a bit," Dworsul said. "The Avatar will be able to work on some Mithril soon. She should be able to fix it enough for the first enchantment to work again. "Oh, thank you. I would love to hear how it sounds when it''s fixed up." "Now, come. The others are all up there, and you all will need to learn Fire Breathing in record time, young Bard." Chapter 82 Dworsul guided Sir Tristan, Dotty, Ted, and Heidi toward the colossal dwarven elevator. Once used to ferry entire caravans of ore in and out of the city¡¯s bowels, the platform now sat silent. Only the faint orange glow of magma far below lit the curved walls, making their faces flicker with shifting shadows. They had scoured the dwarven barracks and storage rooms for simple tunics¡ªclothes they wouldn¡¯t mind burning to ash during their upcoming training. Full suits of armor or thick cloth would interfere with the process Dworsul demanded they undergo. So they stripped their gear and carried only canteens, a few rations, and their newly acquired weapons and shields in neat stacks on the elevator itself. Monica stood at the edge of the stone platform, carefully eyeing the group. Sir Tristan¡¯s broad shoulders looked strangely vulnerable without his usual plate. Dotty shivered a bit, nervousness showing on her freckled face. Ted had replaced his trademark flamboyant bard outfit for a plain gray tunic. Heidi, arms folded across her chest, tapped one bare foot on the ground, keen to begin. Dworsul struck a lever set into the platform¡¯s metal console. An ancient mechanism rumbled beneath their feet, and the elevator began its descent. Hot air wafted up from deep below. "I have already explained the process you need to follow. Inhale the Fire Mana and circulate it through your body. Normally, we would have started with a much safer amount of Mana, but we''re in a hurry. Your friend, the Avatar, will shower you with her Golden Flame, healing all the damage you''re about to do to your body. This will drastically accelerate the process." "Dworsul said there''s no stronger healing spell than the Golden Flame," Monica smirked. "I did say that," the legendary Blacksmith sighed. "Now, start. I''ll start lowering the elevator further. You will suffer internal damage. But this is the first time someone in Viscera learns Fire Breathing with the help of a healing spell this powerful. Not even I know how much this will speed up the process." ¡°Sit in a circle,¡± the dwarf barked. ¡°Cross your legs and face inward. Let¡¯s not waste time.¡± They obeyed, kneeling upon the hard stone. Monica walked around behind them, a watchful guardian. The legendary blacksmith grunted in approval and then adjusted the console¡¯s controls, making the platform descend faster. At once, the heat rose tangibly¡ªsweat blossomed on everyone¡¯s foreheads, and Dotty let out a soft gasp. Dworsul turned to address them, his voice firm but not unkind. ¡°I¡¯ve already explained the basics. Inhale Fire Mana, circulate it through your veins, and exhale the excess. Normally, we would begin with a slow introduction¡ªbarely enough Fire Mana to singe your throats¡ªbut we¡¯re out of time. So we¡¯ll be using the direct source from Viscera¡¯s core.¡± Sir Tristan wiped perspiration from his brow, face set with resolve. ¡°Yes, Master Dwarf.¡± Dworsul narrowed his eyes. ¡°Your friend, the Avatar, will be right here to bathe you in her Golden Flame the moment your bodies start taking too much damage. It will keep you alive. In theory.¡± Monica flashed a quick, playful smirk. ¡°Dworsul did say there¡¯s no stronger healing spell than my Golden Flame.¡± ¡°I did,¡± the dwarf sighed, ¡°and I stand by it. Now, hush. The deeper we go, the more potent the ambient Fire Mana becomes. When I give the signal, start breathing it in¡ªslowly, but steadily. And be prepared to feel like your insides are being cooked.¡± The platform dropped another dozen yards, and the heat intensified. Even Monica, who felt relatively comfortable in these temperatures, could see how it wilted Dotty¡¯s posture and turned Ted¡¯s cheeks bright red. Heidi breathed sharply, a determined light gleaming in her eyes. ¡°Now!¡± Dworsul snapped. They began the practice. At first, Sir Tristan, Dotty, Ted, and Heidi tried to follow the steps exactly as Dworsul had outlined. First, they''d inhale¡ªgently drawing in Fire Mana from the scorching air, letting it coat the inside of their lungs. Then, circulate it¡ªguide that flickering energy down their veins¡ªimagining it traveling from their chests along their arms or legs. Lastly, exhale¡ªdispel the worst of the blaze before it could ravage them from within. But almost immediately, they realized how vicious the Fire Mana could be. It stung eyes, scorched throats, and sent waves of heat ripping through muscle and bone. Within minutes, Dotty¡¯s face went scarlet, and she looked on the verge of passing out. Monica, ever watchful, ignited the Golden Flame across her palms. She hovered her hands over Dotty¡¯s shoulders, letting radiant warmth flow into the younger woman¡¯s body, neutralizing part of the lethal burn surging inside her. Dotty¡¯s breathing stabilized, and she managed to keep inhaling. Moments later, Sir Tristan¡¯s thick arms started trembling. He clenched his fists, trying to keep the swirling Fire Mana from pooling too harshly in his biceps. When his face twisted with pain, Monica swept Golden Flame around his torso, mending the micro-tears forming in his muscles. He gasped in relief. Ted, sweat pouring off him, tried to hum a gentle tune under his breath¡ªan attempt to calm himself. But the Fire Mana clawed at his ribcage, and he coughed violently. Monica nudged him with a wave of healing, and his lungs cleared enough for him to continue. The one who struggled the least surprised everyone: Heidi. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her brows knitted in concentration, and though her complexion flushed, she didn¡¯t tremble nearly as badly as the others. She managed to exhale the Fire Mana after each inhale, controlling the swirl in her meridians. Dworsul¡¯s eyes flicked to Monica, then back to Heidi. ¡°She¡¯s a Phoenix Pyromancer, isn¡¯t she?¡± he muttered. ¡°Likely got the same fundamental Fire Affinity as you. That explains her resilience.¡± Monica nodded, glancing at Heidi with an approving smile. Heidi, for her part, was too focused to notice, lost in the slow cycle of drawing in the blazing energy, letting it sear her insides, and pushing it back out before it caused lasting harm. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. * * * Three Days Later The training dragged on for days in a brutal loop. Dworsul would lower the platform deeper into the scalding depths, intensifying the ambient Fire Mana. Monica¡¯s Golden Flame bathed the group repeatedly, staving off lethal damage. Sir Tristan, Dotty, Ted, and Heidi gradually grew more adept. Coughs subsided. Their faces stayed red, but their eyes no longer brimmed with panic. Dworsul hovered at the console, arms crossed, occasionally barking out corrections on posture or breathing method. But as the third day dawned, the dwarf¡¯s stoic facade cracked with surprise. He murmured under his breath, ¡°Remarkable. If not for that Golden Flame, we¡¯d be looking at months of training¡­ not days.¡± At last, while the others were in the midst of one more punishing cycle of inhalation, Ted¡¯s eyes snapped open. He held his breath for a moment¡ªand the swirl of Fire Mana stayed steady inside him. A grin spread across his flushed face. He exhaled slowly. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯ve got it, dude,¡± he said, voice husky with excitement. Heidi, Sir Tristan, and Dotty jolted out of their trances, each blinking in confusion. A current of superheated air wrapped around them. They looked at Ted, noticing how calm he now appeared, how that usual tension in his shoulders had melted away. Then, one by one, they all broke into short, disbelieving laughs. * * * One Day Later Everyone had learned Fire Breathing in record time. Their Skill wasn''t as powerful as Monica, since she had learned it through Divine Fire, but it would still be enough to allow them to survive the main parts of the second floor. Altough, they''d struggle in the Blacksmith District. Everyone was decked in their new equipment. Monica gleamed and shined in her Midnight Widow Armor. Sir Tristan wore a reinforced chestplate crafted from dwarven steel, laced with molten wasp chitin. A circular shield strapped to his left arm boasted the same anti-wasp material. Heidi had on a black-lacquered breastplate with swirling orange runes. Dotty had replaced her ragged leather gear with a lighter scale mail. Heidi had on a black-lacquered breastplate with swirling orange runes that glowed faintly All eyes turned to Monica, who rested a hand near the elevator¡¯s lever. ¡°We¡¯ve come a long way,¡± she said, voice echoing in the wide shaft. ¡°But these wasps have spread even further. We need levels, gear, and synergy if we want to keep pushing deeper.¡± But, right when they started descending, something happened. A warning shout echoed from below: ¡°Incoming!¡± Dworsul¡¯s gravelly voice boomed across the cavern. Monica stiffened. ¡°Wasps? Here?¡± She checked her Eradication Quest tracker. *Ding* Quest Received ¨C ¡®Eradication II/III¡¯ Progress: 34/882 Reward: ??? Her eyes widened at the updated total¡ª882. They had multiplied at an alarming rate since she left. She cursed under her breath and leaped onto the elevator platform, scanning the darkness. The hum of wings approached. Sure enough, a Corrupted Molten Wasp Scout emerged from a side shaft, mandibles clicking with molten saliva. Another soared behind it, and from the corner of her vision, Monica glimpsed at least two more. Before she could shout a warning, Sir Tristan marched forward, shield ready. One of the wasps spat resin. A sizzling mass of black goo collided with the knight¡¯s shield¡ªand slid right off. The custom forging they¡¯d done ensured the shield repelled the noxious spittle. ¡°Hah!¡± the knight barked. ¡°Come on!¡± Just then, Heidi took a single step forward. A swirl of Dark Phoenix Furnace manifested around her¡ªapparently as a newly evolved one since instead of black sparks conjured three ominous orbs of black fire, orbiting her staff like miniature suns. She unleashed a Fire Lance shaped from that black flame with a sharp gesture. It streaked through the air, doubling mid-flight size, and tore half the wasp¡¯s body apart. The creature crumpled instantly. Monica¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Heidi, don''t use all your Mana at once! Wait, Heidi, that was¡ªhow are you¡ª?¡± Heidi flicked sweat from her brow. ¡°They¡¯re Bronze Rank now,¡± she said simply. ¡°All my primary Skills.¡± Monica stared in disbelief. ¡°All of them?!¡± A second wasp streaked toward them. Before Monica could react, she heard the heady strains of Ted¡¯s music swirling around the platform¡ªthe Phoenix Song. Energy surged through Monica¡¯s limbs, intensifying the mania in her blood. But it wasn¡¯t just her who felt it¡ªHeidi¡¯s orbs of black flame grew brighter, and the next Fire Lance she hurled was even larger than the first. It soared across the gap, slamming into the wasp¡¯s thorax and ripping it clean in half. ¡°Bronze Rank for me, too,¡± Ted called out proudly, still plucking the mandolin¡¯s strings. ¡°Let¡¯s see how they like it!¡± As if on cue, two more wasps dived. Sir Tristan raised his shield once more, but this time, instead of bracing for impact, he snarled, ¡°Enemy Magnet!¡± A wave of Mana flared from him, instantly dragging both wasps into his personal gravity well. Monica¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°They¡¯re all Bronze¡­?¡± She barely finished the thought when Dotty leaped from behind the knight¡¯s broad back. Her sword shone with a superimposed, crackling purple edge¡ªan antimagic effect. ¡°Void Slash!¡± she yelled, voice echoing. The purple blade extended well beyond the physical sword¡¯s length, slicing both wasps in a single diagonal cut. Their bodies hit the platform floor in two neat halves each. A hush fell over the group. Four wasps, all dispatched in seconds¡ªno injuries beyond some scrapes. They waited, tense, but no further scouts appeared. The faint hum of distant wings soon faded away. ¡°Everyone hold your Fire Breathing,¡± Dworsul said, stepping carefully onto the platform to check for stragglers. ¡°The heat is going to spike once we descend to the tunnels. I don¡¯t want any of you collapsing. Avatar, do your part.¡± Everyone?! Monica was surprised to see that all of them had their Skills ranked up to Bronze Rank. She knew that this was a good group, but she had no idea how strong they''d be once she was back from the second floor. In fact, she had feared they''d be left in her dust. She had even considered tackling the entire floor by herself. At last, the elevator ground to a halt, aligning with the threshold that marked the second floor of Viscera. A massive gate of dark metal, engraved with dwarven runes, stood half-melted and battered by centuries of neglect. Beyond it, a dim corridor breathed waves of infernal heat. Monica stepped off the platform first, sliding her gaze across each friend in turn. A grin touched her lips. ¡°These monsters have no idea what¡¯s coming for them,¡± she said quietly. Sir Tristan readjusted his shield, face set. Heidi¡¯s orbiting black fire pulsed with readiness. Ted¡¯s hand strummed once over his mandolin, a resonant chord that made the air hum. Dotty flexed her grip on her sword, the lingering purple sheen of Void energy dancing in the corner of Monica¡¯s Mana Sense. Behind them, Dworsul set his jaw. He might not have his old Skills, but an unyielding fire still burned in his eyes. ¡°Lead the way, Avatar,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s clear out these filthy wasps¡ªand save my people¡¯s heritage.¡± "These filthy monsters have no idea what''s awaiting them," Monica said. Chapter 83 Monica and the group walked deeper into the corridors of Viscera¡¯s second floor, wary of the constant threat posed by Corrupted Molten Wasps. Monica took point, her senses razor-sharp thanks to Mana Sense. She was the unspoken lynchpin of the group: the most experienced in fighting these Wasps, the one who had trekked this infernal level alone. Now, with her companions in tow, she tried to keep them coordinated¡ªyet something within her felt off. Earlier that day, they had already clashed with a patrol of Soldier Wasps and wiped them out more cleanly than ever before. Their new equipment, painstakingly crafted under Dworsul¡¯s watchful eye, proved invaluable: Sir Tristan¡¯s shield drew the attention of the largest Soldiers and blocked resin sprays, Heidi¡¯s staff amplified her spells to searing effect, and Dotty had capitalized on Tristan¡¯s taunt to finish each pinned Wasp with ruthless agility. However, in the final moments of that fight, Ted¡¯s Bardic song¡ªhis new Battle Conductor Skill¡ªhad misaligned strangely with Monica¡¯s pulse. Instead of their energies flowing together in perfect harmony, Monica felt jagged bursts of frustration prickle across her limbs. She had found herself overshooting a leap, nearly slamming into the ground so hard she would have broken a leg if not for her agility. When yet anothert Wasp fell, leaving the party splattered in sizzling gore, Ted¡¯s chords died away, and the Bard approached Monica with a worried frown. ¡°Dude, what¡¯s up with you? You feel weird.¡± Monica looked at her Obsidian Flame''s levels. *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 97 The Obsidian Flame had kept rising at a staggering pace as they had been killing more and more Wasps. And now¡­ *Ding* The Obsidian Flame is currently twenty levels higher than the Golden Flame, creating an imbalance in your body. Your mind is angrier and you behave more aggressively. Current Unbalance: Large. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit off,¡± she admitted softly, though her voice shook with tightly reined emotion. A flicker of black flame danced across her knuckles before vanishing. ¡°The Obsidian Flame is now higher leveled than the Golden Flame. I had to rely on it too much down here¡ªboth for forging and fighting¡ªand it¡¯s creating a¡­an internal clash. It¡¯s making me edgy.¡± Ted¡¯s grip tightened on the neck of his mandolin. ¡°Edgy?¡± he echoed, concern deepening in his hazel eyes. Monica nodded, chewing her bottom lip. The truth was that she felt more than edgy¡ªshe felt coiled like a viper, ready to snap for any reason at all. It reminded her of the day she had tapped heavily into the Obsidian Flame¡¯s vitality-burning synergy and nearly lost herself in its destructive rush. Needles in the skin, she thought grimly, gooseflesh prickling her arms. Everything in me wants to lash out, to tear something apart. I need to level up the Golden Flame more, but I can''t just take damage. The Golden Flame is too high-leveled now and it''s not enough. I need to do something with it, but now that I can burn Vitality to empower Skills through the Obsidian Flame... how is the gap not going to get bigger and bigger? It was a legitimate question, and a hard one to answer. Her only hope to maintain her sanity was to push the Golden Flame''s Skill Efficiency to 10%, thus making it so that it would reach Bronze Rank. "So, don''t we need to make a push to retrieve the fragments of the spear of Dhoznil?" Sir Tristan asked. "Do you happen to know where they are?" Dworsul asked, raising an eyebrow. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Everyone turned toward Monica, who recited the same words that she had heard in her vision. "One is behind wards in the Blacksmith District. One in the Deep Furnace. One in your forge, Dworsul," Monica said. The legendary Blacksmith frowned when Monica mentioned his own forge, but he didn''t say anything. "The Deep Furnace is in the Great Forge, where the Boss of these filthy parasites resides. The Avatar has already seen it and assessed its power. Your lot needs to be much stronger than this to entertain a fight with the entire nest." "Isn''t there something we can use?" Heidi asked. "Gromorlig had Dotty activate the traps on the first floor. Are there any traps here?" Dworsul shook his head. "The environment here is so hostile that only those who learn Fire Breathing can survive. We didn''t need traps to keep anyone out of here. In fact, no one had ever wanted to breach this level in the first place." "So," Monicas shrugged, "the plan seems pretty simple. We kill as many Wasps as we can as they roam the tunnels. We forge more equipment. We retrieve the first fragment in the Blacksmith District, and then we go for the Great Forge as soon as we have enough levels. Is that all?" "For now, yes," Dworsul nodded. "Remember, Avatar, I am the only one who can tell you how to retrieve the fragments and how to put them back together. If you want the Spear of Dhoznil, the Great Forge must survive at all costs." "I know, I know," Monica nodded. Dworsul had been dead set on maintaining the heritage of Dwarves and Monica was pretty sure that he wasn''t kidding. If they didn''t manage to give him the Great Forge back as it was meant to be, the legendary Blacksmith might very well never tell her what she needed to do to put the Spear of Dhoznil together. In fact, Monica still didn''t understand how she herself could possibly put it together. Now that she had an understanding of forging, she knew just how hard it was and what an incredible feat it would be to repair the Spear of Dhoznil, a Divine Weapon that would be capable of slaying Machina. And it was important¡ªit was supremely important to Monica that they succeed. The reason why it was so important was that Machina had said she could give her back her kids. That her kids, Peggy and Bobby, would be back in her embrace if she won, if she killed the Old Goddess. * * * They kept fighting all the Soldier Wasps they encountered, with Monica trying to pull back as much as she could, leaving most of the kills to the others. Thanks to the equipment that Dworsul had her forge, however, no one had taken any real damage so far. Sir Tristan had a few scratches from the impact with the Wasps, but other than that, the Wasps hadn''t even gotten close to the squishy members of the group, much less hurt Sir Tristan or Monica in any significant way. After the latest engagement¡ªeight Soldier Wasps, each incinerated or left in broken heaps¡ªMonica found her interface awash in messages about minor level gains for her allies. A glimmer of satisfaction shone in her eyes. At least they¡¯re getting stronger¡ªmaybe they¡¯ll be able to help kill the Queen before she spawns an endless horde. Now that Monica had Sir Tristan on her side, who could easily pull the spitters toward the ground for Dotty to slay, she could focus on the Soldiers. Empowered by Ted''s music and with Heidi''s support fire, Monica was virtually untouchable in battle. But that, sadly, was the problem. *Ding* Offensive Skill ¨C Obsidian Flame Lv. 99 The Golden Flame had somehow stopped leveling up and it was just Level 25. *Ding* The Obsidian Flame is currently twenty-five levels higher than the Golden Flame, creating an imbalance in your body. Your mind is obfuscated by anger and your behavior grows reckless. Current Unbalance: Great. The Obsidian Flame was now twenty-five full levels above the Golden Flame. Already, she¡¯d felt her patience slipping, tension building behind her left temple like a pulsating headache. Now, the effect intensified. Black veins briefly flickered across her wrists, and she nearly hissed through her teeth at the sharp needling under her skin. No one else seemed to notice¡ªexcept Ted. He angled closer to her, mandolin tucked under one arm, as the others poked around a partially collapsed dwarven workshop. ¡°Dude,¡± Ted said, voice hushed, ¡°are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± "It''s the Obsidian Flame," Monica said. "I don''t have anything to use the Golden Flame for." Her voice came raspy and throaty. "Look," Ted said hesitantly, "I actually think I''ve kinda got a solution." "Ted," Monica quipped, "not even helping you guys with the Fire Breathing did nothing to the Golden Flame. I tried getting more damage and healing it, but it''s not enough." "I know," Ted cleared his voice. "Listen, I have not mastered this Skill, so it''s a bit dangerous to use with the others. But... if you trusted me, I think this could maybe help us both." Monica looked at Ted, not understanding what the Bard was telling her. "I have a new Skill," he told her. "Just... let''s get some privacy." Chapter 84 Ted and Monica left the others, telling them they had some private business to attend to. Monica didn''t understand the need for secrecy that Ted seemed to share with her, but, at the very least, he had piqued her interest. "I don''t get why it''s a problem to do this where the others are?" Monica asked, with them ducking away from the marketplace. "It''s a bit embarrassing," Ted blushed. "Why?" Ted pointed at corner of the tunnel and sighed, "I''ll show you." As soon as they got there, far enough not be noticed from the others, Ted started removing his new gear and clothes. "Ted, where is this going?" Monica asked. "Just¡ªtrust me, ok?" Ted removed all his clothes other than his underwear and then took out a long knife from the belt he had now on the ground. He took a long breath and said, "don''t heal me yet." Monica was about to say something when Ted made a diagonal incision on his forearm. The redhead simply stared as the young man did the same on his other forearm, then his legs. The four cuts were made so that if you joined them, they''d look like a rhombus. Finally, with some hesitation, Ted turned the dagger toward his heart and made a small cut right on top of it, on his sternum. Under the effect of the Obsidian Flame, Monica was losing her patience, but the calmer part of her told her to wait. Ted was foolish, but he was no fool. If he had indeed come up with something, it meant that he was confident this would work. "You said that the Obsidian Flame burns your Vitality when you use it to empower Skills now, right?" Ted asked as he picked up his mandolin. "Yes." "Alright, dude," Ted took a deep breath. "If this works, try to do the same for the Golden Flame." "Burn Vitality?" Monica asked, confused. "What are you doing?" Ted had closed his eyes while she talked and was now gently picking at the strings of his mandolin. The young man didn''t reply nor did he pay any attention to what Monica said next. He was breathing deeply and humming. Ted didn''t start singing, he just kept playing different notes and hummed in tune with them. Before Monica could ask what he was doing, she felt a shift in the surrounding Mana. Activating Mana Sense, Monica saw something that gave her pause. All the Mana surrounding them was slowly converging onto Ted. More specifically, tendrils of Mana were converging on the wounds on his arms and legs. And when she looked around, she saw that Mana was coming from far away in the tunnels. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that every single speck of ambient Mana in sight was slowly converging toward Ted, coating his skin and merging with his blood. Then, as five minutes passed, Monica felt that the notes Ted was playing and his humming weren''t just resonating in the air, but they started shaking her bones. It felt somewhat similar to Battle Conductor, but different, deeper, stronger. Better. That''s when, as Monica''s body resonated more and more with the music, she saw a thick strand of blood and Mana come out of Ted''s chest, separate in droplets a few feet from him, leaving their material form and turning into pure Mana. Monica saw the Mana cloud reaching her and enveloping her limbs. Before she could examine the Mana any further, she gasped. A power she had never felt before entered her veins as if she had leveled up fifty times in the span of a few moments. There was no word that could describe the massive amount of power that Monica felt coursing through her veins. She couldn''t even begin to formulate what this Skill was doing to her. But then, she looked at Ted. His face was ashen and Monica immediately understood what was happening. He''s burning his Vitality! Immediately, Monica activated Meditation and circulated the Golden Flame, showering Ted in it. Her eyes went wide as she felt like trying to fill an empty abyss inside of Ted with her Golden Flame, as if he had received numerous mortal wounds. "Ted! Stop, this is too much! You''re killing yourself!" Monica knew something about that. With her Fire Transmutation Skill and the Obsidian Flame''s new effect, she knew very well what it meant to try something like this. But the difference between her and Ted was that she could come back to life at any moment. Instead, if Ted died, that was it. There would be no second chances. Furthermore, even with her large Mana reserves, Monica struggled to keep pace with whatever Ted was doing to his own body. Not even the Golden Flame could keep up with him. "Ted, damn it! Stop!" But the young man kept humming and playing, even though he was getting more and more sluggish. Monica felt, for the first time since Machina had abducted Dotty, genuine panic. She redoubled her efforts, pouring so much Mana inside the Golden Flame that the tunnel around them was illuminated as if a dozen suns were in it. And for a moment, she thought she started turning the tide. Yet that euphoria lasted only a handful of seconds before she realized something else. Ted¡¯s face was growing ashen. Dark crescents formed under his eyes, and his breath became ragged. Blood still seeped from his cuts, saturating the ground beneath him. Even from a glance, Monica understood he was pouring far too much of himself into this ability. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Ted!¡± she snapped, taking a halting step toward him, Golden Flame sparking across her hands. ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re going to bleed out¡ª¡± She triggered her Golden Flame, flooding him with the purest healing warmth she could muster. The corridors lit up in a blaze of golden brilliance. Yet despite her best efforts, it was like trying to fill an endless abyss. A ragged whimper escaped her throat. He¡¯s basically burning his own life essence. ¡°You idiot!¡± she snarled, half in panic, half in fury. ¡°You¡¯ll die if this goes on!¡± She poured more Mana into her healing, forcing her Meditation to revolve at maximum focus. The entire corridor seethed with golden light. She tried to refine the Golden Flame further, to push it beyond normal healing into something transcendent. But was that even possible without first raising the Golden Flame to Bronze Rank? * * * From Ted¡¯s perspective, the world was fading to a gray haze. Music existed in intangible layers around him¡ªhe could sense each chord reverberating through his bones, each note funneling more of his blood essence outward. The edges of his vision swam with black splotches. Pain gnawed at every muscle. Ted had observed the painting of the Bleeding Bard for so long that something about it had seeped deep into his heart. He had at some point understood¡ªperhaps even subconsciously¡ªthat a Skill of sorts was hiding into the painting. On top of his normal training, he would often Meditate with his eyes half-open, trying to imprint the image of the painting in his mind. What happened after was something out of legends. Ted knew of myths that recounted how people learned Skills from watching a tree sway, thunder fall, or even just the calm bobbing of the ocean. What he had not expected, however, was to be one of those people who could glean a Skill simply by looking at a painting. And such a Skill had come to him in a moment of great need. With only two battle-ready Skills to show, Phoenix Song and Battle Conductor, Ted craved to learn something else, something that could make an even bigger difference on the battlefield. He had wished he could bleed like Monica, Sir Tristan, Dotty, and even Heidi did. He wished he could do something where he felt like he was giving himself to the fight. Somehow, his wish had been granted. With a twist. Blood of the Bard Channel your blood essence to transform your Mana through music into an empowering spell for your allies, drastically empowering their fighting prowess. The cost of the spell is paid in blood. That had been it. There had been no additional description of Blood of the Bard. The first time Ted had tried using it, without anyone in his proximity, he had gone very close to dying. The Ability couldn''t really be stopped once it got going, at least not at its current Rank. And the draw it had on his own Vitality was too much¡ªit was unbearable. The only reason he hadn''t died when he used the ability was that it had been interrupted by the fact that there was no recipient for it. Ted had been fully certain that, in normal circumstances, if he had used this in battle, he would have died. Therefore, it hadnt'' been an easy decision to do this for Monica. He knew that with the powers of the Twin Phoenix, there was a good chance Monica could have healed him before his Vitality completely went away and he was left a lifeless corpse. But... he was betting on it with his own life. In normal circumstances, he wouldn''t have done that. He would have preferred studying the Skill, Meditating on it, until he reached Bronze Rank, which would have most likely given him more control over it. Blood of the Bard, in fact, was a very esoteric Skill, like all the Skills he had gotten so far. It had no precise description, no numbers to rely upon. He found it ironic that him, the one in the group who had received the highest education on Classes and Skills, had to rely on some sort of sixth sense when it came to understanding his Skills. Maybe that''s why¡ªmaybe the System wants me to have it hard. Ted had started having these thoughts, thinking that perhaps he was meant to suffer to learn his lesson. Then, he had found out about Monica''s condition, how the Obsidian Flame was affecting her so deeply. No one else had seemed to actually pay much attention to that¡ªwhich Ted found worrying. He couldn''t put his finger on it, but there was something about Monica that left him deeply perturbed even though the redhead hadn''t really voiced out her troubles. No, it was something that went beyond normal communication and body language. Something in Ted''s own brain had conjured an image that he hadn''t been able to parse. A dark phoenix, a black one, covered from head to toe in dark feathers and suffering unimaginable pain, the kind of pain that destroys you, that destroys your soul, and makes entire cities weep with sorrow. Ted had no idea why he had started having these visions, these feelings, but something about them told him to take this problem seriously. And, since he was growing more and more superstitious about what the System had planned for him, he had figured that him having Blood of the Bard and Monica having this problem was nothing but Fate. Ted didn''t know why the word ''Fate'' made him shudder, but the moment he thought of it, everything came together for him. He was meant to do this, destined to it. He needed to help Monica, no matter whether his own life would be at risk or not. There was something inside of him that just begged him to do it, that told him it was the only right thing to do in the entire world, that nothing else could compare to it. Don''t let her turn that way again, something deep whispered inside his head. And so, Ted poured out his heart, his blood essence, and coated Monica with it. The first time he had used the Skill, it had hurt, it had been almost unbearable. But as he lulled a deep melody for the woman he only felt comfort. He felt like, at this moment, he had wings and was shielding Monica from everything with them. When he had used Blood of the Bard alone, he had felt a sense of extreme loss as life slowly went out from him and dissipated in the ether. Now, instead, he felt like this had been his purpose all along, from the very first moment he had met the woman, and, without even noticing, his humming turned into words. Words that came without any thought, as if they had been always been there. I dreamt of tar and black, of death and heavy stone, Where shadows twisted deeper than mere hatred alone. Nightmares cut like obsidian, raging bloody wars in mind¡ª Yet through the dawn I glimpse your gold, a light so rare to find. There lives a queen in distant lands who weeps in blood and gore, Her hands have claimed more broken souls than any brutal war. For rage can carve a life apart, a throne of lonely cries¡ª Still even monsters seek the love they lost in ancient sighs. I offer up my trembling soul, for yours I deem more fair; Its worth outshines my blood and bone, a truth I choose to bear. So take this vow with weary hands and let my promise guide¡ª My spirit stands to shield your heart through darkest storms untied. So let these trembling veins unfold and bleed away my fears, I¡¯ll stand against the blackest night to guard your golden tears, Though darkness hunts to break our souls, I¡¯d shield your rightful throne¡ª I¡¯d give all I have left to keep your heart from turning to stone. Chapter 85 Monica sensed the heat in the tunnel intensify as she tried to keep Ted from bleeding out. His forearms, legs, and chest all spattered blood. Yet he continued strumming his mandolin and humming his melody with a fierce, unyielding devotion. As Ted''s words reached Monica, the Mana generated from his blood essence took a more and more material form. At the same time, his eyes were half-lidded, with sweat streaking down his temples. Monica watched in stunned awe through her Mana Sense: every speck of Fire Mana that usually swirled in Viscera¡¯s tunnels now poured toward Ted¡¯s wounds. Then, she heard¡ªno, she felt something. At first, it was just a faint echo of a pulse¡ªlike standing near someone and hearing the faintest double-beat of their heartbeat. But with each passing moment, the resonance grew stronger. She gasped when her chest lurched. And she finally understood. My heart is beating in sync with Ted''s. Her own heart began to synchronize with Ted¡¯s faltering rhythm. Each thump made her ribs shake, as though Ted¡¯s blood now coursed through her arteries instead of his own. It was at once unsettling and strangely intimate¡ªa direct link to his life force. A curtain of red enveloped Monica, and settled on her back, starting about two feet from her scapulae. From there, it slid onto the air, curving gently and reaching her. As that crimson veil coiled around Monica¡¯s shoulders, she felt it condense and push outward. The bloody haze spread behind her, as if a second of arms were reaching out from her back. Then, two fiery red wings were sculpted by the melody and unfurled in all their crimson splendor. They billowed and flared in the flickering light, intangible yet undeniably real, luminous threads connecting them back to Ted¡¯s open wounds. Monica¡¯s breath caught. She had summoned plenty of flames before, but this was different¡ªthis was his life force, fueling an unimaginable synergy between them. The wings gave a single, decisive flap, stirring the stagnant tunnel air into a swirl of sparks and cinder. And then agony ripped through her. The brilliance of those summoned wings seared into her flesh as if her body couldn¡¯t bear the weight of the borrowed power. She threw her head back and screamed, a feral cry that reverberated along the stone walls. Her knees buckled, and she crashed onto the rough floor with a dull thud. Still, she tried to maintain her Golden Flame, pressing it into Ted¡¯s chest to staunch the torrent of blood. But a racking convulsion tore through her abdomen, forcing a vile surge of something thick and dark up her throat. She coughed violently, vomiting a stream of pitch-black blood that spattered across the ground. A crushing despair speared through her mind. It felt like heartbreak magnified a thousandfold, an ancient sorrow she couldn¡¯t name. It wasn¡¯t merely her own regret or fear; it was as if centuries of someone else¡¯s anguish¡ªsomeone consumed by isolation and hatred¡ªwere channeling through her veins. She moaned, hunched over, her body trembling with raw emotion. She felt the sinister presence being purged from her mouth and bringing her a sudden clarity, as if a veil had been lifted from her eyes¡ªfrom her very soul. The more dark fluid she expelled, the stronger her Golden Flame seemed to burn inside her. Almost like a scale tipping back to balance, she felt a surge of renewed energy and control that had been buried beneath the suffocating shadow of the Obsidian Flame. She gasped in one final retch, and a visceral sense of relief flooded her senses. A chime echoed at the edges of her consciousness. *Ding* Golden Flame has reached Bronze Rank! Her gaze snapped to Ted. He sat there hunched over, trembling, covered in blood¡ªsome of it blackened from mixing with the swirling aura. His eyes were fluttering shut; his song was ending. ¡°Ted!¡± she gasped. Rising unsteadily, she forced her newly empowered Golden Flame through her arms until they blazed with a golden-white light so bright it stung her eyes. She focused the energy entirely on Ted¡¯s failing form. She felt her Vitality rush into the Skill with the kind of strength she had never felt before. In a brilliant explosion of Golden Flame, the corridor momentarily turned as bright as day. The ground at Ted¡¯s feet smoked under the onslaught of intense healing magic, but his bleeding cuts hissed and sealed with surprising speed. Band after band of that glorious radiance wrapped around his chest, knitting flesh and banishing the mortal danger from his heart. When the light faded, Ted¡¯s breathing had slowed to a steady, though exhausted, rhythm. * * * Ted and Monica looked weirdly at each other. Ted was still sitting on the ground, confused, still in his underwear. "What did you do?" Monica asked, looking at herself. *Ding* Golden Flame Lv.?74 ¡ú Lv.?90 *Ding!* Obsidian Flame Lv.?99 ¡ú Lv.?94 "I don''t know," Ted replied sincerely, scratching his head. "I learned this Skill from the painting in the military barracks. I just really had no idea what would happen if I used with someone and I was embarrassed. I didn''t want the others to see me cutting myself in my underwear and maybe die in my a pool of my own blood like this." Monica felt all the aggression stoked by the imbalance caused by the Obsidian Flame dissipate and she couldn''t help but feel her chest spasm. "Ted, did you know how dangerous this was going to be? If the Golden Flame didn''t work, you''d be dead now." Ted shrugged and looked away. He knew, Monica realized, gritting his teeth. He actually knew what he was doing. "Ted, you''re a damn fool," Monica said, stepping closer to him and raising her fist. Ted closed his eyes, but Monica hooked her arm around his neck and hugged him. Ted was startled and, awkwardly at first, returned the hug. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "I can''t believe you did this for me," Monica said. "Why would you risk your life like that?" "I mean, dude," Ted cleared his voice. "Without you, I''d be either eating human flesh by now or dead. I owe you." She sucked in a sharp breath. Her Golden Flame had skyrocketed in levels by a staggering sixteen, while the Obsidian Flame dropped five levels. The usual tension, the nerve-shredding imbalance, was simply gone. Her eyes flicked from the notifications to Ted, who looked pale yet relieved. ¡°You¡­ you balanced me out,¡± she whispered, her voice still raw. ¡°The Golden Flame is strong again.¡± Ted gulped. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that would happen, dude,¡± he admitted, hugging his knees and glancing away nervously. ¡°I discovered a weird Skill from that painting, Blood of the Bard¡ªmy best guess is that it nearly killed me without your healing. But I just¡­ I had to do something, you know?¡± Monica released the hug to look Ted right in his brown eyes. He had a clear gaze, sincere, and honest. "Please, never risk your life like this for me, Ted. Please. If you thought we had debt, you''ve paid it off. With interests." "It''s fine," Ted smiled. "We''re here to kill an Old God and get your children back, right? This was nothing much. Sparing the world from another world-ending conflict is more important than my life." Monica looked at Ted and chuckled. "Maybe," she replied. "Now, get your clothes. We need to keep going." * * * They found Ted¡¯s scattered clothing and gear. Monica helped him slip back into his trousers, face warming at the awkwardness of the situation. For a few minutes, neither spoke, footsteps echoing across the quiet corridor. At last, Ted slung the mandolin over his back, its strings still glistening with stray droplets of blood. He glanced sidelong at Monica, offering a small, tentative smile. ¡°So, guess we¡¯re good now?¡± Monica nodded, her voice steady. ¡°We are,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks to you, I can fight without losing myself. Now the Golden Flame can keep up with the Obsidian one.¡± Her expression grew serious. ¡°But Ted¡ªplease, next time let me know before you do something that dangerous. You nearly gave me a heart attack.¡± He let out a soft chuckle. ¡°If I did, you¡¯d probably just come back as you usually do.¡± She snorted. ¡°Not the point, you fool.¡± He gave a sheepish grin. ¡°Got it, dude.¡± * * * Monica had tested the Golden Flame, trying to inject it inside Skills the same way she had the Obsidian Flame. Basically, the difference was pretty much the one she had experienced with Phoenix Step. Using Vitality and the Golden Flame Skills became more fluid, less temperamental. She could feel herself more in control and able to maneuver better, even when using Obsidian Impact, despite the fact that it was an Obsidian-Flame-based Skill; when she did inject the Golden Flame into it, she felt like she could better redirect her blows, giving her more control. When she moved her body, burning Vitality into the Obsidian Flame made her faster and stronger, but doing so with the Golden Flame made her more flexible, more reactive, more malleable, and enhanced her reflexes. Now that Monica had gotten the same ability to burn Vitality in order to empower the Golden Flame and to infuse skills with the Golden Flame, she she took good care of fighting as recklessly as she could, delivering only fatal blows instead of exchanging melees all the time, prioritizing the flexibility that the Golden Flame gave her. This meant that instead of being like the sharpest, hardest sword, she was now more like water, flowing around her enemies and only striking when the moment was ripe. This allowed her to level up the Golden Flame more than she leveled up the Obsidian Flame. Even though both were incredibly powerful, Monica would have rather been mellowed like it had happened back at Rock''s Heel than feel the blind fury she had experienced the moment that the Obsidian Flame had gotten twenty-five levels above the Golden Flame. Even though she felt invincible in the throes of the Obsidian Flame, it made her blind, it made her incapable of thinking clearly. Now that she wasn''t under its effect, she could fight more efficiently, allow her Mana¡ªand the whole group¡ªto last longer. And so, while Ted and the others made their camp in the marketplace, Monica and Dworsul made theirs in Thizmug''s forge. The others couldn''t yet survive the temperature in this part of the Blacksmith District, unlike Monica and Dworsul. And, when the others were resting, Monica took the time to forge Dotty''s sword. It turned out that the specific design and material that Dworsul had in mind were more complicated than she had expected. Dworsul had insisted that Monica finally learn to practice with Mithril, since they had been finding one strand in each of Machina''s creature and, by now, Monica had plenty in her Inventory. "Mithril is rare, Avatar," Dworsul said. "And since we have so much at our disposal, the least we can do is have you practice. With your Fire Transmutation evolved and Thizmug''s Runic Forge, you should be able to make an alloy out of Mithril." "What are we making the alloy with?" Monica asked. Different metals made for different forging experiences. Some rarer metals had very weird Mana patterns that Monica still couldn''t smelt into good ingots, much less weapons. "The young girl uses Antimagic. To make a proper Antimagic weapon, we''ll pair Mithril with Aeterium." "What''s that?" Monica asked. "Aeterium is a metal that disperses Mana. Mithril is the best Mana conductor. You pair the two, you obtain one of the best combinations of Antimagic material you can have without using monster parts. The enemies of Dragons, specifically, Wyverns, have the best natural components to create antimagic material." "Aeterium is volatile and hard to smelt on its own. You''ll need to purify as much as your flames can and then meld it with Mithril. First, you''ll purify blocks of Aeterium, then, we''ll start making the alloyed ingots. Do you understand, Avatar?" "I understand," Monica nodded. She looked around at the empty forge. The others had been leveling up quite a bit, but still, she wasn''t confident in them taking the Boss on by themselves. Now, the most important thing was to start forging Dotty''s sword. Even though she had been initially reluctant to involve the girl in the fighting when they had first come to Viscera, Monica had a complete one-eighty since then. Dotty had revealed herself an unexpected, incredible asset. Her Class had allowed the young girl to kill a Boss much stronger than she should have had any right to fight. Now, if Monica could forge her a sword worthy of its name, Dotty could perhaps try and do the same with the Wasp Queen. "Avatar, don''t daydream on me," Dworsul scoffed. "Start smelting the Aetherium." Monica hefted the lumps of Aeterium, narrow-eyed. The metal shimmered a sullen, blood-like red under the forge¡¯s glow. She recognized at once how it resisted her usual routine of purging impurities with the Obsidian Flame. Its entire nature countered Mana. ¡°That¡¯s why this is so tough,¡± Monica muttered, stepping back to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Aetherium will be the second hardest material for you to smelt. I''m confident you''d be doing a better job with rarer metals, Avatar. But Aetherium''s main function is to disperse Mana. And your Skills are relying heavily on that. That is the one downside of using your Divine Flames to work a metal." Monica stopped and sighed, running a hand through her red hair. "How much of a beating can this Aetherium take?" She retrieved the lump of ore, still full of impurities, and showed it to Dworsul. "How much?" Dworsul smirked. "More than what you were doing just now. Aetherium is rare, but there''s plenty in Viscera. Not many were able to work it. Even Thizmug had trouble using it for his vessels." "Thizmug would be a much better Blacksmith than me, though," Monica said. She had been humbled time and time again by Dworsul and the Blacksmithing itself that now she knew where she stood in the pecking order of smithing. "Of course," Dworsul said. "But Thizmug didn''t have me watching over his shoulder all the time nor Divine Flames. Burn as much Vitality as you can, Avatar. Do your worst. The Aetherium can take it." Steeling herself, she poured her Obsidian Flame into the crucible, intentionally letting it siphon her Vitality via Charred Masochist. A punishing jolt of pain shot through her torso, but she directed the black flames expertly at the pockets of slag within the Aeterium. One by one, pockets of impurity crumbled under the onslaught¡ªonly for the metal itself to recoil violently, nearly fracturing. Monica gasped and, with a fierce concentration, wove her newly empowered Golden Flame into the cracks. She merged them back together, effectively healing the metal so it didn¡¯t crumble under the Obsidian assault. Back and forth, black flames to pulverize filth, golden flames to restore structural integrity¡ªlike a blacksmith who both hammered and mended the metal in a single fluid motion. A raw cry tore from her throat. The cost in Vitality was immense. With one final push, she burned away the last dregs of corruption, forging a gleaming orb of purified Aeterium. Seconds later, her vision cut out. "Not too shabby," Dworsul smiles, picking up the ore. Monica collapsed, her body going slack on the forge¡¯s stone floor. Dworsul exhaled heavily, picking up the bright orb that still shimmered with residual forging heat. Despite his hardened demeanor, a flicker of admiration crossed his features. Dworsul shrugged and poked the dead body of the Avatar of the Twin Phoenix. ¡°Well,¡± he said, glancing at Monica¡¯s lifeless form with a mix of exasperation and respect, ¡°this may take a while, indeed.¡± Chapter 86 Monica breathed deeply as she channeled the usual Fire Transmutation Skill to generate the hottest flame she could. Dworsul, in the meanwhile, had a hand on the forge, channeling some Mana into it. Several thick strands of Mithril were inside the forge, about twenty of them. Dworsul had said that was the best number to make a proper ingot for a large katana. "Now!" Dworsul barked, never taking his eyes away from the Runes on the forge, which started lighting up. Monica didn''t pay any mind to the terrific expenditure of Vitality she had to consume in order to sustain the hot fire. The Runes, however, moved the Mithril and the flames, working out a dance inside the Runic Forge. The strands of Mithril hissed in defiance, turning pearlescent as they struggled to remain cool. Each time Monica¡¯s Divine fire licked at their surface, the Mithril twitched and arched upward. "Keep going, Avatar! Mithril is a hard mistress to win over!" Dworsul roared. Monica inhaled sharply, activating Meditation to steady her mind. She zeroed in on Charred Masochist, letting the self-inflicted pain of burning her own Vitality drive her forging flames even hotter. If it hadn''t been for the fact that Phoenix Forge gave Monica thirty Vitality for each level, she would have never been able to accomplish such a task. "It''s not happening!" Monica screamed, feeling too much of the Vitality leaving her and being tempted to stop. "Avatar, don''t you dare!" Dworsul spoke back. "It''ll happen in a second! Burn it hotter, you God-forsaken beast!" Monica scowled and tapped into all the reserves of Vitality she had. Soon, she lost contact with reality, having no idea what was even happening. Then, she started losing consciousness. Lastly, her life. * * * Monica woke up to a rectangular white block in front of her face. "Huh?" She groaned, feeling the aftermath of dying once again as a throbbing headache, like the world''s worst possible hangover. "You did it," Dworsul said, removing the ingot from her face and laying it on top of her naked belly. Monica took the Mithril and sat up, looking at the ingot. It was like a captive star pressed into a rectangular shape. The ingot was something so incredibly magnificent, so powerful, and full of Mana that even without Mana Sense, Monica could still feel its incredible Mana reserves. It was slightly electric to the touch and currents of shifting rainbow hues ran across its glimmering edges. "This is..." Monica was speechless. "The greatest Dwarven ore, only found in Viscera," Dworsul smiled and a hint of melancholy trickled through his words. In fact, he couldn''t help but stare at the ingot, letting his true feelings show on his face for perhaps the first time since Monica had met him. "Dworsul," Monica cleared her voice. "What?" The Dwarf said, looking distraught. "I will get your people back." Maybe, in another moment, Dworsul would have laughed, he would have scowled, and insulted her, even. But now, he turned his eyes up. They had talked about this before, but he had never looked so serious. He had mentioned safeguarding the Great Forge, but this, talking about his people and getting them back... "The Queen of Stone will still exist even if you managed to conjure up a miracle and get my people back. She could still come back, wager war against us. And the outcome would be the exact same. There''s no point in trying to repair a flawed sword Avatar, you can''t unfuck what''s already fucked." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Monica was caught aback by the swearing, feeling like she had always heard him insult her, but never cuss. It felt beneath the legendary Dwarf. "I think I can kill her," Monica said. "Machina? Probably," Dworsul said. "I can feel something stirring in the third layer, Avatar. You shouldn''t take her lightly." "Not Machina," Monica said. Dworsul froze. He slowly set the Mithril ingot aside on the stone ledge and turned fully to face Monica, meeting her gaze head-on. He took a long moment before speaking, and when he did, his voice was threaded with pain. ¡°You mean... the Queen of Stone.¡± Monica nodded. "The Queen of Stone was beyond Dragons," Dworsul averted his gaze and looked around the forge, "the great casters and perhaps the greatest warriors there have ever been. Humans had more Gods, Avatar. But Gods are not everything. The Dragons could have razed empires to the ground, and the Queen of Stone took them for a spin like kids. The only reason she doesn''t govern everything is her hatred for everything." "What do you mean?" Monica asked. "The Queen of Stone is a being of pure hatred and violence. She petrified the races out of spite. She destroyed and slayed Gods because she could, Avatar." "The Twin Phoenix is the only Titan who asceded with two Divine Skills," Monica rebutted. "I am the ultimate fighter, Dworsul." "You don''t understand," the legendary Blacksmith shook his head. "The Queen of Stone is... beyond everyone else. Machina? Maybe you have a chance. But you''re weak, still. You''re far from the pinnacle of your power. And even if you were at your strongest, the Queen of Stone would most likely dispatch of you like one does with a used sock, Monica." It was maybe the first time Dworsul had used her name. "I don''t understand what makes her so strong." "She has control over all things dead. She has rules that bind her powers, which is why her spell only turned me and my people to stone, but her magic is the pinnacle of destruction. Whenever she comes back from her slumber, the world will be plunged into an infinite darkness once again." "What does she look like?" Monica asked curiously. "She''s a monster clad in black. No one knows her face." "And what happened the first time around? Didn''t the New Gods defeat the Old gods?" "You don''t know?" Dworsul raised an eyebrow. "Many Old Gods perished in the conflict, like ours. When the battle started turning toward our side, only then the Queen of Stone intervened. And that plunged the world into an eternal night until she..." Dworsul sighed and shook his head. "Until she got too bored to play with our lives." * * * Monica next attempted to meld Mithril, Aetherium, and Corrupted Wasp Chitin to craft the specialized sword for Dotty. She laid out the lumps of Aetherium¡ªdark red metal that actively repelled Mana¡ªalongside the purified Mithril she¡¯d just created. Monica stirred the crucible, letting her flames coax the three materials together. Yet the moment the chitin touched the Mithril-Aetherium mixture, bright sparks jumped outward as the Mana-laden metal refused to bond with the lesser quality chitin. The mix refused to homogenize. No matter how precisely Monica managed the Temperature Control or how carefully she hammered with Forging, lumps of chitin separated and hardened along the surface. With a hiss, Dworsul told her to halt the process. He examined the result with critical eyes and grumbled, ¡°The chitin¡¯s too weak. Hasn¡¯t enough Mana density to fuse with Mithril. We need a higher-grade piece¡ªlike the ones from an Elite Wasp or one of the Royal Guards.¡± Sighing, Monica wiped sweat from her brow. ¡°Guess we have to find one, then.¡± * * * Later, rejoined by Ted, Heidi, Dotty, and Sir Tristan, they made short work of another patrol of Soldier Wasps. Monica sipped some water and checked her System interface. Her Golden Flame hovered tantalizingly close to Level 100. Her main Class, Phoenix Healer, was around Level 98, while her Phoenix Forge Class soared in the high 90s as well. A glowing tension vibrated under her skin¡ªthe fateful threshold of Level 100 loomed near. She asked Ted about it. He fiddled with his mandolin, gaze thoughtful. ¡°Level 100 is kind of a big deal for Classes, dude. They evolve, you know? You¡¯ll get a new title for your Class and stronger Skills. Probably have to make some choices, too.¡± Monica surveyed the rest of them. Apart from Sir Tristan¡ªwho was already far beyond Level 100¡ªeveryone else stood on the cusp of their own breakthroughs. Dotty likely sat around Level 95, Heidi around 96, Ted 99. They were all approaching that milestone together. Heidi wiped away a line of sweat. ¡°At this rate, just a few more big battles, and we¡¯ll cross that boundary.¡± No sooner had she spoken than a fierce, guttural buzzing rumbled through the corridor, far louder and deeper than any they had encountered before. The echoes vibrated the metal walls, sending tremors across the ground. Everyone shot to their feet. Before they could form a defensive line, a looming shape surged around the corner. It dwarfed the typical Soldier Wasps, nearly triple the mass. The air around its thorax shimmered with liquid heat, and its exoskeleton bore chiseled ridges that glowed with internal veins of molten metal. In one swift blur, it dive-bombed straight for Dotty. ¡°Dotty¡ª!¡± Monica shouted, lunging. But the wasp¡¯s speed outpaced any they¡¯d seen. As it closed in, a tag flickered into Monica¡¯s view. [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Royal Guard ¨C Level 190]