ã€ŠSoul Shot Skirmisher (Book 1 Stubbing April 11th - Chapters 1-66)ã€‹


 Chapter 1 â€“ There Are No Palm Trees In England

    I woke up face down in the dirt. I could taste the musty earth grinding against my teeth as I moved my tongue and lips around as one often does after waking up in a strange place with no recollection of how he got there.

    I didn¡¯t expect to wake up face down in the dirt by the way. I don¡¯t usually make a habit of waking up in weird positions and unfamiliar places. Well¡­ there was that one time on my eighteenth birthday but the less said about that the better.

    Nope, there was no reason I could think of as to why I¡¯d woken up in a weird place. The previous night I¡¯d run out of driving hours, I was a truck driver, so I¡¯d parked up in a safe location, called my wife, gotten into my sleeping bag and fallen asleep in the cab bed.

    So then how the hell did I end up here?

    I pushed myself up from the ground and looked around. I was surrounded by palm trees. Now I know for a fact that there are no palm trees in England, which is where I¡¯m from, so either this was some kind of oddly specific dream, or I¡¯d been kidnapped. Well, there was also the chance it was an acid trip but that was unlikely.

    What was weird about the palm trees was that they were clustered together in such a way that it felt like I was in a jungle. A palm tree jungle? Wait no, that can¡¯t be right. I thought as I began rubbing my eyes vigorously.

    I stood up and felt a warm breeze between my thighs. Wait, am I naked? How clich¨¦.  I thought as I looked down to see that I was wearing nothing but a pair of worn grey socks.

    To be fair, I did fall asleep naked in the truck last night¡­ with my socks on. Hey! Don¡¯t judge me, my feet get cold ok.

    I could hear an incessant chirping sound, probably birds. I still couldn¡¯t understand how and why I was here. Then it happened.

    Time seemed to freeze, and by that I mean the gentle breeze that was causing the palm trees to sway stopped and so did the swaying. Then an overly happy voice filled my ears and words seemed to appear in my vision, almost like a notification in a game.

    Welcome players, to Celestia!

    It''s your lucky day! You get to be the newest residents of this little slice of heaven.

    This is a world filled with peoples of all races, monsters, magic and even the odd dragon or two.

    How great does that sound? It¡¯s literally every nerd¡¯s dream come true right?

    So, what¡¯s the catch?

    You¡¯re being hunted!

    That¡¯s right folks, all 10,000 of you have been gifted a brand-new tattoo, completely free of charge. Each tattoo is a wholly unique and different part of a map. The Celestial Map to be precise, not that I expect you to know what that means.

    Gods, cultists, kings, crime syndicates and... well basically anyone with power in Celestia, are oh so very eager to put that map back together again, piece by agonising piece.

    They see you when you¡¯re sleeping. They know when you¡¯re awake. They want to skin you all alive so run or you¡¯ll get flayed!

    The map is on your skin and starting now, the hunt is on.

    Good look out there, players. We hope you enjoy your stay in the idyllic and welcoming world of Celestia.

    Time unfroze and the voice and floating words disappeared as suddenly as they¡¯d arrived.

    ¡°What the shit.¡± I said aloud, looking around for some kind of PA speaker, or maybe a camera crew that were about to tell me I was the victim of a televised practical joke.

    Sadly, I saw neither of those things.

    Did she say I was being hunted? I thought.

    Before I had time to properly think about that my vision flashed for a moment and a heads-up display appeared. At first I thought I was looking at something held statically in the air, but no matter where I looked it was still there. There were four parts cluttering my vision:

    Level: 0

    HP: 10/10

    Stamina: 10/10

    Options

    Level and HP? This really was just like a game. Though 10 HP seemed awfully low. Also my level being 0 seemed a little off. I was 28 years old, surely that should have gained me at least a few levels from life experience alone.

    The whole system seemed odd. It spoke like it was alive, like it had a personality.

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    I wonder what options means?

    As I had that thought the options menu opened before my eyes. It was pretty long, listing things from stats to inventory and even plenty of other things. As interesting as that was I decided to ignore it for now.

    The announcement said something about being hunted and also about a tattoo. I quickly checked my skin. I already had tattoos so it might be hard to tell if a new one had appeared¡­ wait.

    ¡°Where the hell are my tattoos!¡± I shouted out loud.

    I had a full sleeve when I fell asleep. Ink was expensive and I¡¯d spent years getting it done piece by piece. Yet, as I stared down at my arm I saw unblemished skin. No tattoos.

    Putting my outrage aside for a moment I continued to check for this free gift tattoo the announcer had mentioned. I couldn¡¯t see it, maybe it was a back piece? I tried to look over my shoulder but ended up spinning in a circle with no luck.

    I sighed, then another thought hit me. 10,000 other people. The announcer had said there were 10,000 of us being hunted. Where were they? Who were they? Was my wife one of them? I hoped not, she was pregnant and the thought of her being stuck in a place like this, whilst with child, chilled my blood.

    I began breathing heavily, my mind clouded with racing and spiralling thoughts. I didn¡¯t know what to do, I knew I needed to get my mind in order. I needed to focus.

    I thought back to something my mother once told me. She said that when a task seems insurmountable, just focus on one thing at a time and eventually the rest will fall into place. I only needed to focus on one thing. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

    Just one task at a time.

    Just as I had that thought another notification flashed on my HUD.

    New Quest: Rock Out Without Your Cock Out.

    They say that the body is a temple and you should be proud of it. Well I say stop flashing everyone and get some damn pants you reprobate! Seriously no one wants to see that.

    Objectives:

    Cover your manhood 0/1

    Reward: A bit of fucking dignity.

    That was certainly odd. I didn¡¯t remember quests usually being that aggressive in the games I¡¯d played before. I wondered who came up with them. This one seemed pretty unique to me unless the other players were also all naked.

    Considering that I was wearing exactly what I had on when I went to sleep last night though, I doubted it. Some were probably in PJ¡¯s.

    The opening announcement said that there were 10,000 people transported here. So I wasn¡¯t the only one who had been isekai¡¯d, at least that was something.

    Huh, a truck driver in another world. Sounds like an anime title. Wait¡­ does that make me truck-kun?

    My stomach rumbled loudly interrupting my train of thought. It was then that I realised I hadn¡¯t eaten since yesterday afternoon. I needed to find some food. I couldn¡¯t fight off hunters and find pants on an empty stomach after all.

    I looked around and a thought occurred to me. I¡¯m surrounded by palm trees; I should eat a coconut!

    I took a few steps forward towards a palm tree and looked up. Nestled at the top of the trunk, below the leaves, was a single coconut. It looked a little larger than the ones I¡¯d seen on holiday before. It was green and hairy, shaped like an oval and it seemed to be attached to the tree by a thread.

    Must be a ripe one. I thought. If I¡¯d have arrived a day later it might have already been on the ground.

    How could I get it down though? Using precisely no brain cells, I did the first thing that came to mind. I grabbed the tree trunk and tried to shake it.

    Nothing happened.

    I stepped back and kicked the tree.

    Nothing happened.

    Dammit, how am I going to get it down!

    I took a few paces back and placed my hand on my chin like some kind of philosopher. Then I heard a low thud. I looked back towards the tree and as if by magic, there was a green, hairy coconut on the ground.

    Perfect.

    I took a step towards it when words appeared on my HUD again.

    You have discovered a new monster!

    Loconut

    These little cuties are mostly harmless. They live inside the husks of coconuts, hanging out on palm trees. Their diet consists of coconut milk and human organs. They mostly keep their distance from people, preferring to live the quite life out in the tropics. However, if you attempt to shake their tree, they will fuck you up.

    ¡°Well shit.¡±

    I stared at the Loconut for a moment. It still just looked like a large coconut to me. That was, until it stood up. Two small, stumpy legs protruded from the husk, followed by two small, stumpy arms. There was no head, just eyes that looked through holes in the coconut¡¯s husk. Just underneath the eyes, the danger appeared.

    A set of razor-sharp teeth shaped like perfect isosceles triangles began gnashing together. It locked eyes with me and I felt my blood run cold for the second time in a matter of minutes.

    I was having a bad motherfucking day.

    The Loconut rushed at me without warning. It was surprisingly fast for a creature with the legs of a dachshund. It waddled and bobbed more than ran, but with those devilish teeth taking pride of place I had little time to be amused.

    As it closed in on me I gave into my baser instincts. I didn¡¯t have time to formulate a plan. I had no weapons, no armour. Hell, I was naked apart from a pair of old socks. So I did what any rational person would do in the same situation.

    I kicked it like Harry Kane in an England quarter final.

    I pulled my leg back, gritted my teeth and punted the little fucker as hard as I could. It was a lot lighter than I expected, but it still felt like stubbing my toe. I hopped around a little, clutching my hurt toe as the Loconut crashed into the tree trunk. Its husk shattered and blood, gore and what I thought might be an overused liver, sputtered out from inside.

    I take that back; Harry Kane would have missed the tree.

    The smell was vomit-inducing.

    I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever smelt a rotting carcass before, but it smelled like that. Overpowering, thick and musty with a hint of gangrene mixed in for good measure.

    So much for my diner.

    I guess Loconut was off the menu. On the upside my stomach wasn¡¯t growling anymore. Watching a midget in a coconut cosplay explode in a cacophony of guts and gore would be enough to put anyone off their food.

    I turned around and a series of notifications popped up on my HUD.

    You have defeated:

    Loconut (lvl: 1)

    You have gained bonus experience for defeating an opponent above your own level.

    I guess it made sense that the Loconut was only a level 1. In most games the noob isn¡¯t able to one shot monsters, even if they are weak.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 1

    Ah level 1, the first step on a spectacular journey. And where does that journey lead you ask? Most likely to you being skinned alive by the hunters. I can¡¯t wait.

    I was beginning to get the impression that this system was a bit of a dick.

    Going up a level was cool and all, but what did it mean? Before I had a chance to check my options screen to find out, another notification popped up. This time though, it seemed to hover over the Loconut¡¯s corpse.

    Loot Loconut?

    Y/N

 Chapter 2 â€“ You Have Created A New Item!

    I looked suspiciously at the hovering question above the smashed Loconut. Mentally I clicked yes but nothing happened. Maybe I needed to be closer?

    Holding my nose and trying not to vomit from the horrid stench I stepped within touching distance and tried again.

    Loot Loconut?

    Y/N

    Yes. I thought, mentally affirming my choice. Immediately the corpse burst into silver glitter and apparated into the air. The smell went with it, leaving behind the much more neutral odour of grass and hot air that one might associate with a tropical climate.

    Another text box appeared in my vision. This one was more in line with the ones I had experienced previously, appearing on my HUD rather than hovering in a physical place.

    New Item Received:

    Loconut¡¯s Hair:

    The Loconut is famous for its scraggly strands of coarse, pubic like hair. This hair doesn¡¯t really do anything special but it is a known ingredient in certain potions and I guess it could be used as string. Though it isn¡¯t too durable so maybe not.

    The notification struck me as being a little odd. It was much less aggressive than the previous ones. All in all I was quite disappointed. I¡¯d learned that potions existed in this world, but I didn¡¯t know how to make them.

    The part about using it as string stuck me as an odd addition, but after a few moments of melancholy, it gave me an idea.

    As if I had some inbuilt knowledge of the HUD that I didn¡¯t fully realise was there, I mentally clicked options. From there I scrolled down to the inventory tab and found the only item.

    I mentally clicked on Loconut¡¯s hair and it appeared in my hand. I had no idea how I knew to do that, maybe it was part of the system design for the user interface. Pushing that thought aside I looked at the hair in my hands.

    There were multiple stands of thick, coarse hair. It looked identical to the kind found on a regular coconut except it was significantly longer. I took all the strands and wound them around each other, creating a medium thickness string. As I finished my task another notification appeared on my HUD.

    You have created a new item!

    Loconut String

    This is string created from Loconut¡¯s Hair. Its use is limited. I know what you¡¯re thinking and don¡¯t you fucking dare!

    Frowning at the notification a thought occurred to me. It was like the system was alive. That definitely wasn¡¯t a pre-made message. It was speaking directly to me. That revelation felt important, but for the time being I had bigger fish to fry.

    I smiled up at the sky, like an insane person, and said:

    ¡°Oh, I do dare.¡±

    Then I took off one of my old grey socks. I used my teeth to create a small hole in each side of the top. I then threaded the string though each side and knotted it, leaving room to put something else inside the sock.

    I then slipped it over my manhood, looping the string around my waist and covering myself up¡­ kinda.

    Quest Completed: Rock Out Without Your Cock Out.

    They say that the body is a temple and you should be proud of it. Well I say stop flashing everyone and get some damn pants you reprobate! Seriously no one wants to see that.

    Objectives:

    Cover your manhood 1/1

    Reward: A bit of fucking dignity. Not that you deserve it you degenerate. I wanted you to find pants!

    I chuckled triumphantly to myself as two more notifications appeared. The first was a nice surprise. I¡¯d received experience points and advanced to level 2. Not that I really understood what that meant yet, but it had to be something good.

    There was a lot less fanfare this time. The notifications simply said that I was now level 2, unlike the level 1 notification which came with an ominous paragraph attached.

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    The second notification was a little more off putting.

    You have created a new item!

    Cock Sock:

    An underwhelming item of clothing designed to cover one¡¯s manhood, giving the appearance of an inadequate baby elephant. This is no substitute for pants.

    I got the impression that the system wasn¡¯t too happy with me. However, I¡¯d completed the quest and gained a level for my trouble. That was one task down and countless more to go. Hooray.

    I didn¡¯t appreciate the jibe about inadequacy but, assuming this system was what brought me here, at least it didn¡¯t kill me.

    I swallowed at the thought of what it might do to me later down the line if I pissed it off enough though.

    Next thing on the old to do list was to find some food, find shelter, hopefully find some actual clothing, and figure out what the hell was going on.

    All in good time Kaleb. One thing at a time. I thought to myself in an attempt to calm my racing heartbeat.

    My name is Kaleb by the way, I probably should have mentioned that earlier but with everything that was going on I figured formalities weren¡¯t high on the agenda.

    Looking around the clearing I¡¯d started in; I saw a small trail leading through the clustered palm trees and decided to follow it.

    The palm tree jungle, as I¡¯d named it, was a weird place. For starters, there wasn¡¯t any foliage. It was a relatively simple landscape. The ground was simple, packed earth and everything else for as far as the eye could see was palm trees.

    The trees themselves were clustered tightly together and it felt quite unnatural. In my world, palm trees usually grew a lot further apart than this. The whole place felt alien.

    As I trekked along the winding dirt path I decided it was time to look through the stats section of my options tab.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Level: 2

    HP: 20/20

    Stamina: 14/20

    Strength: 5

    Agility: 11

    Perception: 7

    Vitality: 5

    Intelligence: 6

    I guess I should explain about my name. I was born in England and have mostly Caucasian features but my father was Asian. My mother opted to give me his last name even though she didn¡¯t share it herself.

    They were never married you see. She met him whilst studying abroad. She didn¡¯t realise she was pregnant until she got back home and because all of this happened in the mid nineties¡¯ communication was a lot harder than it is now.

    She only had the landline number for his dorm room, but he¡¯d moved back home after graduating too so she didn¡¯t really have any way to contact him. As such I¡¯ve never actually met my father. It¡¯s not something that really bothered me though, my mother did the job of both parents and I can¡¯t really complain.

    But enough about all that.

    Agility seemed to be my best stat. I wasn¡¯t sure why exactly, it¡¯s not like I ever really excelled in sports or anything. I had taken a few martial arts classes when I was younger and growing up in England it was normal to play football with your friends. That didn¡¯t feel like enough of a reason to make that my highest stat though.

    I was pleased that my HP had increased. If my maths was right, which it rarely was, then HP increased by 5 points per level. That was useful to know. It seemed Stamina was the same.

    That was the only stat that wasn¡¯t filled up, I wondered if it was because I was hungry. Maybe food filled it back up? If so, that was all the more reason to find something to eat.

    I wasn¡¯t having any luck on that front though. As I continued following the dirt path I just saw more of the same. Dirt and palm trees.

    It felt a bit like when you get too close to the edge on a massive RPG game. The kind of area where you can tell the developers didn¡¯t put anything important there and just filled it up with trees or something for the sake of it.

    If that was the case though, at least I should be relatively safe.

    Famous last words.

    I continued following the trail for what felt like forever, but was probably only half an hour or so, until I came across a clearing.

    Inside the clearing was a single, wooden box on a pedestal. Nothing about it seemed special, but I did wonder if it was a trap.

    Leaving the path I circled around the clearing carefully; however nothing caught my eye. So when I¡¯d made it full circle and arrived back on the trail I decided to approach the box.

    As I got closer a notification materialised over the top of it.

    Open Starter Loot Box?

    Y/N

    Starter Loot Box? The phrasing reminded me of a tutorial from an MMORPG. I needed all the help I could get though, so naturally I mentally asserted that I did indeed want to open it.

    The box glowed and began to heat up before my eyes. Then the lid flew open with a pop and confetti spilled out all over my feet and the ground.

    Inside the box was another hovering notification.

    You have unlocked a starting weapon!

    Congratulations on making it this far player! Though only one of the 10,000 brought here has actually been stupid enough to die so far so I guess this is more of a participation medal than an actual award.

    Before you are three weapons which will help you on your journey, and hopefully make your inevitable death more entertaining for me. Choose wisely, losing your virginity is a big deal after all and I wouldn¡¯t want you to regret your actions.

    Someone had already died? I wondered how. If my experience was anything to go by it was possible that everyone who arrived here had to face a monster before getting to this stage. Therefore it stood to reason that this unknown person was killed by their monster. If that was true though they must have been pretty damn unlucky.

    The Loconut, though creepy as shit, was pretty easy to kill. I mean all I did was kick it. Either way, the knowledge that someone had died already really drove home the seriousness of the situation.

    As promised, three more hovering notifications appeared in front of me. I actually felt a little bit giddy at getting to choose a weapon. I guess they do say inside every adult is the heart of a child. I eagerly read each notification in turn.

    You may choose one of the following weapons:

    Basic Sword

    Basic Bow

    Basic Sceptre

    *WARNING* You currently have no mana and will therefore be unable to use the item Basic Sceptre.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a cop out.¡± I muttered to myself as I finished reading the options.

    What was the point of offering me a weapon I couldn¡¯t use? More importantly if mana existed in this world then why didn¡¯t I have any!

    I felt like some kind of lame NPC. Who gets isekai¡¯d to a world filled with magic only to find out they don¡¯t have any? What a letdown.

    I kicked the side of the box in frustration and immediately regretted it as I remembered I didn¡¯t have any shoes.

    After a moment of awkwardly balancing on one leg as I rubbed my sore toes, I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.

    I needed to make a choice. I had a sword or a bow to choose from. I¡¯d never used a sword, though how hard could it be to swing a big sharp stick at something? On the other hand it would mean getting up close and personal with monsters and whilst I had no clothing or protective gear that might not be the best strategy for the time being.

    On the other hand, I had only used a bow a handful of times in my life. All of those times had been on school trips and I didn¡¯t feel confident I¡¯d make a good archer. If I missed my first shot and a monster came charging at me what would I do? Stab it with an arrow?

    It felt a little bit like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I had to choose one of them. So, casting my longing for the Basic Sceptre aside I made my choice.

 Chapter 3 - Stag Party

    I sighed and shook my head before mentally clicking on the Basic Bow. It was the best option at the time. Someone had already died in this place and that knowledge weighed heavily on me.

    Maybe I was just scared, but who in their right mind wouldn¡¯t be? Rushing into battle naked and afraid with a sword in hand just seemed too reckless. Like I¡¯d be asking for death.

    So, that was that. I chose the bow and once again a notification appeared on my HUD.

    New Item Received!

    Basic Bow

    This is a basic bow; I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need an explanation for that. It is a piece of wood with a bow string attached and you use it to shoot things. A cowardly choice in my opinion but it is not my place to judge the choice of feeble-minded newbies.

    The bow is a skilled weapon, so you best get practicing.

    *Arrows not included*

    ¡°Arrows not included. Are you fucking kidding me!¡± I yelled at the sky like a mad man.

    Well, that was it. I¡¯d made the wrong choice. This system obviously didn¡¯t like me very much. Maybe I should have chosen the sword after all. At least that was useable, unlike the crappy piece of wood I¡¯d been gifted.

    I pulled it out of my inventory to have a look. For a basic piece of gear it actually looked quite professional. It was made of a dark wood and curved nicely. It even had a piece of cloth to cushion my hand and act as a grip.

    Despite my misgivings I still felt pretty badass holding it. Though without any arrows it was pretty useless. I considered trying to make some arrows myself but I didn¡¯t have anything to carve them with. Without a knife or at least a jagged rock I was pretty stuck.

    The only thing I had that could be of any use was the Loconut¡¯s Hair. I pulled it out, absentmindedly. They were my only possessions. A bow with no arrows, and hair¡­ and a Cock Sock but the less said about that the better.

    I messed around with the bow for a little while feeling utterly dejected. In an attempt to cheer myself up with some bad humour I placed one of the hairs on the edge of the bow string, pulled back and let it fly, pretending it was an arrow.

    Except something weird happened.

    The hair held a sturdy shape when placed on the bow string and when I let it fly it shot across the clearing and embedded itself in a tree.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly something.¡± I said, a wicked smile creeping across my face.

    It seemed I¡¯d just found a loophole in the system¡¯s foul play. A loophole that I was happy to exploit.

    I immediately took out another hair. I was getting used to accessing my inventory now and could summon the hair into my hand with barely a thought. It was a quick process, much faster than I imagined a quiver would be.

    I stood up, took a deep breath, and focused on a spot on a palm tree at the other side of the small clearing. Releasing the breath I pulled the drawstring back and let loose.

    I missed.

    The hair flew straight past the tree and disappeared into the dense palm tree jungle.

    ¡°Well shit.¡± I muttered.

    If I couldn¡¯t even hit a tree that was barely five meters away how was I supposed to hit a monster? Those things moved after all.

    I¡¯d have to practice. So for the next few hours I painstakingly practiced shooting the tree. At least, I assumed it was a few hours, I didn¡¯t have any way to tell the time.

    I only had a finite amount of Loconut¡¯s Hair so every now and then I¡¯d have to walk over to the tree and collect as much of it as I could find. After the tenth or eleventh time of doing that I found that I¡¯d hit the tree more often than I¡¯d missed it.

    I worked out pretty quickly that I was more accurate if I kept my elbow high. It felt counterintuitive but if it worked it worked. I also learnt to only breathe halfway out before firing the hair. For some reason that seemed to steady me a bit.

    The main issue though, was my forearm.

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    Roughly half the shots I took resulted in the bow string striking my forearm and I now had a nasty red welt on it. It had scabbed a little and was oozing slightly. I hoped it wouldn¡¯t get infected. That would be a truly tragic way to die in a new world shrouded in magic.

    Imagine being isekai¡¯d away only to die of an infection a few days later. I¡¯d be the laughingstock of the whole world.

    My stomach growled again for the first time since my fight with the Loconut and I realised just how much I desperately needed to eat.

    I collected my arrows for the last time and headed out.

    There was a second trail leading away from the clearing and I figured it only made sense to keep following it. After all, the first trail had led me to the weapons box so hopefully this next one would lead me to some food.

    After a few minutes of walking a notification filled my HUD.

    New Quest: Bear Grylls

    You¡¯re stranded in the wilderness. You need food and water to survive. Whatever will you do? Well, you could drink your own piss like the famous earth TV personality Bear Grylls, or you could try and find something fit for human consumption. It¡¯s up to you.

    Objectives:

    Eat something 0/1

    Drink something 0/1

    Reward: Not dying of starvation. You¡¯re welcome.

    These rewards aren¡¯t very helpful. I thought as I finished reading the new quest.

    At least it aligned with my own goal though and hopefully I¡¯d gain another level from it. I needed to remember to check my stats afterwards and see if levels affected anything other than HP and Stamina.

    I wasn¡¯t sure exactly how I would find food and water, but if it was a quest then theoretically it should mean that there was some out there.

    Keeping my bow in my hand I continued to walk along the dirt path. It didn¡¯t take long before I came across another clearing though. This one was quite different than the last. I rubbed my eyes thinking I¡¯d gone delirious.

    In the middle of the clearing was a stage with a large metal pole in the middle of it. There was a deer dancing on the pole. Yup, that¡¯s right. A pole dancing deer.

    It moved its furry body like a human. Its eyes had lashes that looked fake, they were curled and long. It had little pink blush marks on its cheeks like it was wearing makeup and, possibly, most concerningly it was wearing women¡¯s lingerie and stripper heels.

    Sat in front of the stage was a group of stags, each with long, branching antlers. They also wore human clothes. The one in the middle had a crown on its head and a shirt that said Pussy Patrol on it.

    It was surrounded on both sides by more stags who all wore the same shirt. One had sunglasses on and another was desperately trying to shove what looked like a dollar bill down the pole dancer¡¯s G-string.

    Naturally, another notification appeared.

    You have discovered a new monster!

    Stag Party

    These rambunctious little rascals are exactly the kind of brain-dead idiots you¡¯d expect to find at a strip club. One of their buddies is about to tie the knot so naturally his friends decided to take him out to see some deer titties, after all, it is his last night as a free man ¨C or deer in this case.

    You have discovered a new monster!

    Doe Dancer

    Oh deer. This poor girl likely grew up craving attention from her inattentive father and now spends her nights taking her kit off in the hopes of getting some attention from creepy guys at a stag party and the one older man who claims he¡¯s only there for the free buffet.

    Now I know you¡¯ve heard the jokes about how it¡¯s ok to kill strippers and hide them in the trunk of your car, we¡¯ve all seen American sitcoms after all, but don¡¯t try any funny business, like eating her, or you¡¯ll end up as the deerly departed.

    Get it?

    But seriously, don¡¯t eat her. She probably tastes like gristle and shame anyway.

    I had to rub my eyes after that last pun, I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw my own brain. Dad jokes aside though, this might have been the chance I needed to get something to eat.

    People hunted and ate deer all the time back on earth and maybe I could even make some clothes from their hides and weapons from their horns.

    The only question now was how to kill them. I didn¡¯t know what level they were at and there were five of them and only one of me. The odds weren¡¯t exactly in my favour and I imagined one good charge from a stag would rip me in two.

    I didn¡¯t really have a lot of options. Obviously I¡¯d have to use my bow but even if I killed one with the first shot, surely the rest would charge at me straight after.

    Then I had a lightbulb moment. It had been staring me in the face all along. I knew choosing the ranged weapon was a good idea.

    I turned towards the closet palm tree and moved towards it. I looked around and the Stag Party hadn¡¯t noticed me yet, they were too enthralled by the stripper spinning herself upside down and wiggling her ass at them.

    Perfect.

    I quickly glanced to the top of the tree. The last thing I wanted was to be attacked by another Loconut as I climbed. Luckily there wasn¡¯t one up there, at least not one that I could see.

    I wrapped my legs around the thin tree trunk and began to climb, and by climb I mean shuffle.

    It was a painful ascent. Each time I pulled myself further up I scratched the skin around my thighs. Pretty soon I was leaving a blood trail on the tree trunk and I noticed my HP had dropped to 18/20.

    I was determined though. This was the smartest way. Everyone knows that deer can¡¯t climb trees. It was a fool proof plan if I did say so myself.

    Once I reached a significant height I squeezed my legs together to hold me in place. Unfortunately palm trees didn¡¯t have strong branches I could perch on, but this should do.

    I shifted around a little until I had a good view of the clearing. I pulled out my bow and a hair, took aim, breathed out halfway and loosed it.

    The hair soared through the air towards my intended target. The stag in the middle, I¡¯d called him the Groom in my mind to make identifying them a little easier.

    I watched with bated breath as my little hair flew gracefully through the sky. I continued watching as it soared right over Groom¡¯s head and hit the Doe Dancer squarely in the face.

    She was still hanging upside down and her limp body left the pole as if in slow motion before landing on the stage in front of the stags. Blood leaked from the hole as the light left her eyes.

    An achievement popped up on my HUD but I waved it away. I¡¯d check it later.

    The stags all turned to each other, raising their palms in confusion, and looking around at the others in their group.

    ¡°Alright, which one of you idiots killed the stripper?¡± The sunglasses wearing one said.

 Chapter 4 â€“ Why Is That Deer Naked?

    Whilst the Stag Party were busy pointing the finger at each other stumbling around like unattended toddlers at a supermarket, I took my second shot.

    I lined up the Loconut¡¯s Hair and loosed another shot. Once again aiming for Groom. The hair whizzed through the air, aiming for his centre mass ¨C his heart. I realised that going for a headshot was probably a bit above my current skill level.

    Naturally it made more sense to aim for the largest part of my prey. He turned to the side as one of the others spoke to him and then yelled in a high-pitched voice as he was hit.

    The hair pierced his shoulder and I cheered audibly. My first time hitting an intended live target. What an achievement! It might not have killed him outright but it must have done some damage.

    ¡°What the¡­ hey I think there¡¯s someone else here!¡± The sunglasses wearing stag shouted. I decided to name him Sunglasses to make it easier.

    Crap, he must have heard me cheer. Rookie mistake Kaleb. Don¡¯t be such a noob. I admonished myself.

    Sunglasses began looking around. He raised his hand to his eyes, as if blocking out the sun, and eventually he settled on me.

    We locked eyes for a moment and I froze. Who¡¯d have thought I¡¯d end up being the deer in headlights. Jesus, now I¡¯m starting to sound like that obnoxious, pun-loving system message announcer.

    ¡°Hey look, there¡¯s something up there.¡± Sunglasses said, pointing towards me.

    ¡°Why is that deer naked?¡± The podgy looking stag asked. I decided to call him Podge to make identifying them easier.

    The only stag I hadn¡¯t yet named had no identifying clothing, however he was the one who was trying to put a dollar bill in the stripper¡¯s G-string earlier. I decided to call him Perv. With the naming done I could concentrate on choosing my next target.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s got alopecia?¡± Sunglasses replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it¡¯s got, it just fucking shot me!¡± Groom said, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

    Whilst they were busy nattering I nocked my next hair and took a shot at Groom again. This time it hit him in the neck and the stags screamed as a group.

    His neck exploded in a torrent of blood that shot out like a water pistol, soaking Sunglasses. He dropped backwards to the floor and began scuttling away, lip trembling as he half screamed, half cried.

    ¡°What the fuck. This can¡¯t be happening. He was supposed to get married tomorrow. I¡¯ve known him since pre-school. Oh my god, oh my god.¡±

    I began nocking the second arrow but stopped as I heard his desperate, pleading screams. He sounded human. Was I the bad guy here? These deer were monsters weren¡¯t they?

    ¡°Please Mr Naked Deer, don¡¯t shoot. We surrender!¡± Podge shouted, throwing his hooves in the air.

    He looked genuinely terrified.

    Perv dropped to his knees, cradling Groom¡¯s limp carcass in his arms and crying. He gently closed his dead friend¡¯s eyes before placing him on the ground and standing.

    Shaking, he began to speak as he too raised his hooves.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t shoot! We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡±

    Sunglasses didn¡¯t join in. He looked truly traumatised as he sat rocking on the floor and mumbling something about how his friend was supposed to get married tomorrow.

    I lowered my bow. I felt awful. This wasn¡¯t how games were supposed to be. In games you killed monsters for experience points and they tried to kill you too. It was simple, it was obvious.

    Then it finally occurred to me.

    This isn¡¯t a game.

    I began climbing down the tree. I didn¡¯t know what to do, what to say, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to shoot these creatures anymore. In their eyes I was a cold-blooded murder, a terrorist.

    Imagine if I¡¯d started killing people on a stag do in Vegas. I¡¯d become an infamous serial killer overnight. Maybe it was the same here. Maybe here, the deer were just another race of people. I mean, they wore clothes, they seemed to have human sensibilities. They could speak for god¡¯s sake.

    What have I done? I thought as I reached the bottom of the tree.

    I walked towards them slowly, struggling to look any of them in the eyes. They looked terrified, stood there with their hooves raised above their heads in surrender.

    I was a horrible person. That damned system announcer had tricked me. How gullible did I have to be to think that it was ok to shoot creatures attending a stag party.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    That¡¯s not ok no matter what world you¡¯re in.

    As I entered the clearing Sunglasses finally looked up.

    His eyes were wide with the thousand-yard stare of a seasoned veteran. Tears streamed down his face.

    ¡°Why?¡± He mumbled with a cracking, pained voice.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± I replied in a hoarse whisper. ¡°I thought you were monsters. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Sunglasses stood up and the other two dropped their hooves seeing that I was no longer a threat. I stood before them with a lowered head. I felt terrible. How would I ever come back from this?

    Perv approached me hesitantly and placed a hoof on my shoulder. It was oddly comforting, despite being so heavy. How could he be so understanding when I¡¯d just murdered his friend?

    ¡°We are monsters, and you¡¯re a gullible idiot.¡± He said menacingly.

    Shocked, I looked up to see a devilish grin on his face. His eyes were dark and malevolent, like those of a demon. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and looked down to see a knife sticking out of it, it was held precariously between the two parts of his hoof.

    I looked back up, wide eyed and jumped backwards. I stumbled over my own feet and landed on in the dirt as Prev tipped his head back and began laughing like a maniacal Bond villain.

    The others joined in; Sunglasses literally doubled up in hysterics.

    ¡°Oh you were supposed to get married tomorrow.¡± He mimicked his earlier words in a mocking and whiny tone as he struggled to get the words out between laughter.

    ¡°Yeah, and you were all like. Please Mr, we surrender.¡± Podge joined in; slapping Perv on the shoulder as he doubled up as well.

    I watched in horror from my position on the floor. What the hell was this place. This was sadistic, it was horrifying.

    You don¡¯t have time to freak out.

    I took a breath and tried to get serious. My health was depleting rapidly. It had fallen to 7/20 already. I was going to die if I didn¡¯t do something.

    Looking down I saw the knife still protruding from my stomach. With a grimace I reached down and gripped it with both hands. I pulled it out with a groan. It was painful as shit. Blood seeped out as I finally yanked it free.

    My HP had dropped to 5/20. It seemed to stay there though. Removing the knife had oddly worked. It was a bit counter intuitive though. Back on earth the advice was to keep the knife in so it could plug the hole. Then again, earth logic probably wasn¡¯t all that relevant in a world with talking deer and magic sceptres that I couldn¡¯t use. I wasn¡¯t bitter about that or anything.

    I looked down at the knife in my hand and then up at the laughing deer. They weren¡¯t paying attention to me. They¡¯d underestimated me. I¡¯d make sure it was the last thing those sadistic bastards ever did.

    I stood up, lurching to one side as my stomach throbbed with pain from the stab wound. I didn¡¯t have time to use my bow. They¡¯d pounce on me before I got off a second shot. No, I¡¯d have to make do with the knife.

    I needed to be fast, catch them off guard.

    I began walking towards them, one hand clutching my stomach. I would have liked to charge, but I only had 5/20 HP left and I didn¡¯t want to risk losing more health to my unhealed wound.

    So instead, I staggered towards them. Trying to look as unthreatening as possible. They¡¯d underestimated me before, surely they¡¯d continue doing so.

    I was only a few steps away. When I finally got close enough, Sunglasses looked up. The others were still bent over in hysterics, mimicking each other, and laughing ever harder.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not dead yet. Good for you little buddy-¡±

    Before he could finish I stabbed him in the throat and pulled the dagger out, spraying myself with his blood.

    He gagged and clutched at his throat as a large piece of gristle flew off the end of the knife. He looked at me with surprised eyes and fell to his knees.

    Before the others had time to react I turned the knife around in my hand and hammered it into Perv¡¯s head. He dropped like a sack of bricks. Hitting the ground with a thud.

    That¡¯s for stabbing me you dicks.

    Finally I turned towards Podge. He¡¯d stopped laughing now. He took a step back in horror as I continued towards him and he fell to the ground. He continued backing up, shuffling backwards. He looked petrified. He quickly reached the stage and had nowhere else to go.

    He looked up at me with pleading, terrified eyes.

    ¡°P-please.¡± He began. ¡°I have a family. J-just let me go and we can pretend this never happened.¡± He stammered.

    ¡°P-please I have a family.¡± I replied in a mocking tone, just like the one they had all been using only moments ago. ¡°Fuck you.¡± I said as I plunged the dagger into his neck and twisted.

    He sputtered and writhed against me as I dopped my knees onto his chest, pinning him down. He took longer to die than the others and I made sure to look him in the eyes as the light finally went out.

    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with this place.¡± I muttered, shaking my head.

    I rolled off the deer and laid against the stage. I felt mentally exhausted. My stomach twinged as I moved but my health hadn¡¯t gotten any lower. I looked down and realised the blood had stopped. The wound was scabbed over, but it didn¡¯t seem to be healing on its own.

    Chances were that I¡¯d have to eat something to replenish my health. It made sense with the quest I was given being about food. Everything I¡¯d had to do so far seemed to teach me something about this world, like a tutorial. Though I could have been reading into it too much.

    I decided to take a breather for a few minutes before I thought about food and how to heal. I¡¯d gotten a few notifications during the fight so I decided to read them.

    You have defeated:

    Doe Dancer (lvl 1)

    You heartless bastard, she was just trying to put her kid through college.

    Experience gained.

    You have unlocked a new personal skill!

    Speak English Damnit!

    You know how it can get really frustrating when you visit another country and they have the audacity to speak in their own language instead of speaking in yours? Yeah, well that¡¯s not going to be a problem for you anymore. You can thank me later.

    Interesting. That would explain how I could understand those annoying stags. That skill was actually pretty useful, though it wouldn¡¯t make me any better at combat.

    You have defeated:

    Stag Party (lvl 1) 4/4

    Experience gained.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 3

    I was surprised their levels were lower than mine. So much for bonus experience for killing a monster above my own level. Oh well, it was probably for the best. If they were any stronger I might not have won.

    I looked around at the stags and they all had loot notifications above them. I had a couple of other notifications but the lure of potential loot won out. I should have probably eaten them but the idea of eating guys who were that sadistic made me nauseous. I mentally clicked yes on all four loot tags.

 Chapter 5 â€“ I Warned You Not To Eat The Stripper

    You have received a new item!

    +1 Sunglasses

    These bad boys give plus one to your charisma, not that you have any. You should take them; you need all the help you can get.

    That was strange, charisma wasn¡¯t even on my stats list. Were there hidden stats that I couldn¡¯t track or was the system being literal when it said I didn¡¯t have any? Before I had a chance to check, the next notification popped up.

    You have received a new item!

    Pussy Patrol T-shirt

    There¡¯s nothing magical about it. It¡¯s a t-shirt. Better luck next time.

    That was a little disappointing. I needed some clothes but pussy patrol? It wasn¡¯t my preferred choice, to put it mildly. Not to mention it was probably covered in asshole deer blood.

    You have received a new item!

    Antlers x2

    Antlers, they¡¯re useful both as a potion ingredient and as an ornament for the hood of your pickup truck. Yeehaw!

    You have received a new item!

    Pervert¡¯s Lighter

    You don¡¯t need me to explain what this is.

    As soon as the notifications had ended the four stags burst into silver confetti and began floating away into the sky. It was just like with the Loconut but without the awful smell.

    I was about to try on the sunglasses when I noticed the exclamation mark in the top left corner of my HUD. I¡¯d almost forgotten, I still had more notifications from the battle. It was probably best to open them now before I got sucked into trying out my loot.

    You have gained a new combat skill:

    Bow

    Bow has advanced to lvl 1

    Bow has advanced to lvl 2

    Due to Bow advancing to lvl 2, you can now choose a new combat skill.

    Pick 1/3:

    A new combat skill? Now that¡¯s more like it! I thought, pumping my fist in the air, and immediately regretting it as my stomach throbbed reminding me of the wound I hadn¡¯t healed yet.

    By the sound of it I could choose one, but I had three options.

    ¡°That¡¯s awfully magnanimous of you.¡± I mumbled to myself.

    Through a grimace, I looked through my options.

    Novice Bowman

    A novice bowman has more chance of actually hitting what they aim for instead of, say, accidentally shooting a stripper right off the pole. You should pick this one, you reeeaaallly need it.

    It seemed the system was back to its old self again. I didn¡¯t know why it was so rude to me, but in this case it was actually kind of right. I¡¯d been aiming for Groom but missed and hit the stripper in the face instead. It was probably right; Novice Bowman was a good choice. I kept scrolling anyway.

    Hair Regrowth

    Since you love using Loconut¡¯s Hair instead of arrows I figured I¡¯d give you a skill for it. Now, if you land a successful hit using Loconut¡¯s Hair a replacement hair will appear in your inventory. Like you said, I¡¯m magnanimous.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Infinite ammo was a pretty good perk, I wasn¡¯t going to lie. But I had the feeling that real arrows would be better and surely I¡¯d find some eventually. It was a skill that would help in the short term but would probably become pretty redundant pretty fast.

    Also, that last bit at the end of the skill worried me. I¡¯d gotten this achievement during the fight, yet the system mentioned something I¡¯d only said a minute ago, after reading the last notification.

    If that meant it could change skills and rewards on the fly then I needed to be more careful with what I said aloud. It was obviously listening. Creepy.

    Heat Seeking Hair-sile

    This one¡¯s a personal favourite of mine. What¡¯s better than shooting hair at people? Shooting hair that locks onto a target and won¡¯t go away until it hits its mark. Like a friendly bumblebee of death.

    That would be pretty useful, especially since I wasn¡¯t the best shot. But my accuracy wouldn¡¯t improve if I had a targeting system and once again, the skill would be redundant in the long term once I found some arrows. Even though it was the most boring option, it only made sense to go for the first skill on offer.

    The idea of playing into the system¡¯s hands annoyed me a bit though, considering it advised me to pick that one. Though maybe that¡¯d get it off my back for a little while. Without fanfare I mentally asserted that I wanted to pick Novice Bowman. A moment after that another notification appeared and this one caught me by surprise.

    You have gained a new combat skill:

    Dagger

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 1

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 2

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 3

    Due to Dagger advancing to lvl 2, you can now choose a new combat skill.

    Pick 1/3:

    I was caught off guard by being awarded a dagger skill, though it did make sense. I¡¯d killed three of the stags with a dagger. I picked up the blood-soaked weapon and looked at it fondly.

    ¡°We might not have started off on good terms with you stabbing me and all, but you really saved my ass back there.¡± I said, realising soon after how odd I must look talking to a dagger like an utter psychopath.

    I put the dagger into my inventory and looked at the skill choices.

    Novice Daggerman

    It¡¯s the same as the bow skill you just picked but with more slicing. You get the picture.

    Stagger Dagger

    Slicing an enemy with your dagger has a 10% chance of stunning them. This applies to every hit by the way, so if you cut a single enemy ten times they¡¯re gonna get stunned, probably. Also wordplay, because you murdered all those harmless Stag Party guys in cold blood.

    ¡°It was not in cold blood!¡± I shouted at the sky, causing my stomach wound to hurt again.

    Despite the ridiculous explanation, the skill itself was actually pretty good. However, the last one was better.

    Dhampir Dagger

    A Dhampir is the offspring of a human and a vampire. They can¡¯t turn into bats or anything but in some earthen mythos they drink blood to gain power, or because they think they¡¯re edgy or whatever. Anyway, the point is that the Dhampir Dagger will steal HP with every cut you make. That¡¯s right, cut them and heal yourself in the process!

    Gain 10% of damage inflicted by the dagger as HP.

    Without hesitation I picked that one. It was a no brainer really. If I¡¯d had that skill already I wouldn¡¯t be sat at 10/25 HP. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, my health increased by 5 points because I reached level 3 so I had been healed ever so slightly. I figured that was what stopped the bleeding and caused the wound to scab over.

    I really wanted to sit there a little longer and go through the loot I¡¯d gotten, but I figured it was about time I ate something, completed that quest, and hopefully healed myself back up.

    For all I knew there were monsters roaming around and I needed to be in fighting shape if I wanted to have any chance of surviving long enough to justify picking the most boring bow skill.

    I pulled myself up and looked at the Doe Dancer.

    The system asked me if I wanted to loot her, a hovering notification floated above her corpse. I decided not to press Y or N though. I didn¡¯t want to risk her disappearing. Instead, I pulled my new dagger from my inventory and cut into her back. I cut a sizable chunk out of her, gipping as I went.

    It didn¡¯t smell bad or anything, it was just gross. She may have been a deer but she was wearing underwear and makeup. It felt so wrong to cut her up for food, even if that was exactly what people did back home to the non-stripping deer we had there.

    After a bit of messing around I managed to get the chunk free and a notification popped up.

    New consumable received:

    Stripper Steak x1

    Restores up to 50 HP and tastes like cigarettes and regret.

    I really hoped that last part wasn¡¯t true as I stored the meat in my inventory. Looking back up at the dead Doe Dancer I smiled. Not because she was dead, or because she was a stripper, but because the loot notification was still there.

    I didn¡¯t know yet whether my inventory would keep food fresh so I wasn¡¯t about to carry an entire deer¡¯s worth of meat in there. Not when there was sweet, sweet loot to be had.

    You have received a new item!

    Stripper Heels

    These bad boys will make you look six inches taller and if you don¡¯t think that¡¯s a lot then imagine how all the women you¡¯ve dated felt.

    +1 to sex appeal.

    Ok that¡¯s not a real stat, I made it up.

    Well that was a waste of time. I should have just butchered her after all. I thought with an audible sigh.

    Either way, it was time to eat.

    My stab wound wasn¡¯t going to heal itself. Luckily, I had everything I needed to get the stripper steak to a nice medium rare.

    Grinning, I took out the pussy patrol t-shirt and the pervert¡¯s lighter. I placed them to one side of the stage in front of me. Next I grabbed one of the antlers and the stripper steak.

    I stabbed the antler through the steak. Then I lit the t-shirt on fire and began slowly rotating the steak over the fire.

    The lighter itself was a bronze colour and it had a motif of a pole dancing deer on it. It was a bit gaudy but I guess that¡¯s why it was called Pervert¡¯s Lighter.

    ¡°I bet you wanna make a spit roast joke right about now don¡¯t you?¡± I said, looking towards the sky.

    I didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been in this new world but it wasn¡¯t showing signs of getting dark any time soon. I wondered for a moment if days followed the same pattern I was used to. Maybe it never got dark, or maybe it did but the days lasted twice as long or something. Who knew, but I wasn¡¯t too tired either, despite the ridiculous day I¡¯d been having, so it probably just wasn¡¯t all that late yet.

    As I continued rotating the steak I smiled to myself as I pictured the system announcer, whoever or whatever it may be, cursing to itself as it realised I wasn¡¯t going to be wearing the ridiculous shirt it gave me.

    Pretty soon the steak was looking good and smelling even better. Even without seasoning, the gamey smell made my mouth water. I usually ate deer medium rare, and by usually I meant that one time I had deer in a nice restaurant, but I was so hungry I figured I¡¯d try it rare.

    I bit into the steak and it was worth taking it off the spit early. The flavour exploded in my mouth. Fresh game was my new favourite food. Holy shit, no wonder people hunted these things so much.

    I ate it like a chicken wing, gorging myself on the succulent stripper meat. I¡¯d known I was hungry, but I didn¡¯t realise quite how famished I really was. I was so glad that it didn¡¯t really taste like cigarettes and regret.

    I finished up, tossing the left-over sinew and gristle onto the dying shirt fire. I felt really tired all of a sudden. I guess it made sense, it had been a long day and I¡¯d just eaten. It was pretty normal to want to nap after a big meal and I did eat a lot of stripper steak.

    I turned around and laid my head back against the stage. I was sure it would be ok to nap for a little while. Hopefully the smell of cooked meat wouldn¡¯t attract the monsters or anything. Honestly I was so tired I didn¡¯t even care if it did. I couldn¡¯t fight it; my eyes were drooping whether I wanted them to or not.

    Just as I was drifting off a notification pooped up on my HUD.

    *WARNING*

    You are being hunted!

    I warned you not to eat the stripper.

 Chapter 6 â€“ It Seems Someone Has Been Rather Naughty

    I came to in a haze. My vision was blurred and my body was chilled. Out in the palm tree jungle it was humid and warm so I¡¯d never really noticed the weather properly, being naked was actually kinda nice in that climate.

    Wherever I was now it was the opposite. I was chilled through. It reminded me of getting out of a sleeping bag when you¡¯re camping. The sweet embrace of sleep is warm, but then you wake up and have to get up and suddenly its cold and no matter how much coffee you drink it¡¯s still going to take an hour or so to fully warm up again.

    I hated that feeling.

    My vision felt fuzzy and unfocused as I tried to look around, then I realised why as my eyes began to focus. My HUD was dominated by warning notifications that flashed like angry wasps in my vision.

    *WARNING*

    You have been poisoned with Passout, the effect is instant.

    *WARNING*

    You have been captured by a hunter. Death is imminent.

    Well, that¡¯s not good. I thought as I read the warnings and mentally clicked on them to get rid of them. The hunters were mentioned in the opening announcement. If I remembered correctly, they were the guys that were trying to skin me for the tattoo I hadn¡¯t located yet.

    My heartbeat raced as I began to panic. I started looking at my surroundings. I seemed to be inside some kind of stone building, or maybe I was underground? There were no windows or natural light.

    The room had a lot of, what looked like, medical tools. A scalpel, a bone saw, a syringe with some weird purple liquid inside it.

    Wait, those aren¡¯t medical tools. They¡¯re torture tools!

    My heart sped up again and I found it hard to breathe. My breathing became laboured as I continued to look around the room. There was a single door on the far side, my only possible escape. There was a cauldron-looking thing in front of me, it was huge. If I was stood up it would easily reach my navel.

    Speaking of my navel, I wondered if I was still wounded.

    I looked down to see a faint, white scar where the stab wound had been. My HUD said my HP was full, so that was good at least. The deer meat must have healed me.

    My hands and feet seemed to be bound. I looked down and saw that it was rope that bound my feet, I couldn¡¯t tell with my hands because they were behind my back and they¡¯d gone numb.

    I needed to escape, but how?

    Calm down, remember, one small task at a time.

    I took a deep breath, in through my nose and out through my mouth. Keeping it circular, trying to slow my heartbeat. I would not get out of here if I was panicking.

    As if the system had read my thoughts, a new quest appeared.

    New Quest: Sink or Skinned

    You have been captured by a hunter who wants to take your skin and sew it together with other skins to create the map. It¡¯s probably in your best interest to not let that happen. This is what you get for ignoring my friendly advice when I told you not to eat the stripper.

    Objectives:

    Escape 0/1

    Free yourself from your binds 0/1

    Free or kill the other captive 0/1

    Kill your captor (optional) 0/1

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    What no reward? Cheapskate. I grumbled internally.

    It seemed that the quest had multiple parts. I needed to focus on the second objective first, getting out of the rope. However, I couldn¡¯t help noticing the third objective. There was another prisoner. Were they in here with me or were they somewhere else?

    I began looking around again and noticed a large wooden X on the other side of the cauldron. It was dark in the room so I couldn¡¯t be sure, but there seemed to be a human shaped outline strapped to the X. I had to look really hard to notice it though. I needed to raise my perception somehow if I ever got out of this room.

    I began thinking of ways to escape my rope binds when a thought occurred to me. I hadn¡¯t tried to use my inventory yet. If I could summon my new dagger into my hand I could cut the rope. It would be awkward, but I could try.

    I mentally asserted that I wanted my dagger in my right hand. Instead, I got another notification.

    *WARNING*

    The summoning of weapons is prohibited in this area.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s just great.¡± I muttered sarcastically.

    ¡°Hello?¡± A feeble voice called.

    I jumped and looked towards the wooden X. The voice seemed to have come from over there. I guess there was another captive in here with me after all.

    ¡°I saw them drag you in, I didn¡¯t realise you were awake yet.¡± The voice continued, it sounded strained.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± I asked, saying the first thing that popped into my head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where we are, but it seems to be some kind of flaying room. I¡¯ve been here for about a day now. Some guy keeps coming and chanting spells at me, they finally tied me up on this cross thing just before you arrived.¡±

    If he had been there a full day then either I¡¯d been unconscious for a really long time, or he was captured as soon as he got to this world.

    I wanted to ask, but I had more important things on my mind.

    ¡°I need to get out of these binds, then we can escape. Got any ideas?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°The stuff in this cauldron thing works like acid, I think. It could melt your rope?¡± He replied.

    Dipping my feet in acid was not high on the agenda. I sighed and began looking around for other options. Then I saw it again, the scalpel.

    It wasn¡¯t that far away from me; it was just behind the other captive. I began scootching my way towards it like a slug.

    My naked body grated against the cold, hard stone floor as I moved. It was uncomfortable, but luckily it didn¡¯t seem to be draining my HP.

    After a few minutes of what was essentially an intense ab workout, I reached the torture table. I rolled onto my knees and grabbed the scalpel with my teeth.

    The next step would be getting it into my hands, which were secured firmly behind my back, and still numb. I moved back towards my starting position and dropped the scalpel to the floor. I then turned around and basically tried to do the limbo until my hands touched the scalpel.

    Believe me when I say, that wasn¡¯t easy on the core muscles. I felt something brush against my hands. You know, how when your hands are numb you can still feel that you¡¯re touching something, it just feels like there¡¯s almost a barrier between your fingers and the object even though you can see that you¡¯re touching it? Well it felt like that, and with some effort, and a few times dropping it, I managed to get the scalpel into my hands.

    Next, I turned it around and began slicing at the rope. I could vaguely feel that it was working, but it was slow goings. Scalpels were designed for precision, not brute force cutting, but I was making some headway and pretty soon I felt the rope give way and my hands were free.

    I dropped the scalpel and began shaking my hands, trying to get a semblance of feeling back into them. Pretty soon the pins and needles came and then I could feel again. I picked up the scalpel and went to work on my leg restraints.

    ¡°He¡¯s coming.¡± The other captive moaned.

    He¡¯d been silent this whole time, I¡¯d almost forgotten he was there. His voice still sounded croaky and feeble.

    ¡°Who¡¯s coming?¡± I asked, still battling with the rope restraints.

    ¡°The hunter.¡±

    Shit!

    I began cutting at the leg restraints with a new vigour, hoping to free myself before his arrival. I was almost all the way through when the door opened and a crack of light illuminated the room.

    I managed to see the other prisoner for the first time. He had untamed, mousey brown hair and was stripped to his boxers. He was strung up on the wooden X, facing forwards. It reminded me of an old history documentary I¡¯d seen once where a soldier got tied up and flogged for disobedience.

    He was facing towards me, looking straight down into the cauldron and its acid. His face looked gaunt and his eyes were poofy. His lips were swollen and cracked. He was not in a good state.

    As the door continued to open, I did the only thing I could think of and played dead. Or, more precisely, I laid back down in the exact position I¡¯d been in when I¡¯d woken up. I put my hands behind my back as if they were still tied. My legs were almost free, but not quite. I held the scalpel firmly, waiting for a chance.

    If I was lucky he¡¯d leave before I needed to do anything.

    The door opened fully and a stout man in a crimson robe entered. He was bald with a tattoo of thorns around his head. He had a wiry build and dark eyes.

    He walked towards us, whistling a jaunty tune.

    What a sadist. I thought as his eyes glistened at the sight of his first captive.

    ¡°Today is the day boy.¡± He said in a squeaky, but serious voice. ¡°I can finally remove your piece of the map and move onto my new find.¡±

    He looked at me, grinning from ear to ear. I stared back defiantly. I was trying to play dead, be the grey man, push attention elsewhere. But something about this freak really pissed me off.

    ¡°Oh, it seems we have a feisty one. Don¡¯t worry number two, it¡¯ll be your turn to break soon enough.¡± He chortled as he spoke, as if the whole situation was somehow amusing to him.

    He walked over to the over captive and ran his slender hands over the man¡¯s back. Then, as if catching himself, he jumped a little and moved to leave. He walked towards the door and I breathed a sigh of relief.

    If he left then I could finish freeing myself, free the other guy and we could get the hell out of here. Hopefully I¡¯d get access to my weapons again after leaving the room. If it was possible, I wasn¡¯t going to leave this place without killing the hunter.

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure what had come over me. I¡¯d never killed a person before. But looking at this bald fuck, I felt bloodlust.

    Just as he was about to reach the door he turned back for a second, as if he¡¯d just remembered something. His dark eyes darted towards the torture table. He was going to notice that the scalpel was missing.

    Goddamn it!

    ¡°It seems someone has been rather naughty.¡±

 Chapter 7 â€“ A Sadist and A Battle Junkie

    The moment the robed man looked at the torture table I knew he would see that the scalpel was missing. In that fraction of a second, I knew that all bets were off and I acted without hesitation.

    All thoughts other than survival left my mind and I acted on pure instinct, fuelled by fear and adrenaline. As he looked at the table, I stopped pretending I was still tied up.

    As quickly as I could, I moved my hands to the front of me and began hastily cutting at the ropes binding my legs. I had nearly cut through them just before the man entered the room so I was confident I could free myself before he reached me.

    As I cut he spoke and turned in my direction. His dark, unfeeling eyes glistened with a sadistic joy to match his ear-to-ear grin.

    I could tell he was confident because he didn¡¯t panic at all. He walked towards me at a slow and threatening pace. That would be his undoing. I freed myself just as he passed by the other prisoner. He didn¡¯t seem to have any weapons which was a bonus for me,

    As he reached my position I channelled all of my power to my thighs and, from a squatting position, I leaped upwards and slashed at his throat with the scalpel. My attack landed, I felt the contact, but it was too shallow.

    He struck me in the solar plexus with a powerful palm heel strike and I flew across the room into the wall behind me.

    The wind was knocked out of me and all the air emptied from my lungs as I fought for breath. My health dropped dramatically.

    ¡°I like a feisty captive. I¡¯m going to enjoy beating that out of you.¡± He said, licking his lips as a look of pure, unadulterated joy spread over his face.

    Oh great. He¡¯s a sadist and a battle junkie.

    I struggled to my feet as he stood there, watching me. He wanted me to get back up so he could take pleasure in putting me down again. What a freak. His parents must have been mean to him as a child or something.

    I stood before him, panting as my lungs were still in shock. I still had the scalpel somehow, but I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be enough. I wouldn¡¯t survive another hit from him. As it stood my HP was already knocked down to 8/25. It had been full before. He¡¯d dealt 17 damage with a single palm heel. The man was a damned monster.

    I knew I only had one shot, so I followed my instincts and hoped for the best.

    I threw the scalpel at the man¡¯s face. He blocked it easily, but in that moment he was off guard I charged at him and shoulder barged him with all my might.

    He was caught off balance and fell backwards with a splash as he landed inside the cauldron.

    He screamed bloody murder as the acid began melting his skin. It stank of sulphur and burnt meat as his wails filled the room. I hoped there weren¡¯t any other hunters around to hear it or I¡¯d be screwed.

    Pretty soon the lower half of his body had disappeared and all that was left was the upper half of a torso draped over the side like a sock puppet.

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯re safe now mate!¡± I shouted as I pumped my fist in the air.

    I¡¯d managed to win. I was in a little bit of shock from the whole ordeal. I¡¯d never killed a person before. But I¡¯d won and I would live¡­ for now.

    It was strange to me. People back home always said that killing another person for the first time was a big deal. They¡¯d said it made some people vomit, others get depression and feel awful for what they¡¯d done. But in that moment the only thing I felt was absolute ecstasy.

    The notifications came pouring in but I ignored them for the time being. I needed to untie the other prisoner.

    ¡°Hey, we won mate. I¡¯m gonna untie you, I just need to find the scalpel.¡± I said cheerily to my comrade in capture.

    He didn¡¯t reply.

    I stood up and walked towards him. I hoped he was ok.

    ¡°Hey buddy, are you alright?¡± I said, cutting him loose.

    He wasn¡¯t the lightest fellow, despite being pretty scrawny at the time. Though maybe I was just weak. It didn¡¯t matter, I dragged him off the cross and sat him down with his back against the nearby wall.

    His head lolled and he seemed to be a deadweight. I wondered if he¡¯d passed out. He did seem pretty malnourished and frail when he¡¯d spoken.

    I figured I¡¯d best check he was still breathing so I tilted his head back.

    His face was gone. There was nothing there except for bone and leaking brain fluid. It was revolting. I heard a faint sizzling sound as more of his flesh began to disintegrate and then I realised.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    When I¡¯d thrown the robed man into the cauldron it must have splashed acid at the other prisoner. He was dead. I¡¯d killed him.

    That was the moment when the weight of taking another human life hit me as I vomited over his corpse.

    I scuttled back a few paces and looked at him. The man who was my counterpart in this awful, fucked up situation. An innocent human, spirited away against his will just like me. And I¡¯d killed him.

    It dawned on me that perhaps the trope of people feeling bad or throwing up when they¡¯d killed someone was more related to innocent life, or at least life they could understand.

    In war when soldiers kill each other, they feel something because the people they killed were just ordinary folk doing the same job they were. They could relate to them.

    The guy who accidentally kills someone in a car crash is affected by it because that person is innocent, just going about their daily lives, just as he had been.

    I didn¡¯t feel anything for the hooded man because he was the enemy. He was a sadistic bastard who was going to skin me alive and get off on the act of doing so. I couldn¡¯t relate to that. He wasn¡¯t innocent. He deserved a painful death.

    But this guy? He was a fallen comrade. And I didn¡¯t even know his name.

    The tears welled up as I sat on the floor for a while with my thoughts.

    ***

    At a guess, I¡¯d let about twenty minutes pass before I calmed down. I felt bad that it took such a short time to move on but I couldn¡¯t stay in the prison. It wasn¡¯t safe and I wasn¡¯t even at full health.

    I took a deep breath and looked at my notifications. I needed a distraction.

    Congratulations! You have defeated:

    Chrysus Cultist (lvl 10)

    You have received bonus experience for defeating an opponent above your own level.

    Wow, that guy had been 7 levels higher than me. If it wasn¡¯t for the acid cauldron I wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. It made sense that his palm heel strike would cause so much damage. The rank disparity alone was probably enough.

    As expected, I gained a few levels.

    You have advanced to lvl 4.

    You have advanced to lvl 5.

    Advancing to lvl 5 has unlocked the following:

    Achievements

    X5 Free Stat Points per level

    That was interesting. Now I had stat points I could start pumping up my stats. I wondered if they directly affected the things like my HP and Stamina.

    I didn¡¯t know what achievements were but I didn¡¯t have to wait very long before I got one. It was literally the next notification.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    I¡¯m Melting! Melting!

    You have successfully taken down an opponent more than twice your rank by using the environment. That¡¯s a dirty tactic if ever I¡¯ve seen one, kudos.

    Reward: x1 Acid Reflux Loot Box

    I¡¯d received a loot box. That was interesting. I hoped it had something useful inside, like maybe pants or shoes. I wouldn¡¯t get my hopes too high though, after all the system seemed to enjoy messing with me.

    Before I had a chance to stop it, the next notification came up on my HUD. The one I¡¯d been dreading.

    Congratulations! You have defeated:

    Player ¨C Brad Duncan (lvl 0)

    I could make this like a memorial and tell you about Brad¡¯s life here, but honestly he was a boring guy. He was captured before getting a single level, how lame is that?

    Reward: PKing Loot Box

    Do you want to absorb Player ¨C Brad Duncan¡¯s Celestial Map piece(s)?

    Y/N

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. What was a celestial map piece? I wondered if it was the proper name for those tattoos we apparently all had. In fact, I hadn¡¯t even checked to see if Brad had one.

    I also wasn¡¯t thrilled about the idea of being rewarded for killing another player.

    I crawled over to the corpse of Brad on my hands and knees. I was only a few paces from him. I gingerly turned over his body to take a look and there it was.

    The tattoo looked like a small jigsaw piece in the middle of his back. It was all black lines and remined me of a tiny piece of a tribal tattoo.

    It made sense that I couldn¡¯t find my own if it was placed right in the middle of my back like his. There was no way I¡¯d be able to see that without a mirror or a camera or something.

    I sighed and sat back, leaning against the wall.

    It would be a waste not to take the tattoo. I didn¡¯t really know what they were used for but I sure as hell didn¡¯t want the hunters to have it.

    It felt right, like a memorial for the man I¡¯d killed. So I mentally asserted yes to the question posed by the notification.

    Brad¡¯s body lit up like a starry sky. The tattoo itself lifted off his body like tiny particles of light. The light pieces looked physical, like I could hold out my hand and touch them.

    They moved towards me and I felt a warm glow on the middle of my back, like it had joined on to my own tattoo that I assumed was also there.

    I felt a small power flowing through me. It was nice and warm like sitting on the beach in a tropical paradise and letting the sun warm your skin.

    You have assimilated a piece of The Celestial Map:

    Celestial Map pieces collected: 2/10,000

    10,000 pieces? Jesus. I¡¯d known that the system announcer had told us we all had a piece of this map but it only just dawned on me that someone would have to kill 10,000 people to get the whole thing.

    That was insane!

    Talk about mass murder. No wonder I disliked the hunter I¡¯d killed so much. You¡¯d have to be unhinged to kill that many people just for some stupid treasure map.

    New Quest: The Celestial Map

    Collect all the pieces of The Celestial Map. Upon completion of this quest you will unlock another quest.

    Objectives:

    Map pieces collected 2/10,000

    Reward: Vast Cosmic Power

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

 Chapter 8 â€“ A Pretty Terrible Disguise

    The system was trying to convince me to kill the other players. With a quest like that, with that reward, it obviously wanted the map to be completed. Apparently it wasn¡¯t particular on who did it either: a player or the hunters.

    There was no way I was going to hunt down and kill 10,000 people. Especially not for such a sketchy sounding reward. Vast cosmic power sounded like something out of an anime. What the hell did that even mean.

    Maybe I¡¯d turn into a god¡­ or maybe I¡¯d be able to go home. That was the first time I¡¯d thought about my wife since this thing started.

    I¡¯d put her out of my mind because everything was so overwhelming and I had to fight to survive. Actually, that was a lie. I¡¯d been enjoying myself. Not all the time, not when I accidentally killed Brad. But, in all honesty, parts of this had been fun so far.

    Who could blame me? Back home I had a boring job and a relatively boring life. I loved my wife and I had friends but outside of working and having a drink on the weekend what was there really to look forward to, to strive for?

    I felt bad even thinking it but part of me didn¡¯t want to go home. Not yet at least. I was a terrible person. My wife was back home probably thinking I was dead. She¡¯d have to give birth and raise our child alone and I had the audacity to be enjoying traipsing round a tropical jungle collecting loot.

    I hoped she was still on earth. The thought of her being in this place with child sent chills down my spine.

    I looked around the room again as the thoughts slowly settled down and I saw something I¡¯d almost forgotten about.

    Loot Chrysus Cultist?

    Y/N

    I mentally clicked yes. I needed all the help I could get and the dead hunter was 7 levels above me. Surely he¡¯d drop something useful.

    You have received a new item:

    Robe of Chrysus

    Whilst wearing this robe you¡¯ll be more likely to loot gold from enemies. You will also look like a member of the Order of Chrysus and you won¡¯t be naked anymore so that¡¯s a bonus!

    +10 Defence

    The idea of wearing the clothes of a man I¡¯d just killed didn¡¯t sit well with me. However, the idea of having a defence stat and looting gold from enemies was overwhelmingly good.

    Not to mention looking like a hunter would give me certain benefits. I still didn¡¯t know what lay beyond the door to this room. No one had come to check on the screams but that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t other hunters out there.

    For all I knew the room was soundproofed.

    I went into my inventory and selected the robe and like magic it appeared on my torso.

    I stood up and it hung down to my ankles, which means it must have resized itself by magic when I looted it because I was a few feet taller than its previous owner.

    It was crimson and came with a hood. The material was also really soft, like walking around with a freshly washed pillow strapped to your chest.

    Overall, I was pretty chuffed with the prize. It was probably the best loot I had. The only real issue was that it didn¡¯t come with a belt so I was forced to wear it open.

    I wasn¡¯t sure that was going to bode too well for me as a disguise considering my chest and cock sock were on full show. It might do the trick from behind though and I could always hold it closed with my hand and hope for the best.

    It did strike me as a little odd that the cloak wasn¡¯t half destroyed. The one the cultist had been wearing was mostly disintegrated by the acid. Had the system repaired it for me? I couldn¡¯t tell, I¡¯d have to file it away as system fuckery for now and move on.

    Next I tried to open my loot boxes but I got a strange error message.

    *WARNING*

    Action not possible. Loot boxes may only be opened in a safe area.

    That was odd, but it also confirmed the existence of safe rooms. I wondered where they were. Did this mean there were towns too? I couldn¡¯t wait to find out but for now I had more important things to attend to, like not dying at the hands of creepy cultists.

    With the loot boxes unavailable for the moment there was just one more thing to do before I could leave the room. Assign my free stat points.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    I had 5 of them to distribute and I had a good idea of what I was going to do with them. I needed to gain an idea of what stats actually affected after all. So naturally, since I had 5 different stats and 5 stat points I¡¯d put a single point into each stat and see what changes happened, if any.

    After doing that I immediately checked my stat sheet.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Level: 5

    Map Pieces: 2/10,000

    HP: 19/36

    Stamina: 32/36

    Strength: 6

    Agility: 12

    Perception: 8

    Vitality: 6

    Intelligence: 7

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!

    Combat Skills: Bow (lvl 2), Novice Bowman, Dagger (lvl 3), Dhampir Dagger

    The first thing I noticed was that I had three new sections on my stat sheet. The first filled me with dread. The stat sheet now told me how many map pieces I had. That damned quest.

    I tried to ignore it and move on. The other two sections were more useful. They showed my combat skills and their relative levels and something called Personal Skills which currently only showed my language affinity. From that I had to assume personal skills were passive skills and buffs.

    The other thing I noticed was the changes that came with the stat additions. When I added a point to my vitality stat my HP went up by 1 point which I guess made sense. In most video games back home vitality related directly to health.

    It seemed that the strength stat effected my stamina. I¡¯d have been willing to guess that it also effected how hard I could hit something since that¡¯s what logic would dictate, but I couldn¡¯t be sure.

    Thus far my stamina hadn¡¯t ever dropped too low but it was good to know how to increase it. I was certain that I¡¯d eventually need more in tougher fights.

    With that out of the way I cautiously exited the room and found myself in a posh looking corridor with a lovely, quilted red carpet. It was the softest thing my feet had touched all day.

    The corridor was well lit and only led in a single direction. The room I¡¯d been in was right at the end, which was probably lucky for me since the hunter had screamed bloody murder when I murdered him bloodily.

    I chuckled to myself at my own joke as I tried to lighten my bleak mood a little. Then I closed the door behind me. The last thing I wanted was for some nosey cultist to walk past and notice the bodies lying around.

    That was another thing. It seemed that humans didn¡¯t turn into stardust when I looted them, unlike the monsters I¡¯d killed previously. That was definitely going to be a problem eventually, but hopefully I¡¯d find a way out of the cultist¡¯s lair before it mattered.

    They¡¯d be sure to ask questions when they found one of their own dead and disrobed and their prisoner equally dead and missing his map tattoo.

    The next thing I tried was accessing my weapons from my inventory. As I thought, now I was out of the prison room I could remove my dagger again. I kept it in my right hand, hidden under my robe and used my left hand to keep the robe shut. I also pulled my hood up to hide my face.

    It was a pretty terrible disguise but from a distance I hoped it would do the trick.

    With those things taken care of I set off down the lush, carpeted corridor. It was only a few short steps before I heard something and my blood chilled as someone rounded the corner.

    He had his head down, nose stuffed in a large, black tome. I say he, but his face was covered by his hood so I couldn¡¯t actually tell. He wore the same robes as me.

    I took a breath and steeled my nerves as I continued walking. I needed to appear to be acting natural so I also put my head down and attempted to walk right past him.

    I succeeded. He barely seemed to register my presence as we slipped by each other in the corridor.

    ¡°Is the new captive awake yet?¡± He asked.

    I stopped.

    He¡¯d walked past me; I should have gotten away with it. If I spoke he¡¯d surely know I wasn¡¯t one of them. He must have thought I was the man I¡¯d killed and if that was so then he¡¯d know that my voice was much deeper than his.

    I was also a lot taller so if I didn¡¯t say anything and he actually looked up from his tome then he¡¯d realise something was up.

    Putting on my squeakiest voice and trying to mimic the hunter, I responded.

    ¡°He¡¯s still unconscious. I¡¯ll check on him again later.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    That was all the man offered before I heard his soft steps on the carpet as he continued on his way. I¡¯d done it!

    Before I could properly celebrate thought my heart skipped a beat. There were no other doors in the direction he was walking. He was going to enter the room.

    I turned around quickly and saw the man approaching the door. He reached absently towards the handle, all whilst still reading his book. I had to do something.

    Before I realised what I was doing I found myself walking towards him with my dagger outside of my robe. As he turned the handle I grabbed his mouth with my free hand and shoved my dagger into his throat. The last thing I needed was him screaming and if he was as high levelled as the hunter I wouldn¡¯t win in a straight fight.

    The man struggled for a few moments, trying to pry my fingers away from his mouth but I held on. At the same time I felt warmth flowing into me from the dagger, it must have been the healing effect. I checked my HUD to see that my HP was slowly filling back up.

    Then the man went limp in my arms and I got another notification.

    Congratulations! You have defeated:

    Chrysus Mage Cultist (lvl 4)

    It turned out he was actually weaker than me, which explained why he¡¯d died so quickly ¨C though most humans died if you stuck a dagger in their throat.

    I didn¡¯t get bonus experience or a level up from the kill but it didn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t expect to level up every time I killed someone.

    Every time I killed someone. The thought came so easily, was this my life now? Murdering cultists and taking names.

    I casually dumped the body in the prison room and looted him, gaining a second robe which I kept in my inventory. It wasn¡¯t like I could equip two of them at once after all.

    Interestingly I also received 10 gold coins from looting him. The effect from the cloak was working and surely if I could loot coins then I could spend them. Though I had no idea where.

    My HP had gone up from using the dagger but only by 2 points. The dagger awarded 10% of the damage inflicted in health points so that probably meant the dagger had done about 20 points of damage and the mage only had that much health.

    That seemed pretty weak compared to my 36 max HP but maybe it was because he was a mage. I had no way of knowing so I left the room once again, closed the door and continued down the corridor.

    When I reached the end I decided to take a right turn. I had no real reason for it, both directions looked pretty identical. I walked for a short while and luckily I didn¡¯t bump into anyone. The lair seemed quite spacious, either that or this cult didn¡¯t have many members.

    As I walked I felt something strange in the air. It was hard to explain but it was like some kind of aura calling to me. I followed the direction, perhaps naively, and came to stand in front of an ornate, black door.

    The door had a skull and crossbones etched into it in a fine, artistic carving. The aura didn¡¯t feel foreboding or anything though. On the contrary it felt welcoming, like it wanted me to enter.

    Maybe that was the trap, a false sense of security followed by unknown horrors and death. That would certainly make sense in the lair of an evil cult that wanted to skin me alive, but curiosity prevailed.

    Throwing caution to the wind I opened the skull door.

 Chapter 9 â€“ Absolute Lunacy

    The welcoming aura I had felt vanished as I found myself in a white room. More accurately, I was in an endless white space. There were no floors or ceilings, no windows, or walls, just the great expanse of nothing.

    I turned around to check and sighed in relief as I saw that the door was still there. Oddly, it was open, showing the hallway through it.

    What a strange place, I thought. Why would the cultists have a room that¡¯s really just an empty expanse?

    Without warning the door closed and disappeared and I was trapped in the plain of nothingness.

    I turned back around, or at least I think I turned back around. It was hard to tell in a featureless realm. Stood before me was a large man,

    He gave off a fearsome aura, but somehow I could tell it was part of the same welcoming aura that I¡¯d followed. Because of that I was not afraid as I stared at him.

    He wore a long, green cloak, underneath it was a barely contained, muscular body with a deep red scar across the chest. His lower torso was wrapped in white bandages and his hood was down revealing a handsome yet serpentine face.

    Parts of his cheeks seemed to have scales growing on them and his yellow eyes looked inhuman.

    ¡°Kaleb Akabane,¡± he began in a confident, deep voice that didn¡¯t match up to his snake-like features. ¡°I am Chrysus, the god of wealth. I have summoned you here to instruct you to worship me.¡±

    ¡°Sorry mate but I¡¯m an atheist.¡± I replied cooly.

    The god might have thought he was intimidating and powerful but nothing in my instincts told me that he was. His aura felt ferocious now, but only seconds ago it felt warm and welcoming. For some reason, I found it hard to see him as anything but that now.

    ¡°An atheist?¡± He replied slowly. ¡°You realise I¡¯m standing right in front of you?¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m not blind.¡± I replied with a chuckle. ¡°Listen mate, I don¡¯t really know what the word god means in this world. But where I¡¯m from it¡¯s about blind faith and in my opinion, blind faith is akin to a lack of accountability. That¡¯s a dangerous game to play with yourself, and religions are known to have started plenty of wars and committed lots of atrocities. I mean each to their own and all, but I don¡¯t want anything to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you wear my cloak?¡± He asked, folding his arms, and looking at me with a surprising amount of amusement.

    I realised that was why I recognised his name; it was the name on the cloak I had looted from the cultist I¡¯d killed. That meant this was his cult. Which in turn meant he was the one behind the attempted skinning of both me and Brad. I felt my eyes turn cold as I defiantly stared at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes and it¡¯s got some good buffs. My turn, why are you and your cult trying to skin people and why the fuck did you think it was ok to have your little hunter abduct me?¡± My voice felt alien and cold as I spoke. This wasn¡¯t a fiery rage like the kind you might see in battle, no, this was cold, hard hatred.

    ¡°You dare to question a god? You have got some meteoric sized caj¨®nes my boy.¡± He laughed, which only made me madder. ¡°I just told you I¡¯m the god of wealth, the Celestial Map is the pinnacle of all that I embody. I want it, so I¡¯ll take it. That is what it means to be a god boy, absolute power, no matter how whimsical.¡±

    He unfolded his arms and placed them in his pockets. His lips curled into a bemused smile, as if he was educating a small child. It irked me, but my hatred was still cold. I wasn¡¯t going to do anything irrational. If he was a god it¡¯d be futile anyway.

    ¡°Right¡­ so what are we doing here exactly? Can I go now?¡± I replied, trying to remain nonchalant to show him I wasn¡¯t intimidated.

    He sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes, like he had a stress headache or something.

    ¡°You¡¯re here because I led you here, to the door. I led you here because I want you to become my vassal, I thought I was pretty clear on that. Listen boy, I saw you take the map piece from the other prisoner. I didn¡¯t realise that was possible. Do you know how much easier it would be to put the map back together if all I had to do was bring you people and let you kill them? That¡¯s why I want you to be my vassal.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    He got more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes lit up. He was obviously passionate about the damned map, not that I really cared.

    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t know that I could adsorb map pieces? I thought gods were supposed to know everything.¡± I replied with a smirk.

    I was playing a dangerous game here but I couldn¡¯t help myself. He stared at me for a long moment with a hard glare, then his gaze broke into a momentary look of surprise before he continued.

    ¡°Gods in Celestia are not all knowing, well apart from maybe Athena, that woman is truly insufferable, but I digress. We aren¡¯t all knowing, we are simply the supreme power in Celestia. Suffice to say, it¡¯s unprecedented that a mere level 5 outworlder like yourself even can refuse a request from me, let alone that you would. It is most perplexing.¡±

    Athena, as in the ancient Greek god? What the fuck.

    ¡°Yeah I am a bit of an enigma, so can I go now I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, very well. But I¡¯ll only let you leave here alive on one condition. Refuse it and I will kill you right here and now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being your walking talking map. Just kill me.¡± I said arrogantly. I didn¡¯t know what had come over me. This was a god I was speaking to, why on earth was I asking him to kill me. I must have had a death wish or something, but I honestly couldn¡¯t help myself. The dude was just so flippant about the idea of killing 10,000 people.

    He seemed to have no qualms at all about causing all of that death just so he could attain some treasure from a map. It was absolute lunacy.

    ¡°No not that, I already know you won¡¯t accept that. I want you to accept my blessing.¡± He smiled a predatory grin that gave me chills.

    ¡°Why would you want to bless me? You know I don¡¯t like you right?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard the old proverb, keep your friends close and your enemies closer?¡±

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal,¡± I said.

    I felt power flow into me and my HUD felt like it wanted to give me a notification but nothing happened. I wondered if the system was blocked out of this realm. If gods truly were the most powerful in Celestia than maybe the system couldn¡¯t affect them.

    Though it was much more likely that the system was the true power and this god was just an arrogant tool.

    Chrysus gestured and the door reappeared. I opened it and walked through without saying goodbye.

    ***

    Chrysus sank down into his throne, rubbing his throbbing temples. The boy had been so obstinate, yet there was something important about him. For a moment when he stared at him, he¡¯d tried to kill the boy with soul pressure but he didn¡¯t even wince.

    It was almost as if he hadn¡¯t noticed it at all. Chrysus had to know more about him. A power that can withstand soul pressure from a god as easily as a mild breeze, that was a power he wanted.

    He was the god of wealth after all and it was his right to claim everything in this world for himself.

    ¡°My Lord, that boy was insufferable. Far be it for me to question the wisdom of one such as yourself, but why did you let him live?¡± His servant, Lucius asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s interesting.¡± Chrysus replied in a strained voice. ¡°I want to keep an eye on him. He might prove useful to me later.¡±

    Lucius furrowed his brow. He had been alive for a painstakingly long time. Not as long as his god of course, but much longer than most mortals.

    As the longest reigning high priest of wealth in history, he felt that he knew his god better than most. Yet this behaviour seemed odd to him. The boy was greedy, that¡¯s for sure. He seemed to relish loot and that was a quality highly regarded by Chrysus.

    However, his blatant disregard for rank disparity and divinity left much to be desired. Lucius had seen good men burnt to cinders for less by the very god who had just blessed this disrespectful boy.

    ¡°My Lord, does this boy have your protection?¡± Lucius asked.

    ¡°He has my protection from you Lucius. Don¡¯t you dare kill him when I¡¯ve just blessed him. Do you know how tiring it is to give one of those? If he attacks a member of the order they are entitled to protect themselves though and of course the low rankers currently in the temple can do as they wish.

    ¡°If the boy can¡¯t best the likes of them he¡¯ll never be of any use to me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Understood My Lord.¡± Lucius replied. ¡°I have to ask though; how did he manage to resist your soul attack? I didn¡¯t think that was possible.¡±

    Chrysus sighed and looked at Lucius with sad eyes.

    ¡°Lucius old friend, you¡¯ve been my longest serving high priest ever. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°Because I mostly keep my mouth shut and don¡¯t pry into godly matters?¡±

    ¡°No, because I thought you were too stupid to understand my secrets. Apparently I was wrong.¡± He sighed and flicked his wrist.

    Lucius exploded into tiny specks of ash and was no more. The high priest likely didn¡¯t even know he had died it was so instantaneous.

    Chrysus rang a little bell that sat on the arm of his large throne and a small man in crimson robes hurried into the chamber.

    ¡°The high priest is dead. Let the order know, I¡¯ll be holding a competition to find the next one in a few months.¡±

    ¡°Yes sire!¡± The small man said before running from the throne room.

    Things are getting interesting Kaleb Akabane. I just killed my oldest friend because of you. You better be worth it. Chrysus though menacingly, his fanged teeth poking out from his lips as he smiled.

 Chapter 10 â€“ Definitely Not As Good As A Dragon

    I stepped through the door and it slammed closed behind me. Before I even had the chance to survey my surroundings a notification popped up on my HUD as if it was bursting to get out. It flashed over and over, blocking my vision until I accepted it.

    I sincerely hoped it wouldn¡¯t do that during combat or it could get me killed.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Holier Than Thou

    You have met a god. Though not uncommon in Celestia, it¡¯s still an achievement for an outworlder like you. Gods are the most powerful beings in this world and you got to meet one, you lucky devil.

    Now prostrate yourself and prepare for a divine dicking!

    Reward: Divine Loot Box

    I was a little shocked that meeting a god was so common in this world. Getting another loot box was pretty cool though, especially considering that all I did was walk through a door.

    It felt almost too easy, but I wasn¡¯t going to complain.

    You have received a divine blessing:

    Blessing of Divine Wealth

    You have received a blessing from the God of Wealth. Blessings are rare even in this world which has more gods than it knows what to do with. Consider yourself lucky mortal, a god is more likely to kill a man than bless him.

    You will now be able to loot gold from every kill or assisted kill.

    You can only hold one blessing at a time.

    That was a pretty good perk! It was a shame I had to get it from such an egotistical, maniacal sociopath, but beggars can¡¯t be choosers.

    It basically awarded the same perk as the cloak did but now I wouldn¡¯t lose it when I found better, less dubious clothing. I wondered if the skill stacked. Would I be able to loot more gold whilst wearing the cloak now I had the blessing too?

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Child Prodigy

    You have received a blessing from a god on your second day in this world. That¡¯s like a toddler going through puberty. I don¡¯t know what he saw in you but be thankful for it, you lucky sod.

    Reward: Brown nosers don¡¯t get rewards.

    Well that achievement was a bit pointless. Why give me it if I don¡¯t get a reward? I thought.

    It was almost like the system just wanted to talk to me, or more likely that it wanted to be a dick. I didn¡¯t understand how the system worked fully, but it certainly enjoyed profanity and being a colossal asshole.

    Either way though, the meeting with the god worked in my favour no matter how you sliced it. I was still alive, despite being ruder than I usually am and I got to walk away with a nice new blessing.

    I could be a full-time level chaser now. I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about earning money like normal people. Not that I had time to worry about things like that in this world of monsters and hunters anyway, but it was still nice.

    As I clicked for the final notification to go away my vision was finally unobscured.

    I hadn¡¯t returned to the hallways, but instead found myself in a large room. Turning back to the door I quickly opened it to check the hallway was still there and it was.

    I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried for a moment that Chrysus had teleported me somewhere random.

    Turning back to the room I¡¯d landed in I took a moment to survey my surroundings. It seemed to be a library.

    There were bookcases on three of the four walls, filled with colourful, hardbacked tomes. The middle of the room was pretty bare, but there was something strange on the floor.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    It seemed to be a massive magic circle, for want of a better description. It was etched into the floor in what appeared to be melted gold. So it was a permanent magic circle.

    I wondered if that was rare here. It reminded me of a pentagram, with jagged lines that formed a geometric shape. It was certainly intriguing, though it further reminded me of my lack of mana and how I¡¯d missed out on getting the Basic Sceptre when I chose my starting weapon.

    Man I really wanted that sceptre. Bows were ok and I was growing fond of my dagger, but shooting fireballs from a sceptre was top tier isekai. Everyone knew that.

    Bows and daggers and swords existed on earth. They were a little outdated, but they were real things. Magic on the other hand was the stuff of dreams. Only a complete idiot would choose a normal weapon over a magical one. It was just common sense.

    But I had no choice in the matter.

    This stupid game is rigged! I thought angrily.

    Still, my love of magical things drove me forward within the room. Perhaps there were books in here that could help me learn more about it. With a silly grin on my face I went around the room taking all the books off the shelves and adding them to my inventory.

    I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d get the time to read, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a weight limit so far in the inventory so I had no reason not to loot them. Besides, if the cultists wanted these then it stood to reason that I should take them away.

    By the time I was done I had over 500 notifications, and 500 new additions to the travelling library of Kaleb Akabane.

    I waved the notifications away. I didn¡¯t have the time to sift through that many of them and they were only item notices anyway.

    After that I decided to take a closer look at the magic circle. As I approached I felt like there should have been some power coming from it, even a wave in the air would have been enough. I felt nothing.

    Feeling a little disheartened I moved into the middle of it. Now, I know what you¡¯re thinking; what kind of idiot steps inside an unknown magic circle? Me, I¡¯m that kind of idiot. Curiosity may have killed the cat but so far, it hadn¡¯t killed the Kaleb.

    As I stepped onto the golden etchings a bright red light filled the room. The gold began glowing as if it was turning molten and a wall of light surrounded me. I still couldn¡¯t sense anything magical happening though. If I closed my eyes, I¡¯d have never known any of this was happening.

    It was like I was magically blind. I was the Stevie Wonder of wizardry.

    As I sulkily looked around in wonder at the light show, a notification popped up.

    You have entered a summoning circle!

    Summon daemon familiar?

    Y/N

    A familiar? Like a monster who would fight for me? Hell to the yes!

    Now that¡¯s more like it!

    If I can¡¯t wield magic then having a minion do it for me would be the next best thing. Did I say minion? I meant to say familiar of course. I¡¯m not a whacko tyrant or anything.

    Also, if I was summoning a demon you could bet it was going to be crazy powerful.

    I immediately clicked yes on my HUD.

    The red light seemed to glow brighter and soon I was blinded to everything outside the circle. It was like the light was becoming more and more corporeal by the second.

    It spun around me, getting faster and faster. I was excited. If the fanfare was this extreme then I must have summoned something pretty powerful. Maybe it¡¯d be a litch, or a succubus or a dragon. I wasn¡¯t sure if dragons were actually demons but I still wanted one.

    Please God let it be a dragon that would be the coolest!

    The red light spun and shimmered, dancing across the circle before my eyes until it hit a crescendo. Then the light blinked out. With no further fanfare the light was gone and I was once again looking around the room, dumbfounded.

    There was nothing there. Where the hell was my dragon?

    ¡°Down here moron.¡±

    I looked down, and sat at my feet was a small panda smoking a bamboo pipe. It was about the height of my knee when it was sat down. So smaller than a regular panda, at least by my limited knowledge.

    ¡°A panda? How is a panda a demon?¡± I asked incredulously, taken aback by the sudden appearance of a cute, fluffy animal.

    ¡°A demon? Kid are you illiterate?¡± The panda laughed. ¡°You summoned a daemon.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an old timey spelling for demon?¡± I asked, raising a single eyebrow as I stared at the creature.

    He had sharp teeth and claws, so maybe he wouldn¡¯t be completely useless. He was a far cry from what I¡¯d expected though, definitely not as a good as a dragon.

    ¡°No. A daemon is more like a guide. We were originally go-betweens for gods and mortals back when the system tried to ban direct contact, but since it changed that rule back in the 12<sup>th</sup> century, we now act as guides¡­ sages if you will. Yeah I like that, I am your sage.¡± The panda grinned, showing me its sharp, fangy teeth, and took a drag from its bamboo pipe.

    ¡°Ok,¡± I began. ¡°I could definitely use some help understanding this world that¡¯s for sure. You can fight too right?¡±

    Now it was the panda¡¯s turn to look at me incredulously as it raised both its tiny eyebrows and cracked a bemused smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fucking panda, what do you think? It¡¯s a miracle my kind aren¡¯t already extinct. We¡¯re black and white yet we live in the jungles, I mean what kind of camouflage is that?

    ¡°On average we spend 16 hours a day eating, and literally all we eat is bamboo. That¡¯s like you living on a diet of nothing but bread. Hell, the average panda poops 40 times a frigging day. Not to mention the breeding issues. Did you know female pandas are only capable of conceiving a cub for 24 to 72 hours of the year.

    ¡°So no, I can¡¯t fight. I can give you advice, I can smoke and I can sing a mean Elton John cover, but I can¡¯t fight.¡±

    Shaking its head the panda took in a long drag from its pipe and blew the smoke in my face. It smelled like burnt bamboo.

    Fantastic.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯ll have to do then.¡± I sighed, waving the smoke out of my face. ¡°What do I call you?¡±

    ¡°Call me Panda.¡± He said, extending his paw as if he expected me to shake it.

    ¡°Panda the¡­ panda?¡± I asked, taking his extended paw. It was soft and fluffy.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like I named myself kid. We¡¯ve all got parents don¡¯t we, mine just obviously wanted me to get bullied in school.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, nice to meet you Panda.¡± I laughed as I took my hand back. ¡°I¡¯m Kaleb Akabane and if I ever end up going home I¡¯m gonna google all those panda facts you just dropped. There¡¯s no way you poop 40 times a day.¡±

    ¡°Those are verifiable facts kid; they don¡¯t hand out diplomas for nothing at sage school you know.¡±

    ¡°You went to school?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did, we¡¯re civilised people us daemons you know. Education is what separates men from beasts and I am most certainly a man. Just ask your mother.¡±

    ¡°Nice. We¡¯ve just met and you¡¯re already cracking mum jokes. This is going to be a long isekai.¡± I sighed.

    Panda continued smoking his bamboo stick and staring at me. It looked like he was sizing me up. I had an exclamation mark in my HUD¡¯s top right-hand corner meaning I¡¯d missed a notification. I opened it.

    Congratulations! You have successfully summoned a daemon!

    Panda is now your summoned familiar.

    Daemons are pretty rare as far as summons go, and they can be very useful for outworlders.

    *Familiars cannot die, if they drop to 0 HP you can resummon them in the options menu*

    That was useful to know. So even though Panda would be useless in a fight if he died I could just resummon him. Hopefully it wouldn¡¯t be too expensive.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to think of my new familiar, but he could be useful. It wasn¡¯t like I really knew anything about this world and by my estimations, things were only going to get more complicated.

    ¡°Ok Panda since you¡¯re my guide now, what should I do next? I¡¯ve pretty much just been wandering around trying not to die so far.¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, that one¡¯s easy kid. We need to get you a class. I think there¡¯s a city not too far from here. I say we head there.¡±

 Chapter 11 â€“ The Height Of Daily Office Job Embarrassment

    ¡°A class?¡± I asked the bamboo smoking panda. ¡°As in archer or wizard and the like?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± he responded between drags. ¡°In this world you need a class if you plan to fight monsters. Classes unlock more ways to increase your level, offer more stat points and they¡¯ll help you hone your fighting technique ¨C which I assume is pretty terrible right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve made it this far.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only a level 5 kid. You have no idea what kind of powers exist in this world. On a scale of noob to God you¡¯re not even old enough to start playing yet. Trust me on this, you need a class and some direction.¡±

    It felt oddly emasculating to be lectured to by a talking panda, but he was right. I had no idea what I was doing or how this world worked. I wouldn¡¯t say everything that had happened was down to luck, no amount of luck forces you to kill monsters and hunters, but I was fortunate to still be alive.

    Panda seemed to know his stuff, though I had nothing to compare him to. I decided to listen to his advice for the time being. First we¡¯d escape ¨C wherever we were ¨C then we¡¯d head for the city.

    ¡°Ok. First we need to get out of this place.¡± I said, nodding at my little companion guide.

    ¡°Agreed kid. Oh, and good job killing that level 10 earlier. That was impressive.¡±

    ¡°How did you know about that?¡±

    ¡°As part of the summoning contract I get a glimpse into your life so far in this world. You haven¡¯t been here long so I probably saw everything of note. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t mentioned your lack of pants.¡± He chuckled, raising his paw to his face.

    I turned away from him and opened the door to the hallway.

    ¡°For the record I don¡¯t want to be wearing a sock down there.¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Oh no, it really suits you kid. I¡¯m sure women will love that whole baby elephant dynamic you¡¯ve got going on.¡± He sniggered.

    Ignoring him I left the room and he followed behind me. Standing on his two back legs he reached my waist. He was pretty small for a panda, but at least he¡¯d take up less room in the inn once we got to town.

    I assumed there would be an inn at least. In most of the literature I¡¯d read there usually was an inn in isekai worlds.

    The corridor was still empty, to my relief. I followed the lush carpet, continuing in the direction I¡¯d been heading before the wealth god¡¯s aura had side tracked me.

    We didn¡¯t have to walk far before we found something.

    The corridor opened out into a huge foyer, it reminded me of a shrine or something. We were on the second-floor balcony looking over the golden railings.

    The room was huge. There were six roman columns made of gold on each side of the rectangular shaped room. At one end was a massive door covered in etchings that seemed to depict a big guy holding the world above his head. It remined me of Atlas from Greek mythology, except the man in this etching had a creepy, lustful smile on his face.

    It was obviously supposed to be Chrysus, the wealth god I¡¯d met. It looked just like him and this was his cult after all ¨C at least according to the loot drops I¡¯d had from killing two of them.

    The huge door was likely the exit, though what awaited us outside was anyone¡¯s guess. On the other side of the temple was an unnecessarily huge throne. It seemed to be made of solid gold and cushioned with purple pillows.

    I guess gold is more about showing off than comfort. Tells you everything you need to know about a guy who¡¯d make a throne out of it. I thought as I lightly shook my head, glanced towards the ceiling, and rolled my eyes. It was Chrysus¡¯ temple, it stood to reason that he could see me if he wanted to.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like anyone¡¯s home. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± I whispered, turning to Panda who had jumped up to the railing and was clinging on to get a view. His stubby legs were wagging underneath him as he couldn¡¯t touch the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s your show kid.¡± He replied. ¡°Just be careful if you¡¯re gonna open that big door. It probably makes a lot of noise.¡±

    With a nod I moved to my left and down a flight of stairs which led to the ground floor. I quickly glanced around to double check, but there truly was no one else there. I moved towards the large door and pushed.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I really hoped it was a push door. Accidentally pushing a pull door was the height of the daily office job embarrassment.

    To my surprise it moved easily, gliding across the floor as natural light began seeping through the cracks. I stopped pushing when it was cracked just enough to peak through.

    It seemed Panda was wrong this time. The door was quiet.

    I peeked outside and saw a large courtyard. It was filled with cultists. There was an outer wall that stretched past my vision in both directions and trees lined the outside, telling me we were still somewhere in the palm tree jungle.

    Almost directly in front of me was a large iron gate that seemed to open onto a dirt road. It was much wider than the dirt path I¡¯d been following on foot prior to my capture. The gate was closed though and there were guards stood on either side of it.

    They wore the same crimson robes as the rest of the cult, but these guys had some kind of armour over the top. It looked like chainmail but it was hard to tell from my position.

    The guards also wore helmets and held large spears in their hands. They would definitely be harder to kill than the cultists I¡¯d murdered earlier. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d win against people that well equipped.

    The rest of the courtyard was divided into two sections with an ornate, circular fountain in the middle separating them.

    On the left side there seemed to be training facilities. Cultists practiced with bows on straw dummies and some were sparring with swords. None of the training cultists wore armour but there was about ten of them that I could see.

    Way more than I could handle on my own at my current strength.

    On the right-hand side there were only three cultists and none of them had weapons. They were unloading crates from a vehicle which looked like an old army truck. It was a green flatbed with a khaki-coloured canopy covering the back.

    It reminded me of a WW2 era, troop transport. The right-hand side seemed like our safest bet. Hopefully we could sneak past them, but if not, taking out three unarmed guys and running had to be better odds than facing ten armed ones.

    I pulled my face back inside and told Panda what I¡¯d seen and which route I¡¯d planned to take.

    ¡°Sounds like the wise choice to me kid. Before we go though, take this.¡±

    He opened his paw and a small bottle appeared in it. Inside the bottle was a shimmering red liquid, it was thick and kinda reminded me of a red wine.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, taking the bottle from his paw. It was a stupid question because as soon as I touched it a notification appeared.

    You have received a new item:

    Inferior Health Potion

    Restores 20 HP

    Before Panda could answer me I took the stopper out and downed the drink. I needed all the help I could get. It felt warm and burned a little like a good scotch. It was sweet though, so also not like a good scotch.

    In my HUD I could see that my HP was fully restored leaving me with a full 36/36.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to drink it now!¡± Panda shouted in a raised whisper. ¡°You only got 4 points out of it! I wanted you to keep it to use in an emergency.¡±

    He continued bouncing around as it dawned on me how stupid I¡¯d been to waste the potion. It was the first thing I¡¯d drank since I¡¯d arrived here though and it got rid of that dry, sandpaper feeling in my mouth so I wasn¡¯t too upset about the mistake.

    It struck me as odd that I¡¯d been able to get away without drinking for such a long time. I wondered if it was the system interfering, or maybe it was the adrenaline form the whole experience.

    Before I had a chance to ponder further a new notification popped up.

    Quest Complete!

    Bear Grylls

    You¡¯re stranded in the wilderness. You need food and water to survive. Whatever will you do? Well, you could drink your own piss like the famous earth TV personality Bear Grylls, or you could try and find something fit for human consumption. It¡¯s up to you.

    Objectives:

    Eat something 1/1

    Drink something 1/1

    Reward: Not dying of starvation. You¡¯re welcome.

    I¡¯d completely forgotten I¡¯d been given that quest. It was a pretty useless one to pass though, I didn¡¯t really get anything from it. Still, I felt a kind of childish pride in completing it.

    As I finished reading Panda was still giving me the stink eye and shaking his head.

    ¡°Are you happy now? You completed a pointless quest by wasting my potion. Gods! I wish I had a different human¡­¡± He huffed angrily.

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like my parents.¡±

    Panda stopped complaining, stifling a chuckle, as I checked my inventory. I decided to go with the same approach I¡¯d used before. I¡¯d put the hood up, hold my knife under my cloak and use my other hand to keep the cloak shut.

    It wasn¡¯t a great disguise but I hoped it would help enough to by me the time I needed to get away from this place.

    I walked back to the door and peered through the crack once more. Everything seemed pretty much the same as it had before. With a deep breath I turned to Panda, who nodded back at me, and I opened the door just enough to squeeze through.

    Or at least that was the plan.

    As I pushed the door slightly and began moving through the opening, the door decided it had other plans. With a long and obscenely loud creak it slowly opened all the way.

    The sound grated heavily on my ears as the door scraped against the stone paving outside. After a few long seconds the noise stopped and Panda said:

    ¡°I told you it looked like a noisy door.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for that sage advice mate,¡± I said harshly.

    As I stood in the opening of the door, every cultist in the courtyard turned to look at me. The ten on the left stopped their sparring and target practice and stared at me. The three on the right holding their boxes stared at me and the even the two armoured guards by the gate turned to look at me.

    ¡°Fancy meeting like this.¡± I said, raising my left hand in a wave as my cloak opened to reveal my semi-nakedness.

 Chapter 12 â€“ Call Me Truck-kun

    ¡°Blasphemer!¡± One of the training cultists shouted as he stretched his arm out to point at my junk. ¡°He dares show off that in front of the house of our God?¡±

    The courtyard exploded into jeers and insults as I stood, opened robed, before them. I glanced around, I needed to do something and fast.

    My original plan had revolved mostly around stealth but that wasn¡¯t an option now. I¡¯d have to think on my feet.

    I took off running towards the right-hand side of the courtyard. That part of the plan hadn¡¯t changed. Facing three guards would be easier than facing ten, it was basic maths.

    The difficulty now was that I was on a timer. The guys on the left would reach me in less than a minute once they realised what I was doing. I needed to be quick.

    I rushed down the stairs to the right. The door had been situated on a platform that stood about six feet higher than the courtyard itself. It had a small stone railing separating it from the courtyard proper but it was only waist height and it was easy to see through.

    There were steps to the left and right which swung around in a half circle and were symmetrical to each other. The whole area kind of reminded me of a drug lord¡¯s compound in the tropics.

    I rushed down the stairs to the jeers of the cultists as they stood throwing insults at me. I reached the first cultist who dropped his box to the ground as a semi-naked man wearing a cock sock rushed towards him brandishing a dagger.

    That would be the last thing he saw as I slashed at his throat, tearing out his jugular. Gristle and blood sprayed out of the man¡¯s throat, showering me in his blood. I must have made for a terrifying sight after that.

    He dropped to the floor as I waved away the notification that popped up. I didn¡¯t stop moving, dashing for the next box carrier.

    He had enough time to react to me, seeing his friend get slaughtered first. He threw his box at me and I turned to the side to doge it. I was too slow and it grazed my shoulder, knocking me slightly off balance as I continued towards the man.

    As I arrive within striking distance he squatted down slightly and dived towards me in a tackle. The two of us crashed to the ground, his arms wrapped around my waist as he held me down.

    He was on top of me, but I had a weapon and he was unarmed. Without thinking I slammed the dagger into the top of his skull with all my strength. His body went limp and I rolled him off me. I went to pull the dagger out but it was stuck.

    I placed my feet on his shoulders, still laying on the ground and heaved. The dagger resisted at first and then slipped free, sending me tumbling back as yet more blood sprayed onto me.

    Gasping, I sat up and shook my head. The dagger had a chunk of brain stuck to it but I didn¡¯t have time to pull it off. I needed to get up.

    As I pulled myself shakily from the ground I heard shouting and looked over my shoulder.

    To my horror the ten men who had been training with weapons were running towards me at full pelt. The fastest had already reached the fountain. They¡¯d be here in seconds.

    Before I could make my next move I felt a rush of wind as another box sailed past me, missing my head by inches. I turned to see the third and final box carrier glaring at me and shouting.

    I couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying above the shouting from the armed cultists behind me, but he was red in the face and he looked pretty angry. I summoned my dagger back into my inventory and replaced it with my bow and a hair.

    I raised the bow at the shouting man who went wide eyed for a moment before charging at me. He wasn¡¯t fast enough. I pulled the string back and released a hair which hit him the eye. I didn¡¯t get a notification so he wasn¡¯t dead yet.

    He screamed and clutched at his bleeding eye with both hands as he doubled up. I took the opportunity to fire another hair which hit him in the head. He dropped to the floor and the notification came.

    It wasn¡¯t lost on me that my newfound accuracy was entirely due to the Novice Bowman skill I¡¯d picked up earlier. The last time I¡¯d used a bow I struggled to hit anything I actually aimed for, but this time it was as if my body moved on its own.

    I also seemed to shoot faster than before. Not inhumanly fast or anything, but I felt like a trained, medieval archer and that was no small feat. Especially considering the ability came from a single, seemingly lacklustre skill.

    As the third man dropped I turned back towards the charging cultists. They were scarily close. I did the only thing I could think of and began firing Loconut¡¯s hairs at them. I hit a few of them but received no new notifications. I missed a few shots as well as I was firing as rapidly as I could.

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    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Panda shouted.

    I hadn¡¯t thought about him once since the fight started. I hadn¡¯t seen him following me so I didn¡¯t actually know where he was. I looked around and he shouted my name again. He was standing next to the truck and waving.

    The truck! Of course! I thought, like it was a sudden lightbulb moment.

    I put my bow back in my inventory, turned and sprinted towards the truck. When Panda saw that I was heading towards him he jumped up and grabbed the door with his paw, wrenching it open.

    I reached him and threw him inside as I dived through the open door, reaching back to slam it shut. I was in the driver¡¯s side, apparently the driver sat on the left of the truck in this world.

    That was a little off putting as we sat on the right side of the vehicle back in England. Not that it really mattered right now.

    I began fumbling around for a stop/start button or a key ignition but I couldn¡¯t find one.

    ¡°What are you doing! Get us out of here.¡± Panda yelled as he stood on the passenger seat next to me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get it to start.¡± I yelled back.

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic transport, you need to inject your mana into it. Theres an interface above you, grab it and put it on your arm.¡±

    I looked up and saw a device that reminded me of a blood pressure machine. It was a piece of rubber that looked just big enough to squeeze my arm through and it was attached to a long, see through pipe that disappeared into the dashboard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana!¡± I yelled back.

    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have any mana?¡± Panda shouted back in a horrified voice, his eyes widening as he looked out of the driver side window to the side of me.

    I followed his gaze just as the first cultist got into striking distance. He shoved his sword through the window as glass shattered and fell all around me. I moved backwards just in time and his blade missed me by a hair.

    That was close, I thought as I grabbed the hilt of the blade and tried to wrestle it out his hands.

    He was stronger than me so it didn¡¯t work, but it stopped him from trying to stab me for a second.

    With me free hand I reached up and grabbed the magic blood pressure machine and threw it at Panda.

    ¡°You use it and I¡¯ll drive.¡± I said through gritted teeth as I continued to struggle against the strength of the cultist.

    Without a word Panda slipped the armband on and it shrank down to fit snuggly around his arm. White energy began flowing through the tube and into the dashboard and I heard a familiar rumble as the engine roared into life.

    Still holding onto the hilt of the sword, I pressed the accelerator pedal with my foot and set off, ripping the sword from the confused cultist¡¯s hands.

    I cheered and dropped the sword onto my lap as I grabbed the wheel and turned it violently towards the gate.

    ¡°How do you know how to drive this thing if you can¡¯t use mana?¡± Panda shouted from beside me.

    ¡°I used to drive for living. Just call me truck-kun cause I¡¯m about to send these fuckers to another world!¡± I said as I aimed the front of the truck squarely at the armoured cultist blocking the gate.

    The armoured cultist looked at me wide eyed as he steadied his spear. There was no way it was going to save him and we both knew it. I swear I saw him mouth the words ¡°oh shit¡± as I ploughed straight through him.

    I felt a slight bump as the vehicle ran over him, first with the front tyres, then the back and I received multiple notifications though I waved them away before I could see what they were.

    I drove straight into the iron gate and with a god-awful creak, followed by a crash, it gave way. I continued driving at full speed down the dirt road in front of me.

    The road¡¯s surface offered no traction and we slid more than we drove, but I needed to put some distance between us and the cultists that were chasing after us in the wing mirrors.

    They¡¯d never catch up to a moving vehicle back on earth, but we weren¡¯t on earth and I didn¡¯t want to take that chance. My HP had taken quite a beating in the fight, dropping down to 28/36. It wasn¡¯t dire, but considering I¡¯d only really been tackled and hit with a box it meant that the cultists were strong.

    As we drove, Panda seemed to calm down, though he panted like he¡¯d just run a marathon.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I asked, not taking my eyes off the twisting dirt road.

    ¡°I¡¯m good but my mana¡¯s running low. Should be able to last another ten minutes or so though and that should give us the distance we need to make sure we¡¯ve lost them.¡± He replied through laboured breaths.

    ¡°Thanks Panda, you really saved my ass back there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah well, if you die, I go back to the waiting room and its boring as fuck in there.¡± He shot me a grin which I just caught out of the corner of my eye.

    ¡°What¡¯s the waiting room?¡± I asked, mostly trying to keep his mind off the mana-sucker 3000 he had attached to his arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s a kind of purgatory where familiars sit around waiting for a summoner to materialise them into reality. It¡¯s a boring place, like waiting for a doctor¡¯s appointment, but for hundreds of years.¡±

    ¡°So like waiting for a doctor¡¯s appointment.¡± I replied dryly.

    It sounded awful. I almost felt bad for the little guy if that was what his life had been before I summoned him.

    ¡°Also, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± He continued, still sounding worse for wear. ¡°I get why you summoned me now. I thought it was strange for someone so weak to be able to summon a daemon but it makes sense if you have no mana.¡±

    ¡°I just figured that summoning circle was supposed to summon you.¡± I replied absently as I kept my concentration on the road.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a summoning circle, it was a geometric focuser. You can use them to amplify whatever you want to really. Alchemists use them as a place to brew their potions and stuff because it makes the results more powerful.

    ¡°Thing is, because you have no mana, when you stepped into it you became a catalyst, setting it off. Nonmagical items are used in geometric focusers to, well, focus them. So it focused on the only thing a guy with no magic could do. Summon a non-combatant familiar.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky really, if you¡¯d have had mana you probably would have ended up with a Loconut for your summon. Either that or it would have exploded. You¡¯re a lucky guy, you know that?¡± He laughed, though it sounded more like a chesty cough.

    ¡°My juice is running dry kid. See if you can clear the treeline before we have to stop.¡±

    I did as he said and as the truck slowed down to a trundling halt, we cleared the last line of palm trees and I got my first glimpse of a city in another world.

 Chapter 13 â€“ One Desert Short Of A Cowboy ClichÃ©

    ¡°The cult won¡¯t follow us out of the treeline, we should be safe to rest for a minute.¡± Panda wheezed as I fiddled with the magic armband and removed it from him.

    I helped him out of the truck and we sat together in front of it, resting against it as we looked out towards the city.

    It was still a bit of a walk from the treeline, but it was big enough to take up most of the view; a sprawling metropolis of modern skyscrapers, wizard¡¯s towers, and cathedral-like architecture.

    It certainly didn¡¯t look like the medieval village I¡¯d imagined. It was kind of a mix between Prague and Tokyo. Of course we weren¡¯t close enough for me to make out much more than that. Apart from the moat.

    The city was cupped by a wide river that seemed to run in a semi-circle, starting in the ocean, wrapping around the city, and ending back in the ocean. It had to be manmade. The ocean itself stretched all the way to the sky, it was hard to tell where the water ended and the sky began from our vantage point.

    As we took a moment to rest I decided to look at my notifications and there were quite a few.

    You have defeated:

    Chrysus Cultist Worker (lvl 5)

    Experience awarded.

    I had two other carbon copies of this notification, so I assumed it was referring to the box carrying cultists. I was pretty happy at their levels; it would surely mean that I¡¯d get some impressive exp. I wasn¡¯t wrong.

    You have advanced to lvl 6

    + 5 free stat points

    You have advanced to lvl 7

    +5 free stat points

    Two whole levels from killing three guys seemed like a worthy trade off. They weren¡¯t the easiest of fights, though I guess I did take them down pretty fast considering I was so hopelessly outnumbered.

    During the fight I acted mostly on instinct but my instincts seemed to be right on the money for the actual fighting. It was strange considering I¡¯d barely trained in a marital art and I¡¯d never being in the military or anything.

    I wondered if it had anything to do with my dagger combat skill. I¡¯d never received an explanation as to what that actually meant so it had to be a passive skill. Perhaps it helped guide me in knife fights or something?

    Skill: Dagger has advanced to lvl 4

    Skill: Bow has advanced to lvl 3

    During the fight I had killed the final box carrier with my bow and fired a few successful shots into the crowd of charging cultists. I hadn¡¯t killed any of them that I was aware of but I was happy for the level up all the same.

    ¡°Panda, do you know anything about skills?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m more of a spiritual guide than a walkthrough but I know a little bit, what do you want to know?¡± He replied, sounding tired.

    ¡°I have a skill called bow and one called dagger. They never came with explanations but they seem to level up when I kill things. In that last battle I felt like my instincts had more experience fighting than I did, so I leaned into them. I just wanted to know if that was because of the skills?¡±

    ¡°No idea. Skills like bow and dagger track how good you are with a specific weapon. They¡¯re basic passive skills that really only hone the technique you already have, they don¡¯t impart knowledge though. You could train them up pretty easily if you practiced with them under a tutor and learned real technique. Active skills are the opposite, they come with an inherent knowledge of how to use them and they can be used on command. There are also passive skills that are just on all the time, like your novice bowman skill but you can gain knowledge from them too.

    ¡°Because that skill is always active, you¡¯ll always be a better shot than you were without it. That¡¯s not to say you can¡¯t get better by training on a range but if you outclass that skill with your own ability it¡¯ll probably upgrade itself to match your ability.

    ¡°The system likes things to be in order and it has certain rules it has to follow. At least during the lower levels, and you don¡¯t need to concern yourself with what comes after those just yet.¡±

    I nodded along as Panda explained. It still didn¡¯t answer my question of how I¡¯d done so well in battle though. Maybe it was just luck and adrenaline. After all, I¡¯d fought the box carriers but there was nothing to say that they were actually trained fighters.

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    Putting my thoughts aside I continued with my notifications.

    You have defeated:

    Chrysus Cult Guard (lvl 11)

    You have received bonus experience for defeating an opponent with a higher level than you.

    You have advanced to lvl 8

    +5 Free stat points

    You have advanced to lvl 9

    +5 Free stat points

    Two levels for a single kill. I almost cheered as I read it. In that battle I¡¯d nearly doubled my level and I now had 20 free stat points to use. It also meant my HP and Stamina would increase my 20 as well.

    I knew I was still a low level in the grand scheme of things, but it felt pretty good to be able to see my progress appearing on my HUD.

    I opened the next batch of notifications.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Roadkill

    Who taught you to drive? You used a vehicle to kill an enemy. Poor Timmy, he had a family! He was only two days away from retirement and you killed him with your truck.

    Timmmmyyy!

    Reward: Roadkill Loot Box

    I had a bunch of loot boxes to open now. I needed to find a safe space, whatever that was, so I could open them. There was bound to be one in town. I was still betting it would be an inn. I really hoped I¡¯d get clothing in some of them.

    Quest Completed!

    Sink or Skinned

    You have been captured by a hunter who wants to take your skin and sew it together with other skins to create the map. It¡¯s probably in your best interest to not let that happen. This is what you get for ignoring my friendly advice when I told you not to eat the stripper.

    Objectives:

    Escape 1/1

    Free yourself from your binds 1/1

    Free or kill the other captive 1/1

    Kill your captor (optional) 1/1

    Hidden Reward: 1000 gold

    *You have qualified for a hidden reward due to completing all optional objectives*

    I actually expected this notification to pop up. I¡¯d remembered that I still needed to escape to complete it so naturally leaving the compound would meet the requirements.

    I was pleasantly surprised that I got a reward after all though since one wasn¡¯t originally posted on the quest. I didn¡¯t know if 1000 gold was a lot yet, but considering I¡¯d only gotten 10 gold for looting the cultist I¡¯d killed after leaving the prison room I was guessing it was a pretty penny.

    That reminded me, I didn¡¯t get the chance to loot any of the guys I¡¯d killed during our escape. I cursed myself silently at the potential loot I¡¯d missed. Not to mention to the gold I could have had.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Parking Prodigy

    You¡¯ve run out of mana and now your car won¡¯t work and to make matters worse you¡¯ve parked blocking off the entire road. What a douche. The way you pulled in makes me wish your dad pulled out.

    Reward: Fuck you.

    Well that was disappointing, and a bit passive aggressive. I really couldn¡¯t tell if the system liked me or not. One minute it was praising me for killing folk and the next it was being arsey with me for blocking a dirt road with my truck.

    Either way, I had gained some pretty good experience overall and I had a new loot box to add to my growing collection of shiny things I couldn¡¯t play with yet.

    ¡°Panda, I¡¯ve gone up a few levels. Got any advice on where to put my free points?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯d be best saving them until you get your class really, but honestly your stats pretty much do what they say on the tin so there are no bad ways to spend them.¡±

    I nodded and dove into my stat sheet to disseminate them. There was no way I was waiting for my class. I knew we were going to get it once I was in town but if there was no wrong answer then why would I hold off?

    After a bit of thinking I decided to do something a little odd and put all 20 of them into my strength stat. It¡¯d raise my Stamina but more importantly I needed to be stronger physically.

    Thinking back on the fight earlier I¡¯d struggled to get my dagger out of the cultist¡¯s skull. I had to literally leverage myself and pull with my entire body. That was no good.

    What happened if next time I got it stuck but the guy wasn¡¯t dead? I¡¯d be screwed.

    So I put all 20 points into strength and then I read through my upgraded stat sheet.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Level: 9

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 41/56

    Stamina: 53/76

    Strength: 26

    Agility: 12

    Perception: 8

    Vitality: 6

    Intelligence: 7

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!

    Combat Skills: Bow (lvl 3), Novice Bowman, Dagger (lvl 4), Dhampir Dagger

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    My stamina had increased by quite a bit and strength was now my best stat by a country mile. I also noticed that my stat sheet had updated to include a familiar¡¯s section which was interesting. The plurality of it made me wonder if I could summon more than one, though that would have to wait for another day.

    For now Panda was right, I needed to get a class. Panda was still worn out from using so much of his mana so I offered to give him a piggyback ride.

    He grumbled at first, but pretty soon he was on my back as we walked towards the city. He felt really light for a bear. Perhaps it was my new strength stat but I felt like I could carry him the whole way there with relative ease.

    The area I needed to cover between the truck and the city was an open grassland with a few farm-looking buildings dotted around and the occasional windmill. All in all it was a pretty serene looking place.

    After about an hour of walking along the dirt road the sun began to sink towards the edge of the sky, it was mirrored in the ocean as a cascading shimmer of brilliant orange light lit up the plain.

    It was one desert short of a cowboy clich¨¦.

    Just as the sun had crested the sky and darkness fell, we came across a small house next to the road and decided to approach it. Panda said it was dangerous to be out at night as monsters were higher levels and more likely to attack unprovoked.

    I opened a small, wooden gate from the dirt road and we walked towards the little house.

    ¡°Do you really think whoever lives here will let a half-naked man and his Panda stay the night?¡± I asked as we walked up the garden path.

    ¡°You won¡¯t know unless you ask.¡± Panda replied.

    With a sigh I knocked on the door to the house and a little porch light came one. The door creaked open and I could see a bloodshot eye peeking through the crack from behind a door chain.

 Chapter 14 â€“ Why Is He Wearing a Sock Over Hisâ€¦?

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± The voice from behind the door said.

    All I could see was a bloodshot eye hiding behind a chain in the darkness.

    ¡°Hi, sorry to bother you so late. We were looking for somewhere to stay the night.¡± I said, feeling a little awkward about asking and trying to sound as friendly as possible.

    ¡°Where are your pants and what¡¯s that on your penis?¡± The voice asked in a monotonous tone.

    Before I could answer Panda took over, peaking his large head from around my back. I¡¯d been carrying him since we left the truck. He said his mana still hadn¡¯t recovered but I got the impression he was just being lazy. Either way, it wasn¡¯t any trouble with my new strength, though my stamina did drain faster whilst carrying him.

    ¡°Pardon the intrusion, my friend and I were attacked by monsters and his clothes were ruined in the battle, everything except for his cloak and socks you see. Naturally he decided to use a sock in an attempt to make himself look a little more decent.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± The voice said. ¡°That makes sense. You can sleep in the barn if you want to.¡±

    Before we could reply the door shut and the porchlight turned off. We turned towards the barn.

    It was large and covered in hay. Naturally there were stacks of haybales in there too but no horses, at least none that I could see. In fact I hadn¡¯t seen a sign of any animals at all which was a little odd for a house with a barn.

    Either way, I guess it wasn¡¯t my place to pry. Panda and I entered the barn and chose a corner away from the door.

    ¡°This place isn¡¯t a safe area but I doubt we¡¯ll get attacked in here. The main roads are some of the safest places around and if that little girl can live in a house by herself and be safe then we should be fine.¡± Panda said as he began curling up and padding down some loose hay for his bed.

    ¡°How did you know she was a little girl? I couldn¡¯t tell at all.¡± I asked as I unceremoniously plonked down onto the hay and placed my arms behind my head.

    ¡°Call it sage¡¯s intuition.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, but is it really safe for a little girl to live out here?¡± I asked as my eyes began to feel heavy.

    ¡°Probably not but we have bigger things to worry about.¡± Panda yawned.

    Up until now I hadn¡¯t felt much fatigue even though I¡¯d been fighting pretty much since I¡¯d arrived in Celestia. However, a few moments after my head hit the hay I was out like a light.

    The next morning I woke with the sun¡¯s rays as the light shone through a crack in the wooden, barn roof and lit up my eyes.

    I sat up feeling refreshed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I hadn¡¯t felt refreshed from sleeping in years. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I didn¡¯t wake up feeling like a swamp monster in dire need of some coffee.

    I was one of those people who couldn¡¯t even talk to someone before he¡¯d had his morning caffeine. I was dead to the world for at least an hour after waking up no matter where I was or how much I¡¯d slept.

    So naturally, waking up feeling refreshed was a welcome feeling as I stretched and jumped to my feet.

    ¡°Come on Panda, let¡¯s go.¡± I said, nudging the sleeping furball with my big toe.

    ¡°Five more minutes.¡± He moaned, swiping at my foot lazily with his paw.

    I decided to have a quick look through my stats to check my hypothesis as he came around and, to my delight, I¡¯d hit the nail on the head. After sleeping both my HP and Stamina were full. That meant all I had to do was sleep after every fight and I¡¯d be fresh for the next one.

    I doubted that was going to work out considering how many fights I¡¯d already been in, but it was still useful information.

    After Panda came around we left the barn and little house behind and headed towards the city once more. We weren¡¯t far off at that point; in fact the city was closer than I¡¯d realised the previous night when we decided to stop at the house.

    The closer we got the busier the road became. Carts trundled past, seemingly pulled by magic and we ran into other people walking in the opposite direction. I kept my hood up and my robe pulled shut to avoid awkward conversations about my sock.

    I was weary of the people of this world. I didn¡¯t know how many of them wanted to skin me or if they could tell I was an outworlder. At the very least I wanted some proper clothes before I started striking up conversations.

    I considered asking Panda how well known the tattoo thing was in Celestia but thought better of it. There were too many people crossing paths with us now and the last thing I wanted was some creeper earwigging and trying to flay me.

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    Instead we walked in silence for about an hour, right up to the city gates.

    The gates themself were more like a guard post at a bridge than a castle wall gate. The city didn¡¯t have walls, likely because of the moat.

    Instead it had a few different bridges. The one Panda led me to was supposedly the closest to where I could get some clothes and my class sorted out.

    As we approached a tall creature stopped us with an open palm and the shrill sound of a whistle.

    ¡°State your names and business for the record please.¡± He said in a deep voice.

    The creature looked like a man with a wolf¡¯s head and fur. His eyes were a piercing blue and his chest muscles popped even through his thick, black fur.

    He wore an open, military-style shirt and combat pants but no boots. It was honestly a bit off putting and I found myself at a loss for words.

    ¡°Panda and Kaleb and we¡¯re here so Kaleb can join the Adventure Society.¡± Panda said politely, speaking up in my place.

    ¡°Go on ahead then.¡± The wolf man said and I walked past him, trying, and failing, not to stare.

    Once we hit the bridge and were sufficiently out of ear shot I turned to Panda.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°That is a Lycanid, why don¡¯t you turn back and actually look at him instead of staring at him out of the corner of your eye and I¡¯m sure the system will tell you everything you need to know.¡± Panda said, sounding a little annoyed.

    ¡°Oh yeah, the passive aggressive Pokedex.¡± I replied wearily.

    I concentrated on the creature and after a few seconds a notification popped up. It was useful to know that the system would give me information on races too.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Lycanid

    Half man, half wolf. The Lycanid has existed in various forms and by many names across many universes. They¡¯re a common race in Celestia, often used to guard the houses of the rich. Some are even kept as pets and trained to ¡°play dead¡± or to ¡°fetch¡±.

    They love nothing more than chasing sticks and sniffing other Lycanid¡¯s asses.

    They are a proud warrior race.

    Racial features include enhanced perception, racial specific skills related to smell and a tendency to get fleas.

    ¡°Panda, I¡¯m not sure how accurate this is. It¡¯s mostly just quips about them being like dogs.¡± I complained as I finished reading the notification. ¡°Is the system always like this?¡±

    ¡°Most of the time yeah, but if you ignore its personality issues it¡¯ll still give you the information you need most of the time.¡± Panda replied.

    ¡°Also, what was that about me being here to join an Adventure Society?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how you get your class. Celestia¡¯s culture is centred around the society system and since you can¡¯t use magic and you¡¯re new here Adventure Society seems to be the best option for you.

    ¡°There are lots of other societies of course, but Adventure Society is the biggest and the easiest to get into. They need all the warm bodies they can get.¡± He chucked and began to swing his arms as he walked, bamboo pipe dangling lazily from his lower lip as he occasionally took a drag.

    At the end of the bridge we reached a sprawling cityscape. It was a hybrid of wooden, medieval style stores and inns and the occasional large, glass skyscraper. Hanging over the edge of the bridge was a sign that was written in a strange language I didn¡¯t recognise.

    As I squinted at it the letters changed before my eyes and became English. It must have been thanks to my skill Speak English Damnit! That was going to come in handy.

    The sign said: Welcome to Havar, a recognised independent port city.

    ¡°Havar.¡± I said aloud, muttering to myself as I read the sign.

    ¡°Yup, this is the city of Havar.¡± Panda said as we walked, ¡°It¡¯s only a small place but it¡¯s the biggest city on the island and the only place on the island you can book travel overseas.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on an island?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, have you not checked your map?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get that fixed when we get your class. First though let¡¯s think clothes. I know an excellent tailor who has a shop just up here.¡± He said and began trotting off up the cobbled street.

    I followed him, delicately weaving past groups of people and creatures, and he stopped outside a wooden store with a green sign on it. The sign had a large pair of scissors painted on it and the words: Taylor¡¯s Tailor written in fancy, cursive writing.

    I opened the door and walked in at Panda¡¯s insistence. Inside was a few mannequins dressed in bright colours and a counter with a bright-eyed cat woman stood behind it.

    You have discovered a new race!

    Catonid

    Catonid¡¯s are a demi-human race that are half cat, half human. With a natural affinity for agility, their cat-like reflexes can leave you utterly Cat-atonic.

    It¡¯s common for humans to find them attractive, honestly a little too common. I guess bestiality is a common fetish for your kind huh?

    Anyway, stop staring at this notification and go talk to her, what¡¯s wrong, cat got your tongue?

    Then again you¡¯d probably like it if she did wouldn¡¯t you, you sex pest.

    ¡°I swear, every time I read a notification it gets more and more insulting.¡± I muttered as I approached the desk.

    ¡°Good morning! How can I help you?¡± The Catonid greeted in a chirpy voice.

    Unlike the Lycanid I¡¯d met on the bridge she didn¡¯t actually have that much fur. She was mostly human, but with a fluffy ginger tail, fluffy ginger cat¡¯s ears and yellow feline eyes.

    Other than that she had wavy ginger hair and porcelain skin and was wearing a plaid skirt and a button up blouse with the sleeves rolled up.

    ¡°Hi Taylor!¡± Panda shouted, jumping up and grabbing the edge of the counter with his claws, his feet kicking as he struggled to find purchase.

    Taylor rushed towards him and scooped him up, helping him onto the countertop.

    ¡°Panda! How great to see you.¡± She said, pulling him into a hug. ¡°What brings you back to town?¡±

    ¡°I need to get some threads for my human.¡± He said, nodding in my direction.

    ¡°Well I can certainly see that he needs them. Why is he wearing a sock over his penis?¡± She asked Panda as if I wasn¡¯t even in the room.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a sock, it just looks like that because of a vicious bacterial disease.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted, mostly at Panda. ¡°I¡¯m standing right here! It¡¯s not a disease and what happened to spending the last thousand years in some purgatory waiting to be summoned?¡± I asked, feeling a vein pop out on the top of my forehead. ¡°How do you two even know each other?¡±

    ¡°As you can see, he¡¯s a little sensitive about his penis issue.¡± Panda said, covering his mouth with his paw as he ignored me and continued speaking to Taylor the Catonid.

 Chapter 15 â€“ You Damned Cat

    ¡°Taylor and I met last time I was here which was about five years ago now I think about it.¡± Panda explained whilst we chatted.

    I was stood on a small platform as Taylor diligently took my measurements. I felt incredibly awkward as the cat lady measured my inner thighs. I was pretty sure people usually wore underwear for this sort of thing.

    ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d been waiting for thousands of years to be summoned?¡± I asked incredulously, shooting him a questioning stare.

    ¡°I have been in the waiting room for thousands of years, just not¡­ concurrently.¡± He answered, trying his best to look away from me. ¡°I¡¯m a very old sage. That¡¯s what makes me so wise you see, my wealth of experience. But you¡¯re not the first person to summon me. I¡¯ve had lots of summoners over the years, the most recent one visited Havar with me about five years ago.¡±

    ¡°What happened to your last summoner.¡± I asked.

    ¡°Can you unfold your arms please Kaleb, I¡¯m trying to measure your shoulders!¡± Taylor snapped at me.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± I muttered, allowing her to position my arms as she pleased. I still glared at Panda as he squirmed.

    ¡°Honestly I¡¯d rather not go into detail, but she died.¡± He said, staring at the floor and fiddling with his bamboo pipe. ¡°I need a smoke; I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±

    He left before I had time to ask anything else.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push him. He was close with his master and he probably expected to have more grieving time before he was summoned again.¡± Taylor whispered softly as she continued tying me up with measuring tape.

    I stood silently for a few more minutes whilst she finished up. She passed me my stained robe as she disappeared into the back of the store.

    Maybe I was a bit too hard on Panda, but I didn¡¯t like things being kept from me. It was difficult enough waking up in a new world where I had to fight for survival and try not to get skinned.

    Not to mention that I didn¡¯t know where my wife was or if she was safe, and she was pregnant. Not to mention my friends and family who may or may not be stuck somewhere in this hell hole too.

    It was all a little overwhelming and I think it was perfectly reasonable of me to be a bit more demanding of those close to me than I¡¯d normally be. For example, not lying, manipulating, or misleading me.

    I took a breath.

    I¡¯d definitely overreacted. Panda had a right to keep his past and personal life, well¡­ personal. I decided I wouldn¡¯t bring it up again unless he did. He hadn¡¯t steered me wrong so far, even if he was arrogant about it.

    ¡°What colours do you want?¡± Taylor shouted from the back.

    ¡°Black please.¡± I replied, raising my own voice to make sure she heard me.

    ¡°Black isn¡¯t a colour, it¡¯s a shade, but alright.¡±

    I chuckled at her pedanticism; it reminded me of my wife. She was the kind of woman who would give you the time down to exact minute if you asked her what time it was. I on the other had would round it to the closest quarter of an hour.

    The little bell above the door rang as Panda re-entered, trailing a thin gale of twirling smoke behind him.

    ¡°I see she¡¯s finished then?¡± He asked, acting as if nothing had happened.

    I was happy to play along, ignoring difficult conversations was kind of my thing.

    ¡°Yeah. Why are we at a tailor? Wouldn¡¯t an armour shop make more sense?¡±

    ¡°It would, but you want armour that compliments your class ¨C which you haven¡¯t chosen yet. Also armour is expensive whereas street clothing isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in a tailor shop, I figured we were getting me a suit for my job interview at Adventure Society.¡±

    Panda burst out laughing and slapped his leg as he looked up at me.

    ¡°You don¡¯t interview for Adventure Society. You sign a contract, they test your stats, you choose a class and then you get a temporary membership.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to complete three quests to qualify to take the permanent adventurer exam and then you¡¯re in.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    That sounded needlessly complicated but if it was going to make me stronger and help me survive in this world then I guessed it was worth it.

    Taylor returned from the back a few minutes later brandishing some clothes.

    ¡°These have the self-repair function and are black. Try them on and let me know what you think.¡± Taylor said brightly, handing me a pile of clothes.

    ¡°How did you make these so quick?¡± I asked, taking the clothing from her.

    ¡°It¡¯s part of my class skills and I¡¯m pretty good you know.¡± She said winking at me playfully.

    From her reply I assumed the short answer was magic and my jealousy reared its ugly head. I wanted to cast spells and shit!

    I held out the clothes in front of me and saw she¡¯d given me a pair of black suit trousers with a white belt, a black suit shirt and shoes. She¡¯d even replaced my old grey socks with fresh black ones. The underwear, however, left much to be desired.

    It was a pair of white boxer shorts with the motif of a grey sock over the crotch.

    Very funny you damned cat. I thought bitterly as a notification popped up.

    You have received a set item:

    Taylor¡¯s Tailor Custom Smart Casual Wear

    Wearing this will make you look like an office worker who never quite got over his My Chemical Romance phase. A white belt? How emo.

    All you¡¯re missing is a dyed fringe and eyeliner.

    This item has a self-repair function.

    I chuckled to myself as I read it. I actually did have a bit of an emo phase in high school. Though I¡¯d never dyed my hair, I was fortunate that it was already black and you can¡¯t get more emo than that.

    Wandering behind the curtained area in the shop I got changed into my new clothes, leaving my cloak and cock sock in my inventory. Good riddance I thought as I finally got to slip on some real underwear.

    It felt heavenly, like it was made of silk or something. Having a self-repair function would be useful too, though I still wanted some armour if I was going to be fighting more.

    When I walked back into the main part of the shop Taylor practically squealed and told me I looked great. I think she was mostly just admiring her own handywork though.

    ¡°So, how much does all this cost?¡± I asked sheepishly, I still didn¡¯t know how much gold was worth in items.

    ¡°20 gold, it would have been 5 but I added the self-repair for you. From what Panda told me I figured you¡¯d need something that could last out in the wild.¡± She smiled and I happily gave her the money.

    I still had 990 gold left because of the 1000 gold hidden reward I¡¯d gotten from the escape quest and the 10 gold I¡¯d looted from the cultist. It felt like a bargain! I thanked her and Panda and I left the store.

    ¡°You know she gave you a pretty huge discount right?¡± He said as we walked through the crowd of busy people. ¡°You can thank me later. Come on, the Adventure Society building is right there.¡±

    He pointed towards the largest building in the vicinity. It was a huge skyscraper that seemed to be made mostly of glass. It had to be one of the biggest buildings in the city.

    Glowing neon letters lit up the side of the building vertically in the local language. After a moment¡¯s concentration the letters turned into English and I could see it said Adventure Society on the side.

    ¡°Cool right?¡± Panda asked, seeing my gawking face as I craned my neck to try and see to the top. ¡°There¡¯s an Adventure Society in every major city in the world and lots of smaller branches dotted around too. This one is the HQ for the archipelago we¡¯re in at the moment. Havar is the capital of this group of islands, not that it¡¯s an overly big claim.

    ¡°The director of this branch is only a jade soul, though he¡¯s a gold rank adventurer in his own right which is pretty impressive.¡±

    ¡°What are the ranks and what¡¯s a jade soul?¡± I asked distractedly as I continued to take in the magnitude of the place I was about to join.

    ¡°A jade soul is what you¡¯ll be once you max out your level, though round these parts most people don¡¯t ever come close to reaching it. As for the ranks, they¡¯ll explain them to you in due time.

    ¡°Now, before we enter, this is really important.¡± He began, taking on a serious tone and dragging me down to his level so he could whisper. ¡°When you fill out the forms tell them you¡¯re human. People around here have only heard of outworlders in legends. The Celestial Map is a fairy tale, but a well-known one. You don¡¯t want to attract undue attention. Your life might well depend on staying under the radar, got it?¡±

    I nodded solemnly. I hadn¡¯t really thought about the need to hide my race, I hadn¡¯t really thought about my race at all actually. I knew it said outworlder on my stat sheet but in my mind I was a human.

    I¡¯d always been a human so I would probably have written that on the forms anyway. Panda¡¯s warning worried me though, if the Celestial Map was well known as a kid¡¯s tale then did that mean I¡¯d be safe as long as I hid my tattoo?

    It could mean the opposite. He didn¡¯t say that people didn¡¯t believe the story. I needed to know more but I didn¡¯t feel comfortable discussing it with all these people around.

    I decided I¡¯d sort out my class and then we could find an inn for the night and I could gather more information from Panda in private.

    With that decided, I steeled myself and walked through the huge, sliding doors. They opened automatically as I entered. I couldn¡¯t decide if that was more magic or if there was a level of technological advancement here that was similar to back home.

    The foyer was clean and clinical looking; a far cry from the tavern and billboard setting I had expected. There was a customer service desk at the side and a long line of notice boards on the other wall.

    Groups of people were casually milling around the noticeboards, reading whatever was posted. I assumed they were quests.

    It didn¡¯t matter for me at the moment so I made a beeline for the reception desk. As I began walking towards it a tall man stepped in front of me. He was wearing a suit, it looked similar to a modern suit you¡¯d find back home except it came with a green cape and embroidery. Definitely a modern wizard suit if ever I saw one.

    I looked up at his chiselled and bearded face. He had bright eyes and swept back, brown hair.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, outworlder,¡± he said.

 Chapter 16 â€“ Always a Bigger Fish

    Well, so much for staying under the radar. I thought, sighing internally.

    This man, whoever he was knew exactly what I was. He asked me to come with him, offering no further explanation as he began walking towards a door at the back of the room.

    I shared a look with Panda who nodded grimly and we followed him.

    In my mind I was already preparing to fight, just in case. I opened my inventory and minimised the window with my thoughts hovering around my dagger.

    Using a bow inside probably wasn¡¯t the best idea and the dagger would keep my health topped up. I had no way of knowing how strong the man before me was, but he seemed confident.

    I didn¡¯t get any feeling that he was planning to attack me but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t luring me into a trap. I¡¯d have to keep my guard up.

    As we reached the door he placed his hand on a small magic circle that was permanently etched into the wall in metal, I heard a ding sound as the door opened. He walked inside and beckoned me to follow. I did, with Panda hot on my heels.

    The little box room we found ourselves in seemed to be the perfect place to launch a sneak attack on the man, which I seriously considered.

    The room began moving and I realised we were in a magic elevator. It was an odd feeling, riding an elevator in another world, but I didn¡¯t have the time to think on that at that moment.

    The man still hadn¡¯t said anything and we rode in tense silence for about a minute until the door opened. He stepped out and I followed him into a huge office space.

    There was a massive, floor to ceiling window on the far wall. We were so close to the clouds I felt that if I reached out I could touch them. We must have been pretty high up. Just who was this man?

    He walked towards a large, wooden desk and took a seat in a plush, leather office chair. On the other side of the desk was two, equally nice chairs and he gestured for us to sit.

    I did as he wanted and Panda copied me, though he had to press the little lever on the side of the chair to lower it first. He looked amused as he pulled the lever again to return to a height where he could see the man properly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all that, I wanted to speak to you but we needed to be in a secure location for it. The last thing you want is the entire society knowing what you are, yes?¡± When he spoke he remined me of my old headmaster. His voice was quiet, but I had no trouble hearing him. It was deep and soothing.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, skipping the pleasantries.

    ¡°Oh, yes of course. How rude of me. My name is Lucas Regina and I¡¯m the director of this branch of the Adventure Society. It is a pleasure to meet you Kaleb.¡±

    He leaned back in his chair calmly, his dark skin standing in a glimmering contrast to the bright, blue sky behind him.

    ¡°How do you know who I am?¡± I asked slowly, my mind still hovering over the dagger in my HUD.

    ¡°My god told me, but don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve brought you up here so you can register with the guild. That is why you came here today isn¡¯t it?¡± He smiled and reached into a drawer behind his desk.

    I nearly summoned my dagger right then and there but I still felt no hostility from him and I didn¡¯t want to attack someone just because I was getting jumpy.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± he said, producing a form and a quill. ¡°I wanted to induct you personally so that we could hide your true race. Our application rooms are a lot less private. Though if I¡¯d have known you had a daemon travelling with you I might not have bothered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s already advised you that it would be in your best interest to hide your outworlder race from other people.¡±

    He smiled and placed the form in front of me.

    ¡°Why would you help me? Everyone else I¡¯ve met so far wants to skin me alive, so sorry if I seem a bit sceptical.¡± I replied icily. I kept my eyes on the man, trying to drink in every move he made. If he was going to attack me, I would be ready.

    ¡°We at the Adventure Society are not savages Mr Akabane, nor are we fools. The tale of the celestial map is just that, a tale. Everyone with half a brain knows that.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve had to deal with ne¡¯er-do-wells thus far, the cults are¡­ bothersome, but here in Havar we don¡¯t put much stock in fairy tales.

    ¡°I promise that you have nothing to fear from me. I simply wish to aid a promising new recruit to our ranks and help him submit his paperwork. I understand this must be confusing for one such as yourself with no experience of our world, but I assure you that you are far from the first outworlder to join Adventure Society and you won¡¯t be the last.¡± He flashed me a curt smile and held out the quill.

    I took it slowly and looked over the form.

    ¡°If the general consensus is that the celestial map is a fairy tale then why do I need to hide my race from your people?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a safety precaution. I can¡¯t know every adventurer in the society, I¡¯m only one man, and there are some who take on the occasional outside task.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that certain cultist organisations would pay handsomely to have an outworlder delivered to them and I wish to avoid the political upheaval it would cause if that were to happen to you right under my nose.¡±

    He seemed legit, though something about him still bothered me. I looked at Panda who nodded encouragingly and I sighed as I began filling out the form.

    ¡°Director?¡± Panda began, ¡°what is a Regina doing out here in the middle of nowhere?  I thought your family were big shots on the continent.¡±

    I continued looking at the paperwork but stopped halfway through writing my name to listen to Panda¡¯s conversation.

    ¡°They are, but I like it here. The tropics aren¡¯t a bad place to live.¡±

    The two of them continued chatting idly whilst I focused on the registration form. It was pretty simple, mostly asking for my current level, name, and race. It also had a contract on the back which I read through.

    It was pretty simple really. By signing I would agree that any wounds or fatality caused by a quest were not the fault of the society. They would pay me in accordance with the sum stated on a quest, yada, yada, yada.

    I would agree to only take quests suitable for my adventurer rank and that I acknowledged that a full membership would be given to me on the satisfactory completion of an exam.

    I had to complete three quests before I could take the exam to become a full member. I wondered what type of quests I¡¯d be able to get as a temporary member.

    Knowing my luck it¡¯d be something crappy like saving a cat from a tree or cleaning stables, or worse, the dreaded fetch quest.

    Most games I¡¯d played back on Earth were full of fetch quests. They were usually boring, poorly thought out and often they were infinite with a low monetary reward or something.

    As I finished signing my name I looked up to see the director smiling at me. He really did seem like a nice guy but I couldn¡¯t help but think there was something more going on with him.

    Still, if he was the power in this place and he liked me that could only spell good things. I needed to level up fast and get more power.

    ¡°Ah, I see you¡¯re done. Let me have a look¡­ yup, everything seems to be in order. Perfect.¡± He scanned the document and then signed it himself before standing up.

    ¡°Right, take the elevator back down and go take this to the reception desk, they¡¯ll tell you where to go next to choose your class.¡±

    I thanked him and headed back into the elevator along with Panda. It was time to get my class!

    ***

    After Kaleb and Panda left the office, director Lucas poured himself a drink and sighed, sinking back into his office chair.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked.¡± He said to the room. ¡°He really didn¡¯t seem like he could sense me. I didn¡¯t even know it was possible to be magicless.¡±

    It is rare indeed my disciple. Keep a close eye on him and don¡¯t let him leave the archipelago. I have need of him yet.

    The voice appeared in Lucas Regina¡¯s mind as clearly as if he had thought it himself. The voice was dark and commanding. He¡¯d heard it thousands of times and it still sent a shiver down his spine.

    This was a perk of being a true disciple, an honour only bestowed on those who have maxed out their rank and gone onto the next phase.

    It wasn¡¯t possible for gods to speak with rankers like this, after all, they spoke to their true disciples directly through their souls.

    ¡°If that is what my master commands then it shall be done.¡± Lucas said wearily before downing his drink and placing the glass down on his desk.

    Make sure he isn¡¯t killed. There are hunters in the city right now who aren¡¯t mine to command. I cannot interfere with them as I¡¯m sure you know so I¡¯ll leave that to you.

    ¡°No problem. I already have society members keeping tabs on them. Hunters bring problems regardless of whether they¡¯re chasing after the map or not.¡± Lucas said aloud to the room.

    He¡¯d had his fair share of run ins with hunters throughout his career. Growing up in the vast Regina estate hadn¡¯t sheltered him as much as one might think.

    His father was a ruthless man who showed his love for his children by properly preparing them for the outside world.

    In one instance he had left Lucas in the slums for a month and ordered him to survive as an urchin. The idea was to teach him to be self-reliant, even in the worst kinds of situations. However, even in the slums, Castalor was a Regina city and everyone knew who their rulers were.

    Paupers had helped him and he¡¯d spent most of his time with a roof over his head and food in his belly. One might think a rich kid like that would be an easy target for kidnappers but no one dared to incur the wrath of his father.

    He was a powerful man after all. Yes, he was the head of the Regina family and had a lot of political sway, but nothing was more important in this world than personal power. Of that, he had a scary amount.

    Lucas moved to pour himself another drink, feeling the watchful eye of his god leave him. He felt wrong using the new kid like this but it was far from his place to disobey his god.

    He was a coward at heart. He¡¯d been a dutiful son more out of fear of his father than an actual sense of duty. When he¡¯d been forced to take over as director in this backwater, nothing place, he¡¯d at least escaped his father¡¯s control. For a few days¡­ before he¡¯d been taken in by the god.

    It seemed that no matter where he went he was always fated to serve the whims of those more powerful than himself.

    Even as the highest ranked adventurer in the little pond that was Havar, the old proverb still rang true: there is always a bigger fish.

 Chapter 17 â€“ Whatâ€™s With All The Corporate Propaganda?

    After exiting the elevator I once again found myself making a beeline for the reception desk. I hoped no one would stop me this time, how unlucky would I have to be for another person to come over and announce my big racial secret?

    Thankfully I reached the desk without being accosted and submitted my form. The desk was manned by a blonde Catonid named Lucy.

    ¡°Ah, I see you already have the director¡¯s signature. Trying to get into his good graces early are we? That¡¯s a smart tactic Mr¡­ Akabane.¡± She said brightly, scanning my form to find my name.

    ¡°He¡¯s an old family friend.¡± Panda piped up from the floor.

    Lucy leant over the desk to see him; she didn¡¯t seem to have realised that he was with me.

    ¡°Aw what a cute little daemon you have Mr Akabane.¡±

    It seemed that everyone, even the receptionist, knew the difference between a demon and a daemon. Apparently I was the only one in need of a vocabulary lesson.

    ¡°Righty then,¡± She continued, wagging her fluffy tail as she stroked Panda¡¯s head. ¡°If you follow the stairs to the ninth floor you¡¯ll find the administration offices. The class selection room is up there. Just take this ticket to their front desk and they¡¯ll show you where to go. Is there anything else I can help you with today?¡±

    ¡°No that¡¯s great thanks.¡± I said politely, excusing myself and heading for the stairs.

    As we continued walking upwards I noticed that each floor had its own message board with tougher and more well-equipped candidates looking at them the higher we went.

    Once we hit the fourth floor there were only a handful of adventures in the room and the fifth floor only had two people on it. The seventh floor upwards was deserted. They each still had a receptionist but the message boards were empty and there wasn¡¯t an adventurer in sight.

    Panda began to speak, noticing my perplexity.

    ¡°Each floor is assigned by rank. The ground floor is for newbies like you who don¡¯t have a rank yet. Wandering mercenaries can also take quests from there as long as they pay the charges.

    ¡°Then, as you go up floors it goes Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Mithril. You¡¯ll be iron once you pass your exam. Bronze is also a pretty common rank in these parts. The exam for that is harder and more combat dependant but it¡¯s still pretty low on the ladder.

    ¡°Silvers are pretty much the top dogs around here and there are only a few golds in the entire region. Naturally they¡¯re the strongest, but most aren¡¯t permanent residents.

    ¡°It is possible to reach gold rank whilst on the islands but the monsters around here are so weak there isn¡¯t much point sticking around after silver. Most golds head over to the continent or come here for a vacation or to accept jobs working directly for the society as administrators and the like.

    ¡°Platinum ranks are rare. The director we met is pretty much the strongest guy in Havar and he¡¯s only a gold rank. Diamond rankers pretty much run the show worldwide. Most of the continental directors are diamond rank.

    ¡°Mithrils¡­ well honestly I don¡¯t even know why they have a floor for mithrils here. There are only a handful of them in the entire world and they sure as hell aren¡¯t coming out to the boonies to accept jobs.

    ¡°Of course, these are adventure ranks so they aren¡¯t level dependant. However I¡¯ve never heard of a Platinum who hasn¡¯t surpassed the top level and even most Silvers are close to top level in their own right.

    Panda finished talking just as we hit the ninth floor. I had so much to ask him but the receptionist had turned to look at us as we approached the administration offices.

    I relegated myself to asking a single question.

    ¡°What is the top rank?¡±

    ¡°Level 100. I know you¡¯ve blitzed through 9 levels already but the early levels are easy. Hell, most kids in town are level 10¡¯s. You¡¯re weak as shit my friend, so make sure you get questing once we¡¯re done here if you want to survive.¡± He jumped and patted me on the lower back with a cheeky grin plastered on his round, fluffy face.

    ¡°If most kids are level 10 then how come the cultists I fought weren¡¯t stronger?¡± I replied, hearing the pout in my voice, and immediately regretting it.

    ¡°It was part of the tutorial kid. The system isn¡¯t just gonna throw you newbies into the firing line from the off, where¡¯s the sport with that? More than likely it imposed a sanction on the gods who run the cults and told them they had to send their weakest guys for a while. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be open season soon enough though and you need to be ready. The system won¡¯t protect you for long.¡±

    He kept his voice down as he explained, not wating the nosey and impatient looking receptionist to hear us.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I approached her desk and showed her the ticket Lucy had given me.

    She sighed deeply. She was a normal human with mousey brown hair. Her name tag said Tash but she looked more like a Karen to me with her cropped, single mom hair style and her perpetually agitated expression.

    ¡°Follow me.¡± She said in an irritated voice as she slumped away from her desk and walked down a hallway.

    I followed her past the other offices. They remined me a lot of cubicle-style offices back home. Each room was separated by glass but the office layout of the individual rooms were basically small partitioned cubicles with about ten occupants per room.

    ¡°Imagine living in a world with magic and working a nine to five office job. How depressing.¡± I whispered to Panda as we walked.

    ¡°I know right,¡± Panda replied behind his paw, as if that made him any quieter. ¡°Just think, any one of these people could have been an adventurer or a warlord or something.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, warlord or taxpayer it¡¯s a fine line to walk these days.¡± I replied just as we reached an unassuming, brown office door.

    ¡°In here please.¡± Tash replied in a bored, monotonous voice.

    This certainly wasn¡¯t the exciting and magical experience I had hoped for when I¡¯d been promised a class.

    I walked through the door and in the room was a single, large screen which took up most of the far wall. In front of the screen was a beachball sized metal ball on a stand, it had cables sticking out of it that disappeared into the floor.

    ¡°When you¡¯re ready please place your hands on the ball and follow any and all instructions presented to you. Once you choose your class please exit the room and return to the ground floor for further instructions. Please be aware that you will not be allowed to change your class after this unless the system offers you a different one. This is a rare case so make your choice wisely.¡± Tash said monotonously.

    She had been reading from a laminated piece of paper which she put down on a table near the door before she exited.

    I was left alone in the room with Panda and without Tash¡¯s sparkling personality to distract us, I was actually getting pretty excited.

    ¡°Ok kid,¡± Panda said after dragging the table to the side of the ball and jumping onto it to be eye level with me. ¡°Class selection 101. Everyone gets offered the same basic classes, archer, swordsman, spearman, caster, healer and a few other fighting classes like monk and knight. Ignore them.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re a you-know-what-worlder you¡¯re probably gonna have much more interesting choices. Most people have to start basic and get class upgrades to get something cool. The system won¡¯t make you do that¡­ probably.

    ¡°So skip past the crap and let¡¯s take a look at the good stuff ok?¡±

    He sounded excited and I had to admit that I was too.

    ¡°You know who you remind me of? Danny DeVito you have the same accent.¡± I said, smirking at the confused giant teddy bear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is. Are you gonna grab the damned ball or what?¡±

    Chuckling to myself I placed my hands on the giant, metal ball and the screen flickered into life.

    It felt like a mild static shock was racing through my veins as the ball reacted to me. The room lights went out as well, like we were at the movies. My heart raced, party from the static, but also from the excitement. I hoped I got something good.

    I knew it was na?ve of me, but I really wanted a magic based class. But not healer, no one wants to be the healer in a party of one.

    The screen flickered a few times and then it came to life. An infomercial sounding voice blasted out as a little animated movie played. The movie itself was of a cartoon person walking through a wood and being attacked by non-descript monsters.

    Suddenly he pulled out a cartoon wand and they all blew up splattering blood on the screen. Then he turned to the screen, gave a thumbs up and the words Adventure Society ¨C Killing the Monsters Under Your Bed popped up.

    Of course the whole thing was playing to the backdrop of the infomercial-like voice reading its script.

    Here at the Adventure Society we thrive on making the impossible¡­ possible. If you become a fully-fledged member you¡¯ll be able to tell the world that you are working for a company that truly makes a difference.

    We¡¯re a company that truly cares and we put you at the heart of all major decisions. Like choosing our award-winning dental plan and offering unpaid holiday days to all employees who complete their monthly quota early.

    With branches located in every major city, the world is truly your oyster as an adventurer. From fighting monsters in the forests of Barkesh to fighting monsters in the forests of Sinegaul. No day is the same at Adventure Society.

    So why not sign up today? Adventure Society ¨C Killing the Monsters Under Your Bed.

    The screen flashed for a moment and it remined me of an old film reel at the end of a movie.

    ¡°What¡¯s with all the corporate propaganda, I¡¯m already here aren¡¯t I?¡± I asked Panda as the next part loaded up.

    ¡°I think this room doubles as a recruitment office.¡± Panda replied, shrugging his shoulders as the next part started.

    The next video showed arial shots of the building we were in, mixed up with cheesy clips of office staff pretending to laugh whilst they did their boring, soul crushing jobs. The infomercial stuff continued but it was basically a rehash of the same stuff from the last video, just a little more in depth about the day-to-day stuff.

    Then the screen flashed again, just as I looked at my non-existent watch and realised it was half past a freckle. It¡¯s not like I had anywhere to be, but this really felt like a waste of time.

    Back on earth I¡¯d chosen to be a truck driver to get away from all this bullshit. I¡¯d had an office job before, a few actually, but they were all hypocritical, soulless companies who had the audacity to demand that you pretend to care about them.

    No one, and I mean no one, working in an office gives a flying fuck about the policies and the corporate mission. They do it to pay the bills and that¡¯s it. So why did corporate assholes continuously ask me why I wanted to work at their shitty office when I took interviews?

    In the end I got so sick of it that I got my class c+e license and started driving wagons. It wasn¡¯t a glamourous job but at least I didn¡¯t have to pretend to care about whatever crap I was hauling.

    Just as I finished internally ranting about my old world a notification screen popped up on the big screen in front of me. It jolted me back into the room and I soon forgot about all the infomercial crap I¡¯d just listened to.

    Do you want to begin class selection?

    Y/N

 Chapter 18 â€“ Killing Prostitutes and Abducting Kids

    I immediately clicked yes on my HUD and it translated to the screen. From what I could tell the metal ball I was touching was an interface that connected to my HUD and showed it on the big screen.

    A new notification popped up.

    *WARNING*

    You are only eligible to receive one class.

    Due to your lack of mana you are only eligible for non-magic class selection.

    Once a class is chosen, all stat points pertaining to the chosen class will be rewarded retroactively.

    All classes come with +5 free stat points unless stated otherwise.

    The notification flashed up and I read through the information diligently. This would be an important choice for me, perhaps the most important one yet.

    It sucked that I wouldn¡¯t be able to choose a magic class but a part of me had already expected that. However, the retroactive stat points would be a huge boost.

    No matter what class I picked I¡¯d end up with 9x the stat points it rewarded per level. That wasn¡¯t anything to sniff at.

    Pressing continue I moved onto the classes themselves. The first few pages showed the basic classes Panda had already told me about. He¡¯d said that everyone got access to archer, swordsman, spearman, knight, caster, and healer among other warrior type classes.

    I didn¡¯t qualify for caster and healer but I had access to all the other ones and they were exactly what you would expect them to be. They also came with a rating which, in the case of the basic classes, were all common.

    My excitement skyrocketed when I scrolled down to see the other classes. A new notification popped up as I scrolled.

    *WARNING*

    The following player specific classes are available to you.

    A player specific class is offered based on complex criteria such as achievements unlocked by the player at the time of class selection.

    These classes are rarely offered to non-players.

    These classes may negate skills previously received based on skill type.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good job we¡¯re in here alone.¡± I muttered as I read the screen and quickly dismissed it.

    The last thing I wanted was someone walking in on us and reading the part about me being a player. I didn¡¯t know if the people if this world understood that term or knew that it meant I was an outworlder, but I wasn¡¯t willing to risk it either way.

    Even if they didn¡¯t know the specifics, anyone reading the screen would definitely know I was different. Attention like that was not what I needed right now.

    From the sounds of it, choosing one of these classes would make me lose my other skills. I didn¡¯t have many, just Novice Bowman, Bow, Dhampir Dagger and Dagger. I¡¯d raised their levels a bit and Dhampir Dagger was useful but the trade-off for a special class would probably be worth it.

    ¡°Right kid, good job clicking past that screen quickly. Now, let¡¯s read through each of these classes in turn and talk it out.¡± Panda said from beside me.

    He was sat cross legged on the table he¡¯d moved with his arms folded and a stern expression on his fluffy face.

    As Panda suggested, I read through the offered classes in order.

    Trucker (uncommon)

    A staple in American folklore, the trucker is feared and reviled nationwide. Known for killing prostitutes and abducting kids in the dead of night, these creatures of earthen myth are truly a horrifying breed.

    Selecting the Trucker class will unlock the following skills:

    Manaless Driver ¨C the ability to drive any magical vehicle without needing mana.

    Shotgun ¨C Whilst riding in the passenger seat of a moving vehicle increase all damage to attacks and combat based skills.

    Selecting the Trucker class will award the following stat points per level:

    +2 Strength / +1 Vitality / +10 Perception / +5 free points

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    *Other skills will become available through levelling up*

    Despite being horrendously offensive to my former career, the Trucker class didn¡¯t seem half bad. The Perception alone almost made it worth it.

    However, I was a little worried that only three stats got extra points per level. It would leave me pretty unbalanced and I¡¯d basically have to put all my free points into agility and intelligence, at least to begin with.

    The class also seemed to be designed around driving and I didn¡¯t have a vehicle. Also, from what I¡¯d seen of this world, a lot of places could only be reached on foot and I imagined being trapped in a vehicle would limit the types of quests I could do.

    I¡¯d basically become the go to guy for fetch quests and that sounded awful.

    Also, I¡¯d been a truck driver back on earth. Why would I want to do that again?

    ¡°Hard pass, next.¡± I said to Panda who grunted his agreement.

    Merchant of Chrysus (rare)

    Ah, the humble merchant. What young boy doesn¡¯t dream of growing up to own his own global conglomerate. They do say money is power after all. With a blessing from the God of Wealth himself you¡¯d be hard pressed to find a player better suited to the lifelong pursuit of greed.

    Selecting the Merchant of Chrysus class will unlock the following skills:

    Overtime ¨C after dealing a certain amount or damage to one of more enemies you can opt for overtime. This skill doubles your damage rate for the next thirty seconds.

    Employee Discount ¨C Negotiate better prices at stores starting at 5% off.

    O¡¯ Captain my Captain ¨C 50% higher chance to persuade others to work for you.

    Selecting the Merchant of Chrysus class will award the following stat points per level:

    +15 intelligence / +5 perception / +5 free points

    *Other skills will become available through levelling up*

    There was no way I was going to choose a class named after the god whose cult was trying to take my skin. It didn¡¯t matter how good it was.

    I could see the appeal of the merchant class. It seemed to be based mostly on persuasion and that overtime skill was no joke. Having a double damage output must have made it a pretty rare skill.

    It made sense considering the class itself was in the rare category. +15 intelligence was also pretty good but it offered no bonuses to HP and fighting stats and that seemed too important to ignore.

    ¡°Nope.¡± I said to Panda who nodded as I moved onto the next option.

    International Man of Mystery (legendary)

    Infiltrating evil cultist hideouts, stealing all of their books, and ploughing through their nice shiny gate in a dramatic exit. Sound familiar? Well it should and the fact that you did exactly that is why you¡¯ve been offered this legendary class. The only thing you¡¯re missing is your very own Miss Moneypenny to sexually harass before a mission ¨C but I¡¯m sure we can get you one if you ask nicely.

    Selecting the International Man of Mystery class will unlock the following skills:

    Man of Many Faces ¨C Whilst out of combat you can change your appearance at will. Your appearance will revert to normal if you are attacked, attack someone else or choose to end the skill.

    Mission Dossier ¨C the quest system will evolve into a mission dossier. Completion of missions will unlock better rewards¡­ should you choose to accept them.

    Selecting the International Man of Mystery Class will award the following stat points per level:

    +5 Intelligence / +5 Perception /+5 Agility /+2 Strength /+2 Vitality / +5 free points

    *Other skills will become available through levelling up*

    ¡°Ok, this one is awesome!¡± I said, looking at Panda with excitement in my eyes.

    I mean what kid didn¡¯t want to be a super spy growing up? Not to mention the ridiculous number of stat points I¡¯d earn per level.

    Legendary classes really knew how to up the ante. The mission dossier skill seemed interesting, though I wasn¡¯t too keen on the face changing thing.

    It¡¯s not that I was a narcissist or anything but I had the impression that I was going to be fighting constantly in this world. Yet this class was more geared towards hiding. Using the man of many faces skill I could potentially get close to an enemy to launch a sneak attack.

    However, that was unlikely to work on monsters. It was definitely the best option so far and I was interested, but it still had something missing.

    I only had one option left so I hoped it¡¯d be a contender. If not though, I¡¯d be pretty happy with the International Man of Mystery class.

    Apex Predator (unique)

    Well would you look at that, your fighting style has been so varied so far I¡¯ve had to create an entirely new class for you. Before you start feeling too special I¡¯ve already had to do this for over 500 of the 10,000 players brought here.

    So far you¡¯ve used a bow, a dagger, a vat of acid and a truck to slaughter your way through the countryside. This class is the amalgamation of those styles.

    Besides, in the beginning I thought you were going to become a bog standard stealth archer and that¡¯s way too mainstream to entertain me.

    ¡°Is it normal for the system to talk directly to a person like that?¡± I asked Panda.

    He turned back to me with a confused expression on his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for it to passive aggressively alter notifications to make them more specific to the person receiving them. This, however, is pretty extreme. Also the only people I¡¯ve ever heard of with unique classes are all exceptional adventurers, including the mithril class guys.¡±

    Selecting the Apex Predator Class unlocks the following skills:

    Acid Arrows ¨C Every projectile you shoot from a bow will cause acid damage to the target.

    Acid Dhampir Dagger ¨C Gain 10% of inflicted damage with a dagger as HP. Daggers inflict acid damage.

    Environmental Hazzard ¨C Killing enemies using the environment awards bonus experience.

    Selecting the Apex Predator class will award the following stat points per level:

    +7 strength / +5 vitality / +3 perception / +3 agility / +1 intelligence / +5 free points

    *Other skills will become available through levelling up*

    ¡°Well shit kid. You lucked out.¡± Panda said, turning towards me and flashing me the thumbs up.

    He was right. The Apex Predator class was perfect. It was versatile and I¡¯d gain 24 stat points per level. Compared to trucker which was an uncommon class and only awarded 18 stat points, that was quite the bonus.

    Doing some quick mental maths I realised that I¡¯d gain 171 stat points retroactively. That was a huge bonus to gain immediately.

    Acid arrow sounded cool, though I wondered if I¡¯d be able to shoot accurately if I lost the novice bowman skill. Then again I didn¡¯t know if I was going to lose it at all. Apex Predator was kind of like an archer class after all.

    Acid seemed to be the hallmark of the damage type I¡¯d get. It sounded like a horrible way to kill but if the hunter I¡¯d melted was anything to go by, it¡¯d be effective.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna go with this one.¡± I said, looking towards Panda.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t choose this one I¡¯ll slap the shit out of you.¡± He chuckled.

    I asserted that I wanted to choose the Apex Predator class and the screen went blank.

    I stared at it for a long moment as a little wheel appeared in the bottom right-hand corner. It reminded me of a loading icon from a game. The screen flashed and an actual loading bar appeared.

    I felt my body get uncomfortably hot as I saw that my hands were glowing a sickly green colour. The loading bar advanced across the screen as I began sweating and feeling sick.

    My stomach felt full to burst and my eyes felt so full of pressure I thought they might pop. I felt my muscles bulge through my shirt and then the loading bar finished and a little tick appeared next to it.

    I bent over and vomited violently.

 Chapter 19 â€“ Youâ€™re Weak as Shit

    Panda laughed at me and patted my back as the vomit burned my throat. It was over as fast as it began but still, I hated throwing up.

    I¡¯d always been jealous the guys that could go on a night out, head to the bathroom for a five-minute tactical chunder and then come back to the party as good as new.

    I¡¯d never been able to do that. Throwing up was a drawn out and unpleasant experience for me. There had been times where I was so paralytic from the need to vomit that I¡¯d laid on the bathroom floor for hours before being able to actually do the deed.

    However, this wasn¡¯t like that and I was pleasantly surprised, if not a little caught off guard, by the speedy recovery I made post-vomit.

    As I picked myself back up and looked towards the screen, I saw only a single word.

    Congratulations!

    It seemed my class selection had taken.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the sickness kid,¡± Panda said, still laughing slightly. ¡°It happens to everyone. It¡¯s a side effect of receiving so many stat points all at the same time. Honestly, you didn¡¯t have it that bad. A lot of new adventurers are a much higher level than you when they get their classes.¡±

    I wondered why Panda hadn¡¯t told me that before. He probably thought it would be funny to watch me get surprise sickness. Normally I¡¯d admonish him in some way but I was too excited about my upgraded class and new stat points to care.

    I hurriedly checked my updated stat sheet.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Level: 9

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 101/101

    Stamina: 1/139

    Strength: 89

    Agility: 39

    Perception: 35

    Vitality: 51

    Intelligence: 16

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!

    Class Skills (Passive) Skills: Bow (lvl 3), Novice Bowman, Dagger (lvl 4), Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Smiling to myself as I read through it, I noticed a few interesting changes. There was the obvious addition of my class and my upgraded stats. My new skills had also been added and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I¡¯d kept my previous Bow, Dagger, and Novice Bowman skills.

    It must have been because bows and daggers were explicitly included in the skills given to me for the Apex Predator class.

    I also noticed another change. My combat skills section had disappeared and all my new skills and the old combat skills had been placed under Class Skills (Passive). I wondered if that meant I¡¯d eventually unlock active skills. Panda had mentioned them before as skills you activate on purpose.

    My current skills were on all the time, so I could only assume an active skill would be more powerful. I also noticed that my stamina, though massively higher than before, was currently sitting on 1/139. I did feel exhausted.

    A knock at the door stirred me from my racing thoughts and I turned towards it as it creaked slowly open.

    ¡°Pardon the intrusion, I heard the retching and thought you might be finished with your selection.¡± Director Lucas said as he poked his head through the door.

    He smiled at us and, upon seeing the congratulations sign on the screen, entered the room fully.

    ¡°Director, what a pleasant surprise.¡± Panda said, turning to the tall man.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Think nothing of it, I simply wanted to see what class a fellow such as yourself would select. Call it professional curiosity. As it happens I can also issue your temporary Adventurer permit whilst I¡¯m here.¡± He said in his silky-smooth voice.

    He walked towards the back wall and waved his hand. A small keyboard popped out of the wall and he typed something in. There was an affirmative beeping followed by the kind of sound a cash register makes. He turned and walked towards me clutching a card in his hand.

    ¡°Hmm, let me see. An archer, light skirmisher hybrid? Not exceedingly rare but still an odd choice. Very interesting.¡± He began, thinking aloud as he perused the card which presumably had my results on it.

    I had planned on keeping my new skills a secret but I guessed if the Adventure Society gave me the class they also had the ability to look at it.

    ¡°You¡¯re only a level 9?¡± He asked, looking between me and the card. ¡°You¡¯re weak as shit,¡± he said, his voice going up an octave with his surprised outburst. ¡°I know you¡¯re new here but most children are at least level 10.¡±

    Panda burst into raucous laughter as he fell off the table and began rolling on the floor clutching his stomach. I felt my face get hot and I snatched the card from his hand.

    Adventure Society ID:

    Kaleb Akabane

    Level 9

    Rank: temp

    Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

    It was a simple ID card, not too dissimilar to the kind you¡¯d wear in an office back home. I was relieved as I saw that the class section only gave a vague overview.

    I was worried it would tell anyone who saw it all of my fighting tricks. Panda seemed to be of the mind that I should play my cards close to my chest so I¡¯d hoped to be able to follow that advice, for now.

    ¡°This card is yours now. Once you add it to your inventory it will bind to your very being so you can never lose it.¡± Director Lucas began, seemingly recovering from his earlier shock.

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you are aware, you need to complete three quests before attempting the adventurer exam. If you come here tomorrow morning I will assign a mentor to help you with the first one.¡±

    I opened my mouth to object but he raised his hand calmly and continued talking.

    ¡°This is mandatory for all new members. We don¡¯t want our new recruits to die on their first quest now do we? You¡¯ll need rest after gaining your class so I¡¯d suggest getting a room at one of the inns.¡±

    I nodded at him. I was tired and I did need to sleep. It also occurred to me that I¡¯d barely drank or eaten anything since I¡¯d arrived in this world. That couldn¡¯t be normal.

    ¡°Do adventurers need to eat?¡± I mumbled, mostly to myself.

    ¡°Of course we do, but the higher your rank the less often you need food and water. You¡¯ll also find that with a higher rank comes the added benefit of needing less sleep. Each time you gain a rank your fatigue and hunger are also reset. So you probably haven¡¯t even felt it until now have you?¡± Lucas answered.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense considering you¡¯ve gained 9 levels in only a day and a half. I have to say, considering your summoned daemon familiar I was surprised you didn¡¯t pick a caster class.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any magic.¡± Panda said, still giggling a little as he pulled himself from the floor and looked up at Lucas.

    So much for playing my cards close to my chest. I thought irritably, shooting Panda a deadpan glare.

    ¡°Ah I see, low mana wouldn¡¯t give you any good magic choices.¡± Lucas said, rubbing his chin between this thumb and forefinger.

    ¡°No I mean he has literally no mana.¡± Panda replied.

    Lucas looked up from his thoughtful pose for a moment as if it took a few seconds for Panda¡¯s words to process.

    ¡°Wait what?¡± He replied in his higher octave again. ¡°Having low mana is relatively common, but to possess no mana at all, that is completely unheard of!¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that rare.¡± I muttered, becoming increasingly more annoyed with the two of them.

    ¡°Well I¡¯ve certainly never heard of a person without any mana. How do you sense the world around you? Mana is integral in assessing the power levels of others at the very minimum. That ability dictates the pecking order of polite society.¡± He sighed and took a moment before continuing. ¡°Anyway, it does not matter for now. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re exhausted so allow me to give you a parting gift before you leave.¡±

    He handed me a small sphere. I focused on it and a notification appeared.

    HUD Upgrade: Map

    Install?

    Y/N

    ¡°It is customary for new adventurers to receive the map upgrade if they don¡¯t already have one.¡± Lucas explained.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said, immediately asserting yes on my HUD.

    The map had been added to my option page and I took a cursory glance at it as soon as it appeared. It was probably impolite, but I couldn¡¯t help myself.

    A large map of the world appeared on my HUD. It appeared to be a facsimile of earth. There were some differences, but for the most part it looked pretty similar.

    Using that similarity as a basis, I looked at the small blue dot on the screen. When I focused on it I realised it was me.

    I appeared to be on an island somewhere near where the Bahamas would be on earth. We were pretty close to what would be the Florida Keys and the continent of North America. I wondered if that was the continent that had been mentioned earlier with the strong adventurers on it.

    Most of the map appeared as a shadow, outlining islands and continents but with no further information. However, if I focused on the island I was on and zoomed in, some of It was in colour. There was a little tag next to a white dot beside my marker.

    It said City of Havar. So the map must update based on the places I¡¯d visited. My own experiences must be the key to filling in the colour. How very game like.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re looking at the map as we speak since your face has gone blank.¡± Director Lucas chuckled. ¡°You might want to consider upgrading your intelligence if you want to look at your HUD whilst still engaging in conversation. A high intelligence allows you to multitask quite efficiently.

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly used to increase mana count and regeneration but as that doesn¡¯t apply to you it probably doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    I switched off the screen and looked at the director.

    ¡°Thanks for the map. I should probably be going now, I¡¯m pretty tired.¡±

    And I have loot boxes to open when I get to the inn. It better be counted as a safe space. I thought.

    ***

    After Kaleb and his Panda daemon left the room, Lucas stayed behind for a moment with his and his god¡¯s thoughts.

    So, the outworlder has no mana. That is very interesting, I knew keeping an eye on him would be fruitful.

    ¡°Yes, it is strange isn¡¯t it my Lord? That task you gave me to keep him alive might prove harder than I thought.¡± Lucas replied aloud, pondering his orders.

    I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine Lucas. The god replied exasperatedly. If he dies completing basic quests then he was never going to be useful to me anyway. I just want you to protect him for the other powers in the city.

    He might be coasting relatively unnoticed for now, but sooner or later outworlders always make their mark. That is how it has always been.

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve already instructed her to keep an eye on him whilst he¡¯s in the city.¡±

    Good.

    With that Lucas felt the presence of his god leave him. He fell back into a seat and groaned, placing his head in his hands.

    This was going to be a pain in the ass.

 Chapter 20 â€“ Iâ€™m Here for a Good Time, Not A Long Time

    As Panda and I left the building, I was exhausted. The stamina stat seemed to have an extreme sway over me. My legs felt heavy, my vision blurred slightly and I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep.

    With that in mind I asked Panda to lead me to the nearest inn. I didn¡¯t trust myself to find one. Luckily it wasn¡¯t far.

    We left the building and took a few turns; the streets were still crowded but they seemed less rushed than before. I wondered if most people were at work now and the current street dwellers were not.

    That¡¯s usually how it went back home. Workers rushed around like bees in a hive and the unemployed and retired lived their lives more slowly, peacefully. Of course that¡¯s a sweeping generalisation, but in my experience living in the north of England, it was pretty accurate.

    As we moved away from the huge, glass skyscraper that was the Adventure Society building I noticed an architectural shift.

    The buildings further out were much more reminiscent of the typical medieval style you¡¯d expect in a fantasy world. Of course this was no fantasy, but it bared a striking resemblance to all the expected hallmarks of one.

    The buildings in this new area were mostly made of wood and stone. It was quaint, I liked it. I was too tired to read the signs or take much notice of the locals so I followed Panda in a daze until he stopped.

    We were in front of a Tudor style building. It had white outer walls with a thatch roof and wooden support beams. It reminded me of a holiday cottage my mum and I had rented for a weekend vacation when I was a kid.

    There was a sign hanging above the door that said The Sleeping Giant Inn. Panda pushed the door open and led me inside.

    The downstairs interior was basically an old-fashioned English pub. It looked just like a tavern from pretty much every fantasy game ever. It had wooden flooring, a few support beams, tables and chairs and tankards of wood. It smelled of ale and stale bread and there was a bar on the back wall.

    A burly Lycanid barmaid stood cleaning a tankard with a rag behind the bar. She wore a light cloth strapped to her chest and a skirt, though it looked more like a kilt. Her fur was untamed and hung wildly in white, matted locks.

    Panda marched up to the bar and climbed onto a stool.

    ¡°We would like a room for the night please.¡± He stated confidently.

    Without looking up from her task, the barmaid pointed towards a sign above the bar. It read: We Don¡¯t Serve Familiars!

    ¡°Well that was rude.¡± Panda complained as he looked at me expectantly.

    Snapping myself out of my fatigue induced trance I walked over and asked her myself.

    ¡°Hi, can I get a room for the night please?¡±

    She growled, but I think it was more like her races¡¯ way of sighing. She looked up from her tankard cleaning and her eyes softened slightly as she saw me.

    ¡°Oh a human. We don¡¯t get too many of your kind in here. The rooms aren¡¯t much but they come with a bed and breakfast every morning.¡± Her voice was rough but she seemed perfectly polite to me. I wondered what that was all about.

    I pulled a single gold coin from my inventory and placed it on the bar.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, is this enough?¡± I asked, flashing a toothy grin at the maid.

    I think she blushed slightly, but it was hard to tell underneath all the fur.

    ¡°That¡¯ll get you a week, with breakfast included.¡± She smiled, at least I think it was a smile, it was hard to tell with all the wolf like teeth.

    ¡°That¡¯ s perfect, thank you.¡±

    She took the coin and placed a key on the bar, then returned to her cleaning duties without any further fanfare.

    I took the key and headed towards the stairs with Panda in tow. There was a sign saying that rooms were up there. I barely had to concentrate on signs to read them anymore, they auto translated with almost no lag.

    ¡°Wow, cost of living is cheap here. I should have been isekai¡¯d years ago.¡± I said idly to Panda as we climbed the stairs.

    ¡°I took you to the cheapest inn in town. Demi humans tend to have the rougher end of it here. That paltry amount of gold you have won¡¯t even get you basic leather armour, so don¡¯t be too happy.¡± Panda replied grumpily.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you. Are you really that upset that they don¡¯t serve familiars?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a violation of my rights kid! The only reason you¡¯re not standing up for me is because that bitch had a thing for you.¡± He huffed, folding his stubby arms, and shaking his head.

    ¡°I thought I was picking up on something.¡± I muttered.

    We reached our room and used the key to open the door, locking it behind me.

    It was a modest room with a small shack containing a toilet in the corner, a single window, and a bed with a nightstand. The sheets were white with a weird yellow stain on them.

    It looked like it was old, you know the kind of stain that doesn¡¯t go away even after a few washes. If we were back home I¡¯d have complained but I was so tired it didn¡¯t matter to me.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    I fell face first onto the bed and groaned happily. The bedding felt so soft and before my body had finished bouncing from the unceremonious way I threw myself onto the bed, I was asleep.

    The next day, I woke with the light from the morning sun. I¡¯d been so tired I¡¯d forgotten to close the curtains. I felt refreshed, which was still a strange feeling for me, and my stamina was full once more.

    Panda had fallen asleep using my neck as a pillow.

    I sat up and stretched and Panda flopped down onto the bed groaning. He was awake, it didn¡¯t matter how, and I had something important to do before heading back to Adventure Society.

    It¡¯s loot box time bitches!

    You are in a safe area. Open all loot boxes?

    Y/N

    I¡¯d received the notification the previous night as soon as I entered the room I¡¯d paid for. Interestingly, it didn¡¯t seem that the inn was a safe room, just the room.

    Maybe that was because it was paid for and private? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I eagerly clicked yes on my HUD and sat back as the fireworks happened.

    PKing Loot Box

    Do you know what sex offenders, player killers and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak have in common? No one likes them!

    Reward: Entry to the Morning Star Hotel and Spa.

    The box appeared in front of me. It was only about the size of a small jewellery box and as it opened the notification appeared on my HUD along with a voice narrating it to me.

    Panda stirred at this and turned around on the bed to watch.

    As the box opened, two sparklers popped out and began fizzing as a black light floated ominously out of the box. It stopped in midair as the narrator finished and then flew straight at me.

    I fell backwards, causing Panda to squeal as I squashed him. The light shot into my hand and disappeared and my right hand began to burn.

    It wasn¡¯t the most pain I¡¯d ever felt but it wasn¡¯t nice either. My skin started emitting a glowing light and as the light calmed down I realised I had a pentagram tattoo on my hand.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± I shouted, looking down at my sore hand.

    I liked tattoos don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯d had a sleeve tattoo back on earth before it disappeared upon arriving here. This, however, was fucking creepy.

    I had no choice in the matter and it appeared in moments.

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t seen a tattoo box in years.¡± Panda said, sitting up next to me.

    Before I had time to ask him what that was all about the next box opened.

    Acid Reflux Loot Box

    You killed a guy by throwing him into a vat of acid. Have you never seen a supervillain origin movie? That guy will definitely be back to haunt you all dressed up in clown makeup.

    Reward: Boots of Resist Environment

    This time the box was the size of a trunk. The narrator spoke over the notification again but there were no sparklers. Instead confetti popped out when the lid opened.

    A pair of boots floated out of the lid and disappeared into my inventory before I could examine them. Then the next box appeared.

    Divine Loot Box

    You met a god, wow really!? Get over yourself loser, every man and his nan have met a god in this world.

    Reward: x5 Basic Health Potion

    What were you expecting, a Nobel prize? Get over yourself noob.

    The divine loot box looked like it was made of gold and I really got my hopes up until the narrator crushed my dreams. Still potions were useful, I¡¯d just have to use them at the right time this time around.

    Roadkill Loot Box

    You done killed one of dem cultist with yer truck! Yeehaw!

    Reward: New Skill: Eat Anything.

    The final box came with sound effects. To be precise, the sound of a car screeching to a halt, followed by screaming. Classy.

    ¡°That¡¯s an¡­ interesting skill.¡± Panda said, giving me a funny look from the side of his eye.

    ¡°Oh god, what does it do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Read it and find out.¡±

    You have received a new skill!

    Eat Anything

    It does what it says on the tin. You can now ingest anything¡­ anything. Let that sink in for a moment. You don¡¯t need to cook it first either.

    Note: eating anything is not advised by the chief medical officer. The system will not be held responsible for stomach aches, diarrhoea or fatality caused by irresponsible digestion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± I said, turning to Panda.

    ¡°Look at it this way, if you ever decide to be a cannibal you probably won¡¯t get the shakes.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a sage?¡±

    Sighing loudly, I pulled the boots out of my inventory and examined them. They were black, leather combat boots. They were actually quite nice.

    Boots of Resist Environment

    These boots will keep your tootsies from melting off in the event you step in something nasty like acid or lava. They¡¯ll only protect your feet though so don¡¯t try walking over a pool of lava, the rest of you will melt. Actually¡­ forget that last part, you should definitely try walking over a pool of lava!

    Effects:

    Protection from environmental hazards (feet only)

    +10% Vitality

    The boots were amazing. I put them on straight away and felt the warm rush of new stat points. 10% didn¡¯t do too much at the moment but that could be a huge boon in the future.

    They didn¡¯t really go with my office attire look, but it was worth it for the bonuses. I was beginning to get used to the system being a dick all the time, so I wasn¡¯t even perturbed by its comments about me playing in lava.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good item,¡± Panda said, jumping from the bed and moving to stand in front of me. ¡°Now you should find out what that tattoo does!¡±

    He seemed excited. I had to admit, I was curious. I stared at the back of my hand and focused on the ink and like clockwork, a notification appeared and I heard a voice like an old timey radio announcer in my head.

    This tattoo allows entry to:

    The Morningstar Hotel and Spa

    Hello player! Do you like murder, debauchery, and depravity of a sexual nature? Why of course you do! Just like a mid-noughties tween teabagging a fresh kill on Call of Duty, you¡¯ve become a player killer!

    Yippee, those are the best kind!

    What¡¯s the only thing better than a player killer, I hear you ask? A serial player killer!

    So come on down to The Morning Star hotel and spa and try our¡­ facilities¡­ completely free of charge!

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with this world?¡± I asked, turning to Panda who seemed to have been able to hear the voice as well.

    ¡°I say we go, I¡¯m here for a good time not a long time.¡± He shrugged.

 Chapter 21 â€“ Gonads

    New Quest:

    A Good Time, Not A Long Time

    You¡¯ve been marked as a guest of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. I wonder what mayhem and fun awaits behind its doors.

    Objectives:

    Enter The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Uncover the secrets of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Reward:

    X1 Skill Upgrade Potion

    X1 Weapon Upgrade Potion

    ¡°God damn it! Why did you have to go and open your big mouth?¡± I asked Panda as I read the quest notification.

    ¡°Have you not seen how awesome the rewards are? You should be thanking me!¡± Panda replied, folding his arms in a huff.

    He was right. The rewards were a skill upgrade and a weapon upgrade. I didn¡¯t need a notification to tell me what those were.

    A skill upgrade alone had to be pretty rare as far as quest rewards went. That being said, with a reward that good I had to wonder what the catch was. The hotel must be full of danger, it was the only explanation.

    Something else was bothering me too.

    ¡°Can you see what¡¯s on my HUD?¡± I asked Panda.

    ¡°Not exactly. As your familiar my HUD is linked to yours. I can¡¯t see your health all the time and the things that are always there, but when you check your stats or get a notification it appears on my HUD as well.¡±

    That made sense. I had wondered how Panda knew the details of items and quests when I got them. I¡¯d put it down to his role as a daemon granting him insight to the world, but apparently it wasn¡¯t that simple.

    As it stood, I filed the new quest away with the one that wanted me to kill all the players and steal their tattoos. This one wasn¡¯t as gut wrenching as the last but I still had no intention of trying to tackle it just yet.

    It could wait for another day.

    I had a permanent adventurer exam to qualify for after all. I¡¯d get to this weird hotel thing eventually, but I had some serious levelling to do first.

    I explained my intentions to Panda who reluctantly agreed that we should hold off until I was stronger. Then we went downstairs for breakfast.

    It was a breakfast fit for a medieval peasant. Hard bread, cheese, and broth. Despite the simplicity it was still the first real food I¡¯d had since I arrived. I had eaten the stripper, but that was just a rare chunk of meat I seared on an open flame ¨C and I¡¯d rather forget about the trauma leading up to it.

    After breakfast we headed back to the Adventure Society. It was only a short walk from the inn, though it had felt much longer yesterday in my sleepy haze.

    The city itself was a vibrant hub of activity in the morning. There were so many people out and about. The city¡¯s population seemed to consist mostly of the races I already knew about; humans, catonids and lycanids.

    However there were a few weird looking people I didn¡¯t recognise. I tried to identify them but the system wasn¡¯t playing ball, possibly because they were moving in and out of other people¡¯s way.

    We reached the glass skyscraper that was home to the Adventure Society and entered through the front door. Unsure what to do exactly, I approached the front desk.

    Lucy, the blonde catonid was working behind it. She smiled at me as I approached and leant leisurely on the reception desk.

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    ¡°Good morning Mr Akabane. It¡¯s good to see you again. How did your class selection go yesterday?¡± She asked cheerfully.

    ¡°It went really well thanks. I was wondering what to do now. I know I¡¯m supposed to complete some quests but Lucas said I needed a mentor or something.¡±

    As I spoke Panda wriggled his way onto the desk, kicking his hind legs as he went. When he reached the top he sat down cross legged, or as close to that as a panda can, and lit up his bamboo pipe.

    I expected Lucy to say something as I was pretty sure smoking wasn¡¯t allowed in here. But when she looked at him she blushed slightly and began petting his head instead.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly right Mr Akabane. Your mentor is already waiting for you. She¡¯s over in meeting room B, it¡¯s just over there.¡±

    She pointed towards a small corridor leading out of the foyer.

    ¡°Thanks Lucy, you can call me Kaleb by the way. Mr Akabane is my father¡¯s name¡­ though I¡¯ve never actually met him¡­¡±

    ¡°Smooth.¡± Panda said as he jumped down from the counter and began waddling towards the meeting room.

    I felt my face go red as I awkwardly said my goodbyes and left as well. ¡°So it is true that all humans are furries.¡± Panda said as we walked.

    ¡°I was just being friendly. Besides, I think she¡¯s more interested in you¡­ for some reason.¡±

    ¡°What can I say, the ladies just can¡¯t get enough of my charming personality and dashing good looks.¡± He replied smugly, taking another drag.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely got nothing to do with the fact that you¡¯re a walking, talking teddy bear.¡±

    We made it to the corridor and I quickly spotted meeting room B. It looked just like a non-descript meeting room from any office on earth. It had floor to ceiling, interior glass windows, blinds, a door and inside was a large, oval table with chairs scattered around it.

    I knocked and then entered the room, Panda at my side. Sitting in a chair at the head of the table and smoking a cigar was a WWE wrestler cosplaying as a catonid ¨C or at least that¡¯s what she looked like.

    The catonid had long silver hair that reached her lower back, silver cat eats and a braided silver tail. Her eyes were dark blue and her thighs looked like they could crush me like an egg.

    She leaned all the way back in the chair with her monstrous legs up on the table. She looked like a bodybuilder. If we weren¡¯t in a magical world I¡¯d be thinking she was on steroids. Not that I¡¯d say that to her face even if we were back on earth, I¡¯m not that stupid.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She said menacingly in a medium pitched voice. She flashed me an evil grin showing off her sharp fangs. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± Panda said, jumping onto an office chair and trying, and failing, to put his stumpy little legs on the table like the catonid was.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re a bit too short buddy.¡± I said, taking the seat next to him and patting him on the head. ¡°Maybe stick to the cute and cuddly thing.¡±

    He gave me a deadpan stare before sitting back in his seat.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the fresh meat I¡¯m supposed to beef up?¡± She asked, taking a drag of her cigar.

    The smoke she blew out was thick and it filled the room in mesmerising grey spirals. As I breathed in the second-hand lung cancer I detected a creamy after taste.

    I used to smoke too, years ago, but I stopped after my grandma died of cancer. It felt like it¡¯d tarnish her memory and somehow be disrespectful to continue smoking after that.

    Though maybe I¡¯d just been a pushover because my wife hated it and I¡¯d grown sick of going out in the rain all the time for my daily nicotine hits. Either way, I¡¯d have had to stop when she got pregnant.

    I felt a pang in my chest as the smoke brought back memories of her. I hoped she was ok. More than anything I hoped she wasn¡¯t here, in this world.

    ¡°That¡¯s me, Fresh Meat reporting for duty.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Cute. I don¡¯t like cute.¡± She replied giving me an assessing look before looking Panda up and down and curling her lip.

    We¡¯re in for a treat. I thought, internally sighing.

    ¡°Right, here¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna go.¡± She said, removing her feet from the table and leaning in towards us. ¡°You¡¯ve got me for one quest and one quest only, then you¡¯re on your own. So, I¡¯ve taken the liberty of excepting a silver ranked quest which you¡¯re going to help me with.

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to do much considering how far above your level it is, but this quest is about teaching you how to be an adventurer and I can¡¯t do that if we take one of those pussy quests from the temp floor.

    ¡°Rescuing a cat from a tree might have its use in society, but it¡¯s no adventure now is it? You¡¯re going to do what I say, when I say it, without complaint and if you do, you might just learn something that¡¯ll keep you alive in the future.

    ¡°I¡¯m only doing this as a favour to Lucas so don¡¯t expect me to baby you. Also, just so you know, I¡¯ll add your name to quest completion form if you make it back. But I¡¯ll be taking the reward since it¡¯ll be me doing all of the work.¡± She leant back in her chair as she finished and took a long drag of her cigar.

    Ash dropped from it onto the floor, leaving a smouldering hole in the carpet. Not that she seemed to care.

    ¡°I appreciate you taking the time to help us and all, but I¡¯m more of a learn by doing kind of guy. A silver rank quest is fine by me, but I¡¯m not just going to stand back and let you do all the work. Naturally, if I¡¯m pulling my weight I want in on the reward too.¡± I replied, leaning forward and placing my elbows on the table.

    Panda shot me a nervous glance from his seat. It struck me as a little odd that he hadn¡¯t said anything himself. He was usually such a loudmouth.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got balls kid,¡± she began, ¡°speaking to a silver ranker like that. But your noob is showing. If you knew what it was really like to be an adventurer you¡¯d put your dick away. This is a silver ranked quest and you¡¯re not even an iron.

    ¡°You can try to pull your own weight if you want to, but you won¡¯t be able to come crying to me when it gets you killed¡­ you know cause you¡¯ll be dead.¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see.¡± I replied, letting my bravado get the better of me.

    Why was this woman treating me like a child. I was 28 years old; I had a kid on the way and a mortgage and all that adult crap.

    She smiled evilly as she got up from her chair. It was then that I realised just how ripped she truly was. She had a ten pack; I didn¡¯t even know that was a real thing!

    The way she dressed was a bit counter intuitive to me with her crop top and booty shorts, but far be it for me to question a mighty silver ranker.

    She moved to the side of the room and opened a floor to ceiling locker. Reaching in she pulled out the biggest sword I had ever seen. The thing was almost as tall as she was, and she was a big lady. It was wider than me and it glinted in a malicious black steel which caught the light and blinded me.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to go then Gonads.¡± She smirked, hefting the sword onto her back like she was lifting paper.

    ¡°My name is Kaleb; I probably should have introduced myself earlier.¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s Sally. Nice to be working with ya, Gonads.¡±

 Chapter 22 â€“ Sailing Is For Chumps

    We followed Sally out of the Adventure Society building and I was honestly surprised that her footsteps didn¡¯t shake the ground.

    I¡¯d expected we¡¯d head straight for the bridge but instead she began leading us further into town. Panda tugged on the hem of my trousers and I looked down.

    ¡°Be careful around her. I know you don¡¯t have magic sense, so trust me when I say she¡¯s dangerous. The magical pressure she emits is wild.¡± He whispered, keeping an eye on our mentor as she strutted up the street.

    I nodded to him in response. Perhaps that was why he was so uncharacteristically quiet in the meeting. I had wondered why he didn¡¯t speak up when Sally had said she¡¯d be keeping the reward for herself.

    I quickened my pace slightly until I was walking next to the silver rank bodybuilder.

    ¡°Is it ok if we make a quick detour?¡± I asked, ¡°I need to buy some arrows.¡±

    ¡°What kind of archer doesn¡¯t have arrows?¡± She replied scathingly. ¡°Fine, there¡¯s a shop just round the corner. I¡¯ll take you there. You should stock up on some other supplies too, we might be gone a while.

    ¡°Lesson number one: an adventurer is always prepared. You never know how long a quest might take or where it¡¯s going to take you. So you need a constant supply of food, water, and potions just in case. Especially at your level where you still need to eat semi-regularly.¡±

    I thanked her for her advice as she led us towards the supply shop. This quest could be useful after all if Sally was actually going to give me advice.

    I¡¯d played plenty of video games before, but having to think about things like supplies was alien to me. I was sure there was going to be more to adventuring than I realised and I was actually getting quite excited to see Sally in action.

    It was obvious that there was a huge gap between us. I could tell just by looking at her, and Panda had said she gave off some kind of magic pressure as well.

    I needed to see it. See the difference levels really made in combat.

    Sally led us to an unassuming store called Adventurer¡¯s Stockpile and Supplies. That¡¯s right, the store¡¯s acronym would be ass. We were about to enter ass, a thought that wasn¡¯t lost on me.

    Inside, the place reminded me of an Army and Navy store from back home. The kind of store that sold all kinds of gear and knickknacks for soldiers to buy.

    There was a myriad of battered armour in the corner, a few old swords, and bows. There was a selection of shelves on the wall entitled: rations and potions.

    There were also bargain bins full of arrows and quivers in the corner. The thing I needed most was proper ammunition for my bow, so I headed there first.

    The store really was a cluttered jumble sale and I had to scootch around so I didn¡¯t knock over any of the merchandise.

    In the bargain bins there were lots of arrows and damaged quivers. They all had super low prices too which was a bonus. I didn¡¯t know how many arrows I¡¯d need though, or why I¡¯d want a quiver when I could just summon them from my inventory into my hand.

    Hanging behind the bins was a black quiver that had been hung on the wall with a nail. I focused on it.

    Quiver of The Infinite (inferior)

    This quiver has an infinite supply of inferior arrows, meaning you can shoot as fast as you want without running out of ammo. Of course you¡¯d know all about shooting fast.

    Ignoring the snarky remark from the system as I reached up and grabbed the quiver. It was perfect. Infinite arrows would be a huge boon to an archer, especially one who couldn¡¯t make every shot count yet.

    I took it over to the counter and rang a little brass bell that was left on there.

    I heard a rustling from in the back somewhere and a small racoon dog jumped up onto the counter, standing on its hind legs like a person.

    I stared at it and it stared back at me. It had black fur around its eyes that looked like a burglar mask and the rest of its fur was greyish brown. It was wearing a little bowtie which made it look like a cartoon character. As I focused on it a notification appeared.

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    Racoon Dog

    Similar in size and appearance to the racoon dogs of Japan, this little guy loves trash. That¡¯s probably why so many of them are low level merchants running pawn shops or any other cluttered store of crap you can think of.

    ¡°Well are you just gonna stare at me all day or do you need something? What? You never seen a racoon dog before?¡± He said with a 20¡¯s mobster accent.

    ¡°Actually no I haven¡¯t.¡± I replied. ¡°Sorry for staring, I want to buy this.¡± I said, holding out the quiver.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve got a good eye mister.¡± He said, taking the quiver in his paws and looking it up and down. For all I knew he was appraising it, but I was pretty sure it was just for show considering it was already in his shop. ¡°It¡¯ll cost you one thousand five hundred gold pieces.¡±

    ¡°1.5k for an inferior item?¡± Sally said, pounding her fist on the desk and making the entire counter shake. ¡°Come on Tanuki, I know this guy is a noob but he¡¯d have to be an idiot to fall for that line. He¡¯s with me, so treat him good yeah?¡±

    Tanuki? I thought, isn¡¯t that just the Japanese word for Racoon Dog?

    ¡°Oh, Sally hi.¡± Tanuki said backing up a few steps. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise he was with you! Of course I¡¯ll treat him fairly. How about 1000 gold?¡± He asked cautiously.

    Sally didn¡¯t even justify that with a response. She glared at Tanuki with the eyes of a predator and I saw her fangs glinting from within her mouth.

    ¡°Ok fine! 800 gold, but that¡¯s as low as I can go.¡± He said, huffing as he gave Sally the stink eye.

    She smiled back at him and I had to assume that it was good price. I had 989 gold so I could afford his asking price. I just hoped I could still get some potions and food as well.

    This world¡¯s economy confused me. A single gold had gotten me a week at a bed and breakfast, yet a single inferior quiver cost this much. It didn¡¯t make sense. I could live at the inn for 16 years for the price of a single quiver.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± I said, nodding at Sally. ¡°I also need some food and water supplies and potions if you¡¯ve got any.¡±

    Tanuki¡¯s beady eyes lit up.

    ¡°I can give you a week¡¯s supply of food and water for 2 gold, the potions are gonna cost ya though. Those things ain¡¯t cheap. So, what kind do you want?¡±

    I looked towards Sally, pleading for advice with my eyes. So far I¡¯d only seen a health potion, I had five of them in my inventory from the divine loot box.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need some health, stamina and mana potions.¡± She said, shaking her head as she looked at me. It was like she was speaking to a disappointing child.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana.¡± I said, leaning into her and whispering behind my hand.

    I was pretty certain that wasn¡¯t something I wanted most people to know. However, if she was going to be my mentor she¡¯d find out eventually.

    ¡°Really?¡± She said in a calculating voice. ¡°How interesting. Just get the other two kind for now then.¡±

    I ended up leaving the store with my new quiver, which I immediately equipped, a week¡¯s worth of rations, five inferior stamina potions and two inferior health potions.

    Each potion was supposed to cost 30 gold, but Sally helped me work out a deal with Tanuki so I got them for about 26 gold each. Unfortunately all of my money was now gone.

    I¡¯d spent everything I had in that little shop, but I was happy with my purchases. The quiver was a good find and as a clothing item I could wear it all the time.

    Panda had begged me to buy him an enchanted cowboy hat that changed colour with your mood, but I didn¡¯t have enough gold left.

    He¡¯d been pretty reluctant to let go of it when it was time to leave. He even went as far as to demand Tanuki keep it behind the counter so he could buy it when he got back.

    He lit up his bamboo pipe as soon as we left and Sally began leading us further into town. I had no idea where we were going since the exit bridge was the other way.

    We mostly kept to the main street, walking in silence as I filtered around the people going about their business. I noticed that Sally didn¡¯t have to move for someone even once.

    It was like they avoided her. She walked in a straight line and people parted around her like they were the sea to her Moses.

    It was a little unnerving and I soon learnt to walk behind her, letting her shield me from the annoying amount of people.

    We walked up the main street for a little while, eventually coming out at a huge port. It was all hustle and bustle there too with sailors and traders carrying boxes of cargo from their ships.

    Most of the ships looked like pirate ships. They were all wood and sails. It was awesome. There was also one that looked like a modern, luxury cruise liner.

    It seemed pretty out of place compared to the others and it was parked off to the side, taking up a lot more space than the rest of the ships in the port.

    Sally led us to the end of a pier. There was a smaller wooden ship moored there. It had only a single mast and was tiny compared to the others.

    Sally jumped down onto it, rocking the little boat and beckoned for me to do the same. I noticed a ladder and climbed down that instead. Panda clung onto my back, ripping my shirt with his claws because he held on so tightly.

    It was a good job my new clothes came with self-repair. If even Panda could break them with ease I didn¡¯t want to know how bad they¡¯d be after a fight.

    ¡°This is a cute little boat.¡± Panda said as he walked around gingerly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a schooner, which is a ship, not a boat.¡± She retorted. ¡°Besides, you should be happy that a woman like me is content with a smaller one. You men always go around saying size doesn¡¯t matter after all don¡¯t you?¡±

    Panda looked at me, he seemed at a loss for words. She¡¯d done it. Someone had finally managed to shut him up. I laughed as Panda stared between me and Sally expectantly.

    ¡°So, I take it we¡¯re sailing to this mystery quest?¡± I asked, moving around the unsteady boat, and trying to get my sea legs.

    ¡°Sailing is for chumps.¡± She replied as she moved around the ship, tying knots and fiddling with ropes and the sail.

    I looked after her with a furrowed brow. Why were we on a boat if we weren¡¯t sailing?

    My question was answered a few seconds later as Sally grabbed the wheel and the ship shot off into the air.

    ¡°We travel by air.¡± Sally said, grinning maniacally.

 Chapter 23 â€“ The Goblin King Coronation

    I was caught off guard by the sudden propulsion of the schooner. For a small ship, it sure packed some g-force.

    I was sent hurtling backwards as the little ship shot up towards the sky. At first I slipped backwards on the slippery wooden deck, but then I began free falling.

    More accurately, it felt like I was hovering in mid-air and the rear of the ship was rocketing towards me. That¡¯s just how fast it was.

    I slammed helplessly into a wooden wall; the ship¡¯s wheel was directly above it. I could only assume it was the outer wall of the captain¡¯s quarters.

    Sally cackled from above me as she spun the ship¡¯s circular wheel.

    With a thud, Panda crashed into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and the two of us were helplessly pinned to the side of the captain¡¯s cabin.

    It all happened so fast.

    After about thirty seconds of being crushed by the air pressure and Panda, the ship levelled out. The two of us fell to the deck of the ship in a tangled mess.

    I picked myself up, groaning as I rubbed my sore head. I¡¯d lost the feeling in my face because of the harsh, freezing wind.

    ¡°I can tell you two are flying novices.¡± Sally said, vaulting the rail above us and landing with a thump on the deck. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. The trick is to form a basic mana shield around yourself¡­ oh wait, you don¡¯t have any mana do you?¡± She laughed evilly.

    ¡°You could have given us some warning.¡± I retorted.

    ¡°What, and miss out on all the fun?¡±

    Panda rolled onto his front and stood up gingerly. He wobbled towards the side of the ship, poked his head out over the side and began retching. Poor guy, he was quite possibly the first of his kind to fly in an open topped vessel.

    I walked towards him and rubbed his back as he let it all out. Despite the cold from the wind, the view was magnificent.

    We were sailing through the sky and it was simply amazing. Just above us floated a patch of fluffy looking clouds. They looked like sheep; I reached out towards them. I was so close I could almost touch them.

    The sky itself was a Mediterranean blue and stretched out infinitely in all directions. It was an all-encompassing, beautiful reflection of the tropical waters below us.

    We¡¯d barely been flying for a few minutes but already the city of Havar was fading behind us. The skyscrapers that littered the town were almost as tall as we were, with the neon glow of the Adventure Society building standing above all the rest.

    That building reminded me of the Tokyo skyscraper¡¯s I¡¯d seen on TV. As a young boy I¡¯d dreamed of travelling there and tracking down my father. My mother hadn¡¯t spoke of him much.

    All I knew was that she met him whilst studying abroad and that she gave me his last name. With that name being Akabane, it was obvious he was Japanese. I didn¡¯t have many Asian features myself but I just knew that¡¯s where he was from.

    Now I¡¯d probably never get the chance to meet him. My own child would grow up never knowing their father either. It was almost like my family had a genetic disposition towards abandoning their children.

    I knew that wasn¡¯t a fair sentiment. According to my mother my father never even knew she was pregnant. Still, it was a bit of a sore subject and one I was loath to repeat.

    I didn¡¯t want to go home as much as I wanted to bring them here. At the same time the idea of my wife being alone in this world was terrifying.

    I¡¯d need to become much stronger if I was going to protect them in a place like this. That¡¯s if there was even a way to bring them to me.

    ¡°What are you sulking over?¡± Sally said, perching against the railing next to me.

    ¡°Nothing in particular.¡± I replied, I couldn¡¯t tell her that I was an outworlder and I was worried for my family. It wasn¡¯t safe to admit that in a place where people skin outworlders for their ink. ¡°When are you going to let us in on this quest?¡± I asked instead, attempting to change the subject.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to be on your contacts list to share the details.¡± She said, holding out her hand.

    I had noticed that there was a contacts list in the options menu, I just hadn¡¯t given it much thought since I didn¡¯t really know anyone.

    I looked at her hand in confusion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never done this before? Jeez, you¡¯re as helpless as a newborn sometimes. I really have my work cut out for me don¡¯t I?¡± She said, noticing my hesitation to take her hand. ¡°You have to shake hands with someone to get their contact info. Once you do you¡¯ll be able to share notifications with them and call them through the interface.¡±

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Interface? I¡¯ve been calling it a HUD.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means Gonads. You gonna shake my hand or not?¡±

    Reluctantly I took Sally¡¯s enormous hand and shook. She squeezed mine so tightly I thought my fingers were going to break.

    As we shook, a notification popped up on my HUD.

    You have received a new friend request from [Sally].

    Accept request?

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes and scrolled down my options screen. Like clockwork, the previously greyed out contacts sections was now clickable.

    ¡°Now I can share the quest with you, which means you¡¯ll get it too. You¡¯ll have to accept it though.¡± Sally said as a new notification appeared.

    Sally has shared a quest with you.

    Will you accept?

    Y/N

    I accepted the quest and the notification appeared immediately. I could see Sally watching me with curious eyes as I read it.

    New Quest!

    The Goblin King Coronation

    Every century a new goblin king is chosen. He who is destined to unite the clans and conquer the world ¨C or so ancient goblin lore says.

    Crash the party, kill the king, and get to the Winchester for a nice cold pint whilst you wait for it all to blow over.

    Objectives:

    Stop the coronation 0/1

    Kill throne candidates 0/4

    Reward: A New Active Skill

    I wasn¡¯t sure what shocked me more, the Shawn of the Dead quote or the amazing reward. I didn¡¯t have any active skills yet.

    ¡°Not bad as far as rewards go right?¡± Sally said, flashing me a fangy grin.

    ¡°Definitely, I don¡¯t have any active skills yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably because of your lack of mana. Most active skills need mana to activate them.¡± Sally replied, leaning back over the railing thoughtfully.

    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Panda said, pulling himself back up and wiping his mouth. ¡°The vast majority of active skills rely on mana for activation. That actually puts you at an advantage for this reward Kaleb. I can¡¯t think of any stamina activated skills that are below rare quality.¡±

    I had wondered about that. My class was unique but the system didn¡¯t assign rarity to my passive skills or my personal skills.

    I had assumed that all the skills pertaining to my class were also unique but I could have been wrong. It seemed active classes came with an actual rarity.

    If I was going to unlock a rare skill as my first ever active one then I needed to complete this quest. Traditionally in video games active skills were way more powerful than passive buffs. Of course, this place wasn¡¯t actually a game.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Hopefully my passive skills will be enough to complete the quest.¡± I said thoughtfully.

    ¡°Unless you have something super destructive like a bomb skill you won¡¯t make so much as a dent in the goblins at your level.

    ¡°You just need to back me up and you¡¯ll get your reward. If you¡¯re lucky I might train you up a bit too.¡± She flashed me a devilish grin and suddenly I wasn¡¯t so sure that I wanted her training.

    ¡°I definitely do need to train.¡± I said swallowing hard. ¡°How long until we get to this coronation place?¡±

    ¡°The ship will get us to the island in a few hours, we¡¯ll have some walking to do from there though.¡± She replied. ¡°Which gives us plenty of time to do a little sparing.¡±

    I looked at her blankly as she moved to the middle of the ship, next to the mast. She opened both of her hands and suddenly the wind stopped.

    I looked around bewildered as a large, blue bubble encircled the entire ship. It was semi-transparent and the sound of the wind disappeared with it as well.

    Suddenly the ship felt eerily quiet.

    ¡°Well, come on then. Show me what you¡¯ve got.¡± Sally commanded, pointing at me with her other, muscled arm, bent and resting against her ripped obliques.

    I stepped forward hesitantly. Something in the back of my head told me it wasn¡¯t a good idea to fight her, even if it was only sparing.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I won¡¯t hurt you¡­ much. Look I won¡¯t even use a weapon.¡± Sally attempted to persuade me.

    ¡°This might be a good opportunity Kaleb. You haven¡¯t gotten to test out your new class yet.¡± Panda said confidently as he backed up as far as he could and made himself small.

    Yeah, you look raring to go little buddy. I thought.

    With a deep sigh I summoned my bow and nocked an arrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Sally cheered, ¡°gimme everything you¡¯ve got.¡±

    I steeled myself for the attack. I didn¡¯t want to risk melting her with my acid but she seemed pretty confident. A part of me wanted nothing more than to wipe the grin from her face and I leaned into a primal urge: the urge, no, the desire to win at all costs.

    I pulled back on the bowstring and took aim at her centre mass. There was no way I was going to risk a headshot, not after last time. I needed to play it smart and attack in a way that would definitely land hits.

    I took a breath as I drew the bow and fired.

    The arrow rocketed towards Sally much faster than the Loconut¡¯s Hair I¡¯d been using before.

    She opened her eyes wide, a feral grin on her face. Did she plan to take it head on?

    Bad move lady.

    It didn¡¯t matter how strong she was. Silver ranker or not, she was still made of flesh. She didn¡¯t have any armour on and my arrows were tipped with acid.

    I had this in the bag.

    The arrow struck her chest and she took it like a pro. It didn¡¯t even rip her crop top.

    What the hell!

    How was that even possible? She looked at me and tipped her head back as if to laugh. Then a hole started burning through the centre of her shirt and she looked down.

    The skin in the middle of her chest had turned a deep red, but that was all. Even the acid had done little more than blemish her skin.

    I wasn¡¯t done yet. There was no way I was going to lose so pathetically. I dismissed my bow and summoned the dagger. It was my strongest weapon skill.

    Not only would it replenish my own health, but it also did acid damage and I was faster with it.

    I rushed towards her and her dark blue eyes bored into me as if she was daring me to try it. I didn¡¯t back down.

    I charged into her, holding the dagger out in front of me. With my bodyweight and speed adding to the pressure I would definitely pierce her skin. Then the acid would really shine.

    Her skin might be super strong but were her organs?

    She smiled and stood still once again, holding her arms out like a chav about to threaten to sic his older brother on you.

    I made contact and pushed with all my might but it was like hitting steel. The dagger did less damage than the arrow and I looked down in disappointment.

    Sally laughed and I looked up just in time to receive a back hand to the face.

    Everything went black.

 Chapter 24 â€“ Youâ€™re Being Pathetic

    ¡°What happened to sparing? You almost killed him¡± Panda shouted.

    ¡°It was a simple backhand; I wasn¡¯t expecting him to be so weak. It¡¯s pathetic.¡± Sally replied, indignantly.

    ¡°He¡¯s only level 9!¡± Panda screamed.

    ¡°Level 9? Most children are at least level 10. How could he be so weak at his age?¡±

    My head felt like it had split open. My face felt swollen and everything was spinning even though I could only see an empty void.

    I tried to open my eyes, everything hurt. The headache turned into a migraine as cracks of light shone into my vision. It was blinding.

    My HUD flicked back on, blinking a red warning light. My HP was only at 1/101. I was dying.

    Something had hit me; I remembered the brief contact but not how it happened. Had I been fighting someone? Sally! That¡¯s right I¡¯d been sparring with Sally.

    I heard heated voices close by but I couldn¡¯t make much sense of what they were saying. I wished they¡¯d be quiet. My head hurt so much, I just wanted to sleep. I wanted it all to go away.

    Are you really going to allow yourself to die like this?

    A mysterious voice whispered in my mind. It felt familiar, comforting even.

    Get up Kaleb, you¡¯re being pathetic.

    I didn¡¯t want to get up. Everything hurt. My body was broken. Even the HUD was telling me to give in. The flashing red lights all around my blurred vision wanted me to surrender.

    ¡°Kaleb?¡± I heard a familiar voice. I think it was Panda. ¡°Oh thank God you¡¯re awake. Give me a potion!¡± He shouted, though I got the impression he wasn¡¯t shouting at me.

    ¡°No not a cheap one. A common one should do it. Look at his face, he needs a good one.¡±

    I felt myself fading away again. I wanted to sleep so badly, why were all these voices keeping me awake.

    I felt something warm on my lips, then pressure as something soft rubbed my throat.

    The warmth filled me as it sank deeper into my body. It began spreading everywhere and the pain started to fade. My HUD stopped flashing and I watched as my HP started filling up.

    It was magical, serene.

    I wished I could feel that way forever.

    ***

    I woke up feeling refreshed. I wondered if I¡¯d ever get used to the feeling of waking up like that. I didn¡¯t miss feeling like a zombie every morning but it was still strange to feel good after sleep.

    Opening my eyes I sat up and stretched my arms. I looked around and found that I was in an unfamiliar cabin-style room.

    I was laid on a single bed in a room with walls so close I could touch them from where I sat. There was a sliding door at the end of the bed.

    How had I gotten here?

    That¡¯s right I nearly died. I thought, rubbing my chin. Stubble had started to form. That was interesting, I¡¯d always been clean shaven. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to try growing it out. New world, new beard as they say. Well, I don¡¯t think anyone has ever actually said that, but it sounded like something people would say.

    Wait. I nearly died. Holy shit! I realised in a sudden panic.

    I pulled the covers off myself and started checking for injuries. I was still wearing my clothes and they seemed fine.

    I seemed fine.

    The door opened and Sally stood there, she had to duck to see under the door frame. She looked at me and her expression softened slightly.

    She entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed, her weight tipped the mattress and I had to dig my feet in to stop myself from sliding towards her.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re awake. How are you feeling?¡± She asked with a kindness which was so uncharacteristic of her that it caught me off guard.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m ok. Did I die?¡± I asked slowly.

    ¡°Not quite, but it was close.¡± She replied, then she looked down at her hands. Her sudden bashfulness was off putting. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry I nearly killed you. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t realise you were so weak. When Lucas asked me to look out for you he never told me you were an outworlder.¡±

    How did she know? I was supposed to be keeping that a secret. I swallowed a lump that had appeared in my throat all of a sudden. My mouth felt dry.

    ¡°I guess the cat¡¯s out of the bag huh?¡± I said, also looking away.

    Good going Kaleb. The cat¡¯s out of the bag? Seriously. You¡¯re talking to a damned cat lady.

    She didn¡¯t respond so I decided to keep talking. I felt awkward. This woman had just proved she could kill me with ease. If she wanted to skin me there was nothing I could do to stop it.

    I got the feeling that wasn¡¯t the case though. Something about her seemed trustworthy. Despite the battle junkie trope she called a personality.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡±

    ¡°I saw the tattoos on your back when I carried you in here. Your shirt ripped. That self-repair option was a good choice. Panda filled me in on the rest.¡±

    It seemed self-repair really was useful. Without a spare shirt I¡¯d have had to remain semi-naked for the whole quest. Again.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I replied, ¡°where is Panda?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s throwing up over the side again. He¡¯s not much of a flyer that one. He keeps coming back to sit with you though, that¡¯s been his routine for the past nine hours or so.¡±

    Nine hours? Had I really been out that long from a single hit? The director was right, I really was weak as shit. I needed to do some levelling.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Now, I train you up as much as I can in the short time I have you. It¡¯s the least I can do after nearly killing you.¡± She smiled a fangy grin at me but there was no malice in her eyes this time.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m weak as shit, I need all the help I can get.¡±

    ¡°Yup. Though don¡¯t beat yourself up too much. I am a level 90, the disparity between is no joke.¡± She chuckled and placed her hand on my knee and I looked up at her. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, your attack did leave a mark on my skin. At your level that¡¯s quite impressive. It¡¯ll take work, the life of an adventurer is hard. But, if you¡¯re willing to put the effort in I think you have what it takes to make it in this world.¡±

    Before I could reply she stood up and ducked out of the door.

    I took a moment to collect my thoughts. She was right, I¡¯d been treating this assignment too lightly. How arrogant did I have to be to think I could pull my weight with someone like her?

    I needed to get stronger and I needed to do it now. No more messing around. I took both my hands and slapped them into my cheeks.

    In that moment, I resolved to do whatever it took to make it in this world.

    Soon after, I got out of bed and left the room. It opened up into a cramped hallway that led into a dining area come kitchen.

    It reminded me of a log cabin. There was fire burning in a metal fireplace on the back wall and Sally was cooking something on a small stove.

    Panda sat at a table which took up most of the room and he was drinking a funny looking concoction. It looked like orange juice with bits of ketchup floating in it and from the look on his face as he drank it, it tasted like that too.

    ¡°Make sure you drink that all up. I won¡¯t have you throwing up on deck.¡± Sally said as she cooked.

    Her voice had returned to normal, no more of that maternal charm. I was glad. I was thankful for her words but I didn¡¯t want her like that all the time. I was starting to get used to her boorish personality anyway.

    I walked into the room and Panda looked up at me. He still looked sickly but the colour was beginning to come back to his fur.

    The concoction must have been some kind of travel sickness medicine.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake. Took you long enough,¡± he said.

    ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± I teased. ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t leave my side for a whole nine hours, apart from when you needed to throw up.¡±

    ¡°Worried? Of course not. It¡¯s no skin off my back if you go and get yourself killed kid. I was just in there for the bed¡­ yeah that¡¯s it, the bed was soft and I¡¯m a creature of comfort.¡± He retorted, refusing to meet my eyes.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I replied lightly as I took a seat.

    Panda took out his bamboo pipe and took a drag. Then he blew a few rings at me. For a sage, he was remarkably childlike at times.

    Sally dashed over to him and slapped the pipe out of his mouth.

    ¡°No smoking at the dinner table Furball!¡± She yelled before returning to the stove.

    ¡°Furball? Look who¡¯s talking Steroid Test Kitten.¡± He responded.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what had happened between them in the time I¡¯d been unconscious, but they seemed a lot less tense around each other, friendly even. Panda had barely spoken a word to her before.

    Sally responded by brining three dinner plates over and slapping them down on the table. Each plate contained a pile of overcooked meat.

    I was no culinary expert but I was pretty sure it was a travesty to cook meat for this long. Steak was supposed to be rare or medium rare, that¡¯s where the flavour was.

    This was more like ash than meat.

    ¡°Protein¡¯s all you need if you want to be strong like me.¡± Sally said, taking a seat and flexing her enormous bicep at me.

    ¡°I eat bamboo and I¡¯m plenty strong. Pandas don¡¯t eat meat.¡± Panda said, pushing the plate away with both hands.

    ¡°Starve then.¡± Sally said, taking the plate and scraping the copious amount of meat onto her own pile. ¡°How about you Gonads. I made this to toughen you up so you better eat it.¡± There was a slight threat in her eyes but it was marred slightly by the food in her mouth as she spoke.

    I grabbed my plate and began eating with gusto. It lacked taste. It was chewy. Honestly, it looked like it was prepared and cooked by a toddler, and not one of those super smart ones that parents always brag about. A normal, bog-standard toddler.

    Still, it was the best meal I¡¯d had since arriving here.

    ¡°All this protein will feed your muscles and you¡¯re going to need it.¡± Sally said, still eating as she spoke. ¡°After dinner we¡¯re gonna train until you puke and then we¡¯re gonna train some more. We¡¯ve still got half a day until we arrive and I need you in fighting shape for the quest.¡±

    I gulped. I¡¯d never really been a train till you puke kind of guy. But I guessed I was going to have to be if I wanted to get stronger.

    I was strangely excited to see how much I could grow in only half a day of training with a silver ranker.

 Chapter 25 â€“ Train Till You Puke

    ¡°Come on, how is it possible to be this pathetic. I asked for 1000 push-ups, not 271 and a bit.¡± Sally sighed as I laid sprawled on the deck of the ship unable to muster the strength for another one.

    ¡°We need to increase your strength stat.¡± She continued. ¡°Strength is vital for a melee fighter. You¡¯re gonna have your work cut out for you as both an archer and a light skirmisher.¡±

    Back on earth 271 push-ups would be quite the feat. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d ever trained much back home. I was a driver for god¡¯s sake. I spent most of my day sat down.

    I was impressed with 271, that was a good number. It really showed how much the strength stat affected me.

    She was right though. In this world it was weak and I needed to push past my limits, both physically and mentally.

    After I failed at the push-ups she had me attempt 1000 sit-ups. I managed 402. Then we moved onto 1000 squats. I got 364. Finally she had me run laps of the ship.

    I wasn¡¯t too bad at running. I¡¯d played football in high school. Though it had been ten years since I¡¯d graduated. But with my agility and strength stats combined I thought I did pretty well.

    This went on for hours. Every time my stamina got too low she force-fed me a potion to bring it back. I learnt that there is a 60-minute cooldown on potions of the same type. So I could take a health potion and a stamina potion at the same time, but not again for an hour.

    It turned out that consuming two of the same potion type within the time limit had the opposite effect of what was intended. At least that¡¯s what Sally said.

    She told me that she once took a second health potion ten minutes too early and it drained half of her HP. Luckily the HUD had a timer when I looked at the potions in the inventory.

    That meant that I¡¯d have to be careful in battle. Potions were a last resort because most fights didn¡¯t last anywhere near an hour so you¡¯d only get to use one once.

    After the running, the real combat training began.

    ¡°For now, in this quest, I want you on support duty. When we get to the island you¡¯ll be laying down cover fire with your bow and I¡¯ll do the close quarter fighting.¡± Sally began.

    ¡°At your level it¡¯s too risky to have you close enough to take damage from the monsters we¡¯ll likely encounter. So, let¡¯s work on levelling your marksmanship.¡±

    Sally produced a number of disks from her inventory. The idea was that she¡¯d throw them overboard and I¡¯d have to hit them as they fell from the sky. Like clay pigeon shooting.

    I took my position next to the railings and nocked my first arrow. I took a deep breath and breathed out halfway, a technique I¡¯d discovered days before.

    The Novice Bowman skill gave me some limited innate knowledge and muscle memory about all things bow related. It was really useful as I¡¯d only done archery once or twice before on a school trip when I was young.

    Sally said that to level the Novice Bowman skill I¡¯d have to practice shooting. The better I got on my own, the more likely the system would reward me with an upgrade which would solidify the skills I¡¯d learnt.

    I tried to clear my mind as I waited for Sally¡¯s throw.

    She called out a countdown and then launched the first disk into the air. I waited for it to reach its apex and fired.

    I missed and the disk hurled disappointingly towards the ground far below us.

    I tried again and missed again. I kept trying for hours, taking stamina potions when I needed them. There was no way I was going to give up. Even if it was only once, I¡¯d hit the target before we landed.

    With a renewed energy I began to nock my arrow for what was probably the thousandth time. The infinite ammo quiver was a god send for training.

    I took in a breath, breathed out halfway and Sally threw the disk. It careened lazily into the air and I traced it with my bow as it moved. I was so in the zone it was like time slowed down.

    I wanted this so badly. I needed it.

    I waited for the disk to reach the apex. I wanted to fire but held myself back. There was a moment between ascending and freefalling where the disk would appear weightless. Just before it fell and gravity took its hold the disk would appear to be perfectly still, floating in the sky.

    That was when I took my shot. The arrow flew from the bow with unreal speed and smashed through the disk.

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    I pumped my first in the air and let out a cheer.

    Congratulations! You have upgraded a skill:

    Novice Bowman ¨¤ Apprentice Bowman

    ¡°Sally my skill upgraded!¡± I shouted, reading the notification.

    ¡°Took you long enough. Apprentice anything is still on the lower rung of the ladder.¡± She said dryly.

    It had taken most of the day, the sun was already beginning to set and a serene orange glow washed over the deck of the ship.

    Still, on earth it could take years to hone a skill like archery. Decades to master it. What was half a day compared to that.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to land soon. Give me 100 laps of the ship whilst I get dinner going.¡± She commanded, walking back inside, and leaving me alone.

    Panda had spent the first hour outside watching me train, but he quickly got bored. I¡¯d revealed to him that I¡¯d stollen the books from the library back at the cultist temple and he was ecstatic.

    I¡¯d given him a few random tomes from my inventory and he¡¯d been happily laid in bed reading all day.

    It turned out he was quite scholarly. I¡¯d originally taken those books with the intention of reading them myself to learn more about this world.

    But if I had to train like this every day, I doubted I¡¯d have the time. It made sense to let Panda do the reading for me and give me the highlights of anything useful. At least for now.

    As I ran endless laps around the small ship I was reminded of the bleep test I¡¯d taken in high school. It was pretty standard across English schools.

    Basically you¡¯d run between two cones and you had to reach the next cone before the bleep sounded. It got progressively faster as the time went on.

    That was pretty much what I was doing on the ship, since it was quite small. I already felt fast and more cardiovascular fit compared to when I¡¯d ran earlier that day.

    I wondered if the potions helped with that.

    As I ran I watch the sunset from the best view in the house. It took up most of the horizon as it began to sink beneath the vast ocean.

    It was truly a sight to behold.

    This was a world full of monsters and cultists who wanted my skin, but it was also a world full of beauty.

    ***

    Lucas sank wearily into his lush office chair on the top floor of the Adventure Society building in Havar.

    Pouring himself a strong drink, he leaned back and swirled the amber liquid in his expensive, crystal glass. The new kid was becoming a headache already.

    He thought his new task from his god would be easy. Keep a noob alive, how hard could that be right?

    He¡¯d nearly had a heart attack when his god had appeared suddenly in his mind and chewed him out.

    That stupid woman! Why did you choose a brute like that to watch over the boy? I thought I told you to keep him alive! He¡¯d screamed suddenly in Lucas¡¯s head.

    She spared with him and took his HP down to one point. One fucking point! He was on the verge of death. I had to speak directly into his mind to coax him into staying alive long enough for his daemon to pour a potion down his throat.

    If he remembers that it could cause me some serious premature problems, you know? Honestly, you can¡¯t get the help anywhere these days you useless fuck.

    If he dies before I can use him I¡¯ll kill you as well, and the stupid catonid with him.

    Do you understand Lucas!

    ¡°Yes My Lord.¡± He¡¯d replied humbly.

    The severity of the god¡¯s words and his outrage had shaken Lucas to the core.

    He could feel the murderous intent coursing through his mind. The god¡¯s power was so far beyond his own it was barely comprehensible, and that was from realms away.

    He shuddered at the thought of feeling that wrath in person. It was likely strong enough to kill him outright.

    As he downed his drink and poured another he felt envy for the first time in years. He was envious of Kaleb and his lack of mana.

    Without mana you couldn¡¯t sense the power and will of others. At least you couldn¡¯t until you surpassed the max level.

    He would likely never have to feel the utterly unnerving feeling of an angry god inside his head. The pressure alone was extraordinary. It was terrifying.

    He glanced out at the setting sun from his penthouse view. He had no thoughts about the beauty of the world around him only resentment for being the weakest in the main family.

    Resentment for being forced to obey the whims of those more powerful than himself time after time.

    He¡¯d taken the position of director of the Havar branch because he was exiled. An idyllic location in a weak zone. It was supposed to be the easy life, practically retirement.

    And it was, until Kaleb showed up.

    His god hadn¡¯t spoken to him in ages. Then that outworlder came and he was reduced to the role of first bitch in the annoying tasks department.

    He squeezed his glass as the anger welled up inside him and it shattered like it was made of Styrofoam. The amber liquid inside covered his hand and leaked onto the carpet.

    He hadn¡¯t been this stressed in as long as he could remember. Well, that wasn¡¯t strictly true. A gold rank adventurer who had surpassed the level 100 cap had a very good memory after all, even if he had been stuck at jade soul for a century.

    Still, it had been a long time.

    As he began to settle down and pour another drink his god appeared again, calmer this time.

    The boy will arrive on the island before morning. He seems to have increased his bow skill. That better be enough to keep him alive.

    A silver ranked quest is a bit much for a level 9 if you ask me. I hope you know what you¡¯re doing Lucas.

    He was calmer this time but he still felt agitated. A feeling that permeated through Lucas¡¯s mind as he felt his presence there.

    ¡°Sally will keep him alive My Lord. She is my most loyal adventurer and her talents are known across the islands.¡± Lucas replied, his voice sounding tired.

    She better Lucas. The Goblin King Coronation is no joke. I remember when I took on that quest a few millennia ago.

    It took an entire raid party of silver rankers led by a gold ranker ¨C me. You must place a lot of faith in that catonid of yours if you think she can do it with a rookie and his panda.

    A few millennia? The calendar he knew only went back 20,000 years or so. He wondered what it was like living in the world before gods.

    Lucas hadn¡¯t realised the quest was supposed to be so hard. It was a recurring quest; he knew that much. It popped up from time to time.

    However, to his knowledge it hadn¡¯t activated in his lifetime. It was a silver rank quest; how hard could it be?

    ¡°She is very skilled My Lord.¡±

    I hope you¡¯re right. For your own sake.

 Chapter 26 â€“ Squabbling Goblin Tribes

    After a hearty dinner of badly cooked meat, the three of us tried to get a few hours of sleep. I tossed and turned for a while.

    I was tired, or as tired as I got after barely a day in this world, but I just couldn¡¯t switch off. I was excited and nervous in equal amounts about arriving at the island.

    The quest: The Goblin King Coronation was a silver ranked one. I hardly knew what that meant but considering my disastrous sparring session with my silver ranked mentor, it was certain to be a challenge.

    I¡¯d spent hours upon hours training my body and working on my bow skills. I¡¯d even managed to level up my Bow skill and upgrade my marksmanship skill from Novice to Apprentice Bowman. Still, as I looked over my stats, I wasn¡¯t sure it would be enough.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 9

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 106/101 (106)

    Stamina: 139/139

    Strength: 89

    Agility: 39

    Perception: 35

    Vitality: 51 (56)

    Intelligence: 16

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything

    Class Skills (Passive) Skills: Bow (lvl 6), Apprentice Bowman, Dagger (lvl 4), Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    Likely due to the guilt she felt over nearly killing me, Sally had given me free potions all day which meant I would be starting fresh on arrival.

    I was oddly excited. The training had been hard but also kind of rewarding. I¡¯d never really worked for anything back on earth.

    Not because I lacked ambition, but because the world was a boring place to me. I loved my wife and had a great time with her and my friends and family. But work? No thanks, it was just a paycheck.

    Eventually my brain ran out of things to think about and I managed to drift into a mostly peaceful sleep.

    I woke up a few hours later to Sally¡¯s ham fist rapping on the door. It was finally time to disembark.

    I hopped out of bed, full of adrenaline for the day ahead and walked out onto the deck of the ship.

    We had already landed. Sally must have seen to that whilst I slept. She was stood at the bow of the ship, staring at the island ahead. Her long, silver hair billowed in the wind like a superhero¡¯s cape.

    I joined her, leaning against the ship as I too, looked out over the island.

    We had landed on an idyllic looking beach. A tropical paradise, seemingly untouched by man. From the shore I could see out into a dense jungle, thankfully not a palm tree one this time.

    In the distance I could just about make out a huge mountain, possibly a volcano. Something told me that would be our destination.

    After a few moments of serenity as Sally and I stared off at the island. We were brought back to earth by Panda¡¯s grumbling.

    ¡°I feel awful. Barely slept a wink last night.¡± He moaned as he softly padded his way towards us.

    ¡°We both know that¡¯s not true. I could hear your snoring through the wall.¡± I replied.

    It wasn¡¯t a lie. He¡¯d been sawing logs all night. How a cute little teddy bear could make a noise that unholy, I would never know.

    ¡°Listen up.¡± Sally said loudly, turning towards us with a steely look in her eyes. ¡°This place is known as the Forbidden Isle.

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    ¡°It¡¯s home to countless squabbling goblin tribes. They¡¯re usually so busy fighting petty turf wars that they don¡¯t bother us, but that¡¯s about to change.

    ¡°Like the quest said, it¡¯s almost time for the goblin king coronation, an event that comes around once or twice a century. The last one happened before I was born so we only know what we know from the archives.

    ¡°The adventurers who have dealt with this in the past are either dead or so powerful they no longer give a shit. So it¡¯s up to us.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to fight our way through the jungle to reach our objective, that huge mountain in the distance.¡± She pointed towards the silhouette of the mountain. It was huge, nearly reaching the clouds themselves.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t an easy task, even for me, so you need to be careful. Current marching orders and tactics are as follows.

    ¡°We engage only on my say so. I¡¯ll take the front with Kaleb bringing up the rear as archery support. Panda you¡­ do whatever the fuck it is you do.

    ¡°Preliminary reports from our scouts back in Havar suggest that the enemy levels should be quite low this close to shore, goblins don¡¯t like water and their wars are usually over the land around the mountain.

    ¡°If I think you can handle it Kaleb, I¡¯ll let you try to get some solo experience. Either way you stand to gain some serious levels here. So listen to me and I¡¯ll get you home safely and with a heap of experience to boot.

    ¡°Any questions?¡±

    I was so shocked by her sudden change in demeanour I stood dumbstruck for longer than was socially acceptable. It was as if she¡¯d transformed from a boorish battle junkie to a five-star general at the drop of a hat.

    I guess being silver rank was more about just power.

    Eventually I shook my head. I was pretty sure she¡¯d covered everything, more than I¡¯d expected at least.

    Panda raised his hand like a school child.

    ¡°What happens when we reach the mountain?¡±

    ¡°We do some recon, assess and devise a strategy.¡± Sally replied confidently.

    ¡°So in other words, you have no idea.¡±

    Sally ignored him and jumped off the side of the ship. Not wanting to risk breaking my legs, I climbed down the rigging on the side and joined her on the beach.

    Without a word she marched off into the jungle and I stuck close behind her.

    There weren¡¯t any trails as such, just a lot of foliage and tree cover. I hadn¡¯t actually seen a goblin in this world, but if they were what I thought they were then they¡¯d have a natural camouflage amidst all the greenery.

    It didn¡¯t take long before I got my first glimpse.

    Sally put her hand in the air and I stopped, Panda bumped into the back of my leg.

    She crouched down and beckoned me towards her with two fingers. She was in a bush and as I moved to join her the branches scratched at my skin.

    She pointed two fingers to her eyes and then towards a small clearing in front of us.

    A small green fellow in tattered brown rags was stood there. It was facing away from us and picking berries. Its head was bulbous with cauliflower ears like it had spent years in a boxing ring.

    Its body was misshapen and out of proportion. The skin was hanging off in places, but tight around the joints and its bare feet were massively oversized with long, brown toenails.

    I focused on it and a notification popped up.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Goblin Gatherer

    Goblins are one of the most well-known monsters in the known universe. It¡¯s probably because they fuck like bunnies and spread like the clap.

    Seriously, these guys are some of the stupidest and ugliest guys you¡¯ll ever meet.

    The Goblin Gatherer is one of the lowest in their convoluted hierarchy.

    They do what it says on the tin, they gather. Fruits, discarded trash, dumpster babies. You name it, they¡¯ll take it.

    Don¡¯t get too complacent though. All goblins are dangerous in their own right. They¡¯re like a Viking horde minus the sex appeal.

    I didn¡¯t feel like the notification was overly helpful, but it did tell me one thing. This goblin was likely to be my best chance at a solo fight.

    ¡°Do you wanna take this one?¡± Sally whispered directly into my ear. It made me tingle a little bit.

    I nodded to her and she gestured with an empty palm towards it.

    I already knew what I wanted to do. Despite being low on the food chain, it was probably a higher level than me which meant I had a slim chance of one shotting it.

    With that in mind, I summoned my bow and nocked an arrow. After all the training I¡¯d done with the disks, a stationary and significantly larger target should be child¡¯s play.

    I aimed my shot and fired.

    The arrow soared out of the bush and met its target with ease, embedding itself into the goblin¡¯s left leg.

    With a childlike yelp, it dropped to the floor. I stood and exited the bush, already nocking the next arrow to hopefully go for the kill shot.

    I walked forward confidently and saw the goblin¡¯s leg was bubbling. Its skin looked like the contents of a witch¡¯s cauldron as it bubbled and popped, spraying blood and pus everywhere.

    It smelled revolting, like burning vomit roasting on an open fire. I had to resist the urge to gag as I aimed my next shot at its face.

    The goblin looked at me with fearful eyes and opened its mouth in a silent scream. Then, after less than a second, an ear shattering scream.

    It was so loud birds flew out of nearby trees and my eardrums felt like they were going to burst.

    I fired my shot quickly and its head lolled back unnaturally.

    I¡¯d killed it! A monster from a silver rank quest and I¡¯d eliminated it solo.

    You have defeated:

    Goblin Gatherer (lvl 17)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Level 17? That was quite high. It almost felt too easy, not that I was complaining. The notifications rolled in and my level jumped a fair few times.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 10

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 11

    ¡­

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 14

    Five levels from a single kill? That was brilliant. My stats must have skyrocketed, I¡¯d need to decide where to put my free points later.

    These were the first levels I¡¯d gotten since I¡¯d chosen my class and I immediately noticed something different. It seemed I no longer got +5 to HP and Stamina, my classes stat upgrades had replaced that function.

    Not that I was disappointed, it was a worthwhile trade off as I gained a lot more per level now than I had before.

    I was, however, a little disappointed I hadn¡¯t gotten another skill. I was hoping I¡¯d get one at level ten, but apparently not. I knew this wasn¡¯t a video game, but I¡¯d hoped there would be some semblance of order to the acquisition of skills.

    I felt Sally¡¯s hand on my shoulder as I congratulated myself.

    ¡°Good job Gonads, now get back in that bush. I¡¯ll take it from here, you cover me.¡± She said hurriedly.

    I was a little unsure what she thought was about to happen. Then I heard the horn blast sound through the forest.

    I looked in the direction of the sound as a spear wielding goblin jumped out of the shrubbery.

    He lifted his spear in the air and screamed.

    I heard rustling as goblins came out of all the bushes around the clearing.

    So much for going back to my bush.

    We were surrounded.

 Chapter 27 â€“ A Wild Gertrude Appears

    Before I had time to react, Sally pounced on the first goblin. She moved so fast my eyes couldn¡¯t keep up and in less than a second she¡¯d cleaved its head from its shoulders.

    Her oversized sword looked difficult to handle in the jungle, but her overwhelming strength more than compensated as she destroyed the nearby bushes.

    She killed three other goblins in the same strike who were hiding in the bushes that the first had appeared from.

    The luscious greenery was splattered with blood and gore. It was like a nightmare.

    I raised my bow and aimed at another goblin who had appeared on our left. It looked similar to the first one with a spear in hand and a bulbous, wart-covered nose.

    I nocked and fired an arrow, aiming for its centre mass. It struck the goblin in the chest, the acid making short work of its brown rags and searing its chest.

    It howled in pain as it looked down at bubbling, melting skin. Acid was a gross way to kill but it seemed to be effective.

    Not waiting to see if it died, I moved onto the next threat. Another goblin had emerged from the side of the one I¡¯d just shot and charged towards me.

    I loosed another arrow which embedded itself in the goblin¡¯s stomach. The goblin fell to the floor, coughing blood and bile as a notification marker popped up in the corner of my HUD.

    One of them had died. Good.

    Getting in the zone, I shot a third and a fourth goblin, all coming from the same direction.

    Meanwhile Sally was making short work of the rest of the clearing. She was like a woman possessed, a deadly efficient killing machine.

    She cleaved entire groups of goblins in half, like cutting through butter, with a single swing. The foliage also took a hammering as she singlehandedly doubled the circumference of the clearing.

    I absently thought that she¡¯d be a good landscaper as I watched her strike a downwards swing of her gleaming black sword. The sword¡¯s edge cut easily though a goblin¡¯s head, splitting it in two.

    The two sides of the head split apart in slow motion, falling away as if they¡¯d been glued together, badly. Brain matter, blood and gore spilled out onto the ground with a nasty splosh.

    I turned back to my side and continued to shoot. The goblins were endless, notifications kept popping up on my HUD as I dropped one after another.

    I felt my shots become more powerful as stats and levels rained in, mid battle.

    As I shot another goblin in the chest, the arrow pierced all the way through and embedded itself in a tree. How had that happened? I wondered what stat had made such a drastic change in my power.

    I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it though and I wasn¡¯t complaining as I fired off arrow after arrow.

    The goblins were beginning to pile up in front of the bush which worked in my favour as I had even more time to aim and shoot as they scrambled over their fallen foes.

    Seeing their brethren reduced to little more than bubbling husks seemed to enrage them. The attacking goblins screamed louder and scrambled with more vigour.

    It wasn¡¯t going to help them though; I was in the zone. This was my Alamo but hopefully without my death marking the end.

    We were surrounded by what must have been an entire tribe, but we weren¡¯t going down that easily.

    I learnt early into the fight that the acid damage stacked up. It wasn¡¯t an instant killer but it seemed so potent and shocking to the goblins that they didn¡¯t have time to attack before it burned through their flesh.

    Because of that I only needed one hit per goblin. It was far from an insta kill but I felt I understood my powers a little bit more because of this realisation.

    Behind me, Sally continued to cover the other three sides of the clearing. If I was doing well covering my single bush, she was a genius at covering the rest.

    She hacked and slashed and cleaved her way through more goblins than I could count. The ground was slick with the blood of our enemies and there was barely any green left on the blood-soaked foliage.

    My world turned red. I was covered head to toe in the spray of goblin blood, mostly from Sally¡¯s vicious attacks.

    As I continued to cover my section of the clearing I felt unsteady all of a sudden. The ground began to shake and the goblins before me seemed to get a new burst of energy.

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    I couldn¡¯t ignore it, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do about it either it. The shaking must have come from somewhere, but I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it as I continued my onslaught of arrows.

    ¡°Kaleb look out!¡± Panda screamed.

    I hadn¡¯t thought about him since the battle had started, I wondered where he had been.

    I turned towards the shouting just in time for the world to turn upside down. Something gigantic and strong gripped my leg hard and in a flash I was viewing the goblins the wrong way up.

    One goblin pointed at me and laughed and I shot him in the face with an arrow. I¡¯d had a tight grip on my bow so I hadn¡¯t dropped it.

    I pulled myself up with my abs just in time to see the snarling face of the biggest goblin I¡¯d ever seen.

    It was an off green colour and honestly looked more like a troll. It had tusk-like fangs and yellow, jaundice eyes.

    It screamed at me and I felt like I¡¯d been caught up in a hurricane from the power of its breath. I was hit with a nauseating wave of rotten eggs and perpetual morning breath as my hair blew backwards so hard I thought I was going to lose it.

    You have discovered a unique monster:

    Gertrude The Giant Goblin

    Once upon a time there was a goblin named Gertrude. She was born just a little bit different from all the other goblins in her tribe. You see boys and girls, Gertrude was a biiiiig goblin.

    All the other goblins were scared of her and they teased her, saying things like Gertrude Smash when she got angry.

    Unfortunately for them, one day Gertrude did smash. She smashed the skulls of all those who bullied her in her youth, she smashed their kids too and extinguished entire family lines going back generations.

    Then she smashed the goblin she had a crush on. Though it is unconfirmed if he liked her back, her friend Tiffany told her that she¡¯d heard from her friend Jane that the boy goblin had a thing for bigger ladies.

    The rest is history, Gertrude continued to smash the boy goblin and they had lots of baby goblins and started their own tribe.

    Though not a contender for the Goblin King Coronation, Gertrude is a recognised power in the Forbidden Isles and is unique in that her clan is comprised solely of her own flesh and blood.

    The same flesh and blood that you¡¯ve just slaughtered and delivered excruciating, acidic death to.

    I think she¡¯s pissed¡­ just a hunch.

    As soon as the identification notification popped up I knew exactly what it had said. It was like the information had been uploaded straight to my brain.

    I wondered if this was a battle feature, because if I had taken the time to read the long-winded history of Gertrude, I¡¯d probably already be dead.

    Instead though, less than a second passed and as Gertrude¡¯s horrendous breath stung my eyes, I pulled up my bow and shot an arrow at her.

    She howled as the arrow pierced her eyeball and it exploded like a gore filled balloon.

    It splattered my face and some even got in my mouth. I didn¡¯t even have time to react before she threw me away with her massive arms.

    I soared through the air and crashed into a tree, uprooting it, and knocking the thing over. My HUD flashed red and I clicked down on a basic health potion just before my HP reached 0.

    My bow flew out of my hand and broke in two.

    I crashed and tumbled into the foliage, fighting for breath. My torso exploded with pain and I was pretty sure I¡¯d cracked all of my rips.

    My leg had come out of its socket and dangled limply as I tried to push myself up from the ground.

    I felt some of the ribs fix themselves with a painful crack as the health potion went to work, but it wasn¡¯t enough.

    I was alive, but I was in pretty bad shape with a useless leg, cracked ribs and less than a quarter of my HP remaining.

    I got the distinct impression that I¡¯d be dead if it wasn¡¯t for my quick thinking in using a potion when I did.

    I heard a terrible shriek from back in the clearing. It deafened me and I felt fluid leak out of my ears as my health dropped slightly lower.

    Suddenly I was overrun.

    Goblins from all around the clearing trampled over me as they scattered like a herd of cattle. They were frantic, desperately trying to escape the clearing.

    Was the scream sounding their retreat?

    I didn¡¯t know and I didn¡¯t have time to think about it. I was being trampled to death. I struggled for air as the light above me faded and goblins ran over my broken ribs. Each step caused a shooting pain, the likes of which I¡¯d never felt before, to course through my body like lightning bolts.

    My HP was dropping fast and I couldn¡¯t take another healing potion for at least an hour. I needed to do something fast or I was going to die.

    Thinking quickly I ejected all 500 books I¡¯d stolen from the cultist library out of my body at the same time.

    The books sprang from all over me, piling up and leaving me both surrounded and buried in thick tomes.

    It seemed to work. There were so many books all occupying the same place that the goblins moved around them, rather than risk tripping over the tall hillock of books.

    They moved like water, taking the easiest path. The path of least resistance, and in less than a few seconds it was over and the jungle was eerily quiet.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what made me think to use the books. I just needed something to shield me from the goblins and they were the thing I had in abundance.

    I was so glad it worked I even let out a half-hearted, painful cheer as I laid in the dirt.

    I wasn¡¯t going to be moving for a little while. My body was completely broken. I hoped Panda was alright, I was going to have to ask him where he¡¯d been hiding the whole time.

    With nothing else to do whilst I waited for the others to find me, I began to check my notifications. Sally must have killed Gertrude and I bet she gave off some serious experience points.

    Chances were if I hadn¡¯t levelled as I fought I¡¯d have died from her throw. I was lucky, but I also felt that I did a pretty good job for my first battle.

    I¡¯d definitely say that covering that bush and killing all those goblins counted as pulling my weight.

    Even Sally couldn¡¯t have predicted an onslaught like that, it was insane.

    If this was what we had to look forward to for the rest of the quest I¡¯d be lucky to make it out alive. But I¡¯d also probably be a respectable level by the time we were done.

    It was high risk, high reward.

    And speaking of rewards, it was time to check my post battle notifications.

 Chapter 28 â€“ Perception of the Apex Predator

    I wasn¡¯t laid in the dirt long before Sally and Panda found me. I heard their voices and called to them in a hoarse whisper.

    Sally ran to me, kicked the books out of the way and looked over at me from above. She was covered from head to toe in blood and gore. She looked more like a monster than the goblins.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d died.¡± She said with a fangy smirk.

    ¡°Not yet, though I can¡¯t move and it¡¯ll be an hour before I can take another potion.¡± I replied feebly.

    Without a word she knelt down and picked me up in a princess carry. She carried me back into the clearing which by now was a cesspit of blood, gore, and corpses.

    She set me down against a tree and Panda walked over to me, looking utterly disgusted at his blood stained paws as he trapsed through the carnage.

    ¡°I¡¯ll loot the goblins whilst you heal, it should help with the smell.¡± She said grimly.

    She moved away and began the looting process. The goblins exploded into confetti this time, rather than silver bits.

    In the middle of the clearing laid the eyeless corpse of Gertrude. Now I got a better look at her, she definitely did look more like a troll than a goblin.

    Her lifeless husk was gigantic, standing at least 20 feet tall. It was no wonder she threw me away so easily, and so powerfully.

    She wore nothing but a loincloth and her saggy green breasts were sliced open savagely. Her corpse was covered with deep cuts, meaning Sally had to slash her a few times to finish her off.

    Panda finally reached me after treading as carefully as he could across the battlefield.

    ¡°You look like shit.¡± He said with a smirk as he sat next to me.

    ¡°When did you become a red panda?¡± I asked.

    He gave me a poignant look.

    ¡°Are you going to check your notifications or what? I bet you¡¯ve levelled like crazy after that,¡± he said.

    I had been about to check them when Sally found me and since I needed to rest before I could take another potion I figured I may as well sort through the notifications.

    It definitely had nothing to do with my child-like excitement for the coming levels.

    You have defeated Goblin Spearman:

    (lvl 12) x13

    (lvl 17) x9

    (lvl 24) x2

    (lvl 31) x1

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Wow, that was a lot of goblins. I was surprised I¡¯d killed so many. I hadn¡¯t stopped shooting for the whole fight and their corpses were piling up but that was still a lot of bodies.

    ¡°This is why I told you to pick the Apex Predator class.¡± Panda said, ¡°unique classes are always super powerful. You wouldn¡¯t have had a chance of killing that many without the bonus acid damage.

    ¡°They were also quite weak, or at least most were so that probably helped.¡±

    ¡°Most of them were above my level so I¡¯ll take it.¡± I replied back cheerily. Honestly I was just happy to have survived. ¡°I wonder if I got anything for helping to beat big Gertrude over there.¡±

    You have assisted in the defeat of a unique monster:

    Gertrude The Giant Goblin (lvl 35)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Experience decreased due to lack of damage inflicted.

    ¡°She was that tough?¡± I asked breathlessly.

    ¡°You should have seen Sally fight her. It was insane. She didn¡¯t take a single hit, scoring slash after slash. That big goblin didn¡¯t know what hit her.¡± Panda replied animatedly.

    I was happy to have done any damage at all to a monster that far above my own level. If I¡¯d have been alone I would have died for sure.

    It was time for the good part, I wanted to check my new level.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 15

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 16

    ¡­

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 27

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Holy crap! I¡¯d gone up 13 levels in that fight. That was insane. Though considering the sheer number of goblins I¡¯d killed I could see that the levels were starting to come slower.

    Still, I was super happy. I now had 90 free points to allocate including the 25 I¡¯d got from killing the first goblin solo. I¡¯d also gained 247 stat points from my class. That was a huge boost.

    Even with that huge boon the notifications weren¡¯t done.

    Bow has advanced to lvl 7

    Bow had advanced to lvl 8

    ¡­

    Bow has advanced to lvl 10

    Due to Bow advancing to lvl 10 you can now choose a new combat skill.

    Pick 1/2

    Perfect, I needed a new bow skill. Well, at the very least I really wanted one.

    I noticed that my bow skill seemed to level a lot slower than my actual level. I wondered if it gained experience based on different parameters. Maybe it was linked more heavily to how I used the bow rather than the experience I got from defeating monsters. I couldn¡¯t be sure though.

    There was still so much about levelling up and the system that I didn¡¯t understand.

    Putting that aside for now, I greedily asserted yes and the notifications popped up.

    I only got two choices this time though, but one of them did come with a rarity marker.

    New Skill:

    Power Shot

    Charge up an arrow before releasing to increase damage. Charging heavily consumes stamina.

    That one seemed like a pretty standard gamer bow skill. It didn¡¯t come with a rarity but I was certain it would be pretty powerful.

    Stamina was my highest stat so it would be a good choice.

    ¡°If you choose that one you¡¯ll finally have an active skill.¡± Panda observed.

    It was tempting, an active skill would be useful in combat. Panda had said before that they were usually more powerful than passive skills.

    But as I read the second notification, my decision became clear.

    New Skill:

    Perception of the Apex Predator (rare)

    Slow down time for a period determined by the amount of stamina you use on the skill.  Cooldown is determined by the amount of stamina used on the skill.

    That was the one. There was no competition. Slowing down time seemed super OP. It also had my class name in the title so it had to be good right?

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked Panda.

    ¡°Get the rare one. Always get the rare one.¡± He replied, imparting his sagely wisdom.

    I agreed, so I mentally asserted yes.

    I felt dizzy for a moment as an innate knowledge of how to use the skill flooded my mind. It wasn¡¯t like knowledge I¡¯d actually learnt; I couldn¡¯t explain how to use it or the details.

    But like muscle memory, I felt that I could tap into it and call on it without a struggle.

    Despite my injuries I wanted to try it out. The notification said nothing about exclusive combat use and I had the feeling I could use it whenever.

    I decided to tread lightly for the first time so I poured 10 stamina into the skill.

    I looked towards Sally who was only a stone¡¯s throw away and as she took her next step her footfall paused. Then it hit the ground less than a fraction of a second later.

    I could have blinked and missed the time change. This was going to take some practice and probably an insane amount of stamina to be useful.

    I wondered how much I¡¯d need to pour into it to get a full second. Judging from my test I was betting a lot. Possibly more than I currently had.

    Still, it was a useful skill that would grow as I did. By the time I was Sally¡¯s rank I¡¯d probably be able to get a few seconds out of it and that was nothing to sneeze at in a battle.

    The battle in the clearing had only lasted about three minutes and I¡¯d killed countless monsters and been thrown into a tree by Gertrude. So a few seconds had the potential to seriously affect the outcome of a fight.

    ¡°Where do you think I should allocate my free points?¡± I asked Panda.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got like 90 of them right? I¡¯d probably put it all into vitality. You¡¯re an ok fighter but being taken out by one hit is a quick way to die.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be a glass cannon in this job. I know you probably want to throw it all at stamina, but your stamina levels up faster than your health anyway. Also, if you add all the free points to your health you¡¯ll gain 90 HP right now.

    ¡°That¡¯ll save us some time since your basic health potions won¡¯t put you back to full health. And, you know, it¡¯ll be almost an hour until you can even take one.¡±

    Considering his words I decided to trust his wisdom. He was my daemon after all, I had to take his advice at least some of the time, otherwise what was the point in summoning him?

    I threw all my free points into vitality and immediately felt warmth flooding through my body. It was similar to the feeling I got when I took potions.

    With a painful click that made me gasp, my dislocated leg clicked back into place. A few equally painful cracks and my ribs healed too.

    My health was still pretty low and I was covered in deep purple bruises on my chest. But nothing was broken anymore and the residual pain went away almost immediately.

    My torn shirt was starting to thread itself back together as well thanks to self-repair. It was like watching a scab growing on your skin.

    It was oddly therapeutic, if a little odd.

    Before I got back to work, I decided to check my stats screen.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 27

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 97/271 (293)

    Stamina: 73/255

    Strength: 215

    Agility: 103

    Perception: 99

    Vitality: 221 (243)

    Intelligence: 34

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything

    Class Skills (Passive) Skills: Bow (lvl 10), Apprentice Bowman, Dagger (lvl 4), Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    The improvement was immediately apparent. HP was now my highest stat but my stamina was nothing to scoff at either.

    I¡¯d used quite a lot of it in the battle so ideally I¡¯d need to take a few potions or rest up before we got into another one.

    The 10% vitality buff I got from my Boots of Resit Environment were really starting to show their worth now. They gave me an extra 23 HP, that was quite literally the difference between life and death in the last battle.

    I¡¯d been at a measly 7 HP before I allocated my free points. If it wasn¡¯t for the boots I¡¯d be dead right now.

    I also noticed that I¡¯d gained a new section down near the bottom of the stats. The active skills section had finally unlocked with my new, rare, time slowing skill added into the mix.

    All in all I felt like I was starting to become useful. Hopefully I¡¯d be an even higher level by the time we finished the quest.

    Sally had told me that most noob adventurers were around the level 30 mark, give or take. So I was hoping to hit that by the end of this quest.

    All temp adventurers had to undertake three quests before they qualified to take the exam. If the other newbies were all thirty when they started, then I¡¯d have some catching up to do.

    Assuming they each gained a level or two in each of their three mandatory quests, I¡¯d need to be at least level 33 before the exam.

    Ideally I¡¯d be closing in on level 40.

    After checking my stats I heaved myself up using the tree I¡¯d been leaning on for support. Sally had just finished turning the last goblin into confetti and she walked towards me.

    ¡°You seem better, free points?¡± She asked.

    I nodded. She was a seasoned, silver rank adventurer. Of course she knew exactly how I¡¯d healed so fast.

    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s get moving. I expect to be at the summit of the mountain by night fall. If we don¡¯t get there in time then we¡¯ll be spending the night in the jungle and this jungle gets scary dangerous at night.¡±

    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s move.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Also, I have some loot for you. You need a new bow since your other got smashed by the tree don¡¯t you?¡± She said with a fangy smile and a wink.

 Chapter 29 â€“ Longbow of the Giant Goblin

    Sally offered her hand out to me and produced a black bow with a sickly green tinge emanating from it.

    I took it gladly and focused on it, causing the notification to pop up.

    You have received a new item:

    Longbow of the Giant Goblin

    This bow was carved from the forearm bone of a unique monster: Gertrude the Giant Goblin.

    Just as she smashed her old clan into oblivion, you smashed her. You dirty bugger.

    I mean, whatever tickles your pickle am I right?

    I¡¯m still judging you though.

    Longbows can fire accurately over longer distances.

    +5% strength

    Grants use of the skill: Sniper

    *Sniper can only be used whilst this item is equipped*

    I desperately needed a new bow after my old one snapped in two from the impact with the tree. This one seemed far superior to my old one too.

    +5% strength was a decent bonus and it came with a new skill. I wondered what the skill did.

    I accepted the bow into my inventory and focused on it in there. The notification for the bow appeared, along with a further notification explaining the new skill.

    New Skill:

    Sniper

    Not to be confused with sniping, the skill; sniper allows the user to see further distances. Like a telescope built into your eyes.

    Don¡¯t go using it to creep on catonids whilst they¡¯re changing. I know you¡¯re a furry, but at least don¡¯t be a creep.

    ¡°I am not a furry!¡± I said forcefully, looking up into the air.

    Panda howled with laugher as I lamented the dickish system and its insulting notifications.

    That aside, the skill was quite useful. It¡¯d definitely help me take shots from further away, which I guess was the point.

    I had no idea what sniping was, though I assumed it was dirty. It didn¡¯t matter, I¡¯d received a new bow and it came with an attached skill.

    I quickly checked my stamina and saw that it had increased by 10. It wasn¡¯t as good as the 10% vitality boon my boots gave me, but it was still 10 extra points for free.

    ¡°This is great! Thank you.¡± I said to Sally who ignored me and continued walking.

    As I followed her she said: ¡°That¡¯s the only loot you¡¯re getting from that fight. Everything else was worthless, but a bow has no use for me. I¡¯ll have to sell the crap I looted when we get back.

    ¡°That¡¯s another thing about adventuring. Reward money is alright, but selling loot is the best way to make a living. You don¡¯t need much for general provisions but if you want to get better equipment you¡¯ll need more than most nobles.

    ¡°Good equipment is rare and therefore it costs a bomb. You probably noticed, but that quiver of yours was an inferior item and it still cost its weight in gold.¡±

    I had noticed the odd discrepancy between cost of living and adventurer equipment. It was like the difference between buying a loaf of bread or buying a car back home.

    As she brought up gold I winced as I remembered my blessing of the god of wealth. I¡¯d probably missed out on a small fortune by letting Sally loot everything.

    I dropped back slightly to walk next to Panda.

    ¡°Should I tell Sally about my wealth blessing? We just missed out on a truck load of gold back there.¡± I asked in a hushed whisper.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s a great blessing but you got it from Chrysus. He¡¯s not well liked among the adventuring community, or anyone with a shred of morality really.¡±

    I nodded and picked up my pace to catch back up with Sally as she cleaved her way through dense shrubbery with her massive sword.

    I wondered if she¡¯d understand if I explained how I got the blessing. It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d asked for it, I didn¡¯t like the guy either.

    It was kinda forced on me, and it was a good bargain. Who didn¡¯t like gold?

    In the end I decided to keep it to myself for now. There would be other opportunities for me to loot things, if not on this quest, then on the other two.

    We continued walk for a long time, mostly in silence. Slowly but surely the looming mountain came closer into view. It was a natural behemoth, towering above us and stretching out as far as the eye could see.

    It still reminded me of a volcano, but I couldn¡¯t be certain of that. I¡¯d never even seen one in real life, only on TV. Besides, for all I knew, volcanos didn¡¯t even exist in this world.

    After a few hours of walking, I¡¯d consumed both of the inferior potions I¡¯d purchased, and two of the basic potions I¡¯d been given in a loot box and my health was finally full.

    I noticed that my HP increased slowly over time, at my best guess it refilled by about one point every ten minutes. That was painfully slow. I wondered if there was a skill that would make it go faster.

    My stamina increased too, even though I was walking. It seemed to increase by roughly one point per minute so after a few hours it was past halfway.

    There was so much to learn about the way my new body worked. The stats had the ability to give me superhuman strength. Potions healed broken bones like it was nothing.

    Yet I could still break them, I could easily die. Stats were still taking some getting used to. I¡¯d played video games before, who hadn¡¯t right? But I wasn¡¯t an avid gamer. I spent too much time at work.

    So though I understood the concept of stats and had the common sense to guess what they did, I still wasn¡¯t overly confident with some of them.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you murdered all of those innocent books.¡± Panda said suddenly, it was the first time any of us had spoken in a few hours. ¡°All this walking is boring the shit out of me. You couldn¡¯t have even kept just a couple of them so I could do something whilst we walk?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, at the time I was seconds away from being crushed to death so the thought didn¡¯t really occur to me.¡± I replied. ¡°Next time I¡¯m being crushed by a goblin horde I¡¯ll make sure to make your potential boredom my top priority.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask¡­ I tried to save some of them you know?¡± He replied quietly. ¡°But they were all tarnished, ripped, unsalvageable¡±.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some more when we get back.¡± I relented. ¡°At least I got a huge boost to my levels.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too self-congratulatory, you still have a long way to go.¡± Sally said, dropping back to walk at my side.

    I looked at her and nodded. I knew she was right, but wasn¡¯t I allowed to be happy for myself, even just a little?

    ¡°Most people of this world hit the level 30 plateau by the time they¡¯re 18. Everything below that is still considered to be kid¡¯s levels.¡± She smirked teasingly.

    ¡°Maybe so, but I¡¯m not that far off and I¡¯ve only been in this world a few days.¡±

    ¡°True, but you have been fighting monsters which is the easiest way to level up. It¡¯s a phase two technique. Usually those below level 30 have never even seen a monster and gain their levels through apprenticeships and education.¡± She replied.

    As I watched her I noticed her eyes scanned everything around us. She reminded me of a beast stalking its prey.

    ¡°What is phase two?¡± I asked, suddenly very confused.

    ¡°Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that you don¡¯t know anything. The levelling system is split into phases. Phase one encompasses levels 1 to 30. In this phase it¡¯s very easy to level up and you don¡¯t even need to fight monsters to gain the required experience.

    ¡°Phase two, levels 30 to 50, is harder and you either have to kill things or become very good as a professional. Phase three is levels 50 to 90. Most people on the island will never even reach this phase and those who do will usually be stuck in it unless they go to the continent.

    ¡°Phase three, for an adventurer at least, is all about killing high level monsters. You gain experience from the skill and difficulty it takes to slay them. You can grind through it like in phase two, but it¡¯d take decades.

    ¡°Phase four is where I¡¯m at now and I¡¯ve been stuck at it for about a year. I haven¡¯t gone up a single level yet, though that could be because I haven¡¯t left the island since I was in phase three.

    ¡°Phase four is 90 ¨C 100 and it¡¯s the wall that most never cross. Even on the continent it¡¯s rare for people outside of the Adventure Society to hit the level cap.

    ¡°There¡¯s also something called phase five that¡¯s apparently about beating the level cap but I don¡¯t know much about it yet. The director is supposed to be a phase five but I¡¯ve never asked him about it.¡±

    That was a serious amount of information to take in all at once. I¡¯d store it away for later. For now the important thing to focus on was that it would get harder at level 30.

    So, right now level 30 was my goal. I would reach it before the exam at the least. Maybe if I was lucky I¡¯d reach it by the end of this quest.

    We didn¡¯t see a single other goblin for the rest of the day. It was eerily quiet in the jungle and Sally was certain there were more around.

    The lack of contact put us all on edge. I got a feeling they were watching us, waiting to attack. But Sally said goblins aren¡¯t smart enough for that and I needed to get out of my own head.

    Eventually, after about five hours of walking in mostly silence. We reached the foot of the mountain. It was so big that I couldn¡¯t see the top or the sides from where I stood.

    It was a bit of an odd mountain in that it started very suddenly. One moment you were stood on soil in a jungle and then bam, a mountain like a brick wall was there.

    It looked as if it had been ripped from a different place entirely and was dropped on the Forbidden Isle.

    Sally grabbed me all of a sudden and threw me over her shoulder. She picked up Panda by the scruff of the neck to his vulgarly phrased protests.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, much less calmly that I would have liked.

    In lieu of answering she squatted down and I felt a circulating and pulsing power through her skin. I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what it was exactly, but it felt strong, feral even.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Panda shouted.

    I looked at his panicked face just in time for her jump. And when I say jump, it was more like a rocket taking off.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Panda screamed.

    We were above the trees in seconds and I saw a platform on the mountain which was now below us. We landed with a crash and then Sally let me down.

    I felt dizzy and disoriented, but the whole ordeal was over pretty quick which was¡­ something.

    As my head finally stopped spinning I had a quick look around the area. Embedded into the mountain before us was a huge, iron door.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing we have to go in there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We certainly do.¡± Sally replied with a devilish smile and battle drunk eyes. ¡°There are still a few hours of light left. We¡¯ll scout out the interior then retreat and make camp here for the night.¡±

    Before giving us a chance to reply, Sally stepped up to the huge iron doors. They were intricately carved, depicting a goblin sitting on a throne with a crown of light hovering above its head.

    I was getting some serious dungeon vibes.

    Sally pushed on the doors and they swung open inwardly.

    Nervously, I followed her inside.

 Chapter 30 â€“ The Gob Gob Tribe

    You are now entering a safe zone.

    *WARNING*

    All combat is prohibited inside this safe zone. No damage will be inflicted. Any breach of these rules will result in punishment.

    We entered through the large iron doors and I was immediately hit with a notification. This area was a safe zone.

    That was weird, I was expecting a dungeon. The ominous warning about receiving punishment for attacking worried me.

    Immediately inside the doors was a narrow cave tunnel lit by floating balls of light that littered the walls. It looked a bit like the runway at an airport and I got the feeling the light was guiding us somewhere.

    ¡°A safe room.¡± Sally mused. ¡°This is unusual. Stay on your guard and let¡¯s go deeper in.¡±

    I nodded and stuck close behind her with Panda hot on my heels. He didn¡¯t say anything but I could practically feel the unease reverberating inside of him.

    We walked down the narrow cave tunnel for a short while. I had my new bow summoned into my hand and my inventory ready to summon my dagger at a moment¡¯s notice.

    If we were attacked in here I was unlikely to get a good shot off before they reached us. The tunnel was simply too narrow for effective ranged attacks.

    However, it didn¡¯t take long before the cave opened up and we arrived in a carved-out chunk of it. It was a small, stone room with high, flat walls.

    It was definitely manmade or, goblin made? As we stepped further in the dim light of the glowing balls faded and bright, ceiling orbs came to life all around us.

    With the room well-lit we could see to the end of it, where a small archway was carved into the stone, leading deeper in.

    Just before the archway and to the side of it was a wooden desk. A goblin sat there, fiddling with a dagger, and looking bored.

    She was dark green and her face was less bulbous than the goblins we¡¯d fought earlier. She looked up as Sally drew her weapon and approached.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight in here. The punishment will activate dumbass. Didn¡¯t you read the safe zone notification.¡± The goblin spoke like she thought she was a gangster.

    She rested her head in her slim hands and glared up at us with a bored expression.

    Something about her demeanour seemed different from the other goblins I¡¯d encountered. She spoke surprisingly well and she looked less¡­ gross.

    I focused on her and a notification appeared.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Higher Goblin

    Now, I know it says higher in the title but don¡¯t go thinking these guys deserve rights or anything. A higher goblin is the evolved form of the various other types of goblin.

    Through diligent training and level hunting they¡¯ve acquired intelligence due to their stats.

    And when I say intelligence, I mean they¡¯re less likely to scream and grunt ¨C but only slightly.

    Goblins are like that stereotypical southern trailer trash guy you went to high school with: just because he can speak doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t fuck his cousin.

    As part of the evolution process, Higher Goblins start to look a little less gross and a little more human.

    That doesn¡¯t mean you should sleep with them though. Goblin AIDS are no joke!

    I wished I could say that the notification cleared everything up, but it was mostly just bad jokes about incest and AIDS. Reading it felt like watching an episode of South Park but without the hilarity.

    I did learn some information though. She was likely a high level, which meant she was dangerous. The system had basically said that goblins evolved when they reached a high enough level.

    Considering the boss monster we fought in the woods; I wondered if this higher goblin was an even higher level.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Thank God it¡¯s a safe zone. I thought.

    ¡°We¡¯re here for the coronation.¡± Sally said without dropping her sword.

    ¡°Well duh.¡± The higher goblin replied as she moved onto trimming her nails like a bored receptionist. ¡°You¡¯re cutting it a bit late though; it¡¯s being held tomorrow night. Most of the other clans have been here for a week already.

    ¡°Which clan are you with?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not with a-¡± Sally began, but before she could finish Panda stepped out front and spoke over her.

    ¡°We¡¯re a delegation from the Gob Gob Tribe.¡± He said confidently.

    Sally opened her mouth, staring dumbstruck at the Panda. I placed a calming hand on her shoulder and shook my head slightly when she looked at me.

    It was worth seeing what he was trying to do. I didn¡¯t know if safe zones could be revoked for certain guests and I was starting to wonder if this was like a DnD campaign where there were lots of ways to complete it.

    Panda had obviously opted for the charisma check approach and I figured it was worth seeing it play out.

    ¡°The Gob Gob? Oh yeah¡­ you don¡¯t look much like goblins.¡± She said sceptically, eyeing the three of us up suspiciously.

    ¡°We¡¯re from the eastern continent, it¡¯s just a racial difference. I assure you that we are all from the tribe. We¡¯ve travelled a long way and we¡¯re tired from our journey.¡± He replied instantly.

    He¡¯s pretty good at this. I thought, not taking my eyes off the Higher Goblin.

    ¡°Fine whatever, I¡¯ll add you to the guest list then I guess. Go on through, there¡¯s a spare room you can use on the third floor. Party starts tomorrow morning so you probably want to rest up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how they do it where you¡¯re from, but we go hard down here. Dusk till dawn, you get me?¡±

    Panda thanked her and we wearily walked through the archway. Sally gave her the stink eye the entire time, refusing to sheath her sword. But the goblin didn¡¯t seem to pay any attention to her.

    The archway led into a short, cobbled corridor with a spiral staircase at the end. It went both up and down. We¡¯d been told we had a room on the third floor though so it made sense to head up for now, which we did.

    ¡°The Gob Gob Tribe?¡± I snickered at Panda as we climbed the stairs.

    Sally still had her sword drawn and was carefully watching around every corner. My bow, however, hung loosely in my hand for now.

    ¡°What?¡± He replied incredulously. ¡°It¡¯s a real goblin tribe from the eastern continent. Try reading a book some time, it might cure that stupidity you¡¯ve got going on.¡±

    ¡°That was some quick thinking back there Furball.¡± Sally said quietly. ¡°Now, if we¡¯re careful, we might be able to get right up to the king candidates before we get attacked. Assassination isn¡¯t really my style but with you two here I¡¯m willing to take whatever advantages we can get.¡±

    It was the most she¡¯d spoken since she¡¯d lectured me about ranks back in the woods. She was a quiet and professional adventurer when we were working. A stark contrast to her out of work persona.

    After a short climb we reached the end of the line. We hadn¡¯t seen any other floors on the way up, but I had to assume that this was the third floor.

    That must have meant we entered on the second and the first was below us.

    The spiral staircase opened out into a well-lit foyer with a balcony at the back and a few rooms on either side. I had no idea which room was ours.

    Once again there was a little desk with a strange goblin manning it. This one dressed in a scarlet bellhop¡¯s uniform with golden trimming. He was quite concerning to look at with oversized ears and an oval head.

    He quite literally looked like someone had shoved a green American football on top of a headless Halloween decoration.

    Panda approached him, that charismatic swagger he displayed downstairs coming back to him.

    ¡°Good evening, we were told that a room was ready for us on the third floor, could you show us which one it is?¡± He asked, putting on a snooty, gentleman¡¯s accent.

    It was quite a change from his usual drawl which reminded me of a South Jersey accent.

    The goblin looked at us with a gormless face. Then, without a word, it turned towards the furthest door on our left and pointed.

    He moved a bit like a zombie, it was weird. I quickly focused on him and found out that he was a regular goblin. Apparently they didn¡¯t do much in safe zones.

    Due to their aggressive and unintelligent nature the system had to make them practically catatonic to prevent them from attacking guests and facing the mysterious punishment.

    Before heading to the room, Sally wanted to look over the balcony. She said it could be useful for scouting the place out.

    She was right.

    The three of us peered over the edge of the stone rail that hemmed the opera-like balcony. It looked directly over what appeared to be a ballroom.

    I¡¯m not joking.

    A full on, aristocratic, classic manga trope ballroom. Except it was filled with goblins.

    They stood around drinking wine and chatting like socialites. At the far end of the ballroom was a large, golden throne that reminded me of the throne in the cultist temple.

    I really hoped we weren¡¯t going to face a god. That was the last thing I needed. To be smited by some arrogant asshole who thought he was all that was not how I wanted to go out.

    ¡°What the hell is going on here.¡± Sally said, finally lowering her sword and staring with an open mouth at the scene below us.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a ball Sal.¡± Panda said. ¡°That¡¯s what posh people go to cause they¡¯re too snooty to drink in bars like you and me.¡±

    Since when had he called her Sal? They seemed awfully chummy.

    ¡°Call me Sal again and I¡¯ll throw you over the side.¡± She replied threateningly.

    Never mind.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why it¡¯s a safe zone,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to have to attend the party and talk to them to find out who the candidates are. Then we¡¯ll have to kill them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the punishment. There must be more to it. Something we¡¯re not seeing.¡± Sally replied. ¡°Anyway, for now let¡¯s check out this room and try and get some rest.¡±

    She left and we followed her through the door the goblin bellhop had pointed out to us. To my surprise. He was still stood pointing at it.

    The system must have made him absolutely catatonic.

    Inside, the room looked much the same as the one I¡¯d rented at the inn back in Havar.

    It pretty much just contained two single beds and a toilet room. Not that we really needed anything else.

    Sally claimed the bed closest to the door, something I was happy to let her have. Safe zone or not, if something did attack us in our sleep I¡¯d rather she was the one dealing with it.

    Besides, she was probably stronger than anything in this place so it wouldn¡¯t even be a threat to her.

    Sally sat on the bed and pulled out, what seemed to be, a magic camping stove from her inventory.

    She touched it and a faint blue light flowed from her hand causing a little flame to appear on the top.

    ¡°Shame you have no mana, mana stoves are like the first thing I¡¯d recommend a new adventurer buy.¡± She said absently as she pulled some meat out of her inventory and began cooking it on the stove.

    It seemed that meat didn¡¯t go off inside her inventory. If that was the same for me it would be useful, though I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of it being a skill.

    With her carnivorous tendencies it wouldn¡¯t surprise me at all if she¡¯d purposely acquired a skill specifically to stop meat spoiling.

    Just as the outside of the meat was turning brown and my mouth was watering from the smell, there was a knock at the door.

 Chapter 31 â€“ The Goblin King Ball

    Sally immediately summoned her weapon. She usually kept it on her back and drew it the old-fashioned way, I had no idea why but it certainly looked threatening.

    This was the first time I¡¯d seen her summon it instead.

    She jumped from the bed, like it was a springboard, and I followed her lead, summoning my bow.

    ¡°You guys are too jumpy. It¡¯s a god damned safe zone, what do you think is gonna happen?¡± Panda laughed sauntering towards the door.

    To Sally¡¯s horror he opened the door casually and stood in front of our visitor. It was a skinny and tall goblin wearing priest-like robes and a pair of glasses that were too narrow for its large head.

    ¡°Pardon the intrusion.¡± The goblin began, holding both hands together in front of its chest like a grovelling peasant. ¡°But I thought it would be prudent of me to introduce myself. My name is Gobtta and I belong to the order of priests in service to the goblin king coronation ball committee.

    ¡°I just wanted to welcome you to the celebration. If you need anything during your time here please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±

    Sally and I both stared dumbfoundedly at Gobtta, she lowered her sword and I my bow. This goblin seemed about as threatening as a kitten ¨C if that kitten had no fur and wore ill-fitting spectacles.

    I focused on him and saw that he was a higher goblin, so perhaps he was more dangerous than his demeanour would suggest.

    ¡°Thanks for that Gobtta, nice to meet you.¡± Panda said, offering out his paw to shake.

    Gobtta jumped back in fright as he looked down at Panda, standing by the doorway. He hadn¡¯t seemed to realise that the daemon was standing there.

    A goblin with a nervous disposition? He must get bullied. I thought as I felt my lips twitch as I stifled laughter.

    ¡°Do you have an itinerary for tomorrow?¡± I asked suddenly.

    It had occurred to me that this was a great opportunity to get some much-needed information out of him. We were currently stumbling around in the dark with this quest and gaining some insight into how this whole coronation actually worked could be useful.

    ¡°Of course sir, it¡¯s a verbal itinerary though if that pleases you. Most of our guests can¡¯t read.¡± He said, bowing slightly.

    I told him that would be fine and he began reciting the day¡¯s events. Starting with morning socialising and ending with the crowning ceremony. We talked late into the night until we¡¯d squeezed every droplet of information out of Gobtta.

    Then a few hours after he¡¯d arrived Panda filled out a form, passed it back to the nervous goblin and we bade him goodnight.

    I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow in the safe zone bedroom. I wasn¡¯t too physically tired but it turned out that mentally I was exhausted.

    It had been a long day. I¡¯d levelled up a bunch, killed some goblins, nearly been trampled to death by said goblins, been thrown through a tree by a giant goblin and received a new bow and skills ¨C not necessarily in that order. If things continued it wouldn¡¯t be long before I could say that it was just another Tuesday.

    That night I had an oddly lucid dream.

    I was back in my hometown, walking home after a few beers with the boys. It wasn¡¯t late, barely half past ten in the evening.

    We tended to have a lads meet every month or two. We saw each other all the time because our wives were friends too, but sometimes it was good to have a catch up without them.

    I walked up my street in the typical English drizzle and shakily put the key in the lock to my front door. I lived with my wife in a small semi-detached house in some no name town on the outskirts of the city.

    It was pretty peaceful there most of the time and managing to get on the property ladder by the age of 28 was quite a feat these days. Not that I hadn¡¯t worked my ass off for it.

    When I opened the door all the lights were out. Layla must have gone to bed already. That was odd, she was usually a bit of a night owl.

    I walked inside and stepped in something that splashed up my legs.

    What in the¡­

    Had there been a water leak or something? I reached for the light switch and as the hallway light flickered into illumination, I found myself ankle deep in blood. The entire downstairs seemed to be flooded.

    I let out a gasp and dashed into the living room. What on earth had happened? Was she ok? Was the baby ok? I reached the living room door, which was barely a few steps away, and burst in.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    There she was, laying on the ground with a spear through her stomach.

    I felt my eyes begin to tear up, but not as fast as an infernal rage coursed through me.

    A cultist stood over her with a malicious grin on his face and a piece of tattooed skin in his hand. He grinned maliciously and his eyes twinkled with an evil satisfaction.

    I pulled my dagger out of my inventory and before I even knew what I was doing, charged like a snarling boar. I tackled him to the ground, driving my knees into his chest as I stabbed the dagger into his face over and over until it was nothing more than bloody pulp and crushed bone.

    After a while of stabbing, my arms began to feel weak and the tears caught up to the rage. I began sobbing uncontrollably and breathing heavily.

    I looked back towards my wife as she lay half submerged in the blood. Her face was so pale, she looked¡­ peaceful.

    Eventually I dragged myself off the cultist¡¯s corpse and moved towards her. Her eyes were still open. The spark of life that once illuminated them, extinguished like a candle flame in the wind.

    I went to close them. It was respectful. She was at rest now and most people don¡¯t sleep with their eyes open.

    ¡°Layla.¡± I whispered as my fingers brushed over her eyelids. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    I sat like that for a while. Staring down at her face and crying. Until something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention.

    Her stomach moved; the skin looked like it was alive as something poked at it from the inside.

    Oh no. Please don¡¯t.

    Two tiny, clawed hands poked out through the spear wound and began tearing at her skin. I was horrified as I watched it happen, like a deer in headlights.

    A blood covered; monstrosity began to climb out of her. It had an umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, its face was purple and bruised and its lips were peeled back revealing pointed, shark-like teeth.

    Eventually, to my horror, it made its way out and stood up on stumpy legs with too much skin for the size of its bones. It picked up the spear, wrenching it out of Layla¡¯s gut and stared at me with venom in its sunken eyes.

    It lifted the spear and I was frozen. I sat there, tears dripping down my face as I let the monstrosity stab me through the heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I whispered.

    If you want to save them you need power. A familiar voice said as I laid dying next to my wife. I can help you.

    ***

    I woke up with a start, gasping as I sat up straight like a man possessed. I must have looked like something from a horror movie.

    I was drenched in sweat and shaking. What was that? That dream¡­ it was so vivid. Whose voice was that at the end?

    My face felt wet and I lifted my hand to my cheek and realised I had been crying. Sleep crying, now that was a new experience.

    For the first time since I¡¯d arrived in Celestia I didn¡¯t feel refreshed after waking up. I felt awful, just like I used to do on a morning back on Earth but without caffeine to perk me up.

    I looked around the room and saw Sally fast asleep in her bed next to mine. Panda was laid at my side, sprawled out on his back with his arms and legs splayed as he snored like a chainsaw.

    I focused on my breathing and began to calm down. It was just a nightmare. Probably the result of refusing to think about Layla and the baby for so long.

    In through the nose, out through the mouth. I chanted to myself in my head. If I just focused on my breathing I¡¯d be ok.

    I knew it had been gnawing at the back of my mind but I was so busy trying to survive that I¡¯d pushed it away.

    Still, I felt guilty. I could explain it away as much as I liked, this world was hard, dangerous and every day was a fight to survive. But at the same time I felt more alive here than I ever did back home.

    I was enjoying it and I felt so terribly guilty about that.

    I hunkered down under the covers and laid awake for the rest of night. I didn¡¯t want to risk sleeping. What if it happened again?

    I stayed like that for a few hours, hugging myself under the duvet, until morning finally came and I pretended to wake up with the others.

    I needed to put my game face on. Today was the day we finished this quest and I needed to be at my best. So I forced a smile, said good morning and the three of us headed out with Sally and Panda none the wiser.

    Still, I wondered whose voice that was. Just before I woke up I heard it like someone was talking into my mind. It felt so familiar to me but I just couldn¡¯t place it.

    I tried to push the thought away as we got dressed and left our room.

    ¡°Right guys, is everyone clear on the plan?¡± Sally asked as we exited.

    Panda and I both nodded and we walked past the goblin bellhop who was still stood pointing at our door. He must have been like that all night.

    It was kind of creepy. If he wasn¡¯t a vicious, unintelligent monster I¡¯d have felt sorry for him. As it was, it was kind of funny. Like we had our own, living signpost just in case we forgot where our beds were.

    ¡°You look awful.¡± Panda said quietly to me. ¡°Did you sleep ok?¡±

    ¡°Just worried about the quest.¡± I replied. I couldn¡¯t allow the nightmare to distract me, not today.

    He grumbled quietly to himself. I wasn¡¯t sure he believed me, but at least he was smart enough to leave it alone.

    We began walking back down the spiral staircase. Sally had her sword on her back. I didn¡¯t summon my bow this time, there was no point.

    After our conversation with Gobtta, we were certain that no one would attack us until after the king was crowned.

    We walked past the entrance on the second floor we¡¯d used the day before and continued heading down.

    ¡°I wonder if the food will be any good.¡± Panda mused. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°The hosts are goblins, just chew on some bamboo like you normally do.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to but I ran out.¡±

    At that both Sally and I stopped and stared at him.

    ¡°How? It¡¯s only been a day since we left the ship!¡± I said and Sally said something almost identical at the same time.

    ¡°The only thing to eat on the ship was meat and I¡¯m a Panda. I¡¯ve been using my own supplies since we left Havar.¡± He replied indignantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s still only two days,¡± I replied in disbelief. ¡°You packed enough of the stuff to last a week; we all did.¡±

    ¡°Well I got hungry¡­ and I ate it all already.¡±

    ¡°What are you gonna do if the goblins only serve meat?¡± Sally asked.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to do as the goblins do I guess, well it¡¯s that or starve.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you were a vegetarian?¡± Sally asked in a suspicious tone.

    ¡°And I thought Pandas were herbivores.¡± I added.

    ¡°I am and we are. But we¡¯re also a very hungry people and desperate times call for desperate measures. Hopefully they¡¯ll serve salad though, it is a ball.¡±

    ¡°A goblin ball.¡± I pointed out.

    We continued walking in silence and eventually made it to the bottom of the spiral staircase.

    It led to a short hallway with a grand archway at the end. I walked towards it and entered the ball.

    The final boss battle awaits.

 Chapter 32 â€“ You Canâ€™t Sit With Us

    We walked through the grand archway into a place that reminded me of a Viking Hall. There were long, wooden tables that stretched the length of the room.

    Fires lit the sides, emitting a smoky atmosphere which reminded me of going to the pub with my mum before the smoking laws changed back home.

    At the far end sat a large golden throne and a small group of well-dressed goblins stood near it chatting. Most of the goblins were on, or around, the long tables.

    They drank a red coloured liquid which could either have been wine or blood. It was hard to tell, them being goblins and all.

    The tables were filled with large loafs of steaming bread, something resembling chicken wings, and towering piles of red meat. There wasn¡¯t a vegetable in sight.

    ¡°Sorry mate, looks like they¡¯re carnivores.¡± I said to Panda as we entered the room.

    ¡°Well I guess it¡¯s to be expected. Goblins aren¡¯t exactly cultured and only animals are uncultured enough to live on meat alone.¡± He sighed.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± Sally hissed at him, throwing him a dirty look with her predatorial eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re literally a half cat. Where¡¯s the insult?¡± He retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m a civilised and complicated lady.¡±

    We both cracked up at that and her eyes shot daggers at us as I clutched my stomach.

    We walked along the side of the longest table and Sally grabbed a few chicken wings to go. The goblins mostly ignored us. Though some of them did glance in our direction, speaking in whispers as we passed by.

    It reminded me of high school.

    Panda squeezed in between two goblins at the table, grabbing a chunk of bread and tearing into it. He wasn¡¯t really needed for this part of the plan but I didn¡¯t want him to sit alone with the enemy.

    Luckily for me, a small goblin with a high-pitched voice sorted that issue for me almost immediately.

    ¡°You can¡¯t sit with us!¡± She said as a few of her goblin pals stared at him.

    Rolling his eyes he got up and left, but not before taking the entire loaf of bread with him, much to their dismay.

    The thick smoke from the fires all around us stung my eyes as we headed for the throne. There were log fires, scattered around the hall, and the smoke they emitted smelled particularly strong, blinding my sense of smell to anything else.

    I couldn¡¯t quite place the smell, but it was almost herbal. Definitely not the smell one expected from a log fire.

    Though, considering the company we were in, that probably wasn¡¯t a bad thing. Goblins weren¡¯t exactly known for their hygiene and herbal smoke was a damn sight better than goblin stank.

    As we reached the throne the four well-dressed goblins stood before it turned to greet us.

    ¡°Ah, do we have another contender?¡± The first one asked.

    He was a short goblin with a body shape more reminiscent of a dwarf: stout and muscular with a beer belly. He had a huge double headed axe on his back that was taller than he was.

    I wonder if there are dwarves in this world? I thought absently as I looked him up and down.

    He wore a nobleman¡¯s jerkin in a ruby red colour, and black pants. He didn¡¯t wear shoes though; I don¡¯t think goblins used them. Their feet were rather large.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh Gerald!¡± Another goblin said in a very deep voice. ¡°They¡¯re not goblins, how could they be contenders for the throne?¡± He snorted and chuckled to himself.

    This goblin was much taller, coming up to my upper chest. He was dressed the same as Gerald but he wore all black and his jerkin was embellished with convoluted embroidery.

    He had a bow on his back which I guess made sense considering his stature. I found myself feeling a little competitive when I looked at him.

    ¡°Poppycock Giles.¡± Gerald began, ¡°Of course they¡¯re goblins! They couldn¡¯t have even gotten in here if they weren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re actually from the Gob Gob tribe.¡± I interrupted, stealing Panda¡¯s lie from the previous day. ¡°It¡¯s on the eastern continent so we look a little different to you westerners.¡±

    ¡°See Giles, they¡¯re foreigners, that¡¯s all.¡± Gerald said, as if my bullshit explanation explained away the fact that we were clearly not goblins.

    ¡°Well foreigners can¡¯t compete either.¡± Giles moaned. ¡°It¡¯s against tradition. We¡¯ve held this contest amongst ourselves for eons, why would we break tradition for them now?¡±

    ¡°Now, now settle down Giles you old prude.¡± A fat goblin said from behind them.

    He was short and very fat. He was almost as wide as he was tall, a chode of a goblin if I ever saw one. He wore a green jerkin and had a mace hanging at his side. The spiked metal thing on the top was covered with dripping blood.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Oh of course you¡¯d take his side!¡± Giles complained. ¡°You¡¯ve got your head so far up his ass you can see through his mouth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The final goblin said. ¡°You can sort out your petty squabbles in the arena. Besides, your bickering is making my ears bleed.¡±

    The final goblin was muscular. He barely even looked like a goblin; He looked more like a male counterpart for Sally if anything. Except he was green and he had a bushy white beard.

    I got a bad feeling from him which doubled when I saw that he wielded a giant sword, just like Sally did. He looked oddly human apart from the skin colour. Perhaps that was why Panda¡¯s lie was working, either that or goblin intelligence was unusually low.

    ¡°Sally look, he¡¯s just like you!¡± Panda cried. ¡°Maybe you should go on a date or something. You could talk about steroid abuse and the obviously compensatory weapons you like so much.¡± Panda snickered, he seemed to have made the same connection I did, but I wasn¡¯t suicidal enough to say it out loud.

    Sally, however, didn¡¯t say a word. Her fist moved so fast that neither Panda nor I saw it until it made contact with the top of his skull. If this was a cartoon a line of ducks would have circled his head.

    He swayed for a moment but stayed on his feet, he looked dazed and then he abruptly apologised. It must have hurt.

    ¡°Listen boys.¡± Sally began, walking forward and towering over all but the big guy. ¡°I¡¯m entering this competition. I spoke with Gobtta last night and he said it was perfectly within the rules. Any problems with that?¡± She added in a menacing tone as she eyed each of them in turn, flashing her fangs as her predatorial eyes bored into them.

    ¡°No.¡± The first three squeaked in unison.

    The big guy didn¡¯t respond at all, which I took to mean he approved.

    The first part of the plan was completed.

    The previous night when Gobtta knocked on our door he told us about the competition. It was a tournament to find the strongest among the clans.

    It was a tradition among the goblins. Each clan would put forward their strongest warrior in a battle royale to see who was the toughest.

    We¡¯d planned to have Sally enter the tournament under the guise of being sent by the Gob Gob Tribe for that very purpose.

    It was the only way we could think of to circumvent the safe zone rules, as the competitors were allowed to attack each other as long as they did so in the arena.

    I wouldn¡¯t be able to help her without incurring punishment myself, not that she¡¯d need my help. She was strong enough to take down Gertrude the Giant Goblin in just a few hits so I doubt I would have helped much anyway.

    It was a shame though. Just looking at Giles filled me with bloodlust. He was an archer and I wanted to pit my skills against his. Also he was an asshole.

    ¡°Great.¡± Sally continued after no one objected. ¡°In that case, where¡¯s this arena so we can get started?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± Gerald began, pointing to a small hallway just off the side of the main hall. ¡°But the competition doesn¡¯t start until tonight.¡±

    ¡°Oh I get it.¡± Sally began in a taunting voice. ¡°You cowards need till nightfall so you can get drunk enough to think you stand a chance against me, is that it?¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Giles said, and I couldn¡¯t help but join in myself. The sight of him made my blood boil for some reason.

    ¡°Shut up, you lanky green fuck.¡± I said, crossing my arms and standing next to Sally. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re a coward just by looking at you. I bet you couldn¡¯t hit the side of a barn with that bow.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ how dare you sir! I demand satisfaction.¡±

    And I swear to God, he actually pulled out a white glove and threw it at the ground in front of me. That really happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you on any time, any place beanpole.¡± I retorted.

    I didn¡¯t know what was wrong with me but the mere sight of the guy made my blood boil for some reason. I wanted nothing more than to pound him into the ground in front of all his friends.

    The raucous chatter from the room abruptly stopped. The entire hall of goblins turned to look at us in complete and utter silence.

    Then a notification flashed up on my HUD and I grinned.

    Ask and the system shall provide.

    You have accepted a dual whilst inside a safe zone.

    The safety features will be turned off for you and [Goblin Giles] in 30 seconds. You may only attack each other during this time. Any attempt to harm others within the safe zone will result in punishment.

    ¡°If you saw that notification then I¡¯m sure you now understand what a grievous mistake you¡¯ve made by challenging me.¡± Giles said, placing his hands on his hips. ¡°However I am a gracious goblin and if you get down on your knees and beg me for mercy I might just grant it.¡±

    ¡°I had your mum down on her knees and begging last night, but it wasn¡¯t for mercy.¡± I replied and both Panda and Sally snorted in unison.

    ¡°What¡¯s come over you all of a sudden?¡± Panda asked, nudging my leg as he stifled his giggling. ¡°This isn¡¯t like you at all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know but I can¡¯t help myself. Looking at this guy just makes my blood boil.¡± I replied, clenching my fist as the mere thought of him pissed me off.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s the fire smoke.¡± Sally answered ponderously, stroking her chin as she thought. ¡°It smells like it¡¯s infused with wild takka berries, probably to keep the smell mild. In high doses they¡¯re known to send people berserk.

    ¡°Assassins used to use them in blowpipes to make their enemies attack each other. It doesn¡¯t seem to be affecting anyone else though, it might have something to do with your race.¡±

    Well that was unfortunate. I had been drugged and I didn¡¯t even know it. Not that knowing it made me want to back down in the slightest.

    ¡°Alright then pipsqueaks.¡± The big goblin began. ¡°I want this nice and clean. You¡¯ll stand at opposite ends of the room and when I say so, you each get to take one shot at the other, and I mean one shot.¡± He eyed us both in turn.

    Giles drew his bow and stepped down off the platform by the throne and I walked to the opposite end near the entrance, drawing my own.

    The big guy moved into the middle and we each drew and nocked an arrow.

    This was going to be interesting. I wondered how good of a shot he was. The big guy didn¡¯t say we had to stand still and take it either, this wasn¡¯t a cowboy shootout after all.

    With that in mind I cleared my thoughts of everything apart from hitting my target.

    ¡°Ready?¡± The big goblin asked.

    I nodded and took a deep breath as I drew the string. I started letting it out slightly as I aimed for Giles.

    ¡°Go!¡± He shouted and stepped back out of the way.

    I immediately activated my new skill: Perception of the Apex Predator, using most of my stamina. I knew I¡¯d have merely a fraction of a second before time sped back up but it should be the edge I¡¯d need to make sure I fired first.

    I loosed my arrow, aiming straight for his chest. I didn¡¯t need a headshot to kill him when I had acid powers. I just needed to land a good hit on the centre mass and my class would do the rest¡­ hopefully.

    My arrow rocketed from my bow and soared across the room. Every goblin in the room had turned to watch and it was completely silent.

    My arrow hit its mark, tearing through Giles¡¯ jerkin as he screamed in a high-pitched voice and fell backwards onto the ground before being able to fire off his own shot. Some of the crowd members laughed at him and I grinned.

    My victory was assured. I was the better archer and now everyone in the whole room knew it.

    Giles went down before even firing a shot. I started to walk back towards the throne and my friends.

    ¡°Oi, what do you think you¡¯re doing. You don¡¯t get to move from that spot until someone dies or you¡¯ve both taken a shot!¡± The big goblin shouted, a large vein pulsing on the side of his forehead.

    I looked at him, stunned for a moment and then pain exploded in my neck as Gile¡¯s arrow tore through my throat.

 Chapter 33 -Itâ€™s Not Joking If Nothing You Say Is Funny

    I gagged and gasped for breath that wouldn¡¯t come as my windpipe was torn by the surprise arrow. I¡¯d been careless. Turning away from my opponent before the kill notification came was a rookie error.

    My health had taken a nosedive from the single hit, I had less than a quarter of my HP remaining. The fact that I was even alive after taking a hit like that was remarkable and was a testament to the power of stat points.

    My HP was dwindling, lowering more and more by the second as the arrow stuck out of both sides of my throat. I bet I looked like Frankenstein¡¯s monster.

    I found my health potions in my inventory and clicked on one.

    *WARNING*

    You cannot use potions during a duel, don¡¯t be a bad sport.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I shouted, or at least I tried to shout it. What actually came out of my mouth was more akin to angry gargling.

    Beginning to panic I looked towards Giles. He was laid on his back and looking worse for wear. His breathing was laboured and far louder than normal. It sounded like bubbling water as he fought for breath through the acid which ravaged his chest cavity.

    From the looks of things he¡¯d literally pulled himself into a sit-up to fire off the shot and then fallen straight back down.

    If my line of thinking was right, I¡¯d have to outlast him in order to win the duel and survive. Once he died I could take a potion. So our little duel had become a life or death battle of wills.

    I looked him over, seeing the pained expression on his face as the skin on his chest bubbled. It was disgusting and it looked like his skin was sinking, caving his chest in as the acid melted the bone.

    It truly was a horrible way to die. I was glad it was my power and not his.

    The pain in my neck was excruciating. I couldn¡¯t breathe and if I swallowed I¡¯d tear my flesh even more. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever noticed this, but as soon as you realise you can¡¯t swallow, you really, really want to.

    It¡¯s like having a staring competition. People don¡¯t realise how hard it is to not blink until they¡¯re focusing on it.

    That¡¯s exactly what was happening to me, but with swallowing. I knew that if I allowed myself to swallow, my Adam¡¯s apple would move up my neck, bringing the lodged arrow with it and tearing into even more of my throat.

    I continued staring at Giles as I struggled with my baser urges to swallow. Perhaps I could use psychological warfare to make him die faster.

    The idea was simple: he was on the ground suffering whilst I stood up, straight faced.

    I stared at him, putting on my best bored look, as I folded my arms. He¡¯d never know the excruciating pain and internal struggle I was going through. Not if I kept a straight face.

    He, on the other hand, looked dreadful. He could barely keep his eyes open as the acid melting his chest cavity began spreading to other areas.

    Pretty soon he¡¯d be a pile of goo, staining the floor of the banquet hall. I just needed to hold out long enough for him to die in the process.

    My health continued to drop, but it was much slower than I¡¯d expected. The power of stats was really something. Back on earth I doubted anyone could survive an arrow to the gullet.

    We stared at each other for a while, the entire hallway was deathly silent. I wondered if they understood the intensity of the battle of wills we were having.

    My HP eventually dropped down to 3/271 and I struggled to stay on my feet. I stared at Giles the entire time with a bored expression and crossed arms, but internally, I knew I was dying.

    I didn¡¯t have long left.

    But he looked worse. After what felt like the world¡¯s longest staring match, Giles finally lost the ability to keep his head up and dropped to the floor. A few seconds later a notification popped up and I immediately hammered down on a health potion.

    My HP shot up and the arrow got pushed out the side of my throat. It was an awful experience as it slowly moved through my gullet and dropped away. Choking me both literally, and because of the excruciating pain it caused, the entire time.

    Sally and Panda rushed towards me as I gasped for breath and put my hands to my neck, feeling around the wounded area. It was like I had a phantom arrow lodged in my throat. It was gone, but I could still feel it like it was really there.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°You¡¯re a reckless fool, I should have never allowed you to duel that guy!¡± Sally shouted, slapping me on the back of the head like I was a badly trained dog.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d win.¡± Panda said cooly, patting me on the lower back.

    Sally shook her head and turned away, obviously concerned for me. I felt bad, but I also felt great. I¡¯d really shown that Giles prick who was boss.

    I took a breath and wondered if I even needed to breathe anymore. I¡¯d been unable to for most of the duel, though my perception of time was likely distorted because of the pain. For all I knew the whole ordeal could have only taken a minute.

    It felt like a lot longer than that to me though.

    Another notification popped up and I decided to read through them.

    Opponent: [Goblin Giles] has been defeated. You have won the duel, congratulations!

    Duel rules have now ended and HUD functions will return to normal.

    You have defeated Goblin Giles (lvl 30)

    Bonus experience awarded due to rank disparity.

    It seemed that Giles had only been a few ranks higher than me. Despite killing him solo, I didn¡¯t gain a single level.

    Either he was so weak I barely got any experience, or the experience threshold was getting higher. I voted for the latter. Giles wasn¡¯t exactly a strong opponent, but he was a good shot and he lasted a while against my acid.

    Tenacious little fucker.

    New Achievement!

    Shot Through the Heart

    ¡­ And you¡¯re to blame, you gave his shirt¡­ a blood stain.

    You won a duel with a single shot to the heart. Shame you¡¯re too weak to have pierced it, but I guess melting a guy¡¯s skin with acid is also an acceptable way to win.

    Reward: Duellist¡¯s Loot box

    I was pretty sure the system didn¡¯t have the legal rights to that song, but I doubted it cared about getting sued. It was seemingly all powerful after all.

    The promise of a new loot box was exciting, I hoped it¡¯d be something good.

    I still had two more notifications to read through so I continued opening them.

    You have unlocked a new personal skill:

    Minor Poison Resistance

    After being affected by the fumes of wild takka berries, you did something reckless and survived.

    Minor resistance against poisons.

    After reading the notification I felt my head start to clear. Like there had been a fog inside my skull and I¡¯d only just realised it was there.

    It was a bit like sobering up on the way home from a night out, but a little more surreal and a lot less vomit inducing.

    As the fog cleared I couldn¡¯t remember why I¡¯d wanted to fight Giles in the first place. I remembered that something about him had rubbed me the wrong way, but I couldn¡¯t remember what that something was.

    It was a strange feeling, akin to memory loss, but not quite.

    Regardless, I never wanted to lose control of myself like that again. It¡¯d worked out this time, but even a cat only had nine lives.

    Quest Updated!

    The Goblin King Coronation

    Every century a new goblin king is chosen. He who is destined to unite the clans and conquer the world ¨C or so ancient goblin lore says.

    Crash the party, kill the king, and get to the Winchester for a nice cold pint whilst you wait for it all to blow over.

    After making your way to the mountain on the Forbidden Isles, you managed to gain admission into the Goblin King Ball.

    Whilst there, you goaded Giles, a goblin king candidate, into challenging you to a duel where you killed him in full view of his clan and the other attendees.

    Objectives:

    Stop the coronation 0/1

    Kill throne candidates 1/4

    Reward: A New Active Skill

    A quest update? It was the first time I¡¯d seen one of those. It seemed that Giles was a candidate, so taking him out could only have been considered a good thing.

    The quest description had also updated to include my duel, that was certainly new.

    As I opened it, I exchanged a look with Panda.

    ¡°Who¡¯d have thought he was one of them.¡± He said quietly. The noise and chatter from the goblins had sprung back up the moment Giles had died. ¡°I guess Sally will have to give you a piece of the reward now, you¡¯ve done a quarter of the quest by yourself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t reward reckless behaviour, even if you were under the influence.¡± Sally said indignantly, turning back towards us.

    I chuckled and apologised and she grunted.

    There was still one thing left to do before the duel could truly be over. It was looting time!

    I walked towards the mostly melted corpse of Giles; the other three goblins were stood around him.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s one less contender. I wonder if I can convince the kid to kill the rest of you for me.¡± Gerald chuckled.

    ¡°Giles would have died first anyway, look at him. He¡¯s all gristle and bone.¡± The fat goblin added.

    They looked up at me as I walked towards them.

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to enter the competition yourself?¡± The fat goblin asked, a slight smirk on his lips.

    ¡°Be quiet Gerad, you know as well as I do that only the strongest in each tribe can participate. The big one is clearly stronger than he is.¡± Gerald said, shaking his head.

    ¡°Oh will you stop being such a fucking stick in the mud. I was just having a little joke with the boy.¡±

    ¡°Why are you always like this Gerad. It¡¯s not joking if nothing you say is funny!¡±

    The two continued bickering back and forth like an old married couple and I had to raise my voice a few times to get them to stop.

    ¡°Oi!¡± I shouted, louder than I¡¯d meant to, and the two stopped and turned towards me with stunned expressions. ¡°I¡¯m just here to get my loot, so if you¡¯d kindly move out of the way I¡¯ll take it and be on my way. Then you can go back to bickering or flirting or whatever that was just now.¡±

    ¡°Loot? You mean to desecrate Gile¡¯s remains?¡± Gerald asked with a shocked expression on his face.

    ¡°Loot?¡± A deep voice rang out from behind me. ¡°Goblins can¡¯t loot bodies, everybody knows that. Looting abilities are a perk of adventurers and the higher races.¡± It said and I turned on my heels panickily.

    The big, muscular goblin who had officiated the duel stood in front of me with a predatory grin plastered onto his face.

 Chapter 34 â€“ Spidey Senses

    The huge goblin stared at me with predatory eyes and a vicious smile plastered on his lips.

    ¡°So then, adventurer, what made you think you could get away with attending the goblin king coronation?¡± He asked.

    I¡¯d have to think quickly if I wanted to avoid their ire. I was pretty certain that the safe zone rules would still be in effect, but our plan would be ruined if we were ousted as adventurers.

    The entire quest hinged on our being able to field Sally in the competition. If we couldn¡¯t do that then we had no way to attack them without the punishment affecting us. A punishment that we still didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°I want his bow. That is what I meant by looting. The spoils should rightfully belong to the victor after all.¡± I replied with faux confidence. ¡°To be perfectly clear, I plan to take it by hand. As you said, goblins don¡¯t have looting abilities. Everyone knows that.¡± I folded my arms and raised my eyebrows at the big goblin, pretending to be offended.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± The muscular goblin replied slowly, furrowing his brow.

    My gambit was a long shot. Hell, the entire ruse of pretending to be goblins in the first place was completely absurd. I was pretty sure it had only worked so far because of Panda¡¯s charisma and their innate stupidity.

    He¡¯d told us that he had a high affinity for charisma and he even had a special skill that allowed him to convince others of pretty much anything, providing they were stupid enough.

    It worked by pitting his charisma against theirs, if his was higher he¡¯d win. It seemed pretty overpowered to me but it had worked in our favour so far.

    I, however, didn¡¯t even have a charisma stat, so perhaps it was included with intelligence, which I also had very little points in.

    ¡°Very well then.¡± He replied. ¡°However, I have a request. You will participate in the tournament instead of your friend.¡± He smiled evilly as he looked me up and down.

    ¡°Out of the question!¡± Sally roared as she came marching over. ¡°I will be your opponent in the tournament and that is final!¡±

    The huge goblin turned to her and the two squared off. I didn¡¯t have mana sense, but I could still sense their postulating as their auras battled against each other.

    It was a faint and intangible presence. I barely registered its existence. Still, it was there.

    The two locked eyes for an uneasy moment before the huge goblin let out a deep, rumbling laugh.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Was all he said before walking away.

    That was close. I thought, wiping the back of my hand over my sweaty forehead.

    Sally gave me a subtle nod that said she wanted to talk to me in private. I followed her.

    ¡°Wait, I thought you wanted Gile¡¯s bow?¡± Gerald called after me.

    ¡°You keep. All this pointless chatter has soured it for me.¡± I replied, lazily waving a hand over my shoulder.

    There was no point in taking it. His bow was a common piece of shit bow like the one I¡¯d been using before. I¡¯d recognised it when he pulled it out during the duel.

    I did want to loot him, for the gold if nothing else. But after that interaction I decided it wasn¡¯t worth the risk, as frustrating as that was.

    I followed Sally into a dark corner, away from prying ears.

    ¡°We need to be careful around him.¡± She said in a hushed tone, clearly meaning the muscular goblin. ¡°He¡¯s much more powerful than the other two.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he seems more cunning too.¡± I replied. ¡°Something about him really sets off my Spidey senses.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the sixth sense one gets after being bitten by a radioactive spider.¡± I replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°Is this a skill you have? I haven¡¯t heard about it before.¡± She asked, a look of confusion on her face.

    ¡°Yes, but from before my time here. You see I was on a school science trip to this big corporation that researched DNA and genetics.

    ¡°To cut a long story short, a spider bit me and I got all these awesome powers like shooting web and the ability to kiss girls whilst hanging upside down in the rain.¡± I smirked and she gave me a deadpan glare.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense aren¡¯t you. This really isn¡¯t the time for idiocy.¡± She said, folding her huge arms. ¡°Gobtta has informed me that we have a few hours before the tournament starts. I think we should return to the room for now.

    ¡°That last encounter and your duel were too reckless. We can¡¯t be found out before I enter the tournament. Besides, you¡¯re low on health and stamina and we¡¯re low on potions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t heal very much without potions; my regeneration is really slow.¡± I replied.

    ¡°It will improve as your level increases. In the meantime, I¡¯ll teach you meditation. That should get you back to full HP before we need to come back down. If you can pick it up quickly that is.¡±

    With that she marched out of the hall and I followed her, grabbing Panda from a table by the scruff of the neck as I went.

    He was stuffing his face with bread, earning some nasty looks from the goblins. They cheered as I carried him away.

    So much for charisma.

    We retired to our room and Sally sat down, cross legged on the bed with her palms resting on her knees and facing upwards.

    Her middle finger and thumb were connected, making a circle on each hand.

    ¡°Sit on the other bed like I am.¡± She commanded.

    I sat on my bed and crossed my legs, placing my palms face up over my knees and connecting my middle finger and thumb.

    ¡°Good, now straighten your back.¡± Sally said and I complied. ¡°Meditation is about delving into your inner soul. Being completely at one with yourself. You need to feel the connection between your soul and the natural auras that surround you.¡±

    That was easier said than done, how was I supposed to delve into my soul? I wasn¡¯t even sure if souls were a real thing!

    ¡°How exactly do I do that? I don¡¯t even know what a soul really is. It was always a bit of an arbitrary term back on earth.¡± I asked.

    ¡°The soul is the vital energy that makes up your very being. It is everything you truly are, not necessarily the mask you show to the world.

    ¡°To delve into your soul you have to be honest about who you are. You can¡¯t lie to your own soul as most people do to themselves and others.¡± She said, closing her eyes as she spoke to me.

    I still wasn¡¯t sure what she was getting at. Had I been lying to myself? If so, what had I lied about? It was all a bit confusing and spiritual to me.

    ¡°Listen kid, there are some breathing exercises to help with sensing your soul.¡± Panda said from the side of me. ¡°First off close your eyes and imagine your body. As you breathe in, visualise the air being taken in through your mouth.

    ¡°Then visualise it as it circulates throughout your entire body. That¡¯s the first step. After that I want you to visualise that flow changing into energy. Try seeing it as vitality first, so maybe think of it as being red like blood?¡±

    I nodded and took his advice. As I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, and visualised the energy. I began to feel a strange tingling in my hands.

    It wasn¡¯t much, but I could feel it. It was like I could see the energy circulating around my body. It was like there was a single piece of intangible red rope that spread throughout my limbs, my organs and even my brain.

    The rope was cut though, it was shredded in certain places. As I breathed in, small amounts of red, vital energy entered my body and I visualised them filling in the shredded gaps.

    It was quite therapeutic and I felt calmer than I had in days. There was something beautiful in the simplicity of fixing the small tears on the rope.

    As I did this, the tingling in my hands became more pronounced and spread to other parts of my body. It was a strange sensation. I wondered what it meant. As I continued to work on fixing the rope by bringing in new energy from my breathing and twisting it together in the gaps of the rope, I started to sense something else.

    It was like there was a ball of circulating energy deep within my core. I couldn¡¯t quite see it, but I had this slight feeling that it was there, lying dormant.

    It was frustratingly out of reach. I could almost see it, but if I reached out with my mind to grab it, my metaphorical hands seemed to slip right through it.

    Deciding to leave it for now, I continued fixing the rope until it was completely mended and then, with a smile, I opened my eyes.

    Sally was sat watching me, her sword laid across her lap as she cleaned and polished it with weird cotton balls on a stick.

    Panda was laid next to me and he looked up as my eyes opened. He smiled and nodded his head slightly.

    ¡°Well done kid, looks like you worked out how to heal yourself without much help. You must be a natural, just look at your HP.¡±

    I did and it was full. It¡¯d been just below the quarter mark when we¡¯d started.

    I grinned in satisfaction as it dawned on me that the broken red rope in my mind was my hit points. I¡¯d replenished them myself and it had only been a few minutes!

    ¡°You finished just in time; I was about to grab you. It¡¯s almost time for the tournament.¡± Sally said distractedly as she continued concentrating on her sword.

    Almost time for the tournament? That wasn¡¯t for another four hours. There was no way I¡¯d been meditating for that long.

    ¡°Time flies when you¡¯re in a deep trance kid.¡± Panda said, sitting up and patting me on the arm with his soft paw. ¡°Some people have been known to meditate for weeks at a time. Some of the strongest in the world have meditated for years, even decades at a time.¡± He continued.

    ¡°Time distorts when you¡¯re in there. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve got to do it in a safe place, ideally with someone to watch over you. There are some people who make a living out of killing people during meditation and looting their stuff.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite a lucrative trade or so I¡¯m told¡­ not that you should do that.¡±

    Well, at least I¡¯d spent that time productively. I felt like I¡¯d barely even scratched the surface of meditation. I wanted to know what that weird core energy was. I wanted to touch it.

    That would have to wait for now though. With my HP full, I chugged a stamina potion, filling it up to halfway.

    Sally added a small coat of liquid to her sword then stowed it on her back.

    ¡°What does that do?¡± I asked, standing up and stretching both my arms out.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± She replied with a playful, yet deadly, grin.

    We returned to the hall and saw the last of the goblins piling through the arena door in single file. We moved to join them just as Gobtta appeared.

    ¡°Miss Sally, if you¡¯ll come with me I¡¯ll show you to the arena. Your party is welcome to watch from the stands through there.¡± He pointed towards the door that goblins were queuing to get through.

    ¡°Good luck.¡± I said to Sally as he turned to leave. ¡°Not that you¡¯ll need it.¡±

 Chapter 35 â€“ The Wandering Ronin

    ¡°Remember to stab that muscle-fuck with your steel sword, don¡¯t let him stab you with his flesh one. We can all feel the sexual tension between you two but this is a fight!¡± Panda called after Sally as she turned to leave with Gobtta.

    ¡°Fuck you Panda.¡± She shouted back, showing him her middle finger over her shoulder.

    I smirked and Panda and I followed the line of goblins through the cramped hallway.

    There was excited murmuring through the passage as we walked slowly behind a group of small female goblins. The atmosphere reminded me of queuing up to get into a gig venue back home.

    ¡°Have you seen Geralt?¡± A small goblin girl with saggy breasts said excitedly.

    ¡°Oh yeah, he¡¯s so dreamy. I wonder if I¡¯ll get that beautiful if I ever evolve?¡± Her friend replied.

    ¡°What are the chances of your evolving? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to sit on his face and make him love me!¡± The first retorted.

    The two shared a glance and then turned away from each other, each in a huff. They folded their arms and continued to walk down the hallway in silence.

    I got the impression they¡¯d have fought if it wasn¡¯t for the safe zone been in place.

    It was a shame though, if one of them had attacked the other I might have got to see what the punishment was.

    We continued walking through the passage for a short while until it opened out into a huge underground arena.

    It was like an old coliseum, but underground. The roof was covered in jagged stalactites, growing down menacingly. It was a high roof that you could only see because of all the glowing balls on the walls.

    The whole place was lit up like a WWE showdown. I wouldn¡¯t even have been surprised to see a few cameras dotted about. Though I knew that this fight wasn¡¯t scripted ¨C unless there was something Sally wasn¡¯t telling me.

    The audience layout was a high rise of tiered seating, reaching far above where the passage came out. It was already filled to the brim with goblins muttering excitedly and causing a general ruckus.

    We¡¯d have had no chance without the safe zone being in effect, there were thousands of them.

    I pushed through the crowed and elbowed my way to the pole position looking over the lowest barrier ¨C which was basically just a small stone wall that came up to my naval.

    The nearby goblins gave Panda and me a wide berth as they shot scathing glances at us and whispered to each other.

    In all honestly, I was glad they were weary of us. It gave us more room and meant that I didn¡¯t have to be in close proximity to a bunch of gross goblins.

    Though it was more than likely Panda they didn¡¯t like, after he ate all their bread.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they like you.¡± Panda said as he clambered onto the wall and sat down idly.

    ¡°Me?¡± I replied incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re the one who ate all their bread.¡±

    ¡°You killed one of their leaders.¡± He replied blankly. ¡°Technically that means someone in that clan should try to avenge him, but they can¡¯t because of the safe zone rules. I also think they¡¯re scared of you considering you melted the guy and then stood there glaring at him with an arrow sticking out of your neck.¡±

    Now he mentioned it, that probably was pretty terrifying for them. Good, let them be scared. It might make them hesitate before attacking me.

    I hadn¡¯t considered how badass I probably looked in that dual, I was just doing everything I could to survive.

    A few minutes after we entered, the tournament finally began with an audible notification which popped up on my HUD. It was read by a voice akin to a boxing announcer.

    Welcome to tonight¡¯s main event!

    The tournament to decide who¡¯s the top gob. The fight that proves might is right. The battle that separates goblins from cattle.

    That¡¯s right folks, it¡¯s the one you¡¯ve all been waiting for.

    The Goblin King Coronation!

    The crowd went wild. Cheers and banging circulated the arena. It was so loud I could barely hear myself think. I¡¯d been to concerts before but this was the loudest crowd I¡¯d ever heard.

    As the deafening cheers continued, the competitors began entering the arena. The arena itself was a large, empty square with a sandy floor and literally nothing else.

    In the middle was an alter, which I thought was pretty ominous, but there was nothing on it so it was probably just part of the aesthetic.

    The announcement continued.

    Alright, let¡¯s meet our first contestant.

    He¡¯s the leader of the Northern Mountain Tribe that makes its home just above your heads.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    With a whopping record of having bed the most goblin women on the island and spreading more clap than Charlie Sheen, it¡¯s the one, the only Gerald Gobings!

    The crowd cheered fervently. He made quite the spectacle out of it too. Lifting his axe off his back, he swung it around his head and blew a few kisses to the audience.

    They loved it. The shrieking hoard of female goblins simply ate up his showmanship.

    What was that about Charlie Sheen? I thought, furrowing my brow. How would the goblins even know who that was? It didn¡¯t even make sense to use an earth reference in this context.

    Our second contestant is the ruler of the Seashore Tribe, famous across the Forbidden Isle as the inventor of the bomb fishing technique. But can he fight as good as he fishes?

    It¡¯s Gerad Grey!

    This time it was the fat goblin¡¯s turn to prance around in the sand. He seemed less of a showman than Gerald as he simply lifted his mace in the air and looked up. Still, he got a fair amount of cheering and applause.

    Neither him, nor Gerald impressed me too much. I got the impression they were a similar strength to Giles, the one I¡¯d beaten in a duel.

    That placed them at around level 30, which was respectable compared to my 27, but didn¡¯t hold a candle to Sally¡¯s level 90.

    The next contestant was the only one that worried me.

    Our third contestant needs no introduction.

    He¡¯s the crowd favourite to win for obvious reasons and he steals the ladies¡¯ hearts without even trying. A famed warrior and living legend among the tribes of the Forbidden Isles, though he doesn¡¯t have a tribe of his own currently.

    It''s The Wandering Ronin himself, Geralt the Great!

    The entire arena shook with the stamping, clapping and screams from the goblins. I¡¯d never heard anything so loud.

    If there were any nearby boats sailing past the island they¡¯d likely think the mountain was about to burst. It was beyond deafening.

    Geralt, the muscle-bound goblin strode forward a few steps and unsheathed his sword, taking it in a two-handed grip.

    Unlike Gerald, he made no show and dance. He simply readied himself and nodded slightly. The sign of a true professional.

    He didn¡¯t need to show off, his fighting would do the talking for him. A monster with that kind of calm, collected confidence was one to watch out for.

    I remembered earlier, when we queued in the passageway, a female goblin had said he¡¯d evolved. Wondering what that meant, I focused on him and a notification popped up.

    You have discovered a unique monster:

    Geralt the Great

    Geralt is no mere goblin. His story is long and full of hardship, love, and loss. But you don¡¯t give a flying fuck about that do you? I thought not you heartless bastard. Have you never heard of good storytelling? Backstories are the corner stone of a pre-fight episode.

    Well, anyway.

    He killed a metric fuck tonne of other goblins and humans and basically anything he came across whilst wandering around the forbidden isle. He did that for decades.

    Until one day he evolved into a Hobgoblin shedding his scrawny green skin for one hell of an upgrade. Arine, eat your heart out, am I right?

    Interesting. So Geralt was a hobgoblin. I recognised the name, but back on earth I was pretty sure they were associated with throwing bombs shaped like pumpkins and riding around on hoverboards whilst a certain spider like individual tried to beat them up.

    Sadly, the system didn¡¯t deign to tell me any useful information about hobgoblins in general. It just made more passive aggressive passes at me and name-dropped Arnie.

    The system seemed to have a real thing for cultural references. I wondered if that was why it chose outworlders from earth? Or maybe it only learnt about our culture through us. Who knew? It wasn¡¯t important right now.

    Not when the announcer was about to introduce Sally.

    Our final contestant has come a long, long way folks.

    She¡¯s travelled all the way from the eastern continent to take part in our illustrious event. The more the merrier I say!

    Not much is known about her except she likes talking smack and she¡¯s copied Geralt with her massive sword. A copy is never as good as the original, but in the interest of good sportsmanship, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll do alright.

    It''s Sally¡­ she wouldn¡¯t give us her last name.

    The arena was silent, you could have heard a cricket chirping and in my overactive imagination, I did. Panda and I began cheering at the tops of our voices, earning us some mucky looks from the goblins.

    Who cared, fuck them. I wanted to cheer on my mentor. Sally looked up at me and nodded but made no further attempt at showmanship or fanfare. That was probably for the best.

    She didn¡¯t need to show off, she was strong enough to let her actions speak for her. I was a bit pissed that the announcement had done her dirty like that though.

    It played up all the other contestants making them sound like god¡¯s chosen, and then gave a lacklustre and frankly rude introduction for Sally.

    Speaking of the announcer, it piped up again.

    With our contestants introduced it¡¯s time to explain the rules.

    It¡¯s pretty simple, this will be a battle royale. The last one standing takes the crown, simple.

    Oh, and speaking of the crown, let¡¯s bring it out!

    A shaft of light appeared from the ceiling as a large, golden crown floated down and landed on top of the alter in the middle of the arena.

    It turned out it was there for a reason.

    The crown was hemmed with deep purple, satin-looking fabric and it had colourful jewels embedded into it. There was no denying that it was a proper crown.

    With it being made for a goblin king I¡¯d half expected some twisted brambles or something. But it seemed that they knew their jewellery.

    Alright, with that done let¡¯s get on with the show!

    Kill! Kill! Kill!

    The crowd began screaming and cheering once again as the action kicked off. I had to admit I was excited to see what Sally could do for myself, if a little nervous.

    I clutched the wall in front of me so hard my knuckles turned white as I glued my eyes to the action. Using my new Sniper skill to zoom in and out at will. I¡¯d summoned my bow onto my back to activate it.

    Sally drew her sword calmly and widened her feet in a readying stance. At the same time Geralt leapt across the arena and swung down with his giant sword, slicing straight through Gerald¡¯s axe to his head, splitting him in two like cracking an egg.

    Which, coincidentally, was exactly what it looked like as his brains leaked out onto the floor and the two halves of his body slid apart.

    Meanwhile, Gerad charged at Sally with his mace raised above his head. He screamed in a comically high-pitched voice as he closed in on her. She hadn¡¯t moved since taking up her fighting stance.

    He pulled his disproportionate arm back and just as he went to swing his weapon Sally struck. She reminded me of a coiled snake, her body was overflowing with kinetic energy and she unleashed it in one impossibly fast movement.

    Her sword neatly decapitated Gerad, who, from the look in his eyes, didn¡¯t even realise it had happened.

    His head rolled harmlessly across the floor as his fat body went limp and fell in a lifeless pile next to Sally.

    Geralt watched her do this and smiled as his eyes locked with hers.

    It was like lightning leapt between their gazes as the two powerhouse locked eyes.

    The real fight was about to start..

 Chapter 36 â€“ Sally of the Gob Gob Tribe

    The ground shattered at their feet as both Geralt and Sally launched themselves at each other. The entire arena shook and the audience fell silent.

    You could hear a pin drop whilst I watched anxiously from my perch behind the low wall at the front of the tiered seating area.

    Sally slashed down a blow so fierce that the wind force created from it blew my hair back. Geralt intercepted, blocking the lightning-fast attack like it was child¡¯s play.

    As the two swords clashed together the arena shook once more. So this was what a silver rank battle looked like. I was impressed and more than anything, I wanted to possess that kind of power myself.

    If I could one day be that strong, I¡¯d have no problem protecting myself against cultists and monsters and pretty much anyone else who wanted to harm me.

    More importantly, it would be the first step to one day bringing my wife and unborn child here. Not that I knew for sure if that was even possible.

    The crown glinted ominously on the alter in the centre of the arena. Despite the fierce battle brewing right next to it, it didn¡¯t budge an inch.

    As the two swords clashed together, a stalemate of seemingly inseparable talent ensued. Sally smiled and took one hand off her hilt, moving it to the top of her blade.

    With movements that flowed like water she leant into the blade, forcing Geralt¡¯s sword back towards him. Then she pushed down on the top of her blade, using her entire bodyweight, and cut before spinning away and creating distance. All in one flowing movement.

    Geralt grunted as his shoulder was sliced open and blood began leaking out of the wound. Back on earth a wound like that would be a finisher. It¡¯d likely kill a person. At the very least they¡¯d need immediate medical treatment and surgery.

    But to Geralt it was a mere flesh wound as he grimaced slightly and pressed on. He launched himself at Sally as she spun to create distance from her last attack.

    She jumped back at the last second, narrowly avoiding a powerful strike, then dashed back into the fray with a myriad of slashes which ripped multiple minor wounds into Geralt¡¯s toned stomach.

    It was a close fight, but she was winning. I watched in awe as it all played out in front of my unblinking eyes.

    ¡°Ha! Not bad Sally of the Gob Gob Tribe.¡± Geralt pronounced. The arena was so quite that we could hear every word. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect much from a catonid but you¡¯ve put on quite a show.¡±

    Murmurs began emanating from around the arena as the crowd took in what had been said.

    ¡°How did he see through our ruse?¡± Panda exclaimed in a shocked tone.

    ¡°To be fair mate, it was a pretty ridiculous charade. We don¡¯t look anything like goblins.¡± I replied.

    Still, Panda¡¯s charisma skill had worked on the others, as proven by the shocked voices whispering all around us. For Geralt the Wandering Ronin to be able to see through it must have meant his stats were pretty high.

    ¡°If he fights on par with Sally then there was no way my charisma skill was going to work on him.¡± Panda said, still enthralled with the battle below. ¡°My stats scale with yours and you¡¯re way weaker than he is.¡±

    ¡°How do your stats and skill work?¡± I asked, it occurred to me that I knew very little about how my familiar operated.

    ¡°I¡¯m a non-combatant daemon familiar. So in place of the strength stat I have a charisma stat. My intelligence and charisma are both my highest stats and the others are¡­ adequate I guess.

    ¡°In this current incarnation I only have two skills. One of them allows me to quickly research and retain knowledge. You know, cause I¡¯m a sage and all.

    ¡°The other allows me to attempt to convince other people of things by pitting my charisma stat against theirs. Of course, most people and monsters don¡¯t have a charisma stat. It tends be included as part of their intelligence.

    ¡°Which is why you believe everything I tell you, you dimwit.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Joking aside, I can¡¯t actually use my manipulation skill on you. It doesn¡¯t work since you¡¯re technically my master.¡± He added, still keeping his eyes glued to the arena floor.

    It was useful to know more about how his skills worked. That meant that as I got more powerful, so did he. I wondered if he¡¯d unlock more skills as I grew.

    It could be useful if he could develop something to help me in combat, even if it wasn¡¯t directly related to fighting.

    ¡°What was that about this incarnation?¡± I asked.

    ¡°As you know I¡¯ve been alive a long time and served other masters. I incarnate each time, starting at the level they summon me at and growing alongside them.¡±

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    ¡°So does that mean you know what other skills you¡¯ll develop?¡±

    ¡°Nope, sorry kid. It doesn¡¯t work like that. I get different ones every time and it¡¯s related to how your powers grow and work too. The only constant is the sage skill because, as I may have mentioned, I¡¯m a sage.¡±

    That was a shame. Though it was worth a try just in case. I guess I¡¯d have to wait and see what else he could do.

    I turned my gaze back towards the arena where Sally and Geralt found themselves in a sword-locked stalemate once more.

    ¡°If you knew I wasn¡¯t a goblin then why did you allow me to enter this tournament.¡± Sally asked through gritted teeth as the two tried to force each other back.

    ¡°I wanted to fight you.¡± Geralt replied with a lecherous smile playing on his lips.

    As Sally opened her mouth to reply, Geralt took the opportunity to kick her in the stomach. She doubled over and was launched across the arena, slamming hard into the stone wall which crumbled around her.

    As she peeled herself off I could see a Sally shaped hole where she¡¯d landed. She¡¯d completely annihilated that part of the wall. I could see through the hole to the stairs which presumably led back to the hall.

    She wiped some blood from her lips and glowered at the hobgoblin in front of her.

    Using the wall to launch herself this time, she flew at Geralt like a missile and stabbed her sword straight into him. He dodged at the last second, but her sword went straight through his shoulder all the way to the hilt.

    He grunted and slammed his elbow repeatedly into Sally¡¯s back as he tried to throw her off. He lifted his sword with his free arm above her head.

    I found myself shouting, ¡°Sally, watch out!¡± but she didn¡¯t need my assistance as she jumped back, leaving her sword skewered through her opponent¡¯s shoulder, just a few inches from his heart.

    Geralt used the space created to wrench Sally¡¯s sword from his shoulder with a deep growl of pain. It must have cost him a lot of HP as he was looking worse for wear now.

    However, he now held both of their massive swords and wielded them together. His own sword was held in his good hand and Sally¡¯s drooped, held by the injured side.

    Still, she had no weapon and he had two. He grinned maliciously at her.

    Sally quickly began looking around for something and then her eyes stopped on a single spot in the arena. She dived towards it and rolled, grabbing Gerald¡¯s axe.

    The dwarf shaped dead goblin lay nearby. Geralt had finished him almost the second the battle royale had started.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t my preferred weapon, but it¡¯ll do¡± she said smugly as she took a few test swings. Her entire body was enveloped in a glowing red aura.

    Geralt smiled and his body glowed as well as he watched her. ¡°Very well, then I guess it¡¯s about time for me to wrap this up.¡±

    ¡°What are they doing?¡± I asked Panda hurriedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a warrior skill called Berserker it seems they both have it. Basically, it makes them stronger and feel less pain. It can also make them angry and reckless. It doesn¡¯t run out until their mana and stamina are empty. It¡¯s a powerful skill that drains both of those stats very quickly.¡±

    I watched on as I felt a powerful pressure surround the arena. The two were glowing intensely and it was hard to watch them. They were blinding.

    Then they both leaped at each other and I lost track of what was happening.

    They moved so fast it was a complete blur to me. I could barely keep up with any of it as they clashed all around the arena at the speed of sound.

    I had no way of knowing who was winning, until suddenly the glowing stopped and the two of them stood panting and facing each other in the middle of the arena.

    Geralt was doubled over, unable to lift either arm, he panted like a dog as blood dripped from a myriad of wounds which covered his entire body.

    Sally, on the other hand, barely had a scratch on her. Though she panted all the same. Had she won? It was hard to tell.

    They stood there for an agonisingly slow second. Then Sally¡¯s chest burst as blood splattered from a deep gash which appeared to form from her left breast to her right hip.

    She fell to her knees and then face planted the floor. She¡¯d been defeated.

    And the winner is¡­

    ¡°No!¡± I found myself screaming before I knew what I was doing.

    I had my bow in my hands and an arrow nocked. I aimed at the swaying half dead hobgoblin who seemed like he might keel over any second. I pulled back the drawstring and shot, anger coursing through me.

    It exploded from the bow string with more power than I¡¯d ever used before, draining half my stamina in a single go. I didn¡¯t have time to think about that though.

    It penetrated the back of Geralt¡¯s head and exploded out the front of his face.

    His body dropped to its knees and fell to the floor as gore leaked out all over the sandy arena floor. I heard the notification and knew he was dead. It was followed by a few others that I didn¡¯t have time to check.

    I vaulted over the wall and rushed towards Sally as she bled out. She was unconscious and in bad shape. She wasn¡¯t breathing but I couldn¡¯t tell if that was normal at her level.

    Pulling out a basic health potion, I tipped her head back and poured the entire thing down her throat. The wound closed slightly but refused to heal fully.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do, was she dead? Was there nothing I could do to help?

    Panda moved to join me as I heard the jeers from the crowd above. The goblins began throwing stones and rotten fruit they¡¯d somehow gotten hold of.

    I didn¡¯t care, I had more important things to deal with, like keeping Sally alive. I wouldn¡¯t allow her to die.

    ¡°Kid, we need to go now!¡± Panda shouted as he half climbed, half fell from the balcony.

    I ignored him and started tapping Sally¡¯s shoulder¡¯s begging her to wake up. I was dead without her. But more than that, she was my mentor and I didn¡¯t want her to die.

    ¡°Kid we need to go now!¡± Panda said, running towards me.

    ¡°What do I do, she won¡¯t wake up?¡± I screamed at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, carry her or something. We can deal with that later. Right now we need to get out of here before we get killed.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t kill us, we¡¯re in a safe zone.¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯t stop you did it?¡±

    ¡°That only worked because the safety feature was disabled for the combatants in the arena.¡±

    Gobtta had told us as much when he¡¯d visited our room the previous night. My initial plan had been to provide ranged support whilst Sally fought. She said no. She told me it was too dangerous and I wouldn¡¯t do much harm anyway.

    The way the system managed to enable combatants to fight in a safe zone was to revoke their safety temporarily. It was the same when I duelled Giles.

    ¡°Read your notification. You¡¯re being punished!¡± Panda shouted.

    The punishment! In my haste I¡¯d completely forgotten about it. I opened my notifications and there it was.

    *WARNING*

    You have broken the safe zone rules.

    It¡¯s punishment time bitches!

 Chapter 37 â€“ Punishment Time

    APPROXIMATELY 18 HOURS EARLIER¡­

    ¡°Well Gobtta, why don¡¯t you come in for a minute and you can tell us all about this tournament.¡± I said, inviting him into our room.

    I felt especially devious as I coaxed our new friend into being an information source, something we were sorely lacking.

    ¡°Um¡­ yes of course, don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± He stuttered nervously as he entered our room. He played with his hands which he kept in front of his chest and he looked around like a meerkat on sentry duty.

    ¡°So, how does this work?¡± I asked. ¡°Can we field as many people as we like or does each clan only get one?¡±

    ¡°Each clan can nominate one warrior to fight in the tournament. Usually they go with their strongest since they want to win.

    ¡°The winner gets the crown and will become the next goblin king. Naturally, the clan who takes victory gets pride of place in the new regime. So it¡¯s quite a big deal.¡± Gobtta responded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Sally said immediately.

    It did make sense to send her. If we could only choose one person then she was the natural choice. I didn¡¯t like the idea of being sat on the side lines for it though. It was my first proper, Adventure Society sanctioned quest and I wanted to be the one to complete it.

    ¡°How does this arena place actually work?¡± Panda asked, lighting up his pipe. Just as he pulled it to his lips Sally slapped it out his hand and gave him a stern look. ¡°Obviously, I know what an arena is, but this is a safe zone.¡±

    ¡°The system has ways around combat in safe zones. In this case, you¡¯d be signing your name on a sanctioned contract which basically says that whilst in the arena, your safety is temporarily revoked.¡± Gobtta answered, looking between the three of us nervously.

    ¡°Revoked?¡± I asked. ¡°As in, completely gone, so hypothetically an audience member could harm one of the fighters?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing hypothetical about it. Anyone can harm someone who¡¯s safety has been revoked, though they¡¯ll then be subjected to the punishment.¡±

    We talked for a bit longer after that but eventually settled on Sally soloing the arena and taking the crown. Much to my dismay.

    ***

    Back in the present, time seemed to stop as I crouched over Sally. I could look around, but I couldn¡¯t move a muscle.

    Rocks were frozen mid throw, the goblins seemed to be frozen too. The entire arena was silent all of a sudden.

    It had happened as soon as I¡¯d checked my notifications as Panda had demanded. I was being punished, but why was the world frozen?

    *WARNING*

    You have broken the safe zone rules.

    It¡¯s punishment time bitches!

    *WARNING*

    Your safety has been revoked. You can now take damage whilst in the safe zone.

    *WARNING*

    You cannot damage others within the safe zone and their safety will not be revoked if they damage you.

    Good luck twinkle toes. I warned you not to break the rules.

    Oh shit. I thought, still frozen in time.

    This was really bad. I could take damage but I couldn¡¯t fight back. That was a worst-case scenario if ever I¡¯d heard one. I was trapped in the middle of an arena, surrounded by thousands of angry goblins who hated me because I¡¯d just killed their soon-to-be king.

    I looked around the room urgently, I had no idea when time would unfreeze but I¡¯d use every spare second I had to formulate a plan.

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    I would not die here and I wouldn¡¯t lose Sally either.

    Loot the corpse and take the crown. That same familiar voice from my dream said, startling me as it appeared randomly in my mind.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked out loud.

    There was no reply. I looked towards the corpse of Geralt. He was right in front of me, if I could move my arms I could touch him.

    I focused on him for a moment and the loot notification popped up.

    Do you want to loot Geralt the Great?

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes, then looked towards the crown. I was just out of reach, but I could probably grab it as soon as the world unfroze.

    Good, now get the crown. The eery voice whispered into my mind.

    Time unfroze and a lot of things happened all at once. I span on my heels and reached out to grab the crown. The second my fingertips brushed it¡¯s golden, shiny surface, I pulled it into my inventory.

    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake Kaleb let¡¯s go!¡± Panda screamed as he sprint-waddled towards us.

    I span back just in time to see the goblins around us start throwing dynamite. Hissing fuses spat sparks that lit up the air like bonfire night as the red cylinders of death rained all around us.

    I grabbed Sally under the arms and pulled her onto my back. She was surprisingly easy to lift with my upgraded strength stat. Still, she was a lot bigger than me, so it wasn¡¯t that easy.

    The dynamite began landing at our feet. It fizzed and sizzled as the already short fuses got shorter. By my best estimate we had less than a second to get clear of the blast.

    There were hundreds of sticks of dynamite being thrown though, so where exactly were we supposed to go to escape it?

    Then it clicked and I dived forward, pushing the ground away with all the strength my legs could muster, just as the first stick of dynamite exploded.

    We flew through the Sally shaped hole in the wall that had been created when Geralt kicked her into it during the fight.

    Behind us, dynamite sticks exploded one after the other like firecrackers. Panda stumbled through the minefield of explosions, completely unscathed.

    ¡°I feel like some kind of super panda, I¡¯m impervious to bombs!¡± He shouted with the gusto and innocence of a child.

    Of course he was ok though, his safety hadn¡¯t been revoked. It was also likely that Sally¡¯s had been turned back on now we¡¯d left the arena, since it was only disabled temporarily.

    I turned towards the stairs, with the unconscious catonid still on my back. I needed to get out of this place. I couldn¡¯t win if I couldn¡¯t do damage so there was no point in trying to kill the goblins.

    The only thing to do would be to run like hell and try to get back to the ship. Hopefully, Sally would wake up in time to fly the thing, but we¡¯d deal with that later.

    For now I needed to get back outside.

    I began sprinting up the stairs with Sally on my back and Panda following at his own pace. I noticed my stamina drain, annoyingly fast as I moved with Sally.

    She weighed a lot more than me so I guess that was why it was so taxing. Still, I could barely feel the difficulty. Something I was sure to regret later. The DOMS would be mad.

    I reached the top of the stairs and found myself back in the hall. I began moving towards the exit when an unassuming goblin in priest robes jumped out in front of me.

    ¡°You used me!¡± Gobtta shouted in a squeaky, sad voice. ¡°You weren¡¯t even goblins. You should never have been allowed in the tournament!¡± He shouted as tears began forming in the corner of his eyes.

    He was shaking, obviously terrified. I respected that, but I didn¡¯t have time to waste on him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this Gobtta, sorry.¡± I said, moving around him and continuing to head for the exit.

    ¡°F-f-f-fuck you, human scum!¡± He stuttered. Then he took a horn out from beneath his robes and pressed it to his lips. Flipping me off with his free hand as he blew into it.

    A loud, deep sound reverberated around the hall and as it stopped, I felt a rumbling. The floor began to shake and shouts of anger and profanity started coming from the passageway leading to the arena.

    Oh shit. They¡¯re coming. Gobtta you wanker!

    I didn¡¯t stay long enough to see them pour out of the passage like a burst water pipe. I simply turned and ran as fast and as hard I could towards the exit.

    Before I¡¯d even gotten halfway across the hall I knew they¡¯d entered it. Partly because of the very audible insults being thrown my way, and partly because of the very tangible spears being thrown my way.

    In a nutshell, things were thrown.

    I continued running, opting for a zig zag rather than a straight line in a desperate attempt to avoid the thrown objects.

    I was pretty sure that Sally was immune to their attacks now that we¡¯d left the arena, which should have made her the perfect human shield. But I didn¡¯t want to risk it, so I tried to protect her from incoming fire as much as I did myself.

    Panda waddled a few meters behind us, right in front of the goblins who were gaining ground. I wasn¡¯t worried about him though; he was definitely immune to damage.

    Most of the goblins ignored him anyway, it was me they were after.

    I reached the large door at the end of the hall and threw myself up the spiral staircase. I was starting to feel the exhaustion of carrying Sally whilst I ran for my life.

    My breathing was laboured and my muscles screamed at me to stop. On my HUD I could see that my stamina was running dangerously low.

    I only had a single inferior potion left though and I needed to save it for the optimum moment. I had no doubt that I¡¯d need it.

    I burst onto the second floor with the goblins hot on my heels and ran towards the exit. As I ran through the archway, the receptionist goblin barely looked up from her nails as she preened them.

    How much cuticle care could one person need? I thought as she boredly said: ¡°Thank you for your patronage.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even realise what had happened. Though her attitude quickly changed as an entire goblin hoard charged after me.

    Panda was lost in the fray; I had no idea where he was. The goblins had longer legs and had likely overtaken him. I knew he was immune to damage currently, but I still hoped he was ok.

    I reached the cave quickly and sprinted through the jagged tunnels which led back outside. I dug deep as my legs protested. I didn¡¯t need to get much further, I was nearly there.

    I pushed and pushed with the goblins barely a meter behind me and screaming bloody murder. Then I saw it, the massive doors that marked the entrance to the mountain and my exit to the jungle.

    I ran straight towards the still open doors and practically dived outside. I¡¯d made it! Now I just had a jungle to cross.

    You are now leaving the safe zone.

    I took my stamina potion and carried Sally towards the edge of the cliff.

    The edge of the cliff? Fuck.

    It was then that I remembered how we¡¯d originally reached the plateau by Sally jumping an impossible distance into the air.

    We were trapped between a sheer drop and a hoard of goblins. Some rescue this turned out to be.

 Chapter 38 â€“ Me Against the Horde

    I heard the rumbling of thousands of goblin footsteps behind me as I peered over the cliffside.

    I was trapped between the horde and a drop that would likely kill me. Without Sally¡¯s incredible power I had no way to quickly descend the mountain.

    I needed to act quickly and with purpose.

    I gently laid Sally down and stepped in front of her, facing the entrance to the mountain¡¯s interior. I pulled out my bow and nocked an arrow. I would have to fight.

    Me against an entire horde of goblins. This would be no easy feat. I had no clue how long I could hold out. My stamina was already quite low, the inferior stamina potion I¡¯d taken had only provided a slight boost.

    The footsteps and screaming grew louder and I began my attack. I pulled the drawstring back and loosed an arrow, just as the first goblin appeared.

    It pierced his chest and he screamed out in pain as his skin began bubbling. He dropped to the ground and was immediately trampled by his frenzied cohorts.

    I took another arrow and fired, then another and another. I didn¡¯t even stop to check my accuracy. I fired as quickly as possible and with my stats being upgraded the way they were, that turned out to be pretty damn fast.

    Goblins started to drop in the entrance but there was no time for reprieve. There were so many of them, like a swarm of locusts. They flowed through the entrance incessantly and I continued firing as fast as I could.

    My stamina drained slowly. Luckily, my usual bow attacks didn¡¯t use up too much of it. The attack I¡¯d launched earlier, however, had taken half of my stamina in one go.

    How did I do that? It was so powerful. A shot like that now could be a game changer. Though more than likely it¡¯d be less effective here since I¡¯d run out of stamina far before being able to kill them all.

    Fortunately, the entrance to the cave provided a bottle neck of sorts. I couldn¡¯t damage them until they stepped outside the safe zone, but the number of corpses kept piling up.

    Pretty soon the goblins were climbing over their dead brethren to try and get to me. It made my work slightly easier, though it didn¡¯t slow them down much.

    I had angered them immensely. It was easy to forget that these were simple monsters when I¡¯d just attended a ball with them.

    Though they could speak and reason, at their core they were still feral beasts. And they were out for my blood. The blood of the man who had just killed their uncrowned king.

    Speaking of the crown, it was currently stored in my inventory. I didn¡¯t have time to examine it but I wondered if it could be useful here. If I wore it, would I become the goblin king?

    It was worth a chance so, as I continued firing arrow after arrow into the bottleneck, I equipped the crown.

    I felt its weight, heavy on my head as it appeared out of my inventory.

    ¡°Stop in the name of your new king!¡± I shouted, hoping the crown would add some form of magic authority to my words.

    It had the opposite effect.

    ¡°Usurper!¡±

    ¡°King Slayer!¡±

    ¡°Kill the furry!¡±

    The goblin¡¯s attacked with even more fervour, some of them continuing to charge even after being hit by one of my arrows.

    Using the crown was obviously a mistake.

    Shit.

    I unequipped it and continued firing, though they were gaining ground. Notification after notification appeared on my HUD and I willed them all away to be looked at later.

    The corpses piled up, there must have been hundreds of them laying in front of the door. They helped slow down the other goblins a bit, but unless I could get that pile tall enough to completely block the entrance the distraction would be negligible.

    As more and more goblins came swarming out from the cave, I found it harder and harder to deal with them.

    The corpse mountain had an adverse effect on me too. Whereas at the start of the showdown the goblins all ran in a straight line, they now had to avoid the corpses and manoeuvre around the pile.

    This slowed my attack speed immeasurably as I had to aim at each one individually before firing, rather than simply keep launching arrows into the same area.

    Soon my attack broke down as the first goblin reached me. Cursing under my breath I pulled the bow back into my inventory and equipped my dagger.

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    I wasn¡¯t as proficient with the dagger, but a bow was no good for close quarters and I had nowhere to run. There was nowhere for me to retreat to either, so creating more space and continuing the volley was out of the question.

    As the first goblin reached me I saw a burning, feral hatred in his eyes before I slashed at his neck and he dropped to the floor, a fizzing mess, and I felt a faint warmth as my skill Acid Dhampir Dagger refilled my health slightly..

    They seemed to be fighting on pure instinct. Charging at me with no plan or skill, just overwhelming numerical superiority.

    It was like one of those zombie survival games I¡¯d played online. Alone, they were relatively weak and easy to deal with, it was the numbers that got you.

    Whilst you killed one, another would attack from the side, then another from behind and soon you were surrounded by an entire horde.

    As the second goblin reached me, less than a second after the first dropped, I stabbed out and pushed the dagger through its face.

    The next reached me and I slashed its stomach open, guts cascading onto the floor like a broken bin liner. They just kept coming and I found myself in a meditative state as I slashed and stabbed and did my best to dodge incoming attacks.

    It was almost tranquil. Like every fibre of my being, every muscle in my body was working as one single entity with the sole purpose of fighting.

    I danced around them, slashing and stabbing, though try as I might to avoid it, I was taking some serious hits. It wouldn¡¯t be enough though. My stamina was dangerously low and my health was taking hits as well.

    I was no seasoned warrior and though I fought in a trance, I still took some hits. Still, I had to protect Sally, I refused to leave her, and I had another reason to survive.

    I couldn¡¯t leave my unborn child without a father. I knew how it felt growing up without one. I wouldn¡¯t do that to my own flesh and blood. No way.

    I fought on, slicing, and stabbing and dancing my way around my attackers as corpses soon started to pile up around me.

    It was almost euphoric. The trance of battle. The feeling of my entire body working as one towards a singular purpose, mind, body, and soul acting as one entity.

    I could easily see how it could become addictive, though perhaps not in this particular scenario. The bodies piled up as I slaughtered the goblins. I barely noticed my HUD as it began flashing red.

    Then I felt something tug at my ankle and I fell to the ground hard, it woke me from my trance and to my horror I saw that I was down to barely a single HP.

    My body had felt numb during the trance. I couldn¡¯t feel anything accept the euphoria of battle. Now, however, I felt every wound, every slash, every bruise, and it was utter agony.

    I quickly slammed down on a healing potion, luckily I hadn¡¯t used one yet, and felt a bit of release. The pain, however, was almost debilitating. I saw a half dead goblin gripping my ankle and I kicked him hard in the face and scurried backwards.

    It was too late. Being brought to the floor was enough. I was surrounded by the horde of charging, frenzied goblins. As I tried to get to my feet I was knocked back down and stomped on.

    Within seconds an impenetrable wall of goblins surrounded me and began kicking and stomping. Their screeching was so loud I could barely hear myself think. I felt wetness dripping from my ears as they bled from the harsh, high-pitched wailing.

    I wondered if this was a type of goblin skill attack. It was certainly draining my HP and I didn¡¯t have much left to spare.

    Thinking quickly, I began crawling through their legs, slashing at the ankles of each creature I passed by. They began dropping, but the ones at the centre kept attacking the corpses that had been beneath me.

    They seemed to be too frenzied to notice that I¡¯d already left. Finally seeing a hint of light, I clawed my way out of the horde and managed to shakily get to my feet.

    They looked like full on zombies now. Piled in together in a mosh pit of fury. They hadn¡¯t noticed me, but it wouldn¡¯t be long. Luckily, Sally still laid untouched at the edge of the cliff.

    I hadn¡¯t seen Panda in a while either. I hoped he¡¯d just stayed inside where he couldn¡¯t take damage. That would be the smartest approach for a non-combatant like him.

    I had no idea what to do, but I needed some kind of exit strategy. Just as I had that thought I heard more screaming and turned back towards the huge iron doors.

    Even more goblins were climbing over the corpse pile. They were endless. One thousand goblins don¡¯t sound like that much, especially when you consider the mega cities on earth that are home to millions of people.

    But, have you ever looked at one thousand people all at once? More than that, have you tried to fight that many? It¡¯s a lot more than you¡¯d think. Especially when they¡¯re all charging at you, and you alone.

    The new goblins headed towards me and I carved up a few. My arms were struggling to move and I found my breath to be laboured.

    As I began fighting the new goblins, the mosh pit started noticing me and moved to join in. I was trapped between them and the mountain wall. I had nowhere to go. My health was low, my stamina had almost run out and I could barely lift my arms.

    It was futile. I was going to die here having achieved nothing and protected no one. My child was going to grow up without a father and worse, without ever knowing what happened to its dad.

    I kept fighting and taking hits but the sheer number of goblins was overwhelming. If I was going to die though, I was going to die fighting.

    I didn¡¯t want anyone to say that I gave up. I was going to fight them to my last breath.

    Then everything seemed to stop, just for a moment. As a large crash sounded out behind the horde and both the goblin horde and I turned to look.

    A man in golden armour stood before us. His impossibly white cloak billowing out behind him.

    He raised a single hand and opened his mouth, uttering words I couldn¡¯t hear over the goblin¡¯s screams. Suddenly, it was like they¡¯d forgotten about me. The entire horde turned its bloodlust on the newcomer as he flashed me a smile.

    He hovered above the ground. That¡¯s right, he freaking hovered! And he moved backwards gently, playing the Pied Piper to the horde of vicious goblins.

    He moved backwards until he was floating off the side of the cliff. He was hovering, high above the trees, as if the cliffside stretched out a few more meters.

    The goblins continued to follow him as if entranced. It must have been the spell he¡¯d cast ¨C at least I thought it was a spell.

    As they followed him, they plummeted off the side of the cliff. He made it look so easy. In less than a minute the entire hoard that had harassed and nearly killed me, simply walked off the edge of the cliff.

    I stared at him in awe for a solid five minutes or so. I was stood rooted to the spot as the new goblins which arrived from inside the cave joined the queue. Wating their turn to walk straight to their deaths in an obsessive attempt to reach and attack the man.

    Once the final goblin fell, the man began floating towards me.

 Chapter 39 â€“ Soul Shot

    ¡°Looks like I got here just in the nick of time.¡± A deep and friendly voice said.

    Wait, I know that voice. I thought just as he landed in front of me and unequipped his armour.

    Standing tall in a familiar, embroidered suit, was Director Lucas. I just stood there, staring at him with an open mouth. I probably looked less intelligent than the goblins.

    ¡°Kaleb, are you ok?¡± He asked, cocking his head slightly as I stared at him.

    ¡°Th-thank you.¡± I stammered, struggling to say even that.

    ¡°No worries. Sally is an old friend of mine and I sensed that she was in danger. You did well to defend her for so long. I¡¯m honestly quite impressed.¡±

    He looked around at the carnage I¡¯d caused. A huge sizzling mass of flesh blocked the doorway. It was so revolting. The bodies were so badly damaged by my acid attacks that you couldn¡¯t tell where one started and another ended.

    A similar, but more sporadic pile, was near the unconscious Sally.

    ¡°Your powers are no joke. This is definitely¡­ something.¡± He said, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and using it to cover his nose.

    I barely noticed the smell anymore. My clothes, skin and hair were covered in goblin blood and gore. I¡¯d become numb to it. Though it would be nice to have a quick shower.

    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve advanced through quite a few levels from this battle. From the sense of your aura you¡¯ve advanced to phase two.

    ¡°That¡¯s good progress, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to allow you to take the exam at phase one. It was part of the reason why I asked Sally to take you with her on this quest.

    ¡°Though from the looks of things, in doing so, you might have just saved her life.¡± He chuckled and glanced sympathetically at Sally.

    ¡°Will she be ok?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I think so, she might be unconscious for a few days though. We should leave as soon as possible and put her to bed on her boat so she can heal.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll get upset if she hears you calling it a boat.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± He grinned. ¡°Why do you think I call it that.¡±

    Director Lucas moved towards Sally and gave her a quick check over with his powerful mana sense ability. He explained that it was a common but extremely useful skill that allowed him to sense life force and power in others.

    Whilst he did that, I walked past the goblins, looting their corpses as I went. The notifications were a lot simpler when the goblins were piled up. Though the notification for the biggest pile, near the door, made me do a double take.

    Do you want to loot goblin [various] x213

    Y/N

    213 goblins, just in that single pile. I knew I¡¯d killed a lot of them but I was more than just a little impressed with that number.

    I asserted yes and received 2130 gold coins. So each goblin was worth 10 gold. That was useful to know. The weird blessing I¡¯d received from the god was pretty damn useful if I did say so myself.

    I looted the rest and received another 1620 gold from the 162 goblins I¡¯d killed with my dagger whilst in a trance, along with a plethora of low quality, rusted weapons Overall I¡¯d killed 375 goblins.

    As incredible as it was that I¡¯d taken out that many solo, it was still a far cry from the 1000 that had chased me. I wouldn¡¯t have had a chance of survival if it wasn¡¯t for Lucas. I quite literally owed the man my life.

    Around about the time I finished up the looting, which thanks to the grouping feature didn¡¯t take long, Panda came out of the woodwork.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± He said, stepping gingerly among the dissipating corpses towards us.

    The bodies didn¡¯t evaporate into silver dust or confetti this time. They simply began to evaporate as if they were liquid. They decomposed slowly and just disappeared.

    ¡°Yeah, the director saved us.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s good, though judging by all these melting corpses it looks like you did your fair share as well.¡±

    Lucas walked towards us, holding Sally in a princess carry. He walked as if she was as light as feather as her long silver hair dangled down.

    ¡°Are we ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Fuck yes!¡± me and Panda both replied in unison. I looked towards him as it happened and we laughed.

    ¡°Well alrighty then. Grab onto my leg please.¡± He said as his body lifted off the ground.

    I shared a look with Panda, but I was too exhausted to question it. I grabbed onto his ankle and he began flying towards the ship.

    Holding my own bodyweight with my arms was super easy with the stats I had, despite my drained stamina. I was fatigued after the battle but I still had just enough energy to do something as simple as that. The affect stats had on my body was truly incredible.

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    We flew over the tops of the trees, the warm, tropical air blowing in my face as we went. It was actually kind of pleasant.

    It only took a few minutes to reach the ship where Lucas lowered himself down and I stepped off with Panda clinging to my back.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to put Sally to bed. You two should get some rest too.¡± He said as he disappeared into the interior of the ship.

    ¡°Well?¡± Panda said after a long moment.

    We literally stood staring after Lucas and my mind was blank. I was so exhausted I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself.

    ¡°Well what?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, are you going to check your notifications? That was a major battle for you. You¡¯ll probably have levels and new skills to choose from and all sorts.¡±

    Honestly, I was so tired from the fight that the thought hadn¡¯t even crossed my mind. I found myself getting a second wind once he mentioned levels though and I eagerly dived in.

    I had gained levels, achievements and hopefully a new skill. In fact, I had so many notifications that they appeared in organised tabs under that section of the HUD.

    I opened the tab for levels and kills first.

    You have defeated a unique monster:

    Geralt the Great (lvl 97)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Bonus experience negated due to low health of monster.

    Experience decreased due to lack of damage inflicted.

    I¡¯d never seen anything like that before. It must have been because he was practically dead already when I shot him.

    Still, it felt a little rude. Though I was glad Sally would get most of the experience for the kill. She deserved it.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 28

    You have defeated Goblin Washer Maid (lvl 24)

    You have defeated Goblin Fuck Boy (lvl 19)

    ¡­

    It went on like that for quite a while. It took more than ten minutes to click through the literal hundreds of goblins I¡¯d killed.

    They were all lower level than me but the sheer amount of them must have added up.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 29

    ¡­

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 32

    New skills are available.

    Choose a new skill?

    Y/N

    I grinned like a child as I read the notification. I¡¯d hit level 32. I was officially stronger than the average child!

    I¡¯d had to kill a serious number of goblins to get so few levels though. I guessed Sally was right about levels taking more work in phase two. No more random experience bumps for me, probably.

    I mentally exerted yes on the skills list and, like last time, I read through them all.

    Soul Shot (ancient)

    Due to a complete lack of mana, you¡¯ve realised the potential of the soul earlier than most. You have gained a deeper understanding of the soul through meditation.

    As demonstrated already, you have unlocked the potential to infuse the power of your soul into certain attacks.

    Who¡¯d have ever thought meditation would be so useful. Next you¡¯ll be unlocking a skill for virtue signalling monsters to death.

    The amount of power used is directly proportional to the amount of stamina you¡¯ve chosen to assign to the shot.

    Soul Shot, that sounded epic! Or, well¡­ ancient. I thought back to when I shot Geralt in the back of the head.

    That arrow had flown from the bow with immense power behind it. It had also drained my stamina. I must have worked out how to do it accidentally.

    It was an emotionally charged situation. I guess it was like those stories of mothers lifting cars off their children. I¡¯d activated it because of the situation and my deep-seated need to save Sally.

    I did wonder if that meant I¡¯d be able to do it again without the skill though. I probably would but I bet it would be much harder.

    Battle Trance of the Apex Predator (rare)

    Due to your experience in hard battles you now have the ability to become one with the very life essence of the battlefield.

    Enter a trance as you carve your way through monsters, you battle junkie you.

    This skill consumes stamina.

    When this skill is in use, pain nullification activates.

    Battle Trance of the Apex Predator could be a really useful skill. It was pretty much what I¡¯d already done during the fight with the goblin horde.

    I¡¯d lost all sense of self and a euphoric feeling enveloped me as I danced around the cliff, killing monsters.

    The only issue was that it cut off my senses. I would have kept going until I died, without even realising it, if it wasn¡¯t for that goblin tripping me up.

    It was a good skill, but I was a little scared of it.

    Those two were the only skills I had to choose from this time. For me it was a no brainer.

    ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡± Panda said as I looked towards him.

    I didn¡¯t. It was glaringly obvious to me that I needed a good power attack and the system was offering me a brilliant one on a silver platter.

    I quickly accepted Soul Shot as my new skill and I felt my brain fuzz as knowledge seemed to download directly into it.

    It was like I knew exactly how to activate and use the new skill, but not necessarily anything more concrete than that.

    After I¡¯d accepted the skill the notifications continued.

    Bow has advanced to lvl 11

    Bow has advanced to lvl 12

    ¡­

    Bow has advanced to lvl 25

    You have reached the maximum level for the Bow skill. Bow has infused with the skill; Apprentice Bowman, causing it to evolve.

    Apprentice Bowman has evolved into:

    Newly Qualified Bowman (0%)

    The Newly Qualified Bowman has learnt the basics and is ready to begin the long road to mastery. He has grown into his weapon through constant fighting and shooting things to death.

    From now on, the bowman will need to complete greater feats to further refine his craft.

    Upon reaching 100% proficiency with the bow as the Newly Qualified Bowman level, this skill will advance.

    Proficiency improved.

    A minor bonus to the effect of agility will be added when a bow is equipped.

    This time I didn¡¯t feel new knowledge enter my brain; it was more like the skill I¡¯d built up by shooting the goblins had solidified inside me.

    It felt like a boost to my muscle memory when using a bow and was sure to be useful. It was odd that my new skill was governed by a percentage though.

    I needed to ask Panda about that, but before I could, another notification appeared on my HUD.

 Chapter 40 â€“ Genocidal Maniacâ€™s Apprentice

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 5

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 6

    ¡­

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 9

    Dagger advancing was a nice boost to my melee proficiency. I hadn¡¯t used it much on this quest but it had been invaluable during the later stages of the fight.

    I would have died long before Lucas had arrived without it. I really needed to invest some time into training with the dagger. I wondered if I could unlock a proper proficiency skill for it like with the bow.

    More immediately, would I get a new skill at level 10? I had done with the bow skill.

    I¡¯d have to train up my dagger skill a little more to find out.

    Having sifted through all of the skill, level and kill notifications, there was just one category left: achievements.

    Here comes the passive aggression.

    New Achievement:

    Experience Thief

    You are the worst kind of person. You waited until the last second and then finished off a monster that someone else had lowered the health on.

    What a little bitch.

    Do you know what gamers call people like you? They don¡¯t call you at all because you¡¯re a friendless, honourless, troll.

    Reward: Little Bitch Loot Box

    And there it is.

    I was beginning to think that the system only awarded me these farcical achievements to insult me. It¡¯s not like I was trying to steal experience, I was trying to save Sally¡¯s life.

    I wouldn¡¯t even open them if it wasn¡¯t for the promise of loot boxes. My last few had given me some good stuff. I guess it was worth the insults¡­ kinda.

    New Achievement:

    Genocidal Maniac¡¯s Apprentice

    You singlehandedly wiped out over 35% of an entire population on the Forbidden Isle.

    Following in the footsteps of Hafez Al-Assad, Vladimir Putin, and Joseph Kony, you¡¯re well on the way to being a real piece of work.

    Keep it up!

    There¡¯s nothing like a good slaughter to really beat back that crippling ED you obviously have.

    Reward: Genocide Loot Box

    I was at a loss for words. Not only had the system compared me to a bunch of war criminals, but it also thought I had ED!

    I¡¯d literally just gotten my wife pregnant not that long ago. I worked perfectly fine down there. Was I sexiest man of the year? Definitely not, but it didn¡¯t have to call my manhood into question.

    Panda burst out laughing after reading the achievement with me. I probably shouldn¡¯t take it to heart. I knew the system was a dick.

    After that battle though, I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. I really needed some sleep.

    With all my notifications squared away, it was time to finally go to bed.

    ¡°I¡¯d tell you to keep the hanky panky with Palm-ala Hand-erson to a minimum, but it doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯ve got what it takes to please her anyway.¡± Panda said as I walked towards the cabin.

    He laughed so hard at his own terrible joke that when I looked back to give him an admonishing gaze, he was literally rolling on the deck of the ship clutching his stomach.

    ¡°I hope you get fleas.¡± I said as I entered the interior of the ship, causing Panda to laugh even harder.

    I still had the quest notification to open, but it could wait until the morning. It had promised a new active skill and on the off chance I got any say in what that was I wanted to be clear headed for it.

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    ***

    Lucas laid Sally down gently in her captain¡¯s cabin. It was a far cry from the tiny, single bedrooms he¡¯d passed on his way through the ship¡¯s interior.

    It was surprisingly indulgent for a woman of her tastes. There was a double bed, a porthole window and even a dressing table.

    He was most surprised by the last part considering she hardly wore clothes at all. As a Barbarian she gained defence bonuses for wearing less.

    She was the walking personification of the proverb: less is more.

    Her wound was quite deep, it was obvious she¡¯d taken a serious slash from her opponent.

    How did Kaleb manage to get her out of there? Lucas wondered as he examined the wound and applied a healing salve from his inventory.

    Sally was no slouch, so if she¡¯d taken this level of damage then the monster who did it must have been fearsome. How had a phase one outworlder managed to save her.

    He felt the familiar presence of his god¡¯s aura seep into his mind and, finishing up applying the salve, he reported in.

    ¡°The boy is safe. He did remarkably well, though I think he¡¯d have been killed if I hadn¡¯t arrived in time.¡± He said aloud, taking care to keep his voice low.

    Good. I warned you that the Goblin King Coronation required more than a single silver ranker.

    ¡°You did, yet they did remarkably well. How did a phase one manage to save Sally, My Lord? She¡¯s the strongest person in these parts¡­ apart from me.¡±

    I cannot provide a clear answer. I can only see glimmers of his soul. Without him holding my blessing, I can¡¯t watch him omnipotently. I only managed to speak to him briefly this time in a dire moment.

    However, a powerful enemy laid dead at his feet when I did.

    ¡°Of course My Lord, I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. He currently holds the blessing of the wealth god from what I understand.¡±

    That is correct. That buffoon Chrysus beat me to the punch.

    Lucas felt a surge of incalculable rage in his mind that wasn¡¯t his own. He made a mistake in mentioning Chrysus. He knew full well the sordid history between the wealth god and his lord.

    He regretted it as the immense power from his god¡¯s aura coursed through his brain. It was like a migraine, apart from the nasty side effect of making his eyes bleed.

    He pulled a handkerchief from his inventory and dabbed the blood from his face and eyes.

    Keep an eye on the boy until he¡¯s back in Havar. I have a quest you should give him before the exam.

    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Lucas replied and he felt the aura of his god leave his mortal body.

    I need a drink. He thought, pulling a glass and bottle from his inventory. He poured the amber liquid carefully before downing the beverage in a single gulp.

    ¡°You should really just drink from the bottle if you¡¯re gonna down it anyway. It saves on the washing up.¡± Sally groaned from her bed.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake then?¡± He asked suspiciously.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been awake since that insidious presence entered you. I¡¯m quite attune to powerful auras you know.¡±

    Lucas let the silence hang as he poured and downed another glass. He sighed heavily and sat down on the edge of Sally¡¯s bed.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I like the kid.¡± Sally said, lifting herself up on her elbows. ¡°I don¡¯t get along too well with the almighty kind, but your god certainly picked an interesting guy.¡±

    ¡°Will you continue to watch over him for me?¡± Lucas asked, but he already knew the answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my part, but he needs to experience things on his own if you want him to develop.¡±

    He¡¯d expected as much. Sally was the hands-off kind of teacher. Still, if she liked Kaleb, then perhaps his task was worth all the stress that came with it.

    ***

    I woke up feeling myself again after, what could only be described as, the best nap I¡¯d ever had.

    The fog in my head had cleared and I was ready to see my new skill. Thankfully, I hadn¡¯t dreamed at all this time. I had to admit, I was a little weary of sleep after the nightmare I¡¯d had in the mountain.

    I shuddered at the thought of it. It felt so real, and that voice. Where had I heard it before?

    Pushing those thoughts aside I decided to finally check my quest notification.

    Quest Complete!

    The Goblin King Coronation

    Every century a new goblin king is chosen. He who is destined to unite the clans and conquer the world ¨C or so ancient goblin lore says.

    Crash the party, kill the king, and get to the Winchester for a nice cold pint whilst you wait for it all to blow over.

    After making your way to the mountain on the Forbidden Isles, you managed to gain admission into the Goblin King Ball.

    Whilst there, you goaded Giles, a goblin king candidate, into challenging you to a duel where you killed him in full view of his clan and the other attendees.

    Your party member infiltrated the tournament of the goblin king where she successfully defeated candidate Gerad.

    Goblin king candidate Geralt killed candidate Gerald so you didn¡¯t have to.

    After a gruelling fight, you successfully eliminated Geralt with a sneak attack to the head.

    You claimed the crown for yourself.

    Objectives:

    Stop the coronation 1/1

    Kill throne candidates 4/4

    Hidden Objective:

    Steal the crown 1/1

    Reward: A New Passive Skill

    *WARNING*

    Due to the completion of a hidden objective. The reward has changed to a unique passive skill.

    As I read through the updated quest I realised the system had added an abridged, blow by blow account of our activity.

    When I reached the end I wasn¡¯t sure what to think. I really needed more active skills, but surely a hidden objective would yield a better reward.

    I nudged Panda before opening the new skill. He¡¯d been asleep at the foot of the bed and didn¡¯t seem to want to wake up.

    ¡°Panda I need your help.¡± I said, shaking him firmly.

    ¡°Let me sleep!¡± He groaned.

    ¡°But I need some sagely wisdom and you¡¯re the only one I can turn to.¡± I replied in a playful tone which got his attention.

    He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his paws. It would have been cute if I didn¡¯t know his lacking personality. I used to think Pandas were adorable, but this one¡­ not so much.

    With Panda awake and ready, I opened the reward skill.

    You have unlocked a new passive skill:

    Usurper (unique)

    Due to your needless refusal to bow to kings, your soul has been forever changed.

    The bane of gods and royalty alike, you¡¯re not only defiant and disrespectful to authority. You¡¯ve gone as far as to usurp the throne of the Goblin King from its rightful heir.

    Your soul has gained strength.

    You are immune to monarch-based soul manipulation skills.

    I had no idea what that meant, but it sounded pretty good. I didn¡¯t think I had a problem with authority myself though.

    I¡¯d always done my job back on earth and followed the rules laid out by the various driving companies. Would someone who had a problem with authority do that? I think not.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great skill.¡± Panda said, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you woke me up for it. I¡¯ve only ever seen that skill be handed out once before and it came in handy a few times.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Some of the more powerful adventurers, gods and kings have skills called Monarch skills. They differ slightly from person to person but for the most part they subjugate people.

    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s a charisma thing and the victims don¡¯t realise it¡¯s a skill. Sometimes it¡¯s through mind control or other nefarious means.

    ¡°Being immune to it will be a huge boon if you ever meet someone with a skill like that. Assuming they don¡¯t decide to outright kill you for having it that is.¡±

    ¡°Oh great. More powerful people trying to kill me. Isn¡¯t being hunted for your skin bad enough?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re preaching to the choir there, kid.¡±

 Chapter 41 â€“ One Pump Chump

    After finishing the quest and acquiring my newest skill there was only one thing left to do. Assign my free stat points. Considering both of my active skills relied heavily on stamina, I decided to, once again, put all 25 points into the strength stat.

    Extra health would have been a good choice too. But I was itching to try out my new Soul Shot technique. I wanted to be able to use Perception of the Apex Predator to greater effect too.

    As it currently stood, I could barely get half a second of time dilation out of it by using almost all of the stamina I had. I was going to need a huge well of stamina to draw from if I ever wanted to use it mid fight.

    With that decided I went ahead and placed all of my free points into strength and checked my stats.

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 32

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 331/306 (331)

    Stamina: 318/305 (318)

    Strength: 275 (288)

    Agility: 118

    Perception: 114

    Vitality: 246 (270)

    Intelligence: 39

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique)

    Class Skills (Passive): Newly Qualified Bowman (0%), Dagger (lvl 9), Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    I¡¯d grown quite a bit over the course of the quest. I enjoyed being able to see my stat increases and changes in real time. It helped keep me motivated in my goal of getting stronger.

    I sat back for a moment and smiled to myself as I read through them. Then I slid off the bed and left the cabin.

    The moment I opened the door I could smell the enticing aroma of a home cooked meal. It didn¡¯t smell like copious amounts of overcooked meat though.

    I headed into the kitchen-come-dining room with Panda hot on my heels.

    ¡°Sally!¡± He exclaimed, waddle running towards her like an overzealous toddler.

    She sat at the table, wearing a fresh bandage over her wound. I was surprised it hadn¡¯t healed yet. Usually sleep and a potion did the trick for me.

    ¡°Morning Furball.¡± She replied with a fangy smile.

    ¡°You seem to be doing better.¡± I said, pulling a chair out and joining her.

    ¡°Thanks to you. It seems you saved my life Gonads.¡± She laughed. ¡°What did I tell you about not doing anything reckless and stupid?¡± She asked, her tone changing all of a sudden as she leant forward and hit the top of my head.

    It felt like my head was a church bell that had been unceremoniously rung. I was dazed for a good moment before I could see properly again.

    It seemed that even wounded, she was a powerhouse.

    ¡°Yeah sorry not sorry. Someone had to complete the quest didn¡¯t they.¡± I replied.

    ¡°From what Lucas here tells me, you killed a few hundred goblins on your way out too. No small feat for such a puny weakling.¡±

    ¡°Coming from the woman wearing a bandage in a world with healing potions.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    She laughed and so did I. It was nice to know that she was doing ok. I was curious about the bandage though. However, she seemed to have no intention of explaining it.

    So far in my time in Celestia, I¡¯d healed up completely every time. Scars didn¡¯t last long and I had no lingering wounds. A health potion or a good night¡¯s rest would cure just about anything.

    I was beginning to wonder if I could even grow limbs back. Though it was more likely that healing would just close up the stump.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve reached phase two.¡± Sally said idly.

    ¡°Yeah, not too shabby for my first week in this world eh?¡± I grinned.

    ¡°It¡¯s passable.¡± Director Lucas said. I searched to find where his voice had come from and realised he was the one cooking the food.

    He stood in the kitchen wearing his signature embroidered suit and white apron that was branded with a facsimile of the Adventure Society slogan.

    Adventure Society: Frying The Monsters Under Your Bed.

    I thought it was a bit tacky, but I still found it amusing.

    It was an odd sight though, to see the gold ranked adventurer who¡¯d saved me by Pied Pipering an entire horde of goblins off a cliff in an apron.

    ¡°What can I expect now that I¡¯m a phase two?¡± I asked the room.

    Panda was the first to reply, jumping onto the table. He placed his paws behind his back and began pacing.

    ¡°Well kid, phase two is a good starting point for a rookie adventurer. Now you¡¯ve hit it, the levels are going to come slower. You should gain a new skill every ten levels from now on as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting them pretty randomly so far.¡± I cut in.

    ¡°That¡¯s how the system operates with outworlders. You arrive here with the strength of a newborn. Whilst children in this world are expected to take about eighteen years to reach phase two, you don¡¯t have that long.

    ¡°You¡¯re dropped into this world, usually as an adult, and expected to fit in and make it work. The system compensates for this by granting outworlders a few boons.

    ¡°One of those is the random acquisition of skills. Kids in Celestia have their entire childhoods to decide what kind of path they want to follow and the skills that come with that path are often granted to them at later phase one levels.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get that luxury, so the system grants you skills at random, allowing you to choose some of them and basing the skills it gives you off what you accomplish and how you fight.¡±

    I had wondered about that. The system had seemed to give me skills based off things I¡¯d done. My Apex Predator class was given to me because I pushed that cultist guy into a vat of acid.

    Thinking about it, I¡¯d also been offered other classes based on how I¡¯d fought. Like the Trucker class that was entirely based on how Panda and I escaped from the cultist hideout.

    ¡°What other perks do I get?¡± I asked enthusiastically.

    ¡°Achievements.¡± Panda replied poignantly. ¡°No one else gets them. Only you outworlders. They¡¯re a good thing to have as well, those loot boxes are no joke.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s forgetting the most important thing about phase two though.¡± Sally interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s a much harder path to walk for an adventurer than it is for professionals. You¡¯ll have to face harder monsters and put yourself in more and more danger if you want to advance.

    ¡°Grinding weaker foes isn¡¯t an option for adventurers in this world. You can kill them too, don¡¯t get me wrong, but at a certain point you won¡¯t gain any experience from them.

    ¡°The system is fair, but it has a sadistic personality that thrives on violence and high stakes. Never forget that.¡±

    Her words rang true from what I knew of the system so far. It had given me some great skills, though it was rather passive aggressive and rude. But it also seemed to take pleasure in my suffering.

    It rewarded me for killing and gave me quests that kept putting me in more and more danger. Not to mention it tattooed me with a map piece that some creepy cultist dudes wanted.

    Speaking of the cultists, I hadn¡¯t seen any since we¡¯d escaped their temple. That was only a few days ago but it felt like much longer.

    A lot had happened in that time.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough work talk for now.¡± Lucas said, walking towards us with plates in his arms. ¡°You¡¯ll overload the poor boy.¡±

    He placed the plates down on the table in front of us and my mouth began watering. It was a full English breakfast, or close to it.

    I was pretty sure there weren¡¯t any pigs in this place, but something on my plate certainly looked like bacon.

    In fact the entire plate looked just like a full English: bacon, sausage, eggs, baked beans, hash brown, tomatoes, mushrooms, you name it.

    I slyly gave the mushrooms to Panda when Lucas turned back around. Mushrooms were not my thing. Not only did they taste awful, but they also felt awful in your mouth and they held no real nutritional value.

    Why would any self-respecting person eat them? Mushrooms were a big bag of nope.

    Luckily, my familiar was the herbivore equivalent of a waste disposal unit and he sucked them down like a vacuum cleaner.

    His breakfast was quite different to mine and Sally¡¯s. He had a bowl full of greens and some bamboo. Lucas must have stocked up before he came. No way the dude carried bamboo in his inventory normally.

    After breakfast I rushed to the deck of the ship. My hunger had gotten the better of me, but I had an active skill I could actually use and I just had to try it out.

    When I¡¯d picked the skill an innate knowledge of how to use it had downloaded into my brain. It gave me quite the headache.

    I pulled out my bow and nocked an arrow.

    Sally had followed me outside. Despite her bandage she didn¡¯t seem overly injured. Without a word she produced a plate from her inventory and I nodded to her.

    She counted down from three and launched the plate into the air.

    As I pulled back the bowstring I could feel my soul¡¯s energy coursing through my entire body. Like the red rope I¡¯d visualised during meditation, except this energy was acid green and more ethereal.

    The rope seemed tangible, almost like I could pick it up and use it. But the green energy felt more like mist, like something I could manipulate, but never touch.

    That was energy that my instincts and skill knowledge wanted me to tap into. I visualised it seeping through my fingers and into the arrow.

    I could practically see it warping around the arrow itself until it was glowing with an acid green energy. This all happened in a fraction of a second. Then I fired it.

    It blasted out of my bow, like a rocket taking off. When it hit its target, the plate vanished. It had been completely vapourised and the arrow just kept going.

    I really hoped it wouldn¡¯t accidentally kill someone. I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be that powerful.

    ¡°Nice!¡± Sally exclaimed giving me an approving nod. ¡°Though you might want to use less power next time, at your level, that probably took up all of your stamina. You don¡¯t want to be a one pump chump.¡±

    I checked the stats on my HUD and she was right. From that single shot I¡¯d dropped from 318 to 23 stamina. I was going to need to practice a lot more if I wanted to reliably use Soul Shot in combat without passing out.

    Still, I was happy with the power I had at my disposal. Every adventurer needs a powerful attack, that one hit kill attack that they pull out for the big boss.

    Now I had one, I felt more like I belonged at Adventure Society.

    And speaking of the society, looking over the side of the ship I could see their skyscraper lighting up the Havar skyline.

    We¡¯d be back in an hour or so by my best guess, and I had a lot of stuff to do.

 Chapter 42 â€“ Not The Religious Type

    We arrived back in Havar less than an hour after I spotted the Adventure Society building. Landing with a splash, Sally docked the ship and we departed at last.

    It felt like ages since I¡¯d left Havar for the Goblin King Coronation quest.

    Sally left with the director to hand in the completed quest. She promised to give me a fair share of the reward as payment for dragging her out of the arena.

    Then, almost as soon as we¡¯d stepped off the dock, I found myself alone in the big city. Well, apart from Panda.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan kid?¡± Panda asked, lighting up his bamboo pipe as we walked leisurely away from the port district.

    I had a few things I wanted to do. With loot money burning a hole in my inventory I figured it was about time to buy some armour, assuming I could afford any.

    I¡¯d also promised to replace some of the books I¡¯d ruined in my makeshift defence against Gertrude¡¯s goblin tribe.

    Panda had bugged me about it incessantly on the journey home. He complained that he was bored and a lack of mental nourishment would somehow make him less sagely¡­ or something like that.

    I also had a few loot boxes to open and I needed to return to the inn to open them.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking, loot boxes, armourer and then we¡¯ll try and get you some books.¡± I replied casually as we left the port.

    As we wandered onto the main street I found myself smiling at the quirky city with its modern skyscrapers, medieval taverns, and races of all kinds.

    It really was something straight out of an isekai manga.

    ¡°You know you could have opened one of them inside the mountain.¡± He muttered as we walked.

    ¡°Oh yeah, it¡¯s any safe area isn¡¯t it?¡± I chuckled. The truth was, we¡¯d been so preoccupied with the quest that I¡¯d completely forgotten I had a loot box to open.

    I¡¯d also been a bit busy meditating. I¡¯d earned a Duellist¡¯s Loot Box after I defeated Giles in single combat. I was pretty low on stamina and HP after that though so I was taught how to meditate.

    Everything had happened so fast after that; the thought had honestly never crossed my mind.

    After about ten minutes of walking down the busy main street, I made a turn down an alleyway that Panda assured me was a shortcut to the Sleeping Giant Inn where I still had a room for three nights.

    The alleyway was a tight, cobbled back alley and it was deserted. It ran between some shops and cut through to the next street over which was where the inn was located.

    We weren¡¯t exactly rushed for time, but I was keen to open my loot boxes before I went armour shopping. The last thing I wanted to do was waste my money on something only to find out the loot box had given me something better.

    At the head of the alley a robed man turned off the street and headed towards us. I didn¡¯t pay much attention; the alley was a cut through to the high street after all.

    Still, something about his robe caught my attention. It was familiar.

    He had his head down as he walked and honestly, he was pretty unassuming.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Panda yelled, just as we were about to meet him in the middle.

    I jumped back, just as the tip of a blade slashed through the air where my throat had been less than a second earlier.

    I summoned my dagger and took a few steps back. Who was this guy and why was he attacking me?

    Acting on instinct I dashed forward, aiming my blade at his stomach. With lightning fast reactions, he blocked me and with a second, hidden dagger from under his cloak, he struck.

    I managed to avoid it, barely, and kicked out at him. He grunted as I knocked him back and I pressed the advantage.

    Moving forward I took a swing at his face. He bent himself backwards at an unnatural angle and avoided it. A proper Matrix dodge if I¡¯d ever seen one.

    I took a step forward and thrusted the dagger at his exposed chest, but he brought up one of the two daggers he was holding and parried me.

    Whoever this robed fighter was, he was very skilled.

    I jumped back to reassess.

    I seemed to be no match for him in close quarter melee, but I had another trick up my sleeve.

    I started walking backwards quickly as I dismissed my dagger and summoned my bow. Nocking an arrow I activated my new skill: Soul Shot. I began building up power into the bow, my internal energy flowing out of my hand and wrapping the arrow with an acid green glow.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The man dashed forward, both daggers in his hands and I loosed the arrow.

    In the cramped alleyway the backdraft from my own shot knocked me off balance and I stumbled. The man couldn¡¯t dodge an attack like this.

    There was only room to move forwards or backwards and the arrow¡¯s speed was insane.

    It seemed to pass right through him and I cheered internally. No notification came though.

    My arrow crashed out of the alleyway and flew into the front door of a shop a street over, blowing the door off its hinges as civilians gasped and cried out.

    Oh crap, now I¡¯m gonna have to convince them I¡¯m not a terrorist.

    I looked up and down the alleyway but the robed man was nowhere to be seen. Where had he gone? I couldn¡¯t have killed him, there was no notification.

    ¡°Well met.¡± A crackly voice said from behind me.

    I spun on my heels, resummoning my dagger. The man was a few meters away from me. I couldn¡¯t make out any of his features. His blood red robes covered him completely and his hood draped over his face.

    ¡°Chrysus sends his regards.¡± He said, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke leaving nothing but a piece of paper that drifted side to side as it fell to the floor.

    ¡°What was that all about? Panda asked curiously.

    Chrysus, the god of wealth was the man who¡¯d forced me to take his rather useful blessing. He was also the leader of the cult that had captured me.

    His goal was to piece together the Celestial Map by skinning the outworlders to get at their tattoos.

    He¡¯d asked me to join him and I¡¯d refused. Though he did succeed in getting me to take his blessing. It was either that or die, and the blessing was the only reason I could loot gold from monsters.

    I stepped forward tentatively, still on guard from a possible surprise attack, and picked up the paper.

    You have been granted the honour of being allowed to compete in the high priest¡¯s tournament.

    The winner will be granted the riches of Chrysus, God of Wealth.

    The tournament will take place in six months¡¯ time.

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    ¡°He wants me to compete in some high priest tournament thingy.¡± I said aloud so Panda could hear me.

    ¡°Attacking you in the street¡¯s not a very polite invitation.¡± Panda replied.

    ¡°Agreed. It worries me a bit though. He seemed to find me without any trouble. I wonder if the blessing allows Chrysus to track me?¡± I said, thinking aloud more than I was talking to Panda.

    ¡°Blessings allow Gods to know where you are and talk to you directly. Though they rarely use them for that.¡± Panda said, taking the paper from me and skimming the text. ¡°This is a big deal. Being the right hand of a god is no joke, it¡¯s instant access to a metric fuck tonne of power kid.¡±

    ¡°Fuck no. I¡¯m not the religious type.¡±

    ¡°Well either way, you should keep the invitation. It¡¯s enchanted so it could be valuable.¡±

    I had to admit, it did pique my interest, but I had no intention of ever serving a god. Especially not a deranged cult leader who wanted to murder 10,000 outworlders to complete a silly map.

    The guy was a lunatic and I wanted no part of it.

    I touched the paper and added it to my inventory and then walked back onto the main street we¡¯d originally come from.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go the long way around, I¡¯m pretty sure I blew up a shopfront with my arrow on the other street.¡±

    ¡°Good idea.¡± Panda replied. ¡°It¡¯ll be fixed pretty quickly, magic is useful like that, but it¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary confrontation at your level¡­ and the owner will be pissed.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should stop by the Adventure Society on the way back to the inn. I probably have reward money to collect anyway.¡± I mused.

    Panda nodded and we began walking in that direction. Despite the commotion on the adjacent street, the high street was pretty quiet.

    People moved quickly, manoeuvring around each other as they went about their busy lives. They were seemingly oblivious to the fight that had just happened down the alley, or maybe they were just used to it.

    The Adventure Society was just up ahead and we arrived a few minutes later. I walked through the large double doors into the foyer. A group of temp adventurers were looking over the quests on the noticeboard.

    I¡¯d need to pick my second mandatory quest soon, but we¡¯d just gotten back so it could wait a day or two.

    Instead, I walked over to the desk to the beaming, friendly smile of Lucy. She was the blonde catonid receptionist who had a thing for Panda.

    ¡°Hello Mr Akabane, good to see you¡¯ve returned safely from your quest. How did it go?¡± She asked politely.

    I distinctly remembered asking her to call me Kaleb last time we¡¯d spoken, but I had been a bit awkward about it so I couldn¡¯t fault her for remaining professional.

    ¡°Oh you know, the usual. Killed a lot of monsters, nearly died a few times, got some levels, saved a silver ranker from a horde of goblins. Just a regular tuesday really.¡± I replied cheekily.

    She chuckled at my response as Panda began climbing onto the desk. She helped him the rest of the way up and began fondling his ears.

    ¡°It sounds exciting. You¡¯ll be glad to know that Sally handed in the return forms about ten minutes ago. She stipulated that the reward was to be split evenly between the two of you. You must have made quite the impression for a silver ranker to do that. Though I don¡¯t know what a Tuesday is.¡±

    Panda sat quietly as she stroked him, he looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

    ¡°She¡¯s a good friend.¡± I replied thoughtfully, ignoring the invitation to explain earthen days of the week.

    ¡°Friend? That¡¯s quite the bold statement Mr Akabane, but far be it for me to question you.¡± She smiled but looked confused.

    Was it really that strange for a silver ranked adventurer and a new recruit to be friends?

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the reward?¡± I asked. ¡°Sally never actually told me.¡±

    ¡°Let me just grab it for you.¡± She said, ducking under the desk for a moment. I heard the distinct sound of jingling.

    She appeared back a moment later with a large pouch in her hand.

    ¡°Most quest rewards are paid in gold; this one was no exception. Every now and then the guild offers rare items as rewards, but they¡¯re usually reserved for gold ranked quests or higher.

    ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s your reward: 1000 gold coins.¡± She said, holding the coin pouch out towards me with both hands.

    I accepted it gratefully, adding it to my inventory. Interestingly enough, I¡¯d earned more than that from my looting power.

    Still, a grand in gold isn¡¯t anything to scoff at. Hopefully it¡¯d help me buy something cool before my next quest.

    I thanked her and left the building with Panda, I still had loot boxes to open.

    ¡°You know, flirting with the receptionist is a bit clich¨¦ kid.¡± Panda said as we left.

    ¡°Then what were you doing purring as she fondled your ears?¡± I shot back.

    ¡°Me and her are both animals with evolved intellect. Call it animal magnetism.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you old enough to be her great, great grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Shut it kid. At least I¡¯m not a furry.¡±

 Chapter 43 â€“ Stalinâ€™s Stylish Socks

    After leaving the Adventure Society with an extra 1000 gold in my inventory, we went the long way around to the Sleeping Giant Inn.

    It seemed that no matter what time of day it was, the city was always a hive of activity. Bustling with life as lycanids, catonids, humans and other races I didn¡¯t recognise rushed around the various districts.

    I made a mental note to go exploring when I had some free time. So far I¡¯d only been to the docks, the society district, and the high street.

    That only covered a small part of the huge city. I wondered if there was anything interesting to find on the other side of town.

    We reached the inn and went inside. I greeted the lycanid landlady who blushed slightly as I spoke to her and retired to my room.

    You are now entering a safe zone.

    I sat down on the bed in the small room and eagerly dived into my rewards section on the HUD. Panda sat next to me, watching what I was doing.

    He could see the major actions on my HUD due to his nature as a daemon familiar.

    I found the loot boxes and began the opening procedure. Loot boxes opened one after the other once you clicked to open one. Luckily, I didn¡¯t really have any time constraints.

    You are in a safe area. Open all loot boxes?

    Y/N

    Duellist¡¯s Loot Box

    You¡¯ve won your first duel! How very old fashioned of you. From knights to cowboys to immoral plantation owners, duels were the pinnacle of minor dispute resolution.

    Is your neighbour mowing the grass too early? Is your grandma doing that thing where she licks a handkerchief and uses it to clean your face? Is your significant other¡¯s snoring keeping you up all night?

    There¡¯s only one solution.

    Pistols at dawn!

    Reward: Dueling Glove

    The box popped open like a shot being fired from a gun and firecrackers exploded all around it as a single white glove floated out of it and disappeared into my inventory.

    Little Bitch Loot Box

    As the name implies, this box has been rewarded due to your bitch move of stealing someone¡¯s kill by getting in the last hit right as they were about to die.

    We¡¯ve already covered this. Take your damn reward.

    Reward: Personal Skill: Health Sense (common)

    A new personal skill? That was unexpected. I didn¡¯t even know you could get skills through boxes.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well there, kid.¡± Panda said, nodding to himself.

    As the box opened, there were no flashing lights, no fireworks, or confetti. Just the resonating sound of a someone saying the word ¡°bitch.¡±

    Followed by a small, almost tangible light that flew into my chest and disappeared into me.

    Classy.

    Genocide Loot Box

    Since you love mass murder, it stands to reason that you¡¯d also love the king of the gulags, Joseph Stalin. As such, I hope you enjoy this one-of-a-kind reward. Remember the only clothing you brought with you to this world? Because I do. Don¡¯t say I never give you anything thoughtful.

    I¡¯m sure you¡¯re Russian through this notification to get to your fabulous reward, so I¡¯ll stop Stalin and tell you what it is.

    Reward: Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to think about that. I was a little taken aback by the reward in all honesty.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Joseph Stalin?¡± Panda asked with childlike curiosity.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Use that sage skill of yours and google it.¡± I replied monotonously.

    I waited a moment as the golden box played tense orchestral music whilst the lid opened slowly. A pair of bright red socks appeared with a golden embroidery that depicted a hammer and sickle.

    These socks better be good. I feel disgusted just having them in my inventory. I sighed inwardly as they disappeared in a bright red light.

    I¡¯d studied Russian history in school and it was equal parts interesting and horrifying. Those guys sure had it rough after Lenin died.

    ¡°Oh my god, I just looked him up. Kaleb you absolutely cannot wear that item.¡± Panda said loudly.

    Shaking my head slightly, I dived into my inventory to check out what my rewards actually did.

    Duelling Glove

    I demand satisfaction! Wearing these gloves increases your accuracy with all ranged weapons.

    +10% agility.

    That actually wasn¡¯t bad. A boost in stats was always welcome and you could never have too much accuracy.

    I equipped the glove and immediately felt a small sense of power course through me.

    I wasn¡¯t too keen on the look of it though. Wearing a single white glove reminded me too much of Michael Jackson.

    I wasn¡¯t going to let a little thing like fashion get in the way of a powerful item though. It fit snuggly on my right hand, the hand I used to draw the bowstring. It coincidentally covered my pentagram tattoo as well.

    I wasn¡¯t actively trying to hide it or anything, but since it signalled that I was a player killer, accidentally or not, it was probably good that I wouldn¡¯t be showcasing it anymore.

    Oddly, the glove seemed to shape itself entirely to my hand. It didn¡¯t actually feel like I was wearing a glove at all.

    I touched the bed sheets and could feel them just fine. It was like the glove was a part of me.

    Moving on I decided to check out the other item I¡¯d received.

    Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks

    These socks let everyone know that you¡¯re in charge. With their bright red colouring and their golden hammer and sickle, you¡¯ll be the talk of the town.

    Was that it? An item that did nothing at all. No stat bonus, no skill, no¡­ nothing. That made the choice of resigning them to the depths of my inventory, never to be seen again, that much easier.

    ¡°What was the point of even getting a reward like that?¡± I asked Panda incredulously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even do anything.¡±

    ¡°Not all rewards are useful.¡± He shrugged like it was normal to get duds in boxes. ¡°I was summoned by an outworlder a few centuries ago who got crappy rewards all the time.

    ¡°This one time, the system gave him a loot box that took up the entire room and when it opened all he got was a t-shirt that said: I went to another world and all I got was vast cosmic power. Utter let down.¡±

    Oddly, it was kind of comforting to know that I wasn¡¯t the only one the system was a dick to.

    Putting my crappy socks aside, I went into my skills and focused on the new one.

    Health Sense (common)

    Sense the health of those around you.

    Usually reserved for healer classes, Health Sense allows you to sense the HP level of those around you.

    That was interesting. As I read the new skill I felt a small amount of knowledge enter my brain allowing me to use the skill.

    It was pretty simple. I looked towards Panda and focused very slightly and his health appeared floating above his head.

    It didn¡¯t tell in numbers how much he had; it was more of a health bar. It was currently green and full to the brim.

    Just like every video game I¡¯ve ever played. I thought with satisfaction.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how useful this skill would be but it was definitely novel. I liked it.

    Standing up decisively. I decided it was time to go buy some armour. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what I wanted, but spending money on something that would help keep me alive seemed like a good idea.

    ¡°Panda, can you take me to an armourer?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Certainly, there¡¯s one a short walk from here.¡±

    He led me out of the inn and down the street a short way. We passed by the shop I¡¯d accidentally shot an arrow into and an angry looking lycanid stood in front of it, lifting a patchwork door up and attaching hinges to it.

    So much for magic. I thought, feeling a tang of guilt.

    ¡°Hey, is there anything I can do to help you with that?¡± I asked, approaching the man.

    I wasn¡¯t the most moral of people but I had been the one to destroy it. I had no intention of telling him that, but it was only right that I at least offer to help him fix it.

    ¡°Not unless you¡¯ve got one hundred gold coins spare so I can hire a mage.¡± He replied in a deflated tone.

    ¡°No problem.¡± I said, pulling 100 gold from my inventory and handing it to him.

    He dropped the door and looked at me with an open mouth. He seemed pretty shocked so I opened his hand for him and deposited the money into it, most of it spilled onto the ground with a myriad of clinks.

    I began walking away before he called out to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, why would you¡­ thank you! Come back any time, my treat!¡±

    He sounded grateful and I felt good at having done a good deed. Besides, 100 gold wasn¡¯t that much considering how much I¡¯d earnt from looting monsters and collecting the quest reward.

    It was only right that I pay to fix the thing I broke. Not that I would be admitting that it was my fault to the owner any time soon.

    He seemed to run a small restaurant, maybe I would pop in some time for a meal. I hadn¡¯t tried much of Celestia¡¯s cuisine so far after all.

    ¡°Well that was a waste of money. Just think of all the books you could have bought me with that.¡± Panda grumbled as we walked.

    ¡°How much do books cost in this world?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Depends on the book. The magic printing press doesn¡¯t mass produce too many of them. Only the really popular ones. You can get those pretty cheap but for a rare one it can be expensive.¡±

    ¡°Well then let¡¯s hope I have enough left over, after I buy some armour, to get you one.¡±

    Panda led me to a large shop a little further down from the restaurant. It was the only building on the street that was fully detached, though it was also only a single story.

    A neon sign glowed above it in purple writing that said: Andy¡¯s Armour Emporium.

    It struck me as a bit odd for an armour shop to have a neon sign, but I guessed it was probably a wealth thing. There were a lot of adventurers in town and from what I¡¯d heard, gear was insanely expensive.

    I walked inside and heard the sound of clanging metal coming form the back somewhere.

    In the front there were mannequins galore, covered in all sorts of armour. One looked like a medieval knight, there was one wearing a golden cloak and another dressed like robin hood with a green jerkin and feathered hat.

    One set in particular caught my eyes though.

    It was jet black and the torso piece was covered in intricate embroidery. It had black pants with knee pads and a cool, hooded cloak that covered half of the face with eye slits to look out of.

    I wasn¡¯t certain if that would block my vision or not, but it looked awesome.

    I walked up to the counter and read a small sign that had been left there.

    In back.

    It seemed the armourer was a man of few words. Walking around the desk I went into the back room where the source of the clanging was coming from.

    A tall, well-muscled man with broad shoulders and unkempt brunet hair was working.

    He stood over an anvil and seemed to be hammering a helmet with vigour. He didn¡¯t even notice me come in. It was mesmerizing to watch and I found myself staring for a solid few minutes.

    He was wearing armoured black pants, boots, and a dirty, brown leather apron over his front.

    His body glistened with sweat. He was obviously the hard-working type.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± I said, attempting to raise my voice over the loud clanking of his hammer.

    He didn¡¯t seem to hear me. I looked at Panda and he shrugged. I guess I¡¯d have to shout louder.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth.

    Still nothing. I could barely hear my own voice over the noise so it made sense that he wouldn¡¯t hear me either.

    I walked towards him and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention instead.

    Without warning a large hammer swung at my face.

 Chapter 44 â€“ Up Shitâ€™s Creek

    I ducked down instinctually and, as the hammer swung over my head, jumped back up with an uppercut.

    The man batted my hand away with his own as if he was swatting a fly and I jumped backwards, summoning my dagger.

    He stood opposite me, holding his hammer limply in his right hand. He looked me up and down with calculating eyes.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make a guy jump like that you know?¡± He said in a gruff voice, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. ¡°I nearly broke your face.¡± He laughed loudly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe next time try looking at the person trying to get your attention instead of trying to kill them." I replied, placing my dagger back into my inventory.

    ¡°Well in my defence, if you tried using your words instead of tapping me this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    ¡°I did, but your hammering was too damn loud for you to hear me.¡± I replied irritably.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He said, rubbing his hairless chin. ¡°Then in that case, allow me to offer my apologies. So, anyway, what can I do you for?¡±

    I took a deep breath. The man was irritatingly carefree. He could have taken my head off and yet there he was laughing about it as if it was a happy accident.

    ¡°I¡¯m in the market for some armour and my familiar recommended your shop.¡±

    Panda stepped out from behind me and blew out a puff of smoke from his bamboo pipe.

    ¡°Long time no see Andy.¡± He said, giving a slight wave with his free paw.

    ¡°Panda? I guess some unfortunate soul summoned you again, and so soon.¡± Andy replied, grinning at the daemon. ¡°After what happened with-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡± Panda cut in swiftly. ¡°This is Kaleb, he needs armour. Think you can help him out.¡±

    Andy looked a little hesitant at Panda¡¯s sudden interruption. He looked at him with an odd gleam in his eyes, I think it was pity.

    ¡°Yeah sure thing.¡± He said, placing the hammer down on the anvil. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the front and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    He walked past us and I turned to follow him. I gazed at Panda who seemed normal, but something bugged me. I hoped he was alright. He¡¯d never really talked about his last master but it was obviously a painful memory for him.

    Back in the front of the shop Andy jumped up onto the countertop and sat cross legged. He turned to face me as I moved back to the customer side of the counter.

    ¡°So, what are you in the market for Kaleb?¡± He asked with a smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. I¡¯m new in town and I don¡¯t really know how expensive armour is here, or what¡¯s on offer. I do like the look of that though.¡± I said, pointing at the black armour that had caught my eye earlier.

    ¡°Good eye. That¡¯s one of my finest works. The whole set will set you back 50,000 gold pieces. ¡°

    ¡°50,000?¡± I spluttered.

    I knew armour was supposed to be expensive in Celestia but that seemed like an awful lot.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got just shy of 5000.¡± I countered. ¡°What can I get with that?¡± I asked nervously.

    Andy looked at me thoughtfully and rubbed his non-existent beard again.

    ¡°That set comes with a bracer. I could give you that for 5000, but then I¡¯d be breaking up the set and no one wants to buy an uncompleted set of armour.¡± He mused thoughtfully; it sounded more like he was thinking out loud than actually conversing with me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some boots that¡¯d cost something similar but they¡¯re designed for heavy fighters and you look more like an officer worker than a knight.

    I opened my mouth to say something back but thought better of it. I was still wearing a shirt and suit pants after all, so he had a point.

    ¡°I might still have a basic leather breast plate in the back.¡± He continued. ¡°Though honestly, I¡¯d suggest you save your money and come back when you can afford the 50,000 gold.

    ¡°And believe me, I¡¯m only saying that because you¡¯re Panda¡¯s new human. Normally I¡¯d take the money and run.¡± He chuckled, tapping his fingers on the table in an oddly syncopated rhythm.

    I was disappointed. I thought the 4700 gold I had would at least get me something. I really wanted that black armour though. Something in the back of my mind told me it would be worth the wait. Then I had an idea.

    ¡°Can I put a deposit down so you won¡¯t sell it to someone else whilst I make more money?¡± I asked hopefully.

    There was no point in waiting to buy the armour if it was gone the next time I came in.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Besides, looking around the shop it was the only thing that would actually suit me. Most of the armour Andy was selling was full plate and looked like it was made for a tank style class. Accept, of course, for the Robin Hood cosplay, but even I had enough fashion sense to know wearing that would be committing social suicide.

    ¡°I think I can make that work. For 2000 gold I promise not to sell that set for a month. You¡¯ll have to pay more to keep it off the shelf for longer though, I¡¯ve still got to make a living.¡± He winked and simultaneously clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Ok, and what happens if I¡¯m away on a quest when the month is up and you sell it, do I get my money back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you half back if you fail to meet the deadline. However, the money you give me now as a down payment will go towards the overall cost of the set. So you need to come back here with 48,000 in a month if you want it.

    ¡°Or you need to come back with at least another 2000 to buy yourself more time.¡±

    It seemed reasonable enough. I had no idea if I could make that much in only a month though.

    I looked towards Panda for advice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m a sage not a financial adviser.¡± He said, taking another drag and blowing it towards me.

    ¡°Ok fine, it¡¯s a deal.¡± I said, offering Andy my hand.

    He shook it vigorously and grinned at me as I handed him the money.

    ¡°Nice doing business with you Kaleb. I guess I¡¯ll see you in a month.¡±

    With that he hopped off the counter and disappeared into the back of the shop.

    ¡°Was that really a good idea kid?¡± Panda asked as we left the shop. ¡°Andy¡¯s good and all, but you don¡¯t even know what that armour does. It could be a pile of hot garbage.¡±

    ¡°My instincts say it¡¯ll be worth it. Besides, what¡¯s the point of killing monsters if you don¡¯t look good whilst you¡¯re doing it?¡± I flashed him a toothy grin and he face palmed¡­ or face pawed.

    Now I just needed a good quest to earn some more money. Ideally a farming style quest where I could kill a lot of monsters.

    With my wealth blessing that should be the fastest way to get a lot of coin, as fast as possible.

    I started walking towards the adventurer guild to find out.

    ¡°Hey kid!¡± Panda shouted from behind.

    I was so used to him following me all the time that I was surprised to turn around and see him still standing in front of the shop. ¡°Book store¡¯s that way.¡± He said, pointing over his shoulder.

    I honestly had no interest in going to the bookstore right now, but I had promised to get him something.

    ¡°Here.¡± I said, tossing him a coin purse with 700 gold in it. ¡°Go get whatever you want and meet me back at the inn. I need to go to the Adventure Society before it closes.¡±

    Panda jumped up and caught the bag. He opened it and grinned.

    ¡°No problem kid, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± He said, practically sprinting away before I could change my mind.

    I got the sinking feeling that I¡¯d given him way more gold than he needed.

    Good going Kaleb. You just keep throwing gold away when you need to save 48,000 in a month. This attitude is why you were always in credit card debt back home.

    With a light shake of my head I went to the Adventure Society. The sun was starting to set when I arrived, I wouldn¡¯t have long to choose my quest before they kicked me out.

    On the upside though, the notice board was deserted. It seemed most temporary adventurers didn¡¯t come by this late in the day.

    I walked towards the board and scanned it quickly. As expected, they were mostly simple fetch quests.

    Temp Quest: Find my cat.

    Temp Quest: Collect 30 mushrooms fromm the wetlands.

    Temp Quest: Bring me 40 Loconut¡¯s hairs.

    They were the standard beginner quests from an RPG game. They paid next to nothing and way too boring for a protagonist like me to deal with.

    I couldn¡¯t have hit the nope button faster.

    Then I saw a slightly different quest. Its parchment looked old and worn, like it had been pinned to the notice board for a long-ass time.

    As I read it I began to understand why no one had taken it. I grimaced just looking at it, but it would definitely help me to pay for my armour and I might even get a few levels in the process.

    It was perfect.

    I pulled it off the board and took it over to Lucy who took one look at it and also grimaced.

    ¡°Mr Akabane, this quest has been here for over a year. No one has ever shown interest in taking it before. Are you sure you want it?¡± She asked tentatively.

    ¡°Yes please Lucy.¡± I replied happily. ¡°It¡¯s perfect for what I need. Besides, the poor sod who posted it can¡¯t be very happy that no one has sorted it out.¡±

    ¡°It was posted by the local government and you¡¯re right; they aren¡¯t very happy. The director was actually considering using it as a punishment quest.¡± She looked worriedly at me.

    ¡°Oh really? If it¡¯s so bad you could pay me more to complete it.¡± I replied cheekily.

    The quest did only pay 500 gold. That was quite a lot in this world but it was barely worth more than the fetch quests and would be much more work. No wonder no one wanted it.

    ¡°The quest giver sets the payment on temp contracts. Believe it or not that¡¯s actually quite a big reward from the government. They¡¯re quite stingy.¡±

    I guess some things are universal no matter what world you¡¯re in. I thought.

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure then I¡¯ll assign it to you.¡± She eventually said with a sigh. ¡°Just make sure you clean yourself up before handing it in.¡±

    She added my name to a register behind the reception desk and I walked out of the society building happily.

    A new notification appeared on my HUD, making it official.

    New Quest!

    Up Shit¡¯s Creek

    There have been reports of a slime infestation in the sewers under Havar. Investigate the matter and exterminate them.

    Objectives:

    Exterminate all the sewer slimes 0/1

    Find the source of the slimes and deal with it 0/1

    Reward: 500 gold.

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    It was the perfect quest to raise money. Slimes were low level monsters in most video games, so it should be the same in Celestia.

    More importantly, there were usually loads of them. So my looting power, combined with a large number of low-level monsters should equal a lot of gold coins in a short amount of time.

    I was a genius. That armour would be mine in no time!

    With a spring in my step I headed back to the inn for a good night¡¯s rest. In the morning I¡¯d start my quest of hunting slimes and making bank.

    I had never been so glad I¡¯d accepted a blessing from that annoying, self-proclaimed god. It almost made it worth nearly being skinned alive by a crazy cult.

    Almost¡­ but not quite.

    I returned to the inn just as the sun fell beneath the sky. As I walked through the door I heard a familiar voice and the sound of cheers and laughter.

    What had Panda gotten himself into?

 Chapter 45 â€“ That Bitch Athena

    ¡°Next round is on me!¡± Panda squealed with joy as he lifted a wooden tankard in the air.

    The crowd cheered and chairs scraped across the floor as they rushed to the bar to place their orders. Panda flipped the lycanid landlady a gold coin and whooped as he downed his drink and gestured for her to refill his tankard.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± I shouted as I entered the inn, causing the entire place to go silent.

    ¡°Kaleb! There¡¯s my guy. Come drink with us!¡± He slurred, pointing his tankard at me, and sloshing a thick amber liquid all over the floor.

    ¡°What happened to buying books?¡± I asked sternly as I crossed the room and the patrons moved aside for me.

    ¡°I got a whole bunch!¡± He slurred happily. ¡°They¡¯re in our room. Oh, speaking of the room I paid for the rest of the month with the change I got and now I¡¯m celebrating.¡±

    ¡°Celebrating with my money.¡± I said darkly.

    I wasn¡¯t a cheapskate or anything, but I was saving up to buy armour. I was about to go wade through a dirty sewer, killing slimes to meet that goal, and my familiar of all creatures was throwing my money about like he was Kanye West on an egotistical presidential election campaign.

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± He said and swayed on the counter slightly. He¡¯d obviously drank quite a bit already.

    I¡¯d only been gone a short while. Where had he found the time to buy books, pay rent and get sloshed.

    ¡°How much have you had?¡± I asked exasperatedly.

    ¡°He¡¯s only had a single drink.¡± The lycanid landlady replied. ¡°The one in his hand is his second.¡±

    ¡°Only one?¡± I replied, flabbergasted. ¡°Jesus, I really didn¡¯t take you for that much of a lightweight. Give me the coins you have left.¡±

    Panda reached beneath his fur and handed me a coin pouch, it felt significantly lighter than the one I¡¯d given him before.

    He must have pulled that from his inventory. There¡¯s no way he kept that pouch inside his fur. I thought.

    I placed it into my inventory and saw that there were 53 gold coins left. He¡¯d spent a lot, though from the sounds of it he mostly bought books and paid rent so I couldn¡¯t be too mad.

    ¡°How much to buy a round for the bar and keep him in drinks for the evening?¡± I asked the land lady.

    ¡°A few gold should do the trick.¡± She smiled lecherously. It sent a shiver down my spine.

    I placed three gold coins on the bar and kept the rest. It could go towards my armour fund.

    ¡°Have fun, but don¡¯t wake me up when you come to bed. I¡¯ve got a busy day tomorrow.¡± I said, petting Panda on the head.

    ¡°You¡¯re the bestest kid.¡± He slurred. ¡°You hear that guys? Kaleb¡¯s buying us all a round!¡±

    The people in the bar cheered and lively chatter and drink orders ensued.

    I guessed he did deserve to blow off some steam, especially after the goblin king coronation. I, however, had a new quest to start in the morning so I¡¯d be retiring early.

    ***

    Chrysus sat lazily on the golden throne in his domain. He leant his head onto his hand, his chiselled jaw line felt like an artistic masterpiece.

    It was a perk of reaching godhood. The ability to choose and shape one¡¯s own appearance was a privilege of the truly powerful.

    He wasn¡¯t one of the major gods. Those guys had churches in most major cities. He, however, had a vast network of worshippers, they just mostly did their worshipping in private.

    Naturally, as the god of wealth, many of his merchant followers wore pendants made from gold coins. This was the universal symbol of his flock.

    Of course, he also had his cult. They, however, were mostly hidden throughout Celestia. Their work was a bit taboo for the more narrow-minded mortals of the world.

    It didn¡¯t help that bitch Athena had condemned his actions publicly. He¡¯d get even with her one day though, once he got his hands on the treasure at the end of the Celestial Map.

    The scar across his chest ached as he thought about Athena. It was a difficult task to permanently scar the body of a god. It was a slight he would not soon forget.

    ¡°My Lord, I have returned.¡± A hooded man said, entering the huge chamber and dropping to one knee with his head bowed.

    He wore a blood red cloak which completely covered both his body and face.

    ¡°Ah, Antonius. Have you delivered the invitations?¡± Chrysus asked, not bothering to raise his head from his hand.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±

    ¡°And how did my newest blessing recipient do?¡±

    ¡°He fought well for someone of such low level. Though I could have killed him easily if you¡¯d ordered me to My Lord.¡±

    Chrysus tipped his head back, finally removing it from his hand and laughed in a way that was more like a deep roar.

    Antonius shivered as a wave of pure magic power washed over the room. It was malevolent even though his laugh was joyful. Thus was the nature of his god and master.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching him a bit lately. Did you know he managed to survive against an entire goblin hoard at only phase one?¡±

    ¡°That is quite impressive My Lord. I would expect nothing less of a person you deemed worthy of your blessing.¡± Antonius replied, still keeping his head bowed. He didn¡¯t dare to look the god in the eyes. His entire body quivered merely from being so close to such overwhelming power.

    Not to mention the god¡¯s appearance. His muscularity was fierce and the slight scaling on his face made for a frightening visage.

    ¡°Quite so, it¡¯s the old merchant¡¯s intuition in me. I know a good product when I see one. He¡¯s going to be very useful to me in the later stages of the fight for the map.

    ¡°Providing he lives that long. Tell me Antonius, how did he react when you gave him his invitation?¡±

    Antonius squirmed uneasily. He had feared being asked this question. His Lord was not known for his well-balanced emotional temperament.

    ¡°I think his exact words were¡­ fuck no, My Lord.¡± He said awkwardly, squeezing his eyes shut and expecting the worst.

    ¡°I expected as much.¡± Chrysus sighed, returning his head to his hand. ¡°No matter, I will have to think of another way to entice him. Tell me, is Diako¡¯s puppet still running the Adventure Society in Havar?¡±

    ¡°Yes My Lord.¡± Antonius replied, feeling slightly more at ease now the bad news had been delivered.

    ¡°Perfect.¡± Chrysus replied with a twisted smile plastered on his lips.

    ***

    I awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and raring to go. My new quest awaited me and I was eager to get a good start.

    Panda was passed out on his back nearby. He was fully starfished with his limbs outstretched. I¡¯d already decided to do this quest without him.

    It was going to be a simple grind and he wouldn¡¯t be that helpful. Besides, if he knew it was in a sewer he¡¯d moan the entire time.

    I left him a note on the bed saying I was going out for a while and that he should stay in the room and read his books. I didn¡¯t know how long the quest was going to take, but I didn¡¯t want him getting into trouble without me around to help.

    Despite being a daemon familiar and self-entitled sage, he acted so often like a child. That made him a bit unpredictable.

    I also left him two gold coins for food and warned him that if he spent it all before I got back he¡¯d have to go hungry. Basic necessities like food and drink were extremely cheap in this world.

    I didn¡¯t really understand how, but it was quite idyllic. If only it was that easy to solve world hunger back on earth. Though a large part of me, having seen how this world operated, was starting to believe the hunger crisis was more about greed than a lack of produce.

    I could have been wrong though. It¡¯s not like I was that up on current affairs and the big issues. I was a truck driver not an economist.

    Leaving the room, I headed downstairs and quickly ate my pre-paid breakfast of stew and hard bread before leaving the inn.

    I made a quick stop at Adventurer¡¯s Stockpile and Supplies and bought a few healing potions, some more stamina potions and two weeks¡¯ worth of rations.

    There was no way I was going to be gone that long but it was always good to be prepared, as Sally would say.

    Though I was loath to depart with the money. As the old saying went, you have to spend money to make money and potions were lifesaving supplements.

    The previous day, Lucy had told me that I¡¯d need to report to the sanitation building to enter the sewers and start the quest.

    It was only a few streets away from the Adventure Society building so I found it with ease.

    It was a small, unassumingly square building with a tall, wire fence around it. The only thing about it that stood out was that it seemed to be made from concrete, at least it looked like it was.

    The walls were solid and grey without a hint of bricks and mortar in them. It certainly looked dreary enough to be a government building.

    In contrast, all the other buildings in Havar were glass skyscrapers or medieval taverns and stores ¨C at least the ones I¡¯d seen were.

    I walked up to the front door, which was made of solid wood, and knocked loudly. After a few moments of pacing in front of the door in my impatience, it opened.

    A small, old man stood in front of me wearing a mucky grey overall.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± He asked in that typical old man voice. It sounded feeble, but from his muscled frame I doubted it was a true reflection of his physical ability.

    ¡°Sorry to bother you. I¡¯m here from the Adventure Society. I¡¯ve accepted the quest you posted.¡± I replied as politely as I could. Gotta respect your elders and all that crap.

    ¡°Ah, yes! Come on in young man.¡± His tone lightened up at my introduction and he held the door for me as I entered the concrete-looking building.

    Inside it looked like a storage closet. There were mops and buckets and tools lying around. Large pipes were bolted onto the ceiling and a constant churning noise echoed around the place.

    ¡°Please excuse the mess. My work here keeps me so busy I don¡¯t always have the time to tidy up.¡± The old man said as he led me through the room.

    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it. You should have seen my house back home. It was always a right shit tip.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh, where are you from?¡± He asked inquisitively.

    Shit, I¡¯m not supposed to act like an outworlder. Maybe I should temper my accent a bit too.

    ¡°I¡¯m from a small island in the north, you won¡¯t have heard of it. It doesn¡¯t even have an Adventure Society. I came here to join up.¡± I said, thinking quickly.

    ¡°Well you¡¯ve come to the right place. There¡¯s plenty of Adventure Society work to be done in and around Havar.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve noticed.¡±

    He led me through the dreary building to a small room with a circular hatch built into the floor. He bent down and lifted it and I immediately got hit with the stench of a city¡¯s worth of excrement and waste. It was revolting.

    ¡°Here, put this on.¡±

    He said, passing me a paper mask that gave me flashbacks to the covid 19 pandemic. I wasn¡¯t certain it was going to do much until a notification appeared on my HUD.

    New item:

    Mask of Purification (inferior)

    A simple mask that purifies the air around the wearer¡¯s mouth and nose, eliminating 99.9% of bacteria and odours.

    The unfortunate side effect is how wet the inside of the mask gets when you breath. It can be pretty gross after a while. Make sure you brush your teeth before wearing it or you¡¯ll smell your own bad breath all day.

    I slipped the mask on over my face and felt relief immediately as the smell disappeared. It wasn¡¯t completely gone, but in place of the overwhelming smell of excrement was the smell of a mild, lingering fart instead.

    That was much more manageable.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I muttered, my voice sounding muffled due to speaking through the mask.

    ¡°No problem young man, just be careful down there.¡± He said, gesturing towards the open hatch.

    I looked at him and he smiled back. He wasn¡¯t wearing a mask but he was probably used to the stench since he worked there.

    Taking a deep breath, and instantly regretting it, I turned around and descended the ladder into the sewer.

 Chapter 46 â€“ Slave To The Grind

    The ladder bottomed out into a wide sewer tunnel. It had a walkway on either side and was surprisingly spacious.

    I looked up as the hatch closed with a grating clank from above me.

    I hope it opens from this side too. I thought, sighing into the stifling face mask.

    The sewer was lit by glowing red spheres of light which seemed to float near the tunnel¡¯s ceiling. They must have been made with magic.

    To my knowledge, Celestia hadn¡¯t discovered electricity yet. I guessed there wasn¡¯t much need for earth-style modern technology when you could fix most problems with magic.

    Looking around I could see that the tunnel led in both directions. I opened the map that Director Lucas had given me on my HUD.

    It was mostly greyed out, but I had an option to click on local map and I saw myself as a small dot inside the tunnel.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how the sewer system was laid out, but hopefully I could use the map to find my way back if it turned out to be a maze.

    I probably should have asked for a sewer map before I climbed down the ladder.

    Oh well, too late now.

    For no reason at all, I decided to go left and set off in that direction.

    I stuck to the path at the side of the sewer tunnel, the mid-section was covered in foul looking, brown water. I hoped I wouldn¡¯t have to go into it, it was so gross.

    After less than a few minutes of walking I came across a little blue blob sitting on the path in front of me.

    This must be a slime. I thought, focusing on it.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Slime

    As a hallmark of low-level monsters, the Slime is a pretty common and weak foe. Usually where there¡¯s one there¡¯s an entire colony.

    Unless you come across Rimuru, they¡¯re unlikely to cause much trouble to an intrepid adventurer such as yourself.

    Did the system just make an anime reference? I wondered as I finished reading the notification. I guess I should see how easy these things are to kill.

    Summoning my bow, I nocked an arrow and fired it at the blue, gelatinous blob. It exploded as the arrow passed through it and chipped the concrete flooring.

    You have defeated: Slime (lvl 11)

    ¡°Level 11, seriously?¡± I muttered to myself.

    If they were all going to be this weak then this quest was going to be pretty boring. So much for all the experience I was hoping to get.

    With a sigh, I mentally asserted that I wanted to loot the slime and received ten gold coins and a vial of concentrated slime.

    That confirmed my theory that all monster¡¯s paid the same amount. Though maybe some higher levelled ones would give a bit more bang for their buck. I had no idea what concentrated slime could be used for, but it was interesting that it came in a vial.

    I put that odd fact down to system fuckery and continued onwards. Maybe I¡¯d be able to sell it somewhere when I got back above ground.

    As I continued my trip down the rancid sewer tunnel I came across a few more lone slimes, killed them and looted them. Every time, they evaporated into dim blue light particles.

    The quest had said there was an infestation, but honestly there didn¡¯t seem to be that many of them so far. I wondered what the source it mentioned was.

    Where did slimes even come from? The system notification didn¡¯t say and I couldn¡¯t think of any game I¡¯d played that offered an explanation.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Their weakness was a little frustrating. I¡¯d have to kill them by the thousands to have any chance of gaining a level, but at least they were good for farming coins.

    I just hoped there were enough of them down here to pay for my armour. I¡¯d need to kill more than 4000 of them to make the amount I needed.

    As I rounded a corner, my wish came true.

    The sewer tunnel widened and to my left I saw another ladder leading to the surface. Surrounding the ladder, the floor, and stuck to the ceiling was a gaggle of the little blue bastards.

    There were so many of them I couldn¡¯t tell where one started and another ended. It was like looking at the inside of a beehive.

    I guess payday has come early. I thought with a little smirk as I began shooting them.

    My first arrow hit one of the ceiling slimes which exploded like a water balloon, covering me in sticky, blue goop.

    I wiped it from my eyes, grimacing with disgust and took a few steps back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not making that mistake again.¡± I muttered as I began picking them off, away from the splash zone.

    After about 30 minutes of extermination, my stamina was beginning to drop into the red. The slimes showed no sign of attacking me or moving at all really.

    So I decided to meditate rather than waste a potion. I sat down on the damp ground in a cross-legged position and placed my hands on my knees, forming a circle with my thumb and ring finger.

    Closing my eyes, I breathed in deeply and imagined the air turning into energy as it entered my body. I immediately saw the thick, red rope which I had visualised as my health the first time I¡¯d meditated. It looked stronger than before, thicker, as it stretched out around my body and into my limbs.

    I needed to get my stamina back so I¡¯d have to decide how to visualise that. At first I thought of it as a green light, but my Soul Shot skill caused a green glow when it empowered my arrows.

    In my case, I was pretty sure that green represented my soul energy. Likely because of my class being so heavily linked with acidic powers.

    In that case I¡¯d need to choose a different colour. I¡¯d seen stamina represented as a yellow bar in some of the games I¡¯d played, so that was the logical choice for me.

    As I recalled the colour I began to see a thin yellow coil that swirled around my arms and legs, ending in my stomach.

    It was all connected, as if the stamina itself originated in my core and reached out to all of my limbs and extremities from there. It was a faded yellow and part of the coil was bent out of shape.

    I focused on sending the energy I¡¯d breathed in towards it as I sank deeper into my own mind and subtly manipulated the blank energy, turning it yellow and sending it into my core.

    Whilst it was there I visualised it wrapping around my core and strengthening the coiled stamina. It slowly began to glow with a more vibrant, almost golden sheen.

    My core pulsed with a magnificent glow as it sent the vibrant colour of energy outwards.

    It travelled along the coil towards my limbs, looking like a curly straw, as energy ran through the centre and slowly brightened up my entire body.

    It took a lot of concentration to manipulate the energy this way. It was quite mentally draining, and I had no sense of the outside world. I wondered if I could feel pain in this deep of a meditative state.

    Surely, my body would alert me if I was under attack. As I meditated I felt more at one with my inner self than I ever had before. It was like the ultimate self-reflection.

    Deep in my core, buried beneath the stamina coil, I could still see the faint blue ball I¡¯d seen the last time.

    It had changed slightly from before.

    The previous time I¡¯d meditated it was like an ethereal blue ball of mist that I couldn¡¯t touch no matter how hard I tried.

    This time, however, it seemed to be more of a bluish green and it was ever so slightly more tangible. The transparent quality had filled in slightly from before.

    I wondered if that was because of the Soul Shot skill I¡¯d unlocked. The skill used my soul energy to coat my arrows and fire them with much more power. Perhaps that was why my soul had a greenish tint to it. It stood to reason that the more I developed and the more I unlocked skills relating to the soul, the more it would change.

    Hopefully that wasn¡¯t a bad thing.

    The more I tried to reach out to it, the further away It seemed to be, like one of those dreams where you walk down a hallway with a door at the end of it but every time you get close it zooms off into the distance.

    It was frustrating but I was sure that with practice I¡¯d reach it eventually. The mystery of it all called out to me.

    I longed to touch it, to mould it, to unleash its potential.

    After what felt like only a short amount of time, my stamina coil was beaming like a sun and I awoke from my meditation.

    A small, blue slime sat on my lap. Peacefully jiggling in front of me. It was actually kind of cute. I almost felt bad as I stabbed it with my dagger and it deflated like a popped football and died¡­ almost.

    I stood back up, resummoned my bow and started shooting the next wave of arrows. I had the feeling I would have to meditate and recover stamina a fair few times before I could kill them all.

    Well, you asked for a metric shit tonne of slimes to farm and now you¡¯ve got it. I thought with a slight smile as the ceiling slimes exploded one by one.

    This was what I called grinding. It was almost like early on in an MMO. Except I¡¯d killed a few hundred of them by now and still hadn¡¯t gained a single level.

    Actually, I take that back, this was exactly what grinding in an MMO felt like.

    After a short while I dropped back into my seated position and meditated some more. It was oddly satisfying directing energy into my stamina coil.

    It was similar to that feeling you get when you wipe down a surface with a wet wipe and it sparkles afterwards. It was a bit of a chore, but there was a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained in the monotony.

    After my core was full once more, I stood up and fired off more arrows.

    Slowly but surely, as I mixed between meditation and firing arrows, the slimes on the ceiling were exterminated and I was given the option to mass-loot them, which I did.

    Loot: Slime (lvl *various*) x896

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes and gained 8960 gold coins and the same amount of concentrated slime vials. This quest was going to be pretty lucrative.

    I¡¯d barely even started too. If there were gaggles of these things all over the sewer then I¡¯d be rich as fuck by the end of it.

    I¡¯d stumbled onto a veritable gold mine!

    Before I could move on I¡¯d have to take out the slimes on the ladder and in the area surrounding it. This was going to be a tedious quest, but it was the easiest money I¡¯d ever made.

    I dropped back down into a meditative pose, grinning from ear to ear.

    What can I say? I guess I¡¯m just a slave to the grind.

 Chapter 47 â€“ Intermission: The Desert Samurai

    The Samurai marched across the barren wasteland known as the Kalhatchi Desert.

    Despite the excruciating heat, The Samurai showed no sign of a lack of comfort. Dressed head to toe in red and black samurai armour, she certainly looked the part ¨C if a little out of place.

    She wore a black Oni mask with white tusks under a tiered helmet of red metal. Her body was strapped up with red and black armour, metal shoulder plates gave her the image of one much broader than she.

    She wore a single katana-like blade at her hip. There was no need for this of course, she could just as easily hold it in her inventory ¨C but where¡¯s the fun in that?

    It had been almost a month since she¡¯d first arrived in Celestia, confused and afraid. Now it felt more like home to her than her real home ever had.

    She¡¯d been introduced to various sword-style martial arts from a young age and had taken to them immediately. Praised as a prodigy, The Samurai had won numerous tournaments and cemented her name firmly in the local history books as the youngest kenjutsu master in a generation.

    The thing is, back on earth that¡¯s all she would ever be. A marital artist. Not that there was any shame in that, but training in the sword purely for the sport seemed like such a waste to her.

    She often felt like she¡¯d been born a few centuries too late. If only modern warfare was fought with the honour of old. She was certain she would thrive on a battlefield. A place where she could truly take her passion for the sword to the next level.

    Could you even call yourself a practitioner of the sword if you¡¯d never used one with the intent to kill?

    Of course, she could never voice that opinion back on earth. It was barbaric and spat in the face of her discipline. However, she couldn¡¯t help how she felt.

    Being spirited away to Celestia had finally given her the chance to truly prove herself. To hone her technique on a quest for power the likes of which her home world would likely never know.

    She had been afraid at first. The system had announced that she was been hunted, her body marred with a tattoo of a map fragment.

    One minute she was riding the train, the next she was here, in a desert.

    She¡¯d been attacked by low level monsters almost immediately and after the first few kills, she found herself smiling at her good fortune.

    Upon finding a strange box, the system had offered her a choice of three weapons. Naturally she had chosen the sword.

    Her first sword was a straight edged western style blade. It was quite different from the type she was used to, a far cry from the wooden bokken she had used for over a decade in her tournaments and training.

    Still, it was that basic sword that led her to realising the potential she had to rise in power and become a true force to be reckoned with.

    She wandered the Kalhatchi Desert, searching out stronger and stronger opponents and by the time she finally found a piece of civilisation, she had already reached phase two.

    At least that¡¯s what the locals had called it. According to them, anything below level 30 was known as phase one and was most commonly associated with the children of this world.

    In a city named Kal, she found her way to the Adventure Society, a tall glass building resembling the Burj Kalifa from her world.

    Kal was a metropolis in the middle of a wasteland. Surrounded by water, the only water for miles around, it was like a futuristic facsimile of Venice with waterways in place of streets and tall glass buildings rubbing shoulders with their medieval clay counterparts.

    She had decided to hide her new race of outworlder, instead telling the Adventure Society receptionist that she hailed from the far east.

    It wasn¡¯t a complete lie, more an omission of truth. Fortunately, they had accepted her at her word and offered to give her a class in exchange for her joining their society and accepting quests.

    It sounded like a win-win situation to The Samurai whose only goal was to find stronger enemies and improve her level.

    The warrior¡¯s journey was a battle after all.

    She had been given a myriad of classes to pick from after being forced to sit through a few videos of corporate propaganda.

    However, she didn¡¯t need to read further than the first class offered to her: Samurai.

    Samurai (unique)

    The Samurai is a famous warrior from earth known for their fierce attacks, impeccable swordsmanship, and code of honour.

    Sadly though, honour doesn¡¯t pay the bills in this world. Perhaps you should start an Oni-fans. Get it?

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    You have demonstrated your skill with the sword already, seeking out tough foes and besting them with ease.

    Speaking of, have you heard about the Samurai who committed seppuku? He had no guts.

    Selecting the Samurai class unlocks the following skills:

    Summon Armour.

    Summon Familiar.

    Way of the Sword

    Selecting the Samurai class will award the following stat points per level:

    +6 strength / +5 agility / +2 stamina / +1 vitality / +5 intelligence

    The Samurai didn¡¯t even finish reading about the class before she gleefully accepted it. When you know you know.

    It turned out to be the perfect fit for her. Though the vitality she gained per level was negligible. However, if she didn¡¯t get hit, it wouldn¡¯t matter. She also had +5 free points per level which evened the playing field a little.

    The skills it offered her were exactly what she¡¯d wanted. Summon Armour was self-explanatory, though it had a hefty upfront mana cost. She soon realised that if she simply never took it off, it stayed with her.

    It cost no mana to keep it on, but she imagined it would take mana to repair it if she took damage.

    Way of the Sword gave her a significant boost to all sword skills and increased her chances of being offered more as she levelled up.

    She didn¡¯t try her Summon Familiar skill until after she¡¯d left the Adventure Society. Like with her armour skill, the upfront mana cost was pricey, but the familiar stayed with her after that.

    She¡¯d named him Pocco and he was a large white wolf with red eyes. He was such a cutie! Though his fur had a tendency to get stained when he ripped monsters apart.

    She took to questing like a pig takes to muck. Accepting all three of her mandatory quests the very next day.

    They had mostly been minor clearance quests where she was sent to locate a den of low-level monsters and defeat them.

    She¡¯d only gained a few measly levels from them despite slaughtering monsters in the thousands with the help of Pocco.

    However, as she approached the third and final quest location, her gut told her that this one would be different.

    New Quest:

    Red Robe, Brown Pants

    The Adventure Society has received reports of cultist sightings in the nearby southern oasis.

    Traverse the Kalhatchi Desert and investigate.

    P.S. Investigate is code for mass murder.

    Objectives:

    Locate the cultist lair 0/1

    Eliminate all cultists 0/1

    Defeat the cultist leader 0/1

    Reward: Honour is the only reward a Samurai needs

    ¡­

    Only joking, it¡¯s really a weapon rarity upgrade token.

    As she read through the quest one more time, she couldn¡¯t help but tingle with anticipation.

    The cultist leader was sure to be strong and she greedily coveted the generous reward.

    She had finally gained her current sword in a loot box she¡¯d gotten for scaling her sword skill five levels in a single day. It had come in the guise of an achievement called overachiever which came with an unnecessarily rude, and slightly racist, notification that likened her to a Korean mathlete.

    She could hardly complain though after receiving a weapon similar to the one she had trained with back home.

    It had been three and a half weeks since she¡¯d left Kal to carry out her three quests. She was looking forward to bathing when she finally returned.

    The desert heat was no joke, but a true samurai never complained. Especially with Pocco around, trapped in his fur coat. The poor wolf panted non-stop and she¡¯d even had to carry him at one point after he passed out from heat stroke.

    As they crested a sand dune she finally caught sight of her target.

    The southern oasis looked like a mirage, shrouded in a heat haze. For a moment she doubted it was really there.

    The Aztec style temple sitting in the middle of the luscious palm trees confirmed the reality of it though.

    She could tell from a single look that it was the cultist¡¯s lair. This would be her first time killing non-monsters, a true test of her warrior¡¯s resolve.

    Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists she marched onwards towards the lair that would soon become a battlefield.

    The journey took longer than she¡¯d expected. It turned out that when you see something that looks close by in a desert, it¡¯s probably not.

    It was almost dark by the time she arrived and the scorching heat had given way to subzero temperatures. Pocco perked up with the change in climate, he lived for the cold and raced on ahead as they spotted a frosted pool of water.

    The Samurai ran behind him, she was just as parched as he was. Removing her mask, she dropped to all fours next to the wolf.

    As Pocco lapped happily at the water, she fully submerged her head and sucked in as much as she could manage.

    It was refreshing, but icy cold. It stung her throat and eyes and her face went numb in seconds. But it was the best tasting water she¡¯d ever had.

    I should really buy provisions next time. She thought to herself.

    She¡¯d spent an unnecessary amount of time cooking and eating the monster¡¯s she¡¯d killed. In future, if she had rations, she could eat on the go.

    Finding water was especially hard and if it wasn¡¯t for her stats giving her an inhuman resistance to starvation and dehydration she would have died over a week ago.

    She pulled her head out of the water and felt her face freeze up as the freezing air brushed against it. Replacing her mask should do the trick, it had built in magic climate control. Possibly the single best perk to have in a desert.

    Though it could only do so much against the extreme elements found in the Kalhatchi.

    Pocco¡¯s fur was also frozen. He didn¡¯t seem to mind, however. He was built for the cold after all.

    After a few moments basking in the watery goodness, the two of them rose once again and continued onto their target.

    A nighttime attack seemed more to be a ninja¡¯s speciality than a samurai¡¯s, but she was facing down nearly one hundred foes by herself.

    Giving herself the element of surprise was simply good tactics. Besides, it¡¯s not like anyone could blame her for choosing the smart attack.

    The Samurai of the past might have been brazen enough to wait until morning and simply waltz into the lion¡¯s den and announce themselves.

    But she was alone in this world. She wasn¡¯t a feudal lord beholden to some outdated sense of honour. Her honour code was entirely her own to shape.

    For all she knew she was the only samurai in all of Celestia, so defining the archetype was her prerogative.

    Besides, she fully intended to challenge the leader to single combat, once she¡¯d dealt with his men that is.

    Looking towards her faithful familiar and offering a simple nod. She marched in the direction of the temple with anticipation and adrenaline coursing through her veins.

 Chapter 48 â€“ The Desert Samuraiâ€™s First Blood

    The Samurai and the wolf crouched low. Hiding in the shadows on a narrow ledge overlooking the Aztec-looking temple that was most likely the cultist¡¯s hideaway.

    She scouted out the area, creating a rough layout in her mind. The temple was enclosed on all sides with only a single entrance that she could see.

    The main gate led into a courtyard which was currently deserted apart from a few guards who roamed the area. They would be easy pickings. The only challenge would be killing them all before they could alert the others.

    Despite it being late at night in the Kalhatchi, the unblemished sky cast a midnight glow, allowing the moon free reign to light up her foes and the surrounding area.

    She chose to see this as a good omen, even though it would make it harder for her to sneak in.

    The layout of the temple seemed rather simple from the outside. The courtyard led to a single building at the back which was tall and tiered.

    Perhaps she would face more challenging opponents as she climbed the floors. That would certainly be interesting.

    She nodded to Pocco and began climbing down from her vantage point. It was time.

    The bottom of the cliff she¡¯d used as a lookout tower was directly adjacent to the right-side wall of the courtyard. Hugging it, she crept slowly towards the gate.

    She held a masterful control over her body. Her steps were silent and even her breathing deliberate.

    As she rounded the corner she caught sight of the glow of a lit torch: the first guard who had been positioned at the gate.

    Though only one carried a torch, she knew there was a second standing a few meters to the side of him. Gesturing with her hands, she ordered Pocco to take out the second guard.

    The torch wielder belonged to her.

    She unsheathed her blade slowly, making sure not to scrape the metal edge on the sheath. She didn¡¯t need to do this. She could just as easily have summoned it to her hands, avoiding any chance of making sound.

    But the risk was what made it fun.

    Her heart pounded and adrenaline rushed through her as she steadied her two-handed weapon and crept further forward.

    She could practically smell the guard¡¯s sweat as she pounced like a jaguar and dissected the man from shoulder to hip.

    He didn¡¯t even have time to yelp as her decisive blow cut his body in two.

    She marvelled at her new power as his torso slid away from the rest of his body with a muffled thump and the sloshing of blood and guts.

    Back on earth, no amount of training and skill would allow someone to cut a person in two like that. Let alone with such ease.

    Slicing through the guard was as simple as slicing butter. The feeling was exhilarating.

    Less than a second after she¡¯d landed her hit a second muffled thud hit the ground as Pocco tore the jugular from the other guard.

    For a moment she wondered if the cultists chose to adorn red robes to hide the blood stains of their enemies. She dismissed this thought upon feeling how weak their auras were.

    She seemed to have a natural talent for gauging an opponent¡¯s strength. From what she had gathered it was due to her naturally high mana.

    Her bonus to the intelligence stat helped with that. She had discovered early on that the number of intelligence points one possessed directly correlated to the amount of mana they had.

    When she looked at a person she saw their mana. It glowed around their skin like a semi-transparent, living aura.

    These men were weak. The mana did not love them like it loved her.

    Their auras were barely visible, a completely intangible reddish hue that barely even constituted as a glow.

    She felt nothing but disgust for her dead foes.

    Their deaths had offered her nothing but the satisfaction of soaking her blade in human blood for the first time.

    Back on earth it was common in literature and media for people to feel something after killing a human for the first time. Some vomited, others cried or had night terrors.

    She, however, felt nothing.

    She wondered why people made such a fuss out of killing. It was easy, simple.

    Human history was built on the billions of lives lost on the battlefield. Did it make people feel better about themselves to pretend it affected them? If killing was such a heinous crime then why was her race so hell bent on war?

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    They must have been lying about the emotional impact. Perhaps it was a clever ruse to make the wolves seem less dangerous to the hens.

    All of these thoughts raced through her mind in a mere second or two as Pocco dragged his victim¡¯s body into the shrubbery.

    She left hers where it fell. She needn¡¯t stain her hands by touching it. If the cultists were all this weak, then she¡¯d vastly overestimated them.

    There was no need to hide anymore.

    Besides, there were only two more guards, sitting idly on the stone steps which led to the temple doors.

    Stepping out from behind the wall, she brazenly waltzed towards them. Pocco panted as he proudly trotted next to her. His muzzle was dyed crimson.

    Now this makes me feel like a real samurai. She thought gleefully as the two men did a collective double take.

    ¡°How did you get past the-¡±

    Her blade swept effortlessly through his neck before he could finish his question. His head flew through the air, mouth still agape, mid-sentence.

    Before the second man even had time to widen his eyes in surprise, his head also left its neck.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡± She muttered to herself as she ascended the steps to the temple doors.

    The doors themselves were rather large. At three times her height and twice her width. They seemed to be made of gold that glinted in the pale moonlight.

    There were intricate carvings on them depicting a kingly figure sitting on a large throne. A sparkling crown sat atop his head with golden light shining out of it.

    How tacky.

    Placing a hand on each door, she pushed hard and an ear-splitting creak sounded through the night as the doors swung inwards.

    She gripped her katana with both hands, adopting a readied stance so she would not be caught off guard by any attackers.

    However, as she entered the interior, there wasn¡¯t a soul to be found.

    The ground floor was a huge, open throne room. A large golden throne took up most of the back wall. It was grandiose, to say the least.

    Come closer warrior, I wish to speak with you.

    A strange voice spoke directly into her mind. She could feel its mana, just a sliver of it, running through her head. It felt powerful, more powerful than anything she¡¯d faced so far.

    She felt her lips curl upwards. This was the fight she¡¯d been waiting for. A worthy opponent, at last.

    ¡°Who are you? Come out and face me?¡± She announced loudly to the room, looking around for the source of the voice.

    That¡¯s no way to speak to a god. My minion¡¯s will hear you. He teased in her mind.

    ¡°Your minion¡¯s will all die by my blade and then so will you.¡±

    Ha! I love your confidence. Very well, let¡¯s see shall we.

    All around the room robed cultists appeared as if out of thin air. There must have been at least 80 of them, which, according to the quest, would be all of them.

    The Samurai wasted no time in taking action. She wasn¡¯t going to let them gain the advantage. She turned to her right and leapt towards the closest group: a cluster of around 12 cultists.

    They had an array of different weapons from axes to basic swords, to polearms and spears. It mattered not. The Samurai cleaved through them before they¡¯d even readied their weapons.

    She didn¡¯t even need to use a sword skill to do it. They were simply too weak to pose a threat to her.

    On the opposite side of the room Pocco had also begun his assault. He pounced at the chest of a burly, club wielding neanderthal and ripped happily at his face as the man screamed. Pocco¡¯s tail wagged wildly.

    The Samurai was almost distracted at how cute he was. He really was the best familiar she could have asked for. She adored animals.

    People¡­ not so much.

    She continued her advance cutting down attacker after attacker. Not a single one managed to land a hit on her. They were slow and weak. Hardly worth the effort of killing.

    She moved her head slightly to the side as an arrow whizzed past. She whistled and Pocco was upon the archer, tearing at his throat.

    The familiar was a natural born killer and loyal to a fault. They were a match made in deepest depths of hell, at least that¡¯s what she hoped her enemies thought.

    Not that many of them had time to think before she sliced into them.

    They fell one after the other as she danced upon their corpses, a laughing reaper of chaos. Perhaps that would be a better monicker for her than The Samurai.

    Reaper had a nice ring to it. Though she was rather fond of the name the locals at the Adventure Society had given her after she told them the class she was given.

    In no time at all the temple floor was slick with the blood of the cultists. Anyone would think a ritual sacrifice had taken place. The sheer amount of blood stored in the human body amazed her.

    How could so much liquid be held inside such a small skin bag. It was as if people were bigger on the inside. She had read once at school that the intestines alone could stretch 15 feet long.

    A fact that seemed to ring true as she disembowelled the screaming man in front of her. His intestines clung to the edge of her blade and as she pulled it back like a fishing rod the organ just kept coming ¨C like a clown pulling handkerchiefs from his sleeve.

    It was mildly amusing, but not as amusing as his pleading whimpers as he looked on in horror at the scene before him. It must have been horrifying to see one¡¯s own intestines pulled from inside them.

    That was what he got for daring to face her at such a pathetically low level.

    From the notifications that kept popping up on her interface, the cultist¡¯s she¡¯d killed were all barely at phase two.

    How weak did they have to be to barely scratch the second phase after decades of living in this world, when she was well on her way to phase three after barely a month?

    As she dealt with the penultimate cultist and sheathed her sword, the leader showed his face.

    His robe was topped with a crimson wrapping that covered all but his deep black eyes. It certainly looked more fitting for a desert scene.

    He laughed and stepped into the middle of the room, in front of the throne, spinning a khopesh in each hand.

    The khopesh was an ancient Arabic weapon she¡¯d learnt about during her martial arts training back home. It had a distinct and vicious look to it.

    The blade itself was shaped like a sickle with a flat edge rather than a point. It was a slashing weapon rather than a stabbing one and if her memory served it was popular amongst the soldiers of ancient Egypt.

    The leader tossed one khopesh into the air and caught the spinning blade as it fell back down. His posturing did not impress The Samurai.

    ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡± He said in a hoarse whisper of a voice.

    She simply nodded and activated one of her sword skills.

    Midnight Slash (common)

    Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder¡¯s blade with dark mana.

    Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.

    The Samurai drew her blade and disappeared from the cult leader¡¯s vision. He looked to both sides but saw no sign of her, then he heard the unmistakable sound of a blade being sheathed once more.

    Turning towards the noise would be the last act of his pitiful life as he fell to the ground, staring up at his severed legs which were standing up on their own.

    ¡°Your turn.¡± The Samurai said, looking up at the golden throne.

 Chapter 49 â€“ Kaleb one, USSR zero

    I finished off the last of yet another mass gathering of slimes. It felt like I¡¯d spent weeks wandering around the sewers exterminating the little buggers.

    Annoyingly, my HUD didn¡¯t display the time or day so I had no real way of measuring how long I¡¯d been down there. However, the wispy stubble on my face was begging to form an actual beard, so it had probably been a while.

    Time rolled into the same monotonous cycle of killing slimes, meditating, and then killing more slimes. It was a lesson in tedium, that was for sure.

    I did learn a few things about how my body worked in this world though. It turned out that by meditating often, I completely negated the need for sleep.

    I hadn¡¯t slept a wink the whole time I¡¯d been down here. I¡¯d also gotten pretty adept at meditation. I couldn¡¯t know for sure, but it felt like I recovered much faster now and the act of meditating required a lot less concentration.

    Of course, there was the monetary benefits too. I¡¯d killed over 10,000 slimes as I worked my way through the sewers.

    Not only could I afford to buy my armour, but I could buy a spare set of it too if I wanted. I just hoped I¡¯d be able to complete the quest before my deal with Andy ran out and he sold it off.

    I also learnt that through diligent meditation, my food and water requirements dropped significantly. I¡¯d brought two weeks¡¯ worth of rations, yet I¡¯d only eaten five days¡¯ worth.

    Of course, for all I knew I¡¯d only been in the sewer for five days, but I was pretty sure it¡¯d been far longer than that. It was hard to tell, but my intuition told me it¡¯d been longer.

    After the first few swarms I¡¯d started mixing up my extermination technique. I still used my bow to deal with the ceiling slimes, but I¡¯d started using my dagger for the ones on the floor and walls.

    It¡¯d worked too, as after a few thousand stabs I¡¯d gained a level in my passive Dagger skill, upgrading it to level 10.

    More excitingly, just like with the old Bow skill which had since merged with my Bowman skill, I got a new skill upon reaching level 10.

    You have unlocked a new skill!

    Novice Apex Skirmisher

    The Novice Apex Skirmisher is a wizard when it comes to wielding small blades ¨C or at least he has the potential to be. Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot that you don¡¯t have any mana, calling you a wizard was probably a bit of a low blow huh?

    But like seriously, what kind of adventurer doesn¡¯t have any mana? You are so lame.

    Anyway, back on topic:

    Proficiency improved.

    Unlocks dual wielding proficiency.

    An inferior bonus to the effect of agility will be added when a small blade is equipped.

    I was really beginning to despise the system¡¯s idea of busting balls. I got that it had some weird personality trope going on, but did it have to be a dick every time?

    I had spent some time wondering if it was this over the top with everyone. If nothing else, the thought kept me occupied as I wandered through the sewer system.

    The new skill seemed to be the melee version of my Bowman skill. So it was likely that once I reached level 25 in Dagger the two would merge and become a percentage leveller instead.

    Interestingly, the Skirmisher skill had apex in the title, which was part of my class. I wondered if that meant it was more powerful than a normal skirmisher skill.

    Speaking of percentages, I¡¯d gained slightly in my Newly Qualified Bowman skill. After painstakingly executing thousands upon thousands of slimes I¡¯d managed to gain a whopping¡­ 0.2%.

    In all honestly, I think seeing that number be so low was worse than if it had just stayed at 0. I knew the shooting wasn¡¯t difficult, or far, or against an opponent that even fought back or moved.

    Still though, you¡¯d think 10,000 slime murders would have given me more than 0.2% and a single level in a passive melee skill.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I hadn¡¯t gained a single overall level either.

    It was disheartening to say the least, but at least I could buy my armour when I was done. That was something to look forward to and money was an easy motivator.

    I also felt like I¡¯d gained a much deeper understanding of meditation. That might not constitute to direct stats and level gain, but it had to be useful in the long run.

    Occasionally I¡¯d open the map feature on my HUD as I cleared an area of slimes. I¡¯d explored a lot of the sewers. I expected the sewer system to be a maze but it was actually more like a simple circle that would eventually meet back at the ladder I¡¯d used to enter the place. There were small pipes running through the walls which I had to assume connected to bathrooms around the city.

    I was only just starting to close in on the halfway point of the main circle though, so I was probably going to be stuck down here for a while longer yet. Frustratingly, I¡¯d yet to find a single sign of the source of the infestation, which was one of the quest objectives.

    The sewer system itself was only the size of the city, which was pretty big, but nothing you couldn¡¯t walk in a few hours on the surface.

    The issue was how long it took to dispatch the slimes and more importantly, how often I had to meditate during each bout of extermination. If nothing else I¡¯d learnt that I seriously needed more stamina if I wanted to quicken my killing speed or win drawn out battles.

    I had a feeling it was going to be my most useful stat for the immediate future.

    I also made a mental note to ask Panda if there was a way to increase stat point gain. 19 fixed points and 5 free points a level seemed pretty good at first, but if levels were going to take weeks to get now that¡¯d reached phase two then I needed to find a faster way of getting more points.

    As I approached the halfway point of the sewer tunnel on my map, something odd appeared.

    A large oval cistern appeared on the map, just off the side of the tunnel. Minimising it on my HUD I looked around but saw no sign of it.

    I wondered what it was. Maybe a treasure room? That would be cool. Who doesn¡¯t love hard-to-find loot drops?

    Still, the immediate area looked no different from the rest of the tunnel. There was nothing but walls and a river of faeces as far as I could see.

    Speaking of faeces, my purification mask was looking worse for wear and the inside stank to high heaven. The moisture from my breath had started to form little bits of mould on the inside of the mask and I¡¯d had to use some of my ration water to wash it.

    I¡¯d honestly considered just taking it off, but I quickly brushed off that idea when the sewer stench hit me as I washed it.

    As I stared blankly at the sewer walls and re-checked my map, a brilliant idea came to me.

    Pulling out my bow I began charging a Soul Shot.

    I hope damage to public property won¡¯t cause the quest to fail. I thought as my arrow began to glow with a green aura-like light. I guess we¡¯ll find out. Here goes nothing.

    I fired the arrow into the nearby wall. On my map, that spot was where the cistern supposedly was. The wall exploded inwards as my arrow passed through it, causing concrete to shatter and fall all around me.

    The damage kicked up a cloud of dust and I was once again glad for my mask, even though the dust stung my eyes.

    I waited a moment for the dust to clear and to my delight the wall was covering a hidden area.

    ¡°It¡¯s looting time!¡± I sang to myself as I crossed the threshold into the mysterious cistern.

    You have entered a hidden boss room.

    The notification popped up on my HUD and I tensed up in anticipation. It was like something from a dungeon crawl.

    Maybe they¡¯ll call me Dungeon Crawler Kaleb. I thought as I resummoned my bow and nocked an arrow in anticipation. Nah, too many syllables.

    The cistern was dark and surprisingly spacious. I couldn¡¯t see all the way to the back. The glowing red balls of light that lit the sewer didn¡¯t extend this far.

    I stepped back out of the cistern for a moment. It was a long shot, but if this boss room really did work like a game then I¡¯d probably be safe as long as I was outside.

    Thinking quickly, I delved into my inventory. I needed a light source. Luckily, I had just the items.

    I summoned Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks, a Rusted Golbin Sword and the Pervert¡¯s Lighter I¡¯d looted from the stag party all that time ago.

    I wrapped the socks around the tip of the sword, skewering them in place and making a ball out of the material which I tied off.

    I then set them on fire.

    Good riddance. Kaleb one, USSR zero.

    I had no idea what the socks were made of but they lit up like the fourth of July. The blaze nearly burnt my eyebrows off as I held the makeshift torch at an arm¡¯s length.

    A new notification popped up on my HUD.

    You have created a new item:

    The Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy.

    I gave you a thoughtful gift and this is what you decided to do with it? Well fine then, fuck you! You wanna go? Let¡¯s go.

    The Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy is a fire that will never go out. Lit by Lennin who got his spark from Karl Marx (and perverted it), communism is the prefect ideology for wannabe dictators and genocidal maniacs alike.

    Though the flame of communism has been handed down for generations, you are its latest recipient.

    Glory to the motherland comrade.

    *WARNING*

    This is a bonded item and cannot be lost, sold, destroyed, or given away.

    *WARNING*

    Possession of The Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy has marked you as an enemy of various powerful economic groups throughout Celestia.

    ¡°Uh oh, I think I hurt its feelings.¡± I said aloud as I read the worrying notification.

    What exactly did it mean by powerful economic groups? It sounded like the magical illuminati or something. Knowing this crazy place that¡¯s probably exactly what it meant.

    I¡¯d have to ask Panda about it when I got back.

    For now though, I had more immediate concerns. I threw the torch as far as I could into the cistern.

    The light danced across the walls as it flew in an arch into the circular room. Then it hit something, or more accurately; bounced off something.

    As the room was lit up I saw the biggest slime I¡¯d ever seen. It took up most of the large room on its own and it was a mixture of blue and brown gelatine.

    More noticeably, it had a kind of¡­ face. A black outline of a frown and eyes with straight, black eyebrows pointing towards where its nose would be.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve pissed off two things that can kill me in less time than it takes for a kettle to boil.¡± I sighed, nocking my bow. ¡°On the upside, it looks like I¡¯ve found the source of the infestation.¡±

 Chapter 50 â€“ Are You Still Mad About That?

    I nocked and arrow and fired at the slime monster from my position in the sewer tunnel. If my theory was correct it¡¯d help me in the long run.

    All damage negated.

    I thought that might be the case.

    I nocked another arrow and stepped over the threshold before firing again.

    This time there was no notification. The arrow pierced the slime¡¯s gelatinous body and broke into tiny particles almost instantly. Was the slime adsorbing my arrow?

    Thanks to my Health Sense skill I could see a floating bar above the boss slime¡¯s head. It barely seemed to move as the arrow penetrated it.

    However, I was still firmly in the testing phase. So I stepped back outside the boss room.

    Boss health has been fully restored.

    After completing the simple test I had a rough idea of how this new boss room feature worked. It seemed that I couldn¡¯t cause it damage unless I was actually inside the boss room. If I left it would go back to full health so there was no loophole to exploit.

    That was a shame. My original plan had been to step in, shoot and step back out. I could have done that on repeat for as long as it took and meditated when I needed to refill my stamina.

    However, it seemed like that plan wasn¡¯t going to work.

    I¡¯d have to kill it in a single fight. I could, in theory, leave the room if I lost too much health. But then the fight would start over from scratch.

    It was a useful failsafe but one I¡¯d be loathed to take.

    I didn¡¯t know for sure, but it stood to reason that the boss slime couldn¡¯t damage me if I was outside the room either.

    At least that would put us on an almost equal playing field.

    My biggest concern now was how to do enough damage to kill it. My arrow barely left a dent, figuratively speaking since I pierced all the way through and got adsorbed.

    Hopefully my Soul Shot skill would even the playing field a lot. Either way though, this was going to be a royal pain in the ass.

    I had one last preparation to make before entering the chamber. I focused on the slime and a notification popped up on my HUD.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Slime Queen

    Have you ever wondered where slimes come from? They come from the Slime Queen, obviously.

    Like a queen bee, her life¡¯s purpose it to pump out babies. Don¡¯t feel bad for her though, she¡¯s asexual so there¡¯s no vaginal chaffing involved. Then again, her entire body is kinda like lube anyway¡­

    Oh, one last thing. The Slime Queen is impervious to acid. Ha! That¡¯s what you get for destroying my present.

    ¡°Are you still mad about that? It was a pair of socks!¡± I shouted at the ceiling like a crazy person.

    Despite the system¡¯s nonsensical jokes and aggression, it did actually give me some useful information for once.

    Firstly, if this Slime Queen was creating the little slimes then she was likely to be the source of the infestation mentioned in the quest.

    Secondly, she was impervious to acid damage. Making my class completely useless in this fight.

    I guess it¡¯s gonna be an old-fashioned slog.

    With my preparation done, it was time to kill this thing.

    I raised my bow and nocked an arrow before stepping into the boss room once more. This time, as I drew the bowstring back, I focused as much stamina into the arrow as I could.

    Soul Shot leaked a green glow from my fingers and onto the arrow. Usually I fired them at this strength, but this time I wanted more.

    I continued channelling stamina into the arrow. The green glow got brighter, casting an eerie glow on me and the walls nearby.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I felt an immense tension in my arm and the bowstring. It felt like if I forced any more stamina into the shot I¡¯d break my arm ¨C or the bowstring, or both.

    So this is my limit. I thought, noticing that my stamina had dropped below halfway just from this single attack.

    Grinning maliciously, I fired the arrow. It literally blasted from the bow, forcing me to stagger backwards slightly.

    It was like a missile being fired from a bazooka. I was so shocked I didn¡¯t even nock another arrow as the first flew through the air so quickly my eyes couldn¡¯t even register it as it seemed to instantly impact with the slime.

    It flew straight through the slime¡¯s gelatinous body and exploded in acid green light. I cheered involuntarily as the slime¡¯s health dropped by half.

    ¡°Holy shit that¡¯s so OP!¡± I said to myself.

    At this rate all I needed was another shot like that and I could kill the behemoth in two hits.

    The slime¡¯s face changed.

    It¡¯s drawn on appearance shifted from a frown to an O shaped mouth and its eyebrows dropped in an angry line.

    I think it noticed me.

    It seemed to breath in as the air around me shifted and I was dragged towards it. It was like being in one of those indoor skydiving places, except it was a horizontal pull.

    I tried to ground myself but it was no use. panickily I raised my bow and fired three arrows in quick succession.

    They seemed to do no damage at all as they entered the gaping mouth hole and burst into particles inside its body.

    Is that going to happen to me?

    There was no way. I was not going to become slime food. Fuck that noise.

    I nocked another arrow and began channelling stamina through my Soul Shot attack. If I could get off one more good shot before I was sucked in it¡¯d die and I¡¯d be safe.

    I pushed my stamina to its limits once more feeling as if my arm was going to break. Then I released the string and fired.

    It was a straight shot. I was mere inches from entering its mouth. This had to work.

    The arrow blasted with such force I lost the grip on my bow. It left my hand and got sucked into the slime, but not before the arrow entered its mouth.

    Once again a green aura exploded out of the arrow upon impact and the slime¡­ cried out?

    I didn¡¯t even know slimes could make noise.

    This one made a deep, growling sound like a demonic rottweiler.

    Focusing on my Health Sense passive skill, I looked up once more at the slime¡¯s health bar. It hadn¡¯t worked.

    It had taken some damage, good damage even. Its health was now clearly in the red. But it wasn¡¯t dead.

    That was the last thought I had before I was swallowed by the gelatinous beast.

    My entire body went numb as I was surrounded by slime. I couldn¡¯t breathe, though I wasn¡¯t exactly going to try to breathe inside this disgusting mess.

    I felt my clothes and mask disintegrate around me. My bow was hovering just in front of me and it looked worse for wear.

    For some reason it hadn¡¯t completely disintegrated yet. I reached out and brushed it with my fingertips and pulled it back into my inventory.

    It was too late for my clothes, but the bow might be salvageable.

    A myriad of notifications blinked onto my HUD.

    You have been poisoned.

    Poison negated by Skill: Minor Poison Resistance.

    You have been poisoned.

    Minor Poison Resistance has failed to negate the poison effect.

    You have been subjected to stamina drain.

    You have been subjected to HP drain.

    Item: purification mask has been destroyed.

    Item: black shirt has been destroyed.

    Item: white belt has been destroyed.

    Item: black pants has been destroyed.

    Item: black shoes has been destroyed.

    ¡­

    It continued like that in a constant stream of incoming stat buffs and item destruction.

    It was pretty irritating, but not as concerning as what it all meant.

    Checking my HUD I could see my HP and stamina draining rapidly. I entered my inventory and clicked on a stamina potion.

    It barely did anything as my stamina continued plummeting.

    I had no idea how the poison was going to affect me but I could deal with that later. From the look of the notifications my Minor Poison Resistance skill had put up a valiant fight but had been quickly overwhelmed by this toxic environment.

    I summoned my dagger.

    If I was going to die in the pit of slime queen¡¯s stomach I was going to at least give it some bad indigestion.

    I began slashing at the space in front of me. Moving through the slime wasn¡¯t easy, but there wasn¡¯t that much resistance either. Though with the slime having immunity to acid I had no idea if I was even causing any damage.

    I tried to look around but everything was blurred and my eyes stung with an intense, overpowering heat.

    I wondered if that was being caused by the poison.

    Floating ahead of me was a tangible looking orb. I wandered what it was? Was it the slime¡¯s brain? Do slimes even have brains?

    I didn¡¯t have time to work out the answers.

    My dagger was looking worse for wear as the slime¡¯s body dissolved it bit by bit.

    Slicing at it from the inside didn¡¯t seem to be doing anything and my HP was almost in the red. I slammed down on a healing potion but it¡¯d only buy me a few more seconds.

    After that I¡¯d be digested.

    Gross.

    Doing the only thing I could think of, I pulled the dagger back into my inventory and began swimming towards the glowing orb.

    I was betting my life on the hunch that it was part of the slime, an important part.

    It looked more tangible than the rest of its gelatinous body and I had no idea what else to do.

    I didn¡¯t want to die here.

    I wasn¡¯t going to leave my unborn child without a father. I had to beat this thing. I had to beat it so I could get stronger and bring them here and protect them.

    I swam forward in a haggard front crawl. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. The slime¡¯s body was hard to move through.

    Still, I cut through it with my arms and legs and propelled myself forward.

    The slime was bigger than me by a fair bit, but it wasn¡¯t even the width of the local swimming pool back home.

    I didn¡¯t have far to go.

    My lungs burned and I breathed in on reflex, swallowing a huge chunk of goop. I began retching as the burning got so much worse.

    You idiot! Slime isn¡¯t oxygen.

    I felt the tips of my fingers brush against the orb. It was tangible, it felt solid, hard even. If it was hard then I could smash it. That was the crux of my last-minute master plan,

    I summoned my dagger and as my arm rotated around in the front crawl style, I slammed the tip of the blade into orb with all of my failing strength.

    Nothing happened.

    Shit, have I backed the wrong horse here? Am I really going to die? No. I won¡¯t lose.

    Instinctually, I thought of the feeling I got when I used the Soul Shot skill and I channelled all of my remaining stamina into my dagger.

    The dagger glowed with a faint green aura, I could feel the strain on the weapon even though I had barely any stamina left to use,

    I brought the dagger down with my last ounce of strength just as my stamina reached zero.

    The dagger and the orb both smashed simultaneously and a bright, blue light emanated from it, blinding me.

 Chapter 51 â€“ A Giant Newborn Baby

    My dagger smashed like a pane of glass and the orb simultaneously broke into larger fragments.

    As the orb broke apart it emitted a bright blue light which blinded me. It was like staring at the sun.

    My eyes burned but I couldn¡¯t look away as the amazing and dazzling light enveloped the entire room.

    Then, for a moment, I felt weightless as the slime around me seemed to vaporise.

    The weightlessness lasted for less than a second before I fell to the floor on my back. My HUD flashed red as the bit of health I had left dropped into the deep red zone.

    The slime queen exploded outwards at the same time, like a viscous water balloon. It literally seemed to pop and gooey slime innards painted the wall bluish brown.

    They also painted me from head to toe. I must have looked like the latest recipient of a Nickelodeon Kid¡¯s Choice Award.

    I¡¯m alive. I thought dazedly as my victory finally sank in.

    ¡°Fuck yeah!¡± I screamed.

    I started cackling hysterically like an evil witch as joy and relief flooded through me. I¡¯d pulled it off, if only by the skin of my teeth.

    I¡¯d have to work on not getting so close to death next time though. It was becoming a bit of a habit and one that I¡¯d rather not repeat.

    I tried to punch my arm into the air but it wouldn¡¯t respond. My entire body was paralysed. A worrying thought occurred to me: maybe the slime¡¯s gelatine had a paralysing effect as well.

    Also, the poison was still coursing through me. I wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet.

    I¡¯d have to work on regaining my strength later. Right now, I needed to get my health back up and I needed to do it fast.

    I only had a few HP remaining and the poison was still inside me. Though I didn¡¯t know how effective it was, I wasn¡¯t going to risk it.

    How tragic would it be to beat the slime queen boss monster only to succumb to poison a minute later?

    I couldn¡¯t take anymore potions so I dived into meditation.

    It was a little odd doing it without my usual pose, but I¡¯d gotten so used to the feeling that being flat on my back didn¡¯t stop me.

    As I focused on breathing deeply and visualised my inner circuitry, I saw the problem.

    My health was tinged.

    The vibrant and thick crimson rope that usually represented health had a purple tinge to it.

    This must be the poison.

    The rope was broken and frayed all throughout my core and limbs. I¡¯d have to focus on fixing that up first.

    I began channelling energy into the rope. Visualising the oxygen I breathed as vital energy which I could mould into health or stamina at will.

    It was like dough: pliable and ready to be shaped.

    I breathed deeply, almost in a trance as I concentrated on sending the raw energy to my rope of health.

    It worked, but much slower than usual. Parts of the rope began twining together, fixing the parts where they were severed.

    However, the colouring was still wrong and the rope continued to fray even as I directed energy to it.

    It was like something was fighting me.

    Like the poison was destroying my rope at the same time as I fixed it.

    I was slightly faster though, so as long as I kept it up I wouldn¡¯t die. But I would be stuck in a relative stalemate.

    I needed to focus on the poison itself. If I could destroy that then I could heal myself unimpeded.

    I began to visualise what it would look like to get rid of the poison. At first it seemed simple. The rope needed to be red, I needed to purge the purple tinge.

    That was easier said than done though. As I focused on channelling energy for that purpose, nothing seemed to happen.

    Maybe I was visualising it wrong.

    If I thought of the rope as an actual piece of material rather than a metaphor for my health, maybe that would help.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    If a real rope was off colour, you¡¯d need to wash it. So perhaps if I imagined the energy washing over the rope rather than pulsing inside of it, that would do the trick.

    It didn¡¯t.

    Back to the drawing board I tried to think of another way to purge the poison. Perhaps it was inside the rope, fraying it from there.

    If that was the case I¡¯d first need to expel the poison. With that in mind I visualised the raw energy flushing through my rope like a pipe.

    I wanted it to force out anything inside it, purifying it internally.

    After a while of trying to focus on that, it seemed to work.

    My rope started looking redder as little drops of purple were expelled from it and seemed to float in my blood.

    After a while of focusing on that, the rope shone a vibrant crimson once more and the fraying began to fix itself.

    Still, the purple blobs remained.

    I¡¯d need to purge them completely if I wanted it gone. Otherwise they¡¯d probably just bind to the rope again eventually.

    I imagined the energy flooding through my entire body this time, not just the rope.

    I felt it, like the cold, intrusive feeling when you get a vaccination.

    The energy flooded through me and as it¡¯s bright, white light touched the purple blobs they evaporated.

    Booyah!

    I was now poison free and back to full health. Next I needed to recharge my stamina coil.

    With the hardest part done though, the next bit should have been a sinch.

    I switched views and looked at my body through the metaphorical eyes of stamina. My coil was dark.

    I could see it sitting there, but there wasn¡¯t even the slightest tinge of yellow. I¡¯d need to fix that. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult but it might take a while.

    I¡¯d never fully drained myself before. I had no idea what kind of adverse effects it might have on my body.

    I began visualising the raw energy flowing through my mouth and into the core of my stamina coil.

    It worked, but it was a slow process. It was like lighting a campfire on a windy day.

    Sparks came and died before they took flame. I concentrated and repeated the process over and over but the most I could manage was a slight yellowish hue in the very centre of my core.

    I needed to try a different approach. Maybe something more powerful, like a jolt, would work.

    I visualised the energy flowing into my mouth and stopping in my throat. I kept it there, drawing more and more raw energy in.

    Then I pushed the energy together, compressing it into a tight ball. I rotated the ball, making it spin faster and faster until it glowed with a magnificent white.

    Then, and only then, I mentally catapulted it into my core.

    It hit me with a start.

    I gasped and felt my heart pound faster. My core lit up with a magnificent yellow light like the glowing, golden sun.

    It had worked, though I felt a bit sick from doing it.

    I felt myself cough blood and ended my meditation for a moment to role onto my side.

    Outside of meditation my whole body ached like I¡¯d just been at the gym for hours on end.

    I dropped back into mediation and could see why. The yellow light rushed through my stamina coil and within moments it was lit up brighter than ever before.

    It seemed full.

    How had I done that? It¡¯d had an almost immediate effect. I¡¯d never experienced it before, apart from when taking a potion.

    I switched back into health view and understood why I¡¯d coughed blood.

    The rope has completely split apart in multiple places in my core. Somehow, forcing the restart on my stamina had damaged my health badly.

    I took a few calming breaths and did what I always did. I gently focused on moving the energy into my core to fix the rope up again.

    It took some time but before long it was fixed and I exited meditation again.

    I opened my eyes to see the boss room pained almost entirely with blue and brown goop.

    My HUD was abuzz with notifications and a loot marker hovered in front of me.

    I guessed it was as good a place to start as any.

    Loot: Slime Queen

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes, of course. Why wouldn¡¯t I? I received two things. Firstly, a whopping 1000 gold coins.

    It seemed that the 10 coin a kill rule didn¡¯t apply to boss monsters. 1000 was a drop in the ocean after all the slimes I¡¯d massacred. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to say no to more money.

    Secondly I received something called a slime core.

    I delved into my inventory and focused on it.

    You have received a new item:

    Slime Core

    The core of a slime is akin to its brain and heart. It is the only weak point on a slime and for more powerful variants, the only way to truly finish one off.

    That was all it said. I was thankful that there weren¡¯t any snarky remarks, but it still didn¡¯t tell me what I could do with it.

    What it did do was confirm my suspicions about the glowing orb I¡¯d broken my dagger on. That must have been the slime¡¯s core.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was luck or instinct that made me swim towards it. Either way, I was just thankful it had worked.

    I sat up, feeling oddly good.

    The mediation really had worked wonders. I felt physically refreshed.

    Though I was pretty sure I¡¯d spent a long time meditating this time around. I looked around the room and saw that my creepy, clingy torch was still burning bright.

    I picked it up and threw it out of the boss room into the sewer water. I blinked and it appeared back in front of me, still burning.

    I guess there really is no way of getting rid of it.

    I pulled it back into my inventory. There was nothing I could do about it now.

    The boss room was cast into darkness. It was merely an empty cistern now though.

    I got to my feet and left the room, walking out into the sewer tunnel. Then it hit me.

    The stench was inescapable.

    It had been mild in the boss room, like a hidden force field kept the odour away. Out here though, it was everything.

    It hung thick in the air, almost tangible as it made my nose crinkle and gut wrench. The rest of this quest was gonna suck balls.

    I placed my hands over my eyes, wiping them as they watered from the smell. I brushed them through my hair as I groaned and felt the soft touch of skin.

    Skin, wait¡­ where¡¯s my hair?

    I began rubbing my bald head like a man possessed. My hair was nowhere to be found. Had it dissolved along with my clothes inside the slime.

    I jolted as I realised¡­ my beard.

    My hands jumped to my chin, patting, and hoping to feel the coarse new beard I¡¯d been cultivating. My new look for this world.

    It was gone.

    Hesitantly, I looked down.

    Yup, thought so. I look like a porn star down there.

    It seemed all of my hair was gone. My leg hair, my arm hair all the way to the hair on my head.

    I was completely bald. Like one of those expensive cats that old aristocratic widows liked to buy.

    I slumped my shoulders and sighed. I looked like a giant newborn baby.

 Chapter 52 â€“ Something Much More Sinister

    After a few moments of lamenting my loss of hair, I moved on. Hair grows back, and for all I knew I¡¯d have a full head of it before the end of the quest.

    I summoned the only other clothing I had. The spare cultist robe I¡¯d looted from the second cultist I killed, and the cock sock.

    So, in a matter of minutes I¡¯d gone from a well-dressed adventurer to one who looked like an eccentric pervert¡­ again.

    At least I¡¯d be able to buy some more clothes when I returned to the surface. I was at the halfway point of the sewer. The hard part was over.

    I still had one thing to do before I finished the circuit though. The most exciting part of any hard battle.

    The notifications.

    You have defeated Slime Queen (lvl 40)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Congratulations! You have reached level 33.

    The slime was a fair few levels above me. It wasn¡¯t as high levelled as Geralt but then again, he would have butchered me with ease.

    Gaining a level was awesome. I wondered if I was already close after the 10,000 slime¡¯s I¡¯d killed. I guess it didn¡¯t matter, a level was a level after all no matter how I came by it.

    I continued reading the notifications.

    *WARNING*

    Highly condensed natural energy has formed inside you. This could result in death.

    Notification ignored.

    *WARNING*

    You have forcefully overfilled your stamina. If you do not cease this action you may die.

    Notification ignored.

    *WARNING*

    Overloading your stamina has caused your HP to rapidly decline. Ignoring this notification may result in immediate death.

    Notification ignored.

    *WARNING*

    Despite my constant warnings, you are still overloading your stamina.

    Death is imminent.

    The strength of your soul has cured the symptom: imminent death.

    Your stamina has been expanded.

    Your soul has strengthened.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± I practically whispered as I read the warning messages.

    It seemed that when I condensed the energy during meditation to kickstart my stamina core, I¡¯d nearly died. How strong must my soul be to break the system like that?

    Was it a fluke, or did I have some kind of weird soul power? Also, what did it mean by expanding my stamina.

    You have gained a new title:

    Audacious Soul Expander

    Few who walk the path of forceful expansion survive. Even fewer have the audacity to do it at such a low level.

    You forcefully expanded your stamina and lived to tell the tale. You know that¡¯s quite literally spitting in my metaphorical system face.

    I¡¯ll let it go this one time, but if you try it again you will die. Let this title serve as a reminder and warning not to fuck with the system.

    +10% overall stamina

    *This bonus is calculated after percentages gained through items*

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I was at a loss for words. I¡¯d gained my first title and I got it through meditation. I didn¡¯t even realise I could use my soul to expand my stamina.

    The whole situation was mind boggling. By all rights, I probably should have died. Yet somehow I survived and got rewarded for it.

    A further 10% was huge and it was calculated last. That meant it stacked with the 5% I already had from my Longbow of the Giant Goblin. I needed to make sure I got it repaired as soon as I got back to the surface.

    I quickly checked my stats and saw the huge leap in stamina. Maths wasn¡¯t my strongest suit, but from what I could tell the 10% was calculated after the 5% from the bow was added. It was like compounding interest but for stats.

    One day, that was going to be huge.

    I wondered if my passive Usurper skill was the reason I was still alive. It said that it increased the strength of my soul.

    Was that why I was still alive? I couldn¡¯t know for sure. Maybe I was just naturally gifted in that department.

    The man with the well-endowed soul. Sounds like a movie, though not a very good one. I thought, quietly grinning at my good fortune.

    Still, I would have to be an idiot to try it again. The system made it pretty clear that it would kill me if I did.

    Or at least, I couldn¡¯t try it again for a while. Who knew how powerful I¡¯d get if I broke through the level cap.

    From all accounts those guys were like gods. Maybe then I could give it another go. For now though, that was a distant dream for the future.

    I was happy to take the money and run, proverbially speaking. Speaking of the system, I probably needed to let it know I wasn¡¯t trying to fuck with it.

    It might be an asshole, but it was obviously the supreme power in these parts and I didn¡¯t wanna get on its bad side. Including the incident with Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks I¡¯d already pissed it off twice in one day.

    ¡°Message received. Sorry about that, won¡¯t happen again.¡± I said, facing the ceiling.

    I was glad there wasn¡¯t anyone around. With my cock sock and robe coupled with my tendency to talk to the sky, I was basically screaming this guy is a lunatic to anyone nearby.

    That was the last notification. Overall I was over the moon with the outcome, if a little terrified that I might accidentally get myself killed by meditating.

    Who would have thought it. Meditation: the silent killer.

    After giving myself a moment to calm down and taking stock of my inventory. I set out once more to clear the sewers and get back to the ladder.

    However, I had no weapons.

    My bow was broken, my dagger had disintegrated. I guess I¡¯d have to fight like a DnD monk¡­ or improvise something.

    Speaking of my dagger. I was surprised the system didn¡¯t give me some kind of notification for the attack I¡¯d used.

    I¡¯d basically used Power Shot on a dagger.

    It was a super weak version of it, but it was still the same principle. I wondered why it let that slide. Was it normal for people to do weird things without a skill for it?

    Then again the green glow was pretty faint. Perhaps I¡¯d imagined it. Maybe I simply charged up the attack and used a lot more strength than normal.

    Who knew. I¡¯d definitely need to experiment with it if I wanted to find out. Though for that I¡¯d need a new dagger.

    I walked for quite a while before I came across the next gaggle of slimes. There didn¡¯t seem to be as many this time as there had been before.

    Had taking out the queen dwindled their numbers?

    Maybe I¡¯d just taken the path of most resistance to get to her. Either way, I needed to take them all out if I wanted to complete the quest.

    The closest one to me was on the floor, so I stepped on it. It smushed into the ground with a nasty squelch and covered my foot in blue goop.

    It died easily, like they all did. Though I wasn¡¯t keen on being covered in slime goop for every kill.

    Also, how exactly was I supposed to step on the ceiling slimes?

    I had a mini-lightbulb moment and pulled an arrow from my Quiver of the Infinite. As I thought, I didn¡¯t need a bow to stab something with it.

    It likely wouldn¡¯t be very effective against a well levelled foe. But these slimes were all weak as shit. So, I walked under the ceiling slimes and stabbed them one by one as I went.

    I quickly got covered from head to toe in slimy gelatine goop but I stopped caring after a while and even began stepping on the floor slimes again.

    I quickly fell back into the monotonous loop of killing slimes, meditating to recover, and repeating.

    It felt like it took less time to reach the original ladder, but it was likely still days. It was definitely a slog to reach the end.

    As my HUD map of the sewer finally filled in fully. I reached my original ladder. One, final slime was sat gently wobbling in front of it.

    I stood on it, it smushed and I let out a loud cheer as the quest notification appeared on my HUD.

    Finally.

    Quest Complete!

    Up Shit¡¯s Creek

    There has been reports of a slime infestation in the sewers under Havar. Investigate the matter and exterminate them.

    You have entered the sewer system and come across some slimes. Extermination time me thinks.

    You have discovered the lair of the Slime Queen, is she the source of the infestation?

    You have defeated the Slime Queen and stopped the infestation.

    You have eliminated the final slime.

    Objectives:

    Exterminate all the sewer slimes 1/1

    Find the source of the slimes and deal with it 1/1

    Reward: 500 gold.

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    I almost jumped for joy as I read through the quest notification. It had updated as I completed various parts of the quest just like last time.

    It was like a quest log from a game. Maybe that was in case I started a quest and then got side tracked. Were side quests a thing in this place?

    I¡¯d have to go to the Adventure Society to claim my 500 gold reward. Though that didn¡¯t seem like much compared to the gold I¡¯d earned from my blessing.

    I¡¯d have to thank Chrysus next time I saw him.

    Actually, on second thought. That guy was an asshole so maybe not.

    ***

    Frank wandered around the old maintenance building, just like he did every day.

    He was old enough to retire, but he honestly didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do with himself if he didn¡¯t work. Working for the Department of Sanitation and Maintenance wasn¡¯t a bad gig anyway.

    He¡¯d spent his twilight years working for them and he wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

    Mostly he just maintained the pipes which led to the sewer system. Every now and then he¡¯d have to traverse the sewers himself to fix a leak, but it was no trouble.

    Today wasn¡¯t one of those days.

    Today was an average, steal a wage kind of day where he¡¯d do very little and spend most of his time pottering around the old building.

    Or at least, it was supposed to be one of those days.

    Frank heard a loud banging sound coming from the next room over.

    What could that be? Has one of those damned pipes broken again? He thought with an internal sigh as he shuffled his way into the room.

    BANG, BANG, BANG.

    He heard as he entered the room. It seemed to be coming from the sewer hatch.

    Had those damned slimes mutated? He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d do if that was the case. Of course, there was always the chance it was that adventurer he¡¯d let in.

    No, it couldn¡¯t be. He was long dead. He¡¯d been in there an entire month, to the day. It was obvious he¡¯d been killed.

    No one could survive in that stench for that long with only a disposable purification mask. The smell was poisonous.

    It was only a minor poison sure, but a whole month? No way.

    BANG, BANG, BANG.

    ¡°Hold your horses I¡¯m coming!¡± Frank yelled. ¡°Damned slimes making an old man rush around.¡± He muttered to himself, because a mutated slime was the only explanation, he was sure of it.

    He hesitated as he bent down to open the hatch. Should he really let this mutated slime lose on the city?

    BANG, BANG, BANG.

    If letting it loose got it to shut the hell up, it¡¯d be worth it. Besides, it was his job to deal with this kind of stuff. If he left it there before seeing it, it¡¯d be dereliction of duty. He opened the hatch and took a few steps back.

    The stench was particularly bad today. He could smell it even through his government issued odour eliminator.

    He readied himself for the mutated slime that would no doubt climb out. However, it was no slime.

    He had released something much more sinister. A thing more heinous than his small mind could have ever thought possible: a hairless pervert.

    The bald man crawled out of the sewer covered in slime and shit. Worse, he was wearing a dirty sock over his penis and a tattered red cape.

    ¡°Good to see you again old man.¡± The pervert said.

    Frank fainted.

 Chapter 53 â€“ Rich Orphan Turned Vigilante

    I rushed forward to catch the old sanitation worker before he hit the floor. I knew the sewer smell was bad but I hadn¡¯t expected it to affect him like that.

    I caught him and gently lowered him to the floor. He had fainted. The slime that covered my body dripped to the floor where I knelt next to the man, causing a puddle to form at my feet.

    He wasn¡¯t going to be happy when he realised he was the one who¡¯d have to clean it up.

    Oh well. At least he didn¡¯t have to fight the Slime Queen. I thought to myself as the man stirred.

    I was crouched next to his head where I had caught him before he fell. His eyes opened slowly and I smiled at him. A friendly face would be comforting in this situation.

    ¡°Ah! Get that thing away from me!¡± He yelled hysterically as he shuffled backwards with the speed of a man half his age.

    He pushed himself into a corner stared at me in horror.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognise me?¡± I asked, bewildered as the man shook. ¡°I¡¯m Kaleb, the adventurer who came to complete your quest¡­ it¡¯s completed now by the way, you shouldn¡¯t have any more slime trouble.¡±

    The man stared back at me for a minute. He blinked a few times as if struggling to comprehend what I¡¯d said.

    ¡°You¡¯re that adventurer kid?¡± He finally replied.

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°How? You were in there an entire month. The poison from the smell should have killed you.¡± He began slowly as the implications of his words dawned on me. ¡°Why are you wearing a sock on your penis?¡±

    ¡°Did you just say I was in there an entire month?¡± I asked quickly.

    ¡°Well yes. I let you in there exactly a month today. I thought you were dead.¡±

    Without reply, I stood up and rushed out of the building. I didn¡¯t want to be rude but I had somewhere I needed to be.

    I threw the door open as I ran into the street. The busy people of Havar stopped their business to stare at me but I barely noticed as I set off running towards my destination.

    Andy better not have sold that armour. I thought as I sprinted away from the sanitation building. If it¡¯s gone and I¡¯ve just wasted an entire month in the sewer for nothing I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.

    I ran so fast that I almost skidded around the corner onto the high street. People cried out, gasped, and muttered to their friends as I ran past. Mostly though, they just held their noses.

    ¡°What is that awful stench?¡± A catonid said.

    ¡°What is he running from?¡± A human said.

    ¡°Why is he wearing a dirty sock on his penis?¡± A lycanid said.

    I ignored them all as I raced towards my goal.

    My upgraded stats almost seemed designed for running. My legs moved faster than I thought possible and I could turn on a dime. It must have been due to my agility and strength stats.

    How fast would I be able to move at the level cap?

    The feeling was awesome, but I didn¡¯t have time to appreciate it as I closed in on my destination: Andy¡¯s Armour Emporium.

    I burst through the front door to the familiar sound of clanging coming from the back. I looked around but the armour wasn¡¯t on the stand anymore. Was I too late?

    ¡°Andy I¡¯m back!¡± I shouted as loudly as I could as I jogged up to the counter.

    The clanging stopped and the broad human in the brown leather apron came out from the back of the shop.

    ¡°You actually heard me?¡± I asked, placing both hands impatiently on the counter and leaning towards him.

    ¡°Heard you? No, I smelt something awful and came to investigate. Who are you and what are you doing in my shop dressed like¡­ that?¡± He asked aggressively as he gestured to my attire.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Kaleb.¡± I replied, taken aback. Why did no one recognise me? Surely my lack of hair wasn¡¯t enough to make me look that different. ¡°Panda¡¯s summoner.¡± I quickly added.

    ¡°Oh Kaleb, cutting it a little close aren¡¯t you?¡± He laughed, his demeanour changing instantly. ¡°You smell like a sewer, kid, and why is there a dirty sock on your penis?¡±

    ¡°I took a quest in the sewer and a slime queen burnt off all my clothes and hair. This was all I had to change into in my inventory.¡± I explained, I felt in less of a hurry now he knew who I was but I still needed to know if he still had the armour I¡¯d worked so hard for.

    ¡°Ah I see.¡± He replied, folding his arms, and stroking his chin and nodding. ¡°You do realise that you look like an eccentric pervert like that right? It would probably be more dignified to just stay commando.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll grab some new clothes soon. Do you still have the armour?¡± I asked hurriedly.

    ¡°Of course I do. A deal is a deal. Besides, that set had been on display for three weeks before you came in. The chances of my selling it the same day our deal ran out were always pretty low.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch it for you, but first do me a favour and take a shower, there¡¯s one in the back.¡±

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    He motioned into his smithing room with his thumb and I nodded. My whole body relaxed as he spoke. I could finally get my armour and I would happily take a shower.

    Holding his nose, Andy led me through his workshop to a small shower cubicle hidden off to the side.

    ¡°I keep this here for when I work up too much of a sweat. Don¡¯t want to scare of the customers, you know?¡± He chuckled as I walked into the shower room. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some clothes, so why don¡¯t you go ahead and incinerate what you¡¯re wearing.¡± He said, as he walked off I did exactly that.

    I removed the cloak and the cock sock, both of which were tattered and covered in slime and sewer muck, and I threw them into the fire.

    It was a mistake. The smell got worse.

    My nose was pretty desensitised though so I ignored it as I entered the shower cubicle and pulled the chord. Glorious water rained down on me. It was the best feeling ever.

    Blue gunk, brown dirt and, what was likely human, excrement flowed from me into the drain. It was disgusting. I knew I was dirty but this was a whole other level.

    The water at my feet turned black instantly before draining away. I must have been in the shower for like half an hour before the water finally ran clean.

    When I walked out of the shower I found a pair worn brown pants and a tattered shirt wating for me. I slipped them on and walked back out into the main store.

    ¡°What happened to the sewer monster?¡± Andy asked.

    ¡°What happened to these pants?¡± I returned gesturing to the brown monstrosity he¡¯d left for me.

    ¡°Touche.¡± He replied with a chuckle. ¡°So, to business. Are you ready for your armour?¡±

    He had no idea how ready I was. It was all I¡¯d thought about for the last month in the sewer.

    ¡°Yup.¡± Was all I managed to reply with.

    ¡°¡­And, do you have the 48,000 gold we discussed?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I do.¡± I replied, delving into my inventory to check.

    ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll send you the request.¡± Andy said.

    What request? I thought, and then a notification appeared.

    You have received an inventory transfer request from (Andy) for 48,000 gold coins. Would you like to accept?

    Y/N

    That was weird, I didn¡¯t even know you could request inventory from people. I guess it made sense though. If I ejected 48,000 gold coins onto the floor it would fill the shop.

    I mentally asserted yes and another notification appeared.

    Please enter your pin code.

    Pin code? What the fuck. I didn¡¯t have a pin code. I didn¡¯t even know that inventory transfers existed until a few moments ago.

    A number pad appeared on my HUD and I took a breath. Maybe it was just one of those default pins like they did back home sometimes. I focused the number pad and tried entering 1,2,3,4.

    You have entered the wrong pin. You have been locked out of inventory transfer for one week. Thank you for using system banking. Have a nice day.

    Locked out, after just one attempt? What kind of bureaucratic bullshit was this? Well, I guess I didn¡¯t have a choice. I¡¯d have to flood the store coins after all if I wanted to pay him.

    I looked up at the ceiling and growled, ¡°fuck you.¡± Then I pulled the money from my inventory and it scattered across his countertop, spilling onto the floor, and practically burying Andy in gold. It¡¯s not like looted gold came in neat little bags, so I made it rain all over his shop.

    His eyes lit up like a dragon adding to its horde.

    ¡°That was a little rude. Have you never heard of manners? Also, how did you get this so fast?¡± He asked first in a pissed off tone and then in a shocked whisper as he picked up a coin and bit it, like he thought it might have been made of chocolate.

    ¡°That¡¯s a trade secret.¡± I replied with a wink.

    In truth I didn¡¯t want to tell him I was blessed by Chrysus. As a merchant he probably wouldn¡¯t be offended by it, but why take the risk?

    I didn¡¯t really understand the religion here yet. There seemed to be lots of gods and they all had different reputations and connotations attached to them. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want anything to do with any of them.

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± He replied. ¡°Well, as promised, here¡¯s your armour.¡± He said, pulling it from his inventory. ¡°It¡¯s all yours kid.¡±

    It was just as awesome as I remembered. Fitted black pants with padding in the knees, an embroidered black torso piece and a cloak as black as the void with a hood that covered the top half of your face with slits for your eyes.

    It was badass.

    I quickly pulled it into my inventory and a new notification popped up.

    You have received multiple new items:

    Shadow Armour (epic)

    The Shadow Armour set is an epic rarity ensemble of black armour that appeals to emo kids and fans of rich orphans turned vigilante.

    Here¡¯s a tip, try speaking in an unnecessary hoarse voice to really add to the effect.

    Full set:

    Shadow Cloak: a cloak that blends into the shadows increasing stealth. With the hood up you can shield your aura from others.

    Shadow Light Armour: +10% vitality.

    Shadow Pants: +10% vitality.

    Shadow Boots: +15% agility.

    Shadow Bracer: +5% strength.

    Full Set Bonus: When all pieces of the set are equipped, turn invisible once a day for an amount of time dictated by your intelligence stat.

    I equipped the set and immediately felt the surge of power to my stats. There was a lot to unpack here. I bet I looked like a certain orphan turned vigilante in my all black gear.

    Firstly, most of the armour gave me stat boosts which were definitely welcome, especially considering they stacked.

    Though the boosts themselves weren¡¯t huge, they would be one day. I wondered if there was a cap for what percentage boosts you could have. Theoretically I could just keep adding to them until my stats were insane.

    The cloak had an interesting effect. I¡¯d have to experiment with the whole blending into shadows thing.

    The hood was pretty self-explanatory. From what I understood from what Panda had told me, people with mana ¨C AKA everyone who wasn¡¯t named Kaleb Akabane ¨C could sense auras.

    It was a way for them to distinguish the powerful from their peers. I didn¡¯t have this ability. However, I probably did have an aura of my own. The hood would hide it, probably.

    I was a little sad that there weren¡¯t any gloves but at least my agility boost was good. I¡¯d lost both my white glove and my boots of resist environment in the fight with the slime queen. So I was over the moon to see how good the stat boosts were which replaced them. Also, the set bonus was freaking awesome!

    I would have to practice with it. Turning invisible was like a superpower. Something like that could really turn the tide of a battle, especially when mixed with the aura hiding hood.

    I¡¯d be invisible both to the eyes and the senses.

    The only problem was that it worked using my intelligence stat. The lowest stat I had by quite a bit.

    From what I understood, intelligence was all about mana, so I had never put anything into it because, well¡­ I didn¡¯t have any mana.

    I¡¯d have to change that going forward. I still had five free points from my level up so I threw them all into intelligence.

    As I read through the item specs and lost myself in thought, the door to the shop slammed open.

    ¡°Andy! Get out here right fucking now.¡±

 Chapter 54 â€“ Iâ€™m A Sage, Itâ€™s What We Do

    I looked at myself in a large freestanding mirror as I equipped my new armour. I grinned from ear to ear. It was definitely worth the money, even if I did look a bit like an edge lord assassin.

    It had been a while since I¡¯d checked my stats. I knew they¡¯d grown a lot since the last time and with the addition of the new percentage boosts I¡¯d gained from my armour I was excited to see what they looked like.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 33

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 381/331 (381)

    Stamina: 388/325 (388)

    Strength: 282 (310)

    Agility: 121 (139)

    Perception: 117

    Vitality: 251 (301)

    Intelligence: 50

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique), Health Sense (common)

    Class Skills (Passive) Skills: Newly Qualified Bowman (0.2%), Dagger (lvl 10), Novice Apex Skirmisher, Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Titles: Audacious Soul Expander

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    I blinked a few times as I read through it all. My stat sheet was getting long. Most noticeably, my stamina had overtaken my health.

    My intelligence was pathetically low though compared to my other stats. I¡¯d need to work on that if I wanted to use the Shadow Armour¡¯s full set bonus. It was a skill that let me turn invisible once a day.

    As I admired my new armour, the bell above the door to the shop rang violently.

    ¡°Andy! Get out here right fucking now.¡± A muscular lycanid shouted.

    As he spoke, spittle and froth flew from his mouth. He sounded angry, but more noticeably he had to duck to get through the door.

    He must have been 8 foot tall. What a giant.

    I turned towards the commotion and looked on as Andy came trotting out from behind the counter. He looked like an entirely different man as he bowed and ringed his hands together.

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± He asked feebly, not looking the lycanid in the eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s pay day.¡± He replied with a growl.

    ¡°Of course. Please send my regards to your master.¡± He said, offering out a large coin purse.

    The lycanid snatched it from his hands and left in a huff, slamming the door behind him.

    Andy sighed and lifted his head. He turned to me, casting out his usual presence of strength and mercantile cunning as if nothing had happened.

    It was as if the feeble man who stood before the lycanid was a completely different person.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that Kaleb. How¡¯s the armour?¡± He asked, striding towards me with the confidence of a powerful man.

    ¡°It¡¯s great.¡± I replied, slightly distracted. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°He works for the Morningstar Collective; I owed them protection money.¡± He sighed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly with his hand.

    Morningstar¡­ where have I heard that name before?

    ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked flatly.

    ¡°They¡¯re a crime syndicate. They do all the crimes. In this case it was racketeering but honestly that barely even scratches the surface.¡± He said, moving towards the counter and leaning against it. He looked exhausted.

    Then it hit me; I had an active quest that mentioned Morningstar though it was a bit different from what Andy seemed to be talking about.

    A Good Time, Not A Long Time

    You¡¯ve been marked as a guest of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. I wonder what mayhem and fun awaits behind its doors.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Updates:

    You have discovered that The Morningstar Collective are a syndicate who run a racketeering operation in Havar.

    Objectives:

    Enter The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Uncover the secrets of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Reward:

    X1 Skill Upgrade Potion

    X1 Weapon Upgrade Potion

    It was the quest that had appeared after I¡¯d opened the loot box I got for accidentally killing Brad, the other outworlder, in the cultist hideaway.

    I¡¯d completely forgotten about it. Though maybe I should consider trying to complete it sooner rather than later. The reward was awesome.

    ¡°Is this collective related to the Morningstar Hotel and Spa?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s one of their many business ventures. There¡¯s one here in Havar, though they have them all over Celestia.¡± Andy replied.

    ¡°Do you know where it is?¡±

    ¡°No. Rumour has it you can only see it if you¡¯ve been invited. I wouldn¡¯t go poking into their affairs though. Yaldabaoth is unhinged and crazy strong, it¡¯s better to stay off their radar if you can.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a Yala-bread loaf?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s known as the malevolent god of debauchery and he¡¯s scary as shit. He¡¯s the current chairman of the Collective. Just¡­ don¡¯t go poking around there.¡± He said, sounding exasperated towards the end.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I replied slowly. ¡°Well, thanks for the armour mate. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll see you around.¡± I said, raising my hand as I left the store.

    Maybe I should level up a bit before entering this hotel place. I thought. That was my original plan anyway and Andy seemed to be terrified of them.

    Besides, I still needed to complete my third quest so I could take the adventurer exam. For now though, I needed to hand the sewer quest in and replace my weapons.

    First though, I needed to collect Panda. He was probably worried about me.

    I headed back to the Sleeping Giant Inn. No one muttered about me as I walked past this time. The street was still busy, as usual, but I seemed to blend in much easier this time.

    I entered the inn and headed upstairs as the lycanid landlady smiled lecherously at me and waved with her fingers.

    A shiver went down my spine as I half smiled, half grimaced back at her. I opened the door to my room to find Panda laid on the bed with a book in hand.

    He was on his front, kicking his feet behind him. The room was full of dirty plates and bottles and there was a stack of books covering over half of the room.

    ¡°Ay up ma-¡± I began but Panda lifted his paw in the air to shush me. A little taken aback, I obliged.

    A few moments later he turned his page and then put the book down. He sat up, stretched, and turned towards me.

    He hasn¡¯t seen me in a month and he shushed me to finish his page?

    ¡°Hey kid.¡± He said, yawning as he spoke. ¡°Back so soon?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a month.¡± I replied incredulously.

    ¡°Has it really?¡± He replied, ¡°I lost track of time reading. It happens sometimes. So, I see you got that armour you wanted.¡±

    ¡°I did yeah¡­ have you really been reading this entire time?¡± I asked, though from the stack of dishes and the smell of unwashed panda I already knew the answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m a sage, it¡¯s what we do.¡± He shrugged. ¡°These books are great by the way; I¡¯ve learned so much. I¡¯m gonna need some more though.¡± He looked up at me with big eyes, it would have been adorable if he wasn¡¯t surrounded by squalor.

    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll get to it. First though, I need new weapons and hoped you might know a guy.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a quaint little store not too far from here. I¡¯ll take you; I could do with some fresh air anyway.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± I replied, shaking my head lightly as he unstuck himself from the bed.

    We left the room as he groggily rubbed his eyes and yawned again. As we passed the landlady I tossed her a gold coin and asked her to clean the room and extend our stay.

    ¡°Gods it¡¯s bright out here!¡± Panda exclaimed as we exited the inn. It was around midday and the sun was high.

    ¡°I guess your eyes go a bit funny when you spend a month locked in a room.¡± I chuckled.

    ¡°You spent a month locked in a sewer.¡± He grumbled.

    ¡°Yet somehow the room smelled worse.¡± I sighed.

    He led me back in the direction of the armourer and I was beginning to get the impression that the only shops he knew were the ones on this street.

    Still, he hadn¡¯t steered me wrong so far so I followed him. I really needed to get my bow repaired and I needed new daggers.

    Currently I was a weapon-less adventurer and that couldn¡¯t mean anything but trouble. I felt naked without them. It¡¯s funny how quickly you get used to a new situation.

    Not too long ago I went about my daily life without fighting or carrying weapons at all, yet now the idea of not having any felt alien to me.

    Human adaptability at its finest.

    As we walked I took the opportunity to grill Panda on some of the questions I had from my time in the sewers. One of which was potentially more life threatening than the rest.

    I told him about the Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy and how it came into my possession. He listened quietly as I explained and then I asked him what powerful economic groups were.

    ¡°Well shit kid, you broke the first rule: never piss off the system.¡± He responded after patiently listening to my explanation. ¡°When the system creates weird items like this it¡¯s hard to know exactly what the effect means.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of this particular one before. Though I know what the economic groups are. They¡¯re powerful organisations who rule the various countries around the world.

    ¡°Like shadow rulers really. No one knows who actually controls them, but they¡¯re steeped in ideology and you can tell which country supports which group by how that country is run.

    ¡°For example, Havar is obviously part of the socialist group. Though I wouldn¡¯t exactly call them powerful, they¡¯re one of the smaller ones from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Havar is a socialist state?¡± I asked. I hadn¡¯t really considered how countries were run so far; I¡¯d been a little busy trying to survive.

    ¡°Well yeah.¡± He said poignantly. ¡°Basic necessities like food, shelter and water are practically free. However, luxury item costs are insane. Just look at that armour you¡¯re wearing. 50,000 gold coins for some glorified clothing when a bed and food cost you a single gold a week.

    ¡°You do the math kid, but I¡¯m pretty sure that armour is worth multiple lifetimes of food and board at the inn. That¡¯s not normal.¡±

    I guessed he was right. The local economy was out of whack here, though I wasn¡¯t sure that alone constituted as socialism as I understood it. I¡¯d figured it was just a quirk of this world that adventurer gear was expensive but apparently not.

    ¡°Speaking of gold coins, are they the only currency in this world?¡± I asked. It had struck me as odd that I hadn¡¯t seen any other denominations of coins yet.

    ¡°Why would we need other coins?¡± Panda asked, scratching his chin.

    ¡°Because giving someone 50,000 gold coins at once is a bit extreme?¡± I replied, furrowing my brow, and thinking back to how I¡¯d flooded Andy¡¯s store with coins.

    ¡°But we all have access to an inventory space and transfers.¡±

    He clearly didn¡¯t understand what I was getting at. I guess it wasn¡¯t seen as an issue so I dropped it, mostly.

    ¡°Speaking of transfers, how do I find out what my pin code is?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You can set it up at one of the societies. We can do it later.¡± He replied.

    I¡¯d have to make a mental note to do that. Though I¡¯d probably have to wait a week since I¡¯d been locked out. Stupid system. I thought.

    My mind wandered back to the economic factions and my weird new torch. If Havar constituted as poor in this world, then I wondered what the richer nations looked like.

    ¡°If this item makes everyone who¡¯s not a communist hate me, then does that mean the Havar government are going to end up as my enemy?¡± I asked suddenly, the last thing I wanted was to be labelled an enemy of the state or something just because of some stupid item the system wouldn¡¯t let me throw away.

    ¡°I doubt it.¡± He shrugged, offering no further explanation. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re here. Let¡¯s shelf this for another time.¡±

    We stood in front of a large, multistorey store with polished red wood on the frame and a hand painted sign above the door.

    It said: Wendy¡¯s Wonderful Weapons.

    These store owners sure love their alliteration. This was the third store I¡¯d been to that had a name straight out of a fucked-up Dr Seus book.

    Through the large windows I could already see racks upon racks of weapons. I wondered what kind of person Wendy was, and more importantly, how she knew Panda.

    For a familiar he seemed to know everyone in these parts. The little guy definitely got around in his last life.

    ¡°I thought you said this place was quaint?¡± I said to panda monotonously.

 Chapter 55 â€“ Never Trust A Furry

    I pushed open the door to Wendy¡¯s Wonderful Weapons to the sound of light jingling.

    The interior was full of wall-mounted racks and locked cases. From a quick glance I saw a lot of axes, swords, and maces. Sadly, there were precious few daggers and bows.

    As with the other stores, there was a typical counter sitting at the far side. A beautiful and small¡­ woman stood behind it. She smiled at me from across the room.

    Her skin was the colour of midnight purple and she had pointed ears, covered slightly by thick and long black hair.

    Is that an elf? I wondered, as I approached.

    Elves were the pinnacle of other world races in fantasy shows back home, though I¡¯d never seen a small one with purple skin before.

    More oddly, her eyes were black with red pupils. She¡¯d almost look demonic if it wasn¡¯t for her polite and intoxicating smile.

    I focused on her and a notification popped up.

    You have discovered a new race!

    Svartalf

    Hailing from the small subterranean kingdom of Svartalfheim, the Svartalf are a kind of dark elf, dwarf hybrid race.

    Known for their impressive alcohol tolerance and love of metal working, the Svartalf are a proud race with a sordid history.

    There is a legendary mystery surrounding their creation which many have pondered, but none have been able to answer:

    How did a dwarf managed to pull an elf?

    That was surprisingly informative for the system. I thought as I read through the notification.

    ¡°Welcome to Wendy¡¯s.¡± She said with a surprisingly girly voice. ¡°How may I help you today.¡±

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Kaleb.¡± I responded, feeling my face flush as I spoke to her. She was mesmerising and had I not been a married man I might have even plucked up the nerve to ask her out ¨C though probably not, she was way out of my league.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone who can repair my bow and hopefully sell me some new daggers.¡± I continued.

    ¡°Ah, that won¡¯t be a problem. I have a workshop upstairs where I do repairs. Can I see it?¡± She asked cheerfully.

    I summoned the Bow of the Giant Goblin from my inventory and placed it on the table. The dark black bow looked worse for wear with its bowstring cut and the wood cracked in multiple places.

    The Slime Queen¡¯s body had really done a number on it. Though I guess I was fortunate it didn¡¯t dissipate completely like my hair and clothes. Not that I was bitter or anything.

    ¡°Wow, this has sure seen better days hasn¡¯t it?¡± The Svartalf mused as she picked up the bow and thumbed it over. ¡°Repairs won¡¯t be cheap. I¡¯d quote it to be at least 500 gold, maybe more.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± I said, producing the money and scattering it on the table. Her eyes lit up as she saw it.

    I¡¯d replace it as soon as I turned in the quest anyway, though 500 wasn¡¯t all that much with my full coffers. The blessing of the god of wealth really was OP.

    ¡°Thank you for your patronage sir. I should have this ready for you by tomorrow afternoon. Since you¡¯ve paid up front I¡¯ll push you to the front of the queue.¡± She smiled at me again as she scooped up the coins and placed them into her own inventory.

    ¡°Seem¡¯s you¡¯re as one dimensional as ever Wendy.¡± Panda said snidely as he clumsily attempted to climb onto the counter.

    For the first time since I¡¯d arrived in town, an acquaintance of Panda, didn¡¯t reach over to help him up onto the countertop. I felt a certain tension in the air as they locked eyes. It was a far cry from his usual relationship with the merchants we¡¯d met previously.

    ¡°Panda. So you¡¯re back, are you?¡± She said harshly, looking him over and curling her lip.

    ¡°Yup, the kid here summoned me. That¡¯s what happens when someone actually wants you around, not that you¡¯d know what that¡¯s like.¡±

    What on earth is going on here? I thought, taken aback at the open hostility between the two.

    Wendy completely ignored him, put back on her smile and turned to me politely.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir but we don¡¯t allow pets in the store. They tend to climb all over the furniture and clutter up the place.¡± She gestured to Panda who was still trying to get on top of the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave him outside please. I can lend you some rope to tie him up though, so he doesn¡¯t wander off.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Her smile and polite customer service voice was chilling. I gulped before answering.

    ¡°Panda, go wait outside¡­ I won¡¯t be long.¡± I said, trying not to stammer.

    ¡°But Kaleb!¡± He protested, looking up at me with his big anime eyes.

    We locked eyes for a moment and I refused to back down even though I felt bad about it, then he sighed and departed.

    What was all that about.

    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation sir.¡± Wendy said, before grinning sinisterly at Panda. ¡°Now then, shall we see to your other needs.¡±

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m looking for some daggers,¡± I said.

    Since my Dagger skill had levelled up and given me the Novice Apex Skirmisher skill, I¡¯d been itching to try out a dual wield.

    The skill specifically said that I¡¯d gained proficiency with dual wielding but I hadn¡¯t had the chance to try it out yet.

    ¡°Of course sir.¡± Wendy replied, returning completely to the previously polite and respectful Svartalf that had first greeted me. ¡°As Havar is mostly populated by lycanids I mostly sell larger weapons. However, I think I have a few daggers in the back that I can bring out for your perusal.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± I replied and she excused herself leaving through the small door behind her.

    I breathed out. That was intense. I was getting used to fighting monsters but tense social situations were still alien to me.

    As a truck driver, I¡¯d spent most of my life on earth away from people. Office politics, weird social cues, and stuff like that perplexed me.

    In my personal life I was fortunate in that my wife navigated those areas within our friend group. I just followed her lead.

    Wendy and Panda obviously had bad blood and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with that. I really hoped she wouldn¡¯t start charging me more now that she knew I was his new summoner.

    Wendy returned quickly, carrying a dusty display case with two daggers in it.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting.¡± She said as she plonked the case down onto the countertop and wiped it with her hand.

    Dust flew everywhere, catching in the light that shone through the window. It looked like a mini cyclone of dust particles was flying off the case.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid these are all I have in stock currently. They¡¯re quite simple, steel daggers. They don¡¯t have any enchantments on them but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do quite well in your capable hands.¡±

    Was she flattering me on purpose? From where I was standing they just looked like normal daggers. Barely an upgrade from my original one.

    ¡°How much?¡± I asked candidly.

    ¡°Since they¡¯re the last we have in stock I couldn¡¯t let them go for less than 20,000 gold.¡± She said brightly.

    ¡°And they¡¯re just normal, unenchanted daggers?¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°I assure you sir, despite their lack of enchantments, these daggers are of the highest quality.¡±

    I know a hard sell when I hear one. She¡¯s trying to rip me off. I thought critically.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you 5,000 for them.¡± I said, even that was probably too much but I didn¡¯t have much to base it off.

    ¡°5,000?¡± She asked incredulously. ¡°Forgive my rudeness sir but that price is an insult.¡±

    ¡°Trying to sell me unenchanted daggers for 20,000 is what¡¯s insulting. Do I look like I was born yesterday?¡± I asked.

    Though, from a certain point of view, I pretty much was born yesterday as far as this world was concerned. I didn¡¯t even know what an enchantment truly was, but if I had to guess it was the thing that gave weapons special skills and stat increases.

    If these daggers didn¡¯t have any of that then they were hardly worth what she was asking for. They couldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°I could probably drop to 10,000, since you seem so well informed.¡± She said, still talking in that sickly sweet customer service voice.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal.¡± I relented. I had no idea if I¡¯d just been ripped off, but I had plenty of money left and I needed the daggers, so I didn¡¯t really have much of a choice.

    I¡¯d still managed to knock her down to half price so that had to be something.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± She chimed brightly, her ears twitching slightly as she smiled up at me.

    I had a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach that told me I¡¯d just become a victim of daylight robbery. At least from her reaction to the sale.

    No matter. I really did need the daggers so it wasn¡¯t like I had much of a choice.

    I summoned the 10,000 coins and dropped them unceremoniously onto the countertop. A literal mountain of coins formed from my hand and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

    She didn¡¯t even complain that I hadn¡¯t requested an inventory transfer as she handed me the daggers and began scooping up the coins.

    I added them to my inventory and a notification popped up.

    You have acquired a new item:

    Steel Dagger x2

    Slightly better than an iron dagger.

    That was the only description. I¡¯d definitely been ripped off. My previous dagger was just called a¡­ dagger. So they were probably better than it was. At least that was something.

    I guess an upgrade is still and upgrade even if you have to pay through the nose for it. I told myself. Besides I still had plenty of money left. I¡¯d gained over 100,000 gold from my slime slaying.

    Even after buying the armour, the daggers and paying for my bow to be fixed I still had over 50,000 left. I¡¯d gained 1000 just from killing the slime queen, not to mention the slimes I¡¯d exterminated on the way out.

    ¡°Thank you so much for your patronage sir!¡± Wendy said, bowing slightly. ¡°Your bow will be ready for you tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, see you then.¡± I said, exiting the store with a little wave.

    I walked outside and stopped for a moment as the door closed behind me with a little jingle. I sighed and looked towards the sky.

    ¡°She ripped you off didn¡¯t she?¡± Panda said. He was leaning against the storefront with his arms crossed.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I said solemnly. ¡°Is that why she kicked you out?¡±

    ¡°No, she kicked me out because I told my last summoner to break up with her after I saw her on the arm of a busty catonid girl.

    ¡°I knew she¡¯d rip you off because you don¡¯t understand how money works here and a good merchant can smell that kind of weakness a mile away.¡±

    I knew Panda¡¯s previous summoner was a woman who¡¯d been dear to him. He barely spoke of her but from what I¡¯d pieced together she¡¯d died not all that long ago.

    When I¡¯d summoned him it had barely been a minute since she passed, at least to a few thousand-year-old daemon like him. I think it had actually been closer to a decade.

    I wondered if he¡¯d open up to me about her someday. I wasn¡¯t going to pry but it could be useful to know what happened to her.

    For now though, I needed to visit the Adventure Society and hand in my completed quest. I¡¯d probably put it off for too long already.

    I wondered what new quest I¡¯d end up taking. I only had one left to complete before I¡¯d be eligible to take the exam and become a fully-fledged adventurer.

    I couldn¡¯t wait.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about sleeping with her.¡± Panda said warningly.

    ¡°I¡¯m married Panda.¡± I replied with a sigh.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t stop you from hitting on Lucy at the society.¡±

    ¡°I never hit on her. You¡¯re the one who cuddles up to her every time we go there.¡±

    ¡°My mother always said; never trust a furry.¡± He said as we set off in the direction of the Adventure Society building. It was going to be a long walk.

 Chapter 56 â€“ Always Expect The Unexpected

    We arrived at the Adventure Society¡¯s gigantic glass building and entered, approaching the front desk.

    Lucy, the blonde catonid receptionist greeted me with her usual charm.

    ¡°Mr Akabane, it¡¯s been a while. Your new armour is lovely.¡± She smiled as she walked around the side of the reception desk and picked Panda up under the arms, placing him on the desk where he sat and began puffing smoke from his bamboo pipe.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I replied. ¡°I came to hand in the quest I took. It¡¯s been completed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant news. If you could just fill out this report I¡¯ll arrange for your reward.¡± She said, reaching under the desk and passing me some paper and a pen. She then leant on the counter and fondly scratched Panda behind the ears.

    I took the form from her. It was basically a field report. It asked me to explain what had happened during the quest.

    It was a simple matter; except I only knew how to write in English.

    My personal skill Speak English Damnit! Allowed me to understand other languages and somehow it translated my speech, or maybe everyone else had a similar skill that translated speech for them, but it didn¡¯t say anything about writing.

    Panda looked towards me and nodded.

    I guessed it was worth a shot so I began writing my report in English. I explained about the 10,000+ slimes I¡¯d exterminated, the slime queen, and described the circular layout of the sewers.

    I also included the weakness of the slime queen being the core, her level and the affects her body had on me when I was swallowed.

    That was a little embarrassing to admit, but the only use of these reports that I could think of was to gather information. If my embarrassment could save another adventurer later down the line then it was a small price to pay.

    It didn¡¯t take long to fill out the report and I quickly returned it to Lucy, looking on nervously as she examined it.

    ¡°Wow, you defeated a slime queen by yourself? That¡¯s quite impressive Mr Akabane. I think it also warrants a better reward.

    ¡°This was supposed to be a temp level quest but it seems it should have been posted for iron rank adventurers instead.¡±

    I sighed in relief as I realised that she could read my writing. I had no idea how the skill had translated it, but I put it down to system fuckery and was just glad it worked.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me Mr Akabane, we¡¯ll go report this to Administrator Gonzo right away.¡±

    I had no idea who that was but I nodded anyway and followed her behind the reception area.

    There was a door at the back which led into an office-style hallway. The walls were adorned with corporate propaganda posters. There was even the famous one I¡¯d seen on TV with a cat hanging onto a washing line.

    I still found it strange how similar the backroom work environments in Havar were to the ones back home. Outside of the offices the world was a pure fantasy land, yet bureaucracy still prevailed inside office buildings.

    Perhaps bureaucracy was universal, that was a chilling thought.

    We passed through an area of cubicle spaces which were mostly dominated by bored looking humans who were clock watching.

    At the back of that room was a small office. Lucy knocked on the door and it opened on its own.

    She entered and we followed.

    The office itself wasn¡¯t anything to write home about. It was small and windowless with a desk piled with paperwork shoved in the corner and a few seats on our side of it.

    Sitting at the desk, looking rather stressed, was a catonid man with grey whiskers.

    ¡°Administrator.¡± Lucy began. ¡°This is Mr Akabane, he is a temp adventurer who joined us recently. He has just returned from the slime extermination quest and his report was quite unusual.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look.¡± Gonzo replied without looking up from his paperwork. He held out a slender hand and snatched the paper from Lucy.

    He scanned over it for a moment and I watched as his facial expression went from bored, to intrigued, to outright shocked.

    ¡°A slime queen, living in the sewers? It seems you¡¯ve done us quite the service Mr¡­¡±

    ¡°Akabane sir.¡± Lucy advised.

    ¡°Yes, yes, Mr Akabane. Good job, I¡¯ll have your reward upgraded.¡±

    ¡°Thank you sir.¡± Lucy said, bowing slightly to the distracted administrator before gesturing for us to leave.

    We walked in silence back through the cubicle area and to the reception desk.

    ¡°So, what will I get from this upgraded reward?¡± I asked as we returned to the reception area.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°More gold probably and it¡¯ll be added as a feat to your record with us. We look at those when it comes time to promote people.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t apply to you yet, but once you pass the exam and become iron rank you can be promoted within that rank.

    ¡°The maximum is a three-star promotion which qualifies you for more complicated quests. These are usually less about fighting and need more of a delicate touch. There can be more to adventuring than fighting monsters.¡±

    A three-star ranking system within each actual rank? Yup, this place was the epitome of corporate bureaucracy.

    ¡°Oh, cool.¡± I said sceptically.

    ¡°For now, I believe the director wished to speak with you. I¡¯ll have your reward ready when you¡¯re done.¡±

    She smiled and I took that as my cue to leave. I walked towards the magic elevator with Panda in tow.

    I pressed the button in the centre of the magic circle on the wall but nothing seemed to happen. I tried again, still nothing. I pushed it a few more times before I registered Panda snickering behind me.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked irritably.

    ¡°You need mana to use a magic elevator.¡± He replied, giggling as he spoke.

    ¡°Well then it¡¯s a good job I¡¯ve got a familiar to do that for me.¡± I replied.

    He huffed and began trying to reach the button which was just too high on the wall for him.

    ¡°Oh, can¡¯t you reach?¡± I asked teasingly.

    He glowered and I picked him up so he could press the button for me. The elevator arrived and we took it to the top floor.

    It opened into the familiar and large office of Director Lucas. The man himself was stood straight backed and facing out of the window that took up the entire back wall.

    I approached, but he didn¡¯t turn around. I moved to stand next to him and took in the glorious view of the city of Havar.

    It was truly a sight to behold from this high up. No wonder CEO¡¯s felt so powerful if they got to see views like this every day.

    It felt like the entire city was beneath us as I took it in with all its glory. The busy people rushing through the streets below looked like ants from this high up.

    ¡°Beautiful isn¡¯t it?¡± Lucas asked absently as he took a sip from a fancy crystal glass.

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly something.¡± I replied.

    ¡°You know Kaleb when I first moved here I was disappointed with the transfer. I was supposed to be an influential figure on the continent, but alas my power topped out and I had no more potential to show my tyrannical father.

    ¡°He sent me out here as punishment. Over the years though, I¡¯ve come to enjoy the laid-back island lifestyle. It truly is a paradise.¡± He sighed. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    I complied and sat next to Panda in front of his large desk.

    ¡°I heard you fought a slime queen on your most recent quest.¡±

    ¡°Word sure travels fast around here.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to offer my apologies. Had we known, we never would have posted that quest on the temp board. Of course, the issue with adventuring is that quests are submitted by non-adventurers.

    ¡°They often can¡¯t tell the difference between different types of monsters. They rarely get the numbers right and they have no idea which ones are powerful and which are insignificant.

    ¡°We do our best to grade each request correctly, but we don¡¯t always get it right. Information is often lacking when quests are submitted. That is a lesson you¡¯d do well to take heed of.¡± He said, refilling his glass with amber liquid from a finely cut decanter.

    I understood what he was trying to say but I honestly didn¡¯t see what all the fuss was about. The slime queen wasn¡¯t easy to defeat, sure, but the rest of the quest was about as safe as I could imagine.

    The slimes didn¡¯t even fight back. It was a slaughter.

    ¡°Anyway, you did a fine job defeating the queen and lasting down in the sewer for such a long time. I guess you must have a poison resistance skill.¡± He continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, how did you know?¡± I asked slowly.

    ¡°Because the sewer¡¯s fumes are poisonous. Something else that wasn¡¯t included in the quest proposal.¡±

    ¡°Oh great, and no one thought to tell me that before I went down there?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°So it seems.¡± Lucas continued calmly. ¡°Adventuring is a dangerous game as I¡¯m sure you know.¡±

    He didn¡¯t even apologise that time. I¡¯m sure he thought it a moot point due to my Minor Poison Resistance skill, but not everyone had that. Hell, he didn¡¯t even know I had it before I came back.

    I got the distinct impression that these corporate assholes would have happily let me die down there from a stupid oversight. I¡¯d be lying if I said it didn¡¯t piss me off.

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not what I called you up here to discuss.¡± Lucas continued, brushing past my anger at the fucked-up situation. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about your final trial quest.¡±

    ¡°An interesting one has come across my desk recently and I¡¯d like you to take it.¡±

    ¡°And what kind of oversights should I expect on this one.¡± I asked bitterly, folding my arms, and sitting back in my seat.

    ¡°Adventurers should always expect the unexpected so naturally you should proceed with caution on every quest. However, this one should be pretty straight forward.¡± He replied calmly.

    ¡°We¡¯ve received word that a fortress wall has appeared on one of the smaller islands just off the coast of Havar. We believe that it belongs to a small sect of cultists. We usually leave them alone as long as they tend to keep to themselves, but this group is a little too close to the city to just leave them be.

    ¡°The quest is to go there and investigate. Use of lethal force is permitted. Though, of course, if you deem it unnecessary then that is also acceptable as long as you gather enough information to justify your choice.

    ¡°It is also acceptable to return and advise we send a full adventuring team if you deem them to be too numerous or strong for a single adventurer to handle.

    ¡°The choice is yours.¡±

    ¡°Is this a test?¡± I replied bitterly.

    ¡°Everything in life is a test young Kaleb.¡± He smiled secretively.

    It seemed simple enough. Having multiple ways to complete the quest would be a first. Hell, I could just go have a nosey and then come back and I¡¯d qualify to take the exam.

    Overall it seemed like a pretty good deal. Still, something about it didn¡¯t sit well with me. The director had just shown me his callousness in how he spoke about the oversights on my last quest.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I said after a few moments of silence.

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll have Lucy assign it to you on your way out.¡±

    That was obviously my cue to leave but I needed to ask something first that had been tickling the back of my mind.

    ¡°Is it normal for the director to meet with temp adventurers?¡± I asked as I stood up from my seat.

    ¡°Define normal Mr Akabane. Your entire existence is extremely abnormal. There are over four billion people of various races that inhabit Celestia. Do you know how many outworlders we have?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing not many.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Less than 3000 that we know of, though I¡¯m sure there are more. Outworlders are known of only by the powerful and those in the know. Most citizens think of you as a fairy tale. That is how rare you are.

    ¡°So, whilst I don¡¯t make it a habit of meeting with low ranked adventurers often, you are an exception. So, naturally, if you ever need anything please don¡¯t hesitate to come see me.¡± His tone moved from dark to friendly in a single sentence.

    I couldn¡¯t sense mana, but my intuition told me there was more than meets the eye with this one. I learnt something valuable though: the Adventure Society only knew about 3000 of the 10,000 outworlders in Celestia.

    The system had transported 10,000 of us here, but Lucas didn¡¯t seem to know that.

    I¡¯d better keep that to myself for now. I thought.

 Chapter 57 â€“ Intermission: Jack the Reaper

    Jack laid on top of a flat roofed building located on the top of an unassuming hill. The rain poured down, but he barely noticed. It didn¡¯t even obscure his vision thanks to his unique skillset.

    He looked through the scope of his sniper rifle: a weapon that was seemingly alien in this medieval facsimile of Earth that called itself Celestia.

    He had been in the middle of a job when it happened. Back on earth he¡¯d lived a relatively interesting life. He¡¯d joined his country¡¯s armed forces at a young age and was selected for sniper training.

    He¡¯d later qualified for the special forces and partaken in wet work all over the world. He¡¯d been taught how to survive in the harshest of climates. How to fight with guns, how to create explosives, how to kill effectively.

    He¡¯d partaken in work so extreme and politically sensitive that he¡¯d have been disavowed by his country if he was caught.

    He was on one such mission when he¡¯d suddenly found himself transported to this strange new world. The system called it Celestia and it had warned Jack that he was being hunted. That was nothing new, he¡¯d been hunted in multiple countries across four continents. It had never worked out well for the hunters.

    He found himself on the outskirts of a large city on an island found roughly where the United Kingdom would be back on Earth.

    Interestingly this city was called Britania. It was too close to the reality he knew to be a mere coincidence. The city itself resembled Victorian England with its old-fashioned architecture, aristocratic factions and a King sat on the throne of a grand palace.

    The only place in the city that seemed out of place was the Adventure Society building. In contrast, it was a large skyscraper which mildly resembled the shape of a gherkin.

    It was made almost entirely out of glass and was way too modern to fit into the nineteenth century look of the rest of the place.

    Naturally he¡¯d avoided it.

    Even the name of the place pissed him off. Adventure Society, it sounded like a group of kids playing fantasy and cosplaying as heroes. No thanks. He was a professional killer. He didn¡¯t have time for kid¡¯s games.

    Luckily for Jack, he had a certain skill set which proved to work even in this strange world. He had been trained by the best in the world and stood among the elite warriors of Earth.

    He¡¯d entered the city of Britania under the cover of darkness less than a few hours after arriving in this new world. He hadn¡¯t even seen one of these so-called monsters.

    In his experience, humanity was the most frightening monster of all anyway. A strong beast might kill you, but it wouldn¡¯t torture you, abuse you and slaughter your family just to send a message.

    No, humanity was far more fearsome than any semi-intelligent beast could ever hope to be. He¡¯d learnt that lesson over and over throughout his career. Most recently, destabilising drug cartels on the South American continent.

    That propensity for sadistic violence was what made his job so interesting. He was under no illusions of grandeur. His job was a dirty one, he wasn¡¯t a good guy. But if you want to protect people from the bad guys, you need an even worse guy to take them out. That was Jack.

    He snuck into the city and quickly found a target. A nobleman, walking home drunk in the closed off part of town.

    He probably thought his gated community provided him protection, but he¡¯d soon learn that there wasn¡¯t a security system good enough to keep Jack out.

    He¡¯d grabbed the man by the throat, dragged him down a shadowed back alley and squeezed the life from him. It was nothing he hadn¡¯t done before.

    Things were the same as they always were. It was a universal truth that no matter the world you¡¯re in, death is death.

    Right now he was trapped behind enemy lines and survival was his only priority.

    After killing the noble he stole his clothes and quickly deposited his military uniform, along with the corpse, in a dumpster. He then set it on fire using the matches he¡¯d looted from the man.

    That was sure to cause quite the stir among the citizens, but there was no way they¡¯d be able to identify the body with their meagre technology.

    After that he had blended into local society. He¡¯d rented a small loft space in the centre of town and soon started getting quests from the system.

    They were pretty simple and they all fell under the same umbrella term: assassination.

    From what he could tell, the system was omnipotent and it seemed to reward action with power.

    He¡¯d raised his level quickly and soon his activities had gleaned him the monicker The Reaper. Within a few short weeks he¡¯d become infamous all across Britania. The unidentifiable reaper. A serial killer of ill repute, stalking the streets of Britania.

    Wanted posters had appeared everywhere, of course they didn¡¯t show his likeness. How could they? He¡¯d left no witnesses to his endeavours.

    Early on he¡¯d been offered the choice of three weapons. He¡¯d chosen a magical one. A wand that allowed him to channel his high mana into casting spells.

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    He didn¡¯t have any offensive spells at the time, but he soon found another use for the wand.

    After a few successful quests he¡¯d gained a plethora of precious metals, magic stones, and items that most people would consider to be junk.

    What¡¯s the saying; one man¡¯s trash is another man¡¯s treasure?

    After a lot of experimentation he¡¯d managed to create a weapon much more familiar to him, a sniper rifle. He¡¯d even created a rudimentary silencer from a tin can.

    It wasn¡¯t the most elegant looking weapon, but it did the trick.

    Which brings us back to the roof overlooking the palace.

    Jack laid in the rain, looking down the sights of his crafted weapon. He¡¯d gained a few skills which increased his vision¡¯s capabilities far beyond what a normal human could do.

    He gazed down the scope, looking straight into the ball room. Tonight was the night of the royal ball and he had a new quest to complete.

    You have received a new quest:

    Regicide

    The annual Britannian ball is about to take place. The stuffy upper crust of the city state of Britania will all be in attendance.

    Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to assassinate King Edmund VII and end his wretched line for good.

    The fool is the product of incest and as such has the libido of a rabbit but the sperm count of a Chernobyl survivor.

    Killing him at the ball will surely sow chaos.

    Objective:

    Kill the king during the ball 0/1

    Reward: The satisfaction of destabilising a corrupt country. Also, a permanent 10% increase to the intelligence stat.

    *WARNING*

    This is a timed quest. Failure to complete it before the ball ends will result in a punishment.

    Jack didn¡¯t take kindly to being threatened. This punishment threat was the first of its kind he¡¯d seen in this world.

    Most quests didn¡¯t come with strings attached. Still, he relished a challenge and the 10% increase to his intelligence was a good reward.

    Intelligence seemed to govern the amount of mana he had and that was his most important stat. Especially since he¡¯d created his sniper rifle.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t going to be a difficult quest. He had the perfect vantage point, the perfect weapon and a perfect view through the poorly designed windows which looked straight into the ballroom.

    He¡¯d laid atop the roof for hours. His whole body was numb from the cold, rainy weather. It didn¡¯t bother him much though. He¡¯d endured far worse back on Earth.

    He¡¯d watched the snooty nobles lounge around laughing pompously, drinking their expensive drinks, and wearing their expensive clothes. All whilst their citizens slaved away to make them money whilst starving and living in squalor.

    It was a truly detestable country. Not that he cared much about the suffering of others, or about politics. Still, he would have no remorse for the victim he was about to kill.

    It was almost time. As if right on schedule, the king made his grand entrance.

    Only four hours late to his own party. What a prick. Jack thought critically as he moved his scope over the chest of his target.

    The man was the personification of inbreeding. His jaw jutted out oddly, his forehead was too big and he wore a long fur cloak, dyed red, which trailed behind him.

    The impracticality alone was enough to send Jack into one of his famous rages. Though he was a professional and wouldn¡¯t allow his own emotions to impact his ability to complete a task.

    He took a deep breath, steadied his heartbeat, breathed out slightly. He¡¯d already taken the wind and bullet drop into account so he aimed slightly to the left and above his target.

    He called it bullet drop, but that wasn¡¯t really an accurate description. His rifle shot pure magic power.

    He used a skill to infuse his mana into the rifle and when the target finally stood still to address the crowd, he fired.

    The magic shot zoomed out of the rifle, almost silently, then it broke the sound barrier with a crack that echoed across the quiet noble district.

    It shattered the window and in less than a second he saw red mist in his scope as the king dropped to the ground, a gaping hole through his chest.

    I can hear the screams from here. He chuckled to himself as he pulled the sniper back into his inventory. It was time to go.

    Just as he was about to jump off the roof though, he found himself in a dark hall. Had he seriously been teleported again?

    He looked around, summoning his weapon once more. It wasn¡¯t designed for close quarters but a gun was still a gun.

    The hall had roman columns on either side and there seemed to be the shadow of a throne or maybe it was an altar.

    ¡°Put that away, I have no interest in harming you.¡± A powerful voice boomed through the hall.

    Jack squeezed the trigger but before he could fire off a shot the rifle disappeared.

    ¡°Fast reactions. I like it.¡± The voice chuckled.

    Suddenly the room lit up as braziers burst into flame on each column and Jack could finally see who was talking.

    Or more, what was talking.

    Sitting on a throne of bones was a hooded shadowy figure. It had no face, but its outline seemed humanoid. Looking into the space between its hood, Jack saw only the void.

    He trembled with fear, but also with a strange excitement. It had been years since he¡¯d felt emotion this powerful. It was a truly foreign feeling at this point.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± He demanded, curbing his emotions as he¡¯d been taught to do.

    ¡°I am the god Diako and I want you to join my organisation.¡± The shadow said in a terribly powerful and deep voice.

    ¡°And why exactly should I do that?¡± Jack responded brazenly.

    ¡°Because I can set you on a path to power beyond your wildest dreams. If you don¡¯t believe me, then perhaps let me show you what I mean.¡±

    A notification popped up on Jack¡¯s interface.

    Diako, The God of Shadows has offered you the following class:

    The Reaper (unique)

    Having made a name for yourself in the city state of Britania through murder most foul, the unique class The Reaper is open to you, and you alone.

    Selecting The Reaper class unlocks the following skills:

    Faceless man

    Silent shooting

    Basic weapon maintenance

    Selecting The Reaper class will award the following stat points per level:

    +10 perception / +10 intelligence

    Jack read through the class offered to him with bated breath. It seemed so powerful. He didn¡¯t know the specifics of the skills, but a unique class offered only to him. One that offered 20 stat points per level on top of the 5 free points he automatically knew he¡¯d gain.

    ¡°What is this?¡± He whispered.

    ¡°This, my child, is just the beginning.¡±

 Chapter 58 â€“ Pandas Are Not Aquatic Mammals

    ¡°If there are luxury yachts in this world then why does Sally fly around in a pirate ship?¡± I asked Panda as we sailed out from Havar harbour.

    He shrugged as he took another drag from his bamboo pipe. We leaned on the modern, metal railings gazing out at the beautiful turquoise ocean.

    Director Lucas had chartered a yacht for us to use in our scouting mission and it was awesome. It was a sleek, white vessel with its own bar and crew.

    I felt like a celebrity or an Instagram influencer or something. The comfort was a far cry from Sally¡¯s flying ship.

    Though to the best of my knowledge this yacht couldn¡¯t fly.

    It had barely been a day since my chat with Lucas. After leaving his office I¡¯d accepted the new quest and received my upgraded reward.

    Lucy had given me a little bag with 1500 gold coins in it. The reward had been tripled due to the slime queen¡¯s presence.

    Not that I was complaining.

    After another night in the inn we¡¯d packed up Panda¡¯s books, gotten him some more and picked up my bow from Wendy¡¯s. It was as good as new and I felt like I had a limb reattached upon receiving it.

    It was odd how fond of the weapon I¡¯d become. It was a bit like a safety blanket at this point, we had been through a lot together.

    I¡¯d picked up some more rations and potions whilst I was in the neighbourhood. A good adventurer is always prepared after all.

    As we sailed out to sea on the fancy yacht, it was hard to imagine all the blood and death that had surrounded me over the past month and a half.

    Havar was just so idyllic. I mean, the sea was turquoise for god¡¯s sake. It was just beautiful.

    It also dawned on me that I¡¯d been in this world for well over a month now. I wondered how my wife Layla was doing as my heart ached at the thought.

    Our child had probably been born by now. It was due a few weeks ago, assuming time moved at the same pace here as it did back home.

    I¡¯d missed it. One of the biggest moments in a person¡¯s life and I¡¯d been busy fighting slimes in a sewer instead.

    I didn¡¯t even know what gender it was. We¡¯d decided to wait and let it be a surprise. Layla could be old fashioned like that.

    I smiled sadly to myself as I thought of her. I wondered if she knew I¡¯d been taken somewhere against my will. Mostly, I just hoped that she didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run away.

    ¡°Downtime sucks.¡± I moaned, ¡°when are we gonna get to this island?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there, chill out kid.¡± Panda said from behind me.

    I realised that he wasn¡¯t standing next to me anymore. How long had I been lost in thought? I turned towards the sound of his voice.

    He was laying on a sun lounger with his pipe in one hand and a drink topped with one of those little umbrellas in the other.

    Where did he get sunglasses from?

    ¡°You don¡¯t waste any time.¡± I chuckled, strolling towards him, and pulling up a deck chair.

    I must have looked out of place in my full body armour set. I¡¯d need to invest in some more casual clothes for my days off once we got back. Maybe I could get Taylor to make me a Hawaiian shirt.

    ¡°Well you were staring off into space for like thirty minutes. What¡¯s a panda to do but have a drink and a smoke and enjoy the life of luxury?¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t get used to it. I¡¯m still pretty sure Lucas is just buttering me up for something.¡± I said darkly.

    I kind of liked the man and he had saved my life during the goblin king coronation quest. Still though, something about him didn¡¯t sit right with me. Especially after our meeting the previous day.

    I sat forward in my chair, pulling up the quest I¡¯d been given for the third time today.

    New Quest:

    I¡¯ve Been Expecting You, Mr Akabane

    A mysterious new structure has appeared on an uninhabited island just off the coast of Havar. I¡¯m getting some serious evil villain¡¯s lair vibes from this one.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    If there¡¯s a mountain shaped like a skull, you know what to do.

    Objectives:

    Kill all the inhabitants on the island 0/1

    Or

    Spare them and report your reasoning 0/1

    Or

    Investigate the island and report back 0/1

    Reward: 500 gold coins and admittance onto the next Adventurer exam.

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    It was the first time I¡¯d seen a quest that had multiple choice objectives. The easiest one would surely be to poke around a little and head back.

    Though I had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. I had no problem with killing the cultists, if that¡¯s what they actually were, and farming the experience. Of course that was dependant on their levels and how many of them there were.

    The objective that seemed the most peculiar to me though, was the option to spare them. Lucas had specifically told me that they were cultists.

    However, the quest itself made no mention of them. It was definitely weird.

    Either way, I had a feeling that this quest wasn¡¯t going to be as simple as the director had made it out to be. I felt like he was testing me. But what was he testing me on? It could be my judgement skills.

    Lucy had mentioned the star ratings and the increasing complexity of quests as one progressed through them. I guess they already knew how I fought from the first quest. I showed them I could work independently from the second.

    This third quest could be a judgemental test. Thinking about it so much was beginning to make my brain hurt.

    ¡°Hey, can I get one of those please?¡± I asked the bartender whilst pointing at Panda¡¯s drink.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it kid!¡± Panda said, raising his glass. ¡°And get me another whilst you¡¯re at it my good man.¡±

    The bartender was a quiet man. He was dressed in a clean, white uniform that looked very official.

    His name tag said Mark and he was a male catonid. His fur was also white and I¡¯d wondered if that was part of the reason he¡¯d got the job - so he matched the uniform.

    There was also a chef and the guy sailing the yacht on board. We hadn¡¯t met either of them yet and I wasn¡¯t even sure if we¡¯d have time for food before we reached the island.

    ¡°How much do you think Lucas spent chartering this ship for us?¡± I asked Panda whilst Mark began shaking drinks and throwing bottles around like the silent showman he was.

    ¡°Dunno, it¡¯s a luxury though so it probably wasn¡¯t cheap. My advice: don¡¯t look a gift yacht in the mouth kid. You can take that as my sagely wisdom for the day.¡± He chuckled as he put his empty glass down and moved his paw behind his head.

    He seemed to have no trouble playing the spoilt rich kid. I felt a tad uneasy though. I hadn¡¯t been on many holidays before. Luxury was practically an unknown quantity to my family.

    We¡¯d always been workers, drinkers and occasionally caravaners. I remembered driving up to the coast with my mum as a kid.

    We¡¯d rented a caravan for the weekend and I thought it was pretty cool. It was nothing compared to this though.

    Mark brought the drinks over and I thanked him. They were a rainbow of colours. Mine had a blue layer, a purple layer and was topped off with a red layer.

    It tasted amazing. I couldn¡¯t even begin to describe the flavours considering they were mostly new to me. But it was delightful.

    A few hours passed as we lounged around on the boat before the island finally came into view.

    It looked pretty small and was covered with tall trees. There was a beach at the front that looked deserted. Not far back from the treeline was a large wall that seemed to extend around the entire island.

    It was made of stone and had battlements dotted every few hundred meters or so.

    It reminded me of one of those old Spanish sea forts you¡¯d see in historic TV programmes. It looked pretty disused, but maybe that was because of how old it looked.

    ¡°Hey Mark, have you ever sailed out here before?¡± I asked the bartender who offered a single nod in reply. ¡°Has that fort always been there?¡± He shook his head.

    That was odd. Why would someone erect an old looking fort on a small island.

    I guess it was my job to find out exactly that. I watched the fort as we edged closer to the island. I couldn¡¯t see any sign of movement at all.

    It looked abandoned, which was a tad unsettling in my opinion.

    ¡°Hey kid, I was thinking. You can just leave me here whilst you do your thing. I¡¯m not really cut out for spooky fort exploration if you catch my drift.¡± Panda said, sitting up slightly in his chair and eying the island suspiciously.

    ¡°Oh no, not this time. I left you behind when I went into the sewer but this is different.¡± I replied. ¡°Two pairs of eyes are better than one and who knows what we¡¯ll find out there.¡±

    He opened his mouth as if to protest but thought better of it as he sighed and grumbled slightly. I knew he was no good in a fight but I might need him for something non-combat related.

    Besides, why should he get to stay on the boat whilst I did all the work?

    The yacht began slowing down and pulled up close to the island.

    ¡°Is it safe to leave the ship here?¡± I asked Mark. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little obvious?¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°Thanks for your help Mark, it¡¯s always a pleasure chatting with you.¡± I said as I rose from my deck chair and moved to the railings.

    ¡°Mr Akabane?¡± A new voice shouted from the top deck. I looked up to see a human in a similar uniform to the bar tender, except he was wearing a white captain¡¯s hat with golden inlays and a black peak.

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re our mysterious captain?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Captain Ronnald at your service. I just wanted to inform you that I¡¯ve engaged the cloaking device so you don¡¯t need to worry about us being detected.

    ¡°Just try to remember where we¡¯re moored when you¡¯re heading back.¡±

    A cloaking device, of course. Why didn¡¯t I think of that.

    ¡°Thanks for the heads up. I guess we¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    ¡°Good luck.¡± He replied cheerily before disappearing.

    ¡°How would a cloaking device even work.¡± I muttered to myself.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a magic circle that¡¯s been permanently etched into the deck somewhere.¡± Panda replied absently.

    ¡°Makes sense I guess, about as much as anything does in Celestia. This is why I wanted to bring you along.¡± I smiled evilly at him.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ so how are we getting to the island? I don¡¯t see any dinghies.¡± He asked anxiously, shooting me a fearful look.

    ¡°Oh, I have an idea.¡± I replied, continuing to flash him my evil smile as I moved towards him.

    ¡°What are you doing kid, you¡¯re being weird.¡±

    I bent down quickly and scooped him up as he wriggled to get free.

    ¡°Kaleb don¡¯t you dare! Pandas are not aquatic mammals!¡±

    I jumped over the edge of the yacht as Panda screamed in a high-pitched voice.

 Chapter 59 â€“ Athenile 347-35

    With Panda clinging to my neck for dear life, I swam to shore. We weren¡¯t very far away and with my increased strength stat it turned out that I could swim pretty damned fast.

    We reached the shore in only a minute or two and I walked out of the water and resummoned my armour. Naturally I¡¯d unequipped it as I dived off the boat.

    Panda fell from my back as we reached dry land and started hacking up water. His fur was a mess, all puffed out and standing erect in flurry tufts.

    It was quite the sight.

    ¡°I¡­ hate¡­ you.¡± He said between spluttering.

    I chuckled and surveyed our landing zone. We were on a golden, sandy beach. The kind that lacked seaweed or pebbles or¡­ well anything other than sand.

    I was pretty sure that back on Earth people had to clean beaches to get them to look this nice. I wondered if it was just a natural phenomenon of this world.

    Barely a few dozen feet away, the beach gave way to clusters of tall trees. The trees themselves were fairly barren.

    They didn¡¯t seem to have any leaves or branches apart from right at the top. I hadn¡¯t seen trees like this before back home.

    They looked a little out of place compared to the rest of the scenery.

    Behind them was the fortress wall. A stone behemoth that completely blocked my view and stretched as far as I could see.

    ¡°I need a better view.¡± I murmured to myself thoughtfully. Panda was still puking up sea water on all fours.

    I wondered if I could climb one of the trees somehow. They seemed to be taller than the wall. I¡¯d climbed some of the smaller trees that grew near our house when I was a kid.

    With my new super strength I was certain I could climb these ones too.

    I walked towards the closest tree and tried to wrap my arms and legs around it. The idea being to shimmy up it. However, the trees had a rather large circumference and they felt kinda slippery.

    That¡¯s when I had a lightbulb moment. I equipped my two new daggers, reached up, and stabbed the first one to the bark.

    It held and when I put my weight onto it, it barely budged. That should do the trick. I got the idea from an artic survival show I¡¯d watched once where they used pickaxes to climb ice cliffs.

    Using a similar method I began climbing the tree. The ascent was pretty effortless and I soon found myself near the top.

    At the top of the tree there were still only a few branches, but they were quite thick. I swung my leg up and over one and hoisted myself onto it. I was sure my agility stat had come in handy for that manoeuvre.

    I shimmied along the edge a bit until I cleared the foliage that was blocking my vision. From there I got a relatively unobstructed view beyond the wall.

    From my vantage point I could see most of the island. The large stone wall seemed to be built in a circle the entire way around.

    The area near the wall itself was pretty barren, but there seemed to be some kind of village in the middle.

    I used the Sniper skill that came with my bow to zoom in. It was pretty powerful, essentially giving my eyes the ability of high-powered binoculars.

    I saw a slew of small buildings surrounding a large stone castle.

    The buildings were made of wood and some of them had smoke coming out of their stone chimneys. There was definitely something living there.

    It was a little harder to tell with the castle. The strangest thing about it was the perpetual black cloud that sat above it. The rest of the sky was cloudless with a lovely summer heat beating down.

    However, a dark black cloud hung over the small castle structure.

    It was like something from a fairy tale.

    I watched for a little while but couldn¡¯t see any people or creatures. There were definite signs of life though. I¡¯d have to get closer to find out more.

    I climbed back down the tree using the same method I¡¯d used to climb up. Panda was sat near the bottom, wringing out clumps of wet fur and grumbling to himself.

    ¡°We¡¯re making a boat for the return trip.¡± He muttered as I approached him. ¡°Well, what did you find out?¡±

    ¡°The wall covers the island like we thought and there¡¯s a small village in the middle. It¡¯s got a weird castle with a cloud over it in the centre.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Sounds like a curse or magic of some kind. Did you see any cultists?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t see anyone actually, but there were signs of life.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I take it this means we have to go there then?¡± He sighed, pulling out his bamboo pipe and taking a few drags in quick succession.

    ¡°I guess so.¡± I said in a much chirpier tone.

    I was actually quite enjoying this quest so far. Now we¡¯d arrived I felt like a real adventurer. You know, the kind that actually goes on adventures and explores the unknown instead of just exterminating monsters all the time.

    I was like Indian Jones and Panda was my Short Round.

    I scooped Panda up and had him hold onto my back whilst I used my daggers to scale the stone wall. It was a lot more effort to force my dagger through the stone than it was with the wood.

    Though thanks to my strength stat I still managed it. It didn¡¯t take long to climb up and over it.

    We stood in a barren wasteland of ploughed mud. It could have been farmland, but I honestly wasn¡¯t too sure what could grow here. Potatoes maybe? Does Celestia even have potatoes?

    The village was a straight walk from the wall and it didn¡¯t look too far away. It wasn¡¯t very large but had enough buildings to warrant a population of a few hundred people.

    Which made it even stranger that I couldn¡¯t see anyone, even now. I walked with my Sniper skill active, just in case.

    I was hoping to gain some kind of idea of who lived there before we arrived. But alas, after about forty minutes of walking, we reached the village without spotting a single person.

    ¡°Are you sure this place isn¡¯t abandoned?¡± Panda said as we passed by the first building.

    It didn¡¯t look abandoned to me. None of the wooden buildings were in disrepair and there was smoke coming from a few of them.

    It was almost like everyone had just disappeared, and not so long ago.

    ¡°It looks lived in.¡± I replied thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe we should look inside a house?¡±

    I knew it was rude to just let yourself into someone¡¯s home, but I needed to gather information for part of the quest.

    I turned towards the closest house. It was a small single-story hovel really. It had a smoking stone chimney, but the rest of the house was made from wooden logs.

    It had a rustic, log cabin-in-the-woods vibe. I actually kind of liked it.

    I knocked on the thick oval door. We waited about a minute but no one answered so I pushed and the door swung open.

    ¡°Leaving your door unlocked is a bit of a safety concern.¡± Panda pointed out as we entered.

    The house consisted of a single room. It had a few tattered beds on the back wall, an old looking carpet, and a blackened pot simmering on the fireplace.

    That would explain the smoke. I thought as I moved towards the cooking pot.

    There was something bubbling in it. It smelled pretty good too.

    ¡°This is weird.¡± I said as Panda dipped his paw in and licked it.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t taste weird. It¡¯s actually pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Not the food. I mean this situation. Who leaves food cooking unattended like that? And why would they leave the house without locking the door?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s a safe community and the pot is on a slow cook?¡± He replied, dipping his paw back in for some more stew.

    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Let¡¯s explore the village some more¡­ and stop eating their food.¡± I said, slapping his paw away before he could have a third taste.

    We left the small house and continued walking towards the centre of the village. The roads, if you could even call them that, were well travelled.

    There were fresh-looking footprints on the ground too. Now I was no tracker, but even I could tell that something was seriously wrong with this scene.

    It was so eerily quiet as we walked through the village streets. It was like we¡¯d entered a ghost town. I half expected a tumbleweed to come gliding across the intersection ahead of us.

    After a short while of walking we came across a large wooden structure. It was also a single story, but it was three times the size of the other houses.

    A town hall maybe? I thought as we approached.

    This building didn¡¯t seem to have a chimney, but there were plenty of footprints in the muddy street outside its door.

    I pushed it open and we walked inside.

    The interior was once again a single room, but this one was much larger. It had long rows of benches laid out with a podium at the far end.

    It was like a primitive church or a meeting place of some kind. It was deserted just like the rest of town. However, there was a thick, leatherbound book left open on the podium itself.

    I walked towards it and realised that I could read the language. My Speak English Damnit! Skill was so useful. I mentally thanked the system as I skimmed through the page it was open to.

    Meeting Notes:

    Athenile 347-35

    Agenda:

    <ul>

    <li>Discuss the castle that appeared in town.</li>

    <li>Plan the harvest market.</li>

    <li>Open discussion to the floor.</li>

    </ul>

    It was a pretty simple agenda for a village meeting. Though it confirmed one thing. The castle wasn¡¯t normally part of the village.

    It seemed that it had just appeared for some reason. I wondered why. Perhaps that had something to do with the missing villagers.

    Also, there was something else.

    ¡°Panda, what does Athenile 347-35 mean?¡± I asked, struggling to pronounce the foreign word.

    It had been translated into a familiar alphabet, but I had no idea what the word meant. Therefore, it must have been something specific to this world. Something that couldn¡¯t be translated into English.

    ¡°It¡¯s a date. Yesterday¡¯s date to be exact. It seems that this village follows the Athena calendar.¡± He mused, waddling towards me, and taking a look at the book for himself.

    ¡°The Athena calendar?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s one of the major gods in Celestia. She¡¯s quite popular. Major gods like her sometimes have their own calendars. It can get a little complicated honestly.

    ¡°Though the only real difference is the name that appears before the number. The numbers pretty much always coincide.¡± He answered absently as he flicked through the book.

    ¡°I think Chrysus mentioned her before you know.¡± I said, racking my brain to try and remember. I knew she was a Greek god back in my world but I doubted there was any correlation.

    Though if there was. Did that mean some ancient Greek¡¯s had been isekai¡¯d here once before and managed to get home?

    It stood to reason that they¡¯d bring their religion back with them if they¡¯d been in Celestia a while. If that was the case maybe I could bring Layla here one day.

    Of course, that was all just postulation. If I really wanted to know I¡¯d have to try and talk to this Athena myself.

    CRASH.

    My head snapped towards the door as I heard a loud crashing sound outside. It seemed someone was here after all.

 Chapter 60 â€“ Your Name Is Literally Your Species

    I heard a loud crash from outside the building and my neck snapped towards the door.

    Someone¡¯s here. I thought, summoning my bow, and walking steadily towards the door.

    Panda followed at my heels as I nocked an arrow and stepped deliberately into the doorway. I checked up and down the street but there was nothing there.

    The village looked just as deserted as it had before.

    ¡°Look kid, there¡¯s a broken barrel over there.¡± Panda said pointing towards the remains of a wooden water barrel.

    It was barely a few feet away from our position. Whoever broke it must have been watching us. If I wanted to find out who they were I¡¯d have to take a chance.

    ¡°Show yourself. We won¡¯t hurt you.¡± I announced loudly, stepping out into the street and unequipping my bow.

    I moved my hands out to the side, showing my palms in the least threatening pose I could think of. This also served a second purpose.

    If someone attacked I could easily summon both daggers and enter melee with little effort on my part. Of course, archery was what I was best at, but I didn¡¯t feel comfortable enough to leave myself entirely defenceless.

    I waited a few moments as Panda clung to the door frame, watching from relative safety.

    I heard a few light footsteps and turned towards an alleyway between two houses opposite the meeting hall we¡¯d just been in.

    What looked like a child, took a nervous step out of the shadows towards me.

    She looked terrified, moreover, she was a creature I¡¯d never seen before.

    She was small in stature, wearing a brown garment that almost looked like a kimono. Her hair was wild and forest green, it seemed to defy gravity as it floated ominously around her. Her skin was the colour, and seemingly the texture, of bark.

    I focused on her and a notification popped up.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Dryad

    The Dryad are a peaceful, minority race. They are often found in remote forest locations, which makes sense since they¡¯re basically just evolved trees.

    You know those huge oak trees you¡¯d see back on Earth that are hundreds of years old? Well, once a tree reaches its thousandth year it often transforms into a Dryad.

    When caring for your Dryad please remember to water it and give it lots of sunlight.

    Also, these guys are technically vegan since they mostly feed through photosynthesis. However, unlike the vegans of your world, they won¡¯t mention it at every opportunity.

    If you hear them say I am Groot, run.

    A Dryad. I think I¡¯ve heard of them before in fantasy books. It¡¯s not a race I¡¯m super familiar with though they sound pretty harmless. I thought, pushing my hood back and revealing my face.

    I barely even registered the Marvel reference. I must have been growing used to the system¡¯s quirky personality.

    I must have looked like a monk with the slight stubble I had growing on my head. Either that or a neo-Nazi, God I hoped the people of this world didn¡¯t have them. It¡¯s definitely not the vibe I was going for.

    ¡°Hi, my name is Kaleb and I¡¯m an adventurer.¡± I said softly, crouching down in an attempt to seem less intimidating.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re trying to get a cat to come to you.¡± Panda snickered, finally coming out from his hiding place behind the door. ¡°Try making a puss-puss sound.¡±

    ¡°Will you knock it off.¡± I said irritably.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one acting like she¡¯s some lost pet. She¡¯s a dryad, they¡¯re pretty fucking intelligent.¡±

    ¡°Watch your language!¡± I admonished. ¡°She¡¯s only a child.

    ¡°Yeah, because a few naughty words are so bad when she lives in a world with killer monsters. Grow up Kaleb.¡±

    I heard a jingling sound that kind of reminded me of laughter and we stopped bickering to turn back to the dryad child.

    She smiled and opened her mouth as if she was giggling, but the sound was more like little bells jingling in the wind.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    She began walking towards us, still with an air of timidity, but much less frightened than before.

    ¡°You¡¯re funny mister.¡± She said in a voice that somehow also sounded like bells jingling in the wind.

    ¡°Sorry about that, my friend here really knows how to pick his moments.¡± I sighed, returning her smile. ¡°His name is Panda.¡±

    ¡°I am Treena.¡± She replied to Panda¡¯s immediate and raucous laughter.

    ¡°She¡¯s a dryad and she¡¯s got the word tree in her name. I can¡¯t breathe.¡± He said through gasps of air as he clutched his stomach.

    ¡°Your name is literally your species. Do you really have any room to talk?¡± I replied, shooting him a stern glance.

    Treena laughed again with the sound of tiny, tinkling bells.

    ¡°Shall we talk inside?¡± I asked her softly.

    She nodded and made an ¡°mm¡± sound, then she walked past me towards the meeting hall and Panda and I followed.

    Inside the hall I took a seat on a bench opposite her. She sat with childish abandon, leaning back on her hands, and kicking her little legs as she looked at me through big round eyes.

    ¡°Treena, can you tell us a little bit about this place? We were sent here because the big stone walls suddenly appeared. We were asked to investigate.¡±

    I purposely neglected to tell her that the Adventure Society thought it was a cultist stronghold and we were supposed to kill everyone we found.

    ¡°The wall came with the cloud castle which took my mummy and daddy.¡± She replied.

    ¡°How did the castle take them?¡± I asked softly.

    ¡°The elder went into the castle and then there was this big light and everyone disappeared.¡±

    So a strange castle and old fort walls appeared suddenly and as soon as someone went to have a look inside a light spread out and they all disappeared.

    Yup, sounds like something magical alright. Not sure a guy with no mana is the best guy for the job. I thought, sighing internally.

    ¡°Do you know anything else about the castle?¡±

    She looked at me quizzically for a moment and touched her index finger to her lips.

    ¡°Um¡­ I know how to open the door. I could take you if you want?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure that taking a child into a potentially dangerous magic castle that made people disappear was a responsible idea, but I didn¡¯t have much else to go on.

    ¡°Ok, but you have to do everything I say once we¡¯re there and if anything attacks us I want you to run straight back here and lock the door ok?¡±

    It was the best compromise I could think of. I needed to get inside the castle but I didn¡¯t want her to get hurt.

    ¡°Ok.¡± She said chirpily, hopping down from the bench and walking towards the door.

    I got up and followed her, taking care to avoid stepping on the muddy footprints Panda and I had left.

    She led us a few streets over and as we rounded a building it appeared.

    A small stone castle, sitting in the middle of the village centre. It looked more like a single battlement tower than a castle per se. Its architecture definitely clashed with the rustic wooden hovels that made up the rest of the dryad village.

    It was surrounded by a waterless moat. So basically a pit that surrounded the stone tower castle. There was a single rope bridge leading to it.

    I looked up at the angry black cloud that hovered above the castle. I wondered what that was all about. I bet it had something to do with magic.

    ¡°Kaleb, this castle has a strange magic aura. It¡¯s hard to explain but my mana senses are telling me that it¡¯s not really here.¡± Panda said, tugging on my leg to get my attention.

    Treena seemed much more at ease since our initial meeting. She ran across the rope bridge, flapping her arms without a care in the world.

    ¡°Please be careful¡± I shouted after her as we followed at a more considered and cautious pace.

    The bridge creaked as we crossed it, it certainly felt real to me.

    As we reached the other side I breathed out a sigh of relief. I¡¯d looked over the side of the rope bridge as we crossed and the moat chasm seemed to drop into the very depths of hell itself.

    I couldn¡¯t even see the bottom. A fall like that would have been the end of me.

    On the other side of the bridge we caught up to Treena who bounced up and down on the balls of her feet as she waited.

    Behind her was a large wooden door with metal bolts around the frame, and no handle.

    ¡°So, how do we open it Treena?¡± I asked nicely.

    ¡°You have to give it the password, but it¡¯s spoken in ancient orcish so you won¡¯t be able to do it. I know the words though.¡± She practically sang towards the end of the sentence.

    ¡°Orcish? Ok, can you open it for us then.¡±

    She nodded and opened her mouth. A horrid noise that sounded like a series of harsh pig squeals came out. It was a far cry from the sound of tiny bells.

    I certainly didn¡¯t expect to see a dryad perform black metal today. I thought as she screamed.

    I had to cover my ears, it literally hurt to listen to the noise. It was so loud.

    As she finished the door creaked for a moment before falling inwards with a loud, echoed crash. It fell like a drawbridge, definitely not how doors were usually designed to open.

    The inside was pitch black. Luckily I had just the item to light the way. I summoned the Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy out of my inventory and held it out in front of us.

    The torch cut through the darkness like a blade, casting eerie shadows up and down the stone walls. The castle itself looked more like a museum though, as I stepped inside.

    It was a circular room with a winding, stone spiral staircase skirting the wall. Around the base of the wall was a bunch of glass cases.

    I moved towards the first one and brushed the dust away as it swirled in a cyclone, catching in a ray of light. Inside there was a collection of Spanish looking armour.

    Namely, one of those helmets they wore in the 1600¡¯s that curved funnily. It seemed pretty out of place in Celestia.

    ¡°What is all this stuff?¡± I muttered to myself as I moved from case to case finding more armour and some rusted old swords and a polearm.

    ¡°It¡¯s from the war.¡± Treena answered darkly.

    ¡°What war?¡± I asked, turning towards her. Her childish attitude seemed to have vanished as she stared up at me with a thousand-yard stare. I got a sinking feeling at the sudden change in her demeanour.

    ¡°The war with the Orcs.¡± She replied solemnly. ¡°It was a long time ago. That book can tell you more.¡± She pointed towards a podium in the middle of the room.

    I looked towards it and saw a large black book, similar to the one in the village hall.

    Unlike the weapons and armour, it looked brand new. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust on it.

    ¡°Kaleb, maybe take a minute before you open that. Its mana is off the charts.¡± Panda said shakily from beside me.

    I barely heard him as I looked towards it, mesmerized. It felt like it was calling to me. I walked towards it slowly, unable to control my body as my mind felt fuzzy.

    ¡°Forgive me brave adventurer. I¡¯ll be praying for your success.¡± Treena said gravely from somewhere behind me.

    I barely registered her words. My mind was focused on the book. I¡¯d never wanted anything else as much as I wanted to read that book.

    My mind and body were overcome with an overwhelming desire as I closed in on it, dropping the torch to the ground.

    I placed both hands on the book and heard it whisper to me. The words weren¡¯t words as such, but I could tell. It wanted me to open it and I wanted nothing more than to obey.

    Carefully I opened the first page and was blinded by an all-encompassing flash of light.

 Chapter 61 â€“ The Axe Came Down

    The light disappeared in a flash less than a second after I¡¯d opened the book. I slammed it shut and took a step back.

    ¡°Well that was anti-climactic.¡± Panda said, relighting his bamboo pipe.

    I turned around to see that we were still in the same room, nothing looked any different. What was that light?

    ¡°Hey Treena, what did that book even do?¡± I asked, wandering absently towards another weapons case.

    There was no response.

    I turned towards the door but she was no longer there. Then I heard the screams.

    From outside a shrill scream echoed across the stone walls of the castle. There were quieter screams as well in the background, the clash of iron and the faint smell of burning wood joined them.

    What the hell? I thought, rushing towards the fallen door.

    Hell was right.

    The ghost town we¡¯d walked through was alive with the sound of violence. Houses were set ablaze and a thick, black smog filled the sky around us.

    The smoke stung my eyes, it was so thick I could taste it. Worse though, was the stench of death and an aura so fearsome it made my eyes water ¨C though I guess that could have also been caused by the thick smoke.

    Treena ran across the bridge wailing. Her voice no longer sounded like tinkling bells. It was a guttural, erratic wail.

    ¡°Treena, wait!¡± I cried, rushing towards her.

    My heart skipped a beat as she ran recklessly into the fray. Battle raged all around her as tusked creatures in full plate armour cut down fleeing dryads.

    A notification appeared on my HUD.

    New Quest:

    Nobody Expects the Orcish Inquisition

    What the shit?

    Objectives:

    Follow Treena 0/1

    Rewards: There¡¯s no time for that now! Catch her!

    It seemed that the system was as confused as I was. Well, either that or it was messing with me. It didn¡¯t really matter either way.

    I was planning on catching Treena anyway. There was no way I was going to leave a child to wander a warzone. Though first I¡¯d have to clear a path.

    I summoned my bow and used Soul Shot against the nearest creature. It was a large, bipedal boar wearing full plate armour and a morion helmet. The helmet itself reminded me of a deep bedpan with a ridge on the top.

    My arrow smashed through the plate armour and the bipedal boar turned towards me. It looked pissed.

    It snorted and glared at me for a moment before charging towards me. I panic fired a second arrow that bounced off the armour harmlessly.

    Crap, I need Soul Shot to pierce it.

    I didn¡¯t have time to channel the skill a second time before the boar reached me. I nocked another arrow and pulled back the string.

    I held off firing for an extra half second. The boar skidded to a halt before me and raised a double-sided axe above its head.

    Then I fired.

    From point blank range I shot the arrow through the boar¡¯s eye. It squealed, and I mean that literally considering it was a huge pig.

    I pulled my bow back into my inventory and swapped it for my new daggers. I stabbed one of them into the other eyeball and yanked downwards.

    Then I pierced the pig¡¯s gullet with my second dagger and ripped it across its throat. Blood sprayed out like a water hose and splattered my face and eyes.

    The boar dropped to the floor with a clank, gagging slightly and clutching at its torn neck. It let out a long, horrifying gasp and then it was still.

    ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡± I muttered to myself, focusing on its corpse.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Conquista-Orc

    A foot solider in the Orcish Inquisition, the Conquista-Orc is a fierce fighter. What they lack in brain power, they make up for with strength and tenacity.

    They are trained from birth for a single purpose: to stamp out heresy.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    They are most well known for their war with the Dryads. When I say well know, I mean infamous. They committed numerous atrocities all over the world as they rooted out and slaughtered thousands of Dryads ¨C a task they took to like a pig in muck.

    ¡°I wish they¡¯d leaf those poor dryads alone.¡± Panda said as he tiptoed across the bridge behind me.

    ¡°Not the time.¡± I growled.

    ¡°But the system gets to do it.¡± He protested in a whiny, child-like tone.

    I ignored him.

    Treena had already disappeared into the suffocating smoke. She couldn¡¯t have gotten too far though, and I was pretty sure I knew where she was going.

    I¡¯d told her to run back to the meeting hall if there was trouble. I was willing to bet that¡¯s where she¡¯d be.

    I¡¯d told her to do that. Those were my words. My orders caused her to run headlong into this nightmare. I had to find her.

    I raced into the smoke, not even stopping to loot my kill. As I ran, I pulled my hood back up. It hid my aura, and though I wasn¡¯t certain what that meant, it might be enough to keep attention off me.

    Just in case I tried to activate the new armour set effect which made me invisible for a time dictated by my intelligence stat.

    I felt strange for a few seconds and then the feeling disappeared. I wondered if a few seconds was the extent of my ability at the moment.

    It would make sense considering my lacking points in the intelligence skill. I didn¡¯t have time to properly think about it though as I ran past screaming dryads and murderous orcs clashing in the street.

    I didn¡¯t like the idea of leaving the dryads to face the Conquista-Orcs alone, but at least they were adults. Treena was a child. Defenceless and afraid.

    It was difficult trying to run through the all-encompassing black smoke. My eyes stung and watered and my throat was on fire.

    I fought for breath with every step. Worse, my vision was so severely impaired that I risked bumping into someone with every step.

    The battle raged around me. Iron clashed, civilians screamed and cried and through it all I heard snorting laughs.

    Those sadistic swine. They¡¯re actually enjoying this. I thought, clenching my teeth as I ran towards the hall.

    I wanted nothing more than to cut them to shreds. A ball of rage deep in my gut told me to join the fray, that I could somehow turn the tide on the pig bastards.

    I knew that wasn¡¯t true. There were too many of them and they were strong. Even with my acid arrows and daggers the last one still took effort to kill.

    I wasn¡¯t certain of my chances against more than one at once.

    No, I just needed to save one person: Treena.

    I could figure out a plan after I got her to safety. Maybe I could climb onto a house and provide covering fire. I was an archer after all.

    If I wanted to dance around the battlefield I¡¯d have picked a sword. My daggers were a backup option, not my main weapon, even if slicing at these fucks up close and personal would be more satisfying.

    I raced down the street, dodging stray axe swings and trying to drown out the terrified and pained screams from the villagers.

    The shadow of a large building began to take shape through the smoke, a looming beacon of despair.

    I reached the door and crashed through it. Treena had to be inside, she just had to be.

    This was our meeting place. I just hoped it wasn¡¯t too¡­

    I hit my shin on a bench and stumbled over it.

    ¡°No please!¡± Treena breathed, hopelessly.

    I looked up, thankful that she was there, until I saw the horrific scene playing out in front of me.

    A monstrous orc stood in front of the platform at the back of the hall. It was twice as tall as the orc I¡¯d killed, and much wider.

    It held an oversized, two-headed axe above its head and sneered as it looked down its snout at the glowing woman kneeling in front of it.

    She was a stunning dryad with bark-like skin and flowing green hair, just like Treena¡¯s. Something about her gave me a warm feeling, it was comforting, like everything was going to be ok.

    She glanced towards Treena and smiled as the orc brought his axe down, cracking her head like an egg. Her brain fluid flowed from the wound like a runny, bloody yolk.

    ¡°NO!¡± Treena screamed.

    The woman¡¯s body stayed upright for a moment before faceplanting the floor at the orc¡¯s feet. Next to her laid a headless man.

    As she hit the floor the ephemeral green glow that surrounded her flickered out and the warmth I¡¯d felt was gone.

    The orc tipped its head back and laughed heartily. One of its tusks was missing and a nasty scar bisected its left eye.

    Treena staggered towards the woman. Her shoulders slumped and her hair dropped, its gravity defying mysticism gone. She dropped to her knees and patted the woman¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Mommy¡­ wake up.¡± She said softly as she patted her again. ¡°Mommy please.¡± She patted her a little harder this time and the body shook slightly.

    I could barely watch, yet I couldn¡¯t turn away. My eyes blurred and burned and I wiped them with the back of my hand.

    The room flashed and flickered and I saw visions from the horrible nightmare I¡¯d had during the goblin king coronation.

    The scene flickered between Treena hopelessly trying to rouse her mother and Laya laying there instead with a spear through her gut as Treena tried to wake her.

    I didn¡¯t know what was happening. I felt sick and angry. Why was this happening?

    ¡°Mum¡­ please don¡¯t leave me.¡± Treena whimpered as she devolved into violently shaking the corpse of her mother.

    Of course nothing happened. Her head had split open, she was gone, she was just¡­ gone. Layla was just¡­ gone her stomach torn open by the spear resting inside it.

    I wanted to go to Treena, to hold her and let her know that she wasn¡¯t alone.

    I wanted to¡­ help. But I couldn¡¯t move. I was glued to the spot, my legs refused to listen to me as I watched helplessly from the sidelines: a helpless spectator to her tragedy.

    To my tragedy. My wife, my poor Layla.

    She stopped speaking and her head fell onto her mother¡¯s back. She shook silently, her slight frame bobbing up and down, a branch adrift on a stormy sea.

    The orc was still laughing, towering above Treena and her mother. It¡¯d scarcely seemed to notice that she was even there. Spittle flew from its mouth as the oversized axe dripped blood from over his shoulder.

    I wanted to be angry as I watched the scene before me. I wanted to feel the rage like I knew I should, shoot the orc in its dumb face and take revenge for the orphan it had created.

    I wanted to do this, but I felt cold. My body was numb and I stared ahead emptily as Treena sobbed frantically into her mother¡¯s still warm corpse.

    Or was it Layla¡¯s? I couldn¡¯t tell anymore as the flickering images distorted my mind. I didn¡¯t know what was real anymore.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry little one.¡± The orc said, ceasing its laughter. It sounded almost¡­ kind. ¡°Your mother was a heretic. I have saved her from the wrath of God. Now she can rest in the afterlife. It is a mercy.¡±

    His voice was gruff yet sincere, but his eyes told another story. They were cold, heartless as they looked at the grieving child.

    The anger I¡¯d wanted so badly to feel started to bubble as I clenched my bow and summoned an arrow into my hand.

    My frozen body began to thaw ever so slightly as I gazed into the uncaring eyes that hid behind that faux empathy.

    Treena didn¡¯t react. She laid there, sobbing silently as her own green glow dimmed slightly.

    ¡°Do you not hear me little one? Cease your tears.¡± It said a little less softly this time.

    As I glared at the orc¡¯s eyes, it almost looked confused. Like it couldn¡¯t comprehend the sadness of the child before it. Did it really not understand the tragedy playing out in front of us? Could It not empathise with a child grieving over the murder of her mother?

    Its face contorted as Treena continued to ignore it.

    ¡°This is pathetic. I have had enough.¡± He said coldly in a soft but stern gruff.

    It raised its axe slowly above its head and I tried to dash towards it. My legs wouldn¡¯t listen. My body was frozen. I strained as I tried to reach her.

    I pulled with every fibre of my being but I was frozen to the spot. My body simply wouldn¡¯t listen to me no matter how much I struggled against it.

    Was this magic or was something wrong with me? I¡¯d heard of people freezing from trauma but I¡¯d always assumed that was their brains not processing what was happening.

    Though that could be the case. I couldn¡¯t even tell if the corpse before me belonged to Treena¡¯s mother or my wife. I was confused, sad, and rooted to the spot.

    Despite all that, my brain knew exactly what it wanted to do. I had to do something. I couldn¡¯t watch this. I couldn¡¯t let this happen. I dug deep, using every fibre of my being and with consorted effort I managed to move my mouth.

    ¡°Treena move!¡± I cried.

    The axe came down.

 Chapter 62 â€“ My Turn Bitch

    It seemed to happen in slow motion before me. Treena laid on top of her mother¡¯s body, trembling as it flashed back and forth between her and my wife Layla.

    The orc snarled as froth sprayed from the side of his mouth with the broken tusk.

    I heard a voice shouting for Treena to move. I knew it was my own, but it sounded like the voice of another man. It was almost as if I was experiencing it from across the room.

    The oversized, double-sided axe arced through the air towards her. I tried desperately to move. If I could just get to her. If I could just save her.

    But I couldn¡¯t move. My body was obstinate in its refusal to obey me. I felt so powerless as I watched the scene from the worst seat in the house.

    I felt hopeless as the axe travelled through the air, inching closer to the small and frail child before me. She was defenceless, she was in pain and there was nothing I could do to help.

    I was forced to watched as the axe moved at an agonisingly slow rate, yet I never gave up.

    Despite my uncooperating body, I pushed with all my mental might. I would move. I had to move.

    I had to save her, because if I couldn¡¯t protect her right here and now, how would I ever be able to trust myself to protect my own child in the future?

    I had to avenge Layla.

    My brain stopped for a moment, like a mental blink as that thought reverberated around my skull.

    Protect her? Isn¡¯t she still on earth?

    Then time sped back up.

    The axe sliced into Treena¡¯s neck and within a fraction of a second she was gone. Her head rolled down the side of her mother¡¯s torso, stopping upright and facing me.

    Her eyes held a lingering sadness. They were puffy and red and they looked straight into mine and said: ¡°how could you let this happen? You said you¡¯d protect me.¡±

    The accusatory glare was right and that truth hit me like a truck. My heart pounded, I couldn¡¯t catch my breath and my stomach twisted with the knot of self-loathing.

    Blood gushed from her little body like a fountain. It ran down her mother¡¯s back like a rushing river.

    And then the light went out.

    Those eyes that had been so full of life, joy, childish wonder and in the end, sadness, turned to glass.

    I dropped to my knees and stared open mouthed, unable to comprehend what had happened. Unable to live with my failure as an adventurer, as a human being, as a soon-to-be father.

    My brain simply wouldn¡¯t function properly as I struggled to comprehend the scene. Had I just witnessed the tragedy of Treena losing her mother and then her own life. Or was it Layla that had been laying there on the ground.

    What was happening to me? Why wasn¡¯t my mind able to tell the difference. It didn¡¯t make sense. It was¡­ painful.

    I couldn¡¯t tell if time had slowed down again or if my thoughts were just racing too thick and fast to process properly. As I stared at the dead child in front of me, I felt like¡­

    The orc let out a bemused snort.

    ¡°Tiny heretic.¡± It spat, the phlegm landing on her face.

    And that was when the damn finally broke. The floodgates opened and my despair was consumed by a burning, pulsing rage.

    It shot up from the pit of my stomach like an erupting volcano and my vision turned a deep crimson.

    I felt numb, I couldn¡¯t feel my fingers as I summoned my daggers and charged.

    Crashing into the Orc was like hitting a brick wall as he looked down at me like I was an annoying fly buzzing around him.

    A bemused expression twinged on his lips, an expression that didn¡¯t reach his hateful eyes. I arced my left arm around in a bladed hook and slashed at his naval.

    It barely left a scratch.

    His skin was so tough and had I been in my right mind I would have disengaged and found a smarter approach. Instead I continued slashing. I slashed and stabbed like a man possessed. I gritted my teeth so hard I felt a tooth crack.

    I didn¡¯t feel the pain though, just a numb sensation of cracking enamel in my mouth.

    The Orc laughed at my futile attempt to harm him as my daggers bounced off his skin in quick succession. His laugher stoked the flame of my rage and I stopped my futile assault.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I glared up at him, seething.

    ¡°Puny human.¡± He chortled, tipping his head back.

    We¡¯ll see. I thought as I saw myself ripping him apart in my mind¡¯s eyes.

    The image was so overwhelming it burned into the back of my retina. I wanted to murder him, I wanted to hurt him and make him pay.

    It was a primal feeling, a calling of the reptilian brain and at that moment my entire body merged into one. It was as if my anger had become a living, breathing thing.

    I was no longer Kaleb the ex-truck driver, Kaleb the adventurer, Kaleb the¡­ human.

    I was Kaleb the living embodiment of vengeful rage.

    I became connected to myself in a way I didn¡¯t even know was possible. It felt like when I mediated, it was almost peaceful, but it was a perversion of that feeling.

    I knew it was wrong, but it felt so right.

    I forced my soul, my very being out of my body. I pushed with every fibre of my being and at the same time I grabbed onto something else.

    A power not born within me, it didn¡¯t belong to me, but I grabbed it anyway with both hands and I refused to let go.

    Somewhere outside of myself I heard a guttural, terrified scream and then, I felt it.

    The Orc¡¯s soul.

    It was a tiny black orb. It looked sickly, twisted. I felt myself smile as I grabbed it and squeezed.

    It¡¯s my turn bitch.

    My eyes flew open and I was both back in the room and inside my meditation space at the same time. I could feel his soul, mould it and yet I could also control my body and see the world through my own eyes.

    The Orc backed up and tripped over a bench. He landed on his back and scrabbled away.

    He stared up at me with wide eyes, his lips trembled. I grinned as I walked towards him, twisting, and tearing at his soul.

    ¡°This is for Treena and Layla you sick bastard.¡± I growled.

    He looked back at me with a fearful blankness in his eyes. He looked confused and terrified.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know who that is!¡± He whimpered pleadingly.

    He opened his mouth again to scream as I pulled on his soul but I put a stop to it. I don¡¯t know how, but I willed him into silence and he was helpless against me.

    I wouldn¡¯t allow him the release of screaming. I needed him to be present in the room, to feel every bit of the pain I was about to inflict on him.

    I had no idea how I was doing it, but in the moment I didn¡¯t care. I would avenge them both. I¡¯d make him suffer.

    ¡°Kaleb, stop!¡± A familiar voice shouted in the distance. It barely registered.

    I looked at the Orc and saw only red, a waterfall of scarlet ran through my vision. I willed him to feel pain and his face twisted in agony.

    He was still unable to scream, though he clenched his toes and dug his nails into the floorboards. His eyes stared up at me, pleading with me to stop.

    Not yet, I want you to beg me to let you die. I thought in a voice that sounded far different to my own.

    ¡°Kaleb please, you¡¯ll die!¡± The faraway voice screamed.

    I pulled at the Orc¡¯s soul as he screamed silently. It felt tangible in my hands, though my hands were by my sides the whole time.

    The more I pulled the worse he looked. His skin went pale, blood poured from his eyes. He¡¯d already ripped his fingernails off as he contorted on the floor, gripping the floorboards and writhing in an agony worse than any physical torture.

    I need more.

    I pulled harder, tugging on his soul like it was a rope. He¡¯d already given up fighting back. I had complete control.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡±

    A sharp pain bit into my thigh and I reflexively gripped down hard on the Orc¡¯s soul which burst like a water balloon in my hands.

    No! I wanted more!

    Blood oozed from his mouth; his body withered before my eyes. It dried up until there was nothing left but a skeletal, mummified figure.

    I looked down towards the source of the pain in my thigh. A dagger was stuck in my leg¡­ my dagger.

    Panda held it, he was shaking as he stared at me with watery eyes. Then there was a flash of white light and my scarlet tinted world turned black.

    ***

    ¡°What was that?¡± Director Lucas said breathlessly.

    He had goose bumps and a cold sweat chilling him to the bone as he floated hight in the clouds above the island.

    He had been instructed to watch Kaleb as he navigated his new quest. It had been pretty tedious for the most part ¨C a huge waste of his valuable time.

    Until it wasn¡¯t.

    A powerful aura had exploded out from the building the noob adventurer had entered. It felt malicious, evil even. It hit him like a shockwave and the gold ranked adventurer, the most powerful man in Havar, trembled.

    This pleases me greatly. He has surpassed my expectations. Diako said into Lucas¡¯s mind.

    He had felt the god¡¯s presence from the moment he left Havar. He was using him as a vessel, seeing through his eyes, experiencing things through his skin.

    It was an uncomfortably intimate process and Lucas hated it. But what choice did he have? This was his god after all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, My Lord, what was that?¡±

    You tell me. What did it feel like to you? The god replied in a playfully amused tone.

    Lucas hadn¡¯t heard him this happy since¡­ well, ever. He¡¯d never heard him sound this pleased before.

    ¡°It felt like indomitable power¡­ it reminded me of my father.¡± Lucas replied, shuddering at the thought of a phase two exuding power comparable to his tyrannical father.

    Exactly. Isn¡¯t it incredible? To unlock that so early in his development. The god trailed off, as if he was biting his tongue before he revealed too much to his subject.

    ¡°Is this the thing I¡¯m missing?¡± Lucas asked quietly.

    He¡¯d been told that he was missing something. A key ingredient to breaking through the level cap. It was the source of his father¡¯s greatest shame. The reason he had been exiled to Havar.

    It is.

    He shook with a sudden burst of rage as his fists closed into tightened balls. His fingernails cut into his palms and tiny droplets of blood rained down onto the burning village below.

    How could a mere phase two have access to a power that he, a gold ranked adventurer, could never obtain. It was an outrage, a scandal, it was¡­ terrifying.

    Using his advanced perception he quickly scouted the village. He could only see two signs of life, both within the village hall. One of them was faint, barely clinging to existence.

    A moment ago the village had been full of life. There was so much emotion in the mana, fear, hatred, bloodlust as the Orcs hunted and executed the dryad population.

    Now though, after that single blast of aura, there was nothing.

    The village lay still.

    ¡°Tell me one thing, why did you order me to tell him it was a cultist fort?¡± Lucas asked, loosening his grip on his palms.

    To test him. I wanted to see how he¡¯d react, I wanted to prime him for¡­ this. Emotional manipulation is a subtle but powerful art.

    And it worked beautifully. The boy has awakened. He has the potential to be useful to me.

    Now, I need you to make sure that he doesn¡¯t use it again.

    Not until he¡¯s ready.

 Chapter 63 â€“ The Desert Samuraiâ€™s Godly Duel

    The Samurai stood triumphantly over the bodies of the weak cultists. Their leader¡¯s severed body bled at her feet as she sheathed her sword and grinned.

    ¡°Your turn.¡± She said, gazing up at the huge golden throne before her.

    A voice in her head had appeared when she¡¯d entered the temple and it had claimed to be a god. Naturally she had told it she would kill it.

    Oh alright then, I guess you¡¯ve earned a face-to-face meeting. The voice sighed in her mind, like the act of fighting her was a bothersome task. He¡¯d grow to regret dismissing her like that.

    She felt a presence and looked to see a handsome man sitting relaxed on the golden throne. He had his head rested on his hand like it was just another boring day.

    That really pissed The Samurai off.

    He had a large scar across his chest and scales on his cheeks. He was oddly handsome with piercing yellow eyes but his lackadaisical approach to a warrior like her issuing a challenge showed a deep personality flaw that she just couldn¡¯t overlook.

    ¡°Well done, that was quite the show you put on.¡± He said in a cheery, playful voice.

    ¡°I did tell you I would kill your followers and I always keep my promises.¡± The Samurai replied in a stoic voice.

    ¡°Ooh aren¡¯t you scary. I love that.¡±

    ¡°Mock me at your own peril.¡± She replied, she wasn¡¯t quite sure when she¡¯d started talking with such confidence, but she liked it.

    ¡°What is it with outworlders and a lack of respect for the divine?¡± The god mused. ¡°You¡¯re the second one I¡¯ve spoken to this month who lacked respect. I shit you not, the last guy looked me dead in the eyes and told me he was an atheist.

    ¡°Can you believe that? I was like dude; I am right in front of you. A living, breathing God. Honestly.¡± He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

    ¡°So, go on then, tell me what your problem is with divine beings.¡± He sighed, sinking his scaled cheek even further into his hand.

    ¡°I hold respect for power. So far, all you have shown me are weaklings.¡± The Samurai replied, keeping her hand on the hilt of her sword just in case.

    ¡°Ah ok, is that all you want, a show of power? I can do that, but first let¡¯s make a little deal.¡± He replied, finally taking his head off his hand as he sat forward slightly and grinned. ¡°You wanted to challenge me correct?

    ¡°Well, just this once, I will allow it. Never say I didn¡¯t do anything for you. You get one strike; I will stand still and take your most powerful hit.

    ¡°If you can leave even the faintest scratch on me then I will allow you to take my head and the experience that comes with that ¨C which believe me is a metric fuck tonne more than you¡¯d need to reach the level cap.

    ¡°However, if you fail to leave a scratch then you will become one of my vassals, you will work for me and you will denounce all other gods in this world, forever. How does that sound?¡± He asked with a gleam in his yellow eyes.

    The man was obviously deluded. No one could take a hit from her most powerful attack without it even scratching them.

    She wasn¡¯t fond of the idea of not getting to actually fight this man child. However, a Samurai never backs down from a challenge.

    ¡°I accept.¡± She said after a moment¡¯s consideration.

    She could have said more, she could have asked questions or tried to goad him into a real fight, but she decided to let her blade do the talking.

    After all, the man before her had set the terms himself. If he wanted to die so badly, she would gladly help him with that.

    ¡°Perfect.¡± He hissed, standing up from his seat.

    He dropped to the ground before her, his green cloak billowing out behind him, and spread his arms wide in a Jesus pose.

    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± He said, gazing at her with a slight air of bemusement.

    He would regret that.

    She had the perfect attack to use on him. It was a skill that, though only common in rarity, was super powerful.

    She¡¯d used it once already in this temple, it was her bread and butter, go to skill. Why mess with the classics?

    Midnight Slash (common)

    Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder¡¯s blade with dark mana.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.

    She leant forward, placing her dominant hand on the hilt of her blade. One leg was pushed out behind her, bent only slightly. Her forward leg was bent into a deep squat.

    She lowered herself to the ground, feeling the tension rise within her thighs. She squatted lower until her front leg became a coiled spring, until the tension was so great that it was harder to hold the position than it would be to unleash the kinetic energy in her quadricep and leap forward.

    Then she focused. She reached out with her mana senses, sensing everything around her. The mana was stained with blood, the blood she had spilled when she¡¯d massacred the cultists inside the temple.

    It was the perfect mana for her attack.

    She focused on pulling it inside herself, she let it build and pool in the very tip of her blade until it was overflowing with her power.

    Then she focused on her internal mana as she held it there. It was swirling in her core and she pushed it, forcing it to flow and concentrate in two specific places.

    The first was her front leg, the second was her sword arm. This all took place in less than a second as she readied her attack, allowing the system to guide her through the skill.

    Then, all at once, she unleashed that energy and slashed the stomach of the overconfident god standing before her. His overconfidence would be his downfall.

    Her movement was instantaneous. One moment she was charging the skill, the next she was in front of the self-proclaimed god with her blade running across his naval.

    The walls shook as it happened, the magic in the air pulsed with a terrified condensed feeling of power.

    It was a physical force; much more powerful than the version she¡¯d used to kill the cultist leader. The corpses on the ground shook with her power.

    As her blade made contact with the man, it snapped.

    She stopped moving, a shiver went down her spine as a momentary cold sweat tickled her skin.

    She looked down.

    ¡°How?¡± She said, aghast at the sight of her precious weapon shattered on the floor.

    She looked up and saw that not only had her blade not scratched the god, it hadn¡¯t even ruffled the bandages he had wrapped around his stomach.

    What kind of power is this? She wondered, stepping back, and looking the god in the eyes.

    He stared back impassively for a moment, still in his Jesus pose with his arms spread wide.

    ¡°It¡¯ll show you.¡± He said in a sudden and very serious voice.

    Then she understood.

    He unleashed a fraction of his mana for less than a second and the image shocked her. She had the ability to sense a person¡¯s power when she looked at them.

    She could see the strength of their mana in the form of a semi-visible aura that surrounded them.

    When she¡¯d first spoken to him, the god didn¡¯t have any aura surrounding him. She had taken that for weakness, but it was clear now that he held a level of control over his own power that was far above her comprehension.

    As his power was unleashed for that fraction of a second. What she saw blinded her senses.

    His aura was fully visible, tangible even. It oozed out of him casting a shadow larger than the massive throne behind him. It blotted out everything else in her vision.

    It was terrifying. It was magnificent. It was¡­ everything she¡¯d ever wanted.

    ¡°I understand now.¡± She said, after taking a moment to compose herself. She took a knee and bowed her head. ¡°You have bested me and as we agreed, I will become your vassal and denounce all other gods in this world.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know you will.¡± He replied, changing back to his playful and carefree voice. ¡°You should stand up though, I don¡¯t really care for all that ceremonious crap.¡±

    She did as he instructed and looked at the god as if they were equals, though she knew she was far from being able to call herself that.

    ¡°I¡¯m Chrysus by the way.¡± He said, offering out his hand.

    She paused a moment and then shook it. She felt a tremble of his power as their skin touched. It was incredible.

    ¡°So, now we¡¯ve got that out of the way I have a job for you. I actually offered this to the last outworlder I met but sadly, he turned me down¡­ oh well, his loss is your gain I guess.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve heard of The Celestial Map? Well, I want it. I am the god of wealth for a reason and since no one really knows what the map is, it means I want it. It is my right to own everything of value in this world.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to help me get it. I¡¯ll explain the specifics some other time, but for now the main thing you need to know is that I am currently without a high priest.

    ¡°I know!¡± He continued in faux surprise. ¡°Me, a god of overwhelming power with no priest to call his own. I have a tournament starting soon to choose a new one. You¡¯re going to enter it and if you win you get to be my new right hand.

    ¡°How does that sound? Promoted from vassal to right hand in a matter of months. It¡¯s like when a guy¡¯s parents tell him he¡¯ll be running the company soon when he gets his first job.

    ¡°Except I¡¯m not just blowing smoke. You win this and I will reward you with a serious power boost. Oh, and you¡¯ll be needing these.¡±

    He held out his hand and the pieces of her broken blade reformed in the air. It was like rewinding the video on their fight as the sword fragments merged back together.

    The completed katana floated gently back into its sheath. She welcomed the feeling of the sword¡¯s weight at her hip.

    Then he floated a small piece of paper towards her which she plucked out of the air and opened.

    You have been granted the honour of being allowed to compete in the high priest¡¯s tournament.

    The winner will become the next right hand of Chrysus, God of Wealth.

    The tournament will take place in six months¡¯ time.

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    ¡°Good luck. I¡¯d advise you to gain some more levels between now and then.¡± Chrysus said casually, and then he disappeared without fanfare.

    A new notification popped up on her interface which she couldn¡¯t ignore.

    Quest Complete:

    Red Robe, Brown Pants

    The Adventure Society has received reports of cultist sightings in the nearby southern oasis.

    Traverse the Kalhatchi Desert and investigate.

    P.S. Investigate is code for mass murder.

    Objectives:

    Locate the cultist lair 1/1

    Eliminate all cultists 1/1

    Defeat the cultist leader 1/1

    Reward: Honour is the only reward a Samurai needs

    ¡­

    Only joking, it¡¯s really a weapon rarity upgrade token.

    She smiled as she read the notification and pulled the invitation into her inventory.

    ¡°Well Pocco, looks like we¡¯ve got a new goal.¡±

    The wolf familiar cocked its head to the side as its blood covered ear twitched slightly.

 Chapter 64 â€“ Hysterical Mana

    As my consciousness slowly returned, I stared at the glowing red light which shone through my eyelids and felt the warmth of the sun beaming down on me.

    I felt something soft and slightly moist on my hands, like grass in a summer haze. A smell wafted over me: the pungent burning of lit bamboo.

    My body felt tired and something inside me felt¡­ off. I tried to delve into meditation but an intangible pain forced me out of the state before I could form any kind of visualisation.

    My eyes blinked open and I gasped as the pain lingered deep in my gut. I squinted as the powerful sun above shone directly into my eyes.

    There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky and the thick black smoke of battle was gone. I pushed myself into a sitting position with some discomfort and saw Panda sitting to the side of me, smoking his pipe.

    He looked over the rim of his book, eyeing me up carefully.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna rip my soul out are you?¡± He asked, squinting at my face.

    ¡°What?¡±

    The last thing I remembered was running through the town. Fires were burning everywhere, dryads were crying and screaming as blades clashed all around me.

    ¡°Looks like you made it back kid.¡± He said, his face softening as he closed his black book and placed it on the grass.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked meekly, ¡°¡­and where are we?¡±

    He regaled me with the tale of my missing memories and it all came flooding back in detailed flashbacks as he spoke.

    I remembered watching Treena die as I stood helplessly, I remembered being unable to tell if the woman lying dead on the ground was Treena¡¯s mother, or my wife. I remembered losing myself to an anger, the like of which I¡¯ve never felt before. I remembered holding the soul of the orc in my hands and crushing it.

    Was I really capable of hurting someone¡¯s soul? That sounded like something straight out of a fantasy novel. It sounded like the kind of power a villain would have.

    ¡°¡­ and once the orc died there was this bright flash of white light and we were here in this meadow. The walls, the village, the castle. It just¡­ vanished.¡± Panda finished, pulling me out of my nightmarish daze.

    I stared at him at a loss for words. How do you reply to someone who¡¯s just told you that you literally killed a guy by crushing his soul?

    ¡°What about the rest of the dryads?¡± I asked, stumbling through my words as my mouth tried to keep up with my gushing thoughts.

    ¡°That¡¯s another, much weirder story.¡± He sighed, picking up the black book. ¡°You should read this; you¡¯ll understand once you read the last page.¡±

    He held out the black book to me, it was old and battered. It felt familiar somehow but I didn¡¯t know why.

    Wordlessly I took it and flicked to the last page. It was blank. I flicked back through the book and found the last entry. It seemed to be a diary.

    Atheline 347-36

    The Elder still hasn¡¯t returned.

    He entered the castle yesterday but hasn¡¯t come out. I heard some of the villagers say he had to speak orcish to open the door.

    I memorised the words. I¡¯ll write them after this entry so I don¡¯t forget them.

    My mommy and papa are leading a rescue team to go find the elder. I¡¯m scared, what if they don¡¯t come back either?

    I don¡¯t want to be left all alone.

    I overheard papa saying something about the orcish inquisition. I didn¡¯t really understand it but he said something about how they hunt dryads and other forest folk.

    He said that they think we¡¯re heretical. I don¡¯t know what that word means but it sounds bad.

    I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be ok though. They¡¯re strong, especially mommy. I know they¡¯ll come back to me, and when this is all over we can play again.

    I stared at the pages for a long time. My heart thumped loudly and slowly. My stomach churned and it wasn¡¯t just because my core was still suffering from the soul attack I¡¯d used.

    I couldn¡¯t read the orcish that was written at the bottom of the page. I guess my translation skill doesn¡¯t work on everything ¨C or maybe it was spelled wrong.

    It didn¡¯t matter.

    After a long moment, I spoke.

    ¡°This is the book I touched inside the castle isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked sombrely.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Panda replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s Treena¡¯s diary isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I think so kid, yeah.¡±

    The backs of my eyes felt hot. I didn¡¯t understand at first, but the pieces slowly began to come together. Panda didn¡¯t let me sit in silence mulling it over for long before he explained his own theory.

    ¡°You were out for a while kid, I read through the whole thing.¡± He began, his voice was uncharacteristically sincere. ¡°Do you remember when you asked me about the date in that book in the meeting hall? It said Atheline 347-35. I thought it must have been written wrong or something at the time.

    ¡°You see Atheline is the calendar name for the god Athena like I said before. The next number is the year 347 and the number after the dash is the day in that year: 35.

    ¡°I thought it was written wrong because we¡¯re currently in the year 20347. I figured they¡¯d just missed the first two numbers off like a shorthand or something.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that anymore.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I used my sage ability to research the orcish inquisition. I¡¯d never heard of it before, but I found something.

    ¡°It was a massacre. Orcs killed dryads and other forest folk by the thousands. It was a religious thing, a feud between Athena and the orc god.

    ¡°The thing is¡­ the reason I¡¯d never heard of it before is because it all happened over 20,000 years ago. I¡¯m no spring chicken, but I¡¯m not that old.¡± He sighed and slowly took a long drag on his bamboo pipe.

    20,000 years ago? I thought.

    How could that be possible? We¡¯d spoken to Treena; I¡¯d ripped the orc¡¯s soul out and I¡¯d shot another one. How could that be?

    I looked at Panda and tried to ask but my mouth wouldn¡¯t form the words. My brain was in overdrive, it felt like a restart on a computer. My brain simply wouldn¡¯t brain. He seemed to get the gist though and answered me anyway.

    ¡°I know, I couldn¡¯t believe it either. I think¡­ I think Treena tapped into some kind of memory magic when she died. Strong emotions can unlock weird, and in your case creepy, powers.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare but you¡¯re living proof that it does happen. They call it hysterical mana. Like when a mother blows up a forest looking for their lost child.

    ¡°Most people can¡¯t do that normally. But sometimes, in extreme situations, people can control external mana and use it. I think that¡¯s what Treena tapped in to.¡±

    I looked up from the book, my head hurt. I couldn¡¯t organise my thoughts properly. It was all so surreal. I¡¯d gotten so angry, so furious, over something that happened that long ago? It wasn¡¯t even real.

    That doesn¡¯t explain why I saw Layla there. I thought, and there was something else that didn¡¯t make sense either.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± I said quietly. ¡°What I did couldn¡¯t have been hysterical mana. I don¡¯t have any mana at all, remember?¡±

    ¡°You might be right there, kid.¡± He sighed, letting small plumes of wispy grey smoke out of his mouth. ¡°All the same though, I think that¡¯s how the village and those walls came to be. They appeared on the island suddenly, remember?

    ¡°I think Treena¡¯s anguish and grief lived in those pages. Hell, it probably happened on this same island. I don¡¯t know why they appeared now, but I could hazard a guess as to why they vanished.¡±

    ¡°Because it played out the same way again.¡± I said dryly. ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t save her. I froze, I just cou-¡±

    ¡°No you idiot.¡± Panda interrupted. I looked up at him with a furrowed brow. ¡°What part of memory don¡¯t you get? That already happened. You can¡¯t change the past dipshit¡­ no¡­ I think that when you went all apeshit psycho killer on that orc it meant something to Treena, or at least to her memory.

    ¡°I think, somehow, your anger on her behalf soothed her soul. I think she was trapped in a cycle, reliving that memory over and over and somehow when she saw you literally rip a dude¡¯s soul out of his chest on her behalf, it finally put her spirit to rest.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Had my enraged reaction really helped her? Did that make my soul ripping ability a good thing? I wasn¡¯t so sure. At the time I wasn¡¯t even sure if I was angry on Treena¡¯s behalf, or angry because my deluded mind thought Layla was the one lying on the ground dead.

    It felt like a pretty evil power to have. Surely destroying a person¡¯s soul is much worse than just killing them. It¡¯s not just ending a life; it¡¯s warping and breaking everything that they are.

    I could feel the memory so clearly. It felt like I was ripping apart the orc¡¯s very sense of self. Worse than that, I enjoyed it. What kind of person gets off on that level of torturous pain?

    Panda watched me curiously as he quietly puffed on his pipe. He looked concerned, his brow was furrowed slightly and in that moment his eyes looked¡­ old.

    For the first time since I¡¯d met him he actually looked sagely.

    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t use that power again.¡± He said solemnly.

    ¡°So it is evil?¡± I asked, my heart sinking in my chest as my fears were confirmed.

    ¡°Not exactly.¡± He answered. ¡°No power or skill is inherently good or evil. It¡¯s more about how you use it. Soul attacks are taboo in this world because they cause irreparable damage that transcends death.

    ¡°But they are powerful. It¡¯s a rare ability and personal power is important in this world. You shouldn¡¯t use it because you¡¯re not powerful enough to control it. It will kill you at your level.

    ¡°Moreover, if anyone finds out you have it they will kill you. Powerful people don¡¯t like noobs gaining power that they shouldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s that simple.¡±

    So it wasn¡¯t evil? From what he said the power itself didn¡¯t have an innate morality. No, the evil deeds that came about from using it were entirely my own. I sat in silence, staring at nothing as that horrifying revelation began to sink in.

    ¡°Kid.¡± Panda began, still speaking in a quiet and solemn tone. ¡°Who¡¯s Layla?¡±

    My stomach flopped. I looked up at him, feeling myself tremble. I¡¯d never told him about her before. I was never sure if he knew my past simply by being my familiar.

    I knew that he saw flashes of my time in Celestia before I summoned him, but not if he knew about my life on earth as well.

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± I replied slowly, unable to look him in the eye. ¡°She was pregnant when I was isekai¡¯d here.¡±

    He stared at me for a moment. I could feel his gaze even though I couldn¡¯t bare to look at him as my eyes felt hot. He didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he leant back, stretching out, before smiling and standing up.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± he began. ¡°Enough of all this. You should check your notifications and then we should go back to the boat. I¡¯m starving.¡± His voice changed into its usual playfulness.

    My mind was reeling. I had so much new information to sort through. But I was glad he didn¡¯t ask anything else. I knew he¡¯d lost his previous summoner, maybe he knew how hard it was to talk about those things. Besides, he was right. There would be time for that later, when we were both ready.

    I checked the notifications tab on my HUD. It looked like I had a couple.

    Quest Complete:

    Nobody Expects the Orcish Inquisition

    What the shit?

    Objectives:

    Follow Treena 1/1

    Rewards: Gain level x1

    A new level was always useful, couldn¡¯t argue with that. Though I noticed an absence of you have defeated notifications.

    I decided that it must have been because the orcs weren¡¯t really there. They were long dead memories rather than living, breathing creatures. Thinking back, I didn¡¯t take any damage either.

    I guess it made sense that I wouldn¡¯t get experience for killing them even if that big orc was probably a high level.

    Also, the reward had changed. Originally it had said something like you don¡¯t have time for rewards. Did that mean the system could change its mind about what rewards it gave out, or was it simply a hidden one that had been decided from the start?

    I had so many questions, but system fuckery was the least of them at the time so I pushed the thought aside and checked my other notification.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Kali Ma

    You¡¯re shaping up to be an evil little prick aren¡¯t you? You fight with acid, mass murder goblins and now you¡¯re ripping people¡¯s souls out.

    A man after my own heart. Who doesn¡¯t love a good villain?

    You have tapped into the power of your soul and used it to negatively affect another creature.

    This kind of power is coveted by the most powerful people in Celestia. You go girl!

    Reward: Someone with your propensity for truly despicable acts doesn¡¯t need a reward.

    Even the system thought ripping souls out of people¡¯s bodies was evil. I didn¡¯t need it of all things to tell me how despicable I was. Panda was right, I needed to keep this power to myself and not use it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to it kid, the system is always a dick.¡± Panda said, placing his soft paw on my head.

    I smiled sadly and placed my hand on top of his. Though a part of me, the really curious part, kinda wanted to experiment with soul power a little more. Maybe it was something I could work on during meditation.

    I tried to push all of this business out of my mind. It would do me no good to dwell on it. Besides, I had my adventurer exam to look forward to. I didn¡¯t have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity. I needed to keep getting stronger and pushing forward.

    I¡¯d just completed my third and final trial quest. Once I handed it in, it was exam time.

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I thought about finally being a full-time adventurer with a real rank. This journey was only just beginning.

    I picked myself up off the floor, dusted myself off and headed back to the yacht. I had an exam to ace.

 Chapter 65 â€“ Jack The Reaper â€“ A Propensity For Violence

    Jack walked calmly through the large crowd, slinking past the angry people there. He¡¯d been pretty busy since joining the Organisation and accepting the class: The Reaper.

    Diako was a slave driver, but he liked that. He wasn¡¯t the type to enjoy relaxation. The god had offered him power and he was willing to work for it.

    Though he hadn¡¯t worked outside of Britania yet, his work had been quite varied. Mostly it involved quests to take out major players in Britanian politics.

    He¡¯d assassinated mayors, business owners, nobles and even received a quest to infiltrate the high society and report on their activities.

    As part of his new class he¡¯d received the Faceless Man skill. It had come in handy during the infiltration as it quite literally allowed him to change his facial appearance.

    He hoped that with time and practice he¡¯d even be able to change his race eventually. It would be useful to be able to change into an elf or an orc or something.

    No doubt, he¡¯d one day be assassinating them as well. So far though, his targets had been exclusively limited to humans.

    It was whilst wearing another person¡¯s face that he found himself slinking ominously through a large crowd. Diako¡¯s end goal, as far as Jack could tell, was to destabilise the city and incite a revolution.

    Jack had no idea why, but he didn¡¯t care for politics anyway. He was a tool to be used and he was happy with that.

    It had been a month since he¡¯d first met Diako and in that month the city¡¯s people had turned from placid, subservient workers, to angry and violent protestors.

    That was the crowd he found himself slinking through: a protest. They were crowded outside the main government building in their thousands. It was truly a sight to behold.

    It was the perfect cover to aid his infiltration.

    New Quest:

    Gunpowder Plot

    The sparks of revolution have ignited the flame of the people¡¯s will. Now it¡¯s time to stoke that flame into a full-blown slaughter fest.

    During the Russian revolution in your world, the people dragged the Romanov royal family out of the winter palace and executed them all¡­ the women and the children too.

    It was a truly gruesome reaction to years of poverty and a failure of leadership.

    Right now the leaders of Britania are holed up in the government building with the big clock on it. Let¡¯s make their deaths a little more palatable.

    Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to blow the building sky high and end their reign.

    Objectives:

    Blow up the government building 0/1

    Reward: You get to blow up a building, isn¡¯t that enough? Oh fine, I guess you can have a weapon upgrade token as well.

    *Upon the successful completion of your mission, report to The Organisation to claim your reward*

    Though it wouldn¡¯t be his first time using explosives for a mission, it wasn¡¯t exactly his area of expertise either. He was more of a long-distance killer.

    Still, he had a propensity for violence and he understood the basic principles behind explosives. That was why he carried a large box in his inventory.

    He was quite pleased with the design if he did say so himself. Using his knowledge of industrial explosives he¡¯d created a metal box with a V shape inside of it.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The V shape acted as a thick cone that would channel the blast in a single direction. Without this, the explosion would be omnidirectional which would waste a large amount of the explosive energy.

    He¡¯d filled the box with mana infused explosive material. He¡¯d likened it to a plastic explosive in that the material itself wasn¡¯t inherently dangerous.

    But, run a current ¨C or in this case concentrated mana ¨C through it and it¡¯d kick out a big old boom.

    He was very satisfied with his creation and he felt oddly superior as he reached the edge of the crowd and dropped down into the sewer system.

    His previous infiltration mission had gleaned him some useful information which was vital for the completion of his new quest.

    The sewer was made of rusty coloured bricks and he had to crouch to get through. It was a tight fit, but not the tightest sewer he¡¯d ever been in. There was this one time in Columbia where he¡¯d¡­ actually, never mind. It wasn¡¯t important.

    He made his way through the sewer which ran directly under the crowd and, of course, under the government building.

    The crowd roared with outrage above as Jack worked his way under them. He soon came out into a wider, but squat, cistern.

    The crowd was muffled in this area and he knew from the intelligence he¡¯d gathered that this was the right place.

    There was a single column in the middle of the cistern. It was made of similar bricks to the sewer itself but it had the feel of strong magic enchantments surrounding it.

    It¡¯s a good job I designed a mana infused bomb. He snickered in his own head as he pulled out the large crate he¡¯d designed.

    He placed the crate on its side so that the direction of the blast would, in theory, punch straight through the column. Next came the risky part.

    In order to set off the explosive, he needed to channel mana into it, but if he did that he¡¯d be stood right next to it when it went kaboom.

    That obviously wasn¡¯t a good idea.

    Jack had realised this flaw in his design early on and had worked on a potential work around. It was risky though.

    As he worked his way back through the sewer to reach the entry point he¡¯d dropped down earlier, his heart was bouncing around in his chest.

    He was nervous. He never got nervous.

    When he was crouched directly under the entrance to the sewer system, he turned around and took his sniper rifle out of his inventory. He faced the cistern and activated his sight skill that allowed him to see through the dark for a long distance.

    He could just about make out the crate bomb he¡¯d planted. It was the size of a peanut in his vision. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    He trained his rifle¡¯s sights on the bomb and concentrated on filling the barrel with as much mana as possible. Theoretically, as long as the mana hit the charge, it should react similarly to channelling mana into it by hand.

    It was still his mana after all.

    Jack was a good shot, but hitting a peanut sized target was never easy. The distance alone wasn¡¯t that big of a deal, but the size of the target only shrank the further away he¡¯d gotten.

    He took aim, let out his breath part way, concentrated on lowering his heart rate and then, between heartbeats, he squeezed the trigger.

    The magic bullet punched into the crate bomb and Jack jumped.

    As he flew into the air and back out onto the street, the excess explosive force blasted through the tight sewer system, following him in a mass of flame.

    It pushed him even higher into the air and just as he was above the crowd, many of whom had been blow onto the floor by the sudden explosion, he saw it.

    The government building seemed to implode as walls collapsed and the roof began caving it. The entire thing fell inwards and plumes of smoke and dust covered the shocked crowd in the square.

    He¡¯d planted his bomb on the underground structural support and now his mission was complete.

    ***

    Jack appeared in the dark temple where he had first met Diako. It was his first time being transported there since he¡¯d joined The Organisation.

    He was slightly disoriented, but only for a moment. One minute he¡¯d been soaring through the air as he got the best seat in the house to admire his handywork.

    The next he was stood before his new god in a calm and foreboding place. He had expected to have to exfiltrate the area and meet his handler at a predetermined location.

    That¡¯s how it usually went. He completed the mission, he left the area, met his handler, and received his reward and new instructions.

    He was fast at adapting to new situations, so as he faced his new god, he dropped to one knee in reverence. He¡¯d never been a religious man, but Diako had been good to him and he held the upmost respect for him.

    ¡°You have completed your mission Reaper?¡± Diako asked, though Jack was certain he already knew.

    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± He replied.

    Part of his induction into The Organisation included a crash course in correct etiquette when speaking to the god.

    Most gods didn¡¯t speak with their subordinates often, but Diako was an exception to that. He was even known to speak directly into minds and share senses with some of his more trusted and prominent people.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m taking you off this project for a while, something has come up and I want you to handle it.¡± Diako said, he sounded different from the last time they¡¯d spoken. He seemed¡­ distracted.

    ¡°Of course My Lord.¡± Jack replied. ¡°What is it you would have me do.¡±

    ¡°In a few months¡¯ time another god is holding a tournament to decide who his new high priest will be.¡± Diako began, rage poked at his well-controlled aura, Jack could feel it like a ticking time bomb. ¡°That god has issued me a challenge that I simply cannot refuse. I need you to win that tournament.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ want me to become someone else¡¯s high priest My Lord?¡± Jack asked, confusion clouding his mind.

    ¡°No. I want you to win because Chrysus has the audacity to threaten to oust my agents!¡± Diako roared and Jack fell backwards. He wasn¡¯t exactly scared, but he got the inescapable feeling that Diako¡¯s aura might kill him by accident in its unruly state.

    ¡°That impertinent upstart has issued me a direct challenge.¡± Diako continued, reigning his aura in slightly, but still seething. ¡°He has claimed that my activities of late have destabilised the economy of Britania, he says that as the god of wealth anything pertaining to economy is his domain.

    ¡°As I have taken action to change the economy of Britania, I have spat in his face. The little brat has threatened to leak the information of Organisation members worldwide if I don¡¯t send someone specific to attend his little tournament.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for that, but I¡¯m sending you as well. I won¡¯t let that insolent cur get away with insulting me. If I win, he won¡¯t take further action. So, you must win Reaper, or die trying.¡±

 Chapter 66 â€“ Well, Shit

    I sat alone in my room at the Sleeping Giant Inn. I¡¯d spent most of the journey home meditating. It was painful but eventually I managed to break through and visualise my insides.

    I decided to call it my soul view. Partly because that¡¯s what it was, at least to my rudimentary understanding, but also because of how it had changed.

    The place was a mess when I¡¯d finally gotten back in. My stamina coil and health rope were alright. It didn¡¯t take long to get them back into top form.

    The issue was with the orb in my core, my soul. It had been tinged green previously, it was small and always just out of reach. That had changed.

    It felt different now, bigger. The blue and green orb of swirling, almost tangible energy seemed to take up half of my core.

    I still couldn¡¯t touch it, not really. But I could brush it with the tips of my fingers as it swirled, an incomprehensible void, in the pit of my stomach.

    I¡¯d spent hours trying to understand it but I didn¡¯t really seem to get anywhere.

    It was frustrating but there was nothing I could do about it. I¡¯d dropped out of meditation and tried to cheer myself up by assigning my free stat points into intelligence.

    It almost seemed wasteful, but it was my lowest stat and I figured the ability to turn invisible could be invaluable if I could use it for long enough.

    Nothing else of note happened for the rest of the trip. Panda had sipped cocktails and engaged in a one-sided conversation with the barman. And I had spent most of my time meditating.

    Once the boat returned us to Havar we made a beeline for the Adventure Society. Lucy was as happy as ever but when she gave me the report form to fill out I froze up.

    How was I supposed to put into words all that had transpired on the island? I could barely understand it myself.

    In the end she allowed me to take the form away with me to fill out in my own time. She seemed concerned but I couldn¡¯t open up to her about the changing nature of my soul.

    I couldn¡¯t talk to anyone about it. They wouldn¡¯t understand. It was just another reason to put me down like a rabid dog and with the map fragment on my back, they already had more reasons to kill me than not.

    So, I took the form back to the inn and began trying to fill it out. I needed to explain what happened but I also had to omit exactly how it happened.

    I settled on telling the Adventure Society that once we¡¯d watched the scene play out, the memory ended. I falsely speculated that all Treena¡¯s memory spirit wanted was for someone to see her tragic story.

    Even if they thought that was bullshit, they could hardly blame a temp for not understanding the intricate innerworkings of an ancient and complex magic.

    Once I¡¯d finally written it up I was pretty happy with my work. It would hopefully protect me from scrutiny and investigations whilst also showing that I completed the quest satisfactorily.

    I was pretty drained by the time I¡¯d finished the report and I laid back on the comfortable bed and delved into my HUD.

    I still had two quests I¡¯d barely even started yet. The first was the Morningstar Hotel and Spa quest. A place that I knew was basically a crime syndicate hang out.

    I was interested in it for sure, but these were dangerous people and I was only a phase two. I batted the quest notification away as I decided to leave it for later.

    Then I saw the other quest, one I¡¯d received right back at the beginning when I¡¯d first arrived in this world and been captured by a cult who wanted to skin me.

    My stomach did a summersault as I read through it. I¡¯d forgotten the quest even existed. I¡¯d barely been in this world for two months but it felt like an eternity.

    New Quest: The Celestial Map

    Collect all the pieces of The Celestial Map. Upon completion of this quest you will unlock another quest.

    Objectives:

    Map pieces collected 2/10,000

    Reward: Vast Cosmic Power

    Vast Cosmic Power? I wondered what that meant. It was so ominous and it reminded me of something from a book I¡¯d read once.

    Collecting all the pieces of the Celestial Map would involve murdering 10,000 people. It wasn¡¯t a quest I ever intended to complete.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    It was sickening that the system had even given it to me in the first place. I¡¯d learnt accidentally that I could adsorb the tattoos of the map fragments form the dead bodies of outworlders.

    I¡¯d accidentally killed a guy called Brad who¡¯d been in the cell with me when I threw a cultist into a vat of acid. Shortly afterwards I¡¯d adsorbed his tattoo. It still sat next to my own on my back.

    The whole idea of it all gave me the shivers.

    I jumped up out of bed, grabbed my completed report and left the inn. I needed to get my reward and start the next step in my journey to power. I needed a distraction from my swirling and spiralling thoughts.

    I had to keep getting stronger so I could one day protect my family. Not that I had any idea how to bring them into this world, or if it was even possible. But if 10,000 other people from earth could be brought here on a whim.

    Then there must be a way for me to bring my family across. I had no delusions about going home. For all I knew it was a one-way trip anyway.

    Not to mention that despite the horrors of this world, it was still more exciting than a dead-end job and paying taxes back on Earth.

    I knew that Layla wasn¡¯t really present during the last quest. It must have been magic, either that or my mind was decaying. It was a scary thought, losing one¡¯s sense of self, but I couldn¡¯t dwell on it any longer.

    I wasn¡¯t going to get stronger by moping around in my room.

    I strolled down the street and entered the Adventure Society foyer. Lucy smiled up at me from behind the reception desk.

    She had always been so nice to me; though I guess it was her job. She was probably like that with everyone.

    Panda sat idly on the desk, smoking his pipe. From the looks of things he hadn¡¯t moved from there since I¡¯d left an hour earlier to fill out my report at home.

    ¡°Sorry about that, I¡¯m done now.¡± I said, handing Lucy the report.¡±

    She nodded, took it from me, and began reading through it. She didn¡¯t seem overly shocked as she read it. I¡¯d expected more of a reaction in all honesty.

    ¡°Thank you for your report Mr Akabane. I can now officially call this quest complete. I¡¯ll need to file the report and get your reward if you¡¯ll wait here please.¡± She said professionally before walking off somewhere behind the reception.

    ¡°You already told her didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked Panda after Lucy had left.

    ¡°Do you really think that the only thing I have to talk about with women is whatever hairbrained crap you¡¯ve been up to?¡± He admonished, shaking his head. ¡°Because in this case you¡¯d be absolutely right. Now, check your quest log.¡±

    I laughed and opened the new notification on my HUD.

    Quest Complete:

    I¡¯ve Been Expecting You, Mr Akabane

    A mysterious new structure has appeared on an uninhabited island just off the coast of Havar. I¡¯m getting some serious evil villain¡¯s lair vibes from this one.

    If there¡¯s a mountain shaped like a skull, you know what to do.

    After exploring the island you came across a dryad girl and decided to help her like the overly trusting idiot you are. Honestly, how you¡¯re not dead yet is beyond me.

    Helping the dryad girl turned out to be a trap. Big surprise there. You found yourself in the middle of an inquisition and blatantly ignored the plethora of war crimes to chase after one small girl.

    After catching up to her, she died. Big deal, am I right? But you took it oddly personally and went absolute high school shooter on the orc who killed her.

    I guess there were no cultists after all.

    Objectives:

    Kill all the inhabitants on the island 0/1

    Or

    Spare the inhabitants and report your reasoning 0/1

    Or

    Investigate the island and report back 1/1

    Reward: 500 gold coins and admittance onto the next Adventurer exam.

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    I read through the system¡¯s rather rude play by play account of what happened on the island.

    It seemed that the objective I had completed was the investigate and report back one. The others were to kill or spare the inhabitants and I hadn¡¯t reported on my soul killing to the society. They were memories after all, so the term killing didn¡¯t even really apply to them.

    I thought back to my last encounter with Director Lucas where he¡¯d told me that the information the Adventure Society received was often wrong.

    I guessed he was right. They¡¯d certainly dropped the ball on this one. I¡¯d gotten pretty angry at him the last time we spoke. I¡¯d felt like they omitted information on purpose and were unprofessionally trying to get me killed.

    But maybe he was right. Perhaps it was just part of the job to expect the unexpected and be able to adapt to different situations.

    I mean, how could they have possibly known about Treena and the orcish inquisition being trapped inside a memory that happened 20,000 years ago. Cultists setting up a base made much more sense when you thought about it.

    Adventuring was a hard job. In a world full of magic anything could happen. Though it wouldn¡¯t kill them to verify their facts every once in a while.

    ¡°Here you go Mr Akabane. 500 gold coins as promised.¡± Lucy said chirpily as she entered the reception area with a large coin purse in hand.

    I took it into my inventory and thanked her.

    ¡°So, do I qualify to take the adventurer exam now?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She smiled, patting Panda on the head as he looked at her, seemingly as interested as I was. ¡°As per the agreement, you have now completed three quests for us and thus, qualify to take part in the next adventurer exam.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news!¡± I replied, practically bursting with excitement.

    Being an adventurer was the best way I knew to gain levels and one day achieve my goal. Taking the exam was the first step towards that.

    If I passed I¡¯d be able to take on more quests and fight harder enemies. I hated to admit it, but I was a little excited about that.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re so happy Mr Akabane. The next exam starts in twenty minutes if you want to make your way to the waiting room where the other examinees will be.¡± Lucy replied, gesturing towards hallway on the left.

    ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡± I asked, dumbstruck.

    I¡¯d hoped it would be soon but I didn¡¯t realise it was going to start immediately. I wasn¡¯t prepared. I¡¯d only just returned from the last quest.

    ¡°Please make your way to the waiting room Mr Akabane. It¡¯s just over there.¡± She smiled patiently.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there one I can take in a few days? I haven¡¯t even slept since I got back.¡± I asked meekly.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry Mr Akabane but as was outlined in your quest rewards for the one you just handed in. Completion allows you to take part in the next exam. If you decline to take part you¡¯ll need to complete three more temp quests before you can take another exam. Those are the rules.¡±

    ¡°So the exam starts now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The exam starts now.¡± She replied.

    ¡°Well shit.¡±

 [Start of BOOK 2] Chapter 67 â€“ Panda Vision (Recapping The Story So Far)

    ¡°Hi everyone and welcome to Panda Vison! The only talk show where your host is a both a Panda and a sage daemon.

    ¡°With me tonight is the hardheaded and overly jacked silver-ranked adventurer, Sally!¡± Panda said as he lounged back on his plush armchair.

    The audience clapped vigorously as Panda gestured off to the side of the stage. Sally, a large catonid woman, walked on stage looking rather uncomfortable before taking a tenuous seat opposite Panda.

    ¡°So, Sally.¡± He continued before she had time to say anything. ¡°Fancy helping me recap Kaleb¡¯s journey for our lovely audience here?¡±

    ¡°Not really, and since when did you host a talk show¡­ in fact, what is a talk show?¡± Sally replied in a confused and agitated manner. ¡°Where the hell am I Furball?¡±

    Sally pulled her oversized black sword from her inventory and glared menacingly at the live studio audience.

    ¡°Sorry folks, it looks like we¡¯re having technical difficulties with our guest here.¡± Panda announced in a jerking tone as he dodged out of the way of a stray catonid fist. ¡°In the meantime, please enjoy this short video recap.¡±

    Two large red curtains closed, blocking a fleeing Panda from view. A projector shone onto the curtain from somewhere and the following clip played, narrated by a familiar and soothing voice.

    Previously on The Celestial Map:

    Kaleb woke up naked in a palm tree jungle. He wasn¡¯t expecting this, having fallen asleep in the cab of his truck the night before.

    A system message explained that he had been isekai¡¯d to another world called Celestia and that he had a new tattoo on his back which was part of cosmic treasure map.

    Kaleb adventured through the jungle killing stag monsters, cultists and getting a series of snarky and often passive aggressive system messages along the way.

    After being captured by a group of cultists our hero managed to break free but in doing so, he accidentally killed an outworlder named Brad and adsorbed his map piece.

    Soon after this he met a strange god named Chrysus who seemed to have a vested interest in getting Kaleb to work for him, but Kaleb is an atheist so he declined much to the god¡¯s dismay.

    Kaleb then summoned a demon, which actually turned out to be a daemon, named Panda and the two of them escaped the cultists and found their way to Havar.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    In Havar, Kaleb joined the Adventure Society, met people of difference races, finally got some clothes, and embarked on a series of three quests which he had to complete in order to take the exam to become a fully-fledged adventurer.

    The first quest had him team up with a muscle-bound catonid named Sally. The trio ventured to a little-known island and murdered their way into the Goblin King Coronation ceremony.

    The self-proclaimed charismatic Panda convinced the goblins that he and his team were foreign goblins who had travelled there to take part in the tournament. Somehow the ruse worked and Sally managed to convince the goblins to allow her to take part in a battle royale.

    She nearly won this battle but was defeated until Kaleb ruined the tournament and breached the safe zone rules by killing the other competitor. As you can imagine, this mightily pissed off the enraged crowd who chased Kaleb through the mountain whilst he fled with an unconscious, and very heavy, catonid on his back.

    Kaleb fought valiantly at the literal edge of a cliff until Director Lucas swooped in at the last second, saving the trio and taking them back to Havar.

    In his next quest Kaleb wandered the local sewers, killing all the slime who lived there including taking on a slime queen and just about surviving. In the process he was stuck with a weird communist torch which made other economic groups dislike him and he once again lost all of his clothes.

    His meditation techniques were coming on nicely by this point as well, a little too nicely if you ask the system. Through meditation, Kaleb managed to forcibly increase his stamina and was warned that if he tried this again he would die. He learnt a lesson that even the youngest Celestians know: never piss off the system.

    He was also invited to take part in a tournament to decide who would be Chrysus¡¯ next high priest, an offer he promptly declined.

    Having raised enough money for his dream armour, by murdering slimes, Kaleb returned to an armourer who he had made a deal with and collected his prize.

    Soon after he embarked on the last of his three quests which took him to another island where he met a dryad child in an abandoned village which seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. The dryad led him into a tower where a strange magic activated and he found himself in the middle of The Orcish Inquisition where he was forced to watch the young dryad and her mother be brutally murdered by a callous orc.

    Seeing such a tragedy, and with his pregnant wife never far from his mind, Kaleb had a bit of a mental breakdown and unlocked a strange and powerful soul attack which he used to torture and tear apart the orcish aggressor.

    In his mind, he couldn¡¯t distinguish between the dryad and his own family who were likely still back on Earth.

    Director Lucas and another God named Diako were watching this incident and it seemed like Diako was happy with the development. This odd god has been pulling some kind of strings behind the scenes, probably, it wasn¡¯t always clear¡­ but something was definitely going on there.

    Upon returning to the Adventure Society, Kaleb was promptly told that his examination would start immediately and that is where we find ourselves at the beginning of this story. The beginning of the Adventure Society examination.

    ¡°There was also some stuff with a samurai in the desert and an assassin named Jack but that¡¯s really all we¡¯ve got time for folks.¡± Panda said sticking his head between a pair of closed red curtains. ¡°I hope you enjoy the rest of the show!¡± He wailed before being promptly yanked back behind the curtains. Sally could be heard rampaging as Panda Vision faded out to the sound of vases being broken.

 Chapter 68 â€“ Itâ€™s Your Funeral

    ¡°The other participants are waiting in meeting room C,¡± Lucy explained. ¡°The exam won¡¯t start for twenty minutes, but please make sure you arrive early. It¡¯s just down the hall.¡± She smiled at me in her typical, friendly manner.

    I attempted to return her smile but it came out as more of a grimace as I sighed and left the reception. Meeting room C was probably near the room where I¡¯d first met Sally.

    That felt like so long ago.

    I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d have to take the exam straight away. I¡¯d only just gotten back from my last quest on the island where the fort had appeared. I hadn¡¯t even slept yet!

    I needed sleep, a resupply of food, water, and more potions. I wasn¡¯t prepared at all.

    Just focus on one thing at a time. I thought, remembering my mother¡¯s wise words from when I was a child.

    When the world seems too much to handle. Just focus on one thing at a time.

    So that¡¯s exactly what I did. I left the reception and crossed the foyer towards the hallway on the far side.

    Panda jumped down from the reception desk to follow me.

    ¡°That was a bit sudden.¡± He complained. ¡°We didn¡¯t even have time to buy me some new reading material.¡±

    ¡°Your books are probably the least important things we didn¡¯t have time to buy,¡± I replied irritably.

    We entered the corridor and a few doors down I saw the sign for meeting room C. It was one of those typical glass office rooms you¡¯d see inside any modern office building back on Earth.

    It had a floor-to-ceiling window with a glass door next to it. Through the window, I could make out a few people sitting around the oval table in the middle.

    I took a breath and opened the door.

    There were four people already there. They all turned to look at me with expectant gazes. That expectancy soon fell away though, as they realised I wasn¡¯t the examiner.

    I awkwardly manoeuvred around the group and took the only available seat, next to a nervous-looking girl.

    ¡°Where am I gonna sit?¡± Panda complained loudly.

    ¡°Just sit on the table like you normally do,¡± I replied.

    He shrugged and began trying to climb onto the table. His short, furry legs kicked out behind him as he scrambled onto it.

    The girl next to me giggled and put her hand to her mouth. She was a human with teal hair and a round, anime-like face. She was wearing a white robe that hung majestically down her slender body.

    ¡°Get that filthy familiar off the table.¡± A slight, brunet man across the table from me scoffed indignantly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, who the fuck are you exactly?¡± I replied irritably. He¡¯d picked a bad time to speak to me like that. I was still reeling from my last quest and I was stressed from the sudden realisation that I¡¯d have to jump straight into the adventurer exam without a break.

    In short, it was a bad time to fuck with me.

    A vein seemed to pop out of the man¡¯s temple ¨C if you could even call him a man, he looked pretty young - as he stared back at me with venom in his eyes.

    ¡°I am Jake Millicent, heir to the Millicent line. You ought to be careful how you speak to me, peasant.¡± He announced, spittle flying from his lips, and I noticed the two other men in the room shrink back slightly. One of them sighed and the other closed his eyes in the way a person does when they have a stress headache.

    I, however, had no idea who this little prick was and I had no intention of backing down to some jumped-up pipsqueak who thought he was all that.

    Also, did he just call me a peasant? I didn¡¯t know we were in an episode of Blackadder.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry mate but I¡¯ve never heard of you. Though I¡¯m pretty sure Millicent is a girl¡¯s name.¡± I said, crossing my arms and leaning back in my chair with a scowl taking up permanent residence on my face.

    Both Panda and the girl next to me laughed. Though she tried to hide it with her hand, whereas Panda very openly laughed and even pointed at Jake as he did so. It was pretty childish, but oddly satisfying to watch.

    Jake¡¯s face began to turn a deep scarlet colour as he stared at me with uncomprehending eyes.

    ¡°You jest. There is no way that any adventurer in Havar hasn¡¯t heard of the Millicent family.¡± He bit back, clenching his fists on the table and leaning forward. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that we are a proud adventuring family, we are nobility. If you apologise now I won¡¯t tell my father about this insult.¡±

    I turned to Panda with a confused expression.

    ¡°I thought Havar was socialist,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Nobles and socialism don¡¯t mix.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your socialism is the same as their socialism.¡± He said, obviously trying hard not to out me as an outworlder.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡± Jake asked incredulously and I turned back towards him.

    ¡°Ok listen,¡± I said, taking a breath. ¡°Maybe I was a little rude, but I¡¯m not having the best day. That being said, I¡¯m not going to apologise to some wannabe noble whose first threat is to tell their daddy on me. I thought we were here for an adventurer exam, not a playground contest of my dad¡¯s better than yours.¡± I replied, trying to calm myself with a deep breath that definitely came out as a sigh.

    I wasn¡¯t in the wrong here. This dickweed had been rude to me first. But I still didn¡¯t want the aggro, especially when I didn¡¯t understand the politics of this world - even if this guy was an entitled douche.

    ¡°Your common is showing,¡± Jake replied, lifting his chin up and quite literally looking down his nose at me. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be so quick to dismiss me if you knew who my father was.¡±

    I sighed and placed my hand to my temple. This guy was the absolute worst.

    ¡°My father this, my father that, is that all you know how to say? Talk about daddy issues. Maybe you should try fighting your own battles instead of relying on something as ridiculous as your family name. Just a suggestion.¡± I said into my hand as I shook my head, a sharp pain stabbing me from behind my forehead.

    ¡°You underestimate me, peasant,¡± Jake said, standing up suddenly and slamming his hands on the table. ¡°I have no problem with fighting my own battles, I was just trying to be more diplomatic about this. I¡¯d hoped you¡¯d be intelligent enough to understand the disparity between nobility and commoners¡­ I guess not.¡±

    He drew a longsword from his inventory and pointed it at me. A thin smirk appeared on his lips, condescension ruminating in his beady eyes.

    I looked up at him and lifted a single eyebrow.

    ¡°Panda, what do the Adventure Society rules say about fighting among members?¡± I asked monotonously.

    I was sick of this guy. I¡¯d happily put him in his place, but I didn¡¯t want to lose my membership either. Also, I was a bit worried about the acidic nature of my powers.

    I¡¯d never fought someone who I probably could kill, without killing them. I didn¡¯t want to kill this guy; I just wanted him to shut the hell up and back off.

    ¡°I think the rules state that duelling is ok.¡± He said, scratching the back of his head absently.

    ¡°Your pet is right,¡± Jake said, placing his foot on the table and leaning forward in an embarrassing pose. ¡°Duels are allowed by the rules of the Society. Do you accept?¡±

    I stood up and felt a smile begin to tug on my lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s your funeral,¡± I said, summoning my bow.

    Jake stared at me for a moment and then tipped his head back and laughed. The two other guys in the room joined in, laughing as well. One of them even slapped the table. It was all a little over the top in my opinion.

    ¡°You¡¯re an archer?¡± He said, struggling to breathe through his intense laughter. ¡°All that tough guy talk¡­ and you¡¯re only an archer?¡± He laughed, lowering his sword as his face contorted.

    His two friends laughed along with him. The girl who was sat next to me, on the other hand, didn¡¯t show any sign of emotion at all.

    It was a little creepy. Something about her bothered me, but at least she wasn¡¯t joining in with the three stooges.

    ¡°Hey kid, do me a favour and shoot this little prick, in his little prick,¡± Panda said, pulling out his bamboo pipe and lighting it up.

    I was almost certain that this was a no-smoking area, but it didn¡¯t matter right now. I nocked an arrow and began charging my Soul Shot.

    ¡°Um¡­ Kaleb. Isn¡¯t that overkill?¡± Panda said, immediately changing his tone as he recognised what I was doing.

    I ignored him. I knew what I was doing. Besides, I only charged it a little bit.

    Jake looked up at me, his laughter stopping abruptly. His eyes focused and locked onto me like pinpricks as his sword began to glow.

    ¡°Call it, Reggie.¡± He said, not taking his eyes off me.

    The guy who had been laughing so hard he¡¯d slapped the table looked up, still giggling slightly.

    He was a thick-set, stout man with closely cropped hair and a small scar on his lip. He stood up and lifted a single arm in the air.

    ¡°Ok,¡± he began in a soothingly baritone voice. ¡°When I drop my arm, the duel begins. A winner will be decided when one of you either can¡¯t fight anymore or surrenders.¡±

    I nodded, still keeping my gaze firmly rooted on Jake. I would end this farcical duel in a second. The little prick would never challenge me again.

    I mean, who looks at a panda climbing onto a table and gets annoyed? Absolute sociopaths, that¡¯s who.

    Jake nodded too, still staring at me as his sword began to glow brighter. It reminded me of the attack Sally had used in her fight during the goblin king coronation quest.

    Though it was a far cry from anything as powerful as she could do. She was a silver-ranked catonid bodybuilder. Whereas Jake was a skinny rich kid with an inferiority complex.

    ¡°That¡¯s a big sword,¡± I said slowly. ¡°You trying to compensate?¡±

    The vein on his forehead grew larger, I was worried it might pop and spay rich-kid goop all over me. His face turned a deeper shade of scarlet and he gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Reggie, start the damned match already.¡± He snarled as his sword shone even brighter. ¡°I need to put this peasant in his place.¡±

    Reggie nodded at us both and threw his arm down.

    Jake charged forward, screaming for some reason, and I released my arrow. It soared across the room, impacting him in an instant.

    The arrow tore through his sword hand and smashed through the glass wall at the back of the room. The glass shattered and everyone jumped in unison.

    It seemed that they had all underestimated me.

    Jake¡¯s sword fell to the table with a loud clank. The glow he¡¯d put into it vanished instantly and it went back to its former, dull appearance.

    He looked down at his hand in shock. His face went pale as he registered what had happened.

    His hand was lying on the table near his sword and pumps of blood shot out of his bubbling wrist like they were on a timer dictated by his heartbeat.

    ¡°My hand¡­¡± He whimpered, looking between his wrist and his severed hand in disbelief. ¡°What happened to my hand?¡±

    Everyone in the room looked at me as I dismissed my bow and sat back down in the chair like nothing had happened.

    Reggie and the other guy stared at me with open mouths and even the girl next to me looked shocked.

    The door burst open and something that looked like a WWE wrestler in a cat cosplay burst into the room.

    ¡°What the fuck is going on in here!¡± She snarled, slamming the tip of her oversized, black blade into the floor, and slicing the carpet.

    ¡°Hi, Sally!¡± Panda said, waving with his free hand as smoke curled and twisted in the air around him.

    Sally ignored him, marching further into the room. The two guys and the girl next to me all shrank back into their seats as, what I could only assume was, her magic pressure forced them down.

    I couldn¡¯t sense it, having no mana myself, but I could tell that was what was happening. She was a force to be reckoned with at the best of times, but especially when she was mad.

    She looked at the shattered glass and then at Jake who was still whimpering and looking between his severed hand and his bleeding wrist.

    Then her dark blue eyes landed on me and I felt a tingle in my soul. It was only slight, but I could feel it. Was this what mana sense did? Was Sally trying to exert her ferocious mana pressure on me?

    My Usurper skill prevented people from being able to force me into submission with their monarch-based soul manipulation skills. I wasn¡¯t sure if what Sally was doing counted as that, but either way it wasn¡¯t going to work on me.

    ¡°Kaleb, explain,¡± she said.

    ¡°He challenged me to a duel so I disarmed him,¡± I replied, struggling to keep in the laughter as the rest of the room stared at me with horrified expressions.

 Chapter 69 â€“ Panda-napped

    ¡°Disarmed him?¡± Sally said slowly. ¡°Well you didn¡¯t do a very good job, did you? He only lost his hand.¡±

    ¡°That was a bit of an off-hand jibe,¡± I replied, struggling not to laugh.

    Sally looked at me with a stern expression as Jake continued whimpering as his wrist bled and bubbled.

    ¡°Stop whining, you¡¯re supposed to be an adventurer!¡± She snapped at him.

    She picked up her oversized sword and channelled mana into it until it glowed, much like Jake¡¯s had before our duel. Except Sally¡¯s sword glowed like an inferno, I could feel the heat it radiated as it threatened to give me sunburn.

    She grabbed his arm roughly and pressed his severed wrist to the blade. He screamed bloody murder as it sizzled and the smell of burnt flesh filled the room. It was repulsive.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Panda remarked as we watched. ¡°That sword really comes in handy.¡±

    She turned to him with a stiff look. Her gaze was terrifying. She was obviously quite upset with our conduct so far.

    ¡°Stop!¡± She growled. ¡°I can¡¯t handle these awful puns anymore.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, so many puns. It was too much. The floodgates opened and I burst into laughter. Panda seemed to feel the same way as he held his stomach, laughing with the kind of grimace that only came from the extreme abdominal contractions caused by a giggling fit.

    The kind that wasn¡¯t even funny anymore but you couldn¡¯t stop. The kind that physically hurt as your stomach muscles tensed up over and over.

    The rest of the room looked at us in abject horror as we giggled like schoolchildren. All the while, Jake sobbed in the corner, nursing his sizzling, cauterised wound.

    The pain must have been excruciating. I noticed that his wound wasn¡¯t bubbling anymore though so Sally¡¯s first aid must have stopped my acid from working as well.

    Sally ignored us and picked up Jake¡¯s hand. She passed it to him without so much as a hint of being affected by the act of holding a severed hand.

    ¡°Take this. If you get to a healer fast enough they¡¯ll be able to reattach it.¡± She sighed and rubbed her temple with her free hand. ¡°If not, you¡¯ll have to wait a few days for the system to grow it back.¡±

    Wait, the system grows back limbs? I thought, furrowing my brow. Of course that made sense. I¡¯d taken some nasty hits over the last few months since I¡¯d arrived in Celestia.

    I¡¯d taken damage that would have easily killed a normal person back on Earth. Hell, I¡¯d even had an arrow shot through my jugular.

    If the system could heal that with potions, meditation, or sleep, then it could probably heal anything short of death. Still, though, the idea of a person¡¯s hand growing back was a weird one.

    I wonder if it works like it did in Deadpool where it grows back as a baby hand first? I thought, feeling the tug of a smile on my lips at the imagery.

    Jake took the hand with his uninjured one and nudged his sword, bringing it back into his inventory. He nursed his severed wrist against his chest, looking truly pitiful.

    ¡°What about the exam?¡± He said slowly as if he was torn between fixing his injury and becoming a full adventurer.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to take the next one,¡± Sally said sharply and he looked at her with wide, glossy eyes.

    His expression hardened after a moment and he glared at me. The vein in his forehead reappeared and his eyes shot venomous daggers at me as he clenched his teeth.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this¡­¡± He stopped, likely realising he didn¡¯t know my name.

    ¡°It¡¯s Kaleb,¡± I said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this Kaleb.¡± He continued as if his threat wasn¡¯t significantly blunted by his blunder. ¡°My father will be hearing about this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be furious that his noble son started a duel with a commoner and lost,¡± I replied, an edge of snickering in my tone. ¡°It must bring great shame to the great Milicent family to lose to a simple peasant like me.¡±

    He locked eyes with me for a moment and then left the room in a huff. He didn¡¯t say anything else.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Contact (Sally) would like to chat with you.

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    I jumped slightly in my seat as the sudden notification appeared on my HUD. It¡¯d been so long since I¡¯d accepted Sally onto my contacts list, that I¡¯d completely forgotten I had one.

    Right back when we first set off for the goblin king coronation quest she¡¯d shaken my hand, adding herself to my contacts.

    She did it to share the quest with me, but she was still my only contact. I¡¯d never actually used the chat feature before.

    I mentally asserted yes.

    Sally: Gonads, I don¡¯t know how that happened but I can¡¯t be seen giving you favour. Stop getting into fucking duels!

    Kaleb: Sorry Sally. He was asking for it though, and he challenged me, not the other way around.

    Sally: He¡¯s a noble. They¡¯re like that. My advice is to try and ignore them, they can be a real pain to deal with.

    Contact (Sally) has ended the chat.

    Using the chat feature was pretty intuitive. I just thought out a message, which transferred in writing onto my HUD, and then I mentally asserted that I wanted to send it.

    I felt a little sour as I read Sally¡¯s messages though. This duel wasn¡¯t my fault. The last one¡­ well I was under the influence of berry-infused smoke that made me act like a frat guy.

    This time though, it was definitely the other guy¡¯s fault. I wasn¡¯t sure what to make of her advice about trying to ignore nobles. I mean, I didn¡¯t want anything to do with them if they were all going to be like Jake Milicent.

    Still, though, I wasn¡¯t just going to sit back and take shit from someone just because of their title. The local culture might say otherwise, but I¡¯m from Yorkshire and we don¡¯t take shit from anyone. Let alone those who can¡¯t back up their words.

    After Jake left the room, Sally took his seat and sat at the head of the table. She sighed loudly and rubbed her temples with her hands. As she creased her arms to do this, her steroid-test biceps flexed menacingly and the three other examinees shrank back even further into their chairs.

    I couldn¡¯t feel it myself, but I guessed she released some of her mana again ¨C or aura, or whatever it was they called it.

    ¡°Right.¡± She said slowly before looking up at us. ¡°My name is Sally. I¡¯m a silver-ranked adventurer and I¡¯ve been tasked with overseeing this examination¡­. Unfortunately.¡± She finished, shooting me a look which I smiled at.

    She took a few moments to compose herself and then leaned back in her chair, placing her feet on the table. She plucked a cigar out of her inventory and lit it with the tip of her oversized, black sword.

    Then, she took a deep drag, tipped her head back, and let out a sweet-smelling puff of thick smoke.

    I hope she¡¯s not taking that smoke back. You¡¯re just supposed to hold cigar smoke in your mouth. Taking it back is a one-way ticket to lung cancer city. I thought as I watched her inhale the black cloud.

    Panda joined Sally in lighting up, once again puffing on his bamboo pipe. He sat cross-legged to the side of me, on the table.

    I noticed my sleeve twitch and I turned towards the girl who was sitting next to me. Her cheeks were slightly red as her hand tugged gently on the sleeve of my armour.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said quickly, in a whisper. ¡°Can I stroke your panda?¡±

    I looked at her for a moment in disbelief. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what I was expecting her to say but it definitely wasn¡¯t that.

    I felt myself blink a few times as I looked at her big anime eyes. I couldn¡¯t say no to a face like that.

    ¡°Yeah, go ahead,¡± I whispered back.

    Her round face lit up as sparkles danced in her eyes and a cute, but kinda evil, smile formed on her lips.

    Without warning, she reached out from behind and grabbed Panda under his arms like a plushie toy. She pulled him into her chest and began squeezing him like he was a teddy bear.

    ¡°Oh wow, he¡¯s so warm and fluffy.¡± She gasped.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± Panda said as he was suddenly yanked from the table and into the clutches of a stranger. ¡°Kaleb help! I¡¯m being Panda-napped.¡± He squealed, looking at me with a panicked expression as he struggled to comprehend what was happening.

    ¡°Pandas are an endangered species, manhandling me is a crime!¡± He yelled at Bell, who simply hugged him tighter, childish delight shining in her big eyes.

    ¡°Panda shut the fuck up,¡± Sally said, lifting her foot and slamming it back down onto the table. ¡°Jeez, I¡¯m a god damned adventurer, not a babysitter. Lucas is gonna pay for this gig.¡± She muttered to herself before taking another drag.

    Reggie and the other guy looked awkwardly between us and Sally. I could tell that they didn¡¯t have a clue what was going on.

    Panda stopped shouting but he did continue to look at me with pleading eyes as the girl nuzzled him like a plushie. I fought the urge to laugh and instead returned a barely contained smile.

    ¡°Alright class, listen up,¡± Sally said, seeming to have gathered her thoughts finally. ¡°In a minute we¡¯re going to leave the city to take on an exam quest as a group. The Director has given you a doozy of an exam quest. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen one quite like this before.¡±

    She chuckled to herself as her eyes glazed slightly. I was pretty sure she was reading a quest notification as she spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to add you all to my contacts to share the details.¡± She sighed, removing her legs from the table, and leaning forward.

    She stretched both of her hands out towards the two guys closest to her who tentatively shook with her.  She grinned as she squeezed their hands and both of them experienced simultaneous pain; it was obvious by the mirrored grimaces on their faces.

    Poor guys. I thought she did that to me too on my first quest.

    Then, she stood up and skirted the table, moving towards the girl next to me. The girl was so immersed in her toy panda that she barely noticed Sally until she was practically on top of her.

    ¡°If you hug him any tighter he might explode,¡± Sally said as she reached the girl.

    The girl looked up at her and her eyes widened, if that was possible, as she stared at the towering, hulking catonid before her.

    She relaxed her grip on Panda slightly and took Sally¡¯s outstretched hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡± Sally asked with suspicious politeness.

    ¡°It¡¯s Bell, ma¡¯am.¡± She replied awkwardly.

    ¡°Well, Bell. I¡¯m glad you like animals.¡± Sally replied with an evil glint in her eyes. ¡°Because if you wanna pass this exam, you¡¯re gonna have to kill one. We¡¯re going dragon hunting.¡±

 Chapter 70 â€“ How To Slay Your Dragon

    The whole room was silent as we all turned to face the grinning lunatic who stood next to Bell.

    She looked around at us with a ferocious determination in her eyes and a giddy smile on her face. Her silver, cat ears wiggled slightly and I could see her suppressing her tail which obviously wanted to wag.

    ¡°A dragon?¡± I said finally, in disbelief.

    She focused on me and brushed her shining, silver hair out of her eyes. They glinted with the depths of the dark blue ocean. It was quite off-putting.

    ¡°See for yourselves.¡± She said cheerily.

    Contact (Sally) wants to share a quest with you.

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    New Quest!

    How To Slay Your Dragon

    There have been reports of a dragon nesting at the top of the big mountain in the middle of the island. The Havar local government have tasked the Adventure Society to handle the issue.

    Remember when you first got here? I told you there would be dragons.

    Objectives:

    Find the dragon¡¯s lair 0/1

    Kill the dragon 0/1

    Reward: X1 item upgrade token, adventurer rank-up

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    Well, shit. I thought as I read through the quest. Thinking, back, the system had mentioned dragons when I first arrived on the island.

    I distinctly remembered it saying as much in the opening announcement. It was the same announcement that mentioned the map tattoos and hunters ¨C though I hadn¡¯t seen any of those yet unless the cultists counted.

    More importantly, I was now convinced that the system added different parts to notifications for different people. There was no way it would reference something as personal to me as first arriving here, in a quest that multiple people were given.

    I felt like that information was somehow important, though I didn¡¯t know why. I¡¯d already discovered that the system had a personality, even if it was a shitty one, during my sewer quest.

    It had gotten upset that I¡¯d burnt Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks when I used them to create a torch to explore the boss room.

    Everything about the system seemed weird to me. Though nobody else seemed to think so. It must have just been because I was an outsider. How could a natural phenomenon that had never existed on earth, not feel weird to an outworlder like me?

    ¡°Miss Sally,¡± Reggie spoke up, looking up at Sally with fearful eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to question your methods, but why is a group of temp adventurers being sent to kill a dragon? That sounds like something I¡¯d expect someone like¡­ well, like you, to be asked to do.¡±

    He had a point.

    I didn¡¯t know how powerful dragons were in Celestia, but if they were anything like the creatures of legend back home then we¡¯d need to send a team of powerhouses to kill it.

    Yet, instead, the Adventure Society was sending a bunch of phase two rookies. It didn¡¯t add up. There was no way this could be as simple as the oversights and lack of information that Director Lucas had mentioned to me before.

    This felt like some sort of test.

    It is a test you bellend. It¡¯s the adventurer exam. My thoughts chided. I was right, this was an exam. Though dragon hunting still felt a little extreme.

    ¡°Adventure Society intelligence believes the dragon will be around the level 50 mark,¡± Sally answered, still grinning wildly. ¡°So, it will probably be a phase three, but a weak one. That fact is the reason why I¡¯m to accompany you.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be taking on monsters as we work our way there so I can score you on teamwork, solo work, and tactical prowess. Once we get to the dragon¡¯s lair we¡¯ll do some scouting and you can devise a strategy. In other words, if you fuck up, I¡¯ll be there to help.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The whole room sighed with relief at that last part, myself included. I¡¯d seen Sally fight before and her power was no joke. If she was watching our backs and the dragon really was only a level 50, we¡¯d be relatively safe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sigh like that!¡± She continued, looking around the room with an admonishing gaze. ¡°Adventuring is never safe. I¡¯m not some kind of safety blanket for you bunch of sorry fucks. I fully expect you to kill the thing yourselves and I won¡¯t be jumping in unless you seriously mess up. For the record, that means someone will probably die before I save your asses. So you¡¯d better not need saving in the first place.¡±

    The collective mood in the room dampened again. No one wanted to be the guy who died so Sally would rescue the rest.

    I wasn¡¯t certain about facing a level 50 dragon solo, but I was at level 34 now so I was confident I could pull my weight in a team of phase two adventurers ¨C hopefully.

    I absently pulled up my stat sheet for a moment. I hadn¡¯t checked my progress properly since before my last quest.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 34

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 386/336 (386)

    Stamina: 348/317 (348)

    Strength: 289 (317)

    Agility: 124 (142)

    Perception: 120

    Vitality: 256 (306)

    Intelligence: 56

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique), Health Sense (common)

    Class Skills (Passive): Newly Qualified Bowman (0.3%), Dagger (lvl 10), Novice Apex Skirmisher, Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Titles: Audacious Soul Expander

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    Ah, is there any better feeling than numbers going up? I wondered as I looked through my stats. My HP and stamina were looking pretty good. However, it made me wonder how much Sally had invested into those stats at level 91.

    I wondered if they were over 1000. That would be pretty damn impressive. A person would be practically unkillable with 1000 HP.

    Maybe at that point, I¡¯d be strong enough to protect my wife and child if I found a way to bring them into this world.

    When I¡¯d first arrived in Celestia, my wife had been pregnant. Nearly two months had passed since I¡¯d arrived. It stood to reason that she¡¯d given birth by now¡­ and I¡¯d missed it.

    My heart hurt as I thought about them. It was hard to deal with that when I knew nothing about how to reunite with them again. For all I knew they thought I was dead, or worse¡­ that I ran away.

    I¡¯d never do that. I grew up without a father and I¡¯d be damned if I did that to my own child. No fucking way. For now, the only thing I could do was focus on gaining power and increasing my stats.

    I needed to be strong enough to protect them¡­ of course, I also needed power to get them here. If the system could do it then so could I¡­ hopefully¡­ maybe.

    Gaining power. That was my goal. The only thing that mattered to me in this world. So, I guess, in order to meet that goal, I was about to go out and slay me a dragon.

    ¡°Right,¡± Sally said, slamming her fist on the table in front of Panda, Bell, and me. ¡°Enough gawking. Let¡¯s get going. This dragon ain¡¯t gonna kill itself.¡±

    Reggie and the other guy sitting at the bottom of the table gawked at her bravado. Neither of them looked particularly happy as they got up from the table and followed Sally out of the room with slumped shoulders.

    ¡°Hey, toots. You gonna let me down yet or what?¡± Panda said, scrabbling to get out of Bell¡¯s tight grasp.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she replied as if he¡¯d woken her from a daze. ¡°Sorry Mr Panda, you¡¯re just so fluffy. I could hug you...¡± She leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, ¡°Forever.¡±

    Who was this girl? Something about her put me on edge, yet at the same time she had such a disarming personality. She seemed pretty young, though it was hard to tell in this world.

    She wore long, white robes, so it stood to reason that she was probably a healer. At least, that was the impression I got. Someone who loves pandas and seemed so¡­ innocent, was probably a healer.

    I¡¯d complained a lot about my lack of mana since I¡¯d arrived here, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t think of anything worse than being a healer. It definitely wasn¡¯t for me.

    Healers needed teams. Healers couldn¡¯t fight.  If I was a healer, I had no doubt I¡¯d have died already. Probably on the first day.

    Though I guess non-outworlders wouldn¡¯t have that problem. She¡¯d probably completed her three quests with the help of a team. Either that, or she¡¯d taken fetch quests and saving cats from tree quests.

    I hoped she wasn¡¯t going to be a liability on this dragon-slaying quest. Having someone to patch up my wounds would be useful, but probably not as useful as having an OP wizard shooting fireballs or something.

    After all, in Celestia, it wasn¡¯t that hard to heal. You just had to survive the encounter.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I said, scooting around the edge of the table. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Bell let go of Panda and he scurried away from her like a frightened bunny rabbit. She looked a little sad as she watched him go, but quickly stood up and followed us out of the room.

    I lifted Panda over the glass from the window I¡¯d shattered. I wouldn¡¯t want him to cut his paws or anything. Then the three of us trotted after Sally and the others.

    We caught them in the foyer and Sally glanced back at us with that typical battle junkie look in her eyes. I¡¯d seen it plenty of times before on my last quest with her.

    ¡°So, Gonads, I heard you soloed a slime queen not long after we parted. That¡¯s pretty impressive for a noob.¡± She said, patting me on the shoulder so hard I thought I was going to sink into the floor.

    ¡°Yeah, it ate all my hair in the process though,¡± I replied meekly, trying not to show the pain in my shoulder. Her light pat had lost me two HP. She was too strong for her own good.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing that creepy hood?¡± She replied. ¡°I figured you fancied yourself an edge lord or something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just part of my armour. I honestly forgot I had it up.¡± I said, taking it off with my hand.

    Sally looked at me a moment and stopped dead in her tracks. The others stopped as well and turned to look at her.

    She stared at me for a moment and then burst out laughing. She had a strong, bellowing laugh as she tilted backwards and wiped a tear from her eye.

    ¡°Holy shit Gonads, you do not suit short hair at all.¡± She laughed, struggling for breath, ¡°Why is your head shaped like that?¡±

    ¡°Shaped like what!?¡± I replied, hurriedly feeling my skull. It felt perfectly normal to me.

    ¡°It is shaped a little weirdly,¡± Bell said from beside me and I looked at her with shocked eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing though. It suits you.¡± She hurriedly added.

    Like that was going to help. She may as well have said: Oh yeah Kaleb, you¡¯re an ugly bastard, but it suits you. Yeah thanks so much for that Bell, it¡¯s really nice of you to say.

    This was Sally¡¯s fault. I turned back to her with a death glare which was apparently the wrong way to handle the situation because she laughed even harder.

    I could feel my cheeks go red, there was only one solution.

    I activated my armour¡¯s full set bonus and turned invisible. I could only do it once a day, and it didn¡¯t last very long because the length was determined by my intelligence stat.

    However, it was worth it. As I used the valuable second or so that it gave me to storm out the door.

    ¡°Hey, where did Gonads go?¡± I heard Sally say from behind me.

 Chapter 71 â€“ Itâ€™s Always Sunny In Havar

    I walked out of the door with a smug expression on my face as my invisibility faded. I didn¡¯t get much time out of it, but I learned something valuable.

    If I could fool Sally, even if only momentarily, then even as pathetically weak as the ability was right now. It could still be useful. I may have wasted it for the day, but it was worth it.

    Less than a moment later she spotted me and led the rest of the examinees in my direction.

    ¡°When did you get a stealth skill, Gonads?¡± She asked as she fell in step with me and led us towards¡­ wherever we were going.

    ¡°It¡¯s part of my armour¡¯s abilities,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s not very useful yet though.¡±

    ¡°If you ever make it to the continent you¡¯ll find armour that¡¯s better than even my skills.¡± She said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s fierce over there though, much more dangerous than in Havar. And I don¡¯t just mean ''cause the monsters are stronger.¡±

    The continent. I¡¯d heard people talk about it before. Supposedly it was a higher-tier place filled with high-level monsters and adventurers to match.

    Director Lucas¡¯ father lived there, or so he¡¯d said. I wondered what kind of man he was. Lucas once told me that he¡¯d been exiled from his family. A man powerful enough to do that to a gold-rank adventurer must be a sight to behold.

    Sally led us towards the interior gate, past Taylor¡¯s Tailor, the first store I¡¯d ever entered in the city. I hadn¡¯t been inland since I¡¯d arrived in Havar.

    Every quest I¡¯d been on was either on a smaller island off the coast or under the city itself. Outside of the cultist compound and the area of palm tree jungle, I¡¯d arrived in, I didn¡¯t actually know anything about the island itself.

    I didn¡¯t even know its name.

    Apparently, there were other towns and villages dotted about somewhere, but Havar was the only city. I wondered what they were like.

    Havar had a high population of lycanids, catonids and humans, with small minority groups of other races dotted around. I wondered if that was the same for the rest of the island. I wondered what other races even existed in this world.

    As we crossed the bridge leading out of Havar, I caught the back of a huge, armoured lycanid. He turned as we approached and moved aside as he caught Sally¡¯s visage.

    ¡°Your transport is waiting for you up ahead Miss Sally.¡± He said curtly in a husky growl.

    She nodded her thanks and we continued onwards. Panda was waddling close to me, idly smoking his bamboo pipe as we went.

    He was going to be so pissed if we had to spend a long time in the transport. He didn¡¯t have any books to read and worse, he¡¯d be in close proximity to Bell who would no doubt pester him.

    We rounded a corner near the bridge and Sally halted the group in front of our transport. It was an open-backed truck in olive green with a symbol on the hood.

    The symbol was made up of the letters A and S where the S hung from the middle, horizontal bar of the A. It was obviously an Adventure Society symbol, but not one I¡¯d seen before.

    ¡°Right, pile in crew,¡± Sally said as she stood on the step which led into the cab of the truck. ¡°I¡¯m driving and we have quite a bit of distance to cover. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯m sure there will be chances for you to¡­ stretch your legs.¡± She finished with evil undertones as she winked at me.

    Reggie and the other guy climbed aboard first, though they looked pretty disheartened. I think they were friends with that Milicent guy who¡¯d started a fight with me.

    They probably weren¡¯t too happy about having to work with a guy they¡¯d openly laughed at not long ago. Especially when that same guy shot their friend¡¯s hand off.

    A strong part of me wanted to do my own thing and let them fend for themselves but Sally had already said that she was grading us on teamwork so I¡¯d have to let that childish notion go.

    I needed to pass this exam.

    Bell climbed up into the back of the truck and I lifted Panda into the truck bed behind her. The truck¡¯s rear had curved metal beams which decorated the back. On the back of the cab itself was a retracted, material canopy which looked like it could be pulled over the beams if needed.

    It was nice to know we had rain protection, though so far the weather in this place had always been sunny.

    ¡°It¡¯s always sunny in Havar,¡± I mumbled to myself as I climbed in. It reminded me of a TV show I used to watch with my wife on an evening after work.

    I took my seat on the uncomfortable wooden bench, leaving my right leg to loll off the back of the truck. It reminded me of a WW2 troop transport and also looked eerily similar to the one I¡¯d stolen to escape the cultist compound.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    I wondered if all the land vehicles in Havar were just old versions of our own, with magic fuel sources. On the sea they had pirate ships and yachts alike, so maybe somewhere someone had a Ferrari.

    That¡¯d certainly be something, a magic Ferrari.

    The truck trundled into life, as I imagined Sally slipping on the mana-sucking armband that powered these things, and we set off.

    The truck bounced uncomfortably down the main road out of Havar and we passed by the barn that Panda and I had stayed the night in on our way there.

    I wondered if the little girl who was living in the farmhouse was doing ok. However, that thought didn¡¯t last long as I realised we were heading straight towards the palm tree jungle and I groaned internally.

    ¡°Stupid steroid test cat,¡± Panda muttered under his breath.

    I looked towards him, I¡¯d been looking ponderously out at the road and had almost forgotten I wasn¡¯t alone.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong mate,¡± I asked, pulling my leg inside the truck, and turning towards him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any new books to read.¡± He said exasperatedly. ¡°I¡¯m a sage and I need my books to increase my sagely wisdom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a sage?¡± Bell asked, looking towards him in wonder.

    Panda ignored her and looked away, folding his stubby little arms. He usually loved female attention, maybe it was the squeezing that had soured him towards her.

    ¡°He¡¯s a daemon,¡± I answered in his stead.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just old-timey speak for demon?¡± She asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said when I summoned him!¡±

    ¡°Mistakes like that are exactly why you should be grateful that you did summon me, kid.¡± Panda huffed, still refusing to look at Bell, or even acknowledge her existence by the looks of it.

    I ignored him and continued talking to the girl.

    ¡°Bell, that¡¯s your name right?¡± I asked, I knew it was because I¡¯d been sitting next to her when she introduced herself to Sally, but it seemed like an easy way to keep the conversation going.

    ¡°Yup, but my enemies call me The Destroyer.¡± She replied with a slight smile. ¡°And if I heard Sally right, your name¡¯s Gonads right? I¡¯ve got to say, that¡¯s a pretty weird name. I don¡¯t know what it means here but it¡¯s definitely not a person¡¯s name where I come from.¡±

    Panda chuckled and began to turn towards Bell before catching himself and quickly turning back around. He quite literally had his back to her as he stared out of the rear of the truck.

    ¡°No¡­¡± I replied with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s just what Sally calls me. My name is Kaleb.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lie about your name Gonads,¡± Panda said loudly.

    I shot him a look but he was still facing away from Bell so I doubt he saw me.

    ¡°You¡¯re not from around here then?¡± I asked Bell, brushing past Panda¡¯s comment.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m from¡­ somewhere pretty far away.¡± She said wistfully. ¡°I really like it here though, it¡¯s a lot more exciting than where I come from.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not from Havar either,¡± I replied.

    The truck hit something and I bounced painfully on the bench. I looked around, annoyed, and realised we were fully submersed in the palm tree jungle now. The shade was a welcome touch but the bumpy ride got even worse.

    I made a quick mental apology to my ass, then looked back towards Bell.

    Her teal-coloured hair was wafting in the breeze. I couldn¡¯t believe that people who looked like anime characters actually existed in this world. Funny coloured hair, a round face and large eyes. They were the hallmark of anime girls.

    Just as I had that thought the truck rolled to a halt.

    That was fast. I thought. We¡¯d barely been driving for twenty minutes.

    ¡°Everybody out,¡± Sally announced, pulling herself out of the window and banging on the roof of the truck cab.

    We all complied, piling out of the truck, and moving around the front to join her.

    ¡°I told you we¡¯d be stretching our legs frequently.¡± She said menacingly as she gestured towards a large¡­ thing that was blocking the road. ¡°Let¡¯s do some solo battles to start with. Bell, you¡¯re up.¡±

    I looked at the thing that was blocking the road and I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it. It was a large, grey ball. It looked like a boulder, apart from that its body moved up and down ever so slightly.

    That was it, there were no eyes, teeth, legs, arms, nothing. I focused on it and the notification popped up.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Dhur

    The Dhur is a type of earth elemental, common to dry, arid climates. It¡¯s just a big magic rock, there¡¯s not much more to say really.

    They¡¯re quite tough to kill but they don¡¯t usually attack unprovoked.

    In fact, I¡¯d say you¡¯d have to be quite bold to attack this boulder. Though I guess after your run-in with the Slime Queen you¡¯re already bald enough.

    Ah, wordplay. How I have missed you.

    ¡°You can do better than that,¡± I said, raising my head to the sky with a smirk on my face.

    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Sally asked with a furrowed brow.

    I looked down to see the other examinees staring at me like I was tapped in the head. I felt my cheeks redden as I hastily muttered: ¡°No one.¡±

    It definitely came across as a little sheepish as Bell smiled at me and then walked towards the dhur.

    ¡°Wait Bell, you¡¯re a healer, aren¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t it dangerous to take that thing on alone?¡± I called after her worriedly.

    She looked back at me with a confused expression and opened her mouth but Sally muted her with a raised palm.

    ¡°Shut it Gonads, just sit back and watch.¡± She said with a knowing smile.

    She nodded to Bell who shrugged and continued walking towards the large, grey boulder monster. It was at least three times her height.

    Sally obviously knew something that I didn¡¯t, but I had no idea what that something was.

    Bell strolled up to the thing calmly without drawing a weapon.

    Is she a DnD monk? I wondered. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s gonna pull some karate shit and chop the thing in two with her hands is there? However as I thought about it, I realised how awesome that would be.

    I just couldn¡¯t see it though. She was a cute, anime-looking girl in a white robe. If that didn¡¯t scream healer, I didn¡¯t know what else did.

    She walked a little closer until she was about twenty feet or so away from it, then looked back towards the group.

    ¡°You might wanna move back.¡± She said in her sweet, innocent tone.

    Then something changed.

    Her face contorted into an evil grin and her eyes deadened. Suddenly that sweet little girl was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a woman with the face of a psychopath.

    I knew that look. Sally had it too. There was no mistaking it.

    Bell¡­ was a battle junkie.

    ¡°It¡¯s fireball time, motherfucker!¡± She yelled.

 Chapter 72 â€“ Itâ€™s Acid, It Melts Things

    I watched in awe as Bell approached the rock and her cute, innocent face contorted into that of a psychotic battle junkie.

    She raised her hand towards the dhur and grinned maliciously as she shouted: ¡°Fireball!¡±

    A magnificent ball of red and orange flame burst from her hand and shot into the dhur¡¯s body. I didn¡¯t even know that massive rocks could catch fire, but apparently they can.

    The fireball spell kicked off some insane heat. It felt like I was standing next to an inferno. The heat was so hot it was painful to stand near it and I wasn¡¯t even that close.

    It must have been agonising for the poor dhur she threw it at.

    The flames sputtered and licked at the palm trees surrounding the dhur. I watched, frozen to my spot as the closest trees burst into flame.

    Within seconds those flames began to spread and Reggie jumped backwards in panic. He was a stumpy, but well-built, dude. Not the type you¡¯d expect to have a weak constitution. Though I guess they say never judge a book by its cover for a reason.

    He was right to panic though. In this arid climate, a forest fire could be deadly.

    Whilst the trees continued to burn, the dhur¡¯s fire went out and it began rolling slowly towards Bell. She grinned and fired three more fireballs in quick succession.

    They did nothing.

    The fireballs bounced off the living boulder as it spun towards her. It was like watching a Zamboni trying to crush a person. It moved so damn slowly.

    Bell stood firm though, firing even more useless fireballs at the thing. She cackled like a witch as she went. I couldn¡¯t see her eyes from where I was stood but I imagined them glowing with psychotic joy.

    ¡°Hey, Bell!¡± I shouted, unable to stand and watch any longer. ¡°Try a water spell, rocks are weak to water¡­ I think.¡±

    She halted her barrage of fireballs and turned back to me for a moment. Her evil, battle junkie face had switched back to one of innocence in an instant.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any water spells.¡± She called sweetly.

    ¡°Ok¡­ what spells do you know?¡± I shouted back.

    ¡°Fireball.¡±

    I stared at her and the world seemed to stop as I blinked a few times, dumbfounded.

    ¡°You only know fireball?¡± I said slowly.

    ¡°Yeah, why would I need anything else? Fireball is awesome.¡± She smiled sweetly and then turned back around and fired off a few more ineffective fireballs at the dhur.

    The dhur kept rolling towards her. Honestly, it was probably the least dangerous thing in the immediate vicinity.

    The palm trees were much worse.

    The fire was spreading, jumping from tree to tree like a monkey swinging through a cluster of¡­ well¡­ trees. The clearing was a blazing inferno and it felt like my skin might melt off my body at any moment.

    I looked to Sally for some sort of guidance. However, she watched Bell silently with her arms folded. She obviously had no intention of helping.

    Stupid steroid-test cat. I thought, doing my best Panda impression in my mind.

    ¡°Fuck this. I¡¯m going in there.¡± I said, angrily barging past Reggie and his friend as they watched the inferno with slack jaws.

    A fat lot of use these two clowns are. I thought scathingly.

    I walked into the clearing with clenched fists and summoned my bow. I half expected Sally to stop me but she just stood there, leaning against the truck with folded arms and a flat expression.

    I lifted my bow, nocked an arrow, and channelled Soul Shot the skill was quickly becoming my go-to move. Soul Shot allowed me to channel the energy of my soul into a single arrow, boosting its power dramatically.

    Soul Shot (ancient)

    Due to a complete lack of mana, you¡¯ve realised the potential of the soul earlier than most. You have gained a deeper understanding of the soul through meditation.

    As demonstrated already, you have unlocked the potential to infuse the power of your soul into certain attacks.

    Who¡¯d have ever thought meditation would be so useful? Next, you¡¯ll be unlocking a skill for virtue-signalling monsters to death.

    The amount of power used is directly proportional to the amount of stamina you¡¯ve chosen to assign to the shot.

    I charged the shot and my arrow was enveloped in an acid-green glow. It wasn¡¯t lost on me that my soul¡¯s colour was reflective of my class¡¯s main skill.

    I felt my arm ache as the power reached its climax and I fired the arrow into the side of the boulder.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The arrow created a backblast of force as it exited my bow, almost blowing me off my feet and forcing a startled Bell to dodge to the side.

    It embedded itself into the boulder in an instant and as it continued its slow roll towards us, it suddenly stopped.

    The arrow that had gotten lodged in it was acting as a block to the sphere¡¯s rolling ability. Or at least it did for about 0.3 seconds before the arrow shaft broke and the dhur continued onwards.

    Well, shit.

    On the upside, the tiny hole where the arrow had pierced was glowing a sickly green colour and small veins were growing from it.

    Acid should affect pretty much anything. I mean it¡¯s acid. It melts things. Why should a big living rock be any different right?

    I fired off another arrow, without using Soul Shot this time and it chipped the dhur slightly. A minuscule green tinge was left as the arrow dropped to the ground.

    Perfect! That means I just need to keep firing until the acid melts it.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Bell shouted from beside me. ¡°Get your own rock monster! This one is mine.¡±

    She almost sounded pouty, like a child whose parents refused to buy them a new toy. I stared back incredulously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can kill this thing on your own,¡± I said back after a long second of staring at her in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s a fucking rock and you shoot fire. Not exactly a match made in heaven.¡±

    She scoffed at me, looking slightly offended and then fired off another barrage of fireballs at the dhur which was still slowly advancing towards us.

    I shrugged and charged another arrow with Soul Shot. I fired it to the same effect as the last one. The boulder was starting to chip slightly, which I took as a good sign. I had to take a few steps backwards though as it had finally gotten close enough to us to potentially do something.

    As I slowly retreated, I continued firing a mixture of normal arrows and Soul Shot arrows until my stamina was practically depleted. Then I swigged a quick stamina potion and fired some more.

    Then the dhur stopped. Bell and I ceased fire and watched it carefully. Was it over? Had we won?

    No, no, definitely not that. I thought as the large boulder started to glow.

    An earthy, yet ethereal, glow enveloped its body as the ground started to shake. I tensed up as a supreme amount of pressure started emanating from its cold, rock body.

    A grating sound came from its spherical shape and bits of rock began to separate. Two, piercing brown eyes opened in the middle. They looked between Bell, who had sparks in her hands, and me, who had a bow. Those eyes did not look happy.

    The grating sound continued and a large mouth appeared in the area where I¡¯d fired my first arrow. It stretched the full width of the dhur, its teeth were all molars, perfect for grinding up prey like us.

    It opened its mouth and began a rhythmic chomping which sounded like rocks smashing together, and then it continued its pursuit.

    I fired an arrow into its mouth and it chomped straight through it, it wasn¡¯t slowed in the slightest. It was a rocky Pacman that had just eaten a power pellet, and we were blue ghosts.

    ¡°Kill it!¡± Bell shouted, sparking flames into her hands like The Human Torch. ¡°Kill it with fire!¡±

    She began blasting fireballs again to no effect. They did seem to buffer it slightly though as it continued rolling towards us, chomping every time its new mouth completed a revolution.

    I continued firing arrows at it, aiming for its eyes when I could. It was a weird evolutionary trait: having a face but moving by rolling. I almost felt bad for Rock Pacman as it slowly moved towards us.

    Eventually, we¡¯d retreated back to the truck and the dhur was beginning to chip quite badly, but it still didn¡¯t stop its advance. More worryingly, thanks to Smokey The Bear and her fireballs, we were surrounded by an out-of-control forest fire.

    I heard a scream and looked behind me to see a blazing loconut falling from a tree. It hit the floor and smashed open as blood and guts spilt out into the clearing.

    The smell was vile.

    Burning organs are not good for the nose, let me tell you.

    We needed to put the fires out, but I had no way of doing it myself. As I kept firing, I had a brain wave and shouted behind me to Reggie and his friend whose name I hadn¡¯t learned yet.

    ¡°Oi, Reggie!¡± I shouted. ¡°Do either of you two know any water magic?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Reggie replied in his deep, romance audiobook narrator voice. ¡°But Jamie does.¡±

    I had to assume that Jamie was the other guy and not some rando Reggie knew back in Havar. Surely even he wasn¡¯t that stupid.

    ¡°Yeah, I know a little bit, not much though.¡± A timid voice said from behind me.

    ¡°That¡¯s better than nothing. Try to put the tree fires out and maybe blast some water at this fucking rock will ya?¡± I shouted back.

    I shouldn¡¯t have to tell these bozos to help out. They¡¯re supposed to be adventurers, aren¡¯t they? I thought scathingly as I fired off another shot.

    Bell continued firing an excessive number of fireballs at the dhur. Honestly. Her mana count must have been insane.

    Her face scared me as she fought. She had a huge ear-to-ear grin but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. They burned with a sadistic joy. It was unnerving, but not as unnerving as her rendition of Disco Inferno which she sang enthusiastically as she fired.

    I fired another arrow into the dhur which was looking pretty bad now. Its outer layer was cracking badly. It was starting to look like the potholes on the street by my house ¨C which is to say, it was starting to look like the potholes on every street across all of England.

    Our country had a shit tonne of potholes.

    I charged a miniature Soul Shot for my last arrow, aiming carefully for its eyes for the hundredth time that fight. I hadn¡¯t managed to hit it yet since it kept rolling, but I was sure that the eyes were the weak spot.

    My stamina was whittled down to almost nothing and I wouldn¡¯t be able to fire another shot. I barely managed to put extra power into the shot as I fired. At the same time, Bell shot another fireball.

    They both hit at pretty much the same time and through some combined force, luck or just the slow trundle of whittling down an enemy¡¯s health, the dhur cracked in two and fell apart.

    ¡°Thank god for that.¡± I sighed, leaning back slightly, and dismissing my bow.

    I couldn¡¯t have fired another shot. My stamina was all but depleted. I felt tired all of a sudden but I turned to Bell anyway.

    ¡°Who only learns fireball?¡± I asked incredulously, placing my hands on my hips.

    ¡°Why would I need anything else?¡± She asked innocently, raising a finger to just below her lips. All signs of the battle junkie psycho had completely vanished.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ because fire doesn¡¯t solve all problems?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Did you never play Pok¨¦mon growing up? Even kids learn that fire beats grass, grass beats water and water beats fire. It''s super fucking basic.¡±

    Of course, we were fighting a rock monster, but Charizard would have a hard time against Graveler in the game.

    ¡°Of course I did!¡± She said back in a slightly raised, but somehow still sweet, voice. ¡°I chose Charmander and I made it so strong it could beat all the others, regardless of their type. Why would I raise a team of six mediocre Pok¨¦mon when I could raise one super strong one.¡±

    I opened my mouth to argue back but then my brain ticked over for a moment and I stared at her open-mouthed.

    She looked like she wanted to continue as well, but then she did the same thing and I shit you not, we both pointed at each other, at exactly the same time, with open mouths.

    We were one person shy of that Spiderman meme on the internet.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I couldn¡¯t really say anything with Reggie and Jamie still around. This girl was from my world. She was one of the players.

    I had so many questions.

    ¡°Will you two stop flirting in gibberish and help us?!¡± Panda shouted from near the truck.

    I turned towards his voice, broken out of my momentary haze, and opened my mouth even wider ¨C if that was possible.

    A burning palm tree cracked and fell towards the truck, and everyone stood near it.

 Chapter 73 â€“ Earth, Gravel, and Slime

    The cracked palm tree branch burned wildly as it separated from the rest of the tree and plummeted towards the truck. The world seemed to slow down around me.

    Panda, Reggie, and Jamie looked up in awe. Jamie was shooting water from his hands and it seemed to be helping slightly, but the overall inferno was simply too much for him to handle alone.

    Reggie and Panda stood nearby, looking skyward towards the falling branch and their doom. Sally, however, still leant against the truck with her arms crossed and a flat expression.

    I resummoned my bow and aimed at the falling branch. Though my stamina was so low, I doubted I could fire off a single shot. To make matters worse, at my best guess, I¡¯d need a Soul Shot to do the job. Anything less than that and the branch wouldn¡¯t break into small enough pieces to mitigate the damage.

    I felt something brush my shoulder and I turned just in time to see Bell. She walked calmly past me, there was no sign of her battle mode on her face. She looked¡­ calm.

    She raised her hand towards the falling branch and I felt all the blood rush from my face as I realised what she was about to do.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± I shouted.

    But it was already happening. She shot a magnificent fireball spell from her palm which rocketed towards the branch. The heat seared my cheek as it rushed past me.

    The fireball was a cacophony of swirling reds and oranges, and death, lots of death.

    It felt¡­ powerful.

    I wasn¡¯t sure why. I had no mana of my own, which left me blind to magic in almost all cases. But for some reason, in that moment, I could feel the raw power of her spell.

    I saw Panda¡¯s eyes go wide with horror as he realised what she¡¯d done. He must have had the same thought as me. Her fireballs were much more dangerous than the branch was

    In all likelihood, all it would do was burn the others to a crisp and wreck the truck.

    The fireball whizzed through the air, rotating, and burning with more intensity as it went. Then it hit the branch.

    To my amazement, the branch exploded into tiny splinters of burning wood and the fireball blasted into the sky before dissipating.

    Panda and I sighed in relief at almost the exact same time. Reggie and Jamie had never even known how close they were to death by fireball.

    Time sped back up again as Bell turned to me with a smile and her hands clasped behind her back.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard the phrase: fight fire with fire?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what it means¡­¡± I began but changed my tone halfway. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She smiled and walked back towards the truck, her pristine white robe flapping in the wind.

    I looked back around the clearing and the fire was raging wildly. More and more loconuts dropped from trees in a flaming harmony of death screams and splattered organs. It was super gross.

    We needed to quell the flames somehow before the entire jungle was engulfed. I looked to Jamie but his paltry water magic was barely better than a child¡¯s water pistol.

    Seriously. How is the guy an adventurer? I thought as Jamie determinedly shot flaccid spurts of water onto the tree closest to him.

    I couldn¡¯t fault him for his effort, but honestly, the guy was weak as shit.

    I needed to think of another way to quell the flames. None of my skills were useful in this situation, but there had to be another way. I desperately searched through my inventory and found something.

    If my life were a cartoon, a little lightbulb would have appeared over the top of my head.

    I pulled out a vial of slime condensate and rushed to the nearest tree. I threw the condensate as high up the tree as I could and it shattered against the top branches, putting a serious dent into the flames on the leaves up there.

    Perfect.

    I had over 10,000 vials of slime condensate from my quest in the sewers. Every slime I¡¯d killed had dropped one, and I¡¯d gone full murder hobo on those little fuckers.

    I quickly ejected all 10,000 of the vials and in less than a second the entire clearing was filled with them. The pile was so tall it dwarfed me and honestly, I was lucky they didn¡¯t crush me when I took them all out of my inventory at once.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right time to be reorganising your inventory, kid,¡± Panda called from behind me.

    I turned around to see both Panda and Reggie staring at me with furrowed brows.

    ¡°Reggie, by any chance can you use wind magic?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m a healer.¡± He replied half-heartedly.

    He¡¯s a healer? I thought. So the girl in the white robe is a fire mage and the stocky, stout dude is a healer. Talk about refusing to conform to stereotypes.

    Reggie¡¯s lack of wind mana put a slight dampener on my plan, but I still had one more option.

    With a sigh, I looked towards Bell who was zealously cheering on Jamie and his flaccid water pistol-like magic.

    ¡°Bell, I need a fireball,¡± I called reluctantly, cupping my hands around my mouth.

    She turned suddenly with a huge, creepy grin on her face.

    ¡°Can you shoot it at the base of these vials? I need them to explode outwards towards the trees.¡± I said, moving towards her as Panda and Reggie retreated past me with wide eyes.

    She answered with a simple nod and held out her hands before her. It was the same thing she did when she first attacked the boulder and I really hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be overkill.

    I only needed her to blast the slime condensate at the trees. I didn¡¯t need her to incinerate them before they could do their work.

    After a moment she fired a tiny, pinprick of a fireball which disappeared into the ground near the slime condensate.

    ¡°Well that was anticlimat-¡± Panda began.

    He was immediately interrupted as the earth below the vials exploded upward like an erupting volcano. The ground shook violently as earth and vials alike shot into the air.

    I looked up in awe, which was a huge mistake.

    Earth, gravel, and slime rained down on us like a tropical storm and I was drenched from head to toe in the nasty goop that was created by the three things mixing together.

    Also, it hurt because gravel is nasty¡­ and I got some in my mouth.

    I rubbed the slime condensate out of my eyes and spat out the gravel dirt. It tasted gross, like Frenching a vegan.

    After a few moments of rubbing, I could finally see again. I looked up and saw the carnage.

    The fires were put out so yay us, we stopped the forest fire from decimating the local ecosystem. However, in place of the clearing now sat a deep crater surrounded by blackened trees and loconut corpses.

    It was definitely a win though¡­ kinda.

    I looked towards Sally who was still leaning against the truck with her arms folded. There wasn¡¯t a spec of dirt, slime, or gravel on her. I had no idea how she¡¯d avoided the sudden rainstorm but I¡¯d have to put it down to silver-rank fuckery for now.

    I had more important things to think about: like how we were going to get the truck past the new crater and how long it would be until I could take a shower.

    ¡°¡­And boom goes the dynamite!¡± Bell said, spinning towards us with a happy smile on her face.

    She was covered in slime and dirt, just like I was. Her teal hair now looked more like the underside of a layer of teal icing on a chocolate cake. She didn¡¯t seem bothered though.

    Panda on the other hand looked mortified as he desperately tried to ring slime condensate out of his fur.

    ¡°At least it¡¯s not water, this time,¡± I said, casually patting him on the head.

    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that pandas are not aquatic mammals, kid?¡± He replied sourly. ¡°You¡¯re quickly becoming my least favourite human.¡±

    ¡°You sound like my parents,¡± I replied, moving past him to Jamie, who was still shooting little spurts of water from his hands.

    I clapped my hand on his shoulder and he looked at me with stoner eyes and an uncomprehending face.

    ¡°You can stop now mate, it¡¯s over,¡± I said gently.

    ¡°Did I do it?¡± He asked dazedly. ¡°Did I put out the fire?¡±

    I looked at him for a moment. He looked exhausted and possibly in shock.

    ¡°Yeah, you sure did buddy. You can go rest up in the truck now if you want to.¡± I replied, squeezing his shoulder slightly as I gestured with my free hand towards the back of the vehicle.

    He staggered away from me with a slight smile.

    ¡°He used up nearly all of his mana trying to put out that tree,¡± Sally said.

    I turned to the sound of her voice to see her step towards us, arms still folded. Reggie and Bell winced at her words, I, however, had no idea why that was wince-worthy. I¡¯d used up literally all of my stamina before and I was ok after a bit of meditation.

    ¡°Is that bad?¡± I asked dumbly.

    Reggie and Bell both looked at me with raised eyebrows like I was an idiot or something.

    ¡°Yes, Gonads,¡± Sally replied in a condescending tone which I absolutely did not appreciate. ¡°If a person uses up most or all of their mana they suffer from something called mana brain.

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, mana is governed by the intelligence stat. So if you use it all up then the processing power in your brain stops working properly. Nobody really knows why, but it is a constant problem for mages.¡±

    I nodded at her as she spoke. I guess it explained why he seemed so brain-dead. I¡¯d put it down to shock, but apparently not.

    ¡°Have you seriously never used up most of your mana before dude?¡± Reggie asked, clapping me on the shoulder and chuckling.

    When did he get so friendly?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana,¡± I replied frankly.

    ¡°Yeah, I know you¡¯re not a mage or anything.¡± He replied. ¡°I watched you fight, but don¡¯t you use mana to make your arrows glow?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean I literally don¡¯t have any mana. Zero, nada, none,¡± I said. ¡°As for how I make my arrows glow¡­ it¡¯s a trade secret.¡± I winked and ducked out from under his hand which was still on my shoulder.

    He looked at me for a moment with uncomprehending eyes, and then it hit him.

    ¡°What!? You don¡¯t have any mana, like at all, like as in it¡¯s not even a stat for you?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that was possible.¡± He yelled.

    ¡°Neither did I.¡± Sally butted in. ¡°But Gonads here is a bit of a special case. Anyway, how are you bozos going to get my truck past this giant hole you¡¯ve made?¡±

    I looked towards the huge crater in the ground. It really was something, impressive even. Though I had no clue how to get the truck past it.

    Maybe if we cut down some of the trees around it we could circumvent the crater entirely. With no wind magic among us, it was all I could think of. Well, that or building a bridge with the palm tree wood but that would probably take a while and I was no structural engineer.

    ¡°I could shoot it across with a fireball?¡± Bell said innocently.

    In unison, Sally, Reggie, Panda, and I all yelled: ¡°no!¡±

 Chapter 74 â€“ Fireball Wizard

    I reached into my inventory and pulled out three rusted goblin axes. It was the only thing I could think of. We needed to find a way to get the truck past the huge crater Bell had created and the only way forward that I could see was to cut down some trees near it and drive around.

    I¡¯d looted the goblin weapons after nearly dying on a cliff during my first-ever Adventure Society quest: The Goblin King Coronation. Literally, thousands of goblins had swarmed me like a herd of zombies and I fought them off¡­ mostly. I may have had some life-saving help from Director Lucas towards the end.

    I pulled out the three axes and handed one to Reggie and one to Bell, keeping one for myself. I had to assume that Jamie was down for the count on account of his mana brain issue. Panda was too busy ringing slime condensate out of his fur to help, or at least that¡¯s what he said¡­ yup that was the reason, and definitely not because he¡¯s a damn tiny panda who is useless at physical tasks.

    ¡°OK guys, if we¡¯re going to get the truck past this ditch we¡¯ll need to cut out a road around it.¡± I began. ¡°I think if we cut two trees deep all the way around one side of the hole we should be able to drive around without risking falling in.¡±

    The other two nodded and we began work clearing the trees. It wasn¡¯t too difficult, to be honest. With increased stat skills and the trees being burned partly to ash already, we moved at a much faster pace than a normal human could.

    And, speaking of normal humans, it occurred to me that all the examinees in our little cohort were human. There wasn¡¯t a single lycanid or catonid, excluding Sally but she was the examiner so she didn¡¯t count.

    Both of those races were more numerous in Havar, so it struck me as being a little odd. It¡¯s surprising what random thoughts come into your head when you¡¯re chopping trees.

    I had to take a break after felling the first one to refill my stamina coil. I¡¯d used up most of my stamina already by fighting the dhur, and chopping wood was hard work.

    I dropped into a meditative pose, with my index finger and thumb touching in a circular shape, and dived into my soul view.

    My health rope seemed to be doing pretty well. It extended through my extremities, into my limbs and all around me. It was a thick, healthy, crimson rope.

    That was how I interacted with my HP and stamina stats in my soul view. I had to visualise them as something tangible so I could mould and strengthen them.

    However, as I learnt after defeating the slime queen, I couldn¡¯t strengthen them too much or the system would get mad.

    I switched views and checked on my stamina coil. It was emitting a weak yellow glow. I expected as much.

    My coil started in my core itself and it swirled out from there to my muscles. It looked a bit like a curly straw, especially when I pumped fresh energy into it, which was exactly what I was about to do.

    I breathed in deeply and visualised the oxygen which filled my lungs as a white, neutral energy. I then focused on guiding that energy into the core of my stamina coil. From there it would naturally take a ride on the curly straw slide and refill my stamina.

    Once I was done, I woke myself from the meditative trance and rubbed my eyes. The forest was bright compared to the backs of my eyelids and it took me a moment to get used to the change.

    I looked around and realised that most of the trees were gone. Had I really meditated for that long? Maybe Bell and Reggie were just really fast lumberjacks.

    I stood up and saw them dealing with the last few trees. I almost went over to help, but they hadn¡¯t cleared any of the stumps yet and that needed doing before we could drive through.

    I noticed that they¡¯d dumped the felled trees into the pit itself. I wasn¡¯t so sure that was a good idea since they were tall and it almost gave the ditch the appearance of being a funny-looking bush. Still, I had stumps to clear so I let it slip my mind for now.

    I didn¡¯t really know how to remove tree stumps, but I figured with my enhanced strength I could find a way. I smashed the axe into the earth immediately next to the closest stump and worked on pushing it underneath the stump itself.

    Then I pushed the handle down as a lever and it¡­ snapped. I was hoping the stump would pop right out of the ground but I guess it¡¯s not that easy.

    Sally snickered from her perch, leaning against the hood of the truck, and I scowled at her.

    ¡°Kaleb, you don¡¯t need to do that.¡± The friendly voice of Bell chimed from across the newly cleared patch. ¡°I can just burn them out.¡±

    ¡°No more forest fires! I don¡¯t have any more slime condensate.¡± I chided back.

    ¡°I won¡¯t start any fires.¡± She jogged towards me and then bent down and whispered: ¡°For now.¡± Then she touched the stump of the tree with the tip of her index finger. ¡°Fireball.¡± She whispered.

    A tiny, pinball-sized fireball moved slowly from her finger and pushed into the centre of the stump which smouldered slightly, then the roots began to singe. After a moment they disintegrated and all that was left was a blackened stump with nothing anchoring it to the ground.

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    Bell picked it up and tossed it over her shoulder into the pit.

    ¡°See.¡± She smiled. ¡°I told you; fireball is the only spell you need. It¡¯s the Swiss army knife of spells..¡±

    ¡°How come you have so many types of fireballs, but no other spells,¡± I asked her, following behind as she got rid of the stumps one by one.

    ¡°It¡¯s my class.¡± She giggled. ¡°I¡¯m a Fireball Wizard.¡±

    ¡°I thought they called them mages around here,¡± I replied.

    ¡°They do, but my that¡¯s my class name. When I picked it the system made some bad joke about an old British band called The Who, but the class itself is perfect.¡±

    I was a little worried about the naivety she was showing by sharing so much about her powers with me. I¡¯d tried to play my class close to my chest since I¡¯d gotten it. I didn¡¯t know what anyone else¡¯s class was either now that I thought about it.

    The conversation also reminded me that Bell was an outworlder too. I really needed to talk to her about that properly when we could get a moment of privacy.

    Bell looked up at me when I didn¡¯t reply after a few seconds and continued the conversation by herself.

    ¡°What kind of class did you pick? I saw your green arrows; might I assume the system made a Green Arrow joke when you picked it?¡± She giggled. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing that superhero costume?¡±

    ¡°No, it just told me it thought I was going to become a stealth archer. The system insults me as much as it makes jokes.¡± I replied. ¡°And it¡¯s not a superhero costume!¡±

    The joke is on the system though. I thought. Once I get my stats high enough to properly use my armour, I will be a stealth archer.

    I chuckled to myself and Bell pulled a funny face at me.

    Thinking about my class, I pulled it up on HUD and had a quick read-through.

    Apex Predator (unique)

    Well, would you look at that, your fighting style has been so varied so far I¡¯ve had to create an entirely new class for you. Before you start feeling too special I¡¯ve already had to do this for over 500 of the 10,000 players brought here.

    So far you¡¯ve used a bow, a dagger, a vat of acid and a truck to slaughter your way through the countryside. This class is the amalgamation of those styles.

    Besides, in the beginning, I thought you were going to become a bog-standard stealth archer and that¡¯s way too mainstream to entertain me

    Selecting the Apex Predator Class unlocks the following skills:

    Acid Arrows ¨C Every projectile you shoot from a bow will cause acid damage to the target.

    Acid Dhampir Dagger ¨C Gain 10% of inflicted damage with a dagger as HP. Daggers inflict acid damage.

    Environmental Hazzard ¨C Killing enemies using the environment awards bonus experience.

    Selecting the Apex Predator class will award the following stat points per level:

    +7 strength / +5 vitality / +3 perception / +3 agility / +1 intelligence

    I still hadn¡¯t gotten any bonus experience from the Environmental Hazard skill yet, but I was sure that there would be plenty of time.

    Bell finished up with the last stump and we rejoined the group at the front of the truck.

    ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Panda huffed.

    He was sitting on the hood of the truck, apparently trying to use the engine¡¯s heat to dry off - though I was pretty sure that¡¯d only work if Sally was plugged into the mana-sucking armband that powered it.

    I ignored his comment and looked towards Sally.

    ¡°We¡¯ve cleared a path around the crater, so shall we move on?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°I suppose. It¡¯ll get dark in a few hours and we¡¯re behind schedule for our first stop so there will be no more fights today.¡± She announced, pushing off the hood with her powerful arms. ¡°Jump in.¡±

    I grinned at her and made a beeline for the back of the truck. Jamie was sitting in a meditative pose right at the back, near the cab. He must have been regenerating his mana.

    We all piled in and the truck rumbled to life and began trundling around the massive hole in the ground we¡¯d made.

    ¡°Oh shit! I didn¡¯t loot the boulder.¡± I gasped as we moved away from the clearing. I¡¯d been so busy that I¡¯d forgotten to do any of that adventurer stuff.

    ¡°I already did it,¡± Bell said casually, her hair blowing around her as Sally picked up speed.

    ¡°Oh, at least someone did,¡± I replied.

    I was pretty sure that was my kill by rights, I¡¯d done all the damage. All Bell did was cause a forest fire by trying to burn a big old rock to death. Not that I was bitter or anything.

    ¡°Yeah, it only dropped something called an elemental core though. I don¡¯t really know what it is.¡± She said, producing the item in her palm.

    It was a glowing brown orb. It looked a bit like a shiny marble. I had a much bigger slime core in my own inventory, which I also currently had no use for.

    ¡°Cores are used in crafting,¡± Panda said lazily as he rubbed at his head trying to use the wind as a hairdryer. ¡°Hold onto it, if you ever want any custom armour or weapons made they can be pretty handy.¡±

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t talking to Bell.¡± I teased.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, I was talking to you.¡±

    Bell dived on him and there was a lot of swearing and yelling as he tried his best to get away from her clutches. The girl really had a thing for cute animals, or maybe it was just Panda.

    Whilst that happened I opened up my notifications.

    Congratulations! You have defeated:

    Dhur (lvl 38)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    I didn¡¯t level up from the kill, but that was to be expected. Gaining levels was a lot harder now than it was in the early days. Phase two was a different ball game.

    I sat back and stretched my arms out on the uncomfortable side of the truck. I was exhausted, something that rarely happened to me anymore. Working with these people was going to suck.

    Who¡¯d have thought that I¡¯d have to be the leader? A guy who¡¯s only been in this world for a couple of months. How our ragtag little group were going to slay a dragon was beyond me. I could see Bell¡¯s use, even if she was a fire hazard, and if Reggie was a healer that¡¯d definitely come in handy.

    Jamie though, not so much. So far he seemed like dead weight. I¡¯d have to see what he could do in a solo fight. Then, somehow, we¡¯d need to learn to work as a team. Devising strategies was too much work for my tired mind though, so I figured I¡¯d leave it to the morning.

    Luckily, it didn¡¯t take us that long to get to the closest village, and what I saw when we arrived woke me right the fuck up.

 Chapter 75 â€“ Merry Band of Dick Munchers

    My heavy eyes were burning with fatigue by the time our mana-powered truck reached the village. It was a small place that reminded me more of an old-western high street than a fantasy village.

    With my propensity for getting into duels, I half expected a cowboy to come waltzing through a pair of swing doors to challenge me.

    That didn¡¯t happen though.

    Instead, I was treated to every nerd¡¯s dream come true: elves.

    Long, luscious hair, piercing eyes, and pointy ears. It was safe to say that upon arrival I was fully awake. I focused on the nearest elf, a small girl with mousey brown hair and a bow strapped to her back, and a system notification popped up on my HUD.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Jungle Elf

    Direct descendants from the better-known Wood Elves, the Jungle Elves tend to prefer the tropics. The story goes that once upon a time a Wood Elf lived in the forests of Britania, an island nation sitting just above the central continent.

    After years of living a quiet life with his tribe and wife, he looked at the grey, rainy sky and said: ¡°Fuck this I¡¯m out.¡±

    After a long sea voyage he eventually came upon a tropical island paradise, promptly got a nasty sunburn, and then the runs from eating an undercooked Loconut he¡¯d shaken out of its nest.

    And thus the phrase: barking up the wrong tree was born.

    ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true,¡± I muttered to myself upon reading the notification.

    It also told me very little about jungle elves, which was pretty on-brand for the system.

    The truck pulled up in a puff of smoke alongside the raised, wooden boardwalk. The village was a single street carved into the jungle and surrounded on either side by large palm trees.

    Shops, bars, and trader stalls dominated the right side, the left seemed to be mostly comprised of homes and inns. It was a simple setup.

    The elves must have been pretty hygiene-conscious too, considering the raised boardwalks on either side. The road was muddy and torn up by tyre tracks, which we had just added to with our large truck.

    Sally popped her head out of the window and yelled: ¡°Everyone out!¡± and we carefully exited via the rear.

    Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see too many people. I guessed it was quite late, the sun was already cresting the sky and casting a postcard-worthy orange glow over the little settlement.

    The few elves I did see though, were all carrying bows. The short girl with the mousy brown hair approached us as we huddled next to the truck.

    ¡°Adventurers?¡± She asked, coking her head to the side slightly and eyeing each of us up in turn.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, miss?¡± Reggie said, stepping towards her and offering out his hand curtly.

    ¡°Tilly.¡± She said, ignoring his handshake and moving across each of us in turn.

    She approached me and got uncomfortably close. I swear I saw her nostrils twitch as she examined me with her hands held behind her back.

    Did she just sniff me? What the actual fuck.

    ¡°Use bow?¡± She asked, grabbing my forearm, and pointing to my bracer.

    ¡°It looks like we have that in common,¡± I said, forcing a smile and gesturing to the wooden bow slung on her back.

    This is definitely not how I expected elves to act. What happened to the refined elegance I¡¯ve come to expect from TV? I thought.

    She grunted in response and moved past me to Bell who smiled at her happily. The elf¡¯s sunburnt skin practically glowed in the orange light of sunset.

    I guess the system wasn¡¯t making it up after all.

    ¡°Hi there.¡± Bell chirped, offering out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Bell, it¡¯s lovely to meet you.¡±

    The elf girl simply grunted in response and moved on to Panda, completely ignoring Bell.

    ¡°I think she likes me.¡± She chimed in her overly upbeat tone.

    The elf girl crouched down and overtly sniffed at Panda¡¯s fur. He recoiled slightly, shooting me a pleading look. I had no idea how to help him out, and no desire to, as I stifled a laugh.

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    ¡°Need bath.¡± She said before standing up and positioning herself in front of the group. Panda looked insulted and opened his mouth to protest but she¡¯d already turned away from him.

    Sally walked around the front of the truck and joined us, standing next to the elf girl. Despite talking like a neanderthal, she was actually quite pretty and well-dressed to boot. With the exception of being rather small¡­ and sunburnt, visually she conformed almost perfectly to the elf tropes I was used to.

    She had a naturally contoured face; her hair shined vibrantly and she wore a form-fitted leather jerkin and high boots.

    Elven shampoo must be great. I thought as I looked her up and down.

    ¡°This is Palm Tree Village,¡± Sally announced, gesturing to the settlement around us. ¡°From the looks on your faces, I¡¯m guessing none of you have ever met a jungle elf before.

    ¡°They communicate primarily through telepathy, so they don¡¯t speak very much. Don¡¯t let that fool you into thinking they¡¯re dumb. We¡¯re only going to be here for one night, so don¡¯t go causing any trouble.¡± She glared at me as she said that and I shrugged back at her innocently.

    She turned towards the elf and the girl pointed lazily at the small building directly in front of us. Sally walked inside and gestured for us to follow.

    The building itself was made of wood. However, the architecture was more like a tree house than the wooden buildings I was used to.

    Root-like panels of wood merged and twined together to create living walls that looked like house-shaped trees. The door was a circular knot which swung inwards like a single saloon door.

    As I stepped inside I was immediately hit with a cool breeze. The weather outside was stifling, so it was a welcome change to the climate.

    The floor was riddled with mismatched rugs and cushions. There were a few tables as well, but they were low down to the floor, explaining the cushions. On the right side was a countertop with an array of twisted glass bottles standing on it.

    We stood inside for a moment as Sally leaned on the countertop and the elven girl followed us inside and moved agilely through us, stopping on the other side of the counter.

    She held up three fingers and Sally tossed her the corresponding gold coins. The price seemed a little steep to me considering it had only cost me a single gold coin for a weeklong stay at a bed and breakfast in Havar.

    Sally didn¡¯t seem to care though as she turned back towards us.

    ¡°I¡¯ve rented the entire inn for the night so I can debrief you and not worry about any of you catching a disease.¡± She looked at me again and this time I was actually a little hurt.

    ¡°I have a wife you know,¡± I muttered at her. She shot me a fangy grin and continued. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    We all complied and piled around a low-down table in the middle of the room. I sat on a soft green cushion with little beads covering the stitching. It was surprisingly comfortable.

    Jamie still looked a little out of it, but his eyes seemed a lot more alert than they had been before so his meditation must have helped him out a bit.

    Reggie sat next to him as Bell and Panda flanked me.

    Sally came over shortly, bringing six sparkling bottles of glittery¡­ something, and placing them all down on the table.

    She gestured to them and we each took one as she plonked herself down at the head of the table, crossed her legs, and leant her head on her fist. Her silver hair flowed over her muscular shoulders.

    My bottle had one of those caps on it that were connected to the glass itself by a piece of metal. When I pushed at the bottom of the cap, it flipped open letting a hissing gasp of air leak out.

    I took a swig and the carbonation fizzed and popped on my tongue. It was a mild and pleasant feeling that somehow made my mouth warm. I¡¯d describe the flavour but it was so different from anything I¡¯d ever tasted on earth that I honestly don¡¯t know how.

    The closest thing I could compare it to would probably be cherry aid, mixed with cider and a blue lagoon cocktail. I know that sounds terrible, but trust me, it was great.

    ¡°Bell,¡± Sally said suddenly, causing Bell to choke slightly on her beverage. ¡°How do you think your fight with the dhur went?¡±

    ¡°It was a lot of fun.¡± She replied and a glimmer of a sadistic smile tugged on her lips, but just for a moment. ¡°I especially enjoyed being Kaleb¡¯s knight in shining armour, the Mario to his Princess Peach, If you will.¡±

    ¡°That is not what happened.¡± I interrupted. ¡°I saved you and besides, everyone knows Peach is fucking Bowser. Why would you even want to be Mario, the guy¡¯s clueless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how it went,¡± Sally said loudly, banging her glass on the table and grabbing our attention. ¡°It was an absolute shit show!¡± She yelled slamming her fist down and earning an annoyed look from Tilly the jungle elf. ¡°You¡¯d probably be dead if Gonads hadn¡¯t stepped in. Not to mention that you nearly burned down the entire jungle, putting your team¡¯s lives in danger.

    ¡°How am I supposed to pass you, when all you gave me was a flaming bag of goblin shit.¡±

    Bell shrank back in her cushion; she didn¡¯t seem to know what to say but she looked down into her drink shyly.

    ¡°Wow, someone finally got her to shut up,¡± Panda commented quietly, glancing sideways at Bell.

    ¡°Gonads.¡± Sally began, ignoring Panda. ¡°Rate your own performance.¡±

    I straightened up slightly and looked at Sally in her dark blue eyes. She had a fierce look on her face and I gulped before answering.

    ¡°It was a solo battle, so I hesitated to act at first.¡± I began, ¡°Once I got into the fight I realised that the dhur had a high defence and my arrows barely seemed to scratch it. I killed it in the end, but it was a more drawn-out battle than I¡¯d have liked.¡±

    Booyah! I thought. Score one for professionalism in the workplace. Not a bad assessment if I do say so myself.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°You did ok I guess. You did kill it and you recognised your teammate¡¯s weakness and stepped in to help. Unlike these two idiots who gawked at you both the entire time.¡± She glared at Reggie and Jamie who both shrank down, trying to avoid her heavy gaze.

    ¡°That being said.¡± She continued. ¡°You seem to have a habit of draining all of your stamina when you fight. I¡¯d have hoped you¡¯d have figured out how to conserve it better by now.

    ¡°You¡¯re turning into a one-pump chump and it¡¯s going to get you killed. What would you have done if a second monster appeared after you killed the dhur?¡±

    I opened my mouth to reply and she held up her hand to stop me.

    ¡°That was a rhetorical question.¡± She sighed again, even deeper this time. ¡°Listen, you merry band of dick munchers have a dragon to kill. You hear me? A real-life, fire-breathing, flying, king of the monsters, dragon. You need to shape up if you want any chance of actually pulling it off.

    ¡°Starting tomorrow we¡¯ll be walking to the lair. I¡¯ve obviously been too soft on you by driving you everywhere. You¡¯re gonna fight a shit-tonne of monsters, both solo and as a team.¡± She leaned in closer and snarled the last part in a menacingly low tone.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t see a drastic improvement, I¡¯ll send you all home and kill the damn dragon myself.¡±

    She slammed the table and the group collectively jumped backwards. Then she stood up lazily, bottle in hand, and walked towards the rooms in the back.

    ¡°You¡¯d all better get some sleep. We have an early start tomorrow.¡± She said, leaving us in shocked silence as we nursed our drinks.

    Tomorrow. I thought, staring into my drained glass bottle. That¡¯s when this exam will really begin. I need to get stronger.

 Chapter 76 â€“ Thereâ€™s Always Some Guy Called Brad

    We sat in silence for a while after Sally left, sulkily nursing our drinks. This weird little team of ours desperately needed to improve and we all knew it.

    A small part of me swelled with pride as I was the only one who wasn¡¯t made out to be completely incompetent. Still, though, I knew my own weaknesses better than anyone and I was determined to beat them.

    I needed to get strong enough to protect my wife and kid, strong enough to find a way to bring them to Celestia. That wasn¡¯t going to happen any time soon if I didn¡¯t get better and increase my level.

    Time to channel my inner Goku. I thought, silently wishing that levelling up was as easy as the 80¡¯s training montages made it out to be.

    After a short while, Reggie stood up and bade us good night. Jamie hurried after him like a lost puppy. I wondered what their relationship was. They obviously knew each other prior to this exam¡­ and that Jake kid. Childhood friends maybe?

    It didn¡¯t matter. They needed to shape up most of all. Bell had the tactical awareness of an overzealous toddler, but at least she was powerful. The other two were the weakest link.

    Starting tomorrow, I¡¯d have to put some work into helping them improve. I¡¯d need backup to fight a real-life dragon. A water mage and healer duo could be pretty useful components in a difficult battle like that.

    They just needed to be better.

    Panda nudged me from my reverie and nodded towards Bell who was staring absently into her glass. She sloshed the sparkling liquid back and forth and gazed into it like she was in a trance.

    I realised what Panda meant.

    This was my chance to talk to her in private. She was an outworlder like me, she understood cultural references from Earth, and I needed to know more.

    ¡°Bell,¡± I said suddenly and her neck snapped up towards me, startled. ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    ¡°Are you breaking up with me?¡± She replied sarcastically with faux sadness and a trembling lip. ¡°You could have at least taken me to a nicer place to do it. I mean, the drinks here are nice but there¡¯s not even a food menu.¡±

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± I asked, ignoring her inability to take anything seriously.

    ¡°Oh, you want my supervillain back story.¡± She said, mimicking a tone of realisation. ¡°Well I used to work in Gotham City as a psychiatrist until one day I met this guy in clown make up-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± I interrupted, raising my voice in irritation. ¡°We¡¯re both outworlders, what happened to you, how did you get here?¡±

    What I really wanted to know was if she¡¯d met any other outworlders. I knew it was unlikely, but if there was any chance she¡¯d met Layla¡­

    ¡°Well let¡¯s see.¡± She began, holding her forefinger to her chin. ¡°I woke up, ate a banana for breakfast, played Baldur¡¯s Gate 3 for a little bit, then I went for a walk in the jungle, got a surprise tattoo, learnt to cast fireball ¨C the best spell ¨C killed a bunch of monsters, a few other things happened and now I¡¯m here. That¡¯s my alibi officer, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.¡±

    ¡°Did you meet any other outworlders?¡± I asked carefully. I didn¡¯t want to seem too eager to hear her answer. Bell seemed well-meaning, but she also had an annoying habit of¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t a habit as such as her personality. She had an annoying personality.

    ¡°Nope, you¡¯re my first.¡± She replied chirpily, then she lowered her voice and cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered: ¡°That makes us soul mates.¡±

    Damn. I knew it was unlikely, honestly, it was a good thing. The idea of Layla being here was scary. Still, though, a part of me was a little sad that Bell hadn¡¯t run into her.

    How ridiculous is that? I mean what are the odds anyway? Out of eight billion people on earth, only ten thousand of us came here. Not to mention that they were spread out across the globe.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Bell asked sweetly. ¡°Am I your first too?¡±

    Her phrasing sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine.

    ¡°No, there was this guy called Brad,¡± I answered and then trailed off. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to tell her what happened.

    ¡°There¡¯s always some guy called Brad.¡± She said, shaking her head slightly. ¡°Let me guess, he said you were the only one for him and then one day you came home to find him shacked up with that bitch Samantha from work.¡±

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    ¡°No¡­¡± I said, ¡°Why, did that happen to you?¡±

    ¡°No, why do you ask?¡± She replied shifting her tone back to a sweet innocence.

    I honestly didn¡¯t know how to take this girl. She was so odd. She didn¡¯t take anything seriously and it was almost impossible to have a conversation with her.

    That being said, she was strong and she was from Earth. She also seemed good-natured and a part of me enjoyed having someone like that around.

    ¡°So,¡± she continued. ¡°What happened with your Brad?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure if I should tell her but on a whimsical leap of faith, I decided to do it anyway.

    ¡°Not long after I arrived here I was captured by cultists. Brad was in prison with me. I managed to kill a guard by throwing him into a vat of acid but Brad got hit with the splashback and died.¡± I said quickly.

    I purposely omitted the part about adsorbing his Celestial Map tattoo. That was dangerous knowledge to share.

    ¡°There are so many jokes I could make from how you phrased that.¡± She replied, stifling a laugh. ¡°So I¡¯ll just point out the most obvious thing. Throwing someone into a vat of acid is how you turn them into a supervillain. Don¡¯t do it again.¡± She said, waggling a finger about like a parent scolding a naughty child. ¡°Also, death by splashback.¡± She giggled.

    ¡°She¡¯s starting to sound like the system,¡± Panda muttered next to me.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother you that I killed someone innocent?¡± I asked, lowering my voice.

    ¡°If people actually thought collateral damage was a bad thing Obama wouldn¡¯t have gotten a second term.¡± She replied. ¡°Sometimes innocents die in the pursuit of justice¡­ or in your case, survival. I can¡¯t judge you for fighting for your life. That¡¯d be like judging¡­ well, Obama and that guy was great.¡±

    I was a little concerned with how easily she condoned drone strikes accidentally killing civilians, but she seemed sincere for once and I was relieved she didn¡¯t think I was a bad person.

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I offered, not really knowing how to respond to that.

    ¡°No problem,¡± she said. ¡°And thank you for putting up with me. I know I¡¯m not always the easiest person to get along with and well¡­ thanks.¡± She looked away and I was so shocked at the lack of weirdness in her statement that I stared dumbfounded at her for longer than was socially acceptable.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a smoke,¡± Panda said quietly, getting up from the table.

    ¡°Since when do you go outdoors to smoke?¡± I asked teasingly.

    He pointed at a sign on the wall. I focused on it and the odd language translated into English with help from my language skill: Speak English Damnit. It said: No Smoking.

    Panda left the room and I looked after him. He¡¯d never cared about no smoking signs before. The little guy had literally sat on the reception desk at Adventure Society smoking for an hour whilst I filled in a report.

    Something had been off with him since we¡¯d started the exam. My stomach sank as I thought back to our previous quest where I¡¯d ripped an orc¡¯s soul out with my mind.

    I really hoped he wasn¡¯t upset with me about that. He¡¯d seemed ok at the time, but maybe it was bothering him. I swallowed hard and started to get up to go talk to him when Bell spoke again.

    ¡°I think teamwork is going to be the key to beating this dragon.¡± She mused. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was talking to me or thinking aloud, but I decided to remain seated all the same.

    ¡°I agree,¡± I replied and she looked up at me with those big eyes of hers as I continued. ¡°If we can get everyone working together then we might have a chance. The team is pretty well balanced, we just need to learn to work together as a unit.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± She smiled. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s an escape room we can book in town, or maybe we could do trust fall exercises?¡±

    Adventure Society was a pretty corporate place, but trust falls and escape rooms weren¡¯t really what I had in mind.

    ¡°We can work on it tomorrow.¡± I yawned. ¡°For now we should probably get some sleep. Oh, and just so you know, outworlders are pretty much an urban legend in Celestia. Only the more powerful people know that we really exist. So keep it to yourself, it¡¯s safer that way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± She said casually. ¡°You¡¯re the only person who knows I¡¯m an outworlder. I¡¯m real good at secrets.¡± She winked and then stood up, leaving for the rooms in the back.

    ¡°How is a blabbermouth like her better at keeping secrets than I am?¡± I complained quietly to myself.

    Both Director Lucas and Sally had discovered my real identity in my first few days of being in Celestia. How had Bell kept it a secret from Lucas?

    ¡°Wizard fuckery, it¡¯s got to be wizard fuckery.¡± I mumbled.

    There was no other explanation. Damn, this world and the system¡¯s need to deny me a mana stat. The damned thing probably thought it was funny. I bet it was laughing to itself right now in ones and zeros, or whatever code system¡¯s thought in.

    Thinking about it, I don¡¯t even know what the system is. I thought. Is it an AI, or a magical entity? Is it even alive? It certainly has a personality but surely it¡¯s not just some guy sitting at a magic computer and running the entire world.

    My thoughts spiralled further down that rabbit hole for a little while until Panda roused me by re-entering the inn.

    ¡°Oh good, she¡¯s gone.¡± He said, pulling up a cushion next to me. ¡°A few sandwiches short of a picnic that one.¡±

    I chuckled and turned to him. He seemed a little better, but that annoying inner voice that nags at you to do the right thing kept pressing on my cortex, so I asked him.

    ¡°She definitely is.¡± I took a deep breath and swallowed. ¡°Panda, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, kid. I mean my fur¡¯s a little foisty but I can shower before bed.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯ve been acting a little odd since we started the exam?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡± He replied shortly. ¡°Go get some sleep kid, you¡¯ve got a long day ahead of you.¡±

    He got up and headed into the back of the inn and I felt my stomach tumble as I looked after him. He was definitely not alright, but whatever it was, he didn¡¯t want to share.

    I finished my drink, finally, and went looking for my room. He might have been a bit pissy about it, but Panda was right. I did have a big day tomorrow. I had a team to train, myself to train and probably a whole bunch of monsters to kill.

    On Wednesdays, we level up.

 Chapter 77 â€“ Big, Red, Overgrown Chicken

    I awoke the next morning to find Panda conked out at the foot of the bed. He was sprawled out on his back sawing logs in a starfish pose. The vibrations from his snoring shook the bed and resonated around the room, making it even louder.

    I was just thankful that he¡¯d actually come to bed. Whatever was bothering him, at least he still felt comfortable enough to sleep around me.

    I stretched and yawned, then rubbed my eyes before pulling myself out of the covers, dressing, and leaving the room.

    I shut the door quietly, trying not to wake Panda, as I entered the main room. The rest of the examinees were already there, tucking into a breakfast of hard, crusty bread and some kind of soup.

    The elf girl was cooking behind the main countertop. Her mousey brown hair was tied in a bun and I was surprised by her adherence to kitchen hygiene protocols.

    She grunted at me as I approached and placed a bowl of bright green soup on the counter. Then she threw some bread at me which I deftly caught. I thanked her and joined the others at the low table.

    ¡°Morning sleepy head.¡± Bell greeted chirpily.

    I nodded to her and began eating my food. The soup tasted delicious, even if it did look like steaming mucus. They say that 90% of flavour is in appearance, and they¡¯re right. Which is why I closed my eyes as I dipped the hard bread into the soup. When I couldn¡¯t see it, it tasted great.

    Sally joined us around about the time I was finishing my meal. Our group hadn¡¯t spoken much, everyone seemed tired as they ate and mentally prepared themselves for the day ahead.

    The muscle-bound lycanid curled her lip at the soup and bread and raised a polite but firm hand at Tilly the elf when she offered her some. Sally was practically carnivorous so I wasn¡¯t surprised at her reaction.

    ¡°I hope you kids are ready.¡± She said menacingly, cracking her knuckles. ¡°The training I¡¯m about to put you through will make you wish that dhur had killed you all yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I love a good training montage,¡± I said lazily. ¡°Does anyone have Eye of the Tiger on their phone?¡±

    Bell chuckled at my comment and glanced towards me like she wanted to join in but thought better of it.

    ¡°What¡¯s a phone?¡± Reggie asked, looking at me with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Sally answered. ¡°He¡¯s talking nonsense. I¡¯ll have to beat that out of him in the training session, won¡¯t I Gonads?¡± She said menacingly, clapping her strong hand on my shoulder and squeezing.

    ¡°I think training session is code for something not very child-friendly,¡± Bell said to Reggie behind her hand in a loud whisper.

    Sally thumped her on the top of her head and she whimpered slightly.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to leave.¡± Sally sighed, letting go of my shoulder and turning towards the counter. ¡°Are you ready Tilly?¡±

    The elf girl nodded, picking up her bow and tipping it towards Sally.

    ¡°Good.¡± She continued. ¡°Gonads, go wake up your familiar, you¡¯re holding us all up.¡±

    ¡°I have a name you know,¡± Panda said sleepily as he entered the main room. His eyes were puffy and he rubbed them gently as he walked towards us.

    Sally ignored his comment and left the inn, beckoning for the rest of us to follow with a slight wave over her shoulder.

    We did as instructed and as the bright rays of the morning sun hit my eyes, I looked longingly at the truck we were leaving behind. I had a feeling we were all going to miss that thing in a few hours.

    We left the muddy little elf village and headed into the trees. It was stiflingly hot inside the jungle. A muggy, oppressive heat seemed to hug the ground in an invisible miasma.

    I began sweating almost immediately and regretted wearing all black and long sleeves. The armour I¡¯d chosen wasn¡¯t very jungle-friendly ¨C even if it was awesome.

    The trek wasn¡¯t too bad though, it definitely could have been worse. The palm tree jungle didn¡¯t really have any foliage. It was literally just trees and dirt, which made for relatively easy walking.

    We trudged along in silence for a long time. I let Panda ride on my back after the first half hour. I felt like Luke Skywalker training in the swamps of Dagoba as the funny little familiar clung to my back.

    Though I¡¯d drop him if he started hitting me with a stick.

    Tilly acted as our scout, leading us through the jungle diligently as we followed behind. Our ragtag little group must have been a sight to behold: a forced march of murder hobos and a washed-up female wrestler with a perchance for cosplay.

    Tilly held her hand up suddenly in a clenched fist and we all stopped. She must have seen something. My heartbeat quickened as I anticipated a fight. I hoped for one, anything to quell the boredom of endless walking.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Tilly moved around a tree and I lost sight of her as we waited. She came back a few moments later and spoke to Sally in a hushed whisper which I couldn¡¯t make out.

    Sally nodded grimly as she spoke, and then turned to us with a fangy smile. She beckoned us closer and we all moved in, creating a semi-circle around her.

    ¡°Our guide says there¡¯s a pretty tough monster ahead.¡± She said, a fire burning in her battle junky eyes. ¡°It seems like a good chance for me to test your teamwork. I¡¯d advise you not to rush in, at your levels you need to think tactically if you want to win without casualties.¡±

    Casualties. I thought solemnly, repeating her words in my head. It was easy to forget that death was a real factor here. It was so easy to see Celestia as a video game, even though it had shown me time and time again that it wasn¡¯t.

    Sally left us and stood off to the side with Tilly and our semi-circle became a huddle.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan guys?¡± Reggie asked, taking the initiative, and speaking first.

    ¡°Before we do anything, I think it might be a good idea to get to understand each other¡¯s strength, fighting style and powers,¡± I said and Reggie nodded thoughtfully.

    We went around the group and explained everything about ourselves in as much detail as we could. We discussed power sets, fighting styles, special abilities, and experience.

    By the end of the conversation, I felt like I understood my team and their uses a lot better. It was a good starting point. Of course, I had kept some of my abilities to myself, I wasn¡¯t about to go telling people about my weird soul power after all.

    I was sure the others all had their own secrets to keep as well. It didn¡¯t matter though; the idea was to understand each other well enough that we could make a plan and use the right people for the right job.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go scout out this monster,¡± I said after we¡¯d finished exposing our skillsets to each other. The group nodded, which I took as them giving me their blessings ¨C not that I needed it.

    It made sense for me to be the scout. My armour provided me with a stealth advantage when in shadows and, as long as I had my bow equipped, I could use the sniper skill.

    Longbow of the Giant Goblin

    This bow was carved from the forearm of a unique monster: Gertrude the Giant Goblin.

    Just as she smashed her old clan into oblivion, you smashed her. You dirty bugger.

    I mean, whatever tickles your pickle am I right?

    I¡¯m still judging you though.

    Longbows can fire accurately over longer distances.

    +5% strength

    Grants use of the skill: Sniper

    *Sniper can only be used whilst this item is equipped*

    Sniper

    Not to be confused with sniping, the skill sniper allows the user to see further distances. Like a telescope built into your eyes.

    Don¡¯t go using it to creep on catonids whilst they¡¯re changing. I know you¡¯re a furry, but at least don¡¯t be a creep.

    I pulled my hood up, aiding the tropical climate¡¯s oppressive heat, and set off in the direction Tilly had gone earlier.

    The hood had an enchantment which shielded my aura from people and monsters. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what an aura was, but I had to assume I had one.

    As I set out towards our unknown target, I asked the not-so-friendly neighbourhood daemon who was still clinging to my back. He hadn¡¯t spoken much since we¡¯d left the elf village, but I wanted his help.

    ¡°Panda, do you know what aura is?¡± I asked in a hushed voice as I crept through the crops of palm trees.

    ¡°Of course I do, I¡¯m a sage.¡± He said in a sleepy-sounding voice. ¡°Aura is like a power signature that living things give off. Anyone with mana, which is anyone other than you, has an innate ability to sense a person¡¯s aura.

    ¡°It basically gives you an idea of how powerful someone is. Some people can hide it and powerful people can learn to hide it, but most wear their aura on their sleeve - so to speak.¡±

    I listened to his explanation as I rounded a thick tree trunk, hugging it as closely as I could. There was a lot of shade in the jungle, but I wasn¡¯t clear on how much shade constituted a shadow. I needed shadows for my armour to enhance my stealth.

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± I replied in a hushed whisper. ¡°Is it possible to sense aura without mana?¡± I asked, thinking back to recently when I sensed something in Sally back at Adventure Society.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He replied, pausing for a moment as if deciding whether to continue or not. ¡°People with a strong connection to their soul can enhance it and perceive aura through that. Most can¡¯t though, even when they break through the level cap and become a jade soul.

    ¡°In all honesty though kid, I don¡¯t really know much about jade souls or what comes after. It¡¯s a closely guarded secret in all the parts of the world I¡¯ve been to and I¡¯ve never been summoned by anyone who lived long enough to make it that far.¡±

    He finished his sentence with a sad tone and I felt him shiver slightly, but just for a moment. At least he seemed a little less moody. Asking him for information seemed to have cheered him up, even if thinking about his previous summoners was painful.

    I didn¡¯t know much about his previous life. Taylor had told me that his last summoner was a woman who died about five years ago. I also knew that he¡¯d been in Havar with her around about that time, but that was pretty much it. He¡¯d never really spoken about her himself.

    I guessed that for a familiar who was thousands of years old, five years was still a fresh wound. His perception of time was probably quite different to mine.

    I rounded another tree, I¡¯d only gone a few hundred meters away from the group, but it had taken longer than usual because I was moving slowly and trying to be all sneaky beaky.

    On the other side of the tree I hugged, there was a slight clearing. A little stream of running, crystal water trickled through and next to it I saw our opponent.

    A bright red, feathered Tyrannosaurus Rex stood happily wagging its enormous tail as it crunched merrily on a loconut it had bitten out of a tree.

    Blood gushed from the carcass in the dinosaur¡¯s mouth and dropped in thick globs, staining the ground. I¡¯d heard before that the current theory on Earth was that the T-Rex probably had feathers but seeing it in person was a whole different experience.

    Somehow it made the creature even more terrifying. I used the sniper skill to zoom in on the scene, not daring to get any closer without my team.

    Its head was so oversized it would have been comical if it wasn¡¯t for all the blood and guts. Even more horrifying was that it was actually eating a loconut.

    The idea of it made me feel queasy as I thought back to the gut-wrenching smell from the time I had punted one into a tree and its rotten guts had sprayed the floor.

    I could barely believe my eyes. I loved Jurassic Park as much as the next guy but I never imagined I¡¯d be in a real-life version of it.

    If we were going to fight this big, red, overgrown chicken, we¡¯d need a plan.

 Chapter 78 â€“ The Weeble Wobble Of Prehistoric Creatures

    I zoomed in on the red, feathered dinosaur and a notification activated in my HUD.

    You have discovered a unique monster:

    Tyrannosaurus Bex

    Part of the T-Rex species, Bex was born different from the rest. Your average T-Rex has green feathers, but Bex has red feathers.

    You¡¯re probably expecting me to tell a tale of sadness, bullying and being an outcast. Well, I¡¯m not. Dinosaurs like the colour red, it reminds them of blood, and being permanently red means only one thing to them: that Bex is a strong-ass warrior.

    Many T-Rexs worship her as a god.

    She probably has a complex about that, but regardless, she¡¯s still a dinosaur, and she will happily much on your corpse.

    ¡°What, no jokes or insults?¡± I asked the sky in a whisper. ¡°You really dropped the ball on this one.¡±

    ¡°Is it really a good idea to tease the system?¡± Panda moaned from my back.

    It probably wasn¡¯t and honestly, I preferred the notifications being like this. There was actually some information in there instead of bad setups to worse jokes. I still couldn¡¯t help but tease the system about it though. It must have struggled to come up with a good dinosaur joke.

    I slowly moved away from the tree and headed back to the group to report my findings. They were still huddled around chatting. Sally and Tilly were stood a little way away with folded arms, leaning against a tree. They looked like a right pair.

    As I approached the group, Reggie looked up and smiled at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it back safely.¡± He began as the others turned towards me as well. ¡°We¡¯ve been talking and we think you should be the group leader.¡±

    I stopped mid-step.

    Group leader? I¡¯ve never led anything in my life. I just want to level up, that¡¯s all. I thought as the shock of their request bounced around my brain.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s having a system malfunction,¡± Bell observed. ¡°I had a computer that did that once, damn internet explorer, always so slow.¡± She lamented quietly.

    I looked up at them and they looked back expectantly.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I sighed. I didn¡¯t really want the role, but I guessed it was better if I did it than someone else. ¡°Though you might regret your choice when I tell you what we¡¯re facing.¡±

    ¡°Is it clowns?¡± Bell asked suddenly. ¡°I hate clowns.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a T-Rex,¡± I replied bluntly - to their shock.

    Reggie¡¯s eyes widened and Jamie literally took a step back. Bell, on the other hand, sighed in relief and muttered something about being glad it wasn¡¯t clowns.

    We spoke for a short while and hashed out a plan before moving into position. I arrived back at my spying tree and looked out into the clearing. Bex was still there, drinking from the stream as loconut blood leaked from her teeth and contaminated the water.

    Kaleb: Is everyone in position?

    Reggie: Affirmative.

    Jamie: Yes.

    Bell: I¡¯m so in position it¡¯d make the Karma Sutra blush.

    We had all shook hands back in the clearing, adding each other to our contacts. As Sally had shown me before, you can chat with people in your contacts like a text message.

    I figured it would be a useful feature for fights where we might not be able to talk freely, or at all. It seemed like a tactically sound choice to me.

    I¡¯d left Panda with Sally and Tilly; I didn¡¯t want the little guy getting hurt. We had no idea how strong Bex was. Though I was about to find out.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    I raised my bow, nocked an arrow, and began charging my Soul Shot power. Usually, I aimed for centre mass, but the dinosaur¡¯s head was so large that I just couldn¡¯t help myself. If I hit her cranium, I might have been able to end the fight with a single shot.

    I fired the arrow with a crack as it shot from the bow like a rocket taking off, blowing me backwards slightly. As I watched, Bex disappeared and the arrow broke through a tree on the other side of the clearing.

    Kaleb: Did anyone see where it went?

    Jamie: Does it have invisibility?

    Bell: Maybe it leapt into an alternate dimension, hoping this leap would be the leap home.

    Kaleb: This is not the time to make old TV references.

    Reggie: Kaleb look out!

    Trusting Reggie¡¯s message, I dived forward and rolled. I¡¯d learnt to do a combat role as a kid, though I never really used it as an adult. It was a skill I was glad I had though as a seismic crash shook the earth at my feet.

    I tumbled further than I¡¯d originally intended and ended up near the stream. I turned around, raising my bow with a nocked arrow and was face to face with Bex.

    The red-feathered beast had appeared right where I had just been standing, crushing the tree I was hugging. If it wasn¡¯t for Jamie, I¡¯d have been dead.

    Bex and I locked eyes for a moment and as I opened fire, she charged towards me.

    My arrow pierced her chest, but she barely seemed to notice, even as her skin bubbled. She ran towards me, shaking the ground with every step.

    I had nowhere to run, she was so much faster than me. I may have had the Apex Predator class, but that title truly belonged to her as she pounded towards me.

    I had just enough time to fire another shot before she reached me. She screamed as acid bubbles melted the skin around her nose. Her chest had bubbled too, but she didn¡¯t seem to care about that.

    The nose must have been a weak spot.

    ¡°Bad dog,¡± I said as I took a step back and nocked another arrow.

    Speaking was a mistake. She stopped thrashing around and glared at me, opening her mouth, and revealing a row of large, isosceles-shaped teeth. She roared at me so forcefully that my lips parted and my teeth wobbled.

    It reminded me of that g-force feeling you get on a fast roller coaster ¨C but without the fun.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna tyrannosaurus wreck this overgrown chicken!¡± Bell shouted, just as a large, rotating fireball flashed across the mini-clearing and slammed into Bex.

    The dinosaur disappeared and all that was left was the smell of ozone and burning feathers. A few of them fluttered around in the air, charred and smouldering.

    ¡°Did you get it?¡± I asked, nocking another arrow, and looking around the clearing suspiciously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a notification, so probably not,¡± Bell shouted back from behind a tree, a tinge of disappointment in her tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the air!¡± Reggie shouted from his position nearby and I looked up, blinking as I saw her.

    Bex seemed to have jumped skyward. Her powerful legs forced her high into the air. I could see the large red blob above us and she was getting bigger by the second.

    ¡°Holy shit.¡± I breathed as the dinosaur got even bigger.

    ¡°Run you idiot!¡± Jamie shouted from his position across the stream.

    I didn¡¯t need telling twice as I sprinted for the treeline. What goes up must come down and that big ass dinosaur was definitely coming down.

    CRASH!

    I was thrown from my feet as Bex impacted the ground, causing a mini earthquake. She roared again and the trees around us shook.

    Kaleb: Now!

    My head was spinning from the impact of being thrown across the clearing. My HP had dropped slightly as I bashed my head on a thick palm tree.

    I had just enough mental faculties to send the message but I also needed to be in the fight myself.

    I turned around groggily, picking myself up into a sitting position and began channelling a Soul Shot. I fired it, taking my stamina down to halfway, it punched straight into the dinosaur¡¯s chest.

    She howled as a red, gooey hole appeared. Blood spilt out, further contaminating the stream as her flesh and insides burned from the acid. The putrid stench could have given a loconut¡¯s innards a run for their money.

    Less than a second after my arrow impacted her, a concentrated stream of water sliced into the flesh on Bex¡¯s left leg. She hollered and stumbled before regaining her balance, leaning heavily on her undamaged leg.

    We¡¯d originally planned for him to take out her legs to stop her from charging at us, but now it served a second purpose. No more jumping¡­ hopefully.

    A large fireball exploded on the back of her head and I swear, in my battle haze, I saw yellow cartoon ducks circle her skull.

    She still wasn¡¯t dead though.

    She opened her mouth and looked right at me; the roaring had stopped. In the opening of her mouth, a small, rotating ball of blue energy began to form.

    Is she charging up a hyperbeam?

    Kaleb: Keep firing!

    I panicked and added to the chat. Whatever the thing in her mouth was, I didn¡¯t want it hitting me. I liked life, I wanted to keep it, and that thing looked dangerous.

    I raised my bow and nocked a second arrow as the spinning ball began glowing brighter and bigger. She seemed to be charging it like I did with my Soul Shot.

    If my skill was anything to go by then this dinosaur hyperbeam thing would spell the end of me. I fired my arrow into the blue ball and it disappeared.

    My eyes widened with horror as the meaning of that sank in. This attack had disintegrated my arrow and now it was going to do the same to me.

    I thought briefly of my wife Layla and our child who had most definitely been born now, but who I¡¯d never met. I couldn¡¯t die here.

    Reggie: Kaleb get out of there!

    Jamie: I don¡¯t think he has enough time.

    Bell: If you die I¡¯ll do weird things to your corpse.

    Well, that¡¯s uncalled for. I thought as I looked the rotating blue ball in its metaphorical eye. They say never look a gift horse in the mouth and I was looking an enraged dinosaur in the mouth¡­ and regretting it.

    I fired another arrow, this time at the wounded leg. It hit and Bex stumbled but didn¡¯t fall. She must have been the Weeble Wobble of prehistoric creatures. I mean seriously, that leg had been sliced and shot and she still refused to fall over.

    Another fireball bounced off the back of her head at the same time as Jamie used his water powers to slice at her stomach. Blood trickled down her sternum and she was definitely looking the worse for wear. However, it was too late.

    I looked towards her predatory eyes in abject horror as she released the blue ball. It was heading right for me, and there was nothing I could do about it.

 Chapter 79 â€“ Extinction Event

    The rotating blue ball of energy was about twice the size of my head when Bex released it from her mouth. It glided through the air towards me and I panicked.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I did the only thing I could think of. It was more of a reflex action than anything. I fired a barely charged Soul Shot-infused arrow at the ball of blue energy.

    The arrow impacted and I was blinded by a dazzling, all-encompassing white light. I felt pain in my chest and stomach. It was a cracking and sharp pain like I¡¯d been stabbed.

    It was excruciating and likely made worse by my vision being blinded. They say that if you lose one sense the others become more potent, that¡¯s why some people use blindfolds in not-so-romantic encounters.

    Sadly, it also made everything much more painful.

    I screamed out as my insides seemed to be on fire. The pain was intense and not being able to see the damage myself was a huge source of anxiety. How bad was it? Who knew?

    I heard Bex roar at a higher pitch than before. She sounded scared and in pain. Had my arrow somehow fought through the disintegrating ball of energy and pierced her face?

    I fucking hope so. I thought bitterly as my body convulsed with the pain in my stomach. I hope my arrow melts the damn lizard chicken.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go into the light!¡± I heard Bell shout somewhere in the distance. Without proper context, I couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or not, but knowing her it was a bad joke.

    Her sense of humour was seriously weird.

    ¡°Kaleb, stay with me.¡± I heard Reggie¡¯s voice and felt cold hands touching my skin. I still couldn¡¯t see, but I trusted the healer to do his best for me.

    My HP was firmly in the 25% radius, but it wasn¡¯t flashing red or anything, so I wasn¡¯t too close to death. At least not yet. That was actually a victory for me, assuming we won the fight. I¡¯d ended more than my fair share of monster fights with barely a single HP left. I was improving.

    Still though, whatever had happened to me was seriously painful. Why had my arrow made the energy ball explode?

    ¡°Did we win?¡± I mumbled, though my voice seemed slurred as it came out. It barely sounded like me at all.

    ¡°Yeah, the dino is dead. I¡¯ll fix you up though man, don¡¯t worry.¡± Reggie replied, he sounded distracted as he spoke. The sign of a true healer I guess.

    Whilst he did his thing I decided to attempt meditation. I did my best to block out the pain and dove into my soul space.

    The red rope representing my health was frayed and snapped, almost all of the damage was located in my core. I guess that made sense considering it was where the pain was coming from.

    I breathed in and focused on sending energy towards it. The frayed and broken rope began to mend way quicker than normal. I had to assume that was Reggie¡¯s helping hand healing me from the outside as I fixed myself from the inside.

    I noticed that a thinner, more intricate rope of scarlet was located behind my eyes. I decided to focus more energy there and the red rope began to glow brightly. Then I opened my eyes.

    It seemed to have done the trick. The world outside was bright and the light stung as it hit my retina, but I could see.

    Reggie was crouched next to me pouring green light into my abdomen. I looked down my chest and saw a gaping wound with large purple bruises on either side stretching up towards my chest.

    That explained the snapping pain. My ribs were broken. My chest armour had been all but destroyed, but the self-repair function that all adventurer attire has was already hard at work repairing it.

    Strands of black material twined together by themselves and slowly but surely began remaking the armour. Thank God for that, I didn¡¯t want to buy another set. This one was expensive enough as it was.

    The notification symbol flashed in the corner of my HUD and I decided to open it. It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d be going anywhere until Reggie was done doing his thing anyway. Though I could have healed it myself through meditation, he¡¯d explained previously that his healing power was a lot faster.

    You have defeated (Tyrannosaurus Bex) lvl 48.

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 35

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 36

    Holy fuck-nuggets. I thought as I saw Bex¡¯s level. She was a lot stronger than me and it showed. I was thankful to have had the team¡¯s help with her.

    She was on the cusp of hitting phase three, whereas I had barely scratched phase two. I got a full two levels from her too which was awesome. It also showed how strong she was, considering how difficult it was to level up in phase two. She was definitely a worthy opponent.

    I happily added all ten of my free points into intelligence. The quicker I got that skill up the better considering how it affected my ability to use my new stealth skills.

    I had one more notification to open and I braced myself as I realised it was an achievement.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Extinction Event

    Why can¡¯t a T-Rex clap its hands? Because it¡¯s extinct.

    You murdered a unique dinosaur by shooting a soul-infused arrow into a ball of pure, condensed mana. Poor Bex died in agony, reliving flashbacks to the meteor which destroyed her brethren back on Earth.

    Of course, she had never met any dinosaurs from Earth, but you get the picture.

    Poor Bex won¡¯t be making any more trips to the dino-store, well-fucking-done.

    Is that enough bad jokes for you?

    Reward: Extinction Loot Box

    ¡°I regret teasing you,¡± I said quietly to the sky. ¡°I regret it so damn much.¡±

    Though the loot box was pretty cool. I wondered if the system would continue the theme and give me an ancient rarity prize. That would be pretty awesome.

    The pain had pretty much subsided by the time I¡¯d worked my way through the notifications and I looked at Reggie who had his tongue stuck out slightly to the side as he worked.

    ¡°Am I gonna make it doc?¡± I said facetiously with mock sincerity.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll be just fine.¡± He replied slowly, as he concentrated on the last bit of healing. ¡°Honestly, sleep would have fixed this. It looked painful but you were unlikely to die.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us wanted to stay the night in this clearing though, so my healing was mostly to save time.¡±

    ¡°Jeez, thanks so much,¡± I replied. ¡°Your bedside manner is truly commendable,¡± I mumbled.

    Reggie smirked as he finished up the last bit of healing he needed to do and then I sat up. I looked down at my stomach and it looked as good as new, I was even starting to get a faint six-pack.

    It turns out that if you wanna get a model-like body, all you have to do is get isekai¡¯d, who knew? The bruising around my chest had gone too and honestly, I felt as good as new.

    I sat up and looked towards Bex the dinosaur. Her head had almost disintegrated.

    ¡°How did that happen?¡± I asked, pointing at the corpse.

    ¡°When you shot that energy blast with your arrow it blew her face up,¡± Reggie answered. ¡°That¡¯s also how your stomach ended up such a mess, but the dino got the worst of it. We left the loot for you since you delivered the finishing blow.¡±

    I looked towards his sincere eyes. Reggie seemed like a pretty genuine guy. We might have gotten off to a rocky start with my duel with Jake Milicent, but he was starting to grow on me.

    I still didn¡¯t think he looked like a healer though. His short and stocky build just didn¡¯t seem to mesh in my opinion. I guess it goes to show that you really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.

    I jumped up to my feet and approached the sizzling, bubbling dino corpse and the familiar message hovering above it.

    Would you like to loot Tyrannosaurus Bex?

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes and her body, along with the smell of ozone and burning feathers, burst into confetti. The system didn¡¯t seem to be able to make its mind up on what exactly should happen when a monster got looted.

    It was different pretty much every time.

    You have received a new item:

    Scarlet Dino Feathers

    Feathers that can be used in crafting.

    X1000 gold coins.

    ¡°What did you get?¡± Bell said, appearing from behind me with her hands behind her back and an excited smile on her face.

    ¡°I got her feathers, apparently it¡¯s a crafting item,¡± I replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s boring.¡± She whined. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d get her energy ball power.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how powers work.¡± I sighed, watching Jamie clamber over the stream to join us.

    He crossed very diligently, carefully jumping from rock to rock so he didn¡¯t get wet. That probably wasn¡¯t a bad idea considering all the blood, gore and crap that had gotten in there, courtesy of Bex.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a sweep of the surrounding area, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any more monsters. We should probably report back now.¡± Jamie said breathlessly.

    Apparently crossing a small stream was a bit much for him. The dude obviously needed more cardio in his life.

    ¡°No need.¡± Sally¡¯s voice boomed across the clearing and we all turned towards her.

    Tilly trailed behind her, looking rather uninterested, and Panda was at her side, smoking his bamboo pipe.

    ¡°That was a good show, kid.¡± He said, looking at my bare chest and stomach and smirking. ¡°Shame about your armour though.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll grow back,¡± I replied defensively.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good look for you.¡± Bell chimed in sweetly. ¡°Very¡­ progressive.¡±

    I shook my head and Sally held up her hand, signalling for us to be quiet.

    ¡°That was better than last time.¡± She began sincerely. ¡°Having a leader and a grasp of what each other can do has made a big difference, and that was a tough opponent, so well done.¡±

    Jamie and Reggie high-fived and I smiled to myself. It was rare to get praise from Sally and it felt good.

    ¡°That being said, you could have done better. It¡¯s a few days hike to our objective so you¡¯ll keep fighting and training and honing your prowess as we go. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be up to the task given to us after that.¡±

    Tilly smirked at Sally¡¯s words and shook her head lightly. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t think much of us. I really wanted to learn some new bow techniques from her. Perhaps, there would be a chance over the next few days, though something in her demeanour made me doubt it.

    Sally and Tilly headed out of the clearing and we followed them tiredly. Panda walked beside me silently, something was still wrong with him but he didn¡¯t seem willing to tell me what it was.

    Sally was a slave driver, but I would be stronger by the end of this quest, of that I had no doubt. Que the training montage.

 Chapter 80 - Intermission: Isobel Atthill

    Isobel was an unassuming girl. A slender build and quiet personality made for a lacklustre impression on others. She¡¯d have been all but invisible to the world if not for her illness, even then, she barely knew anyone outside of the hospital.

    The Atthill family was extremely wealthy. The kind of wealth that afforded them the luxury of private doctors, nurses, and their own hospital wing. It was in that hospital wing where Isobel lived her unassuming life.

    Her disease was rare. Less than 1% of the entire population of planet Earth had it and because of that, there was no cure. It wasn¡¯t that it couldn¡¯t be cured, nothing is ever permanent with proper funding, time and the brightest minds working on it, but why would they?

    1% of the eight-billion-person population was no small number of people, but next to more common ailments like cancer, why would researchers spend their time researching Isobel¡¯s illness?

    Medical advancement was a numbers game. There was only a finite amount of time and resources and the general consensus was to work on saving the most people possible from the most common ailments.

    Isobel didn¡¯t mind though; she¡¯d known she was fated to die young for as long as she could remember and she had accepted it.

    It might not have been fair. God knew it was a tragedy for a person to die before reaching adulthood. It is a horrendous misfortune for a parent to outlive their child and naturally her parents fought the uphill battle of saving her life with gusto.

    Isobel, however, had already accepted her fate. In a way it was kind of freeing, knowing roughly when you were going to die.

    Her fate was no different from anyone else¡¯s. Most humans lived their lives expecting to die sometime after seventy. Sure, expecting to die before reaching twenty was a much shorter time frame, but she had never known anything else, so was it really that upsetting?

    Death is only sad for those who are left behind.

    That was a sentiment that both comforted and distressed her. She didn¡¯t want her parents to forget to live their own lives for the sake of trying to extend hers in vain.

    Her mother and father were both scientists. They were famous researchers, renowned in their respective fields. Hailing from two powerful families, their arranged union brought another level of prestige and prosperity to the proud Atthill line.

    Neither of them cared much for family politics though.

    With the exception of playing outside like a normal child, Isobel wanted for nothing. If she desired something and money could buy it, she had it.

    Her personal hospital wing was a nerdy hoarder¡¯s dream. There were DVDs, manga, books, light novels, and video game boxes stacked to the ceiling in every part of her room.

    She had taken to media like a fish to water. It was her window into the outside world, the only way she could experience anything outside of the clinical monotony of hospital life.

    It was escapism at its finest.

    The thing about being terminally ill is that no one expects anything of you. You¡¯re a subject of pity, useless to wider society, and that suited Isobel just fine.

    Without the burden of schooling, work, social interactions, or physical activity, all of her time was her own. She¡¯d have to be an idiot not to get the most out of it.

    So she spent her days playing the latest video games, watching and rewatching movies and reading every book she could find on the internet, ordering physical copies when she could find them.

    In the early days when she was growing up, she¡¯d see her parents every day. They¡¯d practically moved into her hospital wing, and when they weren¡¯t working they were together as a family.

    Her father might not have been able to push her on the swing and her mother couldn¡¯t take her swimming, which was her favourite hobby, but they were together. A perfect and happy family unit.

    Isobel could say with a smile that she had the perfect family life with loving parents who spent time with her. But that didn¡¯t last.

    By the time of her twelfth birthday, she barely saw her father anymore. He worked constantly. He had dedicated himself to finding a cure for his beloved daughter and no matter his wife¡¯s concerns of overwork or his daughter¡¯s pleas to spend time together, he wouldn¡¯t stop.

    He was consumed by his desire to save her. That¡¯s what Isobel had to believe. She felt awful for him for his endeavour was doomed to fail. She didn¡¯t need him to save her, she just needed him.

    Yet he couldn¡¯t see past his single-tracked goal of finding a cure.

    Her mother was different. She still worked on a cure, but she balanced her life much better than her husband. She made a point of spending a few hours with her daughter every day.

    Though the older she got, the wearier her mother became. Having a daughter with such a short natural life span must have taken its toll on her emotionally. She wore that agony in the lines on her face, lines that most people didn¡¯t get at such a young age.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Her hair had turned grey by the age of 35 and Isobel knew it was because of her.

    On her fifteenth birthday, her father had been absent. He was working, as usual. Her mother had spent the day with her however, and they played old video games together, watched The Princess Bride, their favourite movie, and even played some old board games that Isobel¡¯s mother had bought her as a surprise.

    It was truly a great birthday, but Isobel was much more perceptive to the feelings of others than she let on. So she noticed the tiredness behind her mother¡¯s eyes. She saw the smiles that didn¡¯t quite reach them. She heard the tinge of sadness behind her every word.

    It was heartbreaking. To cause so much pain to those around you by simply existing was a fate she wouldn¡¯t wish on anyone.

    As Isobel moved into her later teens she would not get to experience the usual coming-of-age celebrations that most adults the world over enjoy. She would not share her first alcoholic beverage with her parents because her condition wouldn¡¯t allow for it.

    She would not meet someone, fall in harmless teenage lust, call it love and then cry when her partner inevitably moved across the country to attend a different college to her.

    Nor would she take a gap year and go backpacking around Europe or South Asia, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and finding herself.

    All of these things that movies had trained her to expect, would never come to be. Her life was not finally beginning as the Hollywood tropes so often suggested, it was ending.

    At the age of eighteen, she entered her twilight years. Her condition worsened and even engaging with the media she so loved was a challenge.

    Her body began shutting down. She lacked energy. The end was closing in, and yet she was at peace with it. It would be easy to curse her short life. To look at the world around her and feel bitterness.

    There were so many experiences that others took for granted. A first kiss, playing football in the street with your friends, going to parties, being able to walk unassisted.

    Yes, it would be easy to be overcome by jealousy. To look to the sky and curse God for abandoning her. But what use was there in that?

    There was no happiness to be found in comparing her life to the lives of others. Despite what people like to tell themselves, equality is, and will always be a lie.

    People are not born equal and they never have been. So comparing oneself to others is a fool¡¯s errand.

    Isobel genuinely believed that, and as she made peace with her death, hospital machines beeping angrily around her as worried doctors and nurses burst into her room and began trying to save her, she had only one regret.

    She wished she¡¯d have been able to spend more time with her father.

    The panicked voices of the hospital staff began to fade as her vision turned to black. She¡¯d soon be at peace, having lived a life of escapism and multi-media indulgence. She was sure that to many it sounded like paradise.

    Then she woke up.

    She found herself in a jungle, surrounded by¡­ palm trees.

    Isobel had never been in a jungle before, she¡¯d never even been outside. How had she gotten here, and where the hell was here anyway?

    She pushed herself off the ground and moved towards the nearest tree, stroking it with her palm. It felt firm yet smooth with small, evenly placed ridges running the length of the thin trunk.

    Amazing, who would have thought that this was what palm trees felt like? She thought to herself, marvelling at the simple pleasure of nature. A pleasure she had never known, until now.

    ¡°Wait, am I walking?!¡± She exclaimed, looking down at her legs with wide, excited eyes.

    She tried jumping and it¡­ worked. Her legs worked, without any assistance or anything. There was no pain, no exhaustion, just¡­ movement.

    So this is what jumping feels like. I¡¯ve really been missing out.

    She hopped around the little clearing where she had woken up, giggling to herself like a maniac as her hospital clothes flapped merrily up and down.

    If anyone had been watching her they¡¯d have thought she was an escaped mental patient, but she didn¡¯t care.

    Then time stopped. Like, literally stopped. Isobel was floating in mid-air, frozen. A phenomenon that defied all scientific logic as she knew it.

    An overly happy voice filled her ears and words appeared in her vision, like a notification from a video game:

    Welcome players, to Celestia!

    You are the newest residents of this little slice of heaven, lucky you.

    This is a world filled with peoples of all races, monsters, magic and even the odd dragon or two.

    How great does that sound? It¡¯s literally every nerd¡¯s dream come true right?

    So, what¡¯s the catch?

    You¡¯re being hunted!

    That¡¯s right folks, all 10,000 of you have been gifted a brand-new tattoo, completely free of charge. Each tattoo is a wholly unique and different part of a map. The Celestial Map to be precise, not that I expect you to know what that means.

    Our prestigious hunters are oh so very eager to put that map back together again, piece by agonising piece.

    They see you when you¡¯re sleeping. They know when you¡¯re awake. They want to skin you all alive so run or you¡¯ll get flayed!

    The map is on your skin and starting now, the hunt is on.

    Good look out there, players. We hope you enjoy your stay in the idyllic and welcoming world of Celestia.

    ¡°Well, that settles it then.¡± She said to herself as time resumed and she dropped to the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve been isekai¡¯d¡­ awesome!¡±

    Isobel was aware that talking to one¡¯s self aloud would have been considered a little unhinged back home, but if there was no one around to hear her did it really make a difference if she spoke to herself or not?

    She ran around in a circle some more, enjoying the freedom of movement which she had never before experienced.

    Once she ran out of breath and had to take a moment to calm down, she smiled.

    ¡°This is my second life.¡± She grinned up at the clear blue sky. ¡°I¡¯m going to live without fear and I¡¯m going to try and make some real-life, honest-to-goodness friends, and I¡¯m going to do all the things I never could back on Earth.¡±

    She grinned from ear to ear as she looked around the palm tree jungle. This was her chance to experience something new. Who needs escapism when you can live it? Fantasy was her favourite genre. Maybe there would be a wise old wizard with a pointy hat and white hair to guide her.

    Maybe she could be a wizard and learn spells and shit.

    Who knew?

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna need a new name if I¡¯m going to start a new life.¡± She mused to herself. Her mother had always called her Izzy for short. She¡¯d liked it well enough, but she didn¡¯t feel much like an Izzy anymore.

    Izzy was her hospital name and she wasn¡¯t sick now.

    ¡°I guess I could just shorten my name the other way?¡± She said with a shrug. ¡°Yeah, that works. In this world, I¡¯ll be known as Bell, and I¡¯m going to be a mother fucking wizard! I wonder if they have the fireball spell in Celestia. That spell was always super OP in games.¡±

 Chapter 81 â€“ Spider Bukkake

    I dived to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the huge spider¡¯s hairy leg, slashing out with my daggers as I went.

    The overgrown arachnid howled with pain as my dagger tore into it and the skin around the leg started to bubble violently.

    I saw my reflection in its eight, crimson eyes as it glared at me. I¡¯d say it was shooting venom with that glare, but why use a metaphor when it literally shot venom from its hairy, horror movie mouth.

    The purple liquid fired from its fangs in little spit balls of death as I narrowly avoided them with a matrix-style dodge. Sadly, I was no Keanu Reves and as I leaned backwards to avoid the venomous glob, I fell on my ass and had to roll to the side as the spider tried to impale me with its front leg.

    I slashed at that leg too, but the arachnid was too quick and all I managed to do was slice through some of its thick hairs.

    ¡°That was a close shave!¡± Bell quipped from the sidelines as she and the rest of the team watched my struggle.

    I was battling solo at Sally¡¯s request. She wanted to see us all in action against various types of monsters. We¡¯d been at it all day and I was the last one to perform.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in hairier situations,¡± I shouted back as I threw myself to my feet and pressed my attack.

    Sally had forbidden me from starting the fight with a Soul Shot. She¡¯d said I was becoming too predictable and she wanted to see how I fought when I couldn¡¯t use a sneaky power attack.

    Naturally, I instead produced both of my daggers and ran at the overgrown spider like a madman. I wasn¡¯t the best melee fighter, the bow was definitely my speciality, but that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t fight without it ¨C or at least, that¡¯s what I¡¯d hoped to prove to her.

    I ducked under the spider¡¯s carapace and slammed both of my daggers into the underside of its body as I ran between its legs. A shower of bloody, purple gore gushed from its belly behind me, giving me all the more reason to keep going.

    There were no showers in the palm tree jungle and I did not want to be known as the guy who smelled like spider guts and put everyone off their dinner.

    The arachnid screamed in a distorted, high-pitched, monster voice as I opened its stomach. Its blood mixed with venom and burned at the grass below it. The hissing sound and burning smell were terrifying, but as long as I didn¡¯t get any of it on me, I should have been ok.

    I reached the other side of the carapace and combat rolled the last few meters, turning around swiftly and raising my blades across my face to block an incoming kick.

    However, spiders don¡¯t kick, they web.

    And as I raised my blades to protect myself from an incoming attack, I realised I had made a big mistake. I was on the wrong side of the spider, with the wrong weapon to help me.

    A thick, gloopy web fired from its backside and hit me straight in the face. My daggers did very little to prevent the spider bukkake that covered me from head to toe.

    So much for staying clean. I sighed internally.

    The underside of the spider burned as the acid made short work of the arachnid¡¯s guts and innards. It stank like rotting flesh and burnt arm hair. Hopefully, it would be dead soon, reduced to a steaming pile of venomous goop. I¡¯d barely taken any damage either. However, I was still going to be known as the guy who took fresh webbing to the face.

    ¡°Hey, Kaleb!¡± Bell shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth as she struggled to contain her laughter. ¡°Do you spit, or swallow?¡±

    Yup, I¡¯m never going to live this one down.

    ¡°Ask your mum Bell,¡± I yelled back. I didn¡¯t have time to waste thinking up a better comeback, and mum jokes were classics.

    I heard Panda chuckle at my retort as I dove back in and slashed at the arachnid¡¯s spinnerets. I didn¡¯t need to continue attacking. The spider was as good as dead, but I had frustrations that could only be taken out on eight-legged creatures, and frankly, I needed the violent therapy.

    The spider dropped to the ground with more of a whimper than a scream and the familiar notification filled my HUD.

    You have defeated Giant Spider (lvl 39)

    Bonus experience rewarded due to level disparity.

    The giant spider was three levels above me, yet I defeated it with relative ease and without using my bow. I¡¯d take that as a win, even as I pulled chunks of thick, sticky web off my face.

    You know that feeling you get when you think about spiders, or maybe you see some web as you¡¯re walking through a wooded area, and suddenly it feels like you have web on you.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I bet you¡¯re doing it right now, aren¡¯t you? Maybe a loose strand of hair has brushed your forehead and for some reason, it feels like a spider web, so you brush it away and then the same feeling happens again except on the back of your neck.

    I felt like that. Except it wasn¡¯t a phantom web, it was a real, tangible web from a giant motherfucking arachnid who had webbed all over me, and now I was never going to be free of that feeling again.

    Oh god, how I hate spiders. I shivered as I moved in to loot it.

    Do you want to loot Giant Spider?

    Y/N

    You have received a new item:

    Spider Silk

    Venomous Sack

    X1000 gold coins

    The silk and sack were both crafting items, according to the system. I was getting more and more crafting items recently and I made a mental note of hiring someone to make something for me with all of my new materials when I got back to Havar.

    I was sure Panda knew a guy. Probably a small shop on that same street where all the other shops were. The scope of his Havarian contacts was pretty limited now that I thought about it.

    My theory about coins also seemed to be proving correct. As with the last monster I looted, I received 1000 gold coins, instead of the usual 10 which I had become accustomed to.

    The only thing that those two monsters had in common was that they were both phase two. As was the slime queen I¡¯d killed ages ago, which also gave me 1000 gold coins.

    I think it was safe to say that the amount I looted correlated to the phase the kill was in. Phase one¡¯s netted 10 gold per kill. Phase two¡¯s netted 1000. If I could get to a point where I was regularly killing phase four¡¯s I¡¯d be super fucking rich in no time.

    Maybe I¡¯d be able to hire someone to isekai my family to me with that kind of money. I could buy my own skull-shaped island and sit on a swivel chair with Panda in my lap. As my arch nemesis entered my lair, I could turn around menacingly and tell them I¡¯d been expecting them.

    Pulling myself from my Bond villain fantasy, I opened my penultimate notification.

    Achievement Unlocked!

    Arachnophobia

    So you¡¯ve taken web to the face? Now you know what all those poor girls on Porn Hub feel like. You¡¯re a dirty little slut, aren¡¯t you?

    Seriously though, spiders are gross and you need to kill more of them. If I could shiver, I would, but I¡¯m the system and I don¡¯t have normal bodily functions.

    Anyway:

    Did you hear about the spider who ate a fly? He was a real buzz kill.

    Reward: Bukkake Loot Box

    ¡°Oh come on!¡± I shouted up at the sky to the backdrop of Panda¡¯s howling laughter as he saw my reward through his ability to see my HUD as my familiar.

    I shook my head and pulled up my final notification.

    Dagger has advanced to lvl 11.

    Well, at least that was good. I needed to improve my dagger as much as possible if I wanted the skill to evolve as the bow skill had done.

    Theoretically, if I got the dagger skill to level 25, it would evolve into a better skill. At least, that was what had happened with my bow skill.

    ¡°The system called you a whore didn¡¯t it?¡± Bell smirked as she and the rest of the group strolled towards me.

    ¡°Something like that,¡± I grumbled, picking web off my face and out of my stubbly hair.

    ¡°See, this is why I always thought Spiderman was a creepy dude.¡± Bell mused. ¡°Shooting web at people, it¡¯s just a bit of a gross metaphor.¡±

    ¡°You leave Spiderman out of this!¡± I gasped, pointing at her face. ¡°He is a national treasure. There¡¯s a reason his franchise has been rebooted so many times in such a short period of time.¡±

    ¡°¡­Because the writers lack creativity and the shareholders love a good cash grab?¡± Bell replied innocently.

    ¡°Well yeah, probably,¡± I sighed, scratching the top of my head where loose bits of web were still clinging to me. ¡°But they do it with Spiderman because he¡¯s such a great character.¡±

    ¡°Wolverine is better,¡± she said folding her arms and giving me a deadpan look. ¡°He¡¯s not tied down by annoying morality. He smokes, drinks and is an all-round badass and they got Hugh Jackman to play him, which means he has the voice of an angel¡­ and the claws, can¡¯t forget about those.¡±

    ¡°In the most recent Spiderman, they got all three of the actors who played him together and recreated the meme,¡± I replied arrogantly. ¡°Did Wolverine do his meme in his movies? No, he didn¡¯t. He just used crappy CGI and butchered Deadpool¡¯s character so badly that Ryan Reynolds had to reprise the character in his own movies to try and salvage the hatchet job that was done to him.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Sally yelled, thumping us both on the tops of our heads. ¡°Quit talking nonsense and let¡¯s move on.¡±

    My brain literally rattled around in my skull as I looked up and saw multiple Sally¡¯s pointing and shouting at me. Damn, that steroid kitty could hit.

    ¡°Honestly, it feels like you two talk in code sometimes,¡± she sighed, rubbing her palm on her face. ¡°Your performance was pretty good Kaleb,¡± she said with a fangy grin. ¡°Next time though, try not to get bukkaked. You¡¯re an adventurer, not a porn star.¡±

    She walked away as Reggie and Jamie doubled over with laughter, clutching their stomachs. Tilly and Panda followed her and he also giggled, but less enthusiastically.

    Something was still wrong with him and I knew I needed to find out what it was. He was acting so strange, normally he¡¯d have been the first to tease me. The little guy loved banter. Yet he barely ribbed me at all during, or after that fight.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Sally yelled as she left the battle site. ¡°There¡¯s a small village at the foot of the mountain. We¡¯ll rest up there for the night.¡±

    We had been travelling through the palm tree jungle for about a week. After our fight with the dinosaur, we had plenty of chances to fight as a team.

    Slowly, we¡¯d honed our teamwork and our solo ability with instruction from Sally. I¡¯d hoped to learn a thing or two about bowmanship from Tilly the elf, but she¡¯d refused to take me along on her hunts.

    I didn¡¯t know how she did it, but every night she left for an hour or two and came back with a bountiful collection of meats whilst we set up the camp.

    The woman was a genius at living off the land. Maybe she¡¯d give me some tips before we fought the dragon, though considering its lair was at the top of the mountain, I doubted we¡¯d have time.

    I trudged after the rest of the group as they followed Sally out of the clearing, wondering if we had what it took to defeat something as legendary as a dragon.

    One sleep, and then we¡¯d fight it. It was like counting down the days until Christmas.

 Chapter 82 â€“ Never Trust A Man Who Tries To Sell You A Caravan

    We only had a short walk until we reached the village at the foot of the mountain. We hadn¡¯t slept since we¡¯d left the elven inn a week ago.

    We meditated in shifts when we needed to recover stamina or health, usually after a few battles, but that was the only rest we got. At my level, I could put off sleeping for a long time as long as I meditated enough.

    I was getting quite good at it too. I could recharge my HP and stamina in half the time it took everyone else to. Bell was still in the early stages of her meditation technique.

    She didn¡¯t really seem to understand how it worked fully. Reggie had spent a lot of time talking her through it, sometimes for hours, as she struggled to navigate her soul.

    I had taken to it right away back when Sally and Panda first talked me through it. However, according to the others, I was a bit of a special case. Meditation and tapping into the soul were apparently techniques that most people struggled to get to grips with.

    I guess my natural talent for it kind of made up for my lack of mana¡­ actually, on second thought, it definitely didn¡¯t. Magic was way cooler than meditation.

    Thanks again System, you ass.

    We walked for about an hour after I finished off the giant spider. Reggie had dropped back to chat with me for a bit, he voiced some concerns he had about the make-up of the team.

    According to him, a well-balanced adventuring team should have at least one dedicated melee specialist, and we didn¡¯t have one. He raised a good point. Apart from myself, everyone was a mage. So we were three long-range attackers and a healer.

    Not very balanced at all.

    After some pleading from Reggie, I promised to mention it to Sally later. I didn¡¯t really want to have that conversation with her, but who knew, maybe it¡¯d get me some bonus points on the exam for thinking critically about tactics.

    We pushed through the final layer of palm trees and found ourselves facing a sheer cliff face. The mountain reached past the clouds and was made of a dark grey rock. It looked pretty foreboding and I hoped it wasn¡¯t a sign of things to come.

    At the foot of the rocky mountain stood a small mining village which could easily have been mistaken for a full-blown town. There were rows and rows of medieval-style stone houses with thatch roofs.

    They reminded me of the little cottages I¡¯d drive past in the English countryside in my old job as a truck driver. It was a quaint little village, but lively, much more so than the elven village we¡¯d stayed in along the way.

    As we walked through the main square, a small, bearded fellow came over to greet us. He had black soot on his face and carried a pickaxe which looked way too big for him.

    His legs were short but his shoulders and arms were huge! Seriously, he could have given Sally a run for her money and if they arm wrestled, I wasn¡¯t sure who I¡¯d bet on.

    I focused on him and a notification popped up on my HUD, confirming my suspicions.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Dwarf

    From Tolkien to Sapkowski, every fantasy author on Earth has written about dwarves at some point. You know what they are, so you don¡¯t need a notification to tell you about them.

    Seriously, do some of your own research for once.

    Interestingly though, dwarves are a part of Norse Mythology back in your world and were adopted into fantasy stories most famously by Tolkien, and then everyone else started doing it too.

    Did you know that in his famous series, he decided that the plural for dwarf would be dwarves? At the time, the accepted plural was spelled dwarfs but the man refused to change it when challenged by his editor. I guess when you¡¯re the father of fantasy you can get away with that stuff. Though I heard his editor got a little short with him about the whole ordeal.

    Get it?

    ¡°Well lookie here!¡± The dwarf exclaimed as he strutted towards us, swinging his pickaxe. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve got us some adventurers, boys.¡± He called over his shoulder and a few others looked our way, a few of them heading towards us.

    ¡°We¡¯re from the Adventure Society, yes.¡± Sally began tentatively. ¡°We heard you¡¯ve got a dragon problem?¡±

    ¡°You heard right missy.¡± The lead dwarf replied. ¡°That scaley fuck has been terrorising the village he has. Keeps stealing our livestock whilst we¡¯re working the mines. Mighty rude of him if you ask me.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Bell covered her mouth, her eyes betraying a stifled laugh. It was probably his west country accent; it was pretty comical.

    ¡°But where are my manners.¡± He continued, placing his dirty hand over his heart. ¡°My name is Ale, the mayor and chief miner in these parts, and these two idiots are Whiskey and Vodka.¡± He added, almost as an afterthought, gesturing to the two gawping dwarves watching us from a few feet away.

    At the mention of their names, Whiskey and Vodka trotted sheepishly towards us.

    ¡°Those are some¡­ interesting names,¡± Reggie said sceptically, taking Ale¡¯s hand in Sally¡¯s place as she backed up hesitantly. Apparently, the overgrown kitten wasn¡¯t overly fond of non-violent physical contact.

    ¡°Aye,¡± the dwarf mayor replied. ¡°It¡¯s customary in our village for kids to be named after what their da was drinking when they were conceived. Been doing it for generations, we have.¡±

    ¡°You must run out of names pretty quickly,¡± I said, walking towards the dwarf, who stretched out his hand as I approached.

    I took it and he squeezed as we shook. It was a proper dad handshake. I couldn¡¯t help it, I¡¯d never met a dwarf before, much less one with a west country accent ¨C I¡¯d always expected them to be Scottish.

    I knew I¡¯d regret it for the rest of my life if I didn¡¯t speak to him, it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kaleb by the way,¡± I said as we shook.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. But, Nah, we¡¯ve got a naming system in place.¡± Ale replied, gesticulating wildly as he spoke. From the smell of him, he was probably a little drunk. ¡°Take Vodka over there. He just got his lass Brandy up the duff whilst off his tits on whiskey. So naturally the bairn will be called Whiskey-Two since we¡¯ve already got a Whiskey.¡± He gestured loosely towards the shy-looking dwarf standing a few meters back. He waved awkwardly as I looked at him.

    ¡°What does Whiskey-One think about that?¡± I replied, keeping up easily with the west country drawl.

    ¡°Oh he¡¯s over the moon he is,¡± Ale replied. ¡°Vodka and Whiskey have been best mates for ages now, he was the best man at his wedding you know? He¡¯s actually going to be Whiskey-Two¡¯s godfather, how cute is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting a migraine,¡± Reggie complained, rubbing the front of his head.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Sally shouted and I jumped, snapping my head in the direction of her drill sergeant voice. ¡°Stop talking nonsense with the dwarf and ask him to set us up with some rooms for the night.¡±

    ¡°He has a name,¡± I replied, raising my eyebrows at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he does, but I can¡¯t understand much of what he¡¯s saying so I¡¯m promoting you to my dwarven liaison officer whilst we¡¯re here,¡± she retorted, crossing her arms, and sounding rather proud of herself.

    The promotion sounded more like being shafted to me, but I didn¡¯t mind too much. I was growing pretty fond of Ale; he reminded me of home ¨C even though I¡¯d never been to Somerset before.

    ¡°Sorry about her,¡± I apologised to the dwarven mayor. ¡°Do you guys have an inn we can stay at for the night?¡±

    ¡°Nay worries mate, catonids and dwarfs aren¡¯t known to be chummy.¡± He placed his hand to the side of his mouth before continuing with a whisper and eyeing Sally. ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s because they can¡¯t handle their drink. Word to the wise young Kaleb, never trust a man who can¡¯t handle his booze.

    ¡°Oh¡­ and never trust a man who tries to sell you a caravan either. One minute you¡¯re looking around the place and the next he¡¯s nicked off with your shoelaces.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that under consideration, Ale,¡± I laughed, ¡°so, about those rooms?¡±

    ¡°Oh aye, we¡¯ve got plenty of rooms we do,¡± he replied with a friendly smile, ¡°inn¡¯s over there. If you get some time before you slay our dragon, come find me and I¡¯ll treat you to my namesake.¡±

    ¡°I might just take you up on that,¡± I said, shaking the mayor¡¯s dirty hand again before leading the group towards the inn he¡¯d pointed out.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to call you the dwarf whisperer from now on,¡± Bell mused happily.

    ¡°They do say everyone¡¯s a genius at something,¡± Panda added. ¡°Shame your talent is talking to little alcoholics.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why me and you are such good friends,¡± I replied, earning a chuckle from some of the group.

    The inn we¡¯d been directed to looked like a typical fantasy anime inn. It was a Tudor-looking building with whitewash walls held together by wooden beams, and it had a little sign hanging above the door that said: Drink Inn.

    I smiled at the name; it definitely suited the residents of the village. I pushed open the wooden door with Sally hot on my heels.

    It was surprisingly busy inside, wooden tables and booths were filled with rowdy dwarven customers clanking tankards, talking, and just generally having a good time.

    Sally nudged me towards the bar which was manned by a fancy-looking dwarf in a checkered, tweed suit. He had one of those moustaches that was twirled at the ends and he wore a bowler hat.

    ¡°Ask for six rooms, ideally in the quietest section of the inn,¡± Sally asked, pushing me towards the bar with a forceful hand. She seemed pretty uncomfortable around the dwarves. It was odd, I figured that straight-talking, hard-working drinkers like them would be exactly the kind of people she¡¯d like.

    ¡°Hi, can I get-¡± I began.

    ¡°Six rooms, as quiet as you like?¡± The dapper-looking bartender cut in. ¡°I heard her, and yes you can. They¡¯ll all be on the top floor and it¡¯ll be three gold please.¡±

    I turned back to Sally to translate but she seemed to get the picture. The dwarf held out his hand with a big smile plastered on his face but Sally ignored it and placed the money on the countertop.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said sheepishly as Sally pushed away from the bar and headed straight for the stairs. I followed behind her, struggling to keep up as she took them three or four steps at a time.

    Her tail was tucked between her massive thighs as she bounded away from the bar.

    I finally caught up to her on the top floor, panting after basically sprinting up twelve flights of stairs.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I yelled, hands on my knees and panting.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± She replied defensively, throwing open the nearest door and checking the room. She looked like she was in a spy movie as she picked up lamps and squatted down to look underneath the bed.

    ¡°I doubt it¡¯s been bugged,¡± I said, following her inside as the rest of our group began to catch up.

    ¡°An adventurer can never be too cautious.¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap kitty cat.¡± I interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t try and pass this off as a lesson. What¡¯s your problem with dwarves? They all seem super friendly to me.¡± I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

    ¡°They are super friendly. That¡¯s the problem,¡± she replied, squirming slightly as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s creepy.¡±

    ¡°Like clowns,¡± Bell added from behind me, folding her arms and nodding her head knowingly. The rest of the group had caught up too and seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

    ¡°Wait¡­ are you scared of dwarves?¡± I asked incredulously, struggling to hide my snickering.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± She replied adamantly. ¡°I would just rather not be around them¡­ especially in enclosed spaces.¡±

    ¡°You were just checking for dwarves under the bed weren¡¯t you?¡± I continued, the laughter becoming much harder to hold back.

    Sally didn¡¯t reply. She stared at me with hard, dark blue eyes. I stared back for a long moment, trying to hold back the giggles.

    Then she slammed the door and I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.

 Chapter 83 - â€¦ And You Can Take That Straight To The Bank

    I bent over with my hands on my knees as I laughed. I couldn¡¯t help myself. The idea of the big, strong catonid silver ranker being terrified of a few little dwarves was just too amusing.

    ¡°I think you hurt her feelings,¡± Reggie said from behind me, sounding genuinely concerned for Sally¡¯s emotional welfare.

    He was such a nice guy. Too good for the likes of us. It didn¡¯t prevent me from laughing even harder at his serious tone though.

    Bell giggled beside me, though she didn¡¯t seem to be quite as amused as I was.

    ¡°Reggie,¡± I began, struggling to speak through the giggling fit I¡¯d succumbed to. ¡°I think she might be scared of you too.¡±

    I turned and looked him up and down. He was barely taller than a dwarf himself and his stocky shoulders didn¡¯t exactly help his case. Jamie smirked at this and Reggie¡¯s cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson.

    ¡°Fuck you, Kaleb,¡± Reggie replied indignantly before turning on his heels and marching back down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m getting a drink.¡±

    ¡°Yup, he¡¯s definitely one of them,¡± I called after him, practically howling at my own terrible joke.

    Jamie flashed me a grin before hurrying after him. Even the moody Panda seemed to be enjoying the scene. Nothing put him in a good mood like verbally ripping into someone.

    After a few moments of agonising laughter, I finally managed to regain control of myself. I turned to Bell and Panda; the latter was purposely facing away from the former as he looked up at me with cute, plushie-like eyes.

    ¡°In all seriousness, I actually do need to talk to Sally,¡± I said, gesturing towards her room door. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you downstairs.¡±

    Bell nodded and skipped away from us like a school kid playing hopscotch. Panda glanced towards her and shook his head.

    ¡°Good luck in there, kid.¡± He snickered, before heading back to the bar as well.

    With a sigh, I turned back to the door and knocked loudly. After a moment it was wrenched open and the towering catonid leaned over me, her scowling expression was the stuff of nightmares.

    ¡°What?¡± She huffed in a hostile tone.

    ¡°I need to talk to you about the make-up of the team,¡± I replied earnestly. ¡°Reggie and I spoke about it earlier and as team leader, it fell to me to speak with you.¡±

    She looked me up and down with her dark blue eyes as if deciding whether or not to entertain me. Then she quickly glanced up both sides of the hall as her silver hair swished from side to side, before stepping back and gesturing for me to come inside.

    I entered her room and moved towards the window as she closed the door, applying a security chain which reminded me somewhat of a feature you¡¯d expect to see in a shady motel.

    The window was small, with no way to open it. It overlooked the village square where we¡¯d met Ale. The sun was starting to drop below the peak of the mountain casting an idyllic orange glow over the quaint little mining town.

    It reminded me of a typical postcard photo as I smiled to myself, basking in the natural beauty of it all. Directly opposite the inn was an entrance which seemed to lead underground.

    It looked like a mine shaft. A thick, wooden frame crested the outside of a large tunnel that led into the mountain.

    I wonder if the dwarves sing Hi-Ho as they walk single file down the shaft on their way to work. Now that would be a sight to see.

    ¡°Alright Gonads, what¡¯s your issue with the team,¡± Sally said, half sighing as she plonked down onto the bed. It creaked with her weight and she crossed her legs and pulled out a thick cigar.

    ¡°Well.¡± I began nervously, turning to face her and leaning back against the window ledge. ¡°Reggie and I got to talking and we realised that the make-up of the team seems a little skewed.

    ¡°We have a healer, two casters and an archer, but no melee specialist. It just seems like a bit of a design flaw to me. Three long-ranged attackers and their healer don¡¯t exactly make for the most balanced adventuring team. Especially when our target is a dragon.¡±

    She looked at me, letting out a puff of thick, black smoke which spiralled soothingly into the air. The smell was all-encompassing and I just knew it was going to stick to my armour. I¡¯d spent enough of my life smelling like a chain smoker, I wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of reliving that once I left the room.

    I guess it can¡¯t be helped, I sighed internally.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± She said thoughtfully. ¡°A standard team of four should have a melee fighter, a healer, a mage, and some kind of specialist to fill the final spot.

    ¡°The thing is Gonads; you had a melee fighter in your team. But, in your infinite wisdom, you decided to shoot his fucking hand off and send him to the healers.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Jake fucking Milicent. I thought, remembering the stuck-up noble brat who had challenged me to a duel at the first examinee meeting.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I managed to say, struggling to find the words.

    ¡°Oh indeed,¡± Sally smirked, flashing me a momentary fangy grin. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much though. If that idiot noble challenged you to a duel the first time you met, then I doubt he¡¯d have been a good team member for you anyway.

    ¡°Besides, you have those daggers of yours. There¡¯s a reason I forbade you from using your bow in your last solo fight.¡± She smiled wickedly at me, taking in another drag from her cigar and pausing as her words sank in. ¡°You are the team''s melee specialist now.¡±

    Well, shit.

    She¡¯d really planned it all out, hadn¡¯t she? I was alright with my daggers, but the bow was where my powers and class skills really shone.

    ¡°¡­ And you can take that straight to the bank.¡± She smirked, rising from the bed, and opening her door slightly. ¡°Now get out Gonads, I need my beauty sleep.¡±

    ¡°More like a cat nap,¡± I muttered as I marched past her with my shoulders slumped and my head hung low.

    ¡°What was that?¡± She growled and I disappeared down the stairs without answering.

    As I re-entered the bar, I noticed that the rowdy dwarves were even more numerous. Most of them were dirty from the mine¡¯s soot, but they didn¡¯t seem to care.

    They were simply drinking their fill and having a good time. It was admirable in a way, to see hard-working folk having a good time. The simple life was a far cry from my own these days.

    ¡°Kaleb, over here!¡± Bell shouted chirpily, waving to me from a small booth in the far corner. Panda and the rest of the team were with her.

    He sat on the edge of the booth with his arms folded and a scowl etched onto his face. I waved back, asked the moustached bartender to send a round of drinks to the table, and joined them.

    The booth they¡¯d found was a little cramped, I guess it was dwarf-sized, but we all managed to cram in somehow.

    ¡°Well?¡± Reggie said after a few moments of silence.

    ¡°She said that it was my fault we didn¡¯t have a melee specialist because I kinda¡­ shot his hand off,¡± I replied, rubbing the back of my stubbled head awkwardly.

    ¡°Jake can be a real ass,¡± Jamie muttered, shaking his head, and placing a cold hand on my shoulder.

    I looked towards him. His eyes had large black rings underneath them and he looked pale. Perhaps other adventurers had a harder time going without sleep than I did.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to make do,¡± Reggie sighed and began loudly slurping ale from a wooden tankard.

    I felt bad. It was technically my fault that we¡¯d have to face the dragon with a sub-optimal team, but jeez, that Milicent guy was an asshole and he deserved to have it handed to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry guys,¡± Bell said sweetly. ¡°I¡¯ll just use my fireball and nuke the lizard.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ thanks,¡± I replied, taking a swig of my own drink as the bartender placed the round I¡¯d purchased on the table.

    It was a thick, amber liquid with white froth on the top. It looked and smelled just like a beer back home¡­ but it definitely wasn¡¯t.

    It tasted like lukewarm motor oil and as the fizzy bubbles popped in my mouth, an overwhelming barley flavour lit up my taste buds.

    It was awful. Definitely a far cry from the ale we had back home. I stuck out my tongue with disdain and placed the tankard back on the wet table half-heartedly.

    ¡°Not much of a drinker?¡± The bartender asked slyly as he watched me. ¡°You know what they say: never trust a man who can¡¯t handle his booze.¡± He winked at me and then walked away shaking his head and muttering something about sketchy sober humans.

    ¡°I think he likes you,¡± Bell snickered. ¡°Just like how my fuzzy little buddy over here likes me!¡± She reached across the table to scratch Panda behind the ears and he batted her hand away irritably.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you lately?¡± I asked him as he glared at the sad-looking fireball mage.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± He replied in a gruff tone, facing away from the group with folded arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously not nothing,¡± I replied.

    I didn¡¯t want to push him if he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, but this was getting ridiculous. If he didn¡¯t like Bell that was fine, but he didn¡¯t need to be so moody to the rest of us, especially me. We were supposed to be friends.

    He growled and hopped down from the booth bench, trotting through the crowd with clenched paws.

    ¡°Maybe you should talk to him in private?¡± Reggie suggested, offering me a shrug as he closed his thin lips together and widened his eyes.

    He was probably right, so with a heavy sigh, I stood up and left the group just in time to catch my familiar heading up the stairs.

    I squeezed through the growing crowd of drunken dwarfs to follow him. I took the steps two at a time in a consorted effort to catch up and as I rounded the corner of the last flight I heard a door click shut.

    I opened it and realised it led out onto a flat, wooden roof. It was pretty barren but offered a nice view of the town.

    Panda sat on the edge of the room, slumped over slightly, and lighting his bamboo pipe. If he knew I¡¯d followed him, he didn¡¯t show it.

    I moved next to him and plonked myself down on the edge, letting my legs dangle off the side. The breeze was quite nice and I looked over the top of the dwarven settlement as small, bumbling figures, staggered around on the streets below.

    ¡°You know.¡± I began hesitantly. ¡°If there¡¯s something bothering you, you can talk to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stupid.¡± He muttered, refusing to meet my eyes as I looked towards him.

    ¡°If it¡¯s bothering you then it¡¯s not stupid to me,¡± I replied, choosing my words carefully. ¡°We¡¯re partners in all this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah but¡­ for how long?¡± He said, looking at his lit pipe, but not smoking it.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Listen, kid.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yesterday, I¡¯m a goddamn sage, and I can see that I¡¯ve outgrown my use to you. Hell, I¡¯m already being replaced.¡±

    I looked at him in silence. I wasn¡¯t sure what he meant but at least he was finally opening up to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m a daemon.¡± He continued slowly. ¡°Yeah, I can be a useful guide in the beginning, but the more you level up and learn about this world, the less you need me.

    ¡°And now¡­¡± He sniffed slightly and took a breath. ¡°¡­ And now, you¡¯ve got other people who can help you better than I can. I mean for fuck¡¯s sake; I can¡¯t even fill the role of comic relief anymore with that stupid fireball fuck around. I¡¯m completely useless to you, and honestly, I¡¯m just waiting for you to realise it and get rid of me.¡±

    I looked at him as he looked away, still refusing to meet my gaze. He took a long drag of his bamboo pipe and blew the smoke out into the pleasant night breeze.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I began in a whimsical tone. ¡°I guess you are pretty useless.¡± His shoulders dropped and he finally turned to face me, I don¡¯t think he expected me to be so blunt about it. His big eyes looked up at me, shimmering, even in the dark.

    ¡°¡­ But only a sociopath chooses his friends based on how useful they are to him. You¡¯re not just a tool to be used up and thrown away Panda, you¡¯re my friend¡­ and honestly, I¡¯m not the brightest bulb in the lamp, I could use some sagely advice from time to time.¡±

    I smiled warmly at him and placed my hand on his soft shoulder. He shook his head slightly and let out a slight chuckle.

    ¡°You¡¯re a real asshole, kid, you know that?¡± He said, taking another drag and blowing the smoke in my direction.

    ¡°I never claimed to be anything else mate.¡±

 Chapter 84 â€“ Molotov Cockatiel

    We sat in comfortable silence for a while after our heart-to-heart. It was one of the most peaceful moments I¡¯d had since arriving in Celestia, as we watched the sunset together.

    Panda smoked his pipe and the intangible tension that had been growing between us finally dissipated. I was happy to understand him better, I guessed that even millennia-spanning daemon sages had insecurities.

    That was an oddly comforting thought. No matter how old they get, people still suffer from bouts of self-doubt every once in a while.

    As we stared out at the beautiful orange glow cresting the mountain peak, a strange bird flew over the horizon. It looked like a living flame as its orange and red ombre-patterned wings flapped leisurely.

    I tried to focus on it, but it was too far away to elicit a system notification.

    ¡°Do you know what kind of bird that is?¡± I asked Panda quietly. ¡°It¡¯s mesmerising.¡±

    Panda looked up from his freshly lit bamboo pipe which he had been refilling and gasped as his eyes locked onto the mysterious creature.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s a Molotov Cockatiel.¡± He replied in hushed, awed tones. ¡°They¡¯re really rare.¡±

    ¡°Molotov Cockatiel?¡± I replied incredulously. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s what they¡¯re called. You¡¯ve got to be yanking my chain.¡±

    ¡°No kid, that¡¯s their species name.¡± He replied earnestly. ¡°The system names things, not me. If that name sounds funny to you then blame the system.¡±

    Now it makes sense. That damned system would do anything for a cheap laugh.

    ¡°Hundreds of years ago the continental humans hunted the cockatiels to near extinction. Their feathers are super valuable.¡± Panda explained as we watched the magnificent bird crest the sunset sky. ¡°They¡¯re endangered now¡­ their feathers were used to enhance weapons and they were supposedly quite powerful. Though hurting them has been outlawed for a long time now.

    ¡°Multiple governing bodies and societies got together to make it official. Don¡¯t mistake that as an act of kindness though. Those guys are ruthless, they¡¯re just waiting for the birds to repopulate so they can hunt them again for more feathers.¡±

    I grunted and shook my head. It sounded just like how things worked back on Earth. I guessed that no matter where you go there will always be rich assholes trying to expand their empires on the suffering of others.

    ¡°See,¡± I said lightly. ¡°Your sagely wisdom will always be useful¡­ even if it¡¯s just for bird spotting.¡± I chuckled and he shook his head, but I could see the faint flicker of a smile forming on his lips.

    We sat for a while linger before retiring to our hared room. I had some business to attend to once I was finally in the comfort of a safe room.

    You have entered a safe zone; would you like to open all loot boxes?

    Y/N

    Naturally I mentally asserted yes. I had two boxes to open and this was the first safe zone I¡¯d entered in weeks. I wondered what would be inside them.

    Extinction Loot Box

    The small, golden sphere, which most definitely was not a box, descended from the wooden roof. It hit the floor, cracking a few floorboards and exploded into tiny ribbons of scarlet confetti as a scroll was left in its place.

    Unlike with previous loot boxes, this the scroll didn¡¯t immediately disappear into my inventory. Instead it hovered in front of my face, giving me a choice.

    Choose one:

    X1 Cursed Mystery Seed

    X1 Blessed Mystery Seed

    That was it.

    There was no description, no terrible jokes, no¡­ nothing. I wasn¡¯t sure which I should choose at first, until I remembered that this was a world filled with obnoxious and annoying gods like Chrysus.

    With that in mind, it made sense that the blessed seed would have something to do with one of them¡­ maybe.

    Either way, it wasn¡¯t worth the risk of having to indulge any of them with my time, so I chose the cursed seed and a description popped up in my HUD before it disappeared.

    Cursed Mystery Seed:

    This seed is a consumable item with a one-time use. You probably shouldn¡¯t use it unless you¡¯re in dire straight. It might save your life, but there will be a cost.

    Well, that¡¯s not ominous, I thought to myself with a sigh just as the second box began to descend from above.

    Bukkake Loot Box:

    Given to those who like to be surrounded by the enemy, and who go out with a bang.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    A white, rectangular box hovered above me. It glowed brightly, the hue intensifying as it shook. A small clasp was located on the front of the box and it seemed to be trying to break free but couldn¡¯t undo itself.

    Against my better judgement, I reached out and undid the clasp.

    ¡°UWU!¡±

    The sound of an anime girl moaning filled the room like an unsolicited video opened in the middle of an important meeting to the embarrassment of the unsuspecting recipient.

    As the lid blasted away from the top of the box, thick, white liquid shot out from within, covering me from head to toe.

    You have received a new item:

    Wet Wipes

    ¡°I hate this place,¡± I said, reluctantly retrieving my gift from my inventory and using it to clean myself up before bed.

    The next morning we woke early to the sound of Sally¡¯s fist beating on our door. I definitely didn¡¯t get enough sleep, but luckily I barely needed it these days.

    Panda and I hurried downstairs as he protested the early awakening. The bar was deserted when we arrived, with the exception of the moustached bartender who sported black rings under his eyes. The dapper dwarf must not have gone to bed yet.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I asked through a yawn as I entered the bar area.

    ¡°Work.¡± He muttered in a groggy tone. ¡°Boss wants to see you.¡±

    He lifted his head in a backwards nod towards the door and I left the inn.

    The morning sun had risen and the light was blinding as the heat haze sent shimmering air cascading off the roadside. The palm tree jungle was stifling during the early hours, but it got much worse at midday.

    Sally stood awkwardly at the back of the group with Tilly looking nervously around the town square. My team were chatting happily amongst themselves, though Jamie still looked exhausted.

    He¡¯d regained some colour from the previous night, but his eyes were terribly bloodshot. I wondered if he was struggling to sleep, or maybe it was simply the lack of sleep from trapsing through the jungle the past few days on meditation alone.

    I¡¯d heard once that a person can be sleep-deprived but never in a sleep surplus. So, after a week of being constantly awake, the poor mage probably needed a lot more shut-eye than Sally had allowed him.

    It was just part and parcel of the adventuring lifestyle though. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t really bother me. I¡¯d trained for sleep deprivation for most of my adult life after all. Working sixty hours a week as a truck driver was no joke, so this was actually a nice break considering my level and meditation slowed down natural fatigue.

    ¡°Gonads!¡± Sally shouted harshly as she spotted me exiting the Drink Inn. ¡°Do your job and liaise with the dwarf.¡±

    ¡°He has a name you know?¡± I said as I marched past her towards Ale.

    He was stood talking to my team, his bushy beard swaying as he laughed animatedly.

    ¡°Morning Ale,¡± I said, approaching the mayor and extending my hand for him to shake.

    He took it and performed his dad squeeze once again before gesturing for me to follow him. I looked back at my team and gave them a look telling them to wait.

    ¡°So, today¡¯s the big day eh?¡± He said as we strolled towards the mine entrance.

    ¡°It seems like it,¡± I replied. ¡°What can you tell me about our dragon?¡±

    ¡°Aye, I thought you might ask.¡± He smiled knowingly as we stopped in front of the mine and he leaned against the wooden frame at the entrance, folding his arms. ¡°Yer dragon is a big bastard he is.

    ¡°He¡¯s a red¡¯un and his lair is at the top of the mountain. There are two ways to get there you see? Climb up from the outside, or¡­ since I¡¯ve taken a liking to ya, you can use our mine tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Are the mine tunnels faster?¡± I asked eagerly, brushing the remnants of sleep from my eyes.

    ¡°Oh aye. We have a tunnel leading straight to his lair we do. How do you think we found him? Digging away as we do, one day we came out in this large cavern right near the top of the mountain.

    ¡°It was filled with shining, shimmering gold. Enough to turn this village into a resort. We¡¯d all be rich, never have to work the mine another day we wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°But, alas, the big red fuck breathed some fire at us and we ran away. Damn near singed my beard off he did. Naturally, we posted the quest the very next day.¡±

    I nodded appreciatively and thanked the dwarven mayor before returning to the group who eagerly crowded around me.

    ¡°Well?¡± Sally asked agitatedly as she glanced around the square with her huge arms folded.

    ¡°He says we can use the mine shaft to reach the dragon¡¯s lair,¡± I answered, looking around the group as I delivered the message. ¡°Apparently the dragon is big and red and breathes fire. There¡¯s also supposedly a large pile of gold up there that the dwarves want.¡±

    ¡°Fuck what dwarves want!¡± Tilly exclaimed, gesticulating to the surrounding area with a frown. ¡°We kill dragon. We take spoils. Way of world.¡±

    It was the most she¡¯d spoken since the day we¡¯d met here. I guess money really does talk.

    Sally put a calming, oversized hand on the elf girl and nodded to her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, any spoils are ours to claim. The quest doesn¡¯t say anything about handing the gold over to anyone.¡± She said in a low voice. ¡°That being said, this is an adventurer exam and how you handle this battle is more important than any potential spoils¡­ if you want to go full-time with the society that is.¡± She added, looking over each of us in turn.

    I wouldn¡¯t say no to a dragon¡¯s horde of gold, but we had to actually kill the thing first. No use getting ahead of ourselves.

    ¡°If this thing breathes fire, then Bell¡¯s attacks might not do much,¡± Reggie said thoughtfully, crossing his arms with his hand lightly rubbing his chin.

    ¡°I told you before,¡± Bell said chirpily. ¡°It¡¯s called fighting fire with fire for a reason. My flames are stronger, so I¡¯ll win.¡± She flexed a bicep and her arm barely looked tense at all, but I got the picture. Her eyes were lit with passionate flames ¨C a battle junkie through and through.

    ¡°We can talk tactics as we walk,¡± Panda said from my side, his moody demeanour had pretty much disappeared after our conversation the previous night.

    He looked towards Sally who widened her eyes at his sudden proactivity and then nodded.

    ¡°The furball is right.¡± She announced, pushing through the group. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We followed behind us as she led us into the mines. She glanced wearily at Ale as she walked past him and I thanked him and bade him goodbye. He wished me good luck in return.

    It was cramped inside the mine. I guess that made sense for a dwarven work crew. Sally had the worst of it, being a goliath of a catonid and all.

    It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach a fork in the road, one led down towards the sounds of voices and pickaxes hitting rock, the other led up.

    We took the obvious choice.

    The path was steep and the further we walked the less wooden bracing was there to prop up the cave walls. It looked like the shaft had been made in a bit of a hurry.

    We strategized as we navigated the cramped, awkward shaft. It was sweaty and dirty in the mine shaft and it didn¡¯t take long for our clothes, faces and hair to become thick with soot.

    Shame I had to use up all those wet wipes, I thought bitterly, they¡¯d have come in handy right about now.

    My sweat acted like glue to the black powder that clung to my skin like a caked-on foundation. It wasn¡¯t very pleasant and I soon found myself longing for a shower.

    It was stifling in the mine and it only got hotter the higher we climbed. Perhaps that was a sign that we were closing in on the dragon¡¯s lair.

    ¡°Dragons.¡± I said wistfully, lost in my own thoughts. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe they exist.¡±

    ¡°I always thought they might.¡± Bell said, looking back at me with dirty, sooty streaks across her teal hair and cheeks. ¡°I mean, there are stories of dragons in every culture imaginable on Earth right? So those legends must have come from somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± I replied. ¡°You can also apply that argument to most major religions though. A lot of them have similar creation mythos with a prophet and a singular god and stuff. I still don¡¯t believe in it though.¡±

    ¡°I preferred the mythological religions myself,¡± Bell said as we continued our trek. ¡°Loki is great, imagine, a god of mischief who can transform into pretty much anything and lives to fuck up everyone else¡¯s day. Sounds way more human to me than a big man in the sky no one has ever seen.¡±

    ¡°What are you two going on about?¡± Reggie interrupted irritably from further ahead. ¡°How can you even begin to debate the validity of the divine? Athena is real and powerful.¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t talking about your gods.¡± I replied. ¡°We know they¡¯re real¡­ though I¡¯m still not sure they¡¯re actually gods per say.¡± I mumbled the last part as we wandered into a widened section of the tunnel.

    ¡°He worships Athena,¡± Jamie said, dropping back to talk quietly with me. ¡°He gets a little sore when people talk about theology so flippantly.¡±

    I was about to reply when I noticed a light at the end of the tunnel. The sides of the shaft were blackened with much thicker soot than before, like the entrance had been scorched with flames.

    Sally crouched down and held up her hands in a fist. Wordlessly we did the same and stuck close to her as she crept forwards.

    I crouched at her shoulder as we crested the edge of the tunnel and looked out into the dragon¡¯s lair. Piles of glimmering gold decorated the place and sitting peacefully atop them, was the dragon.

    A red scaled beast, roughly the size of a house, and we had to fight it.

 Chapter 85 â€“ Gold Eyes Red Dragon

    I felt my mouth gape open as I peered into the lair from over Saly¡¯s shoulder. The room was filled with gold, so much that even a share of it would likely make us the richest people on the island.

    However, my gaze was drawn more firmly to the gold¡¯s owner: a large, red dragon the size of a house. It sat atop the gold pile, eyes closed and snoring.

    Its fearsome snores caused the entire room to vibrate with a deep, bassy hum. Its scales hung regally around its body, but most shockingly of all, it seemed to be a hybrid of both western and eastern mythology.

    The dragon had the fat body of a western beast, but the head and arms of the eastern dragons of legend. Its slender face looked out of place atop such a large frame, and the thin white moustache fluttering with the breath of every snore was¡­ a little strange.

    Sally: A sleeping dragon should make for easy prey. You¡¯ve lucked out.

    Kaleb: We¡¯ll see.

    Sally wisely spoke to me through the group chat. Keeping the volume as low as possible was a sound strategy.

    I wasn¡¯t so certain the battle would be as simple as a sleepy assassination, but it should definitely give us an advantage.

    I opened up my own chat with the team and we carefully planned our opening move. It was quite simple really. The three attackers among us would all charge our most potent attacks and release them at exactly the same time.

    Theoretically, that should make for an extreme amount of opening damage to sway the battle in our favour. Our healer, Reggie, would hang back in a support role and provide assistance where necessary.

    Before we moved into position, I focused on the dragon activating the pop-up notification on my HUD.

    You have discovered a mythical monster:

    Gold Eyes Red Dragon

    This flame throwing beauty is everything a Charizard aspires to be. Elegant, tough, powerful and¡­ greedy.

    The Gold Eyes Red Dragon is a fearsome hoarder of wealth, like a better-looking Jeff Bezos.

    Dragons are solitary creatures by nature and rarely take kindly to intruders visiting their home unannounced. Like a Floridian with a shotgun, they will happily take out home invaders with self-assured, extreme prejudice.

    I don¡¯t want this notification to drag-on so I¡¯ll end it here. Good look player, you¡¯ll need it.

    I didn¡¯t have the time to spare admonishing the system for its terrible jokes and Earthen cultural references, instead focusing on the tidbit of information that was actually useful.

    Dragons being solitary creatures was good to know. Hopefully it would mean that this fight wouldn¡¯t have any unexpected visitors crashing the party.

    I took a deep breath and activated the stealth mechanic provided by my armour. I had very little time before it would run out, but with the extra ten free points pushing my intelligence stat up, I was sure it would be enough to reach my position.

    I would be stationed across the room, drawing the most attention after the initial attack, and helping our group to hit the beast from all sides.

    My heart fluttered as I quickly crept past the mountains of gold. I had to tread a careful path as not to accidentally cause the clanking of metal coins which would no doubt wake the dragon up.

    Luckily though, the room was quite small so I didn¡¯t have far to go. Once I reached my position on the far side, I drew my bow. My stealth skill had run out halfway across the room, but luckily it didn¡¯t seem to matter.

    It was more of a precautionary activation anyway, just in case my steps caused the sleeping dragon to rear its head.

    I aimed my bow, nocking an arrow and drawing the string. I activated my Soul Shot skill and began channelling energy into the arrow.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    At the same time, Bell¡¯s hands began glowing crimson as she held them out before her, forming a pushing stance with her wrists touching and her bottom hand inverted. It reminded me of a Goku move as fire started to circle and grow between her palms.

    Jamie had the least amount of movement to make, stopping near the entrance with Reggie right behind him.

    Sally, Tilly, and Panda watched with bated breath from the dwarven mine shaft as he dropped into a half-squat stance. He held a single arm, pointed out towards the dragon in a fist, using his spare hand to steady it by gripping his forearm tightly.

    I¡¯d only seen him do this once before; in his solo battle. Apparently it was quite draining for him, but as a team we decided that water attacks were likely going to give us an advantage against a fire breathing dragon, so it made sense to have him use his most powerful skill from the off.

    Reggie: Are you all ready?

    He was in charge of timing the simultaneous attacks since he was the only one of us that was free to use his full mental faculties to assess the situation unobjectively.

    None of us replied to his message, but he took our silence as a yes as he issued the command.

    Reggie: Now!

    I released my arrow which soared so fast my eyes couldn¡¯t keep up with it as it sank into the dragon¡¯s face. Its scales bubbled and hissed as acid melted through the skin.

    At the same time Bell¡¯s spinning fireball launched through the air, colliding with opposite side of the dragon¡¯s face. It probably wasn¡¯t very effective, but I could feel the heat from all the way on the other side of the room. It seemed to simply bounce off the dragon¡¯s flame-retardant scales, but it did so in a brilliant show of force and flame.

    From the front, Jamie opened his hand and a powerful, firehose-like stream of water erupted from his palm. It struck the dragon directly on the nose, simultaneously putting out Bell¡¯s fire and causing a cloud of sizzling steam to fill the room, obscuring our vision.

    ¡°Burn motherfucker, burn motherfucker burn!¡± Bell half yelled; half sang as the steam caused a moist film to cover my skin.

    ¡°Are you singing Five Finger Death Punch?¡± I asked incredulously from across the room.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± She cheered.

    ¡°I always figured you¡¯d be more of a Taylor Swift fan.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sexist Kaleb, it¡¯s not a good look on you.¡± She chided and though I couldn¡¯t see her through the steamy haze, I imagined an admonishing look on her anime-like face.

    ¡°Just because I¡¯m a white girl doesn¡¯t automatically mean I like Taylor Swift.¡± She continued, blasting another fireball in the direction of the dragon.

    ¡°¡­ I mean, statistically it¡¯s pretty likely¡­¡± I muttered, as I fired a few arrows into the steam.

    Our little chat didn¡¯t last long.

    A large gust of wind pummelled me and I went flying into a large stack of gold to my rear. The mist began to dissipate and the unharmed dragon stood proudly atop his mountain of treasure, wings spread wide and moustache twitching.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± It bellowed in a deep, commanding tone. The voice bounced around the cave, almost deafening me. ¡°Only cowards attack when their foe is a¡¯slumber.¡±

    Jesus who is this guy? He sounds like an Arthurian knight.

    I scrambled to my feet and raised my bow once more, nocking an arrow.

    ¡°Sit down you insolent cure!¡± The dragon shouted, its gold eyes flashing dangerously as it swept its wing towards me like a backhand.

    I fell back into the gold with a clinking crash, staring up at its face. Merely moments ago it was bubbling, skin melting where my arrow had hit. Yet now it looked fully healed, barely a scratch on it.

    What the hell was up with this thing?

    I heard a scream and looked to my side as Jamie launched a second water attack. He looked ill, the fatigue finally getting to him.

    ¡°Die you big fucking lizard!¡± He yelled as a torrent of water shot from his palm, hitting the dragon in its open mouth.

    I was pretty sure that was the first time I¡¯d heard him swear. It was definitely the first time he¡¯d sounded anything more than meek or humble, though his quipping definitely needed work.

    ¡°Impromptu waterboarding?¡± Bell asked, a little too casually for mid battle. ¡°The C.I.A would be proud.¡±

    The dragon spat out the water but didn¡¯t look overly perturbed by the attack. I had a sinking feeling, deep in my gut, that this dragon was way more powerful than we had been led to believe.

    ¡°Well I never.¡± It began, its voice rising in volume as its anger raged. ¡°The rudeness of the youth today. Fucking humans!¡±

    It looked at Jamie with fiery eyes and snorted in his direction. Two small fireballs hurtled from its nose towards the water mage.

    ¡°Jamie!¡± Reggie shouted, pushing him aside from behind and taking both hits directly in the chest. His body roared into flames as he screamed.

    It was painful to watch.

    Jamie looked up from the floor and held his hands out like he did with his water spells but nothing happened. Reggie writhed in agony as his hair burnt off and his skin began melting.

    The smell of burning skin and viscera filled the lair and I had to cup my hand over my mouth to hold the vomit back. It was revolting.

    I rushed towards him, looking through my inventory to find anything that might help. If only I hadn¡¯t used all the slime condensate on the forest fire.

    The dragon batted its wing at the space between me and our healer, blasting me backwards to the floor once again. My health had taken a surprising battering from the wind attack which barely seemed more than offhand gestures from our opponent.

    I was sitting at less than half of my maximum HP as the dragon loomed above me, a shadow casting a menacing glare from the beast¡¯s narrowed golden eyes.

    Reggie¡¯s fire was put out by the wind and he struggled to his knees, looking lost and confused.. His skin looked like ash and his lips had peeled back to reveal his bleeding gums and teeth. One of his eyes had popped in the intense heat and bloody gore leaked from the eye socket.

    ¡°Reggie!¡± Jamie screamed as he scrabbled towards his friend, catching him just as he couldn¡¯t kneel anymore.

    Tears crested the water mage¡¯s face as he looked down in horror at his charred friend.

    Reggie wasn¡¯t dead just yet though and I pulled a healing potion out of my inventory and threw it towards them from my prone position.

    Jamie noticed and scrambled to catch the potentially lifesaving liquid, fumbling, but managing to pull the potion into his chest.

    The dragon sneered, snorting steam and took a step towards us. The lair shook as gold piles started falling, like a landslide, but of coins. It didn¡¯t seem like our foe was going to give us any time to take a breather.

    I looked up and nocked another arrow, still prone and covered in gold. The dragon glanced towards me out of the corner of its eye.

    I fired my arrow.

 Chapter 86 â€“ Not Bad For A House Cat

    My arrow soared through the air towards the malevolent dragon, but he was too fast for me. He lifted his clawed hand and batted it away, like swatting a fly, before turning his full attention to me.

    I was laid prone, half covered by a stack of coins which had buried me during the landslide. They were heavy and I struggled to move under the weight of the dragon¡¯s financial might.

    I¡¯d heard the saying money is power before, but this wasn¡¯t exactly what I¡¯d had in mind.

    The dragon took a thundering step towards me, shaking the ground and causing more of the gold to slide down the money mountain.

    I lifted my bow and nocked another arrow, my stamina running dangerously low. The dragon sneered, curling its lip beneath the odd white moustache which hung off the edge of its muzzle.

    Its glaring, golden eyes peered dangerously at me, daring me to try it. I could tell that if I loosed my arrow it would be the last thing I ever did.

    I thought of my wife Layla and our child who I had never met. They had given me strength before, literally in one particular case, and they gave me strength now.

    My wife wasn¡¯t the most caring women, but she was a straight-shooting pragmatist who had always cared deeply for her loved ones. If she was here, she¡¯d have told me to cut my losses and run. Of course, if she was in my position, that would be the last thing she¡¯d do. She¡¯d fight to the end, and that was exactly what I planned to do.

    I didn¡¯t want to die. I wanted to protect them, to bring them here so we could be a family again. That being said, nobody would be able to say that Kaleb Akabane died a whimpering coward.

    If I was going to die, I would die fighting.

    I gritted my teeth, narrowed my eyes, and fired my shot.

    The dragon sighed like a disappointed father scolding an unruly child for the umpteenth time as it snorted a tiny fireball which collided with the arrow, burning it to a crisp in mid-air.

    ¡°Why are all you humans so stupid?¡± The dragon asked as it shook its head and looked down on me. ¡°It¡¯s like you only have two brain cells and they¡¯re so preoccupied in fighting each other over third place, that even they are useless to you.¡±

    It sounded fed up, not at all what I expected as it lifted its three-clawed foot above my head. There it was, I was about to be made in pate.

    I fucking hated pate.

    ¡°Not on my watch you overgrown garden skink!¡± Sally yelled and the dragon turned away from me just as her oversized, black blade slammed into the top of its skull.

    It stagged backwards dazedly, its huge foot landing mere inches from my face. I gasped, looking wide eyed between Sally and the dragon, and blinking slowly.

    That was way too close.

    ¡°Get out of the way Gonads,¡± Sally scolded me. ¡°The pros are here now.¡±

    She offered me her hand and I grasped it firmly as she pulled me out of the coins so hard I felt my shoulder creak as my arm nearly came out of its socket.

    I staggered towards her and she let go of my hand, side stepping me deftly as I stumbled behind her. Tilly scowled at me as she walked past, her hips swaying with practiced swagger.

    The dragon looked at them with disgust, like a man who had taken a bite of a juicy beef burger only to find out it was actually some vegan replacement shit. Its eyes burned with a contempt-fuelled hatred and Sally sneered back, baring her fangs.

    ¡°Phase four are you?¡± It growled, barely opening its mouth as it spoke. ¡°Not bad for a house cat.¡± It spat as fire exploded from its mouth in little, simmering globs of spittle. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t keep pets.¡±

    It dived towards them in a flurry of wings and claws as Sally lifted her sword to block and was flung across the room into a pile of gold near Bell and the rest of the team.

    I looked at her open mouthed and then back towards the dragon but in that split second, Tilly had made her move. The elf girl fired a myriad of arrows, her hand nocking, drawing, and releasing the string faster than my eyes could comprehend.

    The dragon¡¯s claws moved just as fast and when she finally let up, it held an entire quiver¡¯s worth of arrows between his claws. The dragon sneered and pulled its red, scaled arm back for the haymaker.

    I knew I had to do something, even if it wasn¡¯t much, so I slammed down on a stamina potion in my inventory and the poured almost all of my remaining stamina into the Perception Of The Apex Predator skill.

    Perception of the Apex Predator (rare)

    Slow down time for a period determined by the amount of stamina you use on the skill. Cooldown determined by the amount of stamina used on the skill.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    It was a skill I hadn¡¯t used too often as it seemed to be geared towards people with much higher stamina than myself, but I was at a loss and this was all I could think of.

    Time stopped and I dived towards Tilly, knocking her out of the way with my shoulder and falling to the floor. Then I rolled away from her as fast as I could. It wasn¡¯t much, but perhaps it would save her life.

    Time resumed after barely a second and the dragon altered his aim slightly, scowling as he flung the arrows across the room. They hit Tilly before she even had time to gasp. I looked towards her still standing body, acupuncture hadn¡¯t terrified me this much since I¡¯d watched Final Destination 5 as a kid.

    ¡°When I asked Santa for a good dicking this Christmas, this is not what I had in mind!¡± Bell yelled from across the room.

    I barely heard her as I stared up at the deathly beast, ready to face my end. We were well and truly fucked, up shit¡¯s creek without a paddle didn¡¯t even begin to describe our situation.

    Just call me Nagasaki cause I¡¯m about to get wrecked by a fat man, I thought dourly, looking up at the belly of the beat above me.

    I tried to find words, or the strength to keep fighting but my body wouldn¡¯t move and my mouth wouldn¡¯t mouth.

    ¡°Dirty, venerable lesser races!¡± The dragon bellowed as I stared up at it from the floor, unable to speak, unsure what to do. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I go, this always happens.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you odious cretins leave me be? All I wanted was a peaceful life. I should have listened to my mother when she told me that it simply wasn¡¯t in the cards for a dragon.

    ¡°What did I ever do to you?¡± It screamed, but I thought it might be a rhetorical question so I didn¡¯t even try to reply. I was right. ¡°I just wanted to live out my days, hoarding my wealth and eating the occasional dwarf or two. Is that too much to ask?¡±

    I looked up at it in disbelief, my fear quickly turning to shock. Was this thing really throwing a temper tantrum? It seemed so regal before, now it reminded me of a toddler in a fancy restaurant, or a toddler on a plane, or a toddler being denied access to a toy store.

    Ok, I think I might have had a bit of a hang up about screaming kids in public places, but this was a god forsaken dragon for crying out loud! What in the ever-loving fuck was happening?

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± It continued, its voice suddenly cold and menacing. ¡°I tried to live the peaceful, solitary life, but you lesser life forms couldn¡¯t leave me be. There¡¯s only one solution now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to rid this island of your filth all together.¡± Its eyes glinted as it looked slightly above me, like it had a sudden lightbulb moment and had completely forgotten we existed. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to eradicate you all, then I can finally get some peace and quiet.¡±

    Its voice sounded distant, psychotic even, as it grinned like a madman and flapped its powerful wings.

    It hovered above us for a moment and the entire team stared at it, unsure what to do or say. Then it opened its mouth and spewed a firestorm of a cyclone at the side of the lair, blasting a hole through the side of the mountain.

    It flew through the new exit it had created, seemingly forgetting we were even there. It had obviously gotten pretty caught up in its Bond villain monologue.

    The room was silent.

    I stared at the hole in the wall in disbelief. Had that really just happened? How was I still alive? We needed to warn someone, anyone, everyone. The gold eyes red dragon was pissed and every person on the island was about to be its punching bag.

    Shit!

    I stumbled to my feet and turned towards Tilly the elf. Her body laid next to me; more arrow than elf at this point as dark, pooling blood spilled out around her.

    The only part of her body which didn¡¯t have holes in it was her face. She was beautiful, serene in death as her gleaming eyes stared into the void which I was sure was staring back at her just as passionately.

    ¡°Reggie, stay with me!¡± Jamie¡¯s trembling voice pierced through my melancholic ponderings of elven death, bringing me back into the room.

    I turned on my heels and rushed towards him, sliding on my knees, and arriving next to Reggie. He looked like Anakin Skywalker at the end of Revenge of the Sith and for a split second I was surprised that Bell wasn¡¯t standing on top of the gold pile shouting: ¡°You were my brother!¡±

    It certainly seemed like something she would do, but instead she simply stared blankly at the scene before her. It seemed that even she wasn¡¯t callous enough to crack a joke as our friend struggled to cling on to life.

    Reggie¡¯s head turned towards me slightly, it was hard to make out his facial features through the charred flesh but I swear he smiled at me. It was only a flicker of his lips through ragged, slow breathing. Yet as I looked at our dying healer, I took it as him telling me to keep the rest of them safe.

    We hadn¡¯t been together long, but still, watching the light as it left his eyes and his body turn to ash was heart wrenching. I¡¯d gotten used to killing, but seeing a friend die before my eyes¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever get used to that.

    The floor rumbled and I lost my balance slightly as the entire room shook. It was like an earthquake had started out of nowhere.

    The sound of clattering, clinking coins filled the room as the mountains of gold began sliding over each other.

    ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± Panda shouted, poking his fluffy, black and white head through the mineshaft hole.

    I looked at him for a moment before fully comprehending the situation. He was right. We needed to skedaddle right the fuck now. I stood up, grabbing Jamie¡¯s shoulder and yanking him with me.

    He looked at me with hollow, teary eyes.

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave him.¡± He muttered, clearly in severe shock. He pulled against me but it was a weak effort.

    I tugged his arm more firmly, ushering him towards the tunnel. He wouldn¡¯t budge. He just kept repeating the words: ¡°I can¡¯t leave him,¡± over and again every time I tried to get him to move.

    We didn¡¯t have time for this. I felt bad for him, hell I was upset and I¡¯d not even known the guy all that long, still, the living had to come first.

    I slapped Jamie hard across the face, snapping his head to the side as his faraway eyes snapped back into focus.

    ¡°He¡¯d want you to live!¡± I yelled, trying desperately to be heard over the rumbling of the collapsing cave as I grabbed his shoulders.

    He stared back at me, barely comprehending and I tossed him towards the hole. There was no time to be nice about it and he wasn¡¯t the only one who needed my help.

    ¡°Strike!¡± Bell yelled as she jogged towards me.

    I didn¡¯t have time to admonish her for the poorly timed bowling joke as I shook my head and rushed towards the closest gold pile.

    She bent down and touched Reggie before heading to the escape hole herself.

    Mere seconds after she moved away from our former healer¡¯s ashes, rocks rained down and a boulder crashed into his corpse, scattering him around the lair.

    I reached the gold pile and could just about make out a single, muscular arm trapped beneath the mountain of coins. I grabbed it and began pulling when a notification popped up on my HUD and I¡¯d never been so happy to be living in a world with a looting system.

    Do you want to loot gold coins?

    Y/N

 Chapter 87 â€“ Yerma

    I immediately mentally asserted yes on my HUD and the mountain of gold in front of me disappeared. A new notification popped up and even though we were seconds away from a cave in, I couldn¡¯t help but look at it.

    Loot successful! 1,250,000 gold has been added to your inventory.

    ¡°Holy shit.¡± I breathed, glaring dazedly at the notification. I was a millionaire. I was rich. I was filthy, stinking, tory scum, duck island, trump tower building rich.

    A loud groan interrupted my train of thought. I looked down to see Sally siting on the floor, rubbing the back of her head.

    Oh yeah, that was why I looted the gold in the first place. I remembered.

    Sally had been flung into the gold pile by the dragon and I¡¯d rushed over to pull her out of it before the cave collapsed.

    ¡°The cave!¡± I shouted, startling myself as I remembered the dire predicament we were in. Being rich as fuck was good and all but I couldn¡¯t spend my copious amounts of looted dragon gold if I was crushed to death in a cave in.

    I looked down at Sally and offered out my hand. She looked back at me with a puzzled expression but took it anyway. I hoisted her from the ground, and by that I mean she stood up entirely unassisted whilst I held her hand and made a show of helping.

    She nodded at me and opened her mouth but the imploding cave was too loud to hear anything. I took it to be a thankyou though and I nodded back with a smile before gesturing towards the dwarven mineshaft.

    We turned and began running towards it as ceiling rocks and wall debris crashed all around us.

    I dived into the tunnel after Sally just as the final Jenga piece toppled the tower. The dragon¡¯s lair caved in with a mighty crash sending dust and debris flying into the tunnel.

    It was like my own personal action movie moment.

    I picked myself up off the ground and checked on my team. They were dirty, scared, battered, and bruised, but they still lived, and so did I¡­ somehow.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Reggie and the elf?¡± Sally asked innocently, looking around the dark mineshaft as if they might be hiding in the shadows ready to pull a prank on her.

    ¡°They¡­¡± I began, struggling to meet her inquisitive, deep blue eyes. ¡°¡­They didn¡¯t make it.¡±

    She looked at me for a moment and I looked away. She opened her mouth to speak, perhaps to comfort me, or maybe to admonish me for not doing better, but we were interrupted.

    ¡°Listen, I called dibs!¡± Bell shouted, raising her hands up and backing away from Jamie.

    He was stalking towards her with his fists raised and his teeth gritted. Whatever was going on, he was furious at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s fucking disrespectful!¡± He shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. ¡°He was our friend you loopy, psycho-bitch!¡±

    ¡°Well yeah¡± Bell replied, as if she couldn¡¯t quite comprehend what the water mage¡¯s problem was. ¡°He¡¯d have wanted us to loot him, and I called dibs.¡±

    I stared on, not quite sure what to say.

    ¡°He was my best friend! You can¡¯t just take his stuff like that. He fought for us, died for us and before his body is even cold you decide to loot him? It¡¯s fucking¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ heartless.¡± Jamie¡¯s rage began to cool into frustrated despair as he lowered his hands and sobbed whilst staring at the fire mage in disbelief.

    She didn¡¯t reply, choosing instead to look at me and shrug nonchalantly before walking back down the mineshaft slope towards the dwarven town.

    I felt hair tickle my neck, accompanied by the smell of lavender. I turned towards it to see Sally leaning uncomfortably close to me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s alright, go check on her.¡± She whispered.

    I nodded and trotted after Bell, Panda hot on my heels.

    ¡°What should I say?¡± I asked him quietly before I caught up with her.

    ¡°Honestly.¡± Panda began, looking a little awkward as he spoke. ¡°I know it¡¯s not very nice to say, but I don¡¯t think the girl did anything wrong. She looted that Reggie kid¡¯s corpse on the way out of the lair right?

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°I actually think it was pretty quick thinking. Healer boy probably had loads of useful things on him and the cave was collapsing. Taking it was better than leaving it if you ask me.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t so sure myself, but I nodded my thanks at him as I caught up to the fireball mage.

    ¡°Hey, wait up!¡± I called as I jogged the last few steps towards her. She turned to me, slowing her pace slightly and smiling in her usual cheery fashion.

    ¡°Oh, hi Kaleb.¡± She greeted me. ¡°That was one hell of a shit show back there huh? Who would have thought that dragon would be so strong?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah.¡± I replied, brushing off the small talk. ¡°Listen, I just wanted to check on you, to see if you were alright?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± She replied, a puzzled look in her eyes. ¡°Wanton death and destruction is my middle name.¡± She winked casually.

    I was at a bit of a loss for words. Was she truly not bothered by the deaths of people we¡¯d travelled with for over a week? Maybe this was just her way of coping. I couldn¡¯t tell.

    Before I had a chance to continue my conversation with Bell, a new notification appeared frantically on my HUD and the entire group came to a halt.

    A group system notification?

    Emergency Quest!

    The Sacking of Havar

    A dragon is coming! A dragon is coming!

    Thanks to the misguided deeds of certain members of the Adventure Society, a large, red dragon is currently on his way to the city of Havar.

    This dragon is pretty upset and intends to genocide the fuck out of all sapient life forms on the island.

    Objectives:

    Prevent Havar from being destroyed 0/1

    Kill the dragon 0/1

    Protect the citizens 0/1 (Remaining Population 1,732,192/1,732,192)

    *This is a group quest given to all inhabitants of the area surrounding Havar*

    ¡°An emergency quest? Well, shit.¡± I said aloud as I read through the notification.

    Bell turned to look at me, she looked worried, concerned even, as her big eyes shimmered oddly in the low light of the mineshaft.

    ¡°Kaleb.¡± She said, her voice cracking slightly in a small, frightened whisper. ¡°There¡¯s no reward listed.¡±

    I stared back at her, dumbfounded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be one.¡± Panda said, approaching us cautiously. He gave me a meaningful look which I didn¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°Keep moving!¡± Sally shouted from behind us. ¡°This new quest is now part of your exam. We need to get the fuck out of this dwarven cesspit and back to Havar.¡±

    I looked back at her to see a piercing, battle-junkie gaze staring back at me, a fangy, exhilarated smile sat underneath. She marched towards us, and the exit, practically dragging Jamie behind her like a lazy dog that was refusing to walk.

    I nodded and turned back to the exit, before breaking out into a little jog. She was right, there would be time for grieving later, right now we needed to save Havar.

    ¡°Come on.¡± I said to Panda and Bell as I left for the exit, they followed, but with less enthusiasm than I¡¯d hoped.

    As I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, I heard a few screams and groans from outside.

    I picked up my pace, rushing towards the sounds of anguish and exited the mine tunnels into the blinding, midday sun.

    It was carnage.

    The bustling dwarven village we¡¯d spent the night in was a sea of flames and blood. The aggressor was nowhere to be seen, but the devastation left in its wake was evident.

    The town square was littered with tiny, charred corpses. Children cried over their fallen parents, dwarves huddled around their dead friends and the mayor, Ale, stood in the middle of it all, unharmed and sporting a thousand-yard stare.

    I rushed towards him, grabbing the dwarf by the shoulders,

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, shaking him. ¡°It was the dragon wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± He replied, his voice as distant as his stare. ¡°He burst from the mountain like a god of death, he did. That big¡­ fucking¡­ lizard.

    ¡°He¡­ he breathed fire all across our village. Our homes, our people¡­ gone. Then, then he just fucking left! No words, no¡­ nothing.¡±

    I let go of the dwarf, he was clearly in shock and there wasn¡¯t anything I could do for him. The scene around us was horrible, the smell of burning flesh would surely haunt me later down the line, but right now, I didn¡¯t have time to think about it.

    All I could think about was getting back to Havar before this happened there too, on a much larger scale.

    The others caught up to me and I looked around the village square. I needed a dwarf who wasn¡¯t in shock and as my eyes settled on a familiar face, I found one. Vodka stood off to the side, holding his wife. She was alive and it seemed that the entire family was unharmed.

    ¡°Vodka!¡± I shouted and he looked towards me with alert, but sad, eyes. ¡°I need a fast way back to Havar, does anyone here have a car I can use?¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡± He replied. ¡°I got the quest too. You can take Yerma, she¡¯s parked over yonder.¡± The sullen dwarf gestured towards a building which seemed to have been spared from a fiery death.

    It was an unassuming, wooden, barn which sat just far enough from the rest of the town to not quite be a part of it.

    ¡°Yerma?¡± I asked, before leaving.

    ¡°Aye.¡± He replied, still obviously a little dazed and speaking stoically, his voice completely monotonous. ¡°She¡¯s the town¡¯s only car, we use her for supply runs and the like. Naturally, everyone¡¯s ridden her at least once¡­ just like Yer Ma.¡±

    I shook my head, unable to suppress the tug of a grin on my lips. I uttered a few words of thanks before turning back to my team and gesturing for them to follow me.

    Without words, they did and I sprinted towards the barn on the edge of the small mining town. It looked pretty Amish to me, a typical, red, wooden barn with white structural beams on the outside and presumably, copious amounts of space on the inside.

    I began sliding one of the doors open whilst Sally grabbed the other. As the midday sunlight streamed through the open doors, I caught a glimpse of our commandeered transport.

    It looked like an old jeep. It was black with a roll cage and just about enough room for the five of us to squish inside.

    ¡°This will do.¡± Sally said, a smile curling on her lips. ¡°This will do nicely.¡±

 Chapter 88 â€“ Humans Know Nothing Of Polite Society

    Director Lucas sat back in his hand-made, leather office chair that was imported from the mainland. He breathed out leisurely and took a sip of his favourite amber drink.

    Life was good.

    It had been over a week since the last time Diako, his god, had invaded his mind and demanded something from him and he was glad for the reprieve.

    The only critical voice he wanted in his head was his own. He wondered absently how the examinee team was getting on with their quest. In all honesty, he hoped it would take them a little while longer to complete it.

    He wasn¡¯t mean spirited by nature and he didn¡¯t hold anything against any of them, but his life was just a lot more¡­ simple, without Kaleb Akabane in town.

    It wasn¡¯t the outworlder¡¯s fault of course, and he¡¯d never hold it against him, but Diako mostly left the director alone when Kaleb was away and he liked the peace that came with that.

    Of course, peace never lasted.

    He sat bolt upright, woken from his lackadaisical serenity by a disturbing quest notification: The Sacking Of Havar.

    ¡°What the hell has that outworlder done now?¡± Lucas said aloud after reading the quest, rushing towards a shelf at the side of his office.

    It was obvious that the reference to certain Adventure Society members meant Kaleb and the examinees.

    That boy is addicted to causing trouble, he thought exasperatedly.

    The office was pretty bare, he liked the minimalist approach to decoration. The shelf, however, had a purpose.

    He was a practical man after all, and as he placed his favourite glass, half-full of his favourite alcoholic beverage onto an intrenched coaster on the shelf, he realised that practically was best served with dash of flourish.

    The shelf dipped lightly as the wall slid smoothly to one side, revealing a hidden room. Lucas stepped inside; he loved this part.

    No matter how many times shit hit the fan, the act of opening a secret door and walking out as a superhero, never got old.

    That is exactly what he did. Inside the room was a walk-in wardrobe where he kept his most treasured and expensive adventuring gear.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t need a wardrobe. No one did. Celestia was a system planet and everyone had access to an internal storage space, but what¡¯s the point of being rich and powerful if you don¡¯t get to indulge yourself every once in a while?

    Nothing made Lucas feel like more of a badass, than walking into his secret room to put on his expensive gear and then walking back out looking like a completely different person.

    He stepped back into the office and he was no longer Director Lucas. He was The Hero of Havar. Dressed in golden armour like Athena herself, with a white cloak draped down his back and a matching masquerade mask covering his eyes, he felt awesome.

    Ah, I see you¡¯re already dressed. Diako said, entering Lucas¡¯ mind and completely ruining the good mood he had cultivated for himself.

    ¡°I am.¡± He replied. ¡°How long do we have?¡±

    Not long. You can travel the entire island by car in less than a day, flying is faster. I would estimate a few hours at the most.

    Lucas looked out of his penthouse window and sighed. It was hard to stay pumped up when he¡¯d have to wait for his fight.

    Oh well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped, he thought, pouring himself another drink and sinking into his chair to watch the skies. When the beast arrived, he would be ready.

    ***

    Yerma roared through the jungle as we skidded along the dirt roads. Sally poured so much power into the vehicle that it felt more like a supercar than a jeep.

    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Panda asked her sceptically. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest one here and you¡¯re draining your mana to make this rust bucket go faster than it has any right to. What happens when we get there and you¡¯re too exhausted to fight, or worse, when Yerma falls apart on us and we get stranded in the jungle?¡±

    ¡°Shut it, furball,¡± Sally yelled. ¡°If we don¡¯t get there on time then none of this will matter anyway.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at them and folded my arms. If we were chasing down the dragon I¡¯d need to be as fresh as possible.

    The rickety jeep wasn¡¯t the best environment to meditate in, but I had to try. My stamina was practically non-existent after the last bout.

    With a bit of concentration, and a lot of pretending I was the only one in the vehicle, I managed to dive into my soul view.

    I quickly fixed my stamina coil. Doing so was second nature now. However, my attention was more firmly drawn to the little blue and green ball circling in the depths of my core.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    It felt more tangible than last time, almost as if I could touch it, manipulate it, if I really wanted to. I reached out with my mind towards it, it was so close now. I almost had it when a shout woke me up.

    ¡°Gonads!¡± Sally shouted.

    I opened my eyes with a start and saw Panda¡¯s face mere inches from my own. I gasped and pushed him away as Sally¡¯s voice cut through my surprise.

    ¡°Get rid of that fucking thing before it destroys our car!¡±

    I looked around and, to my surprise, a huge spider was chasing us through the jungle. It was twice the size of the jeep and its mouth frothed white, bubbly foam as it sprinted after us.

    I immediately conjured my bow and started charging my Soul Shot ability.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t Bell take care of it?¡± I asked incredulously as my shot charged.

    ¡°Because she¡¯s a fire hazard and we don¡¯t have time to prevent the inevitable forest fire she¡¯d start.¡± Panda said, sighing and shaking his head. ¡°And before you ask, Jamie¡¯s recharging for our fight with the dragon and he doesn¡¯t meditate as well as you do.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t as openly hostile towards the fireball mage anymore which was an improvement on his part. I still wasn¡¯t sure if he actually liked her though. Hell, I wasn¡¯t sure if I did either. She was nice most of the time and I enjoyed having someone to talk Earthen pop culture with, but she was also completely fucking nuts.

    As we spoke, she pouted on the back seat. Her arms were folded and her chin was tucked into her chest as she stuck her bottom lip out and narrowed her eyes, it would have been kinda cute, if she wasn¡¯t an adult.

    I sighed as my Soul Shot infused arrow charged up with about half of my stamina. Then I took aim at the spider¡¯s face and fired.

    The green-tinged arrow flew through the air and sliced through the spider¡¯s multi-eyed face, practically cutting it in two.

    I guess that¡¯s what happens when a speeding arrow collides with a charging spider. Force multiplication makes the impact that much more deadly.

    The spider crashed to the ground and a few moments later it disappeared from sight as Sally continued to drive the jeep like a formula one car.

    The notification announcing its death came but I didn¡¯t level up. It was much harder to do that these days, gone were the days of gaining multiple levels from every single fight.

    I kind of missed them, but at the same time, it was much easier to track my progression now each fight wasn¡¯t a near death experience. Looking back, I really got through some of those early fights by the skin of my teeth.

    Now though, I was beginning to feel like I kinda knew what I was doing it. I felt strong¡­ for my level at least.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡± Sally announced.

    I nodded and immediately dived back into mediation. I¡¯d wasted too much stamina on that damned spider.

    ***

    It¡¯s here. Diako sang into Lucas¡¯ mind. He didn¡¯t need the warning; he¡¯d sensed the dragon¡¯s extreme mana signature from a few miles out.

    He stood up and opened his penthouse floor window, flying out to meet the creature. The dragon was massive and as it approached the city of Havar it let out an ear-splitting roar and fire shot from its mouth coating the nearest bridge and gate in sticky, purple flames.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Lucas said, flying towards the dragon at a ferocious speed and pulling back his arm for the haymaker.

    He threw the punch, just as his speed hit maximum velocity, and socked the big red bastard right in the jaw.

    The dragon flew backwards slightly, recoiling from the impact, and looked at Lucas inquisitively, rubbing its chin with a clawed hand¡­ paw? It didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Are you this settlement¡¯s defender?¡± The dragon asked in a deep, intelligent growl.

    ¡°Nah¡­¡± Lucas mused, stroking his chin as if he was searching for the right words. ¡°Your face just got in the way of my regularly scheduled flight training.¡±

    The dragon chuckled. It was a deep, throaty sound that reminded Lucas of the sound a dog makes right before it throws up on your mum¡¯s new carpet.

    Poor Mimsy. He thought, remembering a time when that exact scenario had happened. May you rest in peace.

    ¡°What is your name human?¡± The dragon asked as the two hovered above the city.

    Lucas wasn¡¯t one for mid battle small talk, but this fight was going to be very destructive and if a little distraction would allow more civilians to get to safety then he¡¯d happily take one for the team.

    ¡°In polite society, the person asking gives their name first.¡± He replied to the dragon.

    ¡°Humans know nothing of polite society.¡± The dragon chuckled amusedly. ¡°But I¡¯ll play along. My name is a Soromir.¡±

    ¡°Lucas.¡± The director replied, struggling not to laugh at the dragon¡¯s ridiculous name. He may as well have said Frank or Dave. Why did a dragon have a human-like name?

    It made no sense.

    ¡°It is nice to meet you Human Lucas.¡± Soromir began, looking below himself as people the size of ants scurried through the streets, desperately fleeing from him. ¡°And it will be a pleasure to kill you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Lucas.¡± The director replied cooly. ¡°Human Lucas is my father¡¯s name.¡±

    Then he placed his hands together in front of him, like an artsy cameraman lining up the perfect shot, and fired.

    A beam of pure, tangible, white light shot from the space between his hands like a hyper beam. It crashed into the dragon¡¯s chest who was forced backwards with a yelp. Lucas had caught him off guard.

    ¡°This is why I fucking hate humans!¡± Soromir screamed as he caught himself in midair. ¡°You always fight so dirty. Have you not heard of honour?¡±

    ¡°Honour doesn¡¯t win battles, power does.¡± Lucas replied as he lined up another shot.

    Soromir was faster. He snorted at the director and two fast fireballs shot towards him. Lucas quickly disabled his flight skill, dropping a few feet, before reengaging it again.

    Dodging in midair was never easy, but he had good control over his abilities. He sneered as he went back to lining up his next shot, but something impacted the top of his head and he went flying towards the ground.

    The fireballs were chasers, designed to follow their target. Lucas hadn¡¯t accounted for that as he smashed through the walls of a lycanid couple¡¯s home.

    You¡¯re losing your edge, Diako sneered in his mind, actually, I think you might have put on some weight as well. That armour seems a little tight around the mid-section. Lucas ignored him.

    He shook his head and checked his HP. It had dropped but it wasn¡¯t too low just yet.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± He muttered before flying back towards the fight, leaving the bewildered couple to stare after his golden visage.

    His light powers were ill suited to fight a fire dragon, but he was the only person for miles who had a gold rank adventurer card, the highest rank attained in Havar. If he couldn¡¯t kill this thing then no one in the city stood a chance.

    He poured all of his mana into a single shot. His first hit had barely tickled the dragon. Soromir was too powerful it seemed. Lucas had more than one trick up his sleeve though.

    He held his hands out in front of himself and channelled all of his stamina into the shot. Soromir sensed his attack and turned towards him, a smile forming on his scaled lips. His moustache twitching in the breeze.

    At the same time, the two unleashed their attacks.

    Lucas¡¯ beam of pure light energy poured from his chest. It was amplified by the position of his outstretched hands and focused into a condensed laser beam of pure light energy.

    Soromir roared and a condensed stream of black, all-consuming fire, shot from his open mouth to meet his foe.

    The two attacks met in the middle, pushing against each other as their owners struggled to push their power further and further towards the other.

    It was too much though, and as the black energy fought with the light, a huge ball of mixed mana erupted from the centre engulfing everything in sight.

 Chapter 89 - Dragonborn

    Sally drove Yerma hard down the main road towards Havar. The city was in sight and the bridge was engulfed in purple flames.

    I couldn¡¯t see the lycanid guard who was usually posted there, hopefully he¡¯d gotten to safety. The main road was deserted and I tried to prepare for the worst as I stole myself for as many awful possibilities as I could.

    High above Havar the gold eyes red dragon idly flapped its wings as it faced off against a small figure in golden armour that reflected the sun¡¯s rays in a gleaming star of light. I recognised the look; it was the same attire Lucas had worn when he¡¯d come to my rescue on the cliff entrance to the Goblin King Ballroom.

    The two stared at each other for a moment and then, without warning, they both fired off powerful, tangible attacks.

    A solid white beam of light exploded from Lucas¡¯ chest. At the same time the dragon breathed pure, black fire from its mouth.

    The two forces met in the middle and the build-up of power began to grow outwards in a ball until it blocked out even the shining sun above them. The attacks moulded and pulsed against each other forming a sphere that reminded me of a Ying and Yang symbol.

    Then it was silent.

    I felt wind rush past me from behind as if all the air in the vicinity was being pulled into the epicentre of the mass of pure power that formed above the Adventure Society skyscraper.

    I couldn¡¯t hear anything at all. Sound seemed to have vanished from the land. There was no road noise from Yerma, no wind sounds¡­ not even the chirping of birds or my beating heart created noise.

    It was as if the ball of melding power was a blackhole, an abyss, consuming everything around it.

    Then the noise came back.

    It exploded all at once with a powerful crack, followed immediately by a thundering boom which shook the road as small chasms began to form all along the surface.

    Sally struggled with the wheel as I was jerked against the jeep¡¯s roll bars and we were in very real danger of being thrown off the road as the earth beneath us split into multiple fissures of cracked stone.

    Despite all of that, my gaze was locked firmly on the battle above the city. The sphere of energy exploded outwards in a flash a bright light and simultaneous darkness.

    I couldn¡¯t see anything for a few seconds. Then the scene returned, though it had changed drastically.

    The skyscraper had been sliced in half and fell, almost in slow motion, towards the centre of the city. Glass shattered and sprinkled down like snow threatening to slice up anyone unfortunate enough to be in the immediate vicinity.

    From that height, I wasn¡¯t even sure that the civilian¡¯s wooden homes and stores would save them and I was certain that many lives had been lost in an instant.

    The black energy from the dragon¡¯s fire catapulted all around the city and large flames erupted all over the capital. It was as if hell had come up to meet the earth and I could only imagine the carnage and terror the citizens were feeling.

    Lucas and the dragon still flew high above Havar facing each other. They stared at each other for a long, silent moment, then a victor was declared as Lucas fell from the sky, crashing into the ground like a meteor.

    At that moment, Sally slammed down hard on the brakes and I was nearly thrown from the jeep as we skidded to a halt in front of the burning bridge. We¡¯d made it, but not fast enough.

    The catonid warrior vaulted from the vehicle, ripping her armband off.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± She yelled before sprinting over the bridge and into the fray.

    I didn¡¯t need telling twice. I jumped out of Yerma and was hot on Sally¡¯s heels as I dodged the sticky, purple flames which spread along the wooden bridge. It was getting pretty rickety and I half expected the planks below my feet to disintegrate at any minute.

    Thankfully they held though, as I made it across the bridge and through the entrance archway. I looked around at the sheer devastation. Taylor¡¯s Tailor was demolished, the remnants of her sign fuelling a jet-black flame.

    The store itself may as well have never been there. It had all but vanished as the mana-fuelled flames jumped from building to building like a swarm of angry, hot locusts destroying everything in their path.

    I felt a twinge in my chest and hoped that the plucky, young catonid had made it out in time. I¡¯d only met her once, but she was kind to me and no one deserved the kind of death that the black fire promised.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Bell screamed as I was knocked flying to the side.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I turned back to see what was going on just as the red dragon crashed into the ground, right where I¡¯d been standing a moment earlier.

    She¡¯d saved my life. I kind of felt bad for not being sure if I actually liked her or not earlier, but now was not the time for feelings. It was the time for actions.

    I jumped to my feet, equipping my bow, and taking aim at the dragon. It looked worse for wear; Lucas had done a number on the flying lizard fuck.

    Good job golden boy. I though as I stared up at the haggard beast.

    Its scales hung limply on its chest like broken, cracked armour. One of its eyes was missing and the other looked dazed and unfocused. The right wing had a myriad of holes through it and viscera and blood leaked from the broken skin, leaving trails of black gore in its wake.

    Surely, weakened this much, even I could finish it.

    I didn¡¯t have time to shoot my shot though as Sally flew towards it with a speed that my eyes could scarcely keep up with.

    ¡°That¡¯s my sister¡¯s store you bastard!¡± She howled as her brilliant black sword cleaved into the back of the dragon¡¯s neck.

    Her sister? I thought. Wait, does she mean Taylor?

    The dragon howled either in pain or rage, I couldn¡¯t quite tell which, as it lifted a claw and batted Sally away.

    She flew through the air, disappearing into the smoke. Her sword did not go with her, it was still sticking out of the back of the dragon¡¯s neck.

    He didn¡¯t seem too happy about it either as he tried in vain to remove it with his tiny arms. It reminded me of the T-Rex from Meet The Robinsons, but unfortunately, the humour of that was lost on me as I channelled all of my stamina into a single Soul Shot.

    Surely, a full powered blast aimed at the weakened chest would do the trick. It couldn¡¯t have had much HP left could it?

    There was only one way to find out. I released the bowstring and my arrow soared through the air leaving a strong trace of green energy in its wake as dirt flew from the ground as it passed by.

    It collided with the dragon¡¯s exposed chest and sank in, but only to the tip. How powerful was its skin? The exposed chest skin bubbled and the dragon grunted in dismay as it turned its hateful, single eye towards me.

    ¡°You again?¡± I growled in a choking sound, breathing in rasps.

    It lifted its claws above me and I dismissed my bow, summoning my daggers and raising them above my head. It was all I had time to do. The only form of defence I could think of in the split second before the dragon ripped me in two.

    ¡°Hey ugly!¡± Jamie shouted from the side, launching a fierce water cannon at the outstretched claw.

    The dragon halted, turning its gaze towards the water mage before idly swatting him away like a fly. Jamie flew into the archway which hung over the bridge with a sickening crunch. A smear of blood was left in his wake as his limp body slid down the stone like a slug and dropped limply to the ground.

    ¡°Jamie!¡± I cried involuntarily and the dragon turned back to me.

    I saw roaring flames erupt from its back as Bell screamed and fired shot after shot. The dragon ignored them like a man ignores a single bug as he walks down the road.

    It grinned maliciously as it took a slow step towards me. I slashed out at it with my daggers but I could barely raise my arms. I¡¯d put all of my stamina into that single shot and my daggers didn¡¯t even scratch the beast with the paltry power I had left.

    It lowered its huge head towards me, opening its mouth and revealing rows of sharp, serrated teeth. It was terrifying.

    I stood stock still, a deer in the headlights of semi-truck. I couldn¡¯t move my body at all as its hot, putrid breath stung my face and snapped shut.

    I closed my eyes.

    Nobody would be able to say Kaleb Akabane died a coward. Though that was a small solace in the face of an unfulfilled life. I¡¯d never get to meet my child. I¡¯d never hold my wife again.

    I felt something soft slam into me and my eyes snapped open as I staggered to the side waking from my dying thoughts and turning back to see a scene unfold in slow motion.

    It was Panda. He had shoulder barged me out of the dragon¡¯s reach. He looked towards me with a grin as the dragon¡¯s teeth snapped closed on his neck.

    His body evaporated into silver light and he was no more. However, the image of his smiling face as he¡¯d saved my life was burned into my retina.

    He was gone.

    My friend¡­ The closest thing to family I had in this godforsaken place.

    Gone.

    My stomach churned and my vision turned red. I recognised the feeling instantly and I leaned into it.

    I had promised Panda that I wouldn¡¯t use this power again. It was dangerous, it could kill me.

    I didn¡¯t care.

    I felt powerful energy welling up inside of me. My body became a nuclear weapon, armed and ready to devastate everything around me.

    I reached out towards the beast who looked stunned as its one remaining eye widened in shock and horror at the puny human with the soul power.

    ¡°How?¡± It asked, stunned. ¡°You¡¯re only a human¡­ not¡­ not even close to the level cap.¡±

    ¡°I am going to destroy you.¡± I said, interrupting it in a calm and cold voice that I barely recognised as my own. ¡°When I¡¯m done no one will remember you even existed. I will erase you from history, even your own mother won¡¯t remember having such a pathetic, disappointment as a son.¡±

    As I rambled, the dragon¡¯s expression changed. It looked¡­ scared.

    Good.

    I reached inside of it, seeing a black outline of the beast that had killed my closest friend, and I crushed it with an ethereal hand of inner power.

    The hand was a swath of circling green and blue energy and it closed around the startled dragon like it was a mere insect. I felt its soul crunch like bone in my metaphysical hand.

    The dragon yelped like a wounded puppy as I squeezed it with all of my might. Somewhere outside of the soul realm I felt my teeth crack as I clenched them, my hands broke and my legs snapped at the femurs.

    My entire body was so tense that it couldn¡¯t support the weight of the strain I was putting on it, but though I was aware of it, I felt no pain.

    The ball of energy inside my stomach that I¡¯d tried so hard to touch whilst mediating earlier leaked out and snaked along my bones, overtaking my ligaments and threading lines of power into my muscles.

    I felt nothing but a primal rage as I squeezed the very life essence out of the terrified dragon.

    It screamed a final, piercing death cry as I opened my eyes and saw its scales evaporate into the air. Its white skeleton was all that remained as a veiled blood red essence poured out of the beast and into me.

    It must have looked like I¡¯d sucked its soul out of its body like some kind of energy vampire. I felt the power course through me as I stole the last of its life essence which settled neatly into the ball at my core, tinging the blue and green circulating power with a touch of crimson.

    ¡°D-dragonborn.¡± Bell stuttered quietly from somewhere beside me as the world faded to black.

 Chapter 90 â€“ The Desert Samurai: Taking Out The Trash

    The Samurai and Pocco, her wolf familiar, spent some time meditating in Chrysus¡¯ temple after her fated meeting with the god.

    He had left her with basic instructions on how to do so and she¡¯d spent days on end in a Buddhist pose trying to decipher the inner workings of her soul.

    She had eventually worked out how to replenish her HP by breathing in natural energy from the air around her and manipulating the way it interacted with her inner circulatory system.

    Once she had cracked that nut, the rest was easy, though it still took some time to fill her bars. Concentrating her willpower for such a long time on such a menial task drained her mental faculties quickly and she had to take breaks regularly.

    It wasn¡¯t wasted time though as she practiced with her newly fixed and upgraded katana. She smiled fondly at the weapon with its gleaming black blade and fancy crimson wrap.

    It looked truly demonic, which sat perfectly in line with the persona she wanted to portray to the world. She chose a skill which allowed her to summon an Oni mask, after all.

    She fondly opened her system interface and read lovingly through the katana¡¯s upgrade notification for the umpteenth time that day.

    Katana of Unyielding Prosperity

    Upon taking up the mantel of retainer for Chrysus, God of Wealth, he rewarded you with a weapon upgrade token.

    The Katana of Unyielding Prosperity is the personification of Chrysus¡¯ violent will. Perhaps you will think on his teachings as you slay your enemies.

    Loot gold from enemies killed by this weapon.

    Mana cost for sword-based skills is halved.

    +20% mana whilst wielding this weapon.

    +10% stamina whilst wielding this weapon.

    Her new god had given her a serious boon to her offensive strength with the gift of the upgrade token. Not only would being his retainer grant her wealth, but also some serious power.

    With the halved mana cost to her sword-based skills alone, she would become an unstoppable force in the midst of battle.

    Previously, she had used her active skills sparingly as they had a particularly high mana cost. That would change though, with her new weapon.

    She practiced with the sword and meditated for a few more days as Pocco merrily hunted around the oasis. Their little spot in the desert attracted all kinds of wildlife which the wolf familiar would happily chase, kill, and eat. Sometimes he even brough The Samurai entire birds as presents and he always wagged his tail proudly as she praised him for his accomplishments.

    Eventually though, she did leave the temple.

    Chrysus had given her a new mission and she intended to enact his will fervently as she made her way to the Western Continent to take part in his High Priest Tournament.

    What those in Celestia referred to as the Western Continent, she knew as the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Of course, those countries didn¡¯t exist in this world but the map was comparatively the same as Earth¡¯s was.

    It struck her as odd that the land masses in Celestia mimicked the ones on Earth, but it wasn¡¯t her place to question things that she couldn¡¯t control. Maybe one day when she became a god herself she¡¯d get an answer as to why they bore such striking similarities to one another, but that was a task for another day.

    As The Samurai travelled across the desert, heading to the western coast with her faithful wolf companion, she thought on her newest quest.

    The Celestial Map.

    Her new god had given it to her immediately and his snake-like eyes glinted with hunger as he spoke about this task. It was quite a simple one, though it would possibly take her a lifetime to complete.

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    She was to hunt down and eliminate all 10,000 of her Earthen compatriots who had been isekai¡¯d into the world with her. Supposedly, once she¡¯d killed them, she could adsorb their map pieces, eventually piecing together the entire thing on her own body.

    She wasn¡¯t overly keen on the idea of marring her flesh with 10,000 tattoos, she was a samurai, not a yakuza. However, if her god willed it then it would be done. That was their deal and so far he had more than kept up with his side of the bargain.

    Besides, amongst that vast number of humans, there was sure to be a few worthy opponents¡­ and their experience points would certainly help her in her personal quest for power.

    She was no assassin though, so she planned to challenge these people to honourable duels like the great warriors of old.

    One such duel happened faster than she had anticipated.

    After a few weeks of traversing the desert, levelling up and killing monsters, she arrived at the unimpressive port town of Arkesh.

    It was a simple place of clay huts and wooden, ancient Egyptian watercrafts. Colourful cloths adorned the streets, keeping the beating sun away from the precious skin of the dark locals.

    It was quite refreshing, she had to admit, even if it was a little tacky.

    It was whilst perusing the markets, in search of a trustworthy vessel to traverse the sea with, that she found her first prey.

    He was a tall man with a beer belly and a fez hat perched atop his blading head. He didn¡¯t look like much of a fighter, but the men he commanded certainly did.

    She had stumbled upon him accidentally after fighting off some thugs on the outskirts of town. Nobody had deigned to tell her that the outskirts were bandit territory.

    After despatching them easily, she asked the last one where the rest of his scummy band of merry men were hiding and the injured, terrified man had pointed to a compound of unassuming clay huts.

    Naturally, upon seeing the plethora of guards in their murder hobo attire, she waltzed straight through the front door.

    Samurai¡¯s do not sneak¡­ at least not when their foes are weak.

    After kicking down the door to the biggest hut in the cesspit of a bandit hideout, she stood face to face with the fat old man.

    ¡°A samurai?¡± He said questioningly. ¡°So¡­ they have those here too?¡± He pondered, stroking his invisible beard with his stubby little pig fingers.

    It was at that moment that she knew she had found her first target. Chrysus would be pleased.

    ¡°Outworlder!¡± She declared boldly, pointing her sword towards the man. ¡°I challenge you to a duel.¡±

    He looked up at her, pointed at himself with a single raised eyebrow. ¡°Me?¡± He scoffed incredulously. ¡°What do you think I have all these minions ¨C I mean guards around for. Get rid of her.¡± He gestured lackadaisically to his goon squad. ¡°If you manage to take her alive then you¡¯re free to play with her as a reward.¡±

    The man¡¯s black eyes glinted as his pink cheeks flushed red at whatever nefarious thoughts he was having.

    Disgusting. The Samurai thought to herself.

    If all the humans that had been isekai¡¯d were like this one then she¡¯d be doing the world a service by murdering them.

    She drew her sword as the lecherous goons charged, an evil grin hidden by her Oni mask. Pocco stood in the door, guarding her flank. He was a good boy.

    The Samurai would dispatch these cretins in an instant.

    Midnight Slash (common)

    Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder¡¯s blade with dark mana.

    Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.

    Her Midnight Slash ability took hold and she leapt through the air in a millisecond, leaving severed torsos, shocked expressions, and a swimming pool of blood in her wake.

    The pig¡¯s cronies never stood a chance.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡± She spat as she stood face to face with the outworlder. ¡°The idea of adsorbing the tattoo of such an immoral, and frankly disgusting, cur such as yourself makes my very soul shudder.¡± She announced in a regal, old fashioned nature. She had seen enough samurai dramas back home to know that she was nailing the dialect.

    Before the man could protest she swiped her blade across his neckline, severing his head from its body. As the head fell to the floor she kicked it into the wall where it crunched and splatter gross, old man juice in a stain that reminded her of psychiatry test cards.

    A notification popped up asking if she wanted to adsorb the man¡¯s map piece and she begrudgingly mentally asserted yes.

    Thank you! Chrysus said into her mind, his snake-like hiss a warming presence on her raging internal discord. I knew you wouldn¡¯t disappoint me Yuki. I am quite literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of where your journey will lead you next.

    She wasn¡¯t keen on people using her real name. Her moniker: The Samurai, was a promise she had made to herself, the person she wished to be in this world. Yuki was her dead name, as far as she was concerned.

    However, she gave the god a free pass owing to the respect and reverence she gave him as the most powerful being she had ever met.

    Yuki bowed at the waist after sheathing her sword and she knew that the god had seen her acknowledgement of his praise.

    Later that evening she purchased lodgings for Pocco and herself in a small, unassuming inn near the port. Upon entering her room she received an unexpected notification.

    Would you like to open loot boxes?

    Y/N

    She hadn¡¯t even realised that she had loot boxes to open, but she quickly mentally asserted yes all the same as she sat down on the dirty bedsheets.

    PKing Loot Box

    Only the best murder¡¯s get rewarded. Consider yourself initiated.

    Reward: Entry to the Morning Star Hotel and Spa.

    A bright, crimson light appeared in front of her as a small, oriental, black box floated down from the ceiling, landing in her lap.

    She looked at it, cocking her head to the side, and as she reached out to open it, the lid evaporated and a mild, burning pain lit up the back of her hand.

    She unsummoned her armoured glove and saw a black pentagram lined across her hand.

    Oh great anther tattoo. Just what I wanted. She sighed and went to bed, not even waiting for the loot box to burst into golden flames before disappearing

 Chapter 91 â€“ Scales Of The Apex Predator

    I awoke in an unfamiliar place, my head pounded and my entire body was on fire. Not literally, that would have been worrying, but figuratively.

    My muscles burned, they felt deflated and there was a heavy weight pressing into my chest. When I opened my eyes, the world seemed eerily bright. Like there was a new depth to every colour, every shadow¡­ everything.

    I was in a small room with bare panelled wooden walls. There was only one other bed in the room with me and its occupant looked to be in a bad way. I could hear laboured breathing from the figure who was wrapped so tightly in fresh, white bandages that you¡¯d be forgiven for thinking they were an Egyptian mummy.

    By contrast, my bandages weren¡¯t as all-encompassing. They were mostly centred around my limbs and hands. Though from the look of my HP, any injuries I¡¯d sustained in the battle with the dragon should have been long gone.

    ¡°Well look who¡¯s finally awake.¡± A cheerful voice rang out from beside me. I turned towards them and gasped as a sharp pain exploded from my neck.

    Bell lounged on a chair next to my bed with one leg dangling over the arm. She looked as comfortable as ever, though I was surprised to see her.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± I croaked through a cracked and irritated throat. My voice sounded awful, like I¡¯d chain smoked for the last fifty years. That would be quite the achievement, considering I was only 28 years old.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the afterlife. Our evil overlord Lucifer is kinda into extreme bondage, but he always gives out cookies afterwards so it¡¯s not all bad.¡± She said with a practiced straight face. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d just lay back and think of England. That¡¯s where you¡¯re from right, with an accent like that?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡± I croaked back slowly. ¡°But seriously. Where the hell are we?¡±

    ¡°A makeshift hospital.¡± She replied, grinning at my seriousness. ¡°Well¡­ technically we¡¯re in a big inn near the palace, the part of town near the Adventure Society was completely demolished so we all got relocated after¡­¡±

    She trailed off and in my mind¡¯s eye I saw the black flames tearing through the stores I¡¯d visited. I saw the Adventure Society tower fall, glass shards plummeting to the ground.

    I saw Panda.

    That stupid hero¡¯s grin on his face as his head was bitten off.

    Bell must have seen the look on my face because her reassuring, playful smile turned into a grimace.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to that dragon.¡± She said, leaning in and whispering. ¡°But I¡¯d keep it to yourself when people come asking, and they will come. Sally has kept them at bay for the time being, but until Director Lucas recovers, they¡¯ll be hounding you any chance they get.

    ¡°Me and Sally are the only ones that saw¡­ that¡­ but no one believes our little tale about how Lucas killed it so bad it took a few minutes before it knew it was dead.¡±

    I took a moment to digest the information. Sally and Bell knew about my weird-ass soul power. That was unfortunate, however they seemed to be going out of their way to help me keep it under wraps,

    I already knew the adventurer district had been decimated, I¡¯d watched it happen. Though if we¡¯d been moved into the heart of Havar then that would mean we were in the noble district. I¡¯d have to be careful.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± I began sheepishly. ¡°I¡­ I should have kept myself under control. It¡¯s just Panda¡­ Panda was the closest thing I had to family in this damned place.¡± The floodgate opened and as I began to apologise, it all came out.

    ¡°My wife was pregnant before I was isekai¡¯d, our kid has probably already been born. The first time I used¡­ that¡­¡± I said, mimicking her not-so-sly way of referencing my soul power. ¡°It was after I saw this kid¡¯s mother get killed in front of her. I saw it like she was my own child and it was my wife on the floor in place of her mother¡­ and I just got so angry.

    ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done since arriving here was to protect them, to bring them here and reunite with them. Panda had been the only one helping me with that. He was my closest friend¡­ he was family.¡±

    I looked up at her with bleary eyes, my throat was throbbing from overuse in my weakened state. Surprisingly she listened to the whole thing without interrupting. Then she opened her damned mouth.

    ¡°Yeah alright, calm down Dom Toretto.¡± She began with a smirk. ¡°He¡¯s your familiar not tu familia just summon him back. Also, there¡¯s no judgment here for your little psychotic break, things like that keep people interesting.¡± She winked as I stared back at her with what must have been a pretty pitiful gaze.

    I blinked the wetness out of my eyes as my brain kicked into overdrive. How stupid could I be? She was right of course. He was a familiar, he wasn¡¯t dead, he was just sent back to his waiting room, sage school place until I summoned him again.

    He¡¯d literally told me that the first time I¡¯d met him. If I could move my arms I¡¯d have face palmed right then and there.

    With that sudden and obvious realisation dawning on me, I felt a huge weight lift off my chest. I¡¯d have never expected Bell to be the one to provide me with sound advice, but I guess everyone has their moment.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I replied, my mind churning with possibilities. I needed to find someone in the know to perform the summon for me. I bet it¡¯d be expensive as shit but with the money I¡¯d gotten from the dragon¡¯s lair it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    I could bring him back!

    I would bring him back.

    ¡°Glad to be of service.¡± She replied, grinning at me. ¡°Oh, by the way. Sally said to tell you to check your stats when you woke up. Apparently you¡¯re not very good at reflecting after a big battle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m the best at reflecting after battles.¡± I croaked back, trying to add an edge of playfulness to my Fallout ghoul-sounding voice. ¡°I¡¯m also the best at being humble.¡±

    She gave me a pointed look and I dived into my HUD. There was a fair few notifications waiting for me.

    You have defeated Gold Eyes Red Dragon (lvl 100+)

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Bonus experience has been rewarded due to level disparity.

    Bonus experience has been negated due to low damage caused by player.

    Once again you stole the final hit. I can¡¯t give out the same achievement twice, you know? Stop trying to game the system for loot boxes!

    Congratulations! You have reached lvl 37

    Congratulations! You have reached lvl 38

    ¡­

    Congratulations! You have reached lvl 42

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I gasped. ¡°That dragon passed the level cap.¡±

    Even with the bonus experience negated, I still rose six whole levels from that single kill. I didn¡¯t even know that was possible in phase two. I¡¯d been grinding away for ages trying to level up and it turned out that all I needed to do was beat a city destroying flying beast with almost all of its health depleted. I couldn¡¯t believe I hadn¡¯t thought of that sooner.

    ¡°Yeah I know.¡± Bell replied cheerfully. I looked at her with a blank expression and she continued. ¡°It¡¯d have to be at least past the level cap to shrug off my fireballs like that¡­ and Sally might have mentioned something.¡± She professed confidently, folding her arms, and muttering that last part.

    I ignored her and dove back into my notifications.

    Congratulations on reaching level 40 player!

    You have a new active skill to choose.

    You may pick one of the following skills:

    Limit Break (uncommon)

    Are you tired of those pesky stamina and mana costs stopping you from unleashing your most powerful attacks? Well fear no more! With Limit Break, once per day, you can push past your limits and Captain Yami the fuck out of any opponent.

    Using Limit Break can and will induce the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, drowsiness, headaches, migraines, loss of hair, skin irritation and general irritability. Please consult your physician before using Limit Break.

    I had only one thought upon reading that skill: why did it sound like a pharmaceutical advert? I immediately noped the fuck out of it and moved onto the next one.

    Arrow Volley (common)

    Like the archers of old, unleash a one-man volley of arrows onto your enemies. This comes with a high stamina cost but can also take out multiple foes at once.

    This skill can combine with Soul Shot at later levels.

    The amount of arrows created is determined by amount of stamina used.

    Now that was more like it! I needed an area of effect attack and one that could one day combine with Soul Shot would be a brilliant investment in my skill list.

    I was a little perturbed by the common rarity, but I had been pretty lucky with my skills so far. It made sense that I wouldn¡¯t be unlocking unique and ancient skills every time I levelled up.

    ¡­ Right?

    Scales of the Apex Predator (Ancient)

    Having defeated a dragon more than double your own level, your soul has learned some of their kind¡¯s tricks. Namely, the ability to use scales as armour.

    Summon dragon scales once per day and coat your skin in the red, semi-impervious scales of the Gold Eyes Red Dragon.

    Quit dragon your feet and choose this skill already God damn it!

    The system didn¡¯t need to tell me twice. I immediately asserted yes on the HUD and accepted the skill. Arrow Volley would have to wait until next time.

    I guess I really do get offered ancient skills every time. I thought, smiling widely. I wonder if it¡¯s like this for everyone.

    ¡°You just got a super rare new skill didn¡¯t you?¡± Bell asked, folding her arms.

    I nodded like an idiot, grinning from ear to ear. I was so pleased with my new upgrade that the pain of moving my neck didn¡¯t even bother me.

    Speaking of pain, I still had a few notifications left to look into. I opened them up, hoping for an explanation.

    *WARNING*

    You have unlocked the ability to weaponize the soul before your level is high enough to protect you from it. You are suffering adverse effects from the strain your soul has put on your body.

    If you keep doing this before reaching the level cap. You will die.

    Well shit.

    I guessed that was what Panda meant when he warned me against using my soul attacks. I¡¯d really have to reign it in if I wanted to live long enough to make it a proper trump card.

    Hopefully I wouldn¡¯t have to face any super powered enemies any time soon. Of course, there was always the option of learning to reign in my emotions, but who wants to spend time working on themselves when there are monsters to fight?

    Emergency Quest Complete!

    The Sacking of Havar

    A dragon is coming! A dragon is coming!

    Thanks to the misguided deeds of certain members of the Adventure Society, a large, red dragon is currently on his way to the city of Havar.

    This dragon is pretty upset and intends to genocide the fuck out of all sapient life forms on the island.

    Objectives:

    Prevent Havar from being destroyed 1/1

    Kill the dragon 1/1

    Protect the citizens 1/1 (Remaining Population 1,473,005/1,732,192)

    *This is a group quest given to all inhabitants of the area surrounding Havar*

    I felt a little numb as I read the completed emergency quest. Over 250,000 people had died in the attack. I knew that overall, it had been a miracle to save as many as we did, but still.

    I didn¡¯t want to think about that, nor why my original quest to slay the dragon hadn¡¯t completed yet. So I continued onto my next notification.

    You have gained a new title:

    Dragonslayer

    You have slayed a dragon that was infinitely more powerful than you. That¡¯s no easy feat, even if someone else did do most of the heavy lifting.

    You have gained some of its power by adsorbing its soul.

    Dragons are more likely to talk to you and less likely to annihilate you the moment they see you, like they do with most humanoids.

    Gain the skill: Eye of the Dragon

    New Skill:

    Eye of the Dragon (rare)

    You have been gifted with a single golden eye from a gold eyes red dragon. This will allow you to see mana in the world around you, like literally everyone else on Celestia.

    Well done, you finally hit puberty you late bloomer you.

    Increase intimidation effect by 50%

    I gained another new title and a fancy new eye to boot. Wait¡­ did that mean I had one golden dragon eye in my eye socket? What the hell happened to my other eye. I looked up at Bell questioningly and went to open my mouth before being interrupted by her giggles.

    ¡°I take it you got to the eye notification?¡± She said, fighting through a giggle fit as she looked at me.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Because you¡¯ve got a golden eye now. It¡¯s been staring at me lecherously this entire time. Seriously dude, it looks like half of your face wants to devour me¡­ though you could at least take me to dinner first.¡± She winked, still struggling to control the laughter.

    ¡°You could have told me!¡± I shouted, or at least attempted to shout, my throat was still sore and wasn¡¯t exactly playing ball.

    ¡°What would be the fun in that?¡±

 Chapter 92 â€“ Magic Feds

    Before I¡¯d finished admonishing the giggling fireball mage, Sally burst through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

    She looked as perky as ever, that cat really knew how to bounce back from being batted across the city like a homerun ball. Her silver hair bounced on her shoulders as she looked around with shifty blue eyes and then focused on me.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake.¡± She said, summoning a bottle from her inventory into her hand and thrusting it at me. ¡°Drink this.¡±

    I began to focus on it but she cut me off rudely.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have time to worry about notifications, just drink the damned thing!¡± She grabbed the bottle, ripping the cork out with her teeth and practically force feeding it to me like I was a newborn, or a CIA hostage.

    I gasped in surprise and coughed half of the shimmering blue liquid back up, but Sally persisted and I gave in, swallowing the rest like a good little captive.

    ¡°Good. That¡¯ll heal your soul.¡± She said, slumping onto the end of my bed. ¡°The royal inquisitors are on their way and if we want to keep up the charade that Lucas killed that dragon, we need you to be as unassuming as possible.¡±

    I opened my mouth, so very full of questions, but Sally continued before I could say anything.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to examine you and question you about the attack. Tell them that you fought with me and the rest of your team but do not mention that freaky soul ripping crap you pulled. Hopefully this potion will fix you up enough to hide that gaping wound in your mana flow before they get here.¡±

    She finally stopped, taking a deep breath, and leaning back on the bed. I had so many questions, but I asked the first thing that popped into my head.

    ¡°What¡¯s mana flow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the aura people give off. Those of us with mana can see it in untrained whelps like yourself.¡± She turned to look at me, seeming slightly calmer now. ¡°After you decimated that dragon your flow looked fucking huge, like, untethered Lucas huge. I think it¡¯s because your soul got damaged¡­ that was a soul attack right? I¡¯ve only seen them used a few times.¡±

    I nodded.

    If the potion she force-fed me could really fix me up then there was no reason not to take it. Though I wondered if I would also be able to see mana flow now with my new shiny dragon eye.

    ¡°What¡¯s a royal inquisitor?¡± I asked next, trying to remember the many questions I wanted to ask. This time Bell answered.

    ¡°They¡¯re like the king¡¯s detectives. Fucking feds.¡± She groaned. ¡°Just remember not to speak to them without a lawyer.¡±

    I nodded slightly at that, but despite Bell¡¯s unique way of speaking, I got the general gist.

    ¡°Ok cool, thanks for covering this up for me.¡± I said a little sheepishly as the two women stared at me with wildly differing expressions that both somehow still seemed incredulous.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid Gonads it¡¯s not a good colour on you.¡± Sally said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Besides, I owed you a life debt¡­ consider it repaid.¡±

    She was, of course, referring to the time I saved her from a huge goblin motherfucker during our first quest together. I¡¯d literally dragged her unconscious body away from a goblin horde and then held them off until help arrived.

    ¡°You never owed me anything. Friends don¡¯t count stuff like that.¡± I replied with a smirk.

    She looked at me for a moment and then her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. It was an odd look for a woman of her¡­ physique.

    ¡°Friend¡¯s huh?¡± She asked slowly. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    There was a moment of awkward silence between us until Bell saved the day with her inability to read a room.

    ¡°Oh, by the way Kaleb. We may have stolen all of your dragon loot.¡± My head snapped towards her and my neck crinkled slightly. It was, however, noticeably less painful than it had been an hour ago, so perhaps that potion Sally gave me had begun to work.

    ¡°There were billions of gold coins!¡± She continued oblivious to my frown. ¡°But Sally made me give them away.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right I did!¡± Sally roared. ¡°That amount of money singly handedly paid for the reconstruction of the part of town destroyed by that monster.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Bell replied. ¡°But it also could have bought me my own personal dragon to ride on, or a big boat, or even a palace made of the bones of my enemies. Just think of the amazing, wealthy future you just robbed me of.¡±

    ¡°You mean the wealth you robbed from me?¡± I asked, shooting her a deadpan look which finally got her to shut up.

    We sat in silence for a little while after that and I spent some more time in my HUD figuring out how to spend my free points.

    In the end I put 10 points into intelligence and 20 points into strength. I still wanted to increase my intelligence as it directly affected my stealth abilities which I¡¯d gained from my armour.

    However, strength gave me more stamina which I desperately needed. I still hadn¡¯t even scratched the surface of my Perception of the Apex Predator skill yet and that would surely be OP as fuck once I had the stamina to make it work properly.

    The ability to stop time was a life saver. It had already saved me back at the dragon¡¯s lair and I¡¯d barely gotten to use it for a single second then. The possibilities were simply staggering¡­ as was the amount of stamina needed to fully utilise it.

    Once I was done, I took a look at my stat sheet and smiled at the progress I¡¯d made.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 42

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 434/376 (434)

    Stamina: 449/409 (449)

    Strength: 365 (382)

    Agility: 148 (169)

    Perception: 144

    Vitality: 296 (354)

    Intelligence: 68

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique), Health Sense (common), Eye of the Dragon (rare)

    Class Skills (Passive): Newly Qualified Bowman (59.1%), Dagger (lvl 11), Novice Apex Skirmisher, Acid Dhampir Dagger, Acid Arrows, Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient), Scales of the Apex Predator (Ancient)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon)

    Titles: Audacious Soul Expander, Dragonslayer

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    All in all I was pretty chuffed with my upgraded stats. The sheet was starting to get pretty long now. I smiled at my Newly Qualified Bowman skill which had finally passed the halfway point on its percentage.

    I did feel like I¡¯d improved with the weapon with all the grinding and practice I¡¯d been doing. I wondered what it would evolve into at 100%.

    Oddly though, my adventurer rank still said temp even though I¡¯d passed the quest. I had passed the quest right? I looked towards Sally.

    ¡°Hey Sally.¡± I said and she looked up at me. ¡°Did I pass the exam? Because it¡¯s not updated on my stat sheet yet.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡± She blinked a few times, seeming to be slightly caught off guard. ¡°It hasn¡¯t updated because you haven¡¯t handed the quest in yet, and you need to do the induction seminar first anyway.¡±

    ¡°Induction seminar?¡± Bell and I both asked in complaining and groaning voices.

    From my previous experiences with the Adventure Society I could only guess at what kind of torturous corporate bullshit we would be subjected to this time.

    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied. ¡°Though that¡¯ll have to wait for now. The tower hasn¡¯t been rebuilt yet and we have an audience with the king tomorrow.¡±

    I looked at her, blinking slowly.

    An audience with the king? I thought. Am I about to be knighted? Sir Kaleb did have a nice ring to it, but somehow I doubted that was what was going to happen.

    Sally must have read my look because she continued unprompted by either myself or Bell.

    ¡°He wants to reward us for our part in slaying the dragon.¡± She explained. ¡°Lucas will get most of the prestige of course, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get a nice little trinket or something.¡± She paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°Reggie will receive his recognition posthumously.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but the words wouldn¡¯t come. We¡¯d been forced to leave his ashes inside the dragon¡¯s lair which had caved in.

    I hoped his family wouldn¡¯t be there. It sounded self-centred but I just didn¡¯t know if I could face them. I knew I made the right choice in prioritising the living, but still, how do you tell a parent that you made the decision to leave their son¡¯s ashes somewhere that they can¡¯t be recovered from?

    ¡°What about Jamie?¡± I asked solemnly, the image of his limp body slapping into the wooden arch, blood leaking down, burning the backs of my eyelids.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive for now.¡± Sally said hopefully.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked suddenly, siting up slightly. I barely knew the guy but if he was still breathing I wanted to see him, to thank him. If he hadn¡¯t attacked the dragon when he did I¡¯d have been squished.

    Sally lifted a muscled arm and pointed to the bed next to me. I turned towards it with my mouth hanging open. I¡¯d noticed the patient when I¡¯d first woken up, wearing full-body bandages like a mummy cosplayer.

    ¡°He¡¯s in a coma.¡± Bell said quietly. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s a miracle he¡¯s not dead after what happened to him.¡±

    I looked at him gravely. Even if he did wake up he¡¯d likely never be the same. As far as I knew, physical disabilities didn¡¯t exist in this world. Magic healing kinda did away with all that stuff.

    The mental strain though? I don¡¯t think even mana or HP recovery can cure that. Nobody would be able to go through the trauma he did and come out the same way. Hell, I¡¯d noticed myself change bit by bit since this all started and I hadn¡¯t even been made into a human pancake.

    As the three of us looked sadly towards our comrade there was a sudden knock at the door which jolted me awake from my depressing thoughts.

    It opened, and two men walked in wearing black, embroidered suits and sunglasses. Once of them flipped a badge open at me.

    ¡°Inquisitor Miles, I¡¯m here to speak with a Mr Akabane.¡±

    Holy shit. They really are magic feds. I thought, struggling to stop my mouth from lolling open at the strange intrusion.

 Chapter 93 â€“ Bell Of The Ball

    Inquisitor Miles and his silent and larger partner entered the room standing at the edge of my bed. Sally moved out of the way for them without saying a word, which told me everything I needed to know.

    These guys were dangerous.

    ¡°Mr Akabane, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re recovering well.¡± The sunglasses wearing man said in an official I don¡¯t really give a shit tone.

    He really did look like a magic FBI agent in his black suit. It was embroidered with black stitching which swirled down his arms. It was the kind of suit I¡¯d imagine Dumbledor might have worn if he was trying to be a little less conspicuous.

    ¡°I¡¯m certainly getting there.¡± I said, playing up the croak in my throat. The pain had mostly subsided now, likely due to Sally¡¯s potion, but the more pathetic I seemed the less they¡¯d harass me¡­ hopefully.

    ¡°You sound awful.¡± Miles replied casually, cupping his hands in front of him. ¡°However, we do need to ask you a few quick questions if that¡¯s ok?¡±

    I nodded, eyeing up his partner as slyly as I could. The man was as tall as he was broad. Definitely the type to give Sally a run for her money. The steroid abuse must have been rampant in Havar.

    He hung back near the door. Mimicking Miles¡¯ stance and staring directly ahead, looking over the top of the rest of us. He looked more like a shady nightclub bouncer than a fed. I wondered if he was the bad cop when informants refused to play ball.

    ¡°Can you tell me, in your own words, what happened when you fought the dragon please Mr Akabane?¡± Miles asked, shooting a warning glance at Sally.

    ¡°Which time?¡± I croaked.

    ¡°When you killed it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill it, I¡¯m pretty sure that honour belongs to Director Lucas.¡± I replied smartly.

    No son-bitch is gonna catch me out with leading questions like that.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re the one sporting the dragon¡¯s eye then?¡± He asked coyly, gesturing to my newest title reward.

    I feigned a look of shock, looking around the room at the others. Bell struggled to keep a straight face.

    ¡°What dragon¡¯s eye?¡± I practically shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve only just woken up! Someone get me a mirror.¡±

    The inquisitor sighed, rubbing a slow palm across his face.

    That¡¯s right buddy, you wipe the stress headache away. Where I¡¯m from we call those the Kaleb special.

    ¡°Mr Akabane, please can you take this seriously. I understand that this isn¡¯t the best time but I¡¯m just trying to do my job.¡± Miles said exasperatedly, peering at me through pleading eyes.

    Before I could answer, the indomitable fed by the door glanced my way and, in a deep voice, said:

    ¡°We can always do this the hard way.¡± There was a menacing undertone to his rumbling voice.

    Sally tensed up and I could see she was ready for a fight. I felt the same way, mentally hovering over my daggers in my HUD. Bell, however, had a different plan.

    ¡°We have ways of making you talk.¡± She repeated in a bad German accent. ¡°Jesus, I didn¡¯t know we were dealing with the gestapo. I heard this place was socialist but I didn¡¯t realise that meant national socialism.¡±

    I chuckled as the tense air in the room abated slightly. The tall man looked confused but before he could retort Miles held up a silencing hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He let the words hang for a moment, shooting his colleague a look before continuing. ¡°My friend here has a poor sense of comedic timing, please accept my apologies.¡± He took a breath before continuing.

    ¡°So, am I right to say that you didn¡¯t kill the dragon Mr Akabane?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m only a temp adventurer, in fact we were out on our exam when this happened. I could barely scratch the thing. The Director was the only one powerful enough to stop it.

    ¡°Between me, Sally and the rest of the team, we must have used up all of our collective stamina and mana and we barely left a scratch on it.¡±

    I put on the most earnest voice I could muster. After all the effort Sally had put in to helping to hide my soul attack power it would be disrespectful of me to fuck it up now.

    Inquisitor Miles looked at me with appraising eyes. They flashed a blue colour for a moment and somehow I instinctively knew that he was using a skill.

    It must have been the effect of my dragon¡¯s eye. It didn¡¯t tell me what that skill was, but I guessed that it was some kind of appraisal skill. It was likely that he was examining my stats or something ¨C though I doubted he could do that in anything other than a limited capacity.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Are you a communist sympathiser, Mt Akabane?¡± He asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°I am not,¡± I replied evenly.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± He said, once again leaving his words to hang in the thick silence that followed. ¡°Thank you for your time Mr Akabane. I¡¯ve also being instructed to give you this letter.¡± He passed me an envelope with a wax seal on it and then left.

    We waited a few moments before speaking. I eventually broke the silence myself.

    ¡°Do you think he bought it?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully.¡± Sally replied, perching back on the edge of my bed, and slumping her shoulders slightly. ¡°At the very least, I don¡¯t think he has a way to prove otherwise and in Havar, that¡¯s good enough.¡±

    ¡°So they weren¡¯t really nazi¡¯s then?¡± Bell asked innocently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± Sally sighed. ¡°I need to make a call.¡± She stepped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

    Whilst she was absent, I took a better look at my letter. It had a sparkling, purple wax seal of an orca on it which I greedily tore into. The tri-folded, thick parchment dropped open.

    Dear

    MR AKABANE,

    KALEB

    His Majesty the King cordially invites you to attend a banquet tomorrow evening at the royal palace as a reward for your part in the defence of the city of Havar.

    You will be granted an audience with our illustrious ruler as well as a reward befitting of your heroism.

    Please dress accordingly.

    Yours Faithfully,

    Herbert Codswallop,

    Secretary to the King and first minister of the independent nation of Havar.

    ¡°Dress accordingly?¡± I asked the room quietly.

    ¡°Oh, you got your king letter?¡± Bell chimed sweetly. ¡°From the guy with the funny name?¡±

    I nodded, passing her the letter which she scanned briefly and passed back to me.

    ¡°I wonder what our rewards will be?¡± I asked her, already having an idea of what I would like to ask for.

    Hopefully this king would be amenable to my request. I doubted it would be difficult or costly for a ruler of a nation, still, I had no idea who this guy was. I¡¯d only recently discovered thar Havar had a king and I¡¯d been here for months.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll ask for a yacht.¡± Bell said thoughtfully. ¡°I mean they¡¯ve got enough of them in the harbour right?¡±

    Before I could answer, the door opened and Sally walked in. Behind her was a familiar face I hadn¡¯t seen in ages.

    Talyor of Taylor¡¯s Tailor followed behind the huge catonid, looking as vibrant as ever. She wore a fitted suit, that kind of reminded me of a zebra, with the sleeves rolled up and a catonid friendly skirt which allowed her fluffy ginger tail the freedom to sway slightly as she walked.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the town hero.¡± She said merrily, perching on the end of my bed where Sally had previously sat. ¡°Sis here told me you need something fancy for your audience with the king?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I began hesitantly. ¡°But before we get into that, how in the ever-living fuck are you two sisters?¡±

    Sally growled as Taylor held a delicate hand to her lips to stifle her laughter.

    I just couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it. For one, Sally had silver hair and tanned skin, yet Taylor had ginger hair and pale, freckled skin.

    And of course, there was the obvious elephant in the room¡­

    ¡°So¡­¡± Bell began. ¡°You got all the personality and Sally got the compensatory steroids?¡± She asked the duo innocently.

    Sally growled even deeper this time and I was surprised she didn¡¯t hit the fireball mage. She wasn¡¯t exactly known for her lack of violent tendencies after all.

    ¡°Something like that.¡± Taylor replied earning her own growl from her sibling. ¡°Yes, we are sisters. Twins actually.¡±

    I just gawped. I knew that not all twins had to be identical but this was just ludicrous.

    ¡°I thought cats gave birth to a full litter?¡± Bell said, placing her index finger on her chin and tapping lightly. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was thinking really hard, or if she was constipated.

    ¡°We¡¯re not cats.¡± Sally growled, her voice deep with anger.

    ¡°What Sal is trying to say.¡± Taylor interrupted much more patiently. ¡°Is that catonids aren¡¯t the same as cats. We give birth like humans do, usually just one at a time.

    ¡°But anyway, that¡¯s not what I came here for. Kaleb, I hear I have you to thank for revenging my store?¡±

    I looked to Sally and she nodded. She must have filled Taylor in on what had happened. I wasn¡¯t sure I was overly pleased having more people knowing about my little secret, but Panda liked her and I trusted Sally so hopefully her sister could keep a lid on it.

    ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± I replied cagily, scratching at the back of my head in discomfort.

    ¡°Well, if it was you, then thank you.¡± She said earnestly. ¡°That thing nearly killed me when the shop caught fire. Honestly, I was lucky to make it out alive. I was still fleeing from the adventurer district when you guys got here. If it wasn¡¯t for you¡­ then I probably wouldn¡¯t be sitting here right now.¡±

    I looked at her silently as she gripped my hand in both of hers. They were warm and soft and she smiled genuinely at me as her yellow eyes looked deeply into mine.

    Unsure what to say, I stayed silent, holding her gaze as best as I could. I wasn¡¯t overly comfortable with professions of thanks like this, especially when she was so¡­ alluring.

    I had no intention of breaking my wedding vows of course, but I was still a man¡­ and a bit of a nerd at that. Who wouldn¡¯t be at least a little stunned sitting so close to a beautiful cat woman?

    If Panda was here he¡¯d be calling me a furry. I admonished myself as I felt a slight heat rise to the surface of my cheeks.

    ¡°Well,¡± she began, letting go of my hand softly and flashing me a fangy smile. ¡°I¡¯ve come to pay my debts and I promise you won¡¯t be disappointed. You¡¯re going to be the bell of the ball by the time I¡¯m done with you!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t I be the Bell of the ball?¡± The fireball mage asked, raising her hand like a schoolgirl.

    Taylor ignored her interruption and continued. ¡°I know you like black, so I¡¯ll keep the colour scheme dark. I have a nice enchantment to use as well, which I expect will come in handy for a gentleman such as yourself.¡±

    That¡¯s the first time anyone has called me a gentleman. I¡¯m common as muck. I thought, taken aback. That was probably the strangest thing to happen to me since arriving in Celestia.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just need to take your measurements again.¡± The ginger catonid continued. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve filled out a bit since last time. I take it you¡¯ve been putting your free points into the strength stat?¡±

    I looked down at my chest and then across at my shoulders and arms. Now that she mentioned it, I had developed some muscles. I looked more like an athlete than a bodybuilder, but still, that was a far cry from the beanpole I had been.

    Wait did she say measurements? I groaned internally. Not again!

 Chapter 94 â€“ Shit-Eating Nobles

    The rest of the day passed in a relative haze as my measurements were taken and I further rested to aid my recovery.

    I decided to try meditating, but I couldn¡¯t keep it going for long as diving into my soul view was excruciatingly painful. I guess that¡¯s the price one pays for batting above their average, so to speak.

    In the few agonising moments that I managed to meditate; I saw something strange. My HP rope looked like electrified wire. Cracking green stalks buzzed around it, like they were eroding my heath in a constant and terrifying stream.

    My rope would fray and then fix itself only to be struck by the green lightning once again as the process repeated.

    I was thrown out of my soul view pretty quickly due to the pain. Left with a migraine, I decided to try and sleep it off. Sally¡¯s potion had already made me feel much better, but it seemed that only time would fully heal this wound.

    The odd sight made me uncomfortable. I sincerely hoped that I hadn¡¯t caused permanent damage to myself by using a soul attack on the dragon.

    Though I knew that even if that was the case, there was nothing I could do about it from a hospital bed. Eventually my tired mind succumbed to the sweet release of the dark abyss we call sleep and I was at peace for a fleeting moment of serenity.

    I didn¡¯t dream of anything in particular, an affliction I¡¯d suffered for most of my life. I very rarely seemed to have dreams, which is why it was so concerning for me when on the rare occasions that I actually did. The last one I remembered was traumatic as fuck and a part of me still wondered if it was caused by an outsider.

    I could recall that dream as vividly as if it had really happened. The sight of my pregnant wife laying in her own blood, a cultist standing above her.

    The sound of a familiar voice in the back of my mind urging me to get stronger.

    After I woke up I finally left the makeshift hospital to see that it was getting quite late in the day. I must have slept for much longer than usual, I felt pretty normal again though. My limbs didn¡¯t ache, and though meditation still hurt, the green sparks seemed to be more sporadic, which could only be a good thing.

    As arranged the previous day, I met up with Sally, Bell, and Director Lucas at a small bar on the outskirts of the palace district. They were all dressed for the occasion, as was I with my new suit, courtesy of Taylor.

    My suit was pretty understated compared to Lucas¡¯. It was black with some light embroidery and I wore a forest green shirt with the collar undone slightly. I¡¯d never liked ties.

    More importantly though, was the enchantment Taylor had sewn into the hem. The suit would increase my recovery rate tenfold. That wasn¡¯t even close to the buffs my armour gave me, but as a recovering patient, it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Ah, there you are Gonads.¡± Sally purred. ¡°I was starting to think I was going to have to come drag you from your hospital bed myself.¡±

    She was wearing a turquoise pant suit with the sleeves rolled up in an oddly 80¡¯s style. Except those weren¡¯t shoulder pads making her torso look so broad, they were just her roided-to-fuck shoulders.

    By contrast, Bell was dressed in a red and black ball gown. It was a stark difference to her usual white robes and something about it made her look almost regal, like she was used to the wealthy life. Perhaps it was the long black gloves that reached up past her elbows.

    ¡°Ah, perfect, we¡¯re all here.¡± Lucas said in his soothing baritone voice. ¡°Shall we?¡± He asked, gesturing away from the small bar they¡¯d stood in front of.

    He was wearing a golden, sparkling suit like a noughties host in a fancy Japanese club. More noticeably though were the scars over his left eye and the bruises on his face.

    Looking like a failed boxer, he waltzed purposely in the direction of the palace and we followed after him.

    We rounded a corner in tense silence. Even Bell hadn¡¯t so much as made a peep since we¡¯d met up. I wondered if she felt as nervous as I did. I¡¯d never met a king before, and though I wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of a monarchy-based system, there was still something to be said for the grandeur it inspired.

    One such example, being the palace itself.

    We strolled casually up to the regal building, its visage a square towered complex with a sparkling dome in the centre, like a jewel of the sea from some Disney-esq movie.

    The entrance was well guarded by humans dressed in the same garments as agent Miles and his dumb lacky. It struck me as odd that they were all humans considering that Havar was most densely populated with lycanids and catonids.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    However, that thought quickly left my mind as we walked towards the entrance: a large archway set with glittering gems of emerald, ruby and sapphire. The arch itself was probably worth more on its own than the cost to rebuild the entire adventurer district.

    So much for socialism. I sighed internally as we approached the sparkling entrance.

    Lucas approached one of the guards and handed him our letters. The bald man nodded, keeping a neutral expression, as he waved to his colleagues to let us through.

    I felt a twirling storm in the pit of my stomach, as if we were entering a lion¡¯s den. Bell walked close to me and I could feel the tension oozing from her aura. She was obviously as uncomfortable as I was.

    On the other side of the archway was a sprawling garden with tables, wait staff and a luxurious circular bar in the centre. On top of the bar were multi-coloured spotlights. It was about as tacky a spectacle as I could imagine, yet it was also incredible to experience firsthand.

    ¡°Our audience won¡¯t be for a little while yet.¡± Lucas said, stopping in the first spot he could find that wasn¡¯t filled with people in expensive-looking attire. ¡°You two should go get a drink or something, you look like deer in headlights.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

    I nodded and Sally flashed me a fangy smile. She looked nervous too, but her discomfort made her look all the more aggressive. I guessed that wasn¡¯t a bad thing, what better way to keep people away from you than projecting an aura that spelled violence?

    ¡°The bar then?¡± Bell asked me, glancing towards the crowded circular eyesore.

    ¡°Why not.¡± I replied and together we moved towards it, pushing and delicately manoeuvring our way through the bustling crowd.

    I had to assume that most, if not all, of the guests in attendance were nobles. I had no idea that Havar had so many rich assholes living in its humble city.

    Once again, they were mostly humans. Though there was the occasional lycanid. Once such man caught my attention. He must have been at least seven feet tall and wide enough to level a house. His fangs were as long as my daggers and he dressed in a red and gold military-style jacket with odd ribbons decorating his chest.

    ¡°Well, look who it is.¡± I turned towards the sound of a sneering, self-assured voice to see an unfortunately familiar face. ¡°What, did they hire you on as a waiter? You¡¯re not doing a very good job of it; I ordered a drink at least ten minutes ago now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who are you?¡± I asked, looking at the pest through my brow as I stared down at him.

    ¡°Wha-¡° He began, sputtering slightly, a response that gave me no end of pleasure. ¡°I am Jake Millicent. Surely you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Jake¡­ Millicent?¡± I replied nonchalantly. ¡°Nope, sorry, never heard of you. Though I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a girl¡¯s name.¡±

    Bell snickered at the boy¡¯s flustered face. His cheeks flared an unflattering scarlet colour with clashed awfully with his closely cropped brunet hair.

    ¡°We duelled only a few weeks ago!¡± He replied in an exasperated voice.

    ¡°Oh.¡± I replied, feigning remembrance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Millie, I didn¡¯t recognise you with both of your hands. Small world isn¡¯t it? Who¡¯d have thought we¡¯d meet again in a place like this eh?¡±

    Jake¡¯s cheeks burned even brighter as he gritted his teeth and set his jaw. Before he could say anything though, Bell joined in.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting awards from the king tonight Millie.¡± She said in her usual, innocent, and cheery tones. ¡°Did he invite you here to be our personal waiter? Because I¡¯d love a tequila sunrise.¡±

    ¡°You slight me for the last time peasant!¡± He squeezed out through his unfounded rage. Honestly, the boy had even less emotional control than I did. ¡°I challenge you to a-¡±

    ¡°No, you really don¡¯t Millie.¡± I said cutting him off and adding an icy tone to my voice as I moved towards him and put my lips close to his ear. ¡°I was merciful last time, but if you challenge me again I¡¯ll kill you. First I¡¯ll shoot off your legs, then your arms and finally I¡¯ll take your head. And I¡¯ll do it in front of all of these people, and not a single one of them will care, do you know why?¡±

    He opened his mouth to answer me but I pressed on, the guy obviously didn¡¯t understand the concept of a rhetorical question. ¡°Because personal power is the only thing these people care about. They don¡¯t care about your money or your family name. They only care about your ability to fight. So whilst I dismember you in front of all of these people, the only thing they will think is ¡®wow that Kaleb guy sure is strong¡¯. So take my advice and get the hell out of here.¡±

    I backed up a step and flashed him a smile which I didn¡¯t allow to reach my eyes. He stared at me for a moment, the red flush rushing from his cheeks, chased away by a ghostly white.

    Then, he did something I honestly never expected: he left. Without a word or any kind of pompous retort, he simply turned on his heels and walked away.

    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t need that Batman rip-off armour to be an edge lord after all.¡± Bell smirked, watching after the embarrassed noble.

    ¡°I guess not.¡± I replied, feeling a lot less anxious all of a sudden. ¡°Was that too much?¡± I asked her as we continued towards the bar.

    ¡°Just a little bit.¡± She giggled. ¡°It was pretty fun to watch though and I can¡¯t say he didn¡¯t have it coming. He was mean to Panda when we first met, I¡¯d have killed him if it was me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ sure.¡± I winked as we joined the queue for a drink.

    It took us way longer than we¡¯d anticipated to get a beverage and we drank them much too quickly for the time spent to be worth it.

    By the time we made our way back to Lucas and Sally, the real party was beginning in earnest. I barely had time to sit down at the table they¡¯d precured before the palace doors swung open in a flourish of flashing golden light. A voice boomed through the courtyard, seemingly from thin air, and suddenly the garden was deathly silent.

    ¡°Welcome to his majesty¡¯s humble abode.¡± It said, echoing across the palace grounds. ¡°We would like to invite you all to begin making your way inside, our opening ceremony is about to begin.¡±

    The gathered crowed began moving towards the doors like sheep as I turned towards Lucas.

    ¡°Opening ceremony? That better not be about us.¡± I frowned, a new pit of anxiety bubbling in my stomach.

    ¡°Who else would it be about?¡± The dark-skinned man beamed. ¡°We¡¯re the heroes of Havar my boy. This entire night is about us. It wouldn¡¯t be an audience with the king if every shit-eating noble in town wasn¡¯t there to stare at us with jealous eyes now would it?¡±

    Well shit. I thought, sighing outwardly as we stood and joined the queue. This was not what I¡¯d signed up for.

 Chapter 95 - Royal Seal of Havar

    As we approached the grand palace doors a large lycanid man stopped our little procession. I recognised him instantly; it was the same man who had caught my eye earlier.

    He was huge. Dressed in a red and gold military coat with odd ribbons and medals dangling from his chest, he held out a sturdy arm to halt us.

    ¡°Come with me, your party is to enter through a different door.¡± He growled in a low and menacing tone.

    I knew already that lycanids had vocal cords that made them sound threatening, but despite being aware of that, I still thought the military garbed man¡¯s entire visage oozed danger.

    I swallowed hard as I strained my neck to look up at him, his shaggy main billowing in the breeze around us.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Lucas said, squeezing between myself and the lycanid and offering out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time Raphiel.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± He growled, taking Lucas by the arm, and shaking it once with a powerful stroke. ¡°I am to escort you to the side door where you¡¯ll enter, bow and kneel before his majesty.¡±

    ¡°Lead on then, my good fellow.¡± Lucas said, smiling as he gestured away with his palm. If it wasn¡¯t for the scratches and bruises all over his face you¡¯d never have known he¡¯d just gone toe to toe in single combat with a dragon.

    ¡°I know he looks like a big bad wolf.¡± Bell said, whispering in my ear. ¡°But he¡¯s really more like a puppy once you get to know him.¡±

    I turned to her raising an eyebrow. Did she know this guy?

    She didn¡¯t offer me and answer, simply trotting after Lucas and Raphiel as he led us around the side of the palace.

    ¡°That guy is massive.¡± I said in low voice as Sally moved to walk beside me.

    ¡°He¡¯s the head of the royal guard.¡± She grumbled. ¡°We used to work together, a long time ago. Don¡¯t let his appearance fool you, he¡¯s only the third strongest in this little group of ours.¡±

    I thought for a moment as we walked in silence. I had to assume that she meant both herself and Lucas were stronger. That was all well and good but it was me and Bell who were most likely to piss him off.

    We marched along the outer path for a short while before stopping before another, much smaller door. I could hear chatter and horns playing inside the palace itself. The opening ceremony must have already started.

    I felt my stomach do another summersault as I mentally prepared for an audience with the king. I needed to ask him for a favour and I honestly had no idea how that would go down.

    If he refused then I wasn¡¯t sure what I¡¯d do. There would surely be another way but finding it might take time. I took in a deep breath as the cool night air filled my lungs.

    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Raphiel said, opening the side door and gesturing for us to go through.

    Lucas went first, followed by Bell, Sally, and me. Raphiel brought up the rear, closing the door behind him.

    We walked through an understated corridor before rounding a corner which opened up into the palace hall. The nobles flooded the place in neat rows, leaving a gap in the middle to walk through. It reminded me of a wedding ceremony.

    They stood at attention, beady eyes following us as we marched ceremoniously along the isle. The hall itself was gigantic and sparse. The ceilings were high and decorated with chandeliers and paintings of ships and the sea.

    At the end of the hall was an oversized, golden throne with red cushioning on it. Behind that was a pair of expensive looking stained-glass windows depicting a man being crowned and city next to the ocean with light beaming down on it from the heavens.

    I get the feeling I¡¯m not going to like this guy. I thought as I took in the grandeur of the falsely proclaimed socialist palace.

    The king sat formally on his oversized throne. He had golden hair which was braided and tied in a fancy bun at the top of his head. He wore no crown, but from the scarlet and golden robes covering his shoulders, he was obviously a monarch.

    He had a beard which was perfectly trimmed into a thin line which cut along his jawline ending at his chin which had a thin, single braid.

    We walked towards the throne and Lucas stopped us. He bowed deeply before moving to the side and kneeling. Bell then copied him with a curtsey, Sally bowed and then it was my turn.

    Now, I¡¯ve heard the saying when in Rome before and I knew I needed to ask for a favour. However, I simply wasn¡¯t raised to bow to others. There was something in me that simply wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    So when I reached the line of my kneeling friends, I nodded politely at the king before taking a knee next to them.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    I was respectful, but I also wouldn¡¯t bow to anyone. It just wasn¡¯t in my nature. Maybe I had a chip on my shoulder from growing up poor, or maybe my Usurper skill compelled me to defiance. Either way though, I was sure it wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal.

    But, of course it was.

    The entire room erupted into a pompous cacophony of gasps and mutters, Nobles turned to each other with shocked expressions, looking at me with disgust. It was, quite frankly, hilariously over the top.

    ¡°My word, I can¡¯t believe him.¡±

    ¡°I heard he¡¯s a communist.¡±

    ¡°Why of course he is, look at that disgusting face of his. Everyone knows communists have awful faces.¡±

    ¡°The king should execute him for his impertinence.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a communist spy.¡±

    ¡°I bet he barely even helped with the dragon problem.¡±

    ¡°What a horrible young man he is.¡±

    The king didn¡¯t allow their chatter to go on for long however and he raised his palm shutting them all up as they returned to their places in silence.

    Why do they keep mentioning communism? I wondered, before remembering my Torch of Eternal Communist Supremacy. That damned system had made me a social pariah.

    ¡°Young adventurer.¡± He began in a loud and commanding voice. ¡°Perhaps you are unaware, but in our culture it is respectful to bow before a monarch.¡±

    As he spoke I felt something niggling at the back of my mind. It compelled me to bow, to be compliant and docile. I waved it away with barely a thought.

    ¡°I meant no offence, but where I am from we don¡¯t bow.¡± I said, putting on my poshest voice and hoping to sound respectful. ¡°Expecting a bow because of one¡¯s station is subservience, not respect. At least that¡¯s how it is thought of modernly in my country.¡±

    The king looked at me and furrowed his brow. Perhaps I had gone too far, bowing would have been the easier solution, but as I mentioned before, something inside of me just wouldn¡¯t allow me to. The entire act of bowing to someone means you place them as higher than you and no matter who this guy was, no one was higher than anyone else in my opinion.

    At least I hoped it was my opinion. For all I knew it could have been a side effect of my Usurper skill. Could skills alter a person¡¯s personality?

    A man has to live by a code. It doesn¡¯t have to be the same as the law, it doesn¡¯t even have to make sense. But everyone should have things that they believe in and will fight for no matter the consequence. Without that, we¡¯re nothing more robots or animals.

    The king¡¯s eyed squinted slightly as he looked at me, they seemed to pierce right through me and I felt the niggling feeling in the back of my mind once more. Once again, I brushed it away.

    He leaned forwards slightly, a twitch on his lips revealing some kind of emotional reaction. Meanwhile, the nobles watched us in stunned silence.

    Then he chuckled.

    It was a light, Santa-like laugh and a few beats later the entire hall erupted into forced, awkward laughter until the king held his hand up again.

    ¡°Very well.¡± He said loudly. ¡°As you have done Havar such a great service I will permit your humorous impudence as a difference in culture.¡±

    I let out a sigh of relief and nodded courteously to the man before glancing to my side. Bell had her head bowed but I could tell she was doing all that she could to hide her giggles.

    ¡°These brave adventures knelt here before you.¡± The king began, standing from his throne and looking out over his many nobles. ¡°Have been summoned here today to receive my favour and thanks. Were it not for these brave souls our fair nation would be in tatters at the hand of an evil, benign dragon.

    ¡°This kingdom owes these honoured warriors a debt of gratitude and I would not be worthy of ruling such a fine nation as this if I did not reward our most prestigious allies and protectors.

    ¡°Please arise adventures and look upon my face as equals.¡±

    Some of the audience members gasped at this as my party and I rose from the floor as one. The king stepped forward, standing barely and arm¡¯s length from us, then he continued.

    ¡°Lucas Regina.¡± He began, moving towards the Director with his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°As recognition for your achievements in slaying the dragon which pillaged our lands, I award you the title of Baron.

    ¡°You will be gifted the land around the mountain lair and a suitable staff to run it for you whilst you continue your duties as Director of Adventure Society. Do you accept?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± Lucas said with a wide grin. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The king nodded and moved down the line to stand in front of Sally.

    ¡°Silver Ranked Adventurer Sally, for your bravery in leading a team of adventurers against such a vicious and overwhelmingly powerful monster, I award you 1,000,000 gold pieces and reinstate your seal of royal favour. Do you accept?¡± He said, offering out a small silver token.

    ¡°I do.¡± She replied, taking the token, and placing it in her inventory. ¡°It is good to be back in your good graces.¡±

    The king nodded cordially.

    I wonder what all that is about? I thought inquisitively as the king moved down the line to stand in front of me.

    ¡°Adventurer Kaleb Akabane.¡± He began, looking me dead in the eyes. ¡°For your bravery in fighting the dragon, a foe which vastly outstripped you in power, I award you a seal of royal favour. Do you accept.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I said, awkwardly taking the small silver token.

    The king leaned in close and whispered to me.

    ¡°After this is done you should join me for a drink. I¡¯d quite like to chat with you.¡±

    I gulped as he moved on to Bell.

    I glanced down at the silver token; it was round and looked like a coin. Of course, the only currency in Havar was gold, so I knew it wasn¡¯t one.

    I focused on it and a notification popped up in my HUD.

    You have received a royal seal:

    Royal Seal of Havar

    This is a seal awarded to those who have gained favour with the royal house that rules Havar. It doesn¡¯t actually do anything, but it can open a lot of doors.

    *Holding the Royal Seal of Havar will negate the negative effects of The Eternal Torch of Communist Supremacy whilst interacting with Havarian officials*

    You are now considered friendly with the socialist states in Havar.

    That was interesting. I¡¯d almost forgotten about the torch and its weird effects which supposedly made me an enemy of any non-communist faction in Celestia.

    The explanation seemed kind of cryptic but I figured that if it was important it would become clear eventually. I put the seal into my inventory and zoned back into the room as the king stood in front of Bell.

    ¡°Adventurer Bell of no last name.¡± He began. ¡°For your bravery in fighting the dragon in the defence of Havar I award you a seal of royal favour. Do you accept?¡±

    ¡°Yup, thank you, your kingliness.¡± She said, smiling sweetly and curtseying.

    The king rolled his eyes, seemingly ignoring her reply, and handed her the seal. Much to the horror of every noble in the room.

 Chapter 96 â€“ No System Is Perfect

    With red and gold robes billowing behind him, the king returned to his throne as we watched. The hall was completely silent.

    ¡°We have two more decorations to hand out,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°sadly, not all of our heroes are able to be with us this evening. One young man is in hospital and another sacrificed his life for the good of this nation. I am awarding them both a seal of Havar for their dedication to protecting us all, and I would like to direct you all in a moment of silence to remember the sacrifice made by young Reginald, a true hero of this fine nation of ours.¡±

    The room went silent and many of the nobles placed their hands over their hearts, Lucas did the same and I mimicked his body language, bowing my head.

    After a moment, the king raised his eyes and continued with his speech.

    ¡°As further thanks for your dedication in the protection of Havar.¡± He said, opening his arms widely towards the crowd of gathered nobles. ¡°Please enjoy these humble celebrations.¡±

    The doors creaked open and wait staff flooded the room carrying tables and chairs and drinks galore. The nobles began to filter away from their formal standing positions, many moving back outside.

    To the side of the hall a small stage was uncovered and a band set up and began playing fast jazz that reminded me of the roaring 20¡¯s I¡¯d heard so much about. Their instruments were strange to me, but the sounds they made were familiar enough as not to be jarring.

    The king sat back in his chair as a group of FBI-like mages began using some kind of skill to lift the platform the throne was on. It rose into the air and moved across the room until it was in the middle of the hall.

    A spiral staircase of floating wooden steps appeared and a large table and a few chairs floated to the top of the platform. Simultaneously a semi-transparent bubble of blue swirls encased the king and his private platform.

    ¡°His majesty wishes for you to join him.¡± Raphael growled, gesturing towards the staircase.

    I nodded to him and headed towards it; Bell tried to follow but was stopped by the large lycanid who took up a bouncer-like position at the bottom of the spiral staircase.

    I guess I¡¯m the only VIP at this party. I chuckled to myself as I began climbing the floating, wooden steps. My stomach churned slightly as I climbed, not from the vertigo, but because I had a lot riding on this conversation.

    At the top of the stairs, the king¡¯s platform had become a private booth straight out of a gang-flick night club.

    Leather benches with high backs surrounded a low square table with the oversized throne at the head.

    The mages, who doubled as security, stood guard, facing away from the king and his booth. He looked up at me, leaning back in a relaxed manner, and gestured for me to join him with a tilt of his head.

    One of the mages, who dressed in a magic fed uniform, moved to the side allowing me entry and I took a seat near the king on the soft, leather bench.

    ¡°Thank you for joining me Mr Akabane, there¡¯s so much I wish to speak with you about.¡± The king said in a much more relaxed tone than his earlier address. ¡°But first, let us have a drink.¡±

    He snapped his fingers and one of the mages turned and lifted his arms. A cooler with a large, golden bottle floated up from the hall floor and landed softly in the middle of the table. Two sparkling glasses accompanied it.

    The mage flicked his wrist again and a fizzing, amber liquid was poured from the bottle into the two glasses, which floated through the air towards both me and the king.

    I took my glass and raised it slightly in his direction before taking a sip. It tasted like champagne. In fact, the taste was so similar that it was almost indistinguishable from the real thing¡­ at least to my uncultured tastebuds.

    *WARNING*

    You have ingested a neurotoxin which will make you more perceptible to the effects of monarch-based soul manipulation skills.

    This effect has been negated by your Usurper skill.

    That crafty bastard, I thought smugly as the notification flashed up on my HUD. I can use this to my advantage.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± The king asked jovially.

    ¡°It reminds me of a drink from my homeland.¡± I replied, downing the entire glass in one go and smiling at him. ¡°I like it.¡±

    ¡°Good I¡¯m glad.¡± The king continued, leaning forward. ¡°That¡¯s actually part of the reason why I called you up here. It¡¯s not every day one such as I gets to have a cultural exchange with an outworlder.¡±

    I stared blankly at him, at a slight loss for words.

    For fuck¡¯s sake! Is there anyone in this place who doesn¡¯t know? I thought scathingly.

    ¡°An outworlder?¡± I replied, trying to keep an even tone to my voice. ¡°I¡¯m nothing so outlandish. I¡¯m simply a foreigner visiting new and strange lands, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°That tattoo on your back begs to differ.¡± He replied coyly before taking an arrogant sip of his drink. I felt the familiar tingling at the back of my mind and I knew he was trying to use his manipulation skills again. ¡°You have a tendency to get beaten up during your fights Mr Akabane. Clothing and armour so often¡­ rip.¡±

    Well, shit. I thought. I guess there¡¯s no weaselling my way out of this one. Maybe I should play along for a bit, make him think he¡¯s got me hooked.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°You need not worry.¡± He continued, a pleased look in his eyes as he took in my obvious discomfort. ¡°I serve Athena and she has no interest in claiming the Celestial map. You have nothing to fear from me.¡±

    ¡°Athena.¡± I began tentatively. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name a lot. There¡¯s an Athena where I¡¯m from as well, or at least there was a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°How intriguing.¡± The king said, leaning back in his throne once more and crossing one leg over the other. ¡°Please, do tell me about your Athena.¡±

    ¡°Well I don¡¯t know much.¡± I began, trying not to meet his eyes. I still needed something from him and if he wasn¡¯t trying to skin me then maybe it didn¡¯t matter that he knew what I was. Though it was obvious that he wanted something from me as well. I just needed to figure out what it was. ¡°But she was a Greek goddess in the ancient times. The goddess of war, knowledge, and beauty I think.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like your goddess may have much in common with my own.¡± The king said thoughtfully as he rubbed his thumb and forefinger down his braided chin beard. ¡°However, I have not asked you here to talk about gods. Their understanding is not for mere mortals like us, even kings, to ponder.¡± He chuckled and I gazed at him expectantly.

    ¡°No¡­¡± He continued contemplatively. ¡°I want to know how you killed that dragon. I know it wasn¡¯t Lucas. He may be stronger than most on this island but even he couldn¡¯t destroy that thing.¡±

    And there it is, I thought smugly, he wants me to confess to killing the dragon. I can use this to my advantage if I can make him believe that I¡¯m under the influence of his skill and this wine.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± I protested but the king cut me off with a raised hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand dear boy. This is a transactional conversation. You want something from me don¡¯t you? I can give you it, all I ask in return is the answers I seek.¡±

    I leant back in my comfortable seat and took a long sip of the bubbling champagne, feeling the niggling of his skill trying to worm its way into my head, and pushing it off with ease.

    I did need something from him, but I¡¯d been warned by almost everyone close to me not to disclose my soul attack power. This was a dangerous game I was playing and my stomach dropped and lurched as I tried to think of a way to win.

    ¡°My familiar was killed during the attack.¡± I said slowly. ¡°I can resummon him, but I have no mana of my own. I was hoping you might have a mage who could help.¡±

    ¡°No mana at all?¡± The king asked, leaning forward again. ¡°Why, that¡¯s unheard of! Very well. What you ask for won¡¯t come cheap. Summoning one¡¯s own familiar is an easy feat, but summoning one on behalf of another requires a very skilled and high levelled mage indeed.

    ¡°I will allow you access to my court mage, though you will have to pay for the materials needed out of your own pocket. The nation is in disrepair at the moment and we don¡¯t have the money to spare.¡±

    ¡°Obviously.¡± I said dryly, gesturing at the grand party below us.

    ¡°In return though, you must tell me how you defeated the dragon.¡± The king said, ignoring my sarcasm and staring at me with glinting, predatorial eyes.

    Despite his obvious propensity for charisma, there was something lurking in those eyes that I hated. He wanted more from me than he was saying and I knew I would be falling right into his trap.

    I was a fly caught in his spider¡¯s web with no choice but to submit. I could have walked away, but then how would I have gotten Panda back? That being said, I didn¡¯t have to tell him everything, just enough to make him think I had.

    ¡°Ok.¡± I began tentatively. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how I did it, but right before I passed out I charged my arrow up with stamina¡­ more stamina than I had left. I didn¡¯t see the death, but when I woke up I had a notification saying I¡¯d killed it, though it also said that it took most its damage before I finished it off, likely from the Director.¡±

    It was the best lie I could think of. There was no way I was going to tell this obviously dubious monarch about my soul power. I wasn¡¯t always the brightest bulb, but I did trust my friends and they¡¯d all told me to keep it secret.

    The king sat back once again considering my answer. He stroked his thin, braided beard thoughtfully as he stared at nothing in particular.

    ¡°Hysterical mana.¡± He breathed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it before, but to meet someone who has experienced it firsthand. Remarkable.¡±

    I took another drink, consciously stopping myself from sighing in relief. He seemed to have bought into my lie. Either that or he was shrewder than he let on.

    ¡°Answer me one more question.¡± He said suddenly. ¡°Why hide this from my inquisitors?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an outworlder.¡± I replied, barely having to fake it at all. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is considered abnormal in this world. Everything here is an unknown to me. The last thing I want is to stand out and have the cults and gods home in on me for using some weird hysterical power.¡±

    He considered this for a moment and then smiled widely.

    ¡°That was wise. You can trust me with this, I won¡¯t share your secret.¡±

    He gestured towards one of his mages and whispered into his ear. The man nodded and disappeared.

    ¡°I have sent for my court mage. He will begin setting up in the summoning room. I¡¯ll have you escorted there once it is prepared.¡± The king said, throwing a leg across the arm of his throne and leaning back in an extremely relaxed manner. ¡°In the meantime, would you indulge me in some more casual conversation?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I shrugged, holding out my glass. ¡°Assuming there¡¯s more drinks to be had?¡±

    The king laughed and clicked his fingers and a mage refilled our glasses with his magic telekinesis skill.

    Kaleb one, king zero.

    ¡°So Mr Akabane.¡± The king said.

    ¡°Call me Kaleb.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Kaleb, what do you think of our little nation so far?¡±

    ¡°Honestly I quite like it here.¡± I replied earnestly. ¡°It¡¯s got its problems, but it¡¯s an interesting place. I¡¯ve met a lot of great people, been on a few adventures, you know, the usual.¡±

    ¡°What are those problems as you see it?¡± He asked, raising a single eyebrow.

    ¡°Well, your people seem to call this place a socialist state.¡± I began. ¡°I see the comparison. Basic goods like food and shelter are dirt cheap and that¡¯s certainly a good thing. However, you are a king living in a grand palace and throwing expensive balls whilst your people are still reeling from a dragon attack. Where I¡¯m from, socialists believe that the government should be owned by the people, a monarchy like you have here stands in complete contrast to that..

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have any non-humans on your staff either which seems a little odd considering most of the citizens are non-human. Also, you have a noble faction who, from the limited interactions I¡¯ve had with them, seem to be quite entitled. The whole notion of greatness by blood seems to go against the foundational ideology of a world that says it values personal power above all else.¡±

    The king considered my words for a moment and I gulped. Perhaps I¡¯d gone a little too far. His nation seemed to be doing better than many back on Earth, even with its flaws, maybe it wasn¡¯t my place to criticise.

    ¡°No system is perfect Kaleb.¡± The king said carefully. ¡°I can see how, to an outsider, our country may have¡­ problems. However, how do you think we fund basic amenities?

    ¡°Have you, for example, paid tax since arriving here? We sell basic necessities so cheaply that we make a loss with every sale. We do that to allow the people to live without worry of starvation or homelessness. It is, however, at great cost to the nation itself.

    ¡°As the king, I tax the nobles at lot of gold so that I might make life easier for the peasant classes. In return, I allow them to feel special, to fit in at the top of our class-based system and have their entitlement. Without that¡­ with a classless society, prices would surely go up.

    ¡°What is the sense in being equal if that equality is in name alone? Would you prefer that my people die in the streets from hunger simply so that they could sit at the same table as me, figuratively speaking?¡±

    I looked at the king, unable to form words. He made sense, but I still wasn¡¯t convinced.

    ¡°I understand your meaning, but I¡¯m not sure I agree. Moreover, I wouldn¡¯t call that socialism at all.¡± I said after a long moment.

    ¡°That¡¯s mere semantics my dear adventurer, the name doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s the ideology that does,¡± he replied, leaning forward conspiratorially.

    I was about to continue when a mage leaned over and spoke into the king¡¯s ear. He nodded and then sat back up, looking me dead in the eyes with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, but alas, my court mage is ready for you.¡± He sighed, seeming genuinely sad at the prospect of our parting. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll indulge me again some time?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be my pleasure.¡± I said, standing and offering him my hand.

    The king took it and shook once with a firm grip and I was led back down the floating spiral staircase. It was time to resummon Panda.

 Chapter 97 â€“ Vietnam All Over Again

    At the bottom of the floating spiral staircase I was greeted once again by Raphael, the huge lycanid royal guardsman. He looked me up and down, his ferocious eyes drinking me in as his muzzle salivated slightly.

    I felt like Red Riding Hood¡¯s grandma.

    ¡°I am to escort you to the summoning chamber.¡± He growled, his warm, wet breath tickling my nostrils.

    He turned and began marching across the hall and I followed. His golden and scarlet military jacket billowed as he marched. He wore it slung across his shoulders, presumably so he could throw it away in a dramatic anime-like show of strength during battle.

    We crossed the dancefloor, the party now in full swing, and exited through a small, unassuming, wooden door in the far corner of the room.

    Through the door, we walked down some dungeon-like brick stairs which led out into a subterranean ceremonial room. It looked sketchy as hell.

    Water dripped ominously from the roof, a metal pentagram was built into the floor and there were shelves covering the walls with all kinds of magical herbs, bottled body parts and general magical confectionery.

    Hunched over a workbench in the corner was a small, wrinkled man with wispy, greying hair and bushy eyebrows that looked like long, dark caterpillars.

    ¡°I leave now.¡± Raphael said and I heard his heavy footsteps crack against the brick as he headed back upstairs.

    ¡°Shall I take it that you¡¯re the court mage?¡± I asked tentatively, moving towards the hunched man.

    ¡°I am.¡± He replied in a voice that sounded much too young to belong to a man of his obviously old age. ¡°Cicero is my name, and you are Kaleb Akabane. My king seems to have taken an interest in you.¡±

    He turned towards me and I saw that one if his eyes was missing. He made no attempt to hide his gross eye socket, which was sealed over with scarred, grotesque skin.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I replied, taking an involuntary step back. ¡°He seems to have taken a shine to me.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± The mage said, walking towards me with a creepy grin on his face. ¡°We are to re-summon your familiar no?¡±

    I nodded, consciously deciding to stand my ground. I didn¡¯t want to show weakness in front of this man, after all, I was his king¡¯s guest. What was there to be afraid of?

    ¡°Good.¡± He continued in a slow and slivering voice that reminded me of snake¡¯s hiss. ¡°How would you like him?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean how?¡±

    ¡°You are a phase two are you not?¡± Cicero replied, furrowing his brow. ¡°You would surely want to summon the familiar at a phase two rank no?¡±

    Summon him at a phase two rank? I thought confusedly. Did this mean that I could re-summon Panda every time I hit a new phase and increase his phase alongside my own?

    ¡°Yes.¡± I replied. ¡°I would like to summon him to the highest rank available.¡±

    ¡°Phase two is the highest rank you are capable of summoning him to.¡± Cicero hissed. ¡°It will be expensive though; the material cost is great.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°800,000 gold pieces should do it.¡± The side of his thin lips curled upwards slightly. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was fleecing me or not, but something about that look told me he was.

    ¡°Is the price negotiable?¡± I asked more confidently, stepping towards the man, and forcing myself to meet his eye.

    ¡°No,¡± he said succinctly, moving back towards his bench and fingering an abacus. ¡°800,000 for phase two, 300,000 for phase one. Make your choice.¡±

    ¡°Phase two it is then.¡± I sighed. ¡°Though, I still need to set up my transfer account with Adventure Society, so I¡¯d have to pay you physically.¡±

    The mage turned towards me with a deep smile on his face. He croaked a few times and I think it was his attempt at laughter, it sounded jarring.

    ¡°The payment is not for me Mr Akabane. It is for the gods.¡± He said, gesturing to the pentagram on the floor. ¡°Place the coins there, you¡¯ll see.¡±

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    Silently I did what he asked, mentally ejecting all 800,000 coins from my inventory. I expected that much money to flood the entire room but instead something weird happened.

    As the coins left my inventory they melted into pure, liquid gold which ran into the etchings of the pentagram itself. The symbol sucked them up like a vacuum, the etchings getting brighter and brighter as the gold vanished into the pentagram.

    The mage pottered around the shelves, bundling oddities into his arms. He moved carefully around the pentagram, scattering the items around it in an oddly calculative fashion.

    ¡°Stand in the centre and do not move.¡± He ordered and I obeyed, watching the weird ritual take place.

    It was nothing like the first time I¡¯d summoned him. Had something similar to this taken place prior to my wandering into the cultist library? Had I stolen someone else¡¯s summoning ritual?

    Fuck them. They were cultists. I hope I did steal all their resources. I thought defiantly.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Cicero asked and I nodded once. Doing my best to stay as still as possible.

    Suddenly there was a flash of light and I was enveloped in swirling colours all around me. This was closer to what had happened the first time I¡¯d summoned the daemon.

    Almost as suddenly as it started, the ritual ended and the oddities the mage had placed around the pentagram disappeared, melting into the floor and giving off a stench of burning.

    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s right.¡± A familiar voice said. ¡°I¡¯m a bonafide war hero toots and I need all the hep recovering I can¡­ Kaleb?¡±

    Panda stood before me at the edge of the pentagram wearing a white cast on his arm and a crutch under his armpit. His bamboo pipe hung limply from his mouth and he looked shocked to see me.

    ¡°Good to see you buddy.¡± I said, looking down at the furry little bastard with affection.

    Whilst I¡¯d been laid up in hospital, lying and dodging kings and their subordinates to get him back, he seemed to be chasing women in his waiting room world.

    I didn¡¯t really mind, but I was definitely going to give him some shit for it.

    ¡°Well this is awkward; I was just in the middle of-¡±

    ¡°Lying to women to get them to sleep with you?¡± I interrupted, finishing his sentence for him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t lie, kid; I saved your life remember?¡± He said, ripping off his cast and dropping his crutch to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s good to be back.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡± I replied. ¡°Feel different at all?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ wait!¡± He gasped. ¡°I¡¯m at phase two! Kid this is great. They struck me down and now I¡¯m more powerful than they could possibly imagine!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited mate.¡± I laughed. ¡°You¡¯re only phase two, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re at the level cap or anything.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this away from me, kid! I haven¡¯t been this strong in years.¡± He protested, throwing an air punch, and twiddling his bamboo pipe between his fingers. ¡°You could have chosen a nicer place for my welcome home party though. This dungeon stinks of old people.¡±

    I looked awkwardly at Cicero who seemed to have returned to his workbench and was completely ignoring us. It was probably for the best.

    ¡°Actually, this is just the summoning room.¡± I grinned. ¡°The real party is upstairs?¡±

    ¡°Well then what are we waiting for?¡± He replied gleefully, hopping up the brick stairs before I had a chance to speak to him further.

    I muttered my thanks to Cicero who completely ignored me, then followed Panda up the brick stairs and back into the palace hall.

    The party was getting loud. Drinks were spilled, people laughed, danced, and talked in quite circles in the corners. I spotted Sally and Lucas at a small table on the outer edge of the room, Bell didn¡¯t seem to be with them though.

    It seemed Panda spotted them as well and made a beeline for them, stomping right through the centre of the dancefloor. I guessed his insecurities had vanished after his heroic sacrifice to save my life from the dragon.

    I followed after him, content to enjoy the evening and get back to work in the morning. What that would actually mean in the wake of such destruction, I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Sally!¡± Panda shouted as she shuffled along the floor towards her.

    She turned to him with a dower expression on her face and a drink her hand. Her 80¡¯s style suit jacket with the rolled-up sleeves flaunted her thick, vascular forearms.

    ¡°Oh you¡¯re back, are you?¡± She asked dryly. ¡°Sorry furball but there are no pets allowed in the palace.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I fought and died for this country!¡± He said with faux outrage. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s like Vietnam all over again.¡±

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m a sage, I did some studying whilst I was away. Figured it would be good to know more about your culture.¡± He replied with a shrug.

    ¡°You just didn¡¯t want to be left out of the banter I have with Bell.¡±

    ¡°That harpy has nothing to do with my endless thirst and pursuit of knowledge, kid.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of Bell.¡± Lucas interrupted. ¡°Do you know where she is? I haven¡¯t seen her since the award ceremony.¡±

    I shook my head. The last I¡¯d seen of her was just before I was summoned by the king. She tried to climb the stairs with me but Raphael wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    Knowing her she was probably off galivanting in the garden and chatting shit to some poor, clueless noble.

    That was when I heard a scream.

    It was the shrill kind of scream you¡¯d associate with a posh, sheltered woman and, naturally, the four of us rushed in the direction it was coming from without hesitation.

    I didn¡¯t know when I became the kind of guy who ran towards danger, but apparently I had changed, because I didn¡¯t even think about it, I just ran.

    We raced into the garden just in time to see a fireball light up the circular bar. It exploded in a searing blaze of flames, blasting everything away from it.

    Nobles flew through the air, one man rolled desperately on the floor trying to put out the fire that had erupted on his suit jacket.

    I barely took any of that in however, my eyes were focused squarely on something else.

    Just behind the inferno that raged around the bar was a hooded figure with silver eyes. Draped over his shoulder was a young girl with teal hair and black, elbow length gloves. She was unconscious.

    ¡°Bell!¡± I shouted, sprinting towards them.

 Chapter 98 â€“ Thatâ€™s A Lot Of Bravado For A Mere Phase Two

    I raced passed the fleeing, screaming crowd of nobles in my pursuit of Bell and her kidnapper.

    So much for personal power. I thought scathingly as the cowardly societal elites ran, screamed, and generally caused carnage in their desperate attempt to reach safety.

    The hooded figure walked casually away from the sea of flames which erupted from the top of the circular bar. They looked back at me with menacing, silver eyes hidden behind a mask.

    Something about the way they held themself seemed oddly familiar to me, but I didn¡¯t have time to think about that.

    Pulling my bow from my inventory and nocking an arrow, I fired a warning shot to the side of the figure who stopped dead in their tracks.

    ¡°Stop, or the next one won¡¯t miss.¡± I said cooly, channelling my inner action hero.

    ¡°How scary.¡± The figure replied in a deadpan, unimpressed voice. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of bravado for a mere phase two.¡±

    They then turned and began walking away once more, completely ignoring, and underestimating me. Bell¡¯s limp body lolled on the figure¡¯s shoulder and they carried her like she was made of paper.

    I fired another shot, this time aiming directly for the back of the kidnapper¡¯s head. They moved ever so slightly to the left and my arrow sailed past them. I fired another and another after that, all of them easily dodged.

    I felt my blood begin to boil over with rage at the ease with which this kidnapper dismissed me, and I began charging a Soul Shot.

    Let¡¯s see you dodge this you arrogant fuck. I thought, gritting my teeth as I felt the soul energy flow through me, lighting up my arrow in a sickly green glow.

    It was painful, which would have been odd if not for my recent trouble accessing my soul view. Still, the pain only served to add to my rage as I pushed through the physical torment and continued charging my attack.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Panda shouted, finally catching up to me. ¡°If you hit them with that it¡¯ll hurt Bell.¡±

    I knew he was right, but I wanted so badly to hurt this bastard. I looked down at my familiar and saw his large, rounded eyes. They looked concerned. Though whether that concern was for me or Bell I couldn¡¯t tell.

    I breathed out slowly and lowered my bow, glaring at the back of the kidnapper.

    ¡°Good choice.¡± They said, before vaulting the twenty-foot palace wall like it was nothing and disappearing into the night.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled, kicking the ground in my frustration.

    ¡°It might not seem like it, but you made the right call there, kid.¡± Panda said, resting a comforting paw on my leg.

    ¡°Where the hell is Lucas?¡± I asked the familiar. ¡°He could have stopped this.¡±

    Panda shook his head and glanced behind me, I turned, following his eyeline. A few feet away, Lucas stood, carrying a limp body, and looking up at me.

    I walked towards him; fists clenched. He looked distraught, his face was scrunched up and there was something in his eyes¡­ fear maybe?

    As I approached I gasped as I realised who it was cradled in his arms.

    The king¡¯s body hung limp and lifeless in Lucas¡¯ arms. Raphael followed a few meters behind; he had one less arm than the last time I¡¯d seen him and from the wounds covering his chest and neck I was surprised he could stand at all.

    ¡°What¡­ how?¡± I asked, stunned as I looked upon the pale face of Havar¡¯s monarch.

    I hadn¡¯t known the man long, or even liked him all that much. Still, it was shocking to bear witness to such an important and likely pivotal assassination.

    ¡°The assassin chose the perfect time to strike.¡± Lucas said, his words hanging hollow in the thick air between us. ¡°Havar in ruins, the palace understaffed, a ball to honour us warriors. They knew exactly when and how to pull this off.¡±

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    We were interrupted by the heavy patters of Sally¡¯s footsteps as she caught up to us.

    ¡°I lost him.¡± She said, looking at the ground and clenching her fists.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Lucas said in a measured tone. ¡°Someone with the skills and planning to pull this off was never going to be easy to catch.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused here.¡± I said, putting myself between the two of them. ¡°I understand assassinating a king, he¡¯s an important political figure and I¡¯m sure he had enemies, but why kidnap Bell?¡±

    Sally and Lucas shared a look before she placed an arm over my shoulder and led me away from the others.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure if her kidnapping and the assassination was related, but if it was, then only one faction fits the bill.¡± Her voice was hushed and she spoke softly, stopping occasionally to check that no one was listening.

    ¡°Who?¡± I replied, barely allowing a breath to escape my lungs.

    ¡°Have you heard of The Morningstar Collective?¡± She whispered.

    I nodded slowly.

    I had received a quest to check out a place called The Morningstar Hotel and Spa and back when I¡¯d purchased my armour one of their criminal lackies had come by to shake down the shopkeeper for protection money or something like that.

    I lifted my hand and showed Sally the pentagram tattoo etched onto the back of it. I had received it in a loot box shortly after I¡¯d accidentally killed another outworlder. Supposedly, it would allow me entry to the hotel.

    ¡°I thought I recognised that symbol the first time I met you.¡± She said thoughtfully, grasping my hand and pulling it closer to take a better look at the marking.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± I asked slowly, staring into space in the direction of the wall where the masked kidnapper had left with Bell.

    ¡°It¡¯s everywhere.¡± She replied. ¡°The Morningstar Hotel and Spa is a pocket dimension. It exists everywhere and can be accessed by going through a number of portals scattered around the planet. There¡¯s one in every major city, or so the rumours state.¡±

    ¡°So where is the Havar portal.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I¡¯ve heard that it can be accessed in the red-light district. I¡¯d start there.¡± She tapped me on the shoulder and stood up straight, brushing her flowing silver hair from my shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me?¡± I asked, looking up at her perfectly sculpted and muscular jaw.

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She said sombrely. ¡°You can only get in if you¡¯ve been marked. If you do manage to find it though, see if you can find out who orchestrated all this. I know saving Bell is the top priority, but anything that can shed some light on the king¡¯s murder will yield a good reward.¡±

    She patted me on the shoulder and returned to Lucas and the others. I stayed put, staring up at the large wall. My head was swimming. I guess I was going to have to tackle that quest earlier than expected.

    ***

    Diako sat alone in his throne room. It was a dank, dark place filled with shadows and deep black columns which guided a wide path to the entrance doorway.

    From his seat of power he kept tabs on all of his retainers and members of The Organisation, His Organisation.

    He was in the business of assassination, theft and controlling the goings on of the mortal world through shadow puppetry and manipulation. Prior to godhood, Diako was a skirmisher type fighter, he was shunned by the Adventure Society for his callous methods.

    Diako cared only for getting the job the done. The end result was all that mattered in the end. The Adventure Society, however, cared very much for the means by which such ends were achieved.

    What he considered to be collateral damage, they often called murder. Something he believed to be very short sighted. He was a diamond class adventurer when they exiled him.

    However, the joke was on them, considering he now held influence over many of the mortals who oversaw the Adventure Society. He was now a god, and their petty organisation, his pawns.

    One of which, he was watching very closely from his dark throne.

    He saw as Lucas Regina carried the limp body of Havar¡¯s ruler into the courtyard. The man was a mess, covered in scars and bruises from his pathetic battle with the dragon.

    ¡°Lucas.¡± Diako said, speaking directly into the director¡¯s mind. ¡°I have a new mission for you.¡±

    My Lord, now is not the time. He protested, stopping, and staring blankly as he held the king, surrounded by his guardsmen. The king has been assassinated and I-

    ¡°I am aware of your petty mortal politics and recent events.¡± The god interrupted. ¡°My needs outweigh those of you and your king, or are you forgetting our agreement?¡±

    No, My Lord, of course not, Lucas relented, sighing internally.

    Lucas was unaware of this, but when Diako was connected to his mind, he could sense the feelings the man was emitting. Most often he sensed loathing for the god, but also fear and a resigned feeling of duty.

    It was one of the things Diako liked about the man. He lacked ambition, but he was content in being a salve to that which he called fate.

    Of course, there is no fate but that which you make. Diako knew this for a fact. However, if Lucas was too blind to realise that, then he would serve the god all the better.

    ¡°The outworlder is about to traverse dangerous waters.¡± Diako continued. ¡°I will watch over him, however, when he returns I want you to send him on a new quest.¡±

    If that¡¯s all My Lord, couldn¡¯t it wait until later? Lucas asked and Diako could sense that the man was preoccupied with the events surrounding him in the mortal plane.

    ¡°No.¡± The god replied, making no effort to keep the venom from his lips. ¡°You will leave the body with its guards and begin making preparations at once. He is to leave as soon as he is able.¡±

    Lucas sighed and Diako watched as he made excuses and handed the body to a lycanid guard with one arm missing.

    The beast was strong enough to take the cadaver in his single, muscled arm and he nodded to the director before leaving.

    Diako leaned back in his throne. All was going according to plan.

 Chapter 99 â€“ Jazz Is For Losers

    Not long after my talk with Sally I slipped away from the palace. The guards had kept it locked down for a short while but at Lucas¡¯ insistence they eventually began allowing people to leave.

    He had argued that since they¡¯d all seen the killer flee, there was little to be gained by holding the party guests against their will.

    No one was under suspicion, after all. The unknown quantity was the killer themselves. Lucas and Sally had seen them running from the scene wearing a full-face mask and hood.

    None of it made sense to me. Why assassinate the king now? I didn¡¯t understand Havar¡¯s internal politics well enough to fully grasp the situation, but it just didn¡¯t add up. How was Bell involved and why did they take her.

    The natural conclusion was that she was taken because she was an outworlder, but she¡¯d seemed to have kept that secret to herself much better than I had, yet I hadn¡¯t been a target.

    I needed to know more and I wanted to get her back. So, after leaving the palace, I headed towards the red-light district, guided by Panda.

    It was dark out as we passed through the deserted streets of the noble district. It felt almost like an entirely different world from the adventurer district I was used to.

    We rounded a corner and that world changed once again.

    Bright neon lights lit the walkways, mansions and stately homes turned to dive bars and window-shop brothels like the ones in Amsterdam. It was quite the culture shock to say the least.

    ¡°I think when they built this place they took the term red-light district a bit too literally.¡± I said to Panda as we stood at the brightly lit entrance.

    Streetlights glowed red casting the pavement in a scarlet glow as purple and green neon signs added to the cyberpunk-fantasy hybrid atmosphere in the district.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Panda replied slowly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a step away from the fantasy setting you were expecting huh?¡±

    I gave him a curious glance which he answered with a simple: ¡°I spent some time reading up on your culture whilst I was in the waiting room.¡±

    ¡°So you did more than just chat up the nurses then?¡± I replied with a smile.

    He nodded and we walked down the bustling hub of sexual depravity and debauchery. We passed by large glass windows, each with their own occupant.

    In one, a slender catonid pranced around on all fours wearing a spiked collar and not much else. In the window next to her, a male lycanid stood in a Superman pose wearing nothing but a golden G-string.

    Unsurprisingly, most of the clientele roaming the streets were humans in expensive clothing with flashy jewellery adorning their necks, wrists, and fingers.

    ¡°I told you all humans are furries.¡± Panda sniggered as a timid looking man approached the catonid¡¯s window and began swiping his finger in the air, likely conducting a system bank transfer.

    ¡°Any idea where we should start looking?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh honey,¡± a seductive female voice chimed from the side of me. ¡°You can start by looking right here.¡±

    I turned to my right and saw a latex clad lycanid woman leaning against a dark, wooden wall. She had lipstick on her muzzle and enough eyeliner to make you think she was cosplaying Panda.

    My eyes went wide as she stepped towards me and began lightly stroking my arm with her clawed fingers.

    ¡°No thank-¡± I began but was immediately cut off.

    ¡°What a cute little familiar you have there. I know a nice little bar just down the ways. We could drop him off there with a few bottles whilst we¡­ get to know each other.¡± She leant up and whispered the last line in my ear and I shivered, not in a good way.

    Panda was in full blown hysterics at this point, clutching his stomach and wiping tears from his eyes as he laughed. I turned towards him, hoping to convey my need for urgent assistance through my gaze.

    He shook his head slightly and approached the lycanid woman, patting her lightly on the leg. She looked down at him, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Thank you for your interest in this Kaleb.¡± He began. ¡°However, we are going to go in another direction. We thank you for your application and wish you all the best going forward.¡±

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    What the actual fuck.

    She looked down at him and then slowly removed her hand from my shoulder. Looking back at me, she shrugged and moved back towards her spot against the wooden wall muttering: ¡°your loss, hun.¡±

    I turned sharply and began walking away before she changed her mind and Panda had to shuffle-run to catch up.

    ¡°I am so confused,¡± I complained when he finally caught up.

    ¡°What¡¯s so hard to understand?¡± He laughed, ¡°this is a business for them, it¡¯s really not that difficult.¡±

    I didn¡¯t reply as we walked a little further into the district, passing all kinds of weird and wonderful things. It was not my idea of a good time. I felt awkward just being in the vicinity of so many brothels, let alone actively looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack within them.

    I pulled up the quest in my HUD to see that it had been updated.

    A Good Time, Not A Long Time

    You¡¯ve been marked as a guest of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. I wonder what mayhem and fun awaits behind its doors.

    Updates:

    You have discovered that The Morningstar Collective are a syndicate who run a racketeering operation in Havar.

    You suspect that The Morningstar Collective have kidnapped another adventurer and are holding her at The Morningstar Hotel and Spa

    It is possible that The Morningstar Collective are involved with the regicide of the local king.

    Objectives:

    Enter The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Uncover the secrets of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 0/1

    Rescue the kidnapped adventurer 0/1

    Find out if The Morningstar Collective are connected to the regicide 0/1

    Reward:

    X1 Skill Upgrade Potion

    X1 Weapon Upgrade Potion

    It had updated significantly since the last time I¡¯d checked it. It now included finding Bell and investigating the king¡¯s murder.

    I guessed the reward was pretty good. It made sense this quest wouldn¡¯t be quite as straight forward as it originally seemed to be. Still, it begged the question, how was I going to find this damned hotel?

    ¡°How are we going to find this place?¡± I eventually asked my daemon familiar.

    The red-light district was pretty big and I had no desire to walk into every building in the immediate area.

    ¡°Why could try asking around?¡± He offered with a shrug. ¡°There¡¯s a bar I know a street over, it¡¯s a venerable mecca of gossip. If anyone around here knows how to find this place, you can bet your ass they¡¯ll be in that bar.¡±

    I shrugged and followed Panda around another corner to the front of an unassuming crimson door in between two high profile brothels. He knocked on the door with his paw and took a step back.

    A slit slid across the door with a clank and two beady eyes peered out at us.

    ¡°Password.¡±

    ¡°Jazz is for losers,¡± Panda offered the voice.

    The slit closed and I heard multiple locks click out of place before the door swung open. A dwarf in a spiked leather jacket stood in the opening, politely holding the door for us.

    We stepped inside and he immediately locked it up again. We stood at the top of a sticky staircase the led down into the ground.

    ¡°Jazz is for losers?¡± I asked Panda incredulously.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he teased as I followed him down the stairs.

    Upon reaching the bottom, I did see.

    The underground bar thumped loud with the raucous tones of medieval metal music ¨C at least that was the best description I could give it. It sounded like Amon Amarth mixed with Dandelion the bard from The Witcher 3. It was actually pretty good.

    ¡°Is that an electric lute?¡± I asked, looking at the slender Svartalf on the stage. He had long purple hair and a bushy black beard with a plethora of earrings in each ear and a studded bracelet on his right wrist.

    ¡°It sure is,¡± Panda smirked, hopping onto a barstool as a svartalf bartender approached him wearing a leather vest with various runic patches on it.

    The musician on the stage launched into a speedy lute solo as the small crowd gathered in front of him screamed and someone threw their underwear at him. He caught it deftly with the headstock of his lute and twirled it as he continued playing, garnering even more vigour from the excited crowd as distorted notes rang out.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked, a smile tugging at my lips as I sat next to Panda.

    ¡°It¡¯s a speakeasy,¡± he replied nonchalantly. ¡°You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t quote Star Wars at me,¡± I chided, ¡°besides, the Cantina Band played jazz.¡±

    ¡°Jazz is for all those pretentious noble pricks in their palaces,¡± the bartender said, butting in on our conversation. ¡°Down here we play real music. Our tunes are by the people, for the people.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was more of a punk thing?¡± I asked jokingly.

    It seemed to go over the svartalf¡¯s head as he shrugged and grabbed two glasses from the bar.

    ¡°Drinking?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Sure, what do you have?¡±

    ¡°Oil.¡±

    I shot him a poignant look and he sighed in an overly dramatic way.

    ¡°It¡¯s dark ale. The most metal drink around, it¡¯s our own brew and it¡¯s the only brew we sell.¡± He explained in an exasperated and practiced tone.

    ¡°Ok sure, we¡¯ll take two of those then please.¡± I said, dropping a few gold coins onto the bar. I deftly sprinkled a few more on top of the pile and pushed them towards him. ¡°We¡¯re also looking for some information. Do you know how to get to the Morningstar Hotel & Spa?¡±

    The entire bar went silent. Even the lute playing rocker on stage stopped mid song as everyone turned to look at us.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a detective movie kid,¡± Panda said. ¡°That is not how you ask for delicate information in this part of town.¡± He rubbed his temples as if trying to dispel a sudden headache, and I gulped.

    I turned back to see the bartender pointing a loaded crossbow at my face. He didn¡¯t look pleased.

 Chapter 100 â€“ I Get Cranky When I Donâ€™t Get My Nap

    ¡°Woah,¡± I said, raising my hands in a submissive way. ¡°It was just a question, there¡¯s no need for the hostility.¡±

    The bartender glared at me through the sights of his raised crossbow. The bolt was practically touching my face, there was no chance he¡¯d miss from such a close distance.

    The rest of the bar felt tense as a deadly silence washed over the interior. From the corner of my eyes I could see multiple patrons moving their hands to their blades and cudgels.

    ¡°A newcomer in a noble¡¯s suit walks into our bar and starts asking about The Morningstar Collective¡¯s famed headquarters. That¡¯s pretty damn suspicious to me,¡± the bartender growled. ¡°You¡¯d better start talking Outsider.¡±

    His last word sounded as if it left a bad taste on his tongue as he spat it out. I took a deep breath, I needed to calm down.

    ¡°Would you prefer it if I wore my adventuring gear?¡± I asked politely as I quickly dove into my HUD and changed back into my armour. Being able to equip clothes with a mental click sure could be useful.

    I felt better as soon as I felt the cushioned leather against my skin. If it came to it, I might be able to slow time for long enough to dodge his initial shot. It would be risky though, but at least with my armour back on I was ready for a fight.

    ¡°Stop playing games Outsider.¡± The bartender hissed, tightening his grip on the trigger of his crossbow. ¡°Who are you and why do you want to know about The Morningstar Collective.¡±

    ¡°They kidnapped a friend of mine and I¡¯m looking to get her back.¡± I said, keeping my eyes locked on his. ¡°Also, they might have just assassinated the king.¡±

    He took half a step back, confusion lighting up his dark eyes as quiet murmurs broke out behind me.

    ¡°The king is dead?¡± He asked slowly, suddenly seeming much less sure of his actions.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°Now, from the looks of this place I¡¯m sure none of you will shed a tear for your ruler, but if this was The Morningstar Collective then you can bet your ass that they¡¯ll be making a power play. From what little I know of them, that wouldn¡¯t be very good for anyone here.¡±

    I was lying through my teeth at this point. I had no idea if the illusive underworld mobsters were involved in the assassination, or if they had any interest in running the government.

    Still, I got a vibe that a revelation like that would shock these wannabe anarchists and I hoped that would ease the tensions a little bit.

    The bartender looked uncertain as he loosened his grip on the crossbow. He looked around at the people behind me and the muttering stopped.

    ¡°How do I know I can trust you?¡± He asked, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow. ¡°You could be one of them.¡±

    ¡°Why would I ask how to find them if I worked for them?¡± I replied, frustration beginning to show in my tone.

    ¡°Not The Morningstar, the royal inquisitors!¡± He shouted, gritting his teeth afterwards. ¡°They¡¯ve been trying to pin us for treason for years. How do we know that this isn¡¯t just their latest ploy. Send in someone new, get him to tell us the king is dead to gauge our reactions and then use that as evidence against us. What assurances do we have?¡±

    Oh great conspiracy theorists, I thought, sighing internally.

    Kaleb: What now?

    Panda: Beats me, the guy¡¯s clearly off his meds. The royal inquisition doesn¡¯t use underhanded tactics like that, they just kill and interrogate people they don¡¯t like. They don¡¯t need to lie about it.

    The HUD¡¯s messaging system was useful, especially since it allowed you to transfer thoughts into a text-based system without having to type it out.

    ¡°The royal inquisition doesn¡¯t need to trick people.¡± I began slowly, trying to figure out what I was going to say as I said it. ¡°They just kill and interrogate whoever they want to and they do it with impunity. Everyone knows that. Besides, if you don¡¯t believe me just wait until morning when they announce the king¡¯s death.¡±

    It was a bluff, but I trusted my familiar¡¯s knowledge of the local systems and I was willing to try just about anything to avoid getting a new hole in the head.

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    On that note, I also hovered tentatively over my daggers in my inventory. I wanted immediate access if it turned out that I couldn¡¯t talk my way out of this one.

    Panda: Hey that was my line.

    Kaleb: Thanks buddy, hopefully it¡¯ll save our asses.

    ¡°I guess¡­¡± The svartalf replied slowly, easing his trigger finger slightly. ¡°Still, how do we know for sure? I have a family, we all do. If I let you go, I need assurance that I won¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about letting me go?¡± I replied cooly. ¡°I just want to know how to get into the Morningstar Hotel and Spa. Show me to it, let me go inside and then I¡¯m no longer your problem to deal with. If I was an inquisitor I¡¯d be killed by them right? So it¡¯s a win-win.¡±

    He lowered his crossbow and stared at me for a few moments. Then he chuckled. It was awkward at first as I stared at him, but soon the entire bar burst into raucous laughter.

    ¡°Yeah you¡¯re definitely not with the inquisition, Outsider,¡± he laughed. ¡°Everyone knows they¡¯re in deep with the syndicates. Not even they would try to deny that so openly in a bar full of our kind.¡±

    He grabbed a glass with one hand whilst he wiped away a tear with the other and began pouring a dark, viscous liquid into it.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, sliding the glass towards me. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need to introduce you to the owner before I can let you leave, but you should drink first.¡±

    I nodded, still unsure of exactly what was going on, but I was happy that the intensity was dropping all the same. I raised the glass to my lips and took a deep gulp of the oil. I immediately regretted it.

    ¡°I guess they call it oil for a reason,¡± I spluttered as the foul tasting, thick liquid made its way down my gullet, burning my throat as it went.

    I slid the glass towards Panda who finished it off, licking his lips. That bear would drink anything. His stomach must have been made of cast iron.

    After a few short moments the bartender returned, picking up his crossbow once more but in a much less threatening way.

    ¡°Come on then, the boss is in the back.¡± He gestured to a door next to the bar with the tip of the crossbow and I stood, walking through it with Panda at my heel.

    The bartender followed me, closing the door behind him and directing me through the kitchen towards a small office at the back.

    It was dark and the walls were covered in satanically stylised posters of local metal bands with their electric lutes and studded leather. It was actually kind of cool.

    Sat behind a shabby looking desk was a beautiful female svartalf with midnight purple skin and black eyes with red pupils.

    ¡°Ah Kaleb, good to see you again. Though I have to say I didn¡¯t expect to find you crawling around this part of town.¡± She said, looking up from a weapons manual.

    ¡°Wendy?¡± I asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Wendy was the owner of Wendy¡¯s Wonderful Weapons in the adventurer district. I had met her a little while ago when I needed my bow fixing and some new daggers, which she¡¯d absolutely fleeced me for.

    I didn¡¯t know much about her, but what I did know hadn¡¯t left the best impression. She was a shrewd and calculating business owner and she hated Panda because he had found out that she was cheating on his previous summoner and, being a dutiful familiar, he had ratted her out.

    ¡°I own this bar.¡± She said dourly. ¡°The real question is what are you doing here and why are my employees so up in arms about it?¡± She looked at me over the top of her manual, raising a single eyebrow and scowling at Panda. ¡°Also leave your pet outside please Kaleb, we¡¯ve been over this.¡±

    ¡°Not this time Wendy,¡± I said sternly. ¡°I¡¯m only here for one thing. I need to know how to get into The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. If you know where the Havar entrance is then kindly tell me and I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    She leaned back in her chair and placed the weapons manual down on her desk. Smiling slightly, she looked me up and down and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

    ¡°Well, well. Look who finally grew some balls?¡± She purred, holding onto every word as if she was dropping them off for their first day at nursery. ¡°Alright Kaleb, I¡¯ll play ball. Say I do know how to get in, what¡¯s it worth to you.¡±

    I sighed, shaking my head, and rubbing my eyes with my thumb and forefinger.

    ¡°Listen Wendy, I don¡¯t have time to play these games today. Give me a price, or say I owe you a favour or¡­ whatever. Just don¡¯t waste any more of my god damned time.¡±

    ¡°Wow, someone¡¯s not had his baby formula this morning,¡± she chuckled, ¡°ok, sure I can tell you where it is, but it¡¯s going to cost you a lot. One million gold to be precise.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have that much,¡± I said bluntly.

    ¡°Then come back when you do,¡± she said with a dismissive wave of her arm.

    ¡°No,¡± I said, feeling my frustration rising. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play a game of ¡®whose dick is bigger¡¯ with you Wendy. Tell me what I need to know or I¡¯ll tell the royal inquisitors that you¡¯re all anarchists. I¡¯m sure that a random tip off from a renowned adventurer would be enough to make sure they¡¯d give you guys a pretty hard time, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Shame you¡¯re not a renowned adventurer then isn¡¯t it?¡± She replied calmly.

    I felt the bartender tense up suddenly and begin to raise his crossbow at me. Perhaps unwisely I used Perception of the Apex Predator for less than a second and snatched the weapon away from him. When time resumed I was pointing it squarely at Wendy¡¯s face.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± I asked cooly. ¡°I¡¯m the hero of Havar.¡±

    I fired the bolt. Wendy sat stock still, staring at me with her cold, calculative eyes as it sailed past her head and stuck into the wall, leaving a shallow cut on her cheek.

    Shit, that woman is infallible.

    The bartender glanced from her to me and back again. He looked so confused, the poor guy. He probably had no idea that I¡¯d never sell them out to the royal inquisition, I didn¡¯t like them either.

    My threat had definitely fooled him, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it had worked on Wendy. The svartalf seemed a little too clever and cunning for her own good.

    We stared at each other for a tense moment until she eventually broke the stalemate with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll tell you where the entrance is,¡± she said, leaning forward on the desk, pushing her palms into her eyes. ¡°Jeez kid, I don¡¯t know what the hell happened to you since the last time we met but you¡¯re almost someone worthy of respect now¡­ almost.¡±

    I tossed the crossbow back to the surprised bartender who fumbled with it in the corner.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long week and I get cranky when I don¡¯t get my nap,¡± I replied with a half-smile.

 Chapter 101 â€“ El â€˜Dorado

    ¡°If you want to find the entrance to The Morningstar Hotel and Spa you¡¯ll need to get inside El ¡¯Dorado.¡± Wendy said, sitting back in her chair as if my previous outburst and the blood trickling down her cheek weren¡¯t bothersome in the slightest.

    I raised my palm, gesturing for her to go on.

    ¡°El ¡®Dorado,¡± she continued, ¡°is an elite entertainment establishment here in the red-light district. It¡¯s renowned for only serving a high standard of clientele.¡±

    ¡°So, in other words, it¡¯s pay to play?¡± I asked, crossing my arms, and sighing openly. Why was nothing ever simple?

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Wendy replied with a half smirk on her purple face. ¡°The buy in is expensive, but anyone can raise some gold. No¡­ El ¡®Dorado refuses to serve anyone who isn¡¯t a noble, even if they do have money.¡±

    I sighed again, rubbing my forehead as a deep, throbbing pain began to ruminate inside my skull. I dove back into my HUD and re-selected my party suit.

    ¡°So, if I dress like this it¡¯ll help?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Maybe, though if you were friends with a noble who could vouch for you it¡¯d be easier,¡± she replied. ¡°At least you have the mark though, that saves me some explaining.¡±

    Wendy gestured to the pentagram tattoo on the back of my hand and leant in closer to inspect it.

    ¡°How did you get that?¡± She asked, reaching out to grab my hand which I snatched away quickly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    ¡°Well, regardless. You won¡¯t get anywhere near the entrance if you can¡¯t get into El ¡®Dorado.¡± The svartalf smirked and leant back in her chair, crossing her arms, and eyeing me up.

    ¡°I suppose you know an easier way inside?¡± I asked, my headache worsening as I guessed where this conversation was going.

    ¡°How perceptive of you,¡± she chuckled, ¡°it just so happens that I do. I know a guy who works there and for a price, maybe I¡¯ll vouch for you and see if he can add your name to the list of nobles they give to the bouncers.¡±

    ¡°Well, I saw that coming a mile away,¡± Panda groaned, pulling out his bamboo pipe and lighting it to Wendy¡¯s displeasure. ¡°Once a snake, always a snake. Ain¡¯t that right kid?¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± I asked through clenched teeth.

    This whole charade was getting ridiculous. I was wasting so much time by having to jump through all of these hoops. Time that Bell might not have.

    ¡°100,000 gold,¡± she replied cooly without hesitation.

    She¡¯d been leading the conversation towards this from the start. If there was one thing I knew about Wendy for certain, it was that the only thing she ever seemed to care about was cold hard cash.

    I mean honestly, a weapon¡¯s merchant moonlighting as a sketchy bar owner. Who does that?

    ¡°Deal,¡± I said, delving into my inventory and depositing the gold directly onto her desk.

    100,000 gold coins began to spill from my palm. The desk cracked under the weight and gold coins spilled out, filling the room. The svartalf jumped back, nearly falling off her chair as the unstoppable tide of gold ruined her office.

    ¡°Oh, sorry about that,¡± I said with a grin as I jumped back to avoid my mess. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to set up my system banking with Adventure Society yet.¡±

    Wendy wasted no time in sucking the gold into her own inventory and within moments the coins were gone. Her desk, however, was completely destroyed, even the floor had cracked slightly under the weight.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t raise the price,¡± she muttered, quickly composing herself and standing in front of her broken chair. ¡°My contact¡¯s name is Gav, I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re coming. Once you get in, meet him by the bar on the second floor and he¡¯ll show you to your hidden syndicate entrance.¡±

    ¡°Nice doing business with you,¡± I replied, moving towards the exit whilst the bartender watched, aghast at the exchange. ¡°I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t need saying, but if you¡¯re fucking with me I will be back here, and my next visit might not be so amicable.¡±

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    I left the office before she had a chance to reply, grinning smugly to myself.

    ¡°My next visit might not be so amicable?¡± Panda repeated slowly as we moved back through the crowded bar and left the establishment. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of thing people say in shady back-office dealings,¡± I replied nonchalantly. ¡°Why, what kind of threat would you have made?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a sage, we don¡¯t need to make threats,¡± he replied.

    ¡°More like you can¡¯t back them up,¡± I chuckled as we reached the top of the stairs and returned to the pleasant night¡¯s breeze.

    The red-light district was still bustling with prostitutes, creepy nobles, and commoners window shopping for the pleasures of the flesh.

    ¡°I take it you know where this place is?¡± I asked Panda as he began walking in the opposite direction to me.

    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s pretty hard to miss, kid,¡± he replied, ¡°you¡¯ll see.¡±

    We strolled in silence up the busy street trying to avoid any unwanted social interactions with the locals. The entire area made me feel uncomfortable. It was just so out in the open.

    Where I was from, solicitation and prostitution were illegal so those who partook tended to keep it on the down low. I¡¯d heard that it was quite different in other places, namely Amsterdam, but I¡¯d never actually been there myself.

    The glowing neon signs that lit the cramped streets were a far cry from the medieval fantasy theme I¡¯d gotten used to in the other districts.

    There were some neon signs and of course the Adventure Society building was a glass skyscraper, but this place felt¡­ different.

    We rounded a corner and suddenly I understood what Panda meant when he¡¯d said that El ¡®Dorado was pretty hard to miss.

    Standing tall at the heart of the red-light district was a multi-tiered, golden building that looked more like a Japanese temple than a high-end brothel.

    In place of neon, it had a large sign written in fancy, curly, calligraphy that said El ¡®Dorado in bright, silver letters. Large stone steps surrounded the building on all sides and there was an ornate stone fountain directly in front of it.

    ¡°Well this place certainly¡­ stands out,¡± I muttered to Panda as we approached.

    ¡°I told you so,¡± he replied, ¡°now let¡¯s just hope that dirty, conniving, cheating, svartalf held up her end of the bargain.¡±

    I nodded and we approached the front entrance. There was a long queue stretching back halfway down the street filled with chattering people in normal clothing.

    It was obvious that none of them belonged to noble families. I was no expert on nobility, but I knew enough to know that no self-respecting rich bitch would be caught dead in peasant¡¯s clothing.

    ¡°I thought this place was nobles only?¡± I said quietly as we strolled casually to the front of the line.

    ¡°It is, but that doesn¡¯t stop people from trying their luck anyway,¡± Panda replied, offering a casual wave of his paw.

    As we walked past the queuing people, I began to notice some of them gawking at us whilst others gave us dirty looks. I could hardly blame them, I¡¯d be pretty pissed off myself if someone cut the queue in front of me, but needs must and all that.

    I forced my way through a small gathering of young human men and found myself standing in front of a large lycanid bouncer. He looked me up and down with bored, appraising eyes as his muzzle twitched ever so slightly.

    ¡°Name?¡± He asked cordially.

    ¡°Kaleb Akabane,¡± I replied. I could feel my palms beginning to sweat, this contact of Wendy¡¯s had better have pulled through.

    The lycanid spent a moment scanning a list on a long scroll in his hands. It seemed oddly medieval considering the neon signs that littered the district. I¡¯d have expected him to have used some kind of magic iPad or something.

    ¡°You¡¯re on the list,¡± he muttered in a low, yet somehow polite, growl. ¡°Go on in and have a nice evening sir.¡±

    I nodded to him and accepted his offer, walking hurriedly through the open, sliding paper doors.

    ¡°I guess Wendy¡¯s guy was real after all,¡± I whispered to Panda.

    He huffed back at me as we stepped into the entrance of El ¡®Dorado, it was like a whole other world. Inside the odd, golden oriental temple was a refined and lavishly decorated establishment.

    There were private booths filled with suit wearing nobles, each with a skimpily dressed girl on their arm. Well dressed, beautiful waitresses roamed around with golden bottles of bubbling liquid cradled in their arms.

    There was a small bar in the corner, dancers on small platforms dotted about and three of the four walls were covered with sliding, paper doors which I could only assume led to private rooms.

    It certainly wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d expected. With the exception of the private rooms and the dancers, it reminded me of a cabaret club ¨C not that I¡¯d ever actually been to one of those, but I¡¯d seen them in manga.

    ¡°Good evening gentlemen,¡± a charming and overtly feminine voice said as we took a step inside. ¡°Welcome to El ¡®Dorado, where your wildest dreams come true. How may we serve you this evening?¡±

    I looked to my left-hand side and saw a white furred catonid in a yukata staring up at me. She had her hands cupped delicately in front of her and she wore a light contouring makeup on her face which gave it the impression of being longer and more angular.

    ¡°We¡¯re not quite sure just yet,¡± Panda said, thankfully taking over for me, ¡°but we were thinking we might start with a drink, perhaps somewhere on the second floor? I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s nice up there.¡±

    It was in times like these that I was thankful for my familiar¡¯s oddly high charisma ability. I would have definitely stumbled on my words and sounded like a virgin if I¡¯d have answered.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re looking for one of those kinds of evenings?¡± The catonid replied coyly, looking me up and down and fluttering her long eyelashes. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Though you might be a tad overdressed for the second-floor sir. Perhaps you¡¯d allow me to help you change into something more¡­ fitting?¡±

    I looked at her, at a complete loss for words as I felt my heart jump into my throat.

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Panda said in my stead, ¡°please lead on.¡±

    The woman smiled and grabbed my arm delicately, hooking her own around it and pushing herself into me.

    I hope Layla never finds out about this; she¡¯d kill me.

 Chapter 102 â€“ Never Trust A Leprechaun

    The voluptuous catonid escort led Panda and me into a private room in the back. My heart pounded in my chest as she opened the sliding paper door to reveal¡­ a shower room.

    ¡°Please take a moment to wash yourselves and then change into our complimentary bathrobes,¡± she said courteously, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes to escort you to the second floor.¡±

    I nodded my thanks as she left the room and Panda started giggling.

    ¡°Once a furry, always a furry,¡± he said through the laughter.

    ¡°You knew this was all she wanted from us didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked, turning towards him with a frown etched deeply into my face.

    ¡°Yup,¡± he chuckled, ¡°but it was worth keeping it to myself to see you get all flustered like that. This is a fancy place Kaleb. The sex workers here expect to be wined and dined first, not to mention that they demand proper hygiene. People don¡¯t come to a place like this for a quickie, they want the full El ¡®Dorado experience.¡±

    ¡°Well you could have given me a heads up at least,¡± I sighed before delving into my HUD to unequip my clothing. I stepped into the shower, relishing the luxury of warm water drenching my hair and body.

    Afterwards I slipped into the provided robe. It was black and seemed to be made of a silk-like material that hung lose and comfortably.

    Once the escort returned we followed her to the second floor which was laid out in a much more personal setting. Pillows and low tables littered the floor with bamboo shielding surrounding each area for some privacy.

    The men all wore the same robes as I was, but the women were dressed in a plethora of varying garments from refined kimonos to sequined bikinis. There was a look for every mood it seemed.

    ¡°I will leave you gentlemen in the capable hands of the second-floor servers,¡± our escort began, ¡°thank you for your patronage and please enjoy your evening.

    She bowed before leaving. The entire set-up seemed oddly oriental to me, even the way the girls spoke and acted was all very eastern. Despite the name, El ¡®Dorado was a facsimile of what I imagined a Shogun¡¯s personal brothel to be like.

    After the catonid had left, I took the opportunity to try and meet Gav. He was supposed to be our second-floor contact and was the man who had gotten our names on the list outside.

    I approached the bar casually and leaned over the countertop, pretending to peruse the selection of beverages, but really trying to decide how to ask the bartender for our contact¡¯s location.

    ¡°What can I get for you sir?¡± A well-dressed human bartender asked.

    She was dressed in tight pants and a white shirt with a waistcoat, unbuttoned just enough to remind us that we were indeed in a brothel.

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Our specialty this evening is called a Mandrake¡¯s Petal. It¡¯s a lovely blend of dark liquor, blue fizz, and purple draconic juice served with a mandrake¡¯s petal on the top to add some fiery zest,¡± she replied in a practiced voice.

    ¡°That sounds delightful,¡± Panda said, climbing up onto a barstool beside me. ¡°We¡¯ll take two please.¡±

    As the bartender nodded and began mixing our drinks I slid a little closer to the bar and popped the question.

    ¡°Is Gav working tonight?¡± I asked as nonchalantly as I could.

    ¡°He¡­ is,¡± she replied slowly. ¡°Are you well acquainted with our manager?¡±

    ¡°I am, he¡¯s an old friend. I haven¡¯t seen him in a while but I¡¯d heard he was working here now,¡± I replied, hoping I wasn¡¯t digging myself a hole with such a detailed reply.

    ¡°I can let him know you¡¯re here if you like?¡± The bartender asked, sliding the first drink across the bar towards me.

    ¡°That would be great,¡± I said, ¡°tell him Kaleb is back in town.¡±

    She nodded and left after sliding a drink to Panda who nearly allowed it to slide off the end of the bar as his undexterous paws fumbled with the bulbous glass.

    I smiled over at him and then took a sip from my taller glass of swirling blue and purple liquid. It tasted sweet with a fiery kick at the end that was just enough to warm the tongue.

    The bartender returned a few moments later with a short, well-dressed man in tow.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± He exclaimed, opening his arms, and walking towards me like an old friend. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were in town.¡± He pulled me into a hug and urgently whispered in my ear, ¡°play along, we can talk properly in private.¡±

    ¡°Gav, I haven¡¯t seen you in ages,¡± I said in an obviously fake voice. Acting wasn¡¯t really my strong suit but I spied the bartender minding her own business as she moved back behind the bar so hopefully it worked well enough.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Come, come,¡± Gav said, gesturing towards his office in the back, ¡°I¡¯ve got a lovely Athenile 1500 sitting on the shelf in my office and I can¡¯t think of a better reason to crack it open than reuniting with an old friend after such a long time.¡±

    As he turned away I focused on his small frame and a notification popped up in my HUD.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Leprechaun

    The Leprechaun are a humble race famous for their pranks and mischievous personalities. Often said to be found hunting for multicoloured cereal at the end of rainbows, the Leprechaun are a rare people who usually show up at the worst possible time and disappear as soon as you realise you¡¯ve been bamboozled.

    Do not attempt to steal their lucky charms.

    Ignoring the system¡¯s comments about well know cereal adverts, I followed the man with the slight Irish accent into a back room. It looked just like any other office room with the exception of the sliding paper doors.

    He sat behind a large desk and gestured for us to join him.

    ¡°Wendy says you¡¯re after infiltrating The Morningstar Hotel and Spa,¡± he began, immediately changing his tone to a less forced one. ¡°Nasty business that, but who am I to judge eh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I replied, ¡°we were told that the entrance is inside the El ¡®Dorado and that you can show us the way.¡±

    ¡°Indeed I can,¡± he said coyly, ¡°considering it¡¯s right here in my office.¡±

    He turned to the side and pulled a book halfway out of a bookcase to his right. The case slid to the side revealing a door which was blacker than the abyss.

    There was a grinning gargoyle head jutting out of the door with an open mouth.

    ¡°Stick your hand in there and if you have the mark it¡¯ll open,¡± Gav explained, ¡°if not, then there¡¯s nothing more I can do for you.¡±

    I stood up and glanced at Panda out of the corner of my eyes. I delved into the chat function in my HUD.

    Kaleb: Something doesn¡¯t feel right about this.

    Panda: Yup, you can¡¯t trust a leprechaun.

    Kaleb: Not that! I mean that the door is in his office. He must have ties to the Morningstar Collective. This could be a trap.

    Panda: Oh yeah, that too.

    I walked towards the door, trying to mask the irritation on my face. Something was definitely off, but I didn¡¯t have much of a choice now.

    I placed my hand into the gargoyle¡¯s mouth and felt a slight burning over the place where my pentagram mark was. I removed my hand quickly as the pain made me jump and the door swung inwards revealing a swirling green portal.

    ¡°Well, would you look at that,¡± Gav crooned, ¡°a marked man are you? Off you go then and pleasure doing business with you.¡±

    ¡°Before we go,¡± I asked, turning towards the man, and quickly changing back into my armour with the instant effect of my HUD¡¯s equip function. ¡°What kind of trap are we walking into?¡±

    Gav jumped back in his chair at my sudden outfit change and gasped in an overly dramatic way.

    ¡°Trap?¡± He said, sounding offended. ¡°There¡¯re no traps in there from me, I can assure you. I might work with the Morningstar Collective but believe you me, there¡¯s no love between us. I collect my pay and let their customers through the door and that¡¯s that.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I said calmly, ¡°but if I find out you¡¯re lying to me¡­ I¡¯ll be back.¡± I gazed at him hard for a few moments as his bemused smile turned into a slight frown.

    ¡°You¡¯re really playing into that whole edge lord look today aren¡¯t you kid?¡± Panda said as he stepped up to the portal and peered at it sceptically.

    Without replying I stepped through the portal, leaving just enough time to glare back at Gav a second time.

    I felt my stomach do a somersault as I whirred through the green abyss, but thankfully it was over quickly as I was thrown out on the other side. I felt queasy, like I might vomit at any second but I managed to hold it down.

    Panda stepped out next to me.

    ¡°It can be rough the first time,¡± he said, patting my leg sympathetically. ¡°Not the first time I¡¯ve had to say that.¡±

    The portal had dumped us in a small and empty foyer with red walls and a marble flooring. There was a large concierge desk right in front of us with a bored-looking man sat at it reading a book.

    ¡°Welcome to The Morningstar Hotel and Spa, is this your first time visiting us?¡± He asked without taking his eyes off the crinkled pages.

    ¡°It is,¡± I replied, approaching the desk.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± He asked, looking up at us and folding the edge of his page over before shutting the book and placing it under the desk. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had any new patrons.¡±

    At that moment my HUD flashed and I opened the notification.

    Achievement Unlocked:

    666

    So you¡¯ve finally bitten the bullet and said goodbye to those pesky morals that have been bothering you your whole life.

    You¡¯ve entered The Morningstar Hotel and Spa a place for player killers, bandits, outlaws, ne¡¯er-do-wells, and other scum. You¡¯ll fit in just perfectly.

    Please check your tommy gun and fedora at the door and collect your cigar from the front desk.

    Reward: ne¡¯er-do-well loot box

    ¡°¡­ And in the back you¡¯ll find the casino which also has a bar and that¡¯s about it, any questions?¡± The receptionist asked and I realised he¡¯d been explaining the layout to my whilst I¡¯d been busy reading my notification.

    Most notifications stopped time, or at least slowed it down. However, for some reason, achievements didn¡¯t work that way. I guessed it must have been because they weren¡¯t urgent or something.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine thank you,¡± I replied and walked past him towards the double doors at the back. ¡°Oh, actually, just one thing,¡± I said, stopping short of the door and turning back, ¡°do I come back here when I¡¯m ready to leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the man said, ¡°just come back here and I¡¯ll open a portal back to where you came from.¡±

    ¡°Can I go through a portal to somewhere else?¡± I asked, an idea brimming in the back of my mind.

    ¡°No sir, only platinum members can use that service I¡¯m afraid,¡± he replied.

    I looked at him for a long moment waiting for him to continue but he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°How do I become a platinum member?¡± I asked poignantly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± he said in a deadpan tone, ¡°that privilege is reserved for the capos and above and you¡¯re not even in the syndicate.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s helpful, I thought with an internal sigh.

    I thanked the man and opened the large double doors. It was time to find Bell and then get the hell out of this place before someone killed me and stole my skin.

 Chapter 103 â€“ Jack The Reaper: Donâ€™t Fuck It Up

    Having finished up his most recent mission on the northern continent, Jack headed quickly towards the local church of Diako.

    He had been instructed to meet his handler there and he didn¡¯t want to cause any delays. Jack had spent the last week mostly assassinating famous merchants across the continent and he¡¯d jumped a serious number of levels because of it.

    He¡¯d also assassinated a king on some small island nation who was a level 56 which netted Jack a cool amount of experience, now he was well on his way to hitting phase three.

    That had been quite a job. Luckily for Jack some local syndicate guys had been running their own operation to kidnap some outworlder who was attending the party there. That provided Jack with the perfect distraction so he could take out the big man.

    It had been a bit of a rushed job; the place had just suffered a dragon attack and was in shambles. The idiotic king had chosen then of all times to throw a lavish party.

    What a prick, Jack had thought. He had absolutely no remorse for killing a ruler like that. I mean seriously, who throws a party when his people are reeling from half the town being destroyed?

    The assassin didn¡¯t really understand the need to take out merchants, the king he understood, politics and all that, but the merchants didn¡¯t make much sense to him. However, his was not to reason why so he did as he was instructed and headed home.

    Home, that had a weird ring to it. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d had a place that he genuinely considered his home. It was an alien feeling and not one he welcomed.

    The Reaper had grown up in an orphanage where he¡¯d learned to fight to survive. Food was scarce, love and attention were non-existent, and his only education was from the school of hard knocks.

    Naturally, he¡¯d joined the military as soon as he was old enough and the rest was history. He couldn¡¯t exactly say that he¡¯d had a good life, or even been a good person, but he had survived¡­ somehow, and that was enough.

    Meeting the god Diako had changed all of that though. He was still killing people for a living sure, but now he felt like he had a purpose, like he was serving a true higher power and not just doing the dirty work of rich bureaucrats.

    Having spent much of his life fighting wars against religious fanatics, he never expected to become one himself. Well, fanatic was a strong word, it¡¯s not like he¡¯d throw on a suicide vest and run into a school just because Diako asked him to. In fact, if his new god did ask him to do that then he¡¯d likely leave The Organisation behind.

    Still, he felt like he had a purpose again and he was happy to make himself useful to such a powerful being. Not to mention the personal power boosts he¡¯d received by working for him, that certainly sweetened the deal.

    As Jack entered the church he was met with the familiar cool feeling that washed over all who entered. From what he had gathered, Diako was a god who wasn¡¯t well known in most places, but in the city of Diopolis his flock were everywhere.

    Diopolis was a safe haven for members of The Organisation and that was partly due to the heavily fortified walls which surrounded the city.

    ¡°Boss wants to see you,¡± Bert grunted as Jack walked into the main church hall.

    ¡°Why?¡± The Reaper replied.

    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Bert shrugged, ¡°he¡¯s in the back talking to our Lord.¡±

    With a nod, Jack marched past the brutish man and entered the back office. Clint, his newest handler, sat with his feet up on a desk and a bottle in his hand. His eyes were closed, but they were moving behind his eyelids which Jack had come to learn, meant that he was talking with Diako.

    The god was able to talk to his vassals telepathically, which was something Jack still wasn¡¯t completely comfortable with, despite how useful it could be.

    Take a seat Jack, Diako whispered into the assassin¡¯s mind.

    It was a strange feeling to commune with a god like this. It felt invasive and unnatural yet somehow comforting. Jack wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about the odd way of communicating just yet but he hoped one day he¡¯d get used to it. The feeling of shivers going down his spine every damned time was not one he enjoyed.

    Dutifully he took a seat opposite Clint and waited.

    A few moments passed and then Clint opened his eyes and took a long swig from his bottle. His sighed satisfactorily and then cast his gaze on Jack.

    ¡°You have new orders Rook,¡± he said, ¡°come with me.¡±

    The broad man removed his feet from the table and stood up, leaving the room with Jack dutifully in tow. He wasn¡¯t overly keen on Clint, he seemed too unprofessional, but for the time being he was in charge so Jack did as he was asked.

    One day, I¡¯ll be at the top, he thought greedily as he followed Clint downstairs into the basement.

    Tied up inside the small, dingy basement was a man who had been stripped down to his underwear. He was fat and hairy and he looked terrified.

    ¡°Kill him,¡± Clint said, stepping to the side.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Without hesitation, Jack summoned the sniper rifle he had made back in Britania and, drawing on his mana reserves, fired a clean hole through the man¡¯s skull.

    He didn¡¯t even give the prisoner time to plead for his life.

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Killing In The Name Of

    You have taken the life of another player, you rascal. If Diako asked you to bend over and take one for the team I bet you¡¯d do that too.

    Reward: PKing loot box

    Jack had gotten used to the systems strange way of communicating. At first he got annoyed at its constant attempts to berate him. Now though, he mostly just ignored it.

    Loot box rewards could be quite useful and he¡¯d happily take a bit of slander if it meant he could get more useful items.

    ¡°Good, now loot the body,¡± Clint instructed.

    Jack moved closer to the corpse of the man he¡¯d murdered and a looting him. He didn¡¯t get anything special and began to wonder what this was all about.

    ¡°What now?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get the adsorption notification?¡± Clint asked, a thin bead of sweat cresting the top of his forehead.

    Jack shook his head.

    His brain felt like it was on fire all of a sudden as he felt the sheer force of Diako¡¯s anger. He had no idea what he done to upset the god so much but he dropped to the floor clutching his skull as waves of agony rushed through him.

    Then, as suddenly as it had started, the pain went away.

    We¡¯re going to have to skin him, he heard in his head. It was Diako¡¯s voice but it sounded more like a raspy, angry hiss than his usual baritone.

    Clint must have heard it too because with a shaky sigh, he hoisted the corpse over his shoulder and left the room, beckoning Jack to follow.

    Without a word, Clint laid out the dead man on a large X which seemed to be made of two wooden beams which crossed at the centre. There was a vat of bubbling acid in front of the X.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to do this quickly, he should be alive for this part,¡± Clint said in a worried voice as he tied the man to the X. ¡°Acid is the only was to remove the tattoo from the soul as you cut¡­ the cutting is your job.¡±

    He handed Jack a small knife which glinted in the eerie green glow that come from the acid pot.

    Clint began pouring acid all over the body, well, everywhere apart from the odd tattoo which looked like some kind of unreadable code.

    As Jack began to cut, all he could think was how lucky it was that the man was dead. If this procedure was supposed to be performed on the living¡­ well, let¡¯s just say it wouldn¡¯t be very pleasant.

    ***

    New Quest: The Celestial Map

    Collect all the piece of The Celestial Map. Upon completion of this quest you will unlock another quest.

    Objectives:

    Map pieces collected 2/10,000

    Reward: Vast Cosmic Power

    Vast Cosmic Power? Jack thought as he reread the last line of the quest. He had no idea what that meant but 10,000 kills, which he¡¯d presumably have to hunt down individually and skin, sounded like a lot of work for such a vague reward.

    He wondered what all that talk of absorption was about. Was he supposed to be able to do that as an outworlder? Would Diako order him to be skinned once he outlived his usefulness? That wasn¡¯t worth thinking about right now, so he pushed it from his mind.

    Assuming some outworlders had this strange absorption power it was possible that someone already had half the map completed ¨C unlikely, but possible. It was also possible that Diako would use that person to take Jack¡¯s tattoo. Did he need to be dead for that to work? He¡¯d give it up willingly if asked, but he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be killed in the process.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that¡¯s over with,¡± Clint said, wiping his hands and carefully placing the collected skin into a sealed box. ¡°The big man says to go to your bunk and open that box. Supposedly it¡¯ll let you into some club run by the syndicate and he wants you to get in there. Your orders are to infiltrate and then hold for further instruction. Our Lord Diako will be running this op personally so don¡¯t fuck it up.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Jack replied and turned to leave the basement. The less time he had to spend in Clint¡¯s presence the better.

    He retired early and opened his loot box. It floated down from the ceiling in an eery red glow and then popped open with a squelch as red confetti shot out everywhere.

    Great, something else for me to clean up, Jack sighed internally.

    PKing Loot Box

    Player killing, what a despicable pastime you have. Do you know what player killers and Rishi Sunak have in common? No one likes them.

    Welcome to the party pal.

    Reward: Entrance to The Morningstar Hotel and Spa.

    The Reaper smirked at the comment, he wasn¡¯t too fond of the UK prime minister either. Then again, he wasn¡¯t fond of anyone who grew up with a silver spoon in their mouth, especially one who had it out for dogs. Animals were one of the few things on his old planet that Jack actually liked.

    He had adopted an XL Bully a few years back. It was a dopey-ass motherfucker and it went ballistic whenever he¡¯d get back from operation. Having that kind of greeting for your homecoming was a nice, albeit rare, feeling.

    He missed that dog dearly.

    I wonder if he¡¯s still running the country, Jack thought absently. They weren¡¯t too far away from the next election when he¡¯d been teleported to Celestia. Hell, maybe the country had finally risen up in revolt and removed him themselves? ¡­Nah, stiff upper lip culture doesn¡¯t promote revolution. He thought with a fond smile, that way of thinking had kept him sane all these years. He couldn¡¯t exactly admonish it now.

    The red light emanating from the box grew stronger, breaking Jack out of his reverie and practically blinding him, then he felt his hand begin to burn.

    When the box had finally disappeared and his vision returned, Jack looked at the painful area to see that a pentagram tattoo had appeared on the back of his hand.

    He focused on the red lines marring his skin and a notification appeared on his interface.

    The Morningstar Hotel and Spa

    Hello player! Do you like murder, debauchery, and depravity of a sexual nature? Why of course you do! Just like a mid-noughties tween teabagging a fresh kill on Call of Duty, you¡¯ve become a player killer!

    Yippee, those are the best kind!

    What¡¯s the only thing better than a player killer, I hear you ask? A serial player killer!

    So come on down to The Morning Star Hotel and Spa and try out our¡­ facilities¡­ completely free of charge!

    He read over the words a few times before dismissing the notification.

    The Morningstar Hotel and Spa, he thought, so that¡¯s where I¡¯m going for my next assignment. Sounds sketchy.

    Jack had no idea how to get into the hotel, but he trusted that full details would be provided in the morning. For now it was time to get some rest. He had no doubt that this next assignment, like the many before it, would be a long one.

 Chapter 104 â€“ That Last Part Certainly Sounds Ominous

    I opened the double doors which led from the foyer into The Morningstar Hotel and Spa and was immediately bombarded with flashing lights and loud, thumping music.

    The main room seemed to be a club and it was full to the brim with shifty looking patrons dancing, drinking and, in the case of the weird slime guy off to the left, blobbing.

    I considered focusing on him to see what he was but decided against it. I''d already wasted enough time trying to get here so finding Bell had to be my only priority for the immediate future. I didn¡¯t have time for distractions.

    There was a bar in the corner so I headed in that direction. Bartenders always had the scoop on local goings on.

    As Panda and I squeezed our way across the crowded dancefloor I noticed a person in strange samurai armour talking to a group of men in a booth. They had a wolf with them, which was odd. I hadn¡¯t met anyone else with a familiar so far. Unless it was wild wolf they¡¯d somehow trained? That would be cool as shit.

    Why would there be samurai armour in Celestia? I wondered, the similarities between this world and mine are so weird.

    Sitting to the far side of the bar was a shady-looking man in a trench coat. He seemed to be watching me out of the corner of his eye. Naturally I avoided him and made a beeline for the bartender instead.

    ¡°What can I get for you?¡± The bartender asked, placing both hands on the countertop and leaning in.

    ¡°Some information would be nice,¡± I began, ¡°if I was looking to hire someone to say¡­ precure a certain biological item for me, could that be arranged?¡±

    Panda: Biological item?

    Kaleb: I¡¯m trying to be cagey, that¡¯s how criminals talk isn¡¯t it?

    Panda: Maybe if they were buying chemical weapons¡­

    The bartender scowled at me for a moment before sighing and shaking his head, mostly to himself.

    ¡°Look pal,¡± he began, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard about procurement of Celestial Map pieces but I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not true and The Morningstar Collective don¡¯t have anything to do with it. So kindly buy a drink or fuck off.¡± He turned away from me muttering and walked to the other side of the bar, literally as far from me as he could without leaving his post.

    ¡°Well that was rude,¡± I mumbled to Panda.

    ¡°Sounded to me like you hit a nerve,¡± he replied, ¡°there¡¯s definitely something going on here.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I can help?¡± The trench coat wearing man asked in a hushed tone. He had moved closer to us and I hadn¡¯t even noticed. We were practically touching when he spoke and I had to use all of my willpower to prevent myself from jumping back or punching him in the face in shock.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked tentatively, looking up at his squared, action hero jaw.

    ¡°Most people call me The Reaper, but my friends call me Jack,¡± he replied casually.

    ¡°The Reaper?¡± Panda snorted, ¡°what kind of moniker is that? Do you live in a retirement home praying on old folks or something?¡±

    ¡°¡­Or something,¡± Jack replied casually, a slight smirk twitching on his thin lips.

    He was a well-built man. Not quite bodybuilder level like Sally, but muscle still showed through his trench coat and it looked like the kind of muscle that one attained through practical use rather than through lifting weights ¨C like a soldier.

    How do I know that? Is this the work of my perception stat going up? I wondered.

    ¡°Why would you help us?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes trained on him, he was obviously dubious.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°The why doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he began, ¡°what does matter is that I know where they¡¯re keeping your friend and how you can get to her.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Panda and I yelled almost in unison.

    A few members of the crowd glanced our way at the sudden outburst, including the odd samurai person in the corner. After a few seconds everyone went back to minding their own business though and I tempered my emotions, keeping my voice low.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked again in a hushed and measured tone.

    ¡°This place is a lot bigger than most people realise,¡± Jack replied, ¡°it has a subterranean level where the most¡­ nefarious activities take place. Your friend is being held down there.¡±

    ¡°How do we get in?¡± I asked, growing more and more impatient by the minute.

    ¡°The subterranean area is only open to platinum members,¡± he replied.

    I¡¯d already spoken to the receptionist earlier about becoming a platinum member and he¡¯d said that it was only available to capos or above within the syndicate itself.

    ¡°I can give you the membership,¡± Jack continued, ¡°my employer is¡­ affiliated with the syndicates and has higher level access than most. However, I will need something in return.¡±

    Here we go, this is what he¡¯s been leading up to, I thought.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now,¡± he said, ¡°let¡¯s just call it a favour. I need your word that you¡¯ll help me when the time comes.¡±

    I looked towards Panda who shrugged. A favour could mean anything from spotting him a few gold pieces to helping him destabilise the local government, and from the look of this shady-ass dude it was more likely to be the latter.

    Still, I didn¡¯t really have much of a choice if I wanted to help Bell did I?

    ¡°Fine,¡± I replied, crossing my arms, ¡°but if you ask me to murder children or do something that will hurt my friends then I¡¯m out.¡±

    ¡°What kind of guy do you take me for?¡± Jack replied lightly, opening his arms in mock offence. ¡°Take this, if you keep it in your inventory it will allow you access to pretty much anywhere in the hotel. That¡¯s all I can do for you, good luck.¡±

    Jack passed me a small business card which looked like it was made of paper but felt as hard as metal.

    You have received a new item:

    Platinum Membership Card

    This card allows platinum level access to all amenities at The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. We hope you enjoy your debauchery; you now have access to the following:

    <ul>

    <li>Penthouse suit</li>

    <li>Teleportation to other entrances (please see the receptionist)</li>

    <li>Basement level access</li>

    <li>Discount on syndicate hiring services</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°That last part certainly sounds ominous,¡± I said as I finished reading the notification. ¡°Let¡¯s go find this basement level.¡±

    ***

    Jack retreated back into the crowd after giving Kaleb the card. He kept the two in his sight line but used his abilities to blend into the crowd enough that the outworlder and his pet would think Jack had disappeared.

    Well done Jack, the familiar and unsettling presence of Diako said, entering his mind. My plan is set in motion.

    ¡°What exactly do you want with that guy?¡± Jack asked quietly, moving to an empty booth so that people wouldn¡¯t notice him talking to himself. He hadn¡¯t mastered the art of telepathic communications yet. One might think that it would be as simple as thinking a response but it wasn¡¯t, so Jack still had to speak aloud.

    Let¡¯s just say I need him for a future plan, Diako replied, for now Jack, watch him closely and keep him alive.

    ¡°Are you demoting me?¡± Jack asked, feeling the frustration rising within him. ¡°Last week I was an international assassin and now I¡¯m what? A babysitter?¡±

    I¡¯ve assigned you this role because your work has pleased me and you are well suited to the task, Diako replied, an air of annoyance seeping into Jack¡¯s mind as he spoke. Complete this task for me, stay close to the boy, and I will give you further instructions when the time comes. Try to get into his good graces, perhaps you can engineer a situation where you save his life. I will leave the details up to you.

    With that, Diako left Jack¡¯s mind and he shuddered, flopping back unceremoniously in his booth chair, and sinking down.

    After a long moment Jack sat back up straight again and began examining the crowd.

    Where has he gone? Jack wondered as he scanned the area. Only moments ago his target was heading away from the bar but now he had completely disappeared.

    Surely he hadn¡¯t ventured down to the lower levels already? Even a complete amateur wouldn¡¯t waltz into the lion¡¯s den without completing any preparations.

    Jack knew that he himself was a professional and was under no illusions that his work was far superior to that of mere adventurers but still¡­ the idea of a single man and his Panda strolling right into the heart of The Morningstar Collective without any information was ludicrous.

    What was he planning to do, stroll up to the first guard and ask about their newest outworlder prisoner?

    On second thought, that¡¯s exactly what a guy what that would do, Jack thought to himself with a gulp. After all, isn¡¯t that the exact thing he just tried with that bartender.

    Jack jumped up from his seat and pushed his way across the dance floor as he hurriedly made his way towards the lower levels. If he wasn¡¯t careful his new assignment would be over before it even began.

    If the panda guy wanted to get himself killed then that was no skin off Jack¡¯s back, but he would not fail his mission because of the incompetence of others.

 Chapter 105 â€“ Did He Just Say Butchery

    Finding the entrance to the basement level was surprisingly easy. There wasn¡¯t a blinking neon sign with an arrow on it which said, ¡°nefarious activities this way,¡± or anything like that, but there was a magic elevator.

    I stepped inside it and the elevator must have registered the platinum card in my inventory because when I had Panda use his mana to activate the control panel, it worked immediately.

    Lacking any mana of my own, I considered myself lucky to have my magical daemon familiar along for the ride as we descended into the bowls of the hotel.

    The doors opened with that familiar department store ping and I stepped out into a small room with two guards.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± I said, strolling towards them in my nobleman¡¯s party suit, ¡°one of you always lies and the other always tells the truth?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognise you,¡± the large one grunted.

    He was a dark-skinned human dressed in an embroidered black suit and sunglasses. Considering we were indoors I had to assume that the sunglasses were part of the uniform¡­ at least I hoped that was why he was wearing them.

    His attire reminded me of the magic feds who had interrogated me before.

    Maybe there just aren¡¯t that many fashion trends in Havar, I thought to myself as the man looked at me and scowled.

    I turned away from him and spoke to his friend instead.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a girl,¡± I began, gesticulating like I was some confident nobleman who frequented sketchy underworld hotels. ¡°Teal hair, round face, likes fireballs, goes by the name of Bell¡­¡± The guard stared at me blankly, ¡°I take it that¡¯s not ringing any then?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The large man said whilst his companion simply stared at me like a gormless cretin.

    ¡°A platinum member,¡± I replied, channelling my inner spoilt rich kid ¨C or at least what I imagined one to be. ¡°And a well-respected member of a great noble house. I need you to tell me where the girl is¡­ I have business with her captor.¡±

    I really hope this works, I thought. I was starting to get tired of all the red tape. I could feel the pressure rising in my chest. If I didn¡¯t get to Bell soon I was going to have to start using violence: a plan that was more likely to get me killed than get her out of chains.

    ¡°Which noble house?¡± The large man asked slowly.

    ¡°Millicent,¡± I replied confidently. They were the first noble house that popped into my head. Jake Millicent was the only noble I actually knew by name, which was kinda funny considering the circumstances in which we met.

    ¡°You¡¯re not permitted into the butchery¡­ Mr Millicent, that area is for syndicate personnel only,¡± he replied through a smug expression.

    Shit, did he just say butchery? I thought, an air of panic twinging inside my head.

    ¡°Kid,¡± Panda said, tugging on the sleeve of my suit jacket, ¡°he just said she¡¯s in the butchery, these guys must be cannibals, we need to get her out of there!¡±

    I didn¡¯t think that was what the term implied considering that Bell was an outworlder and it was much more likely that they were after her map piece, but he was still right. No more playing around, it was time to take this rescue operation to the next level.

    I took a step forward and the large man moved in front of me, folding his arms and blocking my way through. His slender, silent friend moved to my side and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Take another step and we¡¯ll have to eject you forcefully,¡± the large man said with a cruel grin as he cracked his knuckles.

    I summoned my daggers into my hands and slashed the throat of the slender guard at my side. It was a quick, fluid motion as I calmly lifted my hand, stuck the blade into his gullet and flicked the edge through the sinew and skin.

    Blood sprayed from the wound like a faucet, covering my nice new suit and the side of my face as the surprised guard gargled.

    ¡°Amateur,¡± the unphased large man sneered, ¡°he¡¯s a phase three, a severed windpipe won¡¯t kill him. It¡¯ll be healed in a second.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realise acid was so easily healed,¡± I replied cooly, noticing the bubbling, pulsating skin flapping where the man¡¯s gullet should have been.

    His desperate eyes glanced between the large guard and me as he clawed at his gushing neck.

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    I grinned and dashed towards the large guard. I was upon him in a second. My enhanced strength had allowed my legs to push off from the floor at an inhuman speed.

    The large man lifted his arms to block me, but it was too late. I hammered my first dagger through his eyeball and he threw his hands over it, clawing at my fist and the dagger clutched tightly in it.

    At the same time he opened his mouth to scream but before any sound could leave it, I thrust my second dagger through his throat. His screaming died in a pathetic fit of gurgling and flailing.

    The large man died quickly. Horribly, but quickly.

    By the time my acid had finished doing its work his face was barely recognisable as something even remotely human.

    There was a time not so long ago where I would have recoiled at the actions I¡¯d just taken, but this was a world that relished violence and personal power and I had a friend to save.

    The slender guard died shortly afterwards and I received two notifications in quick succession.

    You have defeated Morningstar Collective Guard (lvl 49)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    You have defeated Morningstar Collective Guard (lvl 53)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    I found it mildly amusing that the larger, more intimidating guard was the weaker of the two. I guess his bark really was worse than his bite.

    Both of them were higher levels than I was, yet they went down with relative ease. Perhaps it was because I was an adventurer? Killing monsters was a lot harder than killing humans if these two clowns were anything to go off.

    Considering how easy the fight was, I was pleasantly surprised when the level notifications came.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 43

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 44

    Congratulations! Skill: Dagger has advanced to lvl 12

    ¡­

    Congratulations! Skill: Dagger has advanced to lvl 16

    I couldn¡¯t believe my luck, not only had I gained two whole levels, but my dagger skill had increased by quite a lot as well. It was still trailing behind my Newly Qualified Bowman skill, but at this rate it would evolve sooner than I¡¯d planned.

    Whilst we¡¯d travelled towards the dragon¡¯s lair for the exam I had tried to use my daggers more often, but in a team environment my bow was better suited.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to see what my dagger skill would be like after it evolved though.

    Quickly, I assigned my ten free points from levelling up to the intelligence stat. I was beginning to consider min-maxing my strength stat and just pushing that as far as it would go since the added power was obviously useful.

    However, intelligence directly affected the amount of time I could leverage my full set armour bonus to stay invisible for and that too, would be extremely useful in a fight.

    I quickly looted the two guards and gained some gold, a soiled suit, and a pair of tacky sunglasses. It was a disappointing haul, but I¡¯d prefer to level up anyway.

    ¡°Jeez kid,¡± Panda said as he tiptoed over the blood-soaked floor, ¡°that was ruthless.¡±

    ¡°Sorry buddy,¡± I replied quietly, ¡°but I¡¯m done wasting time. We¡¯ve been wading through bullshit since she was taken and now¡­ we¡¯re just so close¡­¡±

    I trailed off, unable to say what was on my mind, and stepped into the corridor the guards had tried to prevent us from entering.

    The carpet below my feet was sticky as I entered my HUD and changed into my armour. Considering the nefarious locale, that was pretty suspicious.

    We passed by a few locked doors, one of which had a window. I peered through to see a freezer of some sorts with strange meat stacked in neat rows. Maybe these guys really were cannibals, wouldn¡¯t that be something?

    The corridor itself was actually quite short with a door at the very end. It was placed in such an obvious position that I almost didn¡¯t believe that we¡¯d finally made it.

    I tried the handle and it opened easily.

    Who leaves a prison door unlocked? I thought, but when I walked inside that thought drifted away.

    Held on a huge X made of wood was a naked, bleeding, Bell. I quickly checked my surroundings just in case her kidnapper was still there, but the room was empty.

    Everything about the room reminded me of the time I was kidnapped by cultists¡­ the time I¡¯d killed Brad. The X was the same, there was even a vat of acid close by. It was as if the various groups attempting to flay the outworlders all shopped at the same freaky version of Bed, Bath and Beyond.

    Without a word I began using my daggers to cut the bindings which were holding Bell¡¯s arms and legs. It was a thick, tight rope which must have been painful in and of itself.

    As I began trying to free one of her legs I noticed that Bell¡¯s map piece was on her stomach rather than her back. I had assumed that everyone¡¯s tattoos were in the same place as mine but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    It was my first time properly looking at one since I couldn¡¯t see my own. It was made of thick black lining and looked more like some sort of runic writing than an actual map. The skin around the map piece was red and cracked as if the torturer had focused on doing something specifically to that area¡­ preparations for extraction maybe?

    As I moved onto her final arm, Bell began to stir.

    ¡°Kaleb?¡± She asked in a feeble and uncharacteristic voice. It set my heart on fire to hear her sound like that when she was usually so full of life.

    ¡°Yup it¡¯s me,¡± I replied with forced cheer, ¡°here to save your useless ass.¡±

    I finished cutting through the final restraint and her body flopped forwards, she didn¡¯t seem to have the strength to stop herself.

    Deftly, I caught her and pulled my bloodied suit from my inventory. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was something. I wrapped the jacket around her and scooped her up into a princess carry.

    My eyes burned, but this time it wasn¡¯t with the threat of tears, it was with a furious hatred. It was time to end this Morningstar Collective for good.

    ¡°B¡­¡± Bell began feebly, I looked down at her swollen eyes with concern, ¡°being tortured is not as kinky as anime had led me to believe.¡±

    I chuckled and smiled to myself as we prepared to leave the room. Inside though, I was a furnace.

 Chapter 106 â€“ A Beautiful Femur

    I carried Bell back down the corridor and towards the secret elevator, being careful not to trip on the two corpses I¡¯d slaughtered on my way downstairs.

    Just as we were about to reach the subterranean foyer a blaring alarm rang out around the room deafening me. It filled the room with an air raid-style siren that rose and fell in a way that made it impossible to tune out.

    Shit, I must have triggered the alarm! I thought, picking up the pace as I headed purposely towards the elevator.

    I felt a hard prod to my cheek and looked down with a furrowed brow. Bell gazed up at me and opened her mouth but I couldn¡¯t hear anything over the raring siren.

    She looked frustrated and then her eyes brightened and a chat notification popped up on my HUD.

    Bell: Go down the corridor to the left.

    Kaleb: Why? The exit is this way.

    Bell: They have a vault down there, it¡¯s where they keep the skins.

    I thought for a moment, suppressing the urge to shudder, and then nodded. If I could reach that vault I could adsorb whatever map pieces the Morningstar Collective had acquired and that would piss them off royally.

    Also, it would help me in my never-ending quest to complete The Celestial Map, which I had no interest in ever pursuing because, despite a certain system achievement I once got, I was not a genocidal maniac.

    The system had given me the quest after I¡¯d accidentally killed an adventurer named Brad and adsorbed his map piece. It sounds worse than it was ok?

    Bell smiled feebly back at me and we headed down the corridor she had indicated, a confused-looking Panda trailing behind us. I rounded a corner and pushed through some swing doors to find an absolute blood bath.

    The corridor was littered with the sliced and diced corpses of guards and casino staff alike. Blood and viscera splattered the walls and the floor was slippery and scarlet. It was hard to tell where one body ended and another began as limbs and torsos were mixed and matched in the carnage.

    It was like a horror movie and the stench was inescapable.

    Carefully, I picked my way through the mess and headed towards the open vault door at the end of the corridor. It was a typical metal vault door that loosely resembled a gear and was way too thick to blow open with dynamite or a skill.

    Yet, the door hung loosely off its hinges as if someone had done exactly that. Stepping inside I saw rows of empty shelves. Whoever had done this had stolen the skins.

    I was beginning to think that someone else had set off the alarm that rang all around us.

    ***

    Approximately 30 minutes earlier¡­

    ¡°Where is she?¡± The short haired man and his panda exclaimed simultaneously attracting the attention of the bustling crowd in the main club room.

    The Samurai also couldn¡¯t help but stare in their direction as they spoke a little too loudly with the man in the trench coat.

    From the expression on his face, he wasn¡¯t used to working with such amateurs. He seemed to be a man to which subterfuge was second only to breathing. The batman wannabe, on the other hand, was loud and obvious - a man after her own heart.

    The Samurai valued forwardness, it either showed a distinct confidence in oneself and a willingness to tackle things head on, or idiocy. She had yet to see which one of these applied to the armoured man.

    It¡¯s almost time, Chrysus spoke into her mind.

    He had been with her since she had entered this god-awful hive of scumbags.

    The boy with the panda will lead you to the vault, just don¡¯t let him see you, her God continued.

    She didn¡¯t reply. Chrysus was a god, he was inside her head, he didn¡¯t need her to speak to be able to understand her intentions.

    The feeling of his mind touching hers was strangely intimate and took some getting used to. However, it was also comforting to carry a divine being of such great power inside of her. She accepted him fully and when he was with her it was almost as if their souls merged. They were one.

    He was also a constant reminder of her goal. She would become a god ¨C the strongest being in this world capable of challenging anyone, even Chrysus.

    ¡°¡­ But yeah little lady, that armour of yours would look great on my bedroom floor, what do you say?¡± A small, broad, and rich noble asshole said from the opposite side of the booth she was occupying.

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    He and his friend had joined the Samurai a short while ago and though she had no intention of engaging in such frivolous conversation, he did make good cover to help her blend in better.

    ¡°Your insides would look great on my bedroom floor,¡± she replied calmly, ¡°what do you say?¡±

    The nobleman¡¯s eyes widened as he realised he¡¯d been hitting on the wrong type of person and began to shrink down in his seat.

    The Samurai smirked and made to leave, signalling her wolf familiar with her hand. The man with the panda had left and she intended to follow him. He was her ticket into the subterranean facility.

    Dancers, servers, and patrons alike, moved willingly to the side as the Samurai walked across the club. Noticing the man and his panda summon a discreet elevator in the corner, she decided to keep her distance lest they spot her.

    Once they entered the elevator, she made her move.

    Midnight Slash (common)

    Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder¡¯s blade with dark mana.

    Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.

    Activating her Midnight Slash skill, the Samurai leaped forwards, slicing through the doors like butter and landing with light finesse on top of the elevator.

    She winced as Pocco jumped through the opening and she caught him. Had she missed, her familiar would have hit the roof loudly, alerting the man and his panda to their presence.

    Secrecy was less important now that she had a way into the basement, but Chrysus had insisted that she stay as far away, and as unobtrusive to the man and his activities, as possible.

    Once the elevator reached its destination she waited for a moment, peering through the small gap between the edge of the roof and the open, elevator door.

    She watched as the man gesticulated in his exchange with the two guards before mercilessly slaughtering them with¡­ was that poison?

    The men he had killed all had bubbling lesions on their skin. She felt herself grin as she looked over the bodies from above. He was dangerous. She liked that.

    Then, after he left, she pulled herself from her hiding place, dropping through the elevator roof hatch.

    Good work my vassal, Chrysus said. His presence had never left her mind and she knew that he had been watching her every move. What we¡¯re looking for should be down the corridor to the right. No need for secrecy now. Eradicate anyone that stands in your way, get what we came for and leave.

    She nodded, her grin widening as she brazenly pushed open the door that had been indicated to her. Stood before her was a group of twelve guards who all turned towards her with wide eyes.

    Catching them off guard certainly took the sport out of the slaughter, not that she enjoyed it any less. The Samurai drew her blade menacingly as the guards fumbled with their own.

    ¡°Sic ¡®em Pocco,¡± she said and the wolf darted forward, latching onto the leg of the closest guard who screamed like a little girl.

    ¡°Shit! Get her!¡± Another guard yelled and the rest charged towards her.

    She ducked underneath a slash from the first guard, then had to roll out of the way of a second, slashing at the ankles of her attacker as she rolled.

    He screamed and dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks startling his comrades. Before they had time to gasp, the Samurai was back on her feet and she let out a myriad of two-handed slashes which she controlled perfectly.

    Blood splashed and drained from wounds, severed limbs and a single decapitation. Guards screamed and she laughed maniacally as her red armour glistened with the crimson blood of her foes.

    She parried an attack, kicking out at a guard who stumbled back into the waiting jaws of Pocco the wolf. Then, a different guard locked blades with her. He was stronger, but she had more skill. As the blades were held in a stalemate, she moved one of her hands to the back of her katana¡¯s tip and leaned in with all of her bodyweight.

    As she leaned, she felt contact with the neck and shoulder of her opponent and she dropped down, pulling away in a devastating slashing movement. The man dropped to the ground, bleeding out from deep cut that split him open shoulder to chest.

    The fight lasted moments and she didn¡¯t even need to call upon her active skills. It was a little disappointing.

    However, she was there for a specific purpose and fighting was secondary to that. At the end of the blood-soaked corridor was a large, metal vault door.

    Use your new skill, Chrysus said.

    She nodded and drew her blade, holding it firmly above her head before activating the skill.

    Heavenly Slash (Rare)

    Channel mana into you blade to unleash a devastating single strike. The more mana you add, the more effective the attack.

    This skill has a high mana cost.

    This skill has a high stamina cost.

    Imbuing as much mana as she could into the strike, she slashed down with devastating destructive force, forcing the vault door from its hinges. With a smirk, she sheathed her katana and pulled the broken door open.

    Inside the vault was shelves upon shelves of skins, just as her master had said there would be. It was gross, but useful.

    Perfect, he said inside her head, as I thought, the Morningstar Collective has been busy. If anyone was going to have the resources to begin collection in earnest it would be them. After all, they do have portals to every major city. Adsorb them all and return to me.

    ¡°Yes master,¡± she said, replying for the first time since she entered The Morningstar Hotel and Spa.

    A notification popped up in her interface almost immediately and she accepted it.

    Do you want to adsorb 4,837 map pieces?

    Y/N

    The sheer amount of death that went into collecting this many wasn¡¯t lost on her. That was almost half the pieces needed to complete the map in single raid.

    I bet that idiot Yaldabaoth never expected someone as skilled as you to come to loot his hoard, Chrysus chuckled in her mind. The fool probably didn¡¯t even know the value of what he¡¯d been collecting.

    ¡°This puts us one step closer to achieving your goal,¡± The Samurai replied.

    Indeed it does, Chrysus said proudly, if everything goes to plan we¡¯ll be ready by the end of the year. The next phase relies on my high priest tournament going to plan. I¡¯ll need you at the top of your game my¡­ disciple.

    ¡°I thought I was a vassal?¡± The Samurai replied, her voice was reserved but her mind was racing.

    You have too much potential to waste on a mere vassal? he replied and then exited her mind.

    The feeling of the god leaving her was dizzying experience. She felt an odd sense of loss, but at the same time was ecstatic at the new promotion. With Chrysus¡¯ help, she would ascend to godhood and rule this world.

    He would regret helping her when she cleaved his head from his neck one day. However, until that day came she would serve and revere him to the best of her abilities. That was her duty as a Samurai.

    As she exited the vault Pocco came trotting up to her wagging his tail which sprayed blood with every swish. The wolf brought the Samurai a beautiful femur and it was very proud of it too.

    She bent down to pat the wolf. It was so cute. Then headed back to the elevator. An alarm blared out mere moments after it began ascending back to the main floor. She hoped she would get to fight her way out.

 Chapter 107 â€“ Yaldabaoth

    We¡¯d barely been inside the vault for more than a minute when the alarm finally shut down.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that¡¯s over,¡± I muttered as I carried Bell back down the corridor.

    ¡°Does anyone else still hear ringing?¡± Panda asked as he trailed clumsily behind me, ¡°I think I¡¯ve caught tinnitus.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can catch tinnitus, buddy,¡± I replied, ¡°It¡¯s not a disease.¡±

    ¡°Well I have caught it, kid,¡± he complained as he tiptoed through the viscera filled corridor. ¡°The ringing won¡¯t stop. It¡¯s like no matter what I do it follows me¡­ like a lost puppy but without the cuteness.¡±

    ¡°I know what that¡¯s like,¡± I muttered in response as we re-entered the room with the elevator.

    I got Panda to channel his mana into the panel on the wall, calling the elevator down to our level, then we entered it and my pass must have registered once more as we were heading back upstairs within moments.

    ¡°Someone must have used this whilst we were away,¡± Panda said, scratching his chin.

    ¡°It was probably whoever killed all those guards,¡± I replied seriously. ¡°Stay alert, we don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll be walking into up there.¡±

    I had planned to cause some mayhem of my own in the hotel after seeing what the Morningstar Collective had done to my friend. I needed to ger Bell to safety first though, she was in no condition to fight.

    Even as I mentally prepared myself for whatever was to come when we reached the main floor, my mind was racing. Where was silver eyed man who had kidnapped Bell and why weren¡¯t there more guards? To my understanding the hotel and spa was accessible from every major city in Celestia. Surely it shouldn¡¯t have been this easy to break in and free Bell. Something wasn¡¯t right.

    The elevator doors opened with a ding and we stepped back out into the club area. It was deserted. Whereas previously it had been filled with people dancing, drinking and debaucher-ing, when we exited the elevator there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight.

    I took a step forward and nearly tripped on something soft and squishy. Looking down I saw that the floor was littered with blood and human body parts. There must have been at least twenty corpses spread across the room, or at least, there were enough pieces to make twenty corspes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who robbed that vault,¡± Panda began, ¡°but if we ever meet them you should buy them a drink, kid. Looks like they¡¯ve just saved you from an impossible fight.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± I replied absently as I looked sceptically around the room. It seemed a little too easy and my Kaleb-senses were tingling, who was the thief and how were they this powerful?

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t pay me,¡± he replied bluntly.

    My eyes darted towards the bar as I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.

    ¡°Well aren¡¯t you a perceptive one?¡± A familiar voice said from behind me, ¡°most people don¡¯t notice my presence at all.¡±

    ¡°How about instead of playing games with us,¡± I replied irritably, ¡°you fill us in on what happened whilst we were gone, Jack?¡±

    The trench coat wearing man smiled as he fell into step with me. I didn¡¯t exactly like him tagging along, but I wasn¡¯t in the best position to protect Bell on my own. I couldn¡¯t exactly carry her and fire a bow.

    ¡°Oh it was quite the spectacle,¡± Jack said in his crooning tones that could melt butter. ¡°That walking suit of armour and their wolf wreaked havoc. They came back up just before you did. The hotel was mid evacuation due to the alarm and the armour didn¡¯t hesitate for a second.

    ¡°It ran straight towards the reception, slaughtering guards as it went. It was really something, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen someone do that kind of damage.¡±

    As he spoke I began to notice even more bodies. They were less obvious than ones I¡¯d tripped over, but tucked between a booth and strewn in front of the bar there were bloodied corpses, these ones were more intact that the others.

    One of them looked like it had been mauled by a feral beast, guts were strewn across the floor and a look of sheer terror was etched permanently into the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well, as long as the armour has taken care of them, at least I won¡¯t have to fight my way out of here.¡± I replied, picking up the pace slightly.

    ¡°How very pragmatic of you,¡± Jack said with a smile, ¡°now let¡¯s get this young lady home shall we?¡±

    ¡°Are you coming with us L.A Noir?¡± Bell asked quietly from her place cradled in my arms.

    I sniggered at the nickname.

    ¡°I certainly am,¡± Jack replied, ignoring the joke, ¡°your boyfriend owes me a favour and I need to collect.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m married,¡± I replied with a sigh.

    ¡°Sorry, your husband owes me a favour,¡± he said, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°Not to her,¡± I began, but thought better than to offer any further explanation. It really wasn¡¯t the time or the place.

    We reached the double doors leading to the reception a moment later and I shouldered my way through them.

    The reception was piled high with bodies strewn across the foyer floor. It was a scene straight from a horror movie.

    Whoever this armoured person that Jack had mentioned was, they were brutal.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± a large man yelled from close by.

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    His body was grotesque and covered with scars and abrasions. The man was clearly no stranger to a fight but from the look of his many healed injuries he wasn¡¯t very good at them.

    Sporting a green mohawk, the angry man wore a suit with the sleeves cut off. Yup, you heard that right. What a weirdo.

    He was flanked by two lycanids with large swords and he held a strange spear which glowed an eerie purple colour.

    He faced a portal which snapped shut a few seconds after we entered the room, then he turned towards me.

    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± He demanded, thrusting his spear in my direction.

    ¡°Who me?¡± I replied, ¡°I¡¯m just a boy standing in front of a fashion disaster and asking him to stop needlessly removing the sleeves from clothes.¡±

    Bell chuckled, but it quickly devolved into a cough reminding me of her dire need for medical treatment. I poured a health potion down her throat quickly and that seemed to help a bit. In all honesty, I wanted to slap myself for not thinking of that earlier.

    ¡°You look more like a thief to me,¡± he said menacingly. ¡°Do you know who it is you mock boy?¡±

    ¡°No and I don¡¯t really care, I just want to get the hell out of here.¡± I replied with a shrug, though internally I was scouting the room for a spot to place Bell down. It was obvious that I was going to have to fight my way out.

    ¡°You stand in front of Yaldabaoth!¡± One of the lycanids growled, ¡°a capo in The Morningstar Collective and the overseer of our affairs in Havar.¡±

    ¡°Does that make him like a mini boss or something?¡± I asked as I edged towards a bench off to the side, ¡°because from what I hear, Havar isn¡¯t exactly a powerful place.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Jack said from my side, ¡°as amusing as this back and forth is, you should be careful. He may be a low rung on the Collective¡¯s ladder, but he¡¯s still a higher level than you.¡±

    ¡°Did you just assume my level?¡± I asked him in mock offence.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Yaldabaoth yelled, veins popping on his scarred face. ¡°I will not suffer these ridiculous insults anymore. The boss is going to have my head for this disaster, but if I take yours first maybe he¡¯ll be forgiving. Kill them!¡±

    He gestured towards us and his lycanid guards raised their oversized swords and began advancing.

    ¡°Hey Bell, do you have any mana left?¡± I asked as I retreated towards the bench I¡¯d spied.

    ¡°A little,¡± she croaked.

    ¡°In that case,¡± I began, ¡°Bell, use fireball!¡±

    She smiled slightly and raised a shaky arm towards the lycanid guard on the left. A medium sized ball of spinning, sparking flame fired from her hand and shot into the lycanid¡¯s face.

    His fur set alight and he dropped his sword, throwing his hands to his face and batting at it whilst he screamed in agony. The smell of burning hair and flesh filled the room, stinging my nostrils.

    ¡°It was super effective,¡± I muttered as I placed Bell down on the bench and drew my bow.

    I turned back to fire on the second attacker but Jack had already beaten me to the punch. He had, what looked like, a magic sniper rifle in his hands. Pulling the stock firmly into his shoulder, he calmly looked down the sights and squeezed the trigger.

    A beam of red light erupted from the gun like some kind of energy beam and the second lycanid¡¯s chest exploded. Goop, gore, blood, and guts blasted out in all directions.

    ¡°That was badass!¡± Panda exclaimed as he shuffled towards me and Bell. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with her; you go back up John Wick over there.¡±

    I nodded and jogged towards our new, shady ally.

    As I stepped up next to the trench coat clad man, we both aimed our respective weapons at the scarred capo.

    ¡°Who are you really?¡± I asked him as his eyes widened and he raised his hands.

    ¡°I am Yaldabaoth, how did you kill my men so easily?¡± He asked, a shocked tone in his voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are,¡± I continued, ¡°I heard that Yaldabaoth was the chairman of the entire organisation not just some two-bit capo asshole.¡±

    Jack snorted laugher and I glanced at him, being careful not to take my eyes off the scarred man in my sights.

    ¡°Yaldabaoth, the chairman?¡± Jack howled; it was the most emotion I¡¯d seen from him since we¡¯d met. ¡°The chairman calls himself Nyx and I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s a god, though a pretty minor one. This asshole is just a wannabe gangster on his pay role. His real name is Jimmy. Yaldabaoth is an alias he uses.¡±

    ¡°You watch your mouth!¡± Jimmy exclaimed, pointing his spear at us. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say his name!¡±

    ¡°Oh great,¡± I sighed, ¡°so he¡¯s a zealot and an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they all?¡± Jack replied.

    In that moment and without warning, Yaldabaoth ¨C or Jimmy¡­ whatever his name was ¨C charged towards us with his spear levelled at my chest.

    I fired off an arrow which he deflected with the tip of his spear. Jack shot a magic bullet at him but at the same time, Jimmy threw a dagger at him.

    Jack blocked it with his rifle and then tried to fire off another round but nothing happened.

    With an almighty scream, Jimmy rammed his spear through my side, impaling me. I dismissed my bow and summoned my daggers, gritting my teeth as the ripping pain in my skin burned through me.

    I had let my guard down and now this asshole had gotten the better of me.

    Not for long, I thought angrily.

    Slashing at his face with my left dagger, I brought the right one down hard on the shaft of the spear that was sticking out of my side.

    It snapped in two and I was free from Yaldabaoth¡¯s grip. Down a weapon, the deranged gangster pulled a glittering yellow potion from his inventory and tipped it into his mouth.

    His face was bubbling in a half-Chelsea grin where my slash had connected with the edge of his lips. He grimaced as he downed the liquid and I took that moment to yank the severed haft of the spear out my body.

    I yelled out as I pulled and it came free with a splattering of blood and what looked like a piece of kidney.

    Great, my alcohol tolerance will never be the same, I thought grimly as I clicked on a healing potion in my inventory.

    The broken skin began to heal, pulling itself back together and I once again focused on Yaldabaoth.

    Having consumed the yellow potion his, already sizable, arms doubled in size giving him the appearance of a hulking, disproportionate monster.

    I dashed forwards and slashed at his neck, but he was faster. Despite his abnormal size, his speed was something to be reckoned with and he blocked my slash with his oversized forearm.

    The daggers barely penetrated his hardened flesh, hitting the forearm felt like trying to cut steel and my wrists jarred with the unexpected impact. His skin bubbled slightly but it didn¡¯t seem to bother him.

    I dropped to the floor and attempted to sever his Achilles tendon but he predicted my actions and kicked out with devastating power, launching me across the room and into the far wall.

    The world went black for a moment as I gasped for breath. A second later I watched as Jack, his weapon now fixed, fired a volley of magic glowing bullets into the juggernaut.

    Raising his scarred arms, Yaldabaoth blocked most of the bullets. One, however, got past his defence and imbedded itself into his eye with a loud pop.

    Body moving on automation, he threw his hands to his face, clutching at the eye socket and howling as blood and eye fluid dripped through his oversized fingers.

    Whilst he was distracted, I took my chance.

    I summoned my bow from my inventory once more and channelled my stamina into a Soul Shot. The arrow rocketed from my bowstring and cut a hole straight through Jimmy¡¯s chest.

    Grunting, he moved one of his arms to the hole as if trying to prevent the blood and viscera from leaking out.

    ¡°I won¡¯t die like this!¡± He growled in an unnaturally deep and distorted voice.

    ¡°You bloody well will,¡± Jack replied from behind as he fired off another few rounds.

    They ripped through Yaldabaoth¡¯s body and he grunted with each impact. Falling to his knees he looked up at me with a fierce hatred in his eyes. I dismissed my bow and summoned my daggers once more.

    ¡°Nyx will avenge me, then you¡¯ll be sorry,¡± he spat in my general direction, laboured breath sounding more like wheezing.

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± I replied coldly, ¡°I doubt he even knows your name.¡±

    I strode up to the dying, ugly monstrosity and gripped the back of his head. Pressing my lips close to his ear I said: ¡°this is for Bell,¡± and plunged my dagger into his throat.

    His lips pursed and he gasped and gurgled as he choked on his own blood. In the end, his wide eyes pleaded for help that he was never going to get.

 Chapter 108 â€“ Tell Him How Rare Ancient Skills Are!

    You have defeated Yaldabaoth (lvl 60)

    ¡°Wow, that guy was no slouch,¡± I said aloud as the notification flashed up on my screen.

    At level 50 you hit phase three, so Yaldabaoth was well on his way to becoming a phase four. Sally was past level 90 the last time I¡¯d spoken to her about it and I still had a long way to go before catching up to her.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to lvl 45

    Bonus experience gained due to level disparity.

    Previously I had been dumping all of my free points into intelligence to try and boost the time I could spend invisible: a skill I¡¯d gained from a full set armour bonus.

    In the last battle though, I realised something. Ignoring my other stats wasn¡¯t the best idea. They got raised significantly with every level, which was why I was putting my points into intelligence.

    It was my lowest stat and the stat which progressed the least with each level up. My class Apex Predator gave a mere plus one to intelligence per level, whereas it gave a generous plus seven to strength, plus five to vitality and plus three to both agility and perception.

    With that in mind, this time I split my free points a little differently, adding two to intelligence, two to perception and one to agility.

    It would take longer to raise a single stat this way, but after facing Yaldabaoth I spotted a critical weakness in my skill distribution.

    How had I let him get so close to me? The beast had stabbed me before I¡¯d had the chance to dodge. If I had higher perception and agility stats then maybe I would have noticed sooner and had the skill to dodge out of the way of that attack.

    If he had been a stronger opponent then there was a good chance I would have died, and I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen.

    After quickly assigning my new free points my HUD flashed once more with a notification that left me grinning.

    Quest Complete!

    A Good Time, Not A Long Time

    You¡¯ve been marked as a guest of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. I wonder what mayhem and fun awaits behind its doors.

    Updates:

    You have discovered that The Morningstar Collective are a syndicate who run a racketeering operation in Havar.

    You suspect that The Morningstar Collective have kidnapped another adventurer and are holding her at The Morningstar Hotel and Spa

    It is possible that The Morningstar Collective are involved with the regicide of the local king.

    You have discovered that the entrance to The Morningstar Hotel and Spa is located inside El ¡®Dorado.

    You have gained a platinum pass to access the lower floors where you suspect the prisoner is being held.

    You have discovered that The Morningstar Collective are secretly kidnapping outworlders and collecting their skin.

    Objectives:

    Enter The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 1/1

    Uncover the secrets of The Morningstar Hotel and Spa 1/1

    Rescue the kidnapped adventurer 1/1

    Secret Objective: Kill Yaldabaoth, the capo responsible for Morningstar interests in Havar 1/1

    Find out if The Morningstar Collective are connected to the regicide 0/1 (objective failed)

    Reward:

    X1 Skill Upgrade Potion

    X1 Weapon Upgrade Potion

    Secret Reward¡­ negated as not all objectives were completed.

    There was a lot to unpack in there and I didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on it. Most of the notification was a running quest log of the things I¡¯d done and discovered.

    I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that defeating Yaldabaoth was a secret objective and that was kind of cool. I was, however, pretty disappointed that I failed to shed some light on The Collective¡¯s involvement with the regicide.

    My secret reward was taken from me and that was a bitter pill to swallow, still I gained a skill upgrade and a weapon upgrade potion and I knew exactly how I wanted to use them.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take me a few minutes to work out how to get their portal system open,¡± Jack said from behind the reception desk. The receptionist was nothing but a pile of bloody goop after the armoured assailant had torn through the room.

    ¡°No problem, I have some quest rewards to apply anyway,¡± I replied half-heartedly as I continued moving through my HUD.

    First up was the weapon upgrade potion, not that I knew how to use it. Did I drink it or did I pour it over the weapon I wanted to upgrade? I looked towards Panda who shook his head at my confusion.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± He asked behind a cocky smirk. ¡°If it¡¯s a skill potion you drink it because the skills are inside you, if it¡¯s a weapons potion you pour it on the weapon you want to upgrade. That is, unless the weapon is your fist, in which case you¡¯d drink it¡­ probably.¡±

    Taking his advice, I summoned my bow from my inventory and applied the potion. My HUD lit up immediately.

    Longbow of the Giant Goblin (common)

    ¨¤¨¤¨¤

    Longbow of the Giant Goblin (uncommon)

    This bow was carved from the forearm of a unique monster: Gertrude the Giant Goblin.

    Just as she smashed her old clan into oblivion, you smashed her. You dirty bugger.

    I mean, whatever tickles your pickle am I right?

    I¡¯m still judging you though.

    Longbows can fire accurately over longer distances.

    +10% strength

    Grants use of the skill: Sniper

    *Sniper can only be used whilst this item is equipped*

    I furrowed my brow as I tried to work out what had changed besides the rarity. It took a moment, but I realised that the strength increase had gone from 5% to 10%.

    It wasn¡¯t much, but the higher my percentage bonuses got the more bang for my buck I would get at each new level and that would definitely be useful going forward. As far as quest rewards went I couldn¡¯t really complain.

    Next came the big one. I had an upgrade potion for skills and I knew exactly which one I wanted to use it on. This skill had been the backbone of my fighting style for a while now and improving it even further was the obvious choice.

    I drank the potion and a new window popped up on my HUD asking me which skill I wanted to apply the potion to. Naturally, I chose Soul Shot.

    ERROR

    Soul Shot is already an ancient rated skill. It cannot be upgraded to unique artificially.

    ¡°What!¡± I shouted, turning the heads of Jack, Bell, and Panda at the same time.

    ¡°You tried to upgrade Soul Shot didn¡¯t you?¡± Panda sighed as the other two watched in bewilderment. ¡°You can¡¯t use an upgrade potion to push a skill past ancient rarity, kid¡­ sorry.¡±

    ¡°You have an ancient skill?¡± Bell blurted out and then coughed a few times. Her frailty seemed to be subsiding with time but she was far from her usual self.

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked with a shrug.

    ¡°No!¡± She shouted, forcing herself into a seated position and looking at me like I was an idiot. ¡°L.A. Noir, tell him how rare ancient skills are!¡± She demanded and Jack looked between the two of us with widened eyes.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± he said diplomatically, ¡°as the lady says, ancient skills are exceedingly rare so people like you and I who are fortunate enough to have them shouldn¡¯t go around bragging about it.¡±

    ¡°You have one too!¡± She screamed, practically falling off the bench I¡¯d laid her on. ¡°Well this is just great.¡±

    With a slight smirk, I delved back into my HUD to choose a different skill to upgrade. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that I had two ancient skills and a unique skill.

    Do you want to upgrade the skill: Acid Dhampir Dagger?

    Y/N

    Acid Dhampir Dagger is able to merge with the class skill Acid Arrow, would you like to merge these skills?

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes for both questions.

    Acid Dhampir Dagger has merged with Acid Arrow

    You have unlocked the skill:

    Acidic Dhampir Weapons (uncommon)

    ¨¤¨¤¨¤

    Acidic Dhampir Weapons (rare)

    A Dhampir is the offspring of a human and a vampire. They can¡¯t turn into bats or anything but in some earthen mythos they drink blood to gain power, or because they think they¡¯re edgy or whatever.

    Anyway, the point is that the Dhampir Weapons will steal HP with every hit you make. That¡¯s right, attack them and heal yourself in the process!

    Gain 10% of damage inflicted by weapons as HP.

    Due to the nature of your class, Dhampir Weapons refers to skirmisher class weapons only.

    All Dhampir Weapons inflict acid damage.

    The upgraded skill added an interesting development. It seemed that the upgrade specifically merged the two skills, applying the Dhampir effect to my bow.

    Gaining back health with every shot was a good bonus. It was useful on the daggers but I barely used them. If I¡¯d have had this skill during The Goblin King Coronation quest then I wouldn¡¯t have needed Lucas to save me when I was neck deep in goblins.

    With the bow being my primary weapon it made sense to upgrade it, and the skills surrounding it, as much as possible. Still, I had no idea that upgrading a skill could cause it to merge with another skill.

    ¡°Almost¡­ done,¡± Jack grunted from beneath the reception desk when a blue portal suddenly sprang to life. It looked a sickly, place colour. A far cry from the vibrant portal we¡¯d entered to get here.

    I scooped up Bell who was still sulking and headed across the room towards the portal and our way back to Havar.

    ¡°Thanks for that Jack,¡± I said, stopping next to the reception desk, ¡°you¡¯ve been a big help. I really appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Appreciation is nice and all, but don¡¯t forget our deal,¡± he replied smugly.

    I looked at him sceptically and then sighed. He had earned my favour, as shady as he might have been. Without his help I wouldn¡¯t have been able to save Bell, and he helped me take down Yaldabaoth.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I replied earnestly, ¡°whenever you need me, I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± he replied, offering his hand out to shake and then thinking better of it when he realised my hands were full from carrying Bell. ¡°I think we¡¯ll meet again sooner than you might think.¡±

    I nodded at him in lieu of a handshake and entered the portal.

    ¡°I wonder what happened to that silver eyed guy who kidnapped Bell in the first place,¡± Panda said with a shrug, ¡°we never found him.¡±

    ***

    Jack leant back on the blood slick desk and sighed deeply, rubbing his temples with his palms. ¡°You can come out now,¡± he said into the shadows.

    On cue, a hooded figure with a pair of piercing silver eyes emerged from the nearby darkness, his body shimmered as he exited the shadows themselves using a power that was unfamiliar to Jack.

    ¡°Our deal is complete Reaper,¡± he said mechanically, striding towards Jack with a swagger that portrayed his arrogance.

    ¡°It is,¡± Jack replied, ¡°your service to The Organisation won¡¯t be forgotten, thank you for sealing the portals. If the higher ups of The Morningstar Collective had been able to get here the kid would never have survived.¡±

    The silver eyed man nodded, perching himself next to Jack against the receptionist¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Your god has convoluted plans,¡± he murmured more to himself than to the assassin, ¡°kidnapping a girl so that you can pretend to help some guy save her to trick him into believing he owes you a favour. What a roundabout way to get things done.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to fully understand Diako¡¯s vision,¡± Jack said wistfully, folding his arms, ¡°but the boy had to be willing to do almost anything for me. We needed him in my debt, it is part of the grand design. And¡­ if we happened to take out Chrysus¡¯ vassal in the process then all the better.¡±

    ¡°Yaldabaoth was a good capo,¡± the man growled, ¡°Nyx won¡¯t be pleased with this.¡±

    ¡°Nyx is a minor god,¡± Jack replied coldly, ¡°he has not the will or the power to defy my lord. Watch your mouth.¡±

    The silver eyed man snorted derisively and shook his head. ¡°I guess your work here is done then?¡± He asked suggestively, ¡°I have a lot of work to do if I¡¯m to take over the Havarian branch.¡±

    The Reaper nodded and the man gave him a meaningful look before leaving the room and heading towards the bar area. Jack smiled when he thought of the arduous task of cleaning that was ahead of the arrogant prick.

    Good work Jack, Diako said entering his mind as the man left. I¡¯ll open a portal for you now, it¡¯s going to take you to the continent. I have a new mission for you.

    ¡°No rest for the wicked then boss?¡± He said aloud with a smile.

    Diako had opened the portal to Havar for Kaleb using Jack as a vessel to channel his mana through. Jack was clever and good at using mana, but he wasn¡¯t a genius, nor was he a high enough level to strong arm his way through a complex portal system.

    You can rest when my goal is met, that was our deal. The god¡¯s presence made Jack shiver; it was becoming a nervous tick of sorts. He hated not being let in on the full design of Diako¡¯s plans. Though he talked a big game to the arrogant man, he himself knew very little of the plans of gods.

    It was a new feeling for the old solider. He¡¯d spent his entire life following orders without question, so it irked him how much he was annoyed by not knowing more of his god¡¯s plans.

    A bright scarlet portal sprang to life, much more potent than the one Diako had opened for Kaleb, and Jack stepped through it.

    The continent awaits, my vassal.

 Chapter 109 â€“ Results May Vary

    When I arrived back through the portal to the El ¡®Dorado office, our little leprechaun friend almost fainted. He was shocked that I¡¯d survived, and even more so to hear of the decimation of The Morningstar Collective¡­ or at least the Havarian branch of it.

    I didn¡¯t stick around for long though.

    Hurrying through the city streets to the orange glow of dawn, I made a beeline for the building that Adventure Society had been using as a makeshift hospital in the wake of the dragon attack.

    There, I finally managed to offload Bell. She was ordered to take a week of bedrest to fully recover from the trauma of being tortured. On Earth, trauma wasn¡¯t so quickly healed, but the Society healers assured me that with some good meditation and bedrest, her emotional scars would heal almost as well as her physical ones.

    I wasn¡¯t so sure it worked that way. Meditation was useful, but the kind of suffering she¡¯d endured¡­ that stuff leaves lasting damage.

    I slept like a baby that night in the room adjoining hers. I checked on her periodically over the next couple of days but she spent most of her time meditating and I didn¡¯t want to disturb her rest.

    Supposedly the hospital didn¡¯t count as a safe room so the next day I made a point of visiting The Winking Giant inn. Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t taken too much damage in the attack and, as usual, the lycanid landlady flashed me a shiver inducing smile as I made my way to my room to open the loot box I¡¯d received from entering The Morningstar Hotel and Spa.

    Would you like to open all loot boxes?

    Y/N

    Yes, I mentally asserted.

    As usual, a crack of bright light bounced around the room and this time a disco ball appeared on the ceiling. Funky, 70¡¯s style music rang out as the ball descended and then the bottom fell off and a small parcel descended heavenly into my outstretched hands.

    Ne¡¯er-Do-Well¡¯s Loot Box

    Loot awarded only to the most despicable of people. The system knows what goes on in that hotel. The system sees all. The system wishes it could gouge out its eyes, but alas, the system does not have eyes¡­ because it is a system.

    ¡°Well that was an unexpected notification,¡± I mused aloud, ¡°since when do you refer to yourself in third person?¡± I asked the ceiling.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Panda snapped, ¡°stop talking to the system, it¡¯s weird.¡±

    I shot him a dirty look as the descending parcel warped away into my inventory. I dived into my HUD half-heartedly expecting a joke item like hemorrhoid cream or something. However, what I got was even more unexpected.

    You have received a new item:

    Chaos Seed

    Summon a chaos demon for 60 seconds.

    Results may vary.

    That was all it said.

    No jokes, no weirdly elaborate backstory, no farcical whimsy of any kind, and that was a little bit¡­ worrisome. Still, at least it wasn¡¯t hemorrhoid cream.

    I kept the seed in my inventory and left the inn.

    It was nice to finally have some downtime and Panda and I used it to explore the city some more, stocking up on potions, books, and rations for future quests.

    I stopped by the Adventure Society the day after returning and informed Director Lucas and Sally of what I¡¯d found inside The Morningstar Hotel and Spa. Lucas ordered a cleanup crew to search the premises but by the time they got there the place had been cleared out. Apparently there was no subterranean level to speak of and they couldn¡¯t find any connection to the regicide.

    The government of Havar was in shambles after the untimely death of the king. The infighting and power grabs that began in the wake of the incident was threatening to destabilise the city, but that was nothing a soon-to-be iron rank adventurer should be worrying about so I tried to keep the local politics out of my mind.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    The Adventure Society building was well on its way to being completed and, though I finally managed to set up my system banking, I still couldn¡¯t hand in my quest for slaying the dragon.

    Lucy, the catonid receptionist, promised me that they would be ready to give out rewards in a few days and at that time I would be officially recongised as an iron rank adventurer¡­ even though I was close to becoming a phase three and qualifying for bronze rank.

    Not one to sit still, I took a mediocre quest in the nearby palm tree jungle and fought some mid-level monsters. The quest was nothing to write home about, but it kept me busy. Disappointingly though, I didn¡¯t gain another level from the copious amounts of monsters I¡¯d hunted.

    After Bell¡¯s week of rest was finally up, we both returned to Adventure Society to officially hand in our completed quests and become fully fledged adventurers.

    ¡°It feels like forever ago since we piled into Sally¡¯s truck to go slay a dragon,¡± Bell mused as we entered the building.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that was only a few weeks ago,¡± I replied, ¡°ready to become an iron ranker?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know it!¡± She said with a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it,¡± Lucy commented as we approached her desk.

    We were finally able to claim the rewards for the dragon quest and it was oh, so satisfying.

    Quest Complete!

    How To Slay Your Dragon

    There have been reports of a dragon nesting at the top of the big mountain in the middle of the island. The Havarian local government have tasked the Adventure Society to handle the issue.

    Remember when you first got here? I told you there would be dragons.

    Objectives:

    Find the dragon¡¯s lair 1/1

    Kill the dragon 1/1

    Reward: X1 item upgrade token, adventurer rank-up

    *Speak to the Adventure Society to claim your reward. Reward payable upon the successful completion of the above objectives*

    Lucy handed me an item upgrade token and explained that to apply it I needed to enter my inventory tab and mentally assert which item I wanted to add it to.

    I asked what the difference between upgrade potions and upgrade tokens was. Apparently the potion variant was awarded directly by the system and its origins were unknown, whereas the tokens were man made.

    Supposedly the effect was the same though.

    Since it was an item token I couldn¡¯t apply it to my armour or weapons, which sucked. However, I did have one idea of how to use it. Delving into my inventory I took the first piece of adventurer gear I¡¯d ever bought and upgraded it.

    Item Upgraded!

    Quiver of The Infinite (uncommon)

    This quiver contains an infinite number of iron arrows and you can withdraw its contents directly from your inventory. This means you can shoot arrows almost as quickly as you shoot¡­ well, you get the idea.

    It was a minor upgrade, but one that I was pretty satisfied with. Arrows formed the backbone of my attack power, so even a minor upgrade in arrow quality would boost my damage output.

    Though not explicitly stated, iron arrows were sturdier than I was used to and I expected they could hold more Soul Shot power than the previous ones. I¡¯d have to test that out when I got a moment. Previously the arrows had been described as inferior and their brittle tips hadn¡¯t been great. Hopefully the upgraded iron variant would do more damage.

    As I pondered my upgrade, a shining light glimmered in my peripheral vision and I turned around just in time to see Bell¡¯s robes transform.

    Before my eyes, her white robes were dyed a cascading scarlet, black trimming outlined the edges and a hood sprouted onto the back.

    ¡°I thought item tokens didn¡¯t work on armour?¡± I asked as the glow began to fade.

    ¡°I got an armour upgrade token,¡± she replied with a cocky smile, ¡°I negotiated my reward before taking the quest.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± I practically yelled, looking between the self-satisfied fireball mage and the sheepish catonid.

    Panda giggled mid drag and began choking on the smoke from his bamboo pipe. Shaking my head, I turned back to the receptionist.

    ¡°So, are we officially iron rank now?¡± I asked, trying to keep my dissatisfaction out of my voice.

    ¡°Not quite Mr Akabane,¡± she replied curtly, ¡°you both need to be officially onboarded first. You can use the room where you chose your class if you like? It¡¯s free now and by the time you¡¯re done I¡¯ll have gotten your paperwork in order.¡±

    Bell and I sighed almost simultaneously.

    ¡°Hell is a corporate seminar,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°This feels more like a punishment than a reward,¡± Bell added, ¡°I just got out of the hospital, why would you do this to me now?¡±

    Lucy offered a sympathetic look before disappearing into the back office, turning to call us just before she left, she said, ¡°oh, the Director wishes to see you once you¡¯ve finished the seminar.¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing this then¡­ again.¡± I moaned, turning with slumped shoulders towards the stairwell.

    ¡°This is why it took so long to be able to hand in the quest after the dragon attack,¡± Bell said as realisation dawned on her, ¡°they needed to fix the corporate stuff didn¡¯t they? I thought it was weird that they couldn¡¯t just give us our tokens and change our ranks immediately.¡±

    ¡°It was all leading to this,¡± I replied, lowering my head.

    ¡°Will you two quit your whining,¡± Panda said as we began ascending the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s just a video, it¡¯ll only take an hour and then you can start taking all these cool quests.¡± He pointed towards the iron rank board as we passed the second floor.

    The quest room was a bustling hive of activity, starkly different to the relatively desolate newbie board downstairs.

    The board was practically overflowing with requests too. These were the quests that would help me to break through to phase three. I had to admit, even amidst the bureaucratic drudgery, I was excited.

    Holding myself a little bit higher, we climbed past the other floors and exited into the office floor. It still surprised me just how closely the bureaucracy of Havar mimicked Earth.

    Office cubicles, tired workers with forced smiles, a soul sucking atmosphere. It was everything I hated about the modern world and seeing it in my new fantasyland was a little frustrating.

    Still, I¡¯d rather it was them than me.

    The surly receptionist grunted at us and nodded towards the same room I¡¯d used to choose my class. That seemed like so long ago and I almost looked fondly upon her attitude for the memories it conjured.

    With a polite nod, I led Bell and Panda towards the room and opened the door. Our seminar was about to begin.

 Chapter 110 â€“ Hell Is A Corporate Seminar

    Are you ready to take the next step in your career with Adventure Society?

    Damned right you are!

    With Adventure Society your medical bills will be subsidised, your taxes will be paid and, in the likely event of your untimely death, we¡¯ll endeavour to return your corpse (or whatever is left of it) to your next of kin.

    ¡°What, no death in service payout?¡± I muttered, hand resting on my cheek as we sat in the room watching the crackling screen before us.

    The entire seminar was set to the backdrop of an odd, poorly drawn cartoon. The cheery voice of the narrator did nothing to help quell my boredom as each passing minute felt like an eternity.

    The first video seemed more like a sales pitch, but the second was a straight up pharmaceutical-style warning. The only thing it was missing was the mandatory ¡°please consult with the surgeon general before taking this¡± that I¡¯d seen in oversees adverts.

    Congratulations on passing the iron rank examination. As promised, your contract is now eligible to advance from temporary to permanent (terms and conditions do apply and you will be accepted on a probationary period of six months starting from the day you sign your paperwork. You will not be entitled to holiday pay, pension, or tax exemption by signing the Adventure Society contract. Adventure Society is in no way liable for loss of limbs, loss of life, mana-based sickness, mental health issues, rehabilitation, trauma counselling, sudden blindness, spontaneous combustion brought on by looking into the eyes of an eldritch horror, or any other ailments that may befall you in the enactment of your duties. Adventure Society also maintains the right to terminate this contract at any time, without notice).

    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think that this isn¡¯t actually a very good deal,¡± Bell said, shifting restlessly in her seat.

    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± I replied, ¡°though it does make me kind of nostalgic for home in a weird way.¡±

    ¡°Will you two be quiet!¡± Panda said, turning around in his seat and shooting us a dirty look, ¡°I¡¯m trying to watch this.¡±

    ¡°Why would anyone want to watch this?¡± I asked him incredulously.

    ¡°I¡¯m a sage, I love new knowledge,¡± he shot back, ¡°besides, someone needs to understand the rules so you idiots don¡¯t accidentally get yourselves kicked out.¡± He turned his head back to the seminar video with a greedy look in his eye.

    Bell and I shared a look.

    As you embark on your journey up the ranks in our illustrious, globe spanning organisation you can expect to take on some challenging quests. In this video we¡¯ll cover the basic policies of the Adventure Society, including: what to do when facing a vicious pack of man eating Harpies, how to talk to quest givers, and most importantly, the correct procedure for filing paperwork at your local branch office.

    The third collection of videos were mostly bureaucratic rubbish and I began rubber necking about halfway through. By the time I woke up we¡¯d moved onto the final video.

    Now that you¡¯ve completed this introductory seminar, we can explain the rank structure which helps keep our company running smoothly.

    The rank system:

    Initial guild ranks coincide with the basic phases. At phase one (levels 1-29) you will only be eligible to enlist as a temporary adventurer. As a temporary adventurer you will only be eligible for the most basic types of quests.

    At phase two (levels 30-49) you will become an iron ranker, as you all well know by now! Iron rankers make up the bulk of our worldwide operations and are given access to more challenging quests. At this level you will also be able to take quests above your current rank as long as you are in a party with at least one member of the correct rank for the quest you intend to take.

    Phase three (levels 50-89) will see you promoted to bronze rank. At this stage you will be given access to quests of a multifaceted nature. This includes politically sensitive and long-term quests.

    At phase four (levels 90-99) you will rank up to silver and be among our most elite members. You will be expected to tackle some of the hardest work we have available as well as mentoring rookies and running exams.

    Phase five (100+) will see you promoted to gold rank. Though common on the continent, in Havar, the director is the only person of this rank.

    There are also diamond, platinum and mithril ranks which can be reached after achieving the level cap, but we¡¯ll cover those another day.

    For now, get out there, new iron ranker, and keep our city-state safe!

    Adventure Society: killing the monsters under your bed.

    With that, the farce was finally over. Despite sleeping through most of it, I felt physically and mentally drained. Corporate life definitely was not for me.

    In front of me, Panda stretched out his arms and made a satisfied groan as he hopped from his seat.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that invigorating?¡± He asked, lighting up his pipe which he had refrained from using during the seminar.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°No,¡± Bell and I both replied as we vacated our seats groggily.

    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Director Lucas said, entering the room with a swish of his cloak. ¡°Before you leave, I need to update your cards.¡±

    I¡¯d almost forgotten I had a card. It was supposed to serve as my identification if I visited other branches but since I still hadn¡¯t left Havar, I¡¯d never actually used it.

    I pulled it from my inventory and passed it to Lucas.

    ¡°My, my, it still says level nine on your card Kaleb,¡± Lucas said. ¡°We really need to get something in place to allow you to update these more frequently. On the continent they have card readers at reception, maybe we should trial that here as well.¡±

    He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to me, but his musings reminded me of the cards I had used as a wagon driver in my previous life. I had a digi-card which recorded my hours and needed to be docked periodically.

    Of course a place that runs mandatory seminars would want to implement something like that, I thought, then again, it would make it easier for me to take better quests.

    Director Lucas slotted my card into the funny machine on the wall which spat it back out at him. The card had changed colour to¡­ was that iron?

    Even I have to admit that¡¯s a nice touch.

    ¡°Level 45?¡± Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow as he returned my ID to me. ¡°You¡¯ll be bronze rank soon; you¡¯ve almost completely skipped iron rank.¡±

    He seemed pleased, though I thought he¡¯d be more surprised.

    I quickly checked my updated card before returning it to my inventory.

    Adventure Society ID:

    Kaleb Akabane

    Level: 45

    Rank: Iron

    Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

    I was pretty satisfied with the upgrade. It was nice to see all my hard work in one place¡­ well, two places since my stats screen showed it in much greater and more satisfying detail.

    ¡°Bell, you have progressed marvellously as well,¡± Lucas said with a smile, ¡°hitting level 42 is no small feat. You and Kaleb are going to be some of our top adventurers before you know it.¡±

    ¡°You know it!¡± She replied with a chirpy smile, ¡°in fact, I think we should go out to celebrate right now.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I know a place we could go for food if you want to?¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m much too busy organising everything in the aftermath of the dragon attack,¡± Lucas said, his face sporting a few wrinkles around his bloodshot eyes. ¡°Please come and visit me later though, I have something important to discuss with you, but that can wait. The two of you deserve to take some time to rest after everything you¡¯ve done for this city.¡±

    Bell was eager to feast and I was in a pretty good mood myself, so despite wondering what it was Lucas wanted to discuss with us, we left the society and headed to the street where The Wandering Giant Inn ¨C and pretty much everything else ¨C was located.

    Not so long ago I was attacked by an agent of Chrysus down a back alley not far from the inn. I¡¯d fired off a Soul Shot and destroyed a local restaurant. That agent had gone on to invite me to take part in something called a high priest tournament, which I had no intention of going to.

    As we walked down the busy street I saw a myriad of different construction crews working on damaged buildings and filling in cracked street paving. Despite that, many stores were still intact and commerce was flowing. After a short walk we came across a store with a little sign hanging above it: ¡°Renegade Restaurant, Bar & Grill¡±. I thought I¡¯d only given him enough to fix the door I broke, but the entire shop front was new.

    ¡°He certainly put that money to good use,¡± Panda mused as I approached the entrance.

    ¡°Good afternoon and welcome to¡­¡± a burly lycanid greeted us, before stopping in his tracks, ¡°It¡¯s you! You¡¯re the stranger who paid to repair my restaurant. Please, come in and be seated, let me treat you and your friends to a meal, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±

    The man flashed us a fangy smile as he gestured inwards. He was a flashy looking lycanid in a waistcoat and shirt. He certainly looked the part.

    Inside nearly all the tables were filled with customers, happily chatting away as they ate their meals. In one corner though, the atmosphere was quite different.

    ¡°Hi, Sally!¡± Panda yelled, waving a stumpy paw at the muscle-bound silver ranker, ¡°mind if we sit with you.¡±

    Looking up from a stack of paperwork, her expression lightened a little as she waved us over.

    ¡°What are you three doing here?¡± She asked as we slid into the booth with her. We all had to cram into one side because the mountain of paperwork she was working on took up so much space.

    ¡°We¡¯re celebrating finally reaching iron rank,¡± Bell explained, ¡°no more fetch quests for me.¡±

    ¡°I never really did any fetch quests,¡± I mused, thinking back on the three mandatory quests I¡¯d undertaken.

    ¡°You were basically already doing iron rank quests as a temp, Gonads,¡± Sally said in between scribbling on paper, ¡°you can thank me later for that.¡±

    ¡°I can thank you now,¡± I replied cockily, ¡°the owner has fully comped our meals for today, so, since we¡¯re sat with you, your food is on me.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Bell began, glaring at me through her large, anime-style eyes, ¡°you never had to do fetch quests?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I hate you,¡± she whispered ominously, ¡°do you have any idea how annoying it is being asked to go halfway across the island to pick berries? There¡¯s no fast travel in this world Kaleb, it takes days sometimes.¡±

    Ignoring her outrage, I flagged a waiter down and we ordered some food. They returned quickly and a huge piece of meat with a white bone sticking through it was placed in front of each of us. It smelled divine and looked even better.

    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Bell breathed, ¡°it¡¯s the manga meat on a bone that every human dreams of! I¡¯ve always wanted to try this.¡±

    The browned, succulent meat practically melted off the bone and was every bit as satisfying as it looked in anime and manga. Bell was right, I too had wanted to try it since the first time I¡¯d watched One Piece as a kid.

    After we finished our food, we stayed a little while for some free drinks. The ale in Havar was divine, at least it was a damn sight better than the motor oil the dwarves served, and I had no reason to dread having a hangover the next day.

    ¡°So, what kind of quest are we doing next?¡± Bell asked as we supped out second round.

    ¡°What do you mean we?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re basically a party now aren¡¯t we?¡± She replied, her cheeks turning a light reddish colour, ¡°I just figured we¡¯d continue working together after everything we¡¯ve been through.¡±

    The thought hadn¡¯t really crossed my mind, I¡¯d never considered us as a party, hell, I didn¡¯t even know how to set one up.

    Then again, Bell was pretty strong and she did make for good company. Moreover, I¡¯d feel pretty bad leaving her on her own after everything we¡¯d been through together. She had a knack of getting into trouble and I didn¡¯t want her death on my conscious.

    ¡°Well I guess it¡¯s ok,¡± I replied, looking over to Panda who nodded back at me. ¡°So, Panda, how do you even start a party?¡±

    ¡°Usually,¡± he replied, rubbing his chin with his paw thoughtfully, ¡°you¡¯d invite some friends over, maybe buy some chips and dips, put on some music and get some kegs¡­¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I replied monotonously, narrowing my eyes at his amused expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty straight forward,¡± Sally interjected, ¡°you can create a party in the chat function of you HUD. It¡¯ll open a party chat which you then have to name. To make it official, you¡¯ll need to register that name with the guild.¡±

    Following her instructions I dived into my HUD and invited Bell to a party chat. The only sticking point was the name.

    ¡°How about, Bell¡¯s Banditos?¡± The fireball mage offered.

    ¡°That¡¯s stupid, we¡¯re not even bandits,¡± Panda said, ¡°it should be The Travelling Sage and his Lacklustre Companions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a name, it¡¯s a sentence,¡± Sally muttered across the table from us. ¡°You should call yourselves, Wild Cards, because you all have such different abilities.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a deck builder, or an 80¡¯s teen superhero show,¡± I replied with a shake of my head. ¡°How about Dissident Flame?¡±

    The others took a moment to consider my idea, which I took to be a good sign. Panda nodded slowly as he thought it over and Bell looked a little confused. In the end, it was Sally that spoke first.

    ¡°I like it, it sounds very official,¡± she said, ¡°just don¡¯t go getting full of yourselves just because you have a team now.¡±

    After a little more back and forth which was mostly Bell putting forth names like: The B Team, B-Men and Bell¡¯s Company, we eventually settled on Dissident Flame as our team¡¯s name.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll get it filed with Lucy tomorrow,¡± I said, after finishing my fourth ale. It had taken us a while to agree on a name and we¡¯d gone through our fair share of freebies.

    Chances were that Bell was going to be the more memorable of the three of us anyway, and I was happy to lead from the shadows and let her take the spotlight. I just wanted to level up and get more powerful and I didn¡¯t need to paint a target on my back for rival teams and cultists.

    ¡°So, back to my original question,¡± Bell began, ¡°what kind of quest are we going to do next.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± I began tentatively, ¡°I was thinking about going to the continent.¡±

 Chapter 111 â€“ A Friend In Needâ€¦

    ¡°You want to go to the continent?¡± Panda gasped, spluttering his ale all over the table, ¡°you know I¡¯ve only been there once right? My sagely knowledge won¡¯t be much help to you over there.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, cupping my hands in front of my chin. ¡°My goal is to get stronger and I think it¡¯s time to leave Havar behind and go travelling. There¡¯s an entire world out there after all.¡±

    Bell¡¯s eyes lit up as she listened to me, then she lifted her wooden tankard in my direction and said: ¡°let¡¯s do it!¡±

    With a smile, I hit her tankard with my own and we both turned to stare at Panda who looked more uncertain than I¡¯d ever seen him.

    ¡°Just think of all the new knowledge you¡¯ll be able to pilfer,¡± I said slowly, like I was enticing a dog to come to me.

    Panda stared back at me through the lids of his large eyes. He held up his tankard tentatively as if cogs were turning in his brain.

    ¡°I do like the sound of that,¡± he began, ¡°but the continent is dangerous and¡­ ah, why not.¡± He shook his head lightly as he hit his tankard into ours.

    ¡°That settles it then!¡± I announced gleefully, ¡°tomorrow morning I¡¯ll register our party with the guild and then team Dissident Flame will set out for new horizons.¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡± We all shouted as we hit out tankards together once more and downed our drinks.

    ¡°There¡¯s just one problem,¡± Panda said, ¡°how are we going to get there?¡±

    I lowered my tankard slowly as realisation struck. I hadn¡¯t actually thought about that part. Perhaps we could hire a yacht? I had plenty of gold, though I didn¡¯t know what the going rate for yacht hire was¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re in luck,¡± Sally said quietly from behind her mountainous stack of papers. ¡°It just so happens that I have some business on the continent myself. I¡¯ll let you hitch a ride if you help me out with a little errand I have to take care of along the way.¡±

    ¡°That sounds great!¡± Bell chimed happily.

    ¡°It does¡­ that¡¯s not like you,¡± I said slowly, ¡°what kind of errand is this exactly?¡±

    Sally looked up at me, her dark blue eyes flashing dangerously as her fangs crested her lips in a familiar way.

    ¡°Oh nothing much¡­¡± she began, ¡°just a little monster extermination quest.¡±

    ***

    I awoke the next morning with a hangover to end all hangovers. How was it that in a world brimming with magic and potions that could literally heal you from the brink of death, there was no hangover cure.

    It seemed like a bit of a lapse in judgement to me. Surely an alchemist somewhere must have discovered the cure.

    As I placed a warm palm against my throbbing temple, I vowed to track down that alchemist and covet the cure for myself. It could quite possibly be the single most valuable treasure in this world¡­

    After downing a few tankards of water, courtesy of my lecherous, lycanid landlady, I set off to the guild and registered our party. Team Dissident Flame was officially recognised as a guild sanctioned party and was added to my adventurer card.

    Kaleb Akabane

    Level: 45

    Rank: Iron

    Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

    Party: Dissident Flame

    It felt kind of nice to be part of an official team. Sure, there were only three of us and Panda was my familiar, but there was something comforting about someone to back me up.

    Turning to leave the society behind and set off on our voyage, I heard a shrill shout from Lucy the receptionist.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    I looked behind me, raising an amused eyebrow at her and she smiled at me. ¡°The director needs to see you,¡± she said warmly, ¡°assuming the hero of Havar has the time to spend with us lowly mortals.¡±

    Oh yeah, I thought groggily, Lucas did say he needed a word.

    ¡°I¡¯ll always have time for you Lucy,¡± I said, blushing slightly as she smiled at me once again.

    Maybe I am a furry¡­

    Lucas¡¯ office was as drab as ever when I arrived in the lift, courtesy of Lucy¡¯s mana activating it for me. He sat formally behind his desk, his face told the story of his fight with the dragon, though those bruises were gradually fading.

    It reminded me just how powerful the beast was, to not only be able to best Lucas, but to leave marks that he couldn¡¯t heal instantly. I shuddered at the thought of how disastrously my fight with the thing could have turned out.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± he said warmly, indicating the seat opposite him, ¡°thank you for coming. I hear you¡¯re to head out for the continent today?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± I said, struggling to hide the excitement in my voice, ¡°new horizons and all that.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, well in that case I won¡¯t take up much of your time,¡± he said, offering me a glass of his favourite amber alcohol which I swiftly declined, the mere smell churning my stomach after the previous night. ¡°To speak plainly, I have a quest I would like you and your team to take for me. It¡¯s on the continent so it shouldn¡¯t be out of your way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± I said with a shrug, ¡°as long as the society is offering a good reward.¡±

    ¡°Actually, this quest is a more personal one,¡± he replied, looking down at his drink, ¡°off the books strictly speaking.¡±

    Growing more intrigued by the minute I raised my eyebrows at him, indicating for him to continue.

    ¡°Do you remember when we spoke about my father?¡±

    ¡°You mean the super powerful bloke who shunned you and banished you to Havar?¡± I replied, ¡°sounded like a bit of a prick if I recall.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± he smiled sadly, ¡°I recently learned of a plot to assassinate him. I believe the hitman in question is the same person who killed our king. The thing is, I¡¯m not on the best of terms with my father as you well know. So I was hoping you could look into the matter for me.

    ¡°He lives in Castalor and I¡¯m quite friendly with the director there. If you agree to this, all I¡¯d ask is that you go to the city, keep your ear to the ground and touch base with the director there.¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help you,¡± I said, looking him in the eyes, ¡°you¡¯ve helped me out plenty, I¡¯d be happy to return the favour.¡±

    He nodded solemnly and though his mouth was smiling, his eyes harboured a deep sadness. There was something he wasn¡¯t telling me and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as if warning me to probe deeper.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Before I could, the quest notification popped up on my HUD and I read it.

    New Quest:

    Lucas, I Am Your Father

    Lucas Regina has asked you to travel to the city of Castalor in order to root out an assassin who he believes is going to kill his father.

    Objectives:

    Go to Castalor: 0/1

    Prevent the assassination: 0/1

    Speak to the local Adventure Society Director (optional): 0/1

    ¡°There¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me isn¡¯t there?¡± I asked, dismissing my HUD.

    ¡°As astute as ever,¡± Lucas sighed, ¡°yes there is. This quest will be putting you and your team, congratulations on that by the way, in great danger. Not only is Castalor home to some very high levelled individuals, I have reason to believe that the cult has its hand in this whole affair.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re asking me, a newly minted iron ranker, to take on high level cultists who want to skin me alive, in a dangerous city. All to protect a father who was a dick to you and who is infinitely more powerful than anyone I¡¯ve ever met?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, looking into his glass once more. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want to do it. It¡¯s a rather unreasonable request when pu-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take it!¡± I said, banging my fist on the table and standing up.

    ¡°You will?¡± He began, his voice cracking slightly as he began to raise his head. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°A friend in need is a friend indeed,¡± I replied as I began to leave his office. ¡°When a friend needs help you don¡¯t ask questions and you don¡¯t turn them down. You just do it.¡±

    ***

    I left Adventure Society feeling pretty positive about the future for the first time in a while. That warm feeling disappeared as soon as I boarded Sally¡¯s flying ship.

    ¡°How fast can this thing go?¡± Bell asked as Sally finished the preparations for take-off.

    ¡°Fast enough,¡± she responded, ¡°this is one of the only flying vessels in the Havarian port you know.¡±

    ¡°I bet I can make it faster,¡± the fireball mage grinned as she held both of her hands out over the rear of the ship.

    Sally flashed her a fangy smile and as we took to the skies, Bell fired endless streams of fireballs behind us.

    I had to hold onto the mast for dear life as the two adrenaline junkies doubled over with laughter at my precarious predicament. They laughed even harder once we reached cloud level and poor Panda spent a sold hour with his head over the side railing, polluting the waters below.

    Yup, having a team definitely wasn¡¯t all it was cracked up to be.

    I spent the next week training with Sally. The demonic cat woman had me running around the ship until I felt seasick. We trained in melee combat, we worked on stretching the capacity of my Soul Shot ability, and we worked on my quick fire and accuracy.

    By the end of it, almost all of Sally¡¯s dinner plates had been destroyed and my Newly Qualified Bowman skill reached the 70% mark. I wondered what it would evolve into, just as I was also contemplating how my dagger skill would improve once it reached the percentage evolution stage.

    I was nearing that milestone as the days passed and almost two weeks into our voyage, I got what I was after.

    It seemed that specialised and well-thought-out melee training did wonders for my dagger skill. It gained a level at least once a day, though it was hard fought for. I puked, ran out of stamina constantly, and felt like every muscle fibre in my body was set alight.

    However, with blood, sweat and tears, after the second week I finally hit the goal I was after.

    Dagger has reached lvl 25

    Would you like to evolve Dagger? Dagger will merge with Novice Apex Skirmisher in order to evolve.

    Y/N

    I¡¯d been waiting for this for so long. I¡¯d spent ages training specifically with my daggers in the jungle, I¡¯d used them to kill plenty of monsters and people alike, but it was the specialised training with Sally that finally pushed it over the edge.

    Without hesitation, I mentally asserted yes.

    Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher (Dual Wield) (0%)

    The Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher has started on his path to truly mastering small blades. What it lacks in reach, it makes up for in speed ¨C a description that would also accurately describe your love life.

    The Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher will have to complete greater feats in order to evolve this skill. Upon reaching 100% proficiency, the skill will evolve.

    Damage proficiency improved.

    Dual wielding proficiency improved.

    A minor bonus to the effect of agility will be added when a small blade is equipped.

    I grinned the entire time I was reading the upgrade, even the system¡¯s attempt to shame my manhood was like water off a duck¡¯s back to me. It seemed that as I progressed, my skills began to merge together to create a more tailored skillset.

    That certainly made it easier to navigate my stats sheet.

    It made sense that my agility would increase marginally when I was using my daggers and that was a useful boon in melee combat.

    Mostly though, I simply felt that my overall knowledge and ability with the daggers was solidified.

    I wondered if any of my other skills would eventually turn into percentage-based levelling? So far it seemed that it mainly effected my passive fighting skills as my active skills all came with specific grades such as uncommon or rare.

    I¡¯d probably need to get my hands on more upgrade tokens or potions to further advance those skills, though I was feeling pretty good about my overall progress so far anyway.

    As the second week of our voyage whittled away and I continued my training, I checked my map to see a little coloured line cutting through the shadowed sections.

    My map acted much like the kind you would get in a game. It showed the places I¡¯d visited in colour, whilst everywhere else was shadowed and dark.

    I could see the outlines of the various continents, but nothing more than that. A small line of colour now showed, cutting through the shadows from Havar in the direction of the continent.

    The map itself was a facsimile of Earth, so, with my mediocre geography skills, I knew that we were approaching the area where the Florida Keys were back in my world.

    Previously our days had been extremely regimented: wake up, eat, train, eat, train, eat, drink, sleep, repeat.

    It wasn¡¯t the most exciting of journeys but it certainly helped me to progress. Bell was doing well too; she was training to failure every single day with her fireball magic.

    She¡¯d spend most of the day channelling as much mana as she could into a single blast which she¡¯d fire from the rear of the ship.

    The sudden jolts of random speed made my training harder, but I gradually became surer footed from it. She was trying to increase the potency of her spells. She¡¯d gotten the idea from my Soul Shot and in lieu of having a specific skill herself, she decided to train her resilience to be able to pump more mana into each shot in the hopes of being able to create her own high-powered attack.

    If she managed to pull it off she¡¯d be a force to be reckoned with considering her fireballs were area of effect attacks. Between the two of us we¡¯d be nearly unstoppable on quests. Theoretically, Bell could take out the small fries in a single move, leaving me to deal with the more potent enemies using my more specialised attacks.

    Of course, we were quite a way off from realising that goal.

    As our journey took us closer towards the Florida Keys facsimile on the map, Sally began acting strangely.

    She had shortened our training sessions and began spending more and more time on the bow of the ship, staring off into the distance as if she was looking for something.

    After a day of this I decided to approach her an ask about it.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked harmlessly as I leant over the side, trying to match her eyeline.

    ¡°Scouting,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Scouting for what?¡± I probed.

    ¡°Our target.¡±

    Target? I thought.

    She had mentioned that she needed our help with something and that it was a monster extermination quest, but what kind of monster would we be exterminating up in the sky above a vast ocean?

    ¡°If we¡¯re about to get into a scrap, the least you could do is share the details,¡± I huffed, still struggling to see anything through the cloud canopy that obscured the ship in all directions.

    With a flick of her wrist and a sigh, a notification popped up on my HUD.

    Adventurer Sally would like to share a quest with you. Do you accept?

    Y/N

    Nervously I mentally asserted yes.

    New Quest:

    Kraken Skulls and Taking Names

    The Adventure Society in Havar has received an urgent request from a smaller branch located in Asquith Town.

    The local fishermen have been unable to ply their trade for weeks due to an unknown threat in the nearby waters. They¡¯ve requested aid to deal with this.

    Society intelligence suggests that the monster in question is both large and at least as powerful as a high-level silver ranked guild member.

    Objectives:

    Investigate the waters near Asquith Town 0/1

    Kill the monster 0/1

    Rewards: Adventurer Sally has set the terms of this quest as [subcontracted]. As such your reward will be the terms agreed upon by your party [Dissident Flame] and Adventurer Sally.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could subcontract quests?¡± I murmured as I read through the notification.

    ¡°Yup, and we already agreed that you¡¯d help me with this in return for travel to the continent,¡± she replied, flashing a fangy smile my way.

    I had the distinct feeling that we¡¯d been played.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on kid?¡± Panda asked in a huff as he waddled up the stairs behind me. ¡°I just saw the quest notification, did something happen?¡±

    ¡°I got one too!¡± Bell shouted from halfway across the vessel as she too made her way towards us.

    ¡°Oh, something happened alright!¡± I exclaimed, ¡°this damn cat played us like a fiddle!¡±

    However, my last few words were drowned out by the sound of a crashing wave as water crested the side of our ship, soaking me thoroughly.

    What the hell? We¡¯re flying, how could a wave have reached us all the way up here?

    That was when a slimy, black tentacle slapped onto the deck of the ship, cracking the wood with a terrifying creaking sound.

 Chapter 112 â€“ Not The Time To Be Kraken Jokes

    A slimy, black tentacle slammed onto the deck of the ship just as I was brushing my short hair out of my eyes from the salt water that lashed my skin.

    CREAK.

    The ship jolted and dropped down in the sky before regaining its composure and halting our untimely descent. The wooden slats on the ship¡¯s deck cracked under the pressure of the tentacle and before I had chance to summon my bow, Bell was raising her arms.

    ¡°No!¡± I shouted, diving from my position atop the stairs and slamming her to the ground, ¡°if you fire that here you¡¯ll set the damned ship on fire you idiot.¡±

    She looked up at me with glistening eyes before cancelling her spell. Looking sheepish, she muttered an apology and we untangled ourselves from one another.

    My head snapped in the direction of a second crack as another tentacle slapped onto the ship, wrapping around the bow where I was stood only moments ago.

    For a second I was worried for Sally, who was also up there, but the silver ranker had wasted no time gawking at the slimy appendages that assaulted our vessel.

    She had leaped into the air, drawing her oversized sword from her back, and crashing down onto the first tentacle. She cleaved it in half as inky blood sprayed across the deck, creating a slip hazard worthy of a ¡°slippery when wet¡± sign.

    Where¡¯s Bon Jovi when you need them, I thought.

    Eager to enter the fray myself, I went to draw my bow, but thought better of it and chose my daggers instead. For the same reasons in which I¡¯d stopped Bell¡¯s fireball spell, my bow would likely cause more damage to the ship than it could take.

    No Soul Shot for me, I grumbled internally, let¡¯s see what my Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher skill can do.

    I smiled to myself and dashed towards the second tentacle, stabbing my right-hand dagger into its soft flesh and dragging it through the skin as I bolted up the stairs.

    The skin smouldered and bubbled as the acid began to take effect, it would have smelled quite nice if it wasn¡¯t for the overpowering sent of rotted fish that stung my nostrils, threatening to burn the nose hair within.

    I paid it no mind and dived onto the thickest part of the tentacle, straddling it like a jockey as I stabbed at it over and over, alternating between each dagger. The putrid smell of burning, melting flesh only aided my vigour as I mercilessly attacked the strange creature.

    ¡°GWAAAAH!¡±

    An unrecognisable roar of pain came from below the ship and the tentacle retracted, but not before squirming under my acidic onslaught.

    I held on tight as it thrashed like a bucking bronco, continually stabbing at its slimy skin.

    That was a mistake.

    As the tentacle fought to free itself from me and the ship, I realised that it was a pure slab of muscle. Even with my strength stat as high as it currently was, I was no match for it.

    The tentacle wriggled and pulled away from the ship, smashing the railing and dragging me overboard. I jumped up, ready to leap back to the ship as the tentacle crested the vessel, but I was too slow.

    Just as I leaped, I was slapped by the underside of the monstrosity which wrapped around my torso like a boa constrictor. I felt a gross sucking sensation as I noticed my stamina bar begin to drain at an alarming rate.

    The underside of the tentacle was filled to the brim with suckers and I was helpless to remove them. I stabbed at the outside of the appendage with my free arm and another monstrous cry threatened to burst my ear drums.

    Still, the tentacle¡¯s grip never faltered and I found myself held aloft, in mid-air, too far from the ship to return even if I did break free.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± I heard Panda shout from somewhere behind me, ¡°It¡¯s a Kraken, you have to go for the main body, the tentacles will just grow back.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the info mate,¡± I replied absently as I continued stabbing at my captor, ¡°but I¡¯m a little tied up at the moment.¡±

    A blaze of searing heat brushed past my free arm and I felt the tentacle shrivel around me. Using that distraction, I pulled myself out of the monster¡¯s grip and found myself free falling towards the main body.

    Focusing, a notification popped up in my HUD, slowing down time momentarily and allowing me a precious few second to come up with a plan.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Kraken

    There are many legends about the Kraken throughout the world of Celestia, but none are so well known as the story of Kra-Karen who, legend says, attacked over five thousand fishing vessels demanding to speak to their managers.

    Sadly, she was eventually murdered by a team of adventurers in Athenile 275. By the time they were finished, all that was left of her remains was a bottle-dyed, blonde inverted bob.

    R.I.P

    ¡°This is not the time to be Kraken jokes!¡± I yelled, as time resumed and my stomach somersaulted as I fell towards the creature¡¯s ugly face.

    Despite the system¡¯s nonsense, the notification had provided me with a few precious seconds with which to formulate a plan.

    Kaleb: Everyone, fire off everything you¡¯ve got at the main body.

    Bell: Will do!

    Sally: Don¡¯t order me around, Gonads.

    Panda: I don¡¯t have any attack magic¡­

    Kaleb: I wasn¡¯t talking to you.

    Dismissing the chat function, I summoned my bow and immediately loaded one of my new arrows and pulled the draw string back.

    After weeks of practicing with Sally, I knew exactly how much energy I could force into a single Soul Shot before the arrow would shatter. Thankfully, these new arrows could hold a lot more power than the previous ones.

    I focused on pouring my soul power into the arrow. It was a similar technique to my meditation, but much more lucid, and fast.

    I imagined the power in my core circulating throughout my body and draining from the tips of my fingers into the arrow. It was a tiring process as I was quite literally forcing my stamina coil to deplete.

    Previously, I¡¯d only managed a sickly, green glow from this process. My old arrows couldn¡¯t handle much power. The new arrows, however, hummed with a living hue the colour of an evergreen forest.

    The green glow was brighter than I¡¯d ever seen it, even leaking into the bow itself. It would have been pretty if it wasn¡¯t for the burning acid power that caused Soul Shot to take on that particular colour.

    I faced down the giant creature, which stared back at me through beady, yellow eyes. Its skin was slimy, black and covered in barnacles and other ocean dwelling things.

    Most notably though, was the sheer size of the beast. It was an absolute kaiju of a thing, stretching to the height of a small mountain with tentacles that could reach the clouds.

    As my arrow reached the familiar capacity for soul infusion, I fired.

    It rocketed away from me, shooting downwards towards my foe. There was a crack and then smoke as it tore through the kraken¡¯s face, leaving a medium sized hole in the front and blasting chunks of flesh out of the rear.

    ¡°GWAAAH!¡±

    The kraken screamed again, its atonal voice blasting outwards in an omnidirectional shockwave that threatened to burst my eardrums.

    I¡¯d been to plenty of metal concerts in my life, and I¡¯d never worn ear protection, but the sheer power behind the kraken¡¯s shout was like nothing I¡¯d experienced before. It was debilitating.

    The back blast from my arrow had the intended effect.

    I was fired high into the air, away from the kraken and the deadly freefall that had threatened my life.

    I rose up past the ship, just in time to see Bell launching a humungous fireball at the creature.

    I guess her training paid off too.

    She strained to keep her hands held out over the side of the vessel, as if she was actually holding the fire which spun and compacted in front of her.

    It was huge and I felt my arm hair singe as I sailed past it, high into the air.

    When she couldn¡¯t take the strain anymore, our fireball mage released her gigantic flame which fell slowly towards the kraken.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a little anticlimactic,¡± I heard Panda say, a statement which he followed up with a yelp as I crash landed onto the deck behind him, cracking the boards as a plume of dust and wood filings covered me.

    I consumed a health potion and a stamina potion from my inventory screen and groggily got to my feet. Despite the magic of alchemy, I was still pretty dazed from¡­ everything.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sally?¡± I asked as I staggered to the railing.

    ¡°Following your orders¡­ I guess,¡± Bell replied.

    Furrowing my brow, I looked over the side of the railing just in time to see the fireball slam into the screaming monster. Its flesh began to melt away, green tinged skin receding as the acid from my arrow melted skin from the inside, Bell¡¯s fireball melted it from the outside and the ocean was filling with a thick, black ink worthy of an environmental disaster.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know BP operated in Celestia,¡± I chuckled.

    ¡°How old are you?¡± Bell replied, eyes glued to the scene below, ¡°that happened when I was a kid.¡±

    I didn¡¯t reply.

    Instead, I watched, mouth agape, as I realised where Sally was. Following in the wake of the fireball was a huge sword attached to a, comparatively, tiny catonid.

    Sally dove towards the kraken which was now burning and had a large hole through its face. Her oversized sword was lifted above her head, glowing with a red hue that bordered the blade¡¯s edge.

    As she reached the kraken she slammed down, like she was wielding a war hammer, and cleaved the beast in two.

    Tentacles flailed wildly in the air as the monster fought to the very last breath, but Sally was no slouch and she pressed even harder into the centre mass of the beast.

    In less than a second, the body¡­ head? It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ of the monster was fully separated as jet black ink gushed out of its carcass, turning the local ocean into a gothic swimming pool.

    Bell and Panda cheered, raising fist and paw alike as I grinned to myself and breathed out a sigh of relief.

    I was rather pleased with how my new powers had performed. That being said, Sally¡¯s level of power was my current goal. I wanted to be able to do that. Her level of formidability was a sight to behold and I wanted it.

    CRASH.

    I flew to the side, crashing into the ship¡¯s mast as a flailing tentacle smashed into the deck of the ship once more.

    ¡°I thought it was dead?¡± Bell yelled in a panic as the boat groaned under the pressure.

    There was a loud crack as the deck¡¯s wooden boards, which had taken quite the beating already, finally gave way and snapped. The mast I was laid again creaked and started falling to the side, just as the ship ripped in two and the stray tentacle fell through the wood and back down to its owner with a hearty splash.

    The magic wind bubble that surrounded the ship and prevented us from being blown off the side popped. The ship stopped flying forwards and began to lose altitude, a fact I only realised so quickly because of the sudden feeling of somersaulting in my stomach. It felt like I was on The Tower of Terror ride.. but ramped up a fair few notches.

    I felt weightless for a moment as wind rushed around me, blowing my cheeks back and threatening to give me an unwanted botox.

    We were falling, and the ship was about to crash.

 Chapter 113 - Shipwrecked

    My stomach flopped as the sudden feeling of weightlessness enveloped me.

    I tried to get to my feet, but the crushing pressure of the wind kept me stuck to the cracked decking of the ship. I needed to do something fast or we were all going to need scraping off the ocean floor.

    You¡¯d think that falling from great height into a body of water wouldn¡¯t be too bad, but at the velocity with which we were descending, the crash would be akin to hitting solid concrete.

    Nope, I definitely don¡¯t want to end up as a Kaleb flavoured pancake.

    A kill notification popped up in my HUD and I mentally waved it away, it could wait.

    Looking around frantically, my eyes levelled on the pirate-style steering wheel above the cabins. It was worth a shot.

    I crawled, or rather climbed, in that direction.

    The ship had fallen into a nosedive and the ascent was no easy feat. Luckily for me, gravity almost aided my climb as the lose items on the ship¡¯s deck fell at roughly the same speed as the ship itself.

    If this were a platform game I¡¯d have had to dodge falling boxes and debris, but most of that stuff appeared to float around me as we all fell towards the ground.

    My arms burned as I focused on sending the energy from my metaphorical stamina coil into my muscles. I¡¯d always heard that you should climb with your legs, but there were barely any footholds on the ship¡¯s deck to help me.

    Instead I had to force my bleeding fingers into small cracks in the wood and hoist myself up on strength alone.

    Thank God for my strength stat, I thought as I pushed a little further and managed to grab onto the wrong side of the wheel.

    I hoisted myself over the frame and planted my feet on the railing below me. Leaning back and pulling with all of my strength, I grabbed onto the wheel¡¯s handles and yanked.

    The wheel was designed to work in a similar way to a joystick and pulling backwards on it should, theoretically, cause the ship to fly upwards.

    Of course, that design relies heavily on the ship actually being intact, not to mention the need for a mana source to fuel the damned thing and keep it airborne.

    Why is the only guy on the ship with zero mana the one doing this? I thought scathingly as I narrowed my eyes against the harrying wind and scanned the deck.

    Bell was holding Panda under one arm and grabbing onto the railing for dear life with the other. Her body flapped around in the wind like a flag on a high pole.

    I guess they¡¯re a little too tied up to help.

    I continued wrestling with the ship¡¯s wheel, pulling hard and hoping against all odds that it would eventually level out.

    Meanwhile, we were approaching the sea fast.

    I couldn¡¯t even see the remains of the kraken anymore, instead my vision was filled with what looked like a resort on a sandy beach.

    Is that Asquith Town?

    I hoped not. It wouldn¡¯t look very professional for the very adventurers they¡¯d hired to kill their kraken to crash their ship slap bang in the middle of the town.

    Turning the wheel slightly, I attempted to control the direction of our descent. I wouldn¡¯t have the deaths of a town full of people on my hands.

    Still yanking on the wheel, I threw it as far to the right as I could. The main mast was gone, so we had no large sail to catch the wind for quick, evasive manoeuvres. We did, however, still have the two smaller sails at the front and back of the ship.

    They weren¡¯t much, but slowly the ship began to turn as it levelled out to a gentler descent.

    I had no way of levelling the ship off completely, but I did manage to mitigate the nosedive and turn the vessel away from the resort town¡­ kind of.

    CRASH.

    The underside of the ship hit the water with a thump and I was thrown violently into the air as wooden planks smashed beneath me.

    I dropped back down with a smack and, ignoring the pain as best as I could, focused on grabbing the wheel and yanking it fully to the right once more.

    The vessel began to turn in a way that reminded me of a race car drifting. It was almost as if I had performed a handbrake turn with a damned flying pirate ship.

    I barely had time to contemplate how awesome that was before the side of the ship marooned itself on the beach and I was thrown from the vessel once more.

    I flew through the air, over the side of the ship, and landed face first in the sand.

    I felt like a chicken, and I probably looked like one too ¨C or at least like a human who was pretending to be a chicken¡­ which was infinitely worse.

    Bracing my hands against the soft grains of warm sand, I pushed myself free, falling backwards as my head popped out of the hole it¡¯d made.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Gasping for breath, I looked around to see a gathering crowd of worried onlookers. They kept their distance and many had mouths which hung agape as they took in the wreckage of our flying ship.

    Following their gazes, I turned around to see Sally¡¯s prize possession snapped almost entirely in two. There was a large, gaping crack in the middle of the ship¡¯s hull, held together only by a thin strand of iron at the very bottom.

    Bell¡¯s body hung limply over the side of the railing, her newly acquired, scarlet robes ripped and tattered as they caught on the breeze.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ alive,¡± I heard a small, bewildered voice say to itself.

    Looking in that direction I saw Panda sat on the beach a mere few meters from me. He was gawping at something he clutched in his paws.

    With a pained grunt, I forced myself to my feet and stumbled towards him.

    ¡°Kaleb¡­¡± he began slowly, looking up at me with large, glistening eyes, ¡°I broke my pipe.¡±

    I looked down to see his bamboo pipe was snapped at the middle, a piece held firmly in each paw.

    ¡°We can get you a new one buddy,¡± I said gently, stroking the top of his head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it¡­¡± he sobbed, ¡°she gave it to me.¡±

    I was a quite dazed from the fall but I knew enough about my familiar to understand who she was. In a previous life he had been summoned by a female adventurer who had died. That was about the extent of what I knew about her as he¡¯d never really spoken about her before.

    I did know that she meant a lot to him though, a wound that was still relatively fresh.

    I sat next to him silently, rubbing the soft fur on his back whilst we gazed at the broken ship that very nearly spelled our doom.

    ¡°Do you think Bell is alright?¡± He asked slowly.

    ¡°The party function hasn¡¯t told me she¡¯s dead so I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine,¡± I replied quietly, ¡°probably just taking a nap.¡±

    He laughed softly as we both looked towards the unconscious fireball mage hanging limply over the side of Sally¡¯s broken ship.

    I leant backwards, stretching my hand out when I felt something slimy caress my fingers.

    Jumping slightly, I looked behind me to see part of a tentacle resting idly on the golden sand. It must have been the part Sally had cleaved in two when we were first attacked.

    Hovering above it was a welcoming message.

    Do you want to loot Kraken?

    Y/N

    Damned right I do! I thought with a grin, Sally¡¯s not getting all the spoils for this one.

    You have received new items:

    10,000 gold

    X1 bottle of refined kraken ink

    X1 kraken eye

    ¡°They¡¯re used in crafting,¡± Panda said as he looked through the loot notification with me.

    ¡°I have quite a few crafting items now, but I¡¯ve never met anyone who could actually use them,¡± I replied half-heartedly.

    During our week off in Havar after saving Bell, I had visited the blacksmith, a few weapons dealers and spoken to Taylor about getting something made with my crafting spoils, but none of them had the expertise to use the items I had.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to find a gold ranked artisan on the continent,¡± Panda reassured me, ¡°looted crafting components take a lot of skill to work into items.¡±

    At least that was something.

    In the corner of my vision was a blinking symbol which I knew meant I had unopened notifications. It had to be the kill notification from the kraken, so I opened it.

    You have assisted in the defeat of Kraken lvl 96

    Experience has been split as you did not strike the killing blow.

    Bonus experience due to level disparity.

    Congratulations! You have advanced to level 46

    The surprise level was certainly a welcome sight. I hadn¡¯t advanced even once during our two-week voyage; despite all the rigorous training I was doing. I quickly allocated two of my five points into perception and the rest into intelligence before the second notification popped up.

    Quest Complete:

    Kraken Skulls and Taking Names

    The Adventure Society in Havar has received an urgent request from a smaller branch located in Asquith Town.

    The local fishermen have been unable to ply their trade for weeks due to an unknown threat in the nearby waters. They¡¯ve requested aid to deal with this.

    Society intelligence suggests that the monster in question is both large and at least as powerful as a high-level silver ranked guild member.

    Objectives:

    Investigate the waters near Asquith Town 1/1

    Kill the monster 1/1

    Rewards: Adventurer Sally has set the terms of this quest as [subcontracted]. As such your reward will be the terms agreed upon by your party [Dissident Flame] and Adventurer Sally.

    That was quick, I thought idly.

    Usually a society quest could only be completed once you handed it in at the society building. This had to be different because it was subcontracted.

    ¡°I wonder where Sally is?¡± Panda asked, gazing out towards the turquoise sea.

    ¡°I wonder how long the locals are going to gawk at us before someone says something,¡± I replied quietly, glancing over my shoulder at the growing crowd of terrified, swimsuit clad, onlookers.

    With a hefty sigh, I pulled myself up from the sand and, together with Panda, we wandered back towards the wreckage that had been our home for the past few weeks.

    Using the rigging, or what was left of it, I climbed aboard and approached Bell. Her body was still limp and draped over the side.

    Maybe I should have checked on her sooner, I thought as I placed a hand on her back.

    Her skin was warm and it trembled slightly at the touch of my cold palm. Her body rose and fell in time with her breathing and there was no sign it was laboured. Still, just to be on the safe side, I tipped her head back and carefully poured a healing potion down her gullet.

    After that, I picked her up in a princess carry and, with great difficulty, climbed back down the rigging and onto the sand.

    As I reached the golden, warm beach, some of the onlookers had grown backbones and were tentatively approaching our ship.

    ¡°A-are you alright?¡± A nervous catonid man asked, his reddish-brown tail tucked firmly between his legs.

    ¡°I think so,¡± I replied, ¡°our ship has seen better days though.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ¡°What exactly happened to have you arrive in such a sorry state?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing much,¡± I said with a lazy shake of my chin, ¡°we were just getting rid of that kraken that¡¯s been terrorising the area.¡±

    The man took a step back, narrowing his eyes. Audible gasps could be heard from among the growing group of beach goers as they listened into our conversation.

    ¡°Might I take it you¡¯re the Havarian adventurers we sent for th¡­ AHH!¡± He screamed, stepping backwards and tripping over his feet as he fell to the ground with a soft thump. His arm was outstretched, pointing towards something behind me. ¡°I-it¡¯s a m-monster!¡±

    I turned quickly, preparing to give Bell to the man so that I could fight. Wading out of the sea was a muscular¡­ thing, covered in black ink which dripped from its hair, clothes and the tip of the oversized blade with rested loosely over its shoulder.

    ¡°GONADS!¡± It roared, ¡°WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SHIP!¡±

 Chapter 114 â€“ The Prophet

    Sally advanced towards me; a stern expression etched onto her face. Her battle junkie eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

    My dragon¡¯s eye allowed me to see a glowing red aura that covered her blackened, ink-stained body. She looked like an anime character mid power up.

    That was not a good sign.

    ¡°I did everything I could Sally,¡± I pleaded, raising my hands in surrender and taking a few tentative steps backwards. ¡°It was the kraken!¡±

    ¡°Yeah Sal, it krak-end the ship in two,¡± Panda laughed from my side.

    Bad move.

    Sally lurched forward with terrifying speed and booted Panda like a football. My fury familiar flew into the air and I half expected to see a little glimmer in the sky and hear words to effect of ¡°blasting of again.¡±

    In lieu of that, he flew a few meters backwards and landed hard in the middle of the large group of onlookers and in the back of my mind I imagined Bell¡¯s gleeful voice yelling ¡°goal!¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°An angel?¡±

    ¡°Angels don¡¯t fall from the sky you berk.¡±

    ¡°He looks like¡­¡±

    ¡°A prophet?¡±

    ¡°The prophet.¡±

    Various members of the group spoke in awe, as if Panda was some magical being that had been delivered to them from the heavens. Hadn¡¯t they just watched Sally kick him at them like a furry, screaming beach ball?

    Taking any excuse to flee the ink covered catonid, I jogged towards Panda and attempted to pick him up. However, a line of swimsuit wearing locals blocked my path.

    ¡°Hold up stranger, this is our prophet, not yours,¡± a muscly human man said in that typical peasant accent from literally every high fantasy movie ever made.

    ¡°Actually,¡± I replied calmly, ¡°I think you¡¯ll find he¡¯s my familiar. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±

    I forced my way through the crowd who were either too powerless or too taken aback to stop me.

    Score one for investing in my strength stat.

    In the middle of the group Panda was in the lap of a beautiful catonid woman in a golden bikini. Her hair was tied up in two perfect circles on each side of her head.

    ¡°Look Kaleb, I¡¯m Panda The Hut,¡± he said dazedly, gesturing towards the poor girl as his pupils danced in and out of focus.

    ¡°I can see that,¡± I replied, placing my hands on my hips and shaking my head. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course he¡¯s alright!¡± The same, obnoxious man from before said from behind me. ¡°He¡¯s the prophet, and we¡¯d be happy to see to his every need whilst you stay here. Assuming you do plan to stay for a while.¡± He raised his eyebrows, gesturing to our broken ship.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like we have much choice in that,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± He replied clasping his hands together.

    ¡°My dear adventurers,¡± the catonid man from earlier said as he approached from behind me with a furious Sally in tow, ¡°perhaps I could show you to the local inn? Your friend looks in dire need of some rest and, of course, we can look after the prophet for you whilst you get settled in. I believe he would like this fixing?¡± He held out the fractured pieces of Panda¡¯s bamboo pipe and my familiar looked up at him in awe.

    ¡°You can fix it?¡± He said, sounding just a little bit concussed.

    ¡°Of course Prophet, we are yours to command.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb, I¡¯m going with these guys for a bit,¡± Panda said, looking around the group of his adoring fans, ¡°Miss Golden Bikini, please carry me to the closest bookstore whilst my new friend fixes my most treasured possession.¡±

    Well that was quick concussion.

    ¡°Of course Prophet, as you wish,¡± the woman said softly.

    I wasn¡¯t sold on the idea of Panda wandering off with these over-zealous idiots, but they seemed harmless enough.

    Bell stirred in my arms, reminding me that she was still unconscious. I¡¯d almost forgotten I was carrying her. She needed a place to rest and we needed to find someone who could fix Sally¡¯s ship, before she murdered me.

    ¡°Who do you worship to believe that the furball is a prophet?¡± Sally asked the catonid man, seemingly regaining some of her composure.

    ¡°Why, The System of course,¡± the man replied with a wide smile, ¡°who else?¡±

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    The System? I thought, glancing up.

    ***

    Shortly after our arrival, Panda was whisked away as the odd locals fell over themselves to languish upon his every need and desire.

    Meanwhile, the catonid man, who seemed to be a local leader of sorts, guided us through the small resort town to an inn.

    Asquith Town was an odd-looking place.

    The small island in which it was located was supposedly known for its golden, sandy beaches, and as such the entire town was set up as a resort for tourists.

    Their entire economy was based around providing services and, to that effect, there were shops and stalls everywhere.

    On the beachfront stood a magnificent, modern-looking hotel that could easily have been pulled from a holiday brochure back on Earth. Its whitewashed walls and myriad of apartments and balconies gazed out over the beautiful turquoise sea in picturesque tranquillity worthy of a postcard.

    Sadly, that view was a little tarnished currently as our broken ship lay marooned on the sands. Then again, considering the blackish hue tinging the sea from the corpse of the dead kraken, perhaps the ship was a blessing in disguise.

    It was behind the hotel where the town really started though. Colourful stone buildings lined the cobbled streets in perfect blocks which all led out from the local religious site.

    It was a magnificent cathedral whose spires added a certain gothic flare to the otherwise cartoonish town. Stained glass windows projected a purple tranquillity to the natural light that passed through it and at the very tip was a symbol that reminded me of computer coding.

    Ones and zeros combined together to create an S that took pride of place over the system worshipping residents.

    The local inn reminded me of a quaint bed and breakfast, the kind found in any English seaside town. It was simple and homely with a few amenities and basic rooms.

    I placed Bell delicately in a bed and left her to her slumber as Sally talked with the catonid man. We discovered his name was Clive, it suited him¡­ though for some reason I had a sudden urge to joke about his wife, despite being pretty sure he didn¡¯t have one.

    His clergyman robes of golden thread didn¡¯t project that of a married man. Though perhaps that was my Earthen bias showing through since men of the cloth often didn¡¯t wed where I came from.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Sally asked as I returned to the foyer.

    ¡°Sleeping,¡± I replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s injured, probably just used too much mana sending that massive fireball at the kraken.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Sally said half-heartedly.

    As the day began to wane, and with no sign of Panda, Sally retired to her room to shower off the ink which plastered her skin, and I decided to have a drink with Clive.

    He led me down the cobbled streets of the quiet town to a little rooftop bar which sat in the purple-orange glow of the cathedral.

    ¡°So, tell me about why you worship the system.¡± I said, curiosity finally getting the better of me as we sat at a small, round table on the edge of the bar.

    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to,¡± Clive said with a smile, ¡°The System is the one true god of this world. That is a simple fact that many seem to overlook when choosing their patron.

    ¡°You see my boy, there are many false gods in this world. Gods such as Athena, who take the name in vain. They are powerful of course, much more so than you and I, but there can only ever be one god.

    ¡°The false gods gained their power through the benevolence of The System, as do we all to some extent. The System guides us through the holy interface and the quests which it so lovingly imparts onto us.

    ¡°If the false gods can only gain their power from another, more powerful being, then they are really no gods at all. Thus, we here in Asquith Town have chosen the righteous path of following The System, the one, true, God.¡±

    His speech sounded practiced as if he¡¯d given it thousands of times before. I struggled to find fault with his argument, though of course the entire debate hinged entirely on semantics.

    The idea of worshipping The System was amusing to me. The same system that made terrible jokes, gave uninformative notifications about the world around us and, who was unironically nicknamed, by yours truly, the passive aggressive Pokedex.

    It was just comical.

    ¡°I see your point,¡± I began measuredly, ¡°I¡¯m an atheist myself though.¡±

    Clive balked at that, furrowing his brow. His eyes seemed to flash with a strange¡­ anger, for just a moment.

    ¡°An atheist?¡± He said incredulously, ¡°how can you deny the existence of God? Do you not have a holy interface? Do you not commune with The System though his most blessed notifications?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± I replied lightly, ¡°I¡¯m not denying the existence of the system, I mean it¡¯s right there in my head twenty-four-seven. I just don¡¯t believe there is a such thing as gods.¡±

    ¡°Blasphemy!¡± He cried suddenly, causing me to jump back a little, ¡°please, have some respect for our lord young adventurer.¡±

    He caught himself and coughed politely, covering his mouth with his fist.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve confused respect with subservience,¡± I replied casually, ¡°the entire concept of blasphemy is based on the idea of placing someone, or something, else above you in some kind of divine pecking order. Respect should be mutual, and I believe we are all born equal. Gaining power over others might make us stronger, but it doesn¡¯t make us better or more worthy of respect.¡±

    Clive scoffed, shaking his head as he considered his glass of green, glittering liquid. The juice they served here was truly divine, forgiving the pun and I was enjoying having an intellectual chat about faith and religion.

    I usually tried to stay out of such things, especially politics, though I seemed to keep getting dragged into it anyway, but talks like this were harmless. No god was going to smite me down or anything, so what was the harm?

    ¡°If we are all born equal,¡± Clive began in a, once again, measured and practiced tone, ¡°then why are we so different from one another? To deny that difference in favour of forcing an agenda of equality is rather ignorant, wouldn¡¯t you say?

    ¡°For example, in a crowd at mass where the flock gather to watch the priest deliver his sermon, can you really say that the dwarf, who cannot see past the taller humans blocking his path, is equal to them? In that regard, I would say he is rather unequal by mere right of birth.¡±

    I considered his argument; I¡¯d heard something similar before.

    ¡°I think that comes down to your definition of the word,¡± I began, a slight smile appearing on my lips, ¡°you¡¯re thinking in literal terms like rich versus poor, tall versus small etcetera. However, I believe that equality is simply a mutual respect and acknowledgement that no man is better than someone else, regardless of stature or luck of birth.¡±

    ¡°And thus you have handed me victory in this battle of wits young man,¡± Clive began triumphantly, ¡°for The System is no man.¡±

    There he goes with his fallacies again, I thought, suppressing the urge to laugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s just semantics,¡± I replied, ¡°but maybe we should call it there, it¡¯s getting late and I¡¯d like to explore the town tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, bowing slightly and still wearing a triumphant smile on his face, ¡°I think you¡¯ll find our humble town to your tastes Kaleb, and should you need anything at all, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I am certain that by the end of your stay here you will believe in The System as I do.¡±

    There was something oddly malicious in his eyes as he spoke those words, but only for a second. My dragon¡¯s eye ached slightly as a light purple hue glistened on Clive¡¯s skin during that moment and then faded away like dying embers.

 Chapter 115 â€“ Those Are The Rules

    I still hadn¡¯t received any word from Panda by the next morning. I woke up, caught Bell up on the previous evening¡¯s events, ate a hearty breakfast, and with literally nothing else to do, the two of us headed out.

    Sally had disappeared early on, leaving me a system message to say she was handing in the quest and then spending the day patching up her broken ship.

    I had no need to visit the local society branch so I left her too it.

    Kaleb: I had no idea you had crafting skills.

    Sally: Do you really think I¡¯d sail the high seas without the ability to fix my own vessel?

    Kaleb: You mean high skies.

    Sally has muted the chat.

    It was a beautiful, sunny day as Bell and I wandered the cobbled streets in the picturesque little town. Not long after leaving the inn we decided to stop at a small juice stand.

    After the drinks I¡¯d shared with Clive the previous night, I was craving some more of the delectable island juice they served.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take two green juices please,¡± I said, approaching a well-dressed man wearing sunglasses and a bowler hat.

    ¡°Right away sir!¡± He replied chirpily, ¡°if you¡¯ll just fill out this form, I¡¯ll get your beverages lickety-split.¡±

    ¡°Why does he need to fill in a form to buy juice?¡± Bell asked, placing her hand on the cart.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to fill out the form,¡± the man replied, ¡°but if he doesn¡¯t he¡¯ll be charged the blasphemer¡¯s tax and it¡¯s a hefty sum indeed. I wouldn¡¯t wish that on any man.¡±

    ¡°How much tax are we talking here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°These juices cost one gold a piece,¡± he replied as his eyes unfocused and he began counting on his fingers, ¡°¡­ carry the two, plus forty-eight¡­ the total would come to a little over 2,000 gold pieces.¡±

    ¡°2,000?!¡± I gasped. Snatching the piece of parchment from his hand and I reading it over quickly.

    I [insert name here] do hereby declare my unwavering faith and loyalty to The System and the holy church who profess its will.

    Signature:¡­¡­¡­¡­.

    ¡°Is this a religious sign-up sheet?¡± I asked incredulously as Bell snatched the parchment from my hands and scanned it herself.

    ¡°Why of course,¡± the man said happily.

    Shaking my head, I dropped the sheet back onto his cart and walked away. What a farce, having to pledge to a religion just to buy a damned drink. They were starting to seem more like a cult.

    One gold per drink was already a rip off, the so-called blasphemer¡¯s tax was just taking the piss. I hadn¡¯t even said anything blasphemous¡­ yet.

    ¡°I bet if you had signed that form,¡± Bell began, ¡°they¡¯d be trying to convince you to give away all of your worldly possessions to the church. That happened to my uncle once. The family wasn¡¯t very happy when he tried to sign over the company. Luckily, my father was the managing director at the time though so there was no legal ground for the cult to stand on.¡±

    ¡°Yeah that¡­¡± I began absently, ¡°wait¡­ your family owned a company?¡±

    ¡°Ooh, a spell shop!¡± She said, completely ignoring my question, ¡°let¡¯s browse their wares.¡±

    Taking me by the hand, she led me into a small shop filled with stacks of scrolls. I didn¡¯t even know you could buy spells; I thought all magic was skill based.

    I wondered if you could use any of them without having any mana.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± Bell chimed as she approached the counter with a devilish grin. ¡°What kind of fireball spells do you have.¡±

    Resisting the urge to facepalm, I moved next to her and nodded at the shopkeeper. She was a svartalf with midnight purple skin and a surprisingly friendly smile. Nothing like Wendy back in Havar.

    ¡°Blessed greetings young ones,¡± she said, bowing slightly, ¡°we have all kinds of fireball magic here. There are acidic fireballs, noxious fireballs and a few types of fireball enhancements, as well as the basic stuff. What exactly are you in the market for?¡±

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Bell squealed, ¡°they have noxious fireballs. I can burn people and poison them¡­ all at the same time.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°That would certainly be¡­ something,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°do you need to have mana to use these scrolls?¡± I asked the shopkeeper.

    ¡°Yes, but not very much,¡± she replied casually, ¡°these are single use items gifted by the system. The mana requirement is so low that even a child could cast at least one of them.¡±

    Shame I don¡¯t even have the mana pools of a child, I thought, glancing down at the shopfloor and shuffling my feet slightly.

    Bell patted my back, likely in consolidation. Though it came across as a little patronising and I felt myself glaring at her. She was too busy to notice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take all of them,¡± Bell stated, slapping the table for effect.

    ¡°All of them?¡± The svartalf replied incredulously, her eyes lighting at the prospect.

    ¡°All of them,¡± Bell affirmed confidently.

    ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s great!¡± The woman said, ¡°if you¡¯ll just sign here I¡¯ll start gathering them all up for you. Gavin! We¡¯re going to eat like royalty this winter!¡± She called happily into the back of the shop.

    ¡°Really sweetheart? That¡¯s incredible, I was worried we¡¯d have to brave the weather to hunt again. System¡¯s blessings, what a miracle.¡±

    ¡°I know!¡± She replied in a shrill, excited voice, ¡°we might even have enough left over to pay the healer to fix Timmy¡¯s chronic mana sickness.¡± She turned her head towards us and explained, ¡°our boy has this terrible condition that makes him turn practically paraplegic when he casts spells. It¡¯s no way to live, but thanks to this generous purchase I can pay the healer to perform mana conversion therapy on him.¡±

    I had no idea who Gavin was, but I guessed it was the shopkeeper¡¯s husband. They both seemed ecstatic at the prospect of such a large sale, I guessed that spell scrolls weren¡¯t in high demand in such a quaint little seaside town. I wondered how Bell had saved enough gold to afford so much.

    The svartalf woman passed Bell a piece of parchment and a pen and began excitedly gathering scrolls by the armful. Without looking, Bell picked up the pen and began writing her name.

    Then I slapped it out of her hand.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± She asked in a hurt voice, rubbing her wrist.

    ¡°Read it.¡±

    ¡°Oh for god¡¯s sake!¡± She exclaimed as she scanned the paper, ¡°not again.¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem miss?¡± The svartalf asked, looking worriedly up from her scroll gathering.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to join your cult,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°she just wants to buy some scrolls.¡±

    ¡°Cult?!¡± The woman replied in an unnaturally high-pitched voice. ¡°The religion of the one true god is not a cult young man and I¡¯ll thank you not to persecute our religion again. Besides¡­ it¡¯s law in this town that magic scrolls cannot be purchased by non-believers.¡± She looked a little disheartened as she spoke.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Bell said, her eyes glistening.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry deary, but those are the rules,¡± the shopkeeper replied sadly, refusing to look her in the eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t sell these to you if you don¡¯t sign the form.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb, I really want those scrolls.¡± Bell said pleadingly, as if I was her keeper or something.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if that¡¯s what you want,¡± I began, ¡°but my dragon¡¯s eye is showing some pretty weird colours around that thing so I¡¯d be careful if I was you.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a lie. The parchment lit up with a strange purple hue. I didn¡¯t know what that meant exactly, but I had a funny feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be anything good.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Bell said sadly as she turned to leave the shop.

    I promptly followed her, hearing the woman¡¯s downtrodden words as we left.

    ¡°Sorry Gavin, they¡¯re non-believers. I guess we¡¯ll have to go hungry again.¡±

    ¡°Poor Timmy,¡± he replied with a sniffle.

    ***

    The rest of the day passed the same way. Everywhere we went people shoved signup sheets in our faces demanding we join their church or be subject to outrageous taxes or outright refusal of sale.

    With slumped shoulders, as the sun began to set, the two of us walked drearily back towards the inn. At least there we could eat and sleep without selling our souls.

    As we trapsed down the cobbled street, a small catonid girl skipped towards us holding a basket of glass bottles. She looked pretty chipper in her ratty pink sundress and straw hat. Her clothes looked old and well-worn but from her intoxicating smile, I barely noticed.

    I wondered if my child had been a girl. I¡¯d always kind of wanted a daughter. Of course, I¡¯d have just been happy with any healthy kid, but secretly, all prospective parents tend to lean one way or the other.

    As we passed the happy girl, I noticed her shoelace was undone. I¡¯d been levelling my perception skill recently and was beginning to spot little things like that.

    Breaking me from my reverie, the girl tripped. I instinctually activated perception of the apex predator and halted time for about a second to catch her.

    I knelt down, looking into her adorable, wide-eyed face as she stared up at me with a trembling lip.

    ¡°Thanks mister,¡± she said shyly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if I¡¯d have broken these bottles. I¡¯ve been collecting them all day from the tourists. I should get a warm meal tonight if I sell these to the bottle bank.¡±

    My heart could have melted.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cute,¡± Bell said sweetly, standing above me. ¡°Here, this should see you fed for a few days.¡± She flicked the girl a gold coin which she caught clumsily, holding it tightly with both hands.

    ¡°Wow, thank you so much!¡± She said, tail wagging behind her. ¡°This will mean me and big brother can have a full meal each, normally we have to share.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Bell replied with a warm smile of her own.

    ¡°Please, could you tell me your names?¡± She asked, grasping my hand, ¡°I want to be able to tell my brother of the kind strangers who helped me today.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Sure,¡± I began, ¡°I¡¯m Kaleb and this is Bell.¡±

    ¡°Ka-lib¡­ and Bell,¡± She sounded my name out phonetically, it must have been one she hadn¡¯t heard before. ¡°Thank you, could you write them out for me? I¡¯m still new to reading and writing and I¡¯m trying to learn more words.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I replied lightly with a shrug.

    ¡°Yay!¡± She sang, summoning a piece of parchment and a pen from her inventory, ¡°you can use this.¡±

    I took the scrunched up, off-white parchment and began writing my name.

    ¡°Kaleb no!¡± Bell shouted, kicking me in the ribs.

    I fell sideways and looked back at her, grimacing, and then to the parchment.

    I [insert name here] do hereby declare my unwavering faith and loyalty to The System and the holy church who profess its will.

    Signature:¡­¡­¡­¡­.

    ¡°God damn it!¡± I screamed, standing up and ripping the parchment in two, ¡°I hate this fucking island!¡±

    ¡°Y-y-you tore my paper,¡± the girl sobbed, staring up at me in terror. ¡°You¡¯re not a kind stranger at all, you¡¯re a meany. Y-y-you¡­ blaspheming infidel!¡±

    With that she barged past me, covering her eyes in the crook of her elbow as she sobbed.

    This time I hoped she really did trip over.

    ¡°This place is weird Kaleb,¡± Bell said with a light shake of her head, ¡°I hope Sally fixes the ship soon.¡±

    ¡°So do I.¡±

    We continued our walk back to the inn feeling even more downcast than before. That was, until we both got pinged by a new message in the group chat.

    Panda: Kaleb help! S.O.S! They¡¯re trying to sacrifice me!

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m not even surprised at this point,¡± I said absently to Bell before thinking out my reply.

    Kaleb: Where are you?

    Panda: The big church thingy. These people are crazy. HELP!!!!!

    Bell: We¡¯re on our way, try not to die before we get there.

 Chapter 116 â€“ The Dangerous Of Being Worshipped

    Panda had enjoyed a wonderful evening in Asquith Town. After a rocky start due to all that kraken business, he had finally met a group of people who truly appreciated him.

    The system worshippers were a little odd, but they treated him so well that he hardly noticed¡­ or cared.

    After leaving the beach they had bestowed gifts upon him, mostly in the form of books. His personal storage was overflowing with every kind of literature imaginable.

    From popcorn fiction to magical theory and even a few rare tomes about the history of their island. He wanted for nothing.

    Having the beautiful catonid woman in the golden bikini tend to his every want was just the icing on the cake. He wasn¡¯t one for inter species relations, but he still had functioning eyes, and the prestige that came with being accompanied by a beautiful woman was certainly not something he was going to pass up.

    In the evening, he was bathed by the woman and finally got to wash the stink of travel from his fur. She lathered him in a shampoo that smelled like lavender and then coated his fur in smelling oils that left a lovely sheen to his coat.

    That night he slept in a king sized, four poster bed that he got all to himself. It sure beat the hell out of sharing a bed with Kaleb and his incessant snoring.

    Seriously, the guy could shake the entire room with his blocked nasal passages. Panda had never heard anything like it in his life, and he¡¯d lived for centuries.

    The following day was more of the same. He was treated to a luxurious meal of freshly harvested crops and sea plants finished with the finest bamboo. Then he had been paraded around the town and people bowed wherever he went.

    I could get used to this; he thought smugly as his entourage carried him on a cushioned seat fit for a king.

    That all changed when he was brought to the cathedral.

    The building, which had pride of place in the centre of the town, was an architectural marvel. Its large stone walls and stained-glass windows were really something to behold.

    Sitting on his pillow throne in the main room, he was surrounded by bowing locals in golden robes. It was a little odd, but no more than he deserved. He was finally being recognised for his sagely wisdom.

    His retinue brought him into the centre of the room and placed his throne on the ground. Miss Golden Bikini lifted him delicately under the arms and placed him on a large stone circle in the middle of the room.

    It was sat on a raised platform which lifted him high above the crowd. He wasn¡¯t used to being above other people.

    I could get used to this, he thought.

    A catonid man stepped up from the crowd and Panda¡¯s entourage all bowed like the rest of the locals in the room.

    Panda recongised him, though he didn¡¯t know his name. It was the same man who had approached Kaleb and himself just before Sally had kicked him.

    That damned cat, not a respectful bone in her body, he thought, moodily remembering the indignity he¡¯d suffered at her hands¡­ or rather, feet.

    It was like he couldn¡¯t even make jokes anymore without suffering her wrath. What was the world coming to?

    The catonid man stepped in front of him and bowed deeply. He was wearing a fancy golden robe and a tall golden hat with a weird S symbol embroidered on it. The symbol seemed to be made up of ones and zeros and despite all of Panda¡¯s sagely wisdom, he did not recognise it.

    ¡°We are gathered here today to give thanks to the system for sending us one of his treasured prophets,¡± the man said, opening his arms out as he addressed his people. ¡°The legends tell of the one, created by the most venerable and holy system, who would come to deliver us from evil and into the guiding light of our lord.

    ¡°I do believe that Panda here is that very same prophet who we have waited for so long to meet. On this, the second eve of his blessed coming, we shall carry out the system¡¯s will and commit this great sacrifice in the name of the lord¡­¡±

    Sacrifice? Panda thought, his ears perking up.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said hurriedly, interrupting the man¡¯s sermon. He stopped abruptly and turned towards Panda, bowing his head graciously. ¡°When you say sacrifice, what do you mean exactly?¡±

    ¡°Why, you, of course dear prophet,¡± the man replied quietly, ¡°the scriptures told us of your fated coming: and we shall lavish him with gifts upon the first day of his coming and on the second eve, his blood shall fill the holy alter so that we might partake of the system¡¯s holiest of wines.¡±

    ¡°Oh ok, because when you said sacrifice I assumed¡­ WHAT?!¡± Panda shouted, causing the man to take a startled step backwards, ¡°you¡¯re going to kill me and drink my blood. Who does that?¡±

    ¡°Fear not dear prophet,¡± the man replied calmly, taking a step closer, ¡°you shall finally be allowed to fulfil your destiny, your most honourable sacrifice shall not be in vain.¡±

    At that point, Panda did the first thing he could think of and mentally messaged Kaleb and Bell. Luckily, they¡¯d had a private group chat function since they¡¯d formed the Dissident Flame party.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    He just hoped they would arrive in time.

    ***

    Bell and I sprinted through the cobbled streets of Asquith Town after receiving Panda¡¯s message. After the day we¡¯d had I wasn¡¯t even surprised by this strange turn of events.

    Oddly, the town seemed deserted.

    Were they all at the cathedral? Were we going to have to fight an entire town of religious zealots?

    Thinking as I ran, I opened my chat with Sally in the hopes of getting some assistance.

    Kaleb: Sally where are you? Panda is in trouble. He¡¯s at the cathedral. Meet us there.

    Sally had muted the chat earlier, I just had to hope that somehow it would get through.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Bell puffed as she ran next to me, ¡°this place is even creepier now, I almost miss being asked to join the church.¡±

    ¡°If my instincts are right,¡± I began, ¡°we¡¯ll be joining them soon enough.¡±

    We approached the cathedral in the centre of town. An ominous, orange and purple glow shone through its stained-glass windows. The previous night I had thought that same glow to be beautiful.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Bell asked.

    Without answering, I bolted for the front door and booted it open. Luckily my increased strength made it easy work.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Bell said as I dived through.

    The door flew off its hinges and we entered the large, central room.

    I might have fucked up, I thought as I gazed at the hundreds of heads which turned to look at us.

    The central room was filled to the brim with zealots. The entire town was in attendance. They all wore golden robes and every eye was on us.

    Clive stood in the middle of the room, ornamental knife in hand, as Panda sat on¡­ is that a pillow throne?

    ¡°Sorry we¡¯re so late to the party,¡± I said, drawing my daggers from my inventory, ¡°and we didn¡¯t even bring a gift, where are my manners.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Panda shouted, ¡°they want to kill me and drink my blood.¡±

    ¡°Who does that?¡± Bell asked in an appalled sounding voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Good evening adventurers,¡± Clive said with a wide smile. ¡°Please accept my most sincere apology, but this is a private gathering for followers of the system only,¡± his eyes took on a steely glint as he added: ¡°no atheists allowed.¡±

    ¡°Technically I¡¯m agnostic,¡± Bell replied, ¡°does that mean I can stay?¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± I replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the intrusion, let me just grab my familiar and we¡¯ll gladly get out of your way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow that,¡± Clive replied politely, despite setting his jaw as he spoke.

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± I asked, ¡°because I really don¡¯t want to slaughter an entire town, but it has been a frustrating day and if you insist on forcing my hand¡­¡± I shrugged.

    ¡°I do!¡± Bell chimed, holding out both of her hands, a fireball forming on the tips of her fingers as a wide grin split her face.

    ¡°Kill them,¡± Clive said almost exasperatedly as the townsfolk began to rise from their bowed positions on the floor.

    ¡°And this,¡± I said, slashing the throat of the person closest to me, ¡°is why I¡¯m an atheist.¡±

    Bell unleashed her growing fireball into the right side of the cathedral with a glint in her eyes and a toothy grin on her battle junkie face.

    Who hurt you? I thought as I slashed at the next attacker.

    The fireball exploded in the middle of the crowd. Screams erupted from the area as the smell of burning flesh filled the room.

    Concentrating on my own battle, I channelled all of my energy into my agility stat, ducking and weaving as I slashed at the zealots.

    One man threw himself at me and I stabbed him in the eye. It popped, covering me with gross eyeball fluid as he screamed and threw his hands to the zone on his face which was bubbling and oozing a thick green acid.

    With my upgraded Acid Dhampir Weapons skill I was able to steal a portion of HP from whomever I attacked. Unfortunately though, I couldn¡¯t go beyond my max. Not that I was likely to need to against these people, it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

    I almost felt bad for the townsfolk. They didn¡¯t seem to have any weapons and their martial skills left much to be desired.

    It felt too easy.

    To my left, Bell was obviously not feeling the same way. She giggled like a schoolgirl as she threw fireball after fireball at the advancing zealots.

    ¡°Die, die, die,¡± she chanted maniacally. They didn¡¯t even get close to her. It was an unequivocal slaughter.

    My arms burned as I tore through people like butter. Their skin practically fell from their bodies as it bubbled with rotten acid burns. Despite their screams, the people kept pressing on as a forlorn hope. Did they not value their lives? It was like they had no fear of death at all.

    It was unnatural and I felt like something was definitely off, but despite the ease of the fight, I still didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the niggling in the back of my head.

    I didn¡¯t exactly feel bad for the people I was indiscriminately tearing through, after all, they had made their beds when they decided to kill my familiar. That being said, slaughtering an entire room of people wasn¡¯t exactly my idea of a good time.

    Prior to my arrival in Celestia, the thought of killing a person was no more than a road rage daydream. Yet here I was, whimsically slicing and dicing the local clergy.

    There must have been at least two hundred people inside the cathedral, but in less than a few minutes, we had slaughtered them all easily. Was this what being powerful felt like?

    I felt icky and bile rose into my throat as I saw the slashed belly of the little girl who we¡¯d ran into earlier. I didn¡¯t even realise she¡¯d been here as I slashed my attackers indiscriminately in a battle frenzy.

    I¡¯d long gotten over my qualms with killing people in self-defence, but the ease of this battle felt¡­ wrong. It was never this easy. Usually, I¡¯d have nearly died at least twice by now.

    And you murdered a child, my critical inner voice chastised.

    Slicing through the final zealot, I reached Clive and placed my dagger against his throat.

    Checkmate, I thought.

    He didn¡¯t seem fearful in the slightest, staring at me with a gaze full of hatred.

    ¡°Come on Panda, we¡¯re leaving,¡± I spat as my furry familiar hopped from his pillow throne and ran to my side.

    ¡°What about him?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Death is more than he deserves, let him stew in his-¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not dead,¡± Clive said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Are you on crack?¡± I replied, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck with my other hand, ¡°they¡¯re in pieces, burned alive and there¡¯s blood everywhere. In what possible way could they be alive?¡±

    ¡°Allow me to show you,¡± he said with a malicious grin as he gripped my wrist and threw me backwards.

    His strength was insane.

    I flew across the room, landing in a pool of blood which I skidded through, crashing into the back wall. Just who was this guy?

    As I looked up from my position from the floor I was blinded by a sickly purple glow which pulsed out of him. My dragon¡¯s eye must have allowed me to see it, but before it had barely been a sliver of a hue. How had he hidden such radiant power from me?

    He raised his hands and his face darkened and wrinkled. Before my very eyes he seemed to turn into a grey mummy.

    The purple light shot from his hands into streams which hit every corpse in the room at once.

    ¡°Rise my flock and be¡­ REBORN,¡± he proclaimed as one by one the corpses reanimated and began to rise from their places on the floor.

    ¡°Well, shit,¡± I said, looking on in horror, ¡°he¡¯s a god damned necromancer.¡±

 Chapter 117 â€“ Son Of A Lich

    Slowly, and with a lot of groaning, the hundreds of slaughtered townsfolk rose from the floor: a procession of the undead.

    I gazed in horrified bewilderment at Clive as his grey, mummified skin shrank before my eyes, hugging his bones like it was a size too small. In contrast, his golden robes hung off him and, thanks to my dragon¡¯s eye, I could see the vibrant, sickly, purple glow which surrounded his visage.

    The power radiated from him.

    Focusing on his undead face, a system notification popped up in my HUD.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Elder Lich

    Have you ever wondered what happens when a necromancer casts a resurrection spell on himself with his dying breath?

    This¡­ this is what happens.

    When a powerful caster has reached the level cap, his soul transforms, taking on the properties of his most prominent spell casting ability.

    In the case of the necromancer, this can have deadly consequences.

    There are few known ways to permanently kill an Elder Lich. The first is to destroy them so thoroughly that there is no vessel to harbour the revived soul. The second is to completely drain their mana pool before killing them.

    Neither are easy, especially at your level.

    Oh and watch out, if you die your corpse will likely be defiled¡­ necro-style.

    ¡°Well shit,¡± I muttered as I finished reading the unusually helpful description.

    Perhaps the system was feeling bad about the whole situation considering it was all its fault. I mean, who lets their underlings get to this level of unhinged?

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Panda screamed as Clive moved to grab him with a bony, grey hand. ¡°Help!¡±

    Without thinking I launched my dagger from across the room, knocking the hand away. Clive shot me a deadpan glare as he wiped a slither of blood from his grazed skin.

    The shallow cut bubbled momentarily but he shrugged it off like it was nothing. I guess the system wasn¡¯t lying about the Elder Lich reaching the level cap.

    More worryingly, my HP didn¡¯t increase as it should have from my acid dhampir weapons skill. Maybe undead didn¡¯t have HP. That was a chilling prospect.

    ¡°Go forth my flock,¡± he began, gesticulating wildly with his skeletal arms, ¡°and rid our town of these disgusting infidel.¡±

    With accenting groans, the zombie hoard began to shuffle towards us. The man closest to me, who had tried to sell me juice earlier today, picked up his severed arm from the floor and swung wildly at me.

    I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the impromptu club as it smacked the floor with a wet squelch that turned my stomach.

    A fireball shot through the air, impacting the zombie and throwing him backwards. His skin alighted and the smell of burning flesh and hair stung my nostrils.

    ¡°Come on Kaleb,¡± Bell shouted from across the room as she shot two smaller fireballs at the undead closing in on her, ¡°get your head in the game, that one was ¡®armless.¡±

    ¡°Sorry dad,¡± I muttered as I stumbled to my feet, slashing at the knee tendons of a nearby zombie as I went.

    The skin fell off like rotted meat and the knee joint clinked to the floor as the undead in the golden bikini toppled over.

    Meanwhile, Panda waddled and staggered through the legs of the undead as he made his way towards me. They completely ignored him, but Clive did not.

    The angry son of a lich barged his way through his undead minions, launching them like a bull in a china shop as he chased after the screaming familiar.

    ¡°Get back here!¡± he yelled, ¡°the sacrifice must be made tonight, so it has been written, so it shall be done.¡±

    Clive was getting worryingly close to Panda, though the little bear was doing well to avoid his bony clutches. I slashed at two more undead, one of them lost his head to my blade¡­ literally.

    My attacks didn¡¯t stop them for long though. The decapitated undead dropped to his knees searching for his head in the way that Velma might search for her glasses in a Scooby Doo episode. It would have been comical if we weren¡¯t fighting for our lives.

    I forced my way through the zombies who were thankfully rather weak and found myself face to face with Clive. Panda ran through my legs and stepped behind me, using me as a shield to block his pursuer.

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    ¡°Kaleb, what do I do?¡± He yelled in a panicked voice.

    ¡°Get to Bell and get the hell out of here, I¡¯ll hold them off,¡± I replied without looking away from the cold, dead eyes of Clive the Elder Lich.

    ¡°So boy,¡± Clive spat at me as our eyes remained locked, ¡°do you still deny the power of the almighty?¡±

    ¡°I never denied the system¡¯s power,¡± I replied as we began slowly circling each other, the undead hoard crowding in all around to form a circle of rotting, charred or acid burned flesh. ¡°I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s a god.¡±

    ¡°You close your eyes to the divine,¡± he yelled, lifting his arms dramatically. ¡°I have been gifted eternal life, I am a master of death, able to pass on my blessing to my flock. If that is not divine then I don¡¯t know what is.¡±

    ¡°You look like my Grandad¡¯s ball sack, and he¡¯s been dead for twenty years,¡± I replied calmly, still keeping my eyes glued to him. ¡°Not to mention that these moving cadavers are not alive, they¡¯re just flesh puppets you control with your magic. There¡¯s nothing living within them anymore, they can¡¯t even speak.¡±

    ¡°Speech is not indicative of life you closed minded fool!¡± Clive shouted, seemingly ignoring my insult, ¡°animals do not speak yet they are undoubtably alive.¡±

    ¡°Animals can¡¯t pick up their own severed heads and reattach them to their rotted neck flesh!¡± I shouted, dashing forward and swiping with my dagger.

    Clive dodged nimbly and swatted my hand away with ease as I stumbled forward into the front row of the hoard. I was shoved hard and found myself back in the ring, still facing Clive.

    ¡°So what if they lack beauty?¡± Clive responded, ¡°those with leprosy are still alive and their flesh too, rots and looks unpleasant. Your bigotry is showing my dear boy.¡±

    ¡°Why are you even trying to convince me of any of this?¡± I asked incredulously.

    Of course, I knew why I was humouring him. Whilst this ridiculous conversation was going on, Panda and Bell would have time to escape. I just needed to think of a way to get out of here myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m a theologist, it¡¯s what we do,¡± the lich shrugged matter-of-factly, ¡°but if you¡¯d rather get this over with, I can just as easily kill you.¡±

    My dragon¡¯s eye burned in my eye socket as Clive released a powerful wave of energy. Bright, violet light fired out of his body, covering him in a deep purple hue as it settled. He grinned a toothy smile and raised his fists like a boxer.

    Looking at me through his raised hands, he winked and held out of a single finger, motioning me to come hither.

    I guess it¡¯s go time, I thought.

    Dismissing my dagger, I summoned my bow and nocked an arrow. I had gotten pretty quick at channelling a soul shot and hoped to catch him off guard with a powerful attack.

    If he truly was a gold ranker then I had no chance of beating him one on one. The best I could hope for was a good distraction so I could escape and regroup with the others.

    As I pulled back the drawstring and began adding green soul energy into the arrow, Clive disappeared.

    ¡°Too slow,¡± he said jovially as I felt a powerful gust of wind followed by a pain in my abdomen so sudden that it caused my eyes to black out for a moment.

    I flew up towards the ceiling and Clive jumped up with me.

    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m a mage, and hand to hand combat isn¡¯t even my strong suit,¡± he said before swatting at my upper back like a one might bounce a basketball.

    I was hurled back to the ground, smashing into the stone floor as chunks of grey pieces broke from the ground below me and covered me in a thin film of dust.

    The wind was knocked from my lungs and my health bar dropped to less than a quarter. I barely had time to slam on a HP potion before I was launched through the air once again by a devastating kick.

    How was he so fast? I didn¡¯t even have time to think between his pummelling. Was this the power of a gold ranker? I didn¡¯t stand a chance. I needed to get out of the cathedral, and fast, before he killed me.

    ¡°How is it that one so weak dares to question the divine?¡± Clive called out, spittle flying from his tight lips.

    His aura pulsed out and somehow I knew that his next attack would be the end of me if I didn¡¯t act fast. Jumping up from the floor I ran as fast as I could towards the entrance of the cathedral and resummoned my one remaining dagger.

    Clive¡¯s eyes locked onto me and the purple hue emanating from his body shone brighter and brighter. I had an idea, but I wasn¡¯t sure it was something I wanted to do.

    Either way, as Clive dropped into a sprinter¡¯s pose, I knew that it was the only chance I had to survive this blow.

    Dipping into my inventory, I withdrew an item I¡¯d received a little while ago and shoved it into my mouth.

    Cursed Mystery Seed:

    This seed is a consumable item with a one-time use. You probably shouldn¡¯t use it unless you¡¯re in a dire straight. It might save your life, but there will be a cost.

    The taste was revolting.

    Mango¡­ watermelon and the smell of a week-old corpse all filled my mouth in a circling, fragrant taste that had me swallowing hard and trying not to vomit.

    Clive charged, and the world slowed down before me as a notification popped up in my HUD.

    You have consumed an item:

    Cursed Mystery Seed.

    For the next ten seconds your health pool will double and you will be nearly impervious to mana-based attacks.

    In return, you will be unable to heal yourself in any way for an hour after the effects wear off.

    Oh fuck, I thought as I read the description.

    Ten seconds was not a very long time, but an hour of no healing, mid battle, well that could be deadly.

    Mid thought, time resumed, Clive struck me and before I even had the chance to gasp I was flying through the air.

    You have been struck by a Jade level magical attack

    Magical damage negated

    My health dropped significantly, but thanks to the seed¡¯s abilities I was still breathing and still had more than my usual maximum HP.

    I didn¡¯t know what a jade level magical attack was, but as I saw the cathedral explode behind me as I continued to soar through the open doors and into the street, I was pretty damn relieved that I¡¯d been able to negate it.

    I landed like a skipping stone, bouncing three times along the rough cobbled street before coming to an abrupt halt.

    Rolling onto my front, I coughed so hard I thought I was about to lose a lung, before looking up at a bewildered Panda.

    ¡°How in the world did you escape?¡± He asked, ¡°we were just about to come back to get you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good job you didn¡¯t,¡± I coughed, rising shakily to my feet, ¡°that lich is pissed.¡±

    ¡°We managed to get through to Sally,¡± Panda cut in urgently, ¡°she¡¯s almost got the ship in sailing condition but we¡¯ll have to hurry.¡±

    ¡°She hates sailing,¡± I replied dumbly.

    BOOM.

    Panda and I both turned in the direction of the cathedral. Its beautiful stone walls crumbled inwards as fire and purple aura exploded outwards.

    Zombies poured out, running frantically in our general direction. Floating ominously above them was Clive.

    ¡°You won¡¯t leave this island alive!¡± He screamed, ¡°the prophet will be sacrificed¡­ tonight!¡±

    Undead groaned avidly as they ran with reckless abandon through the cobbled streets.

    *WARNING*

    Cursed Mystery Seed effects have ended. You will be unable to heal for one hour.

 Chapter 118 â€“ Escape From Zombie Island

    ¡°I take it this is the part where we run?¡± Panda asked, raising his arms like a toddler wanting a piggyback ride.

    ¡°It is,¡± I replied, lifting him up and placing him on my back.

    His furry arms wrapped around my neck and, with one last glance in the direction of the swarming hoard, I ran for my life.

    Cobbles were not the easiest surface to run on and, if not for my stats taking the strain, I¡¯d likely have twisted my ankle after a few sprinting steps.

    As luck would have it, my agility and strength skills seemed to kick in. My running speed would have been world record breaking back on Earth as my legs pounded the floor in a practiced rhythm. My strides were long and I was incredibly sure footed.

    All of that was extremely helpful, but the zombies had the advantage.

    With no brain power to tell them they were tired, or in pain, or, in the case of one undead, severely leg disabled, they sprinted with wild and reckless abandon.

    The sound of hundreds of decrepit, but speedy, zombies chasing after me was horrifying. The incessant groaning did not help.

    Yet still, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me in the direction of the beach.

    Without warning, a new notification filled my vision:

    New Quest:

    Escape From Zombie Island

    No this is not a Scooby Doo episode; this is real life. So you can either run or die.

    Objectives:

    Escape Asquith Town 0/1

    Reward: Continuing to live.

    Thankful that it was a short quest message, I mentally swatted it off screen and dove into the chat function.

    Kaleb: Sally, how long until the ship can sail?

    This chat has been muted by: Sally.

    ¡°God damn it!¡± I yelled, pumping my arms as I deftly turned a corner.

    SPLAT.

    The first wave of undead on my tail didn¡¯t react in time and smashed into the brick walls of the pub whose alley I¡¯d just taken.

    ¡°How is that one still running?¡± Panda shouted in my ear, ¡°its foot is facing backwards.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t risk looking behind me, but from what I¡¯d seen in the cathedral, I was not surprised by this.

    ¡°Panda, get Sally to unmute me,¡± I huffed as my lungs fought against me with every step.

    Maybe I should add some more cardio training into my regimen. I thought for a short moment before remembering how much I hated cardio. Leg day? No thanks.

    ¡°Done,¡± Panda said as I rounded yet another corner and made a beeline for the large hotel which marked the start of the beach.

    Sally: anchors up in five, how close are you?

    Kaleb: Coming up on the hotel now, we should just make it. Is Bell with you? Also, never mute me again.

    Sally: No?

    Where the hell was she? I had assumed that she¡¯d gone on ahead when I ran into Panda alone outside the cathedral, but now I was worried that we¡¯d somehow left her behind.

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    ¡°Where¡¯s Bell?¡± I asked Panda through heavy breaths as the stomping zombies continued to chase me like a dog with a tennis ball.

    Before he could reply, a volley of fireballs lit up the evening sky above me, crashing behind me and causing a deafening sound like a howitzer.

    ¡°Never mind,¡± I said.

    The heat seared my back as I was pelted with bits of flesh and viscera from the chasing zombies. Looking around wildly, I managed to spot a tiny silhouette on top of the large hotel complex.

    ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± She shouted, raising her palms as a dozen little fireballs manifested in the air.

    Throwing her hands down in a mockery of prayer, the fireballs released and catapulted through the air throwing dust, cobbles and¡­ was that a ribcage? Over my head and into the street in front of me.

    Whatever her plan had been, it seemed to be working at buying me a precious few seconds to get ahead of the closing hoard.

    ¡°When did she learn to do that?¡± I asked as I rounded the hotel¡¯s outer wall and headed onto the beach.

    If I thought running on cobbles was difficult, the beach was hell mode. With every movement my feet sunk into the sand. It was slippery, it was slow, and mostly, it caused my quads to burn like they¡¯d just received a heavy dose of Bell¡¯s fireballs.

    Kaleb: Thanks for the covering fire, now get down from there and meet us at the ship. It¡¯s about to leave and I for one don¡¯t wanna be stranded on zombie island when we miss it.

    Bell: As luck would have it, I just unlocked the perfect skill for that. See you on board.

    Kaleb: Unlocked? Where are all these new skills coming from?

    Bell: Remember the shop with all the magic scrolls?

    Kaleb: Yes¡­

    Bell: I may have looted them all.

    Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I thought, damn how I wish I had mana!

    My thoughts were sadly cut short.

    Seconds after closing the chat, a brilliant fire erupted from the roof of the building and something with the visage of a phoenix glided over my head and towards the ship.

    ¡°Was that Bell?¡± I asked incredulously as I enviously watched the beautiful display of gliding fire.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Panda said from my back, ¡°she kinda reminds me of that Molotov Cockatiel we saw that time.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to contemplate that as a loud groaning started to tickle my left ear.

    Turning slightly, I saw the culprit.

    It was the reanimated corpse of the little girl I¡¯d tried to help earlier on in the day. Her guts were hanging out and she was covered with thick, golden sand that clung to congealed blood covering her tiny torso.

    ¡°Ew, sand zombie!¡± Panda screamed, patting me on the top of my head urgently. ¡°Kill it! Kill it now!¡±

    Had I stopped to contemplate the fuckery that was slaughtering a child only to desecrate her corpse with my acid knife, I might have hesitated.

    However, when one sees a sand zombie, one does not question.

    They slash.

    With barely a thought, I summoned my dagger into my left hand and slashed out at the undead child. The dagger sliced through her small frame like butter as it fell in two. The pair of legs continued chasing me and the torso began to crawl after them, though at a much slower pace.

    Clive¡¯s powers are messed up, I thought, wanting to shake my head but preventing myself from doing so for fear of forcing myself off balance.

    The ship lay ahead, no longer on its side.

    It sat in the water just offshore; its sails were up and the large crack that had almost split the vessel in two was now a patchwork of mismatched woods and hurriedly welded metal.

    It wasn¡¯t the nicest looking ship I¡¯d ever seen. Hell, it didn¡¯t even look fit to sail, but, in that moment, it may as well have been a Ferrari.

    I needed to get on that ship.

    Mustering the last of the power I had left, I sprinted into the water, splashing like a child at a holiday camp. For a split second I¡¯d wondered if I could run across the water like some kind of ninja, sadly I couldn¡¯t.

    However, I could wade through it faster than a normal human.

    Salty water sprayed my face, half choking me as I forced myself to breathe through it.

    ¡°Come on Gonads!¡± Sally shouted from up on the deck, ¡°if you don¡¯t hurry up I¡¯m leaving without you.¡±

    ¡°Hoist the anchor!¡± I screamed back.

    ¡°Ay, matey!¡± Panda growled from my back.

    I jumped out of the water and grabbed the rigging. My stamina was running low and I hammered on a potion to fix that.

    Luckily, I hadn¡¯t sustained any damage during the chase. After eating the seed I was unable to heal for an hour, though that was now more like fifty minutes.

    Thankfully, stamina potions were not blocked. Though I wouldn¡¯t be able to take another for at least an hour anyway due to the restrictions on effective potion consumption in this screwed up world.

    The potion rejuvenated my muscles. I felt fresh all of a sudden and began climbing with renewed vigour as the ship began to move with the wind.

    Something grabbed my leg and I looked down to see a fat zombie trying to drag me down.

    How had it kept up during the chase? Surely a fat zombie would be slower than an athletic zombie?

    Either way, I kicked it in the face and its head fell off. I was fortunate that most of the zombies had suffered either acid or fire damage when they originally died, otherwise, fighting a fresh cadaver would likely have been much more challenging.

    As I reached the top, Sally grabbed my forearm with her meaty hand and hoisted me on board.

    We had made it!

    ¡°Hey Kaleb,¡± Bell said, nudging me in the ribs as I turned to watch the hoard of zombies diving into the sea in a vain attempt to follow us. ¡°what¡¯s a pirate¡¯s favourite letter?¡±

    ¡°R?¡± I asked absent mindedly as I finally got to catch my breath from our mad sprint through the town.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied with a terrible pirate accent, ¡°you would think it¡¯d be the R, but a pirates first love will always be the C.¡±

    Zoning out her chattering, as I often found myself doing these days, I reopened the quest I¡¯d received.

    There was no way the undead could catch us now, the ship was picking up a head wind and soon we¡¯d be way too far out to sea for them to reach us.

    The quest hadn¡¯t changed at all.

    Objectives:

    Escape Asquith Town 0/1

    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± I mumbled to myself, ¡°usually there¡¯s no lag with quest completion.¡±

    That was when a sickeningly bright green star rose from behind the hotel, casting an eerie light on the dark night.

    Clive.

    ¡°You will not escape me!¡± He said, his voice blasting out over the cold night air like he was using a megaphone.

    That has to be a skill, I thought.

    ¡°Be¡­ REBORN!¡± He shouted and the green light blasted from him, disappearing into the ocean ahead of us.

    ¡°What¡¯s he planning to do?¡± Bell asked, folding her arms, ¡°attack us with fish?¡±

    A huge wave crashed from the front of the ship, causing me to lose my footing as our vessel bobbed and swayed violently in the choppy ocean.

    As the waves died down, a huge, beat-up monster appeared blocking our escape.

    ¡°Not again,¡± I groaned, as a kraken with a missing tentacle and rotted flesh bore down on us.

 Chapter 119 â€“ Puny Lich

    ¡°This is so unfair,¡± Bell grumbled as she pushed her arms out to steady herself against the violent waves. ¡°We already killed this thing once, why should we have to do it again?¡±

    ¡°Kraken sighted off the forward bow cap¡¯in,¡± Panda shouted as he hung off the railing.

    ¡°Enough with the goddamned pirate jokes already!¡± Sally shouted from her position behind the wheel.

    She spun it wildly and I braced myself as the ship turned at a sharp angle, narrowly avoiding the kraken¡¯s lashing tentacles.

    ¡°Sink the ship!¡± Clive¡¯s voice rang out across the air, ¡°but don¡¯t kill the prophet, we need him alive!¡±

    ¡°This guy is seriously starting to piss me off!¡± I shouted to be heard above the roaring waves and the obnoxious zealot.

    Summoning my bow I nocked and arrow and charged a full powered soul shot. Thanks to my upgraded arrows, I could add even more soul power into each shot now, though it would badly drain my stamina bar.

    With a crack, the arrow loosed from my bow, splitting an oncoming wave in two. It sliced through one, two, three tentacles before impacting the front of the kraken with a shockwave that forced the ship backwards at an alarming angle.

    GWAAAG.

    The kraken screamed a high-pitched cry as the arrow blasted a nasty-looking hole through its partially rotted skin.

    Acid dripped from the wound in thick green globs of congealed blood and viscera as the skin began to melt from the inside... again.

    ¡°Why did it scream?¡± Bell asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t think zombies felt pain.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± replied Panda calmly, ¡°but they do feel frustration.¡±

    Despite the gaping wound and severed tentacles, the kraken did not tarry. It still had four remaining limbs with which to attack us and it used all of them to slap the deck of the ship simultaneously.

    I dived to the side, taking Bell with me, as slimy, rotting flesh began to wrap around our newly repaired ship.

    Sally is not going to be happy.

    ¡°Motherfucker!¡± She growled from her position at the wheel.

    I knew it.

    The catonid jumped from her position above the rest of us, flipping as she unsheathed her huge, black sword. With a double handed grip she came crashing down on the main body of the kraken, slicing it almost entirely in two.

    ¡°At least she had enough sense not to do that on the deck tentacles,¡± Panda said as the ship rocked with the force of vicious waves.

    Almost out of stamina, I did the best I could and summoned my one remaining dagger. With as much strength as I could muster, I stabbed the acidic weapon into the closest tentacle and ran to the other side of the ship, dragging the blade through the partially rotted skin.

    The bubbling acid left in my wake made short work of the few remaining muscle fibres and the tentacle involuntarily unwound itself from the hull.

    One down, three to go, I thought.

    My stamina was almost completely drained, but we were slowly forcing the kraken back into the ocean. It might not have been killable, but it couldn¡¯t heal either. The only way to get rid of it was through dismemberment.

    Bell sprang into action, pulling out one of her newly pilfered scrolls.

    ¡°Fire touch,¡± she said as she began dancing around the two remaining tentacles and¡­ is she high fiving them?

    Each place she patted left a burning handprint emblazoned on the peeling, putrid flesh. Within moments the skin began to burn away like cigarette paper until there was nothing but large piles of ash littering the ship.

    With the ship¡¯s hull secured, I turned to watch as Sally began a speedy flash of constant sword strokes which shredded the main body.

    She¡¯d slice it from one angle, then jump off the body to come down at another angle for a second cut. It was like a special move in a Finaly Fantasy game. It was epic. She repeated that many times in quick succession as black and red aura emanated from her muscular body.

    It wasn¡¯t as strong or blindingly bright as Clive¡¯s aura, but she was certainly a force to be reckoned with in her own right.

    With a final slash, the catonid landed deftly back on the ship covered in black ink and smelling like a fish market as she cooly sheathed her sword. Pieces of the kraken pebble dashed into the water behind her as the guts and viscera that clung to her violet hair dripped onto the deck with a gross wet sound.

    ¡°Are we safe now?¡± Panda asked, appearing from behind a wooden crate and drenched from head to toe, ¡°are we safe?¡±

    ¡°There is only one path to salvation for you, dear prophet,¡± Clive¡¯s voice echoed all around us.

    ¡°This guy just doesn¡¯t know when to quit does he?¡± Bell said exasperatedly.

    ¡°Be careful guys,¡± I warned, looking around for signs of the necromancer¡¯s location. ¡°He¡¯s hit the level cap.¡±

    ¡°And here we are, all warn down from fighting his monstrosities,¡± Sally groaned, unsheathing up her sword once more with a weary look to her reddened face.

    I felt something in the air and looked up in time to see the decrepit, grey elder lich land gracefully on the deck of our ship. His skin wrapped tightly around his skeleton and his golden robes looked freshly laundered as they hung loosely from his body.

    ¡°I told you that you wouldn¡¯t escape from me,¡± he said, his voice filling the back of my mind as he spoke. ¡°The sacrifice must be made. The prophet will deliver us from evil and into the arms of our lord.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°You are certifiably insane,¡± I replied, but in the back of my mind I knew we had no chance of beating this guy. He was just too powerful and we were all low on¡­ everything.

    ¡°Into the arms of your lord?¡± Bell repeated slowly, ¡°I think this guy just wants a hug, who hurt you?¡±

    ¡°He has a face even a mother wouldn¡¯t love,¡± Sally added, ¡°no wonder he¡¯s so starved of human contact, he¡¯s probably never had any.¡±

    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Clive shouted, throwing his left arm out to the side regally. ¡°I shall listen to this folly no longer.¡±

    My dragon¡¯s eye reacted quicker than my mind, forcing my body to automatically dive to the ground. I pulled out my trump card scales of the apex predator which summoned dragon scale armour across my body, but I was too slow.

    An ephemeral line of pure, purple aura cut through the air like a sharpened blade. The skin on my stomach ripped open and my scales dropped to the ground like little pellets as my health dropped instantly into the red.

    He must have been toying with me earlier, I thought as my body crumpled to the ground.

    With no way to heal, I¡¯d be a goner if he attacked again. Hell, I might be a goner anyway. Without meditation or potions, it was very possible that I was going to bleed out.

    With great effort, I managed to move my head to the side where I saw Bell lying face down in a pool of blood. Sally crouched next to her, her sword had been sliced in two and she bore a deep cut across her chest.

    Her cat-like reflexes must have allowed her to attempt to block, but even with her strength it was no use.

    We were all going to die.

    Son of a lich.

    I had to think of something. In my weakened state I doubted that even my soul power could kill this guy, at least not without ending me in the process.

    There had to be another way. I was not going to die like this. Not here, not at the hands of¡­ that.

    ¡°See?¡± Clive said, spreading his arms out wide. ¡°I have power gifted to me by the system. All shall prostate themselves before our mighty lord¡­¡±

    That was when it came to me. I did have one more ace up my sleeve, though its effects could be catastrophic.

    It¡¯s not like I have much of a choice, I thought.

    Jumping into my inventory, I equipped the chaos seed.

    Chaos Seed

    Summon a chaos demon for 60 seconds.

    Results may vary.

    It happened instantly.

    The moment the seed left my inventory a solid beam of blackness, darker than the abyss, shot upwards in a cylinder just in front of me, cutting off Clive¡¯s sermon.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Sally gasped, her dark blue eyes casting a horrified look at me.

    The cylinder of darkness expanded until the entire ship was shaded. With the ability granted to me from my dragon¡¯s eye, I was almost blinded from the sheer power that radiated from the beam.

    ¡°You cut him off mid villain monologue,¡± Bell said and then coughed as something, probably blood, splattered my leg.

    ¡°I skipped the cutscene,¡± I replied with a shrug, not that she¡¯d be able to see it in the darkness.

    With a flash, the black cylinder disappeared leaving a hole in the dark grey clouds that had covered the sky. The night was dark, lit only by the stars above. All the wind from the sea had vanished and the waters were eerily calm.

    I looked around, but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything there. Clive stared upwards at something, the sky? All I saw was darkness and stars.

    Wasn¡¯t the seed supposed to summon a demon?

    ¡°H-how?¡± Clive stuttered, stumbling backwards and falling onto the deck. ¡°How are you here?¡±

    I looked around, still failing to see anything other than the pitch-black night. Was my demon invisible?

    ¡°Necromancer!¡± A deep, rumbling voice declared, shaking the ship as pieces of wood chipped from the decking due to the sheer power of the voice. ¡°How dare you steal from me!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± I said, shaking my head.

    ¡°Look¡­ up,¡± Sally replied, the terror in her voice apparent. I¡¯d never heard her speak so shakily before.

    I cast my gaze upwards once again but there was only darkness, and stars. Why couldn¡¯t I see it?

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing there, it¡¯s just the sky,¡± I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the sky¡­¡± Sally breathed.

    I focused on the starry sky and, to my surprise, a notification appeared.

    You have discovered a demon lord:

    Asmodeus

    Asmodeus is the demon of lust, and no that doesn¡¯t mean he spends his night scouring Pornhub.

    His lust is far more unquenchable than that. He desires all things. In his eyes, everything that ever was, is or will be belongs to him.

    He¡¯s a bit of a prick to be honest.

    Best not piss him off though, he¡¯s pretty strong.

    I read through the notification and that was when it dawned on me.

    I wasn¡¯t staring at the starry sky.

    No, I was staring at a demon¡¯s massive caboose.

    ¡°The souls of the dead are rightfully mine!¡± Asmodeus proclaimed, causing the mast to crack as his powerful voice boomed.

    He¡¯s going to destroy the ship¡­ with his voice.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Clive stuttered feebly, ¡°I was using the power the system gifted me-¡±

    ¡°Fuck the system!¡± He said and Clive rolled backwards as if caught in a strong gale, ¡°there are none more powerful than I. None!¡±

    ¡°You dare to blaspheme against our mighty lord!¡± Clive shouted, forgetting his stutter as his zealous tendencies took over, ¡°he who grants life, power and the abilities which we all-¡±

    Before he could finish, a hand the size of a building reached down and the sky above me flexed. It seemed the stars were just a feature of the demon¡¯s skin as his hand was also littered with tiny glowing lights.

    Asmodeus plucked Clive from the ship¡¯s deck, by his head, with his thumb and forefinger. Then he moved his middle finger back and flicked the necromancer far away. All that could be heard was a thin scream in the distance as specks of grey blood splashed the demon¡¯s massive hand.

    ¡°Puny lich,¡± he said in a satisfied boom before reaching across to wipe his hand on the main sail. It looked like a tissue next to his meaty palm.

    I stared at his gargantuan figure.

    Unable to move, I absently wondered what would happen next. The notification on the chaos seed said that he would only manifest for sixty seconds, but it was hard to get a good grasp of time, all things considered.

    To the side of me Bell groaned lightly, seemingly flickering in and out of consciousness, and Sally stared dumbstruck at the behemoth I¡¯d unwittingly unleashed upon us.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Asmodeus said, though I still couldn¡¯t see his face, ¡°which one of you had the audacity to summon me?¡±

    I stared blankly at the demon¡¯s behind as, almost in unison, Panda, Sally and even the semi-conscious Bell pointed at me.

    Thanks guys, great teamwork, I thought, so loyal¡­

    ¡°You?¡± Asmodeus bellowed, ¡°a mere phase three, have the audacity to summon one such as I?¡±

    ¡°We needed help with the lich,¡± I answered, unsure of what else to say.

    ¡°Well I suppose you got it,¡± he replied, seeming to consider his words for a moment before continuing. ¡°I guess that means your soul is mine now.¡±

    My blood ran cold.

    The sheer flippancy of his words sent a shiver down my spine. I¡¯d just seen him flick Clive god knows how far away. It was easy for him. I didn¡¯t know power that vast even existed in this world. He must have been stronger than the self-proclaimed gods, and those guys were insanely strong from what I¡¯d heard.

    If he wanted my soul, there was nothing I could do to stop him.

    His building sized palm moved towards me at an odd angle and the same thumb and forefinger that had vanquished our enemy, reached for my tiny, mortal body.

    POOF.

    Just like that, he disappeared and the grey clouds that had covered our ship reappeared over them as if nothing had happened.

    The timer must have run out.

    I breathed out as sweat dripped from the tip of my nose.

    ¡°Well that was a close one,¡± Panda said flippantly, ¡°might wanna read the terms and conditions before summoning a demon lord next time though, those guys can be real asshats.¡±

    I tried to stand but was forced back down as my gut wound began to reopen. The blood must have congealed.

    I guess I¡¯m staying put for a while.

    That was when I noticed something sitting off to the side of me.

    A small, glimmering egg. It was jet black with tiny little lights twinkling around it.

    Reaching out unsteadily, I picked it up.

 Chapter 120 â€“ Casing Castalor (Feat. Jack The Reaper)

    I picked up the egg that laid next to my limp body. It felt warm to the touch, though its scales were sharp and oddly uncomfortable to hold.

    Where had it come from?

    I focused on it, but no notification came to me. It was as if it was some kind of anomaly that even the system wasn¡¯t aware of. Either that or the system was just being an asshole and refusing to tell me about it.

    Something about the egg seemed to draw me in, I wanted it and I felt like, somehow, it wanted me as well.

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± Sally said through staggered breaths. ¡°Is everyone alive?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Panda said with an air of disbelief, ¡°I don¡¯t have a scratch on me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t heal,¡± I said feebly, my dry throat croaking out the words.

    ¡°Why?¡± Sally and Panda asked in unison.

    ¡°I used an item to temporarily increase my HP back at the cathedral,¡± I replied, ¡°the backlash from it is that I can¡¯t heal for an hour after using it. My health is in the red and I took a pretty nasty hit from Clive¡¯s purple force slash thing.¡±

    ¡°A minor setback,¡± Sally said nonchalantly, ¡°we¡¯re safe now, so as long as you don¡¯t die before that timer runs out you can heal as normal then. Bell, how are you doing?¡±

    The fire mage replied with a snore.

    I guess she¡¯s alright then, I thought.

    Somehow, we¡¯d all survived Asquith Town. It felt like a Christmas Miracle.

    I longed to know what would hatch from the egg, but first I¡¯d need to rest.

    ***

    Jack sat idly at a small caf¨¦ in Castalor, the largest trade city on the central continent.

    He had been ordered to meet with an important man there on behalf of his god, Diako, who naturally, popped in and out of his mind to keep tabs on him.

    ¡­ He is one of our most valued clients Jack, the god whispered into The Reaper¡¯s mind, I cannot stress how important it is to keep up appearances around him.

    ¡°Which is why I can¡¯t understand why you¡¯re sending me,¡± Jack complained, whispering into his drink so as not to draw attention. ¡°I¡¯m great at killing people through a scope, I can do CQB in a pinch, but all this sneaky beaky stuff isn¡¯t really my strong suit.¡±

    Missions like these are what your class was made for and you know it. You ned to stop dwelling on your past life and start embracing your new one. Now go and fulfil your mission.

    With a sigh, Jack rose from his seat at the outdoor table, dropping a single gold piece for his drink, and walked the busy streets of Castalor.

    The city was quite the culture shock for the Earthen man as so much of it seemed mismatched to him. Amidst the glass skyscrapers which dominated the skyline, there were also boardwalks and clay buildings.

    In the centre of town was a middle eastern bazar, which certainly was bizarre in that it was located in an otherwise western setting. He¡¯d also heard that it rained blood here, though he hadn¡¯t seen a single drop so far.

    Off to the side of the bazar was Jack¡¯s target.

    It was a large palace compound with multiple roofs made of ostentatious golden plated domes that reminded him of the Taj Mahal. Sitting in the centre of the domed palace building was a tower which seemed to crest even the clouds.

    It was shaped like a sail from one of those windsurfing boards that attractive assholes rode through the waters of small island nations. That conjured some bad memories for Jack as he remembered catching his second wife in bed with one of those exact same assholes.

    He¡¯d spent nearly three weeks in a foreign prison for what he¡¯d done to that ponytail-having asshole before the agency had him released. Naturally, his leave privileges were revoked for quite some time after that fiasco.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    His objective lay at the very top of the tower, the penthouse suite of some rich dude who held power over the city.

    Supposedly this guy had far surpassed the level cap, but thankfully, this wasn¡¯t an assassination mission.

    Jack had chosen his caf¨¦ wisely as it gave him a clear line of sight to the palace gate and the guards who controlled it.

    Having memorised their patrol patterns and mannerisms already, what came next should have been child¡¯s play.

    The Reaper activated one of his skills.

    Faceless Man:

    With this ability you can change your face, voice and clothing to an exact copy of someone you have seen before.

    This is an illusion skill and the glamour will fail should someone grow too suspicious of you whilst the skill is active.

    This is a high-cost mana skill.

    Jack had tested this skill numerous times before and had learnt that he needed to copy his victim¡¯s mannerisms and way of talking if he wanted to blend in.

    Thankfully, the glamour also changed his voice to match theirs as long as he had heard it. Though it did not change how he spoke. Copying a person¡¯s speech was harder than he had expected, though through diligent practice, he was getting quite good at it.

    The guard he had studied was about to change shifts with the next guard on the rotation and, as expected, when he did, he walked happily into town to grab a drink.

    Jack had been staking out the palace for a few days now and had memorised the guard¡¯s schedule, so he was confident that his plan would go smoothly.

    Stepping out from the crowd he was hidden in; he activated faceless man and strode towards the new guard who had taken over the watch.

    In an instant he¡¯d traded his trench coat for a silver breast plate, a red headband and a red wrap which hung nicely around his waist. It was an odd mix of medieval European soldier¡¯s attire and middle eastern robes.

    ¡°Jiriyah,¡± the bearded guard who had taken over from Jack¡¯s mark said. ¡°What are you doing, your shift is over?¡±

    ¡°Apologies, I left my coin purse in the guard house,¡± Jack replied in Jiriyah¡¯s voice, ¡°I¡¯ll only be a minute.¡±

    ¡°Well hurry up,¡± the guard said moodily, ¡°the lieutenant will have both of our heads if he finds us breaking protocol like this. You know you¡¯re not allowed inside the premises when you¡¯re off duty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll only be a minute,¡± Jack smiled, ¡°thanks Mark.¡±

    He brushed passed his pretend colleague quickly and made a beeline towards the guard house. As soon as Mark turned back to watch the civilians outside the gate, Jack changed directions and headed through the central courtyard.

    A few nights ago he had taken up a vantage point on the roof of the nearby church of Athena. It gave him brilliant sight lines into the interior of the palace compound and, thanks to his rifle¡¯s scope, he¡¯d been able to see and then memorise the layout.

    Jiriyah walked towards the base of the tower, knowing that confidence was key. His uniform was that of a guard and not of a bodyguard, but it was close enough that he hoped no one would notice.

    All he had to do was act as if he belonged.

    It was easier said than done, he was an assassin, a fighter, a long-range sniper, not a sneak thief ¨C despite what Diako would have him believe.

    Soldiers, in similar but not identical uniforms to his, passed by on all sides. They seemed pretty casual, but Jack knew that they were patrolling.

    The guy Diako had called a most valued client was one of the most powerful men on the continent and, despite his personal power, he had one of the tightest security details Jack had seen since arriving in Celestia.

    Thankfully, they paid him no attention as he slipped through the sliding glass doors at the bottom of the tower.

    He breathed out.

    Now he could begin phase two: reaching the penthouse.

    The foyer seemed to be open to soldiers and guards, but men in black suits guarded the mana-lift to the next floor. Thankfully, with a little help from his contacts, he had prepared for that too.

    With purpose, Jack marched down the corridor to the right and, when no one was looking, ducked into the maintenance tunnels.

    A friend of Jack¡¯s at the organisation had provided him with blueprints of the tower which had helped him formulate this part of his plan. The tunnels acted as little rat runs for the help to use to fix problems without cluttering up the place.

    Apparently this was commonplace on the continent.

    Despite his own misgivings about the attitudes of the rich and powerful, these tunnels were the linchpin to his plan¡¯s overall success.

    He squeezed down them, barely able to fit his wide shoulders between the closed in walls, until he reached his target: the back of the mana-lift.

    There were multiple mana-lifts in the building which all gave access to the many floors which the tower had. However, there was only one lift which gave access to the penthouse.

    The golden one.

    Which, in Jack¡¯s humble opinion, told him everything he needed to know about the asshole who lived there.

    Thankfully though, it made his job easier.

    From the back of the golden elevator, Jack hoisted himself on top and waited.

    He meditated as he waited for his mark to return, a skill he hadn¡¯t yet mastered but was certain he would with practice. By the time the elevator finally moved, he¡¯d been able to completely restore his stamina.

    It was a long ride to the top and Jack had to time his movements just right.

    Mana-lifts do not work like Earthen elevators, they don¡¯t need cables. That means that when you reach the top, if you¡¯re stood on top of one like Jack was, you get crushed.

    Taking a deep breath, Jack channelled his stamina into his legs and as the lift closed in on the penthouse, he jumped.

    He grabbed onto the doors and pried them open, slipping inside just as the lift whooshed past him.

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± he said casually as he dropped the persona granted to him by his faceless man skill.

    Calmly, Jack strolled into the penthouse office and took a seat behind the desk of the most powerful man in Castalor, if not the entire continent.

    With a ding, the elevator opened its doors and a good-looking black man in a very expensive suit waltzed in, stopping suddenly as he noticed the trench coat wearing assassin sitting in his chair.

    ¡°Mr Regina,¡± Jack said, spinning the chair around to face his target, ¡°Diako sends his regards.¡±

 Chapter 121 â€“ Soul Bonded

    A few days passed whilst we all recovered from the battle with Clive.

    Sally kept the ship on track towards the continent but spent most of her time relentlessly attempting to fix its flight capability.

    The catonid really hated sailing, but honestly, I was happy to have a few days to relax.

    Having waited out my mandatory hour of no healing in relative agony, I had then spent an entire day meditating to fix all of my wounds and regain some stamina.

    According to Sally, if I hadn¡¯t activated my scales when I did, that force blade would have sliced me clean in two. The only reason it didn¡¯t kill Bell is because she had the sense to activate a fireball shield scroll she¡¯d pilfered.

    Sadly, despite killing plenty of zealots and hacking my way through countless zombies, I didn¡¯t gain a single level. I guessed they were all just weaker than me and in the end decided that was probably a good thing.

    I nearly died as it was.

    Worryingly, I also didn¡¯t receive a notification for Clive¡¯s death meaning either, I¡¯d not managed to cause enough damage to him to merit me getting in on the death experience points, or he was still out there somewhere. A notion which sent a chill down my spine.

    The rest of my time was spent trying to hatch my mystery egg. Most of my efforts resulted in keeping it with me. I had just enough room to tuck it into my armour, keeping it next to my heart and hopefully warm.

    Though of course, that logic may apply to birds back home, but I had no idea if it would work on whatever this thing was.

    For some, unexplained, reason I couldn¡¯t place it in my inventory and no matter how much I focused on it I couldn¡¯t get a system notification to appear.

    It was almost as if it existed outside of the system entirely.

    Yet, something drew me to it. I wanted to hatch it, but more than that, I felt a bond with the glimmering, black egg like it belonged to me, or was part of me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± Panda said amazedly when I pulled it out during breakfast one day. ¡°It¡¯s almost hard to look at, it kinda hurts my eyes.¡±

    ¡°Do you think?¡± I replied quizzically, ¡°I think it¡¯s hard to look away from it.¡±

    ¡°I can crack it open if you want?¡± Sally called from the kitchen counter, ¡°we didn¡¯t get a chance to resupply in Asquith Town and an egg that size would make a mean omelette.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Panda and I shouted back in unison, though likely for entirely different reasons.

    ¡°I want to study it,¡± he said adamantly, ¡°a discovery like this is sure to increase my sagely wisdom after all.¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a dragon,¡± Bell said casually whilst flicking through a book she seemed oddly engrossed in. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever seen her read anything before. I didn¡¯t even know she could read.

    She had slept for about twelve hours after the battle but woke up in perfect condition. However, she was a bit upset at having missed the demon flicking Clive to God-knows where like a crumb.

    I tried to tell her that she must have been awake because when it had asked who¡¯d summoned it, she¡¯d pointed at me. Something I wasn¡¯t planning to forget anytime soon, but she insisted that she had no memory of any of it.

    ¡°Why would a dragon egg randomly appear on the ship?¡± Panda replied, shaking his head at the fireball mage, ¡°if anything, it¡¯s probably a kraken egg. At least that would make some kind of logical sense.¡±

    ¡°I hope not,¡± I said, curling my lip at the thought. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough krakens to last a lifetime.¡±

    ¡°Must be all that hentai you¡¯ve been watching,¡± Bell said nonchalantly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no internet here,¡± I replied dryly.

    ¡°I know,¡± she said, flipping a page in her book, ¡°and that makes it so much worse.¡±

    The days passed in an almost splendid reverie as I read books, slept in, trained and meditated the time away. Sailing was a lot slower than flying, but thankfully we didn¡¯t run into any storms or more sea kaiju.

    In fact, I was almost sad when we finally spotted a land mass in the distance.

    From out at sea the continent looked like a long green lump stretching across the entire horizon. Though from the map on my HUD, I knew it was a near exact replica of the land masses back on Earth.

    The continent we were headed to was North America back home. More specifically, we were going to land somewhere on the Florida coast.

    ¡°We should be there soon,¡± Sally crooned as she joined me and Panda on the bow of the ship. ¡°Hopefully there will be some skilled craftsmen at the port so we can get the ship sky worthy again.¡±

    ¡°Where are we landing exactly?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Cali Port,¡± she replied, ¡°it¡¯s the biggest trade port in the south of the continent. It¡¯s no Castalor of course, but I bet there will be all sorts of exotic items for you to buy. That should be your number one priority if you want to survive this place. Havar was like kiddie camp compared to the continent.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my gear?¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ per say, it just needs some upgrades,¡± she replied patting me firmly on the shoulder with her massive hand. ¡°For example, do any of your enchantments add 100% to your stats?¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡± I replied dumbstruck.

    ¡°You can,¡± she nodded, ¡°100% is the maximum you can increase each stat through enhancements and basically every adventurer on the continent has at least one stat buff that has a 100% buff. If you don¡¯t, then you¡¯re already massively behind the curve.¡±

    ¡°Sounds a bit pay to win,¡± I muttered, but she ignored me and continued.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Not to mention that there are a lot of level cappers on the continent,¡± she took a breath, wrapping her arm around me and pointing out at the closing land mass. ¡°You were a respectable level in Havar, here you¡¯re not. On the continent, you¡¯re a lower level than most blacksmiths. Of course, you¡¯ll gain levels much faster here, but you won¡¯t get any special treatment...¡±

    As she spoke I felt something wriggling beneath my cloak. I ducked out of her grip swiftly and pulled the egg from its place under my torso armour.

    It shook.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ignore me when I¡¯m trying to help¡­ oh, it¡¯s moving.¡± Sally said, gazing at my egg with wide eyes.

    I pretended not to notice her hand twitch as if she wanted to unsheathe her sword.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s going to be a dragon,¡± Bell said as she looked over the rim of her book at us. ¡°Try channelling some mana into it.¡±

    She had been lounging on a deck chair for most of the day reading that same book.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± she said absently, ¡°well the book says that you need to channel mana into it, that¡¯s what mother dragon¡¯s do to hatch their eggs.¡±

    ¡°Wait, that book is about egg hatching?¡± I asked, turning towards her, ¡°where did you even get something like that?¡±

    ¡°Panda let me borrow it,¡± she said with a shrug.

    ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Panda said, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be a great find. Maybe it¡¯ll be a creature we¡¯ve never seen before. How great would that be? I can see the award ceremony now.¡±

    As the egg shook in my hand a small piece of the shell chipped away and my dragon¡¯s eye took over. Suddenly, the black, glimmering shell which had previously shown no sign of mana, was overflowing with a gentle, dark glow.

    I felt a sudden urge to pour my own mana into the egg, just like Bell had suggested, but I didn¡¯t have any to use.

    There was something I could channel into it, though it could be dangerous. Before I could let that thought linger, I began channelling a small amount of my soul energy into my fingertips.

    Another piece cracked off and before my very eyes the glow darkened and began to tinge with a forest green that swirled within its natural black energy.

    Was that my doing?

    I almost lost my grip as the gentle shaking turned into violent thrashing I put the egg down and backed away. Whatever was inside the shell was ready to get out.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel like introducing my own soul power had pushed the hatchling into hatching faster, just like Bell¡¯s book had suggested¡­ kinda.

    ¡°You did something didn¡¯t you?¡± Bell said with a satisfied smile.

    Sally¡¯s hand was fully on the hilt of her sword as she took a tentative step backwards and Bell put down her book, leaning forward eagerly.

    ¡°This thing better not destroy my ship, Gonads,¡± Sally hissed.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hatchling, what could it possibly do?¡± I replied with an irritated shake of my head.

    ¡°Can you not see that aura?¡± She demanded, ¡°whatever it is, it¡¯s not normal.¡±

    I could see the aura leaking through the cracks, I was pretty sure I¡¯d helped to form it. I wasn¡¯t going to tell Sally that though.

    ¡°Green and black is not a good mixture,¡± she said, eyes glued to the vibrating egg.

    A few more pieces of shell came off and then¡­ CRACK.

    ¡°Oh thank the gods, I¡¯m finally free of that retched place,¡± a deep, booming voice said loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you; it was terribly claustrophobic in there.¡±

    Standing before us, with a tiny piece of shell stuck to its head like a little hat, was a baby dragon.

    ¡°I told you it¡¯d be a dragon!¡± Bell yelled, jumping out of her lounger.

    The dragon was about the size of a small chihuahua and its scales were jet black with a slight green tinge to the tips. Hidden within the blackness was small, glimmering dots of white light which looked like stars. The dragon had two, tiny wings that didn¡¯t look fully formed yet and deep, forest green eyes.

    ¡°Oh Kaleb, it¡¯s so cute!¡± Bell squealed, clenching her fists as she seemed to struggle to control her urges, ¡°what are you going to call it? How about¡­¡±

    Before she had a chance to offer up a suggestion, the baby dragon dived at my chest, knocking me to the floor.

    ¡°Try to soul bond with me will you?¡± It yelled. It was surprisingly strong for such a tiny creature. ¡°Your soul is mine human; I claim it in the name of Asmodeus!¡±

    At that we all went silent.

    Sally reached for her sword once again, Panda took a step back and Bell¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Asmodeus?¡± I asked, speaking to my hatchling for the first time as it wriggled against my chest like it was trying to burrow through my rib cage.

    ¡°Ow, stop!¡± I shouted as it nibbled at my clothes. Grabbing it by the scruff of the neck I ripped it off of me and held it at arm¡¯s length.

    ¡°Unhand me this instant!¡± It protested, kicking its underdeveloped legs helplessly in midair. ¡°This is not how one treats a demon lord.¡±

    ¡°Listen buddy,¡± I began, shooting the baby dragon a disapproving look. ¡°I¡¯ve met Asmodeus, and you¡¯re not him.¡±

    ¡°How dare you assume to know me,¡± the dragon hissed, ¡°we¡¯ve only just met, Kaleb Akabane.¡±

    I paused for a moment as he continued to wriggle and fight against my iron grip.

    ¡°How do you know my name?¡± I said quickly.

    ¡°We are soul bonded,¡± he replied with a slight flutter of his wings, ¡°how else?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re soul bonded?¡± Sally asked incredulously, shooting me a wide-eyed stare as her grip tightened on the hilt of her oversized sword, ¡°to the demon of lust?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not the demon of lust-¡± I began but was cut off.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± Panda said sulkily, ¡°I¡¯m your familiar, we¡¯re supposed to discuss things like this, kid.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what soul bonding is!¡± I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration and further upsetting the aggressive baby dragon who swung in my grip like an empty shopping bag.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Bell said, putting herself between me and the others and scratching her chin. ¡°When I told you to channel mana into the egg, what did you do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any mana,¡± I began, ¡°¡­ so I channelled soul energy in there instead.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Sally said exasperatedly as she pulled her hand slowly down her face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I replied, ¡°it just felt¡­ right.¡±

    ¡°To think that one such as you would believe your soul to be of high enough quality to merge with me,¡± the baby dragon scoffed. He had stopped wriggling around now and instead hung from my hand with his front legs crossed like arms. ¡°Do you have any idea of the power I possess as a demon lord?¡±

    Was my new pet scolding me like a child?

    I scowled at him for a moment when a notification popped up in my HUD.

    You have unlocked a bonded familiar:

    Asmodeus (Soul Bonded)

    Due to your use of the Chaos Seed, a small fragment of the demon lord Asmodeus has remained in the mortal plane.

    Possessing a miniscule amount of his powers and personality, he has hatched as a demon familiar, taking on a shape imposed on him by the imprinted soul to which he is bound.

    As a soul bonded familiar, Asmodeus cannot directly disobey your commands.

    Make sure you house train him.

    I guess it did say ¡°results may vary¡± when I pulled the seed out, I thought.

    I wondered why I couldn¡¯t conjure a notification when he was still an egg? Moreover, why would my soul imprint make him take on the shape of a chihuahua sized dragon?

    I did have a few dragon related skills, and a dragon¡¯s eye. Still though, was that really all it took for my soul to take on that shape? Did that mean I was part dragon now?

    I had so many questions and literally no answers. One important part of the message stuck with me though: Asmodeus couldn¡¯t disobey my commands. So, surely, he wouldn¡¯t be dangerous as long as I ordered him not to be.

    ¡°Asmodeus,¡± I said and the little dragon glared up at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to put you down now, but I forbid you from attacking me, or anyone else on this ship. Understood?¡±

    ¡°How dare you presume to order me around,¡± he began, ¡°do you know who I am!¡±

    Despite his bravado, when I placed him on the ground he made no attempt to go after any of us.

    ¡°Good boy,¡± I said patting him softly on the head.

    ¡°One day I am going to devour your soul, human,¡± he muttered and a little snort of black fire poofed out of his nostrils.

    ¡°I think the demon lord needs a nap,¡± Bell said, scooping him up before I could stop her.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± He roared, his unnaturally deep voice carrying loudly across the ocean air. ¡°Unhand me this instant, you insolent cur I will¡­ actually, I am kind of sleepy,¡± he yawned, ¡°After some consideration, your offer of nap time is agreeable to me, human, show me to your finest lair.¡±

    ¡°We are going to talk about this when she gets back,¡± Sally said in low, dangerous voice as Bell cradled the baby dragon in her arms lovingly.

 Chapter 122 â€“ My Trusty Soul Devouring Steed

    Whilst Bell put the demon lord down for a nap, Sally, Panda and I sat in a tense silence at the kitchen table. The catonid glared at me, her muscular arms crossed in a way that showed off the tone of her forearm¡¯s musculature.

    She had the kind of muscle development that would make any man jealous, myself included. Meanwhile, though I had a rather athletic body now, thanks to my raised stats, I was in no way large.

    Bodybuilders are all for show anyway, I thought moodily, meanwhile, I have functionality.

    With the light tap of a closing door, Bell entered the kitchen with a finger to her lips.

    ¡°He¡¯s down for the count,¡± she whispered, ¡°better keep it down though, I don¡¯t have any bottled milk.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dragon,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they eat live goats and dwarves, I doubt he wants to suckle at a plastic teat whilst you rock him and sing lullabies.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a dragon,¡± Sally snarled, making a consorted effort to keep her voice down to a respectable level. ¡°It¡¯s the demon lord of lust, do you have any idea the kind of shit show you¡¯ve caused by bonding with it? Asmodeus is a dangerous name, feared across the world for good reason. Adventure Society loses hundreds of people every year preventing zealots and cultists from completing rituals to allow him to cross into this realm.

    ¡°And, in a matter of days, you¡¯ve not only allowed him to enter the mortal plane in his full form, but now he has a permanent fragment of himself here. THAT YOU SOUL BONDED!¡± Forgetting her inside voice for a moment, she shouted the last part, slamming her fist down so hard on the table that it broke in two.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be eating off the floor for the remainder of this voyage then?¡± I said monotonously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand just how dangerous this thing is Kaleb,¡± she said, turning away from me and rubbing her fingers through her hair so forcefully that little clumps came out.

    ¡°She used your real name,¡± Panda whispered to me from behind his paw, ¡°that¡¯s how you know she¡¯s serious.¡±

    Shooting my familiar a harsh glare that silenced him, Sally continued: ¡°he may only be a hatchling at the moment, but what happens when his powers grow stronger? Do you think your soul bond will be enough to prevent the real Asmodeus from stepping into the mortal plane permanently and exterminating us all?¡±

    ¡°I get that you¡¯re upset,¡± I said diplomatically, ¡°but you can¡¯t blame me for doing something by accident. Not to mention that if I hadn¡¯t used the chaos seed against Clive we¡¯d be too dead to even have this conversation.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m sure that will be of great comfort to the billions of people inhabiting this world when your new pet murders them all and eats their souls,¡± she said flippantly.

    ¡°What do you suggest we do then?¡± I replied, crossing my arms and feeling more than a little annoyed. None of this was my fault, I was doing everything I could not to die at the hands of some creepy, skeleton-looking necromancer. How was I supposed to know my survival would bring forth such a calamity. If my dragon was even as dangerous as she was suggesting.

    ¡°We should kill it,¡± she said sternly.

    My heart skipped a beat. I didn¡¯t know why, but the idea of killing Asmodeus felt wrong. It hurt, like physically hurt me deep down in my¡­ stomach?

    ¡°You can¡¯t kill it,¡± Panda said, jumping up onto his stool and pointing fiercely at Sally. ¡°Its soul bonded to Kaleb. He hasn¡¯t even reached the level cap yet, the strain on his core will be too much.¡±

    ¡°Will he die too?¡± Bell asked, looking at me with a concerned expression.

    ¡°Worse,¡± Panda began, ¡°his soul will rupture.¡±

    We all stared at each other in a harsh silence for a moment. Sally paced aggressively around the room, throwing her hands onto her head, clenching her fists and moving to kick furniture, but then stopping herself. She was a mess to look at. I¡¯d never seen her act this way before.

    ¡°What¡¯s a soul rupture?¡± I asked quietly, though I feared I already knew what it meant. ¡°Would it kill me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more than death,¡± Panda replied in a hoarse whisper, ¡°a soul rupture is¡­ it¡¯s like being tortured for eternity. When a person¡¯s soul breaks like that, they¡¯re said to be trapped within a single second of agonising pain¡­ forever.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad for the world too, a powerful soul rupture can cause a person to explode with the power of a nuclear bomb. If your soul was to rupture with that power of yours¡­ I dread to think what would happen.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you told me not to use that power again?¡± I asked, thinking back to Panda¡¯s warning after I¡¯d first discovered I could use soul attacks on a quest that had us trapped inside a little girl¡¯s memory.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°It¡¯s part of it,¡± he said, a little squeamishly.

    ¡°Look,¡± Sally said with a sigh, ¡°obviously I don¡¯t want Gonads to explode all over the place, but we still need to deal with this issue. That dragon is a danger to the entire world.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s soul bonded,¡± Bell said in a small voice, the rest of us all turned towards her. ¡°In the book I was reading, it said that soul bonded familiars can¡¯t grow more powerful than their masters. If Kaleb is his master, then won¡¯t he always be able to control him?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it would work with a normal soul bond, yes.¡± Sally replied, taking her seat at the table once more. ¡°But as far as I¡¯m aware, no one has ever bonded with a demon lord before-¡±

    ¡°Fragment,¡± Bell interrupted, ¡°a demon lord¡¯s fragment. He hasn¡¯t bonded with the whole thing, just a tiny part of it.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Sally said tentatively, ¡°I guess¡­ we just don¡¯t have enough to go off.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone who might know more?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°Possibly,¡± Sally relented, stroking the back of her head awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m friendly with the director of the Adventure Society at Cali Port, we could ask her for help. At the very least I¡¯m sure she knows a guy.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Bell smiled, ¡°and in the meantime we just need to keep Asmodeus alive so Kaleb doesn¡¯t blow his load or whatever.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at that, still, she was right. That seemed to be the best course of action to me as well. I didn¡¯t want to die any time soon and who knew, maybe my new dragon would come in useful. If he got a bit bigger he could become my trusty, soul devouring steed.

    We passed the rest of the evening in a tense silence, each doing our own thing. Sally retired to the wheel above the cabins, presumably guiding us into port, or doing push-ups or¡­ something.

    Bell went back to reading her book and Panda shot me the occasional concerned glance as he delved into a pile of his own, which he¡¯d been gifted by the zealots.

    Overall, it wasn¡¯t a very pleasant evening.

    After a little while of no sleep and feeling bad about putting my team in such an awkward position, I decided to meditate.

    Exploring the inner workings of my body always helped to calm me down. At the end of the day, what was done was done and we¡¯d found the best solution for the time being.

    We couldn¡¯t kill Asmodeus without risking my soul exploding like a bomb. I didn¡¯t want to kill him anyway, he was mine. Something deep within me wanted to protect him, like some kind of subconscious, knee jerk reaction.

    As I wandered my soul view I decided to delve into my core to see if it might hold any answers to my new, weird feelings.

    I gazed for a long time at the swirling mass of energy which settled deep within the pit of my stomach. It was mesmerising, calming.

    It had changed colours many times over the course of my time in Celestia. Now, it was a deep, royal green speckled with tiny dots of lighter, acidic green and shadowed in a deep black.

    It reminded me of Asmodeus¡¯ scales, but the colours were inverted.

    Eventually I came out of soul view to find Bell snoring and slumped over the table with her face planted firmly in her book. Panda would not be happy when he saw the drool stains on the page.

    Speaking of my sagely familiar, he was nowhere to be found.

    I thought about venturing outside to see how Sally was doing but decided against it. Her temper had run unusually hot that evening and I figured she needed some space to cool down.

    Instead, I found myself absently wandering towards my little room at the back of the ship. As I opened the door from the kitchen to the cabins, I saw Panda leaning idly against an open door.

    Silently, I moved next to him and saw that he was gazing at the sleeping dragon who was starfished across my bunk.

    Great, someone else I have to share my bed with, I thought with a sigh.

    Back home my wife had insisted on letting the dog sleep on the bed with us. He was a big, bear of a hound though and when he stretched out I was left with no cover and barely a corner to curl up in. Naturally I kicked him down every night once she¡¯d fallen asleep.

    I missed my wife. I hadn¡¯t thought about her much recently and that realisation stung a little bit. Still, she was my reason for going through all of this pain and effort. Levelling up, the life of an adventurer, none of it was easy.

    Exciting, sure, but hard all the same.

    It¡¯s difficult to fully describe the pain of being nearly killed countless times. The numbness that comes with battle fatigue and living in a world where death is ever present. I wondered if people back on Earth felt that way, those who were unfortunate enough to be born into a war torn or famine ravaged country.

    What am I doing, I thought admonishingly, I never get this deep. Where¡¯s Bell when you need her, I could really use a bad movie reference or a penis joke right about now.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Panda said softly, rousing me from my spiralling introspection.

    ¡°I think that for now, he¡¯s one of us,¡± I said, nodding towards the slumbering dragon.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be a handful you know,¡± Panda said, gazing at me out of the corner of his deep eyes, ¡°just having him will paint a target on your back.¡±

    ¡°Like I don¡¯t already have one¡­ literally,¡± I snorted, thinking of the map pieces that were permanently tattooed on my skin.

    ¡°Also,¡± Panda continued, ¡°he seems like a real piece of work.¡±

    ¡°So did you,¡± I whispered. ¡°Remember when we first met and I mistakenly thought you were a demon summon.¡±

    ¡°How could I forget,¡± Panda replied, ¡°it was in that moment that I knew you desperately needed a sage.¡±

    ¡°Well, now I guess I finally have one,¡± I winked at him and scratched behind his fluffy ear.

    ¡°You know he wants to eat your soul, right?¡± Panda said pointedly, ¡°he¡¯s a real asshole.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I replied softly, ¡°but something inside me wants to protect him. I can¡¯t quite put my finger on why, but I just can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s the same feeling I got when I thought you¡¯d died. It¡¯s like a piece of me is¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what a soul bond is,¡± Panda said, resting his paw on top of my quivering hand, ¡°familiars are a strange thing in Celestia. We¡¯re connected to you, and you to us. It¡¯s more than just a friendship or a comradery. The soul forms a powerful connection. It¡¯s like the blood ties you share with family, but¡­ more.¡±

    ¡°Is that how it was with your last summoner?¡± I asked, thinking on the girl he¡¯d been summoned by in a previous life. She had died young and recently, at least by his perception of life.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he shuddered, ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake again. You¡¯ll survive, kid. I can¡¯t go through that again.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry buddy, I don¡¯t plan on dying any time soon.¡±

 Chapter 123 â€“ Thatâ€™s What She Said

    I spent most of the night watching the dragon sleep whilst whispering conspiratorially with Panda. It was pleasant. Peaceful moments were getting harder and harder to come by these days. I had to enjoy them when I could.

    Since embarking on the membership exam for the society, it felt like my life had been one mad rush after another. If I wasn¡¯t fighting for my life or rescuing a comrade from the depths of a secret gang base, I was training like a mad man to make those things easier in the future.

    I didn¡¯t regret my choice to prioritise those things, but it was relaxing to take a break from it every now and then.

    Of course, that break only lasted until sunrise.

    Asmodeus awoke with a start, springing up onto his feet with widened eyes and flapping wings. His body hadn¡¯t formed to a point where he could actually fly yet, it was more like a momentary hover before a slow descent.

    He wasn¡¯t very happy when Panda laughed at him because of it.

    ¡°Why are you watching me slumber?¡± he shouted accusatorily in his unnaturally deep voice. ¡°Where are the servants? Have them prepare my breakfast. I¡¯ll take a partially boiled dwarf with a side of goat¡¯s milk, hold the pasteurisation.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have any servants,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°¡­ or partially boiled dwarves.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± he said, considering my words for a moment as he brought his claws to rest under his chin. ¡°Well, what partially boiled creatures do you have?¡±

    ¡°We could probably boil some fish?¡± Panda suggested, ¡°we have lots of those.¡±

    ¡°Never!¡± Asmodeus roared indignantly, ¡°I am a dragon, not a bear. I dine only on the finest quality red meats¡­ if you don¡¯t have anything else then I guess this panda will have to do, though it looks a little fatty for my tastes.¡± He said, turning to me as if his request was entirely reasonable.

    ¡°Did he just call me fat?¡± Panda asked in a higher pitch than normal.

    ¡°How do you feel about fried meat?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I am a dragon, we do not lower ourselves to such debased forms of cooking¡± he replied, lifting his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what,¡± I began, ¡°let me give you one of Sally¡¯s famous breakfasts and we¡¯ll see if that¡¯ll satisfy you.¡±

    ¡°The catonid can cook?¡± he asked, an air of genuine surprise in his voice, ¡°when I was still but a freshly hatched lower demon their kind still licked their genitals as a form of grooming.¡±

    ¡°Just try it,¡± I said, trying hard to get the image of Sally doing just that out of my mind.

    Fortunately for me, she was already hard at work on the breakfast preparations when we entered the kitchen. I thought I¡¯d smelled the familiar wafting of bacon when I¡¯d offered it to Asmodeus.

    Bell was snoring, head resting on the same book she¡¯d been reading the previous night, though now she was using it as a pillow at the kitchen table.

    ¡°My tomes!¡± Panda cried as he saw the crusted gleam of dried drool staining the pages. ¡°That¡¯s the last time I let you borrow my books, your membership at the sagely library is revoked, hand me your card so I can rip it in two.¡± He held out his paw expectantly as Bell was roused from her sleep by the racket.

    She sat up lazily, her bee¡¯s hive of hair sticking out at odd angles, a few stray strands stuck to her plump lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a card,¡± she said with a yawn, then she looked down and saw the residue of spittle on the book she¡¯d been reading about dragons. ¡°Oh no Panda, someone¡¯s gotten your book all wet.¡±

    ¡°Why you little¡­¡± he growled but didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before Sally began placing dishes around the table.

    I glanced at Asmodeus, who had demanded to ride on my shoulder so that he could ¡°look down on the mortals¡±, and his twinkling, green eyes were locked onto the food.

    ¡°Smells good doesn¡¯t it?¡± I said quietly to him.

    ¡°We shall see, human,¡± he replied aloofly, ¡°we shall see.¡±

    Placing him down on the table I watched as he hesitantly picked up the cutlery and began dissecting the fat from the edges of the bacon.

    His precision was masterful, and when he finally deigned to put a piece of the sizzling, pink meat into his mouth, I thought his eyes might pop out of their sockets like a surprised cartoon character.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Well?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What is this miracle meat?¡± He replied, looking at me with hungry, glinting eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s called bacon and it comes from pigs,¡± I said.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Sally corrected, ¡°this bacon comes from Havarian jungle boars. It¡¯s pretty hard to get since the locals almost hunted them to extinction a few decades ago, but I know a guy.¡±

    ¡°I demand that we capture this bacon merchant at once,¡± Asmodeus replied animatedly, ¡°this is a delicacy too rare to be sold to any common rabble. It must all be mine.¡±

    ¡°Um, yeah,¡± I said, trying to keep the amusement from my voice, ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that once we dock.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of docking,¡± Bell said, ¡°are we nearly there yet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving within the hour,¡± Sally replied, despite being civil, she kept a cautious eye on Asmodeus the entire time we were eating.

    ¡°Is nobody going to ask why he can use cutlery?¡± Panda asked.

    ***

    As the ship pulled into the docks amidst the beautiful, turquoise sea, I was awestruck.

    Cali Port was huge, much bigger than Havar had been. Glass skyscrapers dotted the coastal skyline contrasted with medieval stone walls which bordered the sea itself.

    From what little I could see from the bow of the ship, the city seemed to be set out in an old-fashioned ring formation of varying sections of wall.

    Naturally, the docks were located immediately outside the outer ring and were a bustling hive of trade activity. We pulled up to a wooden moor and Sally tossed some rope over the side to a group of lycanids who began tying it off.

    The dock was massive and I counted at least fifty vessels in the immediate vicinity, ours was among the smallest.

    As we stepped off onto dry land, Sally tossed a bag of coins to the worker who had caught her rope.

    ¡°Anything happens to my ship and I¡¯ll come back for that,¡± she said, flashing him a fangy smile.

    He grimaced back at her, that was until he looked inside the bag and began grinning instead.

    We followed her hurried march through the docks, twisting and turning as busy workers rushed around completing their business.

    I didn¡¯t have a lot of experience with sailing, so I was a little caught off guard at how still the ground felt beneath my feet.

    After a while at sea I¡¯d gotten used to the feeling of waving movement below me and my muscles had adapted to counter it as I walked around the ship. I¡¯d barely even noticed it at the time, but that sudden absence was weird and I felt slightly off balance. The ground was too still.

    ¡°Where are we going to in such a hurry?¡± Bell asked as we marched behind the hurrying catonid.

    ¡°To the society building,¡± she replied, ¡°we need to report this new development at once,¡± she glanced over at Asmodeus who was obliviously taking in the sights from his position on my shoulder.

    Surprisingly, his weight didn¡¯t tip me off balance or hurt much at all. He was only the size of a chihuahua, but I had still expected some kind of trade off from carrying him like that.

    I guess my improved strength stat must have been compensating, or perhaps it was my agility? It was hard to know for certain but either way, I was sure it had something to do with the way the system altered my physiology.

    We made quick work of traversing the docks and soon found ourselves staring up at the huge stone wall that bordered the town. It was even bigger in person and I found myself wondering if I¡¯d be able to climb it Assassin¡¯s Creed style.

    Joining a queue, we stood before a large, iron portcullis that barred entry into the city itself. A group of lycanids led by a heavily armoured svartalf stood guard, processing people as they came to them.

    ¡°They sure run a tight ship around here,¡± I said absently.

    ¡°This is the continent,¡± Sally replied with a shrug, ¡°they have to prioritise security procedures when so much money is at stake, not to mention the average level is much higher here than it was on the islands.¡±

    ¡°Their levels are laughable,¡± Asmodeus said with a tut, ¡°it took me less than one hundred years to become a demon lord, yet these people spent twice as long just to reach jade. It¡¯s pathetic.¡±

    ¡°Maybe keep the demon lord stuff to yourself buddy,¡± I said, patting his head, ¡°we don¡¯t want to freak people out, they might try to take you away.¡±

    ¡°Let them try!¡± He roared, earning us some worried looks from the others in the line. ¡°No one here is more powerful than I.¡±

    ¡°That may have been true when you were the big scary giant dude,¡± Bell said, ¡°but now you¡¯re a baby dragon with barely a fraction of that power.¡±

    ¡°A fraction is all it takes,¡± he replied indignantly, lifting his head to the side.

    ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Panda sniggered.

    We stood bickering idly for a short while as the queue whittled down. It was surprisingly fast; Cali Port must have much more streamlined processes than we did back on Earth.

    Upon reaching the front of the queue, Sally flashed her silver rank ID card at the guards who peered back at her, seemingly unimpressed.

    ¡°Remember to walk on the left newbie¡­ and watch out for the protestors, they¡¯re violent,¡± the svartalf said in a bored voice before allowing her through.

    I practically willed Sally to ask about these violent protesters but she simply scowled and nodded grimly. Did she know something about this already?

    The svartalf said the same thing to Bell, then it was my turn.

    I showed her my card as the others did and she seemed to be moments away from waving me through, until she looked up.

    ¡°Is that a dragon?¡± She asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s my familiar,¡± I replied.

    ¡°And the Panda?¡±

    ¡°Him too.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re listed as a skirmisher on your ID but you seem more like a beast tamer,¡± she said contemplatively, ¡°have you changed classes recently?¡±

    ¡°No?¡± I asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you could change classes.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you get this updated,¡± she sighed, ¡°go on through and keep to the left.¡±

    I rejoined the others and we wandered through the busy portcullis entrance. I wondered what she meant by keep to the left, she¡¯d said it to all of us.

    More importantly, I¡¯d had no idea that you could change classes. I was certain that when I¡¯d made my initial selection it had said it would be permanent.

    ¡°Panda?¡± I asked, ¡°can you really change classes?¡±

    ¡°That was the first I¡¯d heard of it,¡± he replied with a scowl, ¡°but I can look into it for you. Maybe there are some local books with knowledge on the subject.¡±

    We continued onwards as I thought about the implications of class changes. There was still so much I didn¡¯t know about this world.

    Dropping off the pavement, I stepped out into the road idly¡­ and almost got flattened by invisible oncoming traffic. Something passed me at such a ferocious speed that I felt my skin ripple.

 Chapter 124 â€“ Watch Out For The Protestors

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Sally shouted, grabbing the back of my collar and yanking me out of harm¡¯s way.

    Something zipped past me so quickly I felt my skin ripple and I was certain that if I was hit by whatever force that was, it would have turned me into paste.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied breathlessly.

    ¡°Be more careful, human,¡± Asmodeus admonished me, ¡°I cannot have my transportation being damaged by carelessness.¡±

    I gave him a deadpan look which he didn¡¯t seem to understand.

    ¡°You need to listen to instructions, Gonads,¡± Sally said, ¡°the guard at the gate told you to keep left. She told all of us to.¡±

    ¡°Well she could have told me that not doing so would result in death,¡± I replied grumpily. ¡°Seems like the sort of thing one might mention.¡±

    ¡°Keeping left is universal in high level locations,¡± Panda said matter-of-factly, ¡°I thought you knew that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my sage,¡± I said through gritted teeth, ¡°making sure I know things is literally your job.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, kid,¡± he replied sheepishly.

    ¡°Why do we have to keep left anyway,¡± Bell asked, ¡°besides the obvious¡­¡±

    ¡°Well technically you can keep left or right, it¡¯s just that we¡¯re on the left-hand side of the street. This walkway is reserved for anyone below the level cap,¡± Sally explained as we continued walking, this time making sure to keep firmly to the left, ¡°the middle is reserved for jade souls and above.¡±

    As I followed her meaty hand gesture, I saw that the street was indeed laid out this way. It was almost familiar, a middle section bordered by two walkways on either side. Just like how roads and pavements were laid out back home, just with a less obvious dividing line between the pedestrian walkways and the road itself.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked after a long moment of staring at the road in the middle. It seemed deserted with the exception of the vibrant flashes of colour my dragon¡¯s eye was detecting, and the displacement of air.

    ¡°Because those above the level cap can move at extreme speeds and have extreme strength,¡± she replied patiently, ¡°they¡¯re not like you and I, their abilities far surpass those of a normal person.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like when you¡¯re driving a car,¡± Panda took over, dipping into his limited knowledge of Earthen culture, ¡°when a bug hits your windscreen do you pullover? Do you even notice right away.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying we¡¯re like bugs to them?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Exactly,¡±

    Well that¡¯s a terrifying thought.

    With the exception of the segregated walkways, Cali Port was visually wonderous. As we journeyed through the outer level of the city, I certainly wasn¡¯t starved of things to look at.

    We passed by typical stores and stalls just like there had been in Havar, but this place also had multi-floored department stores, some of which were dedicated to armour and weapons.

    There were smaller crafting supply stores, there were bars lit with neon signs, rooftop cafes and plenty of magic shops.

    It was a fantasy world metropolis, ripe for the picking.

    I decided right then and there that as soon as we were done checking in at Adventure Society, I was going shopping.

    In the meantime, we headed towards the centre of the circular city. Well, not the exact centre, but we headed in that general direction.

    The closer we got to the middle of town; the stranger things got. People watching was amusing, if a little concerning.

    All kinds of different races cluttered the streets, there were even ones I hadn¡¯t seen before.

    We passed a small stall that said ¡°courthouse¡± on it in crude writing. A man with the legs and face of a kangaroo and the torso of a hairy human manned it. He was dressed in dark robes and wearing one of those silly barrister wigs found in the British courts back home.

    I never understood why they wore those.

    Stood opposite him and, flanked on either side by two lycanids with barred teeth, with hands gripped around his arms, was a crow person.

    The strange creature looked like a failed science experiment. For all intents and purposes he was a human, just with a crow¡¯s head and feathers where the body hair should be.

    I couldn¡¯t help but focus on him for the notification.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Garuda

    Though once a proud race of powerful humanoid-avian hybrid warriors, the Garuda have since evolved to be almost identical to humans.

    They have racial skills related to sight and thievery due to their naturally eclectic nature. Though they cannot fly in their infancy, upon reaching the level cap many have been known to grow wings.

    The origins of the Garuda are unknown, but if you think about it long enough, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll come to the same gross conclusion that I did.

    Human¡¯s will fuck anything.

    ¡°Ew,¡± I said as I finished reading the description. ¡°I half expected them to be called crowanids, considering how the naming scheme for the other races has worked so far.¡± I muttered to myself as Panda laughed at my side.

    Just as I was about to focus on the kangaroo person he banged his mallet on his shabby wooden stall and began talking loudly, though no one stopped to listen to him. It must have been a regular occurrence in Cali Port.

    ¡°Order in the court,¡± he said in a loud, pompous voice. ¡°Sir, you stand here today because you have been accused of being involved with a murder.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Well, I always try to be social,¡± the Garuda replied, jolting its crow-like head around nervously.

    Shaking my head, I began to focus on the judge once more when Sally growled the words ¡°it¡¯s worse than I thought,¡± under her breath.

    I turned to her, but before I could ask what she meant my thoughts were drowned out by unintelligible shouting coming from the direction we were heading in.

    We turned a corner and the familiar sight of a large glass skyscraper with neon, vertical writing running the length of it filled my vision.

    Worryingly, a large group stood outside it. They were a strong mixture of all the races I knew about, and some I didn¡¯t, and they were so loud I couldn¡¯t actually make out what any individual was saying.

    Were these the protestors the guard at the gate had mentioned? If so they weren¡¯t very organised. What happened to picket signs and call and response phrases?

    There seemed to be a distinct absence of humans from the large crowd. A thought that compounded inside me as I caught angry faces glaring at me and Bell.

    Sally pushed her way through and we stayed close behind in her slipstream. It was nerve wrecking. We had just arrived in this new place, a city whose residents were much stronger than the people of Havar, and now we were forcing our way through a crowd that was seemingly hostile towards adventure society.

    I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention as we moved through the crowd. Every time we took a step forward, our exit path was closed in behind us. It was as if we were being swallowed by a sea of unbridled outrage.

    I honestly wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if they smashed the glass and stormed the building at any minute. If that happened would I be expected to defend it as an adventurer? I hoped not.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they bowing?¡± Asmodeus asked in a loud, deep whisper. ¡°They should be bowing as I pass them, and why is the catonid having to carve us a path?¡±

    I shushed him with a stern glare but not before he earned some angry stares from the closest protestors who¡¯d heard him.

    Eventually Sally broke through the crowd and we followed, popping out of the mass protest and hurrying straight through the open door that was held tentatively by a burly lycanid in heavy plate armour.

    BANG.

    A piece of rotten fruit hit the guards armour with enough force to leave a small dent in the heavy metal.

    Without looking back, I dived through the door with Panda and Bell hot on my heels.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± She shouted as we made it into the foyer.

    ¡°Looked like a rotten apple to me,¡± I replied breathlessly.

    ¡°Fucking scum,¡± the lycanid guard half breathed, half growled as he wrestled to slam the door shut behind us. ¡°The director is waiting for you upstairs,¡± he said to Sally, who nodded her thanks.

    The foyer was laid out just like the one I was used to; however, it was completely deserted. There was no attractive catonid receptionist manning the front desk and not a single adventurer milling about.

    Beckoning for us to follow her, Sally strode up to a magic elevator, just like the one back in the adventure society building in Havar.

    I felt sorry for the single guard manning the door, it must have been a lonely job and he had no chance against the gathered protestors if fighting broke out.

    We entered the elevator in silence as it took us to the top floor.

    The director¡¯s office stood in stark contrast to Lucas¡¯ office in Havar. Director Lucas was a minimalist of refined taste. With the exception of a large desk and constantly filled decanters of amber, and likely expensive, alcohol, his office was bare.

    The Cali Port director had a different approach.

    Fancy swords in glass cases lined the lower half of the walls whilst glimmering, golden framed pictures sat above them. Fancy oil paintings depicting battles and, what I had to assume were, famous ships.

    A large, oak-coloured desk took up the final quarter of the room with comfortable looking chairs lining it. There was one for each of us, was that on purpose or a happy coincidence?

    The director stood with her back towards us, gazing out over Cali Port from, what was probably, the best view in the city.

    Her dark purple skin was scarred and tattooed with deep black lines, crosses and other artwork which seemed spiritual in nature.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± the director said, ¡°please take a seat, I¡¯ve been expecting you.¡±

    Her voice was warm and soothing. It matched her deep scarlet hair perfectly. As she turned towards us, a long, black formal coat swayed elegantly. It hung from her shoulders like a cape, she hadn¡¯t put her arms through the sleeves.

    Underneath the massive coat, she wore a black corset and tight, leather pants. Her body cut a much more feminine shape than Sally¡¯s, it was captivating.

    The delicate features of her face only added to the fantasy.

    ¡°Why is a svartalf in charge of this branch?¡± Asmodeus scoffed as I took a seat. I immediately gasped and moved to cover his mouth with my hand.

    Sally shot me a wide-eyed look and began apologising.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry director, I-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she replied, cutting the catonid off with a casual wave of her hand, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the demon lord¡¯s way with words.¡±

    Her ruby eyes washed over me in a calculating gaze that, coupled with a knowing half smile, told me that she was a very well informed and intelligent woman. A dangerous combination.

    The fact that she not only knew that I had Asmodeus, but she knew his real identity as well must have meant she had spies in the city. Possibly the city guard? No, the guard at the gate didn¡¯t seem to recognise him. Her spies must be elsewhere, or maybe she had a skill.

    Either way, I¡¯d have to be careful around her.

    ¡°Mmmmmm mm mmmmm!¡± Asmodeus tried to shout as my hand muffled his words.

    I glared at him, before lifting my palm from his muzzle.

    ¡°Unhand me human!¡± He roared, ¡°¡­ oh, you have. Well, don¡¯t attempt to silence me again.¡±

    ¡°I know why you¡¯ve come to see me but I¡¯m afraid the discussion about what to do with our little flying demon will have to wait,¡± the director said grimly, ¡°I have an urgent problem that I need you to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Gliding,¡± Panda corrected with a smug grin.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t really looking to stay here for very long,¡± I said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr Akabane,¡± she replied cordially, ¡°but until this problem is solved, no one can travel further inland anyway, including your party.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Asmodeus erupted, ¡°this is an outrage. No one prevents my freedom of movement and gets away with it!¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± she replied in a low voice which shut him up straight away. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the civil unrest plaguing Cali Port I presume?¡±

    ¡°How could we not?¡± I replied, ¡°we had to fight through an angry crowd just to get inside this building.¡±

    ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t the only protest hotspot I¡¯m afraid,¡± she continued. ¡°There are protests all across the city, the biggest of which is barricading the inland gate, which is why no one can leave. I need every adventurer I can get my hands on to look into the matter and find a way to resolve it.¡±

    ¡°What do you expect us to do?¡± Bell said, ¡°we¡¯re probably lower ranks than most of the normal citizens here. We¡¯re not exactly in a position to go marching up to a group of powerful protestors and beat them into submission.¡±

    ¡°Have you heard of a little thing called diplomacy?¡± The director replied with a half-smile, ¡°that would be my suggestion at least.¡±

    ¡°What is this civil unrest about?¡± I asked, trying to cut through the pleasantries.

    ¡°We have two main factions in this city,¡± she explained, ¡°the capitalists and the communists.¡±

    Oh here we go, I thought with a roll of my eyes. The director furrowed her brow at me but continued anyway.

    ¡°The continent is a capitalist federation,¡± she said, ¡°that relies heavily on industry and a free market. Naturally, that means that some people are in charge of the businesses they create and others have to work for them for the good of the economy.

    ¡°However, recently there have been growing concerns over workplace discrimination and monetary compensation, particularly among the minor races within our population.

    ¡°You see, Cali Port is a minor race dominated city which means there are a lot of minority species living and working here. These are creatures who tend to be less humanoid such as the Garuda, gnomes and the like.

    ¡°In Cali Port, there are growing concerns that the humanoid workers are treating the minor races unfairly: paying them badly, giving them poor working conditions, refusing to promote them into positions of power and the like.

    ¡°As such, some of the most unhappy workers have formed a new kind of workers union which they have called communism, supposedly it has something to do with everyone being treated and paid the same regardless of skill. It sounds like nonsense to me, but these people are very serious and have begun blockading key infrastructure across the city. I need you to solve this problem for me.¡±

    I took a moment to consider what she¡¯d said before replying. Her explanation was more in depth than I was used to, though from her tone I could tell that what she really wanted was for me to get rid of the communist protestors.

    ¡°When you say solve the problem,¡± Bell said, running a finger across her throat and winking.

    ¡°If that is what it takes then it is permitted,¡± the director sighed, ¡°however, I would prefer a diplomatic solution if you can find one.¡±

    ¡°You want us to convince the protestors to come to heel?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Either that or convince the business owners to bring them to the table for a peaceful resolution,¡± she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t really understand these strikers but I don¡¯t want my city turning into a warzone. If you can prevent that from happening then I don¡¯t really care how you do it.¡±

 Chapter 125 â€“ Put Down That Pickaxe

    ¡°Ok,¡± I replied with a sigh, send me the quest.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Panda said, holding up his paw, ¡°why ask us?¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± the director replied, ¡°I¡¯ve offered this quest to every adventurer in town. It¡¯s an emergency, guild-wide quest. Sadly, a lot of my adventurers are currently out of town on contracts, but all those still here have been assigned the same quest.¡±

    ¡°Lay it on me,¡± I said with a reluctant sigh.

    Emergency Quest:

    Put Down That Pickaxe

    Civil unrest has erupted across Cali Port between the capitalist and communist factions. Find a way to stop the madness before someone gets hurt.

    Objectives:

    Stop the protests: 0/1

    Reward: A mobile base for your team.

    ¡°A mobile base?¡± Bell squealed, ¡°that sounds awesome! I wonder what it¡¯ll be? Ooh, maybe it¡¯ll be a flying aircraft carrier like in Avengers.¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a mobile tree house,¡± Panda added, ¡°stocked with natural bamboo and with a hot spring included.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Asmodeus said, ¡°the only mobile base fit for one such as I would be a flying fortress with stealth capabilities and a legendary-grade weapons attached.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their excitement, though knowing my luck it¡¯d be a tent and not even a magic one, just a bog-standard festival style tent that would blow away with the slightest breeze.

    Regardless of the reward, if we wanted to be able to leave Cali Port to continue on our way to Castalor we were going to have to complete this quest.

    My stomach sank as I thought about meeting the communists. Knowing this stupid world they would be utterly ridiculous and they¡¯d probably call me comrade and think I was one of them thanks to that stupid torch I had stuck in my inventory.

    ¡°Ok director, we accept,¡± I said begrudgingly. ¡°Do you have any places for us to start in?¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Freja,¡± she replied with a calculated smile, ¡°and yes actually, there are two main locations that I need you to start with. The first is the gate itself, I need eyes on the crowd there. If all hell breaks loose, it¡¯ll start there. The second place is outside a government building not far from here, one of the leaders of this communist movement is conducting a protest there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll check out the gate, Gonads,¡± Sally said, piping up for the first time since the meeting began, ¡°the rest of you can check out the government building.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Freja replied, ¡°thank you for your assistance in this. Please feel free to pop round any time if you need anything. I will help as much as I can.¡±

    With that we bid her goodbye and took our leave. Once we reached the foyer the guard pointed us towards the back exit, which meant that thankfully we wouldn¡¯t have to push through the angry mob outside a second time.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Sally left with barely a word and I made her promise to keep in contact. Then the rest of us headed back in the direction we¡¯d originally come from.

    ¡°I wonder what these communists are going to be like?¡± Bell asked, an air of whimsy to her tone as if this entire quest was simply a game to her. She seemed oddly excited; it would have been infectious if not for the sinking feeling in my gut.

    We walked for a short while back in the direction of the kangaroo court when I spotted our likely objective.

    On the opposite side of the street from us stood a group of extremely small humanoids holding picket signs. I couldn¡¯t quite hear what they were saying, but they stood in front of a government building.

    ¡°This has got to be the place,¡± I declared to Bell and Panda¡¯s nodding agreement.

    ¡°Human,¡± Asmodeus declared, ¡°take me over there, I wish to see the little people.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t call them that anymore, Azzy,¡± Bell began, ¡°it¡¯s offensive.¡±

    ¡°Azzy?¡± He roared, turning his small head to glare at the fireball mage, ¡°¡­ I like it! I shall permit you to address me by this nickname and I shall call you¡­ Ifrit, after my brother, the fire demon.¡±

    ¡°How about you just call her, Bell¡­ Azzy,¡± I interjected, ¡°it¡¯s only one syllable, she doesn¡¯t need a nickname.¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± she protested quietly as we carefully attempted to cross to the other side.

    The city was structured with underpasses for those of us below the level cap to move across the road without risking death.

    It was essentially treating those above the level cap like vehicles would be treated back home. I guess it wasn¡¯t too much of a leap, getting hit by a truck would probably do less damage than getting hit by a jade soul.

    ¡°Do not call me Azzy, Human,¡± Asmodeus grumbled from my shoulder, ¡°that is our thing,¡± he said, glancing at Bell who smiled pridefully back at him.

    ¡°Great,¡± I sighed, ¡°my new familiar likes you more than me.¡±

    ¡°I am not your familiar, human,¡± he spat, ¡°we may be soul bonded, but know your place. You are my transportation, a future soul for me to devour and, in the case of an emergency, food.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry kid,¡± Panda said patting my upper thigh reassuringly, ¡°I would never eat you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a herbivore,¡± I replied dourly.

    As we trapsed up the other side of the underpass the shouting got louder. The tiny people were chanting and raising their picket signs which had a plethora of pictures scrawled across them. I focused on them and the notification popped up.

    The one closest to me bore a crudely drawn picture of a gold coin with a large cross over it. I was about to wonder why they would be protesting money and not the conditions of the working class as were described by director Freja, but then I realised what they were chanting.

    ¡°Down with the bourgeoisie!¡± A little guy on a soapbox shouted in a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

    ¡°The proletariat will rise again!¡± The rest called back, equally high pitched.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I said as my stomach did a somersault, ¡°this is not going to be pleasant.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even need to read the description that popped up in my HUD when I focused on them to know what that sinking feeling was.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Gnome

    The gnomes are a subspecies of dwarves who have evolved to be even smaller due to the lack of sunlight in the mines.

    Do they photosynthesise? Who knows.

    Whereas dwarves have natural abilities for working with rocks and minerals, metal working, smithing and basically anything that involves intense physical labour and skill for low pay, gnomes evolved into something else entirely.

    They are the antithesis of their dwarven ancestors, preferring to spend their time on political protests, attempting to sway the other races towards their way of thinking, rather than honing their craft.

    Put down that pickaxe and pick up a hammer and sickle.

    After generations of being used as a cheap labour force, the gnomes decided it was about time that they saw the fruits of their labour, instead of working to make the rich, richer.

    Gnomes are a hive mind species, an echo chamber who are hell bent on taking down the rich and elevating the poor.

    I hope you still have The Torch of Eternal Communist Supremacy, because these little firecrackers are going to love you.

    Before I had a chance to turn around and run in the opposite direction, the entire group turned towards me all at once.

    They had wide, happy grins on their faces as they looked up at me expectantly.

    Damn that system and its stupid passive aggrieve gifts!

    ¡°Comrade!¡± The leader shouted happily.

    ¡°Comrade!¡± The rest repeated.

    ¡°Have you come to aid us in our revolution comrade?¡± The leader said.

    ¡°Aid us!¡± The others repeated.

    ¡°What the hell is going on,¡± Bell asked me, ¡°do you know these guys?¡±

    ¡°Explain human,¡± Asmodeus added, ¡°what is the nature of your relationship with these little people?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met them in my life,¡± I replied, holding up my hands in surrender, ¡°but I think it might have something to do with that damned torch the system lumped me with.¡±

    At least we were in the right place, even if it was going to be painful.

 Chapter 126 â€“ The Proletariat Will Rise Again

    ¡°Listen,¡± I said, backing away slowly with my hands held up, ¡°I¡¯m not one of you-¡±

    ¡°You must aid us on our quest comrade adventurer!¡± The leader interjected.

    ¡°Aid us!¡± The rest echoed once more.

    I knew what was going to happen. I had been in Celestia long enough to understand how this damned system worked and there was absolutely no way I would be accepting it.

    No, no, no, no, no¡­

    New Quest:

    The Proletariat Will Rise Again

    ¡°God damn it!¡±

    The gnomes need your help comrade!

    Aid them!

    Objectives:

    Help the gnomes: 0/1

    Reward: Unlock a powerful skill for Asmodeus.

    I knew this was going to happen. I just knew it.

    That being said, I was rather interested in what giving Asmodeus a new skill would do and I guess this did qualify as a sub-quest for the director. Would this reward mean that Asmodeus could help me in combat?

    Or use it to eat my soul¡­ I shivered.

    ¡°Human!¡± The dragon whispered in my ear, at least he seemed to intend it to be a whisper, but I was certain that everyone in the immediate vicinity could hear him. ¡°You must aid these little people. My skills are locked away as I am only a fragment of a demon lord in this current body.¡±

    ¡°Will you try to eat my soul if you get more powerful?¡± I asked.

    ¡°¡­ nooo¡­¡± he replied, quite unconvincingly. ¡°I can help you fight with my skills unlocked. They are quite powerful you know.¡±

    ¡°Aid us!¡± The gnomes said in optimistic unison.

    ¡°¡­ But I¡¯m not a communist,¡± I protested as they moved in closer, looking up at me with happy, heart wrenching smiles.

    ¡°But you smell like a communist,¡± one of the little fellows said after making an exaggerated sniffing noise in my general direction.

    ¡°Please comrade, you hold the eternal flame, I can sense it,¡± the gnome leader said, dropping off his soap box and approaching me with his hands clasped firmly behind his back.

    He was an aging man with a trimmed white beard and big, round eyes. Perched on top of his head was one of those furry hats with the ear flaps, a hammer and sickle insignia was sewn onto the front.

    The hat reminded me of those that the Russian soldiers wore in Call of Duty: World at War, a game I had fond memories of from my high school years. That wouldn¡¯t be enough to sway me though.

    I wasn¡¯t sure that helping the gnomes would qualify as completing the quest Freja had given me. I wasn¡¯t even sure if I should be taking sides at all.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Bell said, tugging on the sleeve of my armour like a child attempting to emotionally manipulate their parents into buying them a new toy, ¡°you can¡¯t say no to that face. Just look how cute he is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the word I¡¯d use,¡± I moaned. ¡°This damned torch has been a pain in my arse since the day I got stuck with it. If I help out a group of commie gnomes in the middle of the aggressively capitalist continent we¡¯re on, you just know that it¡¯s going to spell trouble for me later down the line.¡±

    ¡°The director told us to resolve the situation,¡± Bell replied hopefully.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t say to join the protestors though, did she?¡± I replied, rolling my eyes as I spoke.

    ¡°Kid,¡± Panda said, clasping his own hands behind his back and mimicking the gnome. ¡°Do you even know what the gnomes believe in? Back in Havar, your definition of socialism was quite different to the king¡¯s. It might be worth talking to them before you brush them off. Besides, we don¡¯t even know what they want.¡±

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    ¡°The back-up snack speaks truthfully, human,¡± Asmodeus agreed, ¡°¡­ and I want one of my powers unlocked. I demand that you speak with them.¡±

    Panda glared back at the dragon but didn¡¯t retort.

    Looking around at the group, I eventually gave in. Panda made a good point and the thrill of completing quests was always a nice dopamine hit. Hell, maybe it would be a quick and easy one for once.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I sighed, looking at the gnome leader. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, then I can decide.¡±

    ¡°Thank you comrade,¡± he replied in his squeaky voice, with a little bow, ¡°if you¡¯ll follow me, I know a place where we can discuss this in private.¡±

    ¡°What about your protest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The others will remain here, it is only this body that will accompany you,¡± he replied and I shrugged back at him.

    With his hands still clasped firmly behind his back, he led us off to the side and down an alleyway that snaked behind the building we had just been in front of.

    Contrary to the clean and well-maintained streets we had previously been on, the alleyway was dirty and it smelled of urine. It reminded me of home.

    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Bell asked as we walked, very slowly, behind the tiny gnome.

    ¡°To the Under-Slums,¡± he replied in an almost mechanical voice. ¡°That is where the undesirables of this city live. Those chased out of regular Cali Port society for one reason or another.¡±

    ¡°They must really hate communism here,¡± I replied.

    ¡°It reminds me of home,¡± Bell said, almost sadly, ¡°my parents grew up during the cold war and the anti-communist sentiment was so driven into them that the mere mention of red made my dad¡­ well¡­ see red. I still remember the lecture he gave me when he found me reading Russian fantasy books.¡±

    ¡°Well in his defence,¡± I replied casually, ¡°their way of thinking doesn¡¯t exactly have the best track record. It might sound nice in theory, I grew up poor as muck so I get the appeal, but in reality it always ends with one psychopath having too much control and everyone under him living in squalor.¡±

    ¡°Maybe where you¡¯re from,¡± the gnome said, ¡°but we gnomes are of a hive mind, we are not individuals, we are one consciousness spread across multiple bodies. It is different for us.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but you¡¯re only one of many species who live here,¡± I replied, opening my palms as we followed him, ¡°something that works for you might be to the detriment of everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he responded absently, ¡°we¡¯re here.¡±

    Pointing to a rusted manhole cover, he turned towards us with a wide grin and bowed once more.

    ¡°Your people live in the sewer?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°He did call it the Under-Slums,¡± Panda said with a shrug before taking a drag from his bamboo pipe.

    I had a sudden flashback to my last trip into a sewer where I¡¯d massacred a bunch of slimes and nearly died inside a slime queen.

    Was this going to happen in every city I visited from now on? The obligatory sewer trip. I hoped not.

    The gnome lifted the grate and a foisty smell of stale air and earth leaked out. It didn¡¯t smell even half as bad as the Havarian sewer, I¡¯d needed a mask in that place. No, this smelled more like unwashed people and a lack of fresh air.

    Grabbing the ladder with his stubby hands, the gnome began climbing down and an echoing thunk rang out with each of his steps.

    I followed with my team.

    ¡°I know I requested the retrieval of my power, human,¡± Asmodeus began, trying to pinch his nose shut with his claws, ¡°however I did not realise that would require me to accompany you into a peasant hole. Perhaps you should make the retrieval without me?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± I replied sternly, ¡°you wanted me to speak to the gnomes, you want your power back so you¡¯re coming with me¡­ Azzy.¡±

    He huffed loudly and a small puff of flame erupted from his nostrils, lighting the sewer hole for a moment. It was made of damp, moss covered stones.

    I reached the bottom with a light splash as my boots hit a shallow puddle which had gathered there. It was pitch black, but only for a moment. The gnome pulled a lit torch from his inventory.

    The flames danced and flickered among the receding shadows and I saw that we were in a cramped drainage tunnel covered with moss and made of the same damp stones that I¡¯d seen on the descent.

    ¡°Comrade,¡± the gnome said, looking up at me through the orange flames, ¡°add your flame to mine, I want to see it.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and did as he asked, equipping the Torch of Eternal Communist Supremacy from my inventory. The makeshift item I had made with the system gift of Stalin¡¯s Stylish Socks still burned brightly, the faint logo of a hammer and sickle dancing beneath the reddish, orange glow.

    ¡°Wow,¡± the gnome said, clearly awestruck, ¡°it is magnificent, comrade. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to gaze upon such a wonderous flame.¡±

    ¡°Just get walking and take us to this private place of yours,¡± I muttered back as Panda and Bell exchange whispered snickering behind me.

    We were barely walking for more than a few minutes before the sewer opened up into a massive, sprawling favella.

    ¡°Under-Slums is right,¡± Bell gasped, ¡°it looks like the beginning of Fast Five down here.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong.

    The Under-Slums was a huge underground shanty town. Small structures were dotted about everywhere, seemingly made of corrugated iron, bits of wood and old tyres. It was a marvel that any of them stayed upright.

    People littered the streets as we passed through the makeshift town. There were hundreds of them, possibly more. Noticeably, I didn¡¯t spot a single human or svartalf.

    There were plenty of gnomes, lycanids, catonids and an array of different creatures I¡¯d never seen before. I even spotted an unhappy looking garuda sat on a mouldy rocking chair and gazing up at the roof of the sewer system. I wondered if he was thinking about the sky outside. If I could fly, I¡¯d hate to be holed up underground too.

    I placed my torch back into my inventory, the slums was lit by glowing moss on the roof and an array of fires which burned in metal barrels.

    The sewer dwellers were dirty and many had missing limbs and bruises. All of them were armed to the teeth like some kind of militia and in their eyes burned a searing hatred. I didn¡¯t like that look.

    ¡°Through here comrade,¡± the gnome leader said chirpily as he ducked under a piece of corrugated iron, holding it back like a tent flap for the rest of us to follow.

    I ducked inside, the others hot on my heels.

    The interior was dark and the air felt moist, and kind of rancid.

    ¡°Hey, Mr Gnome,¡± Bell called out, ¡°it¡¯s a little dark in here, do you have a light?¡±

    We waited a few moments but there was no reply. With a heavy sigh, I pulled the torch from my inventory once again and the room lit up in bright orange as the flames danced around the room casting shadow puppetry on the walls.

    Stood directly in front of us was the gnome leader, his hands placed ceremoniously behind his back. Flanking him were two others: the biggest lycanid I¡¯d ever seen, and a catonid wearing a beret.

    Both of them held crossbows aimed squarely at mine and Bell¡¯s chests.

    Well shit.

 Chapter 127 â€“ What The Hell Are We Negotiating?

    It barely took me a moment to survey the enemies before I reacted.

    Stood in front of me was the gnome leader, he was unarmed and therefore not a threat. Next to him on the right-hand side was a small catonid woman wearing a green beret and army fatigues. She pointed a crossbow squarely at my chest, though she looked uncertain.

    On the other side of the gnome was the biggest lycanid I had ever seen. His head nearly touched the roof and his back was wider than a car.

    He¡¯d give Sally a run for her money with his bloated, vein covered muscles. He also pointed a crossbow, though this one was aimed at Bell.

    I decided that he was definitely the most dangerous of the two, his steely gaze told me that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to fire. He was a born killer.

    I acted, mostly on instinct.

    Activating perception of the apex predator, I dropped my torch and dashed towards the large lycanid. It was a risky move. Stopping time severely drained my stamina which meant that if I didn¡¯t time it perfectly I¡¯d be unable to attack once the skill wore off.

    I drew my dagger as time stood still, reaching the lycanid just in time to perform a precise slash along the tendons of his wrist.

    It was an odd thing to watch, I saw his skin split and I knew his wrist would go limp enough to drop the crossbow, but because time had been stopped, no blood gushed out when my dagger made contact with his skin. It was an eerie sight.

    I wished I still had my second dagger; I had much more practice dual wielding them than I did using one at a time. Though I guess you can¡¯t cry over spilled milk. I made a mental note to buy a second one as soon as I could.

    I resumed time after approximately two seconds and my stamina bar was down to less than a quarter.

    Not wanting to waste time, I wrenched the crossbow out of the surprised lycanid¡¯s limp hand and jumped backwards as blood finally began to gush from his wound.

    I expected him to howl in pain but he barely released more than a surprised grunt as his limp wrist dripped blood onto the ground.

    As I moved backwards I swung the bow around and placed the tip of the bolt firmly into the side of the gnome¡¯s head. I was certain that he was the leader of this ragtag militia and hopefully that would make the catonid think twice about using her own crossbow.

    ¡°Drop your weapons!¡± I shouted, ¡°or the little guy gets it.¡±

    The catonid swung around to face me, visibly much more startled than her growling counterpart. She looked between me and the gnome and then with a sigh, placed her weapon on the ground.

    Bell hurriedly kicked it out of her reach and pointed a hand at both her and the lycanid, little flames sparked threateningly from her palms.

    ¡°Well done human,¡± Asmodeus said with a little nod, ¡°that was exhilarating¡­ can we do it again?¡±

    I¡¯d almost forgotten that he¡¯d been perched on my shoulder the entire time. I wondered how he¡¯d experienced my skill. Maybe it felt like teleportation to him? I¡¯d have to ask him later.

    ¡°Well, gnome,¡± the lycanid growled in a deep huff that was quite typical for his people, ¡°it seems this human of yours has spunk. I like him.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the gnome nodded, seemingly unphased by the crossbow bolt prodding his podgy little temple. ¡°He is quite unique¡­ for a human. I think he could prove most useful to the cause.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a god damned second,¡± I said, feeling the temperature rise in my chest. ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed to anything, why would I even consider helping you out after you led us into an ambush?¡±

    The lycanid laughed dangerously, his eyes watched me intensely. It was unnerving.

    ¡°Apologies human, it was but a test,¡± the gnome replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°Testing for what exactly?¡± I growled, ¡°you¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°A test,¡± he explained, ¡°to determine how you would react under unknown, threatening situations. We wanted to see what choices you would make. Would you try to talk your way out of it? Would you attack us in a fit of rage and get shot? Or would you use your personal power to turn the tide? Suffice to say, we are most impressed.¡±

    ¡°Oh goodie, I¡¯m so glad I¡¯ve won your respect,¡± I replied, shaking my head.

    ¡°You speak facetiously,¡± the gnome continued, ¡°but you should be glad to have won our respect. Without it you would never have made it out of here alive.¡±

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    He shot me a devilish grin and then clicked his fingers. The room lit up suddenly with blinding florescent lights and I realised that we were surrounded by at least fifteen militia members all pointing crossbows at us.

    Well shit, the little guy¡¯s got game.

    ¡°It seems we are outgunned, human,¡± Asmodeus said loudly, ¡°would you like me to devour their souls for you?¡±

    ¡°I can fireball them to death?¡± Bell suggested, ¡°it¡¯s been a while since I got to enjoy the pleasures of burning flesh.¡± She shot an evil grin at the group of guards closest to her and a few of them grimaced and squirmed where they stood. I couldn¡¯t blame them.

    ¡°You literally burned half the population of an entire island to death barely three days ago,¡± Panda said, shaking his head and pulling out his pipe as if he hadn¡¯t a care in the world.

    I smiled to myself. My little team was becoming pretty awesome.

    ¡°I like her too,¡± the lycanid growled, gesturing towards Bell with his limp wrist, ¡°the little dragon¡­ not so much.¡±

    ¡°How dare you?¡± Asmodeus said, glaring at the behemoth from my shoulder, ¡°I am not little¡­ I¡¯m fun sized.¡±

    ¡°Alright then gnome,¡± I said, trying to put steel into my voice, ¡°what do you want from us? You said we should talk in private, so talk.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you would like to remove that weapon from my head first?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No thanks, I think it¡¯s fine just here for now.¡± I replied cooly.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± he sighed, ¡°this little community you see before you is called the Under-Slums, it is a place for outcasts, minor races and those who are mistreated and abused by the current capitalist system of Cali Port and indeed, the rest of the continent.

    ¡°Down here we follow a simple yet fair rule, ¡®all for one and one for all¡¯. We have a hierarchy of course, which is run by an elected representative. Our council meets once a week to discuss the best ways in which to enrich our citizen¡¯s lives and we try to keep things fair and equal for all of our people.

    ¡°In order to do this we formed a worker¡¯s union above ground, the idea being to campaign for fairer wages and working conditions for the lower classes. As things stand, many can¡¯t afford to feed their young on the meagre wages forced on us by the bourgeoisie who own all the businesses and land.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you blockaded the gates, to protest these unfair wages?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± the gnome replied, ¡°when the upper classes decided to laugh at our demands we realised a show of force was necessary. Sadly, they only seem to understand violence and power, but they forget that there are many more of us than there are of them.

    ¡°All we want is equality among all the people of Cali Port, a fairer share of the wages, less discrimination, a peaceful and moral life. A communist utopia.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t sound very communist to me,¡± Bell pointed out, ¡°it¡¯s definitely left wing, but I¡¯d barely even call it soft socialism.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± I replied, furrowing my brow, ¡°where we¡¯re from communism is about the government owning everything and distributing it evenly among people. All jobs pay the same, it¡¯s true equality. Everyone works together for the good of the community. Well, that is, unless you¡¯re an artist, musician, writer or philosopher¡­ and unless a maniac takes power and corrupts the entire idea, which literally always happens.¡±

    ¡°That is very interesting,¡± the gnome replied, his eyes twinkling slightly, ¡°it sounds very similar to the gnomish hives we come from.¡±

    ¡°Like I said before,¡± Panda interjected, ¡°your definitions are different to theirs.¡±

    ¡°Then why do they use the same words?¡± Bell asked, ¡°How is it that two completely separate places have developed the same words for their politics but they don¡¯t have the same meaning?¡±

    Panda shrugged and then a message notification popped up in our group chat.

    Panda: My best guess is that they aren¡¯t using the same words as you. They speak an entirely different language to you outworlders, remember? The language you hear is being translated by your skills, the political factions of this world use words that would be alien to you, so I think the system is translating them by using words that are close in meaning, but that you are also familiar with.

    Kaleb: Then what about the race names? I¡¯ve never heard of a lycanid before back on Earth.

    Panda: No, but you have heard the word lycanthrope and the word cat, and a garuda is a mythical creature from Earthen culture. The words you¡¯re being given by the system all mean something to you, even if they¡¯re spliced together with another word.

    Bell: Why didn¡¯t you tell us this before? It could have saved us a lot of confusion.

    Panda: Honestly, I didn¡¯t really consider it until recently. As a sage I can speak the languages of this world and the language of my summoner automatically. All of those languages get jumbled up in my head, they make sense to me, but it¡¯s as natural as breathing. It¡¯s part of being a daeomon.

    Kaleb: I guess that makes sense. So we need to abandon everything we know about Earthen politics and assume that our faction words don¡¯t match up with those of this world.

    Panda: I would say so, yes. It seems that the factions of this world have similar ideas to that of yours, but they¡¯re not identical.

    Asmodeus: Cease this idiocy, the three of you have been standing in silence for almost a minute. The gnome looks quite worried.

    Bell: HI AZZY!

    Panda: Who added him to the chat?

    Bell: I did, we¡¯re besties now.

    ¡°Ok gnome,¡± I said, pulling out of the chat and seeing the puzzled expression on his face. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, so how about you call off your guards and we can chat about it over a nice drink?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ok¡­¡± the gnome replied wearily, lifting his hand which in turn signalled the guards to lower their weapons and leave the room. ¡°Would you mind explaining why you were silent for so long?¡±

    ¡°I just needed a minute to think things through that¡¯s all,¡± I replied with faux confidence. ¡°You threw a lot of information at me there and I needed to sort through it.¡±

    ¡°Like a loading screen,¡± Bell added unhelpfully.

    ¡°Well then, shall we move to a more comfortable room and begin negotiations?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I replied courteously.

    Negotiations? What the hell are we negotiating?

    ¡°This is going to be fun,¡± the lycanid said in a deep, hoarse voice, ¡°he he he.¡±

 Chapter 128 â€“ Oh, What Big Eyes You Have

    Still carrying my stolen crossbow, I followed the little gnome out of the dark trap room and into a moderately furnished sitting room nearby.

    It had two large, if a little worn, sofas and a coffee table in the middle. The gnome sat on one side and I sat directly opposite him. As my butt touched the cushions I sank deeply into the soft, well used, upholstery.

    It was comfortable, but not exactly the best position to initiate combat if the worst happened. I still wasn¡¯t willing to let my guard down, at least not yet.

    Bell sat on one side of me and the giant lycanid sat on the other side. I shot him a worried glance as his huge posterior lifted my side of the sofa upwards. It protested with a threatening creak as his full weight sank into the cushions.

    The catonid sat next to the gnome, looking quite dismayed at having been so easily beaten. By contrast, the lycanid didn¡¯t seem to care at all. He stared at me with challenging eyes, but it wasn¡¯t a look of contempt.

    ¡°You¡¯re fast, human,¡± he said in a deep, gruff voice. ¡°We should spar for real some time. I wanna see exactly how tough you are.¡±

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I replied awkwardly, ¡°but how about we have this conversation first. I wouldn¡¯t want to keep our host waiting.¡±

    ¡°Have it your way,¡± he replied with a disappointed sigh.

    Bell looked across me at the lycanid, staring intently at his ripped, furry body. She had that fiery look in her eyes and I knew what she was thinking before she even opened her mouth.

    ¡°Not now, Bell,¡± I said before she had the chance to challenge him to a duel. She frowned at me before forcing herself to look away from him.

    Seriously, what¡¯s with all the battle junkies in this place.

    ¡°Shall we begin?¡± I asked, gesticulating towards the gnome who had watched my exchange with his friend quietly.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied cordially.

    ¡°Sweet,¡± I said, ¡°before we get into the details of what exactly it is that you want us to do for you, I want to ask you a little bit more about your beliefs. From what you said before, you seem like the good guys in all of this. However, we haven¡¯t met the capitalists yet and I¡¯m pretty certain that even most villains believe themselves to be righteous.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much more to tell,¡± he began, looking between his two companions. ¡°As I said before, we strive to create a utopia where all are equal and there is peace and morality. The first step towards achieving that future is to secure fair wages for our people and to fight back against the discrimination they receive.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I said thoughtfully, ¡°but what is morality to you? Your ideas surely differ from the capitalists and their ideas differ from the Havarian socialists I met before. How can you be sure of who is right or wrong?¡±

    He looked at me with beady, black eyes, squinting slightly as if he misunderstood the question. In all honesty, I just wanted to check that he wasn¡¯t secretly a terrorist or something before I helped him.

    Director Freja gave me free reign to solve this conflict however I wanted and I needed to make sure that I made the right choices. I doubted she¡¯d be happy if I helped the gnome overthrow the current government and created Stalin 2.0.

    ¡°Morality is simple,¡± he said after a long moment, ¡°it is a code of hard rules that must never be broken. The contents of them usually differ slightly from person to person, but in general if you use empathy as your guiding principle I don¡¯t think you can go far wrong.¡±

    ¡°Ok then,¡± I said, taking a moment to think before continuing. It was a pretty good response in my opinion, but it seemed to lack depth. Not that my own thoughts on morality were any deeper, the most thought I¡¯d ever put into the subject was when discussing philosophy with my mate Luke over a few pints at our local pub and that hardly made me an authority on the matter.

    Still though, I¡¯d been intrusted with this quest and I had to try and make the right choice, so I probed further, ¡°let me ask you a question. What if you had to choose between two strangers dying or someone you loved dying. Who would you choose? This is a question often asked by ancient philosophers from my worl- country.¡± I hastily added, correcting myself before I let even more people in on my biggest and worst kept secret.

    ¡°Your silly mortal problems bore me,¡± Asmodeus announced, ¡°I am declaring nap time, please wake me when this tedium is over.¡±

    He jumped from my shoulder to Bell¡¯s lap and curled up. From the gormless expression on her face, I could tell she thought that was adorable.

    ¡°The person you love,¡± the lycanid answered in place of the gnome, furrowing his brow. ¡°What kind of question is that, human? I thought your kind were supposed to be smart.¡±

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    ¡°What about you?¡± I asked the gnome.

    ¡°Gnomes are a hive mind species, so this concept is a little alien to us,¡± he began slowly, ¡°however, I would have to agree with comrade Rex.¡±

    Rex? I thought, I wonder if he gets why that¡¯s so funny.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Bell shouted, ¡°your name is Rex and you¡¯re a dog person? That¡¯s hilarious.¡±

    Before I could stop myself I felt my palm slap against my forehead. I removed it slowly by rubbing it downwards as if trying to rub away the headache my teammate had caused.

    ¡°Rex is an honourable name!¡± he declared, half standing, fury burning in his yellow eyes. ¡°In my culture, names with too many syllables are weak names. There has never been a strong Geraldine or Joshua. Besides, I am a lycanid not a dog person.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± I jumped in before the big scary wolf man decided to challenge my fire mage to single combat, ¡°back to the matter at hand. Of course you would choose your loved one, everyone would, but that in itself shows the flaw in using empathy as your guiding principle. One life isn¡¯t worth two when you look at it objectively.¡±

    ¡°That is mere fallacy,¡± the gnome countered, ¡°would you rather we lived with no morals? No code? Are you an anarchist human?¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Panda muttered, ¡°I guess that word means the same thing no matter where you¡¯re from.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± I replied with a shrug, in fact, I knew that I would make the same choice myself. The entire reason I was levelling up and trying to gain power was for the sake of seeing my family again. ¡°The point I¡¯m trying to make is that I don¡¯t think there are any hard-set rules when it comes to right or wrong. Good people don¡¯t need rules to do the right thing and bad people will always find a way to break them.

    ¡°The hard-line view of morality as you see it can only be kept by threat of force and where I¡¯m from, that has always created a breeding ground for dictatorship. From what you¡¯ve said, I don¡¯t disagree with your views, but the idea of a perfect and harmonious utopia is just that¡­ an idea. It won¡¯t work because people have the capacity to be different, especially here where there are so many different races with their own ideas and perception. You already said you¡¯re a hive mind species, surely you must agree that a lycanid or catonid will view the world, and morality differently to you?

    ¡°So, if I do help you out, I need to know that you¡¯re not going to try and turn this continent into a massive gnome hive. I can¡¯t help a side that opposes freedom.¡±

    I took a deep breath.

    My HUD buzzed and I opened the group chat.

    Panda: Since when did you care about politics, kid?

    Kaleb: Freja gave me the power to choose in this quest. I just don¡¯t want to pick the wrong side. I¡¯m trying to be responsible for once.

    Bell: FREEDOM!

    Kaleb: Look, I just want to know that these guys are as good as they think they are. Whatever choices I make in the coming days could affect thousands of people.

    Panda: People you don¡¯t know. Just pick a side, complete the quest and let¡¯s leave this town in the dust in our new mobile treehouse. We have to get to Castalor remember?

    Kaleb: I need to be able to look myself in the mirror once all this is done. If a job is worth doing, it¡¯s worth doing right. Besides, it definitely won¡¯t be a treehouse.

    Panda: Fine, but if it¡¯s not a treehouse you owe me a lifetime supply of bamboo.

    Bell: ¡®MURICA! FUCK YEAH!

    Perhaps I was being a little too preachy with the gnome, but something about his hard-line way of thinking just rubbed me up the wrong way. I¡¯d seen enough shows on the history channel to know that it never worked out, and yes, I used to watch the history channel, sue me.

    The gnome had already mentioned that his species was a hive mind. When segregated from the other races I was sure it was a perfect, communist utopia¡­ if such a thing exists. However, his Under-Slums militia seemed to be an equal mix of races and I just hated the idea of them losing their agency if this guy went off the rails.

    Fighting for equality and fair wages was a noble goal, but he¡¯d already alluded to it only being the beginning of his plans.

    ¡°You think too much human,¡± Rex said, slapping me on the back with his uninjured hand. ¡°The little gnome is ok in my books, don¡¯t get your panties in a twist. Besides, all he wants you to do is help him to arrange a meeting with some prissy rich guys. He¡¯s not asking you to lead the revolution.¡±

    ¡°Rex speaks true comrade,¡± the gnome added, ¡°we merely wish to be able to speak with our adversaries on equal ground. There is no diplomacy without dialogue.¡±

    I looked towards Bell and she shrugged back at me. Panda nodded at me once, I think that was his way of saying that we should take them up on their offer.

    What could possibly go wrong if all they wanted was to set up peace negotiations. Surely that was better than a killing spree. Besides, Asmodeus would probably devour my soul if I didn¡¯t accept this quest. He really wanted that power back.

    ¡°Ok,¡± I eventually said, ¡°if that¡¯s all you want then we can certainly try. Though I have to warn you, I haven¡¯t actually met the capitalist faction yet. I can¡¯t guarantee that they¡¯ll speak to me at all.¡±

    ¡°You speak with the authority of Adventure Society, of course they¡¯ll listen,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°We do have one more condition though¡­¡±

    I narrowed my eyes at him.

    Who was he to give me conditions? We¡¯d just met and I was helping him free of charge. A meaty palm clapped my shoulder once more, pulling me from my thoughts.

    I turned towards Rex; his large, yellow eyes boring into me with a passionate fire lit beneath them.

    All I could think was, oh, what big eyes you have, as the massive wolf-man stared directly into my soul. I¡¯d just have to hope I wouldn¡¯t end up like Little Red Riding Hood¡¯s grandma.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen our home we can¡¯t risk you selling us out to the capitalists,¡± the gnome continued in a calm and confident manner. ¡°As such, Rex will be accompanying you on this quest.¡±

    The wolf grinned at me and my stomach churned as his dripping canines glinted right in front of my face.

    ¡°This is gonna be fun, human!¡± He said in that horse, guttural voice of his.

 Chapter 129 â€“ We Have A Lycanid In Sector Three!

    We left the Under-Slums shortly after our meeting and I found myself breathing fresh air again. Well, mostly fresh. The city had a thin smog which seemed to cover most of the area. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before but I was pretty certain it was factory smoke, not that I¡¯d ever seen a factory in Celestia so who could know for sure?

    Asmodeus was still sleeping and Bell carried him dutifully as we walked through the back alley towards the centre of town.

    ¡°The capitalists have a poncy council,¡± Rex said as we walked, ¡°it is made up of a bunch of rich guys who own the biggest corporations in town. You¡¯ll need to meet with one of them to get them to agree to talks.¡±

    ¡°Who would you suggest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Fredrick Millicent should be the easiest to convince,¡± he said, absently scratching at his facial fur, ¡°that guy is a weasel. Easily intimidated. Give me five minutes alone with him and I¡¯ll get us that meeting.¡±

    ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what the gnome wanted,¡± I sighed, ¡°¡­ wait, did you say Millicent?¡±

    ¡°I guess his family was a big deal after all,¡± Bell said, ¡°and here I was thinking he was just some low rent noble¡¯s son¡­ maybe I should have slept with him after all.¡±

    We all looked towards her.

    ¡°When were you going to sleep with him?¡± Panda asked.

    ¡°Oh, at the king¡¯s ball,¡± she replied lightly, ¡°he propositioned me whilst Kaleb was talking to the big guy. Naturally I said no, I have more class than that.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± Panda asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Bell looked at him with a fake shocked expression and then laughed.

    ¡°Where can we find Mr Millicent,¡± I asked Rex.

    ¡°In the financial district, I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±

    With that we followed the huge lycanid through crowded and twisted streets that were nothing like the parts of town I¡¯d seen on the way in.

    In lieu of the wide main streets that made room for those who had reached the level cap to be able to zoom around like the Flash, these streets were made of broken cobles and looked more like something out of a Victorian period drama.

    We passed rows of closed down shops with boarded up windows. People littered the streets and the smog above them seemed thicker somehow, darker.

    Groups of catonids, lycanids, garuda and even a smattering of leprechauns huddled together beneath large, mouldy blankets as they warmed themselves on trash can fires.

    It was a horrific sight, but the smell was worse. Unwashed bodies, urine and the all too familiar stench of depression hung heavy in the stale air. It reminded me of the day my first stepfather left.

    I¡¯d come home from school to find the house in tatters. Furniture upended, glass broken, the stench of spilled beer and mascara tears. Of course that happened every time my mum broke up with someone. After a while I stopped caring so much. But the first time, well that was something to remember.

    She took me out for pizza and a movie and by the time I¡¯d woken up the next morning it was as if nothing had ever happened. There was no trace of him having ever been part of our lives.

    I hated reliving that moment. It¡¯s amazing how something as inconsequential as a smell can bring it all flooding back.

    ¡°Who are all these people?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Most of them used to run the stores around here,¡± Rex answered, ¡°but they were put out of business by the corporations. They¡¯ve been making bids recently inside the local government, buying up land for their factories.¡±

    So there are factories in Celestia.

    ¡°If they¡¯re buying the stores shouldn¡¯t the owners be rich now?¡± Bell asked flippantly.

    ¡°No, the land and buildings were all owned by the council,¡± Rex replied sombrely. ¡°The small business owners leased them. No normal person can afford to own property in this town, sweet cheeks.¡±

    ¡°And the government just sold off all its land to these rich guys?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say no when they offer you billions of gold coins, besides the council basically is the government around here.¡± he shrugged.

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    ¡°That sounds about as corrupt as where I¡¯m from,¡± Bell murmured with a smirk. I got the impression that she didn¡¯t really care too much about bigger issues, still, she seemed to know more about it than she let on.

    The sceptical part of me had to wonder if Rex had taken us this way on purpose, part of the gnome¡¯s plan to garner our sympathy for his cause. Either way though, it was a difficult sight to look at.

    Even if it had been engineered and this was just a small part of Cali Port, no one should have to live like that.

    ¡°I guess Havarian Socialism is looking pretty good right now, ay kid?¡± Panda asked smugly.

    We turned a corner and it was like walking through the wardrobe to Narnia. I swear that even the sky was brighter as we stepped onto a high street full of well dressed, happy looking people.

    Wind distorted through the large centre road from the superhero-like level cappers as people went about their day without a care in the world: shopping, eating out, buying adventuring gear. Happy families barely a stone¡¯s throw away from the desolate area just behind us.

    I wondered if they knew.

    ¡°These idiots bury their heads in the sand,¡± Rex growled, mostly to himself.

    ¡°Who are they?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°Factory workers, middle management mostly from the looks of them,¡± he replied, his voice was ragged as if he was suppressing violent urges. ¡°You can find Millicent in there,¡± he said, pointing a large, hairy finger towards a huge, glass skyscraper.

    It looked remarkably similar to the Adventure Society building, it even came with loud protestors outside the sliding glass doors.

    ¡°How are we going to get through the crowd?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re my protestors,¡± Rex said, opening his arms, ¡°hey, human, watch this.¡±

    He took a few steps forward and cleared his throat loudly. A few people from the back of the crowd turned around and then the mumbling started. Like a game of whispers, within barely a minute the entire crowd had turned around to look at the massive lycanid with his smug grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m here on urgent business,¡± he said in a voice loud enough to put Asmodeus to shame, ¡°these adventurers are acting as a delegation for us, let them through.¡±

    Like Moses parting the red sea, he spread his arms out and people moved aside clapping and cheering as we walked through the gap like movie stars attending a premier.

    ¡°This looks suspiciously like a wall of death,¡± Bell commented, ¡°we¡¯re gonna go so hard when that breakdown drops.¡±

    I chuckled as we passed through the crowd towards the main doors.

    ¡°See human,¡± Rex whispered in my ear, his breath warm and foisty, ¡°you¡¯re not the only unique one around here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realise it was a competition,¡± I replied light heartedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± he said hastily, ¡°but if it was I¡¯d win.¡±

    We reached the front of the crowd and I found myself staring directly at a wall of armed men. It was like a police barricade minus the riot shields.

    They all wore black suits underneath their thick, metal armour. It was an odd combination. The man in the centre, who seemed to be in charge, held up his hand as I approached.

    ¡°Sorry sir but this site is on lockdown at the moment,¡± he said formally, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to come back later.¡±

    ¡°I need to speak with Fredrick Millicent, it¡¯s urgent,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Mr Millicent is unavailable at this time,¡± the guard said, ¡°if you¡¯d like to schedule an appointment I can look at his itinerary for you? Though I doubt he¡¯ll be able to see anyone until this mess is dealt with.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but was harshly knocked to the side by the large lycanid before I could say anything.

    ¡°Get out of my way you puny little capitalist worm,¡± Rex said, literally picking the man up by the scruff of his neck and throwing him to the side.

    The rest of the guards didn¡¯t like that.

    ¡°We have a lycanid in sector three, send reinforcements!¡±

    ¡°The commander is down, I repeat, the commander is down!¡±

    ¡°The line has been compromised! Johnson, get in there and sure up our centre.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡±

    They sprang into action, presumably talking through some kind of verbal voice chat function.

    ¡°Hurry up, human,¡± Rex said as he battered a nearby guard with his shoulder, ¡°get in there and get us that meeting! I¡¯ll hold them off.¡±

    Though this wasn¡¯t exactly the diplomacy I¡¯d had in mind, I didn¡¯t need telling twice. Quickly, I ran through the gap Rex had created and dived through the automatic sliding door.

    Inside the foyer was a contingent of surprised people dressed in formal shirts with strange patterns and embroidery on them.

    One of them dropped his steaming beverage as I walked past him, fixing the collar of my armour as if this was just like any other day.

    They layout was pretty similar to the Adventure Society buildings apart from the water fountain in the middle which said Millicent Industries in large, bold letters.

    Behind the fountain was what looked like duelling escalators with a small elevator tucked into a corner to the side.

    There was a receptionist desk in the other corner and an array of coffee tables and seating scattered about, that was where most of the employees were sat, steaming cups of¡­ something in hand.

    ¡°Which way to Millicent¡¯s office?¡± I asked the crowd of startled employees.

    No one spoke, but all of their eyes were on me.

    ¡°Why even bother asking?¡± Bell said as she waltzed up behind me like she owned the place. ¡°It¡¯s obviously going to be on the top floor, that¡¯s where they always are.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± I replied before jogging towards the elevator.

    Panda looked up at me and sighed before lifting his arms, I picked him up and pressed his paw onto the nearby control panel.

    The lift door opened with a ding.

    The elevator was mana controlled so, as possibly the only person in Celestia with no mana for himself, I couldn¡¯t activate it.

    ¡°You know, I could have just done that for you,¡± Bell said over my shoulder.

    We entered the elevator and this time Bell pushed her mana into the switch, instructing it to take us to the top floor.

    The doors shut and our little tin box began moving upwards when a jingle began to play. It was a hearty tune, very happy.

    ¡°I hate elevator music,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°Really?¡± Bell asked, ¡°I always think it¡¯s so peppy.¡± She bobbed her head to the lacklustre tune and her turquoise hair bounced around her shoulders.

    ¡°Right guys,¡± I said, changing into my formal suit through the quick equip function in my HUD. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for a meeting with the big guy.¡±

 Chapter 130 â€“ Who Needs Personal Power When You Have Money?

    The elevator doors opened with a ding and I stepped out into a familiar office suite.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a company who build all of these glass skyscrapers?¡± Bell asked, ¡°I mean they¡¯re all pretty identical, sounds like lazy writing to me.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± I replied, ¡°either that or it¡¯s one guy with a very specific skill.¡±

    ¡°Liam Neeson?¡± Bell asked.

    I ignored her.

    Looking around the room it was plain to see that the only real difference between it and the director¡¯s office back at Adventure Society was the style choices.

    It seemed that Fredrick Millicent was a man of extravagant tastes.

    The walls were painted a mixture of gold and royal purple and large oil paintings hung on them. The one closest to his fur coated desk seemed to be a portrait: a man sat astride a large red dragon, his bare chest rippling with sculpted pectoral muscles and a sceptre was held firmly in his grip.

    It in no way represented the very average looking man who turned to greet us as we entered the room.

    Fredrick Millicent wore a suit that looked a few sizes too big for him. His thinning hair was poorly covered by a combover and his massive pecs¡­ were non-existent.

    I walked towards him brashly and stood at the edge of his desk as he stared up at me with a furrowed brow and eyes that suppressed a hint of fear. I wondered if he thought we were protestors who had managed to breach the gates.

    ¡°Mr Millicent I presume?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I might be,¡± he replied shakily, ¡°who¡¯s asking?¡±

    ¡°Kaleb Akabane,¡± I said curtly, ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer and I¡¯ve been tasked with putting an end to this civil war you¡¯ve got going on here.¡±

    He looked at me through narrowed eyes and then glanced around at my team. Though he didn¡¯t seem perturbed by the sight of a smoking panda in the room, he frowned deeply when he laid eyes on the sleeping dragon in Bell¡¯s arms.

    Seriously, how had Asmodeus managed to nap through all of the ruckus outside. My wife had always been a heavy sleeper, but even she would have been roused by that racket. I was a little envious.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to call it a civil war Mr Akabane, not yet at least,¡± Millicent replied, ¡°however, I would be grateful for your help. This riff raff has been causing us no end of grief these last few days. We¡¯re losing millions of gold per day and the shareholders are one more mess away from lynching me.¡±

    Frederick looked extremely gaunt in the face. It was hard to imagine someone as successful as him going without, but I had the distinct impression that he hadn¡¯t eaten in days.

    ¡°Well Mr Millicent,¡± I said taking a seat in front of his desk, ¡°I might have a solution to your problems, but first let¡¯s talk a little shall we?¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± He replied hopefully before regaining his composure and fumbling for a decanter of amber liquid and a few glasses. ¡°Any help you could offer would be most appreciated. Can I offer you a drink?¡±

    I nodded and he began shakily pouring glasses of the unnamed alcohol. They sparkled with refracted light; small curling patterns had been sculpted into the glasses causing them to glint like diamonds.

    Glassware this fine must be expensive, I thought darkly, thinking back to the homeless people we¡¯d passed earlier.

    I took a sip of the harsh amber liquid once Fredrick had poured it; it tasted like smoky motor oil and reminded me of Jack Daniels.

    ¡°So, back to business Mr Akabane,¡± Fredrick said, ¡°what is it you would like to discuss with me?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I began, taking a moment to compile my thoughts, ¡°mostly I¡¯d like to know about the events leading up to these protests from your perspective.¡±

    He gulped and loosened his tie slightly before draining his glass. There were bags under his eyes. Considering that I barely needed sleep anymore and he was no doubt levels above me, he must have been deeply stressed by the situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s those ungrateful gnomes¡¯ fault,¡± he sighed, ¡°we¡¯ve had a good thing going in Cali Port for generations. This city has been a cornerstone of industry, supplying wares across the continent and beyond.

    ¡°The populace has worked together like a well-oiled machine since well before my time. My father started this company after settling down from being a famous adventurer and people were happy to work for him. He was a true visionary that man. No one has ever complained about the hours or the pay rate before now.¡±

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    ¡°How much do you pay them exactly?¡± Bell interrupted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged, ¡°that¡¯s payroll¡¯s job to manage. I do know that it¡¯s at least one gold per week which is far more than they¡¯d get in other places.¡±

    ¡°One gold per week?¡± I asked, struggling to stop my eyes from blinking rapidly in disbelief.

    ¡°I know!¡± he replied, gesticulating wildly, ¡°how can they complain about it? It¡¯s very generous if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Just out of interest,¡± Panda said, ¡°how much do you make per week as the owner?¡±

    Fredrick sat back for a moment, crossing his arms and rubbing a wrinkled hand across his bare face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure to be honest,¡± he said thoughtfully, ¡°but whatever it is, I deserve to make it. I¡¯m the owner, this is my company and I¡¯ve worked damn hard to make it the international corporation that it is today. You have to understand, there¡¯s a lot of risk in running a company. I could go bankrupt. So naturally, I deserve the biggest slice of the pie.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said your father started the company?¡± I asked, folding my arms.

    ¡°He did,¡± Fredrick replied nonchalantly, ¡°but I run it now.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I sighed, ¡°well we¡¯re not here to open that particular can of worms. The solution we have is pretty simple. All I need is for you and the council to agree to meet with the communists for a discussion. That¡¯s all they want.¡±

    ¡°A discussion?¡± He asked in a high pitched and offended voice, ¡°why on Celestia would I agree to that? Why would any of us? We¡¯ve all worked hard to get to the positions we¡¯re in now and suddenly these damned gnomes think they deserve a seat at our table? It¡¯s an outrage¡­ it¡¯s a scandal¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way you¡¯re going to be able to stop them from dragging you out into the streets hanging you in a public execution,¡± I interrupted, folding my arms and giving him a poignant look.

    He took a step back, locking eyes with me. He looked tired, yet still, somehow, prideful. His features were haggard and after a moment his shoulders sagged and he dropped into his lavish chair with an overly dramatic sigh.

    Pouring himself a large glass of the motor oil booze, he downed it in a single go and then reached into his draw and pulled out a long cigar. He lit that and began puffing on it like a chain smoker would with a cigarette.

    I was pretty certain that wasn¡¯t the correct way to enjoy a cigar, but I kept my mouth closed.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said defeatedly. ¡°I¡¯ll convince the council, but I have one condition.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows to get him to continue.

    ¡°I want you and your party to attend as well,¡± he said, refusing to meet my eyes. ¡°If you back our agenda in the talks I¡¯ll make it worth your while and if not¡­ well, we could always use extra security. You can¡¯t trust those wretched commie gnomes.¡±

    ¡°You do know that gnomes are only one of the races that¡¯ll be attending right?¡± Panda asked, taking a cue from the businessman and puffing on his own bamboo pipe.

    ¡°Of course I do!¡± He spat, ¡°but before they showed up the others were happy to fall in line and do what they¡¯ve always done. Mark my words, you can¡¯t trust the gnomes, this is all their fault.¡±

    ¡°Oh definitely,¡± Bell agreed sardonically, which seemed to go right over Fredrick¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with the wealthy fat cats like yourself exploiting poor workers for cheap labour, this is entirely the gnomes¡¯ fault for putting ideas in their heads.

    ¡°My family¡¯s company wasn¡¯t exactly renowned for giving their employees benevolent wages, but it was at least enough to live on.¡±

    That was the second time she¡¯d mentioned her family owning a business. Was Bell rich back home? She certainly didn¡¯t act like she had been¡­ most of the time.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you agree,¡± Fredrick said curtly, ¡°it¡¯s nice to see that Adventure Society, at least, has reasonable employees. What was your name miss? I have a son who is of marrying age and-¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I said, cutting him off and rolling my eyes. ¡°Anyway, we need to report back to the director, so can I trust you to set up the meeting?¡±

    He frowned at me for a moment and then nodded and we left his lavish office as fast as we could. I didn¡¯t want to spend another moment in his presence.

    ***

    Fredrick slumped back in his chair as the adventuring party left, letting out a long sigh and loosening his tie further.

    Staring into the bottom of his empty glass, he saw a much older gentleman looking back at him. His frown lines had stretched and his forehead held a sheen that was unbecoming of a man in his position.

    Had this whole debacle really hit him this hard?

    ¡°Are you sure that was the right move sir?¡± He asked, though there was nobody present in the room.

    It was, an eerie, serpentine voice said directly into his mind.

    He would never get used to communicating with Chrysus this way. Fredrick still remembered the day his father had inducted him into the capitalist cabal of Cali Port.

    It has been a cold winter¡¯s evening as he rode silently in the elevator with his father. He¡¯d always been a hard man, but Fredrick looked up to him with gleaming eyes.

    A group of the wealthiest people in the Port stood in a circle wearing cloaks and hoods. It was terrifying. His father had taken out a small snake and Fredrick had been ordered to let it bite him on the collar bone. The fang marks had blackened and were still there to this day, then the voice spoke to him and he was inducted.

    All he¡¯d ever wanted was to take over the family business. He¡¯d fought endlessly with his brothers to be the one to inherit the role. Though these days he wondered if he¡¯d really been the winner.

    He hadn¡¯t spoken to his siblings in years, but last he¡¯d heard his elder brother, the man who would have taken over the company if not for him, was living a peaceful life on some island to the south.

    Apparently he even had a kid now. Fredrick had fought tooth and nail to usurp his brother and become the heir. Now though, he wasn¡¯t sure it was worth it.

    I need that boy, Chrysus continued, and for him to come to me he needs to be able to leave Cali Port. You will crush the opposition at this meeting and open the gates for him to leave.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish sir,¡± Fredrick replied monotonously. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the council and see if we can arrange for something tragic to happen to the gnome and his envoy.¡±

    Perfect, Chrysus replied, just make sure that the boy is not harmed.

    Then the god vacated Fredrick Millicent¡¯s mind and he sighed, dropping his shoulders as his body felt like it physically deflated.

    He knew that he¡¯d need to scheme carefully with the council. The god of wealth was their most important patron, without his protection his father never could have made the business what it was today and Fredrick couldn¡¯t have continued to keep it afloat the way he did.

    Luckily for him, his close friend and confidant ran a local mercenary company. All he had to do was invite the gnome in and then set his hired muscle loose. Who needed physical strength when he had money?

 Chapter 131 â€“ Every Dog Is A Puppy At Heart

    I left the building with a sour taste in my mouth. Something about the gnomish leader didn¡¯t sit right with me, but Fredrick Millicent was an out and out parasite.

    People like him were the reason I¡¯d chosen to become self employed back on Earth. Pompous, self-satisfied idiots who¡¯d inherited their fortune and yet still deluded themselves into believing that they were somehow above everyone else.

    I wouldn¡¯t have minded so much if he was at least honest about the real reason he had so much money and power. You can¡¯t choose the circumstances in which you¡¯re born. But somehow, people like Fredrick Millicent could never seem to grasp that they were painfully average and it was their parent¡¯s wealth that allowed them to delude themselves into thinking they were above the rest of humanity.

    ¡°Do you think his son¡¯s good looking?¡± Bell asked wistfully, breaking me out of my spiralling thoughts as we slipped back into the crowd of protestors.

    The ruckus Rex had caused seemed to have died down a bit whilst we were inside. The guard¡¯s line was reenforced and the protesters were back to shouting recycled call and response lines.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked irritably.

    ¡°His son,¡± Bell repeated, ¡°he offered to marry me to him. Do you think he¡¯s attractive?¡±

    ¡°Judging by the look of his father, probably not,¡± I sighed, moving like a snake through the grass as I led my party out of the crowd.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± she said happily, ¡°I might have considered it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d give up this great adventuring lifestyle for a bit of money?¡± Panda scoffed, though it seemed a little sarcastic.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± She protested, ¡°but having a wealthy husband at home couldn¡¯t hurt could it? I could winter in his fancy home and adventure during the summer. It¡¯d be great.¡±

    I shook my head as I finally broke through the growing crowd and found myself face to muzzle with Rex. The huge lycanid towered over me, his eyes glimmering in the evening twinkle.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± He asked in his gruff, dog-like voice.

    ¡°They¡¯ve agreed to meet with you,¡± I replied, ¡°or at least, Millicent said he¡¯d convince the council to.¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± He yelled, almost loud enough to startle the rambunctious crowd behind us once more. ¡°In that case, I¡¯d better go and let the others know. I assume you¡¯re coming to our negotiation.¡±

    I nodded, feeling suddenly very tired.

    ¡°Good,¡± he said, slapping me on the shoulder, ¡°in that case I¡¯ll see that our leader sends word of the time and place. Where are you staying?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± I replied wearily, ¡°we¡¯d only just arrived in town when we got sent on this fool¡¯s errand.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a fool errand human, this mission you¡¯ve been given will help us to make great changes,¡± he said, ¡°you¡¯ll see. Anyway, in that case I¡¯ll have him contact your director with the details.¡±

    Without another word he turned and ran up the street. As Rex turned the corner and disappeared from view I could have sworn I heard him howl in delight. It was hard not to smile at that. Even if he was a massive killing machine I guess every dog is a puppy at heart.

    That was when a system message lit up my HUD.

    Quest Completed:

    The Proletariat Will Rise Again

    The gnomes need your help comrade!

    Aid them!

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Objectives:

    Help the gnomes: 1/1

    Reward: Unlock a powerful skill for Asmodeus.

    Well at least Asmodeus will be happy, I thought tiredly, glancing over at my sleeping dragon as he breathed heavily in Bell¡¯s arms.

    I exchanged a look with Panda who seemed as surprised as I was that the notification hadn¡¯t woken him up. I decided to let sleeping dragon¡¯s lie for the time being, we¡¯d find out what amazing power he¡¯d unlocked once he woke up.

    ¡°We should find Sally,¡± I eventually said to the others wearily.

    I wanted to update her on the day¡¯s events. She had told us that she¡¯d head towards the gate leading out of town. Supposedly that was where the largest and most unruly protest was taking place.

    Hopefully she¡¯d still be there.

    ¡°Then can we get a drink?¡± Bell asked, ¡°I could use one after today. We¡¯ve been trapsing round all day playing gofer for these idiots and that¡¯s not what I signed up for when I decided to become an adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± I replied as we began walking in, what I hoped was, the right direction. ¡°The sooner we put this to bed, the sooner we can leave Cali Port in the dust and head towards our real objective.¡±

    ¡°And we can do it in style,¡± Panda said with a grin, ¡°don¡¯t forget the reward for this mission, Castalor is a long way from here and I for one don¡¯t want to walk there.¡±

    I smiled at him and nodded. He was right of course, as bothersome as it was, completing this quest should help to cut our travel time down significantly. Besides, who wants to walk thousands of miles when you can ride?

    As we reached the high street I noticed a large number of people hurrying in the opposite direction to us. It must have been a sign that we were going the right way, though why they were fleeing was anyone¡¯s guess.

    I hoped Sally was alright.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bell said, grabbing a running man by his sleeve and nearly toppling him to the ground.

    ¡°There¡¯s monsters fighting,¡± he said breathlessly, ¡°barely got out with my life.¡±

    Then he shrugged her off and continued to run away.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s that excitement you were looking for,¡± I sighed, glancing at Bell. ¡°We should hurry.¡±

    Breaking into a run, I deftly avoided the oncoming crowd as I made my way towards the epicentre. The closer we got, the louder it was.

    ¡°Seize the means of production!¡±

    ¡°Down with the bourgeoisie!¡±

    ¡°The proletariat will rise again!¡±

    The air was thick with the sounds of protestors chanting their communist catch phrases. I didn¡¯t see any sign of a monster though. Surely they wouldn¡¯t continue to protest if some beast had appeared to cause havoc would they?

    I pushed my legs harder and arrived at the scene.

    Located in a large square that was bordered by town houses and stone buildings, was a huge crowd. There must have been thousands of them. Gnomes seemed to make up the bulk but there were other minor races there as well, and an entire garrison of guards surrounding them.

    The protestors were blocking the gate out of town just as Freja had warned us. To their backs was a lowered portcullis, they even had people on the walls themselves. It was a straight up hostile takeover.

    The guards were penning them in and though there was no fighting, they had their weapons drawn and huge shields covering their fronts.

    That¡¯s when I saw it, a huge, fireball of aura permeated the sky above. It seemed to be coming from somewhere within the guard¡¯s ranks.

    ¡°That looks¡­ tasty,¡± a sleepy Asmodeus said as he roused from his slumber.

    Before she could stop him, he launched himself from Bell¡¯s arms and buzzed towards the powerful aura at full speed.

    Shit! He¡¯s going to get himself killed.

    ¡°Since when could he fly?¡± Panda asked, ¡°he was barely gliding last time I checked.¡±

    With an aggravated grunt I dashed after him, Bell and Panda following panickily in my wake.

    ¡°Oi, who are you?¡± A burly guard asked, but I¡¯d flipped over his shield landed and behind him before I could reply.

    Hell yeah, I can do flips now! Must be the stat increases.

    Dodging confused guards like a cat, I swerved through their ranks as my dragon¡¯s eye showed me the way towards the power source.

    As I got closer I saw a few guards squirming and looking uncomfortable. I slipped passed them and found myself in the middle of a ring of guards. Two people were going at it in the middle.

    One of them was Sally, but surprisingly, her aura wasn¡¯t the strong one I¡¯d sensed.

    She was bleeding heavily and her oversized sword laid abandoned on the ground as she panted on her knees. Her chest was soaked with blood and sweat covered her body.

    When did she get that fixed? I wondered. It had been snapped clean in two during our fight with Clive the elder lich. Did the craftsmen in Cali Port work that fast?

    Standing over Sally was an athletic-looking man with tied back, black hair and a rapier in his hand. He looked like some kind of Middle Ages duellist with one hand behind his straight back.

    ¡°Do you surrender Adventurer?¡± He said in a strange, almost French, accent.

    The tip of his sword was pressed firmly against Sally¡¯s neck. It looked like a needle next to her thick muscularity, but the red and black aura that enveloped it made it glow even larger than Sally¡¯s oversized broad sword.

    As I stood, staring at the scene, Bell crashed into me from behind and I stumbled forwards.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you stop?¡± She asked.

    The man turned towards me with a surprised expression on his face, though his sword remained firmly at Sally¡¯s throat.

    ¡°And who might you be?¡± He asked, ignoring Bell, raising his eyebrows and tilting his nose up at me.

    What a bellend, I thought, but before I had time to answer I heard a familiar buzzing from above.

    ¡°Your soul shall be mine!¡± Asmodeus yelled as he dive-bombed the man and sank his fangs into his neck.

 Chapter 132 â€“ Scarlet Mascara Tears

    ¡°Ahh!¡± The startled rapier wielding man screamed as Asmodeus sank his fangs into his neck.

    My dragon¡¯s eye burned as I watched the red and black aura get sucked out of the black-haired man. It looked as if my little dragon was leeching the life force from him.

    ¡°Get off me you cur!¡± The man shouted as he thrashed about and tried to slap Asmodeus away as if he was an annoying, deadly fly. ¡°Guards! Help me!¡±

    His pleas fell on deaf ears as the terrified guardsmen watched in horror, eyes wide and mouths agape. To a man, they appeared to be terrified.

    ¡°That¡¯s the power of a demon lord!¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±

    ¡°By the gods, is it the end of days?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, it must be a monster, perhaps a tiny succubus?¡±

    Asmodeus suddenly stopped his feasting for a moment to glare at the last man to speak, who fell to his knees as he, presumably, saw the little dragon¡¯s aura burst out in a furious black fire which surrounded his tiny body.

    Instinctively I moved my hand to my dragon¡¯s eye as it burned in my eye socket. However, despite the warmth, there seemed to be no pain.

    The same couldn¡¯t be said for the unfortunate guard who had earned Asmodeus¡¯ ire though. He clutched at his eyes and fell to the ground as smoke rose from between his fingertips.

    ¡°I AM NOT A TINY SUCCUBUS!¡± Asmodeus roared in a voice that was so loud it drowned out even the chanting from the nearby protestors.

    ¡°Azzy, stop!¡± Bell pleaded, clutching her own eyes as steam began to emanate from them and thin trails of blood leaked from them like scarlet mascara tears.

    It seemed to fall on death ears and the dragon turned his attention back to the man whose neck he bit into once more. The guard on the floor sighed for a moment and then looked up, removing his hands to reveal charred sockets where his eyes should have been.

    Blood and viscera flowed down his face, but from the grim smile upon it, you¡¯d wouldn¡¯t have guessed.

    ¡°Thank you oh merciful one for sparing my life!¡± He said in a grateful and awestruck voice.

    Who was this idiot to thank a dragon for scorching his eyes out? That didn¡¯t matter now though. All of the other guards in the area were clutching their faces and for some reason I was the only one who wasn¡¯t properly affected. I needed to act.

    I ran towards my dragon and grabbed him, tugging hard, yet as I staggered backwards, so did the black-haired man. Asmodeus¡¯ jaw strength must have been incredibly strong to be able to latch on so tightly to a man.

    Damn it! I thought, it¡¯s like playing tug of war with a Pitbull, but then I recalled the system message I¡¯d gotten when he¡¯d first appeared.

    Asmodeus (Soul Bonded)

    Due to your use of the Chaos Seed, a small fragment of the demon lord Asmodeus had remained in the mortal plane.

    Possessing a miniscule amount of his powers and personality, he has hatched as a demon familiar, taking on a shape imposed on him by the imprinted soul to which he is bonded.

    As a soul bonded familiar, Asmodeus cannot directly disobey your commands.

    Make sure you house train him.

    Presumably, if I commanded him to stop he would have to listen, if the message was accurate. It was worth a try.

    ¡°Asmodeus!¡± I bellowed as loudly as I could to make sure he could hear me above the riotous noises coming from all around us. ¡°I command you to release this man and stop burning people¡¯s eyes out, you¡¯re hurting Bell.¡±

    He gave me a defiant, sideways glance and continued his life sucking as red and black aura left the man¡¯s new neck holes and was adsorbed by the dragon.

    Then, suddenly, he stopped.

    ¡°Arrg!¡± He exclaimed, dropping to the floor and covering his head with his wings. ¡°Damn you human, let me feast!¡±

    ¡°I said no,¡± I replied sternly, like a trainer scolding a dog.

    ¡°F-fine,¡± he relented, ¡°just make this infernal pain in my head cease.¡±

    I didn¡¯t really know what he meant, but if I had to guess, it must have been physically painful for him to disobey me. That had to have been what the system message meant when it said that he couldn¡¯t.

    What a barbaric form of control, I thought with a grimace. Then again, the system could have easily messed with me and given me a squirt bottle or a clicker or something. At least this worked.

    I didn¡¯t like seeing him in pain though, something inside me felt oddly empathetic towards him. Perhaps it was a biproduct of the soul bond? Either way, at least my command had worked.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Bell panted as she trotted up next to me, that was really¡­ something. Are you a dragon or a vampire?¡± She asked Asmodeus who looked at her bleeding eyes and lowered his head, looking away.

    ¡°This is why you don¡¯t bond with a¡­¡± Sally said, shooting a look at the dragon. I was thankful she didn¡¯t outright call him a demon lord in front of the guards.

    Her top was bloodied, bisected by a deep gash which scarred her from shoulder to naval. I wasn¡¯t sure why she¡¯d been duelling the man with the rapier, but if he¡¯d managed to land a hit on her that badly, he must have been good. Possibly even beyond the level cap.

    ¡°G-guards,¡± he said breathlessly, as if on cue, ¡°arrest them, arrest all of them. That dragon needs to be put down immediately.¡±

    I turned towards him to see his bleeding eyes shooting daggers at me as he lifted his rapier with an unsteady hand and cupped his neck wound with the other. Scarlet blood dripped from his formally pristine black uniform and the tips of his hair were matted with it, giving him the look of a noughties emo with dip dyed hair.

    ¡°I just saved your life,¡± I growled, feeling something primal rouse within me, ¡°and I can just as easily sic my dragon back on you.¡±

    I was seething and I didn¡¯t even know why. I hadn¡¯t had the best day, true, but under normal circumstances I considered myself to be a pretty reasonable fellow. Not today, however.

    Asmodeus looked up at me with greedy eyes as I mentioned letting him suck the life force from the man, and I realised that the eyes of every other person in the circle were on me too.

    There was a tense atmosphere as I looked around at the injured guards. Fear, scorn, loathing, I saw all of that and more in there bleeding eyes.

    Bell¡¯s expression told me that she was ready to back me up at a moment¡¯s notice, Sally, however, seemed unsure. Had she not just been fighting this man herself? What was that look for?

    Her dark blue eyes were piercing as she gazed at me from the floor, a meaty palm pushing into her chest wound as she attempted to stem the bleeding.

    ¡°I am the captain of the guard,¡± the rapier wielding man replied after a moment, ¡°threatening me is the same as threatening all of Cali Port, do you really think you are strong enough to best an entire city?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± I said coldly, ¡°I just need to let my dragon kill you. Which of your men would dare to face me after watching that? You saw his power, just look at their faces, they¡¯re terrified.¡±

    Murmurs escaped the crowd of guards who looked at each other uncertainly and I knew I was right.

    ¡°What were you even fighting about?¡± I asked Sally, making a point of turning my back on the captain.

    ¡°Nothing important,¡± she muttered, ¡°we used to know each other a long time ago, wanted to settle an old score.¡±

    I looked at her face for a moment as it twitched and she looked away from me. I wanted to know more but now wasn¡¯t the time to pry.

    ¡°We need to report back to the director¡­ remember?¡± Panda said, tugging lightly on my trouser leg.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Sally, can you walk?¡± I asked.

    She nodded at me and struggled to her feet, a shallow pool of blood began to gather beneath her and I passed her a healing potion from my inventory.

    ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± she said, ¡°or I¡¯d have already taken one myself. His blade is magic, normal potions can¡¯t stop the bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡± The captain asked incredulously, ¡°guards, do as I order and arrest these scoundrels!¡±

    A few men took steps towards us but were halted as Bell summoned fireballs into her palms.

    ¡°Sorry boys,¡± she said with a smirk, ¡°but I can¡¯t let you do that.¡±

    ¡°Are you deaf?¡± The captain erupted, ¡°fine then, I guess I¡¯ll have to do it myself and the lot of you will be on half rations for the rest of your pitiful careers!¡±

    He took a step forward, pointing his blade directly at Bell¡¯s chest. She glanced up at him and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never take me alive copper!¡± She yelled, casting both fireballs at the man¡¯s face from close range.

    The captain made to dodge but he wasn¡¯t fast enough and his clothes erupted in a sea of flames. Fortunately for him, he still managed to slice through the fireballs and save his face.

    Summoning my dagger, I performed a pirouette and was on him before he had time to recover. I slashed downwards at the nape of his neck and he flicked his rapier over his head with a flash, blocking my attack.

    ¡°You are resisting lawful arrest!¡± He called at us as Bell blasted another fireball his way, which he successfully dodged.

    Using her attack as a distraction, I dropped into a crouch and sliced at his Achilles tendon but he must have been a mind reader because halfway through my attempted slash he threw his leg out in a powerful back kick, disarming me as my dagger sailed through the sky.

    I rolled backwards with the force of his blow and withdrew my bow as Bell began blasting him with a quick chain of fireballs.

    Panda dived to the side and Sally summoned her oversized sword, getting it in front of her body just in time to save herself from the excess flame which exploded out of the area attack.

    The captain dashed towards Bell in a zig zag motion, slicing through each of her attacks with ease before shoulder barging her backwards.

    With a grunt, she staggered back into the waiting arms of two burly guardsmen who grabbed her from behind and held her still as they struggled to close manacles on her wrists.

    As this was happening I pulled back the drawstring on my bow and channelled my Soul Shot, lining up the strike for the dead centre of the rapier wielder.

    Even if he tries to block this it¡¯ll still do some damage, I thought as I loosed my arrow.

    The arrow exploded from my bow string with a deafening crack as it broke the sound barrier. The backdraft from the shot blew a devastating force of air behind me which knocked three advancing guards off their feet, they hit the ground with a thud.

    The captain spun masterfully and batted my arrow with the flat of his blade, causing it to go off course and head directly for the crowd of protestors.

    Oh shit, I thought, if that hits them there will be God knows how many civilian deaths on my hands. That bastard.

    Just as the arrow whizzed past Sally¡¯s head, shortening one side of her hair by a few inches, a powerful crack emanated across the battlefield.

    ¡°THAT IS ENOUGH!¡± Freja shouted as she appeared in front of the protestors as if out of nowhere, catching my arrow with her bare hand and snapping it in two with a clenched fist.

    Veins popped in her forehead, her scarlet hair seemed to defy gravity as it floated around her beautiful, if contorted, face.

    She strode towards us like a furious runway model, her heeled boots clacking against the ground menacingly with each step.

    ¡°Does someone want to explain to me just what in Athena¡¯s name is going on here?¡± She asked, her eyes bulging and her jaw clenching with every word she forced from her lips.

    The captain was the first to speak.

    ¡°T-these miscreants attacked me,¡± he whined like a little bitch.

    ¡°Are you telling the teacher on us?¡± Bell asked, still struggling with her guards, ¡°snitches get stiches!¡±

    Freja shot her an icy look and she went quiet.

    ¡°Right,¡± she said, ¡°I want to see all of you in my office immediately. Bickering in the streets like children is unbecoming of Adventure Society professionals.¡±

    The captain, showing either extreme bravery, or extreme stupidity, stepped towards the director, pointing his rapier at her throat.

    ¡°They are in my custody,¡± he began, ¡°you might be the queen of your little rag tag group of misfits, but in Cali Port, I am the law.¡±

    She backhanded him in the face and he flew across the circle, crashing into a group of his men.

    ¡°Holy fuck,¡± I breathed.

    ¡°My office,¡± she said once more, taking the time to look between each of us. ¡°Now!¡±

 Chapter 133 â€“ Pompous Prick

    I gazed at Freja with a slack jaw as she waved her arms in a circle and a glowing purple gateway appeared in front of us.

    Looking like a mirror, it showed the calm, decorated interior of her office back in the Adventure Society building.

    She was a portal user.

    I wasn¡¯t even aware that they existed.

    ¡°Ooh, fancy,¡± Bell crooned, ¡°Yennefer of Vengerberg would be proud.¡±

    Now was not the time to be making pop culture references, but I was too shocked by the director¡¯s awesome display of power to chastise my companion.

    She had just batted away a man who had beaten Sally in a duel, literally! I knew that Sally was below the level cap and therefore wasn¡¯t a big fish here in Cali Port like she was in Havar, but still.

    ¡°Shut up and go through,¡± Freja commanded and without hesitation I obeyed her.

    Stepping into the portal felt like jumping into an ice bath, my blood felt chilled and my bones creaked as I was sucked into the venerable whirlpool of icy cold and motion sickness.

    It wasn¡¯t too dissimilar to the time I¡¯d used a portal to enter The Morningstar Hotel and Spa, but it was much rougher.

    Falling through space, I was ejected onto the other side with flailing arms and legs. I shot across the room, sliding on my belly, and crashed headlong into the far wall.

    Ouch.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Panda said groggily as he calmy stepped through the portal without a crash landing. ¡°Personal portals sure are rough on the old equilibrium.¡±

    ¡°First time using one?¡± I asked, struggling to form the words as my head span like it did after a night of too many beers.

    ¡°Yup, and hopefully it¡¯ll be my last.¡± He replied, ¡°that was awful.¡±

    Despite his claims, he didn¡¯t seem to have been affected nearly as badly as I was. Though when Bell came flying through the portal next, I felt like I¡¯d gotten off lightly.

    The teal haired fireball mage seemed to fall through the portal as if she had been launched by a trebuchet. Her scarlet red robes moving at such a speed made her look a bit like the fireball magic she was so fond of.

    Somehow she hit the ceiling when she reached our side of it and then landed on her back with a nasty thud as the wind was knocked from her.

    Sally followed behind, stepping through as if it was nothing new to her.

    Show off.

    Still clutching her wound, she staggered to the nearest chair and collapsed into it with a groan.

    ¡°How can we help you?¡± I asked, putting my dizziness aside and stumbling over to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the director will patch me up in a moment, Gonads,¡± she wheezed, grimacing at every other word as if it was painful to speak.

    A loud crack came from behind me and I turned just in time to see the purple rimmed portal snap shut as Freja strode through gracefully, her long, open trench coat fluttering magnificently behind her, Asmodeus struggled under her arms as she trapped him there.

    ¡°Unhand me this instant,¡± he protested, ¡°I am a demon lord, not a handbag.¡±

    Freja slapped the dragon on the tip of his nose, shutting him up, and without sparing the rest of us a glance, she strutted up to Sally and placed her palm directly onto the catonid¡¯s wound. Muttering something under her breath, a bright, golden light sparkled around her hand like a glove made of sunshine, and Sally¡¯s face visibly relaxed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dispelled the magic but you¡¯ll still need to heal the wound normally,¡± Freja said clinically, ¡°there¡¯s a chance it may scar, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Sally nodded thoughtfully as the svartalf removed her hand. Closing her dark blue eyes a bright red potion appeared in her hand and she guzzled it like booze. The catonid¡¯s wound healed before our eyes, leaving a deep crimson line in its wake.

    ¡°That¡¯ll have to do for now,¡± she grunted, ¡°I¡¯ll finish the healing process later. Thank you director,¡± she said, turning towards the purple skinned powerhouse and nodding once.

    Without replying, Freja moved behind her desk, placing the subdued dragon on it. His stomach was bloated to twice its normal size and his tiny wings seemed to have grown a bit. He laid out like a starfish on the desk, sulking and refusing to take his eyes off the director.

    She reached into a draw and produced a finely crafted decanter which sparkled in the setting sun¡¯s orange glow as it shone through the floor to ceiling window. Freja poured herself a full glass and swallowed it in a single gulp before sitting down and leaning back in her chair.

    ¡°Well that was a political disaster,¡± she eventually said with a long sigh as the fierce demeaner she had shown to the rapier wielder vanished entirely. ¡°Care to explain what happened?¡±

    All eyes turned towards Sally who visibly seemed to suppress the urge to squirm beneath our inquisitive gazes.

    ¡°It was an old dispute,¡± she said, closing her eyes hard for a moment before reopening them with a determined and resigned look.  ¡°We trained at the same academy when we were young. He always made a point of flexing his superiority to the entire class¡­ I didn¡¯t like that. When I ran into him earlier today he challenged me to a friendly duel for old time¡¯s sake¡­ It didn¡¯t stay friendly for long.¡±

    ¡°You trained at an academy?¡± Bell asked, still laying in place on the floor where she¡¯d fallen through the portal, her hands placed as a cushion behind her head.

    ¡°All those who wish to serve royalty do,¡± she replied and I guessed that she had no intention of explaining any further.

    Thinking back on our time in Havar, Sally had seemed to have a history with Raphael as well. He was the king¡¯s guard who had escorted us to our award ceremony shortly before the assassination.

    Did they train together too? I wondered.

    Keeping my inquiring thoughts to myself, I looked towards the director who was staring into the bottom of a second emptied glass.

    ¡°What about him?¡± She asked, glancing at Asmodeus who snorted loudly in response.

    Taking the initiative, I explained what had happened when we arrived. My tale barely instigated a response from Freja, even the part about Asmodeus going dragon vampire on that dude¡¯s neck.

    ¡°That tracks,¡± she eventually said, ¡°I won¡¯t shed a tear for the commander, that man is a pompous prick, though it seems that I made a mistake in ignoring your demon lord to focus on political affairs. I¡¯m interested to know the details of this new power he has unlocked.

    ¡°That being said, now that we know you can control him, I am placing responsibility on you to do so. If he attacks someone like that again, it¡¯ll be your neck on the chopping block. Do you understand?¡±

    I nodded solemnly. Controlling the dragon was easier said than done but he had obeyed me in the end. Hopefully I¡¯d be able to keep that leash on him, at least until we could leave Cali Port. I also wanted to know more about his power and I was pretty certain the information would be ready and waiting in my HUD, but that could wait for later. I liked Freja, but I didn¡¯t know her well enough to expose too many of my secrets to her and Asmodeus was an unknown factor.

    ¡°Good,¡± she continued, ¡°you said your destination was Castalor? The director there is more versed in these matters than I, seek him out and see if he has any further insight into your unlikely familiar. In the meantime, what of the quest I assigned you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to get both sides to agree to a meeting tomorrow,¡± I said, placing my hands behind my back as if I was reporting to my commanding officer, which in a way, I guess I was. ¡°Hopefully they¡¯ll be diplomatic about it. Both sides have asked me and my party to attend though I don¡¯t trust either of them to play nice if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    Freja looked up from her glass finally, her sternly beautiful eyes seemingly gazing straight into my very soul.

    ¡°Good job,¡± she said as a smile twitched in the corner of her lips, ¡°you¡¯ve managed in a single day what no one else had managed in weeks. I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    ¡°It was probably because of that torch that system gave him,¡± Bell sniggered on the floor and I shot her a deadpan glare.

    Freja ignored her outburst and continued. ¡°I shall accompany your party to this meeting as well, it¡¯ll look good for the society as a whole if we can get them to come to some kind of amicable arrangement. The quest boards have been pretty light lately since no one can leave the city right now and we need that to change.¡±

    ¡°Then will we get our magic transport?¡± Bell asked sweetly, throwing her hands forward to propel herself into a sitting position on the floor.

    ¡°Mobile base,¡± Freja corrected, ¡°and yes, assuming it puts a stop to the protests. That was the wording in the quest, after all.¡± She smiled slightly before taking another drink from her ornate glass. ¡°Now, you¡¯d better get some rest before tomorrow, politics is exhausting and we might be there for a while. The last time I had to attend a negotiation it lasted for three days and nights and that one wasn¡¯t nearly as standoffish as this one has been.¡±

    The svartalf director sighed loudly and slumped back into her chair, spinning it away from us as she gazed contemplatively out of the window. I took that as a clear sign to leave.

    Scooping my sulking dragon up off the desk, I led my team and Sally back into the elevator.

    ¡°Where are we going to sleep tonight then?¡± Panda asked, looking up at me with his large eyes.

    ¡°There¡¯s an inn just down the street,¡± Sally replied hoarsely, ¡°I know the owner, we¡¯ll meet back here at first light and make our way to the negotiation together.¡±

 Chapter 134 â€“ The Things I Do For Questing

    That night, once arriving at the inn, we gathered around a small, private booth in the corner and ordered some drinks. I was dog tired, but I needed to know about Asmodeus¡¯ new power.

    ¡°So,¡± I said, looking at him expectantly as the rest of the group followed my lead, gazing at him eagerly. Sally was the only one who didn¡¯t seem excited, even so, she hadn¡¯t turned in for the night just yet.

    ¡°So?¡± He replied.

    ¡°It looks like you got that new power,¡± I said, trying to hide the smile that was forcing its way to my lips.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t new,¡± he muttered, ¡°it¡¯s ancient, and it is no where near as powerful as it should be. It¡¯s quite the disappointment really.¡±

    ¡°It seemed pretty powerful to me,¡± Bell grinned, ¡°you made my eyes bleed when you sucked off that captain.¡±

    Panda snorted and I shook my head, talk about poor phrasing. Unable to take the suspense any more, I delved into my HUD and found the familiar tab. Under it was Asmodeus¡¯ section and under that, a brief explanation of his new power.

    Leech Life ¨C Adsorb another creature¡¯s power and use it as your own by draining their life force. Only one skill can be stored at a time. Excess power will be used as nourishment to enhance the overall stats of the wielder.

    ¡°Ok that sounds super OP,¡± I said aloud as I read through the unlocked power. ¡°He can copy people¡¯s skills and enhance his stats by sucking out their life force.¡±

    ¡°So you are a vampire!¡± Bell proclaimed. Sally¡¯s eyes went wide with horror as the prospect of what I¡¯d said began to sink in.

    ¡°I am not a vampire!¡± Asmodeus protested, ¡°besides, this weak rendition of my power is just that. In my full form I could steal an unlimited amount of skills and keep them indefinitely. Now I can only keep one at a time. It¡¯s utterly useless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll get better as you get stronger,¡± Panda said, placing a comforting paw on the little dragon¡¯s wing which he shoved away.

    ¡°It will get better as he gets stronger,¡± he said, glaring at me, ¡°and who knows how many centuries it could take for him to reach my former level.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence there,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°in the meantime why don¡¯t you tell us what skill you stole from the wanky captain?¡±

    ¡°It was nothing special,¡± the dragon huffed, ¡°merely a basic bubble shield. Hardly worth the effort. His life energy was rather tasty though,¡± he grinned showing us his little fangs.

    Sally grimaced.

    ***

    I felt groggy the next morning as we wandered hazily through the streets towards the Adventure Society building.

    Bell¡¯s groaning and Panda¡¯s plodding reflected my own feelings as my head swayed like a balloon filled with clouds. Sally had left a message in the group chat a few hours earlier saying she was going to meet with Freja early.

    It seemed that despite my stats allowing my body to heal and recover in a superhuman manner, my mind was still subject to fatigue.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t need as much sleep as I did back on Earth, but it seemed my abilities hadn¡¯t eliminated the need entirely.

    Though I was happy with the results I¡¯d achieved the previous day, navigating the world of politics wasn¡¯t really my thing and my brain power could only stretch so far. They say fake it until you make it but I doubted I¡¯d ever become a politician, no matter how much our current quest needed me to pretend I was one.

    Asmodeus sat animatedly on my shoulder, gazing at the sights like a puppy fresh from the tit. He seemed to have perked up again. Freja¡¯s scolding and his disappointment at his new unlocked power had put him in a foul mood the previous night, I was thankful that some rest had sorted him out. His stomach bloating had shrunken considerably overnight but he still looked like an overweight chihuahua.

    ¡°Human,¡± he shouted in my ear, ¡°those little people are making fluffy pink clouds on sticks. We must obtain one for ourselves!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re called dwarfs and the pink clouds are called candy floss,¡± I replied monotonously, ¡°It¡¯s literally just sugar.¡±

    ¡°Human, look!¡± he called once more as we passed a group of street performers, ¡°that dirty elf is attempting to swallow fire. Ha! Foolish elf, you can¡¯t hope to match the power of dragons, for only we can¡­ oh, she did it. Most impressive.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re called svartalfs,¡± I replied, ¡°and I think the director would snap your neck if she heard you calling her people dirty elves.¡±

    He shrunk back slightly at the mention of Freja, even one as overly proud as he, was frightened by her ¨C especially after last night. At least there was some sense in his noggin.

    It continued like that for the thirty minutes or so of walking we had to endure to meet up with Sally and the director at the society building.

    We were up at the crack of dawn, the golden rays of the sun had barely begun to sneak through the clouds and the sky was still lit with the orange glow of sunrise, yet we were awake, and ready to endure these ridiculous political talks.

    The things I do for questing.

    As we approached the sliding glass doors that marked the entrance to the society foyer, Sally and Freja walked out to greet us. They were chatting like old friends.

    Sally¡¯s wound seemed to have healed nicely. She was dressed for battle, that is to say she was dressed how she always did, with her oversized sword slung over her back and her piercing dark blue eyes shining like sapphires in her eye sockets.

    Director Freja¡¯s attire didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination, her dark purple skin wrapping tightly around her exposed and toned core as her signature trench coat hung loosely over her shoulders like a cape.

    She was honestly one of the most beautiful women I¡¯d ever laid eyes on, her tight corset helped with that of course. Though, sadly, as a married man I had to abstain from her charms. Or at least, that¡¯s what I kept telling myself, I knew deep down that I wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance with her even if I was single.

    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Sally huffed as our group huddled together.

    ¡°I am always on time,¡± Asmodeus said haughtily, ¡°it is you that are early.¡±

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    ¡°Yeah, what he said,¡± Bell added with a grin.

    ¡°I want to make sure that we arrive before the discussions start so I¡¯m going to open a portal,¡± Freja said, forgoing all pleasantries.

    ¡°Where exactly are we going?¡± Panda asked.

    ¡°To the city¡¯s central circle,¡± she explained, ¡°the noble district is well fortified and it is not easy to get far into it. They have guard patrols, high walls and magic barriers. As it is, I can only penetrate far enough through their enchantments to get us in front of the tower, we¡¯ll have to walk from there.¡±

    ¡°The tower?¡± I asked, raising a single eyebrow.

    ¡°You set up the meeting without even knowing where it would be held?¡± She asked incredulously, ¡°The Ivory Tower is our destination. It is home to the council that governs Cali Port and is the most well protected place in the entire city.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called the Ivory Tower?¡± Bell asked with an amused expression on her face.

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± I sighed sarcastically, ¡°why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡±

    Without answering, Freja lifted her hands and made a show of straining her face as she swirled them like an actor before the CGI was added in the postproduction edits.

    It looked ridiculous, or at least it did until an impressive, purple rimmed portal opened up in the centre of our group huddle.

    It looked like a watery surface that reflected a golden building that shimmered as the portal jiggled like a spilled jelly shot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be off then,¡± Freja began, ¡°I can¡¯t hold this for long so hurry.¡±

    I stepped through the portal and once again found myself overwhelmed with nausea, this time however, I at least managed to remain on my feet.

    Looking up as I gasped for air, a tower made of gold stood before me reflecting with a magnificently overstated orange glow from the sunrise.

    ¡°What happened to ivory?¡± Panda sneered as he stepped out behind me.

    ¡°They should have called it the golden tower,¡± Bell chirped, though she bent over, placing her hands on her knees and looked as if she was going to vomit. Thankfully she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little small,¡± Asmodeus remarked.

    ¡°Yes, yes it¡¯s quite marvellous,¡± Freja said impatiently as she barged through our group, Sally trotting awkwardly at her heel. ¡°Now follow me, and don¡¯t go wandering off. I have limited influence in this part of the city so I won¡¯t be able to bail you out if you go challenging guard captains to duels.¡± She glanced meaningfully at Sally who looked away, refusing to engage with her superior.

    We followed the director through the front door which was at least four times the height of a lycanid and thrice as wide.

    Well-dressed guardsmen blocked the entrance, though they doubled as door openers once Freja spoke to them.

    ¡°She sure has a way with people,¡± Bell muttered happily as Freja berated the guards until they succumbed to her whims.

    Inside, the foyer was extravagant. There was marble flooring, roman columns, a masterpiece painted on the ceiling and beautiful human women, painted golden and carrying glasses of bubbling wine serving all who entered.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to understand why the gnome was so upset with these guys,¡± Panda said, shaking his head.

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Asmodeus replied, ¡°this poorhouse has nothing on my underworld palace, why, the women don¡¯t even have tails.¡±

    ¡°Are there people starving in the streets where you¡¯re from?¡± Panda bit back.

    ¡°Almost exclusively,¡± he said evenly, ¡°why do you ask?¡±

    Panda shook his head and Bell bit her lip to suppress a laugh.

    We continued to follow Freja through the extravagant entry way to a glass elevator which took pride of place in the centre of the room. Small waterways surrounded it like a miniature moat and we had to cross a tiny bridge to get to the entrance. Water shot up from the mini moat as we crossed, spelling out the words Cali Port, before tumbling back down into the moat with a splash.

    ¡°I need one of these in my front room,¡± Bell gushed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a front room,¡± I replied with a smile, tapping her shoulder lightly with my own.

    ¡°I will one day,¡± she said, gesticulating by tapping the air in front of her eyes and punctuating her words, ¡°and when I do it¡¯ll have a water feature that shoots up into the air and spells out the words no cold callers. It¡¯ll be magical.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that as we followed Freja into the glass elevator. Sally seemed oddly nervous, and quiet. As I thought about it I realised that she had been acting a little strange ever since we¡¯d arrived in Cali Port.

    ¡°I think those two have a¡­ history,¡± Bell said in a loud whisper she attempted to hide behind her hand.

    Both Sally and Freja shot daggers at her and I honestly wondered for a minute if one of them might actually have the power to kill with a glance.

    ¡°Have you only just noticed?¡± Asmodeus said pompously from my shoulder, ¡°can you not smell the sexual tension of human pheromones and shame in here? I¡¯ve frequented underworld brothels with less-¡±

    He stopped suddenly as Freja barred her teeth at him. Sally went bright red but the dragon, at least, stopped talking.

    Well, that makes sense. I thought, thinking back on how oddly the catonid had acted since we¡¯d arrived here.

    The director turned around promptly and brushed the control panel with her slender fingers, it slowly rose into the air, turning as it went and giving us a full 360 view of the foyer before we disappeared into blackness.

    Standing in awkward and tense silence, we waited for the doors to open and release us from the thick quiet that clung to the interior of the elevator.

    Bell began humming elevator music. It did nothing to alleviate the tension.

    Finally the doors opened and I stepped out into a large room with a long conference table taking pride of place in the middle, and floor to ceiling windows covering three of the four walls.

    ¡°Who has an elevator come out in the middle of a conference room?¡± Bell scoffed, shaking her head as she followed behind me. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ tacky.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve made it,¡± Fredrick Millicent said, walking towards me and offering out his hand.

    I did not take it.

    ¡°Well,¡± he continued as if nothing had happened, ¡°allow me to extend my most sincere gratitude for your attendance of this negotiation. Let me introduce you to my colleagues¡­ oh, director, I wasn¡¯t aware you would also be in attendance?¡±

    Dropping the fake politeness immediately, Fredrick walked around me and straight up to Freja who gave him the same expression one might give a persistent fly in their living room.

    Ignoring them, Bell grabbed my arm and led me to the table.

    ¡°Networking is the most important part of any event,¡± she said in a deep voice, ¡°or at least that¡¯s what my father used to say. Not that I was ever healthy enough to attend events¡­ still, let¡¯s say hi.¡±

    I made a mental note to ask Bell about her life back on Earth sometime. I knew next to nothing about her childhood, but it sounded¡­ interesting.

    She walked towards a slender, middle eastern-looking man in a robe adorned with thick golden pieces. He was dressed much more like how I¡¯d expected people of a fantasy world to dress. Though, that made him the odd one out in a room full of suit wearing aristocrats.

    ¡°Look Kaleb, it¡¯s Gandalf,¡± Bell said in a loud whisper.

    The man did look like a wizard in those robes, I was just glad that there was no way that he knew who or what Bell was referring to.

    ¡°Ah, you must be the young adventurer who forced us to be here today,¡± he said, offering out his hand, ¡°Callum Govetchkz, at your service¡­ though I¡¯m sure you already know who I am.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb Akabane,¡± I said, taking his hand firmly, ¡°and actually, I¡¯ve never heard of you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Callum smiled, seemingly amused by the prospect, ¡°well then let me educate you, young adventurer. My family owns the largest fishing conglomerate on the east coast. Every single fish you¡¯ve eaten in Cali Port came from my company.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten any fish in Cali Port,¡± Bell began but was promptly interrupted.

    ¡°Oh give it a rest, you old trout,¡± a dark skinned man with a thick black beard said, ¡°I doubt the boy has any interest in your fish. He¡¯s an adventurer, his entire team are only here to complete their quest and get paid. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± I said, looking up at the tall man, ¡°we¡¯re just here to make sure this whole thing goes off without a hitch. We¡¯ll leave the politicking up to you.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, just as I thought,¡± he replied jovially, holding out his hand which I took, ¡°Ernest Regina, at your service.¡±

    ¡°Regina?¡± Bell and I both said at the same time.

    He raised an eyebrow and I began to explain.

    ¡°We¡¯re good friends of Lucas Regina, the director of the Havarian Adventure Society,¡± I said. ¡°Are you his brother? We¡¯re actually on the continent helping him with a quest.¡±

    I chose not to say anymore. Lucas had mentioned that he believed his father was going to be assassinated, but surely if this Regina could have been of any help he would have sought his aid already.

    ¡°Well, I guess it truly is a small world,¡± he replied dryly, all of his previous charm disappearing suddenly. ¡°How audacious of my brother, sending low ranked adventurers to fulfil a continental quest. I guess he truly has gone native if he can¡¯t handle his own affairs anymore¡­ Not that he was ever any use to family on this side of the pond anyway.¡±

    ¡°I like this human,¡± Asmodeus said from my shoulder, ¡°can I devour his soul?¡±

    ¡°Talk about pulling a 180,¡± Bell said with shock in her voice.

    ¡°Definitely,¡± I agreed, then hurriedly placed a hand on my shoulder dragon who beat his wings excitedly. ¡°Not you!¡± I said to him before turning back to the confused looking aristocrat. ¡°You do know he¡¯s the strongest person in Havar right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s like saying the hobgoblin is the strongest subspecies, it¡¯s still no dragon is it?¡± Ernest spat on the floor and looked as if he was about to continue with his derivative drivel when he was interrupted by the clinking of glasses.

    We turned towards the noise to see the communists had arrived and Rex had already grabbed Fredrick by the scruff of the neck.

 Chapter 135 â€“ Hive Mind

    ¡°Milicent you odious coward!¡± Rex roared as he grabbed the squirming noble by the scruff of his neck, lifting him off the ground. ¡°Your fucking guards tried to arrest us on the way in. What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull here?¡±

    ¡°Now, now Rex,¡± the gnome leader said in a calm and squeaky voice, ¡°we¡¯re here now, no harm no foul. Let him go.¡±

    Rex turned towards the tiny gnome, his muzzle looked tense as he snarled and hot steams of breath left his mouth. He looked tentatively back at Fredrick Milicent before dropping him and marching towards me, grunting under his breath.

    ¡°What a brute!¡± Milicent cried, ¡°this is an outrage, Director, surely you can see why we refused negotiations until now. These¡­ these rapscallions know no bounds!¡±

    Rex turned back and growled at the man who let out a short squeal before hurriedly moving behind Freja who clasped her face in her hands, looking like she was nursing a migraine.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Rex said, grasping my entire arm with his paw as he pulled me in for a hug. It was surprisingly warm and fluffy being wrapped in his fur, like being held by an animated teddy bear. ¡°Thank you for coming, it¡¯s good to have you here. We need all the help we can get if we¡¯re to deal with these backstabbing sissies.¡± He said, muttering the last part in my ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too mate,¡± I replied, failing to recall when we had become such good friends, not that I minded. ¡°Just to be clear though, my team and I aren¡¯t here to support a side, we¡¯re just here to make sure no one dies.¡±

    ¡°And to ensure that there is no foul play,¡± Freja said, striding towards me with the gnome on one side of her and a trembling Milicent on the other. ¡°Well, no more foul play,¡± she added, shooting a poignant look at Fredrick.

    ¡°Quite so,¡± Ernest Regina said, stepping in front of the chair at the head of the table. ¡°As chairman of the council I believe it is my duty to lead this negotiation today on behalf of-¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Freja interrupted, appearing behind him suddenly and placing a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°I came here today expressly so that I, a neutral party, could chair these talks for you. I assume no one opposes this?¡±

    Ernest looked deeply offended as frown lines cut his lower mouth like trenches, but he didn¡¯t speak against the formidable director, instead choosing to move to the seat next to her.

    ¡°Good,¡± she continued, taking the seat and leaning back in it like she owned the room, placing her feet up on the table and crossing them. ¡°In that case, if you¡¯ll all please take your seats, we shall begin.¡±

    The conference table was long enough to accommodate the entire council on a single side. There were twelve of them overall, though I¡¯d only had the chance to meet three of them.

    That meant that Sally, Bell, Panda, Asmodeus and I had to sit on the same side as the communists, since there were only the three of them in attendance: the gnome, Rex and the small catonid woman complete with the same green beret and army fatigues she¡¯d worn the last time I¡¯d seen her. I still didn¡¯t know her name.

    ¡°Alright gnome,¡± Regina said with an air of hostility, ¡°spit it out, what is it that you dirty slum dwellers want from us?¡±

    ¡°Mr Regina,¡± Freja sighed, ¡°might I ask that you at least try to show a modicum of respect to the participants of this discussion. You could at least call the man by his name¡­ what is your name?¡±

    ¡°We are all gnomes,¡± the gnome leader replied with a shrug, ¡°we do not have individual names, this vessel has been chosen to represent the species in political matters but we are all of one mind, a shared consciousness.¡±

    Freja rolled her eyes and lifted her palms in defeat as Ernest gave a satisfied smile. A small victory for a small man.

    ¡°Well then gnome-¡± Fredrick began again but was promptly cut off by a growl from Rex.

    ¡°That¡¯s Mr Gnome to you, Trust Fund.¡±

    ¡°Mr Gnome,¡± he corrected, ¡°what is it that you want from us?¡±

    ¡°It is quite simple,¡± the gnome replied curtly, ¡°we represent the people working across Cali Port in your factories. The people who are underpaid, underappreciated and many of whom can¡¯t even afford to feed their families whilst you sit in your¡­ well, ivory towers, if you¡¯ll excuse the pun, hording more wealth than you could possibly ever need.

    ¡°All that we ask is for fairer wages for the workers, a recognised union system so that we may renegotiate these terms as the economy fluctuates, and shares for employees in the businesses that they work for so that they might one day sell them back to you for a small retirement sum.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Callum said, slamming his fist on the table and standing up abruptly. ¡°Hell will freeze over before I give away shares in my company to peasants. They should be thanking me for the opportunity to work for such a well-loved and trusted business!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± another council member joined in.

    ¡°Paupers are workers, not owners,¡± someone else said, ¡°they fronted none of the risk to create the businesses they work for and now they wish to reap the rewards?¡±

    ¡°Greedy,¡± a man in a green blazer added, ¡°the whole lot of them.¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Freja coughed into her hand loudly and the buzz quieted down. She nodded at Ernest Regina and he leaned forward, placing his hands under his chin as he considered the gnome.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Rex said flippantly, ¡°they were never going to listen. These silly nobles look at the stars reflected on the sea at night and mistake it for the stars. They will never understand the plight of the working man.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he stole that line for The Witcher,¡± Bell said, leaning in and whispering in my ear.

    ¡°I am a reasonable man,¡± Ernest said, completely ignoring Rex¡¯s comments, ¡°we are reasonable people. I¡¯m sure we can come to some kind of agreement that doesn¡¯t spit in the faces of the hard-working entrepreneurs sitting before you. Perhaps a wage increase, say¡­ one gold more per month?¡±

    ¡°One gold?¡± Rex yelled. It was now his turn to slam his fist on the table in outrage, except he was much stronger than the council members and he broke off a chunk of the table in his rage, causing a few of them to go wide eyed and lean back in a startled manner.

    The gnome put a calming hand on the lycanids arm and he sat back down, mumbling to himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that the council is in fact willing to negotiate,¡± the gnome said calmly, ¡°however, you must understand that a single gold will make little difference in the workers lives. Why, rent alone is five gold a month for a single room. Even with the increase you¡¯d need three workers to a room for them to be able to afford that, when you factor in utilities and food. Why Mr Millicent¡¯s workers only earn one gold per week at the moment. Surely you can see why we have such an issue with this treatment?

    ¡°I believe the only way to live in a truly fair society is to share the wealth. Public ownership of business is the pinnacle of social development. There¡¯s no room for greed if we are all sharing, all working for the greater good. Though of course, currently we¡¯re only asking that you give your employees shares so that they might use them to retire one day. Doing so would align your interests with theirs as they¡¯d have stakes in the company and so wish to see it do well.¡±

    ¡°So you wish to take what¡¯s ours?¡± Milicent said in an icy tone, ¡°you demand shared ownership in the businesses that we built from the ground up? In a civilised society, gnome, we call that theft.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t his dad do the building and he just inherited it?¡± Bell said in a purposefully loud whisper which earned her a slight laugh from Rex, a smile from the catonid in the beret, and a scathing glance from every member of the council.

    ¡°No,¡± Milicent said, standing up and pacing behind his colleagues. ¡°I simply won¡¯t stand for it. You can¡¯t seriously expect to come in here and bend us over a barrel like this. What do you take us for, common trollops?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a big enough mouth for one,¡± Rex sneered, ¡°you could fit at least three cock-¡±

    ¡°Rex!¡± The gnome hissed, cutting off the lycanid who shrank down in his chair slightly.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to make any concessions Mr Millicent,¡± Freja interjected, ¡°then why agree to these talks at all?¡±

    ¡°So that we can finally put an end to this silly public dissonance,¡± he replied, a half-smile appearing on his face. ¡°In fact, Adventure Society has done us a huge favour in bringing the communist leadership here, all in one room¡­ Arrest them!¡±

    On command the elevator appeared in the centre of the room and a group of mean-looking mercenaries in fancy armour stormed in.

    ¡°Coward!¡± Rex roared as the sell swords swooped towards him.

    However, before Rex could act, the catonid in the green beret, who had been silent so far, leaped across the table dagger in hand.

    Fredrick screamed as she drove the point of her blade through his solar plexus and the room turned to chaos as council members dived from their chairs and moved back to the wall.

    I jumped from my own chair, drawing my bow from my inventory and turning it towards the advancing mercenaries. However, before I could nock an arrow I felt something hard punch me in the face.

    I flew across the room, landing besides Freja as a smiling, scarred sell sword looked at me, licking his lips. Another one held a long sabre to Bell¡¯s throat and began frog marching her and Panda towards us.

    I felt rumbling in my shoulder as Asmodeus tensed up and growled. I considered letting him lose on the mercenaries but thought better of it as I saw my other companions¡¯ actions.

    Sally didn¡¯t make any attempt to draw her oversized blade, which sat on her back and joined, us without resistance. I felt my insides boil as I watched her compliance. I knew we were supposed to be neutral but this farce was anything but that.

    The air besides me felt heavy and I turned in time to see Freja conjure a portal around the dagger wielding catonid¡¯s neck. Her head disappeared as the magic dispersed and her body dropped to the floor with a wet clunk as blood gushed from her neck.

    ¡°No!¡± Rex growled, throwing a guard off him as three more piled onto his back, successfully forcing his hands into huge metal cuffs.

    The gnome sat silently in his seat the entire time. Watching the debacle with sad eyes.

    I stood up, raising my bow but Freja put a steady hand out in front of me, preventing me from aiming at anyone.

    ¡°Kaleb don¡¯t,¡± she said, looking at me with tired eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t our fight.¡±

    Like hell it¡¯s not! You got involved. I thought, but the words wouldn¡¯t come.

    As I looked into her beautiful face I could see the hidden rage. Yet she controlled it so gracefully. Surely she must have something else up her sleeve, or was she just as corrupt as the rest? I honestly didn¡¯t know, but if there was one thing above all else that I could read in her expression, it was the knowledge that to defy her would mean my death.

    ¡°That is quite right director,¡± Fredrick said, standing up, downing a healing potion and brushing off his suit as the fighting subsided. ¡°And I¡¯ll see to it that your guild is amply compensated for maintaining its neutrality in all this. As for you gnome, it seems that you have been well and truly bested.¡±

    He took his seat back at the table and a few other council members joined him. Ernest Regina had gone as pale as a ghost, but he recovered quickly, if silently.

    Rex was dragged into the elevator by a group of burly mercenaries, he fought them all the way but even he was no match for their strength.

    Two more stood behind the gnome threateningly and my team, Sally and Freja were left standing near the window, well and truly out of the fight.

    ¡°You see gnome,¡± Fredrick continued, ¡°money is power and I used my power to hire the famous Everett Company. No doubt you¡¯ve heard of them?¡±

    I looked around blankly, and the gnome stayed silent.

    ¡°They¡¯re a famous group of mercenaries, jade soul and above only. We¡¯d have never beaten them.¡± Sally said through gritted teeth and I felt my anger at her dissipate as I saw her contorted face.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Millicent said gleefully, ¡°so now, gnome, you¡¯re going to tell your people to get back to work and then you¡¯re going to rot in a jail cell until we decide what to do with you.¡±

    The gnome looked deeply into Fredrick¡¯s eyes for a long moment and then began to smile.

    His demeanour changed drastically as he tipped his head back and belly laughed in a high pitched, squeaky voice. Millicent¡¯s face reddened as he stared at the hysterical little man.

    ¡°How foolish you are to think that you¡¯ve won, why, because you hired a few famous mercs?¡± The gnome began, regaining his composure as the nasty smile split his face. ¡°We have an army of workers that vastly outnumber you and your sell swords. Though, I must admit Kaleb,¡± he turned towards me and I saw his eyes had turned completely black. ¡°You have done me a service as well, by placing the entire council in one room. Like fish in a barrel.¡±

    He shot a meaningful look at Callum who frowned.

    ¡°Cease this nonsense,¡± Ernest said, speaking up for the first time since the fighting began. ¡°Your threats are cheap gnome; how do you plan to hurt us when you¡¯re flanked by armed men with no allies anywhere near here?¡±

    ¡°How easily you all forget,¡± he said in a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ve said it plenty of times. Gnomes are a hive mind species, losing one vessel is akin to shedding some hair. Deadly¡­ explosive¡­ hair.¡±

    Jumping up onto his seat the gnome¡¯s body began to glow with a bright orange light which only intensified with the voracity of his mad cackling.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Fredrick shouted, ¡°kill him, kill him now!¡±

    The mercenaries flanking the gnome raised their swords, and then he exploded.

    BOOM!

 BOOK 3: Chapter 136 â€“ Panda Vision 2: The Fire Mage Strikes Back (A Recap Story)

    ¡°Hi everyone and welcome to Panda Vison! The only talk show where your host is a both a Panda and a sage daemon.

    ¡°Joining me tonight is a close friend of mine, a superstar of the adventuring community who has warmed our hearts with their quirky personality and dedication to their favourite type of magic. I know her as the annoying second member of our Dissonant Flame party, but you probably just know her as Bell. Welcome to the show!¡±

    The crowd cheered loudly as the scarlet robed fire mage trotted across the stage, waving with both hands, to take a seat next to Panda.

    ¡°Hi Panda, hi everyone,¡± she said with enthusiasm, ¡°it¡¯s so good to be here. I have always dreamed of being a guest on a talk show. Though I have to say, I am a little disappointed that you don¡¯t have a jazz band.¡±

    ¡°We used to,¡± Panda replied, ¡°but after Sally destroyed the set during the last show we had to make some cutbacks. The cost of living crisis affects us all and late night television doesn¡¯t pay for itself.

    ¡°So, moving on¡­ I¡¯d like to start off the show with a little video I¡¯ve prepared to explain the events that happened leading up to Kaleb and I meeting you during the adventurer exams. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°I say, roll the film!¡±

    Two Books Ago, In A Memory Far, Far Away¡­ (Book 1 Recap):

    Kaleb woke up naked in a palm tree jungle. He wasn¡¯t expecting this, having fallen asleep in the cab of his truck the night before.

    A system message explained that he had been isekai¡¯d to another world called Celestia and that he had a new tattoo on his back which was part of a cosmic treasure map.

    Kaleb adventured through the jungle killing stag monsters, cultists and getting a series of snarky and often passive aggressive system messages along the way.

    After being captured by a group of cultists our hero managed to break free but in doing so, he accidentally killed an outworlder named Brad and adsorbed his map piece.

    Soon after this he met a strange god named Chrysus who seemed to have a vested interest in getting Kaleb to work for him, but Kaleb is an atheist so he declined the offer, much to the god¡¯s dismay.

    Kaleb then summoned a demon, which actually turned out to be a daemon, named Panda and the two of them escaped the cultists and found their way to Havar.

    In Havar, Kaleb joined the Adventure Society, met people of difference races, finally got some clothes, and embarked on a series of three quests which he had to complete in order to take the exam to become a fully-fledged adventurer.

    The first quest had him team up with a muscle-bound catonid named Sally. The trio ventured to a little-known island and murdered their way into the Goblin King Coronation ceremony.

    The self-proclaimed charismatic Panda convinced the goblins that he and his team were foreign goblins who had travelled there to take part in the tournament. Somehow the ruse worked and Sally managed to convince the goblins to allow her to take part in a battle royale.

    She nearly won this battle but was defeated until Kaleb ruined the tournament and breached the safe zone rules by killing the other competitor. As you can imagine, this mightily pissed off the enraged crowd who chased Kaleb through the mountain whilst he fled with an unconscious, and very heavy, catonid on his back.

    Kaleb fought valiantly at the literal edge of a cliff until Director Lucas swooped in at the last second, saving the trio and taking them back to Havar.

    In his next quest Kaleb wandered the local sewers, killing all the slime who lived there including taking on a slime queen and just about surviving. In the process he was stuck with a weird communist torch which made other economic groups dislike him and he once again lost all of his clothes.

    His meditation techniques were coming on nicely by this point as well, a little too nicely if you ask the system. Through meditation, Kaleb managed to forcibly increase his stamina and was warned that if he tried this again he would die. He learnt a lesson that even the youngest Celestians know: never piss off the system.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    He was also invited to take part in a tournament to decide who would be Chrysus¡¯ next high priest, an offer he promptly declined.

    Having raised enough money for his dream armour, by murdering slimes, Kaleb returned to an armourer who he had made a deal with and collected his prize.

    Soon after he embarked on the last of his three quests which took him to another island where he met a dryad child in an abandoned village which seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. The dryad led him into a tower where a strange magic activated and he found himself in the middle of The Orcish Inquisition where he was forced to watch the young dryad and her mother be brutally murdered by a callous orc.

    Seeing such a tragedy, and with his pregnant wife never far from his mind, Kaleb had a bit of a mental breakdown and unlocked a strange and powerful soul attack which he used to torture and tear apart the orcish aggressor.

    In his mind, he couldn¡¯t distinguish between the dryad and his own family who were likely still back on Earth.

    Director Lucas and another God named Diako were watching this incident and it seemed like Diako was happy with the development. This odd god has been pulling some kind of strings behind the scenes, probably, it wasn¡¯t always clear¡­ but something was definitely going on there.

    Upon returning to the Adventure Society, Kaleb was promptly told that his examination would start immediately.

    Continuation of PandaVision Episode 2 (book 2 recap):

    ¡°So Bell,¡± Panda said, taking a sip from a white coffee mug which said: World¡¯s Best TV Show Host on it, ¡°now you¡¯ve heard about Kaleb¡¯s life before he met you, why don¡¯t you fill our lovely audience in on what happened after you met?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she began wistfully, ¡°it was a warm summer¡¯s day in Havar when I was asked to take the adventurer¡¯s exam-¡±

    ¡°Let me stop you right there,¡± Panda said, reaching over and patting Bell¡¯s leg patronisingly with his paw. ¡°This isn¡¯t a lifetime TV movie, try to keep it brief.¡±

    The fireball mage gave Panda a deadpan glance before continuing:

    ¡°We took the exam together; the quest was a classic: kill a dragon. Though of course, things are never that simple. After trekking through the palm tree jungle for what seemed like forever we eventually discovered that the dragon in question was at the level cap and it royally kicked our asses before destroying half of Havar.

    ¡°In the end, Kaleb managed to defeat it using that weird soul power of his but only after Director Lucas weakened it. Then we met a king and got rewards, I got to wear this beautiful ball gown and everyone was looking at me with lustful expressions, even the women¡­ especially the women-¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting something pretty important¡­¡± Panda interrupted.

    Bell stared at him with a blank expression before shrugging her shoulders.

    ¡°I literally died!¡± He shouted.

    ¡°Did you?¡± Bell replied, ¡°then how are hosting this show? Is this heaven?¡±

    ¡°More like hell,¡± Panda murmured. ¡°I¡¯m here because Kaleb re-summoned me with the help of a shit tonne of money and the king¡¯s court mage.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Bell said, taking over, ¡°and that was around about the time when I got kidnapped by the Morningstar Collective. Kaleb rescued me and we met this cool international man of mystery in a 90¡¯s trench coat. He had a gun. I liked him.

    ¡°Then we flew on Sally¡¯s ship to a weird system worshipping island where we fought a kraken, twice, and was attacked by an entire town of zealots led by an elder litch.¡±

    ¡°We certainly did,¡± Panda said, ¡°and if I remember correctly you and Kaleb indiscriminately slaughtered an entire town to save me from being sacrificed by those creeps.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯d do it again!¡± Bell said, lighting flames on her fingertips excitedly. ¡°In fact, the litch was so powerful that we all nearly died at the end until Kaleb used a chaos seed to summon a demon who got rid of it for us.

    ¡°Then my favourite part happened. We got to meet Asmodeus the dragon. The demon lord disappeared leaving behind a small fragment of himself as an egg which Kaleb soul bonded with to hatch it. Thanks to that my cute little friend was born!¡±

    ¡°Actually, I was born centuries ago-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re old news Furball,¡± Bell said with a wink, ¡°what happened after that?¡±

    ¡°We finally arrived on the continent to find it on the verge of civil war.¡± Panda said, taking over once more. ¡°Director Lucas asked us to travel to Castalor to warn his father of an assassination attempt, which is why we were there in the first place. However, the gates were blocked by protestors and Director Freja gave us a quest to put a stop to them.

    ¡°That was when we got sucked into running around town like a bunch of tools trying to set up a negotiation between the communists and the capitalists. And that¡¯s pretty much where our next story starts, in a room at the top of the Ivory Tower.

    ¡°The capitalists betrayed everyone, surprise, surprise, and ambushed us with hired mercenaries who captured the gnome and his communist friends, putting an end to the hostilities. Well, that was until the gnome blew up.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah that¡¯s right,¡± Bell said, nodding slowly. ¡°Mr Gnome went all suicide bomber on us.¡±

    ¡°Yup¡­ I wonder how we¡¯ll get out of this one?¡± Panda said, copying the slow nod.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Bell asked, ¡°isn¡¯t that happening right now?¡±

    ¡°It certainly is¡­¡± Panda replied, still nodding slowly in a self-satisfied reverie at having finally completed a show without any disastrous interruptions.

    ¡°THEN WHY THE HELL ARE WE DOING A TALK SHOW!¡± Bell screamed, standing up and knocking her chair over.

    The audience began clapping as Panda¡¯s eyes went wide and he too jumped up from his seat.

    ¡°Oh shit, I guess that¡¯s all we have time for folks, I¡¯ll see you next time!¡± He said as the familiar red curtains closed across the stage.

    ¡°WE¡¯RE ALL GONNA DIE!¡± Bell screamed.

 Chapter 137 â€“ The Fundamentals of Gravity

    In movies people often talk about their lives flashing before their eyes in their final moments, and in a sense I guess that¡¯s true.

    As the grinning gnome blew up in front of me, the whole world seemed to slow down ¨C and I hadn¡¯t even activated my Perception of The Apex Predator skill.

    Before my very eyes, snippets of my life played out, but not in quick, romanticised scenes resembling clips from a flashback episode. No, it was more akin to snapshots from a polaroid camera. Single moments in time, images of important events plucked from my mind seemingly at random.

    A highlight reel of my life.

    I saw my mother the first time she told me we¡¯d be fine on our own after one of her failed relationships ended. I saw my friends in high school celebrating after I¡¯d scored the winning goal for our school football club. I saw the day I threw my desktop computer through my boss¡¯ window after he¡¯d told me I wasn¡¯t getting paid for all the overtime I¡¯d been forced to put in over the Christmas period.

    If I wasn¡¯t about to die I¡¯d have laughed at that memory, quitting that job was when my life on Earth had really begun.

    Shortly afterwards I met my wife.

    Layla, the love of my life. A woman who could keep up with the drinking and the banter. She was so amazing. When the snapshot of her entered my mind it was a frozen moment in time, the perfect moment: the day I proposed.

    I was so nervous I nearly chickened out, but before I had time to properly reminisce the next photo entered my brain: the day she told me she was pregnant. Then regret, anger, frustration.

    Was everything I¡¯d been through in Celestia all for nothing? I¡¯d had plenty of near-death experiences since arriving in this world but this was the first one where I¡¯d felt so completely and utterly out of control.

    No potion or quick thinking was going to save me. A fucking gnome was exploding with the force of a¡­ I don¡¯t know, science isn¡¯t my strong suit, but¡­ the force of a giant fucking bomb, right in my face.

    I felt helpless, and if there was one thing I hated more than overcooked steak, it was feeling like I wasn¡¯t in control of my own life. That was the reason I¡¯d left my corporate job to become a self-employed wagon driver. It was the driving force behind all the time I¡¯d spent trying to level up so that I could reunite with my family.

    So, as I looked around at the other helpless, screaming, shocked faces. I felt nothing but disgust and anger.

    Anger at myself for being in this situation in the first place. Anger at that stupid gnome for blowing us all sky high. Anger at Freja for allowing it to happen despite being one of the strongest people in the city of Cali Port.

    But mostly, I was angry at Fredrick Millicent.

    If he hadn¡¯t hired those mercenaries to steamroll the negotiations then the gnome wouldn¡¯t have gone all suicide bomber on us. His relatives were arseholes too, but that was beside the point.

    So, as I flew backwards through the air from the force of the explosion, gnome guts and limbs rocketing out in all directions. I decided to make my last moment count. I gave into selfish desire and pulled out my bow as I activated Perception of The Apex Predator, stopping time for a mere second, and shot that self-adsorbed bellend right in his inbred, oddly angular face.

    The arrow exploded from my bow with the full might of a Soul Shot powered attack and entered through his bulbous nose, exiting out of the back of his skull and bringing chunks of brain and bone with it.

    I knew that it was futile. We were all going to die regardless of my final actions. However, if you¡¯re going to die anyway, you may as well do what makes you happy in your final moments and nothing could have made me happier than the feeling I got from ending his life.

    My time skill ended and suddenly everything sped up.

    I felt the force of the explosion, the heat of the flames as I resigned myself to my fate. Then I heard a voice.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Hold on human, it¡¯s going to be a bumpy ride!¡± Asmodeus shouted as he activated some kind of skill.

    A bubble erupted around us, encasing Bell, Freja, Panda, Sally and me. It looked like a huge foam bubble, the kind that could be found in little plastic bottles at any child¡¯s birthday party. It glimmered and sheened in its sudsy goodness as the fire from the blast parted and filled in the area around us.

    ¡°What the-¡± I began, but then remembered the bubble shield skill he had picked up when he went all vampire dragon on the captain of the guard.

    I knew that new power was OP! I thought, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as we were blasted out of the penthouse suite window, a sea of orange and red flames licking at our unlikely transport as we soared above the cityscape.

    After I¡¯d helped the communists by setting up this failed negotiation, I¡¯d unlocked a power for Asmodeus as a quest reward.

    Leech Life ¨C Adsorb another creature¡¯s power and use it as your own by draining their life force. Only one skill can be stored at a time. Excess power will be used as nourishment to enhance the overall stats of the wielder.

    Immediately afterwards he¡¯d attacked a powerful guard captain, who¡¯d been duelling with Sally, and managed to steal a copy of one of his skills. The dragon had told me it was a bubble shield, but I¡¯d had no idea it would be like this.

    ¡°Azzy I fucking love you!¡± I screamed, joy overcoming me as overdose levels of dopamine coursed through my veins.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Azzy, human!¡± The dragon protested, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, that¡¯s our thing.¡± He looked meaningfully at Bell who was grinning and flapping her arms in the air as we soared through the sky.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re all getting along,¡± Panda shouted to be heard over the rushing wind that surrounded our bubble, ¡°but I think you¡¯re forgetting the fundamentals of gravity.¡±

    ¡°And the fundamentals of bubbles,¡± Sally said, casting a wide-eyed stare back towards the Ivory Tower.

    I followed her gaze and saw huge chunks of glass and metal shrapnel cascading from the penthouse suite. It was about to rain death on everything below us, and those sharp edges looked like the natural enemy of our little bubble shield.

    Oh, shit.

    ¡°Azzy, can you fly this thing?¡± Bell shouted.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he responded, ¡°it¡¯s a shield not a mode of transportation. Stupid humans and their idiotic questions.¡±

    We began losing height, but it was gradual and not my chief concern. The bigger issue was the flaming, jagged pieces of shrapnel that were chasing us like heat seeking missiles through the sky over the inner-city circle.

    ¡°So, out of interest,¡± I began, ¡°what level would you need to be to survive a fall from this height?¡±

    ¡°Over the level cap at least,¡± Panda replied, grimacing as he stared at me with wide, concerned eyes.

    ¡°Well, at least Freja will survive,¡± I muttered and caught her glancing scarlet eyes and the slight frown on her midnight purple lips.

    POP.

    I barely had time to crane my neck towards the sound of glass penetrating our bubble before gravity took hold of me with its bear hug-like grip.

    Wind rushed around me and I felt my ears pop like on an aeroplane flight. I could no longer hear anyone, though I could see Bell falling with an open mouth. Knowing her she was screaming like one would on a roller coaster.

    Panda¡¯s arms and legs were flailing, almost as if he was trying to control the freefall like a skydiver, his cheeks wobbled violently in the wind and his lips were pulled all the way back revealing pearly white teeth and pink gums.

    Sally sprang into action the moment the bubble popped, unsheathing her oversized, black sword and holding it in a pose that looked like an attack move. The tip of the blade pointed downwards as she held onto it from above and it began glowing red.

    Was she attempting to channel a skill to mitigate the damage?

    Copying her idea, because I had literally no clue what else to do to try and fight my fate, I summoned my bow and began channelling a soul shot.

    I nocked an arrow tightly onto the draw string and it glowed bright green, with a tinge of black as I focused on channelling all of my stamina into the shot.

    It could work.

    Every time I used the skill I was hit with a backdraft from the force of the arrow leaving the drawstring. It had taken me ages to finally be able to hold myself still after firing.

    Perhaps, if I was really lucky, that backdraft would counteract the force of gravity and allow me to hit the ground softer and survive. It was a long shot of course, but I didn¡¯t have a lot of options.

    To my side, Sally was picking up speed. She looked like a meteor as she rocketed towards me, shrouded in red flames and aura that almost blinded my dragon¡¯s eye.

    I couldn¡¯t see Asmodeus but he could fly, so I wasn¡¯t really worried about him.

    On my other side I saw Panda flapping his arms desperately towards me. He must have known that the sky wasn¡¯t a swimming pool, even if his front crawl was immaculate. I didn¡¯t even know that pandas could swim.

    I waited as long as I could, though the ground was approaching fast. Then, as soon as I felt Panda¡¯s fur touch my neck I released my shot.

    The arrow exploded form my bow, slowing me down momentarily, as Sally streamed passed me at an impressive speed.

    Though the soul shot had slowed me down momentarily, the ground still seemed to be heading towards us way too fast. It was a long shot, but a part of me had genuinely thought it might work.

    At the speed Sally was going, she was likely to crack the ground and cause an earthquake. Not that it would affect us when we were mushy skin pancakes on the concrete.

    Without warning, a huge, purple circle erupted from the ground, its surface was shimmering like a crystal-clear lake.

    My arrow shot through it, followed by Sally and then Panda and I barrelled in behind them.

 Chapter 138 â€“ Speaking In Fallacy

    I hated the feeling I got when I passed through a personal portal. This was my third time now and, though it got slightly easier each time, it still made me feel sick and disorientated.

    This portal was the worst yet.

    I fell through it at a decent speed thanks to our free fall, but when I exited it I shot out of the other side horizontally, hitting the pavement like a skimming stone as I bounced and rolled across the ground.

    My head was spinning, my body ached, the skin from my knees was practically rubbed down to the bone even with my armour covering it.

    It felt like I¡¯d been hit by a truck, or flicked by Asmodeus the demon lord like Clive the elder litch once was.

    But, I was alive, and all things considered, I guess it was worth it.

    BANG!

    A loud sound like a demolition came from nearby and I looked towards it just in time to see Sally and her oversized blade bulldoze their way through the nearby skyscraper.

    CRASH!

    The building looked unsteady as she disappeared through a catonid sized hole and a cacophony of other destructive sounds followed.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to be in so much trouble when Freja gets here,¡± Panda said with a groan as he rolled onto his backside and sat rubbing his head.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I began.

    My arrow! I thought suddenly as my senses began to return.

    Just before we¡¯d fallen into the portal I¡¯d fired off a soul shot to try and slow down my fall. That meant that the first bang I¡¯d heard was probably from me.

    I¡¯d fired a destructive bolt of acid infused power straight into a skyscraper, and then Sally and her sword had followed suit.

    I knew that acid melted most things, but could it melt magically enhanced steel beams?

    CREAK¡­

    That would be a yes.

    ¡°Look out!¡± I screamed, scooping up Panda and making a mad dash back towards the portal.

    My legs were shaky and my HP was running dangerously low so I mentally clicked on a healing potion in my inventory as I ran.

    Suddenly I was swept off my feet and practically close lined, as Bell came barrelling out of the portal headfirst.

    We fell to the ground, rolling in a tangled ball of limbs, hair and fur and came to a stop a few feet further back than I¡¯d been when I started.

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Bush Did It

    Steel beams¡­ jet fuel¡­ need I say more? Toppling a skyscraper is no easy feat.

    Reward: Conspiracy Loot Box

    I pushed the notification to one side, I could deal with it later.

    ¡°Thanks for trying to catch me,¡± Bell said in a dazed voice, ¡°I guess it actually didn¡¯t hurt too badly when I fell from heaven.¡±

    CREAK¡­

    I heard the stomach flopping noise again and craned my neck towards the nearby skyscraper as its lower floors began to emit steam and its upper floors began to wobble.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± I panted, but it was too late.

    The building imploded.

    Floors crashed downwards as the ground floor¡¯s structural support could no longer hold the weight above it. Dust bellowed out, forming a kind of mushroom cloud as tiny bits of rubble buffeted my face and eyes.

    I held up my arm to my face, attempting to shield myself from the worst of it, but it barely made a difference as sharp pieces of broken glass and building materials sliced my skin.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Panda shouted from underneath me, ¡°what did you do?¡±

    ¡°I think it was my arrow,¡± I replied.

    ¡°This is so cool!¡± Bell hollered excitedly.

    We waited, huddled in a pile on the ground as dust and shrapnel pelted us, obscuring my vision. The noise was deafening, though I could hear screams and shouts emanating from the general direction of the skyscraper.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    I wondered where Sally was and hoped dearly that she wasn¡¯t inside the imploding building.

    Oddly, as we huddled up, pressing ourselves into the ground for dear life, I felt some kind of relief.

    I was alive.

    A moment ago I was falling to my death after a suicide bomber had blown himself up. Now, though I may have been in grave danger which I may have been the cause of, but I was alive.

    The dust began to settle after a few moments and I disentangled myself from Bell and Panda and sat up. My skin was sliced all over and I was bleeding and sore, but I was alive and it seemed the worst had passed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we survived all that,¡± Bell giggled as she sat up, leaning back on her hands and gazing open mouthed into the sky.

    She blinked twice and I followed her gaze to see a dazzling rainbow of colour glimmering above us.

    ¡°We might not survive that,¡± Panda said as he too looked skywards.

    The glimmering lightshow above us seemed to be getting closer and that was when I realised that it was a huge shard of glass which was refracting light from the sun.

    It¡¯s a mega-guillotine¡­ I thought, sighing as the huge piece of falling sharpness neared us, I¡¯m not even surprised anymore.

    ¡°Fireball!¡± Bell yelled enthusiastically, raising a single palm to the sky and firing off a radiant, orange flame.

    It impacted the glass which exploded into tiny shards of pretty death which rained down around us like painful snow.

    I flinched as a few of the pieces imbedded themselves into the parts of my skin that weren¡¯t protected by my armour, but for the most part I came out ok.

    ¡°I wander what¡¯s going to try and kill us next,¡± Bell began, ¡°maybe a nuclear bomb, or an exploding gnome¡­ oh wait.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯ll be an extremely pissed off Adventure Society director,¡± Freja¡¯s stern voice rang out from behind us as she emerged from her portal looking as if she¡¯d just stepped onto a catwalk.

    Her scarlet hair was fashionably tussled and she seemed entirely unharmed.

    Level cappers must have skin like steel, I though as my jaw drooped open slightly.

    ¡°Good job staying alive human,¡± Asmodeus said as he hovered behind her, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to die until I can devour your soul. Which means you are under my protection until such a time as my full powers can be returned to me.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I muttered, climbing to my feet and brushing building dust and glass shards from my armoured pants.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sally,¡± Freja growled as she strutted towards us, ¡°she¡¯d better still be alive.¡±

    ¡°She flew through that building before it imploded,¡± Panda answered, gingerly picking bits of glass out of his fur.

    ¡°That building,¡± Freja said through gritted teeth, ¡°was the Adventure Society building. My home¡­ urg, if that gnome wasn¡¯t already in pieces he¡¯d be about to be.¡±

    The director stormed off in the direction of the building, cracking the pavement as she stomped.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem best pleased,¡± Asmodeus observed as he landed on my shoulder.

    ¡°I thought I recognised this street,¡± Bell muttered to herself as she gazed in the direction of the ruined skyscraper. ¡°I hope she¡¯s still going to give us our mobile base. We did technically complete the quest.¡±

    A few days earlier Freja had given us a quest with a reward that the others were quite excited about. We needed to travel a long way to get to Castalor at the request of Director Lucas Regina of Havar, and in their minds, a mobile base equalled a luxury transport that would take us there.

    I was a little more sceptical.

    Emergency Quest:

    Put Down That Pickaxe

    Civil unrest had erupted across Cali Port between the capitalist and the communist factions. Find a way to stop the madness before someone gets hurt.

    Objectives:

    Stop the protests: 1/1

    Reward: A mobile Base for your team.

    Speak to Adventure Society personnel to hand in this quest and receive your reward.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said slowly, ¡°it looks like the quest has been completed, but we might want to wait for Freja to calm down before we cash it in.¡±

    ¡°Good idea, kid,¡± Panda replied as we stared after her silhouetted figure.

    My dragon¡¯s eye flared as power radiated out of her like a fifty-foot warning sign. She was definitely pissed.

    ¡°Can you hear that?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°Hear what?¡± I asked.

    We all stood silently for a few moments and then my ears began to pick up on something. It sounded squeaky, like tiny screams in the distance.

    That was when it suddenly occurred to me just how empty the street was. Usually the area outside the Adventure Society building was a bustling hive of activity. It was right in the centre of the business district and there was a slew of shoppers and commuters going about their business at almost any time of the day.

    Yet right now, it was deserted.

    There weren¡¯t even any curious locals turning up to see the ruins of the skyscraper.

    Suddenly I heard something much closer, the sound of a manhole grating against the concrete. I turned my head towards the sound and saw a group people climbing out of the sewers.

    First I saw a catonid, and then a few gnomes, then a garuda flew out behind them, cackling as she soared high above the city.

    ¡°Today is finally the day comrades!¡± One of the gnomes shouted in a squeaky voice. ¡°The revolution is nigh, seize the means of production, execute the bourgeoisie, Cali Port will be ours!¡±

    The group cheered and began running off in all directions as even more of them emerged from the sewer. I knew that a lot of the communist group had been living in the Under-Slums, which was their name for a shanty town they had built in the sewers, but this seemed like it was planned.

    ¡°Comrade!¡± The loud gnome said as he spotted us and hobbled towards me. ¡°You survived!¡±

    ¡°How would you know that we had to survive something?¡± I asked, ¡°was the bombing planned? You nearly killed us!¡±

    ¡°That was¡­ unfortunate,¡± the gnome began, playing nervously with his hands, ¡°however, a backup plan was needed just in case and-¡±

    Before I knew what had come over me I kicked the little guy hard in the stomach and he flew backwards into the side of a nearby building with a little squeak reminiscent of a dog¡¯s chew toy.

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I shouted after him. ¡°We helped you and you rewarded us by blowing me up! Fuck you and fuck communism and this whole shitty town!¡±

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Panda said, grabbing my trouser leg as I advanced on the dazed gnome.

    ¡°You know what,¡± I continued, too angry to stop myself. ¡°I hope your revolution fails and you¡¯re all hanged. You¡¯re just a bunch of crazy terrorists hiding behind some fluffy worded, ideological bullshit.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Panda tried again, a little more urgently this time.

    ¡°I bet you don¡¯t even care what happens to these people do you? I think this whole thing was a desperate power grab, because that¡¯s what your kind always want isn¡¯t it? You speak in fallacy and use people¡¯s better nature to appeal to their sense of justice and get them onside, when in reality all you really want is to create some warped cult of personality that puts you on top where you can blow us up or send us to your gulags. Well I¡¯m sick of it-¡±

    ¡°KALEB!¡± Panda shouted, jumping up and backhanding me in the face.

    ¡°WHAT?¡± I shouted back, finally turning away from the dazed gnome.

    ¡°I think you might have upset them¡­¡± He said, and as I looked around I realised that we were surrounded by a large, angry-looking group of Under-Slums dwellers with weapons.

 Chapter 139 â€“ Wow, Heâ€™s Vicious

    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a lot of big guys surrounding us,¡± Bell commented as we all nervously glanced around the growing circle of weapon wielding communists. ¡°If my complexion was any lighter this would look just like that meme with girl on the couch. You know the bukk-¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± I said, holding up a palm to silence her, ¡°you don¡¯t need to explain.¡±

    ¡°But jokes are funnier when you explain them,¡± she pouted, ¡°though from the looks on their faces there might not be enough time to make any more, hope you guys are ready to throw down¡­ on your Marx¡­¡±

    Before she had chance to finish the rest of that joke the gnome I¡¯d punted jumped up from the floor and charged towards me wielding a comically large axe.

    I drew my dagger, but before I had the chance to use it Asmodeus swept down from my shoulder and grabbed the little guy¡¯s arms with his sharp claws.

    With extremely precise agility, he flew upwards as the gnome squealed and began desperately trying to hit the dragon with the flat side of his axe.

    As the rest of us watched, Asmodeus jerked to the side, knocking the gnome¡¯s aim off, and continued to gain altitude.

    ¡°For a little guy, he¡¯s certainly feisty,¡± Panda observed, placing a paw over his eyes to block out the sunlight as he stared upwards.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°Maybe you should take a page out of his book,¡± I replied, ¡°we could always use another combatant in the team.¡±

    Panda gave me a flat look as we continued to watch the struggling gnome and I wondered if that was what it looked like when a full-sized dragon kidnapped a dwarf for lunch.

    ¡°Cease your squirming little man!¡± Asmodeus shouted as he dodged yet another attempt by the gnome to slap him with the axe. ¡°If you wanted me to let go of you so badly, all you had to do was ask.¡±

    I could see the dragon grinning evilly in my mind¡¯s eye as he said those words and let go of the struggling gnome.

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± He screamed in a shrill, squeaky voice before impacting the ground with a bone crunching splat.

    His body exploded from the fall, arms, legs and head shooting off in all directions, followed by a wave of blood which covered me and some of his horror-struck comrades.

    The gnome¡¯s death signalled the start of the battle, and mere moments after his fall the communists, as if suddenly woken from their slumber, began screaming and charging.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯re doing this,¡± I shrugged, lashing out at the nearest opponent, a busty lycanid.

    My dagger sliced her breastbone and then I ducked as she slashed at the space where my neck had just been with a scimitar.

    Her chest began to bubble, but instead of screaming and casting horrified, wide eyes at me, her fur stood on end and she growled at me before bringing her blade down over my head.

    Surprised, I raised my dagger to block but her blow was strong and forced me onto one knee. Luckily for me, I¡¯d become quite agile in recent weeks and I rolled forward, using the momentum of her attack to knock her off balance, and slashed at the tendons behind her knee.

    She fell to the floor in a heap and I leapt to my feet and moved onto the next opponent: another gnome.

    I kicked him in the face and his neck snapped backwards, then I performed a pirouette and slashed at the windpipe of a catonid with a bow before dropping to my knees to narrowly avoid a swipe from a double headed axe.

    Flames brushed the top of my head as Bell sent a fireball cascading into my attacker who screamed bloody murder as his fur caught alight. He threw himself to the floor and tried to roll to put it out, but I knew that he¡¯d be dead long before those flames were smothered.

    ¡°Gwah!¡± I heard and glanced upwards to see the garuda divebombing towards Panda.

    Part crow, part man, the garuda had jet black wings and feathers where his body hair should be. He swooped downwards, screaming like a man doing a bad bird impression and opened his hands to grab my familiar.

    Instinctively I swapped my dagger for the bow in my inventory and fired off a shot which sailed slightly to the right of my target, embedding itself into the shoulder of a lycanid who was sparring with Bell.

    The garuda closed in on Panda who shouted for help, but just before it could grab him Asmodeus darted in from above, headbutting the garuda on the jaw.

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    Both of them tumbled away to the side as the dragon gnashed his fangs and scratched at the crow man who began bleeding all over.

    Then they soared into the sky to continue their fight up there.

    Wow, he¡¯s vicious, I thought with a smile.

    ¡°You were my comrade, Kaleb!¡±

    I turned towards the squeaky voice to see another gnome, staring up at me with a twisted, pained expression on his face.

    ¡°We were to take this city together! Why have you decided to fight against us, why now?¡± He squealed and aimed a loaded crossbow at my midriff.

    ¡°It¡¯s over Gnome-akin,¡± I shouted back as the fighting continued all around us, ¡°I have the high ground.¡±

    ¡°Short jokes, at a time like this! Really comrade?¡±

    He fired off his bolt which I nimbly dodged before diving forwards and slicing through both of his legs with my dagger, which I¡¯d resummoned.

    The gnome fell to the floor with an agonised squeal and I stepped back, panting as he glared up at me with hateful eyes.

    ¡°There are thousands of us, you can¡¯t kill all of the vessels, adventurer.¡±

    Before I could reply a stray fireball whizzed past me and crashed to the ground around the gnome, splitting the stones and setting his body alight.

    A visceral scream left his lips as he erupted in flames, his skin blackening and his violent eyes staring straight into my soul. I wondered how agonising it must be for a hive mind species to fight like this.

    Since they all shared the same mind, then every death, every horror, every moment of agony must have been felt by all of them. At least for most of us death was a one-time deal. Horrible pain followed by nothing, but for them it must have been like torture.

    I¡¯d have pitied the gnomes if they weren¡¯t so deranged. I like to think of myself as a pretty reasonable guy, but I don¡¯t easily forgive those who exploit my team and then try to murder us.

    The battle continued for a little while longer as I slashed and shot my way through over a dozen communists. My stamina was waning and my health took a few hits, but overall I was doing alright.

    Bell seemed to be enjoying herself at least, and after Asmodeus defeated the garuda we had air support to help mop up the last of the fighters.

    Plunging a dagger deep into the throat of a catonid, I finally allowed myself to drop to the ground. Breathing heavily, I took stock of my stats and saw that I still had half of my HP left, my stamina, on the other hand, was running pretty low so I downed a potion for it.

    ¡°That was fun,¡± Bell gasped as she plonked down next to me. ¡°Nothing like a good scrap to get your blood racing.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± I replied, ¡°I¡¯m just glad none of them were too high levelled. We¡¯re still considered pretty lowly in this place.¡±

    ¡°In terms of adventurers you are,¡± Panda said as he pulled out his bamboo pipe and lit it, ¡°but it¡¯s important to remember that a person¡¯s level doesn¡¯t always equate to their fighting prowess. Take a local blacksmith for example, he could be twice your level due entirely to his crafting ability and have never wielded a weapon in anger in his life. In a case like that you¡¯d probably have the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°I never thought of it like that,¡± I mumbled, ¡°do you think these communists were higher levels than us then?¡±

    ¡°Check your stats and find out,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m not your mother.¡±

    With a slight chuckle I went to open my HUD to look at the notifications I¡¯d been subconsciously waving away as we fought. However, before I had the chance I was interrupted by a loud banging sound.

    Turning my head towards the source of the noise I felt the ground tremble beneath me.

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Panda asked.

    I looked around, and from the corner of my eyes noticed the manhole cover, which led to the Under-Slums, bouncing around on the concrete. With each subterranean bang, the circular cover bounced and clattered against the ground.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think it¡¯s coming from down there,¡± I said, pointing towards the manhole.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix it,¡± Bell said with a smile as she jumped to her feet and wandered towards the cover.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Asmodeus asked.

    ¡°Nothing good,¡± I replied, standing up and bracing myself, ¡°get ready.¡±

    Bell waltzed brazenly towards the entrance to the sewers, her scarlet robe billowing in the pleasant, summer breeze.

    Leaning slightly over the entrance, she held out her hands and sparks tickled the tips of her fingers.

    ¡°Fireball!¡± She roared and a brilliant orange and red flame erupted from her palm, disappearing into the abyss.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Something shouted in a deep sounding, yet oddly familiar voice. ¡°That hurt!¡±

    Bell took a step back and suddenly the ground below our feet began to violently shake and rumble.

    ¡°Bell, get back here!¡± I shouted and she took a few tentative steps backwards.

    That was when the ground beneath the manhole exploded like a volcano as sewer water and earth erupted into the air, covering us in nasty smelling gunk.

    The fireball mage stumbled backwards and I dashed forwards a few steps, pulling her away from the centre of the impact as the ground beneath our feet began falling into the abyss.

    ¡°Is that a sink hole?¡± Panda asked.

    ¡°More like a stink hole,¡± I replied, wrinkling my nose at the vile smell of human waste.

    We kept moving backwards until the floor stopped disintegrating. Standing on the edge of the large, dark hole, we waited in silence.

    ¡°Who burned me?¡± The bassy grumbling voice said from within the hole and, as the dust settled, I got a glimpse of where it came from.

    Standing in the middle of the sink hole was a massive gnome. He looked to be on steroids as his huge arms split his crudely made shirt at the sleeves.

    He was wearing a ripped V-neck and I could clearly see a hammer and sickle tattooed on his bulging chest. A floppy eared Russian hat sat on his head and he quite literally held a hammer in one hand and a sickle in the other.

    As I stared at him in horrified amazement, a notification entered my vision.

    You have discovered a unique creature:

    Proto-Gnome

    The Proto-Gnome is the culmination of centuries of stored rage for an entire species. Gnomes are small and often overlooked and kicked around, the Proto-Gnome is what happens when you step on the little guy one too many times.

    He''s a bruiser, bred to fight, with the knowledge of an entire mistreated species roaming around in his nogging.

    Gnomes are a hive mind after all, and the Proto-Gnome is no exception.

    Oh, also, he¡¯s reached the level cap.

    You are royally fucked.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± I mumbled, swallowing hard.

 Chapter 140 â€“ Level Capper Strength

    The proto-gnome glared up at us from the basin of the sink hole. Broken pipes sprayed foul smelling water and cracked pieces of concrete mixed with stone and rubble as he stood proudly in the centre of the swampy cesspit.

    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± he growled, locking eyes with me as his lips twisted into a contorted frown.

    ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Bell asked in a mock shocked voice, lifting her hand to her lips, ¡°is he an old flame?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I replied slowly, ¡°he¡¯s a gnome, just a really, really big one.¡±

    ¡°We are all gnomes,¡± the proto-gnome growled, ¡°you have hurt us.¡±

    ¡°You literally blew us up!¡± I shouted back, drawing my bow just in case, ¡°I merely kicked a few of your¡­ vessels¡­ It¡¯s not the same.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± he said, pulling his thick leg out of the swampy sewer with his hands, veins bulging through the tears in his brown, sodden shorts. ¡°We are seizing the means of production, we have vanquished the capitalist scum, Cali Port is ours!¡±

    ¡°Well congratulations,¡± I replied dryly, ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be leaving then. Good luck with your new communist utopia or whatever.¡±

    ¡°You attacked us,¡± he continued as if he hadn¡¯t even heard me, ¡°we cannot allow enemies of the state to live.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Panda muttered, ¡°we¡¯ve been through some pretty weird shit but this is-¡±

    Before he could finish, the giant gnome screamed in a deep, booming voice and ripped a piece of thick metal piping out of the sewer hole, flinging it in our direction.

    I shoved Panda out of the way and lost my footing as Bell blasted a fireball at the giant gnome. Slipping down the cesspit banking, I landed in a puddle of dirty sewer water and found myself coughing and spluttering as something heavy collided with my stomach.

    Even in this world with all my stat increases I still felt pain, but it had been a while since I¡¯d been properly winded.

    Looking up I saw the gnome staring down at me, I was laid against his toe, which was larger than my torso. He was even bigger up close.

    My bow was still firmly grasped in my hand and I rolled onto my back, drawing the string. There wasn¡¯t enough elbow room to fully pull it back, but I figured as a distraction technique it might just work.

    Nocking an arrow, I fired a shot into the gnome¡¯s face which sunk into his cheek looking like a toothpick against his oversized head.

    He let out a single, low-pitched laugh and then plucked the arrow from his cheek as if it was merely the end of a relaxing acupuncture session. Then he snapped it between his thumb and forefinger and let it drop to the ground.

    ¡°Puny human,¡± he rumbled, ¡°since you seem to enjoy kicking my vessels so much, let¡¯s see how you like it.¡±

    I knew what was coming, but his foot was so large that even in my attempt to dive out of the way I couldn¡¯t dodge it.

    His meaty toes connected with my ribs, hoisting me off the ground with ease and flinging me into the muddy side wall of the cesspit. I collided with a squelching crack and before my eyes, my HP dropped by about a quarter.

    The pain was blinding and my vision faded momentarily, but I knew I didn¡¯t have time to lick my wounds.

    Up above me Bell began firing a barrage of fireballs into the gnome which buffeted him, but ultimately seemed to do little damage. He was a level capper after all, we may as well have been flies.

    Sitting up caused a shooting pain to ripple through my spine. I did my best to ignore it and raised my bow again, channelling a soul shot. My stamina bar was pretty full thanks to the potion I¡¯d taken earlier, and the gnome was busy being pelted with magical fire, so I allowed myself time to channel in as much energy as I could.

    Firing the shot, I was pushed further into the gunk by the shockwave. The arrow exploded away from me with a sharp crack and blew a hole through the gnome¡¯s chest tattoo.

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    His skin began to bubble and a torrent of blood oozed out of the space where his hammer and sickle tattoo had been only moments ago.

    Howling in pain, he ignored Bell¡¯s onslaught and glared at me with crimson, hateful eyes.

    ¡°That tickled,¡± he grumbled, raising his hammer high above his head and grinning maliciously.

    Oh, shit, I thought as the hammer, which was large enough to block out the sun above us, came rushing down, splitting the air. My dragon¡¯s eye exploded in my head as I saw the powerful aura emanating from the gnome as he used his level capper strength to swing the mighty hammer.

    ¡°Jump!¡± A gruff, familiar voice called out to me and without thinking I heeded the call.

    Imagining my stamina coil pumping energy into my legs, I crouched down slightly and then, as the hammer was about to collide with my face, I jumped as high as I could.

    Wind swished past me as I narrowly avoided the impact, landing on the flat of the hammer itself. This was my moment.

    Channelling all of my agility skill points, I deftly began to run up the handle of the hammer towards the gnome. Drawing my dagger I felt like a ninja from a budget, subtitled movie.

    WOOSH!

    The proto-gnome reacted, swinging the hammer wildly to the side and unseating me from my tightrope run. I was flung from the hammer¡¯s handle and collided with something soft and warm.

    It grunted.

    ¡°Stroke the furry wall,¡± I said dazedly, running my hands over the soft, silky thing I had landed on.

    ¡°Sorry human, but I¡¯m not into interspecies relations.¡±

    Looking up, I saw Rex¡¯s face staring down at me. He looked confused and I was pretty certain that had he not been covered in fur, he would have been sporting quite the double chin.

    ¡°Rex, what are you doing here?¡± I asked dumbly, probably concussed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to work with terrorists,¡± he replied in a growl, ¡°the gnome has gone too far. The capitalists are defeated, yet our army is pillaging the city and hurting people. They¡¯re lynching anyone who was associated with the old regime. It¡¯s anarchy... This is not what I wanted.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d been arrested?¡±

    ¡°The explosion gave me an opportunity to escape, it was anarchy inside the Ivory Tower after that. It¡­ wasn¡¯t what I signed up for. There is no honour in underhanded tactics.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad for the help,¡± I replied as I struggled to peel myself away from the huge lycanid who had softened my landing.

    Looking back, I saw the gnome flinging his sickle around his head like a windmill, deflecting Bell¡¯s continued onslaught of long-range fireball attacks.

    Fire deflected from his blade, spewing out in all directions like a rainstorm in hell. Nearby buildings caught alight and the stench of burning sewage hung thickly in the air smothering my nostrils and making my skin feel slimy.

    ¡°How do we stop him?¡± I asked Rex breathlessly.

    ¡°Like this,¡± he grinned, hoisting a huge double-sided axe from the ground and sprinting towards the monstrosity. ¡°Go for the Achillies!¡± He shouted.

    With a sigh I picked up my dagger, which was covered in green, stinking gunk that clung to my hand like slime, and charged after him.

    I felt a little bit like I was part of a forlorn hope as we ran deftly through the mud and sewage towards an insurmountable enemy. Though, in a way, I¡¯d never felt more alive.

    ¡°For the motherland!¡± The proto-gnome bellowed, smashing his hammer on the ledge above us.

    I heard screaming and Bell¡¯s fire barrage stopped suddenly.

    Rex reached the left leg of the giant gnome and swung around in a semi-circle, using the momentum to slash at the heel of the beast with his giant axe. He looked like a lumberjack as his weapon got wedged in the back of the gnome¡¯s ancle, causing him to sway slightly before swiping at the lycanid with his sickle.

    Meanwhile, I arrived at the back of the right leg. I didn¡¯t have the raw power, or the weaponry to chop into him like a tree. However, I did have acid.

    I began slicing into the monster¡¯s heel as quickly as possible, adding small cuts over and over again, hoping that the acid would stack over time. My shoulders and biceps burnt as I sliced his Achillies tendon like an anime chef chopping vegetables.

    Acid bubbled on his skin and, after a few moments of furious striking, there was more decay than intact skin. Finally, he fell.

    With an earth shuddering crash the proto-gnome toppled to the ground like a felled tree, splashing a wave of sewage over me as his huge body struck the muddy cesspit floor.

    He struggled, thrashing and turning in the mud as he waved his hammer and sickle around madly. Thankfully, from his disadvantageous position he was easy to dodge and I went to work slashing at every part of him I could get hold of.

    I wasn¡¯t going to stop until he was a steaming pile of acid-rotted skin. He was a level capper after all, I had to make sure he didn¡¯t survive this.

    Rex hacked and slashed at the beast¡¯s right arm until it eventually severed shooting blood everywhere and turning the sewer into a crimson puddle.

    The gnome screamed in agony as we attacked it, but it still refused to die. The arm closest to me flew through the air, swiping at me with the sickle and I jumped upwards to dodge.

    Or at least I tried to, that was when my stamina finally ran out and my jump was more like a hop.

    The sickle was about to slice me in two and I had no strength left to move with. It seemed that even toppled and maimed, level cappers were no joke. I¡¯d been careless, allowing my bloodlust to get the better of me.

    ¡°That¡¯s my human!¡± Asmodeus cried and I felt his claws pierce my shoulders with a white-hot pain as I was suddenly yanked upwards. ¡°What did I tell you about staying alive,¡± the dragon scolded me, ¡°your soul is mine to devour. I cannot have it tainted by some ugly gnome creature.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I managed to say through gritted teeth as the pain in my shoulders shot through me like burning lightning.

    Asmodeus¡¯ claws had ripped straight through my skin and were anchored onto my bone. The pain was nauseating, my vision began to fade, and as I looked back at the proto-gnome as it was chopped up by Rex and pounded by a renewed intensity of fireballs, I felt oddly at peace.

 Chapter 141 â€“ Itâ€™s Not A Straight Path Up The Ladder

    I came to just in time to see the end of the fight.

    Rex hacked and slashed but the gnome simply refused to die, the lycanid was sure to run out of steam long before he killed the thing.

    My head pounded and my eyelids felt heavy but I refused to succumb to the darkness, I had to see this through even if I couldn¡¯t be the one to strike the finishing blow.

    As team leader, it was my duty to be there for them.

    Asmodeus had left me safely on the edge of the ridge overlooking the cesspit. He¡¯d then flown back down and proceeded to back Rex up with bubble shields when he could.

    Thrashing like a toddler throwing a tantrum, the proto-gnome smashed through bubble after bubble as my dragon and the lycanid worked tirelessly to end him.

    I couldn¡¯t see Bell; I hoped she was alright. Knowing her she was probably taking a nap; I¡¯d have to ask Panda about it when I could move my mouth again. I saw him waddling towards me, with a concerned expression plastered on his face, in my peripheral vision.

    Blacking out multiple times over the course of the fight, I was woken by screaming over and over again. Every time I opened my eyes I saw Rex and Asmodeus fighting for their lives, the gnome laying in a pool of blood but still as fierce as ever. It was horrifying.

    Eventually, through one of my more lucid hazes, I saw vibrant violet light appear. Multiple portals sprang up all across the gnome¡¯s body, he struggled even harder, and then they closed.

    All that remained was bloodied rags and a large torso. No limbs, no head. His body had been split into pieces and teleported to God knows where.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get them inside,¡± Freja command and my mind was eased knowing that my team was safe.

    ***

    When I eventually came to I was in a medical tent laying on a stretcher, I had no idea how long it had been but I was surrounded by familiar faces.

    Rex loomed over me, Panda and Asmodeus at either side. The lycanid smiled a fangy grin and a droplet of saliva crested my cheek. It was gross.

    ¡°How is everyone?¡± I croaked, my throat was parched and before they answered Panda offered me a drink of water which I gladly gulped down.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s alive, kid,¡± he began, refusing to look me in the eyes. ¡°Bell is still knocked out but she¡¯ll pull through, her wounds weren¡¯t that bad. She took a nasty knock to the head when the gnome¡¯s hammer took out her position. Sally though, she¡¯s not looking so good¡­¡±

    Working almost autonomously, my stomach muscles contracted powerfully and I found myself sitting up, twisting my head around to look for her.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± Rex said in a soft growl, placing a warm, fluffy hand on my shoulder and firmly pushing me back down. ¡°You can see her once you¡¯ve healed, human, the healers are working on her right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I protested, trying and failing to fight against the strength of his large paw. ¡°My HP is full, what if she needs me?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± he said more firmly, ¡°she needs the healers and they¡¯re working on her. You need to be patient.¡±

    Patience was never my strong suit and I opened my mouth a few times to protest but I couldn¡¯t find the words. Sally had always been so strong, a full two ranks above me, and my mentor. How could she be in such bad shape? It just wasn¡¯t feasible.

    ¡°Check your notifications, it¡¯ll take your mind off things,¡± Panda suggested.

    Asmodeus stayed silent, watching me through discerning eyes like a guard dog.

    Nodding, I opened my HUD and to my surprise there were dozens of notifications.

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Bubbles Are Da Bomb

    You survived an explosion powerful enough to take out someone twice your level. Moreover, you did it in a freaking bubble. What the hell, this is not the sort of thing I expected to happen when I designed active skills.

    I get why they say being a dev is so hard now; you players are idiots.

    Reward: Stupid Fucking Loot Box

    Well that¡¯s bound to give me something completely useless and weird, I thought, moving on to the many kill notifications.

    You have defeated: Lycanid (lvl 53)

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    Bonus points awarded due to level disparity.

    You have defeated: Catonid (lvl 32)

    You have defeated: Catonid (lvl 45)

    ¡­

    You have defeated: Proto-Gnome (lvl 100)

    Bonus points awarded due to level disparity.

    Bonus points negated due to not landing the killing blow.

    You will receive partial credit for this kill.

    The list of kill notifications went on for quite a while, I hadn¡¯t realised just how many communists I¡¯d cut down during the fight.

    Most of them were a similar or lower level than I was, which made sense since we¡¯d been outnumbered over ten to one.

    I was under the impression that most people here were stronger than I was, hell, Cali Port even had its own level capper highway to prevent people like me from getting run over by those with vastly more power.

    However, it seemed that even here level cappers were the minority, there was just a lot more of them than there had been in Havar.

    On the island it had just been Director Lucas. He was the only one. Panda had explained that there were a lot more people in this part of the world and naturally that meant the monsters were at a much higher level.

    I wondered how that effected adventuring contracts, I¡¯d have to ask. But first, it was time to read some level up notifications.

    Congratulations! You have reached level 47

    Congratulations! You have reached level 48

    Congratulations! You have reached level 49

    Congratulations! You have reached level 50

    Holy shit! I¡¯ve just hit phase three!

    At first I thought I¡¯d gained four levels in a single fight, but it seemed more likely that I¡¯d levelled up during the group fight and then levelled up more from helping to kill the proto-gnome.

    Either way, I had a bunch of points to allocate and a question to ask.

    ¡°How come phase two level ups are so weird?¡± I asked no one in particular. ¡°It¡¯s like I don¡¯t get any for ages then I get a bunch all at once.¡±

    Rex laughed, patting my head like I was a small child. ¡°Phase two is about the consolidation of power and experience,¡± he explained in a fatherly manner, continuing to pat my head. ¡°It¡¯s not a straight path up the ladder, it¡¯s more like you fight lots of battles, storing up experience and then when you do something to push your limits properly, all that stored experience comes through all at once.¡±

    ¡°Kinda like when I save up my bamboo treats so I can have a snack party in the evening,¡± Panda added.

    ¡°Or when I save the souls of my victims to¡­ actually I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever held off on devouring a soul, they¡¯re simply too scrumptious,¡± Asmodeus said, scratching at his chin with his claw thoughtfully.

    I didn¡¯t really understand what Rex was trying to explain to me, but as long as there was a reason I guessed it didn¡¯t really matter. Besides, halfway through his speech I¡¯d zoned out and began allocating my free points.

    I had twenty to play with, so I decided to split it up a bit and put five into intelligence to help with my armour¡¯s stealth power, five into strength to aid in my stamina which affected both my soul shot strength and my perception of the apex predator time stopping power, as well as aiding my overall fighting strength.

    Finally I placed ten points into vitality because I was pretty certain the fighting was only going to get harder from here on out and you can never have too much HP.

    Maybe I¡¯d have been better off min-maxing when I first got here¡­

    Whilst I allocated points a new notification popped up that I¡¯d completely forgotten about.

    Welcome to phase three player, you¡¯re halfway to being somewhat worth a damn.

    As a reward for your lacklustre efforts, I guess you¡¯re entitled to a new skill. I¡¯m so God damn magnanimous I practically shit candy.

    Choose ONE of the following:

    Pest Control (common)

    Exert more control over your soul bonded familiar(s). Extend your power over them by one extra levelling phase. For example, if you are at phase three, you can now control a soul bonded familiar who is at phase four. (Passive Skill)

    Also:

    You may make a permanent stamina sacrifice to force a soul bonded familiar who is higher than your current threshold to obey one command indefinitely. (Active Skill)

    This skill is stackable, should you opt to take it again.

    This is both a passive and active skill.

    Passive control level: Phase 4

    That was a pretty interesting skill. Having the insurance that I could control Asmodeus even if he outgrew me was massive.

    Sally had warned me repeatedly that he was dangerous and he himself told me he wanted to devour my soul on a daily basis.

    There was nothing sexy about it, but a bit of self-preservation seemed like the sensible option. I wasn¡¯t keen on the active portion of the skill though. Being able to permanently prevent my dragon from eating me was enticing.

    However, the skill left too much unsaid. How much stamina would I have to sacrifice? Not to mention stamina was my main stat when fighting. I needed it for literally everything, so I doubted that I¡¯d ever use the active portion.

    Grimacing as I struggled with my thoughts about what the new skill offered; I decided to read the next one.

    Steroid Junky (rare)

    Once in a 24-hour period increase all stats by 500 points for one minute.

    Badass!

    That sounded more like it, that was so damned OP. I wouldn¡¯t be able to rely on it often but in cases like my run in with Clive the elder litch or the fight with the proto-gnome it could literally be a life saver.

    Also, I was likely to encounter harder and higher levelled monsters once we left Cali Port and hit the trail. Using this skill to take out some level cappers could be a great way to level up quickly.

    The downside was that once I reached the level cap myself this skill likely wouldn¡¯t be as useful. From what I¡¯d gathered, level cappers gained immense power when they crossed over into the soul levels and unlocked jade soul status.

    At that point I doubted 500 points would add much. That made the choice harder, I was effectively getting a cheat code now in return for having a crappy skill later.

    Acid Rain (uncommon)

    Turn your bow into an entire battalion of archers and rain hundreds of acid infused arrows on your enemies like an old timey artillery strike.

    This is a stamina-based skill.

    This skill is only available to those with an Acid Weapons skill.

    ¡°That one! I choose that one!¡±

 Chapter 142 â€“ Time Flies When Youâ€™re Ogling Your Own Soul

    I was over the moon with my new choice. I¡¯d wanted an area of effect attack for a while and with my shiny new acid rain skill I had one.

    Hopefully the new addition to my power set would round out my abilities and help me to be more capable in a wider range of situations.

    Reflecting on previous fights I could already see how acid rain would have been extremely useful. For example, when fighting the zombie hoard.

    With a satisfied smile, I placed my hands behind my head and nodded contently as I pulled up my stats sheet in my HUD.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Temp

    Level: 50

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 510/426 (510)

    Stamina: 633/470 (633)

    Strength: 426 (489)

    Agility: 173 (199)

    Perception: 172

    Vitality: 346 (414)

    Intelligence: 83

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique), Health Sense (common), Eye of the Dragon (rare)

    Class Skills (Passive): Newly Qualified Bowman (72.4%), Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher (Dual Wield) (23%), Acidic Dhampir Weapons (rare), Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient), Scales of the Apex Predator (ancient), Acid Rain (uncommon)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon), Asmodeus (Soul Bond)

    Titles: Audacious Soul Expander, Dragonslayer

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s the stuff,¡± I said in a low, breathy voice.

    ¡°Happy with your notifications, kid?¡± Panda asked from the edge of my bed, I barely even noticed the smell of burnt tobacco that came from his persistently lit bamboo pipe anymore. That didn¡¯t stop me from reprimanding him though.

    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯d be even happier if you didn¡¯t singe my sheets with your cancer stick.¡±

    ¡°I helps me think,¡± he protested sulkily. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re done why don¡¯t we get some food in you, check on Bell, and then see if there¡¯s any update on the cat?¡±

    ***

    Bell woke up not long after I¡¯d finished eating. Following a short stint of meditation to check on my coil, rope, and soul core, I watched her lips grow wider and wider as she read her own notifications.

    ¡°Kaleb, I¡¯m almost at phase three!¡± She squealed in high pitched extasy once she¡¯d finished her read through.

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I replied with genuine excitement, ¡°I just hit level fifty.¡±

    Though her smile didn¡¯t fade, it did become slightly narrower as she nodded and congratulated me flatly. Her wounds weren¡¯t bad, just like Panda had said.

    She¡¯d gotten off with a concussion and a few cracked ribs: horrible injuries on Earth, mere flesh wounds in Celestia. It was nothing a healing potion and some sleep couldn¡¯t fix.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Next, the entire team left the tent to find Freja and get a report on Sally¡¯s condition. We also needed to talk about our quest reward and find out when we could leave the city.

    Outside, the city was a wreck.

    We exited into what amounted as a tent town located in the ruins of the toppled Adventure Society building. Broken neon lights that once adorned the side of the glass skyscraper flickered nearby as dirty, injured people hobbled around looking lost.

    Cali Port was covered in a thick smog and though there was little in the ways of shouting and screaming, the general mood of the place was forlorn.

    ¡°To think I had a part in this,¡± Rex mumbled from my side, ¡°I¡¯m a disgrace to my people.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know,¡± I said quietly.

    Turning towards me with a steely look in his eyes, Rex motioned with his head for me to slow my steps. Without a word I slowed my pace allowing the others to continue on ahead.

    ¡°I need to ask you something,¡± he said seriously. ¡°Will you allow me to join your team, even if it¡¯s only temporarily? Cali Port is ruined and I need a fresh start. I¡¯ve spent a long time fighting beside the gnomes and now¡­ now I don¡¯t know what I should do.¡±

    Looking into the lycanids sad eyes I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. Especially after he had risked his life to help us with the proto-gnome.

    On a more selfish note, I expected the monsters we¡¯d inevitably encounter on the way to Castalor would be much tougher than what I was used to. Having a close combatant would diversify the team¡¯s fighting ability and Rex seemed like a good fit.

    Though I wasn¡¯t even sure I wanted to leave yet. It felt a little irresponsible considering the current crisis the city was facing. Part of me wanted to try and help the adventurers of Cali Port in their fight against the communist menace I¡¯d unwittingly helped to unleash. Would Rex still want to join us if I decided on that?

    I looked him up and down. He was powerfully built, fury, and a little tapped in the head. Also, he seemed to be a bit of a battle junkie.

    Another weirdo, just what our ragtag group needs, I thought facetiously, though I also kind of meant it.

    At first I wanted to put off making the decision on my own by telling him we all had to vote, but that simply wasn¡¯t the case. It was my team, I started it, I decided our members, and I wanted a capable fighter to join us.

    Especially with Sally being injured. Maybe Rex could take the brunt of the frontline work whilst she recovered, then with the two of them at full strength we might actually become a balanced strike team ¨C even if Sally wasn¡¯t technically a Dissident Flame member¡­ yet.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to check with the others before we shake on it, but I¡¯d be happy to have you along Rex. We could use a melee fighter anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful,¡± he said, a sad smile adorning his lips as he stared straight past me and into the wreckage that had once been his home. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, lycanids are as loyal as we are tough.¡±

    ¡°There is one thing though,¡± I said, ¡°if you¡¯re going to be part of this team officially, I¡¯m pretty sure you need to be a fully-fledged adventurer. And at some point you¡¯ll need to tell us about your skills and level.¡±

    ¡°Already taken care of,¡± he replied absently. ¡°Freja made me a temp for now and after completing a few quests with you I¡¯ll be eligible to jump straight to Bronze rank, in accordance with my level¡­ Assuming you pass me that is.¡±

    ***

    My dragon¡¯s eye burned in its socket as we approached the hastily assembled prefabricated building at the base of the topped skyscraper.

    Violent purple aura shrouded the entire area like an angry haze. As we got close, the aura thickened to a density that was almost unbearable as Freja paced back and forth with her fists clenched at her side.

    Her midnight purple skin almost blended into to her overwhelming level capper aura. When she noticed us, turning with a dangerous look in her eyes, my heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°If looks could kill,¡± Bell murmured behind me.

    ¡°In this world, sometimes they can,¡± Panda said quietly. ¡°Some level cappers have been known to be so powerful that they can kill a lower phase with a single glance.¡±

    ¡°Hogwash,¡± Asmodeus grumbled, way too loudly for my liking, ¡°it has nothing to do with the eyes. You¡¯re referring to an aura attack and mine was strong enough to destroy entire armies¡­ back before I was fragmented.¡±

    Freja approached us, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Her long trench coat billowed in the breeze behind her creating an odd flapping sound.

    ¡°How is she?¡± I asked, adopting a business-like tone.

    ¡°Not good,¡± Freja sighed, her anger abated slightly, but only slightly. ¡°She¡¯s taken a lot of damage. If it was merely physical it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but her aura has taken a beating as well. When I found her, every bone in her body was broken yet she was still standing¡­ holding that damned sword above her head.

    ¡°She held up half a building by herself, she¡¯d have been crushed if she wasn¡¯t so damned strong willed. It¡­ feats like that take their toll on a person¡¯s soul.¡±

    Closing my eyes for a long moment, scrunching the lids together until it almost hurt, I took a breath to steady myself. I really didn¡¯t want to ask my next question, but I needed to know.

    ¡°Will she¡­  will she live?¡± I asked in barely a whisper, fearing that uttering those words any louder might just be more than I could handle.

    My arrow caused the building to collapse. This was my fault and everyone knew it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Sally¡¯s a fighter,¡± Panda said, placing a soft paw on my leg, ¡°she¡¯s the strongest person I know. If anyone can pull through soul damage it¡¯s her.¡±

    No one else spoke for a long moment as I crouched down and covered my face in the nook of my arm. The darkness was somehow soothing.

    At some point I felt Bell¡¯s hand on top of mine. It was warm and a little clammy, I welcomed it.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how long I stayed like that; at some point I started meditating in the same position simply to take my mind off everything.

    Looking through my soul was oddly calming, a place to control and compartmentalise my emotions faster than was usually possible for regular people.

    The red rope that visually represented my health was thicker and stronger than ever, entwining with my muscles, which also seemed to have grown.

    Thank you strength stat increase.

    My yellow stamina coil seemed vibrant and buzzing as it shot little bolts of electricity, which were really just a visualisation of stamina to help my mind comprehend the inner workings of my body, throughout my central nervous system.

    Deep in the pits of my core was the familiar soul ball, rotating like a miniature planet contained in my stomach. It was calming to watch it, though I noticed that it had changed colour again.

    Where once it was bluish green it now seemed much darker. It looked more akin to a condensed black mass, like a cannon ball, cracked with sharp green lines reminding me of the golden streaks Japanese people put into the broken parts of bowls.

    The green was much more vibrant now, though still light. It truly did look like acid. I wondered if Asmodeus¡¯ connection to me as a soul bonded familiar had altered it somewhat.

    ¡°Kaleb.¡±

    I heard a soft, female voice calling to me from far away and suddenly I was back in the land of the living. My senses sharpened and I could feel a second hand lightly squeezing my shoulder.

    Looking up I saw piercing scarlet eyes which shimmered so closely to mine that had I not been in a tranquil state of mind after my meditation I probably would have fallen backwards.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go sit down in my makeshift office,¡± Freja said, her aura seemed calmer though I feared it was merely the eye of the storm, ¡°you can¡¯t stay out here anymore, it¡¯s been over an hour.¡±

    Oops, I guess time flies when you¡¯re ogling your own soul.

 Chapter 143 â€“ She-Devil

    Freja¡¯s makeshift office was exactly what it said on the tin. A beige lean-to added to the side of the wooden prefab, complete with a hastily put together desk, which looked more like a discarded table, and a box behind it for a chair.

    Despite that, when she sat down, crossing her legs and reaching for a bottle she¡¯d hidden behind the crate, it may as well have been the Ivory Tower penthouse.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve managed to scrape phase three,¡± she said after taking a swig from a fancy glass she¡¯d pulled from her inventory.

    ¡°Yeah, though I doubt this place has the time or facilities to send me on a bronze rank exam,¡± I replied evenly.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, which is why I¡¯m invoking emergency protocol and promoting you without an exam. Congratulations bronze ranker.¡±

    I was a little shocked, but by her frown I could tell it wasn¡¯t a happy occasion. I liked Freja, even if she did scare me shitless, but as I stood in front of her I felt an icy chill creeping down my spine.

    Me and my team were standing on a knife¡¯s edge with her. She obviously wasn¡¯t happy with us, and Sally¡¯s injuries had likely made her mood much worse.

    They had a past after all. A romantic one from what I¡¯d gleaned in the elevator ride to the top of Ivory Tower. Regardless of how their relationship had ended, people didn¡¯t usually stop caring about a past lover completely. After all, if it was that easy to turn off our emotions we¡¯d all do all the time. Emotions suck.

    ¡°Thank you Director,¡± I replied, deciding that treading lightly and following formality was the best approach for the current situation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, this promotion comes with a caveat. Cali Port is in a state of anarchy and we have almost no information about anything that¡¯s happening outside of AS territory.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty certain the entire council was wiped out in the explosion, I¡¯ve got communists running wild and lynching capitalist collaborators, I¡¯ve got a city guard that may as well be a street gang for how useful they¡¯re being, and I¡¯ve got almost no adventurers to help keep the peace.¡±

    ¡°So you want us to help to maintain order?¡± I asked tentatively.

    ¡°Hell no!¡± She shouted, shaking her head like I was a child she was scolding, ¡°your team are the reason everything got so fucked up in the first place. I want you out of my town before you cause any more damage.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not our fault,¡± Bell protested, ¡°you were with us when the gnome blew up and we completed the quest to the letter. How could we have known the communists were terrorists masquerading as revolutionaries when you yourself didn¡¯t?¡±

    Gulping, I steeled myself and forced my feet to stay firmly planted on the ground. I wanted to back away in case Freja flipped a table or something, but I also didn¡¯t want to give any ground.

    Bell was right, this wasn¡¯t our fault. It was mine. I was the one who made the decision to vie for peace. I just as easily could have found another way, I could have refused the gnome¡¯s offer, hell I could have killed him and kept the status quo.

    But no, I had the audacity to think that my meddling would make things better. I had the arrogance to think my Earthen sensibilities and misplaced righteousness could solve all of the city¡¯s problems.

    I hadn¡¯t counted on the unpredictability of a certain backstabbing fundamentalist. I¡¯d been played and now all of Cali Port was paying the price. Yet despite that, I still thought that siding with the capitalists would have also been the wrong choice.

    Taking a deep breath, I stole myself, ready to that admit my guilt and take full responsibility. With the information I had available to me at the time, I was certain I made the right choice and it was precisely because of that I needed to own up and face the music. That¡¯s what a good leader was supposed to do right?

    ¡°Freja-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not their fault,¡± Rex said, approaching the desk and cutting me off. ¡°I was the one who asked them to set up the peace negotiations, I literally led them to the one man I knew could make it happen.¡±

    He was talking about Fredrick Millicent, the brother of the head of the Havarian Millicent¡¯s whose son¡¯s hand I¡¯d once shot off.

    ¡°I am ashamed of my misguided trust in the gnomes. Allow me to atone, banishing these kind-hearted adventurers who just wanted to help will only serve to further damage this city-¡±

    Freja held up her hand and Rex quietened, stepping back and hanging his big, fluffy head in shame.

    ¡°Your loyalty to Dissident Flame is commendable Rex, considering you¡¯re not even an official member yet, but you were not an adventurer when these events took place and therefore I can¡¯t hold you accountable for them.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not holding Kaleb and his team accountable either. I appreciate their work even if it didn¡¯t pay off in the end. As you said Bell, it¡¯s not your fault. But¡­ this city is unforgiving and if you stay they¡¯ll make you a scapegoat no matter what you might do in the meantime to help them.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s not fair!¡± Bell protested.

    ¡°Let them try, I will devour their souls. A tidal wave of blood will sink this pathetic settlement into the ocean. I will irradicate them all, erase them from history-¡±

    I pressed a finger to Asmodeus¡¯ lips before Freja decided to skin him and toss him in a stew. He struggled for a moment and then caught the look in my eye which I hoped was stern enough to keep him silent.

    It was.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, it isn¡¯t fair, but the life of an adventurer is anything but,¡± Freja said, keeping calm despite the outburst. Then she turned to me and sighed, looking genuinely apologetic. ¡°I hope that expediting your quest reward, despite not having any forms left to follow the correct procedure for it, and promoting you without an exam will satisfy you. I really am appreciative of your help - as chaotic as it may have been. The previous regime was as corrupt as they come. They needed to be stopped. I just never imagined that in doing so we¡¯d inadvertently give rise to something even worse¡­ fucking gnomes.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± I replied with a curt nod, ¡°but you said there was a caveat to me becoming a bronze ranker this way?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± she smiled slightly, well it was more of a faint upward flicker of her lips but it was almost a smile. ¡°Though I can grant you the rank using the emergency protocols, there is a single requirement that you must fulfil to keep it.

    ¡°Society protocols for the provision of promotion during an emergency situation states that an adventurer can only be granted the next rank if they are needed to be at that rank in order to take on a leadership role during an emergency.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a mouthful,¡± Bell said quietly.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Panda agreed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a mouthful.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Freja continued, shooting them both a harsh glance, ¡°you need to prove that you can lead people for the promotion to stick.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the party leader,¡± Bell interrupted again, ¡°so doesn¡¯t he already have that ticked off?¡±

    ¡°It certainly helps but it isn¡¯t what I had in mind.¡± Freja continued, ¡°Rex here has just this day been accepted as a temporary adventurer and as luck would have it, he has expressed an interest in joining your team.

    ¡°If you accept him and lead him on some quests on your way to Castalor, then when you get there, once you fill out your observational reports and update your own card to reflect your new rank, of course, he can be made a full timer and you can keep your promotion. And, it just so happens I have the perfect quest to start you off.¡±

    Her smile finally stayed firm and my stomach twisted as I realised that this was what she had wanted all along. Everything else was buttering us up for whatever devious, nasty-ass task she needed us for.

    She-devil!

    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple really, and it¡¯s on your way anyway,¡± she continued. ¡°I would like you to take on a trail quest for the Cali Port branch.¡±

    Freja waited for a moment, assessing our faces with a cautious and expectant look. Her brow furrowed slightly when all she saw was blank expressions.

    ¡°What¡¯s a-¡± I began and she explained.

    ¡°A trail quest is a quest that you do whilst travelling between places. It¡¯s usually about pest extermination, the type of busy work that most low ranked adventurers cut their teeth on. We also use these as punishments, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m asking you to complete it.

    ¡°These quests are different in that they start at one branch and end at another, solving a problem that plagues both. I¡¯m hoping that if you complete this one for me it will foster good will with the Castalorian branch when you deliver this note to their director.¡±

    With a poof of air, a sealed envelope appeared in her hand. Dried wax connected the flap to the main body of the package which was also covered in runes.

    ¡°Do not open this letter,¡± she instructed, looking pointedly at each of us in turn. ¡°It is an official request for aid due to the calamity in which we find ourselves in. I¡¯ll know if you do open it, these runes will tell me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen runes before,¡± Bell said, leaning in for a closer inspection.

    As it happened, neither had I.

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty rare, some branches have clerks with rune-based skills but not many people choose to go down that path. Trap magic is a dying art sadly.¡± Freja explained.

    ¡°Why do you need us to deliver a letter when you could just send a system message?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That is not your concern,¡± Freja replied bluntly, her demeanour giving me the distinct impression that I wasn¡¯t going to get any more out of her no matter how hard I tried. ¡°So, do you accept these terms?¡±

    ¡°Do we have a choice?¡± I asked with a long sigh.

    ¡°You always have a choice; however I strongly suggest that yours aligns with mine,¡± she smiled threateningly. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that this quest will be good for your development, if it eases the burn any. Your teamwork isn¡¯t exactly¡­ well oiled. Perhaps Rex can help you with that.¡±

    I looked towards Rex who still had his head bowed. Nudging him with my elbow, he jumped slightly and looked around at us.

    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡± He said dazedly as if I¡¯d just woke him up, ¡°I¡¯m new to adventuring but I led a mercenary team for decades. Lycanids are taught tactics and warfare practically from birth. I¡¯d be happy to show you some.¡±

    ¡°Decades?¡± I asked, ¡°I thought you were a similar age to me, just how old are you?¡±

    ¡°49,¡± he replied with a shrug.

    ¡°That¡¯s 343 in dog years,¡± Bell whispered behind her hand causing Panda to snigger.

    ¡°Well¡­ you look good for it,¡± I said, focusing hard on not showing my awkwardness and trying to keep a straight face. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to learn from you. Anything to improve our chance of survival I guess.¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Freja said, clapping her hands together and startling us into attention. ¡°Now that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s get that quest assigned to you and send you on your merry way shall we?¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± I said, raising my hand as she began to leave her desk. ¡°What about our quest reward?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s waiting for you on the other side of the gate, I had it brought there just a few hours ago. One of our temps is guarding it.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, but we can¡¯t leave until-¡±

    ¡°Director!¡± Someone shouted and I turned just in time to see a small, ginger girl running into the tent. She doubled over, breathing heavily. ¡°The catonid¡­ she¡¯s awake.¡±

 Chapter 144 â€“ Time Lord

    Sally was being kept in the long-term medical tent that Freja had ordered set up earlier that day. In the wake of the Adventure Society building collapsing, her administrative duties had quadrupled as she had to organise an entire branch and have temporary quarters built for it.

    My heart beat fast in my chest as I ducked under the khaki-coloured flap and entered the tent. The interior reminded me of something out of a history textbook about Florence Nightingale.

    Robed healers scuttled around an array of beds like ants serving a queen. Adventurers and civilians alike lay prone in various states of distress.

    Two catonid children sat against the back of the tent, leaning against the thick, cold fabric as they hugged and wept quietly. A woman, who I can only assume was their mother, moaned softly from a stretcher placed a few feet in front of them, she had a gaping hole in her abdomen and two healers cast spells of bright green light into the wound.

    The only thing that was missing was the smells of cordite and antiseptic permeating the air and clinging to my nostril hairs. With those exceptions, the tent reeked of aftermath of battle.

    Amidst the healers were a few adventurers who seemed to be acting as nurses or assistants. They brought food and water to the victims, wiped sweat from the brows of healers whose hands were busy casting spells, and generally organised the layout of the medical bay.

    It was organised anarchy and I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat responsible for the suffering that was all around me, permeating the atmosphere with an almost physical presence.

    Freja hurried through the calamitous battlefield hospital and no one got in her way. People seemed to move around her almost subconsciously and I wondered if it was an aura control trick she was using.

    More likely they¡¯re all terrified of pissing her off¡­ and who could blame them.

    Hidden behind a makeshift privacy screen at the back was Sally. As we skirted around it I saw her laid in her bed. Her breathing was laboured and she looked truly awful.

    Her eyes were black and her veins were visible all over her face. It was truly a distressing sight as my stomach chose that time to learn acrobatics and I felt my face tighten.

    ¡°How are you doing Sal?¡± Panda said in the best bedside voice he could muster, which wasn¡¯t great.

    ¡°What have I told you about calling me Sal, Furball?¡± She said, cracking a smile which looked more like a grimace.

    Though her words were the same as ever, her voice cracked as she spoke. She sounded weak. She wasn¡¯t supposed to sound like that.

    ¡°How long you in for?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied, ¡°the healers say I took soul damage and that¡¯s why I¡¯m not healing as fast as I should do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you pushed yourself way past your limits,¡± Freja said, irritation leaking into her voice. ¡°They say your mana count was in the minuses. Luckily for you, I was passing by.¡±

    ¡°At least I¡¯m not dead,¡± Sally said quietly.

    ¡°Wait, I thought using too much mana made people dumb, like that time with Jamie in the palm tree jungle?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re referring to mana brain and that is simply the warning sign that you¡¯re pushing too hard,¡± Freja replied, folding her arms. ¡°Mana is linked to the intelligence stat so naturally if you use it all up then your intelligence lowers until you¡¯ve recovered some mana. This went way beyond that, pushing your limits so far that you go past that point and into the minus numbers is dangerous. Frankly, you¡¯re lucky you weren¡¯t rendered completely catatonic,¡± she looked at Sally with a harsh stare and the catonid glared back defiantly.

    Hysterical mana, I thought, I¡¯ve heard about that before. It¡¯s like Celestia¡¯s version of when mums can lift cars off their children in extreme circumstances back on Earth. It¡¯s dangerous, really, really dangerous.

    ¡°How can you be mad at me for surviving?¡± Sally retorted, ¡°would you rather I¡¯d have let a building crush me?¡±

    ¡°No it¡¯s just¡­¡± Freja replied in a softened tone, ¡°never mind, just focus on your healing.¡± She patted Sally¡¯s leg through the blanket but refused to look at her.

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    ¡°We can wait here as long as you need us to Sal-¡± I began but she cut me off.

    ¡°No you can¡¯t, Gonads. I was never a part of your team to begin with and you have a mission to complete. Lucas trusted you to see it through, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re gonna do.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No buts,¡± she interrupted, sitting up slightly with a wince. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you when I¡¯m all healed up ¨C and who knows how long that could take. You just need to focus on getting to Castalor and levelling up like crazy along the way. It¡¯s a whole different world in the capital.¡±

    ¡°I hit phase three earlier.¡±

    ¡°Good, that should make things simpler for you. Getting to phase four is a grind but that¡¯s all it is. In a way it¡¯s much simpler than getting to phase three, you just need to kill lots of strong monsters. You¡¯d better be silver rank by the time I get there.¡±

    ¡°Then you better be gold,¡± I replied, forcing a smile.

    ¡°You bet I will,¡± she said, flashing me a genuine fangy grin and holding out her hand. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m practically gold already, I¡¯ll be a jade soul when we next see each other, mark my words.¡±

    Grabbing her forearm we shook once as she gripped mine. I¡¯d seen enough action movies to know that was better than a handshake. After a cathartic moment, she yanked me in close.

    ¡°Train your team,¡± she whispered quietly in my ear. ¡°Castalor is a dangerous place, even the monsters around there are intense. Teamwork¡­ it¡¯s the one thing that¡¯s always held me back from hitting gold, it¡¯s not easy finding people you can trust ¨C not as an adventurer at least. You have good people around you, and they need a strong leader.¡±

    She let go and I stumbled backwards a step, steadying myself and nodding towards her. My mind made up.

    ***

    The team and I left in a sombre mood. Bell barely said a word, which was rare for her. After leaving the medical tent Freja walked us to the city gate.

    It was like a ghost town as we trekked through streets that, only the other day, were full of lively protestors and people going about their business.

    Freja explained that her people had cleared this part of town but portside and the central areas were lost entirely to the new communist regime.

    Sullen-looking adventurers trickled past us, battered, bruised and, in some more severe cases, wearing broken armour. Despite the atmosphere, each one of them saluted Freja as she passed, with a clenched fist over their hearts.

    ¡°We were never taught that salute,¡± I said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sign of respect left over from the old regime, this organisation used to be closer to a military outfit,¡± she explained, ¡°now though, they¡¯ve moved to a more business minded structure, but those of us who were here before the change still remember that the first duty of any Adventurer is to protect the people.¡±

    ¡°So saluting is acknowledging that duty?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, these days it¡¯s less about their respect for me as Director and more a way for them to express their commitment to original doctrine.¡±

    ¡°Why did it change?¡± I asked as my eyes washed over the ragged adventurers.

    ¡°Everything changes Kaleb, someone new comes in and reinvents the wheel. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to ask him all about it when you get to Castalor.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Castalorian director was the leader of the entire society,¡± Bell said, perking up slightly as we talked.

    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Freja replied, and from the finality in her voice I assumed that she didn¡¯t want to speak further on the matter.

    The Cali Port adventurers would definitely have a lot of work ahead of them in the coming months. I felt bad leaving, but Freja and Sally were right. We didn¡¯t come here to play hero to a place that likely hated us.

    We had a mission and I intended to complete it. Maybe once I was stronger I could come back and help these people, but right now I was just one man ¨C one relatively low ranked man at that.

    I needed to get stronger.

    Story of my life, I thought and clenched my fists.

    As we walked outside of the gates the terrain caught me by surprise. Cali Port seemed to be surrounded inland by a swampy jungle. The air was muggy and humid and with the exception of a single main road leading into the trees, it was nothing but thick foliage.

    ¡°Your reward, as promised,¡± Freja said, gesturing to something large and covered with a tarp.

    A thin, young man stood proudly in front of it. He saluted her as we approached.

    ¡°D-director,¡± he stuttered, ¡°as per your orders, no one has approached the package.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re dismissed,¡± she said with a single wave of her hand. ¡°Go get yourself a hot meal, we move into occupied territory tonight.¡±

    The young man ran back into town without hesitation and Freja wiped the back of her hand across her forehead.

    ¡°You see what I have to work with here?¡± She grumbled, ¡°kids and noobs, the lot of them.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the more experienced adventurers?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Most of them are still out on contract, the ones you saw passing earlier are the only mid rankers I have.¡±

    ¡°That kid saluted you though.¡±

    ¡°Probably something he picked up from the others, he arrived here as they were mopping up the communists who had taken the gate. It¡¯s good they taught him it; I just hope he understands the meaning. Commitment to a cause is a powerful thing, just look at those idiots lynching people in town.¡±

    ¡°Where are the rest of your experienced members? Surely Cali Port has some gold rankers,¡± I said.

    ¡°We do, but they¡¯re not here right now. It¡¯s normal for bronze rankers and above to take longer contracts that can take them way out of town. Cali Port isn¡¯t exactly a big branch to begin with¡­ hell, adventuring isn¡¯t the profession it used to be either.

    ¡°Once upon a time you¡¯d walk into a society building and it¡¯d be full of life. You couldn¡¯t move for all the members. Now though¡­ well let¡¯s just say sign ups aren¡¯t what they used to be and the more experienced guys are in the capital. That¡¯s where the money is.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll meet plenty of them when you get there. Just make sure you don¡¯t look any of them in the eyes.¡± She chuckled at something which was clearly an in-joke that I didn¡¯t get.

    As we spoke, Bell and Panda strolled up to our reward and together they removed the tarp obscuring our new mobile base.

    With a demure flourish, the tarp was whipped off revealing a bright orange VW Camper.

    ¡°Yup, I didn¡¯t expect anything less,¡± I groaned.

 Chapter 145 â€“ A Base To Call Home

    Quest Complete:

    Put Down That Pickaxe

    Civil unrest had erupted across Cali Port between the capitalists and the communist factions. Find a way to stop the madness before someone gets hurt.

    Objectives:

    Stop the protests: 1/1

    Reward: A mobile Base for your team.

    The notification popped up in my HUD, despite everything that had happened it was still satisfying to complete a quest. Maybe I could begin to put it all behind me as we ventured forth to Castalor.

    Looking flatly at our team¡¯s new camper, I focused on it to bring up its notification.

    Mobile Base

    Though she may not look like much; this old girl can walk the walk. Travel the world in true comfort and luxury inside your very own Mobile Base.

    If it was good enough for the Scooby Gang it¡¯s good enough for you.

    This vehicle is upgradable. Visit a mechanic for more details.

    The orange camper van sat underwhelmingly at the side of the road. It looked completely ordinary with tyres that definitely didn¡¯t suit the local terrain and looked far too worn down to pass an MOT.

    In all honesty, I thought we¡¯d be better off walking.

    The pink flower decal on the side didn¡¯t help. Whoever painted this thing had no taste. The only thing that was missing was a surfboard on the roof.

    ¡°This chariot is incredible!¡± Asmodeus declared from his perch on my shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± I said with a shake of my head.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look inside,¡± Freja suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll be out here when you¡¯re done, I still need to send you that quest before you leave.¡±

    As a team, we entered the camper, Rex ducking down to avoid banging his head on the low doors.

    Inside was significantly better.

    We found ourselves in a large sitting room complete with a communal dining table, a kitchen in the corner and doors leading to multiple bedrooms.

    ¡°It¡¯s bigger on the inside,¡± Bell gasped in awe. ¡°Kaleb, I didn¡¯t know you were a time lord!¡±

    ¡°Time Lord?¡± Panda repeated, ¡°he¡¯s no David Tennant that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking more of the Christopher Eccleston kind to be honest,¡± Bell said, touching her thumb and forefinger to her chin.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said cheerily, ¡°I liked him.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Panda replied dryly.

    With a smile I went to check out the kitchen. It could do with a remodel but it¡¯d work for our purposes. I¡¯d never been much of a chef but with a hob, an oven and a fridge, I was sure I could manage.

    Approaching the hob I attempted to light it; pressing the spark button as I turned on the gas¡­ nothing happened.

    ¡°You need to put mana into it,¡± Rex explained as he padded up from behind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± I replied with a sigh.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need much, just a little will do,¡± he replied kindly.

    ¡°No, I mean I don¡¯t have any. There¡¯s not even a mana stat on my interface.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± He exclaimed, ¡°how can you have no mana at all, that¡¯s unheard of.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told¡­ a lot,¡± I replied flatly.

    ¡°Well, luckily for you, I know a thing or two about cooking.¡±

    Looking up at his grinning maw, I furrowed my brow sceptically.

    ¡°You can cook?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damned right I can! What, did you think lycanids were only good for mercenary work? Everyone¡¯s gotta have a hobby don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ sorry.¡± I replied a little sheepishly, ¡°the only lycanids I¡¯ve met so far have been fighters. I guess I never really thought about what kind of jobs you guys do outside of that.¡±

    ¡°Humans never do,¡± he replied in a wistful, almost resentful tone.

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    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re part of the team now why don¡¯t you tell me a bit about your culture. Do your people have their own territory or anything?¡±

    ¡°Funny,¡± he replied flatly. ¡°Damned humans always cracking jokes at our expense. You know damned well we don¡¯t. You might be my team leader now, and I like you, but let¡¯s get one thing straight. Don¡¯t make those kinds of jokes around me.¡± Folding his arms he shook his head at me like a father who¡¯d had to scold one too many children.

    ¡°I actually don¡¯t know anything about your people, I¡¯m not from here.¡±

    ¡°Where could you possibly be from to not know about the lycanid tragedy of Athenile 506?¡±

    ¡°Earth¡­¡± I replied and then, after seeing his hard, confused look, continued. ¡°I¡¯m an outworlder, I¡¯ve only been In Celestia for a short time.¡±

    ¡°An outworlder?¡± He laughed, ¡°alright bossman, that¡¯s a good one you got me. Everyone knows outworlders are a myth designed to scare kids.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious,¡± I replied with a slight chuckle of my own, ¡°and what kind of stories do they say about outworlders to scare kids?¡±

    ¡°Oh you know; eat all your food or an outworlder will steal your skin. Don¡¯t talk to strangers, they might be an outworlder and they¡¯ll steal your skin. Don¡¯t talk back to your mother or the system will send an outworlder to steal your skin. Stuff like that.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­ that seems a little morbid, and one dimensional¡­¡± I replied. ¡°We have a thing back on Earth that¡¯s pretty similar, they¡¯re called Brother¡¯s Grimm fairy tales and they basically serve the same purpose, or at least they did until Disney turned them all into happy animated musicals¡­¡±

    ¡°You just don¡¯t quit do you?¡± Rex said, sceptically, ¡°alright then, if you¡¯re so set on keeping up this charade then prove it. Outworlders have weird drawings on their backs right? Map pieces or whatever they¡¯re called. Show me.¡±

    With a shrug, I turned around and unequipped my torso armour revealing two map piece tattoos. Rex gasped audibly and I smiled in satisfaction.

    ¡°Happy now?¡±

    ¡°Happy definitely isn¡¯t the word I¡¯d use,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly realise I was going to be travelling with an outworlder when I asked to join your team you know, isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡±

    ¡°I thought you liked danger?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I do,¡± he backtracked, ¡°and on that, you still owe me a sparring match, human.¡±

    Not this again.

    ¡°Kaleb, why are you half naked?¡± Bell said, walking into the kitchen, ¡°I love an oiled up, well-muscled man as much as the next girl, but if we¡¯re going to be living together we need to set some boundaries.¡±

    ¡°Saved by the Bell,¡± I muttered to myself before replying. ¡°There¡¯s no oil on me?¡±

    ¡°He was proving to me that he¡¯s an outworlder,¡± Rex said.

    ¡°Yeah, we both are, crazy right?¡± She replied casually.

    Rex¡¯s eyes bulged and had it not been for the fur covering every inch of him, I likely would have seen the colour drain from his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re a?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re not?¡±

    ¡°Nope, and while we¡¯re at it, I¡¯m not about to strip down and prove it to you¡­ at least not for free,¡± she winked and Rex stumbled backwards knocking over a metal pan.

    ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t, I mean it¡¯s not that you¡¯re not, but we¡¯re on a team and¡­ inter species relations are so taboo¡­¡± He stuttered and Bell and I burst into laughter as I doubled over from the stomach pain.

    Controlling herself better than I was, Bell quelled her own laugher and stood on her tiptoes whispering near to Rex¡¯s ear.

    ¡°If you think his abs look good,¡± she said gesturing flippantly in my direction, ¡°then I bet you¡¯d love to see mine. Having stats has practically made us models.¡±

    Rex looked between us with wide eyes, his fur standing on edge, then, he turned on his heels and ran away.

    ¡°I think you made him uncomfortable,¡± I said, fighting through the laughter as my stomach cramped up.

    ¡°Hey, come back, I haven¡¯t even told you about the best parts!¡± Bell said, chasing after him with a malicious grin on her face. ¡°Are you a lycanid or a scaredy cat?¡±

    As I calmed myself and eventually gained control over my giggling fit, I heard the sound of things being broken as the two ran around the camper like school children.

    Walking back into the living area, which was only made separate from the kitchen by an island of waist height cupboards which jutted out from the wall, I felt at ease.

    ¡°Human!¡± Asmodeus exclaimed as he buzzed around my head like a chihuahua sized fly. ¡°I have claimed the biggest room for my slumber, you must come and inspect it. It is simply magnificent, a far cry from that tattered old boat the overgrown cat called home.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her hear you call her ship tattered and old, even in her current state she¡¯ll snap your wings off.¡±

    He looked at me through horrified eyes, ¡°what appalling imagery, the idea of anyone being able to harm my wings is absurd. Now, are you going to stand around here in the servant¡¯s quarters or are you coming to see our chambers?¡±

    ¡°This is a living room, we don¡¯t have servants,¡± I replied as I followed him into the hallway.

    ¡°Then why did you hire a chef?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The large puppy, he¡¯s a culinary professional is he not? I heard him say so himself.¡±

    ¡°Well yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Then we do have servants, why would you lie about such things? It¡¯s almost as if you want to vex me into devouring your soul.¡±

    With a chuckle I decided not to reply to that and he led me into the furthest room from the communal area. The corridor itself was a bit of a tight squeeze. Doors were set into the walls on both sides and we seemed to have more rooms than we needed.

    In all honesty I was still struggling to understand how so much was able to fit into a VW campervan.

    Through our door was a room far more luxurious than I¡¯d thought possible. It had the largest master bed I¡¯d ever seen on the back wall with a window set above it.

    There was an ensuite, though I rarely needed to use the toilet anymore. Apparently as the body grows more refined through levelling, the need to dispose of waste is diminished. I tried not to think about it too hard.

    Weapons racks lined one side of the room and there was space to add extra furniture if we needed it.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve outdone yourself picking this room,¡± I said, ¡°are they all like this?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± he replied smugly, ¡°why, the room next door is at least two cubic feet smaller, I measured it myself.¡±

    ¡°You measured it¡­ in feet?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is the superior unit of measurement is it not? And as a superior being myself, I wouldn¡¯t dare sully myself with anything else.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re strange for a dragon,¡± I said, patting him on his scaley head.

    ¡°I am not just a dragon; I am a demon lord. Two superior beings melded together to create the perfect creature. I, dear human, am the next evolutionary stage. Therefore, I demand to have the best that this world has to offer. You¡¯ve been lax in providing that so far, but with the introduction of this grand chariot I¡¯m willing to let your past discretions slide¡­ just this once.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m glad to have pleased you, o¡¯ great one,¡± I replied factiously, though he didn¡¯t notice. Asmodeus nodded acceptingly at me and I left the room, my smile widening.

    ¡°Kid, come here!¡± Panda called from the driver¡¯s seat and I trapsed over to him, deftly dodging Rex and Bell as they continued to run rampant.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°This base can only be driven with mana, look,¡± he said, holding out a tube with a band on the end.

    I recognised it from my first encounter with a vehicle in this world, right back when I¡¯d first met Panda. We¡¯d stolen a truck to escape from some cultists and he had to fuel it with his mana whilst I drove.

    As a wagon driver in my past life, it felt a little odd that I couldn¡¯t drive anything here because of my lack of mana. Then again, being chauffeured was nice in its own way.

    ¡°I guess that means I get a free pass on driving duty then,¡± I grinned.

    ¡°Yeah, about that, can I be the driver?¡± He asked, looking up at me with wide, round eyes.

    ¡°Can you reach the pedals?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any, it uses a lever system.¡±

    ¡°Are you tall enough to see through the windscreen?¡±

    ¡°Adjustable seats.¡±

    ¡°How can you grip the wheel without apposable thumbs?¡±

    ¡°Pandas spend all day eating bamboo, my grip is legendary.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to drive?¡± I asked and he clammed up a little, looking away from me.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Panda?¡±

    ¡°I can learn,¡± he looked up at me with a roguish grin, showing off his teeth.

    ¡°Sure, why not? I doubt anyone else wants to do it anyway.¡±

    Practically jumping for joy, he reached across and grabbed a small microphone on a bendy mental stick and pulled it towards his face.

    ¡°Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts and stow your trays as we prepare for take-off.¡± His voice bounced around the camper as he spoke into the microphone. It seemed that we had our very own PA system.

    ¡°Hold on, we haven¡¯t accepted Freja¡¯s quest yet!¡± I yelled as he began pressing buttons and the rumbling sound of the engine burst into life. ¡°And this isn¡¯t an aeroplane!¡±

 Chapter 146 â€“ Floater

    ¡°I¡¯ve marked out pitstops on the quest,¡± Freja said like a fussing mother. ¡°The first town is known for its forges, even if you ignore the rest you must stop there. You¡¯re going to need gear enhancements if you¡¯re planning to work in Castalor, and Forge Town is the perfect place to get them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called Forge Town,¡± I said flatly, ¡°really?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± She replied, ¡°anyway, my suggestion is to get at least one stat upgraded to 100%, that¡¯s the maximum effect you can add to a single stat. If you can afford to do it to more than one then that¡¯s even better.

    ¡°I would also imagine you have collected quite a lot of crafting materials by now, use them, use all of them! Get your weapons and armour upgraded with everything you¡¯ve got. You¡¯re going to need it. In your case, start with your dagger. To be frank, in its current state it¡¯s bloody awful.¡±

    ¡°Got it, pimp out our gear to the max then slay some monsters on the way to Castalor,¡± I said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°I love pimping,¡± Bell added, hanging out of the camper¡¯s side door. ¡°Maybe we should pimp our ride whilst we¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°The mobile base is upgradable,¡± Freja said, ¡°but upgrades to mana vehicles are expensive and, in all honesty, they¡¯re more about comfort than practicality. Your gear and weapons should come first. Oh, and whilst I remember, you should probably know that the camper doesn¡¯t count as a safe space so you won¡¯t be able to open loot boxes inside it. Take that as a warning to keep a sentry on lookout.¡±

    ¡°Good to know, and I agree,¡± I said, taking a more formal tone, ¡°if we can spend money on things that will keep us alive then they¡¯re the most important things to spend it on. How much does everyone have?¡±

    Bell held up a single finger, signalling that she¡¯d be back in a minute, then disappeared inside for a moment. Freja and I waited, each with folded arms until she returned.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got about 800,000, Rex has 120,000, Azzy and Panda have nothing,¡± she said in an uncharacteristically succinct way.

    ¡°I gave Panda 10,000 just the other day, how has he spent it already?¡± I grumbled, ¡°and why do you have more than me?¡±

    ¡°Because I make a point of looting the things we kill,¡± she replied with a cheeky grin.

    ¡°The things we kill?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yup, you¡¯re always forgetting or being knocked unconscious¡­ someone has to take it.¡±

    ¡°You get knocked out more than I do!¡± I yelled, ¡°you owe me some back pay.¡±

    ¡°Back pay?¡± She scoffed, ¡°you¡¯re the team leader, if anything you owe me back pay. Aren¡¯t I, like, your employee? You¡¯ve never once given me a paycheck¡­ we haven¡¯t even had an office pizza party!¡±

    ¡°If you were my employee I¡¯d have sacked you for negligence by now,¡± I retorted, ¡°we¡¯re a team, so if you aren¡¯t going to give me a cut, then you¡¯re on food duty until we get to Castalor. I expect that camper fully stocked at every available opportunity. That means every time we get to a town it¡¯s your job to buy all the food. You can coordinate with Rex since he¡¯s going to be cooking for us.¡±

    Pulling a pouty face, she huffed and then ducked back inside. I was pretty sure I heard her say something about me being a slave driver, but it was the kind of criticism I was happy to take if it meant I could offload a little responsibility onto her. I had too much on my plate as it was.

    ¡°Nicely done,¡± Freja commented with a satisfied nod. ¡°We¡¯ll make a leader of you yet.¡±

    ¡°Well you did say I needed to be one if I wanted to skip the bronze rank exam.¡±

    ¡°That I did, though I don¡¯t think you can skip the seminar. You¡¯ll have to sit through an hour of corporate level rubbish once you get to the capital.¡±

    ¡°Hooray,¡± I replied flatly.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve got a city to defend so I best be going,¡± she said tiredly. ¡°Good luck, and don¡¯t forget to give that message to the branch director when you get to Castalor.¡±

    ¡°Can I ask you to let me know how Sally¡¯s doing when you get the chance?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You can, but you could also ask her yourself through the interface chat function.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust her to tell me if she¡¯s not doing so well.¡±

    Freja looked at me for a long moment with a discerning expression. Her midnight purple skin glinted oddly as sunlight pierced the jungle canopy.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± she said after a moment, with a solemn, single nod of her heard.

    You have received a message request from Freja, Director.

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    Mentally asserting yes, I scowled at her. ¡°Freja comma director?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What no last name?¡±

    ¡°Most people don¡¯t have last names in this world, that¡¯s something reserved for nobles and royals,¡± she replied, ¡°however, I just don¡¯t want you knowing mine.¡±

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    ¡°So you do have a last name?¡± I replied, ¡°are you a runaway princess or something?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, now, goodbye Kaleb and good luck.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye Princess!¡± I called after her as she turned to walk away but all I got in return was a playful wink before a quest notification popped up in my HUD.

    New Quest:

    Grunt Work

    Director Freja of the Cali Port branch of Adventure Society has formally requested the aid of the Dissident Flame party to clear the road between Cali Port and Castalor.

    Like a bunch of absolute noobs, you have been asked to fight some monsters as you traverse the main road to Castalor.

    The Director has also offered suggested towns to stop in along the way. These are optional, but a hidden reward will be given if you manage to go to all of them.

    What an exciting and extremely advanced quest you¡¯ve been given. Someone must really value your talents.

    Objectives:

    Slay monsters on the main road between Cali Port and Castalor 0/100

    Visit the following settlements (optional):

    Forge town 0/1

    Boggy Marsh 0/1

    High Rock 0/1

    Rewards:

    x100,000 gold per party member

    Hidden reward available upon completion of optional objectives

    ¡°Jeez,¡± I said to myself, ¡°I think that¡¯s the longest quest I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Thanks for gathering, everyone,¡± Rex said in a not entirely confident voice as the rest of us lounged around the living space. ¡°I know I¡¯ve only just joined this team, but I¡¯ve led merc parties before and I wanted to talk about team tactics.¡±

    Smiling to myself as he spoke, I thought back to Freja¡¯s suggestion that we work on party tactics and roles. She¡¯d mentioned that Rex had some experience and I was all ears.

    Especially since we were driving along the swampy, sketchy main road leading out of Cali Port and I had nothing else to do but meditate.

    Panda was busy driving our completely unsuitable vehicle, but the driver¡¯s seat was right next to the communal area so he could still listen to the conversation if he wanted to.

    I just hoped he wouldn¡¯t get distracted and crash the hunk of junk, we were liberally calling a vehicle, into a tree.

    ¡°Go ahead Rex, we¡¯re all ears,¡± I said, happy to take a bit of a back seat for once.

    Nodding respectfully at me, he continued. ¡°Well, this party is quite small so I think we can employ a few different tactics which we can practice and name. That way, when we¡¯re attacked, we can switch up manoeuvres mid-battle.¡±

    ¡°Can I name them?¡± Bell asked, putting her hand up like she was in a classroom.

    ¡°No,¡± I said.

    ¡°However,¡± Rex continued, politely ignoring her outburst. ¡°In order for that to work effectively we need defined battle roles in the party.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Asmodeus said, puffing his chest out. ¡°I have been waiting for this moment to come. Yes, dear servant, I will happily take the role of commander in chief.¡±

    ¡°I think he means like long range, melee and fireball specialist,¡± Bell said.

    ¡°No, he definitely means to place me in charge of the entire operation,¡± Asmodeus replied. ¡°As my first act as commander in chief, I motion that we change the party name to Demon Lord Asmodeus and the Help.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with our current name?¡± Bell snapped back, ¡°Kaleb named it after me!¡±

    ¡°Will you two shut up and let him speak?¡± Panda shouted from up front.

    I was just happy to not be the one organising everything for once. The raspberry and cinnamon flavoured smoothie Rex had made me didn¡¯t hurt either.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Rex continued, demonstrating the patience of a saint, ¡°we need defined battle roles. I already have an idea of what they should be. Asmodeus should act primarily as recon and air support, he will work directly with Panda, passing information to him in real time.

    ¡°As a daemon, Panda would take on the role of tactician. Since he can¡¯t fight, I figured his best use on the battlefield would be his mind. I also have quite a lot of books on strategical theory he might find interesting.¡±

    Panda looked over his shoulder at the crouching lycanid, laces of drool hanging from the corners of his mouth. His eyes sparkled with delight and I couldn¡¯t tell if he wanted to eat Rex or kiss him.

    ¡°So the idea is that the two of you can get the best overview of a battle situation, then organise us like chess pieces on a board,¡± Rex continued, ¡°since we can¡¯t see much of the big picture during a scrap, that might give us an edge against particularly tricky foes.

    ¡°Bell, you would be primarily a ranged support unit. If there¡¯s high ground, in most instances I¡¯d expect you to take it and provide covering fire. However, in certain situations your flames might be more useful as crowd control. In that case we might need you up front. Just be prepared to stay flexible and follow orders.¡±

    The fire mage nodded and clicked her fingers, sparking a flame atop them. She grinned evilly at it and then put it out when she realised we were all still watching her.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to put myself forward for ground leader,¡± Rex continued, a little sheepishly this time. ¡°I have a lot of combat experience and if things go south I think I can keep the team together long enough for Panda to come up with a higher-level strategy. Obviously, I¡¯m also a melee fighter. So I¡¯ll be taking the lead in most fights, tanking hits, and dishing out twice as many.

    ¡°That leaves Kaleb to act as a floater. I know that sounds like a bit of an odd job but your power set is more versatile than what I¡¯m used to. The acid on your weapons lends itself to an afflictions build, but you also possess a powerful ranged attack and, when using your daggers, you¡¯re quite well suited to a damage per second melee fighter.

    ¡°I think you¡¯d be most suited to slot in where needed. That¡¯ll give you a lot of freedom and I can take the strain of mid-battle leadership off your shoulders, along with Panda. I¡¯m hoping that¡¯ll mean the only thing you need to worry about in a fight is how to be the most effective.

    ¡°When we come across monsters with a high defence or unsuitable resistances for our team, your powers might make the difference, so I want you to be able to be flexible. Naturally, in some instances you might need to switch between bow or dagger depending on what specific tactic we¡¯re using at the time.¡±

    Looking at me expectantly as he twiddled the fur on the side of his head, he finally took a breath.

    ¡°That all sounds great to me,¡± I said, after swallowing the sip of smoothie I¡¯d just had. ¡°In all honesty I think you¡¯re more suited to battlefield leader anyway and Panda is definitely the best man¡­ bear, for the job when it comes to strategy.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about that stuff. It¡¯s been hard enough just learning how not to die. Thinking about coordinating the rest of the team just adds to the strain.¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± He said, his face lighting up with relief as he finally sat down on the tatty, red, patterned carpet.

    ¡°Is everyone else happy with their new roles?¡± I asked.

    Looking around I got nods from everyone. Asmodeus didn¡¯t seem too pleased about not being in charge, but I could tell he liked the idea of being able to fly around.

    Despite his superiority complex, he was really starting to jell with the rest of us. I was beginning to think he might even like some of us¡­ maybe.

    ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s settled,¡± I said, ¡°is there anything else anyone wants to add before I end this meeting?¡±

    ¡°Kaleb¡¯s a floater,¡± Bell chuckled.

    ¡°Your adventuring career has well and truly gone down the toilet, kid,¡± Panda added.

    ¡°Ah, I get it,¡± Asmodeus said, lifting a single claw up next to his face, ¡°they¡¯re comparing you to excrement, how witty.¡±

 Chapter 147 â€“ Jack The Reaper: Spying In The Name Of

    Leaning against a flimsy balcony on the penthouse floor of the Regina building, Jack blew a lazy ring of cigar smoke into the gentle breeze.

    It had been raining almost solidly since he¡¯d inserted himself into Regina¡¯s personal guard and when it rained in Castalor, it rained blood.

    The natural phenomenon was unique to the city and the ring of desert which surrounded it and most people, including Jack, didn¡¯t really know why.

    In an odd way, Jack kind of liked it. He had enjoyed reading gothic novels as young squaddie and for some reason the weather in Castalor gave off similar vibes for him.

    ¡°You look bored,¡± Regina said, moving next to the ex-soldier and leaning on the balcony in a suit worth more than most people¡¯s homes.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like being kept in the dark,¡± he replied sullenly, ¡°don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m happy to serve Diako, but I just don¡¯t get why a phase three like me is here protecting a level capper like you. It¡¯s been nearly a month and all I¡¯ve done is light reconnaissance work and fuck all else.¡±

    ¡°I need a contact to Diako, and keeping switched on people around me has always been my personal policy,¡± Regina replied casually, lighting up a cigar of his own. ¡°I might be strong, but I can¡¯t see everything can I? Besides, I¡¯ve grown to like having you here Jack, you liven up the place.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ very funny, Sir,¡± he replied taking another drag.

    Back on Earth, Jack hated smoking. His deadbeat father had smoked rollups and the smell all but sent him into a blood frenzy. But there was something about smoking a cigar on a balcony that touched the clouds was just¡­ special.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you don¡¯t just speak to Diako yourself,¡± he continued after a moment. ¡°I mean I kinda get it, having a dude in your head is weird, but you get used to it.¡±

    ¡°I like to keep my private thoughts private, that¡¯s all there is too it. I heard from my contacts in Cali Port that my son¡¯s charge will be arriving soon. I need you to let your god know.¡±

    ¡°Cali Port is a fair way from here, are you sure soon is the term you want me to use?¡±

    ¡°Well if this Kaleb fellow comes directly here it¡¯ll only take a week by car.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not that kind of guy, Sir,¡± Jack replied, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, ¡°if I had to guess I¡¯d say it¡¯ll take at least twice that, and that¡¯s if he doesn¡¯t end up fighting another syndicate on the way.¡±

    Jack chuckled to himself as Regina raised a single eyebrow sceptically.

    ¡°How much trouble can one rookie adventurer get into?¡± He asked, ¡°Lucas¡¯s letter said he only arrived in this world four months ago. If he was really as careless as you¡¯re making him out to be, he¡¯d be dead.¡±

    ¡°If he was just a normal adventurer then sure,¡± Jack conceded with a flippant wave of his hands, ¡°but then again, Diako and Chrysus wouldn¡¯t want him so badly if that was the case would they?¡±

    Regina took a step back from the balcony and looked over his companion with eyes that washed over every inch of the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± he sighed, ¡°what¡¯s so special about this man anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Jack shrugged.

    ¡°Well, whatever it is, it better not screw up my plans,¡± he huffed. ¡°I¡¯ve always tried to maintain a healthy relationship with the pantheon, I¡¯m not looking to piss anyone off. I¡¯ve spent too long cultivating a solid working relationship with them to ease my own transition to godhood. The last thing I need is to throw centuries of work down the drain doing a favour for Diako.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a god yet,¡± Jack said quietly, ¡°I¡¯d remind you to keep your delusions of grandeur to yourself when speaking to me, he could be listening to everything you say.¡±

    ¡°Well tell him he can come out here and speak to me himself if he¡¯s so bothered by it. You know Diako is the only one I¡¯ve never met face to face? It¡¯s a bit rude if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tone Jack,¡± Regina said coldly. ¡°I like having you around but as you said, you¡¯re only a phase three. You should learn to speak more reverently to your betters.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I could say the same to you,¡± Jack replied, matching Regina¡¯s icy tone.

    Pushing off the balcony, he turned and glared at the level capper. The two of them locked eyes for a long moment and then burst out laughing.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Regina said, ¡°that¡¯s enough of that. Tell Diako his man is on the way and that I expect my problem taking care of in return.¡±

    ***

    Regina left a short time later and Jack felt the presence of his god appear in his mind. He was beginning to get used to sharing his internal space with another being, though he was certain it would always feel at least a little alien.

    If anything, it was the intrusive nature of the commune that unsettled him the most. The mind is supposed to be sacred, but it was hard for Jack to truly feel that way about his own when Diako could waltz in and out of it as he pleased.

    In doing so, he connected Jack to a wider state of being. No longer was he just Jack, the singular man. He was connected on a deeper level to all of The Organisation.

    He was one part of the whole, and when Diako entered his mind he became more aware of the bigger picture. As a career soldier, he felt oddly uneasy about that.

    ¡°Regina says Kaleb and his party are on their way from Cali Port,¡± Jack said aloud.

    He knew that this was unnecessary as simply thinking a response would constitute as conversing with the god. However, he had heard that spoken words more easily masked inner thought and he didn¡¯t want to invite Diako to go poking around in his brain any more than he had to.

    Good, then everything is falling into place, Diako responded, soon your true purpose in all of this will come into play.

    ¡°You mean pretending to guard a man who vastly outranks me in both power and status wasn¡¯t my true purpose? Shocker.¡±

    Indeed, I know this has been a frustrating assignment for you but you have played it well and very soon things will change for you. I¡¯ve been planning this for some time now and thanks to your efforts, all the parts are almost in place.

    ¡°What exactly is this master plan of yours?¡± Jack asked for the thousandth time, ¡°and what¡¯s so special about Kaleb Akabane anyway? I kinda liked him, but he¡¯s just some reckless adventurer. I can¡¯t fathom why he¡¯s so important to you.¡±

    Patience, all will be revealed in due time.

    ¡°You said that last time.¡±

    And I will keep saying it until it is no longer true. For now, continue to stick to our most valued client. Carry out his orders when you can and continue to gather information on him.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    I can sense that you see this deception as distrustful, but Regina is an ambitious man who one day may very well ascend to godhood. The more knowledge I can gather now, the better position I will be in if that day does come.

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s pretty certain it¡¯ll happen, he¡¯s already preparing for it.¡±

    It will be another decade at least before he can reach ascension, if indeed he ever does. However, for one as old as I that time can pass so very quickly. It is not for you to worry about right now. It will not affect your mission.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll send people to spy on me when I become a god,¡± Jack smirked to himself.

    I hope so too, nothing would make me prouder than to one day call you my equal. For now though, stick to the mission. Gather intel, keep an eye out for the target¡¯s arrival and contact me again once he arrives.

    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±

    ***

    Lucas Regina gazed out of his top floor office window towards the Havarian palace, he clutched a piece of parchment loosely in his hand.

    So much had happened recently, yet ever since Kaleb left with Lucas¡¯ right-hand woman, things seemed terribly slow.

    Havar had been chaotic in the days that followed the regicide, a day which had now been marked as a public day of mourning for the next ten years.

    Sighing, as he took a sip of his favourite malted liquor, Lucas closed his eyes hard and waited for a moment, seeing the backs of his eyelids light up with the orange glow of the evening sun.

    ¡°You called for me Director?¡± Lucy said, entering through the private elevator.

    ¡°I did, thank you for coming up Lucy,¡± Lucas replied warmly, turning to greet his catonid receptionist. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to arrange some transportation for me. There¡¯s a tournament coming up and an old¡­ friend, has invited me to watch it. It¡¯s on the continent.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, but why call me up here to ask for something so simple?¡± She asked, cocking her head to the side slightly, ¡°surely a system message would have done the trick.¡±

    ¡°Do you enjoy working here?¡± He asked distractedly, ignoring her question.

    ¡°Of course I do Sir.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± he replied, his eyes unfocused and distant. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to find replacement soon and I wanted to ask for your help, you know the rank and file much better than I.¡±

    ¡°A replacement Sir?¡± She asked inquisitively, standing with a ridged back and her hands clasped nervously behind her back.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he sighed, ¡°corporate will send someone eventually, but I¡¯ll need a replacement in the interim. Is there anyone up to the task?¡±

    ¡°Well, as you know, there aren¡¯t many adventurers left in Havar, and definitely none at your level. Sally would be the obvious choice, she and I are the only silver rankers on staff at the moment, but she¡¯s gone to the content with the Dissident Flame party. Everyone else¡­¡±

    Lucas zoned out as the receptionist gave her meticulously detailed report regarding the current, lacklustre state of the Havarian branch.

    Wandering almost on their own, his eyes found the parchment in his hand. A curiosity.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing how such a small thing like this can change your life forever?¡± He asked and Lucy stopped her report to look quizzically at the man who was usually much less flippant and way more attentive.

    ¡°Director, would you mind telling me what this is all about?¡± She asked, daring to move forward and place a comforting hand on his arm.

    Looking up at her with dazzling eyes, he held out the parchment which held a broken seal. A seal which once depicted a purple orca.

    ¡°They¡¯re making me the new king of Havar,¡± he said, and took a long swig of his drink.

 Chapter 148 â€“ Forge Town

    We arrived in Forge Town a few days after setting off on the trail from Cali Port.

    As Panda pulled the camper into the little settlement the team and I gathered around the driver¡¯s seat to take in the sights.

    Forge Town was a small settlement built inside a large crater hidden in the middle of the swamp and surrounded on all sides by trees.

    Offering strong natural defences, the town didn¡¯t have any walls it did, however, have one military-style checkpoint on the only road leading in or out of the town.

    ¡°This place is an emo kid¡¯s paradise,¡± Bell remarked as we rolled slowly towards the checkpoint.

    Looking around, I found it hard to disagree with her. The crater itself was a dark, charcoal colour and all the buildings seemed to have been made from the same material.

    Everything was black, the buildings, the ground, the crater walls which enveloped the town. There was no foliage to speak of inside the crater, no colour either, apart from the neon signs which littered the buildings in the distance.

    ¡°I like this town¡¯s style,¡± Asmodeus said, ¡°I think I will conquer it for myself. Black is the best colour.¡±

    ¡°Black is a shade,¡± Panda said half-heartedly as he concentrated on driving towards the checkpoint.

    ¡°Then I guess that means your personality isn¡¯t the only thing devoid of colour,¡± Asmodeus said.

    Bell sniggered and patted Panda on the head with a hand which he quickly and irately brushed away.

    Rolling down the windows as we approached the guards, he leaned his elbow outside like he was trying, and failing, to act natural.

    An armour-clad dwarf trotted up to our vehicle holding a very heavy looking two headed axe.

    ¡°State the purpose of yer visit,¡± he said. His voice was odd because he had a similar accent to the dwarves we had met before, but his dialect was different. It seemed a little out of place with a west country twang.

    ¡°We¡¯re adventurers,¡± I replied, ¡°we¡¯re here to fulfil a quest requirement and to upgrade our gear.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve come to the right place haven¡¯t yeh? Park this bucket¡¯o¡¯bolts over by the pub and check in at yer local branch will yeh?¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ where is the local branch?¡± I asked, looking around for a glass skyscraper which clearly didn¡¯t exist in Forge Town.

    ¡°Over there,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the town centre, ¡°it¡¯s the black one,¡± he laughed, taking a step back and waving us through.

    ¡°Dwarven humour,¡± Rex grumbled as the camper trundled towards the parking spot, ¡°it¡¯s about as funny as they are tall.¡±

    ***

    After parking our mobile base next to a shady-looking pub, we ventured into town in search of the local Adventure Society branch office.

    It wasn¡¯t too hard to find once we got a little closer. Though it wasn¡¯t a glass skyscraper, it did sport the signature neon sign which helpfully told us we were in the right place.

    The building itself was made of an odd, charcoal coloured metal. It looked like a large prefab, the likes of which wouldn¡¯t be out of place in a Star Wars movie.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out tentatively as we entered the building.

    It was a single-story prefab with multiple quest boards hung up around the room. It was also empty.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they get a lot of visitors,¡± Rex said, swiping his finger along the reception desk and looking distastefully at the thick layer of dust which clung to his fur.

    ¡°Hi,¡± a small voice called out from the other side of the desk. ¡°Can I help you folks?¡±

    Furrowing my brow, I leaned over the counter to see a small female dwarf.

    She had a beard, a high-pitched voice and biceps that poked out of the furs which covered her torso.

    ¡°We were told to check in here by the guard,¡± I said.

    ¡°Adventurers?¡± She asked and I nodded, ¡°we don¡¯t get many round these parts. No need really, I¡¯m the only permanent employee in town.¡±

    ¡°A town without need of adventurers?¡± Panda asked, ¡°this place must be quite the utopia.¡±

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    ¡°It can¡¯t be that good,¡± Asmodeus remarked, ¡°they haven¡¯t even given the little person an appropriately sized desk.¡±

    ¡°Your dragon is rude,¡± the dwarf said, pressing a button under the desk which raised her stool to a more appropriate height. ¡°Forge Town gets lots of adventurers passing through, but they don¡¯t come here for quests.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± I said, ¡°we didn¡¯t exactly come here looking for work either. The Director of Cali Port recommended we use this place as a pitstop so that we can upgrade our equipment.¡±

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s what we¡¯re known for,¡± she sighed, ¡°if you¡¯ll all give me your cards I can register you as visitors. Then you can be on your way.¡±

    Complying I removed my card from my inventory and passed it to her, as did Rex and Bell.

    ¡°So you¡¯re more of a town administrator than a typical Adventure Society receptionist, huh?¡± Bell asked, leaning on the counter with no regard for the dust covering it.

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± the dwarf replied, ¡°it¡¯s not a glamourous job but someone¡¯s gotta do it. Besides, I haven¡¯t met many people who I couldn¡¯t put on their arse if the need arose.¡±

    Looking through her eyelids, she glared at Asmodeus for a moment before returning to her work. She placed my card in a small machine and something flashed up on a hologram in front of her.

    ¡°It says here that you¡¯ve recently been promoted, want me to update your card?¡±

    ¡°You can do that here? I was told I¡¯d have to wait until I got to Castalor,¡± I replied.

    ¡°What do you take us for, a bunch of back water hicks? Of course we can update your card, jeez. And, here there¡¯s no red tape. In Castalor it¡¯d take you all day to get updated with all their paperwork and shit.¡±

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± I said, raising my hands defensively, ¡°I just¡­ thank you.¡±

    ¡°No problem sweet cheeks, here you go.¡±

    Taking my card back, I had a quick look at the update.

    Adventure Society ID:

    Kaleb Akabane

    Level: 50

    Rank: Bronze (battlefield promotion)

    Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

    Party: Dissident Flame

    It was satisfying to see my new rank displayed on the card. It felt official. Though I noticed that it also came with the battlefield promotion tag which likely meant I¡¯d still have to get it updated again later. But that was a problem for future me. With a cathartic smile, I added it back to my inventory as the dwarf registered the others.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the best place to get armour upgrades around here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You want Easy Greezy down the road, the man¡¯s a genius with a hammer,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°You might wanna leave your dragon at home though, if he calls Greez a little person he¡¯ll end up a gelding.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± I smirked as Asmodeus looked gingerly between his legs and scoffed.

    ¡°He can come with me,¡± Rex said, ¡°I need to stock up on supplies for the road anyway.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, then I¡¯ll go with Kaleb!¡± Bell chimed.

    I shot her a deadpan stare and she began to whistle nonchalantly, looking up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Bell, you only have one job, you and Rex can get your armour later. We¡¯re not in any rush.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she pouted, ¡°but I get to choose what we eat for dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they have pizza in Cele¡­ Forge Town,¡± I said, hastily correcting myself in front of the dwarf.

    ¡°What¡¯s pizza?¡± Rex asked, perking up as his ears twitched.

    ¡°Ooh it¡¯s great!¡± Bell said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you all about it and maybe you can make me one.¡±

    ¡°Can you even cook?¡± I asked Bell.

    ¡°No, but he can.¡±

    ¡°Not if he¡¯s never seen it before,¡± I sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, if you can get the ingredients, then I¡¯ll show him how to make one and he can use his chef¡¯s prowess to make it good.¡±

    Bell almost squealed with delight and I swore I saw Rex¡¯s tail wag slightly as they began excitedly chattering about the potential of cooking a pizza.

    ***

    Panda and I left the small branch office shortly after and headed a few doors down to Easy Greezy, which helpfully had its own neon sign where the E¡¯s were shaped like cogs.

    Though it was made of black metal just like all the other buildings, Easy Greezy was of circular design with a large hole in the roof that allowed thick plumes of smoke to pass through.

    As we entered, I understood why.

    Pre-made armour lined the walls. There weren¡¯t many stock items, but most of the shop was taken up by a giant forge in the centre.

    Glowing tools laid on the side of the clay oven. A large, well-used anvil stood off to the side and bellows stuck out of the clay at an odd angle.

    A thick-set dwarf jumped on them to blow air into the forge, increasing the heat in the already sweltering shop.

    His arms were unnaturally thick and scarred, his body was obscured by a thick, bushy beard which had one too many burn marks to inspire confidence in his adherence to proper health and safety.

    ¡°Welcome!¡± He panted as he jumped on the bellows once more, blowing a plume of soot out of the centre of the forge.

    A dark red glow emanated from the middle and as I leant in to take a closer look, I realised it was lava.

    ¡°Beauty isn¡¯t she?¡± Greez asked, ¡°best thing about Forge Town: the underground lava pools. Perfect for crafting. How can I help yeh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking to upgrade my armour and was told you¡¯re the best in town,¡± I said.

    ¡°You were told right, looks like you¡¯ve got some good quality gear already,¡± he said, jumping from the bellows and circling me, inspecting my black armour. ¡°Stylish too, tell me, are yeh a chunni?¡±

    ¡°What-¡±

    ¡°Well either way, this is some nice work. I¡¯m guessing yeh want the percentage upgrades for yer stats right?... Adventurer?... Yup.¡± He looked me up and down and answered the question himself before I had time to and I got the distinct impression he was speaking to himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m after,¡± I said, happy to finally get a word in.

    ¡°Yup, well I can do that pretty quick. 100% is the maximum and I assume that¡¯s what yeh want? It¡¯ll cost yeh 100 grand per skill and I can add all of them bare one if yeh want?

    ¡°Yeh only have four compatible pieces yeh see, but I can do yeh a deal on a nice necklace and ring set which¡¯ll finish it off nicely bringing all six stats to the maximum upgrade level.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± I said, ¡°I only have five. I don¡¯t have a mana stat.¡±

    ¡°Aye? Well then bully for you I guess,¡± he shrugged, ¡°so, yeh want the works?¡±

    ¡°I do, but I only have 512,000 and I need to get a second dagger and get them upgraded as well,¡± I replied, a little disheartened.

    ¡°Aye?¡± Greez asked, ¡°well that¡¯ll set yeh back at least fifty grand. More if yer looking to add crafting materials, a lot more.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°How should I know? I don¡¯t peddle that shite, I¡¯m an armourer not a common arms dealer. Yeh should probably set at least 200 grand aside though if yer really set on upgrading your kitchen knives. That¡¯ll leave yeh enough to get three skill upgrades though, if you¡¯re game?¡± He said, rubbing his hands together greedily.

    I looked towards Panda who nodded back eagerly.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m game.¡±

 Chapter 149 â€“ Facetious Observation and Unwarranted Advice

    Taking my armour off and handing it over to Greez was a weird feeling. I felt naked without it.

    It¡¯d been so long since I¡¯d bought it, it was practically my second skin these days ¨C as gross as it may be, I rarely took it off. I felt oddly exposed knowing that I couldn¡¯t at least quickly equip it if I needed to.

    Greez took the armour from me and placed each piece over the forge one by one, inspecting it as he went.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± he said, ¡°Currently, yeh have two pieces that have vitality enchantments in them, one that does strength and one for agility. I guess that lines up nicely. Increasing an already present enchantment is quick and cheap compared to making a new one from scratch,¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ll save money?¡±

    ¡°Aye, it¡¯ll only cost yeh 100 grand per enchantment like I said before. If yeh didn¡¯t have any base enchantments for me to work with it would¡¯ve been 150 grand a pop.¡±

    Glancing at Panda, he looked back at me and shrugged.

    ¡°So, it hasn¡¯t made any difference on the original price you gave me?¡± I asked, a little irritated.

    ¡°I gave yeh the base price, it¡¯s called salesmanship. Besides, not many adventurers could get here without at least some armour enchantments to help them out so it wasn¡¯t exactly a big leap to assume you already had some was it?¡±

    Greez didn¡¯t look up once whilst he spoke. Instead, he took out a magnifying glass and began squinting through it as he examined my armour.

    ¡°I guess that means you don¡¯t get a choice in your stat upgrades then,¡± Panda said quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯d have chosen those three anyway,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Strength governs my stamina which is how I attack, vitality is just a no brainer and agility¡­ well, honestly it was a tossup for me between agility and intelligence.¡±

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t have any?¡± Panda sniggered.

    ¡°No,¡± I said flatly, ¡°because intelligence is used on my armour¡¯s special move. The full set bonus lets me turn invisible once a day, but the time allowance is dictated by my intelligence stat. Just imagine the possibilities if I could be invisible for ten minutes, I could take on rouge quests!¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Panda replied, ¡°but agility is probably more useful overall. You don¡¯t want to spend 100 grand on upgrading a parlour trick when you don¡¯t even have the basics down, kid. You¡¯re a skirmisher, you need good agility to¡­ you know¡­ skirmish.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I relented, ¡°moving faster would be useful, especially now we¡¯re using all these new tactics in battle. My cardio must be going through the roof. I was all over the place in that last fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Panda said, ¡°having to command the whole squad is hard work.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a sage, it should be easy for you.¡±

    ¡°My specialties lay more in the realms of facetious observation and unwarranted advice.¡±

    ¡°Well you wanted to be more useful,¡± I smiled, ¡°now you¡¯re an integral part of the team. A strategist¡­ and our taxi driver.¡±

    ¡°I am not a taxi driver!¡±

    ¡°True, taxi drivers get paid,¡± I patted him on the head and winked at him.

    ¡°Just wait until the next fight,¡± Panda bit back, ¡°I¡¯ve been nice so far, but now I think I¡¯ll be more of a drill sergeant.¡±

    ¡°A fluffy drill sergeant,¡± I muttered under my breath as my attention turned back to Greez.

    Holding up my torso piece, he smiled to himself satisfactorily and then closed his eyes. The armour glowed for a moment, then flickered, then began to glow even brighter.

    This continued for a few minutes and the longer he held it, the brighter it got. Sweat permeated his brow, dripping over his eyelids and landing in his bushy beard as his smile turned into a concentrated grimace.

    Then, opening his eyes, he breathed out loudly and turned to me.

    ¡°That¡¯s one down and three to go!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Ok, the increases to my stats are insane!¡± I said merrily as we left Easy Greezy and I opened my HUD to check on the status of my upgraded armour.

    Shadow Armour (epic)

    The Shadow Armour set is an epic rarity ensemble of black armour that appeals to emo kids and fans of rich orphans turned vigilante.

    Here¡¯s a tip, try speaking in an unnecessary hoarse voice to really add to the effect.

    Full set:

    Shadow Cloak: a cloak that blends into the shadows increasing stealth. With the hood up you can shield your aura from others.

    Shadow Light Armour: +100% vitality.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Shadow Pants: +10% vitality (NEGATED)

    Shadow Boots: +100% agility.

    Shadow Bracer: +100% strength.

    Full Set Bonus: When all pieces of the set are equipped, turn invisible once a day for an amount of time dictated by your intelligence stat.

    *Equipping 100% stat increased items will negate all other increases effecting these stats. This includes how they work in relation to HP, Mana, and Stamina*

    The increases were incredible, suddenly my stats had doubled. It would have felt OP as fuck if Freja hadn¡¯t already explained that everyone in the capital had fully upgraded equipment.

    I was, however, a little shocked at how it changed my HP and Stamina. In the early days I had started with no class, that meant that my HP and stamina increased as I levelled but my stats didn¡¯t.

    It had always meant that even though my strength stat dictated my stamina and my vitality dictated my HP, the two numbers never quite married up. However, now they did.

    The HUD notification explained this as negating all other boons which effected those stats, as 100% was the maximum I could have, but I wasn¡¯t sure that getting early level points counted as a boon.

    With a sigh, I asked Panda.

    ¡°Well, kid,¡± he explained, ¡°the upgrade system is pretty pay to play ¨C welcome to the continent ¨C but the system itself is usually very fair, or as fair as it can be. Ever notice how there are no really bad classes?

    ¡°In the early days the system gave you increasing HP and stamina with each level, likely because you were brand new to this world and it didn¡¯t want you starting with too much of an unfair disadvantage.

    ¡°Now though, you¡¯ve bought an upgrade that directly effects those stats, and it¡¯s the highest possible one to boot. That places you firmly in the mix with all the rest of the Celestians. You don¡¯t need that initial help anymore so it¡¯s been taken away to level the playing field and prevent you from being the one with an unfair advantage.¡±

    ¡°But it barely made a difference anyway,¡± I complained.

    ¡°It would have done if those extra fifty points, or whatever you had, were under the effect of a 100% bonus.¡± He argued.

    ¡°Yeah I guess, well, either way, I¡¯m OP as fuck right now!¡±

    ¡°You and everyone else who doesn¡¯t live in the fringe towns,¡± he winked, strolling along swinging his arms merrily.

    Sighing I checked my stats.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Bronze (battlefield promotion)

    Level: 50

    Map Pieces 2/10,000

    HP: 692/346

    Stamina: 852/426

    Strength: 426 (852)

    Agility: 173 (346)

    Perception: 172

    Vitality: 346 (692)

    Intelligence: 83

    Personal Skills: Speak English Damnit!, Eat Anything, Minor Poison Resistance, Usurper (unique), Health Sense (common), Eye of the Dragon (rare)

    Class Skills (Passive): Newly Qualified Bowman (72.4%), Newly Qualified Apex Skirmisher (Dual Wield) (0.6%), Acidic Dhampir Weapons (rare), Environmental Hazzard

    Active Skills: Perception of the Apex Predator (rare), Soul Shot (ancient), Scales of the Apex Predator (ancient), Acid Rain (uncommon)

    Blessing: Blessing of Wealth

    Familiars: Panda (Daemon), Asmodeus (Soul Bond)

    Titles: Audacious Soul Expander, Dragonslayer

    Admission: Pentagram [Right hand (Morningstar Hotel and Spa)]

    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s the good stuff,¡± I breathed like a crack addict after a hit.

    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from smiling as we headed towards our next stop: an arms dealer ¨C or weapons crafting specialist as I¡¯m sure they¡¯d rather be called ¨C that Greez recommended.

    ***

    Hack & Slash was a quaint little store, located in a building made of the dark metal which was typical to Forge Town. It housed a lot of personality in its walls, which were splashed with crimson paint ¨C at least I hoped it was paint.

    The interior was little more than a small, single room complete with a countertop, a few weapons lining the walls; axes, spears, swords and the like, and a chubby dwarf with an odd beard.

    Shaved everywhere apart from the soul patch, his beard consisted of a single, thick patch which was braided and dangled so low that he had to tuck it into his belt to stop it from trailing on the floor.

    It reminded me of a cartoon character of a wise old Chinese man I¡¯d once seen, though that was where the resemblance ended.

    ¡°Welcome to Hack and Slash, where your murderous dreams are made a reality, my name is Leroy, how may I help ye?¡± The dwarf said in a Scottish-sounding accent which was quite uncharacteristic for their kind ¨C at least in these parts. I was used to them all speaking with a west country accent.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a second dagger, I lost mine in a fight a while back, and then I want to upgrade two daggers as much as I can,¡± I said, approaching the countertop and retrieving my dagger from my inventory, placing it in front of the dwarf with a metallic clang. ¡°I have some crafting materials I¡¯d like to use.¡±

    ¡°Crafting materials ye say?¡± He replied, stroking the length of his braided soul patch, ¡°a man after my own heart, I dare say.¡±

    ¡°If I remember rightly,¡± Panda began as he jumped and clumsily grabbed the countertop, pulling himself onto it with the aid of his kicking legs. ¡°He¡¯s got: a slime core, some spider silk, something called a venomous sack, a full bottle of refined kraken ink and one kraken¡¯s eye. I don¡¯t know much about crafting but I¡¯m sure some of those will be interesting additions to the weapons.¡±

    ¡°Did ye say a full bottle of kraken ink?¡± The dwarf exclaimed, seemingly ignoring the fact that Panda had begun lighting his bamboo pipe, spilling ash onto the counter.

    ¡°I certainly did my good fellow, quite the find isn¡¯t it?¡± I replied, trying out my best upstanding citizen voice ¨C I¡¯d heard that people tended to give better prices to those they thought fondly of.

    ¡°Quite the find? It¡¯s a venerable gold mine, that¡¯s a top tier item.¡±

    ¡°Out of interest,¡± I said as a tingle itched at the back of my mind, ¡°how much would a bottle of kraken ink be worth?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s worth plenty laddie,¡± Leroy replied, his eyes gleaming with interest, ¡°why, d¡¯you wanna make a deal?¡±

    ¡°That depends¡­ how much kraken ink would I need to use to get the full effects, whatever they are, put into both daggers?¡±

    ¡°About half a bottle should do the trick,¡± the dwarf said thoughtfully, ¡°if ye gimme the leftovers I¡¯ll give ye the second dagger for free and I¡¯ll perform ye upgrades for half price, how does that sound?¡±

    ¡°How much are we talking then?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± he said, scratching his chin thoughtfully and tapping his foot. ¡°With the discount, you¡¯d be looking at a little over 300 grand. That¡¯s mighty cheap for all the ingredients you want adding, my services are top quality.¡±

    ¡°Knock it down to 200,000 and you have yourself a deal, that¡¯s all I have at the moment.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t quite true of course, I technically had 212,000 gold pieces, but I needed to hold something back for emergencies. You never know when a tyre is going to blow or you need to pay for an inn for the night.

    Besides, I hated being at the mercy of others and a man with no coin is always at the mercy of others.

    ¡°Ye drive a hard bargain there, laddie,¡± Leroy grumbled as he continued to thumb his beard. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go that low, I have to make a living ye see.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t go any higher if I wanted to,¡± I replied diplomatically, ¡°and seeing how excited you were about the ink, I¡¯d imagine you¡¯ll turn a hefty profit with half a bottle of the stuff. It is pretty rare after all.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ alright fine, ye have yourself a deal,¡± he said, spitting in his calloused hand and offering it out for me to shake. I took it without hesitation, despite feeling icky as our clasping hands squelched together. ¡°Leave ye dagger and the crafting items with me and I¡¯ll get right to it. It¡¯s not the fastest process but I reckon I can have it done by tomorrow if I work through the night.¡±

    ¡°That would be brilliant,¡± I said, suppressing the urge to smile victoriously. ¡°Nice doing business with you Leroy.¡±

 Chapter 150 â€“ The Desert Samurai: Bylaws

    The Desert Samurai strode confidently through the darkness, her wolf familiar trotting calmy at her side.

    After a successful mission stealing almost 5,000 map pieces, she felt contented that she was holding up her side of the bargain with Chrysus ¨C taking one giant leap towards her goal of ascending.

    The temple¡¯s interior loomed with a malicious and foreboding presence, but to The Samurai it felt warm and homey.

    Large, black columns reached up, equally spaced on either side, to a ceiling which was so far above her that even with perception as good as hers, she couldn¡¯t see it.

    Storm clouds floated ominously along the higher reaches of the temple throne room and as she walked along the never-ending purple carpet, braziers burst into flame.

    As light began to push back the shadows which kept the room in utter darkness, she noted robed cultists lining either side, an honour guard for their victorious hero.

    I could get used to this.

    When she finally reached the throne itself, she was met with a hearty clap and a smile as Chrysus jumped from his place of power, down the tall flight of stairs to greet her himself.

    Stone thundered as he landed, looking like a superhero from one of the many films which had been made in the recent years before her transmigration to Celestia.

    ¡°Welcome home Yuki!¡± His voice boomed in delight, a slight hiss sitting in the undertones despite the lack of S¡¯s in the sentence.

    Dropping faithfully to one knee, The Samurai placed her fist over her chest and Pocco attempted to follow suit, adopting a downward facing dog pose.

    ¡°I have returned my Lord,¡± she announced loudly, ¡°your bidding has been done. The Celestial pieces are firmly affixed to my person as you commanded.¡±

    ¡°How formal,¡± he smirked, his viper-like face made even more apparent by the menacing scales which reached along his cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve done well my disciple, or perhaps I should say my¡­ daughter.¡±

    Yuki¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she felt warm blood rushing into her cheeks. She had never been more thankful for the black oni mask which covered her face.

    Why are you like this? She asked herself scathingly, it was unbecoming of a samurai warrior to show emotion, even the positive kind. She would have to seek penance later.

    Taking a deep, calming breath, she replied, ¡°thank you for bestowing upon me such an honour my Lord, I shall wear the title with a pride befitting it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, stop being so formal girl,¡± Chrysus said with a wave of his hand. ¡°If we are to be family, then you¡¯ll need to learn to speak to me as a daughter would her father and not as a lowly peasant trying to please her feudal lord. I might be particular about how the riff raff speak to me,¡± he cast a scathing glare out over the cultists, many of whom began visibly shivering as his aura dominated their own. ¡°But I have no desire to see you grovelling before me. Stand up¡­ I said stand up. Face me like an equal.¡±

    ¡°I am not worthy of claiming the honour of being your equal,¡± The Samurai replied, standing, but refusing to look him directly in the eyes.

    Not yet at least.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he replied with a smile, ¡°but who out there is? That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t value your companionship though, it¡¯s lonely being the most powerful entity on the planet. Why, the only ones who come close are the other members of the pantheon and they¡¯re all terrible bores.¡±

    Yuki stayed silent, knowing better than to interrupt his incessant monologuing.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get to meet them up close soon dear Samurai, the time of my High Priest Tournament nears,¡± Licking his lips, he paused for a moment, assessing her thoroughly with his viper-like eyes.

    Despite the mask which covered her flesh, Yuki began to wonder if the god could see her face anyway. With his power, anything was possible.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    What if he saw me blushing! She thought in a panic, but it was quickly quelled when he moved on.

    ¡°I have invoked the ancient right of Priesthood, a silly little bylaw which was created thousands of years ago¡­ silly, but useful in the hands of one as cunning as I.¡± He looked at her expectantly and she realised that he wanted her to ask about it.

    It¡¯s like humouring a child sometimes, she sighed internally, still, despite his odd personality, she harboured nothing but the deepest of respect for the power her god held.

    ¡°What is this bylaw my Lord?¡±

    ¡°Why I¡¯m glad you asked my dear,¡± he smiled venomously. ¡°Bylaw 21C, subsection B states that in the event of a member of the pantheon losing their high priest they may hold a tournament to decide who is worthy of becoming the successor. More specifically, it states that any member of the pantheon may demand the attendance of the other members and they will be obligated to field their chosen champions in an inter-pantheon tournament.

    ¡°Naturally, I expect you to become my new high priest, there¡¯s no question about that. What¡¯s more important though, is that I have invoked this bylaw and I will need you to win, and kill, every champion in the tournament. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯d guess that it has something to with getting more of these map pieces,¡± The Samurai replied diplomatically.

    Chrysus had been obsessed with collecting all the pieces since long before Yuki had met him. Almost every goal he had hinged on schemes to get more, though Yuki was still unsure what they actually did besides marking the skin on her back.

    ¡°Precisely my dear,¡± he said, clasping her armoured shoulder with his scaled hand. ¡°We gods have been clashing over uniting all the pieces for centuries. Usually, it ends in a stale mate or an outworlder¡¯s corpse is too thoroughly destroyed to complete the set or something¡­ so the system resets and we play again.

    ¡°Not this time, the new stock of outworlders are really something this time and plenty of them have already been sworn into the service of one god or another. Chances are that each god will field their most capable warrior rather than risk losing face to me ¨C I¡¯m not the most gracious winner you see ¨C and you outworlders are the cream of the crop.

    ¡°Of course that means that there will be plenty of celestial pieces ripe for the plucking. All I need is a fiercely capable high priestess to do the honours.¡±

    He looked at her with a greedy stare and then grabbed her other shoulder and stared straight into her eyes.

    The Samurai didn¡¯t flinch as her god¡¯s aura washed through her, infecting her mind and rummaging through her stats screen which flickered in front of her like a broken TV screen.

    He scurried through her very soul in a way that felt both violating and¡­ oddly pleasant, but also painful. Yet she still stood fast, gritting her teeth as he searched for something.

    If this was a test she would not fail.

    ¡°As I suspected,¡± he said, delight etched into his face as he pulled away. ¡°You are susceptible to receiving my gift.¡±

    Turning on his heels, he clasped his hands behind his back and paced back and forth in front of Yuki. She stood silently and Pocco looked up at her, waggling a single ear as if he was asking what was happening.

    ¡°I need you to get to silver rank before the tournament begins,¡± he said with determined finality. ¡°You will train and you will get there and once you take your rightful place as my high priestess I will grant you a power beyond your comprehension.¡±

    Beneath the black oni mask, The Samurai smiled.

    ***

    As I ducked under the vibrant exterior door of the camper I was met with a delightful smell. Warmth filled the air as melted cheese wafted enticingly towards me.

    Turning into the kitchen I spied Bell and Rex giggling like two school children as he dutifully tended to the dough and she grated cheese. Something else was already in the oven and the distinct waft of rising dough tickled my nostrils.

    ¡°Rex,¡± I asked, ¡°why are you wearing that?¡±

    The lycanid was covered from head to foot in what seemed to be a yellow hazmat suit. Where had he even gotten something like that? Surely they didn¡¯t have them in Celestia.

    ¡°It¡¯s my cooking cover,¡± he replied jovially, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never worn one when you¡¯ve cooked for us before?¡±

    ¡°And every time he has cooked for us I¡¯ve spent more time pulling fur from my teeth than I have enjoying his wonderful food,¡± Bell replied. ¡°This seemed like a good solution.¡±

    ¡°She does make a good point, kid,¡± Panda said, brushing past me as he dove onto the sofa and began to nestle with a good book and a lit pipe.

    ¡°Yeah I guess¡­¡± I conceded, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little hot in there though?¡±

    In my mind I was thinking that we didn¡¯t want him to come out of that thing reeking of wet dog, but I was too tactile to say it aloud after my last slip up with him.

    ¡°Lycanids are not afraid of a little sweat Bossman,¡± he growled playfully, ¡°on the battlefield¡­ or otherwise.¡±

    Batting my hand at them in defeat I joined Panda on the sofa. Whatever it was they were cooking it certainly did smell delicious. It almost reminded me of¡­

    ¡°Wait, are you making pizza?¡±

    ¡°Well you did tell me to show him how,¡± Bell replied with a mischievous grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I offered to show you how. Not that I¡¯m complaining, what toppings are you using?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ they didn¡¯t have any pepperoni but we managed to find cheese and something that tastes like tomatoes but looks more like¡­ it¡¯s purple let¡¯s put it that way. As for the meats¡­¡±

    ¡°We bought the finest stag and doe meet around!¡± Rex proclaimed proudly.

    I covered my mouth as the memory of being tricked by a bunch of obnoxious stag monsters flashed into my mind. I killed their stripper, who was a doe. It was all super messed up.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna be sick,¡± I said, rushing towards the bathroom to Panda¡¯s raucous laughter and the sound of Rex asking in a puzzled voice:

    ¡°Was it something I said?¡±

 Chapter 151 â€“ The Customer Is Always Right

    After staying up most of the night eating Rex¡¯s morally dubious pizza, playing charades, and passing around a few bottles of something strong which Bell had conveniently purchased in the course of enacting her duties as provisions master, I woke with a bit of a headache.

    Thankfully, at my level I didn¡¯t really need sleep so only getting a few hours of it was still plenty.

    Leaving the others to their reverie, Panda and I journeyed back to Hack and Slash to inquire about my new daggers.

    My heart quivered as I opened the door. When had I become such a weapons enthusiast?

    We entered to the sounds of Leroy¡¯s snoring. It sounded like a chainsaw cutting through iron during a thunderstorm. Seriously, the room literally shook from the inexorable sounds emanating from his mouth.

    ¡°Kid, I vow never to complain about your snoring ever again,¡± Panda said, placing his paw solemnly across his heart.

    ¡°My snoring?¡± I asked, raising my eyebrows at him, ¡°you¡¯re the one who snores. It reminds me of the bloodhound my cousin had when we were kids.¡±

    ¡°I am nothing if not a dutiful and capable companion.¡±

    ¡°It was fat and lame.¡±

    Looking at me with wide eyes he huffed and promptly turned his back on me as I laughed.

    The snoring stopped and we found ourselves steeped in the eerie silence of dawn. I¡¯d always hated that greasy feeling my skin had early in the morning. It was even worse when I went camping. Though I¡¯d never really experienced it in Celestia, until now.

    ¡°Oh, is it that time already?¡± Leroy asked sleepily as he pushed himself away from the drool-stained workbench. ¡°I finished your daggers, they¡¯re in the case over there.¡±

    He gestured towards a plain-looking wooden stand with a glass shutter affixed to it ¨C the shutter was sitting open.

    ¡°May I?¡± I asked excitedly.

    Without reply, he batted his hand in the general direction of my daggers and began rubbing his eyes.

    You don¡¯t have to tell me twice, I thought as I stepped towards the daggers, looking at them like a child staring at a toy in a shop window.

    Both weapons were jet black, their hilts wrapped delicately with a smooth leather binding. The glint of their blades was indiscernible to the naked eye, though when I really focused I could see the deadly sheen of complete sharpness.

    These blades could cut through skin like butter.

    As I focused, a familiar and welcome notification popped up on my HUD:

    Daggers of Empirical Darkness (unique)

    A highly modified and upgraded variant of the traditional steel daggers. Combining a mixture of spider¡¯s silk, slime¡¯s core, a venomous sack, refined kraken ink and a kraken¡¯s eye, these blades have become unique.

    Due to the potency of the kraken¡¯s eye, these blades only have eyes for you, their abilities can only be used by their owner.

    They¡¯ll go especially well with your chunni personality and wannabe Batman attire.

    Imprinted owner: N/A

    Poison blade: 30% chance to poison foe on contact

    Spider¡¯s web: 5% chance to immobilise foe on contact

    Slime¡¯s kiss: 15% chance of cuts becoming immediately infected + 75% chance of infection causing necrosis.

    The potency of refined kraken¡¯s ink has developed a unique skill within these blades.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    THIS SKILL CAN ONLY BE ACTIVATED IF BOTH BLADES ARE EQUIPPED.

    Empirical Darkness (unique)

    Stick your daggers into a surface, the space between them becomes an abyss causing blindness and confusion to all trapped within.

    This skill can only be activated once per day.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I breathed as I reread the notification a second time. ¡°These daggers are OP as fuck!¡±

    ¡°Sush,¡± Panda said in a hushed voice, ¡°if you let him know how much you like them he¡¯ll try to charge you more. Something¡¯s off about him as it is.¡±

    ¡°But we already shook on it,¡± I replied defiantly, ignoring Panda¡¯s warning. ¡°Leroy, these are great. How do I imprint on them?¡±

    Naturally I had paid particular attention to the imprinting function of the daggers. It would be a useful security measure, especially given my propensity for misplacing them mid battle.

    The last thing I wanted was an enemy turning my own blades against me.

    I couldn¡¯t believe how awesome my new weapons were and I was itching to try them out. All of those new bonuses coupled with my Acidic Dhampir Weapons skill would make me nigh unstoppable. Or at least, it¡¯d help me actually pose a threat to a decent gold ranker.

    ¡°I can do that for ye now if ye like,¡± he said, rising from his seat and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. ¡°First there¡¯s just the matter of ma payment.¡±

    ¡°No problem, 200,000 gold and the rest of the kraken ink, as we agreed.¡±

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± he said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. ¡°Those daggers came out unique. I wasn¡¯t expecting that when we shook. Unique weapons tend to go for closer to the million-mark truth be told.¡±

    ¡°We made a deal,¡± I replied sternly, ¡°and I expect you to honour it.¡±

    I could feel the heat rising to my face, aided by Panda¡¯s I told you so eyes.

    ¡°Aye, we did make a deal¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°just feels a bit like I¡¯ve been done dirty.¡±

    ¡°How exactly?¡± I asked, feeling my temper begin to get the better of me. ¡°You made a deal which was initially advantageous to you. I supplied all the ingredients and you¡¯re getting half a bottle of the precious kraken ink you covet so much. In what possible way am I doing you dirty.¡±

    ¡°You tell him, kid,¡± Panda said, pumping his fist in the air.

    The dwarf eyed a mean looking mace a few feet from himself and then looked at me contemplatively.

    Was he really about to throw down over this?

    His hand gripped and ungripped as if he was struggling to decide on what to do and I mentally hovered over the equip function on my bow in my inventory.

    If he wanted a showdown I¡¯d shoot his hand off before his fingers could ever brush that mace. I¡¯d done it before after all. Shooting people¡¯s hands off was starting to become my trademark.

    ¡°If you reach for that mace I¡¯ll take your head,¡± I said in a low whisper.

    ¡°And then you won¡¯t get any money,¡± Panda added.

    Leroy narrowed his eyes at me, then glanced at the mace once more.

    ¡°You know, back in the old country we used to have a saying, a phrase we¡¯d scream at the top of our lungs before heading into a fight,¡± the dwarf began, a menacing tone to his husky voice.

    ¡°It became a rallying cry of my people, my namesake in fact. It¡¯s never failed me before.¡±

    His hand twitched again his eyes darted momentarily towards the mace once more.

    That son of a bitch, he¡¯s really going to do it.

    ¡°LEROY JENK-¡±

    Before he had a chance to finish his primal scream I equipped my bow and fired off a shot. I didn¡¯t have time to charge the arrow with soul infused energy but it¡¯d have to do anyway.

    The arrow flew through the air, piercing the dwarf¡¯s wrist and severing his hand which dropped onto the floor, a limp, discarded piece of rotten meat.

    His skin bubbled and within moments his wrist began to melt, the acid burning its way up his forearm.

    ¡°Holy shit! Help! Help!¡± Leroy cried.

    ¡°How do I imprint on the daggers?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How do you? What the fuck ye sadistic bastard, my arm is melting off!¡±

    ¡°Tell me how and I¡¯ll help,¡± I replied cooly.

    ¡°Better do what he says,¡± Panda added, ¡°pretty soon it¡¯ll be past your elbow and you can¡¯t be a blacksmith if you can¡¯t bend your arm.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± He screamed, ¡°there¡¯s a scroll, it¡¯s in ma pocket. Use it, but please just save my arm!¡±

    With a nod I sent Panda to scour his pockets for the scroll, keeping my bow trained on him the whole time.

    He dug around in the little man¡¯s pants and produced a fancy-looking piece of parchment which glowed an ominous scarlet colour.

    Tossing it to me, I caught it deftly, unravelling the scroll like I was about to proclaim a new law to the king¡¯s people.

    Scroll Of Imprinting:

    Use this scroll to imprint yourself on a relevant item. Once this is done it cannot be reversed. This is a single use item.

    Moving towards the daggers I touched the scroll to them and another message appeared.

    You must sign in blood.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a bit evil sounding,¡± I murmured as I pricked my finger with the tip of an arrow and began signing my name on the scroll.

    In a whoosh, the scroll burst into flames and the scarlet light seemed to be absorbed by the daggers.

    Picking them up, I checked the notification again and my name had been successfully added to it. I placed them into my inventory along with my bow.

    ¡°Ok, you¡¯ve got your bloody daggers¡± Leroy squealed, ¡°Now will ye please hurry up before my arm gets any shorter!¡±

    ¡°Sure, but just so you know, I can¡¯t actually stop the acid. All I can do is hand you that cleaver so you can cut above the area it¡¯s spread to.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ WHAT?¡± The dwarf shouted, ¡°can¡¯t ye at least do the cutting for me? Ye said you¡¯d help me!¡±

    ¡°Nope, my skill makes all weapons inflict acid damage. Except on myself of course, otherwise I couldn¡¯t have pricked my finger. I mean can you imagine trying to shave on a morning? It¡¯d be terrifying.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Panda said warmly, though his eyes were narrowed. ¡°You can get it reattached if you get to a healer quickly enough. That¡¯s what happened last time.¡±

    ¡°Last time?¡± Leroy looked as white as a ghost as he looked pleadingly between us.

    ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s your cleaver. This is the help I meant,¡± I said, handing him the butchering blade. ¡°And, just so I don¡¯t go getting a reputation as a stingy guy, you can keep what¡¯s left of the ink as per our agreement. I¡¯m going to keep my money though. Call it reparations. You know attacking a customer isn¡¯t a very clever business move. Haven¡¯t you heard? The customer is always right.¡±

    With a casual wave Panda and I exited the store to the backdrop of the dwarf¡¯s whimpering.

    ¡°Did you see the notification for the daggers?¡± I asked Panda as we headed back to the camper. ¡°The system called me a chunni, can you believe it?¡±

 Chapter 152 â€“ The Armoured Man

    We hit the road later that morning bidding goodbye to Forge Town, but not before I picked up a new quest. I was itching to try out my daggers and there was tell of a gang robbing travellers on the road to Boggy Marsh, which just so happened to be our destination.

    ¡°Apprehending highwaymen,¡± Rex announced after an hour of relative peace on the road. ¡°I knew joining your party was the right the call. This is just the type of quest I need to solidify myself as a good adventurer.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to redeem yourself mate,¡± I replied lazily as I lounged on the sofa going through my stats and inventory. ¡°You¡¯re a good person who got pulled in by a charismatic despot, it could have happened to anyone.¡±

    ¡°But it did happen to me,¡± Rex said, ¡°and it¡¯s my duty to correct that mistake the only way I know how; by killing some bad guys.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure the world is quite so black and white, but if it helps get you fired up for the fight then be my guest,¡± I smiled, shaking my head slightly.

    Bell strutted into the common area at that moment with Asmodeus perched on her head, puffing his chest out as if she was a prime stallion delivering him to his seat at court.

    ¡°Azzy and I have had a great idea!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and this carriage will serve as the perfect vehicle for its success," the dragon added, an evil glint in his eyes.

    ***

    Grunt hid adeptly in the shrubbery overlooking the main road. His name wasn¡¯t really Grunt, but as he was the newest member of the Band of Brigands he¡¯d been dubbed the title until someone even greener joined up.

    He¡¯d been with the Band for a little over two weeks now and though their methods weren¡¯t the smartest and their goals not the most ambitious, he had come to enjoy their company.

    The nightly parties and array of delectable trollops King bought for them after a successful raid certainly helped to sweeten the deal.

    Waiting with bated breath, Grunt spotted their next mark. An oddly shaped, self-driving carriage painted in bright orange and decorated with badly drawn flower decal.

    ¡°Look a¡¯that,¡± Dirk whispered, a slight whistle leaking through the gap where his front incisor had once been. ¡°Must be nobles, no pauper would pay to ¡®av their carriage painted orange. It¡¯s essenric.¡±

    ¡°Eccentric,¡± Grunt corrected, ¡°but you¡¯re right. Only a noble would dare paint their carriage something so garish. It¡¯s practically begging to be robbed.¡±

    ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll be at their cervix,¡± Dirk grinned.

    ¡°At their service,¡± Grunt correct, this time with a sigh.

    The pair began closing in on the garish carriage as Dirk signalled the rest of the Band through their shared party chat interface.

    Grunt hadn¡¯t been added to it yet, he¡¯d yet to pass initiation, but it didn¡¯t matter. It simply meant there was less he needed to do during the raids.

    As they closed in, taking up position, Grunt noticed something odd on top of the carriage.

    Is that a chair¡­ tied on with rope?

    Sitting in the chair, with her legs strewn over one of the arms, was a young maiden draped in a blood red robe. Even more peculiar was the black dragonling perched atop her head.

    Was it dead and she was wearing it as a hat? Surely not, though why would a young noble¡¯s daughter ¨C for that must have been what she was ¨C be in the company of a dragonling.

    Something didn¡¯t add up, but it wasn¡¯t Grunt¡¯s place to speak up. It was his duty to hide in the shrubs until it was time.

    From on the hillock, opposite Grunt¡¯s location, a flaming wagon rolled down towards the road.

    With a paltry explosion, debris littered the stone path blocking it off almost entirely. For the orange carriage to continue forward, the servants would have to step out to clear it.

    Of course, Grunt had seen this tactic enough times to know that they wouldn¡¯t get that chance.

    ¡°Oh my,¡± a plain-looking peasant girl said as she scurried down the hillock after the flaming wagon. ¡°Begging me pardon your ladyship, me wagon¡¯s gone and blown up, it has!¡± She squealed, waving her arms frantically as she reached the main road.

    The noble woman atop the carriage smiled sinisterly and Grunt felt an odd tingle down his spine. Something was off about this raid, though he couldn¡¯t quite figure out what it was.

    ¡°Peasant,¡± the dragon boomed in a voice unbefitting of its meagre stature. ¡°You will clear this road at once, my servant and I have been charged with delivering copious amounts of gold to the next hamlet along this route. Your wagon is impeding our duty!¡±

    A tingle passed through Grunt once again, but this time it took second place to the shock he felt at listening to the pompous little blighter speak. He¡¯d never heard a dragon speak before. Why did a baby dragon have such a deep voice?

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Oh my, a dragonling,¡± the peasant girl exclaimed, ¡°I bet you¡¯d fetch a good price at the market.¡±

    ¡°Alas, no market has the funds to afford one such as I,¡± the dragon answered, ¡°but the copious amounts of gold in this carriage could buy me twice over!¡±

    This time Grunt paid heed to that tingling feeling. Paying notice to the girl, he saw her nudge her head slightly as if warning the dragon.

    What was she trying to tell it? The obvious answer was that she was trying to stop it bragging about the supposed gold they carried, but Grunt got the feeling that wasn¡¯t it.

    ¡°We move on the next cue,¡± Dirk whispered, nudging Grunt hard in the ribs with his bony elbow. Whatever the tingling was trying to tell him would have to wait. There was about to be a bloodbath.

    ¡°Did you say gold, Dragonling?¡± The peasant girl asked, a nasty smile curling on her lips, ¡°well that won¡¯t do at all. What¡¯s a dragon supposed to do wi¡¯ gold? Perhaps we should take it off your ¡®ands. GET ¡®EM BOYS!¡±

    In the blink of an eye the carriage was surrounded by dozens of armed men, screaming and charging down the embankments on either side.

    Grunt jumped to his feet and followed Dirk into the fray, drawing his short sword and readying a quick incantation in his free hand.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they fell for it,¡± the girl said, petting the dragon and standing upright on top of the carriage. ¡°And after Kaleb was so sure they¡¯d run the moment they saw you. Shows what he knows.¡±

    Her hands burst into flames and with a malicious grin she began throwing fireballs at the advancing Band of Brigands.

    Grunt ducked and tumbled onto the floor, rolling down the hill for a moment before landing hard on his back. Looking up he saw the shrubs burst into flame and heard the familiar clash of steel.

    These were no normal nobles.

    He heard screams and looked skyward to see the peasant girl, who he knew as Lilia, being carried high into the sky by the dragon. Its claws were imbedded in her shoulders and little droplets of blood rained down around them.

    ¡°Let me go you lil¡¯ pest!¡± She protested and the dragon complied, dropping her from height onto Dirk¡¯s head.

    Grunt winced as they both turned to pulp. An odd thing about the human body; when dropped from high enough, it explodes¡­ and it¡¯s gross.

    ¡°Burn, burn, burn!¡± The noble girl cackled as she tossed a barrage of flame at the brigands.

    Another, calmer noise caught Grunt¡¯s attention and, as he crawled beneath the carriage, scared out of his mind, he caught sight of the other side of the battle where a massive lycanid cut down brigand after brigand in terrifyingly quick succession.

    He¡¯d heard stories of the lycanid berserkers, but to see one in action was a truly frightening sight.

    I just need to stay under this carriage until it¡¯s all over. They won¡¯t find me here. I don¡¯t want to die like that!

    Yet despite the fear pulsing through his mind and body in cold flushes, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from the battle.

    As if in slow motion, a man stepped out of the carriage causing its chassis to bounce slightly. He was clad head to foot in black armour and wore a hood that obscured his face.

    He resembled one of the dreaded night terrors from the children¡¯s fables and it was obvious that he was the leader of this group of monsters.

    Two daggers, black as night, were held loosely in his fists as he walked the battlefield seemingly unafraid¡­ hungry for blood.

    Stepping up to Derrick, the brigand who had recruited Grunt from a local tavern, the armoured man clutched the back of his neck and drove one of the daggers through his throat.

    Squelching filled Grunt¡¯s ears and he stifled a cry as he watched Derrick¡¯s eyes widen in surprise before the skin around his neck began to bubble with petulant balls of puss which exploded, leaking green stuff down his chest.

    The skin seemed to disintegrate as the armoured man pulled his hand away and Derrick dropped to the floor, clutching wildly at his neck as his life drained from his very body.

    Grunt watched as the monsters slayed his Band, mowing them down without a care in the world. The killing seemed to come easily to them, the violence didn¡¯t seem to bother them. And, perhaps most shockingly of all, the Band seemed like ants next to the monsters as they slaughtered them with ease.

    Eventually, the armoured man made his way across the valley of corpses to King, the Band¡¯s leader. He was a mountain troll. Though not much taller than the average human, he was wide and had skin tougher than rock. Surely the armoured man would meet his match.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re the leader?¡± The armoured man asked in a strange accent which Grunt did not recognise.

    ¡°Name; King, you kill King¡¯s men!¡± King roared, his eyes staring daggers at the man.

    ¡°Well in all fairness, your men tried to rob us. I¡¯d call it self-defence.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Rob, not kill. Not defence, murder.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that this isn¡¯t the infamous Band of Brigands, known highwaymen in this area who torture and rape their victims?¡± The armoured man crossed his arms.

    ¡°Torture? Maybe¡­ rape? Not rape when they¡¯s wants it. But not kill see? Yousis murder my Band!¡±

    ¡°Did he really just say that?¡± The scarlet robed girl said as she jumped from the carriage¡¯s roof. ¡°Kaleb, did it say in the contract that we needed one alive?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Kaleb, the armoured man replied, his voice full of venom.

    Grunt pulled himself further under the carriage and felt something soft prod at his leg. Looking down, his eyes widened as a small panda prodded him.

    ¡°What¡¯re you looking at, never seen a talking panda before?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    The cry left his throat before he had time to stop it and he immediately threw his hands over his mouth, but it was too late.

    Less than a moment later a soft but strong hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out from under the carriage, scraping his face in the mud.

    Hanging in mid-air like a bag of shit tied to a branch, Grunt swung as he stared down at the huge face of the lycanid berserker.

    ¡°What do you have here?¡± He said in a low-pitched, partial growl.

    ¡°I found him lurking under the camper¡­ seems a bit of a pussy,¡± The panda said as it followed him out from beneath the carriage.

    ¡°Well, that makes things easier,¡± the armoured man said, ¡°Is he part of your band?¡± He asked King.

    ¡°He Grunt, he new. Hasn¡¯t spilled blood yet, doesn¡¯t count as member till pass initiation.¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Kaleb replied in a chipper tone, ¡°that makes this really easy. You see we have to keep one of you alive to fulfil the contract. Who do you think we should keep?¡±

    ¡°I King, I leader of Band. Grunt no worth shit.¡±

    ¡°It seems we have different definitions of worth,¡± the armoured man mused, ¡°you see, I¡¯m now left with the choice of capturing a noob who hasn¡¯t done much wrong yet or keeping you alive. A troll who has, by his own admission, committed countless atrocities. Bell, do you want the honours?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to,¡± the girl responded and with a smile, she threw two large fireballs at King who burst into flame.

    The smell of melted flesh wafted through the air as his screams of agony filled Grunt¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Looks like you get to come with us,¡± the lycanid said, smiling down at Grunt as if he was talking to his dinner.

    Grunt¡¯s breathing became erratic as he began hyperventilating uncontrollably. He took another look at King who was rolling in the ground screaming as the witch pelted him with more fireballs. Then he fainted.

 Chapter 153 â€“ The Winter Shogun

    A few hours after our heroic annihilation of the Band of Brigands, we arrived in Boggy Marsh.

    It was a small town, more of a hamlet if anything, built in the centre of a cesspit of muddy water. Though the buildings were on stilts raised high above the bog, it was still as unclean as you¡¯d expect.

    ¡°Why would anyone want to live here?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°Not everyone has had the same privileges as we have they might not have a choice,¡± Panda replied as he carefully navigated the single-track road. ¡°¡­Or maybe they just love eating mudcarp.¡±

    ¡°Do they even have an Adventure Society here?¡± She said with frown, ¡°we¡¯d better not have to lug this idiot with us all the way to High Rock.¡±

    Glancing across at our guest I saw his eyes; reddened and bloodshot. We had to gag him after he¡¯d woken up inside our camper. One look at Rex and he¡¯d started howling like a madman.

    Silence fell over him once I ran into the room, thinking something bad had happened. I don¡¯t know what he saw when he looked at me, but he trembled and his tired eyes followed my movements like one of those creepy paintings.

    I didn¡¯t like having him around either, even if it was only for a short time.

    ¡°Bell, you¡¯ve never even been to High Rock,¡± Panda scoffed, ¡°for all you know it¡¯s only a day¡¯s drive from here.¡±

    ¡°A day too many,¡± she moaned, scowling at our captive.

    She¡¯d been fiercely agitated by his presence ever since we¡¯d spoken to the troll. His flippant opinion of forced sexual encounters had struck a nerve with her ¨C and rightly so ¨C but considering she¡¯d burnt him alive; I¡¯d have thought she¡¯d have let some of that disdain go already. Apparently not.

    The captive winced when she spoke, likely reliving the garish sight of watching his leader convulse on the ground in flaming agony.

    Not that I held any sympathy for him. We¡¯d been told he was a new recruit, but surely he¡¯d seen the horrors his crew had inflicted on travellers. As far as I was concerned, Bell could burn him at the stake as well ¨C if our pay wasn¡¯t tied to his survival.

    We¡¯d chosen the lesser of two evils in making him our captive, but a lesser evil still leaves a foul taste in your mouth.

    ¡°Over there,¡± Rex grunted, pointing a thick, furry finger at a muddy wooden platform. ¡°Drive up onto that, trust me.¡±

    With a shrug Panda complied and soon after boarding the platform we were lifted into the air by some kind of mana-operated pully system which creaked ominously.

    ¡°The bogs flood at night,¡± Rex explained, glancing wearily at the orange glow of setting sun. ¡°Better to park up high.¡±

    ¡°Have you been here before?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Passed through, never stayed the night though.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t blame him. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to staying in the dirty shanty town either. But gold was gold and we desperately needed the quest reward after our shopping spree in Forge Town.

    Bell most of all.

    She had spent a copious amount of gold upgrading her scarlet robes. She now sported a 100% increase on four of her stats, opting to commission a tailor-made cloak, gloves and boots to match her outfit.

    As with my own armour, her pants and robe could only house a single status upgrade. She¡¯d justified the expense by stating that she could sustain covering fire for longer, increasing her usefulness in her new role as fire support.

    However, I found it odd that she chose to neglect vitality, of all things, when she chose her upgrades. She had proudly proclaimed her glass cannon status as if it wasn¡¯t a liability.

    Next time we were in the area I¡¯d need to buy her an enchanted hat or something. Not that our purse strings could afford to be any looser at that moment in time though.

    To put it mildly, we were skint. To make matters worse we were enroute to the capital city, a place of vast wealth, by all accounts. Unless we wanted to sleep in the camper the whole time we¡¯d need a decent amount of funding.

    Besides, questing was good for improving our new tactics and Rex needed to complete the three mandatory quests to officially become a permanent adventurer. But mostly, we just really needed the gold.

    ¡°Hurry up,¡± a svartalf cried as our camper reached the top of the raised hamlet. ¡°get inside before he comes!¡±

    ¡°Before whom comes?¡± Panda asked, leaning his head out of the driver¡¯s side window.

    ¡°Quit ja jibber jabber and get inside, now!¡±

    Panda turned to me and I shrugged back, hastily we exited the camper and followed the svartalf into a nearby hovel.

    Our passenger was hoisted onto Rex¡¯s shoulder and carried inside. We couldn¡¯t expect him to walk there himself, he was hog tied after all.

    Darkness shrouded the interior of the stilted hovel and, as we entered, I could practically smell the fear. Groups of the dark-skinned creatures huddled near the walls on their haunches as if trying to avoid being silhouetted in the windows.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    These svartalfs looked different from the ones I¡¯d met previously, undeveloped, smaller. They were nothing like Freja, that was for sure.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Shush human, keep it down!¡± The first svartalf said.

    ¡°And just who are you to shush my human!¡± Asmodeus bellowed in response.

    Gleaming red eyes shot daggers at him through the dark.

    ¡°I told you we should have left them to rot,¡± someone said from within the group. ¡°If they don¡¯t know about him then that¡¯s their problem. Your charity is going to get us all killed Jord.¡±

    ¡°Oh quit ja complaining ja bloody eedyat,¡± the svartalf named Jord replied, he was the one who had lifted the platform. ¡°Can¡¯t ja see they¡¯re adventurers?¡±

    The room quieted down once again, though this time, to an uncomfortable silence.

    I couldn¡¯t place Jord¡¯s accent, but it was thick and almost sounded Nordic, but not quite. It seemed that there was an array of accents on the continent. Each town seemed to have a different dialect entirely, despite being quite close to one another.

    It reminded me of home.

    ¡°Does someone want to tell us what¡¯s going on?¡± I said, this time making sure to whisper.

    ¡°Ja really don¡¯t know?¡± Jord replied, ¡°it¡¯s the eve of Djule¡­ The Winter Shogun is coming.¡±

    ¡°Ok these guys are really mixing up their cultural references here,¡± Bell observed.

    ¡°The Winter Shogun?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd,¡± Rex scoffed, ¡°everyone knows that¡¯s a fairy tale, just some rubbish designed to scare children.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no fairy¡¯s tale friend,¡± Jord said seriously, ¡°he¡¯s real.¡±

    Jord pulled a battered, yellow scroll from his inventory and pushed it towards me.

    ¡°Take a look, this quest has been handed down for generations. It¡¯s ancient, from before the Athenile calendar even. Back when the system was still analogue.¡±

    Gingerly I grabbed the scroll and unfolded it. The brittle parchment crumbled in my hands but not before a system notification popped up on my HUD.

    Analogue Quest Recovered

    Beginning Translation¡­

    New Quest:

    The Winter Shogun

    All fairy tales come from somewhere, a forgotten truth twisted by the passage of time. That is not the case for The Winter Shogun.

    The story goes that once per year, in the town currently known as Boggy Marsh, he will come. The Winter Shogun marches through the wetlands, freezing all he touches, searching for children to add to his army. One day he will unleash them upon the mortal plane and Ragnar?k will be achieved.

    His reasons are unknown, but one commonality among all the folklore pertaining to this monster is this simple children¡¯s rhyme:

    Thou better not scream,

    Nor stand in the light,

    Thou better not flee,

    Nor put up a fight,

    The Winter Shogun will conscript your kids.

    Objectives:

    Kill The Winter Shogun 0/1

    Reward:

    The Winter Shogun¡¯s Armour (ancient)

    ¡°This can¡¯t be real,¡± I laughed in disbelief as I gazed upwards. ¡°You¡¯re seriously telling me that Celestia has some screwed up version of Santa Clause and that the system used to analogue? This is a wind up; it has to be.¡±

    ¡°Not a jest fair adventurer,¡± Jord said quietly, ¡°merely a simple plea from the folk of this town.¡±

    ¡°But the reward¡­ it¡¯s just loot,¡± I said. ¡°How does that even constitute as a quest? I¡¯d get it anyway.¡±

    ¡°What if I sweeten the deal?¡± My ears perked up at Jord¡¯s words and I tilted my head slightly. ¡°That panda of yours, I can upgrade him. He¡¯s a lower phase than you ja? Slay the Shogun, and I¡¯ll make him phase three.¡±

    I thought back to the last time I¡¯d raised Panda¡¯s phase. It had cost me a small fortune and that was with the Havarian King¡¯s aid. Making him a phase three was likely well beyond my current means.

    ¡°And you can do that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ja, tis my specialty. As well as being the local branch liaison.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± I sighed, ¡°I guess you¡¯ve got yourself a deal. Rex needs some new armour anyway. One thing though, if the system used to be analogue, then it wasn¡¯t a system. It was just regular old bureaucracy.¡±

    ¡°Now is not the time for jests, adventurer,¡± Jord replied sternly. ¡°The system has always been, it is known.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t so sure about that, if Celestia issued quests on paper a long time ago then it stood to reason that the system wasn¡¯t simply a feature of this world, but something else entirely.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Rex said in a low, growling voice which roused me from my thoughts. ¡°I still don¡¯t believe in this fairy tale, but if it is true. We need to be careful. The Winter Shogun is fearsome in all the stories. I¡¯m not sure we¡¯re strong enough.¡±

    ¡°If he is real, wouldn¡¯t someone else have claimed the reward eons ago?¡± Bell added.

    ¡°We don¡¯t get many visitors,¡± Jord said solemnly, ¡°especially during Djule. Our little slice of heaven isn¡¯t appealing to many outsiders and once the marsh rises we¡¯ll be cut off from the outside for a few days. No aid will be able to access this town.¡±

    ¡°Well I guess that explains it,¡± she replied, ¡°it¡¯s not that appealing to us either.¡±

    I flicked her on the forehead before she offended our hosts too badly. Even in a place as awful as Boggy Marsh, it was still impolite to insult the host¡¯s home.

    ¡°How long do we have?¡± I asked, briskly changing the subject.

    ¡°Till the marsh begins to freeze,¡± Jord replied. ¡°It usually happens just after high tide.¡±

    ¡°How does this place even get a high tide? We¡¯re landlocked.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the quirks of living in a high mana region. In summer it¡¯s great for catching mudcarp, ja.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Panda exclaimed and everyone turned to shush him, even me.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take this anymore! Will someone please address the elephant in the room for Athena¡¯s sake,¡± someone from one of the huddles asked in a harsh whisper. ¡°Why is that lycanid carrying a human like he¡¯s a tussled pig?¡±

    We all turned to stare at Grunt who hung limply over Rex¡¯s shoulder. He¡¯d been silent the entire time, though his eyes widened at our combined attention.

    ¡°Oh, him?¡± I said, ¡°he¡¯s the only surviving member of the Band of Brigands. We¡¯re here to collect the quest reward.¡±

    ¡°Ja felled the Band of Brigands? The highwaymen that¡¯ve been terrorising the local high road and interrupting the trade routes?¡± Jord asked, ¡°then maybe there¡¯s hope after all.¡±

    ¡°These fetid creatures must be terribly weak if they consider him and his band of ruffians to be difficult quarry,¡± Asmodeus observed.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Jord said, ¡°most of us are over the level cap. It¡¯s harsh living out in the marshes. But our kind are beholden to an ancient custom, one of harmony, of living with the land.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pacifists?¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°Ja.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you live in a marsh, it¡¯s the only place in Celestia where you won¡¯t get killed. Even the worst kind of people wouldn¡¯t muddy their boots travelling here would they?¡±

    This time Bell flicked my forehead and I caught myself, feeling my cheeks redden at my rudeness.

    ¡°Then what does that say about us?¡± Panda grumbled.

 Chapter 154 - Showdown On The Frozen Marsh

    Standing on the edge of the swaying wooden planks, I gazed out at the risen marsh.

    Murky water rose to the height of the stilted town. It felt like I was standing on a jetty, not twenty feet up in the air. High mana regions were really something else. I could almost see the edge; it seemed to drop away like a chasm.

    However, I knew that in reality we were the ones floating above the rest of the land. It was as if the marsh itself was contained by invisible walls which allowed the water level to rise and fall.

    Gazing into the murky abyss I saw my reflection for the first time in a while. When had I gotten so gaunt? My chubby, round face was no longer present when I looked at myself. I looked thin. Yet my body filled my armour in an imposing way, cutting a domineering figure.

    Despite those revelations, it was my eyes which had changed the most. They no longer glistened with the youth of a life barely lived. No, I looked older, more experienced, and I guess I was.

    Though that didn¡¯t help me to supress the overwhelming feeling of loss I felt.

    How long had it been since the last time I¡¯d thought about my wife and our infant child. A child I hadn¡¯t even met.

    I¡¯d started this journey with a single goal: get powerful enough to bring them here. In Celestia I could give my family the life they deserved. I could settle down somewhere safe. In Havar I¡¯d be among the most powerful by then, assuming I ever reached the level cap.

    I could offer them something more. More than the life I¡¯d been able to provide back home. More than the paltry existence I¡¯d grown numb to. Celestia, despite all its drawbacks, had offered me more freedom, more opportunity than Earth ever had and I longed to share that with them.

    They say you can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too but I say fuck that. In this world I was certain that I could have it all¡­ if I just got powerful enough.

    A ripple in the water caught my eye bringing me back to reality.

    Suddenly I was alert and I watched as the water at the marsh¡¯s edge began to creak, slowly freezing before my very eyes: a black surface which reflected only the moon¡¯s dim glow.

    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± I said in a low voice and the rest of my party joined my side as we vigilantly watched the water¡¯s edge.

    ¡°Remember team, just as we planned,¡± Rex growled, unsheathing the double-sided great axe he¡¯d purchased in Forge Town.

    We stood silently as a large figure approached, floating along just behind the moving line of ice which silhouette him.

    The marsh froze over as he drew near and I unsheathed my daggers. I was to be a close combatant for this encounter. My role was to, alongside Rex, keep him away from the town.

    Of course I would also be dealing all the damage I could. Perhaps I¡¯d level up from this kill, one step closer to the level cap.

    As he drew ever closer, his outlined shadow became clearer as the moon¡¯s glow revealed his features.

    Aging blue skin set into the hollow of an oriental helmet. Levelled armour, the likes of which ancient samurais wore, adorned his imposing body. In place of legs the edges of tattered rags, cast in shadow, hung loosely from his torso.

    My eyes, however, were drawn mostly to the double handed katana which rested threateningly over his left shoulder. The blade looked rusted, yet an eerie glow clung to it in dark teal.

    Fire burned in my dragon¡¯s eye as it picked up on the menacing mana which oozed from his pores. This was a powerful foe, yet there were cracks in the mana glow. I¡¯d never seen that before.

    ¡°A welcoming party?¡± He said, his voice as cold as the ice he created. ¡°It has been an age since I was greeted. An offering perhaps? Where are my conscripts? I hope they are ready for the eternal glory of battle.¡±

    ¡°There are no children here,¡± I lied. ¡°This town is deserted.¡±

    ¡°DECEPTION!¡± He roared in a voice so powerful I had to brace myself as not to be forced backwards. ¡°I can smell the delicate naivety of youth in this place, taste the fear. It is delicious. Young cannon fodder, like clay ready for sculpting. I will make warriors out of them. My army needs warm bodies for the final battle.¡±

    ¡°How obscene,¡± Asmodeus huffed.

    ¡°He speaks like you do, Azzy,¡± Bell laughed.

    ¡°Preposterous!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°His lexis lacks the decorum of one as wise and refined as I.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°What is this final battle you keep going on about?¡± I asked. Another part of my role was to keep him busy whilst Rex flanked him. I¡¯d argued that I should be the sneaky one, given my skills, but he¡¯d said my soul aura would likely draw the monster¡¯s attention. I¡¯d have to ask him about that later, I thought I¡¯d been hiding it.

    ¡°Ragnar?k,¡± The Winter Shogun replied. ¡°The time in which my armies will descend on this decedent plane and vanquish the corrupt, shrouding this land in eternal darkness. It is¡­ a cleansing.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want that?¡± I asked, focusing hard on not glancing at Rex as he made his way around the monster in a large arc.

    ¡°WHY?¡± He bellowed, ¡°light is a cancer. It sparks mortal eyes with false morality, forces them to witness their depravity, shun it, smother the very laceration of their being in dishonest shame. Light is the perpetrator of falsehoods. Mortals were created to indulge in their impurities, and yet they shy away from them, pretending they are better than their baser instincts. Darkness is the cure. Darkness¡­ will be their salvation.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± I said, ¡°you¡¯re clearly¡­ opinionated. But I don¡¯t think we mortals want to be saved.¡±

    ¡°Does the wolf ask the sheep for permission before it feasts?¡±

    ¡°No, but the wolf doesn¡¯t claim to be the sheep¡¯s salvation either. It sounds to me like you have a bit of a god complex.¡±

    ¡°It is no complex, for I am a god,¡± he said and in my mind I willed him to keep his attention on me as Rex finally got into position, ready to strike. ¡°I tire of this tarrying folly. You will fetch my warriors.¡±

    ¡°I really, really won¡¯t,¡± I said, readying my weapons.

    Rex jumped from behind the Shogun, great axe raised high above his head and slammed down with a barbarian¡¯s war cry.

    ¡°FOOL!¡± The Winter Shogun bellowed, catching the haft of the axe with his shrouded hand and throwing it downwards, smashing Rex into the ice with a thud. ¡°A warrior doth never announce their presence before a strike. You indominable wretch.¡±

    On that cue, the rest of the team jumped into action.

    I dashed forwards, daggers at the ready, and slashed at the hand which gripped Rex¡¯s weapon. Bubbles and pustules burst from his blue skin as black blood leaked through the gaps between his fingers.

    Bell cast a fireball at the same time which hit him squarely in the jaw, forcing his head back at an unnatural angle as flames shrouded his haggard face.

    Simultaneously, Panda grabbed onto Asmodeus and took to the skies, looking for any advantage which could aid us.

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± the Shogun hissed, cracking his head back into place and grasping the hilt of his blade with both hands. ¡°This is how you strike down an enemy.¡±

    Ferocious wind ripped at me as his blade came down with devastating speed, splitting the icy marsh in two and sending a rippling slash through the stilted house.

    The svartalfs¡­ REX!

    With quick thinking and even faster reflexes, Rex had rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a bisection. His eyes wide and froth sticking to the fur on his muzzle, he reclaimed his dropped weapon and dashed towards his foe.

    ¡°Does the puppy want to play?¡± The Shogun said with a sadistic edge to his voice.

    Rex slashed down hard, the blade of his axe biting into the monster¡¯s shoulder. Had he been a person, it would have been fatal.

    Taking my cue, I moved to the other side and unleased a myriad of slashed across The Shogun¡¯s upper chest and side, ripping through his rotten samurai armour. Acid leaked from the wounds I¡¯d created, peeling skin from bone and armour from flesh.

    He winced.

    I slashed again, hoping to activate the one new upgrade that might actually affect him: spider¡¯s web. But it didn¡¯t work. I guess a 5% chance to immobilise is pretty slim odds and it was unlikely the poison or infection upgrades would work on¡­ whatever he was.

    Panda: Disengage. Bell use fireball.

    Bell: How many?

    Panda: All of them.

    As Panda¡¯s message blinked onto my HUD I jumped backwards, turned and sprinted away. I didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near that thing when Bell unleashed a barrage of searing flames.

    This agility increase is incredible! I thought, supressing the urge to laugh as my feet moved across the frozen marsh with the speed of Hermes.

    Hoping Rex had done the same, I dismissed my daggers and drew my bow. If I was to be adaptive in battle I needed to learn to switch weapons decisively, plus I had an idea of where Panda was going with this change of plan.

    I turned around, as I reached the wooden planks, just in time to see a hailstorm of fire rain down on our opponent. I couldn¡¯t even see his outline against the vast, vibrant flames which smothered the battlefield.

    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Rex trailed off as he joined me, staring dumbly at the artillery fire. It was like bonfire night, ramped up to eleven and crossed with New Year¡¯s Eve. ¡°I think being a glass cannon suits her, look at that raw power.¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± I agreed, pulling on my drawstring. ¡°And I¡¯m almost ready to add to it.¡±

    Bell: I¡¯m almost out of mana!

    Panda: Kaleb, use soul shot.

    Kaleb: Already charging one.

    Bell¡¯s rain of fire sputtered out almost as quickly as it had started. Left standing on the iced over marsh, decrepit and broken, was The Winter Shogun.

    His massive samurai sword dropped limply in his hand; his armour burnt entirely away leaving a floating corpse of blue skin as a sentinel.

    ¡°That¡­¡± he began, his words slurred and tired. ¡°¡­Is how you¡­ strike down¡­ an enemy.¡±

    ¡°Close,¡± I said, ¡°but not quite.¡±

    Releasing my bowstring a soul infused arrow flew towards him, splitting the air with a crack which threatened to blow out my eardrums.

    My feet skidded backwards on the ice and if not for my increased strength and agility skills working in tandem I likely would have flow through the shattered town leaving Kaleb shaped holes as I went.

    The arrow collided with The Shogun, shattering his form entirely. As the tip pierced him, his entire body exploded like an overfilled water balloon filled with guts and rotten organs.

    He was gone in an instant.

    I hadn¡¯t thought about the impact my soul shot could have with increased skills, having been too distracted by my shiny new daggers, but holy shit, it was awesome!

    As I stood, dumbfounded at what I had done, the ice below my feet disappeared and I dropped into the murky marsh water with a splash.

    ¡°Man overboard!¡± Bell cried.

 Chapter 155 â€“ Impart Thought

    Ice gripped at my body as I sank into the murky depths, dragged downwards by my armour. The darkness consumed me and though I thrashed mercilessly at the water, I couldn¡¯t tell which way was up.

    My limbs grew numb with each panicked swipe and I longed for the feeling of one of Freja¡¯s portals to whisk me to safety. Sadly, she was miles away in Cali Port and I had to assume that no help was coming.

    Think Kaleb, think! I willed myself.

    With a flash of inspiration I unequipped my armour and found immediate leverage on the water as I pulled at it with my arms: a badly executed front crawl.

    Reaching out, after a few successful strokes, my palm collided with something solid. It was an odd feeling, my hand was numb so there was no pain, no real feeling at all, just the abstract resistance which prevented my hand from moving further. It had to be the ice.

    Wait, the ice melted, it can¡¯t be that, I thought as my cold addled brain worked desperately to untangle the murky web of confusion which threatened to send me to my death. The houses!

    The realisation hit me like a ton of bricks, of course, I was trapped under the houses. They were on stilts; I must have floated underneath them.

    Grabbing desperately at the wooden planks, I slid my hands across them, pulling myself along. I had to reach the side; I had to reach air.

    As I pulled I felt my numb limbs begin to burn. Was that oxygen deprivation or a feature of freezing cold? Either way it wasn¡¯t anything good. I felt my consciousness slipping away and the urge to breath in was becoming painful to resist.

    Just keep going, I thought as I scraped my hands along the wood which trapped me underneath the marsh. I pulled and kicked and gave every ounce of strength I had to get to the edge. I felt drained, though I couldn¡¯t tell if that was the effect of suddenly losing my 100% stat buffs when I¡¯d unequipped my armour, or if it was the lack of air.

    Suddenly I felt weightless as my body seemed to lift on its own. Something grabbed me, but I could barely feel it and then I was breathing.

    The cold bit into my skin as I splashed through the water, held by strong, furry hands. The first thing I noticed was the smell of wet dog and as I looked up I saw Rex¡¯s froth covered muzzle grinning at me.

    ¡°That¡¯s a weird looking fish, Rex,¡± Bell said, ¡°you should throw it back.¡±

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Granny Basher

    You beat up and old dude so your friend could steal his coat. I hope you¡¯re real proud of yourself.

    Reward:

    X1 Hooligan loot box

    ***

    It took about thirty minutes before I regained full control over my body. With Bell¡¯s fire magic for help, I was soon warmed and my armour was dried. Once I reequipped it, I knew I needed to find the others.

    Rex had gone ahead with Panda and Asmodeus. The house in which we had met the locals was little more than firewood after the fight, broken planks and rubble littering the place where someone¡¯s home had once been.

    Thankfully no one seemed to have died, but the locals had fled further into the hamlet ¨C an area we had yet to explore.

    ¡°We¡¯re lucky,¡± Bell said quietly as we walked along the wooden planks. ¡°That sword strike nearly destroyed our camper.¡±

    ¡°Shame that it did destroy someone¡¯s home,¡± I mumbled back, but I was a little too distracted with my notifications to spare much of my attention for the conversation.

    You have defeated The Winter Shogun (lvl 72)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level disparity.

    Congratulations! You have reached level 51

    An extra few stat points never went amiss and I threw my free points into vitality, it made sense to add points to the areas I had buffs for because those five extra points were doubled by the 100% buff.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    However, I was more concerned with our foe¡¯s level.

    ¡°Bell,¡± I said, ¡°didn¡¯t that shogun guy seem a little more powerful than only a level 72?¡±

    ¡°He was ancient,¡± she shrugged, ¡°and he was a trained fighter, a legend really. That probably makes a difference.¡±

    ¡°Monsters tend to be stronger at lower levels than people,¡± Panda said, appearing in the doorframe of a small, stilted house nearby. ¡°That¡¯s why Director Lucas had such a hard time with that level capper dragon despite also being a level capper himself.¡±

    ¡°Were you just waiting for a chance to pop out of the shadows and offer us your sagely wisdom?¡± Bell said, a fun-loving smile on her face.

    ¡°¡­Maybe.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± I replied thoughtfully, ¡°Clive the elder lich nearly took our entire party single handedly and he was a level capper.¡±

    ¡°And a monster,¡± Panda agreed.

    ¡°Then what are gods?¡± I asked, thinking back to the time I met Chrysus, a time that felt so long ago.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know,¡± Panda replied with a shrug, ¡°I can tell you that their power goes beyond the level cappers, though maybe not beyond the mithril rankers. As to how¡­ your guess is as good as mine. They¡¯ve always kept those secrets closely guarded.¡±

    ¡°Those with power always do,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met anyone above gold rank. What are mithril rankers like?¡±

    ¡°Legends,¡± he replied wistfully. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure they really exist outside of the stories. Thus far we haven¡¯t met a platinum or diamond ranker either, though we will once we reach the capital.¡±

    ¡°Lucas¡¯ father?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the only known diamond ranker in these parts ¨C only one I¡¯ve heard of at least.¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s so powerful then why would Lucas send me to his aid, it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    ¡°I guess even the mightiest sword can rust.¡±

    ¡°Oi!¡± Jord shouted and we all turned towards the sound of his voice. ¡°Do ja want ja panda evolving or not? Ritual¡¯s all set up and I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    ***

    Standing at the side of the pentagram, I watched with bated breath.

    Panda laid in the centre, blood soaking his fur, dying it a sickly scarlet. The entire ritual made me feel uneasy. It felt more like a blood sacrifice than a familiar upgrading ceremony. Still, Jord didn¡¯t seem the murderous type, as a self-proclaimed pacifist I trusted that he would honour our agreement.

    More importantly, Panda assured me that despite my grievances everything was above board and I trusted my familiar more than anyone else in Celestia.

    Jord danced around the pentagram, sprinkling diamond dust and chanting in a strange tongue which almost sounded satanic. A chill drifted on the air and I shivered as I watched, eyes glued, to the dance.

    ¡°This is some real fucked up shit, Kaleb,¡± Bell whispered from my side and though I agreed, I shushed her.

    Rex seemed unconcerned as he preened over his new armour. It was closer to an enchanted, sleeveless robe than what I¡¯d call armour. However, he seemed happy with it.

    He¡¯d said it would offer him a strength boost and, though I didn¡¯t really understand his class, it seemed to be pretty close to that of a barbarian in a certain tabletop RPG game my wife had introduced me to. Those guys did worse when wearing real armour so maybe the enchanted robe would work better for him than full plate anyway.

    Asmodeus grinned, his fangs gleaming in the torchlit darkness, eyes alight with demonic intrigue. I wondered if a ceremony like this reminded him of home. He seemed to have memories shared with the demon lord who was his namesake, though the more I studied him the less I saw the similarities.

    Yes, he was born from a fragment of that power, but he didn¡¯t share a conscious with the real demon lord ¨C the big guy who¡¯d flicked Clive across continents like he was a bogey.

    I had a feeling that there was more to my soul bonded little dragon than met the eye. More than perhaps he knew himself.

    ¡°Kali ma,¡± Bell whispered as Jord danced like a tribesman around the pentagram, ¡°kali ma.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± I snapped in a whisper shout, though I had to dig deep to stop myself from sniggering. Growing up I¡¯d watched that movie every day on boxing day. It was on at the same time every year and it was definitely the worst one. Well¡­ apart from the one with the aliens but that hardly counted as a proper continuation of the series.

    My thoughts silenced as a foreboding, crimson light began to glow in Panda¡¯s chest, shooting out in spirals.

    Jord backed up and proceeded to bow in an exaggerated fashion as Panda levitated into the air, his black and white fur seemingly turning to blood.

    The room shook momentarily and then he dropped to the floor with an unceremonious thud, the scarlet colouring leaking off his fur as the pentagram disappeared in a flash of flames.

    ¡°It is done,¡± Jord said with an assertive nod.

    ¡°Well that was anticlimactic,¡± Bell observed.

    Daemon Familiar (Panda) has evolved to phase three.

    The notification I received was even more unceremonious than the ritual. It gave me no new information at all. There wasn¡¯t even a congratulations tagged in there like I got with a level up.

    The system must really hate familiars, I thought, or maybe it just hates me.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked Panda as I crossed the pentagram.

    ¡°Lighter,¡± he replied dazedly, ¡°and I got a new skill.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Though I asked, I simultaneously pulled up my HUD to see if I had access to it. It made sense that I would since he was my familiar. However, nothing had changed on my stat sheet.

    ¡°It¡¯s called impart thought,¡± he replied. ¡°I can send you a thought, including all of those intricacies without having to type it out in the group chat. This could be a real game changer in battle, kid.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± I said. Panda having a skill that was actually useful could be a huge boon to the team. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see it on my HUD?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied with a casual shrug. ¡°I can see your entire stat sheet.¡±

    ¡°Strange, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯m glad you got a new skill. Is this the first time you¡¯ve been a phase three?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my last summoner was a higher level than you but she never had the money to upgrade me. You¡¯re the first one to do it.¡±

    ¡°Like I said before, you¡¯re a valuable member of the team and I want you at your best,¡± I replied with an easy smile. ¡°I do wonder though: how does a backwater town like this have access to the materials needed to make you a phase three when it cost me millions in gold to get the Havarian king¡¯s mage to get you to phase two?¡±

    ¡°Millions?¡± Jord scoffed. He had clearly been earwigging on our conversation.

    ¡°Yup, I had to place the coins in the middle of a magic circle and he used them for the ritual.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know mages were still pulling that stunt. It went out of fashion on the continent decades ago, ja?¡±

    ¡°Stunt?¡± I asked, feeling the heat begin to rise in my cheeks.

    ¡°It¡¯s a scam, ja?¡± He said with a shit-eating grin. ¡°Oldest trick in the book. Ask the customer to place gold in a mana circle so you can take it. They used to be popular on the continent. All you have to do is place two mana circles on top of each other, the surface level circle transfers contents to your inventory, the one underneath performs the actual request. Easy.¡±

    ¡°I got played,¡± I said, clenching my teeth. ¡°If we ever go back to Havar I¡¯m gonna murder that swindling fuck!¡±

 Chapter 156 â€“ Slow Slaughter

    The camper rumbled as we drove out of the marshes and back onto solid ground. I sat in the passenger seat as Panda dutifully steered us onto the dirt track.

    ¡°Now we¡¯re out of the wetlands we¡¯ll have to clean her,¡± he said, reaching out of the driver¡¯s side window and patting the vehicle lovingly.

    ¡°Somehow I doubt there will be a car wash in High Rock,¡± I replied.

    ¡°We could tie Rex to a stick and use him as a sponge?¡±

    ¡°What if,¡± Bell said, appearing from behind us, ¡°we get Azzy to bite a water mage, then he can fly over the camper and spray it down with the absorbed power.¡±

    ¡°That could work,¡± I replied, ¡°if only we could find a willing participant¡­¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about willing?¡± She smiled devilishly.

    We drove along the dirt road for some time, carrying on in the same manner. Tall trees surrounded us and the muggy air eventually changed to a brisk, winter breeze.

    The road was desolate. Despite having driven all day we hadn¡¯t come across another living soul. It was exactly the kind of peace I¡¯d been craving after our hectic adventure in Boggy Marsh.

    Back in the town we¡¯d handed in two quests getting rid of our hog-tied bandit and killing the Shogun. I was beginning to feel financially secure once again with the quest payments brining my personal total coinage up to 15,100 gold pieces.

    It was by no means enough to claim wealth, but at least we weren¡¯t going to go hungry anytime soon. Economics on the continent differed vastly to that of Havar. Money didn¡¯t go as far, but luxury items were more reasonably priced.

    Adventuring gear was much more affordable, though still pretty pricey, but general items such as food, water and potions were vastly more expensive than they had been in the socialist city state.

    In fact, I didn¡¯t have any potions left at all.

    I¡¯d hoped to stock up on them at Boggy Marsh but the hamlet was so desolate and isolated that it didn¡¯t even have a general store. The people there were almost completely self-sufficient and apparently they bought their potions from High Rock or the travelling traders which occasionally passed through.

    After a long day of sitting in the passenger seat talking about nothing in particular and meditating the day away, I¡¯d retired to the lounge area for a strong drink.

    Rex joined me after he was done cleaning the kitchen and for a while we sat in silence as the camper continued to trundle along in the semi darkness. Until I broke that silence.

    ¡°Have you ever been to High Rock before?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied gruffly, ¡°it¡¯s a human settlement.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem with them?¡± I asked, ¡°you said your people had a past with humans before.¡±

    ¡°I did, and then I found out that you¡¯re an outworlder, and the mage accosted me,¡± he chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s so strange to be talking to someone knows nothing of the slow slaughter.¡±

    ¡°Slow slaughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s more commonly referred to as the lycanid tragedy of Athenile 506. It happened hundreds of years ago during the height of the empire. Back then there were a lot more of us, lycanids that is, and we were a noble people. Rulers of the continent, a warrior class. We slew monsters, protected the innocent and most of all we were respected.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, taking a deep swig of my drink. It burned my throat, but in a nice way.

    ¡°Humans happened,¡± he growled, closing his eyes and leaning forward. ¡°What they lack in raw strength and honour they make up for in ingenious cruelty. They came from the whale road, invading our land and staking claim to it. They saw us as inferior, demi humans, they even referred to us as monsters in some instances. But the lycanid people were honourable folk and if we were to wage war we did it with the axe, we faced our foes head on.

    ¡°The humans were not like that.¡± He sighed deeply and reached across the table snatching my bottle and downing a skinful. ¡°They wormed their way into our society with silver tongues and gifts. They knew they could not beat us with honour, so they stabbed us in the back. A powerful Jade Soul named Achlys gifted our empress a potion. He told her it was his own creation, a virility tonic which would help her to sire stronger, larger offspring.

    ¡°In drinking it she doomed our people to a life of servitude and mercenary work. In those days the empress bedded frequently, she chose from the best warriors, a reverse harem of all the finest and most prestigious blood lines. It took years before the effects were made apparent: a sterility poison, a contagious one, was passed through all of the noble lycanid houses.

    ¡°It took less than a decade for Achlys¡¯ deceit to decimate the empire. An empire which had lasted for centuries. Now my entire race has been reduced to little more than glorified guards and mercenaries. Nearly all of us are infected.¡±

    I took another drink as I considered his story. The room felt cold as I watched his large eyes staring wistfully into the bottom of the bottle.

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    ¡°What happened to Achlys?¡±

    ¡°He became a god,¡± Rex spat, ¡°to this day he remains a member of Athena¡¯s pantheon. Though he goes by another name now¡­ Diako.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a sneaky one, kid,¡± Panda said from his place in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Not much is written about him but I heard he runs a cabal of assassins. He¡¯s sometimes called The Shadow Puppeteer because it¡¯s said that he has a hand in almost all the political ongoings of Celestia. Bit of a portentous moniker if you ask me though.¡±

    ¡°So let me get this straight,¡± I said, tapping my chin as I tried to make sense of it all. ¡°Lycanids ruled the continent until some dude came along and tricked their empress into drinking a sterility potion. She slept with all the best fighters and it spread and now the potion¡¯s maker is a god and lycanids can¡¯t have kids. Did I get that right?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Rex nodded.

    ¡°How could sterilising one woman make an entire population infertile?¡± I asked, ¡°and why would anyone do that in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Is it not obvious?¡± Rex snarled, ¡°Achlys wanted humans to rule the continent. He saw lycanids as vermin and proceeded to enact his form of pest control. Power. He wanted power.

    ¡°And as for how the virus spread so easily well¡­ that is the fault of our ancient culture in part.¡± He relented, sighing deeply as his ear twitched. ¡°By our very nature, lycanids do not sire many females. It is not known why, but it has been said that less than one in one thousand pups are females.

    ¡°That is why we have always been a matriarchy; females are so rare in our society that they are treated as divine. The empress¡¯ main role was to sire as many litters as she could from the strongest suitors with the most superior genes. Those same suitors were expected to sire litters as often as possible with other females as well, to keep our civilisation from crumbling.

    ¡°In enacting their duties, they unwittingly sterilised most of the population. Now, after hundreds of years, there aren¡¯t that many lycanids left. My mother is one of the few birthing females alive today. There are only three that I know of, in fact. It is highly likely that any other lycanid you meet is a brother of mine, not that I know many of them.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve met female lycanids before¡­¡± I began.

    ¡°You have met the infertile. Just like me. They have no further purpose to serve. Like me, they have no home, no future, no chance at family. What else are we to do if not fight? What else is there?¡±

    Hanging my head, I chose not to reply. His story hit me hard, considering my goals were heavily based around my longing to reunite with my own family, I felt for him.

    I wasn¡¯t sure I agreed with how his people¡¯s customs functioned, but I saw little point in pressing that issue when his entire culture was based on mercenary and guarding work in the modern era.

    Diako, I thought. I feel like I¡¯ve heard that name before. Why does it feel so familiar?

    ¡°Tell me more about Athena¡¯s pantheon,¡± I asked darkly.

    ¡°It is not my area of expertise,¡± Rex said solemnly. ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll retire for the evening. My head hurts.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I said, ¡°thanks for telling me about¡­ everything. It can¡¯t have been easy.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± he said, a sad smile on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to see your confusion at Achlys treachery. Perhaps not all humans are bad people.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± I replied, ¡°but I¡¯m an outworlder, remember.¡±

    ¡°That you are.¡±

    He reached out towards me and I grasped his meaty, fur-covered forearm in a warriors shake. Then he went to bed.

    ¡°I can tell you a bit about the pantheon if you like, kid?¡± Panda said and, grabbing my drink, I returned to the passenger seat. ¡°I could use the company anyway; it¡¯s going to be a long night if I have to drive on my own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good job I don¡¯t need to sleep then,¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Indeed. So, the pantheon. Well basically a long time ago Athena was the first mortal to ascend and become a god. For hundreds of years she was the only god in Celestia, that¡¯s why the calendar was named after her.

    ¡°Other gods have created their own versions since, but few use them. If you ask me they¡¯re just jealous because Athena got there first. She was the original and they¡¯re all trying to live up to her name. But I digress, eventually, back in the old times, other mortals began to work out how to ascend themselves and that¡¯s how we got the pantheon.

    ¡°Of course they guard those secrets like a dragon guards its treasure, but that¡¯s beside the point. There aren¡¯t many gods, nor is there a god for every creed like that there was in your world. Currently there are seven, including Athena. Chrysus, who you met briefly and, Diako, who we just spoke about, are some of the bigger names in these parts. However, the other four are still pretty big fish. There¡¯s Baccus, the god of wine and ale. He¡¯s the fighting type, a lot of mercenaries wear his pendant. Then there¡¯s Phonoi, god of murder. She¡¯s a bit of an odd one as it¡¯s considered taboo to worship her on the continent, obviously.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s the god of murder then why isn¡¯t she running the assassin¡¯s guild instead of Diako?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How should I know?¡± He replied, flapping his paws, ¡°and it¡¯s not an assassin¡¯s guild, it¡¯s more like an underground cabal. They call it The Organisation, it¡¯s all very ominous and secretive.¡±

    ¡°Then what kind of cult does she run?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t. Chrysus¡¯ people are called the cult anyway, but Phonoi¡¯s people are more individual. Serial killers and their ilk. I don¡¯t think they have a club.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a god of serial killers, that¡¯s so messed up,¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, as you might come to realise if you listened to my explanation rather than interrupting it, no one nice becomes a god in this world. If personal power is the game, then selfishness is the method.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I replied, taking another sip of my drink. ¡°I won¡¯t interrupt you anymore, your sageliness.¡±

    ¡°See that you don¡¯t, and don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t detect a hint of sarcasm in your tone,¡± he scalded. ¡°Anyway where was I? Ah yes, there¡¯s also Nyx. He¡¯s the newest of the gods so people call him a minor god. He acts more like a gang leader than a deity. You¡¯ve already heard of him though, he''s the guy in charge of The Morningstar Collective.

    ¡°And finally, there¡¯s Loki. He¡¯s also pretty new, known as the god of trickery, the story goes that he gained most of his power through the use of illusion mana. That¡¯s pretty rare in Celestia, most people tend to believe what they see around these parts so you can imagine how powerful an illusion might be.¡±

    ¡°Loki?¡± I asked incredulously, ¡°ok now you¡¯re having me on.¡±

    ¡°Not the Marvel character,¡± he sighed. ¡°Or the Norse god from your world. Our Loki is real.¡± He said, drawing out the last word as if I was dumb.

    ¡°Sure¡­ There¡¯s still one thing I don¡¯t get though.¡± I said, ¡°if Athena is the most powerful of them all and she¡¯s also the only one who doesn¡¯t sound like a complete tool. Then why does she even allow them in her pantheon? Each and every one of them sounds evil.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re asking the right questions, kid,¡± he replied, a serious look on his face. ¡°No one knows, but I can tell you that no alive today has ever seen Athena. As far as I¡¯m aware, even the rest of her pantheon have never met her.¡±

    ¡°So what, she upped and left?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s one of the great mysteries of this world. Everyone knows who she is, she¡¯s still the most widely worshipped too. Yet no one has seen her in hundreds of years, maybe even longer.¡±

    ¡°This whole world is ridiculous,¡± I replied and took another swig of my drink.

 Chapter 157 â€“ Never Parlay With One Of Them

    We neared High Rock sometime after dawn, though I smelled it long before the castle walls came into view. Smoke stung at my nostrils as Panda navigated the winding mountain path which led to the settlement.

    ¡°Does it always smell like that?¡± Bell asked, looking up from her breakfast.

    ¡°No,¡± Rex grunted. ¡°This is the smell of pillaging.¡±

    ¡°Know it well do you?¡± She replied.

    ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°We should get there quickly, we might be able to help the survivors,¡± I said, patting Panda on the shoulder.

    ¡°I would advise against such rash action,¡± Asmodeus said sleepily, lifting the wing which covered his eyes. ¡°Though I love a good pillaging as much as the next dragon, this one is still ongoing. If we charge into the fray all willy nilly our mighty stead may become blemished in the process. I will not abide my chariot being tarnished.¡±

    ¡°The pillage is still happening?¡± I asked.

    However, before anyone could reply the walls came into view.

    Nestled atop a mountain stood the burning fortress of High Rock. Stone battlements doused in flames, a portcullis gate bent and broken, thick black smoke rising into the sky creating a floating abyss which could just as easily have been an eternal thunder cloud. High Rock was decimated.

    Despite the obvious damage which had been done to the fortress, I was awed by its design. The mountain¡¯s jagged peak split into two spires and the settlement appeared to be built across both of them. The near side, where we were, looked to connect to a marvellous stone bridge which allowed passage to the far side.

    Higher up, and seemingly built into the spire itself, the far side looked positively regal. It was an incredible feat of craftsmanship to have created a fortress in such a hazardous location.

    Moreover it begged the question, who or what was powerful enough to sack a town like this? The fortress looked easily defensible. It seemed to be the sort of structure which was built to withstand almost any kind of onslaught.

    What then, could have possibly done this?

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about this place, kid,¡± Panda said, in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. ¡°Said to be built by ancient dwarves, High Rock is known as the floating castle: a fortress which, in over two thousand years, has never fallen.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was a human settlement?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It is,¡± he replied, ¡°but not because they took it in battle, because they bought it off the dwarves for billions of gold.¡±

    ¡°I heard,¡± Rex added, ¡°that the humans tricked the dwarves into letting them inside using the promise of gold before slaughtering them all in their beds. It was in the same era as the Slow Slaughter, the time of the great human expansion.¡±

    ¡°You both hold only half of the truth,¡± Asmodeus interjected. ¡°The humans did pay billions in gold, but once they had claimed High Rock as their own they enslaved the dwarves and took it back. The very same dwarven craftsmen who built this place were also the ones who built on top of Castalor, of course they did that building in slave collars.¡±

    ¡°On top of?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Indeed, human of mine,¡± he said, flying over and perching on my shoulder. ¡°Castalor was the seat of power for the lycanid empire, once the humans took control they built on top of it. You will see when we arrive, but Castalor is a city with duelling architecture. It is also known as the city of raining blood. My kind of place.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all that?¡± Panda asked.

    ¡°I was there¡­ or at least, the demon lord Asmodeus was. I remember it well, despite my current state.¡± He seemed confused as he spoke, like he couldn¡¯t quite tell if he was Asmodeus the demon lord or Asmodeus the tiny dragon.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok Azzy,¡± Bell said, patting his head lightly.

    He didn¡¯t complain.

    ¡°Help!¡± A small voice shouted and we all looked towards the broken portcullis gates to see a small child sprinting towards us. ¡°Please help, my mother, she¡¯s trapped.¡±

    Disembarking the camper with Asmodeus still perched on my shoulder, I ran towards the child and crouched down, placing my hands comfortingly on her small shoulders.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    She pointed towards the burning walls, panting so hard she couldn¡¯t speak.

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    ¡°Ok,¡± I said, putting on my most adult voice. ¡°We¡¯ll go and save her, but it¡¯s not safe here. You need to wait in the camper until we get back, ok?¡±

    She nodded and I released her, standing up solemnly and watched as she trotted towards our mobile base. Then a quest log appeared in my HUD.

    New Quest:

    Blood Brothers

    Upon reaching High Rock you have found the fortress under siege and on fire ¨C just another day at the office right?

    Objective(s):

    Help the girl¡¯s mum 0/1

    Rewards: TBC

    Rewards to be confirmed? What the hell does that mean? I wondered as I looked at the bare bones quest log.

    ¡°Was that wise?¡± Asmodeus asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s no threat,¡± I replied.

    ¡°That sort of arrogance can get you killed, human. Sometimes dangerous things are wrapped in small packages ¨C me for example.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt she¡¯s a demon lord fragment masquerading as a tiny dragon. I told her we¡¯d save her mum and that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. I can¡¯t just stand by and watch this city burn to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Yet you did exactly that when we fled Cali Port. Also, I am not tiny!¡±

    ¡°And I won¡¯t let it happen again,¡± I said, gritting my teeth. ¡°Once is a mistake, twice is negligence. Besides, think of all the XP we¡¯ll get if there¡¯s a hoard of evil monsters inside.¡±

    ¡°I do admire your quest for power,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°Fine, I will allow it.¡±

    I rolled my eyes just as Rex, Bell, and Panda caught up.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°That girl¡¯s mum needs saving, follow me.¡±

    She nodded and I turned on my heels, running into the fiery chasm which was High Rock: a blazing inferno filled with god-knows-what.

    Dancing across the flaming stones which littered the ground in front of the battlements, I deftly hopped through the broken portcullis. Once I was closer to it, I realised that it had been blasted inwards, seemingly via bludgeoning and sheer strength. The metal was bent at an odd angle, as if someone ¨C or something ¨C had punched their way through it.

    Inside the walls we entered a venerable hellscape. Wooden two-story buildings, reminiscent of Georgian era architecture, blazed all around us. I heard screams and the clashing of iron; it seemed to be coming from the bridge.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I shouted, ¡°which house is it?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should have pressed the girl for more details than merely a crookedly pointed finger?¡± Asmodeus suggested.

    Just as I was about to tell him where he could go, a shriek pierced my ears. It sounded like a woman and was coming from the second house on the left.

    With a shrug towards my companions I headed in that direction.

    The house in question was practically a ruin already. Black charring creeped up the outside of the white wood as smoke bellowed out of the upstairs windows.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Rex said, ¡°it looks like it could collapse at any second.¡±

    ¡°Shame we never found that water mage I wanted,¡± Bell added unhelpfully.

    ¡°Stay outside,¡± I commanded, ¡°there¡¯s no use in us all going. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Without waiting for their affirmation I moved towards the house with purpose.

    ¡°Kaleb, wait!¡± Panda shouted, ¡°if you¡¯re going to kick down the door, don¡¯t. With that kind of heat it might cause an explosion.¡±

    ¡°How do I get in then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The second-floor window is blown out, how are you at climbing?¡±

    ¡°Allow me,¡± Asmodeus said, flapping his wings against the back of my head as he took off.

    I watched, surprised that he was offering to help more than anything, as he dove through the window gracefully. There was another shriek, followed by the sound of something crashing to the floor, then he reappeared carrying a woman wrapped in a sooty blanket.

    As he placed her on the ground nearby, she looked up at him with stark fear in her amber coloured eyes. Practically petrified, she barely even noticed when I trotted towards them.

    ¡°Good job,¡± I said, patting the dragon affectionately on the head.

    ¡°This is the proof why one should never send a human to do a dragon¡¯s job,¡± he replied, puffing his chest out. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll bear with me whilst I take my payment, we can be off.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not draining her,¡± I said sternly and he looked at me in that way a dog looks at a child holding food.

    ¡°You would deny me this after such a heroic feat?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not heroism if you drain her life force afterwards,¡± I said. ¡°You can use leach life on enemies, not victims.¡±

    ¡°It would pay for you to have been upfront about this from the start,¡± he pouted. ¡°Why, I never would have offered my valiant services if I had known that I would not be adequately compensated.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok Azzy,¡± Bell said, offering out her arm like she was summoning a falcon. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find you a nice tasty bad guy to eat soon. Can¡¯t you hear the swords clashing over there?¡±

    He nodded reluctantly and I crouched down next to the woman.

    ¡°Do you have a daughter?¡± I asked.

    Her eyes widened and she lunged upwards at me like a feral beast.

    ¡°Chrissie!¡± She yelled, ¡°where is she? Is she hurt?¡±

    Her clawing hands grasped at the collar of my armour but I didn¡¯t fight back ¨C she wasn¡¯t strong enough to do me any damage in her current state anyway.

    ¡°She¡¯s safe, I let her shelter in our camper.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ thank you,¡± she relaxed slightly but didn¡¯t let go of me. ¡°What about the lycanids?¡±

    Furrowing my brow, I gestured to her to continue. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Rex¡¯s ears prick up as he moved towards us, gazing at the woman with an unreadable expression on his face.

    ¡°They attacked us,¡± she said, ¡°my husband, he¡¯s in the guard. They were defending the bridge when all hells broke loose. Please, you¡¯ve got to save him too.¡±

    ¡°Lycanids did this?¡± Rex said, approaching cautiously.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± She screamed, trying to place me between her and Rex. ¡°Kill it!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, lady,¡± I said, refusing to allow her to move me. ¡°He¡¯s part of my team.¡±

    She spat on the floor, a hateful glare adorning her amber coloured eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let it fool you,¡± she growled, ¡°they¡¯re all the same. We had some here when everything went to shit. Treated them like our own we did. Didn¡¯t stop them from siding with their kin though did it? I¡¯m telling you master adventurer, nothing good comes from parlaying with them.¡±

    Rex looked like he was about to say something but instead looked away sheepishly and took a few steps back.

    ¡°Listen here,¡± I began, ¡°Rex is one of my team, don¡¯t speak about him like that. We just saved your fu-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright Kaleb,¡± Rex said in a low growl. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. Let¡¯s go find these lycanids she spoke of and get to the bottom of this. She¡¯ll be safe out here; she doesn¡¯t need an escort.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve one anyway,¡± I grumbled, following the huge lycanid towards the bridge at the centre of the fortress.

 Chapter 158 â€“ The Prodigal Son Returns

    ¡°Do you know these lycanids?¡± I asked Rex as we patrolled in formation through the deserted, burning street.

    We walked in a staggered formation; a design Rex had implemented for us. I led from the front with Asmodeus flying overhead, Panda on his back, to give us clear lines of forward sight.

    With my bow drawn and ready, I was in a good position to not only spot enemies but put down covering fire if needed.

    Behind me and to the side was Rex who turned as we walked, keeping sight lines to either side and ready to rush forwards or backwards to tank melee fighters as needed.

    Bell trailed at the back, slightly staggered to the other side of me. Her job was twofold: to check we weren¡¯t being followed and to provide fire support in the likely event we were engaged from the front. It was a good formation. Rex had explained that this tactic was best used in narrow, enclosed spaces¡­ such as the winding streets of a town under siege.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rex replied in a low growl. ¡°I used to run with a mercenary group who could have sacked a fortress, but that¡¯s not their usual modus operandi. They were a good group, not dissimilar to adventures.¡±

    ¡°Adventurers for hire?¡± I asked, ¡°that sounds like it could become morally dubious rather quickly.¡±

    He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, his eyes glassy. Then he spoke calmly. ¡°Are we not all adventurers for hire? Adventure Society is a business is it not?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah,¡± I relented.

    ¡°Few remain incorrupt when gold is involved. You¡¯d be wise to remember that. An organisation with rules and regulations is not necessarily a precursor to good deeds. In my experience it¡¯s often just the opposite.¡±

    ¡°Mine too,¡± I replied, ¡°though Adventure Society seems to have some good people in it¡­ so far.¡±

    ¡°True, though a good person for one is not always a good person for all.¡±

    Whilst we continued patrolling it occurred to me that I hadn¡¯t received a quest completion notification for saving Chrissie¡¯s mum, keeping one eye on my surroundings, I decided to take a quick look.

    Objective(s):

    Help the girl¡¯s mum 1/1

    Discover what has happened to the residents of High Rock 0/1

    I had noticed that there wasn¡¯t anyone around. I guessed that this quest wasn¡¯t going to be quite as simple as it first seemed.

    The reward better be worth it, I thought, closing the update and continuing on with our patrol.

    As we reached the end of the street I put my fist to the sky signifying that the party needed to stop. This was another one of Rex¡¯s tactics which we¡¯d been practicing the past few weeks whilst we were on the road.

    Looking up, I nodded to Asmodeus who flew forward towards the bridge.

    Thick, black smoke clung to the air making visibility pretty poor. I could just about make out the large bridge ahead. An architectural marvel, it seemed to cross the cavern between the two mountain peaks without any structural supports to hold it up.

    Made of grey stone, the bridge had battlemented towers spread evenly across it and a wooden roof which stretched the entire length, making it even harder to see what was going on inside.

    The sound of clashing steel carried on the wind. Shouts, screams, and a steady yet irregular thudding reached my ears, yet it still sounded distant.

    Had the fighting moved to the other side of the bridge? It was hard to tell. The smoke was so disorienting and we hadn¡¯t seen a soul since we left the woman we¡¯d saved.

    More unnervingly: despite the obvious signs of fighting, we hadn¡¯t seen a single body either.

    Asmodeus: Seems clear.

    The dragon reported in the group chat and, with little else to go on, I lowered my fist and led the party forward. The entrance to the bridge was eerily quiet and I shot Rex a discerning glance before stepping onto it.

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    Asmodeus¡¯ sight lines would have been useless inside the enclosed bridge, so he flew outside and I asked him to scout the exit and wait for us there.

    Moving carefully forward, I saw the first true sign of battle: a bloodied corpse.

    A man, no older than twenty, laid in a heap on the ground. His armour was dented at the chest, a dent which appeared to be in the shape of a large fist.

    ¡°Who punches that hard?¡± I asked in a low voice.

    Rex looked away, refusing to meet my eyes and I got the distinct impression that he was holding something back. I decided not to press the issue however, we needed to keep moving.

    The further along the bride we went, the more corpses we found. Somewhere around the centre I had to supress a gasp as I came across a mangled pile of sliced and torn corpses. Humans, dwarves, and a single lycanid were strewn across the floor barely recognisable.

    Rex gasped and I turned towards him.

    ¡°You knew him?¡± I said, jerking my head in the direction of the lycanid corpse.

    ¡°H-he was one of my sword brothers,¡± Rex replied, a tremor in his usually unshakable voice. ¡°He was a member of Broken Shield, the mercenary group I mentioned.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he was one of the raiders?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Rex scowled, ¡°all the corpses are piled together, maybe he was helping the townsfolk?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t so sure, but I saw no point in pressing the issue so I signalled the team to move on.

    We saw little sign of resistance after that, apart from a few broken barrels and an abandoned carriage. There were no more bodies, but the noises of battle grew louder as we approached the exit.

    Kaleb: Az, what do you see?

    Asmodeus: Not much in all this smoke, the clashes of steel draw closer though. I am certain that there is a battle ahead. Also, in future you will address me in a manner befitting of a demon lo-

    *Kaleb closed the chat*

    Asmodeus: How rude!

    I nodded to Bell and Rex and they returned the gesture, clearly having read Asmodeus¡¯ report. I could tell they were ready and, taking a deep breath, I marched forward onto the other side of the fortress.

    We exited the bridge into thick plumes of smoke and a scorching heat which radiated against my skin. The houses either side of the exit flickered with fresh flames, the walls barely showing signs of blackening. It must have happened recently, perhaps even after we¡¯d arrived at the fort.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting closer, prepare yourselves,¡± I said, pressing forward through the smoke.

    I followed the burning buildings until the clashes of steel became deafening. Dark figures loomed threateningly in the haze, though they didn¡¯t seem to notice us.

    A voice, loud and gruff shouted across the battlefield.

    ¡°You may as well surrender swine; I¡¯ll make it quick don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Through the smoke I caught a glimpse of a circle of armoured lycanids, a few beaten humans stood staunch in the middle, backs together. They looked soundly beaten and I could hear panting. Were they the only survivors?

    Readying myself, I began directing the party using hand signals. I aimed to surround them, grouped closely together like that, Bell¡¯s fireballs could cause some real damage right from the off.

    Kaleb: Looks like a fight, Panda are you ready? We¡¯ll need some guidance.

    Panda: I can¡¯t see a thing up here, kid. When you attack we¡¯ll dive down to ground level. Gonna have to improvise until then.

    Bell: Shame Azzy isn¡¯t a fire breathing dragon. That¡¯d make this easy.

    I closed the chat and supressed a sigh.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Rex said, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. ¡°I know them. Please, let me take this one. Hang back.¡±

    ¡°Rex, there¡¯s got to be at least a dozen of them, you¡¯ll be slaughtered!¡±

    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± He asked, a weary look on his haggard face.

    Gritting my teeth I stowed my bow and nodded.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Though I reluctantly allowed Rex to do things his way, I had no intention of sitting on my haunches the entire time. Quickly and with purpose, I began ordering the rest of the party into flanking and advantageous positions¡­ just in case.

    As we began to move into position, a quest update flickered in my HUD with a new objective..

    Deal with the Broken Sheild mercenaries 0/1

    ***

    Rex waltzed brazenly through the smoke, though his heart was aflutter, his expression gave off an impression of steel.

    ¡°Gorthak!¡± He roared, emerging from the smoke.

    The large lycanid balked, turning towards the nearing figure as he appeared, as if from thin air, from inside the black cloak of smoke which covered the battlefield: a fog of war.

    ¡°Rexus?¡± He asked and the rest of the lycanids began murmuring conspiratorially.

    With little hesitation, they abandoned their circle and formed an honour guard which Rex marched through, head held high.

    As he walked, a veritable death march, the lycanids banged the hafts of their weapons on the ground creating a savage drumbeat. Rex¡¯s heart jumped with each pounding strike and, though he would not show hesitation in front of his former brothers in arms, he balled his free fist so tightly that blood wet his palm.

    The humans who had been trapped looked worried, one dared to take a step backwards and, without looking, Gorthak backhanded him in the same way one would swat a fly.

    The man, who looked to be in his early twenties, hit the ground with a thud, his nose crumpled and his mouth filled with blood. He spat it out onto the floor and the closest lycanid picked him up under the arms.

    ¡°Boss man¡¯s having a moment, we¡¯ll deal with you after. Don¡¯t fucking move, maggot.¡±

    Rex continued walking; his great axe slung easily over his shoulder. He had to give off the impression that he belonged, that he was not afraid, that he deserved to be greeted by an honour guard. Yet the lump in his throat told him otherwise. It only grew bigger as he reached Gorthak.

    The large lycanid towered over Rex, a hulking figure covered in thick white fur but with a bright red stripe on his head ¨C like a mohawk.

    ¡°The prodigal son returns,¡± he said in a gruff, patronising voice. ¡°Last I heard you were working for some gnome?¡± He spat on the ground, ¡°sounds about right for you, grovelling at the feet of a dirty midget. Just like your father.¡±

    ¡°Hello uncle,¡± Rex replied stoically. ¡°I¡¯d like to say, ¡®it¡¯s good to see you¡¯ but I never was very good at lying was I?¡±

 Chapter 159 â€“ A Lycanid Is Nothing Without His Pack

    I snuck through the thick plumes of smoke, readying myself for a fight. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Rex walking through a lycanid honour guard. The whole situation was odd and reeked of trouble.

    Just after he¡¯d left I signalled for Bell to move to the opposite side and for Asmodeus and Panda to remain inside the smoke, hovering above us so that they weren¡¯t spotted.

    If Rex needed us. When he needed us, we¡¯d be in the perfect position to strike. No team member of mine would be left to fight an entire company of mercenaries on their own.

    As I crept around the outskirts of the group I settled myself into a small nook down the side of a burning building. It probably wasn¡¯t the safest place to be, but it did provide access to a stone building just next door.

    Seeing an opportunity to take the high ground, and leaning on my increased agility skill, I tried out something I¡¯d only ever seen in the movies.

    Launching off the side of the burning building, I jumped back and forth between the two walls reaching higher and higher with every leap.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked,¡± I muttered to myself with a smile as I settled on top of the stone building¡¯s roof. Thankfully, this building wasn¡¯t on fire.

    The roof itself was flat and offered little cover, but the sight lines were superb.

    Dropping to my haunches I crept towards the edge of the roof and laid eyes on the nearby group of lycanids. I was close enough to hear them and I could see them fairly well through the smoke ¨C though my dragon¡¯s eye wasn¡¯t activating for some reason.

    Settling down near the edge, I watched and listened in as Rex approached the large lycanid with the red mohawk and began to speak. He seemed to be the leader of Broken Sheild.

    Wait, did Rex just call him uncle?

    ¡°You¡¯ve been spending too much time with the enemy Rexus,¡± Gorthak snarled, ¡°you¡¯re starting to speak like you¡¯re one of them. Have you forgotten what they did to our kind?¡± He shot the group of bloodied humans a look and growled, a young man with a broken nose winced in response.

    ¡°Have I forgotten?¡± Rex baulked. ¡°When I left Broken Shield we were an honourable company, we helped people. Yet I find you here attacking civilians and burning their fortress. You¡¯re a lot of things uncle, but I never took you for a coward.¡±

    I heard a cacophony of audible gasps and muttering among the rank and file and supressed a laugh.

    ¡°A COWARD?¡± Gorthak shouted, ¡°me? How dare you throw such insult my way Rexus, I trained you better than that. This is no cowardly action; it is righteous retribution¡­ and it¡¯s been a long time coming.¡±

    ¡°Retribution for who? I have little sympathy for the humans but this¡­ this is barbarism. These people have done nothing to us, why, they weren¡¯t even alive during the Slow Slaughter.¡±

    ¡°Humans are all the same. The Rexus I remember, the Rexus I wanted to adopt as my own, used to hold to that belief more firmly than any of us,¡± Gorthak snarled sadly. ¡°I guess all that time you¡¯ve spent living in their cities has corrupted your lycanid sensibilities.¡±

    ¡°What was the point of all this needless slaughter?¡±

    ¡°It was hardly needless. The point as you so eloquently put it, was to carve out a home for our people. We¡¯ve been nomadic for far too long. If we are to rebuild we must put down roots and this fortress is impregnable. Where better to relocate the females? Where better to restart the empire.¡±

    ¡°Restart the empire?¡± Rex asked, ¡°it¡¯s been gone for centuries, why now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting old Rexus,¡± Gorthak sighed, ¡°I want to start a family, I want to see the young pups grow up with a home. A real home, not out on the road like we were. I¡­ I-¡±

    ¡°And if this fort is so impregnable then how did you get in?¡± Rex interjected.

    Gorthak seemed taken aback, he stumbled slightly over his words and my dragon¡¯s eye finally awoke in a sea of red hot, and furious, arura.

    ¡°Are you suggesting?¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°That you weaselled your way in, claiming to be friends of these people and then slaughtered them in their sleep?¡± Rex answered before Gorthak could finish his sentence. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m suggesting. What a terrible day it is to see my brothers in arms doomed to repeat the savage and dishonourable histories of the humans.¡±

    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Gorthak bellowed, ¡°did you not see the portcullis gate? I punched my way in as is the lycanid way. How dare you accuse me of resorting to dirty human tricks.¡±

    ¡°Punched your way into a town full of women and children,¡± Rex replied calmly. ¡°Look at these soldiers,¡± he said, pointing to the young man with the broken nose. ¡°They are barely even old enough to shave their own balls. How can you justify this? How can you claim that this upheld our code?¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± the young man said in a blood-muffled mumble. ¡°I¡¯m actually twenty-one, I¡¯ve been shaving my balls for a while now.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Both Rex and Gorthak said in unison.

    ¡°Rexus,¡± Gorthak began, ¡°the nerve of you offends me deeply. You wound me. A man I once called nephew. The man I wanted to welcome into my house as my own¡­ reduced to this: a human sympathiser. I never thought I¡¯d see the day. There is only one way to settle this. The lycanid way. Single combat.¡±

    A bloodthirsty cheer went up around the area as the lycanids began banging their weapons on the floor with vigour, reforming their circle and trapping Rex and Gorthak soundly in the centre.

    With a resigned look on his face, Rex gripped his axe with both hands and, looking his uncle dead in the eyes said: ¡°so be it.¡±

    Gorthak grinned sadistically and punched his two gauntlets together causing sparks to pass between them. The weapons were odd, thick metal with gold trimming and they seemed to have some kind of lightning affinity.

    I watched with bated breath as the two began to circle each other. They did not speak, at least not in words, but their bodies told a different story as they squared up, gnashing their teeth and staring each other down.

    Then, Rex struck.

    Like a coiled snake, Rex leaped across the circle with his axe held above his head in a two-handed grip. It crashed onto the floor, displacing stone as his weapon cleaved a rent into the street itself.

    Gorthak dodged effortlessly and used his momentum to launch a kidney punch from behind his nephew. Lightning crackled as visible, violet bolts wrapped around Rex like tentacles, causing his body to seize up and jerk.

    ¡°You never learn Rexus,¡± Gorthak smiled, ¡°how many times must I tell you to let your opponent come to you?¡±

    ¡°You also taught me to strike when their guard¡¯s down!¡± Rex yelled, swinging his axe backwards and throwing stone chips and dirt across the battlefield.

    His axe connected with Gorthak this time but glanced off his plated armour with a grating sound. However, Rex didn¡¯t stop there. Pressing his advantage he leaned into the momentum of the axe and swung it around in a circle to bring it back around once again, this time aiming for Gorthak¡¯s armpits. Where the gaps in the armour were.

    He jumped back with surprising agility for a beast his size and kicked out viciously, catching Rex in the sternum and sending him skidding backwards as he spluttered and coughed blood.

    ¡°I did teach you that didn¡¯t I?¡± He smirked, rushing forwards and grabbing the haft of Rex¡¯s axe.

    With a powerful jerk he dragged Rex towards him and headbutted him on the snout. Rex howled as blood shot from his nose, his muzzle bending in an unnatural way.

    Gorthak kicked his knee and Rex dropped to the floor. Following him to the ground and pressing his advantage, Gorthak pinned the axe to the stone with his knee and punched Rex in the face shouting as he went.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ one hundred¡­ years¡­ too¡­ young¡­ to¡­ challenge¡­ me!¡±

    With each pause between words he struck a mighty blow into Rex¡¯s face.

    It was time, I knew I had to act. He was going to die if we didn¡¯t intervene. Yet some part of me, in some deep recess of my mind, didn¡¯t want to interrupt. Rex had borne it all when he challenged Gorthak alone. It was single combat. Would he ever forgive me if I rushed in and saved him? Would it sully the lycanid honour he was so proud of?

    Did it matter?

    ¡°You¡¯re worthless Rex,¡± Gorthak said, panting as he leant back on top of his bleeding nephew. ¡°You always were a disappointment. To me, to you father, to our people.¡±

    Rex screamed a primal shout which sat halfway between a barbarian¡¯s roar and wolf¡¯s howl. With a sudden show of strength he freed his trapped arm and grabbed Gorthak by the scruff of the neck, pulling him in close.

    Gorthak¡¯s eyes went wide as Rex bit his throat, clamping down on the jugular like a feral beast. Gorthak screamed but Rex shook his head, tearing and ripping at the skin around his uncle¡¯s neck as blood poured from the wound and into his mouth.

    ¡°Get off me!¡± Gorthak shouted as he began hitting Rex in the head over and over again. But Rex was¡­ well¡­ he was like a dog with a bone and his grip wouldn¡¯t faulter.

    ¡°Help!¡± Gorthak screamed, ¡°Broken Shield, get this race traitor off of me, that is an order!¡±

    From all sides the lycanids moved in, though some hesitated at first. There were a few scattered glances and it was obvious that they knew it was wrong to intervene. The right of single combat was sacred in their culture. However, I got the distinct impression that their fear of Gorthak outweighed their principles.

    Numerous clawing hands grabbed at Rex from all sides and with a heaving struggle they pried his jaw open and Gorthak threw himself backwards as his mercenary company pinned Rex to the ground, multiple lycanids for each limb.

    I readied my bow and contacted the others. Rex couldn¡¯t complain at my interference now. This was bang out of order and I planned to put a stop to it. I began nocking multiple arrows and prepared to launch acid rain.

    ¡°COWARD!¡± Rex bellowed. ¡°This was supposed to be single combat.¡±

    ¡°Fuck single combat,¡± Gorthak spat, pawing at the gushing wound on his throat. ¡°Take this as my final lesson to you Rexus, may it serve you in death. A lycanid is nothing without his pack.¡±

    ¡°Oh I have a pack, uncle,¡± Rex said. ¡°Dissident Flame, it¡¯s time. Kill this cockless weasel!¡±

 Chapter 160 â€“ The Noble House Aurelius

    Rex screamed the words I¡¯d been dying to hear. It was time and we were ready.

    Raising my bow skyward I released all the stamina I¡¯d been pouring into my area of effect attack.

    Acid Rain (uncommon)

    Turn your bow into an entire battalion of archers and rain hundreds of acid infused arrows on your enemies like an old timey artillery strike.

    This is a stamina-based skill.

    This skill is only available to those with an Acid Weapons skill.

    The arrows I had nocked flew into the air and immediately multiplied into hundreds of acid infused versions.

    Plummeting from the sky in a barrage of pain and death, it looked as if there was an entire battalion of archers poised and ready to strike at Rex¡¯s call.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± One of the lycanids called out as an arrow pierced his shoulder and his fur began to melt.

    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded!¡± Another one shouted.

    ¡°Raise shields!¡± Gorthak screamed and Broken Sheild mercenary company complied.

    As one, the lycanids raised their shields above their heads forming a massive, metal umbrella as they closed ranks and centred on Gorthak.

    My arrows had injured, and even outright killed, a few of them but thanks to their quick thinking most survived unscathed.

    Notifications popped up in my HUD and I levelled up, but quickly pushed the screens away from my vision so they didn¡¯t distract me in the fight.

    One good thing about a level up though; it replenishes your stamina and health. Not that I needed the latter.

    However, having the former meant that I was well poised to attack again. Would acid rain work the second time if I waited for them to lower their shields? Or would a well-placed soul shot have more of an impact?

    It was hard to tell, but before I came to a definitive conclusion a large fireball emerged from inside the smoke and landed on top of the shield umbrella the lycanids had made.

    Screaming pierced the air around me, followed by a cacophony of clattering as shields were dropped to the floor, their metal made unbearably hot.

    That answers my question, I grinned and began to channel a second acid rain strike.

    As I channelled, the lycanid company in disarray below me, I heard a swooshing sound as Asmodeus entered the fray.

    Diving from above he latched onto a panicked lycanid and, through my dragon¡¯s eye, I saw his life force draining and entering Asmodeus.

    ¡°Alas! It is time to feast!¡± The dragon declared triumphantly as the dazed lycanid fell to his knees and scrambled away.

    ¡°Not so fast whelp,¡± Asmodeus said, ¡°this power of yours, it¡­ excites me.¡±

    I watched as the dragon¡¯s tiny claws grew by magnitudes of size and, with a malicious grin, he swiped at the lycanid¡¯s throat, tearing it out in a spray of blood and sinew.

    ¡°This is superb!¡± He cried, zooming from merc to merc as he sliced them to ribbons with his newfound power.

    I had planned to launch a second round of acid rain, but with Asmodeus in the fray, with Panda on his back, I realised the potential for collateral damage was too high and instead began loosing a myriad of regular shots as rapidly as I could.

    Aiming at the centre mass of a fleeing lycanid, I fired. His screams rang out through the black smoke. He sounded terrified as I imagined the damage my acid was doing to his skin. I had no reason to take pity on him, his company had broken their own chivalric code in interfering with my friend¡¯s duel¡­ this was the price of that transgression.

    More fireballs, albeit smaller than the first, whizzed through the smoke causing the panic to spread even further as the Broken Sheild mercenaries¡¯ disarray continued. There was no real fight in them. They were terrified and without instruction. They were useless.

    As I continued firing, picking my targets with care and making every shot count, I caught Rex out of the corner of my eyes.

    The mercs who had pinned him previously were nowhere to be seen ¨C likely scattered with the rest. Rex pulled himself to his feet and charged at his distracted uncle, tackling him to the ground.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°GORTHAK!¡± He bellowed, ¡°our fight is not over yet.¡±

    With vicious precision and a barbarism I¡¯d rarely seen, he began beating the lycanid leader over and over again.

    He pummelled the man¡¯s face, tore at the gash on his neck and in moments his fur was dyed red with the blood of his uncle, the blood he shared. It was a horrifyingly satisfying sight.

    After a few moments of laboured breathing he produced a knife and seemed to mutter something under his breath. Slicing through the few remaining tendons he removed his uncle¡¯s head and staggered to his feet, holding it high into the sky.

    ¡°STOP!¡± He yelled, stunning the panicked lycanids. ¡°Cease this, the fight is over. Gorthak has fallen!¡± He proclaimed and the lycanids, almost in unison, dropped to one knee in some kind of trained reverence.

    Asmodeus killed one of them with another claw strike and Bell released the fireball she was holding, attempting to send it skyward as a last ditch attempt to avoid unnecessary death. It singed the back of the young human¡¯s head but he dared not say anything.

    Poor guy, I thought, first a broken nose, now burnt hair¡­ and he isn¡¯t even old enough to shave his balls yet.

    ¡°Broken Sheild,¡± Rex said regally, fiercely as he dripped with the scarlet blood which covered him. ¡°I am Rexus of the noble house Aurelius and by the ancient right of might I claim leadership of this company. Are there any who wish to challenge me for this honour?¡±

    Silence. The entire clearing was as quiet as the grave, you could hear a pin drop.

    Good, I thought, lowering my bow. I had been ready to make it very clear why challenging Rex would be a bad idea, but it seemed that they had already gotten that message.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he continued. ¡°Then as my first decree, I order you to cease all hostilities with the peoples of High Rock immediately. We will instead offer them relief as we search through this mess for survivors.¡±

    No one said a word, the lycanids were still on a single knee, heads bowed. They seemed petrified of him.

    ¡°But first,¡± he continued, ¡°we must perform the right of ascension. Form up!¡±

    With the speed of trained soldiers, the lycanids quickly manoeuvred into position around Rex. Kneeling, each brandished his weapon above the wrist of the merc next to him and Rex hoisted the body of his dead uncle over his shoulder. He dropped to one knee, holding up the body above his head with both arms, kind of like Rafiki holding Simba at the beginning of The Lion King.

    ¡°Here me ancestors,¡± Rex began. ¡°I, Rexus Aurelius hereby proclaim divine leadership over Broken Sheild company. I swear by the blood of the old and new that I will always uphold the code you wisely created and will lead this band to glory in both life and the realms beyond.¡±

    The lycanids responded to this with a single, unified bark as they simultaneously slit the wrist of the person next to them. The blood leaked out at first and then began to flow into Rex, my dragon¡¯s eye picked up on the insane amounts of mana seeping into him.

    Then, as if it wasn¡¯t already strange enough, it got weirder.

    Gorthak¡¯s corpse disintegrated before my eyes, bone, flesh, and even his armour warping and spinning into a congealed ball of rotating blood. It then split into two smaller orbs which wrapped around Rex¡¯s outstretched firsts, dying them a deep crimson colour.

    The blood that had been staining the rest of his fur slithered all around him to join the rest, seemingly taking the colour of his fur with them.

    Before my eyes, Rex¡¯s fur turned as white as snow all across his body, his eyes turned black, no pupils to be seen. The only exception to this was his fists, which seemed to be permanently stained red.

    ¡°Rexus Aurelius,¡± a booming voice rang out, catching me off guard as I desperately looked around to see whom it belonged to.

    But there was no one else there.

    ¡°We have heard your call, kin slayer, and thus we answer,¡± the voice said. ¡°We dub thee Rex of the Crimson Fist and recognise you as the new patriarch of Broken Sheild. May you uphold your values as Gorthak once did. Do not lose your way, pup.¡±

    Rex nodded, getting shakily to his feet as he looked around at the mercs who seemed to be revering him. Moving his arms and flexing his hands, he looked at his red fists and smiled.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said in a low, sincere voice. ¡°Now, get to work. We have lives to save!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Who knew dogs were part of a cult?¡± Bell said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m kinda glad my parents never let me have one now.¡±

    ¡°You know he hates being called a dog,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Why do you think I do it,¡± she said, winking playfully.

    Broken Shield were hard at work putting out fires and rescuing civilians at Rex¡¯s behest. We left them to it, even with my increased strength I was no match for the pure power that a lycanid workforce could muster and I didn¡¯t want to get in their way.

    Besides, I had points to assign.

    You have advanced to lvl 52

    Congratulations!

    ¡°I swear the level notifications change slightly every time,¡± I murmured as I checked out my new stats, assigning all my free points into vitality. My health was already doing pretty good, but it never hurt to have more.

    ¡°Kaleb!¡± Rex shouted, ¡°you have to see this!¡±

    Turning quickly on my heels I ran towards him, Bell, Az, and Panda following. I had no idea what to expect but he sounded agitated so, subconsciously, I equipped my daggers.

    Rex stood in front of a half-burned house, his mercs guarding the front entrance and shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The basement,¡± he said shakily, ¡°come on.¡±

    His guards saluted as he walked past them, leading us to a charred wooden hatch which was hidden inside the only remaining room.

    ¡°I think this was the prison,¡± he said, hefting the hatch open with a thud. ¡°We were checking for survivors when I found this.¡±

    He jumped down the hatch and I followed; it wasn¡¯t much of a drop but still deep enough to have broken my legs pre-system.

    At the bottom was a dank stone room lined with barred cells. It looked pretty standard for a fortress dungeon, though I pitied the poor souls who had been locked up down there with no daylight.

    Marching with purpose, Rex led us to the very last cell. This one was different. A strong, metal door blocked it and there were no windows or bars, no way to tell what was inside.

    With both hands, he heaved the door opened and gestured for me to go inside.

    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, looking around the strange room.

    It looked a little bit like a mad scientist¡¯s laboratory and my heart skipped a beat as I saw an apparatus I knew all too well.

    A wooden X positioned over a vat of acid.

    Thankfully there was no one strapped to this one, but my gut wrenched all the same as I remembered Brad; the man I¡¯d accidentally killed. As I remembered Bell¡¯s beaten and broken body slumped in the same position.

    Somebody had constructed this here, somebody who knew about outworlders. Somebody who was hunting us for map pieces.

    ¡°It¡¯s awful, I know,¡± Rex said hurriedly, ¡°but there¡¯s more.¡±

    He carefully moved around the acid to a second door at the back. As he opened it a freezing cold swept out causing goose pimples to bump up on my skin.

    I stretched to look at what was contained inside.

    Is this a freezer? I thought.

    Laying neatly on shelves in the cold room were piles and piles of neatly folded, tattooed human skin.

 Chapter 161 â€“ My Oldest Active Quest

    ¡°Is anyone else getting Sweeney Todd vibes?¡± Bell asked as we stepped into the freezer.

    Piles of tattooed skin lined the frozen shelves neatly folded and stacked as if they were any old commodity, the likes of which could be found at your local supermarket. It was sickening.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve hit the jackpot, human,¡± Asmodeus declared. ¡°This is a venerable treasure trove of power. You should absorb it.¡±

    I looked hesitantly between him and the skins. I had a quest which wanted me to absorb map pieces, a quest I¡¯d vehemently ignored so far.

    ¡°What about you?¡± I asked Bell, ¡°you¡¯re an outworlder too. You have just as big of a stake in this as I do.¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± she replied casually. ¡°If I could rip my tattoo off and give it to you I would, I don¡¯t want to be a part of this rat race for the heavens. I¡¯m no hero.¡±

    ¡°Neither am I,¡± I replied with a sigh.

    ¡°I disagree,¡± Rex said, placing a huge crimson hand on my shoulder. ¡°It was you who commanded us to help the people of High Rock, you who selflessly heeded my cry for help back in Cali Port, you who rescued that woman from the burning building.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Asmodeus said, ¡°that was me. And Cali Port was a disaster.¡±

    ¡°But you only did so because Kaleb wanted her saved. You have no interest in aiding mortals, you only helped because he wanted it done. As for Cali Port, the end result may not have been preferable, but I firmly believe Kaleb¡¯s heart was in the right place.¡±

    Asmodeus didn¡¯t respond, instead opting to glare sheepishly at the ground.

    ¡°If anyone is deserving of this power, it is you,¡± Rex said, nudging me towards the stacked skins.

    I was unsure.

    On one hand, this power could be exactly what I needed to finally bring my family to Celestia. On the other, I would literally be absorbing other people¡¯s skins. They had died for possessing these tattoos and if nothing else, I¡¯d be painting a pretty large target on my back¡­ literally.

    Unlike last time when I absorbed Brad¡¯s tattoo after I¡¯d accidentally killed him, this would be a conscious decision. One born of understanding instead of the ignorance I¡¯d had back then.

    Yet, despite all that, a part of me wanted to claim them. A part of me wanted to see where this road might lead. I didn¡¯t want to kill and flay innocents for their skins, but that heinous act had already been committed. All I was doing was preserving their sacrifice in the hopes of using it to do something good.

    At the very least I¡¯d be keeping it out of the hands of those who would use it to hurt people.

    ¡°It needs to be unanimous,¡± I eventually said, looking at each of my companions in turn. ¡°If I do this then Dissident Flame will officially be in the running to claim the Celestial Map. Even if I never absorb another skin again, people will hunt us for these.¡±

    ¡°They already were, kid,¡± Panda said gently, placing a paw on my hand. ¡°You and Bell have had tattoos from the start. Hell, we met in a cultist camp after you¡¯d been captured specifically for your tattoo.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Bell added, ¡°the two of us will be hunted for our entire lives anyway. May as well piss the bastards off whilst we¡¯re at it, right?¡±

    ¡°Your quest for power is the source of my admiration,¡± Asmodeus said slowly. ¡°We are bound together, yes. But your tenacity is what has earned you my respect. Take this power as your own.¡±

    ¡°You respect me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°But you just said¡­¡±

    ¡°I take it back, do what you want, stupid human.¡±

    ¡°There you have it,¡± Rex said quietly. ¡°We¡¯re all with you, this doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±

    With a silent nod, I took a few steps forward and placed my hand on top of one of the piles on the shelf. A notification popped up in my HUD.

    Do you want to absorb 521 Celestial Map pieces?

    Y/N

    I mentally asserted yes and my dragon¡¯s eye stung with the sudden eminence of bright, blinding light which filled the room, enveloping me in pure mana.

    A moment passed and then the light was gone.

    The shelves stood empty and I felt a burning sensation on my back. 521 pieces. 521 dead people. I shivered.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look then,¡± Bell said enthusiastically and I unequipped my torso armour.

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    ¡°Wow, it kinda looks like code. Like if you asked a computer to draw the way it sees data, but more artistic,¡± Bell said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine what that looks like,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Runic,¡± Panda said, ¡°runic, but with numbers. It is a language I¡¯ve never seen before. Though it now spreads across your shoulders and the backs of your arms. It¡¯s a good job you never usually take that armour off. There¡¯ll be no hiding what you are going forward if you do.¡±

    I re-equipped my armour and Rex led us out of the basement. As we walked I couldn¡¯t help but check on my oldest active quest.

    The Celestial Map

    Collect all the pieces of The Celestial Map. Upon completion of this quest you will unlock another quest.

    Objectives:

    Map pieces collected 523/10,000

    Reward: Vast Cosmic Power

    523/10,000 wasn¡¯t a lot in the grand scheme of things. I was pretty certain there had been a lot more skins in The Morningstar Collective¡¯s basement than in this freezer.

    However, it was still too many.

    522 lives had been snuffed out for these tattoo pieces. 522 people from Earth, just like me. Who had been transported to Celestia against their will, just like me. Who had died in agony, hunted by malicious gods and organisations for the arbitrary reason of power. It just as easily could have been me.

    ¡°I guess now I¡¯ve absorbed these, we¡¯re truly in the rat race aren¡¯t we?¡± I said, thinking aloud as we followed Rex back through the broken building.

    ¡°We always were, kid,¡± Panda replied soothingly. ¡°But if we¡¯re going for it, at least we do it together. This team you¡¯ve built, they¡¯re really something.¡±

    I smiled at him, thankful that no one else had heard my soppiness. A sudden calm washed over me and I felt like I needed to meditate. Instructing the others to carry on without me, I dropped to the floor in a meditative pose with only Panda to watch out for me.

    Delving into my soul view I saw the usual things before me: my thick red rope of health which twined around my skeleton, feeding into my muscles and the very sinew which held them to my bones. I saw my stamina coil, vibrant and buzzing, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Then, I looked towards my soul core.

    The dense ball of black and green energy which laid dormant in the pit of my stomach. A terrible power waiting to be unleashed. I had used it twice before, both times to devastating effect. However, the backlash on my body was horrendous and I had promised Panda that I would keep it locked up until I was strong enough to use it without the fear of hurting myself.

    As I gazed at it, a venerable abyss contained within me, I felt something. It tugged my conscious towards it and I slid deeper and deeper into the black and green surface.

    My soul power, it felt¡­ stronger.

    Gazing into the abyss I saw the green colouring running around the black core like a sliver of gold in a mine. I focused even harder as it willed me to see it.

    Then I realised.

    The green parts of my soul core looked like a runic code.

    I was pushed out suddenly, violently and I opened my eyes back into the real world with a jolt. A strange realisation tingling inside my head as I struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what I had just discovered.

    My soul power was linked to the Celestial Map.

    What did this mean? How could I use it? Questions spun around in my mind as Panda raised a single quizzical eyebrow in my direction. I informed him of my discovery and he stared at me, wide eyed, whilst he considered this revelation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this means, kid.¡± He said slowly and quietly, ¡°but I think you know what you have to do to find out.¡±

    I nodded solemnly.

    ***

    We left the house a short while later and caught up with Rex who was commanding his mercenaries to continue cleaning up the fortress, rescuing survivors where they could.

    ¡°There should be more,¡± he muttered to himself as I walked over.

    It was strange seeing him with bright white fur and crimson paws. He looked like a completely different person: fierce, a leader. Yet when I spoke to him, he was still the same old Rex I¡¯d been travelling with. The lycanid who loved cooking and stuttered when Bell flustered him with lewd provocations.

    ¡°Should be more what?¡± I asked lightly as I approached.

    ¡°More citizens,¡± he replied, ¡°we¡¯ve combed this half of the town from top to bottom but there are barely any people around. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    I agreed and remembered one of the quest objectives which had been added as we explored the fortress.

    Discover what has happened to the residents of High Rock 0/1

    ¡°One of the quest objectives mentioned something strange,¡± I said.

    Rex¡¯s face lit up with sudden remembrance. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°But like I said, we¡¯ve turned the town inside out and found nothing. Where could they be?¡±

    ¡°Have you checked the sewers?¡± Panda asked casually.

    ¡°So far we haven¡¯t found any.¡±

    ¡°A town without sewers?¡± He replied, ¡°your men aren¡¯t looking hard enough Rex. All towns have sewers.¡±

    With a roar, he commanded Broken Sheild to begin looking for entrances to the sewers and they took quickly to the task. All we had to do was wait.

    ¡°What are your plans now?¡± I asked Rex in a low voice.

    He looked at me quizzically and I continued. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the leader of Broken Sheild now and I doubt we can fit a hoard of lycanid¡¯s into the camper. I guess I was just wondering what you¡¯re planning to do¡­. I¡¯d understand if you needed to leave the party.¡±

    ¡°Oh Kaleb,¡± he smiled a fangy grin. ¡°You won¡¯t be rid of me that easily. We still have a quest to finish and you need a cook. Besides, Broken Sheild still have plenty of work to do fixing High Rock. I¡¯ll add them to my chat interface and command them when needed, but for the most part I just want them to clean up this mess and await orders. I was hoping that they might be of use to you somewhere down the road.¡±

    I felt my face light up, I didn¡¯t want him to leave. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s alright? I want you in my party but I can¡¯t be responsible for you shirking your duties to pal around with me.¡±

    ¡°What duties?¡± He laughed, ¡°they may be a little rough around the edges but each and every one of them is a well-trained and fully grown lycanid warrior. They don¡¯t need micromanaging. I simply need to set them a task and they¡¯ll do it, with or without my interference.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t seem too well trained when they were running with their tails between their legs screaming as arrows and fire rained down on them,¡± Panda remarked sceptically.

    ¡°Can you blame them?¡± Rex replied, taking the jibe in good humour. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be terrified to see acidic arrows raining over their heads. We had them surrounded and at a severe disadvantage. Besides, Gorthak had lost his nerve and the commander¡¯s ability is paramount in battle.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I added. ¡°And their commander will be travelling with me.¡±

    ¡°Which means they won¡¯t be engaging in any battles for the time being,¡± Rex replied assuredly.

    I nodded back at him and gripped his paw in a shake. He seemed pretty sure of himself and I was happy to have my team member back. Besides, having a pack of lycanid at my beck and call could be useful.

    ¡°Sir!¡± A wiry lycanid shouted as he sprinted towards us from a side alley. ¡°We¡¯ve found the entrance and have posted guards for your inspection.¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Rex said, patting the lycanid on the head affectionately. ¡°Well then Kaleb, shall we go see what lies in wait for us in the sewers?¡±

    ¡°Kid¡¯s an expert on that,¡± Panda muttered.

 Chapter 162 â€“ Partial To The Odd Side Quest

    Rex and I climbed carefully down the ladder and into the sewers. His mercenaries stood guard over the manhole above us and the rest of my team were off galivanting somewhere in High Rock.

    It was just the two of us, and Panda.

    We reached the bottom with a light splash as rancid sewer water enveloped my boots. You¡¯d have thought I¡¯d have been used to it by now, but the smell still stung my nostrils powerfully.

    Glancing around, I noticed that flaming torches were lit on both sides of the rounded, stone sewer pipe we found ourselves inside. It was a sign of life, most likely.

    I set off carefully down the pipe, following the torches as they led us deep below the city. Rex followed behind me dutifully and silently, Panda sitting on his shoulders.

    He had never been one for foul smelling odours and grime: truly a bear of luxury.

    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s been down here recently,¡± Panda remarked as we ventured onward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope they give us a warm welcome,¡± I replied.

    We trekked through the sewer for a short while until I began to hear a rushing sound coming from ahead of us. It bounced around the stone walls, a cacophony of noise which almost reminded me of a flushing toilet ¨C not that I¡¯d seen one of those in a while.

    Sensing no imminent danger, we continued on until the piping system opened up into a cistern. Bright daylight attacked my eyes and I realised were stood in an opening at the edge of the mountain peak which this side of High Rock was built onto. Looking out across the expansive crevasse below, I could see the underside of the bridge we¡¯d crossed earlier.

    Sewer water flowed effortlessly to the edge of the cistern and out into the crevasse, a waterfall of piss and shit.

    I guess that explains the noise, I thought.

    ¡°W-who¡¯re you!¡± A nervous-looking man in thick armour plating called out to us.

    I turned in his direction and saw a large group of dirty women and children in ripped clothing. They were all human and their retinue of guards seemed jumpy.

    ¡°We¡¯re adventurers,¡± I replied in a measured tone. ¡°Are you the residents of this place?¡±

    ¡°We were,¡± he replied, spitting on the floor. ¡°Until those foul dog fuckers ransacked our town.¡±

    He shot Rex a heated, murderous, but also fearful, look. The lycanid seemed to ignore it, along with his insult.

    ¡°It¡¯s your lucky day then,¡± I said, opening my hands in a gesture of good will. ¡°We¡¯ve already sorted that problem and my friend¡¯s pack are already hard at work fixing the town for you.¡±

    He looked doubtful, as did the general tone of the murmuring which came from the citizens behind him. Someone lit up a torch, walking towards the guard, and through the light I could see that there were hundreds of people crammed into the back of the cistern.

    The torch wielder whispered in the man¡¯s ear and he unsheathed his sword fumbling on the sheath, which ruined any chance he had of looking intimidating.

    ¡°How can we trust you?¡± He asked, ¡°g-give me one good reason not to g-gut you where you stand.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust me if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I replied. ¡°But you can¡¯t stay down here forever. A sewer is no place to raise children.¡± I shot a poignant look at the groups of kids hugging their mother¡¯s legs behind the wannabe soldier.

    He raised his sword and pointed it at me, taking a two-handed grip and pulling one of his legs back. He was obviously trained in melee combat, he likely had a skill for it, but he quivered nervously as he adopted his position.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that,¡± I said threateningly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you but if I¡¯m forced to defend myself you¡¯ll die a most painful death.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a lie. My acid was an atrocious way to die and thanks to my acidic dhampir weapons skill I had no control over it. A single cut from any weapon I was holding and he¡¯d melt alive.

    ¡°I-I have to,¡± he stammered. ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡±

    ¡°Is it your duty to die fighting those that would help you, whelp?¡± Rex butted in and the man¡¯s eyes flicked to him, lighting up with fear.

    ¡°My life would be ample forfeit for the protection of my people.¡±

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    ¡°A noble sentiment,¡± I said, trying to calm my voice. ¡°I too would die for those I love, but this is needless. We just want to help you, but if you¡¯d rather rot in the sewers we¡¯ll leave you to your fate.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± The young man screamed, ¡°y-you can¡¯t leave. You¡¯ll t-tell them where we are.¡±

    ¡°There is no they,¡± I snapped, ¡°only us and we all know where you are anyway. Stop being a stupid prick and put that sword down before you hurt yourself.¡±

    As I reached the end of my sentence I noticed a change in the man¡¯s demeanour. It seemed I¡¯d pushed him too far. I knew that look. He was determined to fight us. Idiot.

    With a girlish scream he charged towards me. I equipped my daggers and prepared to defend myself, raising them in a crossed style.

    ¡°Stop!¡± A female voice called out and the man immediately dropped to one knee, lowering his sword.

    A woman stepped out from within the torchlight and approached me. She was clad in fancy armour and wore two rapiers on her hips. Her hair was pulled back in a fancy braid and two handmaidens flanked her.

    Despite her fierce-looking attire, she couldn¡¯t have been older than twenty. In this world, that likely meant that she was a much lower level than me.

    ¡°I am Duchess Margot of High Rock, acting ruler of this town,¡± she said in a powerful and commanding voice, though I detected a slight quiver mixed in amongst all the bravado. ¡°Sir Adventurer, if you are telling the truth then please escort me and my people back to safety.¡±

    ¡°Call me Kaleb,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to, My Lady, all I ever wanted to do was help your people.¡±

    She nodded curtly and offered me her arm. I took it, though it felt odd to enact such propriety in a sewer of all places.

    Her fingers trembled as they clutched my forearm and I found myself respecting her all the more. She was obviously terrified of me and Rex, but she stood up anyway. I wondered if it was to protect that idiot who¡¯d tried to fight us, though the thought vanished quickly as she began to speak again.

    ¡°What has become of my father?¡± She asked, adopting that same commanding tone again, though it was noticeably softer this time.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied honestly, ¡°we haven¡¯t found many people topside¡­ just a lot of bodies.¡±

    She winced and I closed my mouth.

    ¡°Why did you help us? How did you help us?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Because a scared little girl asked me to,¡± I replied, flashing her a warm smile. ¡°And we killed the leader of the mercenaries, then Rex here turned white, and now he¡¯s in charge. He¡¯s commanded them to repair the damage and help out the townsfolk as much as they can.¡±

    Margot looked across at Rex wearily and he flashed her a fangy smile. She winced again, then corrected her posture and spoke once more as we continued our lovely stroll through the sewer pipes.

    ¡°Well then, on behalf of High Rock and the Confederation of Castalor, I thank you. We are in your debt.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve always been partial to the odd side quest or two.¡±

    She gave me a quizzical look but didn¡¯t comment any further and I noticed a satisfying quest notification in my HUD.

    Quest Completed:

    Blood Brothers

    Upon reaching High Rock you have found the fortress under pillage and on fire ¨C just another day at the office right?

    Objective(s):

    Help the girl¡¯s mum 1/1

    Discover what has happened to the residents of High Rock 1/1

    Deal with the broken shield mercenaries 1/1

    Hidden Objective(s):

    Rescue the Duchess 1/1

    Rewards: x1 level¡¯s worth of exp

    Hidden Objective Bonus: Double the previous reward.

    Did I gain two levels from this? I thought. Why can¡¯t more quests reward me exp? I¡¯d be gold rank in no time!

    I quickly added both lots of free points into vitality just as I had done the previous time. A nagging part of my brain wanted to upgrade intelligence since it wasn¡¯t even in the triple figures yet whilst my strength stat was almost at 1000. However, I was still weary of the fights to come once we reached the capital city and everyone dwarfed me in power. So vitality it was.

    The Duchess tugged on my armour slightly and I exited out of my HUD window and realised we were approaching the ladder leading out of the sewers. She looked up at the light, covered her eyes with her free arm and the looked towards me.

    ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± I asked as courteously as I could.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± She snapped, blushing slightly, ¡°though I would be most grateful if you would go first¡­ in case there¡¯s danger.¡±

    I nodded with an easy smile and climbed up the ladder. Margot followed, looking uneasy as she spotted the Broken Sheild mercenaries standing guard over the manhole, but resigned to her fate, she allowed me to lead her into the town square nearby.

    ¡°See, I told you there was nothing to worry about,¡± I said.

    ¡°So you did,¡± she replied in a measured but still slightly nervous tone. ¡°Thank you for rendering your services to us adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb.¡±

    ¡°Adventurer Kaleb. I thought we¡¯d be trapped in that sewer forever. As it is, our standing military seems to have been completely wiped out. We have a lot of work to do. We¡¯re utterly defenceless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Rex will lend you his people for as long as you need,¡± I replied.

    Rex nodded as he walked towards us, clearly having overheard our conversation.

    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± he said in a charming, baritone voice that hid the usual growling I¡¯d become accustomed to.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the Duchess replied. ¡°Though I¡¯m afraid that my people may not be so open to the introduction of lycanids in positions of power as I am. How do you feel about become honorary knights of High Rock? I¡¯m sure that would ease public opinion in the interim.¡±

    ¡°Rex, a knight?¡± I asked laughing and holding my stomach. Decorum be damned, the idea of Rex riding gallantly into battle on a noble steed had me in stitches.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Margot replied in a measured tone. ¡°And of course, you yourself Adventurer Kaleb.¡±

    I looked towards the Duchess with wide eyes and Rex burst out laughing as well.

 Chapter 163 - Knighthood

    The Duchess wasted no time in making the preparations for the knighting ceremony and, as I was stuck in High Rock for the time being anyway, I didn¡¯t even have the chance to simply disappear into the night.

    Dissident Flame spent the next week assisting with the rebuilding efforts and winning over the hearts and minds of the locals. Or should I say, breaking up the constant bickering between the lycanids and the locals. It was like babysitting a group of grumpy children.

    Of course we each handled mediation in our own way. Panda opted for scathing sarcasm whereas Bell preferred a fierier approach. Asmodeus didn¡¯t concern himself with the squabbles of ¡°petty lesser races¡± and I¡­ well mostly I just tried to stay out of it.

    During the week we¡¯d moved the camper inside the city walls and helped to distribute rations to the people. It didn¡¯t take them long to get back to the usual grind though and, with the exception of butting heads with Broken Sheild, the locals were passionate about rebuilding.

    The male population had been mostly slaughtered, leaving the manual work up to the remaining residents: women and children. However, with Celestia being a system world, many of them had skills and strength abilities with made the reconstruction efforts fly by.

    I spent a decent amount of time liaising with the Duchess. Since she saw me as Rex¡¯s boss, that made me the head honcho in her eyes ¨C though Rex did most of the managerial work.

    We eventually found Margot¡¯s father and, unsurprisingly, he had been killed. She planned to hold a mass funeral for him and the others once the town had been rebuilt.

    The lack of men in the fortress was a worry for the Duchess. Though Celestia didn¡¯t necessarily conform to the gender roles we used back on Earth, High Rock had its own customs. With the system in place all over the world, abilities and skills were quite evenly spread across different types of people, so theoretically it was possible to create a new army from the survivors to protect the fortress.

    However, Margot was worried that the townsfolk would judge her harshly for making that decision, overturning hundreds of years of time honoured, nuclear family tradition. High Rock was a town almost completely, and uniquely, populated by humans and apparently whilst the rest of the continent had a mix of traditions born by cultural diversity, High Rock did not.

    They lived and died by their idea of propriety: keeping to the old ways, as they called it. The men fought; the women did everything else. Yet despite their militaristic preferences, having lived through a period of a peace for the past hundred years, their fighters had become quite rusty. Most of them had never experienced true battle.

    Honestly, I thought they were pretty pathetic. It sounded harsh, but if a greenhorn like me who had only arrived in this world half a year ago could fight adequately, then why couldn¡¯t an army of dudes who were born here? It was literally their only job.

    I kept that sentiment to myself, but I got the impression Margot agreed. As a Duchess she had been trained by the sword since childhood and she saw no logical reason why other women couldn¡¯t do the same. Her only worry was getting the general population to see things her way. She believed that change needed to be gradual and there was already a huge change in her being the only surviving ruler. She was the first ever female leader of High Rock. I didn¡¯t envy her position one bit; she was younger than me and I wouldn¡¯t want that responsibility.

    Luckily for her, Rex and I happened to have a pack of well-trained lycanids at hand. He offered to leave them in High Rock as protectors under the condition that she allowed them to help train up an army of her own so that they could one day leave and continue on their own paths.

    She agreed but doubled down on the idea of knighting us both. However, despite her forced stoicism, I was pretty certain we¡¯d solved all her problems with that offer. The townsfolk would have more time to come around to the societal changes Margot wanted, and she got to build up a well-trained army to defend her fortress. All¡¯s well that ends well, as they say.

    Which brought us to the evening of the knighting ceremony.

    The entire town turned out to see Rex and I get knighted by the young Duchess. Her keep was medieval in design, large stone walls decorated with tapestries and throws. Multiple fires were lit around the main hall and even they barely provided relief from the chill.

    Townspeople, lycanids, and the rest of our party crowded either side of the runway: an honour guard of sorts. Rex marched up first, Margot standing regally above us at the end of the walkway on some steps, though they barely made her tall enough to match Rex.

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    Dressed in her fancy armour, but now with a thin, plain silver crown atop her head, she cast a noble shadow over her people.

    ¡°Good people of High Rock,¡± she said in her practiced and measured voice. ¡°I invite you here for the knighting of two brave heroes. Without their courage and empathy towards our plight, it is likely that I wouldn¡¯t be standing before you here today,

    ¡°Firstly, Rexus of the Crimson Fist. A lycanid yes, but a brave and kind man who has not only subdued the lycanid threat to our humble town but has taken leadership of them and assisted us in rebuilding. We have a long and bloody history with his kind, yet he stepped forward to help us when it mattered most. Please kneel.¡±

    A light echo of hushed whispers bounced around the room. It was hard to tell if they were positive or not, though I suspected the latter.

    Rex knelt before the girl, bowing his white mane which glowed brightly in the orange firelight.

    ¡°I bestow upon you the title of honorary knight and protector of High Rock. Arise Sir Rexus of the Crimson Fist.¡±

    There was polite clapping and some audible cheering, mostly from Bell. Nobody booed and that was a good sign, but the reception was much colder than it likely should have been.

    ¡°Adventurer Kaleb, please approach,¡± Margot called out and I began my march down the walkway.

    There was much less mumbling this time and I saw a few appreciative and encouraging nods. I hadn¡¯t spent much time with the townsfolk, but they seemed to like me.

    Reaching the steps I looked up at the Duchess who nodded to me so slightly it was almost imperceivable.

    ¡°Adventurer Kaleb, a man who needs no introduction, for it was he who rescued me and so many of you humble citizens from the sewers. As the leader of the Dissident Flame party, he acted when he had no reason to. Saving one of our own from a burning building at the behest of her daughter, leading the ambush on the invaders, and later finding me.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t quite true, or¡­ it was, but I wasn¡¯t alone in any of that. As a team we all took part and Rex was in the most danger. I felt a little guilty as she spoke so highly of me. Her speech for Rex was just as nice, but I felt odd. Perhaps it was from the overtly positive murmurs from the crowd on my behalf.

    Hopefully one day they¡¯ll be this positive about Rex and his people too, I thought.

    I understood the hostility towards Broken Sheild, they had just murdered half the town. But Rex wasn¡¯t one of them, yet they were still so distrustful of him. I really wanted that to change.

    ¡°Please kneel,¡± Margot said and I complied. ¡°I bestow upon you the title of honorary knight and protector of High Rock. Arise Sir Adventurer Kaleb.¡±

    ¡°Actually, my surname is Akabane,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Arise Sir Adventurer Akabane,¡± she said, completely misunderstanding what I was trying to tell her and I suppressed a smile.

    As I stood a HUD notification popped up and I opened it slyly.

    You have gained a new title:

    Honorary Knight & Protector of High Rock

    As an Honorary Knight of the realm you are immediately trusted by the residents of High Rock and they will give you preferential treatment in local establishments.

    This is a noble title, allowing you more respect among the upper classes.

    Reward: Gold Digger¡¯s Loot Box.

    Gold digger, really? I thought with an internal sigh. The system never missed a chance to take a jab at me, though it had calmed down a lot recently. I wondered if that was due to me getting less notifications. I had to assume they calmed down somewhat the higher ranked a person became.

    ¡°And now fair folks of High Rock,¡± Margot continued, ¡°let us celebrate.¡±

    ¡°Paaartaayy!¡± Bell yelled and the crowed joined in with whoops and cheers as alcohol was passed around and merriment was had.

    We enjoyed ourselves for a while, the party lasting late into the night, until I found myself alone with Rex on the upper balcony which overlooked the fortress.

    ¡°We¡¯ve done a good thing here,¡± he said with a sad smile, carrying a tankard larger than my head.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you seem happier?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I am happy, it¡¯s just¡­ spending the last week clearing up the mess my men caused¡­ I¡¯m beginning to understand why the people are so afraid of us.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ but when we look so different from the humans can you really blame them for taring us all with the same brush?¡±

    ¡°Who could say?¡± I replied with a sigh, ¡°I understand their resentment, but perhaps with time they¡¯ll come around. Besides, with you as the new leader of Broken Sheild they¡¯re bound to become friends eventually.¡±

    ¡°I certainly hope so,¡± he sighed heavily and leaned over the side for a long moment. ¡°To Castalor then?¡±

    ¡°To Castalor,¡± I nodded.

    ¡°H-hello mi¡¯lords,¡± we turned around to see an utterly hammered Bell staggering towards us and putting on her best peasant accent. ¡°Which one of you wants to ¡®av his way with a fair maiden?¡±

    I chuckled, shaking my head and as I turned to Rex I saw the white fur on his cheeks turn a bright scarlet colour.

    Can he actually blush now? I thought, how is that even possible?

    ¡°This one¡¯s all yours mate,¡± I said, bumping my elbow into his arm playfully.

    ¡°What?¡± He gasped, ¡°why would I? But¡­ inter species relations is heavily forbidden for lycanids!¡±

    ¡°Forbidden relations?¡± Bell said, ¡°kinky.¡±

    ¡°Kaleb help!¡± Rex pleaded and I burst out laughing.

    Flustered he turned to me with wide eyes and then bolted, Bell hot on his heels.

    ¡°I guess being the leader of a band of feared mercenaries has done nothing for his fear of women,¡± Panda said and I looked across to see his sitting at the end of the balcony smoking his pipe.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all women, just that one,¡± I said with a smirk.

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad she¡¯s on our side, kid,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that,¡± I said, raising my glass.

    We clinked and downed our drinks, looking out peacefully over the town.

 Chapter 164 â€“ Jack The Reaper: It Matters to Him

    Jack stood proudly behind Regina as he sat at the head of the dinner table: a long, rectangular slab of stone with luxurious foods laid out intermittently between the dozen or so guests which had attended.

    Regina had insisted that Jack attend, standing on ceremony as his faux bodyguard ¨C a lesson in futility if ever he had seen one. Jack made no attempt to hide his frustration at his current task. Guarding a man who was his superior in every level and skill imaginable was stupid, but who was he to deny Diako, the god who had recruited him into his organisation of assassins.

    In reality, most of Jack¡¯s frustration could be laid at the feet of Kaleb Akabane. He was supposed to arrive in Castalor weeks ago, yet by all reports he¡¯d been galivanting through every town and village within 100 leagues of the capital instead.

    Regina¡¯s informants had told him no end of stories about the adventurer. Supposedly he had stopped in Forge Town to get some new armour and weapons, then he¡¯d fought The Winter Shogun in Boggy Marsh, and most recently he¡¯d saved the fortress of High Rock from a lycanid invasion and aided one Rexus Aurelius ¨C now dubbed Rex of the Crimson Fist, though most in the capital were calling him Red Fist ¨C in usurping the leadership of the famed Broken Shield mercenary company.

    These were all interesting and somewhat impressive tales, but it seemed to Jack that the adventurer was doing anything and everything in his power to delay his arrival in Castalor, the one place Jack needed him to be.

    ¡°Welcome gentlemen and women,¡± Regina said, opening his arms towards the upper crust of Castalor as they graced his table. ¡°What an honour it is to have you all dining with me this evening.¡±

    ¡°Cut the shit Regina,¡± Marquess Tabitha spat, cutting his speech short. ¡°We all know why we¡¯re here and it¡¯s got nothing to do with merrymaking. You owe me an explanation.¡±

    ¡°My dear Marquess,¡± Regina replied, his voice as smooth as warm butter. ¡°As I explained to you before, I simply can¡¯t allow the hunt to take place this year. We have too many other concerns and-¡±

    ¡°And what?¡± She interjected, ¡°you want to line your pockets some other way, is that it? Need I remind you that you govern this city only by the good graces of the people sitting here. If we want a hunt we¡¯ll bloody well hold one regardless of your preferences.¡±

    ¡°And need I remind you,¡± Regina began, allowing a trickle of his formidable aura to spill out across the table to the shock and disturbance of many of his guests. ¡°That if I wanted to govern this city without a council, I could do so with ease. Not a single one of you could best me in a duel, nor do you have anyone in your employ who could go half a round with me on my worst day. So might I suggest that you shut your whore mouth and let us return to the pleasantries?¡±

    And that would be why they call him Emperor, Jack thought. Though it was technically an unofficial title, even the rulers of other nations referred to him with it.

    Marquess Tabitha opened her mouth a little as if to reply and Regina flashed her a dangerous look. She closed it before sound could pass her lips but she didn¡¯t look fully persuaded.

    ***

    ¡°You know she¡¯s going to do it anyway,¡± Jack said with a sigh, his head resting wearily in his fist as he sat on the dining table.

    The guests had left not long ago and Regina seemed in high spirits. After the tumultuous start to his business diner the rest of the evening had gone in his favour. He¡¯d succeeded in passing multiple bills which would allow him to ascend even sooner than he¡¯d expected.

    Jack didn¡¯t really understand it, but supposedly ascension to godhood required much more than just reaching the necessary levelling requirements. Apparently, one also needed to amass a certain number of followers and gain influences over a specific thing. As to what those things might be, Jack had no idea. But considering how most of the pantheon specialised in something dark, nefarious, or otherwise, he could make an educated guess that they had to embody something.

    Diako was the god of shadows, for example. How one managed to embody something like that, Jack had no idea, but it kind of made sense to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of her intentions,¡± Regina replied with a smile, taking a sip of a wine he¡¯d had imported from the far east. ¡°But what should I care? If she wants to hold her hunt she¡¯ll have to fund it herself, and she¡¯ll have to keep it hidden since she¡¯ll technically be holding it against the council¡¯s approval. It might even be fortuitous for her to get caught.¡± He flashed Jack a scheming smile and his eyes flashed.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t expect me to do it,¡± Jack said with a wave of his hand. ¡°If you want her killed I¡¯m your guy, but I¡¯m no policeman.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking of you,¡± he replied. ¡°Remind me, when is our friend due to arrive?¡±

    ¡°Weeks ago,¡± Jack sighed. ¡°He was last sighted at High Rock though so potentially he¡¯ll arrive any day now.¡±

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    ¡°Assuming he doesn¡¯t go shacking up with the locals,¡± Regina said distastefully. ¡°Though I¡¯ve heard that the duke¡¯s daughter is quite the visual marvel. Then again I doubt she¡¯d care for some low-ranking adventurer. I still can¡¯t fathom why Diako wants him so badly.¡±

    ¡°Actually sir,¡± Jack replied, ¡°the duke is dead. His daughter now rules in his place, saved from a lycanid pack by the very adventurer you speak of.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Regina replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Now that is interesting. Perhaps he really is shacking up with her then. I¡¯m almost jealous. It better not delay him too long though. The High Priest Tournament approaches fast and I need him here if Diako is to sponsor me for entry.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about anything untoward happening between Kaleb and the Duchess,¡± Jack said confidently. ¡°He¡¯s a married man.¡±

    ¡°And, what does that matter? Married men need concubines don¡¯t they? Though I doubt the Duchess would go for that.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, it matters to him.¡±

    ***

    ¡°I hate sea travel,¡± Lucas Regina moaned to himself as he leaned over the bow of his ship.

    ¡°Well then perhaps your Royal Highness should have invested more gold into air travel, instead of spending it all on an army we don¡¯t need,¡± Gonzo replied, making no effort to mask his irritation.

    ¡°Trust me, the day when we will need that army fast approaches. The nobles are already trying to oust me as king and with their sway on the continent Havar needs all the protection we can get. We need to look strong. Besides, more nefarious ongoings are about to take place in the continent¡¯s capital and we need to be prepared.¡±

    ¡°Fearful words for a man who didn¡¯t even want the crown, no western country has held a standing army in generations. As the former director of the local Adventure Society I¡¯d have though you of all people would understand why.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the best kings are those who don¡¯t want the power,¡± Taylor said, between swigs of the wine cask she¡¯d refused to leave behind at the port.

    ¡°And why, pray tell,¡± Gonzo began, ¡°would anyone give a rat¡¯s arse about what some common seamstress thinks about politics?¡±

    ¡°Why, pray tell,¡± Taylor began, mimicking him, ¡°would anyone give a rat¡¯s arse what some up start pencil pusher thinks about politics? You¡¯re no better than I am Gonzo, we both owe our positions to Lucas. At least I support him.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, both of you,¡± Lucas snapped, looking over his shoulder.

    It was true that he had raised both of their stations upon his appointment to king. Gonzo had been an administrator in Adventure Society and, though he wasn¡¯t overly fond of the man, he was the best bureaucrat Lucas knew. He also liked having someone around to argue with, it made him more certain of his plans.

    Taylor, on the other hand, had been appointed the position of royal tailor. Though it sounded mundane, historically that position had also been synonymous with ¡°spymaster¡±, a position which, so far, she had excelled at. If he was being honest with himself, Lucas only promoted her because she was Sally¡¯s sister, but he hadn¡¯t regretted it so far.

    He just wished that the two of them would stop bickering all the time. If there was a reason that he¡¯d never had children of his own, this was it.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Taylor replied sheepishly. ¡°I only came up here to give you a report from Cali Port.¡±

    ¡°And yet you instead decided to harass me,¡± Gonzo said, but soon quietened back down after a stern glare from Lucas.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he said.

    ¡°Cali Port has been in a recent decline following the terrorist attack on the council,¡± Taylor began. ¡°Though so far Director Freya and her adventurers have managed to keep the communists at bay. They recently pushed them back to the far side of town and are currently dealing with holdouts. The port is secure, or as secure as it can be in a warzone, but there will be danger in crossing the city.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d suggest we skip the port all together, Highness,¡± Gonzo said. ¡°If we sail up the coast we can dock at New Port instead and make our way to Castalor from there.¡±

    Lucas waited a moment before responding, stroking his chin with his armoured forefinger and thumb. He¡¯d been wearing his golden armour for almost a week straight, taking it off only to sleep. It had basically become a second skin.

    How does Kaleb do it? He wondered, as his crotch chaffed and his elbow ditches itched.

    He hated wearing armour.

    ¡°No,¡± he eventually replied. ¡°New Port is too far; it¡¯ll add at least another week onto our journey and I want to get there in time for the tournament. This will be my first public showing as king and tardiness is most certainly not next to godliness.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so important about this tournament anyway?¡± Gonzo asked, irritation leaking into his voice.

    ¡°Oh Gonzo my dear, your ignorance is showing,¡± Taylor teased. ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s important. Supposedly diplomats and royalty the world over are journeying in for it, including our king¡¯s father. My little birdies tell me that every god in the pantheon is going to be present. Supposedly this is the first tournament of its kind in generations.¡±

    ¡°You can hardly count Chyrsus as a god,¡± Gonzo scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s no better than a common cutthroat.¡±

    ¡°A common cutthroat with an army of cultists at his back,¡± Lucas added. ¡°The ones we found near Havar were absolute fanatics and they were only low levelled. Even a child could have beaten them, it was truly pathetic. Imagine how much trouble the high levelled ones could be.¡±

    ¡°Lower levelled than a child?¡± Gonzo scoffed, ¡°how could that be?¡±

    ¡°Simple,¡± Taylor answered, ¡°they were sacrifices.¡±

    ¡°Sacrifices?¡±

    ¡°How do you think Chrysus gained his power so quickly? He¡¯s only been alive for what, six hundred years? He¡¯s barely older than Lucas¡¯ father and that man is the closest human, I¡¯ve heard of, to ascending,¡± Taylor said matter-of-factly.

    Gonzo looked at her with a dumb expression so, with a sigh, she explained. ¡°Chrysus sacrifices the cultists he believes are unimportant. He literally takes their experience for himself and leaves them to start again from scratch. That¡¯s his secret, that¡¯s how he rose to prominence so fast, and it¡¯s why we found all those low levelled adult cultists in the palm tree jungle.¡±

    ¡°Be careful Taylor,¡± Lucas warned, ¡°sacrificing followers is a forbidden practice. That art was lost to this world long ago.¡±

    ¡°Until now,¡± she said conspiratorially.

    ¡°Well,¡± Gonzo interjected, ¡°these fairy tales of yours are very entertaining even if they fail to account for Nyx, the youngest and newest god, but we still need to decide which port we¡¯re going to disembark at.¡±

    ¡°Nyx is probably at it too, I¡¯m sure even you¡¯ve heard the rumours about him and-¡± Taylor quietened as Regina lifted his hand to silence her.

    ¡°I already said,¡± Lucas replied, ¡°it¡¯s Cali Port.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be late for my first international appearance as king, and besides, there¡¯s an old friend of mine recovering in Cali Port. I intend to pay her a visit.¡±

 Chapter 165 â€“ Welcome To Castalor

    I sat idly in the front passenger seat as Panda drove us through the desert. The local topography was a sight to behold. We¡¯d quite literally left the snowy mountain tops of High Rock to find ourselves immediately in a sweltering red desert.

    Scarlet sand dunes flanked us as we raced down the only street for miles around. Though the term street was giving credit where it wasn¡¯t due. The dusty track was barely visible below us.

    ¡°Wow, look at that, kid,¡± Panda said, awestruck, as we crested the horizon and Castalor finally came into view.

    It was a shining jewel in the sand, an oasis of unparalleled proportions. It was¡­ raining blood?

    Crimson droplets splashed onto the wind shield as we drove onwards and I gazed at it with a furrowed brow. I looked up, half expecting to see a fight between two flying kaiju, but there was nothing.

    ¡°Raining blood¡­ It¡¯s a feature of this region,¡± Panda explained idly. ¡°It¡¯s not actual blood. Castalor is surrounded by red sands and water reflects colours, which is why it¡¯s usually blue ¨C because of the sky, right? Well the sheer amount of sand in this region causes the rain to appear red. Which is why people like to say it rains blood in Castalor. Of course there¡¯s also a dual meaning there since this place has such a violent history. Or at least, that¡¯s what my books told me. This¡¯ll be my first time visiting in person.¡±

    I nodded and returned my gaze to the city ahead of us. Nestled in the middle of a barren wasteland of sand, Castalor seemed to encompass a strange mix of cultural clashes, at least where the architecture was concerned.

    I could clearly make out clay huts dotted about, especially in the outskirts, and yet there was a Taj Mahal-looking domed palace dotted in the middle, a large glass skyscraper behind it, and modern high-rise buildings dotted about the intimidatingly large city. I could see mansions, office buildings, Tudor-esq houses and a range of other oddities scattered around an otherwise middle eastern setting.

    ¡°Castalor,¡± Rex said softly, ¡°the cultural capital of the world, and the ancestral home of my people.¡±

    ¡°Where to first, kid?¡± Panda asked as we closed in on the suburbs which ringed the outskirts.

    ¡°Get us to Adventure Society if you can,¡± I replied. ¡°I promised Freja we¡¯d check in there, and I believe we have a quest to hand in.¡±

    We¡¯d more than doubled the extermination requirements for the quest, which Freja had given us, over the past few weeks, stopping to slay groups of monsters as we travelled from town to town. I was hoping we¡¯d get a secret reward when we handed it in.

    The rest of the team huddled around the cockpit of our camper as Panda navigated the winding, and complex, roads.

    All types of people were going about their day, an array of clothing and races amidst a sea of energy. I saw long robes, metal armour, turbans, fedoras, feathers, fur, and everything in between.

    Driving through such a densely populated area was quite the challenge for my familiar. People didn¡¯t seem to care that a vehicle was about to hit them, and I was tempted to tell Panda to just run them over.

    Ignorance wouldn¡¯t be bliss for long with me at the wheel.

    What was more frustrating; the seemingly clear level capper road just next to the busy causeway we were relegated to. Despite the occasional flash of distorted wind, it seemed to be deserted. Though the locals avoided it like the plague and, after my near miss in Cali Port, I planned to follow their lead.

    ¡°I wish I was a level capper,¡± Bell muttered. ¡°Just look at all the room they have. Yet here we are, relegated to a curb crawl with the peasants.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get there,¡± I replied, keeping my echoed sentiments to myself.

    I have to.

    ***

    A few hours and a guarded checkpoint later, we made it to the Adventure Society building. It was the usual glass skyscraper complete with a vertical neon sign, but with one obvious exception: underground parking.

    Following the signs, we drove down a paved path into the underbelly of the building. Panda parked our camper next to a flamboyant car, if you could even call it that, which looked like a roman chariot minus the horses. It even had spiked wheels.

    Exiting the vehicle, we found our way into the foyer where groups of armour-clad adventurers stalked around. This AS building seemed more luxurious than the ones I was used to. There was even a bar in the foyer, sofas, a lacrima screen ¨C which was basically a TV ¨C and the receptionist desk was complimented by security screens like a bank.

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    It was certainly a step up from Havar.

    Approaching the counter, I bent down slightly to speak into the gap between the desk and the screen.

    ¡°Uh, hello,¡± I began awkwardly. ¡°We¡¯re the Dissident Flame party; we have a quest to hand in and we were told to report to the director here.¡±

    ¡°ID card please,¡± the human receptionist replied in a board voice. She wore a buttoned-up shirt with a bowtie, tucked into an appropriately lengthened skirt.

    Taking my card out of my inventory, I slid it underneath the window.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± she muttered, inspecting the card. ¡°Kaleb Akabane¡­ looks like you¡¯ve been temporarily promoted to bronze rank. Now that you¡¯re in a city I¡¯ll have to bump you back down. Battlefield promotions only apply in the field-¡±

    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± I said, ¡°I was told that I could keep the rank and I¡¯d just have to attend the seminar.¡±

    ¡°And just who told you that?¡±

    ¡°Director Freja of Cali Port.¡±

    ¡°Well, from what I¡¯ve heard, she¡¯s currently fighting tooth and nail to reclaim her city. A poor showing for a director if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Which nobody did,¡± Bell said under her breath,

    ¡°It does explain why you received a battlefield commission,¡± the receptionist continued uninterrupted, ¡°but just what are you doing here when there¡¯s civil unrest back there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here because I need to see the director of this Adventure Society,¡± I replied. ¡°Freja-¡±

    ¡°Director Freja.¡±

    ¡°FREJA asked me to deliver an urgent letter to your director.¡±

    ¡°Tsk,¡± the receptionist harrumphed and I began to seriously lose my patience. ¡°The director is very busy at the moment. You¡¯ll have to come back another time.¡±

    ¡°Oh you know what,¡± I said, raising my voice. ¡°I¡¯ll find him myself. Let me guess, top floor, take the golden elevator, big, open office with windows that overlook the whole city?¡±

    Clenching my fists I turned on my heels and marched towards the golden elevator which was located in exactly the same place as it always was.

    ¡°Guards!¡± The receptionist called in a particularly shrill voice.

    Immediately, every adventurer in the place turned towards us, interrupting their conversations. Some of them looked pretty mean and from the reaction my dragon¡¯s eye had, at least five of them were probably level cappers.

    Shit, can¡¯t fight my way out of this one, I thought as the rest of my team moved to stand back to back with me. We were trapped in, encircled by dozens of adventures.

    ¡°That might not have been the best way to handle things,¡± Rex sighed.

    ¡°Nah, that bitch brought it on herself,¡± Bell said, ¡°that¡¯s probably why they have a safety screen, cause if it was me, she¡¯d have gotten a bloody nose.¡±

    ¡°I do love me a cat fight,¡± Panda smirked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry human,¡± Asmodeus said much too loudly. ¡°I shall devour their souls so that you might visit this director you so crave to see.¡±

    ¡°We got a problem here?¡± An extremely buff, shirtless, bald man said, stepping forward from the circle of foes.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± I replied casually. ¡°I just need to see the director.¡±

    ¡°No one sees him without permission,¡± he said, cracking his knuckles. ¡°And you ain¡¯t got that.¡±

    ¡°I was sent here as an urgent envoy from Cali Port¡¯s director,¡± I said, mustering up all the patience I had.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but it changes nothing.¡±

    ¡°Urgh,¡± Asmodeus scoffed loudly, ¡°allow me to devour this plebian. I get the impression that even if a brain devouring parasite crawled through his ear it would starve. There¡¯s simply no reasoning with some people.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± The man replied, moving closer. ¡°A brain devouring¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°I think he was calling you stupid,¡± someone said from behind.

    ¡°What would a flying monkey know about being smart? Its brain is smaller than my balls.¡±

    ¡°Unless you¡¯re confessing a severe and unfortunate case of testicular cancer, that¡¯s simply not true.¡± Asmodeus replied haughtily. ¡°AND I AM NOT A MONKEY!¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± I said, stroking the top of his head lightly.

    ¡°Nah,¡± the bald man said, ¡°let him keep going. I¡¯ll happily teach all y¡¯all a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should,¡± the same calm voice added from somewhere behind him. ¡°I for one would love to see a good smackdown right in the middle of the newly refurbished foyer.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± The bald man replied, ¡°ok pipsqueak, you and me, one on one. Let¡¯s fucking go.¡±

    ¡°Gladly,¡± Asmodeus snarled and before I had a chance to stop him, he dashed across the room, sinking his teeth into the bald man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple.

    ¡°Ah! What the hell!¡± The man exclaimed, wrenching Asmodeus away from his throat and causing blood to spray out all over the polished floor. ¡°You¡¯re gonna wish you¡¯d never been born monkey!¡±

    Without hesitation, Asmodeus spat a ball of lightning into the man¡¯s face, causing him to let the little dragon go.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Bell said, pushing forward for a better view.

    ¡°Your blood tastes like cowardice,¡± Asmodeus said, backing away slightly as lightning glistened on his teeth. ¡°But the skill I have gained from it will grant you a suitable death, one far better than you deserve.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, no more messing around,¡± the man said, wiping the lightning spit from his face as if it was nothing more than a drizzle of rain.

    My dragon¡¯s eye twinged as his aura exploded, filling the entire room with a menacing feeling. Frankly, he was way out of our league. More worryingly though, was the aura behind it. A darkness which completely overshadowed all the other auras in the room. It was fierce and visceral. I could practically touch it.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Rohan,¡± A quietly calm voice said, the same voice that had been egging him on before.

    ¡°Says who?¡± Rohan, the bald man, replied through gritted teeth.

    Turning on his heels, fists clenched and clearly ready to throw down, he stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Director?¡± He squeaked.

    I couldn¡¯t see how, but suddenly Rohan flew across the room, smashing into the receptionist area and shattering the security screen.

    The fierce aura moved towards us and I equipped my daggers, not that it would do me any good. We were completely outclassed. There were no two ways about it.

    Thundering steps shook the floor as the owner of the powerful aura approached me. Though I couldn¡¯t see anything at all.

    ¡°Welcome to Castalor, I¡¯ve been expecting you.¡±

    Looking down I saw a cat, not a catonid. A literal cat.

    What the hell have I gotten myself into?

 Chapter 166 â€“ Triple Digits

    ¡°Perhaps I overreacted a little,¡± the cat director said as he leaped across the office and onto a cushioned chair. ¡°I suppose I did egg old Rohan on a little, but we literally just had the foyer refurbished and he should know better.¡±

    ¡°Why did you egg him on?¡± Bell asked as we took to the sofa which sat opposite his desk.

    ¡°What can I say, I purrsitively love a good fight. Besides, I wanted to see how your team would handle it, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±

    Did he just say purr-sitively? I wondered, was that supposed to be a pun?

    ¡°I take it you weren¡¯t too impressed with our entrance then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m delighted to see the spirit of youth shining so brightly in all of you. But let me ask, if I hadn¡¯t put a stop to it, do you think you¡¯d have had any chance of beating him?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Asmodeus announced proudly, ¡°a demon lord has nothing to fear from a man with no hair.¡±

    ¡°Demon lord fragment,¡± I corrected, ¡°and no, we wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. His aura was much more powerful than any of ours. Still, if push came to shove, we¡¯d have fought him anyway.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the director said slowly. ¡°Smart enough to know when you¡¯re beat but brazen enough to try anyway. Freja was right about you boy¡­ you¡¯re the exact type of imbecile who just might have what it takes to go all the way. Now, before we go any further can I ask a favour of you Kaleb? I can call you Kaleb can¡¯t I?

    ¡°It¡¯s my name isn¡¯t it?¡± I replied with a shrug, ¡°and what should I call you?¡±

    ¡°Chonkers.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I said, feeling my jaw hang just a little loosely.

    ¡°My name is Chonkers. Well, my full name is actually Prince Chonkers the Third, Lord Protector of the Realm, Devourer of Mice, Hunter of Fish, and Heir to the Great Glucose Empire. But that¡¯s a bit of a mouthful, so Chonkers will do just fine. Director Chonkers, if you¡¯re feeling formal.¡±

    ¡°That really is a bit of a mouthful.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Panda giggled.

    ¡°Purrhaps,¡± Chonkers replied, ¡°but a name is an entrance to the soul, and at least mine is descriptive.¡±

    He did it again!

    ¡°Yeah¡­ so what is this favour you wanted?¡±

    ¡°I would like to study your bonded familiar. Freja told me he was created from a fragment of demon lord Asmodeus himself and, as one of the foremost experts in demonology on the continent, it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to get to work with him. Of course, you¡¯ll be amply compensated. You can have a luxury suite, only one floor down from here in the building. I¡¯ll pay you, naturally. Oh, and I¡¯ll allow you to keep your battlefield promotion without having to attend a seminar.¡±

    ¡°Sold!¡± I said, almost before he was done speaking.

    ¡°I am not livestock to be traded to the highest bidder, human,¡± Asmodeus huffed.

    ¡°Part of my study would involve allowing you to feed on willing victi- participants,¡± Chonkers said with an upward inflection.

    ¡°Then we are in agreement, feline.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it!¡± Director Chonkers stretched out with a satisfying crack before spinning around on his cushion a few times. ¡°Right then, unless there¡¯s anything else¡­¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± I began, pulling the letter from my inventory. ¡°Director Freja asked me to deliver this to you, though I have no idea why she couldn¡¯t have just sent a system message.¡±

    Taking the envelope with a raised eyebrow, or as close to that as a cat could manage, he deftly sliced through the runes with a single claw. The envelope lit up with a brief golden glow, as if it recognised his DNA or something, then he peeled back the seal and read the tri-folded parchment within.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± he murmured to himself as we watched. ¡°It seems my Cali Port counterpart is quite ingenious. This letter asks for aid in her fight against the communist forces and, as you said, she could have easily done that over a system message. However, it seems that she has embedded some of her portal mana into the very parchment itself. If I add my mana to it, it should open up a portal right here that will allow immediate transport to Cali Port. Quite the marvel, I must discover how she managed to achieve such a feat.¡±

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she have told us that before,¡± Bell grumbled, ¡°instead of being all cryptic about it.¡±

    ¡°You know Freja,¡± Rex replied. ¡°She¡¯s not one for explanations.¡±

    ¡°Quite right,¡± Chonkers added, ¡°Director Freja is not one to suffer fools.¡±

    ¡°Quite,¡± I mimicked, ¡°also, I have two quests I could use your assistance with please. The first is a completed quest I need to hand in, the assistance I need is instating Rex as a fully-fledged member since he passed his three-quest temp period during our journey here. The second, is the entire reason we¡¯re on the continent in the first place. Director Lucas of Havar asked us to come here to check on his father. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know where to find him would you?¡±

    ¡°Brother? How is he doing?¡± Chonkers replied.

    Brother!?

    ¡°Brother!?¡± Bell and Panda exclaimed.

    ¡°Why yes, Lucas and I share a father. I¡¯m his elder brother.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re a¡­ how?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°The circumstances of my birth are quite the tale, but perhaps one for another time,¡± Chonkers replied with a slight chuckle. ¡°However, I can assure you that we are, in fact, brothers. For now, I will have the paperwork completed for Rex¡¯s induction, though he¡¯ll have to attend the starter seminar tomorrow morning. As for the whereabouts of Father, look no further than that large palace in the centre of town. He is the ruler of this city after all.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, nodding slightly. ¡°What about handing in our quest? The receptionist wasn¡¯t exactly¡­ accommodating.¡±

    ¡°She was a bitch,¡± Bell added and I gave her a look.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that the reception staff, and the rest of this city¡¯s adventurers, understand that you are here with my express authority. However, you needn¡¯t bother with the reception for handing in quests during your stay here. You¡¯ll find everything you need in your suite.¡±

    ***

    ¡°A girl could get used to this,¡± Bell chimed as she unequipped her scarlet robe and slipped beneath the bubbling water. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this suite comes with a hot tub!¡±

    The room we¡¯d been offered for allowing Chonkers to study Asmodeus was a venerable palace. It was huge. In the centre was a large, open plan living room with a state-of-the-art kitchen on the side. A lacrima screen took pride of place on the main wall with a fireplace beneath it.

    Floating stairs circled around the room leading to multiple bedrooms complete with ensuite shower units and king-sized beds.

    A hot tub, heated by under-floor flame mana crystals, took up most of the balcony which overlooked the city. It was the sort of place I¡¯d have expected a millionaire to own back on Earth.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Rex called from the living room. ¡°I believe this is what the Director was talking about.¡±

    Leaving Bell to her soak, I wandered back inside to see Rex looking quizzically at a machine which sat idly in the corner of the room. It almost resembled an ATM so I knew exactly what to do with it.

    Taking out my ID card, I inserted it into the slot and the lacrima screen on the wall blinked to life.

    Card recognised.

    Updating¡­

    Adventure Society ID:

    Kaleb Akabane

    Level: 54

    Rank: Bronze

    Class: Archer / Light Skirmisher

    Party: Dissident Flame

    Would you like to hand in all completed AS quests?

    Y/N

    It seemed the machine recongised the quests I had assigned to me from the data on the card. That had to be some other kind of mana, I had no idea quests were logged on there.

    Clicking yes on the ATM control panel, I turned back to the screen.

    Quest Completed:

    Grunt Work

    Director Freja of the Cali Port branch of Adventure Society has formally requested the aid of the Dissident Flame party to clear the road between Cali Port and Castalor.

    Like a bunch of absolute noobs, you have been asked to fight some monsters as you traverse the main road to Castalor.

    The Director has also offered suggested towns to stop in along the way. These are optional, but a hidden reward will be given if you manage to go to all of them.

    What an exciting and extremely advanced quest you¡¯ve been given. Someone must really value your talents.

    Objectives:

    Slay monsters on the main road between Cali Port and Castalor 237/100

    Visit the following settlements (optional):

    Forge town 1/1

    Boggy Marsh 1/1

    High Rock 1/1

    Rewards:

    x100,000 gold per party member

    Hidden reward available upon completion of optional objectives.

    Optional objectives completed.

    Hidden Reward: Double all experience gained through the completion of this quest (this is a unique reward which can only be given to an adventurer once per rank)

    Do you accept?

    Y/N

    ¡°Holly¡­¡± I began.

    ¡°Hell-fucking-yes!¡± Bell squealed from the hot tub.

    ¡°Praise the ancestors,¡± Rex added in awe, ¡°joining Adventure Society has turned out to be quite the prosperous endeavour.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not usually like this,¡± Panda said. ¡°You should take your money and run.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how this even works,¡± I mused. ¡°The society isn¡¯t the one controlling level ups; how did they manage to get access to a reward like this?¡±

    ¡°Most likely,¡± Panda explained, ¡°they struck a deal with the system. It might even be part of their contract.¡±

    ¡°Contract?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How else did you think the society was able to hand out quests? It¡¯s not like any old tramp on the streets can give you a quest is it? They only exist by the system¡¯s will.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to understand why Clive and his town of zealots were so extreme now¡­¡±

    ¡°There have long been those that sought the system¡¯s favour,¡± Rex said, placing a red paw on his chin. ¡°Some speculate that gods only manage to get their power by striking a deal of their own. Though I imagine theirs is quite different from the type Adventure Society would have.¡±

    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s a great reward!¡± I said, a smile tugging at my lips as I pressed the key on the ATM.

    X2 Exp initialising¡­

    Applying reward to previously gained exp¡­

    ¡­.

    ¡­.

    Application Complete!

    Congratulations! Due to a unique reward being activated, you have levelled up a total of (3) time(s).

    You are now level 57!

    I dived into my stat sheet, eagerly lapping up the bonus points that were added to all my stats. Gaining three levels at once also meant that I had fifteen bonus points to assign. I knew that I should really have split them between my most important skills: vitality and strength.

    However, I noticed that I finally had the opportunity to get my intelligence skill into the triple digits and I simply couldn¡¯t help myself. Though it might not have been the best strategy, it sure felt satisfying to see that all of my skills were finally in the triple digits. Besides, what kind of idiot didn¡¯t want to be smarter.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what the intelligence stat does,¡± Panda said irritably when I explained my choice to him. ¡°It governs mana production, something you don¡¯t even have!¡±

    ¡°Some theorists think that the intelligence stat can also increase your ability to engage in lateral thinking,¡± Rex added. ¡°That¡¯s a crucial ability in battle.¡±

    ¡°Not as crucial as his ability to charge up a powerful attack or, you know, NOT DIE!¡± Panda yelled.

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I said putting my hands up. ¡°I won¡¯t put points into intelligence again. But, you have to admit. Having it in the triple digits should make my invisibility skill way more useful.¡±

    ¡°Well there is that,¡± Panda sighed. ¡°And since you never seem to take your armour off I guess it may as well be your ability at this point, rather than an equipment bonus.¡±

    ¡°I heard he sleeps in it,¡± Bell called over from the hot tub.

    ¡°I wonder if he bathes in it?¡± Rex mused, thoughtfully stroking the fur under his chin.

    ¡°I do not bathe in my armour,¡± I chided.

    ¡°Prove it!¡± Bell shouted, ¡°come join me, we should have a team hot tub session to loosen up all that tightness from sleeping in the camper for so long.¡±

    ¡°What tightness?¡± I asked, ¡°we have real beds, its practically an apartment.¡±

    ¡°Tell that to my lower back,¡± she called back.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to retire for the night,¡± Rex said sheepishly, avoiding looking in the direction of the balcony. ¡°I have a busy morning with this seminar and everything.¡±

    ¡°Quit being such a baby and get in here!¡± Bell shouted.

    ¡°Actually, I might do the same,¡± I added.

    ¡°Ha, I knew it!¡± Bell called. ¡°You really do bathe in your armour and now you¡¯re embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°I do not!¡± I called back, ¡°though it could do with a wash¡­¡±

 Author Note - Book 1 Stubbing in Feb

    Hi everyone! As some of you may already know, I signed this series with Level Up Publishing mid-last year. After nine months of editing and all that backroom publisher stuff they do, the first book is finally ready for release. I don''t have an exact date yet but it will be released sometime in February. Unfortunately, that will mean that Book 1 will be stubbed from RR because of Amazon''s rules about Kindle Unlimited. I doubt that it will affect any of you guys currently reading the series, but I know that some people follow a series and don''t start it until there is a good chunk of words so I wanted to let those people know so that they can read book 1 here before I have to remove it.

    I''ve never worked with a publisher before so this is all very exciting, and nerve-racking, for me and I couldn''t have gotten to this place with this fiction if you lovely people weren''t holding me up with all your follows, reads, and comments. So thank you so damn much for sticking with me and reading this fiction.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    As always, RR and Patreon will be the first places to read new chapters. Because publishing takes a super long time, it will likely be another year (maybe longer) before the book versions on Amazon and in stores catch up to where we''re currently at - and there''s still a lot more to go!

    I''ve updated the RR cover with the new one my publisher sent over, let me know what you think in the comments. Is it better than the AI one I''ve been using for the last six months? Maybe you preferred the blue one from the original RR launch when this story was still called The Celestial Map? Let me know, I''d love to hear from you!

 Chapter 167 â€“ A Generational Game

    Ignoring Bell¡¯s attempt at persuasive discourse, I hurried up the stairs into my room and locked the door behind me. Though I didn¡¯t actually need to sleep all that often, my brain still got tired and sometimes sleeping was a great form of unconscious meditation.

    As I slipped through the door, turning the lock, a notification popped up.

    Now entering safe zone¡­

    Do you want to open all loot boxes?

    Y/N

    It¡¯d been so long since I¡¯d been rewarded most of them that I¡¯d forgotten I had so many. I hadn¡¯t been able to open a single loot box since we¡¯d left Cali Port. Sadly, our camper didn¡¯t qualify as a ¡°safe zone¡± and the system had this odd rule that required me to be in one before I could open them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what ridiculous crap you¡¯ve cooked up for me this time,¡± I said to my ceiling as I mentally asserted yes and a plethora of absurd notifications popped up on my HUD. Followed by bangs, fireworks, and in the case of the gold digger¡¯s loot box ¨C a dollop of strawberry flavoured lube which shot out of the box directly into my face.

    Thanks for that, you arsehole.

    Stupid Fucking Loot Box

    Awarded for surviving almost certain death by flying away in a fucking bubble. Talk about a Deus Ex Machina.

    Reward: You got to live, what more do you want?

    Well that was exactly what I expected it to be.

    The system almost sounded a little sad that I¡¯d survived all that business with the gnomes. Honestly though, I was kinda relieved not have received anything stupid like I often did when I was rewarded these boxes.

    Conspiracy Loot Box:

    You successfully got away with demolishing a skyscraper.

    Reward: Title: President Bush

    I had grown accustomed to the system¡¯s unique sense of humour by now and decided to ignore it¡¯s attempt at cracking a joke. I was much more interested in what the new title would do for me.

    President Bush

    This title grants you a boost in strength when fighting on foreign soil. In other words, attacks on monsters do more damage.

    ¡°MURICA, fuck yeah!¡± ¨C George W. Bush

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think he said that,¡± I sighed, shaking my head. I was pretty sure it was from that movie with the puppets. It was difficult to stay annoyed at the system¡¯s idiocy though when it had just given me such a powerful reward.

    More damage against monsters must have been every adventurer¡¯s wet dream. After all, most of our jobs were supposed to be hunting down and exterminating them. I found myself grinning as I delved into the next box.

    Gold Digger¡¯s Loot Box:

    You piqued the interest of a young and impressionable Duchess and as a result, you¡¯ve been knighted. What a creep. You know she¡¯s barely legal right, Jimmy Saville?

    Reward: Nonces don¡¯t get rewards.

    I¡¯m not even going to justify that with a response, I thought, blinking hard and slowly to try and dull the migraine I was beginning to get.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Hooligan Loot Box:

    If there is one concept that can be associated with British youth, it¡¯s hooliganism. You exemplified this time-honoured trait by channelling you inner Grand Theft Auto MC and stealing from an old guy. This kind of behaviour deserves a fitting reward.

    Reward: Golden Shell Suit.

    ¡°Oh fuck off,¡± I groaned, looking at the shining, tacky, golden tracksuit which I laid out in front of me. It even had my initials sewn into the side of the chest: K.A.

    Focusing on the joke item, I brought up its description.

    Golden Shell Suit:

    A finely crafted, comfortable ensemble which harkens back to the late 90¡¯s and early 00¡¯s British chav culture. A fitting reward for a hooligan such as yourself. Perhaps this will make a nice change of pace from wearing your armour 24/7. It¡¯s ok to dress comfortably from time to time.

    ***

    Bell leaned back idly in the hot tub, a folded towel resting behind her head. It had been forever since the last time she¡¯d had a good soak.

    She had always loved baths. For some reason, sitting in a tub of hot, bubbling water just seemed to drain the stress right out of a person. After the constant fighting and adventuring Dissident Flame had participated in lately, it was a simple luxury that she desperately needed.

    The evening air was brisk, a nice contrast against her heat-reddened skin. It was a quiet night, a peaceful one. The perfect reprieve before they inevitably dove back into the ridiculous lives they all lived as adventurers.

    Closing her eyes, sleep approached her and she embraced it as an old friend.

    ¡°I DO NOT LIVE IN MY ARMOUR!¡±

    Bell jumped as the yelling broke the silence, quickening her heartbeat for a moment. Kaleb¡¯s voice penetrated the peaceful evening and, though she didn¡¯t know what had brought on such a violent outburst from him, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter.

    ***

    ¡°There¡¯s enough security here,¡± I muttered to Panda. ¡°You¡¯d think we were trying to break into The Pentagon.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s paranoid?¡± Panda shrugged, taking a quick drag from his bamboo pipe. ¡°That would explain why you¡¯ve been given such an odd quest.

    I nodded and quickly dipped into my quest log.

    Lucas, I Am Your Father

    Lucas Regina has asked you to travel to the city of Castalor in order to root out an assassin who he believes is going to kill his father.

    Objectives:

    Go to Castalor: 1/1

    Prevent the assassination: 0/1

    Speak to the local Adventure Society Director (optional): 1/1

    I had mulled over this quest a lot recently as we¡¯d journeyed across the continent. Despite my best efforts, I just couldn¡¯t fathom why a newly minted bronze ranker like myself would be needed to protect a guy who, for all intents and purposes, was practically a demigod.

    What kind of assassins could even harm him? And how was I supposed to deal with professional killers of the power level needed to kill one of the highest levelled dudes on the continent?

    I didn¡¯t have an answer and the only way to get one lay beyond the military barracks that surrounded the palace.

    Panda and I had been sat in a nearby coffee shop in the middle of a bazaar, surveying the area for a short while. Opposite us was a guarded entrance to, what we assumed was, a military barracks. Beyond that was our target building, and it was truly a sight to behold.

    Sitting atop a domed palace, which slightly resembled the Taj Mahal, was a sail shaped skyscraper that crested the clouds themselves. Despite my immediate response being thoughts about how Lucas¡¯ dad was clearly trying to compensate for something, it truly was an impressive sight.

    The windsail-shaped building glinted in the sun, a shimmering mass of metallic darkness. A monument to the success of the city and, at the same time, a pillar of conquest and oppression.

    Castalor was like that. A city of varied cultures, architecture built on top of architecture. Each new addition even more grandiose than the last. It felt like each conquering force that occupied this place felt compelled to outdo its predecessor: a generational game of penis size comparison.

    Picking up my coffee, or whatever this world¡¯s equivalent was called; it didn¡¯t really taste all that similar, but my Speak English Damnit skill translated whatever word the locals were using to ¡®coffee¡¯, a crimson puddle caught my eye.

    At first I dismissed the puddle as a leftover from the morning rain shower. It rained blood in Castalor after all. But then I remembered Panda¡¯s explanation about the blood rain actually being an optical illusion caused by the red sand in the area, and I paused.

    There was no red sand in the bazaar.

    ¡°So are we going to approach those guards then, or are we staying here all day?¡± Panda asked, tilting his fuzzy head in my direction.

    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no time like the present,¡± I replied, placing my cup back on the table and getting to my feet.

    It felt strange to be doing this just the two of us, even if it was oddly nostalgic, but everyone else was busy. Asmodeus had been with Director Chonkers since the previous night, Rex had his new starter training, and Bell had asked for a day off. It was a little cryptic, but I wasn¡¯t her office manager or anything so who was I to deny her?

    ¡°Halt,¡± the guard said as we approached. ¡°ID please.¡±

    Though it wasn¡¯t what I expected, with a shrug I pulled my adventurer ID from my inventory and handed it to him. The guards here wore interesting garb, a mix of red, middle eastern style robes underneath metal plated armour. It all looked very Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom-y.

    ¡°Akabane, huh?¡± He said, looking me up and down as his dark eyes settled on mine. ¡°I have orders to escort you immediately to the palace.¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯re getting the VIP treatment,¡± Panda grinned.

    ¡°Hey, I need a replacement on gate five!¡± The guard shouted over his shoulder and within seconds an identically dressed man appeared.

    ¡°Gods Jiriyah, is that the guy?¡± The man said, glancing briefly at me. ¡°Sure took his time, the boss¡¯ new pet has been complaining for weeks about him.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Jiriyah said succinctly, widening his eyes warningly at his fellow guard. ¡°Follow me please and stick close. This area is restricted to most and I wouldn¡¯t want anyone mistaking you for a trespasser.¡±

    ¡°What exactly do they do to trespassers around here?¡± I asked, following the man.

    ¡°That¡¯s classified.¡±

    ¡°Also, who¡¯s the boss¡¯ pet your mate mentioned?¡±

    ¡°Also classified, and you¡¯d do well not to go repeating that term. You might accidentally say it to the person in question and they¡¯re scary as shit when they go off on one.¡±

    ¡°Duley noted,¡± Panda said, exchanging a quick glance with me.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised your boss was expecting us,¡± I said casually as we strolled passed armed groups of patrolling guards. ¡°I didn¡¯t think our contract issuer had messaged ahead.¡±

    ¡°The boss knows everything,¡± Jiriyah said with a slight, almost imperceptible shudder. ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s the boss.¡±

    It was a short walk to our destination. The barracks, which wrapped around the entire palace like a courtyard, wasn¡¯t very deep. Within a couple of minutes we had arrived at the true entrance. Glass doors, busy people going in and out, armed guards, sketchy, suited security personnel; the place was more of a fortress than High Rock¡­ and that was an actual mountain fortress.

    As we approached the doors and I attempted to get some kind of tactical grasp of our overwhelming surroundings, they slid open and a man stepped out.

    ¡°You sure took your fucking time you lazy bastard!¡±

    ¡°Jack?¡± I replied, a little taken aback.

    ¡°Long time no see,¡± he smiled, holding out his hand for me to take.

 Chapter 168 â€“ A Delicate Matter

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time to meet you,¡± Regina said. He faced the window of his penthouse office in the clouds, but I knew it was him. Jack had warned me before entering that I needed to be careful around him. Apparently he was quite enigmatic. ¡°And I¡¯m not a very patient man.¡±

    ¡°I take it the phrase ¡®patience is a virtue¡¯ never made it as far as Castalor?¡± I replied and instantly felt Jack wince next to me, or was he covering up laughter? It was hard to tell.

    The sky tower penthouse office suite was a sight to behold. Yes, the interior was beautifully and richly decorated with a big desk and a fancy swivel chair sitting behind it. But it was the view that was the most breath taking.

    An office in the clouds, housing the most powerful man on the continent. I wasn¡¯t much of a poet, but even I got the metaphor that this monument to power and greed exuded. And from that I could infer something about Lucas¡¯ father; he wasn¡¯t one for the subtle approach.

    ¡°How impudent,¡± he replied and I detected a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Kaleb Akabane. For someone of your rank, you¡¯ve done some impressive things, and quickly too. Most intriguingly though, there are no records of you from before five months ago. So tell me, how is it that a man like you pops out of nowhere and starts causing a ruckus all over my domain without any prior history?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± I began flippantly. ¡°I grew up in a small town, no official records or anything. I enjoyed living my life out there in the peace and quiet. But then one day this wizard came and gave me a ring and now I¡¯m travelling the continent so I can destroy it and bring peace to the realm.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the plot to Lord of the-¡± Jack began but was abruptly cut off by Regina.

    ¡°This ring you speak of,¡± he said in a suddenly very serious tone. ¡°What kind of magical artifact is it? If it is evil we must destroy it of course, but if not¡­ well I¡¯m quite the collector myself.¡±

    ¡°He was being sarcastic, Sir,¡± Jack said and Regina finally turned around to face me.

    A black suit, dark hair and eyes. He¡¯s all business, I thought, steadying my expression.

    Regina locked eyes with me and just for a moment, a split second really, my dragon¡¯s eye fired up. It was so sudden and forceful that my vision faded, like his very aura was the abyss itself. When the light returned I felt a trickle of blood leaking from the eye. My blood.

    His stern expression ceded to a smile and he laughed deeply.

    ¡°How amusing,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re just like Jack.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t reply. I wanted to but my mind was jumbled. How could he be that powerful? A single glimpse of his aura had made my eye bleed. Had stolen my vision. This guy was a monster and if that was the case, how close had I come to death the day I¡¯d met Chrysus? I held back the urge to gulp, looking him in the face.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I eventually said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to doubt the validity of my being here though.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, you¡¯re to protect me from an assassination plot.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Supposedly, but I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d need me. Not at your level.¡±

    ¡°Even the gods have blind spots,¡± he replied, cupping his meaty hands in front of him on the desk. ¡°And I make it a point to surround myself with capable people. As it happens though, I already know exactly when the assassination attempt will take place and at that time, if you can help to stop it, your contract will be completed.¡±

    He thinks he¡¯s a god already, just how strong is this guy?

    ¡°You¡¯re being a little vague with the details there, pal,¡± Panda said, piping up for the first time.

    Regina looked taken aback. Slowly he moved his head downwards, looking at Panda as if he had only just realised he was in the room.

    ¡°A daemon?¡± He said, looking back up at me and ignoring my familiar, ¡°curious.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s curious?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± He replied, refocusing his eyes as if he¡¯d drifted away into his own world for a second. ¡°Oh, nothing to worry about. Anyway, as I was saying, I know when the attempt will take place but nothing of the how or who. I¡¯m still working on that part but I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll uncover the entire thing before long. In the meantime I have another job I¡¯d like you to take care of for me. A delicate matter that I can¡¯t be seen to be associated with.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ***

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that guy, kid,¡± Panda said quietly as we left the front gate of the barracks. We¡¯d stayed silent throughout our return trip. ¡°I know you, and I get that the quest he gave you is likely to stir that inner hero complex you¡¯ve got going on. But please think carefully about it. This guy is dangerous, he¡¯s¡­ Kaleb? Hey, are you even listening to me?¡±

    Though I did hear his protests, I was preoccupied re-reading the quest screen that floated in my vision. I¡¯d read it over and over again since we¡¯d left the palace. It made me feel nauseous.

    New Quest:

    The Hunter Games

    Rumour has it that a certain noble house has organised an illegal soiree for the elites of Castalor. The entertainment? Why, nothing short of the torture and execution of non-combatant peasants of course.

    Supposedly this annual tradition spans almost a century, but this year Emperor Regina put a stop to it ¨C or at least he thought he did¡­

    It seems that the ruling class plan to undermine his authority and hold this event in secret.

    Objectives:

    Put a stop to this farce 0/1

    Rewards:

    Unknown, but considering the most powerful man on the continent will owe you a favour it¡¯ll probably be pretty good.

    Regina had expanded on the meagre explanation of the quest itself. Though he refused to offer anything too explicit, he told me that it would be held in an underground maze within the city limits and that the victims would be thrown randomly into it. Once inside the maze they would face unknown horrors whilst the nobles watched, betting on things such as who would last the longest or who would die in the most horrifying way.

    Frankly, it made my blood boil.

    What was worse, I knew Panda was right in his assessment of Regina. That dude¡¯s aura was kicking off some seriously batshit crazy power and to make matters worse, he seemed pretty smart too. If my team accepted this quest we¡¯d be playing right into the palm of his hands.

    Who knew what kind of schemes he had in mind?

    Still, there was no way I was just going to sit back and allow this fa?ade to take place. I just couldn¡¯t. How could I turn a blind eye to the arranged slaughter of civilians like that? And for the amusement of some pompous upper crust pricks to boot.

    More importantly, albeit selfishly; how could I endeavour to bring my family to a world where commoners were hunted for sport? That was my purpose, the entire reason I¡¯d been putting myself through all this crazy stuff these past five months and desperately trying to gain power.

    And on that note, if there was a maze and monsters on the line, who was I to deny myself, or my team, such a brilliant opportunity for levelling up? Not to mention, if we successfully managed to assassinate the ring leaders of this sick game we¡¯d probably end up pretty damn rich in the process.

    My mind was made up. The pros vastly outweighed the cons. I had no idea what Regina¡¯s plan was, but whatever it was, it couldn¡¯t be bad enough to deter me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to the others when we get back, we¡¯ll vote on it,¡± I said resolutely.

    ¡°You should really just drop it, kid,¡± Panda sighed heavily. ¡°But since when have you ever listened to my advice? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a freaking sage or anything.¡±

    ***

    Jacked paced unsteadily back and forth on the penthouse balcony, the cigar resting between his fingers had gone out, a black rim emitting a thin trail of dying smoke.

    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± He asked nervously for the third time since Kaleb had left. ¡°Diako needs that guy alive. What happens if he dies furthering your political agenda?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Regina replied, also for the third time since Kaleb had left. He sat idly on a lounger at the edge of the balcony. It looked over the clouds and rested right on the edge of the glass floor on the only section that didn¡¯t have a railing. He didn¡¯t like the bars impeding his view, they reminded him too much of a prison cell.

    ¡°But if you needed that bitch assassinating you could have just sent me,¡± Jack protested, clenching and unclenching his fists, barely even noticing the sad remains of the cigar he¡¯d been holding as its crunched-up carcass dropped from his hand. ¡°Assassination is literally what I do. I could be in and out before anyone even found the body.¡±

    ¡°You know how much I value your skills, Jack, but now is not the time for seeking external validation,¡± Regina said absently. ¡°Honestly, I swear it¡¯s like talking to a petulant child with you sometimes. But I guess they say, ¡®heavy is the head that wears the crown¡¯ for a reason.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jack replied, ¡°this isn¡¯t about me. This is about you honouring your deal with Diako. If Akabane dies then he¡¯s not going to be very happy with you.¡±

    Tell him the deal will be off, Diako said, his oddly calm voice suddenly appearing in Jack¡¯s mind.

    ¡°He¡¯ll cancel your deal, Regina.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s talking to you right now isn¡¯t he?¡± Regina smirked, glancing sideways towards the worried reaper. ¡°Tell Diako that it¡¯ll be perfectly fine. Besides, if this Kaleb fellow can¡¯t even handle a simple quest then perhaps he wasn¡¯t as important as you thought he was.¡±

    Jack flinched, feeling the momentary surge of rage like a flaming tornado as Diako¡¯s emotions leaked through their bond and into his mind.

    That ignoramus has no idea how important Akabane is to me. That boy is the key to everything! One of two. Half of the fated pair. I must have him join me. It is non-negotiable. The god¡¯s aura suddenly calmed and after a moment he spoke to Jack once more. Don¡¯t repeat that. Not to anyone Reaper. Regina is playing a dangerous game, but I suppose if Akabane accepted his quest then it would do me no good to forbid it now. It¡¯d only serve to create a rift between myself and the boy and that is not acceptable. No, instead I have another idea.

    Jack¡¯s eyes widened. His god had given him the command he¡¯d longed to hear since he¡¯d first attended that meeting with Regina and the city¡¯s elite. He smiled at the emperor then, without fanfare, he walked back inside.

 Chapter 169 â€“ Addicted To Questing

    ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± Bell said, leaning back in an armchair and holding a glass of something lilac and fruity looking. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to pretend to be peasants so we can get abducted and put into an underground death game for rich people to bet on. Then we¡¯re supposed to win the game, assassinate the organiser and get the hell out of Dodge. And this has been asked of us by the most powerful dude on the continent who could probably achieve all of that without even breaking a sweat? Fuck it, I¡¯m in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty much the crux of it, yeah,¡± I replied, rubbing the back of my head. ¡°Apparently this is an annual thing that these rich arseholes pull every year. Regina has banned it this time but some of them are still planning to do it anyway.¡±

    Rex nodded thoughtfully, scratching his bright white chin fur. ¡°Do we have any further details?¡±

    ¡°Not much,¡± I said. ¡°We know that it¡¯s underground and that there will be monsters in there. We also know that we¡¯ll need to be invited to take part. Regina suggested that we make ourselves look like normal, mundane commoners and hang around the bazaar. Supposedly that¡¯s where they recruit from.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the plan then you¡¯re going to need to keep your aura in check. I can see it a mile away, you¡¯re looking pretty fierce these days. Much more so than someone of your level should, if you don¡¯t mind me saying.¡±

    I squinted at Rex, furrowing my brow. Now that he¡¯d mentioned it, he had said something similar to me in the past.

    ¡°My aura¡¯s on show?¡± I asked, ¡°how is that even possible when I don¡¯t have any mana?¡±

    ¡°Beats me, but it¡¯s like a beacon.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see it,¡± Bell shrugged.

    ¡°It must have something to do with your soul power, kid,¡± Panda added, a hint of concern in his voice. ¡°Though I can¡¯t see it either so Ol¡¯ Yeller over there must have pretty good senses.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Rex began, ¡°but if I can see it then it¡¯s likely that others will be able to as well. If these guys are as rich as you say, they probably have some quite powerful people on staff.¡±

    ¡°Which brings us to our second issue,¡± Panda said, jumping in. ¡°We know nothing about these people. We don¡¯t know how strong they are, who they have on their side, how many monsters they have, how strong they are. We simply can¡¯t make this kind of decision without having all the facts.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not optimal,¡± I replied, leaning forward slightly. ¡°But don¡¯t adventurers have an obligation to protect the weak? Aren¡¯t we here to help people? Not to mention the potential for levelling.¡±

    Of course, one of my biggest concerns was making this a better place to bring my family to, if I ever got strong enough to do that. Even without that goal, to get stronger you had to fight hard. There was no way around that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, kid,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not disagreeing with that but something is off about this. Why ask us, why now? There¡¯s a society building full of tough adventurers literally below our feet. Why does he need it to be us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve actually been working on a theory about this for a little while now,¡± Bell said, looking between us all a little sheepishly. ¡°All this crazy stuff has been happening pretty much since we arrived in Celesta right? We¡¯ve gone from shit show to shit show facing opponents we had no right to beat and winning against all the odds. Here me out on this¡­ I think I might be an anime protagonist.¡±

    Silence, followed by a deadpan glare. It was mine. I glared at her.

    ¡°You know for a second there I thought you might actually have something useful to offer the group,¡± I said, shaking my head slightly.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Rex said, placing a weighty, furry paw on my shoulder. ¡°You know I would follow you anywhere, but I have to agree with Panda on this. We need more information before we commit.¡±

    Looking up at his honest eyes, I found myself nodding. I knew they were right, but I still wanted to complete the quest. It was almost like a compulsion, a loop that wouldn¡¯t be closed until I got that notification telling me I¡¯d been successful.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what that said about me as a person. Was it possible to be addicted to questing? If so, maybe one day I really would complete my oldest quest. I¡¯d already made strides towards it despite swiping it away when it first arrived in my HUD.

    The door creaked open and we all turned towards the sound. Jack stood there, trench coat billowing slightly as if he¡¯d just sprinted up the stairs ¨C though no sign of exertion showed on his face.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Sorry for interrupting, but I think I can help you.¡±

    ***

    ¡°¡­All I¡¯m saying is that it¡¯s a little sus that just after you convinced Kaleb not to go on the quest and I was the only one left still up for it, a guy looking like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix if he¡¯d had his nose broken multiple times, shows up and makes it all possible,¡± Bell argued as they headed towards the Bazaar.

    ¡°You are not an anime protagonist, Bell,¡± Panda huffed for the third time in as many minutes.

    ¡°What was that about my nose?¡± Jack asked.

    We left our apartment and stood in the foyer of the Adventure Society building after Jack had filled us in on the rest of the information the previous night. He was pretty sketchy about how he¡¯d gotten it, but it seemed legit and together we concocted a plan which reassured both Rex and Panda that this quest was something we could handle.

    I had to admit, I was pretty happy about it.

    We¡¯d stayed up all night working out the kinks, learning everything we could about this quest and I was pretty confident in our ability to complete it. I¡¯d also spent quite a few hours working on something Rex called ¡®aura shielding¡¯. I still had a way to go if I was going to fool someone like Regina, but by the end of our session Rex had assured me that he could no longer sense my soul power.

    ¡°Seriously, what was that about my nose? Does it look weird or something?¡±

    ¡°Quit being so needy, Jack,¡± Bell said.

    ¡°Alright guys, are we all clear on the plan?¡± I asked as we neared the centre of town. They all nodded. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s do this.¡±

    The first step was to unequip all of our gear and re-equip normal clothing. Unfortunately the only ¡°normal¡± clothing I had on me was my golden shell suit¡­

    ¡°Kaleb what is that?¡± Jack said, stifling a laugh.

    ¡°He looks like Ali G,¡± Bell added, struggling to remain upright as her stomach convulsed with laughter.

    ¡°What?¡± I protested, ¡°we¡¯re in a culture clash of a city. There¡¯re guys over there in suits, it¡¯s not like we need to be wearing tunics and sandals like its biblical times,¡± I protested.

    Even as I spoke a group of girls in hot pants jogged past the window. Castalor was like Miami meets Dubai. It was this strange clash of cultures where ancient met modern. I saw no issue with the shell suit, well apart from the obvious crime against fashion, but what did I care about that?

    ¡°He¡¯s not wrong,¡± Panda agreed slowly, ¡°but maybe not for this operation, kid.¡±

    ¡°Here, take this,¡± Jack said, still laughing, as he threw me a pair of beige pants and, you guessed it, a tunic.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said switching clothes, ¡°but I don¡¯t see how me wearing a shell suit is any more conspicuous than the world¡¯s biggest albino lycanid walking around here, acting like a weak peasant.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t bring me into this,¡± Red said, ¡°there are plenty of my kind in these parts and many of them are poor.¡±

    ¡°Do many of them have bright white fur and red paws? You¡¯re pretty famous now you know.¡± I replied, raising my eyebrows.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually a good point,¡± Jack said, ¡°and one I¡¯ve already prepared for.¡± Digging around in his inventory, he produced a scroll and tossed it to Rex. ¡°Use that, it should last long enough.¡±

    Rex blinked very slowly before activating the scroll. His fur turned a dark chestnut colour and within moments he looked just like any other lycanid.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A scroll of blend in,¡± Jack replied. ¡°It does what it says on the tin really. It¡¯s a pretty common item around here, there are lots of magic shops.¡±

    It made sense, Bell had stolen half a store¡¯s worth of fire magic scrolls back on an island we¡¯d visited. So it stood to reason that there would be plenty of places like that in a city as big as this.

    ¡°Got anything for Panda?¡± I asked.

    Though Asmodeus was going to have to sit this one out so he could be studied by Chonkers, I really wanted our strategist with us on this quest. The problem was, of course, that a poor peasant was unlikely to have a sage familiar with him ¨C they were pretty rare.

    ¡°If we give him some clothes and pickaxe we could just pass him off as a weird looking dwarf,¡± Bell suggested unhelpfully. ¡°Or, and hear me out of this, we shave him down and pass him off as a gnome!¡±

    Panda kicked Bell in the shin, looking up at her with a stern expression.

    ¡°Or not¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°All I need is one of those scrolls you gave Rex. I¡¯ll put on some pants and say I¡¯m just a really young lycanid.¡±

    ¡°Will that work?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It might,¡± Rex said, ¡°but only if he¡¯s with me and he stays really quiet. He¡¯ll need something to obscure his face too, like a shawl. I doubt these ¡°recruiters¡± are too fussy about who they pick as long as they look poor and unthreatening.¡±

    ¡°No offence dude,¡± Bell said, ¡°but you look threatening even when you look poor. You¡¯re like seven feet tall and built like a brick shit house.¡±

    ¡°All lycanids look like this,¡± Rex protested.

    That wasn¡¯t exactly true, but lycanids were significantly larger than humans. They were also known to be good fighters.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jack reassured us. ¡°These guys actually prefer picking other races. It¡¯s messed up I know, but as long as they don¡¯t know you have weapons and combat abilities, they probably won¡¯t care that you look like a bodybuilder cosplaying Chewbacca.¡±

    He tossed Panda a second scroll of blend in and some clothing which covered most of his features and we were off. Splitting up and heading towards the bazaar.

    It didn¡¯t take long for me to get recruited, and that was no understatement. In my unassuming clothes I walked around the bazaar a little and then decided to sit down on a street corner, holding my hands out at passersby like a beggar. Which was exactly the plan. Adventurers didn¡¯t beg. Skilled craftsmen didn¡¯t beg. Only the down and outs with bad skills begged in this world and that was exactly the vibe I was going for.

    The fourth person to approach me was a recruiter.

    Are they even trying to hide that they¡¯re doing this? I wondered. No wonder Regina is so pissed about it. They¡¯re operating in broad daylight. They might as well be spitting in his face.

    ¡°Hey you,¡± a man in an unassuming suit said, stepping towards me as his sword gleamed in the harsh, desert sunlight. ¡°You look pretty down on your luck, wanna make some quick gold?¡±

 Chapter 170 â€“ The Maze

    They placed me in a pitch-black room. A place so dark that even with my heightened senses I could barely see my hand in front of my face.

    Infiltration successful, I thought smugly.

    Shortly after accepting the recruiter¡¯s help, I¡¯d been whisked away to some unknown place. Teleported, to be exact. I was held in a relatively nice underground waiting room, completely alone. It had been hours before I was finally teleported here, to the place that I assumed was the starting point of this underground death game.

    Thankfully, meditation allowed me to pass the time without really noticing. I spent it working on suppressing my aura leakage. Rex had taught me the basics but I still needed practice. For the most part, the process involved visualising the shrinkage of my soul core, as that was where the power was coming from. I¡¯d need to practice until I could keep it supressed autonomously, but for now, I had bigger concerns.

    I itched to reequip my armour and get this show on the road, but I held off. Waiting to see what happened next. I wasn¡¯t waiting long before a sickly-sweet female voice filled the area, like a tannoy.

    Welcome to this year¡¯s annual outreach scheme where we, the upper class, endeavour to give back to those who are struggling most within our society. We believe in helping the poorest in our fair city, and this year you have all been chosen as some of the most in need.

    In a few moments the lights will come on and you will have an opportunity to complete a simple task. The successful completion of this task will reward you with more gold than you could ever spend.

    Reach the end of the maze.

    That¡¯s all you have to do. Reach the end of the maze. However, there can only be one winner. Our magnality can only go so far.

    There are no rules.

    Have fun and try not to die.

    ***

    Marquess Tabitha sat back in her plush, cushioned seat, cancelling her voice amplification spell.

    ¡°There are more this year,¡± she said with a cruel smile, looking towards the head recruiter, a man still dressed in his suit and wearing a grim smile.

    ¡°Are you pleased with the selection?¡± He asked in a stoic, monotone voice.

    ¡°Very. It is a grim task which falls to us but it is one that we must handle with the upmost care and attention. I know Regina doesn¡¯t get it, but the very foundations of this city will crumble if we don¡¯t cull the weak from the herd. It¡¯s natural selection after all. The strongest survive.¡±

    The head recruiter rolled his eyes. ¡°And if it makes you a few gold in the process all the better right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Nobles need a good pastime. The top can be an excruciatingly boring place at times you know. Why not let them engage in a little light gambling? Why not profit from it? Cleaning up the streets doesn¡¯t have to be a dull affair.¡±

    Leaning back, she cracked her knuckles and looked out proudly over the top of the room, a lion observing her pride.

    The layout was reminiscent of an old movie theatre. Marquess Tabitha and her head recruiter were situated in a small box room which overlooked the main theatre. It opened up above the guests, a platform from which she could observe and control them.

    Below them was a bustling room full of local elites, and the occasional foreigner who had travelled in especially for the event. Like a swarm of locusts, the smoked, drank, and gambled in appalling excess.

    Tabitha¡¯s underground death game had become quite popular among the upper crust and she thoroughly enjoyed fleecing the others out of their family¡¯s fortunes.

    In the room below, the nobles played card games, drank and ate the finest foods, and placed bets on which peasant would survive the longest. Who would die first, who would be the first to lose an arm, who would cry. There was even a betting pool on if there would be a suicide again this year.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Macabre, yes, but entertaining all the same.

    The viewers tracked the progress of the peasants on the big lacrima screen which made up the far wall. It was split into multiple smaller screens which tracked the individuals. The centre section of the screen was designed to keep an eye on the most entertaining thing that was going on so the viewers always had access to the very best the Marquess had to offer.

    There was only one rule in the theatre; no one leaves until it¡¯s over. The doors were all magically sealed, even Tabitha couldn¡¯t open them from the inside. It was all part of the allure of the private, upper-class club.

    ***

    The second the voice¡¯s opening speech faded a single lamp lit up inside the room, revealing to me the nature of its shape.

    A box.

    I was standing in a box, like a prison cell really, with no windows or bars. If I reached out I wouldn¡¯t have even been able to fully extend my arms. It was a coffin. My coffin.

    Grating in a jarring way, the front wall slid to the side and, finally deciding to equip my armour, I stepped out into further darkness. A series of flames lit up in front of me. One by one they activated, leading down the hallway before me.

    As I looked up and down the hall, I saw other people stepping out of their own boxes confused and scared. For as far as the eye could see, they stepped out, wide eyed.

    Lycanids, catonids, humans, garuda, dwarves, svartalfs, a venerable model UN of the world¡¯s races. All were dirty, skinny, and wearing rags.

    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Rex said and I turned around to see the large lycanid coming out of the room beside me, Panda at his back. ¡°Looks like you made it.¡±

    ¡°Change into your armour, it¡¯s time to get to work,¡± I said. A feeling of quiet, cold rage filled my chest as I spoke. Something about seeing all of these people, knowing what they were in for. It chilled me, yet at the same time, a fire burned.

    ¡°That voice must belong to the Marquess,¡± Panda said seriously, Jack had told us about her the previous night. ¡°From what she said, this place is a maze. We need to find a way out and I¡¯d be willing to bet that not a single one of these people stands a chance of making it.¡±

    ¡°Good job we¡¯re here then,¡± Jack said, walking through the crowd towards us with Bell at his side. The self-proclaimed assassin had already changed back into his signature trench coat and looked ready for business.

    I nodded to him.

    ¡°Everyone,¡± I said, raising my voice so that the captured citizens could hear me. ¡°We¡¯re all going to get out of this place alive. Stay behind us and we¡¯ll clear the way.¡±

    A few people nodded; everyone was looking at me. They trembled, some of their eyes were red.

    ¡°Yeah, fuck that buddy,¡± someone called.

    ¡°Do you take me for an idiot?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯d let you get the prize.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s every man for himself out here, you heard the lady. Only the first one out gets the gold and you certainly don¡¯t look like you need it.¡±

    ¡°This is a farce.¡±

    A torrent of discontented and misguided voices shouted up and down the hallway. I could barely tell where they came from, but there was serious derision among the captured people.

    It made sense. This was probably what the Marquess planned. Planting hope among the neediest so that they¡¯d provide entertainment as they rushed eagerly towards their deaths. It made me sick.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a bunch of idiots,¡± I shouted, ¡°you¡¯ll all die if you just rush off.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Someone shouted back and before I knew what was happening the crowd began to thin.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Bell asked, in a serious tone for once.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing we can do,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Knock them all out and clear this place ourselves?¡± She replied sincerely.

    ¡°Well there is always that, but I was thinking the easier method is just to beat them. If we can clear the maze first then it all ends right? Then we can do the rest.¡±

    I was careful not to openly state our intentions to kill the Marquess. Thanks to Jack¡¯s intel I knew that we were being watched. Chances were that they had already realised that we were adventurers from our armour and my speech. However, I hoped that they wouldn¡¯t connect us to Regina.

    Warning the remaining civilians to follow behind us, we marched to the end of the hallway and set off into the maze.

    ***

    ¡°Who the fuck are those guys?¡± Tabitha screamed, her eyes bulged and she gritted her teeth so hard that the head recruiter couldn¡¯t tell if she was simply upset or mid aneurysm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know Marquess; we definitely didn¡¯t take adventurers. We know the policy.¡±

    ¡°Were you kicked by a dragon as a child?¡± She asked, ¡°or are you just a liar?¡±

    The head recruiter didn¡¯t reply, he wasn¡¯t sure how to. Despite the nobles below seemingly having a great time, they must have thought it was all part of the entertainment, the Marquess looked like she was about to explode.

    ¡°Adventurers might actually get through the maze,¡± she said slowly, sitting back down and sinking into her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be ruined. Regina will have my head, my estate will be forfeit. This can¡¯t be happening.¡±

    Her eyes were wide and unfocused as if she was staring at something that lived between dimensions. It seemed as if she could see straight through the head recruiter. It was disconcerting.

    ¡°We still have that,¡± he replied in a calm voice, forcing down his own misgivings and looking deeply into her eyes.

    ¡°We do?¡± She asked, seeing him once again, a glimmer of hope mixed in with the glistening which shrouded her iris. ¡°We do! Oh thank the gods, there is hope. More than hope. There¡¯s no way they can survive. The ultimate failsafe.¡±

    The head recruiter breathed out a single, elongated breath. He was safe, at least for the moment.

    ¡°If they do happen to get past it,¡± she said icily, allowing her aura to leak out, smothering his own like a crumpled piece of paper. ¡°You¡¯ll be the first to die.¡±

    A small puddle appeared at the feet of the head recruiter and he gulped.

 Chapter 171 â€“ Mana Splicing and Interbreeding

    Congratulations! You have reached lvl 55.

    The notification lit up the top corner of my HUD as I yanked one of my daggers out of the pustulating belly of a rabid doe dancer.

    ¡°This takes me back,¡± I sighed, remembering my first encounter with the oddly named and vicious monsters. I hadn¡¯t come across one in quite some time.

    We¡¯d been fighting for hours, rushing to get ahead of the more misguided among the captured civilians. They had run off before us, but it didn¡¯t take long to catch up to most of them. Sadly a few were still in front of us somewhere, I only knew that because I heard the intermittent screaming which, more often than not, quickly turned to gurgling.

    So far the monsters had been no match for my team. We were well trained adventurers and they were simple mobs, so simple that they¡¯d allowed themselves to be captured. Some were pretty strong, but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle.

    Our biggest concern was attrition. We were trying to speed run the maze but everyone¡¯s mana and stamina was running low. Well, everyone apart from me, who had no mana.

    However, I had already drained three stamina potions in the last five hours and my supplies were dwindling. I¡¯d have to stock up again once we finally beat this place. Bell had bought the last batch so I supposed it was my turn to do it this time.

    The maze was a frustrating place to be. Large stone walls surrounded us, touching the ceiling. Every few feet there was a twist or a passage and there was a new batch of monsters to clear out at almost every turn.

    It felt a little bit like playing the original Doom games, minus the guns¡­ mostly.

    Jack had his magic sniper rifle, which didn¡¯t shoot bullets and only vaguely resembled a sniper rifle. However, in these close quarters it wasn¡¯t the best weapon. He¡¯d resorted to firing magic missiles from his hands, which he¡¯d explained was also the spell he used to make the gun work.

    Apparently, a normal magic missile wasn¡¯t nearly as powerful and broke up after a few hundred meters. But because of the focusing crystals Jack had installed into his sniper, firing a magic missile through that increased the power and the range tenfold.

    He was an interesting guy, if a little sketchy. A strong fighter though, and right now that was what we needed most. Even if having him along made our party even more unbalanced. I mean, what kind of DnD party would be made up of mostly ranged damage dealers with only a single dedicated melee guy?

    Even though I had only used melee so far in the maze, my best attacks all stemmed from my bow.

    We continued on and the hours ticked by. It was a constant slog of fighting and I levelled up twice more, as did the others. At this rate I was going to reach silver rank in no time and the prospect had me wondering if this world had dungeons.

    If it did, I bet I could outrank Sally by the time we saw her again. Imagining the look on her face caused a slight smile to appear on mine, fleeting as it was.

    As I thought of her, I felt a little down. It was the first time she¡¯d entered my mind since we¡¯d parted. I¡¯d been so busy, but that was no excuse. She was my friend and she was hurt. It¡¯s strange what thoughts plague the mind in the moments between battles. I wondered how she was doing; it had been almost a month since we¡¯d left Cali Port.

    Maybe I should send her a system message.

    Kaleb: Sally, how¡¯s it going. You feeling any better?

    *This chat is muted*

    Damn, I thought, feeling even worse than before. I¡¯d forgotten that she¡¯d muted the chat again. I¡¯d explicitly asked her not to do that anymore after the incident with Clive the elder lich but that stubborn-ass cat never listened to me. I had asked Freja to send me updates, which she had so far neglected to share, so whilst we had a moment of peace I decided to send her a message too.

    Kaleb: Hi Freja, how are you guys doing? Is Sally any better?

    Freja: I¡¯m busy at the moment, I¡¯ll send you a more detailed message later. Have you made it to Castalor yet?

    Kaleb: We have, we¡¯ve met with the director and are currently completing a quest for Regina.

    Freja: Be careful, Castalor is a dangerous place. Talk later.

    ¡°Something¡¯s up ahead,¡± Bell said, raising her hand to halt our party and pulling my attention back to what lay ahead.

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    Hand signals were part of our new tactics as well, though I guess they weren¡¯t all that new to us anymore. So far I had been acting as scout in Asmodeus¡¯ stead, but we¡¯d been trekking through the maze for so long that we decided to take turns.

    Scouting took a lot of mental concentration and even with our superhuman abilities and stats, the mind still fatigued. It was the reason why I still slept, even though my body didn¡¯t strictly need to anymore.

    And because I liked sleep.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, stepping up beside the fireball mage and peering into the distance.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but for a second I thought I saw an aura surge and it looked pretty wild.¡±

    Beyond the enclosed hallway the maze seemed to open out a bit. Had we reached the end? If so, I was willing to bet that a much more powerful monster than anything we¡¯d faced so far was guarding it. There was no way the Marquess would ever risk letting one of the civilians escape.

    ¡°Ok, step lightly and get ready to spread out as we hit that opening. I want everyone in diamond formation, Rex at the tip, Panda in the centre to coordinate.¡±

    The others nodded their agreement and though I could see the determination in their eyes, I could tell that everyone was as exhausted as I was.

    Fighting for this long was usually a big no-no. Rex had drilled that into us from the start. You have to watch your mind, he¡¯d said, it¡¯s easy to keep at it for too long when your body doesn¡¯t tire but battles are often won and lost by a single error.

    It was good advice, but sometimes it just wasn¡¯t possible to take it. This was one of those times.

    Treading lightly, we walked out of the end of the passageway and spread out into a diamond formation. I tried to survey the area but it was pitch black. My dragon¡¯s eye tingled but I couldn¡¯t see anything.

    My foot slipped as I stepped in something wet and sticky. My mind was cast back to the screams I¡¯d heard earlier.

    ¡°Keep your guard up,¡± I said, ¡°something¡¯s in here.¡±

    Congratulations!

    The female voice, which I had to assume was the Marquess, blasted out all around us.

    You¡¯ve almost made it out of the maze, how very adept of you. However, your most fearsome challenge now awaits you. The final battle for damnation of glory!

    Lights blasted on from all around us, it felt like we were in an arena as the spotlights blinded me. They felt warm, bright golden light which chased away the maze¡¯s natural shadows.

    Before you, stands the guardian of the maze. Defeat him and the prize is yours!

    Her words conveyed the jovial announcement of a game show host. They were filled with hope and were clearly meant to entertain the noble audience that I knew she had with her, thanks to Jack¡¯s intel.

    But there was something in her tone that betrayed her true thoughts. She was furious. Through whatever mana-fuelled device she was using to communicate with us, I could hear the clicking of her teeth, the clenching of her jaw.

    Her tone was happy, but thanks to my enhanced perceptions stats, I could hear the little things in her body language that gave away her true feelings.

    If anything, it spurred me on. I was going to kill this bitch. Not because Regina asked me to, not even to get that warm trickle of dopamine which flooded my brain when a quest completion notice appeared.

    No. I was going to kill her because I hated those who took advantage of the vulnerable. I always had. I felt the same way about the slew of stepdads I¡¯d had growing up. The same way about my old boss before I¡¯d gone self-employed.

    As my vision cleared, I looked up at the boss monster snarling before us.

    It was fucking massive.

    Standing so tall its heads touched the roof; it looked like a dragon and its nine Siamese twins. Bright purple, it stood proudly, each head holding a slightly different expression. A myriad of torn and bloodied corpses lay at its feet, blood covered the floor and I knew that these were the last of the civilians who had run off ahead of us.

    Idiots, they should have listened.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± I muttered as the HUD notification popped up.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Hydra

    No, it¡¯s not the nazi bad guys from the Captain America movie, though this little fella is probably a bit of a fascist. With the body of a dragon and nine serpentine heads, it¡¯s obvious that this isn¡¯t a natural monster found out and about in the wilds of Celestia. This guy is the result of years of interbreeding and mana splicing ¨C an outlawed practice in the civilised world. This guy is more inbred than a turkey sandwich, more inbred than your distant cousin from Alabama, more inbred than¡­ well you get the picture.

    I hope you¡¯ve been reading up on your mythology, you¡¯re going to need it.

    ¡°Well shit,¡± I said, drawing my bow. ¡°New plan, Rex, draw its attention and try to slice through as many heads on the right as you can. Bell, you take the middle, Jack and I will take the left. If this is like the hydra from Greek mythology then we¡¯ll need to cut off all nine heads at the same time so we¡¯ve gotta coordinate.¡±

    Strictly speaking it was Panda¡¯s job to coordinate fights but I had no idea if my sage familiar was¡­ well¡­ familiar with Greek mythos. Considering that even the system had mentioned it, I had to assume that this monster would follow the same laws as the hydra from the Hercules stories.

    Greek mythology wasn¡¯t exactly my area of expertise, but I doubted there were many people from a country with mandatory education who hadn¡¯t heard of a hydra before.

    The battle commenced as I drew on my stamina coil and forced as much energy into my arrows as possible. I was aiming for a soul infused acid rain. Though I wasn¡¯t sure how well that would work, but an AOE attack made sense for a hydra right?

    ROOOAARRR!

    Before I¡¯d even begun to charge up, the middle head let out an ear-splitting roar which bounced around the room, dazing me.

    In unison, the leftmost and rightmost heads shot out balls of fire and lightning. Abandoning my charge up, I dived to the side, crashing into Jack who softened my fall as we rolled, a tangled mess.

    ¡°Watch what you¡¯re doing,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°I just saved your arse from frying!¡±

    ¡°I had it handled!¡±

    ¡°Just shoot the damned thing!¡±

    He complied, giving me the stink eye, and fired off a barrage of magic missiles in quick succession. Two of the heads fell off followed by a third and fourth as Rex jumped into the air and cleaved through them in one, well executed, blow.

    Bell¡¯s fireball took out the lightning head. It looked like the battle might be easier than I was expecting.

    Not wanting to be the one to let the team down, I fired off a single, quick soul shot, decapitating the head just to the right of the centre.

    Six heads down, three to go.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± I yelled, but my voice was cut off by another screech as the middle head opened its mouth once more.

    The six heads we¡¯d managed to cut off grew back and it had only been a few seconds. They grew back almost instantly, leaving practically no opportunity to strike them again whilst they were weak.

    Then, without warning, my dragon¡¯s eye exploded with pain as the room filled with a vile, multicoloured aura.

    ¡°It¡¯s about to attack!¡± I yelled, ¡°get down!¡±

 Chapter 172 â€“ A Cushion To This Monstrosity

    My dragon¡¯s eye lit up the room with a ferocious aura explosion which came from the hydra, and lot of things happened simultaneously.

    Grabbing Jack by the back of his collar I threw him, like a baseball, back out of the room and down the corridor of the maze we had entered from. I then dropped to the floor like a ton of bricks, covering my head with my arms.

    Rex jumped up to attack the main head but was caught by one of the newly reformed ones which he had only severed a few moments before. It gripped him with its teeth, his blood dripped from his torso, breaking the mirage from the magic scroll Jack had given him and revealing his white fur, drenched with scarlet ichor.

    It shook him vigorously like a dog with a chew toy and I heard myself screaming his name as he went limp in its mouth.

    Bell fired off a few fireballs in quick succession towards the main head but they were intercepted by two of the other heads who tanked the damage and shot a jet of water at her. It hit her squarely in the chest, throwing her to the floor and mixing with the blood which covered it. She slid into the back wall with a hard bang like a protestor being hit by a fire truck¡¯s water cannon.

    Pulling a healing potion out of my inventory and into my hand, I threw it at Rex from my prone position. It smashed on his back and I hoped that it would work. I didn¡¯t know when he had last taken one, or if they could even be used that way, but it was all I could think of in the moment.

    Then it happened.

    A swirling ball of red and black energy cycled in the centre hydra¡¯s mouth. My dragon¡¯s eye went wild, sending shooting pains through my skull, like someone had electrocuted my brain. All the oxygen in the room seemed to get sucked into the ball of energy, I felt the gravitational pull threatening to drag me into it too and I crawled towards the exit as fast as I could.

    Then, it fired.

    A ball of pure, powerful energy shot out of the centre head¡¯s mouth in a beam. It hit the floor behind me and I went flying through the air. The hydra moved its head and the stone floor ripped up like an earthquake as the beam moved across it. As it approached Bell, she scrambled for the exit and was lifted into the air with me.

    Flying, I landed with a crash in a dark corridor, dazed and gasping for breath. My health was almost completely depleted and my HUD flashed red. I couldn¡¯t move, my bones felt like powder and something stabbed into my chest.

    ¡°Kaleb, fuck that¡¯s not good,¡± Jack¡¯s voice spoke somewhere in the distance. He sounded like he was miles away. ¡°Bell, Jesus. Fuck. Where¡¯s Rex?¡±

    Rex? Was he not with us? I thought dreamily as my mind struggled to keep up. Oh wait, he was being made into a chew toy. I hope he¡¯s¡­ REX.

    I startled, pulled out of my reverie by the sudden remembrance of Rex¡¯s dilemma. Sitting bolt upright with a sudden gasp, my abdominal muscles contracted hard. My vision was blurred and my health had jumped up by about fifty points. The stabbing pain in my chest had gone, but as I looked down I saw a blood-stained hole in my armour.

    Why hasn¡¯t it repaired itself yet?

    Bell leaned against the wall next to me, she seemed to be conscious but her legs were broken, bones sticking out through the flesh at odd angles. It was hard to tell if she was bleeding from her torso, due to her red cloak, but from the grim expression on Jack¡¯s face I assumed she probably was.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re finally stabilised,¡± Jack said in a tone void of all emotion. ¡°Stay here, I¡¯m going to grab Rex. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    I tried to reach out to him, tried to speak, but my voice wouldn¡¯t work and I couldn¡¯t move my arm. Looking down I saw it hanging limply from my side. No protruding bones, but I was pretty sure it was dislocated. They both were.

    Desperately I turned to Bell. Her eyes were closed and I could see the broken bones protruding from her legs moving ever so slowly back into place. With no other option available to me, I dived into my soul view. I needed to heal and meditation was my best option.

    ***

    Marquess Tabitha cackled like an evil witch from one of those children¡¯s stories as the head recruiter watched anxiously.

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    ¡°Brilliant work, just marvellous,¡± she laughed. ¡°I knew there was no way they could defeat the hydra. What a superb creature, the perfect failsafe really. Those stupid adventurers will die down here just like the rest and I stand to make even more money than we¡¯d originally forecasted.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes ma¡¯am,¡± he replied, shuffling his feet as he glanced fearfully over the side at the nobles below. They were chatting happily amongst themselves, placing bets and having a grand old time as the cameras on the screen flashed between the half dead adventuring party and the cowering civilians. They had stayed back at the starting point at the behest of the adventurers, but they¡¯d have to get moving eventually or they¡¯d all starve.

    Besides, there were back up monsters to make them move if needs be.

    ¡°Perhaps we should start bringing in adventurers on purpose,¡± The Marquess said, mostly to herself as she played with her ringleted hair. ¡°Maybe just the lower ranks for now, a few at a time, just to liven things up.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that go against the purpose of the maze?¡± The head recruiter asked.

    ¡°The purpose? Oh yes, cleaning the streets of the rabble, of course. Well then maybe we won¡¯t purposefully bring in adventurers next year. However, accidents do happen, just like this time,¡± she smiled an evil grin and the head recruiter shuddered.

    ***

    Coming back out of soul view, I opened my eyes. Rex and Jack were sat against the opposite wall to me. When had they returned? I usually didn¡¯t dive that deep. I had no external awareness at all; it was dangerous. Also, where was Panda?

    I dove into my familiars tab on my HUD and it said he was alive. I hadn¡¯t even seen him after the first hydra attack. Did he retreat without me?

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Rex said in his deep, growling tones. He looked fine, completely unscathed with the exception of a deep, crusted blood stain on his abdomen.

    ¡°How did you get out?¡± I asked. My mouth was dry and my throat cracked as I talked. It had been a while since I¡¯d experienced dehydration. Was it because of the extent of my injuries? I pulled some water from my inventory and drank deeply.

    ¡°I got off lightly compared to you,¡± he replied. ¡°Being bitten wasn¡¯t pleasant, but it did allow me relative safety from that aura attack. That being said I¡¯d likely still have been there if Jack hadn¡¯t shot the neck of the head which bit me. I ran away as soon as I hit the ground.¡±

    ¡°You went limp,¡± I replied in a croaky, pained voice. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡±

    ¡°That was for the hydra¡¯s sake. I had hoped that it would think me a goner and release me. It didn¡¯t, but thankfully someone hit me with a healing potion and that kept me going long enough for Jack to intervene. My vitality is quite high you know, perks of being a melee specialist.¡± Rex grinned and glanced towards the entrance, ¡°thankfully the beast didn¡¯t pursue us.¡±

    He gestured lightly in the direction of the room which was barely twenty feet away from us. The lights had gone off, but the opening was right there. Reading my mind, Jack spoke.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to attack anything outside of that room. It reminds me of a boss battle from a video game, certainly not how monsters behave in the wild.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a real monster,¡± I replied croakily. ¡°The notification said it was created and not natural. Maybe it¡¯s being controlled by the Marquess and her people.¡±

    He nodded.

    I felt something stir next to me and I looked towards it. Bell¡¯s eyes opened slowly; her head rested on my shoulder. Her legs seemed healed but she looked exhausted, exactly the same as I felt.

    ¡°How long have I been out?¡± She asked in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

    ¡°A few hours,¡± Jack replied.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± She asked, looking specifically at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, I¡¯m working on an idea though. We need to beat that thing or we¡¯ll be trapped in here but... Has anyone seen Panda?¡±

    Looking between themselves, everyone shook their heads. Rex was the only one to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him since we first entered that room. He wasn¡¯t caught up in the aura attack was he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, the familiars tab in my interface says he¡¯s alive.¡±

    ¡°Odd.¡±

    I nodded and opened up my messaging tab.

    Kaleb: Panda, where are you?

    Panda: I¡¯m trapped. Can¡¯t move.

    Kaleb: What do you mean, where are you?

    Panda: I¡¯m stuck under the hydra.

    Kaleb: How did that happen?

    Panda: I rolled out of the way of that first attack and the fat bastard sat on me. It doesn¡¯t actually weight all that much so I¡¯m alright, but I can¡¯t move without alerting it to my presence.

    Kaleb: Alright, sit tight. We¡¯ll hatch a plan and come for you.

    Panda: Sit tight? Your bedside manner needs some work, kid.

    Kaleb: You¡¯re not dying you¡¯re just¡­ in a bad situation.

    Panda: That¡¯s putting it mildly, I¡¯ve become a cushion to this monstrosity! Pandas are an endangered species, making me into a pillow is unconscionable.

    Exiting the chat I turned to the others. ¡°He¡¯s ok, he¡¯s stuck underneath the hydra.¡± My mind was working in overdrive as I continued to formulate a plan. We needed to get to him before the beast realised he was there.

    ¡°How did that happen?¡± Bell asked, her voice sounded concerned at first but then she seemed to be suppressing laughter.

    I relayed what he had told me in the chat.

    ¡°That¡¯s some dominatrix level shit right there,¡± Bell said with a quivering smile. ¡°We¡¯d better go and save him.¡±

    She moved to stand but I pulled her back down by the arm.

    ¡°Not yet, we need a plan first.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± Jack asked, ¡°because I¡¯m fresh out. Unless we can all take out two heads, with Rex taking out three, and we can do it simultaneously, I don¡¯t see how we¡¯re going to beat that thing.¡±

    ¡°Well, there might be one way,¡± I said looking towards Bell with a sly smile on my lips. ¡°Did you ever hear they story of how Hercules defeated the hydra?¡±

 Chapter 173 â€“ Nothing Left To Loot

    Taking a deep, calming breath, I marched back into the hydra room, pulling my bow from in inventory and charging up a pre-emptive soul shot.

    ¡°Is everyone clear on their roles?¡± I asked and the others nodded, steely determination etched into each one of their faces. Not even Bell was taking this lightly.

    As I entered the room I moved to the right-hand side, hugging the wall. Jack did the same on the left and Bell stayed close to the door. Rex, as our only dedicated melee fighter, walked calmly towards the centre. As he reached the halfway mark, and just before the lights came on, he moved into a jog. His axe glinted over his shoulder, bulging lycanid muscles twitching as he tightened his grip.

    The lights came on with a flash, the hydra stared at him, all nine heads.

    Welcome back! The hydra has been replenished and is ready for your¡­ hey wait, you can¡¯t attack before I¡¯m done talking!

    This time we completely ignored the tannoy message. I had realised in the previous encounter that the hydra wouldn¡¯t attack until the Marquess had done speaking. It was almost as if it was programmed somehow. Either way, we¡¯d be stupid not to take advantage of the exploit.

    Rex jumped up, severing the middle head of the hydra. Its other heads screamed, blood spurted from the top and the severed head hit the floor and immediately burst into glittering dust.

    ¡°Bell!¡± I shouted.

    She responded by shooting off a ferocious fireball aimed right at the severed part of the wound. The blood stopped leaking; a nasty, putrid charred scent wafted through the air. The smell of burned flesh. No matter how many times I smelled it a wave of nausea still threatened to show me my dinner.

    As that happened I fired off my soul shot arrow. It was full strength, or as full as these arrows could handle. It flew through the air, a majestic harbinger of death, exploding through the upper chest of the beast.

    Letting out an ear-splitting scream, it slumped to the floor.

    Thank fuck for that.

    Originally I had wanted to specifically aim for its legs, but knowing Panda was underneath, I decided the risk wasn¡¯t worth it. Instead, I adapted my role in the plan to aim just below the area where all nine necks met. I figured that in the best-case scenario it would sever all the heads at once and if not I could infect that area with acid which might slow the regeneration of the other heads.

    My shot didn¡¯t sever any of the heads, but the base of the necks began to pustulate with popping, gory bubbles of skin and blood.

    Meanwhile, Rex would chop off one head at a time and Bell would cauterise the wound, preventing the healing process from taking place. The hardest part would be preventing the other heads from attacking whilst they did this.

    The leftmost head opened its mouth, fire blazing from its breath and without missing a beat, Jack severed it with a well-aimed shot from his magic sniper rifle. He was fulfilling his role admirably.

    Maybe I should ask him to join the team permanently.

    Rex sliced through another head and Bell hit the wound with a fireball. Another head over on the right opened its mouth and shot a myriad of icicles, like little daggers, straight at me. Kicking off the wall, I dived to the floor and Jack hit it with a magic missile, severing that head.

    As I landed I fired off a weaker soul shot, severing the second head on the left whose teeth sparked with electricity. My stamina was about halfway depleted but, thanks to my armour bonuses, that would be enough to see this through.

    Rex severed another head, and another, as Bell cauterised the wounds and Jack and I kept the remaining ones busy. It was exhausting, both mentally and physically, but it was working.

    Just as I¡¯d told the team; in the story of Hercules he used a burning torch to set fire to the wounds as he decapitated them, preventing them from regenerating. I knew it was kind of a long shot, but the system notification did say I needed to know my mythology.

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    Though I had learnt to take everything the system said with a pinch of salt, sometimes there were clues. And I got the distinct impression that it wasn¡¯t overly fond of people creating their own monsters, like they were poaching on its turf. I wondered about the system sometimes, its personality almost seemed human, or at least animalistic. It was nothing like the gaming systems I¡¯d come to expect from video games. But then again, this wasn¡¯t a game at all.

    We whittled down the hydra heads one by one. The plan was working well, a little too well if anything. As soon as we finished it off we¡¯d have to high tail it to the Marquess if we wanted to finish her off before she set anything else on us. But that was a problem for later.

    Rex severed the penultimate head leaving only the ice mana head left. I already had an arrow ready to go and as Bell fireballed the wound on the previous head, I loosed my arrow at the final one.

    It missed.

    Or rather, the final head dodged. Severing viciously it dived towards the central head and chomped down in the wounded part of the neck with ferocious precision.

    ¡°Sever that head!¡± I shouted, ¡°don¡¯t let it undo the cauterisation!¡±

    Blood gushed from the freshly formed wound and Jack fired but it swerved again, biting down on yet another head. The middle head regenerated and black and red aura spilled from its mouth.

    Shit, not this again!

    ¡°Rex-¡± before I¡¯d even finished calling his name, the lycanid dived at the centre head severing it once more. Bell immediately followed up with a fireball. We all knew that of all the parts of this monstrosity we needed to keep at bay, the centre head was the highest priority.

    Taking a calming breath, I fired off another arrow at the ice mana head and this time it hit. Acid streaked down its neck as pustules and sores began to sprout down the length. Bell hit it with a fireball just as Jack took out the final head mid regeneration.

    ¡°Not this time,¡± I said, following up with another soul shot for good measure, but it was unnecessary. The moment the last head hit the floor the beast burst, showering us with blood, guts, and viscera before erupting like a confetti volcano. There wasn¡¯t even anything left to loot.

    ¡°I can breathe again,¡± Panda gasped, pulling himself up out of the gore and turning. Seeing me, he ran with open arms towards me, tears glistened on his large, round eyes. It must have been scary for him being trapped under that thing. As he reached me I dodged and he skidded on the floor, looking up at me with a hurt expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe, but you¡¯re covered with hydra goop,¡± I said, ¡°it¡¯s really gross.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bell joined in with a laugh, ¡°you look like Bollywood Deadpool.¡±

    His mouth hung limp as he looked incredulously from Bell to me and back again. ¡°I nearly die and all you can do is crack jokes? How insensitive, and by the way, I am ten times more mentally stable than Deadpool.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the flex you think it is,¡± I said, relenting and picking him up, placing him behind my head like how a father carries their toddler around the supermarket.

    I felt his blood-soaked fur scratching against the back of my head, but it wasn¡¯t any worse than the guts that hung loosely from my armour. It had taken a while for it to fully repair itself after the first encounter and I wondered if it was because the central head had used an aura attack.

    Congratulations! You have defeated Hydra lvl 100.

    Bonus exp awarded due to level disparity.

    Bonus exp has been split equally between all participating members.

    Extra bonus exp has been given to the participant who scored the killing blow.

    You have reached lvl 58.

    That was new, it was the first time I¡¯d ever seen experience points split equally between the entire party. I wondered if that was because it was such a thought out, team effort. If that was the case it gave us even more of a reason to practice our teamwork.

    I quickly added my five free points into vitality. One can never be too hard to kill and I¡¯d promised Panda I¡¯d be more logical with my point distribution in the future. He had thrown a fit when I¡¯d dumped points into intelligence just to make it triple digits. I did, however, plan to find out just how much of a difference that would make to my invisibility skill soon.

    ¡°I¡¯ve levelled up!¡± Bell announced happily.

    ¡°As have I,¡± Jack added. ¡°I was just awarded a new skill selection. I¡¯ll have to look properly though them later.¡±

    So he was awarded the bonus experience, you only get skills every ten levels.

    I wasn¡¯t surprised that Jack was a higher level than me, but I was shocked at how close our levels were. When we had fought together at the Morningstar Hotel and Spa, his abilities seemed vastly higher than my own. Had I really caught up so quickly, or was this due to my own personal growth in developing such a strong team?

    As we all stopped for a momentary breather, a blue portal appeared at the back of the hall. It reached high up, touching the roof and disappearing through it; a cyclone of waving, swirling energy.

    ¡°I take it that¡¯s the exit?¡± I said, equipping both my daggers and raising my hood.

    ¡°I would assume so,¡± Jack said, ¡°my intel didn¡¯t give specifics but if I were a gambling man I¡¯d bet that on the other side of that portal we¡¯ll find Marquess Tabitha.¡±

    I nodded, looking at each of my team in turn. Rex smiled, blood dripping from his fur, as he lifted his axe with both hands. Bell flickered fire between her fingers and grinned in her malicious, battle-junkie way. Jack simply nodded, a true professional.

    ¡°Alright guys, ready to smack a bitch?¡± I asked, stepping into the portal and activating my invisibility.

 Chapter 174 â€“ The Only Thing We Want Is Death

    ¡°I thought you said that thing was unbeatable!¡± Tabitha screamed directly in the face of the head recruiter.

    ¡°It should have been ma¡¯am,¡± he replied, much more calmly. ¡°It would take at least a silver ranked team to take it down under normal circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Normal circumstances?¡± She growled, her face turning a nasty shade of scarlet as spittle flew from her lips. ¡°You decrepit, brainrotted, cockwomble! This was far from fucking normal. Those adventurers knew exactly how to defeat your so-called unkillable monster. They worked it out after a single attempt. Do you have any idea of the trouble we¡¯re about to be in, can your tiny, insignificant mind even begin to comprehend how royally fucked I¡¯m about to be? And not in the good way!¡±

    Just as she finished her speech, taking a deep breath, she looked towards the portal platform which connected to the underground maze. It glowed a terrifying blue. An ocean of misery was about to wash her away and she knew it. Her heartbeat quickened.

    ¡°Quickly, form a defence. Defend me Bertinald, defend your master!¡±

    Bertinald, the head recruiter, scoffed and rolled his dark, bloodshot eyes at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, but my tiny, insignificant mind can¡¯t even begin to comprehend such a complicated task.¡±

    ¡°Bertinald, stop screwing around and take up a defensive position, now!¡±

    ¡°I shall,¡± he said, a sly smile creeping up one side of his scarred mouth. ¡°I hear Nyx is on a hiring spree. I think I might just apply for a role.¡±

    ¡°Bertinald!¡± She shrieked, her voice cascading all around the small, raised room like a mother bird calling after a falling nest of eggs. ¡°Please, I-I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean those things I said. You wouldn¡¯t leave me here would you? You wouldn¡¯t leave me to be imprisoned and tortured by these people. P-please I¡¯ll pay¡­ yes that¡¯s right, I¡¯ll pay you five percent of the profits we make. For someone of your station that must be an absolute fortune.¡±

    In a flash of smoke he disappeared from the room and Marquess Tabitha was left standing all alone. Heart racing, breath coming in rasps, she began to shake.

    ¡°Looks like your friend isn¡¯t coming back.¡±

    She jumped, almost out of her skin. Lunging forwards as a firm hand gripped the back of her neck. She strained to see who it was, but there was nothing there. An invisibility spell? Just who are these people?

    At that same moment, three of the adventurers from the maze stepped out of the shimmering blue portal. A huge lycanid covered in blood and baring his fangs. A psychotic-looking fire mage with a small, marble sized, ball of flame hovering above each finger as she cracked the knuckles of her other hand into her palm. A man in a trench coat; the only one of them who looked even remotely professional, with an emotionless, dry expression. And a panda, covered in the hydra¡¯s gore and looking rather agitated.

    Where¡¯s the other one? She thought frantically, her pulse threatening to pop her veins as it violently thrashed within them. Is he the one behind me? In the name of the gods, who are these people?

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt me,¡± she pleaded, dropping to her knees. The invisible hand letting her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll pay, I¡¯ll give you anything you want. Just let me go.¡±

    ¡°The only thing we want is death,¡± the disembodied voice said calmly from behind her. Her blood ran cold, this was it, she was about to die. That¡¯s not what she had expected. What happened to the law? Regina¡¯s law. He didn¡¯t usually kill people; he saw them as a resource he always had.

    Why me? Why now?

    A blade punctured the back of her neck, sticking out of the front. She felt it severing her spine, it was cold, and then all she could feel was agonising pain. It was as if she was being boiled from the inside of her throat. She tried to scream but the only sound that escaped her mouth was gurgling and the rhythmic splashing of falling blood as it ran from her mouth like a waterfall.

    She had seen this adventurer¡¯s powers on the screen. She knew that he used acid attacks. She had no idea of the sheer agony which such an inexorable death incurred.

    The hand around the back of her neck, the only warmth left to her which wasn¡¯t pain, let go. She felt herself flop forwards, falling from the platform. She hit the floor with a shuddering jolt and the last thing she heard was the shrieks and screams of the nobles in her theatre as they trampled her body, scampering for an exit like rats.

    ***

    Achievement unlocked:

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Chunibyo

    Congratulations, you¡¯ve regressed back to your teenage years and your angst is overflowing. I mean, what kind of slobbering, troglodyte says ¡°the only thing we want is death¡±? How try hard can you get? Take a good, hard look in the mirror and give yourself a slap. Being an edgelord went out of fashion back in the 10¡¯s and even then, everyone thought they were assholes.

    Reward: Bitches don¡¯t get rewards. On second thoughts, have a seaman encrusted gym sock, that should pair nicely with your shit-lord attitude.

    ¡°Wow, I think I hit a nerve,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard it get so personal with these achievements before.¡±

    Panda burst into laughter, hysterically bending at the waist as tears leaked down his face, mixing with the blood on his fur, and causing tiny droplets of glittering crimson to drizzle onto the floor at his feet. ¡°I was about to make a similar joke,¡± he said through barely controlled laughter. ¡°Bitches don¡¯t get rewards, classic.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it?¡± Bell said, looking confused and a little upset. ¡°I want in on the joke, what just happened? Was it something to do with Kaleb¡¯s Batman impression just now? Tell me!¡±

    I shook my head and sighed. I thought it was a cool line, they could all fuck right off. Hadn¡¯t they ever seen an action movie before? It was all about the one-liners. I sighed again and was glad that I stopped myself from saying ¡°yippee ki-yay mother fucker¡± as the Marquess fell from the platform.

    ¡°I hate to interrupt what I¡¯m sure is a fascinating conversation,¡± Jack said dryly. ¡°But the rest of our targets are getting away.¡±

    He pointed down to the theatre floor as the last of the nobles sprinted towards the rear exit of the theatre which must have been located underneath our position. Running with reckless abandon, they trampled the Marquess¡¯ corpse and by the time the last one ran over her she was little more than a puddle of squished organs and blood.

    Serves you right, I thought.

    ¡°Marquess Tabitha was our only target,¡± I said, ¡°let them go. I doubt Regina would want the entire nobility butchered. I¡¯m sure this result is more in line with his goals, they¡¯ll be terrified of crossing him now.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jack said, his eyes popping as he watched them flee. ¡°These people are scum; they need to die. All of them.¡±

    Raising his mana sniper he fired a concentrated magic missile into the face of the last one. His head exploded as the rest of his body flopped to the floor, convulsing like a fish out of water.

    ¡°Shit dude,¡± Bell gasped, ¡°when did you get exploding bullets?¡±

    ¡°I picked a new skill,¡± he replied. ¡°It enhances my magic missile giving me a twenty percent chance of making a person¡¯s head explode if I get a headshot. It¡¯s called Popping Balloons.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I said, ¡°is it just me or does the system seem to be getting more and more unhinged lately?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just surly because it called you out,¡± Panda said, still giggling slightly. ¡°The system has always been a bit odd, Kid. Don¡¯t read into it.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t so sure, but I didn¡¯t have time to worry about it now. Especially as Jack jumped off the platform landing in a superhero pose and looking back up at us, his sniper resting threateningly over one shoulder.

    ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± He asked, rather sharply.

    With a shrug, I looked to the others and dropped off myself. I spared a thought for the civilians left in the maze and sent a quick message to Rex. He found the device which allowed Tabitha to speak into the maze and told them the way was clear and that they should follow. The screens flashed to them and I felt a sudden wave of relief as I saw them begin to head through the maze. It would take them some time to get here, but at least they¡¯d be safe once they arrived.

    Jack looked at me impatiently, tapping his foot.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nothing. Just hurry up. We¡¯ve no time to waste and they¡¯re getting away. If nothing else, think of the experience points.¡±

    I nodded my head, pressing my lips together. That was enough to sell me on their execution. It sounded cold, but they were scummy assholes and I did need all the levels I could get.

    However, before I followed him out of the theatre there was one more thing I needed to do. Stepping over the puddle of a corpse, I focused and looted her. Then, with a few choice cuts to bone and tendon, I severed her head from its shoulders and placed it in my inventory. The acid effect from my weapon¡¯s skill did most of the work, pulling the head off the corpse was like slicing through brisket.

    ¡°Holy fuck,¡± I said aloud.

    ¡°What?¡± Bell asked, dropping down beside me.

    ¡°I think we just hit the jackpot guys, this crusty old bint had over thirty million gold in her inventory.¡±

    Bell blinked slowly, then again, then one more time as her jaw dropped. ¡°Thirty million? That¡¯s retirement money, that¡¯s OnlyFans money, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°A metric fuck ton?¡± Panda offered as Rex jumped down, he had hitched a ride on the lycanid¡¯s burly shoulder.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± She said, ¡°do you think the rest of them are this loaded?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± I shrugged, ¡°they¡¯re all nobles aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go kill them, kill all of them. For the gold!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Jack said with a half-smile, he began walking towards the back of the theatre where some double doors were located, presumably the exit.

    As I followed, I nudged the corpse of the man he¡¯d shot and looted him as well, adding a further twenty million to my inventory.

    Achievement unlocked:

    Eat The Rich

    Now this is a plot I can get behind! Go murder those millionaires and show them the true meaning of class warfare.

    Reward: You just got a serious payday, don¡¯t be greedy.

    With a slight smile, I closed the notification and followed Jack to the door. He reached for the handle but I stopped him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re eager but let¡¯s do this the smart way,¡± I said, equipping both my daggers. ¡°I¡¯ll go first, then Rex. You come in straight behind and cover us. For all we know they¡¯re waiting to ambush us behind that door. They might be cowardly arseholes, but they live in Castalor so they can¡¯t be that low levelled.¡±

    He nodded and I opened the double doors.

    You are now entering The Morningstar Hotel and Spa.

 Chapter 175 - Surrounded

    As I stepped through the door I felt the familiar portal sickness as I was dragged through and transported to The Morningstar Hotel and Spa.

    What the fuck.

    A vibrant blue washed over my vision and then faded as quickly as flicking on a light switch. My stomach churned as I looked around. I was in a room covered from floor to ceiling with bright red fabric. It covered the walls, even the door at the back was covered with the stuff.

    ¡°Well this is rather gaudy,¡± Panda said as he stepped out behind me along with the others.

    Despite noticing the odd d¨¦cor, I was more focused on the immediate threat before us. We were surrounded on all sides by armed guards in tuxedos. They looked similar to the kind adorned by the royal guards of Havar. Embroidered swirls running up black satin.

    The slew of guards had a myriad of weapons pointed right at us. Swords, polearms, maces, crossbows, some simply held their hands in our direction as flashes of assorted elemental mana flickered around their fingertips, a deadly fireworks show.

    We were well and truly up shit¡¯s creek.

    One figure stepped forward from the crowd. Shrouded in a hooded cloak which held his face in distorted shadow, the only thing I could see was his bright eyes like deep wells of molten silver, bubbling with the heat. My blood ran hot.

    ¡°You,¡± I growled. I¡¯d seen this man once before, right after the king of Havar was assassinated. He was the asshole who had kidnapped Bell, he¡¯d probably been her torturer too.

    ¡°Do I know you?¡± He asked in a pompous, high-minded tone. It made me hate him even more. I moved to step forward, clenching my fists tightly over my daggers. Rex¡¯s furry, strong hand padded firmly on my shoulder, breaking my rage fuelled focus.

    Rex: I don¡¯t know what history you have with this man but don¡¯t do anything irrational. We are completely surrounded and we have no idea of the enemy¡¯s strength. Steel yourself.

    He was right and I was impressed that he¡¯d kept calm enough to engage me in the chat rather than speak aloud. I took a deep breath and loosened my grip slightly.

    The silver eyed man cocked his head to the side like a dog and then shrugged. ¡°Are these the adventurers you spoke of?¡± He asked a different man who was stood to his left and back a little.

    I recognised him instantly. It was Berthold, the former head recruiter. I¡¯d been privy to his conversation, or the end of it, before he fled from his mistress ¨C of course I¡¯d been invisible at the time. His scarred face looked significantly less frightening next to the shrouded man.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, then looked me in the eyes. ¡°Did you kill her?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Good, she deserved it,¡± he sighed and bowed his head. ¡°However, I cannot allow you to harm the other nobles. Nor can I allow you to leave here alive it seems. Thank you for your service to this city. Regina will be informed of the sacrifice you have made.¡±

    Regina? Sacrifice? What the hell was this shady prick going on about. Was he involved in Regina¡¯s plan? Had we been set up? I couldn¡¯t tell. I honestly didn¡¯t know what was going on. My head was spinning and all I knew was that I needed to prepare for a fight.

    ¡°Well then,¡± the silver eyed man said, ¡°It seems our little conversation will have to be cut short, one sided as it was.¡± He jerked his head and the group of guards surrounding us began to move in, weapons raised.

    Panda: FORMATION 4!

    Without hesitation our team encircled my familiar. Jack wasn¡¯t as quick on the uptake but he quickly joined us. Formation four was an all-round defence in which we all stood back-to-back.  It was designed for moments like this. Initially it had been created with Asmodeus in mind. The idea was that as we made a last stand, he would divebomb the weakest link in the creatures surrounding us and then we would all rush through that gap and escape the ensnarement.

    That wasn¡¯t going to work here.

    We were surrounded yes, but we didn¡¯t have Asmodeus with us and there was no room to break through the encirclement. We were in a small, boxy room with nowhere to go. I glanced tentatively back towards the place we¡¯d appeared from but it seemed the portal leading from the theatre was one way. There was no trace of it left. Not even a door stood in the place we had entered from. The only way out of the room was behind the silver eyed miscreant and he looked to be positively overflowing with power.

    My dragon¡¯s eye burned in its socket as he released some of his aura. It glowed a nasty green colour, hugging his skin like a cloak of ethereal mist. He had to be close to silver rank.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Panda: MODIFICATION 2.

    He¡¯d read my mind¡­ sadly.

    Modification two was practically suicide in these tight quarters, but if we were going to be killed we might as well go out using the nuclear option.

    I moved into the middle of the circle, summoning my bow and lifting it above my head. Pulling in all the soul energy I had and praying that this would work, I began channelling acid rain.

    ¡°Focus fire on the emo kid!¡± One of the guards yelled.

    Were they talking about me? How did they even know that reference? It had to have been the language skill, speak English damn it! At work. Panda had previously realised that the language translation skill also translated things like colloquialisms and political beliefs into the closest interpretation that I would understand. Still, it left me wondering what the Celestian equivalent to an emo was.

    My attack was almost ready.

    A polearm wielding guard stepped forward and Rex swung his axe in a high arc, cleaving fully through the man¡¯s neck and lodging the head of the axe in the shoulder of the guy next to him. He screamed as the head popped off the first guy¡¯s neck and flew high into the air spraying blood down on us all like a horror-themed garden sprinkler.

    Not that you could really see the mess it made in the tacky room which was already red.

    ¡°Burn it down!¡± I yelled and Bell eagerly complied, firing five small fireballs at the mages on her side. She blasted one into the back wall and the fabric covering it caught alight. Two of the five victims whimpered as their flesh burned and they began patting at themselves. The other three simple doused themselves in water, using their mana, and then focused on doing the same to the wall and the other two who looked pretty dejected, but not out of the fight.

    Thick black smoke began to rise to the top of the room, flames licking the backs of our attackers and forcing them forwards before they were ready. They made easy targets for the furious Rex who took every advantage he could get, swinging wildly and taking multiple opponents down at once. For a moment I regretted now suing for a fighter class back in the beginning.

    ¡°Are we really going for the nuclear option here?¡± Jack asked, risking a look over his shoulder, eyes widening as he realised what I was going for, the sting of the smoke watering his eyes.

    I met them, blinking smoke-tears away, and nodded.

    ¡°Ok, but if we somehow survive this you¡¯re going to owe me another favour you mad cunt.¡±

    His words almost broke my concentration. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a little, high-pitched laugh. Pulling back my drawstring, I closed my stinging eyes, scrunching them up as tears squeezed from them, sliding down my red cheeks. It was do or die.

    ¡°STOP.¡±

    The word hit me like a ton of bricks. A cosmic command of some kind. It completely ruined my attack which fizzled out to nothing. I opened my eyes to see that all the guards were frozen in place, well apart from the silver eyed man. He looked exasperated and sighed loudly. My team were all frozen too. I seemed to be the only one able to move. Though it was a struggle.

    I felt as if I was moving through thick sludge as I angled my neck back down to survey the room. It was slow and painful to move. But I could, and that was weird.

    The silver eyed man raised a single eyebrow at me. He looked bemused, oddly calm for a man who was mid battle mere moments ago. I, on the other hand, had no fucking clue what was happening or where that voice had come from. It sounded disembodied, demonic almost. The word had hit me in the very soul, I could feel it vibrating inside me.

    ¡°How interesting,¡± he mused, glaring at me from inside his hood.

    ¡°Bring them to me,¡± the voice called out. ¡°Unharmed.¡±

    The paralysis faded and I stumbled forward, suddenly able to move without the sludgy pressure making it difficult. The remaining guards in the room all dropped to one knee, placing their fists over their hearts. It was a disturbing similar salute to the one employed by the old guard of Adventure Society.

    My team looked around dazedly, could they hear everything that happened whilst they were frozen?

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve been summoned,¡± Jack said with an exasperated sigh.

    That¡¯s a yes.

    ¡°So you have,¡± the man with the silver eyes replied with an even bigger sigh, as if he was competing for who was the most perturbed. ¡°Come with me then, I promise that no harm will come to you if you stow your weapons.¡±

    Bell and Rex looked towards me and I nodded, adding my bow back into my inventory. I had no idea what was going on but it could hardly be worse than the situation we had just been saved from.

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Infidel

    You have resisted a god¡¯s soul command you little rebel, you.

    What¡¯s next, meeting one in person and declaring yourself to be an atheist? Oh wait¡­

    Reward: x1 platinum coin of the non-believer

    I had no idea what that prize was, but when I attempted to look at its description in my HUD it came back with an error message. I stowed it away for later, knowing the system, it would come back to rail me in the arse later on anyway.

    Keeping a close eye on the silver eyed man, I followed him out of the room. We entered a large hallway adorned with huge pictures in golden frames. They appeared to be the previous rulers of Castalor, dating back centuries. At the end of the hall was a picture of a distinctly feminine lycanid. The caption read Empress Pricilla, The Magnanimous.

    ¡°I was told stories of her when I was a pup,¡± Rex said under his breath. ¡°Why is her picture hanging in such a despicable place.¡±

    ¡°How did we even get here,¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°I thought teleportation into the Morningstar was impossible. Last time we ended up in that reception room and we only got in through an official entry point.¡±

    ¡°The rules are different for speciality patrons,¡± Silver Eyes said. ¡°Those with wealth will always garner special treatment here.¡±

    ¡°Just so you know,¡± I said as diplomatically as I could. ¡°I am going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied, an air of amusement in his voice. ¡°Just make sure you clear it with the boss first or else you¡¯ll regret taking my head.¡±

    At the end of the corridor was a large, ornate door. It glimmered in shimmering obsidian. Looking like something out of a dark fantasy novel, the deep black colour almost seemed to fade into the background when placed next to the rich gold and red colours of the rest of the hallways.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting serious boss room vibes,¡± Bell muttered.

    ¡°Just who exactly is this boss of yours?¡± I asked Silver Eyes. I knew he was a god due to the achievement I¡¯d received, but which god?

    ¡°He¡¯s the man in charge of this entire organisation,¡± he replied, opening his covered palms towards me. I could see a glint of silver capped teeth as he smiled underneath his hood. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard of him. The most recent addition to the pantheon: Nyx.¡±

 Chapter 176 - Nyx

    Nyx did not look how I¡¯d expected.

    On the other side of the door we found ourselves in a huge Roman bathhouse. Gigantic marble columns stretched up to the ceiling which adorned a painting akin to the one in the Sistine chapel. A beautiful, and very naked, lady spread out across the mural, reaching a lazy finger across to a group of odd-looking men who knelt before her. It was a good painting, weird place to put it though.

    A large, swimming pool sized, bath took up most of the room. Attractive women on goat¡¯s legs spread out in sexualised poses across the sides of the pool. Naked men with horns and chiselled abs did the same. Some held pitchers of, what I assumed to be, wine and others held exotic platters of fruit.

    ¡°Now this is my kind of place,¡± Bell said, raising her eyebrows lecherously at Rex, who completely ignored her.

    At the back of the room was a large, cushioned throne. That was where Nyx sat, being wafted by massive leaves held aloft by beautiful horned women, also sporting goat¡¯s legs. The whole place had ancient Roman orgy vibes.

    Nyx was the odd one out in the room.

    A small, topless dwarven-looking man with a bushy beard. He had cropped hair with a wreath on his head, just like the pictures of Roman and Greek rulers. His nipples were pierced and his face and body were two-tone. With an almost even split down the middle, one half was jet black and the other half was snow white.

    The silver eyed man led us towards Nyx, seemingly unperturbed by the odd nature of the place. The god didn¡¯t look up until we reached him, he was too busy laying back with closed eyes as the horned goat-women wafted him with the large leaves. I took the opportunity to focus on them, bringing up a notification in my HUD.

    You have discovered a new demon:

    Succubus

    I¡¯m sure you know exactly what one of these is. One-part naked human female, one part goat. Imagine Mr Tumnus with tits and you¡¯d be pretty close.

    These lovely ladies are demon in name only. Mostly harmless, they¡¯ll get your goat in the most pleasurable ways imaginable. The more you enjoy their company the more life energy they¡¯ll gain. Think of them as sex vampires, except the stuff they like to suck out isn¡¯t in your veins.

    The succubus on the left noticed me eyeballing her and smiled seductively at me. I felt her charm immediately, a thought invasion forcing me to envision all the things we could do together. It didn¡¯t last long, my soul churned within me, kicking the woman out of my head. It was good to know that it did that. She narrowed her eyes at me, baring fangs in a silent hiss.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re the one who can resist my commands,¡± Nyx said suddenly, opening his eyes and staring straight at me. ¡°Chrysus was right about you, how very interesting,¡± he turned to Silver Eyes and lazily flapped his hand at him, ¡°you can go now.¡±

    The man complied, bowing slightly before taking his leave. Nyx clicked his fingers and a group of the horned men brought across a slew of chairs, a small table and a pitcher of wine with multiple glasses. There was even an ash tray for Panda.

    ¡°Make yourselves at home,¡± Nyx said, ¡°we have much to discuss.¡±

    We took our seats, Bell went straight for the wine, Panda lit up his bamboo pipe. Jack and Rex sat right on the edge of their chairs like the professionals they were - ready to jump into battle at a moment¡¯s notice, their legs were like coiled springs.

    I felt on edge too, but something told me that this wasn¡¯t going to be a violent encounter. I sat and examined the man next to me as he poured me a chalice of wine and passed it to me. As our hands touched I felt something from within him. Revulsion?

    You have discovered a new demon:

    Incubus

    I just gave you the rundown of the succubus, do you really need one for their male counterparts too? They¡¯re the same thing, but male. Try working something out on your own for once.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything less.

    The incubus moved quickly away from me and I watched as he slid into the pool. I noticed that despite how many of the demons there were in the bathhouse, none of them had made a sound. Not even a grunt as they moved the heavy furniture.

    ¡°So, what do you want with us?¡± I asked, looking defiantly up at Nyx.

    ¡°You came to my house, not the other way around,¡± he replied, a playful glint to his eyes. ¡°What makes you think I want anything from you? Can¡¯t a host be good to his guests without an ulterior motive?¡±

    ¡°Not in this place,¡± I said, disdain dripping from my voice. ¡°The last time I was in a Morningstar I killed half the staff and found a vault that used to be full of skins. Pretty fucked up, your house.¡±

    Nyx let out a deep, throaty laugh as he sat up, leaning his elbows on the arms of his throne, and looked me straight in the eyes. His reminded me of portals, swirling and as deep as the ocean.

    ¡°How audacious,¡± he snarled, still looking jovial but his face no longer matching his tone. ¡°Consider yourself lucky that my boss has need of you, otherwise I might be convinced to add you to my collection.¡± He gestured sadistically at the incubus nearby who shuddered and slinked away into the shadow.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s all kinds of fucked up,¡± Panda murmured.

    ¡°Your boss?¡± I asked, keeping my face as neutral as I could. ¡°Would that be Chrysus? You mentioned him a minute ago.¡±

    ¡°Bingo!¡± He said enthusiastically, all malice leaving his tone once more. I wasn¡¯t sure what to make of this guy, it was like talking to two different people inside one body. He was the personification of multiple personality disorders. ¡°Chrysus is my close ally and he wants you alive for now. No idea why really, you don¡¯t seem all that special to me. But he¡¯s given us strict orders not to kill you until after the High Priest Tournament.¡±

    My mind flashed back to the cloaked man in the Havarian alleyway. It felt like years ago, though it had only been about five months or so. Digging around in my inventory, I found what I was looking for.

    You have been granted the honour of being allowed to compete in the high priest¡¯s tournament.

    The winner will be granted the riches of Chrysus, God of Wealth.

    The tournament will take place in six months¡¯ time.

    The note brought back memories. I thought back on the time I stood face to face with the god himself. Honestly, I was lucky to get out alive. Knowing what I do now, I wouldn¡¯t have spoken to him the way I did¡­ actually, that was a lie. I never was very good at holding my tongue.

    I had declined the offer at the time, having no intention of ever becoming a god¡¯s servant. Still, I felt like there was more to it than that.

    Keeping the note in my hand, I held it out towards Nyx. One of the succubae took it gingerly and passed it to him.

    ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I am, a chance to be showered with the riches of our lord. How lucky you are.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of becoming one of his priests,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality but if this is all you wanted to discuss then I think we¡¯ll take our leave.¡±

    Jack and Rex both tensed and Jack eyed me strangely from his seat. At first I thought Bell was oblivious to what was going on, simply indulging in the wine, but on closer inspection I could see that she had her eyes trained solely on Nyx.

    ¡°The audacity!¡± Nyx explained and I mentally hovered over my daggers in my inventory. ¡°This is not an invitation to become a high priest. This is an invitation to attend and participate in the high priest tournament. Are you dense?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± I asked, suddenly taken aback. I had been sure that the offer was to compete to become a priest. What else could it be?

    Nyx sighed loudly, chuckled, and then threw a pitcher to a nearby incubus, knocking him into the bath. ¡°The High Priest Tournament is a time-honoured tradition observed by the entire pantheon. Chrysus¡¯ previous high priest died and so he needed to choose a new one. The entire pantheon, some of their followers, and some prestigious mortals are invited nay, honour bound, to attend this ceremony.

    ¡°They will watch as Chrysus¡¯ chosen fight for the top spot. The new high priest will be crowned, and then the real fun begins. Each god and each king will be encouraged to field one champion to fight in their honour. It¡¯s a tournament after all. The official purpose is so that the new high priest can show their power off on the world stage. However, we all know that really it¡¯s just a good excuse for a piss up. Not to mention all the political games that will be going on, but you needn¡¯t worry about that.

    ¡°That invitation allows you to enter the tournament, fighting for¡­¡± He looked over the note and furrowed his brow, ¡°well it doesn¡¯t say who you¡¯d be fighting for. How odd. Either way though, it means you can enter and fight against the rookies in the service.¡±

    I took a long moment to take in what he was saying. Some of it didn¡¯t make any sense to me, but I got the general idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m only a bronze ranked adventurer,¡± I said in low voice. ¡°Why would I risk my life fighting high priests for the amusement of some gods I don¡¯t even know?¡±

    ¡°Glory? Honour? Riches? Need I go on?¡±

    ¡°Surely this high priest and the people being fielded by the other gods are level cappers though,¡± Bell said, looking up from her chalice. ¡°Kaleb wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Jack interceded, causing a sly smile to flicker on Nyx¡¯s lips. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard the contender¡¯s level is capped at level eighty-nine. Anyone above phase three isn¡¯t allowed in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this too,¡± Rex added with a solemn nod. ¡°Though there hasn¡¯t been one in my lifetime. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯d be a fool to reject it. Supposedly, merely competing practically guarantees you a chance at power.¡±

    I looked between them, and then over at Panda who shrugged. I was surprised he didn¡¯t know about it but then again he wasn¡¯t as clear on continental issues. This was his first time here too.

    ¡°As your party have wisely said,¡± Nyx continued, ¡°you would be foolish to say no. In the past, the winner has unlocked the first step of soul ranking through battling in the tournament. The system looks kindly on those who make a good showing.¡±

    Their arguments were convincing, though it seriously felt like a trap to me.

    Panda: Say you¡¯ll think about. We¡¯ll talk later. Something Jack said is bothering me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I said, ¡°that¡¯s the best I can do right now. This is a lot to take in.¡±

    Nyx¡¯s smile widened.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡±

 Chapter 177 â€“ Life After Adventuring

    I stood up ready to leave. It reminded me of one of those awkward moments with my wife¡¯s family back home. She always lost track of time and I was the one who had to make the decision to leave. I felt like an arsehole every time. The look her mum gave me, like I¡¯d just ran over their dog. Every. Single. Time.

    This was a bit like that.

    Nyx eyeballed me as I rose from the seat he¡¯d provided. Rex and Jack immediately followed my example and I motioned as if to leave.

    ¡°Such a rush,¡± Nyx sighed, ¡°well, at least allow one of my people to escort you back. These halls can be quite unforgiving to strangers.¡±

    I nodded and he motioned to one of the succubae who placed her palm on a small, mana activated, button on the far column. I heard trotting as someone jogged through a side door. He seemed shaky like one of those tiny handbag dogs rich women liked to carry around in their purses.

    ¡°Jamie, please show our guests out,¡± Nyx said, flashing a smile in the direction of the young man.

    Jamie?

    Standing before me was a man I recognised. We¡¯d been in a faux party together for the adventurer exam once upon a time. During the dragon attack on Havar he¡¯d been thrown and badly damaged. The last time I¡¯d seen him he was wrapped head to toe in bandages, like a mummy.

    ¡°Jamie?¡± I said, flabbergasted as I stared at the man. He looked uninjured, but he had deep, black bags under his bloodshot eyes.

    ¡°Kaleb?¡± He replied skittishly.

    ¡°I wondered if you two might know each other,¡± Nyx said slyly. ¡°Jamie, please escort Kaleb and his team off the premises. Make sure they get back to Castalor safely would you?¡±

    ***

    ¡°I really don¡¯t like that guy,¡± Bell moaned as we left the bathhouse and returned to the corridor. ¡°He gave off some seriously rapey vibes. Like not just those ¡®close guy friend who would given the chance¡¯ vibes either, I¡¯m talking full on ¡®follow you down and ally with a knife and an erection¡¯ vibes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that wonderful imagery there, Bell,¡± Jack grumbled.

    I was barely listening to them. I was still shocked that Jamie was here. Alive. Working for a guy like that. Staring into the back of his head as he led us into the main bar section of the club, I kept seeing him getting swatted like a fly by that dragon over and over again in my mind.

    After a short while, I decided to just come out and ask him. ¡°Jamie, what happened to you?¡±

    Looking at me over his shoulder he smiled, though it didn¡¯t reach his thousand yard stare, ¡°shall we get a drink before you go?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Well if you¡¯re catching up I¡¯m going to go grab a drink at the bar,¡± Jack said, leaving the group. He obviously knew the main areas of the Morningstar pretty well. Rex nodded to me and then followed after him.

    Since when were those two so chummy? I wondered.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a mean strip club in the back,¡± Bell said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to one, so I might go check it out.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± I replied, ¡°just don¡¯t get into any trouble and watch your back.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± she winked, grabbing Panda under his arms and pressing him into her sternum like child with a plush toy. ¡°I¡¯ve got protection.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Panda looked at me with eyes that pleaded for help. It was that same look a dog gives its owner when it¡¯s bath time. Though I hoped for Panda¡¯s sake he wouldn¡¯t return to me soaking wet.

    Nodding my goodbyes to them, I followed Jamie to a private booth in the far corner. The club wasn¡¯t as busy this time as it had been in Havar, but the clientele was quite different. It seemed to have been rebuilt. The club itself occupied a dimensional space that could be accessed from any Morningstar entrance.

    However, from what I understood, the back rooms were location dependent. So this one likely had a different basement sublevel to the one we¡¯d rescued Bell from before. In the same way, I doubted the bathhouse was located outside of Havar, which meant Nyx lived in the capital city.

    It was possible to portal between cities using the Morningstar Hotel and Spa gateways located in the reception area. However it was off limits for most people. You either had to work for them or be a VIP. I guessed that was how Jamie got here. Something must have happened to him in Havar, then he¡¯d somehow gotten mixed up with these goons and ended up working for Nyx in Castalor. Poor guy, he was quite a long way from home.

    ¡°What¡¯s your poison?¡± He asked as I took a seat at the booth. As we sat down the thumping dubstep-style music faded to a dull thud. The booth must have been gated with soundproofing mana.

    ¡°Something dark,¡± I said. He nodded and pressed his hand onto a small palm reader on the table. A few moments later, two glasses of dark liquid poofed onto the table. ¡°Impressive, I bet that little trick doesn¡¯t come cheap.¡±

    ¡°Nothing here does,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°Only the best for the dirtiest money on the continent. But that¡¯s not what you want to talk about is it?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°The last time I saw you, you were covered in bandages and I was told you were lucky to live. It¡¯s only been a month or two. What happened?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he replied sadly, his eyes refusing to meet mine.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got time.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± he huffed, downed his drink and then ordered another. He downed that too and then began to speak. ¡°After Lucas Regina became king he ordered the court healers to fix me up, along with a bunch of other people who were hurt by the dragon attack.¡±

    ¡°Lucas is king? What the fuck.¡±

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve missed a lot. You¡¯d be better off asking him about it. Anyway, I couldn¡¯t face going back to adventuring after that. I wandered around Havar for a while, tried a few jobs here and there but I¡¯ve got no skills outside of water magic and Havar is an island, they don¡¯t need my water.

    ¡°I ran out of money and ended up on the streets, running odd jobs here and there. A friend of mine, Billy, he told me about this high-stakes game at Morningstar. Said he¡¯d spot me and everything. All I had to do was play using his chips.¡±

    I could immediately guess where this was going, but I let him continue.

    ¡°Turned out the chips were rigged and I got caught. The syndicate gave me two options, death or servitude. Naturally I chose the latter.¡±

    ¡°Well that was a stupid thing to do,¡± I replied.

    ¡°You have no idea the kind of bind I was in,¡± he said, but there was no fight in his words. ¡°You¡¯d have done the same in my position.¡±

    ¡°No I wouldn¡¯t,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I would have gotten back up and continued fighting. In fact, that¡¯s exactly what I did do.¡±

    He was silent, still refusing to look at me, so I continued. ¡°Look Jamie, I¡­ me and my team I mean, we can break you out of here if you want. That whole mess with the dragon wasn¡¯t your fault. The gambling trick was stupid, but you don¡¯t deserve to be stuck in this pit for the rest of your life.¡±

    He looked at me for the first time, a dry smile appeared on his lips but only for a moment. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but it¡¯d never work. Nyx is a god and I work directly for him now, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d let you take me. Besides, I¡¯m actually kinda good at this. I like it here.¡±

    ¡°Ok, if you¡¯re sure.¡±

    ¡°I am, but thanks all the same.¡± He placed his hand on the scanner again and another drink popped up. I didn¡¯t even remember drinking mine. He slid it towards me. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s a black market through that door.¡± He indicated a small, inconspicuous passage near the bar. ¡°They sell some top-quality wares down there. You should check it out before you go. I¡¯ll be at the bar when you¡¯re ready to leave. A word of warning though, don¡¯t go wandering in the back rooms. It¡¯s dangerous back there.¡±

    ¡°I suppose Nyx has something worth protecting?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damned right, he¡¯s got a vault, largest I¡¯ve ever seen. Apparently it¡¯s a bust though. I heard a rumour that he keeps the skins of his enemies in there. Creepy shit.¡±

    Skins? I thought, if that means what I think it does then we¡¯ll have to rob this bastard eventually. Not today though, we need a plan and the party needs some rest.

    Sipping my drink, I considered his offer and decided to go take a look at the black market. I wanted desperately to send a message to Lucas asking him about this coronation I apparently missed, but I didn¡¯t have his chat info. Outside of my team, I only had Sally and Freja.

    Trying my luck, I sent another message to Sally.

    Kaleb: Hey, how are you doing? I know this chat is blocked but it wouldn¡¯t kill you to still check It every once in a while you know. By the way, have you heard Lucas has been made king? I just heard from someone in Castalor. WTF.

    This chat is currently blocked.

    God damn it Sally.

 Chapter 178 â€“ Black Market

    Exiting the club room and bar, I followed Jamie¡¯s directions. Ducking underneath a curtain which chimed with delicate, high-pitched noises, I found myself in a bustling marketplace that stank of oil, herbs, and other weird fragrances.

    It felt like an indoor bazar in a Star Wars esq world. Odd creatures hung around stalls peddling carpets and armour and weapons. A strange thing that looked oddly like a meatball with googly eyes watched me from a balcony above. There were guards up there too, lots of them. Dressed in the same embroidered suits I¡¯d grown to detest.

    Following the natural path as I weaved in and out of the cluttered and heavily populated stalls, I came across something interesting. A man with horns and a top hat stood behind a simple table.

    He had red skin and looked a bit like the devil, or a Tiefling. His forked tail swished back and forth like a metronome as I approached.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said in a voice like silk, ¡°I have exactly what you need adventurer.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly is it I need?¡± I asked, sceptically.

    ¡°Oh so many things and alas I only have a single piece of the puzzle.¡± He held out his hand and a small potion vial appeared in it. The glass was twisted in an artful way, like entwined rope in a loose Celtic knot, and the shimmering golden liquid inside looked too bright to be real.

    ¡°This, my good fellow,¡± he continued, ¡°is an elixir of strength. One sip of this miracle potion and you¡¯ll be as strong as a lycanid. Your muscles will swell and you¡¯ll be able to complete magnificent feats.¡±

    ¡°That sounds too good to be true,¡± I said, narrowing my eyes at the creature. I tried to focus on his elixir but no notification popped up. One did, however, come up for him.

    You have discovered a new race:

    Djinn

    You¡¯ve probably heard of these mysterious, wish granting creatures before. I¡¯d wager you¡¯ve also heard of the misfortune they often inflict on those who make imprecise wishes. These guys are nothing like that. They¡¯re charlatans, known for tricking gullible travellers into buying their fake wares at an extortionate price.

    However, every now and again they do have good items to sell. Legendary items to be precise. Don¡¯t call them genies though, they hate that. In fact the only thing they hate more than the genie slur is that bitch Karen who keeps falling for their tricks and then demanding a refund and asking for the manager. These guys don¡¯t even have managers.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s it gonna be?¡± The djinn said. ¡°I can do you a deal, one sip for one thousand gold.¡±

    I was surprised to see that the system was actually being helpful for once. Though I had no intention of buying something which was so obviously a scam anyway. The djinn may as well have tole me he was an Arabian prince who needed me to send him money so he could get into the country, where he¡¯d pay me back tenfold.

    ¡°Get away from that genie, Kaleb.¡±

    Turning around I saw Rex approaching, a hard look in his eyes.

    ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a genie?¡± The djinn announced loudly. ¡°I am a proper and well-respected business entrepreneur!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a swindler and a bad one at that,¡± Rex growled, pushing me aside and getting in the djinn¡¯s face. ¡°Now my friend and I have better places to be.¡±

    Grabbing me under the arm, he dragged me away. I was too shocked to reply. As we walked off I heard the djinn cursing under his breath and saying something about how Rex¡¯s mum looked like she¡¯d been fucked by a stray. He ignored it.

    ¡°You know I wasn¡¯t going to buy anything from him right?¡± I asked after we¡¯d walked a short way back into the market.

    ¡°You can never be too careful,¡± he replied in a low rasp. ¡°Back when I was running with the pack one of the pups got caught in the djinn¡¯s webs. Ended up working for him for a year, travelling through towns and selling knock off goods: fake nude Athena statues to be precise, apparently the real ones go for a lot of gold. The djinn got the devil¡¯s cut of every sale and the poor guy ended up destitute and hated by his friends.¡±

    Did he just describe a pyramid scheme? Growing up a friend of mine tried that. She sold Avon, completely alienated herself from her friends and family. Poor girl.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± I replied. ¡°Is there anything worth buying in here?¡±

    ¡°There are lots of things, but nothing we need right now.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯re going to need to come back at some point anyway, Nyx has a vault full of skins locked up in the back rooms.¡±

    Rex raised an eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be a lot stronger before risking something like that. Those guards might not be all that good but Nyx himself is a god. A minor god, but still. He¡¯s more powerful than anything we¡¯ve ever faced and we barely got out of that maze alive, let alone trying to take on this place.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of more of a heist than a full-frontal assault,¡± I said, ¡°but I agree. We need to level up first. Now, let¡¯s find Bell and get back to Regina so we can cash in this quest.¡±

    ***

    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Regina said, swirling in his chair and raising a single eyebrow at us.

    It had taken longer to find Bell than I¡¯d expected and it was almost night when we finally arrived back in his penthouse suite in the clouds. She¡¯d been drinking at a strip club inside the Morningstar called The Cheesy Dick, a classy name that aptly summed up most of the dancers. Poor Panda was covered in girlish lipstick and sporting an oddly greasy lay when we¡¯d finally found them.

    ¡°You sound surprised,¡± I said, removing Marquess Tabitha¡¯s crushed head from my inventory and tossing it onto his desk.

    Regina didn¡¯t even flinch. Instead, a dangerous smile curled on his lips. ¡°Not at all, I can see that I hired the right people for the job. Though I¡¯m a little disappointed in you Jack, you were supposed to stay by my side. They didn¡¯t need your help, look at what a good job they did.¡±

    ¡°I had my own business with the marquess,¡± he replied stoically.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Regina raised an eyebrow. ¡°And did you get what you wanted?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a shame, I suppose you¡¯ll want in on the quest reward as well?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for the reward.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure what was going on. The two seemed to be talking in code and it bothered me. Though I perked up slightly at the mention of the reward.

    Regina clicked his fingers and the notification appeared in my HUD. I¡¯d never seen anyone do that before.

    Quest Complete:

    The Hunter Games

    Rumour has it that a certain noble house has organised an illegal soiree for the elites of Castalor. The entertainment? Why, nothing short of the torture and execution of non-combatant peasants of course.

    Supposedly this annual tradition spans almost a century, but this year Emperor Regina put a stop to it.

    It seems that the ruling class plans to undermine his authority and hold this event in secret.

    Objectives:

    Put a stop to this farce 1/1

    Hidden Objective:

    Slay the mastermind 1/1

    Rewards:

    X1 God Slaying Arrow (legendary)

    I had to stop myself from gasping when I saw the reward. I¡¯d never heard of something like that before, but it sounded powerful. I quickly found the item in my inventory and looked at the description.

    God Slaying Arrow

    Despite the name, this arrow probably won¡¯t one shot a god. If they were that easy to kill they wouldn¡¯t be gods now would they? That being said, it contains the power of a single strike from a diamond rank, former adventurer. This is like a Masterball in a Pokemon game. You only get one, so don¡¯t use it on a non-legendary.

    Ignoring the game references, I was shocked to see what an awesome prize this was. It appeared that Regina had made it himself, even if the description didn¡¯t outright say it. Panda had once told me that he was the only diamond ranker on the continent.

    I wondered about his past life. He didn¡¯t seem the adventuring type but I supposed most people couldn¡¯t achieve the level he had without being in that line of work.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Bell exclaimed, ¡°this reward is awesome. Thank you Mr Regina.¡±

    It was the sincerest I¡¯d ever heard her be. I glanced over at her and she messaged the group.

    Bell: I got a scroll that unleashes a diamond rank fireball attack.

    Rex: As did I, a single potion that will give me diamond rank vitality for ten seconds.

    Kaleb: It seems we all received a unique legendary item from him.

    Bell: I bet Jack¡¯s kicking himself right about now. He shouldn¡¯t have turned down his own reward.

    Kaleb: I get the feeling he has his own agenda. Keep an eye on him.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Regina replied. ¡°And please, call me Havier, Mr Regina is my father¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°So, what now?¡± I asked. ¡°You said something about knowing the time and place you¡¯ll be attacked and need our help the last time we spoke. I still don¡¯t get it, but I intend to fulfil the contract with Lucas before we move on.¡±

    ¡°Indeed I did. In fact it is going to happen very soon indeed. Have you heard of Chrysus¡¯ High Priest tournament?¡±

    Not this shit again, I thought, sighing aloud. ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Good, that will save me some time explaining it then. It¡¯s due to start in a few days, they¡¯re already setting up the arena on the other side of the city. Naturally, as the leader of the city I am expected to attend. It is there that the assassination attempt will take place. It is there that you will fulfil your contract.¡±

    Looks like Nyx¡¯s plea didn¡¯t matter in the end. I was always going to end up going thanks to this quest.

    Havier continued. ¡°Leaders from all over the world will be attending alongside the pantheon themselves. It¡¯s quite the event. We will attend together, all of us.¡± He looked at Jack who nodded solemnly. ¡°Until then, do whatever you want. Just don¡¯t leave the city.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I sighed. ¡°For now then I guess we¡¯ll head home and get some rest. It¡¯s been a long day.¡± I turned to leave and as my hand touched the door handle Regina spoke once more.

    ¡°Oh, Kaleb I almost forgot. My good for nothing son will be arriving tomorrow. He¡¯s going to be in attendance as well, as the new king of Havar. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love to see you.¡±

 Chapter 179 â€“ Reclaiming Cali Port

    ¡°Watch your flank!¡± Freja cried as she portalled a group of communists high above the city.

    Sally turned with a speed to match the wind itself, slicing through three lycanids in a single sweep. Blood spurted from their severed legs, showering the muscular catonid with gore and ooze.

    Turning back, she cracked the skull of a svartalf and then thrusted her oversized, black blade backwards into the stomach of a small gnome. Pirouetting, she flung the dying creature into a group of oncoming attackers like a trebuchet. However, it bounced off them harmlessly as they continued towards her.

    ¡°Fuck, we¡¯re gonna get overrun at this rate,¡± she swore and Freja created another portal in the middle of the group transporting them into the sky with the other. The first batch still hadn¡¯t hit the ground yet, but when they did the resulting fallout would quite literally paint the town red.

    Though she still wasn¡¯t fully healed, Sally had spent the last week joining in on the final assault to retake Cali Port. Freja and her remaining adventurers had begun systematically clearing the city shortly after Dissident Flame had left. It was slow and dangerous work, but piece by piece they were taking the city back.

    They now found themselves deep in the heart of the final holdout¡¯s base of operations. By this point most of the city was secured and the residents had begun fixing the damaged caused by the civil war. Unfortunately, despite many of them being level cappers, they were not fighters. Hardy as they were by the sheer nature of levelling up, most of the surviving citizenry were workers and specialists.

    Fighting hadn¡¯t been a way of life on the continent for hundreds of years. With the abolition of the conscripted standing army of Castalor over a century ago, all waring duties fell solely onto the shoulders of the adventure society. Kings and rulers had their own guardsmen which often operated as a small standing army, but that was not the same as having a national force like they used to.

    Thanks to this act, a relative peace had been in place all across the continent for a long time now. However, as the old proverb goes, hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men. Sally wondered if it was perhaps the result of these easy times in Celestia¡¯s history that had created the ideal social vacuum for an uprising.

    Then again, she was never one for politics. She was a fighter through and through, just as she¡¯d always been. She was also only one level away from reaching gold rank. A dream she had been chasing for far too long. With a fangy smile and determined eyes, she leaped high into the air and came crashing down, sword first, into a group of gnomes. Obliterating them in a single, mana fuelled attack.

    All around her adventurers fought. Though there weren¡¯t many of them, they were strong and disciplined. Cali Port had lost far too many good souls to the civil unrest in the past month and if they could claim victory here then she knew it would have all been worth it. She¡¯d seen a few messages from Kaleb recently. She hadn¡¯t ignored them, even though she refused to reply. Before he left she had made him a promise that she would be gold rank the next time they saw each other and there was no way she was going to speak to him until she had met that goal.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Freja panted. ¡°We just have to clear out the final holdouts. Our intelligence network places them directly below us in the sewers.¡±

    ¡°I thought we already flooded the sewers a few weeks ago?¡± Sally asked.

    ¡°We did but apparently there was a section we didn¡¯t know about. A walled off strongroom with only a single entrance and exit.¡± Bending down she waved her hand over a seemingly normal part of the bricked road. The bricks disappeared in a shimmer revealing an iron hatch. ¡°No wonder it took us so long to find it.¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for this,¡± Sally said, turning to look at the other adventurers as well. ¡°This might just be our last ever fight, we have no idea what¡¯s waiting down there.¡±

    A few of them looked unnerved, but most steeled their expressions and nodded. Saluting with a single fist across the chest. It was an old tradition that had fallen out of style with the new generation. Still, it was a sign of respect, of honour, of a commitment to duty and the protection of the people. Sally saluted back.

    Though she was still silver rank, she was one of the best melee fighters in their ranks. Having Freja¡¯s favour also helped. The others respected her immensely, even the two gold rankers among them. Though they technically outranked her, they saw her as a peer. They¡¯d heard the stories. They knew she was a worthy companion.

    ¡°Ok listen up everyone,¡± Freja said, holding a finger to her throat and projecting her voice. ¡°Our final objective lies somewhere through this hatch. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to face, but whatever it is it¡¯ll be tough. I know you¡¯ve fought hard this last month. We¡¯ve lost brothers and sisters to this nonsensical civil war. Well, today we avenge them. Today we march into hell itself to slaughter the devils within. Today, we fight so that tomorrow we may mourn and rebuild. This is what it¡¯s all been building to. Are you with me?¡±

    A resounding roar erupted from the gathered adventurers; it was so loud that it shook the buildings nearby like an earthquake. Freja smiled and saluted her warriors.

    ¡°That was quite the speech. After this maybe they¡¯ll make you the new leader of Cali Port.¡± Everyone¡¯s heads turned immediately. Weapons drawn; the adventurers were ready to cut down whoever had spoken. ¡°Now, is that any way to address and ally? I only came to offer my assistance.¡±

    Sally glanced over the heads of the adventurers. A dark-skinned man in golden armour floated regally above them. His smile was wide and grew wider still as he locked eyes with her.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Lucas?¡± She said.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while Sally, looks like you¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°Hey there sis!¡± Sally glanced down to see Taylor standing below him armed with two large sewing needles, a seamstress even in battle. Next to her was¡­ is that administrator Gonzo, I¡¯ve never seen the slimy bastard leave the office before.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got some catching up to do it seems, old friend.¡± Lucas said with a genuine smile. ¡°But first, how about we help you deal with these insurgents?¡±

    ***

    ¡°They¡¯re everywhere!¡± Someone screamed as a resounding smash rang out around the dark room.

    Sally parried a sickle even more oversized than her sword. How could there be so many of them? Gritting her teeth she pushed her attacker back and thrusted forwards, piercing the insignia tattooed on its chest.

    Inside the underground room was a dozen proto gnomes. The last holdouts of the communist revolution. They were huge, muscular and angry. Fighting them was especially difficult due to their hive mind nature. They fought as one being, seeing everything, understanding everything. It was almost as if they had a 360 view of the battlefield. Four adventurers had already fallen.

    The gnome laughed, picking Sally up in its massive hand as he her sword hung inside its chest cavity, blood oozing and dripping down its naval. The attack didn¡¯t phase it. Just as it was about to press its thumb into her skull, a shining purple portal appeared just above the elbow joint. It wasn¡¯t big enough to suck the creature in, but as it snapped shit the arm severed and Sally dropped to the floor. With her cat-like reflexes, she jumped away, grabbing her stuck sword and slicing it up and through the gnome¡¯s chest, removing it from the wound.

    Channelling her mana, she put all of her power into one strike. Red and black aura shrouded her sword and she jumped high into the air, slicing down with all of her strength into the nape of the distracted creature¡¯s neck. It felt like trying to cut through steel, actually, steel was easier to cut through. Screaming, she pushed down harder, slicing as she went and with an audible pop, the proto gnome¡¯s head fell from its neck, smashing through the concrete below them like a bomb.

    You have defeated proto gnome (lvl 100)

    Bonus experience awarded due to level discrepancy.

    Congratulations! You have reached lvl 100.

    ¡°Fuck, I finally did it,¡± Sally panted, a bloody smile cutting through her haggard, war beaten face. ¡°I FUCKING DID IT!¡±

    Turning around with a newfound speed, she felt her muscles swelling, surging with power. Then she went to work.

    ***

    ¡°Well, that was quite the workout,¡± Lucas said with a smile as he laid back onto his hands on the floor. They had been fighting for so long that it was dark outside by the time they returned to the surface.

    The only survivors were Lucas and his retinue, Sally, Freja, and the two gold ranked adventurers. The others had all been killed. It was not lost on Lucas just how much the city had lost defending its people from the gnomish incursion.

    Cali Port was once a thriving, peaceful place with a strong group of adventurers. Now it had two. So many dead. So much lost.

    ¡°We¡¯re finally equals,¡± Sally said, looking Lucas in the eyes. She looked bigger and her aura covered her in a thin, red veil. She¡¯d need to learn to control that, but he was happy for his friend. She¡¯d been chasing the level cap for as long as he¡¯d known her. He smiled for he knew that she had only managed to reach her goal through learning to fight with others.

    Kaleb¡¯s influence is quite something, he thought.

    Though the city of Cali Port was decimated, the adventurer casualties high, a part of him saw it as necessary. The Cali Port council had been a cancer that had ruined so many lives through their greed and superiority. If nothing else, at least this was another city freed from Chrysus¡¯ influence. His smile faded.

    ¡°Sally, I came here to get you,¡± he said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m travelling to Castalor for the tournament. They made me king so I don¡¯t have much of a choice. I wanted to offer you a job as my bodyguard. You¡¯d get to-¡±

    ¡°No thanks,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I just fulfilled a promise to a friend and I plan to reunite with him and his team, if they¡¯ll have me.¡±

    Lucas didn¡¯t speak for a moment, then he nodded. She really has changed.

    ¡°Well then he¡¯ll be lucky to have you.¡±

    ¡°As it happens though, he¡¯s in Castalor right now. So if the offer¡¯s still open we could travel together.¡±

    Lucas smiled warmly at her. ¡°Of course it is.¡±

    ¡°How do you plan to get there?¡± Freja asked, she¡¯d been buried deep in her interface ever since the battle. Meditation and sorting through her stats at the same time. She¡¯d been silent and Lucas had wondered if she was alright. He still needed to talk to her before he left.

    ¡°We¡¯ll travel over land,¡± Gonzo answered. ¡°I have already procured the necessary transportation and if we leave in the morning we should arrive in time as long as we don¡¯t make any detours.¡± He glared at Taylor who was covered in blood and sweat, panting like a dog on a hot summer¡¯s day.

    ¡°What are you looking at me for, you¡¯re the one with the specialty dietary needs. My informants tell me that the roads have been cleared recently by an adventuring party. So we shouldn¡¯t have any trouble or any need to stop. If we leave the ship here with most of the crew we can collect it on the way back. If that¡¯s ok with you Director Freja?¡±

    Lucas and Sally shared a knowing glance as the mention of the cleared roads. He had already sent the bulk of his fleet to a port city further up the coast, closer to Castalor. Leaving one ship here would ensure alternative escape routes just in case. Taylor was growing into her new role perfectly, he¡¯d made the right choice in promoting her.

    ¡°It is, but I have an alternative solution for you,¡± Freja replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t tried this yet, but it should work. If it¡¯s just the four of you, I can teleport you directly there.¡±

    Lucas balked, looking at her with an open mouth. ¡°Does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It does, it happened during that fight just now. I¡¯ve been meditating on it and choosing a skill to upgrade. According to my interface I can send you to anywhere within Castalor.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Taylor asked.

    ¡°Plebian, can¡¯t you tell?¡± Gonzo added.

    ¡°If I could tell then I wouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±

    ¡°How pedestrian.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you know?¡±

    ¡°Of course I know, it¡¯s quite obvious isn¡¯t it? She has looted a skill upgrade potion.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sally and Lucas said in unison.

    ¡°Keep to your admin work, Gonzo,¡± Sally chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s saying she¡¯s hit Jade Soul.¡±

    Which makes her the strongest among us¡­

    ¡°Well that was my second guess,¡± he replied indignantly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you across first thing in the morning,¡± Freja said. ¡°I could use some rest first.¡±

    ¡°Come with us,¡± Sally suggested, taking her hand in hers.

    ¡°No,¡± Lucas said firmly. ¡°Cali Port needs a leader, now more than ever. Besides, there is an important matter I need to discuss with you Director. It¡¯s concerning your claim to the Castalorian throne.¡±

 Chapter 180 â€“ Glow Up

    I awoke early the next morning in total darkness. It had been a long couple of days and I was thankful for the rest. I¡¯d messaged Sally again on the way back to our swanky apartment in the Adventure Society building, but once again she didn¡¯t reply.

    Lucas a king, I thought as I stared into the abyss above my bed. Who¡¯d have thought it.

    After our little talk with Havier Regina it was clear that this tournament was about way more than just some asshole deity picking a new right-hand stooge. It was shaping up to be quite a big deal. I had a strong feeling that Jack had something to do with it all as well, but exactly how he fit into it all had me stumped.

    Oh well, I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see. At least if Lucas was coming in for it then I¡¯d have a few extra friendly faces around me, and strong ones at that.

    Unable to get back to sleep I mediated for a few hours until the sun came up, then made some breakfast in the kitchen. It had been a while since I¡¯d cooked, I¡¯d never been all that good at it if I was being honest. Leaving behind a bit of a mess, I¡¯d managed to make the Celestian version of scrambled eggs. When Bell, Rex, and Panda finally woke up we ventured out to see Director Chonkers. It was about time I checked on my dragon.

    As I entered his office I heard a cacophony of noise, shouting, slurping, something smashing on the floor.

    ¡°I demand that you uphold your end of this bargain feline!¡± Asmodeus boomed. ¡°You said I could eat the test subjects and so far I¡¯ve only tasted samples of them. Where is my meal! How am I to grow without proper sustenance.¡±

    ¡°Will you calm down please,¡± Chonkers replied in a tired, frustrated voice. ¡°I never said you could kill them; I said you could eat them¡­ which is exactly what you have been doing. You¡¯ve consumed more blood over the past few days than a blood bank.¡±

    ¡°And yet each meagre offering only serves to make me crave more,¡± the dragon mumbled.

    I pushed through the door with my party in tow. ¡°Morning, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything.¡±

    They both turned towards me and my eyes widened. Asmodeus had nearly doubled in size. He¡¯d gone from the size of a chihuahua to the size of a pit-bull. Rippling muscle pulled his skin taught and he sported an eight pack that any man would be jealous of. His wingspan almost reached the edge of the room.

    ¡°Azzy, look at you!¡± Bell said, taking the dragon in her arms ¨C and struggling to lift him. ¡°You look fierce.¡±

    ¡°I feel fierce,¡± he grinned evilly and his fangs showed. He cut quite the menacing figure. If he kept growing at this rate I¡¯d be able to ride him soon.

    ¡°I take it your experiments have been going well?¡± I asked Chonkers who looked relieved for the interruption.

    ¡°Indeed they have, please take a seat we have much to discuss. Asmodeus, you are dismissed for today. Why don¡¯t you go and spend some time with the others whilst Kaleb and I have a little chat.¡±

    The dragon growled, ¡°you do not dismiss me, you afternoon snack. But I shall take you up on your suggestion. Come human, mongrel, I shall allow you to treat me to a feast fit for a demon lord since this cretinous fat-cat refuses to honour our deal and do so.¡±

    Rex shook his head, but Bell seemed delighted. I gave them a look and they understood, leaving. Asmodeus looked me up and down and then nodded before exiting.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re the only one he pays any respect to,¡± Chonkers sighed.

    ¡°I guess,¡± I replied, ¡°though it wasn¡¯t always like that. I had to use my command over him to force him into submission back in Cali Port. Since then he¡¯s been much more agreeable. Protective even.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes that¡¯s how it is. I imagine you had some trouble with this one once upon a time as well?¡± He nodded to Panda who had climbed into the chair next to me and lit his pipe.

    ¡°Him?¡± I laughed, ¡°not at all. He¡¯s been a faithful companion from the start.¡±

    ¡°Intelligence often lends one to making informed choices, ain¡¯t that right, kid?¡±

    ¡°Quite,¡± Chonkers said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t come here for small talk so let¡¯s get down to brass tacks shall we? Asmodeus has come a remarkably long way in the past few days. I¡¯ve been feeding him on a constant diet of the blood of willing, albeit suboptimal, participants. As you can see he¡¯s reached his next evolutionary stage. Though I fear that pushing him to the next one might loosen your control over him, something I¡¯m hesitant to test.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°More importantly, I have determined that he is definitely not a demon lord. Though born from a fragment of the true demon lord Asmodeus, he does not possess his power or his personality. Nor is there any innate reason why pushing his power should allow the real deal to use him as a conduit to enter the mortal plain. That being said, he does share memories with the demon lord and he believes that he is a part of him. This is not true, but it might be best for you to carry on letting him believe that it is. To challenge such strong beliefs as that might cause training issues.

    ¡°Of course, none of this is to say that he is not dangerous. His power is vast for a mere familiar. I would advise that you train him rigorously and build up a trusting and loyal comradery with him. If you can do this, and you can control him, then I have no doubt that he will serve you well. By the time you reach gold rank, assuming Asmodeus continues to grow at the rate you do, you should be able to ride him ¨C maybe even sooner than that. One day it¡¯s possible that your entire team will be able to ride him. He¡¯s going to grow quite large.¡±

    I took a moment before replying. That was a lot to take in and I only understood about half of it. Chonkers had a weird way of speaking. ¡°Thank you,¡± I began slowly. ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s not a real threat.¡±

    ¡°Mere familiar,¡± Panda said, spitting on the floor. ¡°That¡¯s big talk coming from a fat kitten.¡±

    ¡°I meant no offence,¡± the cat sighed, he looked older than he had a few days ago. ¡°Kaleb, perhaps you should check your interface. You do have a tab for your familiars don¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded and opened it in my HUD.

    Asmodeus (Soul Bonded) ¨C Phase 4

    Due to your use of the Chaos Seed, a small fragment of the demon lord Asmodeus has remained in the mortal plane.

    Possessing a miniscule amount of his powers and personality, he has hatched as a demon familiar, taking on a shape imposed on him by the imprinted soul to which he is bonded.

    As a soul bonded familiar, Asmodeus cannot directly disobey your commands.

    Make sure you house train him.

    Leech Life ¨C Adsorb another creature¡¯s power and use it as your own by draining their life force. Three skills can be stored at a time. Excess power will be used as nourishment to enhance the overall stats of the wielder.

    I read over the familiar text a few times. There were only two real changes to it. Firstly, he was now phase four, higher than I was at phase three. I wouldn¡¯t hit phase four until level ninety and at level 58 I still had quite a way to go. Secondly, he could now absorb three skills from absorbing the life essence of other creatures and people. That was quite the boon, especially if he got any good powers.

    Though it didn¡¯t say it, I got the impression that he¡¯d be able to swap and change these powers at will. If, for example, he had three powers already stored up and then he absorbed life force from someone else, he would be able to see what power he could have from them and choose to replace a currently stored power for it.

    Also there was no cooldown period and nothing to suggest that he couldn¡¯t keep these powers indefinitely. I wasn¡¯t sure how I knew this stuff, but I put it down to my connection with the dragon. As he was a bonded familiar I shared a lot of knowledge with him, as long as it was about him and his powers.

    ¡°That¡¯s a glow up if ever I¡¯ve seen one,¡± I said to Chonkers who smiled tiredly at me.

    ¡°Good, in that case my need of your familiar is done. A few weeks earlier than anticipated I might add. Don¡¯t worry though, you¡¯re welcome to stay in the apartment for the duration of your stay in Castalor. I imagine you¡¯ll be attending the high priest tournament soon.¡±

    ¡°How did you know about that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I know many things my boy. It¡¯s a crucial part of my charm wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Why of course, though I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll answer it.¡±

    ¡°A little while ago Freja mentioned something about a person who changed Adventure Society, made it more bureaucratic, got rid of the militaristic nature of it and made it more businesslike. That person wouldn¡¯t happen to be you would it?¡±

    Chonkers looked at me with a discerning glance. He licked his lips, swished his tail a single time and then, and only then, answered. ¡°No. I have been around far longer than Freja and I can assure you that if I had it my way the society would be run quite differently. Though I don¡¯t advocate for a complete return to the old ways as she does. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°No real reason, I just ran into some guards in the Morningstar recently and their salute reminded me of it. It¡¯s none of my business though I guess.¡±

    ¡°That it is not, though I will never shoot down a young man who dares to question.¡± He leaned in closely and spoke in a whisper so silent that were my hearing not superhuman I wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear him at all. ¡°There is a corruption within the society. The man responsible for its changes is not as altruistic as people think. His identity is hidden, if his name was to get out amongst the tank and file it would sew chaos. I cannot say more, but you especially should be weary young man. Those tattoos on your back may as well make you a target.¡±

    As he pulled back I opened my mouth to reply but he shot me a powerful look which said not to and I listened to it. How did he know I was an outworlder? More importantly, who was this mysterious head of the society who I needed to be weary of?

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s been a lovely chat my dear boy, but I do believe my brother should be arriving in the foyer any minute now and it would be rude of me not to greet him. It has been quite some time since we¡¯ve seen each other you know?¡±

    ¡°Lucas is here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Indeed, care to join me?¡±

    I nodded and together we left his penthouse office, Panda clinging to my back like a rucksack.

 Chapter 181 â€“ Reunion

    We entered the large, well-kept foyer just in time to see a brilliant purple swirl appear in the centre of it. A few people gasped and a disgruntled adventurer moved out of the way, shooting the thing an annoyed glance as he returned to reading the quest board.

    Looking almost as disoriented as I had felt the last time I flew through a portal, Lucas and his retinue stepped out. The man was clad in golden armour and flanked by three individuals who I knew. Taylor, the catonid and Sally¡¯s sister stood on his right. She was dressed in leather armour and a nice-looking cloak.

    On his other side was a man I¡¯d only met once. Gonzo, the administrator from the back offices of the Havarian Adventure Society Branch. He wore a boring old suit, just like you¡¯d expect a bureaucrat to. However, my eyes were drawn squarely to the person standing at the back and shooting me a fangy smile.

    ¡°Nice of you to message me back,¡± I said, walking forwards and grasping Sally¡¯s hand. ¡°How are your injuries, you seem better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here aren¡¯t I?¡± She smiled, gripping me tightly. ¡°Whilst you were busy sending me pathetic messages like a clingy ex-boyfriend, I levelled up to gold rank. Yet I sense that you still haven¡¯t hit silver.¡±

    ¡°Gold, really? That¡¯s great. I¡¯m nearly at level sixty but I¡¯m not even near silver rank yet. I bet you can¡¯t wait for the AS video induction.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ well that¡¯s some good progress, but not as good as mine. You¡¯re slacking off, Gonads. Soon I might have to rethink that nickname if you don¡¯t shape up.¡±

    I grinned at her and turned towards Lucas. The newly anointed king had been staring at me since I¡¯d brazenly pushed past him to greet Sally.

    ¡°Your majesty,¡± I said, bowing deeply and embarrassingly. ¡°How very gracious of you to join us, and in such humble settings as these.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± he said, blushing slightly and gripping my hand. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. How is the capital treating you?¡±

    ¡°If by the capital, you mean your ridiculously overpowered father, then ok I guess. He¡¯s already nearly gotten my entire party killed hunting down and murdering the upper classes in this rotten city, and now he wants me to attend this tournament to protect him from assassins. A job that makes no sense whatsoever considering that he¡¯s the most powerful man around here.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like he hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Lucas said diplomatically. ¡°The tournament is actually the reason I¡¯m here. Perhaps we should talk somewhere more privately and catch up.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°we can use the apartment Chonkers gave me, it¡¯s pretty nice. Should be up to your royal standards just about, your majesty.¡±

    ¡°Enough of that!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Wow, this is nicer than anything we¡¯ve got back home,¡± Taylor said as she inspected the balcony hot tub.

    Gonzo grunted and took a seat in the living room, brushing the sofa cushions with his hand, a slight twitch in his upper lip. ¡°The rest of your guards will be here in about a week,¡± he said. ¡°Until then, we need to make sure we set up somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°Give it a rest, Gonzo,¡± Lucas said wearily dropping next to him on the sofa. ¡°This is the second most fortified building in the city. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°You have guards now?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow as I fetched drinks. Lucas batted his hand at me and leant forward as Chonkers jumped into the armchair opposite.

    ¡°Long time no see brother,¡± he finally said. He hadn¡¯t spoken a word since we¡¯d left his office earlier. ¡°Or should I call you, your majesty?¡±

    ¡°Lucas is fine,¡± he replied. His eyes were tired and his face much more haggard than it had been the last time I¡¯d seen him. ¡°I hate to impose, but is it alright if we stay in Adventure Society whilst we¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been nearly a century since the last time I saw you and the first thing you say to me is a request?¡± He huffed dramatically and shook his fury face. ¡°Of course it¡¯s fine you idiot.¡±

    ¡°That is the king of Havar you¡¯re talking to!¡± Gonzo said fiercely.

    ¡°Oh give it a rest Gonzo you fat lout,¡± Taylor called, walking back in from the outside and pulling up a chair. She seemed even more beautiful than the last time I¡¯d seen her, though I had to wonder why a tailor was travelling with a king and speaking so authoritatively.  ¡°We¡¯re not even in Havar right now and this is his place,¡± she continued.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯d side with the cat wouldn¡¯t you, I bet the two of you have the same mother.¡±

    ¡°You mean your king¡¯s mother?¡±

    Gonzo blustered, turning a deep shade of red. ¡°Well¡­ of course I¡­ but I didn¡¯t mean any¡­¡±

    As they continued to bicker like children, I sent a quick message to Panda.

    Panda: The position of royal tailor is a time-honoured tradition in Havar. It means spymaster, being the king¡¯s personal tailor is simply a cover. Gonzo seems to be acting as chief bureaucrat. Basically, if Lucas wants something doing then Gonzo makes it happen.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Kaleb: I guess that makes sense. I wonder why he chose those two though. I like Taylor but that Gonzo guy is a bit of a prick.

    Panda: I would assume loyalty? He¡¯s in a precarious position at the moment. As a new king his station has been raised exponentially at the whims of rich nobles back in Havar. With Sally gone, who else did he have to turn to? He needs people he can trust at his back and who will be more loyal than a peasant raised up by a king? Besides, Taylor is Sally¡¯s sister and Gonzo worked for him before. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more to it as well. Lucas has lived in Havar for a long time, you¡¯ve only been in this world half a year. They have lives and relationships that we know nothing about.

    Kaleb: Fair enough. I guess it¡¯s easy to forget that sometimes.

    ¡°Just be quite for a bit please, both of you,¡± Lucas said to the bickering pair and then looked towards me. ¡°How have you been Kaleb, apart from murdering the local aristocracy for my father you must have had quite a few adventures.¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± I said, carrying a tray of drinks into the room, placing them on the table and ducking out of my chat with Panda. ¡°After we left you we got attacked by a crazy island of cultists, we killed them by unleashing a demon lord who left behind a fragment which is now my familiar. Then we helped start a revolution in Cali Port which led to the total destruction of the capitalist government followed by mass civil unrest. After that we killed a monster called The Winter Shogun, then we saved a duchess and her town from a group of lycanid mercenaries who just so happened to be led by Rex¡¯s uncle and are now his mercenaries. Oh, and we got knighted.¡±

    Lucas blinked a few times and Gonzo looked at me incredulously as if I was a small child telling lies. ¡°Who is Rex?¡± was the question he eventually settled on.

    ¡°A new member of my party, you¡¯ll meet him later.¡±

    ¡°Well it seems you¡¯ve had quite the eventful time of it. I dare say it¡¯s a tad more than most rookie adventurers get up to in such a short time, but¡­ you never were a typical adventurer were you?¡±

    ¡°I guess not.¡±

    ¡°By the way,¡± Sally said, leaning forward and taking one of the drinks I¡¯d prepared. ¡°We finally killed the last gnome, got him just before we arrived here. Cali Port¡¯s civil unrest is behind it now.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯m just sorry I couldn¡¯t help.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, Gonads, we all got played by those gnomish bastards.¡±

    ¡°I doubt the locals see it that way.¡±

    ¡°Fuck the locals, you were acting on Freja¡¯s orders and you did what you thought was right. Both me and her are just as much to blame, and I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. That means you didn¡¯t either as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±

    I nodded again, smiling at her and then turning back towards Lucas. Panda had taken a seat next to Chonkers and the two of them were sharing his pipe. I¡¯d never realised just how fond animals were of smoking. The dog I¡¯d had growing up always sneezed whenever it smelled smoke.

    ¡°So, tell me, how¡¯d you end up king?¡± I asked, ¡°last I remember, the previous king was assassinated and the nobles were up in arms about it, but surely you couldn¡¯t have been next in line?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Lucas said. ¡°In fact, they didn¡¯t even consult me before appointing the position to me. Havar is a socialist state and as such the monarchy isn¡¯t inherited as much as it is voted for by a council of elites. They decided I would do the job because I was the most powerful one there and I had experience running the local Society branch. That was all there was too it.¡±

    That still didn¡¯t sound anything like the socialism I knew but I¡¯d already learnt that the words the system used to translate things to me weren¡¯t always accurate.

    ¡°And then you went and blew all their money on creating a standing army that we don¡¯t need,¡± Gonzo grumbled.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He literally never shuts up about it, don¡¯t pay him any mind,¡± Taylor replied. ¡°Our king decided to put together a Havarian national guard to defend the island from invasion and also to keep the monster populations low.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Chonkers said, a fierce look in his eyes. ¡°After all the time you spent at the head of a Society branch and this is how you choose to repay it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Lucas said, raising his hands defensively. ¡°The Society may be good on the continent but ours has almost no adventurers to speak of. There¡¯s no money in low level quests and you know as well as I that the Society cares only for profit these days. I made this decision to protect the people of Havar from what¡¯s coming because our branch won¡¯t be able to.¡±

    ¡°And just what exactly is coming dear brother?¡±

    ¡°War,¡± he sighed. ¡°The first one we¡¯ve had in centuries.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be preposterous!¡± Chonkers yelled, jumping up in his seat. I stayed silent, I was pretty lost by their conversation. ¡°What grounds are you basing this on?¡±

    Lucas remained silent for a moment and then calmly replied, ¡°I can¡¯t say. But I¡¯m certain it¡¯s coming and I mean to protect my people.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Chonkers looked outraged, I hadn¡¯t seen him like that at all in the short time I¡¯d known him. He began tutting and huffing as he marched back and forth. Panda stayed oddly silent, exchanging glances with me.

    ¡°He won¡¯t tell us either,¡± Gonzo stated. ¡°But he is the king and he is allowed to be privy to facts that we don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Taylor agreed,¡± we trust him.¡±

    ¡°Well bully for you,¡± Chonkers said. ¡°But I think he¡¯s lost his mind. A war? Poppycock. Adventure Society was built for the very purpose of preventing such things. That¡¯s why we exist, that¡¯s why no one has a standing army. Well, until now.¡±

    ¡°The Society of today exists only to make a profit,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°You know that as well as I do. There¡¯s not a militaristic bone left in its body. Not since he took over. Adventure Society doesn¡¯t protect anything anymore, there¡¯s no cohesion and the little that¡¯s left is controlled by a conniving, scheming, businessman using you all as puppets to further his own agenda.  Something big is coming and I just want to make sure that my nation, small as it is, can weather the storm.¡±

    ¡°Watch your mouth! I dislike these changes as much as you do brother, but the Society will always be the pillar which protects the people. It doesn¡¯t matter if the interior structures change, the exterior has and will always be for the people. Countries don¡¯t even have their own armies. How could war even be possible?¡±

    ¡°Countries don¡¯t have armies from what I¡¯ve seen,¡± I said looking around the room at the confused faces who stopped their bickering to look at me. ¡°But gods do. We¡¯ve seen it already. Chrysus had a full compound of guys in Havar, Clive the elder lich had a town¡¯s worth of people at his beck and call who fought in the name of their god. Isn¡¯t the entire pantheon about to descend on this city in a matter of days to decide who has the best high priest? I bet each of them has an army of worshippers.¡±

    ¡°Gods don¡¯t involve themselves in the matters of mortals, Kaleb,¡± Chonkers said. ¡°What reason would they have? They have all the power already and we don¡¯t disturb them. There¡¯s nothing we have that they could possibly¡­ want.¡±

    He slowed as he talked, coming to an abrupt stop as he realised, eyes bulging, he stared at me. He¡¯d realised something I¡¯d known since the beginning. There was one thing that we mortals had that the gods wanted. Something they wanted pretty badly from all I¡¯d seen. And a whole lot of it was inked on my back.

 Chapter 182 â€“ Power Struggle

    ¡°Thanks for meeting with us like this,¡± Jack said.

    It was dark outside as we sat on the balcony next to the bubbling hot tub. Lucas, Jack, Panda and I sat around a small table sipping fruity alcoholic beverages.

    The reunion had ended abruptly after Chonkers¡¯ and Lucas¡¯ argument. His entourage decided to stay with us in our apartment. Rex and the others had returned later and gone straight to bed, Asmodeus with them. He was happy to be back in the fold. I, however, couldn¡¯t sleep.

    It was the middle of the night when I received a cryptic message from Jack.

    Jack: Meet me on the balcony. We need to talk.

    I¡¯d woken Panda to come with me, he was my guide after all. But to my surprise Jack wasn¡¯t out there alone. He had Lucas with him.

    ¡°Any time,¡± I replied wearily. ¡°Do you guys want to tell me what it is we¡¯re having a meeting about and why we couldn¡¯t do it in daylight, with the rest of my team present?¡±

    ¡°What we need to discuss is of the upmost importance,¡± Lucas said. ¡°It does not concern them.¡±

    ¡°Anything you want to say to me you can say to them; I trust them with my life.¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way about Gonzo and Taylor, yet I still don¡¯t tell them everything. Sometimes a leader needs to keep secrets. That¡¯s just how it is.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t accept that?¡±

    ¡°Then you will do what you will,¡± Lucas sighed and leaned forward. ¡°I can¡¯t force you not to tell your friends about this Kaleb, this is just some friendly advice. What you do during and after this conversation is entirely up to you.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly is this conversation about?¡± I asked, looking between the two of them. They didn¡¯t seem familiar with each other and I was struggling to see what connected them.

    ¡°This is about the high priest tournament and what is to come,¡± Jack said after a moment. ¡°Currently there is an ongoing power struggle within the pantheon. Chrysus is making a play to take over. I don¡¯t know how familiar you are with the history of the gods, but once upon a time there was a single god: Athena. She ruled for centuries before anyone else managed to ascend to godhood. Once they did, she created the pantheon with herself as the head and the other gods as equals beneath her. She vanished thousands of years ago now and no one knows why, or where she went.

    ¡°The remaining members of the pantheon have engaged in the occasional power struggle but for the most part they have remained in an uneasy alliance. It is believed that most were too scared to break the power structure set in place by Athena. However, it has come to light that one God is about to change all of that.¡±

    ¡°Chrysus,¡± I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s been building up his following for a long time now and our intelligence all points towards this tournament being the time he plans to strike. We believe that he aims to put down any dissenting gods, placing himself at the top. The new Athena, so to speak.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± I asked, looking between the two of them. ¡°How exactly do you two know each other, I thought you were an outworlder like me, Jack?¡±

    ¡°I am, and we don¡¯t. I was referring to The Organisation. The king and I are both members, though in completely different capacities.¡±

    The Organisation, I¡¯ve heard of them before.

    ¡°That all sounds very illuminati to me,¡± I said, frowning.

    ¡°In a way it is,¡± Jack laughed slightly. ¡°I myself have completed multiple assassinations in aid of trying to prevent Chrysus¡¯ takeover. I assassinated a king in Britania who was a loyal supporter of him, I¡¯ve killed merchants and cultist leaders¡­ and the previous Havarian king.¡±

    ¡°That was you?!¡± I said, almost shouting as I stood. ¡°Were you also involved with the guys who kidnapped Bell. Do you have any idea what they did to her?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said placing his hands up in surrender. ¡°I had nothing to do with that. The Morningstar are firmly under the thumb of Chrysus, you know that. You met Nyx at the same time as I did.¡±

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    He was right, we had met Nyx and, though a god in his own right, he seemed to be working with Chrysus. I sat back down but I was shaking. This was a lot to take in and I feared that there was even more I was about to learn. I barely understood any of it. I did get one thing though, if Chrysus was making a power play and he already had Nyx in his corner then that couldn¡¯t be a good thing.

    ¡°What was wrong with the Havarian king?¡± I eventually said. ¡°I kinda liked him.¡± Lucas looked towards Jack as well, guilt and confusion in his eyes. It seemed that this was new information for him too.

    ¡°He was a prime candidate for our cause,¡± Jack said, speaking slowly as if someone was telling him what to say through an earpiece. It was weird. ¡°However, our spies discovered that he was working with Chrysus as well, albeit covertly. He had sold parts of the island to the god, places where he could send his sacrifices.¡±

    ¡°Sacrifices?¡±

    ¡°I heard you fought them when you first arrived, his cultists I mean,¡± Jack said. ¡°Did you never once wonder why they were so weak when even most children are a higher level?¡±

    I had wondered that. I remembered asking Panda about it at the time but he didn¡¯t have much of an answer for me. The world was so new to me back then, every day was just about surviving. I barely had time to question anything. It was all so new and weird.

    ¡°Chrysus is a relatively new god,¡± Jack continued. ¡°He¡¯s been active for centuries, but that¡¯s quite a short time for an immortal. It is believed that the reason he has risen to prominence so quickly is because he¡¯s been sacrificing his followers. It¡¯s an archaic magic, very taboo. It actually predates the system as we know it today. The method was lost millennia ago.¡±

    ¡°How does it work?¡±

    ¡°I can answer that, kid.¡± Panda said, ¡°I touched on it once before. There are many books about it, though none of them agree on the exact methodology. The gist of it is that someone powerful can steal experience from willing followers. Those followers drop back down to level one, and the perpetrator, Chrysus in this instance, gains all the levelling experience that they had accumulated.¡±

    ¡°Like some kind of vampire, or a gamer with a nasty cheat code?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Panda said. ¡°It¡¯s extremely taboo. Accusing someone of doing something like that in this world is akin to accusing someone of mass genocide back in your world. It¡¯s one of the worst things a person can do in this society.¡±

    ¡°I knew I was right not to like the guy,¡± I muttered. ¡°Gods, they¡¯re all the same. Back in our world people started wars and killed in the name of their gods. For what? To show that their imaginary friend was better? When I was a kid I believed in Santa but I didn¡¯t hurt people who said he wasn¡¯t real or didn¡¯t celebrate Christmas.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure this is the same,¡± Jack began tentatively, ¡°but I understand your dislike of it all. I used to be the same until I met my god.¡±

    I looked up at that. ¡°Your god?¡± I asked, looking between him and Lucas. I hadn¡¯t realised either of them had one, but it was beginning to make sense. ¡°This Organisation of yours, it wouldn¡¯t happen to be¡­?¡±

    ¡°Overseen by a god?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what it is.¡±

    The Organisation¡­ run by a god¡­ surely it¡¯s not the same one Panda told me about. I felt myself getting more irritated with the two of them. I¡¯d had a funny feeling about Jack since the moment I¡¯d met him, but Lucas? I treated him like a friend. I liked the guy. This¡­ this felt like betrayal.

    ¡°So you two are both cultists, just for a different god?¡± I spat. ¡°This power struggle you¡¯re talking about, you¡¯re not doing this for the sake of normal people are you? This is about your god having beef with Chrysus. For fuck¡¯s sake guys. Why do either of you even care?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Lucas protested. His eyes were blackened and he had a few days¡¯ growth on his chin. I¡¯d never seen him unshaven before. ¡°Diako isn¡¯t like Chrysus. He isn¡¯t trying to take power for himself, he just wants to keep the status quo and prevent Chrysus from taking power.¡±

    So it is the same one. These idiots work for the guy who runs the cabal of assassins.

    ¡°Diako?¡± I said a little too loudly, ¡°as in the guy who sterilised the lycanids, that Diako?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Lucas said, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that story before. If it is true I¡¯m sure there was a good reason.¡±

    Jack didn¡¯t show any emotion, his face a blank canvas; he stood silently as I continued.

    ¡°Rex told me about it, your god was a fiend. He wormed his way into the lycanid empress¡¯ good graces then poisoned her with a sterility virus. He¡¯s responsible for their entire species being royally fucked. And you¡¯re working for guy like that?¡±

    Lucas balked; he genuinely didn¡¯t seem to know any of this. If anything that made it worse. There was no way I could trust a god like that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with your god¡¯s power struggle,¡± I said, chest heaving. ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with me and I intend to keep it that way.¡±

    I took a large gulp of my drink and looked towards Panda who nodded back at me. This farce had gone on for long enough. I liked Lucas, I even owed him, but I had no intention of being the political pawn of some asshole deity who started the Slow Slaughter and murdered people with his illuminati Assassin¡¯s Creed rip off bullshit.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong,¡± Jack said in a low voice that didn¡¯t quite seem his own. I looked at him and his eyes had rolled back into his skull.

    ¡°Jack, what the fuck is wrong with you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s Jack anymore, kid,¡± Panda said. ¡°I believe we¡¯re talking to Diako now.¡±

    ¡°Oh well isn¡¯t that bloody fantastic.¡±

    Lucas went wide eyed and moved out of the way, scurrying towards me. I¡¯d never seen him so frightened before. The man was a pillar of strength from everything I¡¯d seen, but he seemed genuinely scared of this god possessing Jack. If anything, that only served to anger me further. There had to be more to this. I knew Lucas, he wasn¡¯t the type to follow others without a good reason.

    ¡°This matter involves you more than any other mortal in Celestia,¡± Jack, or rather Diako, said. ¡°There is only one way that Chrysus can gain the power he seeks.¡±

    ¡°The fucking map,¡± I snarled.

 Chapter 183 â€“ An Uneasy Alliance

    ¡°Yes,¡± Diako continued. ¡°The race for the Celestial map has been forlorn for ages now. I understand that you do not often parlay with the divine, Kaleb Akabane, but please allow me to educate you on the rat race for the heavens which has so enthralled Chrysus.¡±

    Kaleb: He even talks like a prick. What do you think?

    Panda: There¡¯s no harm in hearing him out. He¡¯s old and probably a font of knowledge. Try not to anger him, but don¡¯t trust him either.

    Kaleb: As if I needed telling that.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said crossing my arms and leaning back in my seat as Lucas returned to his, seeming to have calmed down considerably. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your story.¡±

    ¡°Good. The Celestial Map is a tale that dates back centuries now. It is said that one who can unite all ten thousand pieces will receive divine, cosmic power. However, thus far no one has been able to do it. Outworlders such as yourself have been captured, their skins added to banks, over and over by powerful people and gods alike. However, not once have all the pieces been put together.¡±

    ¡°Well that makes sense,¡± I said. ¡°All it takes is one outworlder to scrape his back or get burnt alive or eaten by a monster and his piece is null and void. It¡¯s a stupid prophecy if you ask me. The logistics alone are ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°On that we agree,¡± Diako continued, using Jack as a puppet. ¡°But your reasoning, though not entirely flawed, is inaccurate. More than once all of the skins have been harvested, though only once have they been said to be all in the same place. The god who managed to collect them all is, to this day, still just a god though. The challenge was not completed, the contract unfulfilled despite one deity owning all of the pieces.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s not real then?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but Chrysus believes he has discovered the reason why it didn¡¯t work. Have you ever thought it peculiar that you can absorb map pieces Mr Akabane?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± I said. ¡°I can also level up and every weapon I touch leaks poison. It hardly seems out of the ordinary in this place. Can¡¯t all outworlders absorb the map pieces?¡±

    ¡°No, they cannot. Jack tried and failed not too long ago. It is my belief that only certain outworlders possess this ability. Though I do not know why. I believe that Chrysus believes that in order to properly complete the map and gain the power an outworlder must first collect all the pieces by absorbing them onto their skin. I suspect that once this is done if a natural Celestian were to skin them they would properly complete the map.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason for me to stay away from this tournament then,¡± I replied, scowling at the possessed body of Jack.

    Panda: If that¡¯s true then it would explain why Chrysus didn¡¯t just kill you when he first met you. Hadn¡¯t you literally just absorbed that guy¡¯s map piece? What was his name?

    Kaleb: Brad.

    Panda: Yeah Brad, that was it. Then you just so happened to immediately meet Chrysus and live through the encounter despite being rude to him. It always struck me as odd.

    Kaleb: I also accidentally summoned a talking panda straight afterwards.

    Panda: What¡¯s your point?

    Kaleb: Strange things seem to happen to me a lot.

    Panda: I guess, but I think what he¡¯s saying has legs. I don¡¯t know if you really can be used as a means to get this cosmic power they¡¯re all so obsessed with. But I do believe that Chrysus thinks that¡¯s what¡¯ll happen.

    ¡°I believe Chrysus invited you personally for this exact scenario,¡± Diako continued, he seemed to have waited the twenty or so seconds that mine and Panda¡¯s chat had taken before continuing. He must have known that we were talking. Odd that he didn¡¯t mention it. ¡°Or at least, that was his original intention. However, there is another. They are known as The Desert Samurai and they are working for Chrysus with the absorption power which you also possess. Thus far, I only know of the two of you.¡±

    ¡°The Desert Samurai?¡± I scoffed, ¡°that¡¯s a stupid moniker.¡± Though I do remember seeing someone in samurai armour when we rescued Bell. Was she the one who stole all those skins from the vault? If so, why would she need to steal them when Nyx works for Chrysus, and why does Nyx have more skins in his other vault if Chrysus has a follower who can absorb them. None of this makes any sense.

    ¡°I thought Nyx worked for Chrysus,¡± I began. ¡°I remember seeing a samurai inside The Morningstar Hotel and Spa and at roughly the same time, Nyx¡¯s vault of skins was robbed.¡±

    ¡°No god works for another, not even a new one such as Nyx,¡± Diako answered. ¡°The two are close allies but allies still have their own secrets and agendas.¡±

    ¡°Ok, so assuming everything you¡¯ve said is correct. If Chrysus already has a map absorbing samurai, why would he want me?¡±

    ¡°To keep you away from other gods. You are the single biggest threat to his plans right now, by virtue of merely existing.¡±

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    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t he just have me killed?¡±

    ¡°He is the god of greed; it is not in his nature to dispose of things when he believes he can own them. He wants to control you, Akabane. He wants both of the absorption outworlders for himself. Of course, in the end he would kill both of you. But he is a clever and cautious man and I doubt he wanted to risk killing you before he was certain that he didn¡¯t need you.¡±

    ¡°Like a spare tyre,¡± I said mostly to myself. ¡°If one of us dies, then he has a second in reserve to take over.¡±

    ¡°I doubt he had that samurai person when he invited you to his tournament,¡± Panda said. ¡°Hell, from what I know about the guy I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he killed the last priest himself just to create the occasion.¡±

    ¡°Or to silence him,¡± Lucas added. ¡°He¡¯s not known as a trusting god and if the last high priest knew about this absorption thing then maybe he was just being careful. Even the most loyal subjects talk given the right circumstances.¡±

    ¡°His reasons matter not,¡± Diako said. ¡°What is important is what he is planning to do now and how we can stop him. The tournament starts in less than a week and every member of the pantheon will be putting forward a champion to face off against the new high priest of greed.¡±

    ¡°And you think this samurai will be the new high priest?¡± Lucas asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± I began. ¡°Why would an outworlder become a priest? How would they even be strong enough to become one? We¡¯ve only been here six months; I doubt any of us is past the level cap yet.¡±

    ¡°Champions must be level eighty-nine or below to compete,¡± Diako answered. ¡°It is an old rule that was put in place by Athena, but one that none dare overrule. Phase fours are not allowed in the tournament. Because of this, when a new high priest is chosen, they must be of this level or below. The current surviving high priests of the pantheon are all beyond the level cap and thus will not be competing themselves. As such, you can expect that this samurai will likely win the bout between the followers of Chrysus and then be his champion in the ensuing tournament.¡±

    ¡°This all seems rather elaborate to me,¡± I said. ¡°Why not just fight the other gods and be done with it. Why does he even need this tournament in the first place and what does winning it accomplish? I thought he was going to start a war or something.¡±

    ¡°My spies tell me that he is planning on starting a war, but first he needs allies among the gods. Those who will support him in this endeavour. It is my belief that this tournament will be how he meets with and convinces them to side with him. The tournament itself is likely inconsequential, though winning it will give him more negotiating power.¡±

    ¡°Why would any other god go along with him?¡±

    ¡°That, I do not know. However, I fear that the events that are about to transpire will force this world into a new age, regardless of the outcome.¡±

    Kaleb: I¡¯m so confused.

    Panda: Me too, kid. But from what I¡¯ve gathered this tournament is really just an excuse to gather all the gods in one place. Once they¡¯re there he¡¯ll make allies, maybe even kill those who don¡¯t want to team up, and likely cause havoc. It sounds pretty bad.

    ¡°So what¡¯s my supposed role in all of this, what do you want me to do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I want you to become my champion. I want you to enter the tournament and win, killing this samurai person. I cannot allow Chrysus to win and I refuse to submit to him.¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t and Chrysus¡¯ plan succeeds then you will likely die. You¡¯ll have no chance of cultivating the power needed to bring your family to this land if you are not alive, will you?¡±

    ¡°How did you-¡± I began, feeling my mouth gape slightly.

    ¡°I know many things, Kaleb Akabane; my spies are everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Even if I do help you, I¡¯m only level fifty-eight and I¡¯m willing to bet that every other champion will be at eighty-nine. That¡¯s a big level difference to place so much of your plan on me.¡±

    ¡°If you agree to help me, I will level you up to the precipice of phase four myself.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that even possible?¡±

    Lucas seemed as shocked as I felt and Panda shrugged his shoulders when I looked towards him, I dove into my chat function once again.

    Panda: The only thing I can think of is sacrificing some of his other followers. If that¡¯s what he offers don¡¯t do it. It¡¯s not worth it, trust me.

    Kaleb: Why not?

    Panda: The first one hundred levels are foundational. If you don¡¯t build them the correct way it¡¯ll compromise your soul and yours is already volatile with that weird power you have. Even if you don¡¯t die, there¡¯s a chance it¡¯ll prevent you from ever being able to pass the level cap.

    Kaleb: Do you think he knows about my soul power?

    Panda: I doubt he¡¯d be talking to you if he did. Gods don¡¯t like people whose natural abilities encroach on their own. Soul power like yours is usually only unlocked by the divine. I have no idea how you even have it.

    ¡°How would you level me up so quickly?¡± I asked.

    ¡°By allowing you access to my inner sanctum. Time is slower there and it is filled with high levelled monsters. You would have a year to fight them, to grow stronger, whilst on the outside time would flow as normal. In seven Celestian days, I can give you access to a year¡¯s worth of experience. I do not offer this proposition lightly. Only my most trusted and elite warriors have ever been offered this chance.¡±

    ¡°Then why choose me?¡±

    ¡°Because it is my deepest desire to stop Chrysus. Because I believe that you are my best chance at doing this.¡±

    ¡°There must be more you¡¯re not telling me,¡± I said agitatedly. ¡°Surely you have your own people who could beat this samurai. There has to be more to it, there has to be a catch.¡±

    ¡°I will not answer any more questions. Do you accept these terms or not?¡±

    Kaleb: What do I do?

    Panda: It¡¯s a great opportunity, but this guy is shady. There¡¯s definitely more to it.

    Kaleb: What¡¯ll happen if I say no?

    Panda: Best case: Chrysus tries his coup d¡¯etat and fails and the world is thrown into a war that¡¯ll likely kill millions. Worst case: he succeeds and you spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder. Though he¡¯ll probably capture or kill you. He¡¯d have to eventually if he wanted the map.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said.

    I wasn¡¯t completely sure about this whole thing. But it was a good chance to gain power quickly, and as Panda said, if I didn¡¯t go along with this I¡¯d be condemning millions to death or servitude. Including myself¡­ Including my friends.

    ¡°Good, I am glad that you are not completely unreasonable. Step through this portal and your trial will begin. You will have exactly one year. Make it count.¡±

    He swirled Jack¡¯s hands and a white portal opened up in the floor of the balcony. It looked like bright light and it radiated warmth. I needed to do this. I needed to get stronger.

    ¡°What about my team?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This portal will only accept one person at a time. Only your familiars can accompany you.¡±

    ¡°Asmodeus is sleeping.¡±

    With a sigh, Diako clicked Jack¡¯s fingers and the dragon dropped out of a small purple portal appearing in front of me. He was still fast asleep. I picked him up with some effort, cradling him in my arms. He felt warm. Panda grabbed onto my leg and together we walked into the portal.

 Chapter 184 â€“ Pocket Dimension

    ¡°Do you think this will work, my Lord?¡± Lucas asked the still possessed body of Jack.

    ¡°That will be up to him,¡± Diako responded. ¡°For now, begin organising the army I asked you to create. I know it is a tiresome task to run a nation from afar but know that you have my sincere gratitude for executing your duties so thoroughly. Also, speak with Rexus Aurelius. We may have need of his services.¡±

    ¡°From what I gather, he¡¯s not overly fond of you.¡±

    ¡°Then proceed with caution and remember that The Organisation was not built on honesty and righteousness.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucas said, squirming slightly in his chair. Jack¡¯s eyes were piercing as Diako¡¯s aura lightly spilled out of them. It chilled the king to the bone. ¡°Though please allow me to remind you that I am not a member of The Organisation, not really.¡±

    ¡°You needn¡¯t remind me Lucas. A king being beholden to the organisation responsible for murdering the previous monarch would be quite unseemly.¡±

    ¡°That it would.¡±

    The aura surrounding Jack¡¯s eyes vanished like a puff of smoke as Diako left his body. The assassin dropped to his knees, gasping as if he had been holding his breath the entire time.

    ¡°No one told me how awful that would be,¡± he gasped, looking up at Lucas with red hued tears leaking from his eyes.

    ¡°Did you think it would be pleasant?¡±

    ¡°No, but that was¡­¡± he shivered and then looked around the deserted balcony. ¡°I take it he accepted the offer then? I honestly wasn¡¯t sure he would. He can be pretty stubborn from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lucas said, knocking back a stiff drink and staring far away into the darkness. ¡°But he has his own agenda to pursue and I think our god¡¯s wishes and his own line up somewhat. Despite his mistrust of the divine.¡±

    ¡°Do you think this will work? I like the guy but this is no monster slaying contract.¡±

    ¡°All we can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst,¡± Lucas sighed, rising from his seat. ¡°And on that note, we have work to do.¡±

    ***

    I stepped out of the portal into a bright world with two high, midday suns sparkling overhead. It seemed an Elysium of places and as I blinked, trying to adjust my eyes to the sudden and encroaching dazzling light, I saw a myriad of fuchsia petals dancing in the breeze.

    Cherry blossoms? I thought as I began to take in the picturesque clearing that we found ourselves in. It looked like something out of a slice of life anime. Beauty surrounded us and there was no sound other than the whistling breeze and chirping birds.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Panda remarked. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought the god of shadows would have a pocket space so¡­ pretty.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I replied, ¡°it¡¯s definitely not what I was expecting. Do you have any idea what this place is, how it works?¡±

    ¡°If I was to guess I¡¯d say it¡¯s a pocket dimension. Portal mages can sometimes learn to create them but it takes an obscene amount of power and crafted items to pull it off.¡±

    ¡°I thought portal mages were rare, yet I¡¯ve met two.¡±

    ¡°They are, incredibly so. Freja is the only portal mage I know of, well apart from Diako apparently.¡±

    As we spoke Asmodeus began to stir in my arms. He was much heavier than he used to be. His body felt like pure muscle, tight, scaley skin pulled over a thick frame. Pitbulls were banned in England, but a friend of mine had a Staffordshire bull terrier and he¡¯d said that they were similar dogs. My growing dragon familiar kind of reminded me of that dog now.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± He asked sleepily and as I opened my mouth to begin filling him in I was stopped by a tremor under the ground. It shook me so hard I almost lost my footing; the trees shook and the tranquil atmosphere of the place took a sudden turn. ¡°Something predatory is upon us,¡± Asmodeus said, suddenly wide awake and leaping from my arms.

    His wings spread wide as he beat them lethargically against the wind current and glided gracefully up above the trees. ¡°We need to move, human!¡± He yelled down at me.

    Before I had taken even a single step, the trees on the other side of the clearing burst. Bark fired towards me like shrapnel. It was like one of those war movies where a bomb hit a forest and carnage ensued. Branches flew like spears in my direction, snippets of sticks like needles.

    I dived onto the ground as the wooden shrapnel bit into my skin like a swarm of angry hornets, piercing parts of my armour and cutting into my arms and back.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± I yelled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you might wanna draw your bow, kid,¡± Panda shouted back, cowering behind a nearby tree. ¡°Something big is coming this way!¡±

    Taking his advice I withdrew my bow from my inventory and gingerly got to my feet. The world beyond the trees shuddered in a rhythmic beating as the ground beneath me jumped with each quake. Raising my bow in that direction, I saw it.

    You have discovered a new monster:

    Big Ol¡¯ Mammoth

    A common creature in eastern Celestia, the big ol¡¯ mammoth is a three headed, tusk wielding, fur covered elephant of epic proportions.

    The story of its supposed birth is well known among the people of the east.

    Once upon a time, Cerberus escaped from the underworld. Like an Amish boy on his Rumspringa, the curious pup ventured forth into the unknown in search of a good time. He found it in the trunk of an Elephant named Ganesha, a sentient and unique monster that was being worshipped as a deity in some back water town.

    I¡¯m sure you¡¯re hoping that I¡¯ll tell you they fell madly in love and sired many offspring, but alas, like so many youths, Cerberus had a simple, and passionate, fling with Ganesha. Leaving the next morning without even staying for breakfast.

    Poor Ganesha was left impregnated and without alimony.

    The end.

    Naturally, due to being severely pissed off about their single parent upbringing, the big ol¡¯ mammoth takes out its anger on any passerby. No good to society. Unloved, unwanted, and the poor fellow didn¡¯t even get two Christmases since its dead-beat dad was nowhere to be found.

    In a lot of ways, he¡¯s just like you.

    ¡°What the actual fuck,¡± I said as the notification faded away. The system seemed even more unhinged than usual today and I was pretty certain that the entire story was made up just to take a jab at me.

    However, I didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on it as I stared up at the mammoth which towered over the clearing. It really did have three heads, all with long, bloody tusks. All six eyes were directed squarely at me.

    It snorted at me and a hot, sweet breeze shot out of its trunk. Then it charged. With every footstep the world shook but I did my best to keep a steady hand as I drew my bow, channelling a quick soul shot.

    I fired and the arrow hit the mammoth squarely in the chest. Its skin began to bubble as a thick clump of matted hair dropped from its body, but it didn¡¯t slow down.

    Diving out of the way, I turned to see the space where I¡¯d been standing turn to churned mud and mulch. The mammoth charged past and began to turn in a wide arc without slowing down.

    As I began nocking another arrow, Asmodeus dived down and began harassing one of the heads. He clawed at it, taking an eyeball with him as blood gushed from the wound like a waterfall. The beast squealed with rage as it continued to charge and the second head began firing bullets of water at the hovering dragon from a now erect trunk.

    It looked like an anti-aircraft gun as the mammoth spat small, powerfully concentrated balls of water at him. Asmodeus somersaulted and then flapped his wings a single, pulsing time and a razor of visible air sliced through the space, cutting deeply into the spitting head and severing its trunk at the base.

    ¡°When did you learn that?¡± I shouted up at him as I began charging up an acid rain attack.

    ¡°I tasted the blood of many people during my short tenure with the cat, human. All three of my available power slots are currently filled. I don¡¯t know what is going on here, but if we are to face more creatures of this magnitude then I expect I shall find great opportunity to grow.¡±

    ¡°We both will.¡±

    Asmodeus, flew up high, dodging a tusk from the enraged second head which it shot straight from its body in his direction. A replacement immediately grew back.

    At roughly that moment I finished charging my attack and shouted a warning to the dragon before letting it lose. Hundreds of arrows fired from my bow, straight into the air, falling down all around the mammoth which screamed and whinnied like a distressed horse as it threw its front legs into the air and came to a halt.

    Arrows pierced all across its hairy body though they were almost indistinguishable from its coarse, brown hair. The area around the myriad of wounds began leaking as pustules bubbled to the surface. The chest wound I had inflicted earlier was bleeding profusely now and second and third heads began fighting each other. I wasn¡¯t sure why, perhaps it was confused.

    ¡°How is this thing still not dead?¡± I asked nobody in particular.

    ¡°Now¡¯s your chance, kid,¡± Panda called out from behind a tree. ¡°Use your daggers and take out one of its legs. If it can¡¯t run, it can¡¯t trample you.¡±

    I nodded, dropping my bow back into my inventory and equipping my daggers. Gritting my teeth, I sprinted towards the beast and began to deliver slash after slash with the devastating speed of increased agility. Each blow was only a shallow cut, but that was all I needed. Each cut began to bubble almost immediately. Some turned a nasty shade of green and a few, though not many, even began to turn black.

    It had to be the many effects I had gained from upgrading my dagger. The chance to inflict necrosis or poison. I rarely saw those boons happen in normal fights. But due to the many cuts I needed to deliver to damage this thing the chances of the other afflictions manifesting increased exponentially.

    Within moments the front, left leg of the mammoth began to rot away before my eyes. The skin turned black, the hair fell out, pustules and poisoned flesh took form emitting the gag inducing smell of gangrene.  Then the leg buckled and I was face to face with one of the heads.

    I didn¡¯t hesitate.

    Stabbing down with all of my strength I forced a dagger into each eye. The beast screamed as blood and goop leaked from the popped eyeballs. But I didn¡¯t stop there. I then began to slash at the beast, as I had with the leg. I delivered hundreds of tiny, shallow cuts in moments and once again the necrosis and poison effects joined sporadically onto the acid effect. I was becoming efficient at this.

    It was a horrible way to kill. A bad way to die. But it was certainly effective.

    ¡°Jesus, kid,¡± Panda said as the mammoth finally stopped thrashing. Asmodeus had taken out the other two heads and I had so thoroughly destroyed the first that it more closely resembled one of those shrunken heads from the night bus in Harry Potter. ¡°That was scary as shit.¡±

    ¡°Think it¡¯ll win me the tournament?¡±

    ¡°Not at your current level, but we¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°I hate to be the bearer of bad news,¡± Asmodeus said, swooping down and landing on the carcass. ¡°But there¡¯s a herd of those things heading this way. They¡¯re on a rampage, the ignorant beasts.¡±

    I blinked a few times, wiped the blood from my face with the back of my hand, then looked over at him with a grin.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long fucking year.¡±

 Chapter 185 â€“ Hierophant

    Rex felt lost.

    He paced back and forth agitatedly in the penthouse living room. Kaleb had been gone for four days now and he was anxious about the future. Lucas, the supposed king of Havar, had been awfully cryptic about the entire situation, enlisting the lycanid¡¯s help without seeking to provide adequate answers to his questions.

    Naturally, he¡¯d tried to contact his party leader multiple times using the chat function but each time he received the same notification. One he¡¯d never seen before.

    This user is out of range

    Out of range? Where the hell could he have gotten to? The range of system messaging spanned the entire world as far as he knew. Of course he¡¯d never actually tried to send a message from west to east, but he assumed it would work the same as it always did.

    Back in the early days, his band of mercenaries had roamed all over the world. He¡¯d spent considerable time on the eastern continent, a place simply referred to as ¡°the east¡± by those residing on the western continent. He hadn¡¯t spent much time in the central areas but he had visited many of the big named cities.

    In all of that time he had never once heard of a mystical eastern training space where time flowed slower. A training space seemingly so detached from reality that even system messaging couldn¡¯t reach it. He felt dreadfully uneasy, and Lucas asking to meet with him today did nothing to assuage him of that feeling.

    The door opened and the well-groomed king walked in. The entourage that usually accompanied him was nowhere to be found and Bell was out with Jack on some errand or another. Lucas approached and sat down, he and his people had moved to flashier accommodation the previous day so this was no longer his residence. Usually the lycanid was not one to stand on formality, but today the man¡¯s brazen lack of manners irked him.

    ¡°How are you, Rex?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Not in the mood for idle talk your majesty. So do me a favour and tell me what you want.¡±

    Lucas frowned for a moment, then he sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about him, but he¡¯ll be back in three days. You¡¯ll see, he¡¯ll be stronger than ever and able to win this tournament and prevent a war.¡±

    ¡°A war that only you and your people believe is coming,¡± Rex replied, refusing to seat himself. ¡°People I have no reason to trust. People who aren¡¯t forthcoming with answers and who, despite their cryptic nature, still presume to ask me for favours. Now I know you humans have your politics and frustratingly indirect ways of speaking, but you have to understand that in my culture we say what we mean and we face the consequences head on. So please, for the love of the empress, will you answer my questions this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Rex, but I have told you everything I know,¡± Lucas sighed, slumping forwards slightly and scratching his forehead. ¡°Kaleb is in an eastern training facility which circumvents time as we know it. He was taken there in a portal and he¡¯ll be back in time for the tournament stronger than ever. In the meantime, we need to see to everything else and time is not a luxury we have. Now, currently I have my own forces bolstering ranks in Havar. I¡¯ve sent three more detachments of soldiers here and I have one ship¡¯s worth of men camped just up the coast, looking after the rest of my fleet, and ready to move out at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    ¡°And these soldiers are here to prevent a war?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Now what I need from you, if you¡¯ll please indulge me, is to move your mercenaries into the capital so that they can be ready, in the crowd, when the tournament starts. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, I can¡¯t have my soldiers set foot on the continent without provoking my father, even having them camped on the ship is risky.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Rex growled, moving into the kitchen and taking a stiff drink. The first he¡¯d had in a while. ¡°I still don¡¯t fully understand why we¡¯re involving ourselves in the matters of gods in the first place.¡±

    ¡°This is all for Kaleb,¡± Lucas said softly. ¡°I want to prevent the coming war if I can, but he¡¯s the one who will be in the most immediate danger. Entering the tournament will put him front and centre. I¡¯m not asking you to bolster my own ranks, I merely ask that you place your men inside the arena as a precaution. If something happens, if someone attacks Kaleb mid fight or there is any kind of interference. They may be needed if we wish to save him from foul play.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah alright I see your point. I still don¡¯t like it much or understand it. But if it¡¯s to help the boss then I¡¯ll do it. I need you to answer one more question for me first though?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lucas asked, looking up with wide eyes at the imposing figure.

    ¡°Which god are you working for?¡±

    ***

    Diako sat before me in the small log cabin I had built in the clearing. The past seven or so months had been hard, fighting almost non-stop. I had now spent more time in this damned pocket space than I had in Celestia itself.

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    The levels came slowly, much slower than they had at first, though of course that was to be expected. Even in video games each level was harder to reach than the previous one. Why would this be any different? I had finally hit level eighty the previous afternoon.

    Early into our little training montage of an adventure, the issue of food had become apparent. The pocket dimension contained only monsters, and they disappeared in a puff of confetti when I killed and looted them. Pretty quickly we learnt that they only disappeared after looting. So, every now and then I would forgo my prizes for butchering instead. Not that I was any good at that¡­ though mammoth did taste surprisingly good. Due to the nature of my Acidic Dhampir Weapons skill I couldn''t do the butchering myself, thankfully Panda could, though my dagger looked like a sword in his unsteady hands.

    We camped outside for a while but eventually Panda asked me to make him a more permanent place. He tired of the outdoors. Some fucking panda he is. So we took a week off training to build the place. It was quite relaxing cutting wood and building heuristically using the looted mammoth tusks for nails. Cutting them up wasn¡¯t easy but it was definitely worth the effort. That little wooden cabin was where I sat now as Diako came to visit me for the first time.

    Looking at me out of a mystical, wavy black hood, his eyes were dark and oppressive. Calculating and full of the glinting of his devious aura. I didn¡¯t like it. He floated there looking like some kind of dementor. All cloak and no substance. Panda concluded that it must be an apparition rather than his true form, but I didn¡¯t care to ask.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Kaleb Akabane,¡± he said in a hoarse and almost ethereal voice. ¡°In three and a half months I will return to take you from this place. Though I shall miss watching your valiant efforts. It is quite the feat to so easily dispatch such difficult foes as the mammoths.¡±

    ¡°Yeah well, my powers lend themselves to attrition tactics and that works pretty well on monsters who are that big. Agility helps too.¡± I didn¡¯t like that he¡¯d been spying on me, but I expected he would be able to, given the circumstances. That was why Panda, Asmodeus, and I communicated our more private conversations through system messaging.

    I had tried to message the others too, but I kept getting a notification that said I was out of range. I hoped they were alright. It was weird for me to know that it had only been a handful of days for them when so much more time had passed for me.

    ¡°I know,¡± Diako replied. ¡°I hope that will also aid you in the tournament. If you happen to reach the required level before the year is up then I will know and I will return for you. However, I doubt that will be possible. Your friend Sally has spent three decades to reach the level cap, one of them was devoted entirely to the last ten levels. You seem to be progressing faster than most, but even you shouldn¡¯t be able to hit level eighty-nine in less than the five remaining months.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, but you¡¯re probably right,¡± I replied, though I didn¡¯t really care about what he had to say, I knew as much already having discussed it at length with my familiars. ¡°Do you have any news of the others?¡±

    ¡°They are fine Mr Akabane. It has only been four days for them. However, I can tell you that our plans are progressing smoothly. Lucas Regina is a clever man and has managed to convince Rexus Aurelius to lend his mercenaries¡¯ support to you.¡±

    ¡°Good. I have no idea how he managed to get Rex to agree to involvement with you of all people, but I¡¯m glad he did. I need my entire team behind me on this.¡±

    I still wasn¡¯t sure that helping Diako was the right move, but the levelling experience in and of itself was great. I was more powerful than ever and I had new skills to boot. Even if his plan didn¡¯t work, at least I¡¯d be in a better position to protect everyone after this training. Not to mention being closer to reaching my own goal.

    ¡°Aurelius does not yet know of my involvement, though I have reason to believe that will change shortly. It seems your dragon is progressing nicely too. At this rate he will reach the level cap before your time here is done.¡±

    Asmodeus stirred; he had been dog eyeing the god since his arrival. He¡¯d changed a bit in the time since we¡¯d gotten here, he was more dog like, more protective and loyal. ¡°I yearn to be my promised size shadow god. My powers will outshine even yours soon,¡± he said.

    Diako did not respond, instead choosing to continue talking to me exclusively. ¡°You will not be permitted to use him in the tournament at his current strength, he no longer meets the requirements. I would suggest entrusting him to your party¡¯s care whilst you compete. On the subject of the tournament, there is a specific matter I need to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°You need me to become your follower so I can be named champion.¡± I replied, Panda had discussed the likelihood of this eventuality at length with me. Fortunately, it was a title I could give up voluntarily at any time and I would give it up as soon as the tournament was over. A necessary evil, that¡¯s all it is.

    ¡°Yes. Do you accept?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Achievement Unlocked:

    Hierophant

    After all your bluster about atheism you¡¯ve finally fallen victim to the mass control and piety of a deity. For time immemorial religion has been used to control and shape the world as we know it. ¡°You can¡¯t do that because god says so¡±. In your world more wars have been fought over the debate of who has the best imaginary friend than over anything else ¨C an adult version of ¡°my dad¡¯s better than yours.¡±

    But hey, at least they¡¯re real in Celestia.

    Reward: None are more assured of their righteousness than those with faith. Take this newfound self-assuredness as your reward, you hypocritical loser.

    I had to stop myself from laughing, even with that I couldn¡¯t hide my smirk. It seemed the system knew me better than most. The whole situation was so ridiculous. I wondered if I¡¯d get a second achievement when I abandoned the faith at the end of the tournament.

    You have been given a new title:

    Champion of Diako

    This title allows you to participate in the high priest tournament. Now get out there and show those cocksuckers that your god is the best god.

    ¡°You know, usually in games when you worship a god you get special boons, I¡¯m a little disappointed,¡± I said.

    ¡°My true followers do, but I only give them to those who prove worthy of them and I doubt very much that boons of communion are something you would desire.¡±

    ¡°Most definitely not.¡±

    ¡°I must take my leave. Continue your training and we shall meet again soon.¡±

    ¡°That we will. Oh, by the way. Assuming that it does take me until the time limit to reach level eighty-nine, I have an idea about my entrance into the tournament itself. Would you accommodate?¡±

    ¡°Would I be correct in assuming this entrance of yours is designed to show off and upset Chrysus.¡±

    ¡°You would.¡±

    ¡°Then I accept.¡±

 Chapter 186 â€“ Preliminary Round

    ¡°He should be back tomorrow,¡± Bell said to Rex as they took their seats in the stands.

    The arena was located on the outskirts of Castalor and it was gigantic. With multitiered seating, a huge playing field, VIP boxes that were both enclosed and open air, and lacrima screens dotted about for a closer view at the battles, it really was the continent¡¯s largest event.

    ¡°Fingers crossed,¡± Rex replied. He barely fit into his seat. The stadium was packed with people from all over the world. Over one hundred thousand people had crammed in to watch the opening battle royale. ¡°I just hope he knows what he¡¯s doing. Allying himself with him¡­¡±

    Bell patted him on the back softly. She hadn¡¯t been there when Lucas had admitted that this plan was Diako¡¯s but she had heard the commotion and seen the aftermath of Rex¡¯s reaction. He¡¯d thrown the king off the penthouse balcony. Thankfully Lucas could fly, but Gonzo was pretty upset about it.

    ¡°You know as well as I do that if he¡¯s working with him then it¡¯s for good reason. He hates gods more than any of us. You know, I heard that the first time he met Chrysus he told him he was an atheist. Right to his face.¡±

    Rex let out a half chuckle which sounded somewhere between a growl and a whimper. ¡°I know, and I trust him. I just hope that he hasn¡¯t gone and gotten himself into unnecessary trouble for the sake of others again. As much as I appreciated his help with my uncle, it was not his place to go risking his life to help those people. It¡¯s not his place to now either.¡±

    ¡°I think that if he was here he¡¯d argue that it¡¯s every adventurer¡¯s place to put themselves in danger to help people and I can¡¯t say I disagree.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    Before Rex could finish his sentence the arena erupted into screams of joy and excitement as a glowing, goldy figure floated onto the pitch and then lifted up high above the crowd. Floating before them was a man in a billowing green cloak. He had a muscular form with an exposed chest that housed a large scar. His stomach was covered in wrappings and scales covered the cheeks on his handsome face as his piercing yellow eyes surveyed the crowd.

    He waited a moment before speaking, basking in the adoration and cheers of the crowd.

    ¡°So this is Chrysus,¡± Rex growled.

    ¡°He¡¯s hotter than I expected,¡± Bell replied and Rex gave her a deadpan look.

    To the side of her, she overheard a snippet of conversation from two dwarves.

    ¡°Ye know, I heard that scar on his chest was given to him by Athena herself.¡±

    ¡°Poppycock, it¡¯s well known that no one alive ¨C not even the gods ¨C have met Athena. Ye should come to meh church sometime, it¡¯s the closest you¡¯ll ever get to feeling her presence.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Hogwash. Why would I degrade myself worshipping the one that abandoned us when Chrysus grants me wealth. Ye see, this is why my smithery is better than yours. Divine intervention.¡± The dwarf tapped the side of his head knowingly and the other one looked like he was about to hit him but was stopped by the abrupt halting of chatter amongst the crowd.

    Chrysus raised his hands and the crowd fell deathly silent, hanging on his every movement, his every word.

    ¡°Hello everyone, and welcome to the High Priest Tournament¡¯s preliminary round. As I¡¯m sure you are all aware, over the next week you will see battles galore as the pantheon¡¯s chosen champions fight to reveal who is the mightiest. However, before we get to that, I need to pick my own champion, they who, from among my followers, can prove their strength and cunning. They who can best all the others in my service to become my next High Priest.¡±

    He paused a moment to allow the crowd to whoop joyfully and excitedly. As they did, Bell looked around the crowd for signs of the other gods but there were none. She had hoped to get a glimpse of the competition for Kaleb¡¯s return but it didn¡¯t seem like the others were attending the prelims. If nothing else, at least I can get a read on Chrysus¡¯ champion. Lucas says they¡¯re really something.

    ¡°Without further ado then,¡± Chrysus continued as the crowd began to calm. ¡°Let me introduce the contenders from my service to the playing field.¡±

    Fireworks exploded above the arena as a slew of dozens of powerful figures walked out onto the grass. They all had varying uniqueness about them, almost exclusively human as they were. Most wore armour, many had blood red robes underneath.

    However, the one Bell and Rex were there to watch stood out immediately from the rest. This person wore samurai armour and carried a katana openly instead of keeping it in their inventory. They were completely masked as a black oni covered their face. It was hard to get a real tell of their shape from the armour that obscured it. Bell assumed they were some kind of muscular fighter but even she was aware that it was likely her bias from her own knowledge of Japanese samurais that was causing her to think that way.

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    ¡°The prelims are simple,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°It¡¯s an all-out, free for all to the death. The last man standing gets the honour of becoming my new High Priest and fighting as my champion in this clash of titans.¡±

    The crowd screamed and stamped their feet, it reverberated across the arena like stampeding elephants. The noise was all-encompassing. It was pure, unadulterated blood lust, the likes of which Bell had never experienced before.

    ¡°Without further ado, let¡¯s begin!¡± Chrysus, flew regally over the crowd towards a golden throne which floated in the air, overseeing the playing field. It seemed to move at his will as he both watched and refereed the ongoings.

    Without delay the battle started.

    It was immediate carnage. One man blasted a fireball at another who blocked it with his shield only to be decapitated by a third man from behind. That man swung a huge axe diagonally across the shield bearer, cutting into his neck and exiting at his pelvis. The body halved, slumping to the ground as blood gushed out like a river.

    The mage fired off a second fireball at the axe wielder who blocked it with the flat of his axe and then produced a smaller axe which he threw with devastating speed at the flame thrower.

    At the same time, two swordsmen fought on the opposite side of the arena. It seemed a pretty even clash as the sound of their blades clanging together rang out around the arena. Bell struggled to watch their movements they were so fast, and that was with her enhanced perception. It seemed that every one of Chrysus¡¯ warriors was a seasoned veteran. That only served to further worry the fireball mage who understood perfectly the stakes of these fights. Whoever won this bout was sure to be as skilled as they come, at least for the required level.

    ¡°The samurai is arrogant,¡± Rex growled, his arms were crossed and his eyes were trained directly on them.

    Bell followed his gaze to see the samurai unmoving. They stood in the same position they had been in at the start, arms crossed, seemingly unbothered by the death and violence that was ensuing all around them.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll have much more time to stand there looking bored,¡± Bell remarked. ¡°That guy behind them is coming in hot.¡±

    The man behind the Desert Samurai stalked his prey like a wild puma. Keeping low to the ground, he held two daggers and his form was slightly obscured by an odd mist that trailed around him creating the illusion that he was vibrating and moving from side to side. It had to be a skill.

    As he approached he suddenly stopped stock still and then fell to the floor as his body broke into hundreds of tiny, bloody pieces. Bell didn¡¯t even see the samurai move. She had no idea what happened.

    ¡°What the hell,¡± she said. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Kaleb is going to have a hard time with that samurai,¡± Rex remarked. ¡°Even I could barely keep up with their movement. That level of speed, I¡¯ve never seen it from one below the level cap.¡± He sounded awestruck, frightened even. Bell gulped as they continued to watch.

    Pretty soon the field was stained with blood and the samurai had not been attacked again. Only six contenders remained and they had all slain multiple foes, apart from the samurai who still stood, arms folded, in the middle of the battlefield.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end this,¡± they announced in a distinctly female voice which caught Bell by surprise. Thus far they¡¯d had no inclination as to the gender of the samurai.

    The other five contenders all stopped their various bouts of fighting to turn and look at her.

    ¡°Your arrogance will be your undoing,¡± the large man with an even larger axe announced. Grinning a bloody smile as he moved towards her.

    ¡°We shall see,¡± she said, turning to face him, arms still crossed. ¡°I will fight all of you at once.¡±

    Many of the crowd gasped at this, a few of the remaining contenders laughed over zealously. Yet she did not falter.

    ¡°You may attack me whenever you are ready. Make peace with our god,¡± she said, nodding up at Chrysus who grinned evilly down at her.

    ¡°Fuck this you cocky cunt!¡± The axe man said as he charged towards her, spittle flying from his mouth.

    A wave of strong aura flew out of the samurai, it put pressure on Bell¡¯s chest and she felt faint all of a sudden. It didn¡¯t seem to effect Rex but she saw a few members of the crowd faint at the blast. In the time it took her to blink, suddenly the samurai was halfway across the battlefield. She decidedly flicked the blood off the edge of her blade, returning it to the sheath.

    As it clicked into place, the axe wielding man fell in two halves. Just like the shield bearer he had split before. However, this had been executed with a smaller blade, by a much smaller person and with speed that Bell couldn¡¯t accurately track.

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± the samurai spat and before the remaining four contestants could turn to look at her, she was upon them. She seemed to step through space itself. One moment she was on one side of the arena decapitating a water mage, the next she was thrusting her blade into the sternum of a dual wielding swordsman. After that she had sliced a bowman in two and then, she was upon the final mage who cowered and cried as she took his head as well.

    In seconds, less than seconds, she was the only one remaining on the pitch. The crowd was silent, Bell felt an oppressive force in her chest which stayed there until the samurai sheaved her blade.

    ¡°Kaleb is going to struggle against her,¡± Bell said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that his mysterious training has paid off,¡± Rex replied. ¡°As it stands, I think even Lucas or Sally would struggle against her. Her speed is absolute.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that settles it then,¡± Chrysus said in a jovial tone as he dropped down to the ground grasping the samurai¡¯s hand and throwing it into the air. ¡°The Desert Samurai is my new High Priest and will therefore serve as my champion for the rest of this tournament.¡±

    The crowd was still stunned into silence until Chrysus shot a murderous look at them which seemed to contain a fraction of his aura and will. Bell felt it hard in her chest. It was saying clap or suffer the consequences.

    Vigorous clapping rang out across the arena and after a few awkward moments, cheering and foot banging ensued.

    ¡°We need to tell the others about this,¡± Bell said, her face pale. ¡°Do you think Kaleb knows how strong she is?¡±

    ¡°Either way, he¡¯s about to find out,¡± Rex replied as the two made to leave.

 Chapter 187 â€“ Foolâ€™s Fa?ade

    Stepping out of the portal, I found myself back on the balcony of the penthouse suite. It felt strange to be back, like this place was a distant memory. I guess spending a year in isolation will do that to a guy.

    ¡°You have done well,¡± Diako said, he was once again inhabiting Jack¡¯s body and I wondered if he even had a physical form in the mortal world. I guess I¡¯d find out once I got to the tournament.

    I nodded at the man and took a moment to delve into my stats. Marvelling at my progress.

    Status Sheet:

    Name: Kaleb Akabane

    Race: Outworlder

    Class: Apex Predator (unique)

    Adventurer Rank: Bronze

    Level: 89

    Map Pieces 523/10,000

    HP: 1372/686

    Stamina: 1540/770

    Strength: 770 (1540)

    Agility: 300 (600)

    Perception: 300

    Vitality: 686 (1372)

    Intelligence: 136

    I was one rank away from becoming a phase four, silver ranked adventurer. Finally, I was about to be where Sally was when we¡¯d met. I was catching up and it felt amazing. Over the course of the year I¡¯d placed most of my free points into strength and vitality with the odd point here and there into perception and agility. I gained five free points with every level so that alone had boosted my stats plenty.

    Alongside those free points I also gained seven points into strength, five into vitality, three into both perception and agility, and one into intelligence. This was something that had been decided when I¡¯d chosen my class all that time ago and I hadn¡¯t looked back since.

    Overall I felt like my stats were a big improvement, but for me it had taken a year to get there. It was akin to starting weightwatchers then looking in the mirror every day. The changes were so gradual to me that I barely noticed them at all. With the exception of my three new skills of course. They were definitely noticeable.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I asked as I looked around at the empty space. I cast my aura out slightly, covering the apartment, and I couldn¡¯t sense anyone either.

    Asmodeus had taught me that trick a little while back, it had been a huge help in the training zone as it allowed me to search for monsters from a greater distance. I was probably going to have to reign it in now I was back though. Not only was it considered rude in Celestia, but as I had no mana, my aura was linked entirely to my soul power and unleashing it as a sonar-like detector would tell everyone it touched exactly what I was capable of. Panda had advised me to keep my soul power a secret, so I needed to stop projecting it now that I was back. As part of my shadow armour¡¯s full set bonus I could shield my aura from others when I put my hood up, but sadly that didn¡¯t extend to the raging soul core buried deep in my sternum. To hide that, I had to practice diligently and make a conscious effort to hide it. Luckily, I¡¯d been taught the basics already.

    ¡°They¡¯re already at the stadium,¡± Diako said. ¡°The opening ceremony has just begun.¡±

    ¡°Already? Fuck I¡¯m gonna be late!¡±

    ¡°Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, ay, kid?¡± Panda added unhelpfully with a snigger.

    ¡°Worry not, I will open a portal for you,¡± Diako said, beginning to wave his arms.

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± I replied with a grin. ¡°I have a better idea.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± Chrysus roared to a cheering crowd. Bell sat in the Regina¡¯s private box overlooking the arena. Joining them were Lucas and his two aides, his father, Chonkers, Sally, and Rex. ¡°After such a fine showing yesterday I am certain that my champion will claim victory. However, that will be decided in blood. Over the course of the next week we members of the pantheon shall pit our champions against one another until there is only one remaining. Each fight shall be to the death.¡±

    On the opposite side of the huge arena, there was a golden box. It was raised up above the stands and sat about halfway up the seating on the walls. Within the box, the members of the pantheon each sat on their thrones. It was quite the spectacle.

    ¡°Where the hell is Kaleb?¡± Rex hissed, pacing irritably back and forth.

    ¡°Yes son, please do tell me where your great protector is. Is he not supposed to be here, protecting me from assassination?¡± Havier Regina said.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve got us in here,¡± Bell replied with the wave of her hand. She cast her eyes back towards the floating god. ¡°Bit of a show off isn¡¯t he?¡±

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    ¡°Diako would agree with you,¡± Havier replied. ¡°And speaking of him, where is Jack?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be arriving with Kaleb shortly father,¡± Lucas said in a diplomatic tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t presume to talk to me, boy. You may be a king now but you¡¯re no son of mine.¡±

    Bell winced, but didn¡¯t look back at the two of them, instead focusing on the opening ceremony before her. The crowd was voracious and the entire arena was full. There were numerous boxes dotted about which she assumed housed monarchs and rulers. It was quite the spectacle to behold.

    ¡°The high priest tournament is one with a glorious history,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°Started eons ago by a much smaller pantheon, its goal was to promote camaraderie between the gods, settle disputes, and celebrate the rising of a new high priest in a god¡¯s service. Today I hope to foster the former and delight in the latter.

    ¡°Sitting behind me are the great and venerable gods of the pantheon. And though I know that they need no introduction, tradition dictates that I do them the honour of one anyway. Please give your warmest regards to Diako, god of shadows, Baccus, god of ale and wine, Phonoi, god of murder, Loki, god of trickery, and Nyx, the newest member of our pantheon and my good friend.¡±

    The crowd cheered fervently; however the cheers were at their loudest for Baccus. I¡¯m not surprised they like him best, Bell thought. Who doesn¡¯t love a good drink.

    ¡°And now good people of Celestia, allow me to introduce our champions,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°This first champion needs no introduction, many of you watched her slaughter her way to the top of my worshippers. Please put your hands together for The Desert Samurai!¡±

    Cheering continued as the samurai walked out onto the arena without fanfare. Her samurai armour gleamed and she stood proudly with a hand on the hilt of her blade. A large wolf accompanied her onto the field.

    ¡°Look, she has a pet,¡± Bell chimed.

    ¡°It bears resemblance to you, Red Fist,¡± Gonzo sniggered and Taylor elbowed him hard in the ribs.

    ¡°It¡¯s Crimson Fist to you,¡± Rex replied. ¡°And I would say that the creature more closely resembles your mother Gonzo, but I wouldn¡¯t want to offend the poor wolf.¡±

    Bell and Taylor cracked up at that as Gonzo turned a deep shade of red. He looked like he was going to retort but a stern look from Lucas stilled his slack jaw.

    ¡°Next we have a warrior famed in arenas all over the world,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°Representing Baccus, please welcome Brodir to the field.¡±

    The crowd continued their boisterous cheering as a giant of a man stepped out next to the samurai. He wore furs around his waist, but nothing covered his top half. He was a lycanid, the biggest Bell had ever seen. He towered over the samurai and his greying muzzle seemed to be twice as thick as Rex¡¯s. He was well muscled, but mostly the man was simply a beast. Hanging peacefully from a belt made of skulls he had two axes, a much larger one hung from his back. It seemed that he too wore his weapons in the open.

    ¡°Why do you all do that?¡± Bell asked. ¡°You know there¡¯s an inventory function right?¡±

    ¡°A true warrior fights their enemies head on,¡± Sally explained. ¡°Allowing an opponent to see your blade before you use it is a proclamation of your intent to fight honourably. And it looks cool.¡± Rex nodded along with her, his battle axe glinting fiercely on his back.

    ¡°Loki¡¯s champion is a new contender this year,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°But I am sure he will make a great showing. Please welcome, Aethis!¡±

    Strutting like she owned the place, a racoon dog walked onto the pitch. She was tiny and stood upright, keeping her weapons hidden, Bell hadn¡¯t seen this race before and as she focused on Aethis a notification popped up.

    Racoon Dog

    Similar in size and appearance to the racoon dogs of Japan, this little guy loves trash. That¡¯s probably why so many of them are low level merchants running pawn shops or any other cluttered store of crap you can think of. Some, however, become warriors. Most don¡¯t last long.

    ¡°Well that wasn¡¯t very reassuring,¡± Bell muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kaleb will have an easy time against her.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure,¡± Taylor said. ¡°My spies tell me that she¡¯s quite the fearsome foe. Supposedly, all who fight her die and as such no one has seen her fight before.¡±

    ¡°Knowing Loki, she probably fights dirty,¡± Havier muttered.

    ¡°Next we have a champion known to be the stuff of nightmares,¡± Chrysus continued. ¡°Representing Phonoi, please welcome Mistress Labia!¡±

    Before the champion had stepped outside, Bell cracked up laughing. Holding her stomach as tears ran down her cheek. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s her name!

    ¡°What is it?¡± Rex asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied, giggling slightly as she tried to focus on the pitch. Something walked onto it, but it seemed ethereal and was covered in a flowing cloak. No notification appeared in her interface so she had no information about it. It seemed that neither did Taylor.

    ¡°This will be his first tournament since ascending,¡± Chrysus announced. ¡°So let¡¯s hope that his champion leaves a good impression. Representing Nyx, please welcome Adolf Von Silver to the field!¡±

    Bell¡¯s eyes widened slightly, then widened even further as she realised who it was. The cloaked man with the silver eyes walked briskly onto the field. It was the same man they¡¯d run into at The Morningstar Hotel & Spa, the same man who had captured her previously.

    ¡°I hope Kaleb kills that motherfucker,¡± she said under her breath. ¡°There must be something about that name that makes people evil.¡±

    Rex patted her shoulder calmly and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t like him either, but for now let¡¯s just hope that Kaleb actually arrives at some point.¡±

    ¡°And last but not least,¡± Chrysus began as someone floated up to him from behind, cutting him off. It seemed the person had come from the direction of Diako. ¡°Ah, apologies ladies and gentlemen,¡± he continued as the figure handed him a scroll and floated back down, disappearing into the crowd. ¡°It seems that there has been a last-minute change to the line-up. Though I don¡¯t see why he couldn¡¯t have just messaged me this.¡± He muttered, unfolding the scroll as he spoke. ¡°Please put your hands together for the champion representing Diako¡­¡± He stopped for a moment as he read the name, ¡°Kaleb Akabane?¡±

    Chrysus looked genuinely shocked as he looked down at the field. However, Kaleb did not come from that direction. Bell heard the sound of heavy, beating wings as a black blotch dotted the skyline. She looked up, covering her eyes with her hand to try and block out the sun and see better.

    In a whoosh that blew dust up all around the arena, a huge black dragon flew past Chrysus and landed in the middle of the stadium. Lifting its head, it spewed a cyclone of lightning into the sky.

    ¡°No. Freaking. Way.¡± Bell said.

    Riding atop the dragon was a familiar face, though he looked somewhat different from last time. Kaleb waved at the audience as Asmodeus circled like an unruly horse. Panda clung to his back and looked very uncomfortable.

    Kaleb looked broader than last time, and his hair had grown back with a vengeance. The sides were shaved, but it was long and braided on top and he had a beard. His eyes were dark and his weapons were not on show, but that same, familiar dark armour adorned his figure.

    ¡°He looks good,¡± Bell said. ¡°And Azzy got huge. Think he¡¯ll let me ride him?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rex replied. ¡°His level has increased exponentially. Most impressive. Though I bet he hasn¡¯t taken that armour off for a second.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad he made it,¡± Lucas added. ¡°He sure knows how to make an entrance.¡±

    ¡°I can sense it from here,¡± Sally said. ¡°It seems that he is close to keeping his promise to me.¡± She smiled a fangy, challenging smile as she gazed down on him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that?¡± Havier began. ¡°This is ridiculous, how in the blazes is he supposed to guard me if he¡¯s competing? Lucas, it seems you can¡¯t even get your subordinates in line. Some king you are.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Jack said and the rest turned at his sudden appearance as a portal snapped shut behind him. ¡°He¡¯s competing at Diako¡¯s request. But don¡¯t worry, Sir. I will keep you safe even if you are the highest levelled one here.¡±

    ¡°Ah Jack,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. I have an update on the assassination attempt that is about to be made. It seems to have originated from Chrysus¡¯ camp.¡±

    ¡°In due time, Sir,¡± Jack said evenly. ¡°For now let¡¯s watch that fool make a spectacle out of this fa?ade.¡±

 Chapter 188 â€“ He Seems To Like You

    The opening ceremony ended and I found myself wandering up towards Havier Regina¡¯s box. Chrysus had lost his composure for a moment when I arrived and I was pretty pleased about it. My face hadn¡¯t hurt from smiling in over a year, it was an uncomfortably pleasant feeling.

    As I entered, passing one of his guards who didn¡¯t even attempt to stop me from entering, I laid eyes on my friends for the first time in so long. My heart almost leaped into my chest; I hadn¡¯t realised how much I¡¯d missed them.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± I said as I walked slowly into the box. All eyes turned towards me.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a week,¡± Rex said with a smile, ¡°but I¡¯m glad to see you back here and safe¡­ wait.¡± He stopped, moving towards me, he looked me up and down and his eyes widened. ¡°By the gods, you¡¯ve done it?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    He patted me on the shoulder with both, furred and meaty, hands. Once upon a time his strength would have forced me to my knees, but not anymore.

    ¡°Then you just might stand a chance in this ridiculous tournament,¡± he said in a low, harsh voice. ¡°Though I don¡¯t understand why you wish to take part in the first place. Getting involved with the gods is never a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Considering our goals and the appearance of my back we were going to get involved with them eventually anyway. At least this way we won¡¯t be caught off guard.¡±

    I had spent a lot of time considering my position in all of this. Diako¡¯s offer was a means to an end and I planned to seize it with conviction. I needed the map pieces, I needed power. If I could win this tournament I¡¯d gain both. Killing the samurai, who I now knew was the culprit behind the stolen skins from Morningstar, would make me the closest contender for the Celestial Map. Though I still wouldn¡¯t go around murdering outworlders, the more pieces I absorbed the more powerful my soul became.

    Back at High Rock when I¡¯d absorbed the pieces there I saw the change in my soul core. I hadn¡¯t understood it then, but a year can change a lot of things. I¡¯d spent a lot of time meditating and contemplating the ongoing changes to my soul, the mysterious soul power I possessed. And I concluded that map pieces made it stronger, made me more powerful.

    Once I surpassed the level cap I was certain that I would be able to wield that power whenever I liked. So in the meantime, collecting map pieces from zealots would only serve to strengthen my soul¡¯s power. Which in turn would get me closer to discovering how to bring my wife and child to this world. Diako had also promised to help me with that, but I was sceptical. Still, what other choice did I have?

    Rex sighed and stepped away. The moment he let go of me Bell pounced on me, dashing into my chest. Not so long ago that would have been staggering but now I stood like a brick wall before her as she threw her arms around me and buried her head in my chest.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you,¡± she said through a muffled voice which vibrated as her warm breath moistened my armour. ¡°I bet you haven¡¯t taken your armour off since you left have you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ washed,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Sure¡­¡± she giggled. ¡°Azzy has grown so big, will you let me ride him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine with me if it¡¯s fine with him.¡±

    Almost as if on cue, my circling dragon landed on the edge of the box and opened his wings, posing like a coat of arms on a knight¡¯s shield. He was a sight to behold, though sadly he wouldn¡¯t be allowed to fight in the arena with me.

    ¡°I have returned,¡± he bellowed, lifting his head regally to the side.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown to quite the size dear dragon,¡± Chonkers said, approaching him.

    ¡°I have. So much, I fear, that you are no longer big enough to count as an afternoon snack for me. kitten.¡±

    Chonkers scoffed before turning to me. ¡°Once you reach the next level, and time permits, come see me at the guild and I¡¯ll update your card. You¡¯ll have to sit the silver rank exam this time though, there¡¯s no waving it I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    I nodded politely to him. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you here.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be staying. These competitions sicken me and I have more important work to do. But as director it was my duty to attend the opening day and show my face.¡±

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    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re close to keeping that promise you made me back in Cali Port,¡± Sally said, seizing my arm and shaking it.

    ¡°And yet you still pull ahead of me,¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Well I have been at it a lot longer than you have. Though with the speed at which you gain levels I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll overtake me one day. Gonads,¡± her face turned suddenly serious. ¡°My time in Cali Port made me realise something and I know it¡¯s sudden when you¡¯ve only just returned but¡­ can I-¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with a grin.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me finish!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still a yes.¡±

    ¡°Fine, then transfer me all of your gold,¡± she winked. ¡°And then, allow me to join your party.¡±

    I laughed and nodded, though of course I was not going to give her my gold. She¡¯d probably see it as an insult if I tried. ¡°As far as I was concerned you were always a member of Dissident Flame. You just didn¡¯t realise it.¡±

    She nodded and stepped away. Rex patted her on the back and welcomed her aboard. Bell was too busy cooing over Asmodeus to realise what had just happened.

    ¡°Kid,¡± Panda said tugging at my armoured pants. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interrupt, but I noticed something odd earlier. There are only six champions. How is this tournament going to work with six, I thought it would be one on one battles until only two remained but that can¡¯t be the case with only six people. The numbers don¡¯t work.¡±

    It was Jack who answered his question. The man looked haggard and tired. Probably from being possessed by his god so much. I shivered at the idea and wondered if he was aware of what was happening when Diako was driving him like an anime mech.

    ¡°It begins that way,¡± he said. ¡°But once there are only three left the final battle begins. All three champions fight against each other in a free for all with the last one standing being declared the winner. It¡¯s a new rule for this tournament. Previously there were only five gods and their champions so the hosting god¡¯s champion would have an automatic place in the finals. But since Nyx is here too, taking part in his first tournament, they¡¯ve had to change it up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s troubling,¡± I said, casting an eye over at Lucas whose face seemed to echo my thoughts. ¡°That means if both Chrysus and Nyx¡¯s champions win then it¡¯ll basically be a two on one for me."

    ¡°Assuming you make it that far,¡± Havier said with a wink.

    ¡°It¡¯s worse than that,¡± Lucas said, his face bleak and his beard greying. He looked so much older than he had when I¡¯d met him. ¡°Chrysus is using this tournament as a way to forge alliances like I told you before you left. If he is successful then I fear there might be no way to prevent it from being one sided.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m going to need to be strong enough to beat two champions at once?¡± I asked. ¡°My power has grown, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m strong enough for that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely not,¡± Bell said, stepping away from Asmodeus to rejoin the conversation. An uncharacteristically grim look was etched onto her face. ¡°You didn¡¯t see her fight, Kaleb. That samurai woman is a devil, she¡¯s so fast I couldn¡¯t even see her attacks. If you face her in the finals I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll win even if it is a fair fight. Fighting two of them? You¡¯ve no chance.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± I said playfully. ¡°But I agree. Two champions at once is a no go. So what do we do?¡±

    ¡°We forge our own alliances,¡± Rex said, crossing his arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea¡­¡± I began. ¡°But will any of the gods be willing to ally with a mortal like me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Jack said. ¡°But they might be willing to ally themselves with Diako. Especially if that alliance also means a deal with the emperor of Castalor, the man touted to become the next god.¡± He cast a discerning eye over at Havier and I followed the line.

    In moments all eyes were on the man who had remained uncharacteristically quite through all of this. His large head was rested on his fist as he looked me up and down, allowing a small amount of his aura to leak out and surround me. The last time he¡¯d done that I¡¯d nearly collapsed, this time however, I weathered the feeling.

    My stomach twisted and I felt his overwhelming will trying to crush my own, but the strength of my new level helped me. Then a notification popped up.

    Skill: Usurper has activated.

    I¡¯d gained that skill a long time ago and I¡¯d barely ever used it. Perhaps never. It was a passive skill which strengthened my soul against something called a monarch-based attack. I had a feeling it was going to come in pretty useful over the next week.

    Usurper (unique)

    Due to your needless refusal to bow to kings, your soul has been forever changed.

    The bane of gods and royalty alike, you¡¯re not only defiant and disrespectful to authority. You¡¯ve gone as far as to usurp the throne of the Goblin King from its rightful heir.

    Your soul has gained strength.

    You are immune to monarch-based soul manipulation skills.

    Havier Regina let his aura filled gaze linger on me for a moment, but since my skill had activated it felt like no more than a slight haptic buzz in the back of my skull. I was immune to whatever skill he was trying to force on me. After a moment, he smiled.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to you than I originally thought,¡± he said wistfully. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll make introductions for you so that you can meet with the various, willing gods over the next week or so. It¡¯ll be up to you to convince them to join your side though. As it so happens I have my own affairs with each of them anyway, so you can tag along.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why do I have to negotiate?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Diako is famous for his lack of people skills,¡± he smirked. ¡°You¡¯re his champion, you have authority to act in his proxy for the time being. Isn¡¯t that the entire point of this tournament?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Jack nodded. ¡°Though I will ask my god for his permission first. I see no reason why he won¡¯t give it though. For some reason he seems to like you, Kaleb.¡±

 Chapter 189 â€“ Lokiâ€™s Brand Of Magic

    ¡°When you said you¡¯d make introductions for me, I didn¡¯t think you meant immediately,¡± I said as Havier Regina led me through the twisting labyrinth which was the Castalor arena.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present lad,¡± he replied, marching regally beside me as his fancy cloak billowed behind him. ¡°Besides, I already had this meeting in the books. Loki and I have some business to attend to.¡±

    ¡°How is it that you know the gods so well?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I know them well. But I do know them. I¡¯ve been alive for a long time, Kaleb. Passing the level cap will do that. You don¡¯t live this long and get this powerful without making a few connections. The world becomes imperceivably small when you¡¯ve lived in it for a few hundred years.¡±

    A few hundred years? I thought. I knew he was old but that was mad. I wondered what life felt like after that long, it had to be pretty dull. Perhaps that was why men like Havier, and the gods, had such ridiculous ambitions. Not that I can talk¡­

    I followed Regina through a winding stone tunnel which led to an elevator. Two guards stood at either side and my dragon¡¯s eye showed me that they were both level cappers. They moved aside for us without a word, saluting Havier with a single fist across their hearts. The same salute used by the old guard of Adventure Society¡­ and Morningstar guards.

    The elevator rose with a dull grumble and opened out onto a brightly lit, lavish room. As we stepped inside I saw, through the opening on the far side, the back of a throne-like chair. We had to be behind the golden platform where the gods were sitting during Chrysus¡¯ opening speech.

    Golden chalices, cutlery, ornamental weaponry and decorated shields cluttered tables and hung from the walls. An open firepit dominated the middle of the room and a sweet-smelling incense stung my watery eyes. Furs from creatures, unknown to me, littered the floor and piles of freshly cooked meats, breads, and cheeses sat artistically on the largest table.

    The room was filled with people, music, exotic dancers. It seemed as if Loki was throwing a party. The men dressed in furs and the women dressed in¡­ very little. They drank from horns and clanked them together as they rowdily engaged with the various activities in the room.

    ¡°Are we interrupting?¡± I asked Havier quietly. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re in the middle of a celebration.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± he replied with the wave of his hand. ¡°It always looks like this.¡± Marching forwards into the fray, he loudly shouted, ¡°Loki, have you forgotten about our meeting?¡±

    In a flash the room went still. The music stopped, the dancers stopped, the revelry stopped, and all eyes turned towards us. At the head of the room, laid on a throne of pillows, an unassuming man sat up and pushed two women ¨C a lycanid and a garuda ¨C off him. The women looked indignantly at me before pulling covers over themselves.

    ¡°Ah, Havier,¡± the man, presumably Loki, said with a wide smile. ¡°Please accept my deepest apologies, I must have,¡± he looked slyly at the two women, ¡°lost track of time.¡± They giggled as if it was the funniest thing they¡¯d ever heard and he shooed them away, slapping the backside of each as they left. The entire display made my head hurt.

    Getting to his feet, the man pulled on a loose cloak made of dark fur and did up the buttons on his tight-fitting pants. His head was shaved on the back and the sides but left abnormally long on top, held in a thick braid which swung down the back of his neck like a tail. On either side of his head were tattoos of ravens, rudimentary in design. He had many scars on his chest and an arrow tattooed on his lower abdomen which pointed towards his crotch.

    ¡°Now then, shall we start this meeting of yours, Havier, whilst you explain to me why Diako¡¯s champion is accompanying you?¡± He asked, suddenly much more serious as he raised a single eyebrow at me and took a seat at the head of his long table. He gestured for us to sit down and two of the men sitting near him moved away.

    ¡°Young Kaleb is here to discuss forming an alliance with you, with Diako¡¯s blessing of course,¡± Havier replied, taking his seat and grabbing at a large horn of what I assumed was mead, given the setting.

    ¡°Is he now?¡± Loki replied in a sing-song voice. ¡°And what, pray tell, does young Kaleb hope to gain from forming an alliance with me?¡±

    I waited a moment before replying and Havier nudged me in the arm. ¡°We have reason to believe that there is a plot to usurp the gods and I¡­ Diako, wishes to form strong bonds of friendship with you and other members of the pantheon to combat this. He believes that you will be stronger together.¡±

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    ¡°Does he now?¡± Loki asked playfully, ¡°and how many times did Diako practice that opening speech in the mirror before coming to me?¡± He laughed and the other people in the room joined in loudly. I felt completely out of my depth; this guy was so hard to read. ¡°Wipe that frown off your face young one. Do you not partake of the jesting banter where you come from?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± I replied. ¡°But it has to actually be funny to count as banter¡­¡±

    I locked eyes with Loki for a moment and his straight face cracked as he laughed. I joined in, though it was oddly awkward. There was something about the small beads of aura he was releasing that I didn¡¯t like, stale like tepid water.

    ¡°As it happens, I already know of the dangers of which you speak,¡± Loki continued. ¡°In fact, I will be holding audience with Chrysus later today to discuss this exact issue. If I were to take a wild guess, I¡¯d bet Diako doesn¡¯t plan on including the mercantile god in this alliance of his, does he?¡±

    ¡°Considering that Chrysus is the source of this danger, I highly doubt it.¡±

    ¡°Your views are too linear young one,¡± Loki smiled, reaching over and pouring more of the sweet, sticky alcohol into his horn. ¡°If Chrysus is the dangerous one, then surely by siding with him I¡¯d be keeping myself out of harm¡¯s way?¡±

    ¡°Or you¡¯d be making yourself vulnerable to a sneak attack. You do know he plans to rule over the entire pantheon right?¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard, but I don¡¯t necessarily see that as a bad thing. Every group needs a leader don¡¯t they? A High God, so to speak, to keep the others in check. System knows I don¡¯t want the responsibility so why not let Chrysus take the helm? Athena once held that role and it worked wonders. Besides, even if I were to side with Diako I wouldn¡¯t get to see my arse planted on the throne of the heavens now would I? Not that I want the role, but the point I¡¯m making is that it matters not whose side I take, only what I stand to gain by taking it.¡±

    I paused for a moment, taking a swig of the honey-laced mead in front of me. It warmed my throat and chest and tasted syrupy. It was good.

    ¡°So shall I take that as a no then, or are you asking for a bribe?¡± I asked.

    ¡°One should never work in definitives, Champion of Diako. I¡¯ll see what Chrysus has to offer me and I¡¯ll decide from there, unless you have a more tangible offer to make me?¡± He raised his eyebrows at me and I didn¡¯t reply. I had no authority to bribe him nor did I particularly want to. An ally that can be bought isn¡¯t truly your friend is he? ¡°A pity, but come now, don¡¯t look so bleak. You sit at the table of a god, almost as equals. That has to be enough to make any mortal¡¯s day.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in gods,¡± I replied cooly. ¡°I recognise your power, but I won¡¯t mistake it for divinity.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I guess that shows me,¡± he laughed but I felt his aura bearing down on me. I didn¡¯t show it though. My usurper skill protected me from his influence so instead I sat straight faced, looking him dead in the eyes as if I couldn¡¯t feel the mounting pressure of his aura pushing against my skill-shielded chest. After a moment I saw a flicker of confusion on his face, followed by recognition. He hid it well, but my perception was high enough to catch it, just.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you an interesting one. I can¡¯t wait to see you do battle. I have some time before my next meeting. Why don¡¯t you let some of my girls look after you?¡±

    As if out of nowhere, two naked human women appeared on either side of me.

    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m married.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you prefer the company of men, or other races?¡± He asked and suddenly the two women morphed into naked men. One was a lycanid and the other a svartalf.

    I jumped slightly and the confusion must have shown on my face because Loki burst out laughing and the rest of his entourage joined in.

    ¡°Need I remind you that we haven¡¯t had our meeting yet?¡± Regina added impatiently.

    He speaks so demandingly to gods, I know I¡¯m not the best with them but I can¡¯t believe they let him get away with that tone. It must be nice to be so powerful. One day I will be there too.

    ¡°Oh take that stick out of your arse Regina, you old sop. I was just playing with the lad,¡± Loki replied, throwing an empty mug at him with lightning speed. I heard a crack, the mug flying so fast that I couldn¡¯t even perceive it until I saw it in Havier¡¯s hand. How did he catch that?

    ¡°I¡¯m as fond of your tricks as the next man, Loki,¡± Regina said calmly. ¡°But need I remind you that the amnesty in this place is absolute whilst the tournament is ongoing? This could have taken my head off,¡± he said, shaking the mug and tutting.

    ¡°Only if I wanted it to,¡± Loki replied, licking his lips slowly. ¡°You speak above your station, Havier. The amnesty applies to gods, not wannabes. But fine, have it your way. Let¡¯s have our boring meeting then.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Havier replied. ¡°Though I¡¯d ask that we have it without any interruptions.¡±

    Loki sighed, shaking his head. He snapped his fingers and suddenly every person in the room vanished with a puff of smoke. Including the weird naked men near me and the two women he¡¯d been fondling when we got here. Were they all illusions?

    I¡¯d heard that he used powerful illusion magic but even my dragon¡¯s eye couldn¡¯t tell that they weren¡¯t real. I felt them. I felt the women press up against my arms before he turned them into men. How can you feel an illusion?

    ¡°Kaleb, I trust you know the way back?¡± Regina asked, placing his hand on my arm and giving me a look that said I really needed to get going. ¡°I¡¯ll find you later, feel free to use my box whenever you like. We still need to discuss your contract with me.¡±

    The assassination attempt, I thought. I¡¯d completely forgotten about that.

 Chapter 190 â€“ God Slayer Mana

    ¡°It is now time to draw candidates for the first round of battle!¡± Chrysus announced to the cheering, ecstatic audience who surrounded the arena. ¡°In the way of the old I shall draw names from this, the fabled hat of Athena.¡± He produced a golden helm with little white wings on the top. It looked distinctly Greek and even had one of those little nose guards I recognised from the 500 film.

    Reaching in with vigour, his arm disappeared. It had to be some kind of mana because the helm itself simply wasn¡¯t long enough for that. With a large grin on his serpentine face he withdrew a small scrap of parchment. Whipping his arm away, he threw the parchment high into the air and it exploded in a large rumbling bang which reverberated around the stadium.

    Fireworks shot out from the parchment in various shades as magenta, fuchsia, and violet lit up the darkened sky. The day was drawing to a close and I had wondered why it had taken so long to announce the first fight. Apparently, it was due to the sun being risen. What a dick, I thought scathingly as I watched the performance with folded arms. Looking around at the audience, it seemed I was quite alone in my thoughts. Most people watched on with the interest and wonder of a young child on bonfire night.

    As the colours cascaded high into the sky, a single name formed from the explosive jets: Brodir.

    ¡°The first champion to fight will be none other than Baccus¡¯ favourite son, Brodir!¡± Chrysus announced to the crowds fervent cheering. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that this fighter can win more than a simple drinking contest.¡±

    Laughs rang out and I sighed heavily, resisting the urge to let my face hit my palm.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard great things about him,¡± Rex said in a low growl from the side of me.

    ¡°And now for our next contestant!¡± Chrysus yelled.

    As he continued on with his showy fa?ade, I turned towards the sound of footsteps as Havier entered his box. Catching my eye, he moved to the side of me.

    ¡°We need to talk about the assassination plot,¡± he said in a grim tone. ¡°I know when it¡¯s going to happen and I will not be able to assist in the fight.¡±

    Overhead the fireworks crackled with scarlet, turquoise, and khaki. I didn¡¯t even know you could make khaki fireworks. They spelled out the name: Adolf Von Silver.

    ¡°It seems Nyx¡¯s champion shall be the contender! A newcomer to the pantheon and to these games, will his chosen make a good showing on his first outing, or will Baccus¡¯ man secure the day? You won¡¯t have to wait long to find out, people of Celestia. Their battle will commence tomorrow morning!¡±

    The crowd cheered as Chrysus released more fireworks from the tips of his fingers, entertaining the crowd with dancing catonids made of light. They fought an array of firework monsters. It would have been impressive If I didn¡¯t hate him so much. It surprised me that he was so clearly trying to win the hearts and minds of the people when I knew he was planning to slaughter them in an all-out war of the gods. Was this his attempt at recruitment?

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you be able to fight?¡± Rex asked Havier, and my mind was swiftly pulled back into the conversation.

    ¡°Because my involvement would destroy the arena, breaking the amnesty,¡± he replied through gritted teeth. ¡°Chrysus has me trapped, the bastard.¡±

    ¡°I thought the amnesty was only between the gods?¡± I said.

    ¡°It is, but there¡¯s more to it than that. The amnesty applies to attacks by those of the same rank and station against one another. Gods are forbidden to attack gods; rulers of kingdoms are forbidden to attack other rulers. It is the only way to ensure the safety of the most important people here.¡±

    ¡°So gods can attack kings?¡±

    ¡°If they want to, only other gods are powerful enough to stop them. They won¡¯t though, not unless severely provoked. It looks bad for their image to randomly smite rulers of countries and it would make others hesitant to attend their future tournaments. A god¡¯s reputation is everything to them. Part of the path to ascension is building a loyal following of worshippers so fostering good will is a large part of their job, so to speak.¡±

    ¡°So are you saying his assassins are kings?¡±

    ¡°No his assassins are not rulers. They are going to come for me with soul mana, a powerful attack type which gets harder to fend off the more powerful one gets. It has been known as god slayer magic in the past and almost everyone who is born with it is slaughtered on the spot if they¡¯re found out. The only way I can defend against it is to send out my own wave of soul mana. Unfortunately, doing so would likely kill half the audience, including a few minor, less powerful rulers, on the spot.¡± He glanced towards Lucas but just for a moment. ¡°If I do that I will not only break the amnesty, but I will be slaughtering my own people.¡±

    ¡°Then how do you expect me to deal with it?¡± I asked, turning fully towards him now. I hated politics, but I understood the desire to not murder a bunch of innocent people to protect oneself. The issue was, if that was the level of power needed to counter this threat, then how could I defend him without causing the same kind of collateral damage. More importantly, was this god slayer mana the same as my own soul power?

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    ¡°They won¡¯t use their soul mana on someone of your level,¡± he said, his large eyes resting resolutely on mine. ¡°Soul mana is powerful, but also dangerous to the user, and tyring. They won¡¯t use it on anyone other than their target: me. So if you engage them in battle, you¡¯ll be able to fight them normally. I need you to do this for me and I need you to do it through intercepting them before they can reach me. If they get to me before you can kill them then it¡¯s game over. I will be forced to defend myself and this stadium will be thrown into calamity.¡±

    ¡°Surely even this soul mana can¡¯t one shot you though.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± he sighed, blinking hard. ¡°There is a reason why the gods slaughter almost anyone who shows an aptitude for it.¡±

    What he said made sense. The few times I¡¯d used my own soul power I¡¯d been rendered almost completely catatonic afterwards. He was basically saying that in a single move Chrysus had turned him into a ticking time bomb. Either way, Havier Regina would lose. He would either die, or he would lose all the support of those around him and from the sound of it, that would ensure he never ascended to godhood. Or at least it would be a huge set back. Also the many innocent lives lost, that was important too, much more important in my opinion. Though I couldn¡¯t help but wonder is my own soul power was the same thing and if that was true, would I be able to kill a god?

    ¡°You said you know when this is going to happen?¡± I asked.

    He nodded and I sent a quick message to Panda. I needed him to look into this god slaying magic and I needed it done discreetly. No one else could know about it, not even my team.

    ***

    The next morning we returned to the box to watch the battle. Whoever won would enter the finals. Whoever won, would influence the overall result of the tournament. I needed to gather as much information as I could and watch closely.

    It seemed that whilst I had been in the training zone, my companions had not sat idly by. The previous night I had spoken to Lucas and Rex. The new king of Havar had told me that his troops had arrived at New Port, a small coastal town roughly a day¡¯s ride east of Castalor.

    A contingent of them had already arrived in the capital, disguised as normal people. Supposedly they had already integrated themselves into the crowd. He¡¯d wanted to bring more soldiers here but couldn¡¯t risk them being found out. It would be constituted as an open act of aggression. So the rest stayed with the boats, ready to depart immediately if needed. He also had a ship docked in Cali Port with more troops who were currently helping Freja to rebuild. He assured me that we had enough troops and contingencies to escape if needs be.

    I wasn¡¯t certain.

    If Chrysus¡¯ plan succeeded I wasn¡¯t sure that a few boats and some armed men would be enough to provide any one of us safe passage off the continent, but a backup plan was good to have I guessed.

    Rex had ordered half of Broken Sheild to Castalor. His mercenaries waited inconspicuously in the wings. They had infiltrated the various sections of the crowd and awaited his orders. Their presence was more useful than Lucas¡¯ faraway army, but I hoped I wouldn¡¯t need to use them.

    The rest of the mercs were waiting back in High Rock. Apparently the Duchess had declined her invitation to watch the tournament and was busy training up an army of shield maidens with the help of Broken Shield. Lucas assured me that having fall back positions both on the coast to the east and the mountains to the southwest would put us in a strong position tactically.

    However, I was fairly certain that if the need to flee arose then I would already be dead, along with countless others. Still, I was glad for their aid. It was nice to know they cared so much.

    As we stood waiting for the battle to start, Lucas nodded towards a VIP box on the far left of our own. It was a lavish, raised box which stood above and jutted out over the eastern stands. I could just about make out the contingent of people standing eagerly at the barrier, looking down into the arena.

    ¡°That box belongs to a powerful ruler,¡± he said quietly as I followed his gaze. ¡°She is known as the Empress of the Rising Sun and it is said that her lands are so vast that the sun never sets on her empire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve not heard much about the eastern continent,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Not many in the west talk about that part of Celestia,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°Our world is split into three main areas. The western continent, where we are now, is by far the most densely populated and most economically powerful entity on the planet. It¡¯s one large expanse of land with a few smaller islands dotted around it and a large expanse of land to the south, which is largely uninhabited, but which still falls under the rules of the continent¡¯s leader, my father.¡±

    I already knew most of this. The Celestian map was a facsimile of Earth¡¯s. The western continent, known to most simply as the continent, was North America. The islands he spoke of were the Caribbean and the expanse to the south was South America. Though the map was not exactly the same, it was close enough to draw pretty clear comparisons.

    I didn¡¯t know much about the rest of the world as my own system map was dark in those areas and no one really talked about them. I¡¯d heard little bits, and tales of the occasional places here and there, but for the most part it was a blank to me. I assumed I would explore at least some of it in my time, assuming that I managed to leave Castalor alive.

    ¡°There is also a place known as the central continent,¡± Lucas continued. ¡°It is a desert, mostly. Its people are not united and it is split into small, unimportant areas of influence who dabble mainly in the spice trades. To the north is a kingdom called Britania. Their king isn¡¯t here today, I heard that he was assassinated not too long ago and the country is currently in turmoil. It was a rich, albeit small, trading nation.

    ¡°And then there is the eastern continent. Its lands are vast and sparsely populated. It is said that some of the world¡¯s most fearsome creatures roam its plains, which is why it is a feared empire filled with hardened, veteran warriors. They don¡¯t come close to matching the numbers here, but they are still powerful. Its people live mostly in the island archipelagos to the east and south of the main expanse of land. It¡¯s rare that their empress ventures past her own borders, even for big events like this.¡±

    ¡°This is really interesting and all,¡± I began, ¡°but why are you telling me?¡±

    ¡°Because tonight I am to dine with her and I want you to accompany me,¡± he smiled and patted my shoulder. ¡°Gonzo and Taylor will be there too. I hope to foster good relations between our peoples.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want me to come?¡±

    ¡°Because right now you¡¯re Diako¡¯s champion and he has a lot of followers in their borders. I think your presence will help me.¡±

    I nodded, but before I could reply a booming voice swept over the arena.

    ¡°Today we will have the privilege to watch two of the finest warriors in the land go head-to-head for the glory of their gods,¡± Chrysus announced to the crowd. ¡°Please join me in putting your hands together to welcome Brodir and Adolf Von Silver to the field!¡±

 Chapter 191 â€“ Baying For Blood

    I watched eagerly from the VIP box as the two warriors strutted out onto the battlefield. Brodir, the huge lycanid, walked calmly towards the centre. Two hand axes hung on his belt of skulls: a collection of his enemies worn as trophies ¨C or so I¡¯d been told. A larger axe hung limply across his bare back.

    Though his muzzle was greying and his eyes had begun to mist, his body was one of a much younger man. He was huge. Rippling muscles pushed tightly against his skin and his fur wrapped around a shapely, barrelled chest. The fur on his head was tied back in a braided mohawk and he had dyed it red for this battle. Face paint, which may well have been blood, drew runes across his face creating quite the fearsome visage.

    As he reached the centre of the field he held a single hand axe high in the air and screamed a deep, primal howl which reverberated around the stadium. Louder even than the cheering crowd of thousands of spectators. This was an impressive warrior and one that I was hesitant to face myself.

    Glancing to my side I saw Rex staring intently at the man. He was a hero to their people, a man who was more myth than historical figure. An old hat in the world of tournaments ¨C though not high priest tournaments, supposedly he was over a century old despite only being the same rank as me. He had competed in arenas the world over and had won glory and fame for himself, yet I was more intrigued as to how a warrior of such renown could have plateaued at a level I had reached in a relatively short time. Was it the luck of the system, or was he simply not as strong as he seemed?

    Adolf Von Silver walked from the other side to meet his foe. I hated the man for what he did to Bell and would be happy to see him killed and humiliated in this battle. I¡¯d seen a glimpse of his fighting prowess when we¡¯d first arrived in Castalor¡¯s Morningstar. He didn¡¯t seem too impressive to me, though he also didn¡¯t die, so that was something.

    He wore his usual hood which covered most of his face and a brynja adorned his torso in a chain-linked metal armour. A simple, yet gleaming, sabre hung loosely at his hip. I¡¯d never really seen him fight before. I¡¯d attacked him back when he¡¯d kidnapped Bell but all of my attacks had missed back then. I knew he was nimble, but that was it.

    As the two approached each other, both men shook hands graciously and then turned, walking ten or so paces away from each other. It reminded me of an old-fashioned duel and that brought my mind careening back to the duels I had participated in back when I¡¯d first arrived in Celestia. I wondered if that was what this was. If the men said so much as two words to one another, I didn¡¯t hear them.

    ¡°This will be a one-on-one duel to the death,¡± Chrysus announced and the crowd grew eerily silent. ¡°Glory to the winner, commiseration to the loser. Fight with all the strength of the system. Fight for your gods. Fight with honour. Oh, and do try to make it entertaining.¡± He smirked and lifted both of his arms above his head. The world seemed to slow for a moment as his venomous grin enveloped my vision. For a single second, as his arms hung in the air, I could have sworn he was looking right at me with eyes which hungered.

    His arms dropped and the battle began.

    Brodir didn¡¯t waste a single moment. The second Chrysus¡¯ arms dropped to his sides the lycanid charged forward with the full force of an angry bull. He screamed, grasping both of his axes from his waist and jumping high into the air as his opponent stood still, seemingly caught off guard.

    The fierce lycanid crashed down with his weight and strength guiding the slash of both axes which seemed to be headed directly for Silver¡¯s face. In a cacophonous crash, he landed and dust scattered across the battlefield obscuring my view. Silver was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°How did he dodge so quickly?¡± Bell asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, mana?¡± Panda replied.

    All of our eyes were glued to the spot as the large silhouette of Brodir staggered around blindly inside the dust cloud. He seemed as confused as we were.

    Out of the dust I caught the glint of steel as Silver¡¯s sword slashed down hard at a diagonal angle, seemingly from nowhere. Brodir parried with a single axe, just in the nick of time, but not before the tip of the sword¡¯s blade nicked his cheek. The lycanid didn¡¯t show any signs of pain, but it was clear who had the upper hand.

    Silver kicked out, his booted foot connecting with the lycanid¡¯s stomach and sending him skidding backwards with an audible grunt. The crowd was silent, all eyes glued to the battle.

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    Brodir slashed with his free axe and Silver responded, lifting his free palm towards the weapon and firing off a small crackle of lightning tendrils which snaked from his hand and seemed to grab the axe blade, tossing it aside before striking once more, like a coiled serpent, and burrowing deep into Brodir¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°What kind of magic is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Living lightning,¡± Asmodeus replied. ¡°I thought it was lost in this era.¡±

    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Panda added. ¡°Living lightning is an extremely rare form of attack magic which combines lightning mana and telekinesis mana. There are very few classes who can use both. As you saw, kid, it manifests as a moveable, lightning-like appendage which shocks and stabs the opposition whilst also being moveable like an extra limb. It¡¯s especially powerful in close to mid-range combat.¡±

    ¡°Is that how he dodged all my attacks when he stole Bell away?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Maybe, though if he was at his current level back then as well it could have just been the difference in your abilities. You had only just passed the adventurer exam remember? You weren¡¯t even half the level you are now.¡±

    I nodded as my eyes fought to keep up with the speed of the fight unfolding on the battlefield.

    Brodir, wincing from the wound caused by the lightning piercing his shoulder, pushed through the pain and gripped the blade of Silver¡¯s sword with his free hand. He pulled the man in close and headbutted him fiercely in the face. Blood slashed outwards from under his hood and the lycanid lifted his axe, slashing down unimpeded and hooking the beard of the axe behind the man¡¯s collar bone.

    I winced as I watched it. He dragged silver forward, using the axe as leverage, and headbutted him in the face once again. The entire time he had his meaty hand wrapped around the sharp steel blade and blood was pouring from his palm. His teeth were gritted, fangs on full show, and his misted eyes were wide, reddened with rage as he headbutted Silver for a third time.

    Silver¡¯s lightning tendrils pushed further into Brodir¡¯s shoulder. I could see them clearly with my dragon¡¯s eye as a dark purple aura pulsated and wriggled beneath his skin. They seemed to be spreading out in two directions, towards both his heart and neck.

    At their level there was rarely such a thing as a killing blow in the simple terms which humans from Earth understood. The heart could be healed, as could the neck and even the brain. Severe damage still delt a larger hit to HP, but it wasn¡¯t usually enough on its own. Silver had to have known this, but both men seemed to be low on HP anyway by this point so it was still anyone¡¯s match.

    Blood drenched them both. Brodir¡¯s fur was matted with it and he looked thoroughly worn out. This had to be the final moments. What happened next would decide the battle.

    Brodir moved first. Simultaneously he wrenched his embedded axe forwards, snapping Silver¡¯s colour bone which pierced his flesh: gleaming white ivory in a sea of blood. Flesh mounted like an exploding volcano as it wrapped around the protruding bone and he screamed a visceral, primal scream.

    At the same time, Brodir also twisted the sword¡¯s blade around at an awkward angle. Both snapping Silver¡¯s wrist and further slicing his own hand. Though he winced, he didn¡¯t stop his assault for a second as he gripped the blade and began swinging violently at the hooded man¡¯s face, using the hilt as a hammer.

    To my side I saw Bell smile, her eyes housed a flaming inferno of ferocity and I couldn¡¯t begrudge her. Not one bit. Adolf Von Silver deserved all the pain he was feeling right now. I only wished I could have been the one to deliver it to him.

    ¡°This is brutal,¡± Panda breathed, his trembling paw clutching at my leg. Though in a strange way, I felt exhilaration, and it worried me.

    Silver dropped to his knees, blood gushing from his covered face. His collar bone sticking up and forcing him to keep his head held high lest he impale his own neck on the jagged bone. The lightning tendrils still wriggled inside the lycanid but they were subdued, their energy seemed to be running out. It was obvious who had won.

    ¡°Finish him!¡± A booming, joyous voice shouted. It bounced around the arena, stirring the silent crowd who began to cheer and scream for cries of blood and death. They were animalistic in their shouts, hungry for slaughter. As was I.

    I almost joined in but felt Rex¡¯s calming hand pressing warmly down on my shoulder.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s exciting and I know you dislike Silver,¡± he said in a low, calm grumble. ¡°But do not forget why you are here. This is to prevent war, not start one. See the horrors, don¡¯t give into the frenzy. Don¡¯t let it consume you. But remember this feeling, the rushing of blood, the heightened senses, the adrenaline. Remember it¡­ and use it in your own battle.¡±

    I was wordless. I felt a calming wave wash over me. What had happened to me? I looked towards the source of the voice and saw a huge man standing with a goblet of wine next to him. It stood almost as tall as he was. Red wine dripped down his braided beard, his eyes were huge and bloodshot. He was baying for blood.

    Baccus.

    Had his aura affected me? I¡¯d been in many battles by now and I¡¯d never lost myself so completely before. My dragon¡¯s eye saw something surrounding him. A close mist hung off him like a second skin. It barely held a colour, but I could feel it somehow. It felt nefarious and enchanting, both in equal parts. Was this his doing?

    My eyes flicked back to the battle.

    Brodir took a staggered step backwards, he panted heavily. His eyes were soaked in blood, fur matted, veined muscles pulsating and twitching as they pushed through his fur and bloated with battle pump.

    Pulling his largest axe from his back, he lifted it high above his head and swung down slicing Silver cleanly in two. Air forced its way outwards from both sides of the blade as if he had sliced oxygen itself and the body¡¯s two halves slid away from each other as blood and guts slopped out of the severed frame, painting the ground a blackish crimson.

 Chapter 192 â€“ Hubris In The Bathtub

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to do this now?¡± I asked Havier Regina as we marched along the crowded corridors, pushing past the hive of excited spectators. Blood lust hanging thickly in the air.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we do it now?¡± Havier replied.

    ¡°Baccus¡¯ champion just won an astounding victory. Surely he feels powerful right now. Trying to negotiate an alliance with a man high on victory is surely a bad move.¡±

    ¡°Baccus is no man,¡± Rex grunted, he had insisted on coming with us. ¡°He is a god. He feels powerful all of the time. I doubt that this victory will make any difference in your negotiating power.¡±

    ¡°Your dog is correct,¡± Havier nodded.

    ¡°Watch your tongue human,¡± Rex growled. ¡°You may be the emperor, but we are about to be in the presence of my people and they might not be as forgiving as me.¡±

    Havier glanced at him with dark eyes, then blinked hard a single time.

    ¡°You¡¯re right Red Fist,¡± he conceded. ¡°Take note Kaleb, that was a good use of leveraging situational power. On any other day, at any other moment, I might have spayed him for speaking to me that way.¡±

    Rex grunted in irritation but held his tongue as we finally reached the end of the horde-like crowd of blood drunk viewers. They were ferocious in their appetite for violence. Queuing back as far as the eye could see for drinks and food. Screaming and chanting. Talking animatedly about the fight they¡¯d just witnessed. Some were even fighting themselves, though few paid those particular idiots any mind. It reminded me of a football game.

    Having never known my father; I hadn¡¯t been to many. But as a child a school friend won some tickets in a competition and he took me with him. It was intoxicating. I didn¡¯t even like sports all that much back then, but the atmosphere was divine. As a child I¡¯d often longed to escape into other worlds and I¡¯d read books and played video games to accommodate that escapist desire. But at that match, becoming one with the crowd like it was a living entity; a fictional beast which moved and shouted of its own volition and I was a mere vertebra aiding it, a single part of a larger whole¡­ that was something else entirely.

    So I completely understood the drunkenness of the crowd. The allure of being a part of something bigger than yourself. But right then and there, it didn¡¯t appeal to me. I needed to be an individual. A single rock preventing the advancing tide that was Chrysus¡¯ plans ¨C whatever they may be. I didn¡¯t feel like just another member of the crowd. I was no longer a single vertebra, but a force to be reckoned with in my own right. And that in and of itself was both intoxicating and terrifying.

    We rode in the elevator in silence until the audible chime of the doors clicking open roused me from my thoughts. The room before us was similar in size to the one I¡¯d met Loki in, with a viewing platform at the back which led to a large golden chair ¨C the platform where the gods sat.

    This room was distinctly different in its decoration though. Six roman columns of ivory swirls surrounded the outskirts. In the centre was a large, square bath emitting a foggy steam which swirled and danced, filling the room and bringing on a sweat which stuck like thick sap to my skin the moment I entered it.

    Scattered around the sides of the bath were plates lavished with fresh fruit, goblets and jugs filled with wine, and lounging, semi-naked women: a mix of human and lycanid.

    I guess all the gods are perverts¡­ makes sense considering the mythologies of my world.

    Sitting tall at the far edge of the bath was a towering lycanid with golden fur which glimmered like the sun, casting blinding sparkles in the reflection of the crystal-clear water. He had a nasty gash across his eye, an old wound which seemed to have blinded him on that side. I¡¯d seen a lot of well-built people in this world, but even by Celestian standards Baccus was gargantuan in stature. His shoulders were as wide as the bath itself and normal sized people could have fit in there three a breast. The waterline barely covered his lower abdomen yet the large man sitting next to him was covered to his neck.

    Brodir looked up at us, his eyes milky and half closed, as we entered. His wounds seemed to have been healed already, but he looked exhausted. A floating tray with a wine goblet on it drifted near to him. Baccus, on the other hand, had his meaty fist ¨C which was easily the size of my torso ¨C wrapped around a goblet which was bigger than I was.

    ¡°You know,¡± Havier said under his breath, glancing at the normal sized women who lounged around the edges of the bath. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered how he manages to sleep with them. As big as he is it must be quite painful.¡±

    ¡°Some parts are made to stretch, Havier,¡± Baccus said in a booming, jovial voice. ¡°But of course you wouldn¡¯t know that having never had the endowment to experience it for yourself.¡±

    I snorted, cupping my hand over my face as Regina shot me a scathing look. Rex also seemed amused but he hid it better than I did.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Come, join in our victory celebrations,¡± Baccus continued. ¡°Today we honour my champion and friend, Brodir. Drink with us, bathe with us. I insist.¡±

    He waved a meaty hand in our direction and I felt something brush against my mind. It faded quickly, was that the work of my usurper skill? Whatever it was, I felt a sudden compulsion to strip off and join them in the bath. Havier looked at me and sighed. I frowned at him, then caught his meaning. On the other side of me Rex had already unequipped all of his armour and weapons and was moving towards the bath.

    ¡°Your friend is either very trusting,¡± Havier said, ¡°or very underprepared for this meeting.¡±

    ¡°How could he prepare?¡± Brodir asked. ¡°No one can resist my master¡¯s charms; even most jade souls fall on their knees before him. It is you two that are the strange ones.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve known your master for a long time,¡± Havier said casually. ¡°His tricks don¡¯t work on me.¡±

    ¡°And the champion of Diako? Is he not the same level as me, how does he resist?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an atheist,¡± I said, blurting out the first thing that came to mind without revealing my skill. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in gods, so their aura manipulation doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Baccus asked, looking me up and down with a predatory eye. ¡°How interesting. I still wish for you both to join us in the baths. How can we make discourse if we do not do so as equals. Bathing together levels all things, for we are equal in our vulnerability.¡±

    I was pretty certain I was significantly more vulnerable than he was even in my amour, but there was no use arguing. I was here as a diplomat, looking to negotiate an alliance to help me fight Chrysus. I needed to show a willingness to compromise if I wanted his support and how bad could it be, sitting in a roman bath drinking wine with a god?

    Unequipping my armour, I slid beneath the silky, warm water. Its heat trickling into me, warming my bones and filling my muscles with life. It had been a long time since I¡¯d last enjoyed the pleasures of a warm bath. There was no plumbing in the training zone.

    See Bell, I do take it off.

    ¡°That was quite the fight,¡± Rex said, sliding next to Brodir in his stoic, lycanid way.

    ¡°Adolf Von Silver was a worthy opponent,¡± Brodir replied. ¡°I am thankful to still be breathing whilst his body is a feast for garuda.¡±

    ¡°Silver was a shit who needed to be dealt with,¡± I said harshly. ¡°I only wish it was me who got to fight him.¡±

    Baccus grunted a laugh and Brodir looked towards me. His milky, half-closed eyes waned as he addressed me.

    ¡°And what of me?¡± He said, ¡°if you win your fight we will cross swords in the final.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ I¡¯d rather not fight, if I didn¡¯t have to,¡± I replied with a curt nod and he finally cracked a smile.

    ¡°A man who comes waltzing in on a dragon, making a fool of the merchant god is scared of little old me? I am humbled, human.¡±

    ¡°I watched you cleave a man in two like it was nothing. Only an idiot would want to fight you. That doesn¡¯t make me fearful, it makes me smart.¡±

    ¡°Here, here,¡± Baccus said, raising his human sized goblet and taking a swig. I felt a nudge from my left and looked to see a floating tray beside me with a smaller goblet on it. A flash of semi-transparent, flowing cloth, and the girl who had placed it there drifted back to the side of the baths. Taking the goblet, I cheersed the god and took a drink myself.

    It really does taste just like fortified wine.

    ¡°Shall we get down to brass tacks old friend?¡± Havier said from my side. ¡°I know you love entertaining guests but we are here for a reason.¡±

    ¡°Why talk of business when there is so much pleasure to be had?¡± Baccus replied. ¡°Come now Havier, you can¡¯t deny me that, surely?¡±

    ¡°But surely the pleasure tastes that much sweeter after enacting a successful business dealing?¡±

    ¡°Only if that dealing is successful.¡±

    I felt my stomach drop and had to stop myself from sighing outwardly. It sounded like Baccus might not ally with us after all. And just when I thought we were getting along so well. Lucas had told me that the god despised Chrysus so I¡¯d hoped to gain an in with him but¡­

    ¡°Fine,¡± Baccus boomed like a sad puppy. ¡°Have at it then.¡±

    They both turned to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you to ally yourself with me¡­ Diako, against Chrysus. We have reason to believe-¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I already know this,¡± Baccus said with a flippant wave of his hand. ¡°Chrysus spoke to me yesterday about backing him to become king of the gods or some horseshit and I spat in his face. I hate that little bitch as much as anyone. So you have nothing to fear from me in that regard. All I want to know is why I should ally with you and the shadow monkey? You do know the history we lycanids have with him don¡¯t you? We are not the best of friends, he and I.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware, and if it helps at all, I¡¯ve only agreed to be his champion to try and stop Chrysus. There is no love lost between me and Diako. In a way, this is also just an alliance.¡±

    ¡°Ha! You believe yourself on equal footings with a god? You¡¯re crazy, human.¡±

    ¡°I already told you; I don¡¯t believe in gods. I recognise and respect your power, but I don¡¯t see it as divinity. If you don¡¯t want to ally yourself with Diako because he poisoned your Empress and sterilised your people then it would be arrogant of me to try and persuade you otherwise. But if you were to ally with me, then that would be different. You could get the backing of Diako without having to sully your own name.¡±

    ¡°The hubris of this one eh?¡± Baccus said, nudging Brodir in the side with his huge elbow.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t know me,¡± Rex said. ¡°But as a lycanid I back Kaleb completely. I trust him with my life and he has already proven to me that he is a friend of our people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ve heard how he helped you overthrow your uncle, Rexus Crimson Fist. I¡¯ve also heard how he threw Cali Port into an all-out civil war.¡± He turned back to me, allowing his fangs to creep along the side of his facial fur. ¡°You¡¯re dangerous, Kaleb Akabane, I can feel it. I can sense it in your aura. I don¡¯t think you intend me and mine harm, but I also can¡¯t trust you not to cause it inadvertently. Trouble seems to follow you¡­¡± He paused a moment, taking a large gulp from his cup, thick wine spilled down the sides of his mouth tainting his fur a dark burgundy. ¡°And yet, any man who has the balls to sit naked in a bathtub with me and still deny my divinity is a man worth calling friend. When the time comes, I will aid you against Chrysus. But only if the time comes. I will not cause a war by acting before he tips his hand. If that is acceptable to you then you may call me a friend and an ally.¡±

    ¡°Cheers,¡± I said raising my glass towards him as a smile brimmed the top of my goblet. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask for anything more.¡±

 Chapter 193 â€“ The Empress Of The Rising Sun

    Later that evening I found myself in a peculiar setting. In a box high above the arena, a glass screen muffling the noise from the excited crowd, I sat at a long table enjoying an extravagant feast.

    Soon Chrysus would announce the next match up, but for now that was the furthest thing from my mind, which was focused solely on the person in front of me.

    The Empress of The Rising Sun was a radiant beacon in an otherwise desolate landscape. A single rose blooming in a wasteland. The thirst quenching first drop of water on parched lips. You get my point, she was very pretty, but more than that she was powerful and she exuded a royal presence like none I¡¯d met so far in this world. In a way, she reminded me of my wife, but not nearly as terrifying.

    ¡°Lucas, it is good to see you, old friend,¡± she said with a curt nod, her crown of chain-linked jewels dipping slightly below her hairline and brushing the top of her forehead. ¡°I was delighted to hear of your coronation. Forgive me for my bluntness, but is this meeting perhaps an attempt to rekindle our broken arrangement?¡±

    Lucas had already explained this to me on the way here. Apparently, when he was a much younger man, and before his father disowned and banished him to Havar, he was arranged to marry the Empress ¨C though she was a princess back then. Supposedly, powerful families often arranged marriages for their children as a way of strengthening ties and forming alliances, just like they once did on Earth. Panda had told me that it was a tradition that harkened back to a time when war was rife in Celestia. Now, however, the tradition referred more to the strengthening of trade agreements. Like if Elon Musk married off his kid to a Bezos.

    ¡°Nothing would please me more Empress,¡± Lucas replied with a slick smile. ¡°However, I don¡¯t expect we¡¯ll have much time to engage in nuptials any time soon. Celestia is about to enter a dark period, the likes of which we have not had to endure in many lifetimes. That is what I¡¯m here to discuss.¡±

    ¡°A pity,¡± she said with a sly smile. ¡°I might have considered a proposal from a king.¡±

    Supposedly she had remained unmarried since claiming the throne. Something about proving her strength and a refusal to conform to the traditions of the past. It was all very Elizabethan.

    ¡°Highness,¡± Gonzo half choked as he rushed through a bite of meat to try and get his words out. ¡°I would counsel you to strongly consider her offer. A formal alliance of that magnitude with a woman of her prestige would strengthen Havar for years to come.¡±

    The Empress smiled and I was pretty certain she was trying not to laugh at the red-faced bureaucrat as she took a delicate bite of something that looked a lot like a chicken drumstick.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know much about women do you?¡± Taylor said, ¡°flirtatious table talk and an actual proposal are quite different you know.¡±

    Gonzo flushed a deeper shade of red and disappeared back into his dinner plate, muttering about decorum and ¡°stupid cats.¡±

    ¡°I was going to wait until after diner to broach the topic,¡± Lucas continued, completely ignoring his aides. ¡°But since it¡¯s already been brought up, I would like to enter Havar into a formal alliance with your empire. I believe we are natural allies, with Diako as your head of state already.¡±

    Panda: Head of state is an honorary role. He¡¯s just the most worshipped god in the east.  Chrysus is technically the head of state here on the continent but in the west it¡¯s rarely mentioned because Athena is still the most worshipped. Diako¡¯s actual base of operations is in a city state he founded centuries ago, though I don¡¯t know where it is, it¡¯s said to be like an assassin¡¯s fortress of sorts, hidden away. To my knowledge it isn¡¯t located in the east.

    Panda messaged, answering my questions. He sat quietly beside me, feeding me information and I was glad for his company. Fighting, I could do. But all this political stuff had me a bit out of my depth. Nevertheless, I needed help and this was the proper way to go about getting it.

    ¡°I will consider your proposal old friend,¡± The Empress nodded politely. ¡°But it is rude to talk of business whilst eating, so perhaps we can shelve this topic for now? Besides, I would much rather discuss your new friend. Usually I wouldn¡¯t concern myself with champions but this one has rather piqued my interest.¡±

    I looked up from my food at her words and she was staring at me like a lion sizing up an antelope. Her hands were crossed under her chin and she was ignoring her own food as she gazed at me.

    ¡°Tell me, Champion of Diako, what brings you to my table this evening?¡±

    ¡°Lucas mostly,¡± I replied.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    She let out a single, muted chuckle. ¡°Indulge me, if you will. You are not of this world are you?¡± I was about to answer but she cut me off, not waiting for a reply. ¡°Tell me of your world, I would love to hear of it.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that, Empress?¡± I asked, sitting back in my chair and ignoring the delectable food on my plate for a moment.

    ¡°It is obvious,¡± she shrugged. ¡°If you were from this world you would be far more nervous, and I would have heard of you. Yet my sources found no record of your existence from before a few months back. In that time you¡¯ve raised your level extraordinarily quickly and bounced onto the world scene like a flea swapping dogs. You might not know this, but even the strongest Celestian levels up slowly. You, however, have jumped from a temporary adventurer, to just shy of silver rank in no time at all. Only those loved by the system have that kind of aptitude for levelling and it is known that the system favours outworlders. That is why it brings your kind here.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± I said, taking a sip of wine as she watched me curiously. ¡°And here I was thinking the system hated me. Dragging me from my home and placing a map piece on my back so all the most powerful people of your world would hunt me. Maybe it¡¯s different here, but where I¡¯m from, that¡¯s definitely not a sign of having someone¡¯s favour.¡±

    She obviously knew that I was an outworlder, she just wanted to phrase it as a question. I didn¡¯t know why, but I was happy to play ball if that would get her on my side. It did get me wondering though: was I favoured by the system? I had lots of evidence to the contrary, but in fairness, I had levelled up very fast and I even had a unique class which I had been told was exceptionally rare.

    ¡°You are funny, Kaleb Akabane,¡± she turned to Lucas, ¡°you didn¡¯t tell me he was funny.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go proposing to him, he¡¯s already married.¡± Lucas said dryly.

    ¡°A pity,¡± she turned back to me, ¡°but surely your marital duties would not impede on you telling me of your home world?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too different to this one. The map is pretty similar, but we don¡¯t have magic, or a system. Humans are the only sentient species and they cover the entire globe in population sizes that are much larger than Celestia¡¯s. There are no gods, at least none that anyone has ever met, and our technology is much more advanced than yours ¨C probably because we don¡¯t have magic.¡±

    Though even here, I don¡¯t have magic. Yeah, the system definitely doesn¡¯t favour me.

    ¡°Advanced technology? Tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°Well we have this thing called the internet. It¡¯s kind of like the system, but you access it through a small device with a screen, kind of like your lacrima screens, and on it you can message people, create and watch videos and images, you can create entire worlds on it too, we call them video games, where you play as a character. It¡¯s also a hub of information. Almost anything you could ever want to know is recorded on there and anyone with access can search it to gain knowledge.¡±

    ¡°That sounds very much like the system to me,¡± she replied, her eyes lighting up as I told her about Earth.

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°And these video games interest me. I would much like to play as a character on a screen sometime. If I ever get the chance to visit your world I imagine I would enjoy trying this.¡±

    I nodded and tried not to laugh, taking a sip of wine to hide my amusement. As I drank I glanced around the table to see that everyone else was staring at me in awe as well. I guessed I¡¯d never really spoken much about Earth before. They seemed enthralled, Gonzo most of all. He was practically drooling, though his face still held the reddish hue from his earlier embarrassment.

    I bet an online filing system would be a dream come true for him. A bureaucrat through and through.

    ¡°I like you,¡± The Empress said, ¡°It is decided. I will offer to aid you however I can. Now, Lucas and I must retire to a more private setting to discuss this new alliance he so eagerly seeks.¡± She nodded and stood, ¡°as a young woman, men desired me because of my looks. Now, they desire me because of my power. I wonder if one day someone will desire me for me.¡± She smiled but I saw a hint of genuine sadness in her eyes.

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Taylor said and before she could finish speaking, Lucas shot her a deadly glare and she shut her mouth, widening her eyes. Lucas opened his mouth to chastise her. The Empress spoke first.

    ¡°Do not admonish her for speaking the truth, Lucas. It is a quality that rulers so rarely get from their subjects. In time, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll come to appreciate it. Besides, she is likely correct. It seems that the more powerful you get, the less freedom you have. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll come to terms with it one day.¡± She raised her glass and the rest of the table joined her in a toast. ¡°To duty and honour, for without it we are no better than the monsters we slay.¡±

    ***

    ¡°It is time to announce the second battle,¡± Chrysus said, once again flying high above the arena and holding the hat filled with names.

    I had returned to Havier¡¯s box to watch the announcement. My brain felt fuzzy, how had my life suddenly become so complicated? Juggling alliances with gods and rulers and awaiting my turn to fight to the death in an arena. All to foil Chrysus¡¯ plot and hopefully get one step closer to the power I needed to accomplish my own goal of bringing my family to Celestia. In a way, I missed the simplicity of the training zone.

    It¡¯ll all be worth it in the end.

    ¡°The first contender will be Mistress Labia, representing Phonoi!¡± He shouted, clicking his fingers as her name appeared in the sky like fireworks to the sounds of cheering.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about her,¡± Rex said and Panda nodded his agreement.

    ¡°If she follows the god of murder then I think we can expect quite the show,¡± Asmodeus added. He was perched on the edge of the box like a stone gargoyle. His new size was useful, but it made it harder for him to stay with me. Still, I felt his presence close by the entire time I was in the stadium. It was comforting. ¡°If you face her, don¡¯t hesitate. My demon lord namesake had a fondness for her god, she is fearsome and ruthless. But you will still win, I¡¯m sure of it. I can¡¯t have you dying and sullying my good name.¡±

    I chuckled at him slightly and took a deep breath.

    ¡°And she will be facing¡­¡± Chrysus said, digging his hand elbow deep into the seemingly bottomless hat. A smile cut his face. ¡°My very own champion, The Desert Samurai!¡±