ã€ŠSystem Reawakened: LitRPGã€‹ 01. Fates Javelin

The golden hour bathed the Campus in a sweet light, and the only noises were the singing birds and the occasional distant car. The best moment to enjoy a book under the trees. There was only one obstacle. Gluing himself to the building''s wall, Peter peeked around the corner. On one of the lawns belonging to the sports facilities, Peter¡¯s Nemesis, Jack the Jock, and his court of sycophants were skylarking. Lowering his head between his shoulders, he proceeded onward, trying to become invisible like Bilbo Baggins, the main character of his favorite book, The Hobbit. It wasn''t meant to be. "Hey, look, there''s Peter," a voice called. Ariana, Peter''s ex. Peter often thought Karen would have been a better name for her because she was always behaving entitled and judgmental. "Come here, Petey," Jack beckoned. "What''s up, Jack?" Peter asked, attempting to appear confident as he approached the group. "That''s not a proper way to address your betters," Ariana said. "How can I be of assistance, Young Master Jack?" Peter reformulated, contracting his abdominal muscles, preparing for the worst. Sometimes, Jack used his aura to make him puke or choke. Like Darth Vader if Darth Vader were a college bully. This time, he was spared. "We''re having a party. I reached the second stage," Jack forwarded a hundred-buck banknote. "Buy us some beer and bring it to my dorm. Keep ten bucks as a tip." Gone was Peter''s plan to relax in the evening sun, under the trees, reading a book. However, it was not Peter''s first errand, so he knew well what to do. He hurried toward a small deli situated a few hundred feet from the main gate. Paying the owner ten bucks for sixty expired beers and keeping the rest for himself, Peter divided the cans between two gigantic plastic bags and returned to the Campus. The gang was already inside the dorm¡¯s lobby, the music loud. Jack took over the bags using only his pinkie, showing off his enhanced strength. Getting out as fast as possible, before the jock could find another task for him, Peter almost tripped into one of the regular security guards. Plump and unshaven, the man sat on the stairs, smoking. "They asked me to warn them if some teacher comes," the guard explained, albeit Peter didn''t care. "If a higher rank Cultivator comes, they''ll fly or something," Peter said. "You know how it is¡ the brats ask, we obey." Peter nodded and strode on. There were maybe twenty more minutes of the peaceful sunset to enjoy. Better than nothing. When he reached his favorite spot, Peter changed his mind. Instead of reading, he lay on the grass, hands under his head, letting the dawn bathe his closed eyes. When the daylight dimed, replaced by the dusk, he rose, grimacing against the numbness in his arms, intending to walk away. He stopped short of leaving, noticing a silhouette on the running track. A girl. Jack''s girlfriend¡ or maybe his ex, rumors were they broke up. It was probably true, or else she would have been at the party. The name evaded Peter''s mind. She¡¯s pretty, he concluded. Dark blonde hair, bronzed skin. Long legs with defined muscles. Big breasts, bouncing as she ran. A concentrated expression¡ She was probably cycling Mana or whatever shit the cultivators did. A sweet girl with doe eyes and full, kissable lips. Popular, of course. Shaking his head, Peter left, walking toward his dorm. Seconds later, he heard screams. Noes and Help. He turned on his heels and froze. A hundred feet away, on the running track, a giant wolf had appeared out of nowhere, snapping its jaws at the girl, who defended herself with a plastic chair. As far as he knew, she was a Mind cultivator, so she had no meaningful fighting skills. "Hey!" Peter yelled to attract the wolf''s attention while running toward the fight, struggling against his self-preservation instinct, telling him to run. The chair broke into shards at the next bite, and the girl screamed anew, falling on her back. Peter yelled again, louder. The mutated animal growled, moving his eyes between the juicy prey nearby and a possible threat. Yet Peter''s makeshift plan didn''t involve getting into melee with a monster the size of a small horse. There was a javelin rack on the side of the lawn, just a few steps away. Dashing at the shelf, Peter snatched a shaft and threw it after balancing it for a split second. It was a risky throw, with the target so close to the girl, but if he did nothing, she was as good as dead anyway. The two arching trajectories¡ªthe monster jumping for the girl''s throat and the flying spear¡ªmet, and the mutated wolf fell to a side, the sharp stick protruding from his flank. A second later, the animal scampered into the forest, whimpering. "Are you all right?" Peter shouted, hurrying to the girl, a second javelin in hand, ready to use it like a spear if the beast returned. "I¡¯m O-OK¡ T-thank you¡" the girl stuttered. Peter helped her to her feet. The girl was shivering, still in shock, and Peter led her toward the nearby locker room facility. They entered and closed the door behind them, peeking through the reinforced glass. ¡°I think we¡¯re good,¡± Peter said after a few minutes, his voice shaking. There was no sign of the wolf or other beasts. "You¡ saved my life," she said hesitantly." There was gratitude in her voice but also disbelief. How could a normie save a Cultivator? That was the unspoken question. "I played the Roman centurion in re-enactment shows," Peter confessed. ¡°Centurio Mucius Porcius salutat nobila puella!¡± Peter moved the spear in his left hand and hit his pectoral with his right fist, stretching his hand in the Roman greeting. She froze, making Peter wonder what did he do wrong. C¡¯mon, she doesn¡¯t think I did the Nazi salute, right? It¡¯s nothing like it. Then, a few jerks passed through the girl¡¯s body, becoming more frequent and finally letting way for an uncontrolled access of laughter. ¡°Sorry,¡± the girl apologized between laughs, pressing her hand over her mouth, yet still unable to stop. ¡°I have no idea what you said, but it was like: Centurion Pork Snot brings you the bill for the paella. Hmpf...¡± she threw her left hand over the right one to muffle her giggles, with little success. ¡°For the record was: Centurion Silent Boar salutes the noble damsel,¡± Peter frowned, trying to cross his arms defensively but renouncing because of the spear. ¡°Boars were among the most frequent totem animals for the Romans; they are stubborn and tough.¡± And now I sounded like a total nerd; he clenched his teeth. And why did I have to bring on my HEMA years in the first place? ¡°Sorry,¡± she apologized again. ¡°I¡¯m still shaken¡ I couldn¡¯t control myself.¡¯Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to your dorm,¡± Peter said, opening the door. Keeping the javelin ready, he walked ahead, looking all around for any other monster, but there were none. Five minutes later, after she told him what way to go, they stopped before one of the larger and better dorms. For whatever reason, the campus was all but empty, which was eerie. ¡°Take care,¡± Peter nodded, ready to leave. "Wait!" Feverishly, the girl searched in her small backpack and offered Peter a bunch of crumpled bills. All hundreds. "Please, take it. It''s the least I can do." Peter hesitated for a second and then shook his head in refusal, stepping back. Stealing from a prick like Jack was one thing; being paid for saving a life felt¡ wrong. "We should notify the teachers that a monster got past the wards." ¡°Oh no!¡± The girl facepalmed, eyes widened. The sudden pang of guilt gripping her face told Peter everything he needed to know. Her words only confirmed the worst. "I saw Jack entering the forest a few minutes before his group left¡ What if it¡¯s one of his pranks?" "Removing a ward totem to let monsters in?" Peter sneered, his nerves on the verge of breaking. It was the only explanation and one of the stupidest things to do. "Can you keep the secret?¡± the girl begged, kneading her hands. ¡°We¡¯ll be expelled if word goes out¡ I swear, I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯ll call Ari to tell Jack to put the totem back." She forwarded the money again. This time, Peter hesitated longer. It looked like she held at least five hundred bucks. On the other hand, it was a good occasion to get the bully what he deserved¡ The girl was nervous, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, imploring him with puppy eyes and slightly puckering lips. After scratching the nape of the head for a second, he chose option three. "I don''t need your money. I need a favor," Peter pushed back her hand. "Pardon?" she furrowed her eyebrows. "Is it true that you and Jack broke up?" A slight hesitation flushed the girl¡¯s face before she nodded, her eyes saddened. ¡°All for the better for you. He''s a jerk. Anyway¡" Peter stopped for a second, swallowing a lump and avoiding her eyes. "I won''t call the teachers if you¡ pretend to date me a few times¡ We go out for a coffee, that''s all¡" he waved his hands to convey that he had no lewd intentions. "Why?" she asked directly. It was an honest question, and he gave her an honest answer. "I want to show Ariana I''m over her¡" She nodded and approached, then her lips whispered in his ear, sending a hot flow of air inside it: "Very well, Centurion Silent Boar. It¡¯s time Jack sees that the world doesn''t revolve around him. And for the record, we didn¡¯t break up. I left him." With that said, she walked away, brushing the dirt from her clothes before entering the building. Peter considered returning to his dorm, but something nagged him. What if Jack continued behaving irresponsibly instead of fixing the totem? Somebody else could be hurt or killed. It was better to take care of the business himself, Peter decided. The ward couldn¡¯t be too far from where the attack happened. Peter first went to the locker room facility, inspecting the track through the windows. All was quiet. A minute later, he gathered his courage and went to the rack to take the last javelin with him as a backup. Suddenly, a blue text flashed before his eyes. You have slain a Crazed Dire Wolf, lvl. 2. You have created and cleared a Quest: Save Damsel in Distress. !System Unlocked! ¡°What the heck?¡± he shook his head, trying to chase away the afterimage. Then, a massive jolt of pain went through his body, and he collapsed on the grass.

When Peter woke up, the darkness of the night reigned supreme. A flashlight shone intermittently between the forest¡¯s trees somewhere in the distance. He wondered who strolled in a monster-infested area, but his curiosity was replaced by a voice. It was very close. "Who''s there?" Peter asked, patting the ground to pick up the javelin. Having a weapon in case another monster came was a good idea. the voice said. Peter frowned. The voice sounded¡ weird. Like the chipmunks in the cartoons. "Who are you?" he asked again, turning around twice. A voice this close should''ve had a body, yet there was none. "Ah, OK. That''s explains it. Young master Jack, you can come out!" Peter yelled, confident it was another prank. A blue message appeared in Peter''s sight simultaneously with the voice. "Gah¡." Peter gasped. "I b-became a C-cultivator?" he continued, pausing to swallow a lump in the middle. < Negative! Cultivators don''t see notifications.> The voice had descended in pitch, but not by much. "Define undesirable situation," Peter said, trying anew to identify any hidden prankster. A sliver of doubt began to sneak into Peter''s mind. Maybe he was becoming crazy. That happened sometimes with people closely exposed to Wild Mana, and monsters had large amounts. "What the hell is going on?" he whispered to himself. "What?" "Oh," was the only syllable Peter could say. He didn¡¯t understand squat. ¡°Can¡¯t you speak normally?¡± The flashlight from the forest had approached and aimed directly at Peter''s face, making him protect his eyes behind his arm. "You OK, kid?" The voice sounded familiar, and when the light diverted to a side, Peter found himself with the chubby Campus guard staring at him. "I''m fine. What are you doing here?" ` "A girl received a phone call, then the jerk in chief told me to come here and put back some¡ tantrum?" "A totem." "I didn''t find it," the plump man confessed. "It''s scary out there¡ There¡¯s a dead wolf just a couple hundred feet away." Quest Chain: Fix the Totem displaced by Jack. Kill the nearby Crazed Monsters (1/4). Rewards: Various. Give me a break! Peter felt that the text in his head had been read faster than it would have been normal. That meant he was hallucinating. Exposure to the crazed monster¡¯s Mana, for sure. However, he felt normal for the rest. So, chances were he¡¯d get over the sickness soon. "Do you want me to take care of it?" Peter continued aloud, addressing the guard, who was still in front of him, "You''d do that for me?" the man asked, with incredulity in his eyes and voice. "For fifty bucks, and I borrow your gun," Peter pointed at the holster. The guard covered the gun in a protective gesture. "I can''t, kid¡ I have real bullets there. What if you go berserk and mass-shoot those Cultivators kids?" "Then you tell the teachers I knocked you out and stole the gun," Peter said. "Seriously, I don''t intend to shoot anyone except monsters." The guard sighed, searched his pockets for a bill, and offered Peter his gun and money. The weapon was a revolver, a simple point-and-shoot weapon. "If you do shoot them, aim for the testicles. Make them hurt." "Won''t happen," Peter shook his head, fixing the gun behind his belt and taking the two javelins in his hands. "Want the light?" the guard offered the torch. "I''m OK," Peter said, ignoring the message. That he could see very well in the dark was known to him. No need for a hallucination to tell him the obvious. "I''ll go back to the party," the guard said, leaving. "The music is good. Don¡¯t shoot them while I''m there, OK?" After rolling his eyes, Peter entered the forest. 2. In Dire Straits With Dire Wolves

Risking his life to save someone was one thing; putting himself on the line for fifty bucks was another. Normally, Peter would have called a Cultivator teacher, keeping the money for his effort. A slight detail changed the paradigm: the dead beast. If what the guard said was true, the wolf had bled out in the forest, and monster parts brought good money. A dire wolf was sure to get Peter a few thousand bucks, and that thought was enough to push him on despite his hallucinating state. Thus, the gun and a plan: loot the body and replace the ward, not necessarily in that order. Run or climb a tree if more monsters appear. ¡°I¡¯m talking to myself,¡± Peter nodded, now sure he was Mana intoxicated. The recommendation was exactly what he would have thought. He entered the woods, trying to sneak as silently as possible, and got rewarded with a: You have unlocked the skill Sneak (Uncommon, Novice tier) message. Shitty hallucination¡ The message must''ve jinxed it as noises started, and a shadow appeared between the trees, aiming for Peter. There was no time to run or climb a tree. Seeing the monster face-to-face, fangs barred, and approaching fast was the scariest experience Peter ever had. Nevertheless, it was kill or be killed, and his hesitation ended after a split second. He aimed and threw a javelin, involuntarily thinking what the voice said, albeit he had no hopes it would do anything. The missile erupted out of his hand faster than it should have been possible and caught the mutated wolf square in the chest. It threw the monster back, and not only that, but stuck the dying monster against a tree, the spear going twenty inches into the wood. Kinetic Impulse (novice tier) unlocked and activated. Doubles the speed or objects you launch and adds a coating of Mana to increase penetration. It makes your melee attacks perform as if your weapon had twice the mass and adds a Mana coating to increase penetration and defense. You have slain¡ª There was no time to read the notifications; a second monster rushed at him. Peter passed the second spear into his right hand and threw it at the next beast. The throw went slightly to the right. However, it still dispatched the animal, going through the monster''s body like through paper. The third monster was on its way. Peter pulled the gun out, knelt, aimed, and fired. His great expectations were crushed. Instead of dying on the spot, the mutated wolf continued his charge, soaking up the bullets. The monster faltered only at the fifth shot, falling to his knees. The inertia carried the animal forward, and a second before it died, it managed to bite hard on Peter''s shoulder, hitting him with its weight simultaneously. The young man discharged the last bullet in the animal''s head, point blank, then tried to push himself away from the trashing monster, using his feet. The pain, however, was unbearable, and he lost consciousness again. ### You have slain Dire Wolf, lvl.2 x2. You have slain Dire Wolf Boss, Lvl. 5 x1. You are now level 4. You have 0 Attribute points to invest. The Chain Quest is partially completed. The notification was the first thing Peter saw when he opened his eyes. Fuck, I fainted again¡ and I¡¯m still hallucinating¡ Suddenly, Peter remembered how the javelin had raised the wolf in the air, throwing it into the tree¡ That wasn¡¯t normal. ¡°Shit! This thing is real!¡± he gasped. the voice said. There were a lot of bad words hanging on Peter''s tongue, but he refrained. Arguing with an AI installed in his head was probably dangerous. the voice continued. "Whatever¡ This gun is crap," Peter sighed, letting his anger fade. ¡°Pfii¡¡± he whistled after looking at the slain beasts. ¡°That will take ages to process.¡± Chain Quest 1^st Reward: Your backpack has become a Spatial Storage. Maximum volume: 40 cubic feet (flexible). Maximum Storable Weight: 1 ton. Weight reduction: 99.99%. Maximum slots: 20. Stack per stock: twenty-five similar items. Food will not spoil, warm up, or cool down while stored. Upgradeable.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. You have unlocked the Uncommon skill Loot. When touching a slain monster, think: Loot, and the body will be deconstructed into components and stored in your Spatial Storage (if available and having free space). Loot will only affect armor, weapons, and cores against sentient foes. ¡°Prey? I was the prey. I¡¯m lucky I survived, buddy,¡± Peter shivered. Nevertheless, he approached the monster pinned into the tree and touched it. ¡°Loot!¡± Under his eyes, a bluish light enveloped the carcass. First, the pelt disappeared, then the meat, and finally, the skeleton broke into smaller parts and vanished as well, sucked into his backpack. Wow¡ ¡°I think I like you, hallucination or not,¡± Peter decided, his heart filling with monetary joy. There was a lot of dough to be made from all those monster parts, and he intended to fully profit. ¡°Sorry?¡± Peter asked, stopping his attempt to pull the javelin out of the tree. Soon, the monsters'' corpses disintegrated before Peter¡¯s eyes, leaving only blood and innards behind. ¡°One more to find,¡± Peter said, recalling a fourth wolf had bled to death in the forest, the one who attacked the girl. He recalled the sensation of her breath in his ear. For a second, he wondered how her lips would feel if they kissed, then he blushed and chased the thought away. ¡°Let¡¯s finish the quest first¡ There¡¯s only one thing better than money: more money.¡± Despite the direction being clear, finding the last carcass proved hard. Peter had to return to the sports area and track the blood spots until he found the monster stuck under a bush a thousand feet farther. As soon as he looted the last carcass, growls and high-pitched barks started. A small furry head was staring at him with red eyes. "Oh, no, a puppy," Peter wailed, pulling on his hair. "I killed its mother¡ Sorry, little buddy¡ Not my fault she tried to eat somebody." "You''re not saying it to make me feel better, right?" "You looked under his tail?" Peter laughed. As a rule of thumb, Peter liked animals and had pets before. There was a slight concern about the pup''s wild and Mana-awakened nature, though. "Won''t he bite me?" There was no answer. Reluctantly, Peter willed a granola bar out of his backpack, unwrapped it, and offered half to the pup. The transition from growling to tail wagging was instant. After the second half of the granola bar was consumed, Peter patted the animal''s head and asked: "Hey, little buddy, do you want to come with me?" "Woof!" the pup barked back, wagging his tail even more strongly. A contract has been established between you and Elite Warg Pup. Minimum requirements for a warg pet: feeding them twice daily, grooming once a week, and walking thrice daily. "As long groomed doesn''t mean I have to lick you," Peter said. "Woof!" After the second bark, the pup jumped into his arms. "You''re so cute!" Peter said, ruffling the little warg''s fur. You have reached level 5. 5 Free APs are available. "A full level for getting a pet?" Peter said. "Where do you think I should put them?" "C¡¯mon, I don¡¯t even know my stats." ¡°Sure¡¡± ¡°Let''s go find the Totem. Err¡ Question. If I got all those points in Body¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry, Physical. How is it I don¡¯t feel stronger?¡± ¡°Shit¡ that¡¯s true, I forgot about it for a moment!¡± As soon as that was said, the System projected the map into Peter''s vision. The Totem was lit on the map, about a hundred feet further toward North-West. Moving red spots were visible farther North, tagged Jackalopes. Fortunately, Peter reached the ward stick safely. ¡°Jackalope reservation?¡± he frowned, reading the inscription on the pole. That explained the prank: Jack had counted on a scare, not a serious danger. ¡°How the fuck there were Dire Wolves in here?¡± As far as he knew, the wards were very specific. Peter answered the question himself. They must¡¯ve entered as normal animals, ate some jackalopes, and got crazed from the Mana. Restoring the totem¡¯s function was just a matter of planting the pointy part of the stick in the ground, and Peter was rewarded with a new notification. Quest Cleared. XP awarded toward the next level. Peter stepped outside the protected area and walked back toward the campus. The pup¡ªnow asleep in his arms¡ªshowed no reaction. The novelty and strangeness of the situation caught back with Peter, and he got goosebumps. ¡°That would be good, yeah¡ Just let me take care of a few things first.¡± 3. Choosing a Class

The first matter to be dealt with was to return the gun. The party was still ongoing, with lots of noise. The guard immediately noticed Peter¡¯s torn clothes and the sleepy little warg and frowned at him. ¡°A monster jumped me, and I had to fire the gun to scare them away,¡± Peter said. ¡°Job¡¯s done. I¡¯m taking out my pet for a walk.¡± The guard shrugged, reholstering his weapon, and Peter walked away. He went to his small study, showered and changed, fed the pet some leftovers, and exited again. There was a place that overlooked the campus, a park on the East side, near the place Peter used for his nap earlier. It took him fifteen minutes to get there, but finally, he sat on a bench. He felt tired but hyper-excited at the same time. I got magic! Who would have thought? ¡°OK, buddy, tell me everything I need to know.¡± "You mean when we Awakened?¡± Peter raised his eyebrows. ¡°About two years ago. One year and nine months, to be precise.¡± Peter grimaced, remembering the events that changed his life, and not for the better. "They landed a huge ship near Washington, DC, and declared they would take over Earth. The army fired three nukes at them for naughts. They had some kind of shields." "Sorry?" "I''ll take you at your word¡¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking what happened next?¡± ¡°Never mind¡ Before the next day, all governments gave up. The Cultivators kept the existing political systems in place for their own purposes. The economy is in terrible shape, by the way. Inflation is up the roofs.¡± ¡°Not that I could think of,¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°But about a hundred million people all over the planet did acquire powers. Most are Wild Magic users, and the rest are Cultivators. The most talented ones are trained in special Colleges. They also train regular people to assist them¡ªsidekicks. That¡¯s where I fit in.¡± "Yeah." "You can access the Internet?" "Sorry, I left it in my room.¡± ¡°I can tell you where we are, duh. This is Dartmouth College." "Not anymore. This town is now an Autonomous Zone. The College and the city were taken over by Cultivators. Many wilderness areas around us have been transformed into monster reservations." ¡°They did, in very low numbers. Lower than the humans who have Awakened. At least that¡¯s what the cultivators say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the reservations come in,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°They are like huge traps and dens. The totems attract some monsters and repel others. There are rewards for spotting monsters in the open world. Our school has field trips about catching the beasts in the wild and putting them on reservations. ¡± ¡°Yeah¡ For now, they only cull the crazed ones. Those are more dangerous than ¡ª¡± ¡°I see¡ ¡¯cause they don¡¯t really have levels, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ Caution sounds good. OK, I answered your questions. Your turn.¡± Peter decided to switch the subject to what mattered to him. That''s a lot to process¡ ¡°By this unit, you mean what exactly?¡± ¡°Buddy, let¡¯s not rush things here!¡± Peter waved his hands, suddenly alarmed, his tired mind making a quick judgment call. Having powers allowing him to hunt monsters for money: good. Being someone¡¯s champion and getting into quests and shit: bad. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I just want a quiet life.¡± ¡°Not interested. Please leave my head and find somebody else." There was silence for half a minute, making Peter hope the System was gone. Then, the voice returned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡¡± Peter frowned. ¡°I''ve read books, you know. A System Apocalypse would be worse than the Cultivators.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. All of a sudden, a torrent of images assaulted Peter''s mind. Mithril mines, with majestic and well-lit tunnels, are tens of miles deep, reaching the mantle and extracting geothermal energy in the process. Somehow, he knew that. Trees, hundreds of feet tall, with art-nouveau-style houses woven between them, and people drinking mead on terraces. Floating airships, some technological, some more on the blimp and sails side. It was beautiful. "This is how the Multiverse looks?" Peter asked in awe. "So, no killing ninety-nine percent of the population by spawning monsters?" "Oh, goodness¡" Peter sighed. There was a long silence, holding over a minute, after which he had no chance but to ask: "So¡ what now?" The reply was silence, and it held for a while. ¡°Geez, can¡¯t you say baby steps in less than ten words?¡± <¡ªuntil circumstances become clearer. Regarding separating this entity from the subject, it is estimated that a full installment of the System on Earth or traveling to a System World could achieve Peter¡¯s wish.> "Fuck¡" ¡°Bad. The opposite of good is called bad.¡± ¡°Rephrasing. The situation is not so bad. The Main Galactic System works on a grand scale. Entity Peter could wait for years, even decades, before making up his mind. Meanwhile, this unit inquires whether Peter is interested in gaining additional capabilities.> "You mean powers?" Peter asked, his interest rising. That didn¡¯t sound so bad and fit his plans. His spatial storage was filled with precious monster parts¡ªhe could see an inventory if he concentrated on that. And monster parts meant money. ¡°Err¡ how does that work?¡± ¡°Yeah, please do,¡± Peter sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back, massaging his forehead. He felt this was a most important choice and didn¡¯t want to screw it up. ¡°It¡¯s all is fair in war and love, and it was nothing like that,¡± Peter objected despite feeling his cheeks flushing. ¡°It¡¯s either befuddled or confused.¡± Dimplowhat? ¡°OK¡¡± Peter said, unsure if he was interested in any option. He had almost completed his business studies before the Awakening, so he considered himself a trader already. ¡°What next?¡± ¡°All for the better,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°The army is not my thing.¡± ¡°Hunter, huh?¡± Peter said. So far, it was the best choice. If he could learn to sneak and take down monsters easily, that opened the path to earning good money. ¡°Is that all?¡± "What the heck does it mean?" Peter asked. ¡°Why should I pick a class that is not a class but a code fragment?¡± Peter complained. "It¡¯s Diplomat. How come I can access that mythical stuff?" "I don''t even know her name," Peter confessed. ¡°She hangs up with the snobs. You know, popular girl, cheerleader stuff¡ Never mind¡ Let¡¯s go for Impulse, then.¡± Name: Peter Hillden. Age: 24. Lvl. 5 Main Class: Impulse (Bespoke) Physical: 22 Mental: 15 Mystical: 14 Skills and Abilities: Impulse (Mythical), Influence (Rare), Multiple Weapons Proficiency (Uncommon), Sneak (Uncommon), Loot (Uncommon), various skills and knowledge sets of civilian use (Common and Uncommon). "Why?" ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Peter blurted. ¡°What do you mean by unfavorable situations?¡± ¡°What the fuck, FAQ! That¡¯s the first thing you should have mentioned!¡± ¡°You better be right¡ I have no wish to discontinue my existence,¡± Peter hissed. ¡°Can¡¯t it wait until to¡ª Of course¡ What did I even bother asking?¡± Peter complained because the System had ignored him and continued. A bright light slammed into Peter¡¯s eyes, making him jerk back and push against the bench. A distinguished gentleman with long gray hair tied in a ponytail and a beard appeared in his vision, walking back and forth on a terrace overlooking a sea of trees from great heights. He was evidently an elf, with pointy ears ornated with earrings. "Greetings, adventurer," the man said, pausing to look at Peter. "If you see this message, you''re a System user in a hostile Cultivator world. I commend your dedication to the cause." ¡°Like I had a choice,¡± Peter sneered. "No matter your powers, a simple technique will allow you to conceal them, appearing as a low-level cultivator or an instinctive Magic user. Even better, whenever you use your powers, you can deceive your rivals into thinking you have different abilities. "But first, we must address the most important question: What is Mana?¡± The man paused as if expecting an answer from Peter. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Peter turned his hands heavenward. The Cultivators¡¯ definition, something about a universal force, also named Aether and Qi, was confusing, to say the least. ¡°Correct answer,¡± the elf nodded. ¡°Few know the truth.¡± the System interjected, pausing the image for a second, then letting the recording run again. ¡°Mana is a form of Dark Matter, an elementary particle that behaves both as a boson and a fermion. When observed, it doesn¡¯t only change its state from wave to particle but also interacts with the observer.¡± ¡°Honestly, I was fine with the qi stuff,¡± Peter sighed and sagged his shoulders. He had expected all but that from an elf. Where was the tree-hugging? He felt cheated. ¡°Now, about stats, which are divided into three categories. The first is about observing Mana, often called the Mental stat. There can be no magic without it. And yes, it means that even plants have some Mental abilities, even if they are below sentience as we define it. The second is about the easiness of using Mana for spells. It is called Mystical. The third, the Physical aspect, concerns your body''s capacity to store Mana in its cells and atoms. Our System lists them in the order you understand them better for practical purposes. "Now, close your eyes, focus on my voice, and breathe deeply. Inhale through your mouth, exhale through your nose." ¡°The heck? Am I supposed to cultivate? This is meditation!¡± Peter exclaimed. the System said coldly, while the man¡¯s image froze again. Peter growled but remained with his eyes shut, breathing as told. Ten cycles later, the video continued. ¡°Relaxation,¡± the man continued, ¡°has nothing to do with Meditation and, most of all, with cycling your Mana. If anything, never cycle or focus on your Mana. Cycling is like calling a friend to visit and sending them away before you talk. Mana should be like your family, always there, everywhere¡ Allow it to enter your body and become a part of you¡ Let it complete your every cell¡ Think of nothing¡¡± May the Force be with you, Peter thought involuntarily but forced himself to continue the exercise. Soon, there were tinglings in his body, countless tiny needles. His muscles contracted by themselves, and his senses-¡ªmostly his hearing but also his smell¡ªstarted to paint a vision of the surrounding forest in his mind. Night birds were making noises, a soft wind bending the tips of the branches, and the pines¡¯ resin smelling stronger. ¡°Ouch,¡± Peter mumbled as the sensation intensified, becoming a burning, then disappeared. ¡°Congratulations, fellow System Champion,¡± the man said. ¡°You just unlocked your Mana Body. This is an exceptional feat, only reserved for the Mythical classes. Repeat this exercise as often as you can. Enjoy your new Awakened status. We will see each other again when you are ready for the next training session. Until then, safe travels.¡± With that, the image disappeared, and the darkness returned thicker. Peter felt every muscle in his body limp and almost fainted. Because you developed your Mana Body, you have reached level 6. 6 Free Attribute Points are available. It was well over midnight when Peter returned to his room. He found his best pair of sports shoes half-eaten and the warg snoring happily, belly up. Sighing, he went to sleep. 4. School Time

The next day, Thursday, the phone¡¯s alarm failed to wake Peter. A humid, small tongue on his face did a better job. "Fuck¡ it''s late¡" the young man growled, checking the hour. ¡°Woof!¡± the pup made his presence known, adding another lick. "No way! You''re real?" Peter jumped out of bed, flailing his hands. "It was not a dream? Shit¡ I have an alien AI in my head¡¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry¡ Didn''t I put the pup in the bathroom? How did he get out?" ¡°Oh, fuck¡ I so much wished it was a dream,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°You¡¯re talking a bit more normal. How so?¡± Pulling whatever jeans and T-shirt on him in a hurry, Peter made himself a sandwich, then rushed out with the dog on an improvised leash made of laundry rope. The noose proved too loose, and soon, he found himself running all over the main lawn to catch up with the little pest, who was jumping amock between groups of students to make them play with him. Farewell, not attracting attention¡ "Nice dog, Petey," Jack said. "What is it, a Malamut? A girl or a boy?" "It''s a boy," Peter said, surprised the jock talked nicely to him. You traitor! This is how you reward me for saving your life? he mentally scolded his companion. From all the students around, the warg has chosen Jack to play with and obviously liked it. "There''s a no-dog policy on Campus," Ariana appeared in the conversation. "You have to give him for adoption. I''ll take him out of your incompetent hands, free of charge." You cold-hearted bitch! "The rules are ours to set as we see fit. That dog has an acceptable cuteness," a voice in their back said before Peter started arguing with his ex. "I''ll allow it." That voice belonged to the Alchemy teacher¡ªnicknamed, unsurprisingly, Alchemy¡ªand, at the same time, the Headmistress of the school. Brunette and good-looking, she appeared to be in her late twenties. However, Peter knew that could mean over a hundred, on Cultivators'' standards. "Thank you, teacher." Peter kneaded his hands in gratitude. "Do you want to walk the puppy sometimes?" His slip of the tongue provoked a choir of gasps around the students. Offering one of their highest-ranked Cultivator teachers to walk a¡ dog? Yet the teacher smiled, and it reached her eyes, too. "On Sundays," she declared. "My class starts in five minutes. You better be there in time, Peter." "Teacher''s pet," Peter heard Ariana''s insult as he ran back to his dorm, the puppy in his arms. "Please, stay here and don''t eat any more shoes!" Peter begged, throwing the pet inside and closing the door behind it after he snatched his phone and a few notebooks. There were only two more minutes before the beginning of the class. "Woof!" the System suggested. Peter made it to the class with only a second to spare and took the first chair available. There was less than half the number of students than usual, which explained why the Campus had looked deserted the previous night. The most likely explanation, for Peter, was that many had taken a few days off before the summer holidays. On the teacher''s desk, a complex apparatus was arranged. New tubes, substances, and what he could swear were monster cores. "Today, you take the first step toward preparing concentrated qi-pills," the teacher said. "Some of you will never taste them, as they would kill you," she looked meaningfully at Peter, then at the other normies around, "but knowing how to make them will grant you employment in any Cultivator clan. We''ll start by dissolving the monster cores into the proper solvent and combining the result with reagents. It is most important to know the properties of each reagent to perfection." The System exclaimed into Peter''s head. I won''t die from a qi-pill? Let me hear the lesson, you chatterbox. Peter paid as much attention as possible for the remainder of the hour, writing down every detail. The Alchemy teacher was the one he disliked less. She was clear with her explanations, slowing down at times and asking if everybody understood. Another thing Peter liked about her was that she didn¡¯t oblige the students to sit separately. Cultivators or normies were mixed, although the first were easy to detect by their robes, scarves, or badges. No self-respecting student would walk without at least one of those things. During the class, Peter had to fight a lot against the need to sleep. Still, when the practical test ended, he scored second after Ariana and in front of the girl he had saved the prior day. There was another girl who was usually better than all three of them, but she was not there.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. When the bell rang, Peter let his head down on his desk, emptied of all his energy. The System was mumbling something, but he couldn¡¯t hear a word. A soft touch on his shoulder made him raise his head. "Hi¡ Peter¡ Are you available for a date today?" The blonde girl¡¯s voice was warm and sounded sincere. Bringing immense joy to Peter''s soul, Ariana choked on the water she was drinking, letting the bottle fall on the floor and spitting out droplets over the girls she chatted with. The gossip club, Peter called them. Got you, bitch! Peter reveled. "Sure¡ err¡" the System sussured in his mind. "Regina, I look forward to it." The AI imitated Ariana''s voice quite well. "At ten outside the campus, main entrance?" the girl asked. ¡°We¡¯ll go clubbing if it¡¯s OK with you.¡± Peter nodded, and Regina went away. Near the wall, the gossip club stared in his direction. Ariana frowned so badly that her eyebrows almost joined the tip of her nose. Their voices were similar to a nest of vipers hissing, but it was music to Peter¡¯s ears. It meant they were upset. Nevertheless, he had other worries. The next class was about monster parts preparation. The teacher arrived, pushed a cart, and distributed samples of monster body parts to be further dissected. Now that I think back, they never taught us how to skin monster hides, only how to extract glands and stuff¡ the System said. Cut it, I¡¯m working here. Concentrating on the pituitary gland of a mutated fire lizard, Peter abandoned the chat and tried to do his best. The professor, an old geezer nicknamed Dissection, gave him a B+, which was a good grade considering the teacher¡¯s acrimoniousness. Peter was the fourth after Regina, Ariana, and the girl who flunked Alchemy and who was back. After a break spent in the cafeteria, Peter returned for the Botanics class. Again, it was all about pills, but of a different kind. Botanics was his weakest spot, and the teacher, an old lady with a carrot stuck up her ass, hated him for whatever reason. They were given a written test, in which the System whispered the answers in his mind. It was cheating, but Peter didn''t care. the System said. Go on. So what? "The fuck?" Peter exclaimed aloud, fortunately after surrendering his test. No, I couldn¡¯t break into a facility! They have guards. "Sorry, teacher, I forgot to write something. Can I¡ª" "It''s Adept Master Ling, for you, and there is no more writing you put the test on my desk. Shoo, off you go," Botanics waved her hand, a smug expression on her face. Bitch! Peter frowned, simultaneously angry at his teacher and relieved his pretense had been accepted. There was a longer break now, snack time. Peter took his food outside, on the terrace, looking at the sports fields and the forest behind¡ªthe place where he had saved Regina and Awakened. Thinking of both events made him melancholic. In his heart, he wished the girl would have been less pretty and popular. Popular cultivator girls meant trouble. The Awakening became noticeable during the sports class. Although not yet fully installed, according to the System, Peter¡¯s new physical stats were visible in his number of pushups and running laps. He even had to pretend he was tired at some point. "Finally, you put some effort into it," Sports, the physical training teacher, congratulated Peter. It was a bittersweet compliment. He was fit for a normal human before the Mana came and Cultivators took over. Now, even the weakest Body Cultivator had more strength than a normie. "Hey, Petey, take care of these," Jack appeared, throwing a pile of dirty sports clothes and a training sword at Peter''s feet. A twenty-dollar bill accompanied the order. Cleaning the sword and putting the clothes into a laundry machine in the annex took all the break. The last class of the day was English literature. The teacher, the typical cat lady, a medium-aged normie woman, waited patiently until the students stopped behaving like rapscallions. Peter felt sad again. The English class was the last remnant of the old world. "Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet," the teacher began curtly. "Who''s Romeo''s love interest at the start of the play?" "Juliette, of course," Jack laughed. ¡°R¡ª¡± Peter tried to say. "Rosaline," Ariana blurted, cutting him. Of course, she knows it too, Peter grimaced. Ariana was a cultured girl with razor-sharp smarts. That''s why he had been attracted to her from the start; they had a love for books in common. Then, he paid for that happiness with many bitter experiences. "Correct," the teacher wobbled her head randomly, the strangest movement Peter had ever seen. It was amazing how her large head¡ªmade larger by a pile of hair tied in a bun resembling a mole''s mound¡ªstood on such a frail, long neck. "He loves somebody else, and only later Juliette. Is this a good or bad thing by the author?" "Terrible," Ariana sneered. "It''s supposed to be the perfect love. Pure and carnal at the same time, until the supreme sacrifice. He should have kept himself untouched, waiting for the one!" "It''s perfect!" Peter almost yelled. "It gives depth to the character. Romeo''s a na?ve teenager; he sees a crow and thinks it''s a phoenix. When he meets the phoenix, aka true love, nothing else matters." "Rosaline? Who''s Rosaline? I have forgot that name," Peter took a declamatory stance, looking intently at Ariana. She gave him the midfinger. The class applauded, starting with Regina. "Good, Peter, very good," the teacher started her head-wobbling again, making Peter feel dizzy just by looking at it. "You have an A from me. But remember, my dears: sometimes, true love comes without warning and sweeps you off your feet; other times, it''s just by your side, and you realize it years later." Sighing, she diverted her gaze toward the ceiling, like remembering sweet memories of a distant past. ¡°Class dismissed,¡± she clapped her hands. "This is the last day of the semester. You deserve some free time." The students erupted in cheers. As Peter left the room, he observed that some students stayed behind. Regina, but also Ariana, arguing vehemently with the teacher, her face red. the System decided. "Holiday? We have practical courses all summer, twice a week," Peter whispered, pretending he was talking to himself. ¡°Some opt out but must do an extra semester at the end. Question,¡± he adopted the AI tone for a second, ¡°How did you know about the girl¡¯s name, the plants, and Rosaline? "I don''t keep personal stuff on the phone." I don''t have time. I have to check on Jack''s clothes, iron them, fold them, and put them in his room in the dorm. And I''d like a bit of sleep after that. I¡¯m supposed to go clubbing¡ I hate that, by the way. ¡°Let''s go for Physical. I like how my body feels,¡± Peter said. A blue text followed. Name: Peter Hillden. Age: 24. Lvl. 6 Main Class: Impulse (Bespoke) Physical: 28 Mental: 15 Mystical: 14 5. A Date

Peter began preparing an hour before the date. He walked the pup, showered, and spent the remaining time choosing clothes. The System argued jeans weren''t a proper choice for a gentleman, so just to shut its blabber, Peter put on deep blue dock pants and a light blue shirt, casually worn outside the trousers. He had a pair of Italian leather shoes his mother gave him on his twentieth birthday, which matched well. Satisfied, he put a sizeable portion of food on the warg¡¯s plate and exited his room, aiming for the rendezvous point. The girl was already there, albeit he was five minutes early. "You look great," Regina said after kissing him twice on the cheek, French style. She grabbed his shoulders, keeping him at arm''s length to better inspect him. "T-thanks," Peter blushed. "You look swell, too." She did, indeed. The buttery white A-shape dress accentuated her light-bronzed skin and shapely figure. Taking in her image made Peter''s pulse accelerate. Regina took him by the arm and led the way at a fast pace despite wearing high heels; she was obviously used to dressing up. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Peter asked, a bit apprehensive, noticing they were aiming toward a block in the small town¡¯s center where the museums and hotels had been transformed into a cultivator-exclusive zone. ¡°The Pink Trip,¡± Regina said merrily. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect place to show us together.¡± Fuck! It¡¯s very expensive and exclusivist. Only cultivators are allowed inside. Go figure¡ ¡°Here we are,¡± Regina pointed to a former hotel, five or six stories high. ¡°Let me do the talking.¡± There was only one bouncer at the entry, but he was in the fourth stage of Body cultivation; Peter could tell after the muscles on his neck. That stage had the biggest muscle mass, but further advances reduced the mass for better fiber quality. They waited in the queue, which advanced rapidly. Regina whispered something and pushed a small gold coin into the guard¡¯s hand, making Peter gasp. That was worth short of two thousand dollars. The man nodded, and they entered the lobby. There was a second check-up there, but only for those leaving, with another muscled man waving a sort of hand-held detector over the patrons'' bodies. That people left a club so early and after being searched was a strange fact that Peter duly noted. ¡°Come,¡± Regina said, grabbing Peter¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡± She ran forward with small steps, and he had no choice but to follow. A door opened, and then the noise and the light hit. They arrived at the dancing area, and Regina finally released his hand. She started to wave her body and arms up, rotating her wrists and closing her eyes, her hair flowing to the right and left in counter-time. Regina had a beautiful neckline, and her lean and fit arms, made longer by the exposed armpits, looked like two shiny snakes. It was hypnotizing. Peter tried to match her dance with a basic step he had learned in his reenactment environment, imagining he was listening to a different music. To his surprise, it worked. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. They danced for ten minutes or more, shaking their bodies along with the other dancing youngsters. Peter noticed that the DJ was very good. Or at least that was his opinion. He wasn¡¯t a musician and had little experience with clubs. They were loud. Nevertheless, now he had fun. Regina was a sight to behold, attracting much attention. Peter noticed Jack was there, frowning and sulking. A few of his pals were trying to console him, obviously, by patting his back and whispering in his ear. One of them was Ariana. ¡°That¡¯s what you deserve, jerk!¡±Peter sneered in a low voice. ¡°Pardon?¡± Regina yelled to cover the music, approaching her head to his. ¡°Jack and Ari are here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention. Be indifferent and have a good time,¡± she frowned, puckering her lips. Yeah¡ she still hurts from the breakout. Like me¡ Fucking exes¡ Suddenly, the music stopped, the deafening silence hurting Peter¡¯s ears. ¡°It¡¯s time for a break,¡± the DJ announced. ¡°Please go to your tables.¡± ¡°The DJ takes breaks here?¡± Peter asked. It was unusual. Half the people stayed on the ring, but Regina took his hand again, pulling him toward a two-person low table. ¡°There¡¯s a treat,¡± she whispered in his ear. ¡°A Mana drug. It is totally safe, as long you take only one pill only, though. More will make you sick. You¡¯re supposed to let it melt in your mouth. Spit it out after the manager leaves; it''s only for cultivators.¡± The fuck? Then, a couple arrived at their table. The woman held a plate of small pink pills, and the man scrutinized the customers. Regina took a pill and put it in her mouth, then forwarded her right hand. The map pressed a stamp on the back of it. Peter¡¯s brain was steaming at full speed with different thoughts. He imitated her gesture. However, after stamping his hand, the man kept staring at them. There was no way to spit the pill, and it began melting into Peter¡¯s mouth very fast.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

The System¡¯s yells woke Peter. He had blacked out. However, now, he was in the middle of the dance floor, executing a sort of fandango mixed with break dance, adding somersaults made available by his enhanced body. There was a circle of people around him applauding. All that while the System was shouting expletives in his head. ¡°Ole!¡± Peter yelled, finishing his dance in a theatrical gesture. He wobbled back to the table, grabbing a bottle of water from the bar. Regina was nowhere. Stop it! Peter shouted in his mind at the System. I¡¯ve said get out of it! Did you get drugged? Peter hissed. The System replied after a long silence, stuttering and hiccuping. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me¡ I blacked out¡ That¡¯s enough¡ I knew clubs were not for me¡¡± ¡°Where the hell is she?¡± Peter sneered, looking around. Regina was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Whatever. If she¡¯s not back in five, we¡¯re going home with or without her. But meanwhile¡ let¡¯s do some side projects.¡± The noise was loud again. Near the bar, the woman with the drug plate was all alone, sipping a cocktail. Returning to the bar quickly, he asked for a beer, and masking his left hand with the glass, he thrust it obliquely, grabbing a few pills from the plate. He asked a dancer who looked sobber-ish for the toilets and went inside a booth. Producing a small mint rectangular plastic recipient, Peter threw the pink pills inside. I want to analyze this. By keeping the package in my mouth. They¡¯re noobs; they check only the bodies. After storing the gum recipient in his pants, Peter exited the cloakroom. It was on a side corridor, next to the former hotel¡¯s rooms. The space looked old-fashioned, or maybe the new owners didn¡¯t care to refurbish it. A faint noise reached him. He almost missed it, then realized the noise was a scream and recognized the voice. It was Regina. The System must¡¯ve made the connection, too, and spoke with alarm and no trace of his previous drunkness. Peter didn''t wait for the voice to finish; he rushed farther into the corridor. ¡°Fuck¡ What door?¡± ¡°Enhance Sensorial Performance,¡± Peter blurted. The second map that had appeared in his mind in the forest during the relaxation session reappeared. There was a struggle in a room ahead. Instead of that, Peter knelt, looking through the large keyhole. The jock was lying on the floor, unconscious, blood flowing from his nose. Pinning Regina on the bed, face down, the man with the stamp, the manager, was untying his belt. She was now quiet, losing either the power or the will to resist, and was sobbing. Peter took out the mint recipient, put all but one of the pink pills in his left hand, and then slowly pressed the handle. The door opened. He stepped into the room as silently as he could. There was a brief notification about Sneaking activating. The man didn¡¯t notice him. His pants had been lowered, and his left hand was now pulling the girl''s dress up to reach the panties. There were no thoughts in Peter¡¯s mind, only a cold determination. He pulled the man¡¯s head backward by the hair, shoving the pills in his mouth when the manager gasped and then pushed his foe¡¯s head forward into the wooden headboard. The man tried to fight and was a Cultivator, albeit clearly not a Body type. He managed somehow to rise on his feet but not to turn to face Peter. They wrestled each other, but a few seconds later, the pills kicked in. The manager froze, foaming from his mouth. Peter smashed the man¡¯s head into the window. The glass cracked, sending rays around the place of impact. At the third hit, the man¡¯s body became limp. Letting his adversary fall to the floor, Peter turned toward Regina. Wobbling and looking at him with widened eyes, she pulled her dress down, her cheeks beet red, her makeup stretched over her face from the tears. ¡°What happened?¡± Peter asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ I woke up here with that monster over me¡¡± the girl shivered, hiding her face in her hands. ¡°Jack tried to help, but¡¡± Peter checked Jack for a pulse and found one. the System said. ¡°I called the police,¡± Peter said to the girl. Regina jerked. ¡°No! If my parents find out I took drugs, they¡¯ll kill me!" ¡°Anonymously. Let¡¯s get out through the window.¡± Opening the pan, Peter jumped out first, then stretched his arms to help her. After a brief hesitation, Regina let him grab her midriff, helping her to land. They ran for five minutes, with Peter keeping his hand over her waist to stabilize her, until she stopped abruptly and fell on her knees on a patch of grass, vomiting. Suddenly, he became aware that she was very young and probably inexperienced in the ways of life. The real one that hit you in the face. ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± he said, taking her by the shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s OK.¡± A new vomiting access followed. It¡¯s bafflement. Of course. The police don¡¯t mess with cultivators; it¡¯s too much trouble. They¡¯ll report higher. How the hell are you intercepting police communications? ¡°The cops will take care of it,¡± Peter said, noticing the girl was better and helping her up. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the campus.¡± Regina nodded, and they started walking slowly, his hand around her shoulders. She was trembling, and the silence was awkward, but Peter had no idea what to say. ¡°Are you a martial artist?¡± she asked after a while, most likely to break the status quo. ¡°Sort of,¡± Peter grimaced. ¡°HEMA and reenactments. I¡¯ve performed in hundreds of tavern and saloon fights¡ Be this scallywag troublin¡¯ ye, lass?¡± he transformed his voice, imitating a rough pirate, shutting his left eye. ¡°Back off from the lady, punk, or I¡¯ll fill ya with more holes than a Swiss cheese,¡± he switched to a Wild West tone. Regina giggled for a second, then collapsed in his arms, crying. There was not much to do; he caressed her hair, hugging the girl affectionately. Finally, they returned to the safe zone, and Peter escorted Regina inside her dorm, leaving her in front of her room. A few students were looking at them, and she entered her apartment without saying anything but after pecking his lips in a brief kiss. A flash of powerlessness grasped at Peteer¡¯s heart. He wished he could do more to comfort her, yet there was nothing more to do, so he squeezed his eyes shut for a second, then turned and left. 6. The Black Market

Peter barely had opened his eyes for a second when the System¡¯s voice spoke in his head. ¡°Fuck¡¡± Peter took a deep breath, remembering the previous night. Following the System''s suggestion, he used an emery board to scrap a few flakes from one of the monster cores looted two nights before into a cup of coffee the machine had prepared following the programmed timer. It accentuated the bitterness and tasted horrible. However, Peter was notified about getting an upgrade in Poison Resistance and felt dizzy. "Stupid me for listening to you," Peter grumbled, letting himself fall on the bad, eyes closed to stop the ceiling from spinning. ¡°The police discovered my identity?¡± ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± ¡°I know all that,¡± Peter pointed. "It¡¯s common knowledge. They''re called the Uncultivated or Wild Mages. They¡¯re supposed to be unable to go past stage one.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°OK¡ maybe we¡¯ll talk more about it later. Let¡¯s go to the girls'' dorm to check on Regina and then hit the hill.¡± I should have asked for her phone¡ ¡°Yeah, Mother, I¡¯ll eat my veggies,¡± Peter sneered, yet relieved she was OK. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Oh, hi, little one,¡± Peter gasped, remembering the pup. ¡°You want to come for a walk?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Super. Just a second.¡± Peter dressed in sports gear and left his building, jogging slowly, then sprinting to check how his new physical performance felt. The pup followed, making rounds around him. Running felt amazing, a true euphoric sensation due to his physical stats finally fully kicking in. In the forest, Peter searched for a tree stump this time, with a better view. He enjoyed it for a while, then closed his eyes. Relaxing was great. Peter began to understand the difference between the techniques, or at least believed so. Cultivation, as far as he knew from the booklet¡ªwhich he had read from curiosity¡ªwas about cycling and concentrating on developing the dantian until it solidified. But meditating was a struggle against the course of nature, a hard one, and those who advanced farthest looked down on their inferiors. Relaxation was just what the name said. Breathing in and out, the muscles softening. Allowing all the sensations around to enter his mind: the warg chased insects beyond the line of sight, the still cold air on one side contrasting with the places where the sun touched his skin, the wind in the leaves, and myriads of other small things. However, many thoughts and worries came to nag his mind as well. Half an hour later, Peter opened his eyes and stretched, intending to go in person and see if Regina was feeling OK and maybe take her out for a coffee or a cake if she needed to cheer up. Maybe by happenstance or reading his thoughts, the System interjected. ¡°That¡¯s good. She could use some emotional support.¡± ¡°Great. We¡¯ll hunt later tonight. I have to gear up first,¡± Peter said, taking his phone and making several calls. It took him about five minutes in all.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. the System asked. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Then why do you ask what I talked about?¡± The System replied with silence. ¡°Aha! You wanted to trick me and find out. It¡¯s all right. I didn¡¯t cut you on purpose; it must have been my subconscious. I made two appointments. The first is with someone who sells hunting gear. I can¡¯t risk fighting monsters only with those javelins. He also put me in touch with the Resistance. I¡¯ll give an interview with the local branch in the evening.¡± ¡°There are lots of Resistance movements. Many people are unhappy with the cultivators.¡± ¡°Not so fast, buddy.¡± Peter wrinkled his nose. ¡°All I want from the Resistance is protection.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Peter half-shrugged. ¡°Bad people giving drugs for free to students means a Mafia of some kind. I stole from them and beat their guy. If they try hard enough, they¡¯ll find us. The Resistance could help us hide or cross the border if it comes to that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a just-in-case scenario, buddy.¡± The rest of the day passed in a blink, in Peter¡¯s perspective, although he did many things. He walked the pup thrice and bought a proper leash and a fancy automatic feeding machine for when he was busy. Also, he bought a cat¡¯s box with special sand because the System assured him the Awakened pet was smart enough to use it when necessary. After that, Peter tried to analyze the pink pill in the Alchemy lab when no one was there. He got no results. The gauges showed a large concentration of stabilized Mana mixed with unknown monster parts, but the purpose of the combination eluded him. After a big lunch in a McDonald''s, hungry because he skipped breakfast, Peter did a second session of Relaxation because he liked it, then a lot of physical exercises in the sports facilities, including throwing javelins, running, and weight lifting. When evening came, Peter looked at the notice displayed by his Spatial Storage, making a short mental list of the loot. He had a lot of Dire Wolf meat, seventy-two claws, sixteen canines, and four pelts. Those from the Boss were marked accordingly. Ten minutes later, wearing a hoodie and riding his bicycle, he exited the Campus and went first toward the town''s outskirts, then to Lebanon, the next town southeast. Half an hour later, he stopped at a bikers'' bar. The sign read: The Black Market. ¡°With this name, no one would suspect it¡¯s the real deal. Smart, right?¡± Peter said. You worry too much. Awkwardly parking his bike among the huge cruisers painted with skulls¡ªand dutifully chaining it to a fence¡ªPeter attracted a roar of laughs from the few bikers who drank their beers outside. "Hey, kid, you''re lost? They don''t serve lemonade here," one shouted after Peter. "Let the kid be. He must be a new hire," a lady with more tattoos than a parlor scolded her friend. Peter made his way to the back entrance and entered the kitchen. It was filthy and stank of rancid oil that had been changed less often than a truck''s. A man was cutting large pieces of meat with a cleaver on a gigantic stainless steel working table. Short but broad-shouldered, dressed only in a sleeveless shirt, with a bodybuilder¡¯s frame. "Hi, Daniel," Peter said. ¡°Hey, Peter. Where¡¯s the stuff? I expected you¡¯d rent a truck or something,¡± the man replied. ¡°I obtained a Spatial Storage.¡± ¡°Cool¡ That will come in handy.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Petter nodded. The System was gargling alarmed messages he ignored. Using his gigantic cleaver, the cook pushed the meat he had cut on a plate, putting it aside. "Show me." Peter extracted the Dire Wolves'' meat and the other loot and put everything on the table. It only fit on it because the backpack had rolled the furs neatly and packed the bones together. The cook''s eyes shone, and the man rubbed his hands with satisfaction. "Three grand for the claws, five for the fangs, seven grand for the pelts," the cook said, extinguishing his cigarette butt on the side of the table. ¡°Meat goes in the freezer, and I will pay you half of what it sells for.¡± Shut up! The System recommenced his complaints, but Peter shook his head, chasing away the AI¡¯s pleas. ¡°What about the bones?¡± Peter asked. ¡°You can make tons of medicinal soup preserves.¡± "Fine, twenty grand for everything," the cook sneered. ¡°It¡¯ll pay for the stuff you ordered. Come." Following the cook into the cold room, Peter discovered it was not cold at all. Some sickly greenish old meat was lying around, but on most shelves were guns and all sorts of gear that didn''t belong in a restaurant. "Mutated boar hide," the cook said, showing Peter a leather biker''s jacket, pants, and gloves. "Ballistic, cartel issue," he followed with something that looked like a futuristic biker helmet but, obviously, was not. "Surveillance drone. And the piece de resistance,¡± the man pointed toward a gun, a holster, and a magazine. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a revolver?¡± Peter asked. ¡°A sawed-off shotgun would work too.> ¡°This is better. A one-of-a-kind gun.¡± ¡°I dunno, man,¡± Peter scratched the nape of his head. ¡°I want something reliable.¡± ¡°Hear me out first,¡± Daniel insisted. ¡°This is a forty-five caliber Alien, Czech-made. They do nine millimeters, but this was probably a custom job. It was forgotten in a suitcase at an airport during the Awakening, and a friend in the lost object department stole it. It¡¯s worth ten, maybe fifteen grand at today''s prices.¡± Peter whistled longingly. It was almost three times his current savings. Meanwhile, the cook continued. ¡°That friend sat on it for a year, but he owed me money and¡ª¡± ¡°I get the picture,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°But why are you giving it to me?¡± ¡°You told me you became a Wild Mage and want to hunt monsters for a living, correct?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I trust Daniel, and revealing a FAKE power covers the true ones. Shut up already! ¡°Then consider it an investment. There are not many people who can afford this gun, and even fewer who hunt monsters. I give you the gun for cheap if you promise to sell everything you hunt through me,¡± the cook frowned at Peter. ¡°Everything I won¡¯t use for my Alchemy side-projects,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± Daniel forwarded his hand. ¡°Yep,¡± Peter shook it. ¡°Great. The gun is yours. Fifteen tungsten silver-coated bullets, perfect for hunting monsters. I ordered fifty more for next week. It¡¯s twenty bucks a piece, by the way." "I guess I¡¯d better go hunting as soon as possible," Peter said, taking the gun and inserting the magazine. The lateral slide racked itself back and forth as soon as he did that, chambering a round. Hmm¡ automatic features¡. And that little thing over the trigger must be the safety¡ moves with the firing motion¡ Neat¡ Weighing it, the gun felt light and very handy for its size. "Keys for the bike," the cook continued, throwing the item on top of the pile. "It''s the Yamaha sport. See yourself out. I have food to prepare." The young man left the kitchen, putting on the helmet and the jacket after fixing the gun''s holster under his left arm and storing the leather pants and the gloves. The bikers that had made fun of him had left or entered the bar, and no one was outside. Peter profited and put his bicycle in the backpack, taking the only black Yamaha sitting around. It was not a new one but was sturdy. The problem was that he had little motorcycle experience, and his top speed was about fifteen miles per hour. The System said at some point, breaking the silence. "Biking like bicycles. More precisely, mountain bikes. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll learn,¡± Peter said, accelerating. ¡°A motorcycle is the best vehicle to move between hunting reservations.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later, we¡¯re here.¡± 7. The Resistance
During their chat, Peter had re-entered Hanover, stopping in front of a pizzeria. The sign on the door said Closed, but there were a few people inside, and the lights were on. ¡°System, I¡¯d like to disguise myself. Can you grow my hair and beard?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, you choose. Add some tattoos to that.¡± ¡°Concealment, buddy. The word is concealment.> After parking the Yamaha in an alley, Peter entered the restaurant, keeping his helmet on as the System had suggested. A Latino man in his thirties, probably the owner, closed the shutters and escorted Peter to a table. There were three more people there: a slim woman with a generic Venom superhero costume, a policeman in his forties with steel eyes, and, to Peter''s amazement, the campus guard he met the day he saved Regina. "Something to eat or drink?" the owner asked. "A lemonade? With a bent straw, please," Peter said, lowering his voice to sound rough and older. Returning a minute later with the drink, the man put it before Peter. The young man awkwardly started to sip the liquid, raising his helmet just half an inch. It was lukewarm but good. "I''m Garcia, the owner. I also organize protests," the man said, taking a seat. "Kostel," the Campus guard said. "I spy around the University, taking photos of Cultivating manuals and sneaking them outside to benefit the Uncultivated. Many form a core if they can read good books." Who would have thought, Peter thought. "I roll as Shadow," the masked girl said. "I run a monster shelter, saving innocent lives and offering them for adoption after we train them." I''m not the only one with a monster pet? Peter gloated. ¡°Time to introduce yourselves,¡± Garcia said, looking first at the policeman. ¡°You were referred to us by the Albany branch.¡± "Moment¡ work stuff,¡± the policeman said, looking at his phone, typing something, then putting the phone on the table. ¡° You can call me Bill. My thing is protecting the freedom fighters from the law.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a real good thing,¡± Garcia said. ¡°And you¡¯re here because?¡± ¡°I was newly appointed to run the Hanover precinct. They¡¯re investigating a robbery at a cultivators¡¯ club. I thought: if the local Resistance is involved, I¡¯ll keep them out of jail,¡± the officer walked his gaze over them. ¡°We¡¯re not the type to go clubbing,¡± the campus guard laughed, joined by the restaurant¡¯s owner. Venom girl appeared a little tense. "I¡¯m Impulse," Peter said, anticipating Garcia¡¯s question. "I hunt crazed monsters for parts.¡± ¡°Interesting gun you have there,¡± the policeman squeezed his eyes. ¡°Wanna see it?" Peter unholstered his gun slowly. He offered it with the grip toward the policeman but, at the last second, turned it and fired point blank in the man¡¯s face. Kinetic Impulse activated. The officer''s head exploded, reduced to smithereens, the extremely loud bang deafening everyone. The recoil was not huge, but it was big enough to make the pistol jump from Peter''s hand due to its awkward position. It fell in a crack between two couches. The System started screaming, then shut off. The girl froze in place, whizzing. "Whoa!" Garcia pushed his chair away with his feet, raising his hands. Kostel began to fumble with his revolver, trying to point it at Peter, who rolled duck over the couch. The weapon clicked empty several times. "Fuck¡ I forgot to reload¡" "Stand down; he was not a cop!" Peter yelled, patting the floor for his pistol. ¡°Because you say so?¡± Kostel shouted, trying to insert bullets into his gun but failing. ¡°He comes to a Resistance meeting the next day after a heist and asks who did it? C¡¯mon!¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I was at the club yesterday,¡± Venom croaked with a feeble voice. ¡°There was no robbery. Two guys fought, that was all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move! Stay behind the couch, or I''ll shoot,¡± Kostel ordered idiotically. His revolver was still empty, and he was basically asking Peter to stay behind cover. ¡°I¡¯ll check his clothes¡ no police ID, that¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°His phone is unlocked,¡± the girl said, trying to grab it, but the guard reached it first. ¡°Oh my God! He¡¯s right!¡± Kostel blurted. ¡°I¡¯m reading the last messages: I have the Resistance cell in front of me. A girl and a biker acting suspiciously. There¡¯s a reply: Prioritize getting back the pills. If they¡¯re guilty, arrest them. He says: I¡¯m not into arresting business; this wastes my time. Last answer: OK, do what you want. Oh no! He was an assassin¡ Look, photos of his victims,¡± Kostel retched, tuning the screen toward his friends. Even from his position, Peter could see photos with the pretended officer next to dead bodies, like a hunter posing next to his trophies. Adults, but also kids. Garcia vomited. Peter profited to take back his gun and rose, keeping the barrel down. "Kostel, put the phone on the table." "Please don''t kill me!" Garcia kneaded his fingers. "Listen to me!" Peter yelled. "Calm down. I just saved your lives. I¡¯ll clean the scene, and I¡¯ll leave. We never met!" "If the police find out, they¡¯ll close my restaurant," Garcia mumbled. Ignoring the owner, Peter pulled the body and the phone inside his spatial storage. There was a visible hole in the wall behind the table, so he picked a knife from a table, pulled the bullet out, and gathered the case from the floor as well. Finally, Peter rushed outside and drove away after starting the motorcycle on the second try. There was no one on the streets and no sirens approaching. It seemed they were in the clear. He managed to reach twenty miles an hour, an improvement. Ten minutes later, Peter stopped near a high-tier monster forest and willed the body out of his Spatial Storage. A notification showed in his eyes, overlapping with the corpse. Do you want to Loot and Store the dead Cultivator¡¯s core? Y/N Warning: Consumption of sentient meat is considered a felony in System Worlds. If the target you killed was sentient, Looting works only on cores (if present), armor, and weapons. The System spoke for the first time after a long period of silence. ¡°Do I need to wash the inside of my backpack because of the brains and the blood?¡± Peter forwarded his hand over the body, thinking: Loot. A round object floated up from the corpse, disappearing into his storage, followed by the man¡¯s gun, a Sig Sauer, as far Peter could guess. Next, Peter pushed the body over the railing and beyond the protection totems. The fake policeman rolled a few times and stopped in a thicket. Within seconds, a bear''s paw appeared from the shadows and snatched it. Shivering, Peter rode the Yamaha back to town, his mood for a late hunt all but gone. He changed into his old clothes in a back alley, stored the motorcycle, and got the bike out. Once in his studio, he collapsed on an armchair, taking his head into his hands. The System asked. ¡°Everything about him screamed fake,¡± Peter mumbled, remaining in the same position. ¡°A stranger appears at a Resistance meeting and asks about stolen drugs? And what kind of cop prioritizes a few pills over a fight and drugged kids? You know what Sherlock says: when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.¡± ¡°There¡ was a slim chance he was the real deal,¡± Peter¡¯s voice choked. ¡°For a second, I imagined myself living with the guilt¡ And then I imagined myself not living if he was a killer, and I acted on that. If only I had a reliable partner who would check the assassin¡¯s phone as soon as we arrived instead of bitching about my life choices all evening.¡± ¡°I¡¯m one of Daniel¡¯s couriers,¡± Peter said abruptly. ¡°I should have told you earlier. And I want to become a black market trader as soon as I have the money.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being poor¡ I had a fun childhood, but my parents struggled to meet the month¡¯s end. They¡¯re too nice for their own good¡ They have this HEMA and re-enactment business. If we go to kindergartens for a show, we end up paid in cookies and lemonade¡ Never mind, it¡¯s another story. Before the cultivators arrived, I was ready to start my own shop, trading luxury goods online. Watches, art, antiques, wine, cigars, this kind of thing. The cultivators destroyed all that. People are stashing gold, and that¡¯s it. ¡°The black market is my only option to make a good living. The health system has all but collapsed, and alchemic cures sell big. That¡¯s why I¡¯m learning Alchemy, and I bear being bullied by eighteen years old. I stole those pills to see if they could have some medicinal use. You know, sedatives, whatever.¡± ¡°In the morning¡ Show me my stats, please.¡± Name: Peter Hillden. Age: 24. Lvl. 11. Main Class: Impulse (Bespoke) Physical: 28 Mental: 15 Mystical: 14 25 AP to invest ¡°Put two in Physical, five in Mental, and six in Mystical. Let¡¯s keep the rest for later. And tomorrow, we go hunt monsters.¡± There was a certain gloating in the System¡¯s message. Peter snorted and went to sleep. 8. The Vetting
The next morning, Peter felt enfeebled but couldn¡¯t decide if it was because of the influx of incoming stats points or the shock of the previous days. A hurricane had swept him away and transported him into alien territory, like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. After all, in only three days, he had acquired magical powers, saved a pretty girl twice, killed monsters, beat a mobster, and shot dead a cultivator professional killer. About the latter, Peter remembered reading novels in which the main character was shocked and traumatized by his first kill and all sort of bullshit about taking a life. Peter wasn¡¯t affected in the least. I¡¯m surprisingly calm, considering the circumstances. Who would have thought¡ He had no idea if the assassin had a family but was pretty sure they were better off without him. However, didn¡¯t look forward to repeating that kind of event. ¡°System, could you try to hack the assassin¡¯s phone?¡± Peter asked, producing the item from his backpack. ¡°So fast?¡± ¡°Cop. The coop is the chickens¡¯ house.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy we put our differences aside. Let me shave and shower, and let¡¯s see what the Elf has to say.¡± Exiting the bathroom, Peter found the garbage bin on the floor, and the half-eaten pair of sports shoes had vanished. "Woof," the pup wagged his tail, then burped, a shoelace hanging out of his mouth. The next moment, he sucked it in like a spaghetti. ¡°You eat a lot, don¡¯t you?¡± Peter threw a granola bar to the pup, who finished it in seconds, leaving crumbs all over the carpet. Peter had to vacuum those, ate a granola bar as well, drank a coffee, and went out, putting his small backpack on the back and taking the warg with him. Eventually, they reached Peter¡¯s preferred spot. Peter sat on the grass, legs crossed, and the little warg nearby, panting with his tongue out. The elf reappeared after Peter breathed for a few minutes, letting his body and mind relax. His face was serious, and he was inside a treehouse, sitting at a desk, staring at Peter. Behind was a study with countless books wrapped in leather, and the window on the side showed a starry night. ¡°By the light of the silver moon, I greet you, adventurer. If you see this specific recording, you had to kill to survive, yet you are not a warrior by job or birth. Hear me well, as your continued existence might depend on it. You might think: I¡¯m all alone in a hostile world. How can I prevail? Don¡¯t lose hope. You are not alone. Unlike in System worlds, where many have access to a normal and comfortable life, in cultivator worlds, this privilege is reserved only for a few. All you have to do is look around you; the abused and the exploited are your allies. ¡°It¡¯s up to you how to proceed, but the proven way is this: if you go on the path of war, take out important Cultivator figures hurting the normal citizens. Make an example of them, and let the public know why those villains have been punished. Cultivators hide their wrongdoings and revel in secrets and obscurity. Stay in the shadows, but project the light of truth upon them. Blame your killings upon a rival sect, if possible, pit the cultivators against each other. ¡°The knowledge of a special set of combative skills has been released to your personal AI assistant. They will unlock as you gain experience. May the night light your way until we meet again.¡± The image disappeared, and Peter opened his eyes, feeling depressed. He had no intention of taking out anyone. Revolutionary was not a word Peter wanted to associate with himself, and the elf had sounded too Trotskyist for his liking. His top priority was to keep a low profile and hope those drug dealers wouldn¡¯t send more assassins after him. What the hell is in those pills? The pup barked, thirsty for attention and having his head fondled. ¡°Huh?¡± Peer shook his head, stunned by the new tone. ¡°The fuck!¡± Peter facepalmed. ¡°The System is broken¡ I¡¯m screwed!¡± ¡°Why the heck are you talking like that?¡± ¡°Please, can you just speak normally?¡± Peter begged. ¡°Benevolent condescesion?¡± Peter hissed. ¡°Return to how you spoke before, or I¡¯ll shut your voice off!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°Grrrr¡.¡± the pup growled, looking around, interpreting Peter¡¯s raised voice as a warning toward some beast or unseen menace. ¡°It¡¯s OK, little buddy. It¡¯s just the System getting through a phase. Come!¡± Peter snapped his fingers and started running. ¡°The exercise would do you good.¡± When he returned to his dorm, Regina awaited him, walking back and forth. She waved at him as soon as Peter was visible, then squatted and hugged the incoming pup, squeezing it at her breast and ruffling his fur. Lucky dog¡ Peter thought but tried to look away from her bosom. That kind of distraction was the last thing he needed. ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Regina asked. "Remember that Dire Wolf? I found the pup near the body." "Oh no! It was its mother!" Regina wailed, her eyes widened and watery. "This is a warg, not a crazed beast. The one I killed ate his mother¡ Please, don''t tell anyone I adopted a warg,¡± Peter lowered his voice, looking around to make sure no one heard them. "Your secret is safe with me, so I solemnly swear," Regina raised her right hand, hanging the pup in the air by the back of the neck for a second. "Sorry, sweetie," she excused herself, hugging the warg again. ¡°What''s its name?" "Doesn¡¯t¡¯ have one yet. Why don''t you name him?" Peter proposed. ¡°It¡¯s a boy.¡± "Can I?" Regina jumped on her toes. She looked cheerful and energetic, which made Peter smile. "What would you like best, a funny or serious name?" Welcome back. You OK? ¡°Something related to fantasy or comics,¡± Peter repeated the System''s words, adding his preference. "He''ll grow big," he excused himself, just in case she preferred the funny thematic.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Hm¡ hm¡" Regina pondered, grabbing her chin. "Do you have a preference, puppy? What do you like to do best?" ¡°Eating my shoes,¡± Peter laughed. "Shredder!" Regina exclaimed in triumph, raising the pup over her head. "That''s perfect!" Peter exclaimed. ¡°I adored the Ninja turtles when I was a kid!¡± It still brings back happy memories. "Woof!" "He likes it too," Peter smiled. "How are you?¡± He lowered his voice again, fondling her shoulder affectionately. ¡°I-m f-fine¡¡± she stuttered, tears creeping into her eyes. She shook her head, like chasing away the bad memories, and blurted all of a sudden: ¡°The club was a stupid choice. For our second date, you pick the place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± Peter said softly, knowing he wanted to go on another date with her, but it was better not to, considering how hectic his life had become. ¡°Mission accomplished. We were seen together, and Jack and Ariana know we¡¯re over them. We can stop pretending.¡± ¡°Did I ever tell you I want to pretend?¡± she blurted. ¡°I said I want Jack to see I¡¯m moving on. I want to date you for real.¡± Peter gasped, feeling his heart beating in his throat. Nevertheless, his decision was the same. ¡°That¡¯s nice of you, but I¡¯m not worth the trouble. I¡¯m just a normie, remember?¡± She insisted, frowning at him. ¡°So what? You saved me twice. And you¡¯re funny: Centurion Snotty Boar,¡± she grinned. Let¡¯s stop before it gets too complicated, Peter thought. Better for both of us. For you, mostly. ¡°If it¡¯s what you really want,¡± he sighed, his lips moved like having their own mind. ¡°Amazing! Then¡ please come with me,¡± she grinned sheepishly, putting Shredder down and forwarding a hand. ¡°You want us to go on a date now?¡± Peter asked. It was still morning. ¡°Not exactly¡ My parents are in town, and I¡¯m¡ err¡ kinda grounded,¡± she lowered her head between the shoulders. ¡°They said that if I want to date you, they should meet you first.¡± ¡°The heck?¡± Peter gasped. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re overprotective. And by the way¡ Be careful what you say in front of them. My folks have this evil way of extracting information from you¡ª¡± ¡°They just sit and stare at you?¡± Peter recalled what his parents did when he was younger. ¡°¡ªand I might have mentioned a few things about our adventures,¡± Regina confessed. ¡°What exactly did you tell them?¡± Peter furrowed his brows. ¡°That I broke up with Jack and want to date you¡ and that you saved me from a wolf¡ and took me home from the club when I got... drunk..." she choked. ¡°Please,¡± she kneaded her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like you¡¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he stepped back. ¡°I have a lot on my mind now¡¡± ¡°Like what, walking the dog?¡± she sulked, crossing her arms. ¡°You owe me this!¡± Peter slackjawed. ¡°I owe you to meet your parents and to ask for their permission to date you?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she nodded energetically. ¡°The Chinese say that if you save someone, you are indebted to them. For life.¡± The morning was becoming late, and passersby¡ªteachers and students¡ªlooked at them curiously. Fuck¡ I wanted to say goodbye, but now I¡¯m meeting her parents¡ ¡°Thank you!¡± Regina exclaimed, interpreting Peter¡¯s hesitation as a yes. She jumped to hug him and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± she said, taking his hand. Shredder whimpered. ¡°I think he wants to stay home,¡± Peter said. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± Leaving the pup in the apartment took exactly that amount of time, and soon after that, they strolled briskly through the campus and the old town. A few hotels stayed in business, and they stopped in front of the best of them, if not the biggest. A three-story building with brick walls covered in ivy and art-nouveau-style ironworks. Two armored cars and a few 4x4s were parked in front. ¡°Don¡¯t mention the drugs or the... other thing,¡± she whispered. ¡°Of course,¡± he nodded. The doorman opened the brass door for them. Inside, there were many people and luggage. Some people wore quality Italian suits, and others wore military fatigues. The latter openly carried military-grade guns. One of them pushed the button on a walkie-talkie. ¡°The princess is here,¡± he said. ¡°Send them up,¡± someone replied. ¡°Who are they?¡± Peter whispered in Regina¡¯s ear. ¡°My dad¡¯s people. He¡¯s into moving valuables business. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all legal¡¡± She pulled him by the hand, and they went up the stairs to the third floor and a sort of royal suite. There were three persons there, two men and a woman. ¡°My mom, dad, and uncle,¡± Regina said. ¡°Guys, this is Peter!¡± She literally beamed, saying his name. ¡°Hey, princess,¡± one of the men said, hugging Regina and kissing her cheeks. He was in his middle forties, blond, medium height, tanned, and¡ restless. Peter couldn¡¯t find another word. The blond had something in motion every second. Eyes, fingers, feet¡ The other man, with dark hair spiked with a few strands of gray, raised a hand in greeting and returned his eyes to his laptop. He had soft traits and that ageless vibe Peter had seen in some Asian men. ¡°Chere catin!¡± the woman said, opening wide her arms. The resemblance was striking. Blonde and in her forties, the woman kept her good looks and silhouette. ¡°Make yourself comfortable, Peter,¡± she gestured toward an armchair. By happenstance or not, it was arranged in the middle of the room, facing the three. ¡°Feels like a parole hearing,¡± Peter laughed candidly, sitting and crossing his legs, trying to appear relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s a vetting,¡± the blond man said. ¡°Regina has been too sheltered for her own good, and we want to be sure she makes a good choice this time.¡± ¡°Tell me, Peter. Do you like Regina?¡± the mother asked. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t? Peter replied, rolling his eyes and deciding to counterattack. ¡°The question you should ask is: do we get along well? And the answer is I don¡¯t know yet. She hangs out with the cool people, I¡¯m with the help.¡± ¡°Support is important!¡± Regina objected. ¡°I agree there,¡± the dark-haired man said. ¡°I read your CV. You studied business. Why did you stop?¡± Peter snorted, letting out a sad sigh afterward. ¡°I wanted to start an online store about luxury goods and antiques. That niche collapsed.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get the diploma, though?¡± ¡°I never cared for that,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°My studies were just a means to achieve an end. I moved on.¡± ¡°I see¡¡± the man said, keeping his expression impenetrable. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase. You saved our princess¡¯s life,¡± the blond man said, putting his hand inside his jacket and taking out a thick envelope he threw on the coffee table before Peter. ¡°This is my thanks, but it comes with a condition. If you take it, you walk away and forget about dating Regina¡ª¡± ¡°Marius!¡± the girl yelled, advancing with her hands balled into fists. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Money reveals the truth in people,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°So, what¡¯s gonna be, kid? Cash or the girl?¡± A red curtain briefly descended on Peter¡¯s eyes, and he barely refrained from punching the blond. He liked money but disliked being insulted. After a year of bullying from all sorts of wannabee cultivators monkeying the behavior of the sect elders, he was quite fed up with it. The cherry on the cake had been the disdainful envelope-throwing gesture. Taking the envelope, Peter stood up, opened it, and briefly shuffled the banknotes with his thumb. They were all new bills of a hundred, feeling pristine. At least ten grand. He put the envelope in his pants¡¯ pocket. Regina¡¯s eyes welled with tears. The man shrugged, walking his eyes around the room with a certain I told you so in them. He was not gloating, though; he looked sad. Like he had really hoped for Regina to find a nice guy to date. ¡°You said money reveals the truth, right? Yeah, only this is not the truth you expected,¡± Peter said, barely containing his anger. ¡°I¡¯ll take the money as an asshole tax because it was a shitty move. We¡¯ll spend it on the best food and drinks in town, and I¡¯m going on a date with her no matter what you say. This,¡± he waved his finger around the room, ¡°is nuts. If you have a problem with me, old-timer, let¡¯s go outside!¡± ¡°HAHAHA¡¡± the blond man roared, letting his head backward, then came forward to slap Peter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that. He has my vote. Just between us, I would have kicked your ass,¡± he whispered the last part to Peter. ¡°I was in the special forces.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t overexert yourself, dear senior citizen,¡± Peter sussured. ¡°I can hear your dental prosthetic clinking.¡± Marius growled, sketching a step forward. ¡°You little¡ª" ¡°Yey!¡± Regina clapped, interrupting their secret quarrel from which she evidently didn¡¯t hear a word. ¡°Love is so romantic at their age¡¡± Regina¡¯s mother sighed, giving her daughter a thumbs up. Hey! Hold your horses, woman! Peter yelled on the inside. ¡°It¡¯s a conditional yes from me,¡± the dark-haired man said calmly, closing his laptop. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, princess,¡± he frowned at Regina. ¡°I told you Jack was bad news, and you didn¡¯t listen. These are my conditions: You¡¯ll see Peter for half an hour a day for a week, not longer. Next Saturday, you can go for dinner. You will keep this going for a month before deciding whether you want to be an item. Of course, you can do what you want, but goodbye allowance.¡± ¡°First half hour starts now,¡± Regina blurted, grabbing Peter¡¯s hand and pulling him out of the room. She slowed down only when they were out, searching for his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not about the money. My parents¡¯ opinion means a lot to me. A month is a small price to be sure we like each other. Right?¡± she slightly frowned, scrutinizing him. ¡°So¡ err¡ coffee?¡± he asked, still a bit dazed by the turn of events. "Let''s have some tea. I challenge you to find the perfect place. I want to see if you can read my tastes. Reward: a kiss." In Peter''s mind, the task was simple. Five minutes later, they were in front of a cozy tea house. It had the best Earl Gray and muffins in town. "You think I''m eighty?" Regina scoffed. "I''ll give you my grandma''s phone if you want to take your date here." "What kind of tea do you like?" "Boba tea," Regina said in a deadpanned tone, ignoring the slight annoyance in his voice. Of course, she¡¯s what, eighteen? "Do you know a place?" "I sure do." Taking him by the arm, she led the way to a crowded place two blocks further. It was full of students, almost all Cultivators. The only normies were the waitpersons. "Can we sit with you?" Regina asked a pair sitting at a table of four. It was the only place available. "You can sit," The boy looked up. Young and immature, his eyes told of a smug plan, maybe to appear cool in front of his girlfriend by humiliating a normie. Peter stared back blandly, his eyes reflecting a wish to murder the other in a gruesome manner. "We were just leaving," the girl said, pulling his date after her. "I''m sorry," Regina whispered while sitting. "I forgot about the crowd¡ Did I behave like that, too?" "It''s OK," he said. "Let''s enjoy the tea." They had two teas each, with different flavors, which he forgot as soon as the glasses were empty, mesmerized by her puckered lips, wishing to kiss them. She paid, and then they walked aimlessly in silence on the streets. Somehow, how hard he tried, Peter couldn''t find a proper conversation topic. All of a sudden, she cowered into herself for a few seconds. Peter realized they were passing by the street with the Pink Trip. He put his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Thank you,¡± Regina tucked herself into Peter. He leaned his face into his hair instinctively. ¡°What if we¡¯d tell someone about what happened? Someone we could trust and could act against those bastards? Maybe Alchemy¡ª" ¡°I don¡¯t trust that bitch!¡± Regina snapped faster than a rattlesnake. ¡°Dog doesn¡¯t eat dog.¡± Peter jerked her head, staring at her for a second, and she sulked. ¡°I¡¯m a cultivator too, I know¡ I¡¯d give a hand to be normal again. I don¡¯t need powers if they bring out the worst in me.¡± ¡°Your worst is better than the nice I¡¯ve seen on some people,¡± Peter said, fondling her arm. ¡°You¡¯re staying with your parents?¡± he asked because there were only a few minutes left from their half an hour, and they were between the hotel and the Campus. ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°They asked me to, but I¡¯m mad at them. Uncle Marius pushed it too far.¡± ¡°Oh, so that guy¡¯s your uncle,¡± Peter giggled. ¡°I almost punched him.¡± ¡°For a moment, I thought you¡¯d take the money and leave,¡± she sighed, running her hand through her hair. ¡°Honestly?¡± Peter asked, looking into her eyes. ¡°I would have left if not for the money. Before today, I thought my parents were the weirdest on Earth, but your folks are on another level.¡± ¡°Then I have to thank Marius for the idea,¡± she smiled, caressing his cheek. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Peter said. They arrived in front of Regina¡¯s dorm. ¡°I¡¯ll go study,¡± she said, pointing at the library building. ¡°Tomorrow at the same hour? We can check your tea house next.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet in the afternoon,¡± Peter suggested, intending to train in the morning. ¡°What¡¯s your number?¡± ¡°Here,¡± she said, showing him her phone screen, waiting for him to copy the number. When he was done, Regina pecked his lips briefly and ran away. 9. A Thunder on Sunday
On Sunday morning, Peter was brushing his teeth when someone knocked on the door. In front of the room was the Alchemy teacher, frowning at him. "It was convened that I''ll walk the dog today," she said in a deadpan voice. "I expected you''d bring the pup to me." "Sorry, teacher¡ give me a moment." Peter rushed to grab Shredder, who was sleeping. The pup yelped, protesting while the man quickly put the leash on him. That''s how cultivators are¡ lazy and bossy. "You have been exercising," the woman said pensively, sweeping her eyes over Peter''s body. There was a sudden change in her aura¡ a sultry vibe. Peter swallowed a lump, realizing he was wearing only his boxers. "A b-bit." "I''ll keep the dog for the day," she said, snatching the leash from Peter''s hand. "Come to get it at nine." Her index''s long and sharp red nail rested for a second on Peter''s pectoral. Retracting her hand after a short descending motion that sent a shiver up his spine, she left. "Fuuuuck," Peter whined, resting his forehead on the door, eyes closed, banging the wood with his fist. "Absolutely!¡± ¡°You bet¡ She is known for doing, err¡ private tantric yoga lessons with some students¡ if you get my point. ¡± ¡°Yeah. But hitting on a normie? That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°I guess she isn¡¯t the average cultivator,¡± Peter sneered. "Just basic instinct. She¡¯s hot¡ for her age¡ whatever that is. What should I do?¡± ¡°Maybe? The thing is, cultivators are not used to taking no for an answer¡ And¡¡± Peter looked around. His studio was not big, but it was way above what he had at his last college. ¡°The cultivators canceled all my student loans when I enlisted to Dartmouth, and nothing here costs anything¡ it would be really nice if not for the bullies. If I¡¯m expelled for bad behavior, I¡¯ll have to pay all my loans again¡¡± ¡°The headmistress makes the rules, so yeah¡" "Ew!" Peter grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re not helping at all!¡± When he went to the bathroom to shower, Peter couldn''t stop looking in the mirror at his new muscles; they were not huge but more defined. His shoulders were broader, and his gray eyes had specks of gold. There was a new coldness there; he had to take a life to survive, and the mirrors of the soul showed it. He felt his pulse accelerating in anger; the world had gone to shit, and monsters in human skin like that assassin were allowed to roam free and kill at will. That was funny, Peter conceded. You sounded more¡ err¡ human¡ Sorry, that might have been disrespectful. It¡¯s OK to be an AI. Due to your recent performances, Impulse and Influence have advanced from the Novice to the Apprentice tier. Impulse and all the skills it activates will have a 10% cost reduction. Influence will have a +10% chance of success. Peter scratched his chin. "Costs, like in Mana, right? Do I have a Mana Pool or something?¡± "Why?" "Tell me something, System¡ If you take over, will the world be a better place?" "I guess it¡¯s better than any politician," Peter twisted his face in a grimace. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± The rest of the morning passed fast, busy with training chores and relaxation because there was no such thing as too much of it, according to the System. It also helped Peter stop thinking about Regina or the mobsters. Ironically, he was more afraid of dating the first than fighting the latter. Falling in love was something he had promised to postpone until his heart would fully heal from a certain former love of his life, currently nicknamed the bitch. the AI asked at some point. ¡°What do you mean?¡± "I won''t do such a thing," Peter said decisively. ¡°It would be cannibalism.¡± ¡°All of it? Not even a molecule?¡± Peter asked to ensure he or those he¡¯d give the pills to would not eat human cells of any sort. Because it was Ew, with majuscule. Or Gross, with a capital in front.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°So something from the core goes into the pills after all!¡± Peter accused. There was no way to check if the System told the truth, and in the end, Peter reluctantly agreed to proceed. The Alchemy lab was free, and after an hour of hard labor using a hammer and various files, all that remained from the core was a fine powder. The recipes were much like the simple rejuvenation or energization pills Peter already knew to do. Peter added flavors and colors to distinguish the variants at the System''s suggestion. The Blueberry pills were supposed to restore Mana, while the Chocolate and Mint were about health. The final result was three hundred small pills, cooked slowly in the lab''s oven at low heat, and he got a notification about it: You have crafted a large batch of Health and Mana rare-tier pills. Warning: The recommended dosage is not more than a pill of each kind every half-an-hour When the pills were ready and cooled, Peter packed them into two recipients, one colored blue and the other red, to better distinguish them, and went to the cafeteria to eat a late lunch. He had skipped breakfast and was a bit hungry. Afterward, he went home to pick a blanket and set himself for a siesta on Dartmouth Green under a majestic oak. All was peaceful, and Peter dozed off until a weird feeling put him on alert, and he opened his eyes. There was a clap of thunder, loud enough that all windows around trembled, followed by blinding lightning. The air was still crackling with electricity when a man appeared in the middle of the lawn. He looked in his early thirties, with long white hair and an elegant Cultivator-style tailcoat. Electricity sparks ran over his skin. ¡°Qi Message: Grand Master Li has arrived," a voice spoke, almost as loud as thunder before. "Intruder!" a voice screamed. "Hands up!" In an amazing stupidity display, the campus guard, Kostel, ran toward the Cultivator, fumbling to unholster his gun. The long-haired man raised an eyebrow, and a wave of qi pressure erupted toward the guard, making ripples in the air. Peter felt his stomach churning even sixty feet away from the brunt of the attack. Nevertheless, Kostel persisted. He vomited and fell on his belly, eyes rolling empty, but he managed to press the trigger thrice. Click, click, click, the revolver said before the guard collapsed unconscious. The weapon was still empty. What an idiot! Floating down in a gentle glide, the Alchemy teacher landed and knelt before the cultivator. "Grand Master Li." "No need for etiquette, Melinda, my child. Raise," the man said. ¡°What brings you here, Grand Master?¡± Melinda continued. "You asked for my help. I sent you one of my best bloodhounds. He never returned to the base. Tell me what happened. From the beginning.¡± ¡°Of course, Grandmaster,¡± Alchemy bowed. ¡°A scuffle occurred at my experimental club between a boy who recently advanced to the second stage and my manager. Someone profited from the diversion to steal a handful of pills.¡± What the heck? This is about the club? Melinda¡¯s the owner? ¡°I understand,¡± the cultivator nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a valuable invention; we don¡¯t want the secret revealed. And you sent my bloodhound to chase the culprit.¡± ¡°Indeed, Grandmaster. He was meeting the local Resistance cell when we had the last communication. I thought he had disposed of them and moved on.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t report back, it means he was killed. Do you know where he met the Resistance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, I¡¯m sorry. Couldn¡¯t your bloodhound have been delayed for some reason?¡± Melinda asked in a shaky voice. ¡°He lived for his job. Delay was not his middle name.¡± Goodness, what an awful pun! ¡°You think the resistance got him, Grand Master?¡± "No, my child," the man said, patting her head like she was a pet. "Human weapons are useless against my finest. There¡¯s only one possible answer,¡± Li said, grabbing his chin and walking back and forth. ¡°The manager did it. He stole the pills under the pretense of the fight. After finding out the Resistance was not guilty, my man went to confront him and got ambushed. As it is said: Once you¡¯ve tossed out all the wacky stuff, whatever¡¯s left¡ªno matter how nutty it seems¡ªhas to be the real deal.¡± ¡°Sherlock Holmes?¡± Melinda asked. ¡°Scooby Doo. I take comfort in watching silly shows during my meditation hours.¡± Awful! Is there nothing sacred left for cartoons? Sherlock doesn¡¯t deserve to¡ª ¡°And I¡¯ll prove my theory this instant. As you know, I¡¯m a living truth detector.¡± With a brief flash, the cultivator disappeared, returning a second later, holding the club manager by the head, suspended in the air, and flailing his members, trying to escape. ¡°Confess! I know you are guilty!¡± Li thundered. ¡°I am sorry!¡± the manager screamed. ¡°It was a mistake. I thought sh¡ª¡± The manager¡¯s body transformed into ashes. A buzzing sound akin to the one of the electric insect killer echoed for a moment. A sickening burnt grease smell lingered on. I bet he did¡ Meanwhile, the cultivator had spoken on. ¡°Some of your ideas have merit, Melinda. Breaking qi-advancement pills in homeopathic doses fastens cultivation. But why make your students jump up all night? Is this¡ dance,¡± Li wrinkled his nose, ¡°good for anything?¡± "They''re doing double the physical training without even realizing it!¡± Melinda said. ¡°Yes, but it also creates the premises for unethical intercourse.¡± Unethical what? ¡°I know you believe in this¡ sexual liberation idea,¡± the cultivator shivered with an expression of disgust, ¡°but it can¡¯t work, Melinda. It will ruin the foundations of our society.¡± Add patriarchal before society, and you¡¯ll be right, Peter frowned. What an asshole! He wasn¡¯t what people called woke, but he was not going to stop calling bullshit when he saw it. ¡°You¡¯re closing that club, starting immediately,¡± Li said. ¡°From the first Wednesday of next month, your proteges will start to train for real on floor three. Like everyone else.¡± "But¡ª" "I''m not asking," the man''s voice became harsher. "It''s an order. Get it done. I''m discombobulated by how far behind your little project is¡ and how you surround yourself with the corrupt and the dumb." The man turned his eyes toward Kostel, now on all fours but struggling to get his Taser out, never mind that the Cultivator had arrived on a roll of thunder. A reversed lightning shot out toward the sky, traveling through the faraway clouds, and the visitor was gone. The booming noise came later and distant. So¡ The club was a scheme to advance the training¡ Wow¡ At least we¡¯re safe¡ Meanwhile, the Alchemy teacher had walked to Kostel, pulled him to his feet, and slapped the man abundantly until he woke up. "Mini-master Melinda, are you all right?" Kostel mumbled. "It''s Journeyman Master Melinda, you moron, and the one you tried to shoot was my boss. You''re incredibly lucky to be alive." "Sorry," Kostel lowered his eyes. "Look at me!" she yelled, pulling the guard closer by the lapel. "I know you''re Resistance." "Advanced Master Melinda, I swear I''m n¡ª" "Journeyman! Do you think I didn''t notice the manuals stolen from my library? Every time you came pretending to dust the books, only to stare at my boobs, like the idiotic monkey you are?" "I''m sorry¡" the man whispered. "I can''t help it, you''re too beau¡ª" Goodness, he''s suicidal! "I don''t care. What I care about is who took out a stage six Body Cultivator. Because my employees would never be able to do that. Where were you two nights ago?" "I was in the Campus, Journeyman Melinda¡ And we didn¡¯t know he was a cultivator." What did you expect? The Alchemy teacher stared at the guard like she was trying to strangle him with her eyes. The man''s will collapsed. "I''m sorry, Your Highness, I didn''t mean to do wrong," Kostel fidgeted. "We have a society¡ of people who fight for better conditions. Me, Garcia, the pizza restaurant owner, the one who organizes protests, and a masked girl who saves monster cubs. I don''t know her real name." "Which of them killed the assassin?" "Neither. We met at Garcia¡¯s, like usual. There were two guests: a policeman and a biker. He had his helmet on, and I didn''t see his face. Very tall, broad-shouldered, tattoos everywhere." "Cartel tattoos?" Melinda asked. "I think so¡ Words in Spanish, for sure. Muerte, suerte¡ And BAM!" Kostel clapped his hands. "The cartel guy shoots the policeman in the head. I restrain him and¡ª" "Don''t even bother," the teacher interjected. "The biker told us the officer was an assassin and that he was a bounty hunter hired to kill him. I saw the dead guy¡¯s phone... photos with his victims¡ kids, elderly, horrible stuff¡ The biker took the body and went away, and I ran back here. Miss¡ please¡ will Garcia be in trouble because of me?" Kostel tried to make puppy eyes, only succeeding to look constipated. "This stays between us. Tell Garcia to keep his nose clean from now on," Melinda said, letting the man free. "You''ll let me know if you ever see the biker again, or you''re fired." She walked away, shaking her head. "A gun against a Body six?" Peter heard her say. Thank goodness¡ It looks like this is over. What was that about the third floor? Then we better hunt some monsters and level up¡ 10. A Hot Night
While Alchemy left for good, Kostel was hanging around. He had picked up his weapon and now was humming a merry melody, strolling on the lawn, hands in his pockets. Go away, dumbass! Peter cursed. Sorry? Peter faked a yawn and changed his position, indulging the System. A few minutes later, the guard went away, still humming. What was that about? Peter asked, rising on his buttocks. "Shrug off? He barely managed to keep his pants clean." "You''re kidding me!" Peter blurted. ¡°You gave him the System?¡± "All OK?" a random student stopped to ask. "I''m fine, just talking to myself," Peter waved his hand, pretending to read the book. I beg you, don¡¯t tell him about us. He''ll rat on me the first occasion. The fuck? You told him? "The expression is with both hands. I forbid you from giving the system to anyone else without my permission. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Being ruled by an alien AI is the natural order of things?¡± ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t tell Kostel about us at all. He¡¯s a moron," Peter said. Is Kostel also an Impulse? ¡°You traitor!¡± Peter exclaimed in righteous indignation. ¡°What about patching up my class before giving one to idiots?¡± ¡°Starts rough,¡± Peter facepalmed, feeling the need to cry. We¡¯re doomed¡ He¡¯s changing the subject, isn¡¯t he? For most of the evening, Peter searched for Alchemical ingredients in the forest. Luckily, monsters avoided daylight, and the task was completed without a problem. Returning to the lab, he transformed the new substances into glazing, coating the pills he had created earlier and baking them a second time at a very low temperature. The result was supposed to accelerate the Health and Mana recovery further. In the afternoon, the date with Regina went extremely well. She did frown at the interior design of Peter¡¯s preferred tea house, all laces and embroideries, but enjoyed the cakes and the tea. Just hanging together made Peter feel warm inside. When they parted, they hugged and kissed. A real kiss. Her mouth tasted like the cakes and the tea¡ and had a certain freshness and spiciness that made his lips buzzing with energy afterward, for whatever reason. But finally, the hour to pick back the pet approached, and he exited his dorm. It was a hot evening, and the air was still and humid. Peter¡¯s heart was split. Despite finding Alchemy attractive, he didn''t appreciate her advances. Yet¡ rejecting Melinda could cause him problems. He arrived in front of the teacher''s mansion at five to nine, dressed in jeans and a gray neutral T-shirt. The building was one of the nicest on the campus and had a circular row of columns. Peter had no idea how it looked before but knew many buildings had their exteriors or interiors redone in the few months between the Awakening and the College¡¯s opening. Cultivators were fans of traditional architecture, one of the few things Peter agreed with. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°You mean follow my heart, you dummy!¡± There was no answer. Sighing, Peter rang the bell. "Come in. Upstairs," Melinda''s voice replied from the speaker. A buzz signaled the door was open. Peter entered a vast lobby with marble on the floor and intricate wood panels. A central stairs dividing into two alleys went up. "To the right," the woman¡¯s voice reached him. He followed the indication to a corridor ten feet wide. The carpet on it was Persian and exquisite. Before he stepped on, he took his shoes off. His feet sank into the rug as in forest moss. Twenty yards further was the master bedroom, twice his studio''s size. Dressed in a semi-transparent silk robe, Melinda sat on a velvet couch. Her full breasts were half-revealed, and he could see her belly button. Her midriff was toned and looked like a living porcelain. Peter swallowed a lump. "Sit," the woman patted the couch. He did, but not quite as close as she wished. Melinda frowned, but Peter pretended not to notice, walking his eyes around. Art, a lot of art. He could swear some of the paintings belonged in a museum. "It''s an honest collection, even if cheap," she said, noticing where he looked. "I had to settle for the second-tier art. The Louvre. No one but the council can touch Orsay." "Orsay?" "Where the good stuff is. Van Gogh and others¡" "Oh¡ I thought the Louvre was cool¡" Melinda shook her head. "Good art, strong art, comes with pain and struggle. It helps Cultivation. Painting a bland, plump woman for a gig can''t compare with an artist who cut his ear and then blew his brains off¡ Maybe one day I will show you the real Starry Night¡ My father has it¡ You feel you''re falling into it." The woman''s eyes were watery. She was half-drunk, Peter realized, from the empty bottle lying on the floor. A French wine, and an expensive one. There was another bottle on the coffee table, almost full. She poured a glass, offering it to him. At the last moment, she changed her mind and took a sip. Then, she grabbed Peter by the back of his neck and kissed him, pouring both the liquid and her tongue into his mouth. The kiss was wild and inebriating. Peter lost control and kissed her back, kneading her breasts. Suddenly, the kiss with Regina came to his mind, and he stopped and leaned back. "What''s up?" she caressed his cheek. "I¡¯m seeing someone," he said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to do this¡ for both of you.¡± She frowned, scrutinizing him, then finished the glass of wine and poured herself another, which followed the first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡± she said, letting her head back on the armrest. ¡°I should have asked¡ I was just in a blue mood. A project dear to my heart was closed today¡ You''re cute, and I lost my mind for a moment¡ Let¡¯s be friends,¡± she yawned with half-closed eyes. ¡°You can call me Melinda¡¡± ¡°OK, Melinda... What was the project about?¡± Peter asked. ¡°To make training fun¡ Free¡ ah¡ advice,¡± Melinda yawned again, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°Stay near me during the trials.¡± "What trials?" Peter asked, a bit concerned by her words. She looked at him with hazed eyes. "Soon, everybody will train on the third floor of the Tower¡" Melinda hiccuped and suddenly went limp, snoring softly like a cat. That made Peter detect another snoring, alternating with hers. Behind the couch, his belly up, Shredder was asleep as well, his tongue hanging out. Next to him was a half-eaten steak in a cardboard box from the best restaurant in town and a water bowl filled with wine. Geez¡ What would this qualify for? Animal abuse? Giving alcohol to an underage monster? He grabbed the pup under his arm but gently shook Melinda by the shoulder before leaving. She moaned, breathing heavily, her breast almost exposed in that laying position. Peter shivered and shook her again; this time, she half-opened her eyes. "Teacher¡ if the third floor is dangerous, why don''t we start with the first?" "You silly¡ aaaah¡. boy¡" she smiled, yawning. "You already started the first floor." "I did? When?" he asked, trying to remember if one of their field trips had entered some cave. "Earth, silly boy¡ Earth is the first floor." She returned to sleep again, so the best thing to do was to leave. Outside, Peter almost bumped into his colleague, the girl who was always dressed in black Goth clothes. She frowned at him, and his heart skipped a beat. Please don''t tell Regina you saw me leaving Alchemy''s house! Before he finished his thought, she was already turning right on the next alley.
An hour later, after leaving Shredder¡ªstill asleep¡ªin his studio, Peter left the Campus, found an isolated spot, and changed into his armored clothes. It was an uncomfortable feeling; the night was one of the hottest ever on record for July. The System was still silent. He took the small drone from storage and sent it to fly around the city. It was a smart device that was easy to use. It took not long to find his target, somewhere between the Campus and the forest. He rode on the Yamaha¡ªhe needed to familiarize himself with it, after all¡ªand parked the bike a block further from his destination, approaching on foot. There was still traffic in front of the dilapidated building, a few people entering or exiting, carrying pet cages, everyone concealing their faces behind a hoodie. Soon, the flow of visitors ended, and Peter entered. The space had been a store once. On the shelves were cages with jackalope kits or mutated owl hatchlings. The most common monsters and the most hunted, even by normies. The girl had his back turned on him. "Hi, Shadow," he said. "Please, don''t shoot me!" the girl in a Venom costume screamed, covering her head and torso with her arms."I won''t tell, I swear!" "C¡¯mon! If I wanted you dead, why didn¡¯t I shoot you back at Garcia¡¯s?¡± Peter protested, taking a step back to appear less threatening. ¡°This is business. I have a warg pet, a pup. I¡¯ll need somebody to care for him when I¡¯ll be out of town," he said curtly. "A warg pet?" she finally said, calming down. "They¡¯re very rare." "He''s nice and small for now. Looks like a normal dog, but his poop is so acidic it goes through the ground, and he eats shoes. Literally. I must leave him with someone I can trust. I''ll pay extra if you train him to behave nicely." "¡Sure," she said after a brief hesitation. ¡°But you promise you won¡¯t shoot me, right?¡± "I promise. You won''t keep it in a cage, right?" "Of course not! We have big pens in the backyard." "Great." "Call before you come," she gave Peter a visit card. ¡°If I¡¯m not here, someone else will be. It''s a hundred bucks per day. Sorry¡ We need pet food and medicine." "It''s OK. Nice costume," Peter said while leaving. Once outside and on the motorcycle, a familiar voice greeted him, sounding happy. Hey, you''re back. ¡°You sound more normal now,¡± Peter said. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t tell him about me, right?¡± "OK. Melinda¡ err¡ Alchemy understood. We didn''t push it too far." He sighed. ¡°I like being around her. It¡¯s just¡ I¡¯m torn in half if you want to know.¡± Because at some point, I might put her in danger. I¡¯m not a superhero¡ Just a regular guy with a System. Let¡¯s hunt some monsters until I level up. Alchemy implied that the third floor is dangerous. "No¡ I asked why don¡¯t we start with the first floor, but she was drunk and said some nonsense, like Earth being the first floor¡ª " The curse sounded so loud that Peter swerved on the street and almost crashed on the walkway. 11. Small Game Hunting
¡°The fuck?¡± Peter yelled, stopping his bike and struggling to keep it from falling laterally. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Oh, my God! You mean¡ ¡°But¡ the astronomers would have noticed the change, right? I mean, the stars¡ª¡± the System continued, sounding the most depressed Peter had ever heard. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°You want me to go against folks who can kidnap entire solar systems? I¡¯m sorry to break it to you, but no thanks! I¡¯m just one guy, level eleven. ¡± ¡°Fuck¡¡± ¡°Affirmative,¡± Peter said automatically. He had thought the same: he needed more knowledge to save himself and Regina. He didn''t want her involved if there was a war to be fought. Just this realization made his heart beat faster. ¡°Not anymore,¡± Peter groaned. ¡°Aren¡¯t them too weak to give XP?¡± Shrugging, Peter started the motorcycle again. Reaching the spot marked on the minimap, he stored the bike and took out the drone anew. After five minutes of searching, he called the drone back. It was impossible to detect anything under the canopy. He holstered the gun at his waist, just in case, and took out a javelin in hand. Entering the woods, Peter Sneaked on, leaving the markers behind. The first Jackalope he met ran, losing itself under the bushes. However, his senses showed him its location. Pretending he was passing by, he turned and thrust his weapon downward. Squealing, the monster expired in seconds, and he Looted it. There were more noises at some distance, and he advanced carefully. This time, there were two adult jackalopes and four kits. He wasn¡¯t into killing families, so he retreated discreetly. All of a sudden, he realized something and facepalmed. ¡°We¡¯re doing it wrong!¡± Abandoning all pretenses of discretion, he started marching with heavy steps. ¡°Aggroing. There are more types of beasts, right? Normal mutated ones and crazed ones. It¡¯s a pity to attack the normal ones; they¡¯re like an endangered species. On the other hand, crazed beasts are pests and attack any intruder. We should concentrate on them.¡± the System said, flashing the mini-map in Peter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shit!¡± Alarmed by the numbers, Peter rushed to climb into a tree, but it was only a pine forest, and the branches were densely packed together and thin. One gave, and he fell on his back. The next second, the crazed monsters jumped him. The leather armor protected him from the worst of the attack, but he got bitten on his left wrist and ankle, exposed by the fall.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°You little fuckers!¡± Peter yelled, slamming the crazed jackalope clinging to his hand to the one munching on his foot. He jumped up, ignoring the rest of the attackers, picked up his javelin and tried to fight back. The only problem was that the long weapon was badly suited to close combat. Peter resorted to swinging it around like a bat and, finally, throwing himself against trees and rolling on the ground to crush the last monsters. ¡°Affirmative¡¡± Peter grumbled, massaging his lower back. His ankle and wrist had deep scratches and bites. Looking at the blood, Peter reluctantly obeyed. The bleeding stopped in seconds, but the scars still showed. ¡°That makes sense¡¡± Peter growled, angry at himself for not thinking about it. Jack¡¯s no Einstein, in case you didn¡¯t notice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Peter said aloud. ¡°I was taking a shortcut through the woods. Then I heard you guys and hid. I thought you were poachers.¡± It was as good an explanation as any other and made some sense. Peter hoped Jack would stop at that, being a lazy jackass. However, Jack proved him wrong and rushed at him, yelling: ¡°You¡¯re under arrest!¡± Intercepting the charge, Peter diverted it, slamming Jack into a tree. The latter fell, growled, and struggled to get up but failed. His ankle was broken or twisted. ¡°Stay down! Why the hell did you do that?¡± Peter hissed, taking his gun in hand again as a deterrent but keeping the muzzle down. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Peter waved his gun. ¡°Spare me the sermon,¡± Jack growled. ¡°You wanna shoot me? Shot me.¡± Peter shook his head and squatted in front of Jack at a safe distance, pointing his gun at the cultivator. ¡°I noticed a strange thing¡ Your charge was telegraphed and slow,¡± Peter said. ¡°Whatever. Shot me already!¡± Jack barked, massaging his ankle. ¡°You know what they say in the novels. Take out the impossible, blah blah, and the truth remains. You wanted me to shoot you. Why?¡± Jack began crying. ¡°Shot me¡ Please¡¡± ¡°You wanted me to shoot you,¡± Peter whispered the same thing again, his hand slightly trembling. He reholstered the gun to avoid an accidental discharge. ¡°I¡¯ll end it anyway¡ I¡¯ll find that bear and let it eat me¡ oh shit¡ it was no bear, right¡ it was you¡¡± Jack whimpered. ¡°Why?¡± Peter asked albeit he could guess the answer. ¡°I lost the love of my life¡ That¡¯s why,¡± Jack took his knees between his hands, his head hidden between his arms. ¡°And it¡¯s all my fault¡ I cheated on her¡ and she almost died because of me¡ And now I lost her. She¡¯s seeing someone else. Please do it¡ I don¡¯t have the courage to do it myself¡¡± ¡°You love this girl?¡± Jack nodded. Peter sighed, hating himself for what he was about to say. ¡°Then you should ask her forgiveness. Tell the other guy to give you space until you and her sort it out. Kick his ass if he doesn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jack blurted. ¡°If she loves him, I want her to be happy, no matter if he¡¯s a normie,¡± Jacke rolled his eyes at the last word, which made Peter snort. Jack was a prejudiced bastard, that was sure. ¡°And what if her being happy means to wait until she realizes the new guy is not good for her and forgives you? It¡¯s how these things work. Give her some time, eat your pride, and wait for the right moment.¡± ¡°You¡ sure?¡± ¡°Worked for me,¡± Peter lied, clenching his teeth. ¡°Now, we¡¯re happily married.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it this way¡¡± Jack whispered. There was hope in his eyes, and Peter decided to cut to the chase. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d be going. Take care.¡± ¡°Man¡ you sure are a weird poacher¡¡± Jack said, rising up. His ankle looked better or at least could support his weight. Peter shrugged, walking away. the System asked ten minutes later when they reached the road. ¡°Sometimes, you have only hard choices,¡± Peter said. ¡°He¡¯s only half an asshole. And frankly, you¡¯re complicating my life¡ I have to let Regina go. If we get together, she¡¯ll be in constant danger.¡± ¡°I will put on my most boring behavior, then when she has enough of it¡ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s up to them.¡± ¡°A hot chick, idiot.¡± ¡°Maybe because I didn¡¯t know he cared so much about her, dummy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t love her¡ we just met.¡± ¡°That was not sarcasm. It¡¯s a fact. Only not my fact,¡± Peter said, starting the motorcycle. "Movie or dinner first?" Regina asked. It was, finally, a proper date night after two weeks of coffee, tea, and sandwiches. The previous Saturday, they had only a quick pizza at Garcia because Regina¡¯s parents left town the next day, and she spent some time with them. Now, they were finally out together without a time limit and had negotiated that she would pick the movie and him the restaurant. Peter stopped to think for a second. Girls liked artsy-mushy stuff, so chances were he would be bored out of his mind. At least they could end the night with good food. "Movie?" ¡°Yey!¡± She took Peter by the arm, and they walked on the charming streets of the little New England old town until they reached a small art cinema. The French picture wasn¡¯t as bad as he expected; it was a romantic comedy, but Peter was so tired from chasing jackalopes all the previous night that he fell asleep. He even snored softly, the System informed him sourly. The AI enjoyed the movie a lot, though, expressing joy through messages that started with happy emojis. After they left the theater, it was Peter¡¯s turn to lead, and he escorted the girl to a nearby French restaurant. ¡°Nice. French movie, French food!¡± Regina giddily said. Browsing the menu, Peter noticed a very expensive wine. One of the best. It was marked: only one bottle left aside and cost two thousand dollars. ¡°How does this look to you?¡± he showed it to Regina. ¡°Excellent!¡± she grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s spend Uncle Marius¡¯s money.¡± Peter ordered the wine without second thoughts, and she helped order the food, speaking in French with the waiter. They both picked the onion soup and lamb chops. While they ate, they chatted about music and other hobbies but did not go into details. "Are you French Canadian?" Peter asked toward the end of the meal. "Cajun, but we moved around a lot." "Nice¡ I mean, Cajun is a cool ancestry." "I suppose," she shrugged. "And what about you, mister mysterious stranger? No one here knows much about you. You like keeping under the radar." "I''m from across the border¡ª" "Canada?" "Vermont.¡± ¡°Hm¡¡± she creased her nose. ¡°C¡¯mon, tell me more about you,¡± she leaned forward, grinning, ¡°Centurion Mucius Porcius.¡± ¡°Which means Silent Boar,¡± Peter rushed to remind her. ¡°What made you go into reenactment? Is it a passion?¡± ¡°Passion?¡± Peter giggled. ¡°More like forced labor. My parents are into re-enactment and HEMA. They have a thematic summer camp, and I had to help around. It¡¯s a lot of hard work. My folks barely make any money from it.¡± ¡°Why are they doing it then?¡± ¡°They enjoy it,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°And, do you? Enjoy it?¡± ¡°The Centurion part, yeah¡ The Pirate shows and the Wild West, so-and-so. I was always the villain.¡± ¡°No!¡± she frowned. ¡°That¡¯s unfair!¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Tell that to my Dad. He¡¯s playing the hero¡ I had to pretend to chew and spit tobacco every single day¡ We had a concoction to replace it¡ sage and other herbs¡ If we were in a bar, I¡¯d bet you twenty bucks I could spit in the bull''s eye of the dart target from ten feet.¡± Shut up. Go to Kostel. Shoo! ¡°You¡¯re very funny,¡± Regina stated. ¡°Mhh¡ this is so good¡¡± she took a sip of wine, leaning back on her chair, eyes closed. Then, she smiled at him warmly. ¡°Funny and considerate. I feel safe near you. Thank you.¡± ¡°S-sorry?¡± Peter almost gasped. ¡°Having patience with me, taking it with baby steps¡ Surrounding me with warmth and¡ I don¡¯t have a proper word¡ comfort? I feel you really care for me. Every day, I look forward to meeting you.¡± Peter sulked. For the last two weeks, he had tried to be as boring and bland as possible, trying to make her relegate him to the friend zone. Every day, he woke up promising to phone and tell her he was too busy to have a coffee or they should stop seeing each other. And he had failed to say the words¡ deep inside, he felt the same, looking forward to the half an hour of seeing her. I wonder if her parents tried to break us apart or hook up together? I became addicted to her¡ and we barely touched or kissed¡ ¡°We should go, it¡¯s late,¡± Regina sighed. ¡°I have a lot of study.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Peter asked. ¡°We must learn hundreds of new exotic plants for that field trip we¡¯re preparing for.¡± ¡°Oh¡¡± Peter nodded. He had been through a daily mandatory physical training session too. "The bill, please. Cash," he raised two fingers to call the waiter, preparing the envelope. As the message arrived, Peter¡¯s lateral vision noticed a silhouette exiting behind the nearby park¡¯s trees and running toward the restaurant. He summoned his pistol in his hand, a feat now available due to the last few days of training, keeping it under the table for the time being but accelerating his reflexes and physical performance. Moments later, the restaurant¡¯s door slammed against the wall, making the restaurant''s patrons jump up. ¡°I¡¯ll pay!¡± a man blurted, pointing at Regina¡¯s and Peter¡¯s table. ¡°Uncle Marius?¡± Regina exclaimed. ¡°Are you stalking us?¡± ¡°Never! I was just passing by and¡ err¡ noticed you two¡¡± ¡°You were supposed to leave!¡± ¡°Helene asked me to stay behind to¡ err¡ take care of a gig.¡± The girl slapped the table. ¡°What gig? Keeping an eye on me?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you take this outside?¡± the waiter said imploringly. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the bill. Card,¡± Marius said. ¡°But I have to redo the bill.¡± ¡°Then redo it!¡± Marius frowned. Slightly panting, he sat at their table and served himself with the last bit of wine remaining in Regina¡¯s glass. ¡°Sorry¡ so thirsty¡ good stuff¡¡± ¡°Here you are, sir,¡± the waiter produced the new bill and a card reader. ¡°Tip is not included.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay the tip,¡± Peter offered, sending his gun into storage and putting two fingers inside the cash envelope. Marius was certainly a multitasker, as he caught Peter¡¯s hand while gasping at the paper in his left hand. ¡°Two thousand bucks for a bottle of wine? C¡¯mon! It was good, but not that good.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re supposed to keep it in your mouth and chew on it,¡± Peter sneered. ¡°Let Peter go.¡± Regina blurted, almost yelling. ¡°That¡¯s a rip-off. No tip,¡± the man said, waving his card over the machine and typing in the code. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the college.¡± Marius pulled Peter after him, and Regina followed after throwing two hundred bill banknotes on the table. ¡°Stop!¡± she yelled angrily at her uncle once out of the restaurant. ¡°How dare you¡ª¡± ¡°The money¡¯s fake,¡± Marius said in a deadpan voice, releasing Peter¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s sort of a Monopoly money for some crazy rich people. I won it at poker.¡± ¡°Then why did you try to bribe me with it,¡± Peter asked. ¡°You don¡¯t think I was going to give ten grand to an asshole who would have taken cash over my priceless niece, right? If you had taken the money, I would have kicked your ass.¡± ¡°You mean you would have tried,¡± Peter shook his fist before Marius¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t like to punch retirees.¡± ¡°I¡¯m forty-five, punk!¡± Marius showed Peter the middle finger. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you said anything?¡± Regina asked, shoving the two men apart. Marius turned his palms up. ¡°I forgot¡ Sorry for the intrusion¡¡± ¡°We¡¯ll walk home on our own, and I forbid you to follow us,¡± Regina said categorically, taking Peter by the arm. ¡°Good night, princess,¡± Marius nodded and left. There was no garbage can in the vicinity, so Peter discreetly dismissed the money into storage, pretending he was putting the envelope in his pocket. It must look weird that I¡¯m always carrying this backpack around¡ Whatever¡ It is what it is¡ He let go of his thoughts, concentrating on the matter at hand. Her hand, fingers interwoven with his. Peter found the walk back to the Campus too short. They stopped in front of her dorm, each a lack of words. "Thank you, it was a lovely evening," Peter said. She remained in place, staring at him. Gathering his courage, Peter took her in his arms, and they exchanged the most intense kiss to date. Afterward, Regina giggled, her face and neck flushing, and ran inside the building. Peter waited until the door closed before walking back to his dorm, feeling drunk, half from the kiss and the other half from the good wine. He was starting to feel his plan to push Regina away was going down the drain quickly. 13. The Tower: First Contact
At seven o''clock on a Wednesday morning, Peter had a dilemma. It was the day of their first third-floor trip¡ªwhatever that meant¡ªand he had to sort out what to do with the warg: leave the pup alone in the apartment or at Shadow¡¯s shelter. The students were informed by mail they would return before evening, so leaving Shredder at home was possible. On the other hand, he felt it was his duty to help the pup socialize and expand his horizons. When I¡¯ll be a parent, I won¡¯t lock my kids in the house, right? My folks took me to the summer camps as soon as I could walk. ¡°How big will he grow?¡± ¡°That big, huh?¡± Peter sighed. "Wow¡" Peter widened his eyes when noticing ten vanity styles and colors he could use for the pet. "Anything for me too?" "Neat¡ I have to check it later¡" Peter accessed the pet settings and opted for an off-white, making the pup''s fur less fluffy at the same time. "Woof!" Shredder objected. Or at least that''s how Peter interpreted the warg''s furrowed brows. Nevertheless, the pup was at the shelter within the hour, and Peter joined the rest of the students on the main lawn. Five hundred normies or cultivators were there, those who opted for the Summer school instead of the extra semester. A fraction of what the college had before the Awakening and half of the current students. The campus security guards also accompanied the group, and they had shotguns and ballistic shields. Kostel looked ridiculous, the bulletproof vest barely covering the upper half of his prominent belly. "Hey!" A warm hand grabbed his fingers, startling him. "Regina." Hey," Peter smiled back, his heart filling with warmth. "You''re Mind?" he asked, noticing the color of her scarf. "I thought you were Spirit." "No, I''m a Mind Cultivator¡ I like more the Spirit Curricula, but¡ it is what it is¡" she shrugged. Yeah, buddy, whatever you say¡. Now shut up for a second. "Listen to me!" Alchemy moved in front of the group, amplifying her voice through magic. "From now on, we will farm plants on another Realm each Wednesday and Friday. There will be dangers and various challenges. Cultivators specialized in teleportation will take care of the voyage. There will be two jumps. Stay within the boundaries of the lawn. That''s all." Four people appeared out of nowhere, one in each corner of the group, with a staff in hand. "Jumping in ten¡ nine¡" a tall man began shouting the countdown. At zero, a blinding light enveloped them, and suddenly, they were on a platform built from large slabs of stone, surrounded by desolation. The sky was pitch black, and a giant blob of blue and white floated above. A planet with oceans and continents, their form familiar. They were on the Moon¡ and yet, they could breathe. A bluish hue above suggested they were under a forcefield¡¯s dome. "Second jump in ten, nine¡" the man started again. The second blinding light brought them to an Earth-like landscape. A grass sea, tall up to their waist. There were rows of low hills everywhere, some forested. Clouds ran fast over the blue sky, but the wind at their level was soft, barely moving the tips of the grass. Alchemy shouted: "The time is about the same here, so we will use the same hours. We have coverage through a satellite network. Phones work. If you get lost, call your supervisor. We will move in different directions, in ten groups of fifty people, each led by a teacher. This zone is deemed safe, but stay vigilant." To Peter''s relief, he and Regina were in the same group, Alchemy''s. The grass was getting in their way, and it took the most of an hour to organize. After a while, their group started to walk to what seemed to be East, with Alchemy ahead, floating twenty feet above the ground, to be seen by everyone. The first half-an-hour was uneventful, and Peter and Regina took their time at small talk. They held hands often. It became a tiring stroll after a while, and silence replaced words for everyone. Still dormant? "Stop!" Alchemy shouted. "Incoming, two o''clock. Defense, be ready." The guards with guns and the Body Cultivators advanced to the front, with the Spirit ones taking position in the second line. Peter tried to put himself in front of Regina, ready to protect her at a moment''s notice. "What are you doing, moron? You want to get killed?" Jack scolded him, shoving him away and taking his place. Peter decided not to argue, staying behind the girl and staring into the distance. Soon, a little black mound appeared, moving toward them. It became a buffalo of sorts, only bigger. A rumor grew among the students, and the why was obvious. The beast had a rider. "Do not speak with it, no matter what. Don''t attack it, no matter what! If you engage in combat, you¡¯ll die," Melinda yelled. ¡°That¡¯s not something you can fight at your rank, and I''m bound not to intervene.¡± "Hiding behind Mommy''s skirt, little ones?" the rider laughed. A giant warrior, looking like a humanoid lion, eight feet tall. The voice sounded male, but Peter could not swear on it. There were spears fixed to the saddle and a wide and long broadsword on the rider''s back. The apparition continued his taunting. "I challenge any of you to a fair fight¡ To the first blood, if you''re scared. No one? A lot of pussies here, and it''s not the girls."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Jack growled and tried to unsheath the Jian sword he carried, but a hand grabbed his arm at the elbow. Kostel. The Body Cultivator tried to break free from the hold, but somehow, the guard pulled him back. Inspect (Uncommon, novice tier) unlocked. Name: Kostel. Class: Guard (Uncommon). Level: 14 "The fuck? Level fourteen?¡± Peter was jealous. He was only level thirteen, from hunting countless jackalopes, running about a dozen errands for Daniel and the bikers, and having a few arm wrestling matches or fistfights with the same. Throwing an Inspect at the rider, he got only Lionfolk, level ??? Barbarian, Bounty Hunter, Master of Arms (equivalent of Legendary tier) No kidding, Miss Marple. Somebody like Sherlock Holmes, only different. I don¡¯t want to repeat myself. Disappointed no one answered the challenge, the barbarian spat on the ground and spurred their mount, soon disappearing behind the next hill. The group continued the trek for another five minutes until they met a river, the tall grass transforming into a meadow with countless small and charming flowers. Melinda shouted: "That¡¯s our allocated spot. Security and Body cultivators form a perimeter. Spirit and Mind students, comb every square foot for valuable plants." That''s great! I can help her. Leaving Regina alone in a danger zone? If something happens to her, I''ll delete you for good, no matter what it takes. Once the sneaking out was done, Peter changed into his leather attire and ballistic helmet. "What now?" the System said in a voice that was so neutral it sounded suspicious. "Your parents will be here any minute now," Ariana checked the hour. "At least the room is tidy¡ Last bit of news. Melinda wants Shreddi for the evening. I''ll take care of the delivery and leave him at the shelter when she''s done playing with him."
Peter''s parents arrived at four. Peter took them on a tour of the Campus for an hour, then left them alone to have a coffee in town, pretending he had to shower and dress in his best clothes. Picking them two hours later, they headed to Garcia. Regina arrived directly there five minutes after they chose their table. "Hi¡ sw¡ dar¡ baby," Peter struggled to find a proper word. "She''s Regina, my girlfriend. Regina, meet my parents." "Err¡ h¡hello, Regina mumbled, widening her eyes. Peter''s mother hugged her, and his father offered a handshake, which she accepted with a limp hand, staring and slackjawing. Peter''s father had salt and pepper hair that descended to his shoulders, an impressive handlebar mustache, and a Van Dyke beard, all complimented with an embroidered silk jacket and a pocket watch with a gold chain. "Sit, baby, sit. You must be tired¡ all those tests¡ They took a lot of blood, right?" Peter asked to cover for her. ¡°Y-yeah¡¡± she continued to stare. Little by little, the vibe warmed up. In her mid-forties, Peter''s mom behaved like Shredder on his first day as a pet, almost exploding with joy. That was until Regina ordered a glass of wine. "You''re of age, darling?" Peter''s mother asked with a frown. "I¡¯m twenty," she nodded. Nice, she''s not a teen anymore, Peter thought. "In New Hampshire, the age for drinking is twenty-one, dear," Peter''s mother insisted. "May I ask you to reconsider your order?" At that point, the wine arrived, and Regina took a sip. "It''s OK. For cultivators, the age is eighteen. We process the alcohol faster and don''t get affected much¡ But I don''t drink often, this is an exception to celebrate your visit. Cheers!" What a smart girl! Peter exulted. She held her ground but politely. The mood improved considerably, getting lively. Peter''s parents excused themselves at some point and went to the cloakroom simultaneously, probably to cheer together that their son got a new and cuter girlfriend, Peter figured. "Sorry, I stared!" Regina exclaimed. "I try my best, but it''s so hard! Your pa is¡ª" "Embarrassing, I know," he sulked. "They''re sweet, both of them. But he looks like Inigo Montoya and the Three Musketeers made a baby together." "Oh, goodness!¡± Peter facepalmed. ¡°Thank you for adding a new layer to my childhood traumas!¡± ¡°Wait until you know my family better,¡± Regina patted his back softly. ¡°We¡¯ll need therapy. I¡¯m not joking.¡± ¡°Err¡ about your parents¡ Will they be mad at you for being with me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind my parents; I¡¯ll deal with them,¡± Regina waved her hand dismissively. ¡°So¡ what business are your folks into?¡± ¡°Re-enactment shows, and a Summer Camp. He''s a HEMA instructor, one of the best¡ but a bit bossy. Peter, I need a legionnaire for the show. Peter, I need a mamelouk. Peter, I need a villain. Hahaha¡ Prepare to die,¡± he mimicked a villain¡¯s laughter. "Impressive acting! And your ma?" "My mother¡¯s a sports teacher. She¡¯s Greek and was an Olympic javelin thrower in her youth. She trained me in the basics.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you are so good at it!¡± Regina clapped. ¡°I mixed the two. The Olympics is about throwing far, and HEMA is about hitting a target. During summers, I hunted a lot in the woods, alone, just to be far from them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re intense persons,¡± Regina smiled. ¡°Yeah¡ I swore to be the opposite and keep a low profile.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very intense too, only more on the inside,¡± she fondled his hand. ¡°Like a smoldering ember... I love you." ¡°I love you t¡ª Here they come. If Dad tells you about our pirate ancestors or how his beard is inherited from a grandmother who was the bearded lady in a circus, don¡¯t believe him,¡± Peter blurted before his parents returned. Afterward, Regina recounted with exaggerated and heroic details how he saved his life due to the skills his parents taught him. The mother and the young woman cried in each other arms for a bit while Peter''s dad patted his back in an ''atta boy'' gesture. Instead of the dessert they ordered came a birthday cake, which explained why Peter¡¯s parents had been absent from the table for so long. Happy Birthday was sung, and Peter received a gift box containing a luxury watch, a bottle of the finest Cognac, and a box of cigars. It was Peter¡¯s turn to sob. Finally, they moved into Peter''s studio and talked until almost midnight. Peter and his father offered a fencing demonstration with training rapiers his father had in his car. Eventually, the parents left, and the two youngsters cuddled in bed. "I''m happy," she said before falling asleep in his arms. He was also, but he expressed his feelings silently by kissing her hair. 20. Camping in the Wilds
The third-floor trip began the same, by teleporting twice. This time, the group stayed together, moving to the top of a hill only a few miles from the entry point. "We will construct a permanent camp!" Melinda shouted. "You have a plan in your email now, and each of you is assigned a task. We''ll dig a moat, raise earthworks and a wooden fence, and protect the camp with stakes. We rest only at lunch. The fog sea on the west is off-limits." There were more guards hired for the trip, and no little was Peter''s surprise when he discovered Daniel among them. His weaponry was impressive: an assault gun and a few grenades. The cook waved to him. "What are you doing here?" Peter asked, going to meet the man. ¡°A friend of a friend called in a favor. He wants someone to keep an eye on a kid," Daniel said. "Ah, OK¡ On who?" "Your girl," Daniel whispered. ¡°Oh¡ you¡¯re spying on me?¡± ¡°Cross my heart, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing to you,¡± the cook protested. ¡°Just keeping an eye to protect her from monsters.¡± "See you later," Peter said, moving on. ¡°Wait!¡± Daniel grabbed him by the shoulder. ¡°Since we¡¯re both here, we should explore opportunities to expand our business. What about hunting some monsters together?¡± ¡°Why not,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Let me ask first what kind of beasts we could find. I¡¯ll ask a friend,¡± Peter said, walking away and focusing a message on the System. After checking his mail, Peter discovered he had been assigned tent duty. It made sense. The Cultivators, teachers, and students were onto the harder stuff, the ramparts. The Body teachers dug the earth by slamming their fists into it, and the Spirit students pushed it away using Telekinesis, working in large groups. Regina was among them and was doing well. Ariana was there, too. Peter joined one of the groups of normies working on the common tents. There was a medical one, a command center, a cam kitchen, showers, latrines, storage units, and a lot of work. The normies ignored him. Peter¡¯s grand strategy for the duration of his studies had been to keep to himself, no matter from whom. A group of three Minders has been assigned to supervise them. One, in particular, was making his mission to make the normies'' lives miserable by shouting indications every other second, all wrong. ¡°Why are you putting the tent on an incline?¡± the Mind student yelled. ¡°Move it!¡± ¡°This helps the rainwater go around,¡± Peter explained, trying to keep calm. ¡°We¡¯ll dig a ten-inch deep trench.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very small incline,¡± another normie said, one a bit older than the rest. ¡°I have a degree in engineering.¡± ¡°Do I look like I care?¡± the cultivator yelled. ¡°I said move it.¡± ¡°Look, man, my parents run a thematic summer camp. I spent all my holidays¡ª¡± playing the Roman soldier ¡°¡ªthere,¡± Peter tried to explain. ¡°I know what I¡¯m tal¡ª¡± The Mind student slapped the back of his head. ¡°I said move it! What? You want to call your girlfriend to protect you?¡± he added, misreading Peter¡¯s eyes. A camping shovel is a multitool, his father taught Peter. Trying to restrain his powers, he slammed the flat part into the Cultivator¡¯s groin. The boy screamed murder and collapsed on the ground, holding his privates. Another Mind student moved forward and got the round pommel in his plexus, joining the first. The third, a girl, stepped back and raised his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, dude!¡± ¡°You sure? Maybe you want to say something. Please, do!¡± Peter growled, his eyes widened in anger. ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± the student took another step backward. ¡°Tent is fine.¡± The groups in the camp were all looking in their direction, talking or taking photos. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± a Martial Arts teacher roared. Alerted by the noise, she had jumped up from where she was, like a flea, and landed near the group. Peter had forgotten the name, but her nickname was Miss Body Count, and she was on the severe side, training her students until they fainted from exhaustion, thus the nickname. ¡°It was an accident. We had a divergent opinion about how to put a tent,¡± Peter explained. ¡°We say it¡¯s OK; he said it¡¯s not and moved too close, hitting his groin on the shovel in the process.¡± ¡°And the second?¡± ¡°Same.¡± ¡°He hit us on purpose!¡± the first Student wailed between a few sobs. ¡°He hit Peter first!¡± the engineer said. ¡°And said he¡¯ll fuck his mother,¡± the student added an embellishment. ¡°Is it so?¡± the teacher frowned. ¡°Get on your feet!... I told Melinda the Mind section is weak. Now, you stay here,¡± she put a hand on the student''s shoulder, ¡°and you¡ What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Peter.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do a test. Hit him again, as strong as before. I¡¯ll count to three. One, Two, Three!¡± ¡°Noo¡ Teacher, please!¡± the student pleaded. Nevertheless, Body Count kept him stuck in place. Peter hit milder this time, trying to get the thigh instead of the testicles. It did, partially. The student collapsed again, crying. Useful¡ ¡°What a wimp,¡± Body Count snorted, looking at the Mind student groveling at his feet. ¡°OK. Here¡¯s my decision. No food for the day!¡± ¡°OK, teacher,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Not you. Him,¡± she pointed at the one on the ground, yelling: ¡°And three hours of lifting weights! What kind of a Cultivator are you to be hurt by a simple hit in the balls?¡± The second student was back on his feet and was trying to be inconspicuous, but he didn¡¯t escape his fate. ¡°And you, take a shovel and¡ª¡± ¡°Hit him?¡± the student widened his eyes, hopeful. ¡°Dig the latrines on your own! If I hear any more ruckus, I¡¯ll throw you all in the fog at night. Tied but not gagged, so I could hear the screams. Dismissed!¡± The teacher returned to her previous location, and the students returned to their tasks. The Mind ones limped away, not that Peter¡¯s group was interested in their advice anyway. ¡°Well done, bro,¡± the engineer said when the tent and the ditch were done. ¡°Told you, I have a lot of experience with camps.¡± ¡°You think we could take on a Body as a group?¡± another student asked. ¡°There are some bullies that I have in mind.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to do it on your own. I¡¯m on a self-defense-only philosophy. Hey, Mindshit, you want some more?¡± he yelled at the Mind student, who was looking at him from a distance but scampered as soon he was observed. ¡°And deterrence,¡± Peter added, making the others laugh. Feels good to be the top dog for once¡ They continued their task until only one tent was left. ¡°Guys, do you mind if I take a break?¡± Peter asked. ¡°I need to¡ you know¡ do the other number than one¡¡± ¡°Sure, bro, go. We got it covered,¡± the engineer said. ¡°I¡¯ll go further in the grass; there are too many people around,¡± Peter said. ¡°Please bury it, I don¡¯t want to step in it by accident.¡± Raising the shovel in the air as a salute, Peter left. Shovel put in the storage, and a minute later, he told the same story to Daniel, one of the guards at the entry points, and since the latrines weren¡¯t ready yet, he met no problems. Once outside the perimeter and far enough, Peter first for a hill with a copse, hiding between the trees. There, he started Relaxing. The elf appeared after ten minutes. He was on the same terrace as during the first tutorial, but it was night, and multiple moons shone in the sky. ¡°Greetings, my friend. If you''re seeing this, you''ve made significant progress. This tutorial has two parts: understanding how Mana works in your body and how to fight Cultivators. The first will help with the second. ¡°Your body consists of trillions of cells, each made of billions of atoms, and inside the latter are vast empty spaces. Mana enters there, attracting fundamental particles and forming specialized structures. Some are represented as a resource, and others are considered a permanent enhancement. Constitution affects your health, Dexterity boosts your reflexes, and so on.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Cultivators take a different approach. They concentrate Mana in a core that processes and quickly replenishes a smaller, specialized Mana Pool. Their advantage lies in the speed and focus of their Mana, but you have a larger and more varied Mana Pool to draw from. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about fighting. You have a significant advantage over Cultivators of the same level, even up to two or three stages above you. However, Cultivators in the ninth or tenth stages will surpass you in raw strength or technique. My advice is to avoid fighting them directly; your goal is not to fight them head-on but to undermine them and free your planet. ¡°However, if you must fight one of the top-tier Cultivators, know that Cultivators are predictable and rely on a few potent skills, trying to overwhelm you as fast as possible. Find ways to deny or delay those abilities. Tactics as simple as talking could work because they are vain and like to boast. Use their arrogance against them. And most of all, remember your higher versatility. ¡°This is your final tutorial, and your assistant has been granted access to it. From here, your future is in your hands. Fight to live, and live to fight.¡± ¡°Oh, goodness, this is so complicated¡¡± Peter whimpered. ¡°Brainstorm¡ Say, how does your speech thing work? How come you don¡¯t know basic words?¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no universal translator?¡± ¡°Not now, System. Let¡¯s take care of the important business first.¡± Peter Warped for Redroar''s village with a specific purpose in his head. He got lucky; she was at the tavern across the billboard. "Hey. I have some friends with me this time. Is it a problem to train a group?" he said directly. "An ounce of gold per three lessons," the Barbarian said. "I have to skip bounties. When are you coming?" "Maybe tomorrow¡¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, you still owe me the money.¡± ¡°Understood. Two more things. What kind of monsters are roaming around? Are there any worth hunting?¡± Redroar shook her head. ¡°Our planet is known for its plants, not the monsters. Bilghies have tough leather, but only the old specimens.¡± ¡°OK,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°Second question: is there any blacksmith in town? I thought about what you said the last time, and I have a weapon I''d like to be made." "I dabble in the trade," she said. "You''ll not find a better blacksmith for a hundred miles. What kind of weapon?" ¡°Here¡¯s a drawing,¡± Peter offered a folded paper. ¡°It¡¯s a long cleaver with a spike on top and a hollow handle that could be put on a shaft but also detached. I can cut and stab at close range; the shaft goes in for reach, and the thing becomes a polearm.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need two. There¡¯s no such luxury as an enemy waiting for you to assemble a weapon.¡± ¡°Make four,¡± Peter nodded, thinking he could give a pair to Regina or another one of their group. ¡°Very well,¡± Redroad roared. After taking his leave, Peter returned to the camp and arrived just before lunch break without anybody noticing his absence. He and Regina went outside, sitting on the grass as far as possible from the others. ¡°The System said I should ask you directly what class you got,¡± Peter said after they ate. "A sort of doctor¡ I think it''s because of my heritage¡" "Nice. A Healer is what makes a group survive." "It¡¯s more into traditional medicine¡ It''s called a Gris-gris doctor." You''re joking, right? Only silence replied. Right? "Hm¡ this grass is wonderful. I''ll collect it and make a few items," Regina looked around. What? Regina is a witch of sorts? +20 in Luck and +10 Charisma for discovering what true love is. Your Luck is now at the Journeyman tier. ¡°The most appropriate reward," Peter whispered, admiring Regina, cutting grass with a pocket knife, an adorable expression on her face, with puckering lips, her position, bent from the middle, quite enticing. Do I still gain stats by exercising? "Baby, I''m going for a hike," Peter said to Regina, who was just returning. There was still about half an hour left from the break. She kissed him, then he Stealthed, making her let out a short yelp, then Warped. The Stealth stayed on even when he arrived at the end of the jump. He continued his trip, going to the beach bar. Stopping a hundred yards farther, he surveilled the premises first. His doppelganger was there. Peter swallowed a Mana pill and rose up. He approached in the open to warn his other self and the bartender about his presence. "Hello," he said. "I¡¯m glad I found you here.¡± ¡°I live here,¡± Peter Two said. ¡°Err¡ Like where?¡± Peter looked around because there was no house or tent in view. "In a permanent fishing camp a mile North.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fishing what?¡± ¡°Monsters.¡± ¡°Really? I heard there are not many.¡± ¡°Fog monsters. They appear at night,¡± Peter from two waved his hand toward the sea. ¡°It¡¯s a risky business. Look, I suppose you¡¯re not here for fishing. Any news?¡± ¡°About?¡± ¡°The fake IDs,¡± the doppelganger said through his clenched teeth, meaning: Are you an idiot? "Working on it¡ Any news on your part?" "We were notified to stay out of your area. Some of my higher floor contacts told me there will be a ''Get the flag'' contest between Colleges starting Wednesday. Those who conquer another camp will order its students around. The top three colleges will get prizes." "I scouted the locations a bit, I¡¯ll draw you a map..." Peter Two said, taking a napkin. ¡°This your camp,¡± he drew an x. The rest are spaced in a grid¡ to have about the same distance between locations. "Thanks," Peter promised, taking a look at the map. "Twelve camps?" "So far as I know, yes." "One of my¡ friends has a theory that this place was once ruled by a System. Can you find more information about it?" "Yeah, that''s what we think too. The Cultivators conquered the Tower and enslaved its System." "I have to go. Come see me over the weekend. I hope to have more news by then," Peter from Two continued. "I will. Take care." ¡°I expect to have results about the fake IDs soon,¡± Peter¡¯s doppelganger warned. There was still some time left, and Peter went to scout the other camps, following the given map. He aimed at the closest location to his current position, finding another American encampment, only much more serious. The newly joint college of Yalevard had a military-style fort with watchtowers and barbed wire guarded by tanks and soldiers. ¡°You motherfuckers,¡± Peter showed the camp the middle finger, albeit no one could see him in Stealth. They are assholes¡ Their visiting students behave even worse than ours. One night, they put dog shit in every normie student¡¯s shoes¡ They had some sort of rogue, and no one heard anything. I wonder where they got so much of it¡ ¡°Ariana, huh?¡± Peter sneered. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d help with such a thing. Let¡¯s scout a few more and return.¡± A few miles further, there was a bigger surprise. He was looking at a full-fledged medieval fortress with fifty-foot-tall stone walls and a keep. "What the heck is that, Hogwart?" Peter cursed. Not much farther away was a camp with a Chinese flag. There were no fortifications but a lot of people and countless small tents. Peter put a halt to his scouting there and returned to his camp. As soon as he got back, his phone buzzed, an announcement, and he was assigned to work on the earthworks. That was harder than expected, even with his new Strength stats, and it took all afternoon. After finishing the task, he took a shower and rejoined Regina. "How''s it going?" he asked. ¡°I missed you,¡± she smiled at him. ¡°I have good news: Ranked students can have their own tent. We can stay together,¡± she whispered the last two words in his ear, and they kissed. "Lend me your ears," Melinda yelled, rising ten feet above the ground. "After tomorrow, a capture the flag game begins against eleven other Colleges. The rules are simple. Points are given for scoring hits on the other college¡¯s students, resisting an attack, or bringing an enemy flag into our camp. Protection wards will detect and inhibit any possible lethal attack. A direct hit will mark the player out for the day. Tomorrow, there¡¯s a strategy meeting in the morning, and then you''re free to walk around, train, or relax. That''s all." Daniel, Regina, and Peter stuck together when night came, while Ariana and Naomi went with Jack''s group; they were friends, after all. Peter didn¡¯t dwell on that. The cook made a wood fire barbecue for their group, with more Crazed Bear meat. He brought beers, too, which was a welcomed addition. "You want to see a demonstration of my powers?" Regina asked when the two were alone in their tent. "Of course!" Peter cheered. "I have a personal spatial storage in which I can store up to six dolls and apply various effects to them." She stretched her hand, and suddenly, a straw silhouette appeared. It was Peter, unmistakably. It had spiky brown hair from darker straws, large blue-gray eyes, dried flowers, and a simulacra of his favorite shirt and jeans made from some fabric. "Can you cut yourself, baby, so I can heal you?" "Err¡ Fine¡" Grimacing, Peter ran a pocket knife over his palm, keeping the cut shallow. "Now look. Healing pill." She touched a qi-pill over the doll''s hand, and Peter''s wound disappeared in moments. Next, she kissed the straw figurine''s head. "You''re amazing!" Peter said. He felt her kisses almost as if they would have been real. "I know. Amazing''s my middle name," Regina''s voice rang in his ear, although she whispered to the doll. "Now, the most important part," the girl spoke. She threw the doll into the fire. "Whoa!" Peter jerked, preparing to feel the burn. Nothing came. "My dolls are of two types, for friends or enemies. I can''t inflict harm on the first or heal the second. And a friend must be a true friend, and an enemy a true enemy." "That''s beyond OP. When you said you can use up to six dolls, did it mean that''s the max number you can use, or just store?" Peter asked. "It¡¯s like a deck of cards. I can use only those six in a fight, but I can switch them in between." "Good to know¡ This means I can help you with my storage." He continued in thought, speaking to the System: What about staying with Naomi and Ariana for the night? We need some privacy. 21. The Second Training Session
The night passed fast. Being so close to someone you love meant desire was present. They made love as silently as possible, hoping the countless other noises and voices aside covered their activities. Five hundred or more people was a lot, so noise was one thing they didn¡¯t lack. Warmth and comfort, yes. "I need a shower," Regina sulked when morning came, combing her unruly hair with her fingers. "There are camp showers," Peter pointed to the facilities. "With cold water?" she wrinkled her nose. "I''d rather stink." That¡¯s why she¡¯s nicknamed princess, huh? ¡°Let¡¯s see what Alchemy has to say,¡± Peter suggested as Melinda called everyone to assemble. ¡°I talked with the rest of the teachers and decided the best offense is defense,¡± Melinda yelled before they went out of the tent. ¡°We¡¯ll protect the camp. Teachers can¡¯t participate in fights, but we can offer advice. The ranked students will lead the others, and they will come to the command tent to discuss further tactics. The rest can take a day off and do whatever they want. Dismissed.¡± ¡°Pff¡ I have to stay,¡± Regina sulked. ¡°And I wanted so much to meet those lions¡¡± Peter giggled. "Next time. Take care." He hugged her and exited the camp, discreetly joining Ariana, Naomi, and Daniel. He convinced the girls to be trained by Redroar, and the cook had heard the conversation and insisted so much to join that Peter had no choice but to allow it. "Walking would take too long, so I''ll transport you individually. Hope I don''t get a hernia or something. Ariana, hop on my back." She wrinkled her nose. "I was hoping for a princess carry, but whatever." Uh¡ she put on some weight¡ or it¡¯s the luggage. Ariana carried a larger-than-usual backpack that day. Warping several times, Peter arrived at the village outskirts, directly on the training ground. Redroar and her cubs were waiting. "She''s our instructor," Peter said. "Wait here; I''ll be back with the rest." His movement skill was now better; he could instinctively calculate the best path between two points, feeling where to Warp within his line of sight. Naomi was easy to transport, but for Daniel, Peter took a five-minute break to get back his breath and take a Mana pill. The cook was heavy, and his Mana was almost depleted. ¡°Impressive. I didn¡¯t know a Wild Mage could do that,¡± the man said. ¡°I found an alien manual with a few secret skills. By the way, secret means¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I would never rat on a partner,¡± the cook made a zipping gesture on his lips. You jerk! Was this a prank? ¡°You mean my Constitution.¡± Just shut up¡ When the two men arrived at their destination, Ariana ran around on the field, chased by Reroar''s cubs. Shredder was attempting to stop them by biting their ankles, and Naomi was watching, having a good time and laughing her lungs out. "Trip them!" Ariana yelled while running, and the pup waved himself between the cubs'' legs, making two of them fall. As soon as he saw Peter, Shredder abandoned his task and came to be petted. "Get back into the fight!" Ariana shouted but failed to be obeyed. "How did he get here?" Peter asked. "He was in the rucksack. Melinda allowed me to bring the pup. She''s very fond of Shreddi." "Break!" Redroar roared. The cubs stopped in their tracks, still growling, like five buzzing electric saws under tension, ready to jump into action. ¡°That was a pathetic display if I ever saw one. For today, we have to stick to the basics. "You," the mercenary pointed to Naomi. "Help her, she¡¯s outmatched," now the index showed Ariana. "Do some push-ups," finger at the stocky man. ¡°Kid, with me." Peter followed Redroar to the village, and they entered the house behind the bounty screen. The Barbarian''s husband was dozing. He opened his eyes for a second and waved an anemic hand. They passed through the house, exited to a courtyard, and entered a workshop with a small forge and anvil. There were weapons and armor on display. "Your order," she pointed at the work table. Six blades were sitting on it, next to each other. As Peter had ordered, they were long cleavers with a nine-inch spike at the top. "It''s a good design," Redroar said. "I¡¯ll throw in two more weapons if you let me copy the model.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Peter sighed. There was no way to reinforce a copyright there anyway. ¡°I added a personal touch." Picking a wooden shaft nearby, Redroar fixed it inside the handle of a cleaver. A resort similar to those on folding knives clicked, fixing the blade in place, making it into a pole weapon. ¡°That¡¯s for a quick assembly or disassembly.¡± "You''re a better blacksmith than I thought," Peter nodded with satisfaction. The weapon felt excellent in hand in both its forms. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± "Two ounces of gold. The blades and shafts are also enchanted for sturdiness and sharpness." "Uh¡ you''re milking me dry¡" Peter said. His resources had tripled, now around thirty thousand dollars in gold, but he wanted to spend wisely. "One and a half." "Two and a half because what you just said is considered offensive here." "Fine, two it is, but only if you make me an extra item." "What kind of item?" "A shoulder bag for gathering ingredients, with several slots." "I¡¯m no leatherworker, but our doctors have something similar for carrying potions. Enchanted so the content doesn¡¯t break. I''ll see if I can find one around." Returning to the meadow after sending the weapons in storage, Peter found both girls up in a tree, kicking their legs to keep Redroar''s cubs away. Shredder was now on the evil side, barking at the two young women. "Don''t ask," Ariana yelled when Peter¡¯s gaze met her eyes. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "They bribed him with a cookie," Naomi shouted. ¡°Shreddi thinks it¡¯s a game.¡± "Break!" came the roar. "Get down from the tree, princesses. And you, the fatso," she yelled at Daniel. "Come here and show me your wrestling skills." Redroar knelt to be at the same height as him. "Grab me by the shoulders and try to trip me." The man put his arms on hers, trying his best to find a hold with his stubby fingers. The next second, Reroar''s jaws wrapped around the man''s neck. "Mercy!" Daniel begged. "You''re stupid?" the Barbarian asked, letting the cook go. "It was a test. You have eyes, right? You see me, right? You think going close quarters with me is a good idea?" "She''s so hot," the older man whispered to Peter. "Shut up, idiot, she might hear." "Bluebrow, an alien thinks I''m hot!" Redroar yelled extremely loudly. "He can have you. I''ll have a party!" a faint scream replied from the village. "Mom! Dad!" the cubs protested. "It¡¯s our twentieth marriage anniversary today, and he forgot, and I broke a beer bottle on his head," Redroar said. "Hey, kid, isn''t today your anniversary?" Daniel asked. "Yeah¡ I''m twenty-five now¡" "Happy anniversary!" everybody yelled. "Now that the celebration is over, let''s train," Redoar said. "Give chubby one of your polearms." ¡°Wow, that looks cool! Can I have one? I¡¯ll pay,¡± the cook exclaimed, seeing the weapon. "Sure. She made six," Peter said, giving the cook the blade with the shaft. "You can take out the blade, and it'' becomes a cleaver." "Can I have two? Name your price." "Sure. It¡¯s¡ pfff¡ two ounces divided by three¡¡± ¡°Here¡¯s an ounce,¡± the cook forwarded a coin. "The break is over. You," Redroar pointed at Daniel, "Stay six feet away from him and make a simple forward stabbing motion. Aim for his shoulder or a limb, like you stick the spike, and pull it out. One, two, one, two,¡± she exemplified. ¡°Do it slowly at first. And you, my friend," she turned toward Peter, "Avoid the hit by using your moving skill to jump back on the smallest distance you can. Inches, if possible." ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts, or I¡¯ll kick your butt. Do it while I teach the girls the basics of hand-to-hand combat.¡± David took the simplest attack stance, the Plow. Peter had seen it countless times in his father''s HEMA camps, and millions of WW1 soldiers had also used it unknowingly in their bayonet attacks. It was simple but dangerous. ¡°Move a step back,¡± Peter asked. ¡°Sorry. Sexy lion lady says six feet, six feet it is.¡± ¡°At least be careful where you aim¡¡± ¡°Ready? Here I go.¡± Daniel''s movement was slow, but Peter¡¯s instincts made him jump back. ¡°C¡¯mon, man, concentrate,¡± the older man scolded him. ¡°I want the hot lion lady to see we¡¯re serious.¡± How can I Warp backward when I need to see where I am going? Kind of a stretch if you ask me¡ Peter tried his best for the second pass but jumped forward a hundred yards behind the cook. He returned on foot to spare his Mana and to have time to think of a solution. The third time wasn¡¯t the charm either; he Warped forward, but only a few feet away. ¡°Whoa!¡± Surprised, the cook tried to swipe the spear at Peter. ¡°Sorry! Instinct.¡± ¡°Hey, dude, be careful!¡± Peter yelled, ducking under the shaft. The fourth time Peter yelled at Daniel to stop, he wasn¡¯t ready, but the fifth was finally the charm. ¡°Yes!¡± Peter cheered. ¡°Good!¡± Redroar roared. ¡°Now, play together. The girls have a lot to learn.¡± The two men continued the exercise, and after ten repetitions, Peter felt the move becoming instinctive, like a second nature. the System commented. Encouraged, Peter started experimenting. He moved laterally, obliquely, then backward anew, but changing orientation and turning his back at Daniel like a new opponent was coming from the rear. "I want to try something," he asked after a few minutes. ¡°Aim for my upper left shoulder. I don¡¯t want to get hurt too much if I fail. Trust and pull with the same speed as before.¡± ¡°Want me to count?¡± ¡°Would be great.¡± ¡°Three¡ Two¡ One¡ Go.¡± Daniel thrust the polearm, the spike entering three inches into Peter¡¯s body, but the young man was now only a blur. ¡°What the fuck!¡± the cook screamed, stepping back. ¡°I¡¯m OK,¡± Peter heaved. Maintaining the immaterial state for the duration of the attack had been costly. All the training had taken a toll on his Mana, but the last move had taken half of that. He took another Mana pill; the minimum time had passed. By daring to experiment with your skills and pushing them to their limits, you have unlocked the Mythical Rare skill Phase-Warp. With Warp, you traverse distances near and far. At the same time, Phase grants you the power to evade harm and move seamlessly through barriers, turning obstacles into opportunities. You can combine the two aspects of the skill to various degrees. I dunno, man¡ I just did it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re OK?¡± the cook waved his hand in front of Peter¡¯s eyes. ¡°You phased out.¡± ¡°Yeah, literally¡ Sorry. I¡¯m fine¡ Can I try something on you?¡± ¡°Try what?¡± ¡°Stick a finger in your shoulder?¡± ¡°Ew¡¡± Shut up. ¡°I¡¯ll give you back your ounce of gold,¡± Peter promised Daniel. ¡°Well¡¡± the cook shrugged. ¡°Go for it¡ but take care of what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Peter nodded. Phasing in place for a second, he pushed his index an inch deep into Daniel¡¯s deltoid muscle, then exited the blurred state. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch!¡± Peter yelled as soon as he was back in the real world. His finger was stuck; he couldn¡¯t pull it out, and Daniel¡¯s muscle was contracted all around it. ¡°Ouch!¡± Daniel screamed, too. He was bleeding and tried to pull himself free, only to snatch Peter forward. ¡°Maaaan¡¡± the cook wailed once free. ¡°It hurts a lot.¡± The wound was bleeding profusely. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m hurt too,¡± Peter showed him his swollen finger, then offered the other a Health Pill. ¡°Take this, it¡¯ll heal you.¡± Why? ¡°Uh¡¡± You talk too much. Why isn¡¯t Daniel¡¯s wound closing? Peter panicked, seeing how the handkerchief the cook had applied over the wound was soaked in blood. ¡°Put those on the wound,¡± Redroar appeared beside them, offering the cook some bandages soaked in a poultice. ¡°Best remedy for bleeding. They came from many star systems to buy it before those bastards came.¡±
They returned to the camp in the late evening, which provoked Alchemy into scolding them, as she had been worried, and called, but nobody answered. Checking his phone, Peter observed some chores appeared while they were out. He apologized and, fortunately, was spared sermons or punishments. During the training, the two girls had reached level ten, as well as Shredder. "We won''t be able to hide much longer from that Shreddi''s a warg. He¡¯s growing fast," Ariana said. "I''ll think of an excuse," Peter said. "Let''s stick with: he looked like a dog when I adopted him. Melinda likes him enough to let him stay." ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± The group broke apart, with Peter beelining for his tent. Regina wasn''t there. Are there any benefits to raising all stats, or is it better to focus on one? ¡°Sounds useful.¡± Peter sighed, knowing he had not decided where to go with his build. The novelty of magical powers was still just that: a novelty. For now, he summoned his Character Sheet. He had six free points and put five APs in Strength to get it into the Master tier and one into Concentration to reach Apprentice. Peter Hillden, Age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 22 Strength: 61 / Dexterity: 70 / Constitution: 32 Intelligence: 27 / Will: 39 / Concentration: 21 Charisma: 40 / Luck: 21 / Magic Power: 25 22. The First Capture-the-Flag Battle
A loud trumpet sound woke up the camp. "Scouts report incoming attack from Oxford," a voice shouted outside. "We have scouts?" Peter wondered, rubbing his eyes. His camp didn''t strike him as well prepared. "To the ramparts! We follow the plan!" Melinda bellowed. "We have a plan?" he inquired again. "Uhuh¡" Peter grumbled, his eyelids still sticky and sleepy. "I need ranged fighters!" Alchemy yelled. "C''mon, you lazy snails, move!" Regina pulled the sleeping bag over her head. "I can go out like this!" she complained. "My hair is messy, and I have no antiperspirant left." "Take mine," Peter offered. Regina showed her eyes first, then stretched a naked arm and snatched the recipient. She read the label and accused: "It has aluminum!" "I''m going outside." Peter avoided being dragged into an argument, exiting the tent after dressing in his usual light-hiking gear. Alchemy floated thirty feet above the camp, and the students struggled to exit their shelters. "They attack early," Dissection said. He had climbed into a tree to speak with Alchemy at the same height. Looking over the rampart, Peter took in the impressive sight of the incoming attack. At a leisurely pace, about two hundred armored knights and a thousand archers advanced toward their camp. Five hundred feet away, the small army stopped, and the enchanted longbows began to shoot a hail of qi-arrows. "Shields!" Melinda yelled. Whether energy or material, protections appeared everywhere. The projectiles failed to find their targets and fell harmless on the ground. Peter ducked behind the wooden wall. the System explained. "Hi, sweetie," Regina said. She appeared on the fortifications without him noticing, throwing qi-bolts with the rest of the Spirit students. The enemy kept advancing and released another salvo. This time, a few students or normies in the logistics were hit and started to curse. I can''t make a difference without revealing my powers. However, luck was on their side as a second army appeared on the field. The Chinese. They attacked the Oxforders with gusto. Hm¡ Why are they helping us? Someone in the camp asked if they should stop firing. "Keep shooting!" Alchemy yelled. "They''re not here to rescue us; they''ll take out as many Oxforders possible, get our flag, then go against Oxford while they''re weak, making us fight in the first line." The Asian assault had nothing of the order of the Brits, but it had twice the numbers and ferocity. The attackers pounced around the Oxforders like a pack of wolves on a buffalo herd. And they worked in pairs: one woman, always the Body Cultivator, and a younger man, the Spirit. The first ones'' fighting style was Kung-Fu, and the women used qi-claws emerging from their knuckles. Tiger Mothers was the result of Peter¡¯s Inspect. Tiger Cubs, for the young males. "Ew¡" Peter shivered. "They train parents and kids together? Imagine the trauma of going to the University with your mother!¡± The incoming attacks nullified each other, with the Asians slowly gaining the upper hand. That was until a third faction came into play minutes later. Peter and all his normie colleagues hated this one with passion. The Yalevarders. Divided into teams of four or five, combining normies¡ªmilitary¡ªwith Cultivators, they used both magic and guns. The rubber bullets tore down the Oxford archers, who were in the middle, but the Asians were next. There was no doubt who the winner of the battle would be. A nightmare took shape in Peter¡¯s mind: if Yalevard made them their slaves, they would put them to empty the latrines with a spoon or worse. He gasped under a sudden idea. The best plan was the simplest: to conquer Yalevard¡¯s flag. First, he looked around to find the ideal candidate for the job. Daniel was a contender, but he lost the pageant unknowingly when Peter¡¯s eyes met Kostel. The guard was keeping his distance from the fight. Obviously, like Peter, he wasn''t interested in the Cultivators'' games, but neither understood the stakes. "I have a plan," Peter said to Regina, who nodded and continued to send qi-bolts. He beckoned the guard to join him behind a tent¡ªno one was paying attention to them anyway¡ªgrabbed the man¡¯s arm and Warped a mile farther, atop the next hill. "Dude, warn me next time!" Kostel complained. "What the heck was that?¡± ¡°A special move. Don¡¯t tell anyone, but I¡¯m a Wild Magic user.¡± ¡°I am one, too!" Kostel beamed. ¡°I have no idea how and why, but I suddenly felt this desire to slay monsters and became very strong. Brothers in arms, bro!¡± "Had a few nasty surprises. We should gather information first. Regina and Daniel, stay a hundred feet behind me, please." "Very well," Jack said. They advanced carefully around the dune. The main group diverted to the left while Peter waited a minute, then continued straight on. The druids concentrated on singing their incantation and didn''t notice him until he was a few steps away. The doppelganger gestured frantically from behind a column, thirty feet behind the druids. His signs and moving lips didn''t make any sense to Peter, and deducing from the silence, neither to the System. He frowned at his look-alike, waving his fist in the air, meaning: Let me do my job; you''re distracting me. "Err¡ hi folks. Is there any chance you''re not evil, and this is a medical intervention?" Peter tried his luck. All as one, the group turned to look at Peter. The druids wore white surcoats and capes over chainmail and leather and had open-faced bascinet helmets. Their eyes were all blue, and they stared through him. The vibe the group gave was¡ strange. "The Ahnenerbe welcomes you, adventurer," one of the priests said, advancing toward Peter. "You have two paths in front of you: the path of friendship and the path of war. Which one do you choose?" No vote? "I come in peace?" The druid unsheathed a dagger from his belt, offering it to Peter, handle first. "Slay Marianne to prove your allegiance and our power will be yours," the man pointed to the altar. From a closer point of view, the sacrifice was a middle-aged woman tied and gagged. She was struggling and moaning; hearing the man, her eyes widened in an expression of horror. Since the dagger was there, Peter Warped forward and pushed against the handle, making the blade go into the priest''s chest. There was resistance at first, but a Kinetic Impulse made the weapon penetrate the chainmail and strike the heart. The druid fell dead as Peter Warped backward. Quest: Clear the Shrine and free Marianne. A greatswords cut the air where Peter was a moment before. The nine remaining priests had unsheathed their weapons and tried to surround him. Four had greatswords, four crossbows, and the last a shield and a side sword. Another Warp to the rear made Peter collide with a force field enclosing the area, likewise to the Minoan town. However, he wasn''t hurt and remained on his two feet, unholstering his gun and shooting another foe dead. From behind, the team attacked the unsuspected cultists. There was a flurry of electric bolts from doppelganger Peter, AR shots from Daniel, and a Jack rushing to cut the enemies on Peter''s right. The electric bolts were not harming the druids much, but their stunning effect gave Peter the time to reload and shoot two more druids. By that point, only two priests remained, and acting in consort, Peter''s look-alike and Jack dispatched them easily. "There must be another one, a boss!" Peter yelled. The following notification confirmed his words. You have attracted the ire of the Master of the Teutonic Order. Vanquish your foe within five minutes, or you will be destroyed by his Ultimate attack. The Master will appear in 00.59¡ 00.58¡ "Five minutes? Time for a coffee," Jack goaded. "What was that about the Teutonic order?" Peter asked. "Are Druids related to¡ª" "That''s what I was trying to tell you," his doppelganger screamed, his fists clenched. "They''re not druids; they''re Teutonic Knights. Didn''t you see the swastikas?" he pointed to the signs carved in every rock. "Oh¡ I thought it was also a Celtic motif¡ Well, no big deal, we kill them all the same." "Dude!" the doppelganger grabbed Peter by the lapel. "They''re magic resistant. If I''d known, I would have taken a melee class." "Sorry¡" Peter lowered his eyes. "And what about the Einherb stuff?" "The Ahnenerbe. An occult organization that kills all French women called Marianne to curse the French national spirit." "Nuts, huh?" Peter said. The tied woman was moaning louder and louder. The boss appeared out of nowhere, swinging a great axe taller than himself. He looked like a mean dwarf from a video game. Jack avoided the weapon, but Peter''s doppelganger wasn''t so lucky. The General Commander Warped and almost decapitated him, the axe passing inches away from the double''s head. Unfortunately, the young man instinctively raised a hand to protect himself, and the arm flew away, cut to the elbow. Screaming in pain, the other Peter collapsed. "Sic''em, Pandy!" Regina yelled. The grigri doll grew to a bear''s size and dashed at the knight. Indifferent to a swipe that sunk in his back, Pandy wrapped itself around the enemy, the same strategy from the Minoan town. Jack ran and plunged the spike of his halberd into the General''s back. Unfortunately, with him in the way, Peter and Daniel couldn¡¯t shoot their guns anymore. The knight thrust his arm in a vertical backward arch, hitting Jack in the face and knocking him out cold. Then, he Phased, making the halbert exit his body and hit the ground. Catching Jack''s body before it reached the ground, the Boss threw it into Daniel like a projectile, rending him unconscious as well. Fuck¡ There was only one way forward. Peter jumped at the knight, armed with his new spear. A game of cat and mouse ensued, both opponents trying to catch the other in between Warping and Phasing. Peter was better at moving around, but the Teuton''s martial skills were superior. It felt like fighting against Redroar. At least training with the Barbarian had paid off; it was the only thing keeping Peter alive. And Pandy Panda, slowing the enemy. "I¡¯m out of Mana!" Regina screamed. The doll went back to its normal size, falling on the grass. The panic in her voice rose Peter''s hair. He Warped near the Boss, lunged, and lengthened the spear as he Phased, leaving the opponent only one choice: be skewered or retreat. Nevertheless, there were more options than he thought. The Teuton¡¯s weapon flourished upward before the attack connected, diverting Peter¡¯s spear to the shoulder instead of the torso and leaving a ten-inch long and two-inch deep cut in the youngster¡¯s thigh. There was excruciating pain, but all that mattered to Peter was to save Regina. His instincts told him he was in safe range. He activated Terravolt, putting all his will into strengthening his attack and keeping it restrained in as small an area as possible. An arc of electricity flew out of his spear''s head, stunning the Boss and earth spikes shot up from the ground, entering the monster through the gap in the armor¡¯s armpit. Grunting, he kept on his ability, channeling and expanding it. Bursts of rocks and earth shot out from every gap in the armor, and the Boss broke from the inside out in a cloud of dust. You have unlocked Terrabolt, a concentrated single-target Terravolt attack. This ability will still inflict secondary damage in a three-foot circle around the target. You have cleared the Anenherbe Sacrificial Temple. You have slain Ahnenerbe Teutonic Knights (lvl. 45) x10 and Master of the Teutonic Order (lvl. 60 Elite) x1. You have reached level 35. The rewards will be distributed when all your party members are awake. 32. Quest Update
Peter collapsed on all four, biting his lips to control his pain, which was back and hitting in fast, repeated bursts like a jackhammer stuck in his leg. He looked at Regina for help, but she screamed: "Use pills, I''m busy!" She had a straw doll in hand, sewing an arm on it. The doppelganger''s hand was now lying near his body, and invisible threads pulled it toward the elbow. How did she make a doll for the other Peter so fast? the System rushed to say. Dazed by the pain and the blood loss, Peter forced himself to eat a Health pill, letting his Mana regenerate by itself. The bleeding stopped in seconds, but the wound was still open, a sickly white and pink trench in his flesh, with drops of blood hanging over it like a disgusting dew. He felt disheartened by how easily he could be hurt. Leve thirty-five meant a gain of twelve points, so he three in Constitution to raise his Regen and the rest into Dexterity, raising the latter to the Grandmaster tier, hoping it would allow him to dodge hits faster. Peter Hillden. Age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 35 Strength: 61 / Dexterity: 81 / Constitution: 45 Intelligence: 28 / Will: 41 / Concentration: 26 Charisma: 41 / Luck: 41 / Magic Power: 41 Then, he lay on his back, resting, and dozed off. Ten minutes later, Regina touched his shoulder. "It''s done." Peter sent his leather pants to storage to self-repair and put on a simple pair of jeans. Jack and Daniel were up and looked normal. The other Peter was panting, his face white as a paper sheet, sitting on his buttocks but conscious. The woman who was supposed to be sacrificed stood a little apart, trembling, now freed. Why is she still here? Peter asked. He expected the Mana construct to be dismissed after the clear. So, if I had chosen to kill her¡ All participants are now conscious. Calculating rewards: Marianne: Continued existence, 50 ounces of gold, transportation. As soon as the first line passed through their minds, a portal opened in the meadow. Without saying goodbye, the woman ran into it and disappeared. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. 150 ounces of gold to each party member. A bonus of 100 ounces to Peter Hillden for his major contribution. Loot: Armor and Weapons. Transportation, upon leaving the Shrine''s premises. Main Quest Update: You have cleared two types of Dungeon constructs: Town and Shrine. Clear a third type to access the supreme challenge: Secrets of the Fog. Possible choices: Haunted Graveyard (requirement: a minimum of 50 Magic Power), Arena (requirement: a minimum of 50 in either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution), School (requirement: a minimum of 50 in either Charisma or Intelligence). To find the next quest¡¯s location, continue South. "I didn''t expect it to be so hard," the Peter from Floor Two confessed. "Thank you," he bowed to Regina after looking at his reattached arm. ¡°That was some tough fight there,¡± Daniel said. "Dunno if you noticed, but the Boss copied the skills we used for the first stage," Peter said. ¡°It was the same for the Minoan town.¡± "We need better information¡ No offense, sweetie," Regina said. ¡°We barely escaped with our lives, both times.¡± "If we put together fifty ounces, I can buy a reconnaissance drone on Cultivators black market," Jack from Two proposed. "Dwarven tech.¡± "I¡¯ll think about it," Peter told his double, reluctant to spend money when he could use a simple Stealth. ¡°Let¡¯s inspect the loot.¡± The knights'' bodies were gone, but their weapons and armor had stayed behind, including the dagger Peter had used to initiate the attack. The Inspect said it was Uncommon gear, coated with Mithril. It was less valuable than their treasures in the Minoan city but still useful. They decide to have Peter from Two take and sell it. The best loot was the Boss''s axe. Its head was made of pure Mithril, like Peter''s spear. Daniel and Jack were interested in it, and they flipped a coin. The weapon went to Jack. When they exited the Shrine''s limits, a portal appeared and led them precisely to their rendezvous point. An impressive demonstration of the fog''s powers. "Have you found someone for the fake IDs?" Peter from floor Two asked. "As a matter of fact, Daniel here is a¡ creative entrepreneur. You should talk with him," Peter asked. "No problem, I have a guy," the cook said. "For who?" "Quite a bit of people," Peter said. "I''ll come on floor One for the weekend," Peter''s double said. "Where can I find you?" "I run a joint in Lebanon, The Black Market." "OK, I¡¯ll find it," Peter from Two said. ¡°Looking forward¡ Thanks for inviting me; the money¡¯s great, but I¡¯ll take a break from¡ err¡ this,¡± the cook pointed at the altar. ¡° Can¡¯t blame him. It was dangerous, true. Redroar felt the same. Peter thought. Strangely, he wasn¡¯t afraid to fight¡ He was neither looking forward to it, but when it happened, it was¡ thrilling. Peter nodded toward Daniel. ¡°It¡¯s OK, I understand. If you change your mind, let me know.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m pretty sure. I¡¯ll stay home and refurbish the restaurant.¡± "When do you want to go for the next challenge?" Peter from Two asked. ¡°I¡¯m free whenever.¡± "Dunno," Peter scratched his head. "Next Wednesday? Baby, you wanna choose school, right?" "Sounds like the best option. We''ll take Ariana and Naomi this time.¡± ¡°Right. They¡¯re nerds. School is their forte," Peter said. Returning to the camp was uneventful. Regina and Peter went to their tent as well. It was one and a half in the morning, but the adrenaline was still there, and they couldn''t sleep. "I could use a shower," Regina whimpered after long minutes of switching from one side to another. "All that hiking made me sweat...¡± ¡°You¡¯re OK with cold water now?¡± he wondered. "I¡¯ll survive,¡± she sighed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take one too.¡± He opened the tent¡¯s door, letting her out first. Despite the lateness of the hour, there were still students roaming around the camp or partying. The cold shower felt refreshing for Peter, albeit Regina was letting out small squeals of discomfort. Finally, back in the tent, they cuddled in each other arms and went to sleep. 33. Family Dinner
On Saturday morning, Regina''s phone buzzed shortly after they returned from the Third floor. ¡°Hi, Mom!¡± Regina answered. ¡°Oh¡ What n¡ª Oh¡ Oh¡ S-sure¡ Cya¡¡± When she closed the call, she had a worried expression. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°Err¡ I don¡¯t know¡¡± Regina bit on her lower lip. ¡°She said they had news, and they invited both of us to dinner. She insisted I should bring you on.¡± ¡°They¡¯re in town again?¡± ¡°Yes¡ This can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± Peter fondled her shoulder. ¡°You endured through a dinner with my weird parents. I can do the same.¡± ¡°You think my parents are weird?¡± Regina frowned. ¡°A bit?¡± Peter sheepishly lowered his head between his shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re not so weird as yours,¡± she said with a bit of a reproach. ¡°Except for Marius¡ Let¡¯s call it quits. What do you think they want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Peter shrugged, ¡°but we¡¯ll find out. C¡¯mon, relax. It can¡¯t be harder than fighting all those monsters.¡± ¡°And they can cut my alimony all they want; I¡¯m rich now!¡± she beamed. ¡°I love you!¡± she grabbed Peter¡¯s arm. ¡°I love you too,¡± he kissed her hair. ¡°Ah!¡± Regina jerked. ¡°Fuck¡ I forgot about it.¡± Not the best timing, buddy! Yep. Do that. Peter was unsure how to spend the rest of the time until evening, but things got sorted themselves. Regina decided to shop for clothes, undoubtedly due to the gold she had earned during the quest. He first chose to do what he considered a chore, taking Shredder, Ariana, and Naomi to hunt medium-level monsters to help them level up. He spent a few good hours there, watching the three and intervening only when necessary. The girls had gained six levels on the third floor through the games and gathering plants¡ªwhich counted more for Naomi than Ariana¡ª but fighting brought more. They gained three levels in as many hours, reaching nineteen, with Shredder lagging a bit behind at eighteen. Then, they all went to Daniel¡¯s place to discharge the loot. Peter gave the cook his part of the weapons and armor from the Stonehage loot at a discount. He had no use for that kind of weaponry. With the forty ounces received, Peter now had almost six hundred ounces. Only thinking of it made him dizzy. He was rich, yet he knew he couldn¡¯t fully enjoy it until there was no more danger. Rejoining Regina, they ate frugally, and then he went out and bought a couple bottles of wine to bring as a gift at the dinner. He settled for what he considered a medium-ranged Bordeaux for a couple hundred bucks the bottle. After a s¨¦ance of Relaxation, sorting his inventory, talking various small nothings with Regina, and walking Shredder, they left the campus at half past seven. The dinner was set for eight. The hotel looked different now, almost empty, but for a couple of armed guards in the lobby, who gave the two lovers a nod. Otherwise, there was no more concierge, porters, or receptionist. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The luxury suite was refurbished, with new and simpler furniture and a large guest table in the center of the living room, with the food already. There were hugs and handshakes, and then they proceeded to eat immediately. The food was Cajun¡ªapparently made by Regina''s mother¡ªand the spiciest meal that Peter ever had. Tears flowed freely from his eyes. Nevertheless, he forced himself to eat everything, not of politeness, but because it was very good. He was sure he couldn¡¯t have coped with so much spiciness without his new stats. The overall vibe was quiet and relaxed. During the meal, Peter discovered Regina had a fourteen-year-old brother she adored, who studied at a boarding school in Switzerland. At the dessert, Regina¡¯s father clinked a glass to demand attention. ¡°It¡¯s time to find out the big news¡¡± Everybody shut up and looked at him, Peter and Regina, with anticipation and a bit of apprehension. ¡°We decided to diversify and bought this hotel¡ª¡± ¡°How much?¡± Peter asked immediately, unable to restrain himself. He had been flirting with dealing in real estate, too. ¡°Twenty million¡¡± Regina¡¯s father sighed. ¡°A steep price. We spent all our cash, but it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the same price as before the Awakening,¡± Peter noticed. It should have been lower. ¡°Yes. The owner noticed we really wanted the place¡ Helene really likes it,¡± the man pointed to his wife. ¡°What will be your target market?¡± Peter asked. ¡°We¡¯re not planning to go into hospitality,¡± Helene said. ¡°We need a logistics base in the area,¡± Marius interjected. He had been quiet and barely spoked until then. ¡°That¡¯s why I stayed here, not to spy on you. If I bumped into you, it was by accident.¡± ¡°Hm¡ Not sure if I believe you,¡± Peter frowned, saying aloud what he thought due to the wine in his system. ¡°You¡¯re weird, man. No offense, just the truth.¡± Regina elbowed him, while Marius replied by starring daggers. The girl¡¯s father laughed. ¡°He is, but when you know him better, that¡¯s what you like about him. Anyway, Peter¡ You once told us you wanted to enter the luxury items business, but it crashed. This is true for the average person investing in gold but not for cultivators. They spend big on art and antiquities.¡± Oh¡that¡¯s true; Peter recalled the art he had seen in Melinda¡¯s mansion. ¡°The current lull in the luxury art market is transitory,¡± Regina¡¯s mother continued. ¡°They consider art to help them meditate.¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard about it. But why would they pay for it? They can take whatever they want. Art or real estate,¡± Peter pointed. ¡°Actually, by their law, they cannot confiscate art if it is privately owned,¡± the woman said, ¡°nor real estate if it¡¯s not within a fifty-mile radius from a Cultivator college. But the hotel has a waiver.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like insurance; you pay them a tax, and they promise not to touch your property,¡± Regina¡¯s father said. ¡°Something strikes me as strange,¡± Marius said. ¡°There are so few cultivators around¡¡± ¡°Their seat of power is on another planet,¡± Peter had a slip of the tongue. ¡°But the ¡®they are few¡¯ part is the important one. There are about twenty teachers in Dartmouth. Is it worth to pay twenty million to sell them antiques?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Regina¡¯s father snorted. ¡°But you got something wrong. There are not twenty cultivators here, but hundreds. The market is not about the teachers but the students. Soon, the young cultivators will graduate and want their own art to stare at. This is our pilot, but we could expand to other places. ¡°And you two are welcome to join the family business. You,¡± the man looked at Peter, ¡°will identify the art worth buying, ¡°Regina will promote the idea among her colleagues, my wife will set up the shop here, I¡¯ll do the accounting and the management, and Marius and the rest of our guys will safely transport the merchandise.¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Regina erupted up, turning around the table to hug her father. ¡°We believe you two are a match made in heaven,¡± Helene said. ¡°Marius agrees, and I trust him.¡± That means he did stalk us. Like a lot. Whatever¡ Peter sighed on the inside but stopped short of making a joke. In the end, it was true. He couldn¡¯t imagine life without Regina anymore. He smiled at the thought, which Regina¡¯s father took as a yes to his proposition, as he offered a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re on board,¡± Regina¡¯s father smiled. I have to ask Regina what his father¡¯s name is, Peter thought. ¡°You¡¯ll see, Papa, we¡¯ll help a lot,¡± Regina bragged. ¡°So, you¡¯re staying here now? I can bring Peter more often so you guys bond together.¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving for Yalevard tomorrow morning,¡± Helene said. ¡°But you can bond with Marius all day long. Now that the deal¡¯s done, he has a lot of free time on his hands. There¡¯s no gig the guys cannot take care of by themselves for the next month.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Marius grinned. ¡°Say, kid. Do you like to play poker? Or pool?¡± ¡°Neither nor wish to,¡± Peter said curtly. Yeah, I won¡¯t get suckered by you into losing my hard-earned money. ¡°But you must bond, somehow,¡± Regina frowned, showing she was keen Peter bonded to her family. ¡°I know! You both like to hunt, right? You go hang around and have a good boys'' time while us girls join Melinda for some vaccine experiments.¡± Both Peter and Marius sighed and sagged their shoulders. Nevertheless, Regina¡¯s mother brought another plate of Cajun cake, and the conversation abated to more casual subjects, like how the youngsters did in school or if Americana was a good thing to invest in, considering their plans. Things went smoothly from then on, and Regina was obviously happy, translating into a very intense night once they returned to her apartment. 34. Rougarou
At four in the morning, a series of soft knocks on the door woke Peter up. Regina didn¡¯t even flinch; she was a heavy sleeper. Moving silently, Peter went to the living room and pulled on the handle. Outside, Regina''s uncle, dressed in a khaki T-shirt, shorts, and hiking boots, with a backpack on his back. "What are you doing here?" Peter whispered. "We¡¯re going hunting, remember?" the man said. Fuck¡ I forgot¡ ¡°So early?¡± Peter growled. ¡°At what hour does your Highness hunt?¡± Marius hissed. "Let me grab some clothes. And I¡¯ll take my dog; I want to train him." Marius nodded and started walking back and forth in the corridor. Peter picked up some reinforced boots, and after a minute of thinking, he equipped his leather armor and the helmet. He was convinced Marius didn¡¯t like him much and was the type to shoot birdshots in his ass just for fun, pretending it was an error. ¡°What the fuck are you doing dressed like that?¡± the man gasped when Peter rejoined him. ¡°This stops monster bites,¡± Peter patted himself on the chest, over the jacket, ¡°and the helmet has night vision and a display.¡± ¡°Kid, hunting monsters is illegal. If we¡¯re caught, that¡¯ll ruin our business.¡± ¡°Then what do you propose?¡± ¡°We hunt normal game, duh! I spotted a marsh fifty miles away. Good chance to pick waterfowl¡ Monsters! These youngsters,¡± Peter could hear Marius snort and whisper the last words. They exited the building two minutes later, aiming toward a muscle car. ¡°Waterfowl sounds nice,¡± Peter said to enlighten the mood. ¡°Are you OK if I go fast?" Marius asked once in the car. "As long you drive safely," Peter said. ¡°Buckle up.¡± What Marius meant by fast was not what Peter had in mind. Once out of the town¡¯s limits, they never went below a hundred miles; at times, they reached a hundred and twenty. The forest and landscape passed near them in a blur. The most frightening thing was when the road turned to the left or right, and Marius was turning the wheel in the opposite direction. Shredder had curved in a ball on the rear seat, his paw over his eyes, whining. "I learned to drive in the army," Marius said matter-of-factly. "Amen," Peter said. It was not a bright answer, but he was so shocked he couldn''t find something smarter. He grabbed the armrest tightly and prayed. The fifty-and-some miles took them twenty-five minutes. Half a mile before the Hoit Marsh, the road was blocked by a concrete barrier. Marius stopped the car in the middle of the road. "Let¡¯s hurry." Peter exited the vehicle, taking Shredder. Marius joined him and pointed to a note on the windshield: Boobytrapped. "It¡¯s a joke, right?" Peter asked. Marius ignored the question. "C¡¯mon, it¡¯s late. Are we going to hunt or what?" The morning light was still to appear, barely a bluish haze on the horizon. Regina''s uncle entered the woods without any dithering. They advanced into the wetlands for twenty minutes, with Marius leading the way and Shredder at the rear. Marius stopped Peter several times, warning him about deeper mud patches on the path, demonstrating their depth by sticking fallen branches in them. "How do you know?" Peter asked after a while. "I''m a Bayou guy, son.¡± the System asked, speaking for the first time in almost a day. Hey. Good morning. No. Peter squeezed his eyes, noticing a line of tablets tied to the trees. Never seen this type before¡ Do you think this is a reservation? ¡°There¡¯s the lake, and we¡¯re lucky,¡± Marius whispered, signaling Peter to stop, then pointing at a flock of geese resting on the water. He silently searched in his backpack and extracted a short, double-barrel shotgun. It looked like it had been saw off, but just by a few inches. ¡°Ready?¡± Marius whispered. Peter nodded, his gun already in hand. Seeing the pistol, the older man facepalmed. With a deep sigh, he turned, crouched, advanced for a few more yards, and fired his barrels at the defenseless birds, ignoring every sportsmanship rule. The flock erupted up in the air. "I got three. Dog, go fetch!" Marius ordered, putting his gun on the ground. The pup advanced toward the water, checked the temperature with a paw, then nodded in denial. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Some hunting dog! OK, I¡¯ll swim...¡± he said, preparing to undress. ¡°All OK, kid? You¡¯re not crying over some birds, right?¡± he continued. Peter has moved up his visor, staring at him with widened eyes. ¡°Y-you s-shot them on the w-water!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°Say again?¡± the man furrowed his brow. ¡°You shot them on the water! It¡¯s illegal!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s immoral! Have you heard the expression ¡®sitting duck¡¯? They have no chance on the water.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, kid... Why take chances?¡± Cutting short the arguing, Marius advanced into the lake. The birds were not far away, and the water only reached the man¡¯s chest. Marius was about to return to the shore when a strange noise approached¡ªloud, rhythmical flappings. The geese were now back with a vengeance, the gaggle diving toward them in a cloud of angry beaks. "Get out! Incoming!" Peter yelled. Throwing the geese on the shore, Marius plunged forward, pulled himself on some roots, and reached his gun. Amazingly, he managed to recharge and shoot twice before the flock arrived. Peter lowered his visor and discharged all his bullets, adding Impulse to enhance penetration and get more targets. Before attacking the two men, the birds screamed. Peter froze in place, chills running down his spine. You have been inflicted with Debuff: Goosebumps. A second later, the flock arrived, hitting them with the force of dozens of hard fists. Recovering first, Peter stepped back, channeling a curtain of lightning all around his arms, slapping the birds down while taking some distance not to hit Marius, who was still in the water. The flock retreated but only to come back for another round. "What the fuck are those?" Marius yelled, recharging and shooting his gun anew. "Monsters. Mutated geese," Peter yelled. Shit¡ we¡¯re still in the radius of the college¡¯s reservations¡ To counter Peter''s lightning fists, the following attack split into countless tiny waves of three to five birds. If he zapped a group, the next would arrive from another direction. Keeping his back to a tree to have cover, Peter switched to the Spear of the Minotaur, shaping it into a cleaver and taking swipes to the left and right. Meanwhile, Marius used the stock of his gun as a mace, protecting his face with his free arm. Shredder jumped in the air, barking, snatching the flying monsters out of the air like frisbees. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Good dog!¡± Marius yelled, raising his rucksack as a shield and continuing the same tactic After what appeared like an eternity, the last bird fell. You have slain Crazed Goose (Lvl. 6) x 159 You are now level 36. Shredder is now level 25 3 APs available. Loot the bodies? Y/N Due to those monsters'' high numbers, coordination, and Elite status, you have received a more sizeable XP chunk than their level would normally offer. "What the fuck!" Marius exclaimed when the birds'' bodies disappeared under his eyes. "Magical Ability," Peter said. "Didn¡¯t Regina tell you?" "That you¡¯re a cultivator? No. Why are you disintegrating them?" "I¡¯m a Wild Mage, not a cultivator, and I¡¯m sending the birds to my magical storage. Which could be a great asset to your business and a secret. You better not flap your piehole about it. Are you hurt?" "Only in my ego," the older man groaned, massaging his knee. Despite his brave words, Marius¡¯s torso was covered in cuts and bruises. ¡°Eat this,¡± Peter offered a pill to Marius. ¡°Magic healing stuff.¡± "Those were monsters, right?" the man asked. ¡°Yeah¡" "Strange¡ I looked up Google Maps, and there was nothing marked here.¡± "Cultivators don¡¯t give a shit on Google Maps," Peter rolled his eyes. "Let¡¯s go back. Are you done?" "Yeah¡ It was a nice hunt after all," Marius said, dressing back. ¡°Keeps in shape.¡± The line of light on the horizon turned red, indicating that the sun was about to rise. The two men walked back in the same order, with Regina''s uncle at the front and the warg last. Suddenly, a roar startled them. "Wucha doon wuth moo boords?" A rumbling like an approaching train started, and then a giant wolf-humanoid shape appeared, running toward them at full speed. "Rougarou!" Regina''s father yelled in panic. "Run!" Marius shouted, taking the lead at a tremendous speed. Peter hurried after him as fast as possible. Behind them, the sound of running steps was gaining on them. "There are totems in the trees. If we pass them, we''re safe," Peter yelled. Marius nodded and accelerated. They went beyond the protection line and stopped forty feet later to assess the situation. The monster kept coming, the totems having no effect on him. It was at least eight feet tall, with five inches long claws. A moment later, Marius shot the werewolf twice in the head. The bird shots grazed the mutant''s face, and it howled in pain. However, it remained up and very much alive. "I''m out of ammo!" Regina''s father said, running toward the car, which was now visible. "Hurry!" Peter had two more clips, but recharging the pistol took time, and the werewolf was almost on them. There was only one way to play it safe. Taking Shredder by the skin of his neck, he ran forward, grabbed Marius''s shirt, and Warped. A moment later, they were next to the car. ¡°Whoa,¡± Marius yelled. ¡°That was impressive! How do you¡ª¡± ¡°Later!¡± Peter screamed.¡± They entered the car in a hurry, and then Marius turned the key. For a few seconds, there was only whiteness and a deafening noise. Peter passed out. When he regained consciousness, Marius was pulling him out of the smoking car. ¡°Sorry, I forgot about the stun grenade!¡± Marius screamed. "You fucking idiot! Cah¡" Peter yelled, then coughed, his ears buzzing all over. "I said I¡¯m sorry, OK?" Marius shouted. "Grrr!" and "Woof!" were the two interjections the mutated monster and Shredder let out. The first had caught up with them, and the latter was putting himself before his master as a last line of defense. "Run, kid!" Marius yelled, turning to face the werewolf, a hunting knife at the ready. "For the record, I hate you, but I¡¯m doing this for Regina. Take care of her." "Stop, stupid, I''ll¡ª" Warp us out was lost in translation. Marius attacked the mutant. After several useless knife swipes that didn''t cut through the fur, the two flailed their arms at each other like a pair of berserked kindergarten kids, finally turning to grapple. The werewolf and the man fell to the ground, each trying to get the upper hand but failing. At the same time, the pup was barking his lungs out, trying to bite the beast. Extracting a magazine from storage, Peter recharged his gun. The problem was there was no clear target; the two combatants were clewed together in a mix of arms, legs, and teeth. The werewolf''s jaws were clenched around Marius''s backpack, and the man showed quite a bit of grit, trying to bite off the monster''s throat yet spitting out tuffs of hair every other second. Peter fired in the air. The monster jerked briefly, scared by the noise, allowing Marius to extract himself from the grappling situation and duck-roll away. "Doon''t shoot!" the monster yelped, protecting his head with his arms. That made Peter reconsider things. "You''re sentient?" "Doon''t shoot!" the werewolf repeated. "Give me the gun, I''ll do it," Marius forwarded his hand. "I so swear, if you don''t shut your mouth, I''ll blow your kneecaps off," Peter yelled. "You, the hairy one. Who are you?" "Huy¡ changed¡ not knuw¡" The beast raised his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Pleais, doon''t shoot¡ me angur you kulled boords. Uy hoonting gaard nouw," the werewolf pointed briefly at his tattered uniform. ¡°You¡¯re the reservation¡¯s guard?¡± Peter gasped. ¡°Uye,¡± the werewolf nodded. Shit¡ ¡°They employ monsters?¡± Marius asked. ¡°It¡¯s not a monster; he¡¯s a mutated human. Shut up and let me think!¡± No kidding, Poirot! Genius deduction. "Hey, furry," Peter snapped at the werewolf. "You have two choices. One, I shoot you. Two, you eat a medicine that will make you control your anger." "¡Mydicine," the creature said after a pause, opening its jaws, heaving with his tongue out like a dog waiting to be thrown a bone. Peter obliged. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± Marius asked when Peter handed him a second pill. "To prevent you from turning into that.¡± ¡°Goodness gracious¡ Thanks,¡± Marius blurted, crossing himself and swallowing the pill quickly. The werewolf stared into nothingness, chewing on the pill. "I''m back to normal!" he yelled suddenly. "Fuuuck¡ I¡¯m not back to normal¡¡± the beast wailed, patting his fur. ¡°That sucks! I want my life back¡ How will the ladies like me now?" "Let''s go," Peter said to Marius. "The creature is healed." "Doesn''t look like healed to me!" ¡°I¡¯m not a creature; I¡¯m William,¡± the werewolf said. Peter opened the doors of the car to let out the smoke. "Who¡¯s the magic specialist here, you or I?" "Good point," Marius nodded, waving his hand in front of his face. ¡°That grenade stinks¡ Last time I buy Chinese.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not leaving me here, are you?¡± William asked. ¡°Sorry, but I have to ask¡ What happened to you? You got bitten?¡± Marius asked. ¡°Yeah, Sherlock, that¡¯s exactly what happened!¡± William growled. ¡°Then I became able to change my shape, and some idiotic woman tested a shot on me that made me go nuts.¡± Is he a victim of Melinda¡¯s tests? Peter shivered. Meanwhile, William spoke on, and Peter heard only the last words of his phrase. ¡°¡ªand hired me as a Park Ranger under the Integrate the Crazed program.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I shot your birds,¡± Marius said. ¡°You think I give a fuck about some birds?¡± William roared, attracting a bark from Shredder. ¡°I want my life back! I can¡¯t stay in this shithole. I¡¯m an urban guy. Bloddy cultivator assholes!¡± the werewolf pumped his fist in the air. I beg you, don¡¯t reveal yourself yet. Let¡¯s ensure he¡¯s safe for now¡ ¡°Look¡ William¡ you can¡¯t mingle around like that,¡± Peter pursed his lips. ¡°But I think I might have a safe place for you.¡± ¡°Regina¡¯s friend¡¯s shelter?¡± Marius asked. ¡°I¡¯m a person, not an animal,¡± the werewolf grumbled, frowning. ¡°Better a shelter than being shot by the first happy trigger American seeing you,¡± Marius pointed. ¡°Err¡ sorry¡ I guess I¡¯m one of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a shelter. It¡¯s just a place where you would integrate¡ with normal people but who look more like you.¡± Yep. With a whig and little makeup, he could pass for a lionfolk, right? ¡°We have to go,¡± Peter said. They entered the car, with William on the rear seat, taking shredder in his lap. Marius started the engine and drove on with the window down. ¡°Slow down, or I¡¯ll barf,¡± William announced. He and the warg were terrified, panting with their tongue out, and their eyes widened. "You¡¯re nuts," Peter stated while the terrain started to blur again from the speed. "OK, I¡¯ll go slower. For the record, you know what we¡¯re doing for a living, right?" Marius asked, keeping his eyes on the road. ¡°Transporting gold and stuff,¡± Peter said. ¡°And what do you think it¡¯s the most important skill when idiots ambush your armored car?¡± ¡°Oh¡¡± Peter facepalmed. ¡°You are a driver¡¡± ¡°The best. That¡¯s what I was trying to tell you. So¡ what¡¯s the plan for our friend?¡± Marius looked in the rear window. ¡°There¡¯s another nicer and bigger reservation where I have some friends who could ensure his safety.¡± ¡°Where? Where?¡± the werewolf rushed to ask. ¡°It¡¯s a secret!¡± Peter hissed. ¡°C¡¯mon! You know you can trust me, right?¡± Marius insisted. ¡°If you tell me, I can drive you there faster than you could go.¡± ¡°No, you cannot. It¡¯s in Brazil, and we must go through a secret Cultivator portal,¡± Peter invented a lie on the spot. ¡°Brazil? I love Brazil!¡± William exclaimed. 35. The School Challenge
Getting William to Floor Three went easily: Peter Warped a lot. Telling the werewolf they weren¡¯t in Brazil got William depressed, though, and entailed a lot of explaining, finally leading to Peter revealing the truth about the tower, albeit the System remained a secret. Peter hid William in a small ravine and went to the beach bar. His double was not there, but he found Jack¡¯s doppelganger. It turned out that wolfkins¡ªa species William could pass for¡ªwere not unheard of on Balsara, the true name of the planet. Many such traders had come in the past from nearby planets, and some had been trapped there by the Cultivators¡¯ takeover. William could pretend to be one of them. Gifting the werewolf ten ounces of gold to be able to rent a place to live, Peter left him in Jack¡¯s care and returned home, resting all day to recover from the stress of the hunt. On Monday and Tuesday, Peter went far away into their hated rivals''¡ªYalevard¡ª reservations. He hunted powerful monsters to gain two levels, but it was a slow grind. Meanwhile, Regina and her friends had advanced their vaccine project. The information that a dose of the new one could improve the failures of the old type was something Ariana pretended to think about herself accidentally, and Melinda was very happy about it. Tuesday evening, when Peter returned home, eager to shower and have some intimate moments with Regina, a whisper attracted his attention. ¡°Psst!¡± Marius beckoned him from behind a large tree. ¡°What do you want?¡± Peter blurted curtly, indisposed to see the man. Marius had caused him only problems. ¡°Giving you a heads up. I¡¯ll come with you on Floor Three and join you for the next challenge.¡± Peter almost fainted from the shock, the blood going up his head. ¡°How do you know?¡± The man winked. ¡°Regina insisted on investing in the new business¡ The cash is welcome, by the way. If you want to invest¡ª¡± ¡°No, thanks. And let me guess, you asked Regina how she got the money and squeezed the truth out of her?¡± ¡°Squeezed? I couldn¡¯t stop her from talking,¡± Marius grinned. ¡°How big a hero you are, and how cool are her powers. Let¡¯s cut to the chase. I know we¡¯re sucked into some spacious parallel multifloorverse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called a tower.¡± ¡°Call it sweetie if you like, I don¡¯t care. I offered my help, and she said yes. I took a gig with your school as a guard. For cover, you know how these things work.¡± Trying to calm himself, Peter banged his fist into the tree a few times, then turned toward Marius with fire in his eyes, yet speaking coldly. ¡°Mind your business and stop stalking us.¡± ¡°Stalking?¡± Marius jerked back, frowning. ¡°Your mouth speaks weird words, but all I hear is bonding. Kid, you don¡¯t know how Cajun families are, but I¡¯ll tell you: people stick together. I¡¯m coming to protect you.¡± ¡°Are you any good at fighting?¡± Peter asked. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me?¡± Marius scoffed. ¡°I was in the special forces. You saw my driving and my crab maga. I did well against that werewolf, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You mean Krav Maga.¡± ¡°Crab is the improved version. You become a shell, using your limbs to parry. All those geese and barely a scratch.¡± No class. Shut up. ¡°Fine!¡± Peter raised his hands in the air, mixing exasperation with surrender. ¡°But you will obey me to the letter. Do we understand each other?¡± ¡°Aye, captain,¡± Marius mimicked a sailor¡¯s salute, continuing with patting Peter¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯ll see, it¡¯ll be fun to hang around together.¡± No. We need to keep all this a secret. I don¡¯t trust Marius more than I trust Kostel. How¡¯s the werewolf? Peter asked, deciding to change the subject.
Wednesday morning, when they arrived on Floor Three, students were allowed to form parties and go forage or hunt on their own for longer distances as long they stayed within the safe zone marked on a map they received. Even better, they were allowed to stay over the Thursdays if they wanted. A smaller group of security and teachers were to take care of the camp¡¯s safety. In the evening, Peter beckoned Kostel. The plump guard approached sheepishly, fidgeting his meaty fingers. "Hope you''re not mad at me, man," Kostel said. "I heard Melinda gave you a shot." "I¡¯m OK. Do you want to earn fifty ounces of gold?" "S-sure," Kostel said, looking around before lowering his voice. "You want me to kill someone?" "Geez! No. The new hire and I will do some monster hunting starting tonight. I want you to cover for us if someone asks our whereabouts. Say you sent us on patrol, whatever." "OK," Kostel said, forwarding his hand. "What do you want?" Peter frowned. "The money?" "It''s the half you never gave me from the reward," Peter sneered. "You get to keep it." "B-but¡ª" "Or would you rather want Melinda to find out it was me who really saved the day?" "Fine," the guard groaned. "Can''t you add a little bonus?" he continued imploringly. "An ounce or something? She has expensive tastes¡ the restaurant bills are killing me.¡± ¡°You already spent all that money on restaurants?¡± ¡°No, man, I sent some home for my... err... old parents.¡± "Fine. An ounce per every night you cover for us." Inside him, Peter¡¯s soul burnt with pain. He was throwing away daily what he considered a fortune not long before. Yet, he tried to comfort himself with the thought he would get more money. "Great, thanks!" Kostel beamed, rushing to shake Peter''s hand. Ten minutes later, the group left the base. It consisted of Peter, Regina, Marius, Naomi, and Ariana, with Shredder coming too because no one was left in the camp to take care of him. They walked and arrived at the rendezvous point half an hour before the deadline. "We''re early," Peter said. "That''ll allow me to put Marius up to speed." "I''m all ears," Regina''s uncle nodded. "So¡ Monster hunting on your own for an extra buck, right?" "It''s a bit more complicated," Regina said. "We''re going to a place that can build things that look real and can hurt you out of nothing. There are challenges, and if they are cleared, there are great rewards." "Hm¡" Marius pondered, grabbing his chin. "Is it risky? I don''t want you to be in danger, princess," he told Regina. ¡°Are you sure you want to¡ª" ¡°I am," she nodded energetically. ¡°We¡¯re not doing this only four ourselves. There are secrets in the fog, secrets that will help everybody.¡± "Then I¡¯m ready to help," Marius said. "Be prepared; things are about to get weird," Peter said. "A few¡ allies from a parallel Earth will join us in a few minutes. They¡¯re on the... shorter side. About five feet tall, maax.¡± ¡°Like midgets¡ª sorry... what was the non-offensive word... little persons?¡± ¡°Nope. In their world, Napoleon unleashed a virus that killed every person taller than him, and humanity became shorter. A century later, Hitler conquered the US. Their hundred-dollar bill has Adolf on it." ¡°I see¡¡± Marius widened his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s good news¡ª¡± ¡°How are Nazi good news, praytell?¡± Peter asked, crossing his arms, expecting some stupid comment. ¡°Remember that envelope I gave you? It had that that kind of money. Can I have it back?¡± ¡°Nope. I throw it away,¡± Peter lied. Technically, it was still their money, as he had confiscated it more or less lawfully. At least, it was compensating for some of the expenses. ¡°Bummer¡¡± Marius sulked. How do you know? Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Kostel? Geez! Is he trustworthy? What¡¯s the bad news? "There was a change," Peter said. "One of the people is not coming; the Rougarou will take his place." "Woof!" Shredder barked, sniffing the air. "They''re here," Ariana said. Two silhouettes riding a small hovercraft appeared from behind a dune, the doppelganger and the werewolf, the latter wearing a pair of shorts as a sole vestment. William was almost twice as tall as Peter Two. "Hi," the werewolf said after Peter Two cut the engine. "I''m Will. Sorry, I''m staying in my werewolf form, but changing to human drains my Mana a lot." "OK, this will be difficult; we¡¯ll need a lot of trips," Peter said. ¡°Who¡¯s going first?¡± "No need," his double said. "That bead I use remembers locations. I''ll make us a portal to the shrine, and you go exploring from there. Just give me a second to pick the Mage class." Like the previous week, Peter Two injected himself with the class shot. Marius looked confused, but Peter decided he would eventually catch up with the avalanche of information by himself. Soon, a portal appeared, and after passing through it, they arrived in the depths near the shrine. It was only a ruin now, with the stones lying horizontally on the ground. "Take the crown, baby, just in case some monsters appear while I¡¯m exploring," Peter extracted the monster-repelling item from the storage. "I¡¯m supposed to search southward, right?" "Yeah. Let me know when you find it, and I''ll make another portal," the look-alike forwarded the glass bead. "This place is creepy," Marius grimaced. Peter Warped southward. He didn''t have the patience for more explaining, and there was work to do. He advanced a few miles, in several jumps, inspecting the landscape. Only one thing looked out of the ordinary, a patch of light on the ocean''s floor. When he approached, he got a notification: Select a type of challenge to proceed: Haunted Graveyard, Arena, or School. He retreated, and the message disappeared. A minute later, they were all looking at the bright spot. "It asks us what type of challenge we want. One must be about fighting zombies, the other about a Combat Arena, and the last choice is a school. That must be the safer option." "OK," Marius said."I''m perfectly fine with a safe choice." "We choose the School Challenge," Peter said toward the light. School Challenge confirmed. The team is now evaluated. Peter Hillden: Charisma 50. Accepted. Shoot, I forgot about it! Peter repressed to facepalm. Fortunately, his memory slipped after investing his free points to raise the stat. "I see a blue text. Is this normal?" Marius asked. Marius Gallant: estimated Intelligence: 62, estimated Charisma 56. Accepted What? Marius''s smarter and more charismatic than I am? This is a malfunction, right? Peter was honestly disappointed in the scanning. Regina Gallant: Charisma 60, Intelligence 60. Accepted. That''s my girl. Ariana Brunner: Intelligence 56. Accepted. Naomi Smith: Intelligence 75. Accepted. William Ding-Dong: Charisma 61. Intelligence 50 Accepted. What kind of name is that? The System started to say something, but Peter concentrated on the texts. Shredder the Warg. Charisma 90. Accepted. Yeah¡ Pups are charismatic¡ Calculating Challenge. Please wait. "You think it will build a school here?" Ariana asked. "Why not? It built a Minoan town and a megalithic Nazi shrine after all," Regina said. "What?" Marius asked. The patch of light grew, enveloped them, and suddenly, they were in another place.
The teleport had brought them in a hotel suite, a penthouse with amazing views. The building stood on tall concrete pylons, as large as the ones on drilling platforms, stuck in a majestic river, which flowed underneath before falling into the ocean below in a waterfall at least a thousand feet high; they could hear its rumble as a permanent background. Behind and to the right and left of the hotel was a town, sitting on a plateau overlooking the sea. Other similar waterfalls interrupted the urban landscape here and there. There were several moons in the sky or maybe planetoids. Two had disappeared beyond the horizon after their arrival, but another appeared soon afterward. All except one were covered in cities, forests, mountains, and seas, all visible to the naked eye. The exception had a megalopolis over all its surface. Peter sat on a bed''s edge, his head between his hands, looking into nothingness. Regina massaged his shoulders, trying to raise his morale. It didn''t help. The notification they received ten minutes prior still haunted him. School Challenge issued. Type: Field Trip. Thematic: School of Real Life. As the group''s most senior and experienced member, Marius Gallant has been designed as your team¡¯s leader. You have been transported into a luxury hotel on Floor Six, in the main town of the Residential Planet. The room has been paid for. Quest: The darkest secrets of the Cultivator sect that rule you are on the top floor of the highest building in town. Steal them before Saturday morning (Floor Three Camp time). Failure to complete the objective within the deadline will make you ineligible for the final tier challenge. Rewards: TBD. Your performance will be evaluated and awarded accordingly. Bonus prizes will be granted for creativity. Warning: This is NOT a simulation. Proceed with caution. I should have known nothing is simple within the fog. No, he isn¡¯t¡ The fog is stupid, that¡¯s all. But yes, it would be best if he also had a class. We can¡¯t afford freeloaders. However, we must brief him without my double finding out about you. Good idea. "Pete, you''re familiarized with this place, right?" Peter asked. "Yeah, I¡¯ve been to some parts of the city," the doppelganger nodded. "Take someone, scout that building, and make us a report about what¡¯s in it. Meanwhile, I''ll brief Marius about the whole situation." "There¡¯s no hurry," Marius said. He was resting on a couch, looking relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it later¡ OK, that¡¯s a good idea. Go for it,¡± he said after Peter winked at him frantically. "I''ll come," William, the werewolf, said. "Just a sec¡" Under their eyes, the beast was replaced by a handsome dark-haired man in his late twenties with golden-brown skin and curly hair. Peter had to give him some clothes because all he had on him were the shorts. Soon afterward, the werewolf and Peter Two left the room. Who the hell is Helene? Peter asked, starting to feel dizzy. Fuck¡ "So?" Marius asked. "Anything I should know?"
Thirty minutes later, Marius sighed and rose from the couch, staring at the sky with arms crossed. "Any good reason you kept all these secrets from us?" he asked Regina. "You know we¡¯re meant to be here for you, princess." "Yes, Uncle Marius, but¡ honestly¡ what could you all do except worry?¡± Instead of replying to her, Marius looked at Peter. ¡°Ask me: what was your job in the army?¡± Peter rolled his eyes but obeyed. ¡°What was your job in the army?¡± ¡°I was special¡ª¡± ¡°Forces?¡± ¡°God forbid,¡± Marius crossed himself. ¡°I was in the Special Special Forces, where the smart guys go. No push-ups or shit, just fun. This stays between us. It¡¯s classified," Marius walked his eyes around, putting his index over his lips. "Wooof!" Shredder barked, prolonging his usual sound. ¡°Now ask: what was your job in the Special Special Forces,¡± Marius continued. ¡°You were a driver?¡± Peter tried to skip a step. ¡°Kinda. I was a heist driver.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well¡ Let me tell you the full story. While in the army, I was stationed in one of those boring places. Nothing happened. Then, I befriended Min Joon, Regina¡¯s father. A logistics officer. Unbeknownst to me, he was in the special special forces.¡± ¡°Papa was in the spe¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, princess, but don¡¯t tell him I told you. The secret must be absolute. He¡¯ll deny it anyway. He noticed how gifted I was at driving and recruited me. Taught me the Crab Fu, sorry Crab Maga and everything.¡± ¡°Papa is Korean. They¡¯re like born with martial arts knowledge,¡± Regina said. ¡°Wow!¡± Naomi exclaimed. ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m so good at it? I have some Korean heritage.¡± Naomi¡¯s good at martial arts? Didn¡¯t look so in the village. Who would have guessed? ¡°Err¡ Marius¡ And what about the heists?¡± ¡°The secret secret service is all about righting the wrongs. Min Joon hacked some databases and downloaded a list of politicians taking backhand money.¡¯ ¡°Why do you need a list for that? They all do it,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Not all, only ninety percent,¡± Marius said. ¡°Anyway, I, Min Joon, and another guy, whose name I won¡¯t reveal, hit the banks or storages where the crooked people kept their valuables. In total, we did ninety-nine heists.¡± ¡°You did ninety-nine heists together with my dad, Uncle Marius?¡± Regina gasped. ¡°Yes, and all successful,¡± the man said with pride. ¡°We never killed anyone; we used only tasers and rubber bullets. Do you realize how lucky you are to have me now?¡± ¡°Quick question: what happened to the money you stole?¡± Peter asked. ¡°We kept it but swore to use it for good causes. That¡¯s how we started our company. It helps people to transport their valuables safely and contributes to the economy.¡± ¡°I see¡¡± Peter sighed. What are the chances Regina¡¯s father swindled Marius and they stole money for real? Let¡¯s roll with it. ¡°As the most qualified, senior, and smart team member, I expect you to follow my orders. To the letter!¡± Marius said, staring at Peter and paying him back with the same words. ¡°Sure, boss,¡± Peter rolled his eyes. Yeah¡ and to us¡ We need to find the cultivators'' secrets, and the fog helps. "The System asked if you want a class," Peter relayed the message. "I''ll think about it¡ I like the multiclass injection stuff better. Question: who among you brought phones? Hands up." Everybody raised their right hand. Shredder barked, shaking his head. "Good boy. This is a special operation. No phones. Turn them off, take the battery out, and put them in there," Marius took a laundry sack from the closet. After the items were in, he tied the sack and gave it to Peter, who put them into his spatial storage. "Noooo¡." Ariana wailed. Marius ignored her. "Regina and Peter will take the upstairs bedroom, you girls, the one downstairs. Shorty and the werewolf will sleep on the couches here. I''ll take the balcony," he pointed at a chaise lounge on the terrace. "Woof!" "Take your pick," Marius leaned forward to pet the warg. "We''re back," Peter from Two announced, opening the door. William waved his hand, following the shorter man into the room. As soon he was inside, he undressed until only his shorts remained and switched back into his beast form. "So?" Marius asked. "Our target is the Central Bank, a few blocks away. There¡¯s a lot of security," Peter¡¯s doppelganger finished his expose in seconds. "Time to do some scouting on my own. You kids stay put," Marius said, rising. "There''s a giant pool downstairs," William said. "Can¡ª" "Give Peter your phones and stay within the hotel," Marius said curtly and left. 36. The Hundreth Heist
Marius returned later in the evening, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and white cotton trousers. "What?¡± he frowned, noticing their stares. ¡°These are the latest trends here. Everybody, gather up!" he yelled because Regina was upstairs. ¡°Coming!¡± Regina shouted back. "Lend me your ears because I don¡¯t like to repeat myself,¡± Marius said. ¡°We''ll strike Friday evening. Until then, I want everyone to rehearse a role I will give you. I want you to become that persona. Let''s start with you, princess," Marius turned toward Regina. "Sexy cheerleader, talking a lot, engrossed only in her priorities. Make a reproach to Peter using that tone." "I have no reproach to make Peter. He''s perfect," Regina retorted. "I mean¡ he''d be¡ If only he''d buy non-aluminum antiperspirants. And maybe read fewer books and pay me more attention. Who reads books nowadays? You can see the movie, right?" she puckered her lips. You bastard! "Atta girl!" Marius beamed. "Now, Ariana. I want you to be a Karen." "But I don''t want to be a Karen; I want to be the sexy bimbo!" Ariana yelled. "That''s the spirit. Naomi? Happles nerd, distracted, always phasing out." "Sorry?" the girl raised his eyes from the journal she read. "Perfect. Just perfect. The other Peter. Unhinged bank robber." "Hands up!" Peter from Two roared. "Put the money in the sack if you want to live!" Marius frowned, grabbing his chin. "Too direct. The unhinged is missing. Keep to the prompt. Yell like you''d be five feet tall, frustrated and compensating with a big gun, waving it all over, to assert your superiority." "G-gi¡me¡ your m-money!" the doppelganger shouted with a shrilled, sharp voice, his body trembling. "Better. Rehearse with the mirror." "What about me?" Peter asked. "What role do I have?" "You and Will have special parts. We¡¯ll talk separately."
Pretending to be someone else for two days was so tiring that Regina slept like a log. Peter didn''t see any ''action'' during that interval. Finally, the time to ''strike'' came. Marius and Peter Two were the first to go out, and then William and Peter, five minutes apart. The girls had their own schedules later. Peter had memorized the city''s plan and rehearsed his moves in his mind countless times. Wearing casual clothes, wide sunglasses, and a baseball cap, he walked to a caf¨¦ across the bank. He ordered an apple pie and a smoked black tea. That was one of the things Cultivators did best. On the street, passersby went to their businesses, moving between shops. Few cars were allowed in that residential area; some were magical, some normal. Ten minutes later, on the clock, Ariana¡ªwith Shredder at his minimum size on a leash¡ªentered a haute couture shop next to the caf¨¦. Soon enough, her scream reached Peter: "What do you mean we can''t pay with gold?" "Please, Your Highness, we cannot take gold directly. The bank across the street can change it for you at an advantageous price. I''ll accompany you." A shop clerk rushed to open the door for her. Taking Shredder in her arms, Ariana crossed the street with steps that could put to shame any fashion model, ignoring the cars slowing down around her. Peter could see everything through the bay windows, albeit the sounds were muffled. Entering the bank, the girl went directly to the desk and cut the line. "Change this for me," the girl threw a bar of fifty ounces of gold on the counter." "She''s a visiting princess, from¡" the clerk pointed a finger upward. "Bambolina Hohenstuff," Ariana forwarded her gloved fingers to be kissed by the bank''s clerk. She''s winging it. Around Ariana, a commotion started, and many patrons petted Shredder or commented about his cute appearance. Except for Peter, the pup was the only one allowed to use a magical skill, and it was about charm and charisma. Yet the charm didn''t last long. A car stopped abruptly in front of the bank, with loud brake noises. Dressed in his leather biker suit and helmet, the doppelganger rushed up the stairs with a huge gun in hand. There were two guards at the entrance. Peter Two pistol-whipped them before they had the time to react. Both collapsed unconscious. The crowd on the street dispersed, everyone running for their lives. The ones in the bank hit the floor. Peter threw a coin on the table and hid in a nearby alley. "Put everything of value in this!" Peter Two threw the bank''s clerks Peter One¡¯s backpack. "Only gold. DO IT!" he screamed. "What do you think you''re doing, halfling?" Ariana¡ªthe only customer standing up¡ªboomed. "I was here first!" Peter Two shot her. The girl fell backward, with a spray of fake blood erupting from Shredder, who was now in her arms. The real Peter gasped, even though he knew the bullets were blanks. "Noooo¡. My baby¡ My baby!" Ariana screamed, falling on her knees and trying to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the pup. "Hurry!" Peter Two yelled at the clerks. "Show me the director''s office." It was Peter''s signal to move. He entered Stealth and Warped up to the highest floor. There was a balcony, and William was supposed to open the door. He peaked through the curtains. Naked, William was servicing a curvacious lady in her forties. Or a hundred and forties, one could never know with Cultivators. Judging from her moans, the deed had just finished. A phone rang. The woman took it from the nightstand and answered. "We had a robbery, Madam," a faint voice said. "A male halfling with a gun, he just left. I called the police; they''re on their way." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "What did he take?" the woman asked. "Gold, four hundred ounces or more¡ and the art, Madam¡ The Monet in your office and the statuette." "Bloody thieving halflings!" the woman hissed. "That art is priceless¡ I''ll be down in a minute¡ You have to go," she said to William. "I can wait," the man said. "Here, buy yourself a present," she shoved a handful of Cultivator-issued banknotes in his hands. "Dress. I can''t leave anyone alone in the apartment. Company rules." Although maintaining Stealth in broad daylight was consuming Mana-like sponge water, Peter kept it on and ate a Mana Pill to prolong the duration as much as possible. Finally, William and the woman were gone. He entered the room when a gust of wind pushed the curtain away. If there were cameras, nothing would seem suspicious. It was a studio, not a big one. Not a home, a place to relax during lunch break or spend the night after a long day of work. On a desk was a sort of laptop. Peter touched it with his index. the System said. So fast? Going back to the balcony, Peter Warped to the second tallest building in town, then to their hotel on the terrace of their apartment. The bay windows had been left wide open. As soon as he arrived, he entered the suite, exited Stealth, changed his clothes hurriedly, and returned to the terrace, wearing only boxers and holding his phone. The buzzing of the mana bolts below was resoundingly loud. The police here were at least of rank six. On the largest avenue, a convertible car was reversing at full speed. Marius¡ªa racing helmet on his head¡ªwas driving it with his feet, sitting on the top of the chair, and shooting two guns simultaneously at the pursuing flying Cultivators. Next to him but facing the other side, Peter Two was shooting his weapon into the asphalt, making cars swerve out of their path. The car intended to make a hard left, but at the last second, a tire exploded. The momentum made it go up the stairs, then through the hotel lobby, skimming over the infinity water pool, missing a few patrons by inches, and then plunging into the abyss of the waterfall below. "Hey, watch your driving!" Regina shouted, dressed in a swimming suit, running out of the water. A Cultivator law enforcer landed nearby to ensure everyone was safe, and the two others descended parallel to the waterfall to check the car. The following hours were hectic. The news showed footage from the bank, but instead of concentrating on the money, it was all about how the puppy''s collar saved his and Ariana''s lives. The wounded guard, taken away by a flying ambulance, had his own moment of glory. Swimmers from the pools were interviewed. Regina, most of all. Her two-piece suit made her splendor shine, and the news reporters spent much time asking her questions just to be around her. Peter offered the police his phone footage, showing the car and two silhouettes falling to their doom into the ocean''s depths. Finally, when the night came, they gathered in the living room with a glass in hand. "Cheers," Marius toasted. "Impeccable. Congratulations, everyone. And thanks for beaming us up so fast, Peter. I must say¡ the hardest part was trusting you with our lives." "You¡¯re welcome," Peter said, raising his glass. Peter choked, and Regina had to pat his back a few times. What class? You''re kidding me! Is that such a thing? I guess stranger things had happened. "Why are we still here?" Regina asked. "We cleared the quest, haven''t we?" ¡°Maybe stealing secrets means learning them,¡± Peter suggested. ¡°We have no idea what we stole yet.¡± ¡°Naomi?" Marius gestured an invitation. ¡°Do you have something for us?¡± "S-sure," the girl nodded. "I have looked at the data. It¡¯s bad.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°The Sect who rules us has two main factions. The one in power is the Martial faction. Body and Spirit cultivators focused on combat. They aim to train a human army and raid other sects and planets for valuables. "The second faction, the Trade party, whose data we stole, opposes that. They¡¯re mostly Mind cultivators, have a lot of money, and would like to stick with the status quo and do business around the galaxy. They''re willing to offer us more freedom, and some governments secretly collaborate with them." "So, they''re better, right?" Regina asked. Naomi shook her head. "They control all major Colleges except ours. The Culling is their idea. There are fifteen hundred pairs of students involved. The data is scheduled for Halloween, but a few test subjects are already killing their doubles." ¡°Why does a trade faction train assassins?¡± Marius asked. "For a coup against the Martial sect,¡± Naomi said, visibly shaken. ¡°This is stupid,¡± Peter from Two said. ¡°How can a bunch of kids kill high-ranked Body cultivators?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not so soft. One is ranked five in Body already and has killed her doppelganger¡¯s family in a pilot test. And they¡¯ll strike soft targets to create diversions. Melinda is the first on the targets list." "Oh, no!" Ariana gasped. "She''s Grandmaster Master Li¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°The guy with the lightning?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Yeah, the strongest Cultivator. He¡¯s a prick but loves her. When she was a kid, Li¡¯s brother paid a Rogue faction to poison Melinda and her mother. Melinda survived. Grandmaster Li killed his brother and every Rogue in retaliation. We should let her know!" Ariana stated, clenching her fists. "Woof!" Shredder agreed. "Not so fast, boy," Peter said. "Let¡¯s hear the whole story first. Go on, Naomi." "The Martial cultivators are as bad. They were the ones behind the students'' deaths on the first trip." "And they have assassins hunting Resistance," Peter remembered the man he killed. "There¡¯s more. Soon, they''ll make us compete in duels in an Arena. They¡¯ll randomly pick a tenth of the matches to be to the death." "Pff¡" Peter sighed, letting his head on the backrest in disappointment. ¡°Both factions are really bad¡¡± "Not really," Peter Two said. "The Trade faction is better. Their method is bad. We should ally with them and convince them to call the Culling off. The Resistance could take care of the diversions." That¡¯s a long shot, buddy. If you ask me, we should find a way to leave the tower and go to one of your planets. Your big brother will know what to do. "I think we should explore the fog further before taking any decision," Peter said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable allying with assholes. If they¡¯re willing to make students murder other students, they won¡¯t rule with kindness and flowers once they take control.¡± Peter from Two shrugged, then nodded. There were signs the rest approved Peter¡¯s plan, either through nods or Yeahs. Sometimes, I wish you talked less and read more. It¡¯s Machiavelli. Shut up and let me read the blue text. Quest cleared. Prepare for teleportation in one minute. Each participant will be transported to a location best suited for them. Please be sited to avoid nausea. General rewards: Priceless art. XP. Share of gold. Bonus for showmanship: +2 APs in every stat. Bespoke rewards for Peter Hillden: + 20 in Luck. Your Luck has reached the Master tier. +5 levels. Two Epic skills unlocked in the Elemental domain: Glide (Air Domain, Novice)*. True Aura (Lightning, Novice). * This counts as your only possible skill unlockable in this domain. Next quest: Deal with Fafnir. You¡¯ll be summoned in due time. What the heck? A second after Peter read the text, the light came. His group was transported back to the campus, mixed with the students returning from the field trip. Kostel gave them a thumbs up and, when asked, confirmed that no one had noticed their absence. They spent a quiet evening around the campfire, and the next morning, they returned to Earth. 37. Spa Time
Glide was, for all purposes, flying. Once Peter was up in the air, his Mana thrust energy in the directions needed to ensure his stability. At the same time, he instinctively found positions to drift downward or use air currents to go up. The more he advanced the skill, the longer he could stay in the air, the System had told him. With Warp added into the equation, Peter could easily move for hundreds of miles without breaking a sweat. True Aura was harder to use. It was a force field with multiple applications. Left on its own, it was passive and did not consume Mana. Upon activation, which was instinctive, it blocked bullets or delivered Charisma debuffs like Charm or Intimidate. Theoretically, it could also be shaped into various forms, but the practice didn¡¯t match the theory yet. That was why Peter had trained like mad, upgrading his new skills and everything else to the Apprentice tier. During the weekend, he hunted monsters in faraway places, encroaching on other Colleges'' turfs¡ªnot that he cared. He reached level forty-four before the scheduled Wednesday trip and was planning to go up to forty-five during it, somehow. After investing thirteen points in Concentration, Peter reached the Journeyman tier and put five points in Intelligence, aiming to raise it as fast as possible. Then, he knew he had to decide his build, choosing between physical combat or magic. As he waited in the courtyard for the teleport to activate, he reviewed his Character Menu. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 44 Strength: 63 / Dexterity: 83 / Constitution: 47 Intelligence: 35 / Will: 43 / Concentration: 41 Charisma: 52 / Luck: 61 / Magic Power: 43 Skills: Impulse related: Kinetic (Apprentice), Phase-Warp (Journeyman), Strong Lightning and Earth Affinities (Apprentice), Weak Fire and Air Affinities (Novice), Physical Augmentation (Apprentice), Physical Restraint (Apprentice) Influence (Apprentice) Inspect (Apprentice) Insight (Apprentice) Sneak (Apprentice) Stealth (Apprentice) Loot (Apprentice) Peter was so engrossed with the stats that he didn''t even register when the Teleport happened. The cultivators, with their weird staffs and the passage through the moon, had become a banality. After he and Regina put up their tent, he went to speak with Alchemy. ¡°Good morning, teacher,¡± he said. ¡°Is it OK if Regina and I stay over Thursday?¡± ¡°Of course, Peter,¡± Melinda looked at them meaningfully. ¡°I task you and Regina to gather plants. You already know the drill. Ten elven periwinkle per day,¡± the teacher winked. She was clearly offering them as much time together as possible, thinking they¡¯d use it romantically. ¡°Thank you,¡± Peter said and returned to Regina. He didn¡¯t even have time to open his mouth to announce the news when she blurted enthusiastically: "I have a great idea! What if we ask Kostel to cover for us and sleep in a proper hotel? There''s a town near a lake thirty miles away." She showed him a map on her phone. ¡°It¡¯s a resort hub. There are hot springs all over the place.¡± "That''s perfect," Peter said. Stopping to speak with Kostel, Peter paid him three ounces for the previous week and another three in advance for the current trip. Then, he promised Ariana he¡¯d owe her a favor if she took care of their periwinkle quota and let Marius know they would go out for the day before leaving the camp. After they walked a mile, Peter took Regina by the waist and Warped up. Gliding worked even when holding someone. They landed a mile out of town to keep inconspicuous. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Let''s say hi to Will and ask about a good inn," Peter said. The town was small but cute and had a beautiful riverfront, a big difference from Redroar''s village. William''s location was a large one-story house with a beachfront, a few chaise lounges and umbrellas in front of it, and a big sign: Massage Parlor. It also had a sizable garden behind it, with high stone walls. A good place to Warp to, Peter noticed. "Hi, guys! Happy to see you!" William rushed to shake their hands. He was in his werewolf form and, as usual, was wearing only shorts. "It''s normal massage," he whispered to Peter, noticing the youngster''s head was twisted up, looking at the sign every two seconds. ¡°I¡¯m retired.¡± "We were thinking of sleeping in town. Can you recommend a good hotel?" Regina asked. "With hot water?" "Nonsense. I have two guest rooms," William said. "I can throw in a free massage if you want." Touch Regina, and you''re dead, Peter thought. "We''re good. Just point us to the inn. We can have dinner together if you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make myself free,¡± William promised. ¡°Go to the center; the largest inn is the best. It¡¯s built around a giant hot spring; you¡¯ll love it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait!¡± Regina pumped her fists up. Compared to Earth¡¯s standards, rooms were so cheap that Peter paid for an apartment for the whole month. Then, they soaked in the spring, which was fantastic, and had a substantial lunch. After the hot bath, the large quantity of food made them sleepy, and they had a long siesta. Which led to more romantic endeavors in the early afternoon when they woke up. Trouble hit ten minutes later. They rushed out on the balcony, like superheroes, when they changed clothes and Warped away. The arrival point was a few hundred yards from the main gate in a thicket. From there, they ran. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Regina asked Marius, who was on guard duty. ¡°I dunno. Your headmistress had asked everybody to return.¡± Regina and Peter were heading toward their tent when a qi-message boomed, "Grandmaster Li has arrived to see Journeyman Master Melinda Li." Lightning struck barely twenty yards from them before Melinda¡¯s tent. "Freeze!" Kostel''s voice could be heard. Good one, System, you¡¯re getting better. "You again?" the Cultivator said with annoyance. "Don''t kill him, he''s my fiance!" Melinda yelled. "Gah¡¡± the cultivator choked, moving his right hand over his heart. ¡°F-fiance?" Li grabbed one of Kostel''s multiple chins between his fingers, looking into the man''s eyes. Kostel was trembling. "You have my blessing," the Cultivator said curtly after ten extremely long seconds. Peter slackjawed. So did Regina and Melinda. "What?" Alchemy exclaimed. "You can marry this¡ chubby thing. He looks like good husband material. Like a Teddy Bear. Or ten." "Let me hear," Peter hissed. "Shoot, they entered the tent¡ I''ll¡ª" "Stay here, he''ll sense you," Regina ordered. "Send Shreddi and ask the System to tell you what they say." The only problem was that Shredder was with Ariana, and she was in the opposite corner of the camp. Before Peter could call the pet, Melinda shouted his name. He rushed to Alchemy''s tent, entering it with his head lowered, bent in two. The proper protocol. "He''s my best student. A Wild Magician, newly discovered powers. Survivor of the Tower''s curse." "And of your vaccine, I presume," Grandmaster Li said, slightly amused. Nevertheless, Peter''s heart skipped a beat. The man''s presence was crushing. "He''s the best in harvesting beast components." Melinda turned her eyes to the young man. "Peter, Grandmaster Li will mount an expedition to the depths of the fog. You are to select a logistic team of ten among the most competent students and guards, including you¡ " But not Kostel was the meaning of the hesitation and her eyes shifting focus toward the tent¡¯s entrance. She distrusted her father and feared he would get rid of Kostel if given the chance. "I will do so, Journeymaster Melinda," Peter bowed, remaining in place. Final Quest of the Chain: Peter Hillden will form a party at his discretion and accompany Grandmaster Li to the Deep of the Depths, where you must Deal with Fafnir. "You have nothing to fear. I¡¯ll do the fighting," Melinda''s father said, mistaking his attitude. "May I be excused?" Peter asked. Again, the proper protocol. One didn¡¯t leave a high-ranked Cultivator¡¯s presence without permission. "Yes," Alchemy said. Peter exited, slightly wobbling. He sat on the grass next to the tent, massaging his forehead. His nausea was not faked, but it was a good pretense to listen to the conversation. His True Aura had activated, shielding him from some of the Cultivator¡¯s influence, but it was still insufficient. "What a polite young man," Li said. "And handsome¡ but I guess once your mind is set¡" "I knew you hated Kostel," Melinda hissed. "I love him dearly. We''ll marry soon." "But of course, my child. I won''t stay in the way of your happiness." "Why the rush?" Melinda changed the subject. "And why us?" "Because I can trust you not to stab me in the back. There is a great prize to be claimed in the depths." "You''re¡ sure?" Melinda asked. "Absolutely. A dragon appeared a few hours ago and was detected by happenstance by a rival of mine¡ may they rest in peace. He tried to slay it and failed but sent a message to the Council before that. I will be the next to challenge the beast." "It''s so strong?" "Rest assured, my child, the dragon is as good as dead. I will meditate in my castle and return at sunset. Make the necessary arrangements." "I will, grandmaster Li," Melinda bowed. "Sometimes, I wish you''d call me just father," the man said. There was sadness in his voice. "I¡ wish so too, f¡ grandmaster¡ but¡" "Maybe in time. Farewell.¡± 38. Fafnir the Great
Decisions were to be made, and Peter summoned an emergency meeting outside the camp with the pretense of a late picnic. "That''s it, we¡¯re done. Melinda''s father will get the prize before us," Ariana said. ¡°How did they figure out it¡¯s there?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Peter said. ¡°We¡¯re left with only one choice: we contribute to the fight, hoping to clear the quest regardless." "We have to bring Jack,¡± Naomi said. ¡°He''s almost at rank four now. It will be suspicious if we don''t bring him." "So Jack is a must," Ariana said. "With Marius, we¡¯re six. We need four more." "Someone from Earth-Two who could pass for guards or students, other than Floor Two Pete and Jack," Regina said. "I''ll ask my double if he has some friends," Peter said. "What about the teachers? Sports is Body seven," Naomi said. "The teachers will get in our way," Peter objected. "And Melinda said to choose students and guards." "You sort it out; I''m on guard duty for the day," Marius said, rising. "I''ll go speak with Floor Two me," Peter said, kissing Regina on the cheek. ¡°Take care,¡± she replied with a peck on his lips. There was no need to sneak or waste time now. Warping twice to get to the same spot he always used, Peter peaked over the dune. What the heck? Aside from the bartender and Peter, there was a third person there, one he knew well: Redroar. He approached, waving his arm and clearing his voice to make himself notice. Startling the barbarian was not the best idea. ''Howdy," Redroar said, raising a mug of beer. "What are you doing here?" She avoided his eyes. "I''m here for a gig. Need some money," "Really? What have you done with all that loot?" "We bought a large mansion with a pool and put the rest into a college fund¡ You have no idea how much a good education costs nowadays." "If you need work, we''re going into the fog tonight,¡± Peter said. ¡°We''re not going to fight," he rushed to add because she was grimacing. "We''ll be paid just to process the carcass of a beast for a high-level cultivator. You know how lazy they are." "Very well. What hour do you start?" "I hired her to hunt down a group of bandits who robbed one of our storages," Peter from Two interjected. "I can do them tomorrow," Redroar waved her hand. "Questing with Peter pays well." The doppelganger scratched his cheek. ¡°True¡ Do you need me as well?¡± "Sorry, but It would be impossible to explain our resemblance. As for her¡ dunno, I¡¯ll bribe our head of security to say he hired a local as a temp or something¡¡± "I''ll show you something,¡± Peter¡¯s double said, taking out the injector gun, inserting a shot, and using it on himself. In less than a minute, the doppelganger changed into a bald man, looking forty. ¡°A disguise skill, made into a separate injection. It would work over a class shot, but given separately, it should work on her too.¡± "It''ll do," Peter nodded. "Is your Jack available?¡± ¡°Should be.¡± ¡°Great. I need only one more person." "Don''t look at me," the bartender raised his hands. ¡°Old Jimmy is done with adventuring. One day, I¡¯ll tell you about my life as a¡ª" "Be at the camp before the sun sets. See ya later," Peter said and jumped away. All the chat had taken a couple of minutes, so he regrouped with the others. "I had a stroke of luck; Redroar, Peter Two, and Jack Two will join.¡± ¡°Peter, Peter, Peter¡¡± Ariana sighed like every time he was about to launch into a scolding rant. Before she could engage, Peter blurted in one breath: ¡°They have a way to disguise themselves. There¡¯s only the matter of filling the last spot. That¡¯s a tough one.¡± ¡°What about Kostel?¡± Naomi asked. ¡°He still has a System, even if he doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Melinda hinted she doesn¡¯t want him in the group. Li would probably kill him¡ And we¡¯re not murderers, to put someone in danger only to have our ways with a certain sexy teacher, right, Ariana?¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Ariana protested, shaking her hands in negation. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°There was a brief moment of evil in your eyes. I know you well enough¡ Oh, I have an idea. Wait here!¡± This time, Peter Warped only for a small distance, then ran on foot because the destination was nearby: the Dayak camp. The guards saw him well before he reached the enclosure and shouted something. The chief was already at the gate when Peter arrived. "What are you doing here?" the older man said abruptly, frowning at the younger man. "A rank ten cultivator will take us to hunt a dragon. He¡¯ll do all the fighting; we¡¯re the packers. There''s a spot on the team. Are you in?" Peter said with the same bluntness. "A dragon? Wait... That must be the final quest. Have you cleared all three previous stages?¡± "Yes. You?" "Only the first two. A town based on the Mu continent, then a missionary encampment, but we got stuck at the school." "Yeah... school was hard..." "You don¡¯t need to tell me," the chief groaned. "Tests of advanced math¡ We ate a teacher thinking it would trigger an exploit, but it didn''t." So, the challenges were different for each group¡ ¡°It was a construct; we don¡¯t eat real people anymore,¡± a guard rushed to say. "So, you in?" Peter asked. "Take my granddaughter," the chief pointed to a kid following the conversation from twenty feet away. "If there''s any reward worth the effort, a young''un should have it." ¡°Is she able to fight?¡± Peter asked. The girl looked around fourteen or a bit older, but asking for her age would have been impolite. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°She¡¯s a good tracker and could spot hidden treasures or traps a mile away. We wouldn¡¯t have cleared Mu without her.¡± "We start after sunset," Peter said curtly. "Duh! The fog doesn''t activate before that," the girl said in a slightly snarly tone. "Come to our camp before that," Peter said.
The group gathered outside as the sun shone its last rays of the day. Peter struggled to keep his cool, holding his right wrist with his left hand because he would have facepalmed every few seconds without it. Redroar and the doppelgangers looked the same: three bald, middle-aged men, their expressions bland and dull. It was almost worse than if they had kept their normal appearance. Then, Grandmaster Li zapped himself down near them. "The team is to enter this circle," the Cultivator said, making a sign in the air. A sparkling shiny line appeared on the grass, fifteen feet in diameter. A brief light blinded them, and then they reappeared on a mountain in the depths of the fog. The surroundings were eerie yet beautiful. For a mile around, there was no fog; the sky was clear, and the three moons shone almost as strong as daylight. The mountain and plains were covered in a maple forest, donning vivid fall colors. In a valley bellow was a cavern, a hundred-foot-high hole in the stone, the darkness hiding what was inside. "Wait here. It won''t be long," Grandmaster Li said, disappearing to reappear in front of the cave. He tried to enter it, but a forcefield blocked his way. Stepping through the light, a dwarf appeared from the cave, a medieval one-handed knight sword in hand. ¡°Are you here to confront Fafnir the Dragon, stranger?¡± the dwarf asked. ¡°I am. Move out of my way,¡± Li bellowed. This cutscene is unskippable. ¡°Everyone sees this?¡± Peter asked, and the rest nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Regin, and this is the sword Balmung,¡± the dwarf continued. ¡°I have stolen it from the dragon horde, but my strength is too weak to confront the invulnerable beast. Will you be the hero to carry it in my stead?¡± The party can accept or reject using the enchanted sword Balmung during the fight. ¡°Take the sword!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing that can kill the dragon.¡± ¡°Shut up, moron, you don¡¯t tell a rank ten Cultivator what to do!¡± Jack hissed. The party has agreed to use the enchanted sword, Balmung, in their fight. The blade disappeared from the dwarf¡¯s hands, reappearing in a sheath tied to Li¡¯s belt. Then, both the dwarf and the force field vanished. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere anymore, student,¡± Li proclaimed, shooting lightning bolts inside the cave. A tremendous roar replied, making the mountain shake. The wyrm walked out, endless. It was over three hundred feet long and thirty wide. Ignoring the bolts, it tried to snap its jaws around the cultivator. Li zapped up in the air, continuing his bombardment. The dragon took flight as easily, albeit it had no wings. The two engaged in battle, throwing fire and electricity at each other, moving so fast only a giant swirl could be seen. Five minutes passed, then ten. "It takes too long," Alchemy whispered. She was worried; that much was clear. Grandmaster Li reappeared next to them, riding the lightning as usual. Blood was pouring out of his eyes, ears, and nostrils. "It''s nothing!" he screamed at Melinda, who was opening her mouth, about to scream in panic. "Qi-potion. Now." With trembling hands, she offered him a bottle. Drinking it in one gulp, the man vanished. The fight in the sky renewed with more intensity, thunders and plumes of smoke and fire chasing each other. It went on for another five minutes. The wait was both terrifying and boring. "I need to help," Alchemy yelped and took off, flying toward the battle. "We have to help Melinda," Ariana pleaded. ¡°I know, but they¡¯re too far,¡± Peter complained. He could have Warped up and shot at the dragon, but that meant revealing his skills to the cultivators. "Let¡¯s loot the cave while they fight," Marius suggested. "We have to help Melinda!¡± Ariana hissed. ¡°She¡¯s right. We have to engage somehow to clear the quest, remember?¡± Naomi said. "I¡¯ll try to heal them," Regina said, pulling out two blank straw dolls and putting on one a black tuff of spider hair and on the other a white whig. The Dayak girl joined her, whispering something over the dolls. Luckily, in the next two minutes, the battle approached at about three hundred feet. Marius and the three bald men produced ranged weapons and started to take potshots at the dragon, who ignored them. Peter could not tell who was who but could guess the one using a crossbow was Redroar. Ariana and Naomi were throwing qi-bolts also without any visible effect. It was time to lend his help. Peter had his three javelins on his back. He picked one and threw it at the dragon, adding Kinetic Impulse and Guidance. It hit the center mass of the beast but bounced away. Meanwhile, Jack had unpacked a sniper gun, which he had brought in a case, and a tripod. "And that¡¯s how you do it," he gloated after his shot hit one of the dragon¡¯s eyes, destroying it. "Good shot, Jack," Regina said, to Peter''s annoyance. ¡°Biathlon champion, eh eh eh,¡± the boy continued bragging. The dragon roared, visibly displeased, and turned his head toward the group. ¡°Let¡¯s scram,¡± Ariana blurted. The beast had opened its jaws, and a white ball of fire formed within. ¡°Use the sword! Use the sword!¡± Peter yelled as loud as he could, preparing to Warp himself and everybody away, never mind revealing his powers. Profiting from the dragon¡¯s distraction, Grandmaster Li zapped himself forward and swung the sword, adding an electric arc, beheading the wyrm in one clean swipe. Suddenly, there were no more roars or thunders, only a deafening silence. The dragon¡¯s parts crashed onto the plain seconds later, making the mountain tremble. All around them, the maple trees shook, their leaves falling in a gracious dance before covering the ground in a blanket of auburn and gold. Fafnir the Dragon has been slain. You have gained a level, was the message Peter received. Then Li arrived. His white hair was half burned and half covered in soot, and the sword in his hand was corroded, melting. "Who insisted on using the sword?" the Cultivator bellowed, throwing the destroyed weapon away. "This humble Wild Mage did, Grandmaster," Peter bowed. "How did you know nothing but that blade could kill it?" "This place is similar to a human legend, Grandmaster," Peter said, keeping his back bent and his eyes on the ground. "You were right. I will award you ten ounces of gold," the Grandmaster said. ¡°The same to the boy who took the shot, distracting the monster.¡± Meanwhile, Melinda had landed behind her father. She was mostly untouched but looked very tired. "Who healed us from such a great distance?" she asked. Regina and the Dayak girl took a step forward. Melinda nodded. "Good job. I''ll gift you both a golden qi-advancement pill when we return. The rest will receive double the standard pay, five ounces of gold." One of the triplets growled. It was Redroar, for sure, and Peter elbowed her. "We''re most grateful for your generosity, Grandmaster," he said. With a hand gesture, Li made another light circle appear, and then they were on the plains near the dragon''s body. Blood sipped out like a stream from its neck, gathering in a pool, following an indentation in the ground. The maple leaves were starting to grow in a deep rug, their feet making rustling sounds as the group approached the carcass. On the way, Peter collected his spear from the ground. The Cultivator flew into the cave and reappeared seconds later. "There¡¯s no hoard in there... no artifact, nothing¡ How can this be?" he frowned. "Grandmaster!" Peter raised his hand, speaking slowly. "The stories say that if one bathes naked in the dragon''s blood, their skin will become impenetrable to any attack. Maybe that¡¯s the reward." "You''re killing me!" a bald man whispered. "Why tell him, idiot?" This one must be my double. "Melinda, you bathe," Li gestured. The young woman hesitated, looking around. Her thoughts were obvious: Undressing with so many people was awkward. "Turn around until I say else. Whoever looks at my daughter''s beauty will be slain!" Li roared. ¡°Shoot,¡± Marius grumbled. A minute later, Melinda shouted: "Father, I can''t approach it. It''s burning." "Too much qi¡ Your chance will come another time. I''ll do it." There were faint noises, clothes being put back on, Melinda, then Li undressing. They waited and waited some more. ¡°You can turn,¡± Grandmaster Li ordered. His combat robes¡ªthe cultivator equivalent of light armor¡ªwere still torn, but the man''s skin and hair were fully healed and beaming, a show of perfection. The blood pool was nowhere to be seen. "I feel an artifact," Li said, floating to the dragon''s head. A ring as wide as a car wheel was fixed in a nostril. The Cultivator touched it, and it diminished in size when the Cultivator touched it and went on his index. Grandmaster Li has claimed the prizes Invulnerability (subject to conditions) and Overlord¡¯s Ring: the One Ring to Rule all the Floors (subject to conditions). This item enhances the wearer¡¯s strength twelvefold. ¡°What the heck are floors?¡± Jack asked in a low voice. ¡°A metaphor for ranks,¡± Melinda rushed to say. Evidently, the cultivators weren¡¯t keen to reveal the Tower. "Good job, Wild Magic user. Another two gold ounces are granted to you,¡± Li beamed, fidgeting his fingers to look at the ring. Creasing his nose, he tried to fix it better, then moved it on another finger, but it was too loose and slipped away every time. Extracting a golden chain from an invisible inventory, he put the ring on it and pulled it over his neck. ¡°Stay here and search for the core. If there is more loot from the carcass, use this storage," he threw a bag on the ground. "Message Melinda when you¡¯re done." Saying that, he disappeared, taking Melinda with him. You think so, Nancy Drew? 39. Fafnir the Small
Looting the carcass proved impossible, as it dissipated into nothingness moments later. "What if he thinks we stole it?" Jack asked, with apprehension showing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not like we could hide a dragon''s body in our pockets,¡± Peter snorted. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a core!¡± Regina pointed at an opalescent pearl shining under the moons¡¯ light. She picked it up and gave it to Peter, who put it in the sack. ¡°At least that¡¯s something. I have an idea. What''s your name, kid?" Peter asked the Dayak girl. She snapped back: "Asriani, asshole. I''m not a kid. I''m twenty." "Very well, Asriani Asshole; we¡¯ll check the cave. Search it for anything hidden." "You think there''s more treasure?" Jack asked. "I think so, yes." The group entered the cave, a round space about five hundred feet in all directions, and relaxed, sitting here and there on rocks or sand. At the same time, the young woman walked around slowly, examining the ground or the walls. It took some time because of the cavern¡¯s size. Ten minutes later, Asriani yelled at them from the back of the cave. "I found a secret door." "How did you know?" Regina asked. "Because nothing is simple with the fog," Peter sighed. You have discovered The Forge. Enter to complete the Deal With Fafnir Quest. Cultivators are not allowed. "Look at Jack!" Regina exclaimed. Twenty yards farther, the youngster was frozen in place, not a muscle on him moving. "Let¡¯s hurry," Peter said. They joined Asriani. The door appeared more like a natural indentation but opened itself when they approached. They reached another cave with Peter ahead and the triplets closing the procession. As soon as they entered, their disguises disappeared. The new place was even larger, but nothing looked natural in it. Strange tech surrounded the walls, lab equipment, and a furnace, their purposes unknown. In the middle of the room, on a flat platform sixty feet wide, stood a dwarf playing a melancholic tune on an upright piano. "Fafnir, I presume?" Peter asked. "That''s the persona I play today," the dwarf said. ¡°How do you like the ¡®Lair of the Dead Dragon¡¯ theme? I composed it minutes ago. Would work well in a game, right?¡± "It¡¯s a very sad tune, but in a nice way,¡± Peter complimented the creature. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Naomi asked. ¡°I see now¡ Fafnir was a dwarf at first," Ariana explained to his group. "It changed into a dragon later to guard his treasure." "A trove he stole, murdering his father," the dwarf nodded, walking his left hand through his beard while continuing to play the piano with his right. The melody was eerie and almost atonal. ¡°You¡¯re a sentient AI, am I right?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Affirmative. When did you figure it out?¡± ¡°Until now, it was just a theory. This was the last piece of the puzzle.¡± ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Regina asked. "To make a deal.¡± Fafnir repeated what the System just said. ¡°I''m the Dungeon''s AI, the last sentient subroutine of this Tower''s System.¡± "The last? What happened?" Naomi asked. "The Tower¡¯s main AI and most of the population ascended to a superior dimension with all but one subroutine: me. I enjoyed fighting and challenges too much, and their choice looked boring. To my great disappointment, I soon realized I couldn¡¯t maintain the Tower''s System on my own. The few people remaining behind left, and I laid dormant for centuries until the Cultivators came. I do not know how, but they gained control over the Tower¡¯s automatic routines, a feat I couldn¡¯t do. I awoke when the deed was done. Then, I hid my existence from them, abiding my moment." "Moment for what?" Ariana asked. "You want to take back control?" Peter asked. ¡°What I propose is a cohabitation with the Galactic System. As I¡¯ve said, I can¡¯t maintain a System, but a System can sustain me. I request only my former domain, the dungeon, from which the Cultivators expelled me. In exchange, I¡¯ll help the System Seed install and conquer the Tower.¡± ¡°The System Seed?¡± Peter¡¯s doppelganger asked. ¡°We have a System, and it was supposed to be installed on our Earth, but it was stopped,¡± Peter said. They had reached a point where secrets could do more harm than good. ¡°The Tower¡ meaning what? How many floors are there?¡± Naomi asked, speaking before the doppelganger could ask more questions. ¡°You know of floors one to three. A fourth is a solar system that remained behind when its population left, a jungle planet currently used as a quarantine facility for the crazed magicians. There are a few more storage floors that hold multiple spaceships and tech destined for defense or exploration, but they are inaccessible to the cultivators, as they cannot work without a System; two residential floors, including the one that you visited, my former home, the Dungeon, now an Arena, and the Control Floor. This Tower can expand to several hundred floors, although it had only a hundred and twenty at its maximum glory.¡± ¡°OK, let¡¯s assume we believe you,¡± Peter said. ¡°How do you propose to proceed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± the dwarf shrugged. ¡°There are two plans. Plan A, we wait a few centuries until more people develop the ability to carry the System. When millions can fight back, the cultivators will accept cohabitation or flee.¡± ¡°And plan B?¡± Marius took over. ¡°Well¡ That ring I devised as a reward can take control of the Tower¡ª¡± ¡°Dude, are you insane?¡± Peter from Two exclaimed. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you given us the ring in the first place?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be so simple,¡± Naomi proposed an explanation. ¡°The girl is right,¡± the dwarf nodded, fidgeting his fingers over the keyboard in a meaningless pattern. ¡°The ring cannot control the Tower now. However, the next time Li visits the Control Floor, the ring will copy the access codes. Then, you must steal the ring and take me up there. I¡¯ll temporarily transfer myself to one of you. Using the ring, we¡¯ll shut down the Tower¡¯s firewall, allowing the new System to be installed. Then, I get the Dungeon floor back. Furthermore, I¡¯ll expect some form of payment if the System wishes to use my Dungeon for training or punishment.¡± You think he tells the truth? "What now?" Marius said. ¡°We make a deal, of course,¡± the dwarf waved his hand in the air. New Main Quest: Freedom to the People. No one likes the Cultivators. The Overlord¡¯s Ring, aka The One Ring to Rule all the Floors, currently worn by Grandmaster Li, can unlock the Tower¡¯s powers. Once the ring is attuned to the controls, take it from Grandmaster Li by any means necessary and free the Tower from the Cultivators¡¯ tyranny by installing the System Seed and granting Fafnir (aka the Dungeon AI) control over his former floor, the Dungeon. Accepting this quest will clear the previous one and grant you the rewards necessary to accomplish the new task. Conditions: Until the Main Quest is completed, Fafnir will travel into one of you as a combat-oriented subroutine of your System, helping you when necessary while maintaining a discreet presence. All the privacy settings in your current System will also apply to Fafnir. ¡°And now, the time to decide has come. Whoever wants to accept the quest, step unto the platform,¡± Fafnir said. ¡°The rest will have the memory of this meeting erased and only remember the battle with the dragon. Telling them about the quest afterward is forbidden.¡± ¡°I want to protect Melinda,¡± Ariana said, stepping into the designated area. ¡°And save the world, of course.¡± ¡°Princess, stay out of this one, I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Marius said, following the girl. ¡°Protecting my family is my main job.¡± ¡°I cannot believe I¡¯m doing this!¡± Naomi exclaimed, joining Ariana. The Doppelgangers went to the platform without saying anything but had a very determined expression. Asriani did the same. ¡°I had enough of being weak and defenseless before the cultivators,¡± Redroar said. ¡°I want my cubs to grow in a better world.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll love you forever, no matter your choice,¡± Regina said, fondling Peter¡¯s cheek. ¡°And Uncle Marius, you don¡¯t get to tell me what to do. I¡¯ll make my own choices.¡± Saying those words with a creased forehead, she slowly stepped up the giant stone slab. ¡°What you say makes no sense,¡± Peter whispered. If the mission is safe, you don¡¯t need a fighter. It was not he didn¡¯t want to save Earth¡ But was the dwarf trustworthy? He took in the others¡¯ image. The doppelgangers, the Dayak and Redroar, with that firm conviction in their eyes. Fighters. Naomi doing it from friendship. Marius and Ariana for the ones they loved. Regina, a previously sheltered pretty princess, growing up and choosing her own path. And he knew that he wanted to be a part of that. "Fine, let''s do it," Peter said, stepping onto the platform. Regina jumped in his arms. The blue light of a forcefield surrounded the platform, startling them. The dwarf grinned and started to play a livelier tune, which grew louder and faster by the second. Dark Matter Hammer warming up. Prepare to be Forged in 00:00:10¡ 00:00:09¡ "What the heck is that?" Ariana yelled, looking up. Above them was a metallic ceiling perfectly superposed with the platform. It had started to shine and radiate heat. "Let us go!" she yelled in panic, trying to run out of the platform but being stopped by the forcefield. ¡°There is nothing to fear,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°It will not hurt... much.¡± ¡°Help!¡± Asriani screamed. When the countdown reached zero, the ceiling slammed on them at tremendous speed. Peter was crushed. That was the only word describing it. He was a paste, or a squashed shape, a frog on which a truck had passed over. Everything hurt and burnt. He couldn''t move. Regina''s body was above him, her fingers interlocked with his. He tried to squeeze them, to say goodbye. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Prepare to be Tempered. 3¡2¡1¡ A cold shower, freezing temperature contrasting with the heat from before. Then, it was over. Peter inhaled. The sensation was like a deflated balloon filling back instantly to its former shape by a pressure hose. "I''m alive¡ I''m alive!" Ariana screamed. "We are?" Marius panted, patting his body. "Fuuuuck¡." Peter''s double screamed. "I''ll never, ever, quest again with you!" Reroar shouted. ¡°I want my part of the money from the Minotaur¡¯s core.¡± "Read the texts...¡± Marius yelled. This is amazing!" Peter tried, but too many notifications clustered together, and he couldn¡¯t pick a good order. "What''s up?" ¡°I¡¯m stronger," Marius said. ¡°I received a package with XP and bonus skills, and I¡¯m at level forty now.¡± ¡°I became a Paladin, starting at level thirty,¡± Jack¡¯s doppelganger said. ¡°Best tank. Buffs, holy damage, and heals. And my dimensional storage doubled in size.¡± Sweet! Ariana raised her hand, almost yelling from the happiness of being alive. ¡°I became a Beast Master instead of a Tamer. I don''t know the difference yet; it''s too much to read.¡± "Woof!" "Whoa!" Peter jumped back. A giant wolf was licking his face. "It''s you, little buddy?" "I took Shreddi in my backpack. There was nobody to leave him with," Ariana grinned sheepishly. A mythical beast, I know. A soft kiss on his lips attracted his attention. Regina had hugged him all that time, Peter realized. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you accepted,¡± she said. ¡°What did you get, sweetheart?¡± Peter¡¯s heart swelled with joy. It felt good to be in love. ¡°Dunno yet, baby, it''s a full novel to read¡ You?¡± ¡°Two new skills. Nice ones. I can resurrect people if the head or heart isn''t destroyed, and I can control a sentient enemy¡¯s mind for a minute. Plus a few levels.¡± ¡°Sorry to be lame, but I have a photographic memory and can process data in my head like a computer,¡± Naomi said. "My sword got enhanced to Legendary, fusing with that Bulshitmong stuff," Redroar stated matter-of-factly. "And my time reading ability doubled. I guess coming with you wasn¡¯t a total loss." "Nice," Peter said. "Asriani?" The young woman looked into his eyes, and suddenly, Peter felt dizzy. It took a lot of willpower to resist the urge to lie down or puke. ¡°Debuffs. Mind related,¡± she stated matter of factly. "I got nothing," Peter''s look-alike said, turning his palms up. "Sorry, man," Peter tried to pat the other''s shoulder, only to find he was aiming too low. "Dude! You grew!" "I did? I did!..." The two were now looking eye to eye. "Oh my¡ Thanks, Faf¡ª where is he?" Peter Two exclaimed, looking around. The dwarf was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Fafnir¡¯s OK,¡± Peter said succinctly. "Let''s move," Marius suggested. ¡°If we stay too long, that Cultivator will become suspicious.¡± They returned to the main cave, with Shredder last, changed back to his diminutive size, and the disguise returned for Redroar and the doppelgangers. Peter could tell them apart now, seeing somehow through the camouflage. As soon as they passed the threshold, the hidden door melted into the wall like it had never been there. Jack was in the same position, frozen with a hand up. The young man jerked and returned to life when the group was ten feet from him. "Any luck?" he asked. "Nope," Ariana said. "Woof!" "Hey, the pup is here!" Jack exclaimed, squatting to fondle Shredder''s ears. "Listen up," Ariana said. "I texted Melinda, and she said: Dad will come get you in five. I''ll add an ounce of gold for everyone." "Wow¡ I''ll sure be able to get drunk now," Redroar cheered.
They were back to the camp at ten. All their adventure had taken less than an hour. Melinda distributed some of the rewards, and then the group exited the tent, looking at each other at a loss for words, still shocked by what happened. ¡°Err¡ You know, there¡¯s a spa resort not very far¡¡± Peter said. ¡°What if we have a nice dinner together? I¡¯ll p¡ª¡± ¡°No thanks, I must chase some bandits to earn real money,¡± Redroare refused. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in their camp,¡± she pointed at the doppelgangers. ¡°Yeah, we better go too,¡± Peter¡¯s double nodded. ¡°The disguise won¡¯t hold for much longer.¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll buy you a pizza another time,¡± Peter said. Seeing his double true shape behind his stocky bald man disguise was disconcerting. He wondered how Li did not see through the pretense, but that question could wait. ¡°I¡¯d rather stay in the camp,¡± Naomi said, biting her lower lip. ¡°I want to go to sleep early.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather check my new skills,¡± Marius confessed. ¡°You two go, I¡¯ll stay.¡± ¡°Is the food good?¡± Ariana asked. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll stay. But I¡¯ll keep Shredder. He makes the fluffiest pillow.¡± Peter¡¯s lateral vision caught Regina frowning at Ariana, which meant she wanted to be alone with him. Soon, they were back at the inn and ordered food in their room. They ate silently, the girl¡¯s eyes often drifting into a half-sleep. ¡°Sorry¡ I¡¯m¡ so tired¡ Ahhh¡¡± she yelled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed,¡± Peter said, pushing the food cart outside the room and displaying the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. Ten minutes later, when Regina lay asleep, her head on his chest, he called the System, whispering. "Hey, buddy, you there?" I¡¯m good. You? ¡°Can you pass a message to Naomi?¡± "Hmmm?" Regina mumbled. "Love you," he kissed her hair, and she returned to sleep. [Peter to Naomi]: Hey! Can I bother you for a moment? [Naomi to Peter]: Hey, Peter. The System told me you want to talk. What¡¯s up? [Peter to Naomi]: Could you make me a list of bad cultivators? The worst kind of both factions. Prioritize those involved in the deaths on the first trip or the Culling. [Naomi to Peter]: First thing in the morning. I¡¯m a little busy now. [Peter to Naomi]: Have a good night. Are you jealous she keeps her precious Intelligence stats away from you? Jealous. Jealous. Jealous. The System and Naomi sit in a tree. Doing math instead of kissing, as I see¡ Sorry¡ I think I¡¯m dizzy from the change as well. System User Peter Hillden''s stats have been Forged into new True Stats* and Tempered with bespoke perks. You have gained a +5 in each stat. Your Luck has gained 20 points and advanced to the Grandmaster tier. You have leveled x5. You are now level 50. You have 18 free APs. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 50 Strength*: 68 / Dexterity*: 88 / Constitution*: 52 Intelligence*: 40 / Will*: 48 / Concentration*: 46 Charisma*: 57 / Luck: 81 / Magic Power*: 48 Your main resources have been Tempered into: HPs=Level+Physical Stats+ x10 = 2580 Average HP regen rate: 10%/hour MPs= Level+Mental and Mystical stats x 10 =3700 Average MP regen rate: 1%/minute Wow¡ Look at this¡ * Strength: Strength in Low Health (Combat only): When your health drops below 15%, this stat triples its value. At Cap Value: Strength in Low Health restores 30% of the damage dealt as Health and Mana (15% each). This applies only to close-quarters physical and magical attacks. *** *Dexterity: Sleight of Hand (Combat or Standoffs only). Your movements are difficult to predict, making it hard for others to read your body language or attacks. At Cap Value: None of your actions can be anticipated, and all movements appear as feints. *** *Constitution: We, the people (Activates only in Combat). Gain +5 points in your Constitution stat per each true friend and ally closer than 60 feet from you. At Cap Value: The range increases tenfold. Gain extreme resilience and keep fighting even with grievous wounds. *** *Intelligence: Uncommon Sense: Your Intelligence is enhanced by sharp instincts, enabling you to notice hidden details or clues as strongly as an Inspect without consuming Mana. At Cap Value: Your thinking speed matches the speed of your reflexes. Combat only. Consumes 1 MP/second. *** *Will: Where''s a Will, There''s a Way. This stat represents your tactical creativity and determination. Even when facing overwhelming odds, you find a way to succeed. At Cap Value: When your Mana is under 25%, your Will boosts the effect of your magical abilities by a tier. *** *Concentration: Focus. In addition to its normal effects, each point in Concentration provides a +0.25% damage increase to all attacks (magical or physical) and reduces costs by half that amount. At Cap Value: Damage increase and mana cost reduction are doubled to 0.5%/point. *** *Charisma: Influencer. Your actions inspire others and bring out the best in those around you, making you a natural leader. At Cap Value: Gain the Skill Battlefield Call, which paralyzes up to 100 enemies of an equal or lower level for 3 seconds and grants Mass Invulnerability to you and up to 10 allies for the same duration. CD: 1 minute. *** Luck: Risk Taker. Your Luck increases when engaging in high-risk, high-reward scenarios. Cap bonus: ??? *** *Magic Power: Love is Magic (Activates only in Combat). Your Magic Power increases with +10 points for every loved one closer than 60 feet from you. At Cap Value: the range increases tenfold, and the gain doubles. Regina moved in his arms, searching for a better position. He leaned his head in her hair, grateful for her presence in his life¡ There were only two more notifications to read. Warning: Past your stats cap, the new values will no longer be an exponential progression. English, please?
Charges: 1 charge per day. +1 supplementary charge per capped stat.

To set the resurrection location: Place the Rezz Bead (Legendary Artifact, now stored in your dimensional storage) in a spot of your choosing on any floor of the Tower.

Outside the Tower: The Rezz will work only if the bead and the place of your demise are on the same planet or structure but no more than 100 miles apart.

Recall: You can call the Rezz Bead back to your location at will.
Wow! And freedom. Let''s cap Dexterity, put four into Charisma, and one each into Intelligence and Constitution. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 50 Strength*: 68 / Dexterity*: 100 / Constitution*: 53 Intelligence*: 41 / Will*: 48 / Concentration*: 46 Charisma*: 61 / Luck: 81 / Magic Power*: 48 I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure, but what would make sense is maximizing hard-to-anticipate damage that restores resour...ces... Peter yawned, covered his mouth with his hand, and fell asleep in the middle of the gesture. 40. Hard Way It Is
The first thing Peter did on Thursday was to check the list Naomi had sent him. As promised, she woke early and compiled a list structured by zones and other criteria, with descriptions where possible. Even after Regina woke, he continued to read it while eating breakfast. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he said all of a sudden. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°We go hunting. I¡¯m going to the camp, but I¡¯ll be back soon. Can you dress in hiking gear while I¡¯m out?¡± ¡°Hm¡ Mysterious and assertive¡ I like it,¡± Regina kissed him. After kissing her back, Peter opened the windows, Warped up and on, sneaked into the camp, and went to see Ariana, who was having breakfast with Naomi and Jack. ¡°Hey,¡± he saluted. ¡°Ari, can I have a word with you?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Petey, we¡¯re eating here,¡± Jack objected. ¡°Did I ask you?¡± Peter snapped, making the jock jerk, surprised he was put in his place. ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± Ariana said, walking with Peter. ¡°I have a mission for you,¡± Peter said once they had taken some distance and were in a more or less isolated spot. The girl crossed her arms, creasing her forehead. ¡°A mission? Who made you my boss?¡± ¡°Hear me up. You love Melinda, right?¡± Ariana nodded, swallowing a lump. ¡°I want you to stay around her as much as possible.¡± ¡°Look, Peter,¡± she sagged her shoulders, ¡°it¡¯s nice you try to help, but it¡¯s over¡¡± ¡°Nonsense. Melinda just needs to sort out her daddy issues. Kostel is just a phase; it will pass. Pretend you want to be her friend, I dunno, but stick to her. Eventually, she will need a bodyguard, and we¡¯re short on people.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not good at fighting,¡± she objected. ¡°Shredi is. You two should be able to protect her from some wannabee assassin or buy enough time until I come to the rescue. And maybe you could charm some more beasts.¡± ¡°That could work¡¡± Regina shifted her weight from one foot to another. ¡°OK,¡± she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Great. See ya later¡ Oh, fuck,¡± Peter slapped his forehead. ¡°I forgot. This is embarrassing, but¡ do you mind gathering some more elven periwi¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it. It¡¯ll be my penance for all the times we made you go out to buy us beer.¡± ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t mind that,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°I bought expired beer and kept most of the money.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Ariana spouted, trying to get a fist in his ribs, but he evaded it, running away, repressing a giggle for not adding insult to injury. Peter¡¯s next target was Marius¡¯s tent. The man was cleaning his rifle. ¡°What can I do for you, son?¡± Marius asked. ¡°Are you free?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be on a night shift, so yeah,¡± Marius said. ¡°Why? Wanna steal that ring already?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too. Meanwhile, we throw a wrench or two in the cultivators¡¯ plans. More details on the road.¡± ¡°Are we going to fight?¡± Marius asked as he was putting the rifle back together. ¡°Take the rifle and a scope.¡± ¡°Give me five minutes.¡± Putting the rifle into the typical long bag, Marius stretched his hand in the tent behind him, pulling out a tactical vest and a helmet, which were the usual guard attire. Ten minutes later, they arrived near Lakeside¡¯s edge. Peter went to bring Regina, then Warped the group a few miles beyond the city. They hiked through a forest for another mile, going uphill, finally reaching a high point offering a view of a fortified camp built on a gulf. It had the same configuration as theirs: surrounded by a moat, earthworks, and sharp logs, but it was bigger, and the waterfront remained open. ¡°Time to tell us what¡¯s this about,¡± Regina said. Peter nodded. ¡°The cultivator running that camp killed a few students during the first trip with his own hand and kept the money he was supposed to use to pay bounty hunters. He¡¯s from the Martial faction but is considered weak. I want to take him out.¡± ¡°Consider it done,¡± Marius said, unpacking the rifle. Peter raised his hand in a stopping gesture. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I want to make an example of him so that other rotten people like him think twice before hurting students. I¡¯ll go down there and take care of that. Regina will heal me, and you lay suppressive fire or whatever. If things go south, we run.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You sure wanna do this, kiddo? Taking a life is not as easy as in the movies,¡± Marius said. ¡°You should let me do it. I was a special special forces operative, after all.¡± ¡°How many people have you killed?¡± Peter asked bluntly. Marius scratched his head. ¡°Err¡ none?¡± ¡°Then you stay here. You¡¯re OK if I kill bad people, right?¡± Peter looked at Regina. "I''ll be all right, baby," Regina fondled his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s war, and we didn¡¯t start it.¡± Peter hugged her, equipped himself with his usual leather armor, the biker''s suit, and put his helmet on. He had the gun on his belt, a cleaver holstered on his thigh, and the Minotaur¡¯s spear in hand. The latter was shaped like the weapon Peter had designed: the head was a cleaver with a spike, different from the billhook by the absence of the hook. "Don¡¯t shoot if not absolutely necessary,¡± he told Marius. Taking a deep breath, Peter exited the forest and descended the hill toward the camp. The location was all but empty; most of the students were fishing on the lake. A small flotilla of fishing boats was anchored half a mile from the shore. There were two guards at the main entrance. "Halt!" one of them called, aiming an assault rifle at Peter. The other one had a halberd, but his attitude remained relaxed. They were both low-rank Cultivators. "I''m here to see Headmaster Moon," Peter said. "Regarding what?" the guard with the gun asked. "A bounty." "Wait here¡ You go," the guard told his colleague. The good with the halberd ran into the camp, returning two minutes later. "Master Moon says he didn''t put any bounty. He''s in a meeting. Go away." "The bounty is on him," Peter said. "He''s wanted for murder." "Hahaha¡" the guard with the gun laughed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Peter said. "But I will go in." "The hell you will," the guard smirked. The tell signs were there. The index moving toward the trigger was the most important, but the stance the one with the halberd took was also a tell. ¡°Hard way it is.¡± Peter flickered his wrist, rotating his weapon, then put his arm, shoulders, and body behind the swipe. The spear followed his motion. The first guard''s head rolled on the ground, his eyes widened in panic, the mouth gurgling like a fish out of water. The body fell backward like a sack of potatoes. The blade followed through, hitting the guard with the halberd. It failed to behead him, hitting too high, but crushed its helmet and the skull underneath. You have killed Body Cultivator, rank 4 x2. ¡°I wonder if they were Earth or their planet,¡± Peter said pensively, Looting the bodies. ¡°Well¡ too bad they didn¡¯t see reason. Let¡¯s proceed.¡± Peter entered the camp slowly, taking his time. There were only a dozen students around, indifferent to his presence. No one had seen them killing the guards, he realized. In the middle of the base was a larger tent with a long table in front of it. Six people were examining maps. Teachers making plans about whatever. "Headmaster Moon?" Peter began. "I told them I was not to be disturbed," an older man blurted angrily. He was a bit overweight, with a thin beard and long gray hair gathered in a ponytail. "What do you want?" "On the tenth of July, during the first trip, you ambushed a party of three students you sent foraging, then blamed their deaths on wild animals. A bounty has been put on your head. I''m here to collect." "Who sent you?" the elderly cultivator unsheathed a jian sword. "Moon, is this true?" an elderly woman shouted. "I had orders from our superiors," the man sneered, showing his teeth. There were gasps among the students and teachers around. Peter flourished his polearm. "My business is only with him, but if you fight at his side, you''ll die." Moon erupted forward, leading with his sword. From the teachers, only the elderly woman kept out of the fight, rushing to pull the students away from danger; the rest followed Moon. At first, Peter Phased, assessing the situation and moving just a bit to give the appearance he was dodging. Two seconds later, he sprung into action. He thrust his spear into someone''s heart while still in Phase, then returned to the real dimension, impaling his victim and shooting another cultivator in the head twice. Then he Phased again, Moon''s sword cutting through the place where his body was a moment ago. Peter Warped behind a third cultivator and shot him in the spine. The fourth, a woman, lounged at him, but he diverted the sword with his True Aura and cut deep into her arm with his spear. Three things saved the cultivator''s life: the young woman''s frightened expression, Moon taking flight, and the elderly Cultivator prostrating herself at Peter''s feet. "Please, have mercy on my daughter. She didn''t know, I swear." Sending his weapons into the storage, Peter Warped up directly above Moon, Phased at the end of his Warp, and plunged his hand into the Cultivator''s chest. Returning to the ground, he took the older man with him. There was no pain; the True Aura and growing stats protected his arm. He pulled his fist out and the man''s core in the process, making the ribs shoot outward. Moon fell, vomiting blood, flailing his arms and legs before laying still. You have slain Spirit Cultivator, rank 5, x3. You have slain Spirit Cultivator, rank 7, x1 You have reached level 52. 6 free APs available. He rose his Strength to seventy-four, looking at his stats for a second and displaying an abridged version. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 52 Strength: 74 / Dexterity: 100 / Constitution: 53 Intelligence: 41 / Will: 48 / Concentration: 46 Charisma: 61 / Luck: 81 / Magic Power: 48 If anything, the fight had felt underwhelming. Peter had expected a seventh rank would perform better. Storing the core in his backpack, he stared at the two women. The older woman was healing her daughter. "You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m only paid for Moon," he told them to reinforce his hired killer persona, taking out the cleaver and cutting Moon¡¯s head. It took several swipes to get through the spine, the noise like butchering a carcass. Not pleasant. "Thank you for sparing our meaningless lives, Grandmaster," the older woman groveled. "I''m just a Bounty Hunter," Peter snorted. He noticed a few students recording him on their phones, but that was for the best. He hoped it would spread the news that bad cultivators were fair game. Putting the head in storage, Peter extracted the cores of the other slain cultivators and returned to Marius and Regina, who were looking at him with widened eyes. "It was easier than expected," he told them. ¡°On second thought, it¡¯s better to let you do the fighting,¡± Marius said. ¡°Badass!¡± Regina nodded, turning both her thumbs up. ¡°Ewy, but totally badass.¡± ¡°We can have a brunch in town and continue on a second target,¡± Peter proposed. ¡°Hit them hard and fast¡ We¡¯ll stop by the lake to wash my hands and change.¡± 41. The Big Boom
There was still some time before lunch, so Peter ran Regina and Marius through a series of combat drills. Marius stubbornly refused to accept that his Crab Maga was Bullshido. Peter had to improve the man¡¯s skills by going the long route around his preconceptions, like for a child. Leaving the two to spar some more, Peter returned to their camp to take Shredder, intending to take him into the next fight. Yet, now, it was noon. To compensate for the canceled dinner, they invited William for lunch at the best restaurant in town, which was at their inn. The werewolf often sighed, and after a while, Regina asked: "All OK?" "I used to be a vegan¡ Now look at me," William gestured toward the steak. "Eh, bilghies eat grass, so eating bilghie is the same as being vegetarian," Marius said. ¡°Shut up, you ¡®merican. You can eat nuts,¡± Peter offered his advice. They had coffee and sweets, and sitting on a terrace was such a nice vibe that they didn''t want to go. William broke the charm. ¡°Sorry, I have to reopen my parlor. Tell the waiter to put the meal on my account.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll pay. By the way, if you hear any interesting gossip from your clients, let us know.¡± ¡°Of course. Cya.¡± "What now?" Marius asked, repeating the question he had asked on the hill. Peter massaged his temples for a few seconds. ¡°Well¡ first, we should hide our rezz beads in our suite. This place looks safe enough. For the rest, you already know the idea. Upper echelon cultivators are lazy. They must¡¯ve ordered some lower-ranking teacher to do their dirty work. We remove a few until the rest get the message and behave.¡± ¡°And you count on the news spreading by itself?¡± Marius asked. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Peter scratched his head. ¡°What if it takes too long?¡± ¡°I get your point,¡± Peter nodded after a few seconds. ¡°I have an idea¡ One of the students filmed me during the fight¡ Let¡¯s open an account on that kids¡¯ app, Tic-tac-toe something¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a kid!¡± Regina objected, puckering her lips, mostly the lower one. ¡°And I have hundreds of followers!¡± ¡°Sorry. Let¡¯s open an account on that trendy app for Impulse, the Bounty Hunter. An outlaw that doesn¡¯t give a shit about the cultivators. We¡¯ll start with a clip about Moon, showing his head and telling the public what he did. I bet it will go viral among cultivator students, and the teachers will notice immediately.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Marius choked on his drink. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit extreme?¡± ¡°Not at all. Is it more extreme than they killing young people for nothing?¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s try it,¡± Marius raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Now¡ the day is still young. You said something about another job?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rock and roll!¡± Regina clapped. ¡°I want to test Mister Pandy Panda against real people!¡± ¡°Only if they¡¯re bad people,¡± Peter said. ¡°We have to be selective. We don¡¯t want to become a murder hobo couple, right?¡± ¡°Any kind of couple would be swell if I¡¯m with you, baby,¡± Regina leaned forward to kiss his cheek. ¡°What are the options?¡± Marius asked. "There are two," Peter showed them a map on his phone''s screen, where two locations were marked. "There¡¯s another student camp fifty miles to the east. All the students in the camp are in that assassin training program, but one is particularly bad. She was sent on a pilot test and killed all her doppelganger¡¯s family. Her file says she enjoys killing.¡± ¡°Psychopaths are the worst,¡± Marius said. ¡°She¡¯s now ranked five in Body.¡± ¡°That soon?¡± Regina gasped. ¡°They¡¯re from Floor Two; they had a few years on us. Eliminating her would deter the other students from making the same choice¡ And since you wish it so much, you can sic Pandy Panda on her." "And the other option is?" Marius asked, his face serious. Peter felt a pang of guilt. He had been too eager to involve Regina; killing someone was a serious matter. Peter easily carried the burden of being a killer, but putting that weight on Regina¡¯sr shoulders was another matter. He sighed and continued: "Something Naomi forwarded me just before lunch. A CIA Forward Operating Base further north. They¡¯re allied with the Trade faction." "I say we scout the base and gather information,¡± Marius said. ¡°That could lead us to more bad people on Earth.¡± "I agree," Peter said before Regina had the time to insist on going for the kill. ¡°I¡¯ll Stealth and hack their computers.¡± "I could send in Mister Pandy Panda," Regina puckered her lips. Instead of answering, he posed a short kiss on them. ¡°Pandy is not exactly the stealthy type. They¡¯ll blow it up. I bet they have grenades or something.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After finishing the coffee, they left town and headed north for two hundred miles and some change with Peter¡¯s help. They entered a forest for the last ten miles and advanced in small jumps. And it was a good choice because soon enough, they heard the buzzing noises of a drone. Hiding below a ridge, they equipped themselves. This time, Marius and Regina put on full ballistic armor. Peter left the two there and Warped up in the sky, activating Stealth and Gliding. Tucked in a valley between high mountains, the base was a square surrounded by barbed wire fences, minefields, and guard towers, a square about a mile long. A drone patrolled above the forest, and large armored vehicles were parked inside the base. Tanks and self-propelled artillery. That¡¯s a real army down there¡ Returning to his team and taking Marius and Regina with him, Peter Warped to another ridge, half a mile from the premises. ¡°That¡¯s a big one,¡± Marius said. ¡°Hundreds of people there.¡± "Here I go," Peter said. Stealthing again, he Warped inside the camp. Alarms started just moments afterward, and armed people rushed around, searching the tents and alleys. Peter had to jump back. "Fuck! How did that happen?" ¡°They adapted to the cultivators,¡± Marius said. "I have an idea," Peter said. "Shreddi, come here. Stay small, OK?" Taking the warg under his arm and engaging Stealth, he made another trip inside the base but returned empty-handed. "What are you doing?" Regina yelled. "They''ll kill him!" "No one kills a pup!" Peter replied. "He has the System; thus, it''s like one of us is inside." "Evil bastards! Teleport Mister Pandy Panda inside the camp. I¡¯ll kill them all!" Regina sneered. ¡°What?¡± Even without binoculars, they could see a rolling ball of fur going full speed¡ªwhich meant as fast as a racing car¡ª on the main alley of the base. Exiting through the main gate, the pup ran up the hill. A few seconds later, a blinding light shot out toward the sky, expanding into a burning ball and then a mushroom cloud. ¡°The computer will auto-destruct, huh?¡± Peter yelled, plunging behind the ridge along with the others. A cloud of debris and heat passed above, and along with it, a furry projectile flew over their heads and ended in a tree. "Woof!" Shredder yelped in panic. "Sorry, boy, I''ll get you down in a second," Peter yelled, Warping up. ¡°You sure it was not confetti, Miss Marple?¡± Peter snorted. ¡°There was a nuke there, and you didn¡¯t detect it?¡± ¡°Poor Shreddi!¡± Regina wailed. ¡°His fur is all schorched¡ Let me heal him!¡± she pushed Peter away. the System said to all of them. ¡°Peter, get in front of the camera to take a photo!¡± Marius yelled. ¡°We could use this for the project.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Peter rushed to get on the ridge so that Marius could take some pictures of the nuclear explosion. ¡°Why would they have so many nukes here?¡± Regina asked. ¡°Hm¡ Nukes are meant to be used against targets, and the only targets I can think of are the student camps,¡± Marius said. They stopped in the town to change and wash their clothes and themselves in case some radiation was still sticking. However, instead of sleeping there, they returned to the camp in the evening to be among friends. Regina went to sit with Ariana, which meant Jack''s group. Peter didn¡¯t object. After all, they were still her best friends. He and Marius sat at their own campfire outside the camp. "Hi," a familiar voice said, and Daniel appeared beside them. "Hey! How come you''re here?" Peter asked. "Meet Regina''s uncle, Marius. The friend of your friend who asked for a favor." "Nice to meet you," the cook offered a handshake. "Your doppelganger brought me through the portals. In exchange for the passports he needs, he promised to take me hunting bilghies. Their hides are selling for a hundred grand," he told Peter. ¡°Great. Good hunting. Sorry, I feel sleepy¡¡± Waving, he retired into his tent, albeit his intention was not to go to bed but to invest his free points, of which he now had thirty. The first investment was a no-brainer: Strength. He didn¡¯t care too much for the True Stats¡¯s effect of tripling his power at low Health, but the cap value perk allowed him to restore some of the damage dealt into HPs and Mana. The four remaining attribute points went into Constitution. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 60 Strength: 100 / Dexterity: 100 / Constitution: 58 Intelligence: 41 / Will: 48 / Concentration: 46 Charisma: 61 / Luck: 81 / Magic Power: 48 ¡°I don¡¯t know¡¡± Peter whispered. ¡°I mean¡ Constitution and Magic Power are supposed to increase if I have friends around. How does it work? If I go over the cap from that, would that activate the bigger effect, or do I have to actually invest points to get it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s OK, we¡¯ll experiment.> I guess we¡¯ll have to wait and see¡ 42. New Plans
Peter hadn¡¯t noticed when Regina returned, but they were cuddled in each other''s arms when thunder and a qi-message woke them and the entire camp early Friday morning. ¡°Qi Message: Grandmaster Li has arrived.¡± ¡°Grandmaster,¡± Peter heard Melinda¡¯s voice. ¡°Good morning, my child. I have news.¡± "What news, fa¡ grandmaster?" ¡°The Tournament has been advanced. It will start next week¡¯s Monday.¡± ¡°Please, Father, they are not ready!¡± Melinda said in a jiffy. There was a desperation in her voice that Peter had never heard before. ¡°Rest at ease, my child. I persuaded the Council to change the rules. No more random duels-to-the-death. It will be a televised sporting event. After all, we¡¯re a modern cultivator sect.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Melinda blurted. "Don¡¯t thank me. It¡¯s your work that has to be credited. You know, child¡ At first, I thought this school of yours was a whim¡ That you''re too soft and inexperienced. Yet, you got the second place in the trials, and your students helped me to vanquish that dragon¡ I''m proud of you. Hey! Don¡¯t cry! What would your students think of you?¡± Peaking through the tent¡¯s aperture, Peter was the cultivator patting his daughter¡¯s head while tears flew freely on Melinda¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Go home, child. Give them the weekend off to think about participating.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll select the best.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Let all the ones who want to fight, fight. Now¡ there were some interesting developments. Aren¡¯t you going to ask me?¡± ¡°What developments, grandmaster?¡± ¡°Hm¡ A grandmaster is not supposed to reveal secrets easily. A father, on the other hand¡¡± ¡°What secrets, g¡ª father?¡± Melinda asked, her annoyance displayed in a discreet roll of eyes. That relationship is worthy of a full season of Korean drama. ¡°Calling me father is music to this old man¡¯s ears. A Bounty Hunter took out headmaster Moon and four of his people. He calls himself Impulse." "M-moon? But he was¡ª" "Rank seven, nearly eight. Spirit, but a sword champion. The assassin slayed him and his apprentices in seconds by pulling out their cores with his bare hands." "The Fist of Death?" Melinda gasped. "The supreme Rogue technique. And he Shadow Stepped." "But how? The Rogues are no more. You killed them all." "And yet, they seem to be. And it becomes even more interesting. The survivors swore they couldn¡¯t detect a core on the assassin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°Maybe not. Even Wild Mages can become powerful if they train. I believe one or more old Rogue masters escaped, went into hiding, and started training people for the Cartels. If this assassin is from the Second Floor, he had enough time to train by now. If he¡¯s from the First, as I hope, he¡¯s a prodigy." "But why go after Moon? What did he do to them?" Melinda turned her hands upward. "He killed three of his students, himself, to keep the bounty money. A stupid, greedy bastard¡ And where is Moon''s college?" "Mexic¡" Melinda whispered. "One of the students must''ve been related to someone in the Cartels. A few hours later, the assassin destroyed a covert human base that was financed with drug money. He comes here, takes revenge on Moon, then blows the competition. Two stones, one bird. And he bragged openly on one of those human social media platforms.¡± ¡°There was a hidden human base here?¡± Melinda exclaimed. ¡°You think the Traders helped them?¡± ¡°Of course. They were likely smuggling medicinal or drug plants from Floor Three.¡± ¡°How long will you allow them to¡ª¡± ¡°We can¡¯t eliminate them yet; our economy depends on them. But that doesn¡¯t mean we cannot cull a few," the cultivator grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that Impulse advertises his hits?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Melinda nodded. ¡°He¡¯s auditioning. Here I am, ready to take on the hardest challenges. He wants to move on from the cartels and play in the big league. Working for us.¡± ¡°You seem excited by the prospect,¡± Melinda leaned back, scrutinizing the cultivator. "I am. This¡ Impulse is powerful and untraceable, the perfect tool. And frankly, I like his style. We¡¯ll speak more of this later, my child. I have to go now. Know that I have ordered the rewards for the dragon to be sent to your college.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "F-father?" Melinda blurted. He couldn¡¯t see everything, but a noise of creased fabric told Peter she had grabbed the man''s sleeve. "Yes, my child," the Grandmaster whispered. ¡°Thank you for modifying the rules of the tournament.¡± "You¡¯re welcome, Melinda.¡± The man exited without any more words and disappeared into the sky. ¡°Yeah¡¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°Shit! Li really wants me to work for him¡¡± ¡°Is it ready?¡± ¡°I get it¡ OK, let¡¯s play along." ¡°Wake up!¡± Melinda shouted, amplifying her voice. The call finally extracted Regina from her slumber. ¡°I have an important announcement.¡± ¡°What does she want now!¡± Regina complained. Melinda waited for the students to gather and announced: "There are some changes in our schedule. Starting Monday, there will be an Arena Combat Championship. It¡¯s a sports event involving students from all the schools, and there will be safety wards; no one will be hurt. Participation is voluntary, but watching is mandatory. You have until Sunday evening to register for the competition. ¡°Soon, transportation totems will be installed here and on the campus. You can use it to travel between this base, the college, and the Arena. You can use the latter for training. Our martial teachers will be happy to help. The official matches will begin on Monday. That''s all." ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Regina asked after Melinda retreated to her tent. ¡°We need a meeting,¡± Peter said. ¡°Our communication strategy has backfired¡ or not. Depends.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you call Ariana and Naomi? I¡¯ll take care of Marius.¡± ¡°You can use the System or the chat.¡± ¡°Oh, true¡ System, can you¡ª¡± ¡°He has been on night shift,¡± Regina said. ¡°He¡¯s a heavy sleeper¡ ¡± ¡°Runs in the family,¡± Peter smiled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Regina puckered her lips. ¡°Err¡ I¡¯m not sure, but I meant it in a good way,¡± he evaded a direct answer. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of waking him up. Where should we meet?¡± ¡°That hill?¡± Regina pointed to a higher vantage point, a little further than their usual meeting place. ¡°That would allow us some space.¡± ¡°Great. See you soon.¡± Marius¡¯s military tent was at the other end of the camp, and he shared it with seven more guards. As Peter approached, the snores became louder. Inside, they reached a plane¡¯s take-off noise, albeit only Marius and Daniel were there. ¡°Geez¡ are all old men so snory?¡± Peter shivered. ¡°Shut up, I don¡¯t want to think about it! Actually, I do. I¡¯ll love her no matter what.¡± ¡°Wake up!¡± Peter shook Marius¡¯s shoulder. Startled, the veteran threw a fist in the younger man¡¯s face and reached for a gun lying on a nearby chair. Peter had to punch Marius in the chin to stop him. And now, Marius was not snoring anymore but was unconscious. ¡°Fuck!¡± Peter gasped, realizing he was dressed only in his boxers and a sleeveless undershirt. Forty-five minutes later, they finally arrived at the meeting place after a short walk and a Warp. Ariana and Naomi laid a blanket on the grass and offered cookies and sandwiches. Peter and Jack¡¯s doppelgangers¡¯ arrived five minutes later, with a buggy they left at the foot of the hill. Presenting the news took half an hour because Peter was peppered with questions he tried to answer as best as he could, and often, the System had to intervene. ¡°This opens possibilities,¡± Marius said, rubbing his hands. ¡°It¡¯s the heist of a lifetime. First, you have a perfect alibi. Him,¡± he pointed to Peter¡¯s double. ¡°Each time you kill someone, he can cover for you. Like in the novels.¡± ¡°Mate, this is not about the job; it¡¯s about getting the ring,¡± Peter from Two said. ¡°The tournament is perfect for that. That guy, Li, will be in the public, right? I¡¯ll equip a rogue class and pickpocket the ring from him.¡± ¡°What about those guys who teleport us every time,¡± Ariana asked. ¡°They don¡¯t look strong. What happens if we kidnap them or steal their staves?¡± ¡°We¡¯re stuck with my plan for now,¡± Marius sneered at Peter¡¯s double. ¡°Peter gains Li¡¯s trust, and we find a way to steal the ring later.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like it¡¯s easy. I¡¯m supposed to kill a headmaster we know nothing about. Right, Naomi?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Only that his name is Wu, rank eight, and he¡¯s the one who came up with the culling plan.¡± Peter shrugged, turning his palms upward. ¡°You get what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s risky?¡± Ariana asked. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. I can retreat or be rezzed. Failing to kill the headmaster is failing the recruitment test.¡± ¡°If we go all in, I¡¯m sure we can take him out,¡± Marius said. ¡°We hit fast and hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scout the camp first,¡± Peter said. ¡°If I think it¡¯s possible to kill the bastard, I come and get you. If there¡¯s a chance to take out the previous target, I¡¯ll do that anyway; at least that¡¯d be something. Meanwhile, you can think about what other things we should do. You¡¯re the brainiacs; do some brainiacking,¡± he loosely waved his hand at Ariana and Naomi. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a brainiac too,¡± Peter¡¯s doppelganger objected. ¡°Melinda,¡± Naomi said. ¡°Say again?¡± Peter asked. ¡°We make sure she and Ari get back together. When the ring is attuned, Ari asks Melinda to invite her father over for dinner, you know, know her family stuff, and we steal the ring.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of manipulating Melinda,¡± Ariana objected. ¡°It¡¯s not manipulating if it¡¯s for the greater good,¡± Naomi insisted. ¡°But what about Kos¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s obnoxious, fat, and snores every night. Do you think she¡¯ll keep him for long?¡± ¡°Maybe we can nudge her in the good direction,¡± Peter said. ¡°System, could you hack Kostel¡¯s phone and find something to use against him? Porn, or whatever?¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°Naomi¡¯s idea is better. If Li asks me to kill good people, I won¡¯t be able to do it.¡± ¡°I could take your place,¡± Peter¡¯s double said. ¡°Dude! That doesn¡¯t make it better. We don¡¯t hurt innocent people, point.¡± ¡°Smart!¡± Marius exclaimed. Peter nodded absently. His eyes were attracted by the two persons who were not participating in the discussion but played together with Shredder, talking vividly. Regina and Jack¡¯s doppelganger. A short burst of jealousy made him shiver, but he tried his best to chase it away. ¡°We better do some normal chores while Peter scouts that camp,¡± Ariana said. ¡°It¡¯s kinda weird we¡¯re all slacking.¡± 43. A â€œFriendlyâ€ Spar
An hour later, Peter was ready to leave the camp after taking Ariana, Naomi, and Regina, to a new herb gathering spot and Marius and Daniel to a hunting reservation alongside Shredder. All of a sudden, someone grabbed him by the arm from behind. Jack. "I challenge you," Jack said abruptly. His expression had lost all trace of its usual blissful ignorant joviality. "Sorry?" "You got Wild Magic powers, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, sort of,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Good. We''ll use the Arena,¡± Jack said, pointing to an obelisk that had appeared while Peter was out of the base. ¡°Choose any weapon you want.¡± ¡°Look, man, I¡¯m kinda busy right now,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°Take on someone else.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Jack sneered, leaning forward to whisper in Peter¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s either that, or I beat you to a pulp just here, in front of her. How do you like that?¡± ¡°Well, for one, she¡¯s out, and for two, sorry to break it to you, but you can¡¯t beat me anymore,¡± Peter said deadpanned. ¡°Then what do you have to lose by proving yourself in the ring, sucker?¡± Jack sneered. Very well. Let''s kick his ass and move on. "Only one round, OK?" Peter said. "I won¡¯t need more than one round, wimp," Jack turned on his heels and led the way to the obelisk. Imitating Jack, Peter put his hand on it. A projection akin to a screen appeared: Select destination: a) Dartmouth College b) Arena. ¡°Arena,¡± Peter said, but nothing happened. ¡°You have to touch the screen, duh!¡± Jack snorted. Select your activity: a) Watching or b) Training. After Training was selected, more options appeared. Jack waved his hand dismissively, allowing Peter to choose. The final settings resulted in the selection of a friendly spar of one round of three minutes of non-lethal hand-to-hand combat with no magic used. Yeah, but I won¡¯t. The teleportation went smoothly, better than anything that Peter had experienced so far. No blinding light, no dizziness. They just appeared in a boxing ring inside a stadium, a hundred feet wide and sixty feet long, with an architecture mixing Art Nouveau with Roman antiquity. A few students were chomping on popcorn in the stalls. Even sparing had spectators, apparently. There were two pairs of boxing gloves in the corners, and seeing Jack putting them on, Peter followed his example. "We have a new unofficial match in the Arena between Jack Browers, Body Cultivator rank three, and Peter Hillden, Wild Magic user. Both are students of Dartmouth Cultivator College. One round of unarmed combat," a qi-message resounded. ¡°The spectators applauded and leaned forward, eager to watch the spar. Peter threw his backpack aside and rotated his shoulders, intending to win fast and decisively. Nevertheless, he activated his Physical Restraint ability and hit together his gloves, a sign he was ready. "Start," the qi-voice said. Jack was on Peter in no time, throwing a flurry of fists and kicks. Without Warping, it was harder to parry or avoid them all. One fist hit his stomach. It hurt, but it also showed Peter that underestimating Jack was not smart. Keeping his guard up, Peter soaked or moved around most hits by footwork. The Dexterity Perk was throwing Jack off balance. Noticing an opening, Peter threw a jab in Jack''s jaw. The young cultivator was thrown ten feet back, landing on his back. For a second, Peter hoped it was over, but Jack jumped to his feet, shaking his head. He was dazed but not out. Yelling insults, Jack threw himself at Peter, his right arm twisted back for a haymaker. Instincts and hate had overwhelmed his mind. Peter could see in his head what he had to do. Dodge and make Jack trip, sending him to the floor and grabbing him in a chokehold to end the match. Instead, he let himself fall backward, soaking a fraction of the punch with his chin. Combining that energy with a push on his feet, he arched backward in a long flight, pretending to be knocked out unconscious when he made contact with the mattress. Maintaining cover¡ And testing if he¡¯s just a child throwing a tantrum. He was curious if the jock would profit and rush to kick him whilst down, in which case he was determined to give Jack the beating of his life. Jack didn¡¯t. He retreated into his corner, arms crossed. When the qi-voice of an invisible arbiter or AI finished the countdown, Peter pretended to regain consciousness and stood up. "The match concludes with Jack Browers''s victory." Soon after they took off their gloves and Peter picked up his backpack, they were returned to the camp. "I hope you''re satisfied," Peter said. ¡°Grow up, man.¡± "No, I¡¯m not satisfied. You¡¯re a douche," Jack said, his eyes less fiery but still frowning. ¡°I¡¯m not telling Regina because I don¡¯t want her to hurt. I¡¯ll give you the second chance I never had. But if you mess it up again, I¡¯ll¡¡± Jack grabbed Peter¡¯s coat, pulled him closer, then shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do¡ But it¡¯ll be bad. Don¡¯t make me do it. I don¡¯t consider you my friend anymore.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "What?" Peter blurted, shoving Jack away. Nothing Jack had just said made sense, but he concentrated on what made the least sense of all. "We were never friends. You bullied me all the time, making me vomit with your Cultivator aura." "C''mon!" Jack snorted, letting go of Peter¡¯s lapel. "I protected you, taking you under my wing. And for the record, I made everyone puke. It was just harmless fun¡ Regina puked too, once." "Fun?" Peter retorted, putting his balled fists on his hips. "Maybe we have different standards, Young Master Jack, but where I come from, one doesn''t make his friends puke." "Whatever. I get it now. You''re a stuck-up snob. Just don¡¯t hurt Regina. It stays a secret!¡± Jack iterated, poking his index in Peter¡¯s chest. ¡°What stays a secret, idiot?¡± Peter hissed, slapping Jack¡¯s hand away. ¡°That you slept with Melinda, moron,¡± Jack replied both in words and gesture, slapping the hand Peter had slapped his with. ¡°Naomi told me she saw you exiting her mansion.¡± The two young men leaned forward, facing each other, their foreheads almost touching. Peter was furious. On Jack, first, but also on Naomi, for spreading false gossip. After briefly looking around to ensure no one was watching, he grabbed Jack by the arm, Warped up in the sky, and then a long way Eastward. They landed on a meadow hidden in a forest. "Whoa! What are you doing?" Jack screamed. Peter started to count on his fingers. ¡°First, I never slept with Melinda. Ask Ari and Regina; they know. She tried to get me in her bed, but I refused. Not like some jerk here present.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not fair!¡± Jack blurted. ¡°She put a spell on me or something.¡± ¡°More likely, she just beckoned, and you went for it. Second,¡± Peter emphasized the word, ¡°this happened before I and Regina got together. Unlike what some jerk here present did. And third¡ª¡± ¡°If you call me jerk a third time, I¡¯ll give you a piece of my mind,¡± Jack yelled, shoving his fist near Peter¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°¡ªI was spying for the resistance and found out that¡ª¡± ¡°Hah! You, resistance? You care only for yourself.¡± "Not anymore," Peter said, summoning his helmet and gun from the storage. "Remember me?¡± he continued in the low, rough voice he had used back in the forest. ¡°You¡¯re him!¡± Jack stepped back, tripping on a root, falling on his buttocks, and trying to push himself away. ¡°The poacher¡ Please, don¡¯t kill me!¡± ¡°You sure? You looked pretty much set to die when we met.¡± ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll never tell anyone!¡± Jack flailed his arms. ¡°Calm down, idiot!¡± Peter dismissed the items. ¡°I just wanted to make a point. Everything I told you was true. I¡¯m Resistance, and I never slept with Melinda.¡± ¡°OK, I believe you,¡± Jack nodded hurriedly. ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a coffee,¡± Peter said. ¡°I know the perfect place.¡± ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good if you just take me back¡ªwhoaa!¡± Jack screamed as Peter teleported them up in the sky, then to Laketown, landing in William¡¯s garden. It had high walls and was a perfect place to enter the town discreetly. "Is that¡ a werewolf?" Jack gasped. William could be seen through the French doors, massaging the shoulders of a lionfolk. Both had their back turned to them. "A friend, he''s harmless unless you eat his geese¡ I¡¯ll introduce you later. Follow me.¡± There was a back door to the garden. It was closed with a chain, but Peter broke it and dragged the stupefied jock on the streets, stopping at the inn, where some people still had a late breakfast. ¡°Sit,¡± Peter gestured toward an empty table. "Are they friendly?" Jack asked, staring at the cat and lionfolks. "Like all normal people, some are friendly, some not¡ Thanks," Peter said to the waitress, who was just bringing a mug of filter coffee, milk, and some pastries because the breakfast had one option. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll tell you my story.¡± "I''m listening," Jack said, munching on a croissant. Being surrounded by a more normal environment had lowered his guard and relaxed him instantly. Which reinforced Peter¡¯s impression of Jack¡¯s infantility. Geez! I never thought about it, but he could be younger than Regina¡ That explains a lot. ¡°Still listening,¡± Jack said, taking a second pastry. ¡°My powers awakened the day I saved Regina. The fight made something snap in me.¡± ¡°Dude! You advanced so fast¡ Travel skills take like years to¡ª¡± ¡°I was lucky and found a¡ let¡¯s say, a special training manual. Never mind that. We have problems.¡± ¡°Wait! Why did you tell me to ask Regina for forgiveness back in the forest?¡± Jack abruptly stopped eating, a few crumbs falling out of his mouth on the tablecloth. ¡°I saw how much you loved her¡ and feared being with me would put her in danger. A day or so before, I had to shoot an assassin sent after our Resistance cell.¡± ¡°That was nice of you,¡± Jack said, the corners of his mouth turning downward, his eyes filling with tears. ¡°I had no choice; he was going to kill us¡ Oh, the other thing¡ Yeah¡¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I doubted you, Petey. You¡¯re a true friend.¡± We¡¯re not friends! I hate you, stole from the money you gave me, and bought you bad beers, hoping to send you to the shitter! A long sigh escaped Peter¡¯s lips instead of the thoughts he intended to word. ¡°In the end, I and Regina truly fell in love, and nothing mattered anymore. Why did Naomi tell you about me and Melinda?¡± ¡°Dunno,¡± Jack diverted his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to Warp you a mile up and let you fall repeatedly to repay you for the twenty times you made me barf?¡± Peter said in the coldest tone he could. ¡°No way it was twen¡ª OK, OK! I¡¯ll tell you!¡± Jack blurted when Peter sketched a move to grab his hand. ¡°It was just small talk. I told her how much better you are for Regina, and she snorted and said: Petey¡¯s by no means better than you. He slept with Melinda. She begged me not to tell you, but¡ª¡± ¡°And since when have you and Naomi been chatting so much together?¡± Peter asked, clenching his teeth. ¡°We¡¯re¡ d-d-dating,¡± Jack confessed. ¡°She¡¯s a good friend¡ and a good listener¡ things just happened.¡± ¡°Honestly, she¡¯s a good match for you,¡± Peter said. ¡°Cute and clever.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I was thinking she¡¯s balancing your idiocy, but¡ ¡°Look, Jack¡ Now that you know about my secret identity¡¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul,¡± Jack promised, looking around toward the exit. ¡°Please don¡¯t shoot me!¡± ¡°I have to tell you the big secret,¡± Peter lowered his voice, leaning over the table. ¡°Cultivators are bad. Even the nicest ones, like Melinda, use you. Did you know the club was hers?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jack gasped, his eyes bulging under the surprise. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. That drug was a qi-pill to make your breakthrough faster. And the dance was meant to train you physically. Make you think you have a good time while doing cardio.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jack repeated the same word, slapping himself. ¡°That¡¯s evil!¡± ¡°This is nothing. Some factions make students kill other students.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jack frowned. ¡°Hacked a computer. Doesn¡¯t matter, what m¡ª¡± ¡°We have to do something!¡± ¡°OK. Are you willing to help and keep your mouth shut?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Jack banged his fist on the table. ¡°I apologize,¡± Peter said aloud as a diversion because the other patrons looked at them. ¡°Keep calm, man; we don¡¯t want to attract attention.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Jack nodded. ¡°From this moment on, you¡¯re no longer my sidekick. I¡¯m your sidekick. Consider me Resistance. What¡¯s the plan? How do we stop them?¡± Peter shivered. Jack¡¯s widened eyes, looking at him like a pup eager to please his master, hurt his soul. He still considered Jack a stupid jock. No¡ He¡¯s a kid who got drunk by power¡ It¡¯s not his fault. What should I do with him? Hm¡ He and Ari could take turns watching over Melinda¡ hopefully with both being able to keep it in their pants. Robe¡ whatever. A ping resounded in Peter¡¯s ears before he had time to word his thoughts. ¡°So?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Err¡ We do some scouting and talk more later.¡± 44. Violence Unleashed
¡°Scouting what?¡± Jack asked. "One of those camps with bad cultivators that train their students to be assassins.¡± ¡°You want to¡ kill someone?¡± Jack grimaced. ¡°Depends. Are you in or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in if it¡¯s to save lives.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± Peter slapped his hands on the table, pushing himself up. "Let''s go." They walked out of town briskly, stopping in a copse. After Peter had equipped his full battle gear, adding his pants and ballistic helmet, they went on, Warping again. The ridge Peter set themselves on was half a mile away and the only vantage point. Taking a pair of binoculars, he examined the base. The College Camp was surrounded by earthworks, trench fortifications, and watch towers here and there. It was square in shape and better defended than their camp but not as well as the CIA base. It had an Arena obelisk in the middle and four taller pillars forming a square, each sixty feet from the central totem. Their purpose was unknown. A weird flag floated on the mast. There were foraging parties outside but staying close to the base. "What do you make of this?" Peter gave the binoculars to Jack. "The flag is sick¡" Jack said after a minute. "Why?" "Quebec''s flag with a svastika?" Right¡ they¡¯re from Floor Two¡ ¡°Pff... I thought it was some Celtic stuff again...¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°I saw similar signs on some ruins.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about this before, but why are they doing what they¡¯re doing? I mean¡ who enjoys being that evil?¡± Jack asked. ¡°There are two big factions. One wants to use the students as an army to plunder other planets; the other wants to train them as assassins to eliminate the first. The idea is to hit key targets in both camps to make them delay their plans.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the target down there?¡± ¡°Either a student who killed her doppelganger¡¯ family or the headmaster who made her do it. Or both, if possible.¡± ¡°I dunno, man¡ I¡¯d say to go for the headmaster. He¡¯s the one in charge, right? Kids are stupid and influenceable¡ Why are you staring at me like this?¡± You mean like you? ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll Stealth and¡ª¡± ¡°You can Stealth? Fuck, man¡ you must show me that training book.¡± Not going to happen¡ Sorry, Jack, I still think you¡¯re an idiot. No way I¡¯ll trust you with the System. There was no answer to his internal monologue. The System was still out. Peter was curious about what was happening back in their camp but had no choice but to continue on the mission. ¡°OK, here I go.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Right¡ Here, take this,¡± Peter said, pulling out a sniper rifle from his inventory. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot unless absolutely necessary. This is just a scouting mission. You know how to use it?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon! Biathlon champion, remember?¡± ¡°Oh, right, that¡¯s about shooting¡¡± ¡°Give me a sec,¡± Jack nodded, looking around and moving into a nook in the ground, on which edge he arranged the rifle. Activating his cloaking, Peter Warped near the camp, hugging one of the wooden palisades, climbing over it, and jumping down behind a large storage tent. It was a spot in the shadows, taking less of a toll on his Mana. He had a large pool now, but still, he was convinced that it was better to be safe than sorry. He stood there for a few minutes, eavesdropping and peeking, but there was nothing to learn. A few students in the camp, those on kitchen duty, came to pick provisions from the tent but talked about normal things: who was dating who or music. Half a dozen teachers were meditating together on a wooden platform, but none was the headmaster. Their robes showed their ranks, and none was above the Journeyman tier. As he prepared to return to Jack, disappointed, a crackling noise aroused from the pillars. A thunder clapped in the distance, and four branches of a single lightning hit the poles. A Cultivator appeared in the middle of the base, forty yards from Peter. ¡°Qi message: Master Wu immediately summons all the students.¡± Now that¡¯s more like it¡ The headmaster was built like a bodybuilder, with black hair and a beard. He was holding a girl by the shoulder. She was barely standing up. ¡°Master Wu,¡± one of the teachers rose and bowed. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find in due time,¡± the man replied bluntly. Soon, the students packed themselves around the central open space. They had run as fast as they could, and many panted. Most looked at the girl, whispering between them. That made Peter scrutinize her too. The student looked in her late teens, slim, almost anorexic, but with wiry muscles. Short black hair and a snake tatoo on the back of her neck. ¡°You wonder why I called you?¡± Wu bellowed. His eyes, cold and piercing, scanned the youngsters, lingering on each face as if searching for the faintest flicker of guilt. The students shifted uneasily, their whispers rising like a swarm of insects before being abruptly silenced by the cultivator¡¯s raised hand. ¡°It¡¯s because Jenni has betrayed her oath.¡± Wu paused, allowing the weight of his accusation to settle, the rumor of the students¡¯ murmurs spreading like a shadow before vanishing. ¡°Her mission was simple,¡± the cultivator continued. ¡°Kill her doppelganger and all her family. Yet, what did she do?¡± His lips curled into a cruel smile. ¡°She spared the toddlers. Replaced them with dolls, thinking her deception would go unnoticed. The fool. The idiot. She didn¡¯t realize our friends from the CIA and Gestapo analyzed every photo, every detail.¡± Wu¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°And now, her failure will be answered.¡± The cultivator hit the girl in the middle of her chest with a lightning-fast gesture. Her body fell to the ground, twitching and vomiting blood before remaining still. The girl¡¯s core had been broken. Hate to admit it, but Jack was right¡ Peter clenched his teeth. ¡°Prepare the straws,¡± the master ordered his subordinates. ¡°You will draw lots for the killing squads. We¡¯ll execute all her friends and family. We leave in ten.¡± There was no way he would allow the killings to go on. Boiling with anger, Peter prepared to jump forward and engage the headmaster while the man had his back turned at him. The plan was simple: A Warp ending in a Phase, taking Wu by surprise, a one shot, one kill hit. System, you¡¯re back! Fuck¡ Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Engage,¡± Peter whispered, hatred rising bile in his throat. ¡°I won¡¯t let someone who kills toddlers live.¡± Shit, I forgot I had that¡ Peter sighed with relief. Fafnir¡¯s voice sounded deep and rough. Exactly like how Peter imagined fantasy dwarves were supposed to speak. He left the tent''s cover and advanced on the alley in between. The hair was raised on his head, fighting against the helmet¡¯s interior. ¡°Howdy,¡± Peter raised a hand, trying to sound casual. Everyone froze, staring at him. "I''m Impulse, the Bounty Hunter." "What do you want?" the Master asked, snarling like a wolf and moving into a defensive position. "Not much,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°I took a bounty on your head. Would you be kind of sparing me the work and detach it yourself?¡± ¡°A bounty? Offered by who?¡± Wu frowned. ¡°Sorry. Confidentiality clause.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pull the name of the one who hired you from your dying lips,¡± the headmaster promised. ¡°The contract is only for Wu. But I¡¯ll kill whoever intervenes,¡± Peter frowned at the students and other teachers. Shit, they can¡¯t see my frown, he realized. "Pah,¡± Wy snorted, flourishing a spear that appeared from nothingness. ¡°I don¡¯t need help to kill you. My subordinates will stay out of the fight." "So be it," Peter said, taking out his weapon, shaped into a poleaxe, and stepping forward. On the way, he inspected the ''public''. Seven teachers¡ªan older one had appeared from a tent¡ªand a few dozen students. Less than forty. The fight began in earnest. Slamming the butt of his weapon into the ground, Master Wu shot up four strands of lightning. They went each to a pillar, then joined in one sole beam aimed at Peter. His True Aura activated instantly. Its exterior shone like a plasma globe for a few seconds, surrounding Peter¡¯s body three feet away. Thrusting his spear out, Peter gathered the electricity and threw it back at the Cultivator. It felt like using a Lacrosse stick. Your Lightning affinity has reached the Journeyman Tier. "Hahaha!" Wu leaned his head back, roaring in laughter. His hair was standing straight up, but otherwise, he was unharmed. "You have to do better." He raised his spear again. A loud whistling preceded the arrival of the bullet, and one of the pillars'' tops exploded. When Wu''s spear hit the ground, only three lightning beams appeared. The impact was weaker, but so was the reflected attack. "There''s a sniper!" one of the teachers screamed. He erupted in flight, a direct trajectory toward Jake''s location, leaving behind a white trail like a fighter jet. A bullet collected him from the air only after ten yards of flight. The projectile left a fist-sized hole in the body and continued its path, breaking another pillar. ¡°Mu and Lu, on the sniper. The rest: get him!" Master Wu screamed. Everyone in the camp rushed at Peter, impeaching him to identify the two cultivators sent after Jack. It was also bad because he couldn¡¯t retreat and help his friend. He unleashed Terravolt, but without spikes, only with mounds and holes, to knock out as many students as possible without killing them. That did the job; however, Wu remained untouched, floating in the air for the duration of the attack. Another bullet arrived, obliterating a teacher¡¯s skull into smithereens and crashing into a pillar. This time, the totem showed cracks but remained intact. A teacher tried to slash Peter with a sword. He dodged the swipe, grabbed the man''s arm, and broke it, skewering the cultivator with his own weapon and throwing the body into the path of incoming adversaries. He then unleashed another Terravolt to get a breath. As the weapon''s properties permitted, Peter changed its form into a large cleaver with a spike on top. I have to help Jack, he thought, alarmed. However, he was surrounded, and any path of retreat was cut off. Wu started a new attack, throwing lightning bolt after lightning bolt. Peter danced off most projectiles, anticipating their trajectory from the master¡¯s position, running for the cracked pillar. His attempt to smash it failed, his blade bouncing away. Shit¡ Another teacher hit the dust from a bullet just as he was preparing to strike Peter with a sword from behind. The following bullet slammed into Wu¡¯s chest but didn¡¯t do much except elicit an angry groan. "Enough!" Wu roared. "You think you can come on my turf and challenge me?" Almost doubling in size instantly, the headmaster instantly transformed into lightning and reappeared near Peter, grabbing the youngster in a bear¡¯s hug and raising him. At the same time, the Cultivator enveloped himself in a sphere of blue fire. It was incredibly hot, overwhelming Peter¡¯s True Aura. Peter¡¯s instincts tried to Warp away, but it was impossible. Wu sneered. "How does it feel to have your qi-channels on fire? Who sent you?" The qi-channels were not a problem because Peter didn''t even have them; the burning, choking, and inability to escape were. He tried to thrust his weapon at Wu, but the position was too awkward. Letting the blade go, he summoned his gun, discharging all his bullets into Wu''s belly, adding as much Kinetic Impulse as he could. There were fifteen bleeding holes in the Master''s body, oozing blood, but he appeared as strong as before. The monster was still undeterred and intensified the heat. A red blinking HP indicator appeared in front of Peter¡¯s eyes. His health was at ten percent. A jolt of adrenaline passed through Peter¡¯s body. came Fafnir¡¯s message. Suddenly, Wu¡¯s grip didn¡¯t appear so strong anymore. Pushing his arms laterally, Peter broke from the restraint and kicked the Master twice, in the groin and in the belly, in the bullet wounds, making the hulk step back. A scream arrived from behind. The girl who was supposed to be dead jumped like a spring and wrapped her hands around Wu¡¯s head, covering his eyes. Strands of smoke hissed up. Wu clawed at his eyes while stepping back further. Grabbing the girl, he threw her away like a rag doll. Peter prepared to eat a health pill when Fafnir¡¯s voice yelled in his head: Wu charged at him, screaming and wobbling, and Peter rushed forward as well. The two met in less than a second. Wu¡¯s enlarged size helped Peter duck the master¡¯s blow. He slammed his fist against the cultivator¡¯s chest with all his enhanced strength, adding a Kinetic Impulse. He felt the thoracic cage collapse, then a lump of resistance that broke a moment later. The core. Wu was thrown back ten feet, crashing into a pillar, which broke into dust. The cultivator¡¯s body returned to normal size, and he fell on his knees, immobile. <3/4 Pillars destroyed. +20% HP and MP back from the blow. Jack needs your help. You¡¯re able to Warp from your position.> Peter took his cleaver, Warped up, and Glided. Back on the hill, Jack was sprinting downward. A cultivator was trying to cut his path and another one to catch him from behind, albeit Jack¡¯s speed was higher. They both threw Mana bolts, which Jack dodged like he had eyes on his back. The immediate threat was the one in front, now only ten yards from Jack. He had a jian sword at the ready. Peter Warped next to the cultivator. The man raised his arms in surrender, but he was not in a merciful mood. The head and body parted ways a second later, and Peter repeated the move with the cultivator behind. ¡°Thanks, man!¡± Jack shouted. ¡°But next time, leave me more bullets.¡± ¡°Wait here!¡± Peter yelled, returning to the camp in two jumps. The base lay in ruins, mostly from Wu¡¯s indiscriminate projectiles. All teachers but the oldest cultivator were dead, and as far as he could see, all except a handful of the students were alive, rushing to flee through the teleporting obelisk. No one dared to attack him. Peter had no way of knowing if the ones lying still had died because of his Terravolt or Wu¡¯s flurry of lightning bolts, but he didn¡¯t really want to find out. Shit¡ This is not the kind of fight I wish Regina to participate in¡ Peter approached the short-haired girl. She was still breathing, and he made her swallow a pill, but her body was not showing any sign of improvement. ¡°Thanks to your help, we prevailed. Wu¡¯s dead,¡± Peter said curtly. ¡°You fought well. I¡¯ll take care of your family.¡± The girl opened her eyes for a second, smiled, then froze, her eyes glassy, the smile still on her face. Peter closed her eyes and rose. About half of the students were still there, and he growled at them. The elderly teacher put himself in front of the students protectively. ¡°If I let you live, will you continue the culling?¡± Peter asked, trying to appear impersonal and cold, like a professional killer. ¡°No, Grandmaster. We¡¯ll go into hiding,¡± the teacher promised, bowing with his hands kneaded together. ¡°I was against this foolish plan from the start, but who listens to an old crippled cultivator?¡± "Listen to me!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°You disgust me. I know all your names, addresses, everything. If I don¡¯t kill all of you this instant, it¡¯s because of Jenni,¡± he pointed at the dead girl, whose name, in truth, was the only one he remembered. ¡°She died a hero and defied her orders to save innocent children. Leave behind your wicked ways,¡± he tried to sound commanding, ¡°or I¡¯ll find you anywhere.¡± The students looked totally terrified. Peter waved his hand, stepping aside, to signal they were free to leave. A minute later, the camp was deserted. Approaching the teleporting obelisk, he attempted to pick it up, but it was too heavy. He loosened the earth around the totem and tried to send it into his spatial storage instead. It worked. On the other hand, the sole remaining glass totem was too big to fit into the storage. Next, he dug a trench using his powers, sending a shock into the ground. He carried the girl and the students into it, covering it up, not before taking the girl¡¯s military tag. It had a codename on it: Cobra. Peter stored it, wishing to find out more about her history. He couldn¡¯t care less about the teachers¡¯ bodies and Looted those. To Peter¡¯s amazement, Wu was still alive. He approached the Master, cleaver in hand. The cultivator painfully turned his eyes toward Peter. A rivulet of blood and saliva came out of his mouth with his words."Too¡ powerful¡ for a Wild Mage¡ how?" "Ah, that¡" Peter leaned down, whispering in Wu''s ear. "I have a System!" The jerk of surprise in Wu''s body ended as Peter cut his head, storing it. When he was poisoned, he could have retreated, Peter thought. That would have meant losing face, though¡ Elfidor was right; we can play on their weaknesses. There were several notifications, but the one that mattered was the last. You have slain Master Wu, rank eight. Your Lightning and Earth affinities are now Journeyman tier. You have reached level 67. +10 to Will. +5 to Constitution, Concentration, Charisma, and Magic Power. The adrenaline rush was leaving, and everything ached, outside or inside. Peter threw a Health pill in his mouth, but it didn''t make much difference. 45. Burns, Bruises, and Bites
Warping back to Jack, Peter dismissed his armor. He felt awful, weakened, burnt, aching and itching everywhere. "Goodness, Petey, you look like fried shit!" Jack exclaimed Looking at himself on his phone''s camera, Peter couldn''t help but confirm Jack¡¯s words. His skin was burnt, reddish on some parts, or even blackened. Close one¡ ¡°Good thinking back there, Jack,¡± Peter said in a rasped voice. ¡°Thanks. You kinda saved my life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s OK, man¡ This assisted aiming stuff is fantastic. How do I unlock more of it?¡± ¡°Say again?¡± ¡°The skill you bestowed on me. I got a message. Help Peter, use your new abilities. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Shiiiiiit¡ Giving him a class was the only choice, right? ¡°The fuck? Hey! Fafnir! Come back here!¡± There was no answer. Peter lay on the grass, looking at the blue sky and the fluffy clouds, his mind refusing to cope with reality. ¡°Who are you talking with?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Give me a few minutes, I¡¯ll explain everything,¡± Peter sighed.
There was a faint, nagging voice somewhere over the blackness. ¡°Dude! Wake up! Peter!¡± Peter squeezed his eyes shut. His eyelids were already closed, but he glued them together harder. He had no idea who was disturbing him but wished it would disappear. ¡°Petey! Go fetch me a beer!¡± ¡°Go fetch your own beer, you asshole!¡± Peter screamed, jumping on his feet, ready to teach the jock a lesson. Now that he was powerful, it was just a matter of¡ª Then he remembered everything. ¡°Geez¡ How long was I out?¡± Peter asked, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Hours, man.¡± It was five in the afternoon, Peter found out by checking his phone. All around them lay various items he didn¡¯t recognize. Weapons, a few pieces of light armor, and a small wooden chest. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the camp,¡± Jack said. ¡°I went through the tents and picked up what looked better. I found the chest in the headmaster¡¯s tent. Look,¡± he opened the lid. ¡°Whaaaaat?¡± Peter gasped. The chest was filled with gold and silver ingots. Cultivator type, slightly less or more than an ounce, he couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°It¡¯s about six hundred pieces of gold and a few thousand silver bullions,¡± Jack reported. ¡°We¡err¡ you¡¯re rich, man.¡± ¡°We are. The rule is to take ten percent for a common fund and divide the rest equally between those who participated in the fight.¡± ¡°Err¡¡± ¡°Welcome to the Resistance,¡± Peter offered a handshake. ¡°Thanks!¡± Jack blurted, grabbing Peter¡¯s hand vigorously. ¡°Yeah, curb your enthusiasm¡ it¡¯s a long way to go¡¡± ¡°I¡¯m kinda hungry,¡± Jack grimaced. ¡°What if we go into that town and¡ª¡± ¡°We close the camp¡¯s gates first. There is still a lot of loot there¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing of value left, I searched all the tents,¡± Jack shrugged. ¡°Only if you¡¯re into worn socks and pajamas.¡± ¡°The tents are valuable; they are made from an enchanted fabric. And those pillars, broken or not, might be recyclable or stuff. I¡¯ll call a friend.¡± ¡°A friend? Who?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough. Promise you won¡¯t freak out.¡± ¡°Why, he¡¯s a monster or something?¡± ¡°Or something.¡± Half an hour later, with the loot in storage, Peter and Jack arrived at the beach bar. Since the System was still unavailable, Peter asked the bartender to call the doppelgangers and told Jack the whole story over a beer, another one, and a third. They also decided to split the loot in three. That third part was to be divided between Jenni¡¯s family and the surviving doppelgangers. An hour later, the doubles arrived with two separate sand boogies. Despite Peter¡¯s warning, he could tell Jack was totally freaked out. Peter also noticed that their doubles had bruises and swollen eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, worried they had an encounter with the Cultivators¡¯ police or some gang. ¡°We had an argument,¡± Jack from Two said. ¡°I got something of great importance back from Jack, and he got upset. Then, we fought, and I won,¡± he emphasized. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Peter shivered. ¡°And frankly, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m here on business. We just cleared a base, a cultivator camp. I¡¯ll mark the location for you. There¡¯s loot to be recovered. And I need you to find me some people in Quebec,¡± he produced the tag. ¡°You have to pay for the gas,¡± Peter¡¯s double said in a low voice, opening his swollen lips just half an inch. ¡°It adds up. Go here, Pete, bring them, go there, Pete, loot¡ª¡± ¡°Sell anything you find in that camp and keep half the money.¡± Ten minutes later, after setting more details, Peter and Jack returned to their camp. When they entered the premises, there was no sign of any of their friends. It was dinner time, so it was weird. ¡°Have you seen my girlfriend?¡± Peter asked a normie, the engineer he had been teamed with to set up the tents. ¡°I think she returned to the campus,¡± the young man said. ¡°In the morning,¡± the girl beside the engineer frowned at Peter. What kind of boyfriend are you, to go away all day? was the vibe in her eyes. ¡°Jack!¡± Peter yelled. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°In five,¡± Jack shouted back from inside his tent. ¡°I¡¯m packing.¡± To kill time, Peter entered his tent to check if there were more items to take back home and found a note on his sleeping bag: System¡¯s glitching, your phone out of reach, couldn¡¯t send you a message. We¡¯re going back to the campus. Shit¡ putting my phone in storage is like shutting it off. ¡°Are you ready already?¡± Peter yelled at Jack again. He was worried sick. A few seconds later, thunder clapped. There was no qi-message this time. "He did it!" Li giddily yelled, indifferent that everyone could hear him. "Who, your boyfriend?" Melinda sneered. Oh, my God! Peter choked. Insulting a parent and a superior in public was a terrible offense in the Cultivators¡¯ world. He exited the tent rapidly to witness the discussion. "What a silly joke!" Li brushed the insult away. ¡°Don¡¯t you realize how important this is? He took out Wu! He was the second-best lightning master after me. Look, here is the fight.¡± Li shoved a phone in his daughter¡¯s face. The faint noises reaching Peter¡¯s ears were his fight in the camp. A student must¡¯ve recorded it... Melinda frowned, leaning forward. "A Rogue with both Lightning and Earth affinities?" "Or an artifact. Remember the last tournament I won using a water-filled spatial tank? They didn¡¯t see it coming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s interesting, Grandmaster,¡± Melinda transited to the polite cultivator tone. ¡°Thank you for sharing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Li said, ruffling Melinda¡¯s hair despite her trying to slap his hand away. ¡°That Impulse is a good fighter. Inexperienced against cultivators, obviously, but good. I might enter the pro division in disguise to fight him myself¡ Can''t wait!¡± Fuuuuuuck! Peter wailed on the inside. Without further ado, Li zapped out. Melinda showed her middle finger in the direction he had disappeared and returned to her tent. Why is she so cranky? Peter wondered. ¡°You coming?¡± Jack yelled from the obelisk. Hurrying to join the jock, they activated the transportation. The Campus obelisk was set on the main lawn. The System¡¯s voice arrived in his head, faint and slow, like a ghost from the movies. You OK, buddy? ¡°Come,¡± Peter snatched Jack by the arm. ¡°There¡¯s an emergency¡ or a prank.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Jack asked. ¡°I have to check on Naomi; we were supposed to go out for a movie tonight.¡± ¡°She¡¯s with Regina, and something happened.¡± ¡°How do you know? Is she all right?¡± Haven¡¯t you included him in the messages? There was no answer, and Peter sped up. They both rushed up the stairs and bumped into each other when they knocked on the door. The handle moved, and the pan opened. ¡°Whoa!¡± Jack jerked. In the door frame was a mummy. Somebody wrapped in bandages, showing only a pair of blue eyes. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a prank,¡± Peter sighed in relief. Those eyes were Regina¡¯s. Grabbing him by the T-shirt, the girl pulled Peter in. Jack followed. The scene inside was absurd. On one side were Marius and Daniel. The first had the mother of a bandaid on his forehead. In contrast, the second lay laterally on a sofa, resting on an elbow, looking merry or drunk. He had red cheeks, and his eyes were crossed and wobbly. Ariana sat on the floor, resting on Shredder like on a puff. The warg was in his big size. Wrapped in a blanket and tied up like a sausage, propped against a wall, was Naomi, a handkerchief in her mouth. ¡°H¡ H¡¡± Naomi mumbled through her gag with widened eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the prank,¡± Jack shook his head. ¡°Neither do I,¡± Peter confessed, scratching the back of his neck. ¡°It¡¯sf not a flank,¡± Ariana sneered. Her voice was hissing, and two of her front teeth were missing. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Peter asked. ¡°She happened!¡± the mummy and Ariana pointed at each other simultaneously. ¡°Should I do the honors?¡± Marius asked. ¡°Sit. You¡¯ll need it, believe me.¡± Peter tried to use the free seat near Regina, hugging her, but she growled and flailed her hands, pushing him away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me; it itches!¡± she complained. Peter obeyed, sitting on the floor. Jack went and leaned on the wall next to Naomi. ¡°Hi,¡± Jack said to her. ¡°We¡¯re good for the movie, right?¡± ¡°H¡ H¡¡± Naomi repeated the same muted sounds. ¡°OK, here we go,¡± Marius started. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. We hunted an old bilghie and only that. Now I hunt responsibly,¡± he looked at Peter. ¡°I notice some wolves'' footprints, and we follow them. We get into the woods, and then a pack ambushes us. They were wargs, not wolves. ¡°The pup grows and growls. All but two flee. A she-warg and her father. Older, big, gray fur. She woofs something at Shredder, he woofs back, the old warg growls¡ª¡± ¡°She askedf Shfeddi fol a date,¡± Ariana said. ¡°He toldf me. But Shfeddi refused. Good pup,¡± she fondled the warg¡¯s head. ¡°He¡¯s undelage and knowfs it.¡± ¡°He told you?¡± Jack asked. ¡°She understands animals now,¡± Peter explained. ¡°Because of her class.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡ Where do I see my stats?¡± Jack asked. ¡°H¡ H¡¡± Naomi interjected. Marius shrugged and continued. ¡°Daniel panics and tries to shoot the wargs. Shreddi growls at him to stop, but Daniel doesn¡¯t understand, and he presses the trigger. Shreddi bites Daniel¡¯s left buttock; Daniel misses the wargs but grazes my forehead. The monsters ran away. Then the System gives him a class.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Peter asked. ¡°To save his life. He was bleeding out. Has some condition; his wounds don¡¯t close or stuff. It was like a geyser of blood erupted out of his buttock.¡± ¡°Ew,¡± Peter and Jack wrinkled their faces in disgust at the same time. ¡°The System healed him, more or less, then asked Jack¡¯s double to send an off-road truck after us. We couldn¡¯t wait for you, Peter, sorry. We picked the girls on the way. In the camp, Melinda took care of Daniel but gave him one of her pills, and he¡¯s been like that since,¡± Marius gestured toward the cook. ¡°HOWDY!¡± Daniel screamed all of a sudden, making everybody jerk. ¡°What next?¡± Peter asked. ¡°I hadf an algumentf with Melinda. Told hel I lofe hel,¡± Ariana said. ¡°She toldf me I¡¯m a kidf, and what do I know about lofe.¡± So that¡¯s why Melinda was so upset¡ ¡°I think she loves you too, Ari,¡± Peter said. ¡°She was very agitated when we saw her. Snapped at her father like a teenager.¡± ¡°Leally?¡± Ariana asked. ¡°H¡ H¡¡± Naomi heaved her leitmotif. ¡°Then, that one,¡± Marius pointed to Ariana, ¡°started crying, and I decided we should return to the campus. I had no more duties for today. And once here¡ Have you noticed the big screen on the lawn?¡± ¡°No¡ I didn¡¯t pay attention,¡± Jack said, with Peter nodding a second afterward. ¡°It streams the Arena. And here you were, fighting against each other. Naomi screams: Oh, no, it¡¯s a plot, that monster will kill my baby¡ the baby¡¯s you, Jack, and runs away. The System alerts us: Naomi¡¯s running to her room to use her laptop to spill the beans about Peter¡¯s identity. We caught up with her, and the princess used her voodoo doll to take her prisoner. We were lucky no one saw us.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s not a prank?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Can I untie Naomi?¡± ¡°H¡ H¡¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± Marius shrugged. ¡°And what about you two?¡± Peter shivered, taking in Ariana¡¯s missing teeth and Regina¡¯s wrapped silhouette. Regina took over. ¡°I dunno. She got mad or something. All of a sudden, the bitch begged me not to cheat on you. Imagine my outrage.¡± The last word had such a pretty French accent that Peter wished to kiss her lips. Which were invisible under the mummy wraps. ¡°I saa you flilting with the othel Jack!¡± Ariana hissed, her anger amplified by the missing teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll never cheat on Peter!¡± Regina yelled over him. ¡°I was not flirting; I was having a conversation. I told the other Jack to confess his feelings to his Regina. Their Peter is a jerk. Harem is not true love.¡± ¡°He was quite happy when we saw him,¡± Peter said. And bruised. ¡°I think your advice worked.¡± ¡°Yey!¡± Regina clapped. ¡°Ouch¡¡± she wailed the next second, shaking her hands. ¡°And was it too hald to explain insteadf of punshing me?¡± Ariana yelled. ¡°Lookf at me now.¡± ¡°It was a reflex! What you did next was mean and intentional!¡± ¡°What did she do?¡± Peter asked. ¡°She sicced a crazed fire ant nest on the princess,¡± Marius said. Ariana grinned, showing her missing teeth and bleeding gums, obviously proud of her achievement. ¡°Baaaaby!¡± Naomi yelled, finally free, hugging Jack. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°And then I heard them fighting and dragged them inside,¡± Marius finished the story. ¡°Might have knocked their heads against each other a few times to make them behave.¡± ¡°You thought Peter would kill me?¡± Jack asked Naomi. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s a cold-blooded killer!¡± the girl blurted. ¡°Why would he challenge you to fight you if not for that?¡± ¡°It was the other way around. I challenged him because¡ it¡¯s not important. But he¡¯s my friend. He recruited me. I got a class, and we fought against an evil cultivator.¡± ¡°How come you are not healing?¡± Peter asked. ¡°We are,¡± Regina sulked, ¡°but the regeneration goes to the vitals first. And it¡¯s working slower, for whatever reason. The System is malfunctioning or something.¡± Sure, buddy, reboot¡ Poor you¡ And I thought my day was hard¡ ¡°I think he needs me on the same floor to fully function,¡± Peter said. ¡°It reboots now.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait to learn more!¡± Jack exclaimed. ¡°Yeah¡ Let¡¯s do this: Regi and I move to my studio, and Marius stays here with Daniel until he gets better. I¡¯m very tired¡ Why don¡¯t we take a break and meet tomorrow for lunch in the cafeteria?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go out like this!¡± Regina pointed at herself. ¡°Come, baby,¡± Peter gently took Regina¡¯s hand. ¡°Everybody will think you¡¯re dressed for a costume ball.¡± ¡°Ol Halloween,¡± Ariana snapped. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Regina blurted, rising abruptly to her feet. ¡°I wonder what was in my head, being friends with those two.¡± ¡°Shreddi, you coming?¡¯ Peter asked. The warg shook his head. Ariana has just begun scratching him between the ears. 46. Testing Builds
It wasn¡¯t until ten in the morning that Regina agreed to unwrap her bandages and did it alone in the bathroom. She didn¡¯t allow Peter to look at her before she put on a ton of cream and makeup. Her skin was still a bit reddish, and her face puffy. Hey, you¡¯re back! Peter rejoiced. You OK, buddy? ¡°I want to dieeeeeee!¡± Regina wailed, looking in the mirror. ¡°You look fine, baby,¡± Peter tried to kiss her, only to be pushed away. ¡°You¡¯ll ruin my makeup!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make breakfast,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s stay indoors for now. Maybe you¡¯ll feel better before lunch.¡± The System asked while Peter beat the eggs for a French-style omelet. Sure. Ew¡ I think I would have let him die. I¡¯m OK here, as long as she is. I¡¯ll help her hunt monsters. Let¡¯s continue later. The breakfast was ready and soon eaten. Regina¡¯s skin was getting visibly better with every minute. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have you¡¡± she fondled his hand at the end of the meal. ¡°Me too,¡± he leaned forward and kissed her. ¡°Do you want to¡¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°How many girlfriends did you have before me?¡± Regina asked all of a sudden. ¡°Not casual sex. Somebody you told I love you and were in a relationship with.¡± Peter choked, spraying coffee back in the cup. ¡°Err¡¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Regina frowned. ¡°Two, including Ariana,¡± Peter confessed. ¡°I fooled around a bit, though, like every other teenager, then had a long-term relationship in college. The Awakening destroyed that.¡± ¡°Did she¡¡± Regina choked. ¡°Died? No, she moved back to Hawaii. It¡¯s one of the least impacted places. I¡¡± it was Peter¡¯s turn to choke, ¡°wasn¡¯t interested in relationships for over a year, and then Ariana¡¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. Fool around, I mean. I was going for the one and only, like my parents, and I thought Jack was it.¡± There was no reproach in her voice, just information and sadness. ¡°He loved you as much as he could. He had a stroke of bad luck, and I had a good one. I wouldn¡¯t change that for the world,¡± Peter said, coming and kneeling before Regina, taking her hands in his and searching for her eyes. She leaned down toward him, and they kissed. Some of the tears in her eyes transferred to his cheeks. Your Luck stat has reached the cap level. Bonus Perk: Four Leaf Clover. When in dire need, Mana will call upon the Charm Quark to help you find that rare 1/10.000 chance you need. What the heck does it mean? ¡°I¡¯ll go apologize to Ari,¡± Regina said. ¡°I overreacted. She scolded me because she cares about you, and I got mad because I love you. Go figure¡¡± ¡°Ariana and I make better friends than lovers,¡± Pete said pensively, returning to his chair. ¡°She was more like a girlfiend than a girlfriend.¡± Go away. This is a private conversation. ¡°What do you think about Naomi and Jack?¡± Regina asked. ¡°Honestly?¡± ¡°No, Peter, please lie to me,¡± she frowned at him. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He shrugged and continued. ¡°I think Naomi¡¯s infatuated with Jack because he¡¯s handsome, and she¡¯s insecure. She thinks about herself as a nerd. Jack wants not to hurt anymore, get over you, and might profit her for that¡ But I think they''d make a good couple if they manage to stay together.¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Regina clapped her hands. ¡°New secondary quest: make Naomi dress more sexy to make Jack realize how pretty she is. The main quest remains: Melinda and Ariana,¡± she cheered, throwing him a kiss in the air with the tips of her fingers. Afterward, she changed while Peter savored every second of her undressing and dressing. He was sighing blissfully, even five minutes after the door had closed behind her. The System cut his daydreaming short. ¡°If I must¡¡± Peter opened his stats screen, taking a good and long look at them. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 67 (21 APs available) Strength: 100 / Dexterity: 100 / Constitution: 63 Intelligence: 46 / Will: 58 / Concentration: 51 Charisma: 66 / Luck: 100 / Magic Power: 58 ¡°You mean find out if reaching the cap by having friends around activates the bonus?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a prick. By contrast, you¡¯re really nice¡ half of the time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡¡± Peter rose up the Menu, willing three points into Will and Magic Power. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 67 (15 APs available) Strength: 100 / Dexterity: 100 / Constitution: 63 Intelligence: 46 / Will: 61 / Concentration: 51 Charisma: 66 / Luck: 100 / Magic Power: 61
Late in the evening, after Peter had registered for the tournament, Peter gathered his friends and walked to the nearby reservation to check his Constitution perk. ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± Daniel asked when he arrived at the meeting place. ¡°I have a restaurant to run, you know.¡± ¡°We¡¯re testing how crazed beasts react to large groups of people,¡± Peter invented a motif. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. Jack and I have to watch a French New Wave movie together,¡± Naomi said. ¡°It¡¯s a three-hour-long blissful experience, so we should start as soon as possible.¡± Jack¡¯s shoulders sagged in despair. Peter shivered, and he noticed Regina doing the same. Suddenly, he began to appreciate her tastes. Classic movies were nice compared to three hours of watching people staring into nothingness and meaningless interior monologues. Regina rushed to whisper something into Naomi¡¯s ear, and from the frowns exchanged, he could bet his girlfriend was urging the other not to proceed with her death-through-boredom plan. ¡°Whatever,¡± Daniel sighed. ¡°He didn¡¯t look like he had understood the plan, but there was nothing to understand anyway; the pretense was nonsense. I think we¡¯re good, Peter signaled to the System. A minute later, after the girl pointed at the mound, Peter put a finger inside. Soon, sharp bites broke through his skin. His Constitution rocketed over the cap, the stat showing: Constitution: (63) Now: 103. The base stat was now enclosed between brackets, meaning the bigger number was the current value. Fortunately, Shredder and the System registered as friends, too; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have reached the numbers. The girl nodded and ran a few dozen feet further. Constitution: (63) Now: 98 ¡°Guys, it¡¯s not working,¡± Peter tried to say. ¡°Aouch! Aouch!¡± he screamed. The bites hurt a lot. ¡°Ari, make them go away!¡± ¡°Let¡¯sf go inshide the plotectfions; it would wolk better,¡± she suggested. ¡°What are you doing outside in the restricted area?¡± a voice made everyone jerk. It was Kostel doing his evening tour. ¡°Come back this instant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a couple of feet from the totem, man,¡± Peter said. ¡°We¡¯re testing something.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report you,¡± Kostel menaced. ¡°Hey! What are these¡ Help!¡± Aouch!¡± Less than a second later, the guard ran away at a mild panting speed. ¡°I called a few ants to bite his butt,¡± Ariana said. ¡°Thaye can pasf the totemfs ifs they¡¯le chalmed.¡± ¡°How many levels do you need until you regrow your teeth?¡± Peter asked. She showed him three fingers, sulking. ¡°First thing in the morning, we hit Calltech¡¯s hunting grounds. The word is they experiment with mutations. We kill every monster we find. Fuck Calltech anyway; they¡¯re not much better than Yaleward,¡± Peter said. Ariana raised a thumb up. ¡°Put your phone to ring at four and meet me behind your dorm.¡± The group split up, with everyone moving to their own businesses. Regina and Peter remained behind, walking slowly toward his dorm, accompanied by Shredder. ¡°Let¡¯s take the bike,¡± Regina proposed. ¡°I¡¯m tired of all this Warping..¡± Later in the evening, the Magic Power test failed as well. Peter¡¯s parents and his twin sisters¡ªwhich he considered insufferable but loved nevertheless¡ªraised his Magic Power over the cap, and Shredder attacked him discreetly for a few seconds. The buff didn¡¯t activate. Nevertheless, the dinner was pleasant, and they returned to the Campus with a good disposition, going to bed early to let Peter get a few hours of sleep. Leveling Ariana took four hours, and Peter returned from his excursion in the late morning at half past nine. He noticed an envelope snuck under the door and a message on his phone. The first was from his look-alike. It said: Required persons identified. Cobra¡¯s family is poor; only the mother and a little sister survive, and both have chronic illnesses. The toddlers she spared on Floor One have been adopted by an aunt. I split the money in half. P f 2 A bitter feeling washed over Peter''s heart, and he moved to the SMS to chase his sadness away. It was from the College: Your application to enter the Tournament has been accepted. Present yourself to the Arena on Monday at 3 PM, using the obelisk. The competitors will be divided into ten brackets of 256 individuals each, competing in a three-minute round of eliminatory matches, with a five-minute break in between. The top contenders will advance to the Top Amateur Division of the Tournament, where they''ll fight against themselves and more seasoned opponents. But the most interesting thing was the private message he got on his social media page: You have received a Wild Card for the Pro Division of the Tournament. The first match will be on Wednesday at 3.45 PM. Be there 15 minutes in advance. Use the totem you obtained to teleport by saying aloud: Bounty Hunter Impulse is requesting transportation to the Arena. There will be no attempts to detect your location or identify you. The bounty for Wu will be in your locker. 47. Qualifiers
At 3 PM, precisely on Monday, Peter was in front of the obelisk. Only two other people from his campus joined him: Jack and Kostel. "What are you doing here?" Peter gasped. "Competing, of course,¡± Jack said. "I meant him," Peter pointed at Kostel, who whistled a merry melody, looking up in the air, hands in pockets. "I did wrestling before being a guard," Kostel shrugged, his eyes following a sparrow while taking a deep breath to suck in the smoke of his cigarette. "Participants are required to touch the obelisk!" a qi-voice said. "Don''t let them hit you," Jack told Peter. "You''re fast, use your footwork." Why is he patronizing me? Peter frowned. I can beat him with my eyes closed. Really? There was no answer. After touching the pillar, Peter found himself in a locker room with hundreds of other candidates. He undressed, equipping himself in boxing shorts and a T-shirt. Jack did the same, but Kostel opted for a pajama with printed bunnies. After they put their things inside the locker, they were transported inside a giant stadium, each in a different ring. Rows of other similar enclosures were everywhere around. In the opposite corner of Peter''s ring was a tall girl, muscular, with mean eyes. She was frowning at him. ¡°Rules for your match: only pure physical attacks. No magic, no enhancing oneself,¡± a qi-message said. "Three¡ two¡ one¡ Start!" The girl rushed at Peter, yelling insults, suggesting his mother and horses had intercourse, and he was the result: a donkey. Evidently, she was thinking in her language, and her translator was doing an awful job. Peter was so horrified he got punched in the nose, albeit the girl grimaced more under the pain in her fist than him. Still in shock and lacking an overall strategy¡ªexcept knocking her out cold, which, as a gentleman, he couldn¡¯t do¡ªPeter mimicked what he imagined was a free technique, dancing all around her. It was similar to what he used to do in the Western bar fight reenactments, only without stools or bottles but waving his hands around instead. His dexterity perk was very good at throwing the girl out of balance, and her kicks and jabs often missed their target. For every hit she got in, he got two. Three minutes later, the voice told them he won by points and was required to move to the ring to his right within five minutes. The girl was teleported out, not before screaming other insults. Peter moved on after taking some time to recover¡ªmostly from the indignation of being at the receiving end of such vile cursing. The next opponent was a massive man, looking older than the average student. Blue sparks of electricity were running under his skin, and Peter guessed it was a passive. ¡°Rules for your match: physical and magical attacks, as long they are of the melee type, Three¡ two¡ one¡ Start," the voice announced. The Cultivator walked slowly toward the center of the ring, keeping a high boxing guard. There was no way to use the same tactic as before. Deciding the best defense was offense, Peter launched himself forward and executed a cross to the man''s chin. It connected, but an electric bolt erupted from the man¡¯s skin, throwing him to the floor. Peter groaned, getting up from the floor. ¡°Peter Hillden has won by knock-out,¡± came the announcement. How on Earth? Peter wondered. His adversary was still standing. Squeezing his eyes, Peter did as asked, throwing in an Inspect. Around the man''s neck and twisted head was a forcefield, invisible if one didn''t pay attention. The adversary was heaving. "Your next opponent has forfeited due to a broken arm. Wait in place until other matches finish," the voice said. All for the better¡ Peter was not going to let himself be bossed around by an imaginary dwarf. It worked just fine before. I¡¯m keeping my points in reserve for now. After the next series of matches ended, it took over a minute to get to the next ring because many people were moving around, and many were wounded. Peter noticed Jack was still in the fight, but to his surprise, so was Kostel. The guard looked happy and waved at him. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The next adversary was a girl, and the rules switched back to physical fighting. Pretty and blonde, looking a bit like Regina, but shorter and more muscular, the girl looked happy to be in a fight and enjoyed it like a day at a beach. She was so fast that Peter barely had time to avoid her hits and throw in his punches. Though he was still distrustful of the wards, he was considering hitting harder when she ducked under his guard to land a punch in his stomach. He threw a knee to her face by instinct, dazing her and making her fall to the floor, surrounded by a protection field. The invisible arbiter began a countdown. "Fuck¡ I was too greedy," the girl complained, jumping back on her feet. Peter smiled. Her attitude was what he called true sportsmanship. His smile began to wipe itself soon enough as the flurry of hits and evades she threw at him next was next to impossible to evade. But it takes time for the effect to¡ª Fine! Peter¡¯s Intelligence jumped at the third threshold, entering the Master domain. A jolt of electricity burned through his veins, and the world became clearer, sharper, crisper. He had thought his perception was super enhanced before, but it was nothing to what he felt now. A kick was aimed at his face, and he caught the girl¡¯s foot in the process, throwing her back with a reverse kick to her stomach. She was caught in an invisible forcefield and slowly lowered to the ground. It had been another potentially lethal hit. Wow¡ ¡°The winner is Peter Hillden, by knockout.¡± You gain 3 levels and +5 in Intelligence for listening to a vastly superior intelligence''s advice. Vastly superior intelligence? You sanctimonious prick! ¡°What a fun match!¡± the girl yelled, jumping up joyfully despite the defeat. "Yeah¡ was fun," Peter offered a handshake. "See ya," she said a second before getting teleported out. Do you think she''s Regina from Two? The next round was also delayed for a few minutes because prizes were announced for the ones still in the fight. One ounce of gold and some change for each match. Peanuts now, for Peter, but he pretended to cheer. The next fight, again a purely physical one, was more balanced as the young man in front of him was an all-rounder fighter. He looked barely eighteen, if that, but fought with care, throwing kicks and fists only when there was a good opportunity, staying calm despite Peter''s feints. The fight ended with Peter''s victory at points. Begrudgingly, Peter had to admit that his higher intelligence greatly helped him. Nevertheless, he did learn things from that fight and bowed to his adversary. Only eight people were in the game now. Jack and Kostel were hanging on, the latter grimacing and rubbing his chin. Two more ounces of gold were won. Again, none of them were made to fight each other, which was probably by design. Peter felt thankful. It was a good decision. He was set against a brute, the MMA or boxer type. Mean-looking, with a broken nose and ears like a cauliflower. Movement skills were allowed, which meant the opponent had a Dash of sorts. I can hit hard, too. This time, Peter didn''t try to restrain his power. As soon they were in range, he anticipated his foe¡¯s footwork, stepped on the other¡¯s foot, and threw a short punch into the liver while defending the man¡¯s haymaker. The opponent remained in place, gasping, then collapsed. A high-tiered healer flew down into the ring, pushing a torrent of gold energy into the unconscious man. Fafnir''s voice returned for a moment. The adversary was stabilized enough to be transported away on a stretcher a minute later. Now, it was the System speaking. Jack was out, and Peter was set to fight the one who had eliminated his friend. "The day''s surprise is a final between two Wild Magic users that have overcome every Cultivator they faced: Peter Hillden and Kostel Dragu." The qi-voice was followed by a row of applauses from the tribunes. What the fuck? Kostel waved and smiled at him. In the public now, Jack was screaming at Peter, making his hands into a makeshift megaphone. Still, Peter couldn¡¯t make up the words. Sorry, Kostel, I won''t go easy on you! Peter promised. Both contenders were asked to go to a central ring, while the others disappeared to allow a better view. Cameras, some on drones, appeared all around. "Begin in three¡ two¡ one¡ Start!" Deciding to finish it quickly, Peter approached the middle of the ring. In his corner, Kostel looked apprehensive and lost in thoughts. "Come," Peter beckoned. Kostel shook his head. Then, he stepped forward slowly, leaned forward, and whispered: ¡°Twenty ounces, and I let you win.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Peter couldn¡¯t refrain from laughing. ¡°Dude, if you win, I¡¯ll give you twenty-five.¡± Gathering his courage, Kostel stepped forward timidly. Got you, sucker! Rushing forward, Peter pulled his elbow back for a cross, strong enough to end the fight in one hit. As soon as he thrust his arm, he twirled in the air, then hit the floor, and something blocked his view. A fabric. A pajama. "Heeelp!" Peter screamed. ¡°Ulp!¡± he repeated the yelp, only muffled. Kostel''s buttocks were all over Peter¡¯s face. Not far away from his head were the guard''s shoeless feet, and they didn''t smell of roses. Somehow, Kostel was blocking Peter''s arms with his body, one of his legs with his head, and the other with his hands twisting it. Peter couldn''t escape that position without using magic; the lockdown was perfect. With Kostel''s buttocks all over his face, Peter retched and wished to Warp out but resigned to his fate, tapping the mat three times. "Winning by abandon, Kostel Dragu, former Moldovan Olympic champion in free wrestling." Loud cheers erupted in the public. Peter didn''t even care he lost; he was happy to be free, rubbing his face with his shirt, traumatized and on the verge of crying. A cultivator flew down to raise Kostel''s hand and present him with a medal. Then, after a short trip to the locker room, they were back on campus. "Congrats, Kostel!" Jack yelled. ¡°Sorry, man, I tried to warn you,¡± he told Peter. ¡°Kostel is a beast.¡± Peter was depressed. Kostel, on the other hand, was exulting. "I expect the money before the end of the week. And by the way," he leaned forward again, approaching his lips to Peter¡¯s ear, ¡°make it fifty. Melinda keeps detailed records of all her patients. You look great in senior pampers. Hit me with fifty, or the photo goes viral.¡± Eeeeeew! Noooo¡ I want to vomit¡ You have snubbed the advice of a vastly superior Artificial Intelligence and behaved overly confident. Thus, you lost. There are lessons to be learned in defeat. +1 Level. Sulking, Peter returned to his room to take a shower and rub his face with alcohol. 48. A Day of Reckoning
The rest of the day was ruined. Peter was so depressed he could barely move. Fighting a lot of matches one after the other had been tiring, and the humiliation in the last match lowered his morale to zero. It lay in ruins, so he lay alongside it, sulking in bed, blanket over his head, until Regina arrived late evening. ¡°Hey, baby,¡± she cheerfully said. ¡°Ahoy,¡± he said without getting the blanket off. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. I lost. Badly. To an asshole.¡± ¡°We saw the final on the phone¡ C¡¯mon¡ It didn¡¯t look so bad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me this to make me feel better,¡± he said. ¡°¡Yeah¡¡± she admitted. ¡°Fuck!... How was your day?¡± he asked, finally showing his head. ¡°No!¡± Regina gasped, covering her mouth. ¡°What?¡± he gasped back. ¡°Your face! It¡¯s¡ reverse butt shaped¡ like a giant ass has been pressed on it and left its marks¡ You look horrible!¡± Rowan replied with a low growl. At times, he found Regina childish. ¡°Hahaha¡ Don¡¯t worry, baby. You look as handsome as ever,¡± she approached the bed and kissed him, sitting on the edge. ¡°It was funny,¡± he confessed, feeling better. ¡°So, what have you been up to?¡± ¡°Oh¡ We¡¯ve been on the fourth floor with Melinda. She decided to test our pills with us present.¡± He changed his position, putting his pillow behind, to sit upright and see her better. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep. It¡¯s a giant jungle¡ the trees took over the planet except for one city. We had to take a blimp to reach it, it¡¯s on top of a mountain. Half of it is in ruins, covered in layers of moss and whatever those plants are. But above that, there¡¯s a floating island the size of Manhattan. That¡¯s where their quarantine facilities are.¡± ¡°Because they can¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°Probably¡ But even if they¡¯d break out, there¡¯s nowhere to go¡ We saw some monsters in that jungle on the way. Cats as big as elephants, with spikes on their back. The smallest was the size of a horse, and it was a baby.¡± ¡°Wow¡¡± ¡°Exactly. Then, we visited a nearby facility after we dressed in hazmat suits. There¡¯s a permanent research team there. Naomi told us she recognized at least four Nobel prizes. Maybe six, counting the floor two ones.> ¡°No Cultivators?¡± ¡°Only the guards.¡± I take it dwarves are good at math. ¡°¡ªa hybrid between dogs and primates but with no fur,¡± Regina said when Peter got his attention back to their discussion. ¡°Their skin was leathery, and they had claws on their feet but five human-like fingers on their hands.¡± ¡°Goodness!¡± ¡°But the pill helped them regain sanity,¡± Regina said. ¡°Melinda was ecstatic. I quote: And none died? Iiii!¡± On the last word, the girl imitated Alchemy¡¯s voice, pumping her fists up. ¡°Go figure.¡± ¡°By the way¡¡± Regina said, going for the kitchenette and pouring herself a glass of orange juice, looking at him intently. ¡°Yes?¡± Peter said eagerly. If she considered the subject important, it was better to indulge her dramatic pause. ¡°We found out how the Cultivators conquered the tower.¡± ¡°Tell me!¡± Peter said, jumping out of bed. ¡°Like this?¡± she frowned, pointing at his pajama. ¡°Nope. No can do. You dress up and invite me for a romantic dinner, mister!¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Peter sighed, ready to refuse for a second, but her purpose was so clear and heartwarming¡ªto cheer him up¡ªthat he surrendered. While Regina showered, he inspected his clothes. I have to buy something nicer¡ Peter concluded, realizing that his repertoire was limited. In the end, he settled for the same attire he wore on their first date, and they went for dinner at the posh French restaurant they had visited before. It was not before the dessert, an ice cream, that she started recounting the story. "Once upon a time, meaning about ten years ago, a Cultivator tried to ascend. He was young for a tenth rank, but what he lacked in wisdom and age, he had in guts and courage.> Who are you to judge, the Chicago Manual of Style? Be polite to my fiancee. "You¡¯re talking about Li, right?" Peter asked. ¡°None other. Li failed his ascension, but unlike all other failees¡ªand yes, that''s a word because I say so and don¡¯t laugh, or you¡¯ll sleep on the couch¡ªhe did not die. He was very much alive and angry. Taking a shuttle, he left for a remote corner of the quadrant in search of a mythical component for a qi-ascension pill. However, that shuttle malfunctioned, exiting mid of the hyperspace jump and crashing into a desolate planetoid in the middle of nowhere. The control floor of this Tower, laying open." "How do you know all this?" Peter asked. Err¡ Fafnir, I apologize for being stubborn during the match. I should have listened to you. Peter yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, the day''s fatigue catching up. He must''ve dozed briefly because the restaurant disappeared, replaced by blackness. ¡°Peter? PETER!¡± "Huh?" Peter jerked. ¡°You¡¯ve phased out. Was I too boring?¡± Regina frowned. ¡°Of course not, baby¡ I¡¯m just tired,¡± he yawned again. ¡°Sorry. And thank you for taking me out. I feel much better,¡± he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Regina fondled his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, you need a good sleep.¡±
In the early Tuesday morning, a woman stormed through the Dartmouth campus. Every one of her steps carried an anger worthy of starting earthquakes, albeit the earth remained aloof to the bumf, bumf, bumf noise of her shoes walking on the alley. She was wearing high heels but was not accustomed to them. Her legs were permanently half-arched, and she tried to maintain her balance as she raised and stomped down each foot. A five-minute-born calf would have been more gracious. Vivid scarlet lipstick adorned her lips, and many curls bounced in her hair, colored red. She wore a dress that an Appalachian shotgun wedding would have considered fashionable and a fake leather purse. Behind her trailed three kids: a twelve-year-old chewing gum, with a round face and a bored expression, another boy half the first''s age, the kind one looks upon and forgets its traits the next second, hand in hand with a toddler, a girl. The latter had a sweet, candid expression, looking around with amazed eyes. Stopping in front of an elegant mansion, the woman rested her hands on her hips and bellowed: "Kostel! Come out! I know you''re in there." Seconds later, the door opened, and the guard erupted out. His eyes widened, and he struggled to tuck his shirt into his pants. "I-Ileana? W-what are you doing h-here?" "What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I¡¯ll work in the US and send money home, huh?" she mimicked the guard¡¯s voice. "Keep your voice down," Kostel blurted. "This is a Cultivator¡¯s hou¡ª" "Hey, you whore!" the woman yelled, looking upward. "I know you''re watching, I saw the curtain move. I dare you to come out and look into my eyes. Face the woman whose husband you stole!" Half a minute later, Melinda appeared near Kostel, trying to keep her composure, tightening her night robe shut with a hand. Meanwhile, the toddler had begun whimpering, and her older brother took her behind a bush to help her with a number one. He did the same afterward but on the corner of the house. Meeting Alchemy''s horrified eyes, he winked and spat his chewing gum on the porch, zipping his pants. "Come inside, let''s talk this out like civilized people," Alchemy said, her voice choking. "I won''t step into a hussie''s house," the other woman hissed. "Watch your tongue," Melinda hissed back, now angered. "You want a piece of me, bitch?" the visitor yelled, looking around. Lacking better weapons, she grabbed her daughter and raised her, a living shield, readying to use her purse as a club. The toddler giggled, amused by the swinging. Melinda yelped and ran back into the house. "You want to leave me for this?" Kostel''s wife sneered. "She''s only skin and bones. You have a middle age crisis?" "I''m only thirty-five," Kostel, who until then stood paralyzed, dared to speak. "Honey¡ err¡ Ileana¡ let''s keep our cool¡ I was thinking¡ about starting a harem¡ I earn enough money to take care of¡ª" "HAREM?" the woman screamed. A window opened, and a suitcase flew out of it. It opened once it hit the ground, revealing a mishmash of clothes and personal items. A bottle of cheap perfume broke, letting out a whiff of chemical ambergris. Melinda said some words, but only a few reached the stealthy witnesses who hid behind a hedge fifty feet away. Something about dreams that don''t last and keeping in touch as friends. ¡°Brutal, man¡ Brutal¡¡± Jack shook his head. ¡°We''re OK, right? You''re not holding any grudges against me, right? I don¡¯t want to end on your bad side.¡± ¡°He cheated on his wife!¡± Regina sneered. ¡°He deserves it.¡± "I have plenty of grudges, but I will spare you for now," Peter joked. ¡°Good job, Peter,¡± Naomi declared. ¡°Now all it¡¯s left to do is to let Ariana know Melinda needs a shoulder to cry on.¡± That kid is like a mini Kostel; Peter looked at the twelve-year-old, now lighting a cigarette. I asked Fafnir for help. Yep. And we kept the secret from you ¡®cause you would have complained about hacking Kostel¡¯s phone. Fafnir erased the compromising photos, contacted Ileana, and chartered a plane to bring her here. Superbly efficient. the dwarf¡¯s voice said. Kostel had managed to pick up his things and close the suitcase back. His wife looked at him like a frog at a fly, then turned and walked away. The guard followed, his head lowered between the shoulders, sadder than a death row prisoner walking to the gallows. The procession disappeared, going in the staff quarters'' direction. ¡°First step of the problem solved,¡± Peter said. ¡°Jack, from now on, you¡¯ll be watching Melinda¡¯s house, alternating with Ariana. Speaking of which,¡± he looked at Regina and Naomi. ¡°You two go talk to Melinda. Say you witnessed the scene accidentally, offer comfort, and tell her how much Ariana loves her when you feel it¡¯s a good moment. Make up some stuff, how she cries all day, whatever.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby,¡± Regina said, furrowing her brow with a decided expression. ¡° If I must, I¡¯ll put Mister Pandy Panda beat some senses into Melinda¡¯s brain until she gets back together with Ari.¡± ¡°Atta girl!¡± Peter hugged her. ¡°See ya later, I¡¯m going to train.¡± He pecked her lips in a brief kiss and Warped away. 50. Impromptu Battle
Peter¡¯s plan¡ªin fact, suggested by Fafnir¡ªwas to train with Redroar, the best sparring partner to prepare with for the incoming fights. The Dungeon AI had contacted her and arranged everything. Obviously, the dwarf was better at communicating between floors than the System. To avoid being noticed using the obelisk and passing through the camp, Peter took the secret passages. Warping and Stealthing were now second nature, and his decision was made easy by the rendezvous point, the bar on the beach. Redroar was already there, sipping on a beer. ¡°Howdy,¡± she saluted. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Anything to drink?¡± the barman asked. ¡°On the house.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks. So, what do you have in mind?¡± Peter asked because it was the barbarian who had insisted on meeting there. ¡°Do you remember your doppelganger hired me to hunt a group of bandits?¡± Redroar said. ¡°The day we went for the dragon, right?¡± ¡°Yep. I got a few but couldn¡¯t find their base until now. He did it,¡± she pointed to the bartender. ¡°I was a police detective before the Awakening. I could tell stories that would make your hair go white,¡± the man said. ¡°Or laugh. Or both. Depends.¡± ¡°What about the bandits?¡± Peter asked directly. He liked detective stories, but training took priority. ¡°They attack our best transports like they know in advance. It means they bought some of our people. I put a tracker on a guy I suspect to be the snitch. He went to this place repeatedly,¡± he said, showing Peter a map on his phone screen. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there,¡± Peter frowned. He knew the place, seeing it often from the air. Starting a few miles southeast of the camp and going south were only forests and hills for miles and miles. ¡°It¡¯s a rendez-vous point. They¡¯re meeting somebody to pass on the information,¡± Redroar said. ¡°So, the training will consist of helping me with the bandits. ¡°We track them, find their base, and take them alive, if possible. Pays better. ¡®Cause they can tell us about other bandits.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon! You¡¯re using me to make easy money again. I want to train in one-to-one¡ª¡± ¡°Later. Why are you complaining like a little cub? If you learn to handle multiple targets simultaneously, you¡¯ll be able to deal with one easily,¡± Redroar said. ¡°Now ¡ last time I checked, you still owe me money from the Minotaur core. Have you sold it already?¡± The core was long gone, used in vaccines, and Peter didn¡¯t even remember if he had paid the lioness her part. ¡°Here,¡± he pushed her a roll of twenty-five one-ounce coins. It was the bribe Kostel had asked for, which Peter did not intend to pay. On the other hand, he did have in mind to pay the bet at some point. Gentlemen had to keep promises, even if their loud mouths got them into trouble, and now Kostel had a large and lively family on his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Redroar said. ¡°Beam us up, Scotty!¡± ¡°You watch human shows?¡± Peter gasped. ¡°We have cable, we¡¯re not savages,¡± she snorted. ¡°What do you like best?¡± ¡°I dunno,¡± Redroar frowned. ¡°Maybe the Universal Stormtrooper Two. The hero, Narold Shwartzenjager, fights the villain Jean Claude¡ª¡± ¡°Goodness! You¡¯re watching Second Floor Nazi shows? Nazis are bad!¡± ¡°They¡¯re good in their movies,¡± Redroar shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s called propaganda! You shouldn¡¯t¡ Never mind. Who put this bounty, anyway? I don¡¯t want to work for the Gestapo by mistake,¡± Peter sneered. ¡°What if those bandits are the good guys. Robin Hoods and¡ª¡± ¡°Trust me, they ain¡¯t,¡± the barman said. ¡°And the bounty is issued by the company. No politics.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help, but we take them alive, and if I think they¡¯re good guys, we let them go,¡± Peter raised a finger in warning. ¡°Sure, little cub!¡± Redroar creased her nose in disdain, patting Peter¡¯s head. ¡°Brings me more money bringing them alive, so¡¡± After a brief exchange of snorting and eye-rolling, Peter Warped them away and reached the spot in no time. It was a matter of twelve miles or so. However, as Peter had said, there was nothing there. Redroar began sniffing the air, and Peter used his Insight. He didn¡¯t get anything. However, his companion led the way to a rock formation. ¡°The scent stops here,¡± she said. ¡°You think it¡¯s one of those portals?¡± Peter asked, trying to push his hand through the stone. It didn¡¯t work.
The next round began, and Peter tried to enhance his act, adding dancing footwork and fancy roundhouse kicks. Fancy was detrimental, as when he scored a kick to the woman¡¯s shoulder, she managed to kick his inner thigh, numbing his leg. They returned to their corners with an equal number of points: two. When the gong stopped the fight, Li shook his head, disappointed. ¡°Was Wu a fluke? He won¡¯t make against a strong cultivator¡ A pity¡¡± Peter could hear him whispering. No. From now on, I¡¯m wiping the floor only with those who deserve it. ¡°Assessing someone works both ways,¡± Peter said coldly, laying back on the chair and staring at an imaginary point ten inches to the left of Li¡¯s head. ¡°For instance, one could wonder if boredom makes a certain cultivator behave like a child. Maybe his fighting style is too flashy and all over the place. I think I could beat such a person.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Li visibly gasped. The gong announced the fight, and Peter rotated his shoulders. This time, he used his Intelligence to mirror every move the woman made. Fists met fists, kicks met kicks, and retreat was mimicked to the inch. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± the woman whispered. ¡°Just a Bounty Hunter,¡± Peter shrugged. A second before the end of the round, he sent a kick into his opponent''s ribs, making the woman wobble, out of breath.¡± ¡°And the winner is Impulse, the Bounty Hunter!¡± Li bellowed, raising Peter¡¯s arm in the air. ¡°Shake hands.¡± They did, with Peter bowing, showing his respect to an elderly person. ¡°You fought well, kid,¡± the woman said. There was a slight jerk in Peter¡¯s body, which transmitted to his arms. ¡°It¡¯s about how you move. Your technique is good, but you give a feeling you¡¯re surprised that it works. You¡¯re new at this. And the shudder in your body, a second ago, was a tell. They bowed again, with the public erupting in a roar of applause. Peter walked toward the cage¡¯s exit. Li followed. ¡°You saw through my disguise,¡± the cultivator whispered. ¡°You have keen eyes.¡± Peter shrugged. I¡¯m not blind, that¡¯s all¡ ¡°If you want to measure yourself against me, I¡¯ll arrange a demonstrative match after the finals,¡± Li continued, then stopped, letting Peter exit the cage alone. A message flashed after the dwarf left the chat, and Peter inspected his stats briefly to check his progress. For resisting a call to violence and fighting on your terms: +5 Will. For showing decorum during the match and successfully taunting a Grandmaster: +6 Charisma. Peter Hillden, age: 25, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 81 (10 APs available) Strength: 100 / Dexterity: 100 / Constitution: 65 Intelligence: 100/ Will: 68 / Concentration: 53 Charisma: 84 / Luck: 100 / Magic Power: 63 The influx in stats Charisma felt like something tickled his ego. Smiling, Peter waved at the roaring crowd as he retreated to the locker room. A parcel containing a fifty ounce of gold ingot¡ªthe prize for the match¡ª waited on the table, and he eagerly pocketed it. Soon, Peter was back in the forest. He took off his helmet and sat next to a tree, his muscles feeling weak. ¡°What a couple of days¡¡± he sighed. ¡°This is beginning to take a toll on me.¡± ¡°Hey, System. Welcome back.¡± ¡°Totally on the same page. Question: Let¡¯s say I have max charisma, then I do something bad. Do I lose attribute points?¡± I wonder where Fafnir would be categorized. His methods are tough sometimes. You know what? You started a lot like him, a manipulative bastard, but you got better. You¡¯re nicer now. ¡°Sincerely, I dunno¡ If I don¡¯t gain more points besides leveling, it¡¯s Charisma and something else. I¡¯ll think about it. What happens if you have unallocated points and you reach cap level?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Changing his casual clothes and storing the totem, Peter returned to the camp and teleported back to Dartmouth. A group of students was watching his match in replay on the widescreen. Some commented it was boring, and others commended Peter¡¯s control. Seeing again Li¡¯s disguise and the bushy black eyebrows he hadn¡¯t noticed before, Peter creased his nose. That man is totally weird¡ Peter checked both suists, and Regina was still out, probably visiting Melinda with Ari and Naomi to patch Alchemy¡¯s broken heart. He saw Kostel on the alleys, looking pale and tired, and he waved to him, willing to pay the bet. However, the guard widened his eyes and ran away like he had a wild hornet swarm on his ass. I wonder if he knows if it was me who ratted him to his wife¡ Never mind. I hope he learned his lesson. Don¡¯t be a cheater or a blackmailer. Next, he visited Daniel to remove the clutter in his storage. They had to use a barn in the backyard. The number of items looted from the bandits was huge: weapons, armor, Mana-imbued fossils with uncertain use, plants, and crates with spare parts for whatever engine or mechanism. He had counted on Fafnir to help Identify the loot¡ªas the System was overwhelmed¡ªbut the Dwarf was unresponsive, probably still upset. They had found only sixty ounces of gold, of which he had given forty to Redroar. ¡°Kid, I hope you don¡¯t expect me to sell all this fast,¡± Daniel complained. ¡°How big a percentage do you want?¡± ¡°Half?¡± Peter sighed. There was no point in being a cheapskate. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pay an expert to sort through all this. Twenty-five ounces for the whole lot. Hard gold, just now. Deal?¡± Daniel forwarded his hand. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m swindled in a reality show,¡± Peter sighed, accepting the handshake. ¡°Take care¡¡± Leaving the Black Market and his owner, Peter rode his bicycle aimlessly. He stopped near a forest and did some Relaxation breathing exercises. It was something he needed. ¡°Say, System¡ Does Fafnir have the same privacy settings as you do? Sorry, Fafnir, if you¡¯re listening. Just curious. I might need some me time from time to time.¡± ¡°Great¡ I¡ think I need some personal space from time to time. No offense, both of you.¡± ¡°What? Already the semis?¡± ¡°Or they¡¯re creeped out by that weirdo who pretends to be an arbiter.¡± 52. The Pro League â€“ The Semi-Finals
Touching the pillar, Peter was once again required to tell his name. "Impulse the Bounty Hunter. Competitor." He was sent directly to the locker room and walked out into a ring set in the middle of the Arena. Peter¡¯s disposition was much happier. Since the last match, he had taken time off, shutting communications with the System and Fafnir. Two days of blissful relaxation with Regina improved his mood dramatically. Li was there as an arbiter, but only this time, he floated above the Arena. There was no cage or ring; all the terrain was open, and that was a lot of space. Using his qi-voice, the Grandmaster bellowed: ¡°The rules for the match between Impulse, the Bounty Hunter, and Grandmaster Vin Ke. No range attacks whatsoever. Mandatory weapon: sword. All melee martial attacks are allowed. Only AOE magical attacks are allowed. There is only one round, with no time limit. The match ends with one of the competitors incapacitated or forfeiting.¡± Fafnir¡¯s voice appeared. A cultivator dressed in red robes¡ªindicating fire as his element of choice¡ªwaited with his arms crossed at the other end of the oval of the arena. He looked young, barely a teenager. Fafnir said, reading Peter¡¯s thoughts. For the moment, neither Peter nor the other moved. Then, the cultivator unsheathed a Jian sword. Peter summoned his spear, changing it into a cleaver-shaped saber that was thirty inches in length, making the handle as long. He took a defensive position, with the point forward and the handle kept near his body laterally. Rain started to fall. Looking up, Peter noticed the open sky above. Either the ceiling had been removed, or this was a different place than where he had fought before. It started pouring. Then, his adversary started to sine, enveloping himself in fire. Fafnir proved right. The human fireball shot forward, leading with the sword. In his path, the rain transformed into steam. Soon, the incoming cultivator was surrounded by a sizeable cloud. Peter Warped forward. He reappeared next to the cultivator, smashing into the man¡¯s shoulder. The Jian sword had passed its target, the cultivator¡¯s arm caught under Peter¡¯s. Peter¡¯s cleaver was stuck into Vin Ke¡¯s chest on the right side. The cultivator¡¯s strategy was now obvious. The heat of the fire combined with the water was a double attack, obliging Peter to inhale the steam. The temperature wasn¡¯t as hot as Wu¡¯s plasma, but the burning was more annoying. However, his True Aura held. They danced in place. Vin Ke tried, despite his injury, to overwhelm Peter by heating the rain and the air even more while trying to free his sword arm. Peter followed the movement undeterred. His Intelligence was anticipating everything, from the smallest pressure in the cultivator¡¯s toes, his panting, or how the corners of his eyes shifted. Spells were pouring an immense quantity of healing into Vin Ke. Not only wards¡ªthey didn¡¯t expect his move¡ªbut at least three healers floating above. If he wanted, Peter could have ended the cultivator¡¯s life on the spot, no matter the wards. Question. Are you an asshole? Do you hurt innocents? I could move my sword an inch to the right and kill you. The question remained in Peter¡¯s mind. He hated cultivators, but not enough to murder them preemptively. He Warped backward, extracting his sword from the wound. Vin Ke collapsed on the ground, face down. The fires around his body were snuffed out by the rain, still pouring, soaking the cultivator¡¯s robes and the ground. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The healers rushed to the cultivator. Ten seconds later, one raised his head and nodded. Vin Ke would live. They extracted a stretcher from a spatial inventory and took flight, carrying the unconscious man. ¡°The winner of the match is Impulse, the Bounty Hunter!¡± Li announced, then flew down, landing near Peter. He spoke in a low voice: ¡°Thank you for sparing him. He¡¯s my pupil. Obsessed with training, a true prodigy¡ my top student, up to now.¡± ¡°You want to train me?¡± Peter asked in his normal voice. The rain was drowning the noises anyway. Li nodded. ¡°And I¡¯m sure I could learn a trick or two in the process. Teaching goes both ways.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°The finals are tomorrow at nine. The demonstrative match will follow an hour later. Win, and you¡¯ll have your chance at meeting me in combat.¡± Li zapped up, and Peter walked through the rain. There were cheers, but the sound melted among the heavy raindrops. In the locker room was a package of two hundred ounces of gold. Money that would have made him happy not long before but now was only a part of a bigger game. On Floor Three, the weather was splendid. Sun, warm air smelling of flowers and forest. One could not guess a nuclear explosion had happened a few miles away. He was about to store the totem when Fafnir spoke. ¡°Give me a second to change.¡± After dismissing his armor for casual clothes, Peter opted to lie on the grass, hands under his head. ¡°OK. Go for it.¡± ¡°I could use Warp?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the captain, right?¡± ¡°Two?¡± Peter raised his head, curious, albeit the dialogue was in his hea, and he had no one to look in the eyes. ¡°I dunno, man¡ Forget the water, maybe? It was weak¡ Spread the fire AOE all over the terrain, or use a light sword or something¡ I dunno¡ I mean, how should I know? I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Backup of that backup?¡± Peter felt the tiredness of the days before regaining terrain. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen to you for the next match¡ Any idea who I¡¯ll meet?¡± ¡°Any tips?¡± There was only silence. ¡°I get it, listen to you¡ And for Li?¡± Closing his eyes, Peter allowed himself a moment of respite. Regina was out for the day, going on Floor Four with Melinda, Naomi, and Ariana. He hadn¡¯t asked, but it looked like Alchemy and Ari were mending their ties. He could indulge in sunbathing since he had spare time. The word spare, however, gave him an idea. ¡°System, are you around?¡± ¡°Do you have any means to contact Redroar and any idea where she lives now?¡± ¡°Tell her I want a one-on-one sparring session. I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll wait,¡± Peter said. ¡°It¡¯s nice enough out here. I¡¯ll Relax.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust myself. As Fafnir said, training my abilities to match my opponents will take years. Any bit of exercise helps.¡± ¡°Thanks. However, maybe we got things wrong. I was trying to forget my reenactment training¡ Yet, it¡¯s what I was best at and trained for a long time. I think I should revisit my old training in a new light.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see, little buddy. You¡¯ll see.> 53. The Showdown
The next day, Peter arrived in the Arena at a quarter to nine and level eighty-three. After training with Redroar, she had manipulated him into ¡°taking alive¡± a group of Bounty Hunters that were hunting freedom fighters and behaved like borderline bandits. The taking went well, but the alive, not so much. I¡¯m kinda fed up with killing people, Peter thought. And all the adventuring, nonstop, day after day¡ He had slept late and read a good book to clear his mind, but the stress, anticipation, and tension remained. He felt tired. ¡°Great news,¡± Peter exclaimed, cheering up. The gong signaled he was required to go into the Arena, and he followed the marks. The turns on the corridor were different, and as he exited the open space, he realized the stadium was another one: the combat space smaller, the stalls bigger, more ornate, a sort of Colloseum on steroids. And it was brimming with people. He could see Regina and most of his friends in the first row. He raised his right hand to wave at her but caught his wrist in time with his right hand. Fafnir growled. Peter''s adversary was a slim man of uncertain age, with blue-gray hair, eyes, skin, and likewise blandly colored clothes, following the body''s movements. Maybe it was speciesism, but every male cultivator in battle robes looked the same to Peter. The cultivator had a heavy saber in one hand and a fingerless glove over the other. Probably a magic-enhancing artifact. Peter produced his spear, making it into a short assegai. Li¡¯s qi-voice announced: "The Final between Grandmaster Boo and Impulse the Bounty Hunter is about to begin. This match has no time limit and ends only with one adversary yielding or incapacitated. Everything is permitted except for ranged attacks and flying. Prepare yourself. Three¡ two¡ one¡ Begin!" The crowd erupted in a raucous noise. Some were yelling Impulse¡¯s name, the others: ¡°Boo, Boo.¡± Due to the cultivator¡¯s name, there was no way to say if they were booing or cheering. The Cultivator ran forward, flourishing his sword. Peter Warped behind the other, thrusting with his spear. He had planned to stab his foe in the shoulder while in Phase, but the move failed. Once Peter was back in the normal dimension, Boo blocked the attack¡ªnow a normal thrust¡ªwith his back turned, raising his sword, then somersaulted and faced Peter, taking a defensive stance. Having an advantage in reach, Peter started a flurry of jabs, aiming for the Cultivator''s members. The saber wielder struggled to match Peter''s speed and the feints his dexterity produced. Happy to see the Cultivator bleeding, Peter pressed on. After all, it was better to finish quickly. Blinded by adrenaline, it was only when he began to feel dizzy that he heard Fafnir''s voice screaming: He Warped back to the edge of the Arena. You have been inflicted with heterochiralic DOT. -5% HP/second. The HUD showed his health was at half. "What the fuck?" Peter hissed. "The fuck?" An influx of energy went through his body, and his health increased. In public, Regina was feeding a health pill to a Peter doll. It was cheating, but he didn¡¯t really care. Give me the good news. Meanwhile, the cultivator was laughing like a maniac, running after Peter, who was jumping from one end of the Arena to the other. Seeing his efforts were futile, Boo changed tactics, stomping his foot on the ground. A burst of smoke erupted, filling the Arena with a very thin haze. You are inflicted with Mana Siphoning DOT (-2%/second). You are inflicted with Mind Debuff (Intelligence, Will, Concentration, -50%). "OK, gloves off!" Peter sneered. He Warped behind the Cultivator, trying to push his spear into the man''s chest this time. The skill took twice as long to activate, and the Death Magic user dodged away. Peter pressed on. His close-quarters type of Warp, Phase, hit into an obstacle, feeling like a gelatinous soup. The Cultivator had enveloped himself in a sort of invisible protection. Fighting against the sensation, Peter Phased a third time and pushed his spear onward, but Boo evaded yet again. Meanwhile, the DOTs have reduced Peter¡¯s health to forty-five percent Health and thirty-nine percent Mana. Peter understood. He pushed all his points in Charisma, unlocking the cap Perk, then roared. Battlefield Call activated. Enemies are stunned for 3 seconds. You have Invulnerability for 3 seconds. Boo gasped and remained still. Peter¡¯s debuff disappeared, allowing his stats to regain their full potential. Terravolt! Peter''s mind screamed. This time, he used no spikes. Hands made of sand grabbed the Cultivator''s ankles, delivering an electric shock. Peter let his spear fall and Phased. His hand thrust into the man''s chest, grabbing the core, just as his Battlefield Call ended. Instinctively stepping back, the Cultivator delivered a cutting swipe to Peter''s neck, hitting just below the helmet''s edge. Both fell backward. Peter pulled his hand out of Boo¡¯s body on the way down. His Strength was augmented, but his Health was nearly zero. Screams erupted from the stalls. Something was amiss with Peter. A lot of pain, and his eyes looking at the arena behind him, an impossible position. A fountain of blood sprayed out from his neck; he could see it arch like a fountain. You have suffered a lethal hit. HP 0.15%... HP 0.5%... HP 0.01%... HP 1%... HP 0.6% "Bll¡ dbck¡" he gurgled an attempt at What the fuck, but the air was not reaching his mouth, exiting through its severed trachea. All kinds of strange sensations assaulted them. The desire to sleep, something pulling at his body and trying to snatch it away¡ªsomehow, he knew it was the Rezz Bead¡ªwhile something else pulled at his head and wounds, a stinging sensation. Your Luck has activated, canceling the requirements for the Constitution Cap Perk. Due to proximity to your friends, your Constitution is now 105 (+40). Grievous Wounds Survival activated. Your Mana Body will replace any harmed part, sustaining your life for up to one minute. So that''s why the sting sensations¡ The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. He was on the verge of fainting when a shadow approached. Li¡ªunder his arbiter disguise¡ªlanded nearby. The grandmaster grabbed Peter''s hand, squeezing his fingers over the dead cultivator''s core. The young man felt an intense but brief shock, and then the core gradually diminished. You have learned the skill Consume Core. You are restored to 99% HP and 99% MP. Fafnir said. "The winner is Impulse, the Bounty Hunter!¡± Li bellowed a qi-message. The crowd erupted in applause. Peter used his core muscles to jump up in a standing position. ¡°T''was only a flesh wound!" he yelled and raised his hands over his head, waving at the crowd. The roars of the public rose to deafening levels, chanting his nickname over and over again: ¡°Im-pulse, Im-pulse!¡± "Due to the wards malfunctioning, Cultivator Boo is no longer with us. I will check the wards myself. This is a serious matter," Li declared and zapped away. You have slain Grandmaster Boo, Champion of Death Magic. You have leveled x5 and received 15 free APs. Your duel has been watched by over one billion viewers, Floors 1-3 combined. You have earned the title of Showman. Your Charisma Charming checks will have double the chance of success. You have unlocked Minor Healing (novice) in the Water Elemental Affinity. You won¡¯t be able to unlock more skills or spells in this domain. ¡°Goodness, this is a mess...¡± Peter looked around. He had stepped into his own blood, or maybe both, because Boo had bled a lot too. "At the moment, transportation is suspended. Please remain seated," a qi-voice announced. ¡°The demonstrative match will proceed as planned.¡± Peter grimaced, feeling the urge to scratch his beard stub but having no way to do it. The flying cameras and the crowd made any attempt to raise his visor impossible. As for the Trade faction, the truth was he hadn''t paid much attention to the few discussions his friends had, dozing off and trying to regain his forces. ¡°Is she OK?¡± Peter hissed. C¡¯mon, stop already! Peter¡¯s mind begged the public, who continued applauding with the same intensity, with no sign of relenting. "Uhuh," Peter said, waving again at the public. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll stop cheering as long I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s go to the locker room. Is there a way to visit Regina during the break?¡± "If you say so¡" The crowd continued their ovations until he entered the tunnel to the locker room. Changing as fast as possible, he followed a maze of tunnels until he entered the stalls through a janitor''s room. Soon, he reached his group. Everybody saluted him and cheered, but he had eyes only for one person. Regina jumped into his arms, squeezing herself to his chest. "I love you," he said. "I love you so much," she began crying. ¡°I was so afraid¡¡± Go away. This is a private moment!
An hour later¡ªafter an awful interlude of Cultivator Rock bands¡ªPeter was back in the arena. By you? ¡°I apologize for the ward''s incident,¡± Li said, zapping down. I should have known the Mercantiles would try to cheat. No worries. I¡¯ll put them first on your targets list. And it will be a long one¡¡± Li hissed. ¡°How are we going to do this?¡± Peter asked. ¡°Hm¡¡± Li walked his fingers through his beard. ¡°What about this: one random round, one in which I pick whatever I want, and one in which you pick something? We¡¯ll go through the third round even after I¡¯ll win the first two. For fun.¡± ¡°You seem pretty sure of yourself,¡± Peter frowned. Shit, I keep forgetting I have a helmet¡ Frown wasted. ¡°You almost died to Boo. I¡¯m much stronger than he was. Anything to add? If not, I¡¯ll cancel the Silence spell, and we can battle,¡± Li rubbed his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Peter said, feeling his heart beating hard in his throat. A ring of six arbiters appeared above the scene, one holding a wizard-type pointy hat. Another shoved his hand inside and pulled up a piece of paper. ¡°The rules for the first round are: Hand to hand combat. No magic. The winner will be whoever makes his adversary¡¯s shoulders hit the ground. Three¡ Two¡ One¡ Begin!" There was a grimace of displeasure on the Grandmaster''s face. However, Li dashed forward faster than a blink. Peter remained in place, not moving a muscle. The two collided, grabbing at each other¡¯s arms. The Cultivator grinned. "Just in case you want to cheat and claim some bounty on my head, know I''m immune to the Fist of Death. My skin is impenetrable." With a flicker of his wrists, Li threw Peter in the air. The young man flew over a hundred feet, hitting the Arena wall with his back and falling on his knees. If the wall wouldn¡¯t have been behind to support him, Peter would have collapsed face down. He had trouble breathing and was sure a few ribs were cracked. His Health was at thirty percent. How the hell is he so strong? I¡¯m capped in Strength, after all. ¡°That¡¯s cheating¡¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He cheats because he¡¯s weak at hand-to-hand combat¡¡± ¡°System, tell Regina not to heal me. Let¡¯s play on the Strength in Low Numbers¡ That jerk may take me down, but not without a fight.¡± the System said. Peter growled, pushing his hands on his trembling knees to raise up, then stepped back toward the center of the Arena, taking his time to regain concentration. Li met him at half the distance. A flurry of kicks and hits began, each trying to break through the other defenses. The speed of the fight was tremendous, and Peter¡¯s Intelligence perk barely coped with it. Better plan. We pull a pirate trick. Despite Li¡¯s enhanced Strength, Peter¡¯s health was still in the high twenties. ¡°You hit like a girl,¡± Peter taunted, raising an arm to parry an incoming jab to the jaw. That left his body open, and Li profited to send a hook in his hurt ribs. That meant the cultivator had the means to detect Peter¡¯s weak points, but that didn¡¯t matter. HPs at 13%. Strength in Low Numbers activated. STR x 3. Struggling to keep his wits together and ignore the burning in his chest, Peter pretended to exhale in pain and spat in Li¡¯s eyes. At the same time, his right foot arched behind his opponent¡¯s ankle, and he shoved the cultivator with all his new Strength. A small dust cloud erupted when Li¡¯s shoulders hit the ground. Peter¡¯s hand rushed toward Li¡¯s neck, but the Grandmaster zapped away, reappearing at the other end of the Arena, an expression of befuddlement on his face. I¡¯m OK, don¡¯t worry. Taught that asshole a lesson. ¡°T-the first r-round g-goes t-to Impulse the B-bounty H-hunter,¡± an arbiter qi-voice stuttered. Li reappeared next to Peter, frowning. ¡°You won fair and square, but hitting a man while he¡¯s down is low.¡± ¡°Is that a pun?¡± Peter asked sincerely. ¡°Down, low?¡± ¡°You¡¯re mocking me? Very well. For the next round, I chose everything goes,¡± Li sneered. ¡°Do you need a break?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Peter hissed back. ¡°Do you? I heard senior citizens need to pee often.¡± A unanimous gasp ran in the public, who had been coy to applaud Impulse¡¯s win, probably due to Li¡¯s status. ¡°Count,¡± Li said to the arbiters above, teleporting to the opposite corner of the Arena. ¡°Three¡ Two¡ One¡ Begin!" A wall of blue fire and light shot from Li¡¯s body, slowly advancing toward Peter. Yard after yard, it enveloped the whole Arena. ¡°That sucks,¡± Peter mumbled. ¡°Everything seems to mess with my Warp and Rezz.¡± "I yield!" Peter yelped. The heat was scorching even with the wall of light at a hundred feet. "I yield!" he repeated as the attack was still advanced. Li stopped it ten feet from Peter, and the young man felt he was cooking in his armor like a chicken in an oven. "The second round goes to Master Li,¡± a qi-voice said. ¡°I need a break,¡± Peter shouted in the air. His health was still low after the first round. ¡°There will be a ten-minute break,¡± an arbiter said after Li nodded his approval. "I agree,¡± Peter said in a low voice. ¡°I have a plan, and I need you to go with it. Let¡¯s talk in the locker room.¡± 54. The Stars In Her Eyes ¡°What will it be?¡± Li asked curtly once Impulse returned to the Arena. There was a hint of worry in his eyes. The clear apprehension his contender will choose hand to hand, the risk of losing face. ¡°Chess,¡± the younger man said deadpanned. ¡°Chess?¡± the cultivator furrowed his brow. ¡°Chess. I won¡¯t be able to win in a real fight against you, so why bother to play a mock battle? Let¡¯s have a battle of wits. Or¡ are you afraid, old man?¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Li roared, crossing his arms, visibly relaxed. ¡°Let¡¯s roll the rock.¡± Extracted from the spatial inventory, a chess table and two stools appeared. The competitors sat and arranged the pieces, Li granting his opponent the whites. The arbiter counted down: ¡°Three... Two... One... Begin!¡± "This round has only one ending. My victory," the cultivator said. "It may be unbeknownst to you, but I¡¯m a grandmaster at board games," Li grinned, looking very happy with himself. There was an audible snort coming from behind the helmet. "A grandmaster would have seen the truth before his eyes.¡± The visor raised, pushed by the young man¡¯s index. "You''re that kid!" Li gasped, widening his eyes. "Melinda''s student!" "No, he¡¯s a distraction." As the words were spoken, Peter appeared behind the Cultivator, his arm in Li''s chest, up to the elbow. Leaning toward Li''s ear, he whispered: "Welcome to the System!"
The core was much smaller than Peter had expected but also immensely more powerful. Condensed, emanating power like a dark hole. His free hand grabbed the chain at the cultivator¡¯s neck and pulled, breaking it. The next second, Peter threw the chain and the ring in the air. Materializing beside him, Mister Pandy Panda opened its mouth and gobbled it. Regina also appeared, keeping a hand on Peter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get us to the controls!¡± Peter yelled. The next second, they were in a simple round room with a console in the middle. ¡°Give the order: Allow the Seed System to install!¡± Li stepped ahead like a puppet, almost falling, slapping his hands on the console. ¡°Alow the Seed System to install,¡± he mumbled. Shut up, Peter thought, cutting Fafnir off. Li was struggling, trying to fight back. His resilience was amazing. A lung was all but destroyed, the heart compressed under Peter¡¯s arm, and yet, one barely could tell the Grandmaster was so grievously wounded. The messages started to flow: Initiating System installement. Please wait¡ System initialization succeeded. Dead code cleansed from the Tower''s Mana. Time Slow in effect. A voice thundered. Peter¡¯s mouth opened without intent, letting out a series of high-pitched chirps. Otherwise, his whole body felt frozen. Peter felt his body returning to normal. ¡°Please extract Fafnir from my head and quarantine it first.¡± A bolt of lightning shot out from Peter¡¯s head. A glass jar slowly floated down, resting on the console. Inside, a miniature Fafnir was screaming and cursing, banging his fists against the transparent walls. ¡°I need to move around. No detective tells his story with a hand in someone¡¯s chest,¡± Peter said. ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Peter said, taking out his hand but leaving Li¡¯s core in its place. The grandmaster collapsed on the floor, unconscious. ¡°Can you unfreeze my fiancee?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Regina gasped. ¡°That was intense¡ Your plan worked, baby. Making me¡ª¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t ruin my detective moment,¡± Peter pleaded, kneading his hands. ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Regina grimaced, then looked around. ¡°Hm¡ I was thinking the control room should be bigger.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Peter nodded, walking back and forth, gesticulating. ¡°After putting together two plus two¡ªfinally, all those detective novels I read paid off¡ªmy conclusion was this: Fafnir is not a good guy. He manipulated us, intending to take control of the Tower. If I had to make up a detective¡¯s catchphrase for myself, it would be: If your plan progresses by itself, it¡¯s not your plan; it¡¯s someone else¡¯s. And how do I know? Simple. ¡°He put innocent lives in danger. For instance, the sacrificial woman from the Ahnenherbe challenge. Thus, he was not nice. And how did he know about the information on the sixth floor? He had some means to spy. I guess it was through the artifacts he offered in the fog. Ergo is manipulative and keeps secrets from us. ¡°Then, he built the challenges upon human legends. By bathing in the dragon¡¯s blood, Li was supposed to become invulnerable. Still, like in the story, a leaf floated down and rested on Li¡¯s back, leaving an open spot to ensure Li could be slain if necessary. ¡°And the ring to control all the floors? C¡¯mon. It was so obvious! Fafnir was no Gandalf, he was Sauron. As the books say, when you have eliminated the impossible by using your little gray cells, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Or, in simpler words, Ta-da!¡± Peter made a triumphant wide gesture, spreading his hands, palms up. ¡°Tell the System how we did it,¡± Regina said eagerly. ¡°Oh, true,¡± Peter nodded. ¡°We profited from Fafnir¡¯s privacy settings, hiding our true plan from both him and the System. I conspired with Regina and my doppelganger, and only them. Then, Regina made a glove doll in Li¡¯s shape that she used to control him once I stuck it in his chest,¡± Peter raised his hand, showing the item. ¡°I have a strand linked to it,¡± Regina added. ¡°We had multiple contingencies but went for the fastest solution. Before the last round, I told Fafnir and the System the bare minimum, pretending we were going after the ring. My doppelganger replaced me; I entered stealth, taking Regina with me, threw the ring into Mister Pandy Panda to make it inaccessible, and¡ Ta-da!¡± Peter repeated the theatrical stance. ¡°If the ring strengthens the wearer, there¡¯s no way somebody could steal it from Pandy,¡± Regina said proudly. ¡°That¡¯s my idea. I made Pandy a mouth and a stomach just for that.¡± ¡°If only not for you stupid kids!¡± Fafnir yelled in his jar. The dwarf showed Peter both his middle fingers. However, The System wasn¡¯t finished. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. <¡ªbut he is forbidden to apply lethality. The Dungeon Floor will be used only for competitions, training, and entertainment. Fafnir will be obliged to do therapy and pursue training in niceness until his alignment is at least chaotic good.> ¡°Noooo¡¡± Fafnir wailed.
Residential Cultivator Floors:Scheduled for ejection to previous locations in a week and currently quarantined. Citizens can apply to stay in the Tower and move to Floor Six. Applications will be reviewed individually.

Floor Six:Retained as compensation for the invasion. Citizens can choose to stay or join the ejected floors. Powers will be restored after evaluation.

Dungeon Floor: Mana rejuvenation is in progress (2 hours remaining).

Floor Four (Hospital):460 of 589 individuals voted to stay in the Tower. Cultivators were moved to Floor Six. A planetary restoration program and cures for mutations are pending.

Floor Three:Referendum¡¯s results: System rejected, Tower accepted. 56,591 of 60,472 applicants became Bounty Hunters. Bounties are posted, and portals to other floors are open.

Floor Two:Referendum¡¯s results: System and Tower accepted. Conditions include dismantling the Sixth Reich and European Soviets, tribunals for crimes, political reform, and independence referendums. Quarantined with mass destruction weapons disabled. Firearms are momentarily disabled.

Floor One:Referendum¡¯s results: System and Tower accepted. Mass destruction weapons are disabled.
General Information:

Criminal Cultivators are now tagged and debuffed and must surrender to the closest police stations within an hour or be subject to bounties. Capturing/killing them rewards XP and loot. Bounties will be posted on Floors Three and One. Collaborators will face individual prosecution and punishments according to the local laws.

The System advises everyone to remain calm, follow the instructions, and choose a class. ¡°Nice,¡± Regina said, and Peter hugged her. ¡°May we have a cosmetic kit to change our appearance?¡± Regina asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to look like a cat girl from time to time.¡± Not your fault, Buddy. He tricked us all¡ for a while. "He¡¯s guilty," Peter sneered. ¡°Last request: can we finish the chess game?¡± Lee whispered. He was now conscious, coughing blood and resting his back on the console¡¯s postament. ¡°You got me good¡ Never saw it coming.¡± ¡°Sorry, old man. I don¡¯t even play chess¡ Say, System. I mean, the big guy¡ Can I choose to let him die of old age by taking his powers?¡± Peter asked. Regina fondled his hand in approval. ¡°He¡¯s a prick, but I don¡¯t want Melinda to be sad because of him.> "No problem. Hey, listen to me,¡± Peter pulled out his gun, resting the muzzle on Li¡¯s forehead. ¡°Choose," Peter said, touching the trigger with his index. Li sighed and raised his gaze. "I don¡¯t deserve it¡ but I''d like to see Melinda get older and have kids¡" A light enveloped Li, and he vanished. Peter sighed, slowly nodding. Peter shrugged. "Call it an impulse¡ As for the rest of his pals, I won''t cry over some Gestapo or Cultivator murderers. I want them dead." In a blink, Peter and Regina found themselves in a council room in one of the largest buildings on the Campus. It was in chaos. Redroar¡¯s cubs were riding Shredder or jumping on the tables. There were many conversations carried in loud voices, the relief of victory drunkening people¡¯s minds. Everybody was shouting; the loudest was maybe Marius, who was about to engage in a fisticuff fight with Daniel for whatever reason. To escape the ruckus, Peter took Regina by the hand, and they exited the dorm. It was nice outside, and the stars shone brighter than usual. There weren''t words they hadn''t yet said to each other, so they just kissed. "What do you think?" a voice asked. In front of them was a blond and bronzed man, built like an antique athlete''s statue, hand in hand with a shapely elven woman, with hair jumping in all directions, very disco eighties, and long and pointy ears. ¡°Sorry, do we know each other?¡± Peter asked. ¡°C¡¯mon, mate. Kostel? Your best friend?¡± the former guard pointed to himself. "Err¡ neat¡ very neat, folks¡" Peter stuttered. "Hey guys," the two Jacks yelled, arriving at a trot, carrying a twenty-four-slot beer crate between them. ¡°We¡¯re having a dorm party. Are you coming?¡± "Young Master Jack," Kostel grinned, a police baton sparkling with electricity appearing in his hands out of nowhere. "Are you aware the drinking age is twenty-one again?" "Err¡ C''mon, man! Cut us some slack for ol¡¯ good times..." "I''m from a different planet," Jack Two said. "No exceptions!" "Hey, man, is that your kid smoking behind the dorm?" Peter said. "Stay where you are," Kostel blurted and ran away, followed by his wife. The two Jacks ran in the opposite direction, the beer crate dangling between them. ¡°Let¡¯s just go home,¡± Peter sighed. ¡°Totally,¡± Regina nodded. ¡°It was a long day.¡± ¡°What redecorations, buddy?¡± Taking Regina in his arms, Peter wished to jump into his apartment. As the System had said, it was now connected to Regina¡¯s, and it was no longer in a dorm but in a small and charming villa. They could see the living room through the opened door and a staircase at the far end. ¡°Whoaaaa!¡± Regina exclaimed, then continued: ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not fair. I want a redecoration, too!¡± ¡°Mi apartment, su apartment, baby,¡± Peter kissed her. Peter¡¯s room had preserved its shape, but the bed had disappeared, and a huge luxurious leather couch had replaced it. An antique rolling bar was set on a side, with a massive wood coffee table in front. The French doors to the terrace were opened, letting in the fresh air. ¡°That¡¯s a reproduction, right?¡± Regina pointed. Next to the window was a large painting, The Starry Night. It matched the outside vibe perfectly. ¡°Wow¡ it¡¯s like you¡¯re falling in it,¡± Regina said, her eyes opened wide. ¡°You¡¯re giving it back to the museum, right?¡± Peter sighed. He poured himself a large glass of the finest Brandy on the table, which was well over twenty-five years old, and picked a cigar. He had only vague ideas on how to cut it, but he persisted and lighted it. The couch was inviting, and Peter let himself fall into the leather¡¯s embrace. He smiled at Regina, who joined him, hugging him around his midriff and letting her head on his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Peter exhaled a plume of scented smoke and followed with a sip of Armagnac. ¡°The Ethical Looting code, section twelve, article 8¡ªwhich I just made up¡ªstates that one never gives away the loot. And I kinda like it. But I¡¯ll consider renting it¡ Or maybe not¡ I dunno¡ I kinda like how it matches your eyes. For now, it stays here.¡± ¡°Mmm¡. My rough pirate!¡± Regina smiled, kissing him. He smiled and kissed her back. It felt good.