《Monarch of Profound Toxin [Progression, LitRPG]》 Chapter 1: What About Second Apocalypse? Eik reviewed his notes as he took the first sips of the tea, hoping today¡¯s poison would be one of the mild ones. Nope, the sour, almost citrusy undertones left no doubt that it was the viciously toxic reaper¡¯s root. He sighed. If that¡¯s what he¡¯d have to deal with today, then he didn¡¯t have long. Trying not to rush, he set the teacup down on his homemade, wooden work table and went to his wall of drawers. The ingredient labels had been removed and most of the drawers had been replaced in different slots. He forgot he¡¯d done that, and now he wished he hadn¡¯t gone quite that far. Sweat was making its appearance on his forehead when the shop chime jingled, a man of bear-like stature stepping inside and stomping his boots on the old doormat. Eik couldn¡¯t spare the time to look away as he riffled through the contents of various drawers, his breath becoming shallow and his muscles beginning to tighten up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to greet your customer?¡± the stranger boomed, now joined by two others in front of the store counter. ¡°I¡¯m just a tiiiiny bit busy right now. I¡¯ll be with you in a moment, good sir,¡± Eik answered in a strained voice that almost came out as a whisper. In the periphery of his darkening vision, he saw the massive man cross arms over his chest that resembled tree trunks more than human limbs, huffing a dissatisfied grunt. Eik pulled out three drawers and emptied their contents onto his worktable as the men watched with explicit curiosity. With a swift, forceful elbow chop, he cracked the shell-like bulb of a dried purple flower, spilling small, black seeds everywhere. Hands shaking, he scooped them into a mortar and crushed them to powder with the fervor of a desperate man. The powder went into a tall, thin beaker, followed by a murky green liquid. The big man¡¯s brows furrowed in puzzlement as he leaned over the counter to get a better look at the spectacle. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good. What are you even doing?¡± he demanded. Barely able to draw in a proper breath, Eik quacked out the word. ¡°Dying.¡± The man was left staring. Eik upended the contents of the beaker into his mouth, forcing himself to swallow the potion in several spasmodic motions. When the torturous symptoms didn¡¯t immediately subside, he feared he¡¯d made a mistake in the mixing process. The two men accompanying the big one looked about ready to jump in to help, but their leader seemed more fascinated than worried at the scene. Luckily, Eik began to feel the relieving effects after only a few short seconds. He plopped back into his chair and took several deep, calming breaths, sensing his body relax as the shaking waned into nothingness. Standing back up, Eik approached the counter with a smile as he wiped his forehead with a towel. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± They looked at him dumbfounded. ¡°What were you doing?¡± one of the subordinates asked. ¡°Just keeping myself on my toes,¡± Eik answered cheerfully, throwing the towel over his shoulder. ¡°Give me three orders of antidotes and a couple for pain, and make it quick,¡± the large man demanded briskly as he tossed some coins on the counter, leaving behind the little performance they had walked in on. Behind him, the two subordinates exchanged glances of utter confusion. A pair of gauntlets covered in metal plates hung from a thick leather cord wrapped twice over the leader¡¯s shoulder, clinking noisily against the studs on his armor when he moved. His blonde hair was cropped short. The three men were obviously Awakened. Dressed in leathers and fancy armor with weapons adorning their waists, their outfits left no doubt regarding their occupation either. Adventurers. Hunters. Cloud-nosed, humble bragging snobs. Whatever term you preferred, they were customers. Customers with money. ¡°Antidotes for what?¡± ¡°What?¡± the man asked, brow furrowing. ¡°I mean, what manner of toxin do you expect to run afoul of? Hectona? Xaraxis? Venom or contact poison? I offer a discount for beginners, if that applies to you.¡± The quality of their equipment said it didn¡¯t. ¡°Do we look like beginners to you?¡± he barked, the absence of aggressive spittle surprising Eik. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I do, no,¡± Eik admitted, taking a closer look at the three men. On second glance, one of the others had been by more than once before. Both of the subordinates seemed to be exceedingly familiar with the leader¡¯s buffoonery. ¡°We¡¯re the Rock Fists! And I¡¯m Rock Fist Bart.¡± The pride that practically shone out of the leader of the Rock Fists was not mirrored in Eik¡¯s own demeanor. ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡± he deadpanned. ¡°I, uuh¡­ We¡ª¡± Bart glanced back at one of the men behind him with a not-so-subtle tilt of his head. ¡°Well, I usually get this for our standard preparation,¡± the man said and stepped forward to hand over a folded slip of paper. His weapon of choice was an enormous bow with a quiver of remarkably long arrows strapped to his waist. The third man had a sheathed sword on his belt, the shape hinting at something akin to a saber. Eik glanced over the list, which included about a dozen more entries than he had expected. He caught the eye of the archer, who smiled and shrugged. ¡°You can just ignore the rest.¡± With a nod, Eik made his way to the storage room in the back, mumbling to himself as he walked. The storage was nice and cool, which was perfect for his stock of antidotes, painkillers, localized numbing agents, purgatives, and numerous other potions. ¡°And make it quick, will ya?¡± Bart called from the front room. The guy was a right pain in the ass, but a paying customer is a customer you treat well. ¡°Will ya?¡± Bart repeated for good measure, and Eik¡¯s willingness to adhere to his own customer service policies was ground down further. When Eik emerged from the back room with the order, Bart was leaning on the counter, fingers on one hand tapping the wood, while the other incessantly scratched at a knot in the surface. He kept this up as Eik began to prepare the order for packaging. Careful and proper preparation was of utmost importance when it came to substances which one expected to save lives. ¡°Stop fidgeting, please,¡± Eik said without looking up. ¡°I¡¯m concentrating.¡± The sound stopped, followed by momentary silence. ¡°Is he always this impolite to the customers?¡± Bart asked, presumably to his subordinates. Eik could almost hear the noncommittal shrugs in response. ¡°So you¡¯re only acting like this towards me? Is that what this is? Do you have something against my family?¡± the beefy man half-shouted and slammed his fist into the countertop, rattling the whole affair like a wine-date in the back of a speeding cargo van and sending dust towards the ceiling in a cruel testimony to Eik¡¯s negligence of the broom. When his fist came away, it revealed a crack so massive that the biggest surprise was that fact that the wood hadn¡¯t simply split in two. Eik couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was Bart holding back his strength. ¡°Bart, come on¡­¡± the archer tried nervously, the tremble in his voice serving to further underline the unequal hierarchy in their relationship. Eik, who had forgotten all about the products now scattered haphazardly across the table in front of him, had no real recourse if this half-witted brute decided that he was offended enough to make a scene. His first instinct had been to bemoan the vicious defilement of his nice countertop¡ªit was walnut, after all, but other, more pressing problems were readily apparent. If an Awakened possessed enough power to cause such ravages with a single fist, then they had more social leeway than basically anyone else. This guy had to be D-rank at least. Eik held up his shaking hands placatingly, trying to keep his voice steady. ¡°Hey, I really don¡¯t know who you are. I don¡¯t know your family either, but judging by your impressive strength, I¡¯ve got a few guesses. I don¡¯t want any trouble, I promise.¡± ¡°You think th¡ª¡± The pleasant dingeling of the shop chime echoed, the opening door providing a hopeful Eik with a view of perceived freedom from this pickle. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I heard a bang in here, Eik,¡± a voice began¡ªthe voice of an angelic savior. ¡°Did one of your things explode again?¡± Eik had never been happier to see Olivia¡¯s face. She stopped with the door handle still in her hand when she noticed the awkward silence that now reigned supreme in the little apothecary. Everybody was looking at her, and nobody was saying anything. Eik hoped that, maybe, just maybe, if he tried hard enough, he could get some kind of telepathic message through to her. No such luck, it would seem, as she slowly looked away from Eik. She took in the archer first, then the swordsman, before moving on to Bart, on whom she lingered for a moment. She squinted, albeit slightly, as her brain attempted to conjure any memories regarding this man. When she gave up on that, her gaze fell on the pit in the countertop, the dust still settling. At this she frowned and looked back up at Eik. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Eik?¡± Her tone had done a complete one-eighty. ¡°It¡¯s, uuh¡ª¡° Eik began, but was cut off by Bart¡¯s booming voice. ¡°Olivia Valkiri, the famous B-ranker? What a pleasure to meet you! Truly, an unrivaled pleasure,¡± he rambled, stepping in and clasping everything up to her wrist in a vigorous greeting, rather than offering his hand for her to take. The expression on Olivia¡¯s face revealed that she was feeling less than impressed and only something slightly above disgust. Judging by her demeanor, she had likely already sussed out the general theme of the situation she had walked in on. ¡°Eik?¡± she repeated, ignoring the ongoing handshake. ¡°You know this guy, Ms Valkiri?¡± Bart blurted, oblivious to the reception of his advances. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how to treat people like us. How about I introduce you to some of the experts I have on retainer? They¡¯re leagues above this chump!¡± His self-confident grin faltered when she effortlessly tore her hand free of his grasp. Adopting a nonchalant posture, she sauntered up to the countertop to get a closer look at the carnage wrought by the fist of Rock Fist Bart, whom Eik still couldn¡¯t for the life of him recall ever having heard of. ¡°He did this?¡± Wordlessly, Eik nodded, her presence reassuring him despite his heart still running amok in his chest. ¡°You did this?¡± she reiterated, this time to Bart. A considerable portion of confidence had left Bart¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, well¡­ He was being rather disrespectful towards me. After all, we aren¡¯t peers.¡± Olivia made a show of glancing down at the hand he had arbitrarily shaken. ¡°Then what about the two of us?¡±¡ªA lazy finger pointed back and forth between them¡ª¡°Are we peers?¡± Rock Fist Bart drew in a sharp breath and some of the color drained from his face. Reflexively he hid his meaty paws behind his back like a scolded child. ¡°I¡ª N-No, of course not. A D-rank and a B-rank are not equals. Never.¡± Face devoid of emotion, Olivia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can I then assume that I have the privilege of doing this,¡±¡ªShe gestured at the crater in the wood with a thumb¡ª¡°to that?¡± She stabbed a finger at the much larger man¡¯s chest. ¡°I-I was just trying to¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you were trying to do! Eik is very dear to me, and if I catch you harassing him again, or not paying for that damn countertop, I swear I¡¯ll make sure you know firsthand that my threats aren¡¯t empty!¡± she hissed. ¡°Oh, and another thing! Eik was the first to successfully treat envenomation by the Hectona-8. Your so-called ¡°experts¡± couldn¡¯t hold a candle to him, and you wouldn¡¯t be here to do business if you didn¡¯t know that as well!¡± ¡°I-I¡ª¡± ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡± she ordered. All three men immediately complied with the order, the brave Rock Fist Bart pushing his subordinates out of the way to be the first one through the door left open by Olivia. ¡°Hey, Mr. Archer!¡± Eik called to the spindly man before he could make it outside. The archer froze with his hand on the door handle, shoulders pulled up to his ears as if they would protect him against anything a legitimate B-ranker could subject him to. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned back to face Eik and Olivia. ¡°Ye-Yes?¡± he asked, wringing his hands. ¡°You forgot your order. I already took your money,¡± Eik said as he held out a paper bag of medicine he had finished preparing to the archer, gesturing to the coins Bart had thrown when they first arrived. The archer ran up and snatched the bag from Eik¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you¡­ And I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Eik said casually as he looked through his wallet for the change. ¡°Keep the change!¡± the man called as he fled, his legs carrying him away so fast that his voice disappeared into silence before he had finished the sentence. Eik stood silent for a few seconds before he collapsed backwards into his work chair, breathing a deep sigh of relief. ¡°That was damn near the most frightening thing I¡¯ve ever experienced. I thought he was gonna punch me with that slow-cooked ham he calls a fist.¡± ¡°Eik¡­¡± Olivia said, massaging the bridge of her nose. ¡°I told you that you would get into trouble if you don¡¯t learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes. A big mouth was easier to get away with back when the world was normal.¡± Burying his own head in his hands, he sighed again. ¡°I know, I know. Some people just make it so¡­ difficult to shut up, you know.¡± Olivia chuckled. ¡°That I do. But I can at least punch back.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, missy. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m already down for the count? I mean, look at my damn countertop! It was walnut, for god¡¯s sake!¡± At this she laughed wholeheartedly. ¡°So anyway,¡± he said, getting up. ¡°the usual, I presume?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± she smiled. He went to the storage room to get an array of items. Some of it was for Olivia herself, but being the competent leader that she was, Eik knew that she handed out medicine like candy if she thought it could save a life, or even just a limb. She¡¯d always get enough healing spheres to eat them like snacks for a week. After all, Awakened with healing abilities were few and far between¡ªfar fewer than the injured needed. ¡°Any changes recently?¡± he asked as he returned to the front room to prepare her order. She retrieved a small, flat wooden plaque from her leathers and scratched an imperfect circle into the surface with a fingernail, finishing it off with two dots in the middle. She held it up for Eik to see. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed,¡± she said as the dots and circle faded, only to be replaced by neat script seemingly carved by an invisible hand. [B-rank ¡ª III] ¡°My rank hasn¡¯t changed from third stage B-rank. It¡¯s been over fourteen months. I think I might have hit a plateau,¡± Olivia pouted and replaced the plaque on her person as the script faded, leaving the flat surface as immaculate as if she had never touched it. ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve felt¡­ confined, I guess. Like a balloon in a peanut butter jar.¡± Eik couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you can complain about plateauing at B-rank, Olivia. Do you know what happens when most of us mortals try to scratch that pattern in a piece of wood?¡± She side-eyed him. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he answered and began to stack her order into a paper bag. ¡°And do you know what would break if I did what Sock Fist Bart just did to my beautiful, formerly pristine walnut countertop?¡± ¡°Your hand.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± He handed over the paper bag while she dug around her bag for payment. She accepted the bag and started towards the door. ¡°My mom said to invite you over for dinner. She says she misses you, and that she would like it if you¡¯d come by as often as you did when Torbj?rn was still alive.¡± Her face grew somber. Eik offered a light smile. ¡°I¡¯d love t¡ª" ¡°Please!¡± The door flew open, a crunch of wood advising Eik that he might have to schedule a repair of the door frame in addition to his walnut counter. Before Eik could even register what was happening, Olivia¡¯s hands had burst into flames as she prepared to face a threat, her packaged order dropped on the floor. ¡°Please, I need an antivenom quickly!¡± The new arrival was a man with a woman slung over his shoulder. A nasty gash was visible along her shoulder blade. The man was not unhurt himself, his cheek covered in fresh blood, but he was at least conscious. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand th¡ª¡± He stopped short when he caught a better look at the flaming woman. ¡°Olivia?¡± ¡°Harry? What¡¯s going on? Is that Tracy?¡± As quickly as they¡¯d ignited, the flames were extinguished as Olivia rushed to the unconscious woman and helped her gently onto the floor. ¡°We¡¯re being overrun,¡± Harry stated in a sober tone. ¡°They¡¯re everywhere.¡± Chapter 2: Escalation ¡°What? Where? On the southern plains?¡± ¡°Here! In town! Holes are opening everywhere! You need to get out there, Olivia. People are panicking, and it¡¯s accelerating the death toll.¡± ¡°Eik, please save Tracy!¡± Olivia besought him before disappearing in a blur, a trail of flames and heated air lingering for a second. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± he promised the space where she¡¯d been and rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Harry, was it? What got her?¡± ¡°It was a Xaraxis-2, 4, or 5. I didn¡¯t get a good enough look to say exactly which with certainty.¡± ¡°A spider, huh? I¡¯m going to cut her shirt,¡± Eik said, retrieving his trusty knife from the worktable. ¡°It¡¯s not a Xaraxis-5, at least,¡± he confirmed once he got a better look at the wound. ¡°How can you tell?¡± Harry asked, his eyes constantly flitting from his companion to the door, then back to her. ¡°They don¡¯t leave a gash like this,¡± he clarified, tracing the edge of the injury with a finger as he contemplated the best course forward. He went around the store, gathering anything he thought he might need. ¡°How bad is it out there? Like, how bad is it really?¡± ¡°Worse than anything you¡¯re imagining,¡± Harry muttered. ¡°It¡¯s like nine years ago all over again. It might be too much for us this time. We don¡¯t have enough Awakened anymore.¡± ¡°Hold her down, please. If she wakes up and starts panicking, it¡¯s going to end in a terrible, and likely fatal, greeting for me.¡± Harry did as instructed. A muffled explosion shook the little store, rattling the glassware on the shelves. ¡°Being in here, it¡¯s almost like everything is still okay. As a matter of fact, I¡¯m kind of surprised that this tiny little store hasn¡¯t been flattened by the fighting by now. The monsters should be here any second.¡± Eik frowned as he worked. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx my cute shop like that, please. It¡¯s been through enough today already.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ How¡¯s it looking?¡± Eik hmm¡¯d as he came to a decision. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a Xaraxis-2 or 4. Both the wound and the effect of the toxin are too similar without seeing the bastard. I¡¯ll have to guess.¡± ¡°Guess?¡± Harry repeated with horror. ¡°Won¡¯t that be dangerous?¡± ¡°Doing nothing is most certainly worse.¡± Harry hesitated momentarily, his eyes firmly planted on his comrade, but in his line of work he knew the value of decisiveness. ¡°Alright, do it.¡± Eik injected a dose of antivenom directly into her open wound and hoped for the best. Before he could get to cleaning the wound, his nice, well-built ceiling came crashing down like a barrel wave breaking on shore, covering everybody and everything in dust and debris. Something of considerable weight caught Eik painfully on the shoulder on its way to the floor, sending spikes of agony through his entire upper body and causing his arm to go numb from the neck down. What felled him, however, was a dense roof tile striking his left shin with an ominous crunch against bone. Whether he had hit his head or the explosion had deafened him he couldn¡¯t say, but the scream of anguish that escaped his throat was barely a distant keen inside his head. With the dust in his eyes, he couldn¡¯t open them, but a hand grasped him by the wrist, pulling him along at a speed he wouldn¡¯t have been prepared to follow even if his leg didn¡¯t feel like it had been mangled beyond recovery. Eik tried to tell his guide to slow down, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he inhaled a lungful of dust, eliciting a coughing fit that triggered nets of agony emanating from his shoulder injury. He was pulled bodily over something that dug painfully into his ribs, further worsened when his lower body cleared the elevation and let his broken leg come down hard on the floor. Suddenly they stopped and a splash of water hit him in the face, working some of the debris out of his eyes. He leaned his head back, hoping that the gesture was enough to tell his savior that he¡¯d appreciate another wash. His wish was graciously fulfilled. When he could finally open his eyes, Eik thought that he might have gone nearly blind. His perfectly cooled storage room was darkened to the point where the surrounding shelves were hardly visible through the gloom. He tried to stand but his leg and arm failed him cruelly, forcing him to sprawl back onto the floor to reduce the pain. Disoriented, he dragged himself away from the shelves toward the door that had to be somewhere behind him when his elbow knocked against something soft. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. A limp body on the floor sent him crab-walking away in shock as a yelp built in his throat, but before he could utter a proper sound, however, a hand was placed firmly over his mouth. Harry¡¯s face appeared in the periphery of Eik¡¯s vision, a finger gesture begging for silence. Eik nodded and the hand eased away. Looking around, it became apparent that what he had initially mistaken for blindness was, in fact, just an absence of light caused by a collapsed wall blocking the entrance to the storage room. Eik realized he had regained at least some of his hearing when the grating sound of rubble being displaced reached his ears. Quietly as he could, made his way over to the pile of debris and risked a peek over the collapsed wall. Eik stiffened at the sight of a five meter long monster with a crocodilian snout and a body resembling that of a big cat, its skin black as coal. It struggled to stand up, writhing in the debris like a decapitated snake, growling and whining, clearly terribly hurt. Somebody must have sent it flying through Eik¡¯s shop and then forgotten about it. Screams and sounds of combat reverberated from outside, clear now that there wasn¡¯t a storefront to block it out. The monster seemed eager to get back out there, even though, judging by the way it moved, its foreleg was probably broken. ¡°What the hell is that even?¡± Eik mouthed with a horrified expression. Harry just stared at the struggling beast, fingers caressing his weapon at his belt. The man was clearly shaken by the whole situation. Eik was pretty sure the only reason he wasn¡¯t freaking out himself was that his mind still hadn¡¯t allowed him to fully comprehend the severity of what was going on. The global, irreversible collapse of the world order, all countries, and all societies had been the most traumatic experience in Eik¡¯s life and if this truly was a repeat of that, then he might not be able to take another round. ¡°Can¡¯t you take care of it?¡± he tried with trembling voice. ¡°You wanna get caught up in a fight with that? And I¡¯m D-rank. I¡¯ve never even seen a monster like that. It¡¯s better to shut up and stay hidden.¡± His point was only reinforced by the defenseless and unmoving figure of Tracy in his lap, whose steady breathing filled Eik with hope for her recovery. The bag of medicine Eik had sold Olivia laid next to them. Seconds after he swallowed a healing sphere of his own, a smoldering pain razed up his forearm as if a white hot nail was being dragged across his skin. An involuntary yelp made it past his lips, eliciting a sharp inhalation from Harry, whose face took on an expression of anger before he noticed Eik¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re awakening,¡± he whispered with surprise as he stared at the text lining the apothecary¡¯s forearm. ¡°Eik, you¡¯re awakening!¡± As he blinked tears out of his eyes, the script continued to carve itself into his arm while he watched, the unseen scorching nail seeming to cauterize the wound as it appeared, occluding what would otherwise have been a stream of blood. Eik found himself forced to bite down hard on his lip, just to keep down the screams. He could barely concentrate enough to take in the neat, red words. [Eik Magnasen] [TX497-81414¡ªNEW] [Human] The text faded without a trace, as they had on Olivia¡¯s wooden plaque. He would have appreciated a plaque of his own like that right about now. Eik got halfway through a breath of relief before the agony returned in full force. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Harry whispered with a smile, despite the dire situation. ¡°You should carry one of these around from now on. It¡¯s only forced onto your skin when you first awaken.¡± He dangled his own flat piece of wood in front of Eik, who was slumped against the wall, exhausted. [F-rank ¡ª III] ¡°Not too bad,¡± Harry mumbled. ¡°I started as a fourth stage, right on the cusp of E-rank, but you¡¯re a little stronger than you were before, at least.¡± Eik chuckled weakly. Again, the script vanished. And this time Eik knew what to expect. [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Resistance: Toxin] These three choices lingered, their red outlines glowing slightly in the murky storage room, urging him to hurry up. [Blades], [Concentration], and [Resistance: Toxin]. Two of those were obvious in their meaning. One, not so much. [Concentration]? What, would it make him think real good or something? [Blades] would be, well, a heightened proficiency with blades of various types, granted instantly into the Awakened¡¯s mind and body as if by magic. Seeing a weapon skill offered as one of the three first was apparently incredibly common and they were immensely popular both for that reason and for the simple fact that they fulfilled a coolness factor that many pursued. Even routine use of a knife would be enough to offer the [Blades] ability. Eik glanced down at his dull work knife. The Resistance series was pretty common as well, providing protection from all kinds of things. This one was obviously a result of his daily experiments with poison. ¡°Seems pretty obvious to me,¡± Harry commented quietly, having read along. Eik eyed the twin blades sheathed on the man¡¯s belt and rolled his eyes slightly. What a mystery. ¡°I think it¡¯s best to think a bit more about this before I make my choi¡ª¡± They slid. Or rather, half of the room they were in started sliding downward at an angle. The wall Eik was leaning against gave way and he tumbled backwards, everything behind him seeming to disappear downward, hauling him helplessly along. The bag with medicine rolled a couple of times before Eik managed to snatch it up and hold it tightly to his chest. Wherever this was leading, he¡¯d probably be grateful for the medicine. ¡°No, Eik!¡± Harry shouted. The man had gotten clear of the affected area by pure reflex, carrying Tracy under his arm. From the middle of the roiling rubble wave Eik had neither the line of sight nor the presence of mind to see the monster that had been thrown into the front room of his store, but the earsplitting screech responding to Harry¡¯s exclamation told him that the agile D-ranker would have no time to worry about him anymore. Even as he tried to use his new F-rank power to scale the sliding fragments of his floor and wall, the retreating Harry shot Eik a final look of genuine guilt before he disappeared from sight, leaving him to fall helplessly into the earth. Dark, damp soil splashed around Eik like an avalanche as he fell. Harry had done the right thing in fleeing with Tracy¡¯s unconscious body. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to save Eik, even if he didn¡¯t have a second person in his care as well. It would have been a sign of foolishness and overconfidence, frankly, if the D-ranker had jumped down after him. Still, he found himself chuckling morbidly at the thought of Olivia¡¯s reaction when she found out about it. In seconds, all light was swallowed, the furious, foreboding rumble of the earth announcing Eik¡¯s journey to the depths. Chapter 3: Choices How deep was this hole going to be? It felt like hours, although it couldn¡¯t have been more than seconds. The earth was crumbling slower than his own descent, providing a soft, albeit debris-filled cushion that carried him downwards without the risk of a fatal fall. Something was rapidly swallowing the material under him and the cause wasn¡¯t a mystery. This was a sinkhole opened by a fracture. The fractures always opened underground, much like what he was currently experiencing. Nine years ago, when they¡¯d first started to appear, mankind had been defenseless against the horrors pouring forth from those subterranean voids, but as if events were running on a schedule, people had simultaneously begun to experience changes in their bodies, impossible feats becoming matters of will and skill rather than imagination. And now, at the advent of what appeared to be the world¡¯s second collapse, Eik had awakened to his own abilities. Unfortunately, that confidence boost was soured considerably by the thought of being eaten down here. After what felt like another couple of hours, the roiling mass began to slow in its descend, the parts underneath coming to a rest. At once Eik¡¯s head was free of the cascade, but his legs and most of his torso remained buried. Blinking soil and sand out of his eyes, he tried to take stock of wherever this was. The blinding light was the first to become apparent. A bright, pulsating disk which Eik, during a moment of blissful hope, mistook for the sun. The fracture hung free in the air, swirling lazily like a glass of milk stirred with a spoon. An actual fracture. Fear driving him, Eik pushed through the debris and tried to get to his feet, but a blinding stab of pain sent him back down again. Examining his leg wound in the light of the fracture revealed a deep gash, and while the healing sphere seemed to have done some good, they were by no means a miracle substance. On his knees he dug around the pile of soil and sand, quickly uncovering the brown paper bag with medicine that had made the descent with him. He popped another sphere, and then another for good measure, the bitter tang of the mixture pulling his jaw muscles taut. With proper dosage and no fatal injuries, they could, rather than curing a wound to completion, provide some stability and improvement until proper treatment could be given. Eik sat, knees pulled to his chest, and waited. His body was aching all over and hope seemed a distant fantasy. Above, the world of the living was represented by a circle of sunlight so small that all it took to cover it was the palm of his hand. Down here, where death lurked, there was nothing to save him. The script on his forearm still glowed dimly, awaiting a decision. It seemed a cruel joke now. He¡¯d always tried to hide it, but bitterness over his lack of abilities had dwelled in the back of his mind ever since people had begun to awaken. Eik had tried to get the script to appear hundreds of times over the years to no avail, but now, as he sat there waiting for monsters to come out of a fracture and tear him to pieces, the damn letters wouldn¡¯t go away. He traced the neat writing, his finger drawing faint lines across the skin. When an awakened attempted to carve the patterns into a surface to reveal their personal information or interacted with the script, they could effortlessly do so, even with just a finger. A circle with a dot inside would reveal one¡¯s name, race, and a bizarre sequence of letters and numbers followed by the word ¡°NEW¡±. Two dots for the power rank, Eik¡¯s newly awakened strength being third stage F-rank. Especially concerning physical prowess and abilities, the stated ranks had proved to more or less reflect their potency accurately. A circle with three dots corresponded to an overview of personal abilities, such as the ones Eik was now being offered. [Blades] [Concentration] [Resistance: Toxin] [Blades] would do him no good. Not only was he a measly F-ranker, but the ¡°small blade¡± he had at his disposal was a work knife designed to make thin and precise cuts, not slice off a limb or open up a torso from shoulder to waist. [Concentration]¡­ What was that even? An unknown power couldn¡¯t be relied upon. And [Resistance: Toxin]. A defensive ability that could do a lot of good in the right situation, but not much good in actual combat without a proper way to fight back. There was no point in making a choice anyway. He¡¯d be dead as soon as the monsters arrived, with nowhere to run. It was common knowledge that fractures didn¡¯t allow for entry, only exit, so even if he¡¯d thought his chances better in whatever pit of misery the monsters originated from, he couldn¡¯t even attempt it. Non-biological matter went through no problem though. He could only wait, the low hum of the fracture inducing a strange sense of morbid tranquility¡ªA calm before the storm. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The time to wait was brief and sparks soon danced across the fluid-like surface of the fracture. It rippled and flowed, putting Eik¡¯s heart into overdrive. He felt dizzy and nauseated, his breakfast threatening to climb back up his esophagus. The ripples grew steadily more prominent, appearing to reach some sort of climax. Just when Eik thought the fracture might explode, a slender appendage hacked into the ground with a dull, reverberating thunk. A horrifying visage followed, revealing the first monster to be of the Xaraxis-series. Spiders. Or at least closer to spiders than anything else. Xaraxis-3 by the looks of it. Eik had handled many corpses in his work with antivenom¡ªand taken accidental doses a number of times as well, both from dead and living specimens, saved only by his own antiserum products. Unlike Earth spiders, they produced no webs and had slim, light abdomens, allowing for rapid directional shifts. Their venom, however, was frighteningly potent, able to leave a grown man dead in minutes. Even Awakened, though incomparably more resilient than regular people, would be hard-pressed to come out of a venomous encounter unscathed. Pressing his back hard into the crumbling soil, he hoped to disappear into a hole as the first monstrosity fully emerged from the fracture. Appearing slightly disoriented, the Xaraxis-3 seemed to gather itself and looked to the light above. It uttered a string of dissonant screeches, the sound grating on Eik¡¯s senses. With barely any hesitation, the beast approached the side of the hole and dug its thin limbs into the earth. At first, it climbed in a rather uncoordinated manner, but after only a few clumsy maneuvers, it began to pick up speed. As the horror ascended the hole in short, rapid leaps, Eik almost couldn¡¯t believe it. Had he just been ignored by the big, scary monster? Did it fail to notice him in its eagerness to join the fight above? For one wonderful moment, Eik was struck by an unexpected sense of optimism, but when the second one arrived, another damned Xaraxis-3, that hope was dashed. This one, too, took a second to situate itself in the world, and then followed its sibling, leaving Eik to stare dumbfounded in its wake. What the hell? If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was still alive, he would almost have felt insulted. He was breathing a tentative sigh of relief when the third Xaraxis-3 stumbled out of the fracture, visibly more disoriented than the first two. A rumble emerged from its throat as it rocked back and forth on spindly legs. At once, it skittered forth towards the side. Eik¡¯s side. A few paces before it would have stepped on his stomach, it froze into stillness. Two yellow, beady eyes bore into him as he lay defenseless. Without hesitation, it launched itself straight at him with a guttural hiss. With his good leg he leapt to the side as best as he could, his new strength surprising him by actually allowing him to leave the ground, but the arachnid instantly adjusted its own course. The dog-sized Xaraxis-3 barreled into his chest, the unnatural momentum of an awakened monster carrying him bodily to the ground. Pinned, Eik could do little more than put an arm out between himself and the insane murder spider. The wicked, needle-like fangs of the Xaraxis-series were specialized for venom injection, not for ripping and tearing. Unfortunately, that fact did little to alleviate the flood of agony that assaulted Eik as the biological syringe was buried in his bicep. He felt the venom enter, the increased internal pressure at the injection site building like a bubble. He screamed shrilly, a mix of fear and despair. In his mind¡¯s eye he saw Tracy¡¯s unconscious form again, rendered essentially dead without help. Help that he had provided for her. Nobody was here now to provide that for him. He was alone. He was dying. And he was screwed. It only took a few instants of hectic wrestling before he began to feel his limbs tighten and heat up. Fear diluted in panic, he headbutted the bastard and kicked it off. Even with strength belying its size, it didn¡¯t weigh much, and despite his injuries he was stronger than he had ever been. The paper bag of medicine wasn¡¯t far away¡ªsix hand spans, at most, but it felt like a marathon on all fours as the venom slowly but surely continued to do its work to weaken him. When he finally grasped the rim of the grimy bag, a new point of suffering descended like a bolt of lightning. Even as he fumbled to uncover the healing spheres from his own annoyingly secure packaging, he spared a glance back to see the damned spider, its fangs sunk into his calf. ¡°No, no, no,¡± he chanted through tears and a mouthful of four more bitter healing pills, heedless of the dirt and blood that now stained them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to¡­ Olivia, save me¡­¡± As sickly heat spread through his leg, he saw memories of his brother as vividly as if he¡¯d been watching a movie. Torbj?rn and Olivia had been perfect for each other, always holding hands and giving each other pecks of the cheek¡ªto the point where Eik had gagged at the sight. In truth, he hadn¡¯t been disgusted by it, but younger brothers had to act out a bit, didn¡¯t they? It was part of the contract, one could say. After Torbj?rn died, all Eik had been able to think about was how much he wanted to see the two of them lovingly weave their fingers together again. Another stab of pain in his leg pulled him out of the dream with an exhausted gasp. The healing spheres were doing something, but not faster than the venom was incapacitating him. He tried to kick the Xaraxis-3 in the face, but his leg barely obeyed him anymore, the power he could employ hardly rattling its head. It just wouldn¡¯t let go. As Eik fished for more healing spheres in the brown bag, hoping to find some antiserum as well, he noticed once more the glow along his forearm. The three choices. [Blades] [Concentration] [Resistance: Toxin] Without further consideration, he traced a line through [Blades] and [Concentration], leaving only [Resistance: Toxin] intact. The script faded unhurriedly, replaced by new text. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 1] [Inherent proficiency considered¡ªAcquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 14] Chapter 4: Unique Conditions Met [Inherent proficiency considered¡ªAcquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 14] Relief was immediate, the skill kicking in as soon as the letters appeared on his arm. The sting as they etched themselves into his skin was minor, relative to everything else. The feeling of resisting the toxic substance coursing through him was something else. It felt like magic. It was magic, through and through. It felt amazing. Addicting even. His body¡¯s sudden dominance over the foreign assault was euphoric. Not that he wished for another dose, but still, the newfound sense of control was incredible. The effects of the venom didn¡¯t seem to be nullified, just magnitudes milder. He could move again, think again, and most importantly, now that the compounded effects of the healing spheres worked to his benefit, he could begin to consider fighting back. In the realm of monsters, the Xaraxis were basically as physically weak as they came. Without their signature venom, they were the best opponents Eik could have hoped for, The work knife slid free of its sheath with the dull swish of metal on leather. He¡¯d worked with enough corpses to know that their joints lacked the thick carapace that otherwise served to protect the Xaraxis-series. True enough, when his knife struck just below its skull, foul, green ichor streamed out of the monster¡¯s neck like a leak in a garden hose. In seconds, Eik was covered up to his wrists in the sticky stuff. The Xaraxis-3 convulsed and expired, dying with its fangs still buried in his leg. Grasping the edge of the chitinous plate covering its head, Eik pulled it free of his calf, venom and green blood mixing in his wound. Hopefully there¡¯d be a healer to help him if he ever got out of this hole alive. He got a good ten seconds to rest before another two, a Xaraxis-3 and a Xaraxis-5, this variant slightly bulkier than its counterpart, came out of the fracture side by side, clicking and hissing at each other. The moment they fully emerged, they halted and scanned the hole, eyes quickly finding Eik and the corpse of their sibling. Almost simultaneously they advanced, high-pitched screeches cutting painfully into Eik¡¯s ears. It was by a hair¡¯s breadth that Eik managed to pull the body of the dead Xaraxis-3 up in front of himself protectively, the impact of the newly arrived Xaraxis-3 driving the corpse forcefully into his face, the hard, rough carapace drawing numerous lines of blood across his skin. The Xaraxis-5, on the other hand, refused to be baited so easily, and readjusted to come at him at an angle. He kicked it once, but it recovered instantly, its slightly heavier build providing it with strength and poise that the Xaraxis-3 usually didn¡¯t have. That made it slower as well, but not enough for it to matter in Eik¡¯s current predicament. It got his foot, injecting venom, followed closely by the Xaraxis-3 as it dove for him, impaling itself through the jaw on the knife he had ready to meet it. His intention had been to stab it when it bit him, doubtful of his own ability to fend it off without relying on the lull in its movements during envenomation. That it had let its guard down in its frenzy and killed itself was more than he had hoped for. The Xaraxis were sometimes referred to as ¡°suicide killers¡±, their tendency to get pummeled into a bloody mess by any Awakened they latched onto while pumping in their toxins earning them that charming nickname. The fact that such an encounter rarely ended well for the Awakened either made the Xaraxis feared opponents. Just a moment of negligence could spell doom for even strong Awakened. He tried to pull the knife back out but it seemed to be stuck on something inside the monster¡¯s head and no matter how he pulled, wiggled, and twisted the blade, he couldn¡¯t get it to release. Meanwhile, the Xaraxis-5 dug into his hip, a fresh dose of venom searing Eik¡¯s insides. The moment of injection still hurt a lot, eliciting a frantic hiss from Eik as he made the decision to ignore the Xaraxis-5 for the moment while he turned and planted a foot under the head of his latest kill to provide some leverage. Without that knife, he truly was defenseless. It took several desperate seconds, but the blade eventually came free, a crunch of bone hinting at what had kept it stuck in there so tightly. Immediately, he went for the monster¡¯s neck, hoping to repeat his success, but the bastard deflected his blow by leaning back its head, protecting the exposed neck with the hard carapace on its skull. The knife was almost knocked from his hand at the unexpected impact. The Xaraxis-5 managed another bite, seizing the opportunity created by Eik¡¯s bungled attack, this time getting him shallowly between the ribs. The venom burned more viciously this time, and he felt his [Resistance: Toxin] skill fail to react as efficiently as it previously had. Was the venom too strong after all? Was the saturation of toxins in his body growing beyond what the skill could handle? A now familiar sting jolted through his forearm. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 15] It helped, somewhat, but the venom still stung. But with the beast hanging on to his torso, he was able to force the carapace up and away from its neck to plunge the knife in deeply. Its jaw eased and it fell off him like a leech drenched in salt. Eik reached for the bag of healing spheres, pushing the corpse off, just in time to see another Xaraxis-3 charging him with a ferocious, throaty howl that rang up through the hole and sent shivers down his spine. Again, he pulled a Xaraxis corpse up to act as a shield. With the corpse in hand, he dove towards the paper bag and managed to keep the new monster at bay while he stuffed another three spheres into his mouth. The puncture wounds were beginning to take their toll on his body and he felt faint whenever he exerted himself, but without the effects of the healing spheres he doubted he would have made it as far as he had. Behind the attacking Xaraxis-3 he saw two more emerge from the fracture, ripples dancing across the surface from the disturbance. Cursing under his breath, he pulled the dead Xaraxis-5 on top of himself to protect his vitals and prepared to be overwhelmed. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 16] [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 17] He was envenomated repeatedly, his F-rank strength nowhere near enough to fight off that many monsters, even if they were frail compared to most other monsters. Shivers and nausea struck almost simultaneously, sending him into a shaking fit. Another bite on the leg, and then one on the arm. They kept injecting more venom, to the point where Eik, in humorous delirium, wondered if he had crossed the point of being made up of more than fifty percent Xaraxis toxin. If only those damned bastards would finish the job already. Everything hurt. His chest hurt. His back hurt. His head hurt. His legs hurt. And to top it all off, that cursed glowing script kept etching itself into his arm over and over and over and over again. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 1¡­] *** Someone was shining a flashlight in Eik¡¯s eyes like a total douchebag. Barely able to lift his arm, he attempted to bat away whoever was bothering him so. ¡°Give it a freakin¡¯ rest, would ya? I¡¯m trying to sleep here,¡± he complained, throat dry as a desert. ¡°And get me a glass of water while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°Eik! Eik!¡± The voice was accompanied by hands shaking him roughly by the shoulders. He groaned. ¡°Just let me sleep a bit. It¡¯s not even that early!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been completely out of commission for two days already, Eik. It¡¯s astounding that you¡¯re even alive, considering how you¡¯d decided to cosplay as a pincushion at the bottom of a fracture hole. ¡°Two days?¡± he gasped, jerking up, only to fall back down when his muscles failed. Crusty eyes refused to open more than a few millimeters, but he recognized Harry¡¯s voice now that he was conscious. ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep for two days?¡± ¡°More like comatose, mate. Definitely thought you were dead. I was already surprised to feel a pulse when we pulled you out of that hole, but I only began to believe that you might actually survive when you simply¡­ didn¡¯t die. Amber, the healer, already did her thing on you, but you still didn¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°What was¡ª¡± A coughing fit interrupted him and Harry let him drink his fill off cool, refreshing water. It was the best thing he had ever tasted. ¡°What was wrong with me?¡± he finished. ¡°I mean, it would be better to ask what wasn¡¯t wrong with you. Being too energetic was the only thing I couldn¡¯t accuse you of, I think. You had Xaraxis bite wounds, well, everywhere. Your veins were purple with toxicity and you looked like an extra on The Walking Dead.¡± ¡°I hate that show,¡± Eik mumbled, letting his hand flop over his eyes to block what he had now realized was the sun in the sky, not a flashlight. ¡°By the way,¡± Harry began, his tone impressed. ¡°did you kill a couple of Xaraxis down there before we showed up?¡± ¡°For the record, I¡¯m pretty sure I killed three. Two 3¡¯s and a 5, although there was nothing cool about it.¡± ¡°There rarely is. But in any case, well done. Welcome to the ranks of the Awakened. What did you pick as your first skill?¡± Eik glanced down at his addled body. ¡°Resistance to toxins. It probably saved my life.¡± ¡°Huh. Yeah, that it most definitely did. Although I¡¯m still surprised it could save you from the state we found you in.¡± He scratched his arm. ¡°It said something about taking my proficiency into consideration before giving me a higher level version,¡± Eik clarified. ¡°Ah, it does that sometimes if it thinks your past experiences should earn you more than a level 1 skill.¡± ¡°It?¡± Eik asked and took another swig of water. ¡°You know, whatever is responsible for this game-like stuff. People often get higher levels right off the bat if it matches something they were already good at before awakening. Like an award-winning archer starting off with a leveled archery skill when they awaken.¡± Eik grumbled discontentedly. ¡°So it thinks I¡¯m good at getting pumped full of venom?¡± Harry could only laugh. ¡°Probably. By the way, my grandma got the Steady Hands skill at level 21 the moment she awoke. She was a tailor for like fifty years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy. When did she awaken?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Same time as you. But I don¡¯t think it allows for a skill boost like that except for your first skill.¡± ¡°And I wasted mine on Resistance: Toxin¡­¡± ¡°Sounds like it saved you, and it¡¯s a difficult skill to level. Doesn¡¯t sound too bad to me.¡± Eik sat up, assisted by Harry. They were inside a tepee with an open top, boxes and tightly wrapped packages stacked up along the edges. It was relatively quiet outside. The tent was hot, his back drenched in sweat. Eik took off the longsleeved shirt that somebody had dressed him in. Glowing script ran down his forearm. [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Unique condition met¡ªoffering Profound Toxin] Unique condition? What condition? What had happened while he was unconscious? Despite the heat, he hurried to put the shirt back on before Harry noticed his arm. He didn¡¯t know the man well enough to confide in him like that. He¡¯d look at the choices again when he got home. ¡°Is this a storage tent?¡± Eik asked, looking around nonchalantly. The D-ranker nodded. ¡°You were as stable as you were going to get, so I moved you out of the infirmary,¡± Harry answered, eyeing Eik¡¯s shirt with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. ¡°And the monsters?¡± ¡°Dead, for the most part, although I¡¯m sure we haven¡¯t seen the end of them. We really only fought the ones that came to the settlement. The fractures must have opened all over the world, not only near people. We¡¯ll probably be encountering the remnants of this wave for months to come. Maybe years.¡± Eik swallowed. Fighting the Xaraxis had been terrifying. He¡¯d appreciate at least a short break before having to do that again. ¡°Were the other monster stronger than the ones I fought?¡± Harry pursed his lips as he considered the question. ¡°Honestly, you were pretty damn lucky to get caught up in a congeneric gate with nothing but Xaraxis. Most of the stuff we fought on the surface was worse than them. The monsters have gotten stronger for sure.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve gotten stronger?¡± Eik felt a slight tremble run through his body at that. ¡°All the Awakened got the same message at the same time, around the time the wave started,¡± Harry said and fished around his pockets to pull out a folded piece of paper with some scribbles. He began to read aloud. ¡°TX497¡ª81414: Dimensional matter threshold reached. Expansion commenced. TX497¡ª81414 entering phase 2 of induction into Unified Mass.¡± Chapter 5: Frustration Eik stared down at the sheet of paper in Harry¡¯s hand, brow furrowed, rereading the scribbles over and over. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not really sure what it means.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®Unified Mass¡¯, then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know that either,¡± Harry sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°The expansion mentioned? ¡®Phase 2¡¯?¡±¡ªThe expression on Harry¡¯s face was answer enough¡ª¡°So that¡¯s all we get?¡± ¡°It seems so, yeah¡­¡± Harry seemed like a pretty nonchalant kind of guy to Eik. Eik got to his feet, groaning like an old man as every stiff joint in his body popped simultaneously. He scanned the small tent. ¡°Got anything to eat?¡± As if he had been expecting it, Harry pulled out a footlong sub. It was wrapped tightly in paper, but the front was folded down, revealing halved meatballs, lettuce, tomatoes, and what looked to be a cream cheese-based sauce. Eik¡¯s stomach growled, and he could have sworn he was pulled towards the sandwich by an invisible force. While he ate, Harry spoke about the event of the past two days. Much of the settlement had been laid in ruins by fierce battles raging throughout most of their territory. Rebuilding would take time, but they¡¯d get there. Worse were their human losses. Everybody had been forced into the fray, regardless of their ability to defend themselves, and it had taken a toll. Tracy, to Eik¡¯s relief, had survived, but many others hadn¡¯t. Many high-ranked Awakened had been killed, either overwhelmed by numbers or felled by monsters whose strength far surpassed anything they¡¯d encountered thus far. As he recounted one of the worst tragedies since the collapse nine years ago, Harry grew gradually more somber, seeming to approach a subject he¡¯d prefer to avoid. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk,¡± he said, leading the way through the flap in the tent. The outside was milling with activity. This makeshift camp area had been established on the outer perimeter of their main settlement, Forest. When the monsters had first appeared all those years ago, governments and militaries all around the world had assured their citizens that this strange, new threat, while dire, would be handled. That had turned out to be a lofty promise. When electrical devices had begun to fail around the three-month mark, things took a turn for the worse. At that point, a few people had started to show signs of awakening, with the number of ability users growing by the day. Rallying around the most powerful awakened, humanity had struggled to survive in a world that had become unlike their own. They sought together in numbers to survive, building places where they could live and someday, with some luck and some hope, thrive. Their settlement, Forest, spanned a portion of the plains of Yellowstone National Park, surrounded by nature. All things considered, it wasn¡¯t a bad place to live. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Eik asked as they made their way through camp, weaving between tents, tables, and campfires. ¡°I have something to show you.¡± They didn¡¯t have to walk far before Eik began to hear pained moans and exhausted rasping coming from a gathering of larger tents. ¡°Hospital,¡± Harry clarified as they approached. ¡°I¡¯m guessing we have many wounded?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± ¡°Can I help?¡± Eik asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually why I brought you here.¡± Harry said sheepishly. Inside, the smell was not for anybody with a weak stomach. It was a stench of illness, rot, and death. All beds were occupied, leading Eik to assume that the other hospital tents were similarly filled. The tent was segmented into areas separated by flaps, and the section in the bottom was their destination. The first thing Eik noticed when he ducked inside was the silence. Nobody was gasping in pain or crying in their sleep. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Eik asked. ¡°We¡¯re not sure. It was a type of monster we¡¯ve never seen before. Not only was it extremely fast and powerful, but it had a tail spike that must have carried some kind of toxin. That¡¯s hopefully where you come in. We¡¯ve got seven people in comas and they¡¯re showing no signs of waking up.¡± ¡°Do you have any corpses of that species?¡± Harry sighed. ¡°No, the two that appeared managed to get away before we could bring them down with numbers. But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they returned after licking their wounds.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not good,¡± Eik mused studying the first patient. ¡°They seem healthy enough. Like they¡¯re just sleeping.¡± He continued on to the next, a woman in her thirties. ¡°We actually started out with nine patients¡­¡± Harry admitted, Eik raising a brow at him. He went to the third patient, Harry coming to put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Listen, Eik. One of the patients here is going to be difficult for you to see.¡± Eik froze, eyes wide as he slowly turned to Harry. His stomach tied a knot on itself. ¡°Who¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Olivia. She engaged the monster alone first. We didn¡¯t know what it could do. She managed to hurt it, but by the time we got there, she was already beginning to succumb to the effects of its venom.¡± Harry¡¯s voice was remorseful. ¡°O-Olivia? But she¡¯s strong.¡± He went to the last bed and couldn¡¯t believe that it was really her lying there. It certainly looked like her, but it couldn¡¯t be. She was among the few strongest Awakened in Forest. She was pale. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Is there nothing you can do, Eik? The skills of the healers don¡¯t work, and the other apothecaries can¡¯t help either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an F-rank. I awoke like two hours ago in conscious time. You should have saved her.¡± he rumbled, never letting his eyes leave Olivia¡¯s sleeping face. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Harry said. ¡°I¡¯ll let you be for a little bit. I¡¯ll be right outside if you need me. I really hope you can do something.¡± Harry turned to leave but stopped to reach into his coat. ¡°Almost forgot this. Use this from now on.¡± He placed a flat, blank plaque of wood in Eik¡¯s hand, offering a weak smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± Eik said to Harry¡¯s back. Only when the tent flap snapped as the man left did Eik fall to his knees at Olivia¡¯s bedside, tears threatening to push through. ¡°Fuck!¡± he hissed. His brother had died from poison, with Eik unable to do a thing about it at the time, and now she was going to be next? That could not happen! He wouldn¡¯t let it. But to have any chance of creating a reversal agent, he¡¯d have to get his hands on one of the damned monsters that did this to her, dead or alive. *** He visited Olivia¡¯s mother, Sarah, on the way home. She and Olivia were the closest thing Eik had to a family here in Forest. He¡¯d been in the US on an extended vacation to visit his brother studying abroad when the world changed. They hadn¡¯t been able to make it back to Copenhagen, and he had no clue if everyone he knew back home was still alive. Some of them would be, right? Statistically speaking. He preferred not to think about it. Olivia¡¯s mother cried. A lot. Eik wasn¡¯t very good at dealing with that, but he did his best for her. He stroked her back, held her hand, and told her that he would do everything he could to help. And he meant that sincerely. The residential area had suffered a good bit of damage as well, although not nearly as much as the outer perimeter of the settlement, where most of the fighting had taken place. When Eik made it to his own house, a sizable chunk of the corner of the building was missing. It was just gone, bits and pieces of the wooden wall scattered around the tiny little garden-like area he had. A long, broken fragment of a wooden plank was stuck deep into his herb garden. He sighed. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. If he didn¡¯t have bigger problems, it would probably have weighed heavier on his mind. Except for the giant hole in his wall, the inside looked as it always did. Messy. Not too messy, mind you, but if his mom had seen it, she would have told him to get a grip. ¡°Mis?¡± he called, getting a bowl from the cupboard. ¡°Mis?¡± Usually the sound of food would have her sprinting for the kitchen, but she wasn¡¯t showing up now. Worry began to bubble in Eik¡¯s stomach. ¡°Mis!¡± he shouted, franticness taking hold of his voice. A faint meow echoed in from outside. Hopeful, Eik jumped through the hole in the wall, head on a swivel as he searched for Mis. Another meow. Above? A tiny head was peeking out from the top of his roof, the streak of brown fur running from her nose and up the center of her black face making her easily recognizable¡ªnot that there were many cats in Forest. ¡°How the hell did you manage to get up there?¡± Eik asked her in disbelief. Another meow was all the response he was going to get. ¡°Can¡¯t get down again, girl? You know what they say about places you can¡¯t get yourself down from¡­ Shouldn¡¯t climb up there in the first place,¡± he finished for her, hands on his hips. ¡°I guess I might as well test out what an F-rank can do.¡± He tried to judge the height he¡¯d need to jump to reach the rim of the roof. Bending his knees, he exploded upwards with all the strength he could muster. The roof of his single story house wasn¡¯t really that high above the ground, but that he was able to grab the roof in a single leap without issue filled him with something akin to pride. He really had become an Awakened. An Awakened with super powers! Effortlessly, he pulled himself onto the roof proper. The cat he was always feeding, Mis, just sat there staring. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve come to save you, so how about you give me a more appreciative look than that?¡± He picked her up and held her against his chest so she could look up at him, like he always did. With newfound confidence in his physical prowess, he leapt from the roof to the grass below, all cool-like. As Mis ate her lunch greedily, he took off the shirt again and stepped out of his pants. The script remained. [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Unique condition met¡ªoffering Profound Toxin] Two of the choices were the same as last time, but [Resistance: Toxin] had now been replaced by this [Profound Toxin]. Guessing by the name, [Profound Toxin] was an ability that would allow him to create poison. Was it granting him the opportunity to build further on a poison-related path because he had fulfilled some kind of hidden requirement, or did it simply acknowledge his personal and professional history with toxins and antitoxins? What type of poison would [Profound Toxin] produce? Hemotoxin? Neurotoxin? Chemical? Something¡­ magical? Although it seemed an obvious choice, it would be prudent to know what he was working with before finalizing something that could not be undone. The library had a collection of journals with descriptions of skills written by people who had chosen them. [Concentration] was sure to be mentioned there. Given the description, it was doubtful that [Profound Toxin] would be there as well, but one could always hope. He threw his clothes back on and headed for the library, leaving Mis to eat in peace. The library¡ªone of the biggest buildings in Forest¡ªappeared to have been spared the destruction. A corner of one of the stairway¡¯s stone steps had been cracked by something, but otherwise Eik saw no damage as he went inside. When he asked the caretaker to find the journals for him, she pulled it up from a shelf built into the inside of the front desk. Apparently, it was a popular objective of visitors of the library. Eik took a seat at one of the reading desks near a window, the afternoon sun providing ample light. With the journals ordered alphabetically, it was easy to find what one was looking for. The handwriting also appeared identical throughout, so someone must have made duplicates. ¡°Ha!¡± he exclaimed as he located the entry for [Concentration], drawing disapproving eyes from the caretaker. He tried to look apologetic, but there wasn¡¯t even anybody else here right now. He read. When I chose [Concentration], it immediately became a bit easier to focus my mind on my sword training. Although it wasn¡¯t a huge difference, I was also able to keep going for longer without feeling distracted. I¡¯m not completely certain, but I think it¡¯s become slightly easier to keep focus when doing tasks such as reading or cooking. It¡¯s difficult to level up, and I¡¯m not sure how to progress it. Feels too general and I¡¯m not sure I would have picked it if I could go back¡­ Well, that didn¡¯t give Eik a lot of faith in the skill. He couldn¡¯t afford to take a chance when he only had one other skill and nothing offensive. He¡¯d need to find the monster that had put Olivia in a coma, and to find it he¡¯d need to fight. No way around that. And he¡¯d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t interested in exploring his new super powers further. As expected, [Profound Toxin] was nowhere to be found in the records. There was another skill that appeared almost identical. The entry for [Toxic], a different and seemingly more common ability, was clear in its explanation compared to [Concentration]. The ability would allow his body to produce and release a toxic substance. Surely [Profound Toxin] would do something similar. He put the journal down and looked at his arm. [Concentration] was out of the question. That left [Blades] and [Profound Toxin]. Every new Awakened with a hero fantasy would be going for weapon-related skills. If he wanted something to stand out, he¡¯d need something less common. And [Profound Toxin] was obviously special in some way, and might even also be useful in his work with antitoxins. Keeping the wooden plaque pressed against his forearm, Eik drew lines through [Blades] and [Concentration]. As he had hoped, this time the text faded and reappeared on the plaque, painlessly. [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 1] Now he just had to grow stronger. Chapter 6: Here We Go Again Eik left the library feeling hopeful. After finalizing his choice of [Profound Toxin], a seemingly unique ability, the script had faded and displayed a new message. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin lv. 24] Against any of the toxic monsters that had appeared in the past nine years, at least around Forest, a [Resistance: Toxin] skill of level 24 would neutralize the venom to the point where it would do no more than sting. In the sinkhole, he had been lucky to face a variety of monsters whose main threat was directly countered by his only skill at the time. The physical strength of the Xaraxis-series was laughable compared to some of the other monsters ranking around F-rank. And their tendency to latch on and stay latched on made them easy to hit. With a resistance to their only real weapon, venom, Eik had been in the best possible down there. That likely wasn¡¯t going to be the case again. Most of the monsters the citizens of Forest had encountered in the past nine years did not utilize toxins. His resistance ability could definitely save him in certain situations, but he¡¯d need proper offensive and defensive abilities for the dangers to come. If he wanted to be able to subjugate the monster that put Olivia in a coma, he¡¯d need combat capabilities, and if he wanted to develop the skills for that, he¡¯d need to fight. *** By the time he made it to Mission Central, the sun was starting to set, yet the place was crawling with more people than he had ever seen there. Mission Central was called so because it was first established as the point of contact for any monster hunts and forages into the wilderness when they had first settled here. Even now, it still served that purpose, but was thought more of as a hub for Awakened to exchange information, form hunting parties, and sell some of the monster parts they came back with. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Eik asked a passerby as he approached, people literally spilling onto the street. ¡°What?¡± the guy asked back. He gestured around at the throng. ¡°What¡¯s with all the people?¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for hunting groups. I just awakened,¡± he said proudly, pulling out a wooden plate and showing off his skill. ¡°I picked swordsmanship.¡± Eik looked around in disbelief. ¡°Everybody here is Awakened? There are hundreds!¡± The man gave him a look, following Eik¡¯s eyes as if that would reveal something about his confusion. ¡°Not just here. Everybody in Forest at large has become Awakened now. Have you been sleeping somewhere?¡± ¡°You could say that¡­¡± Eik said and continued towards the large wooden building, leaving the man to stare. He massaged the bridge of his nose with a sigh. He weaved his way between people shouting out recruitment offers or hopeful individuals looking to join up with a group. If the entirety of Forest¡¯s population was now Awakened, then the few hundred people here now were an extreme minority. It had been like that ever since Awakened had first begun to appear. Most people weren¡¯t cut out for combat, had no wish for it, and would rather live a peaceful life to whatever degree they were able. Even most of the newly Awakened here at Mission Central would probably be back to their old jobs within the week. Some might go as far as a month before they decided to give up. Only a few would actually end up sticking with the hunting life. It was undeniably a necessary profession in today¡¯s world. Eik, on the other hand, would never give up. He couldn¡¯t give up. He needed to be stronger to be able to help Olivia and the other victims. And while he wouldn¡¯t admit it out loud, he was excited at the thought of fighting monsters. He¡¯d been envious of the Awakened for years, and now he had awakened as well. Ignoring the complaints of the other newcomers, Eik began to push his way in through the crowd, shoving people gently aside. His F-rank strength was likely lower than a good chunk of the Awakened here, but people could usually still be moved if they weren¡¯t prepared for it. The interior of the Mission Central building was well lit and spacious. The ceiling was crossed by thick, wooden beams, wide catwalks running along the outer wall with tables and chairs for people to enjoy snacks and beverages. The crushing number of people aside, it really looked more like some kind of medieval tavern than anything else. As he approached the front counter, the mayhem only intensified. Even outside, people had been speaking over each other, but in here, in the closed space of a roofed building, the noise was deafening. Eik considered just going home right then and there and trying his luck again tomorrow. Unfortunately, if everyone had truly awakened two days ago, he had probably already missed the best chances while unconscious, so he couldn¡¯t really afford to waste any more time by going home just because it was a little inconvenient and spine-shiveringly uncomfortable to be here. Huffing with determination, he pushed through the last couple of layers of people and popped out at the front like a fawn finding itself suddenly on a trafficked forest road. There were about ten clerks running to and fro, looking the most stressed they had ever been. People were shouting demands to the employees of Mission Central from all the way out on the street. These poor sods wouldn¡¯t be sleeping tonight. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Excuse m¡ª¡± A hip caught him right in the thigh and practically sent him to his knees. ¡°Sorry,¡± a short woman said hurriedly as she pushed her way to the front exactly as he had done. Somehow, he still managed to feel slighted. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± he lied with a smile, and turned back the counter. ¡°Excuse m¡ª¡± ¡°I want to register a hunting party.¡± the woman shouted, drowning out Eik¡¯s words and deafening one of his ears in one fell swoop. ¡°Two people. Front liner with a shield and an archer. Both F-rankers.¡± Eik scowled and elbowed past her. ¡°I¡¯d like to register for recruitment.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not accepting anymore today,¡± a clerk said as she passed by the two of them, carrying a fat stack of documents that she almost dropped to the floor when another clerk bumped into her in the rush. When she came by again ten seconds later, she finished. ¡°Give it a couple of weeks and come back. We¡¯re way over capacity as it is. We¡¯re not even close to properly equipped to handle this massive increase in the number of Awakened.¡±¡ªShe pulled her own wooden plaque out from her shirt to underline her words¡ª¡°We could realistically handle maybe a fifth of what¡¯s going on here right now, and many Awakened already gave up and went home, for now.¡± ¡°B-But, we just¡ª¡° The clerk held up a hand to stop the woman who¡¯d bumped into Eik and skipped him in line. ¡°I apologize, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°What about all the others here?¡± Eik asked. ¡°They¡¯re already registered, and if not, then we¡¯re going to tell them the same thing I just told you.¡± A few hopefuls waiting by the wide counter sighed and began to work their way back towards the exit, Eik following their example and pushed his way back through the crowd. When he emerged from the throng, he had to stop and gather his thoughts. B and C-rankers could venture out on their own and be more or less safe. Even a D-ranker could probably get away with it if they were careful enough, but a newly awakened F-rank like him would have to be absolutely brainless to attempt something like that. And the message to the Awakened that spoke about a new phase Earth was entering didn¡¯t bode well for his chances alone either. That meant that there was no choice but to wait and try another day. Eik turned to leave. ¡°¡ªand that we had to wait weeks, possibly months.¡± a familiar voice complained. It was the same woman who had just pushed past him inside Mission Central. ¡°What? But we¡¯ll fall behind completely!¡± a man said. ¡°That¡¯s why we start now and register later.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± She gave him a look. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby, Heathy. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s illegal.¡± ¡°I know, but¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, but are you goi¡ª¡± Eik said, approaching hurriedly. An earsplitting howl tore through the crisp evening air, followed a second later by a titanic silhouette swooping down from the sky and snatching up a woman from the middle of the crowd. Her scream faded into nothingness within moments as everybody watched her disappear at unimaginable speed. ¡°M-Monster!¡± someone screamed, the reaction acting as a trigger that threw the entire mass of Awakened into a headless panic. Eik was knocked to the ground from behind by some inconsiderate bastard too preoccupied with their own safety to care about who they might hurt in their escape. Before he could get up, someone right next to him was taken, the gust of descending air pushing him back into the ground. This time the scream of fear was cut into silence by a wet, fleshy crunch. Eik rolled over at looked up, catching a glimpse of the monster as it stole away yet another person. The orange light of the evening sun penetrated the membranes of its massive wings, of which it had a large main pair in place of forelimbs, as well as a smaller pair around a third of the size further down along its waist. It had two legs and a tail of freakish length, each of the legs at least twice the length of its body, yet spindly like sick, bony twigs. When the beast dove, the legs would lay flat against the tail, reminding Eik of a gigantic dragonfly. As it claimed another victim, a warm, wet substance splashed onto Eik¡¯s hair, body, and face. He was surrounded by a pool of red, the torn off lower half of a jaw falling into the grass mere centimeters from his hand. He leapt backwards in shock, bumping into somebody as he forgot his own awakened strength. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, his words drowned in the din of constant screams. He turned just in time to see the person collapse on the ground. Leaping to help, he turned them over, glassy, lifeless eyes staring up at him. A deep, messy gash had been ripped across the man¡¯s torso, spanning from shoulder to waist. Eik left him there and ran. It was chaos all around. This wasn¡¯t just a few flying monsters. This was a second wave. Eik had neither ranged capabilities nor freedom of movement sufficient to tackle anything in the air, so all he could do was retreat for now. Mission Central was not located on the outer perimeter of Forest, but it was close enough to almost be a matter of opinion. Eik headed out, hoping to help out around the hospital area where he himself had woken up just hours earlier. He darted into a narrow alleyway, knife at the ready, hoping to avoid running into anything dangerous until he reached the hospital tents. He turned the corner, only to immediately come face to face with a dog-sized, many-legged monstrosity. He had caught the horror chewing through the bicep of an older man. With at least a dozen glowing, yellow eyes, the thing locked its eyes on him as it dropped the arm, letting the injured man crawl slowly away, sobbing. Its skin was dark and roiling with agitated muscle. ¡°Ah, crap,¡± he muttered, looking from the thing to his knife, and then back to the thing. He hadn¡¯t even had time to buy a proper damned weapon yet. Eik put up his hands to try for appeasement, but the monster simply charged, its speed putting it within range in an instant. It was all he could do to get his knife in front of the monster, which, up close, didn¡¯t much resemble any Earth animal at all. It¡¯s snapping jaw was not bisected in an upper and lower part, but rather four equal quarters that came together in a point, similar to the beak of a bird. Was its strength somewhere around early E-rank? With razor-sharp claws, the monster raked Eik across the arm and then pushed through his defense with brute force, sending him stumbling backwards helplessly. Meanwhile, he activated his new [Profound Toxin], a luminescent, blue substance eagerly bubbling up through the skin of his fingers. By whipping his arm forcefully, he scattered pellet-like droplets of the glowing fluid through the air, and while the velocity of it wasn¡¯t great, the monster¡¯s own advance carried it headfirst into the barrage, splattering the toxin across its skin. Right away there appeared to be no reaction, Eik seeing no choice but to flee. He ran at full throttle but it was quickly catching up. He let out more poison, throwing it over his shoulder as if he was tossing salt to ward off bad luck. Unfortunately, this particular instance of bad luck was about to bite right through his ass cheeks. As they approached a small house, the beast was finally beginning to show some signs of discomfort if nothing else, and although it continued to pursue him, it was awkwardly trying to scratch at its eyes and skin as well. At level 1, even a unique skill like [Profound Toxin] apparently wasn¡¯t nearly enough at these volumes in the hands of an F-rank. He needed to get more of the toxin into the monster to take it down. Eik planted a foot on the wall of the house and jumped up to grab the rim of the roof before pulling himself up. As he stood, he turned just in time to see the horror flying through the air, coming right for his head with an unearthly wail. Chapter 7: First Triumph The soaring monster clipped his shoulder painfully as he ducked and dove, rolling and falling, the ground coming up to meet him with a meaty thud. Despite having the air forced from his lungs, Eik got to his feet and ran. If the dumb bastard had leapt for him at full power, it might well have cleared the roof entirely, allowing him a window of time, albeit short, to put some distance between them before it made it back to him. This time he went for one of the watchtowers within the territory of Forest, usually manned and equipped with a bell to alert the population of impending attacks. Eik couldn¡¯t recall hearing the bells tonight, but the whole thing might have been too sudden if the flyers launched the assault. Rushing up the ladder, he only made it a couple of meters up before the ghastly baying approached at speed. The crisscrossing framework of the tower¡¯s structure prevented the monster from leaping onto the middle of the ladder, so when it began to attempt the climb, Eik saw the awkwardness of its movements. It might have been both strong and multi-limbed, but the clawed, paw-like appendages were not made for the relatively delicate task of ascending a ladder. Eik stopped momentarily and looked down, the beast¡¯s ugly maw snapping viciously in anticipation of his demise. An idea began to form in his head, and he hurried up the ladder as fast as he could without risking a fall. At the top of the tower, he laid down on the floor with his arm dangling down through trapdoor. Then he released as much of his Profound Toxin as was able. His entire arm from the elbow down lit up with the poisonous glow of the liquid as it flowed vigorously towards his fingertips. It gathered into thick, blue beads and fell. Because the monster couldn¡¯t be bothered to shut its pie hole whatsoever, dozens of drops entered its mouth and throat. The total volume of toxin ingested now was magnitudes more than the insignificant pelting from earlier. Almost instantly the monster began to react. It thrashed madly on the ladder, the many limbs tangled in the rungs. Eik never stopped releasing his poison. He simply laid there above the macabre spectacle, staring open-mouthed as he called down a death rain. Within a couple of minutes, the ugly thing ceased its pointless struggle, settling into silence as it hung there like an otherworldly gibbet. ¡°Wha¡ª Holy shit!¡± Eik gasped, letting the flow of poison trickle to a stop. His shirt sleeve was soaked through with the luminescence. He rolled over, breathing deeply to calm himself after one of the most anxiety-inducing experiences of his life. ¡°Holy¡­ Holy shit,¡± he repeated in disbelief. ¡°I did it. I did it. I did it.¡± The slightest of vibrations tingled inside his shirt, reminiscent of the mobile phones of old, a faint sound of scratching wood accompanying it. Fishing out the wooden plaque that hung around his neck, Eik read. [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 2] What would a higher level do for his unique skill? A single, incremental level up might not even be noticeable. He had to find more people. Even though Eik knew the monster was dead, the climb down from the watchtower was eerie. In order to get around the ugly thing, he had to swing around to the opposite side of the ladder, which put his own face centimeters from the terrifying visage of the alien invader. Even as he came close enough to the corpse to sense the heat emanating from it, the fear that it would suddenly come alive again never became true. Eik left the corpse as an example. He ripped off his poison-soaked shirt sleeve and buried it shallowly in the ground, hoping to avoid any accidental poisoning of anybody who might come across it later. That whole encounter had been too dangerous. A fair, face to face fight with one or more monsters was not something his current skill set allowed him to do. For now, he¡¯d need help in order to help. He jogged through the streets, keeping to the shadows and alleys, hoping to avoid another unexpected encounter. There were a few corpses on the way, but it took almost five minutes of stealthy going before he heard the noise of fighting. Breaking into a sprint, Eik headed for the sounds. Even if there were monsters there, that was preferable to being alone. Sliding on loose gravel, he turned the last corner, the scene of the battle coming into view. It was utter mayhem. Afraid of getting caught out by himself, he ran full tilt towards the center of the skirmish. A few Awakened were fighting in organized groups, but many were also engaged in messy, individual battles with monsters. ¡°Where can I help?¡± he shouted as he approached. A woman with a gigantic spear, longer even than she was tall, glanced back for just a second to assess the newcomer. Hissing, she just barely managed to parry the lunge of a creature that, to Eik¡¯s eyes, appeared out of thin air from one moment to the next, its deathly thin body and sickeningly long, scythe-like claws humming like a light saber as it moved with ridiculous speed. When the monster dodged her horizontal slash, she altered the course of her weapon mid-swing to bring the pommel forth and into its chest, sending it flying back like a bullet, impacting the side of someone¡¯s home. The wall collapsed and the thing ended up somewhere inside. ¡°Rank?¡± she demanded, this time without looking away from the battle. ¡°Uuh, mid F-rank.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± she swore, batting away a smaller monster as if she was an elephant obliterating a cardboard pi?ata. ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ good at getting poisoned, and I can use Toxic.¡± No need to tell the whole truth to this stranger. She offered an eyebrow raised in puzzlement and tossed her head. ¡°See that guy over there?¡± she asked, Eik¡¯s eyes following her gesture to a large, red-cheeked young man with a gigantic tower shield. He¡¯d seen him earlier, outside Mission Central. His name was Heath. He was struggling to keep a couple of monsters at bay, nasty cuts adorning his face and parts of his body. ¡°The guy behind him is the only healer we¡¯ve got here.¡± the spear wielding woman continued. ¡°We can¡¯t let him get killed. Bringing my own fight over there will only put them in more danger, so I need you to help out. I repeat: Protect that healer!¡± Eik nodded gravely, heart galloping away. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°You¡¯re Heath, right? I¡¯m Eik. Here to help!¡± ¡°Thanks for coming,¡± Heath huffed, exhaustion showing on his face. ¡°And your name?¡± Eik asked the healer. He was a young man, looking no older than seventeen. Maybe eighteen. ¡°My n-name is Michael.¡± The boy was clutching the handle of a broom that he must have grabbed from his home as the monsters came. His knuckles were white as paper and he was clenching his jaw to the point that Eik feared the boy¡¯s teeth might shatter at any moment. ¡°Give me just a second,¡± Eik bade Heath and jogged up to the blonde boy. He was built well for his age. He probably did some kind of sport, although life in Forest provided little freedom for something like that, unless you were Awakened. ¡°Did you just awaken?¡± he asked. Michael swallowed hard, clearly holding back tears. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so cool! What¡¯s your power?¡± He looked down at the broom handle, his grip relaxing if only slightly. ¡°I can make people¡¯s wounds better. It¡¯s just c-called Heal.¡± ¡°Okay, you are exactly who I was looking for!¡± Eik said and pulled down on the collar of his shirt, revealing the wound he had suffered when the many-eyed, many-legged monster had barreled into his shoulder. ¡°Could you give me a hand with this?¡± The boy nodded silently and held his hands up to Eik¡¯s shoulder, a green glow emanating from his palms. It stung, the sensation of flesh starting to wrap in on itself foreign and unpleasant. It would take a while before it was perfectly healed, Eik knew, but it hadn¡¯t been a bad injury to begin with. ¡°H-How does it feel now?¡± Michael asked, trepidation clear in his voice. ¡°Much better,¡± Eik assured him, raising the tiny work knife high. ¡°Now I can fight again.¡± A relieved smile made its way onto the boy¡¯s face. ¡°If you get hurt again, you can just come to me, okay?¡± ¡°Sounds good, thanks!¡± Eik said and went to join Heath. ¡°Heath, I¡¯m here. How¡¯s it looking?¡± ¡°Not so¡ª¡± He was interrupted by the charge of a small, globular monster covered in thick, wide plates along its shoulders and down its back, bearing a resemblance to an Earth pangolin. Heath took the hit with his enormous shield and followed up with his sword, swinging the blade toward a gap in the armor. It connected well, biting into the monster¡¯s flesh, eliciting a screech. In that moment, Eik rushed in and stuck his fingers as far into the wound as he could while Heath still had the thing tied down. He let the Profound Toxin flow freely, the substance flowing eagerly into the gash, a faint blue glow emanating from the site. Eik noticed another wound in the monster¡¯s side, presumable from one of Heath¡¯s previous strikes. He tried the same there, but only managed to barely get a couple of digits into the opening before the fiend threw its body down and away hard, ripping free both Heath¡¯s sword and Eik¡¯s fingers. But the damage was hopefully already done. The pangolin monster bounded away, retreating into the darkness, a thin trail of blood marking its path. Eik hoped it would die from the toxin somewhere and never come back. There were other bastards to worry about here. Two monsters were approaching at speed, one of them caught off guard when a woman to Eik¡¯s right hurled a massive chunk of condensed earth, hauling it off its feet and sending it crashing through the forest. Heath bashed the second with his shield, striking it squarely in the cheek and morphing its grotesque smile into mush, but it was barely rattled, continuing its advance and carrying him bodily to the ground. With a ferocious, laughing roar, it began to hammer its fists against the massive barrier protecting Heath as he lay immobilized in the grass. The shield wouldn¡¯t hold forever. Eik did what he could to close the distance silently, but he had to hurry, lest Heath was smashed to a pulp. As he went, he let out more poison and covered his work knife from hilt to tip. And as soon as he could, he plunged the knife into the monster¡¯s back. Or rather, he tried to plunge his knife into its back. The dull edge managed to do no more than draw a shallow line across the pale skin. When that did nothing, all he had left was to smear the monster in Profound Toxin. Eik planted both palms on its large back and let the luminescent blue fluid flow, scattering to run down the fiend¡¯s lanky body. At first, the monster ignored him completely as it kept battering Heath into the ground, its brutal strikes echoing hollowly into the gloomy evening, but within seconds it ceased its onslaught, looking up and then back at Eik, milky white eyes, centered by a pitch black pupil locking on to him like a predator. His feet were firmly on the ground one moment, and the next he was tasting blood as he slid up and over the roof of a nearby house. On the way down, the rim of the roof caught him glancingly in the hip, putting a rapid spin on his fall that would have earned him all 10¡¯s in a gymnastics competition, if only he hadn¡¯t stuck the landing with his face. He didn¡¯t know how long he was out, but when he was able to comprehend the world again, the sounds of fighting still raged, so it couldn¡¯t have been too long. Eik tried to push himself into a seated position, but his arm simply flopped uselessly, refusing to be of any assistance. Swallowing a scream that might have drawn something unpleasant his way, he settled for a hiss of agony as he used his feet to kick himself backward until he could lean against the wall of the house. The sound of footsteps drew his gaze to the alley, dread rising up through his stomach. Michael, the young healer, appeared seconds later, fear painted clearly on his features. Eik breathed a sigh and let his head bump against the rough wood of the wall. ¡°Mr. Eik!¡± Michael gasped. ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡± ¡°Hadn¡¯t noticed, but now that you mention it,¡± Eik answered dryly. The young man knelt. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes were a portrait of determination. ¡°Thanks, but this is not something that can just be healed in a few minutes.¡± ¡°I know, but it¡¯s best to start as early as possible,¡± the boy said, his tongue stuck out in concentration. Eik couldn¡¯t really argue with that. ¡°The bastard didn¡¯t see you come here, right?¡± Concentration broken, the young man¡¯s eyes whipped up, realization dawning. From the same alley Michael had come, a bizarrely elongated, pale face peeked out curiously, expression caught between a grin and a grimace. As it rounded the corner, milky white eyes never leaving the two humans, a repulsive mockery of a laugh rumbled up from its chest. Michael fell back in fright, all strength seeming to have left him. Eik too felt lightheaded as he saw hope dissipate into nothingness. Death had come to claim them. Chapter 8: In The Nick of Time The fiend must have known it was magnitudes more powerful than Eik and Michael, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have taken its sweet time like this. It would have rushed in and taken their heads in the blink of an eye. Instead, it was approaching them with curiosity, long, spindly fingers probing the air toward their faces. It continued to cluck strangely. The thing clearly preferred quadrupedal movement with its long, flexible forelimbs. Its thin, bony body should not possess the terrifying power it had so clearly displayed earlier. It should have broken like a twig, but it rivaled steel. Its face seemed not quite human, not quite beast, but rather like some manner of bad disguise. Eik wanted to look away but he couldn¡¯t. The monster slid a finger down the side of his face, from the temple to the jaw, and continued down his neck, putting hardly any pressure. Its breath was gruesome as well, the stench tearing into their nostrils and eliciting gags. It wouldn¡¯t stop chuckling. It was enjoying the domination. The wall exploded outwards in a barrage of wood fragments, bricks, and other miscellaneous debris, showering Eik and Michael with dust. ¡°Michael! Michael, can you hear me?¡± Eik shouted, the ribs on the side where he was struck screaming in piercing agony as he exerted his voice. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± came the answer. ¡°Get us away from here! I can¡¯t move!¡± Hands quickly took him under the armpits, dragging him across the ground. A figure stepped out of the holed wall, gigantic spear over one shoulder. The ridiculously strong monster that had treated them like toys hung impaled on the spear tip, lower body missing completely. ¡°Where are you two going?¡± the woman said with a crooked smile. ¡°We, uuh¡­ We just thought¡ª¡° She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hey, F¡¯er, I told you to protect the boy, not get him killed even harder.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Eik coughed, attempting to clear his lungs. ¡°I¡¯m one of those guys who get a little confused when I¡¯m punched over a house, you know. Won¡¯t happen again.¡± The spear woman snorted a laugh. ¡°Good. Your name is Michael?¡± she said to the young healer. ¡°Can you do something for him?¡± Michael nodded and scooted closer to Eik, beginning his healing. ¡°Start on the ribs first, please.¡± Eik said. ¡°It¡¯s becoming difficult to breathe.¡± ¡°Take a couple of these as well,¡± the woman said and rummaged around the small bandolier on her chest. She fished out some deformed healing spheres, the brown, doughy chunks flattened to pancakes. She handed them to a doubtful Eik. He held one up for inspection. ¡°Thanks, but you shouldn¡¯t keep them so haphazardly stored. You can get edible paper to wrap them in so they don¡¯t mush together and become compromised. They¡¯re more delicate than people think, and in some cases, with a bit of bad luck, you might even spoil their efficacy. They won¡¯t become useless per se, but you can expect worse overall healing output, possible contamination with other substances you might have had in your bags that shouldn¡¯t be ingested, and last, but certainly not least, worse flavor,¡± Eik rambled, never once taking his eyes off the little nugget. ¡°This one looks somewhat passable, though.¡± He looked up only to see his two new acquaintances staring at him with a mix of worry and puzzlement, the woman¡¯s expression leaning more towards unfiltered annoyance. ¡°And what makes you think I, a C-rank, should be taking advice from you, an F-rank, on matters regarding my job?¡± Eik chewed on his answer for a moment. ¡°Well, because this,¡± he said and pointed at the bumpy chunk in his hand. ¡°is what your healing spheres look like, and I,¡± he said and pointed to himself. ¡°am the one who made this, and I know for a fact that it did not look like this when I sold it. And for the record, I¡¯m actually mid to high F-rank.¡± ¡°You made these healing spheres?¡± she asked. ¡°Yup,¡± Eik said as he popped the two balls of medicine into his mouth. ¡°Only the best locally sourced ingredients.¡± ¡°These are great quality.¡± ¡°I appreciate the kind words. I¡¯ll give you a discount next time you come by my¡­¡± Eik trailed off, suddenly remembering the state of his cute, little store. It had been made one with the earth. ¡°Someone else buys them for me,¡± the woman said. ¡°Oh, full price then, I guess¡± he said, trying to shake the image of ¡®Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs¡¯ being demolished by some otherworldly demon. Michael had been focusing on healing Eik¡¯s ribs and arm. ¡°I-Is it okay for you to be away from the battle, miss?¡± ¡°My name is Cecilia, and yes, because it¡¯s over. After I killed the strongest one, the one that came for you two was the last one remaining.¡± Eik sat up further, pain surging through his body as he coughed up blood. ¡°Then we need to get to the hospital tents west of Mark¡¯s Tannery. The patients there can¡¯t escape, much less run away.¡± ¡°People are in trouble everywhere, Eik,¡± she said. ¡°Olivia Valkiri is in a coma there. If she dies, Forest¡¯s fighting potential is severely compromised. Do you think we can afford that right now, when we might be facing a potential second collapse?¡± Cecilia¡¯s gaze was firmly on him as she considered his reasoning. She was probably considerably more informed about matters such as Forest¡¯s strength and the situation they were in, but Eik knew that Olivia was among the strongest in the city. To Eik and Michael, this Cecilia was terrifyingly powerful, one-shotting a monster that had played with them like a lion against a couple of 3-year olds, but she was still only C-rank, with Olivia in high B-rank. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t afford that.¡±¡ªShe turned to leave¡ª¡°Can you walk?¡± Eik forced himself to stand, holding back a moan of agony. ¡°¡­ Easily.¡± Cecilia chuckled. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go. Get your shield man up as well. He¡¯s still alive, I think.¡± Eik made Michael run ahead to check on Heath, so when he made it to the small crater where the round-cheeked man had been smashed into the ground, the young man was already working his healing magic. ¡°How¡¯s he looking?¡± ¡°Not so good, but I think he might get better faster than you, considering the fact that his shield held through everything the fiend did to him.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That monster was weak anyway,¡± Eik muttered and Michael gave him what might well have been the most skeptical side-eye in recorded history. Suddenly Heath drew in a great gasp for air, as if the monster had only just stopped beating him moments ago. ¡°What happened?¡± he rasped, still not appearing fully in command of his faculties. ¡°The fight¡¯s over!¡± Michael assured him. ¡°You survived, Heath.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± The large man demanded, clutching desperately at Michael¡¯s jacket. ¡°Your¡­ Your sister?¡± the young healer asked, throwing a glance back at Eik. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen¡­¡± ¡°Was she the pushy one you were with at Mission Central?¡± Eik asked. Heath had to get his mind straight for a moment as he thought. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her! Do you know where she is?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t here when I arrived,¡± Eik said, making a show of looking around the battlefield. Both monsters and people lay unmoving in the grass, several houses in ruins after the fight. Eik hoped none of them was the sister. ¡°When did you last see her?¡± ¡°When those big flyers attacked¡­¡± ¡°You must have gotten separated then. We¡¯re moving on from here as well, together with that C-ranker. You should come with us. Better to move as a group, and if you don¡¯t know where she is then the place we¡¯re headed is as good a place to start looking as any.¡± Heath looked as though he wanted to refuse but knew what the best option was. ¡°Alright, help me up.¡± *** They made great time thanks to Cecilia. They didn¡¯t have to stalk through the dark alleys to avoid monsters, because most of them were just slapped into oblivion by her. Occasionally, she had to exchange a few blows with the stronger foes, but never anything as serious as the fight she had been engaged in when Eik had first arrived. When finally the hospital tents came into view in the distance, it also became clear that there was indeed fighting here. It had been a bad idea to build the infirmary camp out here, because it would be one of the first places to be assaulted in a wave like this. A gout of flame rose into the air and for a moment Eik became hopeful that maybe Olivia had awoken to fight the horde. As they got closer, it became clear that a huge monster with a long, serpentine body was responsible. ¡°Shit,¡± Cecilia muttered. ¡°That bastard is probably at least high C-rank. I have to go..¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Eik shouted. ¡°Let me coat your spear in poison.¡± ¡°Sorry, but F-rank Toxic isn¡¯t going to do anything to that baddie over there.¡± She launched into the air in an enormous leap, a trail of dust following in her wake. ¡°What do we do?¡± Michael asked, the occasional sound of an explosion ringing in the distance. Eik started hobbling toward the tents. ¡°We need to secure the B-ranker inside that tent,¡± he said, pointing. Heath and Michael nodded affirmatively and followed him. They ran silently, doing their darndest to avoid getting involved in any high-rank fights. They¡¯d be useless there anyway. Eik pulled the tent flap aside, Heath at the ready with his shield. Nothing came pouncing from inside. It was so dark that they could barely see anything, two lanterns, one at each end of the large tent, being the only source of light inside. All the beds were empty. The injured must have gotten away. ¡°Can you use your magic to light this place up a bit?¡± Eik asked Michael. The young man obliged, his hands allowing them to see somewhat. The beds and the curved sides of the canvas tent cast long shadows, however, playing tricks on their minds, with the moving light source making the blackness dance eerily like apparition. Heath in the lead, they continued through the divisions of the tent, frequently stopping to listen for anything out of the ordinary. When they made it to the final division where Olivia had been lying, Eik was surprised to see the first bed vacant. How had they been evacuated so quickly? The second bed showed a different story, the same woman in her thirties still lying comatose. Did somebody specifically run away with the first patient? Maybe a friend or family. Olivia was still there as well, her black hair covering her face and flowing down past the pillow, almost touching the floor. Eik brushed it aside gently with a finger. ¡°That¡¯s the B-rank?¡± Heath asked. ¡°You seem to know her.¡± ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± Michael commented. ¡°Is she your girlfriend?¡± Eik pulled a face. ¡°Ew, no! She¡¯s like my sister! She and my brother were going to get married.¡± ¡°Is your brother a strong Awakened as well? Or rather, was he an Awakened before this week?¡± Michael asked. ¡°He, uuh¡­ He was. Damn strong too, but he got killed by a monster during a subjugation mission. Without medicine its venom was too much for him. More than seven years ago now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Heath said. ¡°Thank you. It was a long time ago. Let¡¯s get her out of here for now and come for the rest later.¡± As the only one without offensive abilities, Michael slung Olivia over his shoulder as Heath took lead again. Outside, the draconian, fire-breathing giant still raged, presumably fighting with Cecilia. They kept far away from that, lest they get caught up in a stray attack or something. They made good speed to the outskirts of the infirmary camp, the sounds of fighting slowly fading into the distance. ¡°How far are we going?¡± Michael asked as they marched. ¡°Until we find more people, I suppose. We¡¯re too weak to run around on our own. You¡¯re also F-rank, right, Heath?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± Heath asked, looking back at Eik with curiosity. ¡°Your sister said so earlier.¡± ¡°You spoke with her?¡± Eik snorted with a smile. ¡°Well, she kinda pushed past me in line back at Mission Central.¡± Heath laughed heartily, his whole body swaying. ¡°That does sound like her, I¡¯m afraid. Speaking of Mission Central, how about we head there for now? People might be gathering there.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Michael agreed and Eik nodded. The number of monsters must have thinned considerably, because even though it took them almost ten minutes to make it back to Mission Central, they didn¡¯t run into anything else. They approached the building with caution at first, but when it became apparent that there were people inside, they called to them from the street. Makeshift cots had been prepared for the injured and Olivia was laid on one alongside other patients. Eik, Michael, and Heath reported the situation in the infirmary camp and were offered food and water. They sat at the tables for a break and a bite to eat. To Heath¡¯s great relief, his sister had arrived in Mission Central thirty minutes earlier, and then gone out again with a group to look for survivors. They would go out again as well after some rest. They¡¯d tried to talk the injured Eik out of going, but he¡¯d refused to stay back. The wave was still underway, and Eik needed all the experience he could get. Chapter 9: Seeing Progress Eik was in pain. Even with the short rest, topped with both healing magic and healing spheres, he still felt absolutely horrible. If there weren¡¯t still monsters roaming Forest, he¡¯d have loved to be asleep by now. One of the Awakened at Mission Central was kind enough to set his arm and provide a sling for support, and once his plight was noticed, a D-rank healer stepped in an provided some much needed relief, practically numbing the pain completely. He promised that the painkilling magic would last for at least a couple of hours. That meant Eik could go out again and not be as bothered by his injuries. Chewing on a loaf of bread baked this morning, Eik leaned back in one of the chairs around the table he shared with Michael, Heath, and Heath¡¯s sister Sonja, who had come back just minutes before. She was an archer whose personality did not resemble her brother in the slightest. So much so that Eik was tempted to ask if they were biological siblings. As they spoke, Eik scratched two dots and a surrounding circle into his wooden plaque. Even as the letters etched themselves into the surface, he still couldn¡¯t quite believe that he had become an Awakened. It was a surreal thought. He couldn¡¯t hold back a grin as he read. [F-rank ¡ª IIII] ¡°I went up a stage!¡± he exclaimed as he flew to his feet despite the pain. ¡°I¡¯m fourth stage F-rank now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Michael applauded, Heath and Sonja giving him smiles. ¡°You must have been pretty close when you awakened,¡± Sonja commented. ¡°Just a little more and you¡¯ll hit E-rank.¡± ¡°Everyone!¡± a voice called from the main room. ¡°If you would gather around so I can get your attention, please.¡± The speaker, a man with a wicked scar across his eye, gave them a couple of minutes as people shuffled up to listen. At least a hundred people had made it to Mission Central at this point, new people seemingly arriving every minute. With the gradually falling number of monsters, the newly awakened with little ability to fight back had begun to flee from hiding to seek out protection. Many of the people here were original Awakened with combat experience, including some of decent rank. They had no B-rankers, but two C-rankers were in charge, with a couple of handfuls of D-rankers to assist. Presumably, people were gathering similarly all over Forest in order to increase the odds of survival, much like they had done nine years ago, just on a global scale. ¡°My name Andrew Brooks and I¡¯m the C-ranker in charge for the moment. The short and simple of it is that we¡¯re running out of supplies,¡± he continued. ¡°If any of you have something to spare, you could be helping to save a life.¡± Seeing only a couple of people raising their hands, Eik eventually raised his as well. ¡°Yes,¡± Andrew said as he got to Eik. ¡°What can you spare?¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s not what I meant. I actually don¡¯t have anything on me.¡± The scarred man frowned. ¡°What then?¡± ¡°If you can get me the materials, then I can make healing spheres,¡± Eik explained. There was a moment of silence before a woman next to Eik piped up. ¡°You¡¯re Eik, right? I¡¯ve been to your store many times. Really good prices for good quality and service,¡± she said as she turned to the C-ranker. ¡°You can trust him. He had always been really good and fair to low ranked customers.¡± A man smacked a fist into his open palm. ¡°From Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs! My friend took me there a couple of weeks ago. I knew I¡¯d seen you before!¡± ¡°Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs?¡± Andrew asked with a raised eyebrow. Eik shrugged. This wasn¡¯t the first time someone had questioned his fantastic naming sense. ¡°The name just kind of stuck around. It¡¯s a small store¡­¡±¡ªA gloomy aura descended¡ª¡°Was a small store¡­¡± ¡°Erh, well, okay. We¡¯ll get you some materials. Your help is greatly appreciated.¡± Eik nodded, and soon he was handing over a list of materials needed for healing spheres to one of the D-rankers. They got everything to him in ten minutes. Apparently Mission Central, the hub for Awakened specializing fighting monsters, had a well-stocked storage room with all kinds of materials, exactly for a situation like this. Because of the first wave a couple of days ago, the stores had just been replenished. While Eik took care of the extremely delicate task of processing the active ingredients that would provide the actual medicinal effects¡ªa mixture of some monster parts as well as plants that had begun to grow after the first fractures appeared nine years ago¡ªhe recruited his three new acquaintances to take care of the paste for pill-making. Eik was holding up one of the finished healing spheres for scrutiny when Andrew walked up to him. ¡°Looks great,¡± he said as he knelt down to take a look at the rows of healing medicine. ¡°Can you make antitoxins as well? Just in case we meet something venomous.¡± ¡°Sorry, sir, but that¡¯s not really possible. At my level, I can only create something like that to work for one specific type, so I¡¯d need corpses of everything out there, and then make the medicine for each type one at a time. It¡¯d take far too much time.¡± The C-ranker chewed on Eik¡¯s words for a while as he thought it over, lips pursed. He sighed. ¡°Alright, I guess I¡¯ll ask you to focus on the healing medicine then. We don¡¯t have the time for anything more, I¡¯m afraid.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Yeah, I agree,¡± Eik said with a nod. ¡°You¡¯re doing something very important here, Eik. Is there anything you¡¯d like in return?¡± he asked. ¡°Well,¡± Eik began after some consideration, hands continuing to work on the medicine. ¡°I¡¯m an F-rank with no weapon. I¡¯m capable of creating poison but I have no good way of getting it into the monsters yet¡­¡± Eik trailed off. Andrew¡¯s face morphed into a toothy grin. ¡°You¡¯re not the first one who¡¯s not prepared to suddenly have super powers, my friend. But I¡¯m afraid that we don¡¯t have any specialized weapons like that lying around Mission Central right now,¡± he said ¡°We¡¯ve got bows as well as a variety of bladed weapons.¡± ¡°Uuh, can I have a sword or something like that then? I¡¯ve never really used any weapons before,¡± Eik said and remembered his work knife which he fished out of his belt sheath. ¡°Well, except for this I suppose, but I¡¯m not sure it counts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very small knife indeed. How about I grab you a dagger that¡¯s slightly more dangerous instead?¡± ¡°Sounds perfect!¡± Ten minutes later, Eik held a very sharp and very long knife in his hand. If he hadn¡¯t already experienced several terrifying episodes recently, he might even have been frightened of the huge blade. ¡°Thanks for this,¡± he told the imposing C-ranker. ¡°Now I just need the strength to stick this thing into the high-ranked monsters.¡± Andrew laughed loudly enough to draw the attention of the nearby Awakened. ¡°You¡¯ll get there eventually, lad,¡± he roared and thumped Eik in the back multiple times, eliciting gasps for air from the F-ranker. ¡°Anyway,¡± Andrew said and clapped his hands loudly. ¡°If everyone would gather again, please. We¡¯re getting fewer and fewer reports of monster activity, so we might be seeing the end of this thing soon, at least for now. With that being said, we¡¯re going to dispatch groups divided by rank to the few heated areas that we have identified. We¡¯ll prioritize existing teams, of course. Talk to Julia here for your assignment, and get some of Eik¡¯s healing spheres from the table over there as well,¡± Eik was set up with Heath, Sonja, and Michael, which was a relief. The D-rank healer with the pain relief magic was kind enough to top him up before they left. Once outside, the different groups split up, hopefully all going to fights they were capable of handling. Eik and the others headed north toward where the monsters had last been seen. There were corpses everywhere. Mostly monster, thankfully, but many people as well. It was difficult to look at. Eik wasn¡¯t very familiar with monster species except for the venomous ones, so most of the corpses were species he¡¯d never seen before. He stepped over the decapitated corpse of one of the serpentine Hectona-3¡ªa venomous monster responsible for many deaths, including his brother¡¯s all those years ago. Eik stopped and considered for a moment before he began to search the ground around the decapitated corpse. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Heath asked as the others doubled back. ¡°Just¡­ looking for something real quick,¡± Eik drawled. ¡°Got it!¡± He ran to a little bush, the head of the Hectona-3 lying among the leaves, tongue hanging out grotesquely. He picked it up by the jaw and carried it out into the moonlight. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sonja asked with a look of disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t have a weapon that fits my fighting style yet, but I might be able to get something that can work until then,¡± he said and turned the head over to pry the stiff mouth open. ¡°Hold that still for me, would you, Michael?¡± Although the young healer complied, he looked less that pleased with the request as he took a firm hold of the skull. Eik put his feet against the protruding snout and grabbed one of the wicked long venom fangs with both hands. The fang came off with a bony crack, Eik¡¯s whole body lurching back as it released. He stood up with a self-satisfied smile, the others grimacing at his antics. ¡°Check this out,¡± he said with a grin and held up the fang. Its length rivaled the knife Andrew Brooks had given him. He pushed Profound Toxin out through his thumb as he pressed it into the base of the fang where the venom groove would have connected to the venom ducts. Almost instantly the luminescent blue toxin spurted out of the tip of the fang as if from a syringe. ¡°Huh,¡± Heath muttered as he scratched his chin. ¡°That¡¯s actually a great idea. You¡¯ll be able to fight a lot more effectively with that.¡± ¡°Damn right,¡± Eik grinned, drawing a smiley face on the ground with the glowing substance. ¡°Can we please just get going?¡± Sonja complained, the repugnant sight making her pull a face. *** It wouldn¡¯t have been much further to the designated location when they were ambushed. Rushing out from a broken down door, two monsters of the variant with many eyes and many legs that Eik had fought one of earlier were coming straight for them. Eik would never forget that awful baying. The first slammed into Heath with a bang as he shouldered past Michael to get in front of the team, his shield not quite ideally placed, which caused the monster to veer off and essentially end up behind and to the left. Unfortunately, the large man had no time to address that blunder as the second came following immediately after, this time hitting the shield bodily, almost pushing Heath off his feet. Before Eik could even register what had happened, an arrow impacted the fiend with a fleshy crack, the shaft protruding from what Eik could only assume was its clavicle. The monster howled and charged the archer. For a moment, the tumult distracted Heath as he glanced back to check on the situation, earning him a bite in his armored bicep. His inner arm must not have been covered because he groaned in pain even as he crushed two of the monster¡¯s yellow eye with the pommel of his sword. ¡°Eyes forward, Heath!¡± Sonja shouted and kicked her own opponent in the jaw. By now, both Eik and Michael had regained their bearings and the healer put himself safely behind Heath, the now familiar green glow of his healing magic enveloping the tank¡¯s upper arm. As Sonja was forced into close quarters, she had disregarded her bow in favor of a thin shortsword which she now used to keep the fiend at bay, and while her agitated opponent was focused on her, Eik struck just as it lunged again. Everything was a blur. Eik leapt in from the side, burying the hectona fang deep in the monster¡¯s flank. Even before the tip made contact with the skin, the bright toxin spewed forth hungrily. He managed, at most, a second with the fang inside the beast before he was shaken off, but he¡¯d done what he had aimed for. Sonja exchanged a few more blows, suffering a nasty gash in her thigh, before the effects of the poison became apparent. As Eik watched, head on a swivel in case more monster were drawn to their position by the absolute cacophony, the poisoned fiend¡¯s movements slowed, becoming gradually sluggish as it swayed on its feet. When convulsion joined the existing symptoms, Sonja was free to hack the creature to shreds and focus on the last threat. Heath¡¯s defensive style had kept the monster at bay, but he¡¯d still taken a few minor hits. Sonja disengaged nimbly and drew her bow once more and let fly. The arrow hammered into the remaining monster¡¯s ribs, the impact sending it stumbling sideways where Eik met it with the venom fang, pumping in his toxin mercilessly. To finish, Heath¡¯s thick-bladed shortsword fell, cutting through half of the beast¡¯s neck, the blood announcing its demise. As it collapsed, Heath sat on his ass with a metallic thud, breathing heavily, sweat visible on his forehead. ¡°Damn. I hope I get used to this soon,¡± he remarked. ¡°Just don¡¯t get so used to it that you let you guard down, big guy,¡± Eik smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Except for that little slip up in the beginning, we seem to work together pretty well,¡± Sonja noted as Michael began tending to the gash on her thigh. ¡°Agreed,¡± Heath said, Michael and Eik nodding. ¡°Maybe we should go on a few hunts together once this monster rush is over and done with,¡± Eik said. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Heath said. Michael didn¡¯t look quite as confident, but he didn¡¯t say anything. As Heath got to his feet again, Eik peered into the gloom with trepidation. ¡°We should probably check out the rest of the area, just to be safe.¡± The others nodded and they continued in formation, quickly swallowed up by the darkness of night. Chapter 10: It Was Supposed to Die Eik, Heath, Sonja, and Michael circled the small plaza cautiously. They had not encountered any more monster since the two many-eyes bastards, and that was putting them on edge. With all the action tonight, it felt almost wrong for there to be nothing dangerous roaming the streets. Was it truly over? ¡°Why are the monsters not attacking each other anyway?¡± Michael asked suddenly. ¡°They only go for us, even when they¡¯re completely different types from one another.¡± ¡°They usually do act aggressively towards other species, as far as I know,¡± Sonja answered. ¡°There must be something special about them this time.¡± ¡°We should head back for now,¡± Eik interjected. ¡°The intel from the scouts grows less and less reliable with time. We might run into something far worse if we hang around here for too long.¡± They didn¡¯t rush on the way back, That¡¯s how one gets oneself killed. Eik was beginning to notice his injury again. It wasn¡¯t too bad yet, but he could tell that the effects of the pain relief were fading, albeit slowly. ¡°Michael, can you work on my ribs and arm for a bit?¡± he asked, glancing back and noticing that the healer had stopped a few paces back. ¡°Michael?¡± he repeated, only for the young man to hold up a flat palm for silence. Eik snuck back to Michael¡¯s side, Sonja and Heath joining soon after. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Eik whispered. Michael didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, his eyes closed as he tried to focus on his ears. Finally he spoke, voice barely audible. ¡°We¡¯ve have been hearing bird song regularly since a while ago. But now¡­ Now I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± They all stopped moving in order to listen. Sonja was the first to notice something. ¡°I think I hear¡­ a rumble?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hear any¡ª¡° Heath began, but cut himself off as his senses picked up something as well. It took a few more seconds of tense silence before Eik¡¯s ears registered something. Vibrations. Deep and ominous. It rapidly grew, sounds of destruction drawing closer by the second. Before any of them could react, the house four doors down from their position was pulverized as a massive shape barreled through it like a freight train, taking walls, roof, and furniture with it. ¡°There are Awakened fighting that thing!¡± Sonja shouted, her voice drowned out by the clamor of the high-ranked battle. Eik hadn¡¯t noticed the Awakened. He had only noticed a single thing of importance. The monster had a vile tail spike. This was the thing that had put Olivia in a coma. Eik set off in pursuit of the battle, as monster and Awakened kept moving erratically as they fought, each side taking turns to act and react, the powerful exchanges continuously bringing them up into the air only to crash back into the ground like missiles. ¡°Eik! Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Heath called, Eik barely able to hear the man¡¯s voice despite being only a few meters apart. ¡°I need the corpse of that monster!¡± Eik screamed over the noise. ¡°It¡¯s the only way to synthesize a reversal agent for the comatose Awakened.¡± Michael shouted something back, but Eik couldn¡¯t make out the words and he didn¡¯t have time to go back to listen. Even as he ran, chasing that sphere of destructive chaos, he found himself wondering what the hell he was doing. He could not help. He could not survive. But he didn¡¯t know what else to do. The thought of running away to watch felt somehow unbearable. He¡¯d been made to promise his brother that he¡¯d protect Olivia and her mother as his only living family. At the time Eik had snorted in morbid amusement. Olivia had already been high D-rank back then, and he, an unawakened 20-year old was supposed to protect her, from what, exactly? All the memories of the scary monsters she had annihilated with a single flaming punch? Eik had taken that promise as a joke, but his brother had meant it. Now Eik intended to keep it. For one moment the monster disappeared from sight, vanishing despite its considerable size. In the next, it impacted the earth with an earsplitting boom, close enough to throw Eik off his feet. He landed painfully on his bad arm, doing his best to protect his vitals as he rolled. Coming to rest against a tree, Eik could hardly keep his eyes open as he watched the cursed, quadrupedal beast roll over and get to its feet. As it shook debris out of its mane, an Awakened who looked like Andrew Brooks, the C-ranker who had led the efforts in Mission Central, showered it with a flurry of punches that released white, flashing shock waves to batter the monster back into the ground. That damned tail came up out of nowhere, broad side striking Andrew dead on and sending him ripping into the darkness. Immediately after, the spear woman Cecilia and another Awakened appeared out of the blue, both launching killing blows at the beast. But before they could hit, it leapt backwards, towards Eik, its paws sliding through the ruins of a house as it came to a stop. Eik screamed as broken bricks and wood fragments pelted him like snow in a blizzard. The four meter tall monster glanced back momentarily, attention drawn by his voice, but leapt away, disappearing a second later. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Eik muttered, seeing his chance to save Olivia melt away. ¡°No, no, no! It wasn¡¯t supposed to¡ª¡° Frustration and stress overcame him. Rage welled up like a geyser, permeating his body. ¡°Hey, F¡¯er, what are you doing here?¡± Cecilia asked as she came in for a landing. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill that fucking thing!¡± Eik snarled, fingers clawing into the grass as he fought through the pain to get to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill it!¡± *** Eik spent the next two days in bed. Mis lay across his chest as he stared up into the ceiling, brooding over recent events. He had finally Awakened and gained super powers, but seldom had he felt as useless as he did right now. He squeezed the duvet until his knuckles turned white and ground his teeth as he fumed, hating his own weakness. Struck by a jolt of determination, he sat up, the cat rolling away with a yelp of dissatisfaction. She strolled away as if he had committed the most sinful of atrocities. ¡°Don¡¯t even start on that, girl,¡± he called after her. ¡°I¡¯m the guy with the food. You should keep that in mind.¡± No answer. Typical. He stretched and felt around his ribs and arm, concluding that he was more or less good to go. While out of commission, he¡¯d been practicing with the Profound Toxin and it had hit level 4 shortly after the monster wave ended. The Hectona fang really was a great tool for injecting his toxin. The biggest problem was how unwieldy the damn thing was. Half the time, he lost his grip on it as he plunged it in, delaying the delivery of Profound Toxin by seconds. The bony surface was too smooth, and the lack of a proper handle was annoying. But weapons were expensive, and custom orders even more so, and it was doubtful that a weapon specialized for envenomation was purchasable from any random smith¡¯s shelf. For now, he¡¯d have to make do with what he had. Eik stirred some milk into his tea, staring off into space. Sonja had registered their team of four people with the help of C-ranker Andrew Brooks, getting the process over and done with quickly. Eik had gotten them into the man¡¯s good graces by making hundreds of much needed healing spheres for the Awakened during the monster wave. Sipping the tea, he immediately recognized the acidic tones that quickly faded as he swallowed. Mirewort, and a potent one at that. Unlike the purposefully jumbled and unspecified drawers of potential ingredients for the antitoxin, all he had in his house was just a box of different bags of materials. He put it on the small kitchen counter and riffled through the contents until he found what he was looking for. By now, he would normally be feeling light-headed, with a spine made of ice, and pain in the arms and legs moving from mild to intense. But none of that was the case. Instead he felt a tingle down his sides and in the fingers and toes. Nothing more. [Resistance: Toxin] had utterly trivialized his exercises with antitoxins¡­ Even if he kept doing it, the main purpose of the original exercise had been to practice the art of keeping a cool head during a panicked situation, specifically in matters of life and death. It had never been a question of whether he had been capable of creating the antidotes in the first place, but whether he could do it under pressure. Simply pretending to be weighed down by an imaginary death sentence wasn¡¯t really sufficient. Suffice it to say, it was no big loss. Working with toxins every day carried the risk of accidental poisonings so he had always felt obligated to keep his skills sharp. But now there really wasn¡¯t a reason to do it anymore. Chewing on a whole reaper¡¯s root, he pulled pulled on his boots and locked the door, although the gigantic hole in his wall still gaped with nothing but a sheet of canvas for cover. If somebody wanted to go after his stuff, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it, but looting was a tendency that had largely disappeared after the first few years of the new world. People had more or less realized that survival was easier if you could trust your neighbor. He would like to rebuild Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs one of these days, when he could afford to. Until then, he had a date with three eager adventurers. *** Heath, Sonja, and Michael were already waiting when Eik made it to Mission Central, reviewing their equipment and consulting with the staff at the counter. Considering the crowd in the building, it would seem that that second wave had made a good number of people change their minds about taking up monster hunting as an occupation. ¡°Eik!¡± Heath raised a hand in greeting. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Well, you know,¡± he said, patting his arm indicatively. Heath laughed heartily. ¡°Good to hear! Then we¡¯re good to go today.¡± ¡°Did Sonja get anymore info on the assignment?¡± ¡°Kind of,¡± Michael answered, putting down a drink he¡¯d been nursing. ¡°It¡¯s still super uncertain what the monster population looks like after the wave so we¡¯re basically only allowed to go just outside city limits.¡± Sonja joined them, holding up a slip of paper. ¡°We¡¯re heading west. Apparently a forest appeared there, so they¡¯re sending us to check it out.¡± ¡°Wait, wait,¡± Eik said, holding up a hand. ¡°Did you say a forest appeared?¡± ¡°It seems to be an expansion of the forest already there, to be clear, but yes.¡± Eik threw up his hands. ¡°Well, okay, I guess. By the way, were you able to find some leathers for me, Heath?¡± The big man nodded and pulled a bundle out of a bag by his chair. ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Eik said. ¡°What do I owe you?¡± Eik paid his new colleague and put on the protective gear, stretching to check the fit and nodding in satisfaction when Andrew Brooks strolled up. ¡°Your medicines really saved us back then, you know. A good number of people made it back for treatment because your healing spheres kept them stable.¡± Eik shook the man¡¯s hand. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± The C-ranker grinned. ¡°And so, I¡¯m preparing a reward for you.¡± Eik¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t do it for¡ª¡± ¡°I hate debts, so you¡¯re welcome to think of it as me selfishly satisfying that,¡± the muscled man interrupted with a wave of his hand. ¡°Your contribution to this matter does not exceed accepting my gift.¡± Eik snorted. ¡°Yeah, okay. I¡¯ll gladly accept, then.¡± Andrew sucked his teeth. ¡°About that¡­ It¡¯s gonna take a little bit to prepare, but I¡¯ll find you later, alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Eik said as the C-ranker disappeared into a backroom with a wave. ¡°What was that about?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure,¡± he answered as they fastened their weapons and checked their gear one last time before heading outside. As they made their way out of Forest proper, the overhaul of the world became frighteningly apparent. It had been difficult to tell among the many buildings. What had been the western plains just a week ago were now wide swaths of green forest, stretching as far as the eye could see. On the horizon a titanic mountain reached for the skies, its peak disappearing into the clouds. Eik wondered if even Everest of old earth could have rivaled its size. As he spun on his feet, several more mountains of that caliber could be seen as faint colossi in the distance. The world was changing again. And Eik had no idea why. Chapter 11: The Great Lake and the Awakened Beast A part of Eik was excited to see all the different plants growing in the new stretch of woods. New species bloomed all around, as if they¡¯d been there for years. As they continued through, leafy canopies overhead, it began to sink in just how much their world had changed, and that the implications might be severe. Long grass crunched underfoot, making it difficult to traverse. Vines hung from the tall trees like nooses, just waiting for a careless person to get their neck stuck. Birdsong and the whir of insects dominated the space, reminding Eik of the rain forests he used to see on TV. A place like this did not belong in this part of the world. ¡°What are we gonna find out here?¡± Michael asked nobody in particular. ¡°Is it really okay to send a team of F-rankers on an exploratory mission like this?¡± Sonja swung her thin blade through some meaty leaves, their path mostly created as they went since they¡¯d failed to find any footpaths. ¡°The scouts have found a number of monsters that pose an identifiable threat that needs to be subjugated, unlike this place, which remains a mystery.¡± ¡°I get that, but it still feels risky,¡± Michael said, constantly scanning the foliage for any signs of movement. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Heath said. ¡°But Forest¡¯s resources are particularly limited right now, so for low-rankers like us, it basically this or be on standby back in town. Would you rather twiddle your thumbs all day?¡± Michael didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Hey,¡± Sonja called. ¡°I think there¡¯s something up ahead.¡± At once, Heath moved up to take his position as vanguard with his tower shield. Sonja leapt to the back and drew her bow, while Eik and Michael huddled in the middle, Eik with his hectona fang and Michael holding a round-shield and a heavy, one-handed mace. They moved slowly, Heath pushing foliage aside with the tip of his sword. What met their eyes when they finally stepped through the last layer of vines and leaves was a vast lake. Something like that shouldn¡¯t have been there. It stretched on, almost like a sea, the opposite shore hidden by distant fog. Or rather, there had better be a damn shore somewhere in there. The sudden appearance of a great lake was unsettling enough in itself, but a sea would be a different matter entirely. The grass past the tree line was not quite as wild, usurped further down by a thin, sandy beach. ¡°This is¡­ This is simply not natural¡­¡± Michael muttered, white-knuckling his mace and shield, sticking close to Eik. Eik chuckled. ¡°We passed natural long ago, Mike. I¡¯d say right around the time people began to punch houses and win,¡± he said and stretched his neck to look into the water nervously. ¡°But this definitely isn¡¯t a comforting discovery¡­¡± Heath took his first step into the sand, now only about ten meters from the water. Judging by the rapid darkening of the surface of the water, there must have been a sudden drop into the depths near the shore. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s anything in there,¡± he said, inching closer and closer. ¡°Maybe you should reconsider what you¡¯re doing for a moment, bro,¡± Sonja commented, staying well away from the sand. ¡°I¡¯m obviously not going to go in!¡± Heath said and rolled his eyes. He glanced into the dark water again, taking a few, wary steps back before trudging toward the team in earnest. When he looked up, the three of them were frozen, eyes locked onto something behind him. Eik raised a hand to stop Heath from moving anymore, mouthing for him to be quiet. ¡°What?¡± he asked and turned. A little ways down the coast, a giant stood drinking from the lake. Heath drew in a sharp breath and froze as well. More than anything else, it looked like a bison, with the exception of a few minor details. It was twice the size of what the animal should have been, its height probably allowing it to graze on the leaves of trees. As the team began to slowly back away, the animal looked up from the water and regarded them with an apathetic gaze. ¡°Stay silent,¡± Sonja hissed, her eyes never leaving the enormous beast, six pronged horns protruding from its forehead to make it look almost like an antlered elk. ¡°and move slowly.¡± They would have done that anyway. The thing was huge. With a blood-red coat, the mutated bison looked like something out of a cautionary tale. Gaze remaining uninterested, it began to slowly move along the sandy bank, course set for the four humans. It moved almost as if the direction was coincidental, but the moment Michael made it into the forest and became obscured by foliage, it charged, the bestial cry that echoed through the trees sounding downright obscene compared to the throaty grunt of an ¡°old¡± bison. ¡°Into the forest, now!¡± Eik shouted, slapping Heath on his armored back as the big man hauled ass, rattling like a toolbox strapped to a roller coaster. The beast was gaining on them fast, having crossed more than half the distance between them by the time Eik made it to the tree line as the tail of their escape. Vines and branches whipped him across the face as he fled further in, hoping with all his heart that they were at least roughly heading back the way they had come. The only thing that indicated which way he should run was the noise of Heath¡¯s outfit, since the density of the vegetation offered next to no visibility ahead. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Unfortunately, even the sound of Heath crashing through the forest somewhere in front of him was soon drowned out by the advance of the titanic bison as it obliterated everything in its path to get to them, birds scattering above. Eik could practically feel the imminent impact as the bison neared with frightening speed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get caught!¡± he shouted and planted a foot high up on the trunk of a tree and jumped for the lowest branch. ¡°I¡¯m going above it instead!¡± ¡°What?¡± was all the answer he got from Heath somewhere up ahead as he ascended the branches one by one until he was sure that he had made it above the bison¡¯s potential attack range. With his F-rank strength the climb was effortless. Below, the beast thundered through the underbrush, scuffing the tree Eik was in as it passed and shaking it to the point where Eik feared it might snap in half. But otherwise it passed without paying him any heed. Shortly after it had passed under Eik, a shout reached his ears at the time that the giant reared up as if in attack. The tree cover was too dense for Eik to properly see what was happening. Any more than glimpses was impossible, but the fact that the bison was now staying in place could mean that it had caught Heath. The sounds ringing through the canopies spoke of a fight, so Eik drew in a breath and leapt from the branch he was on to the adjacent tree. Keeping his balance with a hand on limb above, he stepped along the branch to get closer to the action. ¡°Heath, to the side! Avoid!¡± Sonja¡¯s voice shouted as something clanged against metal. Eik jumped to the next tree over again, the scene unfolding before his eyes. Heath was facing the beast with his shield raised, an arrow protruding from the bison¡¯s powerful thigh which seemed to be nothing more than a minor bother. An attempted goring was caught by Heath¡¯s shield, but the force of the attack sent him off his feet to crash back first into a tree, and it was only by a hair¡¯s breadth that he managed to jump out of the way of a second strike, which left the trunk in tatters. Was this freakin¡¯ thing an Awakened? Sonja put another four arrows in the bison while Eik moved to a position above the animal. All the arrows struck around the same area, putting a limp in its movement. She was moving adeptly in and out of cover to avoid the attention of their foe. As it prepared for another charge, Eik stepped off the branch, venom fang in hand. The bison didn¡¯t so much as rock when the F-ranker landed on its back, but the moment the hectona fang parted skin and penetrated flesh, pumping in toxin, it went wild, howling and bucking like mad. As it continued to lurch violently, Eik had to take his hands off the fang, still buried deep under the monster¡¯s shoulder blade, to grab onto the long hair running down its back, lest he fell to the ground to get trampled to death. Even if it wouldn¡¯t do much, he still let the poison flow into the fur and down the skin of the huge bovine, irritating it further. When Eik¡¯s fingers began to slip he only barely managed to get a hold of his weapon and jump off to put some distance between himself and the beast. He broke his fall with a roll and got up to face the monster, but it was already coming for him, globules of luminescent blue toxin flying everywhere, forcing him to dive away from the charging colossus. ¡°Eik, I¡¯m coming in!¡± Heath shouted as he rushed past Eik to take up a position on the new front. Eik turned around and ran into the foliage. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m going around!¡± He made a small circle to get behind the beast to get in another injection. As if it had eyes in the back of its head, it hopped out of the way of the fang with agility unbecoming of something that size. In the same movement, it spun and bumped him with a shoulder bulging with muscle, sending him flying into the vegetation. When he came to a stop in the soft mulch of the forest floor, he felt nothing but the absence of air in his lungs. The breath wouldn¡¯t come. For several seconds, he rasped and gagged as his body fought for oxygen, unbidden panic welling up, but as shallow breaths finally began to come, so did the clangor of the battle come back into focus. Stumbling through the underbrush, head spinning, Eik almost stabbed Michael as he suddenly appeared from behind a tree. ¡°Eik, are you okay?¡± he asked, looking distraught. ¡°Well, ¡®okay¡¯ might be too generous a term, but¡­¡± Eik heaved. ¡°Let me take a look at you for a sec¡ª¡± ¡°Do it while we move, but don¡¯t engage.¡± A quiet hum accompanied a pulse of silver light from Michael¡¯s palm, immediately followed by the green haze of the healing magic. ¡°What was that?¡± Eik asked. ¡°That pulse of light.¡± ¡°My new skill,¡± Michael explained, a hint of excitement sneaking through on his face and in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s called [Single Protection], and after a bit of experimentation I¡¯ve found out that it reduces the force of the next attack that hits whoever I use it on¡ªin this case, you.¡± ¡°Hope it works, because we have to help Heath,¡± Eik said and rushed the bison from behind, venom fang held high to strike. Sensing his approach, the Awakened beast bucked and kicked with its hind legs like a horse, catching Eik square on the chest. Eik was flung back the way he¡¯d come, sliding on his back along the forest floor and coming to a stop at Michael¡¯s feet, the young healer looking down at him with concern. ¡°It works,¡± Eik croaked, massaging his rib cage. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Michael questioned, starting his healing up again. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure because I¡¯m not dead. Have you seen that thing?¡± Michael glanced back at the battle. ¡°How¡¯s Heath able to stand his ground?¡± ¡°Heath is a defensive specialist. He has the [Shields] skill as well as the [Fortitude] skill, which translates to plain physical toughness. He¡¯s also E-rank.¡± ¡°That sounds pretty amazing.¡± ¡°Yep. Also, if you look closer, you¡¯ll notice that he¡¯s not just standing still,¡± Eik said as he got to his feet, popping a couple of healing spheres. ¡°He and Sonja are taking turns to pull its attention and hiding in the foliage.¡± Michael continued to heal Eik for another moment before something caught his attention and he put his ear to Eik¡¯s chest. ¡°What?¡± Eik asked. ¡°There¡¯s a¡­¡± the healer began and paused. ¡°You carry a wooden plaque, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re getting something.¡± Eik fished out the plaque from his collar. There really was some script being etched into the flat surface. He raised an eyebrow at the text. ¡°Isn¡¯t the timing on this a little too good?¡± he questioned. Michael just shrugged, reading along over his teammate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s pretty common to be offered stuff that corresponds to your wishes, habits, and needs. And with all the action we¡¯ve seen this past week, it¡¯s really no wonder that you¡¯re getting a new skill.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯ll happily take it anyway.¡± [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Movement Boost] ¡°Blades doesn¡¯t seem half bad either,¡± Michael noted, glancing at the bloody hectona fang in Eik¡¯s hand before getting up. ¡°I agree, but if I can¡¯t get to the bastard¡­¡± Ignoring an urge to hesitate, Eik hurried to draw lines through [Blades] and [Concentration]. The script faded. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 1] Eik just hoped that the skill did what he was expecting it to. Chapter 12: Rock Fist Bart and His Dumb, Stupid Face ¡°Can you use the protection thing on me again?¡± Eik asked Michael. The healer shook his head. ¡°Not for another two minutes¡­ But I think the cooldown gets shorter as the skill levels up and evolves.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do without it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna go check up on Heath and Sonja,¡± the healer said and started toward the battlefield. ¡°That bison looks like a pincushion, but I don¡¯t think her arrows have the power to penetrate properly yet.¡± ¡°Stay in cover,¡± Eik called as the young man left. He took in the situation. With how much the Awakened bison moved around in its pursuit of the siblings, Eik didn¡¯t see the point in trying to climb another tree. Trying out his new skill would probably be more beneficial. A fair distance had built up during his short recovery, so he took a running start and went for the rump again. As he drew near, he willed the [Movement Boost] to trigger. Suddenly everything sped up, his legs carrying him at a velocity where his brain could barely follow. He jumped. As if by teleportation, Eik found himself clutching the bison¡¯s hair again, hanging on for dear life as it bucked and leapt. He only had two fingers around the hectona fang, the smooth bone slowly slipping from his grip. ¡°Heath, can you get this damn rodeo bull to stop for a second?¡± Eik wondered if he¡¯d even been heard over the chaos of the battle, but abruptly the bison stopped dead in its tracks. He didn¡¯t dare look at what had stopped the beast for fear of losing the opportunity. He tried to activate the [Movement Boost] again to get to an artery, but it lasted only a moment, throwing him wide instead. With one hand still gripping the bison¡¯s mane he swung up and over, landing on its neck right behind the horns, facing towards its back. Seeing a chance, he plunged the fang into the side of its neck, hoping to hit something important. The Profound Toxin flooded in, squirting out along the edge of the wound. The beast reared and flung the much smaller Eik away like a sack of garbage. He was hurled through the air but managed to land on his feet, ripping out grass as he slid. The bison was beginning to show signs of fatigue. Its movements were unsteady and even its lunges as Heath and Sonja now seemed to be weighed down by lethargy. ¡°Eik, keep going! Just a bit more!¡± Sonja shouted as she let fly another arrow that cracked against, but failed to penetrate the animal¡¯s thing, fortified skull. She cursed. Eik approached once more. He had no idea how the effects of [Movement Boost] behaved yet, but if it allowed him to get close enough to stab the bastard, then that was good enough for now. He triggered the ability and flew forward, losing control of his body. His lower body seemed to be affected more intensely by the skill than his torso and arms, and that disconnect combined with the general burst of speed threw his senses off. Somehow, he actually managed to land on his feet this time, arriving at the beast¡¯s flank where he stumbled face first into its coat as the venom fang penetrated flesh. Another dose of toxin went in. Before the bison could counterattack, Eik reactivated [Movement Boost] and leapt away, avoiding the attack completely. He couldn¡¯t help but grin. It was working. The injection site was growing veiny as blood rushed in to remedy the mounting damage, skin discoloration setting rapidly setting in, a faint blue aura emanating from the wound. Heath rushed in from the front and bashed the bison across the face with his shield, following it up with a decisive stab to the eye. It roared and reared, Heath forced to jump away lest he be trampled by the thing. As the bison exposed its stomach, Sonja managed to plant an arrow in its belly, which went deeper into the less muscled flesh than any of her attempts thus far. When it came back down, the nock of the arrow shaft hit the ground and was pushed even further in. Michael tended to Heath¡¯s wounds while Eik triggered his new ability again, letting that boosted momentum carry the fang deep into the beast¡¯s flank again. It penetrated almost to the root of the fang. There wasn¡¯t much strength left in the creature to fight back, so Eik took the chance to let his toxin flow freely into its system, the luminescent substance staining its fur blue. After several seconds of continuous injection, Eik hopped back on enhanced legs, gradually getting the hang of his new skill. It wobbled on its feet and then collapsed. Sonja rushed in and cut through its neck with numerous swift swings of her thin blade. ¡°Is it dead?¡± Michael asked from Heath¡¯s side. ¡°Yeah, definitely,¡± Eik said. ¡°Was that the new skill Michael spoke about?¡± Sonja asked Eik. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s called [Movement Boost]. Pretty difficult to control, though.¡± ¡°What does it feel like?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ I¡¯m moving faster through time, but only part of my body comes along for the ride,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Heath reassured him. ¡°When Sonja got her movement skill [Disengage], she jumped headfirst into the ceiling at least twenty times before she got the hang of it.¡± Sonja didn¡¯t respond as she looked the corpse over, but her expressionless face confirmed Heath¡¯s words nonetheless. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± They gathered around the body of the beast that had almost gotten them in real trouble, Eik handing a healing sphere to Heath. ¡°So what do we do with it?¡± ¡°I guess we leave the body and have Heath carry the head back?¡± Eik said. ¡°Why me?¡± Heath complained and was met with raised eyebrows. ¡°Yeah, okay, I get it, but next time Michael¡¯s carrying the loot.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to a bakery next time then.¡± Michael said and knelt by the beast. ¡°So, does this look like a monster from a portal to you guys?¡± ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± Eik said, nudging the corpse with a foot. Heath nodded. ¡°Yeah, this looks too much like a bison to not be a bison. Is it¡­ an Awakened?¡± ¡°Maybe. Or maybe it¡¯s just mutated by whatever¡¯s happening to the world. The environment is changing, so why wouldn¡¯t the wildlife?¡± ¡°Either way,¡± Heath said and heaved the head onto his shoulder. ¡°we should get out of here for now. It¡¯s dangerous in this forest, and I doubt this guy was the scariest thing we could have run into.¡± *** On the way back, Eik checked his wooden plaque. [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 5] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 2] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 3] Eik scratched a circle with three dots inside it¡ªthe symbol for the ability sheet¡ªinto the wood. [Acquired abilities:] [Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 24] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 5] [Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 3] ¡°Hey, does anybody have any evolved skills yet?¡± Eik asked the team. Heath looked back, the entire antlered head on his shoulders spinning with him as he did. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got one. I evolved my Fortitude ability into a version that also gives me resistance against the elements, like heat and cold. Got it during the second wave.¡± ¡°What level did it evolve?¡± Eik asked. ¡°It was 25, why?¡± Eik double checked his plaque. ¡°I think I¡¯m probably getting an evolution with one more level to one of my abilities.¡± Sonja did a double take. ¡°B-But you basically just awakened. What skill is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ability called Resistance: Toxin. I¡¯ve gotten it to level 24, although it hasn¡¯t increased in a while.¡± ¡°What the hell did you do to get it to level 24 in a week?¡± ¡°I fell into a fracture hole the moment I awakened. It was filled with Xaraxis-3, so I kind of had to choose that skill,¡± Eik said with a shrug. They all stopped and stared at him. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Michael asked, his face a mask of astonishment. ¡°They kept envenomating me until I passed out. Next thing I know, I¡¯m waking up in a tent with the skill at level 24.¡± ¡°So you did it in a day,¡± Heath laughed heartily. ¡°I think that might be a record.¡± ¡°You should have been dead instead,¡± Sonja said. Eik snorted. ¡°Gee, thanks for the kind words.¡± ¡°You know what I mean,¡± she said, rolling her eyes at Eik¡¯s cheeky grin. ¡°It started at level 14 for me. It said something about inherent proficiency and stuff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty damn lucky¡­¡± Michael said as they made it out of the forest proper, the city of Forest stretching out ahead. ¡°What do you think is going to happen from now on? Will the world change again?¡± he continued, worry seeping into his voice. None of the others answered and kept their eyes on their feet. It was something they had all tried not to think about ever since the first wave a week ago. People stopped and stared as they walked through town, the enormous head balanced on Heath¡¯s shoulders drawing attention, kids hoping to touch the pronged, antler-like horns. Back at Mission Central Heath was directed to the back of the building where they had an area reserved for the storage of monster, both for research and to prepare for distribution to various facilities, such as tanners, smiths, apothecaries, and other artisans. ¡°Is that a bison?¡± a woman in a long robe asked as people began to gather around the table where Heath had dropped the head. ¡°We think so,¡± Eik said. ¡°The body didn¡¯t leave much doubt.¡± ¡°What rank are you guys?¡± another asked. ¡°F-rankers.¡± ¡°What do you reckon this guy was?¡± Sonja put a finger on her chin as she thought it over. ¡°Difficult to say,¡± she said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t very fast, but had great strength and toughness. High F-rank or low E-rank?¡± The man nodded at that. Eik, Sonja, Heath, and Michael reported on the strangeness of the forest, describing the flora in as vivid detail as they could, noting how anomalous the environment was compared to the land on which it had appeared. They discussed the colossal lake and what might lurk in its depths. Apparently, several other teams, ranging from F-rank parties to D-rank had also been sent to different parts of the forest. All of them, even the teams that had been sent out before Eik¡¯s, had yet to return, theirs being the only one to have reported back. That fact visibly shook the administration of Mission Central. Things were going awry fast. The whole world had become one big, inexplicable mystery. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± a loud voice said, attracting eyes. ¡°New monster? Doesn¡¯t look like anything special.¡± It was Rock Fist Bart, the muscled, brainless, smelly lunatic who had smashed Eik¡¯s beautiful, perfect, walnut countertop to pieces a week ago. Even though it felt like months ago with all that had happened, Eik was immediately fuming. Bart¡¯s two subordinates were still glued to each of his shoulders, hovering in the back like nervous, overworked personal assistants. They both looked just as tired of his ridiculous macho act as they had when they came to Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs. Bart the Sock Fist seemed to notice Eik for the first time, the donkey-headed look in his eyes sharpening into recognition as his meaty finger rose in near accusation. ¡°Aren¡¯t you that disrespectful lout from the pharmacy?¡± he said. ¡°Disrespectful lout from the apothecary.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no difference.¡± Eik crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s my shop, so it¡¯s up to me, isn¡¯t it?¡± he shot back, unable to keep his mouth shut, feeling a sense of security with the number of Awakened surrounding them. ¡°Eik,¡± Heath whispered, elbowing him in the ribs. ¡°That¡¯s Rock Fist Bart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that.¡± ¡°Did you also know that his father is Boulder Fist Gary¡­?¡± Eik blanched at this. He was aware of a guy named Boulder Fist Gary. Boulder Fist Gary was a B-ranker¡ªone of only a few in the entirety of Forest. He was powerful man. Not only in terms of his powers, but also sheer influence. Gary was the top dog of a major faction in Forest, and if his dull son was close enough to his father to have gone so far as to imitate his nickname, then Eik might well and truly have stepped in it this time. Chapter 13: Whats That Fracture? Eik eyed Bart silently, the man squaring up like a temperamental third-grader. Everybody was staring, sensing the tension between the two men. ¡°What¡­ is going on here, exactly?¡± Sonja asked with furrowed brows. ¡°It¡¯s, uuh¡­ It¡¯s nothing, really¡ª¡± Eik began, holding up his hands. ¡°This man had the gall to disrespect me, Rock Fist Bart, when I visited his establishment!¡± he announced to the crowd with another accusatory finger, putting on an air of nobility despite his demeanor proving otherwise. Heath looked at Eik with something akin to horror. Are you insane? he seemed to be mouthing. Eik just shrugged and shook his head. ¡°I never disrespected you. I just asked you to let me concentrate and then you broke my perfectly nice countertop.¡± ¡°That is not true!¡± Bart protested, reflexively raising his fist, but stopping himself from smashing another wooden surface. ¡°You pushed me beyond any reasonable limit. I had to retaliate.¡± ¡°I was an unawakened store owner, and you were an E-ranker with two friends to back you up,¡± Eik said matter-of-factly, noticing sympathetic looks from several of the onlookers. However, nobody spoke up on his behalf. It would seem that everybody was well aware of Sock Fist Bart¡¯s connections. ¡°I¡¯m D-rank!¡± the man protested. Eik kept silent, but Sonja stepped in. ¡°You¡¯re Rock Fist Bart, you said?¡± ¡°Of the Rock Fists, yes,¡± he said, gesturing to his jaded subordinates. ¡°I apologize for anything my teammate might have done to make you feel insulted, but I know he meant no harm¡ª¡± ¡°No harm?¡± Bart repeated with exaggerated lip movements. ¡°If the B-ranker Olivia Valkiri hadn¡¯t showed up to threaten me directly, then this shopkeeper would have carried this matter to an irredeemable point.¡± Eik felt his cheeks flush in irritation, fingers brushing against the hectona fang. If he didn¡¯t manage this situation well, he might actually end up dead at some point. Someone who grew up under the wing of one of the most powerful men would be used to getting his way. And this spectacle was public now¡­ ¡°But¡­¡± Bart continued with a crooked smile, his eyes scanning the crowd for the reaction. ¡°Now that his guardian, B-ranker Olivia Valkiri is¡­ under the weather because of a lack of foresight, there¡¯s no longer anything he would dare say to me.¡± Eik¡¯s eyelid twitched as his jaw clenched tight, boldness borne by anger fueling his words. ¡°I¡¯m guessing ¡®foresight¡¯, in your book, is synonymous with trembling in the bottom of your family¡¯s bunker while everybody else is trying to be useful, then?¡± he spat. That must have hit on at least a couple of true notes, because the man visibly jerked in place as his face reddened, snickers running through the onlookers. ¡°That is a preposterous accusation!¡± he shouted. ¡°Do you have any proof to support such a claim?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Eik answered with a casual shrug that belied the fury crushing his chest. ¡°But if you look around you, I think you¡¯ll be able to figure out whether I not I need to prove it for people to believe it.¡± Bart¡¯s two subordinates fidgeted as the large man spun comically on his feet, seeing the faces staring back. Regardless of the truth of Eik¡¯s claim, to a man as riled up as Sock Fist Bart, any expression, whether compassionate or indifferent, would have been swiftly morphed into scorn or ridicule by his mind. ¡°What are you all looking at?¡± he bellowed childishly. ¡°I will have your head for this!¡± Veins popped out on his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that,¡± Eik said with faux nonchalance. ¡°Do you want to start now? In front of everyone here.¡± He exposed his neck with a grin. Eik hoped that the two brain cells inside Bart¡¯s head would allow him to see the wisdom in keeping this conflict verbal until an occasion with fewer witnesses. If not for the lack of tusks protruding from his lower jaw, Sock Fist Bart could have believably been cosplaying as an orc as he stood there mulling over his options. Eik had to consciously hold back a sigh of relief when the man finally spoke, all ears sharpened for the conclusion. ¡°This is not the last time we will see each other, store clerk,¡± he warned, voice menacingly steady. His gaze passed over the crowd as he directed part of his speech to them. ¡°Although I would never even dream of harming you, you should remember that the world isn¡¯t as safe a place as you seem to believe it to be. Watch your back.¡± If his heart hadn¡¯t been in his throat, Eik might have rolled his eyes at the ridiculous villain monologue. The fact that Bart could likely follow through on his threats soured the amusement. Eik remained silent as Bart turned to leave. ¡°Olivia Valkiri won¡¯t be able to help you anymore.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Only Heath¡¯s arm around his shoulder stopped Eik from running his mouth even further. ¡°Mate¡­¡± his friend drawled, looking at Eik with wide eyes. ¡°That might have been the dumbest thing I have ever seen anyone do. Do you know who that guy is?¡± ¡°I realized, yes¡­¡± Eik said and plopped onto a stool with a sigh, burying his face in hands. ¡°Why did you act like that?¡± Michael asked. ¡°I¡¯m not good at keeping my mouth shut, but when he started blabbing about Olivia, I just couldn¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°That was stupid,¡± Sonja stated, arms crossed over her chest. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°That big jerk is going to come after you again,¡± she continued. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s going to do more than blab next time.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Eik was sinking into the ground word by word. ¡°What the hell are you going to do?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Avoid him?¡± Sonja gave him a raised eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Look, can we talk about this another time?¡± Eik said with exasperation. ¡°I just want to get paid and get something to drink.¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Heath said and led the way to the counter for processing of their finding. Not only raw materials, but also new discoveries like the bison and the lake in the forest were eligible for rewards. Since the discovery of the new great lake still hadn¡¯t been confirmed by another party, the reward was withheld for now, but the proof of the Awakened bison qualified for immediate payment. They ordered drinks and food at Mission Central and brought it outside to walk around as they ate. The whole experience of the day, both their foray into the new forest and the encounter with Sock Fist Bart, had put a sense of restlessness in them, so they didn¡¯t feel like just sitting around. They strolled through the streets, eating rolled flatbread stuffed with meat, vegetables, and a creamy dressing. Mission Central made better food than Eik would have expected. A lot of residences that people had spent years making into new homes¡ªsafe places for their loved ones to enjoy some semblance of a normal life¡ªhad been left in ruins with precious, personal possessions still scattered among the wood and brick. It was a sad sight, and it made Eik wonder about his own family back in Copenhagen. Were they well? Were they even alive? There was no longer a way to contact them, and no way to go home. Many people had died nine years ago, and many still died all the time to this day. Parents with long buried children finally losing the will to continue. Orphans with little to no guidance from proper adults ending up involved with people who only seek to use them for their own gain. Eik stopped on a corner, staring at a ruin a couple of buildings down. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Michael asked. The broken half of a hand painted sign was visible among the rubble. The green letters with the red outline had become synonymous with a purpose. ¡®¡ªent Elixirs¡¯ was the only legible part of the sign. ¡°That,¡± Eik said, his gaze firmly on the destruction. ¡°is my life. That is Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in ruins,¡± Michael muttered, staring. Eik gave him a look. ¡°Are you going to rebuild?¡± Heath asked. Eik stared at his broken store for a moment, the thoughts swirling around in his head. ¡°I¡¯d like to rebuild one day, but it¡¯s just not easy to figure out how,¡± he said and pulled out his wooden plaque. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m an Awakened now. My life¡¯s not going to be the same. I¡¯m not going to have as much time to devote to it anymore.¡± ¡°Get some employees,¡± Heath smiled. Eik laughed. ¡°Ha! Good point.¡± He knelt down and rummaged through the upper layer of rubble, uncovering a few shelves along with some broken bottles and crushed pills. Nothing seemed recoverable. ¡°Are you coming?¡± Michael asked him, kicking a roof tile across the street. Eik shook his head. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to stay for a bit longer, you guys. I just need a little time to think.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eik spent the next couple of hours just digging around his property, reminiscing. The world was going to shit once again. Eventually he headed home, picking up some fish to fry on the way home. His cat would love that. *** Eik awoke to the sound of commotion outside. His bedroom was a wooden platform raised above the main room on thick wooden pillars. Being close to the ceiling was comfortable. The hole in his wall allowed most sound from the street to flow inside, but whatever was happening outside right now was chaos beyond the usual. He sat up in bed, rubbing the gunk out of his eyes. Forced to move from her comfortable spot on his covers, Mis complained loudly as she strolled off towards the kitchen. Eik climbed down the ladder and went outside to take a look. It almost seemed like the whole neighborhood was visiting at each other¡¯s doors. Eik approached his neighbor who was speaking to two other at her door. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mrs. Clain?¡± he asked from his side of the fence. ¡°Eik,¡± she said, waving him closer. ¡°There¡¯s a fracture!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°In the middle of Central Square!¡± she whispered as if she was sharing a secret. ¡°It¡¯s right there in the middle of everything, but nothing¡¯s coming out.¡± ¡°I have to go,¡± Eik said, patting the nervous woman on the arm before running back to his house to get his things. On the way to Central Square the direction of the main flow was away from the apparent fracture, only a few people going the same way as him. The closer he got, the more the surrounding tension mounted. A fracture with no monsters? That didn¡¯t happen. When Eik got there, the fracture was surrounded completely by Awakened, weapons and magic at the ready. A situation like this had even high-rankers on alert. He even spotted the C-ranker Andrew Brooks barking orders on the opposite side of the square. The first monster out of that fracture would surely be vaporized in seconds with this kind of attack power. At first it was tense, Awakened whispering among one another, trying to anticipate what manner of horror might emerge from that alien portal. But as time passed, the unease faded and people began to sheathe their weapons and lower their guard, going so far as to even turn around to talk to the people behind them. Eik, however, never looked away. If the first monster to emerge was B-rank, or even just C-rank, he would need all the time he could get to escape. As he watched, a ripple ran through the surface of the fracture, the silent disturbance going unnoticed by many. When the second ripple, this time deeper, appeared, most people had drawn their weapons again. The third had enough force to bounce off the rim of the fracture and return toward the center of the glowing crack in space. A deep, ominous hum sounded as the fracture began to vibrate violently, the surface looking ready to tear open. The first thing that emerged was a foot. When the rest of the body followed, the scene was strange enough to freeze the onlookers in place. Nobody moved. What had come out of the fracture was not a monster, or even an Awakened beast. It was a woman clad in a long, intricately decorated robe. Chapter 14: No, Dont Take Me Away, Strange Woman Eik stared open-mouthed at the regal woman as she spun in place, her robe billowing around her like the blossom of a colorful bell flower. Her smile was wide and completely unconcerned with the hostility of the onlookers. Her mannerisms reminded Eik more of a stage performer than the spearhead of an inter-dimensional attack force. Alien entity invading Earth through a spatial wormhole was not the first notion that would pop into anybody¡¯s mind when they looked at her. Besides her rather strange attire, there really wasn¡¯t anything that made her stand out as a being from a different world. Maybe her bright, bubblegum pink, shoulder-length hair could have put off a grumpy, old man somewhere, but even that wouldn¡¯t have been that odd of a sight nine years ago. As her little performance seemed to come to an end, her vivid, blue eyes scanned the crowd with uncontained curiosity. But for a moment her intense gaze met Eik¡¯s, sending a shiver through him. There was something deep in those eyes. Something ominous. Even with her strange behavior, that gaze was filled with power. More power than he had ever seen. More power than Sock Fist Bart. More power than Andrew Brooks or the spear woman Cecilia. And more power than even Olivia. It was a power that felt utterly bottomless. If this woman decided to drop the good humor and pleasant demeanor she had displayed thus far, nobody in Forest would be able to rival her. She could annihilate them all. Eik could sense it. But her eyes never lingered on him, because unlike the strength that he had seen in her, she saw nothing special in him. He was an F-ranker. He was a nobody. She was being bombarded with shouts from everywhere at once, orders to get on the ground or surrender herself, but she didn¡¯t appear to care about any of that whatsoever. She just kept looking around at them. Her gaze finally locked onto a man standing in the front of the circle, a little more than 90 degrees from Eik¡¯s position in the circle. She raised a hand, palm inward, and gestured for him to approach with a casual gesture of her finger, a motion he didn¡¯t obey. Her smile never faltered. ¡°Bra¡¯askum minyo Atla kamatashi kulan makil.¡± she said, her tongue and lips twisting absurdly as she pronounced the nonsensical words. ¡°Di re gat mahum?¡± Her smile faltered somewhat when all she got in response from the man was a puzzled look of disbelief and caution. His posture spoke of a readiness to engage in battle at any moment, should she threaten them. ¡°Huntashi ayan kura¡¯am gihan mukubu?¡± she seemed to ask, even as her voice was challenged by a dozen others. She caught an arrow an inch from her eye, studying the projectile for a moment before snapping the shaft in two between her fingers. She looked around the large circle of hostile Awakened again with confusion, appearing to find no recognition in the faces of those she spoke to. The arrow she threw aside as if it hadn¡¯t been a direct attempt at her life. She felt around her throat with her fingers, pressing here and there before she eventually cleared her throat and spoke again. ¡°¤³¤ì¤Ç·Ö¤«¤ë¤ó¤À¤í¤¦£¿¤Í£¿Í¨ÔUÄÜÁ¦¤Î…âÎĤò¤«¤±¤¿¥ä¥Ä¤òÒŠ¤Ä¤±¤¿¤é¤Ö¤Ãïw¤Ð¤¹¤¾£¡¡± When the man for whom she had gestured to approach simply looked back at his comrades with a look of pure confusion, she put her hands on her hips, looking miffed with the whole situation. She poked around her throat some more, aah¡¯ing like a sound technician doing a microphone test. ¡°Ah ah, aaaah. Aaaaaaaaaaahh. Seriously? Somebody¡¯s going to get an earful for this crap when I get back.¡± The man raised his hand with hesitation at that. ¡°Uuh, we understood that one.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to have the slightest clue about how to best deal with a situation as peculiar as this. Many onlookers were clearly eager to just go on the offensive against the stranger, but this man must have noticed the same might in the woman with the pink hair as Eik had, because his look of caution was mixed with a healthy portion of fear. For one comical second, her face was astonishment incarnate, quickly replaced by an explosion of unabashed glee. ¡°You got that?¡± she beamed. ¡°Yesss!¡± If not for the terrifying depths of power Eik had witnessed in her eyes just moments earlier, he might have chuckled at the sight of the bubblegum-haired woman pumping her fist up and down in delight. She cleared her throat once more. ¡°Let me reiterate then. My name is Atla of the Nidafjeld Alliance. May I ask who you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Travis Lockwood. B-ranker. What do you want?¡± he asked with narrowed eyes, energy crackling in his palm. So that was Travis Lockwood. Eik obviously knew of the man, being a B-ranker and all. Olivia had spoken well of him, but not highly. Apparently he wasn¡¯t terribly interested in the politics of power in Forest, so he did his best to avoid participating. Eik had always sympathized with that notion. Seeing him step up like this, when it mattered most, only reinforced Eik¡¯s opinion of the B-ranker. ¡°Lovely to meet you, Travis Lockwood,¡± she said and pulled out a stack of papers from her robe, clearing her throat for a third time. ¡°Dear inhabitants of TX497¡ª¡± ¡°Stop, lady, stop!¡± Travis said briskly. ¡°Are you from¡­ Earth?¡± ¡°Earth? Is that what you call your world here?¡± she asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m from the Nidafjeld Alliance, one of the greatest and most influential societies in the Unified Mass.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± she said and looked back to her notes. ¡°Dear inhabitants of TX497¡ª81414, my name is Atla and I am from the Nidafjeld Alliance. As a major authority within the Unified Mass, we¡¯d like to extend a sincere welcome to your people as you enter the second phase of your induction.¡± She looked up and around the crowd, smiling warmly. ¡°Furthermore, as a show of good will and trust, we¡¯d like to invite you to become a part of the Nidafjeld Alliance. Your very existence as a civilization newly inducted into the Unified Mass is a perilous one. We¡¯d like to stand by your side as you find your footing in your new normal.¡± Ten out of ten for the sales pitch, but Eik doubted the leadership would jump on board with some vague bull crap like that. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°And the other settlements on Earth? Surely there must be many besides us. What did they say to this little tactic of yours?¡± Travis pressed. She smiled. ¡°We only have the coordinates to your city for now but if I find something interesting here, then I¡¯m satisfied with that. We can talk to other survivors later.¡± It was impossible to tell if she was speaking the truth, or if she had simply annihilated the ones who declined. Travis eyed her with suspicion, backing away slowly toward the other high-rankers behind him. ¡°Could you just give me a moment?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to confer with my colleagues.¡± She waved for him to go ahead. They spoke for a a good while, never taking their eyes off her or their hands off their weapons. Atla simply looked around at the buildings and people curiously or studied her notes without the slightest hint of impatience. Finally, Travis returned his attention to the pink-haired woman. ¡°Can we get some time to think about it?¡± Neutral, soft rejection it was then, as Eik had expected. Atla pouted with hands on her hips and tilted her head. Eik sincerely hoped she wasn¡¯t annoyed. ¡°You know, I¡¯d really rather have an answer now, but I understand. It¡¯s not an easy decision,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Travis said with a respectful bow. ¡°Let me just say,¡± she continued. ¡°If, for some reason, you decide to decline our offer, you will not be making us your enemy. However, it will leave you vulnerable to attack from other civilizations. As your world receives and assimilates the forces and energies of the Unified Mass, it gradually becomes capable of supporting the presence of stronger beings.¡± She pointed to herself with a thumb. ¡°You¡¯re protected for now, the Upper Laws of the Unified Mass proclaiming you as a warded civilization, but that is only going to last for so long, and then you¡¯ll have to fend for yourself.¡± Her tone was matter-of-fact, but the implications were frightening. This was only the beginning. What had yet to come would be more than what they could handle. ¡°I understand,¡± Travis said, his mouth a thin line. ¡°Nonetheless, I think we would appreciate some time to think.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfectly understandable,¡± she said with a smile that was hopefully genuine. Atla knelt on the cobblestones and gathered her papers into a neat stack before she stood back up. ¡°I appreciate the calm reception,¡± she said, as if she hadn¡¯t been shot at, and shook Travis Lockwood¡¯s proffered hand with an expression of puzzlement. ¡°It¡¯s more common than not to be met with¡ª¡± A commotion on the opposite side of the circle from Eik drew Travis and Atla¡¯s attention away from their conversation. Before long the front rows began to undulate as people were pushed to the side by something. A bald, beefy man emerged from the crowd, clad almost exclusively in skins and furs that made him look like a barbarian. The man took a moment to decipher the situation he had put himself in the middle of. He looked pissed. He was next to Travis in a second. Atla back stepped a bit, likely sensing a drastic change in the tension. ¡°What is going on here?¡± the muscle-bound man bellowed with impressive volume. Travis tried to put a hand on the newcomer¡¯s shoulder but it was batted away without a glance. Atla bowed, respectfully but with not a hint of fear. ¡°I apologize for the late introduction. My name is At¡ª¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, stranger!¡± the man shouted. ¡°You speak when I say you can speak! I am Boulder Fist Gary, the rightful head of this city.¡± That little assertion was news to Eik and likely a majority of the other people present. Atla, too, glanced at Travis for confirmation, but the man only sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else than here dealing with this crap. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with both of you then,¡± Atla said casually. ¡°No, you speak to me!¡± Gary insisted and then looked her up and down, arms crossed over his bulky chest. ¡°But I still haven¡¯t decided if you¡¯re worth it. You seem¡­ weak.¡± Atla failed to hold back a grin. Maybe the main villain act was a clich¨¦ in her world as well. ¡°You dare laugh at me?¡± Boulder Fist Gary spat, revealing exactly where his dopey son got his attitude from. ¡°I meant no offense,¡± Atla said calmly. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he said, squaring up and staring down the woman who was now standing by the fracture some fifteen meters away. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to test whether or not you¡¯re worth my time.¡± He cracked his neck and took a low stance, stretching as he got ready to launch himself at the envoy of the Nidafjeld Alliance. Eik held his breath as his heart galloped in his chest, eyes never leaving the scene. Travis just stepped back and let it happen, looking almost relieved that he got to wash his hands of the situation. ¡°Clench your teeth!¡± Gary roared and rushed forth in an explosion of dust and cobblestones. When he made it halfway to Atla she suddenly disappeared from sight. She reappeared again in a blur of motion right in front of the advancing Boulder Fist, pink hair and vividly colored robe billowing as she spun in a massive wind-up. With the speed at which she was moving, Gary might as well have been in slow motion as she rammed her tiny fist into his meaty paw. His large hand crumbled like a structure made of sand, the shock wave from her punch sending Gary flying back and into the ground, his body tearing up the square violently. As the man came to a stop near the edge of the circle and the dust settled, one could have heard a needle fall to the floor. People looked at one another as Atla walked toward Gary who lay silent in a heap of furs and dirt. Before she made it to him, he started screaming and rolled over onto his back as he clutched his pulverized hand against his chest. When Atla stepped up to him, he howled up at her, face red as a tomato. ¡°You broke my hand, you filthy rat!¡± She let him scream at her for a good ten seconds while everybody looked on. Then she raised her hand, palm open, and slapped him so hard across the face that Eik thought his own eardrums might pop. B-ranker Boulder Fist Gary, one of the strongest individuals in Forest, landed face-first in the dirt, the small, alien woman towering above him like a tiger towering over an ant, looking down on him as if from the peak of a mountain. ¡°Anyway,¡± she said, clapping her hands as the good-natured smile reappeared. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll let you figure out what you want to do then,¡± She turned to Travis Lockwood and bowed respectfully. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to your response. I¡¯ll be back in a few sun cycles,¡± she said and pointed to the sky. Then she turned to the man she had beaten into unconsciousness. ¡°It was fun to meet you too, Bo¡ª, uuh, what was it again?¡± ¡°Boulder Fist Gary,¡± somebody said from the crowd. ¡°Right, right. It was fun, Boulder Fist Gary.¡± Atla began marching back toward the fracture, papers tucked under her arm, and Eik felt something well up in him. As she neared the portal, he knew she would be gone soon and that he might never get this close to her again. The words were already out before he could stop it. ¡°Wait!¡± Eik¡¯s voice echoed across the city square and he felt a thousand eyes on him. The hands that had just relaxed as Atla had turned to leave flew back to the weapons. Atla had stopped, only a couple of meters from the fracture, and now she was looking at him with that intense gaze again. He would have thrown up if he didn¡¯t need his mouth to talk. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked. ¡°I, uuh¡­¡± Eik¡¯s mouth was dry as a desert and it felt as if his throat had tied a knot on itself. He felt dizzy. Atla tilted her head in curiosity but remained silent. ¡°I-I¡ª, my sister¡­ she¡¯s sick. Poisoned! I have to help her. I need to! Please, help me¡­¡± he managed to say, tears threatening to push through, but he steeled himself against it. For seconds, all was quiet. Even Atla seemed a little taken aback by Eik¡¯s outburst. She put her chin to her palm, pursing her lips as if trying to decide between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Then her thoughtful expression morphed into a grin. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaalright!¡± she said, the sound of her voice warping surreally as she vanished and reappeared right in front of him in the blink of an eye. Without another word, Atla grabbed Eik by the collar of his shirt and hurled him, effortlessly and nonchalantly, the entire distance to and through the fracture. Chapter 15: Headquarters Eik prepared to land on his feet, but the moment he entered the fracture, everything changed. What had been up became down. Left became right. Front became back. His brain could not make sense of what was going on. This was not something that should happen to a human. But before he could even begin to comprehend what was going on around him, he got a mouthful of grass as the air was knocked out of him. With how much his head was spinning, Eik couldn¡¯t quite seem to get his feet under him. ¡°Hrust vi kek, di re gi runka men gigi mandraka?¡± a gentle voice said. For some reason it was as if he had been sleeping for an entire night, because Eik found it impossible to open his eyes more than a crack for the blinding sun light above. ¡°Drik di gravask vi ran mo?¡± the voice seemed to ask. It sounded like a young man. Blocking the light with a hand in front of his face, Eik tried to get a glimpse of the person, but all he could see was a dark silhouette. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, mate,¡± he gasped. ¡°Can¡¯t you turn on that translation thing your friend used?¡± Then it struck him where he was and for a moment he hesitated. ¡°Also¡­ please don¡¯t kill me,¡± he added. The man kept talking as he reached down and hauled Eik to his feet by the forearm. This guy, like Atla, looked entirely human. His hair was black, unlike her bubblegum pink, so he looked even more ordinary. He didn¡¯t have a beard. Not just in the sense that he was clean shaven, but in the sense that there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of hair growth on his face. He looked like an adult, but maybe that was simply something his particular kind of human didn¡¯t have. Maybe they had evolved out of it. Eik scratched his own chin where week-old stubble grew in dark strands. ¡°Where am I?¡± he tried, harboring little hope for an intelligible answer. ¡°Di kun wahuni kana,¡± the man said with a puzzled expression. ¡°Right¡­ Of course.¡± The man walked up to the fracture and circled it once before coming back to Eik, who was looking around the place he had landed. A domed ceiling of smooth, white stone encompassed most of the space, low, undecorated walls completing an almost perfect half sphere. There was only one exit, but a large opening in the peak of the dome let in plenty of natural light. For some reason, instead of the same white stone for the floor, a well kept, lusciously green lawn with an old fruit tree growing peacefully in the middle provided a sense of comfort even for Eik in his situation. ¡°Drik di Atla gigi miindara ran?¡± the man said, pointing indicatively at the still open fracture. ¡°Atla?¡± Eik asked pointedly and gestured to the fracture as well. ¡°She. Threw. Me,¡± he said, enunciating every word. ¡°Through. The. Fracture,¡± ¡°Like. A. Maniac.¡± He tapped his temple with a finger. ¡°She is¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Atla said, stepping out of the fracture without the slightest hint of discombobulation. ¡°What am I?¡± Eik spun in surprise, inhaling sharply. ¡°B-Beautiful and benevolent!¡± ¡°Ka re gi runka men gigi mandraka?¡± the man asked her. ¡°He¡¯s the new ambassador between the Nidafjeld Alliance and TX497-81414. He¡¯s a weakling, though,¡± she said. Eik ¡°I understood that, you know¡­¡± he muttered. Standing next to her and talking like this was a very different feeling compared to watching her from afar as she overwhelmed the leaders of his city. It felt more intimate, and most of the pressure she had exerted back there had been withdrawn. ¡°Ah, right, sorry,¡± Atla giggled. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t remember agreeing to anything like an ambassadorship.¡± The man asked something else and Atla prioritized answering him. ¡°He was the only interesting one there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a regular guy, though,¡± Eik said. ¡°Of the more than a thousand Awakened surrounding me, among whom you were one of the weakest, by the way, who was the only one who called out to me?¡± she countered. ¡°What about Travis Lockwood?¡± She smiled. ¡°I picked him out myself because he was the strongest there. I didn¡¯t leave him much choice in the matter, did I?¡± ¡°Boulder Fist Gary? All the others who shouted or shot arrows?¡± Eik tried, but all he got in response to that one was a skeptical raise of her eyebrow. ¡°But you said it yourself. I¡¯m weak.¡± ¡°People start out weak. Then they get strong.¡± She said it so matter-of-factly that he didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I see you thinking that I picked you randomly because I don¡¯t take this seriously. That is not the case. I¡¯m looking for someone with grit and guts. Not necessarily strength. I¡¯m not just looking to recruit one of your established leaders who¡¯s going to tell me whatever I want to hear to manipulate a better deal. I want someone who can become a true link in a long-lasting relationship and you look like a fine candidate.¡± ¡°This seems like an awful way to do it.¡± She laughed. ¡°We probably do it differently than you¡¯re used to, huh?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel very formal,¡± he agreed. ¡°It is and it isn¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°The alliance itself is certainly a formal and very complicated pact, but the relationship between you and I, and whoever you come to know from our side,¡± she said and gestured to the man. ¡°should not be only that. We need trust between us.¡± Eik looked to the black haired man, but he didn¡¯t offer much support either. Eventually he sat back down in the grass, cursing under his breath. ¡°So you said you¡¯d help me?¡± ¡°Will you do as I request and act as the link between the Nidafjeld Alliance and your Earth?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Can I think about it?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Alright, but not for too long. Are you hungry?¡± Eik looked up at her with a frown. ¡°You said you¡¯d help me.¡± ¡°And I will. Does it look like I have anything here, in this bare room?¡± she said, gesturing widely. ¡°No¡­¡± he said and got up. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go.¡± When they got outside, two guards posted on each side of the exit looked at Eik with some suspicion, but he barely noticed that as his eyes were glued to the view. They were on a hill, raised above a sprawling city below. The domed building from which they¡¯d come appeared to be the sole structure up here, otherwise surrounded by a small copse of trees. The buildings down below appeared to be mostly single and double story. Countless splotches of green scattered among the houses spoke of a fondness for nature. In the center, an indescribably large palace stood in stark contrast to the rest of the city, several pointy spires reaching for the clouds like the tallest of skyscrapers. What appeared to be natural rock formation elevated the palace above the rest of the city in a way that made it look as if a giant hand had simply reached down and placed it haphazardly on top of everything that was already there. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± Eik mumbled. ¡°This is the host world for the Nidafjeld Alliance and that,¡± she said with a grin, pointing to the palace. ¡°is the headquarters of the Alliance.¡± ¡°The rest of the city looks kind of¡­¡± ¡°Ordinary?¡± she finished for him. ¡°Even here, there are plenty of ordinary people with no personal ties to the Nidafjeld Alliance. And many people aren¡¯t interested in growing powerful. They just want to live their lives quietly with their families. Is Earth not the same?¡± Eik shrugged. He couldn¡¯t deny that. Her eyes caught his, that same depth and intensity from back in Forest assaulting his senses and making his stomach drop. He swallowed. ¡°How strong are you? Are you stronger than B-rank?¡± he found himself asking, curiosity momentarily taking control. All he got back was a playful smile. They descended the hill, a winding, well-trodden dirt path leading all the way to the bottom. The houses were mostly square structures made of wood and stone, and not particularly alien-looking at all. ¡°Surprised?¡± Atla asked. ¡°It just reminds me quite a bit of home. And people look human too.¡± ¡°A lot of the sentient races that make it this far tend to share similarities, both physically and emotionally. Not always, mind you, but more often than you might have expected.¡± Children ran past in play, neighbors talked on each other¡¯s doorsteps, and people tended to their gardens in peace. It felt very familiar. ¡°Did you come to Earth because we¡¯re the same?¡± he asked. Atla pursed her lips. ¡°Hmm, I guess there¡¯s some truth to that, yes, but we also have many allies with whom you would probably feel little initial kinship. Like a race of four-armed people who evolved from insects, bodies covered in chitin and with glossy, black eyes with no pupil you can see your own reflection in. They¡¯re quite amicable, though,¡± she laughed. ¡°Ah,¡± she said and pointed down the street. ¡°See that old, rusty sign there? That¡¯s one of my favorite places to eat around here.¡± Eik eyed her with an expression of disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s your favorite place? Aren¡¯t you rich?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just nice to get away from all those self-important types from the palace sometimes, you know?¡± she told him. ¡°The people around here are just more¡ª¡± She was interrupted as a man crashed through one of the windows of the tavern they were headed for, glass shards scattering across the street. Another man kicked the door open and started beating his downed opponent, taking a few solid fists to the gut himself. They looked like F-rankers, or maybe E-rankers. Atla stepped around the pair and led the way to a vacant table inside. ¡°¡ªrelaxed and down to earth,¡± she finished, drawing glances from Eik and the black haired man, who had come with them from the domed arrival building. She ordered three of whatever she was having as she told Eik about Earth¡¯s new status quo. The Unified Mass, as all the Awakened had received messages about on their wooden plaques, was the term that described the collection of worlds that had been inducted as Earth had. That was, as far as the peoples of the oldest worlds knew, the origin of the super powers. Countless worlds had been inducted, and countless had been annihilated. The Unified Mass was not a peaceful place to exist, and one needed allies to survive. The Nidafjeld Alliance was one such collection of allies, and all the civilizations within enjoyed the benefits of the covenant. ¡°Say I agree to be the middleman between Earth and the Nidafjeld Alliance, where would I live?¡± She set down her cup of whatever it was and stuck a fork-like utensil into some kind of meat. ¡°Wherever you want, basically.¡± ¡°Could I stay on Earth?¡± he asked, perking up. ¡°Ob cors,¡± she assured him through a mouthful of food and swallowed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to visit us here sometimes, of course, but otherwise you¡¯re pretty free to choose.¡± Eik nodded, chewing on both Atla¡¯s words and on whatever this duck-like meat was. It was delicious. Better even than roast duck on Earth. ¡°What is this anyway?¡± he asked, holding up a piece. ¡°Brisik.¡± ¡°Is it some kind of bird?¡± ¡°No, it lives underground, actually.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± he said, giving the meat another glance. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen now?¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯ll show you around the headquarters. Or at least some of it,¡± she said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up from her chair. ¡°There¡¯s also something else I¡¯d like to check,¡± she said cryptically. ¡°Mikla, can you¡­?¡± She waved a finger in circles, glancing at the black haired man, whose name seemed to be Mikla. He looked at her like she was crazy. ¡°Koko kade di mub jira¡¯an gu gelga shi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me and just do it!¡± she said with mock irritation. Mikla rolled his eyes and chopped the air with a swift motion, drawing a narrow, glowing line through space. A second later it expanded into a small, person-sized fracture that cracked into existence with a hum like a light saber. Despite knowing that they must have been able to produce fractures somehow, given that Atla had come out of one, seeing this man literally draw one out of empty air was heart-stopping. The rest of the patrons quickly moved to the walls, shock painted on their faces, whispered words exchanged among them. Eik couldn¡¯t help but fear the fracture, expecting monsters to flood out at any moment. Atla made to grasp the collar of his shirt again, but he stepped back, raising his hands. ¡°Hey, wait, wait. I can do it myself this time!¡± He stepped through, grumbling to himself. This time was not nearly as stomach-turning or mind-twisting, and Eik managed to keep his feet under him as he stumbled into a large, well-lit hallway, windows spanning from floor to ceiling on both sides. Shortly after, both Atla and Mikla followed, the fracture seeming to swallow itself as it disappeared. ¡°What is this place?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Headquarters,¡± she said. ¡°Is it okay for me to be here?¡± He didn¡¯t want some B-ranker to mistake him for an intruder and transform him into a red mist with a casual backhand. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, you can be wherever I take you. But don¡¯t wander off, okay?¡± He nodded, his heart picking up speed as everything suddenly became even more real. How the hell had he gotten himself into the halls of the headquarters of an inter-dimensional super alliance? As they walked down the very long, window-lined hall, Atla pointed to things outside and told him tidbits of information. Numerous courtyards and gardens made for a diverse environment within the palace grounds. They passed several training areas where people were either sparring or practicing by themselves or with instruction, using all kinds of abilities. ¡°Do you practice here as well?¡± he asked Atla. She followed his gaze. ¡°Not usually, no. I can¡¯t really train seriously here. We have other, sturdier grounds elsewhere.¡± At some point, they turned down one of the many branching walkways that led outside. They came to a stop by one of several raised stone platforms where Awakened practiced. Boys and girls in their early teens were listening to instructions from a bald, brawny man with tattoos down his shoulders, who would have reminded Eik of Older Fist Gary if not for his seemingly calm and kind demeanor. ¡°What rank are those kids?¡± Eik asked. Mikla, who had left and come back after getting somebody to use a translation ability on him, answered. ¡°Probably mostly F-rank.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they have passed F-rank by now, being that old?¡± Eik wondered. ¡°Kids don¡¯t awaken until they reach a certain physical and mental maturity, so they¡¯re all fresh.¡± Eik watched a bit more, eyes wandering to a spar on the adjacent platform, where two fighters wielding swords danced around each other, exchanging cautious blows. They seemed to share a style. Suddenly Atla clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright, I guess that kid will do,¡± she said to herself and pointed at one of the teens on the platform. ¡°Do what?¡± Eik asked. She looked at him with a wide smile, seeming to enjoy herself immensely. ¡°Why, fight with you, of course.¡± Chapter 16: Worldbreaker Eik stared open-mouthed at Atla, whose smile never faltered. ¡°You-You want me to what, sorry?¡± he stammered. ¡°I¡¯m saying I want you to fight that kid over there. I want to know what the new guy is capable of, and it¡¯ll benefit the kid¡¯s growth as well. Win win, I¡¯d say.¡± Eik looked around. The lecture above had stopped and both the instructor and the kids were eyeing their conversation. ¡°I, uuh¡­ I don¡¯t know about this, Atla.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine,¡± she said and waved the instructor over. ¡°I want to set up a match between my friend here and the blonde boy over there. Are you okay with that?¡± Atla had a short conversation with the tattooed instructor and Eik turned to Mikla. ¡°Can I get a translation thing on me? I have no clue what anybody but you two are saying.¡± Mikla nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out soon.¡± After another minute of talking, the instructor walked away. ¡°Where¡¯s he going?¡± Eik asked. ¡°I asked him to get a healer, just in case.¡± ¡°Oh, great¡­¡± Eik drawled. ¡°How do you fight, Eik?¡± Mikla asked. Eik brandished the hectona fang. ¡°My main thing is the [Toxic] ability.¡± ¡°A pretty dangerous skill. And is that your weapon?¡± Eik nodded, handing it over for Mikla to inspect. ¡°It was the best thing I could find that complimented my skill. I only awakened a week ago and we were overrun by monsters.¡± ¡°I wonder who¡¯s targeting you,¡± Mikla wondered out loud, scratching his chin in thought. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, somebody¡¯s sending those monsters through the fracture to cull your fighters. I¡¯m just wondering what faction it is. I hope they¡¯re not members of the Nidafjeld Alliance as we generally frown upon invasions of new worlds.¡± ¡°Are you saying someone¡¯s been sending all those monsters to kill us for almost ten years? To kill my family?¡± Eik said, a spark of rage growing into a hot flame in his stomach. Mikla was silent for a while, seeming taken aback by the question. ¡°I apologize. I thought you knew.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Eik asked, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°That is very difficult to say with any kind of certainty,¡± Mikla said, clearly uncomfortable with the tension of the topic. ¡°Maybe if I could see some of the monsters, I could make a guess, but you must remember that there are many, many civilizations out there capable of sending forces like that.¡± ¡°Would Earth¡¯s membership in the Nidafjeld Alliance stop the attacks?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Not if they¡¯re relatively small in scale as you¡¯ve described. We don¡¯t usually interfere with matters like that,¡± Mikla said, shaking his head. ¡°What we would do, however, is deter S-rankers or even an X-ranker from traveling to Earth the moment your atmosphere becomes capable of holding their presence.¡± ¡°And that could happen?¡± The notion tied knots in Eik¡¯s stomach. Mikla shrugged. ¡°It certainly wouldn¡¯t be the first time. While the Upper Laws of the Unified Mass protect you from dedicated, full-scale invasions while your world is still in its infancy, that will not be the case forever.¡± he said, looking at Eik somberly. ¡°Soon, A-rankers could arrive en masse to slaughter your peoples if you don¡¯t have an allied force like the Nidafjeld Alliance to back you.¡± To a skeptical ear it could sound a little too convenient that this Nidafjeld Alliance showed up on Earth¡¯s doorstep when things were starting to take a turn for the worse, but at the same time it made complete sense that an organization like the Nidafjeld Alliance would exist and thrive in a cosmically ancient, multidimensional macrocosm filled with hostility and super powers. With humanity¡¯s currently limited perspective, the only thing they could really do was trust what they could see. And thus far, siding with the Nidafjeld Alliance, whose representative had displayed the capability to obliterate their entire settlement single-handedly, was looking a bit more appealing. At least for now. When the tattooed instructor returned with another man, Atla stepped up onto the stage and shooed off all but the blonde boy she had picked out earlier. She turned to Eik and waved him up. Feeling all eyes boring into his back, even from the adjacent platforms, Eik ascended the stone steps, heart pounding away like a forging hammer. Even as he stepped toward the middle of the stage, people were gathering around the edges to watch the match. Great¡­ ¡°Kim di gahu lom naru wa,¡± the blonde boy chosen to be Eik¡¯s opponent said with a respectful bow. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Eik stared blankly for a few seconds, eliciting a frown from the boy, before Atla translated for him. ¡°Nice to meet you, is what he said.¡± ¡°Oh, nice to meet you too,¡± Eik said with a nod. The boy looked slightly miffed, but nodded back nonetheless. ¡°Five steps back, each of you,¡± Atla ordered, raising both hands. Eik saw a fire appear in the boy¡¯s eyes as they stared each other down, waiting for the signal. ¡°Fight!¡± Atla shouted, and the blonde boy was immediately advancing like a hunting dog, drawing a pair of knives. Eik drew the hectona venom fang and danced away to the side, keeping tight to the edge of the stage. The boy course corrected and kept going straight for Eik. Before he made it all the way to Eik, he threw one of the knives, the blade taking Eik by surprised and drawing a shallow but bloody gash across his thigh. The boy had thrown away one of his two weapons immediately after the match began, so Eik saw his chance to rush in for a fight at an advantage. Before he reached him, a grin crept onto the blonde boy¡¯s as he whipped back his empty hand violently, Eik¡¯s back exploding in pain. He gasped as warmth spread out from his lower back. There was an almost invisible string wrapped around the boy¡¯s finger connected to the flying knife. The boy whirled his arm again and the knife was ripped painfully from Eik¡¯s back, returning to its owner¡¯s hand. Swallowing the pain, Eik went on the offensive, ducking under a quick lunge and triggering [Movement Boost] to get an edge. His body began to spin as every part of him sped up, and his feet skidded on the unpolished tile floor, almost bringing him to down in a clumsy fall. He knew he¡¯d succeeded when the hectona fang hooked in the back of the boy¡¯s thigh, causing his young opponent to yelp in surprise as the weapon went deep enough to bury a third of the length. Eik was hesitant to go all out as he had on the monsters, so he tried to only pump in a bit of his Profound Toxin. The boy cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his leg as spasms ran through it. It was a difficult thing to watch, and doubly so knowing that he was responsible, the blue, luminescent substance oozing out of the wound, mixing with the flowing blood. Eik¡¯s back wound throbbed, but he was better off than the boy. He approached his opponent at a slow walk, a hand on his side to quench his own bleeding. He was reaching out to help the boy to his feet when he was sliced across the palm, the sting jolting his hand like a shock of electricity. The knife-wielder kicked off with his good leg, blood still pouring from his leg, a crazed look in his eyes. With a howl the boy was upon him, knife raised above his head, skill and technique seemingly forgotten. Eik hopped back, whipping his hand at the boy, spattering his skin with globules of Profound Toxin covering his eyes and face, the kid went down for a second time, screaming and clawing at his eyes. This time, Eik approached with caution, hectona fang at the ready, the toxin already flowing freely from the tip. If his opponent had been that ready to ignore his leg wound just to win a simple training match, then Eik would trust the healer as well and not hold back anymore. His opponent was already beginning to weaken, growing quieter by the second as his movements became sluggish and aimless. Triggering [Movement Boost], he dove towards the downed knife-wielder, who looked up just in time to see Eik whirl away in front of his eyes, appearing on his back like a predator as the fang descended. Eik had just seen Atla out of the corner of his eye, as he attacked, half a second earlier, spectating from the side with an intense frown on her face, and yet there her hand was, fingers wrapping around his weapon. Her grip was as if his hand had been encased in a block of concrete. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Eik,¡± she said, voice quiet. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡± Eik was breathing hard. Every muscle in his body was tense and it took seconds before he finally began to relax. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he breathed, letting the hectona fang drop to the tiles with a bony clink. ¡°But this is your fault.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, taken aback. Eik looked at her askance. ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± he asked, feeling his cheeks flush. ¡°You took me here and decided, on your own, that I have to fight some kid fifteen years my junior in a place I¡¯ve never been before, surrounded by people I¡¯ve never seen before,¡± he fumed, forgetting who he was talking to. ¡°And you¡¯re saying I¡¯ve done enough? I¡¯m scared, Atla! What was I supposed to do, huh? I sold medicine in my quiet little store until a week ago! I don¡¯t know how things work here!¡± Her grip on his hand loosened, but she didn¡¯t look remorseful. ¡°I should have stepped in earlier, but I don¡¯t regret testing you, Eik. I needed to see what kind of person you are.¡± He side-eyed her. ¡°Did I satisfy?¡± he grumbled, pulling his hand free of hers. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said with a crooked smile, patting his back and pulling him to the side as the healer worked on the boy, who appeared to have lost consciousness. ¡°Is that kid going to be okay?¡± Eik asked, throwing glances over his shoulder. Now that the fight was over and the kid was just lying there, remorse began to take a hold of him. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± she assured him. ¡°Deek is really good, so the kid will be walking around again soon.¡± ¡°Then why are they carrying him off like that?¡± Eik asked, pointing. Atla followed his finger, where the healer was disappearing somewhere with the boy thrown over his shoulder. ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked, some of the intensity from the city square back in Forest returning to her eyes. ¡°We just fought,¡± he said, holding his hands up placatingly. ¡°You use [Toxic], you said?¡± He hesitated. ¡°Show me your skill sheet,¡± she demanded, leading him away from the crowd with a hand on his shoulder. Her face told him that she was worried. ¡°Eik, it¡¯s important. Deek is just a C-ranker. We need to know if there¡¯s something going on!¡± He swallowed and fished out his wooden plaque, scratching the circle with three dots to draw out the sheet that would show his abilities. He was afraid. [Acquired Abilities:] [Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 24] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 5] [Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 3] ¡°Unique¡­¡± she muttered under her breath, face showing more emotion than he¡¯d ever seen her do. Eik couldn¡¯t quite tell whether she looked ready to kill him or praise him. ¡°You have a unique ability¡­ Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°Honestly, no, I don¡¯t have a clue,¡± he admitted. ¡°It means what it says,¡± she said, poking a finger in his chest. ¡°Nobody within the Unified Mass has this ability. It¡¯s a big deal. You should keep this secret.¡± ¡°But you know¡­¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s better for me as well to be the only one to know.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± he said, throat dry. ¡°What about the kid?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he gets some strong medicine,¡± she said as she turned to leave. ¡°You better keep it a secret, you hear! People will ignore alliances and covenants if they can cull a Unique Awakened before they climb the ranks. Unique skills are called Worldbreakers for a reason.¡± Then she vanished, leaving Eik to be overrun by kids asking him questions excitedly, none of which he could understand a word. Chapter 17: Rescue Mission When they managed to wrestle off the excited kids wanting to know what he had done to his sparring opponent, Mikla, the black haired man who could open fractures at will, took Eik to a room with a nice, springy bed, a sofa, tables, windows, a bathroom, and other amenities that made the whole place resemble a luxury apartment. ¡°What is this place?¡± Eik asked, biting into a round, red fruit from a bowl on the center table. It was so sour that he had to spit it back into his hand and throw it in the trash. ¡°Those are an acquired taste. I could have told you that, you know,¡± ¡°I¡¯m adventurous if nothing else,¡± Eik said. ¡°Really?¡± Mikla questioned as he bit into a fruit of his own. Eik didn¡¯t answer. ¡°This will be where you stay anytime you come to the headquarters.¡± Mikla continued as Atla came through the door, carrying a laced leather pouch which she held up for Eik to see. ¡°I have what I promised,¡± she announced. He ran up to her and looked into the pouch, where a single small, blue pill lay unprotected. ¡°Will this cure Olivia?¡± he asked, voice permeated with hope. ¡°Unfortunately, no. This will simply prevent her from succumbing to her condition before you¡¯re able to cure her.¡± Eik¡¯s hands clenched into fists around the leather pouch. ¡°You said you¡¯d save her¡­¡± ¡°I said I¡¯d help, and I am. We¡¯re only just getting to know each other, Eik. This is an expression of trust and goodwill. As the relationship between Earth and the Nidafjeld Alliance grows closer, so will the help and benefits we provide each other grow,¡± she said, eyes never wavering. ¡°She will not die if you give her this pill. I promise you that.¡± ¡°Is this another one of your tests? Pushing me to save her with my own abilities? I can¡¯t! It¡¯s something like a B-rank monster! Most people could never help me and the few people who could would never risk it just to save my sister and a few others, even if she¡¯s a benefit to the city!¡± Atla crossed her arms. ¡°You can think whatever you¡¯d like, but if you keep growing stronger you¡¯ll get to a point where you can solve the problem, one way or the other. Do you think that¡¯s unfair?¡± she asked. Eik deflated into a chair, feeling defeated. He didn¡¯t feel like answering. He was helpless. Anything they told him he would be forced to accept. This slim woman could annihilate one of Forest¡¯s strongest physical Awakened with a single punch, never breaking a sweat or even showing a hint of exertion. She was absolutely and utterly overwhelming. And she was nowhere near the top of the Unified Mass. Until now, B-rank had been the epitome of power in their world, but with the revelation of S-rank and even X-rank, were their strongest fighters now just molehills next to mountains piercing the tallest of clouds? Was there something more, even after X-rank? Their world had crumbled and rebuilt itself into something unrecognizable. No matter how one might think about Earth¡¯s predicament, joining the Nidafjeld Alliance seemed to be an undeniable necessity in their continued survival. All humans on Earth were on the brink of extermination, and it was on Eik to secure their only lifeline. Cold sweat ran down his back and he felt an urge to run to the bathroom. ¡°Excuse me!¡± he said as he closed the door behind him. Hopefully the high-ranking emissaries weren¡¯t listening. When he came back out he offered a deep, respectful bow. ¡°Thank you for the medicine. I will definitely pay you back for this favor.¡± She nodded with a pleased smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you mentioned it. You can pay it back now, if you¡¯d like.¡± The still bowing Eik¡¯s mouth tightened into a thin line as he stared at the floor in silence for a moment. ¡°¡­ Yes, certainly. What can I do for you?¡± he managed. Atla gestured to Mikla and he handed her the same stack of documents that she had been referring to when she came to visit them on Earth. She riffled through the many pages, tongue peeking out from the side of her mouth as she hummed to herself. ¡°Ah!¡± she exclaimed and fished out a couple of page from the middle of the stack. ¡°There just so happens to be something you can help us with,¡± she said ominously. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Are you up for a tiny inter-dimensional expedition?¡± ¡°Do I have to answer that?¡± he muttered apprehensively. Ignoring his discomfort, she pushed on. ¡°A couple of weeks ago, one of our F-rank trainee teams was lost on a new world. We need someone to go to that world and find them. Are you up for that?¡± ¡°Uuh, why don¡¯t you go? You could stuff my whole body into a can of cat food if you wanted to. Surely someone like me isn¡¯t fit for something like this.¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what a ¡®can of cat food¡¯ is, but I can¡¯t go because the world is even newer than Earth. It can¡¯t support someone of my caliber yet.¡± ¡°And the natives?¡± ¡°There appear to be no natives as far as we can tell. And to be clear, that¡¯s more common than not. We often use those new, uninhabited worlds to train our kids,¡± she explained. Eik received the general rundown of the situation from Atla with running commentary from Mikla. A five-man team had set out, scheduled to return within, at the very latest, seven days. Today was the eleventh day since their departure. If they agreed to go, Mikla would drop Eik and his team off at the same coordinates where the original team had been sent. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my friends to come when I go back to give this to Olivia,¡± Eik said, dangling the pouch of medicine. ¡°Do you happen to have more of this? We have several other patients with the same condition.¡± Atla snorted. ¡°Alright. If you go to rescue our F¡¯ers, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Mikla ripped a fracture out of thin air, gesturing for Eik to walk through first. The transition to Earth was more or less tolerable this third time around, a slight change in elevation causing him to stumble, but nothing more. He blinked at the noon sun. The fracture had dropped him back in the middle of the central square where Atla had initially emerged. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. An arrow missed him only by a hair¡¯s breadth, grazing his ear as it whipped past at frightening speed. He was about to jump back through the fracture, almost colliding with Mikla, who was just stepping through, when a loud voice echoed throughout the square, ¡°Stop, stop, stop! He¡¯s one of ours! He¡¯s come back!¡± A final arrow flew wide before the assault ceased completely. By the time Eik turned back again, Mikla looking past him with curiosity, Travis Lockwood had already made it to him. The entire square had been transformed into a military camp with several rows of spiked barricades surrounding the fracture location. What where they expecting those things to do against someone of Atla¡¯s caliber? At least a hundred Awakened circled them, weapons drawn, faces tense and cautious. They had been ready for a real, genuine invasion. ¡°Eik.¡± He nodded, eyes wandering to the unknown man standing in the back. ¡°And who are you?¡± he asked, wariness oozing out of him. ¡°You can call me Mikla,¡± he said, extending his hand for Travis to shake, a courteous gesture he was instructed in by Eik before coming. ¡°I am one of the members of the Nidafjeld Alliance tasked with making contact with TX497¡ª81414, or better known to you as Earth.¡± Travis shook the proffered hand and introduced himself. Having had a little time to digest the sudden appearance of an alien being, he was clearly more in control of himself, but he was still maintaining a careful demeanor. Despite the setup here in the square, the high-rankers must have realized that there was no fighting the Alliance. The best they could do was try to navigate it with minimal damage. ¡°And by the way, I¡¯d like to apologize for anything offensive or irritating that my colleague might have done,¡± Mikla added with a sly grin, defusing some of the tension. Travis shook his head. ¡°Truthfully, one incident in particular turned out to be something I¡¯d been dreaming about for some years now,¡± he said, unable to hide his own smile. As soon as he had explained the situation to Travis, Eik headed for Olivia. Another two patients had died while comatose. Olivia¡¯s mother, Sarah, was there by her side, sleeping in a rickety chair, heavy purple bags under her eyes. Eik had never seen the woman look quite that exhausted, not that there was anything odd about that, given the circumstances. He woke her up before he placed the blue medicinal pill on Olivia¡¯s tongue. Some of the color returned to Olivia¡¯s pale face within seconds. Sarah hadn¡¯t had any complaints about the unknown medicine, even the smallest hope winning out over the despair of seeing patients with the same condition dying one after the other, knowing her daughter was only waiting to meet the same fate. What they hadn¡¯t been able to do anything about, this blue sphere alleviated in moments. Maybe whoever had made this would be willing to teach Eik. He hugged Olivia¡¯s mom as she cried with relief, promising that he¡¯d find a way to cure her. He only hoped that he could keep that promise to her. Travis had gone to fetch Heath, Sonja, and Michael, so when Eik made it to Mission Central, the three of them were already there, waiting for him at a table. He and Mikla joined them and Travis to brief them about the prospective expedition into the new, uninhabited world. Heath and Sonja took the invitation in stride, their minds already set on a career as hunters, but Michael didn¡¯t appear to be on board. The young healer had gone pale at the news, his hands shaking something fierce as he reached for his glass of juice. ¡°Mike?¡± Eik asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this¡­¡± he said, staring intensely into his glass. ¡°Of course you can!¡± Heath said with a reassuring pat on the healer¡¯s back, which seemed to do absolutely nothing to better his worries. ¡°I wanted to be a doctor, not this.¡± ¡°Healing skills like yours require battles and field experience as well to improve properly, you know,¡± Sonja pointed out¡ªanother point which didn¡¯t seem to make him feel any better. Michael leaned back in the chair, covering his face with his hands. ¡°You know, I Awoke at my mother¡¯s sickbed. Even before Earth¡¯s collapse¡ªor whatever the hell this is¡ªI always wanted to become a surgeon, so when I was offered the Heal ability, I thought I could finally do something for my mom¡­¡± he said and downed the last of the juice. ¡°Turns out it¡¯s not nearly enough to help her,¡± he said as his hand began to glow with that soft, green light. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. ¡°If I may,¡± Mikla interjected, raising a hand. ¡°If you agree to participate in this rescue mission for us, I¡¯d be more more than happy to ask Atla for medicine like what she gave your friend Eik here. Then you can grow stronger knowing that your mother will not get worse before you can heal her yourself.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes widened, and Eik saw the exact moment when the young man became the most determined person in their four-man team. They loaded up on healing spheres and checked their gear before Mikla drew a fracture to the Nidafjeld Alliance headquarters. Eik popped through more or less unaffected along with Heath, whose [Fortitude] ability apparently allowed him to withstand the worst of the symptoms of inter-dimensional travel. Sonja and Michael on the other hand didn¡¯t fare quite as well, Sonja stumbling around dizzily, while the healer fell through the fracture to his knees and puked his lunch onto the carpet of Eik¡¯s ambassadorial suite. ¡°You guys look fit for fight,¡± Atla said with a cheerful smile, standing up from the couch she¡¯d been waiting on. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Heath and Eik nodded while Sonja and Michael struggled to make it to their feet. ¡°When you arrive, you will find a wooden post stabbed into the earth somewhere near your landing point. That¡¯s something we teach all our explorers to do when they determine an initial direction to move,¡± she said, handing out soft pockets of bread stuffed with a thick, rich stew of meat and vegetables. They dug in with gusto, even the unwell Michael unable to resist the alluring aroma. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s dirt duck again,¡± Eik exclaimed, savoring the dish. ¡°Dirt duck?¡± Heath asked. ¡°It tastes like duck but digs around underground like a mole.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± Atla interjected with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Follow the direction indicated by that post and you¡¯ll hopefully be well on your way to locating the missing team.¡± She led the way out of the room and through a series of hallways until they reached a large room. There were a couple of active fractures, hanging freely in the air within chalk-drawn borders of the floor. Their group went to an unoccupied space as a woman came to meet them. ¡°I can¡¯t open any more fractures for a while,¡± Mikla explained. ¡°It¡¯s very taxing, so I¡¯ve asked one of my colleagues to send you through.¡± The woman smiled wordlessly and slashed a fracture into existence before walking away. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll ever get used to seeing that,¡± Heath muttered to himself. Atla stood next to the fracture. ¡°We will open a fracture to the exact coordinates every day for the next seven days, after which we will assume your failure. In such a case, please try to make it as close to the fracture as you can, and leave traces of your movements so a potential third team can locate you. Is that understood?¡± They all nodded, and she stepped aside to let them pass. The first thing that hit them was the heat and humidity. It was extreme. Surrounding them were moss-covered trees as far the eye could see, and the deafening whir of a seemingly infinite number of insects forced them to speak with loud voices despite not knowing what might be lurking close by. ¡°There¡¯s the guide post, I think,¡± Heath said, waving them over. The soil underfoot was soft, moss growing wildly there as well. Their feet sunk in with every step and the clearing was covered in old footprints presumably left by the original team almost two weeks ago. A smooth, wooden rod was stuck into the earth, a single wooden arrow nailed to it that pointed to the tree line. There wasn¡¯t anything apparently significant about the direction, so maybe the Alliance team had simply chosen at random. ¡°There¡¯s something stuck to the back,¡± Sonja said and ripped a piece of tattered paper off the post. One side of the page was a bunch of official-looking scribbles written in characters they couldn¡¯t read. The reverse side was a single word written hastily with a muddy finger, edges of the page smudged with bloody finger prints. Chapter 18: Search ¡°What do you think it says?¡± Michael asked as Sonja handed him the note. Apparently the particular translation ability they were influenced by did not extend to the written word¡­ ¡°I think I can make a guess,¡± Eik said with concern, looking around the mossy clearing. ¡°Look,¡± he added and traced a path along the ground with a finger. Scattered bloodstains ran roughly from the initial direction the Alliance team had moved, a particularly dense concentration around the bloody slip of paper, continuing away and into the trees in the opposite direction. At closer inspection, a decidedly non-human set of footprints was mixed into the bunch, overlapping the bloodstains with three long, clawed toes setting it clearly apart from the rest. ¡°Someone was being hunted, and they made it back here, at the very least.¡± ¡°I think we may have to find whoever wrote this note before anything else,¡± Sonja said. ¡°If they¡¯re alive, they¡¯re our best hope.¡± The trek through the vegetation was slow. None of them were skilled enough trackers to follow traces like broken twigs or faint prints in an environment that wasn¡¯t even their home planet, so they were forced to search for the minuscule bloodstains with every step they took. Whenever they lost the trace, they would have to backtrack and rediscover the stains to maintain the correct course. Worst of all was the thought that somewhere in the vicinity lurked a monster that had already seriously wounded or killed at least one of the people they were looking for. ¡°Do you also feel like we¡¯re being watched?¡± Heath asked nobody in particular, never turning away from his position as vanguard. They maintained a strict formation, unwilling to let anything take them by surprise. ¡°Not really, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if something was,¡± Eik said, constantly scanning their surroundings from his place in the middle of the formation. They walked for another tense few minutes before Sonja held up a fist to stop, pointing a few meter in front of where they had stopped. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot of blood,¡± Michael noted, swallowing hard at the scene as he knelt for a closer inspection. There were not signs of arterial gushing, but a moss-covered tree had been practically drenched in contact stains. ¡°Maybe they leaned against the trunk here to rest for a bit. Are they really still alive, having lost this much blood?¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Eik said with a frown, kneeling next to Michael. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stumble upon a dead kid in this cursed jungle.¡± He smacked a mosquito the size of grasshopper when it tried to land on his neck. ¡°Kid? Are we looking for children out here, Eik?¡± Heath asked, face painted with genuine horror. Eik sighed. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I ever told you guys, did I? I was essentially forced to have a duel with an F-ranker from the Nidafjeld Alliance when I was there. People usually awaken around age twelve or thirteen, so all of them were children,¡± he said, his face growing paler despite the persistent heat and humidity. ¡°I almost killed the kid. He was dying on the floor because of something I did¡­¡± ¡°Much stronger people put you in that position,¡± Sonja interjected matter-of-factly. ¡°I¡¯m all for personal responsibility, but there really wasn¡¯t anything you could have done to oppose Atla in that situation. She¡¯s probably an A-ranker. We all saw how she absolutely decimated that vulgar Boulder Fist Gary.¡± Eik gave her a grateful look. ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± What he didn¡¯t say, however, was how thrilling it had been in the moment. Despite the genuine remorse he felt for hurting the blonde boy, the exhilaration of a struggle against a dangerous foe was not something he could just forget so easily, he found. From then out, the trail of blood became easier to follow. It was obvious that whoever had bled like this must have been going through healing medicine like a pre-schooler going through candy on Halloween to survive for this long. But even with strong medicine, it would be a matter of time. A wound that severe didn¡¯t just heal itself. Albeit subtly at first, the terrain began to change ever so slightly, the trees¡ªwhich until now could have been called overly healthy with leaves blotting out the sun completely in some places¡ªstarting to show signs of decay with entire branches utterly stripped. The moss cover also thinned to scattered patches, some of which were either discolored or withering. ¡°Why did Atla even send us here?¡± Michael asked Eik. ¡°I mean, if we¡¯re actually looking for kids, then wouldn¡¯t the parents be involved in the first place?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°My guess would be that the parents might be too powerful to enter a world this new¡ªthat, or completely untrained. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Surely there must be teams of E-rank or F-rank both stronger and more experienced than us,¡± Heath added. ¡°If I had to guess,¡± Eik said. ¡°and to be clear, I am guessing. The Nidafjeld Alliance probably wants to give us a chance to feel useful. If we feel like we¡¯re being set up as a charity case without providing anything in return, then the foundation of our relationship would be one-sided and fragile. We need to feel worthy or we won¡¯t trust them to stay loyal to us. The Alliance is essentially forcing mutual benefit from the beginning.¡± ¡°Politics,¡± Sonja said tiredly. ¡°Yep, politics.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re potentially trading the lives of their children in order to reinforce a new alliance with us?¡± Heath said. ¡°That¡¯s barbaric.¡± ¡°I mean, they¡¯re an multiversal super organization, so what can you really expect? Think about how much a country on old Earth would sacrifice for traction on the global playing field, and then multiply that by a factor of a thousand,¡± Sonja said, the corners of her lips tightening. ¡°The mental disconnect between different branches of the Nidafjeld Alliance must be enormous. Like different worlds in every sense of the word.¡± Heath didn¡¯t answer, but the frown on his face exposed his thoughts on the matter. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The decay of the land only continued to worsen as they made it further into this new territory. Something wasn¡¯t right in this place. Natural terrain didn¡¯t just change on a whim like that. Or rather, it shouldn¡¯t on Earth. Abruptly, Heath slammed the edge of his tower shield into the earth with a dull thump, the soil erupting up and peppering his plated boots with a faint metallic sound. The rest of them peeked around the barrier and immediately saw what had gotten their tank of a front liner to react so cautiously. About thirty meters ahead lay a huge body, unmoving, dry, faded eyes staring back at them. The decay of the vegetation had allowed them to notice the corpse much earlier than they would just a few kilometers back. A massive gash along the creature¡¯s side informed them that something had killed it. It could well have been the person they were looking for, but to be safe, they approached with caution. ¡°Is that the monster we¡¯ve followed from the clearing?¡± Michael asked. The three long digits on its feet told them that it was likely. ¡°It¡¯s been dead for at least a couple of days by my estimation,¡± Sonja said. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if a corpse would decompose in the same way here as it would at home, so I could be wrong.¡± When they got close enough to the corpse to poke it, Heath did, eliciting a gasp from Michael. ¡°What?¡± he asked over his shoulder. ¡°Do you just poke anything you see no matter what world you¡¯re in?¡± the healer hissed, clutching his own shield protectively. ¡°What if the damn thing explodes or emits poisonous gas or something like that?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t. Look, nothing happened,¡± Heath said, poking it five more times for good measure, to Michael¡¯s displeasure. The thing had two long, slender legs equipped with wicked claws that resembled those of an ostrich. It was tentacled, each of the four appendages ending in single, razor-sharp claws. The thin but muscled torso elongated seamlessly into an extensive neck bearing a reptilian head. Eik strained his eyes to look above the trees. ¡°Are those crows?¡± he said, directing the attention to the sky. A flock of something circled an area ahead. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Sonja said, taking a few steps towards the swarm. ¡°But it might be something that serves the same function in the ecosystem.¡± Heath hacked completely through the absurdly long neck, just to be on the safe side, before they left the corpse behind and trudged on, formation tight. At the pace they moved, it took a couple of minutes to get close enough to catch a glimpse of someone slumped against the trunk of a tree, arms and legs splayed to the side. One of the carrion feeders was perched on the boy¡¯s knee, waiting patiently for its meal to breathe his last. The monster was neither crow nor vulture, but not far from it. Two pairs of fleshy, membranous wings were tucked against a slim body, a long tail swishing from side to side. Spines ran down the small creature¡¯s back from the skull to the tip of its tail. Unlike its features, its size was more or less that of a common crow. Sonja put an arrow through its stomach, the monster never getting the chance to utter a sound before it died. A chaotic cacophony erupted above the trees as its kin scattered in all directions. ¡°I really hope that doesn¡¯t alert something worse to our presence,¡± Heath muttered. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to deal with it,¡± Sonja said stoically. The four of them jogged up to the boy who showed no signs of registering their approach. His eyes were closed and remained so even as Michael began to work on him. A long wound ran from the bottom of his ribs to his groin, making his extended escape all the more impressive. His entire pant leg was soaked in dry blood from top to bottom. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Heath asked, his back to the boy as he kept an eye on the forest. He would need to react quickly if something came for them. ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure,¡± Michael admitted, the green glow from his hand pulsating soothingly. ¡°His skin feels cool to the touch, but not to the degree that I would expect from a corpse. But like Sonja said earlier, I¡¯m just not sure whether anything I know about medicine applies right now.¡± Eik nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t find a pulse, but it could just be weak. Or his circulatory system could have a completely different pattern from ours, or the arteries could all run too deep for the pulse to be felt through the skin, or they could have something that circulates blood in a continuous stream instead of rhythmic pumps,¡± he blabbered, frustration evident in his tone. ¡°The only thing I know for certain is that they do have blood, because I¡¯ve seen it. Or this kid could be a different type of humanlike alien for all I know,¡± he continued, throwing his hands up in frustration. ¡°He¡¯s breathing,¡± Sonja interjected with an ear to the boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°Oh,¡± Eik said, his rant coming to a halt. ¡°Good, then.¡± They fed the kid some of the medicine they had gotten from Atla before departing. It melted on his tongue like butter and flowed down his throat. Some of the color returned to the boy¡¯s face within a minute. Soon after, his eyelids began to flutter ever so slightly. Eik patted him gently on the cheek, eliciting a pout and a forceful exhalation. ¡°Hey,¡± Eik said gently. ¡°Hey, can you hear me? Can you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Before they left, all four of them had gotten the translation magic cast on them. The detailed explanation given by an eccentrically enthusiastic man as he affected them one by one had involved something with the brain, the ears, and the way they exchanged information. Eik hadn¡¯t understood too much of it, but it worked. ¡°Can you speak? Do you know where you are?¡± he continued, adding a bit more force. ¡°Do you know where you are?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Do you know how to shut up?¡± Eik retorted cleverly. ¡°¡ªrn?¡± the boy mumbled, so quietly that it was almost impossible to hear. ¡°What? Say that again.¡± ¡°Kirn?¡± The voice could still only barely be heard. Eik looked up at the others. ¡°What¡¯s a kirn?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a name. One of them was named Kirn, I believe,¡± Sonja said. ¡°Kirn? Kirn, can you hear me?¡± Eik asked. ¡°That¡¯s not Kirn. Kirn¡¯s a girl,¡± Sonja clarified, unable to completely conceal a snicker. He glared at her through narrowed eyes. ¡°Say that from the beginning then¡­¡± he grumbled. ¡°You get him to talk the¡ª¡± ¡°Something¡¯s coming. Get ready!¡± Heath¡¯s voice hissed as he stepped left to cover them better. ¡°And it¡¯s approaching fast!¡± Chapter 19: Sweet, Sweet Mushrooms ¡°Not just one! We¡¯ve got at least three of them coming up!¡± Heath shouted as he took a frontal stance, ready to finish the first one before the other two made it to them. ¡°Quadrupeds! Slim builds! Very fast!¡± Sonja added to Heath¡¯s warnings as she drew her bow. The first one barreled into Heath¡¯s great shield, a well-timed side step deflecting the monster¡¯s entire body directly into the path of Sonja''s arrow. Heath¡¯s heavy slash followed with a decisive thunk before he whirled back to face the final two. The second one slammed into his shield head on, while the other flicked up and over it, long tail working to stabilize the abrupt movements. It leapt, clearing Heath completely to get at Michael and the barely conscious boy in the back, but before it could reach them, Eik managed to grasp it by the tail and slam it bodily into the soft forest mulch. For a moment, the impact left the beast discombobulated, granting Eik an opportunity to plunge the hectona fang into a sinewy thigh. It howled hoarsely as a dose of Profound Toxin invaded its system. It began to thrash and Eik triggered a short burst of Movement Boost to disengage from a potential lunge. Seeing him retreat, the monster turned its attention to the healer and the Alliance F-ranker, jaws snapping as it began to advance. Eik triggered Movement Boost again and buried the fang in the bony space between the monster¡¯s spine and shoulder blade before it could turn back to face him. In the same movement, he leapt backwards, getting a hold of the tail as he went and hauling the monster away from Michael¡¯s position. With an exertion of force, he threw it over his head with both hands and ran for Heath and Sonja. Their opponent was not doing so hot, two arrows protruding from the quadruped¡¯s hindquarters, causing a limp. It lunged at Heath as Eik ran towards them but abruptly broke off its attack in favor of dodging another arrow from Sonja. The beast was agile to say the least, but fragile as made evident by the fact that an F-ranker like Eik had been able to throw one of them around like a dirty dish rag. They were likely somewhere around low F-rank. Profound Toxin already flowed from the venom duct of the fang as Eik rushed in. With its attention fixed utterly on the woman firing arrows at it, the monster had no time to react when Eik rammed a knee into its rib cage and immediately followed it up with an envenomed stab to the opposite row of ribs. The amount of toxin injected was minor, but it would do some damage to an already exhausted foe. With a surge of Movement Boost, Eik leapt back, spinning in the air to face the monster he had thrown just before. The thing was only just getting to its feet as he approached, sick and blackened veins slithering out in all directions from the puncture wounds where his toxin had invaded. The beast cowered at his advance, long tail tucked between its legs as it whimpered. For a moment, Eik felt a pang of hesitation at what he knew he had to do, but it was short-lived. They had come to this foreign world with purpose, and the monster would without a doubt have slaughtered them ruthlessly had the situation been reversed. A glance over his shoulder told Eik that Sonja and Heath had dealt with theirs, so instead of hurrying to finish off the fiend in front of him, he simply stood there and watched it squirm. It was really quite a strange feeling, he found, to have the life of another in the palm of his hand. He had certainly been responsible for the recovery of a patient before, but this was like the opposite side of the same coin. He watched as the blackened veins spread further and further out from the wounds like so many snakes. He watched as the pitiful being grew weaker by the second, its legs betraying it as it attempted to stand. He watched as it collapsed to the ground, unable to keep its eyes open. And finally, he watched as it died, its chest rising and falling feebly one last time before it lay still. It wasn¡¯t regret, but some kind of feeling swirled in his stomach as he looked at the corpse. The slowness of it all felt¡­ personal, somehow¡ªcompletely different from the sudden, bloody, and entirely barbaric affair of a death by the blade. The slow descent into silence was haunting. It was, of course, an utterly absurd notion, Eik realized, to ponder the death of an alien monster as he was, but nonetheless, he found himself unable to shake the thought. A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of the stupor with a jolt of surprise. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Heath asked as he wiped down his sword with some moss he had pulled off the trunk of a tree. ¡°What¡¯re you thinking about?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Nothing in particular,¡± Eik said as he turned his back to the corpse, walking with Heath back to the half dead tree against which the boy from the Nidafjeld Alliance was slumped. It had already been hot and humid in this jungle to begin with, but the sweat was running down Michael¡¯s angular face in never-ending thick, heavy beads. ¡°Are you okay, Mike?¡± Eik asked, the green glow from the healer''s palms never ceasing. ¡°We need to get the boy back to the clearing so he can get proper treatment at the alliance headquarters,¡± he gasped and fell back on his ass. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, and what I can do for him with my shitty abilities isn¡¯t enough. He¡¯s more or less stable, I hope, and I think I¡¯ve managed to extend his life by a bit, but it¡¯s urgent. We need to get him through to them via the next fracture.¡± Eik knelt and put another two healing spheres in the boy¡¯s mouth. Hopefully they could get a new batch when they handed him over to Atla. Heath, who had managed to avoid taking a single hit throughout the skirmish with the aggressive animal, picked up the boy as if he was a sack of feathers. Careful of the wound, he held him gently to his chest as they began the long trek back to the clearing. Without the markers they had scratched into the trees on the way, they would have been completely lost. They trudged on in silence, the four of them on high alert now that Heath was carrying the wounded boy and unable to have his shield out and ready to tackle ambushes. Instead, Eik, given his Movement Boost, took the lead. If they were attacked again, he and Sonja would have to keep whatever appeared at bay for the moment it would take Heath to place down the boy and throw on the tower shield strapped to his back. It was when they were reaching the edge of the decaying area of the forest that Eik signaled for a stop, fist raised as he looked around, sniffing the air intensely. ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡± Heath asked, coming up on his side, the boy mumbling something incoherent in his sleep. Eik didn¡¯t answer for a moment as he continued to flare his nostrils. ¡°Don¡¯t you smell that?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it;¡± Michael concurred, putting his nose close to a nearby blooming flower but quickly dismissing it. ¡°It¡¯s sweet. Really sweet, actually. What is that?¡± ¡°Forget smelling, don¡¯t you hear that?¡± Sonja said, her fingers caressing the handle of her bow as she fished out an arrow. Eik strained his ears and immediately heard what she was talking about. Continuous distant booms echoed from the direction they had come. The sound was dull and deep, like the hollow impact of a large rock falling into a still lake. With each boom, it grew closer and clearer. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so good,¡± Michael said and began to back away from the sound. ¡°Look, the mushrooms!¡± Half meter tall mushrooms grew against almost all of the unhealthy trees. They were vibrating, growing in intensity as they released a shroud of pinkish spores into the air. ¡°Get back, and don¡¯t inhale that!¡± Eik shouted as he waved for them to hurry. ¡°Run! I don¡¯t think we saw those mushrooms in the healthy forest! Just a little more!¡± About sixty meters back, a forceful blast rocked nearby trees, branches swinging as if in a hurricane while leaves and dried bark were ripped violently from the limbs. In a chain reaction, the closest mushroom too erupted shortly after the first in an expanding pink sphere of spores, followed immediately by the next in line and then the next. ¡°Run, run!¡± Even with their F-rank speed, the booms were catching up to them faster than they could flee. Eik looked back over his shoulder and saw that the distance between their team and the destruction had already shrunk by a third. Heels digging deeply into the soft earth, Eik slid unsteadily and dashed for the nearest mushroom, the spore cap releasing thick, sweet clouds into the air relentlessly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sonja shouted, looking ready to come back to get him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he answered, drawing the simple knife he had received from C-ranker Andrew Brooks during the second monster wave. The weapon didn¡¯t compliment his Profound Toxin ability that well, but it was exactly what he needed now. ¡°I have a resistance! Just keep running!¡± With a swift movement, he severed the spore cap close to the ground, the eruption of spores ceasing instantly. He grasped it tightly and hurled the severed mushroom toward the swiftly approaching chaos of explosions. The spongy projectile drew a pink trail like a bizarre comet as it sailed under the canopies. Eik dove for the next mushroom and repeated the process, sending it flying into the eruptions. He severed seven more as he ran back toward his friends. After the eighth, he threw himself to the ground where he curled up and covered his head protectively. When the explosions reached the first of the severed plants, there was a brief lull where only distant echoes still rung dully. The explosive spore bursts must have contained some kind of reactive material, because when the residue floated into contact with the closest intact cap, it erupted at full strength, renewing the deadly chain in full. He half expected even the severed stems to react, but nothing blew his limbs apart as he lay on the ground, the eruptions continuing on each side, forming a neat oval of safety around him. Hopefully the delay had been enough to allow his team to get out of the mushroom territory. He got to his feet slowly, dust and leaves still settling around him. No missing arms or legs, luckily. He looked back the way they¡¯d come. Had the chain of explosions followed the path they had trodden? It almost felt targeted. Or maybe it was an unfortunate result of some manner of evolutionary sensory trait of the mushrooms. He ran after his friends with a sense of dread weighing in his stomach. The booms had died down, but if they hadn¡¯t made it out in time, they might well be dead already. Shortly after crossing over to a mushroom-free area of the forest, Eik¡¯s sense of dread turned into desperation when the sound of a person moaning in agony reached his ears from up ahead. Fearing the worst, he sped up to break through the first layer of vegetation. Chapter 20: Noxious Invigoration The first thing Eik saw as he crashed through the forest underbrush was Heath, on all fours, heaving up what remained of the dirt duck hot pocket. The second was Michael doing the same. Sonja had made it a few meters further to support herself against the trunk of a mossy tree but her condition was no better. All three of them had copious amounts of tears and snot running down their faces. Eik checked on the boy, but he seemed much better off than the team. He gave a healing sphere to each of them, patting their backs. ¡°What¡¯s up with you guys anyway?¡± he asked. Sonja shot him a venomous look as she wiped her mouth but said nothing, while Heath glared up at him with a face full of various bodily fluids. ¡°What the f¡ª, What? Why are you fine?¡± he downed man demanded with a voice permeated by disbelief. Another violent heave forced him to break eye contact. Eik fished out the wooden plaque and showed Heath his ability sheet. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 25] ¡°You got your toxin resistance to level 25?¡± Eik looked at the plaque himself, feigning surprise. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s pretty sweet,¡± he sang. ¡°It did stink a little, so I¡¯m glad I got something out of it at least.¡± His shit-eating grin earned him a half-hearted punch in the shoulder. ¡°When we get back from this damned humid jungle, I¡¯m going to piss in Rock Fist Bart¡¯s breakfast cereal and blame it on you,¡± the round-cheeked tank said with a crooked smile. ¡°You will wish you had my Fortitude ability then.¡± Eik laughed while he checked up on the three of them again, just to make sure that their symptoms weren¡¯t developing into something really bad. ¡°But really,¡± Sonja began as she sat on a soft patch of moss. ¡°Well done back there, Eik. I think you saved us there. Thank you.¡± Michael and Heath nodded somberly. It had been a close call back there, and who knows what might have happened if they had inhaled even more of those pink spores. After a double dose of healing spheres, thirty minutes of rest, and a bit of treatment from an exhausted Michael, they were more or less ready to get back on their feet. While the others waited for the nausea to subside, Eik kept an eye out for monsters. Michael had been offered a new skill, and he was having trouble deciding which to choose. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this one, Mike,¡± Heath said, pointing to the first skill listed on the healer¡¯s plaque called [Soothing Regeneration]. ¡°You already have a good healing skill. I think the utility of [Bind] would serve us better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to live this kind of life forever. I want to settle down and help people.¡± Heath gave the young man a look but Sonja was the one to answer. ¡°You will need to be able to survive if you want to do that. If you truly want to make a difference in this new world we now live in, then you need to be stronger. F-rank just isn¡¯t good enough for what humanity will face.¡± ¡°But I¡ª¡± ¡°Our survival,¡± she said, gesturing to them all. ¡°as well as your own, is more certain if you take Bind instead. What if Forest is invaded by monsters again? Will you not thank yourself when you can protect your mother from harm, rather than only trying to fix her wounds if you escape?¡± Michael¡¯s face didn¡¯t show much appreciation for his mother being dragged into the discussion, but judging by the way his jaw was working vigorously in frustration, he could think of no good counter argument. With a sigh through clenched teeth, he drew his finger across the two other options. [Acquired Bind ¡ª Lv. 1] At once, he whipped his hand toward Heath as the man was getting to his feet with a groan, studded armor clanging noisily. Michael twisted his fingers as if turning an invisible valve, summoning thin, glowing strings that snaked out of the ground to seize the large tank of a man by the feet and ankles, sending him back to the mossy forest floor with a grunt of surprise. ¡°Hey! Hey! What the hell are you doing?¡± Heath shouted. With a single, forceful movement of his musclebound legs, he ripped through the strings, but as soon as he did, Michael repeated the finger gesture with a slight alteration, this time calling for the glowing strings to crawl out from Heath¡¯s long sleeves as if alive and wrap themselves around his wrist, forcing his hands together behind his back. He ripped these as well, but they had stopped his movements momentarily. ¡°Stop that, you little shit!¡± the big man complained. Michael shot him a look of angelic innocence at which Eik failed to hold back a snort. ¡°But I was just testing my new ability. It¡¯s very important to know what it does before using it in action for the first time, after all,¡± the healer said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you test it out on Sonja then? She was way more annoying about it than me!¡± Michael blanched slightly, side eyeing the composed archer. ¡°I, uuh,¡± he began and cleared his throat. ¡°I was just a little scared is all¡­¡± Sonja couldn¡¯t keep the corners of her lips from rising at that. ¡°If you¡¯re done, then maybe one of you can take over the watch from me?¡± Eik suggested. He was sitting cross-legged on a large boulder, which allowed for a complete view of their surroundings as far as the tree cover permitted. ¡°My plaque was making a bit of noise earlier as well.¡± ¡°Is it the evolution of your resistance skill?¡± Sonja asked as she took Eik¡¯s place on top of the boulder. ¡°Yep!¡± He pulled the wooden tablet out from his shirt. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Resistance: Toxin] [Choose one] [Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Noxious Invigoration] [Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Stronger Resistance] If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. [Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Physical Resistance] Heath and Michael followed along over his shoulder. ¡°The only one whose name doesn¡¯t obviously clarify the effect is Noxious Invigoration evolution,¡± Heath said. ¡°I feel like it could mean a couple of things.¡± ¡°I wish smartphones still worked,¡± Eik sighed, kicking a stupid pebble. ¡°Every new skill and stuff like that always comes right when I can¡¯t go to the library to consult the records.¡± Heath chuckled. ¡°You have had a pretty unique experience in that sense. When Sonja and I started out a little while ago, there really weren¡¯t that many assignments we could take, and they were seldom very challenging, even as new F-rankers, so any new skills usually came after the action on the way home.¡± Eik reread each of the offered evolutions carefully. ¡°How strong would the physical resistance be if I chose that?¡± ¡°Not insubstantial, I think, but nowhere near what I have, for example,¡± Heath answered. ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡°You should go for the Noxious Invigoration evolution,¡± Michael chimed in. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± The young man shrugged. ¡°Because it sounds cool?¡± ¡°Come on, son.¡± ¡°I agree, though,¡± Heath added. ¡°Resistances are fine and all, but you shouldn¡¯t be getting hit to begin with, being as squishy as you are. It¡¯s better to reinforce your ability to avoid the hit in the first place. And judging by the name alone, I doubt it¡¯s anything useless.¡± Eik had to admit that he was curious about it as well. The resistances didn¡¯t sound nearly as exciting as something called Noxious Invigoration, although it most certainly was a pretty stupid idea to choose the evolution of his skill based on how cool the name sounded. But¡­ [Evolved skill Resistance: Toxin. Skill acquired trait Noxious Invigoration] ¡°So, how is it?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Do you feel any different?¡± Eik tried to feel his body for a moment, closing his eyes as his mind investigated every nook and cranny for an unfamiliar sensation or a sudden power-up. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said with a sigh, getting up to give the boy some more medicine. He had become a bit more active in his sleep, which they hoped was a sign that he might be ready to come back to consciousness on his own soon. It would have been nice to get a new card to play in case they had to fight again, which was likely, but he would just have to figure out exactly what Noxious Invigoration did later. ¡°Shall we get going then? I think it would be safer to wait at the fracture coordinates rather than this random spot. Plus, It¡¯s finally beginning to get dark, so making it there before everything becomes pitch black would be ideal.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Michael said. ¡°I¡¯d like to work on him a bit more too, now that I¡¯ve had some time to regain my strength.¡± Heath picked up the boy and let Eik take lead once more as they marched cautiously back to the clearing. The rest of the trek was pleasantly uneventful, They reckoned they had about half a day left before Atla would order the fracture open, since she had based their schedule on Earth time to give them the best possible sense of it. Apparently, most worlds had day night cycles pretty similar to Earth¡¯s, but it could really throw off one¡¯s sense of time over the course of multiple cycles. After hours of waiting in the clearing, the light was still sufficient to see quite well. ¡°Is it the moon?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Seems like it. Not that I¡¯m complaining. It makes the wait safer,¡± Eik said. They¡¯d had to fight off a few weaker fauna but they knew it was only a matter of time before something worse showed up, so when the fracture finally hummed into existence, the team and the boy who had now woken up breathed sighs of relief. The wonderful, cool air of the Nidafjeld Alliance headquarters felt paradisial, the crisp ice water waiting for them on trays almost drawing tears. The F-rank boy they had rescued, whose name was Pollarak, cried as he recounted the events of the past two weeks, an Alliance healer tending to his injuries while he spoke. This expedition had been their first unsupervised mission, so they had proceeded slowly and cautiously¡ªexcessively so, he admitted. They had spent the entire first day and a half in the clearing discussing and deciding their best course of action. Once they had actually set off, they had twice convinced themselves that they had picked a bad direction and backtracked to restart. Atla and the other Alliance members didn¡¯t look too satisfied with that. ¡°So, where¡¯s my daughter?¡± an agitated man demanded, interrupting the boy¡¯s story. The man had skin the color of fresh blood, four fingers on each hand, and a thick, black mane of hair running from the top of his head to the pelvis, where a slender, hairless tail swept back and forth through the air. He was bare-chested, dressed in a pair of trousers that didn¡¯t match his looks whatsoever. The aura flowing out of him was bone crushingly heavy, as if his presence alone could strangle Eik and press him flat against the cold flagstones of the fracture chamber. ¡°We got separated. Kans¡¯Gu was alive when I last saw her. I got knocked out suddenly and when I woke up, I just started running. I don¡¯t remember much from around the time I fell unconscious.¡± The boy named Pollarak couldn¡¯t look the father in the eye. ¡°When?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure,¡± Pollarak managed hoarsely, his body trembling like a leaf as new blood began to pour out of his wound. Atla placed a placating hand on the red man¡¯s shoulder and lead him off to the side where they spoke quietly for a minute. When they came back she directed her next words at Eik¡¯s team. ¡°Are you willing to continue the rescue operation to find the rest?¡± ¡°We are,¡± Sonja answered for them, drawing a decidedly unwilling look from Michael. With what little information the boy had been able to provide, they went back through the fracture and into the eleventh plane of hell: the Hell of Humidity. Chapter 21: Signs of... They set off after the missing team immediately¡ªthe bright, otherworldly moonlight providing the visibility necessary to navigate the forest¡ªwhile following the marks left on the tree trunks by the children. For a couple of hours absolutely nothing happened as they continued their march through the forest. Even at night, the humidity persisted almost unchanged, and to be frank, Eik didn¡¯t know what was more annoying between the humidity itself and Heath¡¯s constant moaning about it. ¡°Are we there ye¡ª¡° Heath began, but Sonja cut him off with a hiss as she put a finger against her lips. ¡°What?¡± Eik whispered. She pointed somewhere into the darkness to the left of their path, then gestured for them to follow her into some shrubbery a few paces away. Once they sat and quieted, it became very apparent that something was out there among the trees, stomping through the forest. It was growling¡ªa deep, rumbling sound that sent shivers down their spines. ¡°What is that?¡± Heath mouthed wordlessly. Eik gave him a look as if to ask how the hell he was supposed to know that. The four of them sat there, hugging their knees to their chests, as the beast slowly inched closer. If it had a good nose, they might be well and truly screwed. None of them made a sound as a huge tail swished out of the darkness, grazing the leaves almost soundlessly before it disappeared again. The beast itself would have to be tens of meters long. So entranced were they by the giant, that they almost screamed in shock when the clawed foot of a second individual momentarily appeared from the blackness as it swept out and back in a massive step. The outline of a third monster convinced them to absolutely not attempt anything with this encounter. This was a stay quiet, hidden and hope for the best type of encounter. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can fight something like that,¡± Michael whispered so faintly that Eik could barely hear him despite his ear being literal centimeters from the healer¡¯s mouth. They never saw more than vague silhouettes fading in and out of sight. They were big. Big enough for their heads to be obscured by the canopies, only six powerful legs, belly, and thick tail visible. Either they didn¡¯t notice the four humans or they didn¡¯t deem them worthy of attention, but the titanic monsters soon became nothing more than the sounds they made as they moved. For fear of giving the pack a reason to come back for them, the four of them unanimously decided that waiting another ten minutes before emerging from their hiding place would be supremely wise. The things had disappeared in a direction that was not the one they were following, so when they could continue, they felt safe enough to not correct their course. When the sun began to rise again, the dense tree cover was starting to dwindle in favor of vaster and more numerous clearings, soon making way for rolling plains, the wind sweeping across the grasses like waves on the ocean. It looked a lot like the plains around Forest. It hardly felt like a foreign land, but Eik knew from speaking with Atla that the Unified Mass abounded in bizarre, fantastical, and grotesque worlds. Unwilling to be caught out in the open, they hugged the tree line as they went, following the marks left by the other team, the position offering a good view of the open plains while providing a quick escape from anything that might crest the distant hilltops. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Sonja said, a couple of minutes after the marks left by the children had lead them away from the plains and back into the forest. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this feel a little¡­ manufactured? Like, why are there no trees in a more or less straight line that way,¡± she said, gesturing ahead with a hand. ¡°And it¡¯s flat. Very flat.¡± She knelt down, drawing a small hunting knife from a sheath on her hip, and used the butt to dig into the ground. In just a moment, the knife hit something hard and noisy, the metal pommel grating roughly against whatever was buried. With a foot, she scraped the soil away from the object beneath. ¡°Is that a cobblestone?¡± Michael questioned, kicking more dirt away from the surroundings, revealing several additional stones, all of them coarse and damaged but clearly processed with intent. ¡°I thought there were supposed to be no intelligent natives on this planet.¡± ¡°To be clear, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s so much that there are definitely no natives, but rather that they hadn¡¯t located any natives yet. My guess is that when Earth opened up, they probably sent expeditions to us as well, found out that there were humans societies, and waited until they could send someone like Atla to establish communication with us,¡± Eik said. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re probably right,¡± Heath said. ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary to think about how long they have kept an eye on us while we thought we were alone.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°The kids must have noticed something as well, since they chose this road. We¡¯ll have to go after them.¡± Continuing along the previously cobbled road, they gradually began to notice more signs of civilization pop up here and there, now that they were actively looking for them. A broken, smooth post of wood, on which something would presumably have been mounted, such as a light source or a road sign. A suspiciously circular arrangement of stones where someone might have lit a fire. A single wagon wheel leaning against a tree, overgrown by grasses and other plants to the point where it had become one with the environment. After a while, other, more obvious signs of an established society began to pop up, albeit broken and forgotten, as far as they could tell. Dilapidated buildings of varying size, overgrown fields, water wells, and other common, low tech things stood as a stark contrast to the deep forest surrounding them. And most importantly, there were no signs of the actual inhabitants of the village. Not even rotting corpses, skeletons, or bloodstains marred the place. It was as if the people had simply vanished one day, leaving their homes to fall into disrepair as nature claimed them as its own. Still, they proceeded with the utmost caution, their original formation with a shield-bearing Heath as vanguard maintained at all times. The eerie silence as they passed between buildings from which anything might suddenly emerge kept them on their toes. They even went into a few of them in the hopes of finding anything that might shed some light on the case of the missing villagers. Old bows hung untouched on their racks, the quivers full of arrows. Swords and knives still laid on night tables next to the beds or stowed away in closets or drawers. In one of the houses they found a little doll made from old fabrics and stuffed with some sort of dried grass. It was soft and cuddly, but dropped haphazardly by the front door. That was almost the weirdest thing. Besides the fact that the place looked like it had been abandoned after a sudden mass migration, that little doll seemed the most out of place. Eik also found a herbalist¡¯s hut complete with a large garden. Weeds had invaded mercilessly, but even then some of the plants remained. He took as many samples as he could reasonably stuff into his pack for experimentation later. They continued along what appeared to be the main road, passing through a large open space with numerous abandoned stalls peppering the place, some of which still had wares on display on the counter. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Sonja muttered as she dragged a finger across a dirty surface. ¡°There are no signs of battle, but people don¡¯t just leave without taking anything with them. It doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± she repeated. With another few minutes of cautious progress, they ended up in front of some manner of temple, three spires reaching almost high enough to be as tall as the surrounding canopies. The building was made almost entirely out of wood, save for the foundation and a couple of other components, which was stone and brick. The shutters were closed up, all of them bearing the same carving of a crescent with a circle inside of its curve. Double doors stood slightly ajar, a rusty key hanging loosely in the keyhole. ¡°Do we go in?¡± Michael asked, the tone of his voice exposing his own opinion on the matter. Eik pointed to one of the dark, wooden logs that served as the door frame for the double doors. A small mark, similar to the ones they¡¯d been following since the fracture location, was carved into the old wood. Michael sighed. There was no way around it. One would think that the hinges hadn¡¯t been oiled in a millennium judging by the deafening screech as the door ground open, pushed slowly by the tip of Heath¡¯s blade, his shield still held up protectively to cover almost the entirety of the opening. It was dark inside, the closed shutters blocking out any natural light that might otherwise have streamed in through the faintly matted windows. The boarded floor too creaked with every single step as the four of them went around to open the shutters. With the light bathing the floor and furniture, it became apparent that the temple was in no better condition than any of the private houses outside, thick layers of dust on every surface with a generous smattering of dead insects across the floor and window panes. Sonja had to suppress several bouts of sneezing as they made their way through a series of rooms, each seemingly dedicated to a different aspect of temple life. One room had layered cots stuffed with straw lined against the wall with a small table in the middle. Another had been made into a small kitchen, outfitted with racks for utensils, windowed cabinets containing plates and mugs, and a massive stone hearth with a large, round iron cauldron. A foul, rancid odor emanated from the cauldron, the smell overwhelming the nostrils and drawing tears. They hurried out and into the next room, almost running into a row of high-backed pews. The room looked like a room designed for worship. Five rows of pews took up most of the space in the room, the rest consisting of a raised platform upon which a large, carved icon of a crescent moon and what they now realized was a sun was placed. It was the same as what was carved into the window shutters outside. Every available surface around the altar was occupied by dozens upon dozens of candles, already melted down to the end of the wick, the wax spilling over the edges like ice from a roof in winter. ¡°It¡¯s like I can still smell the smoke,¡± Heath commented, sniffing the air near the altar. ¡°No, I smell it too. I smell it very clearly, actually,¡± Eik added, a sense of dread settling heavily in his stomach. They all drew their weapons and proceeded through the building slowly, communicating only in hand signal, refraining from speaking. After passing a few more ordinary rooms, they found themselves in a narrow hallway, lit only by a few windowed slits in the ceiling above. It made it difficult to see, but not enough so that they missed the stone steps leading underground. Even looking down from the edge of the first step, the staircase descended into nothing but blackness. They looked at each other, weighing their options but knowing what they would have to do in the end. Eik ran a finger over the surface of one of the supporting pillars of the building, his nails catching on the tiny ridges scratched into the wood. It was another mark left by the Alliance team. This was where the children had gone. Chapter 22: Underground Horrors One good thing about descending into the black nothingness of an underground temple in a world they knew nothing about, was that the stone steps at least didn¡¯t creak like the wooden floor on the surface. Furthermore, with each step downward the temperature fell, making the humidity more tolerable. By the time the light from above faded completely, a faint sliver of firelight became visible further down as the staircase began to bend softly. Gradually, one flickering light became two, then three, four, the number increasing as they neared. The stairway was so narrow that even at the snail¡¯s pace they were moving, Heath managed to scrape the metallic edge of his shield loudly against the stone wall several times. When they made it to the first torch, at least a dozen more were visible in the darkness below, as well as another, less welcome sight. ¡°The path is splitting,¡± Heath whispered with a wave of his hand, indicating a branch to the right. The main path continued further down unaltered, but an arched hole in the wall led away to somewhere unknown. ¡°Let¡¯s check the main path first,¡± Sonja said to shrugs and nods from the others. The team only made it past a few more torches, however, before voices flowed up from the winding stairway. Eik grabbed Heath by the shoulder to stop him and whispered for him to turn around, his lips centimeters from the man¡¯s ear so whoever was ascending wouldn¡¯t be able to hear. With awkward, waddling movements, the round-cheeked tank began to turn his massive body around in the narrow tunnel as he clutched the shield as close to his torso as he could, lest the metal edges scrape against the wall again. Sonja led them back up and into the side passage they had decided to skip. The passageway was no wider than the main path, this one also dotted with torches along the walls in regular intervals, their passing casting eerie, stretching shadows on the floor and walls, playing tricks on their minds. As they walked, the path widened to the point where three men might have been able to walk side by side with a bit of shoulder-rubbing, the torches replaced by larger braziers. Whoever these people were went to great lengths to keep these fires lit. ¡°How the hell did they build this place?¡± Heath wondered in a hushed voice. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely massive.¡± They turned a corner and finally saw an end to the corridor in the form of a large open space, lit up extensively from below. A guardrail ran along the edge of a balcony-like protrusion, creating a gallery from which one could view anything going on below. Peeking over the edge, they could see the bottom of what they realized was an expansive, circular chamber with numerous balconies similar to the one they were standing on extending from the rounded walls, all the way down to the floor. There appeared to be another four levels below them with four platforms per level, their¡¯s being one of four on the highest floor. Voices flowed up from the bottom, Eik¡¯s team now laying eyes on the first people since coming to this world, with the exception of Pollarak, the boy they managed to rescue and bring into the Alliance¡¯s custody. A dozen flaming braziers lining the stone walls cast flickering light on the people down below. Hanging at a height of the third highest floor, a single, much larger brazier had been left unlit. A cauldron even larger than the one with the heinous stench from the kitchen above stood as the centerpiece of the chamber, the massive fire roiling underneath emitting enough heat to be felt even on the highest of the balconies. Around the cauldron stood dozens of people, dressed in long, flowing robes with deep hoods to shroud their faces in shadow. One was stirring the stew with a large ladle, while the others spoke among themselves or wrote furiously on long sheets of parchment, several stacks of the rolled up scrolls arranged neatly next to a large table off to the side. On the stone wall of the cylindrical chamber, lit up generously by the large braziers, was yet another engraving of a crescent moon containing a sun within its arch. An altar, slightly smaller than the one in the worship room upstairs, stood directly below the wall carving, dozens of candles adorning this one as well. Eik kept glancing back toward the tunnel they¡¯d come from, expecting the owners of the voices that had been climbing the stairs to suddenly manifest in the light of the fires, but they never came. They were at a loss for a way to proceed, the chamber swarming with the followers of this strange moon and sun cult, and the whereabouts of the F-rank Alliance team a complete mystery as well. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Who knew how extensive the underground complex truly was with its winding paths, multiple floors, and poorly lit interior, not to mention the potential number of cultist. The number of people they had seen thus far did not remotely correspond to what the population of the town outside must have been. For minutes they discussed the best course of action from here, taking turns to propose ideas of varying quality, arguing for or against, and eventually rejecting every single one of them. There were simply too many unknown factors to just sneak in and hope for the best¡ªa necessary aspect of most of the propositions. Heath was in the middle of persuading the less than impressed Eik and Sonja to get on board with his idea to sneak back up to town, find something they could use to paint their clothes the color of the wall, and then attempt to sneak past the dozens of cultist by blending into the background, when Michael, who was lying flat on his stomach to peek out over the edge, waved them over frantically. ¡°They¡¯re bringing something out!¡± he hissed, almost forgetting to keep his voice down. ¡°Something¡¯s happening!¡± Eik, Heath, and Sonja crawled to the edge on their elbows and knees, Heath leaving his heavy shield on the floor. A procession of hooded cultists were emerging one after the other from one of several gateways on the bottom floor, each carrying a platter of various ingredients. The first few carried what looked like sliced vegetables and other miscellany. Then a couple of platters with piles of spices and herbs, followed finally by platters of raw meat, the blood still dripping onto the ground as they walked. One by one, they deposited their burdens into the roiling cauldron as the stirring continued unceasingly. ¡°Uhm, guys?¡± Michael whispered. They offered him questioning looks, but his eyes were frozen on the procession of cultists, his nails grinding into the stone of the balcony floor as he grasped it in a death grip. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a hand?¡± At first glance, the meat had been nothing but nondescript chunks of flesh, but upon further inspection, all of the platters bore pieces that looked undeniably human. A hand on the first, an ear and a foot on the second, and another ear on the third. It all went into the bubbling stew. Michael retreated back as quickly as he could and vomited quietly by one of the braziers in the passage. Heath wasn¡¯t looking too hot either, but managed to keep the contents of his stomach inside. Surprise jolted through them when a scream of pure rage tore through the enclosed space, bouncing off the circular walls and echoing earsplittingly. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you disgusting bastards! I¡¯ll kill all of you! Let me out! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± the voice screamed, sobs mixed into the fury. Eik leaned further out over the edge, a firm hold on the rungs of the guardrail allowing him to see some of the floor directly under their column of balconies. Only a corner was visible, but it looked like a metal cage. Hands gripped the bars and rustled them hard enough to rattle the whole cage as expletives continued to fly. The cultist paid it no mind as the ingredients plopped into the cauldron. ¡°That must be the Alliance guys,¡± Eik said. ¡°We missed them because they¡¯re right under us!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Heath asked. ¡°If those insane hoods down there are actually eating people, then we can¡¯t just take our time to go back and regroup, and judging by the screams and threats, they¡¯ve already started cooking the kids.¡± Eik looked around the chamber, racking his brain for a solution. There had to be something they could do. Anything. An idea began to form in his mind, the insanity of it making him hesitate to bring it up to the others. It probably wouldn¡¯t even work, but it was the best he could come up with for now. ¡°Guys, do you see that big hanging brazier below us?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s huge;¡± Heath said. ¡°What if I just¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous idea,¡± Sonja said, interrupting him before he could even get the words out. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I was going to say!¡± Eik hissed back. She gave him a raised eye brow. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to jump onto it?¡± Eik¡¯s mouth formed a tight line. ¡°That¡¯s what you want to do? That¡¯s what crazy people in action movies do!¡± Heath whispered through clenched teeth. ¡°Well, what the hell are we gonna do instead?¡± Eik countered. None of them could answer that. ¡°I know it¡¯s crazy, but it might actually work, and if we can¡¯t come up with anything else, then I¡¯ll just have to try it.¡± They didn¡¯t seem convinced, so he tried a different tactic. ¡°This is not just about us and the kids down there. Do you think the Nidafjeld Alliance is going to be happy if we bungle the rescue mission? It¡¯ll be us failing to deliver on the very first thing they request of us¡ªand by us, I of course mean Forest as a whole,¡± he said, watching as realization dawned. ¡°What if they cut us off? Even if it simply sours our relationship with them, it could have serious consequences for everybody on Earth.¡± Two minutes later, Eik was climbing up onto the guardrail, a hand on Heath¡¯s massive shoulder for support. The metal bar he was standing on was smooth and somewhat slippery, and now that he was up here he found himself thinking that a few more minutes of brainstorming might not have been such a horrible idea after all. His aim was the thick, linked iron chain secured to the ceiling by a means he couldn¡¯t see from down here. He just hoped that it was something strong enough to hold the sudden addition of his weight. Further down the length of chain, it split into four thinner chains, each of which attached to a solid hook on the rim of the brazier. He checked that all his gear was properly secured to his body and prepared to jump for the chain. He¡¯d have to cover a considerable distance in order to make it. At the bottom, the cultists had finished pouring ingredients into the cauldron, and the ladle lay on the rim as the stew simmered. With a heart that was racing at a million beats per minute, Eik drew in a trembling breath and bent his knees, trying to stabilize his body. He triggered Movement Boost, and then he leapt. Chapter 23: Secret Ingredient For a moment, everything stood still as he sailed through the air. And in that moment, he became sure he wouldn¡¯t make it, but the effect of Movement Boost pushed him further, until his fingers closed around the cold chain links. With the strength of a mere F-ranker, he was unable to keep a proper grip on the metal as he slid down the length of the chain. With every link his fingers slipped on, the speed of his descent increased until it became impossible to save himself from a violent and noisy fall onto the large brazier down below. Eik prepared himself for the imminent impact, but instead of slamming bodily into the iron bowl down below as he had expected, a horrendous, gut-twisting agony exploded between his legs as his nobler parts made direct and arresting contact with one of the four thinner chains connecting to hooks on the rim of the brazier. He had to bite his own lip to keep down a scream, only his hold on the main chain preventing him from sliding down like a child down a banister. Eik glanced up at his teammates and saw them holding their breaths as they watched. After carefully dismounting the chain, he made it onto the brazier proper. Given how much the thing itself weighed, the addition of a single Eik hardly rocked it at all, allowing him to crawl to the edge and peek down. The heat from the fire under the cauldron was magnitudes more intense so close and directly above, with even the iron of the brazier¡¯s bottom reaching a temperature that could be described as uncomfortably hot. Eik¡¯s plan was a simple one, really. Drip the Profound Toxin into the cauldron from above, wait for the cultists to dig in, hope the toxic agents weren¡¯t broken down and made impotent, and voil¨¢, walk in and get the kids out while the cultists were down for the count. One of the cultists had stepped up with the ladle to stir, so Eik had to wait for him to finish before he could start letting the toxin flow. Now that he had some time to think, his confidence in his own plan was waning. If some of the cultist abstained from partaking in the meal, they would be able to both fight back and call for help from an unknown number of lunatic comrades. There were stacks of used wooden bowls off to the side, but from his vantage point on top of the hanging brazier, he couldn¡¯t tell if the number of bowls corresponded with the number of cultists they¡¯d seen thus far. But it was too late to change his mind anyway. He couldn¡¯t leap back from the chain to the balcony, so the only way out was down. When finally the damned cultist pulled the ladle out of the stew and placed it back on the rim of the cauldron, Eik released the Profound Toxin from the tip of his finger, the blue substance dripping into the cauldron drop by drop, the small quantities making the luminescent nature of the liquid a lot less eye-catching. For minutes, he kept the toxin flowing as the cultist milled about. When they weren¡¯t scribbling in their scrolls or having conversations with each other, they actually appeared to be rather¡­ aimless, simply studying the walls or their hands as if in a trance. Their deep hoods also prevented them from seeing anything around them, including Eik hanging from the brazier above. Eik paused when the bubbling mass was stirred once more, resuming as soon as the cultist walked away again. After more than an hour of this, the bowls were brought to the cauldron, the dried gunk from the previous batch of stew still sticking to the sides. As the meal was poured, all of the cultist in the chamber, including some who emerged from the darkened hallways, gathered silently around the crackling fire. They lined up to receive a filled bowl each, after which they formed a circle around the cauldron, holding their bowls with both hands. It might have been his mind playing tricks, but Eik thought the stew had a faint blue glow to it. In the end, only the cultist who had been serving the food to everyone was left by the cauldron, pouring a portion for himself before he walked to the last open space in the circle, his own bowl of people stew held high above his head as he spoke some manner of nonsensical, sing-songy chant. His robe was identical to the rest of them, but he was behaving like an obvious leader. The followers joined him in chorus, waving the bowls from side to side as they intoned foreign words, many of them seeming almost maniacal in their performance. The same boy in the cage who had raged at the cultists earlier resumed his hate-filled verbal assault, the hooded figures paying him no mind. For almost a minute they kept up their chant, and then, at the order of the leader, put their lips to the bowls and used their fingers to shove the food into their mouths with gusto. Seeing the followers devouring the hot slop obediently, he nodded almost imperceptibly and consumed everything in his own bowl. The cultists bowed their heads over the bowls, haunting whispers flowing between them. For a minute they stood like that, and then the first one vomited, his meal cascading back into the bowl in his hands as he sank to his knees. Almost immediately, another three cultists did the same, followed by the rest of their number. It was chaos incarnate as they previously quiet figures rolled around in their own vomit, clutching their stomach as they groaned in pain. Stolen novel; please report. The leader was down on one knee, fist pressed into his side as he fought for a deep breath, but he wasn¡¯t nearly as badly affected as those who followed him. Eik glanced up from the havoc to the balcony above. His companions were nowhere to be seen. He prepared himself. A minute later, Heath¡¯s massive form stormed into the chamber, shield raised in front of him, Michael and Sonja stopping in the gateway with weapons drawn. Their tank bull rushed a cultist who was blocking his path to the cages, knocking the bastard violently to the floor, the deep hood falling back to reveal a face with six eyes, three on each side of the head, two slits for a nose, and three scale-like plates that covered the forehead from the bridge of the nose to the top of the scalp. Eik had somewhat expected these people, whose architecture and way of life seemed so similar to pre-industrial Earth, to resemble humans like Atla and Mikla did, but this woman¡ªor rather, he assumed it was a woman¡ªlooked decidedly non-human in all but shape. Eik dropped down from the brazier as Heath fought with the heavy lock on the cage. The captured Alliance team looked stunned at the sight of a rescue. The boy who had been screaming so fervently at the cultists just moments earlier was at a loss for words as well, staring open-mouthed as their saviors charged into the chamber with their torturers writhing on the cold stone floor. Even as Heath gave up on the delicate lock picking task and smashed the lock with a series of well-placed strikes with the pommel of his sword, their stupefaction persisted. Only Heath pulling them out of the cage by the elbow seemed wake them up. ¡°Wh-Wh¡ª, Who are you? Are you¡ª, Wh-What¡¯s going on?¡± the boy asked while his companion, a girl with skin as red as fresh blood, was utterly petrified. Tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°We have been sent by the Nidafjeld Alliance. This is a rescue operation,¡± Eik said staccato as he led the girl with the red skin towards the gateway where Michael and Sonja waited. ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste. Where are the rest of you?¡± he asked, knowing the answer but needing confirmation. At this, the girl broke down in sobs outright, the boy clearly holding back tears as well as he tried to speak through the lump in his throat. ¡°D-Dead¡­ Those shitheads a-ate them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to hear that,¡± Eik said sincerely. ¡°We already found an rescued your friend Pollarak. He¡¯s alright, but extremely worried about you.¡± ¡°Pol¡¯s alive?¡± the girl piped up, a tiny spark coming to life in her eyes. ¡°He sure is,¡± Eik assured her with a smile. ¡°And a very anxious and very frightening man, whom I believe is your father, is waiting for your return.¡± "Let''s get them out of here," Sonja said. "Eik and I will stay and finish off these cultists. We can''t just leave them like this." They funneled the two children into the passageway after Michael, but just as Heath entered behind them a roar fueled by frenzied rage echoed throughout the chamber as a yellow ball of energy crashed into the stone wall just above the arched exit, sharp fragments and dust raining down onto Eik. A frantic glance back revealed the cult leader on shaking knees, his hand raised toward them with a second yellow sphere of crackling energy taking shape within his palm. His hood had also been thrown back, and while Eik could now see several other faces, all of which were the same six-eyed tall foreheads, the leader looked arguably human with the exception of his elongated ears and milky white irises. The ferocious snarl on his face did not bode well for their escape. ¡°Hurry, run, run!¡± Eik shouted, dropping any pretense of stealth, pushing on Heath¡¯s broad back as they desperately tried to make it to the stairs before another ball of destruction was launched at them. Another explosion shook the narrow passageway as the shrieks of fury reached them from the chamber. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll follow us?¡± Heath asked over his shoulder as they made it to the long, winding stairway. ¡°Maybe. He looked weakened, but he¡¯s also definitely stronger than us.¡± Another sphere impacted the step Eik¡¯s foot had just left, the shock wave of the explosion blasting his skin painfully and almost causing him to stumble and fall. Unintelligible words that sounded like threats were screamed after them as they kept running. ¡°Keep going, everyone!¡± Eik called up to the front. ¡°I think we might just make it!¡± They rushed up the stairs and crashed through the rooms of the surface temple, kicking the front double doors open, one of them flying off the hinges. Sunlight blinded them and they almost stumbled down the stairs to the temple building. Without looking back, they ran as fast as their legs would carry them, eager to put distance between them and the powerful cult leader. As they made it to the first houses on the main street, another ball of energy ripped up the cobblestones right by Sonja¡¯s feet, the explosion throwing her over a fence and into an overgrown front garden where she rolled back onto her feet in the same movement. In an instant, her bow was out and she shot an arrow back toward their attacker. Eik turned around just in time to see the long-eared cult leader casually bat the arrow away, hardly paying the projectile any mind. Still clutching his stomach, the robed man held an empty potion bottle loosely in his other hand as he walked toward them with murder in his eyes, the remnants of a yellow liquid pooling at the bottom of the bottle. He was pale as chalk, sweat pouring down his clammy forehead. Even after consuming the unknown potion, he looked ready to collapse, but the fact that he had made it back to the surface as quickly as they had was a testament to the power he still possessed. He hurled the bottle at them with a screech, face twisted hideously in pure, unadulterated wrath, and charged up another yellow sphere. Heath cursed under his breath as he pushed past Eik with his shield raised and sprinted full tilt for the cult leader with a roar. The pale man whipped his hand around to launch the attack at the approaching tank instead of Sonja. Sonja released another arrow while Eik darted off to the side and briefly activated Movement Boost to get himself onto a roof from which he leapt into the back garden of the adjacent home. As he sailed through the air toward the grass below, he heard the metallic crackle of the impact of the radiant orb against Heath¡¯s tower shield. Eik looped around the overgrown house and back onto the street diagonally behind the evil elf man, Profound Toxin flooding the venom ducts of the fang. The strength of the Movement Boost pushed him beyond his limits as he brandished his weapon, course set directly for the pointy-eared lunatic. Before he could plunge in the venom fang, the man spun unimaginably fast, backhand coming up to intercept Eik¡¯s path. Chapter 24: Cult Leader Eik attempted to dig his heels into the cobbled street to break his momentum, but the lightning-quick backhand tore into his shoulder nonetheless, hurling him back through the garden fence of the house he had looped around. He gasped for air as the battle continued to unfold on the street. Lying on his back, he raised his head to see the girl with the red skin, weaponless, heading straight for the cult leader, a crazed look in her eyes. The boy was right behind her. Heath was just getting back to his feet and going for the fight again, the front of his shield a charred mess after taking the attack head on. The elf-like man couldn¡¯t charge up another attack while he was busy fending off the close combat assault of three people plus Sonja¡¯s relentless, well-timed arrows. Occasional lunges and slashes broke through his defense, including an arrow in his upper arm which he had immediately snapped at the base. Even the short exchange had clearly taken its toll on him. While he was distracted, Eik attempted another flanking maneuver, darting out and in from behind, keeping his head low to the ground as his shoulder ached painfully. He wished he had had time to get Michael to cast Single Protection on him¡ªthe healer¡¯s skill that cushioned the damage of the next attack suffered by the target of the ability. Michael had not been using the ability much since he got it, his passive fighting style not lending itself to the dynamic approach it required to get the most out of it. Eik hoped that would change soon. Sonja saw Eik coming up from behind. ¡°Michael! Cast Bind! Now!¡± she shouted, letting fly another arrow. Michael obliged, his fingers weaving patterns through the air as the young man concentrated. Glowing strings sprouted around the cult leader¡¯s wrists, snaking their way around his thighs to bind his hands to his legs. Their powerful foe broke free almost immediately, but not before Heath¡¯s blade took him in the side, eliciting a gasp of pain, while the children managed punches to his face and body. Meanwhile, Eik used the opportunity to stab a gushing hectona fang into his back, pumping Profound Toxin directly into the bastard for the first time. Grasping Heath¡¯s sword and forcing it out of his guts, the elf howled as his skin began to radiate the same light that his spheres of energy had, the gleam streaming out as if through webbed cracks in his body. Eik pulled out the fang and kicked off the elf¡¯s back, sensing something bad coming. The others also retreated, but before any of them could create enough distance, a fat, intense pulse of light flashed out from the cult leader, expanding rapidly like the shock wave of a bomb. Upon contact, their bodies were flung back and Eik felt powerful jolts of electricity running through his body. He couldn¡¯t even cry out in pain as his muscles seized up and he landed hard on his bad shoulder. Instead of coming for them, the weakened man sank to one knee, clearly exhausted, but readied another ball of frenetic energy. An arrow took him in the forearm, cutting short the manifestation of his skill, and Eik saw his chance to get in what could well be a decisive strike. The cultist¡¯s expression had turned from almost mindless fury into something better described as cold but terrible hatred, his eyes flitting to and fro as he assessed the situation. The moment Eik triggered Movement Boost and sped in from behind for the third time, fingers appeared out of nowhere, snatching him by the throat and slamming him into the cobblestones. Pain erupted along his back as his mobility was taken away. With a twisted grin marred by agony, the pointy-eared psycho dug into a pouch on his hip while maintaining a firm, vice-like grip on Eik¡¯s neck. He drawled words in a sing-songy voice in a language not covered by the translation skill, but the general tone of it left no doubt in Eik¡¯s mind about the intent. The man¡¯s slender arm disappeared far deeper into the belt satchel that should have been physically possible, the surreal sight almost distracting Eik¡¯s mind from the deadly peril he was in. He had expected some kind of magical item of torture, or at the very least a frighteningly cruel ceremonial dagger, so when a simple vial containing a green liquid was uncovered from the depths of the pouch, he was unsure of how to react. ¡°Do my words reach you now, you filthy insect?¡± the cultist suddenly spat and smiled at the recognition in Eik¡¯s eyes. ¡°I thought they might. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been working on these mindless cavemen? You ruined it! You!¡± he hissed, popping out the stopper in the vial with a thumb. An arrow took him in the back with a meaty thunk, but he only gasped and ignored it. ¡°I¡¯ll let you taste some of this, since you seem to love sneaky tricks so much.¡± With his fingers, the unhinged cult leader pried Eik¡¯s lips apart and forced the poison vial into his mouth. ¡°The Nidafjeld Alliance is weak. They¡¯re delusional!¡± he muttered insanely, emptying the contents into Eik¡¯s throat before discarding the glass bottle on the street. When another arrow came, he stopped it by letting it rip through the palm of his open hand, the point halting mere centimeters from his face. Eik only faintly registered as the elf continued the crazed tirade, whatever it was that he had been made to consume wrestling from him all control of his addled mind. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Pain bubbled up in the vicinity of his solar plexus, growing in breadth and intensity with every second that passed, quickly reaching unbearable levels. It felt as if his bones were being ground to dust while muscles and tendons twisted and tore under his skin, grating him down to a paste. He thought he might have been screaming, but he couldn¡¯t be certain. A whirlpool of rushing water rose up to swallow him into its depths, pulling him violently down and down until the pressure crushed him like countless cubes of steel balancing precariously on his chest. Then, out of nowhere, a clarity sliced through the dull waves of pain and confusion, filling his body with incredible strength. His mind was still muddled, but whatever power had come to him allowed him to push through and open his eyes, gaze boring into the blabbering cult leader. With force, he clutched the hectona fang which had laid limply between his fingers. He gritted his teeth, tasting the iron of blood, and called upon Movement Boost. ¡°Learn to shut up, bitch,¡± he snarled and thrust the fang into the cultist¡¯s neck with speed that belied his rank, surprising the both of them. For a second, while the deadly toxin flowed in freely, the pointy-eared man sat stunned. Blood tainted by luminescent, blue toxin gushed out when the elf finally yanked free the fang. He clasped a hand over the grievous wound, but the flood barely slowed. The expression of astonishment never left his face, even as he collapsed backward onto the cobbled road, pool of blood spreading ceaselessly. Even with the strength that still coursed vigorously through him, he couldn¡¯t gather the physical coordination to sit himself up. The wooden plaque tucked into his shirt was vibrating non-stop as messages were etched into its surface. Only when Sonja appeared above him, a look of concern painted on her face, was he pulled up by her hand. She had to catch him as he swayed on his feet and fell over again. ¡°I think I know what my new skill, Noxious Invigoration does now,¡± he said with a tired smile. ¡°Toxins make me stronger.¡± ¡°Looks like it saved you this time,¡± she said and supported him on the way back to the others. They had been hit by the expanding energy pulse at much closer range than Eik and it showed. Both of the kids appeared to be unconscious while Heath was only just coming around again. Michael was treating a head wound on the girl with the red skin. ¡°I think he¡¯s dead,¡± Eik reported hoarsely. Heath cracked open an eye to look up at him. ¡°Well, thank god for that. That guy was ridiculously strong. High E-rank? Maybe even low D-rank?¡± he wondered. ¡°Without the initial poisoning he would have slaughtered the lot of us with ease.¡± "I got this from him," Eik said and held up the little belt pouch into which the cult leader had somehow managed to stick his whole arm. "It''s a bona fide freakin'' bag of holding, dude!" He plunged his hand in but it hit the bottom as it would have a regular pouch. "What''s in there?" Heath asked, excitement seeming to clear his head. "Nothing..." Eik said, feeling around inside the pouch, looking for anything he might have missed. He got Michael to light up the inside with the Heal ability, but it just looked like regular leather. "I swear, his whole arm disappeared into this thing!" "Maybe there are special requirements for its use," Sonja suggested. "Like, maybe it''s locked to an individual''s... magical, uuh... signature?" "Yeah, maybe..." Eik said, dejected. Michael hauled a teenager under each arm while Sonja continued to support Eik. Heath managed to walk on his own. The trek back to the fracture coordinates was going to be long and perilous, but regardless of how tempting it was to break into one of those cozy farm houses and sleep for a whole day, none of them knew what else might be lurking down in those torchlit tunnels. The safest thing was to get going and put some distance between themselves and this cursed place. They trudged, exhausted, through the jungle, backtracking with the help of the markings they had scratched into the trees on the way out. The kids woke up quickly and walked on their own, but the loss of their friends had taken a heavy toll on them. They weren¡¯t just a random trainee team. Every single day had been spent together ever since they awoke, training, building practical teamwork, developing synergies, and much more. For more than a year, they had been tied at the hips. And the concept of survival of one¡¯s comrades as an utmost priority had been drilled into them thoroughly and relentlessly. They had failed at that, in the most cruel and horrifying of ways. Eik and Heath cracked jokes in hopes of brightening the gloom while Michael offered a kind and sympathetic ear for their sorrows. Sonja walked the children through their terrible experiences and tried to make them understand that they had neither direct nor personal fault. She did this without downplaying the fact that they, as a team, certainly had committed mistakes that had led to this. Venturing into the depths of the temple with no preparation had not been a good idea, although Eik¡¯s team had arguably done the same. They cried a lot. To the Earthlings, it was insane that kids of their age had been let loose in a place like this on their own, completely unsupervised. But perhaps that was just the way a society ended up operating after a long history in the Unified Mass and constant threat and conflict based on the personal power of individuals. Eik pulled out his wooden plaque and reviewed his levels. A lot had happened in that fight, proving, if nothing else, that the cult leader had been a formidable opponent. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 7] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 16] 11 levels of Profound Toxin from that? What a ridiculous chunk of progress. But then again, with the way he had more or less single-handedly managed to take care of all of the cultists and contributed to the defeat of that shithead of a cult leader, it wasn¡¯t so strange after all. Eik¡¯s Resistance: Toxin ability also leveled up from the green, poisonous substance he had been made to consume, having now reached level 27. With the six of them, they were able to deter or vanquish all monsters that approached them. All the way back they were just waiting for the titanic monstrosities they had hid from on the way out to make an appearance, so when the blood-covered wooden post came into view, they sank into the soft moss, forgetting for a moment that danger still lurked everywhere around them. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a year since we left this sign here¡­¡± the girl with the red skin, whose name was Gillimi, said, holding back tears. The boy, Taf, was maintaining a stoic, silent frown that said he was doing the same. The kids did not deserve what they had been subjected to here. As he looked at the children, Eik felt his respect for the Nidafjeld Alliance and the people who led it wane. ¡°Hey!¡± Heath exclaimed, the entire group drawing their weapons at the alarm in his voice. ¡°I think¡ª I think I¡¯m hitting E-rank!¡± Chapter 25: Misplaced Wrath ¡°What did you just say?¡± Eik whispered, his brain unable to consolidate the urgent tone with the words. ¡°I think I¡¯ve hit E-rank,¡± Heath repeated with a face split in two by the widest of grins. ¡°You scared the living crap out of us!¡± Sonja admonished, with uncharacteristic fierceness. Sorry, sorry¡­¡± he mumbled apologetically, but only managing to hold the expression of shame for a moment before the grin forced itself back. ¡°But Sonja, I¡¯m going to be E-rank!¡± ¡°And you deserve to be, Heathy,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°But I¡¯m going to be right behind you, you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better!¡± ¡°So what happens now?¡± Eik asked as he returned the hectona fang to his belt. ¡°Do you just go, like, pop, and you¡¯re E-rank?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s a bit more of a process to it than that, and I think it would be best to wait until we¡¯re out of this jungle. It¡¯ll occupy your mind for a while, so if you do it now, and we get ambushed, then we¡¯ll be a man down and have to protect you,¡± Sonja said. Eik and Heath nodded while the kids stared at them one by one in disbelief. ¡°You didn¡¯t know that?¡± Gillimi asked. ¡°How could you not?¡± ¡°Yeah, everybody knows th¡ª¡± Taf chimed in only for his eyes to widen as he was struck by realization. ¡°No way, wait! Are you from a new world?¡± The Earth team exchanged glances but nodded. ¡°That¡¯s so cool! What was it like when your world was inducted into the Unified Mass?¡± ¡°Uuh, deadly¡­¡± Eik said, unable to think of anything better. ¡°Horrifying? Traumatizing?¡± As he continued, the kids¡¯ excitement dwindled considerably. ¡°Sorry for asking, I guess,¡± Taf muttered awkwardly. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. We¡¯re worlds apart, literally, so curiosity is no great offense. For these past nine years, I¡¯ve tried not to think about it too much, but by my estimation we probably lost somewhere in the vicinity of ninety percent of our planet¡¯s population, all killed within the first year or so.¡± The children paled at that, their postures shrinking a little. ¡°With monsters constantly swarming out of the fractures to slaughter us, there was little we could do as mostly powerless unawakened and low rankers. I hid in a hole we dug in the ground in the forest with my brother, his girlfriend, and her mother,¡± Eik continued, finding a strange kind of relief in talking about it out loud. The fact that he, for the first time, could tell it to somebody who hadn¡¯t experienced something similar or worse also gave a release of tension from his mind that he hadn¡¯t known was there. ¡°We lived down there for, what, eight months, or something like that. Barely ever leaving that cold, dark, and damp hole in the ground.¡± he said, eyes wandering between his companions. ¡°When my sister-in-law awakened halfway through, she began to venture out with more courage, but she got hurt a lot. Soon after, my brother awakened as well and they would go foraging for food while her mom and I just waited there for them to return, hidden away and useless," he swallowed hard. "Sometimes they would lose their sense of direction in the unfamiliar terrain or be forced to run away from monsters. We would sit for days on end, too afraid to talk for fear of attracting monsters, and never knowing whether my brother and sister were dead or just late¡­¡± As he spoke, his eyes gradually lost focus as his thoughts returned to those days of pain. Eventually his words drifted into silence. Only the sound of Heath¡¯s voice jolted him out of the stupor. ¡°Our story isn¡¯t much different from yours, actually,¡± Heath said, gesturing to Sonja, whose face had become a stone mask. ¡°We started out in a big group. The city was a frenzy with mangled corpses littering the street like garbage. We fled into the wilderness like so many others, but no matter where we went, the monsters always kept coming, endlessly, never letting us rest. Every day our numbers would shrink as people were dragged off screaming." His gaze was somewhere far away. "It was maddening. People we had built relationships with died, one after the other, right in front of our eyes. Sonja¡¯s best friend was¡ª¡­¡± Heath hesitated and took a moment to reconsider his words, eyeing his sister whose face remained devoid of any visible emotion. ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued with a sigh. ¡°Stragglers kept joining up with us so the group never disappeared completely, and then when a few of us began to awaken to our powers we established a small settlement. I think it was about two years before we made contact with and moved to Forest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± the girl with the red skin named Gillimi said. ¡°That sounds like a horrible nightmare.¡± Eik chuckled half-heartedly. ¡°That not a bad way to describe it. I think a lot of us were just waiting for the moment where we woke up in the real world, with no monsters, no super powers, and no dead friends and family.¡± ¡°The adults always say that being able to experience the arrival of the Unified Mass is the greatest of privileges, and that anybody lucky enough to be alive at that time gets to experience a new age of discovery that will shape their world until the end of time,¡± Taf said. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Well¡­¡± Heath began, glancing at the others. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. Except the things we get to discover is either terrifying and life-threatening, or,¡± he said and gestured to the kids. ¡°startling, world-upheaving, and existentially challenging. But privilege and luck are not exactly words that come to mind, I¡¯ll admit.¡± The children told them of their upbringings as well, all of them from families with close ties to the Nidafjeld Alliance. Most people lived on the fringes of the Alliance with affiliated home worlds but no personal ties¡ªmuch like how one used to be able to live in a country allied with other countries without ever feeling that in the day to day. Although they came from Alliance families, of which there were countless, they could in no way be referred to as particularly important within the overall structure of the hierarchy. The children stressed this. If they had been important, the Alliance would have sent the best of the best within the appropriate power rank, instead of a team of relatively newly awakened strangers from a new world, which, they agreed, was likely part of a political strategy to solidify a sense of trust and mutual benefit between the two parties. More prominent families would have been able to demand better treatment. The heavy conversations had thrown them all into a gloom, so when the fracture that would take them home finally crackled into existence, they had sat in silence for a few hours. Tears once again streamed down the children¡¯s cheeks as they rushed for the portal without a moment of hesitation. The Earth team stepped through as well and this time the number of faces waiting for them had almost doubled since the day before. Gillimi and Taf were already well into their recounting of the events of their expedition, and many faces among the listeners were growing tearful and disbelieving as the reality of the results of the rescue mission became clear. One woman with black hair fainted when she heard of her son¡¯s fate. Gillimi was stuck in a perpetual hug, her red-skinned father¡¯s tight embrace almost crushing her. Taf, on the other hand, was passed around between his mother, father, sisters, and grandparents, showered in hugs and kisses, displaying the classic embarrassment of a teenager but unable to hide his relief at being back in their arms. Sensing a good chance to quietly leave, Eik and his friends snuck off and headed for his suite. Five minutes later, Atla joined them and thanked them for their efforts. Eik asked her about the bag of holding that he''d taken from the elf''s corpse. Sonja''s assumption had been more or less correct. It was apparently common for bags of holding to be calibrated to the owner, so to anyone else trying to access the bag''s contents it would behave as any other ordinary sack. Eik still kept it, but his excitement had been severely quenched. Next, Atla had some questions to follow up Taf and Gillimi¡¯s explanations about their experiences in the temple. ¡°This cult,¡± she began. ¡°what can you tell me about them?¡± Sonja pursed her lips. ¡°They ate two of the children, but as far as we can tell, they also ate their own people. The leader was not the same species as the followers, and he knew of the Nidafjeld Alliance. From the way he spoke, it seemed like he might have come from somewhere else, specifically to do something in that town.¡± Atla hmm¡¯d and tapped her fingers on the thick wooden table as she digested that. Michael spoke up as well. ¡°And they had the same symbol everywhere inside the temple. It was kind of creepy.¡± ¡°What kind of symbol?¡± ¡°A sun contained within the crescent of a half moon,¡± Eik finished. Atla was silent for a moment before she closed her eyes slowly, her jaw clenched tight in frustration. She slumped back into a chair and exhaled resignedly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe those deranged mongrels have managed to infest this new world as well¡­¡± ¡°This new world as well, you say?¡± Sonja asked with a frown. ¡°Who are they and why were they there?¡± Atla gave them a look as if she was considering whether or not to elaborate. In the end she started speaking. ¡°Yes, this is certainly not the first we¡¯ve seen of them. They are an absolute scourge on the Unified Mass, and you can count yourselves lucky that they didn¡¯t infiltrate your Earth as well.¡± Atla was becoming visibly agitated and she took a couple of deep, controlling breaths before she continued. ¡°They call themselves The Moon Shall Swallow. Stupid name, right? We¡¯re not really sure what their exact goal is, but judging by their behavior, it¡¯s nothing good.¡± ¡°And what were they doing there?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Recruiting new blood, I would assume. They like to do that as much as they can. Most civilizations prefer to gain power through negotiation, shows of force, and direct political or military confrontations. You¡¯ve seen that yourselves with the monsters invading your world. The Moon Shall Swallow prefers a softer approach, infiltrating new worlds under the guise of aid and security. Because they go about it so quietly, it¡¯s very difficult to catch them in the act.¡± That sounded an awful lot like the exact thing the Nidafjeld Alliance had done on Earth. Except for the fact that Atla had punched one of their strongest fighters into the next week, of course. ¡°What about the cannibalism, then?¡± Michael asked. ¡°That is, unfortunately, also not the first we¡¯ve encountered that particular strategy of theirs. They essentially work stealthily to sow friction and discord within the population they infiltrate, and one of the advanced steps is to encourage cannibalism as a way to erode the minds and mental boundaries of the cultists. A way to make them more malleable, you could say. Quite effective too.¡± Michael looked like he wanted to throw up again. ¡°So what do we do about them?¡± Heath asked. ¡°You don¡¯t do anything,¡± Atla said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ve already helped us immensely by taking care of the key figure, for which we¡¯ll be sure to express our gratitude. But enough of that,¡± she continued and looked at Heath. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve reached something of a milestone.¡± Heath¡¯s excitement radiated out of him like the brightest of suns. He sat down on the soft couch, squeezing his wide, armored rear into a space between a mountain of throw pillows. He closed his eyes and within moments, his grin was replaced by a slack jaw as he slumped into the couch, looking almost lifeless. Sonja made to leap to his side, but was stopped by Atla. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. His mind is being shielded from the radical changes occurring within his body. He¡¯s just fine despite the drooling,¡± she assured them. ¡°In fact, if you¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªon!¡± The sound was faint at first. In fact, if Atla hadn¡¯t stopped talking, Eik would have assumed it to have been a trick of his exhausted mind. ¡°¡ªurdered my son!¡± The voice was getting closer fast. And it wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°I want to see the bastards who murdered my son!¡± a woman¡¯s wrathful, sorrowful cry rang out from the hallway outside. ¡°They killed my son and you just let them walk away?¡± Other voices seemed to be trying to reason with her to no avail. A stentorian explosion shook the whole room after which everything was silent for a moment. Eik¡¯s eyes flitted to Atla, and to his dismay, she looked genuinely concerned for the first time since he¡¯d met her. He never got the chance to ask her what was going on. With a thunderous crack, the door to his new suite shattered. Chapter 26: Mother of Rage Fragments of wood rocketed across the room, bouncing off the opposite wall. A few of the sharper pieces even buried themselves in the wall, more than half of their lengths disappearing into the white, veneer-like surface. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± ¡°You murdered my son! Left him to be¡­¡±¡ªShe heaved a sob, her face a mess of tears. It was the woman who had fallen unconscious upon hearing of her son¡¯s death earlier¡ª¡°to be eaten by that freakish, abominable cult of lunatics.¡± She looked both ready to kill and ready to faint again. ¡°N-No, we-we didn¡¯t!¡± Michael stammered. ¡°It was already too late when we got there! It really was!¡± He was afraid, but his fear made him look guilty. Sonja had stepped in front of Heath protectively, drawing her thin blade in anticipation of a confrontation. In the blink of an eye, the woman vanished with a boom only to reappear in the middle of the room, fist caught by Atla¡¯s palm. As if she had expected it, the black-haired woman¡¯s other fist came up as well, slamming into Atla¡¯s side and sending her flying through the wall, an explosion of dust and debris covering Eik¡¯s suite. ¡°Menka, please,¡± Atla coughed as she stepped out of the hole in the wall. ¡°This is not right and you know it. They are representatives of new and important allies. You heard what Taf and Gillimi said. It was too late before they were even¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you say that shit to me, Atla! You¡¯re almost as guilty as them. Why did you send these weaklings instead of someone we know? The Alliance promised they¡¯d do whatever they could to¡ª¡± the woman named Menka screamed, falling to her knees as her voice became a whisper. ¡°Now my son is dead and I can¡¯t get him back.¡± Suddenly Gillimi¡¯s red-skinned father appeared in the broken doorway, assessing the situation and joining Atla but taking a more physical approach. ¡°I can¡¯t let you do that. They saved my daughter¡¯s life,¡± he said, seizing the mother by the arm. Gillimi¡¯s frightened face peeked around the shattered door frame, followed closely by Taf who couldn¡¯t seem to decide between open-mouthed curiosity and discomfort. Taf¡¯s family came into the room as well, the space suddenly very full. ¡°And they killed my son! Only you got your child back! I can¡¯t forgive this!¡± she screamed. With an abrupt movement, she tore her arm free of the Gillimi¡¯s father¡¯s grip and disappeared in a blur. In the next moment her fist, covered in a blue, whirling soup of energy was right in front of Eik¡¯s face, the shock wave hitting him before her punch ever did. With a shrill noise like broken glass, only centimeters from his nose, her fist halted completely as it came into contact with some kind of force field erected around Eik¡¯s body. A bald man was walking into the room with an arm raised towards Eik, his palm glowing the same gentle orange as the force field that protected him from Menka¡¯s attack. He was dressed in a red uniform. ¡°Menka Tokanami, stop your foolish conduct this instant,¡± he boomed in a thick, regal baritone. ¡°I will not allow you to tarnish the reputation of the Nidafjeld Alliance by assaulting our new associates so brazenly and blatantly.¡± The woman spared him a furious glance but kept beating relentlessly on the barrier, each hit of her super powered fists sending ripples of crackling light down the otherwise invisible protective screen. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she wept, her face locked in an expression of pure madness. ¡°Menka Tokanami!¡± the bald man shouted, voice resonating like a stage actor. ¡°With the authority granted to me by the 11th division of the Department of Internal Conduct of the Nidafjeld Alliance, I, Goran Gehun, vice leader of the 6th squad, demand that you lay down your arms and surrender yourself to my custody!¡± If the guy wasn¡¯t actively trying to save his life, Eik would have found his mannerisms to be infinitely annoying. She didn''t even have any weapons to put down. As it was, however, he hoped he might get a chance to buy the man a box of chocolates or something if the crazed woman didn¡¯t succeed in turning him into a red mist. She continued to ignore his words as her punches grew more desperate while sweat sprung out on Goran Gehun¡¯s forehead, his clenched jaw exposing the toil it truly was to attacks her attacks like that. ¡°Menka Tokanami!¡± he shouted, the theatrical tone suddenly absent. Webs of cracks began to appear in the barrier as Menka¡¯s onslaught only increased in intensity. Eik knew his time was almost up, but he didn¡¯t even dare to move for fear of somehow interfering with the protective skill deployed across his body. Atla and Gillimi''s father exchanged glances as they coordinated a take down. Eik hoped they would hurry it up. He glanced back at Sonja and Michael whose faces had gone pale. Heath still sat unresponsive on the couch, slumped comfortably across a sea of throw pillows. If the mother had been in her right mind, she would probably have given up on him in favor of his friends, but he had stood closest to the door so he had been chosen as the first victim. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Frozen in place, a terrible urge struck him. Rationally, he knew it would do no good against an opponent of her caliber, and that, more than anything else, it would likely only stoke the fire of her anger even further. Even as Eik questioned his own sanity, he prepared for a counterattack against Menka¡¯s unflinching bombardment. Standing there, defenseless and offenseless, completely passive as deadly attack after deadly attack rained down upon him, awoke an unbearable restlessness and unease in him that coaxed him into action. For some reason, he had never thought to consume his own toxin like he had so many others, and now that the Profound Toxin was flooding his mouth, emerging from his tongue, he could conclude that he never would again. Extreme bitterness was the only appropriate descriptor he could think of. He wasn''t affected by the toxic properties of it, but perhaps he could learn to be. As his mouth became filled with the blue liquid to the point where his cheeks distended like balloons and it ran down his chin, he drew in a deep breath through his nose and locked eyes with Menka. With as much force as he could muster, he spat the entire payload into her face, the luminescent substance invading her eyes, nose, and open mouth. Where Goran had failed to derail her single-minded madness, this most certainly did. She reared back like a frightened beast, scratching wildly at her eyes as she screamed shrilly. A deep sense of satisfaction engulfed him as he watched his own efforts bring her down, although it wouldn¡¯t last long. Gillimi¡¯s father and Atla seized the opportunity to overwhelm Menka, understanding that a physical conclusion was the only way to end it. Taf¡¯s mother and sister also jumped in to assist with the takedown while Goran released the barrier skill in favor of a control skill that looked a lot like Michael¡¯s new Bind, glowing vines of light slithering up from the smooth floor boards to wrap around her neck, torso, arms, fingers, legs, feet, and even eyes. Skills activated one after the other with no way to know who was doing what in the chaos, but seconds later, when everybody but Atla stepped back from Menka, the grieving mother had fallen unconscious. Goran called in four more uniformed individuals, presumably his subordinates from the 6th squad of the 11th division of the Department of Internal Conduct of the Nidafjeld Alliance, all clad in the same red hues as the vice leader but with a slightly altered design. He ordered them to take the mother away. When her form disappeared through the destroyed doorway, carried by one of Goran¡¯s people, the strength left Eik at once as he collapsed backward, stumbling over a low living room table and falling headfirst into the throw pillows on the couch next to the unconscious Heath. ¡°Eik!¡± Michael shouted, healing ability already glowing in his palm as he ran for his friend. Eik waved him off, trying to get his anxious heart under control with deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not hurt. That barrier¡­ really saved me,¡± he gasped and looked up at Vice Leader Goran who nodded back. ¡°What in the hell was that?¡± Sonja roared with uncharacteristic fire, regaining her composure impressively quickly. ¡°We fulfill the selfish request of the Alliance to the best of our abilities, bring back three children, who you foolishly sent there, by the way, from a cannibalistic death cult from another universe, and the first thing we¡¯re thanked with when we get back is a flagrant murder attempt? What kind of shit show are you running here, if I may ask?¡± For an F-ranker scolding a whole room of people at B-rank or higher, she was really going at it hammer and tongs. A few of them looked amused, some taken aback by the outburst, while others had the decency to show shame. Taf looked like he was developing his first crush. Atla stepped forward from where she had assisted with the handoff of Menka Tokanami and bowed deeply. ¡°I would like to extend my deepest apologies to all four of you for this intolerable incident, both to you as representatives of your world of Earth, but also as four esteemed guests of ours who have regrettably been treated in a way that should never have happened and never will happen again,¡± she recited, as if from memory. Eik didn¡¯t buy it. While he didn¡¯t doubt that the murder attempt was an unforeseen occurrence, he just couldn¡¯t make sense of Atla¡¯s remorseful response when taking into account the relative insignificance of Earth compared to the sheer enormity of the Nidafjeld Alliance. It didn¡¯t feel like they should care this much about an insult to a new world. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to her now?¡± he asked nodding in the direction of the doorway. Atla exchanged quick glances with Vice Leader Goran before answering. ¡°None of us here can really say that with certainty. She will be put through an extensive legal process to determine the most appropriate punishment for her crime.¡± ¡°And what reparations do you intend to offer us for this incident?¡± Sonja asked more directly than Eik might have dared. The grins that popped up on the faces around the room seemed to approve, at least. ¡°I¡ª¡­¡± Atla hesitated, her eyes once again seeking advice from Goran, who answered in her stead. ¡°We will, of course, ensure that rightful compensation is provided in addition to any rewards for the successful rescue operation itself.¡± Eik looked over at Sonja with an expression of tentative approval. It would be stupid to push this further than their position allowed. Who knew how far that tolerance for the antics of a bunch of F-rankers truly stretched. Her eyes seemed to agree. ¡°She won¡¯t come after us again, right?¡± Michael asked, raising his hand like a schoolboy. ¡°They¡¯re a minor family,¡± Atla said flatly. Eik frowned in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s not what he asked.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a minor family,¡± Gillimi¡¯s father chimed in. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t we worry about a minor family? How strong are they?¡± The red-skinned man bobbed his head from side to side as he thought. ¡°One or two A-rankers at most, only a few B-rankers as well.¡± ¡°A-rankers? Are you bonkers, man?¡± Eik blurted before he could stop himself. ¡°Nothing will happen, Eik. I promise,¡± Atla said as Mikla walked in with a face that could not possibly have looked more surprised if the whole room had been filled with mewling kittens dressed in little tuxedos. ¡°Good timing. We shouldn¡¯t keep you here any longer after all you¡¯ve been through. You deserve to go home and relax a bit,¡± she said and gestured for Mikla to rip open a fracture. As they were essentially shooed through the fracture, Heath¡¯s massive body slung over Eik¡¯s shoulder, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they would ever see anyone from the Alliance again after this. The coming days would be busy regardless. Eik¡¯s life seemed to have become a game piece for people magnitudes more powerful than him over night. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to get home to his cat and sleep for three days straight. Chapter 27: Trip to The Smith Eik opened his eyes to a tiny, hairy paw jammed into his open mouth. Grumbling, he spit it out, jolting his cat awake. Mis looked at him accusatorially through cracked eyelids. The covers tempted him to stay for five more minutes but he had an appointment today. Drowsy and wearing only his pajama pants he made his way down to the kitchen, where Mis was already waiting for him to pour some breakfast into her bowl. He stared at her uncomprehendingly, then up at his bedroom, then back at her, her tail swishing back and forth with impatience. ¡°Wh¡ª, but weren¡¯t you just¡­?¡± He shrugged and poured out some of yesterday¡¯s leftovers for her, the soft clinking of the bowl getting her little paws tapping. He poured some for himself as well and ate while watching a man and a woman work on the hole in his wall. He¡¯d commissioned the repair job for a considerable sum, leaving his savings close to drained. Although he had some money left from running his business, as well as the reward money for their day trip into the new forest where they killed the awakened bison and discovered the lake, living was an expensive affair nonetheless. The woman walked past the still gaping hole, carrying a huge stack of solid wood planks. At a workbench set up in Eik¡¯s garden the man was hammering in nails at a rate of two per second, each of them taking only one hit to bury the whole length in the wood. It had also been so before the Final Awakening, as the event of all humans awakening had come to be called, but recently the general utilization of Awakened abilities outside of combat-related matters had become so prevalent that it was difficult to recognize the way some industries worked. As an example, construction was approaching the efficiency of Earth before the global collapse with every builder having some sort of super power that assisted them in their work. Harry¡¯s grandmother, with her high-level Steady Hands skill, was another example of someone who entered this new phase of reality without ever fighting. Everybody had their place in the new world, not just the fighters and adventurers. People still needed food, clothes, homes, gear, and other tertiary services. He poured some hot water into his favorite mug and watched a dark green hue wash through the liquid as the dried leaves released their flavor. With a sniff, he ruled out a couple of initial guesses about the toxic substance brewed into the tea. It was no secret that none of the plants he had in storage posed any threat to him anymore at this point. His Resistance: Toxin skill more or less nullified anything they could throw at him. Nonetheless, the exercise itself was something that he felt benefitted his ability to act in tense and dangerous situations. He downed the concoction in one big mouthful, shivers running over his skin and muscles roiling like waves within his body as the Noxious Invigoration came alive. The effect was far weaker that it had been when the insane cult leader had forced that toxin substance down his throat. He had tried a number of different toxic plants in the days since their return from the rescue mission for the Nidafjeld Alliance and none of them had yielded anywhere near the strength of that time, leading him to conclude that the potency of the power granted by Noxious Invigoration was closely linked to the potency of the poison that kicked it into action. He finished his breakfast¡ªa plate of pan fried trout, hearty garden potatoes, also fried well on the pan, and a generous glob of butter¡ªand tossed the plate into the sink, vowing solemnly to deal with that headache tonight. He threw on a light coat, stepped into his boots, and headed out, offering his builders some homemade chocolate chip cookies on his way out. They accepted. Eik¡¯s appointment today was with Andrew Brooks, the C-ranker who had taken charge of Mission Central during the second monster wave. Apparently, the reward he had promised Eik for his role in ensuring the safety and survival of many Awakened as they fought for their shared home of Forest was finally ready. With the help of Heath, Sonja, and Michael, as well as a few other volunteers, he had made enough of the lifesaving healing spheres to supply all of the fighters deployed from Mission Central. He walked through his neighborhood, greeting those he knew and nodding to those he didn¡¯t. It was a comfortable change of pace from the way his personal time had immediately been rudely claimed by any chap with any authority in Forest from the second he walked back through the fracture. An entire damned army had been camped out in the city square to wait for them to return from the Nidafjeld Alliance. With their involvement in the rescue mission, Heath, Sonja, and Michael had involuntarily taken some of the heat from Eik, but he was still considered the main link to the other side¡ªby both Earth and the Nidafjeld Alliance. Suddenly he had become the most important person in Forest. The man with the big connections. The man who knew what the hell was going on with the world. Or rather, Forest¡¯s leadership thought he knew what the hell was going on just because he had been abducted by the crazy lady with the bubblegum hair and sent on a semi suicidal mission to a hellish jungle on a different planet to tumble with a cannibalistic, multiversal moon cult. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Well, he didn¡¯t. He was treading water above the Mariana Trench. And rather than being satisfied with his generous surrender of personal time to explain what little he knew to any idiot who asked, Forest¡¯s leadership had, without asking for Eik¡¯s input, of course, decided that a proper, official debrief was in order. Travis Lockwood had told him that the debrief would be scheduled as soon as possible. When Eik had expressed an unwillingness to participate, the man had simply shrugged his shoulders and wearily asked Eik how he thought he felt every day sitting in his office to do mind-numbing paperwork. Eik hadn¡¯t known how to counter that one, so now he was stuck looking forward the debrief that would exhibit him as something he most certainly was not¡ªa man with all the answers. He felt his heart rate climb as the stressful thoughts flooded his mind and made a brief stop at Jason¡¯s Delectable Desserts to get a soft bun stuffed to the brim with chocolate infused whipped cream. Eik stopped by Olivia¡¯s house on the way, the healers having deemed it acceptable for her to be cared for by her mother at home instead of at one of Forest¡¯s facilities. The blue pill gifted by the Nidafjeld Alliance had done wonders for the prognoses for the comatose patients. Olivia¡¯s mother, too, was lively and smiling now, starkly contrasted to her previous demeanor. Unlike before, her daughter¡¯s revitalization now only felt like a matter of time, not luck. Eik, however, still felt the pressure. He left again as quickly as he could. The noises of Artisan Street reached him long before the sight. The intense smell had invaded his nose even earlier. Plumes of thick smoke rose skyward from almost all buildings in the area, the black, almost oily color setting it apart from the residential area. Most of the craftsmen in Artisan Street had also seen striking improvements in the speed and quality of their work ever since they all Awakened. In truth, the place was more than just a single street and when Eik turned down Smiths¡¯ Alley, he was overwhelmed by the unceasing metallic clangor of hammers striking anvils. Until now, he had never had a need to come here, general stores and grocers carrying most of what he needed, even for his former business. An intimidatingly large man stood waiting in the shade of the pent roof outside one of the blacksmiths¡¯ store, looking down the street, waving Eik closer when he turned the corner. Andrew Brooks wore a bandana on his head and a loose cotton shirt over a pair of long but flowy trousers. He was sweating and his hands were covered in soot. ¡°Been working hard, chief?¡± Eik asked as he followed the musclebound man into the front room of the blacksmith. The neat and tidy store carried any type of weapon one might desire, each coming in a multitude of variations and styles, displayed either in polished glass cases for the smaller types, like gauntlets, knives, and short swords, or along the wall and in the window for the longer ones, like spears, bows, and staves. Armor made from decorated, segmented plates and thick, heavy leathers fitted with solid iron studs hung on hangers or on crude wooden display models against the back wall. ¡°I got here a bit early and thought I¡¯d give a hand with the hammering,¡± he said over his shoulder, patting his bicep and wiping his stained fingers on the pristine wooden counter as he passed by. ¡°I can do that much at least.¡± ¡°You little shit!¡± Eik startled at the loud voice, a rugged smith¡¯s glove covered in ash spinning out through the workshop door to slap Andrew across the face leaving dust stuck comically to his sweaty skin. ¡°I¡¯ve told you a million times not to wipe your greasy sausage fingers on my nice counter! Don¡¯t you see that it¡¯s walnut?¡± A stout older man came tramping out from the smithy, sporting an impressive full beard weaved through several robust, engraved steel rings that reached down far enough to flap against his round belly as he moved. He was still wearing the sibling of the mitt he had thrown. ¡°Eik,¡± Andrew said flatly, gesturing toward the much smaller man. ¡°Meet my father, Ben. Sometimes he can worry about some weird stuff, but he¡¯s very kind.¡± ¡°No,¡± Eik said and stepped forward to offer the smith a sturdy handshake. ¡°I think I know exactly how he feels.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the kid my son wanted to give a weapon to? The name¡¯s Ben, but my friends call be Benjamin.¡± Andrew rolled his eyes as if the name switch was a joke his father had told a million times before. Eik tried to keep a straight face. ¡°Eik,¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard great things about your store. I didn¡¯t know you guys were related. Thanks for having me.¡± Andrew¡¯s father slapped the back of Eik¡¯s hand that he was still holding in an iron grip, guffawing loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to feed me that bullshit, son. I can tell that you don¡¯t have a clue who I am, but you¡¯re not wrong. I am indeed one of the best in Forest.¡± Andrew rolled his eyes. ¡°My dad¡¯s a bit of a braggart, but this one is actually true. If he tries to tell you that he used to be the local champion pie maker, or that he can make a snake fall into a trance just by stroking its tail, then you¡¯re free to call him out on his crap, though.¡± ¡°How about you make yourself useful instead of wasting all of your words on that stupid yapping?¡± Benjamin said and shoved a brown smith¡¯s apron into his son¡¯s arms. ¡°Eik, boy, Andrew told me about your ability, but I want to make sure myself before I can hand over Viper Fang to you in good conscience.¡± Dumbstruck by the bickering father and son duo, Eik let himself be pushed further into the building while the name of his new weapon echoed inside his brain, butterflies of excitement fluttering around wildly in his stomach. The smithy was blazing, the oppressive stench of the furnace and white-hot, malleable metals wafting thickly in the room. Eik was tempted to cover his nose and mouth with a sleeve but when Benjamin and Andrew made no move to, he decided against it. Probably not very smart. A couple of other smiths worked without looking up as Eik walked in, sparks flying when they struck their glowing projects. They had allotted a work space for each quadrant of the room, and Benjamin led them to one of the far corners. Above the furnace and anvil was a large air intake through which smoke could exit the building. Judging by the stench, it wasn¡¯t terribly effective, though. The lack of powered suction in such a small space was evident. ¡°I heard you helped a lot of people during the monster wave, so I¡¯m happy that I can help give back to you,¡± Ben said as he pulled a box with a clasped lid out from a row of shelves pushed up against the wall. Eik stepped closer to look. ¡°Everybody did what they could, and that just happened to be what I was able to do. But I appreciate this kind gesture nonetheless.¡± He nodded to both father and son. Ben opened the lid and lifted out a long object draped with a light, white cloth. He held it out to Andrew who yanked the cloth away theatrically. Chapter 28: Viper Fang In the box lay a legitimate work of art. It was a knife that looked equally beautiful and deadly. The cheek of the blade was a darkened, matte metal with a silvery and highly polished edge setting a stark contrast between the two. From the choil near the guard to the tip, deep ridges ran parallel to the frighteningly sharp edge, the almost invisible gaps no more than a needle¡¯s breadth. Along the spine, numerous tiny holes lined the spine of the blade. The guard was sized well and would allow the wielder to move freely without the risk of obstructing the knife¡¯s path with the wrist. Holes dotted the handle as well, placed so that they could be covered by the hand that held the blade. The pommel was a simple, solid chunk of the same matte metal as the blade. ¡°This looks¡­¡± Eik began. ¡°Intricate?¡± Ben finished. ¡°Well, I was actually going to say ¡®incredible¡¯, but I suppose there are some parts I don¡¯t really understand.¡± ¡°You see the holes here, right?¡± the smith asked as he tapped the handle. Eik nodded. ¡°You release your poison from your hands and this is the intake I¡¯ve built into the knife.¡± When Eik stared at him with confusion the man continued, running the fingers of his other hand along the thin, precise ridges. ¡°You push the poison in through the holes in the handle here. It runs through specially built ducts inside the spine and flows out from almost the entire blade through these ridges along the edge here, as well as the row of holes on both sides of the blade cheek here. The larger holes at the tip will allow you to deliver your poison effectively even when stabbing.¡± ¡°This is¡ª, it¡¯s amazing, Benjamin. Thank you so much, both of you. I¡¯ll make sure to put this to good use.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better do!¡± Ben said, holding out the weapon to Eik, handle first. ¡°I spent many nights at the drawing board designing this thing. The fact that I managed to include a feature to reduce the likelihood of a blockage in the ducts is a miracle in and of itself.¡± ¡°Wow, really? That¡¯s so cool!¡± Eik said, studying the blade closely as he turned it carefully in his hands. When he was done he looked at Ben, silent. ¡°Well, give it a wave!¡± the stout man exclaimed. ¡°Here?¡± Eik asked ¡°My poison doesn¡¯t really care about whether you¡¯re a friend or a foe, I think.¡± Ben nodded. ¡°Right, okay. Let¡¯s go to the backyard, then.¡± The backyard consisted of a small, unkempt lawn squeezed in between buildings on all sides. The grass was a littered with failed projects lying rusted and broken. Walking barefoot in this backyard would be a case study of tetanus. Eik stepped away from the father and son and held the blade firmly. He focused and limited the excretion to his palm, the internal ducts hissing satisfactorily as Profound Toxin flowed through, filling them. At low output, the blue substance simply ran over the blade to coat it, but when he pushed it through with more force, the liquid welled forth like a fountain. When he swung the blade, the blue hue of Profound Toxin resembled a gymnast¡¯s ribbon as it twirled around his body. Having gotten his fill, he went back inside with Ben and Andrew, clothes covered in poison. With a thought, it disappeared into his skin as if it had never been there. It was something Eik had worked out how to do after getting back from the Alliance headquarters. Any Profound Toxin physically touching his skin he could reabsorb like a sponge. If he filled a glass with it, he could drain it in its entirety just by sticking in a finger. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Andrew asked with excitement as he pushed the door open for them. ¡°It¡¯s beyond anything I could have imagined possible. I have to get better at controlling it, but I can finally cut and slice, not just stab.¡± ¡°Good to hear, lad!¡± Benjamin said, clapping Eik on the shoulder as they passed through the smithy and into the well-lit front room store again. ¡°Again, thank you for this,¡± Eik said, clasping hands with both of the men. ¡°But I really wish you¡¯d let me pay for this¡ªat least just a little bit.¡± ¡°Eik, my boy, if you give me money, I will punch you.¡± *** Eik left the grocer with an armful of fresh fruit and some of his homemade cookies in a bag in his backpack. He had been invited over to Sonja and Heath¡¯s house for dinner tonight, something they had decided to make a regular thing after officially becoming a team. An important part of effective teamwork was comradery after all. Trust in one¡¯s teammates was essential and trust was bred through closeness. Their house was in a different residential area, so it was a bit of a walk, but the early evening air made the walk a joy. The inner city where the biggest markets, stores, and restaurants were located was still a hub of activity, groups gathered around caf¨¦ tables set up along the side of the street drinking and eating merrily. Ever since the monster waves, people had regained a taste for enjoyment, especially the younger demographic having suddenly opened their eyes to the fleetingness of life. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At points where the streets grew narrow, Eik had to weave between tables and people just to get through the throng. There were several shoulder bumps along the way and sometimes, when someone turned to apologize or deliver a snide comment, they would fall silent and stare. Looking back over his shoulder, Eik would catch them whispering to their friends and pointing in his direction. The looks they sent his way varied between curiosity and open hostility. Eik frowned but kept walking. Heath and Sonja were only just unpacking the groceries to get started on dinner when Eik arrived. Michael was already there, mixing a pitcher of lemonade with leaves of fresh peppermint floating around the surface. Another Awakened bison had been hunted and brought back since their initial discovery of the species, and, as a gesture, they had been gifted a cut of meat from the kill. It had become tradition to offer the first taste to the discoverers of a new species. ¡°How can I help?¡± Eik asked, rubbing his hands together excitedly. ¡°I make a mean marinade¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonja said, immediately shooting him down. ¡°No? Whaddya mean no?¡± Eik asked with exasperation. ¡°You¡¯ve never even tasted my marinade, and I swear it¡¯s good! There¡¯s honey in it!¡± She sighed and cut through a trunk of broccoli. ¡°Eik, you are practically made out of a deadly poison. I¡¯ve seen it kill dozens of people after you snuck it into their soup.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ Come on¡­ Plus, it was more like a stew.¡± ¡°You can get plates, knives, and forks from the cupboard over there and set the table instead,¡± she said with finality. Heath patted him on the back with a crooked, patronizing smile. ¡°Just give it up, bro, you¡¯re not gonna win this one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not helping either, Heath. You¡¯ve been accidentally breaking stuff in the house left and right ever since your jump to E-rank strength. Go put a table cloth on the dinner table instead, please,¡± Sonja said. ¡°What! Are you serious? That only happened a few times!¡± Eik beamed like star in the night as he caressed Heath¡¯s back with loving spite. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re losing this one together, then, Heathy,¡± he laughed gleefully at the red-faced tank. ¡°This is so cozy,¡± Michael said, pouring lemonade into four glasses. ¡°Thanks for this, guys. I really needed it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just?¡± Eik said. ¡°By the way, on my way here it felt like people were talking about me as I walked by. Have you guys heard anything about that?¡± Heath didn¡¯t seem to know what he was talking about but Michael and Sonja both nodded along with his words. ¡°I¡¯ve actually noticed the same thing myself,¡± Michael said. ¡°People will sometimes elbow a friend when they see me and point at me and whisper. I thought I was just overthinking it, but if it has happened to you as well, then maybe it¡¯s for real.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed it as well.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because we went through the fracture that nobody understands anything about and they didn¡¯t? They¡¯re just jealous.¡± The rest of the night went by merrily. Even though Eik wasn¡¯t allowed to make his famous marinade, the meal was one of the best he could remember having. The company sweetened every bite. Heath¡¯s face was the very incarnation of envy when Eik pulled out his new knife from its beautiful leather sheath. Even the sheath had been made with the utmost care, intricate, decorative patterns etched all the way down its length, making the weapon look more like a museum piece than something made less than two days ago. Sonja as well had a hungry look in her eyes, her gaze following the blade as he handled it. When she asked for the creator¡¯s name and where to find his store, Eik knew she was just as envious as her brother. Not that that was an odd thing to be¡ªit was an exquisite blade that fit his skills perfectly. Michael just seemed genuinely happy that Eik loved his new weapon so much, ooh¡¯ing and aah¡¯ing at all the right times when his friend showed off the different features of the knife. Heath and Sonja, enterprising as they were, had been in contact with Mission Central and come to know about an upcoming expedition into the new forest where their team had discovered and fought with the Awakened Bison. Since their report about the gigantic lake, scouts had been sent to the location to investigate more about the mysterious body of water. Although they had been unable to discover anything about the origin of the lake except for the fact that it appeared right after Earth¡¯s second transitional phase into the Unified Mass, they had discovered something far more alarming. There was something within the lake. Something large. Something powerful. Whatever was lurking beneath had yet to be seen directly by anyone, but a titanic shadow had been observed roiling in the deep on several occasions. Anytime the monster cruised close to the surface, the water¡¯s surface would churn and whirl as if disturbed by the passage of a naval ship. The opaque fog that loomed densely on the lake in the distance also seemed to be permanent, causing deep concern among Forest¡¯s leadership. No one knew what was hidden within that fog, but judging by the ridiculous development of their world thus far, nobody was willing to hope for candy, ice cream, and rivers of hot chocolate. Ever since the second phase of Earth¡¯s induction into the Unified Mass, Forest¡¯s leadership had grown desperate to secure their local perimeter. An essential step in that effort would be the neutralization of any unknown threat like whatever horror lurked in the lake and within the fog. After dinner, Sonja sat down with them and introduced them to a technique that was supposed to allow them to feel their abilities and recognize that which might lay dormant inside. Eik had heard about these types of meditative practices, but it was all really quite vague and cryptic. It had been explored as a way to advance by the Awakened on Earth since the beginning. Even so, Eik couldn¡¯t quite bring himself to believe that it worked. It felt a bit to¡­ spiritual for this universal system to which they had all become subordinate. Sonja expressed her own reservations about the techniques, but there were Awakened who swore by it, insisting that it had helped them push their capabilities beyond their limits. It was the kind of thing that certainly wouldn¡¯t do any harm, even if it didn¡¯t work. The four of them sat on the carpet, living room table moved aside. Sonja had guided them through the steps that should theoretically let them sink deeper into their minds, closer to the connection with the new, super natural aspects of their beings. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, focusing only on metaphorically falling backwards into themselves. Heath was the first to give up. He snorted and laid back on his elbows. ¡°This is dumb. It¡¯s a total scam, right, guys?¡± Sonja cracked a displeased eye, maintaining her posture. ¡°I¡¯m still trying here, Heath.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Michael grumbled. Heath looked to his last ally. ¡°You agree, right, Eik?¡± He elbowed Eik in the arm. ¡°Eik?¡± Michael opened his eyes and studied Eik¡¯s relaxed face. ¡°He¡¯s completely gone.¡± ¡°Eik?¡± Heath asked and put his hand on his shoulder. ¡°Guys, I think his plaque is vibrating.¡± Heath pulled the thin piece of polished wood out of Eik¡¯s shirt. For a moment he grew silent as he stared at the text etching itself into the flat surface. ¡°Guys¡­ he¡¯s advancing to E-rank.¡± [Reached threshold: Evolution to E-rank possible] [Evolve?] Sonja and Michael looked over Heath¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He really is¡­¡± Sonja muttered, dumbfounded. ¡°But I Awoke before him¡­¡± ¡°But he still hasn¡¯t accepted the evolution, right?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it, no.¡± ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he waking up?¡± Chapter 29: Waking Up It was quiet. It was dark. Was this what death felt like? Had Sonja¡¯s freaking new age mindfulness bull crap actually killed him? He¡¯d be mad if it had. As he slowly began to get a sense of his body, he tried to find his way in the darkness, but the moment he put out his hands to search for something to grab on to, his fingers rapped painfully against something. Pain. That seemed like a good sign. Or maybe not. Putting the tips of his fingers forward, he explored the hard surface in front of him. It was broad and flat. It felt like wood. Above him his fingers hit wood as well. And against his back too. Almost like¡­ a coffin. Blood rushed to his head as panic set in and he pounded on the wood furiously. Although it felt fragile and old, it didn¡¯t break. He used hands, elbows, knees, and even his forehead a couple of times, but nothing worked. Warm blood ran down his face as he tried to wiggle his legs up in front of his torso, the tight space making any large movements problematic. Finally, with his bare feet against what he presumed to be the lid, he pushed with all his might, a throaty grunt of exertion escaping him involuntarily. With a loud crack of snapping wood, the lid flew off, sailing through the air and landing in something wet. Eik sat up. He gasped as cool, slippery water flooded the narrow coffin, alerting him to the fact that he was, in fact, not wearing pants. They weren¡¯t in the coffin with him, so they must have been lost during whatever brought him to this strange place. The sky was a swirling mass of clouds, sickly green light shining through the thinnest layers and casting a gloomy hue across the land. In the distance rain fell densely, the downpour looking like smoke as it formed a link between heaven and earth. Eik had landed in the middle of what looked like a swamp. Old, skeletal trees dotted the area, casting long shadows through diseased and tattered leaves that only darkened further what was already dark. He was sitting in a grimy pool of brown water, only the areas around the tree roots remaining somewhat dry. What he had come out of was indeed a coffin. The wood was a dilapidated mess which frankly, with his F-rank strength, he should have been able to snap like twigs. Even as he stood up, the frame fell apart like a disassembled cardboard box. He wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt either. He waded through the ankle-deep water with no other goal than to get onto dry land. Once he made it to the first tree he continued ahead, walking from dry patch to dry patch, looking for anything that might provide a clue about either where he was, why he was here, how he got here, or who sent him him here. For an hour he kept walking, watching his bare feet to make sure he didn¡¯t step back into that disgusting water for even a second. None of the puddles of water he avoided were as big as the one his coffin had been lying in. A few of them he could even leap across without getting his feet wet. After another fifteen minutes he came to a water hole of a size similar to his starting point. He began to make his way around it without much thought, but halfway around he noticed something floating in the foul sludge. A piece of a wooden board. He looked around the pool and noticed multiple other such pieces bobbing silently along the edge of the water. It looked suspiciously like the fragments of a certain coffin. Eik ran the rest of the way around, finding a very familiar tree just a few paces from the water¡¯s edge. He went to his knees as he looked around the mud, scooping wilted leaves away with his hands, hoping dearly that he wouldn¡¯t find what he feared he might. He cursed out loud when he uncovered the first of his footprints. He was back where he started. Again, he walked, this time in a different direction, and for almost three hours instead of just over one, but he still ended up at that pool, the wood still floating leisurely, all of his earlier remaining. The third time it took less than half an hour before the pond reappeared. He felt like crying. Defeated, he let himself fall onto his bare ass, back against the same old tree he had used as a point of orientation for all three attempts to leave. He stared tiredly at his feet, gaze gradually panning upward as his head head tilted back. Through heavy eyelids, an absolutely enormous shape all but manifested in in front of his eyes, looming ominously like a mountain. Coming awake, he sat up straight and looked properly. It was a mountain. It towered skyward in the distance, green clouds swirling madly above the peak in a whirlpool of roiling light. That peak was calling him. There was no doubt about it. He started walking, body suddenly bursting with energy and willpower. After an hour of steady march, the mountain appeared to be no closer than it initially had when he first noticed it, the outline of it as hazy as ever. Maybe it was further away than it seemed. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. He continued. Another hour later saw slight changes in the landscape. The muddy, rotting puddles of water grew steadily smaller and less frequent as he went, the leaf cover becoming denser, which, if nothing else, proved that he was at least going somewhere this time. A comfortable breeze rustled the leaves and blew through his hair. Actually, no, his greasy, brown locks still clung wetly to his neck and face. There was no breeze. Something else was rustling the leaves of a tree to his left. This was the first sign of animal life he had seen since waking up in the coffin. He picked up a small, flat stone the size of his palm and flicked it into the leaves. A second later, a tiny snake fell from the tree, hitting the uneven ground with a dull thump. It¡¯s entire body was a swirling mass of luminescent blue, churning murkily at even the lightest of movements. ¡°Profound Toxin?¡± Eik muttered, confusion absolute. At those words, the snake, measuring no more than half a meter from head to tail, shot forward like a whip, the streak of blue crossing the distance between them in a split second. It slammed into his nose with a bony crunch, sending blood spurting out and down his chin. He gasped in pain and surprise as he stumbled back, reaching for the knife on his belt but finding nothing. Before he could blink the tears out of his eyes, the snake had wrapped itself around his neck and begun to tighten its grip. Eik wheezed as the strangulation trapped the blood in his face and made it feel as if his eyes were about to pop out. Managing to dig his fingers in between his neck and the snake¡¯s constricted body, he ripped the creature away and hurled it up and down into the ground. Motionless, the snake began to dissolve into motes of blue light, circling and swirling around Eik like a dust devil, only to then rush toward him and disappear into his bare skin. He yelped in fright and tried to bat away the tiny sparks of Profound Toxin, but they simply entered his hands instead. ¡°What the hell?¡± he shouted as shivers ran down his spine, echoes bounding through the now silent swamp. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± It felt nice to hear a voice, even if it was his own. The mountain still loomed ahead like a colossus, unmoved by the short scuffle in its shadow. Again, the peak called with deafening silence, daring him to make the climb. Unable to resist the pull, he resumed his walk, the strange, blue snake shoved to the back of his mind. But something was happening to him. His vision was growing hazy and his limbs were turning numb. Although it had been difficult to focus properly ever since he woke up in the coffin, his mind now seemed to be growing foggier by the second. ¡°N-No, no, no¡­¡± he mumbled, tripping over nothing as his head began to droop. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ What¡¯s happe¡ª¡± He managed one final look up at the majestic mountain, wishing more than anything that he could make it up there. Then he fell, long as he was, face first into and then through the mud, his consciousness fading to black. *** Eik sat up, looking around the living room with puzzlement. Michael, Heath, and Sonja were staring at him wide-eyed. ¡°Where am I?¡± he asked. ¡°Uuh, my house?¡± Heath tried with a frown. ¡°And why do I have my pants on?¡± ¡°Why do you¡ª,¡± Heath said, glancing between Sonja and Michael. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know?¡± Abruptly, Eik flew to his feet and rushed for the nearest window. ¡°The mountain¡± Where is the mountain?¡± he gasped, going for the door next, spinning around in their front garden on bare feet as he scanned the horizon. ¡°It¡¯s gone! But it¡ª, but it was just here! Where did it go?¡± ¡°Eik!¡± Sonja yelled, momentarily seizing his attention. When he looked at her, she slapped him hard across the face. ¡°Wake up!¡± Eik blinked, a fog seeming to fade from behind his eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°You were out for a good ten minutes there, buddy,¡± Heath said, leading his friend back into the house by the shoulder while Michael assured the passersby who had stopped to watch that there was absolutely nothing strange going on. ¡°Ten minutes?¡± Eik asked as he was sat down and handed a glass of water. ¡°Yeah, it seems like Sonja¡¯s technique really worked for you,¡± Heath said. ¡°Where did you go, man?¡± ¡°I was¡­ It was another world. I woke up in a coffin in a swamp. There was a big mountain. I wanted to go there. I wish I could go¡­¡± His eyes grew distant again but he snapped back to reality again when Heath set down a cup of salted nuts on the table with a bang. ¡°Sounds like it was just a dream, Eik.¡± Eik stared at his water glass, feeling around his nose that had been broken. He stuck a finger into a nostril. It came away bloody. ¡°Yeah, maybe that¡¯s all it was,¡± he muttered. Something was different from before he went to that swamp. Something inside him had changed. ¡°Yeah, that sucks, but!¡± Heath said and pulled out the wooden plaque and turned it so Eik could read the message. ¡°You hit E-rank!¡± Eik¡¯s eyes widened to teacups. ¡°Already? But I just Awoke¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Sonja said.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it now, then!¡± he said, excitement welling up inside. He plopped onto the living room couch, heart racing away in his chest at a million beats per minute. The text on his plaque never faded, inviting him to jump in with both feet. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± he asked Heath, who had been through the same process only days earlier after they had completed the rescue mission for the Nidafjeld Alliance. ¡°It¡¯s super easy. Did you ever have an operation in the hospital when you were a kid?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like that. You fall asleep, and then it feels like you wake up five seconds later. No dreams or nothing.¡± Eik took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. ¡°Alright,¡± he said and nodded to his three friends who were gathered around him expectantly. The moment he triggered the evolution his eyelids grew heavy. For the sake of it, he attempted to keep his eyes open, but he was overwhelmed by drowsiness even quicker than he had been by the anesthesia for the operation on his broken leg when he was nine. The last thing he saw was Heath¡¯s upturned thumb right in front of his face. *** Plip. The sound of a droplet of water. Plip, plip. Again they fell. Now the gentle drumbeat of a spring shower. A downpour. A torrent to wash everything away. A flood to annihilate all life in an extinction event. Eik¡¯s eyes flew open. He was surrounded. The world around him was a crushing billow of luminescent blue. It was a world of Profound Toxin. Chapter 30: Pioneer, Acolyte of Toxin His world was blue. Around him a vortex of terrifying proportions spun relentlessly, feeding into itself to grow stronger with every revolution. As it grew, so did the pressure bearing down on him intensify, weighing down on him more and more, flattening his organs and stretching his skin taut over his bones. Just as the point came where he thought the tension would rip his limps from his body, it all let up, from one moment to the next. The Profound Toxin dispersed as if it had been blown away by a shock wave. Eik hung freely in a white space of pure nothingness. No, actually, if he strained his eyes, there was a tiny sphere of blue floating in front of his face. ¡°Uhh, hello?¡± he called into the blank void. He tried to look around, but without a point of reference, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was actually looking around or just standing still. ¡°Is anybody here? Am I supposed to d¡ª¡± Instantly, the sphere grew to the size of a watermelon, it¡¯s viscous surface undulating unnaturally. Stretching out from the main globule, it began to arrange itself into a flat square, like a tablet, letter appearing on the surface. It looked similar to one of the wooden plaques with ability information. [Reached threshold: Evolution to E-rank possible] [Evolve?] [Alternative evolutionary path possible. Path derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Alternative evolutionary path: Acolyte of Toxin] [Evolve?] Alternative evolutionary path? Eik had never heard of such a thing. It was always just F-rank to E-rank to D-rank and so forth. But judging by how rare Atla had made Unique abilities appear to be throughout the Unified Mass, going so far as to call them Worldbreakers and warn him of the tendency for individuals possessing such skills to be sought out and assassinated, an alternative evolutionary path must be just as extraordinary. But did that mean that it was more powerful than a typical E-rank evolution? Usually scarcity and potency went hand in hand, but this was not some video game. That reality followed such rules was certainly not a given. As he contemplated his options, the Profound Toxin seemed to grow gradually more impatient, the blue frame spelling out his available evolutionary paths trembling. Eik could almost feel the indignation oozing out of the blue substance when he didn¡¯t instantly pick the evolutionary path of the Acolyte of Toxin. ¡°What should I pick?¡± he tried to ask, not actually expecting an answer. ¡°Is Acolyte of Toxin better than just the normal E-rank?¡± No response. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Still nothing. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go with an E-rank evolution instead, then.¡± At this, the entirety of the text describing the Acolyte of Toxin evolution seemed to grow larger and bolder while the E-rank evolution letters shrunk to near half their original size. ¡°Point taken¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°So Acolyte of Toxin really is better?¡± The text sizes changed even more. "Are you just saying that because you like Acolyte of Toxin better?" he asked and the letters grew responded by wiggling in what could be described as a shrug. The corners of Eik''s lips twitched upward. If Unique skills really were that powerful, then it would make sense that an affiliated evolutionary path was also remarkable. Nodding to himself, he triggered an evolution for the second time that day, this time with a bit more trepidation. Immediately, the blob reformed, taking the shape of an absurdly long spear. It hung unmoving in the void for a second and then rammed itself through his chest, driving all the air from his lungs. It didn¡¯t come out on the other side, but simply disappeared into his body. The ocean of Profound Toxin came crushing down around him again like a tsunami as if it had never gone. It swallowed him into the absolute blackness of its depths, taking from him body and mind as the sound of his own scream rang distantly in his ears. *** Eik opened his eyes, still sitting on the same side of the couch that he had fallen asleep on. He was getting a little tired of losing consciousness. ¡°How long was I out?¡± he asked groggily as he sat up properly, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Not that long,¡± Michael said as he checked his pulse. ¡°How was it?¡± Eik recalled Atla¡¯s warning to not reveal the fact that he possessed a Unique skill, and if it was that dangerous, then it would be cruel to pull his friends into what might well turn into a mess of cosmic scale down the road. ¡°Pretty much the same as Heath, I guess. I feel like I just woke up from a dreamless nap,¡± he lied. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He looked at the wooden plaque, careful to keep it turned away from them as nonchalantly as he could. [Successfully pioneered an alternative evolutionary path ¡ª (Unique) Acolyte of Toxin] He checked how his power rank was written by etching a circle into the wood with two dots inside. [Acolyte of Toxin ¡ª I] His power rank was actually listed as [Acolyte of Toxin] now instead of E-rank. He could never show his power rank carelessly to another again¡ªnot that such a thing had ever been a good idea. ¡°I was pretty hungry after evolving,¡± Heath said, handing him a banana palm up. ¡°Have a nice banana.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Eik said, immediately crushing the fruit in his hand, the mushy flesh exploding out between his now enhanced fingers. Heath fell back laughing and Sonja and Michael both cracked smiles as smooshed banana ran down Eik¡¯s forearm. He tried to hold back his own grin as he hurled the fruit straight into Heath¡¯s wide open maw, the round-cheeked man choking on the sticky projectile. ¡°You little shit!¡± Eik laughed and jumped onto Heath¡¯s massive back, sticking to him like a spider monkey. They spent the rest of the night playing games in the living room, Eik¡¯s stomach feeling like a butterfly sanctuary with how excited he was for the new and unique path he was pioneering. *** Two days later, Eik was walking to Mission Central, chocolate-infused whipped cream-filled bun squeezed half-eaten in his hand. When he got closer to his destination, a lot of the morning traffic was going the same way that he was. It was the day of the Great Raid, as it had been dubbed, and it would involve most of the Awakened who were combat active. Teams were waiting for each other outside of the main building and Eik found Michael and Sonja quickly. Heath was in a queue somewhere waiting for a chicken sandwich and was running late. The day was lovely. For a day of bloodshed, warm, relaxing sun was a ton better than miserable rain. In the movies, the death scene was always portrayed in a stubborn downpour, soaking the actors through and through, just to make everything seem even worse, as if dying wasn¡¯t annoying enough already. No, if one had to die, bathed in the loving rays of the sun was the way to do it. When Heath finally jogged in, his greasy fingers covered in dressing the only proof that his sandwich had ever even existed, they made their way into the main building of Mission Central. With all the people coming in for the briefing for the Great Raid, they were almost immediately met by the crowd moving back outside because of a lack of space. For a few minutes, teams milled about among each other, waiting for something to happen, until Travis Lockwood climbed onto the low roof of a supply shed where he reviewed some notes while the murmur settled. He tried to blink the sun out of his eyes as he adjusted the crooked collar on his shirt. Strangely, a few of the teams seemed to be more interested in Eik and his team than in the legend of Forest, Travis Lockwood, standing right in front of them. Just like he had noticed on the way to Heath and Sonja two days earlier, as well as on his trip to the grocer since, they were whispering and staring. ¡°Uuuh, right. If I could have your attention, please,¡± Travis called, not quite loud enough for the back line. ¡°So as you all probably know, we¡¯re going to the new western forest where a large body of water was recently discovered. Something has been observed in the depths. We have scouts keeping an eye on the place as we speak.¡± He turned over the page he was reading and cleared his throat. ¡°Right, and so, because of the estimated fighting power of this entity living in the lake, we are going to need all the high rankers we can get, hence¡­¡± he said, gesturing to a smaller group standing right below him. ¡°As for the rest of you, well, uuh, you¡¯ll be forming the perimeter.¡± ¡°Perimeter?¡± someone from the crowd asked with a raised hand as Travis hopped down from the supply shed. He stared for a couple of seconds before answering, not bothering to climb back up, which only made it even more difficult to make out what he said. ¡°Right, what do I mean by perimeter¡­ We have seen several cases where powerful monsters were accompanied by less powerful subordinates. It could very well be that this will be the same. We¡¯re not willing to take any chances. If we don¡¯t meet them at the source, we could be looking at something as bad as a third monster wave.¡± This elicited quiet whispers among the gathered Awakened. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to join the main battle, rather than play border police for something that may or may not even be there,¡± someone else complained. Eik saw Travis¡¯ finger come up above the crowd to point at the speaker. ¡°Whoever said that, what¡¯s your power rank, if I may ask?¡± The speaker clearly hesitated, because it took him a few seconds to answer as people turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m, uuh¡­ I¡¯m E-rank, third grade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too weak, then,¡± Travis deadpanned. ¡°You should definitely be perimeter.¡± Chuckles ran through the crowd and nobody dared to let themselves be singled out again after that. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll set off in thirty minutes, so please get geared up, link up with your teammates, and be prepared to march soon. If you¡¯re getting cold feet, now is the time to go home, but I hope you¡¯ll consider who were doing this for and fight for our right to live in this world, despite everything that¡¯s been happening these past days,¡± he finished and left, handing his notes to an aide who followed him into Mission Central. Eik pulled on his leathers and helped Heath with his shield strap. With the utmost care he fastened his new blade with its hide sheath to his belt. He hadn¡¯t quite been able to figure out what was new after his rank up. One thing he had noticed, however, was that his strength hadn¡¯t grown nearly as drastically as Heath¡¯s had after the evolution to E-rank. He couldn¡¯t help but worry about the implications of the difference. His roadmap was now definitively altered from all other Awakened, and he couldn¡¯t even tell anyone. Even those focused on magic or craftsmanship gained about as much strength as physical fighters when they evolved, but here he was. Profound Toxin emerged from his hand, gathering obediently on his palm as he watched. At a thought, the blue liquid began to move up his wrist, slithering around his forearm like a pet snake. It reminded him of the snake that had tried to kill him in the dream world. That was still a memory he couldn¡¯t let go of. It had been so¡­ vivid, so real. And with how the Profound Toxin had seized control of his evolutionary process and pulled him onto a different path, it was difficult to deny a connection. He was afraid that he had unwittingly boarded a ship going a lot further than he had expected. The little blob of poison continued up through his sleeve, the condensed liquid slowly disappearing back into his skin. This increased control was another manifestation of his Acolyte of Toxin evolution. He hadn¡¯t heard of a power rank upgrade impacting the behavior of a person¡¯s skills, but in his particular case it made a lot of sense. Only time would show if he had made the wrong decision by opting for the Unique evolution. A hard impact from behind knocked Eik to the ground as he was checking his medicine belt. A lanky blonde man with a bowl cut grinned down at him, his teammates chuckling like bullies in a school yard. Heath was in the guy¡¯s face in a second. ¡°What? You wanna go, big man?¡± blondie snarled, his fingers caressing the pommels of a pair of twin blades. ¡°Hey, mushroom head,¡± Eik called loudly, drawing the attention of everybody around them. ¡°You got a problem with me?¡± Chapter 31: The Great Raid ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got a problem with you!¡± the bowl cut yelled, getting into Eik¡¯s face just as he was getting to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re a damn traitor, is my problem with you!¡± Eik narrowed his eyes in confusion, the accusation taking him completely by surprise. ¡°I¡¯m a traitor? Since when?¡± ¡°Since you became all buddy buddy with that bitch with the pink hair.¡± Eik couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Is that what all this dumb whispering that everybody¡¯s doing has been about?¡± ¡°You went over to their side!¡± ¡°No, I was picked up and thrown over to their side, smart guy.¡± Mushroom head sneered and pushed Eik in the chest. ¡°You could just have come back if you hated it so much.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t come back because I didn¡¯t have a clue where the hell I even was!¡± Eik shouted, all sense of amusement gone. ¡°Do any of you even know how terrifyingly powerful these people are? Huh? Do you?¡± he asked, eyes flitting from person to person. The hostility hadn¡¯t dissipated from Mr. Bowl cut and his four boogers, but they also didn¡¯t have anything to say in return. ¡°You!¡± Eik snapped, whipping a finger at one of bowl cut¡¯s stupid friends. ¡°Who¡¯s the strongest person you¡¯ve ever seen¡ªthat is, who¡¯s the strongest in Forest?¡± The guy looked exceptionally and deliciously uncomfortable by being pulled to the forefront of a conflict of which he had enjoyed being a blank faced, secondary instigator. ¡°I¡­ Well, I guess Travis Lockwood?¡± he mumbled, glances of uncertainty flickering between mushroom head and the three other followers. When mushroom head sent him a glare of incredulity, as if to ask how he could say something so moronic, he hurried to change his answer. ¡°Or actually, I think maybe Boulder Fist Gary is stronger than Travis Lockwood actually.¡± ¡°Perfect! And do you happen to remember what Atla, or the bitch with the pink hair, as you so cleverly called her, did to Boulder Fist Gary when he annoyed her?¡± he asked without giving them any time to answer. ¡°That¡¯s right, she folded him up like aluminum foil with a single punch. And I met people there who were as strong as her.¡± That produced a lot of widened eyes and whispered conversations among the crowd. Even Mr. Bowl cut¡¯s friends appeared to be doubting their own claims. ¡°That¡¯s a load of bull!¡± Mushroom head hissed, fury crackling behind his eyes. ¡°You and all the other traitors just want to hand our society over to some backwards aliens with hidden agendas and no desire to actually coop¡ª¡± ¡°If you could all just get your stuff in order in relative silence, that would be immensely appreciated,¡± Travis¡¯ aide from earlier shouted from the same supply shed roof, clapping loudly for attention. ¡°Would you perhaps be so kind as to save the schoolyard squabbles for after we have dealt with one of the biggest threats in our city¡¯s history?¡± Eik stepped back and Heath nodded and followed suit. Mushroom head held his glare for a few more seconds before he also turned on his heel and went to the opposite side of the courtyard, cursing them out all the way. ¡°What a dumb ass,¡± Heath grumbled. Sonja didn¡¯t say anything but looked miffed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to just not engage with people like them? They feed on aggressive responses like that and only come back for more,¡± Michael said, watching as the blonde man walked away. Eik glowered at his feet, knuckles white around the handle of his new knife. ¡°Mushroom head over there is obviously in bed with Boulder Fist Gary, his dumb son Rock Fist Bart, and their faction. If he was spurred on by them, then I could have died at the teeth of a monster and he would still have tried to spin it into an insult aimed at them. If they are so eager to come after me, then I¡¯d rather start swinging than wait until they resort to more vicious methods.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man¡­¡± Michael said. ¡°I think you¡¯ll just make it worse.¡± Eik looked at the young healer and shrugged, the corner of his lip turned up slightly. ¡°You know what? You¡¯re probably right. I might have overreacted back there, but I¡¯ve just been a bit stressed recently, and I already had a big mouth before all this. What I said will probably anger them, but I think I¡¯ve become pretty important as of late, even if I¡¯d prefer to be a little less sought after,¡± he said. He checked his medicine belt over again since he had been rudely interrupted before. He kept talking. ¡°Even if I as an individual am still the weakest of the weak in those higher circles, I¡¯m the one Atla talks to, and Atla is the one the Nidafjeld Alliance talks to. Once the leadership talks to her a bit more, they¡¯ll realize what I¡¯m coming to realize.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± Sonja asked. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°That, without the Nidafjeld Alliance, or at least some kind of powerful support, Forest, humanity and Earth are probably going to be annihilated before long.¡± All three of his friends swallowed hard as their faces grew pale. ¡°Why?¡± Michael asked. Eik motioned them closer with a finger, as if to reveal a closely guarded secret. ¡°You know what rank Travis Lockwood, Boulder Fist Gary, and Olivia Valkiri are, right?¡± They nodded. ¡°B-rank,¡± Heath confirmed. ¡°What do you think the Nidafjeld Alliance would protect us from? Hint: it¡¯s not A-rankers.¡± Michael looked ready to puke, all three of them growing even paler than they had already been. ¡°To my knowledge, there are at least two more ranks above A-rank. Atla called them S-rank and X-rank. If there¡¯s anything after those, I¡¯m not sure, but all I know is the S-rank and X-rank are unimaginably powerful. A couple of A-ranker could probably annihilate the entirety of the population of Forest.¡± He told them most of what Atla had told him about the fate of defenseless new worlds, reiterating the apparent importance of strong supporters to help them safely through the coming era of multiversal conflict. He told them about the possibility of being invaded by S-ranker or even X-rankers the moment Earth became saturated enough with dimensional matter to sustain the existence of beings of such surreal might. He told them that some older and stronger civilizations in the Unified Mass would seek to claim Earth as their own in order to fulfill their quests for expansion, resources, or dominion, caring little about the fates of the original inhabitants. He told them much of what he had been keeping inside. It had been fraying his nerves to carry it, and although he knew that he was cruelly putting it on their shoulders now as well, it was a tremendous relief to finally share the burden with someone he felt he could trust with it. It was clear that his friends were rattled by the revelation, and understandably so. He had basically given them the precise recipe for the potential horrific death and destruction of themselves and their loved ones. To say it was a lot to take in would be the understatement of the century. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to dump all that on you guys,¡± Eik sighed, sitting down on a barrel as he rechecked his laces. ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve that.¡± Surprisingly, Michael was the first to regain his bearings. ¡°All of that will eventually become common knowledge anyway, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d guess so.¡± ¡°Then being aware of it early, despite how uncomfortable and very, very, very frightening it might be, it¡¯s to our own advantage.¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°Thanks for seeing it that way. I certainly didn¡¯t when Atla first told me.¡± Eik spent the remaining minutes trying to comfort his friends before Travis Lockwood called for the raid to commence, ordering all teams to set off. The Great Raid was the biggest expedition ever undertaken by troops of Forest. The march across the western plains was a disjointed, sloppy affair, none of the teams walking in anything resembling a proper formation. It was painfully obvious that this was not an operation borne of careful planning and thorough training, but simply a necessary call to arms. Eik and company were situated somewhere in the back half of the procession, but even from that far back, the shrill clamor of battle echoed across the plains, demonstrating in no uncertain terms what they could expect inside the forest. The sheer number of Awakened moving through the trees at once would have been an awesome defense on its own, but with the addition of high-rankers practically plowing their way to the lake, demolishing anything dumb enough to attack, they were unstoppable as they moved. Being part of a raid of such size, Eik couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride. They were marching for Forest, to fight and to protect. With all the noise they were making, surely the monster in the lake would be expecting them. According to reports, the number of roaming monster and Awakened beasts has risen far above what they had originally been when they team first discovered the lake and the Awakened bison, but a procession like theirs would also be riling up the forest fauna. ¡°Hey traitors,¡± a woman yelled as her group passed them. ¡°Don¡¯t run crying to your new masters when things get saucy, you hear! Can¡¯t have you tanking your images even more than you already have, eh, traitors?¡± They gave her the stink eye but heeded Michael¡¯s advice to not engage. Judging only by facial expressions, only a few snickering people seemed to share that perception of treachery, yet nobody stepped in to back up Eik¡¯s team as they were harassed. As they made it into the western forest proper, they had to step over mangled corpses and pools of blood, mostly from monster and Awakened animals, but also from people. ¡°Tighten up, guys,¡± Sonja called as she drew her bow and nocked an arrow on the string. One of her skills, [Bat¡¯s Ears], allowed her sensitive hearing to help her locate unseen enemies before they could ambush them. ¡°We¡¯ve got incoming.¡± The vegetation was as dense as they remembered, only the path cut by the vanguard offering any sort of visibility. Any monsters intercepting them along the procession would be difficult to spot before they were on top of them, however. Eik fished around in his medicine belt and popped a small, doughy sphere into his mouth before he drew Viper Fang from its sheath. The potent mixture of poisons had a bitter taste and as it entered his system, Noxious Invigoration kicked in, pumping up his physical capabilities to make up for a bit of the strength he had lost out on when he chose the path of [Profound Toxin] over a regular E-rank. ¡°Straight ahead!¡± Sonja directed as Heath got into position to receive the attack. ¡°No! It¡¯s coming from ab¡ª¡± A blur of motion descended downward at an angle, moving faster than any monster Eik had fought, with the exception of the lanky D-rank monster from the fight where he had teamed up with Heath and Michael for the first time, as well as the gigantic spike-tailed bastard that had sent Olivia into a coma. The shape went right for Michael in the back, but Heath grunted and straight armed his massive shield as he swung it up above his head to intercept the flying creature in its path. With a deafening gong of solid matter impacting a metal surface, the monster was crushed against the shield, exploding like a water balloon and turning into a slab of ground meat. Eik, who was standing just behind Heath, was bathed in warm blood. ¡°Ack! Gah!¡± he spat, mouth, nose, and eyelids sticky with the red fluid. ¡°Nice catch, Heathy, but couldn¡¯t you have exploded it over that way instead of right into your good buddy¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± the red-cheeked tank called over his shoulder, immediately returning to a stance of readiness. ¡°Can you fight?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see yet. Give me ten seconds and I¡¯ll be good.¡± ¡°Gotcha!¡± Heath called and engaged an Awakened boar while a white-haired monkey approached, swinging deftly from branch to branch. The Great Raid had been kicked off with chaos. Chapter 32: The Lake Serpent The forest was a cacophony of screams as countless battles raged all around them, Eik¡¯s team only one of many in the chaos. Eik had already felt his wooden plaque vibrate inside his shirt, but there had been no time to take it out to check. The going through the forest was slow and there was little coherence in the advancement of the forces, teams running to catch up any time they could get away from the constant battles. They hadn¡¯t even made it to the main stage of the Great Raid, yet they had been engaged in dog fights left and right for a while now. Just as Eik¡¯s team had dealt a death blow to one creature and dashed for the new back line, a large, winged monster sailed in through the trees on their right, maneuvering expertly between trunks and branches. Its massive wings ripped leaves and twigs to shreds in passing as if they weren¡¯t there. It howled and speared a woman through and through with its beak, hauling her up and away above the trees, her breathless scream disappearing as quickly as the monster had appeared. ¡°I think there are more of those coming in!¡± Sonja screamed. The potency of her low level [Bat¡¯s Ears] ability must have been severely reduced in a situation like this where every second was tainted by the piercing shrieks of the dying. She could probably really only sense the approach of larger threats. ¡°Duck! On the ground!¡± Several other teams within earshot followed her command as well, throwing themselves to the soft-trodden forest mulch. Deep, chunky snaps of titanic wings announced the arrival of several more of the airborne killers. Cutting gales of displaced air crashed down over the grounded Awakened as the rocs briefly dove down to fetch the unfortunates who didn¡¯t hear Sonja¡¯s warning. The moment the horrors had passed, everybody scrambled to their feet and ran for the back line of the procession once more. Eik pulled a woman fumbling a spear up by the collar of her undershirt and dragged her to her feet. The army had stopped their forward march by the time they reached the tail end. ¡°Did we reach the lake?¡± Michael asked, panting as he came to a stop. ¡°We might have, yeah,¡± Eik said, climbing onto Heath¡¯s shoulders to get a better look of the front. ¡°I kind of lost track of time during all the fighting, and with how ravaged the forest is I can¡¯t tell one place apart from the other either.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve reached our destination!¡± a distant voice called down the ranks, the message echoed again and again as it traveled, Heath yelling it back over his shoulder as well. ¡°Eradicate the remaining stragglers!¡± came the next order down the line. ¡°Stragglers?¡± Heath exclaimed, looking back at the ravage of the battle that still raged. Whole swathes of woodland was ablaze, monsters tearing flesh off the bones of murdered Awakened, the stench of tattered intestines hanging turbidly in the air. ¡°How does it make sense to call something like this straggl¡ª¡± A flash of white light brighter than the sun above split the midday in half, a thunderous boom shaking the earth like a bomb. Slithering tentacles of lightning crackled out from the impact site, smiting monsters even meters away, frying them thoroughly from the inside out. The earth was charred soot black and smoking, a small crater marking the exact spot where the fatal charge had eradicated a small group of quadruped monsters. Moments later, Travis Lockwood came gliding through the air, landing nimbly among the last of the Awakened struggling to join the waiting army. A bolt of lightning, presumably the same technique of which he had just demonstrated the terrifying destructive power, began to take form in his hand. An Awakened bison charged in from his left, this one with regular brown fur, followed by a couple of Hectona-4s as well as one of those monkeys with white hair that Eik and his friends had killed earlier. As it continued to draw in more and more power, the lighting bolt grew and elongated into the shape of a spear, the intensity of the power screaming electrically. At the undeniable difference in power between Travis and the charging beasts, the monkey hurried to dismount and hop away frantically as the B-ranker wound up for a herculean throw, his fingers curling impossibly around the radiant spear of light. ¡°Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination!¡± With a hiss like a firework flying skyward, the bolt pierced the three monsters, reducing them to roasted chunks of meat. The skill didn¡¯t stop there, but continued through and impact the treeline, the impact detonation taking a couple more monsters more with along for the afterlife. ¡°Did he just¡­ Did he just shout out a technique name?¡± Eik questioned, not quite believing his own ears. ¡°There¡¯s no way, right?¡± ¡°I definitely heard something as well,¡± Michael said. ¡°But we¡¯re talking about the strongest Awakened on Earth here. It was probably something else, but the electric noise distorted the sound into something utterly absurd.¡± Heath nodded along. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking as well.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonja said with tacit confidence. ¡°No, that was most certainly a technique name.¡± She tapped her ears as if to remind them of her ability. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. They glanced at Travis, who was already preparing another skill, but rather than the spear of lightning, this time the electricity took the form of several small spheres of crackling light. He raised his hand to the sky and sent the balls in five different directions, each of them directed by a finger. They traveled rather slowly compared to the frightening speed of the spear projectile, but as they came into range of the monsters, rapid, probing limps of death snaked out to take their lives. Visually it was nowhere near as violent, but the slowness possessed its own grisliness. ¡°I¡¯m so glad he¡¯s on our side¡­¡± Michael muttered, his eyes glued to the vicious massacre. The others could only agree. After a couple minutes of continuous assault from Travis, the monsters gradually stopped emerging from the tree line, their numbers depleted or survival instincts urging them to stay away. Travis Lockwood spun on his heel, turning his back to the battlefield with a face devoid of expression, and Eik could have sworn that the man¡¯s hand came up to furtively flick his long coat out behind him like the cape of a superhero. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Travis called as he walked back, putting his fist in his palm, a twisted grin splitting his lips. ¡°We¡¯ve reached the lake. The underwater titan has already been located and appears to be waiting for us just beneath the surface. This will be a battle for the ages, my friends!¡± He raised his fist high and the crowd cheered. This man would likely be the first A-ranker in Forest now that the upper power limit on Earth had risen as a result of the second phase of their world¡¯s induction in to the Unified Mass. The great hero of Forest would lead the offensive against the enemy that threatened their very existence, but Eik couldn¡¯t help but feel a seed of worry in the pit of his stomach. ¡°Every one of you who will form the protective perimeter and ensure the safety of your friends and families back in forest will be assigned to a section commander. Your section commander will decide where to put each of your teams in order to cover as much ground as possible as effectively as possible.¡± He watched them to nod, his gaze uncharacteristically intense. The Travis Lockwood in front of them now was like a different man from the indolent character Eik had observed any other time they met. He leapt over their heads, heading for the front where the other high-rankers waited for him to arrive and initiate the battle. Soon after, the section commanders, mostly D-rankers in the lower grades, made their way down the rows of Awakened as they divided them among each other. Eik, Heath, Sonja, and Michael were placed under the command of a woman named Christina, whose combat style happened to be focused around archery like Sonja. ¡°Tie up your hair,¡± she ordered Sonja as she came by to check on their team. Her own hair barely reached past her jawline. ¡°It¡¯s going to get tangled in your bow string like that.¡± Taken aback, Sonja subconsciously stroked her elbow-length hair while she steadily met the D-ranker¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s already tied in a ponytail and I¡¯ve never had issues with it before. I promise it¡¯s not going to become a hindrance.¡± ¡°Did you think it was a request?¡± Christina asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°If I tell you to do something, then all you have to do is do it!¡± Eik and Heath were about get up in her face, but Sonja stopped them. ¡°Understood, ma¡¯am,¡± she said flatly, readjusting her ponytail into a tight bun that only just touched the nape of her neck. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t let me catch you letting it down again while I¡¯m not looking.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Sonja said, irritation sneaking its way into her voice. Heath was fuming as the woman left. ¡°What the hell is her problem?¡± Sonja just shrugged but it was clear that she was mad. Christina placed their team on the outermost corner of the perimeter, as far from any action as they could possibly be. Michael seemed immensely satisfied with this arrangement. After about five minutes of waiting at a distance of fifty meters from water¡¯s edge, their link team, the team responsible for relaying any message from command to them, shouted that the battle would commence in one minute and thirty seconds. There was enough space between their two teams to not interfere with each other¡¯s fights, but also close enough to be able to see and communicate with each other in case of an emergency. Heath raised his shield and the four comrades gathered in a tight formation, awaiting the launch of the first attack with bated breaths. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it already been a minute and a ha¡ª¡± Heath begun, but was interrupted by the shrill scream of Travis¡¯ Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination as it flickered through the air like a projectile from a rail gun in the distance, impacting the water with a booming explosion that spread tendrils of electricity throughout the water. Seconds later, a colossal serpentine head, size comparable to a large farm house, broke through the surface, the abrupt movement of its large body raising a tsunami that crashed onto shore where all the Awakened waited. Before it could orient itself properly, another bolt of white hot lightning struck it just below the jaw, sending ripples down its skin. It wailed in pain, the sound digging painfully into their ears, even from more than a kilometer away. Several corpses of monsters were already bobbing lifelessly in the swash of the turbulent lake. The gigantic beast arched backwards, its maw gaping widely as it writhed. Then it froze for a moment and dove headfirst into the trees where Travis and many of the other high-rankers would have been standing, the volcanic collision sending dust and debris dozens of meters into the air. And as more of its long, winding body followed the head up from the depths, the sheer force of the displaced air disturbed some of the fog further out on the great lake, revealing the shore of an island hidden under the white, opaque blanket. The lake serpent pulled its head free of the forest with the stentorian crunch of snapping trees and wound its neck up for a second attack. As it dove again, a third bolt of lightning caught it directly in the face but the momentum carried its attack through nonetheless and it slammed into the ground. Once more it raised its head back up and crashed down with the force of a ballistic missile. Heath¡¯s shield hung limply on his arm as he watched the fight with his mouth agape. The seed of worry in Eik¡¯s stomach had sprouted and bloomed into a genuine oak of terror. ¡°N-Nobody can s-survive that¡­¡± Michael stammered through hyperventilation. Eik could barely find the clarity to form words of his own, a wide-eyed, silent nod of agreement all he could muster as the mammoth serpent burst the forest apart for a fourth time. Chapter 33: Slimy Prison The monstrous fiend got in a fifth lunge before a massive shock wave knocked it backwards into the lake, sending another large wave out in all directions. ¡°Something¡¯s happening!¡± Heath hissed, clutching his shield tightly as if he was in the midst of the battle himself. As the serpent rose out of the lake again, a multicolored barrage of different attacks struck its side and sent in reeling back into the water. Instead of coming up immediately, this time the water began to churn violently, the subtle whirl of a maelstrom quickly forming in the middle of the lake. As the vortex rapidly grew in size, smaller monsters began to emerge all along the lake shore, much further up than they had been able to prepare for. The low-ranking Awakened were already stretched thin as it was. Immediately ahead of them numerous green slimes wobbled up the beach, moving much faster than one might have expected of piles of snot. The other monsters seemed to avoid the nasty goo balls, landing much further up. Although there was still a good distance between them, being the outermost team, the monsters that emerged beyond the scope of the perimeter would eventually head for them. ¡°We can¡¯t handle that many!¡± Heath shouted, backing briskly away, making sure that he was always between his friends and the approaching horde. ¡°We have to pull back and join up with the other teams!¡± As the slimes came within range one by one they began to reach for Heath and his shield with gooey, disgusting tentacles slithering out from the main body. The big man cut cleanly through one of the arms but it simply dropped to the ground where it flattened and pooled. Two more limbs swiftly grew out to take its place and when the slime oozed across the lost arm it naturally absorbed it back into itself. Sonja put a couple of arrows in a slime, but when that did even less than Heath¡¯s sword had, she drew her own blade instead and darted in to do what she could to squash the slimes¡¯ attempts at Heath. They kept backing away toward the closest other team, but it was slow going. Michael¡¯s Bind skill was about as effective in restraining the oozing creatures as installing windshield wipers on a submarine, the glowing cords passing right through the undulating mass. Tentatively, he waved his mace half-heartedly, but he quickly lost his nerve and retreated to the back line. Eik was displeased to see that Michael was still so passive despite the scare they had during the encounter with the Moon Will Swallow cult, where they were all almost murdered by a single, weakened man. That the young healer still didn¡¯t seek to actively fulfill his role, but would rather wait for the injuries instead of helping to prevent them, was disappointing to see. Michael had only used his barrier ability Single Protection twice since they set off for the Great Raid, and both were at Sonja and Eik¡¯s requests. Even now he could have put one on Heath, but forgot, the ability being little more than a waste of a valuable skill choice as it stood. They would have to speak with him later. Eik himself was slashing at the slimes left and right with Viper Fang. The blade itself did no better than Heath and Sonja¡¯s, but anywhere the Profound Toxin splashed onto the undulating muck the smooth surface of the slime clotted and turned into granular chunks that it shed as quickly as it could. The slimes tried to avoid Eik once their vulnerability became apparent, but he flitted about with Movement Boost, far surpassing their speed, and cut grooves in their mushy skin to get the poison in as deeply as he could. With one of the constantly probing tentacles, a slime finally managed to get a proper hold of Heath¡¯s large tower shield. Several of the other blobs immediately rushed in to merge their masses, creating a much larger single individual within a second and deploying half of its volume to rip the shield forcefully from the big man. Unfortunately, he was firmly hooked into the reinforced monster leather arm straps and was pulled along toward the slime, his arm instantly swallowed up to the bicep by the bouncy body. At once the rest of the slimes joined up into a main body that reached almost five meters of super powered jelly death. Movement Boost carrying him to Heath¡¯s side in the blink of an eye, Eik gripped his tank by the forearm with one hand and popped one of his homemade clumps of poison with the other. ¡°Eik, I can¡¯t catch my balance!¡± Heath yelled, panic in his voice. ¡°I can¡¯t get out! Help me!¡± As Eik pulled, the effects of his Noxious Invigoration skill kicked in response to the poison he ingested, but it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°I¡¯m trying! This thing is strong!¡± he gasped. ¡°And you¡¯re already way too heavy!¡± Heath glared as he tried to keep his head from being swallowed as well. ¡°Big bones! I¡¯m not fat, I have big bones!¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "I know that! That''s what I meant!" With every second, Heath was drawn further and further into the monster, the entire left side of his body already enveloped completely. Once Sonja and Michael made it to them and added their strength to the rescue effort, Eik could concentrate on slicing Viper Fang along the edges of the slime, the hardened gel slouching off in globules. Even then, the rate at which Heath was being sucked in was too fast. The small pieces Eik was able to shave off just weren¡¯t doing it against a monster of such size, and when Heath¡¯s head was finally gobbled up it became a matter of moments before it¡¯d be too late. With a grunt, Eik buried the knife up to his elbow as the Profound Toxin jetted directly into the gigantic monster. It wobbled and churned almost as if in thought, and then it spat out Heath with force, sending him stumbling to his knees. The hole left in the slime¡¯s body after the big man¡¯s exit suddenly expanded and stretched to pull Eik into its embrace. The movement was so rapid that he didn¡¯t have a chance to react. Viper Fang was ripped from his fingers the moment he entered the jelly mountain. Panic struck immediately. Eik¡¯s fearful struggle was made impossible within the living prison. It could just as well have been a solid block of concrete for the freedom of movement in offered him. He tried to scream when the slime began to invade his nostrils and ears but all it did was allow it to get into his mouth as well. Eik¡¯s mind was a torrent of brain-melting terror as his breath was stolen and his body was arrested into a stasis-like stillness. Vaguely, through slitted eyes, he could see the distorted shapes of his friends desperately slashing and bashing at the outer layer of goo, fighting to get him out. While the gesture was lovely and all, Eik knew that it was a losing battle. As his consciousness began to fade and the dull thuds of the attacks outside grew faint, a cool clarity replaced the panic that had dominated his mind. That clarity granted the ability to recognize the way out¡ªa painfully obvious solution. It started from his fingers and continued down his hands and arms. He didn¡¯t have to be able to move even a single muscle to be able to use his deadliest weapon. Eik released more Profound Toxin than he ever had before, the luminescent substance coloring his hair blue as it flowed from his face and scalp, out of his eyes like tears, and from his stomach, back, legs and feet. The slime trembled and stiffened, the poison eradicating and destroying all tissue from the inside out. As it hardened and turned into chunks grooves opened throughout the now porous flesh, allowing the Profound Toxin to flow all the way out and seep out into the grass. Heath used his fingers to rip the gel away with the giant strokes of a swimmer, digging his was into the middle where Eik hung suspended within. Once his head was excavated, Eik could at long last vomit up the slime that had now congealed and died in his throat and nose. The chunks were painful to expel, but up they needed to go. As he hurled up clump after clump into the grass, another deafening explosion echoed across the gigantic lake, the sound bouncing back and forth several times. Eik risked a glance toward the main fight. The top of a purple, domed barrier was barely visible above the ravaged crowns of the trees in the distance. Another, smaller barrier provided an extra layer of protection beneath it. That must have been what allowed the high-rankers to survive the initial onslaught by the lake serpent. Transparent, supersonic blades of air flew up from the beach in rapid succession and pelleted the titanic beast. Following closely, two shock waves and the screaming bolt of Travis Lockwood¡¯s Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination slammed into its lengthy abdomen, throwing it back toward the island in the middle of the lake and revealing even more of the mist-covered land. The fog reached the clouds above, but on further towards the center of the island, the earth appeared to rise steeply into the air. That¡¯s where the visibility ended, but if a mountain or something like that was hidden completely from view, then there was no telling what else might be in there as well. It was a frightening thought. If the lake serpent was only one of many monsters of that level of power, then humanity would stand no chance in a direct confrontation. ¡°Eik!¡± Eik tore his eyes away from the overpowered spectacle and focused on Heath who put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Can you walk?¡± the large man asked, a look of concern painted on his face. ¡°The monsters will overrun us soon! We need to join up with the other teams to deal with this!¡± Eik stared for a moment before he spoke. ¡°Your skin¡­ It¡¯s red and swelling.¡± Heath winced. ¡°I think some of the poison from your Toxic ability got on me when I freed your from that ball of jelly. It hurts all over.¡± ¡°Hold on then,¡± Eik said and put his hands on Heath¡¯s arms. ¡°I think I can get it out of you. Just give me a second.¡± He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate despite the constant clamor of battle all around them. ¡°Eik, I¡¯m not sure we have the time for that right not,¡± the tank said with urgency in his voice. ¡°We really do have to run.¡± ¡°You want to die?¡± Eik snapped, fully aware of the time pressure. ¡°Let me do this or the Pr¡ª, poison will probably wreck havoc on your insides. So shut up and let me concentrate for two seconds.¡± Since his evolution to Acolyte of Toxin, Eik had felt an almost spiritual connection to the Profound Toxin that he produced. Anytime he touched it he could feel its presence, and with proper concentration he could will it to obey simple wishes, such as returning to his body. With his hands on Heath¡¯s skin, he could tell that the Profound Toxin had already invaded his system, albeit in small amounts only, doing its terrible work on friend as eagerly as it would on foe. With a hiss, Eik requested it to come back to him. He felt it hear. He felt it listen. And he felt it refuse and continue to ravage his friend¡¯s body. Again he tried, pulling on the Profound Toxin with his mind, ordering it to obey and retreat. Anger welled up in him, white and hot, and he clenched his teeth in tense focus. This damned thing, whatever it was, was not going to dominate him like an unruly dog. Eik would stomp out even the smallest iota of defiance. Chapter 34: Wresting Control Heath¡¯s breathing was growing more ragged by the second, the affected skin bubbling up into angry welts. Profound Toxin probably wouldn¡¯t kill him very quickly without access to his circulatory system, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that he would become unable to fight if his skin was flayed from his flesh. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good, Eik. It¡¯s like my whole body is crawling with insects,¡± Heath whined and tried to scratch at the sensitive skin. Eik slapped his hand away without opening his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. You¡¯ll only make it worse than it already is.¡± ¡°The monster¡¯s are coming, Eik! We don¡¯t have time for this!¡± Sonja shouted as she released a barrage of arrows at the approaching horde. ¡°We have to run!¡± Eik¡¯s grip on the tank¡¯s arms tightened as he dug deeper into his own mind, hoping to get back to the foreign world where he had met that shitty little snake made of Profound Toxin. If it refused to listen to his commands, then he¡¯d simply have to go back there again and beat the shit out of the bastard. Down he dove, toward the depths of consciousness, searching desperately for a hole, a gate, a fracture, anything that might allow him to pass into the world of the Profound Toxin. ¡°Eik! What are you doing?¡± Sonja yelled, grabbing him by the shoulder. He snarled and cracked open an eye, pulling him out of his own head completely. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, Sonja! I¡¯m just trying something because I don¡¯t know what else to do, god damn it! You broke my concentration and now I have to start over from the beginning!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± she said and shoved him towards the closest team before taking her brother¡¯s large hand and guiding him along with them. ¡°We¡¯re leaving, now!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Eik shouted, stomping the grass and taking Heath¡¯s other hand. Michael was already sticking to the tank¡¯s back and showering him with the soothing light of his Heal skill. ¡°And Michael, cast a Single Protection on him as well already!¡± Eik snapped. ¡°R-Right, sorry!¡± the young man stammered and hurried to comply, the silvery glow humming gently as it pulsed once across Heath¡¯s body. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk to him like that, bro,¡± Heath rumbled through clenched teeth while they ran as fast as he could follow. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve that, We¡¯re all stressed out right now, and you shouldn¡¯t take your frustrations out on him.¡± ¡°That Single Protection skill could be the difference between your death and your survival, and by extension ours,¡± Eik said, the harsh tone still present. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to not say something!¡± Sonja nodded, her eyes constantly glancing back to check how much the monsters were gaining on them. It would be a matter of seconds now. ¡°I agree. It does need to be said, because it could prevent crippling injury, or even turn a fatal strike into something survivable,¡± she said and Eik was glad to have her support, but then she continued. ¡°But, what you¡¯re doing right now is just as bad, Eik.¡± He was so taken aback by her words that he almost stopped running right then and there. ¡°What? Just what in the world do you think I am doing that¡¯s as bad as that?¡± She gave him a raised eyebrow as if to ask if he seriously couldn¡¯t figure it out on his own. ¡°Eik, when you confront him with such hostility in the middle of a battle like this, do you think he¡¯s going to perform better? We¡¯re not soldiers in the military here. We¡¯re just people with super powers trying to do our best,¡± she said as they signaled their arrival to the other team. ¡°All you¡¯re doing is lowering morale, hammering a wedge into our team, and hitting him right in his confidence. There¡¯s a place for criticism, and this particular case certainly warrants it, but not the way you¡¯re doing it. Calm down, Eik.¡± Michael stared at her with a jaw dropped so low that it could have come off its hinges. He looked ready to kiss her. Eik chewed on her words. He felt a pang of shame in his stomach as he realized that she was right. Michael¡¯s eyes caught his for a moment, but he looked away immediately, unable to meet the healer¡¯s gaze. ¡°What¡¯s up? What happened?¡± a woman with a great sword called as she jogged up to meet them. Her four teammates were finishing a gangly, insectile monster, four of the same variety already staining the grass purple with their sticky blood. ¡°Can¡¯t handle your portion?¡± she grinned. Sonja just gestured wordlessly over her shoulder with a thumb. The woman¡¯s grin quickly fell, replaced by pale alarm. She signaled for her friends to join them, but it was quickly determined that even with the combined strength of their two teams, it would be nowhere near enough to handle the entirety of the horde traveling in fragmented groups of monsters. Wasting no more time, Sonja led them all on a further retreat toward the main fight, which was still raging just as violently as before. Several projectiles struck the serpent along its body before a human leapt from the beach to land on its body, climbing rapidly up its back while attacks continued to rain down up the beast. Another round of the slow-moving balls of electricity floated across the surface of the lake, roasting any weaker monster that made the mistake of coming within attack range. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. When the crazy high-ranker finally made it to the lake serpent¡¯s head, they began to pound away at its thick skull, the booms of the swift impacts reverberating like a deep bass. ¡°That¡¯s must be Boulder Fist Gary!¡± one of the guys on the other team hooted, excitement painted as clearly on his face as a fresh dog turd on a white tile floor. ¡°Dude¡­¡± one of his friends mumbled, elbowing him in the ribs conspicuously. The man blanched slightly as he remembered who they had teamed up with. ¡°Ah, right, sorry, man. I wasn¡¯t thinking¡­¡± Eik just waved off the apology nonchalantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, mate,¡± he said, his eyes wandering to the close-quarter onslaught. ¡°The man¡¯s one of our strongest fighters no matter how you look at it. I¡¯m just surprised he¡¯s already up and swinging after Atla beat the pants off him so effortlessly.¡± He couldn¡¯t suppress a grin at the other team¡¯s nervous chuckles. Without warning the powerful fiend whipped its neck with such explosive speed that its head became a blur, hurling Boulder Fist Gary away and into the forest like a round launched from the largest catapult to ever exist. Judging by Odor Fist Gary¡¯s trajectory he must have landed at least a kilometer behind the front line, so it would take him a while to get back into the fight if he was even still combat capable. When they linked up with the second team, Heath¡¯s condition was becoming concerning. Some of the welts had begun to discolor with splotches of blue, purple, and green spreading out from their centers. ¡°I really don¡¯t think we can delay Heath¡¯s treatment anymore than we already have!¡± Eik said, his hand on Sonja¡¯s forearm. ¡°I agree,¡± Michael said as he came to stand next to Eik. ¡°The longer we wait, the worse his prognosis becomes. I already can¡¯t do anything about this without Eik getting the poison out first.¡± Sonja¡¯s face was conflicted, her desire to stop everything and take care of her sick brother as clear as day. She looked ready to agree when a robed man from the team they had just met up with broke in. ¡°There are dozens of monsters coming at us if I¡¯m counting them right. If we hang around here much longer then none of us will survive, not to mention your man here. He¡¯ll have to suck it up for now and keep moving because we won¡¯t be waiting here to die with you.¡± Eik clenched his fist as his jaw tightened in rage and frustration. He was ashamed of being the cause of Heath¡¯s pain and it made him want to lash out. He wouldn¡¯t, but the urge must have been visible on his face because the robed man sized him up with a frown. ¡°Do you have a problem with that, bro?¡± he asked, two of his friends stepping up behind him. Eik felt Profound Toxin flow out, unbidden, between his fingers almost as if the blue fluid was encouraging him to confront the vexatious man. With a thought, he forced the poison back into his skin, imagining a huff of displeasure from the unruly substance as it withdrew. ¡°Yes, I do, actually, but let¡¯s leave that for later, shall we?¡± he said with his hands raised placatingly, hating that he was backing down from this asshole. Even if the guy was right, Eik still wanted to punch him in the mouth. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something else out, how about that?¡± The robed man harrumphed and took the lead this time, moving further along the beach. The next link was obscured by a dense copse of tress, but if they could cross through that barrier some of the monsters that were still far away might give up the chase if they lost sight. Even now, the throng of monsters wasn¡¯t actually charging full tilt, but rather meandering at a relatively slow pace. That didn¡¯t mean they could actually afford to relax, however. Looking at Heath¡¯s face, it was evident that he was choking back pain, but Eik still didn¡¯t have any other ideas. ¡°Heathy, I¡¯m sorry to ask this, but do you think you would still be able to run with me on your back?¡± The big man looked at him uncomprehendingly while Michael and Sonja¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t hide how ridiculous they thought that sounded. ¡°What? You want me to carry you? Now?¡± Eik shook his head, panic tying up his tongue and refusing to let him form a proper sentence. He had trained his mind to endure and keep cool during tense situation by poisoning himself day after day for years, but this was a first. The horror of being responsible for the poisoning of a friend. He knew that the best solution would be hatched by a calm mind, yet his was a whirl of chaos. He knew that the best results were accomplished by a steady and determined hand, yet his were trembling with indecision and doubt. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª, I¡¯m afraid¡­ We can¡¯t stay here and take proper care of you because we have a literal surge of monstrous bastards on our asses, I understand that, but I¡¯m scared that if I don¡¯t begin now, it¡¯s going to be too late. I¡¯m good at antivenom but this magical poison stuff is still a complete mystery to me, and I can¡¯t think of anything better than this. I don¡¯t know what else to do, guys¡­¡± His voice trembled just like his hands. After a second of genuine surprise, Heath managed a grin despite the pain and knelt down on one knee, offering his back to Eik. ¡°Well, get on then, man. Sonja and Michael can give me a hand if I stumble.¡± Eik did, putting his hands on Heath¡¯s shoulder and once more connecting to the Profound Toxin that still ravaged Heath¡¯s skin, looking for a way into his circulatory system. With frayed nerves he mentally crushed the Profound Toxin underfoot. He had never attempted to withdraw the poison from a victim before, but while it was clear that the nature of Profound Toxin was not one that ever let a prey go, he would not allow his own damn ability make the decision to kill his friend. He felt it let go for a moment, only to dig its metaphorical claws in even deeper, but now he knew it could be forced. Not knowing how, he applied even more mental pressure on the ethereal poison and sensed its self-mastery erode bit by bit. ¡°Do as I tell you to, you damned puddle of blue piss!¡± Eik screamed right into a frightened Heath¡¯s ear, momentarily forgetting about his existence in the physical world. The members of the two other teams turned their heads to glance at the psychotic man riding on the back of his injured teammate. With a final spike of psychic compulsion, the Profound Toxin rushed up Heath¡¯s red, swelling skin and disappeared into Eik¡¯s. A deep sigh of relief escaped the tank¡¯s body. ¡°Guys, I did it! I got it out of him!¡± he exclaimed. No answer came. ¡°Guys?¡± They had made it through the dense woods, but on the other side was not a team that could assist them with the monster horde. Two specimens of the jet black, crocodilian beast that had been sent crashing through the facade of Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs on the day of Eik¡¯s Awakening were chewing absentmindedly on the remains of a five-man group of Awakened. The two fiends noticed Eik¡¯s provisional group just as another outfit of Awakened crashed through the vegetation on the opposite side. Leading that group was Rock Fist Bart. Chapter 35: Yeah, Oops... Rock Fist Bart stopped his squad with a raised hand when he saw the crocodilian monsters, taking another couple of cautious steps before noticing the other Awakened ahead. He frowned at the sight of Eik but quickly directed his attention back to the two monsters between them. He locked eyes with the robed man who had led Eik¡¯s side through the trees and they exchanged looks before they began to circle around and away from the beach to meet in the middle. The two crocodilians, coal black bodies resembling big, scaly cats, hissed and flailed their heads but never actually made any moves to attack the much larger group. Their paws were massive, with heavy tails that seemed appropriately sized to act as counterweight for their powerful heads. Eik¡¯s eyes never left the beefy close-combat fighter, even while the beasts snapped and snarled at the human¡¯s movements. The muscle-brained bastard had slung not so subtle threats his way in a far more public setting than this, so there was no way he wasn¡¯t going to try something with a golden opportunity served on a silver platter like this. That Bonehead Sr. had beaten some sense into him since was not likely, given how childishly he had acted during Atla¡¯s first visit. As the two groups merged, Rock Fist Bart stepped to the front and assumed a position implying leadership. He gave Eik a look and nodded in greeting, unable to completely hide a crooked grin. ¡°Long time no see, pharmacist,¡± he said snarkily, drawing the attention of the rest of the Awakened, most of whom were clearly oblivious to the feud between the two. A few looked uncomfortably informed, including Rock Fist Bart¡¯s two permanent henchmen who had accompanied him during his initial visit to Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs and every encounter since. ¡°I already told you I¡¯m an apothecary.¡± ¡°And I already told you there¡¯s no difference between the two titles,¡± Rock Fist Bart argued. With a glance back at his friends, Eik bit back what would no doubt have been a seething and intelligent response. Instead he turned away. ¡°Just shut up, Bart," he said, dismissing Rock Fist Bart. ¡°You little shi¡ª¡± Bart took a threatening step toward Eik, his face redder than a tomato, but the robed man who had led the last party Eik¡¯s group had joined up with gripped the Rock Fist by the shoulder. Eik didn¡¯t know the man, but if he felt confident enough to do that to a pompous moron like Sock Fist Bart, then he probably wasn¡¯t someone to look down on. Bart stared at the hand on his shoulder for a couple of seconds before he righted himself and brushed his clothes with a hand. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this later,¡± he said calmly. The dark, ireful expression on his face didn¡¯t match his words. ¡°Why is that guy always so sensitive?¡± Eik muttered. Gestures by the robed man told them that Rock Fist Bart was being briefed on the monster horde they had fled from. ¡°You should really learn to keep your mouth shut too, you know.¡± Eik ignored that. ¡°How are you feeling, Heathy?¡± ¡°Better¡­¡± Heath muttered as he unslung the mighty tower shield and drew the thick blade from its sheath. The way he handled the weighty equipment made it obvious that the ravage wreaked by the Profound Toxin addled his body significantly. They couldn¡¯t rely on him as if he was healthy. Eik swallowed another clump of the home mixed poison, feeling the effects of his Noxious Invigoration pumping him full of energy. While Resistance: Toxin was the ability that allowed Noxious Invigoration to even exist in the first place, it also forcefully cleansed weaker poisons like the clump from his body so quickly that he constantly had to ingest more to keep power from fading. Unfortunately, while anything stronger would certainly remain active in his system for longer, it would also be significantly more dangerous and potentially weaken him in other ways. Immediately, a woman raising a clump of earth from the soft forest floor was practically bisected. Eik was able to see the leap as it went for her but knew he could not have done more than flinch before it was too late had he been in her place. A D-rank monster was simply too far beyond him at his current stage. The robed man had it by its jet black tail in the blink of an eye and hurled it over his head, away from his allies. Its vice-like jaw never loosened, carrying the unfortunate woman lifelessly away as it sailed through the air. It spun agilely and landed on its feet, swallowing a leg of the woman before dumping the rest of her body by its feet. Two of her agitated teammates broke into tears at the sight but didn¡¯t dare to break away from the group. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Meanwhile, Rock Fist Bart had charged in to meet the second one, his expertly crafted gauntlets clanging as they struck the earth where the monster had been. The resulting explosion and crater convinced Eik that the beefy man hadn¡¯t put his full power into the barbaric assault on his walnut counter. Spinning nimbly on the balls of his feet, he slapped away the beast¡¯s jaw as it tried to bite his arm and pivoted to slam a left hook into its snout in the same movement. Momentarily stunned, it couldn¡¯t react in time to avoid the follow-up to the top of the skull that sent it to the ground, nor the crushing heel that forced its entire head halfway into the soil. The monster that had been thrown by the robed man avoided projectiles from Rock Fist Bart¡¯s archer lackey while three others rushed in to engage it before it could steal away another low-ranker. Rock Fist Bart was flanked by two allies as they cornered his opponent. Eik¡¯s team and two others, including the one whose teammate has just been eaten, broke off and prepared to meet the stream that should be arriving soon. Hoping to stay hidden from clear view behind the copse of trees for as long as possible, they waited with weapons at the ready, flinching whenever the crocodilian monsters came a little too close for comfort. After only a short wait the first couple of monsters broke through, their relaxed, exploratory pace immediately shifting into a full sprint once they caught sight of the humans. Those first two resembled flightless birds with a bulbous torso held up by long, spindly legs ending in wicked claws. Long necks bore heads that were entirely too human-like. Before they even clashed once, more species were already starting to appear, rushing in to join the fight. With the arrival of so many different monsters at a time, it was impossible to estimate their power with any kind of accuracy. If a D-rank or a C-rank mingled with the mottled flow of fiends, it could be on top of them before they ever noticed its strength. A B-rank or above would be¡­ over before they ever laid eyes on it. But C-rank would probably be the worst that could be expected from the ones subordinate to the gigantic lake serpent. In the past, whenever a particularly powerful being gathered a following of lessers they would all be considerably weaker than the leader. The commonly acknowledged conclusion was that their naturally aggressive dispositions made them submit only to extreme superiority. If the lake serpent was A-rank then it would likely have C-ranks under its command. The thought was frightening. Eyes on stalks, Eik slashed at a many-legged, many-eyes abomination. Meeting the thing that had nearly killed him during the second wave was a strange experience. Back then he had been powerless to do anything but run until eventually trapping it on a ladder to drip Profound Toxin into its mouth. To his own surprise, he was now running circles around the bastard without it being able to do much in retaliation. With conservative movements the injured Heath kept two more at bay, focusing only on defense and refraining from attacking except to draw the ire to himself. Three of Sonja¡¯s long arrows protruded from the hindquarters of one, immobilizing it almost completely, while Michael stuck dutifully to Heath¡¯s back, recasting the barrier ability Single Protection on the tank whenever the cooldown allowed and spamming Bind with impressively good timing. Eik momentarily activated Movement Boost as the ugly thing lunged, side stepping as he sliced Viper Fang across its ribs and belly with a streak of luminescent blue. Eagerly, the poison entered the wound, sprouting sick, purple veins around the site. Before it could turn back to face him, he had already leapt forward and buried his wicked knife to the hilt in its neck. Profound Toxin invaded its body unnecessarily. Popping another clump of poison and feeling the energy rush through him, Eik sped toward his friends, appearing behind the uninjured monster in a blur. With a grunt he cut three deep, glowing gashes along its legs and back, eliciting a yelp of pain as the monster flinched away. He followed and kept up the assault until he managed to sever the tendons in its hind legs. The carnage was exhilarating. With Profound Toxin seeping from wounds all over its body, he left it to die and went to help Sonja, Heath, and Michael. As a Hectona-4¡ªone of the serpentine fracture monsters whose venom Eik had specialized in counteracting¡ªapproached their team, Heath stepped forth and crushed the skull of the last many-eyed vermin with a well-placed Unerring Strike¡ªthe skill that allowed a single attack to be executed properly regardless of physical instability or bad positioning. Eik triggered Movement Boost to get between his friends and the Hectona-4. He could take the envenomation as easily as a glass of cold milk for breakfast, but Heath couldn¡¯t. Especially not in his current state. Without warning one of the coal-black D-ranked crocodilians sailed right past his head, jaw snapping furiously, and crashed into the ground to his right. Before he could register it properly, Rock Fist Bart was suddenly in front of him, blocking the path to his friends. Rather than focusing on the monster, the man¡¯s gaze was locked on Eik¡¯s with a sickening grin plastered on his face. ¡°A disorderly fray such as this is just so difficult to navigate, wouldn¡¯t you agree, pharmacist?¡± the pompous windbag said as he studied his gauntlets nonchalantly. ¡°Even just knowing friend from foe can be a real challenge.¡± With a tight jaw and a pit in his stomach, Eik responded with a wide-eyed shake of the head. ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree less. In fact, I don¡¯t think my foes have ever stood out quite so vividly as they seem to do today.¡± He wouldn¡¯t do it. He wouldn¡¯t dare. There were people here to witness it. He stood to gain nothing from it aside from the pretty satisfaction of a personal grudge. Rock Fist Bart raised a hand and tightened it into a fist, the gentle clinking of his gauntlet reduced to near inaudibility by the clamor of battle around them. As he wound up his grin only grew wider and more vile. ¡°Oops,¡± he sang as his fist descended. Chapter 36: Swallowed When the fist came down Eik could do nothing to avoid it. It was too fast and too heavy. Life should have flashed before his eyes, but what he saw instead was Heath¡¯s wide back obscuring the attack. The metallic crash of a truck hitting a wall tore through the forest and a deep boom like that of a powerful bass pulsed through Eik¡¯s body. In the next moment he was carried off his feet by Heath¡¯s massive body. While all air was purged from Eik¡¯s lungs and he slid through the grass, Heath continued through the air only to hit a tree and fall to the ground, deathly still. ¡°Heathy!¡± Sonja screamed as she ran to her brother, followed by Michael, whose hands were already glowing with Heal. Eik gasped for air as he propped himself up on his elbows. ¡°H¡­ H-Hea¡­ eath. Heath!¡± Rock Fist Bart approached with a steady stride, loosening his shoulders with a remorseless smile. ¡°Accidents can really happen at anytime, as they say. That was truly unfortunate, but I¡¯ll make sure to rectify my mistake now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come any¡­ any closer, you uppity sack of cat shit!¡± Eik rasped while Sonja cried mournfully on Heath¡¯s chest. The sound of her voice breaking tore at his heart with every sob. It was too painful to look at Michael and Sonja hunched over Heath¡¯s broken body, so Eik aimed his gaze at Bart, hate a white-hot, blazing flame in his stomach, threatening to rip his body apart. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re going to get away with this? You won¡¯t. Everybody saw what you did,¡± Eik snarled. Bart laughed, villainous staccato and the whole program. He gestured around the clearing with a grandiose sweep of his arm. ¡°Do you see anybody watching? They¡¯re all too busy fighting for their own lives to watch yours be snuffed out. Maybe you should follow their example.¡± ¡ªHe glanced back at the others with a contemplative expression. A few eyes were glancing furtively in their direction¡ª¡°And even if they had seen¡­ something, they would keep quiet about it if they know what¡¯s best for them. Not that anything would come of it if they did.¡± The man looked supremely confident. Eik felt like he was about to explode. ¡°I''ll kill you.¡± Eik¡¯s voice was cold and steady. Duck Piss Bart guffawed derisively, hands on his hips in a parody of every bad guy in every movie. ¡°And how, exactly, do you intend to kill me? You¡¯re worthless compared to me, pharmacist.¡± "I have met people stronger than any Awakened on Earth. If I call for them, they will come,¡± he lied. Bart chewed on that for a moment, looking suspicious. Again a grin split his face. ¡°But that¡¯s only going to be an issue if you can call them, no?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you never come home, then there¡¯s no problem,¡± Duck Piss Bart explained, nodding toward Heath, where Sonja had stood up, her face hidden by long hair as she nocked an arrow on the string of her bow. ¡°And as we¡¯ve realized, accidents can happen anytime out here, and to anyone,¡± he said. An arrow grazed his ear, drawing a thin, red line across his skin. With a finger he touched the lobe and looked at Sonja. Her face was madness incarnate as she prepared another arrow, walking briskly toward Bart. ¡°M-My bro¡ª, brother,¡± she sobbed, tears running thickly. ¡°You killed my brother, y-you fucking piece of shit! You asshole! You filthy vermin! You ugly, disgusting, bald bastard!¡± Another two arrows flew, but Bart batted them away with hardly a glance. Judging by his face, he was neither wary nor particularly interested in her. ¡°Your brother was caught up in a fight between myself and a powerful monster. It¡¯s a very unfortunate and saddening consequence, indeed, but these things simply happen sometimes. None of us could have predicted it or prevented it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re completely insane¡­¡± Eik hissed. Knowing the futility of it, he still found himself reaching for Viper Fang in the grass and preparing to leap at Duck Piss Bart. Bart¡¯s palm glowed with an eerie light as he prepared to meet them both, grin never leaving his face. Just as they were about to clash Michael bellowed at full lung, his voice urgent and hopeful. ¡°Stop, stop! Heath¡¯s got a pulse. He¡¯s got a pulse! He¡¯s alive, Sonja! Heath is alive! Hurry, we have to¡ª¡± An explosion that rocked the entire forest drowned out whatever Michael had been trying to say. An eruption of dust, earth, and wood splinters surged up and took the young healer in the back, the shock wave rocketing him toward Sonja and Eik, where he rolled and tumbled past them, screaming. Heath¡¯s prone body was lost as the opaque wave of debris swept over him. Sonja called his name, but the buffeting sand and soil caught in her throat and elicited a fit of coughing. Bart stood against the force without much trouble, but Eik and Sonja both had to relinquish a few paces in the face of the raging blast. Like a cloud, the dust rose into the air as it roiled like ocean waves. Eik and Sonja made for the tree where they had last seen Heath, fumbling through a dust cloud so dense it almost felt like a fluid. ¡°Did you find him?¡± Eik heard Sonja yell. Her voice sounded far more distant than he knew her to be. The explosion had long since settled, but something was still causing a hell of a racket close by, the rumble of cracking trees and grinding rock echoing incessantly through the forest. Eik cupped a hand around his mouth as he called back to her. ¡°Not yet. But I think he should be somewhere around he¡ª¡± He stumbled over something large and soft. ¡°Heath!¡± he exclaimed, grabbing for his friend. What met his searching fingers, however, was sticky blood and thick, tangled fur. He lifted it up to his eyes so he could see it through the dust cloud, only to come face to face with the mutilated, severed head of a monster. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. With a yelp, he jerked back, tripping yet again on something large, his E-rank coordination not saving him from falling on his ass. This time he definitely got a handful of fabric. ¡°Heath! Heath, is that you?¡± he shouted at the top of his lungs, coughing violently between the words. ¡°Sonja, I think I¡¯ve got him over here! Come quickly!¡± Just as Eik had taken another clump of poison and gotten his hands under Heath¡¯s arms, the sheet of dust, which was now beginning to settle, suddenly began to undulate fiercely. Something was moving inside the still opaque expanse of gray. ¡°Sonja, don¡¯t come! Stay away!¡± he screamed as he dragged Heath in the direction that would hopefully lead back to Michael. ¡°There¡¯s something here! Run away!¡± With haunting silence, a gigantic eye flowed into view, slitted pupil searching. The sweeping pupil halted on Eik and Heath and observed them for a second. Then it disappeared again, the lake serpent pulling its head back so quickly and forcefully that all of the dust was dispersed at once. Eyes skyward, Eik saw death. More than a hundred meters above, the lake serpent gazed down at its prey, eyes cold and unfeeling. Wounds and bruises covered the length of its visible body like a testament to the extensive battle with the strongest forces of Forest. As the beast prepared its attack, one could hear the pops and snaps of muscles tensing. The air stood still, as if the whole world was waiting for that final strike that would snuff out Eik and Heath. Without any real consideration or intent, Eik heaved Heath¡¯s inanimate body up into his arms with a grunt of exertion and threw him to the side toward Sonja whom he could now see again. Then he triggered Movement Boost and set off in the opposite direction, waving his arms madly. In one moment the snake towered over the forest and in the next its gaping maw covered him and turned the world black. Earth and rocks boiled up from beneath his feet, getting into his clothes as he was pushed further up into the darkness. The fleshy walls of his new prison flung him around like a rag doll, bouncing him back and forth as the lake serpent moved at high speeds. Several times Eik attempted to plunge Venom Fang into the belly of the beast like an ice pick, but the constant movement made it too unstable. For a moment the serpent stopped slithering and Eik saw his chance to get the knife in deep enough to provide a handhold to prevent further descent into the stomach. Presumably, there would be stomach acid down there that could dissolve a guy like him in seconds. Before he could position himself properly, an enormous impact rocked the fiend like a subway tunnel during an earthquake. The shock threw Eik up and into the bouncy tissue above, his knife almost cutting his own throat by accident. The moment he fell back down, multiple other, smaller impacts followed, sending disorienting tremors throughout this new, linear world. Then, out of nowhere, the whole thing tightened up like a knotted balloon, instantly arresting his tendency to ricochet and squeezing him mercilessly. The damn thing was trying to swallow him. Twisting and wringing, Eik was transported steadily downward. That finally gave him the freedom to do what he had been trying to do since he was eaten. Activating Movement Boost, the keen tip of Viper Fang slammed into the stomach lining but was stopped dead with about half of the sharp blade¡¯s full length inside the flesh. Wiggling the knife forcefully around in the wound, Eik sent spouts of Profound Toxin into the bleeding gash. Immediately, the edges of the injury began to turn sickly purple with a glowing, blue overlay as the poison made its way through the lake serpent¡¯s blood vessels and into its circulatory system. A sonorous howl sent vibrations through everything and almost forced Viper Fang out of the gash, but Eik hammered on the pommel repeatedly with a palm. The tight flesh and muscles that had kept the knife from digging deeper must have weakened locally due to exposure to the Profound Toxin because the knife penetrated almost to the hilt. Eik never let the surge of toxin lapse. With a victim as large as the lake serpent, he could let it flow for as long as it took. With a roar of anger he slammed his palm down on the pommel of Viper Fang, the metal ripping into his hand painfully. The meaty thunk of it was barely audibly inside the body of the lake serpent, but the stability it offered allowed him to put both hands on the handle and focus on releasing as much Profound Toxin as his body could. Not just from his hands, but from every inch of skin the blue substance began to bubble up and run down the monster¡¯s throat. Eik didn¡¯t know if Menka Tokanami¡ªthe woman whose son had been murdered and eaten by the Moon Shall Swallow cult, resulting in an attempt to kill Eik as revenge for the perceived failure of the rescue mission¡ªwas as strong as the lake serpent, but Profound Toxin had had a clear effect on her. Granted, he had managed to spit it directly into her eyes and mouth, but throat, stomach, and circulatory system seemed promising as well. ¡°Count yourself lucky that I¡¯m letting you order from the special menu this evening. Coming up is our signature beverage, Blue Lagoon, made with a mix of poison and¡­¡± he snarled, digging one hand into the deep gash and releasing even more Profound Toxin into the lake serpent¡¯s blood. ¡°venom! Drink up, asshole!¡± Chapter 37: In the Belly of the Beast Even as the poison flowed thickly through its veins, attacks from the high-rankers outside continued to batter the lake serpent without pause. More than once, Eik almost lost his grip on Viper Fang which was the only thing that kept him from sliding further down the twisting sphincter and into the deadly stomach acid. Veiny, discolored paths ran in all directions from the gash and the tissue along which Profound Toxin had been flowing unceasingly for the last couple of minutes as Eik hung there from his knife was beginning to show symptoms as well with angry, red welts similar to the ones Heath had suffered from. The difference was that it had taken minutes of constant, concentrated exposure for the symptoms to develop to the point that a single coating had done to Heath in only ten seconds. Only the steady, luminescent glow of the Profound Toxin allowed Eik to see as much as he could. Another impact rocked the monster¡¯s body hard enough to send it reeling to the ground, or maybe into the lake. Eik really couldn¡¯t tell what in the world was going on out there, except for the fact that each hit the serpent took also felt like a punch in the gut for him. Eik stuck his hand even further into the open wound, using Viper Fang to widen and deepen it. It wouldn¡¯t do to just stay here and hang out in some random part of a giant snake¡¯s esophagus. It would come back to bite him in the ass in some way or another if he just stayed here passively. He just knew it. For a moment he paused his digging, struck by a thought. Wouldn¡¯t it actually be even more dangerous to move? Here it was more or less safe for now, at least, but there was no telling what to expect closer to the mouth. He shook his head. Such negative thoughts wouldn¡¯t help him. Struggle was always the right answer. Huffing, he managed to jam the tip of his booted foot into the widened wound. After a bit of wiggling the foothold was good enough to pull Viper Fang out, leaving only his foot and one hand inside. The Profound Toxin kept flowing even as he plunged the knife back in further up, as far up as he could reach. The tissue and muscle were already sapped by poison so the sharp weapon went in without much issue. He reached up with his other hand and got a firm hold of the flesh inside the new wound, pulling himself up. As the lake serpent attacked and took attacks in turn, Eik held on desperately through the quakes but continued to climb up the esophagus. Bloody gashes oozing with Profound Toxin marked his ascend. After some time, the lake serpent¡¯s movements seemed to grow gradually more sluggish while the frequency of received attacks increased. The high-rank offensive must have begun to take its toll on the creature. Eik didn¡¯t have the confidence to assume that he and his Profound Toxin had had a hand in the development, although a tiny seed of hope laid securely in the pit of his stomach. If his actions impacted the battle with a monster this strong, even just a sliver, the rewards would have to be absolutely insane. ¡°Where the hell is all this toxin even coming from?¡± Eik wondered out loud as he looked down at the stream of poison that still flowed steadily from every inch of his body. It felt calming to hear a voice in there. ¡°I must have made dozens of times my own body weight by now. Well, that¡¯s magic for ya, I guess,¡± he shrugged and kept climbing. A couple of dozen bloody, bubbling climbing holds later, he reached an opening that led back down parallel with the esophagus that Eik had been making his way up. ¡°Is that the trachea? Isn¡¯t this a snake? A snake¡¯s trachea should start behind the tongue, though, not all the way down here.¡± he asked out loud to nobody. He had dissected more than a few normal, tiny Earth snakes in his work with antivenom so he thought he knew them inside and out. Crawling around inside one that was still alive was a decidedly different experience. Perhaps giant monster snakes were simply different after all. For good measure, he spent a minute there as well, spilling his deadly poison down the trachea and hopefully into the creature¡¯s lung. Soon spasms jolted through the long body as muscles convulsed. A dull, grinding noise rose up from the pipe as the fleshy walls slapped against each other with force. Was the damn thing having a coughing fit? Impacts continued to rain down upon the snake throughout it all. It seemed to be grounded, so Eik would actually have been able to walk upright if not for the constant tremors and convulsions. But since he could crawl, he was still able to move far faster than if he¡¯d been climbing as before. Before long, the booms and clamor of fighting became audible from up ahead. He must have been nearing the mouth. If he could just make it through the mouth while it was open, and not when it bit down, he might just be able to get away in one piece. He¡¯d even take getting away in two pieces if the part he lost wasn¡¯t too important. At a sprint, Eik made for the dim light, purposefully ignoring the unstable footing. He had only made it a couple of paces when a solid wall of energy suddenly took up the entire space from wall to wall. The explosive, light saber-like hum was enough for Eik to stay well away from it. The oppressive stench of burnt flesh immediately invaded his nostrils and if the experience with the cannibalistic cult hadn¡¯t transformed his stomach lining into a solid sheet of iron, he might well have thrown up then and there. After a few seconds the blinding light faded, leaving only slivers of sunlight to stream in through the cauterized cut left behind by the energy blade. Eik tiptoed up the the opening and peeked out cautiously. High-ranking Awakened stood around the lake serpent¡¯s corpse, appearing to check it for any signs of life. Eik thought the severed head was a pretty good indicator, but wariness was probably a good tendency when dealing with the first monster of such strength the Earth had ever encountered. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°¡ªthat a coughing fit? It came out of nowhere,¡± someone Eik couldn¡¯t see said. ¡°Do A-rankers even get coughing fits?¡± ¡°I mean, it definitely looks like they do. This one did, and we¡¯re sure it was A-rank, right?¡± the first speaker, a woman, said. Eik heard Travis Lockwood¡¯s voice from somewhere down the snake¡¯s length. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say with complete certainty whether it was A-rank, but considering my own rank, if it wasn¡¯t a genuine A-rank then it was about as close to it as it could possibly have been.¡± ¡ªBy the sound of it, he was walking up towards the head¡ª ¡°This was without a doubt the toughest fight I¡¯ve ever be¡ª¡± Travis¡¯ face appeared suddenly, his eyes locking onto Eik¡¯s with tense surprise. In a millisecond he conjured a smaller, thinner version of the shrieking Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination. Only during the throwing motion did he halt the technique and seem to realize that Eik was a human. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked with clear hostility, the bolt of Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination still spinning eagerly in his palm. The thing looked like it wanted to burn him to a crisp. Eik looked down at his body. It was a gory, bloody mess with swirling patterns of mixing reds and blues. The clumped hair stuck to his forehead must have looked like something out of a horror movie. He could have been a species of monster spawned from the deceased lake serpent¡¯s blood for all they knew. Eik threw his hands up, his eyes never straying from the screaming bolt of condensed electricity. ¡°It¡¯s-It¡¯s just me! It¡¯s Eik! Just Eik!¡± Travis narrowed his eyes as the spinning energy dissipated. He relaxed his aggressive stance and stared for a couple of seconds before he spoke. ¡°So, what the hell are you doing in there?¡± ¡°Well, I¡ª, I was swallowed. A while back now, actually¡­¡± Eik said, looking around at the gathered high-rankers. They watched him closely with varying degrees of suspicion, some of them keeping their hands on their weapons even as Travis relaxed. Heath and the others were still out there. ¡°My teammate might have been killed back there,¡± he said with a glance at Boulder Fist Gary. He tried to leave only for Travis to put a hand on his chest with a look that told him he was not allowed to go yet. Travis gave him a raised eyebrow. ¡°You were swallowed? Aren¡¯t you¡­ F-rank?¡± ¡°E-rank, actually,¡± Eik said. ¡°Same thing,¡± the B-ranker said with a shrug. ¡°How did you even survive when you¡¯re so weak?¡± Eik grumbled at the indirect insult. ¡°I was hanging from this,¡± he said an showed them Viper Fang. Travis took it, shaking some of the gore from the blade and studying the edge. He fingered the holes and grooves through which the Profound Toxin could flow as he mumbled to himself. ¡°Anyway, if you don¡¯t mind, I have to go. My friends are still out there,¡± Eik continued but once again Travis stopped him from leaving. The others looked over his shoulder. ¡°You stabbed that into its insides and just hung there while it was still alive?¡± a woman asked as her hands worked to knit together a broken arm, the shapes of fractured bone showing clearly through the discolored skin. ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t buy that crap for a single second,¡± a scarred man huffed, hefting a thick, double-edged war axe with a hostile glare. ¡°Do you, Travis?¡± Travis looked at the man with a bored expression. He almost seemed a little disappointed that Eik hadn¡¯t been another monster to contend with. ¡°Of course I believe him. What else would an E-ranker be doing in the stomach of a snake if not either waiting to die or trying to get out alive?¡± That took some of the wind out of axe man¡¯s sails. ¡°But¡­ he could be a plant by the Nidafjeld Alliance. What if they¡¯re trying to undermine our authority in Forest? Or¡ª,¡± he said, with a raised finger. ¡°or they could have made him summon that snake to put a dent in our fighting force! Maybe they¡¯re preparing for an invasion!¡± He slammed the cheek of the large war axe into the dead snake with a discordant clang against its tough scales. Travis frowned and glanced at Boulder Fist Gary who was standing behind a few other Awakened, unseen by Eik until now. His arms were folded across his chest. ¡°Who¡¯s spinning these tales, do you think, Gary?¡± ¡°Shut up, Travis. Don¡¯t put this on me!¡± the musclebound man hissed with a click of his tongue. ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± Travis said, tilting his head in concession and turned back to the scarred man. ¡°Let¡¯s say that they actually are looking to deploy an invasion force, as you suspect. What do you think would be the way they¡¯d try to get us, so to speak?¡± The axe wielder narrowed his eyes as he mulled it over. ¡°They would try to weaken us first.¡± He tossed his head toward the lake serpent. ¡°Why?¡± Eik wished he could just go home at this point. He¡¯d really rather not get any more involved with all these powerhouses that he already was. If they started throwing punches, a runaway shirt button could take his life. But if he tried to leave now it could get awkward quickly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? To reduce their own potential losses and to increase the chance of success, of course.¡± The axe man was growing more agitated with every word. An overpowered guy who didn¡¯t like to be challenged on his judgment. Great¡­ ¡°Why not just send Atla alone again?¡± Travis asked. ¡°She already slapped Gary into sandwich meat, and I promise she could do the same to me. Which means she could definitely kill you and everybody else. They never needed to weaken us and they never needed an army.¡± The axe wielder, whose agitation had been mounting, now seemed to lose most of his confidence. ¡°I said, don¡¯t pull me into this, Travis!¡± Boulder Fist Gary snarled and took a threatening step toward the lightning user. ¡°Do not dare to insult me!¡± Travis held up his hands placatingly. ¡°Alright, alright, sorry.¡± He turned back to Eik who had stepped further into the dead snake¡¯s throat, just in case a fight broke out. ¡°Did you call forth that serpent to threaten and weaken the forces of Forest? Was that why you were in there?¡± ¡°Uuh, no¡­ I was just hanging,¡± Eik said. Travis handed Viper Fang back to him. ¡°Nice blade you¡¯ve got there.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°See?¡± he said. ¡°He says he was just hanging around in there.¡± A number of the other high-rankers chuckled at that. The scarred man didn¡¯t respond and seemed to shrink back into the small crowd. Eik wondered if this was yet another troublesome guy he¡¯d have to deal with in the future. Just another reason to grow stronger before his many, newfound enemies caught up with him. ¡°So, uuh, can I go back now, or?¡± he asked. ¡°Ah, yeah, sure. See ya at the debrief,¡± Travis said, dismissing him with a nonchalant wave. Eik broke into a mad dash and headed toward the approximate location where the lake serpent had swallowed him. He had blissfully repressed the scheduled debrief where he would surely be thoroughly questioned by the leadership of Forest about his experiences in the fracture and about his relationship with the Nidafjeld Alliance. He had already been interviewed in more than a dozen stuffy offices, but that just hadn''t been enough for those guys. Heath might be dead and yet he was worrying about a damned debrief. It felt like his head was submerged in a bathtub filled with chaos. What the hell was wrong with him? No, no... No, Heath couldn''t be dead. He wouldn''t die from a shitty punch like that. He couldn''t be. Once they got back, it would be time to reap the rewards of the Great Raid, and in Eik¡¯s case, the vanquishment of the high-ranked lake serpent. Chapter 38: Lost Temper ¡°We were worried sick!¡± Sonja cried. She had apparently been crying since before Eik got back, but it had intensified once they found out he had survived the attack. They were walking back toward Forest with Eik and Michael carrying Heath between them. A stretcher had been provided for the big tank who still hadn¡¯t woken up after almost being killed by a punch from Rock Fist Bart meant for Eik. He was alive but had been in critical condition until a C-rank healer had come to their rescue at the request of Andrew Brooks, whom they had met after the fighting was over with. Now he was somewhat stable, but would probably not wake up for the next couple of days at the earliest. The only reason why Rock Fist Bart hadn¡¯t finished the job and murdered the three of them after Eik had been swallowed was, according to Michael, that the cowardly D-ranker had gone pale as a sheet upon the arrival of the lake serpent and fled for his life, leaving all of the other Awakened to fend for themselves, including his two lackeys. Almost immediately the high-rankers had caught up, led by Travis Lockwood and Boulder Fist Gary, and continued the battle with the monster, thus allowing Michael and Sonja to carry Heath to safety. The monster surge that had hindered the procession on the way to the lake was almost completely absent now on the way back. The theory being that the death of the ¡°king¡± of the forest had frightened the wild life into meekness. As they walked they were passed by team after team without an unconscious teammate. Heath¡¯s skin was looking much healthier after the C-rank healer had treated him, but severe redness combined with the epidermis peeling off in thin, scaly chunks made him look like he¡¯d fallen asleep at the beach. ¡°¡¯Sup, traitor?¡± a voice called, coming up from behind. ¡°We heard you¡¯re responsible for this whole mess as well now? Is that true? It wouldn¡¯t surprise me or anyone else for that matter. It is what a traitor would do after all.¡± Eik glanced back over his shoulder. A thoroughly combed, blonde bowl cut bobbed up on his shoulder. Some foulmouthed jerk, who Eik could vaguely recollect having met before, seemed to be attached to the bottom of it. Eik stared for a moment without stopping. He wanted to ask how his bowl cut still looked so pristinely groomed after what their entire force had been through. "I''m not interested anymore, man." ¡°I¡ª, What?¡± the guy said, momentarily taken aback by the answer. ¡°You think that¡¯s going to make everybody forget how you summoned the monster to attack us?¡± ¡°Where did you get that idea from anyway?¡± Eik asked but the realization came to him immediately after. ¡°Has the axe guy been yapping again? I thought he had been put in his place.¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± mushroom head asked with a frown. Eik glanced at Michael who looked as annoyed as Eik felt. The healer¡¯s request to ignore the provocations echoed in his mind. Mr. Bowl cut was glaring like an offended toddler. Eik stayed silent. ¡°I asked how you knew!¡± blondie asked again, coming a few paces closer. Eik just sighed, doing his best to not let the invitation to argue affect him. ¡°Just a lucky guess, I suppose. How about we stop it here?¡± he offered quietly. ¡°I think you got your point through, and I really just want to get home quickly and take care of my friend.¡± He nodded pointedly down at Heath¡¯s wrecked body. ¡°It does look pretty serious,¡± the guy said, stretching his thin neck to get a better look. He almost looked like he was about to call it a day and walk away but his nasty tongue just couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°So, how does it feel to be responsible for the murder of your fat friend there?¡± Eik froze. Michael and Sonja did the same. The bowl cut saw it and swaggered back to get into Eik¡¯s face. ¡°Hold this for a second,¡± Eik said to Sonja, voice barely above a whisper, and handed her his end of Heath¡¯s stretcher. If not for the flames of anger that consumed his mind, he would have worried about shattering his teeth with how tightly his jaw was clenched. As he turned to face bowl cut, Profound Toxin surged unbidden down his arms to coalesce around his clenched fists, mixing into the blood flowing from puncture wounds made by his nails digging into his palms. The blue liquid leapt and danced excitedly, globules of the stuff rippling toward the blonde man as if to urge Eik to get at him quicker. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Mr. Bowl cut really didn¡¯t seem to have foreseen the onslaught whatsoever, because he received the first fist to the nose with his hands still buried in his pockets. A rope of poison trailed him as he fell backward but Eik didn¡¯t let him go, slamming another fist into his lips and following it up with a crisp left hook to the body. Each of the hits infused with Profound Toxin left angry burns on blondie. As the man fell onto his back with a breathless gasp, he managed to construct a feeble defense with arms raised in front of his head. Blue toxin rushed rapidly from his hands to his feet as if reading Eik¡¯s thoughts, just in time for the first of a series of vicious stomps to mushroom head¡¯s legs and midsection. The couple that got him in the fruits and vegetables were blessed accidents and nothing else. Eik only managed to deliver a handful more clean shots to his face and body before bowl cut¡¯s friends seized him by the shoulders to pull him off their leader. Instantly Profound Toxin exploded out of his entire body, billowing above his shoulders like tidal waves and threatening to consume the two henchmen. Like a pair of reversed wings, luminescent poison curled in on the two men and enveloped them in a swirling cage of opaque blue. Eik¡¯s eyes never left the supine man. The moment they let him go again it returned to his body without the slightest hint of defiance, as if his wrath had pushed the substance into obedience. With resolute steps he marched the few paces back to the blonde man whose bowl cut was most certainly no longer pristine. He looked terrified and even the twin blades sheathed at his belt seemed to have been forgotten. Eik didn¡¯t even know his name. All he knew was the animosity he felt¡ªanimosity that was fueled, intensified, and skewed by recent events. Even as he prepared another attack, the thought that what he was doing to this man was not proportional to the grievances suffered crossed his mind, but a fist covered in poison still descended. A hand caught his before it could make contact, the grip solid like stone. ¡°Eik,¡± Andrew Brooks said. His eyes were hard and most of the warmth that could usually be seen there was absent. ¡°What in the world do you think you¡¯re doing right now?¡± Eik didn¡¯t try to break free and simply relaxed in a gesture of surrender. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had been hoping for someone to stop him, because he had not been able to stop himself. ¡°Mister Brooks!¡± Michael called as he put down the stretcher carefully and came running. ¡°I swear this is not what it looks like! That guy just came up to us and started spewing all this crap about bet¡ª¡± Andrew held up a hand to stop the young man¡¯s flood of words. ¡°I¡¯m neither deaf nor blind. I am perfectly capable of figuring out exactly what brought this about,¡± he said with a look of disdain directed at the downed man and his cronies. Eik reabsorbed all of his poison from bowl cut as he writhed in pain on the ground, the substance flowing out of the man¡¯s mouth and nose obediently. It was almost as if the Profound Toxin was satisfied that it had seen Eik lose his temperament, so now it was willing to capitulate and calm down for a bit. Michael sighed in relief and Eik would be lying if he said he didn¡¯t share the feeling. ¡°Exactly, Mister Brooks!¡± Michael said. ¡°They just appeared out of nowhere and harassed us! And they had already done it once bef¡ª¡± ¡°But!¡± Andrew continued, his raised voice booming with authority. ¡°If you think an assault like this is an appropriate response to a verbal provocation, then you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡± His eyes were filled with lightning as he glared at Eik, the disappointment clear as muddy foot prints on a new, white carpet. ¡°You think their actions only amount to verbal provocations?¡± Sonja hissed and got into the much larger man¡¯s face with a finger stabbing at his chest. ¡°You say you¡¯re neither blind nor deaf, but if you don¡¯t know how vicious that faction is, then you¡¯re severely overestimating your own senses.¡± She was absolutely fuming with righteous anger on her brother¡¯s behalf. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a leader of our community? How can you draw conclusions after witnessing only a single incident when you know there¡¯s unrest? Some people don¡¯t like that we were the ones to become involved with the Nidafjeld Alliance and you know that too!¡± She marched back to pick up Heath¡¯s stretcher. ¡°And by the way, if you think my brother¡¯s injuries were caused by a monster, then you¡¯d only be half right. How about you look into that properly before you condemn our right to defend ourselves?¡± she finished, waving Eik and Michael over with an agitated gesture. ¡°I¡ª, What are you¡­?¡± Andrew mumbled uncomprehendingly, trailing off as she walked away. Eik took a last look at the bowl cut he had crushed into the ground and let his eyes wander to the teammates standing over him as well. ¡°We¡¯ll keep it civil if you do, but step over the line and you¡¯ll see exactly how willing this ¡°traitor¡± is to smear your faces into the pavement.¡± Bart had already stepped over the line, and Eik would do something about that. There was no going back on that. But he didn''t have to escalate anymore than he already had with these people who were probably just goaded into it by Rock Fist Bart''s faction. As he passed Andrew Eik shot the confused man an apologetic look. He was sad, although not overly surprised, that it had come to this, but he would never regret standing up for a friend. ¡°Sorry, Mike,¡± he said to the healer once they had walked for a couple of minutes. Michael looked at him askance. ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°This morning you asked me to turn the other cheek to their jabs. I think it¡¯s fair to say I failed miserably at that.¡± Michael pulled a face. ¡°I was actually about to ask you what the hell you thought you were doing back there,¡± he said with a strict tone. ¡°Twelve punches to the face? I would personally have gone for something closer to thirty,¡± he said, flashing a cheeky grin. Eik and Sonja both chortled at that. It was nice with a dose of laughter to calm down after all of that. Picking a foolish fight with a superior opponent felt slightly better with friends. Rock Fist Bart had started this whole thing, but Eik would be the one to finish it. Chapter 39: Café Eik, Michael, Sonja, and Heath sat around a table at a cafe. It was one of many located along one of the side streets that branched out from a main road that connected the Central Square as the city hub of Forest. Central Square was still overflowing with barricades and Awakened to keep a constant, vigilant eye on the fracture location. Even during the Great Raid, a sizeable force had been left stationed there in case the Nidafjeld Alliance went ahead with the full scale invasion that half the city seemed to be expecting any minute. The cafe was a quaint little place that offered one of the most extensive drink menus in this side of town. With lush, bright green ivy growing along the entire outer wall and parasols to provide shade from the sun on hot days, the place was one of the coziest places to spend a day of relaxation. Eik and Michael had both ordered iced cocoa, having bonded over their shared unwillingness to switch over to coffee. Heath was nursing a cup of cold milk tea. His usual choice of a sour lemonade apparently tormented several open wound on the inside of his mouth with what he would otherwise have considered ¡°pure, acidic goodness¡±. ¡°I can still go and get you something else as well, Sonja,¡± Eik said to the woman. ¡°Did you see that they have no less than seven kinds of freakin¡¯ milkshakes here? How awesome is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, but thanks,¡± she said and held up her glass of water, complete with a little neon green straw bobbing between the ice cubes. Eik didn¡¯t look satisfied with that answer. ¡°Come on, girl, I¡¯ll even pay,¡± he tried, elbowing her arm. ¡°Tell me what your favorite drink is and I¡¯ll get it for ya in a jiffy!¡± ¡°My favorite drink is water. Four degrees Celsius, if possible.¡± She took a sip through the green straw as if to put extra emphasis on her words. He narrowed his eyes in disbelief. With a glance at Heath he sought confirmation. ¡°That true?¡± Her brother shrugged, drinking gingerly from his own beverage. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been water since we were kids. The staff at the local burger joints always refused to believe that an eight year old girl didn¡¯t actually want soda.¡± ¡°And the tempera¡ª¡± ¡°Four degrees, yeah, that part¡¯s true too. She spent three hours straight in the kitchen at home figuring that out.¡± Eik raised his eyebrows and nodded. ¡°Damn, alright. I¡¯ll get you another one of those then,¡± Eik said. ¡°Blue straw this time?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Thanks, Eik,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Can you get me a couple of napkins as well?¡± Heath asked as Eik got up. A crutch lay across his lap and his arm was in a cast which was in a sling. He had woken up shortly after their return to Forest yesterday. Even after another visit with a D-ranked healer he was still in pretty bad shape, but with regular doses of quality healing spheres and healing it shouldn¡¯t take that long before he could go back to work. Alright! Shall we?¡± Eik asked as he sat back down. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s!¡± Michael said and pulled out his wooden plaque. [Acquired Heal ¡ª Lv. 15] [Acquired Single Protection ¡ª Lv. 8] [Acquired Bind ¡ª Lv. 5] ¡°Not bad,¡± Heath said with a nod. ¡°Especially Heal and Single Protection leveled up pretty decently. In fact, I think Single Protection saved my life when that asshole Rock Fist Bart punched me. Thank you for that, by the way. Great save!¡± The joyful grin that the nervous healer let show fit his face well. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do my best from now on! I need to take a more active role during battles, as Eik correctly pointed out,¡± he said with a hesitant glance in Eik¡¯s direction as his grin shrunk. Eik shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing much better ever since. And let me just say that, although I still stand by what I meant to say, I am sorry for the way I said it. I said it charged with anger and irritation when I should have broached the topic as the sincere critique it is.¡± ¡°Well, if nothing else, it certainly got the message to stick. Thank you,¡± Michael said cheekily. He slid his plaque to the middle of the table. There was a glint of excitement in his eyes. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Heal] [Choose one] [Heal ¡ª Mental Annex] [Heal ¡ª Galvanic Fortification] [Heal ¡ª Pain Suppression] As they read, Michael pulled out a thick ledger from his shoulder bag and let it fall to the table with a thud. He riffled through the pages with intent. ¡°Ah, right! Here it is!¡± he said and tapped a finger on a page, reading aloud from them entry written by someone who¡¯d chose the evolution. ¡°The evolution of Heal called Galvanic Fortification applies a buff to the skin. It doesn¡¯t block damage per se, but rather increases the skin¡¯s toughness for a little while. How long it lasts seems to depend on several factors, such as power of the caster and level of the Heal skill. Since it¡¯s applied to the skin, it doesn¡¯t do much for blunt force.¡± ¡°Okay, seems useful,¡± Eik said. ¡°Only activates if there was something to heal in the first place. Doesn¡¯t activate on healthy targets,¡± the healer finished. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Heath said. ¡°Mental Annex:¡± Michael continued, flipping to the next page. ¡°When I use it my patients seem to gain better control of their emotions, and negative emotions in particular. A man who was screaming after losing an arm calmed down enough to tell me about it. Still showed clear signs of trauma. I evolved the trait at D-rank. Don¡¯t misuse this skill, please.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misuse it?¡± Heath asked, leaning in to get a better look at the page. ¡°What does it mean by ¡®misuse¡¯?¡± Michael looked up from the book. ¡°It¡¯s probably not great for a person¡¯s mind to be essentially emotionally sedated any more than strictly necessary. Surely a good thing in a situation such as the one mentioned here, but imagine if a person starts using it to nullify any negative emotion, no matter how small and insignificant. That could be bad for the psyche, I think.¡± Heath pursed his lips. ¡°Huh, makes sense, I guess. So what are you going to pick?¡± ¡°Well, the effect of Pain Suppression seems pretty self-evident. They all seem useful, but maybe Galvanic Fortification is a little redundant when I already have Single Protection. Not to mention the fact that you would need to be hurt first for it to even work.¡± While Eik was reading over the description again, Sonja spoke. ¡°I think Pain Suppression would be beneficial, but I don¡¯t agree that Galvanic Fortification would be redundant. Your Single Protection has a cooldown, doesn¡¯t it? Another defensive ability, even if it¡¯s weak, could significantly improve our survivability.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°The calming effect of Mental Annex is good for tight situations, but the other two are broader.¡± ¡°Good point, good point,¡± Michael muttered as he chewed on the end of a pen he hadn¡¯t written anything with yet. Heath slapped his cast. The rough, white surface already had a few sentences from his friends written with a marker. Eik and Michael had been given the marker to leave their own messages of support. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind some relief from the aches I¡¯m feeling right now, but maybe it would have been nicer to not be as hurt in the first place¡± he laughed. The healer looked at the large tank for a second, eyes wandering along his battered body. ¡°Yeah, maybe I¡¯ll go with Galvanic Fortification.¡± He picked the evolution without further consideration. ¡°Who¡¯s next then?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Sis?¡± ¡°I already did mine.¡± Sonja answered, sipping from the blue straw. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Heath asked. She pulled out her plaque and slid it across the table. [E-rank ¡ª I] ¡°You¡¯re E-rank?¡± Heath exclaimed, Eik and Michael stunned into silence. ¡°When did you do th¡ª¡­ Was that why you were so quiet last night? We¡¯re you in an evolution trance? You said you were just tired!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make you all giddy with excitement.¡± ¡°Excitement? I would have been ecstatic!¡± he said, slamming a fist into the table, frightening the other patrons. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Exactly¡­ You had just woken up from a terrible injury, doofus.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Right, right.¡± He leaned back in his seat again. ¡°You¡¯re right. Continue.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Michael said cheerfully. ¡°What about abilities?¡± Eik asked. She drew the symbol for the ability sheet on the plaque. [Acquired abilities:] [Archery ¡ª Lv. 24] [Disengage ¡ª Lv. 13] [Bat¡¯s Ears ¡ª Lv. 28] ¡°I evolved Bat¡¯s Ears into a stronger, more sensitive version. It was the best among the options,¡± she stated matter-of-factly, retrieving the plaque from the table. ¡°Alright,¡± Heath said with a nod. ¡°You didn¡¯t get anything on Archery yet?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t, no, but I¡¯m expecting it to happen within the next few levels.¡± ¡°Nice! Heath?¡± Eik asked. The big man hammered his plaque onto the table as the text appeared. ¡°I got some good stuff this time!¡± [Acquired Shields ¡ª Lv. 25] [Acquired Fortitude ¡ª Lv. 40] [Acquired Unerring Strike ¡ª Lv. 11] Michael leaned in. ¡°Did you get evolutions on both Shields and Fortitude?¡± ¡°Damn straight I did!¡± Heath grinned and shifted the text. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Shields] [Choose one] [Shields ¡ª Backlash] [Shields ¡ª Resonating Strength] [Shields ¡ª Timed Rebound] ¡°By the way, did you find the records?¡± Heath asked with a glance at Sonja. She fished it out of her pack and set it down in front of her brother. ¡°Thanks!¡± he said. ¡°B, B, B¡­ Baaaack¡ª, Back¡­ Backlash! Found it!¡±¡ªClearing his throat theatrically, he began to read aloud from the entry¡ª¡°Upon successfully blocking an attack, a small portion of the force received by the shield will be sent back at the attacker. Ineffective blocks or significant disparity in strength between attacker and blocker can result in failed activation.¡± ¡°Seems good. Especially for longer fights where you don¡¯t have the freedom to get your own attacks in,¡± Eik noted. ¡°What does the next one say?¡± ¡°Resonating Strength is a simple evolution that I have been immensely satisfied with. Any time I catch an attack with my shield, a little bit of the force of that attack will become my strength for a short while. Only a few seconds, but if I manage to block something particularly powerful, it can provide the edge needed to finish the fight. Works well with an offensive ability to compliment. I use Cutting Winds myself. Highly recommend.¡± ¡°Enthusiastic writer, if nothing else. Really tries to sell it,¡± Michael chuckled. Heath flipped a couple of pages, his finger searching through the entries. His eyebrows flew up. ¡°And he wrote the third option, Timed Rebound, as well.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Eik asked. Heath simply began reading. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m the guy who also wrote about Resonating Strength some time ago. For my next Shields evolution I chose Timed Rebound. It¡¯s not as fun as Resonating Strength, but still cool. It requires some finesse and timing (as the name suggests) to get right, but if I manage it my shield bumps the monsters away as if I¡¯d glued a huge spring to the face of it. It¡¯s difficult to control so I think you should get Resonating Strength instead if that¡¯s one of your options.¡± Eik frowned. ¡°Is that seriously what it says?¡± He looked over Heath¡¯s shoulder. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Eik said. ¡°I guess Timed Rebound is out of the question then?¡± ¡°I guess so, yeah,¡± Heath nodded. ¡°You¡¯re actually going to listen to some random guy we don¡¯t even know?¡± Michael questioned. The tank shrugged. ¡°He does make a good point. Plus, I think Resonating Strength and Backlash both seem more useful with more forgiving requirements. What do you think, Sonja?¡± She gave it some thought before answering. ¡°Resonating Strength.¡± ¡°Good enough for me!¡± he said and chose it, moving to his next ability immediately. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Fortitude] [Choose one] [Fortitude ¡ª Electrical Resistance] [Fortitude ¡ª Persistent Consciousness] [Fortitude ¡ª Sitting Duck] Heath had already located the entries for the evolutions of Fortitude. ¡°Persistent Consciousness reduces the likelihood of falling unconscious from blows to the head and particularly strong attacks. Whether it can resist sleeping agents is unknown. It is suspected that it can help maintain a clear head through conditions such as fatigue and sickness, but this has not been proven beyond any subjective doubt.¡± He continued to the entry for Sitting Duck. ¡°The effectiveness seems to vary pretty greatly, but the Sitting Duck evolution appears to make us more interesting targets to attack. Almost like an alluring scent. It¡¯s not like a hypnosis. If someone else is a much bigger threat or something like that the monster will probably go for them instead. But it¡¯s really useful for fights with multiple enemies.¡± ¡°I can already say I¡¯m not getting Electrical Resistance. I already got a resistance to temperature from the last evolution, and it¡¯s fine, but the other two seem better and more generally useful,¡± Heath said. ¡°Persistent Consciousness seems very good,¡± Michael said, tapping the end of the pen against his lips. ¡°but unless you do receive a blow to the head, it¡¯s not really doing much. With Sitting Duck, it would be easier to get the most out of Single Protection because I could focus on you more.¡± Heath made a face. ¡°Mmyeah, they¡¯re both pretty nice, but I think I¡¯ll go with Sitting Duck in the end. Seems like something we could use, especially together with Resonating Strength and Galvanic Fortification.¡± ¡°What about you, Eik?¡± Michael asked. Eik pulled out his plaque, making sure not to show the script to his friends. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 12] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 37] [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: (Unique) Profound Toxin] Chapter 40: Profound Evolution [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 12] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 37] [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Choose one] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Infected Trail] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Accelerant] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Backflow] Trying to act as inconspicuously as possible, Eik avoided revealing his plaque to Heath, Michael, and Sonja and simply wrote his choices for evolution down on a piece of paper. It wouldn¡¯t do for them to see that Profound Toxin was marked with a (Unique) tag. Even if they didn¡¯t specifically know what that meant, he would basically be forced to tell them in order to warn them about keeping their mouths shut. It was safer to keep them in the dark. He almost couldn¡¯t believe his eyes no matter how many times he looked at the level up notification. His Profound Toxin had increased by something like twenty one levels. His power rank as well had seen a ridiculous jump, increasing from Acolyte of Toxin ¡ª I to now being Acolyte of Toxin ¡ªIII. Getting swallowed by that snake had truly been a blessing in disguise. The poison must have done a lot more damage internally than he had initially even dared hope. Nobody really understood how exactly the cosmos judged how much the level of an ability or a power rank should progress, but everything pointed at a case by case evaluation based at least loosely on overcoming hardship, solving problems, and other things related to personal progress. It was also suspected that that was why you couldn¡¯t get to B-rank just by staying safely at home and practicing. There were many ways to advance, but most skills needed to be supplied with ¡°field work¡± in order to level up properly. ¡°Infected Trail pretty much does what the name suggests,¡± Eik said as he looked over the entry logged under the ability Toxic. For obvious reasons, Profound Toxin itself was not mentioned anywhere in the records. One downside of a Unique ability was that there was nobody to tell him what to do with it, or what any of the evolutions did. He¡¯d have to fumble his way through the dark with his only hints being ability names. Perhaps there was something to glean from the swamp his mind had been transported to, where he had met that stupid blue snake that he had killed and absorbed, but that was simply another mystery. He read aloud the description for the Toxic evolution Infected Trail. ¡°Any monster (or person) inflicted with Toxic can be tracked at a distance, regardless of physical obstacles and line of sight. Literal drops of it is insufficient to activate the effect, but otherwise even small amounts is enough. If the toxin is cleansed for any reason or it ¡°runs its course¡±, the Infected Trail also stops functioning. It feels almost like gaining another sense so you just ¡°know¡± where the target is at all times. Loses efficacy with distance. Range and precision increases with level and power rank.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this one,¡± Heath said, scratching his chin. ¡°It¡¯s a convenient ability and all that, but monsters don¡¯t really tend to run away, do they?¡± ¡°Seems a lot better suited for people, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Michael noted with a contemplative expression. When nobody answered he looked up only to see his three friends stare at him. ¡°Ah, well, you know, given the¡­ issues we have with Rock Fist Bart, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be prepared.¡± Eik nodded with a raised eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s a good point. Plus, it would certainly be a good thing to have if we ever fought a monster that liked to turn invisible or something like that.¡± ¡°There are monsters that can do that?¡± Michael asked, horrified. ¡°I mean, there must be, right?¡± Eik said with a shrug. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that farfetched on top of everything we¡¯ve seen thus far.¡± Michael didn¡¯t have a response for that. ¡°What¡¯s the next one?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Accelerant was it? What does that do?¡± ¡°I, uuh¡­¡± Eik mumbled as he turned page after page, lips pursed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it does, actually. It doesn¡¯t seem to be on record.¡± Sonja got up to look through the entries with Eik. ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± she asked. He pushed the book over for her to see it better. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it, no.¡± ¡°Hm. What about the third one then? Backflow.¡± After another minute of scanning the pages Eik leaned back in his seat. ¡°That one¡¯s not there either. I think we¡¯ll have to guess based on the names.¡± ¡°Well, an accelerant is commonly something that accelerates, right?¡± Michael began, writing his thoughts down on a piece of paper. ¡°Like accelerating a process or something. I¡¯m pretty sure gasoline is an accelerant, for example, because it makes a fire burn more.¡± ¡°So what would it do for poison? Make it more poisonous?¡± Eik asked. The healer tilted his head in thought but didn¡¯t answer. ¡°If nothing else, it sounds offensive in nature,¡± Sonja pointed out. ¡°Probably not a bad choice. Backflow is the one that¡¯s not making as much sense to me.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Maybe it allows you to call your poison back,¡± Heath suggested. ¡°Nah, I can already do that. Or if it does, then I really don¡¯t need it at least.¡± ¡°Wait, when did you learn to do that?¡± Sonja asked. He let a bit of Profound Toxin flow down his fingers and onto the table. Heath looked slightly uncomfortable at the sight of the substance that had tormented him so. With a touch, Eik reabsorbed it back into his skin. ¡°I don¡¯t really know when, but I just kind of learned it, I guess.¡± ¡°Is that what you tried to do for Heath back during the Great Raid?¡± ¡°Yeah, but the rebellious little thing refused to listen. I¡¯m not even sure how I got it to obey in the end.¡± Sonja frowned. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ an incredibly strange way to talk about an ability. Do you think it has a consciousness?¡± she asked, looking almost concerned. ¡°No, no, nothing like that!¡± he hurried to say. ¡°It¡¯s just a little difficult to control sometimes, that¡¯s all. Anyway, I¡¯m thinking that Heath¡¯s point about Infected Trail is pretty valid. Although we might well clash with people as well, I think we¡¯ll mainly be fighting monsters for the foreseeable future. We can never know, but if only one of the abilities has a conditional usefulness then that might not be worth it right now.¡± ¡°What are you gonna go with then?¡± Heath asked. Eik chewed on his lip as he thought. ¡°Probably Accelerant. That reveals something about it at least, whereas Backflow is just not making sense to me¡­¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Sonja said and Michael nodded along with her. ¡°Alright, then,¡± Eik said and scratched lines through Infected Trail and Backflow, leaving only Accelerant intact. ¡°Do you feel any different?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Any sudden magical realizations?¡± ¡°Not that I can tell, no. But given what an accelerant is, I probably need some toxin to do it,¡± he said. He dangled a finger above Sonja¡¯s empty water glass and released a few centimeters worth of Profound Toxin. They all watched the blue liquid closely as Eik held a hand over it, focusing intensely on the mental image of acceleration. It would have been significantly easier if he knew what that was supposed to be. ¡°Earh!¡± he hollered with an abrupt movement of the hand. The blue substance in the glass quivered slightly, almost imperceptibly as dinky ripples played across the surface, before falling still again. They gave it a few more seconds to continue but it refused to react further. ¡°Is that it?¡± Heath asked, going to touch the liquid. Sonja slapped his hand away without looking, the practiced reflex a testament to the older sister¡¯s lifelong burden. ¡°There¡¯s no way, right?¡± Eik muttered disbelievingly. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s no way it would be bad, right? My ability is U¡ª¡± He was about to say Unique. Profound Toxin was, according to Atla, part of a tiny, extremely rare group of abilities referred to as Worldbreakers, on account of their insane potential. The Accelerant evolution couldn¡¯t possibly be a dud¡­ Could it? ¡°We¡¯ll just have to test it in the field next time. Then we¡¯ll know, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Michael said and drained the last of his chocolate milk. He returned the book of ability records to his bag and stood up. ¡°Anyway, I kind of have to go, guys. I promised my mom that I¡¯d cook her beef stew. Her favorite is with mashed potatoes!¡±¡ªHis smile was full of genuine love¡ª¡°Beef¡¯s become so damned expensive now though. Ever since some of the cattle Awakened the prices of meat have skyrocketed. Nobody knows if the rest will Awaken soon or never so they¡¯re getting everything they can out of the remaining population.¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna have to start eating monster meat soon¡­¡± Heath said dryly. Michael made a face. ¡°Yeah, I might just go vegetarian if that ever happens. What are you guys going to do for the rest of the day?¡± Eik groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose, frustration clear on his face. ¡°What?¡± Heath asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Eik began. ¡°I have to go to that stupid debrief tomorrow. Or should I say, interrogation. I think I¡¯ll have to spend the rest of the day preparing. I''ve already talked to all of them but they just can''t get enough.¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s tomorrow?¡± Sonja asked with surprise. ¡°I thought we were supposed to go to that as well.¡± Eik pursed his lips. ¡°They probably see me as the main guy in all of this. If I¡¯m alone I¡¯m easier to discompose, is likely what they¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll come with you!¡± Heath said, fist clenched. Eik clapped him on the shoulder gratefully. ¡°Thanks, but don¡¯t bother. They¡¯ll just bar you from entering.¡± Heath grumbled but sat back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, a position he could only barely maintain with the cast on his arm. His eyes shifted to the street where two women ran past in a hurry. He leaned out to look after them. ¡°What¡¯s up with them?¡± he wondered out loud. Seconds later a man came running past in the same direction. The four friends shared glances and started after them. As they turned the corner Sonja¡¯s Bat¡¯s Ears ability picked up a commotion up ahead. ¡°It¡¯s coming from the Central Square!¡± she said and broke into a sprint. As they neared, Eik¡¯s ears too began to pick up the sounds of a loud argument. ¡°¡ªnd I¡¯m saying that¡¯s not going to happen! You can talk to us if you want to talk to somebody. If not, then feel free to hop back through your cursed portal!¡± The voice was loud, gruff, and agitated. A much quieter but equally stubborn voice answered. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you. I don¡¯t know you. You haven¡¯t even bothered to tell me your name, after all. I just want to talk to¡ª¡± ¡°No! Are you deaf, bro? It¡¯s not gonna happen! We don¡¯t want your kind here in the first place! Never did!¡± The quieter voice sounded annoyed, but the throng of onlookers surrounding the altercation blocked any view of their faces. ¡°Look, are you sure you have the authority to deny my request? You don¡¯t seem very¡ª¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t, but I do,¡± a new, third voice said, much more composedly than the agitated man. ¡°Who did you say you were looking for again, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, thank you. I¡¯m looking for a man named Eik. I don¡¯t know his family name, but he was an F-ranker. Brown hair and about this tall,¡± the stranger listed, whatever gesture he was making going unseen. ¡°But either of his friends, Heath, Michael, or Sonja would also be acceptable. Would that be possible?¡± the quiet voice asked. Having gotten closer and listened, Eik already knew who the speaker was and he confirmed it as he pushed through the front of the audience. The man who appeared to be in command of the squad responsible for protecting the fracture location gave it a few seconds before he answered. "I apologize, but I have strict orders to not allow that. I¡¯ll contact my superiors so you can talk to them instead,¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Eik said as he stepped forth and approached Mikla. ¡°I¡¯m already here. Isn¡¯t that lucky?¡± He grinned. Judging by the expression on his face, the commander didn¡¯t share that particular notion. ¡°Nonetheless, I can¡¯t just allow this without proper supervision!¡± the commander said sternly. ¡°There are protocols to be followed.¡± ¡°Mikla, what¡¯s your power rank again?¡± Eik asked. The black-haired man gave him a look of confusion. ¡°B-rank. Why?¡± Eik raised a cheeky eyebrow at the commander. The man had paled slightly. ¡°Come on, Commander,¡± he tried. ¡°We both know I¡¯ll end up talking to him. He¡¯s a representative of the Nidafjeld Alliance and they only share important information through me.¡± Eik dropped the playful tone. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t mean to put you in a difficult position here, but I¡¯m going to end up being pulled into it again anyway. I¡¯m already stressed enough over this crap as it is and I don¡¯t want to slog through some formal this and that just to end up right back here in seven hours.¡± The commander looked terribly conflicted. He was clearly a sincere man, but in the end he took a step back. Eik took that as a signal and followed Mikla through the fracture with a wave to his friends. People with abilities like Sonja¡¯s Bat¡¯s Ears were not uncommon enough to risk being overheard. Once they were through, Mikla faced Eik, his face grave. ¡°I''ll get right to it. Remember when you asked me if I could identify the civilization that has been sending monsters to Earth?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. You said you weren¡¯t confident you¡¯d be able to tell.¡± ¡°Well, consider me confident,¡± Mikla said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know who¡¯s responsible.¡± Chapter 41: The Gohkamorians ¡°You know who¡¯s doing it?¡± Eik asked, eyes wide. ¡°Who? Who is it?¡± Mikla raised his hands to calm him down. ¡°As certain as I can realistically be, yes. Have you heard of the Gohkamorians?¡± ¡°Of course I haven¡¯t. I¡¯ve barely heard about you.¡± Mikla chuckled. ¡°Right. Dumb question¡­ Anyway, they¡¯re actually also part of the Nidafjeld Alliance. New members, relatively speaking.¡± Eik frowned. ¡°I thought it was forbidden to initiate hostilities with a newly inducted civilization like ours. Why are they allowed?¡± Mikla squinted up at the sun as he thought. ¡°First off, you¡¯re not quite right. It is not technically forbidden, but it¡¯s certainly frowned upon. Eradicating a new civilization, however, is most certainly forbidden, but there are several legal loopholes if they don¡¯t go that far. And it¡¯s not like they¡¯re advertising about it either. I had to dig quite a bit to actually link them to the specific alien species you¡¯ve been attacked by, to be frank.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s nothing we can do?¡± Eik questioned, knuckles white with frustration. ¡°Legally it can be difficult because they can claim ignorance. No one can truly prove who opened those fractures. They could also claim that it was a purely exploratory venture that simply got out of hand¡ªby accident of course.¡± ¡°For nine years?" "Yeah, well..." "Of course¡­¡± Eik rolled his eyes. Mikla scratched his chin. ¡°Look, I imagine this is not going to sound like much of a solution to you, but once the Awakened of your Earth grow more powerful it¡¯s not going to be sustainable for the Gohkamorians to keep sending monsters. If you can bite the sour apple until then, it will get better. If they try to send Awakened directly to your world, the Alliance will step in swiftly and with severity.¡± For the first time since coming back Eik looked around the place he had landed. This time they had gone directly to the inner premises of the Alliance headquarters by the look of it. They stood in the shade of a large, luscious fruit tree with bulbous, yellow fruit hanging heavily on every branch, physically weighing down the limbs. ¡°Can I¡­?¡± Eik asked and reached for one of the low-hanging ones that looked especially ripe. ¡°Eat one? Yeah, yeah, go ahead. They¡¯re quite delicious.¡± Eik bit into it. It was sweet like a pear with the sour notes of an orange. He would definitely bring back some seed to plant in his garden. Mikla followed him to a bench near a small pond where they sat down. ¡°I just don¡¯t get why they¡¯re allowed to send monsters over without rest. They¡¯ve killed so many of us.¡± Eik¡¯s voice was quivering. Mikla gave him a look of sympathy. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you quite comprehend the scale of the Nidafjeld Alliance, Eik. I don¡¯t like it either, to be clear, but keeping an organization of this size and breadth even moderately coherent and intact requires us to give certain¡­ concessions.¡± ¡°Like allowing your members to harass and murder potential new civilizations with no way to fight back?¡± Mikla¡¯s weak smile was answer enough. ¡°So what can we even do now that we know that it¡¯s the¡­ Gohkamorians?¡± The Alliance representative¡¯s weak smile morphed into an expression of guilt-ridden hesitation. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got B-rankers already, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but only a few.¡± ¡°Once more of your Awakened of high rank begin to reach B-rank, it¡¯ll get easier. Remember, the stronger a being stepping through a fracture is, the more energy and control is required to power and maintain it. And when the distance spans universes it''s even more taxing,¡± Mikla explained. ¡°Is that why you had to get someone else to open the fracture and send us on that rescue mission?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly right! And the Gohkamorians are no different. They can only send so much through the portals. Because I had to let Atla through as well I could only do it a few times back then.¡± ¡°And because continuously sending monsters in the B-rank and above is too costly, you expect them to stop once we begin to beat them with few to no losses?¡± Eik finished. Mikla nodded. ¡°Pretty much, yeah. They¡¯re probably trying to make you less competitive in the lower ranks of the Alliance by weakening you from the beginning. Kill off as many potential threats as possible before they get a chance to grow, essentially.¡± Eik¡¯s stomach turned as flames of fury were stoked. Profound Toxin flowed out unbidden and enveloped the fruit he was holding, turning the crunchy, juicy flesh black and dead in a few seconds. Mikla leapt back to the tree and got him another. Eik thanked him as the toxin retreated back into his body. ¡°But, Eik, to put it simply, any more than what they¡¯re doing now would be a misuse of resources that could be better spent elsewhere. Fracture specialists aren¡¯t exactly common, you know, and they are very useful in all aspects of civilization, from combat to transport.¡± It made sense. It was a harsh truth to hear that waiting it out would be the best they could hope for, but it made sense. ¡°I appreciate the effort you¡¯ve put in to find this information for us. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°It was no issue. I¡¯m glad I could help.¡± "But why did you give this information to me instead of the leadership of Forest?" Mikla tilted his head. "I''m not really sure if Atla would appreciate me saying this, but she thinks you''re very special. More so than even I think she should. She said she saw something in you." "And that''s why you picked me to be the go-between rather than some established figure on Earth?" "No, Atla was looking for certain qualities from the beginning, although I don''t think she expected to find you so quickly. After your training fight when you first visited she suddenly became significantly more focused on nurturing you." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "What do you mean?" Eik asked as he chewed on the fruit. "Well, to be honest, we were actually planning on involving the leadership of Forest much more than this. It''s protocol to at least quickly establish proper contact with the governing body of a new civilization if there is one." "But you didn''t with ours." "We''re still very early in the process, but we haven''t much yet, no. That was her decision. I like you, Eik, but I don''t think she should have handled it like that." "Why didn''t she?" "That''s... I''m not sure. As I said, she sees something in you that she''s not willing to elaborate on. And the higher ups in the alliance are not going to like it when they find out, by the way. When Atla realized that you''ve made a few enemies with some prominent figures in Forest she basically decided to slow down our integration in favor of focusing on you." "That all sounds like... not such a good idea on her part." "I would say it''s not, but she says it''s going to yield the best result in the end, so..." "You''re not going to oppose her?" "No, it''s not my place." Eik took another bite of the yellow fruit as he got up and stuck his fingers into the pond to feel the temperature of the water. The surface of the water was dark, almost opaque, but he figured Mikla would have stopped him by now if it was dangerous. ¡°Say, those guys, the Gohkamorians¡­¡± ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°What are they like?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Warlike. Physically, they¡¯re about your height plus a half. Their heads are long, hairless ovals with six eyes. They appear quite dumb, but they¡¯re not. I also doubt you¡¯re the first new civilization they¡¯ve done this to.¡± Something bit him on the finger, water splashing up his sleeve, and made Eik tear his hand out as if shocked by electricity. Mikla was clearly holding back laughter. Eik rejoined him on the bench, deciding to simply ignore that little episode. ¡°Did you suspect them of being the culprits of the attacks on Earth from the beginning?¡± Mikla shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯d only seen Gohkamorians a few times. The cosmos is larger than you can imagine and so is the Alliance. And despite their bellicose nature they¡¯re actually quite reclusive, as it turns out.¡± ¡°Then how did you find out it was them?¡± ¡°Records. We have a lot of records. About anything and anyone.¡± ¡°About us?¡± Eik asked. An amused snort was all he got in response. ¡°Are they powerful?¡± ¡°In relation to the Nidafjeld Alliance at large and the prime civilizations? Not remotely, no. Compared to your Earth? Yes.¡± Eik¡¯s mouth became a thin line as he swallowed that. ¡°You said they were quite reclusive. How likely are we to encounter them?¡± ¡°Not very, I would guess. You''ll probably encounter individuals but they know not to send an actual force against another member of the Alliance. At least if you remain a member.¡±¡ªMikla paused as a thought struck him¡ª¡°Although you will probably run into a delegation of them during the championships, but I doubt they will make any overt moves against you there either.¡± ¡°Championships?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Atla didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Eik shook his head. Mikla smiled. ¡°She¡¯ll probably come for a little visit soon, then.¡± They went to pluck another fruit. ¡°So what are the championships?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tournament where members of the Alliance can display their prowess without engaging in actual large conflicts or war. It¡¯s also another way to maintain coherence within the organization.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t possibly compete though,¡± Eik said with a frown and bit into another fruit, the juices running down his chin. ¡°We¡¯re new.¡± ¡°There are divisions according to strength, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Mikla assured him. ¡°When is it?¡± Mikla pulled out a little notebook from his pocket and checked it. ¡°In¡­ two months, plus a week.¡± ¡°Two months?¡± Eik exclaimed, spitting half-chewed bits of orange pear all over the grass. ¡°And one week, yes.¡± Eik let himself fall onto the grass with a weary sigh. He lifted a hand. It was trembling uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy, Mikla.¡± The fracture specialist took a seat in the grass next to him, signaling wordlessly for him to continue. ¡°I feel like the fate of the whole world is teetering on my shoulders. That any misstep I make is to the detriment of all of human kind.¡± Mikla stayed silent and let him speak. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m being called into a meeting with the leadership of Forest, but it¡¯s really just a facade to justify putting me on trial. They don¡¯t like that you¡¯re talking to me instead of to them. My friends and I are being harassed because people think we¡¯re traitors.¡± ¡°Would you like us to put some pressure on them?¡± Mikla asked nonchalantly. Eik narrowed his eyes in confusion. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯d like us to come and participate in this trial?¡± Mikla reiterated. ¡°You would¡­ do that? Just because I asked you to?¡± ¡°Eik, you¡¯re a very important person to us. Atla chose you because she sees something in you, and, as I said, she¡¯s only grown more enthusiastic since she first brought you through, so you must have done something to impress her,¡± the man said. ¡°I can think of something, I guess.¡± ¡°I know that we¡¯re not so easy to trust yet, but you have to understand that it¡¯s as much in our interest to have Earth as a stable ally as it is for you to have us.¡± Eik tilted his head, not understanding. ¡°How so?¡± Mikla scooched around to face Eik. ¡°You get that you need allies like us to support you against stronger civilizations while you find your bearings, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that makes sense.¡± ¡°Well, the Nidafjeld Alliance also needs to constantly expand its network as the inducted worlds of the Unified Mass multiply. We have a responsibility to our members to protect everyone against large forces. And to do that we need new worlds like yours to join us instead of someone else.¡± ¡°Like the Moon Shall Swallow cult?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Exactly like them, yes,¡± Mikla said. ¡°With the Unified Mass constantly growing, we can¡¯t afford to neglect expansion, and in order to expand we have to treat even the smallest and newest of worlds with the respect they deserve. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t doubt Atla would approve such support if you requested it.¡± Eik stared down at the orange pear silently. ¡°Can I get some time to consider it?¡± ¡°Of course. How about some food since you¡¯re already here?¡± Mikla asked as they got up. ¡°You got any dirt duck in this palace?¡± *** A loud knocking woke Eik from a restless slumber. With a racing heart he rolled out of bed, the tangle of covers carrying his cat Mis with him like a sailor caught in a tidal wave. Her complaint against the treatment was bolstered by the ample use of claws in her human¡¯s thigh. Throughout it all, the pestilent knocking never ceased. ¡°Let go of me, you crazy cat!¡± he grumbled, but when he looked down at the bed she was already gone. He climbed down and went for the door as he pulled on a pair of shorts. Mis was sitting by the door, waiting impatiently for him. ¡°That was fast¡­¡± Eik opened the front door and Mis frightened an otherwise strict-looking lady clutching a clipboard when she sprinted through her legs. The woman was accompanied by a man and a woman whose attire and demeanor made it obvious that they were Awakened with combat experience. ¡°Yes?¡± he said, trying to blink the sleep away. ¡°Eik Magnasen?¡± the woman asked, composing herself. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t buy anything at the door, even if the product¡¯s good,¡± he said and tried to close the door only for the man¡¯s boot to come in between. ¡°We¡¯re here to take you to the debrief.¡± Eik arched an eyebrow. ¡°Did they change the venue?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you here? Mission Central is, like, super easy to find. I mean, we¡¯ve all been there a bunch of times, right?¡± The strict woman¡¯s eye twitched almost imperceptibly while the two behind her exchanged looks. ¡°Just come with us. Quietly if possible.¡± With her clipboard and a suit jacket with a pencil skirt, she looked like every secretary in every movie. Eik leaned into his house and glanced at the clock. ¡°It¡¯s more than three hours until the meeting though,¡± he said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little early?¡± ¡°The meeting¡¯s been moved forward.¡± ¡°To when?¡± ¡°Now.¡± Eik thumbed his kitchen. ¡°I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Want some? I¡¯ve got orange pear juice and I promise you haven¡¯t had that before.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a buffet on site,¡± the clipboard said. ¡°Really? I¡¯m actually starting to look forward to this trial now.¡± He wasn''t. Not even in the slightest. But he couldn''t let that show. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of commando in these shorts to be honest. I¡¯ve got some underwear upstairs if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Clipboard looked like she wanted to punch him. ¡°We¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t peek.¡± Eik closed the door and went to change. His heart was in his throat and he couldn¡¯t get his breathing under control. He was hyperventilating and his stomach hurt, and he was tired of incessant blabbering being his response to nervousness. Those assholes were trying to rattle him. And it was working. Chapter 42: Interrogation The Mission Central building had been vacated completely to make space for the tribunal. Guards circled the outer walls and milled about the perimeter. Apparently they didn¡¯t want to risk any Awakened with abilities that heightened their senses to discover any of the information to be discussed inside. Their eyes were not friendly as they watched Eik trudge up to the double doors of Mission Central, surrounded by what could best be described as three jailers. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± an older, portly man complained the moment they stepped inside. The secretary made a face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. He insisted on¡­ feeding his cat before we left,¡± she said shamefully with a deep bow. The face that the round man could no longer see was alight with fury, however. ¡°How could that possibly take that long?¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t find the cat, sir,¡± the armored woman said, stepping in. ¡°and he insisted on feeding it by hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I always do it,¡± Eik said with a nod. ¡°If I don¡¯t, she won¡¯t eat at all, y¡¯see.¡± Judging by his rapidly reddening face, the portly man didn¡¯t appear to enjoy Eik¡¯s antics. He didn¡¯t get the chance to get any angrier since people were starting to gather on one side of an enormous long table that hadn¡¯t been there last time Eik was inside. Some faces Eik knew but most were unknown to him. Travis Lockwood too was shuffling up to take a seat near the middle of the table. The way he was mindlessly chewing on a grilled cheese sandwich, eyes like those of a zombie, made him look like he might want to be present even less than Eik. C-ranker Andrew Brooks was sitting on a chair against the wall looking exceptionally uncomfortable with the whole situation. Eik caught his eye once but the man looked away immediately. Maybe he had looked further into the case of Heath¡¯s injuries as Sonja had suggested and found something disturbing. He was a good man, but now that the black and white paradigm of monsters versus man had been muddled into gray, he was probably having a hard time identifying his own loyalties. Along the opposite wall stood another familiar face. Cecilia, the tall woman whose main weapon was a spear almost twice as tall as her, had been sporting a perpetual grin since the moment Eik entered. She winked at him when their eyes met but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to play along anymore. This whole thing was a little too surreal at this point. A glance over his shoulder told him that two scowling guards had stepped in front of the front doors on the inside. Despite the freedom he had enjoyed until now he was nothing but a game piece, after all. That didn¡¯t sit well with him. It ground on his principles of personal liberty. ¡°It would seem everybody is ready to start the proceedings,¡± the portly man said, his face having now returned to a healthier color. ¡°To reiterate, this meeting has been arranged with the purpose of interviewing the person serving as the interim liaison between us, Forest, and the alien invasion force, the Nidafjeld Alliance. For anyone unaware, the liaison, chosen at random by the hostile woman who was the first to visit us by traveling through a fracture portal, is this man here, F-ranker Eik Magnasen,¡± he said theatrically with a flourishing gesture at Eik. ¡°Uuh,¡± Eik said, raising a hand for attention. ¡°I¡¯m actually E-rank now.¡± Cecilia and a couple of others burst into laughter. Even Travis, whose head had been lulling gently to the rhythm of his own breathing, seemed to be amused enough to wake up a little. Andrew just massaged the bridge of his nose. The round man tried but failed to keep the annoyance from showing on his face. ¡°Refrain from speaking unless spoken to, please. As I was saying, we will interview him to gather information about this Nidafjeld Alliance. Furthermore, we will be instructing him in how to negotiate with the Alliance.¡± He looked around at the gathered faces, all of them important people of Forest in their own right. ¡°Thirdly, while a final decision can come later, we should also discuss the possibility of launching a counterattack on the Alliance.¡± Eik snorted and the speaker sent him a sharp look. ¡°Let us get started then,¡± the man said and made his way around the long table to take his own seat on the opposite side. ¡°Where do I sit?¡± Eik asked. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Eik asked, puzzled. The man pointed to the middle of the floor. ¡°You will stand there so we can all see you properly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­¡± he drawled but walked the few steps to the assigned spot. ¡°Would anybody like the first word?¡± the portly man asked the room. A short woman with her hair in a ponytail raised her hand. ¡°Yes, Chairwoman Huntley,¡± the man said. ¡°Thank you, Merchant Lord Greggers,¡± she said with a nod and directed her attention to Eik. ¡°What did you see inside the fracture?¡± ¡°I mean, a bunch of stuff. Like, a huge city, a tavern where we ate dirt duck, their headquarters. Stuff like that, you know.¡± Chairwoman Huntley narrowed her eyes. ¡°Excuse me, did you just say you saw the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Eik confirmed with a nod. ¡°Went inside too.¡± ¡°You went inside their headquarters?¡± A thin, balding man exclaimed, his chair flying back as he rose in surprise. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What did you do there? What are their defenses like?¡± Boulder Fist Gary chose this moment to make his entrance, pushing his way through the guards who made to block his way before realizing who he was. ¡°Never mind me,¡± he said with a wave of his hand. ¡°Just keep going. I apologize for my lateness.¡± He sat in a vacant chair next to Travis. ¡°Go on, Mr. Kerman,¡± the perpetually annoyed Merchant Lord Greggers said. The slight man called Mr. Kerman cleared his throat. ¡°As I was saying, what did you do inside the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance?¡± Eik pursed his lips. ¡°Hmm, I was shown around the premises¡ªnot all of it, since it¡¯s basically a ridiculously large palace. And I was made to fight one of their F-rankers.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As a test. Atla wanted to see what the person she¡¯d chosen was capable of.¡± ¡°And what did she think?¡± The question was asked with a distinct lack of expectation. Eik recalled the way she had reacted when Profound Toxin was revealed as a Unique ability. ¡°I¡¯d call her interested, I suppose.¡± ¡°Why would she be interested in you?¡± Boulder Fist Gary asked with a sneer, ¡°You¡¯re a weakling.¡± Eik just shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say, Mr. Fist. But given how she tucked you in with a single punch, I imagine she doesn¡¯t see much difference between the two of us.¡± ¡°You little shit!¡± the large man bellowed, proving that his son¡¯s crappy manners were homegrown as he slammed a fist into the long table and split it down the middle. Eik saw flashbacks of his walnut counter. Travis was the only person seated who managed to grab his breakfast plate and accompanying glass of apple juice from the table before the whole thing collapse with an earsplitting crack. ¡°How dare you say that to my face!¡± Eik kept his mouth shut but managed to keep a steady gaze locked onto Boulder Fist Gary. After having experienced the horror of Atla, Menka Tokanami, and the lake serpent''s power, standing in front of these old men in this setting just wasn''t as intimidating as it would have been before. He knew that was a dumb way to think. Merchant Lord Greggers waddled around the broken table and stood between the two men. ¡°Gentlemen, please. Please! Calm yourselves!¡± he pleaded, an arm outstretched toward each party. He called over one of the attendants and ordered them to clean up the table and arrange for a new one. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Greggers sighed, looking ready to just call it and go home. ¡°Let¡¯s move on, please.¡± "I have a question," a younger woman asked. She was blonde and had looked particularly unimpressed by the tone of the interrogation thus far. Merchant Lord Greggers nodded but his eyes didn''t speak of much fondness for the woman. "Do you think the Nidafjeld Alliance are truly looking for an amicable relationship?" Kerman and Huntley snorted derisively. Eik hesitated. "I... I don''t know. I hope so, but I can''t say for certain, to be honest." "Thank you for your honesty," she said. "Then, do you think we should take their offer to join up?" Eik hesitated for even longer this time. Finally he just said. "Yes." For the next two and a half hours, Eik was questioned relentlessly about this and that regarding his meeting with the people of the Nidafjeld Alliance. The old crows wanted to know absolutely everything. They asked about his personal relationship with Atla, with Mikla, with the Alliance team he helped rescue from a foreign world as well as their parents, and even about his relationship with that blonde kid he beat in a sparring match on Atla¡¯s orders. He was asked about the Unified Mass, the mysterious powers everybody now possessed, and the direction in which their world was heading. They wanted to know why he had been given his own suite in the headquarters, how big it was, where on the premises it was, and how many times he¡¯d been there. Whatever foul subterfuge some of the leadership believed the Nidafjeld Alliance had in mind, Eik was somehow expected to unveil it all as if he was in charge and not just a man tossed onto a moving train by people with godlike powers. There was the incident the day before where Mikla had come to tell him something. They wanted to know what that had been about and Eik saw that particular piece of information as an opportunity to attempt at least a partial unification of Forest in favor of the Alliance. ¡°I was contacted by Mikla because he had uncovered some very important information that I had asked him to look into.¡± ¡°Which was?¡± Merchant Lord Greggers asked. The civil leaders were showing interest in the interrogation overall, but most of the combat oriented Awakened, like Travis, Boulder Fist Gary, and Cecilia had grown bored a while ago. Once the important information had been discussed and the trivial details were being combed through, it wasn¡¯t engaging enough for them anymore. ¡°Well, he had discovered who has been sending monsters to Earth for the past nine years.¡± At this everybody sat up straight and eyes widened around the room. Sharp breaths were drawn and looks were exchanged. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m¡ª, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Could you repeat that?¡± ¡°I now know who has been trying to eradicate humanity ever since the first phase of Earth¡¯s induction into the Unified Mass,¡± Eik stated gravely. His eyes scanned the faces in the room and any pretentiousness had evaporated at those words. ¡°Are you saying all these years of suffering were¡­ caused by someone?¡± one of the guards exclaimed from his position in front of the door. Nobody reprimanded the man. So grievous was the shock that not even this gathering of snobbish, self-important clowns noticed a person of lower social status speak up in their presence. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying. It was not some force of nature. This was a deliberate attempt to extinguish our existence.¡± ¡°But why?¡± Eik upturned his palm with a tilt of his head. ¡°Power? Security? Inter-dimensional social standing? You name it. Life in the Unified Mass is not peaceful¡ªthat much I have been made aware of.¡± ¡°Who is it then?¡± The speaker was Travis. He was leaning over the table, an intense look in his eyes unlike anything Eik had seen before. The closest would be how the man had behaved during the Great Raid. He seemed to live for stuff like this. ¡°A civilization known as the Gohkamorians. They¡¯re actually already members of the Nidafjeld Alliance.¡± ¡°And you would push for our membership in an organization that would allow such obscene actions?¡± Chairwoman Huntley asked as if she had already marked him a traitor. Eik took a step forward and the guards reacted by reaching for their weapons. ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± he hissed. ¡°They¡¯re the only thing standing between us and much, much greater threats! Don¡¯t you see? Humanity is nothing on this new game board! We¡¯re not at the top anymore! We¡¯re the newest and smallest.¡± Eik pointed at Travis Lockwood and Boulder Fist Gary. ¡°Those two there are among the best fighters we have. They¡¯re B-rankers. Do you know what an S-ranker is? Do you know what an X-ranker is?¡± he continued, the faces of his audience growing paler by the second. ¡°This will not end with what we¡¯ve seen. A grain of sand in our eyes is blinding us to the view of the desert!¡± Eik was in a flow fueled by frustration, anger, and fear. ¡°My sister is in a coma because of the monster invasions so I hate them just as much as you! Letting civilizations jab at each other with the occasional monster surge is nothing but a political concession so the Alliance can justify forbidding actual, literal full scale invasions by millions or even billions of Awakened stronger than our strongest.¡± He looked from one unsettled gaze to the other. ¡°So that they can prevent entire worlds from being annihilated by immortal beings with godly strength.¡± Breath coming in ragged gasps, Eik straightened and tried to compose himself, but any movement felt awkward. The room was silent after his speech as people digested the life altering news. Merchant Lord Greggers¡¯ voice trembled even as he cleared it, but before he could speak a commotion sounded from outside. The voices were muffled but the tone of it was unmistakably tense. A knock brought everybody¡¯s attention to the front door. Guessing who had come, Eik cleared his throat. ¡°I actually invited someone to join us here today.¡± The guards glanced at the leaders for instruction but the guest didn¡¯t bother to wait to be invited inside. Chapter 43: Dismissal Atla was the first to step inside, followed closely by Mikla. Both wore the same type of ceremonial robe decorated with intricate color patterns woven into the fabric that Atla had worn for her first contact with Earth. ¡°You!¡± Boulder Fist Gary snarled and stood. His face showed equal parts fury and trepidation. Most telling was the fact that he didn¡¯t charge at her mindlessly. Travis had also gotten to his feet but looked quite satisfied with her presence. ¡°Me.¡± She gave him a crooked smile. ¡°You-You¡­ Who gave you permission to enter?¡± Mr. Kerman stammered. She pointed to Eik. ¡°I came at his request.¡± ¡°The temporary liaison does not have the authority to invite you to this debrief!¡± the balding man protested as he waved his finger around. She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not someone whose word carries such weight in our society!¡± ¡°To me, he¡¯s the one among you whose word weighs the most,¡± she said. ¡°Temporarily, yes. We¡¯ll soon appoint someone who can more appropriately represent our interests.¡± Atla gave it some thought. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with Eik¡¯s performance thus far.¡± ¡°We are not,¡± Merchant Lord Greggers huffed. ¡°He has no political experience to speak of, he¡¯s of common birth, he¡¯s not a national, and frankly, we¡¯re questioning his loyalty to the human race.¡± Atla frowned at that. ¡°So I get that you¡¯re a shallow old man and all, but he continues to impress me whereas the rest of you have yet to impress me once,¡± she said casually before pointing to Travis, almost as an afterthought. ¡°Except you, Travis Lockwood. You¡¯re not bad either, I must admit. But not you, Big Boulder Harry. You have issues,¡± she added with a wave toward Boulder Fist Gary. His face grew red as a tomato. ¡°What¡¯s so good about him? He¡¯s weak!¡± ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s only weak for now. He will not be weak forever.¡± ¡°That does not change the fact that we doubt his loyalty.¡± Mr. Kerman fussed despite his fear of Atla being painted clearly on his face. ¡°How can we be sure that he isn¡¯t plotting to hand over Forest to your forces on a silver platter?¡± Atla snorted a laugh and leaned in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to burst your bubble, but we have at least a few S-rankers stationed permanently at our headquarters. Has Eik not told you about our organization? If we wanted you on a silver platter, I would take a squad of high-rankers with me and come here to do the plating myself.¡± That seemed to shake the leadership. They had speculated and discussed at length among themselves that the Nidafjeld Alliance might be aiming for a takeover, but this was the first time the notion had been aired by anyone from the foreign power itself. Chairwoman Huntley¡¯s voice shook as she spoke. ¡°N-Nonetheless, we will be changing our representative soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s completely fine. No worries there!¡± Atla said. ¡°Unfortunately, unless I completely step in it, I am permitted to make decisions for our side as I see fit. Eik is a man I trust, so even if you decide to appoint a representative, anything official will still be communicated via Eik. Whether he then has to talk to this representative of yours is of no consequence to me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Merchant Lord Greggers asked, beads of sweat running down his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m saying that, if you don¡¯t want Eik as your representative in the relationship between us, then I''ll simply make him our representative. Easy, right?¡± Chairwoman Huntley was completely taken aback. ¡°Y-You¡­ You can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°I also have qualms with the boy!¡± Boulder Fist Gary boomed. ¡°He has committed acts of unprovoked violence against one of my associates. That should bar him from any political participation!¡± Atla raised an eyebrow and turned to Eik. ¡°Really?¡± Eik rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, I hit somebody. No, it was not unprovoked. And yes, his son¡­¡± he snarled with an accusatory finger at Gary. ¡°Rock Fist Bart tried to murder me and almost did murder my friend and teammate Heath! He, a high D-ranker attacked my low E-rank friend who was already badly injured!¡± ¡°What?¡± Gary bellowed. ¡°You would accuse someone who¡¯s not even present to defend himself? Could you be any more cowardly? What proof have you?¡± Eik threw his hands up in exasperation. ¡°There were like fifteen witnesses! Ask any of them!¡± ¡°I believe an investigation into the incident was already conducted by¡­ who was it again?¡± Merchant Lord Greggers muttered as he looked through a stack of documents. ¡°Conducted by me, sir,¡± Andrew said with a raised hand. He looked exceedingly uncomfortable, like he was ready to run out of there. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°And pray tell, what did you uncover?¡± ¡°I, uhm¡­ I¡­ I spoke to as many of the Awakened who had been present as I could find. When questioned, all of them dismissed the reckless assault by Rock Fist Bart as rumor.¡± The man could barely tear his eyes away from his boots, much less meet anyone¡¯s gaze, including Eik¡¯s. He was not the confident man Eik knew. He was faltering. ¡°Well,¡± Mr. Kerman said and looked around the room. ¡°I suppose that settles that then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Eik shouted. ¡°But, sir! Actually, Heath¡¯s injuries are not consistent with any of the monsters they encountered,¡± Andrew added hurriedly. ¡°Also, all of the witnesses appeared very nervous during questioning. My opinion is that they could be withholding inform¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mr. Brooks. If you concluded your investigation, then that¡¯s all we needed to hear,¡± Merchant Lord Greggers snapped. ¡°And you were present to personally witness the assault committed by Eik Magnasen?¡± ¡°I¡­ Yes, I was.¡± Chairwoman Huntley nodded. ¡°And was there any provocation directly prior to the attack that would warrant physical assault to that degree?¡± ¡°Not that I personally witnessed, no¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± she said with finality. ¡°Due to the thoughtless assault by Mr. Magnasen, I motion to dismiss him as the representative of Forest in our dealings with the Nidafjeld Alliance.¡± ¡ª She raised a hand ¡ª ¡°Effective immediately.¡± Hands followed hers. Merchant Lord Greggers, Mr. Kerman, and Boulder Fist Gary all raised theirs along with other members of the leadership. Some, including Travis and the blonde woman from earlier, didn¡¯t. ¡°The decision had been made! I hereby declare Eik Magnasen relieved of his duty as representative of Forest.¡± Profound Toxin streamed down Eik¡¯s arms and up his neck, wriggling like a scarf in a hurricane. ¡°The voting I don¡¯t give two shits about, but I demand another investigation! Done properly this time!¡± ¡°That will not be necessary,¡± Mr. Kerman said with a wary eye on Eik¡¯s poison. ¡°The matter has been concluded.¡± You old, fuckin¡¯ snake!¡± Eik snarled and the Profound Toxin stretched and wound toward the balding man like a manifestation of its owner¡¯s rage. In the blink of an eye Boulder Fist Gary stood before him. ¡°Step back, kid. You don¡¯t want to start something you can¡¯t finish.¡± Atla appeared between them in a whirl of fabric. Her amiable expression never faltered. ¡°There, there. How about you calm down as well, eh?¡± Gary slapped her hand away with a huff of indignation. ¡°Stay out of this, you vixen! We don¡¯t need your kind here!¡± She chuckled at the insult. ¡°Didn¡¯t my friend Eik here tell you about what happens to new civilizations in the Unified Mass if they have no allies?¡± "About the monsters and the people who sent them? I¡¯m far from convinced that you aren¡¯t the true source of those. We¡¯ve all seen that you can control fractures as if they were common doors.¡±¡ªHe regarded the others in the room¡ª¡°And even if you¡¯re not, we can handle whatever those rotten bastards send our way. I¡¯m ready for them!¡± He tapped his own bicep like some 90¡¯s action movie star. Atla just stared at him like he had drooled all over the floor. ¡°Good luck with that, man.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you can¡¯t even beat little ol¡¯ me, so how to you expect to beat an entire civilization that has been home to powerful Awakened for hundreds of years?¡± ¡°I challenge you! I challenge you to a duel!¡± Boulder Fist Gary roared, face going back to the color of a tomato. Judging by their faces, a lot of the leaders weren¡¯t quite as confident in the large man¡¯s abilities as he himself seemed to be. Atla actually looked surprised. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Dead serious!¡± he hissed as people came to try to talk him out of it. He simply dismissed them all with barely a glance in their direction. ¡°No one insults my honor!¡± ¡°I never insulted your honor. I insulted your strength,¡± she corrected. ¡°From what I have been able to gather, honor was never something you possessed.¡± ¡°You vixen! You harlot!¡± he rambled and stomped toward the double doors. ¡°Well, are you coming or what?¡± ¡°What, now?¡± she asked, glancing at Mikla who looked at her with annoyance. ¡°Is the meeting over?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± None of the other leaders had the courage to step in so Atla simply shrugged and followed the agitated fighter. Eik ran to catch up with her. Most of the others trailed them at a distance. ¡°Is it really okay for you to speak to them like that?¡± Eik asked once he fell into step next to her. ¡°To those old farts? Mmh, yes and no,¡± she said. ¡°One one hand, as representatives of the Alliance we¡¯re always expected to handle any situation respectably. But on the other, these are people unwilling to open their eyes to a looming threat that¡¯s already shown its face.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± She clapped him on the back affectionately. ¡°Listen. Although I was born long, long after my own home world became a part of the Unified Mass, I know that your society is probably still accustomed to alliances lasting a few hundred years at most before breaking apart. That¡¯s not the case for us. Our aim is something that will last millennia. Earth is the first world I''ve been in charge of and I''m sure it shows but I''m testing a new approach," she said. "This is not how we usually do things. I think establishing a closer relationship with a select few first and then having them help convince the rest of the population is more effective than showing up and going broad right away.¡± Eik listened but didn''t know what to think about it. ¡°All of these stubborn old-timers here will be dead and buried while your world is still in its infancy,¡± she said matter-of-factly. ¡°It will not be up to them to carry your Earth through the trying times. I do, however, think you will be a cornerstone of your world¡¯s survival ¡ª if you¡¯re able to keep yourself alive until then that is.¡± She grinned and elbowed his arm. ¡°Because of... that?¡± ¡°That, and your grit. I think you¡¯ll go far.¡± He grinned back. ¡°It''s been acting up recently. Like it¡¯s got a mind of its own.¡± ¡°Well, I don''t know. There¡¯s something about them. They¡¯re ancient and primal," she whispered. They walked in silence for a while until they were outside the city limits. Even then they continued further across the expanded plains. Finally, Boulder Fist Gary turned to face Atla. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he called. They waited for the spectators to arrive. ¡°Would you mind fighting me when you¡¯re done with him?¡± Travis asked as he came closer. That expression of excitement was back. ¡°There won¡¯t be anything left for you after our duel, Travis!¡± Gary yelled, but Atla ignored the man. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t, but I think it would be more fun if the two of you came at me together,¡± she said and leaned in so only Eik and Travis could hear her. ¡°I see that you¡¯re a smart man, Travis Lockwood. You know what¡¯s at stake here, don¡¯t you?¡± The young man only smiled. ¡°How could I possibly? All I want is to test myself against you.¡± ¡°So be it. I won¡¯t be holding back this time then.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way!¡± Travis yelled as he leapt to Gary¡¯s side. ¡°Ready?¡± Atla asked as she folded her robe neatly and handed it to Mikla who sighed. Boulder Fist Gary slammed his gauntleted fists together. ¡°I always am!¡± A spinning bolt of Lightning Judgement of Tyrannical Ruination was already coming to life in Travis¡¯ palm. ¡°Good,¡± she said and before Eik could blink, she was gone. Chapter 44: Beatdown A second after the battle had begun, a series of explosions of pink smoke covered the entire field. An opaque shroud now hung heavy. Muffled sounds of struggle followed, accompanied by the shrill shriek of Travis¡¯ Lightning Judgement of Tyrannical Ruination. Moments later a scream sounded from inside that traveled rapidly toward the spectators¡¯ side. With a puff, Travis came flying out, limbs flailing uncontrollably in the air. Flipping twice, he hit the ground ass first and slid through the grass, trailing a groove like a farmer plowing a field. The arguably strongest Awakened in Forest had just been thrown out like the garbage on a Monday night. Chairwoman Huntley and Mr. Kerman both watched with their jaws hanging at about hip height. With an intangible gust of wind, the pink smoke cleared up and out as if it had been taken by a tornado. In the exact spot where Boulder Fist Gary had stood ready to fight he was now forced to his knees with both arms held fast behind his back by just one of Atla¡¯s hands. The man had never even been allowed the chance to move before she brought him down. The man never seemed to learn to shut his mouth. ¡°What a cowardly way of fighting! Tricks are all you¡¯re capable of!¡± he howled. She let him go and flickered to her original starting position. Gary stood and charged her. She flickered again and crushed his nose with a knee that he never saw coming. As he went down, blood streaming generously from his nostrils, Travis launched two smaller bolts and advanced, pulses of electricity already appearing in his palms again. Atla avoided one and caught the other in a cloud of pink where the angry electricity fizzled and died. Enveloping his fists in crackling energy, Travis leapt for the Alliance representative, his grin that of a maniac. He was loving it. It looked like his punch was going to hit her, but at the moment of contact her entire body dissipated into pink. Another cloud popped into existence behind him and he turned to attack there as well, but her body simply reformed without moving. Her kick took him in the back of the knees, flipping him in place, and when he came back around an elbow to the abdomen sent him into the ground with a boom. Another puff of smoke delivered her to Eik¡¯s side where she clapped her hands together sprightly. ¡°Well, since that over and done with, shall we get something to eat?¡± Eik glanced at the leaders gathered a dozen paces away. They were simply staring open-mouthed at the aftermath of the fight that had lasted less than a minute. Eik now realized that probably not a single one of them had been present to witness Boulder Fist Gary¡¯s defeat at Atla¡¯s hand when she first came through the fracture to establish contact with Earth. They had likely never quite believed it to be more than a rumor. ¡°I guess it¡¯s okay to leave?¡± he said hesitantly and started to walk. ¡°Wait!¡± Gary bellowed from the ground. He hadn¡¯t lifted his head, but he seemed to be awake. ¡°Yes?¡± Atla asked. It took the man a moment to say the words. ¡°This isn¡¯t over! I am the strongest in Forest! And I will become the strongest of all in the Unified Mass as well!¡± Atla let out a short chuckle. ¡°My friend, soon even young Eik here will be able to beat you with his hands tied behind his back.¡± ¡°I will never allow that to happen!¡± he screamed, voice warped by the broken nose. Eik could just imagine the color of his face. When he stopped talking Eik craned his neck to look at the man. He was lying completely still, only the soft rising of his chest . "Well, if you''re hungry you guys can come to my house. I¡¯ll cook you something,¡± Eik said tentatively, casting constant glances back at the gathering of leaders, and started for the city. No one tried to stop him. ¡°Ouh, Earth food!¡± Atla sang, taking her robe from Mikla who seemed to liven up at the prospect of something to eat. ¡°And you can meet my cat too.¡± *** Eik fried a side of fish with potatoes and a herb sauce for the two of them and they loved it. Once they had eaten Mikla spent a solid hour cuddling with Mis. It was his first time meeting a cat and he was instantly in love. ¡°Did you know?¡± he said as he rolled around on the floor, Mis chasing a string. ¡°We have pets back home as well but unlike this cutie here, ours have eight legs and their skin constantly releases this sticky, smelly slime-like substance. It¡¯s honestly quite unpleasant.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Then¡­ why?¡± Eik asked with a frown. The fracture specialist just shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Traditions, I guess. Some people love them,¡± he said and fed Mis a piece of fried salmon which she gobbled up with abandon. ¡°She keeps eating. Do you usually not feed a cat?¡± ¡°I feed her three times a day. She¡¯s bottomless.¡± A knock on the door drew their attention and Eik went to open. It was Michael and Sonja. ¡°What¡¯s up? Come in. Where¡¯s Heath?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t up for the trek to your house so he¡¯s at home hating that we live in a time where he can no longer binge TV shows when he¡¯s injured,¡± Sonja said and stopped short once she saw the guests. ¡°Ah¡ª, hello. Ms. Atla. Mr. Mikla. How are you?¡± she asked politely, offering a small bow. Michael looked considerably more uncomfortable. ¡°Good, thank you,¡± Mikla said. ¡°And you? I heard your brother was hurt. How is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine soon, thank you. How did the debrief go?¡± Eik recounted the day¡¯s events. He told them about his dismissal, about the leaders¡¯ denigration of the assault on Heath, and finally about the way Atla had absolutely crushed Travis Lockwood and, especially, Boulder Fist Gary. ¡°Those damned bastards!¡± Sonja spat, her water glass complaining in her grip. ¡°If I could just get my fingers around the neck of that disgusting Merchant Lord¡­¡± Atla sat back in her chair with a thoughtful look. ¡°If you want to be able to fight back against unfairness, then you¡¯ll need to become stronger. In the Unified Mass strength is the ultimate measure of one¡¯s freedom.¡± Eik nodded. He was beginning to understand that. A lack of strength was basically also the only thing between him and waking Olivia up from her coma. ¡°When do you think Heath will be up for some action again, Sonja?¡± he asked. ¡°At this rate, if we give him another three days it should be fine.¡± Eik regarded his two teammates somberly. ¡°The debrief obviously went pretty horribly, but I fear there are going to be worse consequences than just my dismissal from duty.¡± ¡ª He sighed and put his face in his hands ¡ª ¡°I made some pretty public accusations back there but, while I expected the usual rats to oppose, I honestly didn¡¯t think I would be shot down that hard. They might start coming after us, guys¡­¡± ¡°So what are you suggesting?¡± Eik hesitated as he again mulled over what he had been mulling since he had left the duel with Atla and Mikla. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to have to make ourselves scarce for a little while ¡ª just until everything settles down a bit. Maybe we should take on one of the long expeditions once Heath is up and ready. Forest is constantly running out of resources, so I¡¯m sure we can be sent on a search for whatever.¡± As the three of them sat in contemplative silence Atla raised a hand, still chewing on a slice of Eik¡¯s home baked bread with butter. ¡°How about you come with us to Nidafjeld for a while?¡± she said. ¡°To do what?¡± Michael asked. ¡°To get stronger, of course,¡± she said with a wink that seemed to take some of the color out of the young healer¡¯s face. ¡°Can you really help us get stronger?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Of course! What kind of question is that?¡± The three teammates exchange glances for a moment before nodding to each other. ¡°Can I go home to my mother once in a while?¡± Michael asked. ¡°I can take you whenever we have time,¡± Mikla promised readily. ¡°And can I bring my cat?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Yes, please!¡± the black-haired man exclaimed enthusiastically. ¡°When should we come?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Now.¡± Michael narrowed his eyes. ¡°And by ¡°now¡±, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Now, yes,¡± Atla said. ¡°Pack your bags.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Eik muttered as he went to find a travel bag. ¡°Is this the training arc?¡± Atla and Mikla looked at him with expressions of confusion. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what a ¡°training arc¡± is,¡± Atla said. ¡°but while I will certainly ensure that you¡¯ll be training, that is not all you will be doing, I can promise. I have things in mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I like the sound of that,¡± Michael said timidly. ¡°Do you?¡± He side-eyed Eik and Sonja who simply shrugged. ¡°Despite all we¡¯ve been through my primary goal is still to find a way to wake Olivia up from her coma, so I¡¯m actually all for this kind of thing if it can help me get there faster,¡± Eik admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Heath,¡± Sonja said and left. Looking troubled, Michael followed her out to gather his own things. *** The fracture connected to the same white stone building that Eik had been brought to on his first visit. At the time the experience had been so utterly mind-blowing and terrifying that he¡¯d had little left to actually take it all in. The four of them stood there on the manicured lawn and stared up into the domed ceiling. This was really another planet. Another world. Mis leapt from Eik¡¯s embrace and ran for the arched door. He dropped his bag and went after her. Unlike when Eik first came there were no guards watching the domed building. ¡°Is that the Nidafjeld Alliance?¡± Heath asked as the rest of them caught up. His backpack was bulging with everything he had brought from their cellar, unwilling to waste any of the perishables they had paid preciously for. ¡°It looks a little¡­¡± ¡°Mundane?¡± Eik finished cheerfully. ¡°I said the same thing. There¡¯s a fog right now but wait until it lifts. It looks pretty insane.¡± They continued down the slope toward the town proper. Grabbing a bite to eat on the way¡ªEik ordering dirt duck for the whole group¡ªthey made the whole trip to the headquarters on foot. Without the fracture to take them to the heart of the complex, there were seemingly endless safety measures in place. At three different checkpoints they had to wait for their identification to be verified. Eik seemed to have already been registered as a person related tangentially to the Nidafjeld Alliance but the others had to go through a whole procedure before they were allowed to pass through to the inner areas of the headquarters. They were subjected to scans in order to check for ¡°disguises, illusions, and transformations¡±, and had their brains and auras analyzed, although none of them had the slightest idea what any of that actually entailed. ¡°What stops a hostile force from simply opening a fracture and invading your territory from the inside out?¡± Michael asked as they passed the last checkpoint and entered the premises proper. A light appeared in Mikla¡¯s eyes. ¡°Good question! It¡¯s a super interesting topic!¡± he began with enthusiasm. ¡°First of all, we obviously have front line barriers that alert and expel any spatial manipulation containing unknown patterns, but we also have several high-ranking strike forces in constant rotation who can move to any location on the ground in a couple of seconds. Furthermore¡­¡± ¡°What are we going to be doing here, Atla?¡± Eik asked as Michael was bombarded by Mikla¡¯s facts about the Nidafjeld Alliance¡¯s spatial defense systems. ¡°I have a few things in mind, but the first thing I¡¯ll put you through is something we¡¯ve used for a couple of thousand years to test and toughen our young. I¡¯ve done it myself,¡± she said with a glint in her eyes. Eik felt his stomach turning slightly. ¡°What, uuh¡­ What is it?¡± ¡°We call it The Crucible.¡± Chapter 45: The Crucible Although Eik¡¯s suite was still the largest and most exquisitely furnished, each of the three rooms granted to Heath, Sonja, and Michael had everything one could ever desire from a living space. The wall that had been destroyed when Menka Tokanami tried to kill them after the rescue mission had even been fixed to the point where Eik couldn¡¯t actually tell what was old wall and what was repaired. Atla had been generous enough to allow them a night¡¯s sleep before introducing them to the Crucible. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it, then!¡± Atla said as she came through the door to Eik¡¯s suite, clapping her hands excitedly. ¡°Could you explain what this Crucible even is?¡± Sonja asked and followed Atla back out where they turned down one of the many halls. Mikla took over. ¡°To put it simply, the Crucible is a collection of uninhabited worlds that the Alliance has shaped into a proving ground for Awakened. As you face the Crucible you will be tested, challenged, and made to prove your worth.¡± ¡°Wh-What kind of tests and challenges are we talking about here?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Various. There are different tests that examine different aspects of your abilities. Stress tests, if you will. Then there are¡­ practical challenges which are a bit broader in scope. It depends, really.¡± ¡°That a little¡­ vague for my taste,¡± Eik mumbled as they made it to the same long walkway that they had followed to get to the training ground where Eik had been made to fight one of the young F-rankers on his first visit. The thick, broad windows on each side spanned from floor to ceiling and allowed for an almost full view of the numerous gardens, parks, practice areas, ponds, and other spaces. Mikla shrugged apologetically. ¡°We¡¯re not really allowed to say more. It would ruin the purpose and the fairness of it.¡± ¡°Fairness? What fairness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all a bit of a competition, really.¡± ¡°But what do we actually get out of taking part?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it just so all you big shots can get another shot of struggle entertainment.¡± Atla arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°You think that¡¯s what this is about? Cheap entertainment? No, this is one of the many ways we reward talent in the Alliance. By scoring well in the various tests and challenges you can earn points. And those points exchange directly into Alliance-wide currency. The experience in itself will also be beneficial for you.¡± They took one of the branching paths. The network of windowed walkways was entirely raised above ground, offering a perspective of the grounds almost devoid of obstacles. Being inside made the place feel even more colossal than looking at it from afar. After taking another branch followed by yet another, they were heading for a large circular building which served as a point of connection for at least half a dozen of the raised walkways. Their branch made contact at about second floor height. The moment they stepped into the building proper the thrum and odor of hundreds of people gathered in one place hit them like a warm rug. People milled about, going to and fro, a mix of different races that, once again, painted the bizarreness of their new existence with stark and undeniable clarity. ¡°We¡¯re going to the first floor,¡± Mikla said and lead the way toward a wide stair case. As they started down the steps they passed a sign that read: ¡°The Crucible ¡ª 2nd Floor ¡ª E-rank¡±. At the bottom of the stairs another read: ¡°The Crucible ¡ª 1st Floor ¡ª F-rank¡±. Atla noticed his gaze wandering. ¡°The Crucible is divided into ranks, which are separated by the floors of this building. This is where fracture transport to the testing site takes place.¡± ¡°But three of us are no longer F-rank. Is it alright for us to go to the F-rank challenges as well?¡± Heath asked. ¡°You¡¯re always welcome to come and watch, regardless of your rank. Parents routinely follow their children¡¯s progress. But yes, participation is usually restricted to those of the appropriate rank.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°However, in special cases some participants are allowed to enter a different Crucible. Most F-rankers with an interest in the Crucible would have gone through when they were still F-rank, but we prefer for everybody to do it in order, even if someone might be a bit above a given rank, like you guys. As Awakened from a new world it¡¯s perfectly acceptable to do it like this.¡± ¡°What about rewards then?¡± Heath asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°Your score will still convert to points, but a penalty will be added according to the discrepancy in rank. But you can go through the E-rank Crucible as well, so don¡¯t worry about that. I recommend thinking of it as a learning experience.¡± The first floor was at least as crowded as the E-rank floor above, but the ratio of young teens accompanied by one or more adults was significantly down here. A large, arching doorway marked ¡°F-rank Crucible ¡ª Lobby and fracture room¡± lead to a roughly circular chamber that was big enough to have taken up most of the real estate of the first floor.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. In the center of the chamber was a raised platform with a single fracture humming in the middle, frequent ripples gurgling across its surface as people passed through. Along the sides were tables, chairs, and broad sofas as well as a cafe where people could buy food and beverages to bring through to the testing grounds. Along the walls, just beneath the ceiling, hung several huge displays flashing high scores from the different disciplines. ¡°Do you have electricity here?¡± Sonja asked, staring pointedly at the bright screens. Atla followed her gaze. ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s the result of careful cooperation between a handful of Awakened with very specific abilities.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know abilities could do stuff like this.¡± Mikla flashed a satisfied smirk. ¡°I doubt your species was even capable of considering the simplest of tool usage by the time we had developed these. A good bit of technology from civilizations before their initial induction into the Unified Mass can more or less be replicated with skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ incredible,¡± Sonja admitted, her eyes still glued to the screens. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just?¡± Atla said and made for the cafe. ¡°Let¡¯s get something to drink and get going. What do you guys want?¡± ¡°Water,¡± Sonja said. ¡°Do you have orange pear juice?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Eik brought some home recently.¡± Atla glanced to Mikla who nodded knowingly. ¡°Chocolate milk?¡± Eik asked, eyeing Michael who lit up like a sparkler. Mikla tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this brown drink, made with beans. Not bitter like coffee, though!¡± ¡°Oh, we have that here too!¡± ¡°Really? Sweet!¡± The area on the other side of the fracture was an enormous, flat piece of land. With its flattened grass and people milling about it actually resembled a festival grounds from old Earth. Right in front of the fracture a large wooden sign was posted. ¡ª The Crucible ¡ª F-rank Crucible challenges. The following sequence of Crucible challenges will test specific aspects of the participant¡¯s skill set. This section of the Crucible will not be an accurate indication of the participant¡¯s general, practical ability to solve organic and authentic problems, nor will it be an accurate indication of the participant¡¯s general and practical combat ability. It is recommended but not required that any participant is accompanied by an authority to assist in the evaluation of results and in the identification of strengths and shortcomings. It is recommended but not required that any participant who wishes to test and improve their combat ability is accompanied by an authority whose own proven ability is sufficient to conduct an appropriate evaluation of the participant¡¯s combat ability, and who is fit to act as an evaluator of combat ability. It is recommended but not required that any participant who wishes to test and improve their abilities not related to combat is accompanied by an authority whose own ability within the given field or discipline is proven and documented, and who is fit to act as an evaluator of the field or discipline that the participant wishes to test and improve. ¡°I guess you guys are fit to act as evaluators for our level?¡± Michael commented. ¡°Of course,¡± Atla said and led them to an enormous amphitheater. From ground level and down were descending rows of seats for spectators to watch the participants in the center undertake their tests. About a fifth of the seats were currently occupied and F-rankers ¡ª mostly kids in their teens ¡ª stood in line next to the arena to wait their turn. ¡°What¡¯s this one then?¡± Eik asked as they made their way down. ¡°This is to test physical endurance and defense. In other words, how well you can take a beating,¡± Atla said with a cheeky grin. ¡°That¡¯s not my specialty so I¡¯ll just skip this one then!¡± Eik hurried to say and tried to escape toward the rows of spectators only for Atla to grab him by the collar of his shirt. ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± she said and threw him down the long flight of stairs where he stumbled and rolled before coming to a stop at the bottom. They had to wait for a while but when it finally came to their turn Heath eagerly stepped onto the stage as the first. The test would be conducted by an Awakened a few stages above F-rank specialized in physical combat. He would be afflicted by a weakening skill and attack the participant. The weakening would be gradually lifted until the participant could no longer endure the beating ¡ª a decision made based on constant monitoring of the participant¡¯s physical condition. A barrier specialist and a healer stood ready to assist the injured. ¡°Are you ready?¡± the weakened C-ranker asked and charged when Heath nodded. The man looked remarkably bored to be spending his day sandbagging people far below his own level. Heath¡¯s sword and shield had both been left with Mikla. The first few hits didn¡¯t seem to faze the big tank whatsoever, his E-rank body combined with his leveled Fortitude ability bolstered him well against the onslaught. Most of the kids that had gone before Heath had lasted a little longer than ten seconds, but he was already approaching twenty seconds and only just now starting to show signs of struggling. He clenched his teeth and took punch after heavy punch to both the face and the body, and on the twenty-seventh second his legs buckled and he fell to his knees. ¡°Get up, Heathy!¡± Sonja shouted and he did, managing to stay up for four more seconds. Heath¡¯s impressive run seemed to have impressed the C-ranker who was now punching away with considerably more enthusiasm as well as with a considerably less weakened body. The barrier specialist watched intensely and as the forty-fourth second was called her hand whipped up and forth, a purple shell of smoky light snapping into existence just in time to catch the C-rankers fist as it came for Heath¡¯s face. ¡°Forty-four seconds!¡± the score was announced to applause from the spectators. None of the other participants had managed even a third of that, but considering Heath¡¯s specialty and power rank it was no big surprise. A parent of one of the other test takers was a B-rank healer and stepped in to assist the test healer with Heath¡¯s recovery and together they got him on his feet in a minute and a half. ¡°Well done, bro!¡± Eik praised, slapping the satisfied tank on the back and handing him his juice. Eik took a sip of his own drink and spat it out immediately. ¡°Geh, what the hell is this crap, Mikla?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it what you wanted?¡± ¡°Why is it so sour?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what kalva dalva beans taste like. It¡¯s an acquired taste, I¡¯ll admit.¡± Eik¡¯s tongue was tingling and the muscles in his jaw tightened involuntarily while Michael sipped the drink with a similar reaction. ¡°No, that¡¯s the flavor of something illegal.¡± Sonja stepped up next, but only lasted nineteen seconds before the barrier flickered to life around her limp body. Michael went down in eight seconds, scoring a few seconds below the average. Mikla eyed Eik expectantly as Michael returned to them on wobbly legs. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said. ¡°Since Mike did it, I¡¯ll do it too¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t wait to be tested on raw damage output. He would destroy any previous records. Chapter 46: Testing Despite holding the highest rank in their team of four, Eik didn¡¯t even manage to get close to Heath¡¯s impressive score in the endurance test. At fourteen seconds he was on his knees and at seventeen seconds he was out. Without Noxious Invigoration he really was more fragile than Sonja. ¡°You¡¯ll probably make the top 100 in the category with that score, Heath,¡± Mikla said as they made their way to the next arena. The test of speed. ¡°I thought we didn¡¯t get on the score boards if we¡¯re not the same rank as the test.¡± ¡°Not on the official list, no, but all floors have sub lists for participants of other ranks. You¡¯ll be listed along other E-rankers who tested for F-rank endurance.¡± ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll make the top 100 though,¡± he huffed. ¡°You have to think about the state of your world compared to ours. Most civilizations of the Nidafjeld Alliance aren¡¯t experiencing quite as much existential instability and insecurity as you ¡ª not even those who are at war,¡± Mikla said as they descended the steps to another amphitheater almost identical to the previous one. ¡°I know you take pride in your role as the bulwark that keep your loved ones safe, but most people don¡¯t usually choose to specialize in getting hit without a severe necessity, such as being a first generation citizen of the Unified Mass.¡± Heath nodded. ¡°Makes sense, I guess.¡± ¡°Most young people from established worlds prefer to focus on destructive capabilities rather than ¡°tanking¡±, as you refer to it as. There¡¯s simply not that much worthy competition in the field in which you excel.¡± That put a bounce in Heath¡¯s step as he sipped his orange pear juice, his round cheeks flushing red. The circular arena here had eight wooden poles installed equidistantly from each other along the edge. Each of them had a number from one to eight painted on them in a star-shaped sequence. ¡°All you really have to do on this one is move from one column to the next in order of the number written on them,¡± Mikla explained. ¡°And it must of course be unassisted by anything that doesn¡¯t fall under personal ability usage. That means no magical gear and armor, trinkets, potions, buffs you can¡¯t apply yourself, and so forth. Pretty straightforward, really.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wondering. How are we reading these numbers? I could also read the signs back there. It was all unintelligible scribbles when we went to help those kids in the jungle,¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Stronger, more skillfully applied translation effect this time,¡± Atla said simply. ¡°This is the standard we usually aim for, but we¡¯re also hoping to teach a sizable group of people from Earth to read and speak the most commonly used languages of the Alliance. It makes any relationship a little less prone to misunderstandings if we don¡¯t have to rely on temporary effects.¡± Michael volunteered to go first for this benign test and stepped up onto the arena. The number of spectators were about the same as for the defense test. According to Mikla, the spectator area would really only fill up if a child from a prominent family or if someone who was considered particularly gifted was testing. ¡°Just run as fast as you can, Mikey,¡± Sonja said. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± He was counted down and broke into a sprint that could have rivaled Olympic sprinters of the old world. He slid on the floor as he rounded the first pillar but managed to stay on his feet. The second, third, and fourth pillar he kept his balance almost perfectly, but on the fifth he lost his footing and added at least half a second to his run. Hissing a curse, he kept running but his pace had become disordered. In the end he finished with a time below average for his F-rank. Next was Sonja and she moved with clean, focused form, her wasted movements kept to a minimum. She practically glided to the first pillar and when she rounded it, instead of turning and running, she triggered her Disengage ability and rocketed backwards at incredible speed. She didn¡¯t land again until she had almost gone outside the arena on the other side. The following pillars she conquered like a dancer. ¡°How does she move so¡­?¡± Eik started. ¡°Gracefully?¡± Heath finished for him. ¡°She did ballet for, what, thirteen years before the monsters first appeared. She was really good ¡ª good enough to get paid to dance in some music videos and stuff like that too.¡± ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t know,¡± Eik said as he stared. Heath nodded knowingly. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not like she likes to brag but it sure translated well into what we do now.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± She finished in less than half of the time it had taken Michael. Even with only a single movement skill it was like her body was built for speed, precision, and dignity. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go next then,¡± the tank said and drained the last of his drink before stepping up onto the raised platform before his sister had made it back. They high-fived as they passed each other. While his large and heavy frame didn¡¯t allow for nearly the speed and agility Sonja had displayed, the way Heath moved belied his size. He made it acutely obvious that the difference between F-rank and E-rank was not just empty words. The way he ran could neither be described as graceful nor measured, but the pure strength in his legs carried him forth swiftly nonetheless. ¡°Hey, you said we couldn¡¯t use potions, right?¡± Eik asked and leaned in for a private word with Mikla. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What about poison?¡± ¡°Poison? You want to consume poison before the test?¡± Eik pursed his lips. ¡°Yeah, it just struck me that it¡¯s not technically an aid. If anything, it should be considered a disadvantage.¡± Mikla¡¯s brow knit together as he considered the argument for a moment. He opened his mouth to say something but paused and changed his mind, thinking for another few seconds. ¡°You know what?¡± he said as he started walking. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to consult with one of the judges. Give me a second.¡± Heath was coming back by the time Mikla returned. He had managed a very respectable above F-rank average score. ¡°I asked and in the end he decided that it was allowed to consume a poison since, as you said, it technically isn¡¯t helpful in and of itself,¡± the fracture specialist reported. ¡°Even if you have an ability that can process it into an advantage, it still doesn¡¯t make the substance itself advantageous, only your body¡¯s reception of it.¡± ¡°Seriously? I was actually expecting a rejection.¡± ¡°Honestly, so was I,¡± Mikla admitted. ¡°But she claimed that to disallow your consumption of a decidedly impairing item would force her to also prohibit Awakened capable of manipulating stone, earth, wind, or water from taking the test here at all.¡± ¡°Sweet!¡± Eik popped two of the sour balls of mixed toxic plants into his mouth. A mild tingle was all he felt as their normally destructive effects took effect throughout his body. Relatively speaking, the poison balls were mild and thus the strength granted by the evolved Resistance: Toxin skill, Noxious Invigoration. Acolyte of Toxin, the unique evolutionary path related to Profound Toxin he chose in place of a regular E-rank evolution, had not granted him as drastic a boost to his physical capability as E-rank would have. Presumably this meant that he had gotten or would get something else instead that he had yet to discover. Noxious Invigoration made up for some of the discrepancy in strength so long as he could steadily consume poison. But as his friends and enemies became stronger, he would need to raise the level of his Resistance: Toxin ability in order to survive more potent poison for a more potent invigorating effect. The new evolution of Profound Toxin, Accelerant also still had yet to be tested. The disappointing ripples it had caused in a sample of his toxin back at the cafe had been underwhelming, but there had to be more to it. Hopefully he¡¯d be able to try it in practice when they made it to the test that focused on raw damage output. He stepped onto the arena, the poison pumping through his veins like doping. Unwilling to let the poison run its course, he exploded forward like a missile, triggering a full body Movement Boost on top of the Noxious Invigoration. He flew at speeds no human body should have been capable of producing, and when he reached the first pillar with the number ¡®2¡¯ slathered on in red paint only a death grip on the rough, unpolished wood prevented him from going off the side of the arena. The buff gained from Movement Boost persisted through the next pillar and then faded as he approached the fourth. It took a moment to align his movements to the normalized pace but he managed to maintain a rhythm and clear three more pillars. On the last stretch he reached for Movement Boost again but the cooldown only allowed him a blink of extra speed. With a boot on the eighth pillar he finished the run. Faster than Sonja by a second plus change. He flashed her a cocky grin as he rejoined his friends at the foot of the arena, a gesture she repaid with a punch to his arm. Mikla handed him his drink which he sipped, momentarily forgetting how foul the drink inside truly was. ¡°How did we do relative to other E-rankers on this one?¡± Sonja asked with anticipation while Eik spit the sour beverage into the dirt to the dismay of several onlookers. Atla rocked her head from side to side, chewing on the question. ¡°More or less average for E-rank,¡± she said and Sonja¡¯s face fell slightly. ¡°Lots of specializations have indirect movement abilities, such as what Eik just demonstrated, and speed is a common foundation for many fighting styles.¡± ¡°What about the damage test?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Probably the toughest competition of the three, I¡¯d say,¡± Mikla said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get your hopes up for that one.¡± Eik didn¡¯t answer but he could barely keep the grin off his face. If what he had managed to do to the lake serpent, whose power rank had probably been low A-rank, was any indication, then the strength of his Profound Toxin lay in raw damage output. Again they moved to a different venue. Unlike the previous two, the spectator rows for the damage test had about a third of the seats occupied. The atmosphere here was completely different from the other tests. Where they had certainly been marked by enthusiasm to perform and impress, the hype here was on another level. Twice or thrice the number of waiting test takers were lined up by the side of the arena. Waiting for them here were neither pillars of wood nor C-rankers ready to punch their lights out. No, up on the platform was a framework of metal resembling solid steel. Fettered to the framework by thick shackles glowing with a lazy green hue was an enormous, brutish ogre. It was sitting down but still towering above most of the people present. It must have been at least three meters tall sitting and probably close to six standing. With arms and legs literally the size of tree trunks, the monster looked capable of crushing a car with the grip of a single hand. It wasn¡¯t clear what the exact cause was, but the creature didn¡¯t appear to be reacting to any external stimuli. Despite the unceasing buzz of more than a hundred excited people gathered in one place as well as a person actually hacking at the giant with a pair of twin axes, there was nothing to indicate that it had any awareness whatsoever. ¡°That¡¯s a B-rank monster,¡± Mikla said. ¡°It¡¯s an ogre.¡± ¡°And what do we do with it?¡± Michael asked, voice trembling, although the answer was apparent. Atla grinned. ¡°I recommend going all out!¡± Chapter 47: Accelerant ¡°Go all out?¡± Michael repeated, the blood draining from his cheeks and forehead. ¡°On that thing? What if it wakes up? I¡¯m an F-ranker! A B-rank monster could sneeze on me and I¡¯d die!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t wake up,¡± Atla stated confidently. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± the young healer exclaimed. She pointed at the glowing shackles. ¡°Those. They¡¯ve been enchanted to keep the wearer in an indefinite state of stasis. You could damage it to the point of death and it would neither feel nor know that it was happening.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Michael drawled. ¡°What if the enchantment fails?¡± ¡°It was made by an S-ranked blacksmith.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going first!¡± Heath shouted and rushed the rest of the way down to the arena. The ogre was taking no visible damage from the assault by the axe wielder, even as they got closer. ¡°His attacks don¡¯t seem to be doing anything,¡± Eik said, eliciting chuckles from a group of teens who might well have been the current test taker''s friends. They were a mixed group of races. Some were covered in fur while another had four eyes. One even had a second, longer and slimmer pair of arms extending from behind his shoulders. All of them were humanoid, however. ¡°It¡¯s an F-ranker against a B-rank monster ¡ª and one with a very high natural defense and physical toughness at that,¡± she said, watching the boy¡¯s frantic striking. ¡°The monitoring of the ogre¡¯s body will probably be the only thing we can really use to judge his accomplishment.¡± Breath ragged, the boy stepped back when the judge called for him to stop. His score was slightly below average ¡ª a result which he crestfallenly delivered to his friends who jabbed at him goodnaturedly. The next participant in the friend group stepped up, apparently carrying no weapons. She was covered in fur from top to toe. Even her face had no visible skin except for a bit of her nose. She had neither animal ears nor a tail. ¡°You get one minute to deliver as much damage as you possibly can. You can attack in any way you¡¯d like, but the rule forbidding things such as enchanted equipment, potions, and external buffs is of course still valid,¡± Mikla explained. The girl uncorked a small vial of water from her belt and poured it on the ground as the judge began a countdown. The moment her one minute began she flicked an arm toward the ogre and the spilled water sliced through the air like a polished blade, striking the ogre across the torso. Although no blood was drawn, a red streak flushed across the skin. Within seconds it was gone again, however. She used this water manipulation ability to whip and cut at rapid speeds until her time was up. She, too, was slightly below average albeit better than the axe wielder, who was ecstatic to be able to give her a taste of her own medicine. Eik watched kids as well as a couple of adults try their luck against the ogre¡¯s body to various degrees of success. A few even managed to draw blood, but it quickly healed over, leaving no injury. Heath approached the ogre as the first and drew his sword, for once discarding the shield that was otherwise usually glued to his back. He took the sword in both hands and swung down and then across with all his might as soon as the signal was given. On his third slash he activated Unerring Strike, blackish blood running viscously before the shallow wound closed back up once more. For the next minute he stabbed and slashed like a maniac, drawing one superficial streak of blood after the other. Just before his time was up he managed to use another Unerring Strike, but none of the damage stuck around. ¡°Is it being healed?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Yeah, by its own physique. It¡¯s one of the things that make these ogres so dangerous to deal with,¡± Mikla said. ¡°And ironically enough, what makes them the perfect subject for this,¡± he added. ¡°This is a little cruel,¡± she said. ¡°I agree,¡± Mikla said but didn¡¯t comment further. The judge announced a score of 6748 ¡ª a number that held no sensible meaning to any of them. It was certainly higher than what the F-rankers managed. To match discrepancy between their ranks and the rank of the test, the score would also have been artificially deflated. Michael went next, his lack of enthusiasm all too obvious just by the way he shuffled up to the ogre. His general aversion to fighting was not exactly alleviated by the presence of the gigantic B-rank monster either. But there had been a change in Michael recently. Although he was no born fighter, he had begun to realize the necessity of the capability to fight. Half-hearted smacks with his mace soon intensified until he was employing his entire body to put as much power into the attacks as he could. In the end he scored pretty terribly, but the blush in his cheeks proved that he had given it his all. He was satisfied.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He walked away with a score of 1727. ¡°There had better be a healing test as well,¡± he wheezed as he rejoined them. ¡°There is,¡± Atla laughed. ¡°but we¡¯re not going to do that one today. I¡¯ll take you some other time if you¡¯re interested.¡± Drawing her bow, Sonja prepared for her turn. She stood at the very edge of the arena, as far from the stasis-bound monster as she could get. Nocking an arrow, she pulled the string back to its full length and waited for the judge to give her the go. The first arrow struck the ogre squarely in the stomach but didn¡¯t manage to penetrate deeply enough to even stick. Her second hit as the first clacked against the stone floor, the third following shortly after. She fired thirteen arrows in eleven seconds and then used Disengage to hurl herself across the platform. She drew her blade as she sailed through the air and hammered it into the ogre¡¯s neck with the additional weight of her fall. This too caused blood to flow, but like all others before, the shallow wound knit itself together instantly. She kept up the barrage of attacks until the time ran out but bit her lip in frustration when she got her score. Heath¡¯s 6748 had beaten out her score of 6309 despite his defensive focus. Her brother saw the look on her face and refrained from dispensing sassy remarks. Already before she stepped back down, Eik¡¯s heart was racing with anticipation for what was to come. Viscous, blue liquid seeped out of his skin and collected into gurgling beads that stretched toward the silent monster, the Profound Toxin beckoning for him to rush his prey like a blood hound guiding a hunter. ¡°Can I go now?¡± Eik asked, his vision tunneling to the point where he barely registered the affirmative. Leaping to the stage, he broke into a sprint, drawing Viper Fang with the hiss of metal against leather. Only the shout of the judge ordering him to wait pulled him out of the reverie of blood. ¡°You have to wait for my signal! I¡¯ll ban you if you can¡¯t behave!¡± the judge shouted angrily. ¡°Right, right! I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eik popped a couple of poison balls, leaving him with only a handful left and readied himself. When he got the go he triggered Movement Boost and whirred up onto the ogre¡¯s shoulder. Focusing the effect of the boost into his arm and hand only, he plunged Viper Fang into its neck with all his might but the blade refused to go deeper than a few centimeter. Immediately the Profound Toxin gushed out from the blade and flowed eagerly into the shallow neck wound kept open by the sharp tip. Just like when he had been stuck inside the lake serpent¡¯s esophagus, the toxin seemed to cause some kind of localized muscle or tissue weakness that allowed the blade to sink deeper and deeper. Within fifteen seconds Viper Fang was buried to the hilt in the side of the ogre¡¯s neck and the Profound Toxin could freely invade the B-rank monster¡¯s system. The now familiar, discolored veins of affliction slithered out from the injection site like deadly snakes. With the strange, mental connection Eik felt to his toxin, he sensed as it spread and bled throughout the victim. He glanced down at the judge whose eyes were wide at the gruesome sight of Profound Toxin in action. Even though the man must have seen his own share of battle and death, the frightening aftermath of the toxin on a body wasn¡¯t pleasant to look at. The whole visage of it must have looked evil. Five seconds later, twenty seconds into his one minute, Eik triggered Accelerant. A dull, hollow boom resonated through the frozen ogre¡¯s body and a second later an energetic blue glow erupted out through its skin, shaking the thing like a cold pudding. A disc-like shock wave surged out and dissipated into thin air. The Profound Toxin that had been coursing through the ogre¡¯s system had disappeared with the activation of Accelerant, but Viper Fang was steadily pumping more poison in. ¡°It¡¯s a finisher!¡± Eik whooped gleefully. ¡°Accelerant is a finisher, guys!¡± Heath pumped his fist in the air and tried to climb the arena to get a closer look, only for Atla to pull him back down by the collar of his shirt. For the next five seconds Eik let the poison reenter before he drove Accelerant through once more, the shock wave almost shaking him from his perch on the giant¡¯s broad shoulder. The judge, who was monitoring the ogre¡¯s physical condition, looked unable to believe what he was sensing from the beast. It would seem that each use of Accelerant expelled all Profound Toxin from the victim to devastating effect. He still had almost thirty seconds left. Just how much damage could this Accelerant skill potentially do? He had to know. Wiggling the blade around in the wound, he crammed a hand into the bubbling gash, pulled Viper Fang out again and stabbed it into the other side of the neck, balancing precariously on the ogre¡¯s wide nape. It took a little twisting and more poison, but after another fifteen seconds, he had two inlets for his liquid death to flow through. He pumped the output up beyond what the two wounds could take so the blue fluid poured over and down the body. The pale skin reddened slightly at the contact, but no angry welts sprung forth. ¡°Ten seconds left!¡± the judge called, the sick, dark veins reaching past the ogre¡¯s massive chest. Eik knew that the way he was loading poison into his victim was only possible because it was happening in a controlled environment. Recklessly clinging to the target like some bizarre, reverse leech was not feasible in practice, with the exception of especially extraordinary situations such as getting accidentally stuck on the inside of an A-rank monster. This was the time to prove, in particular to himself, that he was worth something. That he was capable of and had potential for more than just being a pawn in the back and forth between Earth and the Nidafjeld Alliance. ¡°Five seconds!¡± Eik kept the toxin flowing, the lively substance ardently obeying his internal desire and streaming into the wounds. ¡°Four!¡± the judge shouted. Eik tore Viper Fang out of the wound, blood following in a thick arch. Sheathing the stained weapon, he wrapped his legs tightly around the ogre¡¯s chunky neck and his arms around its forehead. ¡°Accelerant!¡± he hissed under his breath, calling upon the newfound power. The boom this time was incomparable to the last two. A rumbling echo from within the giant¡¯s body shook it violently like an earthquake. The blue glow started as a dim, barely visible sparkle but rapidly evolved into a glare of light so bright that it was difficult to look at directly. Like an undersea detonation, two ferocious pulses of energy that emerged from the ogre¡¯s body seemed to warp its form like some kind of macabre transformation. They slammed into Eik from below with such overwhelming force that his arms and legs were ripped from the monster, sending him sailing up and through the air. He landed hard on his side, the solid flagstones purging the air from his lungs. He gasped as he wiggled and squirmed on the ground in agony. ¡°My ass! Mike, I think I just broke my ass!¡± he howled as he felt around for blood, relieved to find nothing. When no answer came he glanced up and noticed the expressions on his friends¡¯ faces. He rolled over and looked at the ogre. It was smoking. ¡°What happened¡­?¡± he whispered, eyes flicking between the stasis-bound monster and the dumbstruck judge. The man watched him with disbelief. ¡°You¡­ are supposed to be E-rank, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Right,¡± Eik confirmed. The judge started doing some calculations and appeared to hesitate to announce his conclusion. ¡°Eik Magnasen¡¯s score,¡± he called loudly. ¡°72496!¡± Chapter 48: Record Breaker ¡°72496!¡± the judge announced, his face saying that he still wasn¡¯t sure he had sensed that right. Eik stared at the man, not sure if his ears had gotten the number correct either. His optimistic hope for the score had been something around double Heath¡¯s 6748, but 72496? The potency of Profound Toxin was honestly frightening. With the strength it now displayed, he could never allow it to ever touch any of his allies again. It felt like his hands had been transformed into loaded guns. Head pivoting on his shoulders, he took in the reactions of the audience standing stunned around the arena. People had climbed down from the spectator seats further up along the sloping amphitheater to get a better view of the spectacle. The faces displayed a mix of disbelief, suspicion, and admiration. As the thirst for blood and carnage that had consumed him began to wane, Eik suddenly felt terribly exposed there on the middle of the platform, a smoking monster acting as the backdrop for his absurd performance. Mikla too looked like he''d seen a ghost as he stared up at Eik. His jaw was hanging around shoulder height. Profound Toxin''s aggression had really messed with him back there. Even before the fight, he had been aching to run wild, not realizing what he did now ¡ª that the ability had influenced his mind. There was no telling how many times it had happened in the past, but this time he was actively feeling the influence fade. Felt it slacken its hold on his mind. Although he had no real evidence, he felt sure. He''d always had trouble keeping his mouth shut but... The clack clack of the judge¡¯s footsteps echoed hollowly across the deathly silent amphitheater as he went to double check the ogre. He put a hand on its hip and closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. ¡°This one¡¯s barely alive at this point,¡± he concluded. ¡°I¡¯ll need to get a skilled healer here before I can let anybody else try their hand at this test.¡± This, however, elicited several vocal responses from the teenagers waiting for their turns. ¡°What do you mean we can¡¯t go? Are you kidding me? I reserved two whole days to come here!¡± one shouted from the side line. ¡°It¡¯s all because that damn rank faker got to go first! He¡¯s obviously not a real E-ranker! He was just pretending! Disqualify his score or at least let us see his status!¡± Eik eyed Atla nervously. This wasn¡¯t good. While his plaque certainly wouldn''t show a rank above E-rank in the letter sequence, it would show something much more revealing ¡ª Acolyte of Toxin. Atla didn¡¯t know that he had pioneered an evolutionary path related to Profound Toxin, but the fact that Profound Toxin was listed as a Unique skill right there on his ability sheet seemed to be enough to cause her to worry. She met his gaze and he could see the thoughts swirling around her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± she said, hand raised into the air for attention. ¡°I can personally vouch for his identity, the correctness and legitimacy of this test, as well as his E-rank. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes,¡± she lied. She had only seen his F-rank status and then been told that he¡¯d evolved. ¡°And who the hell are you then?¡± the angry teenager yelled, an adult who appeared to be one of his relatives riling him up further. Atla pulled out a card, the details of which Eik couldn¡¯t discern at that distance, and flashed it to the complainer. The young man wasn¡¯t the least bit impressed by the identification document and kept running his mouth loudly, but his relative was not quite as ignorant, the courage leaving him in the blink of an eye. He gripped the teen by the shoulder and began to haul him away, bowing to Atla again and again as he backed away. The annoyed teen tried to elbow away the hands holding him. ¡°Let go of me, dad! She can¡¯t just pull a piece of paper out of her ass like it¡¯s going to prove anything. Why aren¡¯t you showing yours? You¡¯re a member of the council of the Gaha¡¯akty clan, for crying out loud!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± the frightened father hissed into his son¡¯s ear, shaking the boy roughly. ¡°She¡¯s an official of the Nidafjeld Administration of First Contact!¡± The teen frowned but then his eyes widened as realization struck like a bolt of lightning. His mouth bobbed like a fish thrown haphazardly onto the deck of an oil tanker. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± he stammered and almost tripped over his own feet trying to put distance between them. ¡°Please forgive me!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave!¡± the father said frantically. ¡°We meant no disrespect!¡± They made for the stairs but Atla caught the father by the wrist. ¡°No need to leave. And no offense taken. I¡¯m well aware of how my friend¡¯s little performance might have looked but I can promise you that he¡¯s genuine.¡± She winked. The teenager side-eyed Eik and then his three teammates. Despite his initial fear, curiosity now got the better of him. ¡°Ms., could it be that these people are from a fresh world?¡± he asked, earning himself a slap on the shoulder by his father. Atla didn''t answer. ¡°How did you do that?¡± a girl asked him as he stepped down from the platform. ¡°It was insane! What did you do to become so strong?¡± Eik¡¯s gaze flicked to Atla. ¡°I¡­ My abilities are specialized for this kind of burst damage. Much worse for prolonged combat. Plus, I''m not even F-rank anymore.¡± He laughed nervously. He was crashing mentally after that blood rage. His head was spinning. ¡°What¡¯s next, Atla?¡± With the apparent extreme rarity of Worldbreaker abilities, people probably wouldn''t assume that to be the case here just because some rookie broke the record. At least he hoped they wouldn''t. And he needed to show the Nidafjeld Alliance that he was worth their time. That Earth was worth their time. If he had to put a toe in the spotlight to prove that then... it had to be worth it. If they were interested in his future as an ally then that would be one more card his people could play.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The influence of Profound Toxin on his mind was terrifying however. It was like having an evil twin or something. The thought that it could rob him of his inhibitions was not a comforting one. Atla studied him closely for a second. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for today. We can continue to the main event tomorrow.¡± She led them through the gathering crowd, the mass parting readily in front of her now that her identity was known. Mikla began speaking frantically as soon as they put some distance between them and the arena. "What the hell was that? That''s not how it''s supposed to go! You got... You scored 72496! You''re E-rank for crying out loud! E-ranks don''t take out B-rank monsters in a minute! How the hell...?" Eik tried to think of a way to explain it but he came up blank. "I just got a really good evolution for my Toxin recently, that''s all. It''s called Accelerant." "Never heard of that. But that doesn''t make any¡ª" "I''d really rather not discuss it right now, okay? I promise I''ll tell you some other time," Eik interrupted. "Is that okay?" Maybe he''d tell him about Profound Toxin once he was strong enough. Mikla stared at him for a moment as he contemplated an answer. "I¡ª... Y-Yes, of course. That was rude of me." "Thanks, man." ¡°Where the hell have you been hiding that?¡± Heath asked him in a whisper as soon as Mikla left him alone. ¡°That was¡­ not normal.¡± ¡°Well, remember how Accelerant seemed kind of disappointing when we tested it at the cafe back then?¡± ¡°Yeah, was that¡ª¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Eik said with a look over his shoulder. Some of the kids from the arena had followed them up the stairs to watch them leave. ¡°that was what it looks like to use it in practice.¡± ¡°Can you tell what it does, specifically?¡± Sonja asked. He examined a bead of Profound Toxin on his finger. It roiled slightly as he triggered Accelerant, but nothing more. There was not explosion and no shock wave like there had been. ¡°As far as I can tell, it purges all poison from the victim and delivers some kind of concentrated attack based on the toxic buildup in the system.¡± ¡°So all the toxin is lost when you use it?¡± Michael asked. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s what it felt like, yeah.¡± ¡°And then you have to reapply, so to speak?¡± Eik pulled a face. ¡°But it seems like you¡¯d never need to inject any more after a round like that,¡± Heath pointed out. He shook his head. ¡°That was almost a whole minute of uninterrupted toxin through two huge gashes at maximum output. It can¡¯t be compared to a real battle where I¡¯ll probably get much less than that in per attack.¡± ¡°Good point. Maybe not the weapon of extreme destruction that it looked like then.¡± ¡°I think it had some serious potential,¡± Michael said. ¡°To shorten longer fights if nothing else.¡± They stepped back through the fracture, the still, indoor air hitting them like stale bread. ¡°Can I have one of those orange pear juices?¡± Eik asked, gazing thirstily at the cafe where a small line had formed. ¡°My cocoa was expired.¡± ¡°That was your own fault,¡± Mikla huffed. ¡°Precise explanation is of utmost importance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you one,¡± Atla said, tapping Michael on the arm as she passed. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± he said sheepishly. They claimed a table under one of the display screens, the buzz of people all around them strangely calming. Eik gasped as he sat down. His butt still ached like crazy from getting launched into the air. ¡°Dude, look!¡± Heath elbowed him and pointed up at the screens. On the far left of the display something was different from earlier when they had come through. Crucible ¡ª F-rank ¡ª Test: raw damage output ¡ª Scoreboard (E-rank participants) NEW 1st place: Eik Magnasen - 72496 points 2nd place: Masakir Hahakan ¨C 47221 points 3rd place: Jug Juk¡¯Jukk ¨C 44592 points The list was longer, but all Eik really did was read his own listing fifteen times over, unable to trust the numbers of the screens. He was supposed to be a weak, unawakened apothecary selling minor nostrums and antiserums, not sitting at the top of the scoreboard of some multiversal super organization full of indomitable warriors. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­ my name?¡± he drawled as Atla placed his drink in front of him, his eyes never even registering it. ¡°And you¡¯re more than twenty thousand points ahead of the old number one!¡± Michael breathed. ¡°What you did was actually insane!¡± As if planted by the crew of some kind of wild hidden camera reality show, a girl a couple of tables behind Eik exclaimed loudly to her friends. ¡°Look! Look at that new record in E-rank! Is that even real?¡± They hyped it up like mad, pulling other people into it as they raved. ¡°Who is it?¡± someone yelled. ¡°What family are they from? Is it a child from one of the major clans?¡± shouted another. By now the news were out properly and people were going absolutely nuts. A high score like that which blew the previous front runner out of the water so utterly and completely was going to turn into a juicy rumor. This was definitely going to be wound up and spun out of proportions. A group came back from the testing site, heads on swivels as they scanned the crowd. ¡°Did anybody see who it was?¡± a voice in the mass shouted. ¡°Yeah, we saw him!¡± one of the newcomers answered, a boy no older than seventeen, judging by human standards. ¡°He was huge and strong, like a legendary warrior. He was so freaking cool!¡± ¡°And he was handsome too!¡± one of the boy¡¯s friends added. Heath regarded Eik whose face had become a painting of discomfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, bro,¡± he said, patting Eik reassuringly on the shoulder. ¡°If it¡¯s someone strong, cool, and handsome, then they definitely aren¡¯t talking about you.¡± Eik couldn¡¯t help but laugh and knuckle punched his friend in the thigh as he stood from his seat, keeping his head as low as he possibly could while still remaining inconspicuous. ¡°I really think it¡¯s about time to get out of here now.¡± The other nodded. Once they made it back to the rooms, Mikla opened a fracture to town where they got something to eat and discussed the events of the day. Heath was disappointed that he hadn¡¯t managed to check whether or not he had made it into the top one hundred in the physical endurance test, but agreed that it had been the right decision to leave. After a feast of dirt duck, thick with savory sauces, and an impressive array of native greens and root vegetables, of which Eik and Heath devoured two orders each, they headed back to their rooms. Tomorrow they would undertake the main test of the Crucible. It was referred to as the ¡°practical¡±. Apparently, rather than several individual challenges, the practical mimicked real life. Atla and Mikla would explain more before sending them off tomorrow, but they promised that the practical was not as harmless as what they had done today. They parted outside Eik¡¯s large, luxurious suite, the other rooms situated just down the hall. Although the practical would likely span multiple days, Eik went to bed early, mostly because he didn¡¯t have anything better to do. With the hasty departure he¡¯d forgotten something to read. *** Loud, quick footsteps in the hallway outside jolted Eik awake. In a second his heart was in his throat, dread fueled by the traumatic experience of almost being murdered by a grief-stricken woman in this very room. The room was pitch black and he couldn¡¯t remember where the light was. The door burst open, revealing the outline of a woman backlit brightly by the lights in the hallway. She entered without hesitation and Eik would have screamed in fear if he hadn¡¯t noticed the unmistakable tint of pink in her illuminated hair. ¡°Atla?¡± he said breathlessly. ¡°Get up, quickly,¡± she ordered and tore the covers off him, causing him to scramble to cover his fruits and vegetables. ¡°Hey!¡± he complained in outrage. ¡°What the hell is going on with you? Are you crazy?¡± She threw his underwear in his face. ¡°Get up, now! We have to get you away! I¡¯ll go and wake the others!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening? Tell me!¡± he shouted as she went for the door again. She turned in the door way, face grave. ¡°Do you remember Menka Tokanami?¡± ¡°The mad woman who tried to kill me? What do you think? I¡¯ve been trying to forget¡­¡± ¡°She knows you¡¯re here and she¡¯s coming after you.¡± Chapter 49: The Practical Eik put on his pants and ran into the hallway where Atla was waking up the others. Mis followed him, seeing a chance to beg for a rare midnight snack. Sonja was up and alert in seconds, Michael following soon after. Heath was still trying to get his eyes to open all the way by the time Eik made it there. ¡°She¡¯s after us? I thought she had calmed down!¡± ¡°So did I,¡± Atla said, ¡°but she¡¯s on her way here nonetheless.¡± ¡°But¡­ how did she even find out that we¡¯re here?¡± "Was it the high score?" Sonja wondered out loud. ¡°The rumors must have gone around quicker than we thought. Or maybe someone she knows was present to notice.¡± Eik sat on the edge of Heath¡¯s bed and put his head in his hands. It had been thrilling to destroy that test, but with everything that had happened to him since he Awoke, Eik should have known that too much attention was the worst curse in society. Attention ruined everything. A pox on you, Profound Toxin! Now that he had realized that the ability did something to his inhibitions during tense or hostile moments, it explained some of his behavior in the past. He''d always been the type to talk before thinking but some recent events were a bit concerning. It wasn''t like it really changed him, which was also why it was difficult to notice, but it had just enhanced some of those traits. Aggression, anger. Stuff like that. ¡°So what the hell do we do?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s even coming here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± She dangled the same little card that identified her as an official of the Nidafjeld Administration of First Contact that she had used to silence the father son duo from the day before. ¡°People tell me stuff that I want to know.¡± ¡°And then what are we going to do?¡± Eik asked, frustration and fear taking a firm hold on him. ¡°Hide under our beds? How is she here? You have to fix this!¡± he hissed, fury burning in his eyes as he regarded Atla. The same anger was reflected in the eyes of the others. Her gaze was firm. "She was released." "Released?" Sonja shouted with disbelief. "That''s outrageous! Just how corrupt is the alliance?" Atla bit her lower lip hard, alluding to her own feelings on the matter. ¡°Mikla will be here soon, hopefully. He¡¯s a little tired, but he¡¯ll open a fracture to the Crucible grounds. Michael, you¡¯re E-rank soon, yes?¡± The young healer nodded with trepidation. ¡°Alright, listen. I¡¯m going to send you guys to the practical a little earlier than planned. Given what you showed me today in the individual challenges, you¡¯re more than capable of completing the E-rank practical.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sending us into danger to get us out of danger?¡± Heath asked through narrowed eyes. ¡°In what world does that make sense?¡± ¡°To be specific, I¡¯m sending you into E-rank danger to get away from much worse danger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just going to come after us in there! You can protect us much better out here!¡± Michael protested but Atla shook her head. ¡°She¡¯ll be powerless to touch you in there. The fractures are carefully constructed to collapse when exposed to power levels above the specified rank. If she tried to go through it it would implode once she was halfway inside and reject her violently.¡± Once the others had gotten dressed and gotten into their gear with haste they followed Eik to his room so he could do the same. Mikla came in just as Eik had strapped on his belt containing healing spheres and the clumps of poison. He hadn¡¯t the time to mix any more poison, so he¡¯d have to make do with only a handful of the useful little things. Hopefully he¡¯d be able to improvise somehow. Mikla promised Eik that he would come back here the moment they were through the fracture and bring Mis back with him to his own quarters so she wouldn¡¯t get caught up in whatever was to come. ¡°What if she sends a horde of subordinates after us instead of going herself then?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Surely she has E-rankers she can order around or something.¡± ¡°First of all,¡± Atla said while Mikla ripped a fracture through the air. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to prevent from doing anything to you directly. She is not justified in her persecution of you, but that doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t try.¡± They stepped through, emerging in the middle of the second floor of the large building housing the Crucible tests. In the gloom it was difficult to see, but a sign read: ¡°The Crucible ¡ª 2nd Floor ¡ª E-rank¡± ¡°Second, she wouldn¡¯t send a horde of subordinates, as you put it. It would be far to easy to discover, track, and hinder. She would, at most, send a small team around the size of your own. Anything more would be too obvious.¡± ¡°And if she does?¡± Michael asked. Atla kept walking in silence for a moment before answering. ¡°You should kill them.¡± ¡°K-Kill them?¡± Michael stammered. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of world you live in now, Michael,¡± the always gentle Mikla said matter-of-factly. ¡°Sometimes people come for your life and if you want to keep it you¡¯ll have to take theirs.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The young healer¡¯s quivering pupils sought his friends, but their expressions showed that this was a fact they had already come to terms with. The moment individuals gained the personal power to level cities and perform feats of destruction that, just a few years earlier, would have taken a well-equipped army, the paradigm shifted. The law could not reach everyone. The strongest could be touched by none. The second strongest could be touched only by the strongest. Might made right and that wasn¡¯t going to change. ¡°We¡¯re already about that deep in back home, Mike,¡± Heath said as they entered a room with about ten humming fractures lined up. ¡°Rock Fist Bart tried to kill Eik and almost killed me. The next time that happens we¡¯re going to have to start retaliating in earnest.¡± Michael didn¡¯t respond but the look on his face looked haunted in the gleam of the fractures. ¡°Are we even allowed to be in here?¡± Sonja finally asked. Atla simply tapped her finger on the identification card that she seemed to have made a habit of pulling out. ¡°I can do almost anything I want to.¡± she said seriously. Eik wasn''t sure he liked that particular fact. ¡°So what¡¯s the practical going to entail?¡± ¡°Kill the boss. Simple,¡± Mikla explained. ¡°How do we find it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it too,¡± Mikla smiled gesturing toward a fracture. ¡°Your entrance is number three. This one here.¡± ¡°And if we get in trouble in there? How do we call for a rescue?¡± Sonja asked heaving her backpack onto her shoulders properly. Mikla had brought supplies for them to survive on until they could gather their own during the practical. They were lucky to have a guy like Eik who could act as their personal food taster, weeding out all the poisonous foods without the others having to try their luck. Atla and Mikla exchanged looks. ¡°It¡¯s meant to simulate a real expedition or mission.¡± ¡°Which means?¡± ¡°That if you¡¯re not back after seven days, then we dispatch a rescue party just like¡ª¡± ¡°Just like what we were sent to do for those kids that were eaten by the Moon Shall Swallow cult,¡± Heath finished. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°A little extreme for training, don¡¯t you think?¡± Eik said. Atla pursed her lips. ¡°The demand for powerful Awakened is always higher than the supply. People are free to pursue peaceful lives, but we need the ones who hunger for battle, adventure, and exploration to be the best they can be,¡± she said. ¡°In fact, while Menka Tokanami would be too much to handle, an encounter with a hunting squad in there would be a valuable experience for you.¡± Eik did not like the sound of that idea one bit. He was tired of being at the whim of every person more powerful than him. Atla handed Eik a handful of flowers ¡ª a mix of purples, blues, and oranges. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked. ¡°Poisonous flowers for your convenience,¡± she smiled and regarded the others. ¡°I know we promised you rewards for your contribution to the rescue of the kids back then, and you¡¯ll certainly get them, but you¡¯ll have to make do as you are for now. We¡¯ll have them ready for you when you get back, I think.¡± They nodded. She gave them a metallic case which, upon inspection, contained a row of three perfect, violet spheres nestled into pockets lined with some kind of cushioning. Viscous liquid swirled around on the inside with no visible air bubbles. ¡°Healing potions,¡± Atla explained. ¡°Considerably more potent than what you make Eik, although I admire what you managed to come up with using the materials you had at your disposal. Three of them were all I could scrounge up on such short notice.¡± Michael clicked the lid closed again and placed it securely in one of the smaller pockets of his bandolier. He was the least likely to take a hit or get into close combat so they chose him to carry the medicine. ¡°How are they used?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Just place one in your mouth and the protective shell will dissolve within a couple of seconds. They¡¯re actually quite a bit sturdier than they look but are made specifically to break down upon contact with saliva.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You should get going,¡± Mikla said. ¡°We can¡¯t know when they might show up so we should stay ahead as much as possible.¡± Eik had more to say about his dissatisfaction with this whole situation but before he could voice them properly, they were urged through the fracture with no further ado, suddenly thrust into yet another world full of unknowns. Immediately they were blinded. In the Nidafjeld headquarters it had been the black of night but here the noon sun hung glaring above their heads. Another, smaller ball of light was visible in the sky as well, but it was no more than a fourth the size of the larger one. ¡°Where are we?¡± Michael said, blinking away tears as he cupped a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the harsh beams. ¡°And¡­ Wait, Eik, why are you knee deep in that stream?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eik looked down and noticed for the first time that he was submerged halfway up his legs. ¡°Gah, what the hell! And why am I the only one in the water?¡± He tried to step out of the stream but because his feet had instantly sunk into the soft, underwater bed he tripped and slapped face first into the muddy bank, soiling the entirety of the front of his outfit. He wiggled and struggled for a few seconds of frustrated huffing. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there laughing, Heath, you dumb bread! Help me out of this god damned river!¡± he scolded. Wiping tears from his cheeks with one hand, Heath gripped his unfortunate friend by the wrist with the other and hauled him out of the mud as easily as if he had been pulling a snack carrot from a glass of water. ¡°I¡¯m filthy!¡± Eik groaned, looking down his body dripping with gray sludge. ¡°We¡¯re like four seconds into this damned practical and I already look like I¡¯ve been living in a swamp for eight months!¡± While Sonja and Michael managed to restrict their amusement to covering their mouths and stifled chuckles, Heath was literally on the floor about to piss his pants laughing. Having something to laugh about felt good after the bad news regarding Menka''s release. Eik hopped back into the stream and scrubbed his face, hair, and clothes, washing off all the mud in the flowing water as the others looked on, Heath barely keeping himself composed. ¡°Is that a good idea, Eik?¡± Michael asked unhelpfully late. ¡°We¡¯re in another world and we don¡¯t know what kind of parasites might call that stream home. Did you know that, in the Amazonian waterways, there¡¯s a tiny, little fish that has been known to sometimes swim up men¡¯s p¡ª¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m getting out, I¡¯m getting out!¡± he cried and hopped out of the water as quickly as he could. ¡°Damn, nice jump, dude!¡± Heath said. Eik stopped and concentrated on his body, feeling around for a certain effect. It only took a second to notice the difference. ¡°My Noxious Invigoration has activated. It¡¯s not much but there had to be poison in the water, or maybe in the soil,¡± he said, stomping the muddy bank. ¡°Do you think all water in this world is poisonous to us?¡± Michael wondered, his nerves making themselves known again. ¡°I hope not, but I¡¯ll check again when we find another source.¡± They looked around the area they had landed, looking for early indications of an ideal path, but nothing seemed particularly strange compared to the world itself in general. Among the first things they noticed were the trees. There were none. Titanic, mushroom-like growths seemed to dominate the region, reaching tens of meter into the air with wide hats which would block out the sun in most of its positions in the sky. The fact that there appeared to be two suns helped the light come through, but most of the ground was still cast in mild shade. Otherwise, the entire place was covered in cool, soft moss, colors of dark blue, green, and purple dyeing the world in hues resembling a fairy tale. From the moss sprouted many smaller mushrooms, breaking easily as they walked through them. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to take a page out of the book of that F-rank team we helped,¡± Eik said as he looked around, lost. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to pick a direction and start walking.¡± Chapter 50: Striders After about half an hour of trudging through thick moss they came across a small pond no more than a few meters from edge to edge. Although Eik was hesitant to put his face into the water, he also realized the importance of locating a drinkable source of water before their rather limited supply began to ran out. What they had managed to bring would last them at most three days, and especially since they expected plenty of walking three days of supplies would be up before they knew it. Letting the smallest trickle of water enter his mouth, Eik swallowed and waited for the effects of Noxious Invigoration to start appearing. Unfortunately, after about ten seconds they did and that dismissed the pond as a possible source of drinking water. As soon as that was confirmed Eik let Profound Toxin fill his mouth and swallowed the bitter fluid in three gulps. He repeated it three more times, just to make sure that any alien parasite that might have been present in the water had been utterly annihilated. ¡°Can you estimate the severity of the toxins in the water, Eik?¡± Sonja asked. Eik tilted his head from side to side with a contemplative expression. ¡°Not really, to be honest. I¡¯m just not familiar enough with the efficacy of Resistance: Toxin to make an accurate judgement based on that alone. Even toxic herbs and plants that could be fatal to an unawakened under the right circumstances barely bother me anymore.¡± He tried to feel around his body for the symptoms of the poison in the water, but it was difficult to pin down under the layers of resistance. ¡°Maybe a neurotoxin of some kind? It could be something I¡¯ve never encountered, or that might not even exist on Earth.¡± ¡°Do you think one of us should try to drink it to test? Maybe it¡¯s just a slight irritant or something,¡± Sonja suggested, Michael and Heath taking a few steps back. Eik gave it some thought. ¡°I think we should look around for others sources first, and then if we end up trying it, we¡¯ll have to be ready with one of those new healing potions Atla gifted us.¡± She nodded, more than willing to yield to Eik¡¯s expertise on the topic of toxins. ¡°By the way,¡± he said as they started walking again. ¡°remind me to ask Atla to teach me how to make those healing potions. They¡¯d fly off the shelves once I get Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs up and running again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to open your store again? What about our team? What about that thing where you¡¯re probably the most important man in Forest right now?¡± Heath asked. ¡°No no, it¡¯s just going to be a side project at this point. I¡¯ll mix some stuff when we have downtime. Might employ some poor chap to run the place since I won¡¯t have time to be there much. But maybe I''ll expand if I can get my hands on alien recipes. You¡¯re the one who suggested that a while back, remember?¡± Heath pursed his lips in thought. ¡°Vaguely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Heathy. We¡¯re taking this team to the top of the multiverse!¡± It was another ten minutes before they encountered something disturbing. After that long without anything more dangerous than the poisonous water, they had begun to grow complacent. Heath had dropped his shield to hang loosely on his arm and their usually tight formation had grown sloppy and disorganized. Abruptly, while Michael and Eik were discussing the possibility of building a greenhouse in Eik¡¯s back garden to establish a dedicated production of cocoa, Sonja pulled Mike back behind one of the massive mushrooms by his shirt. ¡°Stop! Get back!¡± she hissed with a voice barely above a whisper. She was gesturing wildly for Eik and Heath to follow them into hiding. ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing in the direction they had been walking as they gathered around the fleshy trunk. ¡°Look at that thing.¡± To begin with it was difficult to spot what she was talking about, but once they saw it it became impossible to unsee. With eerie, slow movements, a ten meter tall stick was striding along one of the many streams that patterned the landscape like a spider web. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ so creepy,¡± Michael commented as they peeked out from behind the mushroom. ¡°Where is it going? It¡¯s following the water so carefully.¡± With purple hues mottling a brown carapace, it was able to blend into the environment incredibly well despite it¡¯s staggering height. On six spindly, almost invisible legs Eik didn¡¯t doubt that they would have nutmegged the bastard if Sonja hadn¡¯t been smart enough to stay vigilant. ¡°Which side is its face and which side is its ass?¡± Heath asked, staring open-mouthed. ¡°The side that¡¯s walking away is obviously the ass, dude. Face is going forward. That¡¯s the law of nature,¡± Eik whispered. ¡°Not trichoplax adhaerens. It has no front and no back. In fact, it doesn¡¯t really have anything ¡ª it has no stomach, muscles, or even blood. It¡¯s just a hairy plate, basically,¡± Michael broke in, his eyes never leaving the odd-looking strider.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Eik and Heath stared while Sonja sighed quietly. ¡°How the hell do you know that kind of stuff?¡± Heath questioned. ¡°So I¡¯m interested in biology, okay? Sue me!¡± ¡°What should we do about the monster?¡± Sonja asked, cutting their discussion short. ¡°I mean, this is the E-rank practical, right?¡± Eik said. ¡°And we¡¯re mostly E-rank, so we should be able to take it.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t there also be monsters we should keep away from because they¡¯re too strong. If it¡¯s supposed to be a simulation of the real world, that would make sense,¡± Michael added. ¡°That one looks weak though,¡± Heath said. ¡°I¡¯m up for trying it,¡± Eik said. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to have to get a feel for the monsters in the place soon or later anyway.¡± Once what they presumed to be the monster¡¯s face was angled away from their hiding spot by the pattern of the stream it was following, they legged it to the next trunk and then the next, approaching cautiously despite their earlier chatter. The strider didn¡¯t appear to take notice of them whatsoever, even when they got close enough for any Earth monster to have charged them already. ¡°Hey, look,¡± Eik whispered as they stepped clear of the last trunk between them and the thing. ¡°There are feelers hanging down from its body.¡± ¡°They¡¯re so thin. Like hairs.¡± The strands hung around it like the tentacles of a jellyfish, swaying slightly as a soft breeze passed. ¡°Maybe they''re its weak point. Everything else looks like carapace,¡± Eik suggested and Heath immediately stepped up and slashed his sword into one of them before they could stop him, failing to sever it despite its apparent fragility. As if the thing had been waiting for them to do exactly that, one of the gangling legs rose high into the air and drove downward, impacting Heath¡¯s thick metal shield with the force of an industrial hammer striking an anvil. Heath¡¯s knees buckled under the power of the instantaneous attack and it would have forced him down if the pointy leg hadn¡¯t slid off the surface of the shield and thunked deep into the earth. A second and third leg followed with lightning speed, one glancing off Heath¡¯s shield again like the first one had while the other tore a nasty scrape across his thigh. The tank stumbled back with a gasp, two more legs missing him completely. ¡°They¡¯re all aiming for the exact same place, even after I moved! I don¡¯t think it can see!¡± he shouted through clenched teeth. It plunged another spear-like limb into the earth before it begun to spin around creepily, legs moving rapidly as the feelers flowed outward like a twirling summer dress, searching for its attacker. Michael began working on Heath¡¯s wound, his hands humming with the regenerative green magic. ¡°Please give me a heads-up next time, Heath,¡± he complained. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to cast Single Protection on you. This gash could have been avoided.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Heath mumbled. ¡°Should we use one of the new healing potions?¡± Michael asked as the monster continued to spin around in search of them. Eik examined the leg injury. It wasn¡¯t as bad as he had initially feared. It had barely hit him but the sheer force of the attack had essentially shaved off the surface of skin and flesh. ¡°I think your healing and one of my healing chunks should be sufficient for something of this severity.¡± ¡°It''s coming closer!¡± Sonja warned and they moved back further. ¡°Shoot it with arrows!¡± Eik said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem capable of much outside the range of those feelers.¡± She did as advised but narrowly missed the first two shots, the many wiry sections of the stick insect-like monster¡¯s body moving too quickly and erratically to get a proper aim. Miraculously the third struck one of the legs, a bony crack announcing a break. The leg broke almost cleanly in two, the dangling limb hanging on by nothing more than a pale string of flesh. A shrill wail pierced the air like a needle. Stumbling, the monster took a moment as it struggled to realign its balance to only five legs. ¡°Mike, cast Bind! On its healthy legs, now!¡± Eik shouted, seeing a chance to catch the beast off guard. Weaving his fingers in a smooth pattern, the healer obeyed and golden strings sprouted from the ground like glowing roots, snaring two of the spindly legs. The Bind advanced rapidly up the leg to hook on some of the sharp spines protruding from the strider¡¯s body. The monster crashed to the ground with a crisp, pulpy crunch, its towering height proving devastating. Whether the thing was still alive after a fall like that was not clear, but Michael still rushed in and smashed his heavy metal mace into its alien head. The squelch as fragile carapace gave in and brain matter spilled out into the stream left no doubt. ¡°Dude, you took that thing down like a champion!¡± Eik exclaimed, congratulating Michael on his first almost solo kill. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to do anything.¡± ¡°It was just the perfect opponent for my only remotely offensive ability. Nothing more,¡± the healer answered humbly. ¡°Only offensive ability so far,¡± Heath pointed out. ¡°And your mace wasn¡¯t a bad fit for its head either.¡± ¡°I wonder where it was going,¡± Sonja wondered out loud. ¡°It seemed to be following the stream pretty religiously back there.¡± ¡°It might be worth checking out. It could just be a coincidence but we don¡¯t have any better ideas right now,¡± Eik said. Following the stream in the same direction the creepy strider had been, the formations of oversized mushrooms gradually began to grow denser and more robust. Several times as they walked, their stream joined another as they all appeared to be flowing toward a shared center. Soon they encountered another of the tall stick insects striding along a bubbling stream similarly to the first. They felled it like the first, using Michael¡¯s Bind ability to target its height and awkward movements. This one was crushed from the fall as well. These glass cannons offered well deserved and necessary chunks of ability progression for Michael which brought him closer to the others. It was a commonly accepted truth that healers and Awakened specializing in support could have difficulty keeping up with teammates, so any extra advancement was something to celebrate. They encountered two more as the mushrooms grew frequent enough to warrant the descriptor of ¡°forest¡±. With those four kills Michael had managed to level up Bind to level 10, and his Heal had hit level 19 while Single Protection had only advanced by one from level 8 to level 9. For another fifteen minutes they trudged through the soft moss until the scent of grilled crab reached their noses. They followed the smell for about a hundred meters where the source of smell became clear. ¡°Is that¡­ another strider?¡± Michael asked as they stood over the corpse. ¡°But it¡¯s already dead,¡± Heath said. ¡°Burnt to a crisp it looks like. What did this?¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a fire breathing monster living in this area,¡± Michael wondered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Sonja said, kneeling by the corpse as she studied the head of the downed beast. She ran a finger along a bloody wound. ¡°This is from a blade. It wasn¡¯t done by a monster.¡± Eik said out loud what everybody was thinking. ¡°Someone¡¯s here with us.¡± Chapter 51: Hunted ¡°Someone¡¯s here with us,¡± Eik said. ¡°But¡­ how the hell did Menka Tokanami¡¯s people come after us that quickly? Wasn¡¯t Atla supposed to stop them from following us through the fracture,¡± Heath exclaimed. Sonja shrugged. ¡°Anything could have happened after we left. If Atla and Mikla were forced to leave the fracture unguarded it probably wouldn¡¯t have been that difficult to get through.¡± Eik massaged the bridge of his nose with a sigh of frustration. ¡°From what I can tell, it¡¯s been at least ten minutes since this tall guy was killed but they could still be around here. If they¡¯re looking for us, they aren¡¯t necessarily just wandering around like we are.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to tell with all the moss, but I think they went this way,¡± Sonja said as she examined a series of indentations that resembled foot prints. The direction indicated was not the direction Eik¡¯s team had been moving nor particularly close to the one from which they¡¯d come so they decided to simply continue going as they had been. ¡°All we really know is that there¡¯s at least one person and that that person uses fire to attack.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re going to have to trust that Atla fixes this whole thing and try to solve this practical as quickly as possible,¡± Heath said. ¡°preferably before we run into whoever is chasing us.¡± "That''s a good plan if we''re willing to trust that she doesn''t actually want us to fight these guys? For the ''experience'' and all that," Eik muttered. The others didn''t answer but their faces said they were thinking the same thing. Going from slow trudge to light jog, they made good time along the stream, eyes on stalks looking for the tall, well camouflaged striders. Three more of them succumbed to Michael¡¯s tripping tactic before they encountered a new type of monster. At first they mistook it for another strider corpse, but upon closer inspection it was moving and very much not the same beast. With the appearance of a ghastly cross between an overgrown tadpole and a salamander, the monster dragged its body languidly through a shallow stream on thick, short arm. Hind legs were nowhere to be seen and its movements lacked anything that could be described as grace and fluidity. Along its back grew several bulbous membranes filled up with some kind of fluid like a balloon. They wiggled from side to side rhythmically as it waddled awkwardly. Michael pulled the most advanced expression of disgust Eik had seen from him yet. He stuck his tongue out, warped his facial features, and uttered a guttural groan. ¡°Why does everything here have to be so freakin¡¯ disgusting?¡± he whined, trying to look away but not quite able to tear his eyes away from the strange life-form. ¡°Even the trees are like this, for god¡¯s sake!¡± He flicked a finger against the soft ¡®bark¡¯ of one of the enormous mushrooms, the dull rap one might expect from an Earth tree replaced by a meaty thump that would make more sense coming from a raw steak. ¡°Should we just kill it then?¡± Heath asked, kicking some water on the thing that barely seemed capable of keeping its own brain from flowing out of its ears. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not even reacting, but unlike the creepy strider I¡¯m pretty sure this guy is just too stupid to notice us in the first place,¡± Eik said. ¡°Could you shoot it, Sonja?¡± They stepped back a few paces just to be on the safe side and then she let an arrow fly. It struck the thing in the side, eliciting a vocal moan like that of a tired old man. For a moment it stopped and they thought it might be winding up for an attack, but then it simply continued along its wobbly path. Sonja sent another arrow, the shaft penetrating deeply into the slick body of the large tadpole. Moaning airily again, it shuddered and slumped to the ground, unmoving. ¡°Uuh, is that it then?¡± Heath wondered. ¡°Did it die, or...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Eik said, craning his neck for a better look. ¡°Mike, can you cast a Single Protection on me? Then I¡¯ll go over and check it out.¡± Although her face said she hated the idea, he managed to talk Sonja into lending him her bow so he could poke the thing at a bit of a distance. It didn¡¯t respond at all to the provocation. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not alive anymore.¡± ¡°Maybe we can drink the stuff inside those things,¡± Michael said and gestured to the fluid-filled membranes on the monster¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t look over excited about the idea himself either. ¡°I¡¯m not drinking that!¡± Sonja spat. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°What about in three days?¡± Heath asked testily. ¡°What about four days? Five? I¡¯ll drink that stuff if we don¡¯t find something else in two days.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t, jerk,¡± she answered. ¡°You always try to sound tough but you always back out of all of it, you big braggart.¡± ¡°Some of it I don¡¯t back out of!¡± he protested indignantly.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Oh yeah, sorry! You didn¡¯t back out of eating a gallon of ice cream in twenty minutes, or getting on that roller coaster again and again until you threw up churros and grilled cheese sandwich,¡± she countered, rolling her eyes. ¡°See? Exactly! That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! Some of it I do do!¡± ¡°Hey, kids, how about we find a place to rest for a bit?¡± Eik suggested. ¡°I could use some more sleep after getting pulled out of bed in the middle of the night like we did.¡± In the end, Eik cut off five of the fluid-filled sacks and put two of them in his own rucksack, forcing his three friends to take one each as well. Better safe than sorry, although there was no way he was going to test that damn liquid before it was necessary. They left the bubbling stream and went further in among the now densely packed mushroom woods to look for a place with enough cover to keep them out of sight of both monsters and Menka Tokanami¡¯s henchmen. Their bedrolls were thin and flimsy but the mossy ground offered a soft foundation. They took turns at watch and talked about this and that for a couple of hours. The past week had been stressful for all of them and they all just needed a reminder that not everything was doom, death, war, political intrigue, and multiversal cannibal cults. Even if current events tended to skew more in those directions. As gloom began to settle over the strange planet the transformation of the landscape was subtle and barely noticeable, but once darkness made its entrance in full a whole different side of the place became very clear. The moss all around them took on a pleasantly green, bio luminescent glow that cast the world in a markedly different hue than the daylight had. It was like a fairy tale. The undersides of the giant fungi too began to light up, almost as if on cue. Gentle, humming nuances of purple, orange, and blue from above clashed with the bright, light green from below to create what Eik imagined eight acid trips combined into one must feel like. Shuddering and stretching as if waking up from an afternoon nap, the broad hats shed layers of glowing specks that rained down like so many snowflakes, covering the ground and their bodies like sprinkles on the cake at a five-year-old¡¯s birthday party. Even slight breezes seemed to carry the little things far. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Michael said as he looked up into the night sky, his head resting on his backpack. "I hope it''s not toxic," Eik remarked to which he got horrified expressions from his friends. ¡°Get some sleep,¡± Sonja said. ¡°I¡¯ll take next watch and then we can continue looking for an end to this thing in the morning.¡± As Eik closed his eyes to sleep, the whirr of alien insects lulled him into a restless sleep. *** ¡°¡ªk! Eik! Wake up quickly! Come on, wake up!¡± It was Michael and he sounded panicked. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Eik mumbled, the confusion of sleep slurring his words. ¡°Mike? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hearing voices!¡± the healer said. Eik raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, that¡¯s new.¡± ¡°Not those kinds of voices, you numb-skull!¡± the young man hissed with uncharacteristic vigor. ¡°Like, actual voices from people nearby! They¡¯re searching for us!¡± At this Eik jerked into a sitting position. ¡°Seriously? How did they find us?¡± he whispered as Michael shook Heath awake. Sonja was already up and alert, peeking around the fat trunk of the large mushroom they had chosen as the site for their overnight camp. Luckily a lack of firewood had meant a lack of fire so smoke and light wouldn¡¯t be what gave away their position to their pursuers at the very least. ¡°How did they find us?¡± Eik repeated as he joined Sonja by the trunk. The look in her eyes was one of absolute focus and he guessed that she was listening with her Bat¡¯s Ears ability. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve found us yet, actually,¡± she said without looking away. About a hundred meters ahead a group of five people stood in conversation. Only the bioluminescence from the moss and fungi made it possible to see them at such a distance despite the darkened sky, but even then the would-be assassins were nothing more than faintly flickering silhouettes. Eik could see nothing of their weapons and equipment, or even whether they were humanoid or not. ¡°What do you mean they haven¡¯t found us? They¡¯re right there!¡± he said as Heath and Michael came to look as well. ¡°Yes, but they don¡¯t seem to know that we¡¯re right here,¡± she said. ¡°I think they¡¯ve been following the corpses of the monsters we¡¯ve killed. When no more corpses appeared after the corpse of the tadpole thing they must have backtracked and expanded their search from there. If they had a proper tracker I think they¡¯d have found us by now.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Eik hissed. ¡°They¡¯re assuming that we¡¯re still somewhere around here.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re right,¡± Michael added. They observed the group of a assassins for a while. They seemed to be deep in discussion. No, that actually didn¡¯t describe very well what seemed to be happening. It was an argument. And one marked by raised voices and irate gesturing. ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re¡­ fighting?¡± Michael said. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Disagreement, maybe?¡± ¡°Yeah, but why?¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to come this way?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± Heath said. ¡°They¡¯re so pissed at each other that I doubt any of them will notice us.¡± After another ten tense minutes Heath¡¯s presumption turned out to be true when two of the strangers appeared to get close to throwing fists. A third simply walked away and a few seconds later the others followed. ¡°Did they leave?¡± Michael asked. ¡°I think so.¡± For another half hour they kept careful eyes on their surroundings but the pursuers truly seemed to have left. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to get some more sleep,¡± Eik said and, leading by example, snuck back to his bedroll. Sonja took watch. They set out as the suns dawned the next morning, the glow of the mushrooms and moss giving way to the warming rays. Today they proceeded even more cautiously. The pursuit team would have to have slept somewhere as well, and Eik and the others couldn¡¯t know how close. When they made it back to the same stream they had been following yesterday the corpse of the tadpole monster was gone. Dark blue blood had seeped into the earth, but otherwise scattered chunks of meat and fragments of bone were all that remained of the ugly thing. ¡°Did the other guys eat it?¡± Michael wondered out loud. ¡°No way, right?¡± Eik said. ¡°I mean, they¡¯re from a different world,¡± Michael pointed out. ¡°They could be a bunch of weirdos. That, or there are predators here that we haven¡¯t seen yet¡­¡± ¡°Must you absolutely jinx us like that? Now we¡¯re definitely going to run into predators.¡± Eik moaned. ¡°Could just have been a strider,¡± Heath said. ¡°Yeah, maybe¡­¡± Another two striders fell to Michael¡¯s flawless Bind plus mace to the face tactic and they decided to start hauling the corpses out of the stream and further in to obfuscate their movements. Luckily the striders that resembled spider crabs in form were light enough to be carried away without making obvious grooves through the moss. As they continued, the junctions of waterways grew more frequent, the streams having gathered enough force to be difficult to wade through. It had to be leading somewhere. A handful of striders and about three more hours of steady walking later they found out what. ¡°That¡­ That can¡¯t be real,¡± Heath breathed, mouth agape. ¡°I¡¯m not even surprised anymore,¡± Eik groaned. Towering high above the mushroom forest like a creepy observatory, at five or six times the height of the already tall ¡®trees¡¯, stood what must have been the emperor of mushrooms, cap blacking out the sky. Chapter 52: Assassins Faces Blotting out the sky, the titanic fungus looked like some manner of alien space craft arriving to lay claim to the planet. Eik and the others were still far enough away from the thing that they hadn¡¯t noticed it until now with the cap cover. A real ¡®can¡¯t see the tree for the forest¡¯ kind of moment. If anything was going to be the solution to the Crucible practical, it would have to be somewhere over there. With a tangible goal ahead of them, they pushed on with renewed energy, eager to reach the site of the final test. It was difficult to remember that this practical was supposed to be customized to their power rank, not some unknown danger of unknown severity. The threat at home from the old guard of the Forest leadership and the arrogant Fist faction, the direct attempt at their lives by Menka Tokanami back at the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance, as well as the very current danger of getting murdered by a band of crazies right on their asses, made for a harrowingly frightening experience. If only they could get out before getting caught. Hopefully Atla had managed to quench the immediate danger. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why that Menka lady is chasing us so vehemently. We didn¡¯t even do anything wrong back then! We just did what we could!¡± Michael suddenly said as they trudged through the soft moss. The stream had grown so large that to cross from one edge to the other would wet their trousers up to mid shin. ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Heath said with a shrug. ¡°She¡¯s a crazy witch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the explanation you¡¯re going with?¡± ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not completely wrong, is it?¡± Eik added. ¡°She needs someone to blame for the suffering she¡¯s going through. She craves it and neither Atla nor the Nidafjeld Alliance are entities she can target for revenge. They¡¯re both too powerful and influential.¡± ¡°But we aren''t¡­¡± Michael drawled. ¡°We aren''t,¡± Eik nodded. ¡°We were directly involved in the rescue mission, we¡¯re weak as all hell, and our connection with the alliance is still in its early infancy. We¡¯re the best and easiest targets for her wrath.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s like it¡¯s just a personal project or something! There¡¯s no righteousness in this persecution!¡± Michael said, throwing his arms up in pure frustration. ¡°I doubt she¡¯s looking for righteousness,¡± Sonja said. ¡°All she wants is satisfaction.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Michael cursed, slamming his heavy mace into the mossy ground with a dull thunk. It came away muddy. He swung it through the flowing water a handful of times to get it off before returning the instrument to his belt with a shuddering sigh. ¡°I¡¯m so damn tired of this crap. I just want to go home¡­¡± The others didn¡¯t answer but they all had similar thoughts swirling around inside their heads. The heroic life they had all fantasized about was not quite as heroic as they¡¯d hoped when it came down to it. You couldn¡¯t just go on a great adventure whenever you felt like it, defeat the dragon, and then go back to your warm bed and live happily ever after. No, in real life the adventure would come find you at the most inconvenient of times, and the ¡®great¡¯ part would be replaced with pure horror and agony. It would take six attempts to even wound the dragon and then, when it was finally dead, it would come back to life once everything was starting to return to normal. And your warm bed would have been burned to cinders while you had been away. And the house had also been burned. And so had the town. And the country stood in ruins. ¡°What level is your Bind at this point, Mike?¡± Heath asked as he kicked the muddy crater left by Michael¡¯s mace. The healer fished out the wooden plaque from his coat. ¡°It¡¯s evolving!¡± he gasped. ¡°My ability is evolving!¡± ¡°Bind is?¡± Eik asked. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! What¡¯s it offering you?¡± ¡°Let me look for a second.¡± He held the flat piece of wood up for the others to see. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Bind] [Choose one] [Bind ¡ª Reach]Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. [Bind ¡ª Tangle of Thorns] [Bind ¡ª Vice Grip] ¡°Hmm,¡± Eik hmm¡¯d with a contemplative finger on his chin, eyes narrowed as he thought. ¡°Does Reach mean that you can apply the Bind to someone farther away, or does it mean that the summoned strings themselves become capable of growing longer?¡± ¡°No clue,¡± Michael shrugged. ¡°We can¡¯t exactly go to the library to look it up in the journals right now.¡± ¡°Tangle of Thorns is pretty obvious, right?¡± Heath said. ¡°Thorns on the strings, right?¡± ¡°Probably. Doesn¡¯t sound bad at all.¡± ¡°And Vice Grip? Just¡­ stronger, or what?¡± Suddenly Sonja stood up straight, alarm evident on her face. She looked back the way they had come, cupping her hands around her ears. Shushing Eik¡¯s question, she stared intensely down the stream they had been following toward the fungus king. Whatever she was hearing was still obscured by the forest of mushrooms, but she clearly didn¡¯t believe that would be the case for long. ¡°Guys,¡± she said, voice controlled. ¡°get weapons and shields ready for an encounter. Let¡¯s move away from the stream and further in.¡± ¡°What are you hearing?¡± Michael whispered. ¡°Predator?¡± ¡°People,¡± she said gravely. ¡°I can hear their voices. They¡¯re talking.¡± ¡°Ah, nuts,¡± Eik groaned as they moved inland, putting several copses of large mushrooms between them and the stream where the team of assassins would likely soon appear. They wanted to be able to keep an eye on their pursuers so they made sure to stay close enough to be able to see the group when they passed. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer,¡± Sonja muttered as the four of them settled in behind a large fungal trunk, much like they had the night before. ¡°How the hell do they keep being right on our asses?¡± Heath wondered. ¡°We even carried those striders away from the stream.¡± ¡°Quiet now!¡± Sonja said. About a minute later, even Eik could hear the sound of feet sloshing along the edge of the stream, kicking up water. Within seconds the first of their pursuers came into clear view, the day light laid bare all that had been obscured the night before. The first was a young man. His golden hair was densely braided and fell down to his hips. A sword hung at his waist, the ornamental carvings on the sheath attesting to a wealthy owner. This image was only reinforced by his skyward nose and excessively stiff posture. Second was a woman carrying a long staff slung haphazardly over her shoulder. Her face and hair was obscured by a deep hood which extended into a robe covering her whole body. The robe was dissimilar to the ceremonial robe Atla had shown up in a couple of times, but was as intricately decorated with sweeping patterns flowing from hood to hem. She was followed immediately by a giant. There was no better way to describe him. He towered above the others, standing at least three meters tall with arms, legs, and torso bulging with tense muscle. He was the one kicking water as he dragged a fearsome, unbelievably large doubled-edged war axe through the moss. The moment Eik laid eyes on the enormous man, his stomach tied a knot on itself. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the bastard, particularly the face he wanted to confirm. The man¡¯s head was long to put it mildly. Closer to oblong than oval. Eik could only see one side of his face properly, but on that side the man had three eyes. ¡°How in the world did we not notice that size yesterday?¡± Michael wondered out loud. Eik mumbled something to himself, eyes glued to the sight of the giant. ¡°What?¡± Heath whispered. ¡°The Gohkamorians¡­ That huge guy¡­ I think he¡¯s a Gohkamorian. He looks exactly like what Mikla told me about.¡± ¡°A Gohkamorian? What¡¯s a Gohkamorian?¡± ¡°They¡¯re¡­¡± ¡ª Eik felt his cheeks flush as anger welled up in him ¡ª ¡°They¡¯re the civilization that has been sending monsters to us through the fractures. They are the ones responsible for all monster-related deaths until now. They sent everything, just to weaken us. They¡¯re responsible for my brother¡¯s death. For Olivia¡¯s coma. They¡¯re responsible for the deaths of your parents,¡± he said to Heath and Sonja. Their faces grew dark, as if they¡¯d put on masks made of hatred. Sonja had to put a hand on Heath¡¯s arm to stop him from getting up. But they couldn¡¯t move against the assassins. Not yet, at least. They didn¡¯t know what they were capable of. They couldn¡¯t just rush in, no matter how badly they wanted to. The two last members of the assassination squad walked side by side, a man and a woman of similar heights with the same black hair, absorbed in conversation. The man had a short bow strapped to his belt, unstrung as far as Eik could tell, with a pair of twin swords at sheathed at his waist as well. A long sword was secured to the woman¡¯s back at an angle, seemingly so she could draw it without too much twisting and turning. The one to suddenly stop in his tracks, the two bringing up the rear bumping into his massive back, was the Gohkamorian. He had been drawing in the mud with the tip of the blade of his war axe, but now he had stopped to look at something on the ground. Once they noticed, the others doubled back to see what he had found while the two that looked like they might be siblings scolded the disinterested Gohkamorian for stopping so abruptly. ¡°What are those assholes looking at over there?¡± Heath hissed from their spot behind the mushroom. The man with the golden hair knelt down in the moss and touched the ground with his plate-covered glove ¡ª something Eik would not have expected from a person who appeared to be so¡­ haughty. A sharp inhalation caused Eik to shift his gaze to Michael next to him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ where I slammed my mace into the ground earlier,¡± the healer breathed, his face turning pale as a sheet of paper. ¡°We have to get away!" Eik hissed, but it was already too late. The golden boy had stood back up and the entire team was scanning their surroundings. Before the four friends could duck away, the assassins had already spotted them. The enemy broke into a chase while Eik and the others legged it further in among the clusters. ¡°Stop! Stop right there!¡± one of the strangers shouted, probably the golden boy, judging by the tone of voice. ¡°We mean you absolutely no harm! We simply wish to talk with you, peacefully! Nothing else, I swear!¡± At least Eik now knew that the translation ability was still active. ¡°Do you think he means it?¡± Michael asked as they ran. ¡°Of course not!¡± Eik snorted and ran even faster. Some manner of fiery projectile raced past their heads, the hair on Eik¡¯s scalp remaining intact only by the breadth of a single finger. If nothing else, that put to rest the question of the strangers¡¯ peaceful intentions. Chapter 53: The Chase Another bolt of flame sailed over their heads, impacting a mushroom trunk and scorching it black. ¡°They¡¯re shooting! I¡¯ll try to return fire!¡± Sonja warned. She let one fly but she had trouble aiming properly. She tried again but the second and third shot didn¡¯t go much better. Without being prompted by the others, Michael weaved his fingers behind his back as he ran, trying to get one of the opponents caught in his Bind. The golden strings sprung forth from the moss, grasping for feet but finding nothing to trip. The ability had activated a handful of paces short of the man with the braided hair acting as vanguard for the pursuit. ¡°My ability can¡¯t reach!¡± the healer screamed, frustration and fear evident in his voice. ¡°It can¡¯t get to any of them!¡± ¡°Evolve it!¡± Eik yelled back. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get an evolution that extends its range?¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t know if that¡¯s what it actually does, though! The name was a little misleading!¡± ¡°Just try it, Mike!¡± Michael huffed and did his best to drag a finger through Tangle of Thorns and Vice Grip while keeping up with the others. The moment the glowing text faded from the flat surface he spun mid run and swept his hand toward the haughty knight. This time the strings of Bind sprung forth right in front of him and caught his feet, delivering him to the ground with a metallic clang. With an awkward flourish, Michael repeated the movement and sent the Gohkamorian stumbling as well, although the giant managed to keep his feet under him. Meanwhile, the archer must have gotten his bow ready because arrows started flying. The flaming projectiles also kept coming but with the exception of the first one, the attack seemed to have pretty terrible accuracy in general. As Michael turned to get in another Bind an arrow took him through the bicep, the shaft burying itself halfway through the limb. ¡°Mike!¡± Eik shouted as the healer screamed in shock and agony. ¡°Mike, you can¡¯t fall and you can¡¯t stop! Are you listening to me? Don¡¯t stop!¡± Eik grabbed the hand of the young man¡¯s other arm and pulled him along. Tears flowed but Michael kept running. ¡°Mike, listen to me. You slowed down two of them really well, man! We¡¯ll be okay,¡± Eik said, squeezing his friend¡¯s hand in what he hoped was a comforting manner. ¡°We will definitely go home again!¡± He just hoped he could keep that promise. Abruptly, Sonja turned into cover behind a trunk and pulled the string of her bow back to its full length. ¡°Sonja!¡± Heath screamed as he dug his heels into the soft ground, sliding to a stop. ¡°Keep going! I¡¯ll catch up after this!¡± ¡°Shit!¡± the heavy tank cursed but started running again. His expression was one of timorous trust. Sonja¡¯s first arrow bore through the hip of a woman with the gnarled staff like a drill, instantly crippling her. She shrieked as she went down, the roiling sphere of flame that had been forming on the tip of her staff spluttering as it imploded into nothing with a pop and a puff of smoke. She shot another and while it only grazed the shoulder of the other archer, it caused his own arrow to fly wide. Glancing back, she activated her Disengage ability, sailing backwards through the air as she turned and landed into the first stride of her sprint. The golden boy was back on his feet by now and passed by the gasping mage without a single glance in her direction. In fact, none of the four remaining pursuers showed any interest in her well-being whatsoever. They simply left her behind to suffer. What a bunch of ice cold bastards. Was Menka Tokanami running a school for psychos or something like that? ¡°We have to lose them somehow!¡± Eik shouted. The chase continued for a couple more minutes, Michael and Sonja''s combined efforts keeping them away somehow. Finally Heath called. ¡°That cluster of mushrooms up there,¡± Heath answered, pointing up ahead. ¡°if we can duck behind them and get out of line of sight we might be able to disappear! The growth is getting dense as hell now that we¡¯ve left behind the stream.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that then!¡± Eik agreed and altered their course slightly so their path would be obscured by the thick trunk without giving away the fact that they intended disappear completely. It would be useless if the enemy saw it and simply cut across to intercept their escape. From then on all communication became limited to hand signals and expressive gazes and glances. The moment they lost sight of the killers, they took a hard right into the labyrinth of stems, changing course completely. For a few more seconds they ran full tilt before changing direction yet again, this time back towards the way they¡¯d come.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Maintaining a sense of direction within the sea of fungi was difficult but there was nothing to do but keep going and hoping that they didn¡¯t end up running face first into their hunters. The first sign that the tactic was working as intended was the shouting from somewhere behind them. Except for the Gohkamorian, whose strange and alien features made it next to impossible to make any reasonable guess about his age, none of Menka Tokanami¡¯s henchmen could have been much older than twenty. With loud voices they argued about to where Eik and company had vanished so suddenly. Eik was beginning to doubt that the five warriors had ever been in a cooperative relationship with each other before this. With the way they berated and blamed each other and even left a teammate to bleed out in a foreign world, there was just no way that their group had been formed for any other reason than this specific hunt contracted by Menka Tokanami. One thought that the Earth team had continued along the original path while another insisted on scattering to search a wider perimeter. As the argument escalated, Eik and the others only put more distance between them. The agitated voices faded gradually until only the sounds of their own foot steps and ragged breathing was audible. To be on the safe side, they kept the pace without rest. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sonja said, her huffing far less severe than the men¡¯s. A pathetic whimper reached their ears from somewhere diagonally ahead. ¡°I think we¡¯ve made it back again,¡± Eik gasped as they followed the sound. Seconds later they found the robed woman lying in the moss, blood stains blotting the moss all around her. She must have been struggling to get back on her feet, desperate not to be left behind alone here, gods know where. That had clearly been beyond what her body was currently capable of. The shaft of the arrow stuck deep inside her hip had been broken in half close to the entry wound, the jagged end thrown to the side, fletching broken and crushed by bloody fingers. An empty vial lay beside her as well, presumably some type of medicine, but it seemed to have had too little time to do its work. Tears were streaming down the woman¡¯s cheeks, thick and terrified. She didn¡¯t look a day over nineteen. When she heard the crunch of boots in the moss, her head whipped up, the brightest of hopes painted across her face. ¡°You-You came back for m¡ª¡± she began but froze when she saw who had actually shown up in her time of need. Her face fell and the despair that visibly washed over her once the realization hit her almost hurt to look at. What she saw then was not four people, but the arrival of death. ¡°N¡ª¡­ No, please. P-Please don¡¯t ki¡ª kill me. Please!¡± she wept, sobs barely allowing her to get the words out. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t come after any of your ever again! You-You¡¯ll never see me again! Please believe me! I beg you!¡± When the four who were technically still the objectives of her assassination mission didn¡¯t stop moving she attempted to crawl away, her leg dragging limply behind her. ¡°What should we do with her?¡± Michael asked as they approached her. ¡°Should we just leave her here or maybe take her with u¡ª¡± Sonja¡¯s thin sword was free of its sheath before he could finish his sentence and penetrated the woman¡¯s throat with frightening ease. The archer let the momentum of her body carry the blade through the flesh and bone before ripping it out through the side as she passed the woman. Michael¡¯s pace faltered as he watched the arterial blood gush out with gusto. His gaze shifted to Sonja¡¯s back as she whipped her sword through the air a few times to clear the worst of the blood from the edge. Nothing else about her indicated that she had just taken a person¡¯s life. ¡°But you just¡­¡± Michael tried as Eik¡¯s palm on his back pushed him back into a run. ¡°Come on, Mikey. Let¡¯s get going before her teammates figure out that we doubled back,¡± Eik said gently. ¡°But Eik¡­¡± the healer tried again, glancing constantly over his shoulder at the bleeding mage. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, isn¡¯t it, Mikey?¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s done now. Remember what Atla told us? If they come after us and it¡¯s us or them, then it should be them. This is for our lives, Mikey. This is so we can go home.¡± Michael kept looking back at the woman until they could no longer see her body but he didn¡¯t say anything else about it. They ran and ran, as far as they could. ¡°I need to stop,¡± Michael finally said, sweat clinging to his pallid skin. ¡°I have to sit down or I¡¯ll throw up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rest then,¡± Sonja said. ¡°We should get that arrow out of your arm as well anyway.¡± They had covered several kilometers by now and made several sharp turns in the hopes of throwing the hunters off their scent. Michael groaned as he sat back against a thick trunk. He was extremely careful to not bump his arm against anything as he moved, the protruding arrow shaft making it difficult to position himself well. ¡°You¡¯re the best at this, Mike,¡± Sonja said. ¡°How would you like us to do this?¡± Through clenched eyes he looked down at the wound and the dark blood that was mostly blocked from rushing out by the projectile. He whimpered but there was really only one way it was going to end. ¡°You will have to, uhm¡­ You are going to have to¡­ c-cut off one of the ends and pull the arrow out,¡± he stammered, his fingers gripping the fabric of his pants so tightly that his knuckles were white. ¡°If we let it be for too long, it¡¯s probably going to become infected, and I¡¯d really rather not find out what kind of bacteria and other microbes are looking to get a piece of me in this godforsaken place. Actually, it probably already is infected but I don''t want to think about that.¡± Eik pulled out a water skin and let Michael drink as much water as he could. The healer was looking sick and ready to fall over, his clammy skin cool to the touch. They would soon be forced to take a chance on those fluid-filled sacks growing from the backs of the tadpole monsters or thirst would kill them before the assassins could get the job done. Michael thanked him for the drink and held up his bad arm so he could show them what he wanted done. ¡°Sorry, guys. I know we¡¯ve only got a few, but I¡¯d like to use one of the healing potions¡­¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Heath said. ¡°That¡¯s been the plan ever since you got that damn thing stuck in you.¡± Michael smiled through the pain and nodded gratefully. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ll have to pull the arrow out of my arm and stick a finger in the wound.¡±¡ªHe had to pause as he appeared to have become dizzy from the thought alone¡ª¡°Eik, I was thinking that you could disinfect by washing your hands in your own toxin. If you reabsorb it after then that¡¯s probably the cleanest we¡¯re going to get out here.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Eik agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll do that then.¡± ¡°Thank you. Heath, I think it would be best if you held me down so I don¡¯t move too much. I have a feeling that I am not going to enjoy this much.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Heath promised, slapping his bicep. ¡°And Sonja. I¡¯d like you to pull the arrow out and then get the orb of potion ready for me. I don¡¯t want to risk fumbling it and smashing it on the ground, even if Atla said they were pretty sturdy.¡± She nodded with a hand on the young healer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a deep breath. ¡°Cut it and pull it out now please,¡± he said as Heath took hold of his arm and lay a knee across his shoulder. Chapter 54: Ambush Unfortunately, anesthesia and pain killers were a luxury they had no access to here in mushroom world. Heath had to use his other hand to cover Michael¡¯s mouth to prevent him from howling in agony. Even if they had run a good distance away from the where the pursuers had originally found them, they could never be careful enough. The healer buckled and arched as Sonja yanked the shaft out of his arm. Eik had already obliterated anything that might have been on his fingers by drenching his hands in Profound Toxin and even triggered Accelerant a couple of times for good measure. The moment the arrow was out fresh, red blood began to flow out and down his arm, staining his clothes further. Eik stuck both fingers into the wound to stop the bleeding, one from each side, causing Michael to struggle more against Heath¡¯s immovable hold. Biting down on the collar of his undershirt, Michael immediately let the green hum of his Heal ability surround his hand and pressed into the wound, placing his hand over Eik¡¯s. His breathing consisted of a series of ragged gasps but as he focused his attention on the healing, he gradually gained more and more control over it until inhalation and exhalation came in measured, rhythmic movements. ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯d like that healing potion now, please,¡± he said to Sonja. ¡°It had better be more effective than the stuff Eik makes.¡± ¡°Hey, what did I do?¡± Eik complained, generously resisting the temptation to wiggle his fingers around inside the wound. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Michael drawled with a grin. Sonja placed the blood red orb on his tongue and, just like Atla had explained, the protective shell containing the fluid began to break down and spill the medicine into Michael¡¯s throat. ¡°She said that this is the strongest healing potion that we can use as E-rankers. Anything stronger would have severe side effects on us. I heard addiction is also a dangerous risk if your body can¡¯t handle the strength of the substance.¡± ¡°I think I already feel it working a little bit,¡± Michael added, lifting his hand emitting healing light slightly to look at the wound. ¡°I think there might be something for the pain mixed into it as well. My arm is starting to grow numb.¡± ¡°How about we start moving again then?¡± Eik suggested. ¡°Your arm can heal as we walk now that you¡¯ve taken the healing potion, right?¡± ¡°Probably?¡± Michael nodded, clearly unsure. ¡°Menka¡¯s squad of stupid idiots will know what we¡¯re aiming to do. They¡¯re going to try to intercept us by the fungus king, I¡¯d bet. We have to get there before them!¡± The going was slow compared to the pace of their earlier escape but as they ran they had actually moved closer to the fungus king whose titanic hat stood clear in the light of the afternoon suns. With remarkable speed, Michael¡¯s wound began to knit itself together as they walked. He kept his own healing ability active without stopping but the majority of the regeneration was caused by the healing potion. Soon they started jogging in a light tempo, trying to make better time but also saving their strength for whatever awaited them in at the foot of the fungus king. They expected a boss fight of some kind to mark the end of the Crucible practical, and although it was an uncomfortable thought, Menka Tokanami¡¯s henchmen would probably make another appearance as well. ¡°We¡¯re getting closer,¡± Heath said as they reached the shade of the cap. Their pace slowed to a crawl as an encounter with the other group became increasingly likely. If they were waiting for them, it would be around here. The streams appeared to be converging at the foot of the fungus king, sloping down into a rushing tempo while the land around rose and became a ridge that surrounded the center where the fungus king grew. Because of the ridge the base was not yet visible, the change in landscape alone warned of something unlike what they had seen until now. ¡°I see another stream over there to our left as well. Although calling it a stream might be a bit misleading at this point. It would be better described as a river. And look at the freakin¡¯ trunk on that big thing!¡± Heath whispered as he made it high up enough on the edge of the ridge to look across. ¡°Is that¡ª¡± Stopping himself abruptly, he dropped to the ground and rolled toward the others to get them down as well. ¡°Get down! Now!¡± ¡°Is it them?¡± Eik asked as he laid flat on the moss. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re right there!¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± Sonja asked. Heath rolled onto his back and threw a thumb towards the center and a little toward the right. ¡°They¡¯re not exactly on the opposite side, but if we¡¯re at six o¡¯clock on a clock and the opposite side is twelve o¡¯clock, then those bastards are somewhere around two o¡¯clock or something like that. They¡¯re set up with a tent and everything too, I think.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°What do we do?¡± Michael asked. His wound had gotten a lot better. The blood had clotted well and he could move well enough to use his abilities and not be a hindrance in battle. He was still keeping the healing going as much as he could but the potion still seemed to be doing most of the work. ¡°We can¡¯t just go at them right away, but at this point we¡¯ll have to go through them to get back,¡± Sonja muttered with a finger on her chin. ¡°I think we should wait until it¡¯s gotten a bit darker. That makes it easier to get in an ambush. I think I have an idea.¡± They snuck back the way they had come and sat down in the cover of a cluster of mushroom trees to wait for dusk. A few hours later the suns were nearing the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape and the four friends prepared to make the first move against the enemy. Occasionally, the tall, creepy striders would pass by, ambling along through the now deep waterways. Their spindly legs seemed to let them stay balanced without being washed away by the rush of rush. Digging their spikes into the riverbed, they climbed down toward the center where they gathered. Near the base of the massive stem of the fungus king a breathtaking mycelium network snaked and slithered its way outward, the uncovered roots disappearing into the earth where the ridge mounted. Here the striders appeared to be feeding, long, disgusting proboscises extending all the way down to the ground without the striders having to bend their gangly limbs. While they had been waiting they had made numerous, cautious trips back up the ridge to make sure that the remaining four hunters hadn¡¯t moved from their position along the edge. A lookout was posted at the top, scanning the surroundings as they slowly turned. ¡°Don¡¯t they realize how exposed they are up there? They know we have an archer on our side too,¡± Michael said. ¡°But it¡¯s also the place with the best vantage point around here. They probably want to make sure that we don¡¯t sneak in and complete the scenario before they can get to us.¡± ¡°It just seems a bit risky.¡± ¡°I suppose it is risky that they¡¯re so visible,¡± Eik said with a shrug. ¡°But the alternative is to have a worse vantage point and being even less able to see a potential ambush. That, or wait so far away that we might sneak past them.¡± ¡°But we are going to ambush them anyway,¡± the healer mumbled. Eik grinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great? I guess the mission is more important to them than safety. Maybe they don¡¯t think chumps from a fresh world like us are capable of posing a genuine threat.¡± A sense of animosity had been buildings steadily over the past day. Ever since it had become painfully clear that the other team was indeed here to take their lives, it had become easier to distance themselves from the hunters¡¯ identities as people. In the minds of Eik and the others they were quickly becoming nothing more than obstacles to be removed in order for life to continue. Even Michael, who had been horrified by the murder of the mage crippled by an arrow in the hip, had begun to see the necessity in killing them. It was just something that had to be done. ¡°I suppose they think that mage we brought down was just pure luck on our part,¡± Michael said. ¡°Assholes,¡± Heath muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then,¡± Sonja said as they set out toward the top of the ridge. Heath and Michael stopped where the ground rose and hid among the fungi. Eik and Sonja continued up, crawling the last few paces to the edge where she pulled out an arrow and handed it to him. He grasped the metal tip between his fingers and let the Profound Toxin flow freely from his palm to cover the head of the projectile. He kept his toxin-drenched fingers wrapped around the tip as Sonja nocked the arrow. "We should try to get you some arrows that can carry a load of my toxin," he whispered. "Absolutely, yes." Only once she pulled back the string and took careful aim did he let go and run back down to join Heath and Michael among the trees. By now the moss was illuminating everything from below and the light of the mushrooms was slowly becoming more intense. They watched Sonja let loose her arrow and heard the scream of pain and surprise as it struck the one keeping watch. Eik also felt Profound Toxin calling out to him, informing him of its contact with the foreign system, reporting its infiltration. The feeling was vague and distant. He didn¡¯t even have to do a test activation to know that he would be unable to use Accelerant. He needed to be touching the victim. At least he did for now. Disengage carried her all the way down where she landed in a rolling break fall and leapt in to join them. As she settled into a kneeling crouch, a second arrow was already ready to go on the bow string. They had carefully chosen their hiding place beforehand for having almost no glowing moss to give away their position. Seconds later three silhouettes came rushing around the bend of the ridge and continued down the slope in search of their quarry. They passed closely by and Sonja was able to plant an arrow into the twin woman with a long sword. Sprouting from the right side of her chest, the force of the projectile sent her spinning to the ground with a hollow thud. The golden boy was upon them in the blink of an eye, but Heath was already there to fend off the attack. Thrusting his sword with lightning speed, the tip of the blade tinking off the tank¡¯s heavy shield with a bright flash of flying sparks. Ignoring his failed attempt at a quick kill, the man simply let his momentum carry him into the barrier, leading with an armored shoulder. Forced to retreat as the battle became a melee, Sonja¡¯s third arrow of the fight wasn¡¯t loosened at full draw and deflected by the Gohkamorian¡¯s broad axe. It was big enough to double as a shield if he so chose. Towering above the haughty-looking man, the giant swept the heavy axe up and down in front of his teammate, blocking his advance completely. It hit Heath¡¯s shield hard and sent the tank stumbling back as he desperately tried to right himself. ¡°Are you kidding me, you ugly brute?¡± the young man complained, his demeanor growing more and more difficult to reconcile with his knightly appearance each time he opened his mouth. ¡°Shut up.¡± The Gohkamorian¡¯s bass rumbled, his manner of speaking fitting his look perfectly as opposed to his colleague. Keeping his shield up, Heath charged ahead with his thick blade peeking out from behind the metal barrier, the hum of a renewed Single Protection a testament to Michael¡¯s improved engagement in battle. Meanwhile, the woman with the arrow in the chest had yanked the projectile out with a grunt of suppressed pain. As she was smearing something into her steadily bleeding wound a shadow materialized above the Gohkamorian. She tried to call out to warn the colossus, seeing her own chances of survival diminishing as they continued to sustain losses and injuries, but she barely got the words out. Eik, almost invisible in the mid space between the light of the moss and the fungi, descended like a herald of death. Chapter 55: Team Fight As if guided by a sixth sense, the Gohkamorian whirled on his feet, axe coming up in a deadly, two-handed arch. Profound Toxin was already gushing from Viper Fang, drawing a luminescent blue line through the night. The lethal blade made brief contact with the giant¡¯s skin and penetrated into flesh at the depth of about three finger spans, but although the head of the war axe didn¡¯t align properly with Eik¡¯s body to bisect him, the hard, metal belly of the weapon took him in the side and sent him flying into the elastically fleshy trunk of a mushroom at speed where he bounced off like a pinball. He had delivered his toxin, but with a small dose like that it wouldn¡¯t have a significant effect before the Gohkamorian could wreak havoc on him and his team with that wicked axe of his. As he struggled to draw air back into his lungs, the giant came for him like a rushing bull, already winding up his axe for a decisive strike. Triggering Movement Boost, Eik employed the dumb, but ultimately effective tactic of darting towards and through the legs of the six-eyed freak. On the way through, he took the opportunity to drag Viper Fang along the barbarian¡¯s inner thigh, leaving behind a small dose of Profound Toxin to take hold. He heard the thunk of the edge cleaving the mossy ground but he had already nearly reached his friends. Sonja was nowhere to be seen, but the injured swordswoman had rejoined the fight with her right arm hanging limply at her side. But while the use of only a single arm severely hampered her speed and mobility, her long and hefty sword still came down with frightening weight. Even the misaligned attack from the Gohkamorian had taken its toll on Eik¡¯s fragile ribs, so he popped one of his own healing creations along with a clump of homegrown poison as he hopped into the battle. While the golden boy kept going for frontal attacks in order to put pressure on Heath and prevent him from dishing out offensively on his own, the woman attempted to dance around the tank to get at Michael in the back. His positioning and ability set clearly identified him as a support and his hands of healing constantly tending to Heath¡¯s gashes and bruises made it all the more obvious. Growing more alert and decisive with every fight they survived, Michael saw her coming the moment she moved sideways away from Heath¡¯s shield. His fingers weaved a manipulation pattern and beckoned the golden cords of Bind to wrap around her ankles. Seeing her unbalanced, Heath grunted and kicked her hard in the chest, sending her stumbling back with arms flailing frantically. Eik was upon her in an instant, taking her back with Viper Fang plunging deep into her trapezius muscle. She gasped in surprise as copious amounts of Profound Toxin invaded her body eagerly like ferrofluid attracted to a heart of iron. From over her shoulder, Eik saw the golden boy¡¯s sword enveloped in bright, golden light as he slashed into Heath¡¯s armored leg, expert blade work somehow finding purchase and reaching flesh. The tank moaned in pain as the blood poured from the gash in his leg, staining his trousers and boots red. ¡°Heath!¡± Eik shouted and leapt off the woman, using her shoulder as a spring board and triggering Accelerant just as he was about to lose physical contact with her. It was the first time he had activated the ability properly since the test with the massive B-rank ogre. Her much smaller body pulsed violently, centered around the injection site, as a deep, smoky thrum resonated from within her body. The shock wave was small as the toxic dose was small, but it sent her to the ground nonetheless. An arrow wound, a knife wound, and the poison in combination had been too much for her E-ranked body to handle. Eik didn¡¯t know if she was dead, but she certainly was unconscious. Well, so long as she was down and accounted for, that was what mattered for now. Goldilocks saw his chance to get in a fatal blow on the tank and leapt into the shield while Heath was off balance. In a desperate struggle, Heath stabbed upward with his thick sword, but his opponent slapped it away with the cheek of his weapon with little difficulty and swept it into a downward thrust of his own. Yelling his defiance, Michael was there, a metallic clang ringing out as he bashed away the blade with the heavy mace. With his F-rank strength he managed to prevent the point from taking Heath in the chest but only enough for the sword to penetrate through the tank¡¯s already injured thigh instead. With a roar of pain and fury, Heath used the stability of having his butt and hand on the ground to slash across the golden boy¡¯s torso, opening a bloody slit in his abdomen. Hissing and cursing, the agile knight jumped back with a palm pressed hard against his stomach. He pulled a small vial from his belt and downed the contents in a single gulp, glaring at Heath on the ground and Michael behind him who had already offered his friend a red orb of healing potion.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Michael supported Heath¡¯s back with his shoulder and followed the potion up with his own healing, the Galvanic Fortification evolution giving Heath a slight edge against future attacks, if only for a little while. Eik hadn¡¯t been able to get to his friends to help before the Gohkamorian had intercepted him. Charging in from the side, the giant had swung his axe in a simple overhead chop but the force behind the attack left no doubt in Eik¡¯s mind that a single unfortunate hit would be enough to end him. Only a hasty activation of Movement Boost saved him by displacing his body from the position his attacker had predicted. The brute¡¯s strength was frightening indeed, but Eik could tell that his own agility and speed supported by the Noxious Invigoration and Movement Boost was superior. Deciding to take a risk, he dug his heels into the soft moss and turned sharply while the Gohkamorian was still yanking out his axe. Eik narrowly avoided a kick and delivered a quick slice to the enormous thigh. The giant¡¯s outfit resembled that of Boulder Fist Gary and his donkey-headed son Rock Fist Bart, consisting mainly of animal hides and bare skin. Unfortunately for all of them, such flimsy equipment lent itself particularly poorly to fending off Eik¡¯s skill set. Eik ran a couple circles around him, putting another four shallow but toxic cuts into the man¡¯s hips and legs. He couldn¡¯t stay still to pump in a proper dosage. The opponent was too dangerous to risk getting caught for even a single second so he activated Movement Boost in short bursts to avoid hitting the cooldown. He was already playing with fire, but if he lost that edge it could very well be a death sentence. After a few useless swings of the axe, the Gohkamorian suddenly let the massive weapon fall to the ground and lunged for Eik in an attempt to take him to the ground. He got three fingers under Eik¡¯s leather armor and stopped his much smaller body dead in its tracks. As the giant tried to get a better grip on the outfit Eik plunged Viper Fang into the back of his hand with as much force as he could muster with the inconvenient angle. This forced his attacker to release his grip as the glowing Profound Toxin completely coated his hand. With a guttural howl of pain, the Gohkamorian kicked Eik hard in the stomach, expelling all air from his lungs for a second time in less than a minute. Sliding through the soft moss, flattening the luminescent plants and ripping them up at the root, he came to a stop only a few paces from Heath and Michael¡¯s fight with the young knight. Unless Sonja returned from wherever she had gone or Heath and Michael brought down goldilocks, this could become a dangerous battle of attrition. The Gohkamorian tried desperately to shake off the viscous poison that seemed to stick to his wound with a strange hunger. It just wouldn¡¯t come off. In this Eik saw his chance to make a break for Heath and Michael. The swordsman was moving to engage with them, golden light once again enveloping his blade, when Eik triggered Movement Boost to fling himself up and over the advancing man. Letting his ability fade, Eik caught the bastard by the golden pauldron covering his shoulder and ripped him from his feet to slam him into the ground with a metallic clang. Golden boy gasped as his equally golden helmet came loose and fell down over his eyes. ¡°You coward!¡± he yelled, grasping for his sword, whose light had gone out completely, while simultaneously struggling to wrestle Eik off his body. ¡°The damn cowards are you guys!¡± Eik shouted and batted away the knight¡¯s hands and slammed the butt of Viper Fang into his temple with as much force as his mounted position allowed. Even through the helmet, the impact rattled the man visibly and his struggle became a weak, disoriented flailing that never stood a chance at preventing the next attack with Viper Fang that took him in the neck, Profound Toxin pouring into the wound. The man gurgled wetly as he spat up blood, strength rapidly leaving his body. Eik swept his knife around to stab the man in the other side of the throat, just for good measure. ¡°Eik! Watch out!¡± Michael screamed, already halfway to Eik. Eik¡¯s eyes whipped up to see the Gohkamorian rushing at him again. He just couldn¡¯t catch a break from this guy. Dark veins of sickness were already starting to spread from the wounds on his legs and hand, but it hadn¡¯t reached a point where it was stopping him from coming for them. Michael¡¯s fingers waved a complex pattern, summoning the bright strings of Bind to tangle the giant¡¯s feet. Throwing himself forward in a tiger leap, the healer slid through the cool moss toward Eik and threw up a Single Protection on Eik that hummed into existence with a silvery pulse of light. Their opponent must have been too heavy to be felled completely by the flimsy things but he stumbled as they tore nonetheless. He momentarily fell to his knees but was up again in a moment, continuing toward them with his axe raised. A zoom like that of the wind sounded as an arrow appeared out of the darkness and slammed into the Gohkamorian¡¯s stomach, but instead of faltering he seemed to get even angrier. A pulse of murky green light, not unlike that of Michael¡¯s Heal ability, enveloped his body. He yanked the arrow out as he ran but little blood followed from the wound. Eik scrambled to get away as the giant raised his twin-headed blade, but Michael wasn¡¯t fast enough to react so Eik hit him with a low tackle and carried him out of the path of the weapon with the momentum of his body. Michael made it out safely but Eik wasn¡¯t quite so lucky. A second arrow took the Gohkamorian in the shoulder, taking some of the strength out of the strike, but the edge got Eik¡¯s calf nonetheless, his escape not fast enough. The crunch of the impact was nauseating and horrific, like stepping on a packet of dry crackers. It was accompanied by the pop of the Single Protection breaking. The pain was overwhelming but his scream of agony was silenced by a jolting gasp of shock. ¡°Eik!¡± Michael and Heath shouted as Eik went down, Michael falling and rolling backwards. A third arrow thunked into the large man¡¯s knee on the other leg and he was forced to stop. None of his legs could bear his weight but Eik still had one that could bear his. Chapter 56: A Grisly End Ignoring the pain in his leg, Eik leapt on his good foot. The Gohkamorian didn¡¯t seem to have expected that because Eik¡¯s Viper Fang went into his stomach with little more than a hand raised halfway in response. A breathless gasp escaped the alien¡¯s mouth as the blade went through skin, fat, and muscle, twisting into his insides. It took him a second to come out of the shock of the attack but then he pushed Eik away with force, sending him reeling to the ground. Michael was right behind him, however, hurling his mace as hard as he could. It was batted out of the air, but at the same time another arrow zipped through the air and slammed into the Gohkamorian¡¯s bare chest. Immediately after, Sonja came sailing out of the darkness, chasing her arrow as she spun out of the Disengage. She swung her thin sword, using her momentum to slice his trunk-like arm down to the bone. Blood spilled thickly into the moss, blocking in the cool, blue-green glow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just die, you piece of shit?¡± Eik gasped as he tried to claw his way back to the giant who was immobilized completely by another deep cut to his thigh by Sonja. He tried to force his Profound Toxin to swarm the hated foe but it just didn¡¯t seem as malleable as it was when he lost his temperament. Even if he had plenty of anger in him at the moment, it was not in control of him like it had been when the guy with the bowl cut had insinuated his fault in Heath¡¯s near-death event. The huge man¡¯s voice was so deep that it sounded like it was digitally distorted as he laughed, interrupted by a wet cough. He didn¡¯t seem the slightest bit afraid of the death that he must certainly have known he was facing. ¡°Even if I die, so will all of you¡­ eventually. None of you have any idea¡­¡± he rasped. ¡°what¡¯s waiting for you.¡± ¡°We know about you Gohkamorians!¡± Heath snarled as he limped forward and hacked his thick blade into the giant¡¯s hand, severing his fingers and eliciting a hiss of pain. ¡°We know that the monsters sent through the fractures for nine years to kill our people were sent by your people!¡± This seemed to take the man by surprise, all three rows of protruding, hairless eyebrows shooting up. ¡°But¡­ how could you know?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, dead guy!¡± Eik said and buried Viper Fang in his leg, pushing Profound Toxin into the wound and triggering Accelerant. The boom and the pulse shook his body and he spit up blood. The Gohkamorian¡¯s head lulled forward as if he had become sleepy before he fell back onto his back where Sonja sliced through his neck in two slashes. Eik stabbed him twice more for good measure, and Heath and Michael joined in, anger fueling their actions and making them look like zealots performing a bloody ritual. Eik thought about his brother Torbj?rn, Olivia, his parents whom he had never been able to get back to because of the monsters. Judging by their faces, the others had similar thought and memories running through their heads. All of their pent-up frustrations and rage were being manifested through their bodies. Although it was a barbaric thing to do, at this point it almost felt like committing an act of righteous vengeance. The Gohkamorians were responsible for billions of deaths of Earth. An attempted omnicide. This was the first of them that had been brought down by humans. The first of many, many, many more dead Gohkamorians to come. Once they were done, they all silently agreed to not discuss the bloody deed. The mutilation was a release ¡ª none of them could deny that, but it was also something that distanced them from their humanity. It was something which would never belong in the societies they had grown up in, but which might not be so foreign in their new normal. It was bestial. Michael let Heath support himself on his shoulder as they made their way to the tent set up by the assassins against the edge of the ridge surrounding the base of the fungus king. Sonja lifted Eik into her arms bridal style and followed the others. The ease with which she ran while carrying his entire weight was a testament to her E-rank body, but he still felt embarrassed. After getting his leg caught in the path of a gigantic war axe Eik had thought he¡¯d lost the leg, but thanks to Michael¡¯s Single Protection a nasty bone fracture and some broken skin was the worst of it. At the camp Eik was given the last of the three healing potions Atla had given them as Michael started on him with his Healing. The killers had left their packs behind when they responded to the ambush and the Earthlings found some extra supplies inside, both some manner of compressed food bars as well as containers of water. They immediately drank a good amount of the water that they found, their injuries and the exertions of the battle leaving their throat parched and their bodies sweaty. As the healing potion and Michael¡¯s Heal began to take effect, Eik fished out his plaque to check on his ability levels. Profound Toxin had only leveled up once to level 38, while Movement Boost had gone from level 12 to level 14. Resistance Toxin hadn¡¯t gained any levels.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Heath¡¯s new Shields evolution called Resonating Strength, which strengthened him slightly for a short time according to a small portion of the power of a received blow, had helped him withstand the onslaught of the golden boy. Each hit blocked hit from the man¡¯s sword had provided a tiny bit of extra strength so even though the buff lasted no more than a second or two, he had been empowered for a significant portion of the battle. The fight had brought Heath¡¯s Shield ability to level 28, and Fortitude to level 42. Unerring Strike had only gained a single level and hit level 12. Michael¡¯s Heal had gone up from 19 to level 22. The ability¡¯s Galvanic Fortification evolution, which applied a skin durability buff to any wounded target, had likely helped both Heath and Eik to not lose their legs. With his crucial use of Single Protection and Bind throughout the fight, Michael had shown his true value throughout the fight. Both Single Protection which had hindered a couple of E-ranked attacks, and Bind which he¡¯d been using as much as possible, had hit level 12. Just as people said, support abilities had indeed shown themselves to be difficult to level. Sonja¡¯s Archery had leveled up enough to gain an evolution. The first choice was called Steady Aim, which she immediately dismissed. Second and third choices were titled Sharpened Arrows and Boosted Arrow respectively. ¡°What¡¯s even the difference between those last two?¡± Heath asked as he stared up into the stars above, one of the first humans to ever lay eyes on these particular celestial constellations. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sonja answered, staring intensely at her wooden plaque as if reading the names of the evolutions repeatedly would provide some kind of epiphany. ¡°Sharpened Arrows has the word ¡®arrows¡¯ in plural, while Boosted Arrow is singular. I think that might mean that Sharpened Arrows is a general strengthening of all shots with the bow while Boosted Arrow is an activated skill, kind of like your Unerring Strike.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± he nodded. ¡°So what are you thinking of choo¡ª¡± ¡°Boosted Arrow,¡± she said and quickly slid a finger across the other two options. Without another word she readied her bow and nocked an arrow on the string. Pulling it taut, she mouthed a couple of words upon which a white, razor-sharp pike of energy expanded out of the head of the arrow like a thick coating. The archer that Sonja had shot to initiate the battle and later gone back to kill while Eik and the others fought the rest was lying supine halfway down the slope, the arrow that killed him still protruding from the nape of his neck. She aimed at the corpse and released the string. In the blink of an eye the empowered arrow punched into the body, pushing it almost a meter further down the ridge where it rolled and broke the new arrow at the base with a crack. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Michael muttered. ¡°That¡¯s some power right there! How often do you think you can do that, Sonja?¡± She prepared another arrow and pulled the string back as she concentrated. Something akin to a hazy, glimmering shell briefly rippled over the tip of the arrow but it didn¡¯t stay around. She gave it another second of focus before she released the string. It sunk into the body with no more force than her regular shots. ¡°Seems like a pretty lengthy cooldown,¡± she concluded tentatively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m going to be able to do that again for a good while.¡± ¡°It did look pretty insane, so if you could just do that all the time you¡¯d become super overpowered in an instant.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s going to be very useful for ambushes. With this you probably wouldn¡¯t have had to go back to kill him. He would have been dead from the first shot.¡± ¡°Maybe we can use it for the boss,¡± Heath said as he peeked down into the basin below. ¡°Speaking of, I don¡¯t see anything that could be called a boss down there. Are we in the wrong place?¡± Eik hissed as he moved, trying to keep his leg as still as possible, but he managed to drag himself up next to the others. The striders didn¡¯t appear to have taken any notice whatsoever of the tumultuous battle that had just been fought, their proboscises still buried in whatever fungal nectar they were feeding on. Everything was bathed in the gentle shine of the cap of the fungus king as if from a fluorescent ceiling light. The gigantic mycelium root network of the fungus king stretched outward in all directions, revealing a fraction of what was likely buried underground. Along the foot of the ridge, spanning the whole crater, was water deep enough for the bottom to be obscured completely by murky darkness. It was as if the fungus king was a fortress surrounded by a protective moat. There was no telling how deep the thing went, or where it lead, but all the water that constantly streamed into the crater from the converging waterways had to go somewhere for the water levels to remain as shallow as they were. ¡°There¡¯s no way this is the wrong place though, right?¡± Michael said. ¡°I mean, look at it. This is the only place that looks remotely different from everything else in this godforsaken place.¡± ¡°So how do we find the boss? It¡¯s just a big mushroom with a bunch of roots and creepy spider crab guys crawling about,¡± Heath asked. They were silent as they observed the skittering monsters feeding as their feelers danced flutteringly from their carapaces. None of them seemed particularly large or¡­ boss-like compared to the others. The weirdest thing remained the fungus king with its root network and the bottomless moat. ¡°What if¡ª¡­¡± Michael began, hesitation clear in his voice. ¡°What if¡­ What if the boss is the fungus king? What if that¡¯s what we have to kill?¡± They exchanged glances as the massive mushroom towered above them so tall that they had to lean back to see the top. It stood unmoving like an obelisk, otherworldly. ¡°Let¡¯s find out, shall we?¡± Sonja said and rose to a stable kneeling position and drew her bow. ¡°Can you already use Boosted Arrow again?¡± Michael asked. ¡°That was fast.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just checking something. Since we''re not ready for a fight yet, I''ll just do some scouting at range. Give me a second. ¡± She took aim and let loose a regular, non-boosted arrow. The projectile sailed through the air, across the crater, and struck the trunk of the fungus king soundlessly. For several seconds nothing happened. Then a low rumble echoed throughout the rocky bowl. One of the roots closest to the trunk began to wobble and shake as the wet earth beneath churned and crumbled. From the soil emerged a hand wrapped in green and brown stalks, glinting with bio luminescent light. Chapter 57: Guardian Next was the whole arm, cracked and bark-like skin decorated with the same moss that grew plentifully throughout the entire region. It bent at the elbow and put a palm against one of the many limbs, hauling itself up and out of the ground to reveal the whole of the being. What emerged was a tangled mess of roots and moss gathered loosely together to form a humanoid shape, its eyes glowing an eerie yellow within the mess of green. ¡°That¡­ That kind of looks like what I imagine the boss might look like,¡± Michael mumbled as they stared, only the top of their heads peeked up over the edge. The thing was more or less the same size as the Gohkamorian albeit slightly slimmer and more¡­ planty. Judging by the way it trudged back and forth around the base of the fungus king, the thing wasn¡¯t aware of their location. Attacking the fungus king must be the trigger to awaken some kind of guardian monster. It stayed out for a little longer than five minutes before suddenly stopping. The roots of its legs and feet slowly made their way down into the soil as its body was reabsorbed by the fungus king. Or was the plant monster actually the fungus king manifesting into a body with better mobility ¡ª or rather, any mobility at all? Eik rolled back down the slope to his bedroll and took another sip of water. ¡°With Heath¡¯s and my legs in this state,¡± ¡ªhe tapped his own thigh with a finger¡ª ¡°we¡¯re not ready to fight anything right now anyway , so how about we worry about that later. If it needs a trigger to come out, then I think we have time to get healed up before we begin,¡± he said. ¡°And frankly, now that Menka Tokanami¡¯s band of shitty assassins are dead and dealt with, water seems to be a more pressing concern.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t even know where to find water in the first place,¡± Heath said. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for it for like, what, two days!¡± ¡°There¡¯s still something we haven¡¯t tried, if you recall,¡± Eik said with an expression of reluctant acceptance. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, do you guys remember that disgusting thing we killed earlier? It looked like, uhh¡­¡± he drawled, snapping his fingers a few times as he tried to come up with the best description of the monster. ¡°like one of those slimy blob fish they fished up from the deep sea, but crossed with an axolotl with a¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, of course we remember!¡± Michael said. ¡°It was one of the most disgusting things we¡¯ve ever seen and I have one of its weird back bladders in my backpack. You want to give that a try now?¡± ¡°Do we have a choice at this point?¡± Nobody had a good counterargument so Eik retrieved one of the fluid-filled sacks from his rucksack and examined it. The fleshy membrane was distended and webbed with blood veins as thin as hairs. Holding it up in front of Michael¡¯s hand when he had Heal active provided the same see-through effect as shining a flashlight through the cartilage of an ear or through the flesh of one¡¯s thumb, only with a grayish green hue instead of the red in humans. They had cut them off at the base near the spine of the creature so there was a bloody glob of slimy flesh hanging off the bottom of each of the fluid sacks. Deciding to keep as far away from those as they possibly could, Eik used the sharp tip of one of Sonja¡¯s arrows to poke a tiny hole in the opposite side of the unappetizing flesh pouch. The fluid inside turned out to be astonishingly clear with no visible gunk or floaters to be seen. Unfortunately, that particular stroke of luck provided Eik with absolutely no desire to consume the liquid. It had still come out of the back things of the ugliest creature he had ever seen. ¡°Anybody got a straw for this damn skin coconut?¡± he asked, letting his eyes wander from face to face as he did his best to keep the nausea at bay that had already announced its arrival. ¡°Just get it over with already,¡± Heath told him with a pained look on his face. ¡°I thought you were a tough guy who had no problem with this kind of thing?¡± ¡°How about you shut up and start sucking, bro?¡± Heath said and flipped his friend the bird famously native to Earth. Eik put his finger on the tiny slit in the membrane and let Profound Toxin flow gently into and throughout the container. Looking like some kind of alien food coloring it permeated the fluid inside, likely killing off any potential parasites calling that particular sack home. Leaving it to do its work for a good minute, he reabsorbed it all through his skin, resulting in what was hopefully drinkable water. Sonja had to look away when Eik put his lips to the hole and allowed the thankfully cool contents to flow into his mouth. To his dismay the taste was an unhappy mix of sour and salty which only reminded him all the more of the fact that he was drinking the bodily fluids of a deformed, alien tadpole creature.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Thrice he had to force himself to not vomit, the convulsions traveling through him in waves of goose bumps and cold sweat. Having taken in approximately a fourth of the clear but foul liquid, Eik replaced a finger over the hole as he once more fought the urge to vomit. ¡°How is it?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Does it taste like water?¡± ¡°What the hell do you think, man?¡± he croaked weakly with a glare of undisguised contempt. ¡°It tastes like¡ª¡± he managed before another wave of nausea made him pause to compose himself. ¡°It tastes like pond water strained through a double layer of old tennis socks into a sealed bottle full of farts¡­¡± Sonja heaved and barely resisted throwing up. Heath had maintained a stoic face throughout Eik¡¯s ordeal but he suspected that the man had simply fainted with his eyes open. ¡°What about poison? Do you think its safe to drink in spite of the flavor?¡± Eik felt around his body for even the slightest sensation of Noxious Invigoration. Nothing. ¡°Nothing. Not yet anyway.¡± If there was any poisonous substances in those skin sacks, then it must have been so diluted and mild that it probably wouldn¡¯t do anything worse than a benign stomach ache for an Awakened without the Resistance: Toxin skill. Seeing the likelihood of Sonja getting the sack water down, Eik took another sip. ¡°The two of you,¡± he said with a gesture to Michael and Sonja. ¡°can get the rest of our water supply. Heath and I will do with this stuff.¡± ¡°What?¡± Heath exclaimed, coming alive with sudden and explosive vigor. ¡°Why do I have to give up water?¡± Eik held up a finger. ¡°First of all, look at your sister, dude. She would not be able to get this crap down even if a single sip could power level her to A-rank. Second,¡± he said and raised another finger. ¡°Mike¡¯s still only late F-rank and you¡¯ve got a Fortitude ability, so you¡¯re much better equipped to resist any minor toxins that might have been too mild for my own body to react to. And third, I seem to recall you announcing to us that you¡¯d be able to drink this with ease. I¡¯m just giving you the opportunity to prove it.¡± At this last point he failed to completely conceal a smirk. If looks could kill, Heath¡¯s would have sent Eik to the intensive care unit. A shiver ran through the big tank before his eyes became resolute and he snatched the wobbly balloon from Eik¡¯s hand. ¡°Fine!¡± he said and followed Eik¡¯s example, downing the rest of the contents of the sack and leaving it wrinkly and drained. It was difficult to decide what states looked more disgusting between filled and empty. Miraculously and admirably, Heath almost didn¡¯t react at all. Whether that was because he had somehow overcome his natural aversion to the stuff or because his brain had shut down any sense of taste in order to protect his mind from the experience, would likely remain a mystery. Eik and Heath each ate one of the food bars they had found in the hunters¡¯ packs to get rid of the foul taste still stuck to their tongues before turning in for the night. With the strength of the healing potions still coursing through Eik and Heath¡¯s systems, a night¡¯s sleep should prove enough to get them on their feet again. Eik made a note to himself to ask to be taught how to brew potions of such immaculate clarity, effectiveness, and not to mention pleasant flavor. He¡¯d been thinking about asking to learn for a while now, but with everything that had been thrown in their faces anytime they interacted with Atla, Mikla, and the Nidafjeld Alliance, there just hadn¡¯t been time to sit down for a day of studying. If he could get an edge on the medicine market on Earth by pioneering recipes from the Nidafjeld Alliance, he would be raking in the money once he got around to reopening Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs. He fell asleep thinking of the massive, unrivaled emporium of magical medicine he was going to head in the future. The next morning Eik took off his boots, socks, and pants and put them to the side on the bank of the stream. The water this close to the crater where the fungus king grew was far too deep and powerful to simply step into. Instead he sat at the edge and immersed his feet into the cool water, flicking and stretching his toes. Getting his feet out of the boots after a couple of days fighting, walking, and being on the run felt amazing. He lay back in the soft moss to enjoy the refreshing feeling when Sonja walked up. ¡°Want something to drink?¡± ¡°You think I want to drink any more of that damn slime water! Blegh!¡± he spat. ¡°So how long to do you think it¡¯ll take to saturate the whole basin?¡± she asked. He glanced down into the crater and then at his toes. He wiggled them in the water. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sonja. Maybe a few hours if everything goes to plan. But all this water has got to be going somewhere and if it is, then there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to be able to make a dent. It¡¯ll never be enough to kill even a single of those creepy ass striders.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a try anyway,¡± she said. He nodded and let Profound Toxin flow out of his legs from calves to toes, the substance dyeing the river the now familiar luminescent blue. For the first few paces as the current carried the toxin down the stream it was luminous in the water, but before reaching the fall into the crater it had already been diluted into invisibility. Eik found himself unable to release the poison indefinitely. At some point he hit some kind of blockade which could neither be described as physical nor mental. Perhaps¡­ magical? Cosmic? Systemic? How the hell was he supposed to know? Taking breaks throughout, Eik released poison on and off for almost three hours. He stood up and went to get the others. His leg was doing fine at this point. Michael had worked on his leg throughout the entirety of his watch while Eik slept and then again this morning. Combined with the potent healing potion, Eik was now walking, running, and jumping with little more than a faint ache. ¡°Does it seem to be working at all?¡± He asked as he jogged up to the camp situated on the edge of the ridge. ¡°There¡¯s no reaction from any of the striders, no,¡± Heath said. ¡°I think we¡¯ll just have to do it the old fashioned way then,¡± Eik said with a sigh. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Face rolling and winging it,¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°Heath, take a drink and let¡¯s go.¡± The tank fished a new membranous fluid sack out of a rucksack and glared at it with disgust. ¡°Ah, shit¡­¡± Chapter 58: Plant Man Repeating the one step to bring out the boss from the beneath the mycelium network, Sonja stepped up to the edge and got into a stable kneeling position as she drew and nocked an arrow on the string to pull her bow to its full length. The moment she let the arrow fly her hand was already moving to the quiver to prepare another arrow. The first shaft entered the meaty trunk of the fungus, looking like nothing more than a wiry acupuncture needle stuck in a giant¡¯s neck, as Sonja laid the second across the handle of her bow. The razor-sharp shell of energy characterizing her new Boosted Arrow ability rippled over the arrow head and settled around the metal. Just as it had the day before, the tangled mess of mushroom mycelium uprooted itself and assembled itself into a humanoid form. Again it seemed to only know that something had caused damage to the fungus king, but not what or from where. The Boosted Arrow flew at extreme speed to impact the thing¡¯s torso. The force of the shot rocked it on its feet, driving it back a couple of steps, but it did not fall. Its head whipped up to stare directly at them. For a moment it stood unmoving and quiet, almost as if it was trying to determine what the best next step was. Apparently deciding that a straightforward bull rush was the way to go, the mushroom guardian broke into a mad dash, its first two steps tearing up soil as the roots of its feet were ripped free. It was headed straight for them at speed. ¡°Fall back! Back! Back! Back!¡± Heath shouted frantically and unslung his shield. ¡°The big guy¡¯s coming.¡± They slid down the slope to fight on flat ground. A guy with living roots instead of real feet would probably have an advantage on uneven ground. Sonja stayed up on the edge to observe the development down in the crater ¡ª whether the guardian decided to change course, or if the striders would follow the giant up to them and complicate the fight. ¡°Mike!¡± Heath said as they got into a formation, facing the fungus king. Without a word Michael laid a hand on the tank¡¯s large back upon which the silvery light of his Single Protection ability hummed to life and washed over Heath¡¯s body. ¡°The striders are hostile to the plant man!¡± Sonja shouted from the top, her eyes never leaving the crater. ¡°They attack it whenever it enters the range of their feelers! They¡¯re hurting the boss! They are not following! The plant man is not retaliating! It just keeps coming towards us!¡± ¡°Eik, you ready?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Yep,¡± Eik said with a nod as he chewed on one of the poisonous flowers given to him by Atla before they¡¯d been shoved through the fracture. He felt the effects of Noxious Invigoration kick in once the poison entered his system. The poison itself was much more potent than the molded balls of mixed, finely chopped toxic roots and herbs, and Eik already felt a stomach ache coming on. But the strengthening effect was rivaled only by the time the cannibalistic cult leader forced him to swallow that horrible drug. Within a dozen seconds the sound of the protector climbing up the side of the crater announced its arrival. Tangled fingers gripped the rocky rim and rocketed the strange creature upwards to land with a crash in a position with a mossy fist planted on the ground. It stood up slowly and regarded the three of them with its flickering yellow eyes. ¡°Was that¡­ a superhero landing? Did that weird thing just do a superhero landing?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Surely not, right?¡± Michael muttered. ¡°It¡¯s coming! Look alive, guys!¡± Heath shouted and raised his tower shield to meet the oncoming plant monster. Mushroom monster? Whatever. Before it had managed to take two steps an arrow slammed into its back, but being non-boosted it barely rattled it. The mycelium had already completely wrapped itself around the Boosted Arrow and seemed to be swallowing up the wood. The guardian¡¯s body was missing several chunks here and there where the striders¡¯ legs had impacted it as it ran past them. Just by looking at it, it didn¡¯t seem like those creepy spider crabs had the power to properly tear through the boss¡¯ defenses, but the spines growing all over the legs must have acted similarly to a vegetable grater and shaved off layers. Michael weaved his fingers in the familiar pattern and summoned the golden cords of Bind to take a hold of the monster¡¯s feet as it charged. For a moment it appeared to trip even as the ability broke against its dense weight, but the roots of its body sprouted out to catch the fall and sped up its onrush A deafening crash of metal echoed through the mushroom forest when the fungus guardian smashed its fist into Heath¡¯s shield. The tank grunted as he withstood the blow, his heavy boots sliding through the soft moss. ¡°This thing hits like a god damned truck, guys!¡± Heath breathed as he righted his stance to receive the next hit. ¡°Resonating Strength is giving me a good bit of extra power, but I can¡¯t do this forever. If you could find a way to kill this piece of crap quickly, I¡¯d be very appreciative!¡± ¡°On it!¡± Eik shouted and activated Movement Boost as he whirled sideways and around the monster where he leapt onto its back. Then Sonja was there, her thin blade drawn, slashing into the outer layer of moss and vines. It made a sound as if she had cut into a cucumber but instead of severing it cleanly in two, her sword got stuck halfway through as murky green sap poured out of the guardian¡¯s wound. It smelled like freshly cut grass.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. A knotted fist came around but an activation of Disengage carried her back and away from the attack, her sword still stuck where she¡¯d left it in the monster. It bashed Heath¡¯s shield again and again, pushing back the big man while Eik plunged Viper Fang into its gnarled back. The moment Profound Toxin began to flow, the thing froze like a statue. Then it appeared to wobble and undulate as it restructured itself. Suddenly Eik was no longer clinging to the guardian¡¯s back, its yellow eyes opening in what had been the back of its head. With arms that were quite literally like trunks, it took a firm hold around his body and began to squeeze. Heath and Michael both began to bash away at its legs and back as Sonja rejoined the fight, yanking her sword out and making two more cuts. Heath scored a deep, sappy gash with Unerring Strike, but the thing seemed completely oblivious to anything but its desire to crush Eik in a deadly embrace. Able to neither move nor wield Viper Fang Eik did the only thing he could think of and released Profound Toxin from every single pore in his body, much like what he had done when the slime had gobbled him up during the Great Raid on Earth. His scream of pain turned into a desperate, breathless rasp as the crushing power increased by the second. The toxin never stopped flowing, but Eik didn¡¯t know if a plant or fungus had the circulatory system to be properly affected by his ability. He could feel the Profound Toxin present in the thing but the speed at which it was transported through the many intertwining vines was glacial compared to other monsters and animals. He soundlessly called forth Accelerant and felt the toxin obey. Rather than the rocking and pulsing reaction that Accelerant caused in animals, the guardian of the fungus king simply exploded where the toxin had managed to penetrate deep enough to respond to his ability. Several of the cuts made by Heath and Sonja as well as the striders had been drenched in poison and Accelerant had forced them open violently, severing most of the affected roots completely. This seemed to weaken the guardian¡¯s vice grip enough for Eik to force his feet up for purchase on the giant¡¯s body and kick up and out of its embrace. He tried to correct his flight mid-air but all he managed was a pathetic, panicky flailing of arms and legs like a beetle turned over on its back to then land hard on his ass, sending jolts of pain through his already aching body. The others kept up their assault, the Sitting Duck trait evolved from Heath¡¯s Fortitude ability finally seeming to attract the thing enough to his shield for it to attack him instead of someone else. In order to keep the guardian¡¯s attention focused on him even as the others attacked it, he did his best to weave both Unerring Strikes and regular slashes of his short sword in between his shield blocks. Eik sat himself up and felt around his ribs to check for breaks and bruises. It hurt whenever he took a breath so he popped one of his home made healing spheres to be on the safe side ¡ª one of the only ones left in his belt pouch. He really hoped that his broken leg had been the last serious injury they would see before making it back to the Nidafjeld Alliance. ¡°Hey! Chest! Take a look at its chest!¡± Heath shouted as Eik rejoined the battle. ¡°Do you see what I¡¯m seeing?¡± Sonja danced out and behind Heath to get a better view. ¡°It looks like a gemstone of some kind,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That might be the key to killing this damn thing!¡± Eik added and sliced into its back twice quickly. ¡°Like a video game!¡± Michael ran behind Heath to get to Eik to massage his rib cage with healing hands. Eik really hoped that the young healer would get to pick Pain Suppression next time his Heal ability leveled. He¡¯d have loved some of that right about now. ¡°How does it work in a video game?¡± he asked Eik. The Dane gave him a look of disbelief as he jumped back to avoid a vine snaking out to get him. ¡°Destroy the indestructible and untiring golem¡¯s core and it will crumble into nothingness to reveal the room where the princess is being kept hostage! How do you not remember that?¡± ¡°I never really got to play video games much before the Unified Mass decided to transform our lives into a waking nightmare,¡± he said, his mouth a thin line. ¡°Ah, yeah, that sucks, man.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a very good habit to equate the fantasy world of a video game with the fantasy world of our actual lives anyway.¡± ¡°You got a better idea?¡± ¡°I, uuh¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just try it!¡± Heath shouted with annoyance. ¡°It either works or it doesn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Sonja, help me get through its back!¡± Eik called as he carved even more grooves into the roots. Sonja came and added her own while Michael kept up his healing and took every opportunity he could to use Bind to hinder the boss¡¯ continued onslaught on Heath. Once the golem¡¯s back was marred by numerous cuts, Eik delivered a globule of Profound Toxin like a water balloon to soak into and mix with the sap. Without looking back, the thing swung a backfist for his head but he ducked and put a hand on one of the roots of its legs to trigger Accelerant. With a loud pop, juicy, green flesh erupted from the guardian¡¯s back. With so many of its tangled appendages destroyed at once, the thing seemed to fall apart slightly and lose power. Activating Movement Speed, Eik leapt for the yellow gemstone, leading with his hands like a diver. He ripped it out of its body where it had been held gently by some kind of slight, brittle sapling. Before it could pull the same trick that it had done when it caught him earlier, he kicked off into a smooth backflip. ¡°I hope you played little league baseball, Mikey!¡± he yelled and lobbed the stone toward the young healer. His high F-rank letting him react, Michael hefted the iron mace into a two-handed grip and smashed the little gemstone out of the park with a crunch like glass breaking. Immediately, as if someone had pulled the plug on a terminator powered by a wall socket, the guardian fell apart into a heap of roots and vines. To be safe, they hacked through all of the individual parts at least once. ¡°Phew!¡± Eik said and fell onto his ass with a hand on his ribs. ¡°That was not an easy fight! Glad that¡¯s over and done wi¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Sonja shushed, her bow suddenly back in her hand. ¡°I hear something from down there. It almost sounds like¡­¡± A gnarled, mossy hand appeared at the rim of the crater, followed quickly by a head. ¡°Nuts,¡± Eik groaned and got to his feet and drew Viper Fang. Fingers came up to grip the head of the second guardian, revealing yet another head. A few paces to the side a fourth guardian climbed over the rim. ¡°Shit!¡± Chapter 59: Alternative Tactic ¡°Are you guys seeing three of them as well?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Michael nodded, swallowing hard. ¡°What do we do?¡± Heath asked as he raised his shield protectively. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can keep the attention of all three of them or even survive it if I could.¡± The three newly arrived guardians stood shoulder by shoulder and briefly eyed the lifeless heap that had been their kin before regarding the Earthlings with cold, yellow eyes. They were completely identical to the first one they killed, with the exception of their eyes. The one on the right had a single, glowing yellow eye in the middle of its head. The middle one had two eyes with a third in the center of its forehead, while the third on the left had four eyes in total. ¡°How many of these damn things are going to show up before we can go home? Is this really E-rank difficulty?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Well, in an ideal situation we would have had more time to prepare and we would have been able to focus more on the actual practical test rather than getting harassed and wounded by Menka Tokanami¡¯s stupid underlings,¡± Sonja pointed out. ¡°Is your Boosted Arrow ready to go yet, Sonja?¡± Eik asked as he back up and behind Heath¡¯s great shield. ¡°If we could get to one of their cores and destroy it from the get-go then we might just be able to handle the last two.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s still going to be a good while before I can do that again. Not in time to make a difference in this fight anyway.¡± The three golems charged and Heath stepped forward resolutely as he repeatedly slammed the wide cheek of his short sword into the front of his shield, the metallic clanging drawing the three guardians to him. Whether they were just dumb or the Sitting Duck trait was doing what it said on the label was a little difficult to tell with any type of certainty, but it gave Eik and Sonja the freedom to scatter to try to get at the bosses from different angles. Heath took two simultaneous blows at full power, his shield flung violently up over his head, the straps forcing his arm back with the shield. The third guardian rushed in from behind the two others and struck him in the chest as he stood defenseless. A Single Protection that Michael cast when the three monsters had first arrived shielded Heath from a lot of the direct damage, but he was still thrown off his feet and onto his ass. He rolled backward awkwardly and got to his feet with his shield raised to meet the enemy. Only one of them had changed target. ¡°Sonja!¡± Heath screamed as the guardian with only one eye went for her, the many vines making up its body shooting out like snakes to catch her. Her brother dashed for her, avoiding the lunge of the first golem coming at him and bashing away the hands of the next with his shield. Leading with his sword, he slashed an Unerring Strike across the one-eyed boss¡¯ back, almost severing one of the vines. It ignored his attack and picked Sonja up as he was forced to turn to receive the three-eyed and four-eyed golems. ¡°Shit!¡± Eik hissed and leapt onto the back of the one attacking Sonja to pour Profound Toxin onto the cut left by Heath as well as open a few of his own. Almost immediately it tried to wrap vines around him as well even as he threw Sonja to the ground, knocking all air out of her lungs. Eik jumped back, only barely managing to trigger Accelerant on the toxin stuck to the one-eyed golem while avoiding its attack. ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡± Eik shouted, activating Movement Boost to get to Sonja and pull her out of harm¡¯s way. He got her far enough away from the golem for it to change its mind and go back after Heath who was already struggling with just two. ¡°We need to figure out another way! It¡¯s too dangerous to get close enough to them to damage them.¡± ¡°Are there more coming?¡± Sonja asked breathlessly, supporting herself momentarily on Eik¡¯s shoulder. Michael scrambled up the slope, clawing through the moss with his fingers to find purchase. He gazed out over the crater for a few seconds before his hand flew up in frantic surprise. He wiggled his index finger agitatedly in the air as if the rest of them were next to him to see what he was pointing at. ¡°Th¡ª There¡¯s another one coming! It¡¯s coming this way!¡± he yelled as he slid back down the side of the ridge. ¡°We¡¯re going to die! Aah, crap! We¡¯re definitely going to die this time! Crap, crap, crap! What if they never stop coming?¡± ¡°Stay calm, Mikey!¡± Sonja said, her voice an impressive example of self-control. ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t feel like it, this part is a simulation. It¡¯s a test. It¡¯s not a real situation with dangers so great that we don¡¯t stand a chance. There must be a way to beat it, and if these things keep spawning indefinitely, then the true solution is likely something else. These horrid golems are probably nothing more than a distraction from the real goal, whatever it may be.¡± ¡°So how do we find out what the real solution is?¡± Heath shouted as he stumbled backwards, his back against one of the large mushroom trunks. A golem¡¯s powerful fist shattered the fleshy fungus stem with a juicy splat, Heath only barely managing to jump out of the way of the strike. ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up! Especially not if there¡¯s another one on the way, and it might not even be the last of them! Sitting Duck¡¯s making them come after me, but if I stop and defend I¡¯ll be killed in seconds!¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°One of us has to go to the fungus king! They¡¯re obviously protecting it so the answer must be there!¡± Eik said. ¡°Eik, you go,¡± Sonja told him firmly. ¡°But¡­ what about¡ª¡± ¡°Eik, we¡¯re about equal in speed and mobility¡ª¡± ¡°Speed maybe, but the way you moved through the speed test back then was absolutely unreal. It was insane, Sonja,¡± he interrupted. For the briefest second, a faint smile flashed across her face even during all the chaos. ¡°Thank you for that, but more importantly than that, if you manage to get your toxic little grabbers on something, it tends to perish, painfully and gruesomely. I think you¡¯re the best candidate to go.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay, I¡¯ll go,¡± he said and hurried up to look for the best place to descend into the belly of the crater. He found a place where he could clamber down and called to the others. ¡°I¡¯m going, guys! Be careful and stay away from them! Don¡¯t attack, just avoid them as much as possible!¡± Nobody answered as they tried to keep the bosses from doing damage to the best of their abilities, Heath eating any attack that couldn¡¯t be avoided while Sonja tried to take some of the heat off her brother by deploying harassment tactics and kiting the golems away from him with her mobility maneuvers. Meanwhile, Michael threw up another Single Protection on Heath, followed by a surge of Heal to treat the first of the tank¡¯s injuries and refresh the effect of Galvanic Fortification. He used Bind on cooldown at whichever golem seemed closest to hurting one of his teammates. He stayed on the outer perimeter of the fight which seemed to be enough to keep the guardians off him. Eik slid down the slope, trying to keep his balance as the unstable soil crumbled under his feet. As he got down to the bottom, now eye level with all the striders standing between him and the fungus king towering above everything like a world tree, the distance to the base of the giant suddenly looked significantly more daunting than it had from above. ¡°How the hell am I going to get through that swarm of creepy crawlies?¡± he wondered out loud, suddenly feeling a urge to hear a voice, even if it was his own. Being separated from his team here in a foreign and strange world was an unsettling thought to say the least. As he took the first few steps toward the feeding striders, a movement caught his eye in the periphery of his vision. Something slid down the side of the inner wall of the crater to his right. It was far away still but the shape of the fifth golem was not easily mistaken. At the bottom it stopped and regarded him for a moment like all the previous ones had done. It was almost as if it was¡­ communicating with someone or something. ¡°You have got to be kidding me right now!¡± Eik hissed. Before it could come for him, Eik broke into a sprint heading directly for the countless striders. The moment he made it into the range of the outermost strider¡¯s extensive feelers the first leg came crashing down like a falling battering ram. Unfortunately for the tall strider, Eik was no longer in the location it had aimed for. He didn¡¯t stop to fight back or assess the situation. He simply continued through toward the next strider without slowing down at all. A glance to the side told him that the fifth golem was coming at him diagonally from the back. The vines and roots of its body, which had already taken visible damage, were shaved off even further by the spined legs as it moved back in among the hostile striders. Eik yelped as a gash was opened in his buttock and down the side of his calf. ¡°My freakin¡¯ butt!¡± He padded the injury with a hand and it came away bloody. Trying to get his hand into his belt pouch while keeping up the speed proved a challenge, but in the end he managed to swallow another of the poisonous, purple flowers followed by one of his own chunks of medicine. The golem was now directly behind him but didn¡¯t appear to be gaining any distance on him, which meant that, rather than running into the feelers of feeding striders, it was passing through an area where they were already all agitated and looking for the next victim to impale. Eik took another close call to the shoulder, but he was beginning to see the end of the killing fields up ahead. Although the striders seemed to be spread out across most of the crater, they weren¡¯t getting too close to the trunk of the fungus king. Almost like there was an invisible wall keeping them away. Several times he had to traverse the seemingly bottomless pools of water by running across the massive roots weaving in and out of the ground like sea serpents. Falling in and losing him momentum would probably be his death so he tried hard to balance speed with caution. ¡°Crap, crap, craaap!¡± he shouted. If he could pass the territories of just four or five more striders without being killed by their leggy harpoons on the way he would be home safe. Or rather, safe from the striders. Whether he was safe in general or in even greater danger this close to the fungus king only time would tell. He surprised himself by dodging a spiked stomp before activating Movement Boost and jumping forward in a tiger leap, diving for the safe area. He heard the thunks of several legs digging deep into the ground behind him but he made it through. Rolling in a break fall, he got back to his feet and ran for the fungus king. Right in front of him was a gaunt, frail-looking mushroom with a shriveled cap, barely reaching the top of Eik¡¯s head. That cap was a deep yellow. To the left and right were two more mushrooms in similar states, looking ready to break and fall over. Their caps were bright green and red respectively. Judging them suspicious enough to give it a try, he slashed at the yellow mushroom with Viper Fang, the venom drawing a tail in the knife¡¯s path. Before he could make contact, a slim but lighting quick root shot out of the ground to block his attack. ¡°Shit!¡± he cursed and fled further toward the main trunk of the fungus king. The golem was coming and, despite the now severe damage to its body, it was too dangerous to confront it alone when it was so strong against his skill set. He half expected the same roots that had protected the haggard mushroom from coming up to block his path, but he leapt onto and climbed the few first paces up the fungus king without any difficulty. The flesh of the trunk was soft enough that he could dig his fingers and feet in to find purchase. Trying to get away for long enough to think of a way to solve this predicament he kept climbing, but suddenly froze as something struck him. It was a feeling that had become familiar. It was the feeling of the Profound Toxin reaching out to him. The feeling of Profound Toxin being present in a victim¡¯s system. He dragged a finger across the white surface of the fungus king. Profound Toxin flowed through the gigantic thing like blood through a circulatory system. Chapter 60: Mushroom Massacre For several moments Eik was lost in the feeling of the Profound Toxin surging through the kilometer long underground mycelium network. His consciousness was pulled in and through the tunnel-like structures. It was as if he had become a part of the Profound Toxin itself. Even in the darkness inside of the extensive body of the fungus king, Eik felt the eagerness of the toxin as his own, and the desire to fulfill its purpose as his own desire. Being connected to something that was kilometers away was more than a little surreal. His body existed there on the trunk of the king but at the same time he was present far away. He forced himself out of it and back into his body proper, afraid of what might happen to his self if he didn¡¯t cut it off quickly. The experience had allowed him to understand the whole area a little better. It was not simply a great mushroom forest with a king reigning silently from its throne in the center. It was one titanic fungus with hundreds of thousands of appendages growing throughout the region. The fungus king did not reign over a forest. The fungus king was the forest. ¡°This is¡­¡± Eik whispered. ¡°Eik!¡± a distant voice shouted. ¡°Eik, can you hear me?¡± He was careful not to lose his grip on the trunk as he turned to call back. ¡°Heath! I can hear you! What is it? I¡¯m kind of in the middle of something!¡± he bellowed at the top of his lungs. ¡°Did you do something?¡± the tank bellowed back. ¡°They just lost interest in us completely! They¡¯re coming for you! We¡¯re on the way as well! ¡°Nuts!¡± Eik cursed and looked down. The guardian had begun to climb up after him and this one had five eyes. Four aligned in a square with the final one in the center of that arrangement, all focused unwaveringly on him. The golem¡¯s climb was slow and careful. Judging only by the body language of the thing, it was extremely worried about doing any degree of damage to the fungus king. Eik guessed that the need to neutralize him as a potential threat to its fungal liege weighed heavier on its mind than its fear of scratching or cutting the trunk, or it would never have started climbing in the first place. ¡°Guys!¡± he howled, the sense of urgency putting a crack in his otherwise immensely manly voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to try something! And I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s going to go! Don¡¯t enter the territory of the striders yet!¡± Heath¡¯s voice answered a second later. ¡°Got it! Be careful! And don¡¯t do anything that Mikey wouldn¡¯t do!¡± Despite the gravity of the situation, Eik found himself snickering. He appreciated Heath¡¯s ability to alleviate worry with a light-hearted remark. It was a good skill to have when your job involved fighting against monstrous horrors in a chaos of constant death and magical destruction, not to mention delving through dimensional portals to explore alien worlds and trying to avoid getting squished under the cosmic boot of a multiversal super power. It was considerably more stressful than working in an apothecary. A good bit more blood too. It had to be now, so Eik felt for the Profound Toxin coursing through the king once more, careful as he could to not let himself get sucked into the sensory takeover again. As always, it responded with enthusiasm, almost like a dog trying to convince its owner to come along for an extended walk across the fields and through the forests. Except, instead of a dog, it was a pseudo-sentient ocean of toxic blue murder liquid, and the walk across fields and through forests was actually a senseless massacre across countless corpses and through the rib cages and entrails of titans. It was frightening and daunting, but also exciting and empowering. He had what appeared to be endless power at the tips of his fingers, if only he could learn to harness it and strengthen it. It was still relatively weak and certainly awkward to use to its fullest, but hopefully that would change as he discovered more of the secrets of the mysterious ability and climbed through the ranks of power. With a thought, he willed Accelerant to trigger throughout the system of the fungus king. Instantly he was pulled back in and rocketed through the never-ending paths. Eik couldn¡¯t tell exactly what had allowed his toxin to travel so far within the king. He didn¡¯t know how an alien fungus worked so maybe there wasn¡¯t anything strange about it at all, and he had been releasing Profound Toxin into the water that went under its main body for a good three hours. If nothing else, he now knew where all that water went after flowing into the crater. It served at least partially as a water source for the giant. Eik was the pulse that blasted out to almost all of the mushroom trees in the forest and up through the trunk of the fungus king and into his capped crown.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. With each of the tree-sized trunks his consciousness passed through, a luminous wave of pure blue rushed out, leaving behind a scorched mass. He moved outward at blinding speed. Much faster than his mind could possibly process. Suddenly he was at the end of the reach of his toxin, the last vestiges of it so minuscule that it could only react harmlessly once the order to Accelerate reached it. As the final speck disappeared and he lost connection, he zoomed back toward the center of the region where the fungus king stood tall as if pulled back by a vast, fully taut elastic band. In seconds he was back in his body. Actually, more like minutes. No¡­ seconds, or maybe even quicker than that. And then, as soon as he was in his own head, like a basketball rebounding off the backboard, he shot from his body up through the massive trunk of the king. Profound Toxin was everywhere inside, inflicting the water that was supposed to nourish the mushroom with its deadly influence. As his consciousness approached the king¡¯s crown, an overpowering pulse of blue roiled up, up and away. The largest shock wave he had seen yet surged out of the cap like a volcanic eruption, shaking it violently in its entirety. In an instant, Eik was once more back in his own head, a sense of vertigo threatening to unstick him from the white trunk. The fact that the whole thing was rocking like a ship in a torrential storm didn¡¯t make it any easier to hang on. Having his mind thrown around like a rag doll between different perspectives of existence didn¡¯t do him any favors either. In fact, he was feeling a non-trivial urge to hurl up the compact food bars they had swiped from the assassins¡¯ camps the day before. Maybe the shitty golem guy below him would like a serving of vomit to decorate his head. Speaking of, a high-pitched screech jolted him enough to almost make him loosen his tight grip on the mushroom¡¯s soft flesh. Note to self: don¡¯t go climbing anymore. Especially not on mushrooms. Or any type of fungus, really. He looked down and saw the guardian writhing in apparent pain, arching back as a sound like the tips of a fork scraping across a plate escaped from its entire body at once. It seemed to be losing control of its body as the vines of what had been its hands, feet, chest, and face dug into the trunk of the fungus king, the caution it had shown before thrown aside in favor of deranged fury. As Eik watched, the thing came apart, its humanoid shape fading and unraveling until it was nothing more than a twisting mass of dangerous tendrils powerful enough to squeeze the life out of him. Being so close to this one it was difficult to say with any kind of certainty, but he thought he could hear the three other golems screaming somewhere in the crater. Further down the thin, pathetic mushrooms with the colored caps still stood, although they somehow looked even more ragged than they had. They must have been affected by his Accelerant as well, but clearly, with the total size of the fungus king, it hadn¡¯t been enough to completely kill them. Those four just had to be the key to getting out of here. They could get out now, right? Surely Atla had solved the¡­ issue with Menka Tokanami by now, right? She must have, right? He started moving sideways and then diagonally down toward the ground, hoping to avoid getting caught up in the pit of death that raged further down the trunk. Even when he passed by with only a few paces between himself and the maximum range of the whipping vines, it didn¡¯t move closer to him. Perhaps it had lost any sense of awareness that would otherwise have driven it to pursue him. What had happened at the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance. Menka Tokanami coming for them ¡ª possibly to take their lives in an erroneous push for some kind of warped vengeance for her son who was murdered and consumed by the cultists during the rescue mission ¡ª was frankly outrageous. The more he thought about it, the crazier the thought of it became. They had been promised that the issue would be taken care of. He couldn¡¯t tell what exactly this situation demonstrated. Incompetence in the leadership and enforcement of the law within the alliance? A disconnect between the different parts of the alliance? An organization so vast in scope and scale that proper enforcement of consequences is practically impossible? All three? Something entirely different? How the hell was little Earthling Eik supposed to know? He was already in over his head in a bigger way than any person from Earth had ever been in the history of civilization. He dropped the last few meters to the ground and ran for the closest of the tired mushrooms ¡ª the yellow one. Brandishing Viper Fang, he sliced through the fragile stem in a single movement, severing it with surprising ease. Just as he made contact, roots slithered up, lethargic and imprecise, nowhere near quickly enough to actually stop him from carrying out his attack. Without looking any closer at the result, he broke into a sprint and headed for the next. A glance over his shoulder told him that heath and Sonja were about to make it through the territory of the striders, Michael doing his best to stick to their heels with his F-rank speed. He had used Bind to fell strider and create a path through which they could pass unharmed. ¡°Eik! What happened?¡± Instead of explaining, he pointed to the fragile mushroom on the opposite side. ¡°That mushroom there, with the red cap! Kill it! Destroy it! The four of them have to be the keys to this crap! Nothing else makes sense!¡± Without asking for further clarification Sonja nocked an arrow, barely slowing down. She took aim and came to a sliding stop the moment they made it past the striders. Eik slashed through the stalks of another defenseless mushroom as she released the arrow. The cap was ripped clean off as the projectile impacted it violently, Eik continuing to the final fungus elder with the speed of Movement Boost. He feared that the fungus king would be able to mount some kind of last stand retaliation, but in the end the withered thing died all the same. For a long time it was silent. The striders wandered about aimlessly, probably sensing that something was not right. It felt like the region itself had fallen into stillness. Then the fungus king seemed to sigh enormously, deflating slightly like an old balloon. ¡°Did it work?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Did we do it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Eik said and looked around the area. Something clinked lightly in the moss a few paces away. Eik picked up a small octagonal badge that seemed to have fallen from¡­ somewhere. It was the size of a fist. On the surface was written a few alien words, legible only thanks to the translation ability still active on them. ¡°Break to go home¡± Chapter 61: Time to Calm Down ¡°¡¯Break to go home¡¯?¡± Eik read out loud. ¡°That¡¯s what it says on this thing.¡± ¡°So we really did do it?¡± Heath asked. ¡°We can go home if we break that?¡± Eik turned it over in his hand. The flip side was blank and unadorned, the material appearing to be some kind of semi porous stone. He was careful not to do it quite yet, but it felt like it would be easy to break. But then again, that¡¯s probably intentional. ¡°Is this, like, some kind of teleportation stone? This is exactly like a game,¡± Heath said, excitement sneaking its way into his voice at the prospect of it. ¡°Break it in two or smash it on the floor and the whole group will be mass teleported in flash of light, leaving behind a circle of mystical diagrams, complicated runic scripts, and a funky whooshing sound. That¡¯s what that is, right?¡± Eik arched an eyebrow at his friend¡¯s enthusiastic tirade, the corners of his lips quirking upward. Although he¡¯d be lying if he said he didn¡¯t share some of the excitement the tank was feeling about this seemingly magical item. ¡°I mean, it certainly might be. Actually, let¡¯s say I¡¯m hoping for it. Where will it take us, though? Like where will it actually take us? It says ¡®home¡¯, but is home the alliance, or is home what we think home is?¡± He handed the stone block over to Michael who also studied it closely. There really wasn¡¯t anything remarkable about it except for the neat writing on the front. Nothing indicated anything even remotely magical about the object, neither in the material nor in the craftsmanship. When they finally stumbled upon a magical object, Eik had expected it to essentially ooze power. ¡°Do you think it can read our minds or something?¡± Michael asked with a look of concern. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know?¡± Eik asked with a shrug. ¡°This is my first magical item as well.¡± ¡ªHe side-eyed the foreign object with suspicion¡ª ¡°Although I wouldn¡¯t put it past the alliance to install some mind reading mumbo jumbo just because they can.¡± ¡°Maybe it is capable of analyzing and recognizing some kind of cosmic building material in our bodies and utilize the data gathered to identify our home world and send us back automatically,¡± Michael wondered out loud as he scratched the surface of it with a finger nail, a bit of dust falling into the moss below. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Heath hissed, snatching the stone badge from the young healer. Michael raised his hands in outrage. ¡°What?¡± he asked with a frown. ¡°What the hell did I do?¡± ¡°What if that dust there,¡± Heath scolded with a finger pointing at the ground. ¡°is all it takes for the damn thing to consider itself broken?¡± ¡°Wha¡ª, I¡ª¡­ No way, right? That can¡¯t be all it takes?¡± he stammered, fingers trembling. ¡°How should I know?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re still standing here talking, so my guess is that we¡¯re good.¡± ¡°How does it even work?¡± Sonja asked as it became her turn to inspect the badge. ¡°Maybe they can enchant an object with an ability? Kind of like how they enchanted those shackles they used to keep the ogre in stasis for the test.¡± Eik nodded. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t surprise me. They seem to be doing new things every single time we see them, each of them more absurd than the previous.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen when we get back?¡± Michael asked and let his back bump against the drooping fungus king as he slid into a sitting position in the soft moss. He sighed. ¡°Might not want to sit against that thing, Mikey,¡± Sonja commented. The healer didn¡¯t say anything but slid even further down and rolled away from the base of the king. ¡°I hope that everything has been solved when we get back, but I¡¯m not sure if we can expect that. Atla just seems so¡­ nonchalant about physical danger. She pushed you to fight that kid the first time she took you. She put us into the middle of that rescue operation, probably as an overt political move, which exposed us to the animosity of a ¡®minor¡¯ family, whose strength apparently far surpasses all of Forest¡¯s forces put together. What was it?¡± she said, squinting as she tried to remember. ¡°At most two A-rankers and a few B-rankers, as they put it. And then now, the woman who tried and almost succeeded in killing us is back on the streets, so to speak, and after us again ¡ª this time with a bit of hired help ¡ª and we¡¯re hiding away here in a weird forest, just waiting for her to fix it.¡± ¡°Yeah, this isn¡¯t really a great situation, is it?¡± Heath said and sat down next to Michael. ¡°It just feels like¡­ like she¡¯s looking for any opportunity to push us to grow stronger. And we¡¯re so weak, both relative to the alliance as well as our lovely friends back in Forest, that we can¡¯t do much more than try to steer clear of the rocks as we raft through this rushing river of overpowered monsters,¡± Eik said. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Even though we all have nine years of experience dealing with life in the middle of a monster apocalypse, it¡¯s like their perspective on violence and peril is completely different from ours. It¡¯s not like I think they prefer it, but more like it¡¯s such an¡­ ordinary, routine part of life for them than they hardly even bat an eye at mortal danger. I doubt that what¡¯s happened to us thus far is nothing more than a necessary part of growing up in their world.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re wrong about that, actually,¡± Michael said. ¡°Everything is a way to improve your power rank and gain experience.¡± ¡°So should we¡­ break this thing already, or what?¡± Heath said, looking at the stone badge like he was dying to introduce it to a baseball bat. ¡°Is there a need to rush?¡± Eik asked pointing upwards along the gigantic trunk. ¡°The big guy there is dead¡­ I think. We fulfilled the criteria to go back and the guardians disappeared.¡± ¡°I guess we could wait and take some time to calm down a bit.¡± ¡°And,¡± Sonja said, looking up toward the camp they had taken over from the assassins. ¡°Maybe we should take some stuff? The one intact potion we were able to recover was nice and all, but there¡¯s still more that we can bring back with us.¡± ¡°I think bringing anything that might tie us to the murders of any of those guys would be a bad idea. We¡¯ll just get even more of those damn minor families on our asses,¡± Eik said. ¡°Good point,¡± Sonja nodded as they started back toward the camp. ¡°Let¡¯s keep our hands off their weapons, armor, and any identifiable stuff.¡± ¡°Actually, just a sec!¡± Eik said and hopped over to the corpse of the fifth guardian which had now stopped moving. He dug through the limp tentacles until he found what he was looking for. He came running back, holding his prize high. ¡°Found it! They died when the king died so the cores are still intact! They might be useful, right?¡± They recovered the cores from two of the other guardians as well. They had all unraveled in the same way that the fifth had as they died, but one of them had died on the edge of one of the bottomless pools and its core had likely rolled away and sunk into the depths. ¡°Was that Accelerant? That thing you did to the king,¡± Heath asked as they began the climb back up the side of the crater. ¡°It was¡­ completely insane. Everything rocked like a small earthquake. You¡¯ve gotten so freaking strong, dude. We won¡¯t be able to keep up. I should have gunned for Toxin as well,¡± he grinned. ¡°Yeah, it was Accelerant. When I got down there I realized my toxin was flowing through the whole forest. It was only because I had three hours to fill it up. My ability¡¯s situational and its usefulness varies. Like, I could only do so much to the golems because they didn¡¯t circulate the poison well.¡± ¡°It was flowing through the whole forest?¡± Michael asked incredulously. ¡°How did that happen?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°When I say ¡®forest¡¯, what I mean is the fungus king. I felt it when I touched it directly. The forest is the fungus king, and the other way around. The big guy down there extends all throughout the region.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that back on Earth as well! Pre monster Earth, that is,¡± Michael exclaimed. They¡¯d searched through the camp before but they went through it again just to be on the safe side. There was nothing of value left behind for them to scavenge so next were the corpses. Heath checked the golden boy¡¯s belt pouches while Eik and Sonja looked through the Gohkamorian¡¯s pockets. Michael checked the swordswoman. This they had also done before. Perhaps they were simply looking for an excuse to delay breaking the stone and facing whatever was waiting for them back at the alliance headquarters. They discussed whether to throw the corpses in the water along with weapons and armor, or simply leave it behind. Did they want potential investigators to be able to find the corpses or not? Would it be best to leave behind the corpses as evidence of Menka Tokanami¡¯s attempt to have them assassinated, or would those corpses instead be used as evidence that the Earth team had murdered Awakened from the Nidafjeld Alliance? In the end they left them there. The mage they¡¯d killed during the first chase was still lying out there somewhere as well, so cleaning up the four here would only do so much if a dedicated team of investigators checked things out. ¡°Did you get levels from killing the king?¡± Heath asked as they made their way back to the camp. ¡°Yes, actually,¡± Eik said with a glance down at his wooden plaque. ¡°But not as many as some of the other big kills. This guy was large in size, but its power rank didn¡¯t really seem that great. This was a test made for E-rank after all.¡± ¡°So what¡¯d you get?¡± ¡°Uuh, three levels in Toxin, bringing it to 41, three for Movement Boost to level 17, and one for Resistance: Toxin, now level 28.¡± ¡°Decent,¡± Heath nodded. ¡°but not anything remotely close to what you got from the big kills like the elvish cult leader or the lake serpent from the Great Raid.¡± "Yeah," Eik said and glanced down at the plaque once more only to see his ability progression notification replaced by another message. He drew in a sharp breath. [Reached Acolyte of Toxin - IV] None of the others had noticed his surprise at the rank up. "I hit the final stage of E-rank," he said, trying and failing to hide his excitement. Sonja''s eyes widened. "Seriously? But I''m still only at the first stage! How?" Eik tilted his head. "A lot happened in the esophagus of that big snake. I guess that got me right to the edge of stage three." Profound Toxin had allowed him to survive a few situations he probably wouldn''t have otherwise, and that must have boosted his progress significantly. The Worldbreaker in itself might even be providing some benefits to his progress that he didn''t know about. There was just no way of knowing right now. "You''re going to hit D-rank soon! Holy crap, dude!" Heath exclaimed. His face didn''t seem to be able to decide between envy and glee. Eik''s progress would make their team stronger as a whole but he must have been afraid of being left in the dust nonetheless. ¡°Guys,¡± Michael began, raising his hand like a school boy. ¡°can we stay at camp for a little bit?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure. Why?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°I¡¯d like some time to evolve to E-rank,¡± he said, completely incapable of suppressing the smirk that moved in to warp his face into pure glee as he spoke. Heath slapped him on the back heartily. ¡°Hell yeah, dude! Welcome to the E-rank club, old friend!¡± Michael laughed. ¡°Heath, I don¡¯t think we have known each other long enough to be called old friends yet. But best friends might be pretty accurate.¡± ¡°Little shit,¡± the tank said and ruffled his hair. ¡°Sit down and get to it! Then maybe you can stand next to me instead of sticking to my ass?¡± Michael grinned back and sat down on the bedroll. He got comfortable with his head against a rucksack and initiated the E-rank evolution as his eyes fluttered closed. ¡°Mike?¡± Eik called and waved his hand in front of his face a few times. ¡°Alright, he¡¯s out, guys. Heath, did you bring the permanent marker like I asked?¡± Heath guffawed. ¡°Sorry, bro, but stuff like that is kind of rare these days, you know. But I promise to get you for your D-rank evolution.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get out the face paint for yours. I hope you wont mind looking like a tiger for a couple of days, mate.¡± ¡°How about we just wait in silence?¡± Sonja suggested and laid down on her own bedroll. ¡°You take first watch, Heath.¡± Heath looked like a moping younger brother as he let himself fall onto his ass. Chapter 62: Break to Go Home When Michael woke up again there was definitely something different about him. He wasn¡¯t a different person, so to speak, but something in his eyes had changed. Perhaps there was a glint of confidence in there. Perhaps a hint of pride at having made it past F-rank, a feat that not just anybody could brag about. Until just recently, most people had never even gotten the chance to Awaken before being ripped to shreds by monsters or dying of starvation, exposure, thirst, suicide, or homicide. Reaching E-rank was an amazing accomplishment, at least on current Earth. ¡°How¡¯s it feel?¡± Eik asked him. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ amazing. I can¡¯t wait to get to D-rank!¡± he answered enthusiastically, looking at his own hand as he clenched and unclenched his fist over and over. ¡°Alright, alright, calm that horse, man,¡± Eik laughed. ¡°How about we get out of here first?¡± ¡°Is it time to go?¡± he asked, getting to his feet. The characteristic look of worry sneaking back into his eyes. ¡°Yeah, maybe we should just get it over with,¡± Heath said, his knee moving up and down restlessly as he stared at the ground in front of him. Eik put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. It was scary to go back there not knowing what the hell was going on on the other side. Heath grabbed one of the fleshy membranes cut from the back of the overgrown tadpole and forced himself to take several swigs of the foul water. Eik had killed everything inside with Profound Toxin and they had yet to get sick. He pulled a face as the liquid went down his throat. ¡°Uuh, Heath, if we¡¯re going back now then why don¡¯t you just wait to get some actually tasty water at headquarters?¡± The realization made the tank do a spit take and he threw the balloons like skin sack to the ground where it burst and spilled its contents everywhere. ¡°Crap, you¡¯re right! Gah!¡± Eik picked up the stone badge and rubbed in between his fingers. He held it between his hands, his thumbs gripping it on each side, ready to break it in two. ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± he asked. He looked between each of his friends, their faces tense with dread. ¡°Do it,¡± Sonja breathed. He nodded and put strength into his grip. With a crack like a dry biscuit, the badge snapped. Immediately there was no apparent magical effects following the break. No bright teleportation circle with strange, runic scribbles or mystical diagram accompanied whooshing sound. Just¡­ nothing. ¡°I, uhm¡­ Did I do it incorrectly, or?¡± Eik muttered with concerned hesitation. ¡°I mean, it looked right to me,¡± Sonja said, coming over to look at the two fragments in Eik¡¯s hands. ¡°That¡¯s how I would have done it too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re going to be stuck here?¡± Michael exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯d have to eat striders and hunt for those damn tadpoles things to get anything to dri¡ª¡± With the sudden sound of something tearing, a thin incision ripped through space. A second later, it broadened into the now familiar sight of a fracture. For a long while they just stood there, waiting for something to happen. The fracture hung there as they watched, hands ready on the handles of their weapons. ¡°Should we just go through?¡± Heath asked, standing in front of the swirling portal, shield raised protectively in front of his friends huddled behind him. ¡°I think so, yeah,¡± Eik said. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s going to hang around forever, and if it disappears we won¡¯t have another one of these to summon another,¡± he said, holding up the two sides of the broken badge. ¡°Alright, then, let¡¯s go!¡± Heath said and led the way. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll go through first.¡± Eik went through after him, keeping a firm grip on the tank¡¯s shoulder. Michael held on to him and Sonja on to the healer. The vertigo was barely noticeable at this point. They had employed fractures numerous times within a short amount of time so their bodies had grown accustomed to the sensation and no longer associated it with an overwhelming urge to vomit everywhere. ¡°Mikla?¡± Eik heard Heath ask as his own ears and eyes were still adjusting to the new environment. He couldn¡¯t yet tell exactly where they had landed but it was dark and quiet, the sound of their footsteps echoing off walls. There was a stale smell of the indoors that contrasted noticeably with the fresh air he had been inhaling just a moment ago. As his eyes got used to the darkness, he became aware of several pulsing lights around his periphery, as well as one bright source right in front of them. ¡°Mikla!¡± Heath called, a little louder this time. They had come out of the same fracture as they had entered through ¡ª fracture number three from the left ¡ª the lights in the periphery of his vision coming from the other portals. Breaking that stone badge must have somehow linked up with their original portalThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A small lamp stood on a table, illuminating Mikla¡¯s face as he woke up. Judging by his slumped position and the groggy eyes through which he looked at them, he had been waiting for them there for a good while. A mug of something stood half empty on the table next to a plate covered with crumbs and globs of dressing. ¡°Guys¡­?¡± Mikla managed as he sat up properly. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back! Well done!¡± he praised. From a bag leaning against a table leg he pulled a couple of containers of water. ¡°Can I offer some of this? I was told that the testing area you went to didn¡¯t have the best options for water.¡± ¡°I love you,¡± Heath said as he took the water and greedily started gulping down the cool liquid. ¡°Do you have something to eat as well?¡± he asked and passed the water to Eik. Mikla pulled sandwiches out of his pack for all of them and Eik quietly thanked the universe for the Nidafjeld Alliance¡¯s bread traditions. ¡°So, how did it go?¡± the fracture specialist asked as he opened another fracture. ¡°I know someone got through the fracture after you guys, but Atla seemed certain that you would be able to handle it. I guess she was right,¡± he grinned. No, no,¡± Eik said, stopping the man. ¡°Tell us how it went out here first. We were afraid of coming back in case there was an all out fight going on or something.¡± Mikla looked back over his shoulder as he entered the portal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It wasn¡¯t quite as complicated a we initially feared. But maybe Atla should be the one to explain,¡± he said and disappeared through the fracture. Eik stepped out on the other side after Sonja and Heath, entering a well-lit, fully furnished room with high ceilings and large windows. In the middle was a solid long table of wood. On one side of the table sat Atla with her nose buried in documents, a sharply dressed man on the other as they appeared to be discussing the contents of the documents. His focus was on her finger as she pointed at something on one of the pages. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± she exclaimed, a beaming smile conquering her face as she saw them. ¡°Even earlier than I expected. How was it?¡± Like lightning from a cloudless sky, anger struck Eik, burying itself in the pit of his stomach and sending a flash of heat racing up through his skin and terminating in his face. He rammed his fist into an end table that stood peacefully next to the humming fracture. It looked fragile but he still stopped for a moment when a web of cracks flared out from the impact site. To think he was now capable of nearly imitating what Rock Fist Bart had done to the walnut counter in his store. It was almost enough to frighten him but recent events had heightened his threshold for stuff like that. A vase of twisted glass with a multicolored bouquet of flowers stuffed into it wobbled and fell to the floor and broke with a crash, the sound slamming the rage back into him. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± he bellowed, taking a step forward toward Atla whose gleeful expression had fallen. ¡°We nearly got killed! Why? How could you let her come after us again?¡± The sharply dressed man stood up slowly, getting into a ready stance, but Atla stopped him with a raised hand. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this some other time. I¡¯ll contact you later, alright?¡± He nodded and swept aside a lock of gray hair, his eyes never leaving Eik. He exited, leaving his work on the table. Atla watched him leave and waited for the door to close behind him before she turned to face them. Without a word she bowed deeply, almost to a ninety degree angle. Her long, bubblegum pink hair fell over her head and nearly swept across the floor. The place looked clean enough that it probably wouldn¡¯t have mattered anyway. ¡°On behalf of myself and everyone who failed to predict and stop this incident before it happened, I apologize. The Nidafjeld Alliance believed, erroneously, that the matter had been handled and that the danger had passed.¡± Her voice had become that of a stiff diplomatic official rather than the bubbly amusement that usually characterized her demeanor. ¡°But why? How could she come after us again so easily like that?¡± Eik asked, powerless frustration mixing into his anger. Atla made a face. ¡°When Menka Tokanami came after you back then and was knocked unconscious, Goran Gehun took her into custody and sought to have her prosecuted. Do you remember him? Vice leader of the 6th squad of the 11th division of the Department of Internal Conduct of the Nidafjeld Allia¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yeah, of course we remember!¡± Eik snapped before she could finish speaking. ¡°We almost got killed! So what then?¡± ¡°Right, right¡­ Well, in the end her family arrived to plead momentary insanity due to the shock of learning of her son¡¯s brutal death. She was ordered to pay restitution to you, which I will be handing over to you today, by the way. It was concluded that she likely wouldn¡¯t come after you again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Sonja exclaimed, disbelief clear in her voice. ¡°She nearly killed us and that¡¯s all that happened?¡± ¡°While the Tokanami family is not particularly powerful in the alliance overall today, they are a rather old family whose name gained great respect in the past when they had members more powerful than they do currently,¡± Atla said. ¡°So they leveraged the power of their family to get her excused?¡± Michael asked. ¡°That¡¯s so unfair!¡± ¡°That happens on Earth too, Mikey,¡± Heath sighed. ¡°And it did before there were ever any super powers too, unfortunately.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s going to happen to her now? And us?¡± Eik asked, hot flames of anger still running through him. ¡°Is she coming back again in a week¡¯s time for a third round?¡± Atla offered a weak smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. ¡°Not this time, Eik. That I can promise.¡± ¡°How the hell can you promise something like that?¡± he shouted. ¡°Because I talked to Goran Gehun a couple of hours ago. The judge was the same one who let Menka go the first time around and she apparently didn¡¯t enjoy having her forgiveness underestimated. Menka Tokanami has been sentenced to death.¡± Eik¡¯s eyebrows shot up, her words catching him by surprise. ¡°Wait, I¡ª¡­ Really? She¡¯s really been sentenced to death?¡± His eyes flickered to his friends whose faces were no less taken aback than himself. ¡°She has, yes. She is going to die and she won¡¯t be able to come after you anymore.¡± Michael stumbled toward the long table, Eik following him to slump into a high-backed chair. ¡°Damn¡­¡± he mumbled as Heath and Sonja sunk into chairs next to his. ¡°I thought we were going to be killed when we came back.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Heath said. ¡°I¡¯m still not convinced that I¡¯m not already dead,¡± Michael muttered, leaning against the table. ¡°You¡¯re not dead and you won¡¯t die today,¡± Atla said with a smile. ¡°Now, who wants to see the rewards? Two times compensation and the reward for the rescue mission!¡± Chapter 63: Rewards ¡°Now, who wants to see the rewards? Two times compensation and the reward for the rescue mission!¡± Atla said and clapped her hands. ¡°Wait,¡± Eik began. ¡°Atla, I know you didn¡¯t make the decision to release her back then, but this shit was not okay,¡± he said somberly. Even as he uttered those words he knew that wouldn¡¯t change the need to join the Nidafjeld Alliance in the slightest. The alliance could have given Menka Tokanami and early birthday present, a pony, and a card thanking her for scaring the crap out of the newbies, and it still wouldn¡¯t have changed the fact that humanity would die without the Alliance. They could not make a big deal out of this matter even though they had nearly been murdered on several separate occasions. They were nobodies. Until they became stronger and more properly integrated they had to make do on the bottom rung. Eik hated that bitterly, the situation tying knots in his stomach. He hated that he had been made responsible for Earth¡¯s continued survival, but more than that he hated that they were forced to subject themselves to the whim of the Nidafjeld Alliance. He hated that the survival of his fellow humans hung on a thin thread called ¡®generosity¡¯ and ¡®kindness¡¯. And Atla and Mikla couldn¡¯t even be blamed wholly for this incident. Atla¡¯s general competence as a government agent was questionable, but if her explanation of events was true then this incident wasn¡¯t all her fault. Despite their nonchalant approach to violence and danger Eik wasn¡¯t automatically assuming that the two of them personally had bad intentions, but he had also come to realize that Atla¡¯s authority didn¡¯t stretch quite as far as he had initially thought. She had seemed so all powerful when she touched down on Earth back then in the Central Square, but now the perspective had widened considerably. As he sat there in the chair, staring into her eyes, he felt his own desperation for power grow. The power to bring down the B-rank monster that had put Olivia into a coma was not enough anymore. He would need to be much, much stronger than that. He would have to bring the potential of the Worldbreaker to its peak. Earth needed to be able to survive and eventually thrive even without the support of the alliance, and Eik would have to make sure of that. ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t okay. That should not have happened to you. I can only apologize and pay you your rightful compensation.¡± ¡°How about promising that it won¡¯t happen again?¡± Michael suggested. She hesitated. ¡°I can promise that I will do my best to make sure that something like this doesn¡¯t happen again, but the Nidafjeld Alliance is large. Unimaginably so. Right now you probably feel as though you¡¯ve gotten a good sense of the place. You have not.¡± They let her speak without interruption. ¡°This is the headquarters. That does not mean it¡¯s the biggest base of the alliance, nor the most powerful. It¡¯s simply the official one. None of our affiliated X-rankers live here. They might show up from time to time, sure, but that¡¯s all. This is nothing but a place to gather for events, and to conduct and solve official business.¡± ¡°Are you saying the alliance can¡¯t control their members,¡± Heath asked. Her face took on a conflicted expression as she bit her lip and considered her answer. ¡°Mmn, I hesitate to say that, but this is not a perfect organization. Neither is your Forest, though, as far as I¡¯ve been able to tell. I am neither the arm of the law nor a judge here. I can only do so much.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± Michael asked. She shrugged. ¡°That Menka Tokanami attacked you even the first time was not something I expected. Something must have snapped in her brain. She always knew the risks associated with working in exploration and combat and encouraged her son to follow in her footsteps. I honestly doubt something like this will happen again unless you manage to piss someone off, which¡­¡± Her eyes wandered to Eik and he frowned. ¡°Shit¡­¡± he muttered. *** ¡°First things first, the money,¡± Atla said and pulled out a small pouch, its inner side lined with small sleeves that resembled those you¡¯d have in wallets for credit cards on old Earth. ¡°Originally they actually wanted to treat the incident this time and the one immediately after the rescue mission as a single issue, but I managed to convince them to bump it up to two counts for double the compensation.¡± She pulled out a small, flat plate made of some unknown material, fitting almost perfectly in the hand. It was around half the size of a smartphone and about as thick as a piece of cardboard. She handed one to each of them.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What is this?¡± Heath asked as he turned it over in his hand. ¡°Is this a coin? It¡¯s way too huge to carry around. Do you have paper money?¡± ¡°We call this a credit slab. Give it a bit of time to recognize the signature of your energies and it should begin to respond to your touch.¡± ¡°Credit slab? Weird name,¡± Eik said with a glance at Heath. ¡°Totally,¡± the tank agreed. A series on numbers appeared on the surface of the credit slab in Eik¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, mine has something written on it now! 69,524!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your balance,¡± Mikla said. ¡°Credit slabs can interact with each other and exchange credit values from one holder to another. Pretty simple. You can use them both to buy and sell goods. You can also will your credit balance to show only when you want them to.¡± ¡°Eik has more than me,¡± Michael noted, eliciting a poorly suppressed grin from Eik. ¡°And more than me,¡± Heath chorused. Mikla looked over their shoulders. ¡°Yeah, we took the liberty of combining the compensations for Menka Tokanami¡¯s attacks ¡ª 20,000 and 30,000 credits respectively ¡ª and the credits converted from your test scores in the Crucible. Test score rewards, with the exception of Michael who was F-rank at the time, have been heavily reduced. Congrats on E-rank, by the way,¡± he said. ¡°Is this a lot of money?¡± Sonja asked. Mikla tilted his head from side to side as he considered. ¡°I suppose it depends on who you ask, but I¡¯d say it¡¯s pretty decent to start with.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reward for the rescue mission, then?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Right!¡± Atla said and clapped her hands with a smile. ¡°Wait here! I¡¯ll go get yours first, Heath!¡± The great tank hopped in place, impatience surging through him like a little horse about to go for a run across the field. ¡°What is it? Is it something good?¡± She threw open the double doors of some kind of large closet and reached in to pull out a shield. Carrying it as easily as if it had been made of dried leaves, Atla placed it on the long table for them to inspect. ¡°The smith named it The Captain¡¯s Tower,¡± she said as Heath caressed the heavy metal with his fingers, eyes wide and popping. ¡°It looks amazing,¡± the tank whispered with deep admiration. Into the thick metal was carved the warped visage of a helmeted man shouting in defiance. It looked significantly heavier than his old shield but he still managed to heft it without too much difficulty. ¡°It does, but more importantly is the effect it grants the bearer in battle.¡± ¡ª She rapped a finger against the surface a couple of times ¡ª ¡°When you¡¯re holding this, it will support your stance on the ground and provide you with stability and poise. You will not be knocked back so easily anymore.¡± ¡°That''s insane¡± Heath said, looking at the precious item with a new wave of admiration. ¡°Can we learn to make magical armor on Earth as well? Can I learn to make it?¡± ¡°That, weapons, and much more.¡± She went over to the closet again and retrieved a bow. ¡°Is that for me?¡± Sonja asked. With a nod, Atla placed the bow in the archer¡¯s trembling hands. The wood was smooth and polished well, the lights around the room reflecting brightly. The limbs were curved back, giving it a powerful appearance. It was unadorned, the glistening finish and flawless design decoration enough to make the weapon stand out. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sonja breathed as she took in the craftsmanship. ¡°Does this also have a name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Bow of the Squall. It will push your arrows to greater speed and power, as if carried on the billow of a tempestuous wind.¡± Sonja nodded to herself. ¡°I''ve been needing something like this..¡± ¡°Glad that it¡¯ll be of help to you. Now,¡± Atla said and went back to the closet for a third time. ¡°I believe it¡¯s your turn, Michael.¡± Michael drew in a sharp breath as she handed him a leather helmet. A studded band ran from the front and over the top to the back. A hard metal nose guard gave it the appearance of one of those nasal helmets, only, instead of chain mail, the aventail curtain covering the back of the wearer¡¯s neck was a tough but flexible sheet of leather. The healer looked slightly confused, not seeing the connection to his skill set like the bow and shield given to his teammates. ¡°Thank you but¡­ what does it do?¡± ¡°Although you will certainly learn to do this naturally once you get better with your abilities, this helmet will help you focus your healing and other similar abilities onto a smaller area for a stronger but narrower effect. Good for specific injuries.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± Michael breathed and put the helmet on so quickly that the nose guard ended up covering his right eye completely. Ignoring his blocked vision, he called forth the healing light in his hand and appeared to concentrate. ¡°I think I can feel it. I can feel the focusing effect!¡± The green light seemed to jump and flicker slightly, parts of the hazy glow growing thicker. ¡°It¡¯s difficult,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s still going to take a little practice to get the feel for it, but the helmet should help you get there a lot faster.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°And now you, Eik.¡± He held his breath, his heart pounding away as he watched her heft something inside the closet which must have been deeper than it looked. Eik gaped as she came back with an enormous black ball, a mix of confusion and disappointment running through him. No, now that she turned over the ball, it became clear that it was a simple, black iron cauldron. Or rather, it appeared to be simple iron, but it could be made of anything, really. ¡°Why is¡­¡± he drawled. ¡°I noticed that you have been talking about wanting to get back into making potions and poisons ever since you first came here. I thought you¡¯d like a method to get back into it even though you lost your shop. With this you can work on it, even on the go.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he said and grabbed his pack from the floor. He pulled out several mushrooms and samples of the glowing moss he had collected when they rested in the Crucible. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what I can get out of these things. Is it possible to purchase some kind of reference work about different plants and flowers, like an encyclopedia?¡± ¡°Yeah, we can take you to town ¡ª the rest of you too ¡ª if you¡¯d like to take a look around now that you have money,¡± Mikla said. Atla broke in. ¡°And although it is not terribly powerful, this cauldron will also help to stabilize your ingredients and materials, making the creation process a bit smoother and safer. And volatile ingredients will be a little less likely to¡­ explode.¡± He ran his fingers around the rim of the cauldron and grabbed it by one of the ring handles, grunting as he lifted it from the table. ¡°You said I can use this on the go¡­ I¡¯m not really sure that is the case. This is not exactly a light belt accessory, is it?¡± She chuckled. ¡°And so we get to the second part of your reward.¡± From the depths of her bag slung on the table she pulled out a rucksack. ¡°This is a¡ª¡± ¡°bag of holding!¡± Eik exclaimed. Chapter 64: Trip to Town ¡°This is a¡ª¡± ¡°bag of holding!¡± Eik exclaimed before Atla could tell him. ¡°That¡¯s a bag of holding, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is, yes. Good eye,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°This particular one is not that big on the inside, but it should be able to carry this cauldron as well as a few extra items.¡± She demonstrated the use of the bag of holding by pinching the rim of the large cauldron and lifting it up easily in one hand. As she began to stuff the cauldron into the rucksack, the hem expanded to fit it. It was a very strange thing to witness. Leather was not supposed to stretch elastically like that. It made no sense and yet here it was. He took it by the handle loop on the top and slung it over his shoulder. It felt about as heavy as if there had been a half empty jar of peanut butter in there, not a solid iron cauldron. Sonja stroked the smooth wood of her bow as she regarded Atla. ¡°Is there anything else we should do? You know, about the case with Menka Tokanami and all that?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s over and done with. Her own family reported her, actually. They didn¡¯t want the whole family to go be negatively affected because of something she did so we got evidence of her hire of the assassins whom you killed inside the Crucible practical.¡± ¡ª She was quiet for a second ¡ª ¡°Just to check. You did kill them, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, of course. They¡¯re still in there though, close to the crater of the fungus king.¡± ¡°The fungus king, eh?¡± she grinned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine then. We have all the evidence we need. The next time she comes out of prison will be as a corpse. You¡¯re the victims so all you have to do it embrace the strength this experience will give you.¡± The Earthlings exchanged looks. This was exactly how they had expected her to view the whole situation. As useful experience. ¡°Are we sure that her family is not a part of this?¡± Michael asked with a frown. ¡°They¡¯re almost certainly not, although I can say that they¡¯re under close investigation. There¡¯s been a deep rift in the Tokanami family for a few generations at this point. Menka is the matriarch of one fragment. The members of the opposition are probably having a feast right about now,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Heath said and stood up from the chair. ¡°If it¡¯s all over, then I really need to get outside. I feel cooped up in here.¡± ¡°Did you say I could get encyclopedias and stuff like that here in town?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Definitely, yeah. I actually have some work to do, but Mikla can guide you to the market district. You should be able to get everything you need to get started on your alchemy there.¡± ¡°Pharmacy.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°What I do is pharmacy.¡± ¡°Well, here we call it alchemy. You¡¯re going to have to get used to that.¡± She gave him a raised eyebrow. ¡°Hm.¡± Mikla opened a fracture to Eik¡¯s room but before going they decided to take a look outside of Atla¡¯s quarters. The room where she¡¯s been having her meeting had seemed like an enormous office, but had actually turned out to simply be her personal front room. They walked around the hallways and once they got to a window it became apparent that this was a completely different part of headquarters. Eik had thought that he¡¯d had a somewhat comprehensive impression of the place, but none of what he was looking at outside right now was familiar to him. The interior design and the aesthetic of the architecture was completely different from whatever wing of the headquarters the four friends were housed in. Where their area was all smooth and minimalist design dominated by windows spanning floor to ceiling to provide ample natural light, here it could almost be compared to what Eik had seen in some of the medieval castles in Scandinavia. Mikla guided them from their own apartments because he wanted them to be able to make the trip on their own later. They passed several people as they walked. Most people either looked exceptionally busy as they hurried to get to where they were going or caught in a lethargic morning daze, sipping on cups of this and that to try to stave off the urge to return to bed. For almost half an hour they walked before coming to a stop in front of a heavy set of double doors. Guards scanned them before letting them step up to the doors.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They slid open, giving the group flashbacks to pre-Unified Mass Earth with its automated sliding doors in stores. What they stepped into was an enclosed box of about four meters by four meters, walls entirely transparent on all sides except for the side through which they¡¯d stepped. Within seconds it began to descend downward, sliding along the outside of the premises, a frighteningly immense free fall beneath their feet. ¡°Where is this taking us?¡± Sonja asked, putting her forehead against the glass and trying to look directly down. Eik couldn¡¯t tell if this was the side of the headquarters he¡¯d been looking at from the little marble building to which he¡¯d been taken the first time Atla came to Earth. Little hills and mountains protruded frequently between the many buildings, and it was impossible to tell if any of the little dots he was looking at now were that marble building. It could well be that this was the opposite side. Perhaps Eik¡¯s mind had been too preoccupied by other stuff the last time he looked out over the city that hosted the headquarters of, allegedly, one of the most powerful organizations in the Unified Mass to notice just how mind-blowingly massive it was. Or maybe he had simply been looking at it from a less impressive angle at the time. ¡°It takes us all the way to the bottom.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t we take this when we arrived from Earth?¡± Heath asked. ¡°It read your signature before letting you in. If all members of the group aren¡¯t registered properly with the Nidafjeld Alliance it won¡¯t allow entry.¡± A sea of houses, both large and small and tall and narrow, stretched out before them, continuing so far that the buildings became obscured by a thin sheet of fog which eventually grew opaque in the distance. It allowed only the tallest of mountain peaks to push their snow-covered heads through on the horizon. It had been early morning here when they¡¯d come back through the Crucible fracture. Atla had been in a very early meeting. Now the sun bathed the roofs in its warming rays and it looked like a nice day for some shopping. ¡°Did you all remember to bring your new credit slabs?¡± Mikla asked as they stepped off the lift. They had arrived in a little building with a reception and a few guards stationed by the exit. Outside was a high, spear-tipped fence that created a sizable perimeter around the small lift building. The fence looked like a plain old metal construction but there was no telling what kind of enchantment and magical layering that might be embedded in it as an extra defense. Once they were through the gate, what had been a spacious stroll through wide hallways turned into a press of people. And in bizarre contrast to his experiences on Earth, not everybody there was a human. People with red skin and decorative, swirling tattoos in various patterns covering their skin from scalp to feet walked around among people covered in fur. People standing at least three meter tall who looked like they had evolved from insects rather than mammals shoved aside people with two pairs of bony, spine-covered arms as they walked through the crowd. Although there were many who looked alien, and everybody there technically were, from the Earthlings¡¯ perspective, the majority looked more or less human like Mikla and Atla. ¡°We¡¯re quite close to the central area of this district of the city, so it¡¯s a little crowded in the morning. If we continue along this main street here,¡± Mikla said with a finger pointing straight forward. ¡°we¡¯ll be in the largest shopping street in this part of town in about five minutes.¡± They weaved between people as they made their way through. All of them were hungry so they stopped by a bakery on the way. His teammates went with recognizable dough-based pastries while Eik took a chance on a runny, purple desert that looked like something straight out of a laboratory accident. Unlike its appearance the taste was absolutely heavenly. It practically melted on his tongue, the gooey, custard-like consistency complimented by a flavor that he couldn¡¯t quite claim resembled anything he¡¯d tasted before. Because of their human appearance nobody looked at them as if they didn¡¯t belong. People, normal people not weighed down by the dread of deadly monster waves, simply went about their mornings with enviable ease and relaxation. Even if people back on Earth had gotten used to the thought that death could lurk around every corner, they were still the first generation of a civilization thrown headfirst into something they weren¡¯t capable of handling. Their future was still uncertain. The sense of comfortable normalcy that seemed to exist here would take some time to reach Earth. With wider roads the shopping streets actually felt less crowded. There was bustling activity by every door, on every corner, and in every alley. Many of the stores had racks of goods lined up along the shop windows, employees hawking their wares as well. The four Earthlings had their heads on swivels as they tried to take in everything happening in front of their eyes. ¡°40 credits for a single loaf? Is it even fresh?¡± a plump woman said, scratching the crust of the bread rudely with a finger. ¡°Baked just an hour ago, ma¡¯am,¡± a young man answered with an arched brow. He wore an apron covered in flour. He looked like an apprentice. The shelves of baked goods were practically still steaming. There were shops selling clothes, both fine dress and everyday wear, shops with cuts of meat hanging in the windows. One store had half a chair and the corner of a table built expertly into its facade with a sign reading ¡®Kraklatak¡¯s Furniture ¡ª For Any House, Home, or Business¡¯. Eik¡¯s eyes popped out on stalks as they passed by a store offering so many different plants that they were spilling out onto the street. Pots stood in row upon row along the front of the shop. There was a flower whose petals seemed to mimic the face of some alien predator as well as a plant with leaves that spiraled into a needle-like tip from which a yellow substance flowed as if pushed out through a hypodermic needle. ¡°There isn¡¯t a single one of these plants that I¡¯ve seen before!¡± Eik exclaimed as he sniffed a couple of the flowers out front, one of them nearly making him puke right there on the street. Before anybody could stop him, he rushed in through the door. Inside was like a rain forest. Gigantic palm-like trees had grown tall enough to scrape against a high ceiling with its leaves covering the whole room. From hanging planters moving blades of thick grass slithered about like tentacles. Along the inner wall was a whole shelf of large carnivorous plants. One almost nabbed a boy as he walked by. Eik¡¯s eyes were made of shining stars as an image of his new alchemy cauldron flashed before his mind''s eye. ¡°This is my heaven!¡± Chapter 65: Getting to know Gimleh ¡°And how does it do that?¡± The plant breeder, who was an older man with gray hair falling lightly around his shoulders, tapped his gloved fingers on the fleshy leaves of the plant Eik had asked about. ¡°Do you see these tiny black dots here, sir?¡± he asked Eik. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°These self-regenerating pods are capable of exploding to spread spores which, when coming into contact with the olfactory senses, trigger a reaction in the brain that tricks it into thinking that it¡¯s smelling the most delicious and decadent of foods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy! Heath, isn¡¯t that just crazy?¡± he said and turned to the tank who looked about ready to collapse from boredom as he sniffed the same flower for the twentieth time. ¡°Yeah, bro, it¡¯s so cool that it smells,¡± Heath said and rolled his eyes. Eik looked back to the plant breeder with an apologetic expression. ¡°Sorry about that, boss. The big guy doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about. No sense for the beauty of nature whatsoever.¡± The man laughed good-naturedly. ¡°That¡¯s alright, lad. It¡¯s not something everyone can appreciate.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Eik said. ¡°but it¡¯s true that I can¡¯t just hang around here all day like this. I promise I¡¯ll be back though! I¡¯m looking for ingredients for new recipes for my shop back home.¡± ¡°Oho?¡± the breeder said with surprise. ¡°Then perhaps you¡¯d like to sign up for store membership?¡± ¡°What does that entail?¡± ¡°It¡¯s free, but members are offered the occasional discount. There is also a stamp card.¡± ¡°Where do I sign up?¡± The man pulled out a slip of paper and started the process. He started taking down Eik¡¯s information but when he told the man his full name, a girl ran up to him. ¡°Eik Magnasen? I remember your name! You¡¯re the new rank one in the F-rank damage output test!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m not him,¡± Eik tried. ¡°Yes, you are!¡± she said with conviction. ¡°A score of more than 70000! You look exactly how people described you ¡ª well, maybe not quite as tall, but otherwise¡­¡± She appeared to be in her mid teens ¡ª probably an F-ranker herself. Her ears were pointed like the cult leader they had killed during the rescue mission. Eik glanced at Mikla but the man seemed unsure about how to react. It¡¯s not like a high score in an F-rank test would mean he was a Worldbreaker, but the score had still made him much more visible in the alliance. It was dangerous. But Eik needed to show the alliance that he was worth their time. He needed to show that he was an individual worth investing in. That he could become important to them ¡ª and that, by extension, Earth could become an important ally. Even if his early strength was exposed to the wrong people, he had to do anything he could to make sure that humanity wasn¡¯t left to go extinct. ¡°What clan are you from? Main family? Are you from one of the Prime Worlds? I can¡¯t believe you beat out Masakir Hahakan¡¯s score,¡± she rambled. She just wouldn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°He¡¯s an S-ranker now! Did you know? I wonder what he¡¯s going to say when he finds out that his score was destroyed so completely.¡± That sent a shiver down Eik¡¯ spine. Even just this short time they had spent in town this morning had shown that most of the residents here really just were normal people going about normal lives. They smiled when smiled to and greeted friends and acquaintances on the street. What he had seen from the people with power from the alliance might have been a skewed view of the society here. The Earth team had been thrown in among the warrior class and the warrior class had a different way of thinking than these commoners. ¡°I¡¯m not from¡ª¡± ¡°Saklo!¡± a voice called from the door. It was a man with two thick, tight braids coming around each side of his head and merging into one down his chest. A great, bushy beard concealed most of his facial features but his eyes was the dead giveaway that revealed their familial relation. ¡°Stop bothering that man, Saklo! He doesn¡¯t want to hear all that,¡± he said and pushed her toward the door with an arm while he extended the other in a gesture of apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. Her mother always says she talks too much, and I¡¯m starting to see it too if I¡¯m honest. Then again, she also says I talk too much so maybe it¡¯s just that my daughter gets it from me.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t a bother,¡± Eik said with a smile. ¡°In fact, we¡¯re new here,¡± ¡ª He nodded toward his friends ¡ª ¡°so it¡¯s really very nice to be greeted so kindly and energetically.¡± He flashed her a smile as well to which she waved from the door.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I see! Well, in that case, welcome to Gimleh, proud host city of the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance!¡± Eik could tell that that pride was real. The towering palace grounds was a very impressive sight. His friends, including Mikla, joined them in introduction and went in for hand shakes which the bearded man accepted with initial confusion. ¡°My name is Michael. Is this your home world?¡± The man noticed an expression of slight embarrassment on Mikla¡¯s face and offered him an eyebrow arched in amusement. ¡°The name¡¯s Mogu and that¡¯s how I see it, yeah. My family has been here for over ten generations, I believe. So I take it that you guys are from a new world then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Michael confirmed. Mikla just shrugged and let the conversation continue. ¡°That¡¯s not something you see every day,¡± the man said, seemingly surprised that his guess had actually been correct. ¡°If you want a bite to eat you can come by later. I¡¯m still doing the morning shopping, but we¡¯re going to be open later. I swear it¡¯s good!¡± he said as he slapped his round belly that spilled out over his belt. That did speak volumes. ¡°Do you have a restaurant?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I do indeed,¡± Mogu said. ¡°Family owned and everything. My wife and I are a real star team, I can tell you! And Saklo even helps us out in the front room sometimes. Real good kid, she is!¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯ll come by sometime,¡± Eik said. ¡°Do you serve dirt duck?¡± ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not quite sure what it is that you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s talking about brisik,¡± Mikla clarified with a roll of his eyes. ¡°Ahaa,¡± the man drawled. ¡°Brisik! Of course! Any establishment with respect for their own menu has brisik on the first page!¡± ¡°That¡¯s sounds pretty good to me right about now,¡± Michael said, catching the eyes of Heath and Eik whose eyes reflected the same enthusiasm as the young healer. Sonja made a face. ¡°Guys, we just had desserts for breakfast. And sandwiches earlier. Let¡¯s go for lunch later instead.¡± They finished their conversation with Mogu and his daughter Saklo before heading back out onto the shopping which had grown even more crowded than it had already been. On the way out, Eik was handed a stamp card with his name and customer number written by hand on the front. There was room for fifteen stamps and as a courtesy and as, quote, ¡°a thank you for an interesting first meeting that allowed me to regain some of the passion of my youth¡±, the plant breeder had given him two stamps to get started on. He hadn¡¯t even bought anything yet but he would most certainly be back. They wandered the streets and window shopped. The homey, simple architecture and design of the town reminded him of all the old fairy tales but the magical items, alien-looking gadgets, and other strange diggidydoos adorning numerous shop windows put a completely different spin on it. A store had full suits of plate armor standing in the window, looking like a squad of eerie automatons. Here it was Heath¡¯s turn to nerd out and pull them into the showroom, citing a need to assess the best possible use of his new credits. It was then and there that Eik learned for the first time that Heath had been walking around with a dream of becoming a smith and forging his own weapons and armor. Sonja even said that the man¡¯s fascination with the art was part of the reason he had chosen to specialize in a combat style that relied heavily on equipment. Eik loved the idea. It was always a good idea to have something else you could do besides fighting. The tank was practically drooling as he browsed the immaculately polished gear, each piece tagged with little signs that described their magical properties and effects. As the prices of the pieces increased, so did the potency of their magical properties strengthen, the power of some of the most expensive equipment astoundingly great. ¡°What stops all the big families and high-rankers from buying their kids into strength from the moment they awaken?¡± Sonja asked as she read the tag on a golden breastplate mounted on a stand. ¡°It seems like you could power even a new F-ranker up far beyond natural limits.¡± ¡°Good question, actually,¡± Mikla nodded. ¡°Do you remember how your world is still so new and not yet saturated enough by energy to support existences beyond A-rank?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered. ¡°Well, armor and weapons kind of behave in the same way. Or, not really, but to make a point let¡¯s say that it does. A body simply isn¡¯t capable of being affected by the effects of the equipment if the power difference is too large. In fact, depending on the type of enchantment, it can even have a negative impact on a wearer who is too weak.¡± ¡°Like how stronger healing potions could be detrimental rather than a positive?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Exactly! Rest assured that one can¡¯t simply put on overpowered equipment and rise to S-rank on the day of Awakening. The only true shortcut to fast power is risk,¡± Mikla said and gestured to the pieces lined up along the walls and on several display tables around the front room. ¡°What you see here just isn¡¯t that good, even for the power levels they¡¯re meant for.¡± ¡ª He ducked his head when the shop keeper sent him a death stare and the rest of his explanation was given in a muttered whisper ¡ª ¡°Any item here would certainly be a boon to have, but for any single item to have a significant impact on your strength you couldn¡¯t buy even a single E-rank piece if you had all of your credits ten times over. Money does buy power, but not to such a degree that you stand no chance.¡± They found an academic book store where Eik found the encyclopedia of plants he¡¯d been hoping for as well as a book of simple recipes that even amateurs could make, allegedly. Before buying the recipe book, he had skimmed through the introduction and the first few entries. The instructions included what could best be described as ¡®esoteric¡¯ techniques and processes which, in a book store from before the magical monster apocalypse had hit, would have rightfully been placed in the section for fantasy books. Or maybe among the occult. They spent the next few hours walking from store to store. Eik bought a small supply of vials for potions and some kind of non-toxic clay-like material that could be used to make pills. He couldn¡¯t wait to get back and start looking through both books. Next time they went into town he would have a list prepared for his trip to the plant breeder ¡ª Leafy Sundries. If he could successfully create even some of the, as far as Earth was concerned, new alchemical concoctions mentioned in the recipe book, he¡¯d be on track to dominating the market back home ¡ª once everything had settled down a little bit, of course. But before any of that could be put into practice Eik would first have to figure how to actually brew the product. Chapter 66: Trouble Brewing ¡°And these dried bas¡¯akar¡¯ar leaves are the best in this side of town. And I¡¯ll throw the roots in for half off if you buy all of this now,¡± the plant breeder of Leafy Sundries with the graying shoulder-length hair said as he counted out everything on his counter that Eik had chosen. There was enough there for seven new stamps on the stamp card. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting it all now, thank you. I¡¯m going home to experiment with some new things.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± the shop keeper said as he loaded Eik¡¯s purchase carefully into a paper bag. The man¡¯s name was Wanjihan and he had opened this very store thirty-three years earlier. He had welcomed Eik with open arms as an enthusiastic young alchemist. ¡°What are you going for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time with these techniques, so just a simple pain killer and then, uuh¡­¡± ¡ª He had already been holding the new recipe book to confirm the ingredients he needed so he glanced down at the page he had been keeping open with a finger ¡ª ¡°¡¯Kiq¡¯s Temper¡¯?¡± ¡°Aha, interesting. If it¡¯s your first time then you¡¯re definitely going to need this much of each ingredient, yes,¡± he chuckled. ¡°But be careful with Kiq¡¯s Temper. It can be dangerous. Both to consume and also to make. It can become quite unstable if handled incorrectly.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Eik assured him with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s all mentioned in the book. Thanks, Wanjihan.¡± ¡°Call me Wanji. You can buy the last of the stuff you will need for that at Ji¡¯kl¡¯s on the next corner down the street. She¡¯s an honest business person ¡ª like me.¡± He flashed Eik a grin and held up his own credit slab to accept payment. He stamped the card, filling it up to nine stamps, and handed over the bag of ingredients. Eik thanked him and turned to leave when Wanjihan stopped him. ¡°By the way, Eik. You do know you bought some things that you don¡¯t need for those two concoctions, don¡¯t you?¡± Eik smiled cheekily. ¡°You say that now that I already paid you? Nah, I¡¯m just kidding. I know. I, uuh¡­ One of my friends from yesterday asked me to bring him a few things as well since I was coming back here today anyway.¡± ¡°Alrighty then. Be careful, and see you soon,¡± Wanjihan said with a nod. Eik raised a hand in greeting as he opened the door. ¡°Yeah, Wanji. Have a good one.¡± He picked up the last few things from the Ji¡¯kl¡¯s store on the corner as directed. She mostly dealt in gear for distillery and brewing as well as chemicals. Eik simply shoved all of his purchases into the mighty rucksack of holding that he had been given as a reward for saving those kids way back when. It was the most convenient most awesome thing he had ever had the pleasure of owning. With energetic steps, he made his way to the lift that would take him to all the way up to the headquarters. He nodded to people as they passed, but as Atla had remarked the first time he¡¯d come, people up here behaved quite differently from those living their lives in the city below. There was a certain guard constantly maintained that made everyone rather unapproachable. Mis came up to greet him as he opened the door. Then, when he turned to close it, she ran in behind him as if coming from outside. Recently she''d been doing strange things almost every time he saw her. Like always, she was begging for food as if she hadn¡¯t been allowed to eat anything for a week. She had already gobbled down a healthy helping of breakfast before he¡¯d left to buy ingredients. With great, lumbering reluctance Mikla had taken her back to Eik¡¯s apartment. She had been staying in the fracture specialist¡¯s quarters while Eik was away and he could swear that she had put on weight in just those few days. The man had completely fallen in love with her and was already brainstorming the possibility of finding his own cat on Earth to bring home and take care of. Cooing quietly over her he tucked her into a mountain of soft pillows and covers, hoping that the feline comfort of a little hidey-hole would keep her occupied long enough for him to get into a creative flow. He unslung the rucksack of holding and set the cauldron down on a small table. Lining up the ingredients on a clean cloth he found in a drawer in the back of the room he opened the recipe book onto the page that described the production process of the pain killing drug. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have here¡­¡± he drawled and picked out what he needed. Wanjihan had been kind enough to tag everything with their ingredient names so he could tell what was what. ¡°Alright.¡± Crushed bas¡¯akar¡¯ar leaves went in, followed by a couple more dried herbs. With a mortar and pestle he¡¯d also bought today he mashed the dry ingredients together into a power. With a knife he sliced into a bulbous leaf, revealing the thick, viscous plant flesh on the inside, and pressed it out into the bottom of the vessel. Even though the cauldron wasn¡¯t much larger than his own head, it was much bigger than what he really needed for the small amount of pain killer he was hoping to make. Eik mixed it all together into a sticky paste. According to the recipe book and Mikla¡¯s advice, this was the most difficult part that required actual practical skill from the alchemist. With ingredients that contained the energies of the multiverse one needed to use one¡¯s own energy to influence them. This was usually to, for example, stabilize the mixture, to activate it, refine it, or destabilize it ¡ª and in some cases several or all of those in necessary sequence. Eik had no idea what this meant for everything he¡¯d learned on Earth. Whether it would become useless or not. If what he¡¯d seen of alliance product, such as the healing potion and the little blue pill that was still keeping Olivia alive in a stasis even in this moment, was any indication of the potential of these recipes, then it was definitely worth investing his time into. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He liked to fantasize about establishing a medical emporium on Earth and making so much money that he could fill up a swimming pool and cosplay as a certain wealthy duck, but he always found his thoughts returning to what all of this could do for the people. The people of Forest desperately needed better medicines. Most healers did their best to help everyone but they were few and far between and that was even truer for high-ranked healers. He cracked his fingers and held his hands palms down directly above the mouth of the cauldron. For several long moments nothing happened. With no real way to know if he was doing it correctly or incorrectly he reached out for the energies that apparently existed in the air all around him. Supposedly ¡°all¡± one had to do was harness the multiversal matter that swirled around inside the body of any Awakened being to control the matter in the atmosphere. Easier said that done. In fact, a saturation of such matter within a living thing is what triggers the Awakening. Apparently. ¡°Hah!¡± he shouted, trying to make something happen ¡ª hoping that anything might happen. ¡°Hiyah!¡± Nothing. Mikla had told him that, if he was close to succeeding, he would be able to feel it, somehow. Even with his decidedly mystical experiences with Profound Toxin, he really had no idea how this was supposed to work. Taking a few deep breaths, he reached deep inside himself. Anything that felt like power. Anything that felt magical. Anything that felt tangible he sought for. With his mind¡¯s eye he raced through his own body, from toes to crotch, stomach to fingers, chest to head. There! Something lurked there! Something of which he seized hold with all his might. It struggled and undulated in his mental grip, clearly unwilling to simply succumb to his attempt to take charge. That defiance only made Eik metaphorically stomp it into the ground harder. For more than a dozen minutes he sat there, face the embodiment of dignity and relaxation, while his inner self was fighting a battle of epic proportions. That dang magical matter was trying to eel its way out of his embrace and it was a slippery son of a gun. Any time it felt like he had gotten it pinned down and under control, it wiggled out from between his fingers. ¡°By Odin¡¯s beard,¡± he cursed under his breath, sweat running down his forehead and into his closed eyes in thick beads. His breath came in short ragged gasps and his ass hurt from sitting deathly still for so long. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit still for just two second so I can¡­ get you!¡± Redoubling his efforts, he threw the entire weight of his mind onto it like a sack of potatoes. It squirmed like a plate of pudding but this time he had it. It could do no more to resist him. Like he had done with snakes so many times before, he had its head pinched tightly between a mental thumb and index finger. Sensing its presence inside his body, he gathered it and redirected it down his arms and into his palms where he urged it to flow into the prepared mixture. As he felt it release from his hands he risked his concentration and cracked open an eyelid to take a look at the result. It was blue¡­ Everything was blue. The cauldron looked more like a children¡¯s science experiment than a legitimate attempt at alchemy. Spiritual exhaustion quenched his frustration to the point where all he could do was learn back in the chair with a weary sigh. What he had been wrestling with had never been the strange energy, it had been the Profound Toxin messing around with him from the beginning. No wonder the sensation of it all had felt so familiar ¡ª this wasn¡¯t their first rodeo. It might have been his mind playing tricks on him, but he could swear a tiny diabolical laugh echoed faintly inside his head. With a thought he reabsorbed the entire load of toxin through his fingers, leaving only the ingredient mix that he had hoped to make into a pain killer. It was ruined. He retrieved another cloth from the drawer and cleaned the mixture from the bottom of the cauldron. Repeating the same steps to prepare the ingredients for the second time that day, he sat down and dove into his mind again, determined to reveal the multidimensional energy this time. *** For three days straight, Eik spent most of his waking hours in his room trying to connect with the energy that should supposedly exist within him. In that time, he mistook Profound Toxin for the otherworldly power seven more times, killing the attempt completely each time. The other eighteen times he sat unmoving in front of the project for so long that it dried out and became inert. And if he ever managed to succeed in harnessing the energy, that ingredient mix had better be ready to receive. On day two his friends had managed to pull him along to town so they could eat dinner at Mogu¡¯s restaurant. The dirt duck really hit the spot on his mental and physical fatigue, and the sour, purple juice that Mikla had chosen for him to go with it worked as the perfect accompaniment to refresh his motivation to continue. On the fourth day he sat at the table again, his mind in the dumps. After a dreamless sleep he had become convinced that it would never happen. He must be some kind of defective Awakened. Surely he was shackled with a spiritual handicap of some kind. No matter how he felt around, there was just nothing there except the damned Toxin, which, by the way, was undoubtedly enjoying his ordeal. It was then, when his brain had completely disconnected from the process, that something changed. If he hadn¡¯t become so familiar with the absence of results over these past three days, he likely wouldn¡¯t even have noticed that there was something different. He''d found it! Chapter 67: An Encounter No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be, could it? After all of that effort, it was his most jaded and apathetic attempt yet that finally hooked something? Only he who is willing to tear his gaze away from the goal on the horizon can look down at his feet to see the next step. Was that how it went? No, that was a bunch of bull. ¡°Profound Toxin?¡± he asked out loud, feeling dumb for calling out to a glob of quasi sentient blue poison. ¡°Are you still messing with me? It was funny the first five ti¡ª No, that¡¯s a lie. It sucked. If it¡¯s you then leave me alone already.¡± Whatever it was that he was sensing there just out of reach, something nearly imperceptible like being tickled on the tips of your fingers by a mouse¡¯s handkerchief, it did not respond to his words. He took a trembling breath as shivers ran down his spine. Was this truly what he had been searching for? Taking a mental step forward, he reached out and scooped up the presence as gently as his mind would let him. Its existence was nowhere near as prominent as that of Profound Toxin. The blue poison was like a cheeky dog sitting on the porch and barking at the mail man, while whatever this was was better compared to a new kitten hiding under a bush in the corner of the garden. Eik had to consciously hold himself back from celebrating this milestone. Sensing the energy inside one¡¯s own body was the first step. At least that¡¯s what Mikla had told him. According to the description in the recipe book, for the pain killing drug he would need to activate the dormant properties in the components. Although there were other ways to concoct a pain killer without influencing the multidimensional matter in the ingredients, this was an excellent project for a first timer to practice feeling and manipulating the energies in the body and in the atmosphere. Finding himself unsure of how to actually proceed from here in practice, Eik tried the first thing that came to his mind and essentially threw the energy into the cauldron with the prepared ingredients, hoping for the best. Before he could even open his eyes to check the result of the attempt, his face, neck, and hands were splattered with a cool, sticky substance. With a finger he wiped away a wad of goo that would have hit him right in the eye if they hadn¡¯t been closed. As if battered by a flurry of pressured air, the mix had been spread all over the inside of the cauldron as well as the table and his clothes. Despite his failure, the grin that now split his face was an image of uncontained glee. He had done it. After three and a half days of no progress he had made it through the first stage. With a celebratory howl of joy that jolted Mis from a pillowy slumber he ran out the door to find Mikla. Besides assisting Atla, he also had some weekly shifts in a fracture hall where he opened portals for diplomats, officials, and others leaders and important people. This apparently consisted mostly of hanging out in a small office next to the main room and recording information and destination about any authorized person or group he received or sent anywhere. The domed white marble building they had arrived through the first time Eik came to the headquarters had been them trying to instill a sense of security, rather than cryptic, blank walls and endless hallways. Not to mention how much more impressive the sight of the sprawling city was. ¡°Mikla!¡± he called as he knocked on the door to the office after jogging through the enormous space. There was one open fracture in the far corner of the room, a small group of people gathered around it. All fracture halls had guards stationed on both sides of any entrance and Eik had stop to have his identity confirmed by a scan before he could enter. Instead of Mikla, a woman with flowing, silvery hair opened the door. She stared at him for a moment, orange eyes piercing into his. Eik¡¯s hand was still raised, poised to knock a second time. ¡°He¡¯s not here right now. You missed him by a couple of minutes,¡± she said. ¡°Oh¡­ uuh, okay, thanks. I¡¯m Eik.¡± He felt like he should probably get going but for some reason he just stood there. ¡°My name is Ihasu. From the Ougi clan.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what that is,¡± he said. Why did he say that? What the hell was wrong with him? Aah, the Ougi clan! I¡¯ve been told that¡¯s the best clan around! That¡¯s what you say. Come on, son! ¡°You don¡¯t know wh¡ª¡­¡± Her surprise quickly turned into a fit of laughter. Nice laugh too, he supposed. He scratched the back of his head nervously as he chuckled along with her. ¡°Is it bigger than the Tokanami family?¡± Dude¡­ Just stop. ¡°I¡ª¡­ Well¡­¡± she stumbled, tilting her head and shrugging.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Cool. Cool, cool,¡± he drawled. ¡°Do you know the Tokanami family?¡± Eik knew full well that it was not a good idea to ask questions like these to a total stranger, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. He couldn¡¯t just forget what had happened. He had spoken with the others about the incident, and they agreed that they had to find out if it was truly over this time or if Atla had embellished Menka¡¯s punishment to soothe the Earthlings. They needed to know. They just hadn¡¯t known how best to find out more. Downtown there were people they had become acquainted with, but up here where someone might actually know something about it, there was nobody to ask. Until now. ¡°Personally? No. But I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± ¡°I heard one of them got arrested. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah, there was quite the commotion a few days ago. Not sure what it was about though.¡± ¡°Did you see it when it happened?¡± he asked, hopeful. She arched an eyebrow. ¡°Do you know how large this place is? I was sleeping.¡± ¡°R- Right¡­ Do you happen to know what the verdict is?¡± Considering he¡¯d been involved it wouldn¡¯t be a suspicious thing to ask, right? ¡°No, of course not.¡± Eik laughed nervously. ¡°Right. Of course not. Thanks anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah. Anyway, if you¡¯re looking for Mikla, he said he¡¯s taking lunch outside today. He does that often.¡± ¡°Do you know where exactly he went? There are quite a few parks and stuff like that around here, you see,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Yeah, I think he went to the woods just east of here.¡± ¡°Uuh, sorry, but which way is east again?¡± he asked. She laughed and directed him down the corridor where he made his way outside into the bright sun. It was only a couple of minutes of walking before he came to the edge of a large wooded area. The trees were tall, reaching up far toward the blue sky. They weren¡¯t quite pines, but the way the branches grew and the shape of the leaves reminded him on pines. Narrow walkways weaved in between the trunks, numerous people strolling along and enjoying the fresh scents. Many simple benches, entirely wooden, lined the paths and on one of these is where he found Mikla. ¡°Mikla, here you are! I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± The fracture specialist looked up, half-eaten sandwich in his hand as he chewed away heartily. ¡°Ei¡¯h¡± he said with surprise. ¡°Wha¡¯ ar¡¯ you doing here?¡± ¡ª He managed to swallow while he spoke ¡ª ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°Ihasu. She told me where you were,¡± he muttered. Mikla narrowed his eyes as he regarded Eik. ¡°Are you blushing?¡± ¡°No! Of course not!¡± Eik blurted. ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re crazy, dude!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Mikla said and raised his hands placatingly. ¡°So what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I did it! I found the multiversal matter!¡± Eik exclaimed, remembering the glee he had felt earlier. Mikla¡¯s eyes widened to teacups as his jaw slackened. ¡°Already? You completed your first project?¡± ¡°Ah, well, not yet. It kind of¡­ exploded.¡± Mikla bobbed his head. ¡°That happens to everyone the first time they have to work delicately. I actually can¡¯t quite believe that you managed to sense it that quickly, and even got it to release violently.¡± ¡°Is that good?¡± Mikla nodded. ¡°It took me almost a month before I found it, and one more before I was able to touch it well enough to get it to move at all. I¡¯ve only ever heard of one, maybe two, people who have done it as quickly as you, Eik.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ wow, that¡¯s¡­¡± Eik hesitated mouth opening and closing as he figured out what to say. ¡°Why was I that fast then?¡± he asked, unable to conceal a grin at the thought of his accomplishment. Mikla shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say. It could be any number of reasons, among which simple natural talent is certainly a possibility.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he hmm¡¯d. Eik couldn¡¯t help but think back on all the times he¡¯d been forced to metaphorically pull the reigns on Profound Toxin, order it to attack or retreat, not kill his friend. Truthfully, he¡¯d never heard of anyone else having to wrestle with their ability for control over its behavior. As far as he knew people just kind of¡­ made abilities activate, like pressing a button. A normal ability didn¡¯t usually try to establish itself as the alpha any time things didn¡¯t turn out as violently as it had hoped. But then again, why wouldn¡¯t it be strange and different. Profound Toxin was a Worldbreaker and it had already proven itself to be so weird that it it had essentially pushed him into an alternative evolutionary path. Perhaps he had simply been practicing unwittingly for this exact discipline through his troubles with Profound Toxin. But what, then, was Profound Toxin? What was a Worldbreaker? He had asked Atla and she hadn¡¯t known much. ¡°So, how am I supposed to guide the energy into activating my ingredients? It just explodes.¡± Mikla pursed his lips. ¡°What did you do, exactly?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­¡± He mimicked the act of hurling something into the ground. ¡°Right¡­¡± Mikla drawled. ¡°You¡¯re gonna want to do it more carefully than that.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know how.¡± *** It took another four days before he could reliably establish contact with the multiversal matter. It was like the more he reached out to it, the more comfortable it became with his presence. The first few times he had taken hold of it it had curled up in his spiritual hand like a frightened animal, refusing to move. Now, after dozens of tries, the energy behaved much more flexibly and would dart around nervously and somewhat obediently. He had managed to release the energy into the mixture without destroying it, but actual activation of the ingredients was still beyond him. ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered with a sigh and leaned back in the chair. ¡°Are you having problems with that?¡± Eik tilted his head backward to look at the door. His eyes widened. ¡°Sonja?¡± he questioned as he spun in his seat. ¡°Why did you¡ª?¡± ¡°I just remembered what that other archer said back at the Great Raid,¡± she said. Her long hair had been cut short and now hung in a bob. ¡°I can¡¯t remember her name, but she told me to keep my hair away from the bow string.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember.¡± ¡°I was in a bad mood back then, but after everything we¡¯ve been through I realized that she was right. Every little advantage counts. So¡­¡± ¡°Well,¡± Eik said. ¡°It looks good.¡± ¡°Thanks. Did you succeed with your project?¡± Eik glanced sourly at the cauldron, the drying remnants of his last attempt sticking to the bottom. ¡°Not exactly. And it¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even been able to sense it yet, so I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re in a position to complain.¡± She gave him a look. ¡°Sorry for whining,¡± he laughed. ¡°Heathy said you asked some woman about Menka Tokanami.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°What did she know?¡± she asked. ¡°Nothing, really. That the Tokanami family exists and that something happened.¡± She held his gaze firmly. ¡°We need to know for certain, Eik.¡± Chapter 68: Insecurities She held his gaze firmly. ¡°We need to know for certain, Eik. We need to know if she¡¯s actually going to die this time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to snoop around. Very dangerous. But if Menka wasn¡¯t properly dealt with¡­ she¡¯s not going to botch a murder attempt three times in a row. She will kill us next time.¡± Sonja was pale. ¡°I can¡¯t take being in the dark. I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Eik could see her hands trembling as she white-knuckled the hem of her shirt. Dark bags hung under her eyes. She was always so calm and collected that Eik hadn¡¯t expected her to be this nervous. No, it made sense. She had every right to be feeling this anxious. In fact, he was feeling it too. Burying his mind deep into his alchemy learning had done wonders to keep it occupied but when he lay in bed at night, trying to fall asleep, his stomach was in knots. His breathing wouldn¡¯t settle and his heart wouldn¡¯t relax. They were in the clutches of the Nidafjeld Alliance. There was no denying that. Whether that was a good thing or a civilization ending thing only time would tell. The fact of the matter was that there no current alternative. He believed Atla when she claimed that other civilizations ¡ª stronger civilizations ¡ª would take any opportunity to commit omnicide on Earth for their own benefit, and the Gohkamorian¡¯s own indirect admission to his kin¡¯s merciless, yearlong incursion into Earth confirmed as much. For now, all he and his teammates could do was to bite the sour apple and try to steer this ship, on board of which was every fellow human, through this storm and try to hit as few rocks as possible on the way. ¡°I agree,¡± he finally said. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave it be.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have to figure out a way to find out for ourselves what her fate is.¡± After Eik and Sonja shared their intention to ascertain the truth of the alliance¡¯s claim regarding Menka Tokanami, the four of them began to wander the halls of the headquarters whenever they had time. Eik still continued to spend his evenings deep in concentration in front of the alchemy cauldron but during the daytime they split up to look. Besides the decidedly disturbing undertaking, it was a great opportunity to explore the grounds of the headquarters. He found a garden absolutely overflowing with fruit trees, among which were an enormous plot of nothing but orange pear trees. Two hours away he found what he at first had mistaken for a gigantic, raised training platform, but while it was certainly both gigantic and raised, it turned out that training platform was not quite right. He talked to some men there who were constructing a breathtaking skeleton of metal beams all around it and found out that this would become an arena used in the upcoming tournament. They promised him that it was always a blast, livened up the place significantly, and that it was something he could definitely look forward to. Knowing that his participation was expected, Eik wasn¡¯t so sure that he could. Although he¡¯d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t excited. Recently he had realized that the thought of dying scared him without a doubt but that the thought of fighting awoke something more akin to anticipation deep in the pit of his stomach. With each day that yielded no results they expanded the search grid. But as it broadened, so did they come to realize that the place truly was far, far too large to reasonably expect anything to come out of their hopes to find anything that could cast light upon Menka¡¯s fate. It was difficult to even say what they were looking for. Anything. It just felt like they had to do something to not go crazy. To feel like they were working to resolve their issues instead of waiting for the pieces to fall however they would. *** Eik sat at the table that had become his seat of choice since he¡¯d started his studies. The multidimensional matter sat comfortably in his hand, swirling and looping like a ribbon in the wind. He¡¯d held it there for almost ten minutes, just trying to relax into the sensation of it. With a deep exhalation, he began the second phase ¡ª the one he had failed so many times now. Slowly and deliberately he pushed it down through his arms to his hand. Here he kept it for a moment and let it churn as he regained control.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. It had taken another three days to realize that letting it go too quickly through his hands caused it to rush out like a stick of dynamite. And then three more to progress to here. At a snail¡¯s pace it flowed through each knuckle of his fingers until, finally, it slid up against the inside of the skin and came out like a thick smoke. Gradually the alchemical mix began to glow faintly as it became permeated by the energy. Eik could tell that something was happening but he didn¡¯t dare to so much as crack an eyelid for fear of losing even a sliver of the concentration he was holding on to so desperately. He inhaled but his racing heart forced him to release it again in a trembling breath. Once he had expelled all of the energy he had managed to scrounge up with his novice ability, he put his face close to the mixture and inspected it. Was this what it was supposed to look like? He¡¯d managed to catch a glimpse of the faint glow just as he opened his eyes but it had faded as soon as he had noticed it. Besides that it didn¡¯t really look any different at all. He¡¯d have to find Mikla and ask him if he had actually done it right. Just as he put his nose to the hopefully finished product and gave it a good, deep sniff, the front door burst open with a loud bang, shock jolting him so hard that he squished his nose into the sticky concoction. ¡°Geh!¡± he grunted as he slid off the chair and onto the floor. ¡°Oh¡­ Uuh, sorry,¡± Heath said from the doorway. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to frighten you.¡± ¡°Uh huh. What¡¯s up, Heathy?¡± Eik asked and blew out the mush that had gone up his nostrils, happy that the mixture hadn¡¯t been something worse. He got off the floor. ¡°Did you- Did you find something?¡± Heath¡¯s mouth tightened into a line. ¡°No, and that¡¯s the problem. Eik, we¡¯re never going to find anything like this! It¡¯s been six days and I¡¯m tired of it! I know you are too!¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not wrong. What do you propose?¡± Heath hesitated for several seconds before he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s going to sound a little uncomfortable, but I already talked to Sonja about it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Eik drawled. ¡°And what did she say to it? And more importantly, what is it?¡± ¡°Well, okay, hear me out¡­¡± *** ¡°Guys¡­ This feels a little risky, to be honest,¡± Michael said as they approached the doors of the fracture hall. The guards scanned them for their identities before letting them through. Two fractures were active this time, one with a group and the other with just one person waiting for something. ¡°It feels risky because it is risky.¡± ¡°So why are we doing it?¡± ¡°Because we can¡¯t think of a better idea,¡± Heath said. ¡°Yeah, okay, fine.¡± This time Mikla was the one to open the door of the small office. He¡¯d noticed them through the large window that offered a full view of the fracture hall and come out to meet them before they had even had a chance to knock. Eik caught a glimpse of Ihasu over Mikla¡¯s shoulder. She was reading something but had looked up when the door opened. She smiled warmly and offered a wave which he returned, Mikla smirking like an unruly fox. Eik considered punching the fracture specialist in the shoulder but reconsidered it once he remembered that the smaller man could literally slap him into a different universe. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ve got a request,¡± Sonja said and stepped in front of the guys. Mikla tilted his head and waited for her to continue. ¡°We¡­ would like to see Menka Tokanami.¡± The black-haired man¡¯s eyebrows shot halfway up to his hairline. ¡°You want to¡ª¡­ Why in the world would you want to see her? She tried to kill you. Twice. I recommend just forgetting that she exists.¡± Sonja glanced back at her teammates. ¡°Closure. We did everything we could to help her son and, while we weren¡¯t able to save him in the end, we did not deserve to be hunted down like that. We want to tell her how we feel.¡± If the size of one¡¯s ears changed according to how intensely one was trying to listen in on other people¡¯s conversations, Eik didn¡¯t doubt that Ihasu¡¯s would have been flapping around like an elephant¡¯s. Mikla regarded them for a long moment as he seemed to contemplate a response. He scratched his hairless chin as he frowned. ¡°Alright, we can take this to Atla, I suppose. She¡¯s got the final say. Give me two hours to finish my shift and I¡¯ll take you to her quarters.¡± They strolled through the pine forest where Eik had met with Mikla before as they waited, walking along the winding paths and breathing in the fresh air. Two hours later they stepped through a fracture and into the same front room of Atla¡¯s quarters where she had greeted them after the Crucible. When they brought up their wish to see Menka again, a look of positive surprise crossed her face. She was quicker to agree than Mikla had been, promising to take them to Menka¡¯s prison cell the next day. That night Eik succeeded in reproducing his accomplishment from earlier and made a second successful batch of alchemical pain killers. It was as if that first breakthrough had refined his body and mind somehow. Where he had been forced to take breaks as he guided the energy through his body before, it now slid through without a need to stop like a viscous honey ¡ª still slow but magnitudes faster than before. Following the final step of the recipe, Eik pulled out a small wad of a non-toxic wax-like substance that he had bought from the store on the corner downtown. Mixing the sticky pain killer carefully into the wax, he rolled the medicine into about a dozen balls. Over a small fire he heated the balls just enough to harden the surface wax to a brittle shell that could easily be bitten through. Mikla approved wholeheartedly of his accomplishment. ¡°Any alchemist who hears about the speed at which you managed to do this ¡ª as well as anybody who endeavors to gain power ¡ª will kick themselves with envy,¡± he laughed. ¡°What¡¯s your next project again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try for Kiq¡¯s Temper.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Be careful with that one. It¡¯s a little volatile.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard.¡± In the morning Atla led them through a portal that spit them out in a different fracture hall. A ten minute walk found them waiting in front of a thick metal door, guards once more scanning their identities. Once their identities had been confirmed, one of the guards took a whole minute to unlock the heavy door and told them to follow him inside. He stepped in ahead of them and held it open for them as they entered, his face concealed by a mask that hid even his eyes from view. Chapter 69: Visitation Inside was a tiny room, no more than four meters by four meters, even at a generous estimate. Besides the door they had come through, there were two other doors. One seemed even more heavily reinforced than the previous one while the other, of regular smooth wood with a metal lever handle and a single common keyhole, stood in stark contrast. Eik thought he was beginning to understand a little about how things worked inside headquarters. With the exception of private quarters and other restricted areas, any person with the right to be there could walk around freely. There were stores and parks and, according to Mikla, even schools for the children of permanent residents. In an environment like that people simply had to be able to walk around. They had to be able to live their lives here. Initially, Eik had been puzzled by the lack of security on the premises. It didn¡¯t feel like a government facility. And that was because that was not all it was. It could be better described as a city. The residents required a certain freedom of movement. Atla gave the four Earthlings an identification card each. It had a variety of personal information printed neatly on the front, all of which they had disclosed during their initial registrations with the alliance. It was information such as their names, date of birth on their home world, and home world of origin. The right side of the card had a realistically accurate depiction of their faces. It wasn¡¯t quite like a photograph, but more so like one of those hyper realistic drawings that some artists were capable of making. With that she walked up and rapped her fingers on the wooden door a few times in a short rhythm while the guard offered them a small bow as he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him. Eik couldn¡¯t see where the guard was looking but he could practically feel the intense gaze boring into him. Immediately after, they heard the many complicated locks slide back into place inside the structure one by one. By the sound of it it was multiple different types. A heavy set man answered the door Atla had knocked on with a grunt. Eik inched to the side to be able to look into the room behind the man. It appeared to be an ordinary, stuffy office overflowing with various documents and file cabinets with the sort of order that only the person who had organized it could find his way around. The man was blocking the way inside. There was no way to get in. Some kind of document about Menka had to be somewhere in there. That room held the answers they wanted. He caught the eyes of his friends and could tell that they were thinking the same thing. ¡°Warden¡­ Harfol, is it?¡± The man nodded, his facial expression no changing in the slightest. ¡°That¡¯s right. And who are you?¡± She pulled out the same identification card that she had used back during the Crucible tests and held it up for him to inspect. ¡°Agent of the Nidafjeld Administration of First Contact.¡± He nodded again as she pocketed the card. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± ¡°You should have a woman by the name of Menka Tokanami in custody here.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°I believe we do, yes.¡± She pulled out a single paper document and handed it to him as she explained, gesturing toward the Earthlings. ¡°These four were the victims of both attempted murders. Show him your identification cards, please.¡± They took turns as he scribbled down their info and checked it with whatever was written on the document she had handed him. ¡°The document contains written permission allowing them to visit with the prisoner as a courtesy to the victims.¡± Warden Harfol was silent for a while as he read through the writ before handing back their cards. ¡°Understood. Please follow me.¡± He knocked hard on the reinforced door, three raps and a pause, followed by five light raps. ¡°It¡¯s Harfol.¡± ¡°Mig Miq¡¯Miqq,¡± one voice, a deep bass, answered. Another voice followed. ¡°Juy hun.¡± ¡°Unlock your side.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Unlocking now.¡± The mechanisms inside creaked and scraped as they moved. Warden Harfol mirrored the process of unlocking on his side. When they stepped through, the guards had moved to the sides along the walls of a narrow passageway that led them further in. The passageway widened a bit as doors began to appear on each side at regular intervals. They passed three sets of doors before the warden stopped and began opening the fourth one on the right.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. It swung open on well oiled hinges, revealing a set of metal bars emanating a faint green sheen. The space inside was small. Two and a half by two and a half. A toilet in one corner and a cot against the opposite wall. A woman with greasy and disheveled black hair lay on the cot facing the wall, clad only in a black robe. At the sound of their entrance she rolled over halfway to look at them. Her gaze locked onto Eik¡¯s and for a moment her eyes were nothing more than beads of total incomprehension. As she stared, her mouth bobbed open and closed like a fish out of water, her body completely frozen. Then, like a video cutting from one frame to the next, she rammed full bodied into the bars, a metallic clang echoing hollowly into the tiny space like a gong. Menka Tokanami let out a howl of ferocious, deranged rage that hardly seemed fitting of a sound uttered by a person¡¯s throat. No intelligible words found their way into her screams, but the tears streaming down her cheeks left no doubt about her thoughts. It was feral. It was not sane. It sent shivers down Eik¡¯s back and he felt Michael¡¯s hand grip his with painful E-ranked strength. He did not blame the young healer for such a reaction. Even here in her cell, Menka was clearly a terrifyingly powerful Awakened. Multi-colored energy swirled around her fists as she pounded on the bars of her cell. Eik couldn¡¯t rip his eyes away from the thin, green rods that looked as fragile as a stale bread stick in front of the power she displayed. But not only did the bars hold up against her furious onslaught, the pink ripples of a barrier spread out from anywhere she hit. It was not unlike what Goran Gehun, vice leader of the 6th squad of the 11th division of the Department of Internal Conduct of the Nidafjeld Alliance, had shown during her first assault of their team. But it seemed much more powerful. Reliving that moment rekindled something in Eik. His own anger mixed thickly with fear and desperation. As he looked on the bars were suddenly no more, and Menka¡¯s deadly fists were held back from killing him by¡­ nothing at all. While his mind conjured up such images of his own impending death something stirred inside him. At first he thought it was Profound Toxin hoping to come out and play but it quickly became clear that it was the dimensional matter swirling around inside of him full of agitation. Atla turned to stare at him as a hazy aura, like heated air on the horizon, began to flow outwards from his body. She looked impressed. The energy was reacting to his fear by bursting out defensively like a cat raising its bristles in response to a perceived threat. Eik felt it happen but his mind was occupied entirely by the sight of Menka smashing away at the bars like a maniac, spittle flying as her screamed her throat hoarse. The novel sensation of the energy escaping from his body was pushed to the back. Soon Profound Toxin came out unbidden as well, swirling aggressively around his body like a serpentine guardian spirit. As it rippled around him and lunged for Menka, crashing uselessly against the force field erected on the bars of the cell, it rumbled like waves breaking against a beach. It rushed around and pulled the cosmic matter along with it, appearing at first to be mixing with Eik¡¯s aura. Within moments they separated and even though the aura continued to be buffeted about by the Profound Toxin, they remained divided like oil and water, the toxin seeming to evaporate the white aura anytime they touched. ¡°Eik, Eik, stop! Your poison is going everywhere! Eik!¡± Michael shouted as all four of them leapt back to avoid getting caught up in his uncontrolled release. Even Atla stepped back with an expression of caution as she grabbed the warden by the shoulder and pulled him back with her. Then she moved with lightning speed, her hand slithering in between the gaps in the whirling Profound Toxin to slap Eik hard over the head. His head was thrown forward so hard by the force of the blow that his forehead almost banged against the barrier in front of him. The pain and shock of it pulled him out of a trance induced by the trauma of facing down Menka¡¯s ruthless onslaught for a second time. He looked back at his friends shamefully as the toxin retreated back in through his skin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guys. Are you okay? I¡­ I lost control. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± Michael said. The three of them looked at him with worry. Luckily, they had not been struck by his rampant ability even though they had been standing right next to him. Perhaps Profound Toxin had learned that they were not enemies, or maybe it was simply starting to synchronize more with Eik¡¯s own way of thinking. When he turned back he could finally see Menka for what she now had become ¡ª a shell of a person locked in a small box of which she would never see the outside until the day of her death. An overwhelmingly powerful shell of a person, yes, but a shell nonetheless. A tortured spirit driven mad by sorrow. ¡°Hey;¡± he said hoarsely, now able to look straight into the deranged woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hey!¡± he roared. Menka paused, silent. Greasy hair fell over her face, giving her the look of a ghast. ¡°Look at me!¡± She only stared straight through him as if he wasn¡¯t there, a low sound escaped her throat. A humming keen lamenting a loss. She sat down on the cold stone floor where she began to rock back and forth as she hugged her knees close to her chest. Tears never stopped flowing from swollen, red eyes. Sonja and Michael came forward and kneeled down to be at eye level with the lamenting figure. ¡°Menka Tokanami,¡± Sonja said quietly with a steady voice. Her trembling fingers betraying the feelings her voice had hidden as her nails scraped across the stone. ¡°Your son¡¯s death wasn¡¯t our fault. He was a victim of the Moon Shall Swallow cult. He was dead before we ever made it there. It wasn¡¯t our fault.¡± ¡ª Her voice rose as she spoke ¡ª ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault! It really wasn¡¯t!¡± Her tone conveyed the desperation she felt to be understood by Menka. Menka didn¡¯t seem to hear her, however, and she simply continued to rock back and forth. Heath took his sister up by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. Michael too looked conflicted but didn¡¯t say anything and stood up as well. ¡°How about we call it a day?¡± Atla asked. ¡°I don¡¯t really think she¡¯s all there anymore. Grief did something to her.¡± Eik nodded and stepped back from the cage, fists clenched to the point of bloodlessness. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Heath said and thumped the Dane in the back. They followed Warden Harfol out and through the reinforced door. Once they made it outside Mikla was waiting for them. ¡°Hey,¡± he said with a wave. ¡°Should I take us straight back to your apartments, or are you coming with me to get something to eat?¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Sonja said, her eyes flitting to her friends. ¡°Would it be okay if we walked back instead of going by fracture?¡± Chapter 70: Unruly Pets ¡°You want to walk?¡± Mikla asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You do know that it¡¯s almost a four and a half hour walk back to your apartments?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to open portals for us all the time like this. We know that it¡¯s very taxing on you, yeah?¡± Heath said with a smile. ¡°We can walk just fine. And if it¡¯s four and a half hours, then we can make the trip in no time at all if we run.¡± ¡°At these distances, and within an area that I know well, I¡¯m okay to do it. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Sonja hurried to say. ¡°I¡¯m honestly just a little shaken up by all this. I would really rather walk back if that¡¯s okay.¡± Mikla glanced at Atla who regarded the Earth team with a steady gaze and was silent for a few seconds. She offered a small nod. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just fine. We¡¯ll walk back instead.¡± ¡°And I know a nice restaurant half an hour away if that¡¯s something you¡¯re interested in. Some food can do wonders,¡± Mikla added. ¡°Then we can walk back afterwards.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Eik said. ¡°Perfect.¡± They ate in a nice little restaurant situated on the edge of a park filled to the brim with vibrant flower beds in a wide range of colors. A couple of gardeners made their rounds to check on the flowers, carefully cutting off any branch sticking out. Eik ordered a steak of¡­ some kind of animal. It was the juiciest piece of meat he had ever sunk his teeth into. And the sauce ¡ª buttery, savory, heavenly. The carbohydrates were some kind of boiled chunks of dough. It wasn¡¯t quite like gnocchi, but it was the closest thing to it that he could think of. For drinks he picked something that turned out to be a fizzy drink. It was tart. Very tart. Like a plain yogurt. And it tasted like it had added salt. It didn¡¯t work for him at all but he saw a little girl eating with her parents a few tables away and she threw down two of them without batting an eye. Maybe he was the weird one here. ¡°By the way, guys,¡± Atla said as she took a bite of her own meal which was some kind of thick, extremely aromatic vegetable stew. Eik¡¯s Scandinavian eyes almost started running just from the spicy fumes. ¡°As you know, the Nidafjeld Alliance is hosting a tournament for its members a little over a month from now.¡± When she paused they nodded. ¡°I already told Travis Lockwood about it, as well as that fat guy from the meeting. What was his name again?¡± ¡°Merchant Lord Greggers,¡± Eik said. ¡°Right, right. Merchant Lord Greggers. I told them, but I think it would be best for the four of you to go home for a little bit to talk to them and find out if they¡¯re on board,¡± she said, looking at each of them in turn. ¡°They¡¯ve had some time to think about it and discuss it now. The Championships is a great opportunity to integrate further into the alliance if that¡¯s something Earth is interested in. And if you do well there are rewards in it for you as well. We like to motivate the individuals to participate as well.¡± she finished. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea for us to go home again this quickly. We don¡¯t even really know what happened after we left. We kind of just disappeared on them,¡± Sonja said. ¡°We could go with you,¡± Mikla suggested as he sipped an alcoholic beverage that somehow also seemed to be spicy. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just make us look even more treacherous in their eyes?¡± Heath commented. He¡¯d ordered a rack of ribs the length of his own arm. ¡°I mean, showing up there in Central Square like that, flanked by troops from an interplanetary super alliance is not exactly a subtle move, is it?¡± Eik nodded his agreement. It was difficult territory to navigate. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Eik¡¯s house now,¡± Mikla said. ¡°I can simply send us there instead of the square.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. That¡¯s definitely better,¡± Eik acknowledged. ¡°We can go straight from my house and find Travis Lockwood.¡± ¡°Do you know where that is?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Yeah, I was paraded around the offices of every Tom and Jerry worth five dollars in this place before they decided that they also wanted a go at me all at once. I went to his office as well back then. It¡¯s close to Mission Central.¡± Michael pursed his lips as he thought. ¡°Is there any anybody else we can go to? Just Travis alone seems like not enough people on our side.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I think lots of people see it our way, but many of the people who have a say don¡¯t want to share their power with a bunch of aliens, even if it¡¯s for the good of all of us. They don¡¯t trust us. Or them ¡ª no offense,¡± he said with an apologetic gesture to Atla and Mikla. They just nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who we can go to for support on this kind of¡ª¡± He paused as a thought struck him. ¡°Hold up, wait a minute. There was someone at the debrief. A woman. She seemed different. She was, uuh. She was¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever heard it. I can¡¯t recall Merchant Lord Greggers ever addressing her by name. He didn¡¯t seem to like her very much. But she was blonde and pretty young. She was¡­ willing to listen. I think she might see things our way.¡± ¡°Then shall we go to Earth in a few days?¡± Atla asked. They nodded. ¡°I can go see my mother as well then,¡± Michael said. They finished eating and went back. Before they separated in the hallway of their apartments they agreed to the plan. They would go back to the prison again in a couple of days, but this time with a bit more information at their disposal which they could hopefully use to get their hands on the information they wanted. Once he was back in the apartment, Eik sat down on his bed and thought. What the hell had that aura been that had leaked from his skin when Menka¡¯s fury had rattled him back in the cell? He leaned back against his pillow and did what he had spent the past weeks doing for hours every day. Searching for any trace of the multiversal matter, he dove into his head. Like a cheeky cat heeding the irresistible, metallic call of a can of tuna being opened, the mysterious energy rushed into his consciousness with an ease that couldn¡¯t be compared to any of his past attempts to connect. There it was, swirling obediently around in his mind, suddenly eager to to be of use. Eik tried to cautiously guide it through his body from his head and down through his mouth and into his neck. Through pure will he made it stop and simply circulate. It was seamless. Sending it through his elbow to his wrist and into each finger he felt the strange energy almost vibrate in excitement. How the hell did it make sense that a cosmic power behaved this oddly? Was it even actually the energy and not simply his brain anthropomorphizing his own excitement? At this point he had opened his eyes but control hardly seemed to have slipped at all. From the tips of his fingers he let it flow out. If he hadn¡¯t been looking for it it would have been easy to miss. Like smoke it curled around his digits. Unbidden it crawled up his arm and he could feel it brush lightly against the hairs on his skin. ¡°What are you?¡± he asked, watching the smoky aura for any sign of recognition. ¡°Can you hear m¡ª¡± A gasp escaped him when a thin tendril of Profound Toxin jetted out of the back of his hand, sending a jolt of surprise through him as it crashed across the manifested energy like a breaking wave. Anywhere the toxin managed to touch the aura it sizzled and burned in a furious erosion of its components. ¡°What the hell!¡± he shouted, almost falling off the bed. The Profound Toxin wiggled with apparent satisfaction as the remnants of his aura faded into the air. Once more Eik grabbed hold of the energy inside of him and pushed out, this time through his other hand instead. Immediately, the appendage of poison eradicated any sign of the aura again. ¡°Stop that, you annoying little shit! I¡¯m trying to get something to work here!¡± he hissed and stuffed the toxin forcefully back into his body with a mental muzzle. ¡°And don¡¯t come out again until I tell you to!¡± Eik side-eyed his own hand for a while, just waiting for the clingy bastard to make an encore. When nothing happened he leaned back against the pillow again and dove back in into his mind to start the whole thing over. This time the cosmic energy wasn¡¯t quite as easy to locate as it had been the first time. Deeper and deeper he went as he felt around for it, descending into the gradually darkening depths of his own mind. It was cold and bare down here. Was this the universe jabbing at his intelligence¡­? Wasn¡¯t this actually a little too deep? Eik tried to pull up and drift back towards the surface but he simply kept falling downward. Even when he tried to vocalize his voice just wouldn¡¯t come out down here. With his mind¡¯s eye he looked upwards where a tiny pinprick of bright light represented the physical world outside. It was as if a powerfully spiraling maelstrom pulled him down toward a black nothingness. Just as he thought he had been caught in an endless loop, his back slammed hard against something that gave way to his weight with a hollow thud. Besides that first impact it was still quiet here and it was dark. Or rather, he had initially thought that it was still silent and dark but as Eik took a few seconds to regain his bearing, that turned out to not be entirely true. As he looked around, the darkness was actually pierced by thin slivers of light streaming in all around him. And the silence was broken by a mild, rhythmic gurgle of shallow water. Strange to say the least. Eik wasn¡¯t quite all there yet, but at least he was quite certain that this wasn¡¯t what his mind was supposed to be like. He inhaled sharply as the skin on his back was suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of cold. Water had flowed in all around him and he jerked up into a sitting position only to ram his forehead hard against a rough surface that gave a brittle crunch as his entire head and neck went through. The first thing that hit him was the stench of stale swamp water, seeping into his nostrils like harpoons made of rotten farts. Sudden brightness blinded him to the surroundings. Before being able to properly open his eyes he peeled away the pieces of what felt like dry, half-eaten wood that he¡¯d broken with his face. He was sitting in lukewarm water but judging by the gruesome stench he¡¯d have preferred a shower, or even just a towel. Blinking tentatively, Eik looked around. He massaged the bridge of his nose as it became evident where he had ended up. Again. When he climbed to his feet, the rotting wood of the custom made coffin broke as he put a hand on the edge for support. ¡°Ah, crap¡­¡± he sighed. With a glance down his body he could confirm another thing with absolute certainty. He was back in the swamp where he had seen that looming and hypnotically enchanting mountain. And he was, in fact, not wearing pants this time either. Chapter 71: Becoming Familiar Eik waded through the murky, knee-deep swamp water from the coffin to the bank where he stamped off the worst of the foul sludge. This really was the same place he¡¯d woken up when he had been offered the Acolyte of Toxin alternative evolutionary path. An enormous mountain towered in the clouds in the distance. It was that mountain. That mountain that had inserted itself into his mind the first time he¡¯d come here. As he looked at it now it was hard to believe that it had taken him hours to even notice that it was there last time. Something must have stopped him from seeing it. With a thought he reached out for the multiversal matter, half anticipating another deep dive into his own head, but the connection was established seamlessly. The whirling energy eagerly moved into his fingers where it waited for him to give the signal to come out. Radiating from his skin, testing the air, it finally had time to spread itself out over his body. It felt nice. Incredibly nice, actually. The active aura provided him with a layer of fresh, flowing air that kept the tepid waft from sticking clammily to his bare skin. He kept it going as he started toward the mountain. The same urge to reach that peak blanketed in sickly green clouds that had consumed his thoughts completely before was now returning with intensity. His thin aura made no sound as it bubbled away. The wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves. But the wind seemed to only touch a single tree. Eik wasn¡¯t going to fall for that trick twice. A lightning fast streak of blue shot out from the canopy, heading straight for his nose like a ballista bolt. Seeing it coming before it ever moved from its position among the dense branches, Eik got into a stance of readiness and wound up a clenched fist for delivery. The little F-ranker he had been last time he was here would probably not have been able to react in time even after noticing the ambush. The Acolyte of Toxin though? It hurtled for his face but the moment it entered the range of his fist he hammered it into the ground with a crack, bouncing it off the soil like a basketball. As expected, it was yet another blue snake made entirely of Profound Toxin. When it still twitched slightly as it lay there, he stomped on it hard, its body bursting like a water balloon. ¡°Damn. You¡¯re early this time, and not nearly as tough,¡± Eik spat as the now formless remains of the snake dispersed into motes in the air before storming toward his body, exactly like it had done last time he was here. But as it tried to enter his skin, the glowing blue particles seemed to be obstructed from entering by the aura. Without Eik ordering it, the energy rushed in and gathered on the front of his body to create a pulsating barrier. The multiversal matter didn¡¯t appear to be any more willing to mesh with the Profound Toxin than the other way around. Apparently Profound Toxin did not subscribe to the notion of giving up, returning and coming in from behind. The aura came around and moved the barrier to Eik¡¯s back where it blocked the flying poison¡¯s ingress once more. ¡°Hey, stop, stop! It¡¯s fine! He¡¯s with me!¡± Eik yelled. In the blink of an eye he had a mental grasp on the aura and forced it to flatten out and let the Profound Toxin enter unhindered. Feeling the toxin permeate his system elicited a sense of correctness, like it was supposed to be there. With everything that had happened, the last few months had provided him with enough tense situations, memorable meetings, and terrifying realizations for the next many years and it had made time stretch to a crawl. The sensation of the poison was already so natural that he could barely recall what it had been like to be without it. It was right. The Worldbreaker had become an intimate part of him. But just as he thought he had gotten it under control, the two opposing energies began to spiral and twirl around inside him, each trying to push down and kick out the other to take sole residence within his core. With their ethereal power they ripped and tore at the hull of their vessel ¡ª his poor body ¡ª like enraged beasts locked up in a cage. ¡°Will you guys calm down in there? I¡¯m not a buffet. This here landlord would prefer amicable cohabitation, alright?¡± Neither force seemed to get the message as they kept going at it, putting intense, palpable pressure on his organs, blood vessels, muscles, and bones. His heart quivered as he attempted to bring them both under control with a focused exertion of willpower. Initially they resisted, riled up into senselessness by the rivalry, but eventually his concentrated efforts got them separated. ¡°Why the hell has it suddenly become time to go at each other¡¯s throats like this? There wasn¡¯t a problem until now when I worked on my alchemy. What gives?¡± he asked the empty air.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. He wasn¡¯t expecting an answer and he didn¡¯t get one. ¡°Don¡¯t make me come in there,¡± he finished and started walking, keeping a tight grip on both of them. He liked to anthropomorphize the two powers but he was well aware that the multidimensional matter and Profound Toxin were not animals he was keeping as pets. Both of them were more like forces of nature. Two hurricanes clashing for control of an orbit. Maybe Profound Toxin possessed some semblance of sentience ¡ª some manner of primal hunger ¡ª but it wasn¡¯t enough for communication. Actually, there was that time during his evolution trance where it did its best to conspicuously nudge him in into choosing Acolyte of Toxin as a his path instead of the regular E-rank. But had that been intelligence? Had it been sentience? Eik had a suspicion that it was a phenomenon conjured up by his own mind, perhaps spurred on by whatever ancient drive moved Profound Toxin to behave the way it did. At the very least he was not quite ready to proclaim his ability to be a clever little guy with a penchant for murder, torture, and a conscious desire to mold him into its ideal host. And if it was, then there was no way he was going to let it do what it wanted. He was in control and he would stay in control. The landscape changed slowly as he kept walking. Stinky pools of murky water and dead, rotting plants gradually gave way to a forest of old, gnarled trees, branches decorated with a balanced mix of both bright green summer leaves and orange leaves already hung crunchy on the stem. As the multiversal energy and the Profound Toxin had settled down inside him, he had begun to release the aura again. It was just a little bit to begin with but when the Worldbreaker didn¡¯t make a move to ruin it for him he let more and more of the aura come out. Something struck him hard on the back of the head and he stumbled forward, catching himself on the protruding root of one of the trees. A swish from behind warned him of another incoming attack just in time for him to twist around and bring up a sharp elbow. There was no time to register what the attacker¡¯s shape had been but his swift counter nonetheless reduced it to a blue splatter that spilled across the fallen leaves on the ground. Two more came at him, this time from the front, both of them the same snakes of Profound Toxin. His hand went to his waist where he grabbed for the handle of Viper Fang, only to realize that no pants meant no belt, no belt meant no sheath, and no sheath meant no weapon. Gritting his teeth, Eik instead raised his hand and simply slapped the crap out of the first one. Flowing smoothly through the same movement, he snatched the second out of the air as it rocketed toward him and pulled its body violently apart. This time the aura that was now as dense as he had ever managed to make it did not make a move to block the particles of the decimated toxic snakes as they surged into his body. The feeling was invigorating. As if a part of him that had been missing was reunited with his soul. He removed the aura covering his face and took a few deep breaths. The smell in the air had become much more pleasant now but he still kept the aura up. Judging by the landscape alone he had made it about as far as he had on his previous trip here. It didn¡¯t appear like he had made any progress toward the mountain whatsoever but he still kept walking. Although the urge to reach the peak was similarly irresistible this time, the almost hypnotic state that he had been thrown into during his last visit had not come over him as of yet. It was more like being on the way to the super market on a Saturday evening to get snacks for a movie night on the couch. You know that maybe you shouldn¡¯t do it, but even as that thought swirls around in your head your feet continue to carry you down the cookie aisle. As he walked, there was no real downside to keeping the aura flowing around him as far as he could tell. In fact, it was almost effortless as ripples across his bare skin and the sense of it grew more natural with every passing minute. At this point he couldn¡¯t even really recall what had been so difficult about it when he had first begun his alchemy practice. It had taken him days to even recognize the existence of the dimensional matter inside his body and now it had gotten to the point where he would catch it moving according to his subconscious wishes. Wasn¡¯t this whole control of the multiversal matter supposed to be more difficult? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to take months to even get started properly? He¡¯d been at it for a few weeks at most. Ironically enough, this brand new power was much easier to control and magnitudes more obedient than Profound Toxin that he had had by his side for much longer. He played around with their compatibility a bit, trying to get the two forces to mesh. Gathering the aura into just his palm, he held it there as he, as slowly as he could, let a sliver of Profound Toxin come out further up his arm. Immediately, the antagonistic toxin writhed vigorously against the will of its master, doing its damndest to get at the hazy white energy like an attack dog. Allowing just a bit of metaphorical leash, he let the thin tendril of toxin slowly approach as it repeatedly lunged at its rival. He sighed when it was apparent where this little experiment was going but he still carried it to completion and loosened the restraints enough for the two of them to come into physical contact with each other. The moment Profound Toxin touched the multiversal matter the white aura dissolved into nothingness like cotton candy dumped in water by a raccoon. ¡°Crap¡­¡± Eik mumbled as he forced the toxin back into his body and let the aura spread across his body once more. What the hell was he supposed to do when his powers literally hated each other to the point of one destroying the other? There had to be something he could to make them play nice. He stopped walking and sat down to close his eyes and focus on their shared environment inside him. Even as he tried to focus he felt the pull of the mountain tug at his mind. If they didn¡¯t want to get along on the outside, then he¡¯d just have to force them to on the inside. Chapter 72: Painful Success As Eik sat there he hoped that the attacks by the snakes made of Profound Toxin had stopped. At least for long enough for him to try this. To help him visualize the attempt he put his hands on his chest and felt around for the two opposing forces. They were aligned across from each other, keeping completely away from each other. Eik first tried to simply mash the two together, but all he got out of that try was an extreme case of heartburn that tore through his torso as if he had swallowed a handful of red hot embers. The pain moved from his torso to his groin, then down into and back up his left leg and then into his right. By the time the burning made it back up to his chest he was rolling around on the ground, screaming his lungs empty in agony. Clutching his throat as it moved again, this time upward through his neck and into his head, he put his head between his knees. Several bouts of dry heaving shook his entire body, convulsions crawling through him despite nothing coming up. It was a headache that trumped the worst migraine he had ever experienced. For another minute he raged and cursed there in the grass as the pain waned, first into a dull throbbing that permeated all of his muscles but then it faded into pleasant silence. ¡°By Odin¡¯s greasy beard, man. That was¡­ the worst thing ever,¡± he said out loud. ¡°Are you guys looking for a way to kick me into an early grave in there or what? That hurt like all hell!¡± He rolled onto his back and watched the green clouds rolling across the sky above, thick, hazy light peeking through the cracks. He was definitely not trying that particular method again. He sat up again, rubbing his head to get rid of the last bit of dizziness. Scanning the surroundings for more rustling leaves or streaks of blue and finding nothing, he got back into position and dove into his mind. If mashing Profound Toxin and the multiversal matter together outright lead to this, then he would have to try something smoother and gentler. Like he had done outside his body, he moved them closer to each other at a snail¡¯s pace until they touched lightly but even that sent needles of pain spiking through him, breaking his concentration. He gasped through his teeth but forced himself to jump right back in. Pushing the precision of his control to its limits, he tried to twist and spin them around each other as if they were in mutual orbit. It was impossible to tell if they were actually physically revolving in there but it sure felt like it. It took everything he had to keep them from going out of control and progressively increase the velocity of the orbit. As they accelerated to the maximum of what he could manage right now he once more shrunk the distance between them which in turn narrowed their courses and caused an involuntary speed up that he quickly realized he was not equipped to handle. The two forces rattled and shivered in his hold as they grew unstable. ¡°Crap, crap, crap!¡± he hissed when the pain of contact began to well up through his body for the third time in ten minutes. Control was slipping and he feared he was on the verge of coming face to face with the consequences of his own actions. The burning of the energies became too much to handle and he was forced to let it go, but as they came apart something happened. Profound Toxin and the multiversal matter had been clashing and crackling against each other on the edges of their reach without mixing but just as they separated completely the final motes that impacted one another did not reject the meeting, but rather blended like tea leaves in water. It lasted for only the briefest of moments, barely long enough for Eik to even notice it, but it definitely happened. Instead of erasing any trace of the dimensional energy like it had done thus far, the Profound Toxin entered into the transparently white haze and spread itself out, permeating it with the familiar blue glow. The blend flared up energetically and Eik felt the pairing become something that wasn¡¯t just one force taking over. It was something more. He didn¡¯t get a chance to study it closely, but that didn¡¯t matter too much right now. Well, damn, he¡¯d done it. Those two troublemakers had proven that they were capable of working together. This would become something. Eik had dived back into it and had just begun to spin the energies for another attempt when a sound pulled him out of focus. In a moment he was on his feet with a hand flying back to Viper Fang¡¯s handle which still wasn¡¯t there. A blue snake got him right above the eye, giving him the opportunity to seize it by the neck and slam it into the ground like a whip. It was much bigger than any of the others thus far, measuring at more than four meters as far as he could tell. It came for his head at a speed incomparable to the smaller snakes. The snakes he had met thus far were barely more than elongated blobs of poison, but this one had significantly more prominent features. Softly curving spines protruded from its forehead and vague outlines of eyes and nostrils emulated a real animal.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. A lifelike jaw snapped down with a crack right in front of his face, Eik barely managing to avoid the attack. An uppercut caught a glancing blow but still rocked its head back with a wet thump. Catching it with a foot on the way down, he crushed it into the ground with all the power he could muster. It continued to writhe and struggle under his foot. He let Profound Toxin flow out through his foot to pour over the snake but it did nothing, its body simply absorbing the poison. Well, in hindsight he could probably have foreseen this particular result but sometimes you just have to give everything a try, eh? Besides wanting his main skill to be of any help right now, there were two things he really missed right now. His trusty knife, Viper Fang, to slash through this annoying bastard and his supply of home mixed poisons to give him that extra boost from Noxious Invigoration that would bring his strength and speed up to par or near par with the regular physical prowess of an E-ranker. He had gotten so used to fighting with the support of Noxious Invigoration that this pace of combat threw off his senses and reactions. The snake¡¯s tail came up in a blur and lashed him across the thigh and up his ribs. Eik gasped as the breath was knocked from his lungs. He knelt, putting a knee on its neck, and pulled on its head. It stretched like a gummy worm and as whatever held together its fluid-like body began to give way to his endeavor, the tail whipped up again and flailed him across the back twice. He grunted under the pain and gritted his teeth but refused to stop. This damn thing was several times more powerful than its smaller brethren. With a howl of effort Eik ripped the head off. The jaw hung open in his hand as it too dissolved into glowing blue motes that rushed into his body, energizing him more than all of the small snakes combined. All of the aches and bruises from the fight healed to the point where it was as if they had never been there. Before another bastard of that caliber could show up Eik broke into a sprint and headed for the mountain. He wanted to get there this time. The last trek had ended abruptly when he fell unconscious, but he wasn¡¯t going to let crap like that happen now. After running for an hour and a half and then another two and a half hours of walking the mountain still didn¡¯t seem to have moved closer. Only the landscape had changed. Where the leaves had been a strange mix of soft green and crunchy orange, they were now all so crispy that they would surely turn to dust if stepped on. Eik had been keeping the aura going non stop since his fight with the large snake. While he hadn¡¯t had a chance to sit down and go deep for another attempt to merge the two forces, he had been practicing his control while he moved, circling and spinning the energies without letting them touch. He was cresting a hill that overlooked a deep valley with a murky lake in its center when it wandered into view from behind the trees. It was large. At least five meter from snout to tail tip. It was blue like his toxin but there was a solidity to it that he hadn¡¯t seen in any of the other toxic beasts yet. This one was a quadruped with dense legs and torso, and a long tail that tapered to a thin point. A komodo dragon would not be a bad comparison but its movements seemed much smoother than the wild waddle he had seen those guys display on TV. This thing had longer legs that appeared to possibly allow it to gallop and the neck was longer too. Much sharper spines ran from mid snout across its back to the tip of the tail, and he could see the ridges of scales and muscles in the membranous skin. Darker patches resembled actual hide. The Profound Toxin surged inside its body as the intimidating beast regarded him with eyes that weren¡¯t more than a couple of dark splotches. Eik took a step back but that seemed to stir something in the toxic beast as it bent its knees and got low to the ground. He stopped and observed. For a few seconds everything was quiet but then the monster exploded forward with a shrill roar, the first sound any of the toxic kin had made. Barely managing to register the monster¡¯s movement, Eik threw up his arms only for the bone in his forearm to crumble nastily as the drake brought its entire weight to bear on him. Momentum carried them both through the air to impact a tree that shook enough to shed almost half of its dry leaves. Eik coughed once before the tail came up and took him in the mid section, hurling him backward and sending him sliding through the leaves. With a roll he flung himself to his feet and started running down a steep incline into the valley as fast as his legs could carry him. He was headed for the lake, not even sure if it would work, but it was the only thing he could think of. Those two strikes that he had received alone had confirmed without a doubt that this third iteration of Profound Toxin manifest was more powerful than he could currently handle. Even if he¡¯d still had equipment and supplies of poison and healing it would have been a battle with little confidence in his chances. A glance back over his shoulder revealed the thing sailing through the air. It must have leapt from the top. Eik too leapt as it came down, avoiding a crushing death by the skin of his teeth. Something must have happened to his leg as well because his knee gave out as he stumbled, sending him reeling onto his face where he was tossed about in a couple of involuntary somersaults. Somehow he got regained his feet and kept running. He was no more than thirty feet from the lake ¡ª a distance he could cover in seconds he could could on a single hand. But just as he felt hope solidify in his stomach, a burning pain erupted through his back as the beast raked him with claws that he hadn¡¯t thought to be sharp enough. Sent flying the remaining distance by the force of the blow, Eik fell headfirst into the cool, murky water and immediately began swimming for the bottom. The water stung terribly in his open wound but he ignored it. After a dozen strokes he twisted his body to look at the surface. The brightness streaming in from above burst into a pop of bubbles through which the third generation toxic beast¡¯s head emerged, jaw snapping ferociously. Eik felt hope rise once more as he saw its skin start to dissolve. The thing could not maintain its form in the water. It hemorrhaged blue into the lake, but the process wasn¡¯t happening quickly enough. It still came for him and in the water he was even less capable of defending himself than he had been on land. Not knowing what else to do, he raised the broken arm protectively and received a vicious bite that made escape impossible. A blur of blue hurtling for his face was the last thing he saw before everything disappeared. Chapter 73: Extra Large Serving of Trouble Brewing Eik flew to his feet with a sharp gasp. His heart was racing away like a hammer as he frantically scanned the room. It was quiet. It was dry. This was not the lake in that strange world. He was back in his apartment in headquarters. Allowing himself several deep breaths, he let the smoky white aura flow to the surface and cover his skin. Feeling that control was calming. With so much in his life being a whirl of total chaos recently, having that to hold on to provided a sense of security that he really needed right now. Judging by the intensity of the light streaming through the large window next to his bed, the several hours inside the other world hadn¡¯t even amounted to half an hour out here. There was still a bit of time left before he had to meet up with the others. They were going out to eat together as they so often did. With how much he had improved with the multiversal matter he thought he might be able to squeeze in a few successful alchemical creations before leaving. He retrieved the ingredients from what essentially a refrigeration closet created with magic and went to the table where the cauldron stood waiting. The mix for the pain killer was routine at this point so he raced through it and began to tentatively insert energy. He recalled the many times he had failed, the ingredients exploding up into his face, but confidence filled his actions now. In less that half a minute he had a finished product ready to be molded into wax balls for consumption. He had no illusions about the potency of the drug but just the fact that he could create it so easily now felt great. He couldn¡¯t wait to test it out. Could he persuade Heath to stub his toe on purpose? Pulling out the recipe book from his rucksack of holding, he set it against the backrest of a chair to keep it open. With care he followed each step to mix. He¡¯d been back to replenish his stock at the plant breeder a few times already because he was burning through them when practicing. Mikla had told him that ingredients would get more and more esoteric and difficult to work with as he advanced, but for now it was rudimentary. Later creations would be able to increase power and senses, or grant temporary buffs or permanent boosts. There was a world to explore and he would climb to the top. In fact, he had bought ingredients for a third concoction that he hadn¡¯t told Mikla or anybody else about. He still hadn¡¯t quite managed to convince himself to try for the recipe but whenever he thought of a good reason to refrain, he remembered the people of Earth facing the Gohkamorians, the Forest leadership and Boulder Fist Gary plotting against them, and the countless other unknown threats. But first up was the second recipe. Kiq¡¯s Temper: a loyal companion for any avid adventurer, explorer, traveler, or general lover of the great outdoors, it said. The creation process of this particular item was¡­ dangerous, in a way. To begin with, the mixture itself was unstable and could, if handled incorrectly, react explosively and spew moderately strong acid into the face of the alchemist. According to the book, it was supposed to function as a strong insect repellent, but even if one managed to keep it from exploding, bungling the multiversal matter influence and overstimulating the ingredients could produce a product that attracted insect rather than repelling them. The two pages in the recipe book dedicated to Kiq¡¯s Temper also contained some pretty gnarly anecdotes of explorers getting swarmed by bloodsucking arthropods because they¡¯d bought a faulty item from a shitty alchemist. Unskilled and careless production had cost more than a few people their lives. Eik held his breath as he added the root sap from a plant with acidic properties. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as the introduction caused the mix to sizzle quietly. Was it supposed to do that? The chair skittered across the floor and crashed into the bare wall behind him as he flung himself back, covering his face with his hands. With his superhuman hearing he could just barely hear the fizz from where he stood a few paces away. Within seconds it faded to nothing, leaving him standing there cowering. He cleared his throat and inched closer to the cauldron little by little, peering into it. Nothing was happening. An involuntary sigh escaped him as he sat back down. He sat back down and held his hands close to the ingredients and let the energy flow into and through them. Unlike the inert matter in the recipe for the pain killing drug, his invasion now was met with mild resistance. Starting with the pain killer had been a good choice. Before he¡¯d gotten this good at controlling the energy there would have been absolutely no way that he would have been capable of keeping it stable through the opposition. With caution he pushed his energy in and tried to calm the matter rushing around inside. It pushed back with abandon, knocking away any attempt to calm it down. He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle it. The instructions just said that he had to ease it into serenity in order for it to settle down enough to complete the recipe.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. But more than anything it just felt like slapping a raw cut of steak with a cold prying pan. Completely fruitless. It just kept bouncing his attempts back like a trampoline. Fingers squeezing his trouser leg tightly, he redoubled his efforts and changed his approach from coercion to straight takeover. If the multiversal matter wasn¡¯t going to be persuaded then it would have to be forced. Instead of the thin string he had tried to poke at it with thus far, he expanded the cover of his energy and let it envelop the mixture like a net. Anywhere it flared up he would push it back down until he slowly began to feel a reduction in the agitation. After two and a half minutes it had completely settled down and he felt no activity besides a calm hum that was barely noticeable. Eik stuck his nose into the cauldron and risked a sniff. It seemed okay. He wrapped it in a cloth and squeezed the juice into a couple of potion bottles and put in stoppers. Sitting back in the chair he eyed the ingredients for the the third attempt which he had already laid out in advance. Confident Eik from thirty minutes ago had wanted to make sure that future Eik went through with it even if he lost a bit of that confidence. He flipped through the pages of the recipe book until he was about seventy percent through and rested the spine against the back of the chair again. It probably wasn¡¯t a good idea to try this one yet, but here he was, making another questionable decision. He had to take a few risks to get ahead. It just didn¡¯t feel like there was any way around that. He read over the page again. ¡°Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 ¡ª Perfect for combat against both man and beast, manual labor, or to impress the girl next door. Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 is recommended for E-rank for best effect. Suitable for E-rank and above. Significant effect for any person at D-rank or above is not guaranteed. The imbiber of a class 1 Potion of Mighty Strength will find power rushing through their body like fire. Punches and weapon attacks will hit harder, and skin, bones, and muscles will become more durable against damage. Mobility and other aspects of physical prowess might be indirectly affected by the effect of Potion of Mighty Strength class 1, either negatively or positively depending on factors such as physicality and abilities. Depending on various circumstances and abilities, the effect of Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. The recipe for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 is recommended for alchemists with at least a couple of years of experience and a skilled instructor to guide them through the process in the beginning. Potions that buffed base stats had been dismissed as an impossibility on Earth. Nobody had ever found a way to create one, but not for the lack of trying. If Eik could succeed in creating this Potion of Mighty Strength not only would he be able to kick off the establishment of the most profitable drug business in Forest, he would also be able to make an actual difference in the fight against the monster horde deployed by the Gohkamorians. A drug that could increase the survivability of low-rankers like that would possibly be the most invaluable ¡°discovery¡± their post apocalyptic society would have thus far. He could save the lives of many people with something like this. The ingredient phase was simple. Simpler than any of the other two, but apparently it was easy to mistakenly overstimulate the multiversal matter in the mixture to the point where it acted out dangerously. He tried the same tactic as he had with Kiq¡¯s Temper. A thin tendril of smoky, white energy slithered out from Eik¡¯s hands and into the suspiciously calm and almost transparent aura surrounding the ingredients. Unlike his white, the aura of the Potion of Mighty Strength class one was a murky purple so dark that it trended toward black toward the core. He froze when it seemed to shy away from his approach only to rush back up toward him like a skittish animal. After a few seconds he pushed further in, looking for something to hang onto while he worked the energy to his liking. Again, he really wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he had to do to get this crap to work. So the only thing he could do was wiggle around in there until something gave him a hint. The strangely calm aura didn¡¯t seem to respond much to his attempt to influence it, so he let his energy slowly spread out through the mixture. Everything seemed to be going surprisingly well until the purple vitality abruptly blazed up the tendril connected to his hand like a flame running along a trail of spilled gasoline. The moment it made contact with his skin, unimaginable agony erupted in the tip of his finger. At first it stayed there, as if someone had poked him with a white-hot needle. He gripped his hand with the other as his heart rate skyrocketed. Blood rushed into his digits as the cells of his body went into a state of panic. Eik groaned in pain but it soon turned into a full blown howl of anguish. Pink skin became horribly discolored with purple, almost to the point of looking gangrenous. It traveled slowly, but it was traveling. Within thirty seconds the dark corruption had made its way halfway up his second knuckle, spreading the pain but keeping the intensity at an unbearable level. Tears pushed free from his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what to do. The foreign rot was invading his system. After another ten seconds he began to regain some presence of mind ¡ª enough to attempt to wrestle the corruption down. But it wasn¡¯t enough. While his control might be¡­ somewhat adequate, or not, who the hell knew, the strength of his energy most certainly wasn¡¯t up to par for this kind of spiritual mumbo jumbo combat. Even though he put his everything into standing against it, it simply marched forward like he wasn¡¯t even there. When it spread to the rest of his fingers and reached his wrist the throbbing began, running up and down his body like shock waves. It just kept climbing up his arm unrelentingly. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± he screamed and fell to his knees, clutching his elbow, hoping that even the smallest bit of pressure might slow it down just a little. Why the hell weren¡¯t his friends coming for him? And why the hell had he taken this stupid ass risk? What happened when the purple decay reached his organs? His heart? What about his brain? Could it? Frantic thoughts dominated by the dread of death bounced around inside his head as it seeped underneath his hand on the elbow as if it wasn¡¯t there. Why didn¡¯t anything work? His whole arm was purple at this point and battering the white energy against it did diddly-squat against it. As it reached his shoulder, consciousness began to drift and he slumped against the leg of the table and then onto the floor. His eyelids grew heavy and the certainty that he was going to die overwhelmed his mind. Mentally, he reached out for anything that could help and as if answering, a certain, luminescent hue of blue tugged at his mind. Chapter 74: Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 As if it had been waiting for his call, like a little horse waiting to be let out to gallop on a field of flowers, Profound Toxin rushed through his system with anger. It tore through the purple miasma like a chainsaw annihilating a stick of warm butter. The discoloration running down his arm dissipated into the air in seconds. Profound Toxin detached itself from him and was about to assault the mixture itself when Eik got a mental hold of its spiked collar. ¡°Wait, wait,¡± he said, the sound of a voice, even his own, always calming him in tense situations. Was that why he could never shut his mouth whenever he felt threatened or insecure? Damn. ¡°Thanks, but I might still be able to finish that. That stuff doesn¡¯t grow on trees,¡± he said but then raised an eyebrow. ¡°Or actually, some of it definitely does, but not all of it. And it costs money, which doesn¡¯t.¡± Having gotten the situation under control, he rolled onto his back and dry heaved a couple of times, trying to keep his food from soiling the nice carpet. His body still ached, and the back of his head was pounding, but it was nothing compared to the pain from the spiritual attack. He sighed. He could only blame his own tunnel vision for keeping him from considering anything but his newfound aura to defend himself against the invasion of the corruption. However, not pulling Profound Toxin into the mix from the beginning, knowing what it could do to his own aura had been the peak of stupidity. If his body hadn¡¯t already been plenty ravaged, he might have kicked himself. The mixture for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 still lay there in the cauldron, all comfortable and evil like. One of the ingredients for the potion was the bone marrow of a D-rank monster called a horned bulkbeast, named so for the ridiculous density and strength of its muscles and bones. This monster was notoriously aggressive to even its own kind. Or at least the merchant who had sold him the bone marrow had told him as much. Maybe the shitty behavior originated from the remnants of that beast. Eik shot the cauldron the harshest stink eye he could as he got back into the chair to resume his attempt. Purple miasma still swirled ominously. Like an agitated nest of hornets, the foreign aura flew up through Eik¡¯s tendril of energy the moment he made contact. It advanced up through his arm at double the speed compared to the first time but before it could get to his wrist he decimated any trace of it with Profound Toxin. Shit. This wasn¡¯t going to work. With the energy already this agitated he couldn¡¯t get his own close enough to even attempt to influence it. What could he do? He abandoned the multiversal matter for now and extended a tendril of Profound Toxin toward the mixture, his control with the unruly ability clearly also improved after his practice with the aura. Carefully, the tapered tendril of poison penetrated the surface of the miasma. It roiled aggressively, flooding in like water through an unobstructed drain. Although Eik tended to think of his own energy and Profound Toxin more like unruly pets rather than forces of nature, the incessant onrush of the dark power despite the instant extermination proved that it was nothing but a mindless manifestation. For a few seconds, the inherent vitality of the ingredients remained capable of supplying the incorporeal grinder that was Profound Toxin. But soon it ran out of juice and calmed down to the point where a faint, colorless haze of inertia was all it could muster. Keeping the tendril of Profound Toxin in place as a deterrent, he reached down with his aura in parallel. It shied away at his touch but didn¡¯t do anything to resist him otherwise. Even when he began to pump in his own energy there was no hostile response. After about a minute of cautious feeding, the mixture seemed to reach some kind of equilibrium and while it remained stable and contained, Eik hurried to bottle it ¡ª enough for three vials with a bit left over. The remainder he scooped into a glass. Presumably such a small dose would not grant the optimal effect, but lately he had been missing the daily ritual of drinking poison¡­ Well, bottoms up then. The taste was¡­ not great. Immediately a sourness as strong as a lemon assaulted his whole tongue at once, leaving a bitter, lingering aftertaste. But that was easy to tolerate once he felt the effects. Eik had been expecting the Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 to take some time to show its effects but within a second he felt a sensation not unlike Noxious Invigoration pump through his veins. It wasn¡¯t very strong. The effect of most of Noxious Invigoration combined with most poisons was stronger, but this had not even been half the recommended dose. This was going to do wonders for the fighting power and survivability of his team. If he could get skilled enough to produce larger batches of both the Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 as well as other drugs, he could also make a crucial difference on Earth. His novel knowledge and willingness to give others a chance to use his products might even sway the population further in his favor. It could convince people that they have something to gain from the Nidafjeld Alliance. A buzz in his shirt alerted him to a message on his wooden plaque. He fished it out and checked. His eyebrows flew up in surprise. [Reached threshold: Evolution to ??? possible] [Estimating¡­]The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. What the hell? The evolution was possible but it wouldn¡¯t let him initiate it? If anything, that convinced him that his little alchemy experiment would have killed him. To think that would push him over the threshold. He tried to launch it multiple times but nothing happened. Maybe it just needed a bit of time. He couldn¡¯t exactly discuss the strange behavior of his power with his friends without revealing more, and he didn¡¯t feel comfortable enough with Atla right now to go to her either. Since it told him that it was estimating it seemed safe to assume that it would finish estimating at some point at least, hopefully soon. Nothing he tried made the status change whatsoever. It seemed that all he could do was wait, acting as if he hadn¡¯t reached a significant milestone in his progress. Trying and failing to push down the excitement of the new rank ¡ª something that would surely make Profound Toxin soar once more ¡ª Eik turned one of the filled potion vials over in his hand as the butterflies in his stomach settled down. He needed someone besides himself to test the efficacy of his latest creation. ¡°Heath!¡± he yelled as he ran into the hallway with the vials in hand. The tank¡¯s room was empty. As were both Sonja¡¯s and Michael¡¯s rooms so he made his way to the only place he thought they might have gone without coming to get him first. It was a five minute jog to get to the nearest training grounds. The training grounds consisted of a collection of raised platforms identical to the one where Eik had fought the blonde boy the first time he had been kidnappe¡ª had visited the headquarters. In one corner there were training dummies made of various materials of differing durability. His three friends occupied one of the platforms. There were eight platforms in total with three platforms, besides his friends¡¯, in use. Earsplitting clangs of metal against metal echoed across the grounds as Sonja delivered a relentless assault of sword strikes to his shield. She leapt about like a dancer, coming at him from all sides but his defense was clean and efficient as he received the flurry like a minimum of wasteful movement. Movements smooth, he hardly did more than adjust his leading foot to pivot the shield in to block any attempt she tried to get at his body. It was almost only when he stuck out his own weapon for an attack that he got burned. Sonja¡¯s reactions were quick as lightning and she punished him for any opportunity he accidentally offered her to. With the pure physicality of both of their skill sets against each other it seemed like they could essentially sustain a standstill until one of them grew tired, and Heath wasn¡¯t expending much energy while Sonja possessed manifestly vast reserves of stamina. Michael wasn¡¯t participating directly in the melee but he would cast Bind at key moments to trip or hinder their movements. Although it wasn¡¯t his main focus, Eik knew that the healer also often practiced with his mace and shield. While Eik had spent recent days in his room with his nose buried in the alchemy cauldron the three of them had been out here almost every day to practice. This really was the training arc in most senses of the word. All they really needed now was someone to cut together a short montage for their viewing pleasure. ¡°Guys, hey!¡± he called and waved as he climbed onto the platform. ¡°Guys!¡± Heath looked away from the fight for a moment as he was adjusting his position and Michael, seeing his chance, got both of the tank¡¯s feet with Bind, sending him to the ground with a clatter of plate. ¡°Gergh!¡± Heath squawked as he hit the flagstones hard. ¡°What the hell! It was time out, you jerk!¡± ¡°Nuh uh,¡± Michael argued as he stepped over Heath. ¡°You didn¡¯t call it. No call means no time out. We already talked about that last week.¡± Heath just grumbled and climbed to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sonja asked, her sword back in its sheath. Eik didn¡¯t say anything and simply held up the vials of murky purple liquid for them to admire, dangling them as he failed to contain a satisfied grin. ¡°Did you make those?¡± Michael asked. ¡°You can bet your ass I did! Just finished ¡®em!¡± ¡°Are they the insect repellents then?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°The pain killers were pills, right?¡± Eik hesitated when he remembered that he had kept the fact that he had hid his intentions to attempt the Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 recipe until now. To say it had been reckless was an understatement. Without Profound Toxin to save his ass when it went wrong, he would most likely have been lying dead on the floor of his apartment right now. ¡°I¡ª No, not exactly.¡± She paused and regarded him. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°I, uuh¡­ Well, I stumbled across some interesting ingredients and they happened to be enough for this particular recipe.¡± ¡°You said some of those recipes could be dangerous to attempt to make. Was that one one of those?¡± ¡°¡­ No?¡± An arched brow was all she offered in response. ¡°So if it¡¯s not an insect repellent then what does it do?¡± Heath asked, grabbing one of the vials from Eik¡¯s hand. Eik brandished his bicep, slapping the muscle as he flexed. Michael instantly had a guess. ¡°It enlarges your muscles like a body buil¡ª¡± ¡°Super strength,¡± Eik said. ¡°Holy crap, that¡¯s even better!¡± Heath exclaimed, practically drooling at the thought. ¡°Can I have a sip?¡± ¡°It worked on me so yes, please give it a taste.¡± Heath unstoppered the vial and upended it with zero hesitation only to pucker up like a raisin. ¡°Geh! Oh, that is the worst thing I have ever drunk in my life! But god damn!¡± He hurled his heavy shield into the air where it spun around its own axis a couple of times before falling back into his hand. ¡°This is¡­ insane.¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡ª He handed a vial to Sonja as well and gestured ¡ª ¡°Take a swig and check what it¡¯s like to fight under the effect of the Potion of Mighty Strength class 1.¡± She obliged and took a sip but stopped halfway through, sticking out her tongue as she pulled a face. ¡°Dose matters, Sonja,¡± Eik mumbled apologetically. ¡°You should drink all of it for optimal effect.¡± She scowled but drank the rest nonetheless. Her eyebrows shot up as she too felt the power pouring into her veins from the potion. With a glance at her brother who hefted his shield, The Captain¡¯s Tower, with an expectant smirk, she drew her Bow of the Squall, nocked an arrow, and pulled the string back to its absolute limit in one smooth motion that hardly seemed to strain her at all. She took aim. The strength granted by the potion combined with the ability of her bow to accelerate the arrow further sent the projectile forward like a bullet. It tinked off Heath¡¯s shield with enormous force. At least twice the power of what she had been capable of inside the Crucible practical. Surprised by the impact, Heath almost let the shield be flung out of his grip, but he recovered instantly and rushed in for a counter attack. She unleashed another arrow as she activated Disengage to create some distance but Heath simply lifted his shield and deflected the projectile into the stone behind him where it cracked. Unable to step off the platform during a practice match, Sonja leapt around the ring for a while before eventually giving up and unsheathing her thin blade to meet her brother in close quarters. They exchanged blows in much the same way they had been when Eik arrived minutes earlier, but the clear difference in intensity was astounding. To Eik it looked like they were at the cusp of D-rank. All because of his potion. His fingers tingled with the desire to make more ¡ª to learn more. Chapter 75: Akki Heath and Sonja continued fighting for another forty seconds before the effects of the potion began to wane ¡ª first from Sonja, despite having consumed the drug slightly later, and then from Heath shortly after. ¡°Holy crap, that was absolutely insane!¡± Heath exclaimed as he jumped down from the raised platform. ¡°Dude, can you make more of those?¡± Eik recalled the mind-breaking agony of the purple miasma crawling up his arm, shivers running up his spine. ¡°¡­ Yeah, of course, man. Anytime.¡± He shook off the mental image. He had Profound Toxin. He could purge any aggression from the hostile energy of the mixture if it came to that again. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem. He stayed and trained with them for the rest of the day, trading blows with all four, both in duels, team fights, and free for alls until their stomachs began to ask for a trip to town. Sonja still hadn¡¯t managed to make contact with the multiversal matter so she had joined Heath and Michael in a half and half split between aura training and combat training. They would grasp it eventually, Eik was sure. The day after tomorrow would be a busy day for Atla. She had told them as much. Just one meeting after the other, apparently. That would be the day to attempt their plan. It was a simple one but risky nonetheless. Eik ordered a vegetarian dish. It was a colorful array of thick, fleshy vegetables grilled on skewers accompanied by soft, freshly baked bread and a spiced oil to dip in. The crunch was exquisite and the juices flowed freely, sour and savory mixing like two opposites coming together in harmony. Not having a kitchen in his apartment was a good excuse to go out to eat often. Leafy Sundries had been closed on the way home so Eik went to visit Wanjihan the next day and bought enough ingredients for another fifteen Potions of Mighty Strength class 1. He spent the rest of the day with his head in the cauldron. Each portion was made in small batches the size of his first success in order to not work with too much of the volatile mix at a time. Profound Toxin certainly seemed to have annihilated it with absolutely no difficulty but there was no reason to take a chance like that. Accounting for waste, the total number of potions came out to fourteen. A number he was very satisfied with considering the fact that he had only barely begun learning alchemy. Although he had still been forced to grind down any hostility from the natural energy of the ingredients, he had a feeling that his ability to withstand the corruption with just his aura alone had improved slightly. Towards the evening Atla came by to visit him and for a moment he thought she might somehow have figured out what they had planned. Her purpose was something completely different, however. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve made meteoric progress in aura control lately,¡± she said as he let her inside. He offered her something from the bowl of fruit on his table, half of which he didn¡¯t even know the name. ¡°I knew I was right to pick you.¡± ¡°I appreciate the compliment.¡± Eik was having trouble figuring out how to feel about Atla and the handling of the Menka Tokanami case. Especially now that it was only the two of them together. It wasn¡¯t easy to simply forget that a person who had committed attempted murder in front of a room of people had been allowed to come back and do it again almost immediately. It was an abhorrent miscarriage of justice that Eik sincerely hoped wouldn¡¯t set a precedent for their continued relationship with the Nidafjeld Alliance. He realized that Atla wasn¡¯t entirely to blame for it. She wasn¡¯t responsible for the quick release of Menka Tokanami. That had apparently been a result of eager lobbying by her family to prevent them from losing face as a whole. It was outrageous by Earth standards but he didn¡¯t doubt that it had happened all the time before their induction into the Unified Mass. Atla was certainly not perfect and the fact that Earth was the first new world she had been in charge of establishing contact with showed. She was overeager and nonchalant ¡ª a flaw Eik was capable of recognizing in himself as well. And she tended to dismiss many of their concerns as unimportant which was frustrating. But what could they really do? They needed her because they needed the alliance. The more he saw of the new world, the more convinced Eik became that that was the case. Earth and humanity wouldn¡¯t survive without them. They functioned as the safeguard that would prevent total extinction. ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been working on?¡± she asked and picked up one of the potion vials to inspect it up close. The dark contents seemed to swirl languidly inside. She gave the rim a tentative sniff without removing the stopper. For a few moments she was silent. ¡°What is it?¡± she finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a Potion of Mighty Strength class 1,¡± he admitted. Her eyebrows rose in mild surprise. The corners of her lips quirked up slightly. ¡°Brave.¡± Eik snorted with amusement. Of course that¡¯s how she would react. She wouldn¡¯t condemn a risk like that. After all, risk was directly linked to progress and progress was king. What she always seemed to forget, however, was that risk was also directly linked to death. And death was death.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± he asked. She bit into a juicy orange pear with a crunch. ¡°Well, this ¡®training arc¡¯ as you called it has been quite fruitful for you thus far, I¡¯d say. You¡¯ve taken some of the F-rank Crucible tests, including the E-rank practical, gotten some more real life experience against the hired assassins, and even gotten some items and money. And your friends have been training hard at the training grounds every day while you have thrown yourself into alchemy head first.¡± He nodded. Where was she going with this? ¡°And the degree of aura control that you¡¯ve managed to attain is¡­ stunning, to say the least.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve made it this far, I though I¡¯d come and tell you about one of the first things new Awakened usually learn after learning aura manipulation.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°The trick to hiding your status from prying eyes. Wouldn¡¯t that be particularly useful for you to learn?¡± she said with a grin. ¡°Wait, you can do that? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it before?¡± ¡°You can indeed. Aura is just the multiversal matter inside you influencing the matter in the atmosphere in one way or the other. And when the glowing script etches itself into your body when you first Awaken, for example, it¡¯s simply the matter in the atmosphere influencing the matter in your body instead. So when you become capable of controlling your aura, you also become capable of resisting that influence to a degree, essentially.¡± ¡°Damn, That¡¯s¡­ Wow, why didn¡¯t you tell us about this until now?¡± Atla pursed her lips as she thought it over. ¡°First of all, the concentration of multiversal matter on Earth is still so low that someone who had never felt it before would realistically never be able to grasp it until that changed, even if they¡¯re a high-ranker. That¡¯s different for you and the others now that you¡¯re spending some time here, and¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± he pressed. She gave him a look. ¡°And, well, frankly, I never thought you¡¯d become proficient this quickly. It¡¯s a little startling, to be honest. I can¡¯t wait to see how you turn out. The only thing I¡¯m sure of is that it will be something monstrous.¡± ¡°I appreciate it,¡± he said with a small bow of his head. ¡°By the way, what do you call this multiversal matter anyway?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, puzzled. ¡°Like, don¡¯t you have a name for it or something like that?¡± ¡°Yeah, that what we¡¯ve been calling it the whole ti¡ª" she began but stopped herself as realization hit her. She chuckled. ¡°I get it now. Our shared word for it is a remnant from a different language where it was a simple literal translation. The translation skill must have bungled the nuance.¡± ¡°So what is it?¡± She looked around the apartment. ¡°Got anything to write with?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, just a sec.¡± He went to the nightstand and grabbed his notepad. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and started writing. ¡°Since the skill will also translate writing, I¡¯ll write it out in parts. Here, take a look.¡± She had written out several characters spread out across an entire page of the notepad with as much space between each part as possible. ¡°Read this first, then this, and then this¡­¡± she said and pointed to the character written in the lower right corner, then to the one on the upper left and then upper right. ¡°Ak¡­ kh¡­ ki. Ak¡¯ki? Is that what it¡¯s called?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you can hear me say Ak¡¯ki now then you got it right.¡± ¡°I hear it differently now! I hear you say Ak¡¯ki!¡± ¡°Good. So shall we get to it?¡± she asked and gestured for him to sit down. ¡°Have you gotten to the point where you can emit a stable aura around your whole body?¡± Instead of answering, Eik simply took hold of the Ak¡¯ki in his body and willed it to surround him like a white smoke. ¡°Very good,¡± she said, circling him to inspect his performance. ¡°Now, do you have that plaque you use to display your status?¡± ¡°Always,¡± he said and fished it out of his shirt. ¡°Could you display your name, please?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said and drew the necessary sign into the wooden plaque with a finger. ¡°And by the way, don¡¯t show your status to anyone¡­ Except me, of course,¡± she grinned. ¡°Uh huh,¡± he drawled. ¡°No, but seriously, nobody here will expect you to show them your status. It¡¯s considered very rude, like asking you to take your clothes off. It¡¯s private information. It¡¯s a vulnerability. So knowing how to hide it is important for your safety.¡± [Eik Magnasen] [TX 497 - 81414 ¡ª NEW} [Human] ¡°Right, so Ak¡¯ki will interact with your body and then inscribe the text into the best and nearest surface or, in the absence of such, inscribe it into your skin, painfully.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± he said dryly, remembering the pain he¡¯d endured in the hole after first Awakening, not counting the numerous bites and envenomations. ¡°Great, so what you¡¯ll want to do is will your aura to interfere with the atmospheric Ak¡¯ki¡¯s attempt to interact with your body in order to write out messages. That will make your aura essentially function as a shield to block it.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it also interfere with the activation of abilities and stuff like that?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about that. They don¡¯t work the same way.¡± ¡°Actually, how does all of that work? Who writes out all this crap and grants abilities and ranks and all that jazz?¡± he asked. That particular topic had been discussed to death on Earth since the dawn of the apocalypse. Nobody had the answers. Some people claimed to but Eik thought those people were delusional. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a mystery, unfortunately. We know that it¡¯s very, very old. And powerful. A few of the Worldbreakers of the past have claimed to possess knowledge of the Prime Age but as far as I know they never actually revealed any of it publically.¡± ¡°The Prime Age?¡± Eik repeated with furrowed brows. ¡°The Prime Age is what we call the time before all of this, like power rank and abilities, came to exist,¡± Atla said. ¡°When was it?¡± Eik asked. ¡°A hundred thousand years ago?¡± Atla snorted. ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s much longer than that, although we don¡¯t have a precise number.¡± ¡°So at some point everything was¡­ normal?¡± ¡°Presumably, yes,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°It really was a very long time ago, Eik,¡± ¡°Right, right. Let me try this thing then.¡± Atla leaned for in her chair. ¡°Alright, so as I said, will your aura to interfere with the Ak¡¯ki. I know it sounds simple, but this is something that takes time to get righ¡ª¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Eik said with satisfaction as the script faded from the surface of the wooden plaque. ¡°No, but¡­ Wait, that was so¡ª¡­ How did you do that so fast?¡± she stumbled, wide-eyed. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to take¡­ longer than that¡­¡± Eik couldn¡¯t hold back a grin. Atla¡¯s jaw hung open as she stared. Chapter 76: Going to Prison They woke up at the crack of dawn and headed for the prison to try to get their hands on information about Menka¡¯s final sentence. Eik¡¯s evolution from Acolyte of Toxin still didn¡¯t seem to have finished ¡°estimating¡± and he was beginning to think it would never happen. If this was one of those situations where it was stuck at 99% loading until the end of time he would be¡­ pissed. He had tried to force himself to not think about it but that had only made it take up even more space in his mind. It was cruel. Yes, it was cruel to keep him stuck right on the edge like that. Alertness was necessary for what was to come and he had to focus, and get something to eat. Luckily a store in one of the parks on the way served them food that they brought with them and ate while walking. It was a dark green, sour pur¨¦ topped with a sweet glaze which, when mixed together was pretty tasty. The store advertised it with some rather lofty promises. ¡°Looking to power up? Gihi¡¯hoho¡¯hik serves the breakfast of heroes every single day! Make us a part of your daily routine and see your power rank climb in a few days. S-rankers swear by our uniquely delicious and healthy recipe, passed down from generation to generation.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not believing that, are we?¡± Heath asked as he sipped the drink. ¡°No way, man.¡± Eik took a big gulp of his own. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Sonja said. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s in it.¡± ¡°Algae? Grass?¡± Heath suggested, squinting as he held up the glass in front if his eyes. Michael pulled a face. ¡°Dude¡­¡± Despite the distance, the prison was not particularly difficult to find. The headquarters was rife with landmarks, memorable buildings and areas of unique nature that made it easy to maintain a sense of direction. Even most of the indoor spaces had large windows so they quickly noticed if they passed something unfamiliar. The prison was situated in its own building. A windowless dome of thick, rough brick made for an intimidating sight, only a single door providing a way in and out. The guards checked them over and inspected their identification cards closely before letting them come inside. The stale smell of stagnant air hung thickly just as it had when they¡¯d come here a couple of days ago. There didn¡¯t even appear to be a way to air out in the first place, but maybe they had a skill for that too. What would something like that be called? Breath of Fresh Air, maybe? Airus Outus? Househusband¡¯s Delight, perhaps? The possibilities were endless. They entered into a large foyer which only seemed to have two paths away. One leading to the bathrooms and the other leading further in to the actual holding area. The latter was only accessible through another security check. The first time around, Atla had simply flashed her card yet again and brought them through with only a cursory confirmation of their identities but now they were subject to a thorough check which they could not provide sufficient documentation to pass. ¡°We just want to visit a woman you¡¯re holding here,¡± Sonja tried. ¡°Menka Tokanami. We¡¯re the victims here. We just want to see her for a little bit. Nothing more, I swear.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t just allow that without anything more than your word. Please leave or I will have you escorted out of my prison.¡± The woman at the reception wasn¡¯t swayed even slightly by their plea. This probably wasn¡¯t the first time someone had come around to visit an inmate or to argue for the release of a friend or a relative. And it had been someone else last time they were here. ¡°We¡¯ve been through before. Just two days ago, actually,¡± Sonja pushed. ¡°The answer is no. I¡¯m calling the guard.¡± ¡°No, no, wait!¡± Eik hurried to say, glancing over his shoulder as two guards approached from the entrance. ¡°It was¡­ Harfol! Warden Harfol! He¡¯ll remember us! Please, you don¡¯t even have to let us through. If you could just call him here to speak with us. Is he in his office in the east wing again today?¡± The receptionist hesitated, giving them a stern gaze through braided bangs complete with beads woven into the hair. She tapped her pen on the edge of the table for a few seconds as she thought. She clicked her tongue and sighed before waving the two guys back to their posts. She sent an assistant to fetch Warden Harfol from his office while the group waited awkwardly by the front desk, the receptionist going back to her paperwork without another glance in their direction. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Warden Harfol, we just want to talk briefly with Menka Tokanami again, like we did a couple of days ago, you know,¡± Eik said. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Do you have a written permit? You need a written permit.¡± ¡°I¡ª Well, no, but you know us, right? You already saw the permit that Atla showed you, so can¡¯t you just allow us to see Menka one more time?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°No. Get another permit ¡ª one that¡¯s valid today ¡ª then I¡¯ll let you in to see her. Without a permit, the answer will remain no.¡± The sun baked down on them from above as they walked across the courtyard in front of the prison building. ¡°Shit!¡± Eik hissed and kicked a bush. An older woman shot him a displeased look as she shook her head. ¡°How the hell are we going to get a look at that information now?¡± They walked in silence for a half a minute. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to get a permit then,¡± Heath said. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Mikla¡¯s not at work today.¡± ¡°He would definitely want to come with us. It would be way riskier with him there.¡± Heath just shrugged. ¡°So? It¡¯s not like we have a choice at this point, right? We¡¯re never going to get in there after quadruple refusal like that. We need him, and frankly, as far as I¡¯m concerned, it¡¯s better to bring him than Atla.¡± Eik sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. They found Mikla in his apartment. He was dressed in a heavy, comfortable robe when he opened the door. When Eik peeked around the fracture specialist the man¡¯s apartment was filled to the brim with potted plants and ceiling lights that imitated natural sunlight. ¡°Are we allowed to decorate our rooms so radically like that?¡± he asked, already imagining his dream apartment full of plants and the smell of nature. ¡°And hello to you too. Yes, I can introduce you to my guy if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already got a guy. Wanji down at Leafy Sundries,¡± Eik said, walking up to sniff a bright blue flower when Mikla invited them inside. ¡°Right, I remember him. Seemed like a nice guy. So what¡¯s up?¡± They explained their wish to get back into the prison while he served them tea. Or, it was a drink of hot water with dried leaves and fruits. More or less the same flavor. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go?¡± ¡°Yes, but that didn¡¯t end well,¡± Sonja said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even really get to say anything to her in there. She flipped out so much when she saw Eik again that she barely seemed to even register than anybody else was in the room besides him,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m sure Atla will take you again if you ask h¡ª¡± ¡°Could you take us today?¡± Michael asked. ¡°We don¡¯t want to bother her more than we already do. We know she¡¯s in meetings all day today and we¡¯d really rather get it over with today. We need to be able to focus. I mean, Eik almost killed himself yesterday experimenting with the recipe for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1. Isn¡¯t that right, Eik?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. Close call, man. It was scary,¡± Eik hurried to agree, not expecting to be pulled in like that. ¡°We just need to be able to focus. Please. We already went, so it should be okay.¡± Eik was beginning to feel like they might be pushing their case a bit too hard. That¡¯s what would make Mikla suspicious if nothing else. ¡°You¡¯re working on a Potion of Mighty Strength?¡± Mikla asked with a frown. ¡°Are you crazy, Eik? Even if it¡¯s the class 1 that¡¯s just way too dangerous for someone at your level! You really could die working on that!¡± The two vials of Potion of Mighty Strength suddenly felt extremely exposed, even hidden away under the hem of his shirt. Even though he wasn¡¯t decked out in full gear, his supply belt of medicines, poisons, and poisons, as well as Viper Fang he never left his apartment without. ¡°Right, you¡¯re right. I know you are. I¡¯ve just been feeling a ton of pressure recently. I need to get stronger, and quickly.¡± Mikla leaned back in his sofa and regarded them. It¡¯s not like they were asking for something outrageous, right? ¡°So, will you do it?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Mikla, the alliance owes us after this. We know this incident wasn¡¯t your fault personally, but I don¡¯t think this is too much to ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Atla should be between meetings in about an hour, so we can catch her then and get her to sign off on a permit for visitation.¡± Outside the meeting room they waited for Atla to come out and after hearing their explanation, she agreed to sign the permit. She had to go directly to another meeting and couldn¡¯t stay to talk, but she also didn¡¯t seem suspicious. Well, it made sense that she wouldn¡¯t be. What was there to be suspicious of? All they wanted to do was go one more time to a place she had already taken them before. Nothing strange about that. They had been traumatized after all and simply wished to be allowed to move on with their lives once and for all by confronting Menka Tokanami one last time. Now that Mikla was going with them after all, they had no reason to refuse his offer to simply transport them to the fracture hall closest to the prison. With Mikla escorting them and the permit in hand, the receptionist let them pass into the depths of the prison where they made their way to the cell block holding Menka. The guards checked them here as they had done before, and Eik was fairly sure that one of them was the same person who had been stationed there last time, judging by his size. The mask made it impossible to be sure. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Warden Harfol rumbled as he came out of his office to see them. ¡°I supposed you got a permit then?¡± Like it had the first time they came, the heavy door to Harfol¡¯s office slowly swung back on its own. Just as it was about to close, extra thin, golden strings sprung forth and wrapped over the lower of two door latch thingies, Michael¡¯s fingers weaving a pattern out of sight behind his clothes. The upper one had retreated into the mechanism when the warden had operated the handle of the door, so they were pretty sure that the lower one was a spring loaded bolt. All four Earthlings held their breaths as the door closed. The sound of the latch impacting the strike plate in the frame was brought relief. The slight tension in Michael¡¯s jaw alone was enough to inform them that he still maintained the Bind on the lock. ¡°You already came here today?¡± Mikla asked. Eik shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Didn¡¯t want to bother you. Turns out we needed you all along,¡± he said with a cheeky grin. Mikla snorted a laugh. Harfol, clearly a stickler for proper procedure, took his time going through the documentation and their identification cards despite having seen all of it before. Slivers of sweat sprung forth on Michael¡¯s temple. Eventually the warden nodded and called for the reinforced door to be unlocked. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with then,¡± Mikla said and started through the reinforced door. Eik and Michael didn¡¯t move to follow. ¡°Are you guys coming or what?¡± the fracture specialist asked, sticking his head back into the small, windowless waiting room. ¡°Ah, no, I don¡¯t think so, man,¡± he said, breathing a deep sigh as he leaned wearily against the wall. Michael tried to look relaxed but to Eik¡¯s eyes he could just as well have been holding up a neon sign describing his exhaustion in detail and it wouldn¡¯t have been that much more obvious than it already seemed. ¡°I though you needed to see her again as well?¡± Eik tilted his head with a grimace. ¡°I thought so too, but I just can¡¯t after all. I¡¯d really rather not see her face again, actually. Can you just take Sonja and Heath instead, please?¡± The fracture specialist eyed the healer. ¡°Mike?¡± The young man simple shook his head, his eyes clenched shut. ¡°Alright. Wait for us here, then.¡± They both nodded and the reinforced door creaked shut, followed by the many locks sliding back into place. And now the time had come to work quickly. Chapter 77: Time to Evolve As soon as the reinforced door clicked shut and the locks began to slide into place, Eik leapt to the door and took the handle, hoping they had done it correctly as he pulled on the door. With a quiet sound, it opened. The golden strings of Bind still held the lock firmly in place. ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re good, Mikey. You can release the ability,¡± Eik said in a low voice. Michael breathed as the lock popped back out and joined Eik in the door. It was warm in the office and, like the rest of the prison, the air was thick and stale with an undertone of old, sweaty socks. From the out side it had appeared larger, but in such a small room the mess of papers, notebooks, and ledger, stacks and boxes of them, looked all the more daunting. There were shelves lined with more boxes and something that looked like filing cabinets along both of the side walls. In the middle was a wide, heavy desk that gave off the piercing but not unpleasant scent of old wood. This too was practically flooded with paper. How a man exuding the air of someone who follows rules and protocols to the degree that Warden Harfol did was also mentally capable of spending his days in a space so utterly dominated by apparent disorder and clutter was truly a mystery. Eik would not be surprised to see a half-eaten sandwich forgotten somewhere in the room. Perhaps it was simply a case of order being a matter of being familiar with the particular mess. The two of them groaned in chorus as they took in the work ahead. ¡°How long do you think we have before they come back?¡± Eik asked. Michael picked up the first page of some document as he mouthed the title. It seemed to be some kind of complaint about scheduling. Not relevant to their case at all. ¡°Depends on how long Sonja and Heath can keep them, I suppose? If Menka has as little to contribute to the conversation as she did a couple of days ago then I¡¯m not sure how long they can realistically stretch it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to it then. Keep an ear out for the locks when they come back. We don¡¯t want to get surprised.¡± The door could be unlocked without a key from the inside so they pushed it gently closed to minimize noise. ¡°I¡¯ll check the papers on the warden¡¯s desk,¡± Eik and read the first page lying on top of the first pile. ¡°Can you take that box there by his chair? It hasn¡¯t been that long since she was arrested again, so it could still be here somewhere.¡± They rifled through page after page of dry reading and complicated legal speak. Nothing on the desk seemed to mention anything about Menka Tokanami and the box Michael was looking through also didn¡¯t have anything of use. Eik checked a case of drawers next while the healer moved on to another box of paper. At least the warden kept each document properly ordered so the pages weren¡¯t scattered haphazardly around. For most of them they really only had to read the first page to determine if it was anything of use. The translation ability was extremely useful. Where the hell was that damn information? It had to be in here somewhere! Eik gave up on the drawers and had just knelt down to riffle through three thick ledgers when the sound of locks echoed in the waiting room. Eik¡¯s eyes flew to Michael¡¯s and they exchanged silent expressions of panic, their bodies frozen as they thought of what to do. Eik tip toed over to the door and opened it as quietly but quickly as he could and stuck his head out. ¡°It¡¯s the front door! I mean the one that opens into the hallway! What do we do?¡± he hissed. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know that?¡± ¡°At least close the door again then! It locks, right? They probably can¡¯t get in.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± He pulled it close again, even more carefully this time. They used the time while the locks were still being opened to go through a few more documents and jumped in behind the large desk once they heard the door swing open. Someone knocked on the door as they huddled together, concealed from view from the office door. Even if the person did come in, they would have to weave through boxes and furniture to the back of the room in order to actually see the two Earthlings. That did not mean Eik and Michael weren¡¯t stressed out by the prospect of that, even if it seemed unlikely. After a pause they knocked again followed by a muffled voice. ¡°How long do you think he¡¯ll be? I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry to be honest.¡± A different voice, presumably one of the guards still holding open the thick door, was too muddled to hear but the answer was short. ¡°Well, then I¡¯m just going to come back later,¡± the voice of the knocker said and Eik and Michael breathed sighs of relief.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Eik had already crawled all the way out to the ledgers again when the voice rang once more. ¡°Actually, can you just let me in really quickly? Then I¡¯ll just leave this on his desk.¡± He practically threw himself back under the desk as a hand rattled the handle of the door slightly. They listened while the guard said something unintelligible. When the visitor spoke again, he sounded a little annoyed. ¡°Fine then. At least tell Warden Harfol that I came by. I need to speak with him.¡± Seconds later they heard the outer door close again followed by the many locks sliding back into place. But just to be on the safe side, Eik and Michael remained seated under the desk for another thirty seconds before getting back to their search. Eik had just finished looking through the three fat ledgers and moved on to a filing cabinet with cases ordered into a variety of categories when the plaque inside his shirt vibrated. Now? He hadn¡¯t been doing anything that would result in a level up though. No, it could only be one thing. This was what he had been hoping for for the last few days. He snuck out the plaque, keeping an eye on Michael who had his back turned. [Reached threshold: Evolution to ??? possible] [Evolve?] Holy shit, this was it. His breath caught in his throat as he read over the notification five times as his heart rate climbed past twice the resting rate. He glanced over at Michael several times. Initiating the evolution now was incredibly tempting but it would take time for it to resolve, and they needed to find the information on Menka¡¯s sentence now. The thought of Michael having to frantically haul his dead weight out of the room in a hurry was kind of funny though. In fact, he genuinely had to restrain himself from triggering it. In the past, the desire to one day join the ranks of the Awakened had always been present in the back of his mind, but that was all it had been back then. A simple desire. Like a boyish wish to fly or punch through solid walls, combined with the ability to protect himself. Now, however, it was a desperation that tended to keep him up at night, make his stomach hurt, and rob him of his appetite. He felt like he was carrying the fate of humanity on his shoulders and it was weighing him down more than he was willing to show. He stuffed the wooden plaque back into his shirt and took a few deep breaths as he directed his focus back to the filing cabinets. Each row contained dozens of files but they were much better structured than the rest of the confusing chaos of an office and he could rush through them much quicker. It would have been great if they were organized in a way he could understand but to Eik¡¯s eyes affected by the translation skill, the documents were jumbled as if at random. While the skill would interpret written and spoken words to a reasonable degree regardless of foreign sentence structure and whatnot, it would not rearrange physical space to accommodate his wish for alphabetical order. He started on another filing cabinet once he finished looking over the files in the first and made it through the uppermost row and the back half of the next row before the sound of locks sliding once more clacked outside. ¡°Shit! Mikey, can you check?¡± Eik said, not letting his eyes leave the files. The complicated legalese was gradually beginning to lose all coherent meaning as he took in one after the other. The sound of Michael tip toeing around the clutter tore at his concentration but he forced himself to keep going despite the stress of the situation. The healer cracked open the door just enough to peek out. ¡°It¡¯s them this time!¡± he said, anxiety in his voice. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± ¡°Then get back to searching, Mike. We have at most forty seconds before they unlock those damned l¡ª¡± There had been something there! He¡¯d actually skipped over it in his haste and had to backtrack a few files. ¡°Tokanami¡­¡± he mumbled and pulled it out to take a proper look. ¡°Mike, come take a look at this!¡± The young man¡¯s E-rank strength carried him to Eik¡¯s side in a second. ¡°Tokanami, Menka! This one is about her!¡± he said quietly. He scanned through the pages. The constant rattling of the locking mechanisms in the reinforced doors functioned exactly like the tense background music when the robbers were working against the clock in a heist movie. Except this was real life instead of a film, and it wasn¡¯t a bank but a prison situated in the heart of a gigantic, multiversal super alliance. Luckily there were only three pages in the document but they were bulging with excessively complicated jargon that he had to look through until finally finding the relevant information near the bottom of the second page. ¡°I found it!¡± Eik said. ¡°Keep the door open for me and I¡¯ll put this back!¡± Despite their rush, they had been careful to put everything back in its disorganized place to the best of their ability. In a single motion Eik leapt across the room, over all of the clutter, his head nearly scraping the paint off the ceiling. He flew out the door, stumbling, and Michael managed to close it as quietly as he could with only a couple of seconds to spare before their friends emerged from the cells. Warden Harfol lead the way back into the waiting room and threw Michael a puzzled glance but seemed to dismiss it. The healer had done the best he could to appear nonchalant in the last second and ended up leaning awkwardly against the wall next to the office door. Heath and Sonja came out next and they looked tired. The meeting with Menka must have been a pretty horrific experience this time as well. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Eik asked. ¡°It was¡­ awful,¡± Heath sighed. ¡°The moment she saw us she broke down crying. I mean, I¡¯ve seen many people lose their children at this point and nobody comes out of something like that with their minds intact, but this is just¡­ it¡¯s insane. Literally.¡± Mikla brought them outside into the afternoon sun where he ripped open a fracture to their local fracture hall. He went through first but Sonja took Eik¡¯s arm before he could follow, her grip firm and insistent. ¡°Did you manage to find something?¡± Her voice was steady but Eik saw the anxiety in her eyes clearly. Heath and Michael had similar expressions. Although it was about a woman¡¯s life, Eik couldn¡¯t hold back a smile of relief. ¡°I found the verdict. Atla wasn¡¯t lying. Menka Tokanami I going to die soon.¡± Heath swept his sister up in a hug and Michael also came in for one with Eik who laughed, reassured by their findings. Moods lifted, they followed Mikla through the fracture. Back in his room, Eik laid down on his bed. Mis hopped up and curled up on his chest, licking the remains of her latest meal from her tri-colored chops, well deserved after a long day of doing absolutely nothing. He pulled out his wooden plaque again. [Reached threshold: Evolution to ??? possible] [Evolve?] Hands trembling, Eik initiated the evolution. Chapter 78: Instinct of Toxin [Reached threshold: Evolution to ??? possible] [Evolve?] Hands trembling, Eik initiated the evolution while his cat honed her claws on his shirt as his eye lids began to grow heavy. The last thing he saw before the world went black was his cat¡¯s tongue go straight for his face. *** Plip. The sound of a droplet of water. Plip. Plip. Again they fell. Now the gentle drumbeat of a spring shower. A downpour. A torrent to wash away everything. A flood to annihilate all life in an extinction event. Eik¡¯s eyes flew open. He was surrounded. The world around him was an overwhelming expanse of luminescent blue. It was a world of Profound Toxin. Again. It was just like last time he was here. He hung floating freely in a vast ocean of poison. Stretching a hand in front of himself, he could only barely make out his fingers through the opaque liquid. How he was breathing he had no clue but this place was¡­ extremely comfortable. It was disturbingly quiet and still, not a ripple to be felt. Previously it had been beyond violent. Eik called upon Profound Toxin like he had done so many times before and immediately felt a response, but not any kind of response he had ever experienced before. Normally he felt it well up inside his body and he could will it out into the world. This was almost the opposite. When he established a connection with the mysterious skill within this ocean, everything answered him back. It was all a part of him now. When he ordered it to move the result was less impressive. He could only really influence whatever was immediately around him and all he got was a mild current. Nothing like the crushing billow that had manifested itself last time. Quiet and relaxed felt better. Just as he thought that thought, the space around him began to rock, like rhythmic waves on a gentle sea. But that didn¡¯t last long as it built up more power, soon pulling him this way and that. He felt his body begin to rotate as bubbles rushed and spun about his body. From one moment to the next, the slow twister grew into somehting monstrous that ripped at his naked body like countless blades. The force of it unceasingly until he was sure his limbs were about to be pulled off. And then it was suddenly quiet again. With a deep, humming whoosh at all scattered, leaving him hanging in a white space that stretched into the distance endlessly. In front of him floated a tiny blue bead. ¡°So here we are again, huh?¡± he said out loud. There was a slight echo. The bead of Profound Toxin swelled to ten times the size, about that of a fist. It wiggled in enthusiastic response. ¡°I¡¯m guessing my next rank up won¡¯t be to D-rank then?¡± Another affirmative, this time more eagerly. ¡°What¡¯s it going to be instead?¡± he asked tentatively. ¡°I honestly wasn¡¯t that impressed with Acolyte of Toxin. My friends have more physical strength than me so I practically have to dope myself with poison to keep up.¡± The blob seemed to tilt slightly to the side like a dog tilting its head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m saying it had better be more powerful than regular D-rank,¡± he clarified. The toxin shivered in a gesture that Eik wasn¡¯t quite certain how he was supposed to interpret. His best guess was scathing indignation. It stretched and undulated, coiling in on itself in an alien attempt at communication. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, mate,¡± Eik said. ¡°Can¡¯t you just write it out like you did before?¡± There was a pause before it separated into multiple blobs that aligned to form letters, then words, and then a sentence. [Evolution possible. Current path derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Return to standard path possible: Evolution to D-rank possible] [Evolve?] [Advancement along current alternative evolutionary path possible: Alternative evolutionary path derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Alternative evolutionary path: Instinct of Toxin] [Evolve?]If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Instinct of Toxin? What was that supposed to mean? It did sound better than Acolyte of Toxin¡­ Probably? Kind of esoteric but then again, so was everything about his Worldbreaker ability. Not much made sense and the lack of a coherent instruction manual was a crucial flaw in Eik¡¯s opinion. And he could still revert his path back to the standard one and go for D-rank instead. It was tempting in its own way. He¡¯d been the target of Rock Fist Bart¡¯s ire a few times at this point and the man¡¯s strength had frightened him since the first day they had met. Bart and everyone else were living proof that the standard path had great potential. Profound Toxin and Instinct of Toxin though? There was no telling how it would turn out. Physically it was certainly not up to par but what about other aspects. Nobody else had his abilities so he had nothing to compare to. Was the degree of control he had now a result of evolving into Acolyte of Toxin specifically, or would he had been this capable even if he had chosen E-rank instead? What about the potency? Would his 72000 point damage score have been worse if he hadn¡¯t chosen Acolyte of Toxin? Would it have been the same? As he contemplated the options the [Evolve?] for Instinct of Toxin slowly swelled until the letters were more than twice the size of the others. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it. At least let me pretend to think about it for a little, alright?¡± he grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re always so impatient, man.¡± It only grew even bolder, remorselessly. It even added a little wiggle. He sighed. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to go back to the standard path at this point. He was invested, and he had to believe that the unique path was worth it in the long run. Without further hesitation, Eik initiated the evolution to Instinct of Toxin. He already knew what would happen next. With narrowed eyes he watched as the floating letters rose up above his head and coalesced into a long, thin spear several times the length of his own body. The tip was terrifyingly sharp, and unseen source of light glinting in the bubbling fluid as it spun languidly around itself. Abruptly, it rocketed down and pierced deep into his chest, continuing its path until the entirety of it had disappeared into his body. For a moment his lost his breath and before he could regain it, the blue ocean materialized far above, like a mirror world. He saw it fall. But there was nothing to be done. Instinctively, he shut his eyes. *** Mis leapt from her comfortable spot on his chest with a yelp as he shot up from the bed. His back was covered in sweat and his heart was racing madly, breath coming shallowly in ragged gasps. He frantically fumbled for the wooden plaque, practically ripping his shirt in his haste. A gleeful guffaw took hold of him and rocked his body as he stared down at the new message. [Successfully pioneered an alternative evolutionary path ¡ª (Unique) Instinct of Toxin] When the evolution had still been ¡°loading¡± he hadn¡¯t wanted to go to his friends with the news for fear of having to explain more than he felt he could, but now that it was finalized and done with he couldn¡¯t wait to tell them. In his eagerness, he put a hand on the corner piece of the footboard of his bed for support, snapping it off at its thinnest part. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ Oh, crap,¡± he mumbled and tried to stick it back on somehow. His cat watched from a chair with a face that couldn¡¯t care less. As he placed the broken off piece carefully back where it had been attached, his newfound strength now embarrassingly apparent, the embers of anger inside were stoked. Finally, with this, he might be able to go toe to toe with Rock Fist Bart the next time they clashed. Heath was hanging out in Michael¡¯s apartment when Eik came in. They were searching for the Ak¡¯ki in their bodies, while Sonja had preferred to do it alone in her own room. ¡°What¡¯s up, man?¡± Heath raised a hand in greeting from the floor where he sat cross-legged with his back against Michael¡¯s bed. Michael sat in a chair with his eyes closed as he tried to follow Eik¡¯s advice to ¡°dive¡± into his own head. That had been the best he had been able to come up with to describe what he more or less did instinctively at this point. ¡°I hit D-rank today,¡± Eik said flatly, barely containing the grin that threatened to break through. ¡°What?¡± Michael exclaimed and flew to his feet, almost knocking over a flimsy-looking coffee table. ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°Wha¡ª but¡­¡± Heath mumbled, seemingly unable to form a coherent sentence. ¡°How? You plaque. Does it really say D-rank now?¡± Eik nodded. ¡°Speaking of, once you guys get a handle on your auras, I¡¯ll teach you how to hide your statuses. It¡¯s super easy.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was possible,¡± Michael said. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°Atla taught me. Apparently sneaking a peek at someone¡¯s status or even just asking to see it is considered pretty rude around here. I¡¯ve learned to passively block incoming notifications until I¡¯m alone to check them. Really useful.¡± ¡°Hmm. Then we have to figure it out quickly.¡± ¡°Forget that!¡± Heath said. ¡°I want to see what you can do if you¡¯re D-rank!¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°What, you want to fight me, or?¡± ¡°Damn straight I want to fight you! Let¡¯s see what you can do!¡± *** They picked up Sonja on the way to the training grounds and she insisted on joining Heath against Eik. When he had still been Acolyte of Toxin there would have been no way he could win a match like that. Sure, if they had been mortal enemies and Profound Toxin had been fair game, he could probably at least have ensured their deaths in addition to his own. But in a friendly spar he would have been destroyed. Now, however? His heart was bouncing to find out. ¡°Are you joining in, Mikey?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll sit this one out. You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll just watch from here.¡± They squared off at opposite edges of the arena. Eik felt the power well up in him, incomparable to Acolyte of Toxin. He had both homemade clumps of poison in his belt satchel as well as the new Potions of Mighty Strength class 1, which he was sure he could produce with ease now, but he didn¡¯t touch them. ¡°Ready?¡± Heath called. There were about twenty meters between them. The tank already had his shield out and both he and Sonja wielded dense batons instead of their regular weapons. Sonja also had her bow but had exchanged her regular sharp arrows with a variety sporting padded tips. They would still hurt though. ¡°Yep, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to it then,¡± Heath whooped and charged, Sonja staying back but dancing sideways to get a clear shot. She pulled the string taut and took aim at Eik as Heath lifted his shield in preparation for the clash. Eik still hadn¡¯t moved. As she watched, Eik disappeared in a blur of motion that she had no chance of following. Heath didn¡¯t have time to react before Eik landed briefly between the two siblings only to vanish once more. ¡°He¡¯s using Movement Boost!¡± she shouted as she moved the readied arrow tip from side to side in search of the poison user. Heath was already on the way back to her. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to keep it up forever.¡± Suddenly Eik¡¯s grinning face materialized in front of hers, sending her stumbling back with a jerk of surprise. ¡°Hello!¡± She released the arrow which he ripped out of the air mid flight, shocking even himself. She went for the baton instead. Heath was coming in from behind, leading with his own baton. Eik slapped it to the side and kicked the tank¡¯s shield hard, sending him reeling while Sonja swung at full power for his head. He reached out for Movement Boost again and found it repsonsive as it sent him whirling around Sonja¡¯s strike at blinding speed. He wasn¡¯t confident enough in controlling his new strength to outright punch her so he simply kicked the feet from under her. She scrambled away on all fours, grabbing her bow on the way while Eik rushed Heath who was regaining his balance. With just his fists, he released an onslaught of attacks on the tank¡¯s shield, pressuring him to the point where he didn¡¯t have a chance to mount a counterattack. The sound of displaced air warned him of an incoming projectile but all he managed to do was turn his head, the arrow coming for his face. He raised a hand to bat it away but wasn¡¯t quick enough. Reflexively, his eyes clenched shut but the pain of the impact never came. Instead the thunk of an arrow impacting something solid echoed across the grounds and when he opened his eyes again, a blue, semi transparent barrier had grown out of his shoulder to block the projectile. Almost forgetting the fight, he reached out and ran his fingers over the surface. It was Profound Toxin, but it wasn¡¯t a fluid ¡ª it was solid. Chapter 79: Accident ¡°What the¡ª¡­¡± Eik whispered as the barrier moved up, down, and from side to side in response to his will. Was this a new aspect of his ability brought about the evolution to Instinct of Toxin? ¡°What the heck is that?¡± Michael yelled from the side line. ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± Eik answered. Another arrow came flying and the shield instinctively maneuvered up to deflect it. Instinct of Toxin, huh? ¡°Wait, wait, stop shooting! I don¡¯t know how to get this thing to go back!¡± Eik yelled but Heath ignored him and charged in, keeping low to the ground as he brandished his baton for a sweeping uppercut. Eik leapt back even as Profound Toxin blocked the attack completely. Heath almost forgot his defense as he pressed forth with the weapon, Sonja wielding her own baton and coming to join him. Eik found that he could split the solid shell of poison into two but at the cost of mass. Splitting into three made it difficult to control, like balancing three spinning plates on the tips of three different sticks. He danced away and as the two siblings followed he abruptly rocketed back, far surpassing their speed and ramming his shoulder bodily into Heath¡¯s shield. The shell of solid poison covered his shoulder, smoothly and rhythmically matching his movements. All of the air in Heath¡¯s lung was expelled in a great moan as he flew back, sailing past Sonja who screeched to a stop of the flag stones. Realistically, Eik wasn¡¯t going to be able to test his full strength against E-rankers, even if there were two of them at the same time. And even though blocking their attack with the solid toxin was fun, when he wanted to retract the barriers again he couldn¡¯t figure out how. ¡°Come on!¡± he muttered under his breath as both Heath and Sonja rained attack after attack down on him, which he either deflected with the shields or with his bare hands. ¡°Go away! Go away already!¡± And then it shattered, utterly and completely, like a thick pane of glass dropped onto a concrete floor. Each of the fragments shattered further into millions of tiny, glittering motes, spreading rapidly across the raised platform like a glowing mist. Instantly both Heath and Sonja broke into violent fits of coughing, Michael on the side line joining them a second later. As the hypocenter of the deadly blue cloud, Eik felt Profound Toxin¡¯s invasion of his three friends¡¯ bodies with gruesome clarity. ¡°Eik,¡± Sonja coughed and he saw her fall to her knees as she clutched her throat. ¡°Eik, Eik, get it¡ª¡± ¡ª She was overcome with another fit of coughing ¡ª ¡°get it away, please!¡± ¡°Shit, shit!¡± he yelled. With a thought, the mist returned to his body as if sucked through a vacuum cleaner. The poison was still present in their systems. He could tell. Again this shit was happening. And it was his fault again. A knot settled in his stomach as he rushed to Sonja¡¯s side. He caught her just as she collapsed to the cool floor. ¡°No, no, no!¡± he pleaded. ¡°Get out of them now, you fucking blue bastard!¡± he roared. He just hoped the second or two of exposure to the Profound Toxin in its gas-like form wasn¡¯t enough to kill them quickly. Unlike the incident with Heath back during the raid to kill the lake serpent, however, this had already entered their systems wholly. Like he had done in his recent visit to the world of Profound Toxin, Eik began to circle the essence of the poison inside his body. It just kind of happened subconsciously. It made it easier to focus. The Ak¡¯ki followed suit, seemingly of its own accord, and began to revolve. Albeit faintly, to his ears the forces began to hum rhythmically to the tempo of their rotation. And with it came a greater sense of connection to his ability, as if the motion synchronized them. With a hand on Sonja¡¯s neck, he finally retrieved the toxin from her system and a gesture of his hand saw the deadly mist that had entered Heath and Michael come flying back as well. They all coughed and spluttered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Eik asked Sonja and took her by the shoulder to help her to her feet. She slapped his hand away without looking at him. ¡°Please¡­ Don¡¯t touch me. You need to get a handle on your ability, Eik. The way it runs amok without warning like that¡­ it- it¡¯s not normal. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Her knees could barely support her as she shuffled toward the steps. At least she didn¡¯t seem to be at death¡¯s door. He didn¡¯t try to follow. ¡°Sonja, I¡­ I really am sorry. I didn¡¯t know that was going to happen.¡± ¡°I know you didn¡¯t,¡± she said tiredly. Anger would have been preferable to this jadedness. ¡°Sonja, I swear I¡¯ll do better.¡± ¡°Eik, we live in a mysterious world with mysterious powers. Accidents like this are bound to happen from time to time. I just need a bit of time to myself, alright?¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She used the baton as a cane to keep her balance as she walked back toward the ramp leading to their rooms. He looked to Heath but the man only threw him a couple of glances before stumbling after his sister. ¡°Heath, wait. Heath, are you okay?¡± The initial gleeful feeling of having reached the equivalent of D-rank in his Unique evolutionary path had been thoroughly replaced by the distinct feeling of being the biggest failure in the Unified Mass. How shitty of a teammate was he to be responsible for a significant portion of serious injuries and near death experiences? ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± was all the tank offered in reply. ¡°Mikey?¡± Instead of running away, the healer was actually climbing up onto the raised platform. Slowly, he crawled over to Eik on all fours, looking significantly worse for wear. He stopped halfway as a spell of dizziness seemed to come over him and Eik hurried over to his side. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Not¡­ great.¡± Right, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? It¡¯s like you¡¯re growing stronger at a pace you can¡¯t keep up with.¡± He looked more worried than angry. Eik shifted uncomfortably on his knees. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± Michael frowned. ¡°I want to. Really want to, but I just can¡¯t. At least not yet.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Very dangerous,¡± Eik said. ¡°Like, it could get you killed kind of dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll tell you at some point. Just not yet.¡± ¡°When can you?¡± Michael asked and got to his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± They started back toward the apartments and Eik took Michael around the shoulder to support him as they climbed the ramp into the long, branched hallway raised above the ground. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Earth soon.¡± ¡°Yeah. Tomorrow or the day after.¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± He gave it some thought. ¡°Yeah, I think so. But I want to see my mom. In the end I never went back once she left. She must have been worried.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if my parents are even alive. Or if any of my friends are. Or the rest of my family¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re all back at your home, right?¡± Eik just shrugged. ¡°Presumably. It¡¯s been nine years, man. I don¡¯t know anymore. Anything could have happened.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Mikla to take you there by fracture? That shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for him, right?¡± Michael suggested. He had already regained some strength and could even walk more or less normally now. ¡°I could, I could. But I¡¯m not sure if that would work. They probably had to move around a lot, like we did,¡± Eik mumbled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start looking for them.¡± ¡°You have to start somewhere though, don¡¯t you?¡± Eik bit his lip as he hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m scared, man. What if they¡¯re all gone? What if there is nobody left for me to find back there? What if I have no home to return to?¡± Michael stopped and gave him a look of pure pity. ¡°I- I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t even imagine.¡± ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Eik snorted and gazed out of the enormous window. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of other people who have the same problem. Everybody¡¯s suffering.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, of course, but still¡­¡± ¡°Thanks, man. I¡¯ll ask Mikla later.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eik flashed him a half smile. ¡°I have to start somewhere, don¡¯t I?¡± *** The next morning Eik visited Wanji down at Leafy Sundries and bought enough ingredients for Potions of Mighty Strength class 1 to fill at least fifty vials with the magical liquid. At this point he had spent more than a third of his credits on alchemy. Once he got back he made a batch of four vials in two minutes. A simple blanket of mist of Profound Toxin to keep the angry, purple miasma in check while he worked on the mixture made the process smooth and easy. His evolution into Instinct of Toxin also seemed to have done more than just improve his sense of control of Profound Toxin. The manipulation and manifestation of Ak¡¯ki had also become easier, reinforcing his assumption that it shared several similarities with Profound Toxin. On his second batch he doubled the amount and got almost nine vials of potion. Even this was almost too easy, however. So why hold back? He tossed the rest of the ingredients into the small but heavy cauldron, filling half of its capacity. It was more than three times the size of the previous batch. That meant three times more of the aggressive miasma to fend off. His now delicate control allowed him to get a good hold of the energy before it retaliated against his influence, but even when it did he easily suppressed it with blue mist. At the end of it he had forty six filled vials. Hopefully enough for what he had in mind. He was in the middle of stuffing the lot of them into the rucksack of holding when there was a loud knock on the door. ¡°Eik! Eik, are you in there?¡± It was Heath. He didn¡¯t bother to wait for an answer. ¡°Hey, Heathy. What¡¯s u¡ª¡± ¡°What the hell, man?¡± Heath shouted as Michael tip toed into the room after him. The healer quietly took a seat on Eik¡¯s bed and appeared to do his best to turn invisible. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t believe what Mikey just told me.¡± ¡°Oh, I have a feeling that I might just¡­¡± Eik said and shot the healer a look. Michael quickly looked away and pulled Mis closer to scratch her belly. Heath slammed the door shut behind him. ¡°Damn right you will, because it came from you! Why is your ability so out of control? You¡¯re putting us in danger and we have every right to know why!¡± Eik carefully pushed aside the rucksack and the small pile of vials and pulled out a chair. ¡°Take a seat, will you? You have to underst¡ª¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ll tell me right now, damn it! I could live with it before ¡ª we all fuck up with our powers, but if your secret can make it safer for us then you¡¯re an asshole for keeping it to yourself!¡± ¡°No, Heath, I swear that¡¯s not what¡¯s going on here!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that there isn¡¯t something you¡¯re not telling us then?¡± The tank asked, crossing his massive arms across his chest. Eik sighed. ¡°No, there is, but¡ª¡± ¡°Then tell me!¡± ¡°Heath, I seriously can¡¯t. This is the kind of stuff extreme high-rankers could come after you for, man. It¡¯s better if none of you know. I never even meant to say this much.¡± ¡°Extreme high-rankers? What, A-rankers? S? How the hell could you even know that?¡± the tank asked. Eik massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°Atla told me.¡± ¡°So Atla knows about this crap ¡ª a woman who has proven herself moderately trustworthy and barely competent at best ¡ª but your own teammates don¡¯t?¡± the tank shouted with an expression of disbelief. ¡°Heath, I didn¡¯t tell her myself. She forced me to show her back when I first came to headquarters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! Just tell us!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°We¡¯re teammates! How can we trust you when we don¡¯t even know something that you say is this important? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something personal, right?¡± ¡°Heath¡­¡± ¡°This team isn¡¯t going to last much longer with something like this hanging over our heads. Eik, I¡¯m serious. This stuff is all about trust. So if you can¡¯t trust us with this then this team is already dead in the water.¡± Eik ran his fingers through his hair with a groan. ¡°You know what? Fine! If you¡¯re this insistent on getting yourself into trouble, who am I to stop you? In fact, get Sonja! You can all hear it!¡± Chapter 80: Goods to Sell ¡°Worldbreaker, huh?¡± Heath said, lips pouting as he digested Eik¡¯s story. ¡°I mean, that sounds absolutely awesome but why are you so worried about it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me, dude?¡± Eik said, throwing his hands in the air with exasperation. ¡°If a strong force, like a nation or an S-ranker or- or¡­ an X-ranker catches wind of it and doesn¡¯t like the sound of someone like me getting too big to handle, they¡¯ll kill me and they might kill you in the process.¡± ¡°But that won¡¯t happen if they don¡¯t find out about it before you get too big to handle, right? We just have to keep it a secret for a while.¡± ¡°I know that but I also have to make us an attractive investment for the Nidafjeld Alliance. We need them to be willing to step in and keep the Gohkamorians at bay. At least for now. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah, makes sense to me,¡± Heath said. ¡°Then you just have to find the balance between stealth and flamboyance.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say, Heath¡­ Are you guys okay with all this?¡± ¡°That you have an extra super superpower?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Sounds like its going to help us all in the long run. My problem was the fact that you kept it a secret from us. I know it probably is more dangerous, but I feel like we''re about to die all the time already, so...¡± Michael nodded. Sonja sat in Eik¡¯s bed with her knees pulled to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what to think¡­¡± ¡°Well, are we still a team?¡± Eik asked. She looked at him somberly for several seconds before offering a small nod. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re still a team.¡± Eik leaned back in his chair. ¡°Phew. I have to say, I''ve been wanting to get this crap off my chest since I learned it myself. Though I probably shouldn''t have told you.¡± Michael picked up one of the vials of potion from the pile on Eik¡¯s table. ¡°What¡¯re you going to use all of these for?¡± ¡°Sell them.¡± ¡°To who?¡± Heath asked. Eik cracked a toothy grin. ¡°Whoever wants it.¡± *** ¡°It¡¯s been a while, eh, Mis?¡± Eik said as he set her down to run freely through the house for the first time in weeks. She ran straight for her favorite spot ¡ª a blanket folded on the windowsill. ¡°We¡¯re home. And look, they finished the wall!¡± The fracture spluttered closed once Mikla and Atla had stepped through. They didn¡¯t waste any time and headed straight for town and Travis Lockwood¡¯s office. Forest hadn¡¯t changed whatsoever since they left, with the exception of one thing. People in Eik¡¯s immediate neighborhood were staring as they passed. Word must have finally gotten around about everything in which he had been involved. Most people in Forest didn¡¯t know who he was and what he looked like so even if they knew about some guy named Eik, they wouldn¡¯t know who to gawk at. But close to home they sure did. Atla, with her voluptuously recognizable pink hair, wore a hat from Eik¡¯s house. Before Eik¡¯s debrief it had felt like everybody had watched them constantly, but looking back on it it had been a small minority. Along the way they split with Michael who wanted to go straight home to see his mom. Travis¡¯ office was not a particularly impressive building. In fact, it could have been anybody¡¯s house. Eik¡¯s coerced visit to Boulder Fist Gary¡¯s office before the debrief had been the complete opposite. As lavish a building as the man could reasonably get away with. The same assistant who had helped organize the Great Raid led them to a waiting room even smaller than the one in Warden Harfol¡¯s prison. ¡°He¡¯s been waiting for you to come back,¡± she said to Eik and then glanced at Atla. ¡°And you too.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t noticed, he¡¯s a bit of a battle maniac. Getting beaten up by you lit a fire in him. He¡¯s been training like crazy.¡± ¡°Does he have time to talk to us now?¡± Eik asked. ¡°He probably won¡¯t mind if it¡¯s you guys, I suppose.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he do¡ª¡± A high pitched screech tore into their ears, accompanied by a flash of light through the window facing the back. The assistant just rolled her eyes, sighed, and gestured with a thumb.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. They filed back out into the sun and around the building where Travis stood in the middle of a small backyard surrounded by a dense copse of trees. On the far side was a massive boulder almost as big as the house. Both the boulder and the trees had scorch marks, cracks, and other signs of damage. Travis wiped his forehead with a towel and turned to greet them. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d ever come back.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not traitors, even if people say we are,¡± Heath spat. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know it was us?¡± Eik asked. Travis tapped his head with a finger. ¡°B-rank senses. You just hit E-rank, right?¡± ¡°Just hit D-rank, actually,¡± Eik corrected. ¡°You¡¯re all D-rank already?¡± ¡°You¡¯re D-rank?¡± Atla exclaimed. ¡°How?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Heath grumbled. ¡°Only he is¡­¡± ¡°How?¡± Eik just shrugged. ¡°Risk, I guess. Isn¡¯t that what you advised, Atla?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Her eyes were glittering, as if he¡¯d just pulled five bars of gold out of his ass. ¡°Good. This is very good.¡± Eik offered a tepid smile in return. ¡°What kind of a monster are you?¡± Mikla asked, face a painting of disbelief. ¡°How about we duke it out to test your new strength then?¡± Travis suggested. ¡°My little training garden here has gotten a little worn, and I miss going all out.¡± ¡°If you went all out against me you¡¯d turn me into ground meat,¡± Eik muttered. ¡°We didn¡¯t come to fight,¡± Atla interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re here to hear your response to the invitation to join the Championships. Have you made your decision?¡± ¡°We have. We¡¯re going, of course. As you mentioned, it¡¯s a great way to deepen the relationship between Earth and the alliance, isn¡¯t it?¡± Atla looked surprised. ¡°It definitely is, yes. I didn¡¯t realize that the Forest leadership was particularly interested in a closer relationship.¡± Travis snorted. ¡°They weren¡¯t really, but let¡¯s just say that your thorough whipping of Gary and me did a number on their confidence. Turns out they would really like to keep at least a modicum of power and influence, and now that a relationship with the alliance seems to be the best way to do that they¡¯re suddenly starting to change their tune,¡± he said. His voice was full of vexation. ¡°The old bastards basically only abandoned Gary because they couldn¡¯t use him anymore.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯d be safe here now?¡± Travis tilted his head from side to side. ¡°Probably? More or less? I think they¡¯ll want their position to be more stable before trying anything ¡ª if they ever try anything. They used to have a lot more support than they do now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something, I guess,¡± Heath said, Eik nodding. ¡°I might have something that can make me a few more friends, actually,¡± Eik said and unslung the awesome rucksack of holding. He held up a hand and wiggled his fingers theatrically, smirking at an uncomprehending Travis, before plunging his arm in to the shoulder. ¡°Whoa, what the hell!¡± the B-ranker shouted, taking a step back. ¡°Pretty sweet, eh?¡± Eik sung. ¡°If we join the alliance we can buy stuff like this, and we can teach craftsmen to make it, right?¡± he said with a glance at Mikla who nodded. ¡°If you can help facilitate that then you will make friends for sure, including me. I mean, holy shit, I¡¯ve been hoping for a bag of holding for years! Now monsters just need to drop loot and¡ª¡­¡± ¡ª He caught himself and cleared his throat ¡ª ¡°I mean, that would do a lot for our society, certainly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually not the main thing I wanted to show you,¡± Eik said and pulled up a single vial of the purple potion. ¡°This is.¡± Travis took it and held it up to the sun. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Drink it,¡± Heath said with a grin. ¡°Actually,¡± Eik said, holding up a hand. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that effective for someone of his level. We need someone weaker whose strength he knows. How strong is your assistant?¡± ¡°Jen? Mid E-rank. She mostly does administrative work at this point. Why?¡± He looked slightly suspicious. ¡°Could you call her out here?¡± He called in through a window left ajar and she came around the corner a minute later. ¡°What will it do to her?¡± Travis asked. ¡°Nothing bad, I promise,¡± Eik said. ¡°But I¡¯d like it to be a surprise.¡± She snatched the vial out of Travis¡¯ hand, her ponytail almost whipping him across the face. ¡°If they wanted to hurt me there are easier ways.¡± She eyed Atla and Mikla pointedly. Travis sighed and stepped aside. Jen sniffed the contents and pulled a face before downing the whole vial in one. ¡°Oerh!¡± she uttered throatily. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Travis exclaimed, coming to her side. ¡°Do you feel sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said and pushed him back. Travis took several involuntary steps back, surprise evident on his face. Jennifer looked no less so. She stared at her own hand incredulously. ¡°What did I just¡­?¡± She walked over to an extra thick and sturdy makiwara in the corner of the backyard and laid into it with abandon, crushing it with power far beyond what she should have been able to, judging by both Travis¡¯ and her own face. For someone who only did administrative work she sure seemed happy to let loose. Travis¡¯ eyes whipped to Eik. ¡°Is- Is this a¡­ stat potion?¡± His eyes had turned into saucers and goosebumps had broken out across his bare arms. ¡°Potion of Mighty Strength, yes,¡± Eik nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Oh my god, that¡¯s awesome! Where did you buy this? At the headquarters as well?¡± ¡°Travis, I made this myself.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± the B-ranker breathed, appearing to lose his breath. ¡°But we¡¯ve been trying to create something like that for¡­ since the beginning. I thought it was impossible. How¡¯d you do it?¡± ¡°Specific ingredients and¡­¡± Eik released his aura in a sudden burst that took Travis by surprise, a powerful flash of electricity reflexively manifesting in his palm. He inched closer as he waved his fingers tentatively through the shroud of Ak¡¯ki. Shivers seemed to run up his spine at the contact. ¡°What¡¯s this ability? You¡¯re a D-ranker but I feel overwhelmed by your presence alone.¡± ¡°Such control over your aura¡­ You really are a monster, Eik,¡± Mikla remarked, a pinch of worry flashing through his features. ¡°And it¡¯s not an ability. Anybody can learn it, given time. On Earth it¡¯s not feasible yet, but it will be at some point.¡± ¡°And this¡­ stuff is also necessary for the potions?¡± Mikla gave Travis a rundown of Ak¡¯ki. ¡°So, short of buying at inflated prices for credits we don¡¯t have, Eik is our only source, and likely will be for the foreseeable future?¡± ¡°Pretty much, yes,¡± the fracture specialist nodded. Travis eyed Eik hungrily. ¡°Let me try one.¡± ¡°With the strength of the class 1 potion it would have minimal effect on B-rankers,¡± Eik told him. The man pouted. ¡°Can you make them for my level then?¡± ¡°Not yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take ¡®em. Mission Central needs whatever possible to get an edge.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Eik said, ¡°How many?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sell you forty five vials now. I can get you more later.¡± Travis frowned. ¡°Forty five? That¡¯s way too few. Can¡¯t you spare more?¡± Eik shook his head. ¡°I need the rest to hype the market.¡± Chapter 81: Making a Splash The flimsy wooden box rattled and creaked under Eik¡¯s weight as he gazed out over the crowd. ¡°What the hell is this guy doing now?¡± Heath groaned from his place in line at a stall that sold grilled skewers of meat. Eik stood in the middle of the busiest street of Forest¡¯s largest marketplace so people were forced to walk around him as they passed. He dug around the rucksack of holding and pulled out two vials. ¡°Does he always have to be so conspicuous?¡± Sonja agreed. Atla and Mikla had exchanged alliance credits for enough money to enjoy a whole day out and then some. Even though they had come along to Earth for safety Eik had asked them to stay back for this. Their presence could undermine what he had planned. ¡°Gather around, everybody! Gather around to witness the next, great step for mankind in our fiery battle for survival!¡± Eik shouted and shook the potion bottles. People barely deigned to offer him a glance. Nonplussed he kept talking. ¡°My name is Eik Magnasen, and this potion will show you horizons you didn¡¯t even know existed! One small step for man, one giant leap for you, as they say. Your power will surge to unimaginable heights!¡± ¡°I mean, he¡¯s not even a particularly good salesman¡­¡± Heath said. ¡°He sounds like a shady ol¡¯ swindler selling snake oil at the side of the road. He¡¯s got passion though, I¡¯ll give him that.¡± ¡°Go home, guy!¡± an unseen voice yelled from the crowd. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re embarrassing yourself,¡± added another. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Eik challenged the voices. ¡°What rank are you then?¡± A third voice joined in. ¡°I¡¯m F-rank! What about it?¡± ¡°Ah, okay, that¡¯s actually a little¡­¡± Eik conceded. ¡°Any E-ranks in?¡± A small group had stopped at this point, if simply to watch the strangeness unfolding. A few begrudgingly raised hands. ¡°Alright, perfect! Any of you ever wish to instantly become, oh, I don¡¯t know, D-rank? Drink this and that¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen!¡± ¡°Okay, maybe he¡¯s a little better than I thought¡­¡± Heath acknowledged begrudgingly. Murmurs ran through the crowd, like a ¡°yeah, obviously¡±, but nobody offered themselves to test the suspicious, dark liquid. ¡°I see your hesitation. It¡¯s understandable,¡± Eik said as he massaged his brow theatrically before snapping a finger at Heath. ¡°Luckily, my trusty assistant here is willing to show you just how amazing this groundbreaking product truly is! Please offer a round of applause to my friend, Heath! And my name was Eik Magnasen!¡± The crowd, which had now grown to twice its size, turned in sync to stare at the tank, freshly grilled skewer halfway into his mouth. ¡°Come on up, my friend!¡± Eik called, smiling like a sleazy salesman. ¡°I take it all back. The guy sucks hard,¡± Heath grumbled. ¡°And come up where? He¡¯s standing on a crate of vegetables.¡± He made his way to Eik nonetheless. ¡°Heath, everybody!¡± Eik the showman shouted. ¡°Now, Heath, can you tell us your power rank, please?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, it¡¯s E-rank.¡± ¡°And if I told you I could get you to perform on a level that could almost be called D-rank, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. I¡¯ve already tried i¡ª¡± ¡°Well, you better start believing because it really is true! Crush this brick with your bare hands.¡± Eik gave him a brick that had suddenly appeared in his hand. Heath sighed, held it firmly and punched, splitting it in two. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you take this and show us what you can do then?¡± Eik said and offered one of the vials to Heath. The tank pulled the cork and downed the elixir and practically glowed with new strength. A second brick was already in the alchemist¡¯s hand and Heath took it. He held it up high and shattered it into pieces with a crack that echoed across the heads of everyone present. ¡°Amazing!¡± Eik shouted, clapping vigorously. ¡°Now that is what you can expect from Eik Magnasen¡¯s Potion of Mighty Strength as well as any other elixir I offer!¡± A voice called out. ¡°The guy was just holding back on the first one! You¡¯re a fraud!¡± Some others seemed to agree. ¡°You saw him drink it. Why don¡¯t you come up at try it yourself, friend? You¡¯re E-rank, right?¡± The man hesitated, but people quickly started to egg him on to step up. ¡°It¡¯s free,¡± Eik sang and shook the vial. Eventually he gave in and snatched it out of Eik¡¯s hand with a scowl and upended it with little hesitation. ¡°Ergh, that¡¯s disgusting!¡± he spat but then his eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡­¡± He jumped, flapping and kicking as the unexpected explosive power threw him off balance and delivered him ass first to the ground where people had to leap out of the way. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Give me- Give me one of those bricks,¡± he said and Eik tossed him the one he¡¯d already been holding.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The man repeated Heath¡¯s feat of strength and destroyed the block thoroughly. ¡°Holy sh¡ª Holy shit!¡± he yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it! I¡¯ll buy your whole inventory!¡± ¡°Now, now,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°You did help with my demonstration, so as a gesture of good faith I¡¯ll sell you one vial of Potion of Mighty Strength. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve sold almost everything I had to Mission Central, so any doubters of the efficacy of my wares can keep an ear out in the coming days.¡± ¡°So what was the point of this whole spiel then?¡± a woman asked. Eik gazed calmly around the throng that had brought traffic almost to a complete halt. ¡°It just so happens that I make these potions myself. While I will do my best to make supply available, please make sure to keep an eye out as I expect them to disappear like farts through a hemp pyjamas. And my name was Eik Magnasen.¡± He stepped off the crate and made his way through the mass of people which parted in front of him. A few tried to get him to sell to them but most still seemed doubtful of the truth of his claims. Well, that wasn¡¯t really a problem. They would learn once Travis started handing out the potions to his subordinates. All Eik had to worry about for now was the creation of more product. Heath and Sonja caught up with him. He maintained a fast pace. ¡°Leaving so quickly? Most people didn¡¯t buy it.¡± the tank asked as he finished the last of the skewers. ¡°Just a bit of insurance is all. I want the rumors to spread and get out of here before they can ask too many questions,¡± Eik said. ¡°That¡¯s the most important thing right now.¡± ¡°Rumors?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let anyone block the spread of information about the potions, nor my involvement in its production. I know Travis said that the leaders are starting to come around to our point of view since Atla grated up Boulder Fist Gary like a block of cheese, but at this point I just can¡¯t trust that they won¡¯t try to get in my way.¡± He scowled as he spoke. Heath and Sonja said nothing. ¡°I need everyone in this damned city to know that I¡¯m the origin of these potions. That working with us instead of against us is in their best interest. The way the old guard at the debrief dismissed Bart¡¯s assault on you, Heath¡­ I want them afraid of doing dumb shit like that again.¡± ¡°You want to lead the city?¡± Eik snorted. ¡°Not even a little bit. I just don¡¯t want to be treated like some kind of misbehaving underling. I want enough power and influence to help our people. To help Olivia.¡± ¡°That¡­ kinda sounds like what a leader is, mate,¡± Heath grinned. ¡°And you kind of sound like someone who should shut up.¡± Eik punched a laughing Heath in the shoulder. ¡°But now you can help Olivia, right?¡± Sonja added. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you made killing that B-rank monster a part of your price to Travis?¡± Eik¡¯s jaw tightened as he stared at the ground. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°He already dispatched a B-rank scouting expert to find it. Once they do, Travis is leading a team of two other B-rankers to hunt it down.¡± ¡°I suppose that isn¡¯t terribly expensive for the right to buy a portion of your supply,¡± Heath said. ¡°Nobody wanted to help me go after it until I could offer something they wanted¡­ But at least three B-rankers will definitely get the job done.¡± ¡°Why did you insist on coming along when they go after it then?¡± He glowered. ¡°I want to make sure it¡¯s harvested correctly, and¡­ I¡¯m angry, Heath. I want to extract the venom from that vile fucker with my own two hands.¡± *** The next day Mikla brought Eik back to headquarters for a short visit so he could buy more ingredients for Potions of Mighty Strength class 1. More than anything he wanted try out more of the recipes from the alchemy book but diversifying too much too early was probably not going to be the best way to go about establishing himself. He needed large quantities of something people knew. Spending a good chunk of his remaining funds, he bought enough ingredients for three hundred more potions. He¡¯d have to find a way to get his hands on more credits to keep everything running smoothly. Money was becoming a bigger issue than ability now that he had hit Instinct of Toxin. Mikla¡¯s best advice for quick cash was to hit the challenges in the Crucible both for E-rank as well as D-rank, where, if he could shatter more records, he would be able to make a lot more credits than F-rank had given. Another option was paid gigs. Much like Forest, the alliance also offered paid missions for Awakened to kill monsters or handle otherwise dangerous situations. Monsters and Awakened wildlife was simply a part of the world and had to be managed. Such missions were also used as opportunities for the Awakened to grow stronger and as incentive for budding combat specialists. And finally, he could simply sell some of his supply in Gimleh, the host city of the Nidafjeld Alliance headquarters. With the countless number of Awakened looking for potions as well as professional retailers willing to buy large quantities, he could probably find buyers and make a healthy profit, even if the potions wouldn¡¯t be deemed quite as rare and valuable there as they currently were on Earth. Eik almost felt a little overwhelmed by the rapid progress of his abilities as he measured enough ingredients for a single batch to fill the cauldron up to its maximum capacity. Even the amount of purple miasma from this many magical plants and other alchemical components, such as the bone marrow of the horned bulkbeast, failed to offer any meaningful resistance against the terrifying destructive power of Profound Toxin. He still hadn¡¯t succeeded in unifying the opposing forces of Profound Toxin and the internal Ak¡¯ki beyond the shallow overlap he¡¯d managed back in the other world. But at this rate it was only a matter of time before he did. The most time consuming part of the process ended up being draining the liquid from the mixture. At the end he had managed to make enough for more than three hundred vials. Lacking empty potion bottles, he stored the product in a much larger sealable glass container, save for an amount equal to about fifty vials which he saved for Earth. He¡¯d have to find out how to correctly make them into pills. Vials were a total storage nightmare. After testing a spoonful of the product, a potion seller bought the entire container worth two hundred and fifty doses. The guy tried to get him to part with it for thirty percent above the price of the ingredients themselves. Eik had had the forethought to ask both Mikla and Wanji about approximate pricing standards ahead of time and managed to pump the deal up to double the ingredient price. The retailer also said he would buy more of similar quality at a similar price point. Mikla took him back to Forest in the evening of the same day. Heath, Sonja, and Michael had moved in with Eik until the situation with the unfriendly faction in the settlement became clearer. They thought Michael¡¯s F-rank mother would be safer staying at home. Atla and Mikla had duties back at the headquarters but tried to take turns to stay on Earth to the extend they were able. With the political developments in their favor and Eik¡¯s new role as the invaluable potion pusher, they had decided to make Forest their base again. That night Eik went to bed early. In the morning he would check out the site for the second part of Travis¡¯ payment. The site where Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs would be reborn. Chapter 82: Bart Sucks The building was small. Eik had specifically asked for that. The property, however, was quite large and pretty centrally located. This small place was all he really needed right now and he could always build extensions if the operation grew beyond capacity. He circled the building. It was a simple structure of wood consisting of a large main room accessible from the front door as well as a back room that he intended to use both for production and storage. In a way it was quite similar to the old store even though that had been just one part of a larger building. There was a clink of metal under his boot. It was a rusty, deformed knife that seemed to have been residing in the grass for years. He wondered who it had belonged to, and if it had saved them or doomed them. Something this small would have been hard pressed to do much even against weak monsters. Inside were bare walls and broken down furniture. It smelled like dust and more dust. Yes, this place would look good outfitted with shelves and a nice, big counter in the back. He¡¯d brought a broom from home and went to work. According to Travis, the previous owners had all been killed years ago and left no one to take over. Mission Central had kept the place with intentions of putting it to use at some point but now it had gone to Eik. For twenty minutes he swept but the dust seemed to persistently reappear in every corner as if by magic. With a sigh he put the overflowing dustpan in the windowsill and crouched down, back against the wall, and pulled out a strip of dried meat. He should have tricked Heath, Sonja, and Mikey into helping him. As he ate he played around with Profound Toxin, twisting it into various complicated shapes like spirals, letter, and geometric designs. Instinct of Toxin had brought with it an incredible ease of fine control that couldn¡¯t be compared to Acolyte of Toxin. Whether he could do it this well in the heat of battle ¡ª or if it was even useful in battle ¡ª time would tell, but he could also feel just how much the intensity of the poison had been amplified. A thought struck him as he watched slender strings of blue liquid dance languidly on his palm. At his behest, it expanded into a thin, flat disc, almost a meter in width. He dragged it across the floor where it absorbed everything dirtying the floorboards. The disc widened further, flowing into every nook and cranny where it sucked up every particle. Going a step further, he dragged it up the walls and across the ceilings. Outside, Eik reabsorbed the now discolored toxin, the dirt falling into the grass. Next he solidified the toxin with the dilapidated furniture stuck inside and carried it outside. The mist he spread throughout the interior as well for good measure. As he was putting away some boxes for future storage in the back room foot steps echoed through the empty place and Eik stuck his head out to see who had come. ¡°Bart¡­ How did you find me?¡± Eik felt his heart begin to race as anger welled up. Instantly, the Profound Toxin urged him to bound forth like a predator to tear off Bart¡¯s wretched head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember inviting you here.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t deceive yourself. I¡¯m not here for you. I want the potions you¡¯ve managed to smuggle home from your escapades to the alliance,¡± the large man said as he wiped the door frame with a finger. ¡°So this is to be your new store? Fitting, I suppose.¡± ¡°You want to¡ª¡­¡± Eik almost laughed. How this family continued to act so absurdly was just so¡­ ¡°That is never going to happen. You tried to kill us! I wouldn¡¯t give you a vial if you gave me your damn house for it.¡± Bart rolled his eyes. ¡°Why can¡¯t you see the truth for what it is? You¡¯ve been lucky thus far. Been pulled along by people far above your station. But that luck won¡¯t last. Sooner or later you¡¯ll see that you¡¯re in over your head. Those who use you now will abandon you for fresh servants,¡± he said, gesturing around the bare room. ¡°All you will be left with is¡­ this, and then you will thank yourself for having secured my support.¡± ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m not afraid of your family anymore, Bart! You dad is nothing!¡± ¡°I am not my father!¡± he yelled, voice cracking. ¡°I will become better than him! Stronger! You¡¯d regret refusing me, Eik. I can promise you that.¡± Well, that was new. Wasn¡¯t this guy enjoying his father¡¯s shadow after all? ¡°I¡¯m even less afraid of you.¡± Eik¡¯s fingers reflexively caressed Viper Fang¡¯s handle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the large man asked, cracking his neck nonchalantly. ¡°Are you aware that I¡¯ve hit C-rank?¡± C-rank? Profound Toxin rose up aggressively behind Eik like a cape billowing in the wind. The urge to murder Rock Fist Bart then and there threatened to take over his mind. As he glared at the hated enemy, his blood thirst intensified by the second. ¡°Come on, Eik!¡± Bart shouted. ¡°Come and fight me! You only ever talk and never do! You¡¯re pathetic! If only you had simply been respectful back when you had the chance. You just had to take it this far, didn¡¯t you?¡± He spoke like a disappointed adult to a naughty child. Eik¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger but he forced himself to hold back. The bastard probably had people ready to say that Eik had attacked unprovoked if anything happened here. And if he was truly C-rank¡­Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose his position now. Forcing the eager Profound Toxin down and letting go of Viper Fang, Eik walked past Bart with the loaded dustpan, brushing against his shoulder, and threw the dust out the door in a massive cloud. The wind carried most of it right back into their faces. ¡°Out,¡± Eik said as Bart covered his eyes with an arm. ¡°Very mature,¡± the bastard said and waved a hand in front of his nose, holding back a cough. ¡°Out!¡± Eik bellowed at full lung. ¡°Alright, alright. What are you so angry about?¡± Eik refrained from answering as he locked the door and left Bart standing. To think he would walk away from the man who had nearly killed Heath. Yet here he was, making what might well be a smart but pathetic decision. Who would have thought. ¡°Just hand them over, Eik,¡± Bart called after him. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you. This isn¡¯t over, you know. I¡¯ll get my hands on those potions somehow.¡± It was painful but Eik kept walking. Next time he wouldn¡¯t be able to. Blood ran down his palm from nails digging into his skin. Next time he would kill him. For now, the sprinkle of blue he¡¯d left in the dust for Bart would have to do. *** ¡°You told the fuckin¡¯ Fist family where my new shop is? It¡¯s not even open yet!¡± Eik shouted as he barged into Travis Lockwood¡¯s office, ignoring Jennifer¡¯s attempt to stop him. The man was sitting at his desk looking exceptionally bored, and that didn¡¯t appear to change much with Eik¡¯s loud entrance. He gathered up the documents on his desk and set them aside. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone anything, Eik. Why would I?¡± ¡°Well, Bart showed up to threaten me into giving him the potions.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t surprise me. He¡¯s a total idiot. Thinks he can strong-arm his way into getting whatever he wants.¡± ¡°Something that had proven itself true as far as I remember. Nobody goes against him.¡± ¡°Nobody goes against his father, to be clear. And that¡¯s changing now,¡± Travis said and sipped a glass of water. ¡°They¡¯re losing support, but I doubt Bart realizes just how much. They were always powerful enough for people to either covet their support or avoid their ire. Now the Nidafjeld Alliance has thrown the balance out of order.¡± ¡°What do you think will happen when he sees that influence wane?¡± Travis regarded Eik for a while before he answered. ¡°Nothing good. He¡¯s a strong coward with a head full of pride. And he¡¯s wronged a lot of people ¡ª not just your team. He¡¯ll see hostility everywhere and it¡¯ll make him desperate.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Eik snapped. ¡°I knew I should have just killed him!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a C-ranker now, Eik.¡± ¡°That was true, huh? Damn.¡± ¡°If you kill him just for showing up at your property, you¡¯d burn some of the bridges you¡¯ve just begun to build. I know I said many of the old guard are reconsidering their friendships but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re suddenly your best buddies. Boulder Fist Gary is still one of the most powerful men in Forest.¡± Eik took a trembling breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to expect the worst aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Probably¡­¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Note to self. Get Michael¡¯s mother, Olivia, and Olivia¡¯s mother to the house so everybody can be together. ¡°Can you protect me? Station a couple of guards outside my house or something¡± ¡°Eik, I¡¯m not the police.¡± Eik pulled a vial of potion from his belt. ¡°I make this. Only I make this.¡± Travis stared for a few seconds before pursing his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ¡°Ah, speaking of allies. There was that woman at the debrief with the blonde hair. Asked me questions. Seemed open to the thought of siding with Nidafjeld, at least tentatively.¡± ¡°Elaine Haness? The merchant?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°Can I talk to her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to her. I can tell you where her office is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Eik had been to Merchant Lord Greggers office when he was summoned before the debrief had been arranged. It was rather far from the bustle of the marketplace. Elaine¡¯s, on the other hand, was much smaller and located on one of its side streets. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Elaine Haness,¡± he told the man who came to the door. The guy narrowed his eyes as he studied Eik closely. Hadn¡¯t the man been with Elaine at the debrief? ¡°I¡¯m Eik Magnasen. I spoke with her at¡­ a thing, weeks ago.¡± ¡°Sis! Eik from the interrogation is here to see you.¡± They did share some features, like the blonde hair. And at least someone else saw that whole thing for the interrogation it really had been. Elaine had furrowed brows when she came to the door. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We spoke at the debrief.¡± ¡°I know. What did you come here for? I thought you¡¯d left.¡± ¡°Just a temporary tactical retreat,¡± Eik said, mouth a tight line. ¡°Smart. So what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here with a proposal.¡± ¡°Regarding your power potions?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sell you ten potions right now. More later.¡± She gave it a thought. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Merchant Lord Greggers¡¯ rival, right?¡± She chuckled and rolled her eyes. ¡°He certainly sees it like that. If you ask me, we¡¯re all better off working together.¡± ¡°Well, I would like to see him reduced to a beggar,¡± Eik said with much more venom than he had intended. ¡°If you can live with that, then we have a deal. Plus, you get the support of a strong Awakened if you work with me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My sister. B-ranker Olivia Valkiri.¡± *** A few days later Eik arrived at the clinic with pain killing medicine. Almost as soon as they had returned from headquarters, the head of the clinic had asked Michael, a new healer, to help him out. People were injured all the time and there weren¡¯t enough healers to help everybody. The head had apparently been a doctor at a hospital before the world went to shit and had Awakened after only a few years. He was only barely E-rank since he had only ventured outside Forest a few times since its establishment. Michael had spoken before about how fascinated he was with the man¡¯s ability to combine magical healing with traditional medical science and had jumped at the chance to help. ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t pay you?¡± the head said as he received the pain killers. ¡°I feel weird about this¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing a good thing here, doctor,¡± Eik said. ¡°And my business is already growing healthily thanks to my other products. You can repay me by lending me Michael from time to time. I need someone to roll medicine pills and fill potion bottles.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± the man laughed. ¡°I¡¯m right here, guys¡­¡± Michael complained flatly. ¡°Young man, don¡¯t you have work to d¡ª¡± A person manifested out of thin air, right next to Eik. He went for Viper Fang but even with his speed, a hand stopped his hand before he could unsheathe it. ¡°I¡¯ve found the monster you¡¯re looking for. We¡¯re heading out soon. Heard you¡¯re coming with.¡± It was a woman. She was powerful. Probably a new B-ranker. ¡°You¡¯re Travis¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going, Mikey,¡± Eik said and followed the woman. ¡°Eik, we should come with,¡± Michael said. ¡°Stay here and take care of your mom and Olivia with the others, please. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Chapter 83: Manticore The other B-ranker, a man in heavy plate armor, was already present in Travis¡¯ office when Eik arrived. He didn¡¯t carry any weapon that Eik would have expected from such an outfit. In fact, he didn¡¯t seem to carry a weapon at all. Travis was tightening a pair of vambraces. ¡°Good, there you are. Are you sure you want to come along? We might not be able to protect you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get going then. Don¡¯t get yourselves killed.¡± They made their way through the city at a pace barely slower than Eik¡¯s top speed. He¡¯d prepared extensively for this for the past three days and he had dozens of the strongest poison pills he could make, but if he kept chugging them one after the other to trigger Noxious Invigoration, he would run dry before they even met the damn thing. He took a sixth clump from a side pocket in his rucksack of holding. As it turns out, it wasn¡¯t just the main compartment that was spatially enchanted. A pocket on each side, low enough to reach without taking the rucksack off, could each hold a small load of about a fifth of the space available in the main. ¡°How long until we¡¯re there?¡± Eik asked the tracker who also acted as the third B-ranker of the hunting party. He tried and failed to hide his labored breathing as he spoke. ¡°About thirty five minutes at this pace,¡± she said without looking back from her leading position. ¡°Thirty five?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°And it took you four days to find it?¡± Eik caught a glimpse of a frown. ¡°It¡¯s been moving around all over like mad. Now it seems to be waiting and gathering subordinate monsters.¡± ¡°An attack?¡± the armored man, Jake, asked. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that be the third?¡± ¡°Fourth, actually.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your estimate?¡± Travis asked. ¡°Within a day.¡± ¡°Good thing we¡¯re getting to it now then.¡± The scout scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it would be better if the D-ranker stayed home. He¡¯s a hindrance.¡± Travis seemed unconcerned. ¡°That¡¯s the deal he made with Mission Central. And I¡¯m on the brink of A. We can¡¯t spare anymore B-rankers.¡± She grumbled but didn¡¯t comment further. They kept running for another fifteen minutes and Eik kept chugging poison to keep his buff up. Even if the power of Instinct of Toxin allowed him to sprint like this, the sweat pouring down his forehead proved that it wasn¡¯t sustainable. A few months ago, he¡¯d thought something like a D-ranker would have been able to run like this for days at a time. The B-rankers didn¡¯t show any sign of exhaustion whatsoever, though. The scout had called him a hindrance. ¡°So, I see you don¡¯t have a weapon,¡± Eik said to Jake. ¡°Yep. Don¡¯t need one!¡± An angry flame shot out from the tip of his finger, bathing his grinning face in bright, jumping orange. ¡°Oh, cool,¡± Eik said, taken slightly aback. Fire. Like Olivia. ¡°With the armor I thought you¡¯d be¡ª¡± ¡°Carrying a big ass sword?¡± Jake finished for him. ¡°Yeah, not me. The games get it all wrong in my opinion. If anyone should wear something like this, it should be the guy with no defense. Robes make no sense.¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°Thanks for setting this killing quest in motion, man. It¡¯s about time.¡± ¡°Yeah, uuh, no problem¡­ Actually, I¡¯m not sure what you mean. What¡¯s about time?¡± Jake chopped the air with a grunt. ¡°That we murder the son of a bitch and save the people in comas from the venom. That is why you¡¯re here, right? To make sure that the extraction of the venom is done correctly?¡± Eik nodded. ¡°Yeah. But also because I hate the bastard with a passion.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t a bad reason either, brother,¡± Jake laughed heartily, his voice hardly trembling despite the running. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to gather a team to kill it since a while ago, but I only recently hit B-rank and people aren¡¯t keen on putting resources into hunting something this elusive. More trouble than it¡¯s worth for a lot of folks.¡± ¡°I ran into the same issue before I found some leverage,¡± Eik said, tapping the single vial strapped to his belt. ¡°So I take it you¡¯ve got someone affected by the venom then?¡± His breathing was becoming ragged. He really should stop talking. ¡°Same person as you, I believe. Olivia Valkiri. Your sister, right?¡± ¡°Sort of, yeah. She¡¯s my brother¡¯s wife. How did you say you know her?¡± ¡°She saved me. Back before I Awoke. She led an expedition that found our group in the wilderness and brought us back to Forest. I owe her my life. I hope to repay some of it with this.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Eik smiled. ¡°That certainly sounds like her. Is that why you use fire?¡± ¡°Ha! I suppose so, yeah,¡± Jake huffed. ¡°My admiration for her goes deep. I guess the system took that into consideration when offering me abilities, and I didn¡¯t hesitate. I heard the system does stuff like that from time to time.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was the same for me. By the time I Awoke I had been drink poi¡ª¡± ¡°Let''s switch to nonverbal communication,¡± the scout said slowed her pace to a walk. ¡°We¡¯re not far from where I found the nest. It¡¯s only been a little more than an hour and a half since I was here last, but we don¡¯t know what their numbers are like now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Eik asked. She gave him a look that said her real opinion was that he should get his ass back home. ¡°You guys wait up here. I¡¯ll check the nest again for new threats.¡± With that she vanished without a sound. She was back in less than a minute. ¡°The manticore is resting. There are already quite a few subordinate monsters sitting idle but more are still arriving from the deep wilderness.¡± Eik gave her a questioning look. ¡°Manticore? Like from mythology?¡± ¡°Exactly. They share some physical features, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re calling it.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯d better get to it,¡± Travis said. ¡°Let¡¯s get it on,¡± Eik said with a vicious smirk, Viper Fang practically singing for some blo¡ª ¡°Eik, you¡¯re staying in cover.¡± ¡°Wai¡ª Huh?¡± ¡°You can wait in the bushes or something,¡± Travis said. ¡°No! You said I could help!¡± ¡°Incorrect. I said you could come with us. You¡¯re with us. And I said I¡¯d let you come in for the end. It is not the end yet.¡± Eik bit his lower lip, nostrils flaring as he tried to think of a good argument, but a fight with a B-rank monster would not be improved by his presence. ¡°Fine,¡± he ground out through clenched teeth. ¡°Alright, Eik, you stay a little behind us. Stop when we stop. And stay low.¡± They snuck slowly forth, the grass here tall enough to obstruct their view of surroundings on all sides, making him feel isolated. Beads of sweat ran down Eik¡¯s temple, this time for a reason not related to exertion. After practically crawling more than a kilometer the scout held up a fist for a stop. Occasional howls of beasts and monsters echoed from up ahead. The three B-rankers exchanged whispered words but Eik couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, even with his D-ranked hearing. Travis glanced back at Eik and nodded once, an intense sphere of Lightning Judgment of Tyrannical Ruination already coming to life in his palms. Eik nodded back and the three of them disappeared, dust billowing into the air around their launch point. Eik managed to sit still and wait for about five seconds before the jitters forced him back to his feet. A boom that must have been Travis initiating combat shook a copse of trees up ahead and Eik momentarily lost his nerve and cowered on the ground as more explosions and sounds of violence reached him. How stupid was he to be charging toward the danger that outranked him this much? Stupid enough, apparently, because he got back and ran towards the noise. It quickly grew to a cacophony of roars of aggression and wails of suffering. Even before he could see the fight, Eik saw countless, compact balls of fire rocket ceaselessly into the sky, some of them impacting trees with a force that rocked them on their trunks and setting them ablaze. If the manticore had truly been gathering an army to assault Forest, then those low ranking monster would surely be annihilated in the onslaught that was the combined destruction of Jake and Travis¡¯s area of effect abilities. The moment before he could break through the last of the vegetation obstructing his view of the battlefield, a monster the size of a horse came dashing out. It had three pairs of sturdy legs and numerous bony protrusions running down its back, one of which struck him in the ribs as it passed. The momentum alone carried him off his feet but to his surprise he hardly felt it otherwise. He plowed through the tall grass on his back, eyes glued to the charging beast. Long tufts of greasy fur smoked as it burned, the beast keening shrilly with no way to put out the flames. Within seconds it was gone again, disappearing into the wilderness. The fight was still underway in full and the manticore was just as ugly as it had been when he¡¯d seen it fighting the C-rankers during the second monster wave. Reacting to its movements was still an impossible feat but he could almost follow it with his eyes. A permanent grimace on its face looked like toothy mockery. Eik clenched the Potion of Mighty Strength between trembling fingers as he popped another clump of poison. Blood flowed freely from several cuts along its flanks where the scout, whose name he realized he still didn¡¯t know, had flitted by at ridiculous speeds. Even then, the stinging tail whipped after her like a homing missile, taking her square in the chest once. Eik thought she was done for but when she stood back up she didn¡¯t seem to have any visible stab wounds, and that stinger was massive. As if to punish that attack, a screeching javelin of crackling lightning obliterated the manticore¡¯s tail at the base, the rest of it falling to the ground with a thud. A deafening howl of agony was cut short as a ball of flame struck its face with an explosion that rocked the surrounding trees. He monster leapt back as the scout came in for another blow, switching to more defensive behavior now that it was gravely injured. Eik saw the end of the fight drawing near. Finally, he could bury Viper Fang in that disgusting piece of garbage. An enormous foot stomped flat the grass by his right shoulder, barely making a sound despite its size. A low rumble that seemed to come from everywhere rattled all the bones in his body. Even before he looked up, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told him what he would see. The pressure was insane, as if gravity had been doubled. A tail with the now familiar stinger on the tip swept down along the grass in front of Eik¡¯s face. Shit, it really was a second one. Trees rustling and cracking on the opposite side of the battlefield caught Eik¡¯s attention before a shadow flew high up into the air like something bound for space. ¡°Tr- Travis! Jake! There¡¯s another one! No, two more! Watch out!¡± Eik screamed as the one standing over him leapt forward, air buffeting him against the ground. The scout intercepted the manticore coming from Eik¡¯s side, showering it in cuts while Travis and Jake shot missiles of death into the sky at the one still in the air. A trail of smoke followed it to the ground as explosion after explosion boomed. Smoke scattered forcefully as it launched into Jake, slapping him into the ground with a paw. The scout rushed in, glowing cutters of energy emerging from her daggers as she tried to prevent another attack on Jake. Now that the manticore had jumped into the fight, the pressure Eik had felt lifted and he could finally stand. He could barely follow the rapidness with his eyes as its stinger took the scout in the thigh. Immediately, her leg failed her, forcing her to her knee, where another sweep of the tail sent her shooting into the trees. Two more bolts of lightning manifested in Travis¡¯ hands and as he threw one at each of the manticores, a fourth one touched down soundlessly in the middle of the clearing. Meanwhile, the one with the severed tail was getting back to its feet, limping closer while Travis and Jake were distracted by its kin. Eik replaced the potion vial in his belt and pulled another from the rucksack, downing it in one. He popped another clump of poison as he activated Movement Boost and started running. Chapter 84: Extraction and Extraction None of the manticores seemed to pay Eik any mind as he ran along the edge of the clearing. Many of the weaker monsters did but with the effects of Potion of Mighty Strength, Noxious Invigoration, and Movement Boost stacked, they didn¡¯t have a chance of catching up with him. Unlike at F-rank, Movement Boost didn¡¯t seem to be waning anytime soon as he pushed himself to the limit. He couldn¡¯t let the fight go on like this. Circling the battle, he came up behind wounded manticore, Viper Fang ready in his hand. The closer he got the more he felt his head become clouded by the Profound cloud of anger. A throaty growl escaping him. As he ran, he reached inside for the Ak¡¯ki, pushing it out into a thick aura. But for the first time he tried to will the energy to suppress his presence ¡ª the opposite of what he had done when demonstrating his power to Travis. Whether the aura did its job or the manticore wouldn¡¯t have cared either way he couldn¡¯t know, but it didn¡¯t turn around in time to avoid his Movement Boosted lunge before it was too late. As he sailed through the air toward the ugly beast, he surprised himself by shifting Movement Boost from a body wide effect to just his shoulder and arm. At a speed far surpassing his rank, the blade pierced the manticore¡¯s hide. He was on its back, Profound Toxin gushing out from his shoulders like a pair of massive blue wings. The poison streamed down, flowing through its fur as it began to thrash. Had its tail been intact, Eik would have been full of holes by now, but without that and marred by the three versus one battle, the manticore didn¡¯t have the strength and speed to shake him off immediately. But it was still a B-ranker and Eik had to hold on for dear life as it bucked to throw him off. It felt like minutes before the toxin had reached all the way around the beast¡¯s torso, but it couldn¡¯t have been more than a few seconds. The moment he felt it connect, he solidified it with a thought. With his body and Viper Fang essentially fused to the back of the manticore, he was free to pump copious amounts of liquid toxin in through the stab wound. Adding the glittering blue mist to the mix, he let it surround them and flow eagerly into every wound in its body, even the smallest of scratches. His instinctual connection to the toxin let him sense its permeation through the manticore¡¯s system. It spread much faster than it had at E-rank. Eik gave it ten seconds before he triggered Accelerant to devastating effect. The internal explosion of otherworldly blue light threw the monster onto its side and Eik would have been thrown off if he hadn¡¯t shackled himself so securely. Instead he had all air forced out of his lungs. ¡°Eik, what the hell are you doing?¡± Travis shouted, his voice strained. ¡°Are you insane?¡± ¡°Just let me¡­ help!¡± he groaned breathlessly. ¡°I can¡ª I can take this guy no problem.¡± By the time the manticore stood back on unsteady legs he was already ready to activate Accelerant again, but Travis¡¯ voice stopped him. ¡°Eik! Watch out!¡± When he looked up all he saw was rows of fangs and a maw gaping to swallow. In what seemed to be impulsive self defense, Eik¡¯s unruly mount reared up and lunged weakly for its charging peer. The much healthier manticore¡¯s bull rush flung them both violently back, Eik only barely managing to cover the rest of his body in a layer of solid toxin before being crushed under the monster¡¯s colossal weight. They rolled over a few times before coming to a stop against a copse of trees. Eik dispersed the solid toxin into motes of mist, covering the area in a blue veil. Hearing the booms of combat, he hoped all manticores were once more occupied and climbed onto his mount¡¯s downed body. It was still alive but didn¡¯t seemed to be getting up anymore. Creating just a small disk of solid blue under his feet he got into a ready position and triggered Accelerant, the luminescent shock wave and a well-timed, lower body focused Movement Boost launching him skyward at dizzying speed. From up high he easily located the severed tail, lying in a crater, blood pooling at the bottom. Fortunately, the B-rank battle had shifted further into the wilderness, both Travis and Jake still fighting. The three manticores all sported wounds and burns, but so did the humans. He could only hope that none of them would be taken by a stinger again. The scout hadn¡¯t reappeared so it seemed likely that she was lying comatose somewhere. Deciding against going straight for the tail, he aimed for the stretch of forest she¡¯d been thrown into and pushed solid toxin into the rough shape of a pair of wings. He didn¡¯t possess the control to move and flap them like actual wings, but they let him glide with intent into the forest. As he made it in among the branches, he let the wings flow back into his body and leapt from branch to branch until he reached the ground.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Here and there trees stood charred, the smell of smoke hanging thick in the air. Considering the force with which she had been hurled away, she must have gone a fair distance. Soon he found a tree with a chunk ripped out of it, as if a cannonball had crashed through it. Another disfigured tree followed and then another behind which he found her lying in a deep groove, covered in soil and leaves. She was surrounded by monsters that were attempting to bite into her arms and legs. With her B-rank body most of the monsters could do little more than scratch her skin but a few of them were managing to take small, but concerning chunks out of her. If something like a C-rank beast came by to join in, she¡¯d be dead in seconds. Wasting no time, Eik leapt in and bisected two monsters with a single slash, simultaneously releasing a gigantic cloud of toxic mist. Once he felt the poison make contact with the unconscious scout he immediately ordered it to withdraw from her only. It took a couple of seconds, during which Eik cut down another three vermin, before they seemed to sense something baleful in their bodies, upon which they scattered. Using the mist as a connecting substance, Eik tried for the first time to trigger a mass Accelerant. Quiet booms echoed all around him and he felt the Profound Toxin fade from over a dozen systems at once. But there were still five systems within the mist that were reinvaded by poison. That meant five left alive. Excitement and adrenaline welled up in Eik like a wave, tugging at the corners of his lips and revealing teeth. Activating Movement Boost, he whirled like a shade to appear above one of the stronger monsters and stabbed deeply into its back, filling it to the brim with toxic liquid before dashing on to the next living being. The four remaining monster got the same treatment. Again he used the mist to ignite Accelerant. Sensing the toxin burst inside his victims felt so good. It was addicting. Poison already flowing from the grooves in Viper Fang, he dove for the final living system. Only one system left to invade. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get the knife to go deep. What strong skin. Profound Toxin worked quickly to soften the tissue enough for Eik to wiggle the blade deeper. What a powerful system. Human systems really were something else. So familiar. Wait, no. No, no, no¡­ Like a shroud falling from his eyes, Eik was suddenly looking down at his own bloody fingers clutching the handle of Viper Fang buried in the scout¡¯s stomach. He gasped and fell backward but rushed forth again and forced all traces of Profound Toxin out of her. ¡°Oh, no¡­ Oh, no, no,¡± he mumbled between ragged breaths as he tried to stop the bleeding, hands trembling unceasingly. The hope had been to save her, but all he¡¯d done was hurt her more. Keeping one hand on the wound, he fished out a handful of the homemade chunks of healing. She was a B-ranker and the effects on her high-ranked body would be minimal, but then he¡¯d just have to compensate with quantity. Unfortunately, when she wasn¡¯t conscious to chew and swallow, the wax clumps didn¡¯t work as fast as he¡¯d have liked. If only he¡¯d invested in a few high grade potions. Squishing a few of the clumps, he stuffed it into the worst of her wounds before picking her up. He ran for where the severed tail was and lay her on the ground. He took another Potion of Mighty Strength and with Viper Fang spent precious seconds breaking open the hard exterior of the stinger, hoping that this strange creature¡¯s venom was stored in the barbed bulb, rather than elsewhere. If it was magical like his the whole thing would have been for naught. He''d be clueless When the shell finally cracked he was relieved to see a viscous, light purple liquid ooze out. A few drops splattered onto his hand, one of them entering a still bleeding scratch. Noxious Invigoration immediately intensified noticeably and a momentary bout of drowsiness came over him before fading again. Perfect. He took out empty vials and a scraper and got to work, quickly falling into the delicate but familiar routine. Meanwhile his brain got a bit of space to think. Had his madness been the Worldbreaker exerting its influence over his mind? Fuck that. That could never happen again, but he was afraid that it might, regardless of how much he promised himself it wouldn¡¯t. The Worldbreaker was a force that grew along with him but faster. What if he never managed to wrest complete control of the murderous entity? He stowed away seven full vials in the rucksack and lifted the scout back into his arms. Her breathing seemed labored and her wounds wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding. Explosions still reverberated through the wilderness and didn¡¯t seem to be letting up anytime soon. There was no use in approaching. He would be useless in the fight. Travis and Jake, with their massively destructive powers would only be hindered by having him there to be careful of. ¡°Travis! Jake!¡± he bellowed at full lung. ¡°I found her! And I have the venom!¡± Seconds passed without an answer and he was about to run over there when Jake¡¯s voice reached him. ¡°Understood! Take her and head back! We¡¯ll finish up here!¡± Eik ground his teeth as he stared toward the battle where fire and lightning still tore through the air. ¡°Fuck!¡± he hissed and started running awkwardly with her in his arms. It took him a whole minute to get the idea to secure her to his back with solid toxin. All the way back he kept rotating clumps of poison and Potions of Mighty Strength. It was probably much more of everything than what he should be taking within such a short period, but that was a worry for later. Once he reached Mission Central, a D-ranked healer was immediately on her while a new B-ranked healer was fetched from his home. Ever since the dimensional expansion during which Eik himself had Awakened, many peak stage C-rankers had evolved and tripled Forest¡¯s population of B-ranker. That expansion had been the final piece for many of them. Assured that she would be well taken care of, Eik rushed home to begin synthesizing the lifesaving remedy. It would take some time but he was confident he¡¯d be able to solve it in the end. The past nine years had introduced a lot of new materials that could help. Not just with this, but other aspects of society, such as better building materials, metals for weapons and armor, more adaptable and fast-growing variants of old Earth plants, and much more. He ran through the garden and ripped the door open. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± he called as he closed the door behind himself. ¡°I¡¯ve got it! I found what I need so now I just have to¡ª¡± The rest never made it past his lips. Fingers still on the door handle, Eik stood frozen as he stared. Rock Fist Bart¡¯s eyes met his, hatred burning brightly as he stood over Olivia¡¯s body. Chapter 85: Natural Skill Evolution Olivia¡¯s face was a bruised and bloody mess. If not for her hair, Eik wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d have been able to recognize her. He couldn¡¯t draw breath. Everything stood still. Why? Why did she look like that? Why? Eik just stared, blood draining from his face as his brain tried to comprehend the scene before him. Slowly, subconsciously, blue bubbled up on his skin and rose into the air like a cat bristling its fur. Rock Fist Bart¡¯s fists were still dripping with blood. An ember of anger in Eik¡¯s stomach instantly grew into an inferno of rage. ¡°What?¡± Bart sneered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did your big mouth suddenly shrink up? Speak!¡± he roared. ¡°Bart¡­ Bart, what are you doing?¡± Eik asked, horror and fury somehow stripping all emotion from his voice. What in the world was going on? ¡°What am I doing? No, what are you doing? You think I can¡¯t see your true intentions under all that bravado?¡± the large man spat. ¡°O-Olivia?¡± Eik asked, confusion rife and not comprehending Bart¡¯s words. He stepped forward. ¡°Olivia, answer m¡ª¡± ¡°Not a step closer!¡± Bart screamed, slamming his fist into Olivia''s stomach, her unconscious body lurching in response. ¡°I¡¯ll kill her!¡± ¡°Eik.¡± For the first time he noticed that Sonja, Heath, Michael, and Michael¡¯s mother were in the kitchen. They held weapons and had clearly been there since before Eik arrived. In the corner a man was slumped against the cupboard. ¡°Guys?¡± ¡°Eik, he¡¯s serious,¡± Sonja said with a nod toward the back of the house. Eik craned his neck and saw a corpse collapsed against the wall. It was Olivia¡¯s mother. Tears blurred his vision. He couldn¡¯t see her face but her body was broken, blood pooling thickly on the floor. ¡°Are Atla and Mikla still at the alliance?¡± Eik asked, his voice returning to that strange calm. ¡°Yeah,¡± Michael said. With the extra protection granted by Mission Central through Travis, they now only made the occasional visit, prioritizing their actual duties back home. That had clearly been a mistake. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to have two guards?¡± he asked, eyeing the man sitting against the cupboard with his head hanging limply. ¡°Bart killed the other,¡± Sonja said gravely. ¡°He came in suddenly and overwhelmed us¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think anybody knows this is even happening.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Bart yelled, sweat visible on his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t speak unless I tell you to!¡± At a glance he hadn¡¯t noticed, but now Eik saw that Bart¡¯s face looked pallid and sickly. For a moment he didn¡¯t understand why but then he remembered the mist of Profound Toxin Bart had inhaled. ¡°You¡¯ve been encroaching for long enough!¡± The deranged C-ranker said. ¡°Does your father even know you¡¯re here?¡± Eik asked, his eyes constantly returning the broken body of the woman who had treated him like a son, even if he had had difficulty reciprocating. Profound Toxin sat in the back of his head, shrieking soundlessly for him to thunder forward. His words were steady, but inside he was a storm. ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m not my father!¡± ¡ª Bart¡¯s face was turning red and he looked ready to pop ¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t need his permission for anything!¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Bart¡¯s eyes seemed ready to pop out of their sockets as he goggled. ¡°Why¡­? Are you stupid? You¡¯re trying to take everything from me! You have been undermining my authority since the day we met!¡± ¡°Bart, do you really think this is going to solve anyth¡ª¡± ¡°If you, your fucking friends, and this bitch dies, then I¡¯ll be on top again! And I¡¯ll take over your potions as well!¡± he said, spittle flying everywhere. What the hell was going on here? There was something completely wrong with him right now. It didn¡¯t make any sense that the toxic mist had such a strange effect, especially not in such a small quantity. Eik took a couple of steps closer, hands raised placatingly, his eyes glued to Olivia. How bad were her injuries? She was so battered that he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Bart, please¡­¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t come any closer!¡± the man screamed, raising his fist to batter Olivia more. Activating Movement Boost, Eik blurred forward, leading with the tip of Viper Fang but Bart side stepped the attack and redirected his own fist into Eik¡¯s back instead. The floorboards broke under the force of his body and the momentum sent him bouncing off into the wall. He coughed and heaved but Bart was already coming again. Three quick punches threw him across the room. He watched Bart shuffle up, eyes crazed. He stuffed three clumps of poison into his mouth and washed it down with a Potion of Mighty Strength. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this,¡± the man growled and prepared a fist to crush Eik¡¯s leg. Heath¡¯s shield bashed the C-ranker in his exposed ribs, followed by a heavy blade which tinked harmlessly off Bart¡¯s gauntlet. ¡°Heathy, no,¡± Eik gasped and shot up to push Heath out of the way but wasn¡¯t fast enough. A thick shield of solid toxin shot out from his body and took most of the impact but it still sent Heath reeling back, the barrier of Single Protection breaking. Viper Fang drew a deep gash in Bart¡¯s arm, Profound Toxin diving into the wound like a burrowing snake. For a moment he gawked at the sudden increase in his opponent¡¯s power but it only seemed to anger him more. At this point he¡¯d started frothing, which was both alarming and mystifying. What the hell was wrong with him? The large man swung wildly, destroying the interior of Eik¡¯s house in the process. Even then, he was still a C-ranker and Eik couldn¡¯t avoid everything. In fact, more than half connected to some degree. The potion and the poison allowed him to survive the onslaught, but it wouldn¡¯t be long until both began to wane. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°You vermin!¡± Bart bleated. For a few more seconds he kept going but then a smirk flashed over his features. Eik leapt back to avoid another attack but Bart pivoted instead and leapt for Olivia once more. ¡°No!¡± Eik screamed but even with the buffs, Bart was much faster an got in a series of punches, slamming the slim woman through the table she was lying on. She spat up blood, staining the gauntlets when Eik slid a disc of solid toxin in to block the barrage. ¡°You¡¯re fighting me!¡± Bart giggled, his mind seemingly growing more lunatic by the second. ¡°You? You can¡¯t fight me! She could, but she never will.¡± Wings of blue roiled into the air and crashed down over Bart. Like a rock into water, a gauntleted fist ripped through and knocked him into the floor. The shield of poison wasn¡¯t fast enough to block it in time. Eik tasted blood and a sickening noise told him something wasn¡¯t right with his ribs. More blood came up to soak into the floorboards. Fragments of his wooden plaque plopped out of his shirt after it. He looked up again just in time to see a gauntlet crush Olivia¡¯s nose. A pulse ran through his body. Like one enormous heartbeat rocking his entire body at once. It caught him so completely off guard that he stumbled back onto his ass. Rage made him dizzy. Tears welled up in his eyes and he watched another fist buried in her gut. Olivia was being murdered. Three steps away she was being murdered and there was nothing Eik could do but watch. Bart wanted him to watch. Running for help would only make Bart kill her quicker. Eik had to do something but what could even be done. He was helpless. Another pulse. It almost felt like Accelerant. It shredded through his system like a flood through a sink pipe. It didn¡¯t quite hurt, but it felt like his veins would burst at the pressure. But none of that really mattered in the moment. All he could see was Olivia¡¯s bruised body. Heath came back loyally, Captain¡¯s Tower raised high. He stepped in front of Eik protectively but Bart instantly slapped the shield aside, the tank¡¯s body hauled along by the straps. Michael tried to catch him and immediately cast Heal. Sonja was nowhere to be seen and Eik could only guess that she had run for help. ¡°Stay out of my way,¡± Bart snorted, drool running down his chin, his words slightly slurred. ¡°I want him to see what I¡¯m going to do.¡± Eik saw red. His heart was racing away, threatening to jump out of his chest. A third pulse and then a fourth immediately after. They came in rapid succession now, the booms reverberating throughout his body. Starting from the tips of his fingers, his skin began to glow a bright, luminescent blue. It traveled up his arms and in under his clothes. It burned. It burned with the intensity of live flames. He groaned in pain. Bart paused his rain of punches and stared open-mouthed with some manner of macabre fascination. The expression on his face said he wasn¡¯t all there anymore. With the pain came a strength unlike anything he¡¯d ever felt. Even the hair that fell in bloody locks over his face shone gently. The pain never stopped but the power just rushed in. As the chaos within his body continued to mount, Eik lost control of the passive aura that kept status messages from being displayed automatically. According to Atla it would persist even through unconsciousness but something was throwing it off now. The wooden plaque was destroyed so when the message came, it etched itself into his arm instead. [Natural skill evolution ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Evolved skill (Unique) Profound Toxin. Skill acquired trait Backflow] Through the pain and rage he could barely read it. But something was happening and he wouldn¡¯t waste the chance. It was one of the traits he had passed on in favor of Accelerant. The trait must have been allowing him to circulate and be affected by his own toxin. Eik triggered Movement Boost and leapt. Before he had finished the thought, he collided with Bart, carrying the man bodily through the floorboards and into the earth below. A gauntlet came up but a solid sheet of toxin bashed his attack away and Eik delivered five solid punches to Bart¡¯s gut eliciting moans of pain. A boot kicked him back through the house but he flipped in the air and launched himself at the fighter again like a jet as something in his calf tore under the stress. Profound Toxin was pumping through his veins for the first time, Noxious Invigoration pushing his body beyond safe limits. Finally, Eik understood, at least somewhat, what he had been subjecting his victims to. What a horrid way to go ¡ª the feeling of one¡¯s body burning and decaying from the inside out. As his skin began to flake and fall off in patches Eik realized that this wasn¡¯t going to be sustainable. It had to be finished quickly and decisively. Bart was simply too dangerous. Eik¡¯s insane speed brought him to Bart as if by teleportation, and a single slash of Viper Fang severed the man¡¯s bicep like a loaf of bread. Unable to control the power, Eik rocketed past and only barely managed to catch himself on the kitchen counter, the force crushing the wood before he blurred again. Hatred and fear took his mind and Eik drove Viper Fang into the deranged man¡¯s lower back deep enough for the tip to peek out through the stomach. Profound Toxin gushed out and quickly filled Bart¡¯s abdominal cavity. With a bestial howl Bart fell to his knees, ignoring his stomach and arm but clutching his head in clear agony. Eik triggered Accelerant even as toxin kept flowing. The shock wave forced the knife out and Bart tumbled to the ground. His face was pale, bordering on green and he heaved once. Eik buried Viper Fang in his heart. A soft gasp was all the large man gave as his mouth bobbed oddly. Something was moving in his throat. A shrill shriek jolted Eik back as a long, wiggling, worm-like organism slid out onto the floor. From its maw flowed a substance like black tar. It looked completely alien with soft, reddish skin undulating as it struggled. Eight pairs of legs suddenly sprouted along its body on which it skittered toward the door. ¡°Kill it!¡± Eik shouted just as Heath¡¯s heavy blade bisected it. It screeched again before lying still. The teammates stared at each other for a long moment, unable to form words as the blue glow faded from Eik¡¯s skin along with the pain. Most of his skin was covered in what looked like burns and he felt weakened to the point of collapse. Then Heath was there to support him while Michael fed him some medicine, including Eik¡¯s own pain killers, and started with his Heal. Eik looked down at Bart. The crazed look had left the man¡¯s eyes and he just looked weary as his eyelids fluttered. With Viper Fang still in his chest, he was breathing his last. ¡°What the fuck was that thing?¡± Heath muttered, craning his neck to look at the disgusting thing. ¡°I¡­ have no idea,¡± Eik breathed. ¡°How long has it been inside him and what has it been doing to him?¡± ¡°That was n-not fuckin¡¯ n-normal,¡± Michael stammered. Even though he wore the helmet that helped him focus, with his fingers trembling as they were there wasn¡¯t much focus to improve in the first place. Exhausted, Eik gently shook off Michael¡¯s rejuvenating hands. ¡°Mikey, please take care of Olivia first. I just¡­ I just need to¡ª to rest for a little bit.¡± Heath carried him to his bed and laid him down carefully. ¡°I got it! I got the venom,¡± he said, a sense of relief washing through him, even with the horror of what had just happened still all too clear in his mind. ¡°I got it and I can save her.¡± ¡°Yeah, dude. You¡¯re pretty awesome,¡± Heath grinned. ¡°You know, I promised Torbj?rn I would protect her,¡± he said and snorted a laugh. ¡°As if I could fucking protect an unstoppable ogress like her. But here I am. She¡¯s gonna be alright now.¡± Eyelids suddenly very heavy, Eik found it exceedingly difficult to keep his eyes open. The edges of his vision began to darken. ¡°But what about S-Sarah? What about her mom¡­?¡± A rustle by the door pulled Heath¡¯s attention away and within a second, Jake¡¯s grimy face came into view above Eik. ¡°Eik, stay awake! Hey!¡± he said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s bad over here too!¡± he shouted to someone Eik couldn¡¯t see. But he couldn¡¯t stay awake. Eik was too sleepy. It would seriously just be a little bit and then he¡¯d definitely be all good again. The Unified Mass would learn not to fuck with Earth. [Start of Book 2] Chapter 86: Relief ¡°How¡¯s it coming along?¡± Eik smiled brightly as Olivia walked into the new Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs. Ever since she¡¯d recovered she¡¯d been spoiled by all of her friends, and she was enjoying it immensely. For the first few days after waking up from the coma she had taken it easy, brain fog making her languid and confused. At this point she had been treated thoroughly by a B-rank healer and the injuries she¡¯d sustained from Bart¡¯s senseless beating while unconscious. She insisted that she would be ready to get back into the thick of it very soon. Eik wasn¡¯t so sure that was a good idea. The grief from losing her mother had made her restless. She tried to act unaffected ¡ª the world was one were people died suddenly, after all ¡ª but to Eik she was easy to see through. Travis and Jake, who had made it back wounded but alive, as well as many others had helped keep her from the battlefield. But they couldn¡¯t hold her back forever. A B-ranker with unresolved frustrations wasn¡¯t good for anybody. ¡°I think I¡¯ve managed to build up a pretty decent supply by now,¡± Eik said and tapped a finger on one of several large, transparent glass flasks lined up on a table along the wall. Dark purple liquid swirled lazily inside. ¡°What¡¯s this? Like a thousand vials¡¯ worth?¡± Olivia asked, studying it up close. ¡°Something like that, yeah. But some of it is going to the market in Gimleh. I have to make enough back in alliance credits to buy at least enough ingredients to produce a portion equal to what I sell.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Eik looked down his arms, bandages covering every inch of skin. Even after a round of treatment by the same B-ranker that saved Olivia, the wounds simply reappeared as if Profound Toxin still ravaged his body. If nothing else it served as a reminder that the new Backflow trait of Profound Toxin was a force to be reckoned with. It had allowed him to directly take the life of a legitimate C-ranker despite being the equivalent of a D-ranker himself but had broken his body in return. He was almost certain that it was a matter of getting Resistance: Toxin to a point where it was strong enough to simply negate the destructive effects of the poison. Unfortunately, even though he had almost been killed by it, his Resistance: Toxin hadn¡¯t leveled up even once. Backflow combined with Noxious Invigoration might well be his strongest weapon in direct combat. Profound Toxin itself was of course strong enough to be effective against even an A-ranker, even when he had been only E-rank himself, something he found out during the Great Raid to bring down the lake serpent. ¡°Okay, I guess. Definitely getting better. My body still feels a little heavy but I can live with that. I finally slept through the night yesterday.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said and gave him a tight hug. Eik almost felt like crying with relief at her touch. "And what about Bart''s death? How do you feel about that?" He shrugged. "Alright, to be honest. It was a matter of time as far as I was concerned. Every time I met him, he was crazier, angrier, and stronger. I wasn''t going to let him kill anybody I love," he said, voice steady. "But I''m kind of surprised that nobody''s come after me for it." "First of all, for someone like Boulder Fist Gary, I doubt even his son''s death would be enough to announce in indirect defeat to everybody like that. His pride and power is priority one always. It''s been like that ever since I first met him." Eik nodded. "And," she continued. "now that I''m awake, you''re connected to this super alliance I''ve been told about, and your potions have shot you from relatively important to very important, they can''t just come after you." "Yeah... Thanks for waking up," he chuckled. ¡°What are you working on?¡± she asked, pouring herself a glass of water and looking over his shoulder as he went back to his project. Eik carefully dripped a stabilizer into the mix of ingredients through a pipette. With a spoon he mashed and stirred it until it had become more or less a soup. ¡°It¡¯s actually a pretty simple one for me at this point. It¡¯s supposed to make the body more resistant to damage. You know the Fortitude skill? Heath has it.¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, kind of like that.¡± ¡°How strong is it?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Beats me. First time I¡¯m making it. It¡¯s ideal for E-rankers, so¡­ whatever that means.¡± ¡°How does it work?¡± "Don¡¯t really know that either. Magic?¡± She ruffled his hair. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know that kind of stuff as the creator?¡± Grumbling, he pushed her hand away. ¡°This is not an exact science, Oli. I¡¯m just the guy who lucked into it. See this?¡± he said and showed her his palm, the thick, white Ak¡¯ki gathering obediently into a crudely shaped model of a tree that swayed as if in a gentle breeze. ¡°Controlling my ability and controlling this is essentially the same feeling.¡± She failed to hold back a smile. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re a D-ranker now when you weren¡¯t even an Awakened when I got hit. And everything that¡¯s happened since¡­ The world has changed so much in such a short time ¡ª and from what I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve done so much to help, even if not everybody can see that.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. She pulled him into another hug. ¡°I¡¯m just so proud of you, little Eik. And I know Torbj?rn would have been as well. He didn¡¯t want to put pressure on you but when it was just the two of us he was always talking about your future. How he just knew that you would become something big. Someone who would help others.¡± Tears threatened to break through and he wiped his eyes with the hand around her neck. ¡°You trying to make me cry, idiot?¡± he mumbled into her hair. She laughed. ¡°Maybe.¡± He could hear the tears in her voice. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not going to work.¡± The ingredients reacted slightly to the aura as he went back to the mix. This would not attack him, but it could break down and lose all power in an instant if he wasn¡¯t careful. A knock on the door almost made him put too much power into it. ¡°Can you get the door for me, please?¡± With his hand lifted to knock again, a young man stood on the step outside. ¡°Ah, yes, hello, I¡¯m looking for E¡ª¡± A shock seemed to run through him as his face froze in an expression that teetered between fear and disbelief. ¡°I¡ª, ah, uhm¡­ You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re Olivia Valkiri¡­¡± he finally managed to get out. ¡°One and the same. And you are?¡± ¡°I-I thought you were d-dead. You were always my favorite Awakened!¡± His eyes sparkled like little stars. Olivia chuckled. ¡°I was just out of commission for a while after a tough fight. My brother here made sure I got better though,¡± she said with a gesture to Eik who lifted a hand in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s the one you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Eik Magnasen?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Eik Magnasen¡¯s s-sister is Olivia Valkiri?¡± he stammered. Eik looked up, the corners of his lips twitching. ¡°Pretty much, yeah. What can I help you with?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Or did you just come to hang out? That¡¯s cool with me.¡± ¡°Right, no! My name is Robert Barnes. I was sent to officially request your presence at a gathering of the leaders of Forest. They¡¯ve been trying to get in contact with you for a few days but haven¡¯t been able to find you.¡± Eik nodded. ¡°Been running around between here and the alliance world a bunch.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± the young man said, his jaw falling hanging slightly loose as he stared obliviously. ¡°So, like, what¡¯s it like over there? I can¡¯t even imagine!¡± Eik arched an eyebrow. This guy seemed to be extremely prone to conversational tangents. But then again, who was he to talk? ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty Earth-like. Like, architecture and design. People have gardens, houses, and cafe¡¯s and stuff like that. It¡¯s not so different downtown.¡± ¡°Downtown?¡± the young man asked. ¡°Yeah, you know, because the gigantic palace as big as a major city is raised above the town like some kind of divine megalith. That¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°A palace?¡± Robert exclaimed. ¡°Did you get to go in?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m something of an important man around here, if you hadn¡¯t noticed.¡± Eik noted, Olivia nearly choking on her water as she tried to suppress a snort of laughter. ¡°What?¡± he asked with a glare. ¡°Have you met any aliens?¡± Robert asked. ¡°Yeah, all kinds. For example, I saw a guy that looked like he had evolved from an insect instead of a primate. Pretty wicked to see in real life.¡± ¡°Yo, what, that¡¯s crazy!¡± the young man whooped. Eik wondered if it was possible to hire this guy to play hype man for him everywhere he went. ¡°I know, right? Anyway, you said something about the leadership wanting to see me?¡± ¡°Yes, at the administration building near the city center. Shall I tell them you¡¯ll be there in, say, a couple of hours?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Wai¡ª Huh? P-Pardon?¡± Robert said with hesitation, his face turning into a question mark. ¡°That troop of sour old ghouls can drag their asses down here if they have something to say to me.¡± Olivia slapped him across the shoulder. ¡°I told you to stop talking like that, Eik. Be nice!¡± He pulled a face as he realized that he had to explain a few things to justify this one. He told her about the attack on Heath during the Great Raid, how a faction within Forest had harassed him, and how any sort of fair investigation of events had been thrown straight in the garbage. As he recounted his experience, his sister¡¯s face went from mild annoyance directed at him to a visage of fury with an entirely different target. ¡°They really did that to you?¡± she asked when he finished speaking. ¡°Yeah.¡± He kept his nose in the cauldron, trying to appear nonchalant. Robert, who was still standing in the open door, looked exceedingly uncomfortable and taken aback by what he¡¯d just heard. But then again, with how those snakes ran things, he doubted some young sproutling like Robert was really privy to anything going on behind closed doors. He was more than likely less informed than Eik himself. Olivia patted Robert on the shoulder, smiling apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to make you the bearer of bad news, but tell those stinky fart sniffers that Eik doesn¡¯t have to answer to them and that if they have a problem with that, they can take it up with me.¡± The young man¡¯s lower lip quivered as he tried to keep a straight face at the insults. If he worked for them on the daily he had probably already thought that and more. He bowed politely, to hide his grin if Eik had to make a guess. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll relay your words to Mr. Kerman precisely¡­ almost.¡± Robert left and Eik went back to work. Olivia just watched him concentrate. Seeing her alive was a greater relief than he could ever have imagined. Her presence alone filled him with such a sense of security and calm that he felt like he could take on anything. He also wanted to soon bring her into the small circle of people in the know about his Worldbreaker ability. After a few minutes he sat back. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Maybe I should ask Mikla to take me to my hometown.¡± She answered without hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Eik. From the moment I heard about fracture travel, I wondered why you hadn¡¯t done it already.¡± ¡°Oli, I¡¯m scared. What if they¡¯re not there? What if they¡¯re dead?¡± Suddenly his hands were trembling uncontrollably. She scooted her chair closer and put her arm around his shoulder. ¡°Both you boys agonized over it for so many years. Torbj?rn cried himself to sleep often, worrying about your family. I know you did too. After all these years it¡¯s been easier, but I know you still can¡¯t stop thinking about them.¡± He buried his face in his hands. She continued. ¡°All these ¡®what if¡¯s¡¯, Eik. It¡¯s too much to carry. You owe it to yourself to get some closure, even if it¡¯s bad news.¡± She was right. He knew that. Her exact reasoning had been on repeat in his mind ever since he¡¯d had that talk with Michael back at headquarters. He¡¯d known since the day Atla abducted him that a fracture could be the solution to his worries but with the ability to confront his fear suddenly at his fingertips, he had found it difficult to actually do it. ¡°How about we go together then?¡± she suggested. ¡°I only ever met your parents once and I miss them too.¡± ¡°Thanks, Oli.¡± *** The Potion of the Metal Body class 1 was completed and bottled in two and a half hours. It was a much more delicate creation process that Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 so he couldn¡¯t just burn through it by using the suppressive power of Profound Toxin. It would make it more difficult to mass produce in the same way. This product too was going to go faster than a pair of skis made of butter. He had made enough for a medium sized flask. Olivia was helping him stuff it into his rucksack of holding ¡ª a magical item he had promised to help her get her hands on ¡ª when there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he called. ¡°Mr. Magnasen,¡± Robert said as he stepped carefully inside. ¡°Excuse my brashness earlier. I¡¯ve been asked to pass another message to you.¡± ¡°They really can¡¯t get off their asses, huh?¡± the alchemist grumbled. ¡°What is it then?¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± he ahem¡¯d as he closed the door behind him. ¡°My name is Robert Barnes and I¡¯ve come to officially deliver a message on behalf of the leaders of Forest.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It is with the greatest pleasure that we inform Eik Magnasen of his reappointment as liaison of Earth as it relates to the dealings with the Nidafjeld Alliance.¡± Chapter 87: Mind Skulk ¡°No.¡± For a number of seconds, Robert simply stared. Then he swallowed hard and looked back down to a note in his hand and repeated his message. ¡°It is with the greatest pleasure that we inform Eik Magnasen of his reappointment as liaison of Earth as it relates to the dealings with the Nid¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Eik deadpanned. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Please, at least just con¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Eik, stop that,¡± Olivia said. ¡°Robert¡¯s not the one you¡¯re mad at here. Don¡¯t take it out on him.¡± ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m not interested in accepting their offer. They burned that bridge a while ago.¡± Robert shuffled nervously on the doormat. ¡°But, uhm, it¡¯s not exactly an offer per se¡­ As far as I understand, they have already reinstated you.¡± Eik nodded to himself. ¡°Alright. Then tell them I quit.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, you quit? But you can¡¯t just¡­ They already¡­¡± ¡°I would be subordinate to them if I accepted that position, would I not?¡± Eik asked. Robert¡¯s mouth bobbed open and closed as he tried to think of the response that would offer the lowest risk of leading to being forced to deliver bad news to his boss twice in the same day. But there wasn¡¯t much he could say. ¡°Well, I¡­ Yes, I believe you would. You would essentially be the messenger for the government in any dealings with the Nidafjeld Alliance and report to them on a regular basis.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry, Rob. That¡¯s just not going to happen. I¡¯ve met those guys before. They¡¯re all ego. Who¡¯s your direct superior again?¡± ¡°Uh, well, it¡¯s Darius Kerman but¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember him.¡± Eik muttered with a toothy frown. ¡°If I recall, he¡¯s the guy who called me incompetent, accused me of being a traitor looking to hand over humanity on a plate to the evil aliens, and refused to investigate a nearly fatal assault on one of my best friends.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I-I see,¡± The young messenger stammered with resignation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to make you the bearer of bad news again but it¡¯s just not going to happen, Rob.¡± ¡°I understand, Mr. Magnasen. I would think twice about it as well if I¡¯d been treated that way.¡± Eik raised an amused eyebrow. ¡°Should you be saying that to us¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± he tittered. ¡°I really need this job.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t tell if you don¡¯t,¡± Eik grinned. *** Olivia was already situated in a chair, sipping orange pear juice, by the time Eik arrived at Travis Lockwood¡¯s office. The corpse of the disgusting alien worm that had crawled out of Bart¡¯s mouth during his fight with Eik laid still bloody in a box on the table. A few minutes later Atla also came in. Jen called Travis in from the training ground in the backyard and when he came around, so did Boulder Fist Gary arrive. ¡°What is this guy doing here?¡± Eik asked with a scowl as the large, bald man took a seat. For a man who had only recently lost his only son, he appeared to be disturbingly calm in front of Eik all things considered. Olivia looked intensely displeased with his presence as well. ¡°I¡¯d really prefer to not see your face either, D-ranker. You murdered my son.¡± His voice was steady. ¡°Your son tried to kill my friends and family on more than one occasion! He died because he broke into my home and tried to murder my sister on your order! We acted in self defense.¡± ¡°My order?¡± the man bellowed. ¡°You¡¯d better watch your mouth with those baseless accusations, Eik Magnasen, or I¡¯ll make sure you have worse things to worry about!¡± Eik suddenly felt an intense heat on his arm and turned to see half of Olivia¡¯s upper body engulfed in flames. ¡°I already know how your faction treated my brother while I was unconscious,¡± she snarled. ¡°That stops now, Gary. You¡¯re done fucking around.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Give me a break, Olivia,¡± he grunted. ¡°You can¡¯t just start acting up all of a sudden. And he¡¯s not even your real brother. Your only connection is some dead guy.¡± Anger welled up in Eik like a storm at those words and an urge to pump the man full of poison and watch him explode suddenly dominated his mind from one second to the next. For a second he wondered if Profound Toxin had a hand in the bestial aggression, but he found himself unable to care whether it was or not. ¡°Was your son? Your real family, I mean. Because it sure as shit doesn¡¯t seem like it with the way you¡¯re sitting here like he was an egg sandwich I accidentally stepped on after you dropped it on the ground.¡± ¡°Fuck you, you little shit!¡± Gary shouted, getting up. Olivia got up as well, the fire spreading to her face and scalp ¡°How about¡­¡± Travis said as he stepped in between the two B-rankers. ¡°you all stop talking and sit down so we can get this party started.¡± ¡°I demand that Olivia Valkiri and Eik Magnasen be excluded from this meeting!¡± Gary hissed through gritted teeth. Travis looked back and forth between Gary and Atla, who was silently sipping her juice. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really think Ms. Atla is going to tell us anything if we throw out Eik,¡± he said. Atla nodded in the affirmative. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Then I demand that he gets thrown out!¡± Eik countered. Travis sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s also a bit¡­ It was his son and he¡¯s never gonna let it go otherwise. Let¡¯s just start. You said you knew something, Ms. Atla.¡± Atla drained the last of the juice and glanced into the box with a face painted in disgust. ¡°Right. We call these things mind skulks. They are a¡­ not uncommon tool of the cult that you''ve already met called Moon Shall Swallow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, cult?¡± Olivia said with a raised hand. ¡°Can someone clue me in real quick?¡± ¡°Inter dimensional cannibal cult. Creepy factor turned up to eleven. Likes to eat kids. Almost ate me a while ago, actually.¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡± Olivia blinked rapidly. ¡°Alright?¡± ¡°So what do these things do?¡± Travis asked. Atla picked the front half of the creature up with the tips of two fingers. It had a wicked spiral of teeth that seemed to make up most of its face. Two needle-thin tentacles hung out of a tiny hole in the center like a split tongue. Eik hadn¡¯t really gotten a good look at it before. It was repulsive. ¡°They burrow into the victim during sleep or unconsciousness, using a potent anesthetic to remain undetected,¡± she said as she pointed to the teeth. ¡°Once inside they start to affect the victim¡¯s behavior subtly, making them more aggressive. Less feeling. Less risk averse. Greedier. That kind of stuff. It¡¯s an effective way to cause disruptions and rifts in a society.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s to make it easier to establish control? That¡¯s it?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Essentially, yes.¡± ¡°How long has it been going on?¡± Atla shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t say. They plan infiltrations differently depending on size, stability, culture and such of the target society. They could have begun last week or years ago.¡± ¡°Are there more?¡± ¡°Worms? Or cult plants in general? I¡¯d guess yes to both.¡± ¡°Why did they choose my son?¡± Gary asked, ire clear in his voice. Atla pursed her lips. ¡°Relatively powerful. High social standing. Already full of ego. He was a perfect template, I¡¯m sorry to say.¡± Gary¡¯s jaw visibly tightened but he didn¡¯t say anything more, simply staring holes in the floor. ¡°Jen,¡± Travis began. ¡°Prepare for a thorough investigation. I want any relation to this Moon Shall Swallow cult wiped out as soon as possible.¡± ¡°That might not be a good idea,¡± Atla said. ¡°You have to go about it more quietly. The cult is slippery. If they realize that they¡¯re caught before you can end it properly, they¡¯ll just restructure and evaporate. You¡¯d have to start all over, and they¡¯d know you¡¯re looking. ¡°So what then?¡± ¡°You need the leader of the Earth branch. The instigator. If you get them, then there would be nobody to facilitate a restructure.¡± ¡°What about the rest of the cult?¡± Eik asked. ¡°It would take much longer for anything to happen again if you kill the head of their efforts on Earth. Anybody else would just be followers. The cult only wants one person with authority per invasion. Less friction in the ranks. Makes it safe but also very slow. You¡¯d have better time to build, prepare, and integrate further into the alliance for if and when they try again.¡± Travis narrowed his eyes as he nodded to himself. ¡°Jen, forget what I said¡­ If Atla is right, we might have to take it slow.¡± ¡°What, we¡¯re just taking orders from her now? From the aliens?¡± Gary exclaimed. ¡°You have a better idea?¡± Eik asked. ¡°We know nothing about this crap. You think we really have a choice here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of your barking, boy!¡± ¡°The only dog here is you, man.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s great,¡± Travis said tiredly. ¡°Now shut up. Gary, thanks for your input, but I¡¯m the head of Mission Central and my decision is final. I expect your cooperation on this.¡± ¡°What do you want to do, boss?¡± Jen asked, notepad ready in her hand. ¡°Keep an eye out for rumors, events, gatherings. That kind of stuff. This is all new, so we¡¯ll have to make adjustments as we go.¡± ¡°Will do, boss.¡± Just the way Jennifer spoke to Travis spoke volumes about what kind of superior he was. ¡°How many people know that there was a mind skulk in Bart?¡± Eik asked, a thought striking him. ¡°Ten? Fifteen maybe?¡± Travis said with a frown. ¡°Are we sure there are no cultists or plants among them? Who might now know that we found one of the mind skulks.¡± Travis bit his lower lip. ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m not sure of anything,¡± he sighed. ¡°But I think the best we can do is guard the secret for now, and then proceed with the hope that we¡¯re not compromised.¡± Eik nodded. ¡°How do we identify victims of the mind skulks?¡± Travis asked Atla. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult. There are certain anti parasitic drugs and potions that could expel them but they¡¯re not exactly healthy for the hosts either, and they''re expensive too. When they''re nested up they camouflage their presence almost perfectly inside the host. You¡¯d need a powerful sensory expert.¡± ¡°And if we just kill the host?¡± Gary asked, arms crossed. ¡°When a host dies, an integrated mind skulk will essentially self-destruct and leave behind almost no evidence of its existence. They¡¯re very difficult to discover, even after death. Sometimes it¡¯s easier to just accept that you can¡¯t find them.¡± ¡°But the one in Bart crawled out of his mouth before he died,¡± Eik wondered out loud. ¡°Why?¡± Atla gave him a long look before answering. ¡°That¡­ I have no idea.¡± Her eyes told him that she did in fact have an idea. And with a reaction like that, it was pretty obvious to Eik as well. The Profound Toxin he had mixed into the dust that he¡¯d blown into Bart¡¯s face must have had some kind of effect on the mind skulk in the man¡¯s body. Chapter 88: Visiting Friends ¡°Rumors?¡± Heath asked. It was hot. Almost unbearably so. Heath seemed completely unaffected by the temperature that had caused Eik¡¯s entire body to become drenched in sweat within a few minutes. And the noise too was deafening and constant. Perhaps excitement and anticipation of his new weapon had functioned as a sensory blocker last time Eik had visited, but it certainly didn¡¯t this time. As he stood there, sweat dripping continuously from his chin to the hot floor, Eik suddenly found himself extremely envious of the Temperature Regulation trait of Heath¡¯s Fortitude skill. ¡°Yeah, like, have you heard anything strange?¡± Eik asked, eyeing the door to the cool outside with a growing sense of desperation. ¡°Such as?¡± With a grunt, Heath slammed the forging hammer down upon the glowing slab of metal. His superhuman strength allowed him to dramatically alter the shape of the project with a single strike. ¡°Heath Wilson! Just what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± a voice yelled hoarsely through the blistering smithy. ¡°Benjamin, sir!¡± Heath yelped as he stood up straight, almost dropping the forging hammer onto his own toes. ¡°I apologize!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Ben to you, boy! Only my friends call me Benjamin and you¡¯re not my friend ¡ª you¡¯re my apprentice! Eik, boy, how are ya?¡± Andrew Brooks¡¯ father, Ben, was as loud and strict as Eik remembered. As the creator of Eik¡¯s first custom made weapon, he was a man Eik had immense respect for. Not only for his skill but also for his generosity. ¡°How¡¯s Viper Fang been treating you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been amazing, Benjamin. Great handling and the ducts direct poison as smoothly as butter. And how are you?¡± Eik replied with a cheeky grin aimed at his friend. ¡°I can¡¯t complain either,¡± the old man said before glaring at Heath. ¡°What are you apologizing for anyway, Heath?¡± For a moment Heath was at a loss. ¡°I, uuh, I¡¯m not quite sure, sir¡­¡± ¡°What kind of idiot apologizes for nothing?¡± ¡°¡­ This one, sir,¡± the tank said dejectedly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you a thousand times that the key to good craftsmanship lies in precision, keenness, and subtlety. Wacking away at it with those big loaves you call hands is just going to result in yet another piece of scrap destined for the backyard.¡± A thousand times was probably a bit of an overstatement considering that it was still Heath¡¯s first week as an apprentice in Ben¡¯s smithy. But at least he had already been allowed to start creating. The light of determination flashed in Heath¡¯s eyes as he returned to his work with renewed vigor. He had been admiring Viper Fang since the day Eik first showed it to him and the tank knew full well just how skilled his master was, even if that skill was taught with a tongue like a spiked whip. ¡°Eik,¡± Ben began but hesitated in the first open display of discomfort that Eik had seen from the man. ¡°My son, he, uuh¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something for you to worry about, Benjamin. Andrew and I will work it out between us in time. I know he had no ill intentions even if it didn¡¯t turn out great for me.¡± The stocky man grunted resignedly and patted Eik¡¯s arm before going back to his own work. Eik was lost in thought for a while before Heath spoke up again. ¡°So what kind of strange things did you mean before?¡± Eik tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Like, people being all weird, or something like that¡­¡± ¡°People being all weird?¡± Heath repeated with an arched eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, only, like, all the time, dude. We live in a post apocalyptic world full of monsters and people with superpowers. I¡¯d say people only do weird stuff at this point.¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°Do you really think they¡¯re here in Forest? Right now?¡± ¡°I mean, the mind skulk that climbed out of Bart¡¯s mouth is pretty damning evidence. We have no choice but to think they are.¡± ¡°What about the tournament the Nidafjeld Alliance is hosting? What was it called again, the Championship? Isn¡¯t it soon?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Are we going with everything that¡¯s going on here at home?¡± Eik made a face. ¡°Apparently it¡¯s a good opportunity to make friends and polish our image. It¡¯s an important step in arming ourselves against the cult in the long run as well. We kind of have to go.¡± ¡°Am I going?¡± Heath asked carefully. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Do you want to?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve got to try out this new sword I¡¯m making, don¡¯t I?¡± he said and clicked the forging hammer against the still glowing metal. ¡°That blade¡¯s not ready to be swung at a turkey sandwich, let alone a proper opponent, Heath,¡± one of the other artisans shouted from his workstation with a shit-eating grin. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Heath looked like a scolded puppy. ¡°But the boss might let you use one of the swords he made if you ask him nicely.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the tank exclaimed, his mood doing a complete one eighty. The artisan guffawed. ¡°The guy¡¯s a total softie once you get to know hi¡ª¡± Something collided hollowly with the man¡¯s head and ricocheted off into a corner of the room. ¡°Stop spewing crap, Richie, you loudmouth!¡± Ben shouted. ¡°So you won¡¯t lend me a sword, Ben, sir?¡± Heath said with puppy eyes rolled back into action. ¡°I¡ª No, that¡¯s¡­ I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let you pick one from storage to use for a little bit,¡± he said, clearing his throat repeatedly. Heath looked ready to cry from excitement when he turned sparkling eyes in Eik¡¯s direction. Eik was struggling to hold in a belly laugh. Heath had been the one worrying if Eik would stay on the team, but now it was Eik¡¯s turn to wonder if this passion for smithing might not pull the tank away with time. Next stop was the clinic where Michael helped out a desperate doctor treat more patients than they could manage. Eik was delivering another batch of his pain killers which had been praised by patients of the clinic as the best they¡¯d had since the fall of modern medicine. Until now, all that had been available was simple herbal medicine along with concoctions made with ingredients that had only appeared within the past nine years. It wasn¡¯t only monsters that had made an entrance on Earth. Novel minerals and plants were being discovered all the time. Unfortunately, the uses for such new materials could be difficult and even dangerous to discover. Besides new species, many existing species had also changed. The cocoa bean, for example, had grown much hardier which allowed for local cultivation and harvest. Cattle had begun to produce milk faster and in larger quantities. Many animals also appeared to grow and reach adulthood quicker than they would have on old Earth, yet their life spans did not seem shorter. On the contrary, many seemed to be healthy and hearty for longer than expected. It was almost as if there was something offering a helping hand to balance out the newly introduced danger in their world. And some people did think that this was evidence of an intelligent god. One who had decided to test humanity. Not Eik though. And when aliens from another universe suddenly touched down on Earth through an interdimensional space portal it had only made that possibility seem even more unlikely. ¡°Eik!¡± the head of the clinic called when he saw the alchemist in the door. ¡°Thank you so much! Can I place another order right away?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°What do I owe you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything. I love what you¡¯re doing here so this one¡¯s on the house.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t!¡± Eik smiled. ¡°We¡¯re on the same team here, so just accept it, alright.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you¡ª¡± ¡°Actually, there is something you can help me with. I heard there¡¯s a B-ranker hospitalized here. Her name is Lisa. Should be in recovery after a short coma.¡± ¡°Okay¡­?¡± ¡°Can I see her for a second? I¡¯m the one who brought her back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask her. Just a moment.¡± Eik was let in to see Lisa where she laid in bed, half eaten lunch on a night stand next to her bed. She looked healthy enough except for bone-deep weariness practically oozing off her. Apparently the envenomation had not had time to disperse properly and settle in her body, so she was fighting off some fatigue that the healers couldn¡¯t do much about. ¡°The man of the hour,¡± Lisa said flatly as she stepped in. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I saved you,¡± Eik said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be grateful or something? You could, you know, say thank you. Offer me the rest of your lunch, I don¡¯t know,¡± he grumbled all old man-like. ¡°I was there because of a deal you made with Mission Central.¡± ¡°Alright, true, but then I saved you so I guess it all balances out, right? Yeah, that¡¯s good.¡± He glanced at her stomach where he had stabbed her in a blood frenzy. It was as if he had become a different person in those moments ¡ª or perhaps something less than a person¡­ or something more. If she had been conscious when it had happened, he would have had a lot to answer for right now. ¡°What are you here for anyway?¡± she asked, rolling her finger in a gesture for him to get on with it. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Eik drawled as she made herself comfortable under the covers. ¡°I need you to do me a favor.¡± ¡°Why in the world would I do you a favor?¡± ¡°I was actually counting on your tearful gratitude to secure that one¡­ I¡¯ve already cleared it with Travis too. What a shame.¡± ¡°Travis said he wanted me to do it?¡± she asked, sitting up straighter. ¡°To the point of begging on his knees, yeah,¡± Eik deadpanned. ¡°Travis will fill you in on the details later, but you are to keep an eye on the goings on in Forest. Can I reveal sensitive information here?¡± he asked. After focusing her senses on the surroundings for a couple of seconds, she nodded. ¡°We¡¯re hunting a cult that has inserted itself into the population of Forest. We need to identify the Earth leader and eliminate them before they can retreat and regroup. Stuff like unusual gatherings and stuff like that. We¡¯re operating under the assumption that they don¡¯t know we¡¯re onto them, but be careful anyway. Everything else Travis will tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always careful,¡± she said. ¡°Yep,¡± Eik agreed with a pointed glance at the leg where she¡¯d been stabbed by the manticore. ¡°Was there anything else Travis wanted me to do?¡± Eik narrowed his eyes as he tried hard to remember. ¡°There was something, yes. He told me to tell you to get him a plate of that,¡± he said and pointed at her half finished lunch. ¡°You can just give it to me, then I¡¯ll bring it to him.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he said and hurried out of her room, high fiving Michael on the way out the front door. ¡°Mikey, I¡¯m spending the next couple of days at headquarters from tomorrow. We¡¯re doing the E-rank Crucible tests, excluding the practical, of course. Do you want to come?¡± Michael peeked into the clinic proper, expression conflicted. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to talk to the doctor first, but I¡¯d like to.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Eik said and went out into the sun. ¡°Talk to you later then.¡± Eik felt excitement wash through his body. The money from successfully clearing the Crucible challenges would support his growing business well. And he¡¯d be lying if he claimed not to have enjoyed the carnage of the last damage test. It was another chance to put his name in the ears of the important people of the alliance. And he had every intention of destroying the E-rank test as well. Chapter 89: Gohkamorian Delegation ¡°Where¡¯s Heath?¡± Michael asked, feet up on Eik¡¯s kitchen table with Mis lounging lazily in his lap. She had an uncanny ability to ingratiate herself with literally anybody she met and recently had even managed to recruit an alien named Mikla into her army of loyal cat worshippers. ¡°He should be just around the corner;¡± Sonja said as she peeked out the kitchen window. ¡°Ah, there he is!¡± The cling clang of the tank¡¯s heavy armor could be heard clearly a good thirty seconds before he even made it to the door. Pride radiated from him like the rays of the sun as he held a polished blade tenderly to his chest. Its features were the epitome of simplicity but the expert craftsmanship allowed the design to stand out as luxurious while the slight, gentle curves of the broad edge made it appear deadly and dangerous. If and when Ben Brooks became able to control Ak¡¯ki, he¡¯d be creating stunning pieces every day. ¡°Shall we then?¡± Mikla said and ripped a slit in space that swelled and expanded until a stable fracture hung humming in Eik¡¯s house. ¡°You,¡± Eik said sternly with a finger at his cat. ¡°watch the house while I¡¯m away!¡± They filed through, stepping out into the fracture hall on the other side. Another group was arriving on a platform directly adjacent to theirs. It appeared to be a rather large delegation with more than twenty individuals gathered by the time the fracture throbbed and closed as if swallowing its own mass. They were a big people, a few of them almost twice as tall and broad as the average human from Earth. They had tattoos and bore simple clothes made almost exclusively from leathers and pelts. Glittering jewellery drew the eye and created a strange contrast of apparent extreme wealth and crude primitivity. To a human ignorant of this giant species¡¯ deeds, they would be a novel and fascinating sight, but to Eik, the Gokhamorians ignited a primal urge in him to rip flesh from bones and fester and corrupt the deepest tissue of their bodies until they were no more. Heath noticed his teammate¡¯s reaction and followed his gaze, he too freezing when he saw who was arriving next to them. ¡°Those fucking bastards,¡± he hissed under his breath. The rest of them had stopped as well, tense as they observed the group of giants. ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± Mikla mumbled as he came through after them. ¡°The timing could have been better it seems.¡± Noticing their stares, a couple of the Gohkamorians stopped and raised hands in greeting. Their facial features made it difficult to tell what manner of expression they were making. Then again, even if it had been obvious, there was no way to know if a species with such radically different appearances from humans would read expression in the same way. Was a smile a smile? Or was it a sign of aggression? Sadness? Nausea? ¡°Are those uglies mocking us?¡± Heath whispered. Mikla stepped in front of them. ¡°Probably not. Guys, you have to remember that not all Gohkamorians are a part of this ongoing assault on Earth.¡± He glanced back over his shoulder at the delegation of giants. ¡°It¡¯s a big home world and they control a number of planets.¡± ¡°They control other worlds?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Just how powerful are they?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s actually fairly common, even for younger civilizations. Most worlds in the Unified Mass were never inhabited by intelligent species to begin with, so conquest is really only a matter of exploring them, claiming them, and then keeping them. It rarely involves anything more than clearing an area of monsters in order to establish a base of operations. Then you can expand from there.¡± ¡°Well, damn,¡± Eik said. ¡°Should we think about doing that too?¡± Mikla tilted his head from side to side as he thought. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a good idea. It¡¯s a great way to gather resources, for example. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re quite ready yet, but once you have some stronger Awakened and a certain degree of mastery over fracture creation and manipulation it¡¯s definitely a beneficial thing to consider.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Eik said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But to get back to the matter at hand, don¡¯t be too quick to make a move against this delegation.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Heath asked with a frown. ¡°As I said, they¡¯re not all directly involved with the government that decided to attack you. In the same way the four of you are not directly responsible for the actions of the Forest leadership, which you even oppose at times, you can¡¯t expect every Gohkamorian citizen to be involved in this.¡± The Earth team all looked dissatisfied with that reality but none of them could think of anything to say against it. ¡°Some of the Gohkamorians over there might know all about it, while others could just be some eager, talented youngsters looking to prove themselves at the Championships without even being aware of what¡¯s going on on Earth. Don¡¯t be too quick to start something ¡ª especially when you¡¯re at headquarters.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As the Gohkamorians started to head for the door, through which they would definitely have to duck deep, a woman emerged from the small corner office. She offered the Gohkamorian delegation a polite wave as she passed them on the way to Eik¡¯s group. ¡°Ihasu!¡± Eik breathed, resisting the urge to glare at Mikla whose shit-eating grin widened to reach his ears the moment Ihasu approached. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She looked at him with confusion. ¡°Well, Eik, I work here.¡± ¡°Ah, right, yeah, I knew that,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m Heath,¡± Heath said and stepped up to shake her hand. Sonja and Michael followed suit. ¡°Who are you?¡± the tank asked. ¡°My name is Ihasu of the Ougi clan. I often help tend to the fracture halls. I¡¯m hoping to specialize in fractures myself, once I become stronger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already showing great promise,¡± Mikla said. ¡°Her grasp of the theory always impresses me.¡± Ihasu blushed slightly at the praise. ¡°Thank you. You teach me much.¡± ¡°I thought you already were a fracture specialist,¡± Eik remarked. ¡°No, I¡¯m only at D-rank, so I¡¯m not strong enough to handle that kind of power yet, let alone allow people to travel through a fracture opened and controlled by me. It would collapse instantly.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re D-rank, then you and Eik are the same rank!¡± Heath exclaimed, elbowing Eik in the side. ¡°You evolved?¡± she said smiling brightly. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Eik laughed nervously. ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± ¡°Is that why you came to headquarters?¡± Mikla nodded. ¡°I¡¯m taking them to the Crucible. E-rank this time.¡± ¡°E-rank?¡± she asked, eyes narrowed with a glance at Eik. ¡°They¡¯ve only gone through some of the F-rank tests so far, and only Eik is D-rank.¡± ¡°And the practical?¡± she asked. ¡°They already did the E-rank practical a while ago. Passed with flying colors too. Are you off work now? Want to tag along and watch?¡± ¡°W- Watch us?¡± Eik managed to stammer. ¡°Watch us do the tests?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Mikla smirked. At this point, Heath had caught on as well and nodded his support vigorously. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go!¡± she said. ¡°Let me just go and get my things from the office. Give me a second!¡± The second floor of the Crucible building, which was reserved for all E-rank tests and practicals, was considerably less crowded than the first floor for F-rank. Considering the fact that many people never made it past F-rank, it really wasn¡¯t a great wonder that the traffic was slower up here. First and second floor were designed almost identically, down to the lobby and caf¨¦ built into the wall. Even the tables were arranged similarly. They picked up some food on the way to the testing grounds ¡ª Mikla¡¯s treat ¡ª and stepped through. Judging by the environment, the Crucible tests for both F-rank and E-rank were built on the same world. Would all the other ranks be here as well? ¡°Do we just run them in the same order as last time then?¡± Michael asked as they walked along a well-trodden path leading from the fracture to a central plaza equipped with benches and tables for participants and observers to take breaks between attempts. ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s the best way to do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to do the healing test as well this time, if possible,¡± Michael said. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°How about one for alchemy?¡± Eik chimed in, hopefully. ¡°No such thing, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Mikla said. ¡°But there are plenty of competitions to join if you¡¯re interested in that. I know that the Alchemist Guild of Gimleh are hosting one, for example.¡± ¡°Really? Sign me up!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to do that yourself, Eik,¡± Mikla said, eliciting a laugh from Ihasu. As they walked to the first arena, Eik¡¯s teammates signaled for him to let Mikla and Ihasu walk ahead and came in to talk in hushed voices. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you¡­ about that thing you did when you fought against Bart. Your skin glowed blue like the Profound Toxin.¡± ¡°Backflow? Yeah, that was¡­¡± ¡°It was totally crazy,¡± Michael finished for him. ¡°You wrecked Bart, that¡¯s for sure, but damn if that ability didn¡¯t also wreck you.¡± ¡°Wait, did you say Backflow?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that one of the evolutionary traits available when Profound Toxin evolved after the Great Raid? Did it evolve again already?¡± Eik chewed on it for a moment before answering. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that ever since as well, actually. It didn¡¯t evolve again. The notification I got called it a ¡®natural skill evolution¡¯.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue,¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before either. But that short activation alone was enough to give me three levels in Profound Toxin. It''s level 44 now. My Movement Boost is also level 20.¡± ¡°Seriously? Is it unique to Worldbreaker abilities or can I get one of those too?¡± Heath asked excitedly. ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t know anything about it. We could ask Atla or Mikla but I¡¯m not sure if I should even mention this to them. People are already suspicious about how Bart is dead when he was a C-ranker against us. Logically, he should have absolutely annihilated us in that fight.¡± ¡°What have you told people?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Nothing, basically. I just kind of try to avoid the topic. Travis and them already know about the mind skulk and how it apparently behaved oddly by crawling out of its host on its own like that. I just said Bart was acting strangely because of it and that it gave me the opportunity to go for the killing blow.¡± ¡°Are they buying it?¡± ¡°I guess?¡± Eik said hesitantly. ¡°They don¡¯t know any better so they kind of have to believe me.¡± ¡°But you know something they don¡¯t?¡± Sonja pushed. He bit his lip, conflicted. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I could be wrong¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Bart came to my new store a few days before and demanded my loyalty, my potions, my everything. You know how he was,¡± he said to nods. ¡°Well, he pissed me off so when I kicked his dumb ass out of my store I sort of misted him a little bit with, uh¡­ with some Profound Toxin. Not much, though, I swear!¡± ¡°And you think that might have affected the mind skulk¡¯s behavior?¡± Sonja said, desperately resisting rolling her eyes. ¡°Probably, yeah. Profound Toxin does some weird stuff sometimes. I think that might have been why he suddenly came after us at my house like that. Sort of a fight or flight response from the parasite inside him, maybe?¡± Michael nodded. ¡°And he chose fight. It makes sense. He was always greedy and egotistical, but what happened back there was insanity.¡± ¡°So what does Backflow do specifically?¡± ¡°As far as I can tell,¡± Eik said. ¡°It basically pumps Profound Toxin into my own body in a state where it can affect me. Since I also have Noxious Invigoration, which makes me stronger based on toxins present in my system, it sent me into some kind of super drive.¡± ¡°But because it¡¯s so potent, your body also couldn¡¯t handle it,¡± Michael finished. ¡°I essentially started to die, yeah,¡± Eik nodded. ¡°So if you increase your Resistance: Toxin skill?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I mean, I guess I would become able to tolerate it,¡± Eik guessed. ¡°And Backflow didn¡¯t give any levels to Resistance: Toxin?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Not that I can tell, no.¡± They began to descend the steps to the arena, the architecture of the place identical to the F-rank area. ¡°You¡¯re not going to use Backflow for this then, are you?¡± Michael asked. ¡°No,¡± Eik said, grinning. ¡°I don¡¯t need it to destroy the damage test again.¡± Chapter 90: Defensive Test Just like how it had been set up down at F-rank, the E-rank endurance test consisted of an Awakened specializing in close quarters physical combat paired with a support type debuffer who would cast enfeebling magic on the fighter to bring him down below his actual level. Neither of them were the same two people who had conducted the test when the Earth team had gone through at F-rank, but the close quarters specialist at least was still a C-ranker. At the start of the test he would start out weakened to the point where an average E-ranker should be able to withstand his blows without too much difficulty. Then, as the seconds passed, the supporter would gradually lighten the strength of the enfeebling debuff until it was completely lifted. The longer the examinee lasted through the onslaught, the better the score. The only difference between E-rank and F-rank was to what degree the C-ranked physical fighter was weakened at the zeroth second. A proficient healer was on standby to address any serious injuries and help the participant to quick recovery so they could take the other tests to the best of their ability. ¡°If I have to do it again, then I want to go first this time,¡± Michael said and pushed in front of an eager Heath and a resigned Sonja. ¡°The worst part of it is to watch what¡¯s going to happen to me.¡± Eik didn¡¯t mind going last. When it became Michael¡¯s turn, his nervous demeanor from the F-rank test had been replaced by something closer to hardened determination. He definitely still looked like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else but the stoic tolerance was a different attitude on him entirely. The use of defensive equipment like shields and thick armor was not permitted so when he stepped up onto the arena, Michael took a low stance and crossed his arms in front of his body and face begun Healing himself with both hands before the timer had even begun. The moment he began to receive damage he would already be treating it. While the healing itself wouldn¡¯t do much to alleviate the damage over such a short period, the Galvanic Fortification trait of his Heal ability would provide his body with better surface defense. The first fist from the weakened C-ranker took him in the shoulder and one hand immediately went up to begin focused Healing there. Next was his face which was covered by the other hand. The leather helmet, which he got as a reward from the rescue mission, that helped focus his healing had also been confiscated before the test began but he had seen the small shield as a greater loss. In the end his stoic and defensive approach actually allowed him to last longer here than he had managed back at F-rank with a score of eleven seconds compared to the precious eight, even though he¡¯d been further into F-rank then than he currently was in E. He looked satisfied with himself when he stepped back down. Sonja was up next and her face was a mask as she got into a ready position. She had nothing that could really be utilized defensively in a situation where she was rule bound to stay still and take the attacks. Disengage was excellent for avoidance in real combat and had saved her life a number of times already but it was useless now. She went down in nine seconds ¡ª less than half the time she had managed to last when she¡¯d challenged the F-rank test at E-rank. When it was his turn, Heath confidently handed the Captain¡¯s Tower to Eik and took off the heavy plate he¡¯d been wearing since they left Earth. He was quite a bit bigger than the C-ranker who would be beating on him and when he stood tall in front of the fighter, Heath almost looked like the one who was about to start swinging. He assumed a boxer¡¯s defensive stance, curling in on himself to protect as many vital points as he could without performing any outright evasive moves. In the first few seconds he didn¡¯t seem to be much bothered by the attacks but after ten seconds he was struggling. The force of each punch was such that he was lifted off the ground outright. Around fourteen seconds his knees buckled and threatened to fail. In the end he collapsed on the twenty second mark. Eik high fived Heath as he passed him on the way up the steps to the platform. Managing almost twice the second best time among the E-rankers on their team was truly a testament to Heath¡¯s ability as a tank. Eik was not looking forward to this. He didn¡¯t dread it exactly ¡ª pain and injury was slowly but surely becoming an unpleasant but somewhat tolerable part of his daily life ¡ª but he¡¯d really rather be eating or sleeping or just lazing about. He might well call fighting fun but this was not fighting. It was a one sided beatdown performed to prove a point. And to make some cash, of course. It¡¯s just that¡­ well, he¡¯d really have appreciate it if the one receiving the beating hadn¡¯t been him. Maybe he could persuade Heath to go again? He seemed almost high on pain. The guy was nuts, man. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. A thought struck Eik and he pivoted to go back down the short staircase, leaving the C-ranked fighter and the support specialist confused. A few onlookers snickered and Eik heard their guessed as to what was happening clearly. It didn¡¯t seem like they were trying to hide it anyway. They assumptions could be summarized into fear, insecurity, cowardice, or a healthy mix of all three. ¡°Mikla,¡± he said, beckoning the fracture specialist over. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got a bit of a question about the rules.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t imagine it would be a problem to ingest poison. You got permission easily, so let¡¯s just assume that the consent carries over until they say otherwise.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I was already going to do that. This is about a more¡­ direct ability.¡± ¡°Your Toxin?¡± Mikla asked. ¡°Right,¡± Eik said with a slow nod. ¡°At D-rank a few things happened that changed what I can do with it.¡± ¡°Okay? What are you asking me?¡± the B-ranker asked. ¡°I know I¡¯m not allowed to move, but is my ability allowed to move? Like, would a barrier user be allowed to move his barrier around to block the attacks?¡± Mikla considered it for a moment before he answered. ¡°Well, yes, they would. Anything that¡¯s manifested as a result of an ability can generally be used to the fullest of its potential, so long as it doesn¡¯t move your body or make it physically impossible to hit you, for example. If you¡¯ve become capable of making your body incorporeal or something like that, then that¡¯s definitely against the rules.¡± ¡°Nothing like that. Just something like a barrier.¡± Eik lifted a finger and let a string of Profound Toxin slither out like a charmed snake. With a thought, the tip widened into a bulb the size of a fingernail and hardened to the maximum. Mikla flicked a finger against it, eliciting a hollow tink almost as if it had been glass. ¡°Yeah, this is probably fine. They¡¯ll tell you if it¡¯s not anyway.¡± ¡°Sweet,¡± Eik exclaimed and leapt up onto the platform again. The support specialist cast his enfeebling magic of the fighter as Eik lowered his stance to stabilize himself for the onslaught. Six rope-like tendrils of luminescent blue extended from Eik¡¯s body. Four from his hips dug rammed forcefully into the tiles of the platform to support him on the ground like a living chair. The last two sprouted from each of his shoulders respectively. With them he created two thick and extremely mobile shields that he swished through the air in front of him to test the mobility. He hadn¡¯t been able to control the wings very well during the battle with the manticores, but those had been larger and more complicated to get right. This was just stationary slabs of solid toxin attached to tentacles. ¡°Alright,,¡± he said calmly, eyes only just peeking over the edges of the twin shields. He popped a single chunk stuffed with a poison blend including just a hint of manticore venom. Despite thorough testing, the initial wave of drowsiness worried him but it faded in seconds as Resistance: Toxin cleansed it, leaving only the effect of Noxious Invigoration. ¡°shall we get down to business, gentlemen?¡± The C-ranker huffed and launched himself forward without a word. His first hit, barely at the strength of an average high F-rank Awakened, Eik literally couldn¡¯t feel hit his shield. In fact, it took almost five seconds before the impacts began to connect with enough force to reverberate noticeably through the solid toxin. ¡°Fifteen!¡± the judge announced, five seconds from the time Heath managed to stay standing, and Eik gradually began to feel the punches in earnest. As the weakening spell waned and the fighter reached the cusp of E-rank, he started to utilize some footwork that diversified his angles of attack to the point where Eik now had to actively move the blue plates to block. At thirty seconds, the fighter was well into D-rank and his attacks now rocked the plates good with each impact. Eik was not yet close to going down, but it was only a matter of time. Frustration was clear on the C-ranker¡¯s face and a nasty grin briefly crossed his lips as he felt his strength pass the threshold to C-rank. Most of the examinees probably went down before ten seconds, so for the examiner it must have been a mix of satisfaction and annoyance that this particular round had dragged to this point. It had gotten personal for him. At some point the two barriers cracked and shed under the immense pressure of the punches that now rained down upon them with blinding speed. The examiner didn¡¯t even bother to flicker about to get angles on Eik anymore. The shields were holding up too well and his eyes showed a stubborn determination to prove that he was, in fact, capable of breaking them. An enormous chunk came off one of them and a spine shivering realization struck Eik. These shields were much sturdier than his body. That they were now breaking was a very bad omen of what he himself was probably about to experience. ¡°Uh, hey, guy,¡± he tried. ¡°Hold up for a second.¡± The onslaught only grew more violent and Eik had to resist taking an instinctive step back. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± he repeated, louder. Another huge fragment broke and Eik realized that the situation was genuinely dangerous. A single hit might not kill him outright, but it wouldn¡¯t be fun. And judging by the fact that nobody had stepped in, he was probably correct to believe that he wouldn¡¯t die. Abandoning one of the shields, he instead willed the toxin to flow around his body like an exoskeleton. The C-ranker was only going to grow deadlier with each second Eik let him continue, so he redirected what was left of the last shield toward his body as well, reinforcing the body armor further. As the first direct hit connected, Eik was struck by another displeasing realization. He had forgotten to release the four spindly supportive limbs growing from his hips so instead of being thrown back by the impact to end this thing like he had hoped, they simply cracked. It took another strike to break them properly and then another to actually send him flying. The next thing he knew, some guy with a thick ass beard was standing over him, examining him with narrowed eyes, soothing light streaming brightly from his hands. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re alright, you¡¯re alright. Up you go!¡± he said and hauled Eik onto his feet where he wobbled unsteadily for a few seconds, only managing to stay up by hanging onto the man¡¯s shoulders like a newborn chimpanzee. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s¡­ What¡¯s my score?¡± he stammered. ¡°Fifty one seconds!¡± Chapter 91: Setting Expectations ¡°Fifty one seconds!¡± Michael exclaimed excitedly. Heath pulled Eik¡¯s arm over his shoulder as Sonja looked on with a smile. ¡°Solid strategy, Eiky,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, that was nuts. He pummeled you good at the end though. What a treat,¡± Heath laughed good-naturedly. ¡°Fifty one!¡± Eik breathed, unsteadily trying to keep his legs under him. ¡°Hot dog! I guess it¡¯s time to go home then. I¡¯m beat! Literally.¡± ¡°Nope, we¡¯re going straight to the next one,¡± Heath said and dragged his toxic friend toward the stairs, Eik¡¯s feet doing none of the work. The crowd parted as they passed, all eyes on Eik whose performance had outmatched all other participants. ¡°That was clever use of your ability Eik. Your Toxin is going in all sorts of interesting directions, I must say. It¡¯s always fun to see abilities evolving in new ways,¡± Mikla praised. ¡°Does that happen often?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°Seeing skills and their variations that you¡¯ve never witnessed before?¡± ¡°There are countless abilities, traits, and evolutions out there, so yes, quite. In the lower ranks, especially on new worlds like yours, a lot of abilities are very similar because of both natural limitations but also because of a lack of knowledge. Fractures, for example, are not something you just stumble upon. Spatial manipulation to such a degree is a result of meticulous practice, study, and selection,¡± the B-ranker said. ¡°It¡¯s not strange that Eik might have stumbled upon something special,¡± Mikla continued but paused momentarily. ¡°Although I must say, what you have here Eik ¡ª the way you use your skills and the sheer destruction you¡¯re capable of dishing out ¡ª I honestly don¡¯t know what to say. It¡¯s like you¡¯re playing above your rightful power level. It¡¯s very, very impressive.¡± Halfway up the stairs, Eik began to walk on his own again. ¡°Tell me again why we always do this test first?¡± Eik complained. Mikla shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, but most people prefer to get it over with early.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he grumbled. ¡°When we get to the damage test, it¡¯ll be my turn to kick ass, at least.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pretty confident guy, huh, Eik?¡± Ihasu said as she came up on his side. ¡°Yeah, until it all goes wrong, sure. It¡¯s a bad habit.¡± She chuckled. ¡°That was an interesting use of Toxin, though. I¡¯ve never seen anyone turn it into a defense specialization.¡± Eik glanced over at his friends who did their best to hold back grins. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just not exactly¡­ You know what, I¡¯ll show you later,¡± he mumbled. She arched an eyebrow in clear puzzlement but didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. The speed test for E-rank was about three times as wide as the F-rank arena had been. Otherwise the arrangement was largely the same. Eight pillars made up the course, the numbers one through eight painted on the surface in large, red characters. The goal was simple. Reach each pillar in the order of the numbers painted on them in the fastest time possible. Like the endurance test, external beneficial effects, magical armor, or beneficial items were not permitted during the testing. The test taker was allowed no help except their own abilities and body. Again, Heath stepped up as the first of the Earth team once everybody before them had gone through. He wasn¡¯t particularly interested in this test so he simply wanted to get it over with. When Eik had first met the tank, he¡¯d been chubby and round faced with a large body that seemed unfit for combat. The guy that was running up there was still large but now that size was composed mostly of muscle. His red cheeks hadn¡¯t changed at all though. His form was alright. Neither clumsy nor particularly smooth. His speed did leave something to be desired though, compared to some of the other E-rankers they had seen up there thus far. The man was a born tank and he was lucky that that was what he aspired to be. Heath, whose movement abilities could be counted on no hands, because the number was zero, ran the course in eighty one seconds ¡ª a score slower than any of the other participants they¡¯d seen run it. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to work on your speed and mobility, Heath,¡± Sonja said somberly as her brother rejoined them. ¡°I know, I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing my stretching routine with me starting tomorrow,¡± she ordered. ¡°Sis, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s going to have an ef¡ª¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°End of discussion,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Fine¡­¡± he grumbled. Sonja stepped up and immediately signaled for the judge to count her down. The moment the start was called she exploded forward with the same surreal grace as she¡¯d shown before. Neither sibling had ranked up since they¡¯d gone through the F-rank version of so not much had changed, but Eik still couldn¡¯t look away. The control she had of her own movement was insane to look at. Maybe he should volunteer for that stretching routine as well. Like she¡¯d done in the F-rank test, she utilized her Disengage ability to catapult her through the course a couple of times when the cooldown allowed it. In the end she finished in fifty seven seconds, which was in the high end of average results as far as they could gather from the reactions of the onlookers. ¡°Well done,¡± Mikla praised when she came back. ¡°That mobility will save your life many times in the future I imagine. Michael, you¡¯re up.¡± The healer ascended the platform as several golden strings about as thick as a pencil extended from his palm and hung down loosely. He too had no movement abilities but it seemed he had a plan to do something. Due to the simple fact that most people tended to have at least one ability or evolutionary trait that could help them move faster in one way or the other, Michael¡¯s speed was clearly below average. He was neither fast nor slow. When he ran, he looked like an ordinary man running on old Earth, but at a velocity that would have gotten him locked up in a research lab. As he approached the first pillar, his plan became apparent. Whipping the strings out and around the wood, he caught the ends and swung himself around with a momentum that must have gained him about a second. He repeated this at all subsequent pillars and finished in sixty nine seconds. It was neither a bad nor a good time. He looked satisfied as he hopped down again, Heath clapping him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t use Backflow, Eik,¡± Michael muttered as he passed. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Of course not! It¡¯s too difficult to control without almost killing myself. I¡¯m not totally out of my mind, you know.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Michael said cheekily. ¡°Jerk,¡± Eik chuckled as he stood on the starting point. Surely, if he learned to control the trait a little better, he could use it even in less extreme situations. Back in the fight with Rock Fist Bart, Profound Toxin must have flooded his system in order to produce an effect so powerful that it effectively raised his strength by a whole power rank. Clearly that meant that a lower dose would result in a softer power up and thus a more forgiving erosion of his body. Perhaps a renewal of his old daily poison drinking routine was in order. Although he¡¯d definitely have to up the potency of his collection if it was to have any chance of benefitting. He took another chunk of poison, fighting off the momentary drowsiness. For a second the wooden plaque inside his shirt began to vibrate as something was etched into it before the passive aura suppressed it. He pulled it out and lifted the effect of the aura. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¨C Lv. 30] Speaking of. A sign from above, if one believed in such things. He let the aura return and got ready to run. He started off strong with Movement Boost, dropping the ability only when he was about turn a pillar. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d passed the fifth pillar that the cooldown forced him to run without the boost. As a D-rank equivalent Awakened, nobody was particularly surprised when Eik crossed the goal in sixteen seconds. Even before they had left the arena, Eik¡¯s heart was racing with excitement for what was coming next. Just like on the F-rank floor, the platform for the damage test was surrounded on all sides by people, numbering more than thrice the other arena. Because this was where a lot of Awakened could really unfold in spectacular ways, it drew in people like bees to a can of coke. That also meant that the wait was considerably longer, which gave them the opportunity to watch other Awakened fight. The monster this time was a gigantic armored, amphibian-looking beast measuring at least twenty meters in length. Shackled, it sat frozen in stasis like a sphinx while E-rankers wailed on it endlessly, even less capable of harming it than the F-rankers had been against the B-rank ogre. Of the Earth team, Michael went first and bashed away furiously with his heavy mace, but walked away with a score of 5134, which showed that he had definitely become stronger after the rank up. Relative to other E-rankers, however, he actually placed lower than he had at F-rank. Heath¡¯s strategy also hadn¡¯t changed. Aiming for the softest spots between the impenetrable body armor in the monster¡¯s body, he hacked and slashed with all his power, weaving in the occasional Unerring Strike whenever cooldown allowed for it. With training and experience he¡¯d managed to pump his numbers up by a few hundred points, coming in at a 7206 compared to his previous 6748. Sonja was the only one of the three E-rankers with new offensive capabilities to test out since last time. Both her new Bow of the Squall from the rescue mission reward, which pushed her arrows to greater velocity and penetrative power, as well as the evolved trait of the Archery ability, Boosted Arrow would hopefully inflate her score significantly. As she waited for the judge to announce the beginning of her one minute, she pulled back Bow of the Squall to its full length, the string digging into the flesh of her fingers. When she activated the Boosted Arrow, an immaterial arrowhead of energy overlayed itself onto the projectile. It hummed and shimmered in the air. She let it fly and the arrow ripped audibly through the air and slammed into the soft skin of the monster with a loud thud, burying the shaft up to a quarter of its length. She followed it up with an absolute barrage of arrows, most of which barely managed to penetrate. Presumably the extremely precise readings of the damage would still translate it into accurate numbers. When her minute was up her face brightened like a sun when her score was announced. 10208. ¡°What a jump in power!¡± Mikla told her when she returned. The rest of them joined in with enthusiasm, even Ihasu applauding her form. She ate up the praise hungrily, her usually controlled demeanor falling away. ¡°Think you can top that, Eik?¡± Ihasu asked. He side-eyed her. ¡°You do know I¡¯m D-rank, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man,¡± Heath commented, barely suppressing a grin. ¡°That Boosted Arrow was pretty gnarly, not gonna lie.¡± ¡°Plus,¡± Ihasu added. ¡°Sonja¡¯s an offensive specialist.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s true,¡± he said, the others holding back laughs as he stepped up onto the platform. ¡°Take a look at this then, I guess.¡± After facing down C-ranker Bart in a real fight and winning, Eik hardly felt intimidated by the stasis bound monster, despite its rank and size. He drew Viper Fang and waited for the minute to start. At the rank of Acolyte of Toxin he¡¯d managed a record breaking score of 72496. Now it was time to find out what he could do at Instinct of Toxin. Chapter 92: Toxic Detonation Now it was time to find out what he could do at the rank of Instinct of Toxin. As he swallowed the poison pill, the start of his minute was called and he leapt up onto the neck of the monster. Using the newfound control over Movement Boost, he focused the full effect into only his arms and shoulders and rammed Viper Fang into the skin of the A-ranker where Profound Toxin was already working to weaken the tissue enough for him to penetrate properly. Wiggling the blade around in the shallow wound allowed him to dig deeper, the toxin already making its way into the behemoth¡¯s circulatory system. With the strong connection to the toxin, he could tell that there was a main artery a little too the right of his blade where the harmful, blue substance was already flowing. But if he could get a direct path into it, he could do unimaginable damage so he worked the sharp edge toward it. Nine seconds into his one minute, he nicked the artery and flooded the vessel with Profound Toxin. With a thought, Eik sprouted six long branches of solid blue from his back, the tips of which were sharp and pointed. With awkward movements, he dug them into the now widened knife wound and spread them wide under the monster¡¯s skin like parasitic worms. This opportunity, combined with the enhanced flow speed of Instinct of Toxin, saw the beast¡¯s system saturated in seconds. He could probably have gone for more, but realistically, it would probably be better to spark it now and go for a refill. ¡°Accelerant,¡± he muttered under his breath, a rush of adrenaline washing through him the moment he felt the reaction inside the victim. What a magnificent feeling this was. Pleasantly addicting. Anytime he felt this, it was as if other emotions and thoughts were wiped away in favor of the bliss. There was a sense of concern somewhere in the back of his mind but in the moment that concern simply didn¡¯t matter much. He let himself be pulled along, like when he¡¯d Accelerated the toxin in the fungus king. The journey this time was certainly shorter, but that sensation of rocketing through the system, embodying his own ability completely, was unparalleled. As his consciousness was flung back into his own body violently, a pulsing shock wave of blue followed that ripped his fingers from their hold on the scales. Only the spindly limbs he¡¯d prepared in advance allowed him to stay on to continue pumping in the toxic fluid ceaselessly. In the short time since he started, the bastard¡¯s thick skin had actually already started to regenerate around the grievous wound, encasing his hand, which was all the way inside, and his weapon in solid tissue. This too softened once he drenched it in toxin. The Accelerant had caused the giant¡¯s frozen body to slump slightly, the sphinx-like regality lost. Before the first thirty seconds had passed he had managed to set off another three Accelerants of smaller scales. He dug the limbs of solid toxin deeper into the beast and was struck by an idea. And it was either going to work really well or tank so hard that he¡¯d ruin his score. On instinctual auto pilot, the blue substance gushed out through his hand and Viper Fang, which he tried to keep from blocking the passage of blood through the artery lest the circulation of his toxin was also impeded. Meanwhile, Eik released five of the six limbs. Since he wasn¡¯t great at controlling that many simultaneously yet he¡¯d been moving them in pairs, so now that there was only one left, he could really focus. Using the sense of the monster¡¯s body provided by the flowing poison inside, it slithered into and up along the artery toward the head. ¡°Thirty five seconds!¡± the judge called. Carefully, Eik stretched the slender limb further through the vessel until he reached the back of the skull. That would have to do. It would be a shame to lose out on points, and thus alliance credits that could support his alchemy business as it got off the ground, but given the incredibly lethal nature of his ability, a test like this was the perfect opportunity to try something against a monster that wasn¡¯t actively trying to bite his head off. ¡°Fifty seconds!¡± In the last second he added a bit of girth to the spindly blue branch while deadly fluid continued to rush through the monster¡¯s body. ¡°Fifty three seconds!¡± Eik created a flat disc under his feet and triggered Accelerant on almost thirty seconds¡¯ worth of Profound Toxin, a deep, resounding whomp ringing through the behemoth¡¯s entire body and roiling across its skin like waves on the ocean. All over, the monster began to glow blue as the toxin inside reacted to Eik¡¯s final order. From the entry wound where Eik¡¯s hand was inside, a radiant line of blue ran up the beast¡¯s neck, aligned with the solid branch of toxin lodged in the artery. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. It began to shimmer and Eik leaned back inadvertently, feeling an aggressive response from the toxin just before a bright, cerulean pulse tore him away like a flood. Supporting himself against the disc, Eik watched, enraptured, the fruit of his murderous labor bloom in all its glory. The A-ranker¡¯s body jolted and rocked as if struck by something heavy that pushed it violently onto its side. That alone would probably done significant damage on its own, but that wasn¡¯t where it stopped. *** Ihasu of the Ougi clan was a proper young lady whose passion and talents were dedicated solely to the betterment and continued prosperity of the Ougi clan. Anything she did she did in order to expand the clan¡¯s influence and secure new opportunities for growth, or to protect assets and interests that kept the clan in power whether large or small ¡ª anything that belonged to the clan should forever belong to the clan. Ihasu, too, belonged to the clan. That was simply how it was. It was clan law and clan law was sacred and unbreaking. To the clan, the laws of the clan and the laws of nature were equal. At least, that was what the clan¡¯s raving hagiographer, a wrinkly old raccoon of a man who was tangentially related to Ihasu¡­ in one way or the other, had filled her ears with throughout her childhood. And if you asked Ihasu it might just be the biggest load of bull to ever come out of someone¡¯s mouth. Self-aggrandizing drivel like that was exactly why Ihasu couldn¡¯t stand clan politics. And it was why people were losing respect for them. So many of the clan members worked their asses off in order to gain respect from the clan, so why was it so important for her mother that Ihasu emulated that behavior? Wasn''t it enough that everybody else was doing it? No, she had never been interested in living her life for the clan. Her life was her own and she was going to keep it that way. But¡­ if, hypothetically, she had been in the business of blindly following the clan¡¯s directives, then this outrageous man going wild before her would have become a person to be recruited obsessively. He had supposedly only just evolved to D-rank recently but no matter how she spun and turned it, this was not a new D-ranker¡¯s performance. The ferocity alone qualified as disturbing, but causing an A-rank monster, even one stuck defenselessly in a powerful stasis, to apparently explode from the inside out, and in under a minute at that¡­ Whatever the hell was going on here simply wasn¡¯t normal. Ihasu had witnessed countless talented fighters test themselves in the Crucible to the point where she had developed an eye for it. Being a young lady from an influential clan, she had been dragged to these performances all the time. Rather than the practiced and graceful style of fighting that was so common in established families and clans, the Eik that was rampaging up there looked more like a monster himself. It was primal. It was furious. And it was joyful. The blissful expression on his face as he giggled madly, caught up completely in the carnage, was frightening to say the least. He ripped and tore at the victim with a smile that he barely seemed aware of himself. The skin crawled down Ihasu¡¯s back. In the final few seconds of his minute, Eik had once more triggered the ability that caused blue light to erupt out through the beast¡¯s skin and orifices. The shock wave of it threw him off its body on a disc of poison. The mad grin never wavered as he watched his work come to a head. For a moment she thought that it was over with that but when the glow faded from the rest of its body, a noticeably brighter line of blue stood out as it ran along the behemoth¡¯s neck. It hummed and pulsed as if it was powering up for something big. Then, suddenly, it grew still and quiet, only the cerulean radiance remaining. And then it detonated with a vengeance. If the monster had not been an A-ranker with skin and muscles to match it, Ihasu thought she might well have been bathed in blood. Like a macabre flesh balloon, that whole section of neck billowed out as if with compressed air, the skin ripping in places along the affected area. A sonorous thunder echoed inside, lurching the armored giant forcefully as it lay on the ground. Ihasu had never thought much about the high-ranked monsters being wailed upon by Awakened several ranks below them, but now she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of pity for this poor thing getting helplessly wrecked by Eik. The Earthling watched the aftermath with a face that now seemed somewhat troubled. It was as if a veil had dropped from his eyes and the mirth had turned to sobriety. There wasn¡¯t a pair of eyes that wasn¡¯t staring up at Eik as a dark patch of massive internal bleeding spread across his massive victim¡¯s skin, the smaller tears allowing the lifeblood to spill onto the ground. What a monster. He had done something utterly ridiculous. To think she had initially taken him for a defensive specialist. Looking back at it now, it was a laughable notion. ¡°Oh¡­ wow¡­¡± Michael muttered breathlessly. ¡°What¡¯s the standing record for the category Eik fits into here?¡± he asked Mikla. Ihasu answered before her superior had a chance. She knew most of the records by heart at this point. ¡°It''s a record held by Masakir Hahakan. He¡¯s an S-ranker now, as far as I know. His score is 134,765, I believe.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Eik going to get then?¡± Michael wondered out loud. ¡°I doubt he¡¯s going to match Masakir,¡± Ihasu said. ¡°The man''s basically a legend.¡± ¡°But he already beat his score once before, though,¡± Heath noted. ¡°¡­ What?¡± she breathed. No, wait. There had actually been some talk that one of Masakir¡¯s previous high scores had been crushed recently. ¡°Th- That was Eik? He got that unbelievable score? I hadn¡¯t checked for myself so I just assumed someone was pulling made up facts out of their ass.¡± ¡°Yeah, and this was way more insane than back then,¡± Heath grinned. Ihasu swallowed hard and looked back to the stage where Eik waited for his score to be announced by a judge who looked unsure about what to say although he had presumably calculated an exact damage score already. The man closed his eyes and seemed to be recalculating his assessment just to be sure. When he opened them again he initially simply mumbled the score under his breath. Then he seemed to notice everybody waiting with bated breath around him and yelled loudly enough for every person present to hear him. ¡°E- Eik Magnasen¡­ Eik Magnasen. A score of 203,543!¡± Chapter 93: Unpleasant Surprise ¡°Eik Magnasen. A score of 203.543!¡± ¡°Two¡­ T- Two hund¡ª¡­¡± Ihasu stammered, her jaw flapping like a fish out of water. Everywhere around them people whispered among themselves in disbelief. If anyone were to beat the record, it would obviously be some platinum spoon kid with all the support one could ask for. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be some nobody like this guy. And yet here he was. ¡°Damn,¡± Heath muttered. ¡°That¡¯s an even higher score than I had expected. GG!¡± Ihasu glanced at him. ¡°GG? What does GG mean?¡± ¡°It means ¡®good game¡¯. It¡¯s a gamer term from Earth.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a gamer?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s, uuh¡­ It¡¯s someone who plays video games.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m realizing that now, yes.¡± Her gaze was drawn back to the stage where Eik was walking back toward them. He pretended to not even notice the gawking from the peanut gallery but his face gave away a painfully obvious discomfort with the undivided attention. ¡°B- But, I just don¡¯t understand how he could do something like¡­ that,¡± she muttered, pointing to the collapsed colossus, its body still smoking. Michael tilted his head contemplatively. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that Eik is a little¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get the heck out of here, guys!¡± Eik hissed with an only partly suppressed grin. ¡°Did you guys freakin¡¯ see that? Hot damn!¡± Immediately, Eik led the way through a throng that parted as he passed. Nobody protested his score this time around but a few people trickled after him up the stairs. By the time they got to the top nearly everybody had thought better of following with the exception of a few. Some wide-eyed kids tailed them nervously but kept a cautious distance from the new record holder. Boldly marching up to Eik, a brazen, sharply dressed man was an entirely different story, however. ¡°Mr. Eik Magnasen, if I am not mistaken,¡± the man said. He was dressed in a long, custom-fitted black coat that flowed behind him like a curtain in the wind which made him look a bit like a goth. His hair was immaculately combed, parted slickly in the middle. ¡°My name is Djoardj Pilam. I¡¯m a talent scout for Omega!¡± he said, his tone full of anticipation. When Eik didn¡¯t answer and instead threw a glance full of confusion at Mikla, Djoardj¡¯s confidence appeared to wane considerably. ¡°Omega!¡± he tried again, looking almost distraught at actually having to explain this. ¡°Omega! One of the strongest, if not the strongest guild for Awakened warriors in the entirety of the Nidafjeld Alliance! Surely you¡¯ve heard about us. Best in the game? Explorers for hire? Vanquishers of numerous S-rank monsters?¡± ¡°How about X-rank monsters? Have you killed any of those?¡± Heath asked innocently. ¡°X-ranked mons¡ª What? You can¡¯t just¡­¡± the guy spluttered. ¡°No¡­ No, we haven¡¯t killed any X-ranked monsters.¡± The enthusiastic spark was fading from his eyes with remarkable speed. ¡°And wait a minute, did you say your name is George? As in¡­ your actual name is George?¡± Eik asked in disbelief. The man frowned. ¡°No, my name is Djoardj, from Omega. Anyway, I saw your performance back there and you¡¯re exactly what we¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ve never seen anything like what you¡¯ve showed me!¡± ¡°So you''re trying to recruit me?¡± Eik asked. Djoardj nodded. ¡°I think I will be able to negotiate a contract that will be extremely favorable for you, Mr. Magnasen, given what you have shown here today.¡± ¡°How involved is a contract with your guild?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Like, how free would I be to pursue personal projects?¡± Eik asked. ¡°You would of course be obligated to prioritize guild matters but if you have a hobby, then we would not have a problem with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting a business, actually.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Djoardj said. ¡°In that case we would have to ask you to put that project on the back burner.¡± ¡°And my team?¡± ¡°Your team?¡± ¡°Yeah, my team. My friends,¡± Eik said and gestured to Heath, Sonja, and Michael. ¡°I assume they would be able to join me if I said yes?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Djoardj pulled a face. ¡°You guys are on the same team? But they¡¯re not¡­ It¡¯s standard for new recruits to abandon any previous team they might have been a part of. But it¡¯ll be for the better so don¡¯t worry. The famously excellent minds in our department of strategy will match you with ability sets that play perfectly with yours.¡± he said an eyed Eik¡¯s three friends. ¡°And we¡¯ll also make sure that your power ranks align optimally.¡± Without a word in response, Eik gazed into Djoardj¡¯s eyes as he thought, something that didn¡¯t seem to bother the talent scout enough to throw off his pitch. Eik¡¯s jaw tightened but Djoardj didn¡¯t notice. ¡°I must say, Mr. Magnasen, what I am offering you here is an incredibly rare opportunity. An opportunity that only a select few could ever even dream of receiving. We can offer tailored training programs, consultation of evolution, potions and enchanted armor and weapons, and much, much more. Money will be no issue. This could change your life, young man. And you¡¯ll never have to worry about anything ever again.¡± Now that did sound tempting. What a life to live ¡ª never having to worry about anything again. Unfortunately, Eik didn¡¯t have the luxury to not worry. His life didn¡¯t just revolve around him and his own problems. He had a responsibility to his friends, family, and the rest of humanity. ¡°Can I have some time to think about it?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Of course, of course! I suppose it¡¯s not necessarily an easy decision, even if it is the best one,¡± Djoardj chuckled. ¡°Here is my card in case you have any questions for me. Ask for me in the reception when you¡¯ve decided to hop on board with Omega. You definitely won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Thanks. Well, we have an appointment to get to. Have a good one, George.¡± He waved as they made their way back toward the fracture that would take them to headquarters. ¡°Damn, George really likes to talk, huh. And he¡¯s kind of a jerk too.¡± ¡°Are you really going to join up with them, man?¡± Heath asked cautiously. Eik stopped to look back at his friends. Concern was apparent on all of their faces as they waited for his answer. ¡°Of course not! You think I¡¯m actually interested in leaving behind everyone and everything just to go and be bossed around by a bunch of pretentious rich guys? No way!¡± ¡°Then why did you say¡ª?¡± ¡°That I would think about it? Because I¡¯ve learned that big people with big power, big money, and big influence usually don¡¯t like to be turned down cold. It¡¯s better to pretend to entertain their wishes. I assume that the Omega guild is as strong as he claimed?¡± he asked Mikla and Ihasu who both nodded. ¡°Very much so, yes. The guild itself controls several worlds. They operate on the scale of a civilization.¡± ¡°Would you advise me to join?¡± Mikla shrugged. ¡°I mean, that depends entirely on what you¡¯re looking for. He wasn¡¯t lying when he said this was an amazing opportunity so for most anybody else I would say yes, but maybe not you. There¡¯s too much of your plate already. But keep contact with them. You could still have a beneficial relationship.¡± They passed through the fracture and into the E-rank crucible lobby where a crowd had already gathered around the screens displaying the new test record. Excited murmurs flowed through the room as people discussed Eik¡¯s second crushing record. Hurrying out and back to their rooms, Mikla sent the others back while Eik decided to make a trip to town to pick up some ingredients. The credits from the test reward had already shown up on his credit slab so he had the funds to splurge a bit to give Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs the kick it needed. Given how quickly he unloaded both pain killers to Earth and Potions of Mighty Strength class 1 both on Earth and on the market in Gimleh, he felt justified in spending almost half of his money on those alone. Execution of the Potion of the Metal Body class 1 also needed to be practiced so he got ingredients for that as well. Mikla had advised against graduating from the class 1 of Potion of Mighty Strength too early lest Eik accidentally killed himself in the attempt, but he still bought enough ingredients for a dozen attempts. Eik had hinted at just how effective his ability actually was when it came to alchemy, but had avoided explaining to what degree it actually protected him from any backlash from the Ak¡¯ki of the mixtures. If he could successfully create a class 2 version of the potion then he would have a version that was ideal for his current rank as well as a way to expand the consumer base for his products. Providing a way for the D-rankers of Forest to power up properly in those crucial moments that decide a fight could do so much for their overall survivability against the flood of monsters and Awakened beasts. Finally, he bought a new supply of potions before heading home. It was late evening by the time he stepped through the portal into his house. Reflexively, he caught Mis as she sailed through the air toward the portal. ¡°Nuh uh, you can visit Mikla another time, girl. You¡¯re staying home tonight.¡± With everything he¡¯d brought home from Gimleh¡¯s markets, his rucksack of holding was full to near bursting. ¡°Hey, cutie, I¡¯m just going to make a trip to the store real quick to put some stuff away, alright?¡± he said as he went for the door. ¡°So behave, please. Don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do.¡± When he took the handle the door released from a warped strike plate, the lock lying broken on the step outside. Uncomprehending, Eik stared at the mess for a second, his brain suddenly going into overdrive. Someone had been inside his house. Someone was still actively after him. As his heart began to thump loudly enough to echo in his own ears. That now familiar feeling of Profound Toxin urging him toward violence rushed up in the back of his mind. He looked at his cat which simply stared back without a care in the world. ¡°Who did you let in here while I was gone?¡± No answer. ¡°I told you to watch the house, girl.¡± Still nothing. Little shit. ¡°I have to check on something,¡± he called as he disappeared out of the door. He couldn¡¯t let Mis sense the fury in him. When had he gotten this sensitive? He chugged a Potion of Mighty Strength and sprinted for Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs at full speed. Already as he jumped the small fence into the overgrown garden, he could tell that the front door stood ajar. Someone had been here as well. He stormed through the door. There hadn¡¯t really been much time to move too much stuff in here yet, but it was still infuriating to see everything strewn across the floor. Worktable, chairs, and shelves lay broken in pieces and vials had been shattered against the walls, the contents still staining the wood in dry, discolored splotches. Not all of his inventory had been stored here ¡ª far from it ¡ª but some of it had been. The most recent large flask of Potion of Mighty Strength, as well as a few vials of Potion of the Metal Body had been in a box under a table in the storage room. There were no traces of those, however. The shattered vials had either been failed experiments or empty from the beginning. Any idiot could have known that keeping it here was not exactly secure, even with the lock on the door. A simple latch lock was useless against anybody above F-rank. But he¡¯d wanted to believe that it would be okay. That things were getting better. Lesson learned. But he was never going to let the thief get away with this. Chapter 94: Gathering Information ¡°Mikey!¡± Eik shouted as he slammed his fist continuously against the door, the wood complaining under the power of his hits. ¡°Mikey, are you in there? Miriam, can you hear me? Hey! Can you hear me? Alright, I¡¯m coming i¡ª¡± Eik almost kicked Michael fatally in the chest as the young healer ripped the door open, his face a mask of wild panic. ¡°What, what? What¡¯s going on!¡± Eik stood frozen with his leg raised for a moment. ¡°Oh! If you¡¯re fine then why didn¡¯t you answer? You scared the shit out of me!¡± ¡°I scared the shit out of you?¡± Michael yelled indignantly. ¡°You scared the shit out of me, bro! You almost gave me a heart attack!¡± ¡°Then why the hell didn¡¯t you answer your door? And I don¡¯t think E-rankers can get scared into a heart attack.¡± ¡°I did! I¡¯m standing right here!¡± ¡°But faster!¡± ¡°I was sleeping, you moron! Why are you here anyway?¡± ¡°My house has been broken into! The lock was destroyed when I came home!¡± ¡°What! Who was it?¡± Michael exclaimed, already putting his coat on. ¡°I have no idea who did it. They went through my new store as well. Everything¡¯s broken and my potions were gone.¡± ¡°Is that what they were after, you think? Your potions, I mean,¡± Michael asked as his mom came to the door, barely awake yet. He explained the situation to her quickly. ¡°Maybe. I just don¡¯t know, dude. There are still people who don¡¯t like me much, but with Bart gone I didn¡¯t think something like this would happen anymore, to be honest. Boulder Fist Gary doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m worth the trouble, which is probably true at the moment. I guess I was na?ve to feel secure. I was just hoping that it had gotten a little better.¡± ¡°Could it have been the cult? Looking to score some kind of revenge for Bart and the mind skulk while getting their hands on some resources maybe?¡± ¡°But they shouldn¡¯t have known that we found the mind skulk.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t be sure that they didn¡¯t find out. We don¡¯t know who¡¯s a part of it.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Did you check on Heath and Sonja yet?¡± ¡°Not yet. When did you last see them?¡± Eik asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe a couple of hours ago or something like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to their house and take a look, just to be safe. You should take your mom and go to my shop instead of staying here where they might show up. There¡¯s a chance they might come back to my house to find me, but I doubt they¡¯ll go to the shop again after already trashing it.¡± ¡°I should come with you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You saw me today, didn¡¯t you?¡± Eik grinned and clapped his own bicep. ¡°You just take care of Miriam, alright?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Eik ran dashed off toward Heath and Sonja¡¯s house. Like Michael¡¯s door, theirs also seemed to be intact still. Sonja came to the door within two knocks and Eik reported what had happened. They went to wake up Olivia and loop her in as well. Eik had been trying to talk her into moving into his house with him but with all the memories of her mother in their shared home, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to let go. At least not quite yet. Together they went to Michael¡¯s house and stayed the night there. More than anything Eik wanted to talk to Travis about the night¡¯s events but the man wouldn¡¯t be in his office at this time of night and Eik didn¡¯t know where he lived. In the morning Eik went to Travis¡¯ office and found the man in the backyard again, training. ¡°Eik. What can I do for you?¡± He grabbed a cloth to wipe his brow. ¡°Someone broke into my house yesterday,¡± Eik said. ¡°My shop too. They destroyed everything there. And the supply of potion I was keeping there was taken as well.¡± ¡°You''re kidding... Who did it?¡± Eik threw his hands up in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know, man! I''m a little confused myself here. I literally just established my business and I''m already being targeted. And I''m working on a potion that is especially effective on D-rank Awakened so I''d appreciate some help on this." Stolen story; please report. Travis stared for a second before sighing. "I''ll make sure to get you help, of course, but I¡¯ve been so busy with all this crap with the Moon Shall Swallow cult recently that it has been consuming my every thought. I can only relax when I¡¯m out here.¡± ¡°Fair, fair,¡± Eik said, ¡°But I¡¯ve got a damned problem or two myself, so what can you tell me about who might have done it?¡± ¡°Not much to be honest. It¡¯s concerning that they took your potions but it could be for any reason. Perhaps you should have a talk with Elaine Haness about this. I¡¯m the head of Mission Central, sure, but she has a better grip on the happenings among the civilians.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Eik swore and walked back out without another word, leaving Travis standing there in the yard to watch him leave. He had thought the hours he had managed to sleep since yesterday might have relieved some of the anger, but seeing his home invaded and his belongings destroyed and stolen had touched a nerve. And his nerves had become frayed and sensitive recently. Eik was pissed beyond belief. The door to Elaine Haness¡¯ office was once more opened by her brother. Did the Haness family have some Nordic genes in them? Eik could swear that there had been a boy who looked exactly like this guy in his class in elementary school. ¡°Sis, it¡¯s Eik again,¡± he called with a hand cupped to his mouth. ¡°Should I let him in?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± came the answer. The office was a quaint space with a mess of papers strewn across a work desk and in several boxes pushed up against the wall. It resembled Warden Harfol¡¯s office. And the distance between their personalities and the states of their offices were also the same. ¡°Eik, you came at the perfect time. I was actually just about to contact you myself.¡± That made him pause. ¡°Oh, yeah? Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Someone broke into my storage property last night. Left the lock broken and the place trashed. All of the potions I bought off you were taken along with a bunch of other stuff.¡± ¡°Wait, you had a break-in?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. I was hoping I could buy a few more potions from you to make up for some of the loss. I have colleague who are expecting shipments within the next couple of days.¡± He took a seat in a chair. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll sell you more but I can¡¯t part with too many. I had an uninvited guest of my own last night. That¡¯s why I came to talk to you. I was hoping you could help me.¡± ¡°Someone broke into yours as well?¡± she asked with surprise. Eik nodded, his knee hopping incessantly. ¡°Not only into my store but my home as well. Do you have a suspect?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t but now there¡¯s a bit more to go on.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the two of us who were victims yesterday. Several of my colleagues had their products taken and places ravaged. One even caught the thief red-handed in his store when he came back to retrieve a ledger he had forgotten.¡± ¡°You have the thief in custody?¡± Eik asked and sat up hopefully. ¡°No, my friend earned himself a concussion for his troubles and the guy got away. The thief was definitely above F-rank.¡± ¡°So who¡¯s your suspect?¡± ¡°No one specifically yet but since they went after you as well, I¡¯m tempted to believe that you were the intended target. You¡¯ve barely begun to do business yet compared to the rest of us. They didn¡¯t go after anybody else¡¯s homes either. Not even mine. What did they take from your house?¡± Eik frowned as he thought. ¡°They didn¡¯t take anything¡­¡± ¡°So maybe they were looking for something that they didn¡¯t find,¡± she reasoned. ¡°Can you think of anything?¡± Eik chewed on the question for a while. ¡°Not really. I mean, besides the potions I don¡¯t really own much of value that I don¡¯t always have on my person.¡± ¡°Alright, well, we¡¯re already looking actively into the matter. If and when we find something to point us in the right direction, I¡¯ll make sure you hear about it, alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, I appreciate that. By the way, did the thief use an ability to fend off your colleague last night? Something that we might be able to use to identify him?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Unfortunately, no. He just used a simple punch to knock him out.¡± ¡°Well, crap,¡± Eik muttered as he unslung his backpack and fished out two dozen Potions of Mighty Strength class 1. ¡°Here¡¯s a few more. You can just send the payment along later. I know you¡¯re good for it.¡± He sat back in the chair, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s going to be one of the civil leaders of Forest, isn¡¯t it?¡± he groaned tiredly. She bit her lower lip as if reluctant to admit the obvious but eventually sighed. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. But you can¡¯t just go at them. We have no evidence that it was any of them.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Eik said and stood back up to leave. Before he could get to the door Elaine¡¯s brother stepped in front of him which immediately set off alarm bells in Eik. He froze as his hand moved inconspicuously to the handle of Viper Fang at his belt. The blonde man narrowed his eyes before speaking. ¡°The alliance is hosting some sort of tournament soon, right?¡± Taken aback, Eik¡¯s posture relaxed. ¡°Uuh, yes? It¡¯s right around the corner.¡± Elaine¡¯s brother nodded to himself and Eik heard his sister groan resignedly. ¡°I will join,¡± he stated. ¡°I¡ª Sure, that¡¯s fine. You can come to the selection. Anybody interested in going can try out. What rank are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m C-rank.¡± ¡°There are still open spots in C-rank. We get to bring two combatants per rank from Earth.¡± ¡°I know there¡¯s a selection test but do I have to do all that? Can¡¯t you pull some strings? I promise I¡¯m qualified,¡± the guy asked. Eik chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name, and I¡¯m also not the one in charge of picking out our representatives. If you want to skip the line, then it¡¯s Travis Lockwood you have to convince.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that guy likes me much,¡± Elaine¡¯s brother sighed. ¡°Right, and my name is Carl Haness,¡± he added when his sister reminded him of his manners in a stern voice that gave Eik the impression that such reminders were a daily occurrence with the siblings. Well, Carl,¡± Eik said. ¡°If you¡¯re that qualified, then you won¡¯t have a problem getting through the selection process.¡± Carl didn¡¯t look satisfied with the outcome of the conversation but he couldn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Alright, fine. I can take a hint if nothing else,¡± he said and immediately glared sourly at his sister who hadn¡¯t been able to hold back a snort of pure amusement. ¡°Anyway, when and where do I show up for the selection test?¡± ¡°We gather in two days in front of the Mission Central main building. If you show up thirty minutes to noon or earlier you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re D-rank right?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Are you trying out as well?¡± ¡°Nope, I get special treatment,¡± Eik said. ¡°What? Then why are you even going?¡± ¡°I have a fun role,¡± Eik grinned. ¡°I get to test the other D-ranker!¡± Chapter 95: Potion of Mighty Strength Class 2 Eik wiped the sticky, green mass off his face with a handkerchief. This was the seventh time he¡¯d failed already, but there was definitely a sense of progress. Before, the mixture had self destructed almost the moment his aura even touched it. Now that he¡¯d gotten a feel for the behavior of this specific ingredient aura, he had at least managed contact without failing. However, the green, mucus-like substance that he now futilely tried to wipe off onto the edge of the table proved that his grasp of this particular recipe was still nowhere near sufficient to actually complete the potion. Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 sure wasn¡¯t a walk in the park. Most of the ingredients that made up the foundation of the potion were unchanged from class 1 to class 2 but one of the main components had been changed. In the class 1 potion a crucial ingredient had been the bone marrow from a bulkbeast. For class 2 that was switched out with blood from a garaskorika ¡ª a serpentine horror that could squeeze the life out of even high C-ranked Awakened. Eik wiped the cauldron clean and prepared for another attempt. There was no time to waste. If he didn¡¯t succeed in brewing the recipe before the preliminary he¡¯d miss the opportunity use the event for free advertising. After all, establishing an image of reliability and skill is especially important for a budding business. At that venue, where all the most enthusiastic Awakened would be gathering to fight for a spot as the recognized strongest in their respective power ranks, showing off the effects of his product would be one of the best spontaneous publicity stunt he could wish for. Once more he took hold of the Ak¡¯ki and sent it carefully toward the mixture, keeping Profound Toxin at the ready just in case a hostile aura leapt out to assault him like the class 1 recipe. It stirred the moment his aura made contact but didn¡¯t explode. For a moment he paused and observed. It whirled with agitation but calmed back down after a few seconds. He got his aura a little further in before he had to stop again. It struck him that the mixture seemed to react aggressively to the foreign substance but that if he moved slowly and carefully enough, there wasn¡¯t quite enough stimuli for it to recognize it properly. That gave him an idea. Taking his own example from back when he ambushed the wounded manticore on the expedition to harvest venom for the antiserum for Sonja and the other comatose victims, he suppressed the presence of the aura. It had worked successfully back then. Or at least, he was pretty sure that that was what had made the difference. If not, a green mass of mushy plants and blood would soon deliver the information stickily. Immediately, there appeared to be a change in the demeanor of the opposing Ak¡¯ki. On all other attempts there had been clear turmoil, even after giving it time to calm down. Now, however, it returned to the same inert state as if it had just been mixed, seemingly unaware of his aura halfway meshing its own. Again, Eik was well aware of the fact that he was anthropomorphizing the behavior of many of these magical and mystical phenomena, such as Profound Toxin and his own Ak¡¯ki, but in his head, with how he personally experienced them, it was what made the most sense to him. He delved in further, without much reaction from the mixture. Widening the shape of his aura to envelop the foreign energy, Eik felt a surge of confidence and increased his speed. As the edges of his aura approached the point where it would be able to completely suppress the ingredients, green Ak¡¯ki suddenly rushed up. In a second it had completely annihilated all of Eik¡¯s aura and attached itself to his hand. Instantly his flesh was ablaze in excruciating pain as the green corruption flooded his body at several times the speed of the class 1 substance. Eik didn¡¯t even have to order Profound Toxin into action as it sprung forth like an attack dog defending its owner. For a moment Eik had felt a tinge of fear of the possibility that this stronger corruption would manage to overwhelm the Profound Toxin but that was quickly alleviated when the luminescent blue liquid shredded through it like a tsunami through a candle flame. The mixture was destroyed but now Eik knew how to go about this particular recipe. And he¡¯d figured it out in less than ten attempts! Fueled into excitement by the knowledge that he was on the cusp of succeeding, Eik hurried to wipe down the cauldron and remix the recipe. He failed only once more before the potion settled into harmony and he could start the harvesting process. Eik held up one of the vials, the murky, green fluid swirling like dirty tea. He pulled a face. This crap was going to taste like shit too, wasn¡¯t it? One of the main components in this devilish bland was freaking monster blood, for crying out loud. With reluctance, he tipped a bit of the elixir into his mouth. Surprisingly, it was easier to get down than the class 1 potion had been. There was a nauseating bitterness but an underlying sweetness made it sightly more bearable. He sipped a bit more and really let it flow about his tongue. Actually, no. That fusion of bitter and sweet absolutely did not work. Before he could regret it, he drank the whole dose and swallowed. Within a second, his body was filled with an absolutely ridiculous amount of strength. If he had had this when fighting Bart, the battle might have had a different ending. This was definitely yet another thing that would be invaluable to Forest in their pursuit of what amounted to peace in this new world. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. *** ¡°You¡¯re not trying out for the tournament selection?¡± Eik asked, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. ¡°but I thought you were!¡± Michael rolled his eyes as he placed rolls of bandage on a small table next to the makeshift arena. ¡°Dude, you¡¯re kidding, right? Have you seen me fight? I can kind of keep you guys alive but when it comes to the actual pummeling and killing, I¡¯m next to useless.¡± ¡°You killed those striders like a rhino smashing wine glasses in an interior design store though. That was pretty awesome.¡± ¡°Yeah, because they just so happened to have a weakness that was perfectly countered by my only even semi offensive ability. Eik, I would have no place in that tournament, even if I did make it through these preliminaries, which, by the way, I wouldn¡¯t have a snowball¡¯s chance in hell of managing.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re right. And thanks for helping with the injured.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. That¡¯s my literal job now.¡± ¡°True,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°How¡¯s work been at the clinic?¡± A smile crossed the young healer¡¯s lips. ¡°Great. Really great, actually. Like a dream come true for me. It just feels so meaningful, you know. Seeing that look of relief on a patient¡¯s face is just¡­ the best thing ever.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice, man,¡± Eik said, paused, and then spoke again with some hesitation. ¡°Is it better than what you¡¯ve been doing with the team?¡± ¡°Come on. That¡¯s not a fair thing to ask. I can''t answer that¡± ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± Michael started speaking anyway, proving that he could in fact answer. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say. It¡¯s so different. Yes, it¡¯s nice to see the patients get better, but we¡¯re doing a lot of good as a team as well. I get to keep you guys safe and when we went on that rescue mission I was directly responsible for saving some kids who would certainly have died otherwise,¡± he said and began to place a variety of pouches and packs on the table, some of which contained medicine Eik had made for the clinic and given for free. ¡°And the reality is that, even as an Awakened specializing in medicine and healing, I need to get out there in order to advance properly through the ranks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Eik said. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, I¡¯m sure. Let¡¯s just focus on this for now.¡± People were beginning to show up for the test, Travis¡¯ assistant Jennifer directing every new arrival with her usual expert ease. From the beginning they had the test takers split up into groups according to power rank. Naturally, F-rankers were the most numerous, the prospect of an opportunity to test oneself in a competition which, in theory at least, should not come with the risk of death or permanent crippling. Knowing the Nidafjeld Alliance and the mindset of a sample of its members, however, Eik wasn¡¯t sure if that was actually a valid expectation. It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if they got there and were told that ¡®dying and losing one¡¯s limbs is the best way to get ready in the morning for a true and proper Awakened.¡¯ Lunatics, the lot of them. Among the early arrivals Eik spotted several people with whom he was already familiar. In the F-rank group were a handful of his former clients who had frequented Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs in their roles as errand boys and assistants for stronger Awakened. To his surprise, Darius Kerman¡¯s subordinate Robert Barnes, whom Eik had met a couple of times when he delivered messages from the old badger troop that was Forest leadership, was present among the crowd, his darting eyes a testament to his nervousness. Later, Heath and Sonja would join the E-rank group, but they had arrived early and were still hanging out in the bar inside the Mission Central building. Heath had been a little sour when he hadn¡¯t been allowed to skip the test but he too was aware of how important this event could be for Earth¡¯s value in the eyes of the alliance and its affiliated members. Among the D-rankers was Harry, the twin blade fighter who had burst into Eik¡¯s shop on the day of the second phase of their world¡¯s induction into the Unified Mass and who had tried to save Eik when he fell into the sink hole. They hadn¡¯t talked much since then, but the man had felt guilty for failing to protect a new F-ranker despite Eik¡¯s ardent insistence that it wasn¡¯t something that he could be blamed for. Another face in the D-rank group had almost made Eik jump with glee like a turtle judging a competition for the world¡¯s biggest head of lettuce. Seeing Mushroom Head¡¯s face among the waiting participants, the role of tester had immediately become ten times more appealing. He hadn¡¯t seen the guy since he had made him eat dirt on the way back from the Great Raid and the blonde piece of garbage had spoken ill of Heath. Eik knew that what he had done back then had been overboard, but considering the situation, he couldn¡¯t rightly say that he regretted it. Rock Fist Bart had only just tried to kill Eik and almost succeeded in killing Heath, and with Mushroom Head having been one of his subordinates, Eik had lost his temper just a little bit. And since they were now both in D-rank and Eik would test the D-rankers, that meant they would have another go at each other. He almost couldn¡¯t wait. Chapter 96: The Preliminaries Among the C-rankers were also a few familiar faces. Cecilia, the spear user who had saved Eik, Michael, and Heath from a creepy, gangly monstrosity back during the first wave of the second phase of Earth¡¯s induction into the Unified Mass. Eik remembered her as a nonchalant, aggressive woman, who enjoyed fighting as much as but more openly than Travis Lockwood. She also wasn¡¯t as chuuni about it as he was. She caught his eyes and gave him a wink that sent shivers down his spine. The last time she did that, she¡¯d ordered him into a battle that would have cost him his life if she hadn¡¯t finished her own portion as quickly as she did. Thank god he wasn¡¯t in charge of testing her. Despite his original disappointment, Carl Haness had been one of the first to show up this morning, an intensity mixed into his usually relaxed expression that showed an eagerness to prove himself as capable as he had boasted. Eik hadn¡¯t exactly expected the man to show up for testing, but he was still a little disappointed to see Andrew Brooks¡¯ face missing in the C-rank group. The man had done some things of questionable morality that Eik would likely never forget but it had been due to his faith in the established, albeit problematic, government in Forest. Andrew was clearly regretful of his deeds and Eik really wasn¡¯t looking to make enemies meaninglessly. He had enough real enemies already so he would much prefer to make up with the man with whom he had once had a relationship full of kindness and support. Against the wood wall of the Mission Central building sat Jake, decked out in his usual full armor. His arms were crossed over his chest as his foot tapped aggressively in the grass, his face the incarnation of grumpiness. Eik already knew what the fire slinger was angry about. He¡¯d been denied the opportunity to test for the alliance tournament because both B-rank contestant had already been selected. Travis had obviously chosen himself to participate. And then, because the number of B-rankers in Forest was small enough for a relatively clear ranking to already exist, Eik¡¯s sister Olivia had also been selected to go. Yes, Eik¡¯s own push in her favor might also have had something to do with it, but the fact was that she was an extremely powerful Awakened even after being comatose for a many weeks. Before the seconds phase of the induction into the Unified Mass she had already been pushing A-rank to the point of feeling physically constrained in her body. She would probably have evolved earlier if not for the limitations imposed on power by Earth¡¯s conditions back then. She was more than qualified to participate. ¡°Everybody,¡± a voice called but the crowd continued to chatter. ¡°Everybody, if you would please listen for a second.¡± Craning his neck, Eik saw Travis¡¯ assistant Jennifer standing on a wooden box, much like she had done when she helped organize the Great Raid. People weren¡¯t noticing her and when Travis stepped up behind her with a hand raised into the air, Eik¡¯s own hands flew up to cover his ears. A blinding flash of light suddenly dominated the sky as a thunder crack tore through everybody¡¯s ears. A good number of people threw themselves to the ground in shock. When they looked back up and saw Travis¡¯ face, he wore the same half-bored expression that he always did. ¡°Jen¡¯s talking right now, so you guys listen to what she has to say,¡± he ordered. Not a soul uttered another word. A needle hitting the ground would probably have been audible if not for the fact that everybody¡¯s ears were ringing. The assistant cleared her throat. ¡°If you would please clear out to the sides. We¡¯re going to proceed from the bottom up, so if I could get the F-rankers to line up to get a number over here,¡± she said and gestured to a table behind which a man and a woman sat ready to receive. ¡°The rest of you, please wait over there and line up to get your own numbers in an orderly fashion once they¡¯re done with the F-rankers. E-rankers second, then D-rankers, and finally C-rankers. Thank you.¡± She stepped down and the crowd began to file along obediently. Eik approached the D-rank group and raised his voice. ¡°D-rankers. I¡¯m Eik and I¡¯ll be in charge of your tests. Nice to meet you,¡± he said as his eyes passed over all of them, stopping briefly on Mushroom Head where he somehow managed to suppress a smirk. ¡°Once you¡¯ve gotten your number, please come over to me back here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re our examiner?¡± Mushroom Head asked snarkily, pushing his way through the relatively small group of D-rankers. He looked exactly like Eik remembered him¡­ Well, with the exception of the fact that his face was not a bloody mess today, of course. ¡°You have got to be kidding me with this crap!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your examiner. I¡¯m just one of the people you will be fighting so your skills can be demonstrated in a setting that simulates what we might experience in the alliance tournament soon. That¡¯s all,¡± Eik assured him. ¡°And don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t necessarily fail just because I end up using your ass to plane this arena so perfectly level that you could host a bowling cup on it.¡± It was a shitty jab at Mushroom Head and an even worse joke, but it still elicited chuckles from a good chunk of the other D-rankers. At this point, Eik¡¯s role in Forest¡¯s relationship with the Nidafjeld Alliance had become common knowledge. People knew he was important but not necessarily that he was strong. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Eik had already become aware of numerous rumors about himself, most of which were completely untrue, but none of them really acknowledged his personal power. It made sense, given that many of the straightforward demonstrations of his power had been conducted in headquarters, not on Earth. Yes, he¡¯d dealt a lot of damage to the Lake Serpent, but nobody had really witnessed that directly to tell the story. He¡¯d been moderately helpful against the manticores, but the only people who had seen that didn¡¯t have much interest in spreading the gospel of his name. And then, of course, he¡¯d killed Rock Fist Bart in combat. None of the parties involved in that stinking mess, including himself, were particularly interested in rumors of that making it any further than it already had. Overall, Eik really was rather satisfied with his strength going more or less unnoticed. Sure, he enjoyed the spotlight. That couldn¡¯t be denied. One thing he didn¡¯t like, however, was a shithead like Mushroom Head coming at him like this because he thought Eik was a pushover. A lot of people had heard about Rock Fist Bart¡¯s beef with Eik and thought that that meant he was a nobody. Sure, Eik had a mouth on him but he never actually did anything to set Bart straight, right? Mushroom Head seemed to be one of the people whose minds misconstrued what had been an obvious disparity in power rank to be a general weakness on Eik¡¯s part. Mushroom Head glared. ¡°This test is a total waste of time then! He¡¯s the type of guy who ambushes and sucker punches someone to get the upper hand!¡± he barked to his peers. ¡°We can wave goodbye to a fair test if they let him conduct it. He is only allowed to do it because he¡¯s on his knees kissing the feet of the representatives of the alliance every day. He¡¯s a sellout!¡± Eik sighed as murmurs began to spread among the group of D-rankers. At least that particular piece of gossip wasn¡¯t anything he hadn¡¯t heard before. The voices accusing him of working with the alliance to essentially surrender Earth into slavery under the Nidafjeld Alliance had quieted but were still very present. When the leaders had witnessed Atla¡¯s power first hand and changed their tune as far as the alliance went, it had had a clear effect on the population. Their settlement was isolated from any other group of humans still living on Earth so the people tended to follow the opinion of their leaders quite obediently. That was how the herd mentality helped maintain safety and security. ¡°Travis asked me to help him so I said yes, but if that¡¯s how you feel then I suppose you¡¯re welcome to drop out now. I won¡¯t try to stop you,¡± Eik said, shrugging. ¡°Like hell I¡¯m going to drop out. I¡¯m going to show everybody here that you¡¯re not worth the fucking dirt you¡¯re stepping on.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, dude. Come back once you¡¯ve got your numbers, please, everyone,¡± Eik said and walked back to Michael who was now sat in a chair and fussing over his supplies, ready to help the injured. The F-rankers went first. There were so many of them that instead of going one at a time they fought in a tournament style setup divided into four brackets. The winners of each of those brackets would the fight each other in duels and the winners of those would be allowed to go to headquarters for the Championships. Since F-rank battles didn¡¯t tend to be very environmentally destructive the fights were held at the same time next to each other. High-ranked healers were on standby just in case someone got really hurt to the point where Michael and his colleagues¡¯ treatment wouldn¡¯t be enough to do the job. Eik didn¡¯t pay much attention to the fights. He remembered looking at the F-rankers who would visit Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs and wonder how awesome it must be to have the power they had. How, if they accidentally knocked something off a shelf or dropped something, they were able to react and catch it midair like it was nothing. They were bonafide superhumans. Now, however, their slow, feeble movements looked like those of children play fighting on the playground. Knowing that he could now slap to death a person whom could only recently have killed him almost effortlessly in turn was a strange thought. It really put into perspective just how fast he had climbed the ranks. Some of the faces among the F-ranker had literally been Awakened visiting his store months ago. It was absolutely wild. His life had changed to such an insane degree so quickly that he had barely had the time to sit down and digest it all. He needed to take a damn break soon. Eyes wandering lazily, Eik caught the gaze of Robert Barnes. The young man nodded politely. Eik returned the greeting. ¡°That guy¡¯s been staring at you for a while now, you know,¡± Michael said off-handedly. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve met him a couple of times. He¡¯s a subordinate to Darius Kerman.¡± ¡°That jerk who accused you of a bunch of crap?¡± ¡°Yep. Well, one of them,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°Considering how he talked when I met him and then seeing him here today, I¡¯m pretty sure Robert¡¯s looking for something else to spend his days doing. I might have to hire him if I start to expand.¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love that,¡± Michael laughed. Eik watched Robert win his first match easily. His weapon of choice was a longsword which he swung with practiced ease. With a small buckler strapped to his forearm, he deflected three arrows from his archer opponent before closing in on her to fell her in two clean strokes. Michael was there in seconds, Heal glowing in his palm even before he got there. Robert won his next match as well and even barely inched out a victory in his third match. His fourth, however, he lost to another swordsman. Michael treated his cuts as well, although he had managed to avoid any really bad wounds. The young swordsman glanced dejectedly at Eik who sent him a grin and a thumbs up to congratulate his effort. It was a consolation few fighters appreciated but Robert¡¯s smile showed that he probably did. In the end, the winners of the F-rank placements were a swordsman and someone who appeared to manipulate darkness. That one looked pretty cool. Eik would bet his ass that Travis Lockwood was drooling over that particular ability. Eik sat up straight. It was time for the E-rank tryouts and they had a similar tournament style setting but divided into only two brackets. These matches would be considerably more interesting than the F-ranks. Looking nervous, an enormous tank of a man stepped onto the field, a gigantic shield with a depiction of a shouting man on the surface strapped to his arm. He fiddled absentmindedly with a heavy, broad shortsword that looked like it could have substituted for the blade of a guillotine. Heath was the first of the siblings to fight for the right to represent Forest in the Championships. Chapter 97: Disappointment ¡°Our boy looks pretty nervous,¡± Michael noted as he finished treating an F-ranker¡¯s arm. ¡°Well, a lot is riding on this.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll be able to go all the way?¡± Michael asked. Eik didn¡¯t answer right away and instead gave it honest consideration. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ possible.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Michael nodded as he replenished his first aid bag from the supplies laid out on the table. The referee called for Heath¡¯s match to begin and his opponent immediately rushed in, water roiling excitedly in her palm. From the beginning, the Captain¡¯s Tower had been raised high in front of Heath¡¯s body, the experienced tank only just peeking out at the edge, his thick blade ready to snake out from behind the solid defense. She slung a blade of shaped water at the shield but it didn¡¯t so much as scratch the intimidating visage in the metal. Heath stood his ground while she kept charged. She threw another blade of water, this time directed at his feet, but he hopped it deftly. The water manipulator paused just before entering melee range and slashed a length of gooey water across the edge of the shield which then flapped over Heath¡¯s helmet, whipping his back with a snap. He arched his back with a hiss of pain and suddenly exploded forward, surprising the woman as he bashed her forcefully on the shoulder. The pure momentum of the charge knocked her onto her ass where she tried to regain her balance and fling another blade of water at Heath. With a grunt he bashed that away as well and hacked his blade into the meat of her shoulder, eliciting a scream as she gripped the bleeding wound. Michael was instantly on his feet, jogging toward the downed woman. By the time he got there, Heath was already on his knees and putting pressure on the gash. She glared up at him with clear ire but the big man didn¡¯t seem to notice. Eik snorted with amusement. The tank was always so cluelessly helpful and caring. When Michael arrived, Heath hauled her onto her feet and supported her to a chair next to Eik where the healer could begin his treatment in earnest. ¡°Smooth win, man,¡± Eik praised. ¡°She really surprised me with that whip,¡± he noted with a respectful nod to her. ¡°I was just lucky to be able to surprise you too,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Screw you, dude!¡± she spat. ¡°Alright, alright, I suppose you get to say that to me,¡± he chuckled. ¡°When¡¯s Sonja up?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Should be any minute now.¡± ¡°You guys all know each other or something?¡± the young water manipulator asked through clenched teeth while the healer scraped around in her injury. ¡°We¡¯re a team, yeah, along with my sister.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on the same team as one of the test organizers?¡± she questioned with a pointed glance at Eik. ¡°This is grounds for a complaint! How can I be sure you weren¡¯t given preferential treatment in your fight against me?¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Eik began. ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying and all, but if I was allowed to pick and choose the participants on a whim like that, I would have simple done that from the beginning and you would have never even been invited here to try out today,¡± he argued. ¡°And if you don¡¯t mind me being honest, then it looked to me like Heath simply beat you fair and square back there.¡± ¡°You like hearing yourself talk, huh?¡± she asked snarkily. Eik snorted. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t say. You know, you should have gone for a poison-based fighting style with how venomous your mouth is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weak as hell, idiot!¡± ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± What the hell was up with this woman? ¡°There she is!¡± Heath said, his eyes glued to the E-rank fights, having lost interest in the conversation about six verbal exchanges ago. ¡°She¡¯s fighting another archer.¡± The moment the beginning was called, the opposing archer sent three arrows flying side by side. Sonja had to leap into a roll to avoid it. ¡°What the hell? That looked insane! Sonja should practice that,¡± Heath exclaimed. ¡°Multi Shot is just an Archery trait, dumb ass,¡± the woman said. ¡°Damn, it looks cool,¡± he said, barely noticing her scathing tone, which in turn seemed to make her even more annoyed. To dodge another arrow, Sonja used Disengage which carried her up next to the opponent, an arrow already nocked and ready on the string. She released and the woman could barely react as the projectile bored through her thigh like a drill and sent her to a knee. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The opponent tried to recover but didn¡¯t manage to do anything in time to avoid Sonja¡¯s quick blade slashing into her other thigh. Expressionless, Sonja caressed the downed archer¡¯s throat with the cool, bloodied metal of her weapon. The woman conceded immediately. ¡°Well done!¡± Heath praised when she joined them. ¡°But why didn¡¯t you use your boosted arrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little too dangerous, don¡¯t you think?¡± she said. Her brother just shrugged. ¡°We live in a dangerous world now. It¡¯s full of dangerous people and dangerous monsters, neither of which will hesitate to take lives. We might as well get used to it early and spare ourselves some grief down the road.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Eik said after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s kind of callous. You¡¯re starting to sound a bit like Atla.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t sound like freaking Atla, man!¡± Heath half shouted, turning a couple of heads. ¡°She¡¯s crazy! I¡¯m just saying that if our mindset is stuck in Old Earth then we¡¯re going to get our asses handed to us by civilizations and monsters that are willing to do whatever.¡± Eik held up his hands placatingly. "I was just kidding. I doubt I have any right to speak on that with some of the things I have done." ¡°I didn¡¯t need it so using it would have been excessive,¡± Sonja reiterated. ¡°Yeah, sure, that¡¯s true,¡± Heath conceded, still moping a bit. ¡°Who¡¯s Atla?¡± the rude water manipulator asked. Eik gave her a look. ¡°Little evil alien lady. Pink hair. Always smiles but is actually a predator disguised like a wad of half-chewed bubblegum.¡± ¡°That explanation didn¡¯t make any sense,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, well, maybe if you had been a little nicer I would have tried a little harder.¡± The woman snorted and looked back to the fights. They watched for another five minutes¡¯ time before Heath was called back to fight his second match. His opponent this time was already twirling his twin blades confidently around his fingers by the time Heath stepped into the arena. The young man said something to Heath with a taunting smirk but the tank barely seemed to care. He just lifted the Captain¡¯s Tower and took a low stance with his weight shifted forward onto one leg. Clearly a speed focused fighter, the twin blade wielder shot forward like a bullet. Without even attempting to go at Heath head on, the young man whirling to the side like a running back dodging a linebacker and lunging at Heath¡¯s seemingly unprotected flank. But where the attacker had needed a large, energy inefficient move to flank the tank like that, Heath simply had to spin on his front leg and keep his shield lifted in front. The twin blade wielder was certainly faster than Heath, but at E-rank it was not really by much, and their reaction speeds were similar, so the minimal movements required to defend made it more than possible for the tank to keep up. And with Heath¡¯s defensive style, he excelled at fighting duels like this. Large scale defense seemed more suited for a barrier caster like Goran Gehun, the vice leader of the 6th squad of the 11th division of the Department of Internal Conduct. After a few minutes and several small cuts sustained by Heath, the twin blade wielder was growing visibly exhausted flitting around. It was clear that his fighting style really needed a team to support his flanking maneuvers, or at least an opponent with a ineffective defense. Having had enough, Heath surprised the rogue by stepping out to meet a lunge head on and bashing his blade hand away. He followed it up by slamming the corner of the shield into the opponents face four times in quick succession and sending the man down for the count. Just that single skirmish with the assassins in the Crucible practical alone had probably given their team more realistic experience fighting other Awakened than almost anybody here in Forest could boast. ¡°I thought we couldn¡¯t afford to be stuck in an Old Earth mindset anymore,¡± Michael said when the tank came back. ¡°Shut it. He was just too easy, that¡¯s all.¡± Sonja lost her second match. The opponent was an earth manipulator. The opening exchange was almost identical to her first fight. The opponent hurled two volleys of condensed earth which Sonja avoided with Disengage and closed the distance, and arrow nocked on the string of her bow. But where the archer from her first match hadn¡¯t been able to ready her own projectile in time to counter, the earth manipulator simply sent three more heavy chunks at her, one impacting her arrow midair, while the other two took her in the shoulder and the stomach respectively. She was actually not as crestfallen about it as Eik had expected her to be. She almost seemed a little relieved to have dropped out. ¡°That sucks,¡± Eik said when she came back. She just shrugged it off. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. My skill set isn¡¯t very suited to duels, after all.¡± None of them commented further and just let her sit in silence as Heath was called out for his third match. He beat his third opponent somewhat easily and got a clear rush of adrenaline that carried him into the fourth match. Going hard with a bull rush from the get go, he appeared to have the upper hand for while as he defended and attacked with skilled smoothness. But the enemy, a mobile fire manipulator with a small buckler strapped to his forearm, gradually began to grasp Heath¡¯s aggressive rhythm. Avoiding a lunge from Heath, he delivered a painful burn to the tank¡¯s neck and cheek. That rattled Heath, and he accidentally opened himself up to several more such burns which all drained his energy and hindered his movements. Eventually the referee stepped in to stop the fight and Heath¡¯s loss in the the fourth match was declared. And unlike Sonja, he didn¡¯t take it particularly well. ¡°You can try again next time, mate,¡± Eik said in an attempt to console him. ¡°Next time?¡± Heath said, looking up from his feet. ¡°When¡¯s the next time?¡± ¡°Oh, uhm, I¡ª I don¡¯t know,¡± Eik admitted sheepishly. ¡°Later?¡± ¡°Great¡­¡± Heath said, head lulling down to hang between his knees against. The D-rank group slowly began to gather near Eik as the E-rank preliminaries approached a conclusion. Eik¡¯s fellow test conductors began to appear. They were two C-rankers who Eik hadn¡¯t met before. One had declined to participate for a reason Eik didn¡¯t know and the other couldn¡¯t go to the Championships because of obligations here in Forest. ¡°Alright, gather around, please,¡± Eik said to the D-rankers. He gestured to the two C-rankers. ¡°We¡¯re going to be taking turns fighting you guys, so you just fight as hard as you can to beat us.¡± Mushroom Head pushed his way through the crowd again in the exact same way he¡¯d done before. Was this was deja vu was? ¡°And what if we kill you?¡± he smirked. Damn. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Eik said, smiling back as he shook a vial of Potion of Mighty Strength class 2, drawing eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± a woman piped up. ¡°Potion of Strength,¡± Eik said. ¡°These little guys alone can bring me to near C-rank levels of power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doping yourself, you damn coward?¡± Mushroom Head exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°How the hell is that fair?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a competitor, dude¡­¡± Eik said tiredly, massaging the bridge of his nose. ¡°And could you maybe cool it a bit? I know we have a pretty bad past, but this isn¡¯t making anything better.¡± ¡°Shut it, traitor!¡± ¡°Right¡­ Shall we get to it then, people?¡± Chapter 98: Beatdown ¡°Shall we get started then, people?¡± Eik asked. ¡°No!¡± Mushroom Head screeched and turned to regard the other D-rankers. ¡°I heard his teammates are also trying for the tournament spots! They¡¯re here somewhere. He¡¯s going to make sure they¡¯re the ones who get the spots we want!¡± The hopeful test takers eyed Eik with a mixture of suspicion and a clear distaste for Mushroom Head. His hysterical demeanor didn¡¯t sit well with any of them, it would seem. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Eik said. ¡°See!¡± The others frowned. ¡°They were participating. They lost their matches already.¡± ¡°What?¡± the blonde jerk asked with confusion. Eik rolled his eyes. ¡°My teammates are still in E-rank. And the fact that they¡¯re both out proves that I didn¡¯t advance them unfairly, don¡¯t you think?" ¡°They¡¯re still E-rank? Makes sense. And I should have known they were already out by now. I seem to remember the Great Raid ending in complete disaster for you guys. You all got what you deserved if you ask m¡ª¡± Eik was in front of Mushroom Head instantly, staring the bastard down. ¡°Yeah, well, nobody did ask you, did they, asshole?¡± Profound Toxin was pushing hard to be let out for a walk. He¡¯d had just about enough of this guy. What the hell was pushing him to these lengths? Was he just pissed because Eik beat him up last time they met? He sure as hell wasn¡¯t doing himself any favors by acting like this now. Mushroom Head swallowed hard, having lost some of his steam. He hadn¡¯t lost all of it, though. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be asked to call out a piece of garbage like you when I see one. And you better be the one to fight me. I¡¯m going to wipe the floor clean with your face this time!¡± Fuming, Eik glanced over at the referees who signaled for his attention. They were ready to begin the D-rank tests. ¡°Who¡¯s first up?¡± he asked. A woman raised her hand and one of the C-ranked volunteers took her to the ring and prepared for the first match. Eik coordinated the order with the other participants. He would personally fight Mushroom Head in the third fight. Unlike the F-rank and E-rank preliminaries, from D-rank and up, the tests would be conducted as spars against an assistant one rank above the test taker, with the exception of Eik, who had volunteered to help with the D-rankers because his potions could enable him to act in more or less the same capacity. He had even argued that if another D-ranker could beat him, then they should be automatically passed. That it would be excellent promotion for his product he had conveniently forgotten to mention. All of the fights would be observed by a panel made up of the martial leaders of Forest and in the end the two participants to join the real Championship would be announced. C-rank would work the same way. The first two fights went well. The C-ranked volunteers went easy on the test takers so they had opportunity to demonstrate their skills as fully as they could in a simulated environment. In order to get as comprehensive an impression as possible they mixed in enough offense to test the D-rankers¡¯ defensive abilities as well. It was finally time for Eik¡¯s first fight and as he stepped up to face Mushroom Head Profound aggression coursed angrily through his veins once more, urging him to let loose. ¡°You¡¯re dead today, bro,¡± Mushroom Head sneered as he drew his twin blades. The daggers came out of their sheaths with a wet sheen that looked like a foreign substance but Eik didn¡¯t bother mentioning it. He simply drew Viper Fang and took a ready stance. Just before the fight began he chomped on three doses of home brewed poison and washed them down with a vial of Potion of Mighty Strength class 2. The two C-rankers had started out gently, letting the test takers make the first few moves to showcase their openings. Eik did not follow their example. He charged. Mushroom Head didn¡¯t even have the time to raise his daggers defensively before Eik¡¯s fist rammed into his stomach in an uppercut that sent him two meters into the air and knocked all air from his lungs. Eik caught him by the collar before he could hit the ground again, holding him out in an outstretched arm. ¡°Defenses¡­¡± Eik muttered as he tilted his head contemplatively. ¡°A little slow, I would say. I recommend working on that. Let¡¯s see your offensive capabilities then.¡± He tossed the man to the ground and waited for him to get to his feet. ¡°Stop taking me lightly! We¡¯re the same rank, you piece of shit!¡± the bowl cut raged and whirled toward him with an ability that looked very similar to Movement Boost. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Side stepping, Eik tripped his furious opponent and, before he could regain his balance, seized him by the ankle and hurled the man in a tall arch above his head and slammed him into the ground. ¡°That¡¯s simply not fast enough, my friend,¡± Eik said as Mushroom Head charged him once more only to be sent into the dirt once more. ¡°All of that anger is not going to make you capable of winning against me. It just doesn¡¯t work like that.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mushroom Head gasped, frustration clear in his voice. He leapt and tried to stab his dagger through Eik¡¯s foot but the alchemist simply raised his leg and placed a dirty boot on the downed man¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work either,¡± Eik said and stared down at a face that was a mask of enraged humiliation. ¡°Look, despite what this might look like to you, I have nothing against you personally.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± ¡°Yeah, okay, you¡¯re right. Even I didn¡¯t believe that one. I don¡¯t like you and I¡¯m being an asshole to you on purpose. You branded me a traitor and giggled as my friend was dying. Mushroom Head flitted about, trying to get at Eik from every conceivable angle. He was quick ¡ª there was no doubt about that ¡ª but his strength was nowhere near sufficient to penetrate Eik¡¯s defenses. After deflecting several blows with Viper Fang, Eik sprouted a single tendril, complete with a barrier of blue, from his shoulder with which he blocked everything else. ¡°Why were you even so hostile in the first place?¡± Eik asked as the flurry continued, genuinely puzzled. He understood having suspicions about the Nidafjeld Alliance and all that but it felt like the bowl cut had been excessively aggressive, even for someone in the pocket of the Fist faction. It was almost as if¡­ No, that would be too much of a coincidence. Wouldn¡¯t it¡­? Actually, maybe not. He had been in cahoots with Rock Fist Bart after all, and Bart had definitely been overtaken by a mind skulk. Why couldn¡¯t this guy be? Eik was widely acknowledged as an ally of the Nidafjeld Alliance at best, and a tool to be used to gain an advantage on Earth at worst. He was exactly who the Moon Shall Swallow cult would try to rally people against now. ¡°Hey, have you experienced anything, I don¡¯t know¡­ weird lately, or something along those lines?¡± he tried. How the hell was he supposed to ask about the mind skulk if he couldn¡¯t talk about it in the first place. Supposedly, even the host had no idea. ¡°Shut,¡± his opponent hissed as the knives tinked uselessly against Eik¡¯s solid shield, none of the desperate test taker¡¯s maneuvers allowing his attacks to connect properly. His frustrations grew visibly with every move. ¡°it!¡± Eik would have to check for the mind skulk later in some other way. He couldn¡¯t do it now. There were too many people here to try for something like that. And he couldn¡¯t even be sure yet that the theory of Profound Toxin¡¯s ability to cause the worm to flee its host was correct in the first place. It was really just a hopeful guess at this point. For now he should probably just get this farce over with. ¡°Whoops, it would appear that my Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 is running out of juice,¡± he shouted loudly enough for everybody to hear and fished out a fresh vial from one of the slots in his belt. He held the vial aloft for all to see as he nudged the stopper out with a thumb and hopped a horizontal slash aimed at his knees at the same time. ¡°Better refresh the effect with another Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 created exclusively by me, Eik Magnasen, owner of Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs!¡± He downed it in one, resisting the urge to pull a face at the taste. Renewed power surged through him and he thrust forth the barrier of toxin, slamming it into Mushroom Head¡¯s annoying face. Blood gushed from the man¡¯s nose as he was flung backward. Before he could come to a stop, however,, Eik was there, grasping him by the collar of his shirt and tossing him into the air. Taking inspiration from the video games of Old Earth, Eik jumped and seized Mushroom Head by the ankle as he let himself be spun around the axis of his opponent¡¯s body. Using the momentum, he hurled the man back into the ground with force that sent soil flying everywhere. The alchemist rocketed down in pursuit, winding up for a punch. Miraculously, the bowl cut now managed to get his blades up to protect himself but Eik saw it and let Profound Toxin flow around his fist where it hardened into a makeshift gauntlet. He rammed it into and through the defense, flattening Mushroom Head¡¯s already bloody nose against his face. Absorbed in the carnage as he was, Eik only barely heard the cheering voices of the audience. In this day and age, even if many were still averse to throwing themselves into the pit of lions, getting to watch a bit of blood shed could certainly get the crowd riled up. Maybe there was a sense of relief in watching acts of super powered violence that wouldn¡¯t lead to someone turning pale as they bled out in the dirt. It was difficult to say why but Eik also didn¡¯t feel Profound Toxin urging him to let loose in the back of his head right now. Or rather, he did feel it, but it wasn¡¯t the same hunger that sometimes became so strong that it almost dominated his mind. It was subdued and obedient, almost as if the little bugger knew that there were no plans for it to invade any systems in this fight so there was no real reason to put in the effort. But there was still rage. There were so many frustrations locked away inside Eik¡¯s mind. So many insecurities. So many fears. And they just kept building and building on top of each other like a castle of sand. He feared that it would crumble one day soon and leave behind rubble that he couldn¡¯t clear so easily. One way to alleviate it, albeit slightly, was to vent. Eik needed a foot to kick down a tower of that castle of sand. Just to take the edge off. He could make this fight that foot. It was crude and barbaric. And most certainly cruel. But... oh, well. With decisive precision, Eik delivered six more blows to Mushroom Head¡¯s body while he futilely attempted to protect himself. Allowing him to stand back up on trembling knees, Eik avoided a few attacks before going back on the offensive. Even as the effects of the potion began to wane, the fight continued. Mushroom Head¡¯s pride didn¡¯t allow him to back down despite being overwhelmed, and Eik wasn¡¯t going to stop voluntarily either. He¡¯d only begun to go all out now that he was back at something resembling D-rank equivalent strength. A mix of fear and defiance shone in the bowl cut¡¯s eyes and his aggressive demeanor never wavered, even as Eik delivered the most satisfying, skull-rattling roundhouse kick to his cheek. Bloodied, he lost consciousness, hanging by the collar of his undershirt now firmly clutched in Eik¡¯s hand. Chapter 99: Cecilia and the Terrible, Terrible Pain The judges weren¡¯t happy with Eik¡¯s aggressive approach to testing. Travis told him in no uncertain terms that he would find someone else to conduct the testing if he couldn¡¯t rein it in and do it properly. But what were they really going to do? Eik was more or less responsible for Earth''s participation. He''d simply let some of the Earth leaders have a say to keep the peace. No matter how you looked at it, the final decision regarding Earth''s challengers was his, but since he now had the power to actually influence their society there was no way he was going be the promoter of even more skewed hierarchies based only on power. ¡°I apologize,¡± he drawled and offered an almost ninety degree bow. ¡°It was my first time testing the class 2 potion against an actual opponent. I only just brewed the first successful vial yesterday, y¡¯see. Pretty sweet, eh?¡± ¡°While your little concoction might very well have given you a little boost, you might want to consider giving your opponents a bit more of a fair fight. Don¡¯t you think that would be more appropriate for an up and coming rookie here in Forest?¡± Boulder Fist Gary said, arms folded across his chest. Eik sniffed a laugh but then paused. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Dead serious,¡± the large man said, a disapproving frown on his face. ¡°You think I ought to give others a fair shake?¡± Eik asked with disbelief. ¡°You?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s your problem with that, boy?¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I guess my first problem is you calling me boy, but that¡¯s really the least of it. Don¡¯t you see how hypocritical you are for suggesting something like that to me?¡± A deep frown began to take root on Gary¡¯s brow as Eik spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve ruled this place with an iron fist, literally, since its establishment. Anything you and your subordinates didn¡¯t like, you quenched with your B-rank power image.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a load of bullshit, you insolent cur!¡± he yelled, the characteristic tomato red face of the Fist family making an appearance. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever had the best wishes for Forest and it¡¯s people.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Did you ever tell your son about those so-called ''best wishes''? Because I don''t think he heard you. Did he know about it when he threw a tantrum in my shop when he thought I was a little too rude? Or when he nearly killed my friend? And did you just happen to forget it as well when you helped to cover that up during that so called debrief you guys put me through? What about my adoptive mother who Bart murdered for trying to protect my sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough! This disrespect is simply unacceptable! And to speak of my late son like that¡­!¡± ¡°Yeah, okay, that was a low blow,¡± Eik admitted readily. ¡°but you know as well as I do that it¡¯s true. Claiming anything else is just dishonest, man.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve had it with you. Out!¡± the bald man bellowed, turning a few heads, even through the buzzing of hundreds of gathered Awakened. ¡°I am already out. See, no ceiling,¡± he said with a finger pointed skyward. He¡¯d like to blame Profound Toxin for his smart-mouthed jabs at the lowest of low-hanging fruits but that wouldn¡¯t fly. Recently, he¡¯d lost a healthy chunk of his fear of Forest¡¯s leadership. He was growing more powerful and influential with even more powerful allies, and a man like Boulder Fist Gary simply didn¡¯t seem as intimidating as he once had. ¡°Eik.¡± This time it was Travis. Eik couldn¡¯t tell if he was amused or not, but knowing Travis, the man himself probably couldn¡¯t tell either. ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll make sure to give the others ample opportunity to demonstrate their skills,¡± he said as he walked back toward his three friends who had heard the whole exchange, one looking disapproving, one looking satisfied and hiding it unsuccessfully, while the third was grinning from ear to ear like a hyena. Using his Potions of Mighty Strength to gain an edge, Eik made sure to conduct the remaining tests he was in charge of without a hint of the grudge that had driven him against Mushroom Head. As the person facing the fighters, it was difficult to tell who was more suited to advance. Boosted by his creations, he was certainly stronger than them but any D-ranker in Forest would have been an Awakened for longer than Eik. He just wasn¡¯t able to judge their abilities that accurately. By the end of the fights, Eik had noticed that his Noxious Invigoration trait had kicked in, even though he¡¯d only taken the clumps of poison against Mushroom Head. Knowing with certainty that overconsumption of Potion of Mighty Strength lead to a toxic response was useful information. He was clearly fine, at least after the half a dozen or so doses he¡¯d taken, and had even enjoyed a little extra boost on top of it all, but others wouldn¡¯t be. Someone without the Resistance: Toxin ability could suffer serious consequences and as the manufacturer, it was an important duty to be up front about such possibility. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. In the end, one of Eik¡¯s test takers was chosen as the one to go to the Championships. The woman¡¯s sword style was clean, quick, and powerful. It looked like the moves had been practiced for many years. She moved a lot like Sonja if she had never taken up the bow and instead focused on the blade alone. For the C-rank fights it was decided that it would be best to move out onto the plains outside town. Until now, the high-rankers had been able to keep the audience and surroundings safe but at C-rank it was simply too dangerous to take that risk. Travis and Olivia stepped up to fight the C-rank participants. Like most of the audience, Eik followed the throng to the plains to watch the testing of the highest rank that would fight today. When Olivia took center stage, facing Cecilia the aggressive spear user, Eik was struck by the realization that he had never actually seen her fight for real. For the entirety of her active career he had been powerless to venture out to help her. Sure, there had been plenty of moments in the past where she had protected their family from monster attacks but she had grown so powerful since then. There was a side to her that he didn¡¯t know at all. Cecilia smirked as she juggled her spear from hand to hand. With an echoing boom, she disappeared in an eruption of dust. Olivia didn¡¯t even activate her ability before raising an arm to block the spear that appeared out of nowhere. Before Cecilia could retreat, the B-ranker¡¯s hand grasped the blade of her spear in a death grip that burst into white-hot flames which immediately began to soften the strong metal. ¡°No fair!¡± the fierce woman yelled as she yanked it back. ¡°I need this weapon!¡± Olivia just shrugged. ¡°Plenty of people fight like this. If you don¡¯t want me to melt your weapon, then maybe you shouldn¡¯t have let me get it.¡± ¡°You¡­ bitch!¡± Cecilia bellowed and charged in once more. For Eik, seeing her fight really put into perspective the meteoric improvement of his own strength. When he¡¯d first Awoken, her movements had made her look more like a tempestuous storm than a person. Now he could more or less follow her movements with his eyes. Without the effects of his potions there was no realistic chance of keeping up with her tempo, however. To her credit, Cecilia¡¯s spear wasn¡¯t caught in Olivia¡¯s clutches again, but whether that was because of the C-ranker¡¯s caution or Olivia¡¯s mercy was impossible to say. They exchanged dozens of blows in the span of seconds but Olivia never used her ability offensively even once. Cecilia¡¯s blade was coated in a faint, purple energy as she stabbed and slashed furiously at her opponent¡¯s neck and body, the blinding speed of her strikes sometimes making the weapon move so quickly that it was as if it was being teleported. Yet Olivia batted the shaft away with a seemingly effortless ease. ¡°Don¡¯t mock me, Olivia Valkiri!¡± Cecilia shouted feverishly. ¡°Fight me seriously!¡± With raised eyebrows, Olivia glanced over at Travis Lockwood sitting next to Jake at the table reserved for the judges. He simply offered a shrug in response. For a few more seconds, Olivia seemed lost in thought as she continued to block and deflect every single lunged aimed at her, the spear user growing increasingly agitated with each futile attack. ¡°Okay,¡± Eik¡¯s sister finally said as she slapped the shaft away with heretofore withheld force, the handle almost flung from Cecilia¡¯s fingers. ¡°Final¡ª¡± the C-ranker hollered but was cut off as Olivia¡¯s entire body erupted into intense flames so bright that it became difficult to look directly at her. Immediately, Cecilia leapt back, an arm raised in front of her face to shield her skin from the sudden wave of blistering heat. But Olivia didn¡¯t let her retreat. At a speed that easily matched the spear user, she gave chase and appeared behind Cecilia¡¯s back. She looked like a tiny sun as she moved. Wait, she wasn¡¯t going to be naked when her fire form wore off, was she? Eyes never leaving the fight for even a moment, Eik shimmied out of his coat and held it ready to rush in for the crucial mission that was covering his sister¡¯s naked body before it could be seen by a crowd of more than a thousand people. ¡°Stop! I can¡¯t even approach! I can¡¯t attack!¡± Cecilia screamed as she desperately tried to put distance between herself and the woman clad in literal flames. ¡°Make up your mind,¡± was all a crackling, airy voice offered in response. Olivia had told Eik about her ability before. It was called Corporeal Flame and it did exactly what it said on the label. Her body transformed into flames. It was incredibly powerful and she expected that only other B-rankers with an especially high resistance to heat could even endure being close enough to kick her, let alone exchange blows in an actual fight. Realistically, the only viable strategy to fight her in that state would be to run away for the duration of the effect The weakness that barely anybody in Forest knew about, however, was that that duration was rather short. Fifteen seconds at most, even at B-rank. That was plenty for any opponent she had fought until now, excluding the manticore which had taken her by surprise, but if and when she met an opponent who could withstand it, that shortcoming could be what decided her defeat. Eik counted seven seconds when Cecilia finally fell to her knees, boils and blisters bubbling up on her cheeks, neck, and shoulders. He saw the flames splutter and cough as the source of the heat, Olivia¡¯s body, stopped supplying energy. Eik started running, coat still clutched in his hand. He should have asked her if her own ability burned off her clothes. But that was an awfully awkward question as well. Crap. Crap, crap. Was he going to make it? Her head was already free of the flames again but her body was still obscured. He had snuck a potion a few seconds ago along with some good ol¡¯ poison, just to be sure, but even then it was unclear if it was enough. Resisting the urge to trigger Backflow, Eik leapt and created gliding wings of solid toxin to sail toward his sister, the coat leading his flight. Olivia turned away from Cecilia only to see Eik coast through the air like a model plane and her eyes almost popped out of her skull as she shrieked in surprise. He was almost there. No more than a couple of meters away at the most, when the remaining flames faded, revealing a pristinely intact outfit of clothes. Wait, huh? No, that wasn¡¯t right. How did that make sense? Eik flailed helplessly through the air as Olivia side stepped his collision course on pure reflex. The coat was flung off to the side somewhere, forgotten, as his face tore into the grass and his bottom teeth carved a perfect groove marking his path through the ground, filling his mouth with dirt. ¡°What the hell are you doing, you bumbling idiot?¡± she yelled. He spit out enough soil to have filled one of the pots in his windowsill. ¡°I-I¡ª I thought you would be¡­¡± he trailed off. Behind his sister stood Heath, Sonja, and Michael. They were speaking to a woman whose hair could have been stuffed into a deep metal pan and believably passed off as ice cream. What the hell was Atla doing here? Chapter 100: Atlas Idea ¡°Atla?¡± he muttered with an eyebrow raised in confusion. Olivia saw his expression and followed his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°No idea¡­¡± Eik said and got to his feet, patting dirt out of his hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything about plan to come to Earth.¡± Atla raised a hand in greeting as they approached. ¡°What are you doing here, Atla? Did something happen?¡± ¡°No, no, nothing¡¯s happened. Everything¡¯s fine. Eik, can I have a moment of your time, please?¡± she asked with a toss of her head. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, I promise,¡± she said when he hesitated. While anything Atla wanted usually culminated in something that helped him or made him stronger, it also never failed to cause him a heap trouble, pain, or a healthy mix of both. He followed her back toward the city until they¡¯d put a bit of distance between themselves and his friends. ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t tell me you let Menka Tokanami out again or something like that.¡± She chuckled. ¡°No, that¡¯s all over and done with. You don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. But it does have something to do with her, kind of.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay,¡± he drawled, not particularly liking the direction this was taking. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I told you already, but ever since you found that mind skulk in that guy you killed, I¡¯ve been thinking about it. I¡¯ve never quite been able to get over how strange Menka¡¯s behavior has been. It was one thing to go crazy like she did back when she learned about her son¡¯s death, but everything after that was just a little bit¡­ much, I guess.¡± ¡°Alright, go on,¡± Eik pushed. ¡°The Moon Shall Swallow cult has attempted to get a foothold within the alliance for many years now. Not least with the use of the mind skulks.¡± ¡°So you think she had a mind skulk in her head?¡± ¡°I certainly can¡¯t help but suspect it. It¡¯s very uncommon for someone of her caliber to be successfully corrupted by one of the little bastards, but it¡¯s not impossible under the right circumstances. But her behavior has been a bit more erratic that I would expect even from someone infected by a mind skulk.¡± ¡°So¡­ what are you saying?¡± She pursed her lips as she seemed to think. ¡°I think your Profound Toxin causes the mind skulk to lose its mind somehow.¡± ¡°Yeah, I gathered as much. But I never fought Menka for real,¡± Eik said. Atla grinned. ¡°Maybe not, no, but if I remember correctly, you did spit a whole glob of that stuff right into her face, did you not?¡± For a long while, Eik was silent as he chewed on that particular theory. It did kind of make sense if she really had a mind skulk embedded in her body. It might also explain why, back when they had visited her in her prison cell, she had been so much more aggressive toward Eik than toward his teammates who had arguably been just as involved in the rescue mission as he had. ¡°But why wasn¡¯t the mind skulk expelled from her then?¡± Eik asked. ¡°It only took a few days before it happened to Rock Fist Bart.¡± ¡°Bart was a low C-ranker, Eik. His body and its ability to withstand your toxin would have been magnitudes below what someone like Menka¡¯s body is capable of. Plus, wasn¡¯t Bart at death¡¯s door by the time the parasite made its exit? That might have been a trigger as well,¡± she said, excitement growing as she spoke. ¡°Who knows! I haven¡¯t ever heard of an ability doing what yours seems to do to the mind skulks.¡± ¡°But how would she even have been infected in the first place? They come from Moon Shall Swallow, right? Was she fighting them actively or something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how she was infected, but to my knowledge, she had not gone directly against the cult in many years, so I doubt that¡¯s how it would have happened,¡± she said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the Tokanami family has been feuding internally for generations at this point? Maybe someone from the opposition worked with Moon Shall Swallow to bring down the matriarch,¡± Eik suggested. Atla nodded. ¡°It would not be good news that a member of the Tokanami family was in the cult¡¯s pocket, but it¡¯s certainly a possibility worth considering. But all of that is for after we ascertain the presence of a mind skulk inside Menka,¡± she said and clapped her hands. ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± Eik asked, certain that he already knew the answer. ¡°Why, I¡¯m going to use you, of course,¡± she said with a bright smile. ¡°Mikla¡¯s waiting at your house. He probably wouldn¡¯t mind another few hours to cuddle with your car, but let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± They started back toward Eik¡¯s friends. ¡°Cat,¡± Eik corrected. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She a cat, not a car. A car is a motorized vehicle from old Earth. Cats are cute and fluffy. She¡¯s a cat.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I said.¡± she said with finality and upped her pace to walk ahead. Once they heard that Eik had something to do for Atla, everybody wanted to come with them to headquarters. Eik readily agreed, and Atla didn¡¯t seem to mind terribly either. She knew they were a package deal at this point. When Olivia insisted on coming along as well, Eik was a bit more hesitant. His sister didn¡¯t have the best opinion of Atla. What she had heard of the dangers Eik had faced at the alliance hadn¡¯t exactly filled her with a sense of confidence in her brother¡¯s safety. ¡°But Oli, you still have C-rankers to test, don¡¯t you?¡± Eik tried. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want his sister to come, but if Olivia saw the state Menka Tokanami was in, she would only grow more worried for him. ¡°Jake,¡± his sister yelled, catching the attention of the decked out fire caster who looked up with the fixation of a dog taking orders from its master. ¡°I have to go somewhere real quick. Can you take care of the rest of my fights in my place, please?¡± she asked. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He nodded eagerly, holding high two thumbs up. ¡°Leave it to me, Miss Valkiri! I¡¯ll beat ¡®em senseless for you!¡± ¡°No, just beat them to a reasonable degree, Jake,¡± she yelled back, and Eik could swear he saw sweat spring forth visibly from every single forehead in the C-rank group. ¡°Will do!¡± he said with an enthusiastic wave. ¡°And nice to see you too, Eik! I loved your work earlier against the D-rankers!¡± Eik offered a wave back as he turned away. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get out of here, please. This is getting a little awkward.¡± Back at the house, they found Mikla rolling on the floor, holding aloft an impressively bored cat as he swung her through the air. She couldn¡¯t possibly have looked any less interested unless she had been dead. And maybe not even then. Maybe she had Awoken to an ability called Profound Boredom and taken it straight to X-rank. Mikla looked over when they stepped inside. ¡°Ah, there you are. You could have come at a more leisurely pace. I wouldn¡¯t have minded.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that,¡± Atla said dryly. ¡°Can you handle an extra B-ranker? Eik¡¯s sister wants to come along.¡± Mikla nodded politely to Olivia as he stood. ¡°Yeah, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± he said with a longing glance at the feline who had taken the opportunity to escape to Eik¡¯s bed where she was digging her way into a cave of blankets. ¡°Are we leaving straight away, or do we have a bit of time to¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with it,¡± Atla said as the others looked on without a word. ¡°Maybe a bite to eat while I¡ª¡± ¡°We just ate before coming here,¡± Atla said. ¡°Not even an hour ago.¡± ¡°I could eat,¡± Heath interjected. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m starving after those fights.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll whip up something quickly,¡± Eik added, seeing a fellow cat lover in need. ¡°Sis, can you get a fire going for me, please?¡± Since time wasn¡¯t of the essence, Atla yielded to the wish of the group and sat down for eggs and a special, non-Earth treat. ¡°Wait, is this brisik?¡± Michael asked with surprise as he tasted the first mouthful. At C-rank, any injuries sustained in the test bouts were not something he could do much about with his medicines and E-rank abilities, so he¡¯d left the healing to stronger Awakened and decided to come along with them to headquarters. ¡°How do you have brisik?¡± Eik grinned proudly. ¡°Damn straight, it¡¯s brisik! I picked up a couple of kilos on my last visit to Gimleh¡¯s markets. I had to pick up more alchemy ingredients anyway, so I figured ¡®why not?'' Pretty good, right?¡± ¡°This is really good, Eik,¡± Olivia commented while she chewed. ¡°Is it alien meat?¡± ¡°Yep, the first thing I ate when Atla brought me over. I have this friend in Gimleh, Mogu¡¯s his name, and he has a restaurant there. I¡¯ve eaten there a handful of times now, and he taught me how to prepare it. Sweet guy, too. I¡¯ll introduce you to him and his family later.¡± ¡°It kind of tastes like duck,¡± his sister noted. ¡°but there¡¯s something different about it too. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it just?¡± Eik agreed with a nod. ¡°It actually lives underground.¡± ¡°Dirt duck?¡± Olivia asked, looking at the meal on her plate. Atla and Mikla¡¯s eyes rolled way back into their skulls at that. ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying!¡± They ate, and Mikla got to spend a bit more time with a Mis who seemed to deem his presence tolerable if inferior. After half an hour, Atla insisted on leaving, and Mikla begrudgingly tore open a fracture at the foot of Eik¡¯s bed. Olivia stiffened at the sight. She must have seen fractures many more times than Eik, even after all the portal traveling he had done at this point, but that only meant she was even more familiar with what a fracture on Earth usually meant. Monsters driven to kill. Eik put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He pushed her gently toward the fracture as Atla stepped through, the surface of the otherworldly portal shimmering and rippling at the contact. Mikla stood and waited patiently, well aware of what someone like Olivia must have been through. ¡°You might experience a bit of vertigo the first few times you go through one of these,¡± he warned her. ¡°And don¡¯t be alarmed if you feel a bit sick on the other side. That¡¯s perfectly normal as well. It will pass quickly.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re totally fine already,¡± Heath chimed in and shoved his arm in and out of the swirling fracture several times, sending rings dancing across it as if in a quiet lake. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just see it as an experience,¡± he said and disappeared. With smiles of encouragement, Michael and Sonja followed the tank through, leaving only Eik, Olivia, and the fracture specialist. Eik spotted Mis strolling through the garden outside, noting the lack of open doors and windows. Strange as always. ¡°I promise it¡¯s okay, sis,¡± Eik said and took her hand. Without waiting for a reply, he pulled her through the blue veil. The now familiar rush of inter dimensional travel pulled at his innards like a roller coaster, and then it was over. Not even the faintest discomfort remained as he looked around the arrival site. It was the same domed building of white where both he and the siblings had first been spat out. Mikla sure had a preference when it came to first-time visitors. Not that Eik was complaining. It was a great place to take it all in, albeit overwhelming. ¡°Wh-What is¡­¡± Olivia gasped behind him, still clutching his hand in a grip that he feared might break his fingers. He dragged her outside into the sun. At the foot of the steep hill, the city of Gimleh stretched as far as the eye could see, the furthest corners obscured by fog. Olivia drew in a sharp breath at the sight, headquarters rising high above everything like a divine palace. Eik couldn¡¯t hold back a grin as he watched her face. ¡°Welcome to Gimleh, host of the Nidafjeld Alliance.¡± Chapter 101: Mind Skulk Al Dente ¡°It¡¯s- It¡¯s¡­ But it¡¯s huge,¡± Olivia stammered, her jaw hanging open at around hip height. ¡°Yeah, duh,¡± Eik grinned. ¡°We¡¯re visiting an inter dimensional super alliance, remember?¡± ¡°Is all of this part of the headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance?¡± she asked. ¡°Technically only that big thing of stone up there,¡± Heath said and pointed up. ¡°but Gimleh, the sprawling city below plays host so you can kind of think of them as one.¡± Olivia scanned the rooftops slowly, taking in the sight of a genuine other world. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really look¡­ that different from home, does it?¡± she noted. ¡°Right? I guess some things just work. It¡¯s hard to say whether it¡¯s a coincidence or if there¡¯s a deeper reason,¡± Eik said. ¡°Are we walking all the way there?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll open another fracture to take us all the way there. I just like to let new visitors see the view when they first arrive,¡± Mikla said with a smile. Olivia snapped shut her mouth and eyed the fracture specialist with some concern. ¡°We¡¯re going through one of those again already? I can still feel the aftermath of the first one.¡± ¡°I promise you get used to it quickly. You¡¯re just going to have to bite the sour apple for now,¡± Eik said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to come along, sis.¡± She sighed. ¡°I know¡­ Fine, fine, I¡¯m going. Let¡¯s just get it over with.¡± As Atla lead the way through the second fracture of the day, Mikla tried to reassure Olivia. ¡°With your B-rank body, I doubt it¡¯ll take you more than a handful of trips before you¡¯re completely used to the sensation. You should even feel a significant improvement already on the second one now.¡± Jaw tight, the fire user marched resolutely through. The rest of them followed. The fracture hall was empty when they arrived. As the portal spluttered shut, Mikla waved to someone on duty in the small office that took up a corner space of all the fracture halls in headquarters. ¡°This is the hall closest to the prison holding Menka Tokanami,¡± Mikla said to Eik. ¡°so I¡¯m afraid Ihasu Ougi won¡¯t be here today.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Eik answered hastily while Olivia arched an eyebrow. ¡°Who¡¯s Ihasu Ougi?¡± she asked. ¡°She¡¯s Eik¡¯s cru¡ª¡± Heath tried to say but a Movement Boosted, lighting-quick lion killer choke from Eik shut him up before he could finish the sentence. ¡°Nobody. She¡¯s nobody. Just a woman I met a little while back,¡± Eik muttered while Heath tried to tap out against the D-rank assault. ¡°And you like this girl?¡± ¡°Come on, Oli!¡± he drawled as Heath¡¯s face turned purple. ¡°Oh, sorry, dude. I forgot you were there.¡± He let go of Heath who fell to his knees coughing. Olivia was clearly enjoying teasing her little brother. ¡°What? It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t have a girlfriend, Eik. No need to be embarrassed about it.¡± ¡°Oh, my god, Oli!¡± he said and marched toward the exit, passing Michael who had to use every ounce of self restraint to not burst into tearful laughter, lest he got the same treatment as their tank. Mikla stayed behind in the office and let the rest of them continue on without him. Eik didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of story Atla had fed him to explain her need to haul Eik back to the prison but if the man didn¡¯t mind then that was all that mattered. Warden Harfol seemed to be expecting them when they were let through the reinforced door by the armored guards. Atla showed them the paperwork to inspect and once inside handed it over to the warden as well. He took his time and read through it thoroughly. ¡°Understood,¡± he mumbled and knocked hard on the reinforced door leading to the cell block. ¡°It¡¯s Harfol.¡± ¡°Mig Miq¡¯Miqq,¡± a voice answered. ¡°Juy Hun,¡± called another. Weren¡¯t those the same guards who had been here the first time they came by? ¡°Unlock your side.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Unlocking now.¡± Once the many locks had slid open, the heavy door swung open slowly. They walked along the rows of cell doors. Menka sat in a chair inside her cell, head lulling slowly from side to side, greasy, unwashed hair covering her face completely. ¡°Oh, wow,¡± Michael mumbled, shivering slightly at the sight of the woman. ¡°She¡¯s gotten even worse than last time we were here. I didn¡¯t think that was possible.¡± ¡°Thank you, Warden Harfol,¡± Atla said with a nod. The man rumbled something in response and let the cell door swing shut. Now only the cold, heavily enchanted cell bars protected them from the murderous mother. ¡°Do you seriously think her condition is because of a mind skulk?¡± Heath asked. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Not entirely. A mind skulk doesn¡¯t just rule your every move and thought. They can¡¯t do that. They enhance negative emotions like aggression, anger, fear, jealousy, frustration. That kind of stuff. In her case, I think the grief of her son¡¯s death was pushed way too far for her brain to handle and maintain sanity.¡± ¡°And you think Eik¡¯s toxin had something to do with it?¡± Olivia asked, her gaze never leaving the hunched over mother. The moment the B-ranker had laid eyes on Menka, she had frozen up like a cat staring at dog walking through its front door. ¡°Why is that again?¡± Atla side eyed Eik who started to sweat a little bit as he realized his mistake. ¡°I, uuh¡­ I was gonna tell you, I promise,¡± he stumbled. It was true. He had been planning to tell her. She was the most important person in his life. She deserved to know what was going on with him. Maybe it was a bad idea, but Eik couldn''t handle keeping such a big and life-altering secret from her. He swallowed and gestured for the group to follow him back outside the cell door, Menka giving no sign of having been aware of their presence in the first place. ¡°Can we talk safely here?¡± he asked, to which Atla nodded. He gave Olivia the rundown of his situation, including the truth of his ability and the implications of owning a Worldbreaker in the Unified Mass. ¡°So the only people who know about your Profound Toxin, the Worldbreaker thing and its potential effect on these mind skulks are us here? How about Mikla? Or Travis?¡± she asked. Eik shook his head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to it then.¡± Back inside, Eik stood in front of the bars and stretched out a tendril of liquid toxin toward the cage. He paused before coming into contact with the invisible barrier he knew hung there between him and the scary lady. ¡°It¡¯s a one-way barrier so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Atla said, seeing Eik¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Oh,¡± he breathed and sent the little branch all the way through. With no reason to wait and with the go from Atla, he plunged the tendril of Profound Toxin into Menka¡¯s lolling mouth. Immediately she started screaming, and witnessing the woman¡¯s desperate, mindless struggle put a spike in Eik¡¯s stomach. This wasn¡¯t like killing monsters or even like killing the assassins in combat. Yes, she had most certainly been responsible for a good bit of misery in Eik¡¯s life but essentially torturing a defenseless person felt rather awful regardless. But while he didn¡¯t stop, despite the displeasure he felt at the deed, Menka soon stopped it for him by literally biting through the toxic limb. Eik thought what he¡¯d already gotten inside had been enough, however. Here was an Awakened so strong that she could have rivaled anybody on Earth, yet what she resorted to was biting ¡ª not the abilities she must surely have drilled into her body and mind relentlessly over many years of training and experience. Was she that far gone? The look in her eyes was wild and unpredictable, foam dripping from her lips like a rabid animal. ¡°Is-Is she okay?¡± Michael stammered. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Heath muttered dryly, unable to tear his eyes from the spectacle. ¡°You can continue,¡± Atla told Eik. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll let me do anymore than this.¡± ¡°You can turn it into a mist, can¡¯t you? She won¡¯t have the lucidity to hold her breath against it.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s¡­¡± he began, trying to find the right words to describe what he was feeling. ¡°She¡¯s suffering.¡± ¡°She tried to kill you. Twice.¡± Atla¡¯s tone told them that she was confused. ¡°Yeah, I know, but still.¡± Olivia put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Eik, you don¡¯t have to do anymore. We can just go home.¡± Eik looked to Atla who sighed and nodded. ¡°Of course you¡¯re allowed to leave but this could be an important step toward understanding the mind skulks, which, in turn, might help prevent hundreds or thousands of parasitic infections in the future. It would be extremely valuable information to the alliance.¡± Valuable to the alliance, huh? What the hell could he say to that then? "Valuable to the alliance" translated directly to another card on Earth¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said with finality. Olivia stepped back, looking less than pleased with Atla¡¯s method of persuasion. Like Atla had guessed, the unkempt woman coughed and spluttered but didn¡¯t hold her breath, and Eik felt more Profound Toxin flow in to join what had already begun to take hold in her system. He kept it up while she struggled, forcing himself to face what he was doing. It didn¡¯t take as long as he had expected before her behavior began to change. The frantic resistance gradually turned into a series of unnatural, jerking convulsions. ¡°Should I¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes, keep going. I think something¡¯s happening,¡± Atla urged. Seconds later, Menka¡¯s face started to change color, and not in the way the skin of Eik¡¯s victims usually did. She began to heave, large and heavy movements. A piercing screech tore through the small space of the cell, accompanied by a wet, disgusting squelching. It wasn¡¯t particularly loud. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like her,¡± Heath rightly concluded. ¡°Look, look!¡± Michael hissed, crouching to get a better angle. ¡°There¡¯s a¡­ Oh, what the fuck, there¡¯s a head wiggling around in her mouth!¡± he gasped as he stumbled back until his back cracked against the thick stone wall and he slid down onto the cold floor. ¡°Oh, my god, I think it¡¯s coming out now,¡± Sonja managed to say before she had to turn around as an enormous dry heave rocked her entire body. ¡°Alright, hold the poison now,¡± Atla said, fascination and disgust mixing in her expression. ¡°It really worked,¡± she said as the same disturbing creature that had crawled out of Rock Fist Bart fell to the floor. Without taking a second to regain its bearings, the alien thing sped across the floor with undulating motions, reminding Eik of a mix between an earthworm and a fat, white grub worm. He felt ready to follow Sonja¡¯s example and retch in the corner. In the chair, Menka¡¯s breathing was labored and shallow. She had Profound Toxin in her system, yes, but it shouldn¡¯t have been nearly enough to cause this kind of reaction in someone of her caliber. The mind skulk definitely wasn¡¯t supposed to separate from a live host. To think that little thing had left her in such a state. Eik didn¡¯t know how, but Atla disabled the magical defensive measures and unlocked the heavy, barred cell gate, a decision he would have liked to be involved in, seeing as Menka Tokanami could now get to them out here. She walked in and snatched up the mind skulk and threw it into a clear container that looked like glass. Then she walked out, Menka making no move to escape. She was just that far gone now, it would seem. She was dying. ¡°That was perfect, Eik!¡± Atla complimented him. ¡°That was exactly what I had hoped for. Thank you! I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re rewarded for this. In fact, pull out your credit slab. I''ll transfer money from my own account right away!¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± he muttered, still staring at Menka¡¯s hunched over form, not even looking at the amount she deposited. What a world they lived in. ¡°Can we go home now?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said with a beaming smile and lead them out of the cell. ¡°Let¡¯s go get Mikla.¡± On the way out she stopped to have a short conversation with Warden Harfol before leading them back out into the sun. The beautiful flower beds outside stood in particularly strong contrast to the prison after that. Eik wanted to dive in head first just to get a whiff of the peaceful plants. Back home he curled up on his bed, cat clutched to his chest with an expression that said she was ready to write a formal complaint about the treatment. How strange it was that there were times when the killing and maiming didn''t bother him, but then also times like this that refused to leave his mind. For once, it would have been nice if Profound Toxin could have stepped in at least a little bit. Seeking out the distraction, he dove into his mind in search of the world of Profound Toxin. Chapter 102: Trial and Error Eik sat up with a sigh. The rotten wood crumbled like paper against his fingers now. To think he¡¯d struggled the first time he came here. Water splashed lazily as he sat up and scanned his surroundings. Same as always. ¡°Does it have to be a coffin every single time? How about some damn creativity - ivity - ivity?¡± he shouted, not expecting a response. He looked down at his naked body. ¡°And the clothes? I don¡¯t think a pair of pants or something like that would be too much to ask for! I¡¯ll catch a cold in this disgusting ass water ¨C ater - ater!¡± The echo made it feel even dumber to be shouting to nobody but here he was doing it anyway. ¡°Whatever,¡± he grumbled to himself and sloshed up onto shore where he stomped off the worst of the filth. ¡°I¡¯m not here for you anyway, you shitty blue bastard.¡± He walked around for a few minutes to pick out the nicest, coziest, and healthiest tree to sit against. Yes, the whole place was a literal swamp with no good places to sit, but he wasn¡¯t going to venture to the more dangerous territories when he was planning to concentrate. To be honest, he was a little surprised at the ease with which he had managed to enter the world of Profound Toxin again. For some reason, it felt like something that should have been difficult. No, it had been difficult, but now it just kind of worked. Whether this world was even real or just some kind of mind fortress was impossible to tell. On the one hand, injuries carried over somewhat, such as his bleeding nose when he¡¯d first be here. But on the other hand, he¡¯d already experienced death here when the toxic beast dove into the lake after him and he¡¯d come out of that just fine, more or less. Saving that little existential question for later, he got comfortable and reached in for Profound Toxin. It responded immediately. He took a firm hold of it, like a dog by the neck, before he called on his Ak¡¯ki. ¡°Alright, guys,¡± he breathed, heart racing with dread. ¡°Let¡¯s give this another try, shall we?¡± With about as much caution as he had ever done anything in his life, Eik slowly began to move the two forces closer to each other inside his body. He didn¡¯t spin them quite yet, since the pseudo scientist in him felt obligated to double check. Nope, it was the same as before. The moment the two energies touched, a pain like a white-hot, serrated blade being driven into his chest erupted like a fountain. Eik¡¯s head rammed against the trunk of the tree with a crack as his back arched in agony, a scream ripping through his throat. ¡°No, no, separate! Break it up, for fuck¡¯s sake!¡± he screamed and the pain let up instantly. He rolled over onto his elbows and retched. For a minute, every breath was a struggle. ¡°That¡­ sucked¡­¡± Pulling himself back into a sitting position, he got his breathing under control and maneuvered the two forces back into opposing places. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to spin you a bit now, alright? Behave this time, please. It really hurts.¡± Starting off easy, he rotated the two of them around their own axes and let them slowly build up speed before he set them in motion around each other. This was delicate work. It had to be in order to avoid causing more soul-throbbing agony. And Eik was all for delicate right now. Once the two entities reached a reasonable velocity, they began to move gradually closer together like two galaxies on a collision course. Despite their apparent contempt for each other, the Profound Toxin and the Ak¡¯ki must have sensed Eik¡¯s wish because as their swirling borders approached, tiny needles of matter reached out toward the barycenter of their shared orbit, straining to touch. With his mind¡¯s eye, Eik observed this development with some fascination. It had seemed a hopeless endeavor to force them to get along but maybe it wasn¡¯t such an impossibility after all. He watched the moment of contact with bated breath, feeling certain that it would work this time. Again, he was assaulted by a pain so intense that just maintaining consciousness felt like a challenge. On the outside his eyes were clenched shut in agony, but on the inside his eyes were wide open and following every second of the interaction between his two powers with unwavering focus. Where the previous attempt, before his evolution to the rank of Instinct of Toxin, had resulted in only a flash of success, what he saw now was a clear blend of opposing forces. A light blue haze, lighter than the cerulean blue of Profound Toxin, flowing almost like smoke, had come into existence at the point of contact. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The only problem was that it hurt like crazy so Eik couldn¡¯t maintain that fused state for more than a couple of unbearable seconds before being forced to let the float apart. ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered to himself as he leaned his head back against the rough bark, concentrating hard to keep himself from throwing up right then and there. Overtaken by a fit of frustration, Eik rolled around in the dry, crunchy grass, cursing like a sailor. It was terrifying to do these attempts. Although he was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t die in here, who the hell could really know? He sure as shit didn¡¯t. But even if it couldn¡¯t actually be fatal, the pain alone made it feel like being inches away from death. What doesn¡¯t kill you makes you feel a bunch of pain instead, as the famous quote went. Maybe it was optimistic to think that it was even a possibility in the first place to mix the two forces. It was clear that it was possible, but there was no proof that it did anything positive. Maybe it did nothing at all. Maybe it made it weaker rather than stronger. And worst of all, perhaps that pain that followed was simply part of it. An intrinsic function of the fusion that there was simply no getting around. All those thoughts were there, aching in the back of Eik¡¯s mind, but he still couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was onto something big here. Everything about powers, abilities, Ak¡¯ki, Profound Toxin, and all sorts of super natural stuff he experiences shared a common aspect. They all seemed to be governed by will, effort, and trial. And this was a damn trial. It just had to lead to something. If not¡­ A noise caught his attention, his head snapping up to gaze at the crown of a tree a little ways away. It was rustling. But there was not a breeze to be felt. The corners of Eik¡¯s mouth quirked up. Those things just never gave up, did they? He got to his feet before it could make its move and when it did, he snatched it out of the air deftly, holding the little bugger by the skin of its neck, if that elastic membrane could even be called skin. It struggled and wiggled like a regular snake would, tiny squeaks escaping its luminescent, blue body like a dog toy. He held it up to so he could see it properly. As expected, there was an outline of facial features, but it was so faint that it was barely visible. The drake-like entity that had killed him on his last visit had been much clearer. It was difficult to admit but it was actually kind of cute now that he could get a good look at the damn thing. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it easy for once, little fella?¡± he tried, expecting no answer. ¡°There¡¯s nothing about this fight that you¡¯ll end up enjoying, I think. Maybe you should take a step back from this and rethink your options a bit,¡± he said, eyes wandering to its legless existence. ¡°Or¡­ just inch back a little bit, I don¡¯t know. Whatever, man,¡± he grumbled and chugged it into the bushes where it slithered away, having followed his advice, clearly. ¡°Cute little guy,¡± he mumbled and sat back down at the tree. ¡°Alright, nothing to do but try again, I suppose,¡± he said with a sigh. Getting Profound Toxin and the Ak¡¯ki back into mutual orbit, they slowly began to merge once more. Eik was hoping for a miracle to solve his problem, but when the pain made another appearance it was clear that he had to try something else to fix the issue. ¡°Mmmm.¡± Lost in thought, he tried to think of a different approach. But what the hell could he do? How was he supposed to know how to work this otherworldly power correctly? He hadn¡¯t exactly gone to a god damned magic school or anything like that. He was practically a self taught amateur. From here there was really only one way to go and that was forward. Well, except dying, of course. He could definitely still die. And experience copious amounts of pain. He sighed. Keeping the revolutions at low velocity this time, Eik moved them closer and closer. It hurt even more than before. Okay, so for now at least, it seemed like faster was better. He tried it again with the revolutions turned to near maximum of what he could realistically keep control, but with the orbit velocity turned down instead. To his dismay, this configuration was even more painful that the previous attempt. Eik laid there in the dead grass, panting his lungs out from the worst case of heartburn ever. Was this crap really worth it? There wasn¡¯t even any proof that something good would come of it. It hurt so much. Groaning, he put a hand to his mouth as vomit threatened to come up unannounced before throwing himself back into the experiment. ¡°Ah, man, here we go,¡± he muttered as he set the whole thing back into motion at as high a speed as he could reasonably handle. Before allowing them to touch, he took some time to just feel the revolutions and the rolls, feeling it settle into a comfortable balance. And in that balance he found the forces speeding up further. At first he was about to force them to slow down to maintain control but there there didn¡¯t seem to be a loss of control, even as he gave it more time to build up. ¡°Huh, would you look at that,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Sometimes, all you need is a little bit of patience.¡± The longer he let them go, the more speed they built. He didn¡¯t even have to force it. It just happened as if they had been waiting for him to give them free rein to do their thing. The feeling of it was like sitting in a roller coaster ¡ª that deep rush sending tingles through his stomach, up his spine, and down into his toes. It felt like he was breaking through to something. By the time the two energies reached what seemed to be terminal velocity within the confines of their environment, he almost couldn¡¯t tell one from another as they almost seemed to flow into each other. This might be a little much. With his mind¡¯s eye, he watched them revolve like two stars, each shining brightly with their own color. It was a mesmerizing sight, no matter how you twisted and turned it. Hey, he was the type of guy to swallow fatal doses of poison just to test himself. This was a peace of cake, right? No time like the present, as they said. Taking a deep breath, Eik steeled himself against the pain that would soon come and smashed the two opposing forces into a collision course. Chapter 103: Success in Magic, Science, and Employment Eik steeled himself against the pain that was to come and smashed the two opposing forces into a collision course. Actually, not quite. He inched them closer with ultimate caution, clenching his teeth in butthole-tightening dread. Inside his body, he saw them fuse, the combined matter flowing languidly and sluggishly around the barycenter like cosmic dust. And more surprising than anything, there was no agony to be felt. His pain receptors were quiet and calm. In fact, it felt kind of good. Like cool mist on the skin on a hot summer¡¯s day. The two energies kept rotating at high velocity, supplying tiny trickles of their substances, little by little, to the center for fusion. It was beautiful. It worked. It actually worked! There had been an idea. Then there had been trial and error. And now¡­ success. Sweet success! Now all that was left was to somehow extract that fused substance so it could actually be used for someth¡ª A spike of pure torture tore through his chest, his concentration knocked off to the point where Profound Toxin and the Ak¡¯ki spun out of control. Through the pain he could barely collect his wits enough to put a stop to their rampant riot. This hurt more than any attempt before and Eik was certain that the throat-ripping scream he let loose would lure in every single specimen of all three tiers of Profound Toxic beasts. Tears ran freely down his cheeks, his chest feeling like it had been caved in by a sledgehammer. Behind clenched eyelids, however, all he saw was the vision of that fused substance. It gave him something to focus on while his body put him through the wringer. After what felt like hours, but in reality likely closer to minutes, the pain had receded to the point where he could sit up and take a proper breath. Shivers and convulsion ran through him constantly, refusing to let him calm down. Instinctively he reached for his belt where he always kept a small supply of medicine chunks but found nothing but bare ass. Right. No clothes. Pushing himself onto his knees, he stumbled to his feet. Fingers feeling for the rough bark, he leaned against the tree for a couple of minutes while the last bouts of dizziness ran their course. For the first time since he¡¯d arrived, he took in the gargantuan mountain in the distance. The familiar sense of longing settled quietly in the back of his mind. He looked further up, eyes skyward, and drew in a deep breath, raising his hands up high. With a reverberating bellow of triumph, he let himself fall back into the grass. Surely, the fauna, if they could even be called that, that roamed this strange forest had heard this as well. But that hardly mattered right now. It worked. Holy shit, it worked. Sure, it had hurt like hell at the end ¡ª like being stabbed continuously by a million knives, probably ¡ª but it had definitely worked! And if it had worked, that meant he could recreate the success and learn to make use of it, somehow. Surely there was a use for it, right? Otherwise¡­ Shivers ran down his spine at the thought. It had seemed like problems of pain only began to arise once the concentration of fused matter reached a limit where his body couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. It was clearly fine below a certain point so if he could control and stop the fusion process well enough to not exceed that limit, then maybe he could find a way to actually put it to use. Eik lifted his head to see one of the larger specimen of Profound Toxic snake approaching at a leisurely slither. Judging by how it was scanning the surroundings, it must have been lured in by his triumphant roar. He didn¡¯t deign to get up even when it spotted him and sped up. And when it shot forth like a spring on a trampoline, Eik simply raised a leg up into the air. The moment it came into range he brought down the leg like an axe at a chopping block, shattering it into the ground with enough force to turn its body into a puddle that could do nothing more than run into the cracks of the crater left by Eik¡¯s kick. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered, looking at the goo oozing into the ground by his feet. He let his head fall back into the grass with a sigh. ¡°So, how the hell am I supposed get out of here then?¡± *** ¡°Mr. Magnasen.¡± A hesitant knock rung through the small workshop, soon to be alchemy store. When no answer came, there was a long pause as if the person outside was struggling to decide whether to go for another knock. Finally, a decision was made. Three short knocks. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Mr. Magnasen. Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk, Mr. Magnasen? It¡¯s Robert Barnes. We¡¯ve spoken a couple of times before. Excuse me, can I come in?¡± A rustle came from inside the building followed by a string of extremely colorful curses and then a crash. Seemingly materializing out of thin air, a frantic cat with fur in three colors suddenly descended onto Robert Barnes¡¯ face, landing claws first and latching onto the back of his head like an alien parasite. Frightened out of his good skin, Robert yelped and flailed his neck in a panicked attempt to rid his face of the furry passenger. After a couple of seconds of struggle the feline finally let go and jumped out toward the garden. He tried to follow the cat¡¯s flight but the moment he whirled around, it had vanished as suddenly and tracelessly as it had appeared. Mumbling to himself in total confusion, bright red scratches marring his face and scalp, Robert knocked again, this time a little more forcefully. ¡°Mr. Magnasen. Are you in there? Are you okay?¡± No answer. ¡°Alright¡­ I apologize, Mr. Magnasen, but I¡¯m breaking down this door!¡± Robert yelled and took a few steps back. ¡°Step away from the door, please, Mr. Magnasen. I- I¡¯m¡ª I¡¯m coming in!¡± he stammered and stomped the door with all the power he could muster. The impact rattled his entire body through and through, a needle of pain spiking through his heel. He hopped around in front of the door on one foot, hissing. The door still stood intact. ¡°B-But¡­ I¡¯m an Awakened. A mere door should be nothing but a¡ª¡± With a creak, the door swung open, revealing Eik Magnasen¡¯s face covered almost completely in green goo. ¡°Dude, what the hell. You totally made me blow up my experiment. Do you have any idea how dangerous some of these things I work with can be?¡± Robert gawked, uncomprehending. ¡°Uuh, no¡­ But what in the world is your door made of, Mr. Magnasen?¡± he asked. ¡°What, this?¡± Eik asked, slapping the half open door a few times. ¡°Looks like wood to me,¡± he said and pushed it open all the way. ¡°The inside¡¯s metal, though. I got it reinforced recently. Had some trouble a little while back, you see. Hey, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about that, would you? Considering your employment and all that.¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really know much of anything these days, Mr. Magnasen. I was nothing but a cog in the machine. I just did what I was told.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Eik said with a nod. ¡°Wait, did you say ¡®was nothing but a cog in the machine¡¯? What do you mean by that?¡± For the first time, Robert broke into a smile. ¡°That¡¯s what I came to talk to you about. I quit my job today. I¡¯m no longer employed by Darius Kerman.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Not bad. Congratulations on your freedom¡± Eik said and stepped aside, gesturing for the young man to come inside. ¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡± Robert blinked at the change in brightness from the outside to the inside. There wasn¡¯t much more furniture than there had been when last Robert came to Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs to relay the messages from the the Forest leadership. A couple of broken chairs, a table, and countless fragments of shattered glass lay scattered throughout the front room. Smashed boxes and shards of broken ceramic were visible in the dark back room as well. In the middle of the front room was placed a new table flooded with vials, strange plants, bottles of colored liquids, a heavy cauldron taking up most of the space on one side. The table appeared to have been placed unconcernedly in the middle of the room with not a thought for the mess around it. The ceiling had something that looked like a light bulb. But that couldn¡¯t be. People hadn¡¯t been able to harness electricity traditionally since that fateful day almost ten years ago, ¡°What¡¯s that? Mr. Magnasen¡­ don¡¯t tell me you discovered a way to get electricity again!¡± ¡°Nope, I sure didn¡¯t,¡± Eik admitted readily. ¡°That right there is called a glow stone.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°Mate, it glows¡­¡± ¡°R-Right¡­ How did you obtain it? On an expedition?¡± ¡°Bought it in Gimleh. Yanlan¡¯s Interior and Decoration down at the corner by the park. Didn¡¯t come cheap, though. But I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it so I splurged a bit. Sue me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know what most of that means.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Eik muttered, gaze far away. Then he focused back in. ¡°Anyway! You said you came to have a talk. What can I help you with?¡± ¡°W-Well, as I told you, I¡¯ve parted ways with Mr. Kerman. A-Although he was a wonderful employer, I¡¯ve decided it¡¯s time to look for other op¡ª¡± ¡°Was he?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Was he? A good employer, I mean.¡± Robert swallowed. ¡°I¡ª well, no, not exactly.¡± ¡°Alright, cool. Thank you for being honest with me. If you¡¯re going to be working for me, honesty is one of the qualities I appreciate the most, just so you know. I have a tendency to not think things all the way through, so it¡¯s important that you tell me honestly when you think I¡¯m making a mistake or doing something dumb.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I will certainly keep that in mind, Mr. Magn¡ª I-I¡¯m sorry, did you just¡ª? But I never said¡­¡± Eik held up his hands. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I might have gotten a little ahead of myself there. Go on. What did you come to talk about?¡± Robert Barnes cleared his throat and squared his stance with as much projected confidence as he could dig out. ¡°Mr. Magnasen. It has come to my attention that you are in the process of launching a business here in Forest dealing in groundbreaking potion creations of which you are the sole creator,¡± he said, eyes intense and unblinking as he took a breath to continue.¡± ¡°Given the novelty and extreme potential of your venture, I believe you will soon come to require assistance in managing your business. Assistance which I am capable of providing. In short, I have come here today to offer you an opportunity that you will surely not regret. Through my work for Mr. Kerman I have acquired extensive knowledge and experience in business, planning, organization, and management. If you would just allow me the opportunity to prove my worth, I will ensure that I live up to any and all expectation you m¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re hired.¡± ¡°P-Pardon?¡± ¡°I said you¡¯re hired,¡± Eik repeated and clapped a stunned Robert on the shoulder. ¡°Good to have you on board, Bob.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you so much, Mr. Magnasen! You won¡¯t regret this, I promise you!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to. And speaking of work, are you ready to get started with your first task?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m ready for anything!¡± the young man said excitedly. ¡°See that?¡± Eik asked and pointed to the ceiling and floor covered in the remnants of the most recent failed experiment. ¡°I do, yes.¡± ¡°Clean that while I get another batch ready. Then sit in that corner and be quiet and let me concentrate.¡± Chapter 104: Nasty Surprise What he had done in the world of Profound Toxin had been a victory ¡ª there was absolutely no doubt about that. But there was something he hadn¡¯t quite thought about. Trying that again out here in the real world was utterly terrifying. Yes, it had certainly hurt badly whenever he had failed in there, but what if that pain was caused by something that would be fatal out here? How the hell was he supposed to know? There wasn¡¯t exactly an instruction manual for this kind of stuff he could consult. To be sure, he had asked Heath, Michael, Sonja, and Olivia if they had had any experiences similar to being pulled unwillingly into a strange world. They hadn¡¯t, as expected. For a while he had considered asking Atla about it as well but had quickly decided against it. Recently, it felt like he had gotten a clearer picture of her personality and mind but there was still a lot about her that was difficult to see through. It felt too risky to go to her with this even if she could shed some light on it. He sat on a stool in Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs in front of his cauldron, staring into the bottom of the black metal vessel. He¡¯d been experimenting with a few things for the past few days since getting out of the world of Profound Toxin, doing whatever else he could to put off attempting the fusion in the real world. It could be the next step forward in his progress but he was afraid of leaving behind Olivia with no living family. While they were not related by blood, they had long since become closer enough to consider each other siblings. Heart racing away like a galloping horse, he swallowed and put his hands on his chest to visualize the movements of the forces inside his body. Both Profound Toxin and the Ak¡¯ki responded readily, jumping into proper positions with little complaint. Alright, everything was ready to begin. Ignoring the beads of sweat running down his forehead and taking a deep breath to stabilize himself in the moment, he cautiously and ever so slowly began to spin each cluster of energy around its own axis, increasing the speed gradually as he maintained concentration. Giving them more than twice the time to reach an appropriate acceleration than he had in the world of Profound Toxin, he set them in orbital motion as well, this too starting especially slowly. He had to grip his shirt tightly to keep his hands from trembling uncontrollably. Like before, he let the two forces go at their own pace at which they accelerated even further without a loss of control. Once they reached a point where they became a blur, Eik took another deep and calming breath as he prepared himself for what he had to do. It was impossible to know what would happen next. With sudden tension, he m¡ª ¡°Mr. Magnasen! Mr. Magnasen, are you here?¡± Robert Barnes, Eik¡¯s new assistant, shouted as he barged through the door with not a care for other people¡¯s frayed nerves. Overcome with shock, Eik tumbled off the stool and onto the floor in dramatic fashion where he rolled into the wall with a mighty roar as he desperately tried to regain control of the two churning masses of energy lest they collide rampantly inside him. Gawking at what he had wrought, Robert¡¯s face was a mask of anxious confusion while Eik¡¯s was tightened into a grimace of distressed focus as if he¡¯d just chugged a shot glass full of lemon juice. ¡°Wh¡ª I, uuh¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Magnasen! What¡¯s going¡­ on?¡± he stammered as he watched the spectacle. A good dozens seconds later, Eik came out of it with mind and body seemingly intact. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ hell, Bob! I told you to be careful! Do you not remember me telling you that a single wrong move with stuff like this could literally kill me?¡± Eik hissed, still lying supine on the floor, legs of jelly refusing to support him whatsoever. ¡°Should I also tell you what happens if I do die, hm? You¡¯d best believe you would be out of a job, mate!¡± ¡°My deepest apologies, Mr. Magnasen!¡± Robert uttered with a quivering voice, offering the deepest of bows. ¡°In my haste to report, it slipped my mind! Are you alright?¡± Grumbling to himself for a few moments, Eik rolled over onto his side to get an arm under his body. ¡°Barely. It nearly scared the shit out of me ¡ª and that¡¯s not a metaphor, Bob! I almost shit my pants!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! It won¡¯t happen again, I swear!¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Eik muttered as he pulled himself back onto the stool, still practicing deep, calming breaths. At least the ingredient mixture was still intact. ¡°So, what did you want to tell me, anyway? Something important, I¡¯m hoping.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Imperative, I would say,¡± Robert said with an intense nod. ¡°I believe your stolen supply of potions is being unloaded on the market as we speak.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eik exclaimed and rose to his feet. ¡°By who?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s exactly the problem. It¡¯s not just one merchant. ¡°I checked most stalls and stores and I found at least five sellers.¡± ¡°That many? They would sell stolen goods in broad daylight? That¡¯s an insane thing to do!¡± Eik questioned. ¡°I know some of these people, Mr. Magnasen, and I highly doubt they would dare commit theft against you, if I¡¯m honest. Many of these merchants are old and barely F-rank. And they¡¯re kind people.¡± ¡°So what then?¡± Robert chewed on his lip. ¡°I made some inquiries and it seems like they all bought the potions from someone recently. Someone who spoke as if he was a representative of the creator of the potions. Mr. Magnasen, there are many desperate folks in this city, and the opportunity to get in on the sale of something as rare and extraordinary as your potions is one few would let pass by.¡± Eik narrowed his eyes, lips pursed in thought. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°None of them knew. The person wore a hood apparently.¡± ¡°A hood?¡± Eik repeated, dumbfounded. ¡°That¡¯s the most stereotypical back alley deal I¡¯ve ever heard of. Why did they think what this guy was selling was even legit?¡± ¡°Apparently an E-rank merchant was one of the first to be approached by this individual and he tested its legitimacy himself. Word has spread since then.¡± Eik sighed and sank back onto the stool, massaging the bridge of his nose. ¡°Still¡­ This is ridiculous,¡± he said and went to grab his coat. ¡°I have to see this with my own eyes. Let¡¯s go, Bob. Good work.¡± It was unfortunate but he''d have to delay the experiment just a little bit longer. Even though the thought if it alone terrified him, excitement was a close second. He couldn''t wait for it and he would definitely get to it tomorrow! Breaking out into a smile, Robert followed his new employer out the door. There was a spring in his step as they made their way across the garden. The decision to change jobs was the best he had ever made. *** The central marketplace of Forest was the undisputed hub of the city. Ever since Forest had grown into a sizable settlement, Eik had enjoyed coming here because it almost made it feel like everything was normal. The bustle of activity made him feel at ease, somehow. He followed Robert through the throng. The young man seemed to be greeting a new person every few seconds as he navigated the place. ¡°Could it be that you know everyone here?¡± Eik asked as Robert high fived an older man in overalls who was manning a stall overflowing completely with apples, pears, lemons, bunches of grapes, as well as several other fruits that had appeared almost out of nowhere when the world changed. ¡°Not even close, Mr. Magnasen,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just that I have been coming here with my father since I was a little boy. I used to run around from store to store while he went around and did business. I have been behind the counter serving customers of a good portion of the stall in this area. The shopkeepers were always kind enough to allow a little monkey like me to play great merchant with their customers. I always loved that.¡± ¡°Ha! That sounds pretty nice,¡± Eik mused. ¡°Your father sounds rather successful to me. How did you end up working for a jerk like Darius Kerman instead of going into business with your old man?¡± Robert was leading so Eik couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face but the way his posture drooped forward gave Eik the answer before the guy ever opened his mouth to say anything. ¡°He was¡­ killed. It¡¯s already a few years back now so I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m still sad about. I was always interested in business so when I scored a job with a big name like Mr. Kerman, I thought I¡¯d hit the jackpot.¡± He walked a little slower while he spoke. ¡°But you¡¯re not wrong when you call him a jerk. The man is a total ego maniac. He actually doesn¡¯t care about other people. He somehow managed to avoid getting himself killed and even carry his wealth and business acumen over into this version of Earth. And Merchant Lord Greggers basically has the exact same story as far as I know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Just because we have all lost people we love doesn¡¯t mean that you aren¡¯t allowed to grieve. That¡¯s your privilege. If it¡¯s any consolation, I was never a rich guy and I¡¯m still not. I¡¯m just some guy so please help me a lot from now on.¡± ¡°Will do, Mr. Magnasen!¡± Robert said, turning around to look Eik in the eye, a smile breaking through to the surface. Eik was beginning to realize that he might well have struck gold in hiring the guy. ¡°Call me, Eik. And by the way, why does everybody call him Merchant Lord Greggers? It¡¯s kind of cheesy to go by a moniker like that.¡± Suddenly Robert¡¯s jaw began to churn desperately as he was obviously trying his damndest to hold in a laugh. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t like his real first name.¡± ¡°Why, what is his real name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± the young man tried, barely able to keep it together. ¡°It¡¯s Charlotte.¡± Eik couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°That loaf of bread was named Charlotte all along? Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a poorly kept secret. On the few occasions where it has been brought up, he apparently insists that it¡¯s actually Charlotto, which is supposed to be a masculine version. But one of the servants once found his old ID card from before the world went to shit and swears it said Charlotte.¡± ¡°That guy gets funnier every time I hear about him!¡± Eik laughed. ¡°Anyway, here we are,¡± Robert said and turned a corner. The store was not a stall but rather a dilapidated hut with a door hanging loosely on a single hinge. It was the kind of store where the hero of the story would go after experiencing a humiliating defeat, expecting to find nothing but garbage items only to discover, to his great shock, that there, among the trash, was hidden an unimaginable legendary sword that would have brought anybody with the knowledge to use it to the peak of power. Well, the inside of this store was exceedingly ordinary, even with the shoddy exterior. But there was indeed a rare item among the rest of the wares, although it was displayed prominently on the countertop. There, placed on a particularly clean and tidy spot was a vial filled with dark purple liquid. Like a blooming cloud of smoke it swirled inside the container. There was no doubt about the authenticity of the product. He¡¯d been nose deep in the stuff for weeks so. A few of the vials were different from the ones he used but that was definitely Eik¡¯s potion for sale. Someone was going to get a bright blue shower for this. Chapter 105: Laying Plans ¡°You¡¯ve got a good eye there, son,¡± the old man said from a chair behind the counter. ¡°Just got this in yesterday. Real rare stuff I can tell you. It takes your strength straight from E-rank to D-rank like magic!¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Jefferson,¡± Robert said and offered a wave as he stepped in behind Eik, having let his boss walk through the door first. ¡°Robbie! Two visits in a row! To what do I owe the pleasure? Did you figure something out about that little problem you talked about then?¡± ¡°Kind of,¡± Robert answered with a side eye on Eik. ¡°This is my boss, D ranker Eik Magnasen, and those potions,¡± he said and pointed at the display. ¡°were made by him. Stolen from his own storage as well the storages of some of his customers.¡± Mr. Jefferson stiffened and his jaw tensed. His eyes flitted between the two men in his store, eventually settling on Eik whose gaze never faltered. The older man swallowed visibly and looked like he¡¯d love to leg it out through whatever back room he had behind him. Was this how Rock Fist Bart had felt, touring stores in search of something to get offended by. He must have enjoyed his status immensely, but to Eik¡­ That expression of fear painted on Mr. Jefferson¡¯s face put something in his stomach that make him feel nauseated. ¡°I- I¡­ I swear, Mr. Magnasen. I swear I did not steal from you! Please, you don¡¯t understand! I was lead to believe it came directly from you! I purchased the potions in good faith! You have to believe me, please!¡± the frightened man stammered and flew to his feet, but his knees buckled under him and he had to catch himself on the corner of the counter. ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Mr. Jefferson, calm down! Mr. Jefferson, listen, Mr. Magnasen did not come here to exact some manner of primitive revenge for the theft. He just wants to know what¡¯s going on so he can mitigate his losses in the future, isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Magnasen?¡± the young man asked. Eik nodded. ¡°Robbie here has already vouched for your innocence in the matter. I¡¯m just looking for information about the crime. I¡¯m not looking to do anything to you. In fact, I don¡¯t even mind if you sell the stock you¡¯ve already got,¡± he said and held up a finger. ¡°so long as you promise to credit me for the original creation and distribution.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you, thank you!¡± the older man said, offering several small bows, voice still quivering slightly. ¡°I will make sure to do that, sir!¡± Mr. Jefferson glared at Robert with his head still halfway down in a bow and hissed in what he was probably hoping was a whisper. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you tell me that I was selling your boss¡¯ product? What if he had killed me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Jefferson,¡± Robert said sheepishly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want rumors to spread before Mr. Magnasen had had a chance to confirm my suspicions with his own eyes. And Mr. Magnasen is not the type of person to do something like that, isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Magnasen?¡± Again, Eik nodded, looking exceptionally boss-like. They hadn''t talked about doing it like this, but Robert had kind of just started talking and Eik was fine with that. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good,¡± Mr. Jefferson said, eyes darting between them. ¡°So what can you tell me about this strange, hooded figure selling my stuff in the back alleys?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Not much, to be honest. It¡¯s definitely a man. A real shady character if I have to say so myself. Wouldn¡¯t have a drink with him, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Yet you trusted him enough to buy the potions from him¡­ You didn¡¯t suspect that he might have been fleecing you for everything but your socks and sandals?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, the wares had already been verified by other merchants I know so I kind of just took the chance to make some extra cash, y¡¯know. It¡¯s not like I was the first to be approached by him either. Plenty of rumors about him by the time he came to me. As a matter of fact, I think most of the guys did doubt his claims so they didn¡¯t take the goods.¡± ¡°And he was fine with being refused?¡± Eik asked. ¡°All my colleagues are still fine and healthy, so I suppose so, yeah.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know the names of your colleagues who decided to buy?¡± Eik asked, then added. ¡°Oh, and actually, if you could tell me who refused as well, that would be great.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, certainly!¡± the frantically relieved man sputtered and went to fish out a wrinkled piece of paper already filled with various scribbles. He tore off a corner and jotted down a list of names divided into buyers and those who declined the offer. He handed it over to Eik who out it in his pocket. ¡°I appreciate this, Mr. Jefferson. I¡¯m going to talk to some of them myself, but next time you see them, I would be grateful if you¡¯d tell them what I¡¯ve told you. I will have no complaint if any of you sell what stock you have of my potions. You can even take the full profit yourselves. Just make sure that my name is mentioned up front.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Mr. Magnasen, sir, I couldn¡¯t possibly thank you enough for your kindness. And once again, I apologize for my involvement ¡ª however unintentional it may have been ¡ª in your misfortune,¡± the older man said. Once they were back outside, Robert settled into Eik¡¯s tempo. ¡°Is it okay to not ask him anymore?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. I want to hear the story from more people anyway.¡± They spent the next couple of hours visiting with a number of different merchant who had stalls, stands, and store around the central market. The vibes and interior of the stores varied greatly, both in apparent opulence and cleanliness. Proximity to the central shopping area seemed to be a pretty reliable indicator for size and quality. However, some stores that had specialized goods and services didn¡¯t fit into that assessment quite as well. Eik himself was a good example of an exception to that rule. There was no denying that he liked to complain at times but in truth, he had been doing rather well for himself with his one-man operation back before his own Awakening. The quality and reasonable pricing of his product had earned him many returning customers and more than a few recommendations. It had been a nice life. Much different from his current existence. Most of the other merchants who had been approached by the hooded thief could tell him no more than what Mr. Jefferson had been able to. Some of them were convinced that the person had been a woman. One even claimed that it had been Eik himself in disguise. In the end they walked away having discovered little new information, and certainly nothing that put them in a position to confidently accuse anybody of the crime. Eik was tempted to simply blame the Forest leadership but he couldn¡¯t lay it on them just because he didn¡¯t like them. There were plenty of people in Forest besides the stinky old geezers who would love to get their hands on his potions. He needed some kind of proof. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get much more out of the merchants at this point, Eik,¡± Robert said, only willing to use his boss¡¯ first name when they were alone. ¡°Yeah. But we have one last stop before we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Where?¡± *** As all other times Eik had been by for a visit, the door to Elaine Haness¡¯ office was answered by her brother Carl Haness. Eik didn¡¯t get back to Earth in time to witness the remaining C-rank selection tests but he¡¯d been told the results after the fact. Carl had indeed lived up to his confidence and passed the test to secure a spot at the Championships. The other C-ranker was someone Eik didn¡¯t know. ¡°My potions have begun to appear on the markets,¡± Eik said once he sat across from Elaine. ¡°I just found out as well,¡± she said with a sober nod. ¡°One of the merchants in my circle was approached by this individual as well. It happened last night and he reported it to me just a couple of hours ago.¡± ¡°And what did he say? Did he recognize the person?¡± ¡°No, unfortunately, he didn¡¯t. My colleague is an E-ranker himself, and judging by the hooded person¡¯s movements, he guessed that he was a high E-ranker as well. He¡¯s careful. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s approached anyone who could try to overpower him and realistically succeed.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Eik muttered. ¡°We could try baiting the seller to come out but I¡¯m just not sure he would fall for that,¡± Elaine mused, scratching her chin. ¡°If he¡¯s as careful as you¡¯ve said, then he¡¯s probably not that desperate to unload the potions,¡± Eik agreed. ¡°But, what if we could set up something that he is desperate to get his hands on?¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s selling the potions to basically anybody who¡¯s willing to buy them, then he¡¯s going to run dry of supply pretty soon. And when he¡¯s dry, he¡¯s going to want a refill, don¡¯t you think? What if we give them a good target to hit?¡± ¡°Do you really think they would go for something that risky?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°I mean, they have already broken into both your storage, my shop, and even my home. They¡¯ve proven themselves to be some bold sons of bitches.¡± She regarded him with narrowed eyes while Robert and Carl watched from the side, Robert looking immersed while Carl looked like he was thinking about his next meal. ¡°Desperation does make people do stupid things. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re trying to earn extra money or just put a stick in the wheel of your sprouting business ¡ª probably both, if I had to guess ¡ª but I think it¡¯s worth a try. And anyone would move their storage location after a blatant robbery like that so it¡¯s not like it would even be particularly suspicious in itself.¡± ¡°Mmh,¡± Eik hummed and leaned back, arms folded across his chest. ¡°I know it was my suggestion but I really don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly worth a try, I¡¯d say. Especially if we¡ª¡± Robert interjected only to stop himself in his tracks. ¡°Ah, I- I¡¯m¡ª¡­ Forgive me. I overstepped.¡± He shut his mouth and stepped back against the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t mind that, man. We¡¯re all in this together. What did you want to say?¡± Eik urged, earning him a look of approval from Elaine. ¡°Well,¡± Robert began hesitantly, stepping back to the center of the room. ¡°I was thinking that, if we want to increase the likelihood of the thief¡¯s return, you should make sure that the merchants selling your stolen potions all know that you don¡¯t intend to make an issue of it. Make it seem like you have more important things to spend your time on. It might embolden him to try your new storage location as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Elaine said with a nod. ¡°Making a public announcement would be a bit too conspicuous, but if you send Robert around to mention it casually, it¡¯ll seem like you¡¯re just trying to make the best of a shitty situation. We¡¯ll definitely going to need to make adjustments to the plan to maximize the odds of success, but this is a good start.¡± ¡°That seems solid,¡± Eik agreed. ¡°I¡¯m by no means a skilled businessman, so I think I¡¯ll leave that to you and Robert. Just tell me when we¡¯re ready. Give me a few days to build up a potentially disposable supply of potions first, though.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a pretty successful store back before Awakening?¡± Carl asked. ¡°I did, but that was successful because my product was good, in demand, and fairly priced, not because of any sort of cunning strategies or insightful analyses of the market,¡± Eik chuckled. ¡°That was never my thing.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, boss!¡± Robert shouted with sincerity. ¡°I always will.¡± Chapter 106: Making Strides Eik sat on the stool again, facing the cauldron with his eyes closed. It had taken him a couple of days to build up the nerve to attempt the energy fusion extraction again but now he was steeled for it. If anything, he was even more ready now than he had been when Robert had barged in on his previous attempt, not only mentally but also because he now had a large sign with ¡°do not disturb¡± written in bold letters hanging on the handle of his door. Bob would definitely know that if he scared him like that again he would be buried among the flowers out back. Taking a deep breath, Eik moved through the different stages of the fusion of Profound Toxin and the Ak¡¯ki. Once he made it to the collision stage, his heart began to race like crazy and he had to take a mental step back to calm down before proceeding. The collision was successful and for what felt like hours, Eik watched the essences of each of the substances trickle slowly and lazily toward their shared barycenter, despite the rapid revolutions of the main bodies. They blended like milk and tea, floating around each other until they became something together ¡ª something more. The sight of it was so mesmerizing that Eik almost forgot that there was a limit to what his body could take before it would start to break apart. He pumped the brakes on the two essences to the best of his ability and hurried into the extraction phase ¡ª something he had yet to attempt once. By Odin¡¯s greasy beard, this had better be the simplest part of the process or he might just explode. Probably literally, actually. It took a bit of twisting and pulling, which made him nervous, but eventually it came loose and floated away from the barycenter and straight toward Eik¡¯s spiritual presence. Letting the Profound Toxin and Ak¡¯ki decelerate as he opened his physical eyes. And the moment he did, he was struck by a deep weariness as lightheadedness washed over him. He had been so engrossed in the workings of the fusion that it didn¡¯t become apparent until now. That hadn¡¯t happened inside the world of Profound Toxin so there were definitely differences between that and the real world. At this point it was difficult to tell exactly what that meant overall but there was no way he could do it again right away. Maybe it was something similar to ability cooldowns. The fused essence sat quietly, right there on the back of his hand, pulsating and flowing like a flower in the wind. While the two energies inside of him came to a complete halt, he stuck a finger into the fused essence upon which it flowed around the finger like a wad of custard. There really wasn¡¯t much of it, no matter how you looked at it. Only enough to cover the first knuckle of his index finger. What could he even do with this much? Even if it was more potent than Profound Toxin on its own, would this meager quantity really be able to do much against a strong opponent? Feeling a vibration inside his shirt, Eik pulled out the wooden plaque. ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± he mumbled as he stared down at the glowing text etching itself into the surface. [Reached Instinct of Toxin ¡ª II] ¡°Damn¡­¡± Had he really achieved a feat worth of something like this. Maybe the hunch about the possibility of death out here in the real world had some truth to it after all. Well, he certainly wasn¡¯t complaining. As the threats against Earth as well as himself personally continued to mount, he needed all the advancement he could get his hands on. He glanced down at the cauldron in front of him. Then he might as well start with this. To be certain that, if nothing else, the mixture did not fail, Eik had decided to use the recipe for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 for the experiment. It was already mixed to readiness in the cauldron but it wouldn¡¯t be good forever so there was not time to waste. He started with splash of regular aura to bait out the hostile miasma of the ingredients. With practiced ease he then ground that into nothingness with the annihilating potency of Profound Toxin, leaving nothing but the severely addled blend of magical plants and animal parts. Where he would normally have used aura once more to influence the mixture toward the completion of the potion, he now took hold of the fused essence. As it billowed eagerly in his grasp, it looked like a blazing turquoise flame that could burn anything to ashes. To Eik¡¯s skin, however, it felt like the gentlest and most temperate of balms. How in the world could it be that rowdy beast number one and two fuse and become something this¡­ mellow and kind? With care he guided the tiny thing into the mixture where it obediently melded into and briefly enveloped the ingredients before disappearing completely. ¡°Wh¡ª¡­ Wh- What?¡± Eik stammered, unwilling to believe his eyes. ¡°N- No, this is not¡ª This is not how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Tears threatened to push their way through to run a sprint down his cheeks. All that work and pain for¡­ nothing? Not even the same effect as regular aura but just nothing? A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Eik was drawing in a mighty breath ¡ª enough to get through all the curses he knew on a single exhalation ¡ª when an almost imperceptible glow rose up from the bottom of the cauldron. ¡°Whoa, what?¡± he gasped and stepped back, holding up his hands protectively in front of his face. He had caught enough explosions with his face to know where this crap was going. When, after a few seconds, the glow didn¡¯t fade and instead intensified to a bright radiance, Eik snuck a tentative peek into the cauldron. The mixture hung suspended in the air as if held fast by an array of invisible string. As he watched, it condensed itself from a formless mass into a small, spherical pill. Its surface was the same swirled appearance as the potion version but the vibe it exuded was definitely strange. ¡°What the¡­¡± he muttered as the glow faded and the pill fell back into the now clean metal bottom with a hollow clunk. Hesitating slightly to touch the new creation, he picked it up and turned it over in his hand. It was beautiful. People would probably boy this just as a decorative piece alone. But surely decorative wasn¡¯t all it was, right¡­? So what was it? He sniffed it. It barely had an odor. To the touch it was solid and almost crumbly like a cookie but when he applied a bit of pressure it gave no indication of coming apart. He didn¡¯t lick it. Yet. Inside the sphere, he felt the slightest presence of Profound Toxin. But instead of the bloodthirsty, bestial vigor that it usually displayed, this was a subdued and dormant presence that emanated no threat to speak of. His aura was amalgamated into it to near perfection, its demeanor apparently soothing the blue beast. ¡°So what¡­¡± he muttered, holding the little pill up to the rays of the sun coming in through the window. ¡°do you do, exactly¡­?¡± He considered testing it himself right then and there but given the fact that the original recipe rather narrowly suited E-rankers it would be a waste to take it himself. The full effect wouldn¡¯t come to light. The Profound Toxin was in a hibernant state in there so it would probably be fine to give it to Heath to try. And even if the toxin did end up trying to get at Heath, there was so little of it that Eik would be able to extract it long before it ever managed to do any damage. With the control of Instinct of Toxin, he was confident he could save Heath with no issue. This was the age of discovery after all. A little risk never hurt anybody, eh? Carefully, he placed the incandescent little pill on a piece of cloth which he folded it into and as he was stuffing the bundle into a soft pouch, the wooden plaque vibrated against his skin once more. ¡°What now?¡± His eyes scanned the glowing text as his eyebrows climbed higher and higher up his forehead. [Reached Instinct of Toxin ¡ª III] What the hell was going on here? Just what the hell had he made? The discovery of Backflow that was granted to him by a spontaneous skill evolution of Profound Toxin had opened his eyes to the extremely high ceiling of his power, even now, but also made him painfully aware of what he had to pay for that power. If his power rank continued to rise as meteorically as it had until now, he would never get Resistance: Toxin to a point where it could keep him even moderately safe during the activation of Backflow. Profound Toxin was simply too powerful for him to endure. Ever since the day of Bart''s death, Eik had gotten back into the flow of feeding himself poison. Resistance: Toxin had reached level 38 by now, but it was simply too slow. More drastic measures were required, that much was clear. Wait. Could he perhaps enter the realm of Profound Toxin and practice Backflow control with a lesser risk of death? He glanced down at the nondescript pouch on the table. ¡°What are you, little guy?¡± he wondered out loud. Only one way to find out! He slung his rucksack of holding over his shoulder and ran to the door. ¡°Whoa, crap!¡± he yelped as he suddenly found himself face to face with Robert who was standing right on his door step, waiting. ¡°You scared me, dude! Stop doing that!¡± ¡°Sorry. There was a sign.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some news about the potion theft case. More potions have started appearing on the market.¡± Eik arched an eyebrow. ¡°I thought all of them were already in circulation. Where did they get a new supply?¡± ¡°Well, sir, I¡¯m actually not sure they did find more potions.. ¡°And why is that?¡± Robert made a face. ¡°It would seem that they¡¯re fakes. They look identical or near identical to the ones you made but there have already been complaints. They literally do nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Not¡­ really,¡± Robert drawled. ¡°All the stunts you¡¯ve pulled to ensure that everybody knows you¡¯re the original creator, as well as the fact that the merchants have been crediting you, means that basically nobody knows you¡¯re not the one responsible for the fake product.¡± Eik¡¯s jaw tensed as anger welled up in his stomach. ¡°They¡¯re trying to ruin my damn image!¡± ¡°It would certainly seem so, yes¡­¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Eik shouted, stomping a foot into the lawn. A small crater formed and he had to pull his foot back out of the earth, the boot covered in soil. He sighed. ¡°What can we do about it?¡± ¡°I already ordered the potions off the shelves of a couple of merchants but I wanted to report to you as quickly as possible. It would be prudent to minimize any damage to your reputation as much as possible by making sure all sales are stopped.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan. You do that, please.¡± ¡°What are you going to do, sir?¡± ¡°I was right in the middle of something and while this is urgent I know you¡¯re probably more suited to do it properly than me. And to be honest, I¡¯m at the edge of my seat to figure out this thing I¡¯m working on, so I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to not disappoint,¡± the young man said with a stiff bow. ¡°At ease, soldier.¡± ¡°Right¡­ So what is it that¡¯s so interesting?¡± Eik grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. I¡¯m gonna go see Heath. Thanks for going to get the potions taken off the shelves. And while you¡¯re there, can you start talking about a new supply of potions?¡± ¡°Are we ready?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks. We might just catch the culprit before the Championships begin but it might be a tight squeeze. I¡¯ll see you around, Bob,¡± Eik said with a wave as he ran down the garden path. *** On the way to Heath and Sonja¡¯s house, Eik made a detour to the medical clinic where Michael worked to ask if the healer was interested in coming along. It was close to Michael¡¯s end of shift anyway, so the doctor let him leave a little early. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Heath asked as he opened the door. ¡°See, I know he was home today,¡± Eik told Michael. ¡°I¡¯ve got something for you to try.¡± ¡°Come in,¡± Heath said and stepped aside. ¡°Did you find a new dessert caf¨¦ in Gimleh or something?¡± ¡°Nope, better.¡± Eik set his rucksack of holding down on the floor and started digging around inside. He looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Sonja? I was hoping she could see this as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know where she is. She¡¯s been going out a lot recently.¡± ¡°Alright, well it¡¯s not like she has to be here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Michael asked as Eik held aloft the little purple pill. ¡°Did you manage to make into pill form?¡± ¡°Nope, better.¡± ¡°What then?¡± ¡°I call it¡­ Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine!¡± Chapter 107: Eiks Legendary Mystery Medicine ¡°I call it¡­ Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine!¡± Both Heath and Michael stared at him with jaws hanging slackly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ so dumb,¡± Heath finally said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine? That might just be the dumbest name I¡¯ve ever heard. Why did you put ¡®mystery¡¯ in there? It makes it sound like you have no idea what it even does.¡± Eik nodded along. ¡°Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s true, I guess. But then again, I don¡¯t really know what it does, so¡­¡± ¡°Exactly, so maybe you should change it t¡ª what?¡± the tank exclaimed. ¡°You don¡¯t know what it does?¡± ¡°Kind of, yeah.¡± ¡°What the hell does ¡®kind of¡¯ mean?¡± Heath asked, doing quotation marks with his fingers. ¡°That I have a guess, but that it¡¯s¡­ uncertain.¡± ¡°And yet you want me to take this¡­ mystery medicine? Why don¡¯t you take it yourself?¡± Eik threw his hands in the air. ¡°I made it based on the recipe for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 and that¡¯s made for E-rankers!¡± he said. ¡°If it has a lesser effect on me, then we won¡¯t actually know for sure anyway! It would be a total waste!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re sure it won¡¯t kill me, right?¡± Heath asked with narrowed eyes. Eik met his gaze sheepishly. ¡°I¡ª¡­ Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Eik, dude!¡± ¡°Alright, yes! I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t kill you!¡± ¡°Good, then!¡± ¡°Because I can get rid of the poison if anything bad happens,¡± Eik muttered quickly under his breath, coughing conspicuously a couple of times along the way. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Heath questioned. ¡°Nothing!¡± Heath glared with eyes filled with suspicion. ¡°Alright, fine.¡± ¡°Wait, really? You¡¯ll take it?¡± ¡°Of course I will. I know we bitch and moan at each other all the time but I trust you, you know.¡± Eik was quiet for a moment as he digested that moment of sincerity. A smile wandered onto his face. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe, my friend.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, just hand over the damn thing,¡± Heath said and held the opaque sphere up to the sun. ¡°What is it anyway? How did you even make it?¡± He opened his mouth and made to pop in the pill. ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a way to combine my aura, which I always use in my alchemy, with Profound Toxin. I used that new fused energy to infuse the regular recipe for Potion of Mighty Strength class 1 instead of normal Ak¡¯ki. That¡¯s what came out of it.¡± Heath spat out the pill as if he¡¯d been told it was a solid ball of dog crap. With a clack, it rolled across the floor, collecting dust bunnies as came to a stop against the wall. ¡°Dude, my pill!¡± Eik exclaimed as he chased the little thing and tried his best to blow away the gathered dirt and dust. ¡°Screw your pill! You tryna kill me, man?¡± Heath spat. Then he spat some more just to be safe. ¡°I¡¯m telling you its fine!¡± Eik promised and handed the pill back to Heath who reluctantly accepted it. ¡°It¡¯s a minuscule amount, and with my control at Instinct of Toxin, I could have any trace of toxin extracted from your system in literally half a second. I swear you¡¯ll be okay, Heath.¡± ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Heath grumbled. ¡°But I¡¯m gonna wash it first. Is it okay to be washed?¡± The pill didn¡¯t seem to have suffered any visible cracks or damage from the rough tumble across the floor. It was sturdier than it looked. ¡°It should be fine.¡± Michael sat in a chair. ¡°Did you seriously combine your two powers?¡± he asked. ¡°What does it do? Is it strong?¡± ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. It is a ridiculously exhausting process to the point where I can only make just enough to make that single pill. I¡¯m nowhere near capable of producing an amount sufficient to use in combat.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. But if it¡¯s exhausting, wouldn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s strong?¡± he wondered. ¡°Maybe? In this strange, magical world, that certainly wouldn¡¯t surprise me. But there¡¯s another thing that might indicate that it¡¯s a pretty big thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ve already hit stage three for Instinct of Toxin,¡± Eik said, grin splitting his face in two. ¡°You what?¡± Heath shouted, racing back from the garden where he¡¯d been washing the pill. ¡°You¡¯re seriously already stage three?¡± He was clearly shocked and happy on Eik¡¯s behalf, but there was a gloom in his eyes as well. ¡°You¡¯re pulling even further away from us. We can¡¯t keep up with you. We¡¯re becoming shackles around your ankles.¡± ¡°No, definitely not! You¡¯re not!¡± Eik insisted. ¡°No, we are,¡± Heath said and looked at the purple orb in his fingers. ¡°But you¡¯re working to keep Earth safe so there¡¯s nothing to be sad about!¡± he said but his smile looked a little forced. ¡°Well,¡± Eik said and pointed at the pill. ¡°Considering that the creation of that little guy there was responsible for a whole grade on its own, you might want to give it a chance before you get all depressed about it.¡± ¡°A whole grade¡­?¡± Heath looked at the sphere with a hint of awe. ¡°Alright, here we go,¡± he barked and swallowed the thing whole. ¡°Ih¡¯s melhing ong mah hongue.¡± ¡°He said ¡®it¡¯s melting on my tongue¡¯,¡± Michael interpreted. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the taste?¡± Heath pulled a face and shrugged. ¡°Meh.¡± ¡°Are you feeling anything?¡± ¡°A little bit, yeah, but honestly not much,¡± Heath admitted, flexing his fingers and arms then doing a couple of vertical jumps. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty similar feeling to the regular potion, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same but a lot weaker. Like tens of times weaker, I¡¯d say.¡± Eik stared at him crestfallen. ¡°Damn, seriously? So it really wasn¡¯t all that. I really thought I had something crazy here.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry, man,¡± Heath said. ¡°But at least I¡¯m not feeling the toxin either.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Eik muttered and let himself fall backwards into the couch. ¡°Then what the hell was all that jazz about the level up about? Crap like that doesn¡¯t just happen randomly, right?¡± ¡°Not as far as I know, no,¡± Michael said, joining him on the couch. Heath went to cut some fruit for the group and they spent the next hour just chatting and taking it easy. Heath told them about his newfound love for the art of smithing and while armor crafting was an art with a never ending skill ceiling, weapons, he had come to realize, was his true passion. Seeing that edge start to form in the metal was such a rush that it could rival the feeling of being in the middle of battle. Next time Mikla stopped by Earth, he would request permission to come to headquarters whenever he was off work. Practicing sensing his internal Ak¡¯ki here on Earth was an endeavor with no goal line. It just wasn¡¯t going to happen realistically. And after learning about magical armor, weapons, and items, it had become apparent that any magical crafting, like alchemy, required one¡¯s own aura to imbue and manipulate the dormant Ak¡¯ki resting in the materials. The faster he could attain aura control, the faster he could begin to help Earth advance their smithing capabilities. And like Eik¡¯s alchemical creations, magical armor and weapons for the Awakened fighting for the survival of the human race would save countless lives. They also discussed the selection test for the upcoming Championships hosted by the Nidafjeld Alliance. One topic in particular was the focus of their conversation. ¡°You think the guy has a mind skulk inside him?¡± Michael asked wit surprise. Eik shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought. He¡¯s been acting pretty erratically, is firmly against Earth¡¯s association with the Nidafjeld Alliance, and he was an ally of Rock Fist Bart who we know for a fact was infected by one of the little bastards. If you ask me, he¡¯s basically a perfect target for the cult if they want to stir shit up around here.¡± ¡°I mean, I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Heath nodded. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s a certainty.¡± ¡°Definitely not, no. But it might be worth checking out,¡± Eik said and conjured a dancing glob of Profound Toxin on the tip of his finger that spiraled down his hand and wrist like a twirling ribbon. Compared to when he first Awoke to the Worldbreaker, his control was magnitudes better. It was difficult to even imagine to what height this thing could be taken. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve got a little guy who might even be a little too eager to get in there and rummage around for worms.¡± Michael and Heath exchanged semi concerned glances. ¡°Yeah, but are you sure your ¡®little guy¡¯ isn¡¯t going to kill him first?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that! He¡¯s a good boy!¡± Eik exclaimed indignantly. ¡°Alright, keep telling yourself that,¡± Heath said. ¡°He¡¯s just not always such a good boy when you¡¯re not around. Trust me, I¡¯ve been bitten before, if you remember.¡± ¡°Sorry about that. But all jokes aside, I would use a minuscule amount of toxin, just like I did on Rock Fist Bart. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill him. And we would be keeping an eye on him. Remember Lisa?¡± Eik asked Michael. ¡°The, uh¡­ The B-ranked scout who found the manticores for you?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Eik said, slapping a fist into his palm. ¡°Travis already promised that he¡¯d let me borrow her.¡± Michael made a face. ¡°¡­ Borrow her?¡± ¡°Yeah, you know, on a temporary basis. Nothing permanent ¡ª but not for a lack of trying, I should add. With her sticking to him, any behavior out of the ordinary will definitely be noticed.¡± Heath pursed his lips. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that it¡¯s probably the best method we¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± Eik said and patted the small blob of Profound Toxin which had transformed into a pretty good facsimile of the tier one Profound Toxic beast that looked like a snake without features. ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that the Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine didn¡¯t turn out as great as I¡¯d hoped. Getting a worse version of what I can already make kinda sucks after everything I¡¯ve been through to make even one.¡± Michael patted him on the shoulder. Heath, though, wore a contemplative expression. ¡°Yeah, actually, about that¡­ I¡¯ve realized something in the past few minutes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eik asked, then shot up from the couch as a frightening thought struck him. ¡°Wait, are you feeling sick? A deep feeling of weakness? Head hurts? Aching bones? Stiff jaw, neck, and back? Dry eyes? Pins and needles all over your body? A sense of doom and dread? Severe constipation?¡± ¡°God damn, dude,¡± Michael said. ¡°Are all of those symptoms from Profound Toxin?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°Probably? I experienced all that after I overused Backflow in the fight against Bart. It totally sucked. So how are you feeling, Heathy? Anything that feels wrong?¡± Heath¡¯s face had grown considerably pale as he listened to Eik list symptoms of his deadly toxin but he shook his head. ¡°Nothing that feels bad. It¡¯s kind of¡­ strange, actually.¡± ¡°Okay? That¡¯s good, I guess,¡± Eik said and sat back down in the couch, eyes never leaving Heath as he watched for anything alarming. ¡°So what is it?¡± ¡°Remember when I took the pill and there wasn¡¯t a big boost in power like with the potions, and instead there was only an almost imperceptible increase?¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks for reminding me¡­¡± Eik grumbled. ¡°By now we¡¯ve been sitting here and talking for, what, a little over an hour or something along those lines?¡± ¡°Sounds about right.¡± ¡°Well, because it was so faint from the beginning I didn¡¯t really notice, but now I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Eik asked, heart fluttering with hope. ¡°The effects of Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine never went away at all.¡± Chapter 108: Finally ¡°It hasn¡¯t gone away yet?¡± Eik exclaimed, shooting up from the couch once more, this time out of excitement rather than worry. Heath opened and closed his hand several times as he felt around his body. ¡°No, yeah, it¡¯s definitely still there. In fact, I don¡¯t think it has faded at all. Eik, you might just have made something crazy here.¡± ¡°D- Damn¡­¡± Eik muttered as he stared at Heath. ¡°How long do you think the effect is going to last?¡± ¡°I have no clue,¡± Heath said. ¡°A couple of hours? A whole day¡­? Forever?¡± ¡°F- Forever¡­¡± Eik whispered to himself, gaze far away. ¡°By Thor¡¯s damn biceps¡­¡± ¡°Did you say you could make more of these, Eik?¡± Heath asked, hope beaming out of his eyes. ¡°I¡ª¡­¡± Eik¡¯s thought went back to the dread of creating the fusion essence and the pain of each failure leading up to his one and only success thus far. The risk of death or permanent injury definitely felt like a possibility, but maybe the uncertainty itself was just as bad. But he¡¯d already done it once. Even now, he felt the weariness deep inside and knew that a second attempt wouldn¡¯t be possible right now. But it would later. ¡°Of course I can. Just not quite yet. It¡¯s super exhausting.¡± ¡°Dude, that¡¯s so awesome! I¡¯d bet something like this would cost a literal fortune to buy in Gimleh!¡± ¡°You think?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, obviously! It¡¯s a freaking permanent freaking stat boost. That¡¯s the fuckin¡¯ best thing ever!¡± Heath said, pacing around the room. ¡°People would pay out their asses for something like this, don¡¯t you think?¡± Eik couldn¡¯t hold back a grin. *** Eik bit into a sandwich full of chicken, lettuce, tomato, and some kind of dressing with the abandon of a starving man. He was carrying a wooden crate under one arm and holding the sandwich in the other. From inside the crate glass rattled. He was approaching the outskirts of Forest where residences and businesses were few and far between. Occasionally he would encounter another pedestrian as he walked, but within the city limits of Forest, an area like this was about as remote as one could get. Looking over his shoulder, he turned down a narrow alley, flanked on both sides by dilapidated houses. One of them had a roof that had been caved in completely by some kind of impact with half of the outer wall reduced to rubble. It was difficult to recall exactly when it had happened, but it had been a monster attack with a lot of dead. At some point, the buildings would probably be demolished and new shops and houses would be constructed, and new life would be breathed into the area. Not yet though. By the looks of it, they had stood abandoned for more than a couple of years, giving no real reason for anybody to come around. This was the perfect place for a secret storage. After passing a few houses, he went through a creaking garden fence gate, past the main building, whose door hung ajar, and into the back yard. He stopped in front of a small, ramshackle shed which, although the quality of the construction was questionable to begin with, was perfectly intact. When he set down the crate on the soft grass, it clinked musically. Wiping his brow with a cloth, he took a couple of minutes to finish the sandwich while scanning the surroundings nonchalantly. With a hum, he picked the crate back up and walked up to the door of the shed. It was equipped with a big fat padlock ¡ª one of those strong, modern one from a reputable manufacturer. They were pretty rare these days but Eik had managed to get his hands on one from Travis. He stuck the key in, turned, and pulled down hard with a grunt as it clicked open. He backed inside, narrowed eyes flitting around the bushes and corners with obvious suspicion. More sounds of glass rattling rung out from the shed. It was minutes of scraping and thumping before Eik came out again, the wooden crate now held loosely by its edge in two fingers. The lid must have been left inside because the interior was now clearly empty. There was no longer any glass to rattle. Making sure to lock in up tight again, Eik went back the way he¡¯d come, walking without pause until he reached Eik¡¯s Excellent Elixirs. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Dew had drenched his boots thoroughly and he stomped it off outside before going inside. ¡°How was it?¡± Robert asked, busy pouring potion into vials from a large pitcher filled with the stuff. ¡°No sign of ¡®em¡­¡± Eik said with a sigh, kicking off the boots. ¡°Just how long is it going to take? How long have I been doing this damn routine every single day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a week now, Boss.¡± ¡°A damned week already! Let¡¯s just face it¡­ This shit was never going to work. They¡¯re just not desperate enough to go for something like this.¡± Robert frowned. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just being careful. They¡¯re checking for traps and stuff like that. That¡¯s to be expected. You just have to be patient.¡± ¡°The Championships are right around the corner. I don¡¯t have time to be patient.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still time left, Eik.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­ Lisa¡¯s already a cranky woman as it is. If I use her like a human watchtower for much longer, she¡¯s going to dislike me even more.¡± ¡°So?¡± Robert asked. ¡°Since when did you give a paper bag full of farts about what others thought about you?¡± ¡°What? I¡ª Yeah, you know, I care about that kind of stuff sometimes.¡± ¡°No,¡± Robert drawled. ¡°You always care about what your sister thinks. You usually care about what Sonja, Heath, and Michael think. You sometimes seem to care about what I think. You never care about what everybody else thinks.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°I made you some food. It¡¯s on the table over there,¡± Robert said, throwing a thumb at a table in the corner. It was the only surface besides the floor not overflowing with vials both empty and filled, alchemical ingredients, or other miscellaneous mess. ¡°If you get something to eat it will make the wait easier. And then who knows, you might get some good news from Lisa tonight.¡± ¡°I just ate a sandwich.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not hungry?¡± Eik glared at Robert with narrowed eyes as he walked over and plopped into a chair, digging into the food. ¡°It didn¡¯t take you long to lose that deference you used to have, did it, Bobby?¡± he said with a mouth full of meat and rice. He was so happy that crops grew faster in the apocalypse. ¡°You were the one who told me you disliked that kind of stuff. I¡¯m just doing as the boss ordered.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m still polite and respectful, even to you.¡± Eik tilted his head from side to side. ¡°If you say so.¡± *** Eik had just finished a full batch of pain killers that would soon be delivered to Mission Central, partner stores at the market, as well as the few medical clinics established around Forest, including the one where Michael worked. Just as he was about to start mixing it with the edible wax to create individual chunks, there was a knock on the door. When Robert opened the door, a lanky man stood waiting on the step, dressed in all black. His nose, mouth, and hair were wrapped tightly in a dark cloth, leaving only his eyes visible. It couldn¡¯t have been pleasant to breathe through all of that fabric. Dropping a clump of pain killing medicine on the floor in his haste, Eik rushed up. ¡°What? Is it time?¡± The man nodded, face expressionless. Another chuuni? ¡°My master is keeping an eye on them. If they leave before you can get there, she¡¯ll follow and leave signs of the direction only I can follow and I shall become your guide.¡± ¡°Alright, great, let¡¯s go,¡± he said and went to grab his coat. ¡°How many were there?¡± ¡°I believe it was only a single person, Mr. Magnasen,¡± the scout said and led the way out of the door. ¡°At the shed, yeah?¡± ¡°Affirmative, sir.¡± The man began to run, gradually building up his speed. ¡°What¡¯s your rank?¡± Eik asked. ¡°D-rank.¡± ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s go faster, then. I want to get there as quickly as possible.¡± The ninja scout glanced over at Eik as he came up on his side, chugging a potion and swallowing a handful of home mixed poison clumps. ¡°Sir, I wouldn¡¯t recommend that. I am an Awakened specialized in speed and mobility. One such as you would not be able to keep up with me if I went all ou¡ª¡± ¡°Dude, less talking and more running, please,¡± Eik said as the energizing effects of Noxious Invigoration washed through his body along with the unmistakable sensation of a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2. Without another word, he doubled their current pace, overtaking the scout in seconds. Using a roof like a spring board, he leapt into the air at speed, creating a pair of solid wings that he used to glide through the air like he had done in the fight with the manticores. He gradually built momentum as he soared from rooftop to rooftop until he could barely hear the miserable scout calling for him to wait. A couple of hundred meters before he reached the garden where the shed stood, he landed quietly on a rooftop and leapt onto the street below. The moon was out so luckily it wasn¡¯t pitch black as he moved past one house after the other. He kept to the shadows, making sure to keep his very visible, luminescent toxin inside his body until he needed it. He knew where Lisa was set up, on a roof a few houses down from the shed. It was far away but offered a perfect, clear vantage point of the garden. She possessed a sophisticated camouflage ability that really complimented this kind of observation work ¡ª a fact she had not appreciated him pointing out when he was trying to convince her to do it. ¡°Lisa?¡± he whispered as he crawled up the wood on his stomach. ¡°Lisa, are you still here?¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± she hissed in a voice that was simultaneously both barely audible but also as clear as if he¡¯d been hearing it through a pair of headphones. ¡°The guy is still down there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apprehend him. I want to see where he goes back to first.¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± ¡°Damn, sorry¡­¡± he mumbled as he settled in next to her. ¡°How long has he been in there?¡± ¡°Not long,¡± she said. ¡°but it should be about time for him to come out.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Eik heard the faint rustle as the dark ninja scout arrived on the roof behind them. He crawled up next to Lisa who gave him a look as if to ask why he was arriving so much later. The man clearly also had a great talent for pretending not to notice when he was being stared at. ¡°What did you leave in there for him to find?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Potions.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°The expensive ones.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to let him take the expensive ones?¡± Eik shrugged as well as he was able to while lying flat on his stomach. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to get away with it in the end. And if I just left him bottles of mud, he¡¯d know something was up. He¡¯d never go back to the stash house or wherever he drops it off.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything back, which probably meant that she agreed. Soundlessly, the door to the shed swung slowly open. A barely visible silhouette emerged, carrying something that Eik couldn¡¯t make out and set off toward the inner city. Leaving the tracking to Lisa¡¯s superior senses, the trio followed him. Then Eik would get answers, no matter what. Chapter 109: Rude Entrance Whoever it was, he was not slow at all. Most of the merchants who¡¯d been approached by the hooded man had been adamant in their belief that he was an E-rank Awakened. If this man they were following was indeed that same man, then he definitely wasn¡¯t an E-ranker. D-rank was more likely. ¡°He¡¯s heading to the market,¡± Lisa muttered as they approached the inner city. ¡°Don¡¯t lose sight of him, please,¡± Eik said. ¡°I¡¯ve never lost sight of anyone ever,¡± she said, clicking her tongue in displeasure. ¡°What about before you had Awakened? What about when you were four years old? Three? Two?¡± ¡°Do me a favor and shut up,¡± she hissed. ¡°You can¡¯t talk to me like that! You work for me.¡± ¡°I most definitely don¡¯t work for you. I work for Travis Lockwood, and he¡¯s asked me to do this as an extension of good will.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I said.¡± Her jaw tightened but she didn¡¯t say anything. She had seemed receptive to his annoying jabs, but maybe not quite after all. ¡°We¡¯re entering the markets. Keep close to me. And, most importantly, be quiet.¡± They weaved through the many narrow streets of the inner city with ease, the gloom of night leaving the streets empty with the exception of a few people working through the night. Seeing the normally bustling place so devoid of noise and eager vendors was strange. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he stopping?¡± Eik asked. ¡°We¡¯re about to leave the market again.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just cutting through here,¡± the dark ninja scout commented. ¡°And going where?¡± No one could answer that. A few minutes after leaving the market district, Lisa raised a clenched fist in an order to stop. ¡°He¡¯s going into a building around the corner from here. Let¡¯s follow him once he¡¯s inside.¡± She led them down an alley that terminated at the door of a nondescript little building. It didn¡¯t particularly look like a stash house. Not that Eik had seen one before. Maybe it did look like a stash house. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be some kind of super spy or something?¡± She shot him a sour glare. ¡°I¡¯m busy with our actual enemies that want to exterminate us. I have no time to waste on third rate thieves like this.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± For some reason it felt like the door creaked a thousand times louder than when the thief had entered. The inside was surprisingly normal. They found themselves in a small entryway, doors on either side. It was filled with shoes of various sizes thrown about as if by the gust of a hurricane. ¡°Is this just¡­ his house?¡± Eik wondered out loud. ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like but I can¡¯t hear him anywhere in here. Maybe he took a back door out of here?¡± ¡°Why? Did he know we were on to him?¡± Eik asked as they rushed through the house to locate said back door. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose sight of him!¡± ¡°If he knew we were following, then he did an excellent job of hiding it,¡± Lisa and stopped once they¡¯d reached the room furthest from the entrance. ¡°There¡¯s no back door here. The windows latch internally and are all closed. He¡¯s gone somewhere else.¡± ¡°Where?¡± the dark ninja man asked, his head turning as if on a swivel. Lisa, momentarily lost in the focus on her senses shuffled quietly around the room, leading with her ears and nose. Eik and the ninja followed her into the next room and after a good ten seconds, she grabbed the edge of a heavy cabinet without a word, her fingers crushing the polished wood as easily as if it had been made of dry saltine crackers. With not even the slightest hint of exertion, she tore it away from the wall with a crunch, revealing a hidden staircase leading down into some kind of underground passage. It was dark, without the luxury of torches mounted along the walls in regular intervals like they¡¯d enjoyed while hunting for the missing kids in that subterranean ritual hall infested with cultists. Here it was just¡­ dark. All the way down. ¡°A-Are we going down there?¡± the dark ninja asked with a slight stammer. Lisa and Eik shot him looks before taking lead down the steps. For some reason, descending blindly into the depths of an unknown hideout was significantly less intimidating here on Earth than in an alien world. With every step, the air grew gradually stale and a rancid odor was carried up from the abyss on a mild waft of wind. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°What is this place?¡± Eik asked. The steps were unpolished and uneven stone slabs. An Awakened at D-rank could probably cut boulders into rough shapes like this. The walls and ceiling, however, were left as is, the soil only kept up by a simple wooden support structure ¡°My best guess is that it¡¯s one of the dens of that blasted ring of half-assed, unwashed criminals that calls itself the Bankers.¡± Eik failed to hide a snort of amusement and caught an ireful glare from the B-ranker. ¡°Oh, come on. You have to admit that name is funny. But I thought they had more or less been eradicated by now. Doesn¡¯t Mission Central have more than enough power to put an end to them once and for all?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an issue of power. We always need more people to help. Do you know how often we have to drive back monsters trying to attack Forest? More than once a day. Yes, usually they come with insignificant numbers and negligible strength, but there¡¯s no monster forecast a week in advance. We have to tackle it on a day to day basis and simply hope that today is not the day where we must face an unmanageable invasion.¡± Eik nodded soberly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t think of it like that.¡± ¡°We¡¯re busy watching the outside and sending strike teams into the wilderness. I know it¡¯s not good enough, but we just don¡¯t have time to focus on a thieves¡¯ guild like the Bankers. A city-wide cleaning operation to get rid of all the thieves is just too complicated right now.¡± ¡°I know, I apologize. I said something I shouldn¡¯t have. I never meant to say that you¡¯re not doing what you can for us. I aim to help as much as I can as well. I know you do so much and even though the two of us are at each other¡¯s throat all the time, I have endless appreciation for what you do.¡± She shot him a look in the last light from the ground floor doorway above, her eyes revealing astonishment. For a few seconds she was silent. ¡°Thank you, that¡­ that means a lot. I have been watching you and I can see that you¡¯re also working hard for the good of the people of Forest. Even if I am struck by the urge to twist your neck a couple of times per day.¡± Eik laughed but stopped when he felt a hand slap him on the chest. By now it was almost pitch black but he could just see the outline of Lisa¡¯s head. She had stopped. He grew two small staves of crystalline toxin from his shoulders to provide at least a bit of light. ¡°I can hear something from below.¡± Eik sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯m experiencing deja vu here, guys,¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯ve hunted thieves around these parts a lot, have you?¡± ¡°Well, I guess they were more like an inter dimensional cult of cannibals, and it was in an underground temple on an alien planet. But it¡¯s pretty similar otherwise.¡± The silence of Lisa and the ninja man was deafening. The B-ranker lead them further down, and after another minute of walking light began to flicker faintly from somewhere below and Eik¡¯s ears too picked up the sound of muffled voices. ¡°How many?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Judging by the sound of their voices alone, I¡¯d say at least four but possibly more.¡± Eik thought it through for a moment. ¡°We can probably take that many, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Most definitely,¡± Lisa concurred with a nod. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Lisa¡¯s assistant questioned. ¡°We don¡¯t even know their ranks!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a genuine B-ranker, and the two of us are at D-rank and,¡± he said and pulled two vials of Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 from the slots in his belt. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one of these to boost your confidence ¡ª and your strength.¡± Immediately recognizing the drug for what it was, the man snatched one of the vials from Eik¡¯s fingers and studied the liquid inside. He looked immensely tempted. ¡°This is what we were hired to do. Getting the drop of them with a swift surprise assault is more advantageous than sneaking closer and risk being discovered,¡± Lisa reasoned. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to retreat if you¡¯re completely sure you¡¯re not up for this.¡± Swallowing hard as he stared intensely at Lisa, he upended the vials and chugged the whole thing in one. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. Lead the way and I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Eik swallowed a large handful of poison, the amount such that he felt stomach pains and muscle spasm course through him before it was neutralized by Resistance: Toxin, leaving only the boost from Noxious Invigoration. He washed it down with a Potion of Mighty Strength and exploded down the stairs, Lisa was right on his tail, a short blade appearing in her hand as if by magic. Bursting into the room without a sound, Eik took in the space in a moment and went straight for the person standing closest to the entrance. Well, standing might have been the wrong word since the woman was slung lazily in an old, greasy linen chair. Anyway, Eik¡¯s boot stomped her so hard in the face that she was carried bodily over the back rest and onto the floor behind where she rolled twice before smacking into a wooden support beam, unconscious. By the time he looked up, the dark ninja was coming into the room, while Lisa had moved onto her second target. Her first victim was on the ground, frantically clutching a struck trachea. ¡°Which of you rotten bastards has my fuckin¡¯ potions, huh?¡± Eik bellowed, the volume of his voice hurting even his own ears in the small, underground space. This seemed to be some kind of subterranean hub designed as a place to stash valuables and concoct cunningly vile plans. The ceiling was low, only just barely high enough for Eik to walk around upright inside. While he might well be above average height, it still made it exceedingly uncomfortable and made it feel like the Earth was about to collapse on top of them. The walls were lined densely with rickety shelves flooded with all manner of miscellaneous this and thats. A few dirty, old sofas and chairs were placed haphazardly about the space and a large table in the center practically engulfed in numerous papers filled with scribbles and drawings. The whole place was dimly lit by a number of pots of bio luminescent moss ¡ª a plant that had first appeared after the collapse of the world. Looking at it now, the glow stones from Gimleh were in a totally different league, offering the same amount of soft light as a modern light bulb. A few of those would have done wonders for this dirty den of thieves. Eik crouched and fed a couple of healing chunks to the man with the injured throat, unwilling to let someone die just to punish a theft. ¡°There, there, you little shit. You¡¯ll be fine. Get well so I can beat you up again.¡± The man shivered as he looked up at Eik, eyes devoid of comprehension. He whirled up and appeared right in front of a balding man whom he grasped by the collar. Creating a plate of solid blue the size of a forehead right above his own brow, Eik headbutted the guy twice quickly but didn¡¯t let him fall to the ground even as he flopped over in his grip, legs scraping limply on the dirt floor. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again! Which of you dogs stole my damned potions?¡± he shouted, shaking the unconscious man hanging flaccidly by his shirt. ¡°Tell me!¡± A woman in the back of the room lifted a trembling finger and pointed at the man dangling from Eik¡¯s hand. ¡°Th-That one there.¡± Eik stared down at the guy and stuffed a couple of healing chunks into his mouth and moved his jaw in a chewing motion with a firm grip on his chin, before slapping him several times across the face. ¡°Wake up!¡± Slowly, the man came to, his eyes the picture of confusion. ¡°Wh-Wh¡ª¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Eik squeezed the man¡¯s cheeks between his fingers as he glared into his eyes. ¡°Take me to your leaders, you stinky sack of garbage!" Chapter 110: A Cozy Time Together ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, man!¡± the balding man. ¡°Potions? I¡¯ve never even seen ¡®em in my whole life!¡± ¡°Your friends already told me, mate,¡± Eik said and held up a large burlap sack wherein two whole wooden crates of potions, all of what he had left in the shed, had been placed. ¡°Plus, I must say, this doesn¡¯t exactly fill me with confidence in your words.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡­¡± the thief begun but narrowed his eyes and paused. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Who do you work for?¡± Eik asked, finally releasing the man from his grasp. He stumbled back, clearly still rattled by the double headbutt. ¡°I don¡¯t work for anybody!¡± he said. ¡°So you¡¯ll take responsibility? For all of this?¡± Eik asked, getting all the way up into the guy¡¯s face as he gestured to the sack of potions. ¡°These are pretty expensive, you know. Can you even afford to take responsibility all on your own?¡± The balding man clicked his tongue. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take ¡®em all back then, huh? Come on, big guy! You¡¯re that up and coming business man, aren¡¯t you? You don¡¯t need little ol me¡¯s permission!¡± he spat. ¡°You would also be responsible for all of the potions you already sold, friend,¡± Eik reminded him with the brightest of smiles. Immediately, the man¡¯s face paled slightly. ¡°That would cost you¡­ Hmm¡­¡± Eik said and scratched his head in mock consideration. ¡°I simply can¡¯t calculate such a large number in my head. But still, you don¡¯t work for anybody so you¡¯ll take it all on your own shoulders, won¡¯t you? That is much appreciated, friend!¡± Eik clapped him good naturedly on the shoulder. All of a sudden, the previously brash and defiant thief had become rather quiet and he appeared to have difficulty letting his gaze meet Eik¡¯s. Somehow, within the last few seconds, he also seemed to have developed a tendency to sweat from the forehead. ¡°I, uuh¡­¡± ¡°Could it be that you would like to change your previous answer?¡± Eik asked. Swallowing hard, the balding man nodded quietly. ¡°Great!¡± Eik exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly. ¡°So then, who, pray tell, was it that told you to grab my mojo juice straight out of my store and break into my home? My cat lives with me¡­¡± Eik said, realizing, as he spoke, what could have happened to her in an alternative reality. Angry curls of glowing blue Profound Toxin rippled into existence around his back, like a luminescent cape billowing in the wind, emphasizing the anger he suddenly felt. Each of the tendrils whipped around, desperately trying to get at the balding man as he could do nothing but stand frozen in fear. ¡°If anything had happened to her, I would have made sure your last breath was in agony.¡± Pale as a sheet of paper, the man stammered. ¡°I-I¡ª I swear, I don¡¯t know who made the request! They paid real well so I jus¡¯, you know¡­ I jus¡¯ couldn¡¯t say no to something like that!¡± ¡°Then tell me, how are you of any value to me right now?¡± ¡°I can- I can lead you to them! Yes! I can do that! I have to meet with the contact again soon! I have to show that I got the product to get my payment!¡± ¡°When?¡± Eik asked, the whirling Profound Toxin calming down slightly. ¡°It¡¯s in t-two and a half hours.¡± ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll wait right here!¡± Eik said and let himself fall into a chair. Two of the members of the Bankers tried to sneak away but Eik called to them from his seat. ¡°And so will all of you. We¡¯re all going to wait here and have a cozy time together.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Lisa said with a raised hand. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve found the guy for you, my part is over and done with. And that means I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eik asked. ¡°Are you serious?¡± She arched an eyebrow. ¡°Very. Believe it or not, but I have other stuff to do besides helping you out all the time. And you can handle yourself on your own, can you not?¡± Eik eyed the thieves, the woman he¡¯d stomped in the face still unconscious against the wall. He tilted his head. ¡°Yeah, sure, but I thought you would follow me through thick and thin. Where has the loyalty gone?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend the next two and a half hours looking for it? I¡¯m out of here. I have a meeting at Mission Central in five and a half hours so I¡¯m going to bed. Do you know how tired I have been after staying up every night for a week to watch a damn shed while still having work to do during the day?¡± she said and headed for the opening leading back up to the nondescript house on the surface. With a gesture, her subordinate followed her. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I¡¯ll report the completion of the job to Travis,¡± her voice called down from inside the tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll have a few people come by in about twenty minutes to quietly take away everybody but your potion thief. You don¡¯t need anybody but him, do you?¡± The thieves exchanged fearful glances at his name and whispered among each other in hushed voices. ¡°Nah, I only need him, so you can do what you want with the rest of them.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Her voice was very muffled by now. ¡°I guess it¡¯s just you and me for now then, guys,¡± Eik said, putting his feet up on a little foot stool. Truth be told, he wasn¡¯t that comfortable being alone with them but one looks at their downcast eyes told him that they felt the same way but much worse. ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know who you¡¯re working for?¡± he asked the balding man again. ¡°N-No, sir. I never saw their face. But it happens all the time. Lots of people want to buy our services for one reason or the other but the ones who are willing to admit that out in the open are few and far between.¡± ¡°That makes sense. So you guys just¡­¡± he swept his arm around the space, looking for the right word. ¡°live here, or what?¡± A woman hurried to answer. ¡°N-No, we just meet here sometimes. And stash a few things on occasion.¡± She probably didn¡¯t want him assuming that he could come directly here any time he wanted anything with them. ¡°How many of you are there? In the Bankers, I mean.¡± They glanced at each other seemingly trying to come up with and answer that wouldn¡¯t result in a beating. ¡°We, uuh¡­ We don¡¯t honestly know how many of us there are. It¡¯s kind of a security thing, I think,¡± one of them said. ¡°The less you know, the less you can give away, so to speak. You know what I mean.¡± Eik nodded. ¡°I think I do, yes. You¡¯re talking about situations such as the one you¡¯re in right now. Even if I slapped you around to the point where you wish you were dead, or pumped you full of pain enhancing poison,¡± he said as Profound Toxin once more rose up aggressively, lunging for the group of thieves like an attack dog kept on a chain. ¡°you wouldn¡¯t be able to reveal too much even if you wanted to.¡± The balding man tried his best not to look at the whirling blue substance. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª Th-That¡¯s right. You really wouldn¡¯t get anything out of doing s-something like that whatsoever.¡± ¡°Riiiight.¡± Eik got up and walked to the center table that had all the papers strewn across it. There seemed to be a variety of information that he definitely wasn¡¯t going to bother going through right now but Travis Lockwood and Elaine Haness would probably appreciate something like this. He unslung the rucksack of holding and began to shove the many sheets haphazardly into the depths of its magical storage space while the thieves watched with clenched teeth. Those stares of hate filled fear might have bothered him if they hadn¡¯t been criminals taking advantage of the misfortune of other people doing their best to survive and thrive in an age where most people struggled. He looked around the space as he tossed the rucksack over his shoulder again. ¡°How many hideouts like this do you have anyway?¡± Again, they exchanged glanced as if they were telepathically communicating among themselves. For a few seconds they didn¡¯t say anything but once Profound Toxin flared up aggressively again they suddenly couldn¡¯t wait to answer. ¡°Two!¡± ¡°None!¡± two of the thieves said at the same time before realizing what they had said. ¡°So which is it?¡± ¡°None of us know for sure,¡± the man who had said none said. ¡°It¡¯s on a need to know basis, so while I only know this one, someone else might know about more.¡± Eik taped his fingers on the table as he stared at the thieves lined up on their knees on the ground. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that convenient?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes,¡± the thief said hesitantly. Sitting back down, Eik just shrugged. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really care. Travis will take care of your interrogations. I wonder if we still have laws regarding proper interrogation methods,¡± Eik wondered to himself. ¡°But I guess you guys will find out soon, huh?¡± All of them grew a little paler than they already were. Soon three men and a woman came down the stairs, armed to the teeth, looking around the dirty room with disdain painted vividly on their faces. ¡°Mr. Magnasen,¡± they greeted. Eik waved from his seat in the chair. ¡°You¡¯re here for these pilfering little raccoons?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll bring them to a location to be kept for now.¡± ¡°Sure, but leave that guy,¡± Eik said with a finger at the potion thief. ¡°I need him.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already been informed so we¡¯ll leave him in your hands.¡± ¡°Great. Then perhaps we should get going as well,¡± Eik said and got up. ¡°A-Already?¡± the balding man stammered. ¡°But there¡¯s almost two hours until I¡¯m supposed to meet the contact.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m going to hide and wait, we¡¯re obviously going to get there early. Would you prefer to wait here just the two of us?¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± ¡°Good, then we¡¯re leaving.¡± Eik pushed the man up the stairs after the handlers sent to transport the prisoners. Now that he wasn¡¯t going for stealth anymore, he let Profound Toxin flow up and across the dirt walls, only just avoiding the potion thief¡¯s skin. Like a cave filled to the brim with bio luminescent moss, it bathed the entirety of that section of the stairway in soft, mildly pulsating light. The balding potion thief shrunk into himself as he, with the utmost vigilance, watched the blue liquid ignore gravity as it slithered its way around him menacingly. An undulating tendril would occasionally snake out from the main body to nearly caress the top of his blank scalp. ¡°Uh, could you maybe¡­ not do that, please?¡± he pleaded. ¡°Never mind this naughty little guy,¡± Eik said as a twig of toxin spiraled down around his finger playfully. ¡°He¡¯s just teasing you¡­ But you really shouldn¡¯t touch him. That would totally suck for you.¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± Breathing in the cool night air of the surface felt great after spending even that short amount of time underground. Had all these damn thieves Awakened to mole powers or something? ¡°Lead the way forward, good sir,¡± Eik ordered, twirling Viper Fang around his fingers. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And don¡¯t even think about trying anything sneaky. I really don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise¡­¡± ¡°Great!¡± Eik said with a bright smile. ¡°Onward!¡± he announced, pointing into the night with his knife, the balding thief shedding a quiet tear as he watched the lunatic at whose mercy he now found himself. Chapter 111: A Fistful of Investigating Eik sat on a roof, knees pulled up to his chest with his coat buttoned all the way up. It wasn¡¯t exactly a cool night but sitting still for so long sent a shiver through him nonetheless. Sitting hidden in the shadow of the slanted roof, he hoped this was enough to not be noticed by whoever was coming to check that the thief had successfully robbed Eik of his belongings. He looked down to the street below. The balding thief, whose name was Jeff, stood shivering near the corner of an abandoned house, forced to wait at the agreed upon location for almost two hours ahead of the contact¡¯s scheduled arrival. The street was remote and with no traffic to speak of. It wasn¡¯t the same neighborhood as where Eik had stashed his bait supply of potions to be stolen, but it was another outer district that had suffered the same fate as a result of a monster invasion a couple of years ago. Anybody who could had already moved elsewhere. It had been more than an hour and a half since they arrived when a hooded figure appeared silently from a small alley and walked briskly toward Jeff. Judging by his posture, he was actively resisting the urge to run away into the wilderness. ¡°You¡¯re here early,¡± the hooded figure said. The voice was clearly that of a woman. ¡°Do you have the goods?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Jeff held up the sack and the woman stepped up to take it from him and look inside. She riffled through the contents, the rattling of glass ringing noisily in the crisp night air. ¡°Is this really all you could get away with?¡± ¡°This was all the guy had left there in the first place,¡± Jeff said. ¡°If you wanted a bigger haul you should have waited longer before requesting the lift.¡± ¡°No, this is fine.¡± She slung it over her shoulder and started back toward the alley. ¡°Someone will take care of your payment within a week.¡± ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± Eik sang into the hooded woman¡¯s ear, appearing right behind her like a ghost. ¡°Do you have a moment to talk about a certain incident?¡± She swallowed a yelp as she whirled around, blade in her hand sweeping up to catch Eik in the neck. He took a single step back, the edge whirling narrowly past his chin. When she came back for a second attack, he slapped away her hand and stepped in, pushing her to the ground hard. ¡°Why don¡¯t you save the both of us some time and come with me, lady?¡± he tried but she shot back to her feet and charged him once more. She was fast as hell. Definitely a D-ranker judging by the speed and smoothness of her movements alone. Unfortunately for her, being a D-ranker wasn¡¯t quite good enough to fight a fully loaded Eik to a draw. He had already taken a handful of poison and washed it down with a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 as well as a Potion of the Metal Body before engaging. Eik cracked a sharp elbow into her wrist as she went for a downward slash and followed it up with his own attack, Viper Fang impaling her through the forearm. She groaned in pain but managed to hold most of any kind of reaction. Impressive. But she did lose focus for a moment ¡ª a moment he seized to slog her in the face and send her tumbling away with a powerful kick to the ribs. When she flipped back to her feet, she suddenly held an opened potion that she put to her lips. She downed it but instead of trying to stop her, Eik simply pulled out another three vials of his own and drank them all. There was an additional boost to his physical strength to be sure, but the three extra potions together weren¡¯t even as potent as the first one had been on its own. That was some pretty serious diminishing returns. Fortunately, the toxic side effect of the stacked drugs activated Noxious Invigoration further, cleansed to a certain degree by Resistance: Toxin. A scratching sounded from inside his shirt and faded quickly as his aura suppressed the Ak¡¯ki¡¯s attempt to deliver the message. That was probably the resistance skill leveling up. When she rocketed forward again, leading with the blade, Eik kicked up a cloud of dust. She briefly closed her eyes but when she opened them again Eik had vanished. Frantically, she looked around for him only to feel a pair of boots land on her shoulders. ¡°Did you know that humans almost never look up?¡± he asked. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Fucking coward!¡± she huffed and lunged up at his thigh above her but before it could reach him, he leapt off and sent her to the ground, her shoulder joint cracking audibly. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, standing over her, hands in his pockets as if to show just how little he thought of her abilities. ¡°Fuck you,¡± she gasped, fingers gripping her injured shoulder. ¡°You know, if I was in your position, I would have just said what you wanted to hear.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± she spat. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t, but then again, I have problems, so¡­ And you seem smart. I mean, we both know where this is going, right? Why not just spill the beans and get the knock to your pride over with?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you shit!¡± Eik rolled his eyes. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a surprise?¡± he said and kicked her in the face. ¡°I already told that guy over there, but I really also don¡¯t like you.¡± She held a hand up to her nose as blood poured out onto the ground. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, voice muffled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± Eik questioned in disbelief. ¡°You order this third rate thug to rob me blind and break into my home and you never even bothered to find out what my face looks like?¡± She looked up with wide eyes. ¡°You¡¯re Eik Magnasen?¡± ¡°Surprised?¡± he said with a scowl. ¡°So I guess you¡¯re not the brains behind this whole thing then. You¡¯re just some worthless pawn.¡± Clenching her teeth, she exploded up, blade coming for his throat. A fist slammed into her cheek, and then another, and then another. On the fourth, solid blue toxin began to flow around his fists, making the next two punches hit extra hard. Her head lulled as she struggled to keep conscious. Eik paused. ¡°I don¡¯t really need you for this right now, buddy. You can go back in.¡± Profound Toxin did pull back from his knuckles but instead of retreating back into his body, a thin tendril hovered from his back, looking over his shoulder at his work of violence. He could swear that he could almost hear it whisper to him. ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, looking back down at the woman whose hood had fallen back and revealed her face. She looked to be in her forties with dark hair. Eik had never seen her before. ¡°I would be very appreciative if you could tell me the name of your employer. Then we can both go back to bed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you a thing, you cheap son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Mmh,¡± Eik hummed with pursed lips. ¡°I do believe you will.¡± Sitting down next to the woman, Eik called forth the thinnest needle of solid toxin he was capable of, surprising even himself at just how tiny he¡¯d managed to make it. ¡°This won¡¯t be great for you. You just go ahead and tell me what I want to know any time and we can forget all of this.¡± She glared defiantly but said nothing. He shrugged. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Without further ado, he stuck the blue needle into her thigh. Ever so slowly, he began to release liquid toxin into her blood stream. "Now, I must firmly insist that you lay very still since I don¡¯t actually know how easily this thing could snap off inside you, and you really don¡¯t want that thing floating around inside you unsupervised. He can be awfully cruel if he¡¯s not kept on a short leash, you know,¡± Eik said and rested his head on his knees, looking bored. ¡°You know, I should really thank you for this,¡± he said and she looked up at him with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m pretty new to all this fighting stuff and my Awakened power is pretty, uuh¡­ mysterious and difficult to understand. This is my first time trying this particular strategy. It¡¯s a really great experience for me.¡± ¡°You are literally an insane person,¡± she woman hissed through clenched teeth. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Cold sweat had already broken out on her forehead and drenched her hair. For a moment, Eik chewed on those words. ¡°I wish I could say you were wrong but these days, whenever I get into the heat of things, I have this voice in the back of my head, you know. It¡¯s like it¡¯s pushing me to violence. Quite unsettling, actually. Usually my head gets all muddled and fuzzy with blood thirst but now¡­ it¡¯s like it¡¯s as clear as a spring day. By the way, how are you feeling?¡± She didn¡¯t answer but her face had gone pale and she looked like she was resisting the urge to throw up. ¡°That bad, huh? Just so there are no misunderstandings, if you¡¯re waiting for the toxin to eventually kill you, that¡¯s not going to happen. I have excellent control.¡± As if to emphasize his point, Eik let the needle of solid toxin travel up her leg toward her groin and then further along her stomach. It was much more difficult than it had been back during the damage test now that the victim was human sized. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± ¡°I realize that but the question is, why you aren¡¯t afraid. I know I would be, so why? Is there someone you¡¯re more afraid of?¡± ¡°Uhm, excuse me, Mr. Magnasen?¡± Jeff said, approaching at a snail¡¯s pace, hand raised for attention. Eik regarded the nervous man for a second. ¡°What can I help you with Jeff?¡± ¡°I, uuh¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I know who she is, now that her hood¡¯s off. Or, well, I should say I don¡¯t know who she is, but I know who she runs with. I¡¯ve seen her before, I think, maybe.¡± ¡°Just spit it out, please,¡± Eik said, noticing the woman glaring at Jeff. ¡°Can you put in a good word for me with Travis Lockwood if I tell you?¡± Eik tapped his chin contemplatively. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. How about that?¡± Jeff didn¡¯t look satisfied with that answer but started talking anyway. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her a couple of times before. She¡¯s part of a gang of hired thugs.¡± ¡°Like you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re thieves, not thugs!¡± the balding potion snatcher exclaimed indignantly. ¡°Uh huh, sure thing. Go on.¡± ¡°As I said, she¡¯s part of a gang of thugs for hire. Anyone who can pay can buy their services. They¡¯ll commit assault for you, blackmail, kidnapping, and I heard they even commit murder for the right price. They call themselves the Black Fang.¡± Eik glanced down at the woman. ¡°Cool name. I think I¡¯ve heard of you. And why would you bother hiring the Bankers to rob my place for you when you already have such a stellar reputation?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re the best in the business,¡± Jeff answered for her, a tinge of pride sneaking into his voice. ¡°So who¡¯s your client, then?¡± Eik asked, eyes cold. ¡°Uhm, Mr. Magnasen, I have a few guesses but I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Alright, tell me, Jeff.¡± ¡°Well, as far as the rumors go, several of the most influential merchants in Forest make use of the Black Fang from time to time.¡± Eik sighed. ¡°What a surprise¡­¡± Chapter 112: The Wrong Man to Threaten ¡°So you¡¯re more afraid of some old business men than you are of me?¡± Eik asked tilting his head. ¡°After all I¡¯ve done?¡± The blue needle was still stuck in her arm but he had recalled most of the toxin already. Profound Toxin still sat on his back, looking over his shoulder and whispering to him. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of a bunch of useless swindlers like them.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± Again, she refused to elaborate. ¡°It¡¯s Frank of the Black Fang, isn¡¯t it? The leader of the Black Fang,¡± Jeff asked, still absorbed in their conversation. ¡°Frank of the Black Fang? What, he has a black tooth or something?¡± Eik questioned. ¡°That¡¯s actually exactly why he was dubbed that, yes,¡± Jeff said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s a rotten tooth or something like that. Anyway, he¡¯s a really bad guy. I¡¯d bet he¡¯s who she¡¯s afraid of.¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Eik exclaimed, patting the woman on the shoulder. ¡°A ruthless leader of a gang of bandits, eh. Who could have seen that coming?¡± ¡°He will kill you!¡± she snarled. ¡°When he finds out about this, he will kill you!¡± ¡°Not if I kill him first,¡± Eik whispered, the thought of fighting a strong opponent causing a renewed thirst for blood to well up in him. ¡°The Black Fang boasts more than a dozen members. You don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ¡°I have friends too, lady. And some of them are pretty tough, if I have to say so myself.¡± She kicked him in the stomach at full power but she was clearly still weakened from the poison so it didn¡¯t do too much. Trying to roll away, she tore open the injection wound, spilled blood painting the dirt red. Eik leapt and mounted her back as he swallowed another Potion of Mighty Strength. With the blade edge of Viper Fang resting against the woman¡¯s throat, he spoke into her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Where can I find your boss, Frank of the Black Fang? I need to have a word with him.¡± She struggled in his grip but kept silent. ¡°Jeff? What can you tell me?¡± ¡°N-Nothing about this, I¡¯m afraid, Mr. Magnasen.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Eik muttered and flipped her over. ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have to do it the hard way after all,¡± he said and punched her twice in the face. ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice, you dumb brat,¡± she hissed and spat in his face. ¡°If you don¡¯t drop this little show of yours right now, Frank, I, and everybody from the Black Fang will not only hunt you down, but we¡¯ll make sure every person you call friend or family will curse you for having run afoul of our organization.¡± A shadow came over him as he felt the thirst for blood intensify. ¡°Are you threatening my loved ones?¡± he whispered, Profound Toxin flowing around his fists. ¡°I¡¯m not threatening anything,¡± she said with a twisted grin. ¡°I¡¯m making you a fuckin¡¯ promise.¡± Her nose broke with a nauseating crunch on the very first punch and she lost two teeth on the second. But Eik didn¡¯t stop. His heart was racing away like a galloping horse and he tasted blood as he bit through his own lip. ¡°I will never¡­¡± Another three punches cracked into her face, splitting her lip. ¡°let you¡­¡± Four more hits. ¡°do a fucking thing to them!¡± Profound Toxin began to stream down his body, enshrouding her as if she was being mummified. She screamed in agony as she struggled hard to shake it off but it clung to her like tar while he kept wailing on her mindlessly. ¡°Where are your damn colleagues?¡± he snarled as yet another punch connected. By now she wasn¡¯t moving anymore. ¡°Tell me!¡± ¡°Uhm, M-Mr. Magnasen,¡± Jeff stammered. ¡°I don¡¯t think she can hear you anymore.¡± ¡°I can see that, Jeff!¡± he shouted, causing the man to back several steps away. Obediently, the toxin retreated back into Eik, once more revealing the woman¡¯s bloodied face. Her skin was now bright red, with discolored blisters swelling painfully across her body. It looked just like the time when the toxin had accidentally gotten on Heath¡¯s skin, only much worse. ¡°Hey,¡± Eik said, shaking her hard. ¡°I know you can hear me, lady of the Black Fang. I know an excellent healer who can make all this pain go away in a jiffy. How does that sound?¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The whispers Eik was hearing weren¡¯t exactly words and the sound could hardly be called a voice. It was more like the wind playing a trick on his mind, only it wasn¡¯t the wind. It carried with it a will that desperately tried to impose itself on his mind. Was it working? It was difficult to tell. It probably was. Even now, staring down at a woman in clear suffering, he didn¡¯t really feel much. It certainly made it easier to torture someone for information, but it was strange nonetheless. The sound of something scratching on wood came from his shirt and he pulled out the plaque, keeping the woman down with a hand on her throat. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 39] [Acquired Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 45] He nodded to himself and put the wooden plaque back into his shirt as she opened her eyes, whimpering in pain. He''d been doing his best to increase his Resistance: Toxin but it was getting more and more difficult. She looked up at him, much of the defiance from earlier vanished as if it had turned into smoke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel great, does it?¡± he asked her, holding her head in his hands. ¡°I know it sounds dumb, but I actually know how you feel right now. I had a little accident with it before, you see,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not going to stop.¡± Ice crept into his voice. She glared up at him, and while there was plenty of hate in those eyes, fear seemed to be the emotion that occupied the front seat. ¡°You¡¯ve convinced me that your group would come after my friends and family and I¡¯m not about to let that happen. I need to know where your hideout is.¡± Eik let another thin tendril of Profound Toxin flow out from the tip of his finger and into the shape of a needle. Slowly, he moved it toward her open eye, her body beginning to shiver in his grasp. ¡°Lady, I really haven¡¯t got all night for this shit.¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± she gasped, tears appearing in the corners of his eyes. Her hands trembled intensely as she slowly pushed the needle away from her face. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll tell you where to find them, okay? Just¡­ please stop it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great choice!¡± Eik said with a smile as the needle vaporized into blue motes which were instantly sucked back into his body as if by a vacuum. ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to follow me back, I¡¯m going to get my team together, and then you will tell us exactly where to find this damned Frank of the Black Fang.¡± *** ¡°The Black Fang?¡± Heath asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they were the types to commit theft. I thought they mainly dealt in violence, extortion, and the occasional murder.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t commit the theft!¡± the woman growled, some of the fight having returned to her demeanor after a bit of time away from Eik¡¯s terrifying toxin. ¡°We don¡¯t do shit like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, the thefts were courtesy of my new friend Jeff here, whom we will also hand over to the guys at Mission Central before striking the hideout.¡± ¡°And if I can ask,¡± Michael started, controlled concern in his eyes. ¡°why is it that we¡¯re suddenly going after these guys?¡± ¡°Because she,¡± Eik said with a thumb toward the woman from the Black Fang. ¡°promised me in no uncertain terms that the Black Fang would hunt down anyone I hold dear. That includes you, my friends, and I am not about to let them come for us. And since I have taken her away while she was out to confirm the theft of my potions Frank of the Black Fang will know that she¡¯s compromised the moment she fails to turn up to report.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Michael muttered, clenching his fists. It was remarkable how much more composed he was now compared to those first few times after they had initially formed their team. ¡°So, if they¡¯re going to come for us, whether to maim or kill, I would prefer to be the one to come for them first,¡± Eik said, blue toxin rippling across his clothes. ¡°Even if they intend to only give you a rug burn I am not willing to take that chance.¡± ¡°And why aren¡¯t we bringing your sister to go scorched earth on their asses?¡± Eik sighed. ¡°Travis finally let her go on assignment again now that she¡¯s recovered and even if everything goes to plan, her return will only be just in time to come along to the Championships and I think it¡¯s too risky to put it off. We¡¯re going to have to do it without her, unfortunately.¡± ¡°And what about gathering an army from Mission Central?¡± Sonja suggested. Eik chewed on his lip for a moment. ¡°I¡¯d like to say that it¡¯s because I want us to get the experience or that I don¡¯t want to owe Travis any favors, but the truth is that I¡¯m just not sure who to trust. The longer we allow to mobilize a force, and the more people we involve, the more we risk word getting to the Black Fang about our intentions.¡± Sonja nodded gravely as she listened. ¡°If they disappear, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re after them and will most certainly come for us and we won¡¯t know when or from where. We have to act quickly.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Heath agreed. ¡°We proceed quickly but with caution.¡± Jeff kept begging Eik to let him go free but it fell on deaf ears. Don¡¯t do the crime if you can¡¯t do the time, as they say. What ¡°time¡± meant in this post apocalyptic society Eik wasn¡¯t entirely certain. The laws on that weren¡¯t quite as rigid as they had been almost ten years ago anymore. The woman¡¯s name, they found out, was Jane. Eik had tried again, with similar tactics, to coax out the name of whoever had employed the Black Fang. Before, where defiance had kept her mouth shut, the previous experience of the pain inflicted by the toxic mummification and the blue needle had changed that into a hysterical insistence of ignorance. Apparently, only Frank of the Black Fang knew who the real employer was, but she suspected Jeff¡¯s guess that it was one of the major merchants was probably correct. With no more time to spare, they had left her in the custody of Mission Central as well, hauling her along to guide them too risky considering her D-rank strength. ¡°What if she¡¯s lying? About the location of the hideout, I mean.¡±¡± Michael asked as they ran toward the outskirts of Forest, heading for the location described by Jane. In the basement of storage building that had been abandoned for a safer location closer to center of the city the Black Fang had apparently established their home. Some of the members of the group lived there permanently, while some members had chosen to sleep elsewhere. Frank was one of the ones who was there most of the time. According to Jane, he required every member to report in at least once a day unless other orders were given. Eik jaw tensed and Profound Toxin reacted to the icy promise. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to make her wish she had told the truth.¡± ¡°And what about these Black Fang guys? How are we going to bring them in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we can bring them in.¡± ¡°So what then?¡± Michael asked, his glance at the others hinting at a guess. ¡°If it becomes necessary, then we kill them all,¡± Eik said calmly as luminescent toxin trailed him in the night and wet his hair with blue. Chapter 113: Hopping Into the Black Den Michael eyed Eik as they ran through the crisp night air. The man had changed a lot since they had first met. From the beginning the sense of desperation to save Olivia had been constantly present beneath Eik¡¯s usually flippant attitude. He¡¯d been a guy thrown into deep water. He was still that man. When they ate dinner together or he came to visit at the clinic, there was hardly a trace of what was brewing under the surface. The Worldbreaker was exerting some sort of influence over him, that much was clear. As if he was touched by something primal and ancient. Something bestial. It was a worrying notion, but at the same time there was not a sliver of doubt in Michael¡¯s mind that this ruthlessness was born from Eik¡¯s drive to protect. There was nothing he would not do to make sure they slept safely at night. Whenever danger showed itself or he got a chance to let loose, such as at the damage tests in the Crucible, the Worldbreaker¡¯s influence intensified. Michael just hoped his friend could keep the power at bay. They stopped running about a dozen houses down from their goal, covering the last distance at a less conspicuous pace. Crawling through overgrown gardens, they eventually came close enough to see a man sprawled lazily in a torn up chair. Despite his apparently languorous posture, there was no doubt that he was awake, watching the night. For a good ten minutes they simply sat there behind a dense bush and watched the building for any kind of patrol or general comings and goings. Besides the man shifting in his seat a couple of times, the night was quiet and uneventful, the only indication that there was anything extraordinary about the building being the watch outside. While they watched Eik glanced over at Heath. ¡°Hey, by the way, buddy. How long did Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine end up lasting in the end?¡± Heath gave him a raised eyebrow. ¡°Dude, it never faded. The effect of that pill is definitely still there. I can feel it.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Eik hissed, barely stopping himself from shooting to his feet in excitement and revealing their presence to the watch. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°I mean, we already talked about it back when I first took it. I just figured you had realized that it¡¯s probably permanent.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it would still have been nice to know, you know!¡± ¡°Alright, sorry. So can you get me more of that stuff?¡± ¡°Nuh uh!¡± Sonja broke in, uncharacteristically animated. ¡°It¡¯s my turn next!¡± Heath shot her a look of incredulity. ¡°Shut it, sis! You don¡¯t even know what it is!¡± ¡°Eik¡¯s made some new alchemical whatever that you¡¯re trying to keep a secret from me for as long as you can, and it¡¯s called¡­ Eik¡¯s Legendary Mystery Medicine? Of course I want some of whatever it is!¡± ¡°Right,¡± Eik said. ¡°So what is it anyway?¡± she asked. ¡°Potion of Mighty Strength but brewed with a substance made by fusing my aura with Profound Toxin. Its effect is way weaker than the original but apparently it¡­ never goes away.¡± ¡°What? How¡¯s that possible?¡± Eik shrugged, palms up. ¡°Beats me! Next time we see him, I¡¯ll ask Mikla what kind of dough you can usually demand for that sort of thing.¡± ¡°Uuh, guys?¡± Michael broke in. ¡°Maybe we could talk about this stuff at another time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Eik whispered and swallowed a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2. Exploding forward like a rocket, he collided with the man who never managed to utter a sound before blue toxin flooded his nose and mouth, silencing him completely. In less than a second the fluid had enveloped the unsuspecting man¡¯s entire head like a helmet, completely shutting most of his senses off from the world. Throwing him over his shoulder, Eik legged it back to the group and signaled for them to follow him back through a couple of gardens where he chugged the guy into the tall grass. ¡°Bind, please!¡± he said to Michael. The healer did as requested. ¡°What¡¯s his power rank?¡± ¡°No clue,¡± Eik said. ¡°He never really struggled enough for me to know.¡± He laid his hand on the toxic layer and drew it back in through his skin until only his hand was covering the man¡¯s mouth. The bandit stared up at him with extreme fear as his hands came up to grip Eik tightly around the wrists and tried to rip them away. ¡°He¡¯s probably low E-rank or high F-rank if I had to guess,¡± Eik mused as he studied the man closely, the poor guy breathing devolving into hyper ventilation. ¡°Honestly, with the level of strength coursing through me right now, I¡¯m having a tough time telling the difference.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What do we do with him?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Kill him?¡± Sonja suggested. ¡°That¡¯s definitely the safest thing to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Eik muttered but the look in his eyes didn¡¯t necessarily support that claim. ¡°Let¡¯s knock him unconscious for now and then, depending on how it goes inside, we can come back to finish the job later.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Sonja conceded. ¡°Actually,¡± Eik said and paused. ¡°How many?¡± he moved his hand just enough for the man to be able to speak. ¡°W-W-What?¡± ¡°How many in the building? You are the Black Fang, right? And this is your lair of absolute evil, right?¡± Swallowing hard, the man nodded hesitantly. ¡°T-Ten or¡­ eleven.¡± ¡°And Frank? Is he in tonight?¡± Another nod. ¡°What¡¯s his rank?¡± ¡°C-rank.¡± ¡°He¡¯s mine then,¡± Eik muttered. ¡°And the others?¡± The bandit¡¯s eyes darted around in panic. ¡°M-Mostly F-rank a-and E-rank. I think there¡¯s a D-ranker as well.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Eik, let¡¯s hurry,¡± Sonja urged. ¡°Right. Well, buddy,¡± Eik said to the muffled man. ¡°Thanks for the answers. I guess you¡¯ll find out what happened later¡­ Or not.¡± He raised a fist as the bandit¡¯s stifled screams were drowned out by the hand covering his mouth. The fist came down like a sledgehammer, slamming the man¡¯s head halfway into the soil, instantly silencing his struggles. ¡°Uuuh¡­¡± Heath mumbled and stared down at their now exceedingly quiet captive. ¡°I think you might have put a bit too much strength into that, Eik.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, you¡ª you might be right about that. Do you think he¡¯s still alive?¡± It struck him that the horror of possibly having just committed an accidental murder was considerably less intense than it probably should have been. And it wasn¡¯t just because of the influence of Profound Toxin either. Their lives had changed. Changed on an absolutely fundamental level. They had been through a lot of things that would have numbed any person. This man wouldn¡¯t even be the first person Eik had killed within a few months, nor even the second. The third, maybe? That depended on how you looked at it. The sanctity of life. Do not kill. Those had been convictions held by all on old Earth, or at least any typical citizen of society. But what about now? Only time would tell since they were still in the middle of the greatest transition their world had ever experienced. Michael checked the man and nodded to himself. ¡°He¡¯s still alive, but he¡¯s not going to be feeling very good when he wakes up. Well, I think he¡¯ll wake up. I¡¯ll Heal his neck and head a bit for now but I don¡¯t know how much it¡¯ll actually do,¡± he said with a glance in Eik¡¯s direction. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then,¡± Sonja said and stood up. She didn¡¯t seem to spare the unconscious man a second thought as she checked her blade in its sheath. ¡°Let me just check it out first real quick.¡± Eik leapt across the property in two long strides and laid his ear to the door the now neutralized bandit had been sitting in front of. Muffled voices could be heard from the other side but they were so faint that it probably wasn¡¯t a room immediately behind the door. Supposedly, there was a basement inside. Carefully, he opened the door and stuck his head inside. It was dark but the moonlight streaming in through the windows illuminated a scattering of broken furniture strewn across the floor. The voices were still faint. A narrow sliver of light trickled out from the gap in a trapdoor in the floor of the rearmost room. This was the place. Outside he signaled for the others to join him. ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re down there. You guys stand ready up here in case they try to run away.¡± ¡°And you? Sonja asked. ¡°I feel like I should try to talk before going feral¡­ right? We need to know who actually hired them in the first place as well.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll tell you,¡± Heath noted. ¡°Not a guy like that. And I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll give you the time to ask questions anyway.¡± ¡°Mmh, yeah, maybe¡­¡± ¡°Neutralizing the threat comes first,¡± Sonja concurred. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try and if it goes to shit, then they¡¯ll learn that I¡¯m not that fun to fight in a confined area,¡± Eik said, a hint of a grin appearing on his lips. ¡°Just¡­ be careful, please,¡± Michael said with a resigned sigh. ¡°I always am,¡± Eik said and worked his fingers into the narrow handle of the trapdoor. ¡°Uh huh,¡± the healer said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Ready?¡± Heath raised the Captain¡¯s Tower and backed up to block the door out of the room, Sonja and Michael hidden behind the shield. Eik pulled the trapdoor open and stepped into empty space as he conjured a massive block of solid toxin above his head like an umbrella. Dropping through the narrow shaft like a rock, he sealed the exit tight with the block. Almost soundlessly, he landed at the bottom. For a second he covered his eyes with a hand, blinded by the sudden light after spending a while outside in the dark. Looking around, the space was actually pretty cozy, all things considered. Several tables, chairs, and cots covered the basement, a much greater concentration of bio luminescent flora making it feel less damp and gloomy. Initially nobody seemed to particularly notice his presence. In groups of two or three people, the members of the Black Fang sat gathered around the tables, playing cards, reading, or simply talking among each other. Eik supposed a lot of people came through this place every day, so the arrival of someone new would hardly be a thing of note. He walked up to the nearest table and looked over the shoulder of a guy playing cards. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± a guy missing several front teeth, who sat across the table, shouted. ¡°Greetings!¡± Eik raised a polite hand. ¡°This guy¡¯s got shitty cards,¡± he said, pointing to the guy he¡¯d been standing behind. The chatter had died down completely, a gathering of hostile eyes meeting him in silence. ¡°Eik Magnasen,¡± a voice said from a table in the back. A man with a fat, black mustache pushed out a chair and stood up. ¡°Where¡¯s Jane?¡± ¡°Jane? Who¡¯s Jane? Never heard of her.¡± ¡°Wrong answer,¡± the man huffed, flashing an crooked, ugly smile. One of his incisors was as black as charcoal. ¡°You must be Frank of the Black Fang,¡± Eik guessed. ¡°Do you know how I can tell?¡± ¡°Enlighten me,¡± Frank said, wet tongue moving across his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so ugly.¡± The mustache rolled like a worm as he snorted at the remark but his face conveyed no amusement. ¡°I assume you¡¯ve shown up here for a reason?¡± ¡°Who hired you to mess up my business?¡± ¡°I believe that¡¯s private.¡± ¡°Come on, man. That¡¯s the only topic I prepared,¡± Eik whined. ¡°Talking¡¯s over then. Get him.¡± Eik downed a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 as well as a handful of chunks of poison as the Black Fang all leapt for him. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Eik grinned gleefully. Chapter 114: Gang Fight ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Eik grinned gleefully and watched the members leapt for him like a single entity operating under the order of Frank of the Black Fang. The moment the first person reached him, he created a thin protective shell around his entire body and let the rest of them get into range. Two narrow slits in the shell allowed him to see enough to watch the attackers start wailing on his barrier with an assortment of weapons and abilities. Supported by thin limbs of solid toxin, Eik created a huge domed sheet so big that it scraped against the walls and ceiling of the basement space. It might well be the biggest structure he had ever created, and it took some serious focus to keep it from crumbling into liquid. His attacker only barely noticed the construction when its breadth blotted out the light sources around the room. But by then it was already too late for them. Powered by his will, the dome collapsed in toward its center ¡ª Eik¡¯s body, and more than half of the members of the Black Fang were caught in between, squished together like fish in a barrel too small to hold them. A woman¡¯s face was shoved right up against the eye holes in the face of Eik¡¯s shell. In the soft, blue glow of the toxin surrounding them, the fear in her eyes was unmistakable. ¡°Thanks for coming, everyone,¡± Eik cheered as the protective coating around his body evaporated into deadly mist, supplied further by additional toxin spewed forth from every pore in his skin. That now familiar, terribly addicting sensation of systemic invasion washed over him as he felt his mind snap onto a solid connection with each cell of Profound Toxin, telling him the thrilling tale of their exploration of the victims¡¯ bodies. Sounds of coughing and retching filled the blue cage until something broke the tight dome wide open. ¡°How clever! I¡¯ve heard some interesting things about you,¡± Frank shouted and tore the hole he¡¯d made in the structure wide open. ¡°Unfortunately, I think I¡¯ve seen enough already.¡± He began to pull his subordinates out one after the other by hand, throwing them bodily over his shoulder into the back where the poisonous mist had yet to reach. That wouldn¡¯t save them, however. Eik was blocking the only exit and even if he was occupied by Frank, they would still have to pass through the mist to get out. And outside waited his three teammates, all armed with Potions of Mighty Strength class 1 that could bring them up to a level that resembled a weak D-ranker. Addled by Profound Toxin, they would stand no chance even if they made it out of the basement. As Frank threw them into relative safety behind him, Eik ordered the toxin out of all infected systems ¡ª a decision he had to fight a brief but intense internal battle to force himself to make. Despite vigorous protests from his poisonous side kick that echoed loudly off the inner walls of his skull, he wasn¡¯t actually going to murder everybody in here in cold blood right off the bat. Yes, he wasn¡¯t going to put himself in too much unnecessary danger just to protect their lives, but until then, he¡¯d do what he could to hold back on the total extermination side of his abilities. Frank might be a different story, however. The guy was clearly above the rest of the rabble in terms of strength, so if he died he died. When the first flying dagger took him in the shoulder, Eik barely saw it coming, a white-hot explosion of pain alerting him to the injury before his eyes did. Frank had thrown it between movements in his rescue of the lesser members of his organization. With a groan of pain, Eik pulled the knife from his shoulder with a wet squelch and sealed the wound up by filling it with toxin which became the perfect plug once it solidified. A second later he was struck by a faint feeling of nausea that faded again almost immediately, only to be replaced by a slight energy boost. Noxious Invigoration triggered. A poisoned blade? Eik looked down at the now sealed wound. ¡°So you¡¯ve noticed?¡± Frank squawked. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who knows a thing or two about poison. What do you say to a taste of your own medicine?¡± ¡°I say thank you. Just the pick-me-up I needed,¡± Eik grinned and stuffed even more poison into his mouth. He drenched the less that appetizing chunks in Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 and swallowed as he exploded forward, brandishing Viper Fang in the hand of his healthy arm. Two more daggers came for his eyes but this time he deflected the first one with Viper Fang and avoided the other. A trail of toxic mist trailed Eik as he leapt over a table to get to Frank, reducing the free space available in the confined space of the basement. By now, all of the members of the Black Fang had retreated as far away from Eik¡¯s toxin as they possibly could. Many of them were clearly still suffering immensely from the poisoning and appeared to be no threat whatsoever. Frank looked to four of his healthy subordinates and threw his head towards the exit which was obscured by Eik¡¯s toxin. ¡°Go and find the rest of the guys. Bring them here and have them wait outside. Do not come back down until I come out again.¡± It seemed like the man was ready to take this seriously now. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Movement Boost accelerating him to ridiculous speeds in an instant, Eik appeared like a ghost above Frank¡¯s head while he was still focusing on his comrades. Pulled in by an invisible force of attraction, the daggers Frank had already thrown flew back into his waiting hands in time to rise up and block Eik¡¯s first strike. Three more times their blades clashed before Eik¡¯s body exploded into even more deadly mist as he moved toward the trapdoor, hoping to get to the four bandits sent away before they could escape. He¡¯d only made it a couple of meters before Frank grasped him by the ankle and hurled him into a shelf standing against the wall, knocking the air from his lungs. He felt as the four thugs entered the swirling mist and the toxin took hold of their systems. They were moving through it quickly certainly, but they still all took doses that could kill an E-ranker quickly and an F-ranker near instantly. ¡°Frank, if you let your friends go, they¡¯ll die!¡± Eik tried, kicking away fragments of splintered wood. ¡°What the hell are you on about?¡± Eik pointed at the bandits huddled up in the back. ¡°You see those guys being alive? I pulled my toxin from their systems before. As a courtesy. If those guys leave, I won¡¯t be able to do that. Even if you win here, you¡¯re just going to find lifeless husks when you go looking for them.¡± For a moment Frank looked contemplative as the toxic cloud spread further before speaking. ¡°Nah, I think I¡¯ll take my chances on this one.¡± Eik¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re pretty cold, aren¡¯t you?¡± Frank threw four daggers in quick succession and Eik had to activate Movement Boost to dodge all of them. Each of them hit the wall with enough force to bury themselves to the point where even the butts of the handles were lost inside. To Eik¡¯s chagrin, the solid shields of toxin that had served him well in the Crucible defense test also didn¡¯t do much against the projectiles with their ultra concentrated impact point, so instead he went on the offensive. It was clear that even with both the Potion of Mighty Strength and the poison coursing through his body, there was just no way that Eik could keep up with Frank in a purely physical confrontation. The Profound Toxin flowing freely from the ducts in Viper Fang, however, forced the bandit leader to constantly avoid becoming drenched in the substance that would ravage his skin horrifically. Throughout all of this, Eik had continuously been releasing mist in amounts that threatened to fill the chamber up before long and judging by the expressions on their faces the shivering minions in the corner were coming to the same realization. After a brief exchange, Frank kicked Eik square in the sternum and sent him flying back into the mist. A second later, a powerful gust of wind scattered the roiling clouds of poison out and up toward the ceiling where it began to slowly descend toward the ground again. ¡°Out!¡± Frank roared, the volume of his C-rank voice ringing in the ears, ¡°Get the fuck out right now, you gang of raggedy bastards!¡± Standing in the middle of the chamber, the man was swinging around a solid table like a common hand fan. Clearly used to taking and responding to orders, the lot of them broke into dashes without a single moment of hesitation, going directly for the ladder leading to the trap door. Frank swung the table a few more times as Eik got to his feet and gave chase. Heath, Sonja, and Michael were presumably still fighting the four who had initially escaped and Eik wasn¡¯t about to let them be overwhelmed due to his mistake. The first few of the bandits had already jumped onto the ladder by the time Eik slashed the Achilles tendon of the rearmost person as easily as if he had been cutting melted butter. She, who must have been F-rank, went down screaming as Eik moved on to the next in line and severed his Achilles tendon as well. Before he could get to the third, however, Frank hurled the massive table and its momentum carried Eik to the ground, knocking down one of his comrades with a glancing blow in the process. Eik barely managed to get up a pair of blue shield, one in front of the other, when another flying dagger crunched through both layers and went a couple of inches into his abdomen. He gasped as Frank touched down on top of the table that was still laying across Eik¡¯s legs. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay down here with me?¡± the man with the black tooth said. ¡°I¡¯d prefer not to,¡± Eik groaned as he shoved the table away, forcing the guy to hop off. ¡°I will kill you and then I will kill every friend and family member you have. I can promise you that,¡± ¡°Funny,¡± Eik said as he felt rage bubble forth in the back of his head. ¡°That¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve been promised that today. I have to say, it¡¯s getting a little tiring.¡± He activated Movement Boost and whirled through the air to appear behind Frank, who used his own movement skill to get behind Eik in turn. But the Dane was ready for it and already spinning to meet him, Viper Fang raised high with toxin spurting from the ducts. Frank blocked the strike but liquid toxin splattered across his face nonetheless. The bandit leader shrieked, his fingers digging desperately at his eyes. He must have managed to close his eyes in time, because when he opened them, they weren¡¯t melted into useless globs of tissue. Eik, however, was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Shit!¡± Frank cursed and shot up through the shaft. Night was approaching morning and the crisp air was a welcome change from the stale, rancid musk of the underground. For a C-ranker like Frank, it didn¡¯t take long for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and when they did, the first thing he saw was Eik standing there, foot on the bodies of two members of the Black Fang and a vial of his incredible potion at his lips. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± he hissed and activated his movement skill, snatching the vial right out of the hand of the venomous asshole. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing good things about this,¡± he chuckled and downed the potion, luminescent blue liquid flowing eagerly down his throat. What a strange taste. Not at all what he had expected and very difficult to describe. ¡°Oh, no, Frank,¡± Eik gasped, mouth set in a surprised o-shape, eyes full of mirth. ¡°I feel it!¡± Frank exclaimed excitedly. ¡°I feel something happening.¡± ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re not going to like it, man,¡± Eik said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but that wasn¡¯t a potion.¡± His grin was so wide it practically reached his earlobes. Chapter 115: There Was an Attempt ¡°Frank, that wasn¡¯t a potion,¡± Eik said with an ear splitting grin. ¡°What¡­?¡± Frank stared down at the empty vial in his hand. Not even the tiniest of drops remained in the glass, as if the substance had possessed a will to be consumed. Suddenly his stomach felt very strange. Something was rushing around in there, like a river flooding its banks. Desperation set in immediately and he tried to throw up whatever he had taken, but it stayed inside stubbornly. ¡°What the hell have you done to me?¡± he gasped. ¡°What have I done to you?¡± Eik asked with a perplexed expression. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain I haven¡¯t done a thing to you, Frank. Here I was, peacefully minding my own business and taking a sip of my drink, and you jump out and snatch it right out of my hands!¡± ¡°Wh-What was that stuff?¡± Frank stammered, clutching his stomach that was now beginning to bubble and rumble hotly. ¡°Oh, just my toxin,¡± Eik sang. Frank¡¯s knees gave way as pain began to set in, growing exponentially more intense with each passing second. How had he been so stupid! It had only been a few seconds but he could already feel the pain spread to his extremities. ¡°Fuckin¡¯ lunatic,¡± he hissed. For the briefest of moments, the bandit leader clenched his eyes shut as a spike of overwhelming agony suddenly rammed through his stomach. And when he opened them again a thin twig of solid toxin hung right in front of him, snaking out from Eik¡¯s outstretched hand. With a choke of surprise he jolted backward, but not in time to avoid the tendril as it made contact with his forehead. Instantly, he felt some relief from the pain coursing through his body. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. For the first time since emerging from the basement, Frank looked around the house. Cool wind blew in through several large holes in the wall. Three people, a tank, an archer, and a third guy, whom he¡¯d never seen before were fighting five of his subordinates. They must be Eik¡¯s teammates. Judging by their movements they were barely in D-rank but his intel had put them solidly in mid E-rank. Eik shrugged innocently. ¡°A show of good faith, I suppose. I only took a little bit of what you ingested. Cooperate and I might just remove the rest of it as well.¡± ¡°And what do you want in return?¡± ¡°Nothing too crazy. Just tell me who hired you to ruin my business. Isn¡¯t that simple enough?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take my word for it? How dumb are you?¡± Eik sighed. ¡°Yeah, it is pretty stupid, isn¡¯t it? I guess I just wish integrity was a bit more prevalent here in our little society. People don¡¯t give a shit about people and I¡¯m tired of it. If you don''t want to tell me, then I''ll just take it from your hideout after your death. I just hoped we could make this whole thing easier for the both of us.¡± ¡°Yeah, fuck that,¡± Frank snorted and threw three daggers in rapid succession, the power of his attack considerably greater than any before. Boosted by another round of poison and potions, Eik leapt to the side to avoid the projectiles but had to slap the third one down with a block of solid toxin lest it tore through the flesh of his thigh. With a piercing clang, the dagger slammed into the ground and dug itself deep into the earth, leaving an oblong crater in its wake. ¡°So much for that, huh¡­¡± Triggering Movement Boost, he rushed in close, Viper Fang ready in one hand and a spear of solid toxin in the other. It was probably pure luck that he could still use his injured shoulder but he suspected that the potions did something for that as well, along with Profound Toxin whose true influence on him remained a mystery. Frank was ready for him and met him with a dagger in hand, a second one grazing Eik¡¯s ear as it flew back into the bandit leader¡¯s hand. Eik blocked two attacks and tried to stab the blue pike into Frank¡¯s leg, but a dagger flying in from the flank shattered the improvised weapon before he could make contact. Dancing back, he used the cheek of Viper Fang to once more bash the dagger into the ground while two wings of toxin manifested from his shoulders to block enough of the momentum of the second to only graze him. Glowing motes erupted from Eik¡¯s body as he closed the distance yet again, another spike of toxin already snapping into existence in his hand. Having now experienced the agony of the Dane¡¯s Profound Toxin, Frank seemed significantly more wary of even slight contact with more of the substance. Eik tried to chase him but a heretofore unseen movement skill carried Frank away as if on wires, rather similarly to Sonja¡¯s Disengage. There were differences but it was difficult to tell exactly what. By now they had moved out into the night proper, the confines of the house unable to contain the destruction, an entire wall crumbling to a couple of stray knives. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The barrage of flying daggers never ceased and Eik¡¯s confidence in continuing to deflect and avoid them was quickly waning. When a projectile drew a burning gash in his side as it rocketed past, he created three spike and hurled them at nearly the same velocity as Frank threw his, courtesy of a burst of Movement Boost focused on his arm and fingers. Just as two daggers returned to the bandit leader¡¯s hands and he swung to shatter the spike, fearful dread shining in his eyes, it burst in to motes that showered the man. Stumbling back, he waved his hands desperately to break their floating approach. But Eik had already thrown two more, forcing Frank to stay on the defensive as he closed the distance again. Liquid poison flowed freely from the intricate ducts running along Viper Fang¡¯s sleek body. Several shallow cuts bit into the bandit leaders¡¯ barely protected arm, each strike delivering small but mounting doses. And this time Eik would not offer any goodwill cleansing. Unfortunately, while his toxin offered distraction and fear in melee combat, Frank¡¯s weapon handling was simply superior and that discrepancy had already earned Eik more than a dozen wounds. Among those, four deep gashes were bothering him enough to reduce both power and speed. And the knife wielder didn''t seem to be slowed that much by the toxin already running through him. So when the man decided to disengage again, Eik couldn¡¯t help but breathe a little easier. As Frank sailed backward through the air, Eik erupted with mist again like a smoke bomb, concealing himself as he swallowed more Potion of Mighty Strength class 2, a handful of poison, as well as a Potion of the Metal Body for good measure. The knife thrower must have possessed some manner of sensory ability, because even with the luminescent veil, dagger after dagger jetted at him with nearly the same frightening accuracy as before. ¡°Eik Magnasen!¡± Frank¡¯s voice boomed through the night. ¡°Blinding me like that was a clever little trick, but don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten your precious little friends!¡± Eik drew in a sharp breath as his stomach tied itself into a knot. Activating Movement Boost, he leapt for his team but before he could even make it out of the toxic cloud, Sonja¡¯s shrill scream sent shivers rattling down his spine. No, no, no! Not them! ¡°Frank, you fucking coward!¡± he howled. ¡°I¡¯m the one you¡¯re fighting!¡± The man cackled as a deafening clang of metal on metal echoed between buildings and trees. Heath grunt, barely holding on to the Captain¡¯s tower when it was struck head on by a flying dagger. ¡°What, you think the Black Fang is some manner of regimen of honor bound knights or something? We live in a broken world, man! Get with the times! I can do whatever I want with them.¡± When Eik reached his friends, Heath had thrown himself on top of Sonja and Michael, his shield held up to protect against the projectiles. A dagger came for the shield but curved at the last second, avoiding the barrier and tearing a deep, bleeding gash into his thigh. Sonja¡¯s midriff was a bloody mess as well, the dagger that had buried itself in her hip already returned to Frank. If not for the supply of Mighty Strength class 1 and Metal Body coursing through them, she might well have been killed by the attack. ¡°How is she?¡± Eik asked, afraid of the answer. ¡°Not good,¡± Michael answered gravely, doing what he could for her while staying hidden under the shield. ¡°We¡¯re really going to need to get her some better treatment than what I can do here ¡ª and soon.¡± ¡°Shit. Heath, you?¡± he asked the tank. His eyes flitted between the enemy ahead and his sister, panic clearly dominating his mind. He barely seemed to register Eik¡¯s voice. ¡°Heath! Talk to me! Tell me you¡¯re okay!¡± Heath blinked up at Eik who deflected another two daggers, blue barrier on constant rotation the only thing that broke the velocity enough for him to keep up the defensive flow without losing Viper Fang. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay, I think. For now at least. But I don¡¯t think I would be able to move if another of those curving ones comes this way.¡± ¡°He¡¯s thrown a few of those already, but they¡¯re not that frequent so they might be on some sort of cooldown.¡± ¡°What the hell do we do?¡± Michael yelled with hands glowing brightly, thumb stuck deep into her wound to stop the flow of blood. ¡°We¡¯re sitting ducks here!¡± The never ending recreation of the poison barriers was beginning to take its toll on Eik¡¯s mental energy. Between that and the simultaneous knife work, his concentration was stretched thin to its breaking point. He clenched his teeth as he failed to completely avoid a dagger that sliced deeply through the flesh on his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know! The moment I leave your side to confront him, he¡¯s going to focus you down. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let that happen and he knows that.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Michael shouted, frustration oozing out of him like sweat. Unable to think of anything that might provide an advantage, Eik hurled a pair of blue spikes at Frank. But as the distance to Eik¡¯s body grew, their connection seemed to wane until they fell apart into a liquid state and splattered uselessly to the ground. What a blunder. With the decision to involve the team in this mission he might just have ensured their deaths. None of these fucking bandits deserved the chance to get away. What had he been thinking? He raged. Frank had said it himself. The world was broken, and Eik was trying to keep it from falling apart. But maybe the way to repair it wasn¡¯t by gluing the diseased pieces back together. Perhaps that which had become spoiled and corrupt should be cut away completely and eradicated. As if it had been waiting for his mind to reach that line of thought, the presence in the back of his head swooped in and established itself. Eik felt some of his reservation evaporate like water poured onto molten metal. A dagger buried itself in his side but he barely felt the pain. His head was a simultaneously muddled and clearer than it had ever been. Instinct took the wheel as Profound Toxin flowed out and around the dagger, enveloping it completely in a cube that solidified in an instant. When it left to return to Frank the toxin followed, and while it lost its shape at a certain distance like before, the weapon remained coated in the liquid as it returned to his hand. Quickly letting it go again, he left it to hang lazily in the air next to him. Another projectile tore through Heath¡¯s leg but managed to tear a large chunk of out his calf. Now unable to support his weight, the tank fell backward with a groan of pain. It was all he could do to keep the shield held high. His brain barely comprehending what he was seeing, Eik¡¯s mind darkened as a bestial snarl warped his face. Something welled up in him and he felt power surge into his body like water through a sluice gate as his skin began to crack, revealing a bright and luminescent blue underneath. Chapter 116: Overwhelming Victory A glowing blue hue rapidly spread across his skin as it cracked and tore. This pain he felt with maddening clarity, but it only served to fuel his rage to even greater heights. As if underwater, his hair flowed with thousands of motes of toxin that weaved through the strands. Suddenly, Frank¡¯s focus switched completely to the figure of light, several daggers rocketing forth with deadly accuracy, their perceived speed nowhere near what it had been. With a snarl, Eik maneuvered Viper Fang up to deflect the three first projectiles with now incomparable ease, the deafening clang of metal a testament to his unbelievable strength. Hastened by Movement Boost, he launched into the air as if by a trebuchet, the fourth dagger chasing him like a homing missile. A smirk snuck onto Frank¡¯s lips as he watched the impending hit but it transformed into pale dread when Eik whirled around and snatched the weapon right out of the air. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± he gasped, unable to believe his eyes. Eik didn¡¯t answer as he sailed down and landed right in front of the bandit leader, his irises glowing bright blue when he looked up at the man. Those weren¡¯t the eyes of a person. There was something otherworldly behind them. Something primal that wasn¡¯t supposed to be here on Earth. Extreme speed causing him to practically flicker out of existence, Eik appeared behind the heavily mustached and stabbed a long, slender spike of toxin into his rotator cuff. With a howl, Frank delivered a kick that sent Eik stumbling as the man himself activated the movement skill that resembled Sonja¡¯s Disengage. He used the same moment to throw a dagger bathed in transparent energy ¡ª this ability, too, resembling one of Sonja¡¯s, but this time Boosted Arrow. It spun and flew at twice the velocity of the other knives but Eik still managed to knock it away. Even before Frank could touch the ground again, Eik was there again, flipping several times through the air as he built momentum to slam his foot into the butt of the toxic spear in an axe kick that plunged it forcefully down through the bandit leader¡¯s upper arm. The penetration was just deep enough for the bloodied tip to poke out near the elbow joint. Frank shrieked in unbridled agony as shock and pain drained his body of energy to the point where he sunk to his knees. His wailing continued until Eik placed a finger on the butt of the spike and triggered Acceleration. Overwhelming fear joined pain as Frank watched his skin become permeated by the glow of the spear impaled in his arm. Frantically, he attempted to yank it out but with the angle of the insertion and weakness hindering his every move, his desperate efforts proved futile. ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no! Please, please, don¡¯t do it!¡± he begged, finding no sympathy in Eik¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°Greggers! Merchant Lord Greggers hired me! That¡¯s what you wanted to know, right? I swear it¡¯s him! Merchant Lord Greggers is my employer! He¡¯s the one you really want, not me! I¡¯m just the guy taking the order!¡± ¡°Too¡­ late¡­ for that now,¡± Eik said, finding it difficult to gather his thoughts enough to form a coherent sentence. The blue spike was already revving up for a violent detonation, seeming to almost vibrate inside Frank¡¯s arm. ¡°No, stop, please! You can¡¯t do this! You said you would make the world a better pla¡ª¡± His words were cut off when his entire arm, including part of his torso erupted into red mist with a violent blast. The bandit leader was thrown sideways, spinning a couple of times before he came to rest against the outer wall of a dilapidated building. He lay silent, arm completely gone at the shoulder. Eik felt the presence of his toxin in a couple of systems closer to the entrance to the Black Fang hideout. Growling, he launched himself toward the sensations, preparing to invade. Both hosts were unmoving on the ground but that didn¡¯t matter much. The pull of the toxin was too strong to ignore. He touched down near one of the hosts and reached down, Profound Toxin swirling around his hand with eagerness to complete the invasion. A noise reached him and at first it held no meaning at all. Incessantly, the noise repeated itself, again and again, until he finally stood up and looked around. Something was moving around over there. It was a person. That¡¯s where the noise was coming from. It was a voice. Eik it shouted. He was Eik. The person was Michael. Michael was shouting Eik¡¯s name. Michael was calling for him. As if a veil fell away from his eyes, Eik snapped out of it. He dashed for his friends, both Heath and Sonja clearly going downhill fast. ¡°Mikey! Mikey, what happened?¡± Eik asked. In that same moment his legs failed him and he crashed to the ground, the momentum carrying him the rest of the way to the team. ¡°You released Backflow and then just went cray! What happened?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Eik tried but his memories felt opaque. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Whatever!¡± the healer shouted. ¡°Get over here and help me. We need to get the both of them better help than I can provide here. And it needs to be now!¡± Eik stumbled over and tried to get Sonja onto his shoulder. He was in marginally better condition than he had been after using Backflow in the fight against Rock Fist Bart, but his knees and thighs still felt like jelly as he tried to stand with Sonja¡¯s weigh added to his own. With the way his head was swirling, it seemed a miracle in itself that he wasn¡¯t unconscious on the ground right now. ¡°Frank is¡­¡± he mumbled, eyes wandering to the collapsed man. ¡°Dead? Yeah, that seems pretty likely. He¡¯s missing half of¡­ a bunch of different parts. Come on, we have to go!¡± Michael said hurriedly and hauled Heath onto his back. On the very first step Eik crumbled over with a grunt of exhaustion, Sonja¡¯s body tumbling back down. Every muscle fiber in his body felt stretched and torn beyond their limits. ¡°Mikey, get me¡ª¡± he huffed, breath ragged. ¡°Get me a potion, will you? I can¡¯t move¡­¡± ¡°Is that going to do anything for you in that state?¡± ¡°It better¡­ I feel like I¡¯m about to keel over and die,¡± he breathed, clenching his eyes shut as a surge of agony ripped relentlessly through his body. Michael stuck his hand into the rucksack of holding. It was so compact and well designed, that even wearing it during a fight wouldn¡¯t be too much of a hindrance, although Eik would prefer to get his hands on another bag of holding that fit on his belt where he could keep the rucksack of holding. If that was even a possibility. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eik asked, still lying with his face in the grass. ¡°It feels like a normal rucksack. The bottom is right here where it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Michael scratched the inner lining to prove his point. ¡°I think Mikla did say something about it being bound to me only or something like that. Grab my hand.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just grab my hand, dude,¡± Eik repeated and Michael did. ¡°Alright, now stick my hand into the rucksack.¡± It worked and soon Michael was pouring the green liquid of Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 into Eik¡¯s mouth. Power rocked through him like always but if anything the pain only became worse. Physically, he could now force himself to his feet even under Sonja¡¯s weight, but the pain alone made it an extremely difficult task mentally. Biting back pain, they jogged out of there, stepping over a couple of Black Fang bandits. Some of them had wounds and cuts from Heath and Sonja¡¯s weapons, but many of them also had clear traces of the aftermath of Profound Toxin. Eik couldn¡¯t help but stare. He hadn¡¯t exactly meant for it to go this far. ¡°Was this okay? That we came after the Black Fang like this?¡± he asked the air. ¡°I don¡¯t really know,¡± Michael said. ¡°That Jane lady said they would come after us for going against them, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them doing stuff like that before. Do you not think they would have done what she promised?¡± ¡°No, they probably would have.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s just how the world is now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eik shot him a glance. ¡°Didn¡¯t really expect something like that to come out of you, Mikey.¡± The healer shrugged as much as he could with Heath¡¯s massive body slung over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s become painfully obvious that we¡¯ve been living in a bubble here. Even with all the monsters and super powers and shit like that, I¡¯ve been thinking that our lives were more or less stable. But that¡¯s just not the case, is it?¡± Eik let him continue. ¡°Nothing is fuckin¡¯ okay, man! We¡¯re living in the freaking apocalypse and I¡¯ve been pretending like everything is normal! Well, it¡¯s not! And now some crazy gang wants to kill us? This is just how things are now, as far as I¡¯m concerned!¡± He was getting increasingly agitated by the second. Eik took another potion as he felt the effects wane. He couldn¡¯t exactly disagree with Michael¡¯s sentiment. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back,¡± he said and increased the pace. *** Sonja didn¡¯t wake up for almost two and a half days. Eik had managed to pull some strings to get a high-ranked healer to come in and work on her and while they managed to get her into a stable condition pretty quickly, the healer wasn¡¯t medically knowledgeable enough to explain why she still remained comatose. A swift tourniquet along with medicine and Heal from Michael had staunched much of the profuse blood flow from Heath¡¯s leg wound. It had been a very bad wound but he was already feeling a lot better. Eik injuries were¡­ extensive. Although not as severe as the first time he¡¯d used Backflow, his skin looked as if it had been flayed in a medieval punishment performance. Somehow, despite the madness that had overtaken his mind, he¡¯d managed to hold back somewhat on the Profound Toxin he had pumped into his own body. The Potions of Mighty Strength class 2 he had used to push through the weakness to get the team home had not done him any favors either. Weakness addled him for a number of days after and the crutch he used for the first two days made him feel decidedly not very D-rank-like. Hopefully the practice with Backflow inside the realm of Profound Toxin, that he had every intention of working into his schedule, would make it possible to fine tune the doses well enough to not put him at the brink of death every time he used the ability trait. By the time the departure for the Championship tournament at the Nidafjeld Alliance headquarters came around, they had all managed to recover well enough to go. Heath and Sonja weren¡¯t going to be fighting but Eik was luckily more than well enough to fight at full strength. On the day of departure, Eik, Olivia, the team, and all the Championship participants met up at the Central Square where Mikla and Atla waited, the rolling fracture waiting patiently to take them through to another world. All of the first time travelers looked very nervous about the thought of stepping through one of the portals that had been notorious for allowing the monsters to invade Earth for years. It would be fun to see them stumble around, fracture drunk, after being warped through space time for the first time. Countless people, arguably a majority of the population of Forest, had shown up to see them off. Their entry into the Championships would be the first step of a hopefully safe and stabilizing relationship with the alliance. This could be what saved them from certain doom down the line. What secured Earth¡¯s future. They waved to the crowd, many of who were cheering, although many looked uncertain about what to think about it all. Before they could step through, a voice suddenly reverberated across the square, drawing all eyes. ¡°And thus, ladies and gentlemen, we see them march forth, ready to defend you all from the darkness out there. Now, let us all thank the defender of Earth and his companions as they set out to protect,¡± the voice bellowed, some kind of sonic boost at work. Eik craned his neck to get a look at the speaker. What the hell was going on here? ¡°Everyone, Eik Magnasen, the proud hand of our great city of Forest!¡± Chapter 117: Heading Out With the massive crowd, it was difficult to spot the speaker but Eik finally found him a little ways away. A small group of people had created a little clearing in the throng where they stood, faces beaming with pride and cunning. Darius Kerman and Chairwoman Huntley stood at the forefront, Merchant Lord Greggers immediately behind them. Judging by the filthy nod he sent Eik when their eyes met, the man had no idea that Frank had spilled the beans about his employer being Greggers. There was no way he didn¡¯t know that many of the members of the Black Fang were dead, including Frank, but if anything that probably meant that he presumed his secret safe forever. The B-rank scout Lisa¡¯s subordinate, dark ninja man, who had gone with Eik and Lisa to the hideout of the Bankers had been sent back to the lair of the Black Fang to sift through documents. There had been a veritable mountain of information about all sorts of shady deals and violent acts. That Eik hadn''t really been confronted almost at all for the deed he had carried out that night was a sobering testament to the state of Earth society and his own rising status in it. He was getting a taste for what it meant to hold power in a place where power was everything. Their society had to be made better before he ended up in a mental state that enjoyed it too much. Eik was more than happy to hand all of the findings over to Mission Central, but managed to get his hands on a few documents that described the deal with Merchant Lord Greggers. Damning evidence like a signed contract was a bit too steep to hope for, but Greggers could have denied the legitimacy of such documents anyway. Eik had definitely been the main target. The robberies of the other merchants had been part of a smoke screen to muddle the real intention ¡ª to weaken Eik¡¯s rapidly growing position in Forest society. The break-in at his home had apparently been an attempt to obtain the recipe for the Potion of Mighty Strength. Luckily Eik kept that in his rucksack of holding ¡ª not that anybody else would have been able to decipher the information written in it without a translation spell, and that was not a skill anybody on Earth possessed yet as far as he knew. The documents looked more like copies of reports than anything else. The fact that he hadn¡¯t been confronted and accused yet hopefully meant that Merchant Lord Greggers thought he was safe. He was not. And Eik would make sure he was made aware of that in time. The old guard of Forest made their way through the crowd and went around to each of the participants to shake their hands, ending at Eik. The worst of them acted as though they had never pulled him into an interrogation and grilled him like a criminal, only to denounce his worth and practically declare him a traitor. Not to mention the handling of the investigation of Rock Fist Bart¡¯s assault that nearly resulted in Heath¡¯s death. Others looked profoundly uncomfortable with the whole thing as they shook Eik¡¯s hand, palm clammy as they struggled to meet his gaze. Elaine Haness on the other hand was chewing on her lip just to maintain a straight face. Eik had already told her about the findings in the lair of the Black Fang. None of them had been particularly surprised to learn that Merchant Lord Greggers was responsible but had nonetheless decided to hold off on going public with any of their knowledge for now. Especially Eik was going to be busy with the Championships for however long it would last. ¡°I don¡¯t remember accepting any such position,¡± Eik said, not yelling but not trying to lower his voice either. The folks standing closest to the conversation exchanged glances and quiet whispers. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m pretty sure I quit the moment I was informed about this rather sudden employment. Did you not get the memo or something?¡± Chairman Huntley laughed nervously as she looked around the gathered faces. ¡°Mr. Magnasen, let¡¯s not be too hasty now. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s been some manner of misunderstanding between us. By coming over to our side, you¡¯ll become instrumental in securing the absolute best and safest future for all of the precious citizens of For¡ª¡± ¡°My every act is for the sake of the people living here,¡± Eik said, barely noticing that his voice was rising. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for some twisted need for power and influence. I¡¯m a loner. In a perfect world with no responsibilities I would probably barely leave the house. Your incessant, ignorant, and frankly self serving approach to an issue that might well be the difference between our successful transition into a new world and a helpless, prolonged demise, does not give me the slightest confidence in your abilities.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chairman Huntley said, a frown flashing across her face as well as the faces of other members of the old guard. ¡°How dare you speak to us like this, you insolent and ungrateful little cur!¡± she hissed with a voice that one would need super senses to hear unless one stood as near as Eik. Then she raised her voice again. ¡°Our only wish is for the prosperity of the people of Forest!¡± ¡°You covered up and purposefully botched an investigation into the assault of my dear friend and teammate simply because it was committed by Rock Fist Bart, the son of one of the most influential men in the city. At the time I was just a random guy who¡¯d earned myself more attention than what was good for me.¡± Chairman Huntley couldn¡¯t suppress a roll of her eyes. ¡°Young man, you are going to have to learn how to let minor matters like that lie if you want to climb high in this world. Get over yourself.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling you! I¡¯m not interested in politics like you! I just want us to be safe!¡± He carefully neglected to mention the fact that he very much was interested in growing stronger. He¡¯d like to grow wealthier as well but that was secondary. Once he¡¯d realized that his shoulders were being weighed down by a heavy responsibility, strength had become an undeniable necessity. That he just so happened to enjoy it as well was nothing more than a bonus. ¡°And you think we don¡¯t want exac¡ª¡± A large hand on her arm silenced her. ¡°Now, now, let¡¯s all take it easy, shall we?¡± Merchant Lord Greggers sang as his swollen, red skin jiggled with every word. ¡°We didn¡¯t come here to start a fight, I can promise you, Mr. Magnasen. Our only intention was to show our faces and wish all of you brave and honorable warriors the best of luck in your upcoming trials. All of us who will remain here at home are counting on you to come back safe and sound. We¡¯ll be sure to keep things safe here while you¡¯re away.¡± Unwittingly, Eik¡¯s jaw clenched tight as he gazed steadily at the foul businessman. ¡°That is much appreciated, Mr. Greggers. I¡¯m sure my things are safe with you. I will make sure to repay you one day.¡± The rotund man smiled brightly, his greasy forehead glistening in the noon sun. ¡°That is a given. Do not worry. Go¡­ Go and be victorious.¡± He raised a clenched fist high for all eyes to see. ¡°Forest stands behind you, brave warriors!¡± A hesitant cheer began to spread through the crowd but it soon grew to include almost everyone gathered. Eik, however, was silent, a sour taste in his mouth. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to go!¡± he called and began to usher the nervous F-rankers through first, guiding one person at a time. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here a second longer,¡± he mumbled to himself. When Eik was about to step through the pulsing fracture, Merchant Lord Greggers came up behind him, his hand out to touch Eik shoulder. Before he could, however, a blue tendril jetted out from under Eik¡¯s sleeve and wrapped itself a dozen times around the arrogant man¡¯s bare wrist. With a howl of surprise and fright, Greggers jolted back, nearly stumbling over his own clumsy feet but the rope of Profound Toxin refused to let him go. Rancid, nauseating smoke rose up from the contact site as it sizzled as if on a grill. ¡°Stop!¡± Greggers shrieked. ¡°What the hell are you doing to me? Stop!¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± Eik hissed as he futilely tried to will the toxic tendril back into his body. Was it reacting to the hostility he felt toward Merchant Lord Greggers? Sure, he hadn¡¯t made it too outwardly obvious but Profound Toxin seemed to be eternally aware of his feelings nonetheless. Well, the timing left something to be desired, that was for sure. Greggers fell to his knees, tears flowing down his pockmarked cheeks. Discolored, purple splotches had already begun to spread from the wound. No matter how much Eik despised Merchant Lord Greggers, he couldn¡¯t afford to be the direct cause of the man¡¯s death right here where everybody could see. Privately¡­ maybe. Merchant Lord Greggers was low F-rank as far as Eik knew, which meant that his arm might well be gone within the minute at this rate. Shit, shit, shit! Profound Toxin wasn¡¯t listening to him at all right now. What the hell could be done? Could Profound Toxin manifest through dimensional gates? Probably not, right? Hopefully not¡­ Disappearing halfway through the fracture, Eik pulled at the rope of poison but it just wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Look, Greggers, that¡¯s gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow, I¡¯m not gonna lie, but I promise I¡¯ll pay your medical bills, alright?¡± he said and popped through the portal. *** Eik was in his suite, Heath and Michael lounging on his bed with Sonja sitting in the window sill. ¡°You think he¡¯s okay?¡± the Dane wondered out loud. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Merchant Lord Greggers.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Heath said. ¡°I saw his arm. It looked nasty as hell, but there was a pretty powerful healer in the crowd.¡± Eik leaned back with a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Sonja muttered to herself. They sat in silence for a while, Eik fiddling with something in his lap. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Just checking my levels from the last fight. It was pretty tough so I¡¯m hoping for some good stuff.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t done your levels and stuff yet?¡± Heath asked with genuine surprise. ¡°Why?¡± Eik shrugged. ¡°I guess I just never got around to it. I¡¯ve barely had a moment to myself, what with all the preparations for our participation in the Championships. I¡¯ve been back and forth between worlds on crutches, literally.¡± ¡°So what¡¯d you get?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 46] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 47] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 4¡­ [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 53] ¡°Eight levels from a single fight? What the hell?¡± Heath exclaimed as he read over Eik¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s my line,¡± Eik said. ¡°If it keeps going up like this, it¡¯ll kill me for sure next time Backflow activates at its own volition.¡± ¡°Oh, boo hoo, get over it, asshole!¡± Heath punched Eik at full power in the shoulder, but a sheet of blue rose up reflexively to block the blow, nearly breaking Heath¡¯s knuckle bones. Eik could barely keep it together as his friend hopped around the suite in pain. ¡°Do you realize how much I¡¯m going to have to torture myself with poisons on purpose, just to almost keep Resistance: Toxin up to snuff? It sucks.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you talk about practicing inside that mind space of yours?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Yeah, I might do that tonight. Since we have three days to go before the Championships begin I finally have a bit of time to try it out.¡± He checked the next messages. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 21] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 22] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 23] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 24] ¡°Four? What? How?¡± Heath whined. ¡°I did use it almost constantly in a drawn out fight against a high C-ranker,¡± Eik reminded him. ¡°I know, but still!¡± [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 39] ¡°Huh, I guess the last couple of days of extra strong tea did pay off,¡± Eik muttered. ¡°You¡¯re an insane person,¡± Michael deadpanned. ¡°What else¡¯d you get?¡± Sonja asked, having joined the others in reading over Eik¡¯s shoulder. Eik¡¯s finger flicked across the surface of the wooden plaque. ¡°Next up we¡¯ve got¡­ Oh.¡± ¡°Holy shit, it¡¯s happening!¡± [New skill available] Chapter 118: A Choice to Make Eik¡¯s eyes went wide as he read over the message that hadn¡¯t appeared on the wooden plaque for a very long time. Finally! [New skill available] [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Persiste ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Why does it just cut itself off like that?¡± Eik frowned as he stared at the glowing text that had suddenly stopped etching itself into the wood as if frozen in time. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s never done this before.¡± If he was about to lose out on a new ability, he¡¯d go straight into the realm of Profound Toxin and bust heads until all of his frustrations had calmed down. Quickly, the text erased itself only to reappear, starting from the beginning again. [New ability available] [Choose one:] [Blades] [Concentration] [Per ¡°What the hell?¡± Eik muttered under his breath, shaking the wooden plaque like a broken TV remote. Again it tried to write out its message. [New ability available] [Choose one:] [Bla [Tox They kept staring in silence. [New ability available] [Choose one:] [(Unique) Armor of the Scourge ¡ª Alternative ability option derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [(Unique) Living Manifestation ¡ª Alternative ability option derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] ¡°Did¡­ Did your Worldbreaker ability just take over your messages? Has that happened before?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen it before,¡± Eik answered, puzzled. ¡°Is it normal for Worldbreakers?¡± ¡°How would I know that?¡± ¡°So what are you going to pick?¡± Eik scratched his chin as he looked them over. ¡°They both sound pretty interesting.¡± ¡°Armor of the Scourge makes your toxin extra hard to protect you from harm, I would guess¡­¡± Michael said. ¡°And Living Manifestation lets you create a cute little guy who is all blue and slimy, like a half melted gummy bear,¡± Heath finished. Eik gave the tank a look. ¡°That better not be what it is.¡± Heath tilted his head from side to side. ¡°Who knows, man. From what you¡¯ve said, the little guy can be pretty goofy from time to time.¡± As if summoned by those words, a tendril of blue grew out of Eik¡¯s cheek and waved around in the air like a little arm shaking its fist with indignation. ¡°¡­ But mostly very frightening and agony inducing, as I found out to my own regret,¡± Heath followed up carefully. The little limb seemed to be soothed at that and retracted back into its host¡¯s skin. ¡°This might be a bit unorthodox but,¡± Eik began, glancing from person to person. ¡°Hey, little buddy, which one do you think I should pick?¡± ¡°Are you asking me?¡± Michael asked with an arched eyebrow. Eik rolled his eyes and placed his finger on the corner of the wooden plaque where the glowing text still remained. ¡°Yeah, sure I am, smart guy.¡± A string of Profound Toxin wiggled out from under his nail and snaked across the wood, feeling its way forward as it went. ¡°Come on, boy! Come on! Which one are you gonna pick, huh, boy?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Do you always treat the deadly and dangerous poison living inside of you like an obedient dog?¡± Sonja asked. ¡°No¡­ Well, not all the time. Only sometimes,¡± he mumbled. The little branch of toxin rose up like a cobra and then slapped down onto the wood, covering the entry for Armor of the Scourge. ¡°See? Totally useful. So I¡¯ll pick Armor of the Scourge.¡± But before Eik could actually select anything a second arm of poison slithered out and slapped the Living Manifestation text. ¡°What does that mean, then?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I, uuh, you know¡­¡± ¡°Just pick one,¡± Heath said. ¡°Alright, alright! Well, I can already create shields of solid toxin with the base ability so maybe I can hold off on Armor of the Scourge for now. Living Manifestation sounds a bit more esoteric and unique, and unique seems pretty useful thus far.¡± Eik peeled the gummy-like arm of Profound Toxin off the wood and selected Living Manifestation. The text evaporated. Reaching inside himself for the newly awakened power, he tried to bring it out into the real world. Seeming to react with more eagerness that usual, a thick, glowing shape erupted from his palm, sloshing shapelessly onto the floor, Michael stumbling back in surprise. Immediately it regained its form and shot up toward Eik¡¯s face like a missile. Snatching it out of the air before it could crunch into his nose, Eik held it up and studied it. It was most definitely the same small snake as the tier one toxic beast he¡¯d so often encountered in the realm of Profound Toxin. ¡°Welcome to my world, little guy,¡± he grinned. ¡°I know you have a tendency to be squished under my boot but I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d calm down and be a good boy for once, you know. I did go so far as to spend a precious ability on this.¡± For a while longer the snake wiggled and struggled in his grip but eventually settled down. ¡°Good. Can you change size?¡± he asked. The living manifestation shrunk to the point where it could easily slip out from between his fingers. ¡°Cool! How small can you get?¡± In response, the bright serpent became even smaller until it reached a point where it could potentially fit into someone¡¯s ear. Sonja shivered as she watched. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a rather disturbing sight, I have to admit,¡± Michael mumbled. ¡°So, that is going to be the stereotypical trusty sidekick animal buddy, is it?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it lacking a cuteness factor that¡¯s usually kind of par for the course?¡± In the blink of an eye, the snake returned to its original size and rocketed up into Heath¡¯s face, squashing his nose flat. ¡°Oh, ow! Oh my¡ª Oh, god, that hurts so bad! What the hell?¡± Blood spurted from his nostrils, tears streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks. ¡°I think it might understand you, man,¡± Michael remarked and laid a Healing hand over the tank¡¯s face. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t feel like talking,¡± Heath said, voice muddle by Michael¡¯s palm. *** The headquarters of the Nidafjeld Alliance was alive with the hustle and bustle of festival preparation. As it turned out, the Championships were more than just a series of fights. It was an excuse for people to celebrate and share in each other¡¯s cultures. While the fighting was considered the main event, for many of the people coming to enjoy the festivities the most important was the opportunity to meet new friends, taste dishes from different worlds, and expand their own businesses. The noises of hammers and saws could be heard no matter where one went, even this close to the start of the tournament. Every outdoor area of the headquarters was practically overrun with all sorts of stalls and stages. Eik and the team brought the newly arrived Earthlings around the grounds, showing them all of their favorite spots. People were in high spirits as they put up signs for the stalls, colored flags and banners, and lots of other festival miscellany. Booths with games and prizes lined one side of the path they were walking on while the other side had a variety of stalls setting up to make and sell food and drinks. They even passed a raised platform on which a group of girls from many different races were practicing a coordinated dance performance dressed in colorful, flowing clothes. In a couple of days, this area along with all others around headquarters, as well as a portion of the town of Gimleh below, would be absolutely flooded with people of all shapes and sizes. ¡°This is¡­ so amazing!¡± the F-ranked darkness manipulator exclaimed, his head swiveling from exciting sight to exciting sight with an enthusiasm that didn¡¯t fit the gloom of his ability set. ¡°Do you think the Nidafjeld Alliance would give us a bigger stipend?¡± All participants had been awarded a token sum of credits to spend at the festival as a reward for attending. ¡°You know what,¡± Eik said. ¡°If there¡¯s something you really want, John, then I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, buddy,¡± Eik said cheerfully and clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve made it this far with your own power. I don¡¯t mind pitching in to make it more fun for y¡ª¡± Eik froze in his tracks. Already there were many people running around and preparing for the big even but the sight of four Gohkamorians was impossible to miss. Whether they had been a part of the delegation they had encountered in the fracture room before was unclear, and they weren¡¯t dressed in their ceremonial garb now. Instead they wore simple, unadorned robes tied together at their massive waist with a colored rope. Eik held out a hand to stop the others and directed them off to the side. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Heath snarled as his fingers sought the hilt of his sword. Eik also felt his temper flare up but Mikla¡¯s words echoed in his mind. These four Gohkamorians making their way quietly along the road weren¡¯t necessarily directly responsible for any of the suffering the people of Earth. They could no more be blamed for the misfortune of Eik, his brother, his family, Olivia, Heath, Michael, Sonja, and any other person than Eik could be blamed for Merchant Lord Greggers screwing over randos in the marketplace of Forest. And yet, Eik could barely control the urge to leap in there and rip the lot of them apart, limb by limb as the blood showered his body like torrential rain fall. Profound Toxin bubbled just underneath his skin, its wordless, soundless voice screaming for him to kill and maim. The others looked on uncomprehendingly as their guides tensed up like cats whose house has suddenly been invaded by four thousand dogs. ¡°What¡¯s going on right now?¡± the D-ranked swordswoman whose movements resembled Sonja¡¯s asked, looking from face to face. ¡°Those guys over there¡­ The big guys in the robes,¡± Heath muttered, glaring daggers at the Gohkamorians walking only a few paces away. ¡°are Gohkamorians. They are the civilization responsible for sending monsters to Earth for the past almost ten years.¡± Eik ground his teeth together. He couldn¡¯t attack them like this, but maybe he could try something else. ¡°Buddy,¡± he called and a Profound Toxic beast answered, slithering out onto his palm. ¡°Extra small, please,¡± he requested. It obeyed. ¡°See the biggest one of those guys over there? Invade him. Don¡¯t let him notice and don¡¯t kill him.¡± *** ¡°Now, ladies and gentlemen. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you all have been waiting for this moment as eagerly as I have, but I hope you won¡¯t mind if I take just a short moment to make sure even those of you all the way in the back know exactly what¡¯s happening today!¡± The voice was somehow projected audibly across the entire crowd. It might actually have been funneled directly into each pairs of ears by some ability. ¡°I would like to welcome all of you¡­ to the greatest showdown of the Unified Mass, the Championships of the Nidafjeld Alliance. I simply can¡¯t wait to see what all of the mighty challengers have to show us!¡± Deafening cheers erupted like thunder. With so many Awakened roaring at the top of their lungs, the Earthlings felt like their ear drums might just pop. John, the darkness manipulator shuffled up to Eik. ¡°Do you think the Gohkamorians are here somewhere as well?¡± They were standing nearly on the edge of perhaps the biggest throng of people Eik had ever seen, even before Earth had gone to shit. Gigantic screens floated freely in the air, displaying the face of the announcer. He had a humorously tall top hat and a confident smile under a mustache even bigger than Frank of the Black Fang. ¡°They must be.¡± He could vaguely feel the presence of the one carrying the Profound Toxic beast somewhere among the thousands and thousands of people but the exact location eluded him. ¡°And as you know,¡± the announcer continued. ¡°we like to make sure that each Championship tournament has new and novel twists ¡ª for your viewing and fighting pleasure. So of course, this time is no different.¡± He broke into laughter as he raised his hand high. ¡°Challengers, get ready¡­!¡± ¡°Ready for what?¡± Eik wondered out loud. In the next moment, a swirling fracture sprang into existence just above his head. The other challengers from Earth were no different. Portals speckled the air all over, likely marking the location of challengers. ¡°What the hell is going¡ª¡± Before he could react, an unseen force sucked him up and through the fracture with a scream. Chapter 119: First Trial of the Championships This was no deja vu. No, this was simply exactly what he had already experienced once before. That being yoinked suddenly through a dimensional gate against his will to be spit out in some unknown place was a trauma of Eik¡¯s was perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but that most certainly didn¡¯t mean that he liked it. Fracture vertigo in and of itself wasn¡¯t that bad ¡ª and could maybe even be referred to as a ¡°fun¡± experience once you got used to the sensation of having all of your organs displaced to the bottom of your feet, metaphorically. When you had no time to prepare yourself mentally or even clench your stomach to keep the organs in place, however, this shit wasn¡¯t exactly a dance on roses. Eik heard the thud before he felt it as his face slammed into the ground with an impact that rattled his brain. An overpowering taste of damp soil and plant juices invaded his mouth and he was overcome by a fit of coughing as he inhaled a mouthful of dirt. Two and a half seconds into the Championships and it already sucked hard. If anybody had been watching him he would definitely have looked like a maniac as he used glowing blue Profound Toxin dripping from his fingers to wash dirt and sand out of his eyes. So long as Backflow wasn¡¯t active, Profound Toxin seemed to be even less harmful than clean water. He had never liked using eye drops but the poison didn¡¯t give him any discomfort at all. ¡°Ugh, where the hell am I?¡± he muttered under his breath as he climbed to his feet and took in the surroundings. He had been dropped in the middle of a luscious, green forest. Searching for any trace of instructions or even sign of civilized life, he wandered around for a minute or two, but there was nothing to be found. There was no lightly trodden path to follow, nor a shoddy, wooden sign with illegible scrawls or an old, discolored map dropped conspicuously into his waiting hands from the clear sky. ¡°So what am I supposed to do here then? Build a camp and wait it out?¡± he asked out loud to a slight echo, half hoping for something to confirm or deny his words, but nothing happened. The well timed squawk of some kind of animal somewhere in the distance seemed to emphasize the ridiculousness of it all. He could already tell he was going to fall back into the old habit of talking to himself when he¡¯s alone and nervous. ¡°Hello?¡± he called. Nothing. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Well, if there was nothing to see down here on the ground, then maybe there would be something to glean from above. Activating Movement Boost, he ascended all the way to the crown of a more than fifty meter tall tree in two leaps. Forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, intercepted only by an occasional mountain, if they could be referred to as such. They were tall and narrow ¡ª to the point of defying physics. Patches of trees grew along their heights. Each of them looked to be a few hundred meters high. From the peaks rose shimmering, almost ethereal lights, marking each of the mountains as something special. Well, search and you shall find, as they say. A goal. How nice. He hopped back down and started toward the closest of the peaks at a brisk jog. The air here smelled absolutely wonderful. Every single second a new, alien scent or plant aroma entered Eik¡¯s nostrils and tickled his curiosity something fierce. In fact, a few times he did turn off the non-existent path to check out some interesting-looking plants. One of them was a bright, blue flower whose leaves moved in a spiral fashion around the stalk and bud. Eik had no idea how the plant could do something like that, but given what they had faced in the mushroom forest of the E-rank Crucible practical perhaps it really wasn¡¯t that strange. Into his rucksack of holding it went. Another was¡­ disturbing to say the least. It had a face. A face that looked remarkably, and frighteningly, like his own. As in, all of the features of this face were his, down to the color of his eyes and hair, to the shape of his nose, jaw, cheeks, and brow. It wasn¡¯t a perfect replica, mind you. It was still clearly a plant but if those properties could be distilled into a potion, it would sell like salt water taffy at an old folk¡¯s home. Whether releasing a potion that could do something like that into Forest was an ethically sound thing to do, he would have to debate later. That too went in the rucksack. In general he maintained a steady pace for more than twenty minutes before the noises began. At first they were subtle and barely audible among the sounds of cackling animals and trees rustling in the winds. Gradually as he listened, the noises grew louder. Someone was fighting. And it was violent. Eik altered his course to run a wider circle around the sounds. Profound Toxin doing its darnedest to steer him back toward it again. ¡°No, I said we¡¯re not going that way! Why would I go and possibly get hurt when I can simply go about my way and let them duke it out among themselves?¡± he asked out loud as he kept a healthy pace, a loud boom echoing through the canopies. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°No, ¡®fun¡¯ is not a valid reason right now. This is serious, dude!¡± He felt the toxin cross its metaphorical arms and pout. ¡°Give me a break,¡± he grumbled. At least the Living Manifestation was already dispatched elsewhere for the time being so it couldn¡¯t annoy hi¡ª Something slapped him across the face. ¡°Wha¡ª What the hell!¡± he spluttered as he stumbled back from shock more than anything else. On a mossy tree root sat a small Profound Toxic beast. A Living Manifestation. It wiggled triumphantly at him. ¡°There¡¯s another one of you little assholes now?¡± Eik massaged the bridge of his nose tiredly. ¡°Odin¡¯s greasy beard, man.¡± Incensed, the snake exploded upward with the nose-crushing skull bash technique, but it was a tired trick and Eik snatched it out of the air with ease. For a moment it struggled in his grip before eventually giving up. ¡°How are you here? I can feel your sibling somewhere far away still. I know it hasn¡¯t been killed, so how?¡± The snake¡¯s tail grew slightly until it was long enough to slap him on the chest pointedly. Eik fished out the wooden plaque. [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 2] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 3] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 4] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 5] Four level ups? Olivia had said that new abilities gained at higher power ranks tended to level faster in the beginning but this was exceptionally fast for what he had done with the ability so far. Besides sticking a little guy to one of those Gohkamorian bastards, he really hadn¡¯t done much more than practice summoning the Living Manifestation a few times. So Living Manifestation gained passive exp just from being stationed in somebody¡¯s system. Would the system of a certain unsuspecting Earth tank whose name started with ¡°H¡± and ended with ¡°eath¡± perchance be sufficient to farm the passive exp? ¡°So how many of you can I summon now?¡± Eik reached out for the power and watched another three Profound Toxic beasts sprout from his palm in quick succession. ¡°One per ability level, eh? Not bad! That¡¯s going to be stupid good before long!¡± he cackled gleefully. Eik looked up as the noises of combat grew closer, pulled out of his distraction. They were coming from somewhere to the right. That meant he was going straight and to the left. A projectile of pure ice collided with a tree about forty meters behind him, tearing a deep furrow through the wood before shattering into countless pieces. ¡°Shit,¡± he hissed and sped up, momentarily activating Movement Boost. ¡°¡ªt came from somewhere in this direction. Get ready for bat¡ª¡± Eik heard someone shout before crashing through the underbrush to his left, their face looking about as surprised to see Eik as he was to see them. How many damned D-ranked challengers were here? The forest was huge and yet he had already managed to get himself stuck between two groups of enemies at the same time. ¡°Straight ahead! Get ready!¡± the person who Eik could now see was a woman wearing a decorative headdress shouted to someone behind her. Screaming electricity rapidly gathered in her hand before she hurled it at him with clear intent to maim or kill. ¡°Woah!¡± he yelled, only barely creating a shell of solid blue in time to deflect the crackling energy. A slight shock still traveled through the toxin but not enough to cause damage or incapacitate. From behind the lighting user a man wielding a double edged battle axe and a massive shield stormed forth, leading with the shield. He tried to bash Eik as they clashed but Eik met it feet first and pushed off, flying back as he released a powerful pulse of toxic mist inside which he also hid a Living Manifestation. Retreating to the cover of a wide-trunked tree, he watched the tank fall back in a fit of coughing. Eik felt a small amount of toxin invade the large man¡¯s system along with the Profound Toxin beast. A couple of lightning bolts shrieked blindly through the toxic mist still hanging where Eik had been. They power was clearly nowhere near the terrifying display that Travis Lockwood had demonstrated back during the Great Raid but they were still bad news. He couldn¡¯t let himself be hit by that. Contrary to Eik¡¯s initial hope, the two Awakened didn¡¯t seem ready to run toward the other fight while he was still in the wind. Made sense but still sucked. How had the tank and lightning user even managed to meet up this early? They were clearly dressed according to a similar cultural theme so they were probably from the same home world. Eik had no clue where that swordswoman from Earth might be right now. Had these guys used a tracking device of some kind to find each other quickly? Shit. The older civilizations that knew the ins and outs of Awakened life were bound to be better prepared for this than any of the Earthlings. Eik had supplied potions and medicines to anyone from Earth who could use it but that was about it. Eik climbed the tree with ease while the two of them huddled together on the ground. Luckily none of them seemed to have neither tracking nor sensory ability. They had already tried to kill him so that meant he was allowed to kill them as well, right? Profound Toxin reacted to that thought with an eagerness that Eik couldn¡¯t help but feel as well. The lightning user had to die first. Eik downed a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 and leapt off a branch directly above their heads. Like a diving bird, he plummeted toward the ground. Halfway down he conjured a diving bell of solid toxin and flung it over the tank with a resounding gong. Improvising, he added a slope on the side of the bell that caught him and delivered him directly into the arms of the lightning user, whose attention had been drawn skyward by the falling construction. Despite his potion boosted state, she managed to catch him and block Viper Fang with her own blade that resembled a Japanese wakizashi, only a few drops of the liquid splattering her skin. As they exchanged blows in a dance, mixing in the occasional toxic or electric attack, Eik wondered for a moment how she was keeping up with him if she was supposed to be D-rank. The obvious answer came to him when he spotted something glinting in the grass. Two glass bottles, remnants of a green liquid in the bottom of both. All enemies in this fuckin¡¯ test would be loaded to the teeth with potions, medicines, and other stuff he had never even heard of. And he was fighting two on his own. Chapter 120: Taking on a Duo Eik¡¯s eyes flitted to the vials in the grass. At a closer look, there weren¡¯t just two lying there in the grass. There were four. Two whose color matched the Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 perfectly, and two others whose effects he couldn¡¯t even begin to guess at. At that moment a loud bang reverberated through the blue bell, followed by another and then another, at which a spider web crack spread out from an internal impact point. Eik was too preoccupied with the lightning user to do anymore than hope the bell would hold for just a little longer. She was fast. Incredibly so. Definitely faster than him. Another attack from the imprisoned tank rocked the thick dome and sent fragments of blue to the ground where they melted into liquid. There was no time to hesitate. Eik dodge a bolt of lightning only by reading the movement of the woman¡¯s hand as she threw it. This was made more difficult by the war paint covering her body and armor in intricate patterns which blurred her movements like a dynamic camouflage. Diving in, he erupted into toxic mist. She jumped back, having caught onto the dangers of his ability, but Eik, still concealed somewhat inside the cloud, balled up a Living Manifestation like a snowball and pitched it like a fastball into her face, strengthening the throw with a localized application of Movement Boost. It enveloped her face like a water balloon and immediately rushed in through her mouth and nose. Reacting with speed befitting her D-rank, she bit down hard and bisected half of the body. Eik felt the part that managed to get inside enter her system from her stomach, but the severed part that she had flung to the ground became inert and lost its form. ¡°You fuckin¡ª¡­¡± she cursed, tears in her eyes from the discomfort of swallowing half of the snake. Eik shrugged. The throes of combat beginning to sink its claws into his mind. Under the effects of Movement Boost, he flowed forth like a ghost, leading with Viper Fang. She met him with her own blade, a whip of screaming electricity flying ahead and forcing Eik to bash it away with a shell of toxin, but the tail cracked him across the back and sent a shock through his lower body that momentarily paralyzed him. It was brief and relatively weak but the surprise sent him stumbling nonetheless and he took a nasty cut ot his upper arm from her blade that sliced right through his protective leathers. If only magically enhanced armor was a bit more affordable. The electric woman, not to mention the beefy tank, were armed to the teeth with expensive looking gear. As representatives of their civilization they would undoubtedly have been spoiled in head and ass with the best of the best to a degree Earth simply could never afford. Eik wanted their stuff. Atla had fixed up the Earth challengers with sets of healing potions similar to those of which Eik¡¯s team had been given three for their escape from Menka Tokanami¡¯s assassin squad, but adjusted to fit the power rank of each recipient. The cracks in the bell exploded outward, the corner of the tank¡¯s shield preceding his own exit. He looked angry. Blue mist gushed out like a cloud as a Eik retreated, throwing another two Living Manifestation at each of the enemies. The woman vaporized hers with a bolt of lightning while the the shield bash from the tank splattered the toxic beast like a rotten apple. Some of the toxin still hit the man¡¯s skin but despite having taken both a mouthful of mist as well as a small version of the Living Manifestation early on, he wasn¡¯t showing much sign of taking damage yet. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away again! She shouted and dashed after Eik, the tank following her lead. She down two more potions, one of them a Mighty Strength class 2, the other still unknown but definitely the same as what they both had taken once before. The tank had already taken a second dose of his own. The effects of Eik¡¯s own Mighty Strength was beginning to wane so he pulled another from his belt. But before he could drink it, the woman disappeared in a flash of light in almost the same moment that her hand appeared and batted the vial out of Eik¡¯s hand, spilling the contents on the ground. A tail of electricity trailed her almost instantaneous path in an arch around him. Using his own movement skill, the tank slammed his shield into Eik¡¯s back before he could summon Profound Toxin for a counterattack and sent him rolling through the damn soil, ripping up weeds as he went. The man transitioned smoothly into a chase, his axe raised high to strike. In the nick of time, Viper Fang came up and blocked the blow, but it didn¡¯t end there. In the brief moment the blade of the axe rested against Viper Fang¡¯s edge, a high pitched sound like a hammer striking an anvil reverberated through the metal, vibrating it at high speeds. One of the tank¡¯s other abilities! Frantically, Eik ripped Viper Fang away but the vibration continued even as he kicked the tank in the stomach and sent him stumbling back, the last effects of his potion disappearing. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Then Viper Fang shattered. From hilt to tip it turned into countless tiny fragments, like a pane of glass dropped onto the solid stones of a paved street. Uncomprehending, Eik stared for a moment, one of his dearest possessions gone in the blink of an eye. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The tank was back with a vengeance, his axe coming down in a high arch, poised to cleave the Earthling¡¯s skull in twain. And the lightning user was preparing a ranged attack from the flank. Stuck on his back, Eik did the only thing he could think of. The blue shell formed around him faster than he had ever managed before, the descending axe immediately hacking into the slick surface, the bolt of lightning not doing much. Inside, Eik was desperately pulling out the stopper of another vial before his sanctuary was destroyed. A third impact rung through the small space by the time Eik swallowed the potion along with some home brewed poison. Before the man could smash all the way through the shell, Eik released it into mist that quickly flowed up and around the victim, rolling backward in the same moment. He used the connection to trigger Accelerant. He was halfway to a tree when he heard the pulse of Accelerant wreaking havoc on the tank¡¯s body. A flash of light that only missed him by mere inches deterred him from turning around as he ran. Again, the duo didn¡¯t give chase although Eik had to dodge lightning bolts for a few tense moments before properly leaving her line of sight. The tank was definitely hurt at this point and they seemed loathe to separate. Certainly a good decision even if it did potentially allow Eik to get the drop on them again. His jaw worked in circles as he considered the option to simply run away to hope for Profound Toxin to finish the job but found the thought of leaving alone the two powerful Awakened who knew of him and his abilities worse than engaging again now. Not to mention his parasitic little friend sitting in the back of his mind and demanding more and more carnage. Well¡­ Eik couldn¡¯t honestly say he hated the idea of getting back in there for another round but¡­ token resistance to the idea was better than nothing, right? The sounds of combat that Eik had originally been trying to avoid had died down at this point, leaving only the cawing of wild animals as Eik watched his two opponents from his perch on a high tree branch. With slow movements they were advancing toward the location where they had lost sight of him. Although clearly not well, the tank seemed to be in much better condition than Eik had expected. In fact, as they continued to shuffle forward, the man seemed to get visibly healthier. A self healing ability perhaps? Eik checked his wooden plaque for an edge. [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 6] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 7] Sweet! That brought his total summoning capacity up from five to seven. Answering his call, six little Profound Toxic beasts slithered out of his skin and gathered dutifully on his palm. That meant only the one inside the Gohkamorian was still considered a Living Manifestation and the one the woman had bit in two had died and become ¡°regular¡± toxin inside her. He sent those six down and around the slow-moving duo. Each of the snakes were about a meter long ¡ª enough to be noticed. Eik found that he could not adjust or assign new orders to the Living Manifestations with his mind alone once they were no longer physically touching. As he descended directly into a dense bush, hiding his aura, he replenished his potions and waited for the moment to strike. Acting according to his standing orders, the snakes attacked from six different directions simultaneously. Both Awakened whirled about to face the threat, the large shield protecting the lightning user as she immediately vaporized two Living Manifestations. In that same moment Eik activated Movement Boost and burst forth from his hiding spot. The loss of Viper Fang suddenly became very real when he reached for its handle only to find the beautiful sheath empty. He felt naked without the trusty knife at his side. Before they even noticed him, he had two barriers of blue ready and covering his body. Sailing through the air, Eik went for the lightning user whose attention was mainly on the approaching summons. She shot another snake as the tank¡¯s axe came up for a mid air cleave of Eik¡¯s entire hip. Layering both disks just to be safe, Eik took the attack and used the momentum of the impact to spin up and over the man¡¯s head. Letting go of the axe, a strap securing it to his wrist, his fingers grabbed for Eik¡¯s ankle but the Dane used another burst of Movement Boost to barely escape the grasping hand. Forced to conjure it in a hurry, the spike Eik created was short and narrow, but he still managed to get it a good few centimeters into the woman¡¯s lower back between sections of her armor. She screamed and a Living Manifestation took the opportunity to envelop her head. Eik triggered Accelerant just as the tank¡¯s axe thunked into his shoulder. A small plate of solid toxin covered in an instant to protect his scalp broke the momentum of the swing and deflected it away from his head. Blood gushed out from the shoulder wound as the close quarter shock wave of Accelerant launched him into the man behind him. Another Living Manifestation invaded the woman while the last one went for the still weakened tank. The man caught it by the head and hurled it to the ground, but that simply opened him up to an attack from Eik who rammed another of the solid spikes of solid toxin up through a gap in his armor between the thigh plate and the links in the knee section. For the third time, Eik exploded into mist and legged it a little ways away to replenish his potions and take one of the ten healing potions Atla had given him, his shoulder in bad shape. ¡°Kinak¡¯An! Can you hear me?¡± the large man yelled as he coughed his way out of the blue cloud, Eik feeling the toxin take hold. ¡°The guy¡¯s already taken a bunch of potions and other stuff! He must be reaching his limit! Just a little more!¡± Eik looked up, clumps of poison practically spilling from his mouth as he stuffed them in with abandon. Final dose? What the hell was the big dude on about? Ah, the adverse toxic effects of taking too many potions within a short period. Eik would have to disappoint them there. Resistance: Toxin, baby! Also, one needed to be alive to capitalize on such an opportunity. Eik eyed the collapsed woman whose hip bone was exposed in a bloody mess as a result of the Acceleration of the spike in her back. Time to finish this. Chapter 121: Toxic Liquefaction The deep shoulder wound was already showing signs of healing as Eik dashed forward toward the hobbling tank. Injury and confusion clearly addling the man¡¯s mind, Eik touched him lightly and triggered Accelerant just as he was raising a healing potion to his lips. The shield bearer could hardly keep up as his leg exploded around the spike, Eik already releasing more toxin. ¡°P-Please¡­¡± the man gurgled, a clarity brought forth by fear reflected in his eyes. ¡°Pl¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry, buddy,¡± Eik muttered, doing his best to keep the euphoric battle rush from showing on his face and in his voice. They were competitors, not enemies, even if this fight had underlined the dangerous reality of that competition in no uncertain terms. The man died quietly, the Profound Toxin flowing back into Eik¡¯s body. His shoulder throbbed painfully, refusing to be lifted any further than navel height. He took another healing potion, leaving him with eight, and felt the flesh knit itself back together. Strapped securely to the tank¡¯s thick belt was a pouch that Eik could only guess was a bag of holding. He stuck his hand inside and felt around but there was nothing to be had. Manipulating the man¡¯s dead fingers to retrieve the contents also proved fruitless so Eik simply put the pouch in his own rucksack of holding. But when he did, the rucksack expelled the pouch like a dog coughing up a pill. He tried again but to no avail. So a bag of holding could not be stored inside another bag of holding. Just to be sure, he tried the same thing with the woman¡¯s identical pouch but it turned out similarly. Besides the pouch, their belts held a few potions that Eik stol¡ª gratefully received. Each of them still had two more potions on their belt slots. One type was clearly a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 which seemed to be a staple in any Awakened¡¯s arsenal. The other was what they had taken along with it. Eik couldn¡¯t tell what it was exactly. If it was a common drug for members of the Nidafjeld Alliance to carry and use it would probably be better to find out what the effects were now rather than stockpiling them for no reason. He swallowed the contents of one of the two vials and instantly felt a soothing sense of relief. The healing potion from Atla had more or less lapsed but with this new concoction, the healing effect suddenly returned albeit weaker than the red potion. According to Mikla, the red potions would immediately start treating any injury or physical harm from the moment of ingestion but wouldn¡¯t otherwise linger in the body. Given the fact that these guys had taken the potion before ever sustaining any damage, they had to be more precautionary in nature, probably providing healing to any wound suffered while the potion was active. That meant you wouldn¡¯t have to worry as much about getting a potion in you after taking a potentially life threatening injury. Well, damn, he¡¯d like to get his hands on the recipe for this sweet little thing. It could save many lives among the Awakened of Forest. Countless people died due to incapacitation leading to an inability to self-treat. If the healing was automatic it could be a game changer. It was tempting to take out his book of beginner alchemy recipes and look for it right then and there but he resisted. He stuffed both the heavy great shield and double headed axe from the tank into the rucksack of holding. The blade that resembled a wakizashi that had belonged to the woman, he strapped to his own belt just in case. He didn¡¯t like it nearly as much as Viper Fang and it certainly didn¡¯t complement his ability set in the same way, but it would have to do for now. As many of the tiny fragments of Viper Fang as he could find he wrapped into a little bundle with a length of leather cord and put it in his rucksack of holding. At his current and growing power level Viper Fang wasn¡¯t realistically going to survive many fights, but he still wanted it restored to be kept as a memento of his first real weapon. Damn, he was going to miss that knife. In a satchel on the woman¡¯s belt there were also four balls wrapped in brittle paper. She hadn¡¯t used anything like that. The paper fell apart as he unwrapped it and the inner material left his fingers covered in a powder that smelled of soot. Even with Resistance: Toxin there was no way he was going to put that thing in his mouth. Rolling it between his fingers, he applied some pressure until the powdery ball suddenly burst in his hand, dark gray smoke billowing out like a breaking wave. Startled and blinded, Eik activated Movement Boost and flew backward, his back cracking painfully against a tree. A massive cloud rolled outward, looming high and opaque. It was a freaking smoke bomb! Now it made sense why she hadn¡¯t used any. A great smoke cloud like that would probably have benefited Eik more than it would have them. Both of them needed to know where the enemy was to attack while Eik could have blindly launched globs of toxin at them from range for all they knew. Fastening the satchel with the remaining three smoke bombs to his own belt, he worked the corpses out of their armors. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The tank¡¯s plate was too heavy for Eik¡¯s fighting style and didn¡¯t fit his much slimmer build well anyway, but some of the lightning user¡¯s pieces he could put on although he was quite a bit taller than her. Shin guards, thigh guards, pauldrons for the shoulders, a segmented, carapace-like back protector, as well as a set of bracers. Whether there were set bonuses for wearing the full outfit together he couldn¡¯t know but just the pieces he was wearing now seemed to fill him with a bit of extra strength and also added a spring to his step that could have been coincidental. But he didn¡¯t have to pay money for it so that was great. Even the smallest advantage could turn the tides of a fight. If, for example, this set of armor had been what had made the lightning user faster than Eik, it was nothing short of indispensable. Finally, he found two oval stones ¡ª one on each of the dead. They were pretty and smooth to the touch but otherwise unremarkable, fitting comfortably in the palm of his hand. They were clutched in their hands for some reason. They definitely hadn¡¯t been holding them when they died. Into the rucksack of holding they went. Dragging the corpses into a bush to conceal the results of the fight if nothing else, Eik retreated into the tree top to check his wooden plaque. [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 8] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 9] Nice! It really was leveling incredibly quickly! At this rate he would have an army of those little bastards by the time he was done with the Championship. He was about to replace the wooden plaque under his shirt when the glowing notification text faded and starting writing anew. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 25] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 26] And apparently it didn¡¯t stop there either. [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 54] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 55] Excitement rushed through him as he read the next message. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Movement Boost] [Choose one:] [Movement Boost ¡ª Air Step] [Movement Boost ¡ª Sure Step] [Movement Boost ¡ª (Unique) Toxic Liquefaction ¡ª Alternative skill evolution derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] Although he had been an exceptionally fast leveler by any Earth standard, it had still felt like Movement Boost would never reach a point of evolution so it was nice to finally see it. Not only had Profound Toxin exercised its influence over his general ability selection process where it replaced his original choices with abilities that were closely related to the nature of Profound Toxin, it had now inserted itself into the evolution of his abilities as well. Then again, that was probably pretty common. Having already decided to put his focus into abilities and traits related to Profound Toxin or ones that at least complemented it, he only offered the first two options cursory glances. Truthfully, he was intrigued by the sound of Air Step. Would that be the ability to truly walk on air? Probably not. From what he had gathered, it could be that it was a trait that would eventually end up as something along those lines with enough training and leveling, but it was more likely to start out as some kind of double jump. Interesting but not something he wanted right now. Judging by the name alone, Sure Step would make him steadier on his feet whenever Movement Boost was active and would probably aid in smooth and precise course correction and such. Useful but also not tempting enough to overshadow the third and most appetizing option. The fact that Toxic Liquefaction had the ¡®(Unique)¡¯ tag was already enough to have made him choose that over any of the other two but the direct reference to Profound Toxin, similar to Armor of the Scourge and Living Manifestation, made it doubly attractive. A movement skill that pulled from Profound Toxin. What the hell would that do? To be completely honest, the name Toxic Liquefaction was a bit frightening. Given the fact that Movement Boost was a skill that affected his own physical body, ¡®liquefaction¡¯ wasn¡¯t exactly a comforting descriptor. But running with Profound Toxin hadn¡¯t steered him wrong thus far. He¡¯d just managed to kill two similarly ranked Awakened at the same time. He was incredibly deadly and that couldn¡¯t be denied. Without any real consideration, he chose Toxic Liquefaction. [Evolved skill Movement Boost. Skill acquired trait (Unique) Toxic Liquefaction] Immediately, he activated Movement Boost, moving across weeds and moss-covered roots and blinding speed, just as he always did. But he could feel that a new capability had settled inside of him. Again, he activated Movement Boost, but this time he pulled on that new feeling as well. Somehow, his mind stayed intact but his body became something completely different, losing all cohesion and solidity. This was not exactly a new sensation for him. He had felt it a few times before. Yes, this was the same feeling as when his mind had been sucked into the course of his toxin as it surged enthusiastically through a system. Most notably, he recalled his fight against the fungus king in the practical of the E-rank Crucible. Toxic Liquefaction was really quite literal, it would seem. It simply turned his physical body into Profound Toxin. Did this mean that he and Profound Toxin were no longer two separate entities magically connected to each other, but rather two lifeforms merged into one? Eik shivered as tingles ran down his spine. He only managed to hold the liquid form for a few short second before he lost focus of the sensation to the point where it forcefully returned him to his human form. Attempting to turn into both mist and solid toxin, Eik concluded that he was limited to liquid. At least for now. As it was, the trait didn¡¯t seem like much of a movement skill. Not only did the liquid form not allow him to move faster than normal, he was actually quite a bit slower than before. Luckily he could still use Movement Boost like always but he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of disappointment with the trait. Well, actually, wouldn¡¯t this make him more or less impervious to physical attacks? He couldn¡¯t hold it for long, and the cooldown was considerable, but if it could save his life even once it was worth it. Wait¡­ What about invasion of a biological system? Could he¡­ do that himself now? What would happen if he did? Firmly seized in the grip of macabre curiosity, Eik started in the direction of the nearest of the columnar mountains with the glowing light at its peak. Within less than a minute, the rustling of a small animal reached his ears and he gave immediate chase, eager to test the truth of his new trait. Chapter 122: Perilous Climbing ¡°What the hell is that dumbass doing?¡± Heath asked. After all of the challengers had been stolen away by a fracture each, the remaining crowd had begun to move to areas reserved for the viewing of the spectacle that was the first challenge of the Championships. Countless screens lit up the sky, displaying images of all of the challengers as they made their way through a terrain that resembled boreal forests back on Earth. Whenever a challenger was involved in a particularly interesting or tense situation, their perspectives were moved to one of several larger, more centrally placed screens to highlight their prowess and performance. At least here in the beginning, the challengers chosen for the big screens were cycled through very frequently, and anytime a new face appeared up there, the sections of the audience with the biggest concentration of spectators from the same home world would erupt into cheering. At no point since the beginning of the challenge had any of the participants looked directly into the ¡°camera¡±, which probably meant that the transmission was being picked up via some manner of invisible broadcasting technique. That such a thing was possible didn¡¯t bode well for the maintenance of common privacy and decency in the coming years on Earth. They had become especially certain that Eik didn¡¯t know they were watching when he dug around inside his ear with his little finger and studied it for almost ten seconds with facial expressions ranging from disgust to fascination as he sniffed it. Two minutes later he was squatting down in a dense bush with only his head sticking up above the leaves, swiveling from side to side as he scanned the surroundings for any sign of enemies who might disturb his open air pooping session with an attempt on his life. Eik had made it up on the big screens a couple of times already. Once when he slammed a spike of solid toxin into his opponent¡¯s back and detonated it in a rain of blood and guts while simultaneously taking an axe blade to the shoulder. Another when he calmly watched over his opponent as the man died a poison death. That sight of Eik always sent shivers through them. On the battlefield he was a different man. Ruthless but joyful. Right now, however, no trace of that ferocity was to be found in his behavior. ¡°I think he¡¯s¡­ chasing little critters?¡± Michael guessed, his eyes never leaving the Dane¡¯s ridiculous antics. ¡°Yeah, I can see that quite clearly myself, so I guess a better question would be: ¡®why the hell is that dumbass doing that in the middle of the first round of the Championships?¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious,¡± Sonja said. ¡°You saw what he did earlier, right? He turned his body into poison, which is a new ability. What else could he be doing but trying to test out what he can do with it?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Heath grumbled, tapping a dissatisfied finger against his jaw. ¡°I still think he should be more alert and careful. He looks like he¡¯s forgotten the world around him completely.¡± Michael snorted and looked at the tank with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Oh, come on, Heath. Despite how he might act from time to time, there¡¯s just no way Eik would be so foolhardy, no matter how carefree he might appear to be on screen.¡± *** Eik had completely forgotten the world around him, the little animal flitting about at insane speeds the only thing he could think about. A long and bushy tail ¡ª more than four times its body length ¡ª marked its passage as it circled trees, rushed through bushes, and climbed thick trunks with the ease of weightlessness. Its ears as well were absurdly long, flapping against its hind quarters any time it changed direction. If it hadn¡¯t been so damned annoying, Eik might have even thought it was cute. ¡°How is it that you¡¯re faster than me, you dumb animal?¡± Eik hissed as he grabbed for the little speedster. ¡°I promise, I might not hurt you. I just need to try something real quick!¡± The chase had lasted for more than a minute already and to put it mildly, Eik was growing more and more tired of this ridiculous dance by the second. Downing a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2, he triggered Movement Boost and ducked through a bush as the critter darted straight, looking back for Eik who had just disappeared, it changed directions once more. It had just begun to circle back when Eik kicked off a tree trunk and intercepted its path to slam a dome of blue down and trap it under it. ¡°Gotcha, you annoying vermin!¡± Keeping careful control, he opened holes in the dome, revealing the inside, where the long-eared, long-tailed bastard dashed around the dome like a globe of death. He put his hand against the thick net and widened one hole just enough to fit it through. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Immediately flight turned to fight and the thing went absolutely berserk on his fingers, gnawing and scratching relentlessly. For a second, Eik jolted in surprise at the sight, but when barely any pain followed the attack, he grabbed the little guy around the neck in a death grip. ¡°Damn, you are the definition of a pure speed build, aren¡¯t you?¡± A barb as thin as a nail appeared on the tip of his finger and with a quick movement of the thumb, he cut a shallow but bloody wound across it torso, eliciting tiny squeaks. ¡°Sorry, buddy. Could you stay still for a little bit? I just need to¡­¡± he muttered, his words trailing off as he began to concentrate. Ending with the hand holding the critter, he used Movement Boost with the Toxic Liquefaction trait that turned his body to liquid. The moment he became toxin he was overcome by an inexplicable urge to enter the bleeding wound. Caught up in the throes of experimentation and invasion, he rushed in and quickly spread himself throughout every path and space inside the animal¡¯s dog-sized body. Coursing through a foreign body was an otherworldly feeling. It felt right, like he¡¯d been stuck in the wrong body for his whole life without realizing it until this very moment. This was fun! Maybe the most fun he had ever had. Surely, after this, there was nothing else in life that could compare. Unfortunately for Eik¡¯s enjoyment, the pleasure was short lived. He only managed to hold the transformation for a few second before it became undone. And when it did, it wasn¡¯t pretty. Eik¡¯s fluid body was scattered throughout the critter¡¯s system when it began the rapid process of reassembling him into a human form. And, unfortunately for the animal¡¯s continued ability to sustain life, Eik¡¯s transformation had absolutely no regard for its body and health as mystic forces acted upon him. One could have stuffed it with a live hand grenade and gotten more or less the same result. Blood, guts, bone, flesh, and brain matter covered every single square centimeter of surface within a shockingly large radius, including Eik¡¯s entire body. The Dane stood momentarily stunned, staring down at his body. ¡°Damn¡­¡± he muttered under ragged breath. He could swear he was hearing the sound of raucous laughter coming from¡­ somewhere far away. But that couldn¡¯t be, right? What was Heath, Michael, Sonja, and the others doing right now anyway? Hoping to eventually find a body of water where he could wash off the blood, Eik resumed the trek through the deep forest toward the pillar mountain. Another Toxic Liquefaction transformation didn¡¯t get rid of the blood although he felt it should have. Ha had spent a little bit of time looking for corpses around the area where the other battle must have taken place but there was nothing to be found and no time to look further into it. As he spent time with his thought, Eik became increasingly convinced that those smooth stones he had found clutched in the hands of his opponents after their deaths must have some kind of importance in the challenge. Something like points, maybe? From somewhere ahead, booms of distant combat reached his ears and he considered changing direction completely but the mountain was now visible above the crowns of the surrounding trees. And he had played enough video games back in the day to know what a light on top of a high and easily visible location meant. It meant there was an objective to be completed up there. The sounds of fighting were a little off to the side of the straight path so Eik activated Movement Boost without the Toxic Liquefaction trait and blasted all the way to the foot of the mountain. Even at the bottom it was an almost perfect cylinder rising up from the earth. It looked perfectly natural in the sense that there were no signs of construction. The mountain face was rough and uneven, sticking out in place with leafy plants, bushes, and flowers sprouting happily from rocky outcroppings. The fighting now seemed to have crossed into the exact path Eik had just taken so he began to climb without further ado. From this angle he could see neither the peak nor the light on the top. The climb itself really wasn¡¯t a big deal for someone at D-rank. There were more than enough footholds to make the ascent quick and easy. Practically flying up the side of the gigantic rock formation, each movement carried him several meters up at once. He would be at the peak in less than a minute at this rate. Dotting the surface of the rock were numerous holes so deep that their bottom was invisible. With a diameter of about a meter, they also contributed to the effortless climb. At times, when he rushed past one of those holes, a rumbling, keening sound would escape from the depths. Perhaps they were hollow. Eik had heard of natural structures where eroded tunnels guided wind in such a way that it created sounds resembling musical tones. Maybe that was what this wa¡ª The moment he passed by, a spiraling maw filled with teeth barreled out of one of the tunnels, colliding with Eik and carrying him bodily out and away from the rock, fangs chomping into his torso, drawing blood. Reflexively, Eik¡¯s fingers sought the handle of Viper Fang but found only the blade he had lifted off the body of the lightning user. It would have to do. With one leg stuck inside the mouth of the ugly, worm-like beast, he stabbed the blade into soft tissue behind its head. A roar of exertion escaped him as he drew a deep gash through the flesh and then stabbed the gums between the undulating teeth repeatedly before returning the short sword to its sheath. Numerous teeth penetrating skin, Eik hissed and reached for Toxic Liquefaction as the gigantic worm, whose ridiculously long body still hadn¡¯t fully come out of the tunnel, curved around and raced toward another opening further down the rock face. Now liquid, Eik rushed into the monster¡¯s bloodstream through the stab wounds in the gums. Diffusing himself throughout the alien system, he quickly located the long gash in the thing¡¯s neck and ejected himself, managing to return to his human form with his fingers buried in the wound. Still moving at high speed and heading for the tunnel, Eik leapt off its back and slapped against the side of the mountain with a grunt just before he would have been crushed in the small space. ¡°Holy shit, I can¡¯t believe that crap actually worked! This is awesome!¡± Eik had barely gotten the words out when a spear of light tore and then immediately cauterized a painful wound in his back. He screamed in pain and caught a glimpse of a face looking down from above, already preparing another spear of light. ¡°Fuckin¡¯¡­ nuts!¡± Eik snarled as the worm erupted from the nearest tunnel and came straight for him. Chapter 123: Questionable Methods The tooth worm barreled up the surface of the mountain, its absurdly long body skidding and crashing against the rock as it went. Hanging there, Eik didn¡¯t have nearly the maneuverability that he normally enjoyed and thus no good way to avoid the worm¡¯s advance. Furthermore, with the person above whose attack seemed to be close to finishing its charging phase. At second glance, the projectile that had caused his entire back to explode into searing pain wasn¡¯t actually made of light nor fire. What the person now held in their hand was an ordinary spear, to the degree that a weapon made of alien metals and potentially magical enchantments, around which a glowing energy was forming like a coating. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for weapon-focused skill sets to get the options for a charged attack like that. Sonja¡¯s boosted arrow was no different. That likely meant that whoever it was up there would also be a formidable opponent with the spear in melee combat. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Eik began to scramble upward, his eyes never leaving the figure preparing to hurl down a spear. At the distance, Eik could just barely make out the spear as it began to spin around its own axis. The person raised a hand as the spear came to rest in a practiced grip, Eik somehow climbing even faster than he had already done. With a roar, the figure threw the spear at Eik at even greater velocity than the first. Only the flicker and blink of the movement alerted Eik to the incoming projectile as he dove into one of the tunnels, desperately hoping that the Norns hadn¡¯t decided to put another tooth worm just inside the opening. They didn¡¯t disappoint and he slid inside just as the spear blazed by with a high pitched screech. He gasped ragged breaths as he lay there, staring out across the canopies of the vast forest, sure that there was something very important that he¡¯d forgotten about. In the next second the worm appeared and angled outward to get a direct entry into the tunnel Eik was hiding in. Oh, right. That. On instinct, a copious amount of Profound Toxin flowed out from every pore in his skin, liquid and mist alike, seeping out toward the opening. The sun was blocked out as the worm entered with fury, noises of its thrashing against the tunnel walls deafening. Eik scrambled backward in a crab walk in the narrow passage but the worm, literally evolved to move in here, reached him in less than a second. Its maw opened wide as it moved in for the kill, but Eik wasn¡¯t ready to die just yet. Reaching for Toxic Liquefaction, Eik turned to poison and entered the beast¡¯s mouth. The moment he was past the multiple rows of razor sharp teeth, he reverted to his human form and plunged the wakizashi blade into the soft tissue of its throat, or wherever in its body he was. It howled, agonized and enraged, but didn¡¯t slow down whatsoever. Unbothered by the pitch blackness of the tunnels, it raced through the mountain like a metro on underground train tracks. Within seconds the blade began to slide out of the wound, too sharp to not cut through the flesh completely. Overwhelmed by the rancid stench of stomach acids and what he assumed to be half-digested animal parts, Eik fell further down its seemingly endless gullet. After several futile attempts to get the short blade to bite properly once more, he finally managed to stop his descent. Improvising, he conjured two sharp spike of Profound Toxin ¡ª one from each of his shoulders respectively. Although not exactly formidable weapons on their own, he managed to get them to penetrate the lining deep enough to secure him in place with some confidence. He had never stopped the release of his liquid toxin for even a second since being swallowed and finally it began to show. Judging by the internal movements of the worm it was clearly slowing down. A low keening rose up from further down. He didn¡¯t seem to have passed through anything like an esophageal sphincter so sound must be produced deep inside its body. Alien biology indeed. Lying there, stuck inside the stomach of this long-ass sausage thing, he was struck by a sense of deja vu. Wonderful. Maybe this was a good chance to start scrap booking. Fuckin¡¯ hell. As the worm came to a stop, it began to deflate, trapping him even tighter. The inside of the tunnels had already been quite cramped, but with this oversized sleeping bag surrounding his body, there was hardly any room to move at all. Getting out was going to be a monumental task, not to mention time-consuming and claustrophobia-inducing. And there really wasn¡¯t time for that kind of nonsense if he was still to make it through this first challenge with a passing score. For the briefest of moments he wondered how Sonja might get out of a pickle like this but quickly concluded that she would probably be able to come up with a more reasonable solution than the one that had just taken shape inside his head. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Gods, am I really doing this¡­?¡± he muttered to himself as a shaft of solid toxin materialized from his palm and began to grow downward, further into the worm¡¯s depths. More than anything, he was just grateful that his friends couldn¡¯t see him right now. *** ¡°Again,¡± Heath said, throwing his hands into the air with animated exasperation. ¡°what the hell is this guy doing? It looks like he¡¯s pooping out a big blue log right now.¡± ¡°This is just a guess, but,¡± Michael said slowly, watching the spectacle of Eik¡¯s face distorted in deep and tense concentration, lit up only by the glow of the Profound Toxin flowing all around him. ¡°I don¡¯t think Eik knows that we can see him.¡± Next to them, Mikla gasped. ¡°Oh, crap.¡± ¡°What?¡± Heath asked. ¡°I think I forgot to tell him.¡± ¡°That his pooping face is being broadcast to the entire population of an inter dimensional super alliance?¡± Heath asked. ¡°Yeah¡­ He¡¯s going to be so mad, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not actually pooping right now, guys,¡± Michael clarified. ¡°He was before though. You know, when he was squatting down behind those bushes. And, if he¡¯d known we can see him, he would probably not have dropped his pants all the way to his ankles when he stopped for a pee earlier either.¡± ¡°Oh, man,¡± Mikla sighed, face in his hands. ¡°But yeah, he¡¯s definitely going to be mad.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he even planning to do?¡± Sonja asked. They all stared as Eik began to sweat. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± *** This was hard. Eik was working with solid toxin at a size he¡¯d never even gotten close to creating before. Normally small spikes or compact shields was all he really needed to get the job done and so that was also mostly what he had practiced. A stupidly long length like this was just not something he¡¯d foreseen ever needing. Something like this wasn¡¯t possible to just conjure up on the fly. As it grew, so did the difficulty of keeping it intact intensify. At first it was a piece of cake, but soon sweat broke out on his forehead at the mental strain of the task. But he refused to stop until he reached his absolute limit. For what he had in mind, he was pretty sure it was a case of the bigger the better. After almost two minutes of growing, the shaft of blue seemed to have reached what he could realistically expect. It was embedded in the worm¡¯s flesh to make sure that it would react in the way he wanted it to. He¡¯d also extracted all toxin before it had succumbed completely, so although it was no longer conscious, it was technically still alive. It was at least three or four times longer than the one he had planted in the neck of the amphibian monster in the damage test of the Crucible. Dragging it all the way to the opening of the worm¡¯s mouth took some work as well. Finally ready to set his plan in motion, hesitation and doubt took a firm hold of him. ¡°Aah, craaaaap,¡± he breathed, resisting the urge to bite his nails. ¡°Fuck it!¡± he muttered resolutely and curled up into a ball with a finger resting on the surface of the blue log. A few deep breaths and he was ready. The Unified Mass was a place governed by willpower, hope, hard work, and, most of all, creativity and ingenuity. And if the stupid-ass stunt he was about to pull wasn¡¯t creative, then somebody had better rewrite the damn dictionary. This was going to work exactly because it was dumb and crazy. That made sense, right? Clenching his eyes shut in the hope that it would alleviate some of the anxiety, Eik first enveloped himself in a skin tight coating of solid toxin. Then he pushed it to expand further until his curled up body sat inside a compact, round sphere. ¡°Alright, here goes,¡± he muttered, the sound of his voice hollow in the enclosed space. ¡°Accelerant.¡± He couldn¡¯t see what was going on, but he could certainly feel it. It was magnificent. The moment the shaft detonated, all of Eik¡¯s organs were pushed into his feet as the force of the resulting shock wave, contained within the narrow space of the passage, sent the sphere enveloping him rocketing through the tunnel like a pin ball shot by a sniper rifle. The gravelly racket as the sphere ripped rock from the wall in its passing reverberated in his ears. For several seconds he shot through the tunnels at breakneck speed, completely oblivious to direction and control. More than anything he wanted to release the sphere and be free, but he still felt it ricochet against the walls, the occasional unfortunate angle breaking off a fragment of his protective barrier which he quickly reformed. It couldn¡¯t be long now. And then, after what felt like an hour of cramped, anxious tumbling worse than the first time he had traveled by fracture, he was suddenly in free fall. Curled up inside the toxic sphere, sailing through the air almost made him feel weightless. Like the tail of a blue comet, liquid trailed his flight as he released the solid poison. Immediately, he conjured a pair of gliding wings and entered a soft curve as he turned back toward the mountain he¡¯d finally come out of. Dust and debris billowed out of the tunnel openings all over the rock face, a testament to a level of destruction far beyond what Eik had intended or expected to cause. ¡°Suck it!¡± he roared with adrenaline-driven glee but then quickly swerved off to the side, the abysmal maneuverability of his gliding wings only barely allowing him to avoid a thrown spear aimed to take off his head. ¡°Motherf¡ª¡± A second spear was launched from the top of the mountain in quick succession and Eik had to release the wings and enter a steep dive to avoid being impaled. Passing heat almost singed the hairs on his neck as he reformed the toxic construction and resumed the rapid approach to the rock face. Catching himself on all fours, Eik snarled as he shot up toward the peak, the flames of his anger stoked further by the wordless voice inside his head. Whoever it was up there harassing him was about to drown in a sea of poi¡ª Huh? Something felt off. It was a little too easy to run up this damn mountain. Eik risked a quick glance down only to find that ¡°down¡± seemed to be a bit more horizontal than he recalled. ¡°Oh¡­ fuck.¡± The whole damn thing was crumbling under him. Chapter 124: Between a Rock and Some More Rocks Whoops and cheers ran through the crowd as the Earthling landed on the side of the rock and scrambled up the side like a little monkey. Ever since the detonation of the large log of poison, Eik had been blown up on the big screen for everybody to notice. With the image of following the action with stunning smoothness and clarity, they had been able to witness every second of of the poison user¡¯s tense experience. From the moment he encased himself in a glowing ball and sent it flying through a maze of tunnels before erupting from the side of the giant monolith, the explosion causing it all to come tumbling down. The epic struggle as Eik sailed through the air back toward the obelisk, narrowly avoiding spears was arguably the most exciting scene to be broadcast thus far. It was like watching an action movie. You would say ¡°that would never happen in real life. It¡¯s just not possible.¡± Yet here they were, watching it happen in real time. ¡°The creativity Eik demonstrates in tense and fast paced situations never ceases to amaze me,¡± Mikla said, unable to look away from the spectacle on the screen. ¡°Where does he get the ideas and the determination to carry them out successfully.¡± ¡°Pinball,¡± Michael said. ¡°and if we¡¯re describing the Eik I know, I think insanity is a more suitable term than determination.¡± ¡°To me, he simply looks like a man with a will to protect and pave the way for his people to thrive;¡± Mikla argued. With a sincere smile, Michael nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure there is anybody I admire as much as I admire him. He worries and works himself weary for us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Mikla said, realizing his misunderstanding. The audience, all eyes glued to the screen with unbreaking attention, would gasp in chorus every time Eik was almost ripped to pieces, laughing and talking among themselves about how they would have handled the situation differently. It was remarkable how so many people seemed to utterly convinced that they would have performed better under the same stress and peril. ¡°What kind of idiot would just keep himself exposed in the air like that when someone shooting at him at range? The only smart move here would be to get to the ground as quickly as possible and approach the enemy under the cover of the trees,¡± a man sitting a couple of seats down from Heath remarked with a sneer. ¡°Dude, that is so true!¡± his friend said with a chuckle. ¡°How the hell did a moron like that even qualify for the Championships in the first place? His home world must be absolutely worthless.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± Heath exclaimed, shooting to his feet, his face reddening with indignation. ¡°Maybe your people ought to have evolved eyes that could actually perceive the world in front of you properly before you start shitting on other people¡¯s abilities in!¡± ¡°Heath¡­¡± Michael tried but the tank had already risen way into the red zone. Those remarks hadn¡¯t been the first derisive ones of their kind to come from the pair since the event had begun. It would have been painfully clear to anybody even moderately observant that the man had been growing increasingly pissed with every comment he overheard. ¡°How about we just¡ª¡± ¡°What the shit did you just say to me, you worthless bridge builder?¡± the guy said, clearly ready for a confrontation. ¡°Bridge builder? Is that an insult here?¡± Sonja asked, leaning closer to Mikla who looked torn between the crazy fight on the biggest highlight screen and the conflict unfolding right in front of him. The fracture specialist just shrugged. ¡°I honestly haven¡¯t heard that one. It¡¯s probably just an insult that requires some cultural context that the translation spell isn¡¯t sophisticated enough to pick up on. Your brother sure has a temperament, huh?¡± Sonja rolled her eyes with a sigh. ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know. Sometimes he¡¯s fine and sometimes it¡¯s like an addiction.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s stupider, your insults or your stupid face!¡± Heath snarled. Luckily neither him, nor the guy he was arguing with had made any move to reach for the weapons they both had at their belts. ¡°How do you have four eyes in your head but don¡¯t know how to use even one of them?¡± ¡°What, is the pooping guy someone from your home world or something? Is that why you¡¯re so sensitive, huh? He¡¯s pathetic!¡± ¡°He just killed two people one his own! How is that pathetic?¡± ¡°Yeah, right! We didn¡¯t see the beginning of that. Anything could have happened before it was blown up on the big screen.¡± ¡°Well, I saw it and it was legit!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Uh huh, sure,¡± the guy mouthed with an enticingly punchable face. ¡°Some chump from the same home world would obviously spout crap like that. Where are you from anyway?¡± ¡°Earth,¡± Heath said. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± he asked, eyeing his friend. ¡°Yo, you ever heard of Earth?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°What, it can¡¯t exist if you haven¡¯t heard of it or something?¡± Heath spat, fists clenched tightly at his sides. It was a sensitive topic, not just for Heath, but for all of them. They had gone through a lot in these past ten years and being disregarded and insulted like that felt a lot like a blatant dismissal of the suffering of every person on Earth. Heath just happened to be the one with the shortest fuse. The guy held up his hands. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just think I would have heard about you if you were important enough to care about, you know? There are plenty of worlds in the Nidafjeld Alliance that aren¡¯t important enough to keep track of.¡± Heath was visibly resisting the urge to sock the guy in the nose. ¡°Yeah, well, you will. That guy up there is going to make sure that he¡¯s all you can see.¡± ¡°Are you a new world or something?¡± ¡°So what if we are?¡± Heath growled. ¡°Then I know not to get my hopes up.¡± *** Another charged spear came his way at illegal speed, but the otherwise accurate thrower must have lost his balance on the toppling mountain as well, because it went wide to an embarrassing degree. Eik stumbled as the surface under his feet teetered and rolled. Triggering Movement Boost, he broke into a mad dash, leaping from ledge to ledge. Finally, he could move freely again. And with a clear path to the harasser, anger once more flared up inside his belly. Now close enough for a clear view, the spear thrower could be identified as some manner of insect-like being. Large, pupilless eyes took up half of their face with the rest of it consisting of a mean-looking set of clacking mandibles. It looked quite like the close up pictures Eik had seen of an ant¡¯s face. These people were a common sight at the Gimleh markets, and Eik had even had pleasant conversations with a few of them before. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if those people he had spoken to in Gimleh would refuse his company after he killed this kin of theirs. He hoped not. He was beginning to feel at home there among the stalls, traders, and exotic wares. The spear thrower must have possessed an ability much like Frank of the Black Fang that allowed them to retrieve a thrown weapon at will ¡ª that, or something like an ability to conjure weapons out of thin air ¡ª because another deadly projectile raced through the air to take his life. But now that he had his mobility back, and a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 along with a handful of home brewed poison running through his system, he could dodge properly. A javelin of his own appeared in Eik¡¯s hand and he hurled it at the insect person with full power, causing the opponent to drop their own charge and dive to the ground. He laughed out loud when the conjuration flew out of range and lost connection, turning to liquid that splattered uselessly on the ground. As the spear thrower was getting back to his feet, scrambling to prepare another weapon, Eik gripped the handle of the wakizashi and created a coating of blue around the blade as he unsheathed it in a smooth and quick motion. Pulling it to the same length as the first javelin, he flung it with a grunt, a localized application of Movement Boost pushing the velocity of his arm beyond anything natural. Initially wary, the insect person ignored the javelin as it began to melt mid air. It was a breathless gasp that escaped them as the wakizashi emerged from its toxic vehicle and struck their face, the blade slicing off a mandible on one side. The head was an especially small target on this life form and had been a risky attempt, but the with the combination of an exoskeleton and light weight armor suitable for a ranged attacker, a body shot would have done nothing. Momentarily distraught by pain and the loss of a body part, the spear thrower fumbled the spear as an alien scream tore through their throat. As expected of a Championship competitor, composition quickly took the place of panic, but Eik was already coming in for the kill. Launching off a final ledge with a Movement Boost focused on his legs and hips, Eik blasted through the air like a bullet, the air screeching past his ears as he threw a third, much smaller spike of toxin. Although he was close enough to keep its shape this time, it still dissolved into liquid, only now Eik did the same, Toxic Liquefaction allowing him to blend in with the regular toxin. Confused, the spear wielder slashed horizontally through the air in the first melee attack of the fight, but Eik reformed his body below the weapon¡¯s wide path. Revisiting one of his older ideas, the Dane spat a globule of poison up into the face of his opponent, the blue substance eagerly rushing into the jaw wound. The momentum of his flight carried him into the insect¡¯s legs and brought them both to the ground where a sharp spear blade managed to rip a stinging gash in Eik¡¯s side as they rolled. The fall of the mountain had been slow until now, the sheer size of it having supported it as the base continued to crumble. Now, however, it was coming down with a vengeance, threatening to crush the two competitors underneath. Activating some sort of movement skill, the arthropod disappeared. In less than a second, the surface he was standing on would become a rolling, rocky death trap so Eik followed the example and activated Movement Boost to launch himself into the air. Just as he had assembled the gliding wings on his back, a glowing spear crushed one side of the construction, sending Eik tumbling back toward the ground. Abandoning the wings, Eik dove like a bird of prey and caught himself on a tree branch on the way down, arresting his momentum enough to land without breaking his legs. With not a moment to waste, Eik dashed in the opposite direction of the literal avalanche coming down behind him. The view from the side of the falling mountain had not done justice to the absolute destruction it wrought as it flooded forth, trees several meters across annihilated like a gingerbread house under the front wheel of a Boeing 737. No more spears came so it could only be assumed that the arthropod was busy getting away as well. The cacophony of falling boulders and humongous trees being crushed deafened Eik as he felt Movement Boost begin to fail. It had reached its cooldown and refused to enhance his body. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± Eik shouted as he ran, the sound of the rush alone telling him that the tsunami of rocks was swiftly gaining on him. He was about to die. Chapter 125: The Pit of Nasty The crowd waited and watched with baited breath as all that was visible on the big highlight screen was a cloud of grey, billowing dust. The noise of boulder grinding against boulder made the hairs stand up on the back of their necks. Oxygen seemed utterly unwilling to make its way into Michael¡¯s lungs as he stared open-mouthed at the enormous display. Eik was gone ¡ª buried under hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rock. But¡­ that couldn¡¯t happen. Eik couldn¡¯t die. Eik never died. He always survived. The others next to him were also completely silent. ¡°Wh-Wha¡ª¡± Heath stammered. ¡°B-But he¡­ but.¡± ¡°I guess your guy wasn¡¯t worth all that much after all, huh?¡± the guy with whom Heath had been arguing laughed with a sneer. ¡°Crushed by rocks is literally the dumbest way to die I have ever heard o¡ª¡± His spiteful words were cut short by Heath¡¯s fist clocking him right in the jaw and sending him to the ground in a limp heap. Heath stared down at his hand, so used to dealing with people magnitudes more powerful than himself that the possibility of knocking out a guy in a single hit hadn¡¯t even occurred to him. ¡°Heath!¡± Mikla snapped, appearing behind the tank and seizing him by the arm and preventing him from throwing any more punches on the downed man. The spectators standing closest to the short lived scuffle looked over with little to no real interest, the things going on on the big screen much more interesting. They simply took a few steps away from the relatively low level fight and continued watching the main event. Tears began to roll down Michael¡¯s cheeks as his lower lip trembled, a lump in the size of a tennis ball settling in his throat. His eyes were virtually glued to the high definition image that still showing nothing but rolling layers of smoke and dust. ¡°Come on, Eik,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°You can¡¯t leave us. We need you. You can¡¯t leave us. You can¡¯t leave us. You can¡¯t leave us.¡± It was repeated almost like a chant. Sonja put her arm around the young man¡¯s shoulder, tears threatening to push through her own eyes as well. She wanted to offer some words of consolation but it wasn¡¯t looking good and she wasn¡¯t the type to lie to a friend. Instead she just held him as they watched it together, the dust beginning to settle. Slowly and gradually, the image cleared up, revealing nothing but cracked boulders and splintered wood. Eik was nowhere to be seen but if that was the view that was supposed to show him, then where was he? ¡°Is he¡­¡± Heath whispered, Mikla letting go of his arm as the man seemed to have completely forgotten that the guy he had punched even existed. ¡°Is he down there? Hey, is Eik down there?¡± His voice rapidly went from a whisper to a frantic roar. ¡°Mikla, let me go there now!¡± ¡°Heath, no, listen,¡± the fracture specialist tried, but Heath wasn¡¯t having it whatsoever. ¡°No, you listen to me now! I need to get in there right now! My friend is buried under a fucking pile of fucking rocks right now, and I¡¯m supposed to just sit here and watch it like it¡¯s a fucking game show on TV? Yeah, no, fuck that! Get me in there, right fucking now, Mikla!¡± Heath raged, grabbing the much smaller fracture specialist by the collar and lifting him into the air, his face turning red as a tomato from agitation. Impressively, Mikla¡¯s voice was completely steady even though he was clearly not unaffected by what was happening on the screen either. ¡°Heath, even if I could just send you in there on a whim, I don¡¯t have the slightest clue of the location of th¡ª¡± Gasps spread like a wildfire through the audience and Michael flew to his feet as his tear-filled voice shouted. ¡°H-Heath! Look, Heath, look! Eik is¡ª¡± Heath whirled about and stared up at the screen, Mikla looking up as well, still dangling like a sack of potatoes in the tank¡¯s massive hands. There was Eik¡¯s face. From one moment to the other, the display seemed to have cut over from nothing to the Dane, as if it had taken it a moment ot relocate him. His face was covered in cuts and a large rock had rolled across his leg, trapping it beneath. His skin, clothes, and armor was gray with dust and debris. If not for the crystal clear image, he could have been easily mistaken for a corpse but as it was, there was no doubt that Eik was breathing still, his chest rising and falling steadily. *** ¡°Guh¡­¡± Eik¡¯s head was pounding like crazy, dust and crust making it difficult to open his eyes. Absolutely everything hurt. And not just a little bit either. Like, super duper hurt. And especially his leg felt like a freaking boulder had decided to build its nest on top of his shin. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened to the mountain?¡± he coughed, throat dry like a desert. It was difficult to sit up since his leg refused to move whatsoever but he managed it somehow. Tears flowed as he slowly blinked his eyes open. It was completely dark wherever this damned place was. Responding obediently to his will, copious amounts of Profound Toxin seeped out of his skin and flowed across the hard, unpolished rock floor. At the same time five thin branches of solid poison extended diagonally up from his back and shoulder, bathing the space immediately surrounding him in a soft, steady glow. The ceiling must have been too high to see with the range offered by the branches and the toxin on the floor seemed to keep streaming outward, never reaching a far wall. Right in front of him, however, was a gigantic pile of rubble that must have followed him to wherever this was from the crumbling mountain. It was a stroke of luck that he had landed in front of it. Any of those freaking things could have crushed him if it had landed on top of his while he was knocked unconscious. But damn if his leg didn¡¯t still hurt like an absolute bitch. He looked down. Apropos his painful leg¡­ Where was it? All that was visible where it should have been was a huge and heavy-ass boulder that could hav¡ª Oh! Oh, no! ¡°My leg! My leg¡¯s stuck under a rock!¡± Even with D-rank strength, the position of the boulder on his leg and the hindering of his movement made it impossible to push the thing off. It hurt like hell! Swallowing a Potion of Mighty Strength class 2 along with a handful of clumps of poison faster and more desperately than he had ever done before, he tried again with renewed power. It moved, but only slightly. Certainly not enough to get it to roll away from his leg. It was properly stuck under there. Whimpering, he went through his ability set in his head, trying his best to think of something he could do to get free. Why did the heroes in the stories never have that problem? At this point he had acquired so many abilities, evolutions, traits and whatever else there was that he could barely keep track of them all, and certainly not of all the possible ways he could combine them. There wasn¡¯t exactly a strategy manual for this crap that he could just pull out and consult in any moment of need. This required big picture sort of thinking and at least the semblance of a tactical mind, and Eik was lacking in both departments. ¡®Have you got a boulder stuck on your leg today? Well, worry not and look no further! Turn to page 83 for the perfect solution!¡¯ Yeah, no, that would have been great. And what does one do when in a situation that seems difficult to find a creative solution to? Well, that¡¯s obvious. Homemade combat gauntlet, of course. Solid toxin flowed around his fist as he wound up for the first punch. A sharp, protruding edge extended from the proximal knuckle of his index finger to the same knuckle of his little finger. The first impact cracked the rock despite the bad positioning and and inability to utilize his whole body for the punch. The second broke off three large fragments and proved that ingenuity wasn¡¯t everything. Dumb muscle power had a lot to say as well. Five more full power punches saw the boulder split in two and roll away from his leg. The limb was bloodied and maimed, the shin plate he¡¯d looted from the lightning user he had killed in the beginning of the challenge nothing but a bent and twisted piece of metal. Gingerly, he unfastened it and lifted it off the skin, hissing at the stinging pain. He took a few doses of the same painkiller he¡¯d provided to the clinics around Forest which helped a bit. There was no exposed bone to be seen so that was nice. That piece of metal might well have saved him a spontaneous amputation. But that didn¡¯t mean it was looking good. There was no way he could walk on it right now. Eight vials of the red healing potion remained and with the severity of this injury he might have to dip a little deeper into his supply than he would have preferred at this point. He pulled one from the dimensional storage that was his rucksack and took it all in one swig. Another was poured over the leg directly to speed up the recovery further. Vials were apparently safer to store in a bag of holding than the orbs they¡¯d been given when they went into mushroom land in the practical of the E-rank Crucible. Relief was immediate and the torn skin in the wound began to knit itself back together. As soon as the viscous liquid had been absorbed into the skin, Eik poured out another one, albeit slower and targeting certain points more deliberately. He turned the vial around between his fingers. Again, he was reminded just how important it was to get his hands on the recipe for this miracle fluid. Already, the wound was looking much better and the combination with the other pills had made the pain fade almost completely. Tentatively, he climbed to his feet, careful to not put all of his weight on the leg right away. It felt surprisingly alright despite how terrible it had looked just a couple of minutes before. Modern magical medicine was truly a wonder for the ages. Now, after the fact, he realized that he might well have been able to use Toxic Liquefaction to get his leg out... Well, he was still getting used to it. He forgave himself. Finally, mobile again, he began to head out, following the cold and damp rock wall. Two branches of solid toxin remained, extending from his shoulders to illuminate the surface as far up as he could make it go. Within only a few seconds, the first of the tunnels appeared and Eik felt frustration rise up in his stomach. ¡°Are you kidding me with this crap ¨C ap ¨C ap?¡± he yelled, the cavernous echo mocking him cruelly. ¡°I just got ooooooouut ¨C ouut ¨C ouut!¡± As he walked on, it gradually became evident that he hadn¡¯t just stumbled upon the single coincidental hole in this giant wall ¡ª there were dozens, and then hundreds, of them, scattered all over the space. If he¡¯d suffered from trypophobia, he¡¯d have been shivering in the fetal position on the ground. Another half hour of walking, only the wall on his right providing any sense of direction, found him at a tunnel about five times wider than all of the others, this one opening up at ground level. Finally seeing a possible way out, Eik hurried in. After a few minutes of walking, a disgusting sound between squelching and ruffling feathers reached his ears. Thirty seconds later, he stood at a precipice, staring down into the blackness below. He lowered one of the glowing branches down as far as he could and right there, at the edge of the darkness, an undulating mass of long bodies wriggled hauntingly in the pallid light. This wasn¡¯t just a hub for the tunnels. It was a nest. Chapter 126: Hot Tub of Death An involuntary shiver ran through Eik¡¯s entire body as he stared at the disgusting, writhing mass below. ¡°Ew¡­¡± he muttered, taking a few steps back from the ledge. Even though he had lowered the glowing branch of solid toxin down far enough for its relatively weak light to illuminate the top layer of worms, they hadn¡¯t rushed up to attack. The one he¡¯d killed inside the mountain had been eager enough to come after him though. Could it be that this was how the worms slept? Geh¡­ Fucking alien weirdos. About to turn around, Eik was struck by a thought that Sonja and Michael would probably disapprove of and that Heath would agree was totally awesome. If it worked. He stepped back further and took in the area. The ground around the wormhole (heh) was rather spacious and would probably be perfect for what he had in mind. Before he begun, he checked the worms again and found them just as unresponsive as they had initially been. Good. Testing his leg, he found he could jump and run with almost no pain whatsoever, even though the painkillers had already lapsed quite a while ago. He had been continuously applying the paste from his homemade healing chunks. Ever since he had learned proper alchemy, he¡¯d been looking into increasing the potency of his own mixture ¡ª and recently succeeded. The ingredients weren¡¯t particularly powerful and there was barely any Ak¡¯ki dimensional energy present to influence but he had realized that it was possible to affect them with his own aura regardless. Since it was a mixture he had discovered himself a couple of years ago there were no recipes for the healing chunks, and it had been an endeavor rife with error, albeit not perilously so. He had managed to activate the ingredients to a point where the potency of the healing effects was almost twice as powerful, although it had also raised the toll on the user¡¯s body in turn. At this point, a low F-ranker might not be able to withstand too much of the substance lest they experience side effects of some sort, although he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to test it yet. For the first step of his utterly ingenious plan, he constructed a wall along the edge of the wormhole measuring about ten meters in length and half a meter tall. It was difficult and took him a good minute but because the actual amount of toxin that went into the creation was considerably smaller than the log he¡¯d made to shoot himself out of the mountain, it wasn¡¯t too bad at all. He constructed another four similar walls into a square and began the second phase of his evil plan ¡ª filling the bitch up with Profound Toxin. He couldn¡¯t help but give in to the urge to cackle. Anticipation made it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. With how big the pool was, it took him almost twenty minutes to fill it to the spilling point. He stood in poison to his knees, wondering how the hell his life had gotten to this point. When he had brought his black cape and role-playing foam sword to school for show and tell and proclaimed in front of the rest of the first graders that his dream job was a powerful mage who could smite a dragon in a single second, he hadn¡¯t actually meant it literally. Sure, a dragon in a second might be a little above his current capabilities, but he was getting there, right? All he needed was to get a little stronger and then figure out where to find a dragon. Piece of cake. With a deep, slow breath and a shit-eating grin, he sat down in the pool and let the wall facing the wormhole turn back into liquid and released the entire payload out over the hole. He was carried along bodily, his own maniacal giggle following all the way down. As the liquid washed down over the nest of worms, the writhing mass erupted into pure chaos. There were more of the disgusting things than he had thought. He anticipated three or maybe five layers of worms at most, but it seemed to easily be four or five times that. There were hundreds of the damn things down here. Eik was thrown around violently by undulating bodies but chunks of poison, Potion of Mighty Strength class 2, and Potion of the Metal Body ensured his safety with the exception of a few scratches here and there. The creepy creatures clearly had no clue what was going on whatsoever and they definitely didn¡¯t know about the exceedingly handsome man being bowled around in their midst. At the moment the entirety of the poisonous load had been dumped onto the worms, Eik quickly constructed a thin roof of solid toxin which, while not that heavy in reality, would hopefully create an illusion of confinement in the minds of the ugly beasts. Throughout it all, Eik had been releasing a riotous quantity of the blue substance to bolster the volumes already churning around. For good measure, he sent out as many Living Manifestations as he could to swim to whatever target the liked. Almost immediately, Eik felt the toxin flow swiftly into the hundreds of systems present in the hole. As a natural consequence of the way the creatures lived, it seemed that their bodies were covered in small and normally insignificant cuts and wounds. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Now that Eik was here to start the party, change replace that ¡®insignificance¡¯ with ¡®fatal¡¯ or ¡®deadly¡¯. He gave it a second or two before he reached through the Profound Toxin and connected to every single invaded system. It almost felt like the single word he then uttered tapped the pause button on time for a moment, a momentary calm before a volcanic storm. ¡°Accelerant.¡± The whole place exploded as hundreds of deep, bassy booms raced through the rippling liquid like the hum of a launching nuclear reactor. Countless shock waves rocked the pool like a chain of undersea pulse bombs and threw Eik around like a leaf caught in the violent flow of a rip current. He just couldn¡¯t stop laughing. Before the last of the pulsation had even settled, Eik howled for the second time at he top of his lungs, seized by unfiltered bliss. ¡°Accelerant!¡± He was flung up and out of the basin by the resulting eruption, his back slamming painfully against the roof he had just built but he barely felt it amidst the ecstasy of the rampage. He had given in completely to the euphoria. When he plunged back in, he gurgled a third chant of Accelerant and was pulled down underneath the still writhing worms, their massive bodies battering him back and forth. The grin never left his lips. Reaching for Toxic Liquefaction, he became one with the Profound Toxin and when he made to move up toward the surface, he found himself flying out of the pool, transported instantly from the bottom of the churning chaos as if by teleportation. Whooping loudly as he shot out and reassembled the fluid body into his human form, he flipped and manifested a toxic spear in each hand, applied Movement Boost locally to his arms and shoulder, and hurled them into a worm each. As he splashed back down, he triggered a fourth wave of Accelerant, this time including the two solid spears which both detonated like a pair of naval mines. Boundless joy filled his brain at the hundreds of systems continuously invaded by Profound Toxin, and unimaginable delight practically assaulted his mind at every single activation of Accelerant. He could only hope that it would never end. Again and again and again and again¡­ and again, he triggered the finisher to devastating effect, his body flung into the air or against the hard, rocky walls multiple times by the violent blasts that followed every time. Living Manifestation wasn¡¯t forgotten either. With each activation of Accelerant, the little guys were annihilated to completion along with all other traces of toxin inside the worms so he took the opportunity to summon them again and again with orders to go for the closest target. Surely that would earn him some levels as well. Several worms had managed to escape, cramming their long bodies through the gaps in the lid he had pulled over the hole, but little by little the imperfections had been sealed until the space was almost perfectly closed. With all the fun going on, he could live with a few escapees. It was not a prison in truth. With the chaos and constant damage, the worms didn¡¯t seem to have the lucidity to actually make a focused effort to escape ¡ª something they could probably have done rather easily considering the flimsiness of the blue ceiling. Even when there was still a good amount of toxin left in the pool, one system after the other began to fail and expire. How sad, that the massacre had reached its end so soon. But when a good thing was coming to a close, it was important to enjoy the final moment to its fullest. Connected to all living system by the liquid splashing around, Eik reached out the the toxin flowing through every living worm and crystalized countless tiny shards inside. It took some serious concentration that he was only able to do because the writhing and thrashing had slowed to a weak struggle, but there was also a clarity of control that he had never felt before. Intellectually, it was also clear to him that his frame of mind was approaching something non-human. More than ever, he felt as if he was one with Profound Toxin. Like they had become one being for but a moment ¡ª just to enjoy this act of extinction together. That mental closeness must have boosted his innate control somehow. Everything was ready for the final deed. Almost a hundred worms still lived ¡ª but they wouldn¡¯t for much longer. With a smile of satisfaction, he let himself fall onto his back, the chant only no more than a whisper this time. ¡°Accelerant.¡± As if launched by a gigantic airbag, Eik and many of the corpses of the rock worms were thrown into the air with a resounding, earth-shaking boom. Eik landed back on his feet, followed by a literal rain of viscous, green blood that covered him from head to toe, making him look more like that wad of living slime from that movie starring that comedian slash actor. It was warm and sticky. He reached up and picked out a mushy, meaty piece of¡­ something from his hair. Ew. With that, in shockingly little time, the all-encompassing and euphoric madness was replaced by somber disgust. As the remaining Profound Toxin began to seep back in through his skin, he looked around the around by the light of the still standing roof he had constructed to keep the lot of them inside. To call the place a bloody mess was an understatement of utmost severity. The simultaneous detonations of countless small crystalline shards of poison scattered throughout almost a hundred giant bodies had essentially turned the victims into mist. There was so much death down here. They must have been at least a few hours into the first challenge of the Championships at this point but he still didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to do¡­ The answer would probably have been at the top of the mountain but he had ¡ª totally by accident ¡ª destroyed. So next step was to find another mountain then. Great. No problem at all. Not a huge setback at all. No, actually, next step was getting out of this damned cave. A minor setback only. But surely all of that killing must have been worth some levels, right? Eik fished the wooden plaque out of his shirt, the first of hopefully many messages already displayed. Harvesting the fruit of his labor was going to be almost as sweet as the labor itself had been. Chapter 127: Skill Evolution The first notification was a pleasant surprise with how difficult the ability was to level. He really would have to find something more potent to train with. [Acquired Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Lv. 40] The text faded and was replaced by new letters that began to spell out some exciting news. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evo Actually, before getting too hyped up, there was one more thing he wanted to do. Thirteen Living Manifestations answered his call, slithering out of his skin and curling themselves around his head, neck, torso, arms, and legs, making him look like the world¡¯s best snake charmer. That meant he had hit level 14 with Living Manifestation since one was still installed stealthily in some Gohkamorian punk somewhere. That deployment had been a bit of an opportunistic decision and probably wouldn¡¯t lead to anything of importance, but he still felt a juvenile sense of satisfaction in having managed to plant a stow-away without being noticed. ¡°Search the bodies inside and out,¡± he ordered with a sweeping gesture of his hand. From the rucksack of holding, he took out one of the smooth stones he had looted from the lightning userand shield bearer earlier. ¡°This is what we want. Anything you find I want brought to me. Understood?¡± The Profound Toxic beasts just stared up at him with those flat, featureless eyes, making no indication whatsoever that any of them had comprehended even a single word that had come out of his mouth. ¡°Al-Alright, then just¡­ go, I guess,¡± he muttered with a half wave. They scattered and dove into the bloody mass as Eik went back to the wooden plaque. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: Resistance: Toxin] [Choose one:] [Enhanced Toxin Resistance] [Component Identification] [(Unique) Profound Absorption ¡ª Evolution derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] Profound Absorption? Another Unique with a clearly stated relation to Profound Toxin. Given his tendency to go with anything linked to the Worldbreaker, it should have been a quick and simple choice. But perhaps that wasn¡¯t the best thing to be doing right now. If the trait called Component Identification did what he thought and allowed him to ascertain the elements of which a toxin was made up, it could throw wide open the doors of multiversal alchemy and medicine in a way that just wasn¡¯t feasible with his current proficiency. But the fact was that he simply wasn¡¯t sure that he would be able to make full use of the knowledge the trait would provide ¡ª if it even worked as expected. No matter how you flipped and turned it, he was still a complete beginner in alchemy, even if he was uniquely capable from an Earth perspective. What he could realistically do with it at this stage was probably not that much. Enhanced Toxic Resistance, on the other hand, while headed by a rather boring title, might just be exactly what he had been looking for. Besides the devastating destructive power of Profound Toxin itself combined with Accelerant, Backflow was by far his most potent offensive ability. The drawback ¡ª the horrific bodily harm and high potential for death ¡ª was what made it so risky to use. He had yet to activate it while in a sane state of mind. He¡¯d done it a couple of times inside the Profound realm but even in there, while he had come out of it alive, it had hurt like a bitch. Almost as much as the failed fusion of Profound Toxin and his aura. As far as he could tell, control of the ability could definitely be trained and improved. It was just a matter of biting the sour apple and deal with the fact that it was going to be a journey of mind-breaking agony. What if Enhanced Toxic Resistance could be the difference that made it possible to use it somewhat safely? It would quite literally multiply his combat power to the point where he could easily rival most C-rankers despite being mid D-rank himself. If this single choice could make him more capable of withstanding the overwhelming toxicity of his own Worldbreaker, then was there even anything to consider? Well, then there was the Unique trait, Profound Absorption. It would probably be some kind of ability to utilize the properties of toxins by which he was affected. Or it might pull the Resistance: Toxin ability itself into the fold of Profound Toxin to act like a kind of evolutionary trait. That didn¡¯t seem too far fetched considering how greedy and egotistical the little blue devil was. One was cool but maybe not what he needed right now. The other was¡­ difficult to predict the consequences of. If it caused the resistance effect to scale with the level of Profound Toxin, it would instantly elevate it and put it on track to level better in the long run. Enhanced Toxic Resistance would provide a certain and instantaneous boost, though. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. For almost a minute he chewed on the options, weighing them against each other. With no way to verify any of his assumptions it was pure guesswork, however. ¡°Ah, screw it.¡± Before he could get into his own head too much, he picked Profound Absorption. Recently, the Profound Path of Toxin had really made its power evident, so with so little legitimate information to work with, the best choice seemed to be to keep trusting it. [Evolved skill Resistance: Toxin. Skill acquired trait (Unique) Profound Absorption ¡ª Evolution derived from intimate relationship with ¡ª (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Lost skill Resistance: Toxin] [Acquisition of (Unique) Profound Absorption caused the loss of Resistance: Toxin] [Resistance: Toxin had reached Lv. 40 before being lost. 8 level will be transferred to (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 63] [(Unique) Profound Toxin inherited all skill effects of Resistance: Toxin] [(Unique) Profound Toxin inherited all evolutionary traits of Resistance: Toxin ¡ª Skill inherited evolutionary trait Noxious Invigoration] Holy shit! Eight levels in Profound Toxin for losing Resistance: Toxin, even though he still had access to its effects and traits. This was even better than he had hoped. Or at least, it seemed to be better than he had hoped. The logical assumption here was that Resistance: Toxin now functioned as if it was at level 63, right? Well, only one way to find out. Some other time. The chunks of poison weren¡¯t potent enough to test the difference anyway, and Backflow could potentially hurt him to the point where he would be forced to drop out if such a thing was possible. That or die. He moved on to the next message. [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 10] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 11] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 1...] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 14] [Acquired Living Manifestation ¡ª Lv. 15] One more level must have ticked in since he sent the little guys out just a couple of minutes ago. Did that mean they found something? From what he had been able to gather, an ability usually didn¡¯t just level from nothing. It had to achieve something. Depending on the ability that something could vary but there had to be something done. The text changed once more. [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 27] [Acquired Movement Boost ¡ª Lv. 28] {Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 64] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 65] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 6...] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 68] [Acquired (Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Lv. 69] Again, holy shit! This stupid cave was an absolute gold mine of levels. He should have gotten himself caught down here from the get go. Another six levels on top of the eight from the absorption of Resistance: Toxin. This was actually insane. But apparently that wasn¡¯t all. [Skill evolution available. Skill available for evolution: (Unique) Profound Toxin] [Choose one] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Infected Trail] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Eager Dispersal] [(Unique) Profound Toxin ¡ª Visage of Death] Infected Trail he had seen before. It was the one that most likely allowed him to track an invaded system over a greater distance than he was currently able. With the Gohkamorian carrying the Living Manifestation he¡¯d planted, being able to know exactly where he was at all times would make Eik capable of staying ahead of enemies if he could manage to infect them. Very useful for specific situations but probably not something he was going to bother getting in place of something else right now. And when it came to the effects of Eager Dispersal¡­ it wasn¡¯t exactly obvious. What was supposed to be eager here? Profound Toxin? When was that little blue bastard not already eager? ¡®Eager¡¯ would be the first adjective he¡¯d use to describe the substance and ¡®toxic¡¯ would be the second. The best clue was the word ¡®dispersal¡¯. It meant to scatter or be scattered. Since the naming of abilities and evolutionary traits weren¡¯t always as explicitly descriptive as he would have preferred, it would probably be safe to just assume that it was a trait that allowed him to spread the toxin more easily. Depending on how ¡®eager¡¯ it actually was, that could either be very strong or not worth it. Visage of Death was even more difficult to guess at than Eager Dispersal. Visage meant something along the lines of appearance or face, if he was remembering his English correctly. So Visage of Death would mean face of death or maybe mask of death? What the hell was that supposed to be then? Would Profound Toxin form a mask around his head to hide his face? No way, right? While it would be both cool and possibly useful in some specific situations, it just didn¡¯t seem like something he¡¯d be offered as an evolutionary trait of a Worldbreaker ability. So then what? Infected Trail he had kind of already dismissed from consideration. Eager Dispersal sounded good if his guess about its effect was at least moderately accurate, but then again, as proven by the growth of his power over the recent months, Profound Toxin rarely delivered anything below standards. Visage of Death was a complete mystery no matter how one looked at it. That alone made the trait an extremely tempting option. But the uncertainty was a little too risky, after all. With an ability to spread his toxin more efficiently and freely, he could probably have handled the shield and lightning duo more safely. But then again, what was life without a little adventurous flavor? He drew a line through each of the options except Visage of Death. [Evolved skill (Unique) Profound Toxin. Skill acquired trait Visage of Death] A final glowing message etched itself into the wooden plaque. [Instinct of Toxin ¡ª IV] Damn¡­ Everything was happening so fast even though he had been through more crazy and memorable crap since Awakening than he had in his entire life leading up to this point. Eik was on the cusp of a C-rank equivalent evolution and it felt absolutely surreal. At this rate, he would reach the next power rank evolution before the Championships were over. Stuffing the wooden plaque back into his shirt, he noticed all of the Living Manifestations lined up in front of him dutifully, waiting for his attention like a class of kindergarteners. They had adapted their sizes to suit their searches at their own volition. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± he asked hopefully, kneeling down by the first Profound Toxic beast. The snake writhed and sputtered as an oval shape was visibly worked up through its slender body until it was ejected from what would have been the mouth of a true living creature. It was another of the smooth stones. ¡°Great find!¡± he praised, patting the little thing on the head. It slithered away to the side to watch the rest of them. ¡°Did you all find one?¡± They hadn¡¯t, as it turned out. The final haul ended up being eleven smooth stones, bringing Eik¡¯s total to thirteen. That was a decent amount. Maybe. Well, he had no clue if that was few or a lot, actually. Did that mean that challengers dropped one stone each while only a minority of wild monsters possessed one? Ordering the Living Manifestations back into his body, he jumped out of the hole in a few quick leaps. Chewing on a loaf of bread from his bag of holding, he started through the tunnel that would lead to the larger cavern he¡¯d initially landed in. He¡¯d barely made it through the tunnel proper before a distant rumble reached his ears, approaching at worrying speed. Backing back into the tunnel, he hurled spheres of solid toxin into the space ahead which melted into liquid on the floor, providing spots of glowing light to illuminate anything that got near. With his back against the rock wall and his fingers on the handle of the wakizashi, he waited as the rumble intensified rapidly. He steadied his breathing. When was he going to get a damn break? Something was coming. And it was big.